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The Rosebuds - Night of the Furies
Written by The Architect   
Tuesday, 20 November 2007

Night Of The Furies
Night Of The Furies
The track "Boxcar" of "Birds Make Good Neighbors" by The Rosebuds immediately drew my attention to this band. The Rosebuds is the husband and wife duo of Ivan Howard and Kelly Crisp. Nearly Two years after the release of Birds Make Good Neighbors, they return in 2007 with "Night of The Furies". They have tweaked their sound in a dance oriented direction on this record. Some purist fans may be swayed away because of this but those who give it a go will be thrilled by the aural pleasures it provides. It does not hamper the indie credibility of the record. The electronic beats used are not overflowing to move them  far away from previous efforts. The still sound like The Rosebuds and manage to push the vocal harmonies and melodies to a new level. Admiration is necessary when a band reinvents their sound into something listenable. The progression maybe natural for a band who seem to effortlessly deliver pop harmonies as they do on this release. The record it self manages to blend the sound of 80s new wave bands such as Erasure, New Order, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Blondie, OMD and the Pet Shop Boys. They throw in the slick modern indie flourishes into the mix and end up with a sound that captures the mellow moods of synth-pop and the underlying dark tinges of goth. The slight dark edge prevents the record from sounding overly poppy. It maybe hard to realise this band is not european as the music fits alongside Sweden's Mary Onettes or The Shout Out Louds. This maybe a direct result of  their vist to Sweden. The songs on this record fills their own space and throws something different, yet very cohesive as a whole. Maybe the use of the harmony sung "Woooos! or Ohhhs!" throughout the record could be considered the common element. Opening track "My Punishment For Fighting" features a triumphant chorus to conteract the dry Ian McCulloch like tone on verses. The haunting epic "Silence By The Lakeside" veers less into dance territory but more into REM/U2 territory. The title track "Night of The Furies" is definetly one the stickiest tracks on the record with it sparkling vocal melodies and a repeating bass groove. Crisp takes on vocal duties on the lyrically goth number "I Better Run". She sings sings about family dead or alive. She does so in an almost disdainful manner, not caring too much if they are dead or alive. Another track that clearly sees the band picking up something from visiting Sweden is "Silja Line", a partially acoustic storytelling type track told from the point of view of a ship captain. The feel is reminiscant of the grand master of storytelling music, "Al Stewart". The electro-disco number "Get Up Get Out" references New Order and Erasure and could easily be a club favorite if released in the 80s. Easily a top track for remix versions.

Recommended for listeners of:  New Order, Blondie, Duran Duran, Shout Out Louds, Simple Minds, U2, REM, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Pet Shop Boys, Soft Cell, OMD, Mary Onettes, moi Caprice, The Smiths, Red Flag, Peter Murphy, The French Kicks, Erasure, When In Rome, The Fiery Furnaces, Moving Units,Radio Dept.,

Last Updated ( Thursday, 29 May 2008 )
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jointpop - The January Transfer Window
Written by The Architect   
Saturday, 03 November 2007

The January Transfer Window
The January Transfer Window
"This horror story, it's pretty gory" claims Gary Hector on Quality Daydream Time...Their story may not really be gory but it deserves to be heard. Named after the player transfer period in the English Premiership football league, The January Transfer Window is the third full length release from Trinidad and Tobago's jointpop. The album is a sparkling collection of melodic rock numbers that have an air confidence and self belief. It has a bit of soul and angst at the same time as well. The album was recorded at a beach house in their native Trinidad with a new bassist, drummer and new to the jointpop sound, a keyboardist.  Included is a superb version of the classic Thin Lizzy number "Dancin' In The Moonlight" originally recorded on their mini-tour of the UK in 2006. Gary Hector's voice is possesed by the ghost of Phil Lynott on this track. Each song has a unique edge which makes this record an enthralling listen. Here is a band that deserves further recognition outside of the small rock community in Trinidad and Tobago.  The band has moved slightly away from the traditional jointpop sound which combined old kaiso/calypso with classic rock/punk elements. This may be slightly dissapointing to older fans, however Hector's voice and Damon's guitar are still there and deliver the elements of the classic jointpop sound. They have embraced their influences old and new, squeezing in touches of them to produce a record that is a fine showpiece for Trinidad's offering to rock and roll history.  The arrangements and diversity on this record shows that the band has matured as musicians and songwriters. The epic "The Fool" is a perfect example of this, with the Damon Homer's carefully placed bluesy guitar fills riding over acoustic guitars. Phil Hill's synths on Spelling Bee is a swanky ode to early 80s new wave and Hector smirks his voice all over it.  "I I I I Know" is a stomping 70s glam rocker that the New York Dolls could have written. The January Transfer Window will please new indie listeners and classic rockers alike. It is a record that bridges the gap between the old and new. Based on the influences you can hear, it is also a record that shows the impact rock music has had in many places the world over.


Recommended For Listeners Of:  Rolling Stones, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Who, T-Rex, Marc Bolan, The Clash, Coldplay, Oasis, Morrissey, The Smiths, Kitchener, Sparrow, Roaring Lion, King Radio, , Bob Marley and The Wailers, U2, REM, The Pixies, Thin Lizzy, New York Dolls, Velvet Underground, Peter Tosh

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 14 November 2007 )
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The Autumns - Fake Noise From A Box Of Toys
Written by Alex Bostock   
Sunday, 09 September 2007

The Autumns - Fake Noise From A Box Of Toys
Fake Noise From A Box Of Toys
The Autumns are one of the music industries’ best kept secrets, having been around since 1997’s ‘The Angel Pool’, the band have often been on the verge of breaking through to the mainstream with their own brand of shoe-gazing beauty. Now, on their fourth full-length L.P, The Autumns’ have re-written their traditional shoe-gazer background, and mixed it with a hint of punk and new-wave, drawing criticism from both fans and the media! Some have claimed that The Autumns have sold-out, that they are now just like any other indie-rock band in the already over-polluted sea of mediocrity in music, just because they are using alternative chord arrangements, slightly more distorted guitars, and have started making professional music videos! However, The Autumns aren’t like any other indie band out there and they never have been. Unlike every other band, The Autumns have never begged for commercial success, in fact, they have done the opposite and shied away from commercialism. Furthermore, they are a band that cares about the music they are making; they have spent 3 years creating the follow-up to 2004’s self-titled album…and have taken great care to make the album that they wanted - producing the album themselves! This album has a much more experimental edge than previous efforts, as the band mix gorgeous melodies with bursts of distorted guitars and piano, creating an epic wall of sound on some songs, whilst crafting catchy short-songs with memorable choruses on others.

Recommended For Listeners Of:  Muse, Radiohead, Cocteau Twins, Jeff Buckley, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Explosions In The Sky, The Sound Of Animals Fighting, The Twilight Sad, Lift To Experience, The Smiths, Snow Patrol, The Cure, Editors, The Dears. Pale Saints, Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride, Catherine Wheel 

Last Updated ( Friday, 19 October 2007 )
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