The Exhibition

The echoed reverbing guitars are off-set superbly by the clear low baritone vocals of Pete, which are resonant of Ian Curtis, the whole effect lifted in to a new place by the great inter-play between the guitars.

Dark lyric is merged to great effect with the tempo maintained by a crisp drum snap and bass, which is lightened further by the guitar which leaves me with the impression of a rococo style picture frame around an impressionist painting, lit by a rotating club light. I have read that previous sentence more than once and still leave it to stand.

The Exhibition would be a great band to see live, this is music to share as they take the listener to a space filled with strong emotional content. I am an instant fan of the sharp power drumming Chris brings to the band and as a band they have something really interesting and refreshing to add to the world of the rock. The Boy & The Tearaway – by The Exhibition by Of National Importance

The recent 4 track demo EP  by The Exhibition is available as a free download through their myspace page.

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The Heartbreaks

The Heartbreaks are at once melancholic yet enlivening, as the songs swagger forward with a fierce determination, which is cocooned in a swathe of guitar swhirl and echo. References to The Smiths and Elvis Costello, particularly through Matthews vocals are striking, but not repetitive, as they take these markers in to the early twenty first century.

With an ever extending tour list and the release of their new material, it will be of no surprise if their music continues to make a far wider impact. This is easily accessible, yet not synthetic and the four guys have created a sound which appears to resonate well, not just for its relevance, but for depth of musical integrity matched with contextual lyric.

‘Liar, My Dear’ – The Heartbreaks from Tambourine Management on Vimeo.

Myspace page

I’ll aim to get a review of the single ready in good time and personally hope to get to see the band later this month.

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The Gadsdens are an East London, UK based band who’s Single The Sailor Song *, had made a big impact even prior to its release. The song was used by Greenpeace, WaterAid and Oxfam’s joint charity awareness video on The Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival. The piano and vocal immediately resonated with many. It wasn’t until November that the single was finally released.

Jody Gadsden (Vocals) and Simon Neilson (Piano), were joined by David Roman (Drums),  Barney JC (Guitar) and Jihea Oh (Bass) to create the distinctive sound that has continued to gain fans where ever they travel.

The Gadsdens

The band finely balance indie-pop with far more creative composition, to generate a sound which has the listeners bouncing like fish rising to the surface for food one moment, then entranced by the superb musicianship the next. There is an underlying sense of fun which leaves the audience with a sense of, not just feel-good, but genuine smiles, at the same time an appreciation for some great musical scores.

The Gadsdens are one of few bands who have managed to take the Piano and make it an integral part of an act which can be taken seriously. While The Sailor Song has become the route for introduction to the band for many people, they are far more than a one trick pony and the outfit combines to take the listener on a superb flight of soaring vibrato vocal, well crafted hooks and warm guitar, with the ever present piano enabling the band to extract some real gems.

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Looking forward to where The Gadsdens take us next.

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Pete Um

The music can seem introspective and perhaps this is driven by the desire that Pete Um has to keep writing about the world he sees around him. As he said in an exchange of emails I had with him, ‘…there doesn’t seem to be a massive appetite for the Um sound in the wider populace whereas I seem to have an endless fascination with my own stuff…’. I can assure Pete, I too find it fascinating and for those who can move their headspace to the world of Pete Um, this is readily accessible and hugely creative music. The vignettes are superbly crafted and concisely cut to the core of the sentiment. In the minute the track plays, far more is injected than I have heard on many LPs.

His prolific output explores a huge range of subjects, with the music delivered in the understated style that is the signature of Pete Um. In live performance his self deprecating, humour brings everything to life (review of Pete Um at The Portland Arms).

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This is a performer who will probably never gain the recognition he deserves and it is a great pleasure to have been able to see him live and have the chance to write about him. This is exactly the type of hard working, creative musician that makes writing the indie bands blog such a pleasure.

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Stuart Newman

After a long day, the music of Stuart Newman, is great for winding down with. Containing interest and some clever arrangements, this is music which can be listened to in a darkened room while reflecting on life around. It demands listening without distraction as Stuart draws his influences in to carefully balanced output. In addition to having great songwriting skills, he has a great voice, which adds a real strength to the output.

I could spend hours listening to the output, which I have done and still find myself catching different glimmers of new sounds in the multi-faceted talent that is Stuart Newman.

