The Foo Fighters – Fifteen Years Old This Year….WHAT?!

Woah.  This has scared me slightly!  I bought the Foo Fighers first single ‘This Is A Call’ and the debut album as well.  I have been listening to the Foo Fighters for 15 years!  That is insane! Not that I have been buying all their records.  I haven’t.  But I do love their first 2 records and many of their tracks since then have been brilliant also.  I also think the Dave Grohl should probably be elected the President of the United States of America for being one of the coolest people on planet earth.  Closely followed by his drummer Taylor or whatever his first name, which is really a second name, is.  Look at the picture people.  You don’t learn that level of coolness.  You are born with it!

But yeah, I’m still coming to terms with the Foo Fighters being 15 years old.  I just turned to Pamela and said “I was 15 when I started listening to the Foo Fighters”.  It’s the equivalent of me being 45 and saying “I was 30 when I started listening to Mumford & Sons”…………yikes!!  That’s a scary thought. 

You see, I’m not somebody who thinks they are old.  I’m 30 sure, but I certainly don’t feel 30 years old.  I still feel young.  And when I look at people on tv, then wiki them to see how old they are, I am always always shocked by how old they are and how young I look.  Some people who are my age or younger look 10 years older than me.  Underneath the beard, I look about 12.  Hence the beard!  I have not been ID’d since the beard was grown.  When I say beard, those of you who know me will know it’s not nearly as good as Dave or Taylor’s beards in the picture above.  Like I’ve said, I’m uncool.  It’s an uncool beard.  I guess ultimately though I got a weird feeling of how old I was tonight when I heard about the Foos celebrating their 15th birthday.    And it’s even scarier to think I was listening to Nirvana years before that. 

Growing old has never really bothered me though.  I like getting older in a way.  I like the thought of being a grumpy old man, sitting in bar playing domino’s and complaining about the youth of the future!  I also like how age changes your perceptions on everything in life.  Music especially.  Think back 15 years, or try!  I was just coming out of my grunge phase.  Bands like Reef and the Foo Fighters would continue my love of rock music and electric guitars but ultimately my tastes were changing and have continued to change and evolve to this day as I learn more and more about music and the things I love most.   For example, it took a band called Sigur Ros to reignite my love of classical music, which I rebelled against due to years of piano lessons.  So in many ways I have come full circle.  The music I started with as a 5 year old and turned my back on actually underpins many of the artists I love today such as Sigur Ros, Elbow, Olafur Arnalds, Eluvium.  And I can honestly say that one of the best shows I’ve ever been to was with my brother to see Ludovico Einaudi at the Usher Hall.  Simply stunning.  

So age isn’t such a bad thing really in my head.  I look forward to each year with anticipation and hope.  And I hope I can say “the Foo Fighters are 30 years old” in 15 years time.  Or at least “isn’t Dave Grohl such a fucking great president of the USA.”

Noiserv @ The Wee Red Bar Wednesday 4th November

Trying to drum up a bit of support for this show today.  Tomorrow night at the Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh Art College The Kays are playing a show with Esperi and Noiserv.  Whilst Esperi and the Kays maybe known to people, Noiserv is a Portugese artist, real name David Santos, who is currently touring our shores.   Below is a little review of his debut album ‘One Hundred Miles From Thoughtlessness’.  I think it’s going to be a lovely show and would love people to come along and support this excellent artist.

“Noiserv is Portuguese singer-songwriter David Santos, and ‘One Hundred Miles From Thoughtlessness’ is his impressive debut album. Utilizing instruments like guitar, melodica, metallophone, bells, synths, accordion, omnichord, megaphone, effects, toys, musicbox, and stylophone Santos weaves everything together into a delicious chilled mix. An extensive influences mix gives an indication of the sounds here, Sigur Ros, Jeff Buckley, Elliott Smith, Badly Drawn Boy, Radiohead and Arcade Fire can all be heard. A wonderful new talent from out of nowhere, and an album that will prove irresistible to fans of Iron & Wine, Jose Gonzalez and melodic indie-folk.” – Darryl @ piccadllyrecords.com

Do come along.  Hope to see you tomorrow night.  Doors are 7pm.

