Bristol Live // Phoebe Bridgers by Bristol In Stereo

Aug. 18 | 79

BRISTOL LIVE LIVE & NEW MUSIC MAGAZINE

PHOEBE BRIDGERS BAD SOUNDS

G O R G E O U S B U L LY

POISONOUS BIRDS

NEW RELEASES, LIVE LISTINGS & MORE 1

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Mon 20th Aug

Sun 14th Oct • SOLD OUT

Skid Row

Tom Grennan

Thur 23rd Aug

Tue 16th Oct

Wed 14th Nov

Jessie J Fri 16th Nov • 6.30pm

Beres Hammond & Sanchez

John Butler Trio

Kurupt FM

Wed 17th Oct

Mon 27th Aug

Sat 17th Nov • SOLD OUT Sun 18th Nov

The Cat Empire Elvana: Elvis Fronted Thur 29th Nov Shaun Ryder’s Black Nirvana Grape Thu 25th Oct Fri 30th Nov Darius Rucker Cast Fri 26th Oct Sat 1st Dec Sigala Heaven 17 Sat 27th Oct Mon 3rd Dec Flatbush Zombies Miles Kane Tue 30th Oct Wed 5th Dec The Feeling Young Fathers Thur 1st Nov Fri 7th Dec State Champs Fireball – Fuelling Fri 2nd Nov • 6.30pm The Fire Tour ft. Flogging Bugzy Malone

The Used Fri 31st Aug

Texas + Imelda May (Skyline Series) Sun 2nd Sep

Oh Sees Fri 7th Sep

Guns 2 Roses Fri 14th Sep

Xavier Rudd Fri 21st Sep

The Smyths Sun 23rd Sep

Jose Gonzalez & The String Theory

Toots and the Maytals Fri 19th Oct

Sun 4th Nov

Sat 29th Sep • SOLD OUT

Halestorm

Less Than Jake & Reel Big Fish

Mon 1st Oct

Mon 5th Nov • SOLD OUT

The Magic Gang Tue 2nd Oct

Glenn Hughes performs classic Deep Purple “Live” Wed 3rd Oct

Pale Waves Fri 5th Oct • SOLD OUT

Jorja Smith Fri 12th Oct • 6.30pm

Daughtry

Molly, Face To Face, Lost In Stereo Mon 10th Dec

Mabel

Tue 18th Dec

Leon Bridges

Clutch

Thu 8th Nov

Wed 19th Dec

The Decemberists

Bjorn Again

Fri 9th Nov

Fri 18th Jan 2019 • 6.30pm

MC50

Enter Shikari

Sat 10th Nov

Wed 30th Jan 2019

Killing Joke

Death Cab for Cutie

Sun 11th Nov

Fri 8th Feb 2019 • 6.30pm

Blackberry Smoke

Fun Lovin’ Criminals

Tue 13th Nov

Sun 10th Feb 2019

Rat Boy

The Dead South

O2 Academy Bristol Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 5NA • Doors 7pm unless stated

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Venue box office opening hours: Mon - Sat 12pm - 4pm

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August • 2018

01| 09 | 18

NOEL GALLAGHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HIGH FLYING BIRDS + PAUL WELLER + ORBITAL + GOLDIE & THE ENSEMBLE - THE DOWNS -

19| 10 | 18

ASH - SWX -

26| 10 | 18

BAD SOUNDS - SWX -

31| 10 | 18

WILL HAVEN - THE TUNNELS -

15| 09 | 18

ALBERT HAMMOND JR - THEKLA -

06| 11 | 18

FIRST AID KIT

- MOTORPOINT ARENA, CARDIFF -

12| 11 | 18

18| 09 | 18

GRUFF RHYS

- THE FLEECE -

17| 11 | 18 & 18|11|18 OUT

LOST HORIZONS 01| 10 | 18

DECLAN WELSH AND THE DECADENT WEST - HY - BRASIL -

- SWX -

SOLD

THE CAT EMPIRE - O2 ACADEMY BRISTOL -

18| 11 | 18

SEASICK STEVE

- MOTORPOINT ARENA, CARDIFF -

01| 12 | 18

16| 10 | 18

MY BABY

JOHN BUTLER TRIO

- THE FLEECE -

- O2 ACADEMY BRISTOL OLD

04| 12 | 18

BUFFALO TOM

16|SO10 UT| 18

IDLES

- THE FLEECE -

04| 12 | 18

- SWX -

16| 10 | 18

GLASVEGAS

- THE GLOBE, CARDIFF -

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - O2 ACADEMY BRISTOL -

A L L T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E F R O M

SEETICKETS.COM - GIGANTIC.COM

LIVE INSTORE EVENTS CAFÉ / BAR OPEN BEFORE ALL EVENTS

@ROUGHTRADE 1ST AUGUST The Spitfires FREE ENTRY

2ND AUGUST

sents: Colston Hall pre Jonathan Bree BLE TICKETS AVAILA

3RD AUGUST

Hush Mozey Beefywink, w/ Okay Leader, a tin len Va Pre BLE TICKETS AVAILA

8TH AUGUST

Deaf Havana

TICKETS AVAILABLE

14TH AUGUST

Otim Alpha & Guests TICKETS AVAILABLE

16TH AUGUST

Dead Fast Hares & Guests

17TH AUGUST

Slaves

TICKETS AVAILABLE

18TH AUGUST

Fat Lip presents

TICKETS AVAILABLE

21ST AUGUST

Our Girl

TICKETS AVAILABLE

22ND AUGUST

Bristol | Old Empire present: Full of Hell + support

TICKETS AVAILABLE

29TH AUGUST

Saba Lou Khan

TICKETS AVAILABLE

30TH AUGUST

Her’s

TICKETS AVAILABLE

VISIT ROUGHTRADE.COM FOR FULL EVENTS CALENDAR ROUGH TRADE BRISTOL 3 NEW BRIDEWELL, NELSON STREET, BS1 2QD (OPPOSITE THE LANES)

