Album of the Week: Seefeel - Quique

Artist: Seefeel

Album: Quique
Label: Too Pure
Release Date: July 1993

Quique is one of those timeless albums. When shoegaze was a one of the prominent genres in the early nineties London collective, Seefeel (comprising of Mark Clifford, Sarah Peacock, Justin Fletcher & Daren Seymour), posed as a band who escaped the clutches of the formula, further boggling the minds of those who had their ears pleasured by the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Ride.

Although garnering a derivative aesthetic in the distant cousin of shoegaze, Seefeel provided extra dimensions in their humble beginnings, honing in on electronic and ambient soundscapes that have since been pilfered by many a band.

Perhaps not a direct influence, however I wouldn’t be surprised to hear the likes of Bradford Cox drawing inspiration from Quique prior to Deerhunter’s Cryptograms seeing the light of day. There have been many other timely success stories thanks to the groundwork conducted by Seefeel, all those moons ago.

With the core of the band (Mark Clifford and Sarah Peacock) reconvening after a 14 year absence, the focal point these days points towards an electronic leaning; however the timelessness of Quique is the main talking point, as far as I’m concerned.

The album grabs its audience from the first 20 seconds, as ‘Climatic Phase 3’ eases into the stereo speakers, oozing with undercurrents of melodic purity. ‘Plainsong’ holds a true Cocteau Twins leaning with Sarah Peacock’s vocal providing a sturdy foil for further sprinklings of ambience and drone.

‘Filter Dub’ is the clearest indication of the band’s future departure from their derivative roots into more of a Warp Records kind of vibe, while the album closer, ‘Signals’, provides a perfect depiction of the lonely streets of London, only bettered by the likes of fellow Londoners, Burial and Bark Psychosis.

Everyone has a “go to” album in their collection. Given the fact that Quique was released nineteen years ago and I’m sitting here waxing lyrical over its wholesome quality says it all. For more information on Seefeel and associated acts, check out the following:

Seefeel Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seefeel

Scala (Sarah Peacock, Justin Fletcher & Daren Seymour side project) - http://www.last.fm/music/Scala

Disjecta (Mark Clifford solo project) - http://www.last.fm/music/Disjecta

Simon K.

Show and Tell: Martyn Waites

I first came across Martyn Waites back in 2009, at the All Tomorrow’s Parties ATP Vs. The Fans weekend in Minehead. He was a part of Lydia Lunch’s literature readings in which he rendered a piece called Love. If you’ve already had any insight into Mr. Waites then you’ll know that there’s more than meets the eye when titles are concerned. Usually not for the better, either.

After hearing Love I made it a priority to delve into the works of Waites. As far as books, music, and film are concerned “priorities” can take the best part of a couple of years. Well, sometimes. One day at work early last year, I decided to break the mundane habits of nine to five and Google the very man himself (how brave of me). Cut a long story short, after having a thorough read of his website, what stood out the most was the Joe Donovan trilogy.

Without revealing too much insight into each book, Martyn Waites can write. He can really fucking write. His ability to flesh out a character really does hold no bounds. I’d even go as far to say that he accomplishes this facet of writing better than Elmore Leonard.

Then there’s the scene of his plot. Apart from a few dabbles down south, Newcastle is the epicentre of his creative hub. He romanticises with the place, bringing to the surface a true way of Northern life in Britain. It’s quite frightening the way he renders things with such aplomb. Who describes someone’s décor as “Argos chic”? - One of the many hidden gems throughout The Mercy Seat, Bone Machine, and White Riot. Notice the music references? They also drip off the pages.

His style is poignant, engaging and truly dark, almost to the point of making you squirm in your seat. His subjects pack an almighty punch, brimming with truths. His insight into racism and people trafficking and the way these subjects are depicted amongst the mass culture of Britain absolutely nail it.

Intertwining these themes into his stories makes for a fascinating sequence of events. I couldn’t put it any better than Waites’ contemporary, Mark Billingham. “It grips, squeezes and won’t let go”. As far as crime fiction goes, I’ve not been more gripped since reading a James Ellroy novel.

