Track Review: The Vestals - Perfect Pain//Seventeen

The Vestals are breaking Indie-Rock band from South Wales with a euphoric sound that really establishes them as a band to look out for in the next few years. This AA-side 'Perfect Pain'/'Seventeen' released on Killing Moon Records, contains two unabashed, catchy, well-written songs that sound perfect for a summer playlist and this year's open air festivals.

Perfect Pain is a fast-paced, soaring statement of intent from the band and a perfect single to build up the hype for the emerging band. Seventeen is definitely cut from the same cloth but still adds something different, with a great guitar riff and massive chorus. The sound of these singles puts me in mind of the long line of emerging bands such as The Chevin and NME's beloved PEACE and more than earns the band a place among them.



For fans of: PEACE, Neon Trees, Wild Nothing and The Chevin
Playing locally: Deaf Institute - Manchester (6th February) Duchess - York (9th February)
Contact: joe@divisionpromotions.com - Joe Parry at Division Promotions

Rating: 7

The band have toured with bands such as Swim Deep and Bastille, meaning that this band are showing a lot of promise and are likely to join bands such as the above as the 'in' bands to get for this years festivals such as local ones for me such as Live At Leeds and Beacons Festival. And now they will be touring the UK with the band Pure Love, see dates below.

Album Review: Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

I first saw Sharon Van Etten in May of last year at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds (pictures above) and was really blown away by the raw sincerity and emotion that she put into her songs. Wanting to know if any of this translated into the recorded version of the album she was touring, I got her album from the merch stall at the back and waited to see if she'd come to the stall and sign it, sadly to no avail. However on the upside her album did very much mirror what I'd heard live, and I always feel the true test of how good an album is, is how well it is translated or changed for the road. This album also topped my albums of 2012 and this review should just about highlight why.



This is Sharon's third album and is far more accomplished and assured than either 'Because I was in Love' or 'Epic' and most people would agree its a step forward. This album is also heavy on collaborations  first and foremost is Aaron Dessner from The National who features on the album and also produced it at his garage studio, giving the album a semi-low-fi feel that suits it far more than any glossy over-production ever could. Other features include Beirut's Zach Condon, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner and the drummer form The Walkmen. Far from giving the album a disjointed feel, all the collaborations not only add something different to every song and almost give the songs some assurance, a bit like friends helping Sharon through the process.

The album starts with three relatively rocky songs by this album's standards, Warsaw, Serpents and Give Out. All three are very solid songs, 'Serpents' providing a good lead single while 'Give Out' is one of my personal favourites from the album, however afterwards the album looses this assurity. It meanders, drifts and looses the structure and convictions of the earlier songs, but this is what makes the album great, the lack of the conviction and rigid structure, reliance on riffs or big choruses show how genuine some of the songs are. On the subject of how genuine the songs are, Sharon seems to tread the thin line between bluntness and artistic licence in her songs very well, songs such as  'Leonard' 'I'm Wrong' and 'Joke Or Lie' are obviously very dear to her, and it shows in the lyrics. The song 'We Are Fine' is particularly strong as it talks about a panic attack that she had, someone who can put so much of her soul into an album and then call it 'Tramp' is someone with guts, and someone to be respected. Each song on this album paints the picture of a destructive relationship, all the subtleties of the emotions perfectly documented, a whole album dedicated to one break up really shows the power of human emotions, and makes the subject matter unable to be dismissed as trivial in any way.

Musically, the album is a different story. It can be sparse at times, almost in danger of staying into blandness  but in my opinion, being just on the right side. This almost hollow feeling to some songs doesn't ruin it, the vocals and lyrics are the focal point and rightly so and more than carry the album. This album isn't perfect, nothing really is, but I don't think it's meant to be, this album is self-help, the chance to let someone lick their wounds and voice their grief and anger to the world, that deserves credit to bare your soul this openly to critical scrutiny, I doubt this, or any other review will change how Sharon Van Etten feels about her music.

