Rachael Jensen Leaves Parenthetical Girls

In a post on their website it has been revealed that Rachael Jensen has left Parenthetical Girls to “pursure a higher education”.

Zac Pennington said that she is “in many ways the heart of the thing called Parenthetical Girls” but the band also “continues in many ways stronger than it has ever been, with new stock and new excitement”.

For me, Parenthetical Girls are a band I hear and get this overwhelming urge to go and tell someone just how really really amazingly great they are, (normally with that slightly giddy grasp of grammar) and while this is certainly sad news, the fact that they will be continuing to make music is always exciting. I’m already curious to see what will be next for them.

Dove Hounds

http://www.dovehounds.com/

After a productive year: releasing a new album as Former Ghosts, touring in support of that album with Xiu Xiu and Zola Jesus, and another tour of Europe coming up, you might expect Freddy Ruppert to be feeling like taking a break...apparently not.

The two tracks on this website seem to have more in common with This Song Is A Mess But So Am I than Former Ghosts. Ruppert's vocals aren't hidden behind any synthesizers or distortion (perhaps the only slight criticism of Former Ghosts I've ever really had), allowing his distinctive and emotional voice the prominence it deserves. These tracks feel raw and clear - every sound is audible, Ruppert’s talent for communicating the most painful (and personal) emotions through his music clearly has not diminished.

With an album only planned for release, and the intriguing possibility of Freddy Ruppert starting a small (vinyl only) label it looks like patience is going to be necessary before anything more is heard from Dove Hounds.

Xiu Xiu Interview...

Link to Tumblr

A little teaser for my interview with Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu.


EDIT:
The full interview can now be listened to here: Link to Tumblr

Jack Hayter - Sucky Tart

The first track, 'I Stole The Cutty Sark' contrasts traditional sea-shanty style vocals with discord and unusual instrumentation effectively, managing to tread the line between 'folk' and 'alternative' without becoming dull. 'A Doll's House' is lyrically smart and humorous; "he's got her head in his lap, but her body's in the corner of another room. It's not what it seems...'. The image this creates at first is surreal, but Jack Hayter makes it seem a deeply personal emotional tale.

'A Simple Song' and 'Jacquie I Won't Mind' are pleasant and again emotionally literate. On the evidence of this EP, Hayter's lyrics have a knack for making you think one thing, which is then later revealed as something more. This makes it feel quite touching and personal, as in 'A Doll's House', "It's not what it seems...'cos what it seems is, they're living in a Doll's House". His refreshing blend of sounds and influences make 'Sucky Tart' is a pleasant listen.

Available to order from Audio Antihero on 31/01/2011

Johnny Foreigner and Stagecoach split EP - Tru Punx/ Not Even Giles Would Say We'll Be Ok 7" Love In

The EP opens with a new Johnny Foreigner track, “Tru Punx” and it returns to the dirtier aspect of their sound, combining it successfully with their talent for melody. Guitars and shouty vocals declare, “I’ve been thinking about killing myself”, not the most likely hook to get crowds shouting but then Johnny Foreigner never have done things conventionally.

The second track, ‘Not Even Giles Would Say We’ll Be Ok’ starts off with a rather nice melodic vocal harmony, and for a second you might be expecting some kind of soppy Americanised love song, which is fair enough for about ten seconds (the lyrics “I’ll be carving out two names on the oak tree, one’s yours, one’s mine” helps with this misconception)…until the drums and guitar kick in and the distinctive funky/rock sound of Stagecoach becomes a little less ambiguous. The EP is a fair split between the two bands and after a new song each, they go about covering each other.

Johnny Foreigner go first with ‘Good Luck With Yr 45’. They always have been a very flexible sounding band, dodging between the typical guitar/vocals/drum sound (having said that though, Johnny Foreigner manage to make even that sound very un-typical and attention grabbing) and the gentler side of their capabilities – such as on this track, and plaintive love songs are something they do very well. Using their voices in a way that is unusual even for them, they layer up the sound into a heart breaking electro barbershop, the “baa umm baa umm” backing fades in and out, swelling with the emotive vocals.

