I’m an unashamed lover of Kyte’s cinematic style and otherworldly music. The seemingly simple way they build songs from a few glockenspiel notes and piano chords into a quiet roar of Nordic sounding majesty is utterly spellbinding. They really do evoke a twilight fairytale world of mystery populated by curious sounds and emotions which seems perfectly at home as winter draws in.
The orchestrated sound of Two Sparks, Two Stars sees a progression from the band’s more precise eponymous mini album earlier in the year which was much more about the cyclical building of tracks upon tracks and for all the album's beauty, and it is a thing of aching beauty, this EP shows the band with more dimensions, more experimental yet retaining their ability to write superbly lush songs like opener Eyes Lose Their Fire.
Not that it’s all their own work. The cover of Peter Gabriel’s Solsbury Hill will probably sneak up on a fair few people as it’s so perfectly molded into the Kyte oevre that it takes a little time to actually realize it’s not their own tune, a rare thing to achieve well and rarer still with a familiar song.
Of the EP’s four tracks it the final installment Light Outside Here which tugs on the seasonal heart strings most of all. Not for any specific Christmassy references though simply down to it's texture and ambience. Kyte make you want to curl up in front of a warm fire and dream impossible dreams.
www.myspace.com/kyteband
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Monday, 10 November 2008
The Kills - Live: 8th Nov 2008
Go on then, name some cool male/female duos!
Those without anything approaching a long term memory might opt for Anonymous and Old Cow from The Ting Tings. As if. Or Alice and Ethan from Crystal Castles. Okay I’ll give you that because those two kick ass! Or maybe, now cast your minds back fickle bastards, Jack ‘Bond-theme-strangler’ White and his sister/wife Meg. They had the blues man. Seriously though there are umpteen others you could sift through. It’s subjective after all. But I bet it’d take a while for most to come up with VV and Hotel from The Kills. Well shame on you.
What is heartening to see is that there are a lot of people who do see this duo, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince if you prefer their birth names, for the rockingest man-woman blitzkrieg they actually are. The venue is uncomfortably full, health and safety could bust the place at any second. It adds to the intoxicating atmosphere as The Kills roar into action as the dying embers of Obama’s presidential speech die in the PA. This is all about change.
Kind of shoehorned in maybe but as they hurtle through songs from all three Kills eras – or albums if you prefer – there’s a definite change to see. The squall, white noise of earlier tunes gives way to genuine ‘hits’ on new album Midnight Boom - U.R.A. Fever, Cheap and Cheerful and Alphabet pony to name only three - are greeted more feverously. You do sense though that the sleaze and filth with which the older songs are flung around on stage also hits the spot with those in attendance. Good. The Kills rock the fucking bollocks off any limp-wristed chancers I can think of and deserve their time in the spotlight. They’ve got the attitude, the tunes and the dark glasses to cope with the glare.
www.thekills.tv/
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Those without anything approaching a long term memory might opt for Anonymous and Old Cow from The Ting Tings. As if. Or Alice and Ethan from Crystal Castles. Okay I’ll give you that because those two kick ass! Or maybe, now cast your minds back fickle bastards, Jack ‘Bond-theme-strangler’ White and his sister/wife Meg. They had the blues man. Seriously though there are umpteen others you could sift through. It’s subjective after all. But I bet it’d take a while for most to come up with VV and Hotel from The Kills. Well shame on you.
What is heartening to see is that there are a lot of people who do see this duo, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince if you prefer their birth names, for the rockingest man-woman blitzkrieg they actually are. The venue is uncomfortably full, health and safety could bust the place at any second. It adds to the intoxicating atmosphere as The Kills roar into action as the dying embers of Obama’s presidential speech die in the PA. This is all about change.
