Saturday 26 April 2014

Youth Club + More @ Camden's Proud


It takes guts to command the space of a stage on your own, especially when your as petite as Naomi Mclernon of Plastic Rebellion. However I don't think being self-conscious even occurred to Naomi as she took boundless confidence to every inch of the stage. The grunge-styled  blonde siren and her deck spinning partner in crime took the crowd for a ride with  haunting vocals accompanying night-fuelled urban vibes.  Are stage presences alter-egos or an expression of the wildness that we all have tucked away inside us? I was a tad nervous approaching Naomi after her set but I had no reason to be as she seems to keep her attitude reserved for her sets, meeting Naomi off-stage I was  met with a softly-spoken lady, genuinely pleased with the positive reaction to her performance.

Plastic Rebellion
Waking Volcanoes, a Essex based Indie Rock band who succeed in stripping away all pretensions with on-stage banter ('I can tell I'm hitting the right notes from the faces of the people in the front row') were the next to take charge of the room. Switching between intricate, melodic guitar work and unapologetic riffs, alongside deep vocals courtesy of Pat Watt, Waking Volcanoes sent ripples of excitement across the crowd with their unique set arrangement.

The crowd suddenly fell still and a stunned silence spread across the room as the party-goers stopped what they were doing and looked on in awe as the silhouette of underground European darlings Bloom Twins were set behind a haze of blue smoke. Being seen on stage was not a necessity as they layered their powerful vocals upon one another which echoed around fascinated ears. Identical twins from the Ukraine certainly grabbed everyone's attention but it was their electronic beats and ethereal harmonies that kept the room in awe. Recently attracting the accolade of the music press, I fully understand the foothold that they have as Bloom Twins are a band that you don't watch, but experience.

Plastic Rebellion, Waking Volcanoes and Bloom Twins were the bands that I discovered that night, but Youth Club were the band that I was there to see. Youth Club sent youthful energy rippling through the crowd for the launch of their aptly named ep 'Colours' with tracks such as 'She's A Dancer' which nobody stood still for. Youth Club are charismatic brothers Danny Blanco and Joe Fran who joined forces with the talents that are Gerrard Duffield and Rees Broomfield. Bringing smooth R 'n' B vibes to the dancefloor of Proud which merged with classic club beats, Youth Club created a memorable night in Camden as a party spirit rippled through the warm, spring night. Hopefully I'll be able to catch Youth Club live again soon as I am planning on making their ep the soundtrack to my summer.



Links

Plastic Rebellion



Waking Volcanoes




Bloom Twins




Youth Club








Wednesday 16 April 2014

Norwegian Wrestling and Elton John: Exclusive Interview With The Vinos




Being in the right place at the right time was how I found The Vinos and met their leading lady, Grethe Borsum. Deciding to arrive at Liverpool's Zanzibar earlier then planned in the evening last March was the said time and place and being the first band on stage that night, it was The Vinos' job to kick things off for the night. With their heavy, solid tunes there was a mutual agreement between the crowd that there was a definite edge to this band.

So having formed in 2012, who are The Vinos exactly? Grethe explains, 'Me and Ian already knew each other from playing together in the past. He studied with Tim and knew Joel from the jam-nights he'd host. We're all passionate musicians and came together to play the music we love to people who will listen. The band clicked the second we jammed our first tune. You could say it was 'rock' at first sight.'  Heading over to their website ( http://thevinosmusic.com/ ) The Vinos are described as 'Rock Music, lyrics with ambiguity and a few surprises along the way'. Those who have listened to their music have no doubt been pleasantly surprised, but what has managed to surprise this Liverpudlian four piece so far? 'I'm pleasantly surprised by how open people are to genre-blending and listening to music they normally wouldn't. A lot of our songs can be quite heavy and I've met people who usually listen to pop or r&b really enjoy what we do. We're not afraid to experiment or play around. We even did a rocky cover of "Let it Go" from Frozen recently live and people loved it.' 

I knew that I had a new band ticking away on my radar when I walked out of the Zanzibar that night but it wasn't until I had got back to my laptop back down in South London that it became a certainty that I needed to have this interview! It was the video to hit track 'Bite The Bullet' that decided this for me as the action packed, gritty track is suitably set in a wrestling ring, with Grethe herself doing the fair share of the heavy lifting (which you can see for yourself here) Where does one even go about finding a Norwegian wrestler these days anyway? 'I've been a fan of wrestling for years so when I wrote, "Bite the Bullet" there was no doubt in my mind we needed a wrestling music video. "Big-John" the wrestler in the video is a retired Norwegian Wrestling Champion and a dear friend of mine. So when I asked him to feature in the video I got a firm and booming YES! Also, I've always wanted to kick some ass and wrestle! This was a great excuse to finally be able to do so! And the rest is history ;)'   




