Two hours of two-chord balladry gets a bit tiresome even when paired with Chan Marshall's exquisitely smoky, fragile vocals, but it's good to see her in a relatively happy place.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
EFTERKLANG (London Barbican, 09/03/17)
Well, this was certainly far less awful than the Knife's stab at opera, even if the breathtaking operatic talent and the ambition of the arrangements were sometimes undermined by pretentious, nonsensical lyrics. A mixed bag, albeit one with more impressive moments than not.
Well, this was certainly far less awful than the Knife's stab at opera, even if the breathtaking operatic talent and the ambition of the arrangements were sometimes undermined by pretentious, nonsensical lyrics. A mixed bag, albeit one with more impressive moments than not.
THE DEARS (London Village Underground, 28/02/17)
It's strange, the dourly romantic husband-and-wife duo of Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak were one of the very first members of the mid-Noughties Canadian hype train, yet they somehow ended up forgotten in the rush. Which is a damn shame, as tonight's "pleasure/pain" set alternating new songs with old favourites was the most riveting indie-rock shows I've seen in yonks.
It's strange, the dourly romantic husband-and-wife duo of Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak were one of the very first members of the mid-Noughties Canadian hype train, yet they somehow ended up forgotten in the rush. Which is a damn shame, as tonight's "pleasure/pain" set alternating new songs with old favourites was the most riveting indie-rock shows I've seen in yonks.
THE DIVINE COMEDY (London Palladium, 21/02/17)
The Divine Comedy were the first band I ever went to see on my own back in 2004, so it was nice to finally catch up with them again thirteen years later (let's forget the time they were bloody awful in '06). In truth, my taste for grandoise, knowing orchestral pop has diminished in the intervening years, but there's no denying Neil Hannon is a master at what he does and that this was a thoroughly excellent way to spend an evening.
The Divine Comedy were the first band I ever went to see on my own back in 2004, so it was nice to finally catch up with them again thirteen years later (let's forget the time they were bloody awful in '06). In truth, my taste for grandoise, knowing orchestral pop has diminished in the intervening years, but there's no denying Neil Hannon is a master at what he does and that this was a thoroughly excellent way to spend an evening.
SLØTFACE (London Kamio, 17/02/17)
It might seem like I only listen to avant-garde jazz and Inuit throat singers these days, but I'll always have a soft spot for super-energetic Nordic pop-punk, especially when the choruses are as catchy as those crafted by the Band Formerly Formerly Known As Slutface.
It might seem like I only listen to avant-garde jazz and Inuit throat singers these days, but I'll always have a soft spot for super-energetic Nordic pop-punk, especially when the choruses are as catchy as those crafted by the Band Formerly Formerly Known As Slutface.
KRISTIN ANNA VALTYSDOTTIR (London Cafe Oto, 16/02/17)
"If you see James Bond, as I know that he lives here, please tell him this would be a good theme for one of this films." And it's hard to disagree with the former member of Icelandic glich-poppers múm, with her dark, sultry yet somewhat eccentric collection of piano balladry.
"If you see James Bond, as I know that he lives here, please tell him this would be a good theme for one of this films." And it's hard to disagree with the former member of Icelandic glich-poppers múm, with her dark, sultry yet somewhat eccentric collection of piano balladry.
THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO (London Cafe Oto, 03/02/17)
The show that made me finally "get" free jazz. Yes, it's chaotic, yes, it cares little for melody or the precious sensibilities of your typical "proper lads, proper haircuts" school of music, but somehow the wildly disparate elements, most notably Roscoe Mitchell's avant-garde saxophony meld together to form something thoroughly transcendental. A remarkable, boundary-pushing hour of music.
The show that made me finally "get" free jazz. Yes, it's chaotic, yes, it cares little for melody or the precious sensibilities of your typical "proper lads, proper haircuts" school of music, but somehow the wildly disparate elements, most notably Roscoe Mitchell's avant-garde saxophony meld together to form something thoroughly transcendental. A remarkable, boundary-pushing hour of music.
TANYA TAGAQ (London Cafe Oto, 24/01/17)
Cafe Oto have been knocking it out of the park recently with its weird and wonderful bookings, but even by their standards they triumphed with Canadian throat singer Tanya Tagaq, whose mixture of guttural Inuk vocalisations and jazz-esque improvisation resulted in an experience both entirely unique and utterly mesmerising.
Cafe Oto have been knocking it out of the park recently with its weird and wonderful bookings, but even by their standards they triumphed with Canadian throat singer Tanya Tagaq, whose mixture of guttural Inuk vocalisations and jazz-esque improvisation resulted in an experience both entirely unique and utterly mesmerising.
THE FLAMING LIPS (London Brixton Academy, 21/01/17)
Yeah, the bullshit-to-music ratio is astoundingly high, and Wayne Coyne's extended mid-life crisis continues to render him insufferable but dear Lord, it's impossible not love the unrelenting fever dream that is a Flaming Lips' show. Neon unicorns, confetti cannons, giant balloons, a metric fuckton of miscellaneous pyschedelia...and even, on occasion, some genuinely excellent songs. Plus, he only screamed "C'MON MOTHERFUCKERS" three times, which is definitely a turn-up for the books.
Yeah, the bullshit-to-music ratio is astoundingly high, and Wayne Coyne's extended mid-life crisis continues to render him insufferable but dear Lord, it's impossible not love the unrelenting fever dream that is a Flaming Lips' show. Neon unicorns, confetti cannons, giant balloons, a metric fuckton of miscellaneous pyschedelia...and even, on occasion, some genuinely excellent songs. Plus, he only screamed "C'MON MOTHERFUCKERS" three times, which is definitely a turn-up for the books.
A TRIBUTE TO DAVID BOWIE (London Brixton Academy, 08/01/17)
It's not an easy job to do justice to one of the greatest musical artists in human history, and in fairness to Mike Garson and his coterie of Bowie band alumni and guest stars, they gave it a damn good shot. But sadly poor sound, under-rehearsed numbers and too many bland vocalists overshadowed its genuinely great moments - Gaby Moreno's powerhouse "Five Years", a swaggering performance of "Diamond Dogs" and Angelo Moore's deliciously eccentric takes on "Moonage Daydream" and "Ashes to Ashes".
It's not an easy job to do justice to one of the greatest musical artists in human history, and in fairness to Mike Garson and his coterie of Bowie band alumni and guest stars, they gave it a damn good shot. But sadly poor sound, under-rehearsed numbers and too many bland vocalists overshadowed its genuinely great moments - Gaby Moreno's powerhouse "Five Years", a swaggering performance of "Diamond Dogs" and Angelo Moore's deliciously eccentric takes on "Moonage Daydream" and "Ashes to Ashes".
JEFFREY LEWIS (London The Islington, 05/01/17)
In the hands of the majority of artists, an hour-long set of incomplete or in-the-works material may have come across as self-indulgently dull - but Jeffrey Lewis ain't most artists. From ditties about Lower East Side parking restrictions to paeans to the difficulty of remembering internet passwords he continues to be one of the wittiest and charming wordsmiths around, even without his trademark comics to punctuate proceedings.
In the hands of the majority of artists, an hour-long set of incomplete or in-the-works material may have come across as self-indulgently dull - but Jeffrey Lewis ain't most artists. From ditties about Lower East Side parking restrictions to paeans to the difficulty of remembering internet passwords he continues to be one of the wittiest and charming wordsmiths around, even without his trademark comics to punctuate proceedings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)