|
 No One Wins
Recommended For Listeners Of: Slowdive, The Autumns,The Cure, Ride, Swirlies, Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Bethany Curve, Lush, Moose, Edria, Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, A Northern Chorus, Catherine Wheel, Galaxie 500, Chapterhouse, Kitchens of Distinction, Swervedriver, The Telescopes, Lovesliescrushing, Soundpool, Sciflyer, Mahagony, Skywave, Airiel, Highspire,
Release Date: 2006
Label / Distributor: Iwave Records
Performers: Chris Cooper - Drums, Ian Masters - Bass, Vocals, Graeme Naysmith - Guitar
Production and Engineering:
Track Reviews
1. The Season Has Spoken
A rather somber way to start, at least just over a minute with delicate baritone vocals over whispering instruments. The traditional layered shoegazer guitars then drench your ears and the vocals never change. You soon realise this must be considered a shoegazing record although the vocalist and his lyrics can be heard, clearly. And he sings this song inexpressive and unemotional, yet the intent is very clear. Melodic layers of wailing guitars and haunting keyboards over the distortion create the emotional landscapes if you need one. Thomas Schultz-Hansen plays some simple punchy drums throughout this record that help define the overall sound of this record. It sounds almost metronomic in some parts.
2. No One Wins
Forget everything thing else about this classic pop song, at one minute-thirty seconds they guitars go into Sigur Ros mode for a little while. It's a brilliant surprise. This is one of those songs that would be a hit when great songs made the charts. Jakob Skjoldborg proves you don't need a massive range to sing. The vocals are given room to breathe and not overdone. He rides the gentle rhythmic waves created by the band.
3. There's A Sun
Using the tried and tested quiet-loud arrangements for the this type of music. It booms in loud with bass, drums and guitars all having a go. Then drops to Skjoldborg's vocals over a less aggressive mix of drums, bass, guitar fills and mermerisingly distant sounding keyboards. They do not disappoint with a welcome assault of noise coming at the end.
Video: Windermere-Theres A Sun
4. As The Season Shifts
A genuine shoegazer track in the mold of Slowdive or A Northern Chorus. Whispering along over shimering guitars. The interlude of this track is without a doubt is the standout feature of this song. The waves of cascading shimering reverb filled guitars will hook you, if you are patient to wait past the vocal section. It could be said that nothing is new about this but the execution is perfect.
5. Lights The Way
The drums are played in a similar vein as Bloc Party does theirs. A lead guitar runs over Skjoldborg's almost restrained vocals for the entirety. This is the most modern post-punk song on the record.
6. Kid's Gone
A simple bass line and brushed drums stood out when reviewing this track. It provides a shivering, haunting feel, very much like the Twin Peaks theme does. It has the same quiet-loud approach, but the movement from one to the other is flawless in keeping the mood of the song. Skjoldborg singing stirs up a smooth brooding Nick Cave. A standout track by any means.
7. Save You
Sounds like a little bit of Snow Patrol, a touch of New Order and a little of Lush. A poppy shoegazing track if there was one.
8. Swim
A sound like thunder, then droning guitars begin the darker tracks on the record. It's very similar to the dreamy music from Los Angeles band The Autumns. The bass provides a deep undertone, similar to Mogwai's bass lines as it rides the precise drumming on this song. It roars at the end like Mogwai would as well. An icy brooding song which could be the soundtrack to veyr cold place but beautiful place.
9. In The Meadow
The softest song on No One Wins that glides along in post-rock fashion. This is a track made for listening in the dark. The instruments play out Mogwai's softest moments. Virtually an instrumental as vocals are provided for a very small percentage of this song. The vocals are kept low in the mix and whispered along.
10. Sight of You
They decided to end with an instrumental that does add to this record. Much like the In The Meadow in a slow haunting glide. It is another cold bleak soundtrack number which rides high above the landscape.
