Friday 28th March: ...and, together with two of the next generation of music-lovers, we head down to the Roman Bath only to find that the advertised band have been replaced by Prime Example, a "popular covers band".
The Bath was about as full as I've seen it since it became one of our regular venues, but most of the punters seemed to have come along with the band, rather than wandering in off the street, as each song ended with generous (perhaps over-generous) applause and cheering. The set started with three songs from the "book of generic rock covers" - Whitesnake's Here I Go Again (complete with twiddly keyboard bits which made it seem more like a pop version), Hold The Line from ToTo and Rainbow's Since You've Been Gone. If it wasn't for the slightly wishy-washy sound of the band and the poor backing vocals, I would have been enjoying things so far. However, rock was then dispensed with, to be replaced with Danny Wilson (Mary's Prayer) and Maroon 5 - good songs but not to the rest of the gang's tastes (except for one of the younger generation who was, apparently, enjoying herself). Following a bit of Thin Lizzy (Dancing in the Moonlight), things went from bad to worse for me when the band started playing The Kaiser Chiefs Ruby - not my favourite band and certainly not their best song. It was at this point that we decided to move venues and try out The Terrace.
On the walk across town, I was told (based on the gang's previous visit) that The Terrace would be full of youngsters and that we wouldn't be able to see the band. Those statements couldn't have been much more wrong.
The pub was virtually empty and, if there had been a band, it would have been in full view. As it was , we got Marc Atkinson. According to Marc's MySpace page, he is an acoustic singer/songwriter but, for tonight at least, he was doing covers - U2, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Muse and Maroon 5, among others - and taking requests (most of which he responded to with, "I can't do that one.") Given that he does, apparently, have his own material I would have liked him to drop at least a couple of his own songs into the mix.
To be fair to him, he was pretty good and it must take quite a lots of guts to sit on your own in a pub, with just a guitar and perform for an audience that isn't really listening very closely. His guitar-playing was impressive and his vocals clear and, as far as I could tell, in tune.
However, this was where the music faded into the background a bit. This was the first time that we, as a group, decided to sit during the performance and while we were still listening to the music (and, indeed, the father and daughter in the gang were trying to beat each other playing Name That Tune) there was a lot more chat than normal so it can't be said that we were paying that much attention, at least up until the point where I left to get the bus home.
So, a pleasant evening out, but no musical highlight this week.
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Monday, 24 March 2008
In the tragedy of a century, when man became a distant memory/a biology, an ideology that needed to upgrade
Monday 24th March: No live music for me this Easter weekend but, a handful of HMV gift vouchers and the arrival through the post of a debut CD that I pre-ordered a few weeks ago gives me the excuse to post a few short(ish) reviews. So, in no particular (except alphabetical) order... (Oh, yeah, and apologies to Roj for stealing his title format for this week's post.)
Having only heard the single (Just For Tonight), this was a bit of a risky purchase. After all, the front cover makes this five-piece from Helmsley, look more like a boy-band in the tradition of McFly, than a full-blown rock band. Happily, the album is more to my taste than my five-year-old's (although, her taste in music is, I like to think, a bit more sophisticated than most of her age). I've only had the chance to listen to the album once since I bought it and, being honest, the single is the only stand-out song for me at the moment, but I suspect that this is more due to familiarity than being the best song on the album. The whole thing, though, is much better than I expected and I will be taking the next opportunity to play it again and listen more closely.
Bry
an Adams: 11...
an Adams: 11...The Canadian Rocker's eleventh studio album contains eleven songs, so there's no guessing where the title comes from. Adams is one of my favourite live performers - he seems to have so much fun on stage - and I have most of his albums. This one has been described as more introspective than the others and definitely seems a bit moodier and less bouncy, without dispensing with the whole rock attitude. Unfortunately, on the first couple of listenings, there isn't a whole lot new here and the most memorable songs are the ones that reminded me of tracks from previous albums (Oxygen and Walk On By). To be fair, at this stage in anybody's career, they aren't going to come out with a radical new direction and, this is a very listenable album. It just lacks some of the punch of 18 'Til I Die, Waking Up The Neighbours and Reckless. I have a feeling that, like Room Service, it will end up growing on me.
