[GIG REVIEW] The Milk Carton Kids @ Union Chapel, London, 22.01.2016

Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan make up the LA indie-folk duo The Milk Carton kids, who recently came on a jaunt to the UK to play at the atmospheric Union Chapel in London. Naturally the style of music has drawn comparisons to the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, which the band acknowledges (… “no one wants to be Garfunkel…”  Pattengale sighs). This type of comparison, as well as my prior listening to the wonderfully skilled yet somewhat over-perfect studio recordings, meant that my expectations weren’t exactly sky high as I made my way into the upper tier of the cavernous venue. The challenge was set for them to win me over, which they ultimately did.

It’s not unusual to be played raucous lo-fi punk, or perhaps experimental industrial electro by a friend and then be told on revelation of a nonplussed facial expression that “really you’ve got to see it live” in a grimy pub, or a  grimy warehouse, to really appreciate it. However, one doesn’t often associate this kind of thing with acoustic music, which basically sounds the same wherever you hear it, and in whatever context. Tonight is an exception though. The venue, infused as it is with spiritual significance as well as possessing amazing natural reverb and acoustics acts as an invisible third member of the group. With soft light bathing both the stage and the ceiling, sight and sound come at you from all angles in perfect cohesion. The true talent behind the pin-point vocal harmonies and finger-picked guitar work shines out. Usually I’m all for a bit of rough around the edges, adding  a human element to any performance, but in this case the synchronicity between the two men is entrancing.

Stand out tracks include fan favourite ‘Monterey’ and the track written about Joey’s as yet unconceived daughter ‘Charlie’. The playful topic of the latter (“we’ve been playing this for 4 years now”) highlights another unexpected positive of the night  (for me, as an uninitiated at least)- they are really funny. In fact about as much weight as is put on the songs is put on stand-up routines in between tracks. Extended musings on child-birth, cats and crappy tours draw great laughs from the audience, and are skits any professional comedian would be proud of.

So, for an hour and a half I find myself transfixed by these two guys performing a kind of music I’d never really considered myself a fan of. And to be honest, I still wouldn’t consider it. I haven’t rushed out to buy Milk Carton Kids records (or rather, listen to them on Spotify) but I would definitely take notice for the next time they come to perform near me as I now know it would a night filled with calm transcendental music and charisma. The closing cover of Pink Floyds ‘Wish You Were Here’ is a beautiful moment, and after the closing notes echo into the dark corners of the chapel, the audience rise to give two genuine music men a deserved standing ovation.

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[ALBUM REVIEW] Daughter - Not To Disappear

January may be the bleakest part of the year: full of post-Christmas dejection, wet and windy weather, sometimes snow and ice, and in 2016, the devastating loss of some of the world’s most innovative geniuses.

With the bleak days of winter in mind, many would argue that it is the perfect month for a Daughter resurgence. Debut If You Leave went hand-in-hand with a permeating dark, fragile, and ghostly nature about the arrangements. However, despite the obvious continuation of the underlying sense of sadness, the subtlety and serenity of the first album is not brought through to 2016. Rather, new album Not To Disappear is much bigger; bringing with it extra dynamism and ambition.

Nestling away after touring their 2013 debut, the indie folk trio have certainly taken their time about this, their second and superior record. Whilst cleverly maintaining the gripping melancholy and gossamer constructions that we fell in love with, the band have pushed away from the “frozen hearts” Elena Tonra lyrics (which has been sometimes criticised and described as a hushed and departed take on idols Ian Curtis and Jeff Buckley) and centred their new sound around Remi Aguiella’s drums. Very much like The XX, I feel, Daughter are meticulous. They won’t drastically change genres or scrap guitars for keyboards in order to gain attention; it’s more of a working progress. Not To Disappear seems like just a platform to the next, and on the way the band will clip, carve and sculpt their way to a perfect masterpiece.

Created at both Cable Street studios in London and in New York (working with Nicolas Vernhes [Animal Collective, War on Drugs]), there is a sense of bustle and commotion which couples the routine plethora of feelings. At times, we feel immersed in Tonra’s unashamed “sad person brain” and affinity to humanity; while in others we are hit straight between the eyes with frenetic indie, thumping post-rock, glum shoegaze, and sparkling dream-pop. Culminating in a delicious cocktail. Maybe not as smooth and as consistent as before; but leaving a spicy kick and warrant us to try some more.

