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PJ Harvey – White Chalk

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PJ Harvey – White Chalk

In the age of Amy Winehouse it's worth remembering the shock that was Polly Jean Harvey when she blasted out of the West Country 15 years ago like some ectomorphic tomboy Nick Cave. (What kind of fuckery was "Sheela-na-Gig"? I'm still not sure.) If Winehouse can sustain her career and credibility for as long as Harvey has - and do it with so many riveting twists and turns - she'll be doing very well indeed. Just as the grungy, distortedly DIY 'Uh Huh Her' ditched the bright melodicism of 2000's Mercury-scooping 'Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea', so Harvey's seventh studio album instantly registers as a pointed reaction to the atonal grinding of UHH. "I do this constant sort of opposites thing," she told me last time around. "My ground rule when I’m beginning to write a new record is: How far can I get away from the last thing I did?" If there were moments of hushed lovesickness on the latter - especially the divine “Darker Days of Me & Him'”- 'White Chalk' all but dispenses with guitars, replacing them with harps, cymbalum, unobtrusive drums, and plinky upright piano a la Tom Waits or Aphex's 'DrukQs'. (Playing alongside Polly once again are the Dirty Three's Jim White and former Magic Bandman Eric Drew Feldman.) And while that means we lose Polly's brilliantly gritty guitar chords, it does give us her vocal and melodic genius in stark settings as hauntingly lovely as any music she's made. Imagine an unplugged, country-cottage remake of Bjork's 'Vespertine', or a more muted version of PJH’S "The Garden". Anyone for a spot of avant-folk? The mood of the album is mournful and more than a little spooky. (The opening track, built on a piano-and-shakers girl-group riff that's not a million miles from Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black", is a winsome ditty entitled "The Devil".) The landscape is the chalk hills of Harvey's native Dorset, a setting for her Kate-Bush-esque themes of loss, death, family, memory. Singing in an eerily girlish soprano register, Polly longs for her late grandmother; asks "Mummy" to "teach me to grow"; grieves an unborn child who "disappears in the ether/One world to the next". The penultimate "Before Departure" is all but a suicide note. Some of the eleven songs - "Grow Grow Grow", "Broken Harp", "To Talk To You" - are more uncomfortable rides than others, recalling the murkier moments (e.g. "Electric Light") on 1998's unjustly overlooked 'Is This Desire?' Immediate winners include the creepily intimate "Dear Darkness", arranged in slow waltz-time; "The Silence", all pulsing piano and brushed-snare sixteenths; and the title track, which starts out like Hope Sandoval singing Lee Hazlewood before cresting in gorgeously overlapping banjo/piano/harmonica arpeggios straight out of Sparklehorse. An album of lonely beauty and piercing sorrow, 'White Chalk' is P.J. Harvey back at the peak of her considerable powers. BARNEY HOSKYNS

In the age of Amy Winehouse it’s worth remembering the shock that was Polly Jean Harvey when she blasted out of the West Country 15 years ago like some ectomorphic tomboy Nick Cave. (What kind of fuckery was “Sheela-na-Gig”? I’m still not sure.) If Winehouse can sustain her career and credibility for as long as Harvey has – and do it with so many riveting twists and turns – she’ll be doing very well indeed.

Just as the grungy, distortedly DIY ‘Uh Huh Her’ ditched the bright melodicism of 2000’s Mercury-scooping ‘Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea’, so Harvey’s seventh studio album instantly registers as a pointed reaction to the atonal grinding of UHH. “I do this constant sort of opposites thing,” she told me last time around. “My ground rule when I’m beginning to write a new record is: How far can I get away from the last thing I did?”

If there were moments of hushed lovesickness on the latter – especially the divine “Darker Days of Me & Him’”- ‘White Chalk’ all but dispenses with guitars, replacing them with harps, cymbalum, unobtrusive drums, and plinky upright piano a la Tom Waits or Aphex‘s ‘DrukQs’. (Playing alongside Polly once again are the Dirty Three’s Jim White and former Magic Bandman Eric Drew Feldman.) And while that means we lose Polly’s brilliantly gritty guitar chords, it does give us her vocal and melodic genius in stark settings as hauntingly lovely as any music she’s made. Imagine an unplugged, country-cottage remake of Bjork‘s ‘Vespertine’, or a more muted version of PJH’S “The Garden”. Anyone for a spot of avant-folk?

The mood of the album is mournful and more than a little spooky. (The opening track, built on a piano-and-shakers girl-group riff that’s not a million miles from Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black”, is a winsome ditty entitled “The Devil”.) The landscape is the chalk hills of Harvey’s native Dorset, a setting for her Kate-Bush-esque themes of loss, death, family, memory. Singing in an eerily girlish soprano register, Polly longs for her late grandmother; asks “Mummy” to “teach me to grow”; grieves an unborn child who “disappears in the ether/One world to the next”. The penultimate “Before Departure” is all but a suicide note.

Some of the eleven songs – “Grow Grow Grow”, “Broken Harp”, “To Talk To You” – are more uncomfortable rides than others, recalling the murkier moments (e.g. “Electric Light”) on 1998’s unjustly overlooked ‘Is This Desire?’ Immediate winners include the creepily intimate “Dear Darkness”, arranged in slow waltz-time; “The Silence”, all pulsing piano and brushed-snare sixteenths; and the title track, which starts out like Hope Sandoval singing Lee Hazlewood before cresting in gorgeously overlapping banjo/piano/harmonica arpeggios straight out of Sparklehorse. An album of lonely beauty and piercing sorrow, ‘White Chalk’ is P.J. Harvey back at the peak of her considerable powers.

BARNEY HOSKYNS

Iron And Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog

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Iron And Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog

The advance publicity for 'The Shepherd’s Dog' brought comparisons with Tom Waits’ 'Swordfishtrombones'. The similarities were not supposed to be literal: I&W’s Sam Beam hasn’t abandoned Southern folk in favour of funeral elegies for circus dwarves. But he has recast his music, adding rhythms and a fullness of sound which was not evident on his sparse debut, 'The Creek Drank The Cradle' or its marginally more lush successor, 'Our Endless Numbered Days'. It is, by any measure, a quiet revolution. Even when extending himself, Beam still sings in a breathy whisper, and when his band pull out the stops (see the boogie-woogie of The Devil Never Sleeps) they do it with such delicacy that they are more reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian returning from a hard day’s bell-ringing than refugees from Waits’s broken-backed beatnik dystopia. As well as the shadings offered by Calexico’s Joey Burns and some lovely pedal steel from Paul Niehaus, the album is warmed by a breeze of psychedelia, while Beam’s debt to Paul Simon is most obvious on “The Boy With A Coin”, which has the rhythmic snap of 'Graceland'. Still, it is a surprise, half way through “Wolves (Song of the Shepherd’s Dog)”, to realise that the gentle strumming has morphed into something approximating reggae, and from there to a kind of smokeless dub. If anything, the fuller sound makes it harder to decipher Beam’s intentions, but a gnawing sense of dislocation is detectable in lyrics apparently inspired by the re-election of George W Bush. The cocktail works beautifully on the closing “Flightless Bird”, American Mouth; a lullaby to alienation. But the album’s masterpiece is the gorgeously sensual “Resurrection Fern”, named after a creeper which grows on oak trees in the South, and seems to die on the branch before bursting back to life. In the midst of his despair, evidently Sam Beam found hope. ALASTAIR McKAY Q&A WITH SAM BEAM: UNCUT: Was the record inspired by US politics? SB: “I was confused because I thought Bush would lose the election. It was unsettling, but it’s a helpful thing when you’re trying to do creative work – this idea that you don’t really understand; that what you thought was real is not real. So trying to make peace with whatever situation I was writing about gave way to not finding the peace and being OK with it.” It’s surprising to hear some dub effects – no one would have guessed you were a King Tubby fan. “I love King Tubby. Previously I don’t think people had a reason to think I was interested in more than what I gave them, because I was more interested in creating a sound. Now I’m more interested in not having a sound! My musical tastes have always been all over the place, but I didn’t know how to use them.

