#315: HANZO - HANZO

2016
Indie Rock, Garage Rock
Self Released

Hanzo are a 3 piece band from Rugby, England who have self released their debut self titled EP. The unsigned trio are continuing to build up a following by playing live all over the UK. The EP opens with "Doll Face" and instantly hits you with a swaggering Rock riff. Vocalist and guitarist Pete delivers more of a high pitched vocal on this track. The song is very catchy, lead by a simplistic riff. The "Hush little darlin'" verses will easily get stuck in your head and have you humming along. "Sweet Tooth" impresses me much more though as Pete switches to a deeper Elvis style vocal. This track sounds very modern but has a Rock N Roll vibe to it, with reverb drenched guitar adding a Surf Rock twang. The energy on this track is high, with a scattering of tremolo guitar in the middle breakdown. The song climaxes with some powerful riffs reminiscent of Royal Blood before the Surf Rock vibes make a reprise. Definitely the standout track out of the three. "Yellow Bones" exists somewhere inbetween the vibes of the first two tracks and adds a keyboard melody into the mix. This brief EP is a decent start and is very well recorded. Hanzo may still be finding their sound and are trying out different styles, but I think it is the Surf Rock of "Sweet Tooth" that may suit them best. I would definitely catch Hanzo live if I saw them on a bill, because I think they would be able to get a crowd rocking out. 6/10.

#3.14: π

1998
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Psychological Thriller, Surrealism

π is the debut feature film by New Yorker Darren Aronofsky, who went on to make such classics as Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler and Black Swan. Aronofsky made this film on a super low budget, helped by friends and family who invested in his ideas. The film is shot in ultra high contrast black and white, and Aronofsky didn't even have any filming permits, having to shoot scenes on the sly. π Isn't exacly a pleasant film to look at, with lots of noise and grain in the picture, but if you are a fan of super low budget films like Clerks then you will know what you are in for. Although the film looks like a college film project, Aronofsky still manages to add an interesting visual style throughout, composing some eerie shots. The film establishes a great technological look full of computer screens, and even the small moments, like the way protagonist Max Cohen locks his door, are stylishly edited. There is an incredible scene in a New York subway that has a very eerie tone, almost jumping into pure Horror territory, reminding me of Jacob's Ladder, that has ambitious visuals considering the films restrictions.

π is one of the most unique films I have ever seen. The premise is about a mathematical genius who suffers from severe headaches and anxiety, being driven mad by mathematical formulas in his head. The film captures a superb paranoid edge throughout. Max Cohen is never quite sure whether the people he meets are his friends or his enemies, and remains isolated and cautious. Thus, the viewer shares his paranoia and the film makes you feel on edge. Aronofsky achieves this further with the use of surreal sequences where you aren't quite sure whether they are for real or just nightmares in the protagonists head. The film is edited so that the chronology of the story jumps quite rapidly from scene to scene, giving you a feeling of nausea and unease. It is difficult to tell whether the whole film takes place in one day, one week, one month or even a year. Another great aspect of π is the use of IDM/Electronic music in the soundtrack, along with Clint Mansell's eerie Dark Ambient score. The use of music by Aphex Twin, Autechre, The Orbital and Massive Attack perfectly suits the feel of the film, enhancing the mathematical and technological feel.

π is a fast paced film that manages to be gripping without having any major conflicts between characters. Any conflict seen in the film comes more from within Max Cohen's head than with anyone else. Not only is this one of the most leftfield and unique premises to any film I have seen, but the idea of viewing a film through the eyes of a character who is completely broken down mentally is something that makes it such a bold experience. This makes Max Cohen not an antagonist, but an anti-protagonist if you catch my drift! Considering I am a person who really struggles when it comes to numbers and mathematics, I found this film completely enthralling and would definitely watch it again one day! 8/10.

