Hagana - One Year

Rock and fucking roll. It's Tuesday. Tuesday was named after the God of "Oh cock, is it not weekend yet?" and as such requires something pretty bloody awesome to help carry you along and stop you from tipping over the edge and running out into the street yelling about like, stuff, or something.

Anyway, so - we're almost at midweek and today I was most incredibly excited to get an e-mail from the delightful chaps from Edinburgh who make up the band Hagana. I liked the name so much I wanted to review them straight away. In fact I've been running round saying "Hagana" in a comedy Spanish accent for the last hour. I think I need to step away from the Smarties.

So, this is a bit previous, but their debut album "One Year" will be released on 3rd March and it's one that I really think is a cut above, just from the initial play through.

First impressions: Absolutely corking riffs, bone shaking and blood thickening. Intense and powerful vocals and brilliant harmonies.

But look a bit deeper. Yes, look a bit deeper. Come closer and listen again. There's so much more to it.

I was absolutely knocked out by the third track "Fuzzy Punch", this exemplifies a great mixture of all of the above mentioned qualities. In fact I listened to it three times before I moved onto the next song. It's really tightly woven and well produced and has a great 90s grunge feel to it. Most of the tracks here do, there are influences from bands like Weezer and the Foo Fighters in evidence, but the sounds still feel very fresh and unique.

I urge you to watch the video for the abovementioned track here:

HAGANA - FUZZY PUNCH

"Watch My Step" is another stand out track, the opening is really unusual - it sounds strange to say it and I hope the band don't mind me saying this, but the riff at the beginning feels like church bells, it has that kind of chimey progression to it. The chords feel really different and it opens out into another great vocal with tight harmonies.

The last track "Connect 4" is an absolutely awesome way to end. The guitars on it are so down and dirty and there's a nice kind of feeling of fuzz and distortion there compared to the other tracks. It fades out sweetly, which is quite an unusual way to end an album such as this and it works surprisingly well.

If you'd like to check the band out more thoroughly, look at their bandcamp page

hagana.bandcamp.com/

But more than anything, when 3rd March comes round you must go and buy this superb band's debut album. If you want filthy guitars, great vocals and uber cheekiness - Hagana are your guys. HAGANA. Yes.

ArtClassSink - ILLA

Apparently, it's Saturday. We're mid-point in the weekend and thegeneral has reached a new peak of stress level known only to her as "screaming like a cockweasel" - dear readers, January has not, thus far, been a kind month.

Therefore, when my inbox pinged (not a euphemism) with an e-mail asking me to review a new EP I felt heartily glad to be firing up this page again to bring you something fresh and exciting to listen to.

Boy, have I got it for you.

I'd like to introduce you to another brilliant act from Oxford called ArtClassSink. Hoik yourselves over to their bandcamp page to have a listen to their stuff:

artclasssink.bandcamp.com/

Then come back here AT ONCE to read on.

The band's new EP (which hopefully you're now listening to) is called Illa and it's a hugely engaging listen. From the moment the first track "She (Intro)" kicks in, it instantly feels like you're onto a winner. It has an amazingly catchy start with a fantastic drum beat and bassline, matched with a slightly off kilter, discordant vocal (in fact vocalist Joe Biggs has an absolutely cracking voice - really shines through on all the tracks, at times a little McCulloch-esque, haunting and melodic).

Although the band's bandcamp page suggests they're bracketed in with one of my favourite genres (math-rock), the group tell me that they're trying not to stray too far into that territory - and they're right, although this EP does have a slight nod towards other acts who fit more neatly into that category, on the whole the sounds here are much more shoe-gazey, more much wistful, laconic and dreamy eyed than the chippy, intricate rhythms of math-rock/pop. Each track is different and compelling in it's own way.

They were lucky enough to support one of my all time favourite bands TTNG (formerly This Town Needs Guns, also from Oxford) not long ago - an amazing experience for them, however, it's also good to see they're carving their own niche and distinctive sound in their own right.

There is such a subtlety to the songs here, the group's chord progressions are spacily drawn, slightly distorted and fuzzy which, in places, give the music a relaxed edge. This is particularly prevalent on the wonderful "Cry For Help", which for me was the standout track of the whole collection. Final track "Someone To Try For" has an almost quietly New Order-esque bass line to it and drives along at a great pace. You feel carried along by the melody, it's a song that is tangible, real and something that you want to keep hitting 'repeat play' on.

