Review: Seas Of Mirth - Esmerelda EP [2015]

  From the murky waters of Nottingham comes the pirate themed folk band, Seas Of Mirth, who have been..err..making waves (sorry) in the music scene for some years now.

While I was living and studying in Derby, I remember seeing Seas Of Mirth at a very early stage with what I believe is almost a completely different line-up to now. The fiddler was a friend of mine from class. I can't remember if it was the same time, but two other "future" friends were also in the band and are there to this day.

  I never really got the whole pirate theme thing and I am not a fan of folk in general but the band's sense of humour still grabs me. Having grown to a nine piece band, consisting of instruments such as cello, accordion and bouzouki (!), they are still active 8 years, which is both admirable and impressive. 

  The Esmerelda EP, the band's latest offering, delivers 3 different tracks of their weird signature style of folk. The title and leading track is quite a romantic sounding song. Bearing in mind the band's persona and theme and paying closer attention to the lyrics, it seems to be more of an ode from a pirate to his wench. It still has a sea shanty vibe that the band are known for due to the violin and vocals but with an added spaghetti western rhythm. The vocals, sung by Fruitshoot Pete, bring to mind that of Nick Cave, especially in the softly sung parts of the verses.

  The EP changes pace with Hands Off My Chest. As soon as it begins with an a cappella voice declaring "...you will never get your hands on my treasure chest", you know this is going to be a fun song. It bounces along in an almost ska punk way, at times, but ultimately has a very Zappa feel. The midway change not only brings to mind Zappa but also Mr Bungle, as it explores jazz and progressive rock. 

  Final track, Even A Bull Needs Milking, has a catchy accordion hook (first time I've written that sentence) along with a galloping, early Broadway type rhythm a la Putting On The Ritz. The mixed male and female vocals are pretty and the musicianship is spot on, but the song generally isn't as punchy as the previous two, even when it goes frantic. 

  

  Compared to previous releases, the production on this record is immaculate and proves that the band really mean business. They're obviously going to make some people scratch their heads but seeing as folk stylings made a comeback with the likes of Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling, there is certainly more of an audience now who will respect Seas Of Mirth's direction and musical experimentation. I'll certainly be looking forward to the next album. 

3.5/5

Daphne And Celeste are back with a surprisingly good track!

  

Ok, let me explain a few things.

  First of all, for those who have no idea who they are, Daphne and Celeste (Karen DiConcetto and Celeste Cruz) were a pretty disliked pop duo who still managed to have a short successful run near the turn of the new millennium with a few playground insult related songs (U.G.L.Y and Ooh, Stick You) as well as a cover of Alice Cooper's School's Out. Despite being American themselves, I think this was very much a British thing, in the same way as Ruby Wax and Lloyd Grossman. 
  They famously (somehow) got booked to play the main stage at Reading Festival (I don't think they did Leeds) in 2000 and were bottled by many a disgruntled "alternative" festival goer. After that, their reign just suddenly stopped, forever to be left in the vaults of our minds as the annoying girls who got bottled at a rock festival. 
  Personally, being the open minded weirdo that I am, I didn't mind them all that much. I guess I also sort of had a crush on them both. Maybe half because of that fact and half because of my simply curious mind, I decided to do a search for Daphne and Celeste to maybe see what they were up to. To my surprise, I found a music video for a song that they released earlier this year.

  Joining forces with electronic producer Max Tundra, the girls' single, You and I Alone, is a fair far cry from how they were a quarter of a century ago. Tundra has created a tune which is simplistic yet still catchy and even a tad "edgy" (make of that what you will). 
   Quite honestly, this track could have had anyone singing on it. The girls are hardly doing anything challenging vocally and are still clearly being helped by auto-tuning. That aside, the chorus was in my head for ages after my first listen of this.
   I am also blown away by how they have both barely aged. Obviously, they've grown and matured somewhat but they look practically the same. Celeste, in particular, is still pretty hot. But don't get me wrong. That's not really important here.

  If you're curious about the girls' new direction, check out the track below.

