The 1840s release video for new song, Smile

   Those who have read my blog before will know that I have a soft spot for Israeli '90s-style alt. rockers The 1840s. Their sweet harmonies and bouncy rhythms really strike a chord with me. I put them on a show as headliners but the turn out was disappointing. I guess most Israelis don't get this sort of thing.
    Smile is from the band's latest release, The Eighteen-Forties, which officially comes out today (review soon to come.) Both the track and the video are sweet. Technically, they're both bittersweet when you really pay attention.
    If you have ever liked bands such as Pavement and/or Guided By Voices, you will certainly appreciate The 1840s lighthearted melodies.  

Live Review: First Punkalovich showcase - The 1840s/Mock Up/Woolly Boy @ Koro, Tel Aviv [5th February 2015]

   Thursday saw Punkalovich put on it's first ever show. The show took place at our most loved venue, Koro. The show was initially put on to be my band Woolly Boy's first show in Tel Aviv. With the addition of The 1840s as headliners and finally young band Mock Up closing the line-up, we were all excited for this show. All three bands are different in style and this show could either be filled with all sorts of people or could be a poor turn out.

Woolly Boy

Photo by David "Doh Doh" Rosen

   Like the Haifa show, I'm not going to give my own band, Woolly Boy, a review as such. We tried a few new things this time around. I still used a hi-hat, frying pan and triangle as extra percussion but also brought my macbook with me to incorporate some samples including a purposely made recording of my friend's sister saying our name which I used as an intro. I think this worked pretty well, but the other sample I used during the show probably could not be heard above the guitar. Ah well...you live and you learn! I think our songs sounded pretty good and we even did the folk-punk type song "He Didn't Love You Anyway" which we didn't do for the Haifa show. Most of our crowd seemed to be friends of Mock Up and the other bands. I guess we were competing with a few other "punk" related events tonight so were missing some of the usual suspects. We still got a bit of "moshing" action at the beginning but I think a good number of those guys left the room as I definitely ended up with far more space to move around in. Hopefully people enjoyed us. 

Mock Up

  Jeronimo were originally meant to play this show but for personally reasons had to pull out. Luckily, rock band Mock Up came highly recommended by them and were more than happy to do the show. Good thing they did as they brought the majority of the audience tonight. 
  After a short intro, the band kick off with the explosive Closing The Gates, which after the punkiness of Woolly Boy gave people a dose of almost Led Zepplin-mixed-with-Muse tinged rock. The kids here tonight seem familiar with it and completely get their "push mosh" on.  Numbers such as Quiet Desperation and Beginnings may have softened the mood a bit but still got a good reaction from fans. The former has an extremely beautiful and groovy harmonic middle melody which had me smiling. The song Weapon heavily brings the groove with a super solid bass line and slick drumming.
 The whole band are incredibly good musicians. Guitarist Nativ plays amazing riffs and uses his pedals to make the absence of a second guitarist almost unnoticeable, bassist Ilay plays cool licks and rocks out with his beautiful long hair (not going to lie...I might have a small guy crush here..) and drummer Rom is incredibly energetic and plays without fault. Singer Gooly has a vocal delivery similar to that of Kelly Jones of Stereophonics or even Matt Bellamy of Muse. The overall style he was giving off was also quite similar to "Madchester" bands like Oasis and Charlatans. I find him a bit static tonight, not really moving or showing much expression. That changed with set closer Apple, their heaviest song with a riff I find so familiar. The more I think about it, it reminds me a little of Disturbed's cover of Genesis's  Land of Confusion but i'm sure there's something else. Either way, it's a hell of a riff and got Gooly jumping into the crowd and getting them all riled up again. 
  Mock Up are definitely a great band with some beautiful musicianship. I did however feel like this was some sort of "high school prom" concert. All the fans here today just seemed to be kids from school; that may be why they all decided to leave immediately afterwards if they indeed have school in the morning. Now..I was in a band when I was at Uni so I've had fans who were mostly classmates and friends of classmates but you never really know if the fanclub comes based on merit. Hopefully they will get more recognition and more outside fans.
3.5/5

