lites/rents
SKA ROCK
THE DEAD 608
AND THE KOOKS
King Tut’s, Glasgow, Sun 12 Jun 0..
The Dead 60: .:
It would be nigh on impossible to disagree with the assertion that Manchester has indeed so much to answer for. but there are plenty of other cities that certainly deserve to shoulder some of the blame for spawning some curious musical monsters on the record—buying public.
The first offenders are Brighton's the Kooks who. although at first glance are kitted out in the standard NYC rock uniform of uncontrollable haircuts and ultra skinny fit outfits. are sonically way closer to home. Buzzcocks-style vocals are delivered with no lack of gusto by flailing frontman Luke Pritchard, reminiscent of a kind of punk Leo Sayer. who spits out lyrics like 'you don't love me and you don't care!‘
Thrown into the mix briefly but significantly is a little bit of ska. the currency of up and coming Scousers the Dead 60s. and the only real common ground between the two rock and mod groups respectively. Bookending their adrenaline-powered performance with the SOund of a siren. if they didn't exist. Fred Perry's marketing department would have to invent them.
The Specials are an obvious reference point. and what they may lack in consistent song quality. they more than make up for in raw energy. It may peak a little too early in a flash of glinting guitars and the band members illuminated in red — an arresting sight if ever there was one - but if they can sustain the pace then they may be able to push themselves beyond their Ouadrop/ien/a-bourid hori/ons. (Emma Newlands)
ROCK
AMBULANCE LTD, THE CINEMATICS AND MAGNUS BLAZE
King Tut’s, Glasgow, Thu 9 Jun .0.
‘We're going to fire it up.‘ promise Magnus Bla/e as they light the blue touch paper for this three—pronng rock attack. With influences not so much on their sleeves; as writ large across their T-shirts. and with AC/DC. the Ramones and even
rock'n‘roll mouthwash legend Jack Daniels being represented. their old school metal schtick does exactly what it promises to. A decent stab at an Angus Young impression can take you only so far. though, and things only really ignite fully towards the end of the set when the guitars crunch through the final chords. The Cinematics. however. are peddling different wares. all frenetic backing and mildly sneering vocals (a good thing. certainly). touching on Robert Smith. lan McCulloch. and. nearer in terms of being contemporary but further afield geographically. Interpol. The Highland foursome apparently laid down their shotguns and fishing tackle and replaced them with Fender guitars: what will come as a loss to outdoor pursuits looks set to be money in the bank for fans of taut. muscular. bass-heavy rock. Their set serves as a smooth transition to headliners Ambulance LTD. whose vigorous instrumental opener is pure Mogwai. but cedes into Neil Young and American Music Club-style twangy country before too long. It gradually becomes apparent that for the New Yorkers it's a case of Spiritualized meets Mercury Rev-style slow burning euphoria on the likes of 'Ophelia'. with the necessary persistence paying off handsomely towards the climax. ‘Please enjoy . . . safely.‘
they caution. Consider it done. (Emma Newlands)
JAZZ GARY BURTON’S GENERATIONS
Spiegeltent, Glasgow, Sun 26 Jun
Vibes niaestro Gary Burton has a long. standing reputation for nurturing young players in his bands. including our own Tommy Smith when the saxophonist was a teenage student at Berkeley College in Boston Burton was on the faculty there for lt‘étlly years. and only recently retired to a new home in Florida. a base for his touring
and recording.
gifted composer.
'And our bassist. l_ugues Curtis. also contributed one tune and - along With James Williams on drums —- inspiring rhythmic support.
'One of the reasons I like to work With younger players is that they are rr‘oie \'/!l5‘lltl to do as you suggest. An older player who is more polished and developed. you Kif‘tl of have to accept them doing what they do they are not as able to adapt ‘.'.’l‘i(?l'(}£tf; yeting players seen: happy to leap around and try lots of thinng iKenny Mathieson;
an: finding travelling in and out for tours to be very convenient. and hey. the weather isn't too shabby. either' he says. 'The new band has been busy and we have a lot of gigs scheduled for the summer."
Burton has retained his enthusiasm for pertorriting over a now lengthy career. An early headliner at the Glasgow Ja// Festival in 1987 in his occasional duet with Chick Corea. Gary brings his New Generations band to the city for the closing night of this year's event. The quintet are featured on his latest disc. Noxt Generation (Concord Ja/xi.
‘l'm having a ball playing With the band. and the guys did a terrific Job or‘ the recording. Our guitarist Julian Lage's talent continues to develop at breakneck speed. He plays awesonte solos and contributed a couple of new songs as well. Vadin: Neselovskyi is one of the most original pianists around today. and he is also a very
Tomorrow's music today. T his issue: Sage f rarrczs
Sage Francis first caused a stir back in 2001 with ‘Makeshift Patriot’, a controversial track that dealt with 9/11 and the American media’s partisan coverage of the attack. Dismissed by some as a white, nerdy college graduate who makes rap for people who don’t like rap, and lauded by others as one of underground music’s true maverick talents, Sage is loved and hated in equal measures . . .
Tell me about your new album A Healthy Distrust.
ldidn't know what to call it at first. / t some point ounng '€?fjfi"l‘-"-§l ilét"l(} ac'oss tl‘e phrase 'a healthy distrust. and it Just rescrtaterl. lt er:<:ai:s..ia‘,ed sshat tne '.'.rhole album was about. which is a healthy distrust of our stirrourxlzngs am: of ‘.'.'hat .‘xe're be'ng told. and whos telling it and why.
Is it a political statement?
It's "tore of a commentary. lt has pcliticai ee'nenfs tr: t:..t not a u'fl‘oll‘, t;’;'i‘.'rfa| pers0n so I don't have a desire to out out an aibur‘: that's est a1: politics. It .vas recorded befOre the US presidential election. so l caught a lo! c‘ the pelit'cal ‘er. :2u' around.
Some of the press have tagged your music ‘emo-rap’ . . .
It's sort of a (ZOl‘ll)lllYt(}lll because I'm trying to net 'lc what e;'e'“,cne else is doing. So t makes sense that the media feel the need i’.) come up do. But in its essence it's really Just rap. Hip hop has gone 2"":1'..gt‘ so "tarty phases that there's really nothing that ai‘yone's doing 'igl‘t new that hasn't already done before. They Just have different terms for it rt()‘.'.’. Nowadays. :t v. :)u break the would jtlf3l a tiny bit. people wrll C().".l() up '.'.i:tl: a whole nez'. category to put ,-(;u it. It's really rust the media. and their need to sound cooler ; nd more h i: I Oran Moi. Glasgow Mon 27 Jur‘.
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