Opener ‘New Ways’ welcomes you like an old friend, holding you and not letting you go – just as beautiful as before, but with a new found edge. The simplicity of a recurrent drum beat and an unassuming reverb runs through the song as it picks up the breadcrumbs left behind by If You Leave. Following this is the lead track ‘Numbers’, which opens with a mysterious deadpan sneer – “Take the worst situations / Make a worse situation” – and is quickly trailed by an insensitive note on the filthy charm of “pulling” culture. “I’ll wash my mouth but still taste you”, Tonra laments before peacefully echoing the hook like “I fell numb in this kingdom”. What’s impressive is the preservation of the intimacy, despite a quickly evolving and somewhat wild (by Daughter’s standards) beat similar to something heard on a Florence & the Machine record. Swiftly after is arguably one of the best tracks on the record, ‘Doing The Right Thing’ – the single released at the end of last year. It plays out like a masterpiece of existential narrative that wouldn’t be out of place in a cult classic film, or as backing to a rolling scene in theatre. We are met with powerful lyrics, nostalgic guitars and an overall pared-back composition. What is surprising is the realisation that Tonra is speaking as the voice of an Alzeimer’s sufferer. With lyrics such as “I have lost my children, I have lost my love, I just sit in silence, let the pictures soak out of televisions”, it’s probably something you won’t want to listen to on a hungover morning or when emotionally delicate.

Rolling through the mid-section, ‘How’ swings back and forth in providing the closest thing to an anthem, while ‘Mothers’ is accurately placed to give us a half time break. Slow and heart-breaking, it bridges the gap between the real slog of mundanity, and the potency of memories when times are dreary. Through a bold, developing theme of motherhood, it is only fair that we are treated to relationship references – whether this be the challenge of emotional distance (‘Alone/With You’), the now ordinary insecurities (‘To Belong’), or both as seen in ‘No Care’: “Oh, there has been one time where we fucked, and I felt like a bad memory”. ‘No Care’ is a mixed bag, upping the tempo at an odd time, and briefly getting drowned out by exuberant backing percussion. However, ‘To Belong’ brings us a perfect fusion of the seamless suffocation we loved on If You Leave and a new grime and determination in the form of dissipating grooves.

Personal favourite, ‘Fossa’, unlike its anatomical name sake, is not hollow and overly depressing. Effortlessly crafted layers are piled up in a precise manner to take you on one final journey, leaving you unable to nod and tap along wherever you may be. Closer ‘Made of Stone’ takes us back to 2013, in a comforting yet dark release: the calm after the storm.

Growing in stature, Daughter show a growing brewing in this second album. An organism, that certainly knows itself better. An organism with a future to evolve and emerge as a more vibrant being.

Daughter – Not To Disappear

Out of 10: 8.2/10

Written by – Richard Maver (@richmaver)


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[LISTEN] Little Green Cars - The Song They Play Every Night

Little Green Cars return with "The Song They Play Every Night". The song is the first taster from their new album, "Ephemera". "The Song They Play Every Night" is the opening track on the album, which was co-produced by the band with Rob Kirwan and is set for release on Glassnote on 11th March. Scroll on down to listen to it and immerse yourself in it's beauty. 

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[LISTEN] Xylaroo - I Bet That You Look Good on the Dance Floor (Arctic Monkeys Cover)

Making a cover of one of the most ubiquitous songs of the last decade one of your first releases is pretty brave. Making a cover of one of the most ubiquitous songs of the last decade one of your first releases as a crackling lo-fi bedroom demo is even braver. But not only do Xylaroo pull it off, they have the potential to be one of the most interesting artists to emerge in 2016.

Points of interest:

-They are sisters (Coco and Holly Chant) with a fairly unique cultural background of their current East London digs and their Papua New Guinean roots, not to mention time spent living throughout Europe and Asia

-They are off on tour with Matt Berry in December. No, this is not some acoustic troubadour you haven’t heard of yet, this is the Matt Berry of Toast of London and The IT Crowd fame

- They’ve just signed to Sunday Best Recordings and will be releasing their debut album Sweetooth next year

Their inventive take on I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor is a good portent of things to come, both in terms of the tour and the album. Inventive not in the sense of slowed down acoustic version, we’ve all seen many a guy or gal attempt this at open mic nights, often to passable affect. The inventiveness is in the subtle changes they make, and the sweet harmonies included throughout, reminiscent of the excellent Girlpool and also leading to comparisons with the marvellous First Aid Kit.