So between throwing grown men to the ground and paving the way for kick ass leading ladies in rock, Grethe also manages to find the time to enjoy a bit of photography. 'For me they (music and photography) go hand in hand. I'll take a picture and maybe it'll give me an idea for a new song. I almost always play music during my shoots as it relaxes or energizes the person I'm photographing. Music is a powerful tool. Sometimes I'll get ideas for photoshoots I do for artists because of their songs. I listen to the music of the bands I photograph before the shoot to understand them better and come up with ideas that match their style.'  Not only does Grethe find her inspiration within photography, but The Vinos also turn to a variety of artists and genres to create their sound. 'I listen to absolutely any and every genre. I draw inspiration from songwriters like Kate Bush, Patti Smith, Elton John and Janis Ian. Bands like Foo Fighters, Queen, Heart, and metal bands like Disturbed and Metallica. In the end, it's not about the genre or the band but about what the music gives you in that particular moment in time. How it inspires and excited you.'  That has been their journey so far, but there are still plans bubbling away underneath the surface as Grethe explains about future schemes 'We definitely do have plans for an album. At the moment we are working on an EP to build a momentum and get people excited about the album. Our main focus is playing live to get people to hear our music. In fact, if you happen to be in Liverpool Saturday 19th April, we'll be playing at the Pilgrim. Come down and have a beer and listen to some good music!'


Visit the links below to find out more about The Vinos but before you do, here's their promotional video for ApplePicking

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheVinosBand

Website: http://thevinosmusic.com/




Wednesday 9 April 2014

'One More Lonely Heart' Debut Single From Katie Coleman


With her distinctive, soulful vocals and boundless energy, Katie Coleman brings her trademark attitude to her debut single 'One More Lonely Heart' which is available as a free download this Friday.


Mixed at Elephant Lane Studios, 'One More Lonely Heart' is a tale of karma with an urban twist. With a set of powerful lungs, Katie Coleman narrates the consequences of toying with men's hearts, demonstrating her down to earth personality through colloquial lyrics. The full of potential of Coleman's vocals are released in this track, which grants an already staunch single added spice. In addition to this, the catchy backing vocals will leave you humming the chorus for hours following listening. Another factor which deems this rock solid as a debut is the way in which the guitar work compliments the narrative. Taking a back seat initially, there is a build up of momentum before creating an explosive chorus and a memorable outro. 



'Shy and retiring' are certainly not two words that you would place in the same sentence with Katie Coleman (despite just doing so) and it's her larger than life personality that seeps through the pores of this single. Produced by Mike Bianco and mixed by Thomas Juth, 'One More Lonely Heart' is an exciting start to what lies in store for Katie Coleman. 

Be sure to keep your ears peeled for 'So Much Love' which will be available alongside 'One More Lonely Heart' on an upcoming EP due for release in early summer. 








Saturday 5 April 2014

Band Profile: The Cradles



Walking into the world of music blogging after the firm establishment of Twitter, I wonder how music fans coped before the advent of the site. How else would I have discovered so many unique rock and Indie bands up and down the country? It would most probably take a whole lot more leg work! One such band that Twitter has recently brought to my attention is Cardiff based band The Cradles. 

The Cradles grants us the vibes of the '60s with a sound that takes us unapologetically to the blueprints of British rock.  Vibrant guitar riffs and lyrics of modern life provides the main framework for the Welsh rock group. They provide the soundtrack to the 'common condition' of the need to break free from the drudgery of everyday routine. This concept is the basis of the guitar heavy track 'Do You Wonder Why?'. With it's echoing, moody riffs combined with Joe Norman's low key vocals, 'Do You Wonder Why?' is a stand out track in the band's catalouge.  


If McCartney's 'Just Another Day' and 'Eleanor Rigby' decided to have a lovechild, it would most probably sound a lot like 'Stamp Man'. Kieran O' Brien' and Toby Andrews pays much attention to the melodies on their guitar work, which alongside the soft and subtle backing vocals, creates a traditional sound. Those who are usually drawn to more upbeat tracks should give 'You Won't Find Anything Else' and the demo of 'Locking My Door' a listen. 

It's always a shame when I discover a band that's based halfway up the country as it means that it's unlikely I'll be able to catch a live performance. This is the same case for The Cradles as if they sound that great coming out of my laptop speakers than they are definitely going on my list that's titled 'Bands That I want to see live but they are actually quite far away'. However if you live a lot closer to Cardiff than I do, make sure you catch them tonight at The Factory or tomorrow night  at The Moon Club.