If you ever wondered what shoegazing would sound like with vocals that you can decipher, this record is worth a listen. An impressive record that will outshine much of the modern shoegazing releases. There is a certain devotion to the art-form that you clearly discern from just one listen. As with a lot shoegazer records, it's more of the mood conveyed rather than blaring it out with catchy lyrics and choruses. Highly recommended if you like your soundtracks dramatic and echoing from the higher stratosphere. The emotions laid out are not one dimensional, they change slightly to keep your interest from beginning to end.
Listen
@ MySpace
Videos
Windermere-Theres A Sun
Buy Windermere - No One Wins
@ MySpace
Brief Artist Biography
Country: Denmark
City: Copenhagen
Year Formed:1987
Taken From www.windermere.dk
Initially the idea was to join two bands and their different approach towards progressive music. One, Maroc
Seven, was based on traditions from the British indie scene. The other, Windermere, was a dark triphop-like
project with different members. When these two bands joined forces a mix of the different genres rose and is
now the base of contemporary Windermere - the name which was maintained for this new band. Since 2001
Windermere have built up a unique image creating sound that is normally categorized as space rock.
Before Windermere - Maroc Seven
 Windermere
vocals. Together they found inspiration in the British new wave scene where bands such as Ride, My Bloody
Valentine, Slowdive and The Frank and Walters knocked about. Around 1995 Thomas’s friend for some years,
Jakob, entered the band as a bass player. Later on Jakob and Hans switched and Jakob started singing. The
band name was changed to Maroc Seven. This name came from The Shadows’ very cool soundtrack for the
film Maroc Seven from 1967. From 1995 until Thomas moved to Copenhagen in late 1997 they refined their
sound, not the least because of the presence of the violin player Louise. Her playing - and singing - was
really needed and the songs became more delicate and well written.
Before Windermere - Copenhagen
In Copenhagen Jakob, Hans and Thomas finally gathered in 1999. They were all studying here and decided to
go on to fulfil their ambitions of going somewhere with the music. Thomas had played with another band
(called Candia Royale) for two years and wanted to return to Maroc Seven to the resentment of the band he
left behind. For the next two years Jakob, Hans and Thomas tried to reform what they had left back in Viborg
but it was hard to find a way out of the lack of inspiration. But one day in 2000 Thomas was contacted by a
fellow student’s boyfriend, Kim. He needed a drummer for his project, Windermere, and Thomas decided to
try it out. Nothing really came out of it this time. However, Kim and Thomas met at a party later on and they
started to form the idea of joining the two bands. Shortly after it happened but Hans had left for America so
Windermere was a trio the first year. The first shows were played and when Hans returned there was enough
songs to record a proper demo. From there Windermere just continued to develop the incredible live sound
and write songs for the debut album, “The World is Here”.
The sound of Windermere
To create the special and ambient-noisy sound of Windermere the band members sometimes have a somewhat
different approach to playing on their respective instruments. Kim as a songwriter, guitarist and keyboard
player combines effects from both keyboard and sequencing machines with the warm and dusty sound
of an old tube amplifier. Hans (guitar) and Jakob (bass and vocal) use a bow on their strings to evoke an
ambient atmosphere in the music. Thomas plays the drums, not with power and restlessness, but with a laid
back stylistic approach that matches the soundscapes of both guitars and backing tracks.
Songwriting
These mentioned backing tracks used to be the core of the songwriting when Windermere formed. The
electronic approach of the early Windermere was based on this songwriting technique. Kim recorded the
(almost) complete song and brought it into the rehearsal room. Here the song was played almost like it was
meant to be. And often with a lot of the recorded material as ambient and electronica-like backing tracks.
The past year this approach to songwriting has changed. After the band recorded the debut album, “The
World is Here”, new songs are written in the rehearsal room in a kind of democratic process with inputs from
all band members.
For More Information.
Official Web Site
Garage Band Page
|
Spotlight Reviews 
