Music Record Reviews
De Rosa
Independents. ie self-released records and downloads. are the current music industry trailblazers. but talk of ‘independence‘ may account for the broad Scots accents on at least some of the Current local releases. Comrade Down — 1/3 of former John Peel faves The Aphrodisiacs — strips back the electronic pop of his previous band; ‘What Is For Me Won't Go By Me‘ (www.indiestore.com/split2ndrecords)
the top track on a combination of two EPs available. Another download. this one free and gratis. is from Dirty Summer. who rip up a Sonic Youth blueprint and mix in chundering subsonic bass and toy organs on a disembowelled version of ‘Then he Kissed Me’ (winningspermparty.com/dirtysummer) oooo
Port Sulphur‘s ‘Discord' (Aufgeladen Und is. yes. a Fire Engines cover featuring the rhythmic groove of original drummer Russell Burn which offers it a new lease of life nearly 30 years on.
At once futuristic and retro. Dirty Cloth borrow the Dennistoun Philharmonic to add the cinematic feel of Talk Talk to ‘28F‘ (Through the . Meanwhile. potential soulmates Dancing Mice release ‘Eroded' (Squeak)
. a cute piece of synthpop. recalling when Depeche Mode were more M&S than
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SINGLES: LOCAL INDIE SPECIAL
Overcry's debut EP ‘We Sit In Silence (New Town Independent) coo is a twin pronged offering — two Sprightly guitar pop tunes alternate with a pair of darkly-lyricised pieces with an Arab
Strap/Twilight Sad feel. Dan Against the World's ‘OK in Tokyo’ EP (Stop Motion) coo is. however. unabashed pOp mixing chugging Pixies guitars. wibbly 80s keyboard and rather nice harmonised vocals. Simon 1’ Munro's ‘Sailor Sailor' (STM) ooo Blunt/Gray territory. but is an undeniably fine
piece of songwriting.
Vacuum Spasm Babies' 'Thin Man EP' (Shark Batter) oooo boasts a minute-long lead track concerning “getting punched for wearing a Pastels T-shirt' and indeed their tour tracker sounds like Stephen and crew. were they hardened via a diet of snakebite and Slowdive.
However. our Single of the Fortnight comes from De Rosa who debunk another national stereotype. with a free download for every month of 2008. ‘One Sixtieth of a Second too Late‘ (wearederosacom) ooooo is another top-quality piece of tense post-folk.
(Stuart McHugh)
veers towards
ROCK DEUS
Vantage Point .V2. .00.
Belgian artrockers dEUS have a large cult folloWing, but this fifth album deserves a ‘.‘.’I(IOI' audience. Expansive and eclectic. Vantage
72 THE LIST '2"- Azx 1". Ma,
Point sees the twosome refining therr mix of powerfully emotive themes wrth leftfield. intelligent rock. adding a slap of soul into the bargain. (IEUS are IIIII)()SSII)I(} to pigeonhoie. and here we get rampaging punk
on ‘Oh Your God'. slea/y disco-funk with ‘The Architect. menaCing setil-flecked pop With ‘Slow' and epic singalong anthem ‘Popular Culture'. It's all stamped With intelligence and Wit and is a refreshing blast of musical (}X[.)I()I'dIlOll. integrity and talent amidst the current ranks of third-rate British indie bluster.
(Doug Johnstonei
COUNTRY FOLK BLUES ISO EL CAMPBELL & MARK LANEGAN Sunday at Devil Dirt V2 .0
Campbell and Lanegan's Mercury- nominated debut was a one-trick pony. but it was a pretty cool trick. Campbell's Wispy \.'~/him(_)er and Lanegan's bourbon-soaked growl blended refreshingly over some old school folk and blues. but it wears thin on this lacklustre follow-up. The main problem is weak songwriting. the pair content to let their odd-couple dynamic stand in place of melody or momentum. plus there are several over- egged "atmospheric arrangements which end up near parody. The best moments are stripped down and come at the end — the final four songs here would make a fine EP — but it's too little too late. (Deiig JohnsIOne)
RET no ROCK MIYAGI
Lucky Face lMiyagi Music) .0.
