Quick Update

Seems like I’ve been neglecting this again. In all honesty, not much has been going on to write about. What with exams coming up and very few decent bands touring, my gig-ing has been somewhat restricted this year.

I’ve had the mandatory Twin Atlantic gigs of course. I can’t describe the pride I felt watching them headline the ABC (1500 capacity), the same venue where I watched them support both The Subways and Taking Back Sunday. The next night, at the much smaller King Tuts, proved to be even more special and was probably my favourite Twin gig to date. Support both nights came from Hampshire band Canterbury. These guys may look like a pop punk One Night Only, with their boyish good looks, but their music is actually seriously impressive. They put on an admirable performance both nights and are definitely worth a listen. You can download their debut album for free (!) here. Each night also had a local band playing. LightGuides completely blew me away at ABC. Describing themselves as “alternative Scot Punk with a twist of flamenco”, they could very well be the next big thing out of Scotland. They were a, slightly obvious, but brilliant choice of support for Twin. King Tuts gave us something a little more…out there to say the least. The LaFontaines combine elements of rap, rock and pop and certainly stand out from the crowd. I was fully expecting to hate them but it was quite the opposite! They were a real fun band to watch and, if his music career doesn’t take off, singer Kerr Okan could almost definitely find a job in comedy! They definitely won't appeal to everyone but they're gaining quite a few fans in and around Glasgow so they must be doing something right.

Other than that, and the two gigs I’ve already reviewed, I saw Reverend and The Makers live for the fourth time in Dunfermline. Now, that was an experience. I don’t think I’ll be venturing to Dunfermline again in a hurry! That said, the gig itself was exceptional. The addition of Andy Nicholson on bass/second guitar seems to have added a new layer to their sound. A lot of the songs just seemed a lot louder and more powerful live. Performance wise, it was the best I’ve ever seen R&TM.

There you have it, the last four months summed up in a few short paragraphs! I’ve nothing much planned for the next little while either. In fact, next up is T In The Park…in July!

My Favourite Albums of 2009

Firstly, this list is purely based on what I think. It's entirely my own opinion and certainly doesn't match up to most "Albums of 2009" lists. There's no Humbug (Although I do think it's a brilliant album), no Primary Colours (Good album; very overrated) and no It's Blitz (I haven't even heard that album to be honest). I didn't exclude these albums to seem cool or obscure, they just didn't mean anything to me. The albums I've picked all had some sort of effect on me; they either relate back to a happy memory or just made me think about things differently. Anyway enough rambling...

Reverend and The Makers - A French Kiss in The Chaos

I think I made my opinion on this album pretty clear here. Reverend and The Makers were my definitive band of 2009. No doubt when I think back to this year it'll be them that will be at the forefront of my musical memories. It may surprise you to learn that, before this year, I wasn't the biggest R&TM fan. Like everyone, I enjoyed Heavyweight Champion Of The World when it was released back in 2007 but they were always just another throwaway band I could take or leave. Seeing them live for the first time back in July changed this. Ironically, it was a gig I wasn't even planning on going to until I got offered a spot on the guestlist. I've been to plenty of gigs over the last two years, some better than others, but that gig was a bit special. Maybe it was the relaxed atmosphere, the showmanship of Jon McClure, the enthusiasm of each band member or the outside acoustic set afterwards; whatever it was, it effectuated in the most enjoyable gig I've ever been to. Even so, when A French Kiss In The Chaos was released a few weeks later, I wasn't banking on it being quite so enticing. This is a big step up from The State of Things, R&TM take everything to a new psychedelic level and Jon's politically incisive lyrics prove that someone does care. There is hope in modern music, we have someone willing to stand up and try to make a difference about stuff that actually matters. It's just a shame not many people are inclined to listen. I've seen this band live three times now and each time I've left feeling fully satisfied and judging by their on stage antics (personal highlight: trapping the roadie on stage in Edinburgh which resulted in one very beer soaked man) the band enjoy every minute of it. And that's what Reverend and The Makers are; they're fun, they're talented and, most importantly, they're real.
Album Highlights; No Soap (In A Dirty War), Hard Time For Dreamers, No Wood Just Trees.

The Rifles - Great Escape

2009 was a year of transformations. The Horrors went new wave, Franz Ferdinand went electro (well, sort of) even Jack Penate tried his hand at incorporating some new genres into his sophomore record. But amongst all this, one band stayed true to themselves - step forward The Rifles. Great Escape is simply just 11 (well 12 if you count bonus track Lazy Bones) great rock anthems. From start to finish we’re met with strong melodies, catchy choruses and lyrics anyone can relate to. First track Science In Violence is a typical in-your-face opener with it’s punchy guitar chords, crashing symbols and catchy vocal chants. This gutsy style is continued for the next few tracks until we come to the gem that is Toe Rag, undeniably one of the best lyrical tales of mundane life since The Jam gave us Smithers-Jones. But for me the real high point of the album comes in the shape of the eerily evocative Out in The Past, in my opinion the best song The Rifles have ever written. Joel Stoker’s vocal talent really shines through in this song and the last “all I saw was you” is so hauntingly beautiful that all claims of The Rifles being another lad-rock band are blown right out of the water. This is further backed up by the lone ballad of the album, closer For The Meantime, a Beatles inspired track that sounds maybe a little too like Strawberry Fields Forever. Great Escape might not be a ground breaking album, it may not be anything we haven’t heard before; it’s simple but it’s brilliant.

