Interview - Glass Mazes

Along with reviews for Lana Del Ray and PS I Love You, this was coursework done for a music journalism training course I recently attended in London. The following is my first attempt at an NME 'Radar' style interview/feature piece on local band Glass Mazes. 

As the old saying goes, 'the world is your oyster'. A nice, albeit naïve sentiment; as whoever first coined it must have obviously never visited Basingstoke. A festival of grey, it’s not exactly rich in culture and musical prestige – the empty shell to the famous ‘oyster’ analogy. More importantly, it’s a line on which Glass Mazes guitarist and songwriter Tom Hill politely agrees; ‘The bigger bands from Basingstoke… I’m generally not a massive fan of’, is his more measured summary. ‘There’s a few around here I really like – Kurt (Tom’s Glass Mazes drummer + bandmate) plays in another band Artimus… there’s a band called Wreck, I saw them a few months ago, and they were really good – best band from around here I’ve seen in ages.’ Hill’s own band, the aforementioned Glass Mazes, form an altogether different prospect. Blending accessible pop melodies with intricate, technically accomplished musicianship and complex song structure, they identify themselves as a math-rock outfit – an underground movement Hill concedes is somewhat restrictively inward looking. ‘It’s stayed well outside the mainstream for enough years that it’s got a really strong cult following - but loads of bands sound exactly the same.’ While noting earlier influences Biffy Clyro and Foals, and subsequently early math-rock heroes Meet Me In St Louis and Blakfish, it’s a genre Hill believes is in need of a shake-up. ‘What would really help was if bands started incorporating other styles, or visa-versa - broaden it out a bit. At the moment it’s pretty standard; loads of two-pieces, loads of drum solos and fiddly guitars, loads of bands that love their pedals… but can’t write a good song to save their lives.’ Ultimately, that’s where Glass Mazes stand out from the bloated pretensions of their contemporaries; having grown up on a musical diet of prog and metal (and all the indulgent epics that entails), Hill instead aims to keep his band’s music in the vein of his later influences; ‘short and punchy - but technical, to keep ourselves interested’. On the strength of their excellent debut EP Everything You’ve Ever Wanted, it’s a mantra on which Glass Mazes undoubtedly succeed. Hill is similarly, justifiably confident about his bands future; with new material due for release in the August, he describes it as ‘Where the band starts again - where the quality of our work is gonna be ten times higher.’

THE DETAILS

Who?

Thomas Hill (guitar, vocals) Kurt Phillips (Drums, vocals) Ed Adams (Bass, backing vocals)

Based?

Basingstoke + Oxford

For Fans Of?

This Town Needs Guns, Colour, Blakfish, Meet Me In St Louis, Circle, Foals

Social?

www.glassmazes.bandcamp.com, www.facebook.com/glassmazes

New Releases?

New single and live-set staple ‘Swallow The Sun’ + B-Side ‘Bear Trap’ scheduled for release this August, followed by an EP in the Autumn.

Live Dates?

3 local live dates (including a set at Basingstoke favourite Sanctuary), followed by an October tour. Festival dates are out the question for now though – the band are busy with new material.

Review: Jamie T, 'Don't You Find'

Jamie T returns after a lengthy absence; and his audacious willingness to experiment is something to be admired 

Having been off the map for the best part of five years, Jamie T's uniquely urban mystique has only floundered in his as yet unexplained absence - something itself pretty remarkable in this 'insta-Orwellian' age of Twitter and social media. But he's sealed his drip-fed and suitably mysterious comeback with the melancholic creep of 'Don't You Find' - and it marks something of a change of direction for the previously anointed Burberry Shakespeare. Where his previously aggressive, low-fi sound was grounded in garage-rock and gritty Brit-hop aesthetic, 'Don't You Find' is a distinctly somber, brooding affair; built on a murky, slinking synth motif and simple, powerful lyrics; 'Don't you find/some of the time/there is always someone on your mind/who shouldn't be at all', it's unlikely to romantically soundtrack house parties and indie club-nights à la so much of his previous material. But that is not to its detriment; quite the opposite in fact. It's by no means immediate, but while it will undoubtedly prove divisive among his passionate cult fan-base (and all out offensive to the 'Sticks 'n' Stones' coat-tailers),  Treays' willingness to experiment and the effortlessness with which he pulls off a radically different style highlight him as a musician of genuine talent. In a mainstream climate where such a thing is so seemingly scarce, this excellent single and his long-awaited return is surely something to be celebrated.

