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Home , Adam Granduciel, Alex James (musician), Andy Bell (musician), Ben Hillier, Best Coast, Beth Jeans Houghton

Blur EXCLUSIVE on Cameron, Damon & the next 2 MAY 2015 2 MAY

Is protest music dead? Savages “All politicians are Matt Bellamy crooks and liars” HAVE THEIR SAY The

GEORGE W BUSH W GEORGE Prodigy + Speedy Ortiz STILL STARTING FIRES A$AP Rocky

“They misunderestimated me” David Byrne

THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE OF MUSIC 2 MAY 2015 | £2.50 US$8.50 | ES€3.90 | CN$6.99      

 # "% # %$ % & "" "  "$  % %"&#   "   # " %% " "& ###   " "& "$#   " "  %   & "  " &#           !  " % &  "%    %          BAND LIST NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 Anna B Savage 23 Matthew E White 51 A$AP Rocky 10 35 43 Muse 33 REGULARS The Big Moon 22 Naked 23 FEATURES Black Rebel Motorcycle Nicky Blitz 24 Club 17 Noel Gallagher 33 4 Blanck Mass 44 Oasis 13 SOUNDING OFF Blur 36 Paddy Hanna 25 6 26 Breeze 25 Palma Violets 34, 42 ON REPEAT 43 Patrick Watson 43 Braintree’s baddest give us both The Britanys 24 43 16 IN THE STUDIO Broadbay 23 Pink Teens 24 Radkey barrels on politics, heritage acts and Caribou 33 The Prodigy 26 the terrible state of modern dance Carl Barât & The Jackals 48 Radkey 16 17 ANATOMY music. Oh, and eco light bulbs… Chastity Belt 45 Refused 6, 13 Coneheads 23 Remi Kabaka 15 David Byrne 12 Ride 21 OF AN ALBUM De La Soul 7 6 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 32 Protest music Django Django 15, 44 6 – ‘BRMC’ Drenge 33 Rozi Plain 24 On the eve of the general election, we Du Blonde 35 Run The Jewels 6 21 Emmy The Great 33 Sally Dige 23 SOUNDTRACK ask , Chilli Jesson, Matt The Enemy 33 Sam Duckworth 34 Bellamy and more whether there’s still Enter Shikari 34 Savages 34 OF MY LIFE such a thing as protest music in 2015 6, 34 Screaming Females 53 , Ride EZTV 23 Show Me The Body 23 Foo Fighters 6 Simon Bird 25 22 RADAR Francesca Belmonte 24 34 Meet ’s new girl 36 Alex James Fruit Bomb 25 Slime 24 7 Soft Lit 24 gang The Big Moon, plus The Blur bassist and Cotswolds big Gaps 45 Spector 10 3 19 more new artists cheese on why he finds ‘The Magic Gengahr 24 Speedy Ortiz 40 Ghetts 35 51 Whip’ “just devastating” Girl Friend 24 24 42 REVIEWS Girlpool 6 Super Furry Animals 35 ► God Damn 44 Surfer Blood 45 Happy Mondays 35 Swedish Death Candy 23 Palma Violets – Health 7 Swim Deep 6 ‘Danger In The Club’ The Holydrug Couple 45 TĀLĀ 34 Honey Moon 23 Thee Oh Sees 7 Best Coast – Honne 24 Thomston 25 ‘ Nights’ The Horrors 33 Tongue Bundle 25 Jaws 7 Tyler, The Creator 45 Django Django – Johnny Marr 34 Tyondai Braxton 44 ‘Born Under Saturn’ Juan Wauters 44 Unknown Mortal Junk 25 Orchestra 7 Tyler, The Creator – Kurt Cobain 6 Vant 7 ‘Cherry Bomb’ 7 The War On Drugs 51 Låpsley 53 6 and more 50 Wild Beasts 6 ► FILM The Magic Gang 53 Will Butler 52 Avengers: Age Of Ultron Major Lazer 7 Young Fathers 35 and more ► LIVE ***SHAMELESS PLUG!!!*** ***SHAMELESS 40 Speedy Ortiz SHAMELESS PLUG!!!*** Carl Barât & The Jackals SUBSCRIBE TO AND Laura Marling How the DIY four-piece from Boston GET A £5 VOUCHER turned intra-band tensions into fuel Will Butler for a fierce new album SAVE UP TO 39% and more Subscribe now at WWW.NMESUBS.CO.UK/16M Or call 0330 333 4555 quoting code 16KM 58 CROSSWORD/ Lines are open from 8am to 9pm, 7 days a week – UK time ***SHAMELESS PLUG!!! *Offer open to new subscribers only. Final closing date for all orders is June 2, 2015. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery of your first subscription issue, 8 weeks for overseas orders. For full terms and conditions please visit www.magazinesdirect.com/terms. For enquiries and THINGS WE LIKE overseas rates contact [email protected] or call +44 330 333 0233. COVER: ED MILES COVER: 2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS TELL US Answerin WHAT’S you this week: ON YOUR MIND Tom Howard

LETTER OF THE WEEK EMAIL letters@.com .com/nme WINS AN MICRO CRUSH AMP www.orangeamps.com TWITTER Orange Micro Crush practice amps pack plenty of punch with a seriously cool sound. A micro amp with big soul. British facebook.com/nmemagazine POST NME, 110 Southwark St, A LETTER TO London SE1 0SU

BRANDON FLOWERS CHEER UP, VAN I can’t believe that Catfish Dear Brandon, I hope this letter reaches you & The Bottlemen frontman well, all the way from Yorkshire – God’s Own Van McCann has said that Country and a stop-off on your upcoming O2 it’s a “lonely existence tour. My name is Adam Pickles. I am 28 being in a band” and that years old and work as a bar manager in my he has “no girlfriend, no local pub. I am a huge Brandon Flowers and best friends, no mum or The Killers fan, and still get goosebumps dad”. What a monumental thinking about Wembley on June 22, 2013, bellend. Kids will read the which I went to with my girlfriend, who is the NME and dream of being in subject of this letter. She is a big fan, and I’ve a band and playing music, managed to get us a couple of standing then read an article from tickets for your show at the O2 Arena someone they think is on May 26, which is four days after her their voice, and he’s there birthday. She’s had a crappy couple of years whingeing about how tough (I won’t go into details, but she’s been dealing with stuff Tom Howard: Adam, I have some encouraging news it is. If it’s that tough, get a you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy), so this letter is for you. We’re hanging out with Brandon in real fucking job. There are a plea to see if there’s anything you could sort out for her/ very soon, so I’ll implore the NME journalist tasked people who actually don’t us, be it a meet with yourself, a T-shirt, or even a plectrum with quizzing him to pass on your request. I’ve never have a family or a mum or a or drumstick would make her day. I know this is a long met Mr Flowers myself, but from what I understand dad. He does, and he needs shot, but anything you could do would be amazing. he’s a charming and accommodating human being. to stop making out that life Adam Pickles, via email I’ll be in touch… is so difficult. He doesn’t know how difficult life is. 4 Alfie Green, via email OASIS REUNION: music, their attitude and a stage for two hours. I happen? No. Noel wouldn’t BRING IT ON everything they stood for, bet he’s planning out his want to, not after he’s just TH: I hear you, Alfie. It’s There’s a lot of negativity my opinion of them grew reunion haircut right now. released his second solo hard to imagine how a life around the possible Oasis much more positive. It’s album. And Noel and Liam of hit records and adoring reunion, because they might stayed much the same OASIS REUNION: may have reconnected as fans could be anything kill the legacy. But let’s get ever since: they’re not my NOT GONNA brothers, but I very much other than dreamy. But, real here: who wouldn’t favourite band, but not HAPPEN doubt they’re ready to y’know, people react to want to stand in front of the my worst. If they get back As one of Oasis’ biggest spend extended periods success in different ways. Gallaghers while they belt together I’ll be happy, but fans, I think people need of time together on tour or Plus I do like it when my out ‘Live Forever’? not ecstatic. Where would to forget about the hope of even in the studio. Maybe rock stars get pissed off Zac Sherratt, via email they play? Somewhere big, a reunion. Noel has made it in five or 10 years’ time. – adds a bit of spice. clearly. And if I know the clear there won’t be one as George Wilding, via email TH: Well exactly, Zac. And Gallaghers’ personalities, far as he’s concerned, and I can tell you from frequent they’ll play a bunch of why would he even want to? TH: Jess–Itotally agree personal experience that in-your-face shows that His High Flying Birds are a that an Oasis reunion is that opening drumbeat will be a middle finger up huge success, and if there unlikely to happen while signals the beginning of to the world and them was a reunion it wouldn’t the High Flying Birds are the best time of all time. saying: “We can still do it.” be as good as they were booming. He’s got a bunch Tom Sandford, via email 20yearsago.LookatThe of festivals to headline OASIS REUNION: Stone Roses. Their reunion first, to show the world TH: This is interesting, didn’t have the effect it howbigadealNoelyGis. I was 13 when Oasis split, Tom. I think a lot of people should’ve done and it’s But you are DEAD wrong LOOK WHO’S and never thought anything being negative about such a shame. I think a about The Stone Roses. of them really. But as the the idea of a reunion are reunion would take away Their three gigs in Heaton STALKING years passed and I found people who were around what Oasis are best Park in 2012 were surely Me and Chilli Jesson out more about their at the same time of Oasis. loved for and would only three of the greatest after I was an extra in They’ve been there, they’ve disappoint the generation comeback shows of all the video for Palma seen that, they listen to they created in the ’90s. time. Tears were cried Violets’ ‘English Scott Walker now. It’s easy Jess Shaw, via email and love was made. And Tongue’. The band were to forget that there is a George – yeah, exactly. lovely and invited us to whole new generation of Like many other Oasis 2016 at the earliest, Studio 180 for a BBQ fans, like yourself, who’ve fans, I was excited to hear perhaps to celebrate the and an intimate gig. never experienced the joy the news about a potential anniversary of their giant Jasmine Hodge, via email

of watching Liam prowl reunion, but do I expect it to Knebworth shows. ED MILES,

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS                        



          20 TRACK OF THE WEEK

1. Swim Deep 6. Rolo Tomassi One Great Song And I Could Opalescent Change The World Yorkshire terrors Rolo Tomassi dial back their Discussing his band’s second album with NME at usual chaos with jazzy percussion and funereal the start of this year, Swim Deep frontman Austin ‘Amnesiac’ chords on this new single. The Williams said, “If the first album was about getting quintet’s chilling sense of menace remains, though, out of Birmingham, this one’s about getting off as singer Eva Spence lays breathy, wounded vocals the planet.” This is suitably intergalactic; Williams’ over discordant, plinking guitars and expansive nonchalant whispers float over Cavan McCarthy’s post-rock. Rolo have added yet another string to creeping bass like they’re in zero-gravity territory. their bow on upcoming album ‘Grievances’. Rhian Daly, Assistant Reviews Editor Al Horner, Assistant Editor, NME.COM 2. Refused 7. Foo Fighters Elektra Kids In America As explosive as their 2012 reunion was, most Famously, Kim Wilde had never even been to the Refused fans were resigned to not hearing any States when she struck ’80s pop gold with ‘Kids new music from the Swedish punks anytime soon. In America’. As part of Nirvana, conversely, But here it is, a taste of the quartet’s first new Grohl was forging the country’s cultural zeitgeist album since 1998’s seminal ‘The Shape Of Punk when, in 1991, he recorded this knockabout cover To Come’. Blistering, bristling and booming in all version. Released on Foo Fighters’ Record Store the right places, it bodes well for the future of one Day 10-inch ‘Songs From The Laundry Room’, it’s of the great heavy bands. “Nothing has changed”, an interesting artefact, showing that Grohl seized rages frontman Dennis Lyxzén. He’s right. on the Foos’ sound long before 1995’s debut. Greg Cochrane, Editor, NME.COM Dan Stubbs, News Editor 3. Major Lazer 8. Weezer Night Riders (feat. Travi$ Scott, Everybody Needs Salvation 6 2 Chainz, Pusha T & Mad Cobra) Originally available on a fanclub-only seven-inch, This latest taste of Major Lazer’s forthcoming this new Weezer track was recorded during the third album ‘Peace Is The Mission’ follows last sessions for last year’s return-to-form album month’s bombastic ‘Roll The Bass’. ‘Night Riders’ ‘Everything Will Be Alright In The End’. It begins rolls on a marginally more sedate groove, its deep as an acoustic, Shins-esque breezy stroll, but bass tempered by bursts of static that allow the the crunching guitars quickly come out to back impressive guest spots to shine. 2 Chainz’ opulent up Rivers Cuomo’s passionate admission that bars hit hard, but Jamaican reggae artist Mad someone or something saved his life: “Braids fall Cobra runs him close with a booming final verse. for the awaken one/He truly saved my life”. Ben Homewood, Reviews Editor Andy Welch, writer 4. Everything Everything 9. Kurt Cobain Regret And I Love Her On the latest track from the quartet’s In 1989, Kurt Cobain told the University Of upcoming third album ‘’, frontman Washington’s in-house newspaper The Daily: “I like threatens “First you’ll see me on , but I hate Paul McCartney.” The quote the news, then never again/I’m rolling in my grave, lends the Nirvana singer’s cover of the McCartney- feeling like a grenade” over ’60s girl-group drums. penned ‘And I Love Her’ extra intrigue, but what’s It’s one of several sharp lines on ‘Regret’, jabbed most interesting about this sketchy 90-second into the heart of a former lover with passive- home recording from the spectacularly good new aggressive niceties. Higgs saves the killer blow Montage Of Heck film is how Kurt Cobain-y it is: for the chorus, singing “Did you think that full of melancholy, melody and heart. everything would change?” in a sugary falsetto. Tom Howard, Assistant Editor Rhian Daly, Assistant Reviews Editor 10. Rihanna 5. Wild Beasts James Joint Woebegone Wanderers II If you took ‘FourFiveSeconds’, Rihanna’s January This stunning outtake from last year’s ‘Present collaboration with Kanye and Paul McCartney, as Tense’ sessions is a sequel to much-loved 2008 an indicator of the direction for her next album, track ‘Woebegone Wanderers’, a teetering mini- ‘R8’, then think again. Recent hit ‘Bitch Better Have melodrama about an unspoken love affair between My Money’ was fierce and aggressive, while ‘James two male supporters of a struggling lower-league Joint’ does something else entirely. A stoner jam football team. Here, the original’s dark, furtive lust set to a backdrop of hotel-radio lounge , it’s replaced by a gorgeously wistful longing. another signpost for what’s shaping up as RiRi’s A football chant repurposed as a lovelorn plea. most diverse record yet.

Sam Richards, writer Luke Morgan Britton, writer RINGO, GETTY, DEAN CHALKLEY, DUSDIN CONDREN, KLAUS THYMANN

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 ESSENTIAL NEW TRACKS

►LISTEN TO THEM ALL AT NME.COM/ONREPEAT NOW

11. Run The Jewels 16. De La Soul BustNoMoves God It (feat. Nas) Run The Jewels’ exclusive Record Store Day De La Soul recently turned to Kickstarter to 12-inch EP was a big seller, not least because it fund their forthcoming eighth album. This featured a new track, ‘Bust No Moves’ – the duo’s banger, featuring Nas, isn’t on it, but serves as first release since last year’s celebrated ‘RTJ2’ an “indication of good music to come”, say the album. Both a weed and hype song, it finds Killer threesome. On this evidence, anyone Mike stoned out of his mind, while Arkansas MC who has donated to the £320,000 raised so far SJ Jones, also baked, takes the chorus lines: has made a safe investment. The first hippies “I stay higher than Messiah, I ain’t never grinding”. of hip-hop have most definitely still “god it”. Phil Hebblethwaite, writer Andy Welch, writer 12. Vant 17. Health DoYouKnowMe? New Coke London-via-Newcastle quartet Vant were recently Health haven’t released an album since 2009’s picked up by off the back of a handful ‘Get Color’, but in that time no-one has stepped up of gigs and one internet-only track, ‘Parasite’. and taken their crown. The LA quartet are back to Debut single proper ‘Do You Know Me?’ – reiterate their dominance with ‘New Coke’, the first a barrage of insistent guitars and vocal howls sample of their third album. An industrial drone – shows exactly what got the label so excited. A rings throughout as the four members flex their hedonistic reminder of the golden early-noughties muscles. Frontman Jake Duzsik’s alien vocals add indie boom led by The Strokes and The Vines, it an element of weirdness, as he mournfully sings has the earworm effect of a familiar favourite. “Life is good” as if it’s anything but. Lisa Wright, writer David Renshaw, Acting Deputy News Editor 13. Fucked Up 18. Thee Oh Sees California Cold Withered Hand ‘California Cold’ is the eight-minute B-side After announcing his band’s “indefinite hiatus” 7 to Fucked Up’s forthcoming 12-inch ‘Year Of in December 2013, Thee Oh Sees’ frontman John The Hare’, which is the latest instalment in the Dwyer clarified his comments, saying the band Canadian six-piece’s Zodiac singles series. Initially were merely taking a “well-earned break”. Now, it’s business as usual, with chugging percussion they’re back on track. This second single from 14th and psychedelic guitar making one hell of a noise album ‘Mutilator Defeated At Last’ is an instant under Damian Abraham’s gruff vocals. Suddenly, classic. Twisted punk riffs compete for attention though, the whole thing melts into an ambient over frantic percussion and Dwyer’s shouts of wash of reverb and looped flute. Totally brilliant. “the bastard’s withered hand”. Riotous fun. Ben Homewood, Reviews Editor Ben Homewood, Reviews Editor 14. Jaws 19. Lana Del Rey Bad Company Life Is Beautiful There’s always been a subtle hint of to There’s only a one-minute preview of LDR’s Jaws’ glimmering indie-pop, but on this first taste contribution to the soundtrack of forthcoming of new music since last year’s debut album ‘Be romance fantasy The Age Of Adaline available Slowly’ they’re making it blindingly obvious. “What online, but it’s enough to signal a move away you say in bad company”, drawls frontman Connor from classic film-noir territory. The movie’s theme Schofield over sludgy bass and spiralling guitar (woman stays young and beautiful forever) is motifs. It might lack the emotional depth that a perfect fit, but there’s a lightness within the made originators like Nirvana really sparkle, dappled strings here that suggests her third album but it’s a promising start. might be more nuanced than 2014’s ‘Ultraviolence’. Rhian Daly, Assistant Reviews Editor Lisa Wright, writer 15. 20. Girlpool Can’t Keep Checking My Phone Before The World Was Big On which Unknown Mortal Orchestra nail Singing about childhood is a perfect fit for Girlpool, the very modern feeling of maxing out aka Philadelphia-via-LA duo Cleo Tucker and your smartphone’s services: no new tweets, Harmony Tividad. Their discordant, earnest vocals nothing on Instagram and nobody to WhatsApp. have a wide-eyed quality that makes them sound “I can’t keep checking my phone”, sings Ruban like kids experiencing things for the first time. Nielson over a disco beat and a groove-laden When they caw “I just miss how it felt standing bassline, in what is essentially a cry for human next to you/Wearing matching dresses before interaction. Electronic pulses push his ’60s psych the world was big” it feels like they’re nostalgic in fresh and exciting directions. for a time that’s only just passed. David Renshaw, Acting Deputy News Editor Rhian Daly, Assistant Reviews Editor

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS ► ■ EDITED BY DAN STUBBS

8

Alex Turner of onstage at The Leadmill, April 20, 2005

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 The Leadmill: 35 years young Much-loved venue The Leadmill – which played a crucial role in the careers of Pulp and Arctic Monkeys – celebrates its 35th birthday with a little help from Jarvis and Slow Club

PHOTO: ANDREW KENDALL

9

t a time when many midsized “It’s a magic room,” says Slow Club’s venues around the country have Rebecca Taylor of The Leadmill’s 900- either been bought by chains capacity main area. “You can still get an or disappeared altogether, one intimate feeling with a lot of people in there.” A venue stands firm. The Leadmill Slow Club owe the venue their very in Sheffield is 35 years old this week and existence. “The first time I ever went there remains a bastion of independence at the as a teenager, giddy on Smirnoff Ice, I met heart of one of Britain’s most musically fertile a boy who asked me to join his band,” adds cities. Founded in 1980 as a community Rebecca. “I brought Charles [Watson] in as arts co-operative, the former flour mill has frontman, and that’s how Slow Club started.” since hosted more than 10,000 acts, playing Local DJ and producer Toddla T also a crucial role in the career of every Sheffield credits the venue with setting him on band from The Human League to Arctic the path to a musical career. “My earliest Monkeys via Pulp, who have played there memory of The Leadmill is the flyers on a record 18 times (not including the 1982 my sister’s bedroom wall,” he says. Christmas panto directed by ). Toddla reckons that The Leadmill’s Jarvis returns home this to independence and willingness to support kickstart the celebrations, broadcasting grassroots scenes is key to its longevity. “It’s his BBC 6 Music show live from Sheffield the opposite of a shiny club. It’s the essence on Sunday afternoon before DJing the of band and club culture–avenue with good official Leadmill birthday party alongside sound that’s focused on the music, rather Pulp cohort on Monday. The than looking fly or selling expensive drinks weekend also sees special performances or any of that crap. And that’s probably the from local heroes Toddla T and Slow Club. reason it’s still here, innit?” ▪ SAM RICHARDS

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS FIVE TOURING ESSENTIALS Fred Macpherson Spector