Album Highlights; Out in The Past, Toe Rag, Sometimes.

Frank Turner - Poetry of The Deed

The first time I listened to this album I was disappointed. See, what initially attracted me to Frank Turner was the passion with which he delivered his vocals and Poetry of The Deed just seemed a whole lot less...angry than his previous two releases. But the truth is, Frank hasn't got any less passionate - he's just simply matured. So that's why, after a few listens, I learned to love Poetry of The Deed for what it is; a brilliant album by a brilliant artist, regardless of how it compares to Love Ire & Song and Sleep is For The Week. One thing that has remained constant throughout all three of Frank's albums is his lyrics, you'll be hard pushed to find any modern songwriter with lyrics as great as his. This is proven in the albums shining moment Try This At Home were Frank tells us "there's no such thing as rockstars/there's just people who play music/and some of them are just like us/and some of them are dicks". While this is the album's best track it's by no means isolated at the top. Poetry of The Deed is crammed full of emotive tracks that give us an insight into Frank's life and cement his place as a folk-punk troubadour well worthy of Billy Bragg comparisons. As well as his talent at producing fantastic albums, Frank also happens to be one of the best live acts I saw this year so I'd advise you to snap up tickets for his upcoming tour before it's too late!
Album Highlights; Try This At Home, Live Fast Die Old, The Road.

Yves Klein Blue - Ragged & Ecstatic

Yves Klein Blue are probably my favourite discovery of this year. The Brisbane four piece made such an impact on me live that I got their debut album shipped over from Australia. Ragged & Ecstatic is an eclectic collection of uplifting pop delights. It’s exactly what a debut album should be - fun, infectious and full of youthful energy, with Michael Tomlinson’s impassioned and witty lyricism at the forefront of it’s appeal. Songs such as Make Up Your Mind and Getting Wise showcase Tomlinson’s unique vocal style as well as allowing the band’s ebullient personalities to shine through before the album briefly loses control with the boldly named Digital Love, a much heavier number. That’s one of the most impressive aspects of this album; the band’s seemingly effortless capability of sliding between joyous and playful (the ska-tinged Summer Sheets) and dark and contemplative (Celebrity Death; a chilling ballad inspired by the media’s treatment of celebrities). Ragged & Ecstatic is as inventive and imaginative as anything you will have heard this year. Tomlinson’s lyrics manage to effectively convey his views on life, in both a personal and universal manner, and successfully prompt us Into considering our own place in this world. I don’t like to tempt fate but the sheer swagger and energy of this record is reminiscent of early Arctic Monkeys or even, dare I say it, The Libertines.
Album Highlights: Polka, Make Up Your Mind, Reprise.

Fake Problems - It's Great To Be Alive

If the world has any sense Fake Problems will make it big in 2010. I really enjoyed their debut album, How Far Our Bodies, go but this is just something else! The aptly named It’s Great To Be Alive is a quirky collection of quality punk songs. In fact, no, better than that; punk songs that you can dance too. It’s obvious Fake Problems enjoy experimenting with their music. Take Dream Team for example, it has handclaps, cowbells AND xylophone, how many bands could comfortably pull that one off ?! The entire album is interspersed with unconventional little touches like this which help Fake Problems stand out a little from the crowd. Closing song, the uplifting indie-rock anthem Heart BPM is one of the greatest things I’ve heard all year and ends the album on an awesome singalong of “When you're young/ When you're dumb/ When you're drunk as hell and in love/When you're sad/When you're no on/ Pretend you're something more than you are/But your not”, a chorus which proves Fake Problems have progressed lyrically as well as musically. These guys are touring the UK in April and I can vouch that their live show is even more impressive than their recorded work so get involved!
Album Highlights: Heart BPM, Tabernacle Song, Dream Team.

Twin Atlantic - Vivarium

Okay, it’s a mini album…but I’m still counting it. I don’t download leaks, ever, so by the time this came out I was probably one of the only massive Twin Atlantic fans that hadn’t already heard it. And the reviews I’d heard from fellow devotees weren’t too positive. The main gripe appeared to be that there was only one song on the entire album (Better Weather) that we hadn’t already heard, whether that be live or recorded. For me, that isn’t a problem. Vivarium is a collection of Twin Atlantic’s best songs to date, it’s not aimed at hardcore fans, it’s a way of letting new listeners hear exactly what the band are all about. And for that purpose it’s perfect. The album immediately reels us in with the explosive Lightspeed and is essentially non stop catchy hooks and ferocious drums for the next six songs. A highlight comes in the form of Caribbean War Syndrome, starting off pretty mellow there’s always the threat of an explosion and it comes a minute from the end of this epic six minuter as Sam screams “This campaign is criminal, criminal scream fucking insane/Bring me the contract, sign me up to blow these fuckers away”. The boys manage to blend a bit of tranquillity in with all that ferocity with last song Better Weather, it was always a brave decision to leave out fan favourite Crash Land but this beautifully written rock ballad more than makes up for it!
Album Highlights: Human After All, Caribbean War Syndrome, Audience And Audio

