Latitude Festival 2012 - Preview Part One

http://www.latitudefestival.co.uk/

Latitude Festival is in (slightly less than) two weeks now, I really cannot wait. I've not been to Latitude before but in a year without Glastonbury (though after last years mud-baths, ever increasing capacity / mainstream line-ups and old age catching up with me it could be my last) I've been looking for a few smaller, less 'mainstream' festivals to get my festival fix. Latitude is the first traditional festival where I'll be taking my tent, rather than basking in hotel based glory as at The Great Escape. I've got absolutely everything crossed for the weather, surely we are due a few days without rain soon?!

Latitude's sub-card is exemplary, the main stage commands the biggest names, Elbow, Paul Weller and more but it's in the smaller stages where I plan on spending most of my time (a couple of exceptions to come in my previews), split over two parts I'll now give a dozen acts who I recommend you check out if you are heading to Sufflok yourself (or if you want to discover some great music).

First though, a massive hat tip to Bands with iPhones whom without I wouldn't go attending at all, I owe her (sorry!) quite a few beers and gigs!

Sharon Van Etten - Facebook
Saturday 14th July - The Word Arena

Sharon Van Etten's Tramp is one of the albums of the year so far, she opens Latitude's second stage The Word Arena on the festivals second morning, Saturday and I expect it to be a busy start as people wearily leave the confines of their tents and head to hear the heavenly tones of the Brooklyn singer/songwriter who, after three albums each better than the last is finally seeing some commercial and critical reward. Expect Tramp to feature heavily in 'tastemakers' end of year polls too.

Unmissable for everybody who is not out partying too heavily on Friday night!

Josh T Pearson - Facebook
Saturday 14th July - The Word Arena

Josh T. Pearson is a must see, a genuine must see. If you take my infallible love of The Joy Formidable out of the equation last year's Last of the Country Gentlemen and the JTP live show at The Great Escape last May were my favourite album / live show of the year, and believe me it's just as amazing now as it was about 14 months ago when it was released.

Josh doesn't seem to play its devastating centrepiece "Honeymoon's Great! Wish You Were Her" live but the whole album is delivered with such heartbreaking fragility and beauty that I can't say any more come along and you will not regret it. The live show promises all that and bad jokes, bad jokes about Willie Nelson and more bad jokes. Cannot wait.

First Aid Kit - Facebook
Friday 13th July - Obelisk Arena

Another of the years finest records so far is First Aid Kit's second full-length The Lion's Roar. The Swedish sisters have long been a favourite folk-leaning act of mine, since I first saw them at back at Glastonbury 2010.

They've grown since and now backed by a full band have a full, deep sound that perfectly suits their breathtaking harmonies and(cliché time) mature-beyond-their- years lyrics. Sincere and heart-felt, latest single "Blue" the perfect insight to their beguiling balance of sweet voices and rich production.

Playing the main-stage of the festival on Friday afternoon, it'll be a far cry from the Glasto set in front of about 40 people at the Greenpeace stage but one that promises to leave those in attendance spellbound.

St Vincent - Facebook
Sunday 15th July - The Word Arena

If you've been following this blog for about a year this pick is about as obvious as they come, I'm not quite sure why Annie Clark hasn't found the success in the UK her three exceptional albums deserve. I guess she's played Shepherd's Bush Empire but St Vincent deserves more. Much more.

Last years Strange Mercy perhaps best highlighting her ability. Annie Clark's vocals are one minute venomously strong, the next serenely sweet and her dense, inventive melodies equally prone to frenzied, rock spikes as experimental, electronic edges. Unorthodox, unique and Stunning.

It is though her extraordinary guitar playing (if you don't believe me check out her cover of Big Black's "Kerosene" below) that makes her so good to watch.

Greg Davies - Facebook
Friday 13th July - Comedy Arena

What's this comedy on a music blog? Pah. No seriously, Greg Davies is good, very good infact.

I was meant to be seeing him in February but snow put pay to that and I shall (extraordinary circumstances depending) be there on Friday afternoon to put that right.

