Bristol Live // Girlpool by Bristol In Stereo

BRISTOL LIVE LIVE & NEW MUSIC MAGAZINE

GIRLPOOL Sep. 17 | 68

A LV VAY S LIVE LISTINGS

DENAI MOORE

RELEASES & MORE 1

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Fri 1st Sep • £12 adv

Guns 2 Roses + Metallica Reloaded

Sat 2nd Sep • £6 adv / £10 VIP

The Underdog

Wed 6th Sep • £27.50 adv

The Psychedelic Furs + Lene Lovich Band

Mon 16th Oct • SOLD OUT

Tue 21st Nov • £28.50 adv

Wed 18th Oct • SOLD OUT

Wed 22nd Nov • SOLD OUT

Mon 23th Oct • £16 adv

Sat 25th Nov • SOLD OUT 10pm-3am • over 18s only

Dizzee Rascal

Opeth + Enslaved

Mura Masa

PVRIS

MØ + Skott

Wed 25th Oct • £22.50 adv

Festival Of The Dead

Sat 28th Oct • £18.50 adv

Mac DeMarco

Fri 15th Sep • £12 adv

W.A.S.P.

Fri 22nd Sep • £13 adv

Sleaford Mods + Nachthexen

The Velvets

The Smyths

Mon 25th Sep • £27.50 adv

Bush

Tue 26th Sep • £24 adv

Sparks

Thu 28th Sep • £15 adv

Sundara Karma

Katchafire

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

Mon 30th Oct • £19.50 adv

Mon 4th Dec • £22.50 adv / £85 VIP

Wed 1st Nov • SOLD OUT

Tue 5th Dec • £12.50 adv

Thu 2nd Nov • £25 adv

Wed 13th Dec • £27.50 adv

Little Dragon

+ With Confidence + All Get Out

Sat 4th Nov • SOLD OUT

Sat 30th Sep • £24.50 adv

Machine Gun Kelly Sun 1st Oct • £10 adv

Mini Moon Festival:

Fish

Thu 14th Dec • SOLD OUT

Shed Seven + Cast

Akon

Fri 15th Dec • £19.50 adv

Sun 5th Nov • SECOND DATE • £25 adv

Purple Rain

Mon 6th Nov • £36.50 adv

Mon 18th Dec • £30 adv

Akon

Far East Meets West

Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul

Tue 3rd Oct • £17.50 adv

Tue 7th Nov • SOLD OUT

Wed 4th Oct • £17.50 adv

Wed 8th Nov • £19 adv

Feat. Fifi Rong + Makala Cheung

Nick Mulvey

Loyle Carner

Thu 5th Oct • £22.50 adv

Scouting For Girls LANY

J Hus

Fri 29th Sep • £18 adv

Mayday Parade

Fri 1st Dec • £16.50 adv

Sun 29th Oct • £16.50 adv

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

+ The Magic Gang

Sun 26th Nov • SOLD OUT

Oh Wonder

A Celebration of Prince

Extreme + Dan Reed Network Thu 21st Dec • £21.25 adv

The Twang

Fri 19th Jan • £17 adv

Motionless In White

Wolf Alice

Tue 6th Feb • £20 adv

Alien Ant Farm + Soil + Local H

New Found Glory + ROAM

Thu 9th Nov • SOLD OUT

Fri 6th Oct • £22.50 adv

DJ Shadow

Sat 11th Nov • £21 adv

Sat 7th Oct • From £10 adv 10pm-5am • over 18s only

Mon 13th Nov • £18.50 adv

Arch Enemy

Tue 14th Nov • £29.50 adv

Fri 16th Feb • £20 adv

Goldfrapp

Sat 10th Feb • £26 adv

The Damned

Airbourne

Wed 14th Feb • £19.50 adv

Harry Shotta’s Bday Bash Nothing But Thieves Wed 11th Oct • £35 adv

Dru Hill feat. Sisqo, 112 & Ginuwine Thu 12th Oct • £10 adv

Fireball - Fuelling the Fire Reel Big Fish + Anti-Flag, Mad Caddies + Sweet Little Machine + more

