If I Died... - Sweet Baboo
Sunday, 21 April 2013
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
Stornoway at The Forum - 27th March 2013
The jangly pop of support band, Pale Seas, was the perfect antidote to the bitterly cold wind outside, and proof that despite the cold weather we're currently experiencing, summer can't be far off. New single, Bodies, is infectiously catchy with simple and yet stunning harmonies of 'If she won't sing for me, will she sing for the devil?'. Frontman, Jacob Scott was charming and funny in equal measures, recounting a story of One Direction, a security guard who looked like 'John Bishop with no neck' and a service station; whilst drummer Zealah Izabella Anstey almost rivalled Metronomy's Anna Prior for the title of 'world's most awesome female drummer'.
Second support act, Dan Croll, carried on the summery vibes which on occasions sounded like a more electronic Fleet Foxes. With its African drumbeats and Croll's crystal voice ringing out with such beauty and clarity, Compliment Your Soul proves why the singer has been garnering so much attention lately, and we're sure to hear much more from him as the year progresses.
Stornoway's set started with Susie Attwood on violin crescendoing into the new single, Knock Me On The Head, romantically lit only by moonlight (albeit an electronic alternative!). The visuals of crashing waves projected onto the back of the stage added to the haunting atmosphere created by the song as frontman, Brian Briggs, sang 'a woman dangles from a bridge on a thread of silver mercury'.
Having recently released their second album, Tales From Terra Firma, there were other new additions to the setlist. Hook, Line, Sinker was certainly the most exhilarating song of the set. The physchedelic visuals of
speeding traffics and headlights matched the slightly frantic tone of the song, and the rhythm section particularly seemed to lose themselves in the music, at one point seeming that bassist, Oli Steadman, was going to crash into the drums as he spun around the stage.
It's a testament to Stornoway's stagecraft that they can move from such an energetic number to an unplugged, acoustic one with such ease. November Song saw Briggs unaccompanied on stage, without even a microphone to project his voice - not easy in a venue with a capacity of over 2000. Incredibly, this didn't seem to phase Briggs, whose voice soared across the room with such a power and intensity it was easy to forget that this was an acoustic version. The audience remained silent throughout the song, enraptured by the stunning simplicity of the moment.
The newer songs were intertwined with those from their debut album, and it was with much appreciation and applause from the audience that both Here Comes The Blackout and Zorbing were performed. It seemed wise that the latter was not reserved for their finale. Bands often fall under the curse of being known for one particular song, and the strategic position of Zorbing in the middle of the set meant that whilst the crowd were able to hear their favourite, the band were not playing up to the expectation of 'that band from Oxford who sing that song, Zorbing'.
Although Tales From Terra Firma is a somewhat wiser and more mature album than their debut, Stornoway certainly haven't lost their sense of fun. Briggs' stage banter was on top form, and a ghost story recounted from the tour was accompanied by ghoulish piano chords, haunting basslines and appropriate drum rolls and cymbal crashing at suspenseful moments.
The encore started with an epic drum solo from Rob Steadman, with an African vibe reflecting his early Zulu influences. Starting with just bongos, gradually the whole drumkit was incorporated, with bass and keys being added before Briggs took to the stage for a rendition of I Saw You Blink. The night finished with another crowd favourite, Watching Birds. With a slowed down second verse, Briggs played up to his inner Johnny Cash, and the confetti falling above the crowd as the trumpets began to play was the perfect ending to such a colourful evening of music.
Despite this not being the first time I've seen the band play live, their set was fresh and showed their impressive ability to return each time with new arrangements to make each gig memorable in its own right. With their audiences ever increasing as they gain popularity, it'll be interesting to see how the band retain their vitality and sense of intimacy in bigger venues in future years.
 |
| Dan Croll |
Second support act, Dan Croll, carried on the summery vibes which on occasions sounded like a more electronic Fleet Foxes. With its African drumbeats and Croll's crystal voice ringing out with such beauty and clarity, Compliment Your Soul proves why the singer has been garnering so much attention lately, and we're sure to hear much more from him as the year progresses.
