issue THIRTYSIX | SEPT/OCT | FREE
Hill Billy Music
HURTS SLEEPY SUN CHK CHK CHK SKY LARKIN
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING GOLD PANDA Fenech Soler
MORNING PARADE SHRAG Dog is dead Kisses jenny Seerauber Unconscious Jungle Youthless
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HighVOLTAGE | issue THIRTYSIX | SEPT
12 HURTS 11 Sleepy Sun
10 GOLD PANDA 9 Everything Everything
8 Sky Larkin 7 CHK CHK CHK
6 Fenech Soler
5 INTRODUCING ~ Shrag // Morning Parade 4 Manchester News
15 Single reviews
18 film // Live reviews
20 Listings
16 Album reviews
22 NEW NOISE
EDITOR - Richard Cheetham - richard@highvoltage.org.uk DESIGNER - Andy Cake |
| www.andycake.co.uk
LISTINGS EDITOR - Mike Caulfield - listings@highvoltage.org.uk CONTRIBUTORS - Benjamin Thomas, Neil Condron, Denise Tench, Fran Donnelly, Daniel Pratley, Jonathan Hopkins, Sophie Armour, Grace Brown, Alistair Beech, Alex Lynham, Harry Garne, Andy Best, Mke Caulfield, Liam Pennington & Deirdra-Eden Keane
Want to join the award winning HighVoltage team? We’re looking for talented writers & designers, volunteers and all round
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music fans to help out. Get in touch with richard@highvoltage.org.uk
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manchester news >
AUTUMN TOUR ALERT Oh where to start. With more venues than ever
Deaf Institute as they host – deep breath – PVT
before Manchester gig goers have never had it so
(28/9), Deer Tick (30/9), Crocodiles (4/10), Errors
good. Not only are the four Academy buildings chock
and The Twilight Sad (6/10), Clinic (22/10) and
full of quality nights, namely Black Mountain (15/9),
Warpaint (24/10).
Grinderman (29/9), NME Radar Tour (feat Chapel
In the Northern Quarter the picks look like Sky Larkin
Club and The Joy Formidable - 4/10) and Yeasayer
(Night & Day – 16/9), Shout Out Louds (Ruby Lounge
(20/10) but several churches in the area are
– 23/9), This Will Destroy You (Moho – 27/9), Kirsty
providing an alternative stage, with Manchester
Almeida (Band on the Wall – 30/9) and Dungen
Cathedral hosting Mystery Jets (22/10) and Beach
(Roadhouse – 15/11).
House (19/11) whilst the incredible Perfume
Let’s not forget centre page stars Hurts (Ritz – 5/10)
Genuine plays at St Phillips (18/10).
and the awesome LCD Soundsystem / Hot Chip
Though we’ll probably be spending a lot of time at
doubleheader (Apollo – 15/11).
WAREHOUSE PROJECT RETURNS
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Clearing the difficult hurdle of establishing itself as
on the bill that night are HV faves Steve Mason and
one of Manchester’s heavyweight, here-to-stay club
Field Music, with DJ slots from Now Wave, TRAMP!
nights, the Warehouse Project has announced a
and, your very own, High Voltage.
stunning series of lineups for the latter end of 2010.
The rest of the programme is just as diverse so head
The 14-week stretch of ridiculously impressive acts
over to the WHP website for full details. But here are
is in honour of WHP’s fifth birthday, with all events
our highlights - Delphic / The Whip / Fenech Soler
to be held in the space underneath Piccadilly Train
show on 30th Oct, then in November Booka Shade
Station.Kicking off the programme are Geordie
on the 12th and Four Tet, Caribou, Mount Kimbie and
rockers Maximo Park on Thursday 23rd September,
Theo Parish on 20th.
followed by Kelis on Saturday 2nd October. One night getting us hot under the collar is the one headlined by Doves (pictured) on 16th October. Also
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IN THE CITY Last year's In The City signaled a shift in focus for
High Voltage's showcase will take place on 13th
the annual music conference. Having concentrated
October at Mint Lounge. Check the website for more
on unearthing the next big thing through official
details. We'll have more updates for you very very
industry showcase events, the appearance of The
soon.
Drums and Frightened Rabbit on the bill represented
Here's the current confirmations: No Age, Sky Larkin,
a desire to move towards an all encompassing new
Mount Kimbie, Male Bonding, Yuck, Crystal Fighters,
music festival.
Factory Floor, oOoOO, Porcelain Raft, O Children,
ITC will take place from 13-15th October and
Chad Valley, White Ring, Skepta, Kisses, Ital
relocates to Manchester's Northern Quarter. Entry to
Tek,Teeth, Mazes, & Spectrals.
three nights of shows costs a measly £29. With an option to add accommodation at the Hatters hostel for an extra £50.
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More info on www.inthecity.co.uk
intro duc ing SHRAG
“People think it’s an attempt at a pun on the word ‘shag’. That was the last thing on our minds,” cringes Helen King as she ponders the origins of her band and its curious moniker. “Unfortunately, that’s the burden you have to shoulder if you choose a name like Shrag.”
Lyrically too, there has been progression. “With the first album, I’d hide behind ‘this is a song about shoplifting’ or ‘this one’s about people talking too much during sex’,” says Helen, who professes her admiration for the lyrics of Elizabeth Morris of Allo Darlin’. “This time, I’ve tried to write about things that are happening to me – things that I might not know how to deal with.”
Around the release of the record, Shrag will set out on their first headline UK tour, before travelling to the US for the CMJ music marathon and a few East Coast dates. Having played with a That weight may just be starting to handful of iconic modern indie lighten. The ‘Sussex Heights Roving bands – including Helen’s Artists Group’ have come a long way treasured Love is All – are there since the joke ‘art’ exhibition that any other support slots they’d kill christened them, releasing a string to take? of seven-inches (eventually “Suede would be great. I saw them compiled on last year’s self-titled ‘debut’) and touring with The Cribs close to 25 times when I was a teenager! But I don’t think it’d and The Pains of Being Pure at work,” laughs Helen. “There’s not a Heart. Now, Brighton’s latest indie lot of correlation between us and heroes are set to etch their odd name proudly next to yours, inside them! And the rest of my band wouldn’t do it – I don’t think they a big love heart, with their “first like Suede at all.” Musical proper album”, Life! Death! Prizes!. differences notwithstanding, Bolder and definitely broader, the Shrag’s members look poised to record is the sound of a band midstep out of their heroes’ shadows eureka, bursting from a lo-fi this autumn. Who’s ready for a chrysalis into a blur of primary pop new national treasure? colours, whether it’s the glint of Life! Death! Prizes! is out on Where sharpened teeth on 'A Certain it’s at is Where You Are on October Violence' or the golden warmth of 4th. 'Rabbit Kids' and 'Coda'. “I think we’ve got more of a sense of what www.myspace.com/shrag we’re capable of,” explains Helen, Words by Neil Condron, pictures by main vocalist and lyricist with the Alison Wonderland band. “We’re very aware of our limitations, but we’ve thought, ‘let’s be brave’.”
MORNING PARADE
After sharing a stage with Kylie last weekend (at a secret pub show in Somerset, according to the Sun) Morning Parade are gathering a small village of press as they record their debut album. Five Essex natives trading in star gazing indie-rock and with enough pop-synth hooks to keep Delphic on their toes, it’s no surprise Morning Parade recently signed with Parlophone.
and a pummelling rhythm section. With pop taking chances in the dole-ite grandeur of Hurts, it’ll be interesting to see whether Morning Parade’s well packaged anthems translate from initial blogger excitement to mainstream attention. A strong live show is clearly a key element, and it’s worth noting the band have already toured with Florence, Glasvegas and er, Tinchy Stryder. Morning Parade are currently recording their debut album to be released in 2011, with live dates promised for the autumn. http://www.myspace.com/ morningparade Words by Alistair Beech
Few words have been spoken by Morning Parade and press shots remain in the cutting room, while only three songs have appeared online. ‘A&E’ is dressed to the nines in reverb and stadium guitar bluster, while the clever build ups and break downs suggest the band have studied the art of indie rock and are close to mastering it. ‘Youth’ is up tempo, poppy and purposeful; powered by Coldplay ‘Clocks’ era piano it seems destined to be a target for a major radio push next year. Our pick is ‘Marble Attic’, an unashamedly brash pop rocker with buzzing synths, skinny, Editors-engineered guitar lines
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Fenech Soler Words by Benjamin Thomas
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ne listen to the elecro-discohouse sounds of their breakthrough singles 'Lies' and 'Stop And Stare' is enough to convince most people that east midlands quartet Fenech-Soler are every bit as French as baguettes, brie and Thierry Henry.
