ALBUM REVIEW: MARK KOZELEK - MARK KOZELEK WITH BEN BOYE & JIM WHITE

MARK KOZELEK
MARK KOZELEK WITH BEN BOYE & JIM WHITE
Caldo Verde / Rough Trade
Folk, Jazz Rock, Spoken Word, Slowcore.
Listening Format: CD



YOU'VE GOTTA BE FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!!!!!

If you happen to be one of the two people who regularly reads Frenchie's Reviews, you'll know that I've already written in depth thoughts on the previous THREE Mark Kozelek albums released in 2017 (here is the proof), and God dammit here comes another one! That's right, this is the 4th studio album that Mark Kozelek has released this year, and the second of which is a double album. So that is 6 CDs of new music in one year with a total running time of about 4.5 hours! HOLY SHIT!

So I'm gonna do something a little different this time around. Let's play the Mark Kozelek drinking game! Every time Mark talks about any of the following*, you take a shot**:

- Mark mentions Caroline.
- Mark mentions a dead relative or pet.
- Mark name checks a famous person he has met.
- Mark mentions a show he has been watching on HBO.
- Mark mentions his age.
- Mark mentions the date and/or time.

But if I have to be serious, even though I've already had to endure (and I mean ENDURE) 4 hours of Mark Kozelek rambling already this year, I surprisingly happened to enjoy this album more than any of his prior 2017 works. As you can imagine, because Mark is putting out vast quantities of music in such a short time span, his albums have become very messy, sporadic and repeated a lot of ideas, and in some ways that is still true here. The main difference comes from his collaborative partners, Ben Boye and Jim White (who played drums in The Dirty Three). These guys are seriously talented musicians. This double album leans to more of a Jazz Rock sound, whilst still taking in Folk elements that Mark Kozelek usually revels in. Mark really rises to the challenge of telling improvised stories, ramblings and spoken word over these long off-kilter jazzy dirges. It actually makes so much sense that I wonder why his prior works in this new Spoken Word (or Folk Rap as some have dubbed it) haven't gone for a more jazzy approach before now. The three performers bounce off each other really well. Yes Mark repeats topics he has already gone over before, but he also freshens the pot. Songs about his cat, Donald Trump bashings, the death of Chris Cornell, a recalling of a dream where he spoke to Elliott Smith's ghost, and even a song about the Ariana Grande Manchester Arena terrorist attack (which happened in my hometown).

If you haven't liked any of Mark Kozelek's many recent albums of Spoken Word, then this one isn't exactly going to win you over, but musically and lyrically it is easily the most captivating of his 2017 works, and one of the overall best things he has done since his masterpiece 'Benji'. 8/10

*I can't be fuckin' assed to count... The lyric sheet is like unfolding a road map!
** I do not actually endorse this drinking game, it will most likely kill you before disc 2 is finished!

ALBUM REVIEW: NICOLAS & THE SAINTS - GOODBYE TO BRIGHTON

NICOLAS & THE SAINTS
GOODBYE TO BRIGHTON
Self Released
Singer/Songwriter, Blues Rock, Jazz Rock.
Listening Format: Digital


'Goodbye to Brighton' is the second full length album by songwriter Nick Lewis, lyrically documenting his fears about turning 30 as well as moving away from his hometown and moving onto new plains in life. Musically the album is very much a transitional phase, as his first album had more of an Electronic influence. For 'Goodbye to Brighton' he has expanded to a five piece band. The album was recorded in just two days, favouring raw and improvisational performances. Sonically, the album takes elements of Blues and Jazz, with saxophones, clean guitars and female vocals. There is a strong influence of Tom Waits, especially in Lewis' croaky vocal delivery and storytelling lyrics.

'Goodbye to Brighton' experiments with both lively, Jazz influenced cuts, as well as slow burner ballads. The album opens with 'One Year', sounding like Lewis is slumped over a guitar in the corner of a seedy jazz club, the audience only half paying attention as he pours his heart out, "I'm sitting here all alone, drinking bourbon on my birthday". The album then shifts drastically into a roaring upbeat number punctuated by screaming sax and half-rapped vocals. There are mid paced radio friendly cuts too like 'Red Wine In the Morning' and 'Call My Own' lead by sharp drumbeats and catchy hooks. 'Heroes' is a straight out Rock song lead by distorted guitars. It is obvious there is a strong sound pallet mix throughout the record with plenty of ideas on show.

Whilst Nicolas & The Saints have delivered a rather diverse album in terms of writing, the actual flow of the album suffers because of it. Having one or two curveballs is always welcome, but I feel like the lyrical concept of 'Goodbye to Brighton' is far more suited to the slow burning ballads. Single 'Molly' in particular nails the style, letting the emotion of Lewis' voice really shine through. The same can be said for 'One Year' and knockout track 'Too Young'. The more this album attempts to be ragged and wild, the more it falters. 'So It Goes' is a sonic mess, the fast shouty, rapped vocals do not sit well upon the screaming saxophones, and it sounds like Lewis is running out of breath. Too many layers in the mix lead to a sound that just doesn't gel. Other tracks like the aforementioned 'Red Wine In the Morning' and 'Call My Own' suffer from being too clean and polite. The darkness, loneliness and bitterness of the lyrics start to lose their impact with an overly ear friendly sound. The album just doesn't manage to portray the true grit and heartache that the vocalist and primary songwriter is feeling inside. 

