On 15th December, a shrewd week and a half before ‘the big day’, You Dirty Blue release their sophomore Tough Crowd EP.
Out via the band’s own online know how and social media, Tough Crowd is all yours for the minimal fixed price of £3 – for direct info and online sales, click here.
A condensed follow up to the band’s somewhat monstrous debut, Tough Crowd is a three track skid through the raw grit we’re beginning to expect from the Tamworth twosome. Opening with the short and punchy ‘Nonsensical’, You Dirty Blue lull us into a false sense of something with a sneakily detached riff from Messer James, before… well, throwing short punches, across a two and half minute barrage of blues rock, duel vocals, and an ending that is gloriously unapologetic. I’m a cynic, but if this opening track doesn’t compel you to buy a TV, book a hotel room, and then do what every respecting human with a heart should do you might as well just stop breathing. A solid introduction, one you just know it’s going to destroy a venue near you soon.
Round Two begins with pace setting drums, courtesy of Messer Reynolds, and rolls through the altogether more melodic yet fast paced ‘Sharp Left Story’. Not quite as much fun Samsung suicide from the top floor of a Premier Inn, but just the right flavor for Radio 6. And comparisons be damned, but about two minutes in and I’ve got ‘Made of Stone’, ‘Peace Frog’ and ‘In Bloom’ all arguing over the last line in my head. Make of that what you will.
Another set up from Reynolds and we’re off towards the end, with the EP’s longest proffering – a radio play fuck you that “can’t please everyone” and will die trying not to. Careering into the grunge fast lane, ‘Gallow Dancer’ is a five and a half minute reason why you should go and see You Dirty Blue play live – raw and raucous, yet somehow packed with melody and sly little hooks. Again, I can’t help but think of another grunge band you could count the out members with less than one hand.
So, time for the negative. Hang on. Wait. Wait. It’s coming… nope. Tough Crowd does exactly what you’d want it to do, and precisely what You Dirty Blue are building their well earned momentum for delivering live. Without posturing or pretence, this second EP from a band who quite simply stick to their guns is job done, as far as this reviewer is concerned at least.
I could challenge the rough edges or the live sound, but that would be defeating the DIY object of the point here; if you’re a fan of alt-J production or James Bay laments then Tough Crowd is going to really piss on your chips. Other than cutting six tracks to three, or that the band clearly hate having their promo photo taken, those are about the only legitimate counterpoints I can come up with.
But if you don’t like it, if Tough Crowd isn’t going to be on your secular wish list this December, if your take away spuds are a little warm and salty whilst you cry alone into your pillow, then please email me something wittier to say. Otherwise go and ‘support your local music scene’ for about the price of a pint.
You Dirty Blue release their Tough Crowd EP on Friday 15th December. For more on You Dirty Blue, plus online purchase points for Tough Crowd, visit www.youdirtyblue.com
*You Dirty Blue will be playing at The Dark Horse at the Killer Wave End of Year Blowout on Wednesday 20th December. For direct gig info and online ticket sales, click here.
Big day today. A red-letter day, as Rews release their debut album, Pyro, to a legitimately eagerly awaiting world.
Well, this little corner is perched on its seat at least. And I suspect I’m not alone. Half of Glastonbury, for one. Marc Radcliffe for another. No doubt some friends and family. The Hawley Arms. The Railway Inn. The list continues…
Signing to Marshall Records pretty much around the time we saw them at The Flapper, Rews have been busy building momentum and recording an album over the past year. A busy festival season, some hand-picked showcase gigs and a pretty healthy portfolio of radio plays took care of the first bit, whilst Shauna (Tohill) and Collette (Williams), aka Rews, locked themselves into a studio to deliver the second bit. And the result is Pyro – released on Friday 3rd November, through the amp wielding rock monster that is Marshall Records.
Live, Rews are unassailable. So, then… is Pyro any good?