Kind of shoehorned in maybe but as they hurtle through songs from all three Kills eras – or albums if you prefer – there’s a definite change to see. The squall, white noise of earlier tunes gives way to genuine ‘hits’ on new album Midnight Boom - U.R.A. Fever, Cheap and Cheerful and Alphabet pony to name only three - are greeted more feverously. You do sense though that the sleaze and filth with which the older songs are flung around on stage also hits the spot with those in attendance. Good. The Kills rock the fucking bollocks off any limp-wristed chancers I can think of and deserve their time in the spotlight. They’ve got the attitude, the tunes and the dark glasses to cope with the glare.
www.thekills.tv/
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Friday, 26 September 2008
Ipso Facto - Live: 26th Sept 2008
No-Wave. Nu-No Wave. There's a low rumble and a sedate pace. Cool seduction hangs palpably on the air. Four shadowy apparitions wearing precision bobs thump out their slow repetitive rhythms. The noise comes like the elongated stretch of an icy glacier as it carves its infinitesimally slow progress through a Scandanavian fjord. Not so much played as released. Beyond the craning necks is where this in-action is at. Through dim lights and dry ice resides the source of this oblique reverb and lulling hypnotic riffs. The wellspring of sweet sardonic vocals and parping, ghostly keys is here. Siren like. Calling. It's intriguing. Intoxicating. Unsettling sometimes. This is Ipso Facto.
As an all female quartet in tune with their 'look' as much as their music it'd be easy to be distracted by the visuals but there's much more than mere style and mannequin moves. The bizzaro fairground atmospherics of "Smoke and Mirrors" is disorientating and seductive whereas the studied shimmer and Souxsie Sioux delivery of "Ears and Eyes" displays perfectly the foursome's knack of creating something fresh from the foundations of decades gone by. Think Marianne Faithfull, Nico era Velvets and the gothfather (and mother) roles of The Cure and The Banshees, but only as jumping off points. Sound like a humourless exercise in studied retro indulgence? Not a bit of it.
As the pace quickens and the crowd relax more Ipso Facto deliver a deliberately non-standard set of material the highlight of which is "Introducing", as infectious and vibrant a two minutes as you could hope for whilst maintaining the appearance of austerity. Soundtracking the darker, more melancholic corners of any dancefloor they urge you to "Roll up!" Making eager promises which thrill and disturb simultaneously like they're proprietors of some Victorian sideshow carnival and they very well might be, they're certainly the only show in town worth anything right now and you can't help but peer inside.
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
As an all female quartet in tune with their 'look' as much as their music it'd be easy to be distracted by the visuals but there's much more than mere style and mannequin moves. The bizzaro fairground atmospherics of "Smoke and Mirrors" is disorientating and seductive whereas the studied shimmer and Souxsie Sioux delivery of "Ears and Eyes" displays perfectly the foursome's knack of creating something fresh from the foundations of decades gone by. Think Marianne Faithfull, Nico era Velvets and the gothfather (and mother) roles of The Cure and The Banshees, but only as jumping off points. Sound like a humourless exercise in studied retro indulgence? Not a bit of it.
As the pace quickens and the crowd relax more Ipso Facto deliver a deliberately non-standard set of material the highlight of which is "Introducing", as infectious and vibrant a two minutes as you could hope for whilst maintaining the appearance of austerity. Soundtracking the darker, more melancholic corners of any dancefloor they urge you to "Roll up!" Making eager promises which thrill and disturb simultaneously like they're proprietors of some Victorian sideshow carnival and they very well might be, they're certainly the only show in town worth anything right now and you can't help but peer inside.
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Monday, 15 September 2008
A Silent Film - The City That Sleeps
Beginning gently with the bouncing intro to “Sleeping Pills” Oxford’s A Silent Film set the tone for a confident, melodic debut album. The fact that the songs feature prominent piano and slip into minor keys from time to time will conjure up all manner of Coldplay and Keane comparisons but that’s hardly fair as they set about laying their own foundations.
Aside from the driving despair of “Thirteen Times the Strength” the stronger songs appear in the latter half of the album particularly with the triumvirate of “You Will Leave a Mark” with its dark, redemptive narrative of self-acceptance; the trilling, soaring gorgeousness of “Highest Regard” and the slow, articulate ebb of “Ghosts in the Water”.
There’s so much more at play here as the band search the human condition with a deftly inquisitive feel which is both filmic and literary. There’s enough drama and intrigue throughout to give the histrionic Muse a run for their money.
