Nick Mulvey @ Proud 13th Nov 2103

It took a confident man to leave a Mercury Music Prize nominated group and that’s exactly what Nick Mulvey was as he walked onto the stage at Proud in faded jeans, sweatshirt and backwards cap. Having left Portico Quartet where he played percussion, Mulvey set out on his own and has already supported Laura Marling and Lianne La Havas.

Part of his charm was his obvious influences from his exploration of African music, with his vocal delivery and melodies having a very West African feel about them that suited the dreamy tone to his voice, especially when he hummed, which he did in most songs. His song writing had more of a 70’s vibe, a Jackson Browne and James Taylor quality. He fused this with an eclectic and technical approach to guitar playing, although at times it felt like the guitar solos went on for just a touch too long.

His musical aptitude was showcased on a deconstructed version of Donna Summers ‘I feel love’, which wasn’t the only surprise cover as ‘You’re Not Alone’ by Olive also got the Mulvey treatment of taking a well known song and bending it in a way so it could easily have been one he had written.

Ethan Jones @ Komedia 17th Sept 2013

On a night when the sky was drizzling and a chill had castaway all memories of summer walking into the Komedia was like stepping into a warm hug. Candles twinkled as Ethan Johns, a man who has worked with some of the biggest names in music, humbly stepped onto the stage, unaware of the awe that surrounded him.

His set started off with a few acoustic songs, his soft vocals were reminiscent of Van Morrison and Neil Young. Occasionally he swapped to an electric guitar and drum machine and at one point even a handheld pump organ. His songs were philosophical and spiritual with an American Blues and Gospel influence running throughout them, at times bleak but they still depicted ineffable wonder at the beauty of life. His sound was quite rough and raw, not the slickness you might expect from a world-renowned producer but it just highlighted his unashamed raconteur nature.

Ethan Johns presented as a genuinely charming guy, funny at times and heart-warming at others, like when he talked proudly about his father. A truly skilled songwriter, his set was poetic and intelligent, captivating and thought provoking

Bad for Lazarus - BURNT

The Bad for Lazarus boys are back with another single that will knock your teeth out. BURNT is released on 2nd September and I will be heading to one of their gigs in Brighton so expect a review as soon as my ears stop ringing! In the meantime check out the video below

Yearbook @ The Hope, Brighton 29th July 2013

Appearances can be deceptive and with Yearbook what you see isn’t what you are going to expect to hear. They may look like a selection from the cast of an American Pie-style movie with geeky glasses and chino shorts; but their music doesn’t contain any of the cheesy Americanized clichés that have become commonplace throughout that style of music. 

In reality they are Hampshire’s answer to Biffy Clyro and give the audience at The Hope in Brighton a ferocious and continuous 20 minute set that pulls you in on the first song and doesn’t let you go until they finish playing. The band have crafted a huge live sound thanks in part to the drummer who churns out hard driving beats and choppy, syncopated rhythmic stops.

The singer has an amazing voice, seamlessly switching between screaming, signing and whispering. It is rare to find a signer who manages to pull off these different styles well but Yearbook have done just that. His vocal talents are supported by delicate and sparse vocal harmonies, adding even more depth to their live sound.

Particular highlights of the set were Art Student and Visionary, fast paced and clever songwriting. They have all the energy and brash of bands like Gallows and Lower Than Atlantis so its no surprise the latter asked them to a support them on their tour.

With such an impressive live set the band seem equally suited to playing stadiums as they do smaller venues they headlined tonight. The band are in Guilford, Leicester, London and Southampton so if you are in the area I strongly advise you go and check them out.

Bo Bruce Interview

 

Savernake Estate, with its 4,500 acres of the only privately owned forest in Britain and grand stone Grade 1 listed palladium mansion sounds like the ideal place to live. A childhood surrounded by stunning scenery, opulent landscapes and a historical family heritage may appear to be the perfect setting but the reality for Bo Bruce was far from the idyllic state people assume it would have been. “All that was affluent and impressive was just face you know. All these tragic things are happening against massive backdrops; that’s the only way I can describe it. The horror scene that might happen on a side street in Eastenders was happening in our world but with a different backdrop.”

