Bristol Live // Oro Swimming Hour

BRISTOL LIVE LIVE & NEW MUSIC MAGAZINE

OLIVER WILDE & NICHOLAS STEVENSON’S

ORO SWIMMING HOUR Jul. 17 | 66

ELDER ISLAND NEW RELEASES

JOYCE MANOR

LIVE LISTINGS & MORE 1

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Tue 4th Jul • £22 adv

Fri 29th Sep • £18 adv

+ Dave Hause and The Mermaid

+ With Confidence + All Get Out

Gogol Bordello Sat 8th Jul • £15 adv

Revolution: Bristol Pride Afterparty

Feat. Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon + Horse Meat Disco

Wed 2nd Aug • £20 adv

Mayday Parade

Sat 30th Sep • £24.50 adv

Machine Gun Kelly Wed 4th Oct • £17.50 adv

Loyle Carner

Thu 5th Oct • £22.50 adv

New Found Glory + ROAM

Bad Religion

Fri 6th Oct • £22.50 adv

Thu 3rd Aug • £6 adv

Wed 11th Oct • £35 adv

+ Gnarwolves

YES LAD

Sun 6th Aug • £18 adv

Kate Nash

Sat 12th Aug • £22.50 adv

Thu 12th Oct • £10 adv

Fireball - Fueling the Fire

Sublime with Rome

Reel Big Fish + Anti-Flag, Mad Caddies + Sweet Little Machine + more

+ General Roots + Stick figure + Matt Stocks (DJ Set)

Fri 13th Oct • £28.50 adv

Sat 26th Aug • From £12 adv 10pm-5am • over 18s only

Wed 18th Oct • £16 adv

Tower Of Power

Fri 1st Sep • £12 adv

Sat 11th Nov • £21 adv

Airbourne

Tue 14th Nov • £29.50 adv

Happy Mondays + Jon Dasilva Thu 16th Nov • £22.50 adv

Insane Clown Posse + Mushroomhead

Nelly

Dru Hill feat. Sisqo, 112 & Ginuwine

Mura Masa

Wolf Alice

Fri 17th Nov • £27.50 adv

DJ Shadow

Breakin Science

Wed 8th Nov • £19 adv

Sun 19th Nov • £22 adv

Newton Faulkner Tue 21st Nov • £28.50 adv

Opeth + Enslaved

Wed 22nd Nov • £19.50 adv

PVRIS

Sat 25th Nov • From £14.90 adv 10pm-3am • over 18s only

Festival Of The Dead Fri 1st Dec • £16.50 adv

Mon 23th Oct • £16 adv

MØ + Skott

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

Guns 2 Roses

Wed 25th Oct • £22.50 adv

Mon 4th Dec • £22.50 adv / £85 VIP

+ Metallica Reloaded

W.A.S.P.

Wed 6th Sep • £27.50 adv

Sat 28th Oct • £18.50 adv

Tue 5th Dec • £12.50 adv

Bristol Bank Holiday Special

The Psychedelic Furs

Sleaford Mods

+ Nachthexen

Scouting For Girls LANY

Fri 15th Sep • £12 adv

Sun 29th Oct • £16.50 adv

Wed 13th Dec • £27.50 adv

Katchafire

Fish

Fri 22nd Sep • £13 adv

Mon 30th Oct • £19.50 adv

Thu 14th Dec • £24 adv

Little Dragon

Shed Seven + Cast

Mon 25th Sep • £27.50 adv

Wed 1st Nov • £18 adv

Fri 15th Dec • £19.50 adv

Bush

J Hus

Tue 26th Sep • £24 adv

Thu 2nd Nov • £25 adv

The Velvets

The Smyths

Sparks

Thu 28th Sep • £15 adv

Sundara Karma + The Magic Gang

Purple Rain A Celebration of Prince

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Thu 21st Dec • £21.25 adv

Tue 7th Nov • £15 adv

Fri 19th Dec • £17 adv

Oh Wonder

The Twang

Motionless In White

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

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July • 2017

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PARQUET COURTS, P12

Doing things differently.

It’s always a nice surprise to witness established acts in Bristol branching out into something different. Oro Swimming Hour is a brand new project involving Oliver Wilde and sees the songwriter teaming up with Nicholas Stevenson to produce an album of magnificent depth.

BLM alum Rhys Buchanan returns to chat to the pair about the importance of impulsivity (and focus) when it comes to songwriting.

Keeping things close to home, Megan India talks to Bristol-based three-piece Elder Island ahead of their festival appearances this summer. Producing glimmering, beat-driven electro-pop with an R&B twist, it’s only a matter of time before they bust out of Bristol.

Elsewhere, Jon Kean chats to emo heroes Joyce Manor, who head to Bristol this month to play a co-headline show with our faves, Martha.

Plus, Fat Lip Fest pick out the acts they’re most excited about for this month’s event, PMT answer some quick-fire questions about their favourite things to do in the city and finally, we ask the age-old question: is our obsession with rare, limited edition vinyl unhealthy?

