Bright Eyes and Tim Kasher

It wasn’t your typical rainy and cold London evening tonight in Kings Cross. As desperate flower salesmen tried to push their remaining roses on the walk to Scarla, the combination of a jet setting support act, headliner birthday celebration, new album premiere and ever-expensive Valentines Day eve promised an eternally interesting evening.

There is something to be said for a top notch support act. Sick of the days of seeing any whaling sap with a broken heart and a guitar as a warm up, you can imagine my excitement when the cult hero that is Tim Kasher hit the stage.

Stepping off the plane onto the vibrantly coloured Scarla stage Kasher, complete with underwear full of weed, tried his best to silence the already huge crowd. With a sizeable segment of the crowd reciting every word of songs off his new record “______” and tracks from his more notable works with Cursive, standing stark and alone he warmed the room with his harmless life stories.

It was painfully obvious however that although interesting in his own right, Kasher’s flowing and tuneful narratives seemed only a lighter sandbox version of what is to come. With the entrance of the Kashers band, everything became louder and easier to jig to but lost the intimacy which made the start of the gig so special.

The long wait between acts saw one girl faint and a few others resort to Facebook but with the mutterings of a large sounding black man over the PA, those sneaky punters who already had the new album knew it was time for Bright Eyes to stumbling onto stage.

With an exceedingly excitable response to new material, Conor forwarded through a handful of tracks off the day old release “The Peoples Key”. It wasn’t long however before the requests began (sigh) as the crowd seemingly recited every song off the 2006 opus “I’m wide awake its morning” and the 2009 popularity builder “cassadega”.

A beefed up version of the crowd pleaser Four Winds provided an early highlight for the night and didn’t suffer as badly as “We Are Nowhere and It's Now” from the stupid loud girl sing-a-long plague on any softer number. Why don’t girls get it.... I didn’t pay to hear your attempt and Sony invented sing star for this exact purpose so stay the fuck at home.

With some impressive twirls and flirts with the crowd Conor and his typically awkward crowd banter kept our attention much in the same way the 30 minutes leading up to the encore where new tracks were played back to back did not.

The inclusion and impending cracking version of Road to Joy answered many ticket holders’ prayers as a sweet rendition of ‘happy birthday’ to Conor prompted his return for a massive encore. Returning with Valentines roses for the girls in the first few rows (swoon) the 25 year-old won a few more hearts before closing on some much needed older material and a lively tribute to the turmoil in Egypt.

The incredibly tricky task of promoting a new album whilst a very vocal crowd shouts requests for the classics like Digital Ash and Wide Awake its Morning placed somewhat of a dampener on tonight.

Whilst new material sounded great it was not what people came to see tonight, making that perfect Bright Eyes set list unobtainable for most. Conor revealed that he will tour with Bright Eyes in summer in the U.K and hopefully by then people have fallen for “The Peoples Key” to stem the constant cries for Lua.

Im in freaking London!

Yes it finally happened.... the lure of fish and chips, shite weather and bad teeth finally became too much and I moved to the UK. Living in SHepherds Bush now I have already booked up 20+ gigs so hopefully I'll keep you all entertained still. I am juggling writing now with work as a marketing assistant with Universal (fucking) Music now which is awesome so they may take a little longer to come about.

Enjoy

Stars- The Five Ghosts

For decades, the likes of Bryan Adams and Alanis Morissette waved their maple leaf flags proudly as some of the only recognisable exports from the Canadian music scene. Sometime in 2008 however, with a slight change of wind direction and the sudden appearance of an abundance of heavily bearded men, something drastically changed.

Almost overnight a Canadian alternative revolution saw the likes Broken Social Scene, The New Pornographers and Stars becoming some of the most recognisable names in alternative music.

The mainstream success of Toronto popsters Stars, with hits off their 2007 opus In Our Bedroom After the War, has left fans gasping for more of their trademark story driven pop/rock. The anticipation for a now 5th full length release from the somewhat super-group of Canadian musicians has come to a head with 'The Five Ghosts', an obvious departure from previous works.

When critics use the term ‘departure’ it usually dictates that a musician has tried something new, and it has worked. Sadly in the case of 'The Five Ghosts' this is not really the case.

What seemed to underpin the group’s previous triumphs was their pop simplicity. The kind of basic, catchy riffs and hooks that grew and grew into euphoric endings have gone missing, replaced with electro fuzz and some profoundly lost vocals.

From the earliest seconds it’s painfully evident that Stars have attempted to try their hand at incorporating jarring synthesizer beneath the tracks, and the trend remains. In a similar paradox to what saw the latest Editors record fall flat, not to mention Neil Young’s ‘Landing on Water’, the over-exuberant use of synth detracts from some profoundly sound instrumentation. This over-excitement in its use bodes more like a toddler’s reaction when realizing crayons are editable rather then a step forward for Stars.