Live Review: Azor, Deaf Chonky, Saint God @ Etzabotz, Tel Aviv [12th November 2015]

What's this? A new place? Where on earth is Etzabotz, you ask? Well, it's a sort of art studio that doubles up as a venue and is conveniently in front of the now defunct Koro. I've popped my head in there a few times before to check out what's going on, but tonight I'm here to see the new line-up for rockers Azor as well as some bands I've never checked out before.

Saint God

   As I walk into Etzabot and say hi to the guys from Azor, really the only people there I recognise, there's some heavy rock being played. As I turn towards the very small stage with darbukas buried underneath it, I see a male duo on stage. The band turns out to be Saint God, made up of two guys from Etzabot itself. With only guitar and drums, they still manage to get a cool sound via the use of effects.
   Shura (vocals/drums) and Tim (guitar) play with the right mixture of tightness and looseness; they are musically competent yet still have the feel of a laid back jam session. Vocals are sometimes a tad inaudible due to the venue's low quality sound, but it's all still very coherent. The music style seems to flip between grunge, shoegaze and even black metal, incorporating blast beats and evil snarls. It's definitely the first of its kind that I've heard before, therefore I'm impressed by Saint God and glad I arrived just in time to see them.
4/5

Deaf Chonky

  I like new blood. I love giving new acts a chance and watching the music scene grow. Like with the opening act, I had no idea who Deaf Chonky were before tonight. Another duo, this time two girls, take stage and play a set full of Bikini Kill style rock, experimental musicianship and general weirdness.
   Both girls, Tamar (drums) and Adi (guitar) lend their hands to vocals, which is mostly the sort of shouting associated with riot grrl. Although the girls tackle different styles, it's still pretty minimalistic, which isn't a bad thing.
  Most memorable of the set is Bad Things Could Happen. It goes off at tangents, even touching upon experimental poetry, but always circles back to its simple yet catchy chorus. Another highlight was when drummer Tamar played a bit of harmonica. I'm a sucker for harmonicas, so that made me smile.
   They might not be the next best thing nor the most amazing musicians, but Deaf Chonky do bring something a little different to the table.
3/5

Azor

  Finally, Azor take the stage. Now remember, folks..I'm an honest guy. I don't do bias and will always say what I really think of a friend's band. As my promo of the band shows (see article), I was genuinely impressed from the start by the stoner/punk rock trio, and with new bassist, Shahar (ex-fourfunzies/Woolly Boy), they are on just as good form, if not better.
   Although Azor played the Koro closing show recently in their original lineup, it was a very short set. It therefore feels as if I haven't seen them for a long time. Tonight, drummer Alon is in his trademark leopard skin (print) leggings, Shahar actually sings back up, which I've never seen him do before, and guitarist/main singer, Yuval, is placed in front of the stage (due to lack of space) and waves around his curly mane as he rocks out.
   It's still not totally straight forward what to label the band. Songs like Port City Girl and Paris (bearing close similarities to the Oasis classic, Cigarettes & Alcohol) are more in the vein of classic rock, whereas Shine In The Dark and Magic World are Black Sabbath influenced stoner. Natasha, written and sung by Alon, is their punkiest track. It is not only my highlight of their set but possibly my favourite song of theirs. It has me singing along and throwing my hands in the air.
  The setup tonight is weird, as they are all quite far apart and god knows how they are able to not see each other and still play so tightly. Yuval does go on stage when possible and Shahar also joins Yuval on the floor in front, so I think that helps and definitely proves them to be a well-oiled unit. 
  Due to his accent, which is natural and unavoidable, Yuval's vocals sometimes sound a bit weird to my ears, nor does he have the most impressive of voices, but what he lacks in that department he makes up for with his high energy and showmanship. Both Alon and Shahar also give it a little something on stage, and the overall remarkable musicianship is great to witness. All masters in their field.
  They definitely get the crowd (of about 7 people) dancing like crazy and cheering for them. It's a shame that this was a poorly turned out show, but they've proven in the past to be able to get a big crowd going and will soon be playing to bigger.
4.5/5

Terror's new video for "Sick and Tired"

  New Terror video for the track Sick and Tired off of The 25th Hour. All I can say is... it's quick and it's tough!

