The Longcut – Transition

The Longcut are a new signing to the Deltasonic label which is home to the like of The Coral and The Zutons. The Longcut do not sound anything like them. “Transition” is a huge epic track. The instrumentation reminds of say Mogwai meets At the Drive In. The vocals immediately remind you of the blokes from Mars Volta. The track is very interesting blend of post-rock and post-hardcore influences.

By John Siwicki

Placebo – English Summer Rain

Now sometimes albums can justify four singles. Others should definitely stop at 2 or 3. English Summer Rain just seems like a little bit too much right now. My thoughts might have been different if Placebo had taken “Second Sight” or even “Sleeping With Ghosts” for a fourth single. It’s not a bad song by any means; it’s just so average it hurts.

By John Siwicki

The Flaming Lips – It Overtakes Me

It took me a long time to really appreciate “At War With The Mystics.” At first, it didn’t sit well with me but after some time it has aged nicely. Latest single from the album is “It Overtakes Me.” The tune gets shorten from its original nearly seven minute run time. The best part of the song is all the vocal manipulations; at one time you hear a monster and a something very “rat” like in there as well. It has all the necessary ingredients you would find a lips tune. Its what you would come to expect from the Lips, a zany, wacky good time.

By John Siwicki

White Rose Movement – Kick

White Rose Movement are Jasper Milton (guitar), Finn Vine (vocals/guitar), Taxxi (keyboards), Owen Dyke (bass) and Ed Harper (drums). “Kick” is their debut album and it was produced by the one and only Paul Epworth. The band fuses synths, keyboards, and guitars to make their sound, but not in a deeply cheesy way like some.

“Kick” starts off the album in a fiery way. It is not as dance-y as their previous single; it’s a bit of a dark and evil track. The back up vocals are simply gorgeous. “Girls In The Back” and “Love Is A Number” follow and are both solid dance pop songs that will get the kids moving. They have all the ingredients, silly lyrics and a very danceable sound. “Alsatian” is an interesting one, it’s very guitar oriented. It is one of the better tracks on here, the cheesy lyrics aren’t as blatant and its got some great power riffs. The first half of the album is rather strong, but things turn a little south on the second half. “Pig Heil Jam” and “Deborah Carne” do very little to ignite the listener. “Idiot Drugs” is saved because of the breakdown where Vine and Taxxi go back and forth rather provocatively.

“Kick” is a well produced album thanks to Paul Epworth’s touch. It starts off so strong, but that last half of the disc just loses it. But there is a soft spot for “Idiot Drugs” in me. If you were fans of the previous singles nothing should take you away from this. But others should tread carefully.

By John Siwicki

Primal Scream – Sometimes I Feel So Lonely

“Riot City Blues” split a lot of opinions, its been a rather love hate/record. “Sometimes I Feel So Lonely” is the third single lifted from said album. Its quite similar to the tune

The Charlatans

Jon Brookes is enjoying a crisp Autumnal day in the Midlands with his children, when Comfort Comes asked if we could steal thirty minutes of his time, to chat about influences, record labels, myspace, and greatest hits…(but whatever you do, don’t call it greatest hits!)

Thank you so much for your time, how are you doing?
Very well thank you. I just got the delivery of the new record, it’s looking really good, and the artwork is really great, it’s the guy who did Alison Goldfrapp’s. You’ve got the Charlatan’s looking really moody and then this really colourful design around us. Juxtaposition is the word!

Since you’ve got the greatest hits on the way, and a tour, it must have given you time to look back and reflect. What are some of your favourite and not so favourite songs?
Well firstly, I shudder at the name Greatest Hits, you know, Elton John has Greatest Hits! It’s really a collection of all our songs over the years and the record labels. It’s been enjoyable in one respect; it gives you a sense of achievement, from the moments of one sound to another. Firstly you’ve got Indian Rope, which was the birth of Indie music, it was self financed. It’s so sparse, but I think that was because at the time we didn’t know another way to fill the track! It still sounds fresh now; it was a big learning curve and one that will be there live.

Forever was a milestone, its seven and a half minuets long and at the time you had Radiohead who just released Paranoid Android at six and a half minutes long. Ours didn’t get as much recognition but it was a cheeky Charlatans thing to do!
Then towards the back you’ve got our LA Vibe, Love is the Key, I remember the time recording with Dennis, the laurel canyon, driving along the highways of America to make a record.

And now, with ‘You’re so Pretty’ going in a completely different direction. It’s been a real trip.

Do you think the independence of indie has changed?
I think it’s even more independent now, with myspace, and very small record companies. It’s fragmented even more, the people have got control back, and it’s great. It should never be about money and marketing. It’s indie in its record company form, at grass roots level.

The band always seems to reinvent their sound, how does a track like ‘City of the Dead’ from Simpatico develop?
The band only dwell on something for a short time, and then move on. Really, we haven’t got a good concentration span! I feel sorry for death metal, and emo bands, stuck in one genre. They are nailed to the floor. We had no roots as such, except a northern town in England! The story of ‘City of the Dead’ is it came from a demo Tim and Mark had put together. It had a unique feel, a downbeat, reggae feel; I’d never experienced it before. It was one area of music we hadn’t touched upon.

Looking back do you consider yourself more part of the late 80’s upspring of bands, or the early 90’s brit-pop? Or both!
We struggled with both, we came in on the Manchester scene with the Roses, but in a way I’m glad we didn’t get as much press at them. With brit-pop we didn’t get much of a mention either!

