Whitest Boy Alive
House music will never secure world peace. Erland Øye, however, may just and if he does his particular take will almost certainly have a starring role.
The boy’s a bit special, as a headline slot at Leicester Summer Sundae proved.
Slowly, tribe by music tribe, he’s drawing us in convincing us all that we can feel good inside and happy with life. And I’m not talking the kind of ‘feel-good’ some people get from euphoric house (when the DJ builds it up, up, up, pause then bam, woohoo), or even a night at Mama Mia. No, this is ‘damn that’s good’ faultless lie back and enjoy the long afterglow.
He started off a few years back with the easy win – acoustic guitar, minimalist and sharp. The type of music you can’t but hear every note and understand every word. Drawing in those who devour this music for breakfast and a few enlightened indie kids to boot, as one half of Kings of Convenience. If you’ve not come across their first album you’re in for a treat if you take the plunge, but try this for starters:
A remix album saw friends and peers add all sorts of twists to the original album with mixed results, but its as his latest incarnation as lead for the four-piece Whitest Boy Alive that he’s appealing to the masses.
With a live set featuring beat-perfect drumming, tight baselines close your eyes and you could be at any decent club in he land. Yet at the helm is Erland with his geek style and dry humour. My friend Beccy had melted in her seat.
Without wishing to do Jarvis out of the rest of his career, there is a strong contender to his throne…
Recommended for:
Sarah T – better than Hot Chip
Sveta – I know how much you like dancing
Tommy G – convert the Chinese please!
Anna sis – if you’re still in the sunshine, this will be a treat
Carolyn – Test my Jarvis theory…
Steer clear
Beth – Despite the guitars and live music, it sounds like dance music
James Blunt
James, what can I say? You’ve sold millions of albums, quite a feat as all my friends who own your music are ashamed to admit it…
Singer songwriters, you have to feel for them – they start from a position of weakness. You know its going to be another tortured soul desparate for you to understand their pain/passion/failure/heartbreak…
Male singer songwriters especially…a Dawson’s Creek image is no good, so they have to up the stakes. Jack ’surfer’ Johnson is a prime example (http://www.myspace.com/jackjohnsonmusic). He’s so laid back and, well, a surfer dude, how can you not like him? I once dated a girl who, after the deal-breaking first date music conversation, said “you’ll love Jack Johnson”. It didn’t last.
And guess which macho pursuit our James partook in (the army you say? gosh, sensitive and tough, oh James!) http://www.myspace.com/jamesblunt
And can you really take him seriously when he warbles?
Daniel Powter (http://www.myspace.com/danielpowter) had to shave his head to appear respectable. Had a bad day? To f****** right after hearing your s**** on every ad break (I’m not buying Sure/Right Guard deodorant (whichever it is) from now on and to hell with the odour-related consequences).
But this isn’t just a rant. There is a genuine music issue at stake, and for those of you who dig a little deeper into the lyrics, it’s even more fundamental. These guys peddle the predictable, the cliche’d, the lines that when you actually reflect, you can’t but go, eh?! Take our pal James here:
“Simone, I wish I’d known that what seems so strong has been and gone; I’d call you up on a Sunday night and we’d both stay up until morning light” (warble)
Simone, you and I know where he was on Saturday…
Now, i can’t leave you with this bunch. There are those who are less shallow, but not so melancholy that they can’t crack a smile…
I was given a present a year or so ago by Andy and Carolyn. An album by a chap called Tom Baxter. I have to admit publicly that I unusually didn’t pay as much attention at the time as I should have, but in anticipation of his appearance at Leicester Summer Sundae, I’ve dusted down the album, and I have to say that if you have an ounce of romance in you then devour this album. It’s not one to shout out on a first date, but certainly one to play when things start getting serious (although i’ve been playing it for days now and Rosie is still not putty in my hands, tough cookie!!!).
All the ingredients are there, notably the soaring strings, the story, the sheer audacity to sing songs of the heart. But he’s subtle enough musically and lyrically to not feel ashamed to play the songs over and over.
I’ve not put a link on as you need to download his album Feather and Stone before trying his new stuff. Itunes. Now. If you download just one song, go for either Almost There (“I’m not the man of your dreams but i took you almost there” - in print looks pathetic, but add the strings and you’ll be eating your words) or My Declaration, unless Andy or Caz say otherwise.
I’ll keep this going, and put more singer songwriter types up soon but for now, it’s all about Tom (naturally)
Recommended for:
Bev – if you won’t listen to female singer song writers…
Andy T – A romantic at heart
Mash secret romantic – take the hint!
Paula – Time to ditch James Blunt once and for all
Beth and Beccy S - Yes, you guessed it, you’ll be marched to see him at LSS in a couple of weeks!
Camp rock
Welcome to a new genre, Camp rock. Dedicated to the most recent album by Of Montreal.
I’m not talking tents and guitars, this is all about dragging the likes of Scissor Sisters away from the glamour, putting them through a Rapture-like shredder and piecing together again to form music with attitude that still makes you want to dance in a faintly camp way. All moves and flailing arms.
Of Montreal are going to be the highlight of this year’s Leicester Summer Sundae, if my addiction to the album is anything to go by.
You can listen to the whole wonderful creation here:
http://www.ofmontreal.net/flashsite/index.html
To really experience what i mean, try Suffer for Fashion uninhibited in the privacy of your bedroom, or the unnecessarily named Heimdalsgate like a Promethean Curse (come on guys, that’s just pretentious).
However, the real gem of the piece is Gronlandic Edit (again, lets just have a name that makes sense). Mika, this is how to use falsetto, and the harmonies work here, as if in homage to Brian Wils… damn it.
Recommended for
Carolyn – Can you have the DJ play them at your wedding just to see how people dance to them?
Nick – I’ve seen you dance
Carina – It has something of a Sheffield feel about it, can’t quite explain. Steely edge to dance music!?
Russ S – It’s experimental enough for people not to be that interested, so get your teeth into them quick!
Beth and Beccy S – Because I will be dragging you both to see them at LSS!
Steer clear
Matt Christie – Doesn’t suit your Jagger-esque style
Caught out there – The Darkness
First in a new series…bands that I liked at the time but looking back, what the hell was i thinking. And I know I’m not alone…
Yes, the Darkness, faux shag rockers from East Anglia. Rockers don’t come from East Anglia. Cambridge hosts the most world’s most famous folk festival, please leave us and our webbed feet alone thank you.
But, as if caught up in some guilt-led excitement, i was the music equivalent of a girl just out of convent school, breaking all the catholic rules…i confess, i spent a whole day at the Darkness video shoot.
It’s easy to look back and sneer, but their gig at The Garage was genuinely exciting, Justin led around the crowd on the shoulders of his Roadie, proper power chords and harmonies on the lead guitar. Wonderful…see there I go again!!
Ok, lets be honest, it was fun while it lasted. But lets not play them in public again. Except at Christmas, because in one song, they found their purpose. Don’t let the Bells End just yet.
Guilt-trippers
Andy Brown and Carolyn – it’s all your fault
Kris – Blame your dad and his stadium rock heritage
James R and Bev – I’m sure you were on the ride with me
Matt Christie – I bet you were in a tribute band
Claire - Anything this cheesy has your prints all over
Innocent guv
Russ S – Wouldn’t even bat an eyelid
Paul – Nothing better than the real thing, so doubt you went near them
Mash secret rocker – Please say you didn’t!
