New London music – Jont

Jont is a London-based singer-songwriter who’s being tipped for success in various circles.  His is a perky, feelgood kind of pop, slightly blissful and very earnest.   It’s not going-out music, but definitely suited to Sunday snoozes or doing the ironing.  Jont’s obvious problem are the amount of fairly similar artists out there already – he echoes Mika, Paolo Nutini, Ray LaMontagne and many probably more.  Nevertheless, his songs have a lovely softness to them, and come with prettily poetic lyrics.

That poetry stems from one phase of a very interesting life so far.  After riding a Greyhound across America to interview 20 of America’s most famous poets, Jont returned to the UK and dreamed up UNLIT.  Originally this was a humdrum bar night, but during a move to LA it became a party/gig hybrid wherein the host and Jont invited three or four acts to play a show in someone’s house, free and open to anyone.  These days, UNLIT is “an underground internet phenomenon” according to The Guardian, and supported by an online tv show, Orange sponsorship and appearances by artists from Joanaspolicewoman to Lou Rhodes.

A bit generic it may be, but Jont’s music could now court just the same popularity (as indicated above, Gray’s Anatomy’s producers have already taken note) .  His full-length album Set It Free will be released via his own Unlit Records on April.  He’s asking fans to help with the release of it via the Jont Pledge Campaign.  No upcoming gigs yet announce, but expect that there’ll be some soon.

MySpace | Website | Buy
MP3: Jont – Sweetheart

The National playing the Royal Albert Hall in May

Much-liked Anerican rockers The National have announced a special-sounding Royal Albert Hall gig on Thursday 6 May, in support of their fifth album.  Providers of elegant, rich guitar songs, and particularly known for their very personal lyrics, The National are, I think, little known on these shores.  But a gig at the RAH and a Gigwise write-up suggest I’m quite wrong.  Tickets here.

MySpace | Website | Buy
MP3: The National – About Today

Salt? Pepper? Marthas & Arthurs?

Thanks to Daily Candy last week for alerting me to vocal harmony group Marthas & Arthurs.   Apparently, if you can convince the quartet of your worthiness, they’ll perform at your private dinner, launch or whatever gratis.  To get the ball rolling, you merely need to e-mail Marthas & Arthurs three good reasons as to why they should pick your party.

A neat gimmick indeed, but it wouldn’t do to let any old scruffians into your dining room, would it?   Marthas & Arthurs turn out to be worthy visitors, though - a two-boy, two-girl team, supported by some percussion and the odd accordion, who perform honest, prettily-constructed ditties of a Bandstand Busking temperament.  Some are very slow and bleary – and perhaps better off singing you to sleep rather than soundtracking supper – but livelier numbers like the excellent Who Will Marry Me are forking perfect for accompanying tea. 

Oh and if you do Marthas & Arthurs round, make sure you chuck them out before dessert – they’ve got a song called Clamour For A Fudge.  You don’t want them nicking the sweet stuff, after all.

For those who prefer a less personal music setting, Marthas & Arthurs are playing various London gigs in the next few months, starting off on Thursday 18 February at Angel’s Old Queen’s Head.  Full details of all shows on their MySpace page.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band returning to London in March

One of the most wacky, divisive, inventive and potentially irritating bands around, The Phenomenal Handclap Band have announced some UK dates in March, following on from their October 2009 visit.  

Formed by New York DJs Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand, The PHB offer a chaotic melee of synths, keyboards, female vocals, guitars and percussion.  Their sounds seem to vary: 15-20 is a memorable, highly repetitve and fast-paced disco thoroughbred; You’ll Disappear much more meditative and bedraggled.   They ought to be a good bet live, and Cargo’s lights and lively atmosphere seems a neat fit.  They play there on Tuesday 9 March – more details should be here soon.

The BBC does a good job in summarising The PHC’s style, in a largely dismissive review: “The Phenomenal Handclap Band is aiming for a sound approximating Rare Earth, the hugely successful Motown act that straddled the divide between post-psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll and funk in the early 1970s. Falling well short of this, however, they wind up in the same benighted funk-pop territory as Norman Cook’s unmourned acid jazz outfit Freak Power“.  For what it’s worth, I think the band amalgamate their various influences much more enjoyably than the Beeb gives them credit for.  Although 15-20 can get SO annoying!