Stornoway's set started with Susie Attwood on violin crescendoing into the new single, Knock Me On The Head, romantically lit only by moonlight (albeit an electronic alternative!). The visuals of crashing waves projected onto the back of the stage added to the haunting atmosphere created by the song as frontman, Brian Briggs, sang 'a woman dangles from a bridge on a thread of silver mercury'.
 |
| Brian Briggs |
speeding traffics and headlights matched the slightly frantic tone of the song, and the rhythm section particularly seemed to lose themselves in the music, at one point seeming that bassist, Oli Steadman, was going to crash into the drums as he spun around the stage.
It's a testament to Stornoway's stagecraft that they can move from such an energetic number to an unplugged, acoustic one with such ease. November Song saw Briggs unaccompanied on stage, without even a microphone to project his voice - not easy in a venue with a capacity of over 2000. Incredibly, this didn't seem to phase Briggs, whose voice soared across the room with such a power and intensity it was easy to forget that this was an acoustic version. The audience remained silent throughout the song, enraptured by the stunning simplicity of the moment.
 |
| Oli Steadman |
Although Tales From Terra Firma is a somewhat wiser and more mature album than their debut, Stornoway certainly haven't lost their sense of fun. Briggs' stage banter was on top form, and a ghost story recounted from the tour was accompanied by ghoulish piano chords, haunting basslines and appropriate drum rolls and cymbal crashing at suspenseful moments.
The encore started with an epic drum solo from Rob Steadman, with an African vibe reflecting his early Zulu influences. Starting with just bongos, gradually the whole drumkit was incorporated, with bass and keys being added before Briggs took to the stage for a rendition of I Saw You Blink. The night finished with another crowd favourite, Watching Birds. With a slowed down second verse, Briggs played up to his inner Johnny Cash, and the confetti falling above the crowd as the trumpets began to play was the perfect ending to such a colourful evening of music.
Despite this not being the first time I've seen the band play live, their set was fresh and showed their impressive ability to return each time with new arrangements to make each gig memorable in its own right. With their audiences ever increasing as they gain popularity, it'll be interesting to see how the band retain their vitality and sense of intimacy in bigger venues in future years.
To see more photos from the evening, visit the facebook page
You can also read NotAnotherRainySunday's interviews with Oli Steadman (bassist) and Rob Steadman (drummer)
 |
| Jon Ouin |
Saturday, 30 March 2013
New Video: No Assets - Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive have always been skilled at creating innovative music videos (see Worry Fill My Heart) and their newest offering is no different. Created by mounting 12 iPhones to 12 dancers, the video shows a choreographed dance filmed from 12 different angles, and is the perfect visual to accompany the haunting harmonies of the song.
Spring Offensive will be supporting Gaz Coombes on tour in April.
Read my interview with Spring Offensive here
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Saturday, 2 March 2013
Album Review: Tales From Terra Firma - Stornoway
Album: Tales From Terra Firma
Release date: March 11th 2013
Genre: Indie-pop
Record Label: 4AD
Rating: 9/10
3 years after the roaring success of their debut album, Beachcomber's Windowsill, Stornoway have returned with a sumptuous follow-up in Tales From Terra Firma, and during that period the band have certainly achieved a lot. Main stage appearances at both Glastonbury and the Isle of Wight Festival; a separate Zulu side-project comprised of Oli and Rob Steadman (bassist and drummer) and friends; and even being an answer to a question on University Challenge, have ensured that the band has picked up a large following since the release of their first album.
With a name like Tales From Terra Firma, you'd think the band would have moved away from the maritime exploits that feature so heavily on Beachcomber's Windowsill, however it's clear that the seasickness hasn't set in for them quite yet. Based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Knock Me On The Head, shows the Stornoboys as delirious lost explorers. The lyric, 'I saw a feathered silhouette on the crest of unforgiving waves, it hovered over salty air and I couldn't tear my eyes away' shows a certain amount of romanticism in keeping with the 19th century poets who seemed to have so heavily influenced the songwriting.
