Author: birminghamreview

Fink, aka Fin Greenall, has been knocking out music since the early nineties.

Originally part of the ambient techno gravy train, inspired by obvious luminaries – The Orb, Aphex Twin and Moby (in the days before advert based PRS cheques), Fink left behind his EVA moniker and started experimenting with live sounds over breaks on his 1997 Fink Funk album – released on Ninja Tune’s subsidiary label, N-Tones.

Two years later Fink released Front Side, a 4 track EP that continued to use live and laid back melodies, whilst this time tempering the fractured drum loops.

Then in 2006, he moved away from Electronica altogether with the release of ‘Biscuits for Breakfast’ – a 9 track collaboration with Guy Whittaker and Tim Thornton, making him Ninja Tune’s first singer/songwriter.

Three albums later, Fink is still a firm fixture on Ninja Tunes and still releasing acoustic guitar led melodies. Although his 2007 album, Distance and Time, incorporated production from Lamb’s Andy Barlow, whilst his subsequent 2009 album ‘Sort of Revolution’ saw collaborations with John Legend and Professor  Green.

Then, after a couple of years on tour and in studio, Fink released his 5^th full length album – ‘Perfect Darkness’, a mature evolution of soulful vocals and acoustic music.

Produced by Billy Bush, Garbage’s longstanding knob twiddler, ‘Perfect Darknss’ was received as ‘a writhing, surprisingly meaty addition to the over-crowded singer-songwriter genre’ by the BBC’s Ian Wade, one with ‘enough individuality as not to get brushed aside with the prefix ‘just another’.

An warm review echoed by others in the UK’s music media, with Caroline Sullivan in The Guardian stating Fink’s ‘contemplative guitar/drum/string arrangements… often achieves such loveliness you don’t want it to end’.

Undoubtedly experienced, arguably accomplished, Fink has been grafting within the UK music scene for two decades. And with a wide portfolio of proficient releases, in genres that have seen high profile artist acclaim, it’s almost strange that Fink isn’t better known.

And whilst liking him is up to you (we’re all about free will at the Birmingham Review), he’s certainly earned 6min 39sec of your attention. I mean, what’s a boy got to do to get heard in this town..?

Fink plays The Glee Club on Sunday 19^th February. For tickets and info visit http://www.glee.co.uk/birmingham-music

Ed King will be there for the Birmingham Review.

For Fink posts and comments, on the run up to Feb 19^th Glee Club gig, check out our Facebook page– http://www.facebook.com/birminghamreview

 

Born in Scotland, signed in Brighton, The Twilight Sad are a (now) 3 piece Indie rock band from Kilsyeth – a small town halfway between Glasgow and Falkirk.

And as their moniker suggests, TTS lean towards melancholic melodic rock; using wall-of-soundesque layers of thick guitar over strongly accented, often brooding, vocal laments. Orchestral, lo fi and distinctively Scottish. It’s like Mogwai found the third Proclaimer and fed him bucket loads of smack.

Formed in 2003, The Twilight Sad introduced themselves to the world via two ‘highly experimental’ shows at The 13^th Note Café in Glasgow, where they spent 30mins ‘utilising guitars, bass, drums, tape loops from films and old folk and country songs, effects pedals, toy keyboards, thumb pianos, computer games and various other ephemera.’.

Then, after climbing off their musical pedestal and into the studio, TTS put together a 4 track demo which got them signed to Fat Cat Records in 2005 – label co-founder, Alex Knight, making an offer after seeing their 3^rd ever gig.

An eponymous EP was released through Fat Cat US in November 2006, with TTS’s subsequent debut album, ‘Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters’, out globally in April 2007. The following four years, two EPs and one studio/one live album, saw TTS build a fanbase, lose a bassist (founding member Craig Orzel leaving in 2010 due to “changes I wanted to make to my life”), tour America – including a performance at the SXSW Festival 2007 and support; Mogwai, The Smashing Pumpkins, Snow Patrol and Idlewild.

Back on the road with their third studio album, ‘No One Can Ever Know’ – released Feb 6^th 2012, The Twilight Sad play the Hare & Hounds on Feb 12^th (presented by Birmingham Promoters).