BOOK Fear And Trembling by Søren Kierkegaard “I’m trying to get into heavier stuff, so this. For Christmas I got given Sammy A$AP gets serious Davis Jr’s autobiography, Yes I Can, which is a nice The world’s most confident man has ‘Fuckin’ Problems’ in 2013, but he now cites ‘yin’ to Kierkegaard’s ‘yang’.” it as an example of the sort of trend-jumping been channelling the pioneering spirit he hates. “I feel like it gave people this BOXSET misconception of who I am,” he says. “My Brookside of The Beatles for his new album message is bigger than that. I have a bigger “I have a DVD of the responsibility than talking about bitches, and most memorable unfortunately that’s my biggest song at the moments. There are “ o way – MGMT are the leaders. moment, so I have to change that. I love the the classics on there: Tame Impala supported MGMT on song and at one point I loved performing it, the lesbian kiss, the incest, tour!” Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky but I’m just tired of it.” He says he won’t play 10 the body under the patio...” is arguing that the duo behind the hit at forthcoming gigs. As for the fans N one of the steepest commercial who might object: “They’re not my fans.” FILM nosedives of recent times are kings of the A$AP Rocky arrived in 2011 under the James Bond psych-rock world right now, despite what tutelage of friend and mentor A$AP Yams. “During the darkest period NME says. It’s a genre he’s been boning up A mixtape (the same year’s ‘Live. Love. of he band, the worst thing on ahead of new album ‘At. Long. Last. A$AP’ A$AP’) was followed by the much-loved we ever did was buy a (aka ‘A.L.L.A’), which major-label debut complete James has no confirmed ‘Long. Live. A$AP’ in Bond boxset in released date yet and “IT’S JUST SO 2013. The only real some charity is inspired by The criticism levelled at shop. By the time Beatles’ more out- INSPIRATIONAL TO GO the record was that we were halfway there moments. Rocky didn’t have through the Roger Moore “It’s just so AGAINST THE GRAIN” much to talk about era we couldn’t even look inspirational to go beyond his sex life at each other.” against the grain,” he A$AP Rocky and what he saw in the says. “The Beatles were mirror. It sounds like GAME at the top of their careers and doing all that that will be different this time out, too. The Legend Of Zelda: pop shit. Then they do some leftfield shit – “I touch on the racial tension in America,” Ocarina Of Time and it worked. Those guys were geniuses.” he says before a verse from a song “I have a Nintendo Rocky is planning his own artistic reinvention he refuses to name. It includes the lines, “My 3DS, for which they re- with ‘At. Long. Last. A$AP’. Recorded between ears are ringing, my palms are shaking, my released a lot of N64 June and October 2014 at Red Bull Studios in heart is racing, somebody’s momma’s heart is games, like …Zelda: London, he reports that the album “doesn’t aching, can’t take it, probably feign it, found Ocarina Of Time.” have any singles on it. I’ll do what the fuck his body parts in all the places”. I want. That’s the only way to do it. I’d be “I’ve never made music this great,” he HOME COMFORT confused if I tried to fit in. I’m an innovator.” says, proving that the ability to brag is one Vitamins This year, Kendrick Lamar has topped thing he’ll never leave behind. “No-one has. “They’re called Source Of the charts with an album (‘To Pimp A You’ll see.” He touches briefly on the tragic Life Gold minitabs, and my Butterly’) filled with blood-drenched death of A$AP Yams, who was found dead mum buys me them. racial politics and beat poems, in January this year from an accidental It’s basically the and has put out a mixtape overdose, and speculates on what his equivalent of eating with no obvious hits (‘If You’re friend’s legacy will be. It’s simple, says loads of vegetables, Reading This It’s Too Late’). The Rocky: “The album just shows he but in a tablet.” hip-hop landscape has changed knew what he was talking about for those willing to take risks. when he told people that I was the The late ►Spector play at Rocky recruited both Drake greatest of ever. on May 2 A$AP Yams ▪ DAVID RENSHAW GETTY, JENN FIVE GETTY, and Lamar for the hit single He was right.”

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MA PROMOTION

Everything Everything: your potential mentors

EVERYTHING TO PLAY FOR 11 In a band? Fancy playing Reading Festival? Here’s your chance to be mentored by a top band and even appear at the legendary event

f you’ve ever dreamed of appearing at a public vote decides Reading Festival alongside the likes of which band gets the ‘HERE TO BE HEARD’ IS YOUR Metallica and , then listen chance to appear on the CHANCE TO WIN OVER BOTH up. This year, Relentless presents Here To Reading Festival stage. BeI Heard is offering your band the chance to If you are successful, AN INFLUENTIAL BAND AND join the line-up and bring your music to the your band will enjoy VIP festival’s legendary crowd. festival access, travel, THE READING CROWD To win, you’ll have to impress none other accommodation and than Everything Everything, who will be entry to the after-party on what will be an playing the festival themselves on the NME unforgettable day. More importantly, Here Stage on Saturday. To Be Heard is also your The Manchester- chance to win over both based Mercury an influential band and nominees will be the Reading crowd on one scouring all the of the biggest weekends entries to pick out in the music calendar. five finalists to Here To Be Heard mentor. This will be is now returning for a once-in-a-lifetime its third year. The opportunity for you competition is dedicated to work with the to providing a platform band and hear first- for the best new and hand how they’ve built a successful career upcoming acts in the country, so if you during the last eight years and over three think you’ve got what it takes to win over albums. Few people will be better placed to Everything Everything, snare the prize tell you what it takes to stand out. They’ll and rock Reading, enter before June 12

RICHARD JOHNSON/NME also ensure your band is in top shape before at RelentlessHTBH.com

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS Byrne’s nights “WITH SUNN O))) Former Talking Head David Byrne YOU’RE NOT GOING reveals his eclectic line-up for FOR THE SONGS” August’s festival David Byrne

urated by a different much in line with the musical legend each theatrical theme of his year, Meltdown is Meltdown line-up. London’s annual ►DAVID BYRNE SAYS C festival of the “I’ve been a fan unexpected, offering 10 days of theirs for of one-off collaborations and a while. I adventurous performances at saw them in the Southbank Centre in August. New York in Following in the footsteps of a former church 12 , and that had been Jarvis Cocker, this year’s Meltdown festival – a complete recreation of ’s 1967 turned into a club, so it was the curator is former leader David album ‘The Who Sell Out’ and 2013’s perfect setting. They completely Byrne, recently seen collaborating with St ‘Petra Goes To The Movies’. upend what you think music is Vincent and Fatboy Slim. Reflecting the ►DAVID BYRNE SAYS “She’s done a record where for and what it’s about, and how you upbeat, cosmopolitan outlook of his later solo it’s all movie themes – there’s the Superman should experience it. You’re certainly work, Byrne’s newly unveiled programme theme, the theme from Psycho – and all the not going for the songs…” promises a diverse mix of music from around orchestral parts are done with her voice. On the world – from doom metal to flamenco – the record it’s all her, but she’s done it live ►Atomic Bomb! Band backed up by ambitious, theatrical stagings. where she teaches it to others so she can A fluid supergroup performing the fiercely Here are five of the highlights. recreate it. I think she’s gonna do one of funky songs of reclusive Nigerian legend those projects, which is just amazing. It’s William Onyeabor, the Atomic Bomb! ►David Longstreth riveting to hear.” Band are joined by a revolving cast of The leader vocalists that has previously included is bringing a mysterious solo ►Bianca Casady , Kele Okereke, Alexis Taylor performance to London, with details One half of theatrical psych- and Byrne himself. yet to be revealed, even to Byrne… folk eccentrics CocoRosie, ►DAVID BYRNE SAYS “I’ll be one of the guest The pair have history, collaborating Casady is bringing an even vocalists, yes – I’ve done this in New York, on the ‘Dark Was The Night’ charity more out-there solo project LA, San Francisco and Mexico. It’s hugely compilation in 2009. to Meltdown. Like fun. In New York, by the second song – I ►DAVID BYRNE SAYS “I’m assuming Longstreth, she gets a “free don’t take any credit, I wasn’t even singing it’s not just him with a guitar, pass” from Byrne, who’s yet – the entire audience was up and dancing completely alone, playing his demos! as in the dark about her for the rest of the evening! The grooves just But I love what he does, and every performance as anyone. keep going.” ▪ TOM PINNOCK record is completely interesting, ►DAVID BYRNE SAYS “I don’t even know if this is engaging and surprising, so a record… She’s one of those artists who has I thought, ‘OK, you’re doing kind of gone over to the theatre side. I don’t something new, we’ll have know if this features acting, but apparently it.’ I’ve done a song with it’s much more of a theatrical experience. In Longstreth before, so if he CocoRosie there’s always a lot of visual stuff invites me to do it I’ll say yeah, going on anyway, but this pushes that further. but I’m not gonna force myself on him.” We’ll see!” ►Petra Haden ►Sunn O))) Experimental but light-hearted, Jack Stephen O’Malley’s experimental, cloak- Black’s sister-in-law is best known for her wearing drone-metal troupe are easily the stunning multi-tracked a cappella recordings darkest thing on Byrne’s bill, but still very CATALINA KULCZAR, PIETER M VAN HATTEN, DAMON ALLEN DAVISON, GETTY ALLEN DAVISON, DAMON HATTEN, PIETER M VAN KULCZAR, CATALINA

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 Standbyme Newspaper reports suggest Oasis might reform ►DRUMS Tony McCarroll ►YEARS SERVED in 2016. If so, who would join Noel and Liam? 1991–1995 ►KEY ATTRIBUTES Pro: he was the original drummer. Cons: ►GUITAR ►BASS just about everything else. He fell Paul ‘Bonehead’ Paul ‘Guigsy’ out with Liam and was a limited Arthurs McGuigan drummer. McCarroll tried to sue Dennis ►YEARS SERVED ►YEARS SERVED the band for £18 million in 1999, for 1991–1999 1991–1999 unpaid royalties. He got £550,000. Lyxzén ►KEY ATTRIBUTES “It’s hardly Paul ►KEY ATTRIBUTES The original ►VERDICT NO CHANCE Refused frontman McCartney leaving The Beatles,” bass player was quiet and said Noel when guitarist Bonehead dependable. And while not the Alan White quit in 1999, but he’s about the best musician in the world, he ►YEARS SERVED Refused are back most popular former member. He’s would be the die-hard fans’ 1995–2004 with their first album been in various bands, notably choice. He did, though, decline ►KEY ATTRIBUTES “He’s in 17 years, ‘Freedom’. Parlour Flames, and performed with to appear on the band’s a fucking great guy and he’s one of Why now? Liam in 2013 at a tribute for late 2004 Definitely Maybe DVD, the best drummers I’ve ever met,” “I was a bit sceptical at first, Charlatans drummer Jon Brookes. saying he’s not interested in said Noel after White’s departure because our last album, ‘The ►VERDICT MAYBE looking back. in 2004, “but his personal life is Shape Of Punk To Come’, ►VERDICT MAYBE fucking chaos.” White’s only been became a monumental seen onstage once since leaving record for a lot of people, ►YEARS SERVED Scott McLeod – in June 2008 with his brother and I didn’t want to detract 1999–2009 ►YEARS SERVED Steve’s band, Trio Valore. from what we were. But ►KEY ATTRIBUTES Two months in 1995 ►VERDICT MAYBE when we wrote ‘Elektra’ [the Made his debut in the ‘Go Let It ►KEY ATTRIBUTES lead single from ‘Freedom’] it Out’ video, and quickly asserted McLeod temporarily replaced was like, ‘OK, this is Refused. himself as the mediator between Guigsy, who was suffering from ►YEARS SERVED This is happening.’” Noel and Liam. Couldn’t stop them “nervous exhaustion” on a US 2004–2008 splitting, and fell out with Noel tour, but he only lasted a few ►KEY ATTRIBUTES Given your last album for a time – something to do with dates before quitting himself. Ringo’s lad was an easy fit on Alan was an anti-capitalist 13 joining maybe? – but Despite his short tenure, White’s vacant stool. He hardcore record, a they’ve since patched it up. he does appear in the video didn’t officially join the band, but few people might be ►VERDICT DEFINITELY for ‘Wonderwall’. he was there for four years, playing surprised to see you’ve ►VERDICT NO CHANCE on their final two albums. worked with Taylor Swift Matt Deighton ►VERDICT MAYBE and Pink collaborator ►YEARS SERVED Three Andy Bell Shellback here. months in 2000 ►YEARS SERVED “Yeah! We met him at an ►KEY ATTRIBUTES 1999–2009 ►YEARS SERVED awards thing a few years ago After Noel walked out on the ►KEY ATTRIBUTES 2008–2009 and he told us he learned band in 2000, Liam recruited Now back with his first band, ►KEY ATTRIBUTES to play music by drumming Mother Earth’s Matt Deighton, Ride, Bell was a new recruit, Never an official member, drummer along to Refused songs considered a safe pair of hands. along with Gem, when Guigsy Sharrock played with Oasis until as a kid. So he ended up His involvement hinges on Noel and Bonehead left. A fantastic the end, before following Liam into producing two songs. It not being involved – in which case, musician, but he fell out with Beady Eye. If it’s not Zak Starkey in must be weird to be in the what sort of Oasis reunion is this? Noel after the band split. a reformed Oasis, it’ll be Sharrock. studio with one day, ►VERDICT NO CHANCE ►VERDICT MAYBE ►VERDICT MAYBE then us the next.”

The adventurous, forward-thinking sound you predicted for punk on ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come’ never happened. Did this frustrate you? “Right after that album came out, punk had its kind of MTV explosion, with all these big-budget music videos and a more commercial sound. But I personally didn’t care. That was a statement about what punk could become. Noel and Punk, as an ideology, Liam in 1994 is a disappointment.” ▪ AL HORNER WORDS: ANDY WELCH PHOTOS: GETTY, CORBIS CORBIS GETTY, PHOTOS: WELCH WORDS: ANDY THE BEST LIVE EVENTS THE BEST MUSIC ON TV, RADIO AND ONLINE THIS WEEK THIS WEEK

Live At Leeds Swim Deep (above), Eagulls, Hookworms and more play. ►DATES Leeds, various venues (May 2) ►TICKETS £27.50 from NME.COM/tickets with £2.75 booking fee will be steeling themselves Ya k for their The London trio set out to Sheffield gig convert more crowds with their volatile psych-punk. ►DATES London St Moritz (April 29), Nottingham Bodega (30), Manchester Soup Kitchen (May 1), Newcastle Cluny 2 (5) Mystery Jets London and ►TICKETS 14 Newcastle £7; Nottingham 6 Music Celebrates Sheffield processes as guitarist Serge Beatles-esque gems of and Manchester £6 from ►LISTEN BBC 6 Music, May 4, 7pm Pizzorno talks through the his debut LP ‘Goon’ to NME.COM/tickets with Home to Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, , making of their first three Jools’ grand piano this 70p–£1 booking fee The Human League and more, the Yorkshire albums. Also features live week. Alabama Shakes city is the focus of 6 Music. The Leadmill, one performance. also perform, as will the of its most important venues, marks its 35th Sparks/Franz Ferdinand 5 TO SEE FOR FREE Tobias Jesso Jr collaboration FFS. anniversary this year – listen live as Mystery 1. Peter Broderick Rough Trade, Nottingham Jets and Slow Club honour that milestone. Later… Live With Jools Holland Jarvis Cocker ►April 29, 7pm ►WATCH BBC Two, May 5, Jarvis Cocker’s 2. Frnkiero Andthe Nile Rodgers into the influential Chic 10pm Sunday Service Cellabration Lost In Music: The Nile leader’s career, featuring The Canadian singer- ►LISTEN BBC 6 Music, Pie & Vinyl, Southsea Rodgers Story contributions from Bryan brings the May 3, 4pm ►April 29, 5pm ►LISTEN BBC Radio 2, Ferry and Studio 54 One of Sheffield’s most 3. Fake Laugh April 29, 10pm co-founder Ian Schrager. famous sons adds his The Stillery, London Nile Rodgers is much more own tribute to 6 Music’s ►April 30, 7pm than just celebration of the city. 4. Heyrocco funked up and Songbook He’ll present his show Sixty Million Postcards, David Bowie. This show ►WATCH Sky Arts, May 4, from the Winter Gardens, – presented by another 5am where he’ll be joined by ►April 30, 8.30pm collaborator, ’s This 2010 programme Kasabian’s music fan and snooker 5. Palma Violets – goes deep explores Kasabian’s writing legend Steve Davis. Rough Trade East, London

►May 4, 6.30pm JENN FIVE, BEN BENTLEY Want to sack Dave or back Ed? Then vote!

is a staple in parliament”, but the longer I sat with that statement, the more uncomfortable I felt about it. Zac openly said: “At the moment you can lie to get elected. You can then behave in any manner you want in parliament. You can do whatever you want. You can break every single promise you’ve made and there’s nothing your constituent can do about it.” So what do we do? We vote, in greater numbers than ever before; we fight back against the silent war that the government are waging against the young. The expectation for this year’s general election is that less than 25 per cent of young people (aged 18-24) will vote – despite the future promising increases in tuition fees, cuts to the educational maintenance allowance, cuts to benefits for the under-25s, rising rents, rising house prices and more zero- hours contacts than I care to count. The only way to change this (short of a bloody revolution) is to use our dysfunctional democratic process to our advantage and vote the shit out of politics. In order for democracy to function, we have to engage with it. Engage, YOUR VOTE MATTERS and then reform it. To take back control of our futures we must kick the hell out of this political and work collectively to solve the problems at the very core of the beast. I believe that we no longer live in a democracy; we ON MAY 7, SO USE IT 15 live in a financial system. Our generation worries about whether we are going to have enough money to pay the BY rent much more than we think about voting. That’s sad. JOLYON We should be aspiring to much more than just watching RUBINSTEIN our bank accounts, shouldn’t we? You might say, “Why bother?” Wresting control of The host of BBC politics from wealthy vested interests and saving the Three’s An Idiot’s environment are insurmountable challenges, right? Well, getting women the vote and ending slavery were, Guide To Politics too. But when the time comes, change that once seemed says the only way to impossible becomes inevitable. Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible, until it is done.” So let’s do it. start fixing a rotten Please vote on May 7. Let’s start the process of creating system is to vote the world we want to see by voting out some of the scum that inhabit the corridors of Westminster. Your vote matters – use it. ▪

►For more opinion and debate, head to NME.COM/blogs

#71 Remi Kabaka Black Goddess soundtrack (1978) Chosen by David Maclean, Django Django ► “It’s the soundtrack to a film by Ola Balogun. I’ve never seen the film, but it’s 1978 an amazing soundtrack. I bought it in Paris recently as I recognised the name ►RELEASE DATE Afrodisia of the guy that made it – Remi Kabaka, an amazing Nigerian percussionist ►LABEL Brothers And who’s played with Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker. So ►BEST TRACKS Sisters, Black Goddess he’s quite a legendary guy. He’s also the dad of a musician who was involved Recently in the Africa Express album and does stuff with . He’s called Remi ►WHERE TO FIND IT reissued on Soundway Kabaka too. ‘Black Goddess’ is an afro-jazz, weird soundtrack but it’s quite Spotify funky. You could almost play it out in a club – it’s quite dancey.” ►LISTEN ONLINE HARRIS TAYLOR, GETTY, CORBIS GETTY, SOPHIE HARRIS TAYLOR,

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS Radkey (l–r, Dee, Isaiah, Solomon) in McCall Sound Studios, Sheffield, March 2015