The advance publicity for ‘The Shepherd’s Dog’ brought comparisons with Tom Waits’ ‘Swordfishtrombones’. The similarities were not supposed to be literal: I&W’s Sam Beam hasn’t abandoned Southern folk in favour of funeral elegies for circus dwarves. But he has recast his music, adding rhythms and a fullness of sound which was not evident on his sparse debut, ‘The Creek Drank The Cradle’ or its marginally more lush successor, ‘Our Endless Numbered Days’.

It is, by any measure, a quiet revolution. Even when extending himself, Beam still sings in a breathy whisper, and when his band pull out the stops (see the boogie-woogie of The Devil Never Sleeps) they do it with such delicacy that they are more reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian returning from a hard day’s bell-ringing than refugees from Waits’s broken-backed beatnik dystopia.

As well as the shadings offered by Calexico’s Joey Burns and some lovely pedal steel from Paul Niehaus, the album is warmed by a breeze of psychedelia, while Beam’s debt to Paul Simon is most obvious on “The Boy With A Coin”, which has the rhythmic snap of ‘Graceland’. Still, it is a surprise, half way through “Wolves (Song of the Shepherd’s Dog)”, to realise that the gentle strumming has morphed into something approximating reggae, and from there to a kind of smokeless dub.

If anything, the fuller sound makes it harder to decipher Beam’s intentions, but a gnawing sense of dislocation is detectable in lyrics apparently inspired by the re-election of George W Bush. The cocktail works beautifully on the closing “Flightless Bird”, American Mouth; a lullaby to alienation. But the album’s masterpiece is the gorgeously sensual “Resurrection Fern”, named after a creeper which grows on oak trees in the South, and seems to die on the branch before bursting back to life. In the midst of his despair, evidently Sam Beam found hope.

ALASTAIR McKAY

Q&A WITH SAM BEAM:

UNCUT: Was the record inspired by US politics?

SB: “I was confused because I thought Bush would lose the election. It was unsettling, but it’s a helpful thing when you’re trying to do creative work – this idea that you don’t really understand; that what you thought was real is not real. So trying to make peace with whatever situation I was writing about gave way to not finding the peace and being OK with it.”

It’s surprising to hear some dub effects – no one would have guessed you were a King Tubby fan.

“I love King Tubby. Previously I don’t think people had a reason to think I was interested in more than what I gave them, because I was more interested in creating a sound. Now I’m more interested in not having a sound! My musical tastes have always been all over the place, but I didn’t know how to use them.

UNCUT Q and A: Devendra Banhart

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UNCUT Q and A: Devendra Banhart

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: DEVENDRA BANHART UNCUT: You recorded in Topanga Canyon. How did the surroundings influence the record? DEVENDRA BANHART: Every time I'm in a new place I have a whole new set of influences and inspirations, so it always comes out differently. The themes of life are always changing. The sun and the moon – they look the same all the time, but they're always changing, and they're not going to be there forever. So here, I think we just had to honour each moment. (Breaks off) Oh, a beautiful hawk just flew right by, like a spotted Eagle or something…We're all still out here in Topanga Canyon, California. What's so special about that place? You look out the window and it looks like the mountains of Peru. LA is a great city, it gets better every year. Here, you're a couple of miles outside of the city, and the air is clean, the desert is clean. I mean, one thing is its history, it's completely magical – it's like you're home, like you finally reached the place you need to be: it's because of the cacti, because of the fire that's underneath all the brush…it's powerful, it's like a vortex. Just across the mountain over there, you can see where Neil Young used to live. He's not there any more, but we can still hear him. How did the sessions for the album proceed? We spent a long time looking around for a good spot: in LA in Laurel Canyon, in Malibu. We were in Venice before, and needed a little more space and a little more sky and light so we came up here. We were listening to Alice Coltrane, and she always has the answers – and eventually we came to this place. It's all wood, the windows go all around the house. There are mountains, and lizards, and bunnies that you can feed. They really like chocolate chip cookies. There are coyotes in the night time that sing through the valley. If you were here, you'd live here. It's an awesome, undeniable place – so it just worked. What does it take for you to turn that into a working space? We got together a couple of the new songs, and had a bunch of sketches, and were going to go and play in Mexico. So we got the group together: we have Lucky Remington on the bass, Noah Georgeson on guitar, Andy Cabic on guitar, Greg Rogave from Priestbird, the drummer. Pete Newsom was on keyboards. And we were here just trying to work stuff out for the show, so we just decided to dive in and make a record. We were in this beautiful room, set up all the instruments, and watched Roadhouse II while we practiced. It was perfect. It's a big record, and a long one. How fast did things move on it? We moved in at the beginning of the year, January or February. We recorded like five records, but we had to pare it down to one. When it's your home, and you're making food with these people, and sleeping next to them, the songs are in everyone's spirit. And so, we were very productive, it was amazing. I wish there was a format for five records, but nobody buys five records at a time. It's hard to do, to pare it down: these songs are your children, you don't want to just abandon them on the street. It sounds, at times, like a break-up record. Can you elaborate a little on that? Well, love is a difficult thing to hold on to. It's a slippery little beast. It will hold you and then it will elude you at any moment. It's something that we all see. It's about listening to how it goes, and then putting it in the songs. I don't think it's a new thing: I think everyone knows heartbreak from the day they're born in whatever form they're living. It's always changing. I don't ever think of myself as a dark person or a ruined person in any way. I just feel happy to be alive, and to be able to love. It's not always the most sunny day, or the most sunny experience, there's thunder too. But that's just how we all ride through life. It's hard not to have the things in your life leave an indelible mark on your perspective, your vision and your dreams, although I try to be very careful about my inner space all the time. With the songs, it's not always me, it could be me writing through somebody. But it's impossible for it not to be a personal journey. The album is stylistically varied. How do you manage to incorporate these influences and not have it come over as pastiche? My background, being born in Texas and then growing up in Caracas…I've been exposed to country music, then Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Samba, Bossa Nova. My father, who was a traveling yogi, - but also was a follower of Premrawat, who named me – he discovered the Qwaali music, and African blues of Ali Farka Toure. And he also liked Neil Young. I was from an early age being exposed to that music, so I never really felt an alliance to one particular style, or set out premeditatively to play one style of music when at home I'm listening to ragas and reggae and bluegrass, you know? I'm very lucky my parents were into different kinds of music. Musically, you've built some interesting bridges between musicians from the 1960s to the present day. How does a continuum like that come about? If there was a place for me in the realm of such great artists, I would be honoured – that would be like the ultimate dream, like with Vashti Bunyan and Bert Jansch. If we're going to look at a continuum as one thing being part of another, then let's talk about a human body: perhaps I'm a springy pubic hair, maybe a little bit of plaque on the body of Bunyan and Jansch. INTERVIEW: JOHN ROBINSON

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: DEVENDRA BANHART

UNCUT: You recorded in Topanga Canyon. How did the surroundings influence the record?

DEVENDRA BANHART: Every time I’m in a new place I have a whole new set of influences and inspirations, so it always comes out differently. The themes of life are always changing. The sun and the moon – they look the same all the time, but they’re always changing, and they’re not going to be there forever. So here, I think we just had to honour each moment. (Breaks off) Oh, a beautiful hawk just flew right by, like a spotted Eagle or something…We’re all still out here in Topanga Canyon, California.

What’s so special about that place?