Sheryl Crow: Detours...
In the past couple of years, Ms Crow has, in some people's opinions, gone a little batty with her "Save the Earth" credo. After all, it was her who suggested that it would be better if we all used just two sheets of loo roll per visit (although, in my house, getting below twenty would be a start...). Her latest studio album continues and expands the theme, with songs about gasoline shortages, religious tolerance and war. Fortunately, but probably against the plan, there's something about Crow's vocals which stop these songs from sounding preachy. Her voice is just too light, too much fun, too infectious to put you off listening, whatever your political or religious leanings. Among the "message" songs are a couple of more personal ones - a lullaby for her son and, in reference to her experience with breast cancer, Make It Go Away (Radiation Song). All in all this is a very good album, lyrically there isn't the brightness of earlier releases but, overall, there isn't really a bad song.
In the past couple of years, Ms Crow has, in some people's opinions, gone a little batty with her "Save the Earth" credo. After all, it was her who suggested that it would be better if we all used just two sheets of loo roll per visit (although, in my house, getting below twenty would be a start...). Her latest studio album continues and expands the theme, with songs about gasoline shortages, religious tolerance and war. Fortunately, but probably against the plan, there's something about Crow's vocals which stop these songs from sounding preachy. Her voice is just too light, too much fun, too infectious to put you off listening, whatever your political or religious leanings. Among the "message" songs are a couple of more personal ones - a lullaby for her son and, in reference to her experience with breast cancer, Make It Go Away (Radiation Song). All in all this is a very good album, lyrically there isn't the brightness of earlier releases but, overall, there isn't really a bad song.
One Night Only: Started A Fire...
Having only heard the single (Just For Tonight), this was a bit of a risky purchase. After all, the front cover makes this five-piece from Helmsley, look more like a boy-band in the tradition of McFly, than a full-blown rock band. Happily, the album is more to my taste than my five-year-old's (although, her taste in music is, I like to think, a bit more sophisticated than most of her age). I've only had the chance to listen to the album once since I bought it and, being honest, the single is the only stand-out song for me at the moment, but I suspect that this is more due to familiarity than being the best song on the album. The whole thing, though, is much better than I expected and I will be taking the next opportunity to play it again and listen more closely.
Panic Room: Visionary Position...
Isn't t'internet wonderful? Last year, I went to the launch of Odin Drangonfly's CD, Offerings. From Odin Dragonfly, browsing through links, I discovered Mostly Autumn, from them Breathing Space and, from them, Panic Room. The latter are made up former members of rock band Karnataka, along with current members of Mostly Autumn and Fish's band - thus they are part of one of the most convoluted musical family trees I have come across. Anyway, I took a chance that, given the pedigree, I would like them and pre-ordered the album, avoiding listening to anything on it until it arrived. Mainly modern prog-rock (without the epic scope of Mostly Autumn) with jazz, Middle-Eastern, Celtic and traditional influences, the eight tracks on this album are superb. The first track, Elektra City, tells a tale of the dangers of technology (with more than a nod to the Terminator films) which fittingly and, somewhat surprisingly, ends with a near freeform jazz, piano-led instrumental. Other highlights are Firefly, a more traditional song, and the twenty-minute final track, The Dreaming, which is only let down by too many vocals over the soaring instrumental and an out of place final couple of minutes. The lead singer, Anne-Marie Helder (also on flute), has a stunning voice and a good vocal range and the guys playing the hardware (Paul Davies, guitars; Jonathan Edwards, piano, keyboards, loops; Gavin John Griffiths, drums, Alun Vaughan, bass) produce some excellent instrumentals. This is my kind of music.
