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SUMMER SHORTS: THE RETURN! - Concert Highlights Summer 2008
THE ALGARVES - Doghouse 07-08:
I'd only seen this band once before and this was, in reality, possibly not the best way to see them - as the second act on at a festival that took on the organisational qualities of the Gunpowder Plot, in front of an audience where even the one man and his dog had gone for a walk!! But, that said, you have to give credit to the band, who played with consummate professionalism and turned in what I regarded as a rather fine set, although I'll bet they'd disagree.
Anyway, from the opening number, the quartet whiped up a storm of indie dimensions as the vocalist really took hold in a sort of raging manner while the band riffed away behind, buidling to a quite thunderous finale. The second track featured some really expressive chord changes from the lead guitarist while the track chugs along with solid riffs and a soaring vocal, the whole result not sounding a million miles away from Dundee's The Brogues. This one also featured another great ending with the two guitars soaring over and around the solid drums witht he bass ever so subtle but always there.
Third track and the catchiest yet, still with an air of Brogues about it, but an anger in there that gives it a wholly more purposeful cohesion. This time the track was roaring forward and the longer it went on, the more you loved it. Couple of tracks later and it spelot a slightly different sounding direction as an almsot New Order-ish surge was provided by the rhythm section, the song full of tension and angst with a vocal positively spat out in a slightly higher register yowl, as the band erupts in a blaze of rhythms and guitar riffs, surging ahead on an adrenaline-fuelled wave of strikingly strong songwriting and arranging.
Visually, you gotta see their bassist - possibly THE most languid musician around, she stands there so still she makes the Stones old bassist Bill Wyman look like a whippet! Superb!! But if this was an example of what the band can do under these conditions, definitely worth catching up with them in more "normal" circumstances, for sure!
COME ON GANG! - Doghouse 07-08:
Never heard of this band before, but I sure want to hear from them again - and soon, too! A trio, they took to the Doghosue stage and the first thing you are aware of is that the only female in the band is not only the drummer, but also the lead vocalist - she must have lungs like bellows!! But if that wasn't enough in itself, when she started to sing, it was just mesmerising. With a vocal that sounds like a mix of Stirling's own Beth Wilmshurst combined with English folk superhero and ex-Fairport Convention/Albion Band singer Cathy LeSurf, she sang a range of songs with this voice that is just so pure, it's positively the sound of angels singing, and yet always strong, delivered without missing a note, while still playing the drums equaly adeptly. She's also got this wonderful ability to slide the singing within a note, not the old Mariah Carey trick of trying actually to find the note, but singing with such purity she glides and soars within the essence of the vocal itself - just remarkable. Oh yeh - the rest of the band - two guys on lead guitar and bass, they provided a surging sea of riffing and rhythm, the lead guitar chords ringing out and driving forward on all original songs that couldn;t fail to have you absolutely riveted to the whole performance. I loved this band!! On my retrun to the bar, my cohorts for the nigh - who shall be nameless - were not quite so impressed, even citing a comparison with The Cranberries which I feel is a mile away as their vocalist, Dolores I think, has way much more of an edge and a shriek to her singing, while this band's vocalist has such purity, you could melt in it. That they also have songs that you want to hear all over again afte the first time, is a testament to what a superb band this is. From driving indie-pop to positively wigged-out punk, they didn't put a foot wrong. Gotta see this band again, for sure!!
THE FLOOR - Dexters (sometime back in July)
You know it's been a great concert when, about two months later, the performasnce is still swirling around your head even though the date's long since gone!! I'd seen the band, for the first time in ages, a week before, at the same venue, and there was something missing - they seemed to be more focused on the songs than anything - not a bad thing, I add - but the spark had gone - somehow, it fell short.
Turns out that the band had been in the studios somewhat relentlessly and that tiredness had taken its toll, so I seem to recall being told.
Anyway, a week later comes along, and just when I'm not expecting to be moved, they only go and peform with the equivalent of an earthquake and move, not only me, but everything standing in their path.
Right from the opening track, the fire was back - the tricky time signatures, the scything guitar attack, the sheer adrenaline rush of the rhythms, twisting and turning all over the place like some accelerated Magic Band gone nuclear. Suddenly, it's a whole different ball game - the band played tight, looked and sounded way more confident and smashed their way through a searing sea of immense indie songs where the dual guitar attack bit, spat and flared with an effect that was simply stunning. They have the approach and they now are developing a really strong set of songs to go with the guitar blitz, while that rhythm section is so spot on, it's just amazing to hear. These guys must practice till they drop. My faith in the band restored, next time it's a detailed review, that's for sure.
HEALTHY MINDS COLLAPSE - The Doghouse 02-08-08
Have to say that it had been ages since I'd seen this Glasgow band at Dexters and been so blown away by what they were playing. I'd meant to catch them well before now, but things kept getting in my way. So, it befell that, many moons later, I finally caught up with Andy, Angus and Colin who make up Healthy Minds Collapse, once again. The main change that became obvious fairly early on, was the sheer power of the band. Before they'd had elements of Nirvana and grunge wrapped around more dynamic sounding songs, where the subtleties, harmonies, flow and depth all shone through. Not that any of that had disappeared, but now all that is wraped inside this fireball of a performance as the tight, confident and, above all, loud as heck, trio, simply tore through The Doghouse like a musical warhead. Playing a set of songs that sounded like a cross between Pearl Jam and Forfar's The White Light, they pprovide this immense sounding rhythmic attack, with pounding bass so deep it's positively gut-wrenching, while above all that a supernova of guitar firepower is unleashed. But the songs are what really puts the icing on the cake. From strong Cobain-esque lead vocals to three-part harmonies, even the dynamics were on fire, as the band tore through their set of originals with venom and purpose. Previously a song such as "Brightside" sounded every bit the front-runner. Now, placed at the end of the set, it's almost overshadowed by some of the newer power anthems and beefed-up HMC oolder originals, yet still a great track with its marching beats and harmonies that lift off to a roar of vocals and guitars, but far better placed earlier on in the set. Sounding stronger than ever, if there's room at the top for something new, fresh, vital and alive in grunge, something that rocks your socks off while at the same time makes you listen intently, something that is totally new but somehow familiar, something that will last for aeons to come, then this is the band to fulfill that function - you have to see this band and I only hope they get those myspace tracks onto CDR so I can play them on the radio show. Stunning!!
EXCELLENT CADAVER - Dexters 13-10-08
This was a randomly selected slot as part of a "Battle of The Bands" series of gigs at Dexters, and luckily this lot got the last place. There were three bands on before them of which I missed the first two and caught the other one, although I've forgotten the name of the band - remember the music though - sort of dodgy electric rock-funk, more Zappa than Page 6, more Faith No More than Faithless, the one overriding observation being that they really need a stronger vocalist. Anyway, along comes Cadaver, plug in and, within about one minute, it's no contest!! Didn't really matter who'd been on before because right from the word "go", the band whipped up this furious storm of rock. The band inhabit what could be called a more hardcore area of metal, but what separates them from so many is their sense of dynamics. Sure they have this massive sound of which the lead guitar work is just sizzling, while the vocalist roars but in a wholly structured and sung manner, real and discernible lyrics coming through the PA more often than not. But, above all, they're heavy and on fire - there were parts of the set where I was thinking "this lot would make a perfect support act for Motorhead" as they really kicked ass with some immense sounding bass, while the compositions drove along in juggernaut fashion, and, although there's not yet a composition in there that you'd describe as "killer", the consistency shines through as the band really deliver the goods. There's more to this band than you think, and next time I'll try to do more detailed review, so you can see what I mean.
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