.NoWordsNeeded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErH9hiOU-O4

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Live: Moke in LVC Leiden

You can listen to 'Lessons to learn' live here.

After a somewhat hesitating begin Moke left the LVC behind smoking. Which I didn't expect any more halfway through the show. Moke presented itself as a decent, tight band with a a fairly strange mix of influences tossed in, which I'll come back to later. The transformation to a great rock outfit took place somewhere in the final quarter of the show.

Singer Felix Maginn presents himself like Bryan Ferry's younger brother. Very, very stylish in a tight suit and tie. His fellow band members clearly know what they're wearing also. I saw Maginn (and drummer Rob Klerkx) for the first time as singer of the band Supersub in the same LVC as support for Dodgy. Supersub was on equal footing in Britpop prowess to Dodgy easily, but never broke. Moke did and it was about time to check it out now the band played LVC.

I'm glad that I did. Although I was surprised a few times at what I heard. The keyboard sounds sometimes come straight out of the 80s, there were one or two songs that could have been sung by 70s camp icons Guys and Dolls, so mellow and poppy. What saved almost each and every song in that direction was Phil Tilly's guitar licks, hooks and fills. Whether a dark bass note progression, a high accent or rhythmic noise, nearly every song has a signature Tilly guitar moment, lending Moke a little extra over other bands.

The brunt of Moke's music how ever is pure pop or Britpop if you like with a melodic rock angle in there. In a few songs the band actually nears perfection and is able to produce that on stage also. Felix Maginn's singing is very good and, listening from my angle, effortless. The harmonies provided by keyboard player Eddy Steeneken are just as good. In other songs, like 'Here comes the weekend' the slightly uncomfortable verses seem almost at odds with the great power pop of the chorus. Just what makes a song interesting when done the right way, like Moke does here.

What makes Moke stand out also, is that the band is not afraid of silence in its music. Phil Tilly sometimes seems to lean on his guitar as if its a counter. Only bass, played very assuredly by Marcin Felis, and drums pumping or just a keyboard with or without guitar. It impresses as there are loads of dynamics in the different songs, it makes songs stand out and formidable. Add to that that Moke is not afraid to play a silent song like 'Almost home', despite the fact that half the audience was talking and shouting to each other, and it's clear I'm revealing highlights of the show to you here.

The band led us into a grand finale, including a beautiful cover of David Bowie's latest hit single 'Where are we now'. By then Moke had captured the audience although they had to work hard to do so. Well deserved captivation it was. Moke is a band that is worth watching live!

Wo.

You can order ´Collider´ here

Don't panic. All Time Low

You can listen to 'For Baltimore' here.

How many of these band operating between punk rock and emo are there? Loads and loads is my guess and every once in a while one crosses my path. This time it's All Time Low, a band stemming from Towson, Maryland in the US of A. Don't panic is its fifth studio album and the first I've noticed. If anything stands out on Don't panic, it's the slickness of the production. Fine tuned to rock radio. At the basis a song like 'Backseat serenade' could have been recorded by 80s hair bands, but also by someone the likes of Bruno Mars. Some minor adjustments in the production would have taken care of the necessary differences. So do I like this album?

I have my doubts, but I have to say that I like the drumming for a start. Rian Dawson is all over the place, with a strategic silence followed by a fill before the rhythm is pounded out again. This is a hard hitter, but with inventiveness and all the right accents. So at the basis this album is alright. And I've noticed a big difference. I like the album on the sound system and I do not care a lot for it on the head phone.

Most songs are very conservative. All Time low does not take any chances musically. The rather smooth, almost juvenile voice of Alex Gaskarth tops this all off. This is what I hold against Don't panic most. Despite the fact that the band comes close to music other bands in their genre play, it's too mellow. Like The Jacksons almost in it's 'Blame it on the boogie' phase. That does not mean that the songs are not good enough. Far from it. There is just not much setting them apart from the fold. Titles like 'The irony of choking on a lifesaver' or 'So long and thanks for all the booze' suggest originality, the songs do not. Although the former song is one that is apart from the supple flowing punkrock songs that come before it and the latter has a few great singing melodies and harmonies in it.

All Time Low knows how to write a song. Most songs on Don't panic prove just this, what attracted me hearing the album in the background in the first place. Listening up close a few times, I conclude that it's the production that stopped me from truly liking the album. Don't panic does not offer enough variation that really makes it stick. The potential is there, but there is more to music than just a smooth flowing wall of guitars and slick singing in a slightly pained and groping voice. The few times the band starts out with a clearly different intro, I prick up my ears, but all intros are just an excuse to run back to where it left off in the previous song. My conclusion is that there's more to All Time Low than it lets us listen to. So how knows what the future brings?

Wo.

You can order Don't panic here


or here




P.S. This is WoNoVice's reference in the comment section:

We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic. Foxygen

You can listen to 'San Francisco' here.

Interesting title, isn't it. I'd expect to read peace & love, but no. Magic. What has that got to do with the summer of love? The music on this album directly refers to this period and just before when The Mamas and the Papas scored its greatest hits, Jefferson Airplane recorded 'Takes off'. When folk started to blend with rock and psychedelics that wiped out a whole generation of folk singers that were either purists or were unable to switch in time to the new sound of the nation. When San Francisco took on a magical attraction to youths of all sort that started to tune in, turn on and drop out. So here's the magic explained.

