GOLDEN STATE - ALBUM REVIEW

Golden State - Division (State Champ Records) 

Golden State - Division

Release Date: 31st March 2014

I don't think it's any coincidence that I sat down to listen to this album for the first time straight after watching the Farrelly brothers film 'Stuck On You' for the first time considering this is an album called 'Division' and the cover art seemingly features conjoined eagles. Los Angeles quartet Golden State open this album with the understated tones of 'All Roads Lead Home' which builds slowly like the sun coming up on the night before bursting in to an array of lights and colour like Elbow in leather (but not leather elbow patches). Weirdly, the next track is 'Setting Sun' which continues the theme of soaring, anthemic guitars as sensitive, gentle vocals before the harmonious introduction to 'Sink Or Swim' takes things to a more place that puts me in mind of recent Stereophonics or the Killers output. 'Destroyer' has a little more personality about it, sounding highly inspired by Muse's 'Knights Of Cydonia' with the chugging guitars and rolling drums and this is where Golden State's strengths definitely lie rather than on the slightly ponderous 'The Outsiders' which takes too long to get going and then doesn't really achieve lift off when it does.

This feels like an album by a band who want to sound a certain way but have commercial success nagging at the back of their mind so the majority of songs, like 'Save Me' and 'Standing On The Edge Of It All', sound like they were written expressly for those dramatic moments in American dramas where the impossibly rich and good looking people get all upset because one of the other impossibly good looking and rich people doesn't want to jump in to bed with them. There is, at least, a sense of lightness to 'Splinters Out' that is appealing and 'World On Fire' has a triumphalism that you could expect of Kings Of Leon in all their pomp and glory although it does veer dangerously close to U2 at times. 'High Noon' picks up the pace a little with a semi-punk, indie guitar riff and some slow burning vocals that show signs of a smouldering appeal but the electronic psssshhhheeeeooooooo noises are a little bit much. There's no denying the drums that open 'Light Speed' are tempting but the tune that follows is insipid rock that you might expect to wake up to having fallen asleep during a poor sequel at the cinema with the credits nearly at an end. By the time we get to 'Rocket' there isn't any high expectation on this album so it's pleasantly surprising that Golden State at least have a stab at sleaze rock (they're from LA after all) and manage a passable Buckcherry tribute if nothing else. This is a frustrating album as these guys can play but they need stretching or at least given some space to stretch themselves away from the safe MOR/AOR territory.  

More information: https://www.facebook.com/GOLDENSTATEBAND?fref=ts

HAUSCHKA - SINGLE REVIEW

Hauschka - Adgam 

Hauschka - Adgam

The words 'neoclassical' and 'pioneer' do not often appear in my inbox and I must admit to a soupcon of nervousness at the prospect of reviewing a genre of music that I am almost completely unaware of. Nevertheless, Hauschka seems like a nice guy with a healthy attitude to life and music so I thought I'd dive right in and see what was occurring. 'Adgam' clearly has classical overtones with melodic and sometimes dissonant pianos running throughout as well as a few carefully plucked strings giving the piece a sense of urgency. However, it's the subtle electronic rhythms that bring the 'neo' element to 'Adgam' and turn this in to something that you might expect dance music explorers to come up with. Elements of techno and trance are apparent as well as a dark, industrial, almost Prussian feel to the melodies as this strange new world unfolds over nearly five minutes. Essentially, what I'm saying is that this would have been perfect for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics but Hauschka probably played a blinder in avoiding that political time bomb. Wow, did I just write Winter Olympics and bomb in the same sentence? Twice? That should get the hit rate up...

More information: https://www.facebook.com/HauschkaMusic?fref=ts

Live Dates:

26th March - Cafe Oto, London (SOLD OUT)

10th May - Howard Assembly Room, Leeds

14th May - South Street Arts, Reading

15th May - Colston Hall @ The Lantern, Bristol

16th May - Burgess Foundation, Manchester

WAX FUTURES - EP REVIEW

Wax Futures - A History Of Things To Come (Hometown Strategies/Distorted Tapes) 

Wax Futures - A History Of Things To Come

Release Date: 10th March 2014

Telford's finest trio of hard rocking badasses are back with seven tracks of balls to wall awesomeness. Much like the music I'm going to get straight down to business and tell you that 'Breadcrumbs', a recent single, opens the album and goes from zero to hell yeah in about 0.25 seconds of riffs and drums. 'Clock And Clocks And Clocks' is a little more straight up hard rock but it's the energy that Wax Futures exude that make sure you know their live shows are sure to be legendary. Going for the commercial market of day time advertising during the break in Loose Women, 'Laser Eye Surgery' is pitched somewhere in the middle of a Venn diagram containing Reuben, A and Cable which is one hell of a diagram whichever way you cook it.