As I’m listening to Pyro, courtesy of sneaky stream from their management, I’ve got the other ear on Radio One – not a station I usually listen to, but Rews are dropping a triptych of teasers from their debut album during the Huw Stephens Show. I’m steadily working up to my own opinion, but I also want to hear what it sounds like in the middle of Playlist A.
Kicking off (a deliberate metaphor) with ‘Let It Roll’, it’s pretty clear from the start that Rews have come to play – Pyro is not pulling punches, as the album’s opener unleashes an unashamed barrage of grab you by the balls rock. ‘Rip Up My Heart’ continues in the same vein, and I can’t help but think of the heavier end of Seattle in the late 90’s and the first time Mike Patton turned up for rehearsal – but that might just be me.
Tohill has those gifted vocals that can range from an almost conversational calm to a high pitched TEAR YOU FACE OFF ROAR, then duck back under the covers as if nothing ever happened. ‘Violins’, track three as we march through this debut, is a near perfect example of this, backed to the hilt by the animalesque thunderclap machine that is Collette Williams. And trust me, this combo is something quite phenomenal live. Then ‘Shine’, the first taste of this here album, comes out with its slightly darker claws; there’s something unflinching about this track and I want it to push, push, push… but how the hell am I going to throw myself down the abyss in under three and a half minutes?
Then back to the back catalogue, before signatures and deadlines, with two of the pop-rock-fingers-up-slapped-face anthems that dragged us into this chaos in the first place, as ‘Death Yawn’ and ‘Miss You in the Dark’ run over you in quick succession. Rews have an unnerving knack of penning easy to catch earworms, a phrase I’m borrowing for this review, and are absurdly fun with it in the process. ‘Death Yawn’ is perhaps my favourite example of this here (especially when you paint the picture what, and whom, it was inspired by) although both these tracks have been stuck in my head since I first heard them over eight months ago.
Speaking of which, I am a tad dismayed not to see ‘Can You Feel It?’ on the track listing for Pyro. Despite appropriating one of the world’s most tired clichés (and using another for the title) it’s a crazy fun track – one that is not only backed by a great melody, but that explodes with the raw versatility of what two talented people can do if you just let them run. Anyway, not my album. And if I’m being supercilious with my lexicon, plonk me in front of an upright piano and get your own back. Drunk spiders…
Then perhaps the cream of this particular crop, or at least the bright forward face of Rews to come, as the album’s second single, ‘Your Tears’, jumps out like Fonzi over shark infested water (Google it). A simple message of self empowerment, a rough edged beginning, that pause… then a chorus that will napalm itself to your brain. Awesome. The danger for Rews, as with every rising balloon, is how firm is their grip. But if giving them a ticking clock, an advance that one day needs to balance out, and enough public pressure to make any normal human want to curl into the foetal position, brings out tracks like ‘Your Tears’ then the plan seems to be working.
Not, however, for ‘We Explode’. I am always asking Birmingham Review contributors to balance their reviews, what I call ‘the velvet glove punch’, and this is where I rein in my adulation. Not a fan of this track; from the staccato start, across the store bought chorus, and through the Pumpkins appropriated spiral into discord, this is Pyro’s weak link. To me. But go out and buy the album then you can argue me down, I just know Rews can deliver better and I have nine other tracks at hand to prove it.
‘Shake Shake’ quickly remedies this dip, with a restrained verse leading up into the kind of chorus that makes you… well, the title maps the landscape out quite clearly. A cracking song, again awesome live, and one I suspect may have been lined up with ‘Can You Feel it?’ in the track listing lotto.
And to kiss the whole thing goodbye, another wonderfully promising glimpse of Rews to come – as ‘Running Against the Wall’ builds a glorious intro of percussion and keys, into a joint vocal message of fuck you adversity. Then it just rocks. Something Rews do with an unashamed and infectious success rate.
