Friday 27 June 2014

Things to do in Brighton & Hove - Friday 27th June - Thursday 3rd July

Brighton and Hove Open Mic Guide - My Favourite Five Open Mic Nights

With the city bursting at the seams with local talent, particularly solo acoustic singer-songwriters, it is important to get in some live performance practice of your new material before your next acoustic showcase, support slot, EP launch or headline UK tour.

The Open Mic scene is Brighton is one of the best in the country, with a wide range of genre-specific open mics such as ukulele jam nights, no guitar open mics, spoken word and poetry nights and jazz and funk jam nights.

For the purposes of this article I will be looking primarily at what I think are the best open mics in Brighton for solo acoustic guitar/vocal performers (not to say that the open mics can't cater for different acts, but this is just my focus as I believe that this covers a large percentage of open mic goers).

I have listed all the necessary information below (venue, address, running times, set length, host and demographic). I hope that this is helpful!

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Monday


Where: The Brunswick - 1-3 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JF 
(Head down towards the sea from Tesco Express and The Wick Inn on the corner just past Palmeira Square) 

Times: Sign up from 7:30pm, starts at 8:30pm.

(Also sign up online here from 7:30am til 7:30pm on Monday ONLY). 

Host: Tom Ayres.


Set: Two songs.  There is a house guitar and piano available to use.

Demographic: With bright lights, a reasonable sized stage and a deadly silent audience, I would not recommend this for newcomers to the open mic scene. However, if you are comfortable with performing and you want your songs to get a real listen, not above the drunken hubbub of a loud bar, then this is the open mic for you. The night is always very packed and it's a great place to meet people for collaborations so don't be shy!

Covers or Originals: Usually performers opt for originals rather than covers but both are fine.


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Tuesday


Where: Hop Poles - 13 Middle Street, BN1 1AL (just up from Sticky Mike's Frog Bar and Casablanca)

Times: 8:30pm til around 11:30pm

Hosts: Amy Forrester and Rosie Powell (the one with the camera!)

Set: 3 Songs. Guitar available and lovely photos will be taken during the night and uploaded within a couple of days. The links to all of the artist's websites/facebooks etc are also shared with the photos so it's great for publicity.

Demographic: Having only started a couple of months ago, the night has gotten off to a great start, drawing in a lot of Brighton's young stars of the future. The atmosphere is relaxed and the friendly hosts make everyone feel very comfortable when performing. There are speakers to the beer garden, so all the smokers can hear you too. With drink promotions including my favourite Havana Rum and coke for just £1.95, this has become a regular date in my diary.

Covers or Originals: Both are totally fine!


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Wednesday 


Where: Druids Head - 9 Brighton Place, BN1 1HJ (opposite Donatellos in The Lanes)

Times: 9pm til around 12pm

Host: Paul McKeown (Also usually holding a camera or stood by the bar)

Set: Usually 3 - 4 Songs. Depending on how busy the night is you sometimes have a little longer or shorter set but usually at least 3 songs. Guitar available and sometimes a piano, although not every week. Will get some snaps put uploaded online the following week too so make sure to add Paul on facebook if you're performing.

Demographic: A very cosmopolitan open mic, this is Brighton's longest running open mic and has been going strong for over 8 years. The crowd and performers are a real mix of international students, older experienced performers from Johnny Cash's era and up-and-coming young musicians. With the homely feel of the pub and a regular good turnout, it's a great place to try out some new songs.

Covers or Originals: Originals to practice/premiere and covers to get the audience more interested.


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Thursday 


Where: Victory Inn - 6 Duke Street, BN1 1AH (just down from Nandos and Cornish Pastry Company)

Times: 8pm til 11pm

Host: Tiago Saga (the front-man of local band Time for T)


Set: 2 Songs but opportunities to play again if there is time. Guitar available for all to use. 

Demographic: Held upstairs in the dimly-lit function room, from my experience this open mic hosts some of the more "out there" music, from experimental blues, rap, poetry and old-school folk. A real variety show, with a free beer for each performer and a quiet audience making this a great place to play.

