Some stuff I’ve done lately for Time-off and or other local street press.

street-press_reviews-etc-2009

Posted: December 31st, 2009 under INTERVIEWS, LIVE GIGS.
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Golden times for Valentinos

“Children of the Sun, see your time has just begun, searching for your wares through adventures of the city of gold.”

These were the lyrics to an eighties, retro cartoon from our collective childhoods that one Sydney indie five-piece, Lost Valentinos have proverbially run away with, creating a whole new musical genre - Conquistadisco.

Their forthcoming debut album borrows part of the cult animation’s title: Cities of Goldfrom Mysterious Cities of Gold as according to Nik Yiannikas, front man for the band, the lead character Esteban’s exploration for lost treasure, together with his South American comrades is a somewhat fitting metaphor for his band, Lost Valentinos.

“It’s a good name for the album not just cause of the cartoon but because it suits it in a lot of ways, we’re definitely big fans of that cartoon and we were watching a lot of it at the time which kind of sort of inspired a lot of the songs that are on the album.

“So we thought it was an appropriate name.”

Now, Lost Valentinos, they began their career as The Valentinos almost ten years ago. Yiannikas a constant member since the band’s humble origins considers that their album debut is the culmination of things falling into line for the band and perhaps some long overdue strategic direction emerging.

“In the beginning there wasn’t a lot of continuity in the line-up and we had no goals when we first started cause we weren’t expecting anything to happen you know,” says Yiannikas.

“But now you know the songs that we just put out recently and the songs that are on the album are the result of a more focused effort I guess, over a long period time after we’ve learnt from our mistakes and that kind of thing,” he continues.

A recent tour of Europe and the UK under their belts enabled the lads (like their cartoon friends) to travel. Highlights according to Yiannikas so far have been playing to packed clubs in London and the two and half thousand fans that saw their set in renowned venue Razzamataz in Barcelona. Mistakes seem few and far between and as the European summer hits full tilt the band have the added luxury of being accepted by the punters overseas.

“They are starting to catch on our single came out there like two weeks ago (Midnights) and they’ve been playing it on BBC 1, umm we got a write up in The Guardian the other day as their new band of the day, yeah they’re finding it really good, which is good.”

Perhaps the UK fans are lapping up what’s currently being fed to them by Lost Valentinos because of the uncanny similarity Yiannikas vocals (demonstrated on Midnights) resemble to that of revered British music legend, Ian Brown of The Stone Roses.

“I don’t think it was intentional, he says indignantly.

“I mean I’m not surprised, I was listening to a lot of Stone Roses at the time, I guess I was influenced definitely, and there are people who would say they are one of my fave bands.”

He’s not unashamed of the comparison being drawn either.

“It’s funny you should say that, I read a review the other day, Stone Roses produced by Quincy Jones.

I’ll take that one,” he says laughing at the compliment.

Back on home turf, Nik discusses their upcoming Australian tour with a relaxed tone. He’s already admitted that he’s stopped listening to the album for fear it might get a bit annoying for him when he’s actually playing it live daily.

Does he see the prospect of splitting his time between Europe and Australia as a problem?

“I’m happy to go where the music takes me to tell the truth; just playing to people who want to hear our music, you know is an awesome privilege.”

As the boys prepare for a national tour which kicked off with a performance last month at Splendour in the Grass (Nik’s all-time favourite Australian music festival) like Esteban of the cartoon world, Mysterious Cities of Gold Nik has his sights set firmly on conquering the search for treasure, indicating a debut album as long as theirs in the making, is like having a baby.

“It’s not just a bunch of songs that we recorded it’s kind of like our whole life up to this point.”

Ruth Bailey

Posted: August 31st, 2009 under Australian Interview, INTERVIEWS.
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A Life of lies

Ask Harry McVeigh, lead singer of hit UK act White Lies, what he’d be doing if he weren’t playing in a widely successful indie-rock band, and his answer is likely to surprise.

“I’d be studying history of art and probably failing miserably.

“I’m quite a lazy person actually if I’m not doing something I really love, I’m not motivated at all.” He says earnestly.