In fact, Tales From Terra Firma sees a deeper lyricism causing Briggs to describe it as '"an album of stories about rites of passage". Writing about birth, marriage and death, Stornoway have grown older and wiser since their debut. As an opener, You Take Me As I Am, is a delightfully upbeat, but nonetheless moving account of a wedding day, and in true Stornoway fashion, demonstrates Briggs' ability to make even the simplest of moments sound like Shakespearean love sonnets.
With an opening reminiscent of Wild Beasts' Loop The Loop, Farewell, Appalachia is a stunning ode to the mountainous American landscape. The haunting vocals and lyrics of 'I dreamed of rising up beside you among the galaxy and stars' adds to the "sense of escapism" on the album that Briggs is so keen to refer to. He has a point though - from the Appalachian mountains to the almost Japanese feel to the start of Knock Me On The Head, the band seem intent on exploring faraway lands, so foreign to their hometown of Oxford.
The more reflective, The Ones We Hurt The Most, is stunning in its simplicity, whilst on November Song Briggs' voice rings out with a real sense of sincerity as he sings 'I won't be afraid of the darkness a coming while I know a love that is as sure as the morning'.
Hook, Line, Sinker is definitely the most psychedelic Stornoway have ever been, and it's probably not often 'Stornoway' and 'psychedelic' appear in the same sentence. With an almost alien, electronic sound, it's an interesting new departure for the band whose first album so firmly rooted them in the folk genre.
The overriding sense of the album is one of a band who have stuck to the basis of doing exactly what they want with little interference from the record label. For many bands, the second album can be a tad contrived, especially when their debut has had success. However, for Stornoway, this hasn't been the case. Recorded in churches, and the garage of the Steadman brothers, it's very much a home-grown affair.Their attention to detail, as always, is astounding, with multi-instrumentalist, Jon Ouin, bringing new and exotic instruments to the songs, which gives the album such a personal and vibrant feel, and makes it such a joy to listen to. With a Spring tour taking them around the UK, Europe and North America, the release of Tales From Terra Firma marks a new stage in the band's musical voyage.
In fact, Tales From Terra Firma sees a deeper lyricism causing Briggs to describe it as '"an album of stories about rites of passage". Writing about birth, marriage and death, Stornoway have grown older and wiser since their debut. As an opener, You Take Me As I Am, is a delightfully upbeat, but nonetheless moving account of a wedding day, and in true Stornoway fashion, demonstrates Briggs' ability to make even the simplest of moments sound like Shakespearean love sonnets.
With an opening reminiscent of Wild Beasts' Loop The Loop, Farewell, Appalachia is a stunning ode to the mountainous American landscape. The haunting vocals and lyrics of 'I dreamed of rising up beside you among the galaxy and stars' adds to the "sense of escapism" on the album that Briggs is so keen to refer to. He has a point though - from the Appalachian mountains to the almost Japanese feel to the start of Knock Me On The Head, the band seem intent on exploring faraway lands, so foreign to their hometown of Oxford.
The more reflective, The Ones We Hurt The Most, is stunning in its simplicity, whilst on November Song Briggs' voice rings out with a real sense of sincerity as he sings 'I won't be afraid of the darkness a coming while I know a love that is as sure as the morning'.
Hook, Line, Sinker is definitely the most psychedelic Stornoway have ever been, and it's probably not often 'Stornoway' and 'psychedelic' appear in the same sentence. With an almost alien, electronic sound, it's an interesting new departure for the band whose first album so firmly rooted them in the folk genre.
The overriding sense of the album is one of a band who have stuck to the basis of doing exactly what they want with little interference from the record label. For many bands, the second album can be a tad contrived, especially when their debut has had success. However, for Stornoway, this hasn't been the case. Recorded in churches, and the garage of the Steadman brothers, it's very much a home-grown affair.Their attention to detail, as always, is astounding, with multi-instrumentalist, Jon Ouin, bringing new and exotic instruments to the songs, which gives the album such a personal and vibrant feel, and makes it such a joy to listen to. With a Spring tour taking them around the UK, Europe and North America, the release of Tales From Terra Firma marks a new stage in the band's musical voyage.