Covers or Originals: Lends itself to originals and old covers. Perhaps keep the One Direction cover to yourself (always good advice!). As advertised "Anything from music to tennis match re-enactment welcome". 


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Sunday


Where: Fiddler's Elbow - 11 Boyces Street , BN1 1AN (in the alley across from Wetherspoons on West Street)

Times: Starts 9pm

Host: Oliver Croome

Set: 3-4 Songs. Sometimes longer sets are available. Get in touch in advance to ask about being a featured artist. Guitar available for use and some photos uploaded from the night too. 

Demographic: I've only been to this open mic a couple of times due to working weekends, but it definitely has that lazy weekend feeling about it, which is great. Also, calling it the Sham Rock Open Mic I am sure attracts all the Guinness fans. Again a real mix of all sorts will show up here.

Covers or Originals: Maybe a couple of each. Either are fine though.


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For more event listings, music features and review check out my What's On page in the Brighton and Hove Independent (out on Fridays, distributed freely all throughout Brighton and Hove) and follow me on twitter for blog updates @tomsayeruk




Thursday 26 June 2014

New Writing South Good Blog Guide


I am really pleased to announce that I have been included in the New Writing South's Good Blog Guide. Check out some of the other blogs by great local writers on https://www.newwritingsouth.com.

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Busy In Bodffordd and Bangor

Just a quick update as to my whereabouts this week. I have returned to my university city of Bangor for the week to do some recording with my good friend Will Roberts in Bodffordd, of some very old material: I mean songs from up to 8-9 years ago, re-recorded, arranged and mastered into a brand new album/EP.

Day One: Worked out the track list and laid down the vocals and guitar for some of the tracks. In the evening I hosted the Open Mic at The Belle Vue in Bangor, my regular haunt from my uni days. The place was packed from start to finish and I saw some great new acts perform as well as some familiar favourites, who had all developed a lot since I'd last seen them perform.

Day Two: Finished off the guitar, piano and vocal tracks for all of the songs. Started a rough drum track for the first song, the wind, and I'm excited for how it's sounding! Here is me hard at work:




Tomorrow, we'll be working on some of the arrangements after stopping by at Treffos School on Anglesey in the morning to give a talk on music journalism to the year 6 class.
More to follow tomorrow. :)



Saturday 21 June 2014

Love Supreme - Ten Artists Not To Miss At Love Supreme 2014

With the full line up and stage times finally released, here are some of my hand-picked favourites for Love Supreme 2014, held in Glynde just outside Lewes and Brighton.

Friday 4th July


Fresh Like Dexie - Arena - 5pm

Brighton-based neo-funk collective Fresh Like Dexie combine influences of jazz, hip-hop, funk and pop in their keyboard and vocal heavy mix of fresh soul.



The Studio 9 Orchestra - Arena - 6pm

Another local act, Studio 9 Orchestra are a 19-piece orchestra, specialising in 20th century jazz, funk and latin music. Formed in 2011 by Scott Sheridan and Phillipe Guyard, it contains some of the finest jazz musicians that the south coast has to offer.



Saturday 5th July


Snarky Puppy - Main Stage - 2:15pm

Having just missed these guys performing twice in quick succession, I will not be making the same mistake after countless recommendations from friends. This New York-based group are an instrumental fusion band, led by Michael League, a GRAMMY Award-winning composer, producer and bassist. Following a sell out show at Cheltenham Jazz Festival last month, Snarky Puppy are the perfect way to ease yourself into the weekend of jazz at Love Supreme; with music that is experimental, innovative and down-right funky.



Normanton Street - Cocoface Bandstand - 5pm

Local superstars Normanton Street are so busy making moves, writing new songs and playing shows across the country, that it will surely not be long before they reach the big stages. With a host of great supports recently including MC Lars and Avery Sunshine, as well as mini UK and Welsh Tours, several performance at the Alternative Great Escape Festival and a headline performance on the Free Stage at Cheltenham Jazz Festival this year, who knows where you will see them playing next. See my interview with Normanton Street back in February here.