When Bo was first exposed to the British public on The Voice last year people soon learnt that even though she had a title, Lady Catherine Brudenell-Bruce, and came from aristocratic heritage that trouble didn’t find it’s ways into her home. “It doesn’t matter where you come from, the most terrible things happen to anyone and everyone. All I know is that’s true no matter where you come from and people are beginning to get that, but yeah there were definitely people who where like ‘how can anything bad happen to you when the back drop was so impressive?”

Born in 1984 to the Earl of Cardigan David Brudenell-Bruce and Rosamond Winkley, Bo was brought up on Savernake Estate but an ideal childhood crumbled around her, much like the 19^th Century Lodge her father now lives in is reportedly crumbling around him. Last year Bo took out a restraining order against her father and now isn’t allowed to legally talk about him, her voice drops to barely more than a whisper as she address this point. “I’m not officially allowed to utter a word about my dad. I just can’t.”  As Bo stays quiet on the matter her father hasn’t been quite so discreet and has given several interviews about his daughter but never once alluded to what lead up to the separating of their relationship. His troubles with his children, Bo’s brother Thomas James Brudenell-Bruce - Viscount Savernake, who is also estranged from his father, isn’t the only battle he is facing at the moment. He is currently engaged in a long running battle with the trustees of the estate that has included being taken to court twice charged with criminal damage, theft and assault although he has never been convicted. 

Rudimental Interview

In recent years the role of the producer has drastically changed and Rudimental are the perfect group to highlight this, having stepped from behind a mixing desk into live shows. The four London born producers work together to create music influenced by growing up around the eclectic mixture of music that soundtrack the streets of Hackney, combining soul, hip-hop, jungle, reggae and drum and bass on their debut album ‘Home’. Ahead of their performance at Live at Leeds WOW247 spoke to Piers Aggett from the group.

What can people expect from the album?
Soul, bass and beats. It’s going to have a theme of soulful vocals as that’s what we are about and melodies and grooves that make you want to dance. It’s not just drum and bass there is going to be house, garage, hip hop, a little bit of reggae.

When you are dipping in and out of so many different genres and singers how do you keep a consistent sound?
It’s definitely hard, labels don’t like it and they get a bit stressed out. We are fanatics of music so if we have an idea and it kind of doesn’t sit, then we will change it. Good vocals and vibe instruments, mixing that with electronic music is our big thing so I think people will get that from our album but it’s different, it will keep people on their toes. I think we are a more of a band but we have come from the electronic world. When we do a fast song it leans towards jungle and when we do a slow song it leans towards house.

The role of the producer has changed in the last few years, where do you think it’s headed?
It’s changed hugely, if you go back to the 90s the role of the producer wasn’t really writing it was more advising the writers and advising the project and making it all work together. The producer these days kind of does a bit of everything, we write the idea with the artist or sometimes on our own, we kind of do the middle bit of putting it together and we do the end bit, we even sometimes do the mixing, because there is four of us we can pass the work around. The role of the producer is definitely a multi-role thing rather than a one-role thing that it used to be.

What do you want from the future of the band?
When we first met we all said we would love to headline Glastonbury one day, however long that takes. Or do our own gig at Hyde Park like Coldplay did and Blur, have an amazing live show and keep producing albums.



Published in Yorkshire Evening Post 

Fun @ Leeds O2 Academy Leeds 16th April 2013

Not many bands have the ability to impart on a gig a festival atmosphere but that is exactly what Fun did when they brought their show to Leeds.

The American band started in 2008 but it wasn’t until they released their second album Some Nights and the lead single We Are Young filtered onto radios that Fun’s spirited pop was brought to the masses.

Lead singer Nate Ruess commands attention as he dashes around the stage, his presence a mixture between Rufus Wainright, Mika and Freddie Mercury just without the flamboyant dress sense. He is one of those frontmen that draws your focus and you find yourself not being able to look away from him.

