Album Review: Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions

By far not the easiest band to pigeonhole, Deer Tick remain an unanswerable riddle to their fans and most likely appear intolerably dull to casual passers-by. Drowned in melancholy and reviving ideas that hark back much further in time that frontman John McCauley's twenty-four years, The Black Dirt Sessions is in some ways a triumphant re-imagining of classic Americana, while in many respects it fails to uphold the supreme heights of poignancy it craves.

Without name-checking every track, there are a decent number of enjoyable tunes on the record. 'When She Comes Home' is a snail-paced trawl through the last unexplored corners of Neil Young's back bedroom, while 'Choir Of Angels' welcomes a hint of Appalachian country charm - but crucially not enough to make it a remotely happy song. From soft, lazy beats and 70s-hued guitars, there's a sufficiently retrospective feel to ensure a perception of successful time travel.

A similar impression can be gleaned from McCauley's gravel-beaten vocals, which put politely, appear to have been nabbed from a much older fellow - someone at least thirty years his senior. Middle-range notes that would pose no obstacle to you nor I prompt one eye-watering strain after another. By the excruciating chorus of 'The Sad Sun', listeners will be fighting the urge to force Strepsils through the stereo's headphone jack, for fear of him coughing up a kidney.

Having said all that, some of the album's most affecting moments simply wouldn't have weight in the absence of McCauley's cord-splintering howl. 'Goodbye, Dear Friend' is a tear-jerking ode to the pains of love and loss with no more than a solitary, sentient piano, to carry its morbid sentiment. A track that will invariably stick in the mind and prove difficult to move beyond, it echoes the deathly themes ringing through 'Choir Of Angels', 'Christ Jesus' and, in fact, most of the record.

The problem is that, in presenting a dearth of anything vaguely cheerful or upbeat, an album's components can only be judged on a scale of maudlinness and misery. Given that this is the case, certain songs on The Black Dirt Sessions are bound to pale by comparison - even though, on any regular LP, they would represent a poignant rest-stop to punctuate the joy of other offerings. Here, there is no joy, except perhaps for the sadistic pleasure in knowing that - if what McCauley writes has any basis in truth - whatever your problems, he's much worse off.


'The Black Dirt Sessions' was released on July 5, 2010.

Track Review: Mark Ronson & The Business International - Bang Bang Bang

"Un, deux, trois," slams the intro, revealing the exact number of seconds it takes Mark Ronson's latest effort to gatecrash its way into the brain. Once lodged among the neurons, it deftly impels every muscle and limb to move spasmodically to its infectious beat. An unglamourous image perhaps, but one destined for discos across the land in coming weeks. It's hard to pinpoint Ronson's exact role among the apparently huge cast, but if there's one certainty, it's that the master of ceremonies has worked his usual switch-flicking magic on 'Bang Bang Bang'.

No stranger to bold collaborations, Ronson hikes his eclectic crusade to unprecedented levels with the line-up on forthcoming album 'Record Collection'. The Business International, as they are affectionately known, sees the likes of Boy George, Simon Le Bon, Wiley, Miike Snow and even a Kaiser Chief making varied contributions. 'Bang Bang Bang', our first glimpse of the action - with spectacled techno queen MNDR and US rapper Q-Tip - portends one hell of a record. It has the impromptu charm and inexorable appeal of a 1980s New York block party.

What is essentially radio-friendly pop is made enviably cool here, with traces of everything from Gorillaz to Lady Gaga having borne an influence. Comparisons are easily drawn between this and a certain Black Eyed Peas tune - something about sensing a jolly fun evening ahead. Thankfully, this time around, the annoying elements are replaced by stylish synths you'll wish you were playing and rock-steady beats that can't be ignored. 'Bang Bang Bang' has summer hit written all over it - and not in an obnoxious or short-lived manner. No two ways about it - Mark Ronson's done it again.

'Bang Bang Bang' is out on July 11, 2010.

Live Review: Kate Nash

@ The Deaf Institute (Manchester)

April 16, 2010

Your eyes will tell you it's just one ruby-lipped female on stage tonight, while, in actual fact there are several, scrapping hastily like ferals to be loved - by anyone. Whether any of them actually come away with your heart is uncertain. But one thing's for sure: Kate Nash is not who you thought she was.

Whether it's two years amid the messy goings-on of boyfriend Ryan Jarman's band, The Cribs, or simply taking that time to grow up a little, something's altered her outlook. Since retiring from the limelight, Kate's found an unlikely role model in Bikini Kill's riot grrrl icon Kathleen Hanna -  I dare say that's had something to do with it.