Laura Mvula - Main Stage - 5:45pm

Intimate and delicate, Laura Mvula's songwriting has a simple beauty displayed in a clear glass case. A multi-award nominated and double MOBO and Urban Music Award winning performer, I have seen Laura perform twice and will definitely be there for number three. Read my review of her headline set at Cheltenham Jazz Festival here.



Jamie Cullum - Main Stage - 9:30pm

Always a promoter of new jazz with his Radio 2 show and getting stuck into the jazz scene with his involvement with Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Jamie Cullum's latest album Momentum is something a little different from his smash-hit Twentysomething and its follow-ups. His new material shows a wider range of styles and a lot more shades to his musical palette without losing any of his energy and excitement in his performances. Read my review Jamie Cullum's opening set at Cheltenham Jazz Festival here.



Sunday 6th July


Curtis Stigers - Big Top - 4pm

American jazz vocalist Curtis Stigers has been recording albums for over two decades, so he must be doing something right. Having seen him perform as part of 'Friday Night Is Music Night Live' at Cheltenham Jazz Festival last month alongside Lianne Caroll and Kurt Elling as guests vocalists, I am sure that he will not disappoint with his smooth voice and style to match. Read my review of Curtis Stiger's performance at Cheltenham Jazz Festival here.




Imelda May - Main Stage - 6:30pm

My uncle is pretty clued up on the jazz scene, having been a professional musician for over 50 years, so when he suggests someone to listen to, I take his word that they will be great. Imelda May has an intensely busy touring schedule including festivals in the UK and Europe as well as a European tour from October until mid-December, so I'd assume a few people also think she is something special! Imelda's authentic Rockabilly revival sound will get you dancing, (hopefully) in the sunshine. Her new album Tribal is out now.



Gregory Porter - Big Top - 7:30pm

One of the best vocal performers that I have ever had the privilege to not only see live but also chat with and enjoy the after-festival party with at Love Supreme. His vocal presence matches his tall stature and his songwriting is sincere, personal and poetic. Check him out!



De La Soul - Main Stage - 8:30pm

25 Years going strong, De La Soul have a busy summer lined up, full of touring dates as well as a host of big festival dates in the Europe and the US. Fresh from Glastonbury and Solidays Festival in Paris the week before, De La Soul are sure to be on top form for their headline closing set of Love Supreme 2014.


Tickets

Weekend tickets are £125 camping, £110 non-camping.
Day tickets are available for just £55 adults and £30 under 18s.
Tickets are available from http://www.lovesupremefestival.com/tickets-on-sale-now.

For more updates of local music reviews, articles and interviews, follow my blog or follow me on twitter @tomsayeruk.



Wednesday 18 June 2014

Things to do in Brighton & Hove - Friday 20th June - Thursday 26th June

Things to do in Brighton & Hove - Friday 20th June - Thursday 26th June

  • 18th June 2014
  • Author: Tom Sayer
  • 0 Comments
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Brighton & Hove's Definitive What's On Guide

Friday 20th June


Laura Lexx @lauralexx
Comedian, actress and writer Laura Lexx is a uniquely gleeful performer who indulges her audience in an unrelenting childish attention.
7pm, £5
Upstairs at Three and Ten - Steine St, BN2 1TE

Sussex Downs Dance Showcase @sussexdowns
An energy-packed showcase from Sussex Downs dance graduates, featuring some of the students' finest choreography.
7:30pm, £12/8 
Corn Exchange - Church Street, BN1 1UE
Dance

Saturday 21st June


Solstice Festival @greendoorstore
A celebration of the Summer Solstice with live music all day, including Time for T, Jouis and Dark Patrick.
4pm, Free entry
Green Door Store - Unit 2,3&4 Trafalgar Arches, BN1 4FQ

Phoria @phoria
Brighton electronica/ambient band Phoria's live show will include a string quartet and impressive visuals for the local launch of their new EP 'Display'.
7:30pm, £9
The Haunt - 10 Pool Valley, BN1 1NJ

Avery Sunshine @averysunshine
With a “jazzy gospel voice that could loosen bricks from their mortar” (New York Times), Avery Sunshine plays 2 summer dates in the UK: London and here in Brighton & Hove.
8pm, £15
The Old Market - 11a Upper Market Street, BN3 1AS