After shifting recording from San Francisco to Sheffield, the US garage- rock trio’s first LP is finding “its full potential” Radkey 16

f you thought for even one second that the start of 2015, he invited them to his McCall album will feature souped-up versions of recording in Sheffield meant the debut Sound Studio base to finish the job. Radkey’s fiery 2014 single ‘Feed My Brain’ album from American garage rockers Arriving on Valentine’s Day accompanied and ‘Romance Dawn’, the bruising finale Radkey was going to be laced with saucy by dad-turned-manager Matt Radke, Radkey from the previous year’s ‘Devil Fruit’ EP. I Jarvis Cocker-style poetry or bleepy quickly adapted to a locally sourced diet New cuts include ‘Glore’, an intense barrage Records beats, then think again. of Henderson’s Relish and Deception pale of early Hüsker Dü-inspired hardcore inspired “Obviously, there’s Def Leppard,” says ale that they discovered during pub crawls by a trip to a disused mental hospital in St bassist Isaiah Radke when asked about the round the Kelham Island district Joseph, ‘Sank’, which local influences he and his brothers-cum- with Drenge. Now they’re eager to ► marches around like bandmates Dee (guitar/vocals) and Solomon return the Loveless brothers’ favour: peak form (drums) have soaked up. “They’re actually “They’ve got to come to St Jo’ or ►TITLE Dark Black Makeup striding into battle, and awesome,” he adds, suddenly serious. “I don’t Kansas City or some shit, and we’ll ►RELEASE DATE late July ‘Parade It’, a bitter break- care what anyone says, they made some pretty do the same thing,” Isaiah grins. ►LABEL Little Man Records up song built around fucking catchy shit.” Despite a reasonable start on ►PRODUCER Dee’s pounding refrain, The city that spawned Def Lep is a long the album in San Francisco, it wasn’t ►RECORDED Soundworks, “Your love has really got way from Radkey’s small hometown of St until the Sheffield sessions that San Francisco; McCall Sound me down”. Joseph, Missouri. The teenagers’ love affair Radkey’s brooding punk really came Studio, Sheffield “It’s about a girl I with South Yorkshire began when they together. “A lot of them were last- ►TRACKS include Feed My know, whoIusedtosee”, supported Drenge, who now live in the city, minute songs, which is exciting,” Brain, Romance Dawn, Glore, explains lyricist Isaiah. in 2013. Through Eoin and Rory Loveless says Isaiah. “I would definitely say Sank, Parade It “She at some point got they met Sheffield-based producer Ross it’s more mature than things we’ve ►ISAIAH RADKE SAYS “We this other boyfriend, and Orton, who – fresh from working on Arctic done before, a little darker.” work on music, we go to Kelham I was at this club, and she Monkeys’ ‘AM’ and Drenge’s self-titled debut “Heavier… groovier… catchier…” Island, we drink Deception, we was fucking putting on – oversaw Radkey’s initial album session in older brother Dee adds in hazy eat pork scratchings. It’s been a show, man. Basically San Francisco last spring. Then, at agreement. Orton’s a sweet ride.” just running around and guidance has been making out with him “IT’S MORE MATURE central to this and shit – and making evolution. “Ross is the only sure it was in front of me every time. She just THAN THE THINGS producer for us,” Isaiah knew how to fucking push every button.” WE’VE DONE gushes. “His style is just what Their fans, says Dee, are “not gonna expect we needed to evolve. He’ll what’s coming”. He adds: “The solos are way BEFORE – A make your sound 100 per cent better.” Then Isaiah pipes up: “People have LITTLE DARKER” what the fuck it’s supposed been asking for a long solo, so we’ve got a long- to be, to its full potential.” ass solo on the album, man. It’s gonna be ■ ROBERT COOKE ISAIAH RADKE The as-yet-untitled awesome.” HUGHES ANDY “NICK KICKED IN ON THAT SHUFFLE BEAT AND ‘SPREAD YOUR LOVE’ WAS ALIVE”

Mary Chain’s ‘Reverence’ albums, it reignited garage declared: “I wanna die just rock for the new millennium, like Jesus Christ/I wanna die and although it would turn on a bed of spikes”. out to be BRMC’s one trick, it’s a spellbinding listen. “Now she’s gone, ◄ STORY BEHIND love burns inside me” FAMOUS FAN THE SLEEVE – ‘Love Burns’ “I was completely This classic band-against-a- The lyric is self-explanatory, invigorated and blown away wall shot is also something but it’s been the subject of by them.” Mike McCready, of a premonition. Drummer many comedy mishearings, Pearl Jam, 2013 , who would including “now she’s gone eventually leave the band, nuts for Mugabe”. IN THEIR OWN partly because of drug WORDS issues, is slumped on some “I fell in love with the “I remember ‘Spread Your steps alone while the other sweet sensation/ Love’ coming directly out of two look away from him. I gave my love to the ashes of ‘Down Here’, an a simple chord” – old B-side which we played FIVE FACTS ‘Whatever Happened live a lot. At one show I just The album’s biggest hit, To My Rock’N’Roll didn’t stop playing bass at THIS WEEK... 1 ‘Spread Your Love’, has (Punk Song)’ the end of ‘Down Here’ after been used in ads for vodka This straightforward tribute the song had ended, because and a Vegas hotel and also to the redemptive power it felt so damn good. Peter Black Rebel featured in the Vin Diesel of took a turn and Nick looked across at film A Man Apart. for the ironic on later tours, me like I was a total spaz, Five of the songs were when Nick Jago fell in love but then Nick just kicked in 2 taken directly from the with a different sort of on that big-ass shuffle beat 17 Motorcycle band’s original full-length sweet sensation and hurtled and the next thing we knew, demo album, of which they’d towards rehab. ‘Spread Your Love’ was alive.” pressed up 500 copies. Robert Levon Been, 2013 Club – BRMC The band name and WHAT WE SAID THEN 3 title came from 1953 “BRMC… are almost THE AFTERMATH The West Coast THE BACKGROUND film The Wild One, being an mathematically cool; After a presentable second trio’s debut In 2001, New York was appropriation of the name of engineered by scientists album, ‘Take Them On, On roaring. Basement bars Marlon Brando’s biker gang. for optimum cult appeal Your Own’, in 2003, issues album first bristled with The album was recorded and smoulderability. They began to arise: Jago started appeared 15 (The Strokes, Yeah Yeah 4 in virtual seclusion, the are the rightful heirs of the acting erratically, accepting Yeahs), punk- (The band self-producing the Enigmatic And Vaguely an NME Award with nine years ago – Rapture, Radio 4) and record in their home studio Dangerous-Looking Men minutes of silence; Hayes and they would gothic indie (Interpol). and at Sound City in LA. In Black crown and each stormed out of a Over on the West Coast, The album’s sound was generation can have only signing session when he was never better its however, only San 5 influenced by Peter and one.” Mark Beaumont, 8/10 asked to sign an inflatable pounding update Francisco’s Black Rebel Robert going to see shows penis; Virgin dropped them; Motorcycle Club were by The Brian Jonestown WHAT WE SAY NOW and Jago quit. Yet BRMC of psych rock making any serious noise. Massacre and ‘BRMC’ arrived like a bolt soldiered on, dabbling with The band was formed in together. The BJM show was from the black, grinding folk on third album ‘Howl’ in 1998 by high-school friends at a house party that got with grotty/ 2005. Seven albums in, they Robert Levon Been (bass) raided by police. credibility. Along with The still command a dedicated, and ex-Brian Jonestown Strokes’ ‘Is This It’ and other dark-hearted following. Massacre guitarist Peter LYRIC ANALYSIS Hayes – both surgically “I wouldn’t come attached to their leather back if I’d have been ► jackets and in thrall to psych Jesus/I’m the kind of ►RECORDED 2000 ►RELEASE DATE April 3, 2001 (US); January 21, rock, The Jesus And Mary guy who leaves the 2002 (UK) ►LENGTH 57:08 ►PRODUCERS BRMC ►STUDIO Sound Chain, Sonic and Led scene of the crime” City, LA; home studio ►HIGHEST UK CHART POSITION 25 ►UK Zeppelin – and completed – ‘White Palms’ SALES 100,000 ►SINGLES Red Eyes And Tears, Rifles, Whatever by Devon-born drummer BRMC’s sonic debt to The Happened To My Rock’N’Roll (Punk Song), Love Burns, Spread Nick Jago, whose parents Jesus And Mary Chain was Your Love ►TRACKLISTING ►1. Love Burns ►2. Red Eyes And Tears had moved to California. The bolstered by lyrics like these, ►3. Whatever Happened To My Rock’N’Roll (Punk Song) ►4. Awake dark, revival-rock vision on lashing religious imagery to ►5. White Palms ►6. As Sure As ►7. Rifles ►8. Too Real their demo tape caused a nefarious modern goings-on ►9. Spread Your Love ►10. Head Up High ►11. Salvation label bidding war. in the same way that the WORDS: MARK BEAUMONT PHOTO: HAMISH BROWN HAMISH BROWN PHOTO: WORDS: MARK BEAUMONT

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS ACE OF BASEMENT When a selection of artists hunkered down for the NME Basement Sessions, the results

18 were intimate and unexpected

ver the last six months, NME has teamed up with Dead Crow Spirit FlavouredO Beers to bring some of music’s most exciting acts to play intimate and exclusive sessions in the megastar, who covered NME basement. Each artist Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped played one of their own tracks Box’, while singer-songwriter plus a cover of a song you and 2014 might not immediately expect nominee Nick Mulvey and the them to choose to tackle. ethereal, haunting Zola Jesus ►Drew McConnell Much like Dead Crow’s also stopped by. Glaswegian Helsinki Rum and Bourbon flavoured beers, the rockers Twin Atlantic tackled James Bay’s “We chose to combinations were intriguing and refreshing. hit single ‘Hold Back The River’ with aplomb cover ‘Video First up was Kiesza, now a chart-topping and, most recently, Domino-signed Games’ because it’s a genius pop quartet The Bohicas added a suave song. The dark touch to Kelis’ ‘Rumble’. Helsinki – subtext in the lyrics, the The Bohicas cover aka ’ Drew McConnell absence of drums and the Kelis in the – meanwhile, popped in to give odd time signature in the NME basement Lana Del Rey’s ‘Video Games’ a verse all mean it really stunning makeover. shouldn’t have been as massive a hit as it was.”

►If you weren’t lucky enough ◄ WIN TICKETS! to be one of the chosen few Head to NME.COM/win now for your to witness these spectacular chance to win a pair of tickets to The sessions in the flesh, don’t Bohicas’ headline gig at London’s Oslo on worry. Videos of all the June 4. Runners-up will receive a Dead performances are available to Crow Basement Sessions goody bag watch at NME.COM/video. (entrants must be aged 18 and over). JORDAN HUGHES, STEPHANIE FALKINER, DEAN CHALKLEY FALKINER, HUGHES, STEPHANIE JORDAN

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 PROMOTION Twin Atlantic were part of the NME Basement Sessions supported by Dead Crow

◄ Sam McTrusty Twin Atlantic “The Dead Crow session was a pretty cool set-up – we tend to talk to fans after every show we do, but this time was really nice because it felt even more natural as it was quite a small room. We covered James Bay’s ‘Hold Back The River’ because I’d heard the song a couple of days previously and Royal Blood storm thought it was a great song. through ‘Figure It Out’ That’s what drives our band at the NME Awards 2015 – songwriting – so I always feel like I learn something when I cover a great song.” t the NME Awards 2015 with Austin, , Dead Crow were not only ▼ WIN A BASS! the official beer sponsor of the Want to get your hands event, they supported the award for on a Gretsch bass 19 BestA Live Band, too. Nominees for the prize signed by 2015’s Best included Arctic Monkeys, Fat White Family, Live Band themselves, Foo Fighters, Kasabian and The Libertines. Royal Blood? Follow and tweet @deadcrowbeer In the end, NME readers voted the #DeadcrowBASS and it gargantuan-riffing and meteorically rising could be yours (entrants Royal Blood to be crowned winners. The must be aged 18 Brighton duo performed on the night, and over). deploying a thunderous version of ‘Figure It ►For full T&Cs Out’ to back up their victory. visit NME. Dead Crow Rum and Bourbon flavoured COM/win. beers were also a winner with the bands and celebrities in attendance. What’s more, Dead Crow gave some lucky fans the chance to experience all the rock’n’roll action for themselves, sending a host of competition Helsinki take on winners down to the star-studded night, which saw the likes of The Libertines, footballer Lana Del Rey’s Peter Crouch, model Abbey Clancy, rock ‘Video Games’ legend and Suede all enjoying proceedings at the O2 Academy Brixton.

“I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I LEARN SOMETHING WHEN I COVER A GREAT SONG” Sam McTrusty TWIN ATLANTIC Stars including Kasabian, Royal Blood and Peter Crouch came out to party in Brixton

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS TOP 40 ALBUMS APRIL 26, 2015 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Bring it on, motherfuckers. Let’s see who blinks first” NEW Alabama01 Shakes ’ Lauren Mayberry hits out at online trolls who continue to abuse her Sound And Color ROUGH TRADE The Deep South four-piece add kaleidoscopic touches to the earthiness of their 2012 debut with this follow- THE NUMBERS up, which takes the Number One spot this week. ■2 Puzzle 14TH FLOOR 3.72 million ▲3 Carrie & Lowell Sufjan Stevens ASTHMATIC KITTY £1bn ▼4 TheHolyBible20Manic Street Preachers COLUMBIA Amount contributed to the ▲5 SometimesISitAndThink,AndSometimesIJustSit Number of times Wiz Khalifa’s HOUSE ANXIETY UK economy in the past five ‘See You Again’ was streamed years by independent music ▲6 Join Hands Siouxsie & The Banshees POLYDOR in a week, breaking the UK’s Edge Of The Sun Calexico CITY SLANG festivals, according to a new ▲7 all-time streaming record & The BBC Philharmonic John Grant BELLA UNION study by the Association of ▼8 NEW Pills ’N’ Thrills And Bellyaches Happy Mondays RHINO Independent Festivals 9 NEW 10 Get Behind Me Satan THIRD MAN NEW 11 Stages Josh Groban REPRISE NEW 12 Chasing Yesterday NoelGallagher’sHighFlyingBirds 250 12 SOUR MASH ▼13 1966 David Bowie SANCTUARY Number of unused riffs on Number of minutes it took ▲14 Remixes Erasure MUTE the phone Metallica’s Kirk Glastonbury resale tickets ▲15Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake Small Faces CHARLY Hammett lost recently to sell out ▼16 Spunk CASTLE MUSIC NEW 17 Vulnicura Björk ONE LITTLE INDIAN 20 ▼18NeverMindTheBollocks,Here’sThe…Sex Pistols UMC ▲19Darling Arithmetic Villagers DOMINO RECORDINGS WHO THE + GOOD WEEK + IN BRIEF NEW 20 Laura Marling VIRGIN ■21Don’t Stand Me Down UMC/VIRGIN FUCK IS… Rap the vote NEW 22 The Ultimate Collection Paul Simon CG Waka Flocka Flame has ▲23Celebrate: Live From The SSE Hydro Simple Minds DEMON announced that he is running ▲24The Day Is My Enemy The Prodigy for president of the United NEW 25 Box Set Red House Painters BEGGARS BANQUET Bonxie Stornoway States. The rapper promises ▼26 Karen O ▼27Strange Days The Doors ELEKTRA/RHINO to legalise marijuana, raise ▼28Psychocandy – 30th Anniversary Live The Jesus & The Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer the minimum wage and Mary Chain DEMON is pregnant with her first impose harsh restrictions NEW 29 SonicSoulSurferSeasick Steve CAROLINE/THERE’S A DEAD SKUNK child. The frontwoman, on people with big feet. NEW 30 In The Lonely Hour Sam Smith CAPITOL NEW ChaosAndTheCalmJames Bay REPUBLIC who is married to director 31 NEW 32 The Race For Space Public Service Broadcasting Barnaby Clay, showed off Betterthanawave TEST CARD RECORDINGS Brandon her bump while performing Jay Z and Jack White are NEW 33 Asunder Sweet And Other Distress Godspeed! You at this year’s Rock And Roll personally calling Tidal Black Emperor CONSTELLATION Kleinman Hall Of Fame ceremony subscribers to thank them for NEW 34 X ASYLUM ▲35Live At The Bridgewater Hall The Airbnb user renting in Cleveland. their support of SHOALS out the Fairfax, Los Angeles the streaming Wanted On Voyage George Ezra COLUMBIA ►Find these ▼36 flat where Kurt Cobain and service. This ▼37My Squelchy Life ALL SAINTS - BAD WEEK - stories and once lived. might be easier ▼38Extended Bee Gees RHINO more on Cost: £720 a week or £200 than imagined, NEW 39 Eels EWORKS NME.COM NEW TheFrenchEPsSmall Faces DECCA POP a night. given that the 40 The compiles the Official Record Store Chart from sales When did they live app has slipped through 100 of the UK’s best independent record shops from Sunday to Sunday. there? out of the UK’s Top 500 From 1991-92. They moved download chart. THIS WEEK out after a bathtub leak Madonna TOP NOTORIOUS damaged guitars, journals Madonna ran into more On track OF THE AARDVARK and artwork. trouble on Instagram after Michael Eavis has had SHOPS DONCASTER How does Kleinman posting a picture of Margaret a high-speed train – which describe it? Thatcher and then deleting it. will run between London FOUNDED 2014 WHY IT’S GREAT They host Under Any damage from the The caption read: “If you just and South Wales and the T’Vark sessions for local musicians. bathroom leak has been set out to be liked, you will south-west – named after TOPSELLERLASTWEEK‘Bluesy’ fixed and the tub remains. be prepared to compromise him. The Glastonbury Steve Keeton – ‘God Rest These Guts’ “I’ve been told that he wrote on anything at anytime, and major-domo becomes the THEY SAY “Wearetheonlyoutlet ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ in that would achieve nothing.” first living person to receive in town stocking local music under bathtub,” he adds. such an honour. one roof.” NEWSDESK COMPILED BY DAVID RENSHAW PHOTOS: CORBIS, JENN FIVE, JOHN DEE PHOTOS: RENSHAW DAVID NEWSDESK COMPILED BY NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 Simon & Garfunkel Frozen’s Elsa

Something about ‘19th THE SONG I WISH Nervous Breakdown’ – I HAD WRITTEN maybe the overloaded guitar ‘Jealous Guy’ and bass riffs – got me really – excited and made me feel “It’s got such a great melody, like I needed to make and the words to this are records. That, and the him at his very best, whole Beatles catalogue.” admitting all of his failings and coming across so THE SONG I CAN NO sincere, but never corny.” LONGER LISTEN TO None THE SONG THAT “I never rule anything out!” REMINDS ME OF FORMING RIDE THE SONG THAT ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ MAKES ME WANT – Iggy & TO DANCE “It was the first song we ever ‘Rez’ – Underworld jammed and it always “‘Rez’ tends to unleash the reminds me of the early Ride horrific phenomenon of me sound as that album was one hitting the dancefloor. For of our big early influences.” me, ‘dancing’ consists of sticking both my hands in THE SONG THAT the air and nodding my head, REMINDS ME Andy Bell doing the bass face. It never OF lasts long because I have the ‘Fearless’ – kind of mates that don’t like “I associate the Pink Floyd 21 Ride guitarist to see friends lose their album ‘Meddle’ very much THE FIRST SONG I It’s actually a great record. dignity, so the shepherd’s with Oxford, and if I had to REMEMBER HEARING It has some of their best hook always comes out.” pick a song from it, it would ‘I Love You Because’ songs on – from hit singles be ‘Fearless’. Something – Jim Reeves like ‘Sunday Girl’ and ‘Heart THE SONG I DO about this very easy-going, “That song ‘I Love You Of Glass’ to the apocalyptic AT KARAOKE lazy era of Pink Floyd music Because’, maybe. It’s by ‘11:59’, which frankly scared ‘Know How’ is very Oxford.” Jim Reeves. He was a me! I was only very young – Young MC deep-voiced country singer, though. I think it cost about “I used to be able to do the THE SONG THAT something like Johnny three quid, but I needed to whole of this when I was I CAN’T LIVE Cash-lite I think. I remember save up for quite a while to younger. I’ve never done WITHOUT ON my dad singing it to my get it as I remember. Worth karaoke, but if I did I think I THE ROAD mum, fooling about, trying every penny.” would like to give this a go.” ‘Fyt’ – This Mortal Coil to get the low notes. Quite “This is Ride’s original intro romantic really.” music. We pulled it out for “WHEN I WAS ABOUT the Oxford comeback show THE FIRST SONG I last month and it sounded FELL IN LOVE WITH huge. So we will definitely be ‘The Only Living NINE I WAS SO IN LOVE using this on the upcoming Boy In New York’ – UK tour at the end of May Simon & Garfunkel WITH ” – it’s going to be cool “My parents played the hearing it blasting out of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ THE SONG THAT THE SONG I big PA systems again.” album a lot in the house, and MADE ME WANT TO CAN’T GET OUT I really loved it, but this song BE IN A BAND OF MY HEAD THE SONG I WANT almost always used to put ‘19th Nervous The Frozen PLAYED AT MY me in a trance.” Breakdown’ – soundtrack FUNERAL “All of it, every track. I have ‘Tomorrow Never THE FIRST ALBUM “While my folks were out at a three-year-old daughter, Knows’ – The Beatles I EVER BOUGHT church on Sunday mornings, and this means that it’s “They remain the ultimate ‘’ I used to stay home playing necessary for songs from band, and this song is all – Blondie The Rolling Stones’ ‘Big Hits the film Frozen to be coming about merging with the Blondie’s “When I was about nine I was (High Tide And Green from at least two sources infinite, which is what Debbie Harry so in love with Debbie Harry. Grass)’ album very loud on in the house at all times of I expect to be doing

AS TOLD TO STUART HUGGETT PHOTOS: WUNMI ONIBUDO, CORBIS WUNMI ONIBUDO, HUGGETT PHOTOS: STUART TO AS TOLD I played that album to death. the family radiogram. the day.” around that time.”