The band's vocalist and frontman Ben Duffy agrees that it's an easy mistake to make. “French acts like Daft Punk and albums like Homework or Discovery have undoubtedly influenced me in some way. I guess that Fenech does resemble the word ‘French’ so people automatically assume that we’re French or something. It’s in fact a Maltese name and part of my surname”, he clarifies. “According to my granddad it was quite a influential name and as a result my uncle was christened at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. Hopefully the name will bring us some good fortune.”
Being initially talent spotted by renowned French indie label Kitsuné did little to dispel those Gallic misconceptions “Featuring on the Kitsuné compilation was one of the highlights of the year for me. Those compilations have had so many great acts on them over the years so to be on Maison 9 was certainly a bit of a personal milestone.” Soon, their profile climbed a steep trajectory, leading to their first
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stateside tour: “We had nearly finished the album and were still unsigned at the time and it was my was my first international flight so it was quite a big deal for me. It felt like we had a lot to prove and we didn’t know what to expect or how our music was going to go down over there.” Subsequently, a meeting with legendary dance music twosome Tom Findlay and Andy Cato of Groove Armada saw the two groups enter the studio together: “Tom saw us play in March 2009. After that show we received an offer to play at [Groove Armarda curated London
festival] Lovebox and soon after that Andy and Tom asked if we would be interested in doing a track with them on the new album. We couldn’t believe it.” Yet far from being starstruck by their new famous friends, Fenech-Soler remain a close family, quite literally in fact as Ben's brother Ross is also a member of the band. But to date, there have been no fisticuffs of the kind we've come to expect from the likes of Noel and Liam Gallagher: “To be honest we’re not the kind of band which resorts to violence to resolve an issue but I can’t say it’s never happened. I think when you're writing
and spending so much time with the same group of people they're inevitably going to piss you off at some stage. Sometimes it’s healthy to have a shout and get it out of your system, it’s all part of the process”, although he admits that “we are about to go on a six week tour so my answer might be different after that”. And as they travel the world there's no chance of homesickness as they frequently return to their headquarters to work on new material: “Recording at home is a decision we made mainly because it gives us full control of what we do. I think being a completely independent band counts for a lot these days and it means you don’t have same constraints that working with a million different people brings. I don’t see the point with just working with loads of people for the hell of it.”
Whilst not busy remixing the likes of Marina And The Diamonds and Sunday Girl via a process described as “email tennis”, Fenech-Soler have found time to finish their own album, scheduled for release in September: “Apart from the obvious singles that people may know us for there are some real diverse tracks that show a completely different side to us. I would like to think there is something on the album for everyone. It's something we’ve worked hard on for the past year plus so to finally know that it’s coming out is a great feeling and slightly nerve racking. Fenech-Soler have no need to fear, because if their self-titled debut lives up to the high standards they've set so far, they'll soon be winning new fans on both sides of the Channel and beyond. The self-titled LP is out on 27th September.
!!! Words by Fran Donnelly
B
ack in 2007, High Voltage celebrated its fourth birthday with one of its most legendary nights when !!! (Chk Chk Chk) came to storm The Ritz. Manchester packed out the old ballroom and pushed the sprung dancefloor to its limit as our favourite punk-funkers brought the place down with their furious fusion. This October, they return after too-long an absence, but according to frontman Nic Offer, the band are a whole new proposition after their night on High Voltage.
“That night was the beginning of a lot of changes for us, and I think these days we’re actually a lot better live. We’ve played some amazing gigs in Manchester, but in many ways that was a pivotal show.” Three years later and these changes are not just to be found on stage. !!!’s much-anticipated fourth LP has seen the transatlantic collective return with a leaner, more-rhythmically honed work that their gutturalvoiced singer agrees is their best yet. “I think it’s more what we’ve always wanted. It’s funkier and it’s got a little more depth than our previous records. It’s straight to the point and catchier, capturing a lot more of what I like about music.”
Most striking of these improvements is the darkness which now underpins !!!’s power. This may be owing to the band’s decamp to Berlin, captivated by the city that never sleeps and inspired by the German capital’s sonic reputation. From 70s Eno atmospherics to contemporary minimal techno, !!!’s Berlin record was the one just waiting to be recorded. “Being there certainly changed the way we wanted to sound. You’d probably say the most Berlinsounding song would be one like ‘Jump Back’. That song was the product of a late-night jam session, and it’s the closest we got to that typically Berlin sound. “However, there are parts of the album that were written and recorded in America and they’ve changed the sound of the record too.” This conflict of sounds – caught somewhere between the both heady and vitriolic ‘Even Judas Gave Jesus a Kiss’, and the sunny grooves of ‘Steady As The Sidewalks Crack’ – is appropriately expressed in the album’s title, ‘Strange Weather, Isn’t It?’, something Offer relates to his tumultuous mood at the time. “It came from a Wong Kar-wai film I was watching called ‘In The Mood For Love’. The two main characters experience this change between them and there’s so much they need to say to each other, but they don’t know where to begin. So one of them just says ‘Strange weather, isn’t it?’ “For me, that just summed up how I felt about the record. Sitting back and
looking at it, I couldn’t even begin to address how bitter it was. It felt like I was trying to avoid the subject, or something.”
Fuchs at the end of last year. Their singer, however, claims that some degree of conflict comes with the territory of being a !!! member.
Despite Offer’s ambivalence, it is clear how proud he is of the record. Few, if any, bands out there come close to combining punk and funk as innovatively as his cohort do, and while those of us in the know will attest to this, it’s something they’ve received precious little recognition for.
“I think that continual frustration is something that comes with being an artist, but also you’ve got to be happy with your work on some level. The difference is that with this record, we feel like we’ve still got somewhere to go after it now.”
“I think every band thinks they deserve to be on the next level from where they’re at, and I try not to read the reviews too much, but in the English press we got reviewed by Mojo and Q magazine and they gave us three stars. Three fucking stars!? “It’s not as if it’s a difficult record, and I think the reviewers haven’t listened to this album as much, or as closely, as I’d have liked this time.” The disappointment is understandable given the work that Offer puts into the group, whether it’s in his gyrations up on stage, or in overseeing the band’s numerous personnel changes. Since 2007’s similarly underrated Myth Takes album, the five-piece have seen the departure of vocalist John Pugh and the untimely death of drummer, Jerry
It’s encouraging to hear, but with the disbanding of DFA friends, LCD Soundsystem, supposedly on the near horizon, HV can’t help but wonder if Nic thinks !!! are going to be keeping us in disco sounds for the foreseeable future. “I think so. It’s difficult because the band’s been together for 14 years, and if everybody wanted to give up then it wouldn’t be sustainable. But at the same time I think it’s a very healthy creative relationship that we have. “I’d really like to continue, but it would make sense if it had to end after 14 years.” If it did, it would mark the end of one of our most charismatic, energetic and floor-filling acts, so starting with their UK tour this autumn, long may the dance continue. !!! play Manchester Academy on October 28th. ‘Strange Weather, Isn’t It?’ is out now on Warp records.
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S
ky Larkin can be considered part of the new wave of indie bands - such as Los Campesinos and Slow Club - that have recently been “rebelling” against the North’s electro-synth scene. While their sounds are not necessarily similar, they do share a similar “indie” outlook and attitude: Nestor elaborates, “We’re really great friends with those guys and I think it’s great that listeners have access to a whole range of better quality music that’s around at the moment. Being compared to bands such as Los Campesinos is fine because it enables our fans to get to know other bands they might not have heard of otherwise, and visa versa, so it’s definitely a good thing.” Sky Larkin are also united with their musical peers in that their music too is not defined by place; in the same way that Delphic do not sound traditionally Mancunian, Sky Larkin do not identify their music as being typically northern: “We never set out to be a Yorkshire band, or even a UK band.” According to Nestor. “Katie however, has always thought there are similarities in the attitude and ethos between North West American artists and those in the North West of England. We never set out to appear influenced by the US or the UK, our priority is to make music that sounds good.” It does not take much listening time to figure out what Sky Larkin are about. Take their debut record The Golden Spike: In amongst the high intensity, the effervescent pop sensibility and the guitars, it conveys a sound with its heart in Portland and its head and lyrical references rooted firmly in the UK. While the first album was fraught with excitement and energy Nestor suggests that their latest record, Kaleide, has been a slightly different experience. The result is a subtle change in the bands composure, while it still retains everything that attracted us to Sky Larkin in the first place Nestor explains: “With the first album we were excited but also nervous about finally doing it. This time round the songs are much fresher because we’ve had time to grow together as a band; we’ve been refining how we play our instruments, and just talking to each other. I think that we’ve grown as musicians and that we’re more experimental on this record as a result.” The recording of Kaleide saw Sky Larkin decamp to Seattle to record with Death Cab for Cutie and more recently Los Campesinos producer
John Goodmanson. Nestor explains. “It was an amazing experience. As we had been there before, there was no ‘new place tension’ so we were in a good mental state. Seattle is an inspirational city because there is so much music and creativity everywhere, with a community spirit not dissimilar to the North West here.’’ Sky Larkin are a band who understand the industry they are in, but also acknowledge that attention to detail points toward their investment in producing a quality to their sound, and stretches their creative output as a band. The true extent of their originality is evident in several innovative promotional items launched ahead of Kaleide’s release, including a limited edition watch with a download code for ‘Beeline’ as well as ‘Antibodies’ being released in nearantique cassette format. “We were thinking of ways to resurrect the idea of a single, as it’s become a bit of a throwaway concept. Since cassettes are rare things these days we tried to put some value back into the single. It was a way for people to appreciate music in a physical way.” This notion of cassettes is reminiscent of making music to share with friends so there is an intimate and lasting quality to it by contrast to the almost automatic approach of listening to downloadable music.