Good Charlotte new music video for Makeshift Love

 

 

  I already posted the lyric video for Good Charlotte's new single Makeshift Love, but here is their new video. 

   The song, as I've mentioned before, is back on original form and is just what I consider "pop punk", instead of all this "easycore" malarky.

  The video focuses on some sort of app/personal service where a representative breaks up with your other half in person for you. Kind of an interesting concept but the whole filming of it seems a bit low budget for GC. Over all, real GC fans shouldn't be disappointed.

Alanis Morissette's "All I Really Want" Covered By Fucked Up

I've been meaning to post this for the passed week.

   This year marks the 20th anniversary of one of the first albums (if not THE first album) I ever got: Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. YouTube channel, CBC Music, asked a few Canadian artists to cover songs from said album, including beloved hardcore punk outfit Fucked Up.

    The band cover the album's opening track, All I Really Want. As a 9/10 year old who was already into quite rock based music, this was an absolute killer track and most possibly my favourite until my tastes matured and I started paying more attention to songs like Not The Doctor and Wake Up. 

   Of course, the song sounds pretty different. The song's repetitive riff is still in tack but there is an over all harder tone to the whole thing. This is definitely strengthened by front man Damien's snarling vocals. 

   At times I wonder if he's actually heard the original, like the way he does "AWOO AWOO.." in the parts where Alanis tends to do that weird yodelling type thing she does. However, his dramatical improvising near the end shows that the message of the song is not lost on him.


  If you, like myself, are a fan of both Alanis and Fucked Up (I'm more into Alanis. Haven't quite found anything of FU to really grab my attention), then this is certainly worth a listen.     

Congrats on the 20th anniversary, Alanis, and good job on the cover, guys!

Live Review: IndiRegev @ Ozenbar, Tel Aviv [15th October 2015]

Ha Pussy Shel Lucy
Sagol 59
Skarate Kid
OSOG


Oh, Ozenbar! It's been a while. It's certainly been a while since any show vaguely punk related has happened here and tonight sees a show headlined by one of Israel's most legendary punk bands, despite having a name that implies it's purely reggae. It is actually an interestingly mixed bill tonight, with the crowd also being a mixture of street punks and reggae lovers.

OSOG

Starting tonight's proceedings off is On Shoulders Of Giants, more commonly known now as OSOG. I've been aware of the band and even know guitarist Shmida (HaPussy Shel Lucy) for quite some time but I still hadn't seen them. I checked out some acoustic videos online and didn't really know what to make of it.
   Live on stage, OSOG perform as a seven piece, including a fiddler, a ukelele player and someone doing the ol' slide guitar. I suddenly realise that they are not the ska band someone had once described them to me as being. Throughout their set, the gang play a mixture of blues, country and folk which still manage to get some punks in the room having a boogie.
  Personally, with the exception of the well crafted political number Government Is Organised Crime, it's all a bit "text book". Seeing as it's blues and country, they're of course sticking to the structure, meaning 8 bar blues, classic chord progressions etc.. Some songs even sound familiar. Keep Calm (He's Dead) is practically Johnny B Goode with different lyrics and Wake Up In A Jacuzzi takes its hook from the Everly Brothers hit Wake Up Little Susie.
  As old fashioned as their style of music is, all seven of them manage to have a great deal of fun on stage.  It could be said that they look like a pretty hipster folk band, but they somehow manage to add a bit of punk energy to the whole performance. Front man, Avital, seems to be a very natural leader and has a perfectly hairy presence.
   OSOG's songs, despite being a tad unoriginal at times, are still undeniably catchy and they certainly make some great bar music. I just imagine that even to dedicated country/blues fans this is going to seem like nothing and maybe even a bit gimmicky. Do they really need that many people?
3/5

Skarate Kid 

   I have been meaning to review this band for a while. Skarate Kid are a new name in ska. Actual ska. Not ska punk, but 2-Tone influenced ska. And reggae. They just happen to include a few members of punk bands, including Itay (saxophone) and Gofen (bass) of HaPussy Shel Lucy and Doh Doh (guitar) of Mad Choice/Beer7.

