The MMP February 2013 by The MMP

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The definitive guide to music in Wales

FEB-13

Peter Hook Draw Me Stories The Joy Formidable Henryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Funeral Shoe

Music Charts Catapult Records HMV

The MMP February 2013

presents/yn cyflwyno

Join us on Twitter for up to date gig annoucements @orchardent

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

THURSDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2013

CLWB IFOR BACH

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

sunday 10th february 2013

TheCardiff great hall 2 University

TUESDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2013

THE GATE ARTS CENTRE . CARDIFF .

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

MONDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2013

CLWB IFOR BACH

+ SUBURBAN LEGENDS MANGNUS PUTO

WEDNESDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2013

CLWB IFOR BACH

THURSDAY 21ST FEBRUARY 2013

SOLUS / CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

COMPLETE mmp team info STONE ROSES CLWB IFOR BACH index numbers (when CARDIFF GREAT HALL 2 UNIV ERSITY mag layout finalized) >> THE

SATURDAY 9 MARCH 2013

ST DAVIDS DAY

SHOW

CARDIFF / CAERDYDD

friday 1st march 2013 Solus

SATURDAY 9TH MARCH 2013

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

PLUS

+ SPECIAL GUESTS . SUNDAY 10 TH MARCH 2013 .

SOLUS

CARDIFF

UNIVERSITY

TUESDAY 12 MARCH 2013

CLWB IFOR BACH

THURSDAY 14 MARCH 2013

CLWB IFOR BACH

Box Office: 02920 230 130 | For our full gig listings and tickets please visit:

www.orchardentertainment.co.uk

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February 2013

Why Hello There!

Didn’t see you come in there. I was just about to put the kettle on, there’s some jaffa cakes over there if you fancy some. Comfortable? Good! Right then, we’d like to formally introduce you to the first ever digital issue of the MMP! (insert trumpet fanfare and party poppers here) We started this thing waaaay back in October of 2009, when on one hazy post-gig evening upstairs in 10 Feet Tall, a group of friends began drunkenly sketching out a plan on some beer mats. Smash cut to a few months later and 10,000 little MMPs crash landed across hundreds of stockists throughout the city…. FOR FREE Over the course of the next two years we’ve proudly watched as our little mag has expanded, gained momentum helping artists from all over Wales get the coverage they deserve. We put on gigs promoting acts that we love and offered artists a platform to get their music to more and more people. We really feel like we’ve played an integral part in helping encourage Cardiff’s vibrant music scene. There’s some jammy dodgers here as well if you fancy some of those.... The problem is (if you can really call it a problem per say) is that we’ve actually gotten to the point where we’ve outgrown our meagre little frame! … 300 news stories, 267 features and interviews, 262 live reviews and 553 CD reviews later… our baby simply doesn’t fit in its clothes any more . It’s gotten a bit fat shall we say. So what’s the solution? Easy. Get new clothes! New fancy digi-clothes! It is the future after all right? It’ll look like we’re in Tron! After much deliberation we’ve decided to stop publishing a monthly physical format of the MMP and instead focus all our attention into its home in cyber space, www.themmp.tv All the latest gig listings, regular news, reviews, interviews and features will remain the same…but we’re widening our gaze to take into account more and more coverage from all over Wales (and if it affects us, even beyond that). Which is simply too much to squeeze into our little mag. On the first of each month to find a handsome copy of the new , improved, fully digitised ‘Wales wide’ MMP sat in your inbox… Lookin’ all sexy and stuff. 2013 is the year we officially become a (not so) Miniature Music Press it would seem. So, raise a glass to the future! We’re looking forward to seeing you on the digi-cyber-web-space-infosuper-highway. Feel free to invite your friends!

Editors Jonathan Day, Aimee-Jade Hayes Advertising & Accounts Kate James In-House Designer Hayley Price Listings Samantha Bull, Jonathan Day Photographer Kait Mordey Writers Andrew Arthur, Tom Bevan, Rachel Boagey, Joel Dear, Dom Gilbert, Emma Gould, James Hobson, Simon Howe, Patrick Heery, Phil Kenny, Adele Macgregor, Hash Piperdy, Nick Merriman, Kait Mordey, Joe O’Connell, Jim Swidenbank. CONTACT Demos / Releases to be sent to info@ themmp.tv*

The MMP x

11 + 16

MUSIC NEWS News and round up of all the musical happenings in and around Cardiff EXLUSIVE INTERVIEW Meet this month’s featured artists!

EXPOSURE Meet bloody brilliant band ‘Draw Me Stories’ CATAPULT COLUMN + CHARTS Simon Thomas discusses the latest news and events.

* Please note we no longer accept physical demos or CDs, only links to stream or download.

MUSIC REVIEWS + LIVE REVIEWS The month’s new albums, singles , demos and gigs. MMP EXTRA + DOWNLOADS Get yourselves to themmp.tv for even more reviews, competitions and news!

The MMP February 2013

Music News HMV help on the way?

The invisible Headsman’s axe found another neck for the chopping block in the form of 92 year old high street super store HMV, having announced the collapse into administration that many had feared, more than 4,000 jobs are now put into question across the 236-store strong retailer. The financially maligned high street giant has been forced to call in accountancy firm Deloitte as administrators now that HMV’s banks and suppliers have found their patience running thin with the beleaguered business. HMV’s problems have been compounded by much lower than expected sales over the Christmas period alongside the pounding they’ve received from sites such as Amazon, large super-markets and the rise digital downloads. A selection of music and film industry leaders have thrown their considerable weight into the ring to help massage the companies monetary troubles HMV announced they have suspend trading in shares, but the administrators will continue to trade the stores whilst seeking out a prospective purchaser for the business. As it stands though, it’s looking increasingly likely that the companies beloved Jack Russell terrier logo “Nipper” is to go the way of old yeller, taken out behind the wood shed and stoved in with an jagged bit of brick.

PRS Wales

PRS have announced the launch of the UK’s first ever New Music Biennal, which aims to support and promote up to twenty brand spanking new musical commissions from some of the UK’s most exciting new composer type people. These pieces will then be performed across the country at not one… BUT TWO….special weekend events at London’s Southbank Centre (4-6 July 2014) and Glasgow’s UNESCO City of Music to neatly coincide with the Commonwealth Games (2-3 August 2014). So what does all that mean? To put forward an idea for what could become and exciting and musically adventurous new commission. PRS are offering up to £20,000 to help make said commission become reality BUT. I think I’m probably doing a lousy job of explaining what the hell this thing actually is. So, in the interest of making everything much, much, much easier. If you’re eligible and interested. Get on it why don’t you!? prsformusicfoundation.com

CALLING MUSIC MANAGERS!

Exciting opportunity for all you budding artist management sorts out there looking to learn more about this particular niche, on Friday April 5th and Saturday 6th The Welsh Music Foundation (WMF) will be hosting an intensive crash course covering the basics of music management. This will include an overview of the current music market, project, career and business development, contractual and trading relationships as well as the intricacies and sensitivities of actually wrangling musicians around. Those that do particularly well over the course may be asked to attend a level two module, which runs once and month and delves into more intricate aspects of the profession. For any interested, head over to the WMF website (www. welshmusicfoundation.com) and it’s in “Seminars & Events”. You’ll find all the information you need PLUS far more details about just what the course covers. Do it up folks! www.welshmusicfoundation.com

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What we’ve been listening to Aimee

Don Gardner - My Baby Likes to Boogaloo How this has yet to turn up in a Tarantino soundtrack is a Bermuda Triangle sized mystery. Pure, unfiltered swagger done the only way real R&B knows how; low down and seriously dirty.

Sam

Mallory Knox - Lighthouse

AIM Social/ Label Fair Anybody interested in the comings and goings of the UK’s trade body for independent record labels take some serious heed, on February 21st 2013 The Association of Independent Music (AIM) is heading to Cardiff for a day out! AIM runs monthly social gatherings for the independent music community, usually in the smog blown belly of Nodnol (London’s) East Village, BUT drawn by Cardiff’s thermo-nuclear levels of talented indie labels has creakily stretched out it’s legs and decided to plonk it’s indie bum bits down in 10 Feet Tall. The social which will run between 6:00pm and 10:00pm (preceded by a record fair from 4:00pm – 6:30pm) will offer a selection of indie labels (gathered together by the label wrangling wranglers of the Welsh Music Foundation) to show off and sell their wares in a unique setting. Future of the Left (Xtra Mile Recordings), Mark Thomas (Shape Records) and Matt Jarrett (Diverse Records) will all be there, opening the holes in their faces and letting words fall out that should allow an insight into the music that inspires them. AIM Socials are open to AIM member labels and the wider music industry. Places are free, but highly limited….So register quickly if you want to secure an attend! For full details visit musicindie.com/aimsocialcardiff. To sign up to the guest list, email your full name & company to: kelly@musicindie.com The record fair is open to the public and no registration is needed.

Soaring and emotive alt-rock blaring that ever loved “quiet - loud” dynamic and a chorus with hooks big enough to hang off.

Hayley

Mars Volta - In Absentia Intergalactic circus inspired prog-rock that sounds like Nikolia Tesla and David Bowie dropping acid before re-imaging 2001:A Space Odyssey.

Johnny

Gil Scott-Heron - Me and The Devil Robert Johnson gets a 21st century redux thanks to NYC’s late great urban poet. It’s the sound of the Devil striding through a poverty stricken Hell’s Kitchen whilst the city eats itself alive.

Kate

Beastie Boys - Sabotage There’s nothing that can be said about this slice of fried gold that hasn’t already been waxed lyrically by folks far more informed than I. So just turn that volume all the up and raise a glass to Adam “MCA” Yauch. All together now “AWWWW CAN’T STAND IT....”