Neo-noir, crime thriller, lump it in with whatever genre that makes you get through the night. Just go and check the works of Martyn Waites. You won’t be disappointed.

For more information, check out the Martyn Waites website and also his alter ego, Tania Carver.

Simon K.

Last.fm - Top Artists January-March 2012

The first signs of a true geek: logging your music. Yes, you read correctly. I log everything I listen to. Yes, there are rules. For instance, walking into a shop and hearing The Black Keyes doesn’t constitute as a listen. IPod listens, stereo listens, car listens (when you’re alone or in my case, when I’m with my better half). These do.

I've been logging my music listens since 2007. I just find it interesting; a hobby, even. Maybe it’s the statistician coming out in me. Does it act on a subconscious level?

I.e. “I need to listen to some more Slint so they can crack the top 50. Answer: no. It’s not a competition, despite numbers being involved. That’s how I see it, anyway.

To quell the sighs I can hear and the cringes I can feel from afar below are the top artists so far this year:

1. A.A. Bondy 191
2. Real Estate 167
3. Guided by Voices 164
4. Dirty Three 157
5. Boris 129
6. Crippled Black Phoenix 120
7. Bitch Magnet 114
8. Make Up 112
9. Total Control 103
10. The Twilight Sad 95
11. WU LYF 94
12. Shearwater 88
13. The Horrors 87
14. The Field 83
15. Archers of Loaf 81
16. Ryan Adams 80
17. Toro Y Moi 76
18. Manic Street Preachers 73
19. The Men 70
20. Burial 66
20. Josh T. Pearson 66
22. Damien Jurado 65
22. Bon Iver 65
22. Bry Webb 65
25. Mission of Burma 64
25. June of 44 64
25. No Age 64
28. The Doors 63
28. Experimental Aircraft 63
30. Rustie 62
31. Sharon van Etten 60
32. Seam 59
33. Bruce Springsteen 58
34. Nirvana 57
34. The God Machine 57
36. Mark Lanegan 56
36. Bethany Curve 56
36. The War On Drugs 56
39. The Brian Jonestown Massacre 55
39. SBTRKT 55
41. Walls 54
42. Mojave 3 52
43. Ride 47
43. Pelican 47
45. Killing Joke 44
45. Labradford 44
45. Pop. 1280 44
48. De La Soul 43
49. Paul Westerberg 42
50. Teenage Fanclub 41
50. Afghan Whigs 41

Simon K.
Last.fm page

One To Watch: Lilyhammer

Television Series: Lilyhammer

Starring: Steve Van Zandt

Creators: Anne Bjørnstad, Eilif Skodvin,

Directors: Simen Alsvik, Geor Henning Hopland and Lisa Marie Gamlem

Steve Van Zandt is back. We all need a little Silvio Dante in our lives. Well, sort off. As soon as you shake off your "Dante", you will come to realise that the new series starring Van Zandt, Lilyhammer, moves away from its distant cousin in The Sopranos.

In a bid to escape the clutches of New York mobsterdom, Frank Tagliano cashes his chips in and moves into exile, or as it's more commonly known, the witness protection program. Not exactly Siberia, but sharing its climate, Lilyhammer poses as a fresh start for Tagliano.

More of a drop in gears, as apposed to a humble beginning, "Franky" does his best to bed in with the locals in something that can be described as Lost In Translation sharing a beverage with Broken Flowers. The Jarmuschisms shine through the cinematography with fervour, as co-directors Simen Alsvik, Geor Henning Hopland and Lisa Marie Gamlem uncannily swim in close waters to the cult indie filmmaker.

Naturally, fans of The Sopranos will hold this close to their hearts, as much of the mobster mannerisms still ring true throughout the dialogue (plenty of "Ohhhaaawwws" and Take it easy(s))". Definitely one to watch.

For information check out the Netflix page.

Simon K.

Winners Are Grinners: LFC - Carling Cup Champions

Pictures tell a thousand words. I'm running on two hours sleep since yesterday, not to mention having to go to work. Given the result, it was all worth it.

