Live Performance Review: Crystal Castles, Monday 26.11.2012, 19:00, O2 A.B.C., Glasgow

I feel the Castles are the hardest to try to explain why I like them so much. It had just been by chance that I had first heard them, as had the 2011 N.M.E. awards playing in the background late one eve, leading me to purchase the album the following day as I had loved what I had heard. This area of music is quite alien to me. Apart from Grimes which I greatly enjoy and I had checked out out of curiosity. Grimes is a lot more mainstream & poppy electronica. Though that is the extent of my knowledge of this area, so I don't really feel as though I have the language to discuss this in terms of genre.

There was a support group of no note upon entering the venue, then a D.J set which was insignificant, then a further period of agresive hippity-hop being blasted through the P.A. system, before the Castles took to the stage. The one criticism I would have of the concert was that there felt to be too long with nothing happening on the stage between the initial support group and Castles coming on. They could have been on sooner had the roadies made better use of the empty stage.

Once they were on stage it was incredible. The crowd were fevered, and the performance was intense. I have never seen a better use of lighting; the control and precision in relation to the music was staggering. The visual affect felt genuinely hypnotic. The communication/relationship between the audience and Alice Glass, the vocalist was like a leader and their followers. The amount of times she would be carried vertical above the audience, was hard not to be impressed by.

This was a date from their tour in support of their new album, (III), which was released on the Fiction label on 07.11.2012.. I had enjoyed the last album (II) which had a high rate of stand out tracks, though this one feels more complete. The overall tone feels more blissed, though there is still an unnerving undercurrent; I have a sense that without this it would not feel like the Castles. The whole album feels to have a very high quality to it in terms of what the Castles do, without single weak track.

For those who don't know the Castles, I describe them as dark electronica, though Wikipedia call it electronic experimental. They are not a group I would commonly recommend, as the overall tone would put many off. There is something about how the vocal is treated along with the unrelenting rhythm that I find quite enveloping.

The only possible quibble would be that it would have been nice for their performance to have been slightly longer, though given the frenetic nature of the performance, this may have been asking a bit much. I remember a performance of Rage Against The Machine at the Glasgow Barrowlands in 1996 lasting a similar length, which it goes without saying was very intense, and I had no issue about the length of the performance then.

Rating: CONCERT (10/10)//ALBUM (10/10).

Live Performance Review: Bellowhead, Wednesday 21.11.2012, 19:00, The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh

Support Mama Rosin: a Swiss Trio. In terms of expectations that may be held of a support group, it was perfectly decent good time music, though I have no desire to seek out recordings.

Bellowhead were exceptional, faultless and joyous. The complexity of the playing was made to look effortless and great fun, with polished interplay between the eleven multitasking musicians. This was a sublime performance to witness; the audience appeared to be having a riotous time. The only quibble, and it is just that, was that there was not a single song that was in any way subtle or gentle.

If you enjoy great live performances, I recommend without hesitation. If you are one to be put off by a 'folk' tag, put this to one side and get a ticket for a future performance. It may be folk though there was no mention of dead lifeboat men or hey-nonnie-nonnie. - This was so much greater than I had anticipated, and make Mumford & Sons appear amateur and sadly lacking in comparison.

Rating: 10/10.
  

Film Review: The Master (15), (U.S.A. 2012) (Director: Paul Thomas Anderson), Monday 19.11.2012 18:00, The Cameo, Screen One, Edinburgh

I was not sure of going to see this one, and am aware that part of the reason for my going to see this was due to the staggering positivity that has greeted it from critics.

It is an interesting film, though don't feel it really has much to say beyond 'be wary of the charismatic as is all to easy to be seduced by them'. + 'Falling for the charms of the charismatic, leads to allowing expressions of theirs to be filled with rubbish, without challenge.'

The 'Master' played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is well portrayed as a rouge who has learnt to behave in a way to encourage others to see him as more able and important than he is. He displays the same psychopathology of G.W. Bush, of seeing people as being with or against, discouraging questions - allowing only false acceptance or rejection, though never understanding and therefore actual acceptance. The tactics of the bully only interested in power and hollow gestures. This is also clearly based on the life of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the horse-shit that is Scientology. The film makers have in more recent times come to state this as a more loose connection, though using terms/activities such as 'processing' which clearly is another name for 'auditing', one of the base activities for those starting in this weird domain, doesn't help with this distancing.

The vulnerable character portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, who is abused and manipulated by the 'Master's' methods, who is trying to reintegrate into society from the navy at the start of the film, is the only one I could understand holding sympathy for. It is shown that he increasingly has cause to question the crap he is being told by the so-called master, and does take action to move away from, then is drawn back on a distorted statement from the master, only to move away again, showing not all have to be suckered by such a parasitic and vacuous charlatan.