Foxygen is the duo Jonathan Rado (any relation to James?) and Sam France. 21st Century ... is its second album within a half year, after 2012's 'Take the kids of Broadway'. Reading a review of the album I almost decided not to listen. It completely sidetracked me on expectations. Instead I'm listening here to a great record full of mid 60s folkrock, psychedelia and great pop over tones. 'No destruction' is the electrified Bob Dylan on 'Highway 61 revisited', the melody lines of the singing, the organ in the background, the harmonica. Other songs have the playfulness of Love, the band from San Fran that never really broke, but made a lot of gems. How nice it is to be surprised.

Rehashing old stuff is not necessarily a good thing. However, when it's done with a set of songs that are at least on the same level as the originals, there is nothing wrong with working off examples. Foxygen does just this. A great set of nine songs with familiar sounds, but brand new. Although the refrain of 'One blue mountain' comes dangerously close to Elvis' 'Suspicious minds'. At the same time the song reminds me of The Violent Femmes in its total religious frenzied craze 'Hallowed ground'.

After Christopher Owens' 'Lysandre' this is the second album from San Francisco that looks back on the rich legacy the town has in the pop world. The difference is that 'Lysandre' is somewhat more lushly produced but remains aloof. 21st Centrury ... pulls the listener in, despite the fact that it is more sober. Just like 'Lysandre' the album has an instrumental song in the middle. Here the psychedelic 'Bowling trophies'. Another nostalgic trip down memory lane, but again one that I truly enjoy.

Another mention deserved is the kinship with Belle and Sebastian. 'San Francisco' could have been a song of this Scottish band in its sweet dreamlike quality and all. The title song is sung with the brazenness of Mick Jagger in 'Get of my cloud'. In other words not much relevant influences escaped this duo in making 21 Century ... an exceptional record.

Foxygen offers nothing new. Obviously there is a stream of bands reinventing the past in a superb way at present. As they do with the quality that's on offer on 21st Century ... they are welcome in my home. How about yours? And it makes me quite curious on where this trip is leading in the future. Which roads to explore and expand to?

Wo.

You can order 21st Century ...  here


or here

Lysandre. Christopher Owens

You can listen to 'Here we go' here.

Christopher Owens was a member of the band/duo Girls that released two albums. Album (2009) and Father son, holy ghost (2011). The latter album I played for a while, till I forgot it somehow. Last year he announced that he left the band to start a solo career. Lysandre is his first effort as such.

Lysandre starts off very soft spoken and undercooled, with Owens' drawling voice singing soft over the acoustic music. The word that springs to mind is beauty, the kind you look at, but are not allowed to touch. For most part the album remains aloof, does not invite me to come closer. At the same time the songs appeal to me. This paradoxical feeling doesn't leave me for the whole album.

The instrumental opening 'Lysandre's theme' and first single 'Here we go' packed me in straight away. 'Here we go' and title song 'Lysandre', allegedly the name of a French girl Owens met on the first tour of Girls, are good examples of what I mean. The moment Cally Robinson sings in duet with Owens there is beauty in the room, but it's cold. Owens is telling the story of this first tour in 2008 set to music, but as if he's looking at his own picture book, on his own. Only at the very last he seems to let go somewhat and the selfish mood is lifted in the up tempo 'Part of me (Lysandre's epilogue)'.

Part of my explanation is the way Owens sings. Without too much expression. His frashing resembles Chuck Prophet's and his voice Elliot Smith's, but no way his voice sucks you into his songs! But enough on this. If I concentrate on what is on offer, I have to say that I like mostly what I hear. There's enough of Donovan, Harry Nilsson, Cat Stevens and other 60s and 70s singer-songwriters in here to make my day a little brighter for a while. Lysandre offers a nice mix of ballads and more up tempo songs with enough differences in the instruments flashing out the songs to keep the album interesting. The beautiful ballad 'Here we go' is followed by the up tempo and good time fun of 'New York City' with saxophone and all. With the exception of the oddly placed 'Riviera rock', in the middle of the album, there is no dip to be found on Lysandre. Let's just say that this song is Christopher Owens' take on Typical Tropical's 'Barbados'.

Lysandre is a short album. 29 minutes and it is all over. Don't be put off by that fact, as there are 25 minutes that are quite pleasant to listen to. At the basis is Owens' acoustic guitar (and drums-bass). From there producer Doug Boehm allows embellishments. Some time a flute, a keyboard, saxophone or electric guitar. And female voices. They are there to set a mood, not to fill or make extra noise. I just love 'Here we go' with the melancholy harmonica, the loud guitar part, the flute!, the melody. In 'Here we go again' are a great 'Make me smile' "o la la la" harmonies. Boehm gave the soft voice of Owens the background that makes it shine instead of forcing it to go all out.

Lysandre is an album that is not of 2013. In the quality of sound, yes, but in mood and music? No, this is pure nostalgia, a trip down memory lane. On a song like 'Everywhere you knew' and the instrumental 'Closing theme' Nick Drake may have wanted to do his thing. Closing song 'Part of me' is a new version of 'Everybody's talking'. Christopher Owens has listened very well to old heroes and made it his own on Lysandre. One thing though, what an ugly cover!, but it does underscore my feeling as a whole on the album. Lysandre as classical work? Well, there is this recurring theme for those who pay attention.

Wo.

You can order Lysandre here


or here