Groovers on Manoeuvres Travels around the locAl Music Scene with Greenman music Spotlight on Crash and the Bandicoots
WITH DAVE FRANKLIN OF
WWW.GREENMANMUSIC.BIZ
I often suspect that genres, scenes and other such musical labels are more to do with lazy journalism than anything more culturally tangible. Still, being a lazy journalist I will ignore that thought and point you towards the stirrings of one of a small group of bands (or a band of groups if you prefer) that I tend to club together and who just might be the start of something quite important. Crash and The Bandicoots seem to be the missing link
between Nudy Bronque and Super Squarecloud, the significant others in this scenario, combining the effervescent nature of the former and the delicious complexities of the latter. Their references seem to shift from song to song but the pop art collages of Beck, the space warps of The Flaming Lips, Talking Heads, The Beta Band and even the lush bass grooves of Prince are never far from the surface.
It’s as much their approach to
song writing as it is the songs themselves that is so refreshing - spiky, slightly surreal, non- conformity seems the order of the day, limiting themselves to tried and tested musical templates doesn’t even seem to be a concept that they understand, thankfully. As a statement of intent the three tracks on their
Facebook page show massive potential and if you join the various dots and project that imaginary line forward in time, you can see that the bands future promises some truly amazing music.
Sounds Good!
WITH TOM DAVENPORT
Louise Jordan - 'Tempvs' Folk albums are very welcome in these quarters, and not least because we are so rarely sent them. Louise has hers wrapped in a digipack and includes press clips of five-star reviews, so there was a lot to live up to before hitting play. I can reassure Louise that her critics hit the mark; Tempvs is the kind of album that only rural England can produce, and the performances are wholeheartedly authentic. It is perhaps too aged in style for some tastes, but anyone with patience will learn its appeal and gladly give it credit. Even Ewam MacColl, folk connoisseur and founder of the famously harsh Critics Group of the 1960s, would find it hard to knock down this effort.
louisejordan.co.uk
LOCAL MUSIC REVIEWS FROM THE PEN OF TOM DAVENPORT.
Send your music to us and Tom'll review it. He might be cricitical sometimes but he’ll always be fair. The address is Ocelot Media, Angel House, High Street, Marlborough, SN8 1AA or
stuff@theocelot.co.uk
Vienna Ditto - 'Bells' Vienna Ditto have already been championed by Q, the Fly and Huw Stephens who said they were like Portishead doing a Tarantino soundtrack. You'll have to refer to their older (and frankly, better) EP for that style, because 'Bells' regretfully ditches the eerie genius of their former work. It opens well enough, with a mosaic of shimmering metals and reverse guitar, and the song is otherwise a perfectly well crafted pop fare. Nothing wrong with that, but given the lunging step away from the style that bought their attention, it comes across as a cry for wider appeal. The second delay-infused track is good too - but good will always be a step backwards from stunning. fb/viennaditto
39 Pick of the month
The Jess Hall Band - 'Play Shy' Jess Hall is the X Factor winner Simon Cowell will never have, as proven on EP centrepiece 'Grace' which may as well be crafted by Gary Barlow as a soundtrack to a sizeable hill climb, complete with that special kind of chorus you can punch the air to when you reach the top. Jess' backing band are darn good too, with strict, subdued pacing and charmed harmonies akin to the XX. Closing track 'Let it be Known' summons the spirit of Fat Freddy's Drop at its most soulful, and title track 'Play Shy' is a foot-stomping, finger-snapping delight. Marvellous. fb/JessHallBand
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