Even after the final breaking away from, the victim's behaviour is shown to be inflected by the nonsense he was under, though as not a complete puppet there is enough that is real there for other's to pick up on and put up with, allowing a base to tackle the artificial aspects and help rebuild. He had enough strength within himself to pull away from, not all are as able in relation to such characters.

Sadly I feel the film is more one to be admired than enjoyed. I felt the film to be rather cold. Both of these comments I feel could also be applied to the director's last film 'There will be blood'. With that film, due to the dazzling performance of Daniel Day Lewis, on the first viewing I feel it was hard to pick up on how cold and unenjoyable it was. I feel the director recently concentrates on destructive characters. I find these sorts of films more difficult to be drawn to. The film was an interesting one-off watch, I would have no inclination to return to it.

On a damming finale, I have noted something which I feel is manipulative of the audience and unacceptable. There is footage in trailers for this film, which is not then part of the film. This is a very clear way of the film being marketed in a false and distorted way. I had noted a similar thing with the film 'Holy Motors'. I did not mention it in it's review as had hoped it was a one off with art-house film (I expect a bit of this sort of naughtiness from Hollywood blockbuster fluff) and had already been damming enough of that film, it would have felt like I was kicking it when it was down. It distorted imagery in a way that is not in the film. I hope this is not a trend here to stay for any length of time.

Rating: 07/10. 

Live Performance Review: Rodriguez (London Jazz Festival 2012), Saturday 17.11.2012, 19:30, The Royal Festival Hall, London, & Sunday 25.11.2012 19:00, The Usher Hall Edinburgh

I had stopped believing in the prospect of this gig some years back. I was very keen to see Rodriguez live, though got to a point of thinking it was never going to happen. Then the morning after first seeing 'Searching for Sugar Man' at the cinema I notice within an article in the 'Metro' mention of a date at the Royal Festival Hall during the Jazz Festival in November...I got straight on the phone and got a ticket in the forth row.

The venue was a a larger hall than I was anticipating. Phantom Limb were good though not my cup of tea. One element that I was not comfortable with was the female vocalists tendency to screech, when she had a perfectly good voice at the higher notes there was no need for this. Some can screech and have it fit within their vocal expression, this was not a case of that. There was more control and less screeching in Edinburgh, making the performance more pleasant, though I still won't be seeking out recordings of this group. The musicians accompanying her were 2/5 of the band on guitar and keys. The full band, adding bass and drums, though without the vocalist, was the backing for Rodriguez.

This is the first 'pop' gig I've been to where the entire hall gave a standing ovation for the person just walking onto the stage. The whole of the Cold Fact Album was played with the exception of 'Jane S. Piddy' & 'Gomorrah (A Nursery Rhyme)'. There was a fair portion of songs from the lesser second album and several songs I did not know. There were further standing ovations after particular songs, at the end and throughout the encore, which ended with an unknown song performed solo. The band were sympathetic and a good choice for working with Rodriguez. On some songs his voice is not in as good shape as it was, there was what appeared to be occasional missed lyrics and slight errors, though this did not matter. The gentle humble manner of the man was a rare delight. The audience treated every song with reverence. The audience's response to the man by the end caused me to be in tears. It was beautiful to see someone who's work I appreciate so much, and whom in my view had been overlooked for too long, receive what can only be described as an outpouring of love.

Rodriguez said it was 'honor, pleasure and a privilege', to have performed before the audience present that night. I share his sentiment for having been able to have been present in the audience.

Rating: 10/10.
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(Weeks after this date was announced, and I had organised travel and accommodation, it was announced that he would perform at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.)

In Edinburgh the main set was the same, the band were tighter and adding in more detail of the songs. The lighting was better and the banter similar, though sadly the audience were not quite as rapturous as they were in London, though this is typical of audiences at The Usher Hall. As in London, Rodriguez sang 'Like A Rolling Stone' in the encore, though in a change to London this was proceeded by a performance of 'Blue Suede Shoes'. In London the encore ended with a lovely solo number (that I did not recognise) from Rodriguez, which sadly was not performed in Edinburgh. All in all, I still greatly enjoyed the performance and feel incredibly fortunate to have seen this great musician twice. Though it was not quite as good as London, which I largely put down to the audience.

Rating: 09/10.        

Live Performance Review: Punch Brothers, Sunday 11.11.2012, 19:00, The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh

I knew of 'Punch Brothers' from when they did a support slot with the 'Carolina Chocolate Drops' at the O2 ABC in Glasgow in January 2012, which me and my friend who went to see them at the The Queen's Hall, caught the last three songs of. We were impressed enough to seek out more of them.

