Author: Joseph James

Film Review – Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max Fury Road
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My friend was trying to describe this film to his girlfriend over the phone just after we’d left the cinema. I think he did a good job of summing it up: “A guy get’s captured. Then he escapes. Uh…. It’s just mindless destruction really!” It’s safe to say that Mad Max is a bit more intense than the last movie that revolved around Tom Hardy driving a long way.

Mad Max: Fury Road is the fourth installment in the series, with Tom Hardy replacing Mel Gibson as the lead. It’s a high-octane, intense ride the entire way.

This is not to say that the movie only comprises of explosions. There is more to it than that. But not a great deal more.

According to some, Mad Max a feminist triumph. It’s a post-apocalyptic depiction of the frailty of humanity. A story of struggle and of survival. And did I mention that there’s plenty of action and explosions? And though the plot isn’t a masterpiece, it is well paced(from throttling, to break-neck, to overdrive).

The acting is great. The characters are tough and gritty, all with a differing degree of madness. The corrupt warlords are hellbent on retaining their power, no matter the cost. Their minions, the brainwashed War Boys, help the kings with their atrocities, believing that dying in the line of duty will earn them glory in the afterlife of Valhalla. The War Boys outlandishly twisted and cartoonish nature, along with their love for ultra-violence, reminds me of the droogs from Clockwork Orange. Our two protagonists, Max (Hardy) and Furiosa (Charlize Threron), are both hardened anti-heroes, trying to seek redemption from past sins in their own way.

The viewer gets fully immersed in this new hellish world. The details are stunning, from the vast deserts that the action takes place in, to the almost steampunk vehicles of war. This is a world where you need to be mobile and violent in order to survive. I’m surprised that the rock band Kiss didn’t make a cameo appearance, with all the pyrotechnics and heavy music.

This is what a blockbuster should be. When I pay good money to see a movie such as this, it’s fair to want to leave afterwards feeling blown away. And I was.

If you like your movies action-packed and filled with adrenaline, then do yourself a favour and go watch Mad Max.

Joseph James

Album Review: Gilmore Trail – The Floating World

Gilmore Trail The Floating World album cover
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I love post-rock music, be it the cinematic like Lights & Motion, heavy like Cloudkicker, slow-building like Mogwai, primal like Jakob, or sample infused like Maybeshewill. The reason I love post-rock is because with the exclusion of vocals, bands are freed up from the conventional verse/chorus/verse structure of modern song writing. The focus is on the music, and what can be achieved without boundaries set in place. Rather than using lyrics to send a message, musicians can create lush textural soundscapes that play on the listener’s emotions and evoke memories, feelings and places.

Sheffield based quartet Gilmore Trail are no exclusion. Named after a popular Alaskan track traveled to view the Northern Lights, Gilmore Trail capture a sense of grandeur and wonderment. The Floating World is their second album, due out on the 16th of May.

Gilmore Trail The Floating World press photo

From the sparse piano chords that open ‘Memories of Redfern’, through to the last lingering note of ‘Dusk’, Gilmore Trial ushers the listener into an exciting new world.

Title track ‘The Floating World’ is serene. I imagine it would be the perfect soundtrack if I was on the actual Gilmore Trail, isolated in Alaska and staring up at the mysterious lights in the cosmos. The song starts off by capturing the feeling of being remote in an icy wonderland, interrupted by roaring later on, like a storm blowing through.

Highlight track ‘Ballard Down’ is a 10 minute beauty that begins with gorgeous bass tone, eerie guitars and tribal drumming. After a few minutes clouds start to gather and rain falls softly, signalling a searing new segment in the piece. The one song contains many different moods but they flow seamlessly.

Gilmore Trail have spent time exploring the different timbres of the instruments used in this album. For example, during ‘Waveless Shore’, drummer Sam Ainger creates contrast by using a flappy, de-tuned drumhead in one section, and switches to a tightly strung skin the next. The samples are also used well, subtle yet effective. Many are recordings of the weather, like wind channeling through a valley, or the rainfall mentioned before. These add to the nature-inspired themes throughout the music.

The Floating World is epic, to say the least. It’s long and expansive without sounding repetitive, conjuring the vastness of nature and the power of the elements. Like nature, the music is powerful: at times peaceful and lightly glimmering with hope, at other times crushing and potentially devastating.

I’ve only given The Floating World a handful of listens so far, but once I get a copy of the album I’ll no doubt revisit it often.

Joseph James

EP Review: Macatier – This Boat Is Definitely Sinking

Macatier This Boat Is Definitely Sinking cover
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I’m still on a high after seeing Frank Turner play in Wellington recently, so it’s fitting that I write about another English singer with a folk-punk sound.

