After a month or so off we are back in the pub listening to music and letting you in on our thoughts. Well, I’m in the right pub, the photographer is in another pub eating chicken curry and asking where I am… when he eventually turns up we get to work..
PAWS – Disenchanted
This is post hardcore pop and as it’s emotional and disjointed it’s pretty good, there’s a nice loose bass sound, and lots to it I like. The Photographer says that it sounds like Placebo, it’s alright, it just sounds like Placebo.. but there’s nothing wrong with it.
Upchuck – Freaky
This is hardcore with nice drums and bassline, great voice and guitar it’s punk nastiness, fast and hard and only two and a half minutes long. It’s a great song. The Photographer agrees, it’s very American grungy punky yes, I quite like it.
Chastity – Halfway
A big epic smothering guitar sound, call it whatever you like – post rock or alternative rock.. I don’t care, it’s good. The Photographer says that it’s middle of the road well produced rock stuff. It’s just the same as all the others. It’s not the worse one I’ve heard but it’s not the best either… angst driven kids will love it, I don’t have angst anymore.
Scorpion Tea – In A Vile Suit
Is this Metal? I’m unsure, maybe Industrial Metal? It’s got an ace sound, all slow, chugging and kind of sinister with a clear vocal that sounds somewhat goth; so is it Goth Metal? I don’t know but I like it! The Photographer says .. ooh it’s goth, well, it’s been to the goth school of singing anyway.
Earth – Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine (Justin K Broadrick Remix)
This is a Loooooooooong slooooooow dooooooooooooooom song, nice drone, nice sounds but it’s very very very long. Yes it’s atmospheric and everything.. but the Bug did this better with Dylan Carlson. The Photographer say’s that it’s doom, it’s long and it features your favourite shotgun lender… too soon? I like it.
Pete International Airport – Tic Tac (Feat. Rachel Goswell)
This is quirky pop with her out of Slowdive being all ethereal, it’s pleasant enough. The Photographer says that it’s standard going on holiday music if you’re 12, I don’t like it, it’s just wet.
Sleater Kinney – Hell
This has an understated and cool start, it’s emotional and really good, then goes into the swirling chugging Sleater Kinney. A good use of quiet, loud, quiet. The Photographer says that he was looking forward to this but it turned out to be a bit of a letdown. It seems formulated for them.
Animal Collective – Genie’s Open
This starts with a lush growing sound, intertwining and spacious. Then it gets wonkier as it goes on just before the very Beach Boys vocal. I do think it’s too long though for a single as it then goes into a more indie pop guitar led rhythm. It’s a decent song but too long for me. The Photographer merely comments.. like what he said.
Florentino feat. Shygirl – Pressure
It’s got a soulful breathy vocal with understated techno, the track keeps dropping out then kicking again, I like it a lot. The Photographer says it’s quite poppy and it’s got some great ravey undertones going on.
Oneohtrix Point Never – Memories of Music
This sounds laid back to the point of collapse, the synth led groove is wonderful with bits and pieces of sound fitted in around it. I don’t know what the point is but I do like it, it has moments of squiggly bonkers but then fades back down. The Photographer says that he can’t quite make my mind up if I hate it or really hate it, it’s not enough to capture me.
Myrkur – Like Humans
A doom laden gothic blackness with a sweet folk voice and a muted massive sound behind, it’s okay but not brilliant. The Photographer says that it’s rock and a bit bland.
Nevaris – Interference
A massive dub groove, horns and bass and then slow drums and a nice stoned bass groove. The Photographer says that it’s vying for single of the week, dubby scratchy and seven minutes is good, the sub bass is intense and there’s some interesting scratches going on.
Screensaver – Drainer
Thrashy synths and nasty guitar noises with a distorted vocal, it’s punky and alright. The Photographer says it’s got punky synth, I like it, it’s alright and it’s not too long.
Sprain – We Think So Ill Of You
A huge noise. A slow start then a drone then drums and feedback then despairing post noise underneath, who needs tunes, not this lot. The Photographer says that they are trying too hard to be odd, there’s no tune.
Auragraph – 666 ambience
This is Acid House squelchiness, a decent track. The Photographer says it’s got daft samples, it’s housey dancey and great a beat, loads of old school ravey sounds.
Metrik – Awake
An epic dramatic sound, decent drum and bass with a nice flamenco finish. The Photographer says it’s standard Metrik, take s a little while to build up then goes wonky. It’s not the greatest but it’s decent, I hate vocoder vocal so that lets it down.
Doktor – In The Red
This is a muffled to start ace drum and bass groove. The Photographer says that this is dreadful, more vocoder vocal over not a great background.
Ragana – DTA
A slow metal goth start that goes into a big slow metal sound, the vocal goes from sweet to throat tearing nastiness, a good song. The Photographer says he didn’t like the start, it’s droney and dreary but then half way through it wakes up then drones on then goes nuts at the end, it’s a bit Big|Braveish
Laibach – The Engine of Survival
A slow quiet then epic duet, a love song by Laibach, brilliant. The Photographer says it’s a desperate pile of dross I hate Laibach, I don’t get it.
Evian Christ – On Embers
This one is Industrial bursts of noise, echoes of music underneath but all broken by huge ministry like slabs of sound. The Photographer says that it’s absolute piffle and makes no sense whatsoever even from a noise perspective.