Sammy Maine Managing Editor

Sales: loki@bristollivemagazine.com Ed-in-Chief Loki Lillistone / New Music Ed Christian Northwood / Live Ed Mustafa Mirreh / Plus many more in print and online.

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PICKS WITH: FAT L I P

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W H AT ’ S N E W ?

12

ELDER ISLAND

15

BRISTOL BECAUSE: BAZ, PMT BRISTOL

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COVER: ORO SWIMMING HOUR

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JOYCE MANOR

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NEW RELEASES

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

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LIVE LISTINGS

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THOUGHTS: RARE VINYL

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laure noverraz PHOTOGRAPHE

L i v e • S t u d io • L o c a t io n

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PORT FOL I O / CONTACT noverrazlaure@gmail.com LaureNoverrazPhotographe

Experienced photographer & photojournalist in the heart of Bristol.

Rates to suit any project, event or artist.

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Guest Picks

w/

Guests:

Young Guns

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What our pals are into this month.

words by: Ian Chadderton, Founder.

Bierkeller (Fireball Stage)

years, seen them countless times and I am so excited to bring them back to Bristol to headline the Fireball UK Stage at The Bierkeller.

Fat Lip Fest is finally approaching at the end of this month. It’s been a long time in the making and a lot of hard work, but it’s going to be an amazing day for sure!

It’s very difficult for me to pick just a few bands off our carefully curated line-up, but I’d say my first pick is definitely Buckinghamshire five-piece Young Guns.

I’ve been a fan of the band for many, many

Their fourth album Echoes, out on Universal, is absolutely amazing – the song ‘Bulletproof’ is a personal favourite, but most people will remember the band for their huge rock anthem ‘Bones’, released back in 2012. Expect the band to fill up the Bierkeller with some gigantic guitar tones, anthemic singalongs and all-round stadium-ready presence.

Holding Absence The Lanes (Adnams Stage) This band are going to be huge and they’ve achieved more in the last six months than most bands do in years. Their emotional post-hardcore noise is amazingly sincere, catching attention from across the globe, as well as love from Radio 1 and major festivals such as this year’s Download.

They recently signed to Sharptone Records (Don Broco, We Came As Romans, Attila, etc) where they’ve released two singles, ‘Permanent’ and ‘Dream Of Me’. It’s an honour to have them on the lineup – make sure you check them out!

Luke Rainsford The Lanes Courtyard (Alvarez Stage) I think this singer-songwriter is one of the heroes of the UK pop punk scene, singing openly and honestly about anxiety, broader mental health issues and, yes, having his heart broken. His sophomore album I Feel At Home With You, out on Scylla Records, feels incredibly intimate, and upon seeing him live, you immediately feel how much his lyrics mean to him. FFO: City & Colour, Moose Blood or The Front Bottoms.

Fat Lip Fest takes place around Nelson Street on 29th July.

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What’s New?

Fresh tales from the BLM radar with:

Christian Northwood New Music Editor

Saudade Sisters Music can often seem so fleeting. Songs disappear almost as fast as they flourish, leaving only half memories in the heads of those who listened.

The debut EP from duo Saudade Sisters, Wrong Ones, defies this. The project was born not from the intense heat of individuals spending every second together, but instead the gulf between joint vocalist and musicians Jena Pyle and Claire Morales. Wrong

Ones took shape after Pyle moved to Seattle from Dallas, meaning the pair were a couple of thousand miles apart.

Over the next year and a half they traded snapshots of songs; intricate, delicate compositions that seep the Southern heart of Texas and DIY sensibilities of Seattle. Pyle and Morales’ vocals pair perfectly, one dramatic and soulful, the other ethereal and ambient. The standout track, ‘Where You Are’, blends the pair’s voices over a simple 50s-style pop song, albeit one that you can imagine being performed on the stage at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks.

The rest of the EP is just as wonderful and captivating – out now via Sports Day Records.

Where You Are

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saudadesisters.bandcamp.com

Harvey Causon

PHOTO: ROWAN ALLEN

Hailing from Bristol, Harvey Causon’s voice is the first thing that hits you; hurt beyond his years, it possesses a deep, emotive quality that few ever master. Combined with his soft, glitching electronica, it’s clear that Harvey is a pop talent blossoming slowly. His first EP, Introspect is bursting with raw ideas, swinging from tender guitar songs like the dulcet, tender tones of ‘Systems’ to pulsating, ambient R&B on intro track ‘Alliance’.

The record is an established introduction to an artist falling into his groove; who knows how big he could be when he locks into it.

Alliance

The summer months demand a certain kind of music. In winter you may be content with brooding post-punk, maybe some spacey R&B, or even sludgy grunge to pair with a thick blanket and a hot cup of tea, but summer needs a lighter touch, perfect for swigging cans with your pals. Thankfully, Bournemouth four-piece San. Marlo have got it covered – the band’s brand of shimmering, sunkissed guitars and joyous choruses will provide the perfect soundtrack to those light evenings. Soak up their stellar debut EP Un while the sun is still out.

