Archive for January, 2010
The Winter Of Mixed Drinks: one play, one review
Friday, January 29th, 2010
FRIGHTENED RABBIT’S new album landed on my doorstep this morning so let’s forget the pleasantries and get right down to the big issues: Is it any good? Is it better than The Midnight Organ Fight? Have Frightened Rabbit turned into Snow Patrol?
Yes. Not quite. No.
Here are The Pop Cop’s first impressions, track-by-track…
1. Things
The album begins with about 30 seconds of guitar feedback. “I didn’t need these things,” implores Scott Hutchison to some frantic kick-drumming. The vocals are multi-layered and the song has a very industrial feel, definitely nothing like they’ve done before. “This is you and me, you’re my human heat” is a neat link to The Twist’s “I need human heat” line. Loving it!
2. Swim Until You Can’t See Land
You should already know this one. It’s like a big hug. Very easy to feel blissed out with all those water metaphors.
3. The Loneliness And The Scream
More layered vocals. Initially you get the impression it’ll be an Old Old Fashioned footstomp, but it’s more like classic Primal Scream mixed with Belle & Sebastian’s Women’s Realm thanks to the constant handclaps. You think it’s going to end but at 2:40 it kicks in again with some hyper “woah-oh-oh-oh” harmonies. Holy shit, this is brilliant! This will be a live favourite for sure.
4. The Wrestle
Such a cool, simple bass riff drives it, reminiscent of Cannonball by The Breeders. We’ve got another classic pop anthem on our hands. I can’t really explain why but it has a very Scottish flavour to it.
5. Skip The Youth
Takes a while to get going. The vocals are very clean and it hares along at a cracking tempo. There’s a lot of instrumentation going on and there’s an epic ending to round it all off. Yes!
6. Nothing Like You
The next single. The melody is so catchy and just unrelenting. It’s soooooo fast.
7. Man/Bag Of Sand
The album’s Bright Pink Bookmark. Scott sings “Swim Until You Can’t See Land” very roughly and there’s some harmonica and accordion. The track is bookended by a clip from what sounds like a very old film, no idea which one. I’ll probably end up skipping this one in future, to be honest.
8. Foot Shooter
It’s an epic, slow-burning anthem and, dare I say it, a bit Snow Patrol. This sounds like the money shot.
9. Not Miserable
Scott’s exorcising some demons here. Very poignant lyrics: “Most of the misery’s gone. Gone, gone to the bone”. The drums and strings don’t kick in till the last minute, but most of the song is piano and harmony-driven.
10. Living In Colour
This one has had a fair few live outings and the recorded version certainly doesn’t disappoint. You can’t resist those thumping drums. This could definitely be a set-closer.
11. Yes, I Would
A very Biffy Clyro-esque ballad. “The loss of a lonely man never makes much of a sound” stands out lyric-wise. Scott’s really trying for a falsetto. Go on, son!
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Haddow Fest: The latest member of Scotland’s multi-venue festival craze
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Glasgow has had The Sauchiehall Crawl, Hinterland and Stag & Dagger in the past couple of years – now it’s time for Edinburgh to get in on the act of hosting a multi-venue music festival.
The inaugural HADDOW FEST will be held on Sunday, March 28 at various locations throughout the capital including The Bongo Club (450 capacity), Electric Circus (250), Cabaret Voltaire (250), Sneaky Pete’s (100), The GRV (250), Maggie’s Chambers (250) and Whistlebinkies (250). Most venues will open from 1pm-midnight, with the headliners expected to take to the stage at around 10.30pm.
The mammoth line-up of 75 bands features mostly Scottish indie talent such as Idlewild, We Were Promised Jetpacks, The Dykeenies, Sergeant, My Latest Novel, Tango In The Attic, Mitchell Museum and The Gillyflowers as well as a few bands from down south like The Paddingtons and The Chapman Family.
The event is being organised by English promoter Hamish Jolly, who is a booking agent for Towers Of London, London Blackmarket and Edinburgh garage-rock group The 10:04s who, funnily enough, are all on the Haddow Fest bill.
Until a finalised schedule is released there’s no way of telling if your favourites bands will clash, but if you’re happy to take your chances then snap up a ticket for £18 (including booking fees) from here.
