GZA @ O2 Academy, Oxford [28/01/2012]

The head to the Wu-Tang Clan's Voltron, the GZA, graced Oxford with his presence at the 02 for a sadly rather pedestrian run-through of some of his classic solo and group work. Any fans of real hip-hop will know how important a rapper GZA is and there's no doubt that his second album, 1995's Liquid Swords, is one of the strongest in the Wu-Tang discography and indeed in the entire genre. That being said the GZA is not the greatest showman – he prefers to let his words do all of the acrobatics and as such classics like “Liquid Swords”, “Duel of the Iron Mic”, “Living in the World Today” and “I Gotcha Back” are shining examples of GZA's verbal dexterity and technical precision.

And to his credit, the GZA did complete run-throughs of various of his most well-known songs as well as a few verses from Wu-Tang classics including his solo Wu-Tang cut “Clan in da Front.” And indeed the biggest response of the night seemed to come from his recital of dearly departed cousin and fellow Wu-Tang founder Ol' Dirty Bastard's “Brooklyn Zoo”, a performance that had the entire crowd rapping along and filling in the GZA's blanks.

However the show was let down by GZA spending the majority of the time in the photo/press pit which meant that most of the crowd couldn't see him, leaving his DJ and a preposterous goon standing on stage doing very little to entertain us. On top of that, GZA's performance felt cynical and lackadaisical with the rapper often lagging behind the beat, making occasional mistakes and leaving the crowd to fill in the blanks on numerous tracks. Besides a few comments the man was also pretty quiet between tracks too making the whole performance feel rather like a pay-cheque.

It was great to see such a legend in such a relatively intimate setting but if you came for the music you'd have been better off staying in to listen to the albums in the comfort of your own home.

[Originally published in Oxford Music Scene magazine, issue 17]

http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue17.pdf

Henry Rollins @ O2 Academy, Oxford [18/01/2012] OMS Version

Henry Rollins brought his latest spoken-word tour to the O2 Academy for a brilliant, funny and surprisingly heart-warming two and a half hour performance that would put many touring stand-up comedians to shame. Arriving on stage at eight sharp he emphasised the appreciation he felt for the audience and the amount of pressure he felt to perform up to their standards; he did not disappoint.

Starting with a collection of anecdotes from his DIY Punk Bible Get in the Van, Rollins charmed the fans with tales of being a broke Punk musician, touring the United States with Black Flag, freaking out Dennis Hopper with Blue Velvet recitals, and upsetting a young Matt Groening among many other stories. Along the way there were a few obligatory digs at good ol' George W. Bush and his memoir Decision Points and American Capitalism but the inspiration for the majority of his set came from his travels in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Rollins spoke about his time in India, Tibet, Iran and the “axis of evil” with affection, respect and cultural awareness. Many of his experiences were related to his work with the Discovery Channel and his love of photography which recently manifested itself in his photography collection Occupants. Some may have come out to see the “angry” Henry Rollins that many of us have come to expect but his warm, relaxed set was a real revelation, delivered like a true master. Throughout he was genuine, self-depreciating and humble, not once stopping for a breather or a refreshment.

Afterwards I asked Henry if the tone of his show meant that he had mellowed with age. This was his reply:

“I don’t know if mellowed is the right word. I think I am a very angry person. I don’t know if that will ever change. It seems to get worse as I get older. The more I see, the more angers me. That being said, a lot also inspires me. I meet a lot of amazing people in the world and that makes me see that all is not lost. It also makes me angry that many of them face such constant hardship when I don’t by a mile. I think to some degree, being stuck on yourself is part of being young, when you get older, you perhaps see more and are aware of other things than yourself. That has been my experience.” A class act from start to finish, truly unmissable.

[Originally published in Oxford Music Scene magazine, issue 17]

http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue17.pdf

Gunning For Tamar - Time Trophies EP

(Alcopop! 2012)

Watch out because Gunning for Tamar's newest release is coming straight for your wrist. That's right, GFT have teamed up with Alcopop! Records for a wristwatch release of the band's new EP (there will be a download code on each watch) in what has to be the most unorthodox release from an Oxford band in some time. But what less would you expect from one of Oxford's brightest indie prospects? “Time Trophies” is full of the band's familiar jittery energy but it is so concentrated that the song sweeps you off your feet and you feel like you're being carried through space and time in the DeLorean. “Chocolate Hooves” shares the same restless rhythm but is mellower (by GFT standards). Final track “Astronaut-Abort” is one of the most complex things the band have recorded yet, boasting grand pianos, shifty time signatures and a cinematic scope. There's a sense that the band have tried to cut all the chaff and keep each section of the songs essential and anthemic and it works to their credit. If this doesn't launch GFT into the next stratum of British indie acts then nothing will.