9/10

Mason

2012/2013 Crossover

I thought with it being a new year and all this'd be a great time to do a nice end of year review of how last year was for music and for the band, as well as looking ahead to what the next year holds both for the band and in terms of new releases and bands to watch. (right-click and 'save target as' for mp3)

2012

Last year for the band was a little tough, line-up changes, cancelled shows and a forever delayed EP seemed to be the list of never ending woe that nearly all new young bands experience when starting out. But towards the latter half of the year with a new drummer in tow, new songs, a new drive to make the most of the coming year and now under the wing of a mentoring scheme by MAS records has given us a lot to be grinning about. And to top off the year nicely, our return to live performances after far too long - see here

As for music in general, it was a solid year, nothing amazing, a few good albums and some duff ones but on the whole nothing to sniff too much at. Here's some of my highlights and low points of the musical year:

My Top 5 Albums of 2012

1) Sharon Van Etten - Tramp - (review soon)

The third album from the American singer-songwriter and by far her boldest and most assured yet finding her worldwide acclaim. The album is somewhat of an acquired taste, with stripped-down soul-bearing honesty teetering on the edge blandness musically. Its a kind of genius that isn't immediately obvious, but its there. 

Sharon Van Etten - Serpents (mp3) - The lead single from the album.

2) Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

The début album from the local boys from Leeds, something different, interesting and most importantly, very, very good. Worthy winner of the Mercury Prize, lets hope they don't suffer from its curse and we never hear from them again...

Alt-J - Fitzpleasure (mp3) - wob wob wob

3) Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

Post-rock masters return with this stunning epic and also my first listen to GYBE (as they shall hence be know) but very very impressive. Its grand, sweeping, dynamically brilliant and a marvel of music and archetypal of the genre.

BYBE - Mladic (mp3) - the 20 minute opener, you're best listening to the whole album though, its not really an album for picking tracks.


4) Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (III)

I must admit a bit of a change of heart here, after what was one of my favourite albums of all time (CC II) I expected more of the same, especially after 'Plague' was announced. It was different and has taken a lot of time to appreciate fully, but in retrospect it is a much grittier and mature sound, but still brilliant.

Crystal Castles - Insulin (mp3) - Massive, glitchy and destructive.

5) Tall Ships - Everything Touching

I reviewed this album a short while ago and was mightily impressed and is only one of two débuts in my top 5. To see the review in full see here

Tall Ships - Gallop (mp3) - The lead single from the album and a thumper of a tune.






Honourable mention: Plan B - Ill Manors: A brilliant protest album accompanying a gritty and visceral début film from Ben Drew. Its brilliant to see musicians airing the issues that people see around them with the new found voice and stage they have been given - BBC 1XTRA Interview

Track Of The Year: Grimes - Genesis (mp3): Bloody brilliant ethereal indie synth pop.

Worst Album of the Year: Mumford & Sons - Babel: Shite.

2013

For a new band a new year is always a good time to think 'fresh start'. Not for us, its pretty much business as usual in order to get our EP out (we're sure it'll happen one day..). We've only come to the conclusion that it can only get better, more gigs, more songs, more people.

New albums to look out for in 2013

Next year looks to be a good year for music, with some big names releasing new material. Here are some of my anticipated releases:

Foals - Holy Fire: Third album from Foals and it sounds great so far, only three songs are out in the public domain but they are sounding very promising. Check out 'My Number (Live On Jools Holland)'

Atoms For Peace - Amok: Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich, Red Hot Chilli Pepper's Flea and REM's Joey Waronker release their début effort. Atoms For Peace - Default

Hurts - Exile: Hurts return with a follow-up to last years 'Happiness'. They say it will be darker than the first which is exciting and worrying at the same time. I really love a band that takes them selves too seriously, and Hurts do just that.

The National - TBC: My favourite band have a new album coming out this may, the live songs previewed from 'All Tomorrows Parties' event sound brilliant. I for one cannot wait.

Empire Of The Sun - TBC: A dodgy wait after 2008's breathtaking 'Walking on a Dream' left many wondering if there would ever be a follow-up. Thankfully everything seems to be on track for the next album to be released this year.

New bands to look out for in 2013

As ever, new bands are breaking and exiting a lot of people and as ever NME calls it a 'music revolution'... indeed. Anyway, here are the bands getting me exited this year, 'viva la revolution':

1) Chvrches: Ignoring the groovy 'V' and 'U' switch, Chvrches are a exciting new Glaswegian indie synth-pop trio that sound somewhere between 'M83' and 'Little Boots'. They also found their way in at 5th on BBC's 'Sound Of 2013' poll, in which better acts were in the long-list than short-list, odd. Chvrches - The Mother That We Share (mp3)

2) Palma Violets: NME's bitch at the moment but that does not stop them being one of the most exciting new bands around with a belter of a track that unsurprisingly won NME's track of the year: Palma Violets - Best of Friends (mp3)

3) Savages: Punk rock that's a throwback to Siouxsie and the Banshees and the brilliant music scene of the time. Nostalgia has always been a big plus points for some bands and this all-female group certainly have it. Savages - Husbands (mp3)

Mason.