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ollowing their nomination in this years ‘BBC ones to watch’ list, matched with their 2008 single ‘Suffragette Suffragette’ still ringing in our ears, and their debut album ready to launch, the diversely eclectic Manchester quartet Everything Everything look set to stamp their mark on 2010. It’s been a relatively drawn out journey from 2008’s Suffragette Suffragette to the bands debut LP Man Alive which is released this month, an issue that the bands vocalist and general noisenik Jonathan is keen to address. “It wasn’t entirely our choice, there was a long time between the first single and us getting signed as we are not perceived as a safe bet by labels. We’re a pretty weird band and when people first heard us they are not sure what to think, so labels weren’t sure we could sell records. It really started happening when Zane Lowe got behind us though, and helped us to open the right doors”.
From the original extras accompanying the release of Kaleide, to the unusual choice of recording locations, there is certainly a lot to Sky Larkin that arouses interest. For the recording of their tracks ‘Spooktacular’ and ‘Matador Acoustic’ the trio headed to the depths of Yorkshire, to the crypt of an old Victorian church. When asked if the location adds to the atmosphere and energy of the record Nestor replied, ‘Yes definitely. We were looking for a quiet and unusual space to write and hone the songs and I think that comes across in the tracks – that bit of magic’. It was the same space where the group trialed material for Kaleide and seems an apt beginning for an album translated from Greek to mean ‘beautiful forms’, and points toward a flutter of thought-provoking ideas and experiences that culminate in their 12 track album.
The momentum achieved through Lowe’s endorsement ensured the band were picked up by Geffen, and began work on their debut album Man Alive. “When writing it, we tried to set out our stall to give us lots of options” explains Jonathans
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING Words by Andy Best
passionately, “its very diverse. You can tell that ‘Schoolin’ or ‘MY KS YR BF’ are by the same band but then there are things on there like ‘Photoshop Handsome’ that just don’t relate to the same style” But does the band feel the finished article reflects the initial goals? “Yes definitely,” Jonathan quips ”we wanted it to be a record that you can put on at a party, but also one that is equally as good with headphones on walking down the street. It’s a hard balance to get.”
After numerous listens, Man Alive’s balance and depth of songs is clear to hear. It’s a record with a unique, often arty feel, without being pretentious. Jonathan, as with the rest of the band has immense pride in the finished article and is more than willing to reflect over the specific production methods used to create it. “We feel the changes of production add a real balance to the album. The song ‘Tin’ for example, is basically
the demo version, it appears on the album almost exactly as I recorded it myself just in my bedroom. I did a lot of things in that song that I had not done before. I wanted to leave all the weird breathing and sniffing in and not clean it up like some of the other tracks. The singles were much more polished, so it gives a good stability to the album. Also at the end of ‘Weights’ it just cuts out to the sound of outdoors, as that’s where we were recording it. The mic’s were left on by accident and when we heard it we all thought how uncontrolled it sounded, and non chaotic, so we left it on the album”. For a band with such a diverse and complex sound, the music can not be constructed from a ‘jamming it and see what happens’ attitude, a process confirmed by Jonathan “Yeah I write primarily on a laptop, It offers much less constraints. It allows you to create what’s in your mind not just in your hand. We still like Jamming, which is how we came up with the track ‘Photoshop’, but most songs stem from experimenting through software. Although it's hard to pin down a central sound to Everything Everything's music, they claim that R&B is an influence. With Destiny's Child included in their Myspace top friends.
“We were all really into American R&B when we got together, that and American pop. How we view this as an influence is more about the musical vibe. A lot of bands forget about the rhythm and enjoyment of playing together in their music, which is strong in R&B, and an element we wanted for our sound”. Its obviously nice to receive recognition for your craft, and with the Mercury music awards in September, EE can see a possible nomination for 2011. “We are all pretty excited about this year’s nominations, as Wild Beasts and Foals are directly in our ball park and that bodes pretty well for us next year.” Proclaims Jonathans enthusiastically, “as a band it would be fantastic to be nominated, but I would not want to win as it’s seen as a poisoned chalice to past winners. A nomination gives the band a massive spotlight, like with the BBC list we were in at the start of the year” before concluding “This year it’s all about the Wild Beasts though, they are the best band on the list. The bands debut album Man Alive is out now with a UK tour in October, seeing them call at Manchester’s Deaf Institute on the 12th
For ardent fans Kaleide is the natural progression of a band getting to know itself and becoming comfortable and confident with a traditional indie makeup; but with the feminine yet powerful energy Katie brings to the record. It’s a tried and tested formula that Sky Larkin makes their own. Kaleide is out now on Witicha Records.
SKY LARKIN
Words by Deidra-Eden keane
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SLEEPY SUN
Gold Panda
O
n the eve of their set at the Edinburgh Fringe, HV managed to get Sleepy Sun’s frontman, Bret Constantino to take a break from his busy day and have a chat.
Touring their recent ATP-released Fever record, they’re going from strength to strength, playing a string of European festival dates before returning to the States to play at ATP in New York.
Words by Andy Best
D
espite making the BBC’s Sound of 2010 list, along with a hotly anticipated LP primed for release, this could be a difficult year for Gold Panda.
It’s no secret that Essex’s electronic prodigy prefers to let his music do the talking, yet his profile is sure to get much bigger. “I’m pretty apprehensive about the album, it just means that the live shows will be much more difficult, as there will be more pressure.” Explains Derwin, the man behind the guise. “I have always seen this as more a past-time, tunes that I write and record alone, I often find the live aspect all a bit daunting as I don’t like the thought of people just stood watching me with my laptop”.
Gold Panda’s debut LP Lucky Shiner is released in October. Named after his grandmother, and including tracks such as ‘I’m With You But I’m Lonely’ & ‘Marriage’ you would be right to think its quite a personal album. Albeit one laden with minimalist techno, hip hop beats and an underlying summery warmth. “I suppose it wasn’t a conscious effort to make it personal, they are just songs that I have played around with,
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and some are references to other influences. ‘Parents’ for example is actually about the 60’s all girl group The Shaggs, who were all sisters, and whose father pushed them into it. I really wanted the album to be a complete piece, rather than just beats I wanted a start, a middle and an end to it”. Many years of record collecting for samples, along with the hours of tinkering ensured that Lucky Shiner had to be cut down from 40 plus tracks “A lot of the tracks were incomplete, or works in progress, so it was easier than I thought to cut it down. I recorded the whole album in just 2 weeks, then took it to James (Shaw from Simian Mobile Disco) in London to mix it and put it together. It was important to have another pair of ears to the production process”. In these 2 weeks Derwin relocated to his aunt and uncles house in the country to record. This was more a situation of circumstance, than a conscious decision; “They went on holiday and asked me to look after their dog Daisy, so I moved in around Christmas and recorded the album, it was peaceful and gave me time to think and bring it together”. Behind the stories on Lucky Shiner, hides a very adventurous album. ‘Parents’ consists largely of an acoustic guitar, with the artist all to willing to state that he doesn’t know how to play guitar. Sounds are constructed and layered between
ambient electronic loops, from the old battered Yamaha organ purchased on eBay for 99p, to the squelches and bleeps that are rich throughout. So for an artist who feels uncomfortable in the limelight, how is all this attention sitting with him?