The pounding drums and staccato guitars that introduce 'Histories' suggest a hint of punk about these guys as they go for the shouty gang chorus that is always welcome on a song of this ilk. Possibly the most mainstream and Hundred Reasons sounding track on this collection is 'Smoke & Mirrors' which finishes up the standard portion of the record before we get in to something altogether unexpected and intriguing. Considering the reference points given above you wouldn't necessarily expect a couple of dance remixes tagged on the end of this EP but that's exactly what you get. First up is 'Histories' as remixed by Faux Plissken and it really, really works as the bleeps and angular beats take things to a different level and gives the tune an 80s goth feel that I just didn't think was possible. The Chaotix Remix of 'Breadcrumbs' starts with a raw vocal track before the hectic, ZX Spectrum soundtrack kicks in and we're transported to a world that couldn't be further from the original tune. On the one hand, Wax Futures are an absolutely stunning hard rocking trio who would make me willingly sweat and jump around gleefully at a show. On the other hand, they have a sense of pushing boundaries with their music that most bands of their type wouldn't be interested in exploring. Put those hands together and you have a musical high five of epic proportions. Or at least a clap.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/waxfutures?fref=ts

Live Dates:

8th March - The Haygate, Telford w/Burning Alms + A Pig Called Eggs + Fauxchisels

29th March - Railway Tavern, Nuneaton w/Go Lazarus 

HISTORY MAJORS - SINGLE REVIEW

History Majors - Shadows 

History Majors - Shadows

According to their Facebook page, this Toronto trio play music that is the sounds of cats kissing. This is essentially a direct quote and if you really think about it that sounds would either be the very quiet noise of two soft noses touching or the caterwauling sound of scratching and squalling from the cat that wasn't happy about the kisses. We need to hear this, don't we? Single 'Shadows' is  a jaunty, jangly, upbeat piece of indie-pop that is Scottish in tone but West Coast U.S. in attitude as it perfectly mixes those perky guitar riffs with slurred, slacker vocals. Back in the 90s I would have taken at least one bus to buy a copy of this on 7" or maybe even tape, such is the quality of this indie slacker anti-anthem. The main thing that I'll take from this single is that I am genuinely worried about the cats that this band own and why they are being forced to kiss. And why the hell that makes a sound like 90s slacker indie pop. All very concerning. But fun.

More information: www.facebook.com/historymajorsband

Live Dates:

11th March - Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto

COAST REDWOOD - ALBUM REVIEW

Coast Redwood - Spirit (Radiclaw Records) 

Coast Redwood - Spirit

Release Date: 4th March 2014

Coast Redwood seem like nice guys. Nice Canadian guys. Even their music is nice and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. These four guys create those kind of chord changes and rich melodies that hug you in that warm way that an old whisky or a warm fire does. Opening tack 'Away From The Wasteland', for instance, is full of thick, warm guitars and swathes of organ that just wrap around you and sweep you away to your happy place. Then again, 'Dead Where It Lay' starts off with a 'Walking On Sunshine' drum riff followed by a pop-punk melody that just makes you want to pogo around your living room until you take out a light or a ceiling fan if you live in a warm part of the world. 'Cassiopeia' (great title) is a mellow and melodic piece of loveliness with a country tinge while 'The Train/The Station' is a Beatles-esque riff accompanied by angular vocals and an edgy beat.

Apart from being a cracking title, 'Redbloodedteenagejerkoff' sounds like Redd Kross as produced by Kings Of Leon and then along comes 'Tollbooths & Highways' being all jangly and suave like a weird mix of the Arctic Monkeys and Edwyn Collins. It's on the lazily brilliant 'Let Me Dig' that Coast Redwood have really hit gold though as the gorgeous slide guitars and oak-smoked vocals blend to make a beautifully sun drenched early morning of a song. The album finishes up with 'End Of The Hunt' which starts off sleepily but ends up as a full on Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Thin Lizzy road tune. I said these guys were nice and the music was nice which could be seen as damning with faint praise but I genuinely enjoyed this music. True enough, it didn't get my heart racing but that's not what nice does - it just made me feel happy and perfectly suited my mood at the end of a long day. Nice guys don't always finished last.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/CoastRedwood

SLEEPY SUN - ALBUM REVIEW

Sleepy Sun - Maui Tears (Dine Alone Records) 

Sleepy Sun - Maui Tears

Release Date: 14th March 2014

Poor yourself a drink. Roll yourself a fat one. Find the comfiest chair in your house. Lock the doors. Close the curtains. Pop on your best headphones and then let the needle drop. This new LP from San Franciscan quintet Sleepy Sun is a delight that needs savouring so give it the time it deserves. I mean, you wouldn't wolf down a gourmet meal or do shots of fifty year old single malt would you? I should hope not, have some class. I'm listening to this digitally but imagining the crackle of the limited edition turquoise and red double vinyl as I let the swarthy guitars of 'The Lane' wash over me and the gentle strumming of 'Words' calms the stress inside of me. The prog rock tendencies of 'Everywhere Waltz' help uncover a mystical world of unusual creatures and temptingly dangerous sirens. Then again, 'Outside' sees the listener succumb to the otherworldly delights and slip in to a state of blissfully ignorant abandon while '1132' is a joyous Black Sabbath-esque piece of distorted noise and sensation.

