James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
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The Yorker presents this week's succinct guide to goings-on of the musical variety, both locally and nationally. Here you'll find previews of a selection of single and album releases from the week ahead, as well as a guide to the hottest tickets in town for live music.
This Wednesday evening, the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall sees the University Concert Series bring together dozens of musicians from both inside and outside the Music Department to present Not a soul but ourselves, a celebration of the 60th birthday of the composer Roger Marsh. Professor Marsh studied at the University of York in the seventies before returning to teach here in the late eighties and his music has been both performed and recorded worldwide. This week, ensembles The 24, Black Hair and Juice join with soprano Linda Hirst and tenor John Potter to perform works both by and for him. On Saturday (27th) The Lyons Concert Hall also hosts jazz group the WorldService Project; led by pianist Dave Morecroft, the band are currently touring in support of their new album Relentless.
The Duchess presents two gigs with a difference this week, starting tonight with Gentlemen's Dub Club; following their appearances at some of the biggest summer festivals, the group have embarked on their first headline tour in support of their debut album Emergency, released last week. Meanwhile, on Friday (26th) the stage will be taken up by comedian Matt Berry, widely known for his roles in The IT Crowd and The Mighty Boosh; however he is currently showcasing his musical comedy talents up and down the country and despite having already released four albums, this week marks his first visit to York.
The following evening it's Stereo that provides your dosage of new music with punk-rock outfit Straight Lines. Hailing from South Wales, the four-piece are rapidly rising through the industry ranks having been signed to Xtra Mile Recordings last year and having released their self-produced debut album Persistence In This Game in February.
Tonight, Fibbers presents The Greenhornes, a reformed nineties garage trio already in possession of a certain contemporary draw factor in that two thirds of it, bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler, are these days best known for their membership of The Raconteurs. The Cincinnati, Ohio group have crossed the pond in support of their new album Four Stars. On Friday (26th) the same stage hosts a British band seemingly teetering on the edge of stardom, quintet Young Guns. The alternative act, formed in Buckinghamshire, has recently gained exposure supporting Bon Jovi and LostProphets, and their summer-released debut All Our Kings Are Dead was received well both critically and commercially. You can sample their sound here:
One of two X Factor-related releases this week (see this week's Singles below), 2008 runners-up JLS today launch their second studio album Outta This World. The band claim to have diversified their sound from last year's self-titled debut, taking cues from 'house music and left-field R&B' and recording the material in the US. That said, the album's contents have been bouncing around for a while now; lead single 'The Club Is Alive' was released back in July and last week it was followed by 'Love You More', this year's official Children In Need single.
Venturing into ever so slightly edgier territory, today also sees the release My Chemical Romance's Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Quite how 'dangerous' the LP is remains to be seen, but the fourth studio album from the New Jersey quartet is said to follow the lives of the band's futuristic alter-egos as they wage war against the evil corporation Better Living Industries. If they say so.
Last but certainly not least (just in case he decides to take offence) strutting into view comes the ever controversial Kanye West, proudly clasping his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The confusing thing here is that the man who has been the whipping boy of the music industry media for the past year may just have turned things around; critical acclaim for his new LP is flooding in with the typically reserved Pitchfork themselves chipping in with a rating of 10.0/10 (yeah, I had to check twice, too). Judge for yourself by watching the monster-sized video he's created for 'Runaway':
The X Factor 2010 Finalists - 'Heroes
In their annual charity single tradition, the enormous pool of 16 finalists tackle the David Bowie classic and thankfully it’s not a single already released within my distant childhood memory (finally!). While the odd restructuring of lyrics as well as the perhaps saccharin interpretation will bother Bowie purists, the removal of its ‘70s synths has made it suit contemporary music tastes and you never feel bombarded by too many distinct vocals at once.
Natalija Sasic
Duffy - 'Well, Well, Well'
The Welsh songstress is back with the new single from her forthcoming sophomore album. ‘Well, Well, Well’ is a tour de force of Duffy’s ability to combine infectious hooks with the grandeur of blue-eyed soul, its declarative opening vocals mingling with a retro dancehall feel. Irresistibly catchy and unapologetically barefaced in its message and groove, the song marks a welcome return for Duffy whose album Endlessly will certainly find itself climbing the charts upon its release next week.
Jai Jethwa
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