You look out the window and it looks like the mountains of Peru. LA is a great city, it gets better every year. Here, you’re a couple of miles outside of the city, and the air is clean, the desert is clean. I mean, one thing is its history, it’s completely magical – it’s like you’re home, like you finally reached the place you need to be: it’s because of the cacti, because of the fire that’s underneath all the brush…it’s powerful, it’s like a vortex. Just across the mountain over there, you can see where Neil Young used to live. He’s not there any more, but we can still hear him.

How did the sessions for the album proceed?

We spent a long time looking around for a good spot: in LA in Laurel Canyon, in Malibu. We were in Venice before, and needed a little more space and a little more sky and light so we came up here. We were listening to Alice Coltrane, and she always has the answers – and eventually we came to this place. It’s all wood, the windows go all around the house.

There are mountains, and lizards, and bunnies that you can feed. They really like chocolate chip cookies. There are coyotes in the night time that sing through the valley. If you were here, you’d live here. It’s an awesome, undeniable place – so it just worked.

What does it take for you to turn that into a working space?

We got together a couple of the new songs, and had a bunch of sketches, and were going to go and play in Mexico. So we got the group together: we have Lucky Remington on the bass, Noah Georgeson on guitar, Andy Cabic on guitar, Greg Rogave from Priestbird, the drummer. Pete Newsom was on keyboards. And we were here just trying to work stuff out for the show, so we just decided to dive in and make a record. We were in this beautiful room, set up all the instruments, and watched Roadhouse II while we practiced. It was perfect.

It’s a big record, and a long one. How fast did things move on it?

We moved in at the beginning of the year, January or February. We recorded like five records, but we had to pare it down to one. When it’s your home, and you’re making food with these people, and sleeping next to them, the songs are in everyone’s spirit. And so, we were very productive, it was amazing. I wish there was a format for five records, but nobody buys five records at a time. It’s hard to do, to pare it down: these songs are your children, you don’t want to just abandon them on the street.

It sounds, at times, like a break-up record. Can you elaborate a little on that?

Well, love is a difficult thing to hold on to. It’s a slippery little beast. It will hold you and then it will elude you at any moment. It’s something that we all see. It’s about listening to how it goes, and then putting it in the songs. I don’t think it’s a new thing: I think everyone knows heartbreak from the day they’re born in whatever form they’re living. It’s always changing. I don’t ever think of myself as a dark person or a ruined person in any way. I just feel happy to be alive, and to be able to love.

It’s not always the most sunny day, or the most sunny experience, there’s thunder too. But that’s just how we all ride through life. It’s hard not to have the things in your life leave an indelible mark on your perspective, your vision and your dreams, although I try to be very careful about my inner space all the time. With the songs, it’s not always me, it could be me writing through somebody. But it’s impossible for it not to be a personal journey.

The album is stylistically varied. How do you manage to incorporate these influences and not have it come over as pastiche?

My background, being born in Texas and then growing up in Caracas…I’ve been exposed to country music, then Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Samba, Bossa Nova. My father, who was a traveling yogi, – but also was a follower of Premrawat, who named me – he discovered the Qwaali music, and African blues of Ali Farka Toure. And he also liked Neil Young. I was from an early age being exposed to that music, so I never really felt an alliance to one particular style, or set out premeditatively to play one style of music when at home I’m listening to ragas and reggae and bluegrass, you know? I’m very lucky my parents were into different kinds of music.

Musically, you’ve built some interesting bridges between musicians from the 1960s to the present day. How does a continuum like that come about?

If there was a place for me in the realm of such great artists, I would be honoured – that would be like the ultimate dream, like with Vashti Bunyan and Bert Jansch. If we’re going to look at a continuum as one thing being part of another, then let’s talk about a human body: perhaps I’m a springy pubic hair, maybe a little bit of plaque on the body of Bunyan and Jansch.

INTERVIEW: JOHN ROBINSON

QOTSA Announce UK Dates

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QOTSA Announce UK Dates

Queens Of The Stone Age have announced a new ten-date UK tour, starting in November. The band will be playing in support of their fifth studio album 'Era Vulgaris' after playing mostly festivals this Summer. The band have only played in the UK three times this year, once at the intimate 100 Club in London just before the new album was released, and a mainstage show at Wireless Festival the week after. They also appeared at T In The Park, joined onstage by Mark Lanegan for the first time in two years. The ten-date tour kicks off in Brighton on November 4 and finishes at Reading's Rivermead on December 4. The full tour dates are: Brighton Dome (November 23) Liverpool Carling Academy (24) Nottingham Rock City (25) London Brixton Academy (26) Glasgow Carling Academy (28) Newcastle Carling Academy (29) Bristol Carling Academy (December 1) Manchester Apollo (2) Birmingham Carling Academy (3) Reading Rivermead (4) Pic credit: PA Photos

Queens Of The Stone Age have announced a new ten-date UK tour, starting in November.

The band will be playing in support of their fifth studio album ‘Era Vulgaris’ after playing mostly festivals this Summer.

The band have only played in the UK three times this year, once at the intimate 100 Club in London just before the new album was released, and a mainstage show at Wireless Festival the week after.

They also appeared at T In The Park, joined onstage by Mark Lanegan for the first time in two years.

The ten-date tour kicks off in Brighton on November 4 and finishes at Reading’s Rivermead on December 4.

The full tour dates are:

Brighton Dome (November 23)

Liverpool Carling Academy (24)

Nottingham Rock City (25)

London Brixton Academy (26)

Glasgow Carling Academy (28)

Newcastle Carling Academy (29)

Bristol Carling Academy (December 1)

Manchester Apollo (2)

Birmingham Carling Academy (3)

Reading Rivermead (4)

Pic credit: PA Photos

See New Snippet From Oasis Road Movie

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See New Snippet From Oasis Road Movie

Another new snippet has been made available from the forthcoming DVD release of Oasis' on-the-road movie 'Lord Don't Slow Me Down'. The film, which was released in selected cinemas last year will come with a host of extras - including voice commentaries from all of the band, plus footage of the Q&A Noel Gallagher hosted in New York last year. A second disc captures Oasis' Manchester homecoming show at Eastlands Stadium too, which includes footage sent in by fans who attended the show. ‘Lord Don’t Slow Me Down’ is scheduled for release on October 29. See clip three from the film here: Windows Media: High / Low Real Player: High / Low You can view Uncut.co.uk's previous Lord Don't Slow Me Down clips here: Clip One Clip Two Come back to www.uncut.co.uk next week for clip four out of a series of eight.

Another new snippet has been made available from the forthcoming DVD release of Oasis‘ on-the-road movie ‘Lord Don’t Slow Me Down‘.

The film, which was released in selected cinemas last year will come with a host of extras – including voice commentaries from all of the band, plus footage of the Q&A Noel Gallagher hosted in New York last year.

A second disc captures Oasis’ Manchester homecoming show at Eastlands Stadium too, which includes footage sent in by fans who attended the show.

‘Lord Don’t Slow Me Down’ is scheduled for release on October 29.

See clip three from the film here:

Windows Media:

High / Low

Real Player:

High / Low

You can view Uncut.co.uk’s previous Lord Don’t Slow Me Down clips here:

Clip One

Clip Two

Come back to www.uncut.co.uk next week for clip four out of a series of eight.

Elvis Perkins Announces First UK Headline Shows

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Elvis Perkins Announces First UK Headline Shows

Elvis Perkins has announced his first set of UK headline shows starting in Manchester on November 2. The son of Psycho Anthony Perkins has already played joyous shows with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Cold War Kids this year, with the culmination of both bands joining the singer for a hoedown onsatge at this year's Latitude Festival. Joined by touring band, known collectively as Elvis Perkins in Dearland, they will play out their debut 'Ash Wednesday' at the following venues: Manchester Night & Day (November 2) Leeds Nasty Fest (3) Glasgow Nice + Sleazy (4) Birmingham Bar Academy (5) London Bush Hall (6)

Elvis Perkins has announced his first set of UK headline shows starting in Manchester on November 2.