Fri 13th Oct • £28.50 adv

Tower Of Power

Happy Mondays

+ Jon Dasilva

Thu 16th Nov • £22.50 adv

+ Wintersun + Tribulation

Hell Is For Heroes + A + Vex Red

Insane Clown Posse

Tue 20th Mar • £25 adv

+ Mushroomhead

Skid Row + TOSELAND

Fri 17th Nov • £27.50 adv

Sun 8th Apr • £19.50 adv

Sun 19th Nov • £22 adv

Fri 20th Apr • £16.50 adv

Nelly

Newton Faulkner

Epica

The White Buffalo

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

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Sept • 2017

02 | 09 | 17

THE DISTRICTS

17 | 10 | 17

LAMB

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11 | 09 | 17

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24 | 09 | 17

NICK CAVE SOLD & THE BAD OUT SEEDS

22 | 10 | 17

DREAM WIFE - THE LOUISIANA -

23 | 10 | 17

PLAZA

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03 | 10 | 17

MY BABY - THEKLA -

03 | 10 | 17

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- THE LOUISIANA -

29 | 10 | 17

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JUANTIA STEIN

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STEVIE PARKER

06 | 11 | 17

JULIEN BAKER - THE LANTERN -

08 | 11 | 17

BAD SOUNDS - THEKLA -

01 | 12 | 17

- CROFTERS RIGHTS -

SLEEPTALKING - CROFTERS RIGHTS -

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

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¬ ȝ ŧ pressurebristol • www.thekla.club • www.pressureclub.co.uk Thekla, The Grove, Bristol BS1 4RB • 0117 929 3301 Please drink responsibly

Sep

PARQUET COURTS, P12

Welcome! This month sees hundreds, if not thousands, of new faces heading to Bristol to begin university. As a UWE graduate myself and currently celebrating my tenth year in Bristol *groans with old age*, I can personally vouch for what an incredible time you’re about to have. The music scene here was something that was pretty overwhelming at first but ultimately welcoming – rewarding me with some of my favourite experiences to date. We wanted to pick out some of the best shows happening this month to show you how eclectic Bristol can be. Cover stars Girlpool chat to Kezia Cochrane about that difficult second album, while Canadian indie-popsters Alvvays tell Jon Kean what they love about European audiences. Elsewhere, Denai Moore chats to me about staying true to yourself and New Music Ed Christian Northwood picks out the acts that you should be getting excited about. Plus, loads, loads more. So, welcome to Bristol – we hope you have a nice time! 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.

PICKS WITH: BRISTOL CRAFT BEER FEST

12 16 19

W H AT ’ S N E W ?

COVER: GIRLPOOL

28 32 39 42 43 58

DENAI MOORE

A LV VAY S

BRISTOL BECAUSE: HIDE THE LINE

NEW RELEASES DEAR DICK IN CASE YOU MISSED IT LIVE LISTINGS

THOUGHTS: BLESSED ARE THE BAD GIGS 5

Simple Things Festival 20 - 21 October, Across Bristol

Metronomy (Opening - Friday night)

Wild Beasts Clark John Maus (Sandy) Alex G IDLES GAIKA Lorenzo Senni Diet Cig TRAAMS Kelly Lee Owens Warmduscher Spinning Coin Don Loudo

The Bug ft. Miss Red Ã&#x201C; Priests Oliver Wilde Insecure Men The Early Years Boy Azooga

www.simplethingsfestival.co.uk

A city-wide, two day programme of musical diversity and innovation

Leftfield performing Leftism live

Daphni Omar Souleyman Shackleton Nadine Shah Jane Weaver (4hrs)

Jlin Childhood Patten Japanese Breakfast Children of Leir Coco & The Nutmilk

Marie Davidson Carla dal Forno Klein HMLTD Downtown Boys + many more

www.simplethingsfestival.co.uk

Guest Picks

What our pals are into this month.

DJ YODA

This month:

DJ Yoda

This man needs no introduction, but seeing as you ask... Yoda is no ordinary scratch DJ, which is exactly why we love him in Bristol. From his roots in hip-hop and turntablism, to his unique mixing of diverse styles spanning funk, trap, pop, reggae, drum’n’bass, and whatever else, he always provides a perfect set for the party at hand. Yoda is literally the cut-andpaste master, ever pushing the boundaries of live audio-visual performance. On

words by: Greg Wells, Organiser.

Saturday night you can expect his AV wizardry to take you on a journey through the decades, as animation is seamlessly woven into hip-hop beats and well-chosen pop classics. We think we’d pair Yoda with Left Handed Giant / Deya Brewery collaboration, Sticky Sticky Fingers. A mix and match beer that’s bright, vibrant and perfect for this set. This is a Berliner weissestyle ale with the addition of raspberry purée during fermentation to create this luscious raspberry aroma and flavour with balanced, clean acidity.

Olugbenga (Metronomy) Olugbenga is the production mastermind behind Metronomy, a creative powerhouse of the UK music scene over the last decade. We loved Metronomy as they hit that perfect note between indie-pop and electronics, so it’s no surprise then that as a DJ, Olugbenga’s influences are house-heavy. His sets have been getting rave reviews from a whole host of festivals and nights, making him our top choice for the closing session on the Sunday. As the sun (hopefully) shines down, we recommend this one with Wild Beer’s Tepache – tart and full of tropical pineapple notes.