Dan Brown comes from Surrey, England. He performs under the moniker Macatier, and he has recently released a new EP named This Boat Is Definitely Sinking. 

Brown defines his style as “upbeat acoustic”. I’m going to lump him in with folk-punk because acoustic and folk go together, and because he has opened for bands like Brand New, Saves The Day and The Xcerts, making him a member of punk circles… or close enough anyway.

The twangy ‘Thousand Yard Stare’ is a real stomper, deliberately picked and strummed with a real purpose.

The intro to ‘Panic Attack’ sounds like a warped acoustic “Kashmir”, before transitioning into an upbeat ditty. ‘Panic Attack’ was my personal fave, with plenty of dynamic changes, and an interesting rounds-style outro.

‘Swimming To Canada’ has been picked as the lead single. I’d actually say that it isn’t even the best song on the EP, but after a few listens the song got caught in my head, so maybe it wasn’t such a bad choice. It is certainly the catchiest song on the EP, with the stop/start strums syncopated against the chorus.

The aptly named ‘Sleep Song’ is slower and stripped back, as one would expect from the title. Almost being a lullaby, it’s the least memorable song. That said, the effects are nice (it could be a slide guitar) and the “ba da da’s” at the end seem like a nice way to send us off.

I couldn’t comment on how the EP was recorded, but it sounds pretty raw and unpolished, as you may come to expect from an indie artist. However, if you listen carefully you may pick that the songs haven’t been recorded in one take. There is the inclusion of drums, layered vocal tracks, and added guitar feedback. It begs the question: if you are going to try some tricks to make the recording better, why not try others? I know that I argued for the opposite in my recent Gary Clark Jr review, saying that he lost some of his bluesy feel because his album was mastered too cleanly, but having a quality recording and accurately capturing an authentic vibe aren’t necessarily prerequisite of each other.

If a British singer playing rough-around-the-edges punk-styled songs on an acoustic guitar sounds like your thing, then give Macatier a go.

You can stream/download This Boat Is Definitely Sinking on Soundcloud.

Macatier:     Facebook      Twitter      Blog

 

 

Joseph James

EP Review: Name UL – Summit

Name UL cover Summit EP
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I’ve mentioned Wellington based rapper Name UL (real name Emanuel Psathas) on this blog a few times now [Freddie Gibbs, Jurassic 5]. But both times I’ve glanced over his performance and instead focused on the main act. Dismissing talent this good isn’t really fair, so I’ve decided to review his 2013 EP, Summit, to make up for it.

Summit is a banger. It only features three tracks, but those tracks were enough to make me sit up and pay attention.

…”but I ask questions and what perturbs me is that you don’t get answers, nobody wants to talk about it, this event which changed the entire history of our Country, why aren’t  allowed to discuss it? Why aren’t we allowed to ask questions? The moment you do you get a reaction like he gave me, ‘how dare you….how dare you question your government?”  – Jesse Ventura

‘Generation Why’ begins with a sample from a Jesse Ventura interview on Fox news, discussing the topic of questioning the government. This phases into a high-pitched scat hook accompanied by some monstrous drumming courtesy of Nick Gaffaney. I’ve gushed about Gaffaney’s abilities a few times when I’ve seen Cairo Knife Fight open for Shihad in the past [2010, 2014] and his work here is no less impressive. His drumming, along with some almost-industrial accompaniment,  really help to drive the song forward. Name UL urges his peers to critically question things happening around them and to speak up about important issues.

The next song also begins with a sample, this time discussing the feelings of depression, providing the name ‘Shipwreck’ for the song title. Leroy Clampitt provides ghostly backing vocals while one of my favourite musos, Adam Page lets loose on the saxophone, threading throughout and adding his smooth solos to uplift a song that would otherwise seem quite dark. If the first song was big picture – asking questions and trying to make sense of the world – then this second song addresses the same kind of topics on a personal level.

‘Eclipse’ features shimmering, ephemeral synths juxtaposed against abrasive lyrics. The track features music from Wellington  drone duo The Shocking and Stunning and vocals from British electro artist Xela. This song is where Name UL really shines. His rapping is urgent and venomous, poised to spark a revolution..

I like the Summit EP for a number of reasons. I love the aggression and the political undertones reminiscent of punk music – that justified anger for a cause. I like how Name UL has chosen to collaborate with a variety of skilled musicians who noticeably impact the overall sound. I like how he is playing with ideas and unafraid to find new sounds, and how his lyrical content reveals some reflective thoughtfulness.

