Seven Churches Festival, The Fighting Cocks, Kingston - 25/06/11

Seven Churches Festival went ahead on Saturday 25^th June in spite of some high profile cancellations (Jucifer) and even bands breaking up between agreeing to the gig and the event itself (Groan). The Fighting Cocks in Kingston played host to the Terrorizer-endorsed all day event which claimed to be a “sermon to the blackened and the occult,” but in reality was just a bunch of great bands playing some seriously filthy music to an enthusiastic crowd of degenerates.

Dopefight kicked things off in suitable fashon. The first of two gigs for them today (the other being a rather enviable support slot with Church of Misery and Eyehategod in Bristol) the guys were clearly well rehearsed and well up for it. Their sound is similar to Weedeater and Buzzoven; in fact a fellow punter (Tom from Greg(o)rian) described their sound as a “ten-car pile-up of riffs” and I'd be inclined to agree with him. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon it was a bit too early for Dopefight to make the audience do anything but nod their heads in approval but if they'd played later in the evening as originally planned they would no doubt have elicited a far more enthusiastic response. Nonetheless, they were awesome and one of the highlights of the day.

Next up were Rise of the Simians who had some great moments where they evoked the desert scene with some sand-swept grooves but the start of their set was a little uninspired in places. However, things improved three or four songs in when they took their time with an atmospheric, suspenseful intro into a song with interesting dynamics and arguably the best songwriting in their set with hints of Crowbar. By the end of the set they'd won me over and I, like many others, was keen to grab one of the free CDs on their merch table. Good stuff.

Bast are seriously fucking heavy; their guitars are down-tuned so many steps it should probably be discouraged but they sounded amazing. Throughout their set slow, deep grooves gave way to blast beats and moments of hushed exploration. The use of samples added an unexpected exotic ambiance to their set; at times they sounded like they were playing from the bottom of a tropical cavern (seriously) and for a three-piece they made an amazing amount of noise, with a sound similar to Eagle Twin in places. The initially slight crowd grew significantly during the course of their set which is surely a sign that Bast were one of the revelations of the day.

I can't speak for anyone else in attendance, but I really enjoyed playing with my band Undersmile – the crowd was great, the sound was huge and we all concurred that we gave one of our best ever performances. I can safely say that I have never been so thoroughly drenched in my own sweat after a gig. You've got to hand it to the musicians today – The Cock Pit is one of the hottest places on earth and the combined effect of the lighting and a crowded room left even the best of us stewing in our own filth.

The excellently named Bong arrived on stage a good twenty minutes late leaving the two organisers a little flustered. But fortunately the organisers had the good sense to make allowances for such incidents (these are, after all, stoner bands) but even more fortunately Bong were well worth the wait. Given their name it's not surprising what Bong sound like – they played one long jam based around one never-ending groove, with guitar solos and some stellar drum work adding some variety to the hypnotic mix. The zither-like instrument being played by one of the members added an exotic sound and contributed to the mystery of the band and their monolithic groove. With elements of Sunn O))) and Zoroaster (due to the subtle vocal melodies and chanting) Bong sounded like a bad trip at a Grateful Dead concert. Awesome.

Winterfylleth brought some black metal to the thus far stoner and doom-filled event and to their credit they provided a welcome jolt to the system after Bong lulled us into a weed-induced haze. They're not to our tastes in all honesty and rumours of some diva antics and their emphasis on their proud Northern European heritage don’t help endear them to some of us either. On the plus side, their songs rely on a frenetic, driving melody which elevates them beyond many of their contemporaries. That being said, I'd definitely heard enough after two songs. It's hard to please everyone at an all day event like this and I'm clearly missing something as the crowd was singing along to their songs and generally gave Winterfylleth a hero's welcome.

Unfortunately, as an out-of-towner who was relying on a lift from someone who didn't particularly want to hang around till the bitter end, I was unable to stay beyond the opening moments of Black Sun and it would be unfair for me to give an opinion based on a few fleeting moments. Reports from attendees who stayed-on were more than enthusiastic however. I will endeavour to check them out in the future.