There you have it – one man’s opinion. We laughed, we cried, we drove recklessly and punched a hole in the wall… but I’m backing this band. Rews have proven themselves time and time again in a live setting and now they’ve nailed an album. I sense greenfields, bloodshed and glory. Plus, Pyro kicked the front teeth out of everything that got played around it on the Huw Stephen’s Show, so job done on that front too.
Mark it on a calendar, carve it on a wall; Friday 3rd November, in the year of our Lord 2017. Pyro came to pass. And if anything deserves ornate calligraphy in bull’s blood…
‘Your Tears’ – Rews
Pyro, the debut album from Rews, is released via Marshall Records on Friday 3rd November, For more onRews, including online sales of Pyro and live gig listings, visit www.rewsmusic.com
Rews play at the Birmingham Review Christmas Party (Winter Showcase) on Saturday 25th November at the Actress & Bishop, 36 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham B3 1EH. For more event info, including links to online tickets sales, click here.
After an eight year break spent gathering musical influence from the mellow mundane of real life, Howie Payne is back with his self professed ‘best record so far’.
The result of this is Mountain, Payne‘s second solo LP since the dissipation of his previous band The Stands in 2005, which is set for release on the 27th October on Full Stack Records. Recording sessions took place at London’s prestigious Ark Studios during final week of July, whilst the rest of the UK witnessed a heatwave. This in mind, Payne and band still slaved away ruthlessly to produce a well crafted songwriter album, and if anything this added to the atmosphere of the album.
The influence of Americana and the great American songwriters of the 70’s is apparent throughout Mountain. However, this does not necessarily mean that the album sounds dated or appeals solely to the older generations.
Album opener ‘Quick as the Moon’ is reminiscent of the heartfelt, earthy folk-pop of modern artists such as Fleet Foxes and Father John Misty. With its several layers of vocal harmonies, tambourine and subtle upright piano melodies, ‘Quick as the Moon’ lends itself effortlessly to the Americana/Folk genres, as is the case for other tracks ‘All of these things’ and ‘Hold steady the Wire’. The vocal harmonies heard throughout Mountain assist Payne‘s songwriter style arrangements in escalating into grandiose chorus’, similar to those of innovators such as the Beatles and the Beach Boys.
‘Some Believer, Sweet Dreamer’ is driving by ballsy country guitars and could easily be a single by Neil Young back in his heyday. In a time of synthesisers and programming it’s nice to hear an album that utilises predominantly organic instruments and in particular, the human voice. “But you’re quick like a hurricane, bright like a rising sun…” shows Payne‘s mastery of imagery within his lyricism, alongside his clear knack for arrangement and composition.
Lead single ‘The Brightest Star’ is the most commercial moment of the album, with its blend of piano hooks, strummed acoustic parts and shuffle drumbeats that form a clear pop structure and four chord chorus.
But if it’s the lazy rootsy-Americana of Gold-era Ryan Adams that you seek, you will also find plenty to occupy yourself with on ‘Holding on’, a love song that floats along steady and shows Payne‘s band at their finest.
The story is much the same for both ‘High Times’ and ‘After Tonight’. Here Howie Payne is accompanied solely by his acoustic guitar, yet the songs are as engaging as those that surround it. ‘After Tonight’ also provides an effective moment of solitude on the album, whilst ‘Thoughts on Thoughts’ is a modern folk number using traditional guitar melodies to create hooks and layers of harmonised vocal to add an almost medieval sound to the music.
Then, finally, we have ‘Evangeline (Los Angeles)’ – a grand, perfect summary to Mountain, combining layers of vocals once more, yet reverberating electric guitar parts that provide the sonic backdrop for tender picked acoustic guitar.
All in all, Mountain is a joyous and pleasant listen. And although its genre is arguably dated, and some may say holds little relevance to today’s popular music climate, the album is still intriguing to the ear of someone who appreciates music at its core; Mountain carries a wholly organic and refreshing sound. Plus, as I have already mentioned, Howie Payne‘s use of his own voice to create layers of texture brings an entirely different edge to his music – this is also to be applauded and hooked me upon listening.
