Awesome is a word that's banded around a fair bit these days. Back in olden times it would primarily be used by chaps akin to this fellow.

It's defined by a very quick google search as "amazing: inspiring awe or admiration or wonder;" or by urban dictionary as "Something Americans use to describe everything." So to this extent the word has lost it's definition amid a sea of sub-par association. After a quick scroll through the google results, there are no results describing the awesome as a genre of music.

Enter Fang Island. Awesome is one of only a few words I feel that can surmise their music, the others being "bitchin'" and "KAPOW". Listening to their self titled debut album earns it this tag, it is however not one of praise or admiration, it is simply an adjective to suitably describe their sound. The five piece start their album with rising vocals and hazy electronica before (literally) slamming into the amazing "careful crossers" and from then on out the awesometer needle stays atop the gauge, persistently trying to break out of its tinted glass case and perform the world's best air guitar solo. Triumphant cries and harmonies over constantly and rapidly changing riffs and solos that are easily interchangeable with those found in hair metal (or any kind of metal for that matter) are blasted out leaving the listener ready to take on the world. This is perfect for that time when you need that extra push to get something done, be it a driving test, a board meeting or a diving competition. You don't need drinks pumped with tourene and god knows what else, you just need a shot of pure, unhinged awesome.

Fang Island themselves have described the music they make as "everyone high-fiving everyone." Which it is. What we behold is a truly unique and awesome vision of people of every colour and creed coming together and validating the fact that they are alive and united; if only for that split second under the banner of FANG ISLAND. This sounds absurd, but listening to the album as I write this, I have performed 3 individual guitar solos and fist bumped my own father as an explosion went off in the background. Just listen to "sideswiper" and get ready to win, this stuff is the "Lynx effect" in audio form.

KAPOW

David

Fang Island Myspace

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Review: I speak because I can by Laura Marling

This past week I have not left The Times website, as it offered a week early preview of Laura Marling's latest release, "I speak because I can". Normally with the built in flash players that are used for streaming such media, there is an option to skip tracks, which is one I wished for after hearing the beautiful new version of "Blackberry Stone" for the first time four tracks in. Luckily, this option wasn't offered and this resulted in me listening, and ultimately appreciating the album as a whole on a much wider and deeper level.

I managed to catch Laura Marling live at a small church with 89 other lucky people a few months ago in Cardiff. I always knew she was a young singer songwriter ever since she gained media acknowledgement with a Mercury music prize nomination for her debut "Alas, I cannot swim". But to actually see this slip of a girl stand on her own in front an expectant audience, I worried that her thin frame would buckle under the weight of her own songs. Luckily for her, they didn't, and it ended up being one of the best gigs I have been to so far.

One of Marlings traits is her slightly darker, heavier songwriting mixed with a vaguely detached, but still personal singing voice. This again is apparent for the second album, weighty songs and topics are handled delicately and masterfully. Two standout tracks on this theme are the tender "what he wrote" based on letters between two lovers during the first world war and the title track and "I speak because I can" which depicts a woman who husband left her and the vacancy she subsequently feels. There is a feminist undertone running throughout the album, which on first reading, you may feel would detract from the songs themselves, but this isn't an album with a message, it's one with a subject.

This is ultimately what I feel brings Laura Marling to the forefront of the British folk scene, she isn't afraid to embrace slightly darker elements of human nature and craft songs that affectionately and thoughtfully compliment the topics and her overall style, which isn't compromised at any point.

The album as a whole feels more competent and capable then her debut, as well as being more assured, which in turn eases the listener with the knowledge that she can handle her songs, but also raises the slightly scary thought that the best from her is still yet to come.

David

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Hello,

Here is the second half of my 'here's 4 bands to watch' double-header!

Kid Adrift

I was lucky enough to sit in on an interview this guy did for 6music a few weeks back. Only, he couldn’t make it. Stranded in some remote, snowy field in Scotland (I imagine he had hopped out of his car, rather than attempting to walk the distance) Iain Campbell's stage name seemed particularly relevant as he rang in after finding shelter courtesy of a tree. A first play on BBC Scotland Introducing prompted almost instant recognition and with a session at the Electric Proms under their belts (not bad for 3months work) Kid Adrift are now a fully fledged band.

Musically the band seem content throwing as many genres and styles into one song as possible, think guitars, a laptop, obvious dubstep and electro influences. A much more energetic Tom Vek, or imagine James Yuill if he had opted for an electric guitar rather than an acoustic. Ok so comparing them/him to other artists is near impossible, but the band certainly have potential single tracks in abundance. What’s more, Campbell seems to be keeping his feet firmly on the ground. His twitter profile reads ‘I'm a random kid from Scotland and in less than 18,000 days from now I'll be an anonymous name on a stone. I just intend to make a big noise first’.