The son of Psycho Anthony Perkins has already played joyous shows with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Cold War Kids this year, with the culmination of both bands joining the singer for a hoedown onsatge at this year’s Latitude Festival.

Joined by touring band, known collectively as Elvis Perkins in Dearland, they will play out their debut ‘Ash Wednesday‘ at the following venues:

Manchester Night & Day (November 2)

Leeds Nasty Fest (3)

Glasgow Nice + Sleazy (4)

Birmingham Bar Academy (5)

London Bush Hall (6)

Uncut’s 50 Best Gigs – Extra!

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Uncut’s 50 Best Gigs – Extra!

In this month's UNCUT, our writers, friends and favourite musicians reminisce about their favourite gigs. The October issue, onsale now, features our best 50 - including Jimi, U2, The Band and Oasis - with rare photos from the shows too. Now here’s some more – we'll publish one everyday this month - including online exclusives on gigs by Manic Street Preachers,The Stone Roses, Pixies, Beach Boys, and Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones and Babyshambles’ Adam Ficek's favourite live memories too. ***** 3 | THE SEX PISTOLS Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester, June 4, 1976 Steve Diggle, Buzzcocks: The Pistols had played places like Chelsea Art College, but they hadn’t stepped into the provinces yet. In fact, it was us who put them on in Manchester. Howard [Devoto] was instrumental in that. He’d met them on a trip to London, where he’d seen them do a small gig. I recall standing outside beforehand talking to Malcolm McLaren, who was telling me the Pistols did songs like [The Who’s] “Substitute”. I thought, ‘That’ll do for me.’ They were like a cross between the more nihilistic, violent attitude of The Who with the flamboyance of The New York Dolls. I’d seen The Who before, but this was something new and frighteningly real. When they came out, time stood still. You suddenly had to rethink your whole life. It was like, “What have I been doing all this time?” The set lasted about 20 minutes. Steve Jones’ guitar, which I think he’d stolen, was amazing. It wasn’t like blues guitar, it was raw and positively clumsy. The Pistols didn’t come across as being fully in charge of what they were doing onstage, but made up for it with that rawness. Pete Shelley was there. He was running up and down collecting tickets. Howard was working the lights. You could count about 15 to 30 people there. Morrissey was there, in a trenchcoat and NHS glasses, with long hair. But now everyone claims they were there, enough to fill Wembley Stadium! That gig was like discovering somebody else you had something in common with. Finding the Pistols validated what Buzzcocks were doing – sticking two fingers up to everything that was going on. The gig crystallised the early formation of Buzzcocks. If it wasn’t for that gig, I don’t know what the hell I’d have done with myself. ***** plus WERE YOU THERE? Not even UNCUTs war-weary gig-hounds have been to every great show in history – but you lot probably have. Email Allan_Jones@ipcmedia.com, or share your memories in the comments box below, of the ones we might have missed, and we’ll publish the best in a future issue!

In this month’s UNCUT, our writers, friends and favourite musicians reminisce about their favourite gigs.

The October issue, onsale now, features our best 50 – including Jimi, U2, The Band and Oasis – with rare photos from the shows too.

Now here’s some more – we’ll publish one everyday this month – including online exclusives on gigs by Manic Street Preachers,The Stone Roses, Pixies, Beach Boys, and Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones and Babyshambles’ Adam Ficek‘s favourite live memories too.

*****

3 | THE SEX PISTOLS

Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester, June 4, 1976

Steve Diggle, Buzzcocks:

The Pistols had played places like Chelsea Art College, but they hadn’t stepped into the provinces yet. In fact, it was us who put them on in Manchester. Howard [Devoto] was instrumental in that. He’d met them on a trip to London, where he’d seen them do a small gig. I recall standing outside beforehand talking to Malcolm McLaren, who was telling me the Pistols did songs like [The Who’s] “Substitute”. I thought, ‘That’ll do for me.’

They were like a cross between the more nihilistic, violent attitude of The Who with the flamboyance of The New York Dolls. I’d seen The Who before, but this was something new and frighteningly real. When they came out, time stood still. You suddenly had to rethink your whole life. It was like, “What have I been doing all this time?”

The set lasted about 20 minutes. Steve Jones’ guitar, which I think he’d stolen, was amazing. It wasn’t like blues guitar, it was raw and positively clumsy. The Pistols didn’t come across as being fully in charge of what they were doing onstage, but made up for it with that rawness. Pete Shelley was there. He was running up and down collecting tickets. Howard was working the lights. You could count about 15 to 30 people there. Morrissey was there, in a trenchcoat and NHS glasses, with long hair. But now everyone claims they were there, enough to fill Wembley Stadium!

That gig was like discovering somebody else you had something in common with. Finding the Pistols validated what Buzzcocks were doing – sticking two fingers up to everything that was going on. The gig crystallised the early formation of Buzzcocks. If it wasn’t for that gig, I don’t know what the hell I’d have done with myself.

*****

plus WERE YOU THERE?

Not even UNCUTs war-weary gig-hounds have been to every great show in history – but you lot probably have.

Email Allan_Jones@ipcmedia.com, or share your memories in the comments box below, of the ones we might have missed, and we’ll publish the best in a future issue!

Rufus Adds Yet Another Date To UK Stint

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Rufus Adds Yet Another Date To UK Stint

Rufus Wainwright has announced another extra date as part of his latest UK tour. The singer songwriter will now play Warrington's Parr Hall on October 23. Wainwright is currently touring his acclaimed LP 'Release The Stars' on his third UK tour of the year, after wowing festivals across Europe this Summer too. New single 'Tiergarten' is released October 29, the day before Wainwright plays two nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo (October 30/ 31). The track includes appearances by Richard Thompson on guitar and Neil Tennant and Teddy Thompson on backup vocals. Catch Rufus supported by Scott Matthews at the following venues: Gateshead, Sage (October 13) - Sold Out Glasgow, Clyde Auditorium (14/15) Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall (17) - Sold Out Manchester, Apollo (18) - Sold Out Sheffield, City Hall (19) Cambridge, Corn Exchange (21) - Sold Out Cardiff, Milennium Centre (22) - Sold Out Warrington, Parr Hall (23) - New Date Birmingham, Symphony Hall (25) - Sold Out Birmingham, Symphony Hall (26) Harrogate, International Centre (27) - Sold Out London, Hammersmith Apollo (30) - Sold Out London, Hammersmith Apollo (31) Ipswich, Regents Theatre (November 1) In addition, following Wainwright's successful Judy Garland tribute in February - Wainwright will again be recreating the 1961 Carnegie Hall concert at the Hollywood Bowl on September 23.

Rufus Wainwright has announced another extra date as part of his latest UK tour.

The singer songwriter will now play Warrington’s Parr Hall on October 23.

Wainwright is currently touring his acclaimed LP ‘Release The Stars‘ on his third UK tour of the year, after wowing festivals across Europe this Summer too.

New single ‘Tiergarten’ is released October 29, the day before Wainwright plays two nights at London’s Hammersmith Apollo (October 30/ 31).

The track includes appearances by Richard Thompson on guitar and Neil Tennant and Teddy Thompson on backup vocals.

Catch Rufus supported by Scott Matthews at the following venues:

Gateshead, Sage (October 13) – Sold Out

Glasgow, Clyde Auditorium (14/15)

Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall (17) – Sold Out

Manchester, Apollo (18) – Sold Out

Sheffield, City Hall (19)

Cambridge, Corn Exchange (21) – Sold Out

Cardiff, Milennium Centre (22) – Sold Out

Warrington, Parr Hall (23) – New Date

Birmingham, Symphony Hall (25) – Sold Out

Birmingham, Symphony Hall (26)

Harrogate, International Centre (27) – Sold Out

London, Hammersmith Apollo (30) – Sold Out

London, Hammersmith Apollo (31)

Ipswich, Regents Theatre (November 1)

In addition, following Wainwright’s successful Judy Garland tribute in February – Wainwright will again be recreating the 1961 Carnegie Hall concert at the Hollywood Bowl on September 23.