Dreaming

harveycauson.bandcamp.com

San. Marlo

sanmarlo.bandcamp.com

Get more new music from Christian every Monday via Tracks of the Week at bristollivemagazine.com 11

Elder Island W.

Megan India

Electronic pop trio, Elder Island, create rich tracks of escapism, uniting beats and enduring, soulful vocals....

They’ve had radio plays from Giles Peterson, toured with Glass Animals, and after two EPs, April saw the release of their spacey new single ‘Welcome State’. We discuss their unique recording process, their live performance, and the tricky art of successful remixes.

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Katy Sargent and Luke Thornton are discussing the magic of traditional radio, Thornton retelling the story of overhearing his mates listening to Elder Island in the kitchen, and being excitedly told ‘it’s on Tom Robinson right now!’ As reward for their three years of hard work, he’s “never had a feeling like it.” He explains their

Beyond maintaining momentum, this method gives what Sargent describes as their “most raw, quintessential moments.” It’s also the perfect breeding ground for spontaneous ideas, with their demos revealing little intricacies that can be used in different tracks. Thornton explains: “Like ‘The Big Unknown’, with the ticks. They just happened in that moment and we’re like ‘we love that!’

Let’s never lose that.’”

This organic method extends to the lyrics, with Sargent telling her bandmates that “it’s kind of about this” as ideas bubble forth. They’re then able to follow her key, adding beats to “caress” her vocals and the song’s meaning. With ‘Welcome State’ this meant an increasing delicacy to the song, reflecting lost youth and the nostalgic familiarity of family. Still, meaning is all about perception. Fans thought ‘Black Fur’ was about sex or drugs, when actually the lurky aspects of the song referred to Sargent’s household cat.

distinct recording process, involving hours of uninterrupted jamming followed by a careful teasing out of key sounds: “We’ll cut it up, and then weeks down the line we’ll replay it. It’ll then progress in its own way. It’s all about trying to capture what we had in the moment.” With ‘Bamboo’ taking over nine months to perfect, even once the track is down there is still a lot of tinkering.

“Dave [Harvard] will put in a drum pattern, he’ll spend an hour on that, and I’ll take it and say ‘ooh that’s not right’, and I’ll mess around with it, then he’ll do the same.

There’s lots of pass the parcel!” Thornton says.

Elder Island have another single on the way, plus a video and two new remixes for ‘Welcome State’, one being an electronic and glitchy reworking from Indian artist Sandunes, and the other an upbeat, house track from Kalyde.

With the original being a slow 95 bpm, they discuss the delicate process of finding a remix in keeping with their taste. Sargent describes this process as a painting being passed between artists of different styles – an impressionist, a cubist and so on – while insisting against Thornton’s playful jibes that this is not a good analogy...

Elder Island play Samphire Festival on 8th July and Farmfest on 28th. ‘Welcome State’ is out now (Metropolis/Four Thieves) 13

plus special guest

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We take great pride in our city.

BRISTOL BECAUSE...

City chat with our fave people.

PMT Bristol’s

Baz Barratt Who’s your top Bristol artist at the moment?

And your least favourite?

Abort Abort, a two-piece playing downtuned stoner rock! They mix loop pedals with synths and Kaoss pads to create a dance element alongside the heavy rock sound. Refreshingly original.

Unfortunately with the growing popularity of Bristol comes the growing cost of living. Locals who have lived here all their life are being pushed out and that’s not good. It’s these people who have made Bristol the city it is now.

How would you describe the music scene here?

What are your favourite eats around town?

Once you live here you realise Bristol has a very eclectic music scene. Well-known for it’s trip hop but it also has a big metal / rock scene with a good mix of dance thrown in. Whatever your music taste, Bristol will accommodate it somehow. I love it.

I spend many hours in The Old Bookshop where you can’t beat a great burger and pint while watching a band.

What’s your favourite instrument in the the store at the moment?

Although I’m a big Gibson fan, one of my fave guitars here at the moment is the new Fender American Pro Strat!

They’ve done a great job with this new Bristol is a very laid back city which is why model to keep the sound and playability most people who come to live here, stay here. But, from music to politics, Bristolians authentic to the original, plus we have have never been afraid to stand up when it one in antique olive with a maple neck…

It looks awesome! matters. We take great pride in our city.

What’s your favourite thing about the city?

PMT have been serving Bristol’s musicians for over seven years, find them on Rupert Street.

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ORO SWIMMING HOUR Words: Rhys Buchanan P h o t o s : Tr i s t a n M c D o n a l d

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WE DON'T OVER-ANALYSE IT AND WE DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING OF IT...