And so Seven Churches festival came to a close. Throughout the day the bands and audience were friendly, encouraging and enthusiastic to be together for a celebration of heavy music, a day that displayed the diversity and creativeness within the alternative community. It was a warm evening as we left Kingston and I'm sure I can speak for everyone else when I say that we look forward to the next instalment of Seven Churches festival. Congratulations and thank you to Matt, Josh and all the staff for putting on an excellent event.

[Originally published at The Sleeping Shaman, 06/07/11]

http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/gig/SevenChurchesFestival-2011.php

[Later published on Doom Mantia, 07/07/11]

http://www.doommantia.com/2011/07/seven-churches-festival-2011-fighting.html

Fragment - Home

(OPN Records, 2011)

Fragment is the kind of artist that music journalists hate to have to review because with almost no information available on the musician behind the music we are forced to disregard pseudo-important factoids or irrelevant context and actually write about the music. What we DO know, however, is that Fragment's music is more or less written and performed solely by Thierry Arnal, a Frenchman with a penchant for slow, long, simple arrangements inspired by Low and Jesu.

We're not sure whether Home should be regarded as an album or an EP as it is just two songs which, together, clock-in just under the fifty minute mark but ultimately that's not important. Home is a lush couple of songs that take in elements of drone and shoegaze with a keen but subtle emphasis on melody, or rather a sense of melodics. Like Jesu's Silver EP, Home juxtaposes slowly building layers of extremely down-tuned guitars with atmospheric electronic instruments and loops to create huge, swirling soundscapes that need to heard loud.

"Home I" begins with a few minutes of ambient noise before a stuttering drum beat and a repetitive, simple riff form the backbone of a song that slowly develops, breaks and reforms over the course of twenty-six minutes. The overall tone of the song, as suggested by the emotionally-charged title "Home", is of a nostalgic longing. Vocally, Thierry takes cues from his low-key heroes Low and Jesu, as well as other shoegaze greats such as My Bloody Valentine, allowing the voice to act more like an instrument, one that is mixed in such a way that the barely discernible lyrics are ultimately unimportant. The human voice carrying the melody simply adds another layer of nostalgia to proceedings in stark contrast to the programmed, regimented drums. Around the twenty minute mark things get pretty mellow and the soaring ebow recalls Adore-era Smashing Pumpkins allowing the song to conclude peacefully after the racket has subsided.

"Home II", the shorter of the two tracks, is completely devoid of vocals or heavy guitars and instead delivers the same emotional punch as the previous track with a wall of ambient noise and atmospheric guitar work. The song is kind of a drone sound collage and sounds like it could be an extended remix of the aforementioned mellow section of "Home I".

So an interesting set of songs then and one that fans of drone and shoegaze should definitely investigate but don't come to this release expecting much in the way of riffage or variation. This is a record to tune out to, to come down to and to get lost in. At some points, particularly in "Home II" the length of this release feels a little bit gratuitous but if you enjoy it as a whole it's a surprisingly cohesive work. If you want a record that will send all the stragglers home at the end of a party, Home is the record for you.

(originally published on The Sleeping Shaman, 27/06/11)

http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album/Fragment-Home.php

The Cellar Family - Flab

(self-released, 2011)

With rapturous praise of their live shows sweeping the local music media The Cellar Family have certainly proved themselves to be a riotous presence in the flesh but can they translate that sound onto a static recording? Fuck yes. “Oestrogen” kick-starts the EP, a wonderful cacophonous blend of Pixies, Holy Bible-era Manics, and Fugazi style sloganeering. The strangely sexy “What Did I Ever Do to You?” sounds like the Bees slowly turning into Nirvana while “My Love is Everlasting” and “Victimize” both recall scarier versions of early Young Knives songs. “Secret Admirer” is a demented, obsessive ode to “child-bearing hips.” The way the singer screams “Ee, el, ess, EEEEEE!” is without a doubt the best thing put on record by anyone this year and the guitar-work is instantly familiar but never derivative. “Your Stomach Will Never Touch Your Back” lasts just long enough to spit out its title in a bilious bath of demented discordant notes. “Testosterone’s” riff sounds like a slight nod to Final Fantasy VII (could be mistaken) but this train of thought has us thinking that the Cellar Family display the same sense of fun and dynamics that made The Rock of Travolta such an exciting prospect when they first turned up on the scene all those years ago integrating “The Imperial March” into their songs. So if this is Flab then pack it on and call me a fat bastard.