[Originally published in Oxford Music Scene magazine, issue 17]
http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue17.pdf

Gunning For Tamar Feature for OMS

In the wake of a great year for Gunning for Tamar and at the start of what looks like will be an even better one for the band, we caught up with the guys for a quick chat about their time together so far, their upcoming single and what the future has in store for the rising stars of Oxford’s indie scene.

“The last year was pretty ace for the band, we sold out the first pressing of our debut EP Deaf Cow Motel, DIY toured the UK a few times, toured Germany, played some festivals, and played with some amazing bands. And after driving quite a few thousand miles, our tour van only failed its MOT on a broken horn. Big win.”

This hard work culminated with the band signing to Alcopop! Records at the end of the year for the release of their new single “Time Trophies” which they’ve chosen to release in an unorthodox manner.

“When we were thinking of how to do the physical release for the single we had the idea of putting it out on a watch with a download code for the tracks on each one; Jack Clothier (Alcopop! Founder) is the master at putting out music in interesting and cool ways so we knew if anyone could make a watch release work it would be him.”

In many ways the band seems to have found the perfect record label to match their ambitions. We asked the band how it felt to be working with Alcopop! and the recording process for “Time Trophies”:

“Jack Alcopop! is the coolest guy without a doubt and his roster is dangerously good [see: ute, Jumping Ships, Johnny Foreigner, The Family Machine] so we really wanted to be part of the family. We recorded the tracks with Forward Russia! hero turned production badass Tom Woodhead in a beautiful studio in Wales called Giant Wafer.”

Indeed, working in these comfortable conditions seems to have done the band a world of good but has it changed the band’s sound?

“The new songs definitely have our sound but we like to try different things to keep it interesting and exciting. Ideally every new song should feel like it's better than the last so that's what we aim for. We used a grand piano in one of the tracks which we've never done before so that was cool, we almost felt like proper musicians…”

But it’s not just the band’s recorded output that stands as testament to their improving musicianship – their live show has become one of the best and most accomplished in Oxford and they have plans to take it further afield.

“We draw inspiration from bands like 65daysofstatic – we’ve tried to emulate the sheer energy of their live performances. The best part of being in a band for us is creating something and then getting to play it live. Our German tour was the best tour we’ve done; some of the venues had this amazing punk ethos and were full of welcoming, good people. On top of that the gigs were run by young people who actually care for music, are all politically active (strongly anti-fascist) and genuinely believe everything they do and say. It was really great to see that desire. Hopefully we'll hit some cool festivals this year.”

Festival appearances are not the only thing band have to look forward to; Gunning for Tamar have already been heralded as ones to watch for 2012 by taste-makers Rock Sound magazine and from listening to “Time Trophies” it’s not hard to see what all the fuss is about. But there’s no chance of this praise going to the band’s head.

“We believe in the music we make, so it's always cool when other people get and want to support the stuff you do – I don't think we'll ever stop being grateful for that.”

[Originally published in Oxford Music Scene magazine, issue 17 ] http://www.oxfordmusicscene.co.uk/images/oms_issue17.pdf

Wizard's Beard - Four Tired Undertakers

(Altsphere Productions, 2012)

Leeds sludge-kickers Wizard’s Beard have taken no time at all to release the follow up to last year’s Pure Filth and a mere few seconds into Four Tired Undertakers‘ opening track “Subrise el Muerto” one gets the sense that we’re in for something great. The riff is fat, the drums are tribal and soon enough Chris Hardy starts screeching like a banshee. No change there then – but there’s an overall feeling of confidence and sure-footedness that was not there on Pure Filth. These guys have been working hard, gigging around the UK and Europe and it shows; they have never sounded tighter or more assured and they waste no time in bringing the pain.

“Abandon the Wolf” comes kicking in immediately after “Subrise el Muerto” allowing no pause for us to catch our breath with a huge, snaking riff while “Daemon” is full of shifting dynamics, time changes, uptempo and downtempo sections and Wizard’s Beard’s distinctive dual vocal attack from singer Chris (who sounds like what I imagine the antichrist to sound like) and bassist Neil (who just sounds like a wild boar letting rip).

Like Noothgrush, Wizard’s Beard cast vast, bleak musical clouds of despair and “Daemon” is the dark centrepiece of the album. Final song “Harbinger” is a slow moving, relentless juggernaut that twists and turns as tortured chords chime out like the thunder breaking. At the five minute mark, when many songs would come to an end, the song finally takes off and Chris’ by-now comforting shriek heralds the shift into gear. By the end of the song the band have gone full circle back to the opening riff as the serpent eats its tail…

A deadly silence falls for two minutes before a secret track creeps in, grabs hold of your ankle and drags you kicking and screaming into a very dark place. Chris sounds like he’s crying for his dear life but the musical cacophony lets you know that he, and indeed the rest of us, are fucked. It’s a suitably torturous finish from these Four Tired Undertakers.