So, if you've got the January wobbles (like me) and want something brand new and fantastic to listen to you absolutely won't go wrong with ArtClassSink. As always I finish these pieces by asking my perfectly formed readership to give them a moment of your time and a little support. So please, give them a moment of your time and a little support. Yeah.

Smilex - La Petite Mort

Howdy bitches and a Happy New Year to you all. thegeneral is back, briefly, after a short sojourn and semi-raring to go (don't ask about Christmas, just don't). Yes, that's right, the blog that no-one wants to read, written by the writer that couldn't care less is winging its way through January like a dose of Laudanum through a Pre-raphaelite's main artery and kicking off off the first month of 2014 in great style with a fabulous new release.

So tonight I'd like to introduce you to Smilex and it's going to be quite a noisy and uproarious one.

First of all, go hither and have a listen to their back catalogue of delights:

http://smilex.bandcamp.com/

Just before the festivities commenced le general was lucky enough to be sent a download of this great band's new album "La Petite Mort", which is released through Oxford label Quickfix Recordings. I quickly flicked through the rest of the e-mail to note that this new collection of rough and tumble sees them reunited with Ace. Yes that's right. Ace. Ace of Skunk Anansie fame. As soon as I saw that I thought "I'm 'avin' some of this..." and went to download it.

What can this record offer you then?

Well, do you remember in the 1990s when America ruled the waves of alternative rock? So do I....

...sorry...

I was just staring wistfully into the middle distance and whistling "Touch Me I'm Sick"...

Yeah, so alternative rock. If you liked any of those bands - Pixies, Jane's Addiction, Nirvana, Mudhoney et al I think it's a fairly safe bet you'll love Smilex.

"La Petite Mort" is a surprisingly catchy, easy to get into album, that's the right side of dirty, fuzzy, scuzzy aural filth. Nicely mastered vocals combine with some great, punky, edgy guitar riffs. Each song is a surprise in it's own right, lulling you into a false sense of what they actually turn out to be. There's some pretty deft playing throughout which sets it apart from some of the other also-rans who are simply trying to recreate the music of twenty years ago. Smilex are creating their own unique path to tread with this album.

Tracks like "What Is It You Actually Do Again?" are a prime example of this - starting off with a brilliant pick, then launching into something rib cage rippingly powerful (not to mention the biting wit of the lyrics - for those of a sensitive disposition, do not listen to this album if you don't like naughty swear words...I do...so it's all good).

It's actually pretty impossible to pick out one stand alone track - they're all gems in their own way right from the opener "9hz", which has an almost impossibly brilliant maths-pop start, through to the breathy last "One Woman Man".

Smilex are a band that are by turns, scary, gentle, uplifting, graceful , dirtily rough and fucking mammoth. What's not to love? Let them into your life.

The Ideas - Kicking Up Stones

Yo! We've made it through Monday and not killed anyone with fire. I'd say that deserved a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake, don't you? There's always time for tea and cake. Always. Anyone who says otherwise needs a right good kick in the flaps.

Monday night is a great time for discovering a new band don't you think? I do. I have one to introduce to you today and I'm proud to be doing so. In fact I think this may very well be the newest band I've written about on this blog to date. Who are they? They are The Ideas. Co-incidentally they are also the last of my features on new music from Oxford and they are ending the series on a high.

First of all, here is the link to their great new song "Kicking Up Stones"

https://soundcloud.com/theideasband

So go go go and have a listen.

Now come back to me and sit cross legged on the floor, otherwise there'll be no story before home time. Fingers on lips. On your own lips...cheeky.

"Kicking Up Stones" is a great number. It is, to my mind, a pure out and out classic with incredibly catchy lyrics and vocals. It's nicely lo-fi in feeling, it doesn't sound overly produced, it's got nicely chime-y guitars and it breaks into something that has great style and rhythm.

While you're there, click on the link above and listen to "Between The Rain" a gently haunting song that will get under your skin straight away. Highly recommended listening.