Ultimately, Nicolas & The Saints sound like they would be a blast to see live. Musically they are accomplished, with Nick's vocals especially being a force to be reckoned with. But he doesn't always gel emotionally and sonically with his band here, especially with the female vocalist who tends to clash more than compliment his voice. 'Goodbye to Brighton' is a case of ambitious and sometimes brilliant ideas, presented awkwardly and haphazardly. 6/10.

ALBUM REVIEW: GOLDIE - THE JOURNEY MAN

GOLDIE
THE JOURNEY MAN
Drum N Bass, Electronic.
Metalheadz
Listening Format: CD














They say that each decade of music is influenced by the sounds from 20 years prior, as new musicians begin to express influences of the sounds they grew up with. The 90s saw a lot of throwbacks to sounds from the 70s, the 00s had a strong 80s revival with Synth-Pop having a strong resurgence, and now in the 10s, a 90s influence has started to come back around again. Rock musicians are referencing Grunge, and new musicians in Hip Hop, Metal and Electronic music are referencing the best sounds of their childhood. Of course this means that original artists from that era are having their music re-appraised and the sounds they may have pioneered are coming back full circle. Just think how many seminal 90s musicians have been making comebacks this decade: Aphex Twin, At the Drive In, Faith No More, Swans, Gas, Porter Ricks, Godflesh... And now Goldie releases his first proper full length solo album since 1998's 'Saturnreturnz'.

Goldie of course is one of the best known Drum N Bass artists, and truly a pioneer of the craft. Not only has he created some of the longest, most spacious and intellectual instrumentals in the genre, but also has produced great Pop singles such as his immortal classic 'Inner City Life'. Outside of that he crafted an entire label of similarly creative minds, pushing the sounds of beat production further than ever before. His label Metalheadz gave a home to other Drum N Bass pioneers such as Photek, Source Direct, D-Bridge and more. Goldie and the Metalheadz label became synonymous with the 90s, but didn't transition quite as well into the 00s, as newer sounds in Electronic music became popular. Will Goldie's return manage to hold relevance in 2017?

'The Journey Man' is a sprawling double disc album (much like his previous two) and is a very eclectic affair. The disc opens with a song VERY reminiscent of his classic 'Inner City Life'. 'Horizons' pulls at the same strings and motifs of his classic hit, even having vocalist Swindle deliver a rather similar vocal melody. Fortunately it works as an excellent way to suck the listener into this opus, kind of like a mission statement... Goldie's back! Fortunately it is followed by perhaps the best cut on the album and a more strikingly distinct track. 'Prism' is solid from start to finish, with beautiful spacey synths and a very hard break-beat that almost dips into 'Drukqs' era Aphex Twin style "Drill N Bass". This track is an awesome crossover to hear from Goldie. It's a very Sci-Fi feeling tune that has a brilliant catchy melody too and isn't afraid to envelop at a slow pace. The first disc as a whole is relatively accessible even though the tracks often sit above the 5 minute mark and can take their time to fully develop. The use of female soulful vocalists works as a great way to hook the listener in, such as on the excellent 'The Mirrored River' that adds in some powerful wobbling sub-bass. But when Goldie takes us in more daring instrumental zones I think the results are even more interesting. 'I Think of You' is the prime example near the end of the first disc. This jazzy cut sounds like it samples an upright bass and has a very similar vibe to his Metalheadz peer Photek. The shuffling beats on this track are some of the most intricate on the record, and Goldie continues to prove he is one of the masters when it comes to beat programming.

The first disc certainly lumped the more immediate tracks together because disc two hits the listener with even more challenging and lengthy affairs. It opens with a whopping 19 minute long journey 'Redemption', opening with harmonious atmospheric synths reminiscent of his work on his classic album 'Timeless'. At the 11 minute mark it morphs into an entirely different beast as the track becomes a Sci-Fi techno rave until its climax. 'Redemption' is one of the best tracks on the entire album and certainly the most daring. Goldie takes another left turn in the following track 'Tu Viens Avec Moi?', which the booklet explicitly states is a tribute to prolific Jazz musician Pat Metheny. This incredible chilled track verges fully into Jazz and even some clean guitars creep into the mix. 'The Ballad Celeste' brings back female vocal leads, but verges much more into Neo-Soul territory, with an escalating Hip Hop groove running through the spine of the track. The second disc of 'The Journey Man' sees Goldie verging away from Drum N Bass a lot of the time and succeeding in it. 'The River Mirrored' is a nearly identical track to 'The Mirrored River' on disc one (funnily enough), but the two being placed in the middle of each disc is actually a neat touch. 'Triangle' is one of the biggest highlights of the entire album, with a musical triangle sample leading the motif of the track, leaving the album with a serious Drum N Bass banger.