“I find some of it strange, the BBC Sounds or 2010 list annoyed me to be honest, and I’m extremely sceptical about it. I was reading online an article from the BBC about the 2009 list; it was really negative about where they are now and how many records they have sold. It talked about Little Boots and The Temper Trap, and referred to them as relative failures as they hadn’t sold millions of records. It’s all a bit of a ‘build them up to knock them down’ mentality.”
their art, and Gold Panda is no exception. If you can take praise and reviews with a pinch of salt you can’t lose. “It’s strange as I have never seen what I do to be a job. I much prefer to be recording music than playing live, but I still like to gauge people’s reactions to my music. I guess for me it’s just more of a hobby”.
“We’re having the time of our lives!” is the answer I get to my first question, which is encouraging in a role where you often hear mainly doom-and-gloom from emerging artists; apparently, life on the road suits this band: “Every job or lifestyle has highs or lows. We face the same problems as everybody else, just on a different canvas. We don’t have a ‘home’ to go back to, but it’s quite liberating to have no anchor.” Bret elaborated, “You get to see a lot of the world, and it’s a good
Words by Alex Lynham
experience. Hopefully it’ll be the fuel for the new record…”
Pre-empting my next question, he was eager to talk of their plans for the follow-up to Fever. “We’re pretty much touring ‘til the end of the year… but we’re already marking off time for it.” A well-earned rest then? “We do our fair share of partying. There are certain legs of the tour where we are more exhausted than others.” I asked what has been the best part of the tour, and he explained that it was different for different members of the band, but for him, “meeting people is one of the best things about touring” and reflected that “being in comfortable and uncomfortable situations builds character.” Sleepy Sun’s sound spawns instant associations as well as questions; what influenced them more, their environment, or bands like The Grateful Dead and guitar players like Hendrix and Santana? Turns out that it’s a mixture, as these things often are; Bret was more than happy to tell me about how his early life and the band’s formation had influenced their music: “I grew up in a very small town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Rural environments are a huge influence on me obviously, recreating that peaceful and serene… vibration, I
guess.” Unlike the other band members though, music wasn’t his focus until rather more recently“I’ve always been into music, but I was a late bloomer. I didn’t start playing until college in Santa Cruz when I met the band. The environment there is special” Special? “Well, there’s a famous bumper sticker that says ‘Keep Santa Cruz Weird’- it’s that kind of atmosphere.”
Though Sleepy Sun has apparently only been a serious band for “two or three years”, they have already had some clear career highs and Bret obliged with a couple of stories. “When we played Primavera was the first. It was a beautiful setting, and we got to see Neil Young and Sonic Youth later… everyone was smiling and having a great time. We also performed with a children’s choir at SXSW this year- there was just an ecstatic sense of joy in performing.” Reaching this point was thanks to embracing the world of downloading, as Sleepy Sun gave away their debut, Embrace, free “for about a year” before ATP picked it up. He explained, “we just wanted people to hear it and react to it… that ended up working really well for us.” When it comes to downloading others’ music, he’s no less candid. “I download music, but if
I really like it, I’ll go out and buy it.” He added that he couldn’t afford to buy all the albums “his ears demanded”, but shrugged “If I had the money, I’d pump lots of it into the industry by buying records, but it’s better to go to a show and buy a t-shirt or a poster anyway.” He’s similarly black and white about what makes a great band. “Make a connection with the audience. You have to try and reach them in some way.” Winning them over in the first place is important, Bret says, because if they aren’t receptive then you can’t connect at all; but how do you do that? “The fact that we believe in our music can be very convincing. People can tell right off the bat if it’s a genuine expression, real or fabricated. We just try and conjure positive energy and entertain.” So, clearly the band have learned their Stagecraft 101 well, but I had to ask, is there any life or career advice he would give to his younger musicians that he’s learned along the way? “Uhm, life is much simple than sometimes it’s made out to be… sometimes you need to breathe and forget the extraneous distractions.”
Lucky Shiner is released 11th October, with a gig at Manchester’s Ruby Lounge the week before on the 6th.
It’s always refreshing to hear a musician speak passionately about
11
S
tylishly ambivalent and dramatic in equal doses, Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson of Hurts are worlds apart from the plethora of Mancunian bands’ near-compulsive modeling on the Factory’s output. With their dulcet tones and deadpan posturing they were hailed as one of the influential BBC’s Sound of 2010 bands, without having played a single gig. Hurts had caused quite a stir before they even began. High Voltage caught up with Adam Hurts ahead of their forthcoming album release Happiness to discuss their staggering ascent, Hurts as a provocative assault on the senses; and Kylie. Hurts focus on style and substance. They make use of potent dramatic imagery and reinvent the edgy synth pop and coordinated harmonies perpetuated by 80s bands such as Ultravox and Blancmange. According to Adam, their pop concept has been in the making for a while. He explains that, “Even though Hurts is only
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sixteen months old, we started making music together four years ago, so for us it does feel a long time coming. In many ways we've been working towards this album since we met.” Their forthcoming album Happiness is a triumph in how to create a modern pop record with a soul, for a well-versed listener educated in 80’s pop. When asked whether this record, with a combination of orchestral undertones and razor sharp synthesised tracks was the album they set out to make, Adam responds “The last year has been a massive emotional roller-coaster. In January 2009 we'd been on the dole for two and a half years and didn't have any money or prospects...I didn't even have a house to live in. We wrote some songs, like 'Wonderful Life' during that period where we were desperately unhappy but wanted so much to get out of the situation, that it fed into our songs… That journey is what holds the album together.” Hurts appear to have come out of nowhere and prior to their debut gig
at the apt surroundings of St. Phillips Church in Salford, Adam explains why they decided to forgo the traditional gig circuit in building their name “We'd played so many pointless gigs in our last band that we refused to do it with Hurts…In Hurts we decided to focus on the songs, get the live show watertight and then play a special gig.”
little uncertain and challenged people to make up the details for themselves.”
As evident in their meticulous attention to detail and style, Hurts are a product of discipline.
However, their discipline extends further than the physical dimension of Hurts. Referring to the process of placing equal importance on the lyrics and the sound Adam elaborates, “The most consuming aspect of what we do is making sure the atmosphere and the details within the music are as interesting and have as much depth as possible. Writing actual songs can sometimes be the easy part. There's not a sound on the album that hasn't been cared for and considered. We wanted to make pop music that could be appreciated after more than a few listens.“
When asked whether the visual aspect of Hurts is integral to their music Adam responds “Music is a very visual thing for the two of us. We were watching a lot of David Lynch films when we started making the album and he was a big influence on us. I think with the videos we have made, we have given people a snippet of a world, which is perhaps a
It is evident quite early into listening to Happiness that this is a group for which nothing is unachievable. Discussing the need to be ambitious in the current musical climate Adam states, “Ambition is built into us as people. I come from a small town where the mentality is naturally unambitious…I wanted to be more than that and so I followed a dream
HURTS even though it was massively risky…. In our last band we were constantly trying to attract attention from the south, which would often end in disappointment or a broken promise... Even though with Hurts we stopped caring about pleasing anyone, it has still informed who we are as people and what we sound like.”
Hurts controlled approach to their creative output, their performances and their imagery hints at the foundations of a strong brand rather than a one trick pony. On the subject of whether the opera singers and the old school couture exterior are consistent themes in Hurts, Adam explains “We've started in a simple place so we could go anywhere next. It's exciting. We've been to so many amazing countries in the last few months and I'm sure that will influence us. It's hard to know whether we'll make the next album in Manchester. Perhaps not. When you write a song in a bed-sit in Longsight and then play that song to 11,000 in a stadium in Greece...it opens the world up to you.”
The construction of a ballad is undoubtedly a difficult balancing act, as each component that goes into creating a pop song for a discerning musical audience must be closely monitored to stop it erring into Westlife territory.
Adam admits “I suppose writing ballads is considered a risk… One of my friends said 'Blood Tears & Gold’ reminded them of Westlife. It made me laugh. We're not on some elevated platform where that is considered a massive insult. We write pop music. We've as much in common with Take That as we do with Joy Division and we've never once denied that.”
