Reviews
FOLK
ADRIAN CROWLEY DOOGIE PAUL And nos ST JOHN
Tracer Trails @ Bedlam Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 9 Nov ooooo
A rare Edinburgh appearance from Irish singer songwriter Adrian Crowley always promised to be special. particularly in combination with an even rarer (if slightly chilly) chOice of
venue and a pair of fine local supports.
Rob St John was first to take to the Bedlam stage. Well spoken with a tousled mop. Nick Drake comparisons are inevitable. although his soft. searching folk expels any notion of the predictable — he's definitely one to keep an eye on. Up next was Doogie Paul, best known as upright bass player for James Yorkston's Athletes. but a mean banjo player and songsmith in his own right. Despite having broken his shoulder (while skateboarding. of all things). his tunes are as raw as a skinned knee and utterly compelling for it.
Crowley's set was a thing of truly Singular beauty: shimmering; electric guitar and a deep. haunting vocal thrum. complemented perfectly by acoustic guitar and backing vocals from the aforementioned Mr Yorkston. Special. right enough. (Malcolm Jack)
METAL
MANATEES
Henry's Cellar Bar, Edinburgh, Tue 7 Nov 0000
Let's call it the lsis effect. But nowadays with the Boston group gaining mainstream exposure thanks to a recent support with Tool. the number of bands playing epic. shoega/er. soundscape rock is a lot more than it used to be. Thankfully. Carlisle based trio. Manatees. are on the path to beuig something special.
It's clear the group have been raised on a steady diet of noise-mongers like Neurosis. Swans and the aforementioiied Isis (read: ear—drum shattering noise. interspersed With more reflective. ambient passagesi but thew delivery is their own.
Early numbers recall the fluid har(lcore-grooves of defunct Swedes. Breach before the set takes on a more ambitious tone. as the songs get longer and the ambient interludes emerge. Laptop-based electronics add additional texture while halogen spotlights and strobes alternate the mood accordingly.
By the time all three musicians are pounding out a tribal rhythm on separate drums. feedback hits deafening levels and the strobes reach epilepsy-nulucing intensity. the impact is astonishing. Great stuff.
(Andrew BorthWickl
ROCK
THE RED WELL
AND PLAYER PIANO
The 13th Note, Glasgow, Sun 3 Dec 0...
Last time The List caught Player Piano. American main man Jeremy Radway. was when he was tinkling the ivories in a threesome. This time round he's playing crunchy guitar Willi iust a drummer for company. However he dresses his tunes. Radway's innate pop sensibilities and deadpan showmaiiship make for hugely entertaining viewuig, like Eels or Ben Folds only with better tunes. And with
a debut single coming in the New Year on Analogue Catalogue you suspect great things await.
Edinburgh foursome The Red Well create a beefier but equally accessible sound. expertly mixing the rangy guitai antics of Sebadoh or Dinosaur Jr with a melancholic pop heart and Just a splash of Scottish folk. Frontman James Abel and cohorts swagger through a frisky set as if they know they're onto a winner. and rightly so. cos with material as strong as the dynamic Pavement-esgue stomper ‘Put in a Good Word for Me'. 200/ looks bright for them too.
(Doug Johnstonei
INDIE
MINUS THE BEAR ABC2, Glasgow, Wed 29 Nov 0....
When was the last time you saw a pop band mosh? And I mean. a full on shred fest. not a choreograi>he<i lvlcFly star-itiiiip.
That's precisely what you get with Minus the Bear. A band that spent their formative years slugging it out iii pioneering. but little heaid Seattle hardcore acts before ditching the distortion pedals for pop melodies.
'l'aking to the stage in understated fashion. the group played a set largely taken from last year's excellent Mini/s El Oso album. three new numbers showcased a iiiellower side. while oldm tracks rocked more than an indie band has a irglit to. courtesy of stop start tempos. guitar effects and liead~banging guitarist. Dave Knudson's fret dancing finger work.
It's only then that you realise that Minus lhe Bear are Deatli Cab l or Cutie's Van Halen loying. beer» sWiggin'. younger brother: sure. they'll give you intelligence. wit and heartfelt tales of falling in love. but dammit are they going to ha\.e a good time while doing A thrashing good time you might say. iAndrew Boitliwicki
lemo/iow's music today. I/iis ssue: We Are Hie Phys/cs
nioer thing.
do aftei e\.'eiyone's na'iies
is out now on One Records.
science bit sums up noy. :-.'s' Erratic leg movements, aggressive pointing . . . We Are The Physics’ live shows are some spectacle. How much practice does all that take?
It Just comes with the 'niisic. \‘v’e rehearse a mom that}: the sse a" a
Comprising three Michaels, one Chris, more angles than a box of Rubik’s Cubes and a fascination for horror B-movies, meet self styled ‘mutant science punk rock’ Glasgow four piece We Are The Physics. Fusing Devo’s geekish proficiency to the all out loopy punch of Polysics, they’ve built a stop starting, shape throwing, robot dancing musical monster be reckoned with. Bassist and frontman Michael M reveals the band’s spooky origins. We all met at the old ()deon enema n ‘i'; sgo'.'.. l ‘.().’\ yea' they used to do these i lalloween lloiioi Nights. and ‘.'.'{?l(‘: all gust sitting in the back row at one of thent. I suppose that exna '13; Inc [3
‘Mutant science punk rock’ eh? it kind of desciibes the music: 5‘
my. nypei as'. a nut/1.: o cs. l'ii‘
3. so't of n‘atneniat c.
tiny bathioom. so it at. (List happer‘s :idite naturally l' you knwv. fine songs you can do the n‘anoeuyies 't's r‘o'. HM} \.'.e"e go r‘g a";: practicing them ll‘. front of the inii'or oi a"yt"1i\;.
So many Michaels. That must get confusing. Not foi us. but for othei people iiiaylxé. \"Ve 'nake stne Michael guitar, Mcl‘ae :i'.."‘:; .‘:"..l Msc'iae b; ss. People always insist that we shoin he calie.) lite lyl.;:".;it:-Is_ You
need to keep laughing. 'thHiUl'l‘. Jack- I King Ii/t's. Glasgow 'Iue 10 Dec. [be single ‘I ess (ha/r ("vee'
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