The Walkmen - Heaven

Andy James has a listen to the latest outing from The Walkmen:

Formed over a decade ago from the ashes of indie outfit Jonathan Fire*Eater, New York five-piece The Walkmen's flame burns brighter than ever - and in Heaven, the follow up to 2010's Lisbon, they've released their finest record in years.

One part Dylan and one part Casablancas, frontman Hamilton Leithauser's trademark rasp is still at the fore, but much of the album is a world away from the blistering rawness that marked early material like 2004 breakthrough single The Rat.

From the beautifully stripped-back acoustic opener, We Can't Be Beat, to the rallying call of album closer The Love You Love, it's a near-masterpiece - the sound of a band hitting musical maturity while sounding more relevant than ever.

Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold lends his vocals to four of the songs, and the indie rock credentials are boosted further by Phil Ek (The Shins, Fleet Foxes, Band Of Horses) behind the recording desk.

If there's any divine justice, Heaven will secure The Walkmen a place at indie's very top table.

Review by Andy James.

Emperor the Stag - Swan

Despite sharing a name with the 9ft tall beast of Exmoor whose sizeable nut ended up as a trophy on the wall of a Devon hotel, Eastbourne four-piece Emperor the Stag are alive and well and earning their reputation as one to watch in 2012.

Released on Stop Thinking Records, new single Swan is a guitar-led belter - reminiscent of the likes of Elbow or Doves - with frontman Nick Webb displaying a knack for delivering lines that stick: “I broke my neck for you swan, I tried to let the distance make our hearts grow fond.” 

The result is a confident follow up to last year’s Deceitful Doe EP which sees Emperor the Stag progress their sound, without sacrificing their own style.

It’s a band worth checking out, so drag yourself to itunes and pick up a digital copy.

Words by Andy James.

Howler - America Give Up

Andy James gives a listen to the debut album from the latest NME darlings, Howler:

It’s hard not to feel a little sympathy for Howler - the Minneapolis five-piece had barely tuned their guitars before being touted as the future heirs to the indie throne. A salivating NME was all over them like a dog on heat, and from the New York Times to the corners of the blogosphere the praise piled in.

Fast-forward 12 months and an inevitable ‘next big thing’ backlash has already kicked in. The accusation they’re a knock-off Strokes was inevitable - frontman Jordan Gatesmith’s slurred vocals are delivered with trademark Julian Casablancas-style disaffection. Wailing (Making Out) in particular sounds like a hand-me-down salvaged from 2001. Elsewhere, Howler’s sound is slightly scuzzier and more abrasive than the vintage that saw New York’s finest explode onto the scene a decade ago - and there are a handful of other influences at play here too. The surf guitar on Back of Your Neck is more reminiscent of the Pixies, and Too Much Blood has a West Coast stoner feel - not dissimilar to San Francisco’s Girls.

While America Give Up undoubtedly lacks originality, it’s just about saved by a scattering of sharp, infectious singles. Breakthrough hit Told You Once is a brilliant three-minute pop song, and elsewhere they display a knack for pulling a killer hook or two out the bag - not least on Back to the Grave with its simple but irresistibly catchy “ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh” chorus.

Is this it? Howler are not totally without promise and, while their debut was never going to live up to the hype, they’ve done enough to avoid the great indie landfill for now.

Review by Andy James.

Craig Finn - Clear Heart Full Eyes

Andy James wraps his ears around the new Craig Finn record:

Like much of his band’s back catalogue, Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn’s solo debut Clear Heart Full Eyes is firmly set in a world inhabited by drop-outs, drifters and drinkers.

More stripped-back and understated in sound, its characters still come to life like they’ve fallen from the pages of a Charles Bukowski novel - with rented rooms, bed sheets for curtains, and weak men living off of weaker women.

Terrified Eyes tells the story of a women returning from hospital intent on drinking to the bitter end, crossing herself before yet another round. The upbeat, country-tinged feel is in stark contrast to the subject matter. When it arrives, the refrain is textbook Finn: “In the middle of the day, she mostly feels ok, but when night time comes, she just feels terrified.”