Jamie Maccoll (Bombay Bicycle Club) What makes our favourite bands who they are are their diverse influences, which mirrors our approach to food and drink too. Jamie Maccoll rose to stardom with Bombay Bicycle Club, one of the most unique and celebrated bands of recent years, and during a recent break he’s been filling his time in all manner of ways – from being a political voice on Question Time to building his name as a DJ of note. We’d pair Wiper & True’s Citra & Rye, deliciousness with hints of spice! BCBF takes place over 15th17th Sep at Motion Skate Park.

What’s New?

Fresh tales from the BLM radar with:

Christian Northwood New Music Editor

Soccer Mommy You might have stumbled across Soccer Mommy before, on a late night trawl through Bandcamp. Her intimate, confessional lo-fi songs caused whispers and excitement across the internet, meaning that the 19-yearold from New York was soon snapped up by Fat Possum. Last month, Soccer Mommy – real name Sophie Allison – released her first album Collection on the label. As the name

suggests, the record is a patchwork of songs from her previous Bandcamp work, but rerecorded and revitalised. However, none of her original charm or intimacy has been lost, and in fact, Collection showcases an artist that can bare it all and still write memorable guitar pop. Chiming guitars complement her lovelorn voice, and nowhere is this more obvious than the fantastic ‘Out Worn’. Quiet but confident, she sighs “I’m sick of living in the eye of the storm”, describing a relationship that has left her at the end of her tether. These powerful pop gems stick within an indie rock template, but with her added passion and unique lyrical perspective, any listener can find comfort in Soccer Mommy’s intimate sounds. Out Worn

sopharela.bandcamp.com

Holiday Ghosts Judging a band on only two releases often seems preemptive, but in just two songs, Falmouth’s Holiday Ghosts have shown a wide sonic palette. Last year, ‘Paranoia’ painted a picture of a bedroom band dabbling in blues, with dusty guitars twanging and impassioned vocals driving the track forward. Latest release ‘In My Head’, however, is a simple, beautiful composition. The vocals, delivered by Katja Rackin, are full of confusion and angst, set against a backdrop of lightlystrummed guitars. The band’s self-titled debut, out this month, will surely show the full breadth of sounds they have at their disposal.

PHOTO: ROWAN ALLEN

In My Head

Sometimes music needs to be a world to jump into – and Hull’s bdrmm’s two EPs provide exactly that. His hazy, idyllic sound welcomes you into new release, Yucky, right from the first dreamy synths of opener ‘GCSE Bitesize’. Glittering electronics and echo-drenched guitars blend with intricate production and shimmering surfrock to define his artistic output. ‘Happy’ has a fleshed-out sound that provides the EP’s highlight; whirling synths and driven guitars clash together, adding darkness to the bittersweet refrain of “I hope that you’re happy, ‘cus I’m happy”. Take a day off and dive into bdrmm’s world. Happy

holidayghosts.bandcamp.com

bdrmm

bdrmm.bandcamp.com

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

LANTERNS ON THE LAKE & HOLLY MACVE

+ DJ Set by Simon Raymonde Sat 14 Oct, 7.30pm

£16, £5 Stu/U18s (limited) (plus fees)

CARDBOARD FOX PLUS THE CARRIVICK SISTERS Wed 15 Nov, 8pm

£17 Front Stalls, £15, £5 Stu/U18s (limited) (plus fees)

GREEN GARTSIDE AND ALEXIS TAYLOR Tue 12 Dec, 8pm

£20 Front Stalls, £18, £5 Stu/U18s (limited) (plus fees)

BOOK NOW: stgeorgesbristol.co.uk | 0845 40 24 001 £1 administration fee charged per transaction plus £1 credit/£1 debit card fee where applicable

@stgeorgesbris Great George Street, Bristol BS1 5RR

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THU 05 OCTOBER

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MON 30 OCTOBER

THIS FEELING

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THEKLA

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EXCHANGE

BADBADNOTGOOD NEWTON FAULKNER

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WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR

WED 15 NOVEMBER

SUN 19 NOVEMBER

TUE 21 NOVEMBER

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FRI 24 NOVEMBER

MON 27 NOVEMBER

MARBLE FACTORY

AND THE HERITAGE ORCHESTRA ENSEMBLE

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THE FLEECE

THE LOUISIANA

FRI 01 DECEMBER

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While based in Toronto, Alvvays hail from The Maritimes – an obscure collection of islands on Canada’s East coast, and as vocalist Molly Rankin chats about her heritage, it’s obvious it feeds into the band’s output... “I’m inspired by the unknown; there’s still so much to be discovered in the ocean,” she tells me over the phone. “I have a short attention span. I frequently drift off into thoughts of the seas. Being on a coast is a beautiful way to grow up. I’m grateful to have been surrounded by forests and water, somewhere you take for granted in adolescence, but in later years it’s great to return to.” City dwelling makes sense for their musical lives, but Rankin says that they often pine for where they come from. “When you’re feeling cooped up, a good 16

