MUSIC NEWS EXTRA
music news
EVERY so often, in this office, it is suggested that this
column, which someone told me yesterday they always
read first in the magazine (note to printers: please make
sure the pages are in sync in the future), is jazzed up
with the addition of a byline photo. I have finally settled
on why I would prefer this not to be the case, which is
that I would inevitably be wearing glasses and casual
wear in the photo, and look like a complete and total
bellend in literally about 98% of snaps. Couple this with
the fact that the column itself would most likely find me
dryly pondering some vague, broad issue (as opposed
to some vague broad issue, which... hang on, this isn’t
LiveJournal) relevant to the last few weeks, and then
namechecking some indie bands near the end. Put all
these elements together and I would basically be that one
guy who runs that indie-ish website and does a regular
column about dreary music biz stuff in the Sunday
Times. None of us want that. Especially him.
With that in mind, I facelessly lead into something which
will on one hand be over a month old by the time you
Oxjam, the UK-wide banner under which most surprised. FLW frontman Welly also that while most independent bands have
Oxfam’s live music-related charity jambo- has a brand new issue of his ace fanzine little chance of getting their video shown
read this, but, on the other, will not pass out of relevance
rees take place, landed in Cardiff on Sun Artcore out, although less cheerfully his on music TV, they can still create chatter for quite some time yet. UK Music, an umbrella organisa-
11 Oct (we previewed it in last month’s Cardiff punk rock stall Damaged Records via Youtube and other social media. This
tion for the ‘music industry’, ponied up dough to run a
issue). It was deemed a success all round, recently closed up shop happened with their clips for Future Of
full-page ad in the Guardian which consisted of a word-
so congratulations to all involved, but let’s The Left’s The Hope That House Built and
reserve a gold-plated bigup for Ruffstylz Other releases from locals who could Cate Le Bon’s Hollow Trees Horse Hounds,
for-word reprint of a blog post that Andy Falkous, lead
[pictured]. The Cardiff-based rapper was be said to have ‘paid their dues’: Taint and now they’re creating a film for The
singer of Future Of The Left, put on the band’s Myspace
already the holder of the world record for have a 12” EP called All Bees To The Automatic’s next single Interstate. I was page in April. Ripe with helpless dismay at people’s end-
the longest continuous freestyle rapping Sea which features four tracks of their treated to a sneak preview of it (ie I went
less selfishness, and the kind of long, clause-heavy sen-
session – 10 and a half hours, which metal triumphalism. It’s released on to my friend’s house and they were filming
tences associated with people who studied journalism at
he achieved a few years back – but this European label Destructure, and also a bit of it in there) and it can so far be
has been smashed by its holder, with the features a download code for all the described as ‘lurid’ and ‘unhealthy’
Cardiff University in the 90s, it concerned the fact that
record now a MINDBOGGLING 17 hours. songs plus their 2008 set from Dutch their second album was available to illegally download
Dude didn’t finish until 7am, and then festival Roadburn. Stagga, former DJ in Club Metropolitan, or Metros as more or
two months before its release – or you could buy a promo
only because he felt like it Optimas Prime and current rising force less everyone knows it, has broke new
on eBay. Given that the band members hadn’t been
in UK heavy bass music (although he’s personal ground by buying, and opening,
By the time you read this it should be a now living in Berlin) also has a new 12”, a separate bar. The Old Library is on
passed copies at that point, you could understand why
doddle to purchase the new album by Car- on the Rag & Bone label. Face Gets Splat Cardiff’s Hayes, about 100 yards from Met-
this might stick in the craw a mite. Couldn’t you?