Bored Of Comparisons

When The Kays Lavelle’s debut EP ‘I can’t believe you’re here’ was reviewed in Is This Music? The article called the drums which opened the first track ‘Coldplay esque.’  I cannot deny it, they were completely stolen from ‘In My Place’ by Coldplay, or at least the idea was I think.  Not sure that they were identical.  Anyways, my immediate reaction was one of disappointment.   I was not the biggest Coldplay fan (though I did like much of their stuff – see uncool article!) and I certainly did not feel like the band, or the EP sounded in anyway like Coldplay.  I was concerned that that opening remark would set the tone for the rest of the review and also give people a false impression of the Kays as a band. However, the article went on to say that the overall feel of the EP was more akin to that of granddaddy or Mercury Rev and even compared our quieter moments to Neil Young.  My reaction to this was obviously the opposite to the Coldplay remark.  To have a couple of tunes compared to Neil Young left me feeling immensely proud and positive about how people would view the review.  Thing is, none of it was really accurate and it got me thinking about how bands are compared and tagged all the time.  For me, it’s quite often lazy journalism at play.  It’s one thing to name check bands as a reference point for another such as ‘if you like such and such then you’re going to like this’.  However, saying ‘this band sound like,’ whilst it can often be accurate, serves no purpose and is quite simply lazy and wrong.  I cite the example of when Yankee Hotel Foxtrot dropped and it got tagged the American Kid A.  Wilco became the American Radiohead.  What a load of nonsense.  I just cannot stand that kind of throw away remark, which really does no justice to either YHF or Kid A.  It’s a terrible comparison for a start.  What, because they are both quite experimental albums and represent changes in direction for each band they are therefore similar?? 

I recently made a comment on songbytoad about Mumford & Sons sounding a little like Frightened Rabbit.  It really was a throw away remark and was perhaps a little premature based on one song.  But what really fascinated, and I guess surprised, me a little was the reaction to this by some people on the site.  They were not amused.  I guess I can understand why.  I mean, for me, it’s no bad thing to be compared to Frightened Rabbit but I appreciate that the band do not generally sound similar.  It was perhaps an ill thought out comment and I was taken to task for it.  The fact that I hear elements of Frightened Rabbit in the sound of Mumford & Sons really cannot be debated, I do.  But I shouldn’t have tagged them in this way, which I myself find frustrating when others do it in their articles/blogs.  So I understand the issue.  I do think if you like Frightened Rabbit or Meursault you will like Mumford & Sons.  I hope my point is clear.

Anyways, for me, the best review that The Kays Lavelle ever received was from Godisinthetvzine, which commented that we had carved out a niche all of our own.  That felt good.   Real good.  There was no attempt to pigeonhole us.  There was no attempt to say we sounded like another band.  It was just simple and honest and I loved it.   I really don’t mind comments that begin; ‘for fans’ of.  In fact, it’s really nice to hear people say if you like Sigur Ros or if you like Low or if you like Wilco then…..   I just don’t like sentences that start;  ‘this band sound like….’  That really gets my goat.  And ultimately is irrelevant.  Do eagleowl sound like Low?  Yes, of course they do.  Does that make them any less special? No, of course it doesn’t.  Does Debutant sound like Eluvium?  Yes, at times he does.  Does that make him any less special?  No, of course it doesn’t. 

It really is a tricky one though, because at the same time as not liking this type of journalism, I do see how being compared to a particular band would enhance the chances of sales, interest from the public etc.  But at the same time, I think it can act as a turn off.  I don’t want to hear a band who sound like Interpol.  I want to hear a band who if I like Interpol I will like but who retain an identity which is clearly theirs.  I know so many bands who do that and who deserve the attention without any of the name dropping or comparisons.

 So when the Kays album drops, I will be keeping a close eye on reviews and disregarding any reviews that use the words “the Kays Lavelle sound like”.  Grrrr…………….

End of Sermon

Thomas Western – Quite Early One Morning

This is an EP I think.   And it’s a lovely piece of work.  Michael from the Stormy Seas put me onto this fella as he’s organised for him to play Trampoline in January and I am delighted that he’s agreed to play because this EP is simply gorgeous.  I noticed from his myspace that he seems to just play the Bowery on a permanent basis.  I’m surprised he’s gone under my radar to be honest but delighted that I’ve been pointed in his direction.  There’s something very traditional in the music.  Not really the kind of folk music we’re used to in Edinburgh I don’t think.  No, this is far more traditional sounding and from start to finish is brimming with beautiful melodies and tales.  It’s very tender in and romantic I think.  And very fitting that I’ve been thinking and listening to Rabbie Burns today.  There’s a real story teller at play here and they really are fabulous little tales.  A truly lovely little EP which I’m no doubt going to listen to over and over to in the next few days.  In the meantime, if like me you have only really discovered this fella please head over to his myspace page and go buy this ep off itunes.  Really is worth the fiver or so.  Enjoy.