There is a feeling of sheer confidence that comes across in the recording, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that it’s such a bare and personal exposing of themselves. There’s a genuine sense that you’re hearing the true Xylaroo, before they get hidden behind any production magic. This is a real heard-it-first moment before they force themselves into wider consciousness to my mind, and I can’t wait to hear how this translates into a full LP.

The best versions of an artist are often the recordings that best get across the live feel, and you can’t get any closer than this to that feeling. Talking of live, catch Xylaroo supporting Matt Berry on tour near you:

Full tour dates

Tickets: www.themattberry.co.uk

Wed 2 December Club Academy, Manchester

Thurs 3 December Oran Mor, Glasgow

Fri 4 December Riverside, Newcastle

Sat 5 December Fibbers, York

Sun 6 December The Library @ The institute, Birmingham

Mon 7 December The Fleece, Bristol

Tues 8 December The Old Market, Brighton

Thurs 10 Dec The Forum, London

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[LISTEN] A O S O O N - Complicated

I can see this band going a long way in the next 12 months, I saw them perform to a packed (and sweaty) room in the o2 Academy in Bristol at the Dot to Dot festival, and I kinda had an inkling that they'd do well, and with their new track out now I can see them going even further!

The brand new track taken from their "Alot Of Something Out Of Nothing" EP.

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Jack Garratt covers Disclosure's "Latch" in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge

Jack Garratt has covered Disclosure's "Latch" in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge on Saturday, the singer-songwriter is known for his hearty acoustic/folk tracks and this cover just - if anything - proves his talent and shows if off rather beautifully.

Watch him cover it below.

 
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[LISTEN] Grant Nicholas - It's Been On My Mind

Front-man of Feeder (Grant Nicholas) has been doing a lot of solo work recently, having came off a long UK tour earlier this year, releasing his debut solo album and an EP too, he's certainly been busy! Yesterday he posted a brand new track for his fans to check out, he comments - "Here's a new song I recorded at the Treehouse a few weeks back. Thanks for all your support and looking forward to seeing you at the festivals. Cheers, Grant".

Much like his album it's a folky number with some dark edges and glorious vocals - but you already knew the last point didn't you! There's no release date for this track, nor has it been announced on any future releases, so at the moment it's a standalone track - listen to it below.

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[LISTEN] Stornoway - The Only Way Is Up (Yazz Cover)

Today Stornoway have announced the release of their brand new EP - "Boxnie Unplucked" - which compromises of acoustic versions of tracks that featured on their latest album "Bonxie" as well as a cover of Yazz's 1988 hit "The Only Way Is Up".

As the band extolled on one of their first ever releases "The Battery Human", we need to unplug and "Fix our loose connection out in the natural world wide web".

Stornoway Live UK Dates:
August

1st - Cambridge Folk Festival
2nd - Port Eliot Festival, St. Germans
7th - Belladrum Festival, Inverness
29th - Towersey Festival, Thame
30th - Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, Wareham
September
6th - Festival Number 6, Portmeirion

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[DAILY DOWNLOAD] Lake District - Easy

We've had a lot of music from Scandinavia over the years, but today sees the first artist from Iceland! Lake District's new track "Easy" is a brilliantly upbeat Indie-Folk track that can be compared straight up with Milky Chance. It's addictive, has some great guitar tones and a highly upbeat chorus. What's not to hate!

Oh and it's a free download, grab it now!

Marika Hackman announces Union Chapel show

Marika Hackman has announced a special 'one-off' show at London's beautiful Union Chapel on Friday 6th November 2015. Tickets for the event will go on sale at 9am on Wednesday 17th June. This follows on from her critically acclaimed début album "We Slept At Last" which easily hit the UK's top 100 albums chart, pitching in at number 60!

Tickets / Marika Hackman @ Union Chapel, 6th November 2015

John E Vistic unveils "Long Time Gone" featuring Katey Brook video [IAI PREMIÈRE]

Black Heart Studios are excited to introduce the new John E Vistic EP "What Will Be", and we're equally excited to bring to you his new video for "Long Time Gone" which features Katey Brook on guest vocals.

The Australian raised singer-songwriter now based in Bristol makes psychedelic country folk, laden with soul and thought provoking literary lyrics. Think Hozier and Johnny Cash meets The Doors with more than a dash of Jack White. So scroll on down and find one of the next big things in folk music!

Benjamin Francis Leftwich is recording a new album

Benjamin Francis Leftwich has made an announcement of sorts, the singer-songwriter has been a bit quiet as of late, and so he's posted on his facebook page a little update, regarding his new album!