Motivated is what he and his band mates, Charles Cave and Jack Brown will have to be if they’re to make it through the next few months. Spain’s Benacassim, B’est Fest in Bucharest, T in the Park, in Scotland, Roskilde in Denmark you name it they’ve managed to secure spots in all of the major European festivals. As well, the very recent announcement of their inclusion to this year’s Glastonbury line-up means life is looking pretty sweet for this newly turned 21 year-old London lad. But for all his youthfulness he’s not going to be rattled by the lure of stardom, claiming musicians are just people too.

“Through being in a band and meeting a lot of bands I’ve realised they’re people who you really like, whose job happens to be being a musician and playing music.

“I’ve got a lot of love for them (other bands) and have a lot of love for their music but they’re just normal guys really.”

Still there’s no denying this band have earned their own smidge of fame and glory. 2009 alone has already seen them do a small headline tour of the UK, they’ve toured in the United States with band counterparts Friendly Fires and soon enough they’ll be making their way down under.

Whilst in Oz, their travails will see them make a stop off in sunny Byron Bay for a spot of Splendour in the Grass, as well as a couple more dates in Sydney and Melbourne. But for Harry who assures there is beauty in every country Australia and indeed Splendour in the Grass holds the most appeal.

“I’ve heard that it’s an amazing festival and that it’s the thing to do when you go to Australia – I’m looking forward to the weather and I’m looking forward to meeting the Australian fans definitely.”

The band has made their mark with somber, maudlin undercurrents to lyrics overlayed on edgy, electro-rock. It’s easy to group them alongside bands like The Bravery, or even some might say Joy Division. Don’t let Harry hear you say this though, he’s more inclined to mention that the band reference Scott Walker and their all time favourite Secret Machines, not an ounce of Joy Division similarity aside from his vocal stylings in him.

Whatever it is that’s helped them arrive at the dark and brooding lyrics and melancholic musing that their latest album: To lose my life, weaves throughout, the crowds worldwide dig something about them.

Harry is adamant that the band themselves don’t possess one single ounce of depression instead they’ve tapped an emotional outlet to avoid this in their daily lives and that’s perhaps what the fans relate to, too.

“We just wanted to write music that we really felt the emotion and the power of and we found it very easy to write songs about that side of life.” Harry says.

“These are very powerful emotions the more darker emotions in life and they connect with a lot of people just in the same way I think they connect with us,” he adds.

Come July when they hit our shores I’ve no doubt it will be their song ‘Death’ that will mesmerise crowds and that funnily enough is Harry’s favourite song to
play in the set.

“The reaction that it gets all over the world, in the UK it wasn’t like a huge hit single or anything it’s just a song that everyone seems to know.

“It’s like the hit single that never was, it’s really cool – it’s really great to play that song live and the reaction that we get is just sort of amazing,” he marvels.

Until then though time for the band will be spent either on a festival tour bus or perhaps as guests at various UK awards gigs.

Nominated against some tough competition in the form of School of Seven Bells and Glasvegas for ‘Best Breakthrough Act’ at this year’s Mojo Awards, according
to Harry the lads have a fair but not huge chance to take line honours. However it’s an award show that they’re really looking forward to, but not so they can live up to a post-punk persona.

“Well you know we’ll have a few drinks, we enjoy having a few drinks but I’m sure we’re not going to get horrendously drunk and go out and make fools of ourselves, cos that’s not the
type of people we are.”

White Lies play the following dates:

Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay – 25/26 July (SOLD OUT)

The Metro, Sydney - 28 July

Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne - 30 July

Visit www.myspace.com/whitelies or www.whitelies.com. Their album To Lose my Life is out through Universal Music www.getmusic.com

Ruth Bailey

Posted: June 1st, 2009 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
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Sweet notes

They say home is where the heart is, and for Simon Leach guitarist for the little-heard-of-lately Little Birdy, that’s certainly true.

Nestled in the Yarra Valley in country Victoria, a quietly located rural homestead provides solace for this sometime-recluse while still allowing him to stay close to his family roots.

With his granddad and nana in close proximity so too his aunty and uncle near enough to be able to enjoy a home-cooked meal, the change of scenery was necessary for this over-toured musician who was also in need of recovery from an ended relationship - he’s happy here.