Stagecoach cover ‘Salt, Pepper & Spinderella” one of Johnny Foreigner’s darker, more electronic based tracks and they contrast their two different vocal styles effectively. The sparser arrangement pushes the lyrics to the front, Johnny Foreigner’s words are often hidden behind guitars, accents or harmony but like this they can be heard in full honesty and elegance, the line ‘we like to watch the fights break out and end in grief from these cheap plastic seats’ seems more of a confession, rather than a proud assertion, as it did in the original.

Both bands are currently in the process of touring the UK, and if this EP is anything to go by those gigs are going to be a real event.

Xiu Xiu and Former Ghosts at Bristol Arnolfini

Freddy Ruppert, main member and creative drive of Former Ghosts, stands slightly to the left of the stage in front of his Mac with Jamie Stewart, core member of Xiu Xiu, on his right. Freddy Ruppert has talked about how he performs music live in a very different way to a conventional 'indie rock band', using a computer and a synthesizer rather than the more traditional set-up.

Before they begin playing, Freddy Ruppert asks the crowd to join him in singing 'Happy Birthday' to a friend of his, obligingly we all sing and once we've finished, with a very slight pause they begin playing. The fairly cheerful atmosphere immediately disappears. Ruppert bangs a floor tom with such aggression it's a wonder he doesn't snap the drumsticks. On record, his vocals are integrated into the synthesized world he creates, but live they rise above the music and add another level to the performance. Stewart teases some phenomenal noises out of his guitar (using a drumstick at one point) and even when his guitar strap comes un-strapped, he kneels to the floor playing on furiously.

Jamie Stewart goes off midway through the set leaving Freddy Ruppert standing alone behind his computer. Between tracks, The Auditorium is silent apart from Ruppert's laboured breaths and the occasional curse; it's a slightly tense atmosphere, but more one of anticipation than awkwardness. (I assumed it was the strain of playing such deeply personal music live, but it later became clear that he was having some major technical difficulties.) As the introduction to 'Us and Now' echoes out, Ruppert leans forward to begin dancing and the music cuts out. Remaining silent with a deep frown on his face he furiously tries to sort things out, which leads to some engaging with the audience. He smiles almost coquettishly and murmurs "Maybe I should stay more still in the future?" and the atmosphere begins to feel a little more relaxed.

The newer tracks (from their incredible latest album 'New Love') in particular 'Taurean Nature' and 'New Orleans', sound brilliant live. The older ones like 'Hello Again' and "Flowers' sound fresher and less claustrophobic than on record. Declaring that Xiu Xiu are up next, looking sweaty and a little drained he begins the last song. Telling tales, as they do, of utter heartbreak, Former Ghosts leave the audience feeling empty, especially without the music, to soften the brutal honesty of Freddy Ruppert's lyrics, which are still raw in our minds.

Xiu Xiu are a little more comfortable with the expectant silence, Angela Seo and Jamie Stewart exchange whispers and some sort of pre-gig clapping game (?) before launching themselves into their music. After the gig I spoke to someone who had not really heard any Xiu Xiu before, who said they felt it was 'a little too death-metal and emo for me'. A surprising statement, sure Xiu Xiu have a guitar and scream a bit, but there is so much depth to their music.

'I Love The Valley OH!' a personal favourite track of mine, seems ten times louder than anything that has come before and Jamie Stewart's screams are torn from his mouth. The pink Nintendo DS on which much of their latest album 'Dear God I Hate Myself' was composed and played, is brought out for some of their more recent songs such as 'Apple For A Brain', and 'Chocolate Makes You Happy' is given an added menace as Stewart hisses out the lyrics. Angela Seo uses a variety of percussion and different whistles, some of which make some really quite interesting noises. Behind them words flicker up on a screen, 'END' in particular is a favourite, as well as scenes from an old vampire film. The mood is slightly sinister and a very different sort of melancholy to Former Ghosts'. 'Boy Soprano' and 'Sad Pony Guerilla Girl, some of their older songs build upon this.