There was no support acts at The Queen's Hall Shows, though there was no need. Punch Brothers play bluegrass on a mixture of Acoustic Guitar, Banjo (& 5 stringed banjo), Mandolin, Fiddle and Double-Bass and vocals shared between the musicians. The musicianship was of the highest quality. There were experimental periods, which felt to have ended at just the right points and quirks like a bluegrass cover version of a song by 'The Strokes' called 'Heart in a Cage'. The experimental periods helped it to not feel to predictable. They were clearly very well practiced, with changes in the songs being handled in a very smooth manner. The performance was very enjoyable.

To top it of, the encore began with the Mandolin player performing solo without amplification a piece by J.S. Bach, this in itself felt remarkable.

Then the rest of the musicians came back on the perform again as a unit. For two songs they were all at the front edge of the stage without amplification playing beautiful bluegrass/Appalachian Blues.

They performed for approx 100mins. The only regret was that the playing was so good, that I would have had no complaints had they played for a while longer, and feel that the audience would have agreed with this.

Rating: 09/10.      

Live Performance Review: Jack White, Thursday 08.11.2012, 19:00, Usher Hall, Edinburgh

I went to see Jack, as am a fan of 'The White Stripes', and had purchased his decent album, Blunderbuss, earlier in the year, due to being impressed with what I had heard him perform from it on television. I had not particularly enjoyed his other side projects, 'The Raconteurs' & 'The Dead Weather'.

The Support, Willy Moon, was easily forgettable one-note crap, who appeared supremely confident without reason.

Jack played the first half of his performance with six female musicians, and the second half with five male musicians. Each half was approximately fifty minutes. The first half was good, though the second half was better. The musicians appeared more rockin', able, cohesive and loose. The musicians in the first half did not appear to be having much fun.The staging and lighting was impressive and the venue appeared good for the performance, with the seats having been taken out of the bottom level. Songs from across Jack's career were performed. It was great to hear songs such as 'Hotel Yorba' from 'The White Stripes' 'White Blood Cells' album remodeled/countrified, though in a way which has clearly been practiced and works. There were enough of the solo songs, a good measure of 'The White Stripes' (other 'Stripes' songs included 'We're Going To Be Friends', 'Hardest Button to Button' and 'Seven Nation Army'), songs such as 'Steady as She Goes' ('The Raconteurs'), and even a few bars of 'Quantum of Solace'.

It was a nice touch to end with the classic folk song 'Goodnight Irene', though to get a female backing singer who does not appear to know the words to duet on part of it was regrettable. It was also clearly being approached as a singalong, though most of the audience appeared to have no idea as to what the song was. With this being the case, it would have been good for Jack to have at least done the chorus by himself on the acoustic guitar, to introduce it to those who did not know it.

The White Stripes always used to end with a rendition of 'De Ballit of De Boll Weevil', and I'm sure that in the earliest part of their career most of the audience would not have known this song, though they certainly became used to it. When I saw them, and in footage I've seen of them performing, the audience has sung along heartily. It is nice to hear him try something new, though 'Goodnight Irene' although quite rousing is also downbeat. I feel for a rock performer, as I view Jack to be, it is more apt to end on a more upbeat song, which 'De Ballit of De Boll Weevil' certainly was.

I saw 'The White Stripes' in the Glasgow Academy in 2005 on the tour for 'Get Behind Me Satan', and Jack was a very impressive guitarist/musician and showman at that point and still remains as impressive. Although it was very enjoyable to see Jack perform again, it was not exciting or as much fun as seeing 'The White Stripes' was.

Rating: 08/10.

DEAD CAN DANCE: ANASTASIS 13.08.2012

Album Review: Dead Can Dance (Australia), Anastasis, Released: 13.08.2012, Label: PIAS, Available on Double Vinyl (Comes with free MP3 Download Code), C.D., MP3 Download Album & Box Set with USB Stick.

 I have liked Dead Can Dance since a friend introduced them to me back in 1996, coincidentally the year their last album 'Spiritchaser' was released. This release came as a surprise, I had no idea that Lisa Gerrard & Brendan Perry were working together again.

On previous Dead Can Dance albums I had always found the songs with Brendan singing on them to be weaker. This is no longer the case. Brendan's singing now appears to have a richness to it that was lacking in the past. Lisa's vocals are as strong as ever.