MySpace | Website | Buy
MP3: The Phenomenal Handclap Band – 15-20

Shunt – it’s staying open of course!

Regular readers of Some Of It Was True! will be aware of its amusement over Shunt’s inability to actually, ever, close.   Well, its latest missive confirms that the subterranean scenester den still can’t seem to find the knack: “Shunt are very pleased to announce that due to the immense support from Network Rail, Thameslink, Turner and Townsend, Mace and Southwark Council we are able to remain in our current location under London Bridge Station for another year”.

The missive then goes on to mysteriously state: “This is a new project”.  But no further details are provided of said project, other than opening times (Fri 5 February, Sat 6 February, Fri 12 February and Sat 13 February), a new entrance (Joiner St, round the back) and the charge (£10).  It seems to be something separate to the current production of Money; odds are that the usual chic parade of gymnasts, gyrators and warblers will be present and correct.

Fool’s Gold captivate

This blog’s not in the habit of gig reviews, but Fool’s Gold last night was so stonkingly, stupidly superb that something simply has to be said. 

They were headlining Madame JoJo’s excellent weekly White Heat night (a total bargain at £5); it was sold out and the atmosphere was electric the moment the LA seven-piece took to the stage.  Upon sighting them, Some Of It Was True’s rules of music #2 was cited: bands/artists who aren’t physically captivating but are doing very well can automatically assumed to be brilliant. The logic held: launching with a woozy, extended reprise of Nadine, and then a ten-minute, faster and still faster version of Surprise Hotel, Fool’s Gold instantly intoxicated. 

Their music is so rich and so varied.  To call it African, which this blog has no doubt done, is far too simplistic; yes they bear traces of every African style imaginable – from tribal percussion to Tuareg blues – but there’s also 1950s jazz and jive in here, and some Caribbean tropicana, and this and that and X and Y.  Each tune is lovingly crafted, full of eclectic instruments, gorgeous rhythms and a real flair for composition.  If you don’t like Fool’s Gold, you don’t like music.  It’s that simple.

The multi-culturality of the audience seemed to bear this fact out.  Over there were what looked like youthful rudeboys, jabbing their fingers in woozy delight.  Behind, an ageing, mothbally punk.  Gay men were cheering in the corner; fringed scenesters and pretty blonde girls with too much make-up bobbed along on the stairs.  A goth smiled at the back.  Everyone was there from Plain Janes to sleek stylistas, and everyone bloody loved it.  The cheer for each tune, and especially for the super-tight sax, drum and guitar work, was as sustained and euphoric as claps can have ever been granted a gig of that size.  (The show above seemed to have a similarly riotous atmosphere.)

Eventually, their members drenched in sweat and dancing in the crowd to a chanty Krishna-like melody, Fool’s Gold played their last.  It was beautiful, incessant and I think the best gig I’ve ever attended.

MySpace | Buy (album) | MP3: Fool’s Gold – Nadine (Surprise Hotel on previous blog)

Goldielocks’ new EP – launch party at Pure Groove

All I seem to be doing recently is recommending Pure Groove, but here’s another great-sounding night on Wednesday 3 February at the Smithfields record store.  Armed with her new EP, GoldieLocks will head a two-hour – yes, two hours; none of the normally paltry 30 minutes here – show as the launch party.  Fellow Croydoner-with-attitude Lele[Speaks] is supporting.  See this previous post for much more on each of them.

It’s free entry as usual.  Bloody marvellous, eh?  Event details above, and much more here.