The band are planning on releasing this as a single, hopefully in February 2014 through a newly formed label called "Chilli Rose". It'll come out as a digital download first, then physical hard copies will follow in March. Both will be worth the wait - and I'm reliably informed that the band are also working with Chris Brown (not THAT one...) who mastered The Beatles Anthology and has also worked with RADIOHEAD (swoooon) and Rod Stewart.

So, I heartily urge you to keep these guys in mind as I've a feeling that they will make big waves over the coming months. They've a genuinely great sound and to cap it all off are jolly nice people to boot. You may well have heard them here first - so take them and run, run like the wind my children. The Ideas. Give them some.

The August List - High Town Crow

Well well well, what's all this then? Well you know damn well what it is, it's a final blog post before we wave out Sunday and flip the bird at Monday (from behind the wall obviously, don't want to hurt its feelings too much).

Of course, you'd expect nothing less from thegeneral, but we really are going out on a high with something refreshing, different and oh so lovely.

So, for the final installment of my features on acts supported by PinDrop Publicity, please to be very much welcoming you with The August List.

Now this really is somewhat of a departure for me - because as yet I don't think I've featured a truly out and out alt-country act on here yet, something for which I should hang my head in shame, because it is a bit of an overlooked genre all told.

So what can The August List offer you? Well, how about you have a look at their soundcloud page to see what all the fuss is about...

soundcloud.com/pindrop-publicity/sets/the-august-list-high-town-crow/s-hS2by

...see what I mean? They're great. bluesy, country-y, vocals to DIE for and outstandingly clean guitar sounds, that turn into something outright dirty half way through.

I was blown away by this track and so, naturally decided to investigate them further. Here's what I found, if you can please make your way over to their bandcamp page:

theaugustlist.bandcamp.com/

You'll find their first EP from earlier this year and I HIGHLY recommend you give it a listen. It's four tracks of similarly bluesy-rocky-country-y tinged delight - there is something quite heartbreaking and yearning about the lyrics and the way they're performed. The songs all feel like instant classics, proper foot tappers - you really can actually pick them up after one listen and find yourself humming the melodies and they're a duo you feel really ought to go places with just the right break.

Standout tracks from this EP for thegeneral are "Death Penalty" and "Forty-Rod Of Lightning". They offer something intense, brooding and emotionally charged. Simply a great sound.

So, my final clarion call - please go investigate The August List, download their music and give them your time. If you like alt-country with balls, you'll love this duo.

The Broken Broadcast - How Not To Cut A Buffalo

Howdy, bitches. I know, two blog posts in one weekend? Aren't you a lucky set of buggers?

Keeping the momentum going before Monday kicks us all in the capri pants and flings us headfirst into yet another week of terminal decline and tea breaks.

Today's feature is about a release from earlier this year - a record that was put out while thegeneralmusicblog was on hiatus (thegeneral herself is still on a hiatus from life, but that's a whole other story, for which you'll need a family pack of Mars Bars, Valium and earplugs). However, the band in question very sweetly tweeted me last week and asked if I'd be willing to give their latest gramaphone record a listen and I heartily agreed.

Now then.

The Broken Broadcast. How Not To Cut A Buffalo. Well first of all, how could you not love an album with a title like that? You're already onto a winner. But of course, it's the music. It's all about the music. So what can this treasure trove offer you?

Quite a very big lot as it turns out. It's such a warm  record with a very good vibe to it. Vocalist James Riggall's voice struck me straight away - reminding me immediately of the not-very-often-mentioned-but-should-be Andy Spearpoint from the late, lamented 1980s Madchester outfit New Fast Automatic Daffodils. Such a chilled out, laconic sounding voice which marries really well with the great musical mash-up of guitars/bass/drums/brass and glockenspiel/cello.

The music is inventively chippy, intrepid and swingy. Some of the songs - I'm thinking in particular of "Swim" here, have a delightfully childlike insouciance to them, helped along with the gently tinkling percussion and again, by the lulling juxtaposition of the vocal performance, which gathers in strength and power as the song progresses.