I don't really know what to say about comedy; he's funny come and see him!

Bat For Lashes - Facebook
Sunday 15th July - Obelisk Arena

The Internet (well sections of it) went a bit stir crazy a couple of weeks back when Natasha Khan annouced her long awaiting return with Bat For Lashes third album (The Haunted Man due October 15th), some not so hot quality live qualities soon did the rounds, but I'm trying to hold off to experience the new tracks first hand as on the main stage of the festival on Sunday evening.

If it's anything like the first two albums we won't be dissapointed and to steal some words direct from the BBC's review of the first Bat For Lashes album, I'm hoping for a show that is 'ethereal, cinematic, fantastical'.

Twenty Five of the Best Songs of 2011 - Part Two

12. Zola Jesus - Vessel
Posted 29th June: "Vessel" is a stunning return for Nika Roza Danilova, harsh metallic beats and Nika's colossal voice create an immediate, menacing atmosphere that's dramatic and chilly."


11. Dum Dum Girls - Coming Down
Posted 20th July: "Coming Down" is a real heart on sleeve lament. Dee Dee's smoky vocals recall more Hope Sandoval than the lo-fi fuzzed-out Shangri-La's of the debut. Languid, echoey guitars shimmer with emotion and longing, complementing the woozy and wistful lyrics perfectly, everything about this track is mellow, luscious, amazing. For those late night, alcohol soaked melancholic moments. Undeniably vulnerable and beautiful, if the album hits me like this track then it's going to be something special."


10. Echo Lake - Sunday Evening
Posted 3rd January and June 15th: "...Their sound highlighted perfectly on the shimmering beauty that is "Sunday Evening", with its hypnotising intensity, chiming guitars and foot-stomping progressive beat..."


9. Daughter - Love
Posted 10th November: "Elena's voice remains pure and beautiful throughout, it's probably one of the most emotionally affecting, gorgeous voices I've heard recently, listening to the opening verse of the heartbreaking "Love" with its wounded, confessional lyrics is a provides a genuine goosebumps moment. If you aren't amongst those 6000 followers perhaps now is the time to stand up and pay attention, I'm sure dozens of A&R guys already have."

8. The Great Wilderness - Dark Horse
Posted 22nd September: "Their most recent (and best) release is the spellbinding "Dark Horse", a sprawling nine minute epic, seamlessly flowing from luscious, dreamy melodies, shimmering guitar rhythms sewn together by vocalist Paola's haunting voice to a shattering cataclysm of pummelling drums and frenetic guitar riffs played with such searing intensity you'll be left gob smacked, then you'll want to press repeat, again and again."


7. The Joy Formidable - Spectrum
Posted 6th February: "Their sound is individual and unique, but recognisable and accessible. Whilst managing to simultaneously sound like and unlike every guitar band you ever heard, The Joy Formidable are a truly astonishing and daunting prospect but fortunately they are blessed with enough style and charisma to create the perfect package".

6. Braids - Lemonade
Posted 6th January: "Lemonade" is the stand-out, a seven minute masterpiece which pushes the boundaries of mainstream psych-pop, swirling, tropical soundscapes and bubbling ambient electronics give the perfect platform for Raphaelle's delicately soft vocals (which hide somewhat of a dirty mouth)."

5. I Break Horses - Hearts
Posted 10th May: "Hearts", for me at least, is the signature I Break Horses track, perhaps because it's what hooked me first, it's simply heavenly. Frozen beats sparkle while pulsating rhythms add a slightly sinister tone (my initial reaction was The Terminator theme) all softly woven amongst echoey drums and the hushed yet, ethereal coos of Maria Lindén. Her voice, as beautiful as it is, acts as another layer of the instrumentation where the lyrical content matters little."


4. Austra - The Beat and The Pulse
Posted 24th January: Austra are Domino's latest signing, the work of Katie Stelmanis whose debut release "Beat & The Pulse" is dominated by a powerful, pounding dance-floor filling dark electro beat"


3. Lanterns on The Lake - I Love You, Sleepyhead
Posted 29th November : "...windswept instrumentation sweeps and swoons while heartbroken melodies tug at your heart strings, the updated version of "I Love You, Sleepyhead" the perfection summation, genuinely gorgeous..."