However, in common with Bukowski, there’s also resilience, warmth and even humour in places. In New Friend Jesus the song’s protagonist is turned away from the doorstep, the object of his affection unconvinced he’s found god and changed. He can’t even take his new best friend to the game: “It’s hard to catch with holes right through your hands.”

Themes of judgement and salvation are present throughout, with the pedal steel driven Western Pier a standout - not dissimilar in feel to REM’s Country Feedback. When Finn sings the line “There’s one thing you should know about, Christ is watching me right now” it hangs heavy in the air - like it’s intended as threat rather than a reassurance.

While Clear Heart Full Eyes is tough going in places and not the easiest entry point to Craig Finn’s lyrical style - newcomers would do better hunting out the Hold Steady’s Separation Sunday or Boys and Girls in America - there’s still plenty here to get your teeth into.

Review by Andy James

Bobbysix.com's End of Year Review 2011 - Andy James

Continuing our series of End of Year Reviews from our contributors, culminating in a grand announcement of overall winners later in the week, Andy James gives us his top albums, song, tv shows and gigs:

1. The Whole Love - WILCO
The Whole Love weaves together great pop songs and alt-country in a real return to form for Wilco. From the opening electronic beats of Art of Almost to the 12-minute acoustic closer One Sunday Morning it’s a belter.
2. Let it Beard - BOSTON SPACESHIPS
A double album with little in the way of fat - a testament to Robert Pollard’s knack for never letting a song overstay its welcome. A guest appearance from J. Mascis is just the icing on the cake as the Boston Spaceships checked out on a real high.

3. Ashes & Fire - RYAN ADAMS

Having ditched the Cardinals somewhere on route, the lovely and restrained Ashes & Fire features some of Ryan Adams’ best material since Heartbreaker and The Suicide Handbook - and that voice just gets better and better with age.

4. Lord of the Birdcage - ROBERT POLLARD
Like much of Robert Pollard’s vast back catalogue, Lord of the Birdcage isn't immediate but grows on you with every listen. As his 4,537^th release is unlikely to win over hipsters or mountains of new fans - but like the Boston Spaceships’ effort it's a fine record nonetheless.

5. Smoke Ring For My Halo - KURT VILE
Philadelphia singer-songwriter Kurt Vile returned with a beautifully layered record which touches on slacker rock, Americana and psychedelic folk. A bourbon-drinking, Marlboro red-smoking gem.

Top 10 Songs
1.Tourist UFO - BOSTON SPACESHIPS
2. Art of Almost - WILCO
3. Defeatist - CAMERAS
4. Curtailed Dream - NICK WEBB
5. In a Circle - ROBERT POLLARD
6. Calgary - BON IVER

7. It's Real - REAL ESTATE
8. Runner Ups - KURT VILE
9. Benediction - THURSTON MOORE
10. Taken for a Fool - THE STROKES

Top 5 TV Shows
1. This is England '88
The second spin-off series from the 2006 film This Is England seemed more relevant than ever. Shit-awful Tory-led government running the show? Check. Disaffected youth? Check. Over-hyped England football team? Check.
2. The Killing
Far-fetched plot twists aside, when it comes to Danish-language police dramas with added knitwear, The Killing was in a league of its own. 
3. Match of the Day
More metrosexual banter and perma-tan tension than the average Channel 5 reality show. Not even a 0-0 at the Britannia or Lawrenson's gloom could take the shine off Shearer's shirts. 
4. PMQs
At times it seemed like Ed would never land a blow, but at least Cameron's own backbenches gave him the occasional kicking.
5. Treme
You don't have to be a lover of jazz to enjoy David Simon's Treme. The Wire creator's drama explored the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the working-class residents of New Orleans.