The only instrument he uses throughout the gig is his voice so he is able to move swiftly around the stage and by the end of the gig he must have covered every inch of the floor but still looks like he has the energy to run a marathon. His vocal ability is extraordinary; a male hasn’t reached and sustained such high notes since Danny Zuko in Grease.

The set feels like it is over before it has begun as the songs are so well crafted that there isn’t a moment where you aren’t carried along by the anthemic tracks. The tracks are filled with upbeat sentiments and empowering lyrics that prompts the sense of inclusion that you don’t get with my many gigs where everyone in that room at that moment is feeling the same thing.

Where the festival spirit is really evident is during the encore of We Are Young when the entire audience is on their feet, arms raised above their heads as the band round off a motivating and energetic gig.


Published in Yorkshire Evening Post 

Sam Sallon @ Gaslight Club 11th March 2013

The theatrical setting of the Gaslight Club is perfect for hosting Sam Sallon who glides onto the stage in dark jeans and a black jacket, looking a little like Russell Brand’s more attractive and better-groomed brother. Candles flicker inside and behind the stage snow can be seen gently falling on the road outside. As soon as Sam starts playing there is something mesmerising about him and the setting only adds to the magical quality he is filling the room with tonight.

His songs are more like stories, full of observational lyrics where Sam is the messenger. ‘Just the Same’ talks about how life is finite and that’s something we share with everyone in the planet, it sounds like the soundtrack to a beautiful eschatological dream. ‘Long Way Down’ is another song that stands out for its simple arrangement yet powerful content.

He has a very accomplished finger picking style, not showboating but very skilled. Rather than using vocal runs or tricks, he lets the natural tone of his warm voice shine through. He teases the audience with his voice barley a whisper then let’s his voice rise, using it for emphasis and not just effect. To put emotion into the songs he uses clever lyrics and interesting melodies, not relying on clichés or key changes. The melodies he goes for aren’t the obvious ones but he makes them work so at the same time they sound new yet recognisable.

Having never been a fan of whistling it is surprising to hear it used so well in Sam songs. It’s used perfectly in the tracks and his music had a holistic quality, everything works in harmony and complements each other. His music is pure and unadulterated, his lyrics wistful and intelligent, a true raconteur and a striking example of musical talent.

Tom Odell Interview

Fresh from being the first male to win the BRITs Critics’ Choice award and before he starts his international tour, Scene caught up with Tom Odell to find out more about the young musician who was spotted and signed by Lilly Allen and is predicted to do big things with 2013.

Why do you think you have been the first guy to win the BRITs Critics’ Choice award?

I think that girls, in the past ten years, have been making better pop music than guys. I think they have been making great music and deservedly that’s why they have been winning all the awards. People like Adele and Emeli (Sande) are incredible artists and I am proud to be involved in an award like theirs.

How did you put your band together?

Over the past 3 years I’ve chopped and changed, people have left and people have come and its got bigger and smaller, its been quite an evolving process that’s been happening for a while. I’ve always loved playing with a band, its one of my favourite things playing music, that bond you have with musicians.

Your songs so far have been to do with heartbreak; do you think it’s harder to write songs when you’re happy?

I think it’s possible to write songs when you are happy, I don’t think you have to be broken down. There is definitely something to be said that when everything is in order and you have your girlfriend and you have a nice flat and great family and everything seems alright, that its difficult to write songs but I have never really been in that situation, my worlds never really in order. I think there is always scope to talk about something. With this album, I’m young so heartbreak was something I wrote about because that was apparent in my life.

The Joyformidable Interview

Welsh rock trio The Joy Formidable show no sign of slowing down in 2013 with the release of their second album Wolf’s Law and an extensive UK tour, culminating in their largest London headline show at the Roundhouse. Before they set off we catch up with lead singer Ritzy to talk about the new album, how the band is environmentally aware and why she would want to be a possum.

