So, Doctor Who isn’t fulfilling your Saturday night entertainment? You go to bed at 10.30 feeling cheated and wanting more? Well more is what you can have this Saturday with the third installment of the REJECT MUSICAL TRASH CLUB NIGHT

We return for another night of alternative and indie classics new and old with a sprinkling of electroclash punk and dodgy pop all played as badly as you like, we aim to please but please…no more U2 or Razorlight requests, we haven’t got it and they’re shite!

This Saturday May 13th 2006) at Old Parrs Head Upper Street (near the fire station) Islington London, N1 9pm til late (FREE!!!)

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It must be over 10 years since I’ve been to the Faversham and it was a very different place then. I didn’t recognise it’s interior as I arrived. The Howling Bells are just one of a new breed of guitar acts benefiting from this new thriving scene. Say what you like about the NME’s cringing coined phase ‘New Yorkshire’, we shouldn’t complain as they’ve practically set up camp here, putting on amazing nights like this, with new bands who would have only played London previously.

They arrive on stage just before 11:30pm, to a modest crowd, it could have been bigger had the Kaiser cocks not decided to put on two open air shows in town this weekend, but they settle into their set with miraculous ease. There’s a comfortable smugness about The Howling Bells stage persona, but when you have songs as good as these you can afford the privilege. Launching into the gritty bass lead, ‘Low Happening’, Juanita Stein’s vocals gliding across the guitars as sexily as she looks…..and god does she look good. She proves herself as a live performer, the debut album showcases her incredible vocal range and live she backs this up every inch.

The band at worse are tight, pulling out all the stops, complementing everyone’s input. Set highlights include the awesome Kevin Shields inspired ‘Wishing Stone’ and the windswept uplifting melodically beautiful ‘Setting Sun’.

Australia’s Howling Bells have proved that this guitar phenomena isn’t just restricted to Blighty and the States. They are playing us at our own game, and are pretty damn good at it.

9/10 

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Thank you Noel….. and I don’t say that often. Mr Gallagher has always been a fan of the band, despite the famous Manchester Liverpool divide, and after Shack were left without a deal a couple of years ago, he signed them to his Sour Mash label.

Shacks Michael and John Head have come along way since the 80’s days of The Pale Fountains but fortunately their song writing capabilities haven’t diminished in any way shape or form. ‘Tie Me Down’ lead by keyboard orchestration to give an authentic tin pot appeal works brilliantly, bringing a post war colliery works band sound with moving vocals and melody not too dissimilar to that of Elbow and King Creosote.

A touching little number taken from the forthcoming album, ‘The Corner Of Miles and Gil’, which if this is anything to go by should be an impressive follow to ‘Here’s Tom With The Weather’.

8/10

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1. Howling Bells – Setting Sun (taken from the debut album ‘Howling Bells’)

Taken from a stunning debut album. This track in particular showcases the bands breathtaking melodic charm. A very moving number both uplifting and atmospheric, deep reverbed guitars and sultry vocals take this song to another dimention.
 
2.Captain -  Broke (New Single)
3. Morrissey – The youngest was the most loved (New single)
4. Belle and Sebastian – White Collar Boy (new single)
5. The Upper Room – Black and white (new single)
6. The Futureheads – Burnt (taken from the new album ‘News and tributes’)
7. Film School – 11:11 (new single)
8. The Dears – There goes my outfit (taken from the new Bella Union sampler)
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Turn into (taken from the album ’show  your bones’)
10. The Pet Shop Boys – I’m with stupid (new single)

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San Diego’s Black Heart Procession have been on the go for years and have no less that 5 albums under their belt, not that they have made a significant impact over here until recently.

For those into your generic angular indie this is likely to have you running for the hills. For although it is possible to trace some contemporary similarities with the likes of Arcade Fire and Mercury Rev who have all indulged the darker elements of semi orchestrated led guitar music, this band take it a step further.

Black Heart Procession are a little bleaker in lyric and sound.  The gravely fashionably off key vocals of singer Pal Jenkins resemble a distinct nod to early Tom Waits , and musically they carry the same bleak yet intriguing qualities of The Tindersticks. Indulging tortured soul seeking from the bottom of a whiskey bottle. The title track ‘The Spell’ and ‘The Letter’ with heartbreaking chord sequences led by an emotional wavering lead violin, help paint a picture of love, loss, loneliness and pain. Probably not an album to spin if you’re planning a night on the town, but there’s an honesty and beauty in all of these 11 songs. They seize the heart with a delicate melancholy and wrap you in their troubles.

