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

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As well as a flourishing Indie music scene in Cambridge there are many performers who take that attitude and apply it in a folk setting, one of the most regarded being Flaming June, fronted by singer/guitarist/songwriter Louise Eatock. They have been recording and playing live since 2010; I saw her recently playing a spirited and well-received solo set outdoors at the Mill Road Winter Fair, just after this EP was released.

‘In Pursuit Of Happiness’ is a lively opening track, propelled by tight drumming from Paul Richards (multi-skilled member of many Cambridge bands) and smooth violin by Di Llewellyn giving the authentic folk texture. The lyric of ‘Dopamine Oxytocin’ is about the chemical balance that causes emotional response (I think), over a frenetic acoustic guitar. Then slowing down for the yearning delights of ‘The Sailor Boy’, as so often in traditional folk it doesn’t sound like the story ends well. ‘Freedom’s Fairytale For Girls’ is the new single and pivotal track on this EP, a slow-burning song using imagery from traditional tales. ‘The Devilling Kind’ is another veiled warning, again with atmospheric violin.

Louise Eatock is a charismatic and talented performer and this is a strong set of songs, drawing effectively on folk traditions with added modern twists.

http://loui552.wix.com/flamingjuneuk

Dos Floris : The Widowed Earth, released November 2017

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Based in Italy, Dos Floris is the performing and recording name of Florence Donovan. Her debut album ‘The Widowed Earth’ is a dense, multi-layered collection of atmospheric vocal and electronic pieces. Each track is crafted and complex, substantial yet brittle enough to slip through your fingers.

Every one of these cinematic soundscapes is given plenty of time to construct the right instrumental mood and reveals more on subsequent listens.A brief intro of a cassette loading gives way to ‘Rivers’, a pastoral theme built from a simple flute figure with the addition of ever-changing keyboards. The vocal simmers and yearns before final resignation. The electronic waves of ‘Before You Loved Me’ pulsing through the track, the gentle and unpredictable piano chords like droplets of rain in ‘Water’, the loose drum patterns in ‘The Other Side’ supporting simple vocal phrases; it is all elegant and addictive.
I really like the title track ‘The Widowed Earth’, huge swathes of synthesised strings in the introduction then the sustained vocal interweaves like another instrument.

In nearly an hour of music there is plenty more to get lost in, including the two part epic ‘To The Wolves’. As a change to guitar music, give this album a late-night listen.

https://www.facebook.com/dosfloris

12 Highlights from 2015 : A Sampler of The Year

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A distillation of tracks taken from some of the memorable albums and shows of 2015…

1. Mammoth Penguins: Work It Out
Pure pop pleasure from the album ‘Hide and Seek’

2. Wave Pictures: I Can Hear The Telephone(3 Floors Above Me)
Great live show featuring this and other tracks from another high quality album release ‘Great Big Flamingo Burning Moon’

3. Chorusgirl: No Moon
Indiepoptastic live show and debut self-titled album

4. Model Village: Sorry
Super set played after Chorusgirl to launch irresistable new album ‘Healing Centre’

5. Ryley Walker: Hide In The Roses
Supreme guitar at an intimate live show and on thoughtful album ‘Primrose Green’

6. British IBM: We Were The Stars
Mature crafted lyrics and arrangements on their second album

7. Motor Tapes: Falling Away
Cambridge four piece return with four distinctive and vivid tracks

8. Tellison: Orion
From third album ‘Hope Fading Nightly’, subtle start then hear those guitars crash in…

9. Wilko Johnson: Going Back Home
Triumphant and emotional live return from still the coolest guitarist around

10. Van Morrison: Carrying A Torch
The Master, returning with ‘Duets’ album. This is a sublime, sumptuous ballad with jazz singer Clare Teal

11. Public Service Broadcasting: Go!
Impressive live show with space, Everest, electronica, colour…listen and learn!

12. Bouquet Of Dead Crows: Just A Little More
Album launch for ‘Of The Night’ was a show to remember..

Jeffrey Lewis, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 16 December 2015

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A strong line-up at the Portland Arms again, first on stage was Emma Kupa; last seen fronting indie-edgy trio Mammoth Penguins she was giving a live debut to solo material, some from the mini-album ‘Home Cinema’. As a six-piece band, the acoustic guitar and banjo lends a country-rock styling to these tales of regret and longing. Emma has a distinctive voice, relaxed and affecting and as in her other band the musical balance allows it to guide the emotion of the song, shown to full effect in ‘Half-Sister’ and the catchy melody of ‘Consequences’.