“I grew up here in Victoria and I moved to Perth and my mum, dad and my sisters sort of followed but my nan and granddad and my aunty and uncle live here so I get to hang out with the family I haven’t really seen for sort of 14 years.”

Not so surprisingly, band counterparts, front woman Katy Steele and drummer Matt Chequer followed suit and decided to pack up their base in Perth and now they call Melbourne home too.

The break from formal band duties and responsibilities was according to Simon par for the course in a band who had been touring for over six years.

“We kind of just needed it as all people do you need a holiday and it might seem like fun and everything but it’s really tiring especially for someone like me – touring just takes it out of me I’m a real home-body.”

The move to Victoria/Melbourne has however proven fruitful for songstress Steele providing fodder for a new era of song writing. What could have quite easily been her foray into solo performing quickly became a natural progression back into a performing - Little Birdy.

“Katy was thinking of doing a solo album in the time we were taking time off but we started hearing the songs and we just sort of said we’d like to keep that as Little Birdy and she was just like all for it,” says Simon.

“Me and Matty we do the musical side of the songs, we do the production and all that so she trusts with what we do, so we just decided to start working again,” he adds.

Their third album Confetti in store this month is a return to their original acoustic sound. A return it seems, to keeping it simple and not being influenced by the music fads of the day. Complete with a distinct country feel, a little bit of Burt Bacharach peppered by some Dusty Springfield overtones the songs are the culmination of experiences relevant to Katy’s life since last they were heard touring Hollywood. The time out, maturity and rejuvenation allowed through living independent lives is something Simon believes has given the band a renewed vitality and somewhat of a new-band feel again.

“I think it was good for Katy because with the first album a lot of those songs were sort of written from a bedroom and when we did Hollywood that was written from the road a lot, so this album has got that feel of us being a new band again.”

Rehearsals have begun for this their upcoming national tour and whilst preparing to tour again could perhaps prove daunting for Simon the self-confessed home-body he’s choosing to concentrate on the job at hand, learning the music and mastering the tracks the band have grown to love.

“’Into my arms’, that is one of my favourites.”

“Just when we play it has a real vibe to it and a real sort of emotion, I also like Hair do as well – it doesn’t even sound like Old Joe Cocker but it just reminds me of it.”

The tour will see the band take in some previously undiscovered spots like Maitland for Groovin the Moo and further on in the year the well visited Byron Bay will this time give the band their first-time billing on the Splendour in the Grass line-up, but there is one place on the itinerary which makes touring worth while for Simon.

“Probably will be good to get back to Perth, so I can go see my family, my mum and dad and all that and my brothers and sisters um that’s about it really I’ve got friends everywhere in every city so it’s kind of like every city has got a bonus to it.”

Catch Little Birdy when they play a swag of dates through May. Check out www.littlebirdy.net for show and album info.
Alternatively, if you are wanting to get your Splendour on: don’t forget ticket sales for Splendour in the Grass featuring Little Birdy commence Thursday 14 May via www.splendourinthegrass.com or www.oztix.com.au

Ruth Bailey

Posted: May 5th, 2009 under Australian Interview, INTERVIEWS.
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Posted: May 1st, 2009 under FESTIVALS, INTERVIEWS, international.
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A neat turn of Phrase

Take any number of renowned collaborators, work with a talented mc and musician known only as Phrase lay some tracks, bundle it all together post produce it as an album then… wait two years for its release.

The loss of his A&R rep and an overall lack of interest from his label caused Phrase’s blood sweat and tears to produce this his sophomore album to be it appeared all in vain. Initial completion saw it remain on the shelf. It wasn’t until Phrase took things back into his own hands that he started to make things happen again.

“It was sitting in the background for a certain time and that was pretty tough on me, I’d not put anything out in a long time, I’d kind of finished up touring and I was stressing out about when the record was going to come out, so eventually I took a song to Triple J off my own back and said: ‘listen this is what sort of happened and this is my record can you do something with it?’” He said.

That’s the bare bones tale behind the making of Australian Hip Hop artist Phrase’s latest offering Clockwork. Due in stores this month, it’s been a difficult journey for the 27-year old but he’s emerged from the confusion stronger for the forced hiatus.

