Albert Hammond Jr. - Live Review, Wedgewood Rooms

Albert Hammond Jr - A blistering 90 minutes of stylish garage rock

****

The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth

                                       Photo by Charlie Makemson

As per the now-almost blueprint of “going solo”, it’s difficult separating Albert Hammond Jr. from his revered, fascinating past as The Strokes lead guitarist. It’s similarly difficult making this distinction between the music; much of his set tonight, compromised from all three studio albums and sole EP, is extremely evocative of his iconic New York indie outfit. From the stylish, distinctive guitar tones, frantic rhythms or stop-start dynamics, Hammond’s set makes for very familiar territory.

Indeed, you can hear much of The Strokes’s catalogue across the show; Born Slippy’s stalking, heavy groove is particularly reminiscent of Angles’ Machu Pichu, and ‘Rude Customer’s chugging rhythms and scatty guitar leads could of come came straight from the band’s second record Room on Fire. Despite a lengthy set barren of any Strokes material, it’s perhaps testament to Hammond’s importance to the band that their sound should feel so prominent here.

That said, to write off Hammond Jr. as a mere Strokes by-numbers would be at best extremely unfair, and at worst flat-out ignorant; his 90 minute performance stands on its own merit as a blistering set of finely-crafted garage rock. An exceptionally tight live act, the band play the set with quick-fire precision, keeping stage banter to a minimal (“The album was released 2 months ago…” guitarist Hammarsing Kharmar gestures four fingers at him. “Four!?” Hammond replies incredulously. “Four months… where did that time go. Mother Time… you old slut.”), and flying through an extensive set with breathless energy.

The wonderful, inexplicably nostalgic ‘In Transit’ is played to utterly rapturous reception, humorously offset by a drunken punter yelling the song’s title back at him. Then a storming ‘Touché’ followed by an equally breakneck ‘Carnal Cruise’ prove to be the show’s ferocious highlights. Suitably, Hammond’s band make for energetic stage presence; none more so than the haywire Hammond himself, and at odds with The Strokes’s often-static live performances. Clutching his face in his hands and swinging his guitar behind his back, Hammond Jr becomes increasingly wide-eyed and unpredictable as the show progresses. While he occasionally strays into maniacal delivery echoing that of his Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, he nonetheless proves a captivating frontman of surprising showmanship. That’s not to say it is not all so raucous. Given the quick-fire nature of the set, it may be easy to overlook the fine balance it strikes between its predominant, punchy immediacy and the band’s more restrained, rhythmic tendencies.

What’s perhaps most impressive of all is the effortlessness with which Hammond and his band, all of whom seemingly formidable with their instruments, pull the whole thing off. It makes for an effortlessly slick, stylish and above-all superb 90 minutes.  

Foals: What Went Down Review

Foals: What Went Down – Holy Fire’s sometime brilliant but frequently frustrating big brother

***

 After 2013’s Holy Fire elevated Foals into the alternative big leagues, the band return with What Went Down; their self-proclaimed biggest, most muscular record yet. Curtain raiser and the titular What Went Down sets the tone; taking the brutal baton begun with Prelude, passed to Inhaler and subsequently Providence, it’s the final, ferocious 100m sprint to Foal’s finish line.

The band’s reach for the arenas continues with the Radioheadesque Mountain At My Gates, and guitar leads on Birch Tree unshakeably evocative of By The Way-era Red Hot Chillis. Blending their new, riff-heavy edge (Snake Oil) with their signature oriental guitar textures (Birch Tree, Night Swimmers),What Went Down delivers some genuinely brilliant moments; with Night Swimmers, Albatross and the eponymous What Went Down proving genuinely thrilling, captivating highlights as good as anything in the band’s previous repertoire. It sounds bigger, grander, almost cinematic - and the sound of a band oozing confidence. So it’s then strange that What Went Down should prove such a frustrating, unbalanced listen.

