I've Been Listening To...

Enemy Gene - of Montreal

Concert4Conservation: The Dreaming Spires, The Epstein and Stornoway

After such an incredible evening seeing Stornoway play at Somerset House back in July, it was with great anticipation that I found myself waiting outside The Regal in Oxford on Saturday evening. As a Londoner myself, part of the excitement was seeing them play on their home turf; and standing on the Cowley Road, I half expected to see a giant Zorb rolling through the Street at any given moment. Once in the queue we were quickly approached by an orang-utan and something resembling a 5 ft chicken taking money from us. No we weren’t being robbed by primates and birds; instead the evening was a charity fundraiser. The Concert4Conservation was in aid of 3 charities, The Sumatran Orangutan Society, The Earth Trust, and The RSPB – charities chosen by Stornoway, and particularly apt ones considering Brian’s previous job as an ornithologist, perhaps reinforcing the idea of escaping our ‘battery human’ existence. Supported by fellow Oxford bands The Epstein and The Dreaming Spires and organised by Truck, it had all the ingredients for a perfect homecoming for Stornoway – their first concert to a home crowd since 2010.

            Brothers, Robin and Joe Bennett (founders of Truck Festival and the recently opened Truck Store on Cowley Road) kicked off the evening with their band, The Dreaming Spires, recently featured as Steve Lamacq’s ‘favourite new band’ on BBC radio 6. Not knowing much about the band I was taken aback by their rock‘n’roll sound, such a contrast to the likes of some of Stornoway’s more muted songs, but nonetheless, I decided to give them a chance, and was even slightly surprised that I liked what I heard. With such a rich tapestry of full-on guitars and drums, the sheer energy being generated on the stage was enough for anyone to truly feel a part of the music – though I didn’t appreciate the constant elbowing from the people rocking out next to me!  However the true highlight of the set for me had to be ‘In Our Lifetimes’, a song which Robin Bennett told us had been written to accompany a video game his neighbour had created about running the United Nations Climate Agency – appropriate for an evening In aid of wildlife conservation. The gentler tones contrasted with the rest of their repertoire, and for the first time in the evening, I didn’t feel in danger of a seizure from the strobe lighting. With an album set to be released in October on Clubhouse Records, they’re sure to be one to watch, though whether I will be queuing up for it is a different matter. 

            The opening bars of ‘6.06pm’ reminded me why I love The Epstein so much. The ethereal quality of the piece was truly magical, and the lack of lyrics ensured that nothing detracted from the beauty of the melody and the intertwining instruments that came together to produce a sound so stunning that when the music swelled and crescendoed all your hairs stood on end. ‘Black Dog’ by contrast showed the band’s playfulness. Shut your eyes, and you could almost imagine yourself sitting on the porch of a cattle ranch in Wyoming, showing The Epstein’s versatility that two songs by the same band are such polar opposites. Olly Wills’ powerful voice in ‘Morning News’ combined with the background harmonies of Seb Reynolds and Jon Berry made for an exhilarating slice of Americana, which had even the most phlegmatic tapping their feet along to. And suddenly all too soon, they were onto their final song, ‘Leave Your Light On’ a reflective number ‘to sing around the fire’ that only required Olly and Jon and two acoustic guitars on stage. It was truly beautiful, but sadly the mesmerising musicality of it was lost on the back on the room, whose main priority seemed to be the bar. However, for those who were listening, it was an enchanting end to one of the best live sets I’ve ever seen. 

After what seemed like an age, and a technical hitch or two (well it couldn’t be a Stornoway gig without a couple of those!), Tim Bearder (Radio DJ and huge champion of the band) finally stepped on stage to introduce the headline act to the adoring fans. Reading from the email Stornoway first sent to him many years ago, he reminded us what a ‘polite band they are’, and well, that’s all part of their charm. Lead singer, Brian Briggs, seemed slightly taken aback by the mass of screaming audience members, and it’s reassuring that unlike so many bands, Stornoway haven’t ever taken their success for granted. It was a smart idea for ‘Fuel Up’ to be one of the first songs of the evening, considering that the concert was all about conserving the planet, and despite the serious implications to the environment that ‘fuelling up’ has, the song was as beautiful as ever - Brian’s clear voice rang out over the gentle strumming of the guitar and the harmonies of Jon Ouin, and Oli and Rob Steadman, and the driving beat of the drum (if you excuse the pun) kept the pace without distracting from the lyrical quality of the vocals. 