Kid Adrift Myspace

French Kissing

A provocative name can always be a useful tool for a band, it promises to throw up some exciting results when you try to google them and it guarantees a good turn out for gigs in the seedier ends of town. This London outfit's first single 'Oh Suzanne' is dynamite; A dreamy surf/garage lo-fi jam that has a limited release of only 200 7” copies available on February 8th. Hopefully this trend for surf beat bands continues, if only so I have an excuse to put on a surf/beach themed night in the anti-summer region of the U.K that is the North-East. Anyway, if these surf/garage revival acts sound this good in Winter, imagine my joy come a post-dissertation Summer.

French Kissing Myspace

Christian

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Hello,

So I've missed the 'Tips for 2010' boat but let's not fret, lists of exciting new bands and tracks are always welcomed. When at 6music at the start of the New Year Tom Robinson proclaimed 'regardless of whether a band makes it or not it doesnt make a track any less worth listening to'. So in carrying on in that vain in the next couple of posts I hope to list bands who havent been mentioned as tips in larger circles, not because I'm being a music snob and trying to find bands with less than 1,000 myspace plays to claim as my own (although that probably contributes) but because, regardless if they go on to sell millions, their music is still important. All this considered I wish the bands the best in making millions, if indeed they want to.

Cold Pumas:

Many a music lover may claim 'the noiser the better' but I'm a guy who sleeps with ear plugs in almost every night. However thanks to Cold Pumas I've replaced those with headphones hohoho because their music is so very impressive. They released a Split 7" with Male Bonding last August, which is enough to know I'd like this band. They may have awhile until they're challenging Joe McElderry but should do well off this Garage/Psych/Noise revival. Recent single 'Jela' is the pick of the bunch, guitars, guitars, more guitars and hardhitting drums...who needs vocals anyway.

Cold Pumas Myspace

Fair Ohs:

Like Paul Simon, just...Punk. These guys have fused 2 genres which are witnessing a revival at the moment, which makes themmmmm Tropical Punk? They've played under many an incarnation, The Pharoahs, The Mighty Pharoahs, Thee Fair Oh's, but this has to be their best sound to date. Appealing to fans of Punk, Surf, Garage, Afrobeat and, well...Pop, this act has a broader appeal than ITV 2,3 and 4 put together. They're playing Nottingham this weekend with Cold Pumas and Spectrals, a gig which I would have happily put on in Newcastle and lost £100+ on, so that'll be good won't it folks.

Fair Ohs Myspace

Christian

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Recently I was lucky enough to gain work experience as an intern at 6music over the extended Uni Christmas holidays. Contrary to what you’d think it wasn’t all about making cups of tea and coffee either, granted I did excel at this. I got to spend most of my time working on the Tom Robinson’s Introducing Show and as a result feel more clued up on new music than ever. One of the main jobs was sifting through the recommendations we got sent, which contained an unusually high amount of North-East contributions. Amongst them were Newcastle’s very own Polarsets, which, after maybe 10 seconds of listening, I put through and with Tom’s seal of approval made it into the show last week.

Now, safely back in the North-East, NSR have been sent their new E.P, available for free at polarsets.bandcamp.com, 3 tracks which cement the band as one of the strongest in the region. ‘Just Don’t Open Your Eyes Yet’ and ‘Then a Girl Falls In Your Arms’ are strong, hook laden tracks you’d expect to hear on any daytime radio show, the latter as catchy a pop song I’ve heard all year.

Obvious similarities can be drawn between the band and fellow Tyne natives Little Comets, jangly guitar riffs, frantic drumming and high pitched vocals; complete with golden vocal harmonies is the closest thing the North-East has to a ‘sound’. Parallels can also been drawn to The Wombats, Go Faster and Hot Club De Paris, all with the ability to write a track to chant along to that isn’t necessarily seen as ‘Lad-Rock’. However, the fundamental connection these bands share, above all else, is that they sound like their enjoying themselves.

They’re apparently pioneering a genre they call ‘Deep Disco’, a sound which conjures up images of the Bee Gees and Kool and the Gang being banished to the sewers. But on this evidence, this is indie-pop at its catchiest. The E.P has a genuine sense of exuberance, optimism and energy hugely lacking from a host of ‘ones to watch’ acts and promises much for future releases. They’re playing a host of dates around the North-East, well worth investigating.

