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Day: 21 February 2012

Live: Justice @ Academy 1

Written by Joe Goggins on . Posted in Music.

13th February 2012

Academy 1

6/10

Officially speaking, Justice’s debut record, released back in 2007, is untitled; only a glowing, neon version of the band’s trademark cross symbol adorns the album’s sleeve. That it duly became known as † (or alternatively, Cross) was fitting. With that release, the French duo became the first dance act since their countrymen Daft Punk to successfully cross over into the world of indie rock and if the amount of skinny jeans on show amongst tonight’s audience is anything to go by, it’s a section of their fanbase they’ve retained.

Taking the stage on a raised platform behind the obligatory giant cross and flanked by two striking walls of Marshall amps, the pair choose to frontload their set with new material from sophomore release Audio, Video, Disco, opening with lead single ‘Civilisation’, which is later worked into a number of tracks as a coda. As with most dance acts, the set is seamless and it’s to the band’s credit that when the poppier big hitters inevitably arrive later on – ‘Waters of Nazareth’, ‘D.A.N.C.E.’ and the commercially-successful Simian Mobile Disco collaboration ‘We Are Your Friends’ – they don’t sound at all out of place next to offerings more deeply rooted in the dance genre.

Whilst there’s no problem as far as crowd response is concerned – the sell-out crowd is worked into a ninety-minute fervour – it’s impossible not to raise questions about how ‘live’ a performance from two men with computers and decks really is, particularly for those in the crowd more accustomed to guitars and live drums. Whilst the light-show – glowing red amps included – is formidable for a venue of this size, it’s hard to shake the feeling that, as entertaining as the evening is, the ‘Justice Live!’ tag might be a tad off the mark.

Justice (live at Manchester Academy)

Album: Alex Under – La Maquína de Bolas

Written by Thomas Short on . Posted in Music.

Alex Under
La Maquína de Bolas
Soma Records
3 stars

Minimal Techno is often unfairly maligned in comparison to other styles of dance music but its influence on the electronic music of the past decade is remarkable. Dubstep DJs, such as Loefah, frequently drop minimal beats into their sets and artists like Nicholas Jaar are becoming popular enough to sell out venues such as Fabric and Manchester’s own Sound Control. Alex Under’s new album is unlikely to have the the crossover appeal of Jaar’s debut, Space Is Only Noise, but the Spanish techno prodigy makes a powerful argument for his genre, demonstrating an admirable ability to innovate within its narrow confines. Whereas minimal stalwarts like Richie Hawtin ground their music in harsh industrial sounds which only seem to make sense when being blasted at ear splitting volume in a sweaty Berlin superclub, Under favours a more organic approach, using tabla drums and bell chimes to craft a delicate sound that is far more listenable and carefully drawn.

Under’s decision to name all of the tracks ‘bola’ (spanish for ‘ball’) demonstrates his intention for the album to be considered as a whole and it is certainly more effective when heard in this way, with many tracks referencing each other rhythmically, such as Bolas 3 and 4. This degree of complexity is impressive, but the album is undoubtedly a difficult listen, particularly as the ominous Bola 1 is utterly bereft of the woozy sub-basslines and compelling melodies to come.

Yet perseverance is rewarded. The rattling spartan grooves which many of the tracks are built around may be initially unappealing but they acquire a kind of strange beauty after several listens, whether its in the flickering synth lines on Bola 2 which sound like rainfall or the haunting, skeletal steel drums of Bola 6.2.

Alex Under – El Encuentro

Live: The Twilight Sad @ Ruby Lounge

Written by Alexandre Briand on . Posted in Music.

The Twilight Sad
Ruby Lounge
10th February
4½ Stars

Having just kicked off the tour with a frenzied show in their native Glasgow, frontman James Graham reminisces: “…we came back to Scotland, and we played in a place called Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, and it was my Mum and Dad, and four of our friends that were at the gig, yet we were in New York the week before, playing to about a hundred-and-something people in a packed out venue”. The journey thus far has not been meteoric but with steadfast honesty and a clear dedication, The Twilight Sad have gradually built up a die-hard and adoring fanbase.

Despite ditching the accordion because “it broke”, the new album does little to build on their trademark melancholy shoegaze, but this has never been a problem for Twilight Sad fans. In fact their consistency is their most impressive achievement, showcased in an ear-splitting and intensely heartfelt set. “One thing I’ve liked about what people have said about the new album is that it’s pretty much unmistakably a Twilight Sad album… I’m glad that it came across that way” says Graham. “People go through ups and downs, and you need to go through them to appreciate the ups, and I think dark music can be uplifting as well”.

Crowd-pleasers ‘And She Would Darken the Memory’ and ‘Cold Days from the Birdhouse’ from their stunning debut Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters blended sweet vocals and solid drums with a fiercely distorted and amorphous guitar that surprisingly loses nothing in their reduced instrumentation onstage. The set is fraught and monumental, though judging by the crowd’s reaction it seems like they’re preaching to the choir.

On the band’s growing popularity, Graham says “I thought that was quite a cool thing, that people wanted to know who the fuck we were. Worse thing is they still don’t know who the fuck we are.”