Avery

Sunday 22nd June


Brighton Folk @Brighton_Folk
A showcase of fantastic free folk to end your weekend, with Ned Roberts, Zoe Konez and Green Diesel. Hosted by Amy Hill.
8pm, Free entry
Brunswick - 1 Holland Road, BN3 1JF

brightonfolk

Alexander O'Neal @alltruemanalex
Old school American R&B singer Alexander O'Neal has still got it, recently signing a new management deal in 2014, with his signature voice still in tact. For fans of Luther Vandross and Lionel Richie.
7pm, £18
Concorde II - Madeira Drive, BN2 1EN

Monday 23rd June


Garden City Movement @thehopebrighton
A top notch electronic music project consisting of Joe and Roi formerly part of "Lorena B". Support from Winston & Goldstein and local favourites Momotaro.
7:30pm, £5
The Hope – 11 Queens Road, BN1 3WA

 

GCM

Tuesday 24th June


Chuck Ragan @ChuckRagan
A deeply compelling songwriter and an effortlessly charismatic performer, as well as a true believer in music's ability to illuminate and inspire.
7:30pm, £11 + b.f
The Haunt - 10 Pool Valley, BN1 1NJ

Wednesday 25th June


Racing Minds @Racing_Minds
Aaaand Now For Something Completely Improvised. A mystery stuffed with hilarious characters, whip-smart wit and breathtaking twists will take hasty shape before your very eyes.
8:30pm, £5
Komedia – 44-47 Gardner Street, BN1 1UN

RacingMinds

Thursday 26th June


Attention Theives @atbanduk
Reading based hard rockers Attention Theives embark on a mini tour with Freeze The Atlantic and Fizzy Blood.
7:30pm, £6
Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar - 9-12 Middle Street, BN1 1AL

AttentionTheives

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Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Previews

 

FringePreviews

Would you like to see some world-class comedy right on your doorstep for little or no cost? Then you are in luck! Starting this week and throughout July , Brighton will be littered with a plethora of fresh comedy talent, stopping off to preview their material before heading up north for the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.
Starting on Monday 23rd June, The Old Market Theatre in Hove will be hosting a special series of free Edinburgh Fringe Previews, showcasing 8 great acts. Tickets can be booked in advance to guarentee a seat and if you like what you see, there will be a collection for the performers afterwards to help support them on their way. www.theoldmarket.com @TOMvenue
From 30th June, Brighton Komedia will also be hosting a wide selection of preview shows including comedians Romesh Ranganathan, Ellie Taylor, Tom Deacon and Zoe Lyons to name but a few. Tickets are £5 each or £4 each if you attend both previews on the same day (7pm and 8:30pm). With an average of 5 nights of previews throughout July, there is no excuse for it not to be a month of the best kind of cheap leaughs.
www.komedia.co.uk/Brighton @KomediaBrighton
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Reviews



For more reviews, interviews and music features, check outwhattomwrites.blogspot.com or follow me on twitter @tomsayeruk for updates

Monday 16 June 2014

Maida Vale - New CD Reviews Coming Soon - Album Recording

Just a quick update on what's been going on and what is to be happening soon.

Maida Vale

Last week I went to see the BBC Symphony Orchestra play at Maida Vale. The programme was a series of pieces by Swedish composers, with two of the composers including Gothe being present for the concert to introduce their pieces.

The tickets were free through the bbc website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tickets/. They often have concerts, tv shows and all other kinds of things available so see which you can get tickets for just by registering to be with a chance of getting free tickets for a great variety of shows (there are a lot in London).

I have been to a few shows this way and all have been fantastic. I would strongly recommend that you check out the website and see what is coming soon to apply for tickets.

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CD Reviews

I have been in touch with a lot of local acts and will be writing a lot of EP/LP reviews over the next few weeks. These include:

Half Crown - Everything Goes LP
Carrie Tree - Home to the Invisible LP
Fools Empire - This Is Not For You EP
InMe - Destinations EP
Wild Rivers - All The Lights LP
Ed Prosek - Willow Tree EP
Phoria - Display EP
Jacko Hooper - For You EP

It looks like it will be a very good few weeks of listening for me!