With an album as well crafted in every respect of the word such as Mountain, Payne fully deserves a place up there with the great songwriters of today.
‘The Brightest Star’ – Howie Payne
Mountain, by Howie Payne, is released on 27th October via Full Stack Records. For more on Howie Payne, including online album sales and live gig dates, visit www.soundcloud.com/howiepayne
It is through a haze of naked, tattooed flesh, sweat and Mad Goose that I first remember witnessing Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos performing live at the Hare & Hounds, many moons ago.
For those not yet acquainted with Johnny and his band of more than merry men, I am loath to try and confine such wild musical enthusiasm to a genre. However, if pushed, may I dare to draw a loose comparison in their maniacal Balkan and carnival-esque melodies to those of another local favourite, The Destroyers. Perhaps after a few cans of Stella.
It was with both pleasure and apprehension I sat down to listen to the Sexy Weirdo’s long awaited third album – European English, some three years after their last release, Kill the Beast. I say apprehension, as for a band whose live performance exudes so much unadulterated energy, I was curious as to how their songs could be translated effectively to a recording. However, the Sexy Weirdos have created ten stonking tracks that balance order and chaos, tempering them into a cohesive album that still oozes oomph… just a little less perspiration.
Opening track ‘Megahorse’ boots down the doors of the album and sets the tone; instantly commanding, with an aggressive sense of urgency provided by the driving percussion and hysterical woodwind and fiddle. It is the first of many tracks that bully your feet and fingers into tapping along in a bid to keep up.
Other tracks such as ‘Sicilian Silly’un’, which is largely instrumental, possess a stirring marching pace encouraged by Johnny’s primal howls and cymbal crashes, challenging you to dare sit still whilst the music lurches around you. European English strikes a pleasing balance between vocals and instrumentation; at no point does it feel as though one has more importance than the other.
Largely instrumental tracks like ‘Matthew Matthew’ are driven by John Joe Murray on the fiddle, whilst Matthew Osborne’s percussion throbs through the tracks forming the driving force behind ‘Death of a Relative Rude Boy’ and ‘Didn’t Find the Money’. However, Johnny’s vocals steal the show in ‘Serbian Rhumba’, a slower and much sexier track that gives a pleasant respite from the fever of the tracks it follows. His husky tones in combination with the slow drawl of his delivery create a fabulous come-to-bed voice and thus a strangely beautiful but unrefined love song is born.
I couldn’t review European Enlgish without broaching the subject of its title. ‘European’ is, sadly, a now loaded word that has come to embody political unrest and all the unpleasant emotions that accompany that discontent.
However, in his article for Birmingham Review on the making of European English (it really is an album genesis worthy of a feature length film) Johnny maintains that the album is not a statement about the EU. Instead, European English acts as an unabashed celebration of Europe and its vast array of cultures.
With tracks titled ‘Serbian Rhumba’ and ‘Sicilian Silly’un’, the three different cultures and voices placed side by side in ‘Ragga Dub’, and the blend of punk, rock and East European influence that underpins them all, European English is an album that banishes borders and steals shamelessly from various cultures. The political messages focus less on divide and more on everyone being in the same societal boat, be it sinking or floating.
It is worth noting that European English became largely conceived in Josefov, an Austria Hungarian fortress town (seriously, you need to read Johnny’s article). The album bears tangible traces of its naissance within those thick walls that fortify an untouchable corner of Europe. On listening to an album that so overtly celebrates the diversity of our continent, I can almost imagine I am entering into a last bastion that stays immune to cultural divide and the political tumult battering at the doors outside. Within its ten track walls is a perfect piece of Europe – multifarious, rebellious, debauched and fierce.
But you’ll have to listen to it yourself to decide. So divest yourself of your stresses, to-do lists and clothes, grab whatever strong spirits you have to hand and enter the Sexy Weirdo’s very own refuge for disenchanted Europeans.