Read NotAnotherRainySunday's interviews with Oli Steadman (bassist) and Rob Steadman (drummer)
For the full list of tour dates, and to pre-order Tales From Terra Firma, visit www.stornoway.eu
Monday, 25 February 2013
New Video: Just Handshakes - London Bound
Leeds band, Just Handshakes, have released the video for their first single taken from their debut album, Say It, which is due to be released later this year on California-based record label, Bleeding Gold. Shot on film stock from the year that they were born, the vivid colours of the video perfectly match the indie-pop vibes of the song. You can download the single for free here.
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Review: Sofar Sounds - Oxford, 16th February 2013
The concept behind Sofar Sounds is a simple and yet surprisingly rare one. Hosted in living rooms around the world, audience members are asked not to talk throughout the set, and to remain until the end. It's always hard for support bands to play when half the audience are preoccupied at the bar, and so the idea of appreciating all the bands in a line-up is a much needed one. For my first Sofar Sounds, the dreaming spires of Oxford seemed like the perfect setting, with its rich music scene currently producing so many successes from rockers Foals, to folk-poppers, Stornoway.
The evening got off to a swinging start with self-proclaimed Freakadelics, Bambino dell'Oro. After 30 seconds of what seemed like complete improvisation with no apparent link between piano and drums, I was pleasantly surprised when the beat began to pick up, and a melody appeared. With no vocalist, it was a chilled start to the evening with a soprano saxophone melting into the piano and drums - refined and elegant jazz which set the mood perfectly.
Where Bambino dell'Oro soothed, King of Cats, on the other hand, displayed an intensity which occasionally verged on the unnerving. His quiet, unassuming demeanour was in sharp contrast to the uncompromising tone of his songs and disturbing lyrics. However, the musical expertise behind the songs was impressive with catchy melodies, and accomplished guitar playing.
After such a forceful set, the dulcet tones of The Melodic relieved the tension, and despite their soft voices and gentle melodies, they never lost the attention of the audience. Melodicas appeared for the second time in the evening (having already been used by Bambino dell'Oro), prompting an anecdote about how they once forgot to take said instrument to a gig - ironic considering they were called Melodica, Melody and Me at the time. With their debut album in the works, their charmingly folky set ensured that this is a band to watch.
An intimate atmosphere was guaranteed with such a small audience and it was wonderful to feel so close to the artists, not only physically, but emotionally - the rawness of the unplugged music seemed a lot more personal and natural than in larger venues. The evening as a whole showed exactly what a gig should be like with a respectful and attentive audience, and for that, Sofar Sounds, I salute you.
For more information on how you can apply for tickets to Sofar Sounds, visit: www.sofarsounds.com
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Stornoway - Knock Me On The Head
Today brought the release of the music video for the first single from Stornoway's sophomore album 'Tales From Terra Firma'. Based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the video for Knock Me On The Head perfectly encompasses the maritime theme of the song, and the ominous opening visuals set the scene for the epic song to follow.
Read my interviews with Oli Steadman (bassist) and Rob Steadman (drummer)
Stornoway are currently touring the UK - for more information visit www.stornoway.eu
Tales From Terra Firma comes out on 11th March
Tales From Terra Firma comes out on 11th March
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Sebastian Reynolds' Charity Remix Project
Oxford-based producer and musician, Sebastian Reynolds, has embarked on a new initiative to release a remix each month of 2013, raising money for different charities over the course of the year. This month's remix is of fellow Oxford musicians, Spring Offensive's Worry Fill My Heart, with proceeds going to the National Deaf Children's Society. Although its only just over two minutes long, it's a wonderful remix, and a sure sign that the debut album Reynolds is currently working on, will be a great one.
You can also listen to January's remix (Dearly Distracted - Meursault) below.
Sunday, 3 February 2013
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