From the first notes of tonight's opener, new song 'Paris', it's obvious Miss Nash is nervous to share her new, more informed and influenced, repertoire with the room. Gazing upwards, it's impossible to mark her deep brown eyes as they dart self-consciously between piano keys and ceiling.

It's understandable, when you consider the pressure she's surely under from her label - who would no doubt have been happier with a dozen more songs about mouthwash for the follow-up to 'Made Of Bricks'. Of course, there's also the worry that, after such a long hiatus, we'll have lost interest.

That's not the case, it seems. Glancing round, it's easy to spot the swaying dresses and blood-red lips of wide-eyed girls mimicking their idol. Kate's former incarnation still wields a gentle grip on the shy  gaggle of youths, despite her best efforts to change that.

SCOUT editor meets Kate after the show - it wasn't tea or coffee she was drinking.

Banter is kept to a bare minimum, which isn't really a negative - probably just the nerves. The songs do the talking tonight, with little need for radical feminist rants in between; though a giant, handmade sign which reads, 'A cunt is a useful thing' is leering at us throughout the show.

It's a long way from the teapots and bird cages of yore, but it somehow feels less pretentious. Her new songs, though touching on similar themes, cut deeper than anything on her debut. Shocking is the only word for 'Mansion Song,' with its obscene spoken passage deriding groupies with acerbic superiority.

One of the biggest surprises of the night comes when Kate rattles off her highest charting single 'Foundations,' much to the crowd's delight. But, as the small, packed room hurls each and every 'bittah' back at her, her gritted teeth suggest it might not have been her decision to play it.

Demanding utter silence for acoustic ballad 'I Hate Seagulls,' even asserting, to the noisy few, that they should shut it or fuck off, it's clear this woman is in control of us, if not always of herself. She's as strong and captivating performer as she's always been.

It's impossible to say whether, by overhauling her image, Kate's smeared her pop future, or merely shed a few casual fans. What's certain is the loyal Nashites won't be going anywhere, so she really needn't worry. She shines brightest tonight as her new self; a snarling, stomping riot grrrl.

Desperate to erase our memory of her old self, but terrified of having no place in our future, she's dressed all in black as she mounts her once ubiquitous piano. Wobbling dangerously and pounding the keys with bare feet, it's as though we're seeing a murder - and a funeral - in one unforgettable night.

Kate [reluctantly] plays 'Foundations' at the gig:

Click here for Kate Nash on Myspace

Live Review: Darwin Deez

@ The Ruby Lounge (Manchester)

April 15, 2010

It's not every evening you see a bunch of extras from Napoleon Dynamite twirling to the beat of Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' now, is it? If I had my way, bopping down the front of a Darwin Deez gig would be a nightly ritual. And these are exactly the kind of scenes I'd be paying to witness.

Lurching on stage in a plain white t-shirt at least four sizes too large, Darwin and his mismatched cohort - each sporting their own versions of wacky dress - play an hour-long set from the band's recent debut album, punctuated by bursts of bizarre, but well-danced, choreography.

The band certainly have no shortage of visual quirks. Though not even the yellow glow of fluorescent guitars and haphazardly arranged Christmas lights can distract from the brilliance of their songs. Picking up where the first Strokes album finished, Darwin's clever, offbeat take on lo-fi pop has an energy that's simply irresistible.

Set list: scrawled on the packaging from a pot of houmous

Nothing tonight is flawless; bum notes and mis-struck chords abound without apology. But, let's face it, it's hard to hit the right notes when you're pirouetting in plimsoles, guitar in hand. Guitarist Cole and bassist Michelle barely remain stationary for a second while onstage.

And why would they? It's precisely this boundless energy and light-hearted frivolity that makes these gigs so appealing. Taking on the role of Butlin's Red Coats between songs, they line up to perform hilarious, possibly ironic, dance routines to an obscure selection of ageing hip-hop.

By the time single 'Radar Detector' appears, they've got the 300-strong crowd, sweating profusely, eating well and truly out of their hands. Mimicking his dance moves and screaming back the oddball lyrics, it's obvious that Darwin's carefree world's one we'd all like to be part of.

SCOUT editor meets Darwin Deez (and winks like a tit)

Video from the gig:

Click here for Darwin Deez on Myspace

Video: Delorean - 'Stay Close'

If you thought last year's 'Seasun' was a must-hear indie rave staple, you're bound to injure yourself with excitement when you watch this. It's summer turned up to ten - and it sounds immense.

Video: Class Actress - 'Journal Of Ardency'

'Journal Of Ardency' is the soundtrack to a Skins girl-on-girl scene just waiting to happen. It's decadently dark, edgily echoey and synthetically synth-sexing sexy. Watch the mouth-watering video above.