Seeing the summer out right. I’m so proud of Bristol right now. Where the warmer months are often something of a hiatus for live music beyond the festival circuit, this summer has really seen independent venues, acts and organisers keep up the heat (no kidding).

GUEST PICKS:

This month, one of the most hotly-tipped acts out of LA is Bristol-bound and of course graces our cover. Kezia Cochrane talks to Phoebe Bridgers about her first record, endless touring and how you can find your way to a music career if you simply decide not to do much else.

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W H AT ’ S N E W ?

Elsewhere, we catch up with Bath’s Bad Sounds, who release their debut this month, as well as Gorgeous Bully, back from hiatus and releasing on Bristol’s Breakfast Records, plus chats with our own Poisonous Birds on their ever-evolving guitar-electronic crossover.

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G O R G E O U S B U L LY

Stick around for recommendations from Green Man Festival and other guests, plus new releases, listings and a whole lot more.

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Loki Lillistone Editor-in-Chief Sales: loki@bristollivemagazine.com Ed-in-Chief Loki Lillistone / New Music Ed Christian Northwood / Live Ed Jon Kean / Release Ed Lor Nov / News Ed Ross Jones

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G R E E N M A N F E S T I VA L

BAD SOUNDS COVER:

PHOEBE BRIDGERS

POISONOUS BIRDS NEW RELEASES BRISTOL BECAUSE:

CROSSTOWN/THE DOWNS DEAR DICK I N C A S E Y O U M I S S E D I T:

BODEGA LIVE LISTINGS THOUGHTS:

ALL MUSIC IS ‘WORLD’ MUSIC - THE GREY AREA

book 0117 203 4040 colstonhall.org

Colston Hall loudly and proudly presents great shows in venues across the city Tue 10 Jul – Sun 5 Aug

Tue 4 Sep

Tue 16 Oct

River Town 2018

Joshua Hedley

Chatham County Line

Various venues

The Crofters Rights

Fiddlers

Wed 1 Aug

Sat 8 Sep

Wed 17 Oct

Mike Love

Tony Allen X Amp Fiddler

Baloji

The Attic

Thu 2 Aug

Jonathan Bree Rough Trade

Sat 4 Aug

Fiddlers

Mon 10 Sep

Jurassic Park in Concert Bristol Hippodrome

Fiddlers

Sat 20 Oct

Chris Ramsey Anson Rooms

Wed 24 Oct

An evening with Roddy Woomble, John McCusker & Friends

Sun 23 Sep

The Exchange

José González & The String Theory

Wed 24 Oct

The Folk House

O2 Academy Bristol

Sun 5 Aug

Thu 27 Sep

John Moreland

Ólafur Arnalds

St George’s Bristol

Bath Forum

Thu 16 Aug

Sat 29 Sep

Wye Oak

Patawawa

The Louisiana

Hy-Brasil Music Club

Thu 16 – Sat 18 Aug

Sat 13 Oct

Hoo-Ha!

Martin Simpson

Colston Hall Foyer & The Folk House

The Station

Sophie Hunger

Lisa O’Neill The Crofters Rights

Wed 24 Oct

Tunng Fiddlers

Sun 28 Oct

Mutual Benefit The Exchange

Mon 29 Oct

Mt. Joy The Louisiana

Guest Picks

This month:

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Mountain Stage - Friday Where to even begin with these Ozzies? They’ve built a discography to match the length of that name; we’ve actually lost count of the amount of albums they released in 2017 alone. The Gizz certainly aren’t a band you casually listen to either, they’re a completely immersive, sensory overload that just propels energy 8

What our pals are into this month.

Adam Stewart, Green Man

into listeners – even more so at their live shows, it’s truly infectious stuff! You can’t really pin them down to one particular genre and shape-shifting their way through psychedelia, acid jazz, folk, heavy riffs, progressive rock has quite rightly garnered wave upon wave of loyal followers. They first played Green Man in 2016, on the Far Out stage. It was a blistering, belter of a performance which is why two short years later, they’re back – this time headlining our Mountain (main) Stage. With the backdrop of the Brecon Beacons, their mind-boggling melodies and ridiculous riffs, this’ll definitely be one to remember...

Cate Le Bon Mountain Stage - Saturday Our very own Welsh queen, Cate Le Bon will always have a home at Green Man, even if she has uppedsticks and moved to the sunny streets of LA. Having this effortless ability to merge rippling guitar-pop with a post-punk edge, the subject matter may be varied, but the result is nothing short of wonderful. Expect to be absorbed into her atmospheric world of lush strings and strange lyrics. Thisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be her only festival appearance in 2018, so be sure to come and gawp at one almighty talent.