Top 5 Gigs
SUFJAN STEVENS - The Dome, Brighton
GARY PAGE - The Lamb, Eastbourne
EELS - The Dome, Brighton
NICK WEBB - The Lamb, Eastbourne
STOP THINKING RECORDS X-MAS SHOWCASE - Bibendum, Eastbourne

2011 in Words
Geopolitical turmoil and economic meltdown aside, on a personal level 2011 didn't feel all that remarkable and certainly wasn't a vintage for new music. Going back through my most listened to albums and tracks of the year it was amazing how few of them were released in the last 12 months. 2012 is already shaping up to be a better one - the first three months of the year see releases from Craig Finn, Guided By Voices, Nada Surf and Lambchop, plus there's the fourth season of In The Loop to look forward to. What else? Well, getting kicked into touch was the catalyst for living like a student again and I've spent more hours sitting around in my pants watching football than is healthy for any thirty-something. I didn't do enough travelling either - although crossing over the Bosphorus from Europe into Asia felt special (albeit with a driver determined to play Bruno Mars on loop). Lots of other high points though, not least spending a lot more time with close friends and family, and an office crush which saw me through the last few months. All in all, life's pretty good.


Andy James - Contributor
Englishman Andy has an impressive knowledge of indie bands that you have probably never heard of and can tell you quite a bit about football too.

Nick Webb - Space to the Past EP

Andy James give a listen to the debut EP from fellow Eastbourner, Nick Webb:

Singer-songwriters with tales of woe are hardly in short supply these days, but South Coast-based musician Nick Webb has more than enough raw talent to stand out from the six string wielding masses. The ex-Capital frontman’s debut solo effort, Space to the Past, marks a departure from the sound of his former band who delivered the big melodies and choruses with commensurate success, but never strayed a million miles from the well-trodden path of bands like U2.

Released on the artist’s own Stop Thinking Records label, this debut EP offers a wholly more interesting sound - thanks in part to some accomplished production from ex-Capital drummer Daniel Thorpe who weaves greater layers of complexity into the five tracks. Recorded over what Webb describes as a turbulent two-year period, the collection works well as a whole - opening with the dreamlike Starlings in Flight and “a month seeing the dead” and ending with the quiet belief and gentle farewell of A Night in New York Gone. In between, he explores themes of love and loss, with standout track Curtailed Dream.

In common with songwriters like Guy Garvey, Webb’s lyrics have a strong visual element which connect with the listener - and his distinctive voice is assured and earthy and well-suited to project songs which express both weariness and optimism. It all points to a very bright future.

Review by Andy James. 
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Sufjan Stevens at The Great Escape, Brighton

Undoubtedly one of the main draws of the Great Escape this year, Sufjan Stevens played to a long-since sold out Dome on the final night of the festival. Andy James went along for the crazy ride:

SUFJAN STEVENS
Brighton Dome, May 14th 2011

Stevens used American artist Royal Robertson as his muse for 2010’s Age of Adz and live it makes a lot more sense than the first time you put the LP on. Relatively unknown in mainstream circles, Robertson was a paranoid schizophrenic and self-proclaimed prophet to boot. He died near penniless back in 1997 but left behind a mountain of drawings - many of which have since been animated and are used as the visual backdrop for the tour.

Robertson’s work is well worth a Google of anyone’s time. A good reference point would be the child-like doodling of Bobby Six favourite Daniel Johnston - albeit with three-eyed monsters, spaceships, and laser guns ramped up several notches.

Clad in a day-glo space outfit Sufjan channels Robertson’s apocalyptic visions through the performance which he describes as a battle between inner and outer space. It’s in danger of all ending up a bit Spinal Tap - but the gig is superb. Seriously. If L. Ron Hubbard wandered in sporting a Great Escape wristband he’d probably say "fuck it" and chuck in the towel on the spot.

Stevens and his ten-piece backing band play Age of Adz pretty much in its entirety - without resorting to any material from breakthrough albums Illinois or Michigan in the main set.

Think prime Flaming Lips - but with an even greater audio-visual assault on the senses. No one in the audience is moving an inch for two-and-a-half hours - not even for the excellent Dark Star ale on tap in the Dome’s bar.

The set is packed with highlights but album title track Age of Adz stands out along with closer Impossible Soul. The latter is pure pop opera with multiple twists and turns taking you from electronica to stripped-back folk via a healthy slab of disco. Weighing in at 25 minutes it doesn’t overstay its welcome by a second.

Highly recommended - catch this tour if you can.

Review and photographs by Andy James