The 6 word review #4: The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love

"Why did they stop writing songs?"

The 6 word review #3: Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson

"Paedophilia never sounded so fantastic, french."

The 6 word review #2: Doves - Kingdom of Rust

"Bland, insipid, woeful; better than expected."

The 6 word review #1 - Live: Polar Bear, Dirty Projectors, Lucky Dragons.

Six word fiction seems to be de rigeur right about now. And several months ago. And probably some point in the future too - it's hard to notice when you don't really care.

Anyway, I thought it would be 'amusing' to start writing reviews of new records and gigs and that in this fashion, because.... well, I don't know, but have you tried reading a drowned in sound review recently? 6 words is as much as I can handle when faced with dreck like this.

I digress:

Lucky Dragons:
Oh no, audience participation - hello Jonestown.

Dirty Projectors:
Treble onslaught, fronted by a chicken.

Polar Bear:
Jazz odyssey. Who wrote this? Nobody.

Marmoset tour news!

Excellent news! My favourite polite Hungarian techno fiend is doing a UK tour in may! He literally e-mailed me these tour dates the same time as he e-mailed everyone else - stoked to the max! I'm literally excited!!!

He will literally be playing at the following venues:

17 - The Sheffield Exocet
18 - Leeds - United Nil bar
19 - The Newcastle Pointless
20 - Glasgow - Mos Eisley spaceport
22 - Manchester - The Fucker and Firkin
23 - Birmingham - Corduroy's
24 - Cardiff - The Risen Yeast Inn
25 - Swansea - Jackademicals (cancelled at mayor's behest)
27 - Weymouth - Barfly
28 - Bristol - Barely
29 - London - Labour club

See you at the Cardiff show!

EXCLUSIVE Marmoset track!

Ladies and gentlemen of the world, I am totally stoked to share with you an exclusive track from Marmoset, exclusively created for IndieGestion! The Hungarian Techno-ician was apparently delighted to be featured on my top 10 of 2008 list, and created this track - Sexy Barman Monologue - to be shared.

According to the man himself - "i am a big fan of what english tv shows i can see, and i took these samples for the song from my favorite of them all. the rest wrote itself, like all my songs."

Thank you Marmoset, I wish more people in the top 2 of my top 10 could be more like you.

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

INTERVIEW: Michaels Erikson, singer of The Civil War Alliance.

Regular followers of this blog will know that I was totally blown away by The Civil War Alliance album of last year, 'Lee's Stagecoach' - in a time dominated by indentikit indie bands (much like 1996, 2001 and 2005), their rustic bombast really stood out from the pack - I thought it was streets ahead of anything else, both lyrically and musically, so naturally I was delighted when their notably uncharismatic frontman Michaels Erikson (on the right of the picture) agreed to a telephone interview.

The word 'disappointment' is used a lot these days, without much consideration of it's meaning. Well, I've spent the last 40 minutes reading the entry in the dictionary.

This was a disappointment.

I have attempted to transcribe what occurred as best as I can; it's been slightly edited to remove elements of undue stupidity by me and to paint me in a much better light.



INDIE-GESTION: Hi Michaels, thanks for agreeing to answer a few questions for my website.

MICHAELS ERIKSON: Sure.

I-G: I thought Lee's Stagecoach was a hell of a good record - one of the best of last year actually, so it's a real pleasure to be talking to you.

ME: I know.

I-G: As I understand it, The Civil War Alliance formed back in 2003 when you were all still in high school in Richmond, Virginia.

ME: Norfolk man, Norfolk. Basic fucking research.

I-G: I'm sorry, but it's actually really hard finding any real info about you on the internet.

ME: Jesus man, all you've gotta do is ask, and I'll tell you. What do you want to know?

I-G: Ok, so you formed when you were in high school in Norfolk, Virg-

ME: Yeah man, already said that, next question. [inaudible] christ...

I-G: So what would you say were your influences at the time you started?

ME: Is that question for real?

I-G: Er, yes.

ME: Ok. Joshua Chamberlain. James Longstreet. Robert Lee. John Buford. George Pickett. Thomas Chamberlain. Buster Kilrain-

I-G: Er, I guess I was more interested in finding out your musical influences, apart from Robert Lee I'm not really sure who those people are. I'm assuming you don't mean the ex-Newcastle winger? (NB - this was an attempt to break the ice. I think it worked.)

ME: You've gotta be kidding me. Don't they teach any US history in school these days? Son, you're talking like a disgrace.

I-G: Woah..... firstly, I'm 38; secondly, we probably don't learn as much about the American civil war in the UK than you do in the states.

ME: God dammit, you need some real history to learn. When I was--

I-G: Er, I think we're going off map here-

ME: What?