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS ► L I S T E N N O W NME.COM/ NEWMUSIC

NEW ACT OF THE WEEK

22

The Big Moon

Wide-eyed Londoners channelling of indie’s new breed. “I went to see Palma Violets and ► I wanted to be in a band like them, in a gang,” she ►BASED London the spirit of indie’s finest explains. “And then I saw Fat White Family and I just ►FOR FANS OF Palma Violets, went home and started writing songs. It made me feel like I could do it and I wanted this for myself.” ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ t was definitely more important to have the right Soph, Celia and Fern came into the mix via comoonicate people in the band than the right musicians,” says friends (all three were given the thumbs up based on ►BUY IT ‘Sucker’ is released Juliette Jackson (above, left) – lynchpin and leader immediate chemistry before barely playing a note) and through Hard Up Records of London’s most exciting new quartet, The Big the band moved into a tiny rehearsal room in London’s on June 15 Moon (formerly The Moon). “You can just Stoke Newington that Celia describes as “lots I ►SEE THEM LIVE The band are tell when you’re gonna be friends with people.” ▼ of Doritos Chilli Heatwave in a tiny cube full of on a co-headline tour with Yak ON This sense of togetherness is the spark that ants”. It was there that they began to work on from April 30 to May 13 NME.COM/ ignites the band – completed by Soph Nathan Jackson’s bank of material. ► The NEWMUSIC BELIEVE IT OR NOT (guitar, vocals), Celia Archer (bass, vocals) ‘Eureka Moment’ – an intensely stirring Big Moon’s pre-gig ritual is NOW and Fern Ford (drums) – and is remarkable stop-start rattle that’s earned them typically endearing. Says Soph: Stream considering the girls have only known each ► comparisons to everyone from PJ Harvey to “We hug before a gig and say, ‘Sucker’ other for a year. A four-headed beast of The Slits – is the first taste, while debut single ‘Well done, good luck, I love you’ tight harmonies, guitar interplay and wired, ‘Sucker’ is out in June. – even though we haven’t done exuberant energy on stage, the group come across “The first time we played together I cried because anything yet” as more of a breezy, Runaways-esque girl gang than I’d wanted a band for so long, and I’d finally found a songwriter and her backing band, although The the right people,” Juliette smiles. “These guys think Big Moon did originate with just Jackson and some I’m an emotional volcano, but I just don’t care about aspirational dreams. other things as much as this.” Start the countdown Jackson says she had all but renounced music until now – The Big Moon are readying to shoot for the stars. she found herself re-enthused by the fieriest factions ■ LISA WRIGHT CANDICE JOELLE CANDICE NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 MORE NEW MUSIC

Honey Moon With their (trucker) caps doffed Mac DeMarco’s way, Londoners Honey Moon only put their first track ‘Sunshine’ online in January, but it earned them a slot supporting fellow buzz act Beach Baby at their debut London show. There, they proved they’ve got much to offer – appropriating Mac’s knack for blessed-out lo-fi rather well indeed. ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ honeymoonuk ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. com/honeymoonuk Honey Moon Naked It speaks volumes for Naked’s potential that electro label LuckyMe have stepped outside their usual remit to sign the Edinburgh-based ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ trio. Naked’s new ‘Youth sallydige Swedish Death Candy Mode’ EP is a hypntoic ►HEAR HER soundcloud. mixture of glassy beats and com/sally-dige This hectic psych band thick, beautiful melodies will pack a punch when BUZZ BAND reminiscent of Björk. OF THE WEEK they perform in London ►SOCIAL twitter.com/___ this month in support of 23 naked Coneheads Ty Segall-tipped stoner ►HEAR THEM nake.dk Set to break out from north- rockers Wand. The band’s west Indiana’s thriving EP, ‘So Long And Farewell…’, Show Me The Body punk scene, Coneheads is a colourful explosion of This New York hardcore are voraciously prolific yet blistering solos and hard- act are maybe the only tantalisingly secretive. With Wild Beasts’ more tender rock riffs, which evokes band in the world who play a sound that gets likened to moments while vocally also head-banging greats such banjo and hang out with a sped-up , their best recovering a little of Jeff as Dead Meadow’s ‘Sleepy rap collective Ratking. Wiki material – such as 2014’s Buckley’s lost magic. Silver Door’ and (seriously) Coneheads of that group pops up on ‘Canadian Cone’ tape – is as ►SOCIAL annabsavage. Ocean Colour Scene’s killer track ‘Vernon’, while thrilling as anything we’ve tumblr.com ‘Riverboat Song’. Wig out. the gorily titled ‘Bone Soup’ heard from the States in the ►HEAR HER soundcloud. ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ can be heard online. The past 12 months. Highlights com/annabsavage swedishdeathcandy band’s chest-crushing debut include the Stooges-esque ►HEAR THEM swedishdeath album, also called ‘Bone ‘Way Things Am’ and their EZTV candy.bandcamp.com Soup’, is out now. weirdo cover of Talking EZTV’s latest track ‘Dust In ►SEE THEM LIVE London Old ►SOCIAL twitter.com/show_ Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’. The Sky’ tactfully combines Blue Last (May 24) → methe_body ►HEAR THEM sudsdenim. the guitar work of Television ►HEAR THEM blogspot.co.uk with the melodic sensibility showmethebody.com of The Beatles and laces it BAND Anna B Savage with back-porch Americana. Sally Dige This eclectic singer- If that sounds like a tasty set CRUSH Canadian darkwave artist songwriter has been of references, their earlier Sally Dige releases her first supporting the likes of Ryley demo ‘Calling Out’ also has Kristian Bell album, ‘Hard To Please’, Walker and Of Montreal a touch of the Pixies about vua Night School Records recently, while also loosely it. The instensely melodic The Wytches on May 11. It’s a compelling being part of the same and upbeat approach they affair that sees the Berlin- scene that spawned Brit take belies their based musician deliver on punks Bad Breeding. Her background. Broadbay the promise of the few tracks songs, recorded with ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ “Broadbay are a three-piece, originally from she’s released since debuting upstate New Yorker DM eztveeee Northampton but they now live in Brighton. They’re in 2011. Here’s hoping live Stith, are spine-tinglingly ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. doing a grunge-punk thing, with a bit of Dinosaur Jr dates are incoming. icy affairs, reminiscent of com/eztv poppiness to it. They’re really great.” ANDY HUGHES, NIRALEE MEDHA ANDY ►For daily new music recommendations and exclusive tracks and videos go to NME.COM/NEWMUSIC

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS Nicky Blitz

Nicky Blitz LA enigma Nicky comes from Miami’s 10K Islands stable, and his debut EP solo album, ‘Anima’. The LP ‘Hawk’ veers from off-kilter features an urgent mix of pop (‘Alive’) to the kind of pop, R&B and electro that fare that pre-Killers synth is beautifully bound by her kings Stellastarr once melancholic voice. It’s due seemed destined to rule the out Tricky’s False Idols label world with (‘Hawk’). on June 1. ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ ►HEAR HER soundcloud.com/ nickyblitz francesca-belmonte-music ►HEAR HIM soundcloud.com/ ►SOCIAL twitter.com/ nickyblitz frankybelmonte and dotty vocals, such as The Britanys Soft Lit on the playful single ‘Friend ‘Want To Be’, by fuzzy New One of the highlights City’ and percussion-fuelled York upstarts The Britanys, from the ever-dependable ‘Actually’. With flutes and gets straight to the point, Godmode Records, Soft Lit’s other fairylike sounds sounding like something latest track ‘I Can’t Help floating over these earthy The Strokes might have It’ takes a healthy dose of compositions, there’s plenty wandered into in the early Shamir, throws in a chorus to be enchanted by. noughties. A Super-8- the size of Manhattan ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ indebted mesh of rooftops, and reaps the benefits roziplain guitar-stuffed apartments, of kicking off the label’s ►HEAR HER soundcloud. Converse and tight jackets, latest (excellent) mixtape, com/lostmap it’s backed up by a track ‘American Music’. NYC’s ►SEE HER LIVE London 24 that recalls the aloofness of sounding vibrant. Lexington (May 5), Girls’ and ’ ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. outfit’s new EP ‘Arrive Alone, Wakefield Long Division earliest releases. com/godmodeinternet Soft Lit Leave Alone’ is out April 27 Festival (June 13) ► facebook.com/ via Tri-Tone. SOCIAL Girl Friend Slime thebritanys ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. Soaring synths help to com/girlfriendmusic Innovative south-east com/thebritanys shape Girl Friend’s disco- ►SOCIAL twitter.com/ London electronic artist tinged pop. On ‘Monte girlfriendmcr Will Archer recently signed Francesca Belmonte Carlo’, frontman Amory’s with Domino imprint Weird Having earned her chops silky vocals have a suave Rozi Plain World, having spent several as a collaborator/protégée presence, matching the When she’s not a touring years stockpiling over of trip-hop kingpin Tricky, glamour achieved in the musician in This Is The Kit, 400 finished tracks. ‘My Londoner Francesca whirlwind electronics and Rozi Plain’s hard at work Company’ is his first single Belmonte releases her debut glossy riffs. The Manchester with her own brand of with the label, taken from uplifting folk music. Third that elusive collection. It LP ‘Friend’ (out May 4) is takes inspiration from the full of dancing basslines mechanical sounds of his

NEWS ROUND UP

NEW LYF FOR SUNFLOWER GENGAHR’S HONNE DO PINK TEENS SPRING DEBUT DETAILS DARONDO Former Wu Lyf bassist Brooklyn trio Sunflower Sunflower Bean With their Coxon-like new Fresh from supporting , Tom McClung has joined Bean have been added track ‘Heroine’ going online electronic duo Honne have Manchester hopefuls to NME’s showcases at earlier this month, Gengahr unveiled their reworking Pink Teens. The band, who Brighton’s Great Escape, Gengahr have announced details of of cult San Francisco soul also feature fellow Class after wowing us at SXSW. their debut album. Called legend Darondo’s 1973 disco of 2010 man Alex Hewett The band will play the ‘A Dream Outside’, the classic, ‘Didn’t I’. Taken from (formerly of Egyptian Corn Exchange at 10.15pm LP is out on June 15 via the ‘Coastal Love’ EP, which Hip Hop), are due to make on May 15, supporting Transgressive. Before then is out Monday (May 4) via their live debut this week DMA’s and Django Django. the band are set to head Tatemae Recordings, the at London’s Old Blue Last They also play London’s out on the road with The track is given a suitably venue on May 1. Lexington on May 12. Maccabees this May. Balearic sprucing up.

►For daily new music recommendations and exclusive tracks and videos go to NME.COM/NEWMUSIC PHOTOS: NICK POMEROY, JASON ROWE, JORDAN HUGHES, JENN FIVE, DORJE DE BURGH HUGHES, JENN FIVE, DORJE ROWE, JORDAN JASON NICK POMEROY, PHOTOS: BUZZ WORDS: MATT , DAVID RENSHAW, SAM LAVAN, TIM HAKKI, JAMES BENTLEY, HAYLEY FOX FOX HAYLEY BENTLEY, TIM HAKKI, JAMES LAVAN, SAM RENSHAW, WILKINSON, DAVID BUZZ WORDS: MATT NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 ►HEAR HIM soundcloud. com/thomston NEW ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ thomstonmusic SOUNDS Slime Breeze FROM They may be late to the WAY OU T B-town party, but Breeze are a worthy addition to Birmingham’s effervescent music scene. ‘Dalliance’ is full of youthful exuberance, This week’s columnist while ‘Sellotape’ features twinkling arpeggios and DARA heartfelt hooks. The band’s father’s coffee factory, with dreamy sound will be a KIELY soulful vocals, skewed beats welcome addition to the Dot Girl Band and gentle synth samples To Dot Festival line-up. creating a soundscape that ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ recalls . breezebanduk CRAIC TO THE FUTURE ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. slimemusic com/breezeband We’ve been a part of the Irish independent music scene ►HEAR HIM soundcloud.com/ ►SEE THEM LIVE Manchester in some shape or form since we were about 15 years slime-music Dot To Dot Festival (May 22) old, and I think I can relate to it more so now than ever before. Small indie labels are popping up everywhere. Thomston Junk From the pretty pop-tastical Popical Island collective Thomston is 19-year-old This York-based trio “blend to the jazz-indie-inspired Trout Records, it’s a lovely Thomas Stoneman, a male/female vocals à la The thing to witness. Everyone having access to any track London-born, New Zealand- Pastels with the Big Muff in the world in a matter of moments has inspired some raised artist, who releases moments of Dinosaur Jr”. unique sounds. There seems to be no single influence his new EP ‘Backbone’ on Scrappy guitars are in order on this generation of bands and it is easy to develop May 4. Brooding, minimalist on ‘Dirt In My Eye’, a song a personal microcosm and avoid what you don’t like, production drives new single brimming with effortless however how much coverage it receives. That seems to ‘Grey’ in a similar style to “doo-doo-doo” refrains. Last be the plan – hopefully. Sohn, while lyrically it delves year the band contributed to Which brings me to Tongue Bundle. Thar be into friends being pushed Art Is Hard’s ‘20 Years Since: evidence of no wave, and they’re obviously big apart because of their Crooked Rain, Crooked James Chance fans, which is cool and apparent. 25 individual ambitions. Rain’ cassette compilation, Their Sun Ra-inspired noise shines over the shadows covering Pavement’s of their influences. They are kin to the contemporary ‘Silence Kit’. nature of Kendrick Lamar’s recent belter ‘For Free?’ ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ (minus the sass). When I saw them in The Bernard junkyork Shaw venue in Dublin last week the Batistuta-ian LABEL OF ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. trumpet player was sporting an Argentina com/junkbandyork jersey. Class act! THE WEEK ►SEE THEM LIVE Manchester Paddy Hanna’s a good guy. I was really into Sounds From The Other Scott Walker around the time I saw Paddy play Club AC30 City Festival (May 3), York first. The haunted ghosts of ‘Scott 4’ linger in his Paddy Hann Fulford Arms (24) playing. I’d really love him to do a cover of ‘Duchess’ or something. The songs share a similar gallop to Fruit Bomb Parquet Courts or Modern Lovers. He’s got a wide- Those who like their thrills ranging music knowledge and is humbly opinionated short, sharp and fast will in his manner. A true gent with a love Manchester’s Fruit “The haunted unique sense of humour, which is ►FOUNDED 2003 Bomb. Musically, they’re the really needed at the moment. ►BASED London grandsons of the ; ghosts of ‘Scott A guy called Ian Maleney used ►KEY RELEASES lyrically, they’re the quick- to run a label called Quarter Inch Ringo Deathstarr – witted mockers of the blog 4’lingerinPaddy Collective and he’d issue an annual ‘Colour Trip’ (2011), The generation. It’s all there Hanna’s playing” mix cassette with Irish bands Megaphonic Thrift – in their debut ‘Normcore covering a track that was released ‘Decay Decoy’ (2011), Girlfriend’–arollicking within the year. We did it twice, and that’s how I came Taffy – ‘Caramel Sunset’ track of compact guitar-pop across the next act I want to talk about, Simon Bird. (2012) perfection. A four-way split I was paying more attention to and electronic ►RADAR SAYS Specialists 12-inch with Living Hour, music; bands like Neu!, Faust and Can were really in sourcing fine Abattoir Blues and Bruising catching my eye. Simon seemed to channel those acts from around the is worth seeking out. influences in a contemporary and noisy manner. world, Club AC30’s output ►SOCIAL facebook.com/ He showed me bands like Melt Banana, which makes is as solid as any indie fruitbombbaby total sense to his vibe. His first album, ‘Sport’, is a label gets. Their club ►HEAR THEM soundcloud. mindfuck and a lot of craic. nights aren’t bad either. com/fruit-bomb Next week:

►For daily new music recommendations and exclusive tracks and videos go to NME.COM/NEWMUSIC

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS The

26

par THE PRODIGY

nasty

Politics? Boring. ? Eatingitself.Heritageacts? Embarrassing.Withahit newalbumandasearinglive showabouttohittheUK, The Prodigy are gnarlier than ever,findsGavinHaynes ty PHOTOS: ED MILES

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS visible. But if he’d blacked out after one Look... too many DMT hits in 1992, it wouldn’t be immediately obvious in 2015 he was If you ask for the angry, shouty, gurney man, watching the same band. you’re probably not going to get him.” It’s unsurprising that The Prodigy have It’s mid-April 2015, and round the back of made their live show the heart of what they the Zenith concert hall in Paris, is do. They’re brutal onstage, and unlike most having his picture taken. He’s been asked to long-in-the-tooth acts, they still love doing look, well, Keith Flint-y. it. It’s the albums thing – the perfectionism “I’m sorry, I’m not a performing monkey,” he thing – that has become the bottleneck in their says. The rest of The Prodigy – process. 2009’s ‘’ was famous and , both in shades – giggle a bit. for its elephantine gestation: five years. 2004’s There’s something quite exposed about seeing ‘Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned’ took Keith in full warpaint in broad daylight – like even longer – a shoot-the-A&R-now seven years seeing an armadillo without its shell. – while ‘’ clocked in at Earlier, a bloke from Spiral Tribe – a a decently decadent six years. collective responsible for free in the ’90s – passed through the park just beyond A pattern of ordeal has been the venue. He heard two guys talking English, established that habitually includes a group of asked them what they were doing there, and scrapped tracks, tensions between Liam and found out they were roadies for The Prodigy. Keith, and a moment where it looks like they “The Prodigy!” he said. “I haven’t seen them might just junk what they’ve got and split up. since 1992!” Somehow, this led to this guy, Pinned between Liam’s intolerance of things Kevin, being given a triple-A backstage pass, that don’t have ‘the right vibe’ and Keith’s which has in turn led to him claiming that impatience with Liam’s glacial work rate, it’s he was on the cover of NME in the early Maxim who, historically, ends up playing the ’90s – holding up a sign bearing the initials conciliator. ‘DMT’, shorthand for the psychedelic drug “There was a stage in August last year when N,N-Dimethyltryptamine. He then tells us it totally fell apart,” Liam says, sat on a stool 28 about the time he took DMT “in the minus-40 in his studio one week before the Zenith show. Berlin winter. I took off all my clothes and ran “We were wondering if it would ever happen. It around in the snow…” felt like a low point – I didn’t think I was really Hard to know what Kevin is going to make getting it together quick enough…” of it tonight when, two hours later, Keith and This time out, there are two albums buried Maxim arrive onstage to cosh 5,000 Parisian fans over the head with 1996 UK Number One ‘Breathe’ and recent single ‘Nasty’. The breakbeats don’t “Dance music will kill itself, skitter, they tumble like anvils. The synths don’t fizz; they acid-bath. You can to it, sure. Up in the because there’s not cheap seats, a couple are moving in sync. He has his shirt off, she’s enough creativity going on. down to her bra, and they both have the animal hips, inhuman biceps and automaton expressions It’s become so attached of professional podium dancers as they piston through ‘Rebel Radio’ off their new record ‘The Day Is My to the pop sound now” Enemy’. But the overall atmosphere here isn’t the palms-in-the-air church of the rave. It’s the angry fist-pump Liam Howlett of something between a Miami Dolphins game and a riot. in the rubble under the ‘The Day Is My Enemy’. They’ve been on the road to becoming this One was meant to called ‘Rebel Radio’. The thing for a long time. The new album feels like other was supposed to be ‘How To Steal A a transformation being completed, like the first Jetfighter’, and involved five songs that the Prodigy LP actively designed to complement band had hawked around live in 2012, on the live show that has become the centre of the final leg of the ‘Invaders Tour’, including gravity for who they are. It’s angry, it’s nasty ‘AWOL’, the one track that Liam says he’s still and it’s defiantly ugly – a blunderbuss full of working to finish, pitched somewhere between rusty hypodermics shot into the arse of the the psycho- of Kevin Shields-era Primal charts when it hit Number One last month. Scream and a fat child full of Monster energy As they clatter towards the maw of a closing drink jumping on you in a playground. ‘Take Me To The Hospital’ (from 2009), Kev “It’s like…” Keith explains, “we lead The Raver’s bald pate isn’t immediately separate lives. I’m in Essex, he’s in London.