#313: JAMES - LIVE AT HMV MANCHESTER

To celebrate the release of their latest album "Girl At the End of the World", Manchester legends James chose to perform an intimate set at HMV Manchester to a packed out store full of die hard fans. Considering that this is from a band who are set to play the massive Manchester Arena in May, a band that can headline festivals, this was a rare opportunity to see them perform up close in a small space. James also performed here two years ago when their previous album "La Petite Mort" came out, so it is fine to see that they still support their local record store. It felt like there was an even bigger turn out than the last time, and it was great to see such an array of people sporting different James shirts from old to new.

The 6 piece walked out to a huge roar and applause, and climbed onto the makeshift stage assembled earlier in the day by the HMV staff. James opened with the title track of the new album, which saw one of their guitarists using a 12 string guitar, and the other playing slide guitar. Before kicking in, frontman Tim Booth explained that the song was inspired by car crashes, in particular a roundabout near where he lives that sees frequent collisions. This was reflecting in the lyrics of the song, as Tim's vocals soared across the room in fine form. Though James' sound may have changed over the years, one constant is Tim's incredible vocal range. The slide guitar gave this song a Country style twang, and although the verses had a sombre feel, the uptempo chorus made this into a great song. Their second track from the new album, "Feet of Clay" saw one of the guitarists switch to a cello, giving the sound an extra warmth. The song is driven by a cracking bassline, and Tim's voice went above and beyond on this track. The cello sounded absolutely fantastic. Of all the songs on the new album, this is one that has that classic James vibe. Once they finished the song, Tim told an amusing anecdote about when the band were nearly hit by lightning when playing at a festival during a thunder storm. The group really connected with the crowd, sending them into fits of laughter and you can just tell that the band members are very down to earth guys.

James' 3rd song of their performance was "Dear John", which Tim explained was about when soldiers get "dumped" by their girlfriends via letter whilst they are away serving for their country. This song was dominated by the use of the synthesiser, and is the most reminiscent of the Synth Pop direction the new album has taken. The bouncy melody of the song allowed Tim to really get his groove on as he danced on stage like a man possessed! The group finished with the anthemic "Nothing But Love". This time their guitarist switched to playing a mandolin, completing a very diverse set. The mandolin definitely made me think of an REM vibe. The oohs and ahhs of the chorus got the rest of the band singing along, and of course the majority of the crowd too. This capped off a stunning intimate performance, proving that even after 30+ years, James still have a lot to offer and know how to keep a solid connection to their fanbase. After the performance, James then met with fans, signed copies of the album and took photographs, making this event a dream come true for many happy Mancunians!

#312: THIEF

1981

Directed by Michael Mann
Neo-Noir, Crime

Thief is the second film by US director Michael Mann, released in 1981. It stars James Caan in one of his finest roles as a hardass diamond thief. One of the many talking points about this film is how exquisitely beautiful the framing of the camera is. Michael Mann really established his signature visual style here, and you can tell he has painstakingly assembled every frame of the film. He uses lots of night time shots, capturing the city lights and rain drenched roads, making them look so vibrant. It adds a real chilling atmosphere to the film. His use of silhouette and light and shadow is just phenomenal also. A shot at the beginning of the film where James Caan talks to a fisherman looks absolutely stunning. This film has been given the loving HD treatment by Arrow Video, so picking up this Blu-Ray disc is a must!

Of course it is one thing to make a visually striking film, but Thief works on just about all fronts. In particular the score by German synthesiser pioneers Tangerine Dream works superbly well. It was quite a bold move to use this band, as their music is often associated with outer space, making them more suited to a Sci-Fi film, but somehow it works wonders in Thief. The score is used sparingly, but the opening scene where James Caan is cracking open a safe (using real tools) in particular is given that little something extra because of the fantastic score. 