There is an air of perfectionism surrounding their work and Hurts is a striking visual force as much as an aural one. So it is hardly surprising that an ambitious pair with their sights on selling millions of records would not feel uncomfortable asking everyone’s favourite pop crush, Kylie Minogue, to feature on their track ‘Devotion’. Adam explains how the collaboration with Kylie came about “We felt like there was a place on the album for the redemption of a woman and we thought, this time last year we were on the dole, why not just ask the most famous woman in Britain to sing on our song? We emailed her and a few days later she got back to us saying she loved the track. We recorded it the week after that in London. It’s a moment of release on the album. She sounds like Kate Bush.” Hurts is intense but exciting pop music, but the edgy pop persona that chimes throughout Happiness may be hard to replicate as the band continue to grow under all the Hurtsteria. If a sense of despair from
their environment fed into their debut, their subsequent material may well take them in a different direction as they go from being one’s to watch to the one’s everybody wants to work with. You also get the impression that it is all or nothing with Hurts and from the very beginning Hutchcraft and Anderson have reached for nothing less than perfection. “One day we might do something with just the two of us but for now we like the drama of having a full band behind us.” Adam says, referring to their live performances. “It's very easy to be an electronic act and just push play on the backing track. It’s more convincing if you try and elaborate on the recordings, bring them to life even more if you can. So that's what we're trying to do. We have an opera singer, which in any other context would be completely ridiculous but for us, at the right moments, it really works.”
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live 17th Sept - Kraak (Stevenson Square)
FLORRIE
w/ Seerauber Jenny // Projectionists //MAY68 DJs 8pm - 2am, £5 adv
singles Theo from Hurts has a solid pair of ears. So what does he make of the hottest jamz out in September and October? Let's find out...
23rd April // Deaf Institute
ISLET
w/ Slow Motion Shoes // Unconscious Jungle Doors 8pm, £5 adv
11th Oct - Deaf Institute
MAPS & ATLASES w/ Tall Ships Doors 8pm, £7 adv
13th Oct - Mint Lounge - In The City
OH NO ONO
w/ Teeth / Dog is Dead Doors 6pm, tickets from www.inthecity.co.uk
25th Oct - Deaf Institute
BEACH FOSSILS
w/ Lawrence Arabia // Three Blind Wolves Doors 8pm, £7 adv
28th Oct - Deaf Institute
EL GUINCHO
w/ special guests Doors 8pm, £7.50 adv
29th Oct - Roadhouse
PULL IN EMERGENCY w/ Oxygen Index Doors 8pm, tickets £5 adv
17th Nov - Academy 3
HOLY FUCK
w/ special guests Doors 7.30pm, £9 adv
19th Nov - Deaf Institute
BATHS
w/ Vegans / Pogo DJs 8pm - 3am, £5 adv
23rd Nov - Deaf Institute
MARNIE STERN w/ Special guests 8pm, £7.50 adv
MIA - 'It Takes A Muscle'
Tokyo Police Club 'Bambi'
Fenech Soler - 'Lies' (B-unique)
Yeasayer - 'Madder Red'
Big electronic dub track (complete with all the cliches, of course) showcasing a softer side of MIA. Sounds like Grace Jones on a good morning. 'It takes a muscle to fall in love' is an excellent lyric too.
A voice which shares it's tone with Alan Donohoe (The Rakes) and Chris Difford (Squeeze) and a nice little melee of nervous electronics and guitars. All in under 3 minutes. So if that description sounds like your worst nightmare, it won't last long.
A good little song from a new band on form. Files next to Delphic and Friendly Fires but stands out alone. Can't go wrong with a few dancing babes in your video either.
Yeasayer are a good band. So intricate an fresh sounding. And a live sight to behold. This is less quirky than they can be, but still works really well in it's progression.
Ratatat - 'Drugs'
Paul Weller - 'Fast Car Band of Horses - 'Dilly' / Slow Traffic'
Soft piano intro throws itself head long into the world of electronics which is starting to sound dated. Justice/Chromeo/Digitalism wails and blips which amble along. That said, the video is a total mind bend of obscured normality. Win some, lose some.
Olof Arnalds - 'Crazy Car' Sounds as lonely and isolated as you can imagine Iceland is on a sad February evening. For me, folk needs a voice which shakes your heart or an interesting concept to succeed. This drifts away from that towards just being boring.
Denis Jones - 'Clap Hands'
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Machine-like drum sounds and lo-fi fuzzing bass. An odd, yet interesting, cover of the American standard 'The Clapping Song'. Sounds like Beck on ketamine.
I didn't even notice this was playing until it stopped. The type of soft, bearded, countryside, tailinbetween-your-legs indie which just floats around in a vacuum in your consciousness. Next...
I half expected to turn this on and want to boil my own head, since Paul from The Style Council's later stuff has often made me feel that way. But this is brilliant. As experimental as I've ever heard him and more fresh and modern sounding than a lot of the other singles.
Howls - 'Hammock' Crisp and empty production and the soft, clean vocals of Stephen Fretwell turn the Southern Gothic feel into something much more British. Was getting into it until the words 'Larry Hagman' came up in the chorus.
ALSO OUT THIS MONTH We're thrilled that local lads Dutch Uncles have been picked up by Memphis Industries to release new recording 'Fragrant' (Memphis Industries), which is out on 11th October. The track features lead singer Duncan's trademark falsetto along with a crunching rhythm section. It's a step forward from 'The Ink' - released back in May and means that their debut LP can't come soon enough. Also from round these parts is the release of 'Hands' (Columbia) by The Ting Tings, the first cut from their second album. Matching the
success of their first album must have been on the duo's mind, as their infectious electro-pop spread across the world. As a result this track sounds a little too calculated, and lakes the freshness of
involvement of Mint Royale's Neil Claxton. There's a lo-fi edge to new single 'Push it Away' (Label Fandango) but it has the ambition to match the previously mentioned duo.
others. That said, Klaxons' first single from their album left us nonplussed, so there's still hope that Katie and Jules will produce a stellar LP.
Another act also not short of ambition is David's Lyre, a moniker adopted by Paul Dixon. His new single 'Tear Them Down' (East City Records) is out at the start of September, and it's a delicate blend of lush harmonies and rising guitar parts. Certainly one to watch.
In a similar ball park are Seerauber Jenny, a band project based around Brighton's Fran Barker but given a Manchester focus thanks to the
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albums
Sometimes when you’ve had a busy week listening to music (oh, how hard is my life?), you’re a bit crushed under some of the more average stuff out there, of which there is an abundance, but apparently this serves a function: to pave the way for the entrance of the Solar Bears. Catalysed by not hearing anything too far out in a couple of weeks, this record really caught me off guard.
album of the month After remixes for the likes of Bloc Party, Health and Simian Mobile Disco, and three critically-lauded EPs already knocking around it is fair to say that GP’s debut is eagerly anticipated, and it doesn’t disappoint. Lucky Shiner is a combination of chilled breaks and beats, ingredients which could have ended on the coffee table but remain on the right side of the pleasurable/pedestrian divide due to its endearing invention and warmth.
Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner
The record starts with the sound of a cassette tape loading, followed by the future proof beats of ‘You’; it’s a great juxtaposition between old and new technologies, both signalling that this is superior to what has come before and making the cut-
Wichita 4|5
and-paste loops sound like something from inside a time machine. As an opener it sets the tone, melding old-school ideas and condensed beats in an easy to digest, accessible way, although the hypnotic, metronomic tone also flags up the fact that the record could perhaps do with a few more changes of pace. But what it lacks in energy it more than makes up for in design. For an album without lyrics the whole thing feels peculiarly personal, simultaneously nonthreatening and reassuring – perhaps that’s down to song titles like ‘You’, ‘Parents’ and ‘Marriage’, or the fact Lucky Shiner is the name of Gold Panda’s grandma (brilliant name
for a grandmother incidentally). GP spent time in Japan and you can hear the influence occasionally drifting in and out, from the coda in ‘Vanilla’ to the bells of ‘Same Dream China’. These are musical postcards, and a baring of something: like Four Tet telling you about his weekend. It’s Mylo with odd bits, Thom Yorke’s elevator music or Caribou on a Sunday, and although its destined to be stolen by the modern equivalent of Mondeo Man it remains a debut with impressive depth and real scope.
Solar Bears - She Was Coloured In Planet Mu 5|5
Harry Garne
Maps & Atlases - Perch Patchwork
Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin
Fatcat
Frenchkiss / Wichita
4|5
4 |5
When an album receives the kind of lavish praise Microcastle did, the pressure to follow it is intensified; but Deerhunter have exceeded expectation on their second album Halycon Digest. It demonstrates bags of depth, with a rich tapestry of sound interwoven throughout the disc.