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 THE PRODIGY

Keith and The Prodigy (l-r): Keith Flint, Liam You want to phone up Liam on… Liam’s a man who reaches Howlett and Maxim your buddy and have a reflexively for the term chat, but you also want …BDSM ‘real’, and that’s how to ask about the album. Keith: “When I used to have the he seems to be setting So… communication heavier look, people used to turn himself up, as though the gets lost somewhere. up with sex swings, invite me to banal white lies of social You stop talking.” parties ’cos they thought I was into pleasantries are fakery and BDSM… But I’m not really. I mean, I’ll It was only when Keith shallow sham. experiment and probably have it with brought in the lyrics anything. Other than men.” He’s in his black bomber for ‘Nasty’ that the new jacket, big sleazy rings on direction dropped into …The Gallaghers his fingers, the same Liam place. “I’d been ranting Liam: “I haven’t spoken to Liam in regulation dyed-out barnet to a friend in a pub about ages. I haven’t seen him in about a he’s been wearing since someone and he said to year. Occasionally you’ll get a text. John Major was in power. me, ‘Oooh, we are Mr Nasty That’s the way it is. Everyone knows, Next to him, Keith Nasty, aren’t we?’ I thought, when things like this happen, some wears a white ‘I’ll have that,’” he says. people go this way, some go that way wife-beater and [Liam Howlett is married to former Not long after, Liam massive skull- All Saint Natalie Appleton; Liam stopped working nine to Gallagher recently divorced her sister, adorned rings. five in the studio, instead Nicole]. But when you’re friends with He sits back in finding his famous ‘vibes’ someone you’ll always be friends with his chair, like a by working right through them. Over the years – the laughs me minor medieval the night. “From then it was and him have had. We never spoke monarch, half easy. It’s just… I was waiting about music, we always just had a Tyrion Lannister, to drop into that mode…” fucking crack. That was that, really. half Richard III. He reckons the resulting I’m with my sister-in-law, supporting Maxim’s not in her, so I’m buzzing off her. I saw Noel 14 tracks are “the best – a family emergency the other day, actually. He was sitting thing we’ve ever done” outside his house, on the wall. I was has meant he’ll only be – something artists often driving through. Said, ‘Oi!’ I always get back in time for the ‘Ibiza’ say when they’re punting on with Noel.” video shoot later in the the latest thing they’ve afternoon, in which the 29 done after a six-year Keith’s racing team trio, plus collaborator absence, yes, but then Keith: “I’m inspired by things like Jason Williamson of most aren’t nearly as [terrifying Isle Of Mann motor race] Sleaford Mods, go postal compulsively bullshit- the TT. Steve Mercer, the TT rider in a travel agent offering phobic as Howlett. who rides for my team, Team Traction package tours to the Control, he lives for this. He is so “It’s so consistent all the Balearic fun factory. punk rock; he does it all with his way through and every own money. He won’t wear a heavily “Me and Liam are track complements the branded jacket, because he doesn’t similar perfectionists, to other. It feels like the sound want to be a showy rider, he wants to be honest,” Keith recounts, of the band. ‘The Fat Of The be the man in the van. He’s more punk digging into an analysis of Land’ [1997’s breakthrough rock than I am.” the troubles. “That’s the smash] had hits, but if you way we are – you either take four tracks off of ‘The do it right or not at all. It Fat Of The Land’, it’s not as strong as this.” just has to be absolutely right. Liam will hate me for saying it, but it’s the perfectionism of The Prodigy’s new studio is in the the true artist. It comes back to the delicate rapidly disappearing patchwork of industrial point… I know Liam can smash it, so I’m truck-hire places and paint warehouses beyond waiting for it. When that track comes through, King’s Cross, just around the corner from north the buzz, the refresh you can get from it… London’s semi-superclub EGG. It’s pretty small, it’s kind of like waiting for a drug. It’s like about the size of a nice bathroom, and loaded waiting for your man. So in the meantime, with noisemakers and kitsch toys: a skull-and- I got stuck into doing my racing. But I need crossbones flag, a Union Jack, a stuffed crow decent interests…” and fox head, plus loads of keyboards and Somewhere in the past five years, while chroma-coloured vintage studio gear. waiting for Liam to get it together, Keith won Keith Flint had arrived first, bouncing into a motorcycling championship. He does a lot of the coffee shop opposite the studio in his mountain biking, too. And he’s recently started trademark long-brimmed flat cap. Liam arrived tearing around the countryside on a horse not long after, but Liam doesn’t bounce. He called Captain Black (“That’s his stable name, rolls. He prowls. He’s 43 now, Keith’s 46, I didn’t choose that”). And, oh yeah, he’s just Maxim 48, but there’s still something very bought a pub in the Essex village of . teenage about his posture, something moody “I need a buzz,” he explains. “I’m not the and too cool for school that you can only really kind of guy who can be sitting around listening maintain for that long if you’re the brains in to , chilling. I’d rather bash my a squillion-selling electro-rock rebel band. head against a wall.”

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS Pivotal Prodge The landmark shows in the dance-rock titans’ career

The Four Aces, Dalston 1992 The first time Liam and Keith met Maxim was an hour before their first live gig. Keith told Liam he had a friend who was “involved in the reggae scene”. The aim was for Liam to scope him out with a meeting at a record store – but he didn’t turn up. Keith: “But then he just turned up an hour before the gig and said, ‘Right, I’m ready to go.’ He went onstage with us and pissed it.” After that night, the band were offered eight weeks’ worth of work, and pretty much didn’t stop touring for the next eight years.

Glastonbury 1995 Keith still had his long hair, the band still If there’s another reason The Prodigy have Hence the return of The Prodigy in an uglier had their ‘Jilted’ chops on – this was the last decided to pull the rock half of their sound and angrier form. It’s a reaction against that stand of Old Prodigy. Keith turning up onstage into sharpest focus – apart from it helping a sort of sanitisation: a turd in the aisles of Cath in a hamster ball was the perfect channelling lot when touring a blistering live act – it’s that Kidston, a horsefucker loose in the Royal of their demented energy. 30 these seminal pioneers have 100 per cent lost Paddock. “We need to stop it before it becomes faith in the power of dance music to inspire. like America,” Liam says, bowing his head. Pionir Hall, Belgrade 1995 Liam’s been vocal lately in pouring cold piss on “I went past – what’s that place in Islington?” At the 10,000-capacity Pionir Hall, The Prodigy were the first international band to return to the likes of Guetta. ‘Ibiza’, of course, disses the Keith says, getting on one, referring to Serbia after the Balkan wars had beaten seven newest generation of USB-stick superstar DJs. something that evades his memory. “And you bells out of the former Yugoslavia. Keith: “We’ve “I definitely don’t listen to , know, it’s a Coffee Nero’s [sic] now. Again, this probably played in four or five actual physical ’cos it’s not good enough any more,” says Liam. is so... I’m far too undereducated to talk on warzones. That’s the exciting thing – we have “It ain’t got anything it could give me.” this, but... everything is going to get shut down total control over what we do live, and we’ll Ironically, this comes when his band, so on that level. Everything will be so sanitised always put on a gig if we can just physically long flatlining in America that they no longer that any form of creativity is going to be in the get there.” bother touring there, are finally being held up hands of the corporate.” as godfathers of EDM, stepfathers of dubstep, That’s part of the weight behind tracks like V festival 1997 ’90s grandaddies to everyone who ever set their the Maxim-led ‘Medicine’ – “A spoonful of Essex local lads, the band’s synths to singe, from Skrillex to Aoki, Chase & sugar just to sweeten the taste, just to keep you shows have always had a boys-done-good Status to . All the while, Liam is out there in your place” – or album closer ‘Wall Of Death’ homecoming vibe to them. By 1997, they’d arrived at peak global superstardom. So many shouting about how flaming shit it all is. – “fuck you and your heart attack”. “It’s like the fans turned up that the show was stopped for 15 “I just listen for production techniques,” he ultimate way of saying ‘we don’t care about minutes to stop the front rows being crushed. says. “Honestly. Dance music will kill itself, your mundane bullshit’,” says Keith. because there’s not enough creativity going on. In their own crabby way, the trio have Milton Keynes Bowl 2010 It’s become so attached to the pop sound now.” returned to oppose the great blanding out, Some 65,000 people went to see Liam, Keith And so, at a moment where ’s the seemingly infinite powers of Cafe Nero- and Maxim at what one of Britain’s biggest-ever stock is as low in the cultural conversation as conversion, the sense that the UK, and London concerts. “Before the gig I was totally relaxed. it’s been in 15 years, the Prodge have swung especially, is turning into one big airport lounge. You can play to that many people at a festival. against the pendulum again. “There’s got to be “I kinda fight for that a bit,” says Keith. But when I got onstage it was a totally different two ends to it,” Liam carps on, getting the tin of “Even if it’s in my head. When we’re on vibe, because they were all here for us. I got baccy back from Keith in their ongoing smoke- the stage and we’re a British band, there’s real emotional. Especially because it wasn’t just off. “Why should DJs represent electronic something like... you feel like you’re one of a bunch of old ravers – it was everybody, man, young and old.” music all the time? I think everything’s been the last surviving untouched entities. And rinsed. Now it’s time for bands to come back. that’s a little bit of the revolution inside When you’ve got skits coming up on Saturday me, knowing that I don’t work for anyone.” Download 2012 The Prodigy had, of course, headlined Night Live. I dunno if you’ve seen that ‘When “We don’t even work for a record big outdoor bashes before, but not does the bass drop…’ thing. It just becomes a company,” says Liam (they haven’t one that’s aimed solely at lovers of joke. It is a fucking joke.” since 2004, releasing the last two metal. This gathering of tribes was Keith: “That’s just the way the world’s records on their own Take Me To The a pivotal moment: a group of ravers going – everything has to be so instantly Hospital imprint via Cooking Vinyl’s gatecrashing the rockers’ party. “Fucking commercial that it kills anything that’s a little distribution network). “There’s no ferocious” is how Howlett described it. bit underground instantly.” one else that can do that any more.”

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 201 THE PRODIGY “I’m not the kind of guy

there, and plug directly into the stuff that who can be sitting around fires you up? “I’m not here to change the world,” he continues, “but I do think while you’re here listening to Joni Mitchell, you should have a bit of passion about life. No-one gives a fuck about anything any more, do they? Everyone just chilling. I’d rather bash my wants to do my job, but I’m lucky – I’m the man who has that job.” head against a wall” Keith seems like the perfect antidote to all the rock star clichés about retreating to the countryside Keith Flint to live in a big white neo-Georgian pile munching cheese and playing croquet. His life of pub ownership and horse riding is not a sort of bucolic respite for a troubled mind – it’s exactly the sort of fodder that makes him who he is. “I don’t need to be ‘cool’,” he rants. “I get all my ‘coolness’ from going onstage. I’ve got the best of both worlds in that way. But I think, too, that the band’s gonna come to an end at some point. And it’s got to be soon. It will end before we want it to because of the realities of age…” It’s hard to see that day coming. In a modern music market that values nostalgia and heritage branding more than ever, they’d own that. After 31 all, “the realities of age” have never Keith Flint and caught up with The Rolling Stones. (opposite) Maxim “But we don’t have any ballads,” at the Paris Zenith, Liam chips in. “There comes a point where you don’t want to be Uncle April 15, 2015 Alan at the wedding reception.” “The people decide when we fuck off,” Keith continues. “But it can’t go on forever.” Keith: “It’s so hard not to sound like an libertarianism and passionate individualism Liam: “We’ll figure it out. We haven’t set old cunt, but in ancient culture you’d learn that in hindsight seems like just the sort of dates. I think this might be the first time we’ve from your elders, wouldn’t you? You’d have thing the rave generation would grow into. talked about it.” something to pass on.” They distrust everyone. They keep talking Is ‘The Day Is My Enemy’ the final mutation? What have you got to pass on then, Keith? about being ‘real’, about ‘authenticity’, If so, then it’s the way we’d all like our 25-year “Herpes.” about ‘the underground’ in a way that a lot careers to go out: slightly too long, a couple of the youth o’ today, with their far more of duffers, but still glowing with menace. The This anger is still an energy that flexible attitude towards their own part in the ravers were the most rebellious generation – stands outside the politics of the day. Ask The construction of their identity, would barely a cynical, mousse-haired sect of disaffected Prodigy about the general election and, like recognise. They’re all about ‘being passionate’. Gen X. So the first ‘heritage act’ rave band so many other folk, their attitude is supreme And they passionately hate lightbulbs. might just take some of that fierce sense of disaffection. “In summary,” says Keith, “they’re “You see,” Keith spits, “they tell you to buy personal independence with them and step all crooks and they’re all liars, and they’re all a low-energy lightbulb.” He curdles his face on a grenade rather than go on and on. For all just people trying to keep their jobs. And, no, into shouty, gurney, angry man. “You have to their Milton Keynes Bowl appearances, for all I wouldn’t vote for any of them.” turn your lights on on Tuesday to see what you the consecutive UK Number One albums (six!), “We need some more interesting want to see on Wednesday. They cost 28 quid a or the Iron Maiden-style unkillable fanbase, characters,” Liam concurs. “If we had Arnie fucking pop, to save the planet. Then you look these are still three boys from Braintree who [Schwarzenegger], I might vote. Someone with on the news, there’s a country burning this or are as deeply suspicious of everyone else as a good haircut. The parties are so close to each that, China pumping out that. Well, what’s the they are wedded to each other. other now, there’s not even much distance bloody point?” “That’s the thing,” Keith says. “Even though between them. Whatever. This is boring…” Politics, in other words, is futile. What can I know it will end, right now I’m happier than Two decades after the 1994 Criminal Justice you do to change the world you live in? Be I’ve ever been. I’m more settled in the band and Act effectively banned the free party scene, one voter in 30 million, earnestly studying everything else than I’ve ever been.” He pauses. directly inspiring ‘Their Law’ (from 1994’s nation-bankrupting manifestos in the delusion “Well, I’m still quite unhinged mentally.” Liam ‘Music For The Jilted Generation’), politically, that you will pick the next Oxford PPE graduate grins at his pal. “But I’ve probably got more

the Prodigy’s philosophy is a sort of DIY to reign over us? Or get off your ass, get out support than ever.” GETTY MARTIN, TOM DEAN CHALKLEY,

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS PROTEST MUSIC

32

For years, crashing bores have been bemoaning the lack of modern protest music. On the eve of the general election, British artists tell us if, how and why politics UNDECIDED enters their own work GENERAL ELECTION

To m Cl a r ke The Enemy “Our first album was Emmy The Great us wanting to escape the recession that was “If you can change your idea that it has happening up north to be a or a Clash opening but wasn’t really up the discourse, you’ll see there’s a happening down south yet, but that’s lot going on. The stuff has societal rather than political. Real been saying recently about breaking political music is stuff like Billy Bragg, down power structures is incredibly Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. There’s brave. has strong views some brilliant political moments in on pigeonholing black artists and music, but it’s hard to find it in there’s lots of discourse about music songwriting. There are artists who you’ll and feminism. I’ve always felt that, as a think, ‘Yeah, they’re a political artist’, female DIY artist, just the act of making but when you actually look for evidence music was political. I increasingly feel of it in their songs, it’s not there. With like it’s a platform to say something music and politics the risk is in letting real, which is not to say that I’ve written your personality get out there, as there a song about being a Matt Bellamy will always be people who don’t like it. less-convincing Mr Potato Head, but I’m You don’t make many friends.” leaving the door open for that. I think Muse musicians are either too busy trying to survive or just focusing on the stuff that “I don’t think anyone can pinpoint any one people like on Instagram – aspirational of our new songs [on new album ‘Drones’] stuff – which, in a way, reflects the and say that it’s about a specific political Eoin Loveless current situation.” issue. It’s the emotional journey on the album that could be seen as a fight for free Drenge thinking or independence. Personally, I’m “Most of our friends are our age and against the concept of party politics. If you most feel really disaffected… I think it’s live in Teignbridge, or wherever, the person important that we help other artists in Sheffield. That’s the most political thing 33 Caribou should represent the people of that area, not what some other ‘party’ wants. The whip we can do. I don’t want to side myself “When I see artists like system is just a hijacking of democracy. with a party. It doesn’t help to moan.” Grimes and Chvrches For instance, when it comes to whether we taking a stand against should go to war, that voting should only be online abuse, I find that done on the basis of what the people they really exciting. But it represent want, not what the party wants. Rob Graham is hard to know how to get involved. I was thinking the other day we should start Drenge Should I be engaging with more political the Direct Democracy Party. The way to play issues on Twitter or should I leave my the existing system is to be an MP and say “In the past, there was music in the world that it’s in without that ‘every vote I take in parliament, I will an alternative that imposing my political views on it?” take an app vote from my constituents’. The people could side with. argument that MPs should decide because Now there isn’t one – they are better researched on the topic at all the parties are the hand, to me, really supports the old idea that fucking same. It’s all a fucking mess. Faris Badwan the masses are not clever enough.” What is there to write about that other than ‘This is shit’? You might as well be The Horrors/Cat’s Eyes abstract and do it with a mood.” “Politics doesn’t mean anything to me. The stuff that gets discussed on Newsnight isn’t relevant to me, and it’s pretty much not relevant to anyone. I don’t think you gain Noel Gallagher anything from voting. I find it funny that someone would vote “Protest songs: fucking bollocks. ‘Cigarettes & for another person, whether it’s on Alcohol’ is a protest song, and the message in that Celebrity Big Brother or as a politician, is: ‘Fuck your recession and fuck you and your on the basis that they could imagine government, we’re gonna have a great time.’ going for a drink with them. I just think Nothing more subversive than that. Oasis were voting is for people who don’t have raging, but we were raging joy and the sun was their own imagination. It’s for a different out in the songs. If you can’t see the rage generation. You’re not accomplishing and the yearning to better yourself in anything. The problem is, my opinion on ‘Rock’N’Roll Star’, you’re dead to me.” it isn’t fully formed – the only thing I do think is that, realistically, voting doesn’t make a great deal of difference.” BEN RAYNER, DEAN CHALKLEY, GENE GLOVER, WUNNI ONIBUDO, WUNNI ONIBUDO, GENE GLOVER, DEAN CHALKLEY, BEN RAYNER, WILLSHER ANDY SOPHIE HARRIS TAYLOR, SHAMIL TANNA,

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS GENERAL ELECTION

Jonathan Higgs Chilli Jesson Everything Everything Palma Violets “Do bands have an “We’ve tried to consciously not be obligation to use their political. I feel like we’ve got a lot more platform to talk about to write about before the political stuff. politics? No, not at all. During the punk era everyone was Everyone has their writing about it, but everything is so own personal responsibility and it’s fucking politically correct now that if nothing to do with being in a band. you say something out of line it’s almost More than give an opinion on whether like you’re trying to provoke. When I something’s right or wrong, I’m trying to look back at footage from the punk communicate that motive is much more era, it seems there was more to fight important than preaching. Leave that against. At the moment, it’s everyone to the news and charities, we’re a band. for themselves in a weird way. We’ve got I feel personally responsible about this mobile phones and the rebellion is on stuff, but not as a band.” the internet rather than the radio.” Fay Milton Savages Rou Reynolds “It’s a common feeling for people Enter Shikari to want to do something about a number of issues – social problems, “In 2015, we are saturated with utterly insipid music with climate change, whatever – but not little to no lyrical content other than the glorification of know what to do. While I do think violence or greed and the glamorisation of narcissism. This musicians are a bit frightened of reflects the dominant culture of consumerism and the selfish attaching themselves to political nature of capitalism. Profit is put before people, and that is no causes, I also think that music is more evident than with popular music. Music is political by just an expression of how people in definition. If you’re broadcasting your music in any sense, you are general are feeling, and that fear of 34 putting ideas out there. It then becomes a choice and a responsibility politics is universal. We feel cheated as to what ideas you ventilate. As a band, we try to empower the belief and at a loss. We’ve grown to distrust that humanity can and must do better. We try to stoke that fire of our politicians, and with that a sense discontent in people as well as promulgate new ideas.” of hope has gone. But you can do things. I recently got a playlist together for The Future, who are climate-change activists. They hold politicians accountable. We Sam Duckworth doorstepped [Tory MP] Michael Gove Formerly Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly to ask him why he didn’t let any of our politicians go to the Lima “I get annoyed with the argument that music Climate Change Conference last is less political now than it used to be – December. Anyone can knock on there’s loads of politics in music. Groups of a politician’s door and tell him or musicians are using their cities well, forming Jason Williamson her what they think.” DIY scenes – and that’s a political statement in itself. I don’t want to write songs about governmental or Sleaford Mods party politics, because they’re things that I fundamentally “Politics and music should mix, and don’t understand. Why are a million people using food banks? especially at the moment because Why are the nine poorest regions in central all in the things are just miserable. But it’s been UK, but also the richest region, London? It doesn’t make any like that for years and that’s why sense and I’m not the person to give people answers. But there Sleaford Mods started. I sometimes TĀLĀ are ways to be political without writing a protest song.” worry that what people think of as the “Having a voice and politics in our songs – the opinions – a platform to voice your overshadows the music. What’s going opinions through music on around us is a driving force, but we can be extremely don’t offer solutions. All you can do is powerful, but at the Johnny Marr practise a bit of compassion and a lot same time I’m not a politician and it’s “Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be many people of intelligence, and that can be more not something I know enough about talking about politics in music. I think it’s a buzzkill, powerful than getting on a podium and to speak about. I think that using your and no-one wants to put that out there. Maybe we telling people they should do this or platform for the wrong reasons – or if need to dance while Rome burns. Maybe that. But there are some specific issues you don’t really know enough about culturally that’s what needs to happen. that are important in this election – a what you’re speaking about – can Maybe people feel powerless, full stop, solid rent cap, the end of the bedroom convey the wrong message. That’s and want to get on with being in a band. tax, tuition fees, among other things.” when pop and politics don’t mix.” And that’s OK. Thank God there’s being in a band for people to fall back on.”

CAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 G Hastings Young Fathers Kayus Bankole “The media shuts new ideas out systematically – and that stems Young Fathers from Thatcherism. New ideas have been deleted from popular “The media simplifies everything, whether it’s culture. If you cause a fuss about gender, religion or race. It’s easier to put things into something – if about Palestine or categories so that they can put fear into people. That anything like that – people say, ‘Oh, what are you confines people and makes them think that’s how starting that for?’ That’s why it’s important that things should be. That’s what we’re getting at with we do what we can do as musicians. We can say titling our album ‘White Men Are Black Men Too’.” our bit and try to push the fact that we’re and that pop music should include us.”

Cian Ciarán Super Furry Animals “I don’t think popular music reflects the current climate. I’ve just recorded an album Happy Mondays/ with Steve Mason, We Are The Reality Stephen Morrison-Burke and Hollie McNish which voices our own Party candidate

ES ES opposition, our disgruntled-ness and “I’ve been listening to a lot of new how pissed off we are, and there are music, and the younger generation various hip-hop artists out there who seem to be turning political again, are singing about these things too, but but because of the state of the music it doesn’t get the right amount of industry their message isn’t getting out attention. There’s always the danger of there. It’s crucial that people should be 35 a backlash – that people will get pissed politically aware, and it doesn’t have off with you, going, ‘What does he know, to stop you having fun. It doesn’t take he’s just a musician?’ But there’s a rich away from what music’s about.” history of pop and politics throughout the ages. They kind of go hand in hand.”