Park Motive Mountain Stage - Friday Rising Stage - Sunday Park Motive are an enigmatic five-piece hailing from Bristol. They fought off nearly a thousand bands to win our annual Green Man Rising competition, which is judged by the likes of the NME, MOJO and Moshi Moshi Records. It all means that they open our main stage on Friday. Inspired by jazz-fusion harmonies and Brazilian rhythms, expect a healthy dose of melodic, house-infused earworms, with a sprinkling of synth-pop. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Green Man Festival takes place in the majestic and nearby Brecon Beacons, 16-19th August.

YOUR

MUSIC CAREER STARTS HERE

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT DIPLOMA

GUITAR • BASS • DRUMS • VOCALS • SONGWRITING

FULLY FUNDED TWO-YEAR FURTHER EDUCATION DIPLOMA COURSES FOR 16-18 YEAR OLDS STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES UNRIVALLED CONNECTIONS TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY EUROPE’S MOST CONNECTED MUSIC COLLEGE

BIMM.CO.UK/BRISTOL

What’s New?

Fresh tales from the BLM radar with:

Christian Northwood New Music Editor

Self Esteem You might recognise Self Esteem. Her voice may have a certain power, a certain definition that feels familiar to. And if it does, you probably have heard her before. Self Esteem is the new project from Slow Club’s Rebecca Taylor, but one that propels her into a different sphere altogether. Gone are the earthy, nostalgic textures of Slow Club, and instead in their place lies electrifying pop,

with Rebecca freeing her vocals in the way she’s always threatened to. Although she’s never shied away from a huge chorus, Self Esteem finds Rebecca absolutely nailing you with hooks on the two cuts released so far. ‘Your Wife’ is driven by skittering handclaps and shimmering synths, reaching euphoric heights on the chorus, whilst new song ‘Wrestling’ hits you with distorted synths from the off, before slinking bass overwhelms everything. Both are dark, powerful pop songs, but they also show how much space Rebecca can explore with this project. Exciting, entrancing and, most importantly, catchy as hell, Self Esteem is your new favourite pop star. Wrestling

fb/rltselfesteem

Park Motive

PHOTO: ROWAN ALLEN

Calm, collected, smooth but with a pulsating heart of emotion, Bristol and London-based Park Motive is your new musical infatuation. We fell in love with the electronic project a few months ago with the release of single ‘In Movies’, an ice-cold synth-led tune that sprinkles house influence over its soulful vocals. It’s bouncy, yet subtle, with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs the nearest comparison, but finding a space wholly of its own . The band’s talents have not gone unnoticed; earlier this year they were selected to play Green Man Festival’s emerging talent competition, meaning they’ll be opening the festival. A band to keep watching as they rise.

In Movies

Loud doesn’t always mean heavy, and London’s Black Midi prove this. It’s not to say that the band aren’t a caustic, cacophonous and physical affair – they’re all those things – but there is a certain calculation to their noise. The band have become one the most hyped new acts thanks to the brilliance of their live shows, with many tipping them for great things before they’d even put a song online. Their math-influenced rhythms and looping melodies bring to mind Girl Band, but there’s an urgency and scrappiness to their sound which is refreshingly original – and a playfulness which sets them apart. Catch them in a basement near you. bmbmbm

sc/park_motive

Black Midi

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Get more new music from Christian every Monday via Tracks of the Week at bristollivemagazine.com 13

BAD SOUNDS W.

C h r i s t i a n No r t hw o o d

Last year, Bad Sounds kicked it up a gear; releasing two EPs – PHRESSSH and Mixtape One – in quick succession. Now looms their debut full-length, out this month. That’s a lot of music in a short space of time, especially for a band whose songs are as detailed and highoctane as Bad Sounds’. True to form, when I spoke to Ewan Merrett, he was just about to head off to the studio. “We can finally reveal the full Bad Sounds package,” Ewan enthuses of Get Better. The five-piece is the brainchild of Ewan and brother Callum, who’ve been blowing things 14

out the water with their flawless blend of hip-hop, funk and indie, while their live shows have become a true spectacle that few new bands even dream of. For those unfamiliar, the band’s sound is a mishmash of influences that both he and Callum absorbed when they were younger: “Me and Cal grew up in a really small town, and didn’t have anyone to show us music. So our core music knowledge is so random because it’s just from, like, random things we’ve found on the internet and obviously the stuff our parents listen to.” This is why their music jumbles up hip-hop breakbeats, Michael Jackson-esque Motown funk and Flaming Lips wig-outs so perfectly. Their obsession with music started in their bedrooms, where most of the album ended up being recorded.

“We’ve always had this thing that people pick up on, where the music’s really positive but the lyrics can be quite downery.”

“We did about 60 to 70% [of the album] back home,” Ewan explains. “Cal’s got a big space in his living room now and I used to do a lot of stuff under the stairs. It was in a shared house with the other guys from the band, but it was by the kitchen, so if you were recording and someone was making food it all got a bit weird.” Ewan explains that the band always wanted their first album to be a cohesive project “and not just a collection of like, 11 random songs,” but that the theme – “a novelty self-help book idea,” – came together naturally: “It seemed like a common thread. We’ve always had this thing that people pick up on, where the music’s really positive but the lyrics can be quite downery.”

