A decent gathering had assembled for Shearwater’s free day-after-the-night-before show at Bush Hall, and as the band retreated from their own CD browsing to compose themselves before the big entrance onto the little stage, Thor Harris asked “Are we doing casual?” For him this meant t-shirt rather than the previous night’s polka dot shirt and furry jerkin, and he thus lost some of his berserker aura – though anyone who has ever spoken to him will know what a calm and friendly sort of berserker he is (until those moments when the drums need a good seeing to that is). The rest of the group were similarly relaxed. Jonathan Meiburg however decided to grace us with his best, i.e. only, stage outfit, which he claims was still splattered with Dorset mud from their End Of The Road festival appearance. I wonder what Thomas Hardy would have made of current album Rooks’s pastoral take on prog rock. Insert pun based on famous novel title here: I’ve got nothing. Continue Reading

Originally a side-project outlet for ‘quieter songs’ than those suited to Okkervil River, main men Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff have produced a weighty and gloriously rich follow-up to the critically acclaimed Palo Santo. And ‘quiet’ isn’t the most immediate description that comes to mind either. There is a sense of a common thread, though an actual concept is harder to pin down, it being full of dark inspiration drawn from the natural world: an earlier time before man exerted his crushing dominance perhaps. References to oxen trains, whaling, stars, hunting, countless birds and animals and forces of nature all tumble out. In this respect there’s some symbiosis with the similarly Texas-based Midlake and their Trials Of Van Occupanther, but Rook is more epically baroque and hard-hitting, almost indie-operatic in ambition, and both less overtly melodic and instantly appealing. Pianos are more in evidence than guitars, and the pastoral prog is fleshed out with string quartet, plenty of woodwind, a harp, and trumpets. Continue Reading

Ever had that certain feeling of grudging admiration when watching your team lose? The star performers in the opposition are so on form that you can’t help but admire them as they leave your so-called heroes struggling. You don’t mind paying good money to witness something memorable even in those circumstances. So where am I going with this analogy? Well, whilst they may not quite have that indefinable personal connection to leap into the ranks of my true faves, on the strength of this seventh album alone Tindersticks come whole-heartedly recommended - The Hungry Saw is an exquisite piece of work from a class act that rewards every listen. Maybe I just need to track down some more of their work.

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Approaching yet another release in my usual state of blissful ignorance, my initial puritanical distaste at the ‘Hollywood’ name was counterbalanced by the discovery that she had once covered Althea and Donna’s Uptown Top Ranking. She finally got me onside with a quote that her time at an arts college in Nottingham was “like the kids from Fame but without the legwarmers”. For any other similarly unenlightened readers (it’s OK, your secret’s safe with me), Niblett is British born though now US based, and the ‘Scout’ refers to the lead character from To Kill a Mockingbird - replacing the much more delicately English ‘Emma Louise’.

Delicate is definitely not a word that springs to mind when describing much of her music. Fanatical would be a possibility. The largely minimalist style of raw voice and tub-thumping drums and/or stubby just plug’n'play guitar owe much to her drawing inspiration from Cobain and his ilk, and has been moulded by work with Chicago engineer/producer Steve Albini. You might hear some of Cat Power or PJ Harvey’s direct emotion. “Fishes And Honey” sees Niblett alone at the piano, but she is typically a bit more ‘out there’ - like Bjork goes grunge, especially on “Moon Lake” and “Dinosaur Egg” - having either loose drum’n'bass style percussion or lone guitar accompanying respectively. “Let Thine Heart Be Warmed” and “Hide And Seek” are fleshed out with co-ordinated muddy thrashes and straight between the eyes drum assaults. “Dinosaur Egg” was a strange choice for a single, being one of the weaker songs in this collection, and when things are this direct, if it doesn’t work there’s no place to hide. The two and a half minute “Your Last Chariot” is the pick of the open-throttle rages. 

Much more to my taste are the handful of songs that have some of the rough edges knocked off - or at least some bubble wrap over the sharp corners. “Yummy” has soothing liquid cello tones to pour into the mix; “Black Hearted Queen” has a warmer guitar tone and a string arrangement straight out of the Cold Mountain soundtrack, followed by bizarre lullaby highlight “River Of No Return”. Without the credits in front of me, for all I know this could actually be a cover of the theme to the 50’s Western film of the same name. I suspect so - you can see the hero leaving his girl and riding off into the sunset, and if nothing else proves that I’m a big softie. It’s a duet with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, and he also features on “Do You Want To Be Buried With My People?”, “Comfort You” and “Kiss”. The latter is a “House Of The Rising Sun” lament and an emotional peak.

So, not an easy listen, but with an unexpected range of styles drawn from a sparse but powerful palate. An occasional yelp and squeal, and a couple of songs that don’t quite hit the mark, but a forceful and uncompromising sound that you can’t help but admire.
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Links
Scout Niblett [official site] [myspace]

Every so often an album comes along that draws you into it’s own world, taking on a living presence in your consciousness with it’s particular moods and meanings. It happens less often in the pick’n’mix download era, but Devotchka’s How It Ends is to be savoured as a whole, a mystical blend of styles crafted from a musical palate spread wide from the Rio Grande to the Bosphorus, taking in everything from cabaret to casbah, bunkhouse to bordello, prairie to polka-punk. OK, I’ll stop there. Vocalist Nick Urata has been quoted as saying that it’s a concept album, telling “the story of a young Ranchero who survives going to war, only to find his childhood sweetheart has married a rich man for the love of money”. I’m not sure whether that was said with tongue firmly in cheek, but you get some idea of the range of emotions wrapped up in this album. It’s a wonderfully crafted Rubik’s cube of interlocking wonders, twist it one way and a new sound is revealed (theremin, sousaphone); twist it another and the scene changes completely again - from mournful to ecstatic, longing to laughter.

I’m probably late to the party, since How It Ends had it’s US release 3 years ago and has garnered much praise amongst those in the know since, but only now have the fiercely independent Denver band negotiated an official European release. Word of mouth and exuberant live visuals (exotic dancers hanging from the ceiling anyone?) have seen them build up a following, boosted by the publicity of successful film score work for Little Miss Sunshine - which features a couple of tracks originally recorded here. Cinematic is certainly a suitable description, with a touch of the similarly gifted Calexico, the dusty vistas of Ennio Morricone and the inventiveness of the wonderful and sadly missed Penguin Cafe Orchestra. There are more interesting nooks and crannies than the slightly monotone Arcade Fire, and the passion of Gogol Bordello with a bucket load more nuance.

The instrumental Such A Lovely Thing sounds like a drunken band of gypsies stumbling into a Turkish house of pleasure, the long lost soundtrack to Carry On Caliph. Meanwhile, title track How It Ends is as bleak as a suicide note to a lover and sees Nick Urata’s straining vocals climb over a repetitive Moog tone and searing strings. It’s that kind of rollercoaster ride - stuffed full of drama without being bloated and obese. Urata has also said “I think it is the album we will always be remembered for”. If only every band had earnt that luxury. It’s hard to know how to do it all justice. Just buy it, and their whole catalogue while you’re at it. They’re in the UK now and I’ve just got tickets to see them on Monday (nothing to do with the lure of possible exotic dancers honest - my wife will be in tow), so my own cash is on the line. I’m a bit of a tight git, so I can’t give a stronger recommendation than that.
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Links
Devotchka [official site] [myspace]