escape for all Torontonians is to board the ferry and go to Toronto Island, which is somewhere I went to write some of the songs on the new record,” she continues. “You’re transported to a different place entirely.” Both their self-titled 2014 album and Antisocialites, due out on 8th September, were composed in relative detachment, not only on remote islands, but the first album was part-conceived working in the least busy smoothie shack you could imagine. Solitude seems a default setting for Rankin. “When I was younger, I got

crutch and just be comfortable with my own voice or the way my guitar sounds without so many effects.” Having described Antisocialites as a “fantasy break-up arc,” I ask Rankin why anyone would put themselves through such a process. “I found it to be a very romantic image – setting off in this solitary pursuit of escape. I was envisioning myself driving alone on a highway across North America and I lived vicariously through those narratives.” So was the album a process of setting herself free? “For a long time, I’d found myself in a van, with a lot of people that I love, but I realise that it’s not necessarily helpful for being creative. One thing that really does make me fulfilled as a human is feeling like I have an output and an outlet.”

This record has a little more of a smack to it. W.

Jo n Ke a n

A r d e n Wr a y

used to being on my own. That’s when I first picked up the guitar and started writing poetry. I realised when we’d been touring for a long time that I hadn’t been by myself, so it was really a necessary isolation for me to be exiled to this island until I came back with some good ideas.” The second album comes with added punch, a development Rankin finds refreshing. “On the first record, we weren’t sure exactly what we were when we recorded it. There’s also an aspect of it that sounds a little muffled or pillowy. This record has a little more of a smack to it in that respect. There are other things that I’ve been learning, like not to use reverb as a

In 2015 Rankin declared, “We’re not basking in the sunlight, sipping champagne, we’re rolling around like hobos,” but where is Alvvays at now? “We have someone to sell merchandise and drive, so we’re about one degree away from the hobo rolling around.” That driver ought to come in handy in the near future. “Next up is a couple of years of travelling and hopefully writing on the road – a little trick I must learn.” The band returns to Thekla this month. The extent of audience mania at some of their live shows has flummoxed them, with Rankin describing UK audiences as “more willing to let go compared to North America.” With a punchier album, might crowds be even more enthusiastic this time around? “Maybe one day we’ll need a barrier. Maybe that’ll be this tour.” Alvvays play Thekla on 9th September. Antisocialites is out on the 8th.

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

Ali & Katie from

HIDE THE LINE Who’s your top Bristol artist at the moment? We really like Bristol duo Laronge, their debut single ‘Third and Indiana’ pulled us in straight away. Reminiscent of Bon Iver but with a British twist, they combine infectious beats with contemplative lyrics.

How would you describe the music scene here? Eclectic. From folk singers to drum and bass producers everyone is catered for in Bristol. Plus, there’s a strong community spirit; everyone supports each other, even little blogs like us!

What are your favourite eats around town? There are so many great places. Café Kino is one of our favourite places to grab a quick bite but if we’re feeling boujee we’ll pop down to San Carlo for a pizza! If we’re feeling naughty after a few too many, Oowee is the place to be.

What’s your favourite thing about the city? How you can be hobnobbing with the kids of Clifton and within 15 minutes be having a pint under a Banksy on Stokes Croft. We also love that it’s small

enough to walk everywhere, you can easily bop about and explore without having to plan.

And your least favourite? I guess Bristol being small is a bit of a double edged sword. You will always bump into someone you know, especially when you’re on your way home from a night out looking terrible.

What are you most excited about for the rest of this year? There are some really amazing Bristol acts that are on their way up at the moment. We’re impatiently waiting for more music from Keir and Cousin Kula. We are also counting down the days until Mac De Marco hits up the O2 in November; we love him!

Hide the Line is a Bristol and London based music blog highlighting the best in new artists, news, and local goings-on. Find them at: hidetheline.co.uk 19

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tudarus P. D a v i d S Kezia Cochrane

GIRLPOOL There’s a kind of otherworldly, harmonised magic in the way that Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker’s vocals blend, creating a particular, unique space with their music as they express relatable feelings of hope, fear and frustration, and a sense of ennui, all with a reassuring honesty. “I feel like it’s just me and Harmony’s climate in the moment,” Tucker says, musing on the visual environment that Girlpool encompasses for them, adding that “it’s always changing, you know.” This constant sensation of transience is something very much at the forefront of Girlpool’s music. The duo released Powerplant, the follow up to their acclaimed debut Before the World Was Big, earlier this year and common to both records are considerations of the perpetual progressions and transformations that growing up and existing entail. Discussing their songwriting process Tucker explains, “I guess we approached writing Before the 22

World Was Big without approaching at all. Our intention was to not really approach what it meant, we were just writing songs together without being self aware of how it was going to be; we just wanted that process to take place, so it did,” going on to mention “we wrote Powerplant in a similar way. That’s just how we do it I guess, it’s kind of like whatever happens happens”. This unpretentious attitude comes as no surprise as Girlpool’s songs contain a characteristic clarity, yet their sincerity and the fact that everything they do is entirely original, is still wholly refreshing. Hand in hand with this authenticity is a candid vulnerability evident as much in the

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that we both really rely on each other.â&#x20AC;?

