Lat Friday we retired to the local brewery to peruse the myriad of tracks we have been sent, bought and discovered over the last couple of months or so, we are joined by special guest reviewer Suzie who, after some technical difficulties helped with the reviews, read what we thought below.
Mayflower Madam – A Foretold Ecstasy
This has a nice goth groove to start, low and dark, good understated vocal too, then it gets louder and it’s still good. The Photographer says that they don’t look like goths, but they are, inoffensive gothiness. Suzie says that it sounds kind of like a light sisters of mercy.
Fontaines DC – Starburster
It’s got a wonky start, and stays slow. It sounds like fontaines dc but kind of like a can’t be arsed Fontaines dc. The Photographer says I liked Fontaines dc from the start but they have gone all Radiohead – slowly crawling up their own arse, over produced niceness, raw energy is ebbing… and they will always be known as the Idles support band… Suzie says I like that one, a better beat and version of Eminem.
Slate – Remoter Heaven
Indie, alt rock with a circling slow groove then about halfway though goes full on grunge guitar attack – great. The Photographer says it starts a bit slow but builds into a quiet loud quiet piece – great slabs of guitars as it gets going about half way through, vocals are strong and temper the guitars nicely. Bit long. Suzie just says that it’s not my cup of tea.
Bootlicker – State Property
A great hard core punk sound, feels like it was recorded on a Walkman, quality stuff, think GBH or Discharge – ace. The Photographer sums up as mosh pit punk rock at 1.35 mins it’s spot on. Suzie just says I like that.
Dermabrasion – Grim Sister
Rough goth with an ace vocal, would have played this at Silvers (old school indie/alternative disco in Cov in the late eighties early ninties). The Photographer says he’s bored of this gothy shizzle in about 45 seconds (no 30 seconds) death rock n roll my arse. Suzie says I like the beat on that one and I like the voice.
TR/ST – Soon
An electronic slow burning track, messed with vocal, and then turns into electro groove boogie monster. The Photographer however says it’s truly dreadful winey electronic pulp trying to sound like Pet Shop Boys and failing in an epic way. nothing to hear here, move on. Suzie ends this one with no don’t like it.
The Johnny Halifax Invocation – Thank You
Wonderful Shuffling drums, a fuzzy vocal, making this a great garage song, gets fiercer and more unhinged as it goes on. Photographer says produced (by the sound of it) in the local toilets, its not a great record and I’ve heard this fuzzed up squelched out guitar noise done better, it doesn’t go on to long though. Suzie says I like that one, I don’t know how to describe it.
SOLAH – Stick Around
Ace sparkly pop drum and bass for the kids. The Photographer says It’s got Hospital Records stamped all over it, its a nice record, great voice, enough squidgy bits to keep you interested and tapping your foot. Suzie says dance with singing like radio 1 would put on, well, its catchy. She says this with a sour look on her face though.
White Hills – Killing Crimson
Garage punk rock, but a bit too clean and calculated for me and way way too long. The Photographer adds that it descends into a dull post punk dirge with Geordie ripp off guitar, boring and it goes on and on… Suzie just says ooh no.
Rodney Cromwell – Madeline Trip
A great big wonky house trance groove. The Photographer says it’s a twiddly lo fi electronics interlude, prepares your palette for the next one. Suzie says it’s electronic with a good beat and not all the same all the way through.
Louvada Abismo – Louvada Abismo
Battering dense noisy metalic alternative rock and I think it’s brilliant. The Photographer follows on his last comment about cleansing the palate with, which is terrible, the screeching organ and dreadful vocals cant save this one from the ‘next’ button. Suzie says it’s good to start with but it doesn’t change and it needs it.
Mamaleek – Ancient Souls, No Longer Sorrowful
I’m lost, is this blues, gravel and whiskey soaked rap or just a mess, then piano, then grimy grunge bonkers – god alone knows but I like it. The Photographer says it’s screamy punk, great big riffs, great growling voice and various Arabic influences with a great beat and wonky guitar, definitely worth a listen to up to half way anyway – then it falls off a cliff for some unknown reason. Suzie says fucking hell what can you say about that one, its a mish mash of everything and it amused me.
State Faults – Palo Santo
I find this a bit too polished and I’m not into it. The Photographer says it’s shouty screamy average metal for the kids, screaming don’t do for me, this is average at best. Suzie sums it up with screechy with no tune.
Daniel Davies – Ghost of the Heart
Goth guitars and goth groove, indie vocal, very dense, pretty good. The Photographer says born and raised by music royalty, its slightly depressing angst adult rock, bit average really – waiting for the kicker which never comes. Suzie just says No, I don’t like that one.