The High Wire

The wise folk over at Rollo & Grady have included London outfit The High Wire on their acts to watch in 2010.  Intrigued and new to the band?  Yup, me too – despite the fact I learn they supported Coldplay in late 2008 at Chris Martin’s bequest.  Luckily I’ve now swotted up and here’s the lowdown…

A threepiece, The High Wire are purveyors of a trippy, post-euphoric pop.  This is music for skipping home after you might have fallen in love, arms out at right angle and head tipped back.  It’s music for reliving holiday memories or for secret thoughts behind sunglasses as the day slowly dies.   Think words like woozy, hazy, mellow and sedative.  If you want comparisons, try this: Memory Tapes meets the Sugababes, with hints of My Bloody Valentine. 

The Sugababes because although Tim Crompton is the chief vocalist, it’s Alexia Hagen’s swirling, rich sounds that most easily catch the ear.   The male/female collaboration isn’t quite as potent when The xx get warbling, but it still works nicely.  Tim and Stuart Peck play druggy guitars, and each song descends into a languid swell, sounding as if the volume’s purposefully set to soporific.  The only concern here might be similarity: after a while, many melodies sound a bit too identikit - although debut single Odds & Evens still exhilarates, its focus seemingly a little sharper than The High Wire’s other tunes.

There’s much more on The High Wire thanks to the Guardian here.  Their debut album Sleep Tape will be released by Grandpa Stan in March.

MySpace | Website | Buy | MP3: The High Wire – Odds & Evens

Haiti fundraising concert on Wednesday night

Many musical figureheads from Wyclef Jean to The Star of Bethnal Green have simply offered a suggested donation outlet for audiophiles keen to help out the suffering Haitians.  George Clooney has organised a telethon featuring the likes of Bono and Christina Aguilera.  All well and wholly good - but not nearly as inspired as music professional Phil Honour and his friends’ scheme…

That’s Love Music: Help Haiti (okay so the title’s not so inpired, but bear with me), a hastily-arranged fundraising concert taking place at Proud Camden from 9pm this Wednesday night (full details here).   On the bill are Micachu & The Shapes (always an interesting watch, for all this blog’s apathy towards her HighlyOddness), Polar Bear‘s spoken word and the rather austere jangles of Fiction – who I’ve been reliably informed, by Mar at Rock Over London, are “pretty good” – as well as promised “special guests” – which probably means the organisers are close to bagging someone very big.  The entry fee is a “pay what you can” jobbee, boosting the overall spirit of goodwill and honest help, and proceeds will be split between Oxfam’s Haiti Appeal and the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). 

The Haitian saga is indisputably horrific, and that’s just from reading Metro of a morning.  Lord knows what the reality must be like.  By dint of that, any fundraising effort is automatically very worthy.  But I extra approve of Phil & co’s inventiveness and urgency, nonetheless, and especially given they don’t move in quite such distinguished circles as Mr Clooney.  I think and hope the concert will be very successful.  Kudos to the artists playing too, including – say it Richard, say.. it.. - Micachu.

MP3: Fiction – Zebra Crossing

My Luminaries picked for Glastonbury Emerging slot

London band My Luminaries have been announced as winners of the Early Bird section of the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition for 2010, organised by Q Magazine.  This is where unsigned bands battle to secure a precious slot at Glasto; newly in 2010, one band, in this case My Luminaries, get an advance invite on the basis of how impressive they are.

So who are My Luminaries?  A London five-piece peddling earnest rock, that’s who.  They can do fast-paced rousers (eg The Sound of Music) but its the slower numbers that sound more elegant to me.  Don’t Hold Me Back, for instance, comes with a nice burnished sound thanks to soft keys and hushed vocals around the occasionally gnarling guitar hooks; Heads Will Roll uses a harmonica and sleepy bass to tell a tale of death on the underground. 

A cynic might say this is inoffensive soft rock - with some Keane-like grandeur here and Cribs-esque racket there – destined for the Pyramid Stage in a few years’ time.  And they might be right.   But doesn’t that make My Luminaries a good band? 

If you fancy hearing more, My Luminaries’ debut, Order From The Chaos, is out now and available via the link below.  Concert-wise, they’re playing the Monto Water Rats on Friday 5 February (details here).

MySpace | Buy | MP3: My Luminaries – Heads Will Roll (very kindly provided by the band)