ACADEMY EVENTS & TINY COW presents
Thu 15th Sept M A N C H E S T E R O 2 R I T Z Fri 16th Sept L O N D O N O 2 F O R U M K E N T I S H T O W N Sat 17th Sept C O V E N T R Y E M P I R E Sat 24th Sept N E W C A S T L E O 2 A C A D E M Y Sun 25th Sept L E E D S O 2 A C A D E M Y Mon 26th Sept G L A S G O W O 2 A B C Thu 6th, Fri 7th & Sat 8th Oct C O V E N T R Y E M P I R E
T U O D L O S
FINAL SHOWS ADDED Sat 3rd September LONDON O 2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN Sun 4th September BRISTOL O 2 ACADEMY Wed 7th September MANCHESTER O 2 RITZ Thu 8th September LEICESTER O 2 ACADEMY Fri 9th September LIVERPOOL O 2 ACADEMY Wed 21st September GLASGOW O 2 ABC
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THIS MONTH, WE’VE BEEN M O S T LY LISTENING TO... Moose Blood Blush What an album.
Doe - Some Things Last Longer Than You What an album, part 2.
Against Me! Shape Shift With Me What an alb... you get the idea.
THIS MONTH... U P D AT E
F E AT U R E S
04. READING & LEEDS 0 6 . B I F F Y C LY R O 08. 15 NEW BANDS N OT TO M I SS 10. S LOW C LU B 12. BANG ERS 13. THOM SONNY GREEN 14. WHITE LIES 15. HONEYBLOOD 1 6 . F O R M AT I O N 18. THE GUIDE
24. G L ASS A N I M A LS 30. M O OS E B LO O D 32. WILD BEASTS 36. EZ R A F U RM A N REVI E WS
HYPE 20. 21. 21. 22.
TO OTH L ESS B L AC K FOX X ES T H E PA R R O T S LANY
38. G LASS ANIMALS 3 9. G A R O R O C K 41. BLOSSOMS 41. WILD BEASTS 4 2 . B E AT Y H E A R T 43. ANGEL OLSEN 44. BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH 4 5 . L AT I T U D E 20 QUESTIONS WITH... 4 6 . D E A P VA L LY
DORK readdork.com
Editor: Stephen Ackroyd stephen@readdork.com Deputy Editor: Victoria Sinden viki@readdork.com Assistant Editor: Ali Shutler ali@readdork.com
Contributors: Ben Jolley, Corinne Cumming, Heather McDaid, Jade Curson, Jamie Muir, Jasleen Dhindsa, Jessica Goodman, Josh Williams, Martyn Young, Phil Smithies, Richard Davies, Rob Mesure, Sam Taylor, Sammie Maine, Sarah Louise Bennett, Steven Loftin, Tom Hancock All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which The Bunker Publishing Ltd holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Dork or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally. P U B L I S H E D F RO M
THE BUNKER W E LCO M E TOT H E B U N K E R.CO M
“SHI TTES T. FONZ . EVE R.”
UPDATE n do cen s e ld r. wil me ds um n s a e of b f th so eds l r a d iv . hun est iss nd, st f e e k om g e t g e i d b w r he ay ff o ’t a of t olid n h e a c ank r on ou ty s fo st b a d u h e g e u w &L sA e’s Thi ing Her d a Re
What’s Going Down? 4
Foals MAIN STAGE, FRI (READING), SAT (LEEDS) Even when Foals first played Reading & Leeds, back in 2007, they must have known that eventually this is what they were aiming for. Certainly, when they took to the Main Stage last in 2013, everyone knew what was coming next. Groomed for the top job, as time moved on the Oxford troupe have armed themselves with the perfect arsenal to take on Reading’s notoriously riff-ready crowd. As they popped up last August in a secret slot to unleash ‘What Went Down’, their CV was complete. This Bank Holiday Weekend, British rock crowns another set of kings - a band who can be smart or direct, clever or crushing. A lifetime on the A-list awaits.
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NME/RADIO 1 STAGE SAT (READING), SUN (LEEDS)
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eading & Leeds is more than just a festival. Partially because it’s actually two festivals, but that’s not what we’re getting at. It’s a coming of age event, even if you’re far too old to be hitting any significant markers any time soon. A mix of bands, it’s unlike anything else.
Traditionally focused on rock and indie, as the years have moved on it has embraced a number of musical genres. From the 1xtra and Dance tents, through to Boy Better Know on the Main Stage, that’s more true than ever before. All your favourite bands, and some that you’ve yet to discover, thrown into one giant melting pot. So much, so ‘yeah, but you get that at Glastonbury
TIMELINE
They’ve been building towards this moment for years. Finally, Foals will headline Reading & Leeds.
too’, but the two festivals are radically different beasts. Glasto, bluntly, is nice. Friendly. Up for a hug. Reading is different. It’s all in, all on the line - a weekend where nothing goes slowly. When Foals or Biffy Clyro hit their headline slots, there’ll be no mugs on the Main Stage. Nobody is ever going to invite Coldplay - the bottles of steaming hot piss would see to that. While some may think it’s uncouth, it’s anything but. Reading & Leeds are where the bands in our not-sohumble pages come to life. When you’re trying to get into that tent to see The 1975, you’ll know that you’re part of something bigger. Something to be celebrated. Over the next few pages, we’re picking out some of the things you should be seeking out this year. That, and the toilets in Reading Tesco. It’s worth the walk in the morning, trust us. P
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UPDATE 2015, 2016 op d uo s of p t es tt ho e th e A s on e of th lo ok b a ck on Fo rm a ti on o, to 17 ve 20 a nd likel y en ts th a t ha nc es a nd ev ue fl in of on a m a lg a m a ti th is p oi nt . Wor d s: Ja m le d th em to ie M ui r.