The Twilight Sad – Another Bed

Opinion: Why I hate Murkage

Written by Hugo Nicholson on . Posted in Music.

It’s not a Murkage ting.

Dave Lewis, alias Murkage Dave, along with his merry band of Murkage Cartel members, has become something of a Manchester celebrity over the past year. Their night, every Thursday at club South, has become undeniably popular and sells out consistently while the music of the band itself is gaining significant publicity (as a recent feature in The Guardian might suggest) as well as a considerable number of fans. The question is, why?

“Fuck standing around posing like a dickhead” so reads The Murkage Club Facebook group and yet, as anyone who has been to Murkage can probably attest, this is exactly what the Murkage Cartel can be found doing every Thursday night (or any other night of the week, for that matter). Despite this, people still flock to Murkage. A text received from a friend last Thursday, informing me that the whole club was participating in a sing-along of Murkage’s ‘Torches’, confirmed to me that I’d rather be doing literally anything else.

‘Torches’ itself, their most recent release, is nothing short of absurd. “Set it off/Kick down doors/Leave your city in flames/Murkage is a freight train” goes the chorus. Stirring stuff. Some have misinterpreted the track as encouraging violence and an article on The Guardian’s music blog suggests that the contentious nature of the lyrics has meant that the track “has run into difficulty when it comes to radio play.” I would suggest that it’s not that the lyrics are controversial which has led to the track’s limited airplay but rather that because they are, along with the rest of the track, just a bit shit. Band member Gaika is quoted as saying “This is the exact opposite of inciting riots”. I’m inclined to disagree. This is a track which could quite feasibly bore people into rioting.

In ‘Paperweight’, released in early 2011, a voice commands “Play the music louder!” over and over again. That’s fine by me, so long as it’s not a song by Murkage. Perhaps it’s my fault- maybe it’s just too cool for me. Maybe I just don’t understand, but I get the feeling that I’m not the only one.

Opinion: Whitney Houston

Written by Tom Ingham on . Posted in Music.

Death – the perfect medicine for the dwindling performer.

For a musician, making it big in the charts is a moment to cherish, a time to bask in the recognition of peers and loving fans. However, if an artist really wants to make it big, it seems like the best thing to do is go ahead and kick the bucket. Of course, this isn’t an obligatory measure, but does seem to do the trick and this week’s sad passing of Whitney Houston rather proves the point. With arguably her best days behind her performance wise, Whitney was unlikely to ever storm the charts again.

Without meaning to sound crass, it’s provided a great opportunity for music industry fat cats to capitalize on the media frenzy surrounding her death. iTunes significantly increased the price of her Greatest Hits collection, following the album’s rise to number 2 in both the US and UK iTunes charts. And you can’t really blame them for cashing in on our reactionary, media driven culture. People who only came into contact with Whitney Houston songs at weddings are suddenly inconsolable, and feel the need to ‘pay their respects’.

There have been many famous examples of this, with the deaths of MJ, Amy Winehouse, etc. And is it a bad thing? Well, I think it highlights our need to follow trends, even in something as individualistic as music. It’s understandable for these events to bring revitalised interest to the artist’s career and legacy, but how that correlates with record sales is unclear. We will never get to see these performers do their thing live again, so why rekindle our love for them? The artists in question are all extremely successful – household names across the world- and in death they’re, of course, worthy of the respect and praise they receive. But it doesn’t mean that we should think feel obliged to line the pockets of opportunistic industry types.

Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You

Live: NME Awards Tour @ Academy 1

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

NME Awards Tour
w/ Two Door Cinema Club, Metronomy, Tribes, and Azealia Banks
Academy 1
10 February
2 stars

One thing was missing from the annual NME Awards Tour at Academy 1 on February 11th – alcohol. The crowd, packed full of 15 year olds who listened to Two Door Cinema Club’s Tourist History during their first house party last year, at least made for seeing the stage amidst the sea of pre-pubescent males easy. In distress, I chugged my Jack and Coke while the out-of-her-element Harlem rapper, Azealia Banks sang, “What’s your dick like, homie?” straight into the face of the 14 year old boy who’d gotten there early for the front row of Two Door.

Tribes, who should have gone first, were forgettable, the one exception being when lead singer Johnny Lloyd did the obvious by jumping into the crowd singing “Oh no stranger, you’re just like me.”
Not surprisingly, the chorus of “The Look” was the only thing two-thirds of the crowd knew about Metronomy. Since their latest album, The English Riviera, made its huge impact on the electro-pop scene, they were the main band I’d come to see. They were quirky and chill, but unfortunately, lost on the crowd.
Two Door Cinema Club finally took to the stage and soothed the worries of the kids who were anxious about making curfew. The band’s set was average as they are better suited for festivals and have over-toured their own songs. Their best energy came from the sneak peek of their new track ‘Handshake’ as they are long overdue for a new album.

While the NME Tour did indeed bring some of the best music from the past year (because that is by definition what the tour is about), it also brought with it an awkward crowd. Personally, what it brought me was a Metronomy t-shirt and an intense desire to hit up the off-license afterward.