Xiu Xiu perform in the truest sense of the word, they are in control of the emotions of everyone in that room and they are doing what they want with them. As they finish the crowd applauds, tentatively hoping for an encore but they leave us, despite it being a cliche, wanting much more. They've caused controversy and polarise opinions but there is not doubt, at least in my mind, they are a superb band with something to say, saying it in the very best way possible.

Perfume Genius/Lonely Galaxy at The Cube cinema in Bristol.

The Cube is a small, independent cinema and is perhaps more used to putting on films than the kind of thing I was there for (EDIT: they actually put on at least two gigs a week). It's hidden away down a little side street in Bristol. The building itself is a little confusing - it's all on different levels. While we waited outside the actual room where the gig was going to be, we watched at least seven people ask where the toilets were, only to be sent back out the door from where they had come. (The toilets had some of the best graffiti I've seen in a while, which I posted just below).

There were only about fifty people there in the end, in a small theatre style room. Considering the buzz there's been around Mike Hadreas and his music, I was quite surprised, and even more astonished when I overheard someone saying they hadn't actually listened to any of his music before coming.

The support act, Lonely Galaxy, are signed to Transparent Records which means they're label mates with bands like Yuck and The Smith Westerns. Main member, Harry Granger-Howell, has an incredibly beautiful, powerful voice; accompanied by just his guitar playing and a viola, creating a really mesmerizing and haunting atmosphere. Their best tracks were 'Waiting', 'Time' and 'Have A Heart' - including the lyrics "I've been feeling pretty low". Unsurprisingly quite obvious, but if gloom can produce music like that it might not always be such a bad thing.

In between Lonely Galaxy and Perfume Genius was some quite perky jazz, which I assume was played so that people didn't start crying while the lights were on. Once Lonely Galaxy finished playing, they sat in the crowd to watch Perfume Genius.

When Mike Hadreas and Alan Wyfells walked on stage, it took a while for people to notice because Hadreas is a small, unimposing guy. Even after all the hype, the live sessions I've seen online etc, it was a surreal feeling to see him on stage. Seated nervously behind a keyboard, draped with dark material, he started playing the first song of the set, 'Lookout, Lookout'. Very quiet, whispery singing, close enough to the mic that you could hear everything perfectly, even his shaky intakes of breath. After only a few lines, he started giggling and had to pause before continuing. Considering the dark subject matter of the song, this was a little strange, but endearing. He played a variety of songs from Learning, as well as some of his rarer demos, including 'Put Your Back Into It', an emotive track.

During the gig, Hadreas and Wyfells continually glanced at each other, their eyes meeting rarely. Nervously adjusting the microphone, in a low voice Hadreas mentioned that he couldn't see the audience at all it was so dark saying that, "it's like a nightmare, a beautiful one though".

There was just something about his naked vulnerability on that stage, singing about such personal, and often-horrific things that really reached out to me (and the rest of the audience), almost painfully intimate perhaps, but far from awkward. His final song was 'Never Did', the lyrics of which were almost like the light at the end of a dark and beautiful tunnel, "it's all part of his plan, it's all in his hands". Wyfells and Hadreas shared the same keyboard for this one, their chemistry an important part of the success of the performance, seeming to support each other through what cannot have been an easy performance, dealing as Hadreas' songs do, with such deeply personal material.

The encore was 'Write To Your Brother', and for this Hadreas came out on stage alone. His eyes flickered towards the door whenever someone came in late, perhaps drawn in by the music, adding to the performer's slightly uneasy, timid demeanor.

Afterwards, Mike Hadreas walked past me, I'd been considering this throughout his performance, and it sounds strange, but as he walked past it appeared as though he was illuminated by a different light to everybody else. His pale skin and dark hair give a beauty, that when combined with his singing and piano playing, is striking. Due to a lack of confidence, I didn't go over and say thank you to him, but I wish I had, as it was an implausibly brilliant, heartbreaking, yet uplifting night. I will be praying that he comes on tour again, soon.