'The Journey Man' is ultimately an incredibly eclectic listen that spans far beyond the reaches of Drum N Bass. The only true misstep here is 'Castaway' which blatantly tries to sound like Prince. It comes off second rate, and stands out like a sore thumb in the tracklist. But all the other times Goldie ventures into different genres, it mostly works and feels cohesive. One of the biggest delights of this album is that around half of it is masterfully produced and arranged Drum N Bass that takes the listener back to the golden days of the genre in the 90s. But all of Goldie's ventures into Techno, Hip Hop and Jazz are perhaps even more exciting. The 2 hour opus rarely feels bogged down, because there are a lot of exciting and varied ideas happening all over the place. What is even more impressive is that Goldie has poured a lot of his own wisdom and personality into this record. The album sleeve and booklet consists of photos of Goldie from over the years, often pictured with friends. There are tracks that are clearly tributes to people who have inspired and affected him in his life, and the music really reflects this man's journey (hey that's what the title must mean eh?) Goldie has not only proven why he is one of the masters of Drum N Bass, but has dared to take risks on this massive album, and they mostly have really paid off well. There barely seemed to be any hype around this release, but it is truly one of the best comeback records of the decade. It certainly deserves to be on par with Aphex Twin's comeback record 'Syro', but sadly I don't predict a Grammy award in Goldie's future. 'The Journey Man' is a truly cohesive, intricately arranged and larger than life opus that deserves to be remembered as one of the best Electronic albums of the year. 8/10.

TOP 25 LIVE PERFORMANCES OF 2016

Let's get the obvious out of the way. I can only count bands I have seen live in the flesh. Since I am based in Manchester this will mostly be the area covered. I've easily seen over 100 bands this year so here are the performances that knocked me sideways in 2016!

HOUSEWIVES - Gorilla, Manchester

25. DUKATALON
Rebellion, Manchester

The Noiz Alldayer ended up overrunning by about 2 hours, and this band that came all the way from Tel Aviv, Israel had waited patiently to play, finally coming on at 2am and devouring what was left of the crowd with their insanely high energy Sludgy Hardcore. They played with a real menace and their drummer was pumping up the crowd between each song, commanding them to get moving. The show ended in a fantastic stage invasion that saw nearly the whole crowd take to the stage in a moment of sheer bliss.
_______________

24. RICK ASTLEY
HMV Manchester

I'm not Rick-rolling you at all here. I had practically no expectations when I arrived at this show, but Rick Astley really blew the crowd away, not necessarily with his songs (although a finale of 'Never Gonna Give You Up' was obviously incredible) but through his sheer passion and excitement. The man had a really good funk band behind him and delivered an incredible vocal performance. But it was his stage charisma, his fantastic sense of humour and the fact that he looked like he was having the time of his life on that tiny stage that really made this performance special. I'll never say a bad word about this man.
_______________

23. JOHN CARPENTER
Victoria Warehouse, Salford

There was a lot of controversy about the arrangement and venue of this show, which sadly does taint the gig a little. I'm going to try and brush this aside and focus on the actual performance, which I thought was great since I managed to get there early and actually get a good spot in the room. It was incredible to see John Carpenter, the Horror maestro in the flesh with his excellent band that play on his 'Lost Themes' records. Not only did he play some of the best tunes of the two solo records, but of course many of his greatest film themes. Hearing the likes of 'Halloween' and 'The Thing' in the flesh was awe inspiring. Carpenter had a crazy charisma on stage and one of the best highlights was when the whole band put on sunglasses during the performance of 'They Live'. There were also scenes from each film playing on a big screen behind him, so that atmosphere was just right, and I had chills for almost the whole performance!
_______________

22. ACxDC
Rebellion, Manchester

The news that US Grind/Powerviolence legends ACxDC are calling it a day became twice as sad after witnessing just how astonishing this band are live. They must have blitzed through about 50 tiny tracks, absolutely seamlessly with full on rage, venom, sweat and agony. There was no time to catch your breath as the band just raged and battered through blistering, lightning fast song after song. A blur of utter chaos and madness that was as beautiful as it was terrifying!
_______________

21. SPACE WITCH
Rebellion, Manchester

This band don't come around my way often enough, but whenever they do it is an unmissable spectacle. As you probably know I have a bit of a fetish for Extreme Metal bands that implement electronics into their sound, and Space Witch are at the forefront of this in the British Metal scene. Psychedelic tinged droning Sludge riffs bludgeoned the Manchester crowd over their heads, as piercing electronics added deep, spacey textures to the mix and taking their sound to the next level of the spectral ether. Mindblowing from start to finish, seriously one of the most exciting bands in the UK right now!
_______________

20. DESTRUCTION UNIT
Islington Mill, Salford

Without a doubt the loudest performance I heard this year, even with ear plugs in, this was painful and left my ears ringing. With a drummer, a bassist and about four guitarists crammed into the tiny Islington Mill stage, their sound was bigger than the entire venue. The aptly named Destruction Unit powered through pounding Garage Noise Rock with so much sweat and menace. The massive wall of tremolo guitars was intense and agonising... And EAR DESTROYING!
_______________

19. MONO
Gorilla, Manchester

The majesty of seeing Alcest would have been more than enough to cover the ticket price, but we still had an epic MONO performance to enjoy. Equally as stirring as Alcest before them, their instrumental rock often started soft and melodic and built into loud, thunderous climaxes that were intense and overwhelming to the senses. True magic from the heart of Japan!
_______________