His debut LP, Single But Defective, is available as a free download and the indie bands blog is pleased to be able you the opportunity to listen to the album here, just dim the lights and take some time out…

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The Reactors @Dublin Castle

My plan was to meet one of the members from Cuarteles de Invierno who was over from Argentina for a few days, it is a long story, settle down while I try some brevity.

Nico, the vocalist was over in the UK for a few days and it made some sense to try and meet up, he was suffering from jet lag, I was suffering from lack of time, but we finally hooked up to meet at Dublin Castle, which is in London, not Eire, these things happen all around the world. Finally at about 4:30 Sunday afternoon I found a space to make the hundred mile trek and we agreed to meet in Camden at 8pm.

I arrived at Dublin Castle, gave Nico a call, but it wasn’t going to happen until later, so I wandered in to the back room to see who was playing, the audience numbers were low, a wet cold Sunday night in Camden, it happens.

An unassuming band took to the stage, Justin, the vocalist watching as his fellow members of the band set up. I cringed – no bass you know how I need bass lines, this isn’t going to work rang through my head and mentally I was off to the bar. It seemed even worse, the guitarist didn’t have a pedal and the drummer replaced a hi-hat with a tambourine.

With no effort, the band were suddenly in to Last night Standing and I was intrigued, it made sense, this was a tight band. With no pedal Chris on  a bright jade guitar (it may be bright something else as I am colour blind, but I am happy with a jade guitar) was making life easy with just a whammy bar and the drummer… Robbie knew his kit.

I don’t do videos here is a snip on an android, don’t blame The Reactors…

I found myself listening to a band with no bass, who were missing nothing. I could hear an off-beat, which rang comfortably with my ears, I heard reminders of Adam and the Ants, before he got his face painted, all thoughts of the bar disappeared, I had even forgotten meeting Nico.

With minimal interaction, just a thank you, The Reactors played, to no fault of their own the tiny audience, a trail of ’70′s punk influenced tracks, such as Can’t do right and Get it sorted, where The Ruts and Sham 69 were shouting to me, on to Charm Away and Mindless Lady, which resonated influences from Hollywood Westerns.

I would recommend seeing these guys and they have a few gigs lined up… Oh and they are after a bass guitar, which I didn’t even miss, drop me a note via the contact form if you are interested.

After a chat with the guys, there is a review of the band to follow, keep in touch on twitter.

Nico, yes I know that is the story you want to follow, well eventually at half past midnight I headed back on my return hundred mile trip and Nico and I spoke today, mañana isn’t just from Spain, it hits South America as well….

I am delighted I arrived at Dublin Castle, else I wouldn’t have The Reactors to tell you about, so many thanks Nico.

Enjoy your trip to Milano Nico, an email is on its way about the OfeliaDorme gigs. Looking forward to meeting Clara V from Vaqueros Paganos and her husband Maca, next month (well maybe if we can do something other than  mañana time).

With both Rizo and Joei having been born in 1987, the same year as the last naked eye sighting of a Super Nova from earth, the band name does have a personal attachment. Energized by the fun of creating music and playing, The Supernovas bring their own blend of influences to ’80s new wave and ’70s punk.

The Supernovas

The highly fuzzed guitar takes me straight back to a guy called Dave, who used to play guitar in my band in the deep and distant past. High voltage rock is controlled as the bass and drums crack out an energetic framework to the song. The Supernovas write about the current social landscape, with music that reflects the morass of life which they write about. With the layered vocals on many of the tracks, the lyric is given an extra boost, determined that the message is not lost in the powerful instrumentation.

The Single Ace Face a wryly written lyric reflects the Northern Soul influences of the band, with a nod to to the UK Subs.

band website

Back in October Laurence from 360dgm passed me over a promo copy of the single Ace Face, which I just didn’t get a chance to listen to at the time, I got older, the CD gathered dust. Tidying up one day in December brought the CD back to life and I immediately regretted not playing this straight away and getting The Supernovas on the site. After a slight delay in getting hold of Joei, here we are 3 months later, apologies to Laurence and the guys in the band.

With a new single Slaughter In The Gaza due for release in the near term and numerous gigs around the UK, it would be worth trying to catch The Supernovas when they are in town.

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The Brassic

This may be a first, writing about a band younger than the blog (18th August 2009). I didn’t get down to Dirty South on New Years eve when not only were The Brassic playing but Krakatoa too. If anyone was there and has any pictures it woud be great to see them.