Perhaps in attaining this uplifting sound they find themselves too often at quite an emotional depth and it’d be something to throw caution to the wind and lift the mood occasionally but as a demonstration of lush, assured and aspirational songwriting this is a fantastic opening salvo.
www.myspace.com/asilentfilm
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Aside from the driving despair of “Thirteen Times the Strength” the stronger songs appear in the latter half of the album particularly with the triumvirate of “You Will Leave a Mark” with its dark, redemptive narrative of self-acceptance; the trilling, soaring gorgeousness of “Highest Regard” and the slow, articulate ebb of “Ghosts in the Water”.
There’s so much more at play here as the band search the human condition with a deftly inquisitive feel which is both filmic and literary. There’s enough drama and intrigue throughout to give the histrionic Muse a run for their money.
Perhaps in attaining this uplifting sound they find themselves too often at quite an emotional depth and it’d be something to throw caution to the wind and lift the mood occasionally but as a demonstration of lush, assured and aspirational songwriting this is a fantastic opening salvo.
www.myspace.com/asilentfilm
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Sunday, 14 September 2008
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
Kicking off with the beautiful flute flourishes of “Son the Father” you’d be forgiven for wondering what the hell was going on here but as the band joins in we’re in familiar Fucked Up territory with rampant drums and vigorously swirling guitar patterns. Only a minute in and the hectoring, screaming, (anti) religiosity and, lets face it, the band's damn funny/sceptical take on the mysteries of birth, death and life begins - "It's hard enough being born in the first place: who'd want to be born again?" Brilliant.
"Golden Seal" takes on a mystical, searching tone as if divining the deepest secrets of the far flung universe. There are prog-rock leanings and it’s more than whimsy despite the determined beats throughout. There are continual twists and asides and images brought to mind - think Minor Threat soundtracking Hair for instance, bizarre but "Royal Swan" is that bastard lovechild!
It’s like Fucked Up are jamming with the Mahavishnu Orchestra or NEU! at times and it's fantastic. Soaring and ambitious and idiosyncratic. There's a definite feel of Buddhist mysticism about some of the songs whilst still they remain determined to question belief itself.
Guests include Katie Stelmanis and Vivian Girls who lend touches of subtlety, otherworldliness and balls out rock as required but as ever it's the hulking presence of Pink Eyes who growls, prowls and lunges throughout to thrilling effect. Fucked Up are making music like no hardcore band has before. Epic stuff.
www.matadorrecords.com/fucked_up/
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
"Golden Seal" takes on a mystical, searching tone as if divining the deepest secrets of the far flung universe. There are prog-rock leanings and it’s more than whimsy despite the determined beats throughout. There are continual twists and asides and images brought to mind - think Minor Threat soundtracking Hair for instance, bizarre but "Royal Swan" is that bastard lovechild!
It’s like Fucked Up are jamming with the Mahavishnu Orchestra or NEU! at times and it's fantastic. Soaring and ambitious and idiosyncratic. There's a definite feel of Buddhist mysticism about some of the songs whilst still they remain determined to question belief itself.
Guests include Katie Stelmanis and Vivian Girls who lend touches of subtlety, otherworldliness and balls out rock as required but as ever it's the hulking presence of Pink Eyes who growls, prowls and lunges throughout to thrilling effect. Fucked Up are making music like no hardcore band has before. Epic stuff.
www.matadorrecords.com/fucked_up/
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Friday, 12 September 2008
Lights.Action, A Silent Film - Live: 10th Sept 2008
There are numerous similarities between all four bands playing tonight - most obviously in their 'searching' sound which longs to project itself from a vast stadium stage. Intelligent rock with hooks - so to speak.. But aside from these similarities there are also very obvious performance differences.