Beth Jeans Houghton Ghetts Stuart Braithwaite Du Blonde “I have no relationship with party politics at all. I believe, no matter what, Mogwai “Politics is there whether you accept it or not, that the rich are going to get richer “If you’re expressing and it affects you whether you think it does or and the poor are going to get poorer. yourself through music not. I’ve written political songs and never done I’ve been on Earth for 30 years and I’ve and you’re doing it to anything with them, because if I put it out the seen nothing change. You could say try and make the world reaction would be, ‘Here’s another cheesy that was political. We were just a better place rather political song.’ But the new Kendrick Lamar kids, speaking about things that we than to make yourself rich – which is album is so unashamedly political, and when were seeing on an everyday basis, so hopefully the reason why we do it – then someone comes out with a political record I didn’t really look at it like that. But that’s a political act. Sadly, an awful lot that’s also musically fantastic, it makes it cool. in retrospect you can see grime was of music reflects the current political My new record [‘Du Blonde’], even though it’s speaking up for a culture that didn’t climate all too well – it’s very bland and about relationships, is also about standing up get heard, and that’s why people took safe, and tries to not upset anyone or for myself and realising that what I have to say to it. I know a lot of people find listening rock the boat. The thing about people is valid even if others don’t agree. Being a to rappers that talk about politics and looking back at the so-called golden woman in music, you do have to deal with whatnot very boring, but you’ve got to eras of political music – the late ’60s, sexual harassment and misogyny. And if you be open-minded. There are some people the late ’70s and the mid-’80s – is that speak out about it you’re seen as some kind of who are speaking their truths and I can a lot of it was quite shocking, and it’s man-hating bitch, which isn’t the case at all. appreciate it, definitely. ’s one of almost impossible to shock these days. We’re still in a place where I’ll be onstage and them, ’s one of them, The [2014 independence] referendum someone will shout ‘Get your pussy out’, or George The Poet… I’ve made a big difference in Scotland, grab my butt at a show. Feminism is seen as learned more from them because people felt that their vote this violent outcry for justice, but it should be than I have anywhere mattered. People in Scotland are much seen as a group effort to respect each other.” else. Rappers are like the more politically aware and they’re also street politicians.” more motivated to be involved than PHOTOS: JORDAN HUGHES, SHAMIL TANNA, ED MILES, DANIEL TOPETE, ANDY HUGHES, DAN DENISON, ANDY FORD, ALICE BAXLEY FORD, DENISON, ANDY HUGHES, DAN ANDY TOPETE, ED MILES, DANIEL HUGHES, SHAMIL TANNA, JORDAN PHOTOS: INTERVIEWS: PHIL HEBBLETHWAITE, SAM RICHARDS, JAZZ MONROE, KEVIN EG PERRY, BARRY NICOLSON, LAURA SNAPES, ANDY WELCH, GAVIN HAYN GAVIN WELCH, SNAPES, ANDY NICOLSON, LAURA BARRY MONROE, KEVIN EG PERRY, RICHARDS, JAZZ SAM PHIL HEBBLETHWAITE, INTERVIEWS: ever before.”

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS ALEX JAMES

“When I first heard ‘’ I was overcome.

36 It was devastating”

NobodywasmorerelievedtofinishthenewBluralbumthan bassist Alex James. The cheesemaker and notorious Cotswolds socialite tells John Earls what it’s like being back in the saddle – and why he buddied up with David Cameron

he first time Alex James all this brilliant music, and as far as I was listened back to the sessions aware, nothing was going to be done with that form ‘The Magic it. I just thought, ‘God, what a shame. What Whip’, he was in tears. It a fucking waste.’” had been 18 months since Alex knew the songs were catchy because Blur’s unexpected five days “they kept popping into my head. Months off in Hong Kong, and the later, they were the first thing I’d think about bassist had just found a when I woke up in the morning.” He singles Tvideo camera containing lost footage of the out the echoey minimalism of ‘New World recordings. As far as he knew, the rest of the Towers’ as particularly addictive. “That fucker band weren’t interested in returning to the kept haunting me, but I thought it might be songs, so watching the film back alone in his lost for good.” kitchen was like punching a bruise – a sad Then, just three days after his boozy kitchen reminder of what should have been Blur’s mope, James got a call from Blur’s manager. exhilarating comeback. Damon and Graham had “bumped into each “Even on my camera’s shit mic, you could other” and agreed that the guitarist should hear that what we were doing was fucking sift through the recordings to see what was brilliant,” recalls Alex. He remembers pouring there. ‘The Magic Whip’ was back on. “It was himself glass after glass of wine; by the end of amazing,” laughs Alex. “I’m not a big believer the second bottle, he was in bits. “It was in fate, but the timing of everything has

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 37

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS Blur clean up at the Brits in 1995

been so perfect. It does feel like now is the right time for this album to exist – it’s an unexpected baby late in Blur’s marriage.” Actually, Alex paints Blur as less of a marriage, more like a group of old workmates who can only occasionally organise a night out together owing to countless other commitments. Any bitterness has been healed by the two reunion tours and they get on great when they do see each other, but scheduling time to make music worthy of the Blur legacy always proves tricky. “For many, many reasons, Blur is always in danger of drifting apart,” he says. “After Hong Kong, we were all thinking, ‘Wow! We’ve fucking done it!’ We were 80 per cent of the way to having an album done. But it’s getting the final 20 per cent of the work done that takes up 80 per cent of the time. None of us want Blur to be our lives any more. But it’s a wonderful thing to have if we want.”

For the band’s resident big kid, Blur is still an excuse to leave the adult world behind for a while. He jokes that their 2013/4 world tour was an escape from “the endless laundry” that having five children involves. Alex has never been bogged down by the responsibilities of writing songs, cheerfully admitting that he’s happy to leave the hard 38 work to Albarn and Coxon. “Bass players don’t suffer the torment singers and guitar players do. It’s one of the good things about the job. Playing bass is like bouncing up and down on with David Cameron. After being famously have been weird not to invite him to my party. a big trampoline, and that’s utterly joyous.” photographed together at 2011’s Harvest He was fine, and he didn’t mind when my son Yet this cheery self-assessment belies Alex’s Festival (along with disgraced TV tyrant tried to get him to do karaoke. But don’t forget, crucial musical contribution. When compiling ), the prime minister was I’ve spent 27 years as half of a rhythm section their ‘Blur 21’ boxset in 2012, the band sat recently spotted at the James family’s New with a would-be Labour MP. So I don’t think around to listen back to their very first Year’s Eve party. It’s weird enough to be having Mr Cameron over says anything about rehearsal tapes. “You can tell it’s Blur straight friendly with such a cartoon villain; weirder my politics.” away,” says Alex. “You can hear our roles still when your band’s own drummer is a Does that mean Alex might find himself being defined. Graham’s guitar and my bass former Labour party parliamentary candidate. voting against his Tory houseguest in next are exactly the opposite, bouncing around When Cameron’s name is mentioned, Alex’s week’s election? He refuses to be drawn. each other.” More than a quarter of a century otherwise Tiggerish demeanour fades for the “I think party politics are best steered cleared later, nothing much has changed. “I’m still only time in our interview. of by musicians, really.” just bouncing away in the opposite corner, “Look, he’s my local MP and he’s very really. We’re incredibly lucky to fit so well supportive of Feastival,” says Alex, referring to Alex James’ frivolous exterior together. It’s been honed over the years, but the music-and-food festival he organises with might also be a way to avoid revealing the natural empathy we have with each other another celebrity pal, . “That’s a anything too personal. Rather than express – musically and as people – astonishes me. As big deal in my local community, so it would any frustration at his bandmates for failing to a bassist, you have to know when to step forward and when to hang back. That’s easy to do in Blur.” Has he ever quizzed Damon on Great escapes the meaning of the lyrics? “To be Alex James’ many non-Blur guises honest, I just assume they’re about Graham unless I’m told otherwise!” Author Classical buff Cheese farmer This response, delivered with his Alex’s first autobiography, James competed in BBC2’s With his 200-acre Oxfordshire trademark winning grin, reveals A Bit Of A Blur, is a jovial if Maestro, a 2008 reality show farm producing such highly Alex’s other key role in Blur: the slight memoir of the hedonistic where celebs tried to become regarded fridge-stinkers as wind-up merchant, the cheeky years. Its follow-up, classical-music conductors. It Farleigh Wallop, Good Queen disruptor doing the opposite of what All Cheeses Great And Small, led to a weekly show on Classic Maude and Blue Monday, Alex everyone else wants in order to keep about his subsequent retreat to FM. “The one solo album I’ve has shown the same level of the band grounded and prevent it the Cotswolds, manages to be considered is doing something dedication to making cheese all from getting too pretentious. every bit as rotten as its title. like combining Handel with big as he did to hoovering up But there’s doing the opposite, basslines,” he says. Class As in the ’90s. and then there’s hanging out

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 ALEX JAMES

“I asked Graham if he wanted me in the studio. He told me to fuck off” Alex James

in Hong Kong, if something wasn’t working, Having reassured Mrs James that he wasn’t we’d move on to the next song. You can hear having an affair, James then found himself that sense of urgency, as well as us being so having to lie to , the producer of comfortable with each other. We’d done ‘Ong Blur’s previous album ‘Think Tank’, after Ong’ in an hour, an incredibly simple song. bumping into him in the studio. “I said, ‘Oh, And there it was now, sounding enormous.” er, um, Graham’s making a record and I’ve, ah, Perhaps Alex’s best work on the record come to see him to say hi.’” is the filthy bassline on lead track ‘Go Out’. Alex lets slip that the Hong Kong sessions “That song almost sums up why we kept the were based on “26 or 27” song ideas album secret,” he says. “It’s an album that that Albarn had already stored away on GarageBand. ‘The Magic Whip’ only has 13 songs (if you include the Japanese bonus Blur at Hyde track), so does this mean that Blur are poised for a relatively swift follow-up? “Not for a Park in 2009 while, no. Nobody knew the answer to the question ‘Will Blur make a new album?’ for 12 years, so it’s incredible everyone is asking again already. Whether any other stuff from Hong Kong will ever emerge, who knows? 39 But coming up with new music has never move forward with ‘The Magic been Blur’s problem. If you get the four of Whip’, he instead makes light of us in the studio in the right frame of mind, his apparent lack of control over we’ll always make new music.” the situation. When Coxon finally began sifting through the Hong Other than the big outdoor shows Kong material with longtime Blur at Hyde Park and the Isle of Wight, plus a few producer , Alex warm-up gigs, Blur are unlikely to tour ‘The says he found himself barred Magic Whip’ extensively. Instead, Alex will from the proceedings. “I phoned probably return to his farm in the Cotswolds Graham to ask if he wanted me to make cheese. For anyone who still thinks to come down to the studio, and he said, ‘No, needed a bit of space, because if we’d made that’s just a twee hobby, it should be pointed fuck off and leave it to me!’” Alex was called in a big deal of it and gone into a big posh studio, out that his soft cheese, Goddess, actually a few days later to patch up “a couple of crap you wouldn’t have a dirty song like ‘Go Out’.” won a Super Gold medal at the World Cheese bits” in his basslines, though, at which point Keeping the project under wraps wasn’t Awards last year. “It was only a couple of he witnessed the album taking shape. easy, though. “The secrecy was a nightmare,” weeks after winning for Goddess that I got the “When I first heard what Graham and Alex chuckles. “I couldn’t even tell my kids, call saying Damon and Graham were thinking Stephen had done, I was overcome,” says Alex. because what if they’d told their schoolmates, of finishing the Blur album,” he reveals. “It was just devastating, really emotional. and it had leaked from there? I didn’t even “I thought, ‘Wow, this They’d done such an amazing job of turning tell my wife at first, but she was asking me, has been a good year.’” it into this huge body of work. When we were ‘Er, where are you going all the time?’” Cheesemaking might not seem very rock’n’roll, but Alex insists there is some Serial supergrouper Astronomer Bassman for hire crossover between his TV talent show judge two careers. “The cheese Years before Ricky Wilson In 1996, Alex formed fleeting In 2003, Britain launched its Outside Blur, Alex has lent his awards are boozier appeared on The Voice, Britpop supergroup Me Me Me first rocket to Mars. Beagle 2 louche bass-playing skills to Alex James could be seen with Stephen Duffy and Justin played Blur’s specially written Florence + The Machine, KT than the Brits any day,” enthusing about mediocre from Elastica. Two years later song on a loop, thanks to Tunstall, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, he claims. “Although singer- on Channel he was at it again, teaming up amateur astronomer James’ New Order side-project Bad cheese farmers and 4’s Mobile Act Unsigned.He’s with and Damien friendship with probe engineer Lieutenant and Marianne bass players need very even fronted the occasional bit Hirst in . Then, in 2005, Colin Pillinger. The rocket was Faithfull (dutifully cross- different physiques. of ‘serious’ TV: his 2008 BBC he made a one-off slice of eventually found on Mars in dressing for Faithfull’s ‘Sex I’m trying to rebalance America documentary Cocaine blaring disco as WigWam with 2015 – just weeks before Blur’s With Strangers’ video). and get my bassist’s Diaries was pretty powerful. his neighbour . comeback announcement. CHARLIE FORGHAM-BAILEY/EYEVINE, REX, RICHARD JOHNSON CHARLIE FORGHAM-BAILEY/EYEVINE, figure back.” ▪

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS his time last year, there wasn’t going to be a second Speedy Ortiz album. Never mind that 2013’s gnarled ‘Major Arcana’ was one of the best-received indie-rock debuts in years, its Life in cryptic, tangled riffs making Tthem the breakout band of Boston’s renowned DIY scene, or that they were supporting collective hero Stephen Malkmus and his Jicks. Relations within the Massachusetts four-piece were so soured that songwriter and guitarist Sadie Dupuis was contemplating quitting her own band “because I was sick and stressed the fast out constantly and I’d never had panic attacks every day until then”, the 26-year-old recalls over curry in the Boston apartment she shares with Palehound’s Ellen Kempner. After ‘Major Arcana’, Hard touring didn’t help, but the stress was mostly down to fractious relations between Speedy Ortiz struggled Sadie and guitarist Matt Robidoux. “He would with intra-band tension say that he didn’t respect me, and I would lane take that – basically, for months,” she says and the pains of being public property. But instead of letting it break them, it’s fuelled a fierce new album, says Laura Snapes

PHOTO BY SHERVIN LAINEZ

Speedy Ortiz: (l–r) Darl Ferm, Devin McKnight, Sadie Dupuis, Mike Falcone SPEEDY ORTIZ Later last summer, on a rare month off touring, Sadie quit Speedy’s drinking and embarked on a mental-health kick, the start of a process of reclaiming the influences incredulously. Speedy was originally her solo band and her own identity. Speedy would fail without project, which started with a lo-fi, 10-track In February, Speedy Ortiz The Cardigans him. “If you behave in these solo album called ‘The Death Of Speedy Ortiz’, had released the ‘Real Hair’ The Swedish band’s 1998 album unprofessional ways, you ‘Gran Turismo’ played a big part and she remains the band’s sole songwriter. EP, where she addressed the don’t deserve to have any in ‘Foil Deer’’s sound: “that spacey “It was like, ‘Why am I not listening to this effects of being in the public rock that is very pop-inflected,” kind of job,” she says. “You person?’ He’d apologise, but if someone tells eye for the first time, exploring says Sadie. should be ostracised. We you enough times that they don’t respect the gap between perception would have so many things you, there’s something wrong with you that and reality. Blonde Redhead like that happen all the time, you’re not taking that seriously. I was so bad “Like, ‘Oh shit, suddenly Over their 23-year career, the and I just have no patience for at sticking up for myself for so long.” people are looking at me and Italian/Japanese/American band it any more.” Reached by email, Matt describes what they don’t know who I am have gone from to Her aim was to write he perceived as the “band camaraderie and I don’t even know who beguiling, silvery synth pop. empowerment anthems, [disappearing] in favour of the monolith I am because this is a strange Danny Elfman though ‘Foil Deer’ is less of the solo artist”, and says he felt that he, pressure that I’ve never known “On ‘Puffer’, there’s this keyboard about shaking off haters than bassist Darl Ferm and drummer Mike Falcone before,’” she says. “So often part that Mike’s playing, and it staking them through the “were making the shift towards [becoming] I felt like [with] the kind of sounds like Beetlejuice to me,” heart: “Don’t ever touch my a replaceable backing band. I had less and music that we’re playing, I had says Sadie. “I’m like, ‘We finally blade, you fool/You’ll be cursed less creative control into something that to prove myself as one of the succeeded in making a Danny for a lifetime”, she seethes on I was putting all my time, creative work boys’ club to coexist with a lot Elfman song!’” the strangled yowl of ‘Dot X’. and energy into.” of these bands. That’s not to The record sounds genuinely A week after the initial interview, Sadie say that it wasn’t fun, but I felt Nicki Minaj menacing, too, thanks to Minaj’s 2014 album ‘The Pinkprint’ emails in response to Matt’s claims. “If I like I was fighting so hard for a more concerted studio hasn’t left Sadie’s stereo since its wanted to be a solo artist, wouldn’t I just these male spaces that I was release last December, and the approach with producer be a solo artist? …The decision to remove not in touch with my own Trinidadian rapper’s proud Nicolas Vernhes (, Matt from the band was a three-way, mutual gender identity.” swagger informs her own lyrical Marnie Stern). ‘Major Arcana’ choice. This whole [new] album is about not She was also grappling approach on ‘Foil Deer’. was made in four days; this dedicating energy to people like that – I’d like with the emotional exhaustion time they had three weeks. it to speak more towards moving past toxic of having to play depressing “A lot of the sounds on our people and less about remaining entrenched songs night after night. ‘Major Arcana’ was previous stuff are very much like we sounded in battles with trolls.” a break-up album, though as far as break-up live, because that’s all we had time to record,” So on May 6, 2014, Speedy announced that records go, it wasn’t exactly “Fuck you, Brad, says Sadie. “This one, every single song we 41 Matt was going on “indefinite hiatus” from you broke me!”, as she puts it. had a massive discussion on tones and textures. the band, to be replaced by Devin McKnight All I ever want is to listen to scary pop music – from Boston’s Grass Is Green. They saved After shows, young people that was a goal.” themselves, and thank God, otherwise there would tell Sadie that ‘Major Arcana’ inspired Take the blown-out, hip-hop-inflected would be no ‘Foil Deer’, their dizzyingly great them, or that it encouraged them to start ‘Puffer’, which billows with the violence of playing guitar. “That’s fucking cool, but I wish dark street corners. “I feel like a lot of the songs the message I was giving wasn’t just, ‘Breaking are like, it’s so fucking stupid that we have to “I was so bad at up is shitty and sometimes people hurt you.’ be scared of walking home in the dark, like I wished it was, ‘Sometimes people hurt you someone’s gonna fuck with us, but you gotta sticking up for and you shouldn’t have to put up with it, and toughen up because the whole world is trying these are larger patterns that occur to all kinda to fuck with you all the time,” she says. of people, and you have to talk about it and you myself for so long” have to fight against it.’” Having almost lost her band That message punches through ‘Foil Deer’, because of other people’s shitty behaviour, Sadie Dupuis Sadie’s unabashed declaration of security in Sadie is now making a point of always making self-knowledge, not giving a shit about external a stand. She and her peers might start a second record. is often all too willing perceptions and firing shots at anyone who database to share information about industry to just retread the past and ply simplicity dares underestimate her: “I’m not bossy, I’m professionals, so they can avoid working with as profundity; Speedy refuse to settle for an the boss”, she swaggers on opener ‘Raising The jerks. She describes the album’s standout, easy riff or throwaway lyric, and aggressively Skate’. “For a long time I had tried to ignore the sombre ‘Mister Difficult’ as a rallying cry for expand the definition of indie rock, drawing fact that I was a woman, because I was hoping female and female-identified artists to talk from Nicki Minaj as much as US that other people would ignore the fact that about their anger and marginalisation: “I got bands Chavez and Polvo, as well as Sadie’s gender is a factor in rock music at all. But at this the message/Boys be sensitive and girls be, be childhood in a choir that sang dissonant point, when you’re put upon enough and taken aggressive”, she hisses. Russian traditional songs. advantage of enough, you become angry and it “The mantle of fighting back can’t really Their swagger is necessary, and found becomes important to fight back.” exist in the straight, white male sphere any itself rebooted almost immediately once they Beyond toxic band politics, she had been more,” she says, “because what are they regrouped with Devin. He was an old friend disrespected by all-male support bands fighting against, other than in a supporting and a formative influence – Sadie openly and sexist sound guys who messed with role to women-identified performers, or queer admits to having cribbed his “super inventive” her equipment but not that of her male performers, or people of colour? It’s guitar playing ever since she first saw Grass bandmates. Men would try and touch and nice to see braggadocio enter the Is Green play with her old group Quilty (who kiss her at shows. There was the short- vernacular, because for so long [rock]’s split in 2011): “He was getting the first Speedy lived professional associate who stalked been such a male space. It’s exciting demos before the people who are actually in Sadie, told her he loved her – and, to see so many women reclaiming ▪

GETTY my band now.” when she rebuffed his advances, that strength for themselves.”