After that well-received performance six-piece ensemble Model Village played a confident set drawing on their recently released and highly recommended album ‘Healing Centre’, the launch gig reviewed on this site at https://cambridgemusicreviews.net/2015/11/15/model-village-blue-moon-cambridge-13-november-2015/ .

‘Anti-folk’ performer Jeffrey Lewis plays guitar, sings, rants, raps, draws, paints, loops and tells stories and histories. Opening song ‘I Got Lost’ is a simple but heartbreaking acoustic delight, giving way to the political rant of ‘WWPRD’. ‘Support Tours’ is a neat wry summary of the position many bands find themselves in.
There was so much variety in this show; the epic eight minute ‘Back To Manhattan’ then the history of Vietnam narrated by Jeffrey as he leafed through his densely drawn comic book and a stealthy bass line kept it all moving. ‘Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror’ is an intense nightmare train journey with never ending lyric, ‘The Single Thing I Love Most About England’ (..is the food!) is an affectionate tribute and ‘Mosquito Mass-Murderist’ is a cautionary tale….
There was a cover of the Wave Pictures song ‘Too Many Questions’ then ‘Scowling Crackhead Ian’ and ‘Sad Screaming Old Man’ were unnerving characters featured on ‘Manhattan’, the latest album release.

And much, much more. Spot-on contributions from bass and drums kept the music sparking off the words through the whole of this memorable show.

(Quoted from a bbc.co.uk article: Lewis himself does not mind the ‘antifolk’ tag: “I think it’s a cool title. The fact that no one knows what it means, including me, makes it kind of mysterious and more interesting than saying that you’re a singer/songwriter or that you play indie rock..”)

http://emmakupa-homecinema.blogspot.co.uk/
http://modelvillagethepopgroup.tumblr.com/

The Seven Twenty : album released November 2015

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The Seven Twenty is the musical project of singer/songwriter/guitarist James Burling, in the making for many years and involving many guest musicians. It is an diverse collection of personal songs, with many styles to frame each tale of love, disappointment and comment on modern culture.

The opening song ‘Corridors’ is a cinematic waltzing ballad with roving bass line and swooping strings, featuring a catchy hook line and evocative guitar solo. In total contrast is the two chord noisy attack of ‘Haiku’, complete with obsessive lyric and garage-band production. Then ‘Wonderful’, an electric ballad overlayed with multiple choral voices brilliantly interweaved as if they are almost performing a different song. No criticism intended, the combined effect is hypnotic, rich and original.

After three strong opening tracks, there are plenty more to come, each adding something a bit different. This includes ‘FU,NY’, a low-key Dylanesque ballad with sparse guitar and more reference to New York which seems a recurring lyrical theme throughout the album (parts were recorded there, including some distant sound effects and there is a photo on the inner sleeve).

At the album launch James was accompanied on stage by bass player Stewart Harris and guest guitarist Neil Bruce from this album and the live sound was augmented by drumming from Helen Robertson, all adding an extra dimension to the recorded versions.

http://www.theseventwenty.com/

Smoke Fairies : Wild Winter, released November 2015

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While on the lookout for another seasonal disc to complement the grizzled optimism of Bob Dylan’s ‘Christmas In The Heart’ I found this atmospheric offering from Smoke Fairies, originally given a limited release last year and now reissued.
Opening track ‘Christmas Without A Kiss’ sets the tone for the album, as deep bass pedals and distant sharp-edged guitar underpin a world-weary lyric ‘I don’t have the one I love, I want snow I get rain’. This album is clearly no jaunty collection of clichéd sleigh bells and happiness revolving around the big day.