18. ALCEST
Gorilla, Manchester

It's not often that you need to bring tissues to a Metal show but the double impact of Alcest and MONO would certainly reach deep into the souls of Metalheads. Alcest played a wondrous, dreamy set of buzzing shoegazy guitars, sweeping melodies and harmonious vocals, with a few shrieking Black Metal parts for good measure. Alcest really hit the sweet spot with a momentous performance.
_______________

17. CONJURER
The Alma Inn, Bolton

The crowning kings of another incredible Riff Fest lineup, a free annual Metal festival in the heart of Bolton. Conjurer are a seriously wild bunch and a stage can barely contain the energy and immense heaviness of this band. As their set goes on these lads get angrier and more explosive to the point where the band and the audience can barely take it any more and the wheels fall off!
_______________

16. HOUSEWIVES
Gorilla, Manchester

This was my first time seeing and even hearing this mysterious English Drone/Noise Rock band. They played in near darkness with strobe lights blaring as they played what seemed like one giant 40 minute composition of super atonal rock that almost felt like an incredibly minimalist and deconstructed version of Joy Division, complete with noisy saxophone and deranged screams. It was such a regimented and tense performance. This band had an entire crowd hanging on every note and even when they just jammed one note for 5 straight minutes it felt like the most intense thing that ever existed!
_______________

15. UNDER
The Boulevard, Wigan

Under are a menacing and creepy Doom Metal/Drone Rock kind of hybrid band that have built an exceptional reputation over the year for their jaw dropping live performances. I've probably seen them about 10 times this year alone and they just get better and better. Under constantly change up their setlists, hinting at a well of new and unreleased material, so every performance of theirs feels fresh, exciting and unpredictable. This was the last time I saw them in 2016 and I am incredibly excited to just be a part of their wacky journey, just as a member of the crowd!
_______________

JOHN CARPENTER - Victoria Warehouse, Salford

14. CAINA
Fuel Cafe, Manchester

Hands down one of the most extreme things I have ever witnessed. In what sadly looks like one of Caina's very last shows, the duo performed incredibly loud with dense layers of noise pedals and cold synths grinding away as the two screamed at the top of their lungs. Vocalist Laurence Taylor was terrifying, topless with a balaclava and cuts on his body. He got right up into the faces of the crowd, screaming nihilistic words and wrapping the microphone cable around his neck like a noose. This is what happens when a band take the performance aspect all the way up to 11!
_______________

13. THE RIVER VERSUS
Rebellion, Manchester

Few things put as big a smile on my face as when I am watching The River Versus. They tantalise the Prog Rocker inside me with their virtuoso fusion of Neo-Classical verging on Post Hardcore. TRV are still a band that I am championing and sadly they don't quite play as often as I'd like or quite get the acclaim that they so sorely deserve. This band have the ability to leave newcomers completely speechless and the atmosphere at one of their shows is full of sheer joy and awe. Just go listen to them and never miss them live!
_______________

12. SVALBARD
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

I was so excited to see Svalbard perform once again and they certainly didn't disappoint. In fact they just get better. It feels like the band are continuing to perfect their craft, delivering emotively resonant Blackened Hardcore with so much passion, energy and raw feeling. Playing in front of a packed out Damnation stage may well have been their biggest crowd and most defining show yet.
_______________

11. FULL OF HELL
The Ruby Lounge, Manchester

This US band absolutely knocked me sideways. Bouts of lightning fast, brutal Grindcore suddenly evaporated into 0bpm electronic drones that were deafening and very intense, bringing a huge tension. The way Full Of Hell combine the slowest and fastest of Metal genres is really something special, and the way they switch between the two seamlessly is not only incredibly tight, but completely fucks with the audiences head. Absolutely astonishing.
_______________

10. MAX RICHTER
RNCM, Manchester

The master of modern Ambient Classical performed his 'Blue Notebooks' and 'from SLEEP' albums in full with an ensemble and vocalist. Truly one of the richest and most beautiful performances I saw this year, with every note and instrument travelling through my body. It felt like a healing process and was incredibly moving.
_______________

9. DEATH GRIPS
Manchester Academy

Perhaps the most anticipated show of the year, that sold out in mere seconds. Death Grips slammed through all of their best discography highlights, with MC Ride's maniacal grunts, Zach Hill's pounding drums and Flatlander's noisy synths sounding supreme, with so much energy and violence. This will remain one of the most talked about shows of the year.
_______________

8. CULT OF LUNA & JULIE CHRISTMAS
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

To think that these musicians said they didn't get time to even rehearse properly is absolutely staggering! I think many who attended Damnation Festival in Leeds this year will agree that this performance was the crowning achievement of an already magnificent festival that seems to get better ever year. With about 7 people on stage, Cult of Luna absolutely pummeled the Damnation main stage with crushing, dense and emotionally draining riffs and textures, Julie Christmas was a bundle of energy, dancing, moshing and belting out powerful vocals. An absolute marvel from start to finish that we may never see performed again.
_______________