Listen: Jamie T,' Don't You Find' 

Glastonbury 2014 - Top 5

5. Elbow

You'd have to be either dead or in a vegetative state not to be
moved by Garvey and co. Or possibly just not an Elbow fan.

Hardly the most unpredictable choice, Elbow's reliably picturesque sunset performance was nonetheless awash with all the uplifting warmth, pondering melancholy and gorgeous melody that has become the band's signature - and all grounded in singer Guy Garvey's easy going, every-man charm. In fact, it was a performance rooted in familiarity; from the sunset that seemingly follows their every festival set, the effortlessness with which their four-strings strings pull your heartstrings, to Garvey's casual beer swigging and playful stage presence. So when they closed on the achingly beautiful bittersweet of 'Lippy Kids' and unofficial festival theme 'One Day Like This', it was hard to avoid the suspicion you'd felt those sweat-tinged goosebumps somewhere before.


4. Metallica 

Well if Mumford & Sons can do it we all might as well have a go

I have to admit, I never quite understood the controversy that shrouded Metallica's booking - and to some extent, the build up to the festival itself. Not to the discredit of the artists, but it always seemed strange that a festival traditionally built on rock music subsequently booked the likes of Beyonce, Kylie and Jay-Z as headliners, with very little controversy (a certain Gallagher aside) - then react with little short of abhorrence at the booking of one of the world biggest rock bands. But whether it was through James Hetfeild's beady-eyed grin or Robert Trufillo's bizarrely endearing hop-squat bass-playing, it didn't take long for the self-proclaimed 'reps of the heavier side of music' to win over their notably sizable crowd with a blistering 90 minutes of metal - played with eager, relentless enthusiasm and tongue placed firmly in cheek. Or perhaps between teeth would be more appropriate?


3. St. Vincent

Eclectic, chaotic, utterly bonkers... but above all, as talented
musician as any at Worthy Farm, with a performance to show it. 

Playing a set heavily indebted to her latest, excellent release St. Vincent, Annie Clark (Aka. St. Vincent) brought her own unique brand of scatty art-rock to the Park stage, in an hour-long show that proved as much quirky performance piece as it did shredding art-rock. Indeed, it wasn't so much peppered with as much as it was soaked in bizarre, Byrne-influenced choreography and impervious dance routines; and as a result, Clarke seemingly spent a good third of the set writhing on the floor... whether intentionally or otherwise. However, whether it was spent tripping and falling or casting her piercing, aristocratic gaze over her audience, St. Vincent cut a consistently hypnotic figure across the duration of a genuinely superb set; and one that perfectly showcased her dedication to her craft, irresistible confidence and exceptional musicianship (and even more exceptional shredding...). As she sweetly-spits 'Dim dim and dimmer/succor for sinners, motherfuckers!' over 'Huey Newton's brutal, grungey refrain, it's easy to grasp just what a highlight this is - from an prodigiously gifted artist at the peak of her formidable powers.


2. Kasabian

The Beatles they ain't,  Kasabian nonetheless put on a show
 big, loud and fun enough to close Glastonbury. 

Yes, they are prone to schizophrenic-levels of delusion and self-estimation. Yes, their albums aren't exactly odds on to win any Ivor Novello's or Mercury Album prizes anytime soon. And yes, there is something of an air of naffness around one of the current biggest bands in Britain. But for all their detractors and admittedly glaring faults, Kasabian's headlining slot was an undeniably bombastic and flamboyant affair; and one that fully justified their booking as the biggest festival in the world's closing act. For a band so long pigeon-holed as a second-rate Oasis, it also boasted a diversity their Mancunian contemporaries never came close to achieving; whether it was curtain-raiser 'Bumblebee's Behemothic, sucker-punch riff, 'Vlad the Impaler's adrenaline shot of rave-rock, 'LSF's memorable chanted refrain or the Hispanic-flavored groove of 'Take Aim'. And just as the band's ringleader Sergio Pizzorno promised, it was packed with surprises; Noel Fielding's 'Vlad' cameo, 'Shoot The Runner's 'Black Skinhead' intro, and a cover of Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy' among them. While on record they may not be the sophisticated, forward-looking innovators they perceive themselves to be, as a live act they are some beast; one that even their fiercest critic couldn't deny the sheer, expertly-crafted primal thrill of. In fact, some may even say that when all's said and done, those simple, primal kicks are what rock'n'rolls all about - and as the 100,000 strong crowd leap to 'Fire's Western-tinted chorus, it's clear Kasabian provide them in abundance. A masterclass. 