‘Steal Softly Thru Snow’ showcases the duo’s hypnotic harmony vocals with an attractive instrumental break in there too. ‘Give And Receive’ has abstract references to the Christmas story, all floating over an elegant instrumental backdrop. ‘Circles In The Snow’ is a shimmering delight, ‘Bad Good’ is a more disquieting affair, then the title track ‘Wild Winter’ is like a sinister walk in the woods, followed by an acoustic interlude, ‘Snowglobe Blizzard’.

‘So Much Wine’ is a disturbing tale of domestic disharmony, then final song ‘All Up In The Air’ is a distillation of what has been before, the gentle introduction building to an impressive finish.

So ideally sat in front of the fire with mulled wine in hand (or perhaps some ‘Wild Winter’, a 6.8% beer brewed for this release?), slow down, hibernate and listen to this bittersweet album, contemplating the unchanging rhythms of the winter solstice.

http://www.smokefairies.com/

Tellison : Hope Fading Nightly, released September 2015

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A belated review of ‘Hope Fading Nightly’, the third album release from indie-rockers Tellison.

Opening track ‘Letter To The Team – After Another Imperfect Season’ is a plaintive tale of fate and failure, sung over gentle acoustic background with a bit of keyboard. It is a distinctive, unusual and effectively disturbing song. When the guitars crash in for ‘Helix And Ferman’ we feel on more familiar territory but the lyrical despondency ‘now all things just pass, you still come in last…’only has the answer of ‘drink red wine’ . It is a belting rock song, quickly followed by the energy and superior pop structure of ‘Boy’ with its hookline that you can’t get out of your head.

There is more despondency in the lyric of ‘Wrecker’ with an efficient demolishing guitar. And so it goes on, mostly lyrically bleak and musically powerful (the sublime ‘Tact is Dead’ needs to be played extra loud..!), especially on my favourite track ‘Orion’. Beginning delicately, then the band crash in as the narrator walks out on his life ‘And Orion looked down vengefully on me…’. I look forward to hearing this one live when they return to Cambridge next year.

‘Hellhole’ sounds like pure electronica but played on guitars. ‘Tsundoko’ is a Japanese word for the act of buying books and never reading them, I’m glad there is a special word for that, it is also the title of the epic final track, with the closing line ‘They said if I tried and tried I’d be happy…’

This is a heartfelt, thought-provoking, challenging album and there is a musical and lyrical depth that makes it a bit special.

http://www.tellison.co.uk/

Model Village, Blue Moon, Cambridge, 13 November 2015

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Good to see another show at The Blue Moon, lined with sofas and Christmas lights, it was like your lounge at home but with better entertainment and beer. It was to celebrate two bands releasing their albums on the same day, Cambridge favourites Model Village and first on stage London quartet Chorusgirl.

Silvia Wersing is the songwriter, singer and rhythm guitarist of this stunning indie pop band, sounding like a jangly version of the Cure, B-52s and Talking Heads with one of the sharpest bass sounds I have heard live for a while. Opening with ‘No Moon’ (‘ice and ammonia, never been lonelier’ ), the vocals skate over ultra-tight backing. That was good but then ‘Dream On, Baby Blue’ was even better, that bass again and a catchy chorus. More deft tracks from the album, then a bit of a change with their Velvet Underground style cover of Bill Callahan’s ‘Ex-Con’ and then a strong finish with the urgent riff and soaring chorus of ‘This Town Kills’.

The album is ‘Chorusgirl’, they sound even better live, highly recommended..

There seems to be a band in Cambridge filling every musical niche and it feels good to be invited into the melodic dreamy rock of Model Village. With a six-piece lineup featuring 2 guitars, bass, organ, electric ukelele and guest drummer, ‘Red Chair’ is a low key opener that immediately shows the flexibility of the collective. There are varied instrumental touches and the smooth vocals of main singer Lily Somerville, also well showcased in ‘Sunlight’, the first of the songs from the new album ‘Healing Centre’ (‘a name taken from one of Cambridge’s most joyless-looking buildings’). The vocal duelling and overlapping in ‘Back Together’ is another strength as is the Steely Dan jazz feel of ‘Family Restaurant’ and ‘Sorry’. ‘Time To Share’ ended the set, an insistent rhythmic figure through the song all the way to a noisy finish.