7. AUTECHRE
Old Granada Studios, Manchester

The first time I saw Autechre live I didn't enjoy it so much, but I think it was let down by a poor sound and venue choice. No such problem this time as they performed in pitch darkness in a massive room where you could hear every blip, beep and rumble perfectly. They played a continuous hour long piece of music that was rather slow and doomy, with lots of discordance and alien textures. The lack of light allowed the music to really enter my body and take over my thoughts. Things got metaphysical and even though this band have no lyrics and use total discordant sounds, there was much emotion and expression.
_______________

6. STEVEN WILSON
02 Apollo, Manchester

The master of Prog treated us to a 3 hour performance. In the first half he played the entirety of his fantastic 'Hand Cannot Erase' album, synced up to a film that ran on a big screen above the band with amazing visuals, helping to tell the story behind the lyrics. His band was incredible, including Marco Minnemann on drums and Dave Kilminster on guitar. The second half showcased songs from his latest release '4 1/2' and songs from his previous albums including a tear-jerking rendition of 'The Raven That Refused to Sing'. He even threw in some stunning Porcupine Tree songs, including 'The Sound of Muzak' and 'Lazarus' which he dedicated to David Bowie who had only just passed.
_______________

5. SHOBALEADER ONE
Gorilla, Manchester

This quartet is a side project of Tom 'Squarepusher' Jenkinson, where he focuses solely on his virtuoso bass playing. This is one of the tightest bands I have seen perform all year. The music they played really reminded me of 70s Blacksploitation Funk. There were some seriously infectious grooves going on here, but with techy and jazzy parts thrown in also. A few renditions of Squarepusher classics were also performed. The band all dressed in black cloaks with masks on that had neon lights on them. How on earth they managed to perform to such a level was wearing them is anyone's guess!
_______________

4. YOB
The Ruby Lounge, Manchester

A truly mindblowing performance from the US Doom trio. Guitarist and vocalist Mike Sheidt is mesmerising on stage. His guitar playing looks effortless, whether he is churning out massive slabs of Doom or clean, emotive arpeggios, and he pours so much passion into his vocals. The performance of 20 minute "ballad" 'Marrow' was something really special, completely captivating an entire room into stunned silence.
_______________

3. EMPLOYED TO SERVE
Damnation Festival, Leeds University

Truly one of the most angry, visceral and energized performances I've seen all year. Mathcore maniacs Employed to Serve showed us how to fucking BRING IT!!! Like this was a "COME AT ME BRO" meme in it's most literal and musical entity. The stage was like a warzone and there was some seriously crazy pitting, crowd surfing and stage diving as they tore into the Damnation crowd with a relentless barrage of aggressive screaming and jagged staccato riffs, that ended in the destruction of a bass guitar letting out it's final battle cry (and I was lucky enough to catch a piece of it thrown into the crowd)! ISS BYOTIFUL!!!
_______________

2. SLABDRAGGER
The Alma Inn, Bolton

In this very special one off performance, Slabdragger performed the entirety of their new album 'Rise of the Dawncrusher', and it was a FREE entry show! Damn! The packed out crowd were truly knocked sideways by the loud, crushing and technically mind blowing riffs. Constant twists and turns looked seamless in these 10+ minute epics. A true testament of great musicianship, high energy and sheer headbanging delight!
_______________

1. KAMASI WASHINGTON
Manchester Academy

Damn, this was more than a show, it was an experience, a journey, a transformation! Kamasi Washington and his insanely talented Jazz band are more than a band, they're a family unit. With most of the players having grown up together as kids and learning their instruments from a young age, and it really shows. This band is beyond tight, and have a spiritual chemistry together on stage. The show was full of raw talent, insane musicianship, fantastic storytelling between the songs, and a lot of emotion too. 'Henrietta Our Hero' left people in the audience in tears. This was not only the best live music experience I had this year, but one of the best shows I have ever witnessed!
_______________

KAMASI WASHINGTON - Manchester Academy

#346: KAMASI WASHINGTON + SARATHY KORWAR - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

SARATHY KORWAR

Jazz drummer Sarathy Korwar has just released his new album "Day to Day" on Ninja Tune Records. He lead a trio this evening at Manchester Academy, opening up for Kamasi Washington. Joining Korwar was a keyboardist and a nylon string acoustic guitarist. Each composition the trio performed was built around recorded vocal samples, which Korwar explained were recordings he made of Indian singers who had immigrated from Africa.

The trio opened the evening with fast, technical playing with a strong focus on twisting rhythms. The drums were relatively laid back as the keyboardist and guitarist both explored middle eastern scales. The keyboardist had that classic jazzy Fender Rhodes kind of sound, whilst the guitarist had a definite Flamenco influence in his finger picking approach. The drums reached a crescendo by the end of the piece, with a flare for lively rolls and snappy fills. Their second piece escalated from a Funk influenced groove into the avant garde, with a discordant middle section reminiscent of a vintage Horror film. In particular the guitarist really shined on their third composition, with a lengthy solo part. The trio closed with the longest track, which is where band leader Korwar really shone, with a wide pallet of percussive sounds.