“It's really nice to be in the same place again.” vocal delivery as in the lyrics themselves. Touching on this openness Tividad explains that “all the songs [on Powerplant] were a product of us driving back and forth to where each other were respectively living at the time, and just exploring and sitting around playing them over and over, and how we wanted to touch on what we were feeling and how we wanted to talk about it”. Whilst listening to their music often feels like being let into an intimate space permeated by the pair’s friendship, they both affirm they’re entirely comfortable with projecting and sharing this world of theirs: “I think it’s like, it just kind of feels natural to do it,” Tividad contemplates, pausing before adding “right, Cle?”, to which Tucker responds “yeah, it’s exciting to sing them and to create different spaces of feeling”. Although the band initially approached creating Powerplant in a similar way to their debut, sonically, the record presents a distinctively amplified sound, heightened particularly with the addition of drums. “Harmony and I both use percussion and drums in the music we each make, that we hadn’t put out with Girlpool,” Tucker says. “We both work with that sound and when we were making the songs for Powerplant I was recording drums on all of the demos, and Harmony and I discussed, arranged and wrote all those parts,” which resulted in them getting their friend Miles Wintner to play drums when they set about recording the tracks back home in LA.

Speaking of LA, the pair enthuse that “it’s really nice to be in the same place again.” Living in different cities while writing for Powerplant was a challenge, as Tividad mentions “we were having to travel and kind of live sort of parallel but distant experiences, only tapping in when we were able to, you know, it’s so much easier now we can share our lives with each other in a more accessible way” which, given their incredibly tight-knit

friendship, makes a lot of sense. Tucker adds, “I feel like we’re about to be touring so much and we feel really nourished and comfortable here,” emphasising that, for them, being back home is “just so grounding and helpful when we’re touring so much and, yeah, it just feels right right now.” With an extensive set of tour dates around America and Europe now imminent, Tucker explains that they sometimes feel more sane on tour rather than at home even, “just because it’s what I need. I like to not be in the same place for a long time.” Yet this isn’t always the case. “Other times it’s really hard to feel grounded ‘cause you’re travelling constantly.” Given that the intimate world of the pair’s friendship is intrinsic to their music and vice versa, it’s unsurprising that Tucker

highlights that, amidst the various pressures of being on the road for such long periods of time, “the biggest part of being on tour for Harmony and I is just communicating the whole time, constantly being really connected and in touch, and I think if that relationship or dynamic is disturbed then it’s really easy for us to feel like our footing is more volatile. I think that we both really rely on each other.” With such a cohesive foundation at its core, Girlpool will indisputably continue to confront the world with their earnest, formidable rock ‘n’ roll. Girlpool play Thekla on 6th September. Powerplant is out now. 25

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DENAI MOORE

W. S a m m y M a i n e

ou might remember Denai Moore from SBTRKT’s 2014 hit ‘The Light’ – a vocal that added some emotive soul to the track’s otherwise industrial sound. Since then, Moore has released not one, but two solo albums, filtering this softness through her evolution as a songwriter and performer. 28

This year’s We Used To Bloom is an exploration of what makes us human. From tackling issues with self-confidence on opener ‘Let It Happen’, to describing the crippling aspects of anxiety on ‘Trickle’, We Used To Bloom allows Moore to untangle herself from genre labels, offering up an album of universal truths. It was a process that took time, patience and perseverance – something that Moore learnt from her experience while writing and recording her 2015 debut, Elsewhere.

“We always underestimate where our limits are.” “The process of making Elsewhere was really the first time I was pushed beyond my musical abilities. I asked a lot more than I thought I could of myself. I think we always underestimate where our limits are,” she explains. “I definitely took that spirit into the second record and played even more. At the moment I’m writing new stuff and am still recording, I just want to grow even more as a musician. The studio is almost the musical gym for me.” This musical gym also resulted in a cover of Elliott Smith’s ‘Twilight’, which seamlessly slots into the tracklisting of We Used To Bloom through Moore’s ability to reinterpret the 2004 track with a delicate yet powerful rendition. “The Elliott Smith cover was never planned at all, it kind of just happened. I think in the studio space you are your best self when you allow for no limits or boundaries,” she adds. “In my head I’ve always wanted to cover that song, the lyrics and the melody are beautiful.”