'Thielbar' (me neither) sounds like it was recorded in a deep and mystical cave where the fragments of light dance on the wet rocks and strangely alluring booming noises emanate from the darkest recesses of the craggy cavern. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a band who's album cover features a man with a series of triangles for a face veer towards the more outlandish end of the rock spectrum, but it's almost refreshing to hear how much time and space the music is given to grow on this album. 'Slowdown', for example is a breathy, sprawling Pink Floyd meets Genesis (Gabriel era) type of tune that has no discernible melody but feels like a hundred familiar and unfamiliar emotions surrounding you all at once. This bleeds effortlessly in to 'Galaxy Punk' which sounds like a tune that could be played equally well backwards or forwards such is the infectious quality of the groove and warped texture of the vocals. Final track and album title 'Maui Tears' is, presumably, some sort of surfing reference but even if it isn't it's just as trippy as the rest of the album. There you have it, you've got your instructions and nine tracks of outlandishly delicious expansive rock music to enjoy. Not bad for a Wednesday, eh?

More information: https://www.facebook.com/SleepySun?fref=ts 

Live Dates:

7th March - Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto

8th March - Shelter, Detroit

10th March - Schuba's Tavern, Chicago

11th March - Turf Club, St Paul

12th March - The Aquarium, Fargo

13th March - Union Music Hall, Winnipeg

14th March - O'Hanlons, Regina

15th March - Vangellis, Saskatoon

16th March - Wunderbar, Edmonton

18th March - Broken City, Calgary

19th March - Habitat, Kelowna

20th March - Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver

21st March - Garibaldi Lift Company, Whistler

22nd March - Lucky Bar, Victoria

23rd March - The Shakedown, Bellingham

24th March - Sunet Tavern, Seattle

25th March - Holocene, Portland

27th March - The Chapel, San Francisco

28th March - Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles

12th April - Rotonde at Botanique, Brussels

13th April - Paradiso Upstairs, Amsterdam

14th April - The Hope, Brighton

15th Aril - Corsica Studios, London

16th April - Deaf Institute, Manchester

17th April - Broadcast, Glasgow

18th April - Detestival, Sheffield

19th April - Instant Karma Festival, Oostende

20th April - Doornroosje, Nijmegen

20th April - Paaspop, Schijndel

22nd April - Hafenklang, Hamburg

23rd April - UT Connewitz, Leipzig

24th April - Desert Fest, Berlin

25th April - Club Manufaktur, Schorndorf

26th April - Queensday Festival, Venlo

27th April - Viadukt, Zurich

28th April - Le Point Ephemere, Paris

HEMING WAVE - EP REVIEW

Heming Wave - Our Romance Ghost EP 

Heming Wave - Our Romance Ghost

Release Date: March 2014

Sometimes, you get served up with a menu of combinations that is too mouth-watering to ignore and this is one of those times. Heming Wave are a French quartet who take inspiration from the likes of Interpol, The Strokes, The Dandy Warhols, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Grizzly Bear - what a delightfully tantalising prospect. The EP opens with the single 'Rodeo' which is abundant with Kings Of Leon style swagger and a French Morrisey on vocals and if that doesn't float your boat then let's hop on to the next track and see what's happening there. 'Forever Always' is a more considered and gentle song with atmospheric guitars and a real sense of desperation as the chorus spins in a spiral of despair.

The urgency of 'Dive In The Ocean' really embraces those Strokes and Interpol influences with both arms wrapped around the flailing torso of the early noughties indie kid. It almost goes without saying but the Gallic flair of Heming Wave mixed with their chosen musical upbringing creates a sexy and devil may care vibe throughout the EP. This never more evident than on 'Misty Life', a gently seductive piece of music that the National would be proud of as it snakes in to your consciousness wearing a sharp suit and two days worth of stubble. 'Poison' finishes affairs up nicely with chiming guitars and a rumbling bass line that could only be played at arm's length with a look of studied boredom upon the face of the four string maestro. As hoped for, the mix of French cool and some carefully selected influences gives Heming Wave a marvellously unique sound that should have indie purists salivating over their Converse.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heming-Wave/106682349481701?fref=ts

Live Dates:

19th March - Ca Va Monter d'un Ton (Radio France Bleu Showcase), Clermont

17th May - Kraspek Myzik, Lyon

23rd May - Centre Helitas, Aurillac

23rd August - Pein Air, Saint Flour, w/Hill Valley