The Uncut Playlist

John Mulvey
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It feels like time to put together another one of these, so here are the ten records we played in the office yesterday. Pretty quiet here as we've just finished an issue, so I managed to get away with even more psych, folk and drone than usual. And after a week of lost post, wrong addresses and such, the Om album arrived, so that was good. . . 1 Charalambides - Likeness (Kranky) 2 Om - Pilgrimage (Southern Lord) 3 White Magic - Dark Stars (Drag City) 4 Citay - Little Kingdom (Dead Oceans) 5 Concentrick - Aluminum Lake (Drag City) 6 The Pyramids - The Pyramids (Domino) 7. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan/ Ustad Vilayat Khan - Psychedelic Music Of India (El) 8. Alberta Cross - Rambling Home (Fiction) 9. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals (We Are Free) 10. John Fahey - Fare Forward Voyagers (Soldier's Choice) (Takoma)

It feels like time to put together another one of these, so here are the ten records we played in the office yesterday. Pretty quiet here as we’ve just finished an issue, so I managed to get away with even more psych, folk and drone than usual. And after a week of lost post, wrong addresses and such, the Om album arrived, so that was good. . .

Continue

Never Mind Led Zep – Here Come The Sex Pistols!

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Never Mind Led Zep – Here Come The Sex Pistols!

Hot on the heels of the Led Zeppelin reunion last week - another 70s band have declared they will reunite for a one-off London show. The Sex Pistols comprising the original four members of the band; John Lydon, Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock have announced that will play London's Brixton Academy on November 8. The band last reformed in 2003 for a three week tour of North America. They have not played together live since, although they did reunite in the studio earlier this year to re-record their 'Pretty Vacant' track for the 'Skate' computer game. Prior to that the band originally reformed in 1996 for their 'Filthy Lucre' tour which lasted six months and included shows in London, the US, and Japan. They also appeared at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in 2002 - the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebration year with their 'Pistols At The Palace show. This October is the band's 30th anniversary since their debut 'Never Mind The Bollocks... Here's The Sex Pistols' - a reissues campaign is being launched throughout the month, with vinyl singles being re-released weekly. Uncut's sister title NME is to be launching a campaign to get 'God Save The Queen' to Number one in the singles chart, after the track missed out in October 1977 when it was banned from airplay on radio and from sale by some record shops. Tickets are priced £37.50 for the Sex Pistols comeback show, and go onsale from this Friday, September 21 at 9am.

Hot on the heels of the Led Zeppelin reunion last week – another 70s band have declared they will reunite for a one-off London show.

The Sex Pistols comprising the original four members of the band; John Lydon, Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock have announced that will play London’s Brixton Academy on November 8.

The band last reformed in 2003 for a three week tour of North America. They have not played together live since, although they did reunite in the studio earlier this year to re-record their ‘Pretty Vacant’ track for the ‘Skate’ computer game.

Prior to that the band originally reformed in 1996 for their ‘Filthy Lucre‘ tour which lasted six months and included shows in London, the US, and Japan.

They also appeared at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in 2002 – the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebration year with their ‘Pistols At The Palace show.

This October is the band’s 30th anniversary since their debut ‘Never Mind The Bollocks… Here’s The Sex Pistols’ – a reissues campaign is being launched throughout the month, with vinyl singles being re-released weekly.

Uncut’s sister title NME is to be launching a campaign to get ‘God Save The Queen‘ to Number one in the singles chart, after the track missed out in October 1977 when it was banned from airplay on radio and from sale by some record shops.

Tickets are priced £37.50 for the Sex Pistols comeback show, and go onsale from this Friday, September 21 at 9am.

Youssou N’Dour Readys New Album

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Youssou N’Dour Readys New Album

Youssou N'Dour is to release his first album 'Rokku Mi Rokka (Give And Take)' in three years next month. The follow-up to 2004's Grammy and MOBO Award winning 'Egypt' will be preceded by a single 'Wake Up (It's Africa Calling) on October 22. The single see's the Senegalese singer reunited with Neneh Cherry for the first time since their global hit '7 Seconds' in 1994. On 'Rokku Mi Rokka', Youssou N’Dour has returned to working with the Super Etoile - a group of old friends and musicians he got together over 20 years ago. N'Dour says of basist Habib Faye, percussionist Babacar “Mbaye Dieye” Faye and guitarist Papa Oumar Ngom: “They are not from the north, but they are Senegalese, they understand exactly what is happening in the north, the south, and the centre.” The album is due for release on October 29 through Nonesuch Records. For more details about the forthcoming release, check out this video: Windows Media: High / Low Real Time: High / Low

Youssou N’Dour is to release his first album ‘Rokku Mi Rokka (Give And Take)‘ in three years next month.

The follow-up to 2004’s Grammy and MOBO Award winning ‘Egypt’ will be preceded by a single ‘Wake Up (It’s Africa Calling) on October 22.

The single see’s the Senegalese singer reunited with Neneh Cherry for the first time since their global hit ‘7 Seconds’ in 1994.

On ‘Rokku Mi Rokka’, Youssou N’Dour has returned to working with the Super Etoile – a group of old friends and musicians he got together over 20 years ago.

N’Dour says of basist Habib Faye, percussionist Babacar “Mbaye Dieye” Faye and guitarist Papa Oumar Ngom: “They are not from the north, but they are Senegalese, they understand exactly what is happening in the north, the south, and the centre.”

The album is due for release on October 29 through Nonesuch Records.

For more details about the forthcoming release, check out this video:

Windows Media:

High / Low

Real Time:

High / Low

Joy Division Back Catalogue Reissued

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Joy Division Back Catalogue Reissued

The entire Joy Division back catalogue is being reissued from today (September 17). The highly influential albums 'Unknown Pleasures', 'Closer' and 'Still' have all been re-mastered and will each come as a double CD - with the second discs all featuring live Joy Division shows; from High Wycombe, London ULU and Manchester Factory. The track listings from the frenetic and highly charged Joy Divison gigs are as follows: Live At High Wycombe: Isolation The Eternal Ice Age Disorder The Sound Of Music The Eternal + Soundcheck: The Sound Of Music A Means To An End Colony 24 Hours Isolation Love Will Tear Us Apart Disorder Atrocity Exhibition Live at London ULU: Dead Souls Glass A Means To An End 24 Hours Shadowplay Insight Colony These Days Love Will Tear Us Apart Isolation Live At Factory Manchester & The Moonlight Club West Hampstead: Dead Souls The Only Mistake Insight Candidate Wilderness She's Lost Control Shadowplay Disorder Interzone Atrocity Exhibition Novelty Transmission Novelty (Mono) Transmission (Mono) Love Will Tear Us Apart Glass The Mancunian legends' most renowned single 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' is also being re-released today, on 7" vinyl and two-track CD. The re-issues are timed to coincide with the release of Control, photographer Anton Corbijn's biopic of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. Uncut.co.uk will be giving away copies of the movie soundtrack later this week - so keep an eye on www.www.uncut.co.uk/music/special_features for details.

The entire Joy Division back catalogue is being reissued from today (September 17).

The highly influential albums ‘Unknown Pleasures‘, ‘Closer‘ and ‘Still‘ have all been re-mastered and will each come as a double CD – with the second discs all featuring live Joy Division shows; from High Wycombe, London ULU and Manchester Factory.