Some of us demand originality in these days of 'same—old. same—old'. Edinburgh's Miyagi (a quartet WIII) only one sold-out EP — Dragonfly
— behind thorn) fall into many categories. none of them standardised pop. To pigeonhoie their eclectic and diverse musicianship is nigh on mission impossible. but shades of C.S.N&Y. Spirit. the Beta Band and Howard Worth's Audience (remember
them?) come to mind. Messrs Duncan. Ross. Bruce and McNaught cross all betindarios of rock. psychedelic cOuntry. (azry blues. acOustic folk and funky surf. and are at their most creative during ‘Cry Cry Cry'. 'All Good Reptiles go to Heaven' (both of which feature newest recruit. cellist and vocalist Claire Schiavone). 'Dirty Little Monkey' and 'Dead Man's Hand'. Inspirational if not exceptional. (Martin C Strongi
SINGERSONGWRITE‘R PHIL HARDING The Story of Beginners le Records) 000
Over 30 years in the making. prolific pop producer Phil Harding finally marks the release of his debut solo album. From working With the likes of Stock. Aitkon 8. Watercrap during the nauseating 80s. The Story of Beginners has him venturing in a different direction alongsmle lyricist Mila Bogen and a plethora of top-name session players: with Harding on acoustic gtiitar and piano. While the ten reflective tracks (highlights include ‘SWimming', 'Flawles Band'. and the spiritual ‘9th Dimension') are pleasant enough. his vocals are a little strained.
(Martin C Strong)
Phil Harding
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JAZZ
NEIL COWLEY TRIO
Loud . . . Louder . . . Stop
(Cake Music) 0.0
Pianist Neil Cowley and his cohorts. bassist Richard Sadler and drummer Evan Jenkins. appear in Scotland this month as part of the last Triptych festival. and rate among the hipper items on the current UK (a// scene. Lauded for attracting a new younger audience to (am. they have also been Viewed With scepticism in more conventional (a/7 circles — the title of this second album is taken from a critic’s dismissive description of their music.
Like EST and The Bad Plus. they have pushed aside the subtleties of musical colour and harmonic compIeXity familiar from the Bill Evans-to—Keith Jarrett spectrum in favour of an approach that owes at least as much to rock and club culture as (211/. Their agenda is expressed in kinetic. often catchy melodies and crunching ostinato rhythmic progresSions. albeit With a bit more in the way of variety and reflective interludes this time around.
lKenny Mathiesonl
CONTEMPORARY JONATHAN HARVEY Body Mandala (NMC) 0...
Jonathan Harvey was Composer in Association With the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra from 2005-7. and was a central figure in the recent IRCAM weekend in Glasgow. This CD includes two compositions written in his Glasgow residency. ‘. . . towards a Pure Land' and ‘Body Mandala'. alongside the much earlier ‘Timepieces' and two pieces written in a
similar residency in California in 1995- 2000. 'Tranquil Abiding' and ‘White As Jasmine'. the only vocal work here (With soprano Anu Komsi). llan Volkov conducts the 880 in all five. With Stefan Solyom as 2nd conductor on ‘Timepieces'. While distinct in character. they reflect dt—zvelopments of shared musical procedures and spiritualphilosophical preoccupations. framed in Harvey's remarkable manipulations of musical timbre. colour and texture. Like the recent disc of chamber pieces by Glaswegian composor James Dillon on this label. the soad/e waste. the music roguires but also rewards open-minded attention from the listener. (Kenny Mathiesonl
FOLK CAPERCAILLIE Roses and Tears (Vertical Records) .0.
Capercaillie have done very nicely With thew particular fusion of traditional music With more contemporary influences. and it is hardly likely that they are going to suddenly throw all that aside in pursuit of some radical new direction. They have modernised their sound over the years. but always within the basic context of an essentially acoustic folk lino—up augmented by a bit of electric keyboard and drum kit. This typically polished collection of songs and instrumental sets delivers then own take on folk fusion in largely familiar style. both on