Sarathy Korwar and his trio were very well received by the crowd and they played an exciting and lively set, chock full of virtuoso talent. 8/10.

_______________

KAMASI WASHINGTON

Fresh off a stunning Glastonbury performance, Kamasi Washington must have been feeling a spiritual peak as he stepped onto the stage, sax in hand, dressed in robes. He performed with the same 7 piece band that played Glastonbury and on his stunning triple album "The Epic". Between playing, Kamasi had a great rapport with the crowd, introducing his band and telling funny stories. In just two hours it felt like the audience got to know Kamasi and his highly talented band. His line-up consisted of Miles Mosley on the double bass, Brandon Coleman on the keys, Patrice Quinn on vocals, Ryan Porter on trombone, and two drummers, Tony Austin and Ronald Bruner Jr (brother of Thundercat). Kamasi told stories of how they all grew up together and started playing instruments from the age of 3 years old! Kamasi himself said he started as a drummer, but was outmatched by his two drummers, so switched to saxophone!

Kamasi Washington and his band kicked straight in with a rich cacophony of natural sounds, with the keyboards being the only electric instrument of the night. His band soon showed their Soul and Funk influences during a virtuoso display of pure musicianship. At first Kamasi took a slight back seat, as he would take time away from the sax to watch his peers from the side of the stage. Once they had all warmed up, the night really took off, and when Kamasi performed his first lead solo, the crowd went wild for it, blown away by the sheer force and magnitude as an array of notes flew at the crowd like machine gun fire!

The next song saw Brandon Coleman AKA Professor Boogie switch to a keytar and get his Jan Hammer on, which had the audience in a frenzy. He lead a wild funky track with his insane playing, stealing the show in this moment! The band then stripped the intensity down a little bit, playing their most emotional song which Kamasi dedicated to his hard working grandma, "Henrietta, Our Hero". He brought out his father Ricky Washington on flute as a special guest, who remained for the rest of the show! The song began with a cool piano sound and a modal saxophone melody. Vocalist Patrice Quinn took the reigns with a soulful lead vocal. Daddy Washington performed a beautiful Jazz flute solo in the middle. This lengthy ballad appropriately stripped back some of the virtuosity for a much more melodic and chord based song. The strength of the playing and the beautiful lyrics made for a very powerful and emotional tribute. By the end of the song I could see that some of the people sat around me in the crowd were moved to tears, and the band won their first standing ovation.

The band mixed it up even further by collaborating on a song that bassist Miles Mosley wrote for his own solo album. "Abraham" showed Mosley going mental on the double bass, with astonishing fingering and fast playing that seemed to defy physics! He created some genuinely eerie sounds from his instrument, even picking up a bow to play it! It soon became evident that Kamasi Washington was far from the only Jazz superstar on the stage tonight!

The 2 hour show climaxed with an insane drum off by Tony Austin and Ronald Bruner Jr. as they played for about 5 minutes each. It was a mind boggling display, and it was hard to pick out a winner as the two had two very distinct styles. After climaxing with another song from "The Epic", the band were cheered back after another standing ovation. As they closed the night with an exciting encore, much of the crowd ditched their chairs and walked to the front of the stage to dance.

This evening I and the Manchester audience were treated to more than some of the richest sounds in Jazz music. Before us stood a real family, not a band. Kamasi Washington and his band have clearly dedicated their whole lives to their craft and have come together to perform flawlessly, with so much fire and passion. But even more than that it was their tight knit chemistry that shone on stage. The band didn't just pour out virtuosity, but sheer emotion and feeling in their playing. Kamasi and his band play like a best of the entire Jazz genre. His triple album and his live show gave us the expression of John Coltrane, the spirituality of Sun Ra and Pharaoh Sanders, the Soul of Roy Ayers and Quincy Jones, the Funk of Herbie Hancock, and the versatility and sheer coolness of Miles Davis. Yet rather than sounding like a pastiche, they sounded nostalgic and fresh at the same time. This is without a doubt one of the greatest live shows I have ever experienced! 10/10.

_______________

June 28th 2016 @ Manchester Academy.

#344: THE COMET IS COMING + XAM - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

XAM

Information about XAM is pretty scarce as they don't even have a Facebook page, but this Electronic duo opened the evening tonight at Soup Kitchen in Manchester's Northern Quarter. There wasn't too strong a crowd to begin with, but people continued to pour in during their set. Xam consisted of two gentlemen, perhaps in their mid to late 20s. One of the members sat in front of a large modular synthesiser with pedals and more wires connected to it that I would dare to count! And to my right, the other gentleman showed his multi-instrumental talents, first starting out playing the saxophone and then later switching to keyboards.

XAM performed a single continuous piece of music that seemed to rely heavy on improv. The modulated synthesiser opened their set with a playful, pulsing sound that reminded me of the music from cult comedy series Look Around You. As the repetitive cycles of arpeggios gradually escalated in volume and weight, the saxophonist began to add subtle timbres into the mix, merging natural instrumentation with Electronic soundscapes. The subtle, repeated nature of their music gave off a strong Ambient vibe, reminding me of Brian Eno's collaborations with Jazz musician Jon Hassell in the 80s. As the saxophone started to dominate the sound mix, the composition felt more dense and droning. The saxophonist then retired his instrument and switched to keyboards. Whilst it was enjoyable to see the sax in action, I think it was a little too subtle in the mix and there simply wasn't enough of it showcased to make an impact!