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Album Recording

On the 23rd June, I will be heading back to Bangor/Anglesey to record an album with my good friend Will Roberts. He was a course-mate whilst I was studying Music and Creative Writing at Bangor University and is a very talented producer, guitarist, pianist, vocalist and all round musician. He is currently playing in a band called Doll Circus as well as doing his solo project, called The Skyward Lemons. Check them out. I'm really excited to be returning to my university city, host my old open mic once more and record this new record with Will's help. Should hopefully have something to bring back with me to see at gigs.
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First of the EP/LP reviews to follow soon. Keep up to date on here on follow me on @tomsayeruk 

Saturday 14 June 2014

June Jams - Six new tracks that you NEED to hear this weekend!

With the World Cup under way and already giving us some surprise results, the only thing that is for sure is that there is a lot of quality new music being made which needs more attention given to it.

Here is my pick of 6 fresh tracks from local and/or unsigned acts to ease you into the weekend:

St. LongPlayer - 'Spread Your Love (Salad Days)' Soundcloud

The new musical endeavour from the former Maccabees drummer Robert Dylan Thomas, teaming up with Ned Archibong and Nicholson Davids from Normanton Street for this new production project. With sharp vocals, tight production and a Sealife Centre backdrop, what more could you want? Debut EP 'OFTM' Out on 10th July.


Sammi Elston - 'I'll Be Your Darling' @sammielston

Liverpool-based singer-songwriter Sammi Elston combines her carefully-crafted songs with guitar, bass and drums in this catchy pop-rock number. This new recording of I'll Be Your Darling with full band was released on iTunes on 1st June 2014 and can be downloaded here.


Jetglo - 'Like A Scratch' @Jetglo_Official

Brighton indie rock band Jetglo are currently mixing their debut album for imminent release. Here is a recently uploaded track of one of the album tracks. With strong dancable rhythms and clear vocal hooks, particularly in the chorus, this is a feel-good hit in the making



Sarah Meek - 'Take Over' Soundcloud

Northern jazz singer based in Bangor, North Wales, Sarah Meek is one of the talents emerging from the local music scene. With the help of friends and local musicians, Sarah recently recorded her debut album, 'Beginnings' as a university project, which she was awarded a First for. Check out the first track to be uploaded, with hopefully more of the album to follow soon. Sarah is definitely one to watch in the very near future.  



Jack Rennie & The Nightmares - 'Trapped'  Facebook

What do you get if you cross Stafford brother-sister duo 'The Taskers' with a Jack-of-all-instruments? Jack Rennie & The Nightmares formed recently and quickly recorded a six track mini-album to celebrate. The album is free to download here. Check out 'Trapped' below  for some sleazy lo-fi vibes. They're coming for your heart!



Phoria - 'Undone' @phoria

With an overwhelming online fanbase, live shows including a string quartet and impressive visuals and UK tour and EP launch (16th June in London at St Pancras Old Church, 21st June in Brighton at the Haunt), Phoria are sure to not stay under the radar much longer. This track has accumulated over 125,000 plays in the first couple of weeks alone. Ambient, well produced and with ghostly vocals atop dark piano and drums, it is chilled out but in a slightly sinister way. Check it out and see what you think.



For more local music picks, what's on guides, reviews, interviews and latest releases, follow my blog or catch me on @tomsayeruk on twitter or facebook.com/tomsayeruk.

Friday 13 June 2014

Brighton What's On Guide - 13th - 19th June 2014

Check out my What's On Guide in the Brighton and Hove Independent today on page 19, digital copy below.

The Noise Next Door Review - Brighton Komedia - 12th June 2014


With Komedia's Krater Comedy Club dominating the weekend's quota for comedy with consistently high standard stand-up, it must be a real challenge for any other comedy act to meet the audience's expectations. The flip side of this is that Brighton's comedy attending audiences know how to laugh and how to have a good time. This is particularly important in improvised comedy which relies heavily on audience participation such as The Noise Next Door.