Something Magic About Robert Burns

Don’t ask me what got Robert Burns into my head this weekend.  Burns night is not actually until 25th January.  However, I was sitting listening to Kris Drever’s album, a folk album soaked with traditional Scottish music and lyrics and Rabbie Burns inevitably popped into my head.  For those of you not from our shores and perhaps not that familiar with Robert Burns, though I am sure most of you are, he was a Scottish poet and lyricist who live from 1759 until 1796.  He became one of Scotland’s favourtie sons, and something of a national treausre as one of the greatest poets to have lived. 

When I was younger at primary school there was an annual Burns Poem Competition.  Each class from Primary 3 onwards was made ot learn one of Burns poems and then had to recite it.  It was kind of a knock out competition with the best in each class progressing to the final and being judged by the headmaster of the school.  The winner was then awarded a prize at the end of year prize giving and had to recite the poem in front of the whole school and indeed parents as well.  Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, for me I had the honour of winning this prize 3 of the 5 years I entered it.  I feel slightly cheated by the 2 years I didn’t win as I think they gave it to somebody else just so I didn’t keep winning!  Only kidding.  But I did love being part of the competition and learning these wonderful Scottish poems.  So I did a wee search on the internet as I lazed about this afternoon and I found the video below. One of my favourite Burns poems and performed by one of my favourite Scottish artists.  This whole post may seem a little pointless.  I guess I’m just chilled and happy and wanted to share this song with you.  Enjoy.

 

 

Please, Please, Please Help.

The Kays Lavelle’s guitarsit Chris has decided this year to do something important for charity.  Please read the information below and if you can help by donating a little cash to the cause then please do.  It’s certainly worthwhile and important.

Hi y’all!!

I am growing a moustache this year for Movember.  I have decided to put down my razor for one month (November) and help raise awareness and funds for men’s health – specifically prostate cancer. 

What many people don’t appreciate is that one man dies every hour of prostate cancer in the UK, more than 35,000 men will be diagnosed this year and that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK.  Facts like these have convinced me I should get involved and I am hoping that you will support me. 

To donate to my Mo, you can either:

•    Click this link http://uk.movember.com/mospace/130355/ and donate online using your credit card, debit card or PayPal account
•    Write a cheque payable to ‘The Prostate Cancer Charity – Movember’, referencing my Registration Number 130355 and mailing it to: Movember – The Prostate Cancer Charity, First Floor, Cambridge House, Cambridge Grove, London, W6 0LE.

Movember is now in its third year here in the UK  and, to date, has achieved some pretty amazing results by working alongside The Prostate Cancer Charity.  Check out further details at: http://uk.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs.

If you are interested in following the progress of my Mo, click here http://uk.movember.com/mospace/130355/. Also, http://uk.movember.com has heaps of useful information. 

I HAVE POSTED A LINK ON FACEBOOK, WHERE I WILL BE KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED ON THE STATUS OF MY MO AND IL STICK SOME PHOTO’S TOO AS IT DEVELOPS!
 
PEACE!!

If you have ever seen or met Chris, you will know that facial hair is not his strong point!  I think what he’s doing is quite simply brilliant, so do please support him if you can.   Thanks.

 

 

How Uncool Am I?

It’s a scary fact of life but it’s a dangerous thing to admit a liking for something that might be considered “uncool” amongst your peers in this world.  Not many people are willing to stand up and admit to liking things which their friends would immediately dismiss as garbage, rubbish or embarrassing.  In fact, you might even find yourself ridiculed or isolated simply because you have the balls to say you like something.   I guess it’s even more dangerous to have a blog and admit globally that you like certain things.  But you know what, I am tired of trying to be cool.  Cause at the end of the day I am one of the least cool people in the world., simple as that.