We Were Promised Jetpacks – Blindsided (Bon Iver cover)
The Paddingtons – Some Old Girl
The Dykeenies – Stitches
My Latest Novel – Pretty In Panic
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The best Scottish music photo of 2009
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
When we launched The Pop Cop’s competition to find the Best Scottish live music photo of 2009, what we didn’t tell you was that we had lined up a very special guest to judge the entries – the world-renowned Glasgow-born photographer HARRY BENSON.
The man is a legend. He got his first break when he travelled with The Beatles to America in 1964, taking some of the band’s most iconic shots. Since then, Mr Benson has photographed every US president from Eisenhower to Obama, as well as the likes of Michael Jackson, Judy Garland, Mick Jagger, James Brown and Amy Winehouse. He was awarded the CBE last year for his services to photography and is currently contracted to Vanity Fair.
After carefully studying every single entry to our humble competition, Mr Benson picked out Su Anderson’s image of Dananananaykroyd as the winner. Su’s prize is a pair of weekend camping tickets to this year’s Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival and her picture will be displayed down the side of this website for the next 12 months. Well done, Su!
WINNER
Photographer: Su Anderson, Edinburgh (website)
Subject: Calum Gunn, Dananananaykroyd
Location: T in the Park, Balado; July 12, 2009
Su Anderson: “I was photographing Scottish bands at T in the Park for Under the Radar, focusing on the BBC Introducing stage. It was my first time seeing Dananananaykroyd live. I knew they were an an enthusiastic band, to put it mildly, but I didn’t realise it would be quite so energetic. The two singers really played up to the crowd, taking turns flinging themselves around the stage and jumping into the pit area – one almost landing on my camera gear. The barricade between the stage and the throng of sunburned festival-goers had a ledge around it wide enough for someone to stand on. The singer climbed onto it and so did I, and I shot several frames, but this was the only one where his face was visible. They really were one of the funnest bands I’ve ever shot, giving me a wealth of options, but this one is my favourite.”
Harry Benson: “The photograph is real and not altered in Photoshop, and I like that straightforward approach. The photographer is right in the middle of the action, which is where the photographer should be.”
2ND PLACE
Photographer: Jessica Newell, Edinburgh (website)
Subject: Iain Stewart, Bronto Skylift
Location: Bloc, Glasgow; November 11, 2009
Jessica Newell: “I went along to Bloc to photograph Rod Jones’ (Idlewild) solo set. I was unaware until I got there that Bronto Skylift were playing. It was a nice surprise as their live show is extremely energetic and a lot of fun to photograph. This shot is near the end. All of the drum kit was lifted up onto a table – with various people holding up various bits of kit – where it was played for the remainder of the song. This image captures the excitement of their live show.”
Harry Benson: “The photographer got right to the centre of what was happening and, to me, that is what makes a good photograph – not standing back, but going for the centre of the action.”
3RD PLACE
Photographer: Martin Senyszak, Edinburgh (website)
Subject: Robert Stevenson, A Silent Film
Location: Moshulu (now Warehouse), Aberdeen; May 2, 2009
Martin Senyszak: “My mates’ band, Indian Red Lopez, were playing and I was working for them. A Silent Film were headlining and I saw the shot appear so I ducked to the side of the stage to grab it. It was very much in the heat of the moment.”
Harry Benson: “Very moody, a bit of a film noir approach, done very well.”
Honourable mentions
Andy Thorn - Simple Minds (AECC, Aberdeen; December 12, 2009)
Bartosz Madejski - The Twilight Sad (ABC 1, Glasgow; May 23, 2009)
Sinéad Grainger - Twin Atlantic (Studio 24, Edinburgh; October 2, 2009)
Otto Koota - The Red Hot Chilli Pipers (Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Pitlochry; March 10, 2009)
Harry Benson: “I had to add an Honourable Mentions category. It was very hard to choose just three. There are many excellent photographs in the competition, many of which could have been number one and I would say to all those who entered to keep working and not let anyone discourage you. The photographs are all very well taken and each has a presence of its own.”
Bonus photo (chosen by The Pop Cop)
Stephen Hughes - Gossip (The Arches, Glasgow; May 30, 2009)
The Pop Cop: We just loved this image of Beth Ditto so forgive us for indulging you with another photograph – that’s what happens when the standard is so high. We’d like to express our gratitude to Mr Benson for taking time out of his busy schedule to judge this competition and we’d also like to say a massive thank-you to everyone who submitted entries.
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