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS ► ■ EDITED BY BEN HOMEWOOD

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

42

Palma Violets Danger In The Club

Lambeth reprobates stick firmly Back at the beginning of last perilously held together by gaffer tape and good ►year, when Palma Violets intentions. If preserving that all-important “element of to their ramshackle roots for let slip that they’d scrapped youth” was their primary aim, then you couldn’t call it two weeks’ worth of recording for anything other than an unqualified success. a clattering second album their second record, bassist Chilli It takes all of 25 seconds to establish that not only Jesson cited a peculiar logic for the have the childish things not been put away, they’re decision. “We made too big a leap,” scattered all over the floor like Lego, just waiting to he told NME. “I felt like we’d lost the element of youth.” be trod on and tripped over. ‘Sweet Violets’ is a brief, It seemed a curious thing to say, mainly because making bleary-eyed rendition of the 1951 hit by Tennessee big leaps are what second albums are supposed to be singer and TV personality Dinah Shore, a bawdy knees- about: they’re a prime opportunity to show everyone up delivered from a horizontal repose that raises the how much you’ve ‘grown’, ‘matured’ and ‘evolved’. On curtain on the 40 cacophonous minutes to follow. The ‘Danger In The Club’, Palma Violets reject that idea second track, ‘Hollywood (I Got It)’, hardly seems any entirely: they might have hired a big-name producer more substantial than the first, and contains only four (John Leckie, of ‘The Stone Roses’ and ‘The Bends’ lyrics, one of which is guitarist Sam Fryer’s inscrutable fame) and recorded at Rockfield, the Monmouth studio bleat of “Fresh fish! I got it!”. Yet what it lacks in finesse where Queen did ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in 1975, but it makes up for in demented charm and pulsating

this album is – quite deliberately – an omnishambles, energy: when it eventually clatters to a halt – which it JIMMY TURRELL ILLUSTRATION:

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 Passion Pit Kindred Columbia does with all the grace of a seven-car pile-up – you find Passion Pit yourself wanting to cheer the carnage they’ve caused. have always Unsurprisingly, ‘Danger In The Club’ works best sounded when Palma Violets are drunk on their own enthusiasm, happy, hurtling through the whatever likes of ‘Gout! Gang! Go!’ is CLUB and ‘Girl, You Couldn’t singing about. With gleeful Do Much Better On The falsetto and splashy synths, CLASSICS Beach’ like a cartoonish he makes aural candyfloss Best Coast Palma Violets on Clash, with Jesson and of life’s challenges. Third Fryer warbling and album ‘Kindred’ finds the three key tracks whinnying over each 27-year-old upbeat, California Nights other’s vocals. Like piss punching the air about the Sunny surf-rock is replaced by crunchy power- Hollywood (I Got It) artists who insist they’re day his wife “came out of Sam Fryer: “It’s about going still OK to drive, they nowhere” on the stomping pop as Bethany Cosentino gets serious to Hollywood and realising occasionally take it too ‘Lifted Up (1985)’, revelling that everything’s fucked up. far – both ‘Matador’ and in the fact that “we both Five years on from ‘Crazy For You’, their People want to be actors ‘Peter And The Gun’ drag, know what the other wants” weed- and reverb-drenched surf-punk and say things like: ‘I’ve got over shimmering Day-Glo ► the former sounding like a opus, Best Coast have come of age. The Hollywood in my bones’, haemorrhaged Libertines, electro on ‘Until We Can’t dreamy, sun-streaked yearning remains, but the which is the chorus. It’s the latter full of abrupt (Let’s Go)’ and only getting humour that laced Bethany Cosentino’s bratty probably one of the worst tempo changes that they glum on the wonky but ennui has gone. ‘California Nights’ is, instead, places you could end up.” don’t have the nuance lovely ‘Looks Like Rain’. full of more sobering concerns – medication, to pull off. Still, with any Even if there’s still a heartbreak, insomnia. Gone too is the plucky, Girl, You Couldn’t band whose music teeters sneaking suspicion country-dappled sound the duo (completed by Do Much Better On on the brink of collapse, Angelakos used up his very guitarist Bobb Bruno) trialled on middling 2012 The Beach there are always going best tunes on 2008 debut album ‘’. In its place is chunkier, Sam: “It has my favourite to be instances where EP ‘Chunk Of Change’, this ’90s-style power-pop: turbo drums, crunching line on it: ‘We’ll probably the wheels do come dewy-eyed record sweeps guitars and bombastic production from Wally burn out and fail, but at least spinning off. For the most you up in its joie de Gagel, whose previous credits include Muse and it’s a marvellous failure’.” part, however, Palma vivre all the same. 7 Miley Cyrus. It’s not a perfect ride: the drums rip 43 Chilli Jesson: “I saw the Violets hold it together ■ MATTHEW HORTON through the melodies, pummelling away the inscription on Malcolm admirably, through sweetness on delicate opener ‘Feeling OK’; and McLaren’s grave [‘Better rollicking journeys into Patrick Watson things sag on the water-clogged title a spectacular failure, than the weird heart of America Love Songs For Robots track. Cosentino’s honeyed vocal is the a benign success’], and it (‘Secrets Of America’), Domino only constant. It’s a radiating all tied in. It’s about a girl.” dishevelled, Doherty- There are sunbeam, particularly so on esque acoustic waltzes many the shimmering ‘Heaven Sent’. Walking Home (‘The Jacket Song’) and adjectives ■ CHARLOTTE RICHARDSON 7 Chilli: “Working with a the non-appearance of you could ANDREWS producer this time meant we their beloved N14 bus, use to concentrated on percussion leaving them to traverse describe Patrick Watson’s ► and backing vocals. Pete a lovelorn pub-rock fifth album, but the most ► May 4 ► Harvest ► Wally [Mayhew, keyboards] and accurate are: intricate, lush, RELEASE DATE LABEL PRODUCER gauntlet of indignity Gagel ► 43:37 ► ►1. Feeling OK ►2. Fine Will [Doyle, drums] have entrancing. Placing it in a LENGTH TRACKLISTING (‘Walking Home’). They Without You ►3. Heaven Sent ►4. In My Eyes ►5. So Unaware stepped up and started genre is not so easy, though could have made a dour, ►6. When Will I Change ►7. Jealousy ►8. California Nights ►9. Get singing. Lots of the songs ‘chamber pop’ comes depressing album about Outta My Head ►10. Run Through My Head ►11. Sleep Won’t Ever will be different live to the closest. These 10 songs are how exhausting life on Come ►12. Wasted Time ►BEST TRACK Heaven Sent record. That’s really cool.” the road can be, or how filled with expansive being in a band stretches that follow an friendships to breaking point – both of which, unpredictable flow, steered Brian Wilson andShe&Him–isstrong, by their own account, they have firsthand by an adept cast of No Pier Pressure Capitol but the execution leaves experience of. Instead, they’ve made one that musicians (Patrick Watson is Contrary to much to be desired: notably sounds like it was recorded without the name of the Montreal- his reclusive on the EDM-lite ‘Runaway a care in the world. You’re only young once, 8 based group, not just its reputation, Dancer’. Yet there are and Palma Violets are in no hurry to grow up. singer). In less capable Brian Wilson moments – ‘What Ever hands, songs such as ‘Good has often Happened’ and ‘The Last ► Morning Mr Wolf’ and thrived in collaboration Song’ – where Wilson’s ►RELEASE DATE May 4 ►LABEL Rough Trade ►PRODUCER John ‘Bollywood’ could have (from his work with Tony genius, assisted by former Leckie ►LENGTH 40:49 ►TRACKLISTING ►1. Sweet Violets been a muddle. Instead, Asher on ‘Pet Sounds’ to a Beach Boy Al Jardine, delivers ►2. Hollywood (I Got It) ►3. Girl, You Couldn’t Do Much Better a hodgepodge of styles recent hook-up with Mini something truly moving. On The Beach ►4. Danger In The Club ►5. Coming Over To My (, jazz, reggae, Mansions). In that sense, the Brian Wilson doesn’t need Place ►6. Secrets Of America ►7. The Jacket Song ►8. Matador rock and classical) is central conceit of ‘No Pier contemporising – he should ►9. Gout! Gang! Go! ►10. Walking Home ►11. Peter And The Gun finessed into something Pressure’ – which finds him just be allowed ►12. No Money Honey ►13. English Tongue ►BEST TRACK Girl, You stirringly cohesive. 8 working with, among others, to be timeless. 5 Couldn’t Do Much Better On The Beach ■ CIAN TRAYNOR Fun frontman Nate Ruess ■ BARRY NICOLSON

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS Blanck Mass Django Django Dumb Flesh Sacred Bones When a member of Born Under a band takes time off to pursue their Saturn solo project, the kneejerk tabloid reader in us kicks The Djangos’ return in, looking for reasons. However, the second solo fights anxious lyrics effort by ’ Benjamin Power sounds like with eclectic pop a supplementary branch of the duo, not a replacement. While 2012 predecessor In astrology, Saturn is ‘White Math/Polymorph’ ► associated with death, was a grandiose, broadly discipline and facing ambient affair, these eight down your fears. As planets songs employ crunching go it’s kind of a buzzkill, but beats, encroaching on the here’s the thing: if you do right arena-rave territory of by Saturn, it’ll do right by you. Modeselektor (‘Cruel The trick is to know your Sport’). Soothing sonics strengths and play to them. baggy-esque beat. Similarly, the weight of the world are limited, ‘Loam’ and Such is the star-crossed premise for ‘Born Under bears down on ‘Shake And Tremble’ (“Holding back the ‘Detritus’ bookending the Saturn’, Django Django’s follow-up to their Mercury- ocean/Just enough to say a word”), which revisits the album with pitchshifted nominated debut of 2012. That self-titled record – an ’50s rock’n’roll vibes of oldie ‘Life’s A Beach’ to mostly gloop and brain-scrubbing eccentric, inventively lo-fi affair that bandleader David winning effect, and the excellent ‘Found You’ (“I’ve heard synth noise. A standalone Maclean wrote while “pottering around in [his] pyjamas” my name spoken in vain so many times”), which sounds success that also whets at home – was a surprise hit, but now the London-based like The Stone Roses breaking into a cold-turkey sweat. the appetite for Fuck quartet must look to recapture its playful spirit with Missteps arise when Django Django put a tentative Buttons’ return. 7 the stakes raised. foot on the dancefloor: ‘Pause Repeat’ is the sort of 44 ■ NOEL GARDNER Throughout the album, which abounds with images of indie-house clunker Hot would run a mile from, a difficult rebirth, there’s a sense and ‘Reflections’’ cheesy piano uplift makes for an Juan Wauters of a band putting on a brave iffy one-two that threatens to derail the record’s Who Me? front to stave off a lurking sense middle portion. Captured Tracks of anxiety. “Take it back to the But the record rallies when the Djangos rein in some On ‘Woodside, start” goes ‘Giant’, which kicks of their scattergun tendencies: ‘Shot Down’’s darkwave Queens’, the things off in measured, electro opens out naturally into the record’s most rickety and confident , booming anthemic chorus, and ‘Beginning To Fade’ is a lovely acoustic piano chords crashing up waltz-time ballad that allows the group’s occasionally fourth track against a locomotive, grating ecelcticism room to breathe – you could imagine on his second solo album, ► it on a Jack White solo record, at a pinch. Juan Wauters admits, It definitely ain’t perfect, then, but in “I know that I’m a freak”. ►RELEASE DATE May 4 ►LABEL Because Music ►PRODUCER David Maclean concocting a scrubbed-up, carefully ‘Who Me?’ is rife with ►LENGTH 57:00 ►TRACKLISTING ►1. Giant ►2. Shake And Tremble ►3. Found wrought maturation of their sound, kookiness that justifies You ►4. First Light ►5. Pause Repeat ►6. Reflections ►7. Vibrations ►8. Shot ‘Born Under Saturn’ gives us something that description. Cabaret Down ►9. High Moon ►10. Beginning To Fade ►11. 4000 Years ►12. Break The close to Django Django unchained. 7 piano fills the minute-long Glass ►13. Life We Know ►BEST TRACK Shot Down ■ ALEX DENNEY ‘Misbehave’ and goofy lines like ‘Grey Matter’’s “In my head I have a hole/I’m so Tyondai Braxton installation, live God Damn a cathartically gritty listen. well, I look swell” abound, HIVE1 performances finding Vultures A manifesto of sorts, the but the Uruguayan Nonesuch Braxton and four lackeys One Little Indian unfettered nihilistic chaos songwriter and frontman of As founder housed in LED-dotted pods, Royal Blood of ‘We Don’t Like You’ garage trio The Beets has member of triggering samples and not rough swirls with 1980s metal an innate sweetness that NYC’s waves of electronic wibble. enough for meanness, while ‘Horus’ makes him compelling. Battles, Moments have a Battles- you? Then brings a sprinkling of Alice When he sings “I don’t Tyondai like shimmy, ‘Scout1’ may we Cooper-style glam rock. care if you know that I’m Braxton proved guitar parts sounding like the music respectfully suggest the At almost nine minutes all wrong” on ‘I’m All played in tricksy time a pygmy tribe might make unforgiving offerings of long, ‘Skeletons’ trudges Wrong’, his insecurity is signatures could sound as if gifted with a studio of another Brit-rock duo from acoustic balladry to inescapable. ‘Who Me?’ catchy as the best pop gleaming modular synths. ready to bludgeon your stomping hard-rock then, is a weird, loveable music. But since quitting By and large, though, its eardrums into cowering behemoth and back again record to file alongside Battles in 2010, Braxton has ideas are too cold and submission. A caustic with a terrifying, epic Wauters’ labelmate begun to lean more towards abstracted to really collection of shamanic intensity. The heaviest and touring buddy the avant than the rock. move you, in either thrash and malevolent new band in the UK? Mac DeMarco. 8 His HIVE project is part sense of the word. 5 gutter-blues, Midlands pair Crushingly so. 8 ■ BEN HOMEWOOD band, part architectural ■ LOUIS PATTISON God Damn’s debut album is ■ LEONIE COOPER

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 on this self-recorded third. Gaps effected guitar twangs Chastity Belt For those prepared to listen, In, Around The Moments underneath her remarkable Time To Go Home the old hooks remain, Pitts’ I/AM/ME voice, which shifts Hardly Art Surfer Blood nasal tones making the likes Brighton- wonderfully from low to On their 2013 1000 Palms Joyful Noise of ‘Island’, ‘Covered Wagon’ based duo high-pitched as Critchley debut ‘No After singer and ‘Dorian’ sound like the Gaps (singer deploys wobbling bass. Regerts’, John Paul alternative universe in which and guitarist They edge closer to the Washington’s Pitts’ arrest Fountains Of Wayne or They Rachel Butt bassy techno sound of Chastity Belt for domestic Might Be Giants somehow and producer Ed Critchley) British/Japanese producer – whose tongue-in-cheek battery in got cool. A modernist emerged with debut single Maya Jane Coles (whose I/ press shots present them as 2012 overshadowed Surfer alt-rock chill blows through ‘When I’m Gone’ in 2013, and AM/ME label is releasing the a geeky girl-group – mixed Blood’s second LP ‘Pythons’ it, but Surfer Blood’s spirits positioned midway through album) on ‘Keep You’ and feminist theory with grungy (despite the charged being stay cautiously upbeat, this debut album, it still ‘A World Away’, but Gaps are garage and song titles like dropped), the Florida even indulging some serves as a tidy distillation at their most unusual – and ‘Pussy Weed Beer’ and ‘Nip Quartet, who were dropped Foals-y math-limbo of their sound – sparse most compelling – on the Slip’. Sounding hazy and after its release, relocated guitar fripperies on electronics matched with slow, undulating ‘Your hungover, ‘Time To Go to Portland, Oregon to ‘Other Desert Cities’. 78vocals and acoustic guitars Own Sweet Time’. Home’ does much the same. rediscover their DIY roots ■ MARK BEAUMONT rooted in folk. Butt’s ■ BEN HOMEWOOD Opener ‘Drone’ tackles mansplaining, AKA men patronisingly explaining things to women (“He was just another man trying to Tyler, teach me something”) and ‘Cool Slut’’s empowering rally of “We’re just a couple of sluts, so what?/We like to The Creator fuck” is burdened by the idea that the need to fight gender inequality still exists in 2015. Occasionally, Cherry Bomb though, they find relief, as on ‘Joke’, where twinkling guitars add light to Julia Odd Future enfant terrible is Shapiro’s admission that joined by Kanye, Pharrell and “I’m getting better at forgetting anything 7 more on a chilled fourth album heavy”. ■ RHIAN DALY 45 The Holydrug Couple Moonlust Sacred Bones “I’m rapping about diamonds The Holydrug ►and cars and money now”, Couple’s mutters Tyler, The Creator on 2013 debut ‘KeepDaO’s’.“What the fuck has ‘Noctuary’ gotten into me, man?” Five years in, it’s was an probably about time that Los Angeles overtly psychedelic listen, enfants terrible Odd Future started smothered in hazy riffs and getting a little soft around the middle. barely-there vocals. ‘Atlantic In fact, though, this is just more Tyler self-deprecation. double time on ‘Run’ or threatening “I do bring a terror Postcard’, the opener on this Packed with guests including Kanye, Lil Wayne and like I hate America” on the aeronautical allegory of follow-up, makes it clear Pharrell, but clocking in at a brief – by his standards, ‘Pilot’. The darkest moments are often mirrored by the Chilean duo still have anyway – 55 minutes, ‘Cherry Bomb’ might be the audacious production twists – on the bizarre title track, their heads in the clouds. tightest, leanest Tyler album yet. his voice is almost submerged under flares of static – but Its synth pattern revolves In part it’s because Tyler sounds pretty chill. His just as often you’ll find him kicking back to chill G-funk relentlessly, before bleeding past albums have been weighed down by gloomy on ‘Blow My Load’, or getting smoove with rare-groove into the aptly named self-analysis, but here he sounds upbeat and free to king Roy Ayers on ‘Find Your Wings’. ‘Dreamy’, whose deft use experiment, smushing together It’s a mark of Tyler’s good form that he can stand next of the bass guitar mirrors silky jazz, slasher-flick synths to Kanye dropping some very Kanye lines (“I wanna turn Kevin Parker’s sleepier Tame and NERD-style party rap and the tanks to playgrounds!”) and still come out sounding Impala tracks. ‘Moonlust’’s rhyming over the results in like top dog. The track in question, ‘Smuckers’, is one of remainder is enjoyably dozy a satanic gurgle that jumps ‘Cherry Bomb’’s best, but also vying for the crown is slow – the reverb-splashed around like the line on an ECG jam ‘Fucking Young/Perfect’, which finds Tyler falling ‘Concorde’ in particular – machine. More than any rapper for a girl six years his junior. Virginia soul diva Kali Uchis and intrigues most when the out there, he’s learned from plays the Lolita who’s only got eyes for him, while Tyler band wheel out tricky guitar Eminem, unleashing a rabbity sweats and squirms and eventually runs the other way. solos (‘Light Or Night’) or synth parts (‘U Don’t Wake ► It’s a very Tyler moment: at first borderline S immoral, it turns out to be a morality tale, and Up’) that wouldn’t have ►LABEL Odd Future/Sony ►RELEASE DATE Out now ►PRODUCER Tyler, The after a wrestle with his conscience, our sounded out of place on Creator ►LENGTH 55:00 ►TRACKLISTING ►1. Deathcamp ►2. Buffalo ►3. Pilot (anti)hero does the right thing. Gone an episode of space-age ►4. Run ►5. Find Your Wings ►6. Cherry Bomb ►7. Blow My Load ►8. 2Seater ►9. soft? Maybe a little, but ‘Cherry Bomb’ kids’ TV show The The Brown Stains Of Darkeese Latifah Part 6–12 (Remix) ►10. Fucking Young/ proves there’s life in Odd Future yet. 8 Clangers in the ’70s. 7 Perfect ►11. Smuckers ►12. Keep Da O’s ►13. Okaga, CA ►BEST TRACK Smuckers ■ LOUIS PATTISON ■ BEN HOMEWOOD