Hmmm, maybe t'internet isn't that good after all - there are still quite a few links on the Mostly Autumn site that I haven't clicked on and I only have a limited budget...
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
The Final Odyssey
Tuesday 18th March: Sad news...
Perhaps England's most famous science fiction author, Arthur C Clarke, has died, aged 90.
I have read many, but by no means all, of Clarke's books and most of them rank among my favourites in the genre. Brilliant works such as Songs of Distant Earth, Fountains of Paradise and 2001: A Space Odyssey have given me many pleasurable hours but, perhaps my overall favourite is Rendezvous With Rama.
Many years ago, while still at school, I was bought a book called Science Fiction: Ideas and Dreams (David Kyle, 1977). It was a book about science fiction authors and their works and, among the many covers reproduced in full cover, was one for Rendezvous With Rama. Something about that cover made me want to read the book but it took me a few years to find a copy. When I finally did, I devoured the book in just a couple of days. The story of a group of explorers as they, well, explored the interior of a giant object which was passing through our solar system had me gripped and the best thing was that nothing was explained. The final anticipatory line - "The Ramans did everything in threes" - left me waiting anxiously for a sequel.
Despite Clarke insisting that he never intended to write sequels and that the line was just a good way to end the book, in 1989 (17 years after Rama was first published), Rama II followed its predecessor's path past Earth and was soon followed by two more sequels which built on and completed the story. Written more by Gentry Lee than by Clarke, who edited, the books were entertaining but not as good as the original and, at the time, it was suggested that the storyline sprang more from Clarke's growing realisation of his own old age and his getting closer to the end of his life. If that was true, he still managed to hang on another fifteen years after the publication of the final book
Finding and reading that copy of Rendezvous With Rama remains a seminal point in my own enjoyment of written SF. The good news, for me, is that I still have Childhood's End and The City and the Stars still to read.
Rest easy, Arthur, your own odyssey is, hopefully, only just starting.
Perhaps England's most famous science fiction author, Arthur C Clarke, has died, aged 90.
I have read many, but by no means all, of Clarke's books and most of them rank among my favourites in the genre. Brilliant works such as Songs of Distant Earth, Fountains of Paradise and 2001: A Space Odyssey have given me many pleasurable hours but, perhaps my overall favourite is Rendezvous With Rama.
Many years ago, while still at school, I was bought a book called Science Fiction: Ideas and Dreams (David Kyle, 1977). It was a book about science fiction authors and their works and, among the many covers reproduced in full cover, was one for Rendezvous With Rama. Something about that cover made me want to read the book but it took me a few years to find a copy. When I finally did, I devoured the book in just a couple of days. The story of a group of explorers as they, well, explored the interior of a giant object which was passing through our solar system had me gripped and the best thing was that nothing was explained. The final anticipatory line - "The Ramans did everything in threes" - left me waiting anxiously for a sequel.
Despite Clarke insisting that he never intended to write sequels and that the line was just a good way to end the book, in 1989 (17 years after Rama was first published), Rama II followed its predecessor's path past Earth and was soon followed by two more sequels which built on and completed the story. Written more by Gentry Lee than by Clarke, who edited, the books were entertaining but not as good as the original and, at the time, it was suggested that the storyline sprang more from Clarke's growing realisation of his own old age and his getting closer to the end of his life. If that was true, he still managed to hang on another fifteen years after the publication of the final book
Finding and reading that copy of Rendezvous With Rama remains a seminal point in my own enjoyment of written SF. The good news, for me, is that I still have Childhood's End and The City and the Stars still to read.
Rest easy, Arthur, your own odyssey is, hopefully, only just starting.
Sunday, 16 March 2008
Three Pints of Tetley's and a Mexicola, Please...
Wednesday 12th March: ...and two take a very mid-week trip to Fibbers for a four-band line-up.
First up were Kid Gloves, a five piece from York. Their first two songs, musically, had a hint of something that I could only pin down to Black Sabbath, but I have no idea why. Third was a King's of Leon cover and was the best song of the set. Unfortunately, their own songs consisted of repetitive lyrics which were, for the most part, shouted rather than sung. Fairly average, I'm afraid.
