Crumb – Evenings and Weekends (Disques Fridge, 2005)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nick: when is this from?

2005

It sounds earlier than that, it reminds me of Jackson Browne, Running On Empty. I like it but its a bit bland, thats probably why it reminds me of Jackson Browne.

(track 2 – Fecky The Ninth)

Ok they don’t sound like Jackson Browne anymore.

(track 6 – For The Leaving Of..)

You know what I always find with this music? There’s no highs or lows, its got everything, melody, rhythm, lyrics but its just the same throughout, I’m sure if you were at a gig of these people, and you went for a drink during song 3 and came back during song 6 or 7, you’d think they hadn’t moved on, you’d think ‘ah that’s a long song!’

ding-a-ding-ding-ging, it just carries on regardless, its not boring, just samey.

I read him some of the reviews from the bands myspace

yeah i agree with all that, except for exciting. to sum it up: I like it but it doesn’t excite me.

With all the access makers and consumers of modern music have to new, strange and unheard sounds, it’s quite rare to find a band who mine such familiar and specific ground and still come up with such glittering diamonds of sound. Crumb were one of the best indiepop bands this country ever produced and will be sorely sorely missed.

http://www.myspace.com/crumbmusic

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Anni Rossi – Scandia (Folktale 2007)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(about three songs in)

Nick: did you say this girl plays the viola?

yes.

when? I haven’t heard any since the start.

well, she’s been playing it, listen.

oh she strums it?

strums, plucks, bow’s…

ah… ok.

(track 5 – Glaciers)

(laughing) did she say ‘i like freezer units’?

yep, freezer boxes and freezer units, she likes ’em.

heh, fair enough.

(record ends)

so, any final thoughts on anni rossi?

well, it’s hard to have any thoughts about it really isn’t it? some bits were interesting but most were not, it’s quite boring music. there were some interesting rhythmic parts that sounded like a biro hitting a cardboard box.

it’s fine if you want to do it but it sounds to me like no effort was made,  they just didn’t try hard enough. It’s like they said ‘lets make music thats a little bit experimental, squeek a bit, use lyrics no one can understand, just make a bit of quiet chaos music.’ I pity them if they went through any trouble and thats the result. Did you like it?

well, yeah but I normally prefer when music sound a bit off the cuff or unrehearsed.

thats all well and good if the results are good, like Keith Jarrett is entirely off the cuff and unrehearsed and his stuff is outstanding. Another thing about this is, it’s not functional music, dance music is the only functional music these days.

what other functional musics was there back in the day?

work songs, for working in the field and so on, no one makes work music anymore. 

Anni Rossi plays with Canada’s Creeping Nobodies in the Boom Boom Room, Dublin on Saturday Oct 11th, and also has dates in Belfast, Galway and Cork but I’m having trouble finding concrete information about them. In 2009 she’ll be releasing an album on the legendary 4AD records.

http://www.myspace.com/annirossi

http://www.annirossisgoodtimes.blogspot.com/

BATS – Cruel Sea Scientist (Armed Ambitions 2007)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nick: Is this a skit?

how do you mean?

is it a joke or are these people serious?

they’re serious, why?

well it sounds like, this is metal right?

kinda, not completely.

well it sounds like mama’s boys playing metal, for fun.

well one of them wears glasses.

well, see thats what i’m talking about, nice boys pretending to be metal.

(a little later)

I can’t see why anyone would want to play metal in this day and age, it’s all been done before and better.

The rather awesome BATS released their debut e.p ‘Cruel Sea Scientist’ late last year on Armed Ambitions Records. Next month sees them playing a couple gigs with the equally rather awesome Lovvers, (3rd Oct Boom Boom Room, Dublin, 4th Oct The Bunker, Belfast). Go see if they can destroy you. 

www.myspace.com/leatherbeatsfeather