It's a shame that openers think:Fire are playing their swansong shows prior to disbanding as they mix passionate rock, melodic riffs and urgent, driving rhythms with sufficient assurance and cockiness to avoid rock clichés and invoke genuine warmth from the crowd. think:Fire’s confidence only goes to highlight Fall Short! Conform!’s limitations though. Their uneasy mix of strong post-rock tunes with poorly executed vocals and little stage presence fails to ignite and regrettably it comes as a slight relief when singer Graham Mason leaves the stage during the final song and allows the music some breathing space.
Oxford's A Silent Film appear to be the most anticipated band in the lineup and with compelling lead singer Robert Stevenson (hints of Chris Martin not withstanding) and their piano led anthems they don’t disappoint. Great pop songs like "You Will Leave a Mark" and "Highest Regard" also bring to mind the keening melodies of Scandinavian pop maestros Mew and even Aha in their prime - particularly the interplay with Lewis Jones' chiming guitar. Drawing from imminent album 'The City That Sleeps' the songs are sumptuously crafted and thrillingly delivered. Even the danceable bewilderment of covering Underworld's "Born Slippy" fits without jarring, no mean feat!
In part tonight’s gig draws comparisons between the bands respective frontmen and Lights.Action singer Patrick Currier effortlessly kicks himself to the top of the pile with great charisma and powerful vocals. This isn't a one man show however as the band also preview their debut album. "Signals to Radar", "Moscow" and "Hide And Seek" demonstrate Light.Action's knack for building epic tunes alongside brittle melody whilst remaining Pop at heart.
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
It's a shame that openers think:Fire are playing their swansong shows prior to disbanding as they mix passionate rock, melodic riffs and urgent, driving rhythms with sufficient assurance and cockiness to avoid rock clichés and invoke genuine warmth from the crowd. think:Fire’s confidence only goes to highlight Fall Short! Conform!’s limitations though. Their uneasy mix of strong post-rock tunes with poorly executed vocals and little stage presence fails to ignite and regrettably it comes as a slight relief when singer Graham Mason leaves the stage during the final song and allows the music some breathing space.
Oxford's A Silent Film appear to be the most anticipated band in the lineup and with compelling lead singer Robert Stevenson (hints of Chris Martin not withstanding) and their piano led anthems they don’t disappoint. Great pop songs like "You Will Leave a Mark" and "Highest Regard" also bring to mind the keening melodies of Scandinavian pop maestros Mew and even Aha in their prime - particularly the interplay with Lewis Jones' chiming guitar. Drawing from imminent album 'The City That Sleeps' the songs are sumptuously crafted and thrillingly delivered. Even the danceable bewilderment of covering Underworld's "Born Slippy" fits without jarring, no mean feat!
In part tonight’s gig draws comparisons between the bands respective frontmen and Lights.Action singer Patrick Currier effortlessly kicks himself to the top of the pile with great charisma and powerful vocals. This isn't a one man show however as the band also preview their debut album. "Signals to Radar", "Moscow" and "Hide And Seek" demonstrate Light.Action's knack for building epic tunes alongside brittle melody whilst remaining Pop at heart.
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Martha Wainwright - Live: 27th July 2008
It must be hard being Martha.
Firstly there’s brother Rufus taking an enormous amount of praise for his career to date and of course her parents Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle are music royalty to their fans too. Then you have Ms Wainwright and her brilliantly received debut album. Quite rightly standing outside on it’s own very accessible merit. But there a times when you wonder about the depth of her material and where she fit’s into the dynasty and beyond.
In the ‘zone’ and delivering a song like ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole’ from her debut for instance, she’s a wonderous mix of fragility and revenge. Equally thrilling with sublime covers from Pink Floyd’s ‘See Emily Play and ‘Stormy Weather’ originally from Rufus’ camptastic Judy Garland concert sees the set book-ended brilliantly but the interim is a hotchpotch of new material from her ‘I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too’ album and to be perfectly frank it’s not very good.
The sparser moments like ‘Far Away’, just her and acoustic guitar, work best but the songs aided by the fuller band are very hit and miss. There’s a slickness with the band that doesn’t seem to marry with the singer/songwriter moments and at times this feels like a lack of conviction and passion – it’s a simple fact that on stage alone Martha’s so much more vulnerable and mesmerising and as a result the songs seem more heartfelt.
