THE ALARM MMVII LIVE FROM THE GATHERING 2007 (DVD)
THE ALARM MMVII LIVE FROM THE GATHERING 2007
Silverstein Live in Wrexham
Wrexham Central Station, 27 November 2007
Beth Rowley VIOLETS EP. Blue Thumb Records
It’s refreshing to hear a new British talent like Beth Rowley seriously take on the blues, and come up smelling roses. Looking at her photograph, you’d think she was another Universal ‘pop princess’ with her frazzled blond locks and sweet looks. But no, because here is a young lady with a distinctive and smooth voice suited eminently suited to singing the blues (and probably anything else she chose to poke a stick at). But it’s not that she can sing the blues, it’s how well she can sing them.
Serj Tankian and Fair To Midland Live
Manchester Academy 1, 16 November 2007
Sigur Ros HEIMA DVD. Run/EMI
2007 has turned out to be a great year for studio albums, but a vintage year for live performance albums. Two of the best have been released on DVD and this is one of them. Icelandic band Sigur Ros decided it was time to give something back to the people of Iceland and embarked on a two-week free tour of the country. The band played in community halls, fields, disused fish processing plants and whatever was available as they toured the whole country. The film’s backdrop is therefore the desolate Icelandic landscape which ties in perfectly with the band’s ethereal music. But even more important and relevant was the nature of the people that turned out in their droves to witness the band play. Whole communities gathered including the aged and the very young. In the lead-up to a concert held in a field people could be seen coming out of nowhere, walking along winding roads and paths, in cold weather, until they eventually arrived at the field. Huge campfires and clear, starlit skies added to the amazing atmosphere, while the band played a selection of songs from all its albums - beautifully.
Sigur Rós HVARF-HEIM. EMI
Great music is defined by its ability to make an emotional connect with the listener. It must say something of substance about people and the world they inhabit. It must be, above all, an emotional journey carried along by melody and performance. Sigur Rós, despite singing in a different language, create music that reflects a mood and place with a strong and accessible emotional pull. Over this 2CD recording the band illustrate just why it is so admired the world over by people who take their music seriously. HEIM (HOME) is essentially a re-worked acoustic/unplugged recording of some of the band’s most popular studio recordings. It is beautiful and opens with what sounds like an introduction to the CD. ‘Samskeyti’ gently wanders in with repeated piano refrain in the foreground and I think a harmonium treading water in the background. There’s a key change about two-thirds through before it reverts back to finally disappear in a whisper. It’s a wondrous start. The pace quickens with ‘Starálfur’ and a fragile vocal is introduced along with sweeping string accompaniment. The pace quickens and slows to a glacial pace throughout in a song that is simple and performed to perfection. ‘Vaka’ opens with Hammond notes and sounds like church music. The six songs here are beautifully produced to reflect the purity and simplicity of the band’s music, while providing the singer and instruments individual space to be heard with total clarity. This is more than just background music, it’s an emotional journey. The only thing missing is a set of sleeve notes with translated lyrics.
|
|
|
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs |
LATEST GALLERY IMAGES
Funeral Talks 
Today's Gaza Victims |
|
Advertising
|
|