But the thing that impresses most about Thief is what truly matters, a phenomenal central performance by James Caan and a well told story. I would consider Thief to be a sophisticated crime drama. Similarly to films such as Scarface and Taxi Driver, it follows the journey of a ruthless anti-hero, but presents him as a three dimensional character with hopes and dreams, highs and lows. James Caan completely nails the role and carries the film easily so there isn't a dull moment to be found. Thief is not a film that relishes in gunfights or car chases, it is a very character and dialogue driven film, paired with fantastic visual shots that enhance the mood the story.

Thief is one those all around packages that works at every angle you could care to analyse it at. A film that can easily stand up to the likes of Scorsese or Copolla, yet it's not a film I often hear being talked about. 8/10.

#311: NINE INCH NAILS & DAVIE BOWIE - BACK IN ANGER

2016
Industrial, Electronic
Sonic Boom Records

2016 has already seen a whole bunch of David Bowie reissues flooding stores since his sad passing. Official and unofficial, with the 180 gram vinyl album reissues and a bunch of unofficial radio broadcasts. One of the most interesting of these is this document of when Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie toured together in 1995. According to the liner notes, Bowie had to be talked into touring his album "Outside", and he wanted to try and make his sound as current as possible and attract a young audience to his shows. After meeting Trent Reznor, Bowie said that he saw something in him, reminding him of the person he was at that age. Nine Inch Nails at the time had seen enormous success in the Alternative and Metal scene, with their iconic album "The Downward Spiral" having made the bestsellers list. On this tour, Bowie didn't just want NIN to be his support act, but he wanted to perform with them on stage, making it one of the most unique experiences for fans of both acts.

I must point out that this 2CD set is a bootleg, capturing a show at St Louis, Missouri in October 1995. The material has been taken straight from the original Radio broadcasts made in 1995, and I don't think any further mixing or mastering has taken place. The entire concert is presented across 2 discs, spanning 1 hour and 40 minutes in total. Already this is well worth the current £9.99 asking price! The sound quality is fairly good, but not excellent. The vocals are mixed louder than the music, and the Nine Inch Nails tracks in particular seem to suffer from a lack of punch and bottom end, but the Bowie tracks are more evenly balanced. Compared to some of the other radio broadcast CD releases that have gone on sale, this is one of the better quality ones.

The first disc is mostly dedicated to Nine Inch Nails who kicked off the night. This shows a point in time where they have gone full on Industrial Metal, and even some of the earlier classics such as "Head Like a Hole" and "Terrible Lie" are given a heavier makeover. Whether it is the recording quality, or the fact that that it is because they are playing with Bowie, but NIN don't bring it quite as hard and brutal as you would expect, as the Electronica parts of their sound are more prominent than the guitars. Perhaps they intentionally softened their sound a little bit to match Bowie's sound. It's interesting because Bowie and NIN must have had two very different fanbases, and some of the fans who have followed Bowie since the 60s may have had a hard time adjusting to Trent Reznor's chaotic soundscapes. That said "March of the Pigs" is a real kick in the face, and the live rendition is awesome because it lasts much longer than the studio version with an extended outro. "Wish" and "Burn" are also full of Punky and Metal energy. Trent Reznor turns in a fantastic vocal performance all around. I've heard so many live NIN recordings from across their career and his voice never seems to falter.

When you get to track 12, the wonderful synth chords of "Subterraneans" kicks in and the crowd go wild as Mr. David Bowie enters the stage. Rather than NIN finishing their set, they stay right where they are and join him as a backing band, something you rarely see at shows these days. Trent Reznor then duets with Bowie on a fantastic rendition of "Scary Monster's (And Super Creeps)" that sounds like a bonafide NIN track. Bowie handles the verses and Reznor screams the chorus! Bowie then returns the favour by doing vocal duets of NIN songs "Reptile" and "Hurt". Whilst it is so cool to hear Bowie adding his magic touch to one of NIN's most iconic songs, this rendition of "Hurt" feels a little soft, and the super heavy doomy finale just isn't there.