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f there’s anybody keeping groove alive in 2016, it’s Formation. Lead by twin brothers Will and Matt Ritson, there’s an undeniable sense of destiny for these South London movers, combining unabashed pop with an unfiltered box of electro treats that makes them one of the most exiting propositions in joyous dance celebrations since LCD Soundsystem first opened for business. Growing up in Wimbledon, the brothers’ first introduction to music was the vast swathes of Northern Soul running through the household, and it’s that soul that lives and breathes in Formation - formed from years of experimentation and trying their hands at every musical style possible. It’s a full beast, and one built upon the power of a youth spent in mass ensembles and true collectives of sound. “At school, the first instrument I had was a recorder, and then we were kind of forced to sing in our local church…” explains Matt. “Not ‘kind of’,” interjects Will. “We were forced! But Northern Soul and classical music were both huge influences, so for us it was constant rehearsals with the choir and the orchestra we joined.” If there’s a perfect combination of those worlds, it could be in the form of Queen. The outlandish, open and expansive signs of the time clearly left their mark on the brothers - and it seemed to be the first moment where those classical worlds they had been exploring finally entered rock’n’roll. “Before we properly got into music the only band I can remember passionately being into was Queen,” recalls Matt. “It was the ultimate bridge between the mad operatic choral music we were getting into with the choir, and the soulful pop music we’d been hearing in our record collection at home.” Specifically, Freddie Mercury was an icon that Will says left a lasting impact on him, and something that has given a key direction in Formation’s music so far, an infectious soundscape that beneath the surface is a damning kick on control and
power in the modern age. “That power, when you see him as a kid and you have no reference in terms of sex or gender or anything like that being important or sold to you, Freddie Mercury is such a figure of power, way more powerful than anyone you could see as a kid - he was like a superhero, a Transformer or something - and I think that still resonates with kids,” he continues. “That definitely still resonates with us, having a fucking soul that expounds power.”
know, you need a Plan B - because you think you’re going to be a rock star’. I still don’t want to be a rock star. I think it’s bullshit. Like what is that? I just wanted to play music.” Their call to arms and statement of intent so far is ‘Pleasure’, the concise discoinfused punk attack that sounds like a gritty London nightclub at closing time, a sea of bodies and late night revelry bursting with exotic vibes and cowbell cocktails. If there ever was an example of rock’n’roll in the digital age, then this is it. P
Power is definitely the word that hits you in the face from the get go with Formation. Their 2014 white label release was a delectable introduction of DFA-inspired beats and expansive cuts, which Matt notes was funded by their manager and saw them walking around Soho dropping it into record stores. Born out of an improvised music project first started by Will, the brothers came together as Formation after their posteducation years saw them head down different paths after both were booted out of school. “When we got kicked out, I remember the teacher saying ‘You
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“I still don’t want to be a rock star. I think it’s bullshit.”
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HYPE ESSE NTI AL NEW BANDS
He’s already been part of one wildly successful British band, but now Ed Nash is stepping out on his own.
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Words: Ben Jolley.
oothless is the dream-folk solo project of Ed Nash, bassist of Bombay Bicycle Club. Delicate debut single ‘Terra’ was produced by bandmate and BBC frontman Jack Steadman and mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, TV On The Radio) after the indie-favourites announced their hiatus in January to pursue different solo projects. Now he’s got an album all but ready, Ed is treating Toothless as his full-time career, as if Bombay never existed… Since joining Bombay Bicycle Club at 15, Ed has performed all over the world as the group’s bassist. During that ten-year plus period, his solo ideas remained in the background, but now they’re coming to the forefront of his creativity. “I’ve always made music myself; either playing instruments on songs, producing or being in different bands,” he says, from his garden studio in Hornsey. But it was when BBC announced their hiatus that Ed decided to start letting his creations breathe.