Nice Biscuit – Rain
This is garage electronics and guitars with a robotic female vocal, it’s a great song. The Photographer says it’s a great name. Nice psyched out with repetitive guitar fuzziness with a smattering of krautrock in there, its all right, liking it more as it goes on. Suzie says I quite like it but its the same tone all the flipping way through.
Nightshift – Crystal Ball
A wobbly wonky indie pop song, bit too twee for me. The Photographer thought it might get going but it didn’t and it wobbled on into the depths of lo fi dirgeness , there’s a bit of guitar interest periodically but it has no real urgency. Suzie just said naaah.
Umbra Vitae – Anti-Spirit Machine
This has a nice nasty grunting thrashing metal groove, good song. The Photographer says it’s thrashy and shouty and growly – but that’s to be expected from Umbra Vitea, its well produced and if you like their stuff it won’t disappoint , its not too long thankfully. Suzie says yes, so I like these.
JakoJako – Modus
A minimal techno track with a nice bass throb and it’s just great. The Photographer says it kicks in with a great beat, plenty of samples and beat changes- love the classic high hats, a good builder – might play this one out myself next time…. Suzie says it’s very dancey techno its ok that one wasn’t bad.
History of Guns – When you don’t matter
It has a terrible goth croon and gets progressively louder but doesn’t matter. The Photographer says it’s a dreary droner – terrible vocals and weird instrument/beat changes make this oddness a bit uninteresting and again has me hovering over the next button. Suzie’s comment is – what the fuck?
Lair, Minami Deutsch – Tatalu (minami Deutsch Remix)
A nice dance track, cool and subdued. The Photographer says that I can’t say I’ve heard Indonesian Panturan soul but its pretty groovy and chilled – got a nice warm holiday beach vibe, nice. Suzie says that it doesn’t change enough for me.
Hope Conspiracy – Live in Fear
This is decent thrashing punk. The Photographer says it’s shouty disjointed hate fuelled punk metal, two minutes of face smashing. Suzie says it’s definitely thrashy and shouty, yes quite like that.
Dearthworms – Landsknechts Message
A Weirdo prog indie post punk (insert genre here) groove – I’ve no idea what it is but I like it. The Photographer says it’s interesting post punkiness – detuned guitars and driving rhythm- not to bad at all, quite like that. Suzie looks puzzled and asks Ok, are there two people trying to sing at the same time?
Pixies – You’re so Impatient
This is the best Pixies song since the reunion, weird, groovy and just Pixies, everything you need, except Kim. Plus it’s only two minutes long. The Photographer didn’t realise it was Pixies – Got a retro garage vibe about it, quite well produced in parts but a bit disjointed on the volume – nice little fuzzy guitar hook. Suzie was very surprised it’s the pixies, and I like it.
Dead Pioneers – Bad Indian
This is brilliant brilliant Native American punk and as far as I’m concerned it’s single of the week. The Photographer says it’s spoken word punk rock, bit of humour in there, message is clear, its pretty good. Suzie says that has got to be single of the week.
Beak> – The Seal
An excellent slow burning gentle laid back groove, in fact the whole album is brilliant. The Photographer says a slow crawler with a krautrock vibe, I like that. If you like some of their earlier stuff you’ll love this. Suzie says no sorry it doesn’t beat Bad Indian.
Tindersticks – Nancy
This is a slow tango groove, romantic and an old, crooning voice. Nice little song. The photographer says it’s a slow drawl, not my bag, boring in a Nick Cave way. Cue abuse. Suzie says I don’t like that one, very slow.
Jamie XX, Robyn – Life
Just an ace pop song. The photographer says that it’s standard fare Beleric beats, dull. Ibiza club. It’s dance music for squares. Suzie says she thought it was alright actually.
Kode9 – Eyes Go Blank
A nice bassline, hip hop groove and vocoder vocal which is disappointing, it gets more dense and hard but ultimately not very good. The Photographer says it takes a bit to get going but when it does it hits those dubstep beats and sub bass hard, wonky processed vocals and samples make this. You need the bass at 11 for this one. Suzie says it’s alright.
Milly – Bittersweet Mary
This has a whispery vocal over great big enormous riffs, a decent song. The Photographer says it’s fuzzy guitars with a Dinosaur Jr feel, not the most interesting vocals but the driving guitars make it a reasonable effort. Suzie says it’s definitely got Nirvana in it, liked it, its okay.
Akriila, Taichu – POPPER!