If the album is supposed to be a self-help book, Bad Sounds gigs can often feel like cathartic group therapy, through their sheer joy and ridiculousness. Recent outings have seen the band play with giant replicas of their own heads, as well as appearing in the crowd from a cardboard box. Ewan reveals that they have even more planned for their UK tour, which sees them hit Bristol’s SWX on 26th October. “I think a visual element is such a massive thing. You’re literally going to watch something,” he explains. “That’s the way we look at it.” Through single after single, Bad Sounds have built themselves a reputation for pop-culture-y yet brilliantly relatable tales, painted in rich, technicolor pop. But for Ewan, Get Better is the chance for everyone to see a “more mature” and complete side to the band: “We’re really into albums and all the extra stuff that goes with them; being able to experiment a bit more and getting over more character. I think there’s a lot of stuff on the album that people aren’t going to be expecting,” Ewan concludes. Looks like there’s no better time to get the help you need. Get Better is out 17th Aug, with Bad Sounds playing Bristol’s SWX 26th Oct. 15

The Gallimaufry

Snazzback: OST - PI Soundtracking the number-obsessed movie

Thursday 23 August

Snazzback play afro-funk and psych-jazz with a free improv sensibility and a collaborative spirit - expanding groove driven jazz - embracing the raw, rough, untidy, cuts they are pushing the bounderies with experimental and improvised music. They are taking on the soundtrack from PI, the number-obsessed movie, which has just as powerful a musical mix of the intelligent and the insane. Aphex Twin, Autechre and Massive Attack feature in the almighty headfuck of techno, acid and breaks that leave you feeling dizzy.

thegallimaufry.co.uk 16

PHOEBE BRIDGERS

“Funny things can almost make a sad song sadder.” 18

ith a propensity for weaving the most strikingly-wistful and melancholic sonic narratives, Phoebe Bridgers has been firmly earning herself a reputation as one of the most masterful songwriters around. Her music proffers a distinct amalgamation of wry sobriety, imbuing her debut Stranger in the Alps with a certain haunting atmosphere. Talking of her sound, Bridgers is modest and straightforward: “With the record, I guess it was just me finding my style, and it just ended up being this.” That same succinctness pervades her lyrics, and speaking to her over the phone, she emanates a certain grounded serenity. “I think I’ve always been attracted to narrative songwriting, so it’s what I always wanted to do,” she shares. Delving into her writing process, she explains, “A lot of the time I write songs in blocks. So I don’t sit down and try to write a song if it doesn’t come to me or whatever. I do write a lot differently to a lot of people. Like, when I do something I try to finish it on the day, instead of writing a piece here or a piece there. They all seem to kind of come together all at once”. Within these poignant narratives is an undeniable prevalence of musings on mortality. Stranger in the Alps deals with the deaths of iconic musicians, alluding to the departures of Lemmy and Bowie from this world, as well as the

K e z i a C o c h r a n e P. D a v i d S t u d a r u s

passing of those closer to her age and more. “It happened organically as a theme,” she explains, “because it was basically over many years, from my teens to my early twenties. I think it just naturally happened that way. It wasn’t intentional.” Combining a certain brooding bleakness with a particular kind of humour is undoubtedly something that Bridgers does with prowess and ingenuity. Taking the title of the record from that famously-censored line in The Big Lebowski, Bridgers explains the choice: “I just thought it kinda sounded pseudo-poetic and I’ve always loved album titles that were. Especially if they came in a package that wasn’t funny.” This dichotomy is something that she very much channels with her own music. “I don’t think it was really intentional, but then it kind of worked, so I kept doing it,” she says of this blend of wit and melancholy that permeates the tracks on Stranger in the Alps. “I think that certain funny things can almost make a sad song sadder,” she adds. And this is certainly the case with Bridgers’ music. Getting to this point has been a slow-burning process. “I was always writing songs, even when they were really shitty, and always listening to music and going to concerts. It was always something I enjoyed, but as for making actual decisions it just started happening,” she explains.

“The thing that’s keeping me sane on tour is trying to relax and let whatever happens happen...” “But then, you know, this is the very reason I’ve been able to fully be wrapped up in it. I graduated high school and I didn’t want to go to college cause I wanted to do music, but I was kind of like hanging around and not really doing anything other than writing songs and wondering if I was gonna be able to record them. Then, I met my producer and we started recording casually – and it just kind of came together.” Over the past few years, Bridgers has toured with the likes of Conor Oberst, The National and Julien Baker to name a few, and has continued to be on the road, seemingly relentlessly. “I think routine is a really big thing for me,” she emphasises while considering how she manages touring with such frequency. “Taking a walk everyday is really nice. But I think the thing that’s keeping me sane on tour is trying to relax and let whatever happens happen. So not letting every little thing

that goes wrong make me really upset. So yeah, I think I’m getting better at it… Well, better at packing for sure,” she adds wryly. Somewhat ironically, Bridgers – an artist very much in the youth of her music career – has been touring under the banner of ‘The Farewell Tour’, something we all hope is no omen for the future. “Oh, I just thought it was funny, because so many bands I love do, like, many farewell tours and it’s really fake,” she states plainly, “I thought it was funny because it was my first tour. I love that Neil Young quote recently, like, ‘fuck a farewell tour, I’ll retired when I’m dead.’ That’s it.” Phoebe Bridgers plays Thekla on 20th August, with her fantastic debut alum, Stranger in the Alps out now via the ever-vital Dead Oceans.

