Delamere Forest is one of the Forestry commissions venues for their "Forest Tour" of live music from the unique location of - well - a forest. Delamere's part of the tour is three nights in June, starting on Friday 13th June with The Zutons.
Noah and the Whale are supporting the Zutons throughout all their performances of the tour, and opened proceedings. They're a band I've heard on the past, but I can't really say much more than that. Shape of My Heart, as their most recent single, was one I certainly recognised and enjoyed. Unfortunately, that was a rare event.
I consider that one of the most important things in a gig is to start the set with a strong song, that will get the crowd bouncing along to and enjoying themselves. Unfortunately, it didn't happen - and it really took a while to get going. Most of their songs are drab and dreary; and fairly toneless.
Some tunes had an enjoyable tune - but the verses just didn't get there at all (Beating a good example of this).
I don't think it was a particularly bad performance. I just didn't enjoy the music at all. Which is a shame, because we agreed that some of their finer moments were with nice complex Arcade Fire-esque orchestration. It's just we were too dreary by that point to enjoy things.
Thea Gilmore was the "special guest" at the gig, and special she certainly was - by far the best act of the evening. It was impossible to be offended by anything she sang. Simple, acoustic chants. Her cover of You spin me right round was the track over the entire evening that I'll remember for a long time. She made it for the Liverpool number 1s album (to celebrate the Captial of Culture, as she explained from the stage - great for an artist to give a bit of background information instead of just the bog standard "this is a new one"), and made it so distinctly different to the original. She takes the tune and really does make it her own (cliché I know) - the duet at the chorus (I'm afraid I don't know who she was performing with on the night) simply sublime.
I don't think Dark Sprout was looking forward to Newton Faulkner's set, given that he was originally described as "Newton Sporkner".
Still, appearances are deceptive: "Ginger guitarist in not completely shit shocker"
A more fuller update came through later: "He should have stuck to the just one guy and a guitar. When it was him and a band got a bit over blown. A lot of covers. Bit karaoke. Still the audience seems to love the ginger bastard so it's a win from that p.o.v."
Well, I prefer the acoustic sets myself, so makes sense. If a bit gingerist...
It's a case of getting straight on with the show today. There'll be plenty of introduction and waffle in my gig reviews from The Zutons and Elbow (that I'll try and write today before I forget to publish over the week) and KT Tunstall (which I'm going to this afternoon, reducing time a bit then...). So:
Black Kids are a previous TOTW, and Hurricane Jane is their latest, due out 23rd June. Nice contrast between the verse and the chorus, however, I think that the verse is a bit lacklustre and lacking in a real tune. A shame, the chorus is brilliant.
I'm going to be mention The Rascals in an album review shortly - Miles Kane of course now perhaps better known as the other half of The Last Shadow Puppets. I think it's fair to say that Freakbeat Phantom is going to be their first 'major' launch on Monday, and it's very interesting to compare it to both LSP and the Arctic Monkeys. Kane's voice is the same harshness as Alex Turner, and you can see how it amalgamates with Turner's own writings in the 'Monkeys albums to create Age of the Understatement. Similar - but different. Familiar - but original. Nice mix.
Cage the Elephant - brilliant name for a band. Ain't no rest for the wicked is out on Monday, with a wonderful twist of combining blues guitar with a funky beat. Fraser McAlpine suggests that it's a bit 90s - yes it is, but it's a good tune, so who's to moan?
You might not believe me, but Melee are not Keane. Built to Last works to try and show otherwise, which really is their downfall as a band. It's a thoroughly decent and enjoyable song. But it's almost a pure copy to me, out on July 14th.
Hazard has already talked aboutGeraldine by Glasvegas, so there's little for me to add apart from to agree with him that it's a great song, and worthy of TOTW mention, due out on the 23rd.
Can't go back(14th July release) I consider an ironic title by Primal Scream. What can't they go back to? They've been around for ages, so they are back in a way. Am I making sense? I'll shut up then, and show a couple of videos instead.
My Sunken Treasure is an interesting one. The Duke Spirit's lead singer, Liela Moss, seems to be talking her way through through the verse, but it builds very nicely into a great chorus. It's a bonus little number, and was actually released on June 9th. I blame exams for missing it before today, it's well worth being a TOTW.
Fellow LPC course mate Dark Sprout is presently down on that small island off the South coast of England for the Isle of Wight Festival. He has been very kindly providing me with text updates (21st century and all that) for the purposes of placing on this here blog.
It's certainly proved to be an interesting experiment, but, hey, I said I'd do it. All I do need to say is that if you're offended by strong language, stop reading now. I also feel that it would be appropriate to make a classic statement that you often see in publication - The views expressed in this post are those of the contributor themselves, and not necessarily those of Asp Bites as a whole. In fact, I quite like the Wombats:
Oh god the wombats are shit. Oh so shit. So very shit.
The hoosiers need a healthy dose of death.
Kt Tunstal is trying her best to get the crowd going bless her, but drunk as i am i can't help not giving a shit. Bring on the stranglers. She's not bad she's just so boring.
