Author Archives: iknoweno

The Organ Grinder’s Monkey : Zero Life Experience EP, released March 2016

Ben Garnet aka The Organ Grinder’s Monkey returns with his guitar and palette of creative ideas, mutated by his laptop in all directions.
As the introduction to ‘Take A Step Forward’ jumps between the speakers the multi-layered guitar and staccato bursts of percussion are embraced by an electronic mandolin sound and treated vocal. All a bit lo-fi, but strangely addictive. ‘Up, Down, Left, Right, A-Start’ is an up-tempo twist on an 80s video game soundtrack with retro vocoder voice. A nice synth (or is it guitar?) break ending and a catchy chorus. ‘Falling In Love With A Cartoon Character’ is a strange nightmare indeed, with less electronics and plenty of vocals.

The title track is more mellow, quite soothing but those electronic ‘glitches’ keep invading (of course) to give it an edge. The final song ‘Christopher’ has an atonal marching piano figure behind a nostalgic lyric with a downbeat ending. Lots of keyboard textures here, subtly drawing attention to the words.

Distinctive and bold artwork by Amy Deer complements this welcome new EP, with a sad-looking character emerging from the water, possibly followed by icebergs/bottles/people..? This ambiguity reflecting the music perfectly…

http://www.togm.co.uk
http://www.amydeer.co.uk

The Scissors, The Boathouse, Cambridge, 12 March 2016

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After ten years on the Cambridge music scene The Scissors release a new album, the grammatically challenging ‘The Scissors Is The Haunted Mirror’.

The four-piece promise ‘carnival freakshow organ, primitive synths, and rock’n’roll guitar powered psychpunkpop.’ and much of this manifesto is to be heard in show starter ‘Come With Me’, the opening track on the LP. In the week that Keith Emerson of ELP became the latest rocker to die in 2016, it was good to be reminded of the great Hammond organ sound as it pushed its way into the chorus of this punchy bass-driven song.

‘No Go The Lowdown’ is a rocker with a cryptic lyric and the clever effect of all instruments and voice sharing the hook line. We had a brief acoustic interlude featuring antique accordion and acoustic guitar for ‘Attack Of The Phantom Teardrops’ then ‘Phone Calls From The Dead’ and final track ‘Your House Has Ghosts’ are back to noisy pop-rock. Best of all is the slow-burner blues of ‘Why Don’t You Cry’, with theremin textures (always fascinating to watch), guitar fireworks and the vocals from Stewart Harris making the most of the straight to the heart melody.

It was a good advert for the album (although I would have liked to hear the keyboard rushes and emotional turmoil hidden behind the title of of ‘Don’t Hate Me Just Because I’m Yours’).
Their free lyric sheet proclaimed it was ‘a phantasmagorical entertainment to thrill and beguile the senses…’, they certainly proved again that they are one of the best live bands in Cambridge.

http://www.thescissors.co.uk/

Wave Pictures : A Season In Hull, LP released February 2016

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Something special from the Wave Pictures, a vinyl-only album recorded around one microphone in one day with all-new songs. Despite this back to basics technique as far as I can tell the sound quality/mix/balance etc seems to be absolutely fine (so why do most bands spend ‘months’ in the studio?).

Lyricist David Tattersall is on top form, the low-key instrumentation of finger-picking guitar, acoustic bass and percussion lending a poignancy to his lovelorn tales, cryptic references and imagery. Highlights include ‘Remains’ (‘a whooper swan fashioning his neck into a noose…’), ‘The Pharmacy’ where never has the ‘soft green light of the pharmacy cross’ sounded so nostalgic and the bitterness of ‘Hot Rain Riding On The Salt Lake’ with gems such as ‘You hung me upside down on a meat-hook..‘ and ‘you ripped the last page out of every book in town..’

In the subtle ‘Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous’ that raucous masterpiece is playing in the loft as a tongue-tied love is declared.
One of the best tracks is the playful and addictive ‘David In A Field Of Pumpkins’. While crawling around amongst the orange gourds David sings a daydreaming speculation of ‘if I could fly straight over the town I would knock upon your window…’ ; somehow it all makes perfect sense.

They are playing many of these songs live on the current tour and they slot perfectly in with older favourites. With another new album due later this year the brilliant Wave Pictures go from strength to strength.

http://thewavepictures.com/

Psychic Lemon : Album released 4 March 2016

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At last, the debut long-player from premier Cambridge consciousness-expanding rockers Psychic Lemon arrives on the scene.

‘Ticktoc’, a song they have been honing live for a while is a strong opener, a solid bass riff and punching drumming then some vocals airily drift in, countered by walls of sound from their double guitars. I last saw them in December at the Mill Road Winter Fair, with a flute player really adding an extra layer….and here he is on this track too! An unexpected bonus as the flute fizzes through an energetic coda.

From a pastoral acoustic guitar and choral introduction, ‘Death Cult Blues’ bursts into life, with more starry flute. The sound on this track and most of the album is intricate and multi-layered, it must have been compelling to stand outside in the garden listening at the home-built Psychic Studio “5 minutes down the road from Syd Barrett’s old place”….. and I think his spirit lives on in the instrumental ‘Analogue Summer’, from the birdsong bookends to tremendous slide guitar this is a beautiful season indeed.