Of late, I note that I have a fond liking of Lily Allen.  Yes, I completely fancy the pants off her, but that’s a different matter all together.   I actually think everything she has released off her new album has been seriously great pop music.   So as well as not kicking her out of bed for farting (sorry Shonagh, what a typically male thing to say!), I now wouldn’t turn her music off if it came on the radio either.  And I am seriously considering buying her latest album.   Honest.   If that is not bad enough, to date, everything I have heard by Paulo Nutini from his new album has also been really good, and I thought his performance at T in the Pak was simply great.  Right, whats next?  Might as well get it all out on the table.  Kasabian.  Having produced a good debut album and being one of the best bands I’ve seen live, Kasabian went on to produce 2 pieces of utter crap in my opinion.  However, I have become mildly addicted to the tunes they’ve released off their new album.   The need to dance when these come on XFM during feeding time for Roddy in the evening is undeniable.  So 3 down, how many more to get off my chest?!  Editors – poor mans Joy Division, Interpol etc. yadda yadda yadda – what a lot of crap, they really fucking rock!  I really like Idlewild too, not just 100 Broken Windows and before but everything they’ve done since as well.   I like a lot of what Calvin Harris has  released.  ‘Come into my house.  You’re invited into my house. Welcoming you into my house……”    And I own the majority of Coldplay and Snow Patrol albums – though it must be said not the more recent offerings as I just don’t like either of them anymore. 

And it’s not just nowadays I’m uncool either.  Being this uncool has taken years of uncool training.  Let me see.  I once had a Bon Jovi poster on my wall and loved albums like New Jersey, Slippery When Wet and even Keep the Faith.  I used to listen to compilation CDs like Hot City Nights, a classic rock cd.   I liked and still like Counting Crows.   I once paid good money to see Hootie and the Blowfish live at the Clyde Auditorium.   One of my favourite old records is ‘New Miserable Experience’ by the Gin Blossoms.   I love Soul Asylum and own pretty much all their records.  Even when they got a little shit.   I loved the Backstreet Boys song ‘I Want It That Way’ – perhaps the best boyband song of all time.   And even before I hit my teens I was being uncool listening to hip hop such as MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice.  And before this owning music by the likes of Wet Wet Wet and Bananarama.

But you know what, I don’t care.  I am uncool and I’ve always been uncool and I’m pretty sure I’ll always be uncool.  But one thing wipes clean all those flaws.  All those things that I can be criticised for, laughed at for, mocked for are forgiven simply because the very first record I owned was ‘Dancing On The Ceiling’ by Lionel Richie.  How cool is that?!

Beerjacket with The Kays Lavelle Live For Glasgow Podcart

Well this really is exciting.  This has been on the agenda for a while now but I’ve been loathe to post too much about it as it’s an invite only show and I think the invites are all taken up.  I’m not too sure.  When I last talked to Halina they had 11o names confirmed and it’s at the 13th Note in Glasgow, which I’m not even sure can hold 11o folk!  So it’s going to be packed!  Anyways, the wonderful folk at Glasgow Podcart have asked us to be a part of a live session to be headlined by the wonderfully talented Beerjacket.  It’s on the 18th November at the 13th Note and it’s going to be an amazing night.  We are majorly excited about it.  The thought of playing a sold out little venue is extremely exciting and I for one cannot wait.  I am sure you’ll be able to hear the session on the Podcart at some point in late November, early December.  Bring it on.  Sometimes life is really good.

Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

I like Mumford & Sons.  And ultimately, I guess, I really like this record.  I think I said it about Deer Tick and again in this case there is nothing really new or ground breaking going on on this record..  It’s just a collection of really good songs.  But I guess I have 2 problems.  Firstly, for me, it feels like a collection of good songs rather than a well thought out and constructed record, an art which I think is slowly dying simply because the album is becoming less and less important to people.  Such a shame.  But that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.  Secondly, by the end of the album all I really wanted to hear was just one song that started quietly and stayed quiet throughout.  It was my biggest issue with the Broken Records album and it’s my biggest issue with this album too.   They do deliver on my wish but it does not happen until the very last track of the album, almost like an afterthought.  And it’s a stunning track to close.   Had they taken it to a loud climax I probably would have thrown my lap top across the room in frustration. I really do believe that if they dropped that track somewhere earlier in the album then my opinion of the record would be significantly altered or even if they had kept just one other tune down instead of swelling the aggression like they do at the end of most songs.  It’s like ‘A Small Stretch of Land’ by Meursault. There could not be a more perfect moment in a record to drop in such a beautiful song.  A moment to breathe.  The calm before the storm begins again in earnest.  Mumford & Sons don’t do this and it frustrates me.  Again though, these are just personal taste issues.   Ultimately, this is a really good record which I am really enjoying listening to.   Stand out tracks for me would be ‘White Blank Page’, ‘I Gave You All’ and album closer ‘After The Storm’.   