The MMP February 2013

Peter Hook He’s a man whose vast musical legacy throws an enormous shadow not

just across British music, but the whole god damn musical world. In emotive

post-punk gloom merchants “Joy Division” he helped carve out a sound that has gone on to relentlessly influence generations of musicians since. He then went on to have another (massively successful) crack at it with a little band called “ New Order”. How in the impending Mayan themed turbo apocalypse are you? I’m very well thank you… we are just on the motorway somewhere in between Nijmegen and Paris, about to stop off so the drummer can have a piss! The gig you’ve announced recently in Cardiff is the first airing of the bands New Order centric set. Has the response to this decision been more positive in light of how successful the Joy Division material turned out despite some initial scepticism and negativity from certain fans? Anytime anyone does anything, there is always going to be people who complain – such is the world we live in with the internet and everyone having a voice on there. I must admit, when we first came to play Unknown Pleasures back in May 2010, I was quite surprised by the level of negativity, at times it felt like a real uphill struggle, but then by the time we started playing this was put into perspective by the amazing reactions of the audiences. It’s that funny old thing really – you can be playing a great gig to 10,000 rocking people, but if there’s one guy down the front giving you the

finger, he’s the one that you remember. The most interesting thing seems to be that the people who slate this project have not seen it, and have absolutely no intention of ever seeing it… They are just sniping at you for the sake of it… And the people that are into it and do come to the gigs, leave feedback on your facebook or whatever saying “that was great! Thank you for coming!” – these are the people that i should be listening to!I must say the more we play and the longer we do it the criticism from the internet keyboard terrorists has reduced significantly, which is nice – especially as it was only ever really in the uk that we were faced with it, the rest of the world welcomed us with open arms – but throughout 2012 we have toured extensively in the uk and i would like to think that we have turned the tables somewhat. Considering the extremely well documented and …somewhat bumpy… history that New Order have endured, how does returning to these songs with a new set of musicians feel? Was it to provide a sense of emotional catharsis or simply a two fingered salute to

the other guys currently operating under the name? Well I have been playing live with the lads in the light now for over two and a half years – we are a very good unit and we all get on great, so turning to these songs now with these guys feels great – we are all feeling the same sense of energy and excitement that we got from when we were first learning to play Unknown Pleasures and all the other Joy Division tracks. The whole thing was only supposed to be one night at the factory in manchester but it just snowballed – so from then on i thought hang on people do want to hear these albums live and people do want you to carry on, so that’s why we played closer and that’s why we played still. So to do “Movement” and “Power, Corruption & Lies” is simply the next logical step on from that. The songs from that era of new order are fantastic and especially during the later years of the band were completely ignored as barney would not play them. So it will be great to play them all again. What exactly prompted your decision to reveal this new set at Clwb Ifor Bach? We’re pretty glad that you did mind, just curious why

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Words and Interview: Jonathan Day Photograph: Mark McNulty

“ ...We are just finalising the plans for 2013 at the moment, it is shaping up to be a busy year...” Cardiff… Well we announced two shows for the new set at koko in london and also at the cathedral in manchester and they are both big venues – we didn’t want to be playing the set for the first time at a big london gig, we’d all look like startled rabbits in the headlights probably! So we started looking around at where we could do a warm-up gig in a much smaller venue and we have ended up in Cardiff – which is great because we have never played there and i do get a lot of messages on facebook or twitter lambasting me for that! So this is our way of coming to Cardiff for the first time but also giving them something special. The recent Joy Division memoir you put out has been getting some extremely high praise indeed, are you thinking of doing something in a similar vein regarding New Order? Well i was spurred on to write the Joy Division book on the back of the success

of the Hacienda book, and i must say the Joy Division book has done really well too, i have had some great feedback on it and have really enjoyed doing the book tours around the uk. The week after the Cardiff gig i am going over to America for its official release over there too, so that is great, and we are also talking to people all over the world about having it translated into other languages. On the back of this, i would say that yes i am definitely going to write a new order book, just to complete the trilogy as it were. Are there any plans to produce new music under the name Peter Hook & The Light at all? Or is it more a vehicle to continue playing the already defined back catalogue? I would not be surprised if one day we got round to releasing some new material – the lads are a fantastic band and they are already kicking around lots of great original ideas, but at the moment

we are so busy touring & then i have lots of other engagements such as the books or developing the hacienda brand that it is just really difficult to set aside the time to go in and do it properly. Hopefully we will get round to that someday, i would really like to do that. What’s happening beyond the January shows? Are there more gathering together on the horizon waiting to be announced? Well we are just finalising the plans for 2013 at the moment, it is shaping up to be a busy year! I can’t really reveal anything specific as i would probably be in the doghouse if i did but what i can say is that 2012 has been an amazing year in terms of getting out there and performing so we will definitely be on the road again beyond january and i am looking forward to it immensely. peterhook.co.uk

The MMP February 2013

Draw Me Stories We music journalists are a busy bunch. When we’re not leap frogging from the VIP backstage area of some arena concert to the next via our private “like-air-force-one-only-better” jets (complete with personalised performances from whatever buzz band of the moment we are single handedly carrying along on our Atlas esque shoulders) then we’re sat in a deep meditative contemplation, sunk back in an oxblood chesterfield as the fire roars beside us and the monolithic stereo system looms like a massive really loud and shiny bear unravels whatever sounds we are putting our razor sharp critical mind knives up against and then deftly slicing them into handsome ready to be devoured slivers. It really is a blessed life * And because we’re so busy, we like nothing more than a little spot of pigeonholing when it comes to our music descriptions “FOLK!”...done….”POST-PUNK!”…done… .”METAL!”…done. Only problem is that modern bands have an annoying habit of making things considerably trickier these days; the holes are becoming increasingly abstract

in their shape “NU-RAVE MEETS YIDDISH FOLK”….done…I guess? “AMBIENT DRONE VIA J-POP”…done..uh…maybe? Then occasionally, someone like “Draw Me Stories” comes along and completely buggers it all up, by producing such a relentlessly original sound. B*st*rds They describe themselves as “occupying some space between art-rock, folk and dance” – which sounds harmless enough; but then you delve into the music…and suddenly, there’s a veritable audio blitzkrieg of influences shuffling past you at high velocity. You feel like Bowman at the end of 2001; there’s a bit of Friendly Fires here or The Mars Volta there… hey is that Bjork? What the hell are The Talking Heads doing here? Seriously….what the hell is going on?! The wonder of it all is the fact that they actually manage to make it work as a cohesive whole. It’s a sodding marvel is what it is. So who are these musical alchemists? Well, Draw Me Stories popped up way back in 2008 pushing a sound that was considerably different (but no less elusive of a

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“ a band eager to make ears prick up and heads turn around all slack jawed and bug eyed ” description) than that which they’ve decided to settle into now. Their debut 2009 E.P “The Sky and The Mirror” could loosely be described as a fusion of folk and prog-rock (or like early Biffy Clyro trying to write songs like Bert Jansch) and since then their sound palette has morphed and evolved to incorporate everything from dubstep and jazz to twitchy electronica and a sort of…tribal math rock. On paper that looks utterly ridiculous, surely they’d all be yelling over each over each other for the most attention… ten chefs trying to co-operate on the construction of a giant soufflé and ultimately burning down a mile of countryside. But by chiselling little influences and melting them together into an extremely well thought out whole, then honing that sound via an acute talent for generating a keenly engaging atmosphere and a real attention to sonic detail, all those different seemingly disparate genre traits slot together just right. Kind of like the Three Stooges getting stuck in a doorway, there’s a weird chaotic order and sense to it all. Having recently signed to Glasstone Records, they’re primed to release their debut album “Coccon Machine” in

Words: Jonathan Day

early February. Composed of entirely new material and lead by the single “Animals” (which sounds like the sort of music that surges through a character’s mind as a particularly unpleasant revelation comes to light two thirds of the way into an action thriller) it marks a band eager to make ears prick up and heads turn around all slack jawed and bug eyed via the only medium that can really accomplish that often pursued goal; true originality. Indeed, artists like “The Strypes” and “Jake Bugg” may be creating a buzz with their back to basics approach to songwriting, but sod that…we live in 2013, it’s THE FUTURE. Let’s have some music that’s thinking in a defiantly forward direction. It might cause frustration enough to eat your own thumbs if you try to force their amorphous constantly changing blob of a sound into a pigeonhole, the damn thing will just wriggle loose and splutter off in an entirely different direction; but if there’s one word that can easily be pinned on to this four-piece, it’s “ambitious”. drawmestories.bandcamp.com

Words: Simon Thomas

The MMP February 2013

Catapult Counter Culture www.catapult.co.uk

“...Dad wanders lonely through isles of blue cross bargain DVDs and CDs remembering that he once had a copy of Revolver on vinyl...”