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“When we finished ‘So Long, See You Tomorrow’, I had all of this music that I’d been making just sitting, waiting,” he recalls. He originally thought of putting out just an EP, but after some time off, he recalls thinking, “I really need to do this full-time because I love doing it. Now is my opportunity. I had all the songs, I’d been getting ready for this for the last five or six years - writing songs and learning about the music business.” The first time anyone heard Toothless’ blend of dream-folk was when Zane Lowe premiered debut single ‘Terra’ on his Beats 1 show, and since putting some tracks out, Ed says he’s been thrilled by peoples’ compliments. “A lot of people have said they find my voice quite soft and breathy, which I’m flattered by.” In terms of the live shows
. C h e c k o u t .. Francis & The Lights
The Tuts
Lauren Aquilina
On the grapevine The Japanese House plots new UK tour
Talk about ‘Friends’ in high places. Francis & The Lights has a feeling of inevitable superstar status. Appearances on Chance The Rapper’s latest mixtape and the Bon Iver/Kanye Westfeaturing single ‘Friends’ make this electro genius one you’ll be seeing on the biggest records of the next twelve months.
Hyperactive, brightly coloured and smirking somewhere between The Libertines and The Spice Girls, The Tuts have been perfecting their craft for the past few years. Now with a debut album about to drop, all bubblegum sweet and razor sharp, the trio are out to ‘Update Your Brain’.
Following a trio of EPs that tell stories of love and heartbreak, Lauren Aquilina took some time to work out what sort of album she wanted to make. If the twitching power of ‘Kicks’ is anything to go by, it looks like she decided to make ‘Isn’t It Strange?’ a great one.
The Japanese House has announced her biggest headline tour to date. The run – which includes a hometown show at London’s Heaven – will kick off on 27th October in Bristol. The dates follow on from her two EPs ‘Pools To Bathe In’ and ‘Clean’, with new music also promised to be on the way.
Dua Lipa confirms huge London show
his new band has played so far, those watching have been “incredibly generous and kind,” he says. “It’s starting from the beginning again, but the audiences have been incredibly receptive.” So receptive, in fact, that they sold out their first ever show, at London’s Moth Club. “It was one of the most fun shows I’ve ever played. It felt like how people must feel on the opening night of their play or their art show, because it’s showing the world – and a lot of family and friends - what I’ve been working on for the last few years. Until then no-one had really heard anything. I felt like I was exposing myself,” he laughs heartily. “I’m finding it incredibly rewarding – to see people respond to it, even if it was just one person, it’s genuinely lovely.” Whilst performing live is going well for Ed and his new band, that doesn’t mean he’s not nervous. “I don’t think you can separate being nervous and excited. It’s a huge step because now it’s all on me. All the songs are my ideas and it’s my face standing up there. It’s a weird place to be,” he confirms. “It’s something I’ve taken a long time doing and I’m very proud of what I’ve done – I want people to hear it. You’ve just got to take the gamble of people maybe not liking it in the long run. That’s why you do it.” Ed’s debut album has gradually pieced itself
together from his garden studio. “It’s properly soundproofed,” he says excitedly. “So you can play drums all night long. That’s where I make music and get everything ready. I don’t really leave the house – or Hornsey – very often anymore.” As for the inspiration behind the record, which he says is “pretty much ready”, there’s a wide-ranging spectrum of influences. Citing Kurt Vile and Sufjan Stevens as artists he’s listened to while making the record, Ed says: “Some of my songs sit in that world of being melodic and concept-driven with a lot of finger-pick guitar.” There are also some electronic influences; he declares that “a lot of Animal Collective went into the songs: crazy, looping synths over and over to build up and reduce momentum in songs. I think other people have picked up on that as well.” Discussing the theme of the as-yet-untitled record, Ed refers to the passing of time. “I realise that’s very clichéd and very ambiguous too, but all the songs in some way touch on time, just observing it as it goes by – not necessarily in a negative way. A lot of the songs are very positive, but they’re all tied together by that idea.” He’s worked on it with most of his Bombay crew, getting Jack Steadman – who has a studio right around the corner – to work on coproduction and Suren de Saram to drum on a couple
of tracks. “It sounds a lot like a Bombay album,” he laughs.
“No-one really expects
Marika Hackman is also featured on the dreamy ‘Palm’s Back’. “She’s such a nice person. I love her work, I love her voice and I thought she’d be a great counterpart. It was really nice of her to say yes because noone knew me at that point, no-one had a clue what was going on with the project but she signed up to it and had faith.” Further down the line, Ed says there are some more collaborations in store, but wants to keep those guest spots secret for now.
the bass
A pop superstar in waiting, Dua Lipa has announced her biggest headline show to date with a stop at London’s KOKO confirmed for 10th October. It follows dates in Dublin (5th), Manchester (7th) and Birmingham (9th).
player to do
something.”