“Like it really put me to the test, a lot of self doubt, what if the record wasn’t good enough, and I got to the point where I was really, really stressed out and really depressed and then finally I was thinking do I just do something else in life?

“Then there was the twist of fate, boom it was on the radio and the record label got inspired again and things have been really good again,” he reflects.

24 months later or there about did Phrase feel the need to revisit any of his content?

“To be honest I thought I was going to have to, but it’s weird, the more I listen to it, the more it seems all really relevant to me now, content on there, topics seem really relevant to where I’m at, I feel like although a lot of the content on there sort of comes from a dark place to me it kind of feels like I’ve used that dark place to push forward and do something positive.”

“That’s sort of the cycle of what happened with the album,” he adds.

Featuring a re-recording of Wendy Matthews hit: ‘The day I went away’ and working on other tracks with friends and touring partners Bliss n Eso making Clockwork was full of one-off special experiences. One in particular was the inclusion of a track about the death of his friend who fell victim to Australia’s mental health system.

“It’s been a few years now since my friend passed, you eventually sort of move on, recording that song, I did the vocals it took me nearly two hours to get through that I had to just do a little bit at a time You know at the end of the day I revisited that song and I thought should I put it on the record you know it’s a pretty personal thing and maybe it’s too indulgent on my behalf …I think at the end I thought: ‘you know what it’s a nice tribute from us to him.’

“The more I think about it loss is a pretty widespread thing, why not use my grief, a lot of people have to deal with it,” he continued.

No matter the stories behind each track on this album all are representative of Phrase as he is today.

“A lot of people ask me what the difference is between this and the previous album Talk with force. I think that Talk with Force I wrote that record when I was 18 and when I think back I sounded like such a pent up angry young man I felt like I really had something to prove and this time around not mature in a boring way, I’ve kind of found my feet and I’ve gone out there and done what I’ve needed to, self-discovery, toured the country and I think now this record is coming from a certain place.

It appears the album though could not have been timed better for release. Phrase has just finished touring solidly including support shows with N E R D while Pharell and his crew were in the country and the support he’s noticed from the ever-building crowds is only getting stronger.

“It’s awesome to see how much of a difference it makes playing live, the albums not out so it’s not like people can be huge fans of this record and come along to gigs knowing all the songs.” He says.

Ruth Bailey

Posted: May 1st, 2009 under Australian Interview, INTERVIEWS.
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Frequently seen kids

Unashamedly it’s the allure of the Australian sun that provides the drawcard for Manchurian Peter Turner. He makes up one fifth of the UK’s most recent overnight success story Elbow, and along with his fellow band members who’ve been basking in glory they’ll be heading here in March just in time to take reigns on the V Festival taking place nationally.

An overnight success story 18 years in the making is the headline to accompany this band’s tale and Peter has no qualms himself in confirming this fact.

“The Mercury was the big thing, I think it changed a lot of things for us overnight, I mean it kind of put us up there in the mainstream a lot more really.”

Winners of the reputable Mercury Music Prize late last year for their album The Seldom Seen Kid and has literally bought Elbow back from the ‘wilderness’ of music making they had been wandering in.

“It was hard this one cos we were in-between record labels, we didn’t think V2 promoted ‘Leaders’ very well and we didn’t want to write another album, spend ages on it, for it not to be promoted and not to sell that many copies.,” recalls Peter.

This year’s Mercury Prize awarded for their most recent long player recorded this time through label Fiction has proven a different story though. It delivers a mix of their signature, melancholic instrumentation embedded by earnest and at times sombre lyrical motifs.

A clear favourite this year for judges who were choosing from an array of bands including acts such as Last Shadow Puppets, Laura Marling, Estelle and Neon Neon and the success story doesn’t end there just yet for the five-piece who came together in rehearsals back in sixth form ( equivalent of year 12 in Australia). They’ve also received recent nominations for three of the prestigious Brit Awards, including: Best National Release.

The album has been around just on a year now but it’s still the carrot the band uses to build their fanbase. Peter considers their swell in crowd numbers an opportunity to educate listeners in their back catalogue. However he remains realistic about the effects of acclaim on bands.

