Category: BR Content

Words by Holly Pyke, pics by Charlie Rose

I first saw Peace perform in June 2012, supporting Editors, and found them to be mediocre musically.

But a lot has happened for this band over the last ten months and I was keen to see how they’d grown. And where better than their big homecoming gig, at the O2 Academy on Saturday 27 April?

Championed by NME, The Guardian, the BBC, and many other online publications as the next big thing to come out of Birmingham, Peace entered the stage to great applause.

Although, and similarly to their support band – a last minute (and seemingly unannounced) change from Superfood to JAWS, Peace made little interaction with the crowd, other than asking “How you feeling?” several times throughout the set.

This surprised me for a homecoming gig, especially one attended by such a large and enthusiastic crowd, and consequently I felt the mood slump in the silences between tracks.

Despite a difficulty, at times, to distinguish between songs – Peace’s performance was tight, their drummer skilled and (despite being difficult to hear due to the poor sound at the O2 Academy) the backing vocals impressive; maybe sometimes even more so than the lead vocals.

But with only their EP ‘Delicious’ and current debut album ‘In Love’ behind them Peace don’t have an extensive back catalogue to draw upon. And whilst the majority of the songs played had memorable moments, the set remained largely forgettable (aside for ‘Lovesick’, which stuck in my head for all the wrong reasons).

However tracks such as ‘Float Forever’ and ‘Follow Baby’ did stand out – with ‘Wraith’ and ‘Scumbag’ beginning to provoke some real energy throughout the room.

Unfortunately this was not to last, as ‘1998 (Delicious)’ followed in ten overly long minutes with the impact of a funeral dirge. Luckily the youthful front row remained unaffected, and in place, as Peace’s guitarist leapt off stage – in a lone crowd surf that represented the pinnacle of their audience interaction.

Peace finished their set without saying a word.

Overall, and sadly, I found Peace to be pretentious and bland performers – completely lacking in the showmanship, or camaraderie, you’d expect at a highly anticipated homecoming gig.

And whilst it’s entirely possible I lack all relevant musical taste, I did see the audience shrink during the main performance – with more leaving before the encore was over. So I may not be alone. If this Peace, give me war.

Peace’s debut album, ‘In Love’, is out now.

For more on Peace, visit http://peaceforeverever.co.uk

Alessi’s Ark, aka Alessi Laurent Marke, performs at the Hare and Hounds on Wednesday May 1^st.

A gentle but potent songwriter, Alessi’s Ark has garnered general industry acclaim across the past half decade; maintaining her identity within a burgeoning acoustic scene.

Squeezing 10 UK dates into 11 days, the singer/songwriter is touring to promote her third album, ‘This Still Life’ – released in the UK on April 15^th.

Alessi’s Ark will continue the promo trail across Europe and America, before returning to the UK for a handful of festivals, including the Moseley Folk on Sat August 31^st.

Living the actual dream of many X Factor shadow puppets, Alessi Laurent-Marke was ‘discovered’ whilst still at school, after writing her first song, ‘Glendora’, for her GCSE coursework.

Encouraged by the faculty, and supported by her parents, the young Laurent-Marke decoded to dip her toes into professional music; selling her debut EP, ‘Bedroom Bound’, at gigs and through MySpace.

After playing ‘anywhere’, and picking up online momentum through social media and music sites, Alessi Laurent-Marke signed with Virgin Records on June 29^th 2007 – the eve of her 17^th birthday. With no public breakdown, tears over ill relatives or sensational story of redemption.

Her debut album, ‘Notes from the Treehouse’, was released in May 2009 – and recorded at Mike Mogis’ and Conor Oberst’s studio in Omaha. It is reported that Laurent-Marke cited the American folk group, Bright Eyes, as ‘dream producers’ for her major label debut.

Despite a strong reception from the music press, and subsequent support tours with Laura Marling, Mariee Sioux, Emilíana Torrini and Cerys Matthews, Alessi’s Ark left Virgin in February 2010 – signing to Bella Union to release her second album, ‘Time Travel, on April 25^th 2011.

It would be another two years until her third album, ‘This Still Life’, was released – again on Bella Union.

Alessi’s Ark performs at the Hare & Hounds on Wednesday May 1^st. For details and tickets, visit http://hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk/event-listings/event/?eventID=10026000 

For more on Alessi’s Ark, including full tour dates and digital downloads of ‘This Still Life’, visit http://www.alessisark.com/

PREVIEW: Peace @ O2 Academy, April 27^th

Recently returning from Europe, Peace play the Birmingham O2 Academy on Saturday April 27^th.

Currently on a substantial UK tour, Peace will play a total of 20 dates throughout April and May – finishing with the Live at Leeds Festival on May 3^rd.

Peace are on the road promoting their debut album, ‘In Love’, which was released through Columbia on March 25^th

Originally forming in Worcester in 2009, Peace are now at the epicentre of the current Birmingham band focus; alongside other acts such as Troumaca, Swim Deep and Jaws. Birmingham Review first saw Peace supporting Editors in June 2012.

Championed by the BBC, and given a slot on the BBC Introducing Stage at the 2010 Nozstock Festival, Peace have continued to carve out a significant place the UK music media.

Promulgated by some, venerated by most; the Indie Rock four piece were picked up by the national print media after their self online release of ‘Bblood’ in January 2012.

Their debut EP, ‘Delicious’, sparked another flurry of platitudes – with their second single, ‘Wraith’, charting at No75.