One of the distinctive qualities of this album is its restlessness – songs like “Seeth Inside” and “Accursed” never settle into a groove long enough for us listeners to get comfortable because they, like all of the songs, are so utterly bursting with riffs. It’s quite remarkable but it also subtly adds to the overall sense of unease that the music evokes; not only are the riffs working to unsettle you, their arrangements are too – it’s like the musical equivalent of pins and needles or heroin withdrawal.

Pure Filth earned the band respect and fans, not to mention a seemingly never-ending series of great reviews. Fans of that album will not be disappointed by Four Tired Undertakers and as far as second albums go it’s the perfect next step. The production is raw which gives the whole album a ‘live’ feel (comparable to Eyehategod’s Dopesick) and the execution is such that the album feels like it was literally recorded start to finish in one go. The band have honed their sound and have become more ambitious with the structures of their songs – they’re more complex but no less immediate, hitting hard from start to finish. The band haven’t changed, they’ve just gotten better at what they do. Don’t come to this album expecting any revelations – these guys are too busy burying the dead they’ve left in their wake.

[Originally published by the Sleeping Shaman, 06/01/2012]
http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/w/wizards-beard-four-tired-undertakers-cd-2012/

Tamara Parsons-Baker - Lover EP

(Big Red Sky, 2011)

The first of a proposed Three Colours-style set of EP releases from Oxford songstress Tamara Parsons-Baker – the idea being that each EP will be a different colour to represent different dimensions of Tamara’s persona – ‘Lover’ EP has a white cover because it is “the simplest and most musically sparse” of the series. Those of you who’ve followed Tamara’s career so far will no doubt know her for her role in Huck & the Handsome Fee and as the front-woman of Tamara & the Martyrs – both bands with no shortage of melodrama, theatrics and shifting dynamics. This solo EP strips the formula bare to just a voice and an acoustic guitar (with a few embellishments from producer Martin Newton) and in the process casts aside Tamara’s winking, sassy band persona in favour of a more straight-forward singer-songwriter one.

First track ‘Hang My Picture’ is one of Tamara’s better-known songs, a song seemingly destined for radio play with its timeless emotional sentiment and powerful, musical simplicity. This is in fact a re-recorded version of the song and it benefits from Tamara toning down the in-your-face emotion in her voice to a more palatable and realistic lament; it’s as if she has realised that she’s only competing with herself and so has chosen to compliment her compositions rather than try to outdo them. ‘Crying Wolf’ falls into a similar category, sharing the same tone but with some interestingly fast-paced and wordy lyrics which speak of a relationship breaking down in spite of itself. Along with ‘Get Him Out’, a song which becomes more complex and ambiguous the more times you hear it, these songs are well written, heartfelt and intimate.

The two other songs take things in a decidedly different and unexpected direction. EP highlight ‘I Stuck It Out’ is a chamber-pop murder ballad, with a slightly Medieval chord progression and excellent cello and harpsichord accompaniments. The chilling conviction in the low notes of the lyric “So I took your children instead” recalls Nico’s deadpan vocal delivery, while the overall tone of the song beautifully balances the sombre subject matter with the flights of fancy and madness at it’s core. It’s easily one of the best songs written by an Oxford artist in the past year.

If anyone was ready to write Tamara off as a typical singer-songwriter they should listen to final track ‘Lover’ which purposefully subverts the sappy piano ballad, beginning with the lyric: “I can tell he cries / Into his tablet at night / Stabbing a titted figurine in the groin with a pin / For all the wrongs he thinks I’ve done him.” What could have been a cloying, optimistic end to an EP full of hurt turns out to be a story of damaged masculinity, presented with all of the violence that the topic suggests.

When one hears that a singer-songwriter has released an EP called ‘Lover’, one tends to fear the worst – but Tamara has written five subversive songs about love gone wrong, either by neglect, infidelity or madness. Tamara Parsons-Baker: not your average double-barrelled Oxford singer-songwriter.

(Note: although I’m not normally one to do a plug, I must mention that the artwork was done by the excellent, one-of-a-kind Toni Le Busque. Check out her work here – show an artist some love).

[Originally published on Musicinoxford.co.uk, 03/02/2011]

http://www.musicinoxford.co.uk/2012/02/03/tamara-parsons-baker-lover-ep-big-red-sky/