Next on stage - Red Chevrons, again from York and, again, with five members. They had a generic guitar sound and the lead singer was about as sullen as they come. Personally, I thought the drums were too loud and drowned out the vocals, but the set did get better as it went on, ending on a high note with the final song which had one of those epic live feels to it.
Continuing the York theme, although this time with only four members, were Manifesto. Now this lot were a vast improvement, with much more passion in their performance. By the time their set had started, we had moved slightly closer to the stage, in part due to the group who were gradually pushing us further back from our normal position next to the bar. In our new location, I experienced that pleasant feeling where the vibrations from the drums pluck at your clothes and ping off the edges of your body, rather than pounding you in the chest. Adam's vocals reminded me of something which I eventually decided was a beefed-up Robert Smith of The Cure, which sounded ridiculous when I said it out loud. However, a quick look at Manifesto's MySpace page shows that they allegedly sound like The Cure. I must be getting better at recognising influences... I'd certainly be happy to see these guys again.
Finally, the band we were there to see. The Mexicolas' debut album, "X" got a rave review from fellow blogger and Fibbers regular, Roj, a few weeks ago and it was on the basis of this that I bought a ticket to see them. I wasn't disappointed. This three-piece from Birmingham have a big, loud sound (bigger than any of tonight's other bands) and there is plenty of power-stanced guitar playing in their live set and I don't think I've ever seen anybody play bass as aggressively as Del Carter. Much more professional than tonight's other acts, the Mexicolas were a joy to watch. Unfortunately their forty-five minute set was over way too quickly, ending with an extended instrumental, including a section of blues guitars, showing how versatile these guys could be. (Is there any truth in the saying that all guitar players want to play the blues...?)
On the back of that performance, I shelled out hard cash for a copy of the album and, while it has a much cleaner sound than the live performance, it is as good as the review said. As far as I can remember, all the live songs but one come from the album, which also includes a couple of much quieter tracks. There's nothing quite like this album anywhere else in my collection and, except for two tracks whose introductions reminded me of Sweet Child of Mine (Guns 'n' Roses) and Imagine (John Lennon), there's nothing I can pin down as influences. Favourite tracks are We All Fall Down and the wonderfully atmospheric Skin Tight, but the whole album is excellent. Hopefully they won't have been put off by the very small, but appreciative, crowd and will return to York soon.
First up were Kid Gloves, a five piece from York. Their first two songs, musically, had a hint of something that I could only pin down to Black Sabbath, but I have no idea why. Third was a King's of Leon cover and was the best song of the set. Unfortunately, their own songs consisted of repetitive lyrics which were, for the most part, shouted rather than sung. Fairly average, I'm afraid.
Next on stage - Red Chevrons, again from York and, again, with five members. They had a generic guitar sound and the lead singer was about as sullen as they come. Personally, I thought the drums were too loud and drowned out the vocals, but the set did get better as it went on, ending on a high note with the final song which had one of those epic live feels to it.
Continuing the York theme, although this time with only four members, were Manifesto. Now this lot were a vast improvement, with much more passion in their performance. By the time their set had started, we had moved slightly closer to the stage, in part due to the group who were gradually pushing us further back from our normal position next to the bar. In our new location, I experienced that pleasant feeling where the vibrations from the drums pluck at your clothes and ping off the edges of your body, rather than pounding you in the chest. Adam's vocals reminded me of something which I eventually decided was a beefed-up Robert Smith of The Cure, which sounded ridiculous when I said it out loud. However, a quick look at Manifesto's MySpace page shows that they allegedly sound like The Cure. I must be getting better at recognising influences... I'd certainly be happy to see these guys again.