HMV - The Dog Lost its bark So HMV have joined the list of high street retailers to fall into administration or at least until they were rescued by Canadian restructuring firm Hilco, owners of HMV Canada. Since then I’ve been asked many times for my opinion as to why the general public choose not to listen to “his master’s voice”; the truth is I’m not too sure. I can only glean headlines from the media to explain this situation; it’s been a long while since I personally set foot in a HMV... The £176 million debt that has been quoted seems midscale compared to some of the debts held by some premier league football clubs. The Hilco buy out (at a figure of 4p in the pound), although great news for current employees, seems utterly futile unless the new management change their fundamental approach, though it’s not explicitly clear how this will happen. My guess is that the overheads involved with maintaining a high street presence are never going to allow the group to compete with online retailers even if major distributors offer favourable credit terms on stock to help rescue

the company from the jaws of the inevitable. Scanning the recent HMV headlines it seems that as the dog lost his bark the company has tried to align itself with the current zeitgeist to help breathe life and customers back into their stores. They announced that they would reintroduce vinyl to its shelves at a time when the media announced a revival in the format and have hosted in-store gigs in the vein of Rough Trade East. The one article that stood out the most to me however was by Robert Plummer on the BBC website who felt that the demise of HMV would leave a social gap in the high street. I get the idea of this article; it looks to conjure up an image of “mum and daughter do some shopping, sip some coffee whilst dad wanders lonely through aisles of blue cross bargain DVDs and CDs remembering all teary eyed with nostalgia that he once had a copy of Revolver on vinyl”…Hardly a night in the pub, but at least he’s out of the house…. I may not have visited a HMV recently but I have visited my local Apple store. It’s not just the desirability of the brand that draws me in; it’s the

staff’s expertise. I feel that they help me make an informed decision on how to spend my money… I’m not sure I’d get the same treatment in HMV. It’s the exact reason I’d choose to spend my money in boutique clothes shops or visit my local butcher, because I feel that they understand their trade and product; that they care more. I’ve never felt that HMV have the same idea regarding their staffs approach to the goods being sold, they’ve always seemed closer to the staff of some large super market. Sure, they could show me where an item is on the shelf, but ask for any guidance on a brand or inquire about their personal recommendation? Blank looks abound. If HMV encouraged their staff to be more like those previous examples, maybe I could see myself socialising there? Hell, maybe I’d even meet them in the pub after hours… For all its attempts to present itself as a “real deal” cultural emporium, it’s always felt to be lacking in the necessary authenticity. Like a rich kid playing at being poor, it may have imagined itself as “High Fidelity” but that atmosphere can’t be cooked up in a boardroom…

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The MMP February 2013

Gigs of the Month /////

Beak> @ Buffalo Bar FRIDAY 1ST FEBRUARY

One of him out of Portishead’s many other moonlighting projects. A thoroughly modern and thoroughly psychedelic take on good old Krautrock.

Gallops @ Buffalo Bar SATURDAY 16TH FEBRUARY

The Chapman Family band @ Clwb Ifor Bach

Zen Hussies @ The Moon

Moody post-punk that somehow manages to sidestep the major stumbling blocks and cliches of the genre.

Bristols festival favourites bring their high energy swing infused beatnik rock ‘n’ roll. Heads will bop, toes will tap... there will be sweat.

WEDNESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY

Masters In France @ Clwb Ifor Bach

FRIDAY 15TH FEBRUARY

Specters @ Buffalo Bar

WEDNESDAY 27TH FEBRUARY

Gallops intricate, glitchy, mathrock infused star continues to burn ever brighter - and rightly so. Live they’re a multi-limbed monstrosity that must be witnessed to be believed.

SATURDAY 23RD FEBRUARY

Noisey? Check! Blood stained? Probably! Utterly chaotic? Without a doubt! Exactly what live music should be all about

JuJu Nations + Mankala Band@ Gwdihw

Cardiff Mini Fest @ 10 Feet Tall

Bright Light Bright Light @ Chapter

Massive throbbing live afrobeat orchestra for you folks get to getcha groove on to.

A chance for up and coming filmmakers to dazzle you with their artistic cinematic out pourings. You hear me? Dazzle.

SATURDAY 2ND FEBRUARY

Dark, groovy, mysterious and at times downright chilling. You’ll want to dance, but may well be too freaked out to move those legs.

SUNDAY 3RD FEBRUARY

FRIDAY 22ND FEBRUARY

Lovers of uplifting 90s inspired electro pop get over here now. Stuff is about to happen...

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Clubs of the Month ///// BOF @ Buffalo Bar

XOXO @ Undertone

AIM Social @ 10 Feet Tall

An evening of esoteric psychedelica, movie soundtracks, audio oddities and general weirdness. fun yes?

Celebrate the lovers holiday by either coming to this sweaty little basement, or staying as far the hell away!

AIM comes to Cardiff! A chance to glean insight from some of our cities most respected and successful indie labels.

TUESDAY 5TH FEBRUARY

THURSDAY 14TH FEBRUARY

FRIDAY 21ST NOVEMBER

Festivals /////

Juxaposed Festival @ Gwdihw SUNDAY 31ST MARCH

Everyone’s favourite small, orange, owl obsessed bar space will be hosting a mini all day festival on 31st of March that is more than worthy of your valuable attention. The all dayer will consist of two stages, one compared by the ever charming Mr Huw Stephens and the other falling under the “will they won’t they” chemistry and rapid fire repartee of Spillers Records and..dun, dun, duuuun...US (the MMP). So far the lineup includes the likes of “Heavy Petting Zoo”, “Fist of The First Man”, “Howl” Cardiff’s favourite psych garage sons “The Keys” +More TBA In short - will be excellent. We have no aversion to you buying us a drink either. None.

Wales Goes Pop Weekender @ The Gate, 10 Feet Tall FRIDAY 29TH - SUNDAY 31ST MARCH

To show just how impartial we are -we’re even going to advertise a music festival taking place the same weekend as the one above that we’re curating. Though, be warned - if you attend this one over ours (Liam Neeson voicplease) we will find you...and we will kill you... Jokes! Much loved Cardiff band “The School” have amassed a huge lineup of acts to play over the course of the weekend, including (but not limited to) The Primitives, Allo Darlin’, The Wave Pictures, Joanna Gruesome (great, great name), The Tuts, Kid Canaveral, Onions, Golden Fable, The School, The Yearning, Spencer McGarry and Ellie Makes Music. That’s right, I did just say “The Primitives” (everyone loves Crash right?)

The MMP February 2013

For Full Gig & Club Listings Click Here www.themmp.tv

Regular Nights Mondays Trojan Boss Sound @ Rockin Chair, 7:00pm, FREE * Jamaican, ska, reggae and funk. Funk yes. Buffalo Live @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm * Live music from bands and DJs.

Late Night Live @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £varies * Two floors of entertainment, chart hits and the latest bar favourites

Mindie @ Peppermint, 8:00pm £TBC * Fancy a bit of indie/Britpop? Then get on down...

Buffalo In Session @Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm, £varies * Showcasing the best promoters, DJs & bands. 1st Tuesday of the month is Bof! 2nd Tuesday of the month is Lindy Hop Cardiff.

Open Mic Night and Karaoke @ WOW Bar, 8:00pm, £TBC * Your chance to get on stage and show the world your talent.

Salsa Classes @ Live Lounge, 8:00pm £TBC * Come and learn some sensual Salsa at a top venue.

Relax and Unwind @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm £TBC * Loosen up after a stressful opening to the week.

Hangover Cure @ Mocka Lounge, 8:00pm, FREE * What it says on the tin really. Go and massage that sore head!

Revive @ Solus, 10:00pm £TBC * The best party classics from your early musical years in the Union

The Capital’s Favourite Monday Night @ GLAM, 10:00pm, FREE * Full of outrageous drink deals and killer dancing tunes.

DroneBoy Industries Hella Party @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm, FREE * Party bass noises showcased from early hip-hop to dubstep to trap to d ‘n’ b.

Ctrl ALT Del @ Solus, 10:00pm, £2 * Eclectic array of genres in this one size fits all club night in the Union

Live DJ @ The Live Lounge, 11:00pm, FREE * Taking you through until 4am with an eclectic mix of sing-along tunes and dancefloor anthems.

Jagerfest @ GLAM, 10:00pm £TBC * Every Monday night at Glam. Jagerfest is the Monday night bomb!

Bump & Grind @ Undertone, 10:00pm, £3 * Come let the DJs brush that dirt off your shoulder at Cardiff’s ONLY 90s/00s Hip Hop & RnB BASEMENT Party! Coming at you the 1st Monday of EVERY month.

The Full Moon Monday Club @ The Full Moon, 9:00pm, FREE * Every Monday at The Full Moon, the best jukebox in Cardiff, Juke Nukem provides the tunes all night, while new prospects aim to earn the colours and join Cardiff’s least exclusive MC – Monday Club!

You’re the DJ… @ Bar Icon, 8:00pm, FREE * Every Monday you get to choose what music we play, our Jukebox has over 85,000 tracks so you should be spoiled for choice!

Plus 1 @ Tiger Tiger, 9:00pm, £5 * Hosted at the slickest venue, playing the freshest tunes, and serving the cheapest drinks, Plus 1 Mondays at Tiger Tiger Cardiff is THE place to be on a Monday night for the young and the young at heart.

Tuesdays 10 Feet Live @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, £varies * New music and party tunes in the bar until 4am!

Two Damn Glam @ GLAM, 10:00pm £TBC * Expect chart anthems and dancefloor fillers.

Live DJ @ The Live Lounge, 11:00pm, FREE * Taking you through until 4am with an eclectic mix of singalong tunes and dancefloor anthems.

ALT. Tuesdays @ The Ladybird, 10:00pm, £4 on the door or £3.50 with an Alt Wristband. * Cardiff has been waiting ages for a night like Alt. and it just so happens, Alt is a night like Alt. Drink, Dance, Repeat… Kitsch N Sync Collective: Electro Swing Dance Classes @ The Full Moon, 6:30pm, £4 * The lovely ladies at Kitsch N Sync Collective join us at The Full Moon every Tuesday, to teach our customers how to dance to Electro Swing! Learn to jump and jive and show everyone your moves at our monthly Rave Revue, upstairs at The Moon Club! It kicks off every week at 6.30pm. Participation is £4, spectating is free! Therapy @ Bar Icon, 9:00pm, FREE * Jukebox music all night but you have control of what you wanna hear!