After "Hurt", Reznor strips back his vocal presence and Disc 2 is basically straight up Bowie territory. One disappointing aspect of this performance is there is a distinct lack of hits. Bowie mostly plays songs from the album he was touring at the time, "Outside". Produced by Brian Eno (who worked with him on the Berlin Trilogy), this album was seen as a real comeback and it does feature some fantastic songs. Bowie's rendition of "I'm Deranged" is a huge highlight. This song later appeared on the Lost Highway soundtrack, which was compiled by none other than Mr. Reznor himself, so I am glad they chose to perform this one together. "Outside" showed a strong Electronic influence, so it goes together well with NIN's earlier performance. That being said though, Bowie's Electronic rendition of "The Man Who Sold the World" completely fails to hit the mark, with that legendary guitar hook being absent. The rendition of "Under Pressure" somehow sounds way cheesier than the studio version too. Strangely most of the "Outside" era tracks seem to work better than the few classic tracks he does play, aside from "Andy Warhol" which works really well.

Bowie's side of the performance is surprisingly a bit of a mixed bag, though if you are a fan of the "Outside" album, it is definitely worth picking up. I love Bowie, but I love NIN even more, so I couldn't resist picking this one up. Whilst there are few blips in quality along the way, there is more than enough awesome material here and is well worth the asking price. It would be lovely if this bootleg got an official release with a proper remaster and perhaps an accompanying DVD/Blu-Ray. A truly unique show and a fantastic chronicle of two utter legends! 7/10.

#310: DEAD PREZ - LIVE IN MANCHESTER

Dead Prez are a Political Hip Hop duo from Florida, best known for their hit debut album "Let's Get Free", which spawned the classic "Hip Hop", used as the theme song for Dave Chappelle's Show. I've not heard of Dead Prez touring so often, so I was excited to go and see them perform at Band on the Wall in Manchester. Unfortunately, the show ended up being marred by the biggest talking point... Dead Prez turned up 2 hours later than scheduled, not taking the stage til 11pm!

Now misfortunes can happen at any organised event. Manchester has had an abysmal traffic situation recently. Roadworks everywhere you turn. Surely it is excusable for a band to turn up so late for a show right? Oh wait... The reason they were late is because they weren't happy with their hotel room and refused to go on stage until they got something fancier?! Damn...

So Dead Prez were scheduled to take the stage at 9pm, with a curfew of 10.30pm in place at the venue. An excited, packed out crowd waited patiently, listening to Hip Hop classics over the speakers, spending their hard earned cash on drinks at the bar. 9.30pm rolled around and still no sign of the show starting... By 10pm people were starting to get irritated. Then 10.30pm rolled around it there was a bad tension in the air, like things could kick off at any minute. Me and my friend actually decided to leave, but we happened to bump into another friend in the lobby and ended up chatting... Then all of a sudden it was 10:50pm and as we were about to give up and go home, we heard someone shout over that they were actually in the building now! And it was true. First the towels and bottles of water appeared on the stage. Then the DJ got out his laptop. And after about 10 minutes of disbelief, Dead Prez ACTUALLY took the stage!!!

Unfortunately for Dead Prez, they didn't actually get to perform to a packed out crowd. A good chunk of the crowd had gone home before they even entered the building. It's sad because I bet even some of the die hard fans had to give up and leave, after all the show should have finished half an hour before they even started, and some people have to get their last trains or get up early for work. And to rub salt in their wounds, Dead Prez were greeted with a round of boos from the crowd. What really annoyed me even further is that the DJ moronically came on and kept shouting "ARE YOU READY FOR DEAD PREZ?!?!" Erm, yes, we were ready TWO HOURS AGO!!!