Christian.

Polarsets Myspace

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It’s an opportunity to share a room with a complete stranger. Witness their habits and organise a rota for which nights you are free to invite over lady friends. Despite the prospect of being coupled with an insomniac, or worse still a party pooper, American college dorms are viewed with an air of romanticism. Apparently they make for good recording spaces too, just ask Florida Uni Alumni Surfer Blood who’s January release ‘Astro Coast’ was recorded in theirs. Until this release I would have associated noises and college dorms with hearing medic housemates enjoy a kiss and a cuddle in the next room. However, Surfer Blood’s D.I.Y college ‘wall of sound’, and the resulting peach of an album, looks set to be one of the breakthroughs of next year. The University of Florida’s dorm application service is going to be busy.

‘Astro Coast’ has slowly been gathering hype online, especially since everyone’s favourite tip for next year The Drums tipped the band themselves. It seems in this ‘ones to watch’ culture soon music journalists will be forced to asked those who are bound for success to suggest more bands, who in turn will suggest a band, and so on. But Surfer Blood sound like exactly that, another band affiliated to this apparent surf-rock revival; Kelly Slater’s Haemoglobin with Shins-esque vocals. As a chap who has been lucky enough to sit through hours of ‘recommendations’ in recent weeks I welcome any Surf-Rock, Garage Revival, especially if it’s to sound like this.

Over the past month I’ve been internet-less. Modern day Tiny Tim I know, but it does mean I’ve given this album a fair old listen since I got it in November. As an album it’s incredibly easy to listen to uninterrupted, regardless of how much new music you have at your disposal. Tracks 1 and 2 ‘Floating Vibes’ and ‘Swim’ are perhaps the 2 most obvious singles, both catchy, punchy, retro-garage sounding tracks that draw similarities to The Shins and My Morning Jacket as much as they do Vampire Weekend. ‘Take It Easy’ is a personal favourite, a dreamy, afro-beat, hazy summer hit of a track complete with a long instrumental outro that I wanted to loop for the entirety of any journey I was trying to escape. Next ‘Harmonix’ and instrumental ‘Neighbor Riffs’ evoke similar influences and emotions, ‘Harmonix’ a drifting, slower track with prominent guitar work. Whilst ‘Twin Peaks’ is every bit as captivating as earlier tracks, with echoed Shinslike vocals and a chorus straight from Weezer’s blue album.

The test for an album like this has to be that I can listen to it in the rain and snow of the West Country, despite the fact it’s essentially a soundtrack to summer, more at home on Palm Beach than Weston Super Mare. It’s a brilliant album and one I will be buying officially when it comes out late January. Those of you who are lucky enough to live in London the band are treating you to 4 dates in early February. One, aptly, at Kingston’s ‘New Slang’ with Pete and the Pirates, that certainly is a gig worth attending. Alas, I will be back at University, attempting to record a Surf-Rock, lo-fi masterpiece of my own.

Christian

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It’s been over two years since Good Shoes released their debut album, Think before You Speak, and 3 years since they’re early demos dominated British music website discussion boards. For a band who have been extremely quiet throughout most of 2008 and 2009 tonight’s turn out is testament to their sound, especially in the stronghold for lad-rock that is Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. This considered the current tour is quite a change for a band that, in 2007, headlined the 2,000 capacity Astoria. It’s an opportunity for the band to almost start from scratch and play those kind of back of pub venues full of sweaty teens that their music led’s itself to.

Lead singer Rhys Jones fully embraces the intimate setting throughout the set, warning me in the interview prior to the gig that he’s prepared to join the crowd as many times as it takes to get them animated and rowdy. Despite the stagnant crowd’s best efforts the band remains upbeat and uses the opportunity to play a selection of tracks off the impending 2nd album ‘No Hope, No Future’. It’s difficult to judge them after one listen, and with the new wave of tracks ‘The Way My Heart Beats’ already seems like a classic. ‘Under Control’ has quickly found itself a crowd favourite and a couple of new tracks show the band perhaps going for a more angular, distorted sound with this follow up.

In with the new tracks were the expected, established hits from the debut album, Ice Age, Small Town Girl and Morden all sounding sharper and speeder than ever. An exuberant, enthusiastic gig marks the return of Good Shoes and on tonight’s evidence the band’s brand of jaunty indie pop look set to find it’s home once again on national radio playlists and in larger venues across the U.K.


Good Shoes Myspace

Good Shoes Interview Edit by nsrstationmanager


Christian!

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