Oro Swimming Hour are a duo making

ways,” Stevenson explains. “The music that propels the soul. Oliver Wilde recording was a way has become a distinguished force for his of documenting us playing these songs. own solo output, but he’s had another Some of them have project waiting to surface with Londonbeen around for a based musician (and children’s book long long time. We just artist) Nicholas Stevenson for a decade. wanted to play them again.” Wilde agrees, adding, “We’re not trying to sound like Now, they’re about to drop their debut anything. We actually just really like album Penrose Winoa on Art Is Hard each other’s music. That’s been the and it’s a real beauty. main influence – each other.”

The project derives from a friendship The songs of Oro Swimming Hour which brought the pair back to their are given life by simplicity, and there early days as musicians. Nestled into are certain rules in place to ensure a table in the Friska café, Wilde says, their minds don’t wander too far “This whole project is very nostalgic. from the original concept. “From the It’s that old thing of staying up all very first one we said we could only night in a room writing songs and have so many guitar and vocal tracks making a little record just for the fun and one extra thing,” Stevenson of it. There isn’t much more to our explains. Wilde agrees and says this approach than that. It’s just short helped them hone their sound. “The bursts. It’s very quick and instinctual. limitations make it more important We don’t over-analyse it and we to make the melodies stand alone don’t expect anything of it. We’re and the tunes and the words. It’s not precious around takes. I think very exposed and it can’t really hide that’s the best way to highlight it, it’s behind anything,” he says. nostalgia towards when you started out.”

Just like any mates hanging out together late at night, they often end There are no conventional influences up showing each other random things behind Oro Swimming Hour. They on the internet, which consequently thrive off each other during these influences their musical output. “We intensive bursts of writing. “It definitely started out as more of an excuse for us to hang out in many

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knew we wanted to have a voice for this project which was different to the voices that we use alone,” Wilde continues. “Obviously it’s still personal in the sense that it’s coming from us. We spend a lot of time finding weird stories and things online. It’s amazing what kind of inspiration you can find in the depths of YouTube.” Stevenson nods in agreement, “We’ve been looking at stuff that we find interesting and have been weaving narratives around that,” he says. “We’ve been using the language of really alien subject matter, which made the lyric writing quite a process really.”

The minimal recording process is a huge part of the sound. “It’s more pop-focused than other stuff we’ve done. We describe it as having to view it through a dirty window because the production is so basic,” Stevenson continues. “We can have these big pop ideas but they’re slightly obscured in a way by the whole process.” That murky window is also added to by the fact some songs were even recorded at a kitchen table. “We told people in the shared houses that they could still talk and make noise. A lot of that ended up on the record.”

Wilde suggests that these ended up as a sort of time capsule, describing the pair’s process as “documenting a certain moment.” “If there’re other things that happen to be within that moment, like somebody being in the room with us then we’re not opposed to that being on the recording,” he

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says. “We love old lo-fi stuff where there’s background noise, you get a feel for the space that it’s being made in.”

The duo’s dynamic and their impulsive approach has resulted in an established first release.

Stevenson commends Wilde’s work ethic: “I’ll do a three-hour drive from London and step through the door and he’ll chuck the guitar straight at me.” Wilde laughs, adding “Yeah there’s no ‘do you want a cup of tea’, we’re starting as soon as you get through the door. It’s like a tension that builds up when we’re talking about getting together.

Suddenly all these budding ideas start to come out and you’ve got five new tracks.”

This endeavour is without pressure though, as Wilde explains that he’s happy with whatever happens.

“There is power in the fact that I would have been quite happy if this record was just on my computer forever and nobody ever heard it.

I’m happy that people are willing us to share it with other people. It’s magical. We have no expectations. If we end up touring the world off the back of it then what a bonus but if it sits on my shelf forever then I will be happy with that too.”

Oro Swimming Hour play At The Well on 21st July. Their debut album Penrose Winoa is out on 28th July via Art is Hard records.

THAT'S BEEN THE MAIN INFLUENCE ...EACH OTHER.

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O CTO B E R

D R I F T

W W W. O CTO B E R D R I F T. C O . U K

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w: Jon Kean p: Dan Monick

R O N A M E C JOY W

hen Joyce Manor’s 2016 release, Cody, weighed in just short of a mighty twenty-five minutes, they were in uncharted territory. With the influence of producer Rob Schnapf, a de facto fifth band member for the duration of the album, it was almost a double-LP compared to 2012’s bijou Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired.

Not only did the album occupy the listener’s attention for longer, but it also reflected a much lengthier recording process, as singer and guitarist, Barry Johnson explains: “It was the first 22

time we really used the studio to our advantage. I felt like I could get a better grasp on what we could do. We always recorded like a punk band – go in and lay ‘em down! Just get good takes! – and this time we tried a lot more.” The usual ten-day blast gave way to a two-month gestation, and an evolved sound that Johnson describes as “power-pop, with some indie and emo influence,” a gentler, steadier tone. Joyce Manor suddenly seemed less restless, more contemplative and more comfortable in their own skin. At four whole minutes, ‘Stairs’, was greeted with borderline

disbelief, but could well indicate the shape of tracks to come. Johnson attributes the expansiveness to, “not listening to as much punk at that point in my life, as well as the influence of working with a producer.”