Rhys Buchanan

GORGEOUS BULLY “It’s important to work with people that are going to match your effort, especially on a DIY scale.”

ince their 2011 arrival, Gorgeous Bully have come to be something of a household name amongst the DIY community. After over a year away from creating and a personnel reshuffle, they return this month with a new release on Breakfast Records: Closure. We caught up with the man behind the project, Thomas Crang ahead of the launch of the album’s lead single in Bristol this month. Naturally, Thomas is dead excited to get the ball rolling again. “It feels really good. It feels like we haven’t done anything for ages, so we’re going to try and play some more shows again, adjust a bit and then get back out there. I’m pretty stoked to be honest.” Kicking things off in Bristol feels like a natural move for the band. He says, “It seems like the right thing to do, we’ve played down there quite a bit and obviously we’ve done quite a lot with Art Is Hard as well, so we’ve got a lot of friends there. I’m also from the Southwest originally so it all makes sense.” The decision to work with more recentlyfounded local force, Breakfast Records has been good to see. Thomas says, “I knew they’d worked with our friends Something Anorak and I was just shopping around really. We wanted someone who was on the same wavelength as us. It was definitely down to the beautiful internet, really.” It seems they’ve succeeded in finding someone who shared their vision: “It’s cool to work with people who just really like the record and want to go for it. With Breakfast, you can see they’re putting their heart into it.” He continues, “It’s important to work

with people that are going to match your effort, especially on a DIY scale. Obviously it’s all about working together in a big group and Breakfast definitely have that vibe about them, they really support their artists.” The material heard on the new album had actually been bubbling away for quite some time. “Half of it was written before I released the last album,” says Thomas. “I recorded four of the tunes and thought it wasn’t going anywhere. Then I started revisiting them again and began building it up. I just did it on my own again and made it when I was unemployed; that meant it was dead cheap. It’s still kind of a lo-if record but it’s a lot more garage rock than my previous stuff.” It’s clear that, after almost a decade at it, change is a part of life. This has done nothing to dampen spirits, however. “We’ve got a new bass player and drummer,” Thom enthuses. “We’ve had a few different lineups, really. With the last one we just grew apart, I moved to North Manchester, we didn’t play shows and we stopped hanging out. It naturally felt like it was time to move on.” It was a classic case of life getting in the way: “We’re all getting to that age in our twenties when we’re starting to work more and you can’t do too much. Also, once you do it for a while a lot of people lose the buzz for it. I did for a bit, but after a year and a half out I want to get stuck in again.” Are they here to stay this time? Thomas shares, “I’ve already started writing for the one beyond this. I’m going to get a studio for the next one to get the sound up. I want to move away from the lo-fi sound and get better recordings. I don’t know yet, I’ll keep making shit, you know? Keep playing more shows and just doing it.” Gorgeous Bully play the White Rabbit, 4th. 25

Wi l l Pe r k i n s

M i k e Ab b o t t

POISONOUS BIRDS Tom Ridley has not long returned from seeing Tame Impala at Citadel Festival when I talk to him and bandmate Finn Mclean, and whilst he considers his experiences to have been tainted by “a crowd full of dickheads,” both express a passionate buoyancy as we discuss the past, the present and most importantly the future of both Poisonous Birds and the Bristol music scene. Fresh off the back of the June release of the Dirty Water EP, a follow up to enthralling EP, Big Water, containing both new material and remixes, Tom offers his reflections on the band’s journey toward recent creations: “Finn and I are from 26

rock backgrounds, but got disinterested in the classic format and more into the electronic, so we started playing with those sounds and instruments.” There is indeed a clear progression from their debut, Gentle Earth, and whilst fundamentally impressive and sonically recognisable, its frantic guitar-focussed foundation is a far cry from the intriguing and immersive experience of the two recent releases. Commenting further on the development of their sound, the band state: “Big Water felt like what we were really going for, treading that line between experimental electronic and rock music.” Although the band appear to be satisfied with the progression of their sound, they do not intend to halt this passage, posing that: “We want to keep changing. Our interests change so quickly so it can be hard to know what to do next.” Whilst

“Initially, making music, it felt like we were soundtracking a film we couldn’t see...” who of emergent bands before Tom considers their relationship with the city’s musical heritage: “We’re certainly not first generation, or even second generation of Bristol music. Portishead and Massive Attack are the originators of a certain sound, but we weren’t there, we’re hearing of it second, third, even forthhand and responding to that, so for better or for worse we haven’t taken much effort in exploring that history.”

it may appear on the surface as though the duo are somewhat uncertain about their future direction, they remain resolute upon their process. “The answer is that we’re going to keep doing whatever we want to do; we’ll know when the work is right to be a Poisonous Birds record as it’ll be a certain vibe that we feel that project represents. We definitely have a hunger to keep challenging people and what they think of the project.” Part of a collection of Bristol-based artists bubbling on the cusp of greater successes, Finn conveys a sense of both pride and excitement at the band’s place within it: “The current Bristol music scene is thriving and I think it has its own sound in the same way that Liverpool would have had in the Beatles era, which is quite special.” The pair assess their favourite local acts, reeling off a who’s

Conversation turns towards the band’s video work, specifically the intriguing and rewarding visual experience for the superb ‘Little Puzzle’, and how these aesthetics translate to their live performances: “It offers some context for where we’re coming from. Initially, making music, it felt like we were soundtracking a film we couldn’t see. But now, especially with the videos, I feel like we’re tapping into something a little less literal and something a bit more abstract. When people see us, I want them to feel like they understand where we’re coming from.” With so much already behind them this summer, Poisonous Birds promise that they’ll have even more soon, as part of their October tour, as well as teasing the arrival of a bigger body of work in the not too distant future; something we’ll have to eagerly anticipate. Poisonous Birds’ Dirty Water EP is out now via Be Softly. 27

New Releases

Records cut, pressed & out this month.