Increasingly bloated as it progresses, and too often settling into drawn out, dead-end melodies, it lacks the dynamism and excitement that made Holy Fire (think Prelude, Providence) such a compelling record. Yannis Philippakis’s wild vocals give the album drama and passion to match its elaborate, blockbuster melodies; but fail to give gravitas and weight to weak, melodramatic lyrics (‘When I come to walk the line, the fire may come, but we'll be just fine’).

Ultimately, What Went Down sounds like a band brimming with confidence and urgency, but what is sometimes brilliant is more frequently indulgent, pretentious and bloated - sonically and in length. An album that should be captivating instead sounds predictable and frustrating, leaving the band's swagger feeling uncomfortably misplaced and its audience wondering what might, or should, have been.

Interview: Eoin Loveless (Drenge)

You might not assume it from his ferocious, subtly deadpan music, but Drenge’s Eoin Loveless is a nice, cool guy in a nicer, cooler yellow coat. I spoke to him prior to the band’s Southampton Guildhall show, and discussed Undertow, irony, Corbyn and Kanye.

Drenge: Brothers Eoin (r) and Rory (l)

‘Corbyn’s a fan of us??’ Loveless asks incredulously, a rare break from his otherwise laid-back to-the-point of horizontal demeanour. Deceptively tall, stylishly unkept and dressed in Dr. Martens and a battered yellow parka, he settles back into his chilled auto-pilot when I correct him – Tom Watson, MP for West Bromwich East, newly appointed Deputy Leader of the Labour party and Drenge’s first Directioner, no less.

‘I’m sure Corbyn’s got some more… folky tastes. Billy Bragg.’ Loveless is evidently pleased that one of the band’s first fans has sealed his comeback. ‘Anyone in the Drenge army that’s like Deputy leader of the second biggest party in the UK is good with me. He’s a great guy – never met him - but I’m really into what he’s done, and what he believes in, and what he stands for. Great politician.’ He says, wryly. This dry sense of humour makes for ironic, amusing company in our time together, shut away in a dingy, dusty spare room in the Guildhall. It’s this same ironic, subtle sense of humour is one he feels has possibly gone over his audience’s heads. 
‘I feel like a lot of stuff can get lost on our audience… just feel like we can bury too deeply in what we’re doing.’ He laments. ‘The first record is quite a violent record, and there’s always a tongue in cheek thing going on… like I was DJing last night, and someone came up to me and they were like “oh let’s dance, let’s have some drinks” and then they started hitting me, like “come on, dance, be fun, be cool” but that’s just not who I am… and this person just had a completely different view of who I was, because they’d taken my music at face value.’ It’s a fascinating insight into the relationship between musicians and their fans, and the subtleties that so easily go awry in their music.

This April saw the release of the band’s second album Undertow, breaking out of the grunge pigeon-hole and delivering a more expansive, intricate record. But was this shift from nihilism to something bigger a concious change?

‘No... it was more like an unconscious change. Like it was a deliberate decision to make something different… it just came from a confidence in our ability to play our instruments and to write songs.’ Undertow was also Drenge’s attempt to create something cinematic – Loveless notes 2001’s A Space Odyssey as the record’s primary influence – and to emulate their gloriously chaotic live show in the studio. It’s something Loveless feels the band couldn’t quite achieve. ‘I don’t think it’s a true representation of what we’re like live… I think about this stuff way too much - the modern style of recording is the perfect recorded version of the song, rather than the artistic take of the band playing that song.’

If Eoin considers himself an obsessive perfectionist, he found himself in like-minded company on a September episode of Later… with Jools Holland – none other than the Greatest Living Rockstar On The Planet himself, Kanye West. 
‘It’s one of the best constructed like faces in the music industry. He understands that like there needs to be a bad boy in like pop music, someone who everyone hates or loves, or loves to hate, and so he just loves being that guy and he knows exactly the right time, to say exactly the wrong thing. He loves winding people up…’ Eoin explains, before taking an unexpected, intriguing turn. ‘And when we talked to him, he was such a nice guy! He seemed really grounded, he seemed to really understand himself and his art, and what he wants to do… but like at the same time, you’re just dealing with someone who is just like more of a celebrity…  probably the most well-known celebrity with the biggest artistic credibility to match. I feel like he makes great records, and it was nice meeting him.’