To restore the evening back to its green roots, it was appropriate that new song, ‘Sixth Wave’ followed – a song about mass extinction. Featuring the auto-harp (an instrument which Brian learnt especially for the occasion), the fast pace was a dramatic change from the slow melancholy of ‘Fuel Up’, and completely different to any of the material on their debut album ‘Beachcomber’s Windowsill’. For many in the audience, it was also the first time that they’d heard ‘Waiting On The Clock’, a fairly old song of the band’s, co-written by Brian and Oli that didn’t make it onto their first album. The references to Oxford landmarks (The Jericho Cafe and Worcester Place), the insanely catchy melody, and background vocals, encompassed everything that’s good about a classic Stornoway song, and Oli’s spinning round on the stage with an infectious grin was enough to carry the audience with him, sharing the moment. The high standard which Stornoway set themselves was never in danger of slipping. ‘The Ones We Hurt the Most’, had all 4 Storno-members around a single mic, singing in perfect four part harmonies, that cast a spell over the audience members, enraptured by the beauty of the gentle vocals, that at the same time was steeped with power and emotion.

But of course, there was only ever one song that would satisfy the audience at the end of such a memorable Stornoway evening, and backed by The North Sea Radio Orchestra; ‘Zorbing’ concluded the set with the same power and freshness it had on first hearing. With a second album looming in early 2012,  the fans are clearly ready to hear more from this remarkable band. 

 Read my interviews with Olly Wills of The Epstein and Rob Steadman of Stornoway, and for more information visit: 

www.thedreamingspires.com

www.theepstein.com

www.stornoway.eu

I've Been Listening To...

In The Sun - She and Him 

Interview: The Epstein

L-R: Jon Berry, Olly Wills, Seb Reynolds

After receiving lots of lovely comments about my interview with Stornoway, I thought it was time to treat you to an interview with another of my favourite bands (and fellow Oxford band), 'The Epstein'. I got in touch with lead singer, Olly Wills, and he very kindly agreed to answer some questions, so enjoy!

First of all, how was The Epstein founded, and where did the name come from?
The Epstein started out a few years back as a 2 piece playing open mics and in the back rooms of smokey pubs and has steadily evolved from there. I don't think there was a day one as it were... it just happened. In terms of the name - one of the founder members suffered from a virus called the Epstein Virus and this had laid him up in bed for quite a while... it was during this time that he started writing songs so we thought it was a good thing to take a positive from a negative.

How would you describe The Epstein in five words?
Honest. Powerful. Tuneful. Exciting and Lyrical.

You had a great year in 2010 playing on Bob Harris' show on BBC Radio 2 and being the editor's choice in Rolling Stone magazine. Did you find it hard to get noticed when you first set out as a band, or has it always been quite an easy road?
I wouldn't say that it has ever been an easy road and would doubt that many musicians have that luck... It is a case of continued hard graft over a very long period of time. Keep playing and getting better, keep writing and writing better songs and keep releasing songs.. then after all that you hope that people are going to notice you and give you a chance. It is wonderful to play on BBC Radio2 and get the Rolling Stone review but those things are the continuing part of the process and you have to keep pushing onwards all the time.

You're playing at The Regal in September with two other Oxford bands; Stornoway and The Dreaming Spires. How would you describe Oxford's music scene?
The Oxford music scene is busy and competitive. There are loads of great bands in our town and that is good for everyone. The ones that emerge out of it have to work hard to do it and that is great for the scene.

Are there any musicians that you've found particularly inspiring?
We recently toured with a band called The Johnny Parry Trio and they blew our minds mixing up the live show with amazing and very thought provoking visuals... I think that we all have very different inspirations within the band as we have all come from different musical backgrounds. I have been listening to a lot of Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave recently. Jon has been going through an African blues stage in the last few months and Seb is massively inspired by the work of Joseph Zarwinal and Weather Report.

You've spent quite a lot of time touring in Holland and Germany - do you have any particular links with these countries?
We have live agents both in Germany and Holland so that is the reason that we have been travelling back and forth so much. We did 2 really great tours this summer and played some lovely festivals so hopefully that link will grow over the following years.

Was music something you were always drawn to, or when you were younger were there different career paths you had in mind?
Jon and Seb have been playing in bands from a very young age so I think it has always been a path they have been on... I started pretty late in terms of bands but started singing at age 7 so it has always been part of my life... In other lives Jon would be an archaeologist, Seb would be a model and I would be a chef...

How have the dynamics of the group changed since the departure of your drummer and bassist?
There has been a massive change within the group since the sad departure of those guys at the beginning of the year and for the most part it has been a real positive change. It has allowed us to play with a whole bunch of great musicians and has forced us to change our live shows so we can do shows as a 3, 4, and 5 piece... creatively this has been a really good step for the band.


