Prog Wrestling Party

I'm not sure if I'm afraid of The Prog or not. It's not necessarily the beards, the long flowing locks and the capes that do me up, but the sheer earnestness of it, the po-faced seriousness when in actual fact, it's all a bit nonce. Apart from the capes of course - as we all know, capes are the shit.

Cleckhuddersfax though, they want no part of the prog-nonce. They want to prog-party. Oh my.

Yes, they have beards, they have long flowing locks, they have prog, but they also have bright-orange-wrestling-leotards-with-groinal-fur, and a realisation of the ridiculousness of it all, that swings the prog-o-meter around from anal nonce-sense to prog-pop genius-ness.

So whilst there are songs that start with Zep-effected portense, they soon ascend into faux-Rammstein vocals and group chanting, slightly shonky synths and occasionally-nearly-pop. You start with Kashmir, and you end up with Cash Converters, and that's alright by me.

Live, it's turned up to 11, and really, you've not lived until you've had a face full of leotard - Cleckhuddersfax play at the Brixton Windmill on the 5th of June, you must be seeing them.

The two tracks are from their CDR that you can get via their website, you can hear and see more at their Myspace, and they're due to release something on Fancy Paradise Records in the not too distant.

Cleckhuddersfax - Deep Vein Dinosnoutosis

Cleckhuddersfax - Elephantitan

I Sing The Body Electric

Finding something like Bradford Bahamas reminds me of why I listen to the music. Fear not, I'm not tired and emotional at the end of yet another shit-box of a week, please, hear me out.

It's not for the wry, dry, sly lyrics, it's not for the sweetest, most intricate of melodies, it's not for the next level of six-fingered-guitar-wankery. It's for the mentalism and the astonishment that something new can bring.

As a bit of background, I've been listening to a fair bit of Yellow Swans lately, and spending some quality time in the company of those fine Glue Rooms types. So hearing Bradford Bahamas came as a progression of that.

What really flicked the mental switch though, was finding out how Nitin Meghji Lachhani creates his sonic battery. It's all on his website (diagrams, videos and all), but in short, it involves standing in an arc of old monitors, donning a mask inlaid with gold, and letting the body become the instrument. Get the fuck in, you crazy crazy swine.

To come up with such controlled soundscapes like More Monitor Audio, through such a random method has pretty much made my brain melt, and sent me searching for random bits of electrical wares with which to make noises. And that's what it's all about.

Bradford Bahamas and your golden mask, we salute you. Hear more mental at his Myspace, and make it your purpose in life to track a live performance down. Splendid.

Bradford Bahamas - More Monitor Audio

Bradford Bahamas - Live

Casio And Broken Guitar Seek Bad Rhythm

Some Sunday nights are better than others. Yes, we all enjoy a bit of Time Team, yes, we all like a fondant fancy and a cup of tea, but sometimes, that's not enough. Sometimes, Sunday needs to give us a bit more action. And thus, it did come to pass at the Made In Deptford Alternative Arts Fair, this sabbath past.

There were a fair few bands on offer who flicked the switches, and we will be discussing some of these in the future, but the oiks that really did it for me, before sinking into a hazy-cider-nonce-up, were Team B.

These tunes offered thusly below give a fair indication of their 'Casio-and-broken-guitar-twins on a blind date with rhythms-they-have-nowt-in-common-with-and-never-will all happily chaperoned by Mark E. Smith' type stylings, and lo, they are quality, but live, they lift them up to a new state of mentalism. Toy guitars and a 19th Century coach boy repeatedly prostrating himself at the feet of the watching masses only tells part of the story. They're more - much more.

So, seek them and see them and be elated and upset in equal measure whenever they deem us worthy, and keep an eye on their bits and pieces to come, we like, we like.

Team B - Debauchery (Is My Raison D'Etre)

Team B - Cycle Speed Racer

The Future Kings Of Monkey World

Shimmy Rivers And And Canal are possibly taking over the world. Which one, I'm not sure, but I'd like to visit occasionally. Actually, thinking about it, it might well be Monkey World. Lordy, I hope so.

Their apparent disregard for the Queen's English, their infection of the airwaves and their fractured, jazz inflected donkey punch songs will establish a fine order for the generations of the enlightened to come.

But until the coup comes to pass, take heed and worship at their altar of skittish, Clinic-y, saxy, untemporal eruptions, all fronted up by a pre-pubescent Beefheart, and rejoice. Huzzah.