Click here for Class Actress on Myspace

Video: Villagers - 'Becoming A Jackal' (Acoustic)

Here's one for you. Villagers is the peculiar name chosen by Conor J O'Brien and his cohort of fellow music-makers. 'Becoming A Jackal' is the first song to be lifted from their forthcoming debut album.

Watch a live acoustic performance of the song above. It's Grrreat.

Click here for Villagers on Myspace

Radar Stars: Fools Parade

If imitation's the sincerest form of flattery, and flattery will get you everywhere, camera-shy Preston youngsters, Fools Parade, must surely have a bright future ahead of them.

What they do is Arctic-Monkeys-by-numbers, but rather than sound like a tribute act, they nail their inspired originals home with a brooding attitude that's really quite special.

Unlike their Sheffield indie heroes, though, at just 15 years of age these guys haven't yet felt the benefit of those tough older teens. And it's amazing what a few money worries and heartbreaks can do.

'Good Things Come In Threes' is a rambunctious offering with a scarily good riff reappearing between intermittent bursts of what seems to be a circus juggler's entrance song. It's grand.

If they manage to keep their sound consistently this good, their life experience will eventually catch up - and then, let's face it, who knows what will happen.

Click here for Fools Parade on Myspace

The month that was...

March 2010

1. The Libertines - Reformed to play together for the first time since their messy split in 2004. The band will play at Reading & Leeds Festivals, as well as working on new material.

2. Ellie Goulding - Released her sparkling pop debut to somewhat mixed reviews. Currently doing the rounds on the UK circuit, she continues to dazzle and amaze live.

3. MGMT - Returned with a sneaky taste of their forthcoming second album 'Congratulations'. The song, 'Flash Delirium' is unlike anything they've done before - click here to listen

4. Laura Marling - Revealed her brand new look and sound, with much darker shades in her hair and, more importantly, in her songs. 'I Speak Because I Can' is a mature, inspired triumph.

5. Guns N' Roses - Return to Leeds & Reading Festivals as the events' main headliners. Arcade Fire, Blink-182 and Paramore will also play the event. Make what you will of that.

Album Review: Darwin Deez

If you haven't yet experienced Darwin Deez, or at least downloaded his free MP3s, you're seriously missing a trick. That's because this Jewfro-sporting oddball, with his virtually anonymous musical cohort, has travelled, seemingly from another world, to inject some real fun into our lives. 

What he's got in mind is that near-ecclesiastical solace enjoyed by the young, alone in their rooms, as they mime song lines into sticker-strewn mirrors. It's no doubt what Darwin Deez himself feels as he's soothed by his indie heroes; though replacing your hairbrush is a crude, apartment-based studio.

Channelling the inspired effusion that results is an inexpensive drum machine and a dozen pairs of clapping hands - almost in sync - lending a skeletal foundation to the bulk of what's on his debut. It's essentially pop music stripped back to bare the tactile bones of infinite cool.

Past single 'Constellations' is the first triumph of this homegrown method of song construction. Cut-and-copied layers of Strokes-esque guitar form broken-record bursts of disjointed melody, which knowingly reel the listener in. It's a suave opening rather telling of things to come.

It's a record filled with similar sounding riffs, repeated and tweaked, suggesting a somewhat formulaic approach to music-making. One advantage of such a template, of course, is the remarkable cohesion that is felt throughout the running order.

From the stab and swagger of the lugubrious 'Suicide Song' to the tip-toe and tap of 'Bedspace', each track bears a stylistic imprint of its predecessor, but in some way reshapes the mould, blessing whatever follows with subtle variations just enough to prevent sameness.

Something else that's evident from start to finish is Darwin's expert knack for cramming oodles of joy - see the opening verse of new single 'Radar Detector' - or pain - like his ode to post-apocalyptic America, 'The Bomb Song' - into just one or two killer couplets.

'Up In The Clouds' brings "In the cloudy stratosphere/Gravity's weaker when you're near," while 'DNA', which takes genetic make-up as a metaphor for emotional stability, offers "When I call, you are never home/I am down to six or seven chromosomes."

It is exactly this kind of peculiarity that gives the album its heartbeat. What is basically a collection of simplistic love songs becomes something of much greater significance with the stamp of Darwin's endearing little quirks.

There's certainly a question mark over the chap's chances of longevity, since any more albums applying the same stencil would surely have a cloying effect. But for now there's little doubt, he should be everyone's man of the moment. Prepare to fall helplessly in love.

'Darwin Deez' is out on April 12, 2010