(originally published in Oxfordshire Music Scene, issue 14)

http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue14.pdf

The Psychotechnic League and The Modernist Disco - We Do Not Have a Dinosaur (Various Artists)

(self-released, 2011)

This eclectic electronic compilation sets out to showcase the best electronic music Oxford has to offer. This means that we are treated to some seriously scary schizo noise from the likes of Cez (who start the collection in blistering fashion with a rock-infused, hard house nightmare) and live favourites Coloureds who end the album in a similar fashion. In between these bookmarks we get a veritable patchwork of different styles which span several genres. Some highlights include Death of Hi Fi, whose usually hip-hop heavy brew is put through an industrial filter making them sound something akin to the Prodigy. It’s The Grudle Bay Riots who prove to be the real revelation of the collection with their simple and elegant blend of Air and Radiohead. We have mixed feelings about the vocals on SIKOЯSKI’s contribution but we get the feeling that they are an intentional part of the song’s campy, industrial charm. There are no doubt some talented artists who have been omitted from the tracklisting but overall this is a great showcase of local talent and all for a good cause – all proceeds from the album sales will go to the Red Cross Japanese Tsunami appeal. A most worthy buy.

(originally published in Oxfordshire Music Scene, issue 14)

http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue14.pdf

Prospekt - Prospekt EP

(self- released, 2011)

You’re either the kind of person who cringes when they hear the term ‘prog Metal’ or you’re not. I was one of the former, and with titles like ‘Dissident Priests’ I didn’t hold out much hope for Prospekt’s debut EP but they manage to find just the right balance of awkward time-signatures, guitar heroics and power vocals to make the genre palatable even to the haters. And they kick some killer grooves too. ‘Dissident Priests’ is a great showcase for all the members to demonstrate their musical chops and they all shine, particularly guitarist Lee Luland who avoids heading into needlessly showy Vai or Malmsteen territory. And you just know he’d love to. Throughout the EP Matt Winchester proves himself to be a technically gifted singer with no need for ridiculous barking or high-pitched screeching. This EP proves that Prospekt are one of the best bands in the burgeoning Oxford metal scene.

(originally published in Oxfordshire Music Scene, issue 14)
http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue14.pdf

Gunning for Tamar - Deaf Cow Motel

(Walnut Tree Records, 2011)

Opening track “German Treasure Island” has a slightly off-kilter time signature that never becomes jarring but instead lends itself to the sense of frustrated urgency in the lyrics and frenetic guitarwork. There’s a strong Incubus feel to the way singer Joe Wallis sings “gold and silver,” American inflection and all. “Running With Scissors” begins with some serious bombast and is the song that best demonstrates the great live band GFT are. “God Made Colours” is jolly nice and sounds like Elbow and fellow Oxfordians Cat Matador, but the song ends so abruptly that it feels a little half-baked. The problem with GFT is that they wear their influences more than they demonstrate their own unique charm; it feels like there’s a formula being very closely followed. However GFT are good enough to create their own formulas - hopefully in time for the next release.

[Originally published in Oxfordshire Music Scene, issue 14]

http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue14.pdf

Spunkle - Music For DXing

(First Fold Records, 2011)

Spunkle is the musical moniker of James Davies who, since 1997, has been making music that has not always been easy for writers to describe. Since debuting on Shifty Disco’s singles club with a tape of music created using an old Amiga computer, Spunkle has sporadically performed live and released a few things here and there. Music for DXing was originally informally released to friends and fans back in 2003, but is now getting a proper release on First Fold Music.