Mrs zuton is sex on legs. You can tell she'd be a demon in bed.
Hopefully, this post will provide Dark Sprout with the motivation required to make a full post upon his return expanding on these, erm, detailed points - and also hopefully letting us know how the Strangers actually were on the Friday night in the end as well as any other bands he can remember.
Meanwhile, I'll be able to give my own opinion on KT Tunstall after I've seen her in concert tonight - the crowd should be a very different mix so I'm optimistic she will succeed where she failed two days ago!
Yet another Wednesday, and a chance to check my myspace friend request list. A selection of people wanted me to listen to their music (get a fan base going), so that's what I did.
Some I turned off after about two notes, but I didn't with censored. Unlike most 'unsung' bands I mention, they are signed and have just (ie on Monday) released their first single on the Electric Toaster Label, called Play the Game
There's nothing wrong with it as a song, however, it doesn't really strike me as incredible stuff. I sense the same chord techniques as Thunderclap (Something in the Air), and it's fine - but that's it. Personally, I prefer some of the other tracks on their own myspace (even if I can't hear full tracks - annoying teasers). Varied styles too - In the Presence of the Lord has got strong rock roots; Lonesome Town is one of those "let's sing in an accent, tell a story" songs (but, it's far from the 'mockney' that's proliferating the airwaves at the minute), and I definitely like it and it's the stand out track for me. Apparently, NME have billed them as "the buzz band of the Midlands", which is sufficent praise for me. I can sense that if things take off, I will grow to like them more and more (I couldn't stand the Arctic Monkeys to start with, now I'm a great fan) - so on the basis that I like them more than a bit at the minute, there's hope out there.
Page 44 have also had praise from NME. "...With a barrel-load of soaring pop hooks, the foursome manage to be emotive without descending into farcial emo" is the starting point. They've won the Birmingham Carling Supports competition - against certain tough competition. Add a TV performance - but they're still unsigned. I can't help but missing something here that these guys haven't been signed after that, whilst James Blunt is so successful... (Although, if it was down to me, I'd have signed a mutilated cat above James Blunt as it would sound better, so maybe that's not much praise). Personally, I'm afraid to say it's not my cup of tea. I bit too close to rock for my liking. But, that's not to say it's not good. In fact, it's very good. It's not annoyingly predictable stuff - each song is different (so much so that I likeWith or Without You, and To Make you proud is a brilliant example of a piece changing rhythm, style, tempo - but not in a cheesy Eurovision way. So what I wouldn't but an album, I'm sure there's enough people that will. Not only are they better than that diminutive former soldier, but it really is a travesty that they're not signed. They're myspace says they're after Management and label representation. If I had the time guys, I'd be happy to help!
Finally, a request from some 'mates' of my 'friends' Air Traffic (although I have actually had a conversation with Jim Maddock, doubt he'd remember me though), it's Saturdays & Sundays. They seem to be sort-of-partially signed for their single releases, and have supported various high-profile acts, so have distinct credibility. Brilliantly, they tick my favourite box of "different". The lead single on their myspace, Smile is really innovative. The chorus is almost in a different style to the rest of the piece, but fits will and is a catchy refrain that I think will stick for a while. Another stand out track (yes, they've got more than one) is Seen the light, with a frantic quirky verse building up to a sing-along refrain - not forgetting a randomly inserted guitar solo that actually fits in well. Overall, I enjoyed listening to the entire 'album' that is a myspace playlist. Familiar enough to appeal to the masses, yet different enough not to be thrown in a box with so many other artists. Which I think is the mix everyone should be striding towards.
Occasionally, I mention a tune in TOTW that, for some reason or the other, can't actually make it for TOTW. However, it's still a brilliant track, and worth mention. When I heard Michaela Strachan you broke my heart on Jon Holmes' 6 music show yesterday though, I knew it was going to be one of those tracks. So worth a mention, I'll give it a post all of its own...
I remember hearing an interview with Roy Stride (lead singer from Scouting for Girls) a few months back, so knew about the track, but had never actually heard it. He was talking about when he'd met the Wacaday presenter:
"We had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Miss Strachan at our Brighton gig, "She came backstage and we took loads of photos and got her autograph. She was awesome, she is the TV people's princess. "No one's ever had a bad word to say about her - and she's still quite a looker!"
You have to wonder if she'd be a bit creeped out having a song about pre-pubescent crushes in her honour, but thankfully - as you'd almost expect from her TV style - she's anything but.
"I bought 10 of their albums for Christmas presents for people because I thought it was so funny," she giggles. "I'm at an age now where my friends just find it funny rather than thinking I'm completely egotistical. "At least Roy was a child when he was watching the Wide Awake Club," she continues. "I mean, there were an awful lot of adults watching it at the time and we used to get the most filthy letters. Terribly shocking!"