Their website is the best bet for finding out about their covert mutterings, but the ever excellent Stolen Recordings seems to be there label stable of choice, and Resonance hosts their radio show. Busy busy bees.

Come see them with me at the 12 Bar Club tonight, or at the Stolen Recordings night at the Spitz on the 28th of June. It's free in. Sir, you spoil us.

Shimmy Rivers And And Canal - Kumstruckk

Shimmy Rivers And And Canal - Wird

Morse Code Feedback

Yeborobo are all over the gaff. Fact.

They sound a bit like The Fall doing something with/to a school choir sometimes, they wear dog heads, they like face paint a lot, they dress up like Mr Susan. They play morse code feedback, can't add up proper, cover semi-shonky-euro-dance-hits and make them semi-brilliant, and there's not a clart amongst them to boot (according to Ruffbingo anyway).

And what's more (more!) they're even better live. If better means almost catastrophic. Which I'm pretty sure it does. Thank you please.

You can get their spanking new single I'm Magick Gimme A Fiver and other stuff from here, and see them live at Slash at Catch E2 on the 16th of June. It's free in, so there's no excuse really. Unless you're scared of clowns with dog heads or summat.

Yeborobo - SOS

Yeborobo - Troublescotch

SMOOOOOOOSH!

Simple as winking this one, it's a top top day, so let's enjoy it with the help of two of the happiest songs I've ever cocking well heard.

The Retro Spankees are beautifully plinky plonky noisy noisy with the twee turned up to 11, which is just fine and dandy if you ask me, and 586 are the latest indie-pop upstarts to make their mark on all things musical and more - much more - with some well placed whelpin', screamin', shoutin', bangin' and beepin' and stuff.

Whether you're really, really small, or not a monkey, or... not, these songs will make your day whizzo along that little bit more smartly, and with a springier spring in your step. And as the sweet baby Jesus tells us, you can ask for much more than that.

Get The Retro Spankees frankly wonderful album I Know You Are But What Am I? on Kooky Records from here, and 586's mighty debut single We Got Bored, released on TigerTrap on 22nd of May - best bet is to get it straight from the label, or London's more exclusive vinyl boutiques apparently. And see them both live whenever you can, because a little bit of happiness makes your bits bigger. Or something.

SMOOOOOOOSH! = the sound of my brain melting. Sweet.

The Retro Spankees - Smarty Pants

586 - I Am Not A Monkey

A Fucking Fox!

It is Wednesday. Of that there is no doubt. And Wednesday being Wednesday, positioned firmly and without compromise in the middle of the week, it is officially The Day Of Despair. The weekend is gone, and the next one is far far away.

And rather than try and brighten the mood, let us wallow in self pity, just because we can. Wednesday can force itself upon us, but we don't have to like it by Christ.

The perfect accompaniment for Wednesday is undoubtedly Chips For The Poor, Invisible Spies and Sheffield's favourite son. Big claim, yay, but whilst Jarvis paints a romantic picture of the city, Chips For The Poor gets right on it, unflinchingly telling it like it really is. Amen.

In fact, I'm reckoning there's nowt that Chips For The Poor would like more, than imbibing some horrifically naughty speed, and spending an evening in the company of the nation's finest, in a pub-built-into-an-estate, playing 'winner keeps eyes' on the darts.

LSD Who Said That? is a nightmare nursery rhyme reeling off a few of his favourite things, and Across The Car Park is his update of Revolution 9, done Chips style and teng. Brrrp.

Chips For The Poor brings the live experience to various salubrious nightspots this month including 93 Feet East on the 25th of May and the London Callin night at the 12 Bar Club on the 28th of May, and you can buy the recordings of his mind's spurtings here.

Fuck off Wednesday.

Chips For The Poor - LSD Who Said That

Chips For The Poor - Across The Car Park

Fuck Me I'm Twee

It is Friday. Of that there is no doubt. It's fairly sunny outside on the stinking streets on London, everyone's been paid, the kids are feeling fruity, and so, it's time to get saucy. Oh yes.

But first, let us take a moment – let us take a moment to enjoy the calm before the storm, if you will.

The Bobby McGee’s are as mimsy as a pink hairclip writing poetry in the park. Weeping. Bless. To back up my ever insightful assertion, may I present the following:

Exhibit A - there are stickers of cartoon insects on their demo cd
Exhibit B - there is hot recorder action in a lot of their songs
Exhibit C - at least one of them is Scottish

The prosecution rests.