2. EMA - California
Posted 1st April: "California" is beautifully stark, through grinding, droning walls of feedback, the opening line of "Fuck California, you made me boring" sums up Erika's defiance in one line and it's repeated refrain "I’m just 22 / I don’t mind dying" is almost triumphant."


1. Josh T. Pearson - Honeymoon's Great! Wish You Were Her
Posted 29th November : "The most stunning most though is on the devastating centrepiece "Honeymoon's Great! Wish You Were Her", the longest track in an album of lengthy numbers, at thirteen minutes it's raw, emotional and regretful "I’m in love with another woman, please don’t tell the wife / I cannot seem to stop it and it’s fuckin’ up my fucked up life" (in fact just read the whole lyrics here), a poetic lament to unrequited love and being stuck between two women. I'll repeat myself, an album of such heartbreaking fragility and beauty that I can't say any more than just listen to it."

My Favourite 25 Albums of 2011 - Part Five

Just Music That I Like’s Twenty Five Favourite Abums of 2011 aka The Best 25 Albums of the Year Part Five

Direct Links to Albums: 25 - 21 // 20 - 16 // 15 - 11 // 10 - 6 // 5 - 1

5. Austra - Feel It Break

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From my introduction to Austra, the dark, brooding beat driven "Beat and the Pulse" to the more pop-friendly hooks of the stylised "Lose It", 'Feel it Break' the brain child of Katie Stelmanis is majestic. First single "Beat & The Pulse" is certainly amongst the best tracks of the year, dominated by a dramatic, pulsating dance-floor energy that carries an undoubtedly sexy momentum throughout (thoughts of the Tasseomancy twins dancing in the live set don't help that!) it's probably the star of the show and it's no coincidence it was the first release from the record, it pulls you in like very few tracks I've heard this year.

Much of the album is much more shiny and light, than dark and Gothic, yes there are incredible empowered vocals which Katie's delivers pitch perfect and equally big, icy synths but 'Feel it Break' is full of potential pop hits too, rather than foreboding and menacing like an Esben and the Witch or Zola Jesus, Austra have made their enormous beats clean, polished and stylish, never more so than on "Lose it" and oblique sexual references on the glistening "The Future".

Other highlights are the enchanted melodies of "Spellwork", album opener "Darken Her Horse" which combines twinkling keys with an industrial rhythm and then "The Beast" which abandons the dance-oriented electronics in favour of a piano ballad which fully utilises Katie's powerful, operatically trained voice, the departure is starting and beautiful. In summation, it's an essential album.

Austra - Beat And The Pulse



4. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

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Simply put EMA's first solo record, the 90's influenced noise-grunge 'Past Life Martyred Saints' is a absolute knock-out. From the outset, the frankly insane one / two combination of "The Grey Ship" and "California" you know you are in for something special, raw and emotional throughout, Erika portrays a tough yet equally brittle persona through scuzzed-up guitars, intense vocal cries and compelling atmosphere, absolutely everything is laid on the line over the course of it's nine tracks...


The first half of the seven minute wonder "The Grey Ship" is like sailing in a melancholic and woozy ocean, tranquil and calm, but then it suddenly crashes into a thunderstorm with the introduction of a throbbing bass-line, washes of droning feedback, over-amped guitar, crazed violin and thumping drums. "California" is beautifully stark, through grinding, droning walls of feedback, the opening line of "Fuck California, you made me boring" sums up Erika's defiance in one line and it's repeated refrain "I’m just 22 / I don’t mind dying" is almost triumphant.

"Butterfly Knife" is an unrelenting four minutes of pure dissonance, sharp guitar shredding that is frenetic and fuzzed to fuck while the brash "Milkman" uses a deep industrial drum beat to head towards its noise harbouring conclusion.

