Tom Williams & The Boat (Teenage Blood)
Jangle, country pop/rock is delivered with a yearning, hardwearing vocal tug by the erstwhile Williams and, a haunting string stirred interlude provides for a multi-layered, contemplative effort, ‘Teenage Blood’. The skipping chorus will bring this second single that is the title track from forthcoming (16/4/2012) second album, to the attention of commercial radio. The inner-delving on display, will draw in those who like the heart-on-sleeve lyrical approach.
‘Flatout Surviving’, is a prime example of the pull of stirring acoustic odes. Williams’ vocals could do with being a little more expressive, as they and the song tends to feel a little one dimensional, at times. Still, he has sincerity and his endearingly wispy delivery to keep the interest levels ticking over.
Review: Blood Red Shoes – Cold
A Katie-Jane Garside vocal crawl creeps up behind biting guitars, thrusting percussion and the growling backing touch of Steven Ansell, ‘Cold’. It represents a step into a heavier direction for this maturing Brighton pair. The angelic Laura-Mary Carter, sings like she has been possessed by the demonically hypnotic percussion combos. Her “what did I do?” sweeter than sweet vocal touch, returns a cappella style to contrast with the gritty churn of the rest of this fresh number.
Desperation and determination walk hand in hand, as this adventurous pairing adds some bite to their growing armour. This prelude to new album ‘In Time To Voices’ (V2 26/03/12), will have their growing fan-base practising feisty dance movements in eager preparation for it.
Review: Sound Of Guns – Angels And Enemies
Thrusting bass-lines and sparse, shuddering percussion touches blends together. It provides a platform for the edgy, defiant lead vocal attack of Nathan Metcalfe, ‘Sometimes’. Softening, ambient “Woo-ooh” backing and echoing of the song title, cushions the blows of Metcalfe’s vocals and Lee Glynn’s robust bass-lines. It sets this second album off on the road towards achieving mainstream appeal, but retaining an independent edge.
The first four tracks all step beyond the four minute mark, but still possess some snappiness. A prime example being the chiming and longing power ballad, ‘The Oceans The Seas The Rivers’. Lo-fi rocking combines a haunting vibe with feral bemusement, ‘Flash Of Light’. It uses the different hook of a faltering chorus to strangle out fatalistic feelings.
From the snappier, mystically serenading, mid-tempo rock gliding and “Radio Gaga” hand clapping moment concealing, ‘Silicon’ to the ambient percussion undercoated, paranoia pushed, pop rock cruise of ‘End Of The World’. There’s an accessible side to these careering soft rockers. Metcalfe’s vocals are at their most poignant when they are un-backed, left to get lost amidst bulleting percussion and winding guitars, ‘Glide’.
‘Of Our Own Invention’, bears out an ability to build from a stirring, light percussion spiced and longing vocal pushed beginning, to create a reflective, feeling felt, poetic epic. Sound Of Guns continues to saunter along the tightrope between run-of-the-mill predictability and distanced self-pitying. At the moment, they are keeping their balance well.
Review: AMADOU & MIRIAM – Dougou Bada (Feat. Santigold)
A lost and lonesome acoustic trickle flows into a churning guitar grind paves the way for expressive, tribal vocals provided with equal measures of clarity, desperation and drama by Santi. They wrap around the instrumentals that builds in a thunderous percussion twist, ‘Dougou Badia’. A rich and well textured song is well conjured up, equalling the adventure and demonstrative tendencies of Nitin Sawhney, but outdoing him on the boldness of the rhythmic slant.
‘Dougou Badia Ft. Santi Gold (Kennie Takahashi Alternative Mix) ’, tones down the expressive vocals in order to give more emphasis to the rhythmically clattering, ambient percussive drive. AMADOU & MIRIAM continues to show the rousing, dramatic potential of world music.