1. Pixies

A set as tight as a nun's downstairs mix-up; the legendary, utterly
incinerating Pixies. A peerless, aura-enhancing set. 

Playing Worthy Farm for the first time since 1989, the reunited trailblazers Pixies brought their own twisted brand of surf-punk to Glastonbury's Other Stage - and proved themselves as good as they've ever been. However, it more importantly proved their comeback hasn't been a mere attempt to relive their 80's heyday; indeed, what was perhaps most comforting of all was how effortlessly the set elevated them above the cash-cow, bucket-list novelty act so many iconic band reunions inevitably amount to. It didn't just prove them as vital and deserving as any other act on the bill - it was a blistering performance as good as any across the farm's metropolis of stages. Perhaps most remarkably of all is the way it sustains and enhances the bands uniquely contorted mystique - with the new tracks in 'Bagboy' and 'Greens and Blues' slotting seamlessly in between the classic material; and the Biblically twisted songs on which they made their name ('Wave of Multilation', 'Caribou', 'Hey') never sounding so fresh, or so ferocious. It's admittedly not a performance awash with spotless musicianship or flamboyant stage presence - but for every third syllable in 'Debaser' that Lenchantin breathlessly struggles to hold, she plays Kim Deal's beloved bass lines to perfection; and makes for endearingly enthusiastic yet oddly mesmerising stage presence. Where Santiago slightly fumbles 'Wave of Mutilation's opening bars, his perfectly withheld note in the bridge of 'Isla De Encanta' is nothing short of exhilarating, as are 'Crackity Jones' twisting and turning leads. Then where the lyrics to 'Where Is My Mind' briefly, bafflingly evade Black during the song's haunting outro, he more than makes up for it with his infamously possessed, maniacal delivery. The static stage presence, minimal crowd interaction, occasional 'hiccups' from Santiago's guitar, Black's age-worn vocals... all of these were mere nitpicks in what was a sheer artillery of some of the finest, most important rock music ever written. Because warts an' all, you simply can't help but love this new invigorated incarnation of the Pixies - as for all its imperfections, it was a somehow perfect performance. For a band famed for their loud/quiet/loud dynamic, such an oxymoron seems a fitting tribute. 

And a special mention to some other highlights...

Arcade Fire - 'Reflektor'
Arcade Fire's enjoyable, if slightly bloated, Friday headlining set kicked off with the hypnotic, Bowie-tinted groove of 'Reflektor' - and perfectly set the tone for the kaleidoscopic indie-disco that followed.

Disclosure - 'Voices'
Is it true or authentic 'Deep House'? The hipsters may sneer - but when dance music sounds this good, who really cares? The dish-plate pupil masses of the West Holts Stage didn't, and at the end of the day that's all that really matters.

Robert Plant - 'Whole Lotta Love/Who Do You Love'
Drip-feeding the lyrics over a bluesy, stalking introduction, Plant sent his audience into a minor frenzy with one of the most iconic riffs in rock'n'roll - and perhaps the most impressive thing about Plant's performance was the ease and grace with which brought one of the most famed songs in rock to a Glastonbury 2014 audience. It still sounds like glorious, primal rock'n'roll over 40 years later, and not the artifact it should.    

Band Of Skulls - 'Bruises'
Threading creeping riffs around a seriously hard-hitting, blues-tinted punch, Band Of Skulls proved why their relatively low stature in the alternative scene is a myth that continues to perplex. 

Jack White - 'Icky Thump'
Kicking off a set that was simultaneously indulgent and fan-pleasing, it makes perfect sense that Edward Shredderhands himself would begin his set with a riotous performance of White Stripes favourite 'Icky Thump'. 