IDLES Joy As An Act Of Resistence Partisan| 31.08

IDLES came out swinging with the singles for this mighty second album, with these first cuts showing that things had moved forward in more ways than one. There was the patience, poise and unease of ‘Colossus’ and the sturdy guitardriven anthem of ‘Danny Nedelko’. One thing that remains unchanged, though, is the stern sense of meaning, whether direct or subversive. 28

It’s all too easy to envisage the sense of chaos this new batch of tracks will bring in the live environment; ‘I’m Scum’ and ‘Gram Rock’ lend themselves perfectly to Joe Talbot’s style as a frontman and the band’s playfulness on the big stage. The record’s defining moment, however, comes with harrowing track ‘June’, hearing Talbot pour his heart out around the traumatic experience of having a stillborn baby. Once again, it’s frighteningly open, honest and delivered with vivid imagery. IDLES are not ones to hide behind pretension; they’re a band for the people, their cards on the table from the word go. Joy… is a follow up that continues to fill Bristol with a sense of pride. Rhys Buchanan

BAD SOUNDS GET BETTER Sony | 17.08

Fun-loving five-piece Bad Sounds release their debut album, Get Better, this month, and it’s fair to say that this is my most anticipated album of the year. Featuring favourites such as ‘Avalanche’ and ‘Wages’ alongside the new material, the band have delved deeper into psychedelic and electronic sounds, while remaining rooted in their hip-hop aesthetic. Of the eight unheard tracks, ‘Milk It’ (featuring indiefolk duo Ardyn) stands out, encapsulating everything that makes a Bad Sounds tune great; playful lyrics, strong hooks and a buoyant beat. Get Better is a thirteen-track journey that’s one wave short of a concept album – a mature and energising debut from Bath’s finest. Amy Grace

TOMBERLIN AT WEDDINGS Saddle Creek | 10.08

Weddings are microcosms of how life goes – rituals imbued with inherent joy, full of hope and solemn, good intentions. In the congregation, however, there are people who hate each other’s guts and cynics who don’t believe it’ll last. At Weddings embodies these mixed blessings. Tomberlin joins Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy in 2018’s growing, ‘young and heart-rendingly wise’ club of singer-songwriters. The record captures what it’s like, stumblingly, to find your way in the world. It yearns, it rues, it seeks redemption. ‘Self-Help’ stands out, taking you from the melancholy of “The heart is a heavy coffin,” to the bleakly hilarious, “I used a selfhelp book to kill a fly.” Jon Kean

MITSKI BE THE COWBOY Secretly Group | 17.08

Mitski’s name should top the list when talking about female empowerment. In her songs, she’s unafraid to disclose all the ways life can break a person, and what’s more, without the need for a parade of sad, tearful tracks. Speaking only of romantic relationships being very reductive for Mitski’s multilayered lyrics, Be the Cowboy comes from a fictional place; that of a singer performing solo onstage, venting both her spleen and happiness to an indefinite entity. Such complexity she carries into the music, with fourteen tracks spanning from ballads to synth pop and indie rock, melding genres and definitions, in turn revealing all her perfect contemporary songwriting talent. Guia Cortassa 29

MUNCIE GIRLS FIXED IDEALS Specialist Subject | 31.08

Drawing more inspiration from the works of Sylvia Plath, Exeter’s Muncie Girls return with their second album, Fixed Ideals. The thirteen-track record marks an innovative progression from the band’s previous releases, bringing in a new lyrical intensity among themes of anxiety and relationships, with an embellished guitar sound. Album opener ‘Jeremy’ entwines personal

angst with social and political causes, while lead single ‘Picture of Health’ is a prime example of the infectious Muncie Girls punk that we’ve come to know and love. Highlights of the record include ‘Falling Down’ and the nostalgic ‘In Between Bands’, while the acoustic elements of ‘Hangovers’ showcase the band’s subtler talents brilliantly. Kelly Ronaldson

MASS GOTHIC I’VE TORTURED YOU LONG ENOUGH Sub Pop | 31.08

Mass Gothic appeared a few years ago with a sound that merged melody, pop and fuzzy guitars, the NYC husband and wife duo pulling together something captivating and distinctly lovable. From opener ‘Dark Window’ on their second full-length, it becomes evident that they’ve built upon this sturdy base. 30

While the tracks don’t stick in your mind for a particularly long time, it makes for a compelling listen to as a whole. There’s something insatiably cool about the way the vocals of Noel Heroux and Jessica Zambri melt together, at times becoming a conversation between the pair – hence the tongue-in-cheek album title. A record worthy of your time. Rhys Buchanan