“I’m also trying to get a couple of people to finish off the album and do some singing, but I won’t say who they are in case they deny me and then I’ll look like an idiot,” he jokes. But what about the name, Toothless? “It came from an artist called Raymond Pettibon. He did all the Black Flag artwork and was a comic book artist from the 80s onwards. There’s a drawing by him that I saw years ago and it’s a picture of a tiger biting a boy’s head – it’s not a very nice picture,” he admits, laughing. “The caption reads ‘Even toothless she can still bite off a boy’s
Cabbage gross out with new ‘Dinner
head’. I thought about the painting for a long, long time and it stuck with me… “I like the idea of people underestimating something; this lion because it was toothless. Then when I started to put this project together I thought Toothless would be a good name because no-one really expects the bass player to do something – or one of the other members in a band that isn’t the frontman or guitarist. I thought it would be quite unexpected for me to come out and do it. “Aside from that I thought it was a really cool name and no-one else has used it. Just as a word it looks good. It’s fucking better than Bombay Bicycle Club,” he chuckles. “It was such a passing thing when we were kids – we were literally 15 – you don’t think it will affect the rest of your life. We had to explain it for ten years, so I thought I might as well get a good name this time.”P
Lady’ video Cabbage have released a video for their terrifying new single ‘Dinner Lady’. It features singer Lee Broadbent… well, we’ll let you watch it on readdork.com, because trying to describe it just brings more nightmares. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Nick McCarthy announces new project Following his departure from Franz Ferdinand, Nick McCarthy has moved quickly to announce new project Manuela. Teaming up with his wife Manuela Gernedel, it’s stripped-back indie in all its glory.
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Wor d s: Je ss ic a G oo d m a n. P ho to s: P hi l S m it hi es .
L A M I AN MAG IC W it h th e wor ld a s th ei r p la yg ro u nd , G la ss A n im a ls ha ve ta ke n th e b u ild in g b lo ck s of lif e it se lf a nd fo rg ed a re co rd th a t op en s u p th e ve ry he a rt of h u m a n na tu re . 25
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at in frontman Dave Bayley’s mum’s kitchen the afternoon before they embark once again to foreign shores, every thought is geared towards the future. “We’re going to France, then straight to Australia, then straight to America,” he states. “And then back, and then back to America, and then here, and then Europe, and then back to Australia – I think,” drummer Joe Seaward adds, tentatively. “Tomorrow is like the apocalypse,” Dave concludes. Indeed there’s every sense that, sat in the “epicentre of Glass Animals”, this is the eye of the storm. The shed where the group first played together sits, slightly damaged, at the bottom of the garden. The living room where the band chose their name is behind a closed door a few metres away. But none of this really matters right now. With their second album about to see release and a seemingly endless string of tour dates about to start, the group – completed by Drew MacFarlane and Edmund Irwin-Singer – are on the verge of something truly spectacular. “It’s a good apocalypse,” Dave affirms, supported by his band mate’s likening of the situation to “an apocalypse full of unicorns.” “It’s the a-pop-calypse. THE A-ROCK-ALYPSE!” the frontman exclaims, laughing. Shooting down the idea of naming one of their tours as such as quickly as the notion arises, the group contemplate how they “might sell the name of that tour to Slayer.” The band are no strangers to madcap ideas. Debut album ‘Zaba’ is a tropical venture through abstract lyrics and “peanut butter vibes” that captured the imagination of hearts and minds across the globe – though it’s been a gradual rise. Birthed from all the strange and sensational experiences the group have encountered since then, their new record ‘How To Be A Human Being’ showcases the band at their boldest yet. With a history stretching back a number of years, they had a lot to draw from. Friends since high school, the fourpiece began to make music together in their early twenties. “It’s Dave’s fault,” Joe accuses. “Yeah, I forced everyone,” the frontman admits with a smirk. Initially born out of Dave’s habit of early morning creativity after his late night DJ sets, the group’s addictively out there sound didn’t take long to garner the attention of producer extraordinaire Paul Epworth. “Dave was so nervous that he fell
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over on the stage,” Joe fondly recalls of their first performance. “It was awesome!” “Our first show ever, and that was the first thing I did,” Dave cringes, “tripped on a cable and SMACK!” Thankfully, what followed was plainer sailing. The first band to sign to Epworth’s label Wolf Tone, Glass Animals released their debut album in 2014. Vibrant though ‘Zaba’ is, the record gained little momentum upon release. “We sold about five copies in the first week, but we thought it was cool,” Dave shrugs. “I think our biggest sales week ended up being a couple of months ago for that record.” Reaching new heights two years after it hit shelves, it’s a slow burner, but for those who encountered it ‘Zaba’ is a record with no shortage of spark. The adoration that surrounds the group is impossible to miss, even at home. Part way though this interview Dave’s mum arrives back to the house. “I love them!” she exclaims, throwing her arms around the band, “and I’m their greatest fan!” Such statements aren’t uncommon to hear around the Oxford outfit. Adoring though their supporters are, it’s taken the four musicians a lot of hard work to reach the point we find them at now. “We kind of got completely ignored by all of the press,” Joe remarks, thinking back to the release of their first record. “So after that it was either sink or swim. We