Fortunately XAM's body of music continued to get more exciting as the keyboardist doubled up the melodies set by the modular synth, creating a rich harmonious sound. The tempo of the piece began to gradually speed up with the modulated phrases ever so gradually shifting. XAM were well received by the crowd and created some truly blissful, peaceful and chilled out vibes, giving out an almost meditative feel. Their music requires some patience, but fortunately the open minded audience gave them a big cheer at the end. 8/10.

_______________

THE COMET IS COMING

The headlining trio managed to pack out Soup Kitchen's basement tonight after the word of mouth success of their debut album "Channel the Spirits". The Comet Is Coming is a Jazz trio who fuse their sound with Electronic elements. The trio consisted of Danalogue the Conqueror on keys, Betamax Killer on drums and King Shabaka on the sax (that's their birth names you know!) 

After an ethereal warm up with bubbling synths, rolling drums and expressive sax, they soon kicked off with the keyboardist creating a dense rumbling dub influenced bass sound that shook my entire body! It was soon evident from their performance that this band ooze high energy, moving around the stage and breaking into sweat very quickly. The Comet Is Coming also got the crowd moving, with infectious funky grooves that got people dancing. The keyboardist not only made an array of fast paced heavy synth sounds, but added in all kinds of effects adding a more experimental Electronic approach to the performance. The drummer was an absolute beast with an endless supply of massive fills and funky breaks. Their amazing saxophonist helped to keep their compositions grounded in melody, but also ran off into wild soloing when the time was right. Each band member was extremely talented in their own right, and found times to perform solos throughout the night. Yet they shared a unifying vision of their sound, with each band member complimenting each other rather than trying to outdo each other. One of my favourite pieces of the evening was a few songs in when the trio went absolutely crazy, perform a lightning fast and intense piece with all 3 members going crazy on their instruments at once, resulting in loud cheers from the crowd.

Throughout the show, The Comet Is Coming also managed to work in more relaxed numbers that leaned towards a Jazzier sound, but in particular it was their fantastic energy and insane individual talent that stood out most. Set highlights included "Neon Baby", which was one of their funkiest numbers, but it was "Space Carnival" with it's strong rhythmic sax lead that sent the crowd crazy, dancing their socks off! The band went off to a huge applause and were demanded back for an encore, which they fulfilled, closing the evening with sheer class. 9/10.
_______________

June 22nd 2016 @ Soup Kitchen, Manchester.

#331: SQUAREPUSHER PRESENTS... SHOBALEADER ONE + LAFAWNDAH - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

LAFAWNDAH

Iranian born Paris resident and Warp Records affiliate Lafawndah opened up tonight's preceedings at Manchester Gorilla. It was a minimalist set, with just her on vocals to a backing track. The backing track played bass heavy grooves with an occasional funky twang, but mostly the sound was UK R&B inspired, with a slight pinch of that signature Warp Electronica.

Lafawndah came out to a quiet crowd with muted lighting and launched into her first song, sounding like French lyrics. Throughout the set it sounded like she would swap between English and French lyrics. She had a sway to her and a sensuality in her husky vocals. She weaved in and out of the sometimes wonky beats with a jazz influenced flow. After the second song the lights kicked in properly and pounding, shuffling bass hit the Gorilla stage. Lafwandah's energy increased throughout the show. There were definite Bjork vibes, not only in the choice of beats that had a "Human Nature" style, but the tone of her voice and the way she used her voice showed definite comparison. 

Whilst I enjoyed the first couple of songs, as the set went on there wasn't a whole lot of variation in the sounds. With just a backing beat and vocals, not only was it a little too minimalist to hold up for 40 minutes, but it left very few surprises in store. For a live show, more was needed to flesh out the performance and mix things up. A live DJ or Electronic musician at the helm could have added more of a live feel. Lafawndah felt detatched from the music in a way, with no major effects used or different styles and tempos covered to mix things up. Also other than being on the same label as Squarepusher & Shobaleader One, there was next to nothing in common with the headliner's sound, making her not a fitting choice of support. Whilst at first the crowd seemed enthusiastic, the interest noteably waned as her set went on and some people in the crowd turned away and started chatting. 6/10.

__________________________

SHOBALEADER ONE

After a teasing drone intro, a quartet of ninjas appeared from the shadows and took their instruments. For those who don't know yet, Shobaleader One is a live band formed by Tom "Squarepusher" Jenkinson in 2009. They all dress up in black cloaks, wearing masks that bare constant flashing lights that change to the mood of each song. Squarepusher himself performed on stage, being an accomplished virtuso bass player. Shobaleader One played a mixture of their own material, and threw in some Squarepusher classics, re-arranged for instruments.