Stand out tracks (for thegeneral) are the abovementioned and also the second track "This Is My Wilderness", which has a belter of a guitar part, quietly driving percussion and really actually quite moving lyrics. The nicely harmonised "Silence is golden when I'm with you" is the take home line, repeated throughout, to great effect. A wise sage once said to the thegeneral that you know you've cracked it with a member of the opposite sex when you can sit in silence with them, it feels comfortable and doesn't matter that you're not nattering ten to the dozen. However, that's all by the bypass, but the line did strike me as prescient.

Each track, in it's own right has something special to offer - whether it is folky banjos (not a euphemism), lo-fi indie style or moving pianos (as in the case of mid point track "Sea Coal Collectors").

So, although this album has been out since the Summer, I'd really recommend you hopped on over to the band's bandcamp page here:

http://thebrokenbroadcast.bandcamp.com/

And checked out what they have to offer, because as I always say, you won't regret it. And as anyone who knows me, knows - I'm very rarely wrong, and even when I am, I'm still usually right.

Emperor The Stag - Fantasy To Bleak

Goodness. We've almost made it through Monday and not killed anyone. I'd say that was pretty good going, though it was touch and go at 2.30pm when it was discovered the only chocolate left in the box was "the one that dare not speak its name" (I'll leave it up to you to guess, but I'm still shuddering now - didn't stop me forcing it down, like...) Anyway. That aside it's a brand new week and that can only mean one thing. A brand new band and a brand new blog post.

Today is another incredibly special one. 'Cos today I want to introduce you to a band called Emperor The Stag. thegeneral has been extremely lucky (not to mention verryy excited) to receive a preview copy of the band's new album which isn't actually due out until FEBRUARY 2014!! But yeah, I'm obviously so hip n cool that they sent it to me, so be totally jealous and all that.

What can it offer you? Oh, just about everything. It's lovely. It truly is. First of all, I'd like to direct you to one of the preview tracks on the YouTubes. It's called "Leaves" and you can watch/listen here:

EMPEROR THE STAG - LEAVES

It's immediately catchy, both the guitar sounds and the vocals are incredibly pure. One of the main things that stuck in my mind hearing singer Nick Webb's voice was, in a way, how he reminded me of Jaime Harding from 90s indie darlings Marion. He has that same, raw, emotional energy  that really reaches out to you. When he lets go, there is so much power there that it feels like it might take you off your feet. It's visible in all the songs and he seems to really know how to 'play' each track, matching his voice according to how gentle or hard edged the music is.

Of course, it shouldn't be about comparisons, these songs speak for themselves and are unique and individual in their own way - and on first and second play through this seems to be another album on which there isn't a duff track.

Stand out songs for thegeneral are the abovementioned "Leaves", "Swan" and "RAD" which is a lovely, gently lulling six minute piece of perfection - beautifully understated in many ways, a wonderfully catchy guitar hook is matched with delicate bass and drums, and again, a pure vocal that is a real delight, swooping and soaring to..well...I was going to say a climax, but fuck it, that sounds a bit wrong. You know what I mean anyway...(perhaps that afternoon chocolate was a bad idea...)

It's immediately followed by a complete change of pace, with the punchy, edgy, chippy "Venice", providing a nice contrast - most outstanding here is the thumping, driving drum rhythm that drives the whole thing along - giving it a sort of military feel.

All in all, this is outstanding and February can't come quick enough, because this is one album that any self respecting indie fan needs to have in their collection. If you'd like to know more about Emperor The Stag (and you bloody well should...) then have a look at their bandcamp page:

http://stopthinkingrecords.bandcamp.com/album/speedwell-drive-ep

And check out last year's "Speedwell Drive EP" which has also been high up on thegeneral's playlist for a little while now. When February comes, don't hesitate - make "Fantasy To Bleak" one of your first Spring music purchases. You won't regret it.

Blank Maps - Thousands

It's with a really heavy heart thegeneral makes this post. In fact I almost feel like laying on a funeral tea and donning a mourning veil to write it (I look proper good in black though, so y'know, it's got it's compensations and all that).

You know how much I love and champion Blank Maps. Their last release, "Lucky Dip" has been without doubt one of my most played and obsessed over tracks of the year. Therefore I was wearing a massively sad face yesterday when I found out that the band were playing their last ever gig and as of today, are no more.