I-G: -so I'll ask you again, what were your musical influences when you just started out?

ME: .......

I-G: Hello?

ME: Ha, made you speak. Well, I didn't really have any musical influences - I'm only the singer. I tend to leave that stuff up to the guitarists, and the pianoists and the recordingists.

I-G: ........

ME: You want me to say that louder son?

I-G: No, I got it... I'm a bit baffled by your answer to be honest.

ME: How d'you mean?

I-G: Well, when one of your musical idols says to you that they don't have any musical influences, and then uses words like 'pianoists', it's always going to throw you off your train of thought. It's just not what I expected, that's all.

ME: Never expect. Never explain. Apologise sometimes. It's the way of the south.

I-G: Hmmm, ok. Lee's Stagecoach did really well for a debut album-

ME: God dammit! It's not our debut. We did, like, 4 records before we even got signed.

I-G: Well... were they released or anything?

ME: Yeah, we sold them all over Richmond, at our shows, eBay - y'know, the usual outlets.

I-G: So I guess I'm forgiven for not really, er, knowing..... wait a second, Richmond?

ME: What of it?

I-G: You just said Richmond. You just said you were from Norfolk less than 5 minutes ago, and you pretty much yelled at me for getting it wrong.

ME: I don't like your tone - you're taping this right? Well, play it back later and realise you're an idiot. Next question.

I-G: Ok, ok. My next question is about your album. The whole concept was pretty far out - you based it on inanimate objects of the period of the American civil war, in particular relating to General Lee - the single 'Lee's Stagecoach' is a defining example of this, in that it merely lists some objects that may have been used by General Lee at some point. What was the thinking behing this? Were you trying to make a statement about the construct of the pop song in the 21st century? Or were you trying to make a statement about the current state of literary historical indie music, ie bands like the Decemberists or Midlake?

ME: Litter wary? Son, let me tell you something. If you go down to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, you will see each and every item that I listed in that song in that museum, and you will see them in the same order.

I-G: So... you just wrote down things you saw as you went round the exhibits?

ME: Well........ truth be told, I've never been there, but I got my nephew to do it on a school field trip. He's still chasing me for a co-writing credit, the little cracker.

I-G: I... I... shit, I'm stunned! I've been using that song... fuck, I've been using that song as an example of where sophisticated indie music will go next, and you're telling me that you got your nephew to write stuff down that he saw, for you to sing?

ME: Well, I was the one who told him what to do - find a grey uniform and write down what you see.

I-G: How old is he anyway?

ME: He's 10, but he looks about 3. It's pretty freaky actually.

I-G: Is this how you wrote the entire album? Through him?

ME: Not the whole album. There are a few instrumentals on there, and I can't really take credit for those.

I-G: You can't take the credit for any of them! You're a.... hell, you're not even a hack - you're a fraud.

ME: Listen son, I don't give interviews so I can be insul-

I-G: STOP CALLING ME SON, I'm, like, 15 years older than you. I'm stunned! I...... well, at least I know why you're album seems to have such a strong bias towards the confederacy, it's because it's from your 10 year old nephew's point of view!

ME: The whateracy?

I-G: The confederacy!

ME: The confedawhatty?

I-G: THE FUCKING CONFEDERACY! General Lee's army! The army that wore grey and that you wrote an entire fucking album about!

ME: Son - you mean the south. That's what we call ourselves.

I-G: I'm really starting to question if you know anything about US history at all. I mean... what were those names you listed earlier? Y'know, when I asked you what your influences were?

ME: Hold on, give me a second.................... Joshua Chamberlain. James Longstreet. Robert Lee. John Buford. George Pickett. Thomas Chamberlain. Buster Kilrain-

I-G: Why did you pause?

ME: I didn't pause. Those are some of the greatest heroes this country has ever seen, and I know them by heart.

I-G: Are you looking those guys up on the internet?

ME:......No I am not.

I-G: I don't believe you, I'm going to look them up myself... oh my god.

ME: Well, I think you should have everything you need here-

I-G: The first thing that came up was the wikipedia entry for the film Gettysburg - oh my god, is this where your knowledge of the civil war comes from?

ME: Son, I don't know what you're talking about.

I-G: Those names you listed - they're the characters, in the same order that they're billed!

ME: My God, that's a crazy coincidence! I guess that shows how much I know about it after all, for me to get everything right along with those folks.

I-G: Buster Kilrain isn't even a real person! He was fictional!!

ME: I..... he....... what?

I-G: How come you didn't know what the confederacy was? I mean, it must be mentioned in the film?

ME: I'll level with you - I haven't seen the film. But I have read that article about 8 times - it's pretty informative stuff. Have you tried reading the entry on the American Civil War? My god, it's like trying to read a book.