The track listings from the frenetic and highly charged Joy Divison gigs are as follows:

Live At High Wycombe:

Isolation

The Eternal

Ice Age

Disorder

The Sound Of Music

The Eternal

+ Soundcheck:

The Sound Of Music

A Means To An End

Colony

24 Hours

Isolation

Love Will Tear Us Apart

Disorder

Atrocity Exhibition

Live at London ULU:

Dead Souls

Glass

A Means To An End

24 Hours

Shadowplay

Insight

Colony

These Days

Love Will Tear Us Apart

Isolation

Live At Factory Manchester & The Moonlight Club West Hampstead:

Dead Souls

The Only Mistake

Insight

Candidate

Wilderness

She’s Lost Control

Shadowplay

Disorder

Interzone

Atrocity Exhibition

Novelty

Transmission

Novelty (Mono)

Transmission (Mono)

Love Will Tear Us Apart

Glass

The Mancunian legends’ most renowned single ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart‘ is also being re-released today, on 7″ vinyl and two-track CD.

The re-issues are timed to coincide with the release of Control, photographer Anton Corbijn’s biopic of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis.

Uncut.co.uk will be giving away copies of the movie soundtrack later this week – so keep an eye on www.www.uncut.co.uk/music/special_features for details.

Uncut’s 50 Best Gigs – Extra!

Uncut
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Uncut’s 50 Best Gigs – Extra!

In this month's UNCUT, our writers, friends and favourite musicians reminisce about their favourite gigs. The October issue, onsale now, features our best 50 - including Jimi, U2, The Band and Oasis - with rare photos from the shows too. Now here’s some more – we'll publish one everyday this month - including online exclusives on gigs by Manic Street Preachers,The Stone Roses, Pixies, Beach Boys, and Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones and Babyshambles’ Adam Ficek's favourite live memories too. ***** BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Wembley Arena, London, July 6, 1992 Sarfraz Manzoor: It’s 20 years since I first heard Tunnel Of Love and was persuaded of the greatness of Springsteen, and in that time I’ve seen him in concert more than 70 times. In many ways, this Wembley show represented the nadir of Springsteen, both live and on record. He was without the E Street Band for the first time ever and was supporting two of his weakest albums – Human Touch and Lucky Town. But it was special for me. It had been four years since the Tunnel Of Love tour and I’d more or less given up on seeing him. So I’d spent 48 hours queuing up outside for tickets for this one. And I got front row tickets – Row A, Seat 31 – smack in the middle. It was also my graduation day from Manchester. And so I missed my own graduation to see this Springsteen gig. Before the gig, I waited outside and was lucky enough to meet him. He signed my vinyl copy of Born To Run. So it felt like all the stars were in the right place. It was a magical moment when he walked onstage and began warbling in front of me. I’ve never felt that euphoric. What made it even more extraordinary was when he decided to take his shirt off, because he’d sweated so much. So he came over to the front of the stage, unhooked his Telecaster and said to me, “Could you hold my guitar while I take my shirt off?” So I held it in one hand. I mean, it was the same famous Esquire Fender Telecaster from the cover of Born To Run. Musically, it was interesting, especially the muted response that everyone in the band got from the crowd, apart from [keyboardist] Roy Bittan, who was the only member left over from the E Street Band. There was this sense of treachery around the place. The other thing I recall is how much Bruce was smiling. It was all about having fun, music for the sake of music. It confirmed my faith in Springsteen after four years away. Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock’n’ Roll by Sarfraz Manzoor is available from Bloomsbury. ***** plus WERE YOU THERE? Not even UNCUTs war-weary gig-hounds have been to every great show in history – but you lot probably have. Email Allan_Jones@ipcmedia.com, or share your memories in the comments box below, of the ones we might have missed, and we’ll publish the best in a future issue!

In this month’s UNCUT, our writers, friends and favourite musicians reminisce about their favourite gigs.

The October issue, onsale now, features our best 50 – including Jimi, U2, The Band and Oasis – with rare photos from the shows too.

Now here’s some more – we’ll publish one everyday this month – including online exclusives on gigs by Manic Street Preachers,The Stone Roses, Pixies, Beach Boys, and Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones and Babyshambles’ Adam Ficek‘s favourite live memories too.

*****

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Wembley Arena, London, July 6, 1992

Sarfraz Manzoor:

It’s 20 years since I first heard Tunnel Of Love and was persuaded of the greatness of Springsteen, and in that time I’ve seen him in concert more than 70 times. In many ways, this Wembley show represented the nadir of Springsteen, both live and on record. He was without the E Street Band for the first time ever and was supporting two of his weakest albums – Human Touch and Lucky Town. But it was special for me. It had been four years since the Tunnel Of Love tour and I’d more or less given up on seeing him. So I’d spent 48 hours queuing up outside for tickets for this one. And I got front row tickets – Row A, Seat 31 – smack in the middle.

It was also my graduation day from Manchester. And so I missed my own graduation to see this Springsteen gig. Before the gig, I waited outside and was lucky enough to meet him. He signed my vinyl copy of Born To Run. So it felt like all the stars were in the right place.

It was a magical moment when he walked onstage and began warbling in front of me. I’ve never felt that euphoric. What made it even more extraordinary was when he decided to take his shirt off, because he’d sweated so much. So he came over to the front of the stage, unhooked his Telecaster and said to me, “Could you hold my guitar while I take my shirt off?” So I held it in one hand. I mean, it was the same famous Esquire Fender Telecaster from the cover of Born To Run.

Musically, it was interesting, especially the muted response that everyone in the band got from the crowd, apart from [keyboardist] Roy Bittan, who was the only member left over from the E Street Band. There was this sense of treachery around the place. The other thing I recall is how much Bruce was smiling. It was all about having fun, music for the sake of music. It confirmed my faith in Springsteen after four years away.

Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock’n’ Roll by Sarfraz Manzoor is available from Bloomsbury.

*****

plus WERE YOU THERE?

Not even UNCUTs war-weary gig-hounds have been to every great show in history – but you lot probably have.

Email Allan_Jones@ipcmedia.com, or share your memories in the comments box below, of the ones we might have missed, and we’ll publish the best in a future issue!

Idlewild Get Best Of Ready Ahead Of UK Tour

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Idlewild Get Best Of Ready Ahead Of UK Tour

Scotish indies Idlewild have revealed the track listing for their ten year anniversary compilation ‘Scottish Fiction – Best of 1997-2007.’ Collating 17 tracks from their five albums and mini album, 'Scottish Fiction' sees Roddy Woomble, Colin Newton and Rod Jones' progression from starting out with their self-finananced 7" single 'Queen Of The Troubled Teens' in 1997. The 'Best of', out on October 1, will also come with a three hour DVD - with live footage filmed earlier this year when Idlewild played Aberdeen Music Hall, all of the band's promo videos plus unseen on-the-road documentary snippets from the past 12 years. The full tracklisting is: You Held The World In Your Arms No Emotion Roseability When I Argue I See Shapes Love Steals Us From Loneliness American English These Wooden Ideas El Capitan A Modern Way Of Letting Go Let Me Sleep (Next To The Mirror) I’m A Message In Remote Part / Scottish Fiction I Understand It Little Discourage As If I Hadn’t Slept Live In A Hiding Place Make Another World Idlewild also head out on UK tour in October, the full dates are: Liverpool, Carling Academy (October 9) Preston, 53 Degrees (10) Leicester, The Venue (11) Sheffield, The Leadmill (13) Lochniver, Village Hall (15) Inverness, Ironworks (16) Oban, Corran Halls (18) Dundee, Fat Sam’s (20) Glasgow, Barrowlands (21) Portsmouth, Pyramid (23) Falmouth, Princess Pavillion (24) Exeter, Phoenix (25) Nottingham, Rescue Rooms (27) Warwick University, Warwick (28) Cambridge, The Junction (29) London, Koko (30) Dublin, The Village (November 1) Belfast, Mandela Hall (2) Tickets on sale at £16 except London (£17) and Dublin (22E). Check www.idlewild.co.uk for links to ticket sales.

