Category: Text Review

Cranes – Particles & Waves

Brief history lesson, Cranes first came to prominence in 1990 with their debut release for Dedicated the “Inescapable” EP. They had the misfortune to find themselves suddenly hyped hysterically, lumped in with the shoegazing scene by some lazy music journos and then, to top it all off, even got labelled as goths by some of the even duller hacks. All of which was pretty outrageous stuff. Cranes were a breath of fresh air in the stodgy early 90’s music scene. Innovative and atmospheric, their unique sound fused classical influences and some very obscure rock ones. It was music to loose yourself in, with Alison’s indecipherable lyrics leaving the mind free to imagine and more often than not conjured images of faded grandeur, like Shelley’s “Ozymandias”.

So, 14 years on from their emergence, where are Cranes now? Their influence can be felt all over the leftfield from bands like Mum, Sigur Ros and many more. However, the band themselves continue to chart new sonic territories and continue to unnerve and delight in equal measure. Nowadays, they’re as comfortable using their guitars as they are electronics and the sound now covers a broader range than before. Gentle electronics, acoustic strummings, big dubby sounds, haunting pianos, spacey guitars and

Alison’s haunting voice all fuse beautifully. “Particles & Waves” is classic Cranes – intelligent, moving, surprising and original.

!!! – Louden Up Now

Rhythm is rebellion. From the first blasts of rhythm and blues to the beat generation right up to acid house, the simple act of dancing has constantly been sidelined by society as an extreme act of defiance. On first hearing the sounds of electronic Detroit back in the 80’s, it sounded shocking. People are still shocked to this day by Can’s tight rhythmic Krautrock.

On the back of all this arrive !!! (pronounced chk chk chk), a band who’s very name looks like an act of defiance. Although they hail from Sacramento, most of them now live in New York, hence last year’s classic single “Me and Giuliani Down By The School Yard (A True Story)”, the song where the band blast off into wild funk in the great tradition of Talking Heads, Happy Mondays and Can while the singer blasts into New York’s draconian dancing laws. It all fits, the defiance of the dance. This album encapsulates all of the above. The rhythm, the rebel and rock ‘n’ roll. This is bloody essential. From the whigged out electronics of “King’s Weed” to the foul-mouthed funky freak-out of “Pardon My Freedom”, this album is bursting with attitude and invention.

Mice Parade – Obrigado Saudade

This album may have a January release date but there’s a mood to this album that suggests the inspiration lies in the last days of Summer. Looking at the press release, it says about the Brazilian title that apparently ‘Obrigado’ means ‘thank you’ whilst ‘Saudade’ is not a word that can be directly translated but is to do with “something between nostalgia, homesickness and lovesickness”. As you can imagine, there’s some beautiful music with a sunny kind of sadness pervading it. Multi-instrumentalist Adam Pierce plays a wide variety of instruments on here with great flourish. You can hear a great many kindred spirits in the music. There’s elements of Four Tet, Bark Psychosis, a pinch of My Bloody Valentine. ‘Obrigado Saudade’ is a gorgeous album rich in magic and music.

A Small Good Thing – Imaginary Westerns Vol.II

A SMALL GOOD THING – “IMAGINARY WESTERNS VOL II” (LEAF LABEL)

It all sounds very implausible, a film director from London, a psychiatric nurse from Leeds and a gas fitter from Hull. Together they hook up as A Small Good Thing and make incredible sound-scapes. Nods abound to sources as diverse as classical music, Western soundtracks, ambient acoustics and the vibe of great Western outdoors (among others). It might sound a bit bloated and pompous, but the whole project is handled with great subtlety and understatement. The atmospherics are heavy and the key words seem to be melancholy and minimalism.

Just when you are beginning to think this is a chill-out album ‘El Mariachi Loco’ bursts into a Mexican brass dance for a fleeting moment. However, this contrasts nicely with the dark, industrial landscapes of ‘Slow Rotating Machine’. As you can guess by the title, the images conjured up by this album all relate to the alternative West. The fact that the album’s most haunting moment, ‘Richard Brautigan’, is named after one of America’s great alternative writers – a man who could amuse, enthrall and disturb – serves as a strong pointer to this album’s inspiration. Dark, widescreen sounds for the early hours

Pinkie Maclure – From Memorial Crossing

The voice. Has any instrument been more abused, confused and misused or misrepresented? What makes a good singer? The ability “to sing” is not enough. How many club records are spoiled by people who can “sing” in a technical sense but are incapable of imparting any soul or emotion through their voices. They just want “to sing” but have nothing to sing of and nothing to sing with. Here is a singer who can do the business. Pinkie Maclure has a voice that sounds like it’s coming straight from the bottom of a large and complicated soul. Pinkie has found an ideal musical collaborator in John Wills, formerly of psychedelic rockers Loop and avant-garde indie band The Hair And Skin Trading Company, which counts as probably my favourite band name. The record uses a stripped-down approach to the music reminiscent of classic late-period Talk Talk, especially the keyboards. A wonderful array of objects are utilised for percussion and many live atmospheric sounds are mixed into the recordings. A haunting, beautiful and sensual record that was born to be played after dark with the lights off.

footnote: the collaboration of Pinkie Maclure & John Wills became known as Pumajaw and this album has been reissued digitally under the Pumajaw name