It’s perhaps their shared vulnerability that proves the cover to be a perfect fit. Vulnerability is something Moore has always incorporated into her work, allowing her to say something true and meaningful with everything she creates. It wasn’t – and isn’t – always this easy to communicate this way, but as Moore continues, she explains that it’s all about learning to love your flaws. By embracing them, there’s a catharsis that can reach far beyond your own four walls: “I used to be so self-critical after each vocal take and it really put a dim on studio sessions,” she says. “When the takes were fine, I actually missed the mistakes, morning croaks and accidentally whispered vocals; I love them really. I think it makes the songs breathe more. My relationship with myself is the healthiest it’s ever been, so I think I sound more self-assured on this record.” However it’s more than just a relationship with herself that she’s been nurturing on this journey, having rallied a team of friends which, she says, allows her to better communicate who she is: “I think it’s been really important to me to work more with my friends. I strongly believe that the people you love capture you in the best light,” she says. “I love to be involved with the process as much as I can. I think it’s really important that the visuals represent me as well as possible.” Moore will be blooming her way into Bristol at the end of the month and urges those who will be experiencing her live show for the first-time, or even not, to expect “something different.” “I’m always trying new things live, and my show is constantly changing,” she says. “I’m very excited to be back on the road with this record.” Denai Moore plays The Louisiana on 27th September. Her latest album We Used To Bloom is out now.

FRI.01.SEP.17

TENDER

THE LOUISIANA

WED.20.SEP.17

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WED.06.SEP.17

FRI.22.SEP.17

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KING NO ONE

WED.27.SEP.17

LOWKEY

SUN.01.OCT.17

THU.05.OCT.17

WED.13.SEP.17

THU.14.SEP.17

THE LOUISIANA

TUE.26.SEP.17

THE GALLIMAUFRY

SWX

TREVOR SENSOR

MON.25.SEP.17

CROFTERS RIGHTS

TASH SULTANA

SAT.30.SEP.17

DENAI MOORE THE LOUISIANA

BATH MOLES

SAT.07.OCT.17

ALLMAN BROWN CROFTERS RIGHTS

WED.27.SEP.17

THE BLACK ANGELS TRINITY

THU.28.SEP.17

SUNDARA KARMA

SUN.08.OCT.17

TOM MCRAE

BATH CHAPEL ARTS CENTRE

MON.09.OCT.17

SHAME

THE LOUISIANA

O2 ACADEMY

TUE.10.OCT.17

YELLOW DAYS THE LOUISIANA

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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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FRIDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER

SATURDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER

VAN ZELLER

FLORALYN GEORGE

+ LEECHES + MILO’S PLANES

TUESDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER

PAUL KELLY

+ ROBERT VINCENT

WENESDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER

GIRLPOOL

+ IAN SWEET

SUNDAY 1ST OCTOBER

THIS FEELING ALIVE TOUR 2017

THURSDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER

SAN CISCO

MONDAY 2ND OCTOBER

SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER

ALVVAYS

SATURDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER

HANNI EL KHATIB

THE DRUMS

+ ALASKALASKA

TUESDAY 3RD OCTOBER

WEDNESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH THURSDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER

THE MAINE

MY BABY WEDNESDAY 4TH OCTOBER

SUPERFOOD FRIDAY 6TH OCTOBER

MABEL

SATURDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER

JARET REDDICK

SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER

FICKLE FRIENDS

SUNDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

THE VEILS

TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER

THE STRYPES

MONDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER

JAKE ISAAC

+ CATTLE & CANE

FRIDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER

PAUL DRAPER

+ ESTRONS

WEDNESDAY 11TH OCTOBER

THE ALARM SOLD OUT

JORDAN RAKEI

SATURDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER

MACMILLAN FEST 2017 SUNDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER

AQUILO

SUNDAY 15TH OCTOBER

AUBREY LOGAN TOM GRENNAN

FRIDAY 13TH OCTOBER

BROTHER STRUT STILL REMAINS

MONDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

THURSDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER

+ DAVE SHARP

THURSDAY 12TH OCTOBER

+ CARCER CITY + WARS MONDAY 16TH OCTOBER

SOLD OUT

PEATBOG FAERIES 31

New Releases

Records cut, pressed & out this month.