    The name already makes you smile, but seeing Itay arrive on stage in a "Karategi" is what really makes them special. The band's style of ska and reggae is something that this country, especially in this scene, hasn't really seen for a while. Their shows so far have already managed to get in a good crowd, but tonight they do the Ozenbar proud by getting a good amount of people into the main area to check them out and have a bit of a dance.
   The band have well crafted songs, taking influence from some of the darker sides of bands like The Specials and The English Beat as well the more reggae side of bands like The Clash. In the same way as old school 2-Tone, a number of their songs have political or at least socially aware context but there is generally an aura of positivity and good vibes. That comes through in the performances too, especially as Itay bounces about on stage and gets the crowd riled up at every opportunity. As great as the rest of the band are, Tal (guitar/lead vocals), Doh Doh, Gofen and Liri (drums) are unfortunately upstaged by Itay. They all get into the spirit of things, dancing about on stage and joining in on vocals, but in comparison, they all seem just a little too chilled and reserved. However, the music is generally laid back, so Itay's antics sometimes seem a little out of place yet undeniably entertaining.

   While watching Skarate Kid, especially tonight with Itay kitted out and Gofen dressed up a little bit, the band (in a similar way to OSOG) come off just a tad gimmicky. As well as playing saxophone, Itay does dancehall-style toasting and does it in a fairly strong Jamaican accent, using Jamaican colloquialisms. There's nothing wrong with dressing up and incorporating things into a stage performance to create a persona, but when you're essentially a serious band, putting on an accent can seem a little fake. Some people in this PC world of ours could describe Itay (a candidate for Hipster or Hasid) as almost mocking Jamaican toasting by putting it on in such a way. However, one could also say that the Israeli and Afro-Caribbean accents are not too different and that it's something that comes naturally to him, like with Matisyahu. They are playing reggae, after all. Either way, when he takes lead vocals on Sleng Leng, it's clear to see he's a born performer and the place goes crazy. Fake accent or not, man dem ga skillz.
  Skarate Kid are definitely a band worth seeing if you have any interest in reggae, ska or even dancehall and I'm looking forward to a full record soon.
3.5/5

Sagol 59

   I turned up tonight not having a clue about Sagol 59. I assumed it was a band. I was therefore a bit surprised to see a DJ and a rapper on stage. Not one to shy away from a mixed bill, I got myself a space near the stage to try and soak in the performance.
  Israeli rap and hip hop is still a bit of a new territory to me, really only relating to acts like Shabak Samech and Peled who have a punk/alternative music connection to them. While watching Sagol 59 tonight, his style doesn't really do anything for me. It sounds like bedroom rappers; just the same sort of unimaginative flow throughout. Lyrically, from what I could make out (as I still have problems following Hebrew lyrics live), he has some good content, although he tends to overuse name dropping, especially in his freestyle, which comes across as a bit lazy and a ploy to gain some credibility. He evens name drops local punk band member friends of his. Although I did initially find that kind of cool to her names of people I personally know, it started to come across like slipping names into every other line is what he does.
  Dj Popalova is on the decks, or technically the laptop and one turntable. His transitions, where there are some, ware pretty good but I'm not entirely sure what he's doing with the turntable. There is no outstanding scratching or interesting use of samples, only a scratch here and there which isn't too impressive. It sort of reminds me of the guy from Sleaford Mods who just presses play and then stands around bobbing his head and drinking a pint. The backing music in general sounds a little outdated, but Sagol has apparently been around for a while, so the tracks themselves might be from a while back.
  Main highlight tonight is the guest rapper they get to come up (name?). He has a more interesting flow than Sagol 59, with changing patterns and a tougher, more convincing delivery. It also wasn't until he took the stage that people in the crowd start cheering and going "Ohhh" in between lines.
   It was nice to get a little hip hop into tonight's show but, personally, it wasn't the best performance I'd ever seen.
2.5/5

City Rats

City Rats, eh? I'm not going to say much I haven't already said about City Rats in previous reviews. I start to love them more and more every time I see them. They're pure street punks but some of songs are hardcore to the bone, especially ever since they got Not On Tour's Gutzy on the drumming throne. I still stand fixated as he crosses his arms playing both the hi hat and floor tom at the same time.on the track 2012.