Shobaleader One opened their visually spectacular show with a dub influenced bass heavy grooving track. They then launched into a lively rendition of Squarepusher's "Cooper's World", with the track reinvented beautifully as a Jazz-Funk 70s Blaxsploitation cop chase scene rendition! Throughout the show they played very Jazz-Funk orientated grooves. Their keyboardist added Electronic sounds, but it was much more natural sounding than Squarepusher's signature output. In particular it leaned far less towards his wild Drum N Bass/IDM sound and closer towards his Fusion sounds of the "Music Is Rotted One Note" and "Ultravisitor" albums.

Shobaleader One played a diverse set with a sound reminiscent of Jeff Beck's "Blow By Blow" and "Wired" Funk-Fusion period, and Miles Davis' Psychedelic Funk Jazz of the early 70s. Squarepusher and his insanely talented friends successfully showcased the crazy erraticness of Squarepusher's solo work, combined with rich, down to earth virtuoso playing that for the musicians in the crowd must have been absolutely mindblowing. Rarely have I seen such unbelievably talented musicianship before my very eyes. Shobaleader One are incredibly tight. Squarepusher was even doing insane tapping solos and slap bass, making me wonder why he isn't regarded as one of the world's finest bass players more often (keep an eye out Les Claypool!) The drummer also was an absolute beast, with lightning fills, constantly shifting time signatures and tempos and so much energy. Their drummer successfully managed to take IDM electronic beats and bring them to a live kit.

The greatest impression that Shobaleader One left tonight, was that they proved themselves to be one of the tightest, most insanely talented and well organised bands on the planet... And yet they were constantly exciting and played with a real freedom and groove. The fact that these 4 men are able to perform for nearly two hours, some of the most technically demanded playing, whilst dressed in black robes, and wearing masks that had multicoloured flashing lights right in front of their very eyes is next to impossible! But they did it flawlessly, and it looked like the entire crowd was blown away and left gobsmacked. Squarepusher has a very good and vast discrography behind him, but I think when this man performs live he takes it to a whole other level. Warp Records is still a hotspot of true innovation in music, and this will surely go down as one of the best live shows of the year in Manchester! 10/10.

__________________________

May 6th 2016 @ Gorilla, Manchester.

#329: MILES AHEAD

2016

Directed by Don Cheadle

Drama, Biopic.

In Don Cheadle's directorial debut, he portrays the most important Jazz musician of all time, Miles Davis. The film is set in 1979, near the end of a 5 year retirement from music that Miles Davis took. The film also has flashbacks to the late 50s, showing Davis' relationship with Fran Taylor. Right of the bat, it seems like an odd idea to set the film heavily during a period where Miles Davis was at his least creative of his entire life.

Don Cheadle as an actor does a superb job as always. He absolutely looks the part, he has the croaky voice and the shades spot on, as well as the constant swearing. His trumpet playing looks very authentic, to the point where I'm guessing he actually learnt how to play. But Cheadle's work here as a writer and director clearly needed more work before jumping into such an ambitious project. It feels like Don Cheadle was desperate not to make a linear biopic that takes the journey from youth to death. Instead the film is set mostly in 1979, and switches back to the late 50s. But with such a large and interesting career, it is a shame that only these two distinct periods are covered. The two eras play like two very different films. The 1979 plot sees Columbia label reps stealing Miles' first demo tapes of new recordings. With the aid of a rogue Rolling Stone magazine reporter, played by Ewan McGregor, the two weld pistols and go on a long cat and mouse chase trying to retrieve the stolen demo tapes. This is an incredibly mediocre plot that sadly takes up the majority of the film. When I think of the legendary trumpeter, I don't picture him getting into car chases and running around shooting at record label reps. Ewan McGregor is also horribly miscast as a drunken, coke snorting reporter with a dodgy haircut. He completely coasts through his performance here, adding no real spark to the film, and his chemistry with Cheadle is completely flat. I think McGregor is capable of far better than this role.

Thankfully the scenes set during the late 50s are a little closer to what you would expect from a film about Miles Davis. He spends a lot of these scenes either recording in the studio, or playing live in smokey Jazz clubs. The film focuses on his romantic relationship with Fran Taylor, who appeared on the album cover of "Someday My Prince Will Come" and is considered to be his muse. The scenes where Davis is just doing what he does best, playing trumpet with his band, are far more exciting to watch than the silly faux gangster movie parts. It makes me wish that Don Cheadle had just made a more traditional Biopic and told the life story of Miles Davis, focusing on what matters most: The music. The changes in chronology feel too much like something Tarantino would do. There are very brief appearances of actors portraying John Coltrane, Gil Evans, Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock, but they are reduced to extras with barely any spoken lines.

Considering Miles Davis is one of the most important and legendary musicians to ever walk the earth, it feels like Miles Ahead has really sold him short and not focused enough on the things that mattered most. If Don Cheadle had chosen to focus more on his musical journey, involving many of the other great musicians he worked with, this could have potentially have been a great film. Instead we get half a decent Music film, and half a mediocre gangster film.When I think of Miles Davis I do not think of a gun toting coke fiend, I think of the legendary musician, and I don't know why Cheadle has tried to stray from that so vastly. After seeing Miles Ahead, I really hope that someone is inspired to make a much more deserving Miles Davis biopic. A real shame since Don Cheadle's performance really hit the nail on the head. 5/10.