Deerhunter – Halyon Digest 4AD
If you thought the spirit of Peter Gabriel had chosen Vampire Weekend as the vehicle for his world-y rumblings and no one else, then think again: it seems there's plenty to go around. Maps & Atlases are four laid-back-kinda-guys from art school in Chicago, Illinois, who make the kind of playful, exotic mathy pop which Band Of Horses might make on a gap year. David Davison’s caramel tones might be the big story behind Maps & Atlases, but this is to do a disservice to the multiple directions each track on Perch Patchwork takes. ‘Pigeon’ is a case in point: starting a little close to Paulo Nutini for comfort, drums build and horns layer until it reaches something closer to Amadou & Miriam. It doesn’t just shift genre, it traverses continents. Elsewhere the sounds are a little more blended, from the sun-baked harmonies of ‘Israel Caves’ to the slow-stepping night jangle that underpins ‘Was’, but there’s always a sense of not knowing what’s coming up next. Having the word ‘Patchwork’ in the title is more than a little apt as it at least flags up the disparate (and at times slightly jarring) elements, such as the final breakdown on the title track which aims for TV on the Radio but doesn’t quite get the balance right between eyebrowraising crossovers and total confusion. Having said all that, it’s unlikely a more ambitious record will appear this year, and with summer on the wane one last blast of beach weather is always welcome. ‘Catchyweird’ did Yeasayer the world of good; perhaps it’s the year’s most unlikely bandwagon? Harry Garne
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They’re right about the name, Root For Ruin. Every song on this fifth studio album features the shiny and distracting, the pointers which remind why Les Savy Fav are so relevant despite continuing to be bewilderingly underrated.
Rating 5|5
With a straight-faced “Show us your teeth and show us your tits,” off bounds first track ‘Appetites’ surrounded by rolling guitars and sharp punk drums, siding up to ‘Lips n Stuff’ with its nonchalant New York twang. “I don’t know where to look, I cannot hold your gaze, our eyes are filled with smoke...” seems honest enough, only for a punch line to flip the sentiment upside down; “I wouldn’t say we kissed, just rubbed together our lips n stuff.” Less varied than predecessor Let’s Be Friends, this is nevertheless come-back rather than come-down, with straighter balls delivered on favourable ground. Having influenced and bypassed the dance/punk/ indie house parties over the past few years, the five members are safely ensconced away to carry on regardless. What could be regarded throwaway by their standards – ‘High and Unhinged’ could be a ‘zine title from the 80s – clearly acts as a riposte to the copy-cats who claimed the spotlight. Throw in the more blatant “I am 17, kick me in the teeth” – and the general character here should be fairly selfevident. As much hubris as ever, and with the sweaty scent of a career best, overlooking this would be foolish. Liam Pennington
In particular, ‘Twin Stars’ is like a hyperkinetic version of Team Sleep’s trip-hop classic ‘Ataraxia’, at once beguilingly beat-driven and sparsely atmospheric. Track four, the title track, bears some welcome resemblance to Curve’s
Pull in Emergency – Pull in Emergency Mute 4|5
Some of the distortion found on previous releases may have gone; but Deerhunter’s ability to mix ambient sounds with heavy doses of pop sensibilities most certainly has not. Album opener ‘Earthquake’ has a slower tempo than most Deerhunter offerings, but it seduces the listener with its delightful arpeggio, low-mixed vocal and sexual lyricism. Other highlights include first single
‘Hung Up’, and ‘Head Supernova’ sounds like it could be straight off the Blade Runner soundtrack. For near comparisons, perhaps Underworld are the nearest to a sound-alike band, but in truth this record is mysteriously and elusively original.
what is going on at every point in the mix. If I had a record of the week award, it’d be this, because it’s staying on my stereo. Do yourself a favour and have a listen. Alex Lynham
The shifts in dynamics are masterfully executed, while the texture ebbs and flows between thick terraces and sparse ambient samples. There’s a very high level of songwriting evidently behind this record, and the sometime lack of clear melodies never causes the album to drag, because so much thought has been taken over
‘Revival’, a song which should ensure substantial airplay (on 6music at least), and the fantastic ‘Fountain Stairs’, which contains a magnificent riff from Lockett Pundt. Indeed, Pundt’s guitar skills come to the fore in many of these tracks, especially the ones which he had a hand in writing the music for. ‘Desire Lines’ is one such example; musically entrancing, it contains a joyous, Marr-style riff that is a delight to hear again and again.
quality of the band’s output makes such hyperbolic disapproval seem absurd. Its time the whole music world fully embraced the enormous talent that is Deerhunter. Rob Pollard
This could just be the best album of the year so far. With the brilliant song-writing abilities of Cox and Pundt, Deerhunter possess genuine ability. They have received some vitriolic criticism in the past from certain music blogs but the
Pull In Emergency are an extremely promising outfit. Their adeptness at writing well-crafted indie songs belies their tender age and, if their well of influences grows and matures, they are likely to go on and produce some excellent work. Produced by Gordon Raphael -who himself worked with The Strokes - the album offers a brash set of songs that cite a youthful attitude.
delivery for a slightly more haunting and edgy vocal. This works well and offers an example of the charisma that she possesses. There are hints of Karen O in Barker’s singing technique, offering the most unique aspect of the band’s approach. The final track, ‘Hold Still’, incorporates distorted sounds and some nice backing vocals, providing a sweet end to a solid first album.
The LP offers 10 succinct tracks that are sure to please indie types with an ear for the latest thing. Tales of young, unrequited love are delivered with an energy that is infectious, with each song packing a fair old punch. The stand-out track on the album is ‘Cold Hands’, a song where Faith Barker ditches her regular mockney-esque
With a charismatic front woman and a band which knows how to piece together catchy material P.I.E look set to make a breakthrough in the indie arena. This album provides a solid platform on which this band can build. If they are prepared to develop their sound further and incorporate a more diverse set of influences, they should
acquire the tools needed to become an even more impressive outfit. Rob Pollard
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reviews gig of the month
Leeds Festival
We’re not stretching the truth by saying that the main stage of Reading and Leeds has a distinctly non-2010 feel. There is of course one exception (see later), but for the majority it’s an opportunity for the scene statesmen to fortify opinions. For example, take a flick through Saturday afternoon; Limp Bizkit, Cypress Hill, Weezer, Paramore topped off with Blink 182; an onslaught of pasty punk to be adored or abhorred. But with such a monstrous festival, avalanches of inspiration can be found, and Leeds 2010 is in no short supply. Leading the charge, The Walkmen open the main stage with frenetic quality and class. Whilst fiddling with the OC may have damaged their credibility, new tracks from the soon to be released sixth album indicate a real return to form. Modest Mouse however show us why they remain confined to bedroom anoraks. Extensive back catalogues are the blight of the quirky, and with MM being at the top of the sectioning list, the potential existed for disappointment. Lacking the sobering influence of Johnny Marr
the bumpkins favoured the mentally challenged, with little nod to songs more illustrative of their brilliance. And whilst MM were the biggest disappointment, they weren’t the sole offenders. Let’s start with the Joy Formidable. Crimes to music aside, elfin songstress Ritz’s attempt at imbuing credibility by daintily trashing her guitar during the opening song swiftly hoodwinks the crowd; and whilst the gathered cheer at her newly acquired rock credentials, we can’t help but cringe at the prosaic lameness of it all. Similarly the Wild Beasts’ set leaves a funky taste in our mouths. It’s hard to articulate the cause, maybe it’s just a general apathy, but they produce a stagnant performance of what is a brilliant album. For all those wasting time, there are also those squeezing every second from their allocated slots. Local Natives deliver a confident and enigmatic debut full of militant precision and joyous harmonies (and also criminal facial hair), only to be defeated by a zealous sound-man stopping the set mid samba.
The plug was also prematurely yanked from LCD Soundsystem’s pulsating set, only to re-instate it once realising the mistake. This Stalin-esque attitude, although necessary, didn’t bode well for lord of the dance Axl who had already encountered the hand of the man in Reading. Arriving onstage a mere 30 minutes late Rose skipped back and forth in his twinkly threads with the aged grace of Bruce Forsyth. ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ was purged early and a few pyrotechnics later we’d had our fill of the pompous performance and left to the stench of burning cups. Headliner of the weekend, without question goes to the Arcade Fire. Previous Neon Bible era festival slots had left us underwhelmed, possibly due to the overblown pretention of Neon Bible, but the Suburbs offers a toned rawness that their catalogue missed. Contrary to the record ‘Rococo’ emerges as a powerful live force whilst album climax ‘Sprawl II’ struggles somewhat, hopefully dismissing all talk of the latter being their new direction (live at least). Daniel Pratley
FILM of the month Harmony Korine intended that Trash Humpers have an air of found VHS. This is certainly the case. Static flecked, saturated by rain and composed of overexposed scenes divided by brash cutting, it could easily be the home movie or Youtube upload of Leatherface’s offspring. Elsewhere, there’s seemingly no rhyme or reason to this 77 minutes of film.