“The thing that I think we’ve all sort of thought recently, we’ve always of our four albums always had the critics really on our side, I think now we’re sort of fair game and there will probably be a bit of a comedown now from you know, critical acclaim.” He says matter-of-factly.

‘Grounds for Divorce’

If you thought the band might be quaking in fear at producing a follow up to their award winning album, Peter thinks it’s likely to be the impetus the band need to retain their status as one of the UK’s most favoured acts.

“We certainly won’t put anything out that we feel isn’t up to the standard and better of previous albums which for us is now four albums.

“The next album we really want to write something that’s a bit better for us, it’s just like a bit of a challenge really.”

Another challenge for the five-piece made up of Guy Garvey (lead vocals) brothers Mark and Craig Potter as well as Richard Jupp could be their ability to remain passionate after so long together. Touring, some band members now with family, the dynamics of the band one would imagine aren’t the same as their fledgling rock and roll years.

However give the band some alone time, off the coast of Scotland on an island to record their upcoming album which is what is ahead for them shortly and Peter knows exactly what he’s in for.

“You know we’ve not really sat down the five of us and talked about the fun things that have happened, so it’s the five of us hanging out, just having fun, eating and drinking - just hanging out.

Embarking again shortly on a British tour and then of course travailing seas to head to our shores, Peter’s mindful of the fact the band remain as tight as they were back in their initial performances.

“There is no hierarchy or anything like that, it’s just a good bunch of mates all going out doing shows and then having fun, you know drinking, meeting people, we’re actually really good friends,” he says.

Catch Elbow when they perform at V Festival nationally. Visit: www.vfestival.com.au for ticket and event details.

Also see them when they perform in sideshows just announced:
Brisbane: The Tivoli March 31. Tickets available through Ticketek
Sydney: The Metro April 1. Tickets available through Box office and Ticketek
Melbourne: The Corner Hotel April 2. Tickets available through www.cornerhotel.com.au.

Ruth Bailey

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Posted: March 22nd, 2009 under INTERVIEWS, international.
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California dreaming

With just over a year under their belt in LA, the transition hasn’t been too overwhelming for Colin Yarck and his studio partner Justin Sconza, who packed up from friends and family in Chicago and who perform together as electro act Walter Meego. According to Colin, LA is still pretty cool.“There is a lot more going on and it’s very spread out, you’ve kind of got to go find out what you like and what you’re into cos there are so many things - it seems incredible you can kind of get lost if you’re not careful,” he said.

In order to do what they want how they want kind of goes against the grain of most LA scenesters, Yarck considers there have been some tough challenges to overcome to take up residency in LA.

“LA’s a tough crowd; they’re not going to move unless they’ve thought about moving the day before.” He muses.

“That’s the interesting thing about here, people are very interested in finding out what is happening – but to get their ass-shaking is a little bit difficult.

Still, their short time there has allowed them to carve their niche by sticking to the hip “Williamsburg-esque” (New York’s other borough) side of the Hills playing shows at Echo and even a small Hollywood venue provided the locale for them to change it up and play a complete rock show instead of their glorious synth- electro.

“It was an interesting little experiment; we kind of played a straight-up rock show and put down our electronics for that gig.”

During 2008 they’ve also managed to lay down tracks to their album Voyager, which features lovely pop- romanticism in synthesized stories.

This debut album has left its angelic footprint on radio airwaves here featuring, Forever, (sweethearts unite ditty) and a little recognised but epic track Through the Keyhole as well Wanna be a star demonstrates these guys know how to make us dance with the right levels of ‘zippity do da’!

Ass-shaking and indeed hip wobbling however, are two moves the Australian electro fraternity are accustomed to, so as the New Year dawns, Walter Meego will be preparing for a summer sojourn to our shores.

An extra member on stage with them, and an expanded sound, is what Yarck promises is in store for fans on this their upcoming tour of Oz.

Clip for Forever from Walter Meego

“The lines that are sort of coloured in and around on the record, we sort of draw them out a little, when we play live,” he contemplates.

“We sort of make it a little fuzzier, little noisier.”