In fairness to Dead Prez, they did still put on an hour length performance, which is very generous of the venue as it could have got them into trouble going so far over curfew. And the duo did issue an apology for their tardiness. Many of the die hard fans seemed to be won over who were going crazy at the front, but I was so annoyed and disappointed that I just couldn't get into this gig. A lot of the crowd, and the energy had vanished. The duo M1 and Sticman did have a very good chemistry together, and they have some great lyrics, but even their hour long set was a very mixed bag. They didn't really explore their classic debut album enough. We were treated to a great rendition of "They Schools" and the crowd went wild when they played their anthem "Hip Hop" near the end of the show, with it's slamming bassline and on point lyrics. But inbetween that there was far too much yapping. Considering they were already 2 hours late, the duo just talked and talked between songs, when we just wanted to hear some tunes. Also there were some really bad, cheesy and very dated R&B cuts thrown in, which just seemed to totally contradict what this band were even about. A track called "Dirty White Girls" completely failed to hit the mark. 

I just don't understand how an artist can come all the way from America to perform such a lacklustre show. A true artist wouldn't let their fans down so bad, and nothing should be more important than playing the damn show and giving it their all! The show felt rushed, and the DJ didn't even use real decks. The fact that a dispute about a hotel room could be more important than performing music is completely inexcusable and it makes me think that they were just in it for the money. When they came on stage spitting their deep political poetry and asking "Do you wanna hear REAL HIP HOP?!" it just came out as so fake and phoney considering the circumstances. Absolutely one of the most disappointing shows I have ever been to. I actually feel bad for Band on the Wall and the promoters because I doubt any of it was their fault, and they have probably been hit by a wave of angry fans in the process. People have had their precious time and money wasted by Dead Prez. Fortunately Band on the Wall have offered ticket holders free tickets to see Smif N Wessun perform next week, in a very generous gesture. After this I wonder if Dead Prez will ever even tour the UK again, but if they do, they better bring their A-game and have some respect for the fans. 3/10.

March 17th 2016 @ Band On the Wall, Manchester.

#309: BOSS KELOID - HERB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

2016

Stoner/Sludge Metal

Black Bow Records

"Herb Your Enthusiasm" is the second full length LP by Boss Keloid. Though the band were formed in Wigan, they have taken up a spiritual residence at nearby Bolton's The Alma Inn, one of the centre points of the Manchester Metal Collective, or North West Metal scene, whatever you want to call it. Boss Keloid's debut album "The Calming Influence of Teeth", garnered strong reviews, throwing Mastodon, Meshuggah and Tool into a blender. Since then, songwriter and riff merchant Paul "Uncle Crow" Swarbrick has recruited his younger brother Adam to step in on bass guitar.

Over a year before Boss Keloid even set foot into Chris Fielding's (Conan) Skyhammer Studios to record the album, they made the bold decision to perform nothing but new material at their live shows. This is something that could have easily alienated fans of their debut album, but having been at many of their shows along the way, I can assure that the reaction has been phenomenal, and their fanbase has certainly expanded. Rehearsing like mad and playing nothing but new material must have been a challenge even for the band members, but the songs have evolved along the way and the chemistry between the new line-up has tightened and tightened. Boss Keloid never take an easy ride, and have pushed the complexity and depth of their music even further. If you have heard their debut LP, you will know that it is one of those records that demands repeat listens. They have a lot going on in their sound, and one of Keloid's finest signatures is their love of super tech riffage. Complex time signatures and winding guitar scales are something that seems to come so naturally to the band.

Compared to their debut LP, "Herb Your Enthusiasm" overall feels a tiny bit more accessible. It hits you more directly and explores more melodic territory, even throwing in a big chorus here and there. But that said, none of the colossal heaviness and complexity has been softened or sacrificed. "Herb Your Enthusiasm" almost plays like a concept album, with each track exploring the all the feels and effects of smoking weed. Though this has kind of become a Stoner Metal cliché, it actually is turned into quite a deep running motif throughout. The very first lyric of opening behemoth "Lung Mountain", "Somebody's watching, making a judgement..." suggests paranoia. Whilst "Cone" explores the moment the weed hits, "I feel a symptom coming, I feel a relaxation in my brain". Rather than straight up worshipping the herb, it feels more like they are thinking about every aspect of it, the ups and the downs. There are songs that feel like a spiritual awakening, whilst the opening riff of "Cone" is damn right evil, making the track feel like a bad trip is unfolding.