Congratulations to Liverpool Football Club; our first silverware in almost six years. Get in!


SK.

Drop Everything & Listen: Bitch Magnet

For the last two months I've been cobbling together thoughts as to how I would explain just how wonderful (and dare I say it, "amazing") North Carolina via Ohio collective, Bitch Magnet, are. I despise the term "amazing", I really do, however there's always exceptions and I don't mind using Bitch Magnet as my scapegoat. Let's face it, sometimes you just can't escape the truth.

It was on a cold Saturday night in the backwaters of the United Kingdom (Butlins Holiday Centre, Minehead to be precise) that the sensation that felt akin to being pulverised with a sledge hammer came flying towards my very eyes. Bitch Magnet announced to the world that there was still life in the old dog, so to speak. Thank you Battles (one of the curators of last year's All Tomorrow's Parties Nightmare Before Xmas, who invited the collective to play and inevitably get back together for one last hurrah).

In the nine months leading up to the ATP, I kept wondering how tracks such as Dragoon, 'Big Pining' (my favourite BM tune), and 'Sea of Pearls' would hold up in the live arena. Would they be as crushing as they were on disc? You know the answer to that.  I wouldn't be posting this otherwise.

J.R. Moores over at Drowned In Sound has published a review of the band's deluxe reissue, which consists of debut EP, Star Booty, the awe inspiring Umber and the post-rock patchwork that is Ben Hur. I can't add much more to what he says; Mr. Moores' has got it spot on. Well, almost; the only crime he's guilty of is not giving the thing a perfect score. Check out his words here.

After your dose of one of the world's most underrated bands (yes, I just said that), check out the other projects that each band member has dabbled in over the years.

Sooyoung Park - Vocals, Bass
Other Bands - Seam

Jon Fine - Guitar
Other Bands - Coptic Light, Vineland

Orestes Morfin - Drums, vocals
Other Bands - Walt Mink

The Bitch Magnet reissue is available over at Temporary Residence. Enjoy and thank me later.

SK.

Lost In Translation: Albums of 2011

So, after the first month into the New Year, I’ve found myself biting my bottom lip in tandem with slapping my forehead.

Nerds like me (I’m kind of proud to admit that) spend their whole December making lists of their favourite albums, songs, and all the rest of it. What nerds like me don’t always admit is that there’s always that album or two that slips through the cracks.

Okay, so one or two right? Not exactly. Call it inflation. Yes, inflation. I think we can all agree that there’s too much at our disposal nowadays. Listening to music today as opposed to holding an ear to a tune fifteen years ago isn’t really the same, is it? There’s just too much out there to absorb. Unless you’re unemployed and spend every second of your day locked away in isolation.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change my top 30 (see previous posts). Nor would I tip any honourable mentions off the ship. There’s always room for more, and ultimately that’s what this post’s all about.

Without further blabbering, I bring to you albums that were lost in translation, for one reason or another:

Artist: R.E.M.
Title: Collapse Into Now
Label: Universal

The headlines regarding R.E.M. in 2011 meandered around the fact that Michael Stipe and Co. decided to call it a day. Amid the rumours, the confirmation, the tears, the interviews where every second question demanded reasons as to why the decision was made, many, including myself, forgot that R.E.M. actually released an album; a good album, too. Okay, it contained one of the band’s worst songs they ever released (‘Mine Smells Like Honey’), but this momentary lapse aside, it held up really well.

Stand out tracks: It Happened Today, Walk it Back

 

Artist: Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders
Title: Hurstville
Label: Spunk

Okay, so the dude is of a pale imitation of Nick Cave. There are worse mirrors to look into, though. “Hurstville” comes from a dark place (look no further than the title). From front to back, this album fails to let up on the misery, placing itself as one of the more impressive debut albums to come out of Australia in the more recent times.

Stand out tracks: Cold Feet, Giving Up The Giving Up

Artist: Mountains
Title: Air Museum
Label: Thrill Jockey

Why this one slipped through the cracks, I’ll never know. For the middle part of last year this was my go to album before the light went out to end the day. I guess this puts more weight behind my ‘there’s too much to listen to’ theory. In any case, “Air Museum” is probably my favourite Mountains release. They continue to perfect their art of penetrating beautiful soundscapes.