Wednesdays Blender @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm, £varies * Fashionable midweek hangout with great tunes and great people. Bolt @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, FREE * Indie, pop, electronic & new music over 2 floors!

Cocktail Heaven @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm £TBC * Two words that go hand in hand. Make mine a White Russian.

The Lash @ Solus, 9:00pm £TBC * Playing the best chart,

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tunes and dancefloor anthem.

Tiki Island @ The Ladybird, 10:00pm £TBC * Accept no limitations, there is only one Thursday night in Cardiff for the student elite. With huge live PA’s, DJ’s and weekly themes, Tiki Island is set to take the Cardiff nightlife by storm.

Snap, Crackle, Punk! @ Fuel Bar & Music Room, 9:00pm, £3 * Cardiff’s newest and craziest pop punk party.

electro, R&B and a dirty little bit of dubstep all mixed by resident DJ, Scott Kirby

WOMP @ The Moon Club, 10:00pm £TBC * One Mission and Traffic combine to provide a broad church of dance tunes – expect electro, drum ‘n’ bass, jungle, house and much more

Listen Up! @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm £TBC * Cardiff’s longest running indie night. Always full to the rafters, enjoy current hits, motown classic and indie anthems.

Live DJ @ The Live Lounge, 11:00pm, FREE * Taking you through until 4am with an eclectic mix of singalong tunes and dancefloor anthem. One’s & Two’s @ The Ladybird, 8:00pm, FREE * Free entry all night (we close at midnight), drinks between £1 and £2! The perfect place for your social!

Gossip @ GLAM, 9:00pm £TBC * Want to party with Cardiff elite? GOSSIP is the brand new night for 2012 & TRUST ME it really is “The talk of the town”.

Soda Live @ Soda Bar, 8:00pm, FREE * Every Wednesday At Soda Lounge join us as we showcase the very best in live music!

Thursdays Armageddon @ The Old Library, 8:00pm £TBC * Cardiff’s latest, greatest live rock and metal night.

On The Rocks @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, FREE * Rock ‘n Roll, alternative mash-ups, guitar anthems and party riffs until the sun comes up! Mixtape @ Peppermint, 8:00pm * Eclectic mix of old-skool, hip-hop, breaks, garage, dubstep and DNB

Mocka Lounge Thursday @ Mocka Lounge, 9:00pm £TBC * Chilled out R&B and House music gallore.

Signature @ Buffalo Bar, 9:00pm, £varies * Experimental, electronic, new music, leftfield, dubstep, hip-hop, DJs, live acts and a fine array of delicious cocktails.

Twisted by Design @ Dempseys, 9:00pm £TBC * The usual, broad mix of tunes gracing every genre under the sun. Propaganda @ GLAM, 10:00pm, £4 * Two rooms of the most popular, dancefloor anthems with cheap drinks along the way. C-Y-N-T @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:30pm, £4 * The original midweek rave keeps pumping out the electro, dubstep, d ‘n’ b and techno

Live DJ @ The Live Lounge, 11:00pm, FREE * Taking you through until 4am with an eclectic mix of singalong

No Sweat: An Acoustic Wonderland @ The Full Moon, 8:00pm, FREE * Every Thursday, our pals at No Sweat bring some of the best performers South Wales has to offer, to The Full Moon. Touring acts often come and join the fun as well – It’s a nice relaxed evening to come and listen to some quality acoustic tunes, and not sweat!

Fridays Gigantic DJs @ The Full Moon, 7:00pm, FREE * Everything you can imagine, from bebop to trip hop to motown to jazz to ska and electro!

The Resurrection @ The Old Library, 8:00pm, FREE * Playing non-stop supersonic mixes of indie, Brit-pop and alternative tunes.

Axe the DJ @ NosDa, 8:00pm, £TBC * A weekly event where the bartenders choose the tunes. Anything from funk to fusion to German techno metal. Smash Disco @ Buffalo Bar, 9:00pm, £4 / £3 * Dance your drunken night away to beats that are all killer no filler Fancy Footwork @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, FREE b4 11pm, £5 / £4 after * Classic funk, soul, old school disco, party mash-ups

Milgi @ Milgi’s, 8:00pm £TBC * Celebrate a collection of world music played by in-house DJs.

Therapy @ Glam, 9:00pm * Your weekly dosage of spine shaking beats, bright lights and sticky dancefloors

Delete @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm £TBC * Pushing the barriers of house music forever onwards The Furnace @ Bogiez, 10:00pm, FREE * Bringing the very best mix of old to new rock, metal, punk and alternative! Anything goes as long as it’s rawwwkk.

Xerox @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:30pm, £4 * Downstairs in a much loved venue, the party jukebox keeps things a kicking Live DJ @ The Live Lounge, 11:00pm, FREE * Taking you through until 4am with an eclectic mix of singalong tunes and dancefloor anthem. Pop, Bubble, Rock! @ The Bunker, 10:00pm, £4 * The Most Super Fun Alternative & Pop Clubnight....pretty much ever.

Scratch @ The Ladybird, 9:30pm, £4 * To mark the end of the week Ladybird lay down some of the best old skool beats with the sounds

of ‘KISSTORY’ in the main club room & with UrbanFusion taking to the decks to give you live video DJ, the club room goes off in style! Ska and Trojan with DJ Potter and Ben Potter @ The Bunkhouse, 10:00pm, FREE * Every Friday.

Smack @ Soda Bar, 9:00pm, £4 * Once you try smack. you will be back!! Ruining your saturdays since 2010.

Flashback @ Bar Icon, 9:00pm, FREE * A different theme every Friday, everything from 90’s house to total classics!

Entourage @ Crystal Boutique Lounge & Club, 10:00pm £TBC * A red carpet affair with indulgent Music, Extravagant Drinks in Sensational Surroundings with Exclusive Guests; it’s a place to meet, network and party with friends. Friday nights will never be the same as we aim to entertain and make it a memorable, enjoyable experience each and every Friday. Entourage... Be Part of it...

Saturdays Vanity - It’s All About You @ GLAM, 8:00pm £TBC * Two floors of the hottest R&B, hip hop, dance and all in between

Five Dollar Shake @ The Full Moon, 8:00pm, FREE * All sorts, from bebop, funk and soul to hip hop, dancehall and electro swing! Me And You Club @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm, FREE * An unruly rock ‘n’ roll party til the early hours with the coolest cats in town

Milgi @ Milgi’s, 8:00pm, FREE * Every Saturday, hear world and dance tracks. Try their cocktails, too.

Twisted by Design @ Dempsey’s, 8:00pm £TBC * One of Cardiff’s longest running alternative nights, every fortnight.

Liven Up Your Weekends At Cafe Jazz @ Cafe Jazz, 8:00pm * Resident DJ and great music from the 1950’s up to the present

Plug Me In @ Bacchus, 8:00pm, FREE * Weekly night of banging house tunes with special guests popping in to provide their own take

Beatbox Ballroom @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm £TBC * Weekly dose of soul and hip-hop. Buzz / Berlin Returns! @ So-Lo, 9:00pm £TBC * All the great old school R&B, hip-hop tunes from the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Comeplay @ Solus, 9:00pm, £5 / £4 * Party pointing Saturday night comprised of chart, dance, pop, rock and funk music

Swing and Rock ‘n’ Roll @ The Bunkhouse, 10:00pm £TBC * DJ Ben Potter brings the lushness of the swing and rock era back to modernity

3 Floor Party @ Clwb Ifor Bach, 10:00pm £TBC * Three floors of mouth-watering Motown, soul and more with Vinyl Vendettas on the top

floor.

Bogiez Saturday Mayhem @ Bogiez, 10:00pm, FREE * Intensely chaotic rock night down in Bogiez – bring the mosh!

Live DJ @ The Live Lounge, 11:00pm, FREE * Taking you through until 4am with an eclectic mix of singalong tunes and dancefloor anthem. Roots Rock Reggae @ The Full Moon, 10:00pm, FREE * DJs playing... Roots Rock Reggae! Until 2.30am Voodoo @ The Ladybird, 10:00pm £TBC * Let us charm you through our magical potions and spells of music and cocktails to entertain you through and entire evening at Kapu Exotic Cocktail Bar, Ladybird Night Club and our VIP suite.

Fuel Rock Club @ Fuel Bar & Music Room, 9:00pm, £4 * Established in 2006, the finest rock and metal played LOUD! Swing and rock ‘n’ roll with DJ Ben Potter @ The Bunkhouse, 10:00pm, FREE * Every Saturday (New for January). Soiree @ Soda Bar, 9:00pm, £5 * Soiree has been introduced to manage the demand of high end clubbing in Cardiff, we will see you every Saturday night, where we roll out the red carpet & make sure we give you a night to remember.

Iconic @ Bar Icon, 10:00pm, FREE * All the best chart, pop, dance and club music ‘til 3am!

Sundays Rock’N’Rolla Disco @ 10 Feet Tall, 8:00pm £TBC * Bar industry & retail staff night (all welcome) – Alternative Party Mash-up, Indie & New Music DJs in the downstairs bar, live bands upstairs. Mocka Lounge Sundays @ Mocka Lounge, 8:00pm £TBC * Wind down a chaotic week with a visit to Mocka The Hop @ Buffalo Bar, 8:00pm £TBC * A killer blend of rock’n’roll, swing, jive, psych & alt classic anthems Sunday Nite Chillax @ Bar Icon, 11:00pm, FREE * Chill out, max out, act out all cool. Or simply chillax at this fine establishment.