In some ways, it's a great shame that it's only a hidden track on the album. I'm sure I've said in the past that their single releases are now getting a bit samey. Michaela Strachan is different - it's not the most engineered or complicated of tracks, but it's a fantastic idea for a song. The line "I fancied you heaps, and so did my Dad" is inspirational; and how many songs can possibly fit in the recurring chorus "You put the meaning in Wacaday"?
However, given what the average age of SFG fans must be, they must be praised for putting it on the album in any shape or form - as Timmy Mallett's podcast proves (Wow, I never thought I'd ever be saying that phrase on this blog), they've almost certainly got no idea who Michaela Strachan is.
From interviews, and the music itself, you do get the feeling that SFG are a friendly group, fairly unstruck by fame. I think the story behind this song proves it, so I don't think anyone can really begrudge their recent success.
If Lay your love on me had appeared at the Eurovision song contest the other week, I wouldn't have been surprised. I don't think it would have won, but it's got all the necessary characteristics: dodgy dance moves, dodgy pause leading to even dodgier key change, and does sound slightly like something famous - ie. Madonna. Believe it or not though, it wasn't, and it is instead the latest single by Swedish group BWO. Swedish - that explains why it sounds like Eurovision then. Despite that, it is sufficiently catchy, and unlike the Eurovision entries is getting more than a bit of coverage over one week. Makes it more annoying than anything else though perhaps? I understand it's due for release on 28th July, which means there's plenty of time for it to get very disturbing.
What do you get if you take Warren Zevon's Werewolves of London (with the greatest opening line of any song) and the classic Sweet home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and mash them together? Well, you get Kid Rock's All Summer long, set for release on 30th June and Radio 2's most recent Record of the Week. It's taking the "copycat" that I often mention and frequently despise to a whole new level. However (there's always an "however", isn't there?), if we get a British summer, it would be a perfect tune to Barbecue to. It can put a smile on your face as you want to start singing "I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand"; and alternatively loudly shout "Sweet home Alabama!" Concerning how music can do that to you...
Talking about the "copycat", I find myself (once more) in agreement with Fraser McAlpine at Chart Blog. Bryn Christopher is a very powerful singer, and clearly one of great talent. The Quest is a very good song - dark, mysterious, retro with soul. But, if you're going to copy a song, why make it quite so obvious as the person you toured with. No doubt he's heard You know I'm no good many a time, is this proof of music implanting into a subconcious?
I've mentioned that I love Warren Zevon's lyrics - best opening line on pop music according to a Radio2 poll no less. As it's not an opening line, the latest one by the Hold Steady can't beat it in that poll - but it's still a brilliant line: "Subpoenaed in Texas, Sequestered in Memphis". I first heard the song on Roundatable (it got a respectable score); but in the past week it's been the Pick'n'Mix winner on RadMac, bringing it to my attention once more.
Sequestered in Memphis does sound dramatically like Bruce Springsteen, but if you read my main blog you'll see why those lyrics, it was an inevitable TOTW. It's available for download now.
That's it for 'new' tracks on the shortlist this week - probably expected after the monster number last week. Thankfully, there's already at least one that I'm confident will be mentioned next week - but you'll notice that there's only 1 video so far.
So, I'm left looking back to last week's huge list - what's still been playing and is worth mention. There's a few, for sure - Chick Lit (We are Scientists) and Cross your fingers (Laura Marling) for instance. But what's definitely still around and still sounds great is this:
Julian Velard is, perhaps, cut to a similar mould of Jack McManus and Adele and the others from the Brit School. Certainly Jack McManus - big piano influence here too (see TOTW15 for McManus' own piano banging). The key difference though is that Velard is a yank - coming over from a Brooklyn fame school instead. Jimmy Dean and Steve McQueen, available now for download and hard release on the 16th June, does show that the American's music does match the UK music scene (perhaps more so than his native one?), is nicely worked so it's not purely simple - but memorable enough. Certainly a talent to keep an eye on.
Finally, as this is the first TOTW of the month (although it does seem like it's been June for ages), time to pick a "Last Chance" track from May. A wide selection of tracks, and any one of a number could have made it. Thankfully, I don't have to justify why I picked one over any other, as it's my blog - so here's Sir Ian McKellan: Guillemots - Falling Out Of Reach
Asp's Musical Bites is the offspring site of Asp's Bites. Tunes of the Week: Every weekend, Asp looks at songs that are getting radio airplay and from a shortlist of good songs, picks two songs to be the "Tunes of the Week". All of these songs, along with one tune a month as the 'last chance track' go forward to the "Tunes of the Year" run down at the end of the year See the Tunes of the Week from 2008 See the Tunes of the Week from 2009 Unsung: Once a fortnight on a Wednesday (plus occasional special issues), discover some talent that you may not previously have heard of - unsigned, foreign, as long as they're unknown and are worthy of some wider praise. Asp selects the tracks once a month, a variety of guest bloggers assist on the other week to ensure a broad spectrum is obtained Music Year of the Week: The Top 5 best selling singles (not necessarily the best in anyone's opinion) of a certain year. Features: Album reviews, Gig reports, and a range of other feedback from the full team at Musical Bites
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