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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.
Tonight your evening would be well spent in Stereo, where London four piece Tellison will be performing their set of disarming rock pop with support from Copy Haho, Missing Kids and local band Where’s Hollywood?, an ambient post-rock quartet for whom it will sadly be the last gig (very impressed the last time I saw these guys, it’d be worth the trip out just for them).
The delightfully bizarre Herman Dune will be bringing their charming tunes to Duchess tomorrow night, playing some beautifully crafted, wonderfully simple tracks. The video for single ‘Be a Doll and Take My Heart’ features a skateboarding blue yeti. I love them.
Those of a more classical persuasion should make their way to the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall on Wednesday evening for a programme of magic and fantasy by quartet Red Priest. Featuring recorders, a violin, a cello and a harpsichord, Red Priest will take you on a fantastical tour of Baroque Europe – a trip that is certainly not to be missed.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, acoustic guitarist Erik Mongrain will be pulling off some impressive moves in The Basement, while Thursday sees folk outfit Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo headlining the Fibbers stage.
Duchess is the place to be on Friday night, as OXJAM TAKEOVER presents The Struts, with support from Dream of Apollo, Hello Eskimo, and Captain Zippy. The not-so-fresh among us will remember the headliners from last summer’s Woodstock, and with Oxjam pulling in a guaranteed crowd this looks to be a brilliant night of blasting rock’n’roll fun.
If you’re one for staying ahead of the new music curve, you’ll be ending your week in back in Stereo, where another London four piece, Theme Park, will be performing with support from Childhood, The Sundowners and The Handbook. Pitched as Talking Heads-esque funk-rock, Theme Park offer up joyful, calypso-tinged indie pop in what will surely be a highly entertaining set. Check out single ‘A Mountain We Love’.
Some high-profile releases this week as last year’s X Factor winner Matt Cardle lets his debut album Letters loose on a particularly rabid British press; early feedback suggesting a thoroughly overproduced onslaught of strings and generic anthems that barely allow Cardle’s voice to stand out from the crowd. I’m currently refusing to listen to any of it until I’m assured he was wearing a silly hat for the entire duration of recording and the track listing features this song.
Meanwhile, everyone’s favourite moron in red Chris de Burgh has unleashed yet another barrage of soft rock on the largely unsuspecting retirement communities, featuring the standard selection of Beatles covers and other such stupidity. Here at The Yorker we think it would be much better if all his songs were written by Bill Bailey.
LA rockers Jane’s Addiction are back with the first studio album since 2003, The Great Escape Artist. The new album sees a new formation for the band, bringing in TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek on bass. Whatever improvements this brings for them, guitarist Dave Navarro shan’t be forgiven for a recent appearance on One Tree Hill.
Noel Gallagher’s post-Oasis solo effort High Flying Birds releases a self-titled debut today. Watch the video for single ‘The Death of You and Me’ below. At the very least it’ll be better than Beady Eye.
Also out this week: Chris Isaak Beyond the Sun, Veronica Falls Veronica Falls, M83 Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, Flashguns Passions of a Different Kind, and The Joy Formidable The Big More.
Written by Nathan Blades
Metronomy - Everything Goes My Way
Metronomy are recognised for their strange ideas regarding staying on-key with their melodies - and this song is no different. The balance between 'odd' and 'discordant' is fine, and thankfully this stays on the favourable side. The vocals from Roxanne Clifford change things up from their normal fair, but it's hardly inspiring. The whole thing is very understated, with some brass stings to save it from being entirely bland.
Big Sean feat. Kanye West & Roscoe Dash - Marvin & Chardonnay
The unknown that is Big Sean relies on Kanye West as a saving grace; though unless he's rapping about his personal life - Kanye's flow is... pretty awful. No, this is not "The F***in' Anthem" in any context. And as for the beat - we have a reasonable string intro before being dumped into what sounds like a tuba player jumping on a rusty trampoline. I'll take some actual Marvin Gaye over this, thanks.
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