Trash Humpers Directed by Harmony Korine
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I spent those 77 minutes trying to decipher what to make of Trash Humpers. On one level it plays like the characteristically debased folly of a bored and provocative indie director. Amusing, unsettling, shocking and potentially a victim of its own regressive agenda, yet at points I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to directors such as Werner Herzog (Even Dwarf
Started Small) and Lars Von Trier (The Idiots). There are strong themes of insanity that run through the film. The decision by Korine to feature in Trash Humpers possibly a way by which he throws off the shackles of conformity in film as he cackles maniacal behind the lens. There’s something about madness that’s intrinsically anti-establishment. Trash Humpers concerns itself with four grotesque protagonists of which little is known other than their delectation for humping trash and trees. There’s murder, discarded naked bodies, home invasion and kidnap. Everything else is up for debate, and while there’s no solid narrative, there are strong themes that occur throughout the film. The whole process of watching Trash Humpers is
unsettling. The candid style of cinematography and continual jump cuts, hazy aesthetic and VHS static add disorientating nuances to the film. It’s both frightening and hilarious, disturbing yet strangely beautiful. In a series of short cuts, ordinarily mundane scenes are given an appealing beauty. With a mass of low quality videos now saturating the internet, to have someone mimic that slipshod style is refreshing. Naysayers will dismiss Trash Humpers as lowbrow trash. People will hate it and I like it for that reason. The best art is that which provokes a response, polarizes opinion. I like to think that simply by existing it acts as a catalyst for public discussion. Jonathan Hopkins
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listings Sept - Oct Sept Wed 1st
Ian Bramwell @ Hardrock Cafe
Thurs 2nd
Women @ Deaf Institute
Fri 3rd
The Like w/ Golden Glow / The Sticks @ The Ruby Lounge The Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77 @ Academy 2
Sat 4th
Neon Indian w/ Chad Valley @ Deaf Institute Muse @ LCCC Eels @ Academy 1 Orphan Boy @ Club Academy The Vortex @ Band On The Wall
Sun 5th Mon 6th
Cymbals Eat Guitars @ Deaf Institute Phosphorenscent @ Night & Cafe Jonsi @ Academy 1
Tues 7th Wed 8th
The New Pornographers w/ Freelance Whales @ The Ruby Lounge Abandon @ Night & Cafe
Thurs 9th
Sucioperro @ The Roadhouse Electric Eel Shock @ Sound Control Homelife, Denis Jones & Nancy Elizabeth @ Band On The Wall
Fri 10th
Folk Face @ Fac 251 Da Katz Whiskaz @ Deaf Institute Proud Mary @ Sound Control Gong @ Academy 1 Manchester Academy Metal Festival @ Academy 3 Kath Bloom @ Band On The Wall
Sat 11th
Divide & Rule @ The Ruby Lounge The Soundcarriers w/ Plank @ Ducie Bridge Elliot Minor @ Club Academy Mr Scruff Keep It Unreal @ Band On The Wall
Sun 12th
John Head @ Deaf Institute Slaraffenland w/ Driver Drive Faster @ Academy 3
Tues 14th
The Moody Blues @ The Apollo Horse Feathers @ Kings Arms Breed 77 @ Moho The Black Twig Pickers + Charles Parr @ Band On The Wall
Delta Spirit @ The Ruby Lounge
Thurs 23rd
The Vaselines @ Deaf Institute The Answering Machine @ Sound Control The Shout Out Louds @ The Ruby Lounge The Wilderness Of Mantitoba @ Night & Cafe Glenn Hughes @ Academy 3 Testimony @ Band On The Wall Metronomy w/ Chapel Club / Metronomy @ WHP
Fri 24th
Paul Heaton @ Academy 1 Adam Bayer w/ Steve Lawler @WHP
Oct Fri 1st
Tiffany Page @ Deaf Institute Exit Calm @ The Roadhouse Violens @ The Ruby Lounge Philadelphia Gand Dury @ Night & Cafe Basshunter @ Academy 1 For Those About To Rock @ Academy 2 Joy Diversion @ Academy 3 Steve Ignorant @ Club Academy Polar Bear @ Band On The Wall Boys Noize w/ Fake Blood @ WHP Shrag w/ Standard Fare @ Kraak Gallery
Sat 2nd
Fyfe Dangerfield @ Sound Control Olof Arnalds @ Dulcimer Sky Larkin @ Night & Day The Brute Chorus @ The Ruby Lounge Pierre Bensusan @ Band On The Wall
Damien Jurado w/ Richard Swift @ Deaf Institute MGMT @ The Apollo Pete Molinari @ Academy 3
The Airbourne Toxic Event @ Deaf Institute Santana @ M.E.N Arena Mumford & Sons @ The Apollo Random Hand @ Night & Cafe Mark Ronson & The Business Intl @ Academy 1 Y & Y @ Academy 3 Architects @ Club Academy Terry Callier @ Band On The Wall Nowhere Again w/ Dune / Adam Farnell @ Fuel Kelis w/ Calvin Harris / Starsmith @ WHP
Fri 17th
Mon 27th
Lisbee @ Deaf Institute This Will Destroy You @ Moho The Union @ The Ruby Lounge Bring Me The Horizon @ Club Academy
Sun 3rd
Wed 15th
Sat 25th
Marcus Foster & Pete Rowe @ Night & Cafe Black Mountain w/ Wolf People @ Academy 3
Mt. Desolution @ Deaf Institute Hexstatic @ Sound Control The ZZ Tops @ The Ruby Lounge Eric Prydz w/ Basement Jaxx / Felix Da Housecat @ WHP
Thurs 16th
Sun 26th
Florrie w/ Seerauber Jenny + MAY68 DJs @ Kraak
Sat 18th
Joanna Newsome @ Palace Theatre Here We Go Magic w/ Allo Darlin / Internet Forever @ Deaf Institute Sage Francis @ The Roadhouse A Boy Called Doris @ Sound Control Barenaked Ladies @ The Apollo Two Door Cinema Club @ Academy 2 Stolen Peace @ Academy 3 The Locals @ Club Academy
Sun 19th
Raghu Dixit @ Band On The Wall
Mon 20th
Liam Frost @ Sound Control
Tues 21st
Willy Mason @ Deaf Institute The Traveling Band @ Sound Control Tommy Reilly @ The Ruby Lounge Framing Hanley @ Academy 3 The Magnets @ Band On The Wall
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Wed 22nd
Tues 28th
PVT w/ Electricity in our homes / 2:54 / Books @ Deaf Institute Ricky Warwick @ The Ruby Lounge Islet w/ Slow Motion Shoes / Unconscious Jungle @ Islington Mill The Magic Numbers @ Academy 2 3OH!3 @ Academy 3 Kano @ Club Academy Darren Hayman @ Godlee Observatory
Wed 29th
Bury Tomorrow @ The Roadhouse Detachments @ Sound Control Rosie Vanier @ Night & Cafe Grinderman @ Academy 1 Example @ Academy 2
Thurs 30th
Deer Tick w/ Caitlin Rose @ Deaf Institute Truman Peyote@ Night & Cafe Get Cape Wear Cape Fly @ Academy 3 Kirsty Almeida @ Band On The Wall
The Baseballs @ Club Academy
Mon 4th
Crocodiles @ Deaf Institute The Miserable Rich @ The Ruby Lounge NME Radar Tour @ Academy 3
Tues 5th
Frankie & The Heartstrings Summer Camp @ Deaf Institute The Lines @ The Ruby Lounge Hurts @ The Ritz Sparrow and The Workshop @ Night & Cafe Of Montreal @ Academy 2 City Of Fire @ Academy 3 Lonnie Liston Smith @ Band On The Wall
Wed 6th
Errors + The Twilight Sad @ Deaf Institute Gold Panda @ The Ruby Lounge Bobby Long @ Night & Cafe Mayday Parade/ The Maine @ Academy 3 Blood Red Shoes @ Club Academy Imaad Wasif @ The Corner
Thurs 7th
Junip @ Deaf Institute Finley Quaye @ Sound Control Mice Parade @ The Ruby Lounge Sivert Hoem @ Night & Cafe Sublime with Rome @ Academy 2 FM @ Club Academy Focus @ Band On The Wall
Fri 8th
Jagular Skills @ Deaf Institute Kassidy @ The Roadhouse Kid British @ Moho Steve Miller Band @ The Apollo Corinne Bailey Ray @ Academy 2 Delays @ Academy 3 Paul Van Dyk w/ John Dahlback @ WHP Napolean IIIrd w/ Pagan Wanderer Lu @ Kings Arms
Sat 9th