Beneath this synth nonsense, opener ‘Dead Hearts’ aptly delivers those warm and fuzzy harmonies between lead vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan which remain as cute and perfectly fitting as on previous works.

Unfortunately Stars strongest trump, with one of the finest duets since Sonny and Cher, seems to dissipate as the record progresses.

With Millan’s harmless vocals featuring a lot heavier across ‘The Five Ghosts’ in vein of some trademark duet dueling, lead single ‘Fixed’ highlights the sure talent but lack of intrigue a solo vocalist brings to already cloudy material.

On an album with so much incongruity, Millan’s voice coupled with a trademark slow-building combo of strings and noise does once combine successfully to provide sure highlight ‘Changes’.

The single track on the album that is completely devoid of silly add-ons and returns to some simple catchy pop, enhanced by a building narrative, restores some hope for further releases but is not the ‘Take me to the Riot’ that will get this album recognised.

There were three ways Stars could have gone after the immensely popular predecessor to 'The Five Ghosts'. Option A was to do something very similar, ‘In Our Bedroom after World World War II’ perhaps?

Option B was to strip it back, highlight the group’s strong points by leaving a guitar and two glorious singers with a shown talent for writing catchy and lasting pop tunes. The final option was what you hear on ‘The Five Ghosts’ and unless the new direction hits home with a new set of fans, next time Stars shouldn’t pick C.

The Tallest Man on Earth- The Wild Hunt (2010)

If one was to explore an intrigue with thriving alternative folk/pop scenes across the globe, they wouldn’t start with Sweden. Yes Sweden, that little ambiguous Scandinavian nation who seems to breed nothing more then angry metal bands.

Oh how surprised you would be when taking a stroll down the syndromic streets of Stockholm and overhearing the faint wail of a classy folk act. The secretly Swedish artists like Jens Lekman, Lykke Li and Taken by Trees form the impressive repertoire of alternative success stories coming from the northern point of Europe, and a new artist is pushing to join the ranks.

The indescribably gifted folksinger Kristian Matsson, also known as The Tallest Man on Earth has put a reputable hand up for the title of the next big deal too descend down from the heights of the Scandinavian alternative folk scene.

The soloist released his highly regarded debut ‘A Shallow Grave’ in 2008 and has followed it up with a ten track, gem of an LP which is sure to engage the interests of young and old folk fans alike.

Instantly when you listen to the work of the Tallest Man on Earth a notable comparative taboo comes to mind for any music reviewer, the dreaded adjective of “Dylanesque”.

To not indulge in this crippling adjective curse felt so heavily by the likes of Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes would seem shallow so here goes.

Gee whiz the Tallest Man on Earth reminds me of the early works of Bob Dylan.

This album embodies aspects to which are remarkably reminiscent of the older, rambling yet poetic lyric of Dylan, while still remaining comfortably simple.

Epitomized early on the album with ‘Burden of Tomorrow’, the sheer brilliance of the intricate yet flowing lyric is highlighted.

By Track 2 however some would have already made up their mind about this artist with a voice that can only be described as hit and miss.

It’s like how some people love Vegemite and others can’t stand the sight of it, his voice is an acquired taste.

It is very reminiscent of a certain predecessor with a problematic voice that seems to add to the entire experience.

Coupled with some impressively intricate guitar it makes for a good package.

The sheer variety and creativity in the sometimes invented and usually unusual chord progressions across the album highlight an aspect to which holds The Tallest Man on Earth in good stead for wannabe cover artists keen for a challenge.

As the album progresses towards the track ‘Thousand Ways’ the tone shifts towards a finger-picking, country artist’s wet dream.

With this shift, some gorgeous hooks and the usual poetic lyric demonstrate a thorough understanding of song selection and pacing to which has possibly been lacking in his previous attempts.

In what might end up being the surprise success on the album, the final track ‘Kids On The Run’ demonstrates a possible future direction for the Tallest Man on Earth after the impending buzz over the Wild Hunt subsides.

The epic piano ballad which rounds out the album managed to evoke a little goose bump action as a heart is poured out all over the place on the only non-guitar track on the album.

If not right away, ‘The Wild Hunt’ could be one of those few albums that people discover in a popular artists back catalog and fall in love with years after the fact.

The Wild Hunt is a huge step forward for the Tallest Man on Earth and fans and foes alike will surely enjoy the struggle to decide whether this is a 2010 classic or a shameless attempt at covering a god.

The Boat People are doing things.....