As an aside, I made comment on Songbytoad that ‘Little Lion Man’  had moments which reminded me of Frightened Rabbit.  And these moments are definitely evident on other tracks too.  For the avoidance of doubt though, I do not think that Mumford and Sons sound like Frightened Rabbit.  But they do remind me massively of Meursault if the electronics were removed from Pissing on Bonfires.  Marcus Mumfords voice is also so close to Neil Pannycook’s that at times it scared me a little listening to it.  There are so many reference points on this record though and I wouldn’t’ want to pin the band down to sounding like bands they probably know little about.  In its own right, this is a really good collection of songs and I’d definitely recommend people check it out and come to their own conclusions.  Enjoy.

TSP Grade = B

Sufjan Stevens – The Brooklyn Queens Expressway

God I love Sufjan Stevens.  The first thing I ever heard by the man was ‘Seven Swans’.  What a gorgeous album that is.  Simple and beautiful it draws you in with its gentle tales and stories.  Compare and contrast this with the full on extravagance of ‘Welcome to Michigan’ and the stunning ‘Come On Feel The Illinois’ and you’d be surprised it was the same artist.  For me, Illinois is one of the most important records of the past 10 years easily.  On that record Mr Stevens crossed the divide between pop music and theatre, producing a masterpiece of its time.  Flamboyant and extravagant one minute, quiet and serene the next it really is a brilliant, brilliant piece of music from start to finish.  And what’s more, ‘the Avalanche’ an album of out takes from the Illinois sessions was also stunning.  All in all he produced around 40 tracks worthy of top marks on any blog or in any music mag.  It’s enough to make you sick really.  Or it would be if it’s as good as he gets.  But with this new album ‘The Brookyln Queens Expressway’ Sufjan Stevens has gone and pushed the boundaries once again and done so with such success that it really is quite annoying that he’s only 34! 

This piece of music, and that’s what it is, a piece of music, is actually relatively old having been first performed about 2 years ago in New York.  And once again, Sufjan Stevens successfully manages to negotiate a tricky cross over this time between straight out pop and classical symphony.  This is why I love the man so much.  Once again he has pushed himself and pushed the boundaries of what he’s known for, yet retains his identity completely. For whilst this is undoubtedly a step into the classical world of composition, it remains completely identifiable as a piece of work by Sufjan Stevens and I guess ultimately a pop record.  Despite the fact that his voice never once appears on this album it is unmistakably a piece of work by him.  All the floaty instrumentation you associate with Michigan or Illinois is present and correct and in a typical Stevens way the music swells and drops, swells and drops.  I am yet to watch the DVD footage that accompanies this album, for it is as much a soundtrack as it is a classical composition.  But as a stand alone piece of music, this is once again above and beyond the standard of others.  I mean, I love instrumental music and I love classical music too so this might not be up everybody’s street, but for me this is as good as instrumental music can get.  Classical in arrangement but never once losing its pop sensibilities, this really is a great piece of work, once again, from a man who seems to be able to churn out brilliance on demand.  And it’s not even his new, new album.  Run Rabbit Run is due out at the end November.  I assume this will be more orthodox Sufjan Stevens, but the beauty of the man is that you never can tell until the record is on your stereo and I’m not really sure what orthodox Sufjan Stevens is anymore!  Ultimately, if you are a fan of Sufjan Stevens I would recommend this record as it’s fabulous.  If you are a fan of classical music, again I’d recommend buying this record.  I would not recommend it as a starting point for those who know nothing of the man.  But as a piece of music I find it stunning and as a musician he never ceases to amaze me.  Wonderful stuff.  You can check him out here.  Enjoy.

There’s a whole story behind this record which adds to its charm.  The Brooklyn Queens Expressway runs from Southern Brooklyn, New York to the Grand Central Parkway in Queens, New York.  It was completed in 1960 and has become something of a controversial portion of interstate in New York.  The  BQE album by Sufjan Stevens is a mixed-medium artistic exploration of the BQE.   I am looking forward to watching the DVD soon to see how the music fits.  If it’s anywhere near as good as the music in isolation then it’s going to be well worth watching and I think ultimately that is how the music is meant to be viewed, in the context of the film.  Not out at all this week.  So that’s on the to do list for sure!

TSP Grade = B+