The 1840s

  As mentioned in a pervious write-up, The 1840s are a band I've always had a soft spot for. Their show the other week had a bar completely full of people checking them out. Tonight, however, a lot of people have gone and only about a total of 10 people have remained to watch. We were all actually uncertain as to whether the band started already or was still doing sound check as there was hardly anyone there when they started playing.
  The setlist was similar to the Rothschild show, including older songs like the catchy This Different Life and tonight's closer the 60s-like rocker Rainbow and newer songs like Get To Me, the bouncy Take Off Thy Clothes and the absolutely mesmerising Heart of Midnight, with it's tribal rhythms and sparse vocals. Unlike last time, the Smiths' cover (There Is A Light...) got more of a reception as I and some of the Koro owners were jumping and singing along. It still sounds so different to the original but they somehow make it sound like theirs.
  Why more of 1840s fans didn't show up tonight..I don't know. Maybe because it wasn't a free show? Maybe because it was with bands they hadn't heard of? Maybe because they all work Thursday night? Who knows? The important thing is that the band still played in a fairly empty venue and sounded great and I for one are glad they came. 
4/5

Live Review: The 1840s @ Rothschild 12, Tel Aviv [20th January 2015]

  

  I have heard of Rothschild 12 in passing but have never been there; neither for a show, for a meal or simply to hang out. I actually wasn't too sure if I got the right place when I turned up tonight. After asking if there was a show, I was directed into the establishment's main room which seemed fairly packed for a weekday night. There is a stage with the gear set up at one end of the room and almost everyone is seated at tables. Straight away, this seemed like one of those strange places to be holding a show. I certainly wouldn't have a punk show here...unless they moved the tables. That could work, I guess. 

  An hour later than expected (which was pretty late already), The 1840s take to the stage. I have come tonight in support of the band who I have not seen in quite some time. They were one of those bands I had gotten into during my first year or so living here. They might not be punk or hardcore, but they have great songs. They have also had a recent line-up change. Eviatar, who used to play bass, is now on lead guitar with new addition Dani taking over bass duties. Avishai (Efrat) is still the lead singer and Adam remains on drums. Once upon a time, the band was called Avishai Efrat and the 1840s but this new line-up helps to show them as a full force and one coherent unit.
  With the room already filled with a mostly seated audience pretty much right up to the front of the stage, I decide to stand in a small corner right by the stage. They start the set with new track Get To Me which we have already been treated to with a rehearsal room video. Despite being a new track, the song very much sets the tone of the rest of the set and doesn't deviate from the 1840s sound we are already familiar with. It's a sweet alt rock number with nice melodies and beautiful catchy harmonies sung by Avishai and Eviatar. It's very much reminiscent of Brit Pop and even American alt rock...basically that "90s sound" that people of my generation were treated to all over the radio and TV instead of the weak hip hop the kids get now. There seems to be a bit of an issue with the kick drum moving forward. This can happen to many a drummer at shows and although it happened tonight, drummer Adam showed no real sign of worry and it was most probably barely noticeable to the majority of tonight's crowd. 
  The rest of the set carries on in the same fashion as the band plays a mix of old and brand new tracks. We get to hear crowd pleaser This Different Life and the "heavier Beatles"-esque Rainbow both from the band's Pushing Squares Down Back To Size EP, as well as other memorable tracks from previous shows such as the thumping I Call Mine and the "track to end all proms", No. Newer songs do not disappoint; Heart Of Midnight especially stands out for me. The dreamy guitars on a bed of almost tribal drumming gives the song quite a psychedelic quality. The song is a bit repetitive but not dull in the slightest. The band also treats us to a cover of The Smiths' There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. As opposed to a straight forward cover, the song was quite unrecognisable to start with until I started paying close attention to the lyrics. It had the 1840s twist to it; slightly higher in pitch harmonies and just generally a different rhythm to the original.
  As much as I love the band, there is not much else to say apart from that they play sweet songs with beautiful vocal harmonies. I am not saying the songs sound the same but they do practically have the same blue print. If you ever liked bands such as Pavement, Flaming Lips, Ash and/or The Bluetones, then The 1840s are worth checking out.
 Whether it's because of the style of the genre or just how they perform, I feel like the band needs to put some more life into their performance. Everyone is competent at their instruments, but really only Adam is giving good drum face. In all fairness, tonight is a pretty formal affair so there's no real need for a lot of movement or head nodding.
4/5

The 1840s are planned to play Punkalovich's first show along with (my) new band Woolly Boy at Koro Tel Aviv on 5th February. Come check them out!

https://www.facebook.com/events/716180188489829/?fref=ts