Difficult to believe the band have only been around for a few months, the music is well constructed and the band play well together. Influences from the likes of The Smiths, Beatles and Ska bands come out in a fusion of up-tempo sound. The Brassics use their multitude of guitars to superb effect, generating a reverb riven sound which plays well on the ears, while the drumming retains a relentless output. The band are characterised by the sheer number of notes which pour out in their tracks, yet they do this with ease and the brain isn’t left scrambling to catch up with the music. The whole whole band play at a frenetic pace, with the lyrics keeping the same tempo. This style of music requires a band remain absolutely tight, which they achieve with consummate ease and with superb clarity, nothing sounding forced or out of step.

The off-beat influences of Ska and the roots in reggae, make me feel perfectly at home with the sound that the band produce and it is difficult to keep writing as I listen to the tracks as I feel wrong sitting still to this.

As they are such a new band, there is little in the way of video to show, other than an acoustic version of Do Your Thing.

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To get a better flavour the audio of Lightweight Loosie has the band demonstrating their guitar sound, speed and dramatic changes to great effect.
Lightweight Loosie by thebrassicband
With a new Single due out later in the year and a voracious appetite for playing live, expect to hear a whole lot more of The Brassic.

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Gaoler's Daughter

The guys who make up the band are a really good bunch of hard working and dedicated musicians, who obviously enjoy their craft and are dedicated to music, this comes out both in their attitude and evident pleasure in playing live.

The good things about bands like Gaoler’s Daughter, is that genuinely like meeting their fan-base and were busy talking to various people around the venue, when a few taps on the shoulder and they appeared on stage. With no effort they launched in to their opening track, Boomerang Boy, which is taken from their upcoming EP.

These are highly competent musicians, who work superbly together. It is always good to get a chance to see a band live, as the structure of a band is much more evident in live performance and the music is always fresher to my ears. By the end of Boomerang Boy the crowd was completely in to the evening.

I had enjoyed the EP versions of From Russia with Love and Jumbo Jet, but in performance they take on an extra dimension. Many drummers can appear slightly lost behind their drum kit, but with Gaoler’s Daughter, Ben is an integral part of the band, and unusually works closely with the lead guitar, rather than just through the bass, as he dictates the pace of the set. Watching Alex, who appears to be lost in a world of his own as he gets his guitar to sing is an absolute delight, yet don’t be deluded by that appearance, the whole band is tightly focused.

Halfway through the set I was that engrossed, I took another chance to look round the venue and even the far reaches at the back, people were craning their necks to see the band and there was a swaying motion among the audience. With a superb reggae number, Man at Gate 9, Alfie on bass kept up a great rhythm and the dancers in the audience broke out in full force.

John had the crowd in hs hands throughout the set with his distinctive voice and strong stage presence and as he announced the final song for the evening, there was a palpable feeling of disappointment, that it was almost over.

The final song for the set, Bad News, taken from the new EP left me feeling that Gaoler’s Daughter have plenty in the tanks and should be around for some time to come. Their disparate influences and undoubted creative abilities, make them a band well worth seeing live and listening to on recorded output.

I had a chance to talk to all of the guys for quite a long time, which I really appreciate, if you get to see them on their upcoming tour, I will get the dates up pretty soon, I would recommend it, failing that, failing to get your hands on the soon to be released Alchemy EP would be a sin.

I was intrigued how a band made up of experienced musicians with strong opinions could ever manage to agree on anything. It works because these guys believe in what they are doing and do get on well together and I was struck with the respect they had for what each of them brought to the band.

With talk of a European tour coming up in the not too distant future, Gaoler’s Daughter deserve a great year as they continue to plough a furrow that is their own.

Thanks to all the guys for taking the time out to chat and even taking my phone call in the middle of preparing for the set that night. Keep doing what you are doing.

For more on Gaoler’s Daughter, including a review of their most recent EP follow the link

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Elspeth

Their diversity of output is impressive, as they range through tracks which are acoustic, ’60s Dylanesque in style, to heavy bass and drum led indie rock and on to a wall of guitars.

With little doubt Elspeth are a group of capable musicians, with some real added value to the world of music and it is no surprise they have been so well received. Listening to the set below, reminds me of going out for a walk in the hills, each step driving towards an end goal, yet the path ahead ever changing.


Elspeth by Elspeth

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Once I have some news on the new LP, I will get this on to the blog. Sign up to our weekly newsletter to keep in touch with the world of indie music.