Lana Del Ray - 'West Coast'
Borderline narcissistic but unashamedly, glamorously cinematic, Del Ray nonetheless poured scorn on the considerable criticism her singing has faced since her (admittedly suspicious) rise to prominence in 2011 with 'West Coast's sweeping, airy, utterly hypnotic vocals.    

James Blake - 'Overgrown'
Sat rigidly at a somewhat comically sized keyboard, Blake's performance of 'Overgrown' perfectly showcased his talent for uniquely atmospheric, soulful yet ambient electronica - and his eerily Jeff Buckley-esque vocals.

Foster The People - 'Best Friend' 
Led by the addictive groove of Jacob Fink's infectious bassline, Foster The People showcased their enviable knack for melodic indie-pop gems with an energetic performance of 'Best Friend'. A band it's simply impossible to dislike.

Wolf Alice - 'Moaning Lisa Smile'
Despite frontwoman Ellie Rowsell's endearingly awkward introduction, Wolf Alice played 'Moaning Lisa Smile' with similarly endearing assured confidence - disguising the sound and spirit of 90's grunge in a 21st Century indie band.

Royal Blood - 'Out Of The Black'
Recalling early Muse's bass-heavy bombast, it must be said Royal Blood aren't exactly subtle. But when you only have a bass guitar and a drum kit to play with, what else do you expect? Playing to their strengths, it's this penchant for grandiose that 2014's aristocrats of rock embraced with an extended, riotous performance of 'Out Of The Black'.   

Glastonbury 2014: Pixies

A scintillating, career-spanning performance that doesn't just prove there's life in the old dog - in fact, this rabid mutt has never been better.

If it's sophisticated musicianship, seamless note-perfection and flamboyant stage charisma you're looking for, 9pm, Saturday evening on the Other Stage is probably not the musical Utopia you have in mind. The occasional bum-notes from the respective guitars of Frank Black and Joey Santiago are difficult to ignore, as is bassist Paz Lenchantin's sometimes grating inability to hold a note in tune. Then as frontman, Frank Black is sometimes guilty of forgetting seemingly unforgettable lyrics, and the interaction from stage to crowd is... minimal, at best.  

But ultimately, this is the Pixies; and the aforementioned attributes are not qualities on which the 80s forefathers of grunge built their mythical reputation. Instead, everything you love about the band was provided here in glorious, savage, indulgent abundance as the Saturday evening sun set on Glastonbury's Other Stage. Whether it was Santiago's paranoid, shredded guitar, Dave Lovering's manic drumming, complimented perfectly by Lenchantin's playfully menacing bass, or Black's deliciously twisted screech... simply put, as a live act the resurrected Pixies have never sounded so good, so brutal, or so vital. Indeed, as a performance it's most reassuring of all that it doesn't just justify their reunion - it sustains and enhances the bands uniquely contorted mystique, in spite of the sets flaws. The new songs in 'Bagboy' and 'Greens and Blues' slots seamlessly in between the classic material, and the Biblically twisted songs on which they made their esteemed name ('Wave of Multilation', 'Caribou', 'Hey') have never sounded so fresh, or so ferocious. As for every third syllable in 'Debaser' that Lenchantin breathlessly struggles to hold, she plays Kim Deal's beloved bass lines to perfection; and makes for endearingly enthusiastic yet oddly mesmerising stage presence (especially in contrast to otherwise static band mates). Then where Santiago slightly fumbles 'Wave of Mutilation's opening bars, his perfectly withheld note in the bridge of 'Isla De Encanta' is nothing short of exhilarating, as are the twisting and turning leads in 'Crackity Jones'. Then where the lyrics to 'Where Is My Mind' briefly, bafflingly evade Black during the song's haunting outro, he more than makes up for it with his infamously possessed, maniacal delivery. Ultimately, what's perhaps most comforting of all is how effortlessly it elevates them above the cash-cow, bucket-list novelty act so many iconic band reunions inevitably amount to - and doesn't so much prove them a rough diamond as it does slightly scratched sapphire. Because warts an' all, you simply can't help but admire this new invigorated incarnation of the Pixies. It's almost like they never went away.