diff punk supertroopers Four Letter Word. throws together sub-worrying dubstep ros itself; it’s open every day of the week, No, in fact you couldn’t because you are an enlightened
Released jointly by local label Newest and bassline house in a fashion that’s with DJs from Wednesday to Saturday,
spirit who, in detaching yourself from the grubby grasp
Industry – who have lain dormant due to designed for the dancefloor and is making rather less of an effort to
of the music industry, can see what a futile sham the
financial strife for a couple of years until attract a ‘rock crowd’ compared to its elder
now – and the almost freakily prolific Boss Casey Raymond and Ewan Jones Morris sibling. Not too far away, on St Mary Street,
idea of providing entertainment for payment is. (There’s
Tuneage (see Ones To Watch), Follow As are two director types from these parts Submission Rock Bar opens on Fri 6 Nov. a great Hunter S Thompson line about this! Something
The Crow Flies features 10 tracks and who have been very slowly making It’s below ground level (in the old Fantasy
about dogs and trenches. If only more people would
if it isn’t a winning combo of American themselves a name for their low budget, Lounge, since you asked) and will feature
quote it.) We are in a ‘new age’ for music consumption,
hardcore rasp and zippy Brit/Cali punk conceptually outfreaked music videos. classic goodtime tunes on the jukebox and
rock melody, I and many others will be Shifting of the goalposts recently means live music every Friday and Saturday
and it’s time to leave the ‘old model’ behind; with regards
to downloading, ‘the cat is out of the bag’, and it is unrea-
sonable to expect anyone to pay for recorded music.
Although the world doesn’t ‘owe you a living’, and that
ONE TO WATCH...
pic: MICHAEL BUDD
you should get a ‘boring office job’ like the rest of us
if no-one is prepared to pay for the privilege of being
THE DOUBLECROSS
entertained by you (although if they liked it they would
have bought it on release, anyway), there is hope in the
Jon Greenwood, who essentially is The Doublecross – before he rounds
gloom. Home recording has really come on leaps and
up a plethora of mates to jazz his songs up, at least – has been an
enthusiastic, bordering on prolific contributor to the South Wales punk
bounds of late: just plug into your computer and rock
underground. His previous band The Slowdance only got round to doing
out, then upload the crystal-clear result! As for cover-
one EP, likewise This Hidden Switch (so far, at least) but in his various
ing costs, live music’s where it’s at these days. Maybe
guises he’s played anywhere and everywhere, ran a label/gig-putting-on
sell some quirky merchandise, like a teatowel – the
enterprise called Split Atom, and recently has spent more time on The punters love a hook! Now what was all that fuss about
Doublecross. Purportedly his most personal project to date, it’s resulted downloading about, honestly.
in an album, Things Will Never Change, which is released on the Boss Tuneage label on Nov 16. It features
Cleanse your brain of dreadful people and their
musicians from 13 bands from these parts, and achieves a rich, full sound on a limited budget.
knownothing opinions with some loud music, to wit: A
There’s an appealing throatiness to Greenwood’s vocals that loosely recalls The Hold Steady, as well as lots
PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS and JAPANDROIDS
of far less well-known American bands (compartmentalisation be damned, but ‘gruff-punk’ is actually a
(Cardiff Barfly, Sun 8); FOOT VILLAGE, KING
recognised subgenre now – look on last.fm if you don’t believe me). Often, though – like The Hold Steady, in
fact – Things Will Never Change isn’t ‘punk’ in terms of a restrictive style, with bar-room keyboards coming to
ALEXANDER and JOY OF SEX (Cardiff Buffalo, Sun
the fore and a country-derived melancholy leading the way. In South Walian terms, Bedford Falls have honed
8), IRON AGE and RISE AND FALL (Newport Le Pub,
a similar sound with similarly good results – and been rewarded by having Boss Tuneage release their album
Sun 8 – argh), TICKLEY FEATHER (Buffalo, Fri 20);
– but there’s more than enough room for two bands of this nature.
JOE LALLY, RIGHT HAND LEFT HAND and more
www.myspace.com/doublecrossmusic (Buffalo, Mon 23) and THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX
(Barfly, Thurs 26). NOEL GARDNER
BUZZ 0
NOVEMBER 2009.indd 50 27/10/09 16:07:09
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