I-G: So your knowledge of the American Civil War comes from the wikipedia entry for the film Gettysburg?

ME: That, and also my own songs. And I saw the first ten minutes of Sahara, but I was pretty drunk at the time. That battle scene! My god, amazing. Amazing. I think it's my second favourite film because of that battle.

I-G: And what's your favourite film?

ME: Soul Man.

I-G: Have you actually seen this one?

ME: Hell yes, it's totally hilarious! Y'know I mentioned the next album earlier? Well, it's actually going to be about this film.

I-G: Please don't do that.

ME: Too late man, my nephew is watching the video as we speak.


Lee's Stagecoach by The Civil War Alliance is out now on Risible Records.

Hiya. So, it's nearly Christmas - well done everyone, it wouldn't have happened without you.

So, here's some music - the first mix contains some of my favourite music of 2008, with some representing some notable occasions of the year (like the passing of Humphrey Lyttelton and Davey Graham, and my total obsession with The Wire). Less speak, more music...

DOWNLOAD IT HERE, NOW.

Songinglisting:

1. Too Drunk To Dream - The Magnetic Fields
2. Martha Ann - David Karsten Daniels
3. Run To Your Grave - The Mae Shi
4. Bad Penny Blues - Humphrey Lyttleton
5. Something About Ghosts - Matt Elliott
6. Doomsdayer's Holiday - Grails
7. The Adolescent - Gregor Samsa
8. Burden - Horse Feathers
9. Party Barge - Silver Jews
10. MMV - The New Year
11. Gazing At the Fire - Ignatz
12. The Body of an American - The Pogues
13. Lullaby - Judy Henske & Jerry Yester
14. Invisible Ink - Made Out of Babies
15. This Is Not A Test - She & Him
16. Invisible - Grouper
17. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men - Davey Graham
18. I Had A List And I Lost It - The Drift
19. Notes For Future Lovers - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
20. Life Caught In The Rain - Envy
21. To a bond - Islands

22. The Fall - Andre Burke/Blake Leyh

And here are some Christmas related songs of varying quality that will hopefully drown out the sound of carolers at the door.

FREE ANTI-CHRISTMAS MUSIC ABOUT CHRISTMAS.

1. Christmas Sucks - Tom Waits and Pete Murphy Impersonators
2. Gift X-change - Calexico
3. Don't Believe in Christmas - The Sonics
4. No Christmas In Kentucky - Phil Ochs
5. Christmas Downer - Departure Lounge
6. Merry Christmas Everybody - Daniel Johnston
7. It's Christmas Time - Louvin Brothers
8. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie
9. Christmas Song - Medicine
10. Christmas 1914 - Shuttah
11. Chris Morris Ruins A Little Girl's Xmas

The Vandelay Industries Genuine Quality Deciding Tastemaker list of 2008.

Ok, call me a hypocrite if you like – I swore to myself that I wouldn't do a 'best of 2008' list, which is the time where music journos / hobbyists / idiots feel that their opinions somehow matter and deserve to be foisted on an overly busy and stressed public, regarding whichever discordant wilful obscurism has made them out to be cooler than the rest of the cunts that make up their woefully hateful tribal entourage. I hate these people, and the thought of unspecified harm to their person makes me giggle slightly.

With that in mind, let's get listing! I couldn't decide on an order for these, as quality and genre are irregular bedfellows – it's practically metaphorical buggery – so they're presented in a random order, with some 'treats' thrown in at the end for good measure.

1. The Civil War Alliance – Lee's Stagecoach
More wonderful literary experimental indie from the Minnesotan sextet - the concept of the record is on the subject of inanimate objects involved with the American civil war. The lead single from the album, also titled 'Lee's Stagecoach', would doubtless have charted higher had it ventured beyond the lyrical boundaries of merely listing items that General Lee might have used. If they ever break out into new conceptual directions, they'd be vaguely dangerous – Colin Meloy had better look behind his shoulder. I can't wait to see what they offer in 2009.

2. Marmoset - Klassische-X
Jazz tinged minimal techno from Budapest - the sound alternates between the sunrise in a rain forest and a robot pissing into a bin. The contrast between the two vastly differing styles makes this the best record I've heard for quite some time - I can't wait to see what he offers in 2009.

3. Fire Flagon - When This Is Over I'll Be Molesting Yr Skull and Laughing, Laughing, Laughing...
No one does fiery, searing, piercing 30 minute prog-skrunk-psychedelic-jazzy-dub cosmic voyages quite like this bunch of 17 year olds from Torquay. Vaguely reminiscent of Faust drowning in Magma while the Cosmic Jokers look on and laugh, the diamond encrusted quadruple gatefold warns you that what you're about to hear definitely is not normal. One of Julian Cope's favourite records of the decade - I can't wait to see what they offer in 2009.