Live DJ @ The Live Lounge, 11:00pm, FREE * Taking you through until 4am with an eclectic mix of singalong tunes and dancefloor anthems. Sunday Project @ The Ladybird, 10:00pm, FREE * Cardiff’s favourite Industry night, every Sunday at Ladybird. This is Sunday project.

Soda Sundays @Soda Bar, 9:30pm, £5 * Join us every Sunday night at Soda for the most talked about event of the week, Soda Sundays.

And Relax… @ The Full Moon, 8:00pm, FREE * After yet another week of indulgence, your body’s not thanking you! Come on down and chill out with us!

For our huge listings visit themmp.tv!

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The MMP February 2013

Record Chart 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

RECORD SHOP CHART SPILLERS

10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Welsh

Funeral For a Friend Conduit Distiller Record Joy Formidable Wolf’s Law Atlantic Threatmantics Kid McCoy Folkwit Records The Blackout Start The Party Cooking Vinyl Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog Draw Dros Y Mynydd Sbrigyn Ymborth Alex Dingley Cats Eyes 7” TOO PURE Various Artists At Sain Y 70au Sain Sen Segur Sudd Sudd Sudd EP Recordiau I KA CHING Recordings Colorama Hapus? 12” AED Records Cate Le Bon Cyrk II 12” Ovni/Turnstile

General Funeral For a Friend Conduits Distiller Record Joy Formidable Wolf’s Law Atlantic Yo La Tengo Fade Matador Records Villagers Awayland Domino Matthew E White big Inner Domino Everything Everything Arc RCA I Am Kloot Let It All In Shepherd Moon Christopher Owens Lysandre Turnstile Willy Mason Carry On Polydor Goat World Music Rocket Recording

The MMP February 2013

themmp.tv

Record Charts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9

RECORD SHOP CHART CATAPULT

10 1 2 3

Welsh

The Organ Grinder Jersey Jam/My Rendition Catapult The Organ Grinder enoonmai 4 Lux CRST vs Chesus Monster Munch Local Talk Mike Shiflet The Choir, The Army Under The Spire Earl Jeffers Surely Not Catapult Bluredism Quite Overpowering YCO Short Stories On The Way Young Turks Quartz Bone Marrow Alignment Various Artists Underground Frequencies 124 Records Owain K & Jamie Anderson Do You Know Dessous

General Mountains Centralasia Thrill Jockey Stars Of Lid The Ballasted Orchestra Kranky Marcus Intalex Cabal Ingredients Records

Trevino Derelict Naked Lunch

Dusky Calling Me School Records

6 7 8 9

Soul Intent The Right Moves Commercial Suicide Delano Smith I Fly Undertones FaltyDL Hardcourage Ninja Tune Synkro Acceptance Apollo Records JJ Doom Keys To The Kuffs Lex Records

The MMP February 2013

Reviews Albums Singles Demos

Spillers pick of the month Threatmantics Kid McCoy

The Milk Race Rope Trick EP

IIn a city that isn’t really known for its Power or Post-Punk, The Milk Race look to educate us with a quick EP. Each of the three tracks has an underpinning riff. “Identify” has a cool, knifing guitar that, combined with the vocal, evoked a more frantic Television. No wasted movement as the opener to the EP brought the power-punk genre into the present day. The Cardiff-based three-piece seem like a trendy bunch from the swagger that comes through their music. The Tom Verlaine vocal remains throughout the EP and frames the whole thing. They’re somewhat restrained by their genre, with obvious comparisons to more familiar names on “Bonjour MF” and although there are attempts to break away from that ilk, some more variety is needed to avoid being branded as derivative. They’re well-structured tracks that are just… there. At times too rigid, and some flair or fluidity would sharpen everything up as a whole. However, they save the best until the end with “… Rope Trick”, which does flow nicely, deceptively slowing to a trickle at halfway before accelerating through a staccato vocal delivery that brings with it a satisfying ending. HP.

themilkrace.co.uk

Lifting Gear Engineer See In The Dark 4*

Having an opening album track with a slang synonym title for anus and concluding with a track called “dumpamundo” might not create the best impression for what goes on in the middle proceedings of an album. However, fear not listeners, Kid McCoy is an intriguing, enjoyable listen. The overriding strength and weakness of this release, from Cardiff based Threatmantics, is that I don’t know what I’m listening to. From the opening notes of Wazoo, there’s a weaving undercurrent to the album which blends and mutates from melodic pop sensibilities (The Apple Tree), to dissonant soundscapes (White Otello) and bordering on Ennio Morricone spaghetti western soundtrack territory (Shotgun Billy). At times the vocals and vocal melodies seem laboured and lacking in comparison to the musical ambition of what’s happening in the background (Archaeopteryx in particular) – or perhaps this reviewer has missed a trick and that’s all part of the wider plan to create something which can’t be slotted into a specific genre.nThis is “indie surf electric gypsy rock’n’roll”. There’s a place in my record collection for it to sit comfortably, just not a pigeon hole for it. AH?

threatmantics.posterous.com

Glitch didn’t die when Aphex Twin hung up his sampler. Lifting Gear Engineer is Rob Morgan, who scratches his glitch from Swansea, being in and out of bands alongside this alter ego. Here, he lets his music talk for him – and it’s intriguing and terrifying at the same time. ‘See in the Dark’ brings together a unique sound presented in 10 different ways. From deliberately mangled (‘The Grate Escape’) to the urgency of ‘Caught Out’, you’ll hear several different ways to subvert the lo-fi, minimal genre, without evoking what you’ve heard before. The highlight of this experimentation is ‘Puerto’ where Morgan plays with a high-pitched, almost 8-bit melody around other sounds, duelling them against this one melody. It works really well and is worth the slow build. Elsewhere, the brooding industrialism of ‘Square One’ would be brilliant with some sort of expanding coda.This is a collection of tracks that contain subtle layers. A digital bear trap with change ups and some great ideas. It’s a hypnotic hallucinogen and will surprise many who come across it. HP.

soundcloud.com/lifting-gearengineer

Rob Lear

Let It Go EP

Folk and its sub-genres look all set to continue their assault on the hearts and minds of

the aficionados that make up the greater record buying public. With ‘Let It Go’ Rob Lear seems happy to oblige. The album begins with ‘Never Do’, driven by a jaunty two-step drumbeat and featuring some dynamic drops it’s a case of so far so pleasant, even if the vocal melody does recall Travis (ergh) ‘What You Do’, ‘Heartstring’ and ‘Coming Down’ follow similar territory, an up-tempo groove, faultless musicianship and an unquestionably inoffensive sound, but sadly what’s lacking is any real immediacy in the music. The ballads of the album are where things begin to look up; the relaxed rhythms allow Lear the room to showcase his plaintive vocals, with the melodies benefiting from the extra space too. ‘Elvis’ is a lyrically amusing paean to the stars of yesteryear, and benefits from a gorgeous slideguitar line which lights the track up. The performances are excellent and the arrangements undeniably fantastic, but ultimately there is simply not enough that really grabs your attention and refuses to let go. NM.

roblearmusic.bandcamp.com

Gai Toms

Bethel 4* So what we have here is a monolithic Welsh language double album split into one part introspective slightly middling folk up against a CD of genre spanning full band schizophrenia that can’t make up its mind what the hell it is. So How we go about digesting it? The primary criticism as is often the case with double albums – is that one album made up of both cd’s would have been perfect….as it stands, the material is spread too much over the both discs.CD 1 contains a selection of mildly pleasant acoustic tracks that meld into one vaguely enjoyable blur (along with one moment of supreme weirdness in the form of a electric shred guitar solo) but it can’t stand up against a bi-polar and batshit mad second disk that includes a Tom Waits-esque track, a surf guitar jam, some Meat Loaf style organ solos, a slinky rumba, brassy power pop and horn laden finale that sings out on a particularly lofty and optimistic note…Sure, the album has absolutely no idea what it wants to be, but it certainly never gets dull. In short, great work. Just skip to the second CD. JM.

gaitoms.com

Spider Kitten Cougar Club

Some bands will forever find themselves nestled rather firmly in in the love/hate limbo of the music world in so much as people either think they’re the mutt’s nuts or are ready to confine them and everything surrounding their chosen musical genre to audio Room 101. It’s fair to say that Spider Kitten slot into this category tighter than a turkey-

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filled belly into an old Christmas jumper. The tracks on offer on this umpteenth release are clearly well written and meticulously arranged efforts which have been blessed with some exceptional production levels but ultimately its merits rest firmly on the musical taste if the listener. If shoegaze, stoner-influenced thrash metal which feels so physically heavy at times it’s truly suffocating sounds like your cup of tea then forget the January sales and make this release a top priority for your sadomasochistic musical tendencies. If not then you’d be best off giving this a bit of a wide berth. JS.

spiderkitten.bandcamp.com

Y Pencadlys

Merched mewn ecstasi

Yet another fine splattering of leftfield, odder than oddworld Welsh language electro twitching’s from the ever excellent Peski records, this time in the form of an artistic money shot from one Mr W H Hughes. What we have here is a selection of six tracks recorded between 2006 and 2009 and given out as a download only release ahead of a debut album at some point in early 2013. It sounds like a collection of grinningly nasty off-cuts from an 8-bit Atari game about the rise and fall of the Berlin wall, with special musical direction from classic John Carpenter films. The whole thing is awash with synths and semispoken word vocals that create a tangible menace through a childlike vision of bleakness. Rather excited to see what this fellow pumps out next we must say. JD.

www.peski.co.uk

General Jumbo

EP 3* With their self-professed ‘kinksabilly’ sound and obvious enthusiasm for their craft, it’s hard to dislike General Jumbo. Despite kicking around Cardiff for almost 18 months this four track effort is the first real studio offering from the group of lads who first met whilst working in the Chapter Arts Centre kitchen and, to be fair, it ain’t half bad. There’s a real classic skiffle feel throughout – no doubt heavily influenced by the inclusion of a rhythmical double-bass as opposed to a regular electric – in addition to glaring nods to other traditional country-tinged roots music, an amalgamation that, pleasingly, they seem to carry off. The tracks are well written and performed but it’s the decidedly questionable production levels that really let them down; it seems as though in their quest to reproduce their live sound as accurately as possible the expected glossier finish studio work affords you has been overlooked which doesn’t particularly add to what is otherwise a very solid first release. That aside, this serves as a quality introduction to General Jumbo and their infectious skiffle-stylings and should undoubtedly entice it’s listener to investigate their live shows in 2013. JD.

soundcloud.com/general-jumbo

Siddi

Un Tro

4* I don’t read or understand Welsh, but Siddi’s ‘Un Tro’ is rather haunting in any language.