Do you prefer to play more intimate gigs, or at larger festivals?
Personally I love them all! Well.. most of them.
The best shows are the ones where you really get the crowd onside and into the band and we have been lucky to have done this on both large and small stages this year. When you get that energy going from the crowd then it is an amazing feeling. We did a couple of festivals in Holland and Germany recently where it went perfectly... those are the shows you want to take with you everywhere!


Are there any particular bands you've got your eye on at the moment?
Treetop Flyers are really marching on which is exciting. Cashier No.9 who we played with recently are on the rise too and Johnny Parry - who we mentioned earlier - is releasing a new record in October so that is a good start... I am also awaiting the new Feist album... where is it?

And finally, can we look forward to a new album soon?
 You can, new tracks are being recorded and the masterpiece will be done! About time too...

I Held You Once

Ring On Her Finger

The Epstein are playing at The Concert4Conservation at The Regal in Oxford on Saturday 3rd September alongside Stornoway and The Dreaming Spires. Tickets are on sale for £15 (in advance) or £16 (on the door) and you can buy them here.

    To find out more about The Epstein, visit their website, facebook, twitter or myspace.

Happy Birthday Blog!

Well it's exactly a year since my first post, and what a year it's been! I never thought I'd actually be able to keep it up for so long! A huge thank you to all the lovely people who read my blog, and make it worthwhile :)

I've Been Listening To...

This Is What I Said - Cloud Control

Shameless plug in a bid for you to vote for me...

I've entered 5 of my photos from the Stornoway concert at Somerset House into the NME Photography Awards 2011, and I would be very grateful if you could vote for me :) Pretty please?! (Click on the links under each photo to vote)

And if you want to enter then follow the link here.

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Read my interview with Stornoway here

Musical Roots: New York City

It seems that every day a new indie/hipster/electro-pop band emerges from the towering skyscrapers of the city that never sleeps, many sounding not dissimilar from their predecessors. However, amongst them several stand out, and my favourites, I've shared below.

The Antlers

Recommended by Pitchfork a couple of months ago, The Antlers have quickly become one of my favourites bands of 2011. With songs such as 'Putting The Dog To Sleep' and 'Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out' from their 4th studio album 'Burst Apart' , you wouldn't be wrong in thinking that they're just a little 'wierd'. However, on closer inspection of the songs you'll find a hidden depth to them - the mix of vocalist, Peter Silberman's haunting voice, and the simple yet beautiful lyrics convey deep emotions, and the perfect soundtrack to a rainy afternoon. 

Au Revoir Simone

This chirpy trio from Brooklyn combine simple melodies and chords to produce gentle 'lullabies' and a quirky genre of music, described as 'electric dream pop'. And dreamy the music most definitely is - it's romantic innocence is soothing without being too twee, and it's individualist style stands it out from many other bands hailing from New York today.

The Drums
The Drums' electro-pop pays homage to bands of bygone eras like The Beach Boys and The Smiths with their slightly sadistic lyrics such as 'you were my best friend but then you died' juxtaposed with jaunty melodies and happy whistling. Shortlisted for the BBC Sound of 2010 and having recieved critical aclaim for their eponymous debut album, The Drums are in a good position for the release of their second album 'Portamento' on the 12th September.

Grizzly Bear
With a rating of 9.0 on Pitchfork (high for a site that often writes particularly scathing reviews), Grizzly Bear's third studio album 'Veckatimest' was the one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2009, and they certainly didn't disappoint. However it seems that for the moment, they've disappeared off my radar slightly. Two years on, they're still riding on the success of their third album, and only recently has a fourth been sighted on the horizon - it's rumoured that they started recording at the end of May, and so I'm hoping it won't be long before album number 4 sees the light of day. It's handy however that Grizzly Bear's indie/folk rock, is one that can be listened to over and over without tiring, and so until the next album is released, their previous ones will keep me going.

Simon and Garfunkel
Although Simon and Garfunkel's greatest success was in the 60s, providing the soundtrack to 1967's 'The Graduate' and having numerous hits with songs such as 'Mrs. Robinson', 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', and 'Cecilia', today they still have a huge impact on the world of music, with many bands citing them as their inspiration. And if it ever seemed that they were slipping away, '500 Days of Summer's' use of their song 'Bookends' made sure that they were propelled back into being one of the most popular duos of the last 60 years.

I've Been Listening To...

We Are The People - Empire of the Sun

I've Been Listening To...

I Held You Once - The Epstein

Tomorrow I'm off to France for two weeks, and so I shall be saying 'au revoir' to the internet for a while. Hopefully though, amongst the packing, I'll have time today to schedule some posts for you throughout the next few weeks.

Have a great Summer!

Flora x