To utilize a simply horrible pun; Brisbane’s indie pop experts The Boat People have set sail in early 2010 to showcase the thoroughly enjoyable new single ‘Soporific’.

Be it the propensity to tongue-tie listeners or a possible aversion to simplicity after the 2005 release 'yesyesyesyesyes', the Boaties new single offers up a not only a different approach to song titling but also some new sounds.

The definition of ‘Soporific’ is the causing of sleep, which seems far from a way to describe the punchy new single. The track sees the band shift away from previous efforts introducing some crazy hip synth and a powerhouse driving beat.

Baring some similarity to the earlier works of the Strokes and Phoenix, the more defined structure of the single showcases some impressive guitar work and the recognisible lyric to which the Boat People have become so accustomed too.

Whilst pushing for a broader and more professional sound, the single still maintains that typically Aussie indie pop feel which bands like The Panics and Augie March have made so successful.

It’s obvious that this three track effort has been well toiled over and showcases a sound which fits snugly into the ever growing obsession with this genre in Australia, and bodes well for their upcoming release in April.

Kid Sam @ The Troubadour

The intimate love affair between local up-and-comers and that decaying Persian rug beneath the feet of acts at the Troubadour became a little more complicated after tonight’s sold out performance.

Local songstress McKisko graced the Troubadour stage yet again bringing with her the gorgeous ballads and pop elegance that she is beginning to become known for. With a voice which is nothing short of stunning and a mostly harmless catalogue of songs, the siren desperately needs that special song which gets the crowd off the floor and generates the recognition she surely deserves.

In what seemed a stark juxtaposition to the earlier proceedings, Sydney campaigners Deep Sea Arcade got the crowd on their feet and forced some swift fringe re-adjustment as the hotbox of a venue came alive. With the hand-written sold out sign being plastered across the entrance, the keen fans were treated to a tight and somewhat ethereal performance by the Triple J Unearthed contenders who shallowly compare to a walrus era Beatles.

With a sip of water and a bit of a swagger, the low key entrance of Kieran Ryan, front man of Kid Sam, signified the start of the set. A solo acoustic number greeted the hushed crowd before his cousin Kishore joined him on percussion.

The constant game of instrumental musical chairs being played out over the night showcased the powerful vocals of Kieran whilst he switched between electric and acoustic numbers.

The sheer difference in structure and sound in each and every song pointed however to a slight confusion of what sound the band is really going for. Being held together by some outstandingly slick percussion the songs shift from folk to rock and everywhere in between, all of which performed in a professional manner.

Crowd favourite ‘Down at the Cemetery’ was tight however it wasn’t until the injection of a second guitarist when the night became more structured and generally more enjoyable.

Descending into a formidable chaos as they finish on a Modern Lovers tune, the quiet front man left the stage uttering only a few words to the crowd all night. In just under an hour, however, the talent this sold out crowd was looking for was clearly evident and seeing Kid Sam lighting up a much bigger stage one day looks pretty likely.

The Lost weekend will always remain....lost

As you have all probably heard.... the 2010 Lost Weekend Festival to be held at the Brisbane Riverstage this weekend has been canceled. By the looks the bogan hick public of Brisbane didn't support what was sure to be a highlight of the event calender in 2010 as they were too busy abusing their wives whilst listening to back in black. But for those faithful few, here is some consolation, some of the bands are doing sideshows and they are all listed below;

Friday 6 March

Deerhoof, Wooden Shjips, Tenniscoats, Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard – The Hi-Fi, 8pm, $40 + bf from here

Saturday 6 March

Busdriver, Hawnay Troof and Wagons – Rosie’s, 9pm, $10 on the door

Nashville Pussy, Gentle Ben & His Sensitive Side, The Medicine Show and Sue Ray – The Zoo, 8pm, $16.50 + bf from here.

Tim Hecker, Curse Ov Dialect - Institute of Modern Art, 7pm, free entry (but spaces are limited!)

Gyroscope - X&Y Bar, 6pm, $25 + bf from here

Sunday 7 March

Lou Barlow, Monotonix, New Pants, Hawnay Troof, Busdriver, DZ, Oh Ye Denver Birds, Mt Augustus, Axxon, Tape/Off, Comic Sans and Little Scout, Rosie’s, 5pm, $35 from OzTix (available soon!)

Tumbleweed, Giants Of Science, Ox – The Zoo, 8pm, $20 + bf from here

Tuesday 9 March

Dinosaur Jr, Kitchens Floor – The Zoo, 8pm, $45 + bf from here

NOTE: The Dirty Projectors and The Thermals (who I was most excited about) have not yet announced and show and this looks very unlikely... so I need to go and book some flights to Melbourne.