“I dunno if our fans were ever super punk… These days, it’s totally normal for a guy in a CroMags t-shirt to be listening to Carly Rae Jepson.”

Sonic innovation is the necessary metamorphic risk that bands have to take. When asked whether the die-hard punk aficionados had got on board with the new sound, Johnson mused: “I dunno if our fans were ever super punk… These days, it’s totally normal for a guy in a Cro-Mags t-shirt to be listening to Carly Rae Jepson. On the other hand, I think if Cro-Mags started sounding like Taylor Swift, people might be scratching their heads.” Thus speaks a man with no qualms about covering The Buggles’ ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’.

Age may be just a number, but threequarters of the band turning thirty in quick succession marks yet another milestone for Joyce Manor. Johnson rates being thirty as, “Not too bad, actually.” “I feel a lot more comfortable being myself, which took a lot longer for me than I think it does for most people,” he continues.

“I have mellowed over time. My life isn’t that different from when I was twenty-two, except I go out less. Maybe going out less is reflected in the music.”

The opening track on Cody, ‘Fake ID’, espouses cynicism towards the emptiness of many of the social interactions around which we build our own fake identities.

I asked how often their line, “What do you think about Kanye West?” had been repeated back to him recently. He smiled wryly: “I’ve been asked ‘How sick of it are you?’ or ‘How many times have you been asked?’ even more. I think he has some great songs. He was impressive when I saw him live. The lyric works because everyone has an opinion of him.”

Alongside making introspective songs about loneliness, Joyce Manor are still consummate shit-stirrers. The album cover is a photo of a red-eyed, badass-looking dog, glowering at the camera whilst gnawing a disembodied mannequin’s head. I asked how they could possibly follow that up: “Gotta find a better photo next time. It’s going to be a challenge!” Johnson sounded more than ready for that quest.

Bringing their ethos of, “Strong tune, serious feeling”, Joyce Manor visit the UK and Ireland this month, with their penultimate show at the Exchange on the 13th. “This is our third tour of the UK. Audiences are great and remind me a lot of the American crowds, except they’re often more interesting to talk to.” Johnson rates their finest-ever gig as “Melbourne, 2013, at the Gasometer. It was the perfect blend of a chaotic show and us playing insanely well.” Perhaps we can rustle up some Bristolian chaos and help them top that 2013 experience.

Joyce Manor play Exchange on 13th July. Their album Cody is out now 23

TUE.04.JUL.17

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THU.28.SEP.17

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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

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SATURDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER

SATURDAY 1ST JULY

FLORALYN GEORGE

GOLDRAY + RAPTOR

TUESDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER

MONDAY 10TH JULY

PAUL KELLY

PIERCE BROTHERS

WEDNESDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER

MONDAY 3RD OCTOBER

GIRLPOOL

GAVIN JAMES

+ IAN SWEET

THURSDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER

WEDNESDAY 12TH JULY

SAN CISCO

WILL HOGE + HANS CHEW

SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER

ALVVAYS

FRIDAY 21ST - SUNDAY 23RD JULY

BRISTOL HARBOUR FESTIVAL

FREE ENTRY

SATURDAY 5TH AUGUST

HIT THE DECK ALL DAYER

WEDNESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH THURSDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER

THE MAINE

TUESDAY 8TH AUGUST

LUCKY CHOPS

SATURDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER

JARET REDDICK

SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST

BOO SEEKA

SUNDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

THE VEILS

SUNDAY 20TH AUGUST

LONELY ROBOT

MONDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER

+ TILT

JAKE ISAAC

MONDAY 21ST AUGUST

TIMBER TIMBRE

SOLD OUT

FRIDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER

PAUL DRAPER

+ ESTRONS

THURSDAY 24TH AUGUST

RYAN HAMILTON & THE TRAITORS + FORT HOPE

MACMILLAN FEST 2017 SUNDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER

SUNDAY 27TH AUGUST

ART IS HARD PRESENTS: HARDLY A PARTY WEDNESDAY 30TH AUGUST

MO PITNEY

SATURDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER

+ FRANKIE DAVIES

AQUILO THURSDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER

TOM GRENNAN FRIDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER

VAN ZELLER + LEECHES + MILO’S PLANES

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New Releases

Records cut, pressed & out this month.

Broken Social Scene Hug of Thunder 07.07 | City Slang

Lead single ‘Halfway Home’ proved that, after a seven year hiatus, Canadian uber-group Broken Social Scene haven’t lost their touch.

When the title track followed, with lead vocals effortlessly piped by original member Leslie Feist, we knew we were in for something special, and on record, the softlysung track is a respiteproviding island amongst the soaring anthemics of the group’s fifth offering.

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Elsewhere, the hooks are real, but interestingly, de facto frontman Kevin Drew’s vocal presence is reserved compared to previous releases.