Stand out tracks: Backwards Crossover, Live at the Triple Door

Artist: Wu Lyf
Title: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
Label: Lyf

I gave this a bit of attention towards the backend of last year and didn’t think much to it. Maybe it was the space my head was in at the time, because after going back to it after the calendar turned over, the results left me smiling. They don’t sound like a band from Manchester. I see they describe themselves as ‘Heavy Pop’ (also the title of the album’s closing track). It’s a pretty good summation with few words. I can see this album occupying a lot of my time in the coming weeks/months.

Stand out tracks: L Y F, Dirt

Artist: Rustie
Title: Glass Swords
Label: Warp

With the birth of dub step, over time, a lot of sub-genres have emerged; some good, some not so good (in my opinion, anyway). I’ve always loved the darker side of dub step, as I feel the strongest fabric lies within these parameters of the genre’s origins. Rustie has made an album that mashes the dark and upbeat sides of dub step together, not to mention honing in on elements of electronic and hip-hop. Some may even say that it’s solely an electronic album, therefore throwing the above analysis out the window. Either way, the results are rather great. My head is slowly turning.

Stand out tracks: Flash Back, Ice Tunnels

 

Artist: A.A. Bondy
Title: Believers
Label: Fat Possum

I gave this album a lot of time, based on my love for A.A. Bondy’s first two albums. Initially, it left me a little cold on the doorstep. It wasn’t until I saw Mr. Bondy and his band live that things opened up for me with this album. Sometimes you need that and with this album, it was pivotal. It’s a beautiful addition to his body of work, mixing a lot of the elements that made his first two albums so different from one another, together.

Stand out tracks: Rte. 28/Believers, Scenes from a Circus  

Artist: Total Control
Title: Henge Beat
Label: Iron Lung

Despite a handful of bands, I’ve been a little disheartened with new music coming out here in Australia. I’ve only discovered this gem in the last couple of months; Total Control. Thank Christ for these dudes. I managed to see them at ATP’s Nightmare Before Xmas and they blew me away. They were even better at Laneway last week, dragging the sounds of post-punk into the now (call it post-post punk if you like). I’m not going to elaborate as to why these guys are so good. Just get yourself out there and buy this album. It’s an order.

Stand out tracks: Love Performance, One More Tonight

Artist: Toro y Moi                                                                    Title: Underneath the Pine                                              Label: Carpark Records

Continuing on from Laneway, this guy was another one that left me smiling like a fool. His two albums have gained a lot of exposure through your various media sources, but for one reason or another, the hype had always passed me by. Maybe the whole ‘Chillwave’ tag turned me off, but whatever you call this, there’s no escaping the fact that it’s hard to pin down. Soul, funk, rock, hip hop. Motown vibes on psychedelic drugs, or something.

Stand out tracks: Devina, How I Know

Artist: Bry Webb
Title: Provider
Label: Idlee Fix Records

My good friend, Sean, over at Unwelcome Opinion recently informed me that the Constantines main man had a debut album out; lost in translation, indeed. I haven’t given this too much yet, but this addition is merely covering my arse for any future posting where I name check this album, because I know I will fall in love with it. I’ve always felt that Bry Webb had an alt-country album in him, if not with the Cons then definitely on his own. I’m thrilled that he’s done it.

Stand out tracks: Asa, Undertaker

 

Artist: SBTRKT                                                                  Title: SBTRKT                                                                     Label: Young Turks

Yet another strong album that passed me by. More dub step that’s branched off into other genres, past, present and dare I say it, the future. House, soul, funk, grime, two-step, it’s all within the contents on this release. Aaron Jerome's debut draws from a rich landscape of influences, coupled with a collective of primitive and dangerous sounds that are the now. Given the exposure this album has received, it’s a little hard as to why I didn’t wake up to this beast sooner, but as they say, things happen for a reason. All in one’s time, I suppose.

Stand out tracks: Right Thing To Do, Something Goes Right

SK.