The show was by no means your average compilation of stand-up acts, with a quintet of performers, joined by two special guests, on stage and all participating for the majority of the night. Imagine 'Mock The Week' but all the contestants working together to create a coherent two hour show rather than throwing in one-liners to get "points" for their team. By working together, The Noise Next Door are a truly formidable force of creative comedy at the peak of excellence.

The show was divided into three different types of sketch: musical numbers based entirely on audience generated material, physical situational comedy (again generated from audience material) and guest comedians performing stand-up slots before getting involved with the other sketches. These elements were mixed together well like ingredients of a cocktail, shaken up and served over ice with fruit on top to garnish.



The night opened with a hilarious improvised song about a new 70mph speed limit being enforced in Brighton by Mario, by penalty of spanking if caught not complying. With clever rhymes, funny voices and crazy actions it was a great start to the night, swiftly followed by a manic search for a solution to the problem of Tom being stuck to a football by tiramisu.

The first of the two guests was Canadian potty mouth Paul Myrehaug, whose anecdotes about being thrown in a drunk tank for unintentionally assaulting a police officer with a meatball sub and unicorn fantasies were a little out there, but generally received reasonably well. I thought his use of all five microphones to move across the stage was a nice touch however his contributions to the improv later on showed that he was not as practiced as the others in that area of comedy.



After a very skilled piece of physical comedy and mime where Tom (another Tom) and Matt were portraying all the props required in a search for a magic lamp, located in a home for dementia sufferers located on Machu Picchu, the second guest stand-up was Romesh Ranganathan. He talked about Indian culture, veganism and parenting in a side-splitting set, which was followed by a brutal interpretation of what Father's Day would be like with his family, with the guys from TNND playing him, his wife and his two children, a cross-dressing 4-year-old and a feral 2-year-old, with Romesh sat on the side of the stage, squeaking a dog toy if they were accurate and tooting a horn if not. This was followed by the unexpected welcoming to the stage of his actual family, the children seeming happy and his wife taking it all in good spirits.


After an interval the show continued with much of the same, with the second half starting off by acting out several headlines that were written down by the audience during the break. The highlight of this for me was the three-way comedy carousel that was linking together three different sketches together via the topic of STD's; A Loose Women show, a reggae song and a film that was Pretty Woman meets Thriller. The juxtaposition of these sketches worked very well and as with the rest of the show, was very well received.

The finale of the show was a boy band song based on the life on an audience member who was brought to sit up on stage to hear her beautiful ballad. The vodka-loving, marmalade-hating Marketing student who had aspirations to go to Thailand was mildly grilled, with criticisms of her "mickey-mouse degree", the length of her denim shorts and an arsenal or semi-crude sexual puns (not unlike any other boy band song though!). After the initial look of "Get me out of here!!!" she seemed to enjoy it towards the end, before quietly shuffling back to her seat, probably with a thing or two to say to her friends who nominated her to go up.


By far the most impressive part of the show is the speed of which they manage to generate new and genuinely funny material, adapt to unexpected situations verbally and physically and perform in several different accents (some of which were better than others but for me the only thing funnier than somebody putting on a good accent is somebody trying and not quite getting it, so in my eyes that worked to their favour!).

The show is a regular at Komedia, however they will be going up to perform daily at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival so will not be back until after the summer. For fans of comedy, stand-up or sitcoms, the show will be sure to tickle your funnybone from start to finish and the best part is that with improvised comedy, every night is a different performance! Check them out when you can! For more information or to buy a DVD, visit their website below.

http://www.thenoisenextdoor.co.uk/
@NoiseNextDoor

Wednesday 11 June 2014

9Bach Album Review - Tincian - 10th June 2014

I saw 9Bach playing at +Komedia Brighton last week, I was blown away by their performance - see my review here. Here is my track by track rundown of their album Tincian which was released on 12th May 2014. As the titles are in all Welsh, as all of the tracks are (excluding Asteri Mou which is in Greek), I have written the translations in parentheses afterwards. The album is fantastically folky and wonderfully Welsh and is well worth a listen! Below is an album sampler where you can hear snippets of each track.