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CINEMA A Funny Kind Of Love FILM A comedy that tackles sex Avengers: taboos head on, A Funny Kind Of Love is the directorial debut from actor-director Josh Age Of Ultron Lawson. It explores the peccadillos of seven suburban couples, starting The billion-dollar Marvel with Maeve (Bojana Novakovic), who’s in bed franchise returns with with partner Paul (Lawson) discussing her rape fantasy. another blockbuster A series of awkwardly comic scenarios follow. Rowena (Kate Box) is In September 1963, Marvel aroused when her bereaved ► Comics published Avengers husband cries, so attempts #1, a superhero comic to move him to tears again written by Stan Lee and drawn Quicksilver (Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and by kidnapping his dog. by Jack Kirby. In that first story, characters including Scarlet Witch (Godzilla’s Elizabeth Olsen), and the Meanwhile, Dan (Damon Thor, Hulk and Iron Man were brought together to fight writer-director struggles to juggle the massive cast. Herriman) becomes some form of evil – as well as each other. Fifty-two years Characters from other films in the Marvel franchise, obsessed with role-play and later, these Marvel Comics have become the Marvel including Idris Elba’s Heimdall and Hayley Atwell’s builds a jail in his garage, to Cinematic Universe – the second-biggest film franchise Peggy Carter, make frustratingly brief appearances, the disgust wife Evie. It’s to in the world, ahead of Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings and while French actress Julie Delpy (2 Days In Paris) makes Lawson’s credit that from James Bond, and behind only Harry Potter. It launched a bizarre cameo in a dream sequence. this absurdity he’s made with Iron Man in 2008, but became proper big business Because the film is so stuffed with talent, none of the a dark, intricate and in April 2012 when Joss Whedon’s Avengers Assemble main characters shine as brightly as they should. Scarlett very funny movie. 8 – featuring characters from the ’60s comics Johansson’s intriguing Black Widow enjoys ■ RHIAN DALY – became the third-most-profitable film ever, some heartfelt moments with Mark Ruffalo’s after Avatar and Titanic, taking over $1.5 billion. Hulk after she confides a tragic secret to him, CINEMA Now – with Avengers team members Thor, but Robert Downey Jr’s charismatic Iron Man IAmBigBird 47 Captain America and Iron Man having all is underused, offering fewer zingy one-liners Eighty-one-year- fronted huge spin-off films since – Whedon’s than fans have come to expect. Instead, old puppeteer sequel arrives on a preposterously large wave Whedon becomes distracted with subplots, Caroll Spinney of anticipation. Avengers: Age Of Ultron follows including a clumsy attempt to make Jeremy has played the Marvel crew as they seek to defeat Ultron, Renner’s Hawkeye more interesting by Sesame Street’s an artificial intelligence service determined to giving him a ‘normal’ home life. Thankfully, Big Bird since 1969. Inspired eradicate mankind because it’s horrified by the Whedon chucks in enough dazzling action to make this documentary ►DIRECTOR after working in the show’s flaws that make us human. Ultron manifests Joss Whedon sequences and clever visual gags to atone. itself as a mysterious group of super-powerful Highlights include an amusing set piece in New York offices, director ►RELEASE DATE David LaMattina uncovers robots, all voiced by Boston Legal actor James Out now which Thor challenges his fellow Avengers to Spader, who delivers his lines with snide relish. lift his hammer and a brutal fight scene where the man beneath the Though Whedon establishes this epic Hulk turns on a teammate. costume. Spinney’s life is a premise efficiently and entertainingly, the film Though it has more flaws than its predecessor, tale of hardship, and I Am initially feels slightly laboured. Chris Hemsworth’s thanks to an exhilarating climax and the Big Bird is compelling Thor, Chris Evans’ Captain America and the rest of the characters’ consistent charm, Whedon delivers 7 because of that. The son of Avengers Assemble team are joined by new superheroes another blockbuster. ■ NICK LEVINE an abusive father, Spinney was bullied at school. Work as a puppeteer led to a CINEMA feature, a prison-set drama CINEMA she finds her place in the meeting with Muppets We Are Monster similar to Steve McQueen’s Girlhood world. At its heart, though, creator Jim Henson and Fifteen years ago, 2008 film Hunger. New Directed Girlhood is about friendship; a job on Sesame Street’s 19-year-old British actor Leeshon by Céline the scenes between first series. Interviews with Feltham Young Alexander, who also wrote Sciamma Marieme and best friends co-stars and family play out Offenders’ the script, plays Stewart (2011’s Lady, Fily and Adiatou – over Spinney’s home videos Institute inmate and his racist alter ego, drama sleeping four to a bed, as we learn of his divorce, Zhaid Mubarek was killed who goads him to attack Tomboy), set in a tough swigging from a communal depression and suicidal by his 20-year-old cellmate black and Asian inmates. neighbourhood outside bottle – are heartwarming. thoughts. The heartache Robert Stewart. This He gives a performance Paris and subtitled from Underplayed and free of that drives this story shocking story – which that increases in intensity French, Girlhood tells the Hollywood sheen, their is captured best when resulted in an enquiry into all the way to a harrowing story of Marieme (Karidja relationships feel honest Spinney’s eyes moisten as the institute’s vetting of finale and the eerie credits, Touré), a shy teen who must and real. Though he recalls an on-set moment Stewart and the possibility which remind us that navigate various coming-of- occasionally prone to cliché, when “I was crying inside that his crime was racially Mubarek’s family are age problems (romance, Girlhood resonates the costume. Inside motivated – is the subject still seeking justice. 8 family) alongside darker enough to succeed. 77I was dying.” of James Petrou’s first ■ BEN HOMEWOOD issues (drugs, turf wars) as ■ LISA WRIGHT ■ BEN HOMEWOOD

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS Carl Barât & The Jackals Scala, London Wednesday, April 15

48

Boys in the other band: Carl Barât & The Jackals

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 Before more Libs recording sessions, Carl blazes through Jackals tunes and old classics

PHOTO BY JORDAN HUGHES

On the eve of his flight to Thailand ►to start recording the third Libertines album, Carl Barât signs off from work with his other band, The Jackals, with a raucous swagger. Helping him through his back catalogue are a four- piece brass section, backing singers and Ed Harcourt on keys. They tear through ‘Death On The Stairs’, ‘I Get Along’, ‘Deadwood’, ‘Bang Bang You’re Dead’ and the entirety of this year’s Jackals debut ‘Let It Reign’, but the real highlight arrives when Carl grabs an acoustic guitar to perform gorgeous solo renditions of old Libs tunes ‘The Ballad of Grimaldi’ and ‘France’. A reminder of how raw and 49 delicate his songwriting is when stripped bare, and a promising sign for those Thai sessions. 8 ■ KEVIN EG PERRY

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS LIVE Laura Marling Queen Elizabeth Hall, London Monday, April 20 The enigmatic songwriter beats a stuffy atmosphere with an electrifying show

During her stint in California, ► Laura Marling toured tiny bars up and down the West Coast to rediscover the thrill of anonymity. Her return to the UK might have THE VIEW FROM THE CROWD restored some self- awareness – she’s Bella Jackson, 31, since played packed London “She never does homecoming shows anything you expect in poky venues – but her to. Her new album is so her residency at Queen different but so uniquely her.” 50 Elizabeth Hall, a formidable auditorium Suz Ford, 28, on London’s South Bank London where Marling plays “It felt a bit limited four dates in two weeks, being a sit-down marks a status upgrade gig. I was like, ‘I wanna get up anddoacartwheel!’” as steep as its seating Sons’ decision to down their banjos MARLING’S SUBTLY area. A few songs in, Holly Jones, 24, – suggested that fans reward tweedy a brave soul pierces the Worcester earnestness, Marling retains a fortress- ACROBATIC VOCALS ARE stuffy vibe and yells “She’s amazing. like composure. Her followers expect as down from the heavens: The electric guitars little soul-baring from her shows as her EVER MORE COMMANDING “That was fucking worked really well with the songs, and her unsmiling facade ensures awesome!” “Well, thank older songs, and I actually that’s all they’ll get. 2013’s expansive ‘’, you,” comes Marling’s quite liked sitting down.” Tonight, Marling walks on alone and Marling is joined by Nick Pini, a ponytailed mock-formal response. opens with an eerie rendition of ‘Howl’, double bassist, who sometimes plays Jess Smith, 23, The 25-year-old is yet an unassuming number from ‘Short atmospherically with a bow, followed by Gloucestershire to release a record that “It was incredible. Movie’, before easing into another new drummer Matt Ingram and guitarist Pete hasn’t seen her hailed as She’s really song, ‘Walk Alone’, with the unhurried Randall. After ‘Breathe’ closes the medley, the songwriter of her maturing. You do wanna get grace of a rower charting a private lake. Marling acknowledges the crowd. “You look generation. This year’s up and have a dance, though!” Dressed in a prim jacket and long skirt, very comfortable,” she says nonchalantly. ‘Short Movie’, though she stands perfectly still at the mic, “I sat in one of these seats earlier, and I know musically livelier than backdropped by a vast video screen that you’re going to have a good night.” its predecessors, never overwhelms Marling’s plays panoramic desert footage, a link to her As an electric revamp of ‘I Feel Your Love’ presence, her subtly acrobatic vocals ever recent reawakening in the Californian sands. ends, enchantment topples into rapture – more commanding. While the folk revival Ever so softly, the atmosphere lifts. During helped along by that plucky yelper at the back. – potentially in remission, given Mumford & a breathtaking suite spanning four tracks from ‘’ highlight ‘Rambling

SETLIST HOWL HOWL ALONEWALK ONCE AN I WAS EAGLE SUITE I FEEL YOUR LOVE HOW CAN I WHAT HE WROTEWHAT RAMBLING MAN RAMBLING MAN BELOVE BRAVE FALSE HOPE DEVIL’S SPOKE MASTER HUNTER STRANGE THE MUSE SOPHIA GOODBYE (COVERED IN SNOW) BLUES RUN THE GAME ME WORSHIP MOVIE SHORT 10

2 How good? How

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 Stormzy

Matthew E White Village Underground, London Tuesday, April 21 It’s the last night of Matthew E White’s UK tour supporting second album ‘Fresh Blood’, Laura Marling and double and the thick-bearded bassist Nick Virginian is in high Pini onstage spirits. “I’m feeling loose in London as a goose,” he smiles after his four-piece band groove through ‘Love Is Deep’. During ‘Fruit Trees’, sweat slicks his long hair and his glasses slip down his nose. After a grateful monologue (this is the second of two sold-out dates here), the atmosphere intensifies with a noisy ‘Steady Pace’, which ends with a guitar face-off between Sound Control, Manchester White and lead guitarist Tuesday, April 21 Alan Parker. His songs sound much louder here than on record, and The rising London MC destroys Manchester with occasionally smother quaking grime on the last night of a UK tour his husky vocal, but White conjures enough feel-good vibes for “Are the 0161s in tonight?” asks Stormzy, striding 51 that not to matter. 7 ► onto Sound Control’s small stage. The rowdy fans ■ BEN HOMEWOOD crammed in front of the 21-year-old respond by chanting their local area code. Tonight marks the end The War On Drugs of a sold-out UK tour that’s the latest in a series of Man’ gets the night’s biggest cheer, newly Pappy & Harriet’s, milestones for the rising south London MC. Last electrified with bluesy swagger, but Marling Pioneertown, October, he became the first unsigned rapper to appear wrote the song aged 20, and she has a clutch California on Later… With Jools Holland and went on to win a better. The electric ‘False Hope’ earns its PJ Wednesday, April 15 Mobo award for Best Grime Act. Then, in February, he Harvey comparisons in style, sending the There’s never been a was part of Kanye’s flame-throwing posse at double bassist into wild, head-nodding more fitting place to SETLIST the . spasms, his ponytail whipping around his face. hear Adam Granduciel’s Tonight feels like a coronation. Over From then on, shit gets heavy. Most widescreen Americana hypnotic, woozy beats from DJ Tiny, Stormzy ►0 To 100 enlivening is a rapid-fire, unassailable trio of than the outdoor stage (Drake Refix) performs with the aggressive hunger Dizzee ‘Master Hunter’, a raucous, half-rapped nod at Pappy & Harriet’s. ►Break From Rascal displayed on 2003’s ‘’, to Dylan’s ‘Tangled Up In Blue’; ‘Strange’, Under a thick blanket of Toronto (PARTY spitting bars like broken teeth. After opening in which Led Zep riffs scurry madly up her stars in the Joshua Tree NEXTDOOR Refix) with a take on Drake’s ‘0 To 100’, he promises fretboard; and ‘The Muse’, a brusque barn- desert, the expansive ►Gold Thoughts something “mellow”. ‘Gold Thoughts’ is heartbreak of last year’s ►Woo Riddim dancer transformed into a last-saloon jig, with Second Quarter snappy and steady, but Stormzy unleashes ‘’ is ► a wild Marling solo that sounds like a rooster ►Big furious flow on ‘Second Quarter’. ‘Storm being frightened to death. As the backing wonderfully amplified. No ►Storm Trooper Trooper’ is a compellingly raw account of players skulk away, night falls on the onscreen new songs are aired, but ►All That Matters domestic abuse, and an unlikely version of desert-scape, and Marling plays two songs there’s no need: moshpits ►The Only One wayward star Justin Bieber’s ‘All That Matters’ Ghetto Kyote solo: a fey ‘Goodbye England’ and her Jackson break out to ‘Red Eyes’ ► contains pillow-talk so sleazy (“Look, got me and ‘Burning’ prompts ►Not That Deep C Frank cover ‘Blues Run The Game’. Delete My Number tied with some handcuffs/Shit, don’t dare put more gleeful fist pumping ► Marling’s posse reassembles for the reverent ►Know Me From your pants up”) even Prince would blush. ‘Worship Me’, before closer ‘Short Movie’ than a Springsteen show. By the time ‘Not That Deep’ booms out, the reveals its alter ego as a roof-raising anthem: “We’ve been looking front rows are bouncing like bad cheques. During an “I think I could get away with/Saying only forward to this,” admits incendiary ‘Know Me From’, a handful of his mates half what I say”, she growls, a teasing play Granduciel, and the suddenly flood the stage from the wings and the crowd on her own enigma. As the beat kicks devoted hollers from the bellows its call-and-response chant “Talk about up a final time, Marling steps back, few hundred crammed me, you better hashtag #problem”. On its third gazes calmly at the floor and into this dusty yard run-through, he commands, “We need to fuck up returns to the mic, letting us in on prove they weren’t this city. Make it epic!” The quaking noise that the briefest of smiles. A glimpse 8 the only ones. 9 follows leaves you in no doubt that Stormzy is 8 ■ JAZZ MONROE ■ LEONIE COOPER ■ GARY RYAN ROB BLACKHAM, DANNY PAYNE is all you need. the crown prince of grime.

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS GIG OF THE WEEK Will Butler The Art School, Glasgow Monday, April 20 Opening his first solo UK tour, the man replaces bombast with heart

52 Stage left, wearing a garishly ► coloured suit, looking like a man enraptured by the Mardis Gras going on in his head: that’s THE VIEW FROM THE CROWD where we’re accustomed to seeing Will Butler, Joel Stone, 32, Glasgow Arcade Fire’s jack of “I didn’t really know all trades and drum- much about him and juggling daredevil-in- I’m not a big Arcade Fire fan, chief. Tonight, opening but I enjoyed the dynamics of ‘Policy’ and Arcade Fire, the most his debut UK solo tour the gig, especially the two girls obvious being that Butler both looks THERE’S NOT A PAPIER at Glasgow’s intimate at either side, singing those and sounds a bit like his older, more MACHE PUPPET OR Art School, he’s centre great girl-group harmonies.” famous brother, but the disparity in stage, he and his three bombast means the two couldn’t feel HAITIAN DRUM IN SIGHT bandmates sporting Samuel Burton, 20, more different. Just eight songs and Mansfield plain black sweatshirts 27 minutes long, recorded in a single ‘Witness’ nods to Marvin Gaye’s ‘Can I Get “I was pretty with their names surprised – there week, Butler’s album is a slighter, A Witness’, while ‘Son Of God’ finds Butler printed on them, and was a proper energy, and for quirkier affair than the flamboyant sounding like Elvis. In fact, listen closely not a papier mâché an album that only lasts about conceptual opuses we’ve come to enough and you can pick out most of the puppet or Haitian drum 25 minutes, he had a lot to expect from his other band, though great names (and some of the lesser ones) in in sight. Butler even play. It’s good that he’s doing it’s performed with something like the the American canon – Springsteen, Spector, performs his own something a bit different from same arch, playful theatricality. Jonathan Richman, Pixies, even Meat Loaf. changeover after local the same old stuff.” Violent Femmes’ ‘American Music’ Live, there’s a far greater cohesion to all support band White is one of two covers that feature in this than you’ll find on the album. Whereas Gunter Schweitz, finish, which is tonight’s set (the other is a spiky ‘Policy’ was a rough diamond that may have 22, Frankfurt something he probably “It was very good. new-wave take on The Magnetic Fields’ been a little too eclectic for its own good, the didn’t have to worry I was already a fan ‘The Death Of Ferdinand De Saussure’), sparseness of his live set-up – just Butler, two about when he of Arcade Fire, but I heard his but it’s the track that probably best keyboard players and a drummer – gives the headlined Glastonbury album the other day and really encapsulates what Butler has set out songs a directness and uniformity that make last summer. liked it. The best song for me to do with ‘Policy’ – American music them feel more of a piece with each other. Then again, given was ‘Take My Side’.” is, if you like, the key these songs are ‘When The Sun Comes Up’, ‘Madonna Can’t the increasingly grand written and performed in. ‘When The Save Me Now’ and ‘Something’s Coming’ are canvas on which Arcade Fire operate, perhaps Sun Comes Up’ lifts the opening line from even performed as a sort of mini-suite, where it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that he’s Dylan’s ‘All Along The Watchtower’, just as the disparate threads of punk-funk, piano dialled things down for his debut solo album. ‘Take My Side’ knowingly evokes his ‘Outlaw house and off-kilter country are expertly tied There are inevitable similarities between Blues’. The frenzied doo-wop gospel of together with a metronomic kick-drum beat.

NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS | 2 MAY 2015 The Magic Gang

Låpsley Leaf, Liverpool Friday,18thApril Will Butler onstage in This hometown show is Glasgow the first date of a tour that will take new XL signing Låpsley from the UK to the US via Europe. Things are moving fast for 18-year-old Holly Lapsley Fletcher. She walks out to an expectant crowd, but five minutes in, disaster strikes. “Sorry, can I start again? My backing track is, er, glitching,” she grimaces during the aptly titled ‘Glitch’. Thankfully, the set continues without Bleach, Brighton interruption, and the Friday, April 17 crowd fall into silent reverence for the ambient Local underground heroes make good on their dub of ‘Station’ and the SETLIST beautiful ‘Falling Short’. earlier promise at a riotous hometown show The latter, from the ►You Must Be recent ‘Understudy’ EP, There’s an eager knot of fans pressed up against Kidding backs up comparisons the front of Bleach’s stage as local lads The Magic ►Son Of God to The xx. New track ► Gang saunter out for the last night of their debut ►When The Sun ‘Take A Minute’ hints at Comes Up UK tour and launch into Weezer-like opener ‘You Don’t chart-busting balladry to ►Madonna Can’t Want Me’. It’s been part of the quartet’s live set for more Save Me Now come, and she leaves the than a year, and guitars chop cleanly as the hardcore leap ►Something's stage with cheers in unison, punching the air to its simple sentiment (“My 53 Coming ringing in her ears. girl thinks that she’s the only one for me”). Frontman Jack ►Anna 7 ■ JAMIE CROSSAN Kaye, in Rivers Cuomo specs, sings the first verse, fellow ►Anna II ►Clean Monday guitarist Kristian Smith takes the second and bassist ►Sing To Me Screaming Females Angus Taylor jumps in for its raucous chorus. ►Luckiest Sailor Brudenell Social Club, While their acceleration from trashing house parties ►Cold Leeds at last year’s Great Escape to releasing recent debut ►The Death Of Monday, 20 April single ‘No Fun’ has been swift, The Magic Gang remain Ferdinand De “We’re not using those Saussure overlooked by Brighton’s broader music scene, at least monitors – you can stand This also extends to the ►Surrender compared with contemporaries like Demob Happy. ones he recently wrote ►Witness in front of them,” says Despite their deep roots in the city, their reputation for , where ►What I Want Screaming Females’ currently lays within a tiny DIY network of blogs, zines he churned out a song ►Take My Side frontwoman Marissa and bands who’ve come out in force tonight ►Public Defender a day based on whatever Paternoster, beckoning SETLIST – as well as support acts Sulky Boy and Our ►American Music headline caught his fancy: the crowd towards the Girl, the crowd is stuffed with members of Butler plays three of them tonight, and floor space in front of next-generation Brighton acts like Abattoir her. The New Jersey ►You Don’t Want Me considering the hurried nature of the exercise, She Won’t Ghost Blues and Tigercub. The sense of proud three-piece treat them ► they’re remarkably well formed, particularly ►Happy Birthday ownership makes it even more special. ‘You Must Be Kidding’, which sounds like to material from sixth ►Jasmine The crowd push harder through the stoned Springsteen’s ‘Johnny 99’ if it had been written album ‘Rose Mountain’: ►Lady Please Beach Boys swagger of ‘She Won’t Ghost’, about a water shortage in São Paolo instead of the brooding title track ►Alright during which Smith wheels out a guitar solo Shallow economic desperation in New Jersey. is held together by ► straight from the Teenage Fanclub school of ►No Fun Butler has talked about how “part of the Paternoster’s shredding, fizzing pop. Following punchy live favourite ►With My Baby goal of this record is to make people excited while ‘Ripe’ is even ‘Happy Birthday’, two new songs show The enough to pay attention when I’m 80”, and the better, Paternoster’s fiery Magic Gang’s knack for casually sung, universal number of new or unreleased songs in the vibrato mixing powerfully choruses. ‘Jasmine’ shines brightest, with the crowd evening’s set give the impression that this with Jarrett Dougherty’s soon bawling its breezy couplets (“The sky turns from project is rather more far-sighted than the aggressive drumming blue/It starts to rain on you”) back at the band. usual cycle of ‘band member steps out of the and tumultuous bass Things take a turn for the chaotic as the steady tension shadows, records album, quietly returns to day from ‘King’ Mike Abbate. of ‘Shallow’ sees the first crowdsurfers hoist themselves job’. We certainly hope so. ‘Policy’ may have As the last note rings out, up. The Magic Gang join in, pouring wine down flown under most people’s radar, Abbate puts down his each other’s throats before they growl into ‘No but as Arcade Fire balloon to ever guitar and strides to Fun’. A rampage through 2013’s ‘With My Baby’ greater proportions, tonight is the merch table; ends with drummer Paeris Giles taking off on proof that scale matters a lot less 9 a concise farewell. 8 a drunken tumble over the audience’s heads as 7 ■ BARRY NICOLSON ■ HAYLEY AVRON ■ STUART HUGGETT ARPAD HORVATH, NEELAM KHAN VELA than heart. the night collapses to a close.

2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS     

 

  

                       

             

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2 MAY 2015 | NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS ■ Compiled by TREVOR HUNGERFORD

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