They're going out on a real high though and "Thousands" is their last, perfect release as a band - out today and available from their bandcamp page here:

http://blankmaps.bandcamp.com/album/thousands

So you've got to listen to it, support them for one last time and then buy. They leave behind them a really brilliant back catalogue of music which is so deserving of your time and attention and it would be criminal for you to ignore their brilliant sound just because they've shuffled off this musical coil.

Both tracks on "Thousands" offer ambient, trippy delicacy. They're alive, wide open and full of spacy charm. They are songs to lie back and dream to. You could actually dream that they WEREN'T BREAKING MY HEART BY SPLITTING UP. But that's not going to happen. I know that now. I've calmly accepted it and just have to try and move on.

Hopefully we haven't heard the last from Thom, Ben, David and Jake - hopefully in their own ways they'll come back and do something else. In the meantime, they've left us with a unique sound to treasure. So treasure it you must. Thanks for everything Blank Maps, it's been a blast hearing you and getting to know your music. You babes xox.

Blank Maps - Lucky Dip

Alright? Yeah, course you are, it's nice to see you looking so well. I LOVE what you've done to your hair. It's Tuesday and time to introduce to you yet another brilliant band. Today it's the turn of Blank Maps.

This is their latest EP type thing and it's going to be released properly on October 14th through the frankly brilliant Tiny Lights Recordings (tagline: DIY as fuck...).

Lucky Dip is just wonderful. It's chippy, tingly and it makes you want to move. It's beautifully multi-layered and there's a real feeling of space juxtaposed with tightness in the song. Vocalist Thom Piddock has a really great feel to his voice and his slightly falsetto style seems to marry perfectly with the staccato nature of the beat.

Here's a little look at one of their previous efforts. The sparkly Everything Ends

As always I direct you to their bandcamp page to have a look at this EP and their other stuff. Previous releases are the aforementioned Everything Ends and Blank Maps. I urge you to give them a listen. thegeneral really rather likes them a lot and hopes you do too.

blankmaps.bandcamp.com/

Lionhall - Soldiers

Another pretty exciting record label to look to is Tiny Lights Recordings (tagline DIY as Fuck). They've had some great releases over recent times and probably thegeneral's favourite so far this year - the mighty TUSK's Interrobang EP (yes, yes I know - I keep mentioning TUSK, but they really are one of my tips for great things)

However, this new record from Lionhall, called 'Soldiers' is similarly exciting. It's released on 28th August and I'd really like to recommend that you give it a listen. A catchy, catchy opening hook is married with beautifully tempered, ethereal vocals that seep into your consciousness without you realising. It's an achingly sweet sound than has an unexpected power to it. It takes more than one listen to fully understand its depth, but once you do - you're enraptured.

Have a look at the band's bandcamp page below. They've a lot to offer and it won't be the last you hear of them.

tinylights.bandcamp.com/album/soldiers

Blast From The Past: Mike Oldfield

At thegeneral, we believe that music snobbery is quite a bad thing. If you like something, love it, listen to it with pride and don't feel guilty (unless it's Justin Bieber, in which case hang your fucking head in shame). It's the mission of this blog to try and be as open as possible to all different kinds of sounds.

With this in mind, today we're taking a trip back and having a Blast From The Past episode. The previous BFTP we featured some time ago was the wonderful, scuzzy Leeds indie-pop act CUD (recently reformed and still touring, the gorgeous bastards). Today, it's the turn of Tubular Bells hero and all round guitar genius, Mike Oldfield.

Why? This is why...

Over the last few years, Mike has been remastering and re-releasing many of his early albums. This September sees the remastered and Deluxe versions of Five Miles Out and Crises take their turn.

Crises I'll skim over - it wasn't really my favourite - though the title track has its merits. However, Five Miles Out was a very good record indeed. If you don't believe me, have a listen ^clicketh ye the linky above^.

I have reservations about the remastered works. With the Tubular Bells Deluxe Remaster there was a lot of new material, demos that hadn't seen the light of day since the 1970s and they were wonderful to hear. The same goes for the Deluxe Remasters of Hergest Ridge, Ommadawn and Incantations - all contained material that was really worth a listen and (if you're a serious Oldfield nut, like what thegeneral is...) versions of tracks that definitely needed geeking over. However, then came the new editions of Platinum and QE2 - and they started to..well...wear a bit thin...