This may not sound like a pleasure cruise but there’s something uplifting about this kind of misery. Everyone deserves an hour with this album in the cold winter months with a bottle of your spirit of choice. You can get back to your Girls Aloud afterwards and everything will be ok again.

8/10

James Heward

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You could be forgiven for being a tad sceptical of Howling Bells credentials. Australian bands have come and gone over the years, most signed to Melbourne’s Mushroom records and by the time they’ve trickled through into the British market, the hype and usually superseded the talent. Heather Nova, Frente, Paradise Motel, to name but a few all showed promise but lacked consistency and more importantly the ability to hold our attention and subsequently died.

Howling Bells couldn’t be more different. Even before the pr machine ha spun into overdrive and the NME has given them their shallow seal of approval, it’s clear this band have a great future. They have the look, the songs, the style and a vocalist whose sultry range will melt you instantly. Perhaps their most obvious redeeming feature from the outset is they sound like nothing being lauded over us at present. Several thousand miles have shielded them from ‘New Yorkshire’ and the drug addled London pretentiousness of Libertines copycats. Though vocally you can vaguely connect Juanita Stein with other great contemporary singers such as Polly Harvey, Jenny Lewis and even Harriet Wheeler of The Sundays, essentially her dynamic scale is her own.

With the early 90’s shoegazy rock of My Bloody Valentine and ethereal sounds of Slowdive, the band use these influences to great effect, combining them with classic American country and folk. Joel Steins haunting reverbed lead guitar solo’s complete with plentiful bottle neck slide, sounds breathtaking when performed above their twisted chord changes. These songs are unpredictable and exciting. The recent single, ‘Wishing Stone’, a dirty sounding monster of a track that salivates in the corner tamed by Steins gorgeous vocals is a stark contrast to the anthemic ‘lets all come together’ ethics of ‘Setting Sun’ the melody of which is quite simply beautiful.

As a debut album this is a true marvel. Giving the impression it was compiled with throw away ease. Every song is distinctive and impressive. The new single ‘Blessed Night’ a little treat withheld for the closing moments of the album, is proof that the Howling Bells song writing is good enough to comfortably leave gems like these so far on into the track listing. These songs are steeped with uplifting melodic atmospherics. Very special indeed.

9/10

James Heward

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Call me slow, but I’ve only recently discovered the charms of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. In truth I never really rated them. Perhaps it was Karen O’s art school mentality, the pretentious stage strut and the fact that she clearly absorbed the insane media attention like the worlds largest sponge.

I gave, ‘Fever To Tell’, a go but gave up half way, I’d somewhat unfairly already decided I didn’t like them…..Forward through to February 2006 and I’m casually listening to Tom Robinson on 6 Music, not really taking anything in until this amazing track comes out of the blue, one of those moments where you stop in your tracks and stop what your doing. It was, ‘Gold Lion’, and I’m at that moment a believer. The confident stomping all most regimental rhythm, insanely catchy guitar riff, coupled with Karen’s larger than life vocals, I take it back, she’s an incredible vocalist.

Call me slow again but I was late getting hold of ‘Show Your Bones’, perhaps I was insisting to myself that they were a one trick pony, but the other day I finally got round to spinning it and well Like the time sat listening to 6 music I was left speechless. It’s quite simply stunning. The main fundamental difference between this and their previous album is the strength in song writing. This is band who have clearly grown up and although the post punk ethics are still their key motivation, the self destructive sabotage of melody that seemed to dominate a lot of previous promising material has seemingly been suppressed. This is also present in the lyrics. Gold Lion is of course a classic example of this new found maturity. The Songs ‘Turn Into’ and ‘Cheated Hearts’ are others that show a whole new side to the band, brilliant dare I say it ‘pop’ songs with emotive drive and genuine heartfelt passion.

Legendary indie producer Alan Moulder, responsible for his work with the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Curve amongst others is at the helm, and allows the gritty punky moments of  songs such as ‘Mysteries’ and ‘Déjà vu’ to come to the fore, whilst coaxing the more sensitive elements a chance to shine, the acoustic driven numbers ‘Warrior’ and’ Way Out’ are given just enough breathing space to develop without being too overly produced, he was clearly the perfect choice for these extraordinary songs.

Show Your Bones is absolutely stunning and will be seen as a classic in years to come…..Did I tell you I was a fan right from the start….?

10/10

James Heward

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