The National Sleep Well Beast 08.09 | 4AD

The National have made a name for themselves as evolutionary shifters, subtly refining their sound with each release. On Sleep Well Beast, they make their biggest leap so far, adding an electronic element to their wellhoned formula. Never ones to be idle, each member used time off after 2013’s Trouble Will Find Me to pursue their own projects, and the experiences seem to have rubbed off during recording. The beautiful 32

‘I’ll Still Destroy You’ is a perfection of the quirky style on Matt Berninger’s EL VY record, while the duelling guitars from ‘Turtleneck’ recall the heavy jams of the Devendorf brothers’ LNZNDRF project. Elsewhere, there are more traditional National songs, including ‘Dark Side of the Gym’, a dreamy ballad which culminates with a wash of strings, attributable to the Dessner brothers’ work on film scores. Such a diverse mix of sounds could result in a sonic mismatch but the album is excellently paced, and tied together by Berninger’s lyrics of loss and separation. Once again, The National have proven themselves as one of the most consistent bands out there. Josh Price I’ll Still Destroy You

americanmary.com

ALVVAYS ANTISOCIALITES Polyvinyl | 08.09

Following on from their self-titled debut, Alvvays’ sophomore effort continues with the same formula of jangly guitar pop. Opening with the Camera Obscura-esque single ‘In Undertow’ the album borrows from thirty years of upbeat yet melancholy indie. Potential singles such as ‘Plimsoll Punks’ and ‘Your Type’ are full of hooks and buzzsaw guitars which would not sound out of place on NME’s C86 compilation.

Antisocialites is poppier and more upbeat than its predecessor but nothing here matches the breezy catchiness of 2014 single ‘Archie, Marry Me’. Fans of indie pop classicism will enjoy this album despite the Toronto band staying well within the confines of an already over subscribed genre. Tim Ellis

ARIEL PINK DEDICATED TO BOBBY JAMESON 15.09 | Mexican Summer

Ariel Pink’s eleventh studio album, the second using his name only, pays homage to Bobby Jameson, an obscure Californian singer/songwriter who rose to long-forgotten fame in 2007 after a brief stint in 1965, when he released an album, Songs of Protest and Anti-Protest under the pseudonym Chris Ducey. Written during a residency in Marfa, Dedicated to Bobby Jameson is pure Ariel Pink, with a tracklist switching between complex songs, made of cut-andpaste space age instrumentation, vintage sounds, and grand ballads, including a collaboration with Dam Funk. Nothing has really changed in Pink’s musical universe, bar an attempt at storytelling via a concept album – this is a stillness that sounds great. Guia Cortassa

PROTOMARTYR RELATIVES IN DESCENT 29.09 | Domino

Protomartyr’s new album adopts frontman Joe Casey’s dead-eyed, hand-in-pocket approach to life and the results are absolutely on point. It very much continues the anxious and intense sounds heard on The Agent Intellect. It’s a record happy to revel in a state of gaunt utero in murky, melodic depths before plunging into a more frantic territory. Second track ‘Here Is The Thing’ sees Casey fire out a desperate and illsounding bunch of vocals recalling the likes of Ought’s ‘Men For Miles’. It’s certainly a piece of work that’s confused and pissed off at the world, yet once again, they’ve channeled it into pure musical brilliance. Rhys Buchanan

BENJAMIN CLEMENTINE I TELL A FLY Universal | 15.09

Every syllable enunciated by Benjamin Clementine purveys a potent depth of emotion. His distinctive voice is an infinitely malleable instrument that delivers poignant lyricism throughout the album, at times with a sinister vehemence and at others with a delicate clarity. The sonic landscape Clementine crafts here is filled with rich, swirling layers and percussive bursts that sees the songwriter embracing his more

characteristically classical compositions alongside an exploration of certain electronic sounds. Addressing current issues of flight and displacement, the record’s narrative considers a common nomadism that unites us all in an “alien” status, and the result is a magnificent, unsettling, dramatic and ultimately infinitely intelligent second album. Kezia Cochrane

LOMELDA THX Double Double Whammy | 08.09

“Wrap your arms around me, I’ll be still,” begins Lomelda’s latest offering drowsily, a statement of intent for the ensuing hazy indie-folk. The songs exist in that state of consciousness which wavers above and below the meniscus of sleep – abstract, impressionistic, unworldly. Enchantingly blurry, you ought to be caught by Lomelda’s fuzz. 34

‘Interstate Vision’ offers an uneasy view of the highway, where “headlights scare me into visions”, whereas ‘Out There’ is on edge because “we all sit in darkness, waiting.” ‘Boom Sha Klam’ and ‘From Here’ even have a downtempo Cardigans feel. Thx is a stark strum; you really hear fingers on frets, yet ‘Nvr’ rumbles like a supertanker engine room. Jon Kean

ROSTAM HALF LIGHT Nonesuch | 15.09

You may know Rostam Batmanglij as the former member of New York art-rock group Vampire Weekend, but Half Light is about so much more than that. It’s an experimental affair flirting with a myriad of sounds, be it the jarred drums on ‘Don’t Let It Get To You’ or urgent violins on ‘Gwan’. What binds the album isn’t the sounds, but the resounding acceptance of what it means to be different in the world around us, especially in the fuzzy electro rush of ‘Bike Dream’. Having such vivid sonic variety on an album is difficult, but Batmanglij has delivered a sophisticated set of arty pop numbers destined to outdance difference. Oliver Evans