Though it's Marked" that is probably my favourite track on the album, raw and bruised with its repetitive cries of "I wish that every time he touched me left a mark", Erika portraying a vulnerable, intimate side amongst the powerful, confident cries and dirty instrumentation. In a year of stunning debut records, EMA's is easily one of the best.

EMA: Marked



3. Lanterns on the Lake - Gracious Tide, Take Me Home

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Another band I discovered mid way through 2010 and who've spent 18 months firmly in the category of 'favourite bands' are Lanterns on the Lake, signed up by the impeccable Bella Union at the turn of the year the sextet spend the first six months playing a few shows (included the spine-tingling shows I caught at The Great Escape and finalising their album 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home' which was released in September

The album fulfilled every ounce of my incredible expectation, awash with natural beauty and elegance, the purposely restrained melancholia that shrouds the eleven tracks are the very definition of sensual, dreamy bliss. The soft, delicate whisper of Hazel's voice is enough to make you fall in love alone.

It's difficult to pick highlights, the album flows so beautifully it's best to sit and listen on one luscious sitting, windswept instrumentation sweeps and swoons while heartbroken melodies tug at your heart strings, the updated version of "I Love You, Sleepyhead" the perfection summation, genuinely gorgeous. Equally sumptuous is "If I've Been Unkind", a rich tapestry of intense beauty and arrangements from the heavens.

Another track revisited from the early EP's "A Kingdom" is fantastic, sweeping strings and galloping beat, Hazel's voice combines perfectly with Adam's while the graceful elegance of "Keep on Trying" provides more unrivalled emotional joy. Cinematic soundscapes delivered with such heart-tugging grace, it's simply to die for.

A Kingdom by Lanterns on the Lake



2. Josh T. Pearson - Last of the Country Gentlemen

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Josh T. Pearson, an absolute guarantee for my gig of the year (read my review of the first time I saw him and was left completely speechless here), ' Last of the Country Gentlemen', his first solo record and first release since an album with his then band Lift to Experience in 2001 is extraordinary. Everything about it is so compellingly heartbreaking, beautiful, transfixing that it's impossible to do it just in a brief review of about 200 words from a writer with zero ability, I feel pretty embarrassed just trying.

The flawless "Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ" is a dark, morose and lengthy track of stark, honest Americana / Country, lyrical, melancholic, and incredibly intelligent, like the entire album is deeply intimate and bears the scars of Josh's failed relationship. It's a hard ride for some, I've read countless one star reviews, personally I think this is possibly the most moving album I've ever heard. His guitar playing varying from quite shimmering to raucous strumming in an instant, he's quite the exceptional player too as anyone who has seen him live with testify.

"Woman, When I've Raised Hell" follows in similar fashion, equally heart-wrenching and haunting beauty, weaving a long road of candid and confessional narrative and self-pity "Honestly, why can’t you just let it be / And let me quietly drink myself to sleep". The most stunning most though is on the devastating centrepiece "Honeymoon's Great! Wish You Were Her", the longest track in an album of lengthy numbers, at thirteen minutes it's raw, emotional and regretful "I’m in love with another woman, please don’t tell the wife / I cannot seem to stop it and it’s fuckin’ up my fucked up life" (in fact just read the whole lyrics here), a poetic lament to unrequited love and being stuck between two women. I'll repeat myself, an album of such heartbreaking fragility and beauty that I can't say any more than just listen to it.

Josh T. Pearson - Woman When I've Raised Hell (Radio Edit) by Mute UK



1. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar

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If you've been here before then this is amongst the most obvious (but also the most deserving) top spot I'll ever give, I'm some what of a fan-boy when it comes to The Joy Formidable and their debut full length 'The Big Roar' is hands down my album of 2011, the band have defined by musical tastes of the past eighteen months plus and continue to do so, I cannot wait to see them again next year (and again and again) and am more excited than a kid in a sweet shop about the follow up due next year.

I'm not going to review this album, I've written about the band countless times already (including a lengthy prose just last week; read through the label here if you'd like to see that and do make sure you've at least listened to the record, it will blow you away.