   The crowd goes crazy as the guys smash through their set. You definitely don't need to be drunk to enjoy City Rats, but it does seem to be the protocol, as people of all ages fall over each other while these Russian-Israelis sing about life as they know it and, most importantly, beer and partying.
4/5

HaPussy Shel Lucy

  Having seen this band about twice before, I've always enjoyed them but still never properly fell in love with them. HaPussy Shel Lucy also seem to have gone from being a very important band in the Israeli punk scene to more of a band just for diehards. Unless more people are going to their shows in other cities, the turn out tonight, compared to the almost full Barby show I once saw them at, is pretty small.
  I unfortunately missed the very beginning of the guys' set, but entered to the sight of people already running around and pointing in the air. Although the band still plays punk rock, there's a hint more of a ska punk feel on the later stuff due to the band's inclusion of Itay on saxophone two years ago. Sometimes, it even goes into Dog Eat Dog territory, which, for me, is awesome!
  There's a lot of crowd participation on big hits such as Vodka Redbull, Batlan (trans. slacker/bum) and Haruach Peudalit (unsure of the best translation for this). A friend of mine even leaves the show with his shirt completely ripped front and back. I'm not entirely sure what was going on to result in such destruction but whatever it was, it didn't seem to phase him or anyone else.
  As great as the band's classic songs are, a personal highlight for me was fairly new song Sum Chadash (A New Drug?) which they play as a sort of encore at the very end of the set. It's a blend of punk rock and ska moments which bring to mind some of the heavier material by The Urge, an absolute favourite of mine.
  If HaPussy Shel Lucy didn't bring a sax player into the mix, I am not too sure how I would feel about them. This addition gives something new to the Israeli punk scene and has almost helped the band reinvent themselves. I'm definitely looking forward to the new album.
4/5

(If anyone has any HaPussy Shel Lucy pics, please send them my way.)

Good Charlotte - Makeshift Love (Lyric Video)

                                 

 There is a whole group of girls (and some guys) now in their mid to late 20s who are pretty happy right now. One of the leading pop punk bands of the early and mid 2000s, Good Charlotte, have returned and even released a track along with a lyric video.
   Despite the Good Charlotte brothers (Benji and Joel Madden) reaching out into sunny Sugar Ray style alternative pop with their Madden Brothers project and their collaboration with Waka Flocka Flame, new single Makeshift Love is a pretty good return to form, as if it was written during their heyday. It's got that typical mixture of a heavy pop punk riff and tinny drum beats in the verses. The chorus is anthemic and could hopefully get the band a whole new following of 15 year old girls as well as appealing to the old fans. 

MC Lars discusses the disappointment of new lineups on the cleverly titled "Sublime with Rome (Is Not the Same Thing as Sublime)"

 I must admit, I haven't really followed MC Lars' career. I didn't even realise he was sill doing anything. I remember him having a bit of hit with both iGeneration and Signing Emo when I was at Uni and I remember seeing gigs for him listed, but I didn't really get too into it. However, I randomly saw this video pop up while checking out the new video by this song's subject, Sublime With Rome.
  Fo those who don't know, Sublime With Rome is essentially a reincarnation of the popular 90s ska punk band, Sublime. It was originally a collaboration between ex Sublime/Long Beach Dub Allstars members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh and young singer/songwriter Rome Ramirez. Initially playing Sublime songs (as "Sublime" before being forced to change the name), the band are now a new band in their own right.
  MC Lars, however, is not impressed by SWR, nor other acts like Wu Tang and Misfits. On the song Sublime With Rome (Is Not The Same Thing As Sublime), he seems to see the idea of replacing a crucial member after their death or departure a desperate cash-cow, especially when they charge a fortune for gig tickets and merch. Many people must agree with this. I have friends who saw Misfits and were just not impressed compared to what they had seen of and heard about the Danzig days.

  The song is catchy and incorporates a Sublime flavour while still characteristically being MC Lars' style of comical, yet also whiney, hip hop. It comes from Lars' new album out this week, The Zombie Dinosaur LP.   

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