They are also fucking cracking. Boy-girl swapping vocals, smile out loud lyrics, ukuleles, all recorded in what sounds like a cupboard under your hallway stairs. Brilliant. After all the unadulterated shite that’s going round at the moment, this is the soothing balm for your inflamed eary holes. Sweet sweet soothing balm. Hmm.

The two songs selected for your amusement on this day are off their A Wee Twee CD demo (exactly what it says on the tin etc etc), and are about boys and girls being friends. No Friends is the start of the affair, Kill Yourself is the end. And also a warning that you should watch the quiet ones. They're well handy with a hairclip.

They've got a bundle of live dates coming up, including tomorrow at the Anti Folk Fest at the 12 Bar Club, and 11th of May at JAMM in Brixton. Twee-mendous.

Sweet Jesus. SAUCE ME!

The Bobby McGee’s – No Friends

The Bobby McGee’s – Kill Yourself

The (Beautiful) Schla La Las

There's something that's been bothering me for a while now. It's not a 'wake up in the middle of the night perched on the window sill ready to jump' kind of botheration, but a niggling, gnawing annoyance that will gradually drag me down into a pit of despair, over a period of some years. That kind. You know - hmm.

Now, before I go into one, I should say I've got nothing against The Pipettes. They're fine people I’m sure, their band is tidy enough (Monster Bobby, we like), their music is all very nice and nice and pretty and nice. But the thing that bothers me, the thing that nags at me like a shy albino, is if why The Pipettes, why not The Schla La Las?

Now, I'm getting into tricky waters, because The Schlas would no doubt string me up and batter me for even mentioning them in the same breath as The Pipettes, but I'm sorry Schlas, the comparisons are there to be made - matching outfits drawn from the 50s and 60s, songs about boys and girls and stuff, theme songs, harmonies a'go-go - you're not getting away from it I'm afraid.

But where The Pipettes have stuck determinedly to the blue print, The Schlas have taken it on to disarm, and then take a different path. Songs about boys and girls and stuff yes, but the girls are firmly in charge. Musically inspired by the 50s and 60s yes, but also informed by all that has gone since, not solely the girl-group pop. And as they’ll tell you, they play their own instruments (ooooooh!).

The Schlas are always play-full of attitude and subtly subversive, and Up For It has all this and more, a statement of girls in charge intent - as does their cover of Add It Up, switching the boot to the other foot, which is shortly going to be kicking you square in the cods. Bosh.

Don’t worry though - it’s okay to love The Schla La Las – just don’t take your eye of them for a second, or you’ll be in Germany, stuffing your face before you know it.

More tracks can be found on Schla Demos, released on Truck and available from here, and their Myspace. Their first single, again on Truck, is due out this summer. The Schlas Prom is at The Water Rats on 26th of May, and they play The Truck Festival this summer.

The Schla La Las – Up For It

The Schla La Las – Add It Up

'Lane - That Is All

As a starter for ten, being new to all this, I thought we’d start with a home banker, and there's no better place for that than Electrelane. They are mighty. Oh yes.

I could go on and on why the 'Lane are right up there in my eyes, but regurgitation is never a pretty thing, so lets rest easy with a few simple acknowledgements for their selfless interest in the music over the ego (BAF!), for their ascent from raw and respectable beginnings to their current mastery and post-everything kraut-rocking power (SMOOSH!), and their command of the live performance which has grown like one of them there experiments you did with a bean, some sand, some paper, a jar and a little bit of water, when you were at school = gloriously (FWANG!).

From a fair battery of songs, I've picked Gone Under Sea, from The Power Out album, and their cover of I'm On Fire, from the On Parade single, both of which were released on Too Pure.

The latter is a live favourite from their earlier days demonstrating their ability to subvert and confidently re-imagine, and Gone Under Sea is a slightly arbitrary pick, following a timely reminder of it's extreme quality, received when it soundtracked a day of sailing the high seas with Ruffbingo over the May bank holiday weekend. Both feature the staple 'Lane diet of Verity Susman's selfless vocals and controlling influence, Mia Clarke's reconstucted guitar and Emma Gaze's neu!-matic drumming – all of which whilst constant, is never repetitive. Click here to buy both from the Too Pure Shop.

They play live this month at one of the ATPs, and the Kilburn Luminaire on the 24th and 25th, for which you can get tickets from here, and you can hear more tracks on their Myspace.

In closing then: Electrelane = Get right on it:

Electrelane - Gone Under Sea

Electrelane - I’m On Fire