Whirring by thejoyformidable

Josh T. Pearson - Daytrotter Session

http://www.joshtpearson.co.uk/

You may or may not have read my Great Escape review, if you did you'll know that for about the past two weeks I've been 101% obsesssed with Josh T. Pearson and his extraordinary LP 'Last of the Country Gentlemen'. I also said his 45 minute live show last weekend was one of the best I've ever seen and have since snapped up a ticket for a repeat performance at a special 'An Evening with Josh T. Pearson gig at The Barbican in November, if you've any sense and live somewhere remotely near to London you should do the same.

One of the best sites for special sessions had another treat for me this week in the form of a Josh T. Pearson Daytrotter session. You should go and download it right now because it is absolutely sublime.

Once you've done that, empty your diaries for the next twenty one minutes, this is more important:



and something a little more eclectic:


Genius, how this man is still playing small venues and not national theatres and halls I have no idea, see him now before the rest of the world catch on.

Josh T. Pearson - Woman When I've Raised Hell
Josh T. Pearson - Country Dumb (piano version)

The Great Escape 2011 - Friday Review

Day two of my The Great Escape 2011 review (Thursday here)

Friday lunchtime started as Thursday had, with a trip to Above Audio, whilst it's certainly not my favourite venue as the main standing area is by the exit door and close to the bar the stage is quite well positioned for views. First on were Norwegian troop Team Me who were pleasing enough, a rich typically Scandinavian guitar based indie-pop sound laced with electro and abundance of percussion played by six(?) multi-instrumentalists who put their all into the show, the venue was packed and I didn't see many leave which speaks for itself. 

Next are a band I was definitely interested in seeing, The Jezabels. Almost immediately we were treated to the enormous vocal of Hayley Mary, if you took a look at her slender frame you would never believe her capable of such a powerful performance as she pranced around the small stage. On tracks such as "Hurt M2" and "Mace Spray", the piano-led emotive, cinematic trademark of the group really shines. Overall there is no doubt the Aussie four piece are pretty impressive, my criticism could be down to the sheer size of the venue, their sound is meant for halls not a converted pub but on occasions there's perhaps too much going on, the drummer is incredible but in places with the sheer volume is a little overbearing, saying that I wouldn't hesitate to see them again given chance. 

Next I head to Shipwrights yard to catch The Smoke Fairies who are running late, Katherine later explains it was due to some traffic which means their set is cut short but what we do get is a wonderfully crafted brooding folk music, the girls are exceptional musicians, their intricate guitar work and tightly woven harmonies are utterly captivating, it's such a shame the set was so short (three songs). The fizzy vimto was to-die-for though, hadn't had one in years and it comes highly recommended.

I had a gap in my agenda so I took a chance and went to see Rebeka purely because I was in the mood for some 'dirty synths' as the programme notes called it (along with a more bizarre claim of Chinese Techno) and I was more than pleasantly surprised as the Polish duo were quite exhilarating in a highly enjoyable half hour set. Combining beat-heavy disco electronica with those raw, dirty synths previously mentioned, add in a couple of tracks with some crunching guitar and an energetic vocal and it adds up to a pulsating show, it sure had the mixed crowd at Horatio's dancing about, even at 3pm with the sound of the funfair a distant buzz. I'll certainly be checking out their music once I get the chance.

Four hours drinking yet again took its toll and I retire for a rest before kicking off my evening session at Above Audio for Canadian youngsters (I hadn't previously realised how young) Modern Superstitions who are thoroughly enjoyable in a half hour set led by the energetic lead of singer Nyssa. Her spunky performance and Chrissie Hynde howl vocal is certainly the highlight, overall it's charismatic, entertaining and damn-right fun, the punky guitar lines and catchy tracks were a more than pleasant way to kick off the evening.

I had so many options of bands to see next but I decided to stick to my pre-festival agreement with myself to see bands I'd never caught before ahead of ones I had so I reluctantly missed Still Corners (thankfully they've two London shows next month) and head to the Prince Albert to see Rachel Sermanni.