You recorded your new album in a remote log cabin in Portland, Maine, what did that experience bring to the songs?

I think creatively we needed it. We love being on the road, we write a lot on the road but what we need at some point is some time to reflect on everything we have been writing. I think it gives us a really isolated solitude in nature, it was just a perfect place to reflect on what we have been writing over the course of the year. To reflect on where we were at, give us a chance to reconnect with ourselves in different ways, just a bit of space to lose yourself and become completely consumed by making a record.

What can fans of the first album expect from the follow up?

It’s intricate, beautiful. There’s a lot of range on the new album, from the orchestral to the intimate so there is a range of dynamics and a breath of instrumentation but ultimately, it’s a different Joy Formidable record. I think it’s just very natural for us to come out with a follow up that’s different. We always want to be brave in terms of the writing and moving this band forward creatively. It’s definitely different but it has all the same passion and intent and the voice that’s synonymous with the Joy Formidable.

As a band you are environmentally aware, what changes have you made to become more environmentally friendly?

I think obviously, it’s always been something we are connected with but it’s been spurred by us being in this setting and being very close to nature in the middle of nowhere. We don’t want to lose our connection with the natural world.

I’m a big believer in people power, it’s all about tiny steps and what people can bring to the table. As long as people have optimism and they question, they have a social responsibility what ever that is. I think its all the small gestures added up that can make a hell of a lot more difference than governments and companies. It’s something that we have always been interested in, a gesture as small as printing your album box  on recycled paper, we’ve got a tree certificate in each of the box sets as well, that means there is a tree planted for every box set that’s bought. If everybody did lots of tiny gestures like that then it can have an impact. 

Maaike Breliman Interview

You could almost say it was fate that Maaike Breliman would be cast in the role of Kate Bush for ‘WOW’, not only does she share the singers birthday but also a strong resemblance in appearance and vocal style. As Kate Bush only toured once, Wow will give fans a chance to hear Bush’s songs performed live by Maaike and great attention has been given to the production to make it as authentic as possible. During rehearsals we caught up with Maaike to find out what she loves about Bush and how she has been preparing.

What is it about Kate Bush that you think captivates people so much?

I think it’s the fact that it’s got so many different aspects that are all good. The lyrics plus the music plus the detailed recording and arranging plus the way she would express and perform so I guess it’s a lot of different things all combined.

What where the most important elements for you as a performer trying to emulate Kate Bush?

I’ve always said that as a singer I’m not the kind of singer who aims to make people dance but I want to touch them, I’d rather have people having goose bumps and being touched in an emotional way.

You have had to train for all the dancing, how has that been?

Yes sometimes it is, I’m not 21 anymore so it’s hard work. I have always danced and worked out a lot, which has helped, but it’s a lot of work still.

What are some of the challenges you have faced getting the show together?

Luckily, I have a good eye for detail as does our producer. I wouldn’t want to have a show that doesn’t have a lot of details in it.

How have you managed rehearsing while in different countries?

Always been a challenge, we are very grateful for the internet so we can stay in touch a lot, does speed things along when you don’t have to send things through regular mail. My band are all from UK so they can sometimes practice without me, I can prepare for the dancing in Holland, my backing vocalist is from Holland to so I fly back and forth a lot, its a lot of planning. 

Published in Yorkshire Evening Post 

Epilogues – The Cartographer

 

The Cartographer is the tender debut album from brothers Mickey and Joey Donnelly from York. They have only been Epilogues for around a year and the emotive and delicate instrumentation at work is even more impressive when you consider their ages, Mickey in his second year of University and Joey yet to finish school.

The album starts with ‘Eos’ a lullaby of a track that sets the standard for the dreamy harmonies and carefully crafted guitar parts that engulf the record.

‘Atlas, At Last’ the most affecting track, with soft and melancholic vocals against a simple piano part are simply divine. Its simplicity allows the listener to be immersed in the emotive and delicately layered harmonies that build towards the end of the song to create a warm, blissful track. The song sounds like it belongs in a dream sequence of a fairytale film as it has an ethereal quality.  