Finally, the band we were there to see. The Mexicolas' debut album, "X" got a rave review from fellow blogger and Fibbers regular, Roj, a few weeks ago and it was on the basis of this that I bought a ticket to see them. I wasn't disappointed. This three-piece from Birmingham have a big, loud sound (bigger than any of tonight's other bands) and there is plenty of power-stanced guitar playing in their live set and I don't think I've ever seen anybody play bass as aggressively as Del Carter. Much more professional than tonight's other acts, the Mexicolas were a joy to watch. Unfortunately their forty-five minute set was over way too quickly, ending with an extended instrumental, including a section of blues guitars, showing how versatile these guys could be. (Is there any truth in the saying that all guitar players want to play the blues...?)
On the back of that performance, I shelled out hard cash for a copy of the album and, while it has a much cleaner sound than the live performance, it is as good as the review said. As far as I can remember, all the live songs but one come from the album, which also includes a couple of much quieter tracks. There's nothing quite like this album anywhere else in my collection and, except for two tracks whose introductions reminded me of Sweet Child of Mine (Guns 'n' Roses) and Imagine (John Lennon), there's nothing I can pin down as influences. Favourite tracks are We All Fall Down and the wonderfully atmospheric Skin Tight, but the whole album is excellent. Hopefully they won't have been put off by the very small, but appreciative, crowd and will return to York soon.
Sunday, 9 March 2008
No Music This Week
Sunday 9th March: ...and a distinct lack of musical activity this week leads to thoughts on football and a bit more on the books I have been reading.
The last couple of days have seen the most interesting round of the F.A. Cup that I can remember. I have just finished watching West Brom beat Bristol Rovers 5:1, but that was the only game that went to form. Earlier today Cardiff City beat Middlesbrough 2:0. I have no great love for the Welsh side (for historic reasons relating to Leeds United) but, being honest, they deserved the win seeing as they were playing a below-par Boro who seemed to have forgotten that the aim of the game is to score goals.
Perhaps more surprising were the results of the Man Utd v Portsmouth (0:1) and Barnsley v Chelsea (1:0) games. The dumping out of the competition of two of the top four English teams was particularly satisfying given the amount of chances both of them squandered - if you can't score from some of the chances that they had, you don't deserve to win games, let alone trophies. Portsmouth are now favourites for the Cup but, given that Barnsley knocked out Liverpool on the previous round, I think they are worth watching.
On a more personal note, it was good to see Leeds get there first Elland Road win under Gary McAllister (and second win in a row), even if it wasn't a particularly good performance against a bottom-of-the-table team. (Who am I kidding? It wasn't anywhere near a good performance.) The win moves us another place closer to the play-off places - now our only hope of a chance of promotion.
Since the last time I wrote about books, I have only finished two more. First up was Cavalcade (Alison Sinclair, 1998) tells the story of tens of thousands of people who have volunteered to be taken away by a fleet of alien spaceships, focusing on a sub-group of these "passengers" who are trying to work out the secrets behind the vessels themselves. The book was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke award (the UK's premier science fiction award) but I have no idea why. Despite the characters being a random group from different backgrounds, they all speak with the same voice, making it difficult to distinguish between them. The plot did nothing for me and the final revelation was a let-down. Although only 300 pages long, this book took an age to read. I have previously read Bluheart (1997) by Sinclair and didn't enjoy that one either. I don't think I'll be reading any more of her books.
Much more satisfying and with more of the sense of wonder that I like in SF was Reckoning Infinity (John E. Stith, 1997). The crew of a spaceship explores the interior of a Big Dumb Object which is moving through the solar system. So far, so Rendezvous With Rama and, in the cold light of day, this book is nowhere near as good as the Clarke classic. However, with an interesting bunch of characters, including a doctor who was pilotting a shuttle when it crashed into an Earth-orbit space-station and a first officer who was almost fatally injured in that crash, resulting in a lot of her body being replaced and thus formenting a hatred of the person she sees as the cause of the accident, this was a whole lot better than Cavalcade. Like Rama, the ending practically cries out for a sequel. Unfortunately, this appears to have been Stith's last novel (so far, anyway).