The disappointment for Yarck is that he and his touring entourage can’t stay longer. Whilst a friend in Sydney is beckoning and his desire to surf the breaks in and around there will have to wait after a tight touring schedule of just four performances in four days, he and Justin will head across Asia to set-up camp in China, where they plan to lay two thirds of a new record.

What’s forecast for their second album might lead to a slight change in musical direction for the pair, a more pop-styled record, and after enlisting the skills of some mad dance producers, last time, the likes of Eliot James, Sam Bell and Nils Patel (who is responsible for mastering Daft Punk’s records Yarck is resolute about the search underway to find another who can bring a certain something to the fray of production.

“We were kind of thinking if we were ever going to work with a producer, we wanted to use somebody who we knew would be creative but who’s not like Brian Eno sort of thing, who’s been doing it for so long that that’s what’s to be expected.”

Much more likely believes Yarck are those outside influences who people won’t have considered. At the top of the wish-list is Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead, and the guy who does the crystal music for cult TV show of yesteryear, Twin Peaks.

Whoever they do or don’t choose to help them out though he considers the record will see a slight change of pace for them.

“I think that we’re leaning more towards pop, we definitely have some club influences, definitely still have some electro-tinge, we’ll probably slide back into some 70s classic rock and you know mash it all up.”

Catch Walter Meego when they appear:

31 December 2008 Capital Nightclub, Perth
1st January 2009 Field Day, The Domain, Sydney
BBQ Beats, The Riverstage, Brisbane
3rd January 2009 Solar Festival. Mornington Racecourse, Victoria

Their album voyager is available through Bandroom Records.

Ruth Bailey

Posted: March 21st, 2009 under ALBUMS, INTERVIEWS, international.
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BDO never sleeps

Rounding out an already ‘phat’ summer festival season for announcements at least, are the big guns of rock, Big Day Out. This year promoters have rallied to light some true rock and roll fire under you.

In a somewhat surprising but nonetheless legendary billing Big Day Out presents Neil Young. Yes, your parents probably had you listening to his songs from the womb so you’ll have an innate appreciation of this man’s music, which spans a whopping 40 years! He has signed on for all Big Day Out tour slots but never fear if the ancient roll and roll remedy isn’t your bag also joining him will be, those impish lay abouts, come rad brit punksters - Arctic Monkeys.

Organisers this year also had an evil urge to throw My Morning Jacket into the mix. This Kentucky five-piece has graduated from barely-kept indie secret to mainstay status at US festivals like Bonnaroo Coachella, and will even play Madison Square Garden this New Year’s Eve. Their 2008 album, Evil Urges, continued an unfettered string of critical acclaim, while mixing funk, falsetto and prog into their classic rock cocktail.

Not to be outdone, solid aussie-rock act added to the frey are The Living End. They’ve shown us in the past year that they are still capable of rocking socks, so jump on board for some ‘white noise’!

The inclusion of Brit dancelords, The Prodigy has to be viewed as the big coup of the line-up. It’s Big Day Out Folklore that these guys know how to move the Boiler Room. Four previous appearances should give you an idea of how these guys like to dominate a festival. They’ve been quiet for a little while but word on the street is that they are coming with a new album dujour (due in February) ready to ’smack your bitch up’ and more!

Also joining the overseas dance contingent will be Simian Mobile Disco. London lads James Ford and Jas Shaw are preparing to impress discerning dance fans with their decadent mix of ghetto-tech, acid and psychedelic wobbliness in an electro sci-fi outfit.

Joining them will be the Ting Tings all the way from Manchester who for a first outing to Oz will be ready to unleash their pop sensibilities with tracks like That’s not my name on hand to stir the crowd to euphoria.

National dance darlings, Sneaky Sound System have availed themselves again for another Big Day Out appearance and will be joined in their patriotic colours by Perth drum and bass bossanovas- Pendulum.

If those guys can’t offer enough glitz and glam and retro eighties dance styling for you then make sure you get along to Cut Copy. No doubt these guys will be fully rested from their endless tour slots in the UK and US, I’m sure they’ll have a new party trick up their sleeve.

So there you have folks, another ripe and ready line-up for the Biggest Day Out known to Australian music fans! For full announcement details, ticket and show info visit www.bigdayout.com

Posted: October 11th, 2008 under FESTIVALS.
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