Looking at the track listings for the new Remastered versions of Five Miles Out here and Crises here there really isn't that much to tempt. Just a couple of new tracks and not much else. thegeneral has previewed them on the old iTunes and can report that yes, they sound nice and you can tell some tinkering has gone on, but really these may only be for the very serious Oldfield completists. Jungle Gardenia on Crises, is a good track though and has a nice, typical Oldfield style. thegeneral also hopes that one day he sees fit to put a remastered version of The Path on one of his next releases as that is genuinely one of the most spooky and haunting tracks that never properly saw the light of day. You can listen to that HERE.

Anyway - for those of you who care (and let us not forget, this man gave us TUBULAR FUCKING BELLS FERCHRISSAKES) the release date for both these old new albums is September 2nd. My advice is to go and revisit the Deluxe remasters of TB, Hergest Ridge, Ommadawn and Incantations first though...

Sounds Mean...

Well, spank my arse and call me Charlie - it's been an awfully long time since thegeneral updated with anything new. I'd try and explain my absence, but to be honest I can't be fucked.

Anyhow, I'm back - with a bang. In terms of new music, there's an awful lot going on at the moment and much to talk about, over the next few posts I'll hopefully try and address some of the great releases from the last few weeks/months whilst introducing as much new/forthcoming stuff as possible.

The first band I'd like to introduce everybody to is Kill The Captains. Yus indeed. Kill The Captains. They're from Sheffield, but don't think you're going to get The Human League or Cabaret Voltaire (nagnagnag), because you aren't. Although you'd be forgiven for thinking so when you play the sample track from their new album, "Sounds Mean" which is up on bandcamp at the moment (link below). "Disco Nazi" is a blistering mix of bass, electronica and distorted vocals which really gets you. The bassline of this was enough to win me over (thegeneral likes a good, dirty bassline...)

Anyway, the album in whole is released on 12th August and is available from bandcamp (I say again, link below) and comes to you courtesy of the wonderful, wonderful Armellodie Records who I adore a lot and am going to be featuring more and more of this year.

Enjoy, you big shower of bastards.

killthecaptains.bandcamp.com/

Ninetails

                                                                                     
Happy Sunday.

Here's a wonderful new band to see out the weekend with. Hailing from Liverpool, Ninetails are an incredibly exciting sound. They're not your average bunch of three chord wonders. Far from it, they're a band of immense melodical delicacy and lovely guitar licks. I previously talked about a group called TUSK from Hartlepool who are probably my favourite new band. If you've listened to and liked TUSK, you'll like Ninetails for sure. Here's a link to their bandcamp site. Do yourselves a favour and give them a go!

superstardestroyer.bandcamp.com

The Douglas Firs

 



thedouglasfirs.bandcamp.com

Here's a post I'd been meaning to do for a while and for various reasons didn't get round to. The Douglas Firs are the brainchild of musician Neil Insh and a group of friends who hail from Aberdeen and Edinburgh variously. The music they produce is ethereal, very beautiful. Multi-layered compositions with breathy, whispering vocals that really draw you in. Each time you hear a track you find something new to focus on. Last year saw the release of the debut album "Happy As A Windless Flag" and this year the release of a new EP (in March). You can find all of the above on their Bandcamp site - link above. It's completely different to anything you'll ever have heard before and needs a few listens to full appreciate how fantastic it is. But fantastic it is, and hopefully a new album will be popping up later on this year. Definitely worth a few moments of your time.

Culann

Happy Saturday. Today's offering comes via a great band from Irvine called Culann. They've been around for about three years or so now and have a unique and interesting sound. Part prog rock, part indie, rather excellent. For a band that's relatively unknown they've managed to play King Tuts in Glasgow ten times already. You can download their song "Beat Your Chest" for literally nought pence from bandcamp (link is below). I recommend you do so. They are releasing an album later on this year and if "Beat Your Chest" is anything to go by it really bodes well. Good work, lads. Fucking excellent in fact. Culann. Gie yer ears a treat, ken.

culann.bandcamp.com