‘Megahorse’ – Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos
Johnny Kowalski & the Sexy Weirdos release their third studio album, European English, on 22nd September. For more on Johnny Kowlaski & the Sexy Weirdos, visit www.sexyweirdos.bandcamp.com
Have you ever found yourself stretched out and sun-warmed on the white sands of a Hawaiian paradise, with nothing but a large zoot and a battered old guitar to keep you company? Me neither. But after listening to Jack Johnson’s 7th studio album, All The Light Above It Too, I’m not sure I need to in order to know how it feels.
If you’ve listened to Jack Johnson before you’ll be familiar with the trademark intimate, husky vocals, soft acoustic guitar and blissed-out tempos that come together to paint the picture of a relentlessly cool dude. All The Light Above It Too does not exactly buck this trend, but there’s a lot more to the album than just sun, sea and sand.
Indeed, the opening track ‘Subplots’ introduces an interesting duality between sound and subject that runs throughout Johnson’s latest album. Its melody is chilled out and cheerful, based mainly around Johnson’s gentle acoustic guitar playing, with only subtle additions of bass, some slide guitar and light percussion to create a pleasingly organic, clean sound.
But beneath the laid back, beach bum vibe, Jack Johnson introduces a contemplative conversation about wider societal issues. ‘Subplots’ suggests that people have become so caught up in the meaningless dramas of their lives that they have forgotten about the bigger universal narrative unfolding around them. And this combination of carefree, positive melody underpinned by an insightful message is the common denominator of All The Light Above It Too’s ten tracks.
‘Sunsets for Somebody Else’ is so stripped back and dreamy that you can almost smell the sun cream and hear the surf, and yet when you focus in on the lyrics Johnson is touching eloquently on the ever oppressive presence of the media with lines such as “can’t this world afford to sleep anymore?”.
‘My Mind is For Sale’ mourns the “careless, me-first-gimme-gimme appetite” of modern politics and the precariously unreal reality that is presented to us via social media, all whilst disguised as a gentle, no-fucks given tropical tune.
I thought that ‘Gather’ was one of the stand-out tracks on the album, as it provides a surge of energy after the more nonchalant songs that preface it, with an injection of tribal drums and strange electronic glitches that bring to mind Alt-J. The only track not to draw some sort of social commentary is ‘Love Song #16’, which consists, unsurprisingly, of a beautifully romantic ditty to Jack Johnson’s wife; the amalgamation of stripped back acoustics and incredibly personal lyrics creates a refreshing, and rather adorable, pause in Johnson’s meditation on the modern world.
Overall, All The Light Above it Too creates an organic, coastal sound that could quite easily give the illusion that Jack Johnson has never had to worry about a thing in his life, except perhaps what time the tide comes in. Therefore, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this ambiance would detract from the potentially conflicting lyrical messages that worry over a high paced, frightening modern world. But this dichotomy only serves to emphasise an alternative to the unpleasant reality; Johnson muses over the simultaneous pain and pleasure of surrendering to a collective experience and the importance of just letting go.
Indeed, the utterly relaxed and care-free sound to Jack Johnson’s songs merely highlight that you can either panic about the earthly issues that he describes, or you can chose to focus on “all the light above it” – the bigger picture of the universe, and what silly, insignificant beings we really are in the grand scheme of things.
It’s clear to see which option Jack Johnson has picked. All The Light Above It cleverly maintains a balance between beautifully subtle, positive songs, whilst offering opportunities for bigger ideas and reflection.
‘My Mind is For Sale’ – Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson releases All the Light Above It Too on 8th September, out Brushfire Records. For more on Jack Johnson, visit www.jackjohnsonmusic.com
Words by Ed King
So, time for the negative. Hang on. Wait. Wait. It’s coming… nope. Tough Crowd does exactly what you’d want it to do, and precisely what You Dirty Blue are building their well earned momentum for delivering live. Without posturing or pretence, this second EP from a band who quite simply stick to their guns is job done, as far as this reviewer is concerned at least.