A piano and guitar-driven piece that wouldn’t sound out of place at the end of a sporting loss or a romantic proposal, it’s much more than Celtic chillout – this isn’t forcing you to relax, this is soothing, with a piano loop that dominates around a memorable vocal that hasn’t had much in the way of production added to it. Keeping it organic and stripped back adds, rather than overwhelms. The sweet-sounding words could be reciting a public information leaflet on the Mayan Apocalypse, but on this frosty backdrop, it doesn’t really matter. This is recommended listening, best enjoyed while wearing a woolly hat and enjoying some hearty soup. HP.

ikaching.bandcamp.com

His Naked Torso

Afrikaans 5* Over the course of five abrasive, disconcerting, ugly tracks that last for a harrowing, bizarre and dissonant thirty minutes, noiserock duo “His Naked Torso” have managed to almost perfectly capture the sound of a person’s id going completely and utterly batsh*t bonkers. Cardiff doesn’t have enough sandpaper bands who have managed to record what might have been playing in John Wayne Gacy’s head as he went about his business. What we have here are a selection of tracks that are in no way confined to verse-chorus-verse-chorus structures or hook laden melodies…far…far from it. Rather it’s pure and primal and ferocious; an unfiltered feral nightmare. At times the tracks are built around wiry thin, staccato guitar lines, off-kilter drumming and howled indecipherable vocals. There’s a potent no-wave thread running thick through the whole record. At other moments, the pace is less frantic, more anxious and paranoid “Moth” features ambient delays and chopped up samples of a Japanese couple laughing. It’s this schizophrenic back and forthing between stopstart madness and drawn out paranoid anxiety bustled up against absurdist humour that creates a jarring tension through the tracks. JD.

hisnakedtorso.bandcamp.com

Benjamin Mason

Stupidest Boy In The World EP 2* Christ, how to even approach this? Benjamin Mason has brought out an EP that transcends weird. Unleashed upon an unsuspecting public, one wonders whether inspirations for the EP were musical or chemical. Opener ‘Comedy Purposes’ reminded me of a Ren

and Stimpy cartoon with it’s lo-fi guitar sound and lazy vocals. That moves into ‘Hope People Elbow That My Notice…’ which for such a bizarre name is quite structured, basing itself around a Spanish-ish guitar riff. ‘Killed a Donkey’ waltzes around without going anywhere, and by the time Mason whines over the track, interest had already waned, whereas ‘Oh to be a Drifter’ is an enjoyable gypsy campfire refrain, peasant-sounding acoustic guitar making an impact as the vocals get a little bit louder and a little bit worse. The next time you’re tripping out on hallucinogens or suspiciously cheap flu medicine, try some of this. It’s the soundtrack to a bad trip. Otherwise, these are the ironic tracks a DJ would play at the end of a set. Avoid, unless you’re a DJ looking for a closer. HP.

soundcloud.com/benjamin-mason

Junior Bill

Unlock The Alleys, Free Up The Scallies EP 3* Technology hasn’t made everything better – take the film Memento – today, that would just be a forgetful, annoying guy checking in EVERYWHERE on Facebook. Junior Bill (Rob Nichols to the taxman) checks in with his first effort since Inconsiderate Parking and this EP is a nice taster of things to come – once you get past the twee opener. ‘1/3’ namechecks every Welsh place going, sounding like Uncle Bryn singing karaoke. ‘Tatty Laces’ is utterly charming, a call to arms for stereotypical Welsh culture, delivered in a poetic way. His romantic intention continues on ‘No.1’ which swoons with sweetness, mimicking Arctic Monkeys without any of the pretention of the Sheffield outfit. Segueing into the title track, where Bill cedes centre stage to rapper L-Hyo (nothing relevant on Google) who says something that isn’t in English, and while his performance is pleasant enough, the song is driven by Bill’s chorus of Cardiff Alleys. It’s a throwback to days before dubstep was a real thing and not a sound that would make you restart your PC. Remind yourself that things were better before, and have a listen to the sound of 2003.HP.

soundcloud.com/junior-bill

Sen Segur

Sudd Sudd Sudd EP

If fans of Sen Segur were worried that after an EP and double A-side of luminous brainbending psychedelica the band had grown weary of the cosmos and spiralled into the abyss of jazz-funk and highwaisted trousers a la Level 42, which any fan of any band except the aforementioned should be, the release of Sudd Sudd Sudd should reassure them considerably. Essentially a chant, ‘Hei Becym Do!’ flashes by, driven by a grizzled bluesy riff and effect heavy atmospherics it slips seamlessly into ‘Lemonad

The MMP February 2013

Cymelog’, where ringing arpeggios lead to an elongated wig-out before the harmonies take centre stage again and close the song exquisitely. The piercing keyboard riff of ‘Nofio Trybelydrol’ and melodies of ‘Sentriffigal’ are more dissonant, ever so slightly off kilter, retaining an edge to the music which could easily be lost under the haze created by the dreamy vocals and reverb soaked instrumental passages. Finishing on a high with the dynamic stomp of ‘8onglog’, Sudd Sudd Sudd is steady and consistent; and while an assault on the mainstream looks unlikely there are enough interesting touches to the music to suggest that the band will continue to improve as their sound develops. NM.

soundcloud.com/sensegur

Chailo Sim Replete EP

Haven’t heard of Chailo Sim before? Be prepared to change that answer very soon. This Pembrokeshire 6 piece supported Paul Simon at Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park last July and that gives a clue to some of the magic of‘Replete’; this is a sound that would warm the cockles of the heart sat in a rural pub on the coast yet, equally, could grace and fill some of the largest festival stages in the world. This isn’t a band or album of musical virtuosos, spiralling recycled folk melodies and lacklustre emotion. It’s an effortlessly melodic showcase of song writing, musical dynamics blending acoustic and electric sounds which sweep up the listener in a style that few bands can attain. From start to end, the album doesn’t disappoint with each track being solid enough for a standalone single (Part of An Elaborate Dream and Older being this reviewers highlights). The mix is raw but the ‘underproduced’ sound melds perfectly with the genre and conjures – favourable – comparison to Damien Rice’s O. Go and see them live – just be careful who you take as the honey tongued vocals and smooth bass could well be the siren sweetly singing. AH.

chailosim.com

The Blackout Start The Party

One thing that can be said for The Blackout’s fourth full-length album is that its title is extremely appropriate. Start the Party is a real ruckus of an LP, with a house party vibe that runs right the way through it. And the songs are as catchy as they are fun; even if the big, chunky chorus of “We Live On” doesn’t snag your ear when first you hear it, it’s the sort of thing that you’ll find yourself humming an hour or so after the music stops. With loud guitars, large drums, and lyrics that are tailor-made for singalongs, Start the Party comes as close to that live gig atmosphere as any mere studio album is likely to, especially on penultimate track ‘Sleep When You’re Dead’, which features a “now just the ladies!” breakdown type thing. It’s no big emotional journey, but it’s pretty

much everything you’d expect from an album called Start the Party. JDr.

theblackout.net

Al Lewis

Battles 3* For the follow up to the Welsh Music Prize nominated In The Waken Al Lewis decamped to THE home of country music, Nashville and the relocation is understandable as soon as the needle drops and Lewis’s influences manifest themselves. To put it simply, he’s a little bit country. Fantastic production values mean each individual part is never anything but subtle and complementary to the overall depth and clarity of the laid back folky tunes within. ‘The Truth In Growing Old’ moseys on by with a touching vocal performance, well written, structured and performed. So too are ‘Treading Water’, ‘Sunshine’ and ‘There With You’, all of which exhibit the shimmering vocals and touching melodies that fill the album at their best.. The music is sometimes in danger of becoming a tad predictable, the lyrical themes a touch trite. Battles is a fine piece of work, and its relaxed ambience will strike a chord in these folk mad times. It could be said to play a little safe, as it rarely reaches for anything further than pleasant, but at the same time it is impossible to deny the obvious qualities that are so evident in Lewis’music. NM.

allewismusic.com

Stars & Flights Blue Blood

Prog is something of a dirty word in the music world. Sure, memories of track named “Staring Through Times Tunnel Part 4: Welcome To The Gates of Infinity” (running time 40 minutes) are pretty hard to shake….but sometimes, we must simply forgive and forget. Prog has by and large moved on and is ready to reenter society.. Stars & Flights are doing a fine job of helping usher that dirtiest of musical words back into a more comfortable and accommodating lexicon. Ok, so they aren’t full blown Prog….they’re altrock with some proggy tendencies (they’re songs like to suddenly surprise you with some out of left field riffs or structural alterations). Think along the lines of Coheed & Cambria when they’re not being really annoying or Biffy Clyro back when they were good. “Blue Blood” barrels along at full throttle straight out of the gates and doesn’t let up. Comprised from a steady stream of ever escalating guitar lines, throaty vocals and drums that pound with a tribal intensity that makes you want to just run. The relentless and steady pace of the track becoming oddly hypnotic overtime. JD.