The EP only has three songs, which seems unusual in a world of hip hop that is jam-packed with long and convoluted mixtapes. It’s quality over quantity, concise and effective. Every song gets introduced with a sample that sets the mood. Together they help create a cohesive theme throughout the EP of inviting the listeners to become more socially conscious. I’m a sucker for that punk approach of speaking up for change, and Name UL has won me over by inciting his listeners to wake up and think.

Summit is available for free download at Bandcamp here.

Joseph James

Live Review: Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls at Meow, Wellington

Frank Turner Sleeping Souls Meow Wellington New Zealand tour poster
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Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls

w/ Jon Snodgrass
Meow, Wellington
Saturday 18 April 2015

Let it never be said that Frank Turner doesn’t please his fans.

His output is prolific: a constant stream of new EP’s, splits, B-side collections and live DVD’s to appease his fans between studio albums. All on top of a hectic touring schedule.

Just last week he played all of England Keep My Bones at a show in Melbourne. To say I had looked forward to this gig would be an understatement.

Meow was an interesting choice of venue. I’m used to seeing small folk acts play here, not bands with this kind of following. Being sold out, the place was crammed, making it far more ‘intimate’ than I’m used too. Not that I’m complaining – how often do you get to witness a special small gig like this, put on by someone who has headlined Wembley?

Jon Snodgrass (Drag The River) started the night off singing some of his solo material. His voice was warm and comforting, reminiscent of Southern styled country music. He was soon joined onstage by Frank Turner wearing a Converge hoodie and armed with a harmonica.

The two of them played a bunch of songs from their Buddies split EP, a rough recording penned in only four hours during a stint together on the Revival Tour in America. The songs were far from perfect – clearly not well rehearsed – but the stories behind each song were entertaining and the relaxed approach from the duo set the mood for a fun night ahead. One of the highlights was the song “Happy New Year”. They bullied their stage tech into taking over on harmonica for that song, despite protests that he didn’t know how.

For his own set, Turner and his band, The Sleeping Souls, were all dressed in white button up shirts. The Sleeping Souls were the perfect choice of band. All four of them  were clearly into it, jumping and dancing about onstage, although mid-set they lived up to their name and had a sleepy sit-down while Turner played some material solo. Bassist Tarrant Anderson held his bass high on his chest and waltzed round with it, while Ben Lloyd boogied and ripped on guitar and mandolin. The placed was so densely packed that I couldn’t see the drums or keys from where I was standing, but I could certainly hear them.

This tour was supposed to promote the new album, but the new album hadn’t yet been released. Not to be deterred by this, Turner previewed a handful of tracks from said forthcoming album. The first song had a country feel. “Get Better” is a straight up thumper. Every song was great, leaving me eager to listen to get my mitts on the new album once it comes out.

The show was full of rousing sing-alongs, or more accurately, shout-alongs. The musicians were at home on-stage, happy to interact with the crowd and exchange banter. There were threats to cover Crowded House and Shihad. Drummer Nigel Powell played the tourist card and asked how many people in the crowd worked for Weta Digital. Turner told a funny story about how he was inspired to write a song in Melbourne about an ex-girlfriend who smelt like a koala.

Towards the end Turner noted how there was no point in doing the typical encore ritual, mainly because there was no room for the band to leave the stage. The “one more song!” chant was supported by the drums, and the *boom, boom, clap* evolved into a short cover of Queens’ “We Will Rock You”.

The encore included some of the hits from the early albums, ending with “Four Simple Words”. Turner conducted the band theatrically, before crowd-surfing during the last verse.

Frank Turner selfie

Cheesy selfie with Frank after the show. Not often that I stand next to someone taller than me!

This was Turners show #1666, and the last of the current tour. He recounts how one thousand shows ago he played an Iron Maiden cover. This remains testament to Turner’s longevity as a musician, due to his inclusive, humble approach to playing music. All the musos hung back after the show to meet the fans and sign merch, despite a 4am flight home the following day.

At the end of a tour bands are either too exhausted and at the end of their tether, or go all out and end with a bang. This was a case of the latter.

Because there’s no such thing as rock stars, just people who play music. Some of them are just like us and some of them are dicks.  

Frank Turner – “Try This At Home”

Turner is the anti-rock star. He knows how to master the stage and had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. But he’s just a regular guy. He swears and shouts and crowd surfs, and invites the audience to do the same. Many of his lyrics are thought provoking and tender, written from the point of a man who once idealised punk ethos and has since matured, but refuses to forget his past. Turner acknowledges the teenage anarchists and old fogeys alike, and invites them both to dance and sing along.

 

Joseph James