were either going to do something or just disappear off the face of the earth.” Not ones to vanish completely, the band instead disappeared abroad, where they nurtured a strong following over a series of increasingly large tours. “For some reason, we managed to skate around underneath the radar, and grow this thing in quite a natural way,” Joe explains. “It’s a really cool way round because I think it’s meant that people feel some sort of ownership of [the first album].” Amassing something of an underground following, the group’s status has steadily been on the rise ever since. “Seeing this thing grow has been a really satisfying way of doing it. It’s meant that we can make a record now that we wanted to make without anyone telling us what to do.” Cue ‘How To Be A Human Being’, an album that explores the very nature of human life in all of its twisted beauty, sadness, and wonder. More direct as it delves into darker topics, the record is a stark contrast to the first album the band released. “We were living alone in our isolated world making music in a shed,” Dave remembers of their debut, “then we were put in this tour bus and shipped off and made to be real people in the real world.” “It’s a result of being out and about in the world, and experiencing
“SOME OF THE STORIES ARE MA D, A B S O L U T E LY MAD!” things and people and excitement,” Joe expands of their new release. “I think we’ve probably changed a bit as people. Or I hope we have. That probably is reflected in the music.” Bolder, braver, and richer, the album is worlds apart from the music the band was making two years ago. Travelling from country to country as they forged their strengths and their sound under the stage lights, the band’s exploration led directly to this second record, charting their journey “from being little glass animals into actually becoming real people.” The songs themselves are inspired by the real people the group encountered along the way. “We were waking up in different cities every day, meeting so many people,” Dave recalls. “I started recording them on my phone and making these little stories. I thought it might be interesting to write my own versions of those.” Tumbling through a rabbit hole of possibilities as he imagined behind the curtains of strangers lives, the resulting songs are each a world of their own creation. “People say really striking things to you, amazing things,” Dave marvels
of their time on the road. “Some of the stories are mad, absolutely MAD.” From heart-breaking tales of loss, death, violence, confusion, to people trying (and failing) to give themselves a blow job every morning, the frontman took this “weird array of stuff” and began to weave a web of addictive melodies and enthralling narratives. Drawn from real lives, the songs paint a picture of existence in all its messed up, muddled up, topsy-turvy glory. “The way that people tell you all of those things is so funny,” Dave describes. “Listening back to all of it, people tell you things with this frankness. They’ll tell you a very sad story, and be kind of smiling. Not because they think it’s funny, but because it’s conversational.” Pushing the dual elements of emotion and elation into his writing, the resulting songs are upbeat with an undercurrent of very real anguish. Multi-faceted, contradictory, outrageous in places and contagious in others, each track is a glimpse through a usually closed window of existence. It can be dark, it can be dismal, it
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Words: Martyn Young. Photos: Tom Andrew.
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Wild Beasts have rarely sounded as fun as they do on new album, ‘Boy King’. “The more ridiculous it got, the better it felt,” the band explain.
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REVIEWS
Glass Animals
How To Be A Human Being eeeee
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enturing out of the jungle and onto familiar streets, Glass Animals’ second record is a far cry from the otherworldly nature of their debut. Each track the soundscape to a train of thought, the album is an intricately woven exploration of - you guessed it - ‘How To Be A Human Being’, Delve deep enough and the eleven tracks encapsulate everything from love, lust, and loss, through to outright peculiarity, all wrapped up in rhythms and grooves
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purpose made to keep the body moving. If ‘Zaba’ established the group’s knack for unshakable hooks, ‘How To Be A Human Being’ sees that reinvigorated. Lead single ‘Life Itself’ wears it’s eccentricities with pride, grabbing listeners at the hips and swaying with a resounding confidence into the inscrutable nature of what makes us tick. ‘Pork Soda’ runs with a similar momentum, paralysed cries transformed into an instantly addictive chorus.
Take note of what’s being sung, and the whole record is deceptively dark. Whether it’s the haunted lament of ‘Mama’s Gun’ or the youthful reflections of ‘Poplar St’, the album runs with an undercurrent that verges on the sinister. The rising discord of ‘The Other Side Of Paradise’ meticulously depicts slow motion panic rising in the instant a bullet hits its target.
Lifting these intense narratives out of the shadow is the outfit’s characteristic brand of alt-pop. ‘Youth’ might be rooted somewhere in despair, but ringing with hope along breezy refrains whilst melodies sprawl in sunkissed delight, the weight of the words couldn’t feel further away. Similarly, the lingering chorus cries of ‘Agnes’ land as if from the heavens, an instant anthem primed for stadium sized sing alongs. Bittersweet yet completely euphoric, the track embodies the dichotomy of everything this record is. Shining a light behind the closed doors of everyday life, ‘How To Be A Human Being’ is an inwards exploration of the world that exists right in front of you every day. All you’ve got to do is open your eyes to it. Jessica Goodman
How To Be A Human Being 1. Life Itself 2. Youth 3. Season 2 Episode 3 4. Pork Soda 5. Mama’s Gun 6. Cane Shuga 7. Premade Sandwiches 8. The Other Side Of Paradise 9. Take A Slice 10. Poplar St 11. Agnes