My current read is Lady of the Forest (Jennifer Roberson, 1993), which is a huge 700+ page retelling of the Robin Hood legend. Despite a fairly dense prose style, this is one of the best books I have read for a long time. It focuses on how Robin, haunted by his experiences in the Crusades, becomes an outlaw rather than his adventures as one - I'm less than 200 pages from the end and, while we have met the men of Sherwood, Robin has yet to join them - and also gives Marion a much bigger part in the story. All the characters are there, as are all the recognisable bits of the legend (the staff fight with Little John, archery contests, schemes against Prince John, etc) and the story is told with a richness and honesty that brings the era to live.
The last couple of days have seen the most interesting round of the F.A. Cup that I can remember. I have just finished watching West Brom beat Bristol Rovers 5:1, but that was the only game that went to form. Earlier today Cardiff City beat Middlesbrough 2:0. I have no great love for the Welsh side (for historic reasons relating to Leeds United) but, being honest, they deserved the win seeing as they were playing a below-par Boro who seemed to have forgotten that the aim of the game is to score goals.
Perhaps more surprising were the results of the Man Utd v Portsmouth (0:1) and Barnsley v Chelsea (1:0) games. The dumping out of the competition of two of the top four English teams was particularly satisfying given the amount of chances both of them squandered - if you can't score from some of the chances that they had, you don't deserve to win games, let alone trophies. Portsmouth are now favourites for the Cup but, given that Barnsley knocked out Liverpool on the previous round, I think they are worth watching.
On a more personal note, it was good to see Leeds get there first Elland Road win under Gary McAllister (and second win in a row), even if it wasn't a particularly good performance against a bottom-of-the-table team. (Who am I kidding? It wasn't anywhere near a good performance.) The win moves us another place closer to the play-off places - now our only hope of a chance of promotion.
Since the last time I wrote about books, I have only finished two more. First up was Cavalcade (Alison Sinclair, 1998) tells the story of tens of thousands of people who have volunteered to be taken away by a fleet of alien spaceships, focusing on a sub-group of these "passengers" who are trying to work out the secrets behind the vessels themselves. The book was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke award (the UK's premier science fiction award) but I have no idea why. Despite the characters being a random group from different backgrounds, they all speak with the same voice, making it difficult to distinguish between them. The plot did nothing for me and the final revelation was a let-down. Although only 300 pages long, this book took an age to read. I have previously read Bluheart (1997) by Sinclair and didn't enjoy that one either. I don't think I'll be reading any more of her books.
Much more satisfying and with more of the sense of wonder that I like in SF was Reckoning Infinity (John E. Stith, 1997). The crew of a spaceship explores the interior of a Big Dumb Object which is moving through the solar system. So far, so Rendezvous With Rama and, in the cold light of day, this book is nowhere near as good as the Clarke classic. However, with an interesting bunch of characters, including a doctor who was pilotting a shuttle when it crashed into an Earth-orbit space-station and a first officer who was almost fatally injured in that crash, resulting in a lot of her body being replaced and thus formenting a hatred of the person she sees as the cause of the accident, this was a whole lot better than Cavalcade. Like Rama, the ending practically cries out for a sequel. Unfortunately, this appears to have been Stith's last novel (so far, anyway).
My current read is Lady of the Forest (Jennifer Roberson, 1993), which is a huge 700+ page retelling of the Robin Hood legend. Despite a fairly dense prose style, this is one of the best books I have read for a long time. It focuses on how Robin, haunted by his experiences in the Crusades, becomes an outlaw rather than his adventures as one - I'm less than 200 pages from the end and, while we have met the men of Sherwood, Robin has yet to join them - and also gives Marion a much bigger part in the story. All the characters are there, as are all the recognisable bits of the legend (the staff fight with Little John, archery contests, schemes against Prince John, etc) and the story is told with a richness and honesty that brings the era to live.
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