‘Good Cop/Bad Cop’ is another live favourite from their current set as is ‘Dilator’, a rocker with an epic feel and strange paranoid punkish lyric. The final track ‘Horizon’ is more than ten minutes of many of the elements from the rest of the album, woven into a widescreen psychedelic spectacular.

This album has captured the experimental dynamic of the band very successfully; it draws on their influences from a much loved style of music and then adds some powerful edges with the as-live feel of the recording.

https://psychiclemon.wordpress.com/

Psychic Lemon, The Grapes, Cambridge, 13 Dec 2014

Psychic Lemon, Corner House, Cambridge, 16 May 2015

Telegram, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 29 February 2016

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There was quite a good turn-out at the Portland on a chilly Monday night for the double bill of Warm Brains and Telegram. Warm Brains are a trio from London grinding out some dour pop noise, promoting their newish album ‘Big Wow’. There was some punchy drums and what seemed like chords being played on the bass, supporting Rory Attwell’s deadpan vocal delivery. It was a challenging listen (which I like) for most of the set and then the last two songs seemed to move onto a much more accessible plane.

Telegram have a lot going for them, they look extra retro-cool, but not aloof and they have a spirited palette of songs and musical styles. Matt Saunders is a charismatic frontman, with vocal tones combining a Welsh lilt with the stylings of early Bryan Ferry. They do have a glam-rock/Roxy Music vibe going on; (sometimes playing a live version of Eno’s ‘Needles In The Camel’s Eye’) but tonight the sole cover song was a thoughtful commemorative version of ‘Heroes’.
Their original material, mostly taken from recent album ‘Operator’ was tight and addictive, from the opening punch of ‘Telegramme’ to single release ‘Taffy Come Home’. The sound was spectacularly good with the bass-lines standing out and the show was well-paced, with a good building response from the audience. I was very impressed.

http://telegram-band.com/
http://www.warmbrains.com/

Flaming June, Corner House, Cambridge, 27 February 2016

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Flaming June is the performing name of singer and guitarist Louise Eatock, playing a solo set of her own compositions as a warm-up for her EP official launch show with violin and percussion on March 12. The first two songs were from the new EP ‘In Pursuit Of Happiness’ and both are precautionary tales of trust and wariness, with some traditional folk imagery.

Unrecorded new song ‘Firework Maker’s Daughter’ sounds promising followed by older song ‘Stop The Ride’, with a rhythmic onslaught from the acoustic guitar. Although the songs are rooted in folk her guitar playing has a frequent rockier side and in the next new track ‘You’ve Mended Well’ she also shows some Spanish guitar stylings of rhythm and chord progressions. This feeling continues into the assertive ‘Wednesdays and Weekends’ about an ambiguous part-time relationship, compellingly sung.

‘Little Love In A Cruel World’ (“bored with life’s drudgery…”) lifts into a rousing hook-line then the intriguingly named ‘Dopamine Oxytocin’ reminds us that all these feelings are just chemicals anyway(?!) with another catchy chorus.

Louise has an enviable back-catalogue of fine songs to draw on and this was an excellent selection on show this evening.

http://loui552.wix.com/flamingjuneuk

Flaming June : In Pursuit Of Happiness EP, released December 2015

Wave Pictures, Portland Arms, Cambridge,17 February 2016

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Singer/guitarist B-Sydes (the performing name of Ben Sydes) opened the show playing tracks from his debut long-player ‘Constant Fictions’. On the album (check out the cover artwork?) a full band give more of a variety of aural textures, but with his solo guitar and intense vocals he convincingly expresses some heartfelt emotional lyrics. He has folk influences but the rockier rhythms come through strongly and there was a positive audience reaction.

The Wave Pictures are one of my favourite bands, so I was very pleased to see them here playing again to a sold-out Portland Arms. The core of Dave Tattersall on guitar and vocals, Franic Rozycki on bass and Jonny Helm on drums were augmented with well-judged percussion from guest Dave Beauchamp and they were promoting their newly released vinyl only (no download/CD!) ‘A Season In Hull’, recorded in one day around one microphone…

There were a few of these new songs featured, sounding promising on first hearing but we also had a selection across nearly all of their extensive back catalogue. Their sound is uncluttered, no effects pedals for guitar and bass and Dave Tattersall’s lyrics draw you into a personal world of memories, wry observations, wistful longings and regrets.

All three members have their turn in the spotlight, sliding bass breaks, pounding drum solos and the dynamic yet relaxed guitar lines which anchors it all. They can rock out; ‘Pea Green Coat’ is polite-ish punk, ‘Give Me A Second Chance’ is pleading desperation over rock-solid drums and bass. ‘Cassius Clay’ and ‘Now You Are Pregnant’ are quieter tracks with an extra emotional punch to the lyrics.

And who can resist the tempting delights of ‘Friday Night In Loughborough’??