Total Nada – Espectaculo
This is a rough and fuzzy hardcore punk smack in the guts, it’s just over a minute long and it is ace! The Photographer says it’s one minute thirty eight seconds of smash yer face in punk, a great song, terrible recording but so what.
Goat – Join The Resistance
It’s a great psychedelic guitar and echoing vocal, Goat’s call to arms. The Photographer says it’s a Goat album track, doesn’t do anything as a single.
Caleb Nichols – Albatross
This is rough loud indie, a great tune. The Photographer says it’s an uplifting little indie tune and quite inoffensive.
Office Dog – Big Air
Idlesish post punk thrashy groove with a bored vocal, a good tune. The Photographer says that they’ve definitely been listening to Idles.
Kings of the Rollers – Original Bad Boy
This is just great drum and bass, a raga vocal and dirty beats it is ace. The Photographer says it’s single of the week. A proper old school jungle roller and got about twenty words in it along with all the classic jungle noises stabs and everything. It’s great, if that don’t get you on the front foot nothing will.
Asteroid Witch – Time Crystal/Mind Prism
Another massive stoner metal satanic witchy black magic track and it’s excellent. The Photographer says it’s like The Heads with a spacey singer, it’s great.
Teeth of the Sea – Butterfly House
A sparkling electronic groove with intertwined guitar, the female vocal works really well. The Photographer says it’s very disappointing, a bit too tinkly and soft.
DJ Muggs, Kool Keith – Divinity 2 infinity the odyssey
This track should be excellent – look at who it is, but it’s muted and held back, it lacks something. The Photographer says it’s a bit preachy and ‘this is me’.
Poolside – We Could Be Falling In Love
This one has a nice funky groove, house music and smoothly cool. The Photographer says it sounds like it’s come off an Ibiza compilation if you’ve never been.
Flava D – Cats
This is fast drum and bass with an odd vocal. The Photographer says that it’s an incredibly intricate drum and bass track with a hilarious vocal – dedicated to Karl Kremin.
Touche Amore – Is Survived by
A noisy punk song, slow start then fast, decent. The Photographer however says it’s an angst driven emo yawnfest.
Bonnacons of Doom – Signs
A fuzzy strange electronic funky groove with an odd sweet female vocal, it’s a bit too long. The Photographer says it’s ZX81 music, I don’t understand the weird vocal.
Atka – Lenny
This one has confused drumming and bass line with a deep vocal slow and delicate, the Photographer says, this isn’t much better then the last one.
Loius Carnell, Lee Ranaldo – Two
I put this on for the photographer as the dude from Sonic Youth is on it, it’s got a dreary drone then crystal sounding guitar and synths over the top, it’s a decent track. The Photographer says that it sounds like it should be in the middle of an album where it would make more sense, but it’s the bloke out of Sonic Youth so its a winner innit.
Duvet – Sweaty Dog
This is a little bit of post punk loveliness, all shouty and great. The Photographer says that the cover’s good, it’s middle of the road punk rock it’s not going to set the world on fire is it.
Debby Friday – Let U In
A former single of the week winner, Debby Friday gives us synth based dancey house music, a great track. The Photographer says it’s got seriously big sub bass so you need a subwoofer to get it, I like it.
Melenas – Tu y yo
This has a Brim Full of Asha guitar sound, a hard edged vocal and an indie pop groove. The Photographer says oh I remember this one, it’s instantly forgettable indie pop.
Ghost Woman – Yoko
A truckload of bass driven goth, then a row, some thrashing nonsense before hitting the groove again. The Photographer says it’s got a great gothic western thing going on, it’s great and they are definitely a Goth band.
Gazelle Twin – Fear Keeps Us Alive
I already know that the Photographer doesn’t get this, but I know she’s a genius. Understated as ever, weird electronics and a suitably disturbing vocal . The Photographer doesn’t disappoint.. don’t get it, next! plinky plonky.. what the fuck?
Slift – Lion
It has a thrashy metal punky industrial edge, then a psychedelic deep echoing vocal lost in the song, it’s atmospheric load and nasty but far, far too long. The Photographer sums it up as music for robots taking over the world, not for humans.
Full of Hell, Nothing – Spend the Grace
A slow tiny start which descends into a monster of a doom track. The Photographer says quite loud.. loud.. loud.. louder, but it takes too long to get going.
Idles – Dancer
This sounds like Idles, the bass is leading, Joe’s singing like it’s the end of the world and we are dancing, dancing. Easy to lose yourself in it, very catchy and the chorus makes it joyful. The Photographer says not their greatest tune and not sure about the video, bit iffy but it’s supposed to be.
Brontez Purnell – Bathcholers Theme
This is very danceable indie music, it’s got an almost old punk feel and an great whiney vocal. The Photographer disagrees, it’s just a bit rubbish.
Oxbow – Gunwale
I don’t need to say anything, the music speaks for itself, just genius. The Photographer agrees, a slow growly nasty piece of work. Finishes the album perfectly.
Charlie XCX – Speed Drive
A great pop song, catchy and cool. The Photographer says it’ll be great if you are on green juice. Absolute trash, more vocoder cobblers, it is supposed to be trash though so I need to stop whining like a whingy old fat bloke.
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So there you have it, a drum and bass single of the week and lots of lovely sounds for you all to peruse. The full playlist is here..
All words by Martin Ward and Adrian Bloxham
Beer, Wifi and Ambience by The Twisted Barrel Taphouse in Coventry
