Youth Group – Shadowland
Shadowland is a bittersweet track if ever I heard one. It’s sweet electric guitar reminds of Bloc Party’s
Weevil – Drunk on Light
Weevil is any numerous beetles of the super family Curculionoidea. How interesting. Well Weevil the band is a London based group formed way back in 1999. Their influences are wide and vary from bands such as Ride, Red House Painters, and even some My Bloody Valiente just to name a few. It might not be the most accessible and friendly stuff… but sometimes that’s the best music. “Out of Time” has a spooky 43 second intro where there isn’t much going on then the syth drums kick in for pleasant tune. “Halfsmile” sounds like a post rock version of the Doves. A beautiful, epic vocal and the drums remind me a bit of Doves-Pounding. “Silver Rails” has a great intro full of brilliant electronic wizardry full of little noises. Then it kicks into a bit more of rockier number… and it’s catchy one as well. “Splinters” has an accordion in it. Yes, people an accordion a terribly under used instrument in my thoughts. Here it is woven beautifully with the piano and they really magnificently pull it off. A Million Things” follows, with a great creepy vocal haunting this song. It’s like a very scary late night tale. “On Wires” is a soft piano driven song that is oh so soothing and sublime. Weevil have a deserve set here. They are a talented group, they cross genres here, post rock, electronic, indie. It’s all here and surprisingly it works.
By John Siwicki
Angus & Julia Stone – A Book Like This
Recently comedian, Dave Gorman valiantly tried, but painstakingly failed to perform the laudable task of travelling through America using only the goods and services of the independent man or woman, completely shunning “The Man”. His next challenge, should he choose to accept it? Would be to tour the world, taking in only sincere, independent, honest, grafting and “in it for the love of it” musical acts. His quest would surely start with these roving, thought provoking, cushioning and prolific antipodeans who are brother and sister pairing of Angus and Julia Stone (or at the least they would be the stop just after The Fiery Furnaces).
This pair shares out the lead vocal duties almost as equally as they no doubt doled out sweets between them when they were younger? Angus opens up with a stirring and spirited folk vocal nudge featuring an endearingly laboured lag,