In a way, do you think it is good that you won’t be pigeon-holed?
I think that will be a defining part of the bands evolution. We haven’t been defined by time, and that can be stifling. Time moves on and you are either stuck there or you’re not. We never put a time limit on the band.

How does it feel to still be playing when the bands that surrounded you, fifteen, ten years ago have disintegrated?
We are an oddity! I don’t like to see talent go to waste, talent that hasn’t improved or stepped up to the plate. I can see personal differences, but you’ve got to look after your own thing. We can’t help it, the shelf life of a band is 5 years, but we all believe in the Charlatans.

The band ended its relationship with Universal and opted to sign with Sanctuary. Why the switch for a major to the indie and which do you prefer?
Well Universal worked with us for two records, we were signed to Island Universal, no…MCA. It’s very complicated. But the record company didn’t represent us, and we fulfilled our contract and they wanted us to move on. They didn’t want us as part of their roster. There is no animosity though. We’ve kind of gone full circle, there’s nearly no record company we’ve not been with!

And is there one in particular you felt you worked best with?
One label that had a lot to do with the Charlatans was Beggars Banquet, we developed with them. The first record went crazy, and when it came to record ‘Between 10th and 11th’ we realised ‘this is for real! We’ve got to come up with ideas!’ Beggars Banquet stuck with us.

What is the secret of Charlatans longevity?
The Holy Grail! What is it really? Nobody is the guru, there is no Pete Townshend. We have two definitive teams, two groups of people. Each one has to stand up against the other in terms of ideas, so it comes from two different points. If you can harness two sets of ideas, then they are twice as strong. It’s enthusiasm basically, and wanting to leave a good legacy.

Do you think you have done that so far?
I think…I don’t know! I don’t like to think about it because then I have to look back, and I like looking forward.

Have any bands caught your attention lately?
I love the retro sound of The Raconteurs, they are monster song writers. And the Muse stuff too, they are two groups I’m really digging. The Blood Arm supported us, they’ve got some great songs, check them out!

Over the years, what have been your main influences personally and collectively?
Personally, I’m inspired by a lot, but I’m not a music junky like the others. I’m inspired instantly by something and then transpose it onto a rhythmic idea. People in the group inspire me. Collectively? Let’s see…the modesties of the 60’s, the excessiveness of the 70s, things that were off the beaten track and fell either side of the line. On the American tour we always played a track by Neu, they were a big inspiration. Music can be very personal, and listened to in private or on your iPod, or in a huge field. It works on both levels. It can be very intimate, or joyous.

Thank you to Jon for his time, FOREVER. THE SINGLES is available Nov 6th and a DVD on the 13th

By Lucia Hodgson

The Boxer Rebellion – Evacuate

This year sees the return of The Verve so its fitting that The Boxer Rebellion are returning with some new work as well. “Evacuate” is the lead single off the bands second album. The single might actually surprise a lot of people. The song starts off with this really impressive riff that sounds like a broken motor in water(maybe a stretch but it sounds good). Then vocally you know what you are going to get a very epic and throaty northern England croon. On this song it fits in quite well. On the bands first few albums sometimes there was an unhealthy balance. But, “Evacuate” does a good job and bringing equal attention all parts of the song here. The song is a little cleaner and a little more grown up and it will be interesting to see what happens on the full length.

By John Siwicki

AJ Nutter- I Want Nothing

A quick Google search of AJ leads me to a site of AJ’s photography which, is blank. So, you don’t really know what you are going to get with AJ. When, the first track cuts in and that translucent and wobbly beat creeps in you know that AJ has a love for the electro pop. Second track, “Corporation Takeover” has that same type of dark and pounding beat but at times the vocals come across as scared. “In This House” uses a lot of heavy effects on the vocals that really creates a mood and a unique sound. At times AJ sounds very demented and slightly creepy. “Letter” has Megan Hall on the vocal duties and the results are much more promising. It is the right blend of beats and xylophone and a very innocent and shy vocal. It has almost a Mum feel to the track. While, the track “A Burnt Out LA Skyline” has a lot of snazzy little effects going throughout the song. “Area 51″ shows another side to Nutter. As the track sounds like a dance song from a sleezy German nightclub. “I Want Nothing” has a lot of strong points but it still seems to be missing a defining moment. He has a great sense of how to play with sound and how to manipulate it.

By John Siwicki

2 Bit Pie – 2 Pie Island

Mike Bryant and Jon Fugler of Fluke have put together a new collective known as 2 Bit Pie. They also brought in She Shell’s Tuki for vocals. What you got on the album is a mix of Depeche Mode, U2 and early Factory Records stuff such as Happy Mondays and New Order. “PIL” is like Depeche Mode done with an industrial touch. While a track like “Little Things” is a bit to drone. But then you get “Soto Mundo” complete with Opera singers and it’s a wild ride. At times the record can feel a little to early 90s as it touches on many different genres, but it was a fun ride back in memory lane and a few tracks don’t come off so dated like “Fly” and “Mote.”

By John Siwicki

Unexploded Shells – Made In The Same City As You

Unexploded Shells are from Leeds which, is always a reason to take note. This is the first release from the five piece. Unexploded Shells kind of have a Wire meets Roxy Music type feel. Mark Sturdy’s vocals are rather strange its both floppy and melodic. Still as former music reviewers the band still has a lot of promise and the following releases will be interesting to look at.

By John Siwicki

Next Page »