But like any good snowball, Peace’s attention has been both precarious and rapid; with ‘In Love’ the hasty outcome.

And as pundits throw around careless hyperbole, at another genuinely promising young band, fingers remain crossed as a crucial festival season approaches.

** COMPETITION: Birmingham Review will be giving away tickets to see Peace at Birmingham O2 Academy. Check the website, Facebook page or Twitter feed – from Tuesday 23^rd April**

Peace play the Birmingham O2 Academy on Saturday April 27^th. For tickets and info, visit http://www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk/event/51414/peace-tickets 

For more on Peace, visit http://peaceforeverever.co.uk

Words by EdKing

Selling out faster than a Nick Clegg eulogy, Scott Matthews opens his 6 date April tour at The Glee Club in Birmingham – squeezing in four more shows before the finale at The Glee’s Nottingham club on April 28^th.

It’s a little strange, a crowd of smug faces packed into the Studio on a Sunday – but an honest air of excitement bumbles about the room.

Katherine Priddy is supporting, playing a short set of her mellifluous trad flavoured Folk, and appears as eager as the rest of us. The bar rumbles, the lights hover; chairs itch and scratch across the weathered wooden floor. Even the tannoy seems unable to make a decision (the bar’s closing/open when???).

Nerves are encroaching… we are the first audience to hear songs from Scott Matthews’ forthcoming fourth studio album, and a swell of anticipation fills the small room. I sip my second large bourbon, shield my notebook against my left leg, and scribble – ‘I hope this is good’.

Scott Matthews clicks into the microphone, “to find the sweet spot”, and proffers an affable “hello”.

Opening with ‘Virginia’, a slow to fast finger picking lullaby lament – we get the low voice and yearning melody that sat in the background of ‘Passing Stranger’. I drop my shoulders. Either a smile or a grin makes itself known on my face.

A quick and dubious sponsor endorsement preludes ‘Drifter’, 12 steel strings driving chords a full band will no doubt shortly follow – before a stripped back version of ‘Eyes Wider Than Before’. I catch myself mouthing the words, a self congratulatory expression I would usually snarl at in others, and realise I’m more drunk or nostalgic than I was on arrival.

‘So Long My Moonlight’ gets the 6 string acoustic back on stage, and stands as tonight’s sole representation of Matthews’ last LP, before “the song with no title”  introduces a faster tempo and mainly new material until the end of the set.

There are some rough edges on stage, and all without a Jon Cotton flourish, but tracks such as ‘Dream Angel’ and Matthew’s opening song, ‘Virginia’, are genuinely exciting.

‘Elsewhere’ and ‘What the Night Delivers’ each had their moments, but remain (for me) overshadowed by Matthew’s spectacular debut – and the Ivor Novello spectre still clinging to its ankles. But as tonight’s set draws to its close, and ‘Elusive’ gets an almost hackneyed encore outing, I’m increasingly intrigued to hear album four played in full.

And as the ‘roadtest’ will no doubt continue over the summer’s festival stages, I imagine there’ll be a few more samples before its “October release”.

Or at least 70 loquacious whispers of “…I saw him at The Glee Club back in April” across the Moseley Folk Festival.

Scott Matthews plays at The Glee Club in Nottingham on Aprilo 28^th. For more details on this, and other gigs at The Glee Club, visit http://www.glee.co.uk/

For more on Scott Matthews, visit http://scottmatthewsmusic.co.uk/

Scott Matthews comes to The Glee Club in Birmingham on Sunday April 7^th, playing the first in a 6 dates across the UK.

Matthews will be closing his month long tour at The Glee Club in Nottingham on Sunday April 28^th.

‘Roadtesting’ songs from his fourth studio album, Matthews will be playing an ‘intimate’ gig in The Glee’s Studio Room – supported by Folk singer/songwriter, Katherine Priddy.

Scott Matthews released his debut album, ‘Passing Stranger’, in 2006 – winning the Ivor Novello ‘Best Song Musically & Lyrically’ Award for the LP’s first single, ‘Elusive’.

Promulgated by several Radio One pundits, ‘Elusive’ received significant national airplay; further pushing both ‘Passing Stranger’ and Matthews into an early limelight, whilst opening up European festival and tour circuits.

Matthews’ soft vocals over stripped back Folk Rock, with elements of Latin percussion, Americana and multi instrumental accompaniment – have built the Wolverhampton based singer/songwriter and strong global following.

Mainly produced by Jon Cotton, a composer and string arranger who has scored for several film and TV productions, Matthew’s carries a cinematic feel on much of his studio based releases.

Subtle accompaniments, incidental sound bytes, interludes and soft layering of vocals and string have defined much of Matthew’s studio sound.

However his second studio album, ‘Elsewhere’, was recorded at Wolverhampton’s Magic Garden Studios by Gavin Monaghan – and featured Led Zeppelin lead singer, Robert Plant

Matthew’s fourth studio album, to be released later in 2013, is reportedly being recorded at the artist’s home in Wolverhampton – with Jon Cotton back as producer.

Jon Cotton has also worked with Broadcast, Carina Round, Jo Hamilton and Sweet Billy Pilgrim.

Scott Matthews plays The Glee Club (Birmingham) on Sunday April 7^th, and The Glee Club (Nottingham) on April 28^th

For further details on both gigs and venues, visit http://www.glee.co.uk/

For more on Scott Matthews, visit http://scottmatthewsmusic.co.uk/