Slow Club
One Day All Of This Won’t Matter Any More Moshi Moshi
eee Slow Club’s rise endearing folk pop duo to fully fledged glorious pop group has been one of the more charming musical success stories in Britain over the last decade. Now, four albums in the duo of Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor find themselves pulling in slightly different directions on their fifth album ‘One Day All Of This Won’t Matter Any More’. The best moments here are the glistening, soul pop and bruised, heartfelt ballads performed by Rebecca. You’ll shed a tear to ‘Come On Poet’ and sashay a hip to the swinging ‘Champion’. Elsewhere, she’s wonderfully assured on the easy going Fleetwood Mac pop of ‘Rebecca Cassanova’ while throughout her vocals are often stunning and frequently impressive. Charles’ songs are more slow burning and low key, tender countrified slow ballads and gentle pop that slightly lack in vibrancy despite the impressive songwriting chops. This album is definitely Slow Club’s most musically developed and luxurious but it’s also their most understated. The pop hooks are definitely here but it just takes a little longer to find them, when you do you’ll be as charmed as ever. Martyn Young
Tobacco
Health&Beauty
Owen
Ghostly International
Wichita Recordings
Wichita Recordings
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This new release from the elusive Thomas Fec aka Tobacco is a listen for an acquired palette. With songs that flirt between being listenable and just downright insane, it occasionally comes across as a Transformer having a bad day. Opener ‘Human Om’ begins with an ominously terrifying synth riff before breaking deeply vocoded words join the party. This is concurrent with the rest of the record, where you’ll also find things just abruptly move into loud and chaotic. Trying to keep up with what’s happening is like watching a child on too much sugar. It’s entertaining, but at some point you know it’s going to backfire and nightmares will be had. ‘Wipeth Out’ is the electronic version of a motorbike revving without due course. Absolutely manic and bordering unlistenable, unless of course you’re aided by many, many chemicals. ‘Home Invasionaries’ is a more approachable track that takes a mildly 80s approach, matching a bass line with an unobtrusive drum beat. Of course there’s some more of that deep vocoder, just to make sure you don’t get too comfortable. If you make it through the end of this record, chances are you might even grow to like it, in the same way Stockholm Syndrome kicks in eventually. There are moments that are pleasant and don’t drive you away, but it’s just getting to these through the torrential amount of noise... Steven Loftin
Wonderfully flirting between depressive and happy, Health&Beauty nail this fine line. Merging garage with psych-rock, the band manage to take an album that’s only seven tracks and give it a shelf-life that seems never ending. They compose a wealth of genres into each song. Through the winding ups and downs of the previous six tracks, at the end we’re left with a nicely tied bow that closes off this rollercoaster journey. Health&Beauty bring the madness, but present it well. Steven Loftin
Mike Kinsella has a history of influence. From Cap’n Jazz to American Football, he’s played a part in defining whole scenes. While ‘The King of Whys’, his ninth solo album as Owen, dwells on the past, it never gets tied down in nostalgia. As beautiful and haunting as you’d expect, Owen still finds room to surprise. Just when you’ve figured it out, songs like ‘A Burning Soul’ cry, “in his defence, he never asked to be born,” as Owen makes and breaks your heart all over again. Ali Shutler
Cold Pumas
Happy Diving
Hardly Art
Topshelf Records
Sweatbox Dynasty
NO SCARE
The Hanging Valley
The King Of Whys
Electric Soul Unity
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It’s four years since Cold Pumas’ debut record, 2012’s ‘Persistent Malaise’. Now a four piece, ‘The Hanging Valley’ sees a band pushing themselves higher. The coiled tension at the heart of ‘Fugue States’ - all six and a half minutes of it - never shows sign of faltering, while ‘A Change Of Course’ is a less intense, more freely flowing affair that’s equally as effective. Though it may lack a couple of peaks to puncture the stratosphere, Cold Pumas’ return is a welcome one. Richard Davies
‘Electric Soul Unity’ may be Happy Diving’s fourth album in less than three years but there’s not a moment of fatigue throughout. Tightly wound and wonderfully fuzzy around the edges, the record bounces between fast and furious but never seems reckless. ‘Head Spell’ is sleek and noisy, while ‘The Call, It Thunders’ sees the band spiral off into wig-out country. The edges may be tough to define but ‘Electric Soul Unity’ is a fiercely cohesive rampage. Ali Shutler
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lass Animals’ dreamscape laden electro-pop is the perfect remedy to a slightly cloudy day at Garorock. Going down a treat, they know exactly how to use the stage to their advantage and incite a relaxed dance. ‘Gooey’ from 2014’s ‘Zaba’, is an instant crowd pleaser. The Kills’ set highlights the perfection they can achieve with their songwriting. Unfortunately there’s just a missing something. With Alison Mosshart prowling around the stage and Jamie Hince rooted into the music, it’s a performance that takes nothing from the day but sadly doesn’t add anything either. DJ headline sets at festivals can be a hit or miss affair, but Jamie xx brings a disco-central set that has the crowd in the palm of his hand and dancing. By far one of the of the best received acts, with 2011’s phenomenal hit ‘Midnight City’ causing the entire festival to congregate around the Scène De La Paine stage, there’s something quite inspiring about seeing M83 live, bringing the intricate and
Garorock Festival Marmande, France eeeee
expertly produced sound to life.
the stage, they’re an unstoppable beast.