But it works, and results in two things: familiar, soaring indie anthems, but a much deeper group dynamic. From pounding guitar-fest ‘Vanity Pail Kids’ to harmonic call to action in ‘Protest Song’ – a frenetic offering featuring notable long-term member Emily Haines. In total, 15 performers are on this record. Too many cooks?

No. The broth is bubbling, heavily-accented with songs that jive from an electric spice to the downright palette-cleansing. But a final thought: it’s worth admitting this record isn’t caught up in progression. Instead, it gives long-term fans a record worthy of their devotion. Andy Price Protest Song

brokensocialscene.ca

ORO SWIMMING HOUR PENROSE WINOA Art is Hard | 28.07

Oro Swimming Hour is the enigmatic combination of prolific songwriter Oliver Wilde and children’s book illustrator (and musician) Nicolas Stevenson. In just five short days the duo recorded Penrose Winoa – a wholehearted and genuine collection of concise pop songs that mingle and warble intermittently with beauty and tender vulnerability.

The record as a whole hums within its audible nebula, glowing within its analogue format as each voice and instrument floats with spontaneous idiosyncrasy.

With each direction they take being so singular, it’s impressive how pragmatic and well-balanced a record it is. A seamless spirit runs through its structure almost as if a guiding light for us to follow. Ross Jones

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART THE ECHO OF PLEASURE Painbow | 14.07

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s 2017 offering abounds with the joys of being 1990 at heart. Kip Berman’s fourth release evokes 2009’s self-titled album in its shoegazey, happy-daze jangle, whilst reprising strong electronic elements from 2011’s Belong. Made when Berman’s wife was six months pregnant, The Echo of Pleasure reverberates with the fullness and happiness of love suggested by the title, yet the echo of pleasure can also be a fearfully fading one, anticipating a life change.

‘The Garret’ is Echo and the Bunnymen filtered through Bizarro-era Wedding Present, ‘Anymore’ is James done MBV-style, while ‘So True’ is a gorgeous gumbo of Saint Etienne and New Order. Jon Kean

CHILDHOOD UNIVERSAL HIGH Marathon Artists | 21.07

A few years ago, you’ll remember Childhood as one of those hotly-sold summer bands who were going to be absolutely huge. Although off the back of their strong debut album Lacuna, they seemed to be somewhat unfairly overlooked.

Now with the follow up they’ve bounced back and built upon the sound we first enjoyed; slickly produced and with some genuinely refreshing, soulful sounds going on.

It’s a record which is happy to move at its own speed and take it steady.

The band are very much playing the indie-guitar-band-withpsych-sensibilities card, so the question is, will it stand out in the current musical landscape?

Rhys Buchanan

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WAXAHATCHEE

8-Ball

OUT IN THE STORM

waxahatcheemusic.com

Merge | 14.07

Katie Crutchfield’s Waxahatchee has always dealt in serene beauty. While her fourth album Out In the Storm still glimmers with an air of tranquility, it’s always fleeting. This album is driven by constantly shifting forces.

The opening pound of ‘Never Been Wrong’ is a jagged exorcism, all wide-eyed and lashing tongues while ‘Sparks Fly’ is a tightly wound bundle of excited freedom. Elsewhere ‘8-Ball’ beats with a heart of glass, gigantic and glistening before ‘Fade’ quietly reflects on distances travelled.

Throughout the record, Crutchfield tears the painting from the frame and scrawls over it with red, purple and black. Fragile turns to fearless. Beauty a participation sport. There’s no desire to maintain the way things used to be, this is a record about the new and the undiscovered past. In the thick of it Out In The Storm sees Waxahatchee explore getting lost with other people while trying not to disappear completely. Both require leaps of faith into the unknown and there’s a pause to collect before every movement onwards. Luckily there’s a raging fire guiding the way forward. Ali Shutler

THIS IS THE KIT

Hotter Colder

MOONSHINE FREEZE Rough Trade | 07.07

The fourth album from former Bristol resident Kate Stables and her band, a.k.a. This Is The Kit, is their debut label release for Rough Trade and is a slightly more polished affair than Stables’ previous output. Production from PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish helps bring a timeless studio sheen to the band’s soothing style of folk rock.

Moonshine Freeze manages to allude to both the traditional and the modern without sounding outdated or boring.

The album is not a radical departure for the laid-back band but it still oozes warmth despite the album’s cold title, 28

thisisthekit.co.uk

especially with Stables’ comforting voice and the summery instrumentation on the more upbeat tracks, such as ‘Hotter Colder’ where flourishes of almost African guitar and saxophones bring the song to a close.

The album was inspired by moonlit nights and, while there is a lullabylike quality to a lot of the songs, this is a record to be appreciated at all times. Stables’ music has the quality of being both simultaneously relaxed and captivating. Moonshine Freeze is a welcome addition to her already impressive back catalogue. Tim Ellis

LUCY ROSE SOMETHING’S CHANGING Communion Records | 14.07

Lucy Rose has built a musical career weaving tender tales of heartbreak through her trusty guitar. Her third effort, Something’s Changing, follows in a similar vein, but her homegrown harmonies can only carry her so far.

