Categories
Music News

Glastonbury Festival announce artists for 2014

Glastonbury Festival have announced the first wave of artists for their 2014 event this morning taking place between 27th-29th June. Take a look at these and then try and work out who the headline ‘special guests’ are. There are more to be announced soon but rumours flying around that a Led Zeppelin line up could be the guests. Thoughts? Rumours also flying around that Shepard Fairey is doing artwork for the band right now for a forthcoming release.

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Categories
Live Reviews

The Men and Parquet Courts Live at the Garage

The Men / Parquet Courts
The Relentless Garage, London
March 19th

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New York quartet Parquet Courts are creating quite a healthy little buzz for themselves at the moment and it’s not hard to see why. They were the ‘band everyone was talking about’ at SXSW this year and tonight they face a crammed to capacity Garage as they swagger out onstage to confront a London crowd eager to see what all the fuss is about. And they take it calmly in their stride. Parquet Courts are effortlessly cool, brooding with a Velvet Underground menace, a spiky Mark E Smith snarl and wailing Pavement-esque out of tune guitars, they are minimal, jagged and have some excellent songs hidden amongst the noise and snarl. You’re going to be hearing a lot from this band this year.

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Whilst Parquet Courts are rigid and tight, The Men couldn’t be set further apart. The Men are lose, raw, wild, explosive and all over the fucking place. In short, The Men are utterly life-affirming and incredibly exciting to watch. Live, like their recorded output, they swerve wildly from and between abrasive noise punk, Neil Young country-tinged rock, wild psychedelia, melodic grunge and everything in between. The Men pay no heed to rules. This is music flowing freely for a multitude of influences. They’re like the 13th Floor Elevators meets Spacemen 3 meets The Wipers meets Mudhoney meets Neil Young meets Black Flag and it sounds so good it makes you want to hold your breath and detonate. The Men are utterly thrilling. Grab the first chance you get to see them live.

James Sherry

Categories
Album Of The Week Album Reviews Buzz Chart Reviews

Parquet Courts

Parquet Courts
‘Light Up Gold’
(Dull Tools)

The words Parquet Courts may not mean much to most just yet, but punk and indie listeners on both sides of the Atlantic are going to get a fine taste of pure American post-teen rock rowdiness coming their way soon.

This New York four piece throw out pumped-up attitude with the passion and devotion for great, original rock music before coating it with the texture and flavour of a steak done rare. The band previously released a 4-track EP which was exclusively available on cassette and have followed that with a stunning fifteen track LP titled ‘Light Up Gold’ that pays homage to the likes of the 80’s US post punk scene and has the drive of the very best indie out there.

Vocalist Andrew Savage leads the pack with gritty, iconic vocals on opener ‘Master of My Craft’. His lazy style emanates the East Coast’s post-punk scene beautifully and he also delivers some pretty tasty lyrics too.

Parquet Court’s personality shines with every snare that drummer Max Savage makes. Don’t assume the brothers are doing all the hard work though, the marvelous rhythm, lively guitar and driving bass fuse together to move with soul in ‘Tears O Plenty’. What really works on this full length though are the jagged chords that are filtered with a vintage fashion in ‘Borrowed Time’, ‘Yr No Stoner’ and the absolutely must have: ‘Stoned And Starving’. This record has a wide variety of tunes that include the moody ‘N Dakota’ and gratifying melodies in tracks such as ‘Disney P.T’ plus title track ‘Light Up Gold’.

This album is one of the most exciting finds of the year so far. Look out for them this week as they cruise through London to play three debut shows. If their live sets are as spiky as on tape, then you will be in for a treat.

Jenny Chu

Categories
Features

Must see shows: March

The weather is awful but there are plenty of shows out there worth leaving the house for, so get stuck into our recommended gigs for the reminder of March and spread the word. If you have shows you would like to put forward for April, get in touch.

HADOUKEN! – March 20th- Kingston

McClusky’s in Kingston alongside the good folk at Banquet Records will be hosting Hadouken’s album launch show for ‘Every Weekend’. Their gigs always bounce off the walls so go check out a band that have just been announced this week for Reading and Leeds main stage. You’d be a fool to miss this one considering how intimate the venue is. £10 for the show and a copy of the album. Visit www.banquetrecords.com for all ticket info and download this Koven remix for some deep dubstep and bass damage.

PARQUET COURTS – 19th, 20th, 21st March – London

American band Parquet Courts will be playing three shows in London towards the end of the month. 19th The Garage, Highbury (w/ The Men), Wednesday 20