10 search results for ‘marko’

Blakfish Farewell Show

All good things must come to an end, and so it was when Blakfish played their final ever show in front of a packed-out Flapper in Birmingham last Friday. I had never been to a band’s final gig before (at least not knowing so it would be the final one at the time), but every Blakfish gig I have ever attended has had such an incredible party atmosphere, and this show was no exception. A room full of friends and fans with one clear connection - a love for this band and the music they have given us over the past decade

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RIP Blakfish: 2000-2010

Earlier this week I heard the sad news that during their European tour with Biffy Clyro, Blakfish co-vocalist/guitarist Sam ‘Mule’ Manville decided to call it a day. It’s a shame to see such a great band come to a premature end, especially so soon after their stunning debut album had started to take them places, but the toils of touring can take their toll.

The news came as a big shock, as it did when Colour announced their split last summer (although Alan and Trood play on as Tangled Hair) and Reuben in 2008. And Million Dead before them. And Beecher before them. So many great British bands have split so early in their careers.

Anyway, the remaining members of Blakfish have stated they will continue to make music, in what form I do not know, but I can’t wait to find out. Until then there are several EP’s and an album (which I cannot recommend enough) to enjoy. And if you like them buy some merch while you still can…

Marko

New Ratatat Album

New York guitar-led electronic wizards Ratatat are set to follow up 2008’s fantastic LP3 with the imaginatively titled LP4 on February 15th. Although mostly recorded during the same sessions that yielded its predecessor, the new album will apparently most definitely not be LP3 part 2.

The album will feature a horde of unusual instruments including Japanese Biwa and Pipa (leading to rumours of tours with a string quartet in tow), as well as the usual mix of hip hop beats, electronic wiggery and 60’s psychedelia.

LP3 was one of the genuine surprises of ‘08, a huge jump forward from their self-titled debut and Classics, infectiously catchy and incredibly innovative. Let’s hope LP4 is even more of a progression.

For those of you unfamiliar with the duo, here is the video for the single Mirando from LP3

Marko

The Sentimental Engine Slayer

Omar Rodríguez-López - not content with being the musical force in The Mars Volta, forging a formidable solo career and working with everyone from John Frusciante to Erykah Badu - is set to release his first film.

Entitled The Sentimental Engine Slayer, Omar wrote, directed, produced and stars (alongside his brother) in this film due to make its premiere at the Rotterdam Film Festival in February.

The plot revolves around brother and sister Barlam (played by Omar) and Natalia (played by debut actress Tatiana Velazquez) living in a sprawling suburb of El Paso, focusing on their uncomfortable relationship with each other and Barlam’s dwindling grip on reality.

Boasting an apparently labyrinthine plot and music by the curly-haired one himself, this could be a very interesting experience, if quite possibly a disturbing one.

Marko

2010 - An Alternative Preview

For those of you with an ear for the slightly less accessible, more experimental or just plain noisier, here is a wee preview of some of the releases 2010 has in store for you. If any of them are half as good as I’m expecting, this is going to be a good year for music…

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My Top 5 Albums Of 2009

I haven’t posted anything for a while because I’ve been busy (read lazy) so as it’s the end of the year I thought I’d share my favourite albums of 2009 with you. Picking 5 releases was practically impossible so I have limited myself to full lengths only, and trying to put them in any sort of order has given me a headache I plan to drink my way through as soon as possible. 2009 has been an incredible year for music with fresh offerings from old favourites, new arrivals and more than a few surprises along the way. After careful deliberation, here are my top 5 albums of the year…

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Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions

I love Biffy Clyro, I have since the first time I heard 57. Their first three albums (Blackened Sky, The Vertigo Of Bliss and Infinity Land) are absolutely stunning, filled with perfectly written post-hardcore songs only kept from the attentions of mainstream music fans by their spiky and comparatively awkward style.

Then Puzzle was released and Biffy seemed to have lost that something special that marked them apart from other alt-rock bands. Abandoning their unique sound for one far more conventional may have made Puzzle by far their most popular album, and although there are brief glimpses of Biffy’s brilliance I was hugely disappointed, a feeling that was only made worse by the release of the genuinely boring Mountains.

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Idiosync - Symbiosis

I love independent record labels. I love them even more when they are run by bands/artists who understand the plight of the small British band. One such label is Godmonkey Recordings, started up in early 2008 by Gavin Filmer (Shapes drummer) with the intention of helping artists achieve exposure and release material, book tours etc.

One of the bands on their label are Birmingham ‘art-beat’ band Idiosync. Formed in August 2008 as an instrumental band, they burst onto the local scene in February of this year and have been forging their sound ever since through a constant stream of blistering live shows, culminating in the release of Symbiosis, a self produced 5-track EP mixed by Al Groves (Elvis Costello, The Zutons, Tantrums). As the band and EP names could suggest, this release sounds like a symbiotic relationship of idiosyncrasies – the art-rock sensibilities of Bloc Party, the dance-punk beats of Foals, the alt-indie sounds of ¡Forward, Russia! and the epic atmospheric soundscapes of Explosions In The Sky – creating an instantly recognisable yet unique take on the art-rock genre.

EP opener Initiate eases you in with lashings of delay-ridden guitar underpinned by break-beat drumming building to a crescendo and exploding into the stabbing guitars and shouty vocals of Shards. Track 3 Mediocre is most definitely a misnomer, opening with dance-punk riffage and gang-vocals before settling into a verse that reminds me of under-appreciated post-hardcore 4-piece The Honor System. Apricot Jam sounds like Bloc Party and ¡Forward, Russia! in a punch up with Pelican and EP closer D.N.V. has not only one of the catchiest hooks I’ve heard in a long while, but possibly the best use of a Whammy pedal since Tom Morello hung up his electric and went all folksy.

A wonderful blend of musical styles and incredibly danceable, Symbiosis is a strong first release from a small band sure to make big waves in the UK music scene. Here as a taster is Apricot Jam

Marko

And So I Watch You From Afar

So as per usual, I’ve gotten bogged down under a mountain of new music (mostly shite) and let something special go unregarded.

But today, I make amends.

So here (a few months late) is the news of the debut album from Northern Irish post-rockers And So I Watch You From Afar courtesy of my mate Jay (mad props yo). For fans of Pelican, Red Sparowes, 65daysofstatic and Explosions In The Sky, the Belfast 4-piece encapsulate all that is great about huge, atmospheric post-rock without ever being confined to the genre. Incorporating elements of punk and Battles-esque math-rock, ASIWYFA have offered a new spin on post-rock that is extremely welcome.

The debut self-titled album is out now (and has been for a while, bad Marko) on Small Town America records. Here for your listening pleasure is one of the standout tracks from the album, A Little Bit of Solidarity Goes a Long Way.

Marko