While ‘Is This Called Home’ and ‘Find Myself’ show glittering shreds of ambition, they quickly deviate back to the cosy acoustic formula.

As far as singer-songwriters go though, this is a raw record, with last track ‘I Can’t Change’ providing a stunning finish through lyrics drenched in universal truths. The crushing irony of this record is that despite the title, it sticks to the same steady pace that we’re used to hearing from Lucy Rose. Oliver Evans

LAMBHORN CASCADE Self-release | 14.07

Bristol quintet Lambhorn dive deep with their muchanticipated debut album, Cascade; a richly-textured instrumental voyage exploring a conceptual ocean landscape. Opening with glistening, twinkling layers of guitar, the band navigate between undulating melodies carried along in blissful undercurrents and propel us through coursing, dramatic overtones on songs such as ‘Without Waves’ and ‘The Great Below’, allowing for the crashing intensity to give way to vast space.

This unrestrained sense of duality carries the album throughout – bearing gifts such as the fuzzed-out guitar solo bringing ‘Deeper’ to its euphoric climax.

The culmination and projection of five years of writing, Cascade is a breathtaking jewel of a debut album to behold. Ash Clarke

BREAKFAST MUFF EURGH! Armour Foo | 07.07

With sheer unabashed attitude and emotion, Breakfast Muff’s aptly entitled debut Eurgh! relays relatable frustrations and anxieties via the trio’s punchy DIY punk sound.

On ‘R U A Feminist’ the Glasgow-based band confront creepy fauxfeminists with anthemic rigour, whilst ‘Baby Boomers’ swells with a defiant clattering of riffs and fervent vocals as they express exasperation at the ridiculous expectations heaped on younger generations. There’s a vivacity that surges through the record in all its uncompromisingly raucous, brazen, earnest and swooning sounds; from the scuzzy immediacy of ‘Lunch Money’ to the gentle lilting of ‘Waving Cat’, Eurgh! is exactly the kind of fierce and affirming album we need right now.

Kezia Cochrane 29

PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING EVERY VALLEY Play It Again Sam | 07.07

As we now know, you can’t trust the press for an honest portrayal of history. Thankfully, 6Music’s favourite duo are back, documenting a pivotal era in Britain’s past more accurately and passionately than any tabloid attempt.

The pulsing, surprisingly upbeat and only occasionally pedestrian Every Valley portrays the rise and fall of the Welsh coal miners, avoiding mawkish sentimentality whilst nestling snippets of dialogue amongst guest vocalists including Manics’ James Dean Bradfield.

The result is a poignant collage; a pastoral cousin to Boards of Canada’s analogue retro-futurism, 2014 film Pride’s account of the era, and, on ‘All Out’, the brash doom of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. A focused effort. Adam Brooks

JAPANESE BREAKFAST SOFT SOUNDS FROM...

Dead Oceans | 14.07

The phrase ‘retro-futurist’ is not one you would associate with artist Michelle Zauner, otherwise known as Japanese Breakfast. Sophomore album Soft Sounds From Another Planet moves away from her debut LP’s warmer indie tones and into something much more unconventional.

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Prime example, ‘Machinist’, based on a sci-fi narrative of someone falling in love with a robot, sees Zauner experimenting with auto-tune and synths.

These sounds evolve further in ‘Boyish’ with bigger arrangements, harmonies and programmed strings, while the rest of the album does well to balance both the shades of indie and electronica. Zauner’s music remains original and honest as ever, with this new musical direction giving it even greater purpose.

Mustafa Mirreh

SHEER MAG NEED TO FEEL YOUR LOVE Static Shock | 14.07

Teased over years by trickling singles, Philadelphia five-piece Sheer Mag have finally unveiled their long awaited debut. Flicking a thesaurus of licks from A to Z (that’s Alphabeat to ZZ Top), Tina Halladay snarls rage and warmth through a tin-can telephone dictation of love, lust, Milk and Honey.

There’s nothing punk rock about taking time to breathe, so it’s chorus after chorus, hit after unrelenting hit. On paper it’s fairly cheesy 70s glam revival (see: ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’), however it’s the genre’s execution of the highest order that swell the record to bold and beastly heights.

Think Royal Headache if Joan Jett scrambled to steal the mic.

Richard Walsh

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In Case You Missed It

Live from last month.

Tycho @ Trinity Centre, 8th June.

Words & Photos: Albert Testani In live performances, Tycho, the musical incarnation of San Fransisco-based artist and musician Scott Hansen (also known as ISO50 for his photographic and design works) takes the form of an electronic, indie four-piece hybrid that explores musical and personal connection with their brand of instrumental chillwave and dance music.

What could have easily been an evening of passive, ethereal crowd-swaying sounded more like a cross between a bass-driven DJ set and a rock concert. Watching Tycho perform tracks from most recent album, Epoch, and 2014’s Awake was completely different to listening to the records. On the albums, the melodies feature synths, guitars and airy, electronic samples, but 32

here, the bass and percussion are emphasised, reverberating through the listener.