Another stand out track is the sweet ‘Persephone’, only a short track but full of beautiful harmonies and sweetness. For the last track John Donnelly adds his vocals to ‘the Cartographer’ and it’s tenderness works well with the downcast tempo and lyrical play.

The whole album is unadulterated and natural sounding with a great balance between instrumentation and vocal harmonies. It’s brave to let songs stand this bare but they have managed to keep them interesting and full of depth. The lyrics are thoughtful and articulate with a poetic quality that sits beautifully next to the graceful piano melodies.

There’s maturity in the songs that surprises and excites, if this is the debut album from the boys then their future must hold something special.

Published in Counterfeit Magazine 

Django Django Interview

Not many bands receive the same level of acclaim with a debut album as Scottish group Django Django did in 2012 with their self-titled album. Before the band headline the NME tour we catch up with bassist Jim Dixon to find out how the band felt at being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, plans for their second album and why they went with a terrible band name.

When you started the band were you all quite focused as to what you wanted from the band or has it taken on a life of its own?

Yeah pretty much. I don’t think we had any kind of idea of what it was going to do, we didn’t even think we would get an album out when we first started doing songs, it’s just snowballed. We put a couple of singles out just because we were excited to do that not because we had any foresight as to where that would go. We put the first couple of singles out ourselves with a friend and then we got offered a record deal so we wrote an albums worth of stuff and when the album came out its taken off, its been pretty unexpected but its been great. It’s been pretty amazing the places we’ve been playing, last summer we went all round Europe, we have been to America, Australia and Japan, its totally exceeded anything that we thought would happen. 

How far along is the second album?

Pretty early stages, we are in the studio in the next couple of weeks but we are working on the live set then hopefully we will get some time to work on some new songs. It’s pretty tentative at the moment, we are recording a few ideas ourselves and hopefully we will start working on stuff in the next couple of weeks.

Your fist took 3 years to complete the first album; will the process be different this time around?

I think so because Dave (Maclean – drummer) produced the last album and it was pretty much trial and error as we didn’t really know what we were doing so it took us quite a while. I think now that we are working on it full time things will be a lot quicker than the first album. Everyone was working full time jobs and Dave was in college, we were literally getting together twice a week but hopefully this time will be much quicker. 

The Wonder Stuff Interview

-->

After 26 years only one original member of the Wonder Stuff remains, lead singer Miles Hunt has stayed a constant throughout the bands varied history that includes a break-up in 1994, a reunion in 2000 and the death of two members. Prior to the release of their seventh album and short tour we spoke to Miles Hunt about the bands line-up history, how he performed whilst being miserable and not owning a TV.

You are going on tour with Pop Will Eat Itself and Jesus Jones, what do you like about those two bands?

I think there is a spirit shared between the three bands that we don’t muck about, there is very little in the way of subtleties within the three bands. It’s obvious what we are trying to do and that’s put a rocking tune over in a pretty forceful way.

As a band you have had lots line-up problems for 25 years, how have the changes affected the band?

It’s not been problems really, it’s been getting rid of some spare fat and each time the line up changes have occurred the band gets a kick up the arse and a bit of new life into it so for me it’s great. We’ve not been the only ones, there have been a lot of bands that I have been influenced by over the years that have had constantly changing line-ups, the Cure, the Waterboys, the Cult, there are loads of them. Not everyone’s cut out for the long haul, it’s been my baby since ‘86 and I’ve yet to think of anything I would prefer spending my life putting my efforts into. As each member has left it’s either been because they don’t feel it anymore or they have found something else they want to do with their life and each time somebody new has come in its given it a new energy and certainly the line-up that we have now is the best we have ever had. 

Do you think the band has an independent existence or is it dependant on you?

Well I’m the thread really that’s been there since the beginning, I’ve always been the principle songwriter. Pretty soon into it we were doing regular interviews with the press in the late 80’s and it was always me that got pushed forward by our pr’s and so I suppose mine has been the constant face of the band.