Drenge’s own savage brand of garage rock has drawn inevitable Nirvana comparisons – ‘Doesn’t help that we named our band “Drenge”’ is Loveless’ predictably deadpan response (Going on the ‘lost-on-the-audience’ narrative, Drenge is a Danish word meaning ‘boys’). ‘It’s just like a modern trait of music journalism… like when I used to write for music magazines and stuff, I’ve done the same connection.’ But ultimately it’s a connection that doesn’t bother Eoin. ‘Most people just wanna listen to some tunes. That bit isn’t so important.’ his fittingly succinct summary – besides, there are worse bands to be compared to.

James Gale

Listen: Drenge 'Nothing'

Below is a complete transcript of the interview itself - lots of stuff I couldn't fit in and was a massive pain in the anus to write up, so may as well make some use of it.

Your first album was a pretty murky, nihilistic record, where undertow sounds bigger, and more free-wheeling.  Would you say that was a conscious change?

Uhhh... no. It was more like an unconscious change. Like it wasn’t a deliberate decision to... I mean it was a deliberate decision to make something different, but we weren’t like, ‘you know what we need, we need to sound more free, or whatever. So no, it just came from like I guess like a confidence in our ability to play our instruments and to write songs… yeah.

Similarly, Undertow sounds more intricate, more emphasis on rhythm than riffs - would it be fair to say that's due to having Rob on bass this time round, or just the way the bands evolved?

Uhhm... uhhh… a bit of both.. uhhhh I mean like Rob played on a couple of tracks. There was a lot of stuff that we kind accumulated through touring, and spoke about for 4 months writing the rest of the album, recording everything, yeah... and Rob’s just had his part to play in it, he comes from that like rockier side of music. He always plays Black Sabbath whenever we’re in the van, so yeah I dunno, yeah. Bit of both.

You've said in interviews before that there's a humour and irony to Undertow - do you feel it's been lost on your audience?

(interview with DIY mag in april this year)

Sometimes... I feel like a lot of stuff can get lost on our audience because, not that me and Rory are operating on a higher level, just feel like we can bury too deeply in what we’re doing. Some of the first record is quiet a violent record, and there’s always like a tongue in cheek thing going on. Like I was DJing last night, and I’ve never DJed before, was DJing in a club, someone came up to me and they were like ‘ohh lets dance, lets like have some drinks together,’ and then they got like really, started like hitting me and stuff and like ‘come on, you need to like dance and be fun and be cool’ but that’s just not who I am, and this person just had like a completely different view of who I was, because they’d taken my music at face value. this is someone that’s like, you know, taking the piss, or is like… it’s a bit like we were listening to Father John Misty in the van, and like I really love his work, his music and his songs and stuff, but I only love it because I like buy into a character – similarly with like Lana Del Ray, like if you take those artists at face value you’d be like, you’d be like ‘oohh god, what is this?’ I guess there’s some knowing.. I guess were like not as cool as those people (laughs)

What were the album’s biggest influences - and did they differ from those of the first album?

Uhhhmm.. biggest influence.. I guess, there was one night where um there’s a really great cinema in Sheffield, called ‘The Showroom’ that shows like a lot of like art house stuff, and they put on a screening of ‘2001 A Space Odyssey’, and um I mean its so.. I’ve seen that film before a couple of times, but to experience like a film just that like that good in a cinema, with sound, and big screen, and like all the colours, and there’s a bit in the middle where there’s an interlude, and people went up to the toilet and stuff, but like by the time they came back the interlude had finished, because there’s like a bit of classical music in-between, and people thought it’s a two minute break, I can go to the loo, but um but like that experience, like a really full, immersion into the cinematic experience, was kind of like what we wanted to kind of create for a listener I guess, kind of like the visuals play out in your head.

Me: I get what you mean, like the soundtrack to however you perceive it, literally or ironically or whatever. I mean I know you said before you wanted to emulate your live experience, live show, like create not an experience, more than a compilation of songs.