starsandflights.com

Thistledown In My Room

Remember that post-Mumford & Sons outbreak of substandard, sugar-sweet ‘nu-folk’ garbage? More than a little disconcerting, wasn’t it? But thanks to bands such as Thistledown, we can be certain that those days are behind us. The Swansea folk outfit create gorgeous acoustic pop music that really is a breath of fresh air. New single In My Room is all fiddle and flute and heartfelt vocal; gentle guitars are complemented by tender harmonies and a smattering of drums to create three and a half minutes of honest folk simplicity. Very nice. JS.

thistledown1.bandcamp.com

Winter Villians The Air

The track kicks off like a poorly executed attempt at mimicking the Fleet Foxes until, that is, the beat kicks in where it suddenly becomes a far more rhythmic and percussive affair than the opening bars would have you believe. A subtle piano refrain sits quietly behind the unsurprising multi-layer vocals and just as the whole tracks threatens to slip into an insignificant comatose vibe a welcome smattering of energetically driven strings combined with an interestingly timed snare cut through offering an extra dimension to the whole track and making for some seriously intriguing listening. By the time you reach the track’s conclusion you’ve undoubtedly experienced a piece of real audio tranquillity and beauty although the seemingly short three minute running time certainly leaves you feeling a little unsatisfied and slightly uneasy akin to a great night out cut short. Certainly well worth a listen – especially for fans of atmospheric moody pop music – but maybe not quite enough to get overly excited about. Not just yet at least. JS.

facebook.com/pages/WinterVillains

Charlie Says

MDCCCXII 4* Looking to soundtrack the “geek to chic” makeover montage in some mid-90s, John Hughes aping American high school romanto-comedy thingy, maybe a clever one that’s like a re-jigged version of Waiting For Godot and probably stars Freddie Prince Jr with frosted hair? ? Look no further than this. Charlie Says have produced a pure, unfiltered blitzkrieg of up-tempo saccharine power pop so glossy you can see your own reflection in it and so goofily infectious you can’t help but grin like the dork that wins the prom queens heart just before the credits stream past complete with “hilarious” bloopers. You may have heard it all before folks, a billion times before in fact, three-chord pop punk

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The MMP February 2013

belted out with red bull fuelled youthful vigour all with a ballsy central female vocal performance propelling it along like a drone missile strike made out of good times. BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER… this song makes me want to throw an enormous clichéd house party complete with an ever escalating series of hilarious misadventures, ultimately culminating in a run in with the law and an important moral message about who my friends really are…or something. FDR.

soundcloud.com/charliesays

Ben Huws

There On TIme

t’s a testament to Ben Huws’s ability to craft an enjoyable little acoustic pop nugget that he actually manages to slip a saxophone solo into “There on Time” and it doesn’t immediately want to make you rip your ears off. It’s a gentle, rolling, little bit middle of the road, strummed optimistic sounding ditty; for some reason it made me think about hitchhiking….but the good kind of hitchhiking, were things don’t suddenly go all deliverance on you but instead remain at a cheery montage friendly even keel. The most startling thing about this song though, is the man’s voice. Jeez, from the fresh faced lad on the cd art work, you would not be expecting the smooth as ice, sturdy as a mountain cat, throaty (without being gruff) vocals Ben produces. He sounds world weary without sounding like the world has beaten the crap out of him. In summary, bloody good work fella. JD.

benhuws.bandcamp.com

Local Foreigners

Flashbacks 3* Flashbacks begins with something of a red herring. A swell of glossy Armin van Buuren esque trance synths bubble up under Neil Armstrong’s famous moon trot quote. Before you have time to digest whether the band are implying their music is “one giant leap for mankind” and the mind boggling egotism involved if that is the case, the track shifts into a spikey alt-rock song with a vaguely electronic backbone. Think “Enter Shikari” but nowhere near as obnoxious; the trancy electro elements being heavily down played until the final third of the song, where they reappear amongst the repeated refrain “Live for the Future!” For all its attempts to sound like a rallying call to arms (there’s chanted gang vocals and everything), the song has no teeth. Primarily this is down to a flat and lifeless production job, live I’d imagine they probably turn it up a bit more….everyone loves some live gang vocals. But on record, at least here, there’s something…a ballsy spark…entirely lacking. FDR.

soundcloud.com/localforeigners

Palomino Party

Deseo 5* Grab your dancing shoes ladies and gentlemen because the boys at Palomino Party are at it again. Latest offering Deseo is a delectable slice of infectious indie laced with a skilfully balanced combination of psychedelic charm and country western twang. The track begins languid and swooning before it crashes into life with a crescendo of frenzy, quickly becoming a frantically fast-paced romp with a sing-a-long chorus and a riff to die for. Releasing the track on their Facebook just in time for the festive season, the band encouraged their fans to “get dirty flamenco dancing around your Christmas tree”. Don’t mind if I do. JS.

soundcloud.com/palomino-party

Laurence Made Me Cry Between Destinations

Hailing from the West Country, Laurence Made Me Cry (better known to friends, family and now strangers who read this review as Jo Whitby) is right on the verge of releasing her debut album “The Diary of Me”. The first single to be released “Between Destinations”, draws from Jo’s extensive repertoire of producing music to a high calibre since 2001 and sounds like the culmination of a great deal of previous experience. The track is a master class in electronic twee folk (Is that even a thing?). From the onset of staccato guitar plucking, through to the electronic choir backing, perfect key changes and charming lyrics. Laurence Mad Me Cry is the lovechild born of Neil Hannon & Kate Walsh one crazy summer evening! If this song is anything to go by, I thoroughly look forward to rest of what Laurence Made Me Cry has to offer.

laurencemademecry.bandcamp. com

Little Arrow

State Of You And Me

This new track, currently available as a free download, is a fragmented affair. At first it sounds quite a bit like Beirut, the band strumming and swaying their way through the opening couple of verses. But once the two-minute mark has crept into view, it’s all change; the whole thing quietens down a little, the sturdy strum is reduced to a delicate pluck, and the backing singers start impersonating musical saws. And then, just when it seems like they’re going to end as they began, Little Arrow start getting noisy. Not too noisy – this is all acoustic, after all – but loud enough for a merry and raucous finish. ‘State of You and Me’ is a bit of a confusing listen at first, sounding like two or three songs that have been bolted together, but there’s some lovely, rewarding stuff

in between those gear changes. JDr.

littlearrow.bandcamp.com

Doppelganger

Hate The Things You Love

IIt’s abundantly clear straight out of the gates, that somebody has seriously annoyed this alt-rock Wrexham based four piece…seriously annoyed them. And judging from the vitriol fuelled “I’m going to put my fist through your face” goliath instrumentation and unhinged, yet totally in control vocal screamy screams that are happening…these aren’t folks you want to get on the grumpy side of. Occasionally it sounds like it’s threatening to slip into some sort of ugly nu-metal type…thing…BUT THANKFULLY it manages to pull back from the edge just when it looks like something sonically cringy is about to appear. There’s a particularly cool little bit that pops up around 2:13…weird feedback, heavier than gods beer belly and complete with a nifty little Smashing Pumpkin style lead line. Pretty nifty album art as well right? SRV.

facebook.com/Doppelgangermusic

Lovely Wars

Lets Blow The Whole Thing Up 4* Over a bass line that growls like an irate honey badger moments before becoming some fuzzy hate drill and burrowing through something’s neck, former “Pipette” Ani Saunders invites us via an audible pout, three part vocal harmonies and hand claps galore to visit what 80s new wave might have sounded like in the Biff Tannen moulded parallel 80’s funnelled through the 50s of Back to The Future Part II. The verses play a game of audio statues, stopping when you look and starting up again when your attentions redirected ,then before you know it, BOOM, there’s a chorus all up in your face. Oh, it’s also a cheeky wink to a very V for Vendetta style solution to the banking crisis that so thoroughly bummed the country’s economy. So that’s nice. JD.

soundcloud.com/thelovelywars

A C Fear

Back In Yesterday

The problem with the sheer amount of music avalble to us these days is that uneless the act in question is genuinly stricking, they run the serious risk of immeditaly exiting the listeners attention. Mr Fear has a good Welsh set of pipes and you can hear a little of the Stereophonics’ influence in his work. He can certainly strum a guitar and has conjured up a very cleanly produced song but it quite simply doesn’t demand enough of your idling focus The inherent issue is how heavy the

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weight of déjà vu hangs round the tracks neck, each of its components is something we’ve all heard a million times before. That’s not to say it’s done poorly, there’s a real sheen to the production and arrangement which shows great promise. But as it stands it’s sat squarely in the middle of the indie pop rock superhighway, desperately yelling its uplifting chorus amongst thousands of other artists all bleeding into one homogenised sound, struggling for attention and individuality. With a little more forward-thinking , the character and imagination that would help lift him above the assembled indie masses could easily be conjured. GK.

facebook.com/FindGraceHere

We’re No Heroes Distort The Air

I don’t know if “Skins” is still a thing that happens on the telly box. That show with all the young people banging each other at foil clad raves on houseboats and saying the “f” word loads and snorting barrels of goat hormone? And there’s like comedians playing the parents? Only they’re not funny? Is it still on? If it is “Distort The Air” sounds like exactly the sort of track that would be underscoring one of those aforementioned goat hormone fuelled, dancey shag-a-thons. Lots of slow motion heavy petting in a stairwell as the camera dolly tracks past before CUT TO a bedroom with people looking all rough and the song quietly playing on the radio. What I’m getting at is it’s targeting a very particular market…maybe one that got a little stale more than a few years ago. The song itself is extremely accomplished instrumentally, the band are clearly talented players, but lacking in any real vocal melody or hooks. (it’s just lots of vague yelling really) There are immediate and obvious comparisons to Foals early work, but the arresting knack for melody they can sometimes muster up is lacking here. Lot’s of head, not enough heart. JD.