The band can easily move into cross-cultural rhythmic and dance styles, such as ‘Blink Back A Tear’ and the tour-de-force nostalgia rush of ‘Before This Day’. And much much more.

It was a stunning show, go and see them…

http://thewavepictures.com/
ttp://www.b-sydes.co.uk/

King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, 16 February 2016

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Yak are a three-piece onslaught of drums, bass and guitar, with little of the quiet peaceful nature of their bovine namesakes. The guitar and vocals are twisted and distorted adding extra punch to ‘Hungry Heart’ and ‘No’. Singer Ollie Burslem plays occasional and strangely vertical keyboard sounding like he is opening some hellish vault to release more thunderous sounds. New single ‘Victorious(National Anthem)’ would have my vote if entered as a contender. Great show openers, a blistering performance.

With their recent project ‘Paper Mâché Dream Balloon’, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard branched out into acoustic, pastoral grooves to make a summer concoction well worth a listen.
Only the up-tempo ‘Trapdoor’ from that album had an airing tonight; the seven-piece band filling the stage were tight, electric and more into some of the extended workouts featured on previous long-player ‘I’m In Your Mind Fuzz’ as well as a few new songs. ‘Hot Wax’ was an addictive groove as was the jazz-tinged ‘The River’.
Although mainly electric, singer/guitarist Stu Mackenzie added some flute and there was plenty of harmonica to hear too. The band’s energetic live performance is driven from the back by twin drummers, mostly in complete synchronisation, a hypnotic effect to watch.

The Rescue Rooms is a near-perfect compact venue with very good sound, you can stand around the balcony or get down the front. Bars in the music room and bars to retreat to, but you wouldn’t have wanted to miss a moment when the music was of this high calibre…

https://www.facebook.com/yakyakyak
http://kinggizzardandthelizardwizard.com/

King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard : Paper Mâché Dream Balloon, released November 2015

T-Shirt Weather : Pig Beach, released January 2016

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T-Shirt Weather are a pop/punk trio from Durham, making their mark with this first long-player.

‘Devin O’Leary’ is a boisterous opening track spiced up with thrown-in violin, sounding like a powerful hybrid of Arctic Monkeys and something off an early Roxy Music album. ‘Gum’ keeps the momentum going, plenty of brass, a sublime middle eight and a sharp play-out. There is a singalong chorus on ‘The Undersigned’ to splice together some deft instrumentation including a bit of keyboard in there.

I thought that ‘My Dad’s Black Polo’ referred to cool parental 1960s Gallic upper-body wear but it is the car that the singer reminiscences about wistfully. Don’t worry, its not a slow lament and neither is the next song ‘Sometimes’, a punchy tale of not quite coping, with some choice lyrics (“I wear my face to keep my brain in place…”) .

The widescreen sweeping sound of ‘Spaghetti Western (school reunion version)’ is a heartfelt ballad, different in tone and pace from the rest of the album (“it’s not the films I miss, it’s someone to watch them with…”) The last tracks are two more frenetic energy bursts; taken together they sound like a mini-musical with contrasting sections crammed into very short running times.

Noisy, intense, edgy…a great debut!

https://www.facebook.com/tshirtweather

‘Beach Sessions’, Waterbeach, Cambridge, 30 January 2016

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Just north of Cambridge, in the village of Waterbeach, the unassuming ‘Sun Inn’ is host to some well-kept ales and also a well-kept secret…there is some great music being made in the upstairs gig room. The ‘Beach Sessions’ bring together a mix of local acts, carefully curated for their musical distinctiveness.

The room was packed to the rafters from the start for the opening act The British IBM. A favourite of mine and the incentive for the trip, they were playing a moody and thoughtful set, with just acoustic guitar and bass as accompaniment to the intense vocals of Adrian Killens. On the albums, the complex strings and drum arrangements work well, but stripped down the lyrics and sentiments take centre stage. ‘Nothing Ever Lasts That Long’ is an outsider’s desolation and ‘We Were The Stars’ and ‘The British IBM’ are still subtle but powerful anthems and close the set tonight.

Atomised are a six-piece Indie-rock band with roots in the 80s and 90s sounds of Echo and The Bunnymen, REM, Sisters Of Mercy and Simple Minds. A prestigious pedigree then, and with the excellent sound quality in this venue tonight (there is an enormous mixing desk at the back…) their sound is clear and multi-layered, with keyboard textures and lots of stirring guitar and strong lead vocals. Many of the tracks played were from their album ‘Dreamlands’, with a new one due out this year.

The memorably named Creepy Neighbour finished the show, even more people crammed in and there was a real sense of anticipation. With two members of the band soon leaving to be part of Mika’s touring band the musicianship was spot-on, with pure ethereal vocals from Max Taylor over some eighties popstyled keyboards, bass and guitar. It was a punchy and sharp performance and as the dry ice filled the room we realised that we had seen a storming show (and it was free?!). Roll on the next one…

http://www.thebritishibm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Atomised-1180454188650600/
http://creepyneighbourhood.tumblr.com/