I guess so... yeah I mean like um I don’t think we achieved it on this record. I don’t think it’s a true representation of what we’re like when we’re live. It’s very difficult to do that because when you’re live you make mistakes and stuff, and those just the modern kind of attitude to recording, especially in, I dunno.. it’s really like.. I think about this stuff way too much.. the modern style of recording is perfect recorded version of the song.. rather than artistic take of the band playing that song. But I mean like there’s exceptions and stuff, but just the technology we have to record these days means you can just fine tune every bit, you miss that snare fill there, you can go back and you can do that, and you just make a very clean sounding record just because you feel insecure about those mistakes. Whereas there are times when like I’ve like seen videos of us on YouTube, that people have recorded on their phones, and it sounds ferocious, it sounds so incredible, but no one would know, studio engineer, or anyone, would be able to like record what that sounds like.

Me: I saw you at Bestival, about, week ago now? And I saw you at Reading, 2014, with the dresses, and that is when I admittedly became a bit of a fanboy, like it was that savage-

E: That was a brutal show-

Me: Yeah! Everyone fell over each other at one point, just this a complete crush, we literally came out of it like ‘wow’, and it was that kind of raw, savage sound what really like blew us away. And I think it translates better on your albums than it does on others.

E: I think the main reason for that we worked with Ross (Orton) on both of our albums, who’s just exceptional at recording drum sounds, and drum takes, and getting the best out of a drummer. He like really pushed Rory on both records to like basically the point of collapse on every single song, just like... ‘again’.

Me: helps that Rory’s like such a fucking good drummer.

E: yeah, yeah… but like Rory, it was like Whiplash or something, it was fucking tough. But like full credit to Ross and Rory for both like sticking with it, like the drum sounds and the performances, there isn’t a track where you’re like ‘do you know what.. that’s Rory playing bad there’ I feel like.. I dunno. I’m hugely indebted to both Rory and Ross for their contribution to the record.

What do you make of the Nirvana comparisons? Personally I can hear it - quiet/loud/quiet dynamics, watery effects pedals, nihilistic lyrics - but do you find that pleasing or irritating?

E: it’s just like a modern trait of music journalism. Um… and yeah. I don’t care-

Me: I mean there’s worse people to be compared to.

E: yeah, yeah totally, like uh someone recently compared us to Talking Heads, they came up to us after a show like ‘I really like that TH style song’, and I was lucky that I was like in the zone to work out which particular track they meant (Which did they mean? – E: They meant The Snake’), but it doesn’t sound like a TH song, but musically, it’s like a really I dunno like I understood what they meant, it was like hmm… a more of a technical compliment than a stylistic one. I dunno – technically it really reminded him of a TH song, instead of sonically.

Me: I guess there’s more substance to it than just distortion and shouting.

E: yeah, I’d hope so, like it doesn’t help that we named our band ‘Drenge’, like when we named our band we never thought ‘oh, it sounds like ‘grunge’ – Drenge, grunge, admittedly sound similar, again, journalistic tendencies would make that connection because that’s the way – like when I used to write for music magazines and stuff, I’ve done the same connection, but it’s just not what we were thinking about, and I remember those first comparisons coming in, and we were just going like ‘what?’

Me: kind of a shame really, because it’s quite clever, Drenge = brothers, the whole Danish thing, I guess it goes over people’s heads a little bit.

E: I guess that’s what we were talking about at the start of the interview, where like that like, we weren’t thinking about grunge, we thought it sounded like a weird name, but most importantly it was a Danish word and a lot of people don’t know that. If you really wanna like, buy into our band, and understand all the fucking mythology behind it that’s all there, but most people just wanna listen to some tunes. That bit isn’t so important.

Growing up in Castleton, do you think growing up somewhere so quiet and isolated influenced your music in anyway?

Uh yeah – but not like, I wouldn’t of dared admit it at the time. It was more like when we started touring, and um stuff... I think Backwaters off the first record is like the song that’s about that… there aren’t any other songs from that record that like come from the countryside.