Jersey Budd - Wonderlands

There’s been a fair bit of hype surrounding Leicester singer-songwriter Jersey Budd; he’s best mates with The Rifles, he attended the same school as Kasabian (Tom makes an appearance on She Came Back)…heck, he even received a Christmas present from Liam Gallagher! But for a change the hype is well justified. Wonderlands is a solid debut and has resulted in many declaring Jersey the “British Bruce Springsteen”. And it’d be hard to argue with that - he has the looks, the charm and, most importantly, the tunes to become just as big as The Boss. This may not be the most profound album of the year but Jersey’s optimistic take on life, which is displayed in the lyrics to most of the album, along with his wonderful voice and lovely instrumentation (organs, pianos, strings…Wonderlands has it all) combine for something nearing perfect. Each track has it’s place on the album and I wouldn’t class any of them as fillers, something which is quite rare these days. It’s also worth checking out his b-sides (Step Out of The Shadows and Long Way To Go) which also have something to offer.

Album Highlights: Visions of You, When We Shine, All In A Dream

Other Albums I Enjoyed This Year
Graham Coxon - The Spinning Top
Idlewild - Post Electric Blues
Dave House - Intersections
Maximo Park - Quicken The Heart
White Lies - To Lose My Life
Richard Hawley - True Love's Gutter
The Cribs - Ignore The Ignorant
Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
The Maccabees - Wall Of Arms
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
Julian Casablances - Phrazes For The Young
Florence + The Machine - Lungs
Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls

Reverend and The Makers - A French Kiss In The Chaos

Reverend and The Makers seem to be one of those bands that everyone loves to hate. Despite the commercial success of debut album "The State of Things" the band are still consistently getting bad press. Most of this has nothing to do with their music and is, in fact, due to singer Jon "Reverend" McClure's outspoken and opinionated ways. "A French Kiss In The Chaos" gives Jon a chance to transfer his opinions into his music and as a result we're left with a politically charged second album.

The album starts off in the strongest way possible with the psychedelic sounding "Silence Is Talking". Built around a sample of War's "Low Rider" it's a triumphant attempt at creating what should have been a summer anthem. Of course this isn't just a catchy dance tune, the lyrics are a clear dig at British culture, condemning the fact it's near impossible to make a political statement without getting derided.

The rest of the album has a lot to live up to but Reverend and co. aren't up for dropping their standards. Songs such as "Hidden Persuaders" and the high tempo-ed "No Wood Just Trees" continue the trend of cleverly disguising political messages amongst memorable melodies. The album falters slightly at "Professor Pickles" but despite being a drop in quality from the rest of the album, this track is still better than what most indie bands can manage. Things quickly turn brilliant again with the movingly simplistic yet delightful "Long Long Time". This demonstrates Jon's sensitive side and gives him a chance to show off just how much the band have matured since their debut album.

Unlike The State of Things, which included collaborations with Alex Turner amongst others, almost all of the tracks on A French Kiss In The Chaos are written entirely by the band themselves. The only notable exception is "No Soap In A Dirty War" which was co-written with Backhanded Compliment's front man and former Milburn guitarist Tom Rowley. Ironically Rowley's now a member of Reverend and The Makers, taking the place of Tom Jarvis on guitar. And it's fair to say if Jon and Tom continue writing in this fashion then the next Reverend and The Makers album may be even better than this one! For me this track is the clear highlight of the album, taking everything that's good about the band and putting it into one glorious song. Starting off simply with just an acoustic guitar and Jon’s vocals the track accumulates to a sublime multi vocalist and multi instrumental chant of ''I don't wanna die in the same hole I was born/ I don't wanna get married in the same church as you all'', a line anyone that's ever had ambition in life can relate to.

Compared to the grandness of the track before it “People Shapers/Manifesto” is almost understated. It takes a while to get used to the sudden change in tone from “No Soap In A Dirty War” but this scathing attack on the BNP is another noteworthy number.

All great albums must have a memorable closing track and that’s precisely what “Hard Time For Dreamers” is. As a matter of fact it very nearly hits the dizzy heights that “No Soap In A Dirty War" managed. It's quiet emotional intensity reiterates the fact that, despite supporting Oasis, Reverend and The Makers aren't just another lad rock band and do have something different to offer if given a chance.

I urge people to listen to A French Kiss In The Chaos with an open mind and not allow any bad reviews or Jon's reputation get in the way of the fact that this is a captivating and frequently beautiful album.

Download: No Soap In A Dirty War, Silence Is Talking, Hard Time For Dreamers, People Shapers/Manifesto

10/10
Gemma Barnes

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