4. Professor Postlethwaite's World of Emporium - The Purple Shoppe of Psychedelic Schemes
Admittedly nauseating for 9/10ths of it's emetic duration, the modern psych revivalists make it worth the price of admission with 'You'll Regret This, Come Join Us", their remarkable 9 minute declaration of war on anything post 1968. They also deserve a special mention for their political wing taking 5 council seats at the last elections in Shoreditch. I can't wait to see what antics they'll offer in 2009!

5. Sloblock – Winsome Losesome
Album number 11 in 3 years from the drone-folk project led by Chad Bingley, guitarist in folk-drone band Clothiers. A veritable smorgasbord of shifting textures, sounds, rhythms, malleted strings and howls, it’s otherworldly sound was a massive leap on from their previous album “Calliope’s Revenge”, that was released 2 months prior to this one, and was far more accessible than the terrifying triple CD album “Trepanning My Way to your Heart” that came out 3 months after. I can’t wait to sift through what they offer in 2009.

6. The Listerine Dragons - Anthologically Correct
Though technically a compilation of the defunct act's finer moments from their all-too-brief time together in the early eighties, this is the one thing I've listened to most over the previous 12 months – Last FM proves it. Famously averse to releasing music of any kind, this takes a selection of badly recorded bootlegs and puts them in one place for the world enjoy, with liner notes from Everett True. I can't wait to see what they offer in 2009. Hopefully themselves as a sacrifice.

7. Terence – Our name are Terence
Perfect power punk pop from the youngsters from New Zealand. Controversially received in their home country due to questionable lyrics concerning the Maori population, for the rest of the world (where local politics correctly take second place to a good beat) it was a case of the hype not going far enough – and while the decision to release the album solely on MySpace attracted ire from musical purists and people with souls, it was a marketing masterstroke that catapulted them into the mainstream. I can’t wait to hear what they offer in 2009.

8. Kevin Davies - The Hole Beneath My Heart
Heartfelt slowcore Americana from the hard-nosed Bolton striker? Uh, ok! 12 gorgeous slices of angst-filled vignettes, it reminded me of early Townes Van Zandt. One of the surprises of the julian calendar year (especially Ricardo Vaz Te's virtuoso turn on castanets), it's just a shame he couldn't tour it due to Bolton's ongoing battle against football. I can't wait to see what he offers in 2009, when hopefully he'll have some more time on his hands.

9. Miws - Aberlution
A Welsh language Muse tribute band - absolutely has to be heard to be believed, and even now I'm still doubting it. Made up of former members of Anrhefn, Zabrinski and Frisbee, their sporadic gigs round west and north Wales have been received rapturously, and fills me with a kind of nationalistic candor that the world hasn't seen since Radko Mladic put his boots on. Ones to watch from both sides of the law enforcement barrier - sai'n gallu aros i weld beth mae nhw'n cynnal yn 2009.

10. Er….. well…… hmm. I can’t decide – there have been so many other releases worthy of a mention that I can’t pick another one. Whether it’s the dub-jungle vinyl slabs from the mysterious “White Label” collective, the angelic vocal stylings of Marian Sumner (nepotism be damned, it was a fine record and I don’t care who her father is), and not forgetting the childlike tweecore of “Giraffe”. I can’t wait to see what they, and many others, offer us in 2009.

SPECIAL MENTIONS!

RE-ISSUE OF THE YEAR!
Sly Wilcox – Heaven is a Drug (and so is Hell, and probably Purgatory too Wo-Man)
Finally, this lost psych-folk masterpiece from 1965 is widely available again. The lyrics of the classic ‘Drug Mule Woman’ are still among the finest I’ve heard – “I got a drug mule woman / Filled her up good / My drug mule woman / Likes different kinds of food, sing it baby” – when it’s repeated for the duration of side A, it becomes like a religious mantra, and I’m happy to be converted. I would say that I can’t wait to see what he offers in 2009, but he’s dead.

MOST SADLY MISSED: George W. Bush. If it wasn’t for his fast reflexes (and I say that in the most grudging way possible), he’d have had a shoe in the face, and the world would’ve rejoiced (apart from people who don’t matter). So, so, so, so, so near.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2009: Things will be pretty much as they are now, only slightly worse.

(Coming soon - some genuine music I like from 2008 (but I promise you I won't write about it, just make a compilation) and some christmas music that will make you as miserable as I am.)

RIP: Davey Graham

I just found that Davey Graham passed away yesterday. Bugger. I was going to put a little video up of him, but the guardian have done a pretty nifty job of compiling some great youtube stuff, so go there and watch it.