Now I'm not really convinced this was the ideal setting for her, the Albert is a dark, dingy room on top of a quite decent pub (it sells Birra Moretti on tap after all) though once the young Scottish folkstress steps onto the stage the setting is soon forgotten, you are transferred to a much more serene place as her captivating, well crafted and incredibly beautiful music calms you with a blissful ease, literally causing goosebumps with its spellbinding quality. As she stepped onto the stage she came across as a little shy so it was really alluring to find that Rachel is really witty and funny, in-between tracks she talks with ease and confidence with some amusing stories and song introductions. Soon a potentially tricky venue where you could easily expect to hear the clunking of beer glasses at the bar is quickly transformed to a silent theatre, with an attentive crowd eager to hear every word from Rachel. Her guitar work was also exemplary, some traditional folk strumming along side more slightly aggressive up-tempo turns too, she sometimes plays with a backing group, on this performance I don't see the need.

I really shouldn't say things like this given most music I think should be household is reserved for small clubs whilst mundane and mediocre artists rule the charts, but if this young and talented lady doesn't find herself with an army of devoted fans before long, then the world really is in need of some help.
She teased us with mention of future releases, I hope that one isn't too far away, I'm eager to hear more.

Next up are one of my favourite acts Let's Buy Happiness, I'd first seen them at TGE last year and in the interim year I'd fallen for them time and time again on record and become increasingly encouraged by their developing live sound, the good news is that they are still finding room for improvement. There are some great new tracks in the set, my memory is shocking but "Dirty Legs" was one title, you can tell they are increasingly confident and comfortable on stage as the expand on their dynamic shimmering guitar soundscapes. A reworking of "Works Better on Paper" especially wonderful, alongside singles "Fast Fast" and "Six Wolves" and a favourite of mine "Clean Mistake". Sarah is as charming and immediate as ever, her beautiful vocal is certainly one of my favourites in the business, though, just where is "Devil's Show"?!

There was only one place I heading next, to the Pavillion Theatre to catch Josh T. Pearson. I arrived in plenty of time (thankfully as the venue was soon to be packed with both Josh and Villagers fans) and begin waiting a little while for Josh to arrive, when he does he is taller than I anticipated carrying a cable for his amp in a couple of Rough Trade bags. He starts dead on time, perhaps a little early and immediately showcases a dry sense of humour as he jokes about his age, tiredness and not knowing what day of the week it is. He then kicks into the first of his "ten minute chart smashes", "Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ" which (as you'd

expect if you've heard his extraordinary album 'Last Of The Country Gentlemen') is a dark, morose and lengthy track of stark, honest Americana.

"Woman, When I've Rasied Hell" follows in similar fashion, equally heart-wrenching and hauntingly beautiful, the audience remains silent throughout. It's completely captivating, his achingly painful and honest words, a face that shows signs of a thousand heartaches, every single second is absolutely commanding, all this whilst he flawlessly strums at his acoustic guitar with nonchalant ease.

Josh was due to play 30 minutes but the enormous reception he received meant neither Josh nor the crowd wanted it to end so we were treated to some more jokes (most not so good!)  and "Thou Art Loosed", the audience response at the end was probably the loudest reception I heard all weekend, I think it reached Josh too and he appears not to want to leave before a Villagers roadie finally asks him to finish his majestic set.

I've been to a few gigs in my times (275 according to Songkick) and this 45 minute set ranks amongst one of the most jaw dropping things I have ever seen, he plays London in November, don't miss it.

The night ends with disappointment, a trip up to the Green Door Store to see Planningtorock ends before it has started, an earlier blown up PA system led to ptr not playing, certainly a shame for the queuing crowds, though I'll get a chance to see her next week and after the Josh T. Pearson show perhaps it's fitting that I hear no more live music, I have a couple of reflective beers instead, Friday you were pretty spectacular.

Unlike the pictures, this video isn't mine:

Rachel Sermanni : Sleep @ The Great Escape 2011 from Josh Butterworth on Vimeo.