Scotish indies Idlewild have revealed the track listing for their ten year anniversary compilation ‘Scottish Fiction – Best of 1997-2007.’

Collating 17 tracks from their five albums and mini album, ‘Scottish Fiction’ sees Roddy Woomble, Colin Newton and Rod Jones’ progression from starting out with their self-finananced 7″ single ‘Queen Of The Troubled Teens’ in 1997.

The ‘Best of’, out on October 1, will also come with a three hour DVD – with live footage filmed earlier this year when Idlewild played Aberdeen Music Hall, all of the band’s promo videos plus unseen on-the-road documentary snippets from the past 12 years.

The full tracklisting is:

You Held The World In Your Arms

No Emotion

Roseability

When I Argue I See Shapes

Love Steals Us From Loneliness

American English

These Wooden Ideas

El Capitan

A Modern Way Of Letting Go

Let Me Sleep (Next To The Mirror)

I’m A Message

In Remote Part / Scottish Fiction

I Understand It

Little Discourage

As If I Hadn’t Slept

Live In A Hiding Place

Make Another World

Idlewild also head out on UK tour in October, the full dates are:

Liverpool, Carling Academy (October 9)

Preston, 53 Degrees (10)

Leicester, The Venue (11)

Sheffield, The Leadmill (13)

Lochniver, Village Hall (15)

Inverness, Ironworks (16)

Oban, Corran Halls (18)

Dundee, Fat Sam’s (20)

Glasgow, Barrowlands (21)

Portsmouth, Pyramid (23)

Falmouth, Princess Pavillion (24)

Exeter, Phoenix (25)

Nottingham, Rescue Rooms (27)

Warwick University, Warwick (28)

Cambridge, The Junction (29)

London, Koko (30)

Dublin, The Village (November 1)

Belfast, Mandela Hall (2)

Tickets on sale at £16 except London (£17) and Dublin (22E).

Check www.idlewild.co.uk for links to ticket sales.

CUT Of The Day: The Beatles On Dr Who

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CUT Of The Day: The Beatles On Dr Who

CUT of the day: September 17 Check out The Beatles appearing in an episode of BBC sci-fi drama Dr Who. Appearing on the Time/Space Visualiser - The Beatles play a snippet of their Help! film hit 'Ticket To Ride'. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UkbNlTAIPI If you have any trouble viewing the embedded video clip - click here.

CUT of the day: September 17

Check out The Beatles appearing in an episode of BBC sci-fi drama Dr Who.

Appearing on the Time/Space Visualiser – The Beatles play a snippet of their Help! film hit ‘Ticket To Ride‘.

Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UkbNlTAIPI

If you have any trouble viewing the embedded video clip – click

here.

Citay’s “Little Kingdom” and Concentrick’s “Aluminum Lake”

John Mulvey
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A while back, someone at Uncut pointed out to me that one of the words I overused when writing about music was “feral”. He was right, too: I’d got into a habit of using the term whenever the psychedelia and crypto-primitive folk jams that I listen to so much got a little wilder and smellier, became a bit more instinctual, or at least convincingly pretended to be instinctual. It’s a neat way to mythologise the acid-folk and New Weird American stuff, making the musicians sound like they have lived all their life in a bramble bush, and were accidentally captured in the field by a passing interloper with some recording gear. A fair few of these musicians clearly gun for that illusion of naivety, but I think most are smarter: like the first generation of hippies, their attempts to go wild in the country, slough off the taint of the urban military industrial complex, recapture some kind of formative innocence and so on are pretty knowing. Citay, from San Francisco I think, are part of that scene but distinctly different. Like their debut album from last year, “Little Kingdom” has a vibe which is rustic but plush, more Bron Y Aur than Mesozoic swamp. Listening to it, you’d imagine its creators had spent the last decade or so making giant, opulent stadium rock, then had spent six months getting their proverbial heads together somewhere remote, accompanied only by a fleet of engineers and dogsbodies. In fact, Ezra Feinberg and Tim Green come from a broadly post-rock background: Feinberg used to figure in one of the fluctuating line-ups of Piano Magic; Green is the leader of blocky, post-metal types The Fucking Champs, whose music I’ve always found a bit bloodless. Green is also, though, a fairly sought-after producer, working with Comets On Fire, Six Organs Of Admittance and all that lot. If you like Six Organs, you’ll probably go for Citay, too. But you should also be aware of their avowed intentions with this music: to make something influenced by the point where ‘70s heavy rock went a little bucolic. In the press notes that come with “Little Kingdom”, they mention Popol Vuh, “Animals”-era Pink Floyd, Fripp-Eno and early Mike Oldfield. Mainly, though, like its predecessor, the dominant vibe is that of “Led Zeppelin III”, with the additional input of twin lead/harmony-pedal guitars that have a strong whiff of Thin Lizzy and Queen to them. Feinberg’s vocals drift in and out of the mix, a melodious whisper that lets the ravishing instrumental arrangements take precedence. But, again, the whole atmosphere is woody and inviting, but also purposeful. These songs like “Eye On The Dollar” chug meticulously rather than wandering around in a daze. It can get a bit samey after a while – “Little Kingdom” sounds even more hermetically sealed into its warm brown soundworld than its predecessor. But this is still a very nice place to be; ideal, I suspect, for solitary meditative retreats with a retinue. I think Feinberg rather than Green drives Citay, because Tim Green has a solo album out too. The project is called Concentrick, and the slightly patchy album is called “Aluminum Lake”. Some of it is brilliant, and explicitly related to Citay: “Transillumination” especially, while the opening “Waterfall” is an acoustic fantasia that sounds like a Boards Of Canada song. At times, though, you can sense Green being pulled between the two extremes of Citay and The Fucking Champs, with the chill modal rock-outs and electro-squelch of the latter just coming out on top.

A while back, someone at Uncut pointed out to me that one of the words I overused when writing about music was “feral”. He was right, too: I’d got into a habit of using the term whenever the psychedelia and crypto-primitive folk jams that I listen to so much got a little wilder and smellier, became a bit more instinctual, or at least convincingly pretended to be instinctual.

Continue

Lambchop Sign Off This Year’s End Of The Road Festival

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Lambchop Sign Off This Year’s End Of The Road Festival

Americana mainstays Lambchop closed the final night of End of the Road festival in Dorset tonight (August 17) with an unlikely guest reading. During an encore that included a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel No 2", special guest Howe Gelb read an extract from the autobiography of Happy Mondays' Bez, bought at the festival by guitarist William Tyler for drummer Peter's birthday. It was just one in a series of jokes that littered a relaxed set whose high points included "Autumn's Vicar" and the title track from 2002's "Is A Woman", and "Prepared (2)" from last year's "Damaged". Ending the set, a smiling Kurt Wagner told the audience: "Now go home." The third day also saw popular sets from Euros Childs, Malcolm Middleton and Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit. Click on the artist's names for how the performances turned out. The second annual Dorset bash saw great performances over the three days in the Larmer Tree Gardens country estate. Highlights included Robyn Hitchcock, accompanied by Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones, Midlake and Super Furry Animals. Check out the Uncut Festivals blog for stacks more news, reviews and photos from End Of The Road this weekend here.

Americana mainstays Lambchop closed the final night of End of the Road festival in Dorset tonight (August 17) with an unlikely guest reading.

During an encore that included a cover of Leonard Cohen‘s “Chelsea Hotel No 2”, special guest Howe Gelb read an extract from the autobiography of Happy Mondays’ Bez, bought at the festival by guitarist William Tyler for drummer Peter’s birthday.

It was just one in a series of jokes that littered a relaxed set whose high points included “Autumn’s Vicar” and the title track from 2002’s “Is A Woman”, and “Prepared (2)” from last year’s “Damaged”.

Ending the set, a smiling Kurt Wagner told the audience: “Now go home.”