Savages put on, well, a savage performance. The band come out with an air of attitude and it’s just about the most elegantly abusive thing ever. Once frontwoman Jehnny Beth takes to
Sunday night closers Disclosure ensure the crowd leaves the festival suitably impressed. With a stage setup that looks eerily like two spaceships hovering above the crowd, brothers
Howard and Guy Lawrence take command of their controls. It’s an impressively elaborate and wellexecuted set that provides a closing that perfectly celebrates the 20th anniversary of this hidden gem of a festival. Steven Loftin
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Stuff I Like...
Benjamin Francis The Parrots Los Niños Sin Miedo Leftwich Heavenly Recordings After The Rain Dirty Hit
eeee It has been five years since the release of Benjamin Francis Leftwich’s debut. A record that sold over 100,000 copies, it was the platform for an artist of promise to hit the next level, but a five year gap to its follow up put all of that at risk. Caring for a father between tours, who later passed away, what was lost in momentum is gained in perspective. “I knew that I needed to not do this for a while,” he explains. “I just needed to live outside of music.” Written during those lowest ebbs, ‘After The Rain’ sees all that potential realised and more, its peaks soaring higher than ever before. Stephen Ackroyd
Boys Forever Boys Forever Amour Foo
eeee HEY BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH, RECOMMEND US SOME STUFF.
Last good records you heard Kano - Welcome To The Manor.
Favourite ever book Memoirs Of A Geisha and The Life Of Pi.
TV show I couldn’t live without Game Of Thrones.
Best purchase of this year Moveable LED Ikea Lights for my flat.
Anything else you’d recommend? Music: DVSN, New PJ Harvey record. Food: Mangal (Turkish Food) on Arcola street in Dalston. BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH’S ALBUM ‘AFTER THE RAIN’ IS OUT 19TH AUGUST.
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Boys Forever may sound upbeat, but under the surface there are both sweet and salty flavours at play. Created following a bout of depression, which coincided with former Veronica Falls drummer Patrick Doyle [for it is he - Ed] not having a musical outlet for the first time in over a decade, it’s that juxtaposition that allows his self-titled debut album to shine. Recalling classic Scottish indie pop, it’s a sound that works remarkably well. Echoes of Teenage Fanclub make opener ‘Poisonous’ sound anything but, while single ‘Voice In My Head’ has the sardonic lilt of Belle & Sebastian. Forever isn’t long enough. Stephen Ackroyd
Crystal Castles Amnesty (I) Fiction Records
eee The extent to which people will be concerned with the sonic output of Crystal Castles mk 2.0 remains to be seen. It seems inevitable that Alice Glass’ departure from the duo - replaced with new vocalist Edith Frances - will dominate any and all narratives for the foreseeable future. Despite their best efforts, it’s easy to see why too. While ‘Amnesty (I)’ has enough of the Crystal Castles DNA to carry the name, it lacks the aggressive intensity to live up to the spirit. A song titled ‘Sadist’ should never result in a limp fade, while too often tracks feel thinly stretched. It’s not a bad album, it just pales in comparison to what came before. Stephen Ackroyd
Baby Strange Want It Need It Ignition Records
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Viva España. That’s what we say. And it’s not because of the cheap booze or happy go lucky holidays, but because they may have just given birth to the next garage-psych heroes in the shape of The Parrots. Tipped and revered by bands around the country, their debut record ‘Los Niños Sin Miedo’ is a woozy and hypnotic opening gambit that lays out exactly why these guys are a must-listen for those dry summer days. From the windmill chime of opener ‘Too High To Die’, it’s clear the gates are open - even if their range of styles is hidden under a ramshackle garage umbrella. Through the 60s pop punch of ‘Let’s Do It Again’, the deep psych wave of ‘A Thousand Ways’ and the rockabilly-swing of ‘EA Presley’, The Parrots’ number one priority is embracing the moment around them. The standout number is ‘James Gumb’, an adrenaline-induced descent into insanity that combines everything that makes this band so refreshing. A cocktail of influences, ‘Los Niños Sin Miedo’ captures the joys of youth. Over in a flash and right to the point, it’s a digestible chuck of summer goodness that we all need right now. Why walk through life when you can fly? Jamie Muir
Leave your inhibitions at the door, because this is a record that runs purely on instinct. Baby Strange’s rambunctious rock‘n’roll has always been suited to the tightly packed, sweaty venues they frequent. The group have made their name as a voice of rebellion. With their debut album, the Glasgow trio lay the foundations for something bolder. Building from the same frenetic energy that’s made them such a formidable force on stage, on ‘Want It Need It’ the band’s garage rooted rock aesthetic takes full form. The real test will be to see where they go from here. If the songs gathered on this record are to be taken as sure indication, it’s sure to be far. Jessica Goodman
A very short Q&A with Kevin from Of Montreal What did you find most challenging about this album? Nothing. No challenges beyond muting self-consciousness. To what extent do you think this record is of its time? It was made recently. How do you continue to find new inspiration so many albums in? I don’t look back or carry the past with me. Every day I’m born again, just like Jesus. Are there any aspects of the human psyche that you’re yet to write about, but would like to? Hmm that’s a tough question. The answer is probably yes, but I don’t know what it is yet. What’s the most fun thing about being of Montreal? Dressing in drag. Do you have anything else coming up that you’re excited about? A poetry book and lots of touring.
