Talk to Angels

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Seluah _ Red Parole

Opening with We May Never Make It Home, Seluah are a far weightier band (and I am not referencing  waistbands). The band adds a couple of additions for this track and makes full use of the added instrumentation with a sharp intake back to the ’70s festival zone. Immediately the listener is riveted to a genuinely crafted track which resonates with a shining piece of guitar work – simple yet elegant, which is something of a context changer with the ‘festival’ referencing – think more an Oberammergau experience, set to floating psychedelic rock and the decade between performance seems apposite, rather than the mud at Woodstock.

The Other Side Of The Gun builds gently as the band recede in to the shadows, tempting the ears to chase the music, yet each guess is off the space that Seluah lead, so the whole experience of the track becomes a zig-zag of listener playing catch-up – delicious.

Seluah, “The Other Side of the Gun” by karatebody

The release heads to Killing The Angels, which, well with the bass that challenges the speakers – particularly when on full blast – how could this not make sense to my ears.  Seluah wrest the meat from the bones as the basic instincts of survival and I find my mind wandering off to the Lascaux paintings, this is primeval and thank you Karate Body Records for getting in-line with this release.

Sail Straight Into The Bombs paints images of a high flying plain, Seluah comprises not merely capable musicians but very smart songwriters. The bass is lost until we are up to altitude as the resonance of flying though the clouds hits the ears.

This may be a story of an ocean voyage, but far more importantly it is the tale that envelopes the listeners ear.

Black Sand finds the band back with a construction that delves the depths of the lower keys, set to a slower tempo, there is a sense of  ’awareness of concern’ which is picked through with stingingly sharp direction.

Drifting on to Hell And Back the sounds floating around the room resonate with acoustics as the synchronicity of electricity and tempo slide the track towards a staged rock opera.

I feel I have been on a sojourn as the penultimate track Disengage sets stall that we are nearing journeys end. Suddenly my feet are tapping to rock-a-billy and life is looking good, I have survived the release – but, I just want to play it all again.

For the finale -  Elysian Fields – wanders to a more ethereal space and there is a sense that Seluah are not to be expected to return soon as the mind is drawn to the spaceship heading off from earth. Let’s hope there is not another decade to wait for the next release.

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Vaganza Trailerpark

The Five track EP opens with classic guitar but none of the clichéd feedback. Punk is a raucous opener, with burning energy which sears through the speakers. Volume of drum is permitted to rise above the barrage of guitar until the guttural vocal interjects and the instrumentation becomes the supporting act.

Dhaka Girl provides a glimpse in to the real strengths of the band, as a a raging tempo finds the band working together in a far more harmonious format as they make full use of the instruments and the overall effect is captivating. The vocal is permitted to soar like a hunting eagle far above the ground as the instrumentation adds an ever present menace.

I know that Radio, continues to showcase the abilities of the band, with the sound pared back further, almost creating the sense of music through a tunnel as the vocal leads the direction of travel. This is a well written track, it retains all the essential ingredients of a thumping rock song, yet manages to do it with subtlety.

Vaganza Dynamite, is as you would expect from the title – rapid, explosive and to the point. Opening with a screaming vocal, this doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is, crunching rock music.

The EP finishing with the appropriately named Final Round – finds the band in classic American Blues Rock territory and once again the quintet raise the bar.

… and you will know us by the trail of pink feathers is an entertaining EP, which affords Vaganza Trailerpark the space to demonstrate their skills, without it ever becoming self-indulgent.

… and you will know us by the trail of pink feathers is available on *

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She's a Beauty

She’s a Beauty review – November 2011.

She’s a Beauty have made a signed copy of their recent release Champagne and Skittles available to one lucky reader of the Indie Bands Blog Newsletter. Sign up for the free newsletter by the 3rd February 2012 to be in with a chance.

Gentlemen Duke

On arriving at The Enterprise there is little to set it apart from the multitude of other bars and pubs around Camden market. Once inside little changes, the DJ was good and the drinks not too expensive considering the area, a nice place to have a drink on a Saturday night but nothing amazing. There is also the problem of finding the room where gigs are held which is up a tiny little staircase hidden away in a corner.

The room itself is the epitome of the small Camden gig venue, essentially the function room of a pub that has a stage in the corner and covered over windows. These rooms are where you can find some of the best up and coming bands in London but the bohemian style generally comes at a price to sound quality, The Enterprise is no exception. Whilst not a major problem with the fast paced singalong Country Folk of Gentlemen Duke the highly developed and sophisticated sound of Audiogold did suffer.