Available as vinyl, download and cassette(!), give it a listen, this excellent new album is a grower.

http://modelvillagethepopgroup.tumblr.com/
http://modelvillage.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/modelvillagers

NEWS

Bouquet Of Dead Crows, Portland Arms, Cambridge, 6 November 2015

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The launch party for the new album ‘Of The Night’ from Cambridge rockers Bouquet Of Dead Crows. First band on were Londoners Cherry White, with some down and earthy blues-rock, vocalist Donata Sounds belting them out over some tight backing from a fluent rock trio, notable especially for some John Entwistle bass styling and some good contrasts of light and shade.

Gavin Chappell-Bates brought his sensitive tunes to the stage flanked by two microphones and a bank of pedals to facilitate an elaborate level of looping creating a multi-layered texture of sound, all from the acoustic guitar, voice and simple percussion. Impressive indeed. There is a warm and nostalgic feel to his songs, including recent singles ’95’ and ‘We Are The Ones’.

An exuberant performance from Cambridge stalwarts The Scissors impressed the growing audience, their sharp pop songs a riot of colourful Hammond organ flavoured keyboards, edgy guitar, crescendos of drums and punching bass, with some interesting lyrical twists. Hopefully a new CD is due soon, to include the dark blues of ‘Why Don’t You Cry?’ currently one of the standout songs in their live set.

As the stage filled with smoke the headliners arrived to a welcoming crowd. Opening with the slowly building ‘Everything Is Temporary’ then into the heavier delights of ‘Epicentre’ and blasting single ‘Just A Little More’, it is clear that the continual gigging and recording of these songs is paying off with a finely honed instrumental unity, topped with Antoinette Cooper’s confident vocals.
The dark riff of ‘Drownout’ pairs well with the sadness of ‘Without You’, ‘Fundamental Flaw Of Solitude’ sets us up nicely for the epic opus ‘Endless’ (its not a happy lyric, ‘over and over I’m drowning in the flames’) with one of the best instrumental work-outs of the evening. Time for a quick encore of early track ‘Implode/Explode’ (‘We should be killing time, but you’re killing me..’) then it was the end of the party.

Bouquet Of Dead Crows should be very proud of this album (with its striking design by Stewart Harris of The Scissors and triple gatefold sleeve..!) and it translates brilliantly to a live environment like the Portland, or of course to a larger venue…

http://www.bouquetofdeadcrows.com/
http://thescissors.blogspot.co.uk/
http://gavinchappellbates.com/

Cherry White

Bouquet Of Dead Crows : Of The Night, released November 2015

The Proclaimers, Corn Exchange , Cambridge, 4 November 2015

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The ever-popular Proclaimers arrived in Cambridge as part of their latest tour. First on stage was Pete Williams; as a vocal foil to Kevin Rowland in Dexys (and an original member of the band from its founding in 1978) he knows how to build a rapport with the audience as his well-paced set related tales of growing up, working and relationships, drawn from his two albums and ably played by his compact band.

Craig and Charlie Reid have continued to perform to packed halls and festival audiences and their music has lodged itself into the general consciousness. The opening ‘Sky Takes The Soul’ from their first album recalled the days when they performed as a duo rather than with the multi-textured full band now featured.

They still pack a punch with their powerful semi-shouting vocal delivery, of course with no concessions to rock and roll conventions by modulating their Scottish accents. They have so many good songs, from the wistful longings of ‘Letter From America’, the infectious optimism of ‘Lets Get Married’, the waltzing splendour of ‘Spinning Around In The Air’ to the relentless barrage of ‘Joyful Kilmarnock Blues’.

As many new bands steer clear of any political or controversial references the Proclaimers are happy to step up on Independence (‘Cap In Hand’) and immigration (‘Scotland’s Story’). Then of course there is the one that everyone knows, ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)’, closing the main set tonight, a song that most folk-rock exponents would be very glad to have written.

Their other anthem ‘Sunshine On Leith’ is a perfect song, with an emotional and musical timelessness (a future national anthem for an independent Scotland?). The film of the same name has given their profile a recent boost (gently affecting ‘Misty Blue’ one of several tunes featured tonight) and as they continue to record and perform they will go on forever….?
Hopefully.

http://www.proclaimers.co.uk/