The third day also saw popular sets from Euros Childs, Malcolm Middleton and Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit. Click on the artist’s names for how the performances turned out.

The second annual Dorset bash saw great performances over the three days in the Larmer Tree Gardens country estate.

Highlights included Robyn Hitchcock, accompanied by Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones, Midlake and Super Furry Animals.

Check out the Uncut Festivals blog for stacks more news, reviews and photos from End Of The Road this weekend here.

Dipping into Johnny Flynn, Malcolm Middleton and The Young Republic

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With the Bimble Inn tent's balladeer crown going to Emmy The Great last year, it's deservedly up to multi-instrumental troubadours Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit to nab it in her absence this time round. One of the strongest members of the alt-folk scene in London at the moment, Flynn's country-tinged songs showed off the band's versatility, with Flynn alone rapidly switching between ukelele, banjo, guitar and violin during the course of an excellent set. 'Cold Bread' and July's release 'Ode To A Mare Trod Ditch' were received as old friends, with extra applause reserved for a rousing version of old favourite 'Tickle Me Pink'. A record label honcho is later heard to grumble that they were too young to be convincing on a lyrical basis, but ambition never killed anyone - certainly not when it sounds this good. Malcolm Middleton has been around the block enough to know exactly what he's on about. "It's miserable as fuck," he says cheerfully when introducing 'Loneliest Night of My Life Come Calling'. While the lyrics wouldn't argue, Middleton's acoustic band comprising himself, a double bassist and a violinist-cum-backing singer means that the lasting effect is more that of a relaxing dinner party than a teary evening hugging the remote. Hell, he even promotes a Swindon hotel he recently stayed in, praising the all you can eat Japanese buffet and resident Basil Fawlty. New song, the ravishing 'Week Off', does little to change this sedate atmosphere, but then 'Break My Heart' gets Middleton shrieking, "I don't want to sing these shit songs anymore." The old grump's still grumbling, thank God. Sticking my head around the door of The Local afterwards to catch the last few songs of The Young Republic is about all I can do: fans of the Bostonian octet have filled the tent to bursting. As signings to End of the Road's own label, they've played three sets this weekend, and all this has got them enough new followers to warrant ditching their own songs and playing covers. Dylan's 'Highway 61 Revisited' is blaring out as I peer over the shoulders of the heaving throng in front of me, while frontman Julian Saporiti wisecracks in a way that annoyingly fails to translate when written down, before the band finish off with one of their own. More please. Words: Kat Brown

With the Bimble Inn tent’s balladeer crown going to Emmy The Great last year, it’s deservedly up to multi-instrumental troubadours Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit to nab it in her absence this time round.

One of the strongest members of the alt-folk scene in London at the moment, Flynn’s country-tinged songs showed off the band’s versatility, with Flynn alone rapidly switching between ukelele, banjo, guitar and violin during the course of an excellent set.

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End Of The Road – Day Three

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End Of The Road – Day Three

The closing day of the End of the Road festival (September 16) will see a Folk Idol crowned later this evening, before Lambchop headline the Garden stage. Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit and Euros Childs played to packed audiences on the Big Top, Bimble Inn and Garden stages respectively, with Childs braving bad weather to play the 15 minute title song from his The Miracle Inn album. Ex-Arab Strab member Malcolm Middleton debuted new material, with "Week Off" from next year's as yet unnamed acoustic LP, and did a bit of unpaid advertising, praising the Japanese buffet and "resident Basil Fawlty" at a Swindon hotel. End of the Road record label's Bostonian signings, The Young Republic, played a covers gig in The Local to mark their third set of the weekend which included a raucous version of Bob Dylan's 'Highway 61 Revisited', while blues icon Seasick Steve played his second gig of the day on the Garden stage following a smaller set in the Bimble Inn earlier in the afternoon. The Local stage has been holding heats for the EOTR installment of its annual Folk Idol competition, and the winner will be announced after Nancy Elizabeth's set later tonight. Sets from James Yorkston and Howe Gelb are still to come, so stay with the Uncut Festivals blog for more news and reviews from End Of The Road here.

The closing day of the End of the Road festival (September 16) will see a Folk Idol crowned later this evening, before Lambchop headline the Garden stage.

Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit and Euros Childs played to packed audiences on the Big Top, Bimble Inn and Garden stages respectively, with Childs braving bad weather to play the 15 minute title song from his The Miracle Inn album.

Ex-Arab Strab member Malcolm Middleton debuted new material, with “Week Off” from next year’s as yet unnamed acoustic LP, and did a bit of unpaid advertising, praising the Japanese buffet and “resident Basil Fawlty” at a Swindon hotel.

End of the Road record label’s Bostonian signings, The Young Republic, played a covers gig in The Local to mark their third set of the weekend which included a raucous version of Bob Dylan‘s ‘Highway 61 Revisited’, while blues icon Seasick Steve played his second gig of the day on the Garden stage following a smaller set in the Bimble Inn earlier in the afternoon.

The Local stage has been holding heats for the EOTR installment of its annual Folk Idol competition, and the winner will be announced after Nancy Elizabeth’s set later tonight.

Sets from James Yorkston and Howe Gelb are still to come, so stay with the Uncut Festivals blog for more news and reviews from End Of The Road here.

Drizzled on in between Pete and the Pirates and Euros Childs

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After yesterday's blazing sunshine, the near-continuous drizzle has come as a bit of a shock. Lunchtime open mic sessions at The Local got the last of the dry weather, with covers of Herman Dune and Ace of Base's 'The Sign' alongside jazz and some godawful wailing from a man who seemed to have confused Americana with Bon Jovi. In the Big Top tent, London's Pete and the Pirates gave cause for the crowd to start telling their favourite pirate jokes, despite the indie-rockers looking about as seafaring as milk. Singer Tommy Sanders was unimpressed by a heckler's suggestion that the band meet up with The Local stage's similarly-named Peggy Sue and the Pirates - "Who is she anyway?" "My mum," was the guitarist's helpful suggestion. After some tasty gravidlax from the Swedish food stall we wandered over to the relative calm of the Pavilion to check out comedian Josie Long, or as it turned out, the queue waiting to see Josie Long. The biggest draw of the weekend's comedy line-up was standing outside chatting to a camera crew while those waiting to see her amusingly failed to notice her (as did we until she suddenly appeared next to us). We headed back to the Garden stage for ex-Gorky Euros Childs, now well out of the shadow of his former band. With two albums released this year alone there's plenty for the Welshman to draw on, and it's a shame that he's only got 45 minutes to play. Despite increasingly killjoy amounts of drizzle, Childs is on his usual charming, if rambling form. "We're going to turn into the Pet Shop Boys now," he announced brightly, "in the sense that we're both playing synths, not that Neil Tennant had an organ." Childs' myriad influences usually make for a jukebox of a set and today's is just as varied. After a cover of The Sweet's "Chop Chop" and the cheery swing of "My Country Girl", only Childs could get away with the title track from his latest album "The Miracle Inn", a 15-minute long suite with pauses between each section. "Don't clap," he warns. "Because it's not finished. Or, you know, do. It's not obligatory." It would have been churlish and downright wrong not to. Words: Kat Brown

After yesterday’s blazing sunshine, the near-continuous drizzle has come as a bit of a shock. Lunchtime open mic sessions at The Local got the last of the dry weather, with covers of Herman Dune and Ace of Base’s ‘The Sign’ alongside jazz and some godawful wailing from a man who seemed to have confused Americana with Bon Jovi.

In the Big Top tent, London’s Pete and the Pirates gave cause for the crowd to start telling their favourite pirate jokes, despite the indie-rockers looking about as seafaring as milk. Singer Tommy Sanders was unimpressed by a heckler’s suggestion that the band meet up with The Local stage’s similarly-named Peggy Sue and the Pirates – “Who is she anyway?” “My mum,” was the guitarist’s helpful suggestion.

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