1. Lliwau (Colours)

Sparse and chilled out with a gentle drum groove, psychadelic 70's guitar lines and an exposed vocal, Lliwau is actually a song comparing colours to the beauty of childbirth. The chorus translates to "Pretty you are like colours" just in case you wondered what you were singing along to, as it has a very catchy melody.

2. Llwynog (Fox)

Lisa Jên (lead singer of 9Bach) spoke passionately when introducing this song, declaring it a song for the underdog fox who managed to escape from the farmer, his shotgun and his dog. It can't help but bring to mind Wes Anderson's 2009 film "Fantastic Mr. Fox" with George Clooney voicing the eponymous fox. So imagine this is a song about George Clooney being hunted in the Welsh countryside if you like. 

3. Pebyll

Pebyll is a ruin located in Llanddewi, a small village in mid-Wales. The song was written after Lisa discovered it whilst walking her dog. Laced with silky elvish-sounding vocals, this track is smoother than James Bond at a cocktail party.

4. Plentyn (Child)

Starting off with breathy three-part vocal harmony, this song tells an unsettling fictional story based on a real life event of a child that is stolen away from its mother at a very young age. The additional percussive rhythms and slide guitar create a rich texture for this tragic story.

5. Wedi Torri (It's broken)

From one dark song to the next, Wedi Torri is about witnessing somebody that you love in a broken state, and the effect that it has on you as you try to desperately piece them together, often at the cost of yourself.

6. Pa Le (Which place?)

Spacious with eerie backing vocals, this traditional song is about the search for a loved one years after they were last seen. Complete with a harp breakdown section which is very pretty.

7. Ffarwél (Farewell)

An unsurprisingly somber track based on a poem from a book of locally gathered songs in Bethesda. The poem is about a quarry reflecting on the times that he used to enjoy with his friends, many of whom had since passed. The chorus of male voices adds an epic filmy sound as well as additional emotional depth to the track. 

8. Llwybrau (Pathways)

A haunting piano opens the track, with a serene, piercing and catchy vocal melody garnishing it sweetly, building up slowly as the rest of the instruments come in and worldless vocal harmonies take over. 

9. Babi'r Eirlys (Snowdrop Baby)

Full of vocal harmonies, this beautiful track is completely a capella, with reverb-laden voices layering up a rich and sleek texture
  
10. Asteri Mou (My Star)

Sung in Greek, Lisa's third language Asteri Mou has guitar slides, a delicate melody and a nice piano hook which is imitated by the harp. Whilst building towards the end, it is a quite subdued end to the album, winding down rather than going out with a bang, but with this type of music, that is what you want.

www.9bach.com
www.facebook.com/9bachmusic
www.twitter.com/9bach

Monday 9 June 2014

Brighton EP/LP Launches in June 2014

With so much music going on in Brighton, it can be hard to keep track of everything. Here is a list of CD/EP/ launch nights this June to keep you afloat.

Sat 7th June - Wild Rivers - Sticky Mike's - All The Lights LP

Who: Clark Maides and Josh Renton
Genre: Indie Pop
Info: OUT NOW, Wild Rivers' 11 track debut album is available for just £3.
Contact: www.facebook.com/wildrivers


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Fri 13th June - Via Tirana - GDS - Full Moon EP

Who?: One man and a guitar, amps and lots of effects.
Genre: Electronic, noise
Info: The EP was recorded with experienced producer James Gasson at Brickhouse Sudio.
Contact: www.facebook.com/viatirana




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Sat 14th June - Half Crown - The Haunt - £7 entry - Everything Goes LP


Who?: A diverse and charismatic group with an infectious energy that spreads across the whole band.
Genre: Blues, Folk, Hip-Hop, Reggae 
Info: The band recently won the Best Unsigned Band of 2013 Award from S&M




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Mon 16th June - Fools Empire - GDS - This Is Not For You!