She still seems at times to be finding her way, discovering her own voice – not an easy task with all the Wainwright history – the moments where she does catch fire are brilliant you just wish there were more of them.
www.marthawainwright.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Firstly there’s brother Rufus taking an enormous amount of praise for his career to date and of course her parents Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle are music royalty to their fans too. Then you have Ms Wainwright and her brilliantly received debut album. Quite rightly standing outside on it’s own very accessible merit. But there a times when you wonder about the depth of her material and where she fit’s into the dynasty and beyond.
In the ‘zone’ and delivering a song like ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole’ from her debut for instance, she’s a wonderous mix of fragility and revenge. Equally thrilling with sublime covers from Pink Floyd’s ‘See Emily Play and ‘Stormy Weather’ originally from Rufus’ camptastic Judy Garland concert sees the set book-ended brilliantly but the interim is a hotchpotch of new material from her ‘I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too’ album and to be perfectly frank it’s not very good.
The sparser moments like ‘Far Away’, just her and acoustic guitar, work best but the songs aided by the fuller band are very hit and miss. There’s a slickness with the band that doesn’t seem to marry with the singer/songwriter moments and at times this feels like a lack of conviction and passion – it’s a simple fact that on stage alone Martha’s so much more vulnerable and mesmerising and as a result the songs seem more heartfelt.
She still seems at times to be finding her way, discovering her own voice – not an easy task with all the Wainwright history – the moments where she does catch fire are brilliant you just wish there were more of them.
www.marthawainwright.com
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Kyte, Sona Di, Mariposa - Live: 14th Jul 2010
Having seen Mariposa a fair few times I know how inspirational and challenging they can be to ‘get in to’. A cold venue with only a dozen other souls for company only adds to the challenge and tonight for all the intense layering and rhythmic building of their set by the time Holly and Matt are done, their crescendo ringing off the walls, I’m still not quite there. Mariposa’s music I’ve found relies heavily on context, and personal mood where I’m concerned and tonight that bit of chemistry just wasn’t apparent. I blame myself.
Sona Di are a trio who you feel are still defining their own sound. They produce a set tonight which is very familiar to anyone aware of the post-rock bands like Explosions in the Sky or Mogwai for instance and whilst they’re rough and raw and undisciplined – in a good way – they don’t simply ape these bands. Tonight I get the impression they’re trying to break into something different and attempt something new. I’m not sure what that might be and I doubt they’re too sure either right now but the potential is there all the same.
So tonight’s headliners are Kyte a five piece from Leicestershire who have already moved out to a wider consciousness despite very humble and gentle demeanours. The bulk of their set covers their recent self-titled mini album. Time doesn’t appear to be on their side as they seem to rip through the material whereas on CD the songs are given space to breathe a bit more. “Sunlight”, “Secular Ventures” and “Boundaries” are the standouts musically. The sparse crowd whoops and hollers enthusiastically and the band seem genuinely shy in receiving the applause but there’s some great material to come in future so that's definitely something they'll have to get used to.
www.myspace.com/kyteband
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
Sona Di are a trio who you feel are still defining their own sound. They produce a set tonight which is very familiar to anyone aware of the post-rock bands like Explosions in the Sky or Mogwai for instance and whilst they’re rough and raw and undisciplined – in a good way – they don’t simply ape these bands. Tonight I get the impression they’re trying to break into something different and attempt something new. I’m not sure what that might be and I doubt they’re too sure either right now but the potential is there all the same.
So tonight’s headliners are Kyte a five piece from Leicestershire who have already moved out to a wider consciousness despite very humble and gentle demeanours. The bulk of their set covers their recent self-titled mini album. Time doesn’t appear to be on their side as they seem to rip through the material whereas on CD the songs are given space to breathe a bit more. “Sunlight”, “Secular Ventures” and “Boundaries” are the standouts musically. The sparse crowd whoops and hollers enthusiastically and the band seem genuinely shy in receiving the applause but there’s some great material to come in future so that's definitely something they'll have to get used to.
www.myspace.com/kyteband
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
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