I like this, it’s bonkers Japanese pop. Wonky, popping and cool. The Photographer says I don’t get it, must be for the kids, I do like it towards the end for the noise. Suzie says that it’s mad and excellent.
Chime School – Give Your Heart Away
It’s an Indie pop jingle jangle fey vocal jingle pop indie tune. The Photographer says I’ve seen a million of these wishy-washy indie bands, this is indeed ( again ) standard fare and its dull. It’s what middle aged stay at home indie kids listen to. Cue more abuse. Suzie says yeah you can skip that.
Federale – Advice From A Stranger
Twangy garage surf
Scratchy mic vocal mor indie rock drearyness
S bit dull for me
We are winters blue and radiant children – No More Apocalypse Father
Heartbeat and drone, goth industrial dense feel slow doom electronics, odd
Stupid band name you wont get on the back of a Harrigton jacket. Its got people from Big Brave and Godspeed and thats what it sounds like, massive and experimental rock noise stuff.
S it’s shit
Sex Swing – Kings Romans Casino
Grotty, jazzy grungy mess – great
Noisey and incoherent experimental stuff – been around awhile and great live, saxophonist moonlights with Idles – it dont sound like Idles if that helps
S that’s alright
J.R.C.G. – Drummy
Wonky indie rock wibbling
More massive experimental rock noise, not too sure about this one as a single, needs further lp investgation as proven by the inexplicable sharp cutoff ending.
S too much going on dont get it
Licorice Chamber – All I Ever Wanted
Synth goth, alright
Its like a leeds goth band from the eatly 90s with synthy bits, slow and not particularly memorable
Not very interesting
Human Impact – Destroy To Rebuild
Angry post punk alt rock, decent enough
A sprawling rock experimental mashhup from members of Swans / CopShootCop – its got interest.
Dont really like that
Tycho – Phantom
Bright shiny dance music great
Swirly whirly sounds over beats with some retro analogue sounds – bit tame and twidly, just a bit nice
S very dancy don’t particularly like that
Dummy – Nullspace
Lazy Fuzzy shoegaze psychedelica – really like it
I like the bubbles at the start. Another recorded in the toilet production, wishy washy dull vocals and bizzare samples that make no sense or difference to this mediocre indie pop record
No really domt like that
Fucked Up – Another Day
Fan- fucked up -tastic this is great, just what you expect and need
A mess of a record, punk rock with broken sections and daft interludes, doesnt know what it wants to be
Yes just says it all – fucked up
Color Green – God in a $
Great fuzzy garage groove, simple and cool, doesn’t need quiet bits
60s california folky rock drizzle, not particularly interesting – its a bit bland
All very surfy and sixties
Kiasmos – Sailed
Shimmery, skitery electronic breaking song, interesting ans smooth
Its complicated icelandic soundscape electronics , its just a bit nice and slightly tedious
No dont like it
Mieu – New Spells
R&B smooth pop song, pretty good, elements of drum and bass underneath
This goes in the bin instantly- a dismal ballard with vocder ‘enhanced’ vocals – GET IN THE SEA.
S fucking lounge music
Agrio – djs in heaven
Terrible discordant indie song
Slow indie guitar wailing with uninteresting vocal, forgotten it already
Dont like that
Hemlock for Socrates – You’re Not Here
Big chunky electro industrial dance vibe
Goth vocals and retro electronics – guitar later then plonky synth – has no real direction
S funnyas fuck
Jesus Lizard – Alexis Feels Sick
Lulls you into a false sense of security, catchy little tune, then broken lunacy
Familiar bass lines … waiting .. and then comes …. buildup of disjointed guitars and mental vocals, mad drums and the face smashing guitars kick in. Blatantly single of the (year) month. Good luck trying to get a ticket for these in January.
S reminds me of fugazi very interesting like that
Power, Human Rebellion – the rabbit hole
Great electro with all sorts of bollocks going on
Uptempo electro space warp robot music, breakdown in the middle breaks it up a bit
Like the beat but too long
DJ Godfather – The next 100
Brilliant techno groove, love this
Deep hypnotic techno with house samples, not too long either
Better, fast enough and you can get going to that one
S-File – Mutant Revisited – Original Mix
Great dance music
Proper 90s housey ravy all those classic sampoles top tune
S top notch as in techno dance music goes
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So after a lot of deliberation, beer and vodka we declare the single of the week to be a tie between Dead Pioneers and The Jesus Lizard. Tell us which one you preferred.
Here’s the full playlist,,
All words by Adrian Bloxham, Martin Ward and Suzie.
