Indietracks 2009: The DiS Review
Last weekend, DiS sent two scribes to sample the fun of Indietracks...»
Articles
domgourlay has written the following articles:
The Longcut - Open Hearts
"You cannot say we didn't warn you, you should have listened when you could" spits Stuart Ogilvie in the opening line of 'Out At The Roots'. Its as caustic an introduction to a record as you're likely to hear all year, but then Manchester experimentalists The Longcut aren't exactly renowned for their shiny happy demure...»
Cornershop - Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast
It seems strange to think that to 99% of the British record buying public, Cornershop will always be seen as this bizarrely quirky one hit wonder whose only claim to fame was an unlikely number one single as a tribute to Indian seven inch singles some twelve years ago...»
Hopewell - Good Good Desperation
Despite having been active for a good decade, releasing four albums and several EPs along the way, Brooklyn quintet Hopewell are still something of an unknown quantity outside of their own backyard...»
The Manhattan Love Suicides - The Manhattan Love Suicides: Longer & Louder
With a sound that pays homage to various corners of the past four decades, Leeds foursome The Manhattan Love Suicides could be accused of being the most retro band on the planet...»
Oasis at Wembley Stadium, London, Sat 11 Jul
Having been elevated to the status of a national institution, it seems these are turbulent times for Oasis.»
White Denim, The Soundcarriers at Bodega Social, Nottingham, Thu 02 Jul
There's a buzz around White Denim this evening in the same way as the one generated by The Black Lips two months ago.»
Cheval Sombre - Cheval Sombre
New York based singer/songwriter Christopher Porpora has been making music as Cheval Sombre for the best part of a decade now, so the fact that this self-proclaimed "dark horse" has only just gotten round to releasing his first long player probably says more about the perfectionist in him than anything else.»
The Wave Pictures - If You Leave It Alone
That The Wave Pictures have been writing and recording together for the best part of a decade will probably come as a surprise to many, particularly those who first discovered them on the back of last year's Instant Coffee Baby long player.»
This is the end....The Lucksmiths, Favours For Sailors both call it a day, play final shows.
Although not normally ones to be the bearers of bad news, DiS is sad to announce the passing of two of its favourite bands of these past few years. »
Engineers - Three Fact Fader
Having broken through to the periphery of mainstream success thanks to the tried and tested "word of mouth" method, not to mention a series of storming live shows, 2005's self-titled debut release should have been the catalyst for greater things as far as Engineers were concerned.»
Slow Club - Yeah So
Considered too commercially upbeat by the hairslides and cardies crowd, and too cutesy by those who like their primitive rock oil-stained courtesy of the local garage, its been something of a gradual pursuit for Sheffield's Slow Club to find an appropriate piece of middle ground for their happy-go-lucky blues/folk/pop montage to ease itself into.»
DiS meets The Twilight Sad
Fresh off a US tour with Mogwai, DiS caught up with Twilight Sad frontman and lyricist James Graham before their recent Fat Cat Records showcase at this year's Great Escape...»
Amazing Baby - Rewild
For some time now, Brooklyn's Amazing Baby have acquired a reputation based on who they know rather than their musical accomplishments.»
We Were Promised Jetpacks at Bodega Social Club, Nottingham, Wed 17 Jun
Although current long player These Four Walls contains many memorable moments, its undoubtedly in a live setting that We Were Promised Jetpacks come into their own...»
Tortoise - Beacons Of Ancestorship
Beacons Of Ancestorship is pretty much what the avid Tortoise fan would consider par for the course, in that its a veering cascade of inherent surprises that never fails to astound, amaze or disappoint.»
Jamie T, Flashguns at The Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Sun 14 Jun
Backed by his now customary four-piece band, the decision to play smaller venues such as this appears to have been a shrewd move. Tickets had sold out weeks ago for the majority of this comeback tour, and with current single 'Sticks'n'Stones' on heavy rotation both on radio and television playlists, the demand for Jamie T seems to be more relentless than ever.»
The Warlocks - The Mirror Explodes
With an ever-changing line-up and a history of chemical indulgence many would balk at, it's something of an achievement that The Mirror Explodes, The Warlocks fifth album, also marks a decade of existence for the band.»
DiS meets The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
This time last year, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart were relative unknowns outside of their native New York. Indeed, bar two low-key tours of the UK at the beginning and end of 2008, they were just one of many bands on both sides of the Atlantic struggling for recognition in a sea of indifference.»
Dinosaur Jr at The Rockhouse, Derby, Wed 10 Jun
As the undisputed kings of slacker rock and one of the four surviving members of the much-vaunted "class of 88" (Pixies, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine being the others), Dinosaur Jr are in the enviable position of having nothing left to prove to anyone, even themselves...»
Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
As the year of re-evaluation and ultimately re-invention, 2009 has left perennial ladrockers Kasabian in something of a quandary...»
Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light
Since forming at the back end of 2003, Brooklyn trio Au Revoir Simone could almost be identified as the antithesis to those artists hellbent on re-inventing the wheel...»
Wavves - Wavvves
There's enough here to suggest Nathan Williams has the potential to become a very special talent indeed in the none too distant future...»
Maximo Park at Rock City, Nottingham, Wed 20 May
Although their latest album Quicken The Heart slipped out into the shops last week pretty much unnoticed, you'd think Maximo Park were one of the biggest bands in the world judging by the clamour for tickets on this long sold-out tour.»
Dot To Dot: The DiS review
This year's Dot To Dot festival line-up was arguably the best one yet in its five year history, so DiS went along mob-handed to both the Bristol and Nottingham legs on the second bank holiday weekend of May.»
The Great Escape 2009: DiS' Festival highlights
Last weekend, DiS venture to the seaside to catch the best of 350+ bands playing in 35+ venues, spread across Brighton over 3 nights. The Great Escape was a whirlwind but we've reconvened and decided these were the best bits of that festival that we managed to see:»
The Great Escape: DiS meets Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is a rare commodity at this moment in time; a singer/songwriter that you actually don't want to punch in the face.»
Dot To Dot preview: A DiS mixtape
This weekend sees the Dot To Dot Festival hit Bristol (Saturday 23rd) and Nottingham (Sunday 24th). DiS is rather excited as this year's line-up is arguably the best one yet, so with a little help from MySpace and YouTube, we've compiled a mega mixtape of the best of this year's artists.»
Doves at Rock City, Nottingham, Tue 05 May
Having been making music for two decades now, many lesser artists would have slipped into their comfort zones many moons ago. Not so for Doves.»
DiS meets Marble Valley
Although best known for being one of the drummers in seminal lo-fi outfit Pavement, Steve West has never been one to rest on his laurels as far as veering off and doing other things are concerned. His "other project", Marble Valley, first came to fruition almost three years before Pavement's dissolution...»