GULP ALL GOOD WISHES E.L.K | 03.08

With its base of glistening synthesisers, coupled with the sumptuously sweet vocals of Lindsey Leven, All Good Wishes, the sophomore effort of Guto Pryce’s Gulp draws effortless connotations of summer. Far from just a sunset soundtrack, it displays masterful restraint and avoids ostentatious melodrama in its sonic pursuit. A clear departure from his work with Super Furry Animals, Pryce trades excess for intimacy, displayed on the album’s warm, neo-classical rhythmic arrangements and the lyrical sincerity of his partner Leven, with whom he has recently had a child. Ethereal throughout, without becoming lightweight, All Good Wishes reminisces upon 1980s art-pop whilst maintaining its individuality and evading cliché. Will Perkins

STILL CORNERS SLOW AIR Sub Pop | 17.08

Marking the fourth studio album from Still Corners, Slow Air opens with the beautiful and trance-inducing ‘In The Middle of the Night’, blending haunting, ethereal vocals with pulsing beats and a helping of melodic folk influence. The record transitions effortlessly between the melancholic metaphors of ‘Sad Movies’, the headspinning ambiences of ‘Black Lagoon’, and the heart-wrenching nostalgia of ‘The Photograph’, before the dreamlike atmosphere of ‘Long Goodbyes’ brings the album to an instrumental close. Where new releases are concerned, this year has been teeming with impressive, high-vibe synthpop, and the latest offering from the London duo is undoubtedly standing high among the ranks as one of the best so far. Kelly Ronaldson

TREVOR POWER MULBERRY VIOLENCE Baby Halo | 17.08

On his first record since the retirement of threealbum project Youth Lagoon in 2016, Trevor Powers creates delightfully unsettling electronic bliss that’s as fascinating as it is unnerving. No more so is this evident than on ‘Dicegame’, a synth-lead track that creeps up on you like an unreachable itch, enhanced by the Idaho native’s heavily-manipulated (yet hauntingly beautiful) vocals. Throughout, Mulberry Violence almost dares the listener to attempt escape from its sonically-unsettling allure – from the irresistible jazz undercurrents of ‘Clad in Skin’ to the bombastic, disjointed grooves of ‘Ache’ via the genuinely affecting bliss of ‘Playwright’, masterfully upholding its tonal cohesion and intrigue. Will Perkins

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THEKLA

LIVE LISTINGS The Grove East Mud Dock Bristol BS1 4RB theklabristol.co.uk | thekla.club F L theklabristol | I X theklabris

alttickets.com • gigantic.com • bristolticketshop.co.uk

MONDAY 6TH AUGUST

THURSDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

MURS

DEERHOOF TUESDAY 7TH AUGUST

DARLINGSIDE MONDAY 13TH AUGUST

SLUM VILLAGE FRIDAY 17TH AUGUST

RISING APPALACHIA SATURDAY 18TH AUGUST

KING CREOSOTE MONDAY 20TH AUGUST

PHOEBE BRIDGERS WEDNESDAY 22ND AUGUST

THE REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND SATURDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER

CHARLIE WORSHAM THURSDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER

AMEN DUNES+ CUT WORMS FRIDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER

LUNA SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER

YOUNGBLOOD BRASS BAND SUNDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER

STRIKING MATCHES MONDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER

IMARHAN TUESDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER

SOCCER MOMMY

FRIDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER

THE REZILLOS

+ DEPARTMENT S

SATURDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER

ALBERT HAMMOND JR MONDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

CATHERINE MCGRATH FRIDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER

BOSTON MANOR

+ MICROWAVE + DRUG CHURCH + WALLFLOWER MONDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER

THE NIGHT CAFE

+ CHAPPAQUA WRESTLING + PLAZA TUESDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

SPRING KING THURSDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER

TELEMAN SATURDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER

DEFINITELY OASIS TUESDAY 2ND OCTOBER

ROSS FROM FRIENDS WEDNESDAY 3RD OCTOBER

DARWIN DEEZ THURSDAY 4TH OCTOBER

OKKERVIL RIVER FRIDAY 5TH OCTOBER

THE BLACK QUEEN SUNDAY 7TH OCTOBER

HUNTER & THE BEAR

MENACE BEACH BLACK RAINBOW SOUND Memphis Industries | 31.08

From the opening hazy, harmonious reverberations and urgent, psych-tinged rhythms of the title track, Black Rainbow Sound lures you into Menace Beach’s eccentric sonic-sphere. The third record from Leeds alt-pop rockers, these tracks bear the band’s penchant for distinctively idiosyncratic melodies and beautifully cacophonous arrangements, whilst taking their sound to new territories with a full

immersion in eclectic synths and woozy electronica. ‘Tongue’ exudes a multitude of otherworldly oscillations and dark, heady distortions through which Liza Violet’s melodic, warped vocals surface, as ‘8000 Molecules’ embraces you in a lilting, dreamy daze. Enchanting and uncanny, this record is a dazzling, kaleidoscopic voyage that you’ll want to embark upon over and over again. KC