As Hansen addressed the crowd late in the set, he expressed excitement around performing in Bristol, a city that helped found the drum n bass scene and that, without places like our city, there would be no Tycho. The influence of Bristol’s beloved genre is far more prevalent in Tycho’s live performance than on their records, much to the benefit of the set.

Lyrics may allow a songwriter to translate a track’s emotion into words, but as things drew to a close it was clear that sometimes shedding language benefits true artists like Tycho.

Arnolfini 16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA The Bristol Fringe 32 Princess Victoria Street, BS8 4BZ

Marble Factory / Motion 74-78 Avon Street, BS2 0PX Mother’s Ruin 7-9 St. St Nicholas St, BS1 1UE

The Canteen 80 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY

Mr Wolf’s 32, St Nicholas St, BS1 1TG

Colston Hall & Lantern Colston Street, BS1 5AR

No. 1 Harbourside 1 Canon’s Rd, Bristol BS1 5UH

The Crofters Rights 117-119 Stokes Croft, BS1 3PY Exchange 72-73 Old Market, BS2 OEJ The Fleece 12 St. Thomas Sreet, BS1 6JJ The Gallimaufry 26-28 The Promenade, BS7 8AL The Grain Barge Mardyke Warf, BS8 4RU The Gryphon 41 Colston Street, BS1 5AP Hy Brasil 7-9 Baldwin Street, BS1 1RU

No. 51 51 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QP O2 Academy 1-2 Frogmore Street, BS1 5NA The Old Market Assembly 25 West Street, BS2 0DF Roll For The Soul 2 Quay Street, BS1 2JL SWX Bristol 15 Nelson Street, BS1 2JY Thekla The Grove, BS1 4RB The Thunderbolt 124 Bath Road, BS4 3ED

The Lanes 22 Nelson Street, BS1 2LE

Tobacco Factory Raleigh Road, BS3 1TF

The Louisiana Wapping Road, BS1 6UA

Trinity Centre Trinity Road, BS2 0NW 33

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Live Listings

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Need more shows?

Look even further ahead, plus tons more great Bristol music content at: bristollivemagazine.com

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Behind Every Musician

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Rehearsal Listings...

Dockside Studios Fully equipped in central Bristol. Free parking.

No fixed booking times. Equipment hire and storage facilities. Open ‘til 11pm (Sat ‘til 7pm). mail@docksidestudios.co.uk • 0117 934 9994 Albion Dockside Estate, BS1 6UT

Factory Studios Where music is made! Eleven practice rooms, a recording studio and great discounts for student and regular bands. Book by phone or online. info@factorystudios.co.uk // 0117 952 5655 Unit 23, Maze Street, BS5 9TQ

Firebird Studios By musicians for musicians. Friendly, helpful staff, six affordable rooms, onsite parking. Food and drink available. Book by phone or online. info@firebirdstudios.co.uk • 0117 972 1830 21-23 Emery Rd, BS4 5PF

Maverick Studios Rehearsal and recording (audio & video). Large 30’ stage, dedicated sound-booth and control room available. All rooms with PA and drum kit. maverickstudiosbristol@gmail.com • 07833 691 741 Office Tower, Foundry Lane, BS5 7UZ

RS Studios Largest independent rehearsal and recording complex in the Southwest. 18 individual, custom designed & built sound-proof studios. rsstudios@hotmail.com • 0117 971 1495 47-57 Feeder Road, BS2 0SE

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Thoughts

Comment and opinion from staff and guests.

Is our obsession for rare vinyl unhealthy? by

Rhys Buchanan, Contributor

Most new album releases get two different vinyl versions these days; a basic black copy, and a deluxe, limited record, with a whole bunch of bells and whistles. If you’re a fan of the artist then you’re probably going to justify buying the rarity where possible because – isn’t that just human nature?

What is it deep inside that makes us want to collect rare records with such love? Is it for bragging rights years down the line? Is it to be part of a certain club of fans?

Or would you buy it simply for the love of the artist? There’s also the point that these aren’t simply pieces of music as they were in the past. Now they’re physical artifacts in a digital world. Something real and something you can hold onto.

Major record labels realise that it’s in our nature to devoutly collect the music we love, and they’re producing these rarities to almost guarantee them a certain amount of sales. Making something so sought after also means that they can happily drive up the price of the product knowing that collectors must have it regardless of the expense. All of this could be alienating the average teenager coming into a record store who probably doesn’t have over thirty pounds to drop on an album.

So what might the solution be to all this? Well, what if we go back to the premise of what used to matter about vinyl? Buy it perhaps for the sound, beauty and aesthetic, rather than how much of a rarity it is? It’s easy to say that now, but I know that when they do the next colour-splash, limited edition Elliott Smith release, I’ll probably be the first one to grab a copy.

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