With previous Dead Can Dance albums, I found there was a tendency for a degree of patchiness and short interlude songs. Anastasis differs in this regard and I would say that there is a high degree of quality throughout. None of the songs I find to be difficult to enjoy. There is a dreamy soothing quality to it. You would not go to put this on if you wanted up tempo, though when in the right mood, this is a highly satisfying listen. The songs attain an even higher level of quality with the final two songs 'Return of the She-King' and 'All in Good Time', both of which have endued shivers in response to their staggering beauty. It is fantastic Dead Can Dance are back, long may their return continue.

When I heard about the album, I went to check about tour dates, to see that European dates had been announced and were all sold out. I hope for more dates being announced, as I had wanted to see them perform and then gave up hope due to their years of inactivity.

Rating: 09/10. (Purchased on Vinyl).

LIANNE LA HAVAS: IS YOUR LOVE BIG ENOUGH? 09.07.2013

Album Review: Lianne La Havas (U.K.), Is your Love Big Enough?, Released: 09.07.2012, Label: Warner Bros., Available on Vinyl (Comes with free MP3 Download Code), C.D., C.D. Deluxe & MP3 Download Album. 

I had purchased this as had previously purchased the 'Lost & Found' E.P. released in 2011. I had purchased the E.P. on the strength of her performance of the song 'Age' on 'Later...with Jools Holland'. This is a song which I still feel to be quite remarkable. A gentle song pondering whether it is okay to go out with a considerably older man, with enchanting sparseness.

On the album this is still one of the outstanding songs, though for reasons I cannot fathom it has been rerecorded. Sadly in my view there is only one other very good song on the album which is the title track. This is a pounding soul number.

The album has quite a range of stiles, though not in a good eclectic way. To me it more suggests a lack of focus. The rest of the pieces I find to be fairly forgettable filler.

I am still intrigued in regard to future releases. The simple reason for this is that if someone can write and perform by themselves a song like 'Age' which has such simple grace, then they have potential.

Rating: 03/10. (Purchased on Vinyl).

Live Performance Review: Adam Ant & The Good The Mad & The Lovely Posse, Thursday 01.11.2012, 18:45, O2 A.B.C., Glasgow

To begin as way of explanation. Adam Ant was my first favorite pop star that I can remember. The first song I am aware of consciously remembering is Ant Music from 1980, when I was four. I was in Glasgow in April 2011 for another concert and saw a poster for Adam Ant at the Academy in May 2011. Myself and the three others I was with decided to go. When walking into the venue and seeing the massive Adam and the Ants logo from 1980 behind the stage, I felt quite emotional, in a way I can't fully explain. Adam that night was far better than I could have hoped for, and the crowd gave a very fevered response. Myself and one other from that party went to see him in the Picturehouse in Edinburgh in December 2011, which again was very enjoyable. After that performance I said to my mate, that I would go again if it was in support of new work.

Thursday's concert was the first night of the Blue Black Hussar Tour in support of the new album to be released on January 21st 2013 called 'Adam Ant is the Blue Black Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter'. This will be his first album since 1994.

The band sounded good before, though sound better now. The drumming, particularly the female, is very impressive, and the guitarist sounded better. Adam is still a class showman, he appeared relaxed and was not treating the older songs with too much reverence. The whole performance was very enjoyable, the lighting was striking and the songs were performed with a touch of menace (in a good way). Although there was new material including 'Cool Zombie' the first single from the new album, it would have been nice had there been more, though this feels like quibbling when the performance was as good as it was.

Rating: 08/10.       

Film Review: The Shining (15), (U.K./U.S.A. 1980) (Director: Stanley Kubrick), Wednesday 31.10.2012 20:15, The Filmhouse, Screen One, Edinburgh

This was a screening of the original U.S. cut of the film, which had never before been seen in U.K. cinemas, and went on to get a general release here on 02.11.2012. When originally released in the U.S., it was not well received, so Stanley saw to removing 25 minutes for the version that would be released in the U.K..

I had heard of the longer U.S. version seven years ago, so got myself a copy on D.V.D., and therefore have been familiar with this version for some time. It had struck me, that when I subsequently went on to mention about there being two version to others over the past seven years, no one I mentioned it to seemed to know about this.

As soon as I saw the longer U.S. version it appeared to me to be a better film. There was more build up and background given to the characters. It feels to have more depth. I have read that this detracts from the horror element. This is hard for me to detect, as I think once you have seen a horror film several times it is no longer frightening anyway. If you think you know The Shining from the version the U.K. has had for 32 years, you don't.

Some have commented that Jack's performance is over the top, though I find it very engaging and watchable. On seeing this version again in the context of a cinema, what impressed me most was the portrayal of the disturbed child by Danny Lloyd, the calm travelling camera work and the sound. Whether viewed as horror or not, I think in this longer form, the film is one of Kubrick's classic works.

I highly recommend to any film/Kubrick enthusiast.

Rating: 10/10.