Just like Slabdragger's latest album "Rise of the Dawncrusher", Boss Keloid have made an album that you need to take your time with. This hour long beast can feel overwhelming in one sitting, but there is so much depth and versatility here that you know the album is worth coming back to again and again. Fortunately the album pulls you in so well, with what is possibly the greatest song they have ever written. "Lung Mountain" has this beautiful way of combining twiddly techy riffs, with straight up pounding Sludge, in a truly masterful way. One of the things I love about Boss Keloid is that they aim higher than most of their peers. Whilst most bands in the Doom and Stoner genre are comfortable just to let each power chord ring out to achieve heaviness, Adam and Paul mix it up much more. The use of arpeggios is not something a lot of bands in this genre are doing, and it makes them stand out so well. This is a band that clearly prefer Sleep's impossibly complicated "Dopesmoker" LP to the more accessible "Holy Mountain". Of course, making an album full of odd time signatures and busy guitar work could end up wearing out the listener, so it's great that we have tracks like "Axis of Green", that are able to wind things down. This is a huge standout on the album that is just a pure Metal banger, featuring a massive chorus. Just when it starts to feel too technical and progressive, Boss Keloid know when to scale things back and let the music breathe.

The biggest difference between "Herb..." and their fantastic debut album, is that the band feel more comfortable with their own sound. Whilst I can easily compare their debut album to Mastodon, Meshuggah, Sleep and Tool in equal measures, "Herb..." is an album that is much harder to find comparisons with. I have a feeling that guitarist Paul knew he was onto something with his signature evil twiddly, winding and weaving scales, and he has found the confidence to deliver more of them and explore them further. None of the other Sludge bands in the Manchester Metal Collective are really doing this, nor many other bands in the genre, and it is what sets Boss Keloid apart and what makes them so fascinating. Another important part of Boss Keloid that must be mentioned is their powerful frontman Alex Hurst. The Jamaican born vocalist delivers a huge array of different vocal sounds across the album. He can do screams, growls and clean vocals phenomenally well, sounding like the Captain Caveman of Metal! The big choruses like those in "Axis of Green" and "Lung Mountain" feel incredibly soulful and powerful, whilst on "Cone" he has a more muted, and whispered performance, giving the song a sinister, paranoid edge. He can really just do anything with his voice, making me think of the diversity of Mike Patton. One of the coolest moments of the album is in the last minute and a half of "Lung Mountain". Just when you think the song has winded down and finished, it kicks back in with an almighty riff and Alex sings this tribal "ooh, ahh ahh". In fact you could even say it is like a better, less cheesy version of Disturbed in this moment (oh yeah... I went there!)

If you like simplicity in music, then "Herb Your Enthusiasm" might be too much of a challenge for you. Boss Keloid aren't the kind of band to take the easy route and make an album of Sabbath worship. They have created a very original sound, and they want to challenge the listener. Even in a live setting, this is a band you have to take time with and think about. The band members are constantly pushing themselves, exploring new horizons and to be a fan of the band is to take that journey with them. "Herb Your Enthusiasm" is a deeply spiritual and headfucking record. It is one of those rare experiences that will just blow your mind. This is an album that can easily sit alongside the magnitude of Tool's "Lateralus" and Neurosis' "Times of Grace". Outside of the Metal realm, it shares the deep spirituality of Miles Davis' 1970 Psychedelic Jazz odyssey "Bitches Brew", or the outstanding eclecticism of Radiohead's "OK Computer". If you want to see the ground break, if you want to be challenged and have your mind expand, this is the album for you. 9/10.