Rebecca George will be there for the Birmingham Review.

For info on: The Twilight Sad visit http://www.thetwilightsad.com

For info on: The Twilight Sad at the Hare & Hounds – Feb 12^th, along with further Birmingham Promoter gigs, visit http://www.birminghampromoters.com

Check out, and comment on, The Twilight Sad (in easy to chew bite sized chunks) during the run up to Feb 12^th at http://www.facebook.com/birminghamreview

Words & pictures by Cesilia Oriana Trecaquista

Norwegian synth-pop ensemble, Casiokids, kicked off their New Year at the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath. No strangers to Birmingham, having previously played the O2 and Island Bar, the gig marked the start of the band’s 2012 UK tour – promoting their third album, ‘Aabenbaringen over aaskammen’.

Describing the quintet as ‘a melting pot of musical backgrounds’, Fredrik Øgreid Vogsborg – singer and synth player, believes their ‘differing influences and skills’ helped achieve their somewhat chaotic, but always melodic, electro-pop sound.

When asked pre-performance about ideal collaborations, singer and founding member, Ketil Kinden Endresen referenced Royksopp – a group Casiokids are often, predictably, compared with. Although sharing adjacent studios back Bergen, both Casiokids’ and Royksopp’s Norwegian home town, Endresen joked about ‘eavesdropping’ into their rehearsals for inspiration.

Casiokids’ eccentric on stage presence was in stark contrast to their reserved offstage nature. Using quirky instruments, such as; stylophones, old analogue keyboards, cowbells, alongside the conventional bass, drums and guitar rhythm section, they morphed into pogo-jumping party people who fed off the crowd’s enthusiasm.

At one stage an over-active smoke machine almost eclipsed the band, allowing weird and wonderful sounds to ring out in the mist, and leaving my +1 convinced of complex backing tracks (drummer Enear Olsen had downed tools and could be seen dancing enthusiastically to a pre-existing beat).

But after various songs sung in indecipherable lyrics (or Norwegian) CasioKids played their final and, arguably, most distinctive track – ‘Fot I Hose’. As the crowd’s density became more noticeable, they’d certainly left the most popular until last, one lucky audience member was plucked onto the stage to mime a guitar riff. A role he undertook with as much zeal, if not more, than the actual band.

Casiokids are; Ketil Kinden Endresen, Fredrik Øgreid Vogsborg, Omar Johnsen, Kjetil Bjøreid Aabø and Einar Olsson.

‘Aabenbaringen over aaskammen’ was released through Moshi Moshi Records on Jan 16^th. For more info visit www.casiokids.com

Jan 19^th: Llama

Words by Ceri Black

Combining the beautiful voice of, an undeniably sexy, Sylvia Perez Cruz, and Ravid Goldschmidt’s haunting tones of his hang drum, Llama created an hypnotic atmosphere. The venue itself provided an alluring contrast; the dark, wet and windy streets through high windows echoed against the bright and upbeat flamenco sounds of the Spanish duo.

However, the acoustics in the Symphony Hall Café Bar did not work in Llama’s favour, and occasionally it was difficult to hear Goldschmidt’s drumming (especially when someone in the audience started eating crisps).

Altogether though, Llama delivered a gorgeous set. Captivating the audience with delicate rhythms and mesmerizing vocals. I have no doubt they will continue to wow fans throughout Europe.

 

Jan 20^th: Chris Bowden Quartet

Words by Robert Kornreich

Great gig: a fine local quartet that seems to do 1950s cool jazz through to Charlie Parker-type bebop. “Seems”? Well, I’ve been out of the jazz/ blues scene for a few years. But this – with the Steve Ajao Blues band at this venue a few weeks ago – is bringing me back.

Chris Bowden (building lyrical and melodic excitement  – and abrupt silences and hesitations like Thelonious Monk) on alto sax, the wonderful Steve Tromans on piano, Tom Hill on bass and Neil Bullock drums (sorry: I’m in a minority that doesn’t get drummers).

Music to watch.