Cats and Cats and Cats @ The Roadhouse Jean Michel Jarre @ M.E.N Arena Ocean Colour Scene The Apollo Groove Armada @ Academy 1 Imelda May @ Academy 2 August Burns Red @ Academy 3 Introducing plays DJ Shadows Endtroducing @ Club Academy Andy C w/ David Rodigan / Luke Vibert @ WHP
Sun 10th
The Black Angels @ The Ruby Lounge Korn @ The Apollo
Mon 11th
Maps & Atlases w/ Tall Ships @ Deaf Institute Detroit Social Club @ The Ruby Lounge Dan Mangan @ Night & Cafe Sabaton @ Academy 2 Chameleons Vox + Artery @ Band On The Wall
Tues 12th
Thurs 14th
General Fiasco @ Sound Control Manic Street Preachers @ The Apollo Bowling For Soup @ Academy 1 Sky Parade @ Academy 3 Professor Green @ Club Academy
Fri 15th
The Jim Jones Revue @ Sound Control Joe Bonamassa @ The Apollo Plan B @ Academy 1 Cherry Ghost @ Academy 2 Mark Chadwick @ Academy 3 Yuck w/ Spectrals / Porcelain Raft @ Band On The Wall Wino @ Star & Garter Richie Hawtin w/ Minus @ WHP
Sat 16th
Attack! Attack! @ Sound Control The Charlatans The Apollo Goldblade @ Academy 3 Fozzy @ Club Academy Doves w/ Steve Mason / Field Music @ WHP
Sun 17th
My Passion @ The Roadhouse Joe Satriani @ The Apollo Josh Radin @ Academy 1 Attack Attack! (US) @ Academy 3
Mon 18th
Guns n’ Roses @ M.E.N Arena Tinie Tempah @ Academy 2 We Are The Ocean @ Academy 3
Everything Everything @ Deaf Institute 22-20’s @ The Ruby Lounge Kate Nash @ The Ritz Sheryl Crow @ The Apollo Darwin Deez @ Academy 3 Hassan Erraji @ Band On The Wall
Tues 19th
Wed 13th
Wed 20th
Joe + Keith Sweat @ Academy 1 Ufomannut @ Star & Garter Doom w/ Hudson Mohawke / Jamie XX @ WHP
Dave Arcadi @ The Ruby Lounge Amy Macdonald @ The Apollo Alter Bridge @ Academy 1 Robyn @ Academy 2 Peter Broderick @ Academy 3
ALOE BLACC @ Sound Control Melt Banana w/ The EX / Pocketknife @ Islington Mill Yeasayer @ Academy 1 Easy Star All Stars @ Academy 3 Forever Never @ Club Academy
Thurs 21st
Gavin Creel @ Deaf Institute Dinosaur Pile Up @ The Ruby Lounge Jeff Beck @ The Apollo Jay Brannan @ Night & Cafe Hot Hot Heat @ Academy 3 Ozric Tentacles @ Band On The Wall
Fri 22nd
Sat 30th
Clinic @ Deaf Institute Mystery Jets w/ Egyptian Hip Hop @ Manchester Cathedral Crystal Castles @ Academy 2 Travis McCoy @ Academy 3 Lau @ Band On The Wall Ricardo Viallalobos @ WHP Kellermensch @ Roadhouse
Bearsuit @ Night & Cafe Foals @ Academy 1 Swans @ Academy 2 Syd Bozko @ Academy 3 Dillinger Escape Plan @ Club Academy Maceo Parker @ Band On The Wall Delphic w/ The Whip / Fenech Soler @ WHP
Sat 23rd
Sun 31st
Carl Barat @ Deaf Institute The Duke and The King @ Deaf Institute Ellen and The Escapades @ Night & Cafe Marina and The Diamonds @ The Ritz Train @ Academy 1 Paloma Faith @ The Apollo Vans Off The Wall Music Night @ Academy 2 Saul Williams @ Band On The Wall Chase & Status w/ Scratch Perverts / Jaguar Skills @ WHP
Sun 24th
Warpaint @ Deaf Institute Pontiak @ The Ruby Lounge Feeder @ Academy 2 Sketch Pistols @ Band On The Wall
Mon 25th
Beach Fossils w/ Three Blind Wolves @ Deaf Institute The Midnight Beast @ Sound Control Tweak Bird @ The Ruby Lounge Bedouin Soundclash @ Night & Cafe Trentemoller @ Academy 2 Sketch Pistols @ Band On The Wall
Tues 26th
The Answering Machine @ Deaf Institute iLIKETRAINS @ The Ruby Lounge The Psychedelic Furs @ The Ritz The Cat Empire @ Academy 1 Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip @ Academy 2 I Blame Coco @ Academy 3 Oli Brown Band @ Band On The Wall
To post your event in the HighVoltage listings email your event details to Mike Caulfield... listings@highvoltage.org.uk
Wed 27th
Avenged Sevenfold + Stone Sour @ Academy 1 Lissie @ Academy 3 Chrome Hoof @ Band On The Wall
Thurs 28th
El Guincho @ Deaf Institute The Strange Death Of Liberal England @ The Ruby Lounge One Night Only @ Academy 3 Twenty Twenty @ Club Academy Francis Dunnery Band @ 2Band On The Wall
Fri 29th
Pull In Emergency @ The Roadhouse Yann Tiersen @ Manchester Cathedral Catherine Feeny @ Night & Cafe !!! Chk Chk Chk @ Academy 2 Leaether Strip @ Academy 3 Wiley @ Club Academy Magnetic Man w/ Flying Lotus / Joker / Katy B @ WHP
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NEW NOISE Seerauber Jenny
Dog is Dead
Kisses
Youthless
Unconscious Jungle
Stemming from founder Fran Barker’s interest in the weird and wonderful of musical instruments, Manchester’s Seerauber Jenny concoct an intriguing blend of earthy shoe gaze folk with an electronic edge thanks in part to the other member in the duo being Neil ‘Mint Royale’ Claxon.
Dog Is Dead are a five piece band from Nottingham whose brand of jubilant indie pop could turn even the dampest British summer into perfect BBQ weather. Imagine what Foals would sound like if they had Saxophones, or what the Mystery Jets would sound like if they were rougher, and you’ve got the very essence of Dog Is Dead.
Kisses are coming all the way from Los Angeles to play their first UK shows in Manchester at this year’s In The City festival.
Portuguese quartet Youthless are dead on when they describe themselves as ‘Club/ garage’. They mix heavy bass lines and crashing drums with danceable guitar licks and sing-along choruses.
The local quintet released a glorious EP, on the hush back in May and are already recording tracks for their debut album, which they hope to release soon.
With a sound both rich in experimentation and selfbelief, they create warm textures of guitars and atmospheric electronics. The twosome release their debut double A side ‘Push It Away’ / ‘Waste Of Time’ on 27th September.
As well as the release of their debut single, ‘Glockenspiel Song’ Dog Is Dead have toured with Ok Go, Local Natives, and Mumford and Sons... and they’re only 18.
Recommended Track ‘Push it Away’
Recommended Track: Young
www.myspace.com/ seerauberjennyuk
www.myspace.com/ dogisdeadband
Andy Best
Grace Brown
Their sound has a laid-back, California vibe. Slightly tropical percussion and buzzing guitars are dominated by airy vocals that float over strong-yetchilled rhythms. On ‘Bermuda’, shiny synths are layered over rhythmic organs that sound more upbeat, but still remain calm. If you’re after an ultra-cool sound to end the summer, LA is where it’s.
‘Casper Butterflip’ has all the fundamentals of a good rock track – agro lyrics, banging drums and extra distortion. ‘Monsta’, on the other hand, is poppy as anything The Gossip ever released, with a riff that begs movement and “You’re always on my mind” in the chorus.
Recommended track: ‘Bermuda’
This is our favourite new band from Portugal.
www.myspace.com/ blowkissess
Recommended track: ‘Monsta’
Sophie Armour
www.myspace.com/ youthless
There’s a folk sensibility to their music, but on tracks like ‘Foxtrot Hymn For The Stars’ a sprawling full band sound emerges. It rolls from an earnest beginning into a noisy deluge that Arcade Fire would be proud of. This charm is captured brightly on ‘The Midnight March’, thanks in part to a glorious saxophone solo. Recommended track ‘Foxtrot Hymn For The Stars’ www.myspace.com/ unconscious-jungle Richard Cheetham
Sophie Armour
Send your new band tips to richard@highvoltage.org.uk to appear in the next New Noise round-up…
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