What’s your favourite city or venue to play in the UK?

Um… (pause) well we played Sheffield (The Plug) last night, and that was kind of nice..  and cause we live there now, and um, and that was like a great crowd and stuff, and tomorrow we’re playing in Manchester we’re playing at the Albert Hall, so.. yeah.

Me: I can imagine Manc crowds being quite… ‘enthusiastic’, as well.

E: yeah… and we just haven’t played there at all for like, like our own headline show there in like, like we done a few supporting, but not like a proper Drenge gig for like 2 years, which we always feel really guilty about. And then like, this Wolf Alice tour, the Manchester …

You’ve got upcoming dates in America - how do you think UK and US audiences compare?

Um… this US tour will be different because I think we’re playing all ages venues – previously we only played +21 venues, which is... depressing, and upsetting... and like they’re great shows, and people have come to shows who are like really supportive and stuff, but its uh frustrating when, cause like up to 10 years of generations that are like missing out on the show, and uhm… yeah. America’s fucked in that respect.

On America, how was your Lettermen debut in January? I imagine it was a pretty bizarre experience

Yeah, it was weird, and it was fun, and the thing that like having seen it afterwards, I remember doing it, and I remember being on stage and playing, but its… but because the camera angles there and because the thing’s behind me and then David Letterman comes and shakes my hand, it’s like some…  cause like live musical TV programmes like Jools or the KEXP sessions and stuff and Letterman’s another one where I’ve watched bands that I like go on David Letterman, like Los Campesinos and The Eagles um, and I watched their performances and David Letterman comes out at the end and shakes their hand – and there I am doing the same, like there’s us, he’s shaking our hand, and there’s like the Washington Bridge, and all this stuff.

Me: was it weird when he says “DaRbeeshyire”?

E: I wasn’t really thinking at the time... I was just like we need to play the song good, because I think we had played that song like live like in front of people like two times before... in fact that might have been the first airing of it... but yeah, I was just concentrating more on trying to get it done, get the performance done.

I read somewhere that you met Kanye when you played Lettermen – is that true? and how does real life Kanye compare to world’s greatest rock star Kanye?

E: Yeah, but Kanye was on the same episode as us on Jools.

And how does real-life Kanye compare to world’s greatest rock star Kanye?

Well it’s just like... it’s one of the best constructed like faces in the music industry. He understands that like there needs to be a bad boy in like pop music, someone who everyone hates or loves, or loves to hate, and so he just loves being that guy and he knows exactly the right time, to say exactly the wrong thing. He loves winding people up, and when we talked to him, he was such a nice guy, he seemed really grounded, he seemed to really understand himself and his art, and what he wants to do – but like at the same time, you’re just dealing with someone who is just like more of a celebrity than any... like he’s like…

Me: He’s famous for Kim as much as he’s famous for his records.

E: yeah! And you’re like looking at this huge celebrity… probably the most well-known celebrity with the biggest artistic credibility to match... I feel like he makes great records, and it was nice meeting him.

Me: Have you seen videos of YouTube of him laughing and smiling, notice the camera’s on him, and just like stop and (pose) and, like literally breaks character, and there’s this like 2 minute compilation of him smiling and stopping. I think he’s great.

E: yeah, he’s fantastic. I just wanna hear more music from him, and like I wasn’t massively into that 45seconds song when it came out, and it was on in a bar the other day, and I was like… it just sounds like a classic song, in a way there hasn’t been a classic song in like 5 years, like a big Rihanna or Beyoncé song from like 10 years ago or something.

What do you make of West Bromwich MP and your first Beleiber Tom Watson’s (Ohh yeah!) return to the limelight? Are you happy for him?

Yeah!

Are you quietly responsible?

No no no, anyone in the Drenge army that’s like, you know, Deputy leader of the second biggest political party in the UK y’know, is good with me, um, yeah!

Me: He’s made his comeback.

(Dryly) Yeah! He’s a great guy – never met him- but I’m really into what he’s done, like, and what he believes in and what he stands for. Great politician.