DXing, for those unaware, is the hobby of tuning in to distant radio or television signals and attempting to identify them. Enthusiasts often try to make contact with other signals using two-way radios. It’s worth noting that “DX” is telegraphic shorthand for distant. This unusual pastime seems like a solitary affair; one that will occasionally lead to brief contact with something familiar before it gets lost again in a sea of white noise and foreign, alien sounds.

Spunkle somehow manages to create an album that captures the hermetic sense of isolation that the hobby of DXing superficially seems to suggest. A series of cyclical melodies are combined with the sounds of the hobby (ie. radio static) and the results are strangely infectious. During my first, skimmed listen, I never imagined that the songs would distinguish themselves from one another – but slowly, enchantingly they did, and each one revealed its own unique charm. The songs are like musical sprites, each enticing you with its own brand of mischief and otherworldly sweetness.

For example ‘Dass Beeble’ is an intensely sad, lonely song but has an inherent beauty that needs not adorn itself with superfluous instrumentation; a simple, looping keyboard melody is accompanied by the ever-present radio hum in gorgeous inertia. ‘Eastern Interval’ evokes a sense of warped nostalgia – like watching an alternate version of one of your cherished memories. The centrepieces ‘In Search of XPH’ and ‘Jabba’ sound like you’ve accidentally tuned into a radio station from another planet, and it’s broadcasting 8-bit music from an old video game through a distortion pedal. Album closer ‘Wax Paper Capacitor’ is warm and content, perhaps representing a DXer (DXee?) arriving at DX Nirvana.

Of course it is possible to hear influences in Spunkle’s music; ‘OTH’ has a bit of Kid A-era Radiohead about it, and fans of electronic music will be able to pick out the odd nod to artists like Aphex Twin and Venetian Snares. ‘Russian Man’ is dynamic and familiar enough that a remixed version of the song could easily become a club-banger, and there are one or two drum and bass moments scattered throughout the album as well. But for the most part, Spunkle forges his own brand of electronic weirdness, and for an album lacking in conventional percussion it manages to maintain a sense of momentum. The plucky quality of the artificial sounds on the album creates the illusion of bass and rhythm so well that there is genuinely no need for drums or bass. ‘Interlocking Groove’ is a treat of, well, interlocking grooves. But it’s the radio sounds that make the record so compelling. I tried to imagine the repetitive guitar slides of ‘Sweeping’ without the radio ambience, and it lost something indescribable.

Spunkle caught me in just the right frame of mind (having just reviewed a prog-metal CD) to have the best possible effect on me. If you’re too energized, you’ll find the album too slow and uneventful; if you’re too lethargic, it will lull you off to sleep. Basically, you’ll have to listen to it when you’re in the mood for some Spunkle, and that could be a pretty rare occurrence. Songs such as ‘Slow’ will irritate you if you’re not in the mood for them – the Morse-code blips will make you feel like some unpleasant message is being covertly transmitted into your poor brain.

There’s really no point dissecting an album like this, or trying to distinguish which are the best tracks, because there are no actual songs, and it seems to have been designed to be enjoyed as a whole. At 16 tracks in length, it could obviously do with a little editing, but even the tracks that are less showy or memorable than others serve at least a cohesive purpose, holding the album together. Of course, not everyone is going to think of this album as a series of magical musical sprites like I do – it’s an album that you need to experience on your own and either fall in love with or dismiss. A genuine oddity, but the kind we love to come across.

[Originally published on Musicinoxford.co.uk, 06/06/2011]

http://www.musicinoxford.co.uk/2011/06/06/spunkle-music-for-dxing-first-fold-records/

Denizen - Whispering Wild Stories

(Self-released, 2011)

France's Denizen bring us 'Whispering Wild Stories', their third album since forming in 2003 and I won't lie, it's a good old-fashioned beer-fuelled rampage through your brain. Denizen have combined the vibe and rhythmic groove of great seventies bands including Black Sabbath, Cream and even Led Zeppelin with the uncompromising, steamrolling force of hardcore punk to awesome effect. Peppered throughout the album you can hear some Fu Manchu in the band's sound – perhaps in how carefree it all seems to be; there's a kind of reckless abandon to the whole affair that's really quite refreshing. From the opening war-cry of singer Fabien Aletto on "Casino Royale" to his final grunt on album closer "Walking on a Treadmill" Denizen let loose like a bunch of drunken motherfuckers from hell armed with a Cry Baby and a high fever.