The statement reads - "Hey everyone, I hope this finds you well. I am a few weeks into recording my new album. Can't wait for you to hear the new songs and also get out and play them for you too. See you soon, Ben x"

We can't wait to hear what he's been up to!

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Listen to Three Thousand Rivers new track "Between Two Stones" [IAI PREMIÈRE]

Today we're bringing you a brilliant new Alt-Folk track from the great guys at Three Thousand Rivers. With the band keeping their roots at their influences, this folksy track has great licks of vocal harmonies and presence. Really reminds us of Of Monsters and Men's first album in the way it comes across, such a grown up song, and I can see them establishing themselves soon too!

This song is well worth the listen, it's the second song lifted from their brand new EP "Body Aha".

Listen / [SOUNDCLOUD]

​

Daily Download... Kevin Drew - Alberta

Today we've got a lovely number from Kevin Drew, it's a (mainly) instrumental folk track and the Broken Social Scene's frontman has also uploaded a brief note to accompany the song, which BSS fans would really want to read!

"Wrote a tune about my time in Alberta these last few years and thought today is the day to share it. A lot of tunes of mine end up sitting on shelves but I'm dusting off this one to honour the celebration of change that has occurred. It's wonderful to see that people are still full of surprises.xo"

Stream Ryan Vail & Ciaran Lavery's album "Sea Legs"

We've been posting about this album ever since we heard the first track, and today you can now listen to the collaborative album in it's entirety below.

Buy / Ryan Vail & Ciaran Lavery - Sea Legs

Mortal Tides start Kickstarter Project to help fund studio time

Cambridge based indie-folk four piece Mortal Tides have started a Kickstarter project to fund their time in the studio this summer to record some new songs.

Started when vocalist Noah Bevington and drummer George Brignal were making music in primary school, the band have developed their own unique sound by adding violin and keys by Jed Bevington and double bass by Fergus Quill. The band released their first EP 'Break of Blue' two years ago and since then have played countless shows, including London's Troubadour, and made appearances at multiple UK festivals. This year will see them playing Secret Garden Party, Blissfields and Folk East.

In order to record their new songs, Mortal Tides are turning to their fans to support their studio time. The campaign started on 2nd May and raised over £700 in 12 hours, but there is still more needed to hit their goal of £2000. Check out their campaign video below:



To donate to the Kickstarter, click here. They did a session for BBC Introducing and you can watch that below.



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Ciaran Lavery & Ryan Vail share "The Sea at Night" from their collaborative project

Ciaran Lavery & Ryan Vail have shared a new track from their album "Sea Legs". "The Sea at Night" is the third song to be revealed from their collaborative project, and it's the darkest yet!

Scroll on down to get lost in this Dark-Folk (I guess this genre exists) below.

Interview with... Port Isla

We've been a fan of Port Isla for a while now, and when the opportunity came up to interview them we couldn't resist, we chat to their drummer (Henry) about their début album, touring and festivals. See Port Isla at Barn on the Farm Festival, Gloucestershire, 3rd - 5th July. For more information please visit www.barnonthefarm.co.uk/

Hello, if you had to introduce yourselves to a new listener what would you describe Port Isla as?

It's difficult, but I'd say we are 4 misfits who collectively aspire to make catchy, melodic, guitar orientated pop/rock songs.

When I first heard you guys it was the very early days, how important was it to you to release free music back then?

It was, and still is really important. When we first started out, we wanted to show that we could write well, but also prolifically. We also wanted people to hear the range that the band had in terms of writing and influences. We would put out a new demo on soundcloud every other week as a free download and people really liked it. Giving away something for free is a great way of making new fans. We still give out a free CD at gigs, so people can take a few, give them to friends/ family and help spread the word!

Since your humble beginnings in Norfolk, when you first started out, would you ever think of supporting such well known acts?

We always hoped we would have the opportunity to support some great artists and we've been incredibly lucky so far. The tour with Kodaline was amazing, we got to see a really big band in action every night and learned a lot about their whole operation. It was also great to get experience of playing to such a massive crowd.

The best thing about touring with George Ezra and James Bay is that we've known them for a long time now. They're both so enthusiastic and genuinely still amazed at how many people are coming to see them.We know how hard they've worked to get to where they are and it gives us a great incentive to work just as hard.

All this as well as playing some of the most prestigious venues in this country is a pretty amazing combination.

If you could choose your perfect tour supports who would it be?

Tough question! We've been listening to Will Smith every night before we go on stage recently, he'd definitely get the crowd going!