Who?: Led by Chelsie Tyrell's vocals and piano, this Brighton 5-piece create ambient soundscapes of beauty and wonder.
Genre: Electonica, Pop
Info: Surprisingly this is Fools Empire's debut EP!
Contact: www.facebook.com/foolsempire


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Mon 16th June - Jack Evans - Sticky Mike's - £3 entry - Stripped Back EP

Who?: A young Brighton-born singer-songwriter
Genre: Acoustic, singer-songwriter
Info: Jack will be playing all the songs from the EP at the gig, plus there is support from Ella CroucherGiorgia-MayRobbie Skitmore & the Spanish Harlem Incident
and yourgardenday
Contact: www.facebook.com/JackEAEvansMusic





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Tue 17th June - O'Chapman - GDS - £6 entry - Relapser EP

Who?: A curly haired London
Genre: Folk, shoegaze, slowcore, dream pop and lo-fi rock.
Info: "You're just a sad sack." - Simon Cowell
Contact: www.facebook.com/ochapmanmusic


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Wed 18th June - Last Days of Rome - Hope - £4 inc EP

Who?: Recently renamed from Blind Eye Fury
Genre: Metal
Info: This is their first show with the new name and they have an EP for you, which you'll get for free if you attend the launch night at The Hope.
Contact: www.facebook.com/lastdaysofromeuk


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Sat 21st June - Phoria - The Haunt - £7 entry - Display EP

Who?: '....super-smart and endearingly pieced together from a breathtaking blend of whisper-like vocals and euphoric electronics .' - NME
Genre: Alternative, Ambient, Electronic
Info: The first track off the EP has already accumulated over 100k views in under 2 weeks!
Contact: www.facebook.com/phoriamusic


For more Brighton-based gig info, listings, reviews, CD reviews and interviews, subscribe to my blog or follow me on twitter @tomsayeruk.

If you are a local band and have a new release that you would like me to review contact me on tom@tomsayer.co.uk


Sunday 8 June 2014

Twelfth Day - The Devil Makes Three - Album Review

After seeing their captivating performance supporting 9Bach at Brighton Komedia - see my review - I was given an exclusive copy of their album, out for release tomorrow - Monday 9th June. Read my track by track guide to The Devil Makes Three below.


 1. Noise Show - Opening with two gentle breathy vocals in harmony, before the harp and plucked violin repeating figures accompany the verse. As the track progresses, the dynamic fiddle part plays in contrary rhythm to the harp creating a contrapuntal mesh which the voices force their way through, depicting the title of the track well.

2. Magic Circle With an angular melody and slightly mystical lyrics, this track has a clear flavour of Björk to it, particularly with the pagan connotations. Once again the trio of voices, violin and harp create an interesting texture however at times the instruments outgun the vocals.

3. Me and My Friend A delicate harp and smooth sweeping violin tell an upbeat Hobbitesque tale of friendship in the first instrumental track of the album, with influences of minimalism and traditional folk.

4. Young Sir By far the most Scottish of the tracks so far, Young Sir tells the story of “a lass who was bonny but poor” who crossed the border to England in search of work, and meets a young gentleman with whom she becomes enamoured. An uplifting ballad with a catchy chorus couplet.

5. A City You Can See Out Of Written about Edinburgh, where the ladies now reside, this melodically endowed song has a lovely harmony throughout and personifies the city in a sincerely heartfelt way.

6. Swimming Safe The second instrumental on the album, this track cleverly shares the melody between the instruments in a sleepy daze.

7. Shapeshifter The galloping harp leads a lyrical pursuit of light, time and magic.

8. The Devil Makes Three A new musical setting to the traditional folk song, sang in the film ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’ by three sirens. This version lacks the sinister undertones of the song but adds a sense of urgency with the dramatic speed up in the middle, leading into a folky fiddle-led middle section.

9. The Beach Serene, folksy and with shades playfulness, this instrumental track would work wonders in a film if the right Director’s hands, in particular the muted harp part in the middle which could underpin a montage or chase scene with ease.

10. Dusking Winding down with a gentle track, the voices in this song blend well acting as another instrument in this tapestry of sound.

https://twelfthday.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/twelfthday
https://www.twitter.com/twelfthday

I will be uploading my review of 9Bach's album Tincian tomorrow.

For more reviews, interviews and features subscribe to my blog or follow me on twitter @tomsayeruk