Denizen, crazy bastards that they are, even whip their balls out and attempt a cover of rock n' roll standard and 'first-thing-that-many-guitarists-learn-on-guitar' "Sunshine of Your Love". Like I say, it's a ballsy move that will either show-off a band's interpretive skills or highlight how much they suck compared to the band they're covering. Fortunately the song lends itself to Denizen's brand of unadulterated punk swagger and their balls come away unscathed. And to be fair to the guys, they definitely make the song their own even if, as many would predict, it is the most memorable riff on the album. And therein lays the problem with 'Whispering Wild Stories'.

Denizen are not the kind of band that can stand up to much scrutiny; you could definitely say that their songs are pretty one-dimensional and similar to one another. If you were to ask me to distinguish one song from the next it would be pretty hard to do, which is especially disappointing considering there are only eight songs on the album (and one of those is a cover). The riffs are all cool, but they sound like they are all slight variations on one almighty badass riff, endlessly emulated throughout the album. Also, the pace very rarely strays from an up-tempo, punk thrash. It's a bit of a harsh criticism to throw at a self-proclaimed hardcore band but perhaps a few momentary changes in tempo would give more impact to their unrelenting onslaught. "Your Own Nightmare" is a notable exception – when the song slows down to a "War Pigs"-like groove my head starts banging involuntarily.

I read another review of this album somewhere that suggested that Fabien's singing-style on 'Whispering Wild Stories' is more melodic than on Denizen's previous material. If that's the case then on the previous recordings Fabien must have sounded like a feral pig grunting into the microphone because throughout the album he maintains what can only be described as a guttural, almost-at-breaking-point caterwaul. This is made all the more apparent when he attempts to sing somewhat melodically on "Sunshine of Your Love." It's pretty awesome and on the tenth listening of the album it becomes apparent that a large part of Denizen's charm lies in the voice carrying the songs along, with its stubborn refusal to sing anything approaching an 'in-tune' melody.

So, Denizen pretty much do one thing but luckily they do it damn well. If you're looking for a groovy, punky party album with a heavy seventies feel then you could do far worse than grabbing a copy of 'Whispering Wild Stories'; the perfect soundtrack for riding one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse through a ring of fire... drunk.

[Originally published by The Sleeping Shaman, 03/06/2011]

http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album/Denizen-WhisperingWildStories.php

Lee "Scratch" Perry The Upsetter Coming to Oxford!

On June 4th Lee “Scratch” Perry (aka Pipecock Jackxon aka The Upsetter), the great Jamaican eccentric will be descending upon Oxford for some kind of roast at the Regal. Although his name often precedes him for his bizarre behaviour which may or may not include burning down his own backyard recording studio, what really made Perry’s name was his role in pioneering dub music.

By dissecting the songs of Reggae bands and reassembling them as bass and rhythm-heavy mixes, Perry and his contemporaries essentially created the art of the remix and helped earn the producer as much respect as the musicians and songwriters themselves. Indeed, his original take on Reggae and Dub helped to spread both genres to audiences around the world.

At the ripe old age of seventy five God only knows what the man has in store for us but make no mistake - this is a chance to witness a real, living legend whose influence on Western music is almost impossible to put into words do his thing live. This means that we can expect some blissed-out, laid-back riddims and a variety of songs from his long, illustrious career. Probably.

Support comes from Laid Blak and tickets are available from We Got Tickets and at the Regal box office.

[Originally printed in The Sampler Issue 1, May 2011]

http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/sampler1.pdf