What does it mean to you to be playing such festivals like Glastonbury and Barn On The Farm?

We love festivals, they're such an important part of peoples summers so getting asked to play them is a pleasure for us, especially when they're some of the best around. Glastonbury is extra special as it carries such history. I'll never forget the first day we got there, the vastness of the site blew our minds. It was also the first time any of our songs got played on Radio 1, so all in all it was a pretty memorable weekend!

When you signed to Parlophone how did you feel?

Finally signing on the dotted line was genuinely one of the best days of my life. Again like playing at Glastonbury, it felt like we were a part of a significant piece of English music history. All of us are massive Beatles fans, so we’ve known about the Parlophone logo for a long long time. The people there have been great to us so far, that feeling has never gone away!

Every year you release a Christmas track, have you already started thinking of one yet? I know it's April but still!

We'll definitely release another one, but we've not started writing it just yet! The beauty of it is that you never know when you could write a christmas song. It could be the middle of summer, but if it sounds like Christmas, it just does!

With the huge anthems in your back catalouge, will you be treating your fans to new music when your album comes out or will it be re-recorded versions?

We're yet to finalise any kind of track-listing for the album, but it all depends on whether the older songs fit into the album we're trying to make. Obviously we still love songs like Sinking Ship and Steamroller, but we also never know what material we could write in the coming months. Bands like Foals only put new songs on their début and it didn't seem to harm their progress, but we'll have to wait and see!

Before getting signed to Parlophone, how much did it mean to be played on Radio 1?

It's always been a massive deal, even after we were signed! You can't take away the excitement of hearing someone like a Greg James or Zane Lowe introducing your song, knowing that thousands of people are listening to your music.

What are you listening to right now?

The new Staves record is unbelievable, as is the acoustic version of Alex Vargas's song 'Solid Ground'. Its been out for a while but I keep on listening to it at the moment. Muse's new song just came out too, I've been a massive fan for ages and have seen them live a number of times, so I can't wait for their new album. In the dressing room we've been doing karaoke to S Club 7 and Five for some reason!

Everyone has a tour story to tell, care to share any interesting stories with us?

We were playing at a pub in London once and put all our gear into the basement area. After a while the basement started to flood! We got there just in time to move the gear out of the way before it got too damaged. We were stood on beer crates passing stuff from one side of the room to the other like on some kind of game show! We even went back to save the beer on our rider.

Have you got any tips for any aspiring musicians?

Just be confident in what you're doing, and play the music that really moves you. Also take your music to your local BBC station, they've been so helpful to us over the years, getting us radio play and slots at Glastonbury and Latitude. They can do the same for you too.

And finally... do you have any EPs or even an album coming out this year?

Our next E.P 'A.L.I.V.E' is coming out in May and we can't wait for it. We might have another E.P out before the end of the year, with an album to follow in 2016

Watch / [YOUTUBE]

Seafret stream new single "Atlantis"

Seafret have now made available a stream of their brand new single "Atlantis", it had its radio première on Annie Mac’s BBC Radio 1 show the other night. This is the follow up to the North Yorkshire duo's two successive Hype Machine #1 singles ‘"Give Me Something"’ and "‘Oceans", so we're expecting this to be a 'hyped' up track too’.

Seafret UK Dates
March
26 - St Agnes - The Taphouse
27 - Perranporth - Watering Hole
28 - Truro - Hubbox
29 - Falmouth - Gilly Beach
30 - Cambridge - Portland Arms
April
01 - Sheffield - The Rocking Chair
02 - Hull - Speakeasy
03 - Driffield - Old Town Hall - Moonbeams
04 - Stockton - Stockton Calling - HM Bark Endeavour
05 - Bridlington - Spa Theatre
10 - Manchester - Albert Hall
18 - Birmingham - Institute
19 - Winchester - The Railway
20 - Bristol - O2 Academy

Listen / [SOUNDCLOUD]

Wolf Alice reveal new track "I Saw You (In A Corridor)"

Wolf Alice have today revealed a brand new track from their forthcoming single, "Giant Peach". "I Saw You (In A Corridor)" is the B-Side to the single and the band are also giving it away as a free download! It's a throwback track for their fans, with just Ellie and her guitar, with a undertone of folk to go with it. Weirdly enough, the track was recorded in a corridor too!

Scroll on down to check out the new song, and click the link for the free MP3!

 
Buy / Wolf Alice - Giant Peach 7"
Free Mp3 / Wolf Alice - I Saw You (In A Corridor)