I turned up late to the gig and so managed to entirely miss the first act of the night and wasn’t in the greatest mood when the second took to the stage. Fortunately when they finished around a half hour later that had completely changed. Gentlemen Duke, a self described country folk group from Kent, offer an alternative to the rock and slower paced folk that is dominating much of the London gig scene at the moment. Fast paced, pounding bass lines and incredible energy characterise the kind of sound that I wish I heard more. Embracing both the electric fiddle and double bass over the standard guitar you can’t help but want to jump up and down. The obvious comparisons of Mumford and Sons, Johnny Flynn and so on come to mind but these guys are far from just jumping on the nu-folk bandwagon.

Instead they are probably best described as a mixture of the folksy influences of Noah and the Whale and the raw energy and speed of Flogging Molly. Throughout the set they were joking around between themselves and the crowd keeping the packed room engaged despite its unusual makeup of everyone from metal fans to the hipsters who are found almost everywhere in Camden.

With the rarely seen electric violin solo’s getting everyone jumping to the point that the floor was bouncing an alarming amount you won’t find many bands around who put more into their act than these guys. Though most of their songs are fast they are far from a one tricky pony with interesting and engaging lyrics combining with Sam Cockertons’ almost insatiable energy on the violin. At no other point in the night was the room anywhere near as full and the guys also spent some time in the bar downstairs chatting with anyone who was interested which can only help build up their fanbase.

- With good fortune there is a video of one of the tracks at the gig Andy reviewed.

In-between Gentlemen Duke and Audiogold was Dirty Pendejo though I must admit I managed to miss almost their entire set though I did manage to get hold of their latest CD release. Entitled The Pendemo it is an interesting example of a style the band themselves call  Dirty Funk Rock and may well appeal more to the heavier rock or metal minded listener though that is not to say they should be pigeonholed purely into this category.

Audiogold

Audiogold were the headliners for the night but such was the disorganisation at the venue that by the time they had come on many of the crowd had left and I even had to duck out before they had finished the last song so I could actually get home!

Those that did leave before the band had started missed out majorly, the skill level and writing prowess on display is something you virtually never see in these small venues. Though the set got off to a bit of a slow start for my liking it soon kicked up a few gears and those that had remained stayed rooted to the spot. Some sound problems caused minor delays and affected a few songs but far from ruined the performance. You don’t often get guys like this at small venues such as The Enterprise.

Though very well written and performed the lyrics were for me blown out of the water by the music itself. With a great mixture of lighter slower songs that would sound right at home on the radio through to heavier layered tracks and even a very good cover of Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd – Audiogold offer something for anyone who likes guitar based bands. The initial slower style reminded me of Elbow and the big sound is reminiscent of a small scale Arcade Fire though there are undoubtedly some folk influences in some of the songs.

Probably best described as Folk/Alt rock they are one of the best small bands you will get the chance to see with Jonny Wanders being probably the best guitarist I have seen since I started reviewing for the site a couple of years ago. And they even refunded my entrance money after the venue messed up!

- This video is from a performance by the band at New Cross Inn back in July 2011.

I’d recommend Gentlemen Duke to anyone who likes a bit of folksy rock or even just a fun gig; if they are near me again I’d definitely head down. They should do well as long as they don’t get lost in the swarm of Mumford wannabe’s who seem to be appearing at the moment. Audiogold are something a little different, I tend to go back and see the bands I review again anyway but this time I will definitely do it, very enjoyable this time around and apparently the sound at The Enterprise was rubbish so I can’t wait to hear them when it’s good!

- Audiogold have been firm favourites with the readers of the indie bands blog for some time, taking the number one spot on the New Year Ninety Chart.

Thanks for the review Andy and I would like to wish you all the best for your finals this year and here is hoping we can get a few more gigs sorted before you finish.

With good fortune I hope Andy will be able to contribute to the website after completing university. If you would be interested in writing reviews for the Indie Bands Blog, irrespective of you location in the world, please drop me a note.

Whistle Peak - Half Asleep Upon Echo Falls

The 11 track album opens with Big And Bright – As though waking from sleep, the opening track gradually picks up instruments as the resonating beat slams through the room. The track sets the scene for the release and has the essential sound that is Whistle Peak, lo-fi electro-folk.

Hurry, Hurry put simply, raised a smile to my eyes. The off-beat is unhurried as the vocal is given space to drawl across the track. The tempo is infectious and required a couple of plays, ensuring that I will spend the rest of the day wandering around like the grinning village idiot.

Wings Won’t Behave – contains so much delicious delay I had to check the speakers hadn’t broken. There is sense of warmth which strangely emerges from Whistle Peak. The content is poignant and the music somewhat brooding, but none the less, there is comfort to be found in that ethereal sound that is prevalent on Half Asleep Upon Echo Falls.

Whistle Peak, “Wings Won’t Behave” by karatebody

Elephants introduces a new set of instruments and the band are in experimental mode with a track that hurls the listener in to Blue Grass territory. There is something in the material that is reminiscent of The Kinks.

With that Play the Ghost steps off to an up-beat tempo and the vocal transforms to roots reggae and we are back with the strident bass tones. A mixture of reflections are transformed by the band, as they demonstrate both depth of song-writing an adroit ability to keep the listener quite literally on their toes.