PRAWN RUN Topshelf | 22.09

Prawn’s third album took two years to compose, but was recorded in what sounds like the most intense two weeks imaginable – in an old church beside a New Jersey lake. All rather apt that it examines 21st Century alienation and isolation, with portentous bass and Explosions in the Sky guitars it blends post-rock with punk pop. ‘North Lynx’ broods, “I’m all out of everything”, its tumultuous finish sounding like a butterfly metamorphosing into a dragon. ‘Rooftops’ laments time-wasting, monotony and homogeneity, whilst ‘Hunter’ seeks absolution - “There’s good will in my devil’s skin.” Although songs address confusion and stasis, Run sounds thrillingly restless, energetic, naked – Prawn with a capital ‘RAW’. Jon Kean

MOGWAI EVERY COUNTRY’S SUN Temporary Residence | 01.09

In re-hiring their old Come on Die Young and Rock Action producer Dave Fridmann, Mogwai, in some respects, return to their classic turn of the century fare: tense builds and moving crescendos (‘Crossing the Road Material’), furious yet disciplined thrashes (‘20 Size’) and aquiline guitar figures custom built for unease (‘aka47’). Not that Every Country’s Sun is a throwback, however. Few have so ably combined approachable melodies and insistent beats with the lofty inclinations of post-rock. ‘Party in the Dark’ is as close to a pop tune as you’re likely to find from Mogwai, whereas ‘1000 Foot Face’ reimagines New Order’s ‘Your Silent Face’ with updated technology, but the same looming heartache. Jon Clark 35

NUGGET DEMOS Breakfast Records | 17.09

Bristol’s Nugget brings four nurturing tracks with this modest yet striking cassette. There’s no hiding behind anything here – this is Emily Isherwood shining alone with lyrical wit and intimacy. The self-production gives an impacting and honest quality; in many ways it feels like you’re sat in the same hushed room. ‘When The Half Moon Strobes’ opens with a gentle strumming and chooses its words with much attention to detail, while final track ‘Arcade’, recorded live in Isherwoods’ back garden, has actual birdsong to effortlessly add to the song’s emotive points. While this is a short first release, its carefully curated tracks prove how much potential this project really has. Rhys Buchanan

SWIMMING TAPES SOFT SEA BLUE B3SCI Records | 15.09

If you’re looking for breezy sun-kissed melodies, then Swimming Tapes’ second EP does not disappoint. Promising a collection of tunes which brim with cheerful vibes, Soft Sea Blue epitomizes the very feeling of summer. It’s light, carefree and airy. With just four tracks, the rising band have musically illustrated the seemingly infinite energy of the season. Stand-out track, ‘What’s On Your Mind’, pairs slowbluesy riffs with upbeat vocals to form a truly chilled anthem. If there’s one thing these guys know how to do, it’s create their own distinct aura. They clearly understand how they want listeners to feel with each track, and it’s translated flawlessly. Catrin Bishop

SLØTFACE TRY NOT TO FREAK OUT Propeller Recordings | 15.09

Having changed their name (originally: Slutface), Norwegian punk pop group Sløtface have lost none of their monstrous momentum as they continue to shred the live scene as we know it. With several singles under their belts now too, the four-piece emerge with an incredibly buoyant debut album, Try Not To Freak Out. From the sociallyconscious ‘Magazine’, to the youthful energy of ‘Pitted’, to a hero’s tribute in the form of ‘Nancy Drew’, there’s more than a whiff of originality and honesty, further backed by razor sharp guitars and punchy vocals throughout. Holding nothing back, this album shows heaps of potential – it can only get better for Sløtface. Mustafa Mirreh

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Dear Dick good

The best bad advice for your musical problems...

Dear Dick, I’ve heard people talking about ‘music friends’. What are they and how do I get them?

Jack, Centre.

Music friends are some of the best people you’re ever likely to meet. Unless, of course, you’re not that bothered about music, in which case they’re much the same as someone who watches Game of Thrones or something. At best, musical chums are unabashedly nerdy and excitable. At worst, they’re the ultimate wing man/woman, and still just as enthusiastic. No other art form is as evocative as music. One track can mean something to millions. It’s like an exclusive club, that everyone is welcome to join. It’s often suggested that our individuality is what makes us special, yet nothing is quite as exhilarating as finding someone who shares your taste in music. Two

completely unique individuals realising they travelled down the same path, for potentially different reasons, yet feeling the same thing. That’s a pretty strong bond, pal. Music friends can drop in and out. They don’t need to be there at all times, but the times they are are always the best. You can always pick up where you left off, circumventing small talk in lieu of deep, music-based exploration. And that’s how you meet music friends, by being openly passionate about what you love, meaning they will always be more special than your average Joe.

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

Behind Every Musician

@WeAreTheMU 40