Thom Sonny Green High Anxiety Sudden Records
eee It’s not as if alt-J are the most straight down the line of bands. For a set of legitimate festival headliners, they’re more than happy to head to the leftfield. Drummer Thom Sonny Green rather likes it out there, it seems. So much so he’s struck out alone, with an album of instrumental electronica. Not exactly the kind of faire for those who struggle to get beyond ‘Left Hand Free’, once the immediacy of vocal hooks are cast aside, his debut ‘High Anxiety’ is a rewarding listen. Coming in at a mammoth 21 tracks, there are enough ideas to keep even the hungriest alt-J fan happy until album three. Richard Davies
Of Montreal
Innocence Reaches Polyvinyl
eee Now on their thirteenth studio album, of Montreal have bestowed upon us a pulsating treat that shows they aren’t quite done morphing. Drawing from the straightforward ‘indie’ sound they so encompassed in their earlier years, there are major call outs to dance and electronic music, both straightforward beat-laden as well as funk drenched. Absolutely irresistible, ‘Innocence Reaches’ was made to haunt you, like a secret dish at that restaurant you can’t quite remember how you ordered. of Montreal have mastered over their career the ability to create not just albums but containers of vibe and atmosphere. Steven Loftin
Latitude 2016 Henham Park eeeee
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eep within the heart of Henham Park in Suffolk, some of music’s biggest and brightest names gather for Latitude. A mix of newcomers and legends, it’s a weekend of momentous occasions and statement making. Local (enough) duo Let’s Eat Grandma have been riding the hype train for a while: there isn’t anyone who sounds like this. The tent is simply not big enough to handle the buzz. Courtney Barnett’s set is a raucous explosion of her trademark dead pan lyricism and raw instrumentation. Opening with ‘Dead Fox’, the slightly off kilter sounds and relaxed delivery matched with an enthusiastic stage presence suits the festival atmosphere perfectly. The church of Father John Misty definitely gains more followers with his set. Filled with soul and romanticism, it’s hard to escape the draw that Josh Tillman posits, but even that pales in comparison to Grimes. The experimental selfconfessed art angel brings an inordinate amount of energy to the 6 Music tent. Her crazy world comes to life, showing she’s more than just a
performer - she’s a creative genius. Packed with attitude, Chvrches return to Henham Park to a rapturous reception. Having played in 2013 in one of the smaller tents, they’re now second from the top on the Main Stage and easily prove they deserve to be there. Opening with ‘Never Ending Circles’ from last year’s ‘Every Open Eye’, Lauren Mayberry dances around the stage with confidence, knowing the crowd are hooked on her every word. Topping the bill at the festival that gave them their first ever headline set back in 2011, The National show off what they do best: sorrowladen tracks that are filled with an intelligence only the minds of this band can construct. Lauren Mayberry makes an appearance during ‘I Need My Girl’, while ‘High Violet’ cut ‘England’ receives a spectacular reception and ‘Mr November’ proves once again that although there may be melancholy at every turn, The National can still be savage. Fickle Friends’ bright and summery sound is an instant draw. Irresistibly catchy and doused in melody, they’re a perfect precursor
Orlando Weeks and Felix White have a chat over some lime and ginger tea
to M83 later in the day. Nottingham’s Kagoule pack out the Alcove with furious riffs and pounding drums taking no prisoners, while Oscar brings his melodic yet deadpan music to an avid hillside crowd at the Lake Stage, and Barns Courtney rips through his ‘Hands’ EP as well as the breakout ‘Glitter & Gold’ and ‘Fire’, laying bare what makes him tick. The headline sets this year arc through music’s legacy. Beginning with headlining newcomers The Maccabees, followed by more wellestablished bill-toppers The National, Sunday hosts a band who have carved a legacy over the course of 30+ years: New Order. Taking the crowd through highlights from the band’s discography, the mixture of original and new members sound as if they’ve spent an entire lifetime together. Particularly poignant, the encore, consisting of ‘Blue Monday’ and a cover of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, celebrates what would have been frontman Ian Curtis’ 60th birthday weekend with an homage on the visual screen. This emotional response cements the set’s place in Latitude history. Steven Loftin
So, your first ever headline set! How are you feeling? Orlando: Feeling a little bit better actually. As with most things, I feel like if I just talk about them quite a lot, it slowly starts to ease that release valve a bit so I feel a bit better. Felix: Imparting a bit of lime knowledge has helped. Do you see this as your career defining moment, or are there others? Orlando: I think we’re quite lucky in that there hasn’t had to be a defining moment, we just plugged away at it and we’ve learned as quick as we could learn. Sometimes that’s felt really slow and sometimes it’s felt like we’re getting it, but that’s been one of the secret to how we’ve managed everything: we’ve been able to go at our pace. How has that progress happened? Orlando: The first record was just what we were getting away with playing in live venues, the second one was what we were aspiring to make, not knowing quite technically how to achieve it, the third one was sort of knowing how to make those things but not really thinking about how it would translate to live, and with this new one we’ve got all of that together all of a sudden.