Half-way through the release – Us Two Can Play – is a suitable pivot for the LP, designed to challenge, as the quintet play around with song-structure and sound.

Land To Land opens the second half of Half Asleep Upon Echo Falls with an acoustic feel where the reference point is the open spaces in the track. The five players manage to avoid bouncing in to one another and the listener is left with a sense that this is a band full of well placed confidence.

Sleepy Pants  is another well judged piece as the ticking clock holds the material like glue to it’s metronomic pace.

In a Boat on a Lake floats out of the speakers with an urgent drive to deliver a party feel. Pitched to perfection, the high notes add a sense of fun to the double time percussion.

Sailor retains the same pitch, yet slowed down dramatically as the percussion switches moods and the whole atmosphere takes a far more serious direction. That is smart song-writing and these two tracks lying side by side demonstrate the capabilities of the band.

The final track on the album – The Laws – rounds off a well judged release with the signature beat coming to the fore, as the band reverse back in to the familiar parking space that is Whistle Peak. Slightly brooding, yet somehow still ensuring the smile remains.

While we are waiting for the release, the eponymous album by Whistle Peak is available on *

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We Aeronauts

The band was reviewed in November 2011. We Aeronauts.

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Middle Class Fashion - Girl Talk

A 14 track release, Girl Talk opens with Lightning Bugs – Immediately we find this is an album with a story to tell, as the slow opener sets the scene to the album. Piano accompanies the harmonised vocal. Don’t get that wrong, one of my favourite LPs of all time is by Sham 69 ‘That’s Life‘ their debut album followed a ‘day in the life’, makes for a sublime album when done in the right way and already with Middle Class Fashion I am in the space.

Powder Blue finds the tempo steps up a pace and I can hear the war-paint going on – This looks like a fiery day as the acerbic lyric slices like hydrochloric acid in contempt.

My Attack opens with similar keys, a little more jolly than may be expected, but a point well made. The concept of Middle Class Fashion is one of that self-effacing diatribe. Who said Americans don’t understand irony?

The guitars are let loose on Fun Whoa as the day breaks to a less introspective space.

Jamie finds a new dual vocal plaintiff to an even more classic construct as guitar and drum come to the fore. The use of the second male vocal adds a layer of depth and the band come together far more instrumentally, this is a decent story, stick with it.

The title track – Girl Talk – has some wonderful construction as Middle Class Fashion head out of the woods to let their hair run free, we find some natural space in which the band resonate.

Abomination picks up the theatrical constructs from earlier in the album. I have a sense we have classically trained musicians and a visual band here, as the storyline develops towards the half-time curtain.

Vacation opens the second-act with the tempo raised and the listener looks forward to the story unfolding.

July 31st – and the band take us to another stage setting with a reminiscence as the depth song-writing skills are permitted to come to the fore. The construction here is sublime.

Piano, percussion and vocal sit with equal power on Griffin as the band head towards the final section of the album, the real strengths come bouncing out of the speakers, I did say sit with this.

Will Barbarella live up to the expectations now raised? Once again the band play in harmony and the whole construction is making sense. I am happy to wait for the abilities of the band to be given space to develop, but will the short term concentration, now so prevalent allow this  indulgence, of that I am not so sure, but it is that short span which misses out on so much.

Sugar Heart Candy, does exactly as you would expect on the tin. Popping corn in the saucepan comes lightly floating out in to the room. I wish Middle Class Fashion had arrived here earlier, the album is on a roll, but we only have two more tracks to go.

The penultimate track is another delightful tune, Sweet is the pinnacle of a superb release, which in my perspective took too long to showcase the superb abilities of the band.

Girl Talk finishes with Birthday, which resonates with piano, bass and vocal. A lyric sheers away façades as the music develops an ever present cloud.

Middle Class Fashion consists of highly competent musicians who in brief pieces of music are able to convey immensely powerful emotions. The construct of Girl Talk is of an immensely powerful piece, I just feel they have left the best ’til too late. The final few tracks of the album are a soaring success, but how many listeners will get there I wonder.

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Longbeach

Taken from the Album, Seven Streets Ahead, Take Me Away is 5 minutes of glorious indie rock. Rather than merely rehashing the genre, Longbeach add some layered echoed vocal that adds an interesting depth to the single. The lead vocal contains all the essential smokers rasp, which bounces neatly against the offset crystal-clear supporting singing. While the instrumentation flows along well trodden paths, the band add some high pitches to the chorus, which melds well with the whole mood of the piece.

This is a neatly mixed piece of music, which adds some new directions to add significant value, whilst being sufficiently rooted in its natural ground to make perfect sense.

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Talk to Angels

The new release Hickory Dickory was reviewed recently.

Enemies Closer is available on *

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