soundcloud.com/were-no-heroes

Masters In France

Flexin 4* Around the time Masters in France sweetly croon “I’m flexin my bones right through my skin” the extremely creepy undercurrent that you weren’t entirely sure was present ...but had your suspicions about.. on this latest single fully reveals itself. The song’s a mini masterpiece of restrained tension, tightening the screw constantly; you peak round each surging synth pulse and minimalist drum skitter with an increased sense of dread at what you’re going to find. It’s like the soundtrack to the movie “Drive” if it was all about a quietly unhinged serial killer (as opposed to a quietly unhinged stunt driver…big difference). Only nagging point is the chorus falls a little flat – when was the last time you could claim the verse of an indie synth track had the bigger hook? JD.

mastersinfrance.com

Eric Unseen

Andrew Heywood

For the longest time Valleys-based rock involved a gaggle of moody looking Goths churning out a generic brand of Simple Plan-esque pop punk and, by all accounts, was generally pretty damn painful to listen to. Right from the first few bars of Out On My Feet it’s mercilessly clear that these boys are a little different. In short, if these offerings from Eric Unseen are anything to go by then the scene is beginning to evolve and on this evidence these guys have the potential to plonk themselves right at the top of its inevitable natural pecking order. Gone are the miserable ‘I’m-sixteen-andangry-with-my-parents’ lyrics with frustrating and repetitive guitar riffs and in their place proudly stands a far more mature and evocative musical style which is simply impossible to ignore. The tracks on show here feel like a healthy amalgamation of the Gaslight Anthem and The Smiths with a fat dash of late 70’s ska/punk thrown in for good measure – it may sound more than a little bizarre but it’s a marriage that really, really works. Upbeat, catchy and clearly heartfelt this is quite easily one of the best local releases these ears have heard in quite some time. At the risk of going a little overboard you all need to track these guys down. Right bloody now. JS.

A mere snatchling at nineteen years of age, Alex Heywood is clearly a talented little bugger. He crafts pleasant acoustica of the occasionally introspective, occasional uptempo, occasionally Welsh language variety. There’s a clear and defined sense of melody (the chorus to Mexico is catchy and comes complete with a weird laugh – which is nice) cutting through the material, even if at times things can get a little clunky or emotionally overwrought. Not exactly the most arresting and interesting of stuff, but there’s reservoirs of potential for this young fella to wade through. Eyes and ears peeled for the future. JD.

Demo 4*

facebook.com/ericunseen

Dimensions

Demo 4* I don’t know what it is that’s got Dimensions so damn angry, but lets hope that it keeps on irritating them as their particular brand of spiky, noisy, screaming bizzaro metal is a seriously arresting listen. Abrasive dissonant guitars crash and collide with definitely inaudible, primal vocals. It sounds a little like if At-the Drive in took loads of steroids, lost their minds and then drove around town in an open top pick up truck baseball batting old woman’s heads in.

facebook.com/dimensionsvoid

Tribal Hooligan

Demo 4* If you’ve been looking for something to soundtrack those late night paranoia fuelled strolls through dimly light urban underpasses in the parts of the city where the streets lights don’t come on anymore, all whilst delving head first into your own personal psychological heart of darkness; then look no further than this creepy as hell deep dub demo from Tribal Hooligan. It’s the sound of a faceless dread slinking through the concrete jungle around midnight, echoed reverb, chopped up female vocal samples, misc glitchy noises and unplaceable throaty bass collide to become the skitterings of a warped mind trying to figure out just what the hell that blurred figure in the corner of your eye is up to. A spacious k-hole nightmare, awesome sounds.

soundcloud.com/tribalhooligan

Demo 3*

soundcloud.com/tribalhooligan

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WITH SUPPORT

Tuesday 5th March 2013 GLEE CLUB | CARDIFF 7.00PM / 18+ SHOW / £12.50 ADV FROM: WWW.SWNPRESENTS.COM seetickets.com • wegottickets.com • ticketlineuk.com • www.cardiffboxoffice.com Spillers Records • willymason.co.uk • www.glee.co.uk/cardiff facebook.com/willymasonmusic • twitter.com/wjjmason

The MMP February 2013

Words: Nick Merriman

Live Review

Photograph: Jon Pountney

Henry’s Funeral Shoe

New Sound Wales, Chapter

As 2012 (or if your Mayan the world as a whole) moves towards its conclusion, the folks over at the good ship Newsoundswales served up a delectable pre-Christmas treat with all the trimmings. A quick glance at the line-up and it was clear, miss out on this and you’re a turkey! Big Colours begin proceedings with what is rapidly becoming a familiar sound, their crystalline guitar riffs and poly-rhythms recalling as they do the hugely popular Two Door Cinema Club and Vampire Weekend. The Boy Royals positively stormed through their set, confidence gleaned from supporting the likes of Feeder and Hard-Fi evident throughout. The singles ‘Teenage Sky’ and ‘People Like Us’ sound like stadium-indie anthems in waiting, and you would imagine that it’s only a matter of time before the greater populace catches on. Henry’s Funeral Shoe are given a warm welcome,

and in response the duo proceed to rock the socks off the assembled masses. Since Jack and Meg popped up at the start of the century bluesy garage rock bands are a dime a dozen, but HFS are so much more than an unimaginative pastiche. The chemistry between the brothers is apparent, with the pounding drums (and gurning) of Brennig perfectly complementing the guitar attack and guttural growl of Aled. They look to be enjoying themselves greatly and so too are the audience who feed off the on-stage energy and howl along wholeheartedly, particularly to their eponymous song and its sinister mantra which warns ‘don’t let your heart get heart get heavy’. Dipping into each album as they go, the brothers perform with a refreshingly unpretentious exuberance, something that you imagine they won’t lose even as their career continues its upward trajectory. henrysfuneralshoe.com

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Two spacious live rooms

Vintage gear a go-go

2 for 1 on full day sessions

01443 660288 www.longrowaudio.co.uk enquiries@longrowaudio.co.uk

The MMP February 2013

Words: Hash Piperdy Photograph: Kait Mordey

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The Joy Formidable Solus, Cardiff SU

We Are Animal were the chino-clad fluffers for the Solus gig, putting on a rhythmic, understated performance which conjured memories of The Rapture. They could well be ones to watch, however, they never really managed to grab the audience’s attention (despite a superb pair of drummers) – maybe if the singer holds a conversation of some sort with the crowd, as opposed to banging through the set as quickly as possible. Lucky then, that North Walian three-piece The Joy Formidable brought the noise, as they toured in support of second album ‘Wolf’s Law’. Having come off a support slot with Muse, the trio seem to have picked up some tricks, throwing multi-layered tracks into the pot with ambiguous, hook laden lyrics; a ll sweetly delivered by singer Ritzy Bryan. Whether it was the fragile ‘Silent Treatment’ or

the urgency of ‘Cradle’, there’s a real comfort to their playing. Confident enough to weave from freeform feedback spasms into tightly scripted riffs that silenced the full-house crowd,. On and on everything crashed, walls of noise were set up and knocked down before being rebuilt even bigger. ‘Maw Maw Song’ was almost Babylon Zoo (!), except with significantly more depth, whilst ‘The Everchanging Spectrum…’ from their debut was used as a full on rock-out track. Frontwoman Ritzy almost threw her guitar into the crowd at the end, looking a bit like a children’s TV presenter losing it. It added to the night. Sometimes, it’s better to stand there, shut up and listen in. The Joy Formidable proved that with a brilliant set. thejoyformidable.co.uk

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The MMP February 2013

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.MPFREE! @THEMMP.TV

Do not fear ladies and gentlemen, your February need not be a blanket of boring and empty silence choking you like a hug happy bear. For we are here to help! Behold! Upon the altar of free musical downloads we offer up a selection of....free musical downloads! (didn’t see that one coming did you?) Treat your ears to a fine selection of choice cuts from a few of our favourite acts this month! DRAW ME STORIES • SHE RIPPED • BENJAMIN MASON • ROB LEAR • THE LOVELY WARS • BEARD OF WOLVES • PALOMINO PARTY • HEAVY PETTING ZOO • HIS NAKED TORSO

The MMP February 2013

Cardiff Music Map

01 Clwb Ifor Bach 02 Gate Theatre 04 10 Feet Tall | Undertone 05 Buffalo 06 The Coal Exchange 07 O’Neills (Little) 08 Kama Lounge

27 35

09 The Globe 10 O’ Neills (Big) 11 Shot in the Dark

13 Students Union 14 Tommy’s Bar 15 The Promised Land

17 Gwdihŵ

18 Dempsey’s 19 Owain Glyndwr 20 The Bunk House

BUTE PARK

16 Koko Gorilaz

20 28 10

21 Bacchus

22 The Vulcan Lounge

25 The North Star

26 Cafe Jazz

27 The Pot

36 33

23 St David’s Hall 24 Nos Da

19 07

28 Rococo 31 Bar 147 32 The Live Lounge 33 Mocka | Peppermint 34 Pen and Wig 35 The Claude 36 Cardiff Central Library 37 Motorpoint Arena

Don’t see your venue listed? Contact Us info@themmp.tv

38 The Old Library 39 The Yard 40 GH2 41 The Full Moon / Moon Club 42 Bogiez