Me: Corbyn’s a fan, so he can’t be that bad.

E: Corbyn’s a fan of us??

Me: No! no, Tom Watson. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Corbyn was a Drenge fan.

E: Oh no… I’m sure Corbyn’s got some more, more…

Me: Folky?

E: yeah…

Me: Seems like a folk and red wine kinda guy

E: yeah, Billy Bragg.

Finally, when Undertow's all wrapped up, what's next for Drenge? Any news of a third album?

E: another album! (laughs)

Me: any new songs, or like is take as it comes kinda thing?

E: sort of, sort of.. um, I’m trying to make it take shape in my head… I kinda got ideas that are starting to like work… but yeah, no new songs just yet. But its new music!

new music: Chemical Brothers, Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala

MAC DEMARCO - 'ANOTHER ONE'

The second release from this August's synonymously-titled EP, 'Another One' finds Canada's self-styled Pepperoni Playboy in uncharacteristically sombre form. Rooted in a pondering, melancholic synth, it's a distinctly downbeat affair anchored by a pondering bass line and unshakeable echoes of 70's Lennon. While not the most obvious influence, DeMarco's lyrics are similarly out of character - though suitably pensive: 'The feeling never stops, and neither does clock, wishing for tomorrow today', and the staple, infectiously melodic chorus 'Must be another one... must be another one she loves' compounding the Canadian's heartache. Following the naive, jangly 'jizz-jazz' of 'The Way You'd Love Her', 'Another One' is an unexpected shot of melancholy for the happy-gappy-lucky Scumbag Sinatra. As ever, DeMarco treads a fine line between sincerity and irony; but while Salad Days it ain't, it's nonetheless an enjoyable (albeit, hardly dramatic) change of direction - one that only wets the appetite for this summer's upcoming EP.

Listen: Mac DeMarco 'Another One'

TAME IMPALA - ''CAUSE I'M A MAN'

While sure to be divisive among the psychedelic die-hards in the group's following, ''Cause I'm A Man' is both an intriguing step in an 80s direction and an inevitable 'Sound of the Summer'. But put more simply, it's Kevin Parker at his ambitious, glorious best. With its red-eyed thumping rhythm and glistening, swirling, airy production, it's soothing to a fault - evoking Michael Jackson at his 'Baby Be Mine' romantic peak. Utterly hypnotic, Parker's dynamic vocals (all too often pigeon-holed as mere Lennon karaoke) soar and fade with its swaying rhythm; crooning, pleading and excusing his talent for self-sabotage: 'cause I'm a man, woman'. Each verse finds Parker at loggerheads with his own conscience - admissions of guilt over-ruled by his self-confessed stubbornness and pride; the song ultimately closing on his partner's ominously exasperated breath. Subsequent singles 'Disciples', 'Eventually' and 'Let It Happen' have not only lapped up but justified immense expectation - leaving Tame Impala's upcoming third LP Currents one of the most exciting prospects of the year; ''Cause I'm A Man' its compelling curtain-raiser.
Listen: Tame Impala ''Cause I'm A Man'

CHEMICAL BROTHERS + ST. VINCENT - 'UNDER NEON LIGHTS'

Enlisting the mesmerising vocals of St. Vincent's Annie Clark, The Chemical Brothers third single from this summer's Born In The Echoes is not among the most immediate in the Manchester duo's armoury. However, this is hardly to its detriment - quite the opposite, as 'Neon Lights' proves a stalking, prowling gem. Opening with a scatty, firefly motif akin to an MD-tinged 'Pinball Wizard', Clark's now-signature otherworldly vocals fade in, fade out as they taunt the listener ('In and under neon lights, got no husband, got no wife, all I want's a view tonight'), as gleefully sinister bass blossoms from the tribal rhythms. Growing and escalating, it's an absolutely captivating listen; and no doubt perfect for upcoming festival appearances at Glastonbury, Longitude and Bestival.

Listen: The Chemical Brothers 'Under Neon Lights' feat. St Vincent

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'.