FOXING NEARER MY GOD Matador | 24.08

Between 2015’s Dealer and their latest, Foxing have gone through both extreme personal and professional fluctuations. While the band draws from the most raw and painful of life’s moments, they’ve often said that this tests the band’s sound and lyrics. On this, their third full-length album, Foxing bring more synth elements, best 34

highlighted on Tracks like ‘Heartbeats’, while still maintaining their cinematic, emo roots. On the record’s title track, the pained falsetto of singer, Conor Murphy evokes a sweeping reflection that couples the band’s progression. The record continues to pull Foxing in multiple directions, which is great for fans, but also worrying as they show more of their vulnerabilities. Albert Testani

INTERPOL MARAUDER Matador | 24.08

While it’s not ground breaking or a far departure from what we’ve come to expect from the NYC trio, they have found a way to refresh their distinct and definitive indie sound of distant, atmospheric guitars and elegantlyuninterested vocals. Interpol’s latest since 2014’s El Pintor comes off the heels of a fifteen-year anniversary tour for their seminal debut, Turn on the Bright Lights. Opening track, ‘If You Really Love Nothing’ and ‘NYSMAW’ bring the biggest step forward, sonically, with more syncopation, while ‘The Rover’ and ‘Complications’ hark back to early days of their debut and sophomore records, with driving percussion and dancing indie choruses. Albert Testani

OUR GIRL STRANGER TODAY Cannibal Hymns | 17.08

There are bands that draw you mystically into their sound. If it’s even possible, Our Girl’s is a meeting of dream-pop and aggressive shoegaze, lined with a voice that recalls the likes of Ex Hex or Sleater Kinney. Formed around Big Moon guitarist Soph Nathan, the Brightonbased three-piece stand out through their attitude, sincerity and vitality.

Stranger Today oozes band chemistry and has a rare staying power that leaves you feeling as though you could listen to it forever. It’s fierce, without tying itself to one genre or reaching for the overused. Drown in the head-bop-inducing ‘In My Head’ or the dreamy ‘I Really Like It’ for a taster of what the album has to offer. Lor Nov

ANNA CALVI HUNTER Domino | 31.08

Despite our professed superiority in the food chain, modern humans have lost so many of their instincts. We’re more adept at hunting online bargains on Black Friday than we are at catching and cooking our own dinner. And we’d let the fire go out whilst distracted by Love Island. Rather than taking the world as she finds it, Calvi seeks to shape her own existence. Her voice is visceral throughout. The bassline prowls on ‘Alpha’. ‘As A Man’ and ‘Don’t Beat The Girl Out Of My Boy’ question gender stereotypes. It’s this sense of primal energy and constant questioning of received wisdom that makes Hunter such a compelling album. Jon Kean 35

BRISTOL BECAUSE... City chat with our fave people.

Conal Dodds & Dan Chandler

presenting The Downs Festival

When did you first move to Bristol? Dan: In 2002, after graduating from Leeds Uni. My first visit to Bristol was in 2000 and it was love at first sight. Conal: 1994 – I’d been promoting gigs here from 1991, then met my future wife, Lee, at a Fleece gig in 1993. I moved here a few months later.

Who’s your top Bristol artist at the moment? Dan: IDLES. Conal: IDLES, Keir, Swimming Girls, Big Jeff (watch this space!).

What are your favourite eats around town? Dan: Chilli Daddys, Swoon, Jamaica Street Stores, ALL the Tacos. Conal: The Grace (Glos Rd), Wild Beer (Wapping Wharf) and always Brown’s.

What’s your favourite thing about the city? Dan: The way the geography of the city pushes together so many different cultures, people and points of view. Conal: The spirit, the people. Bristol is the friendliest city I know.

And your least favourite? Dan: House prices and Homelessness. Conal: Litterers, vandals and the current proliferation of very poor taggers.

What are you most excited for with The Downs coming up? Dan: Seeing 30,000 Bristolians come together for a day of music, food, discussion and drinks in one of my favourite spaces in town. Conal: I couldn’t put it better than Dan!

Crosstown presents many of your favourite gigs around Bristol every month. The Downs Festival takes place on Clifton Downs on 1st September

Dear Dick The best bad advice for your musical problems...

Dear Dick, I moved house recently and found it to be one of the single most stressful experiences of my adult life. My partner insisted on listening to rinsing jungle throughout, to fit the frantic mood, but I need some soothing music to calm my nerves...

Sarah, Strokes Croft

Moving house is as inevitable as death in this hot property climate, and just as harrowing. Shifting your whole life into unfamiliar territory brings with it pains in places you thought numb for years, which, in turn, pale in comparison to the narcissistic anguish of deciding which IKEA ‘inspiration’ image defines you. I’m sure you’d love to think you’re a HEMNES, but you’ll always be a MALM, just like everyone else. And so, moving on, here are some aprésdéménager delights to fill the bookcaseshaped hole BILLY left in your life: ‘There’s a Ghost in My House’ - R. Dean Taylor: A classic bit of Northern Soul to salve the senses. While we’re on the point,

consider yourself lucky you don’t live in the North. Granted, it is considerably cheaper, but everything is uphill and the streets are made of coal. ‘There’s a Rat in My Kitchen’ - UB40: Calming, bouncy melodies from Birmingham-based dub botherers. While we’re here, consider yourself lucky you don’t live in Birmingham. It’s all been downhill since the 80s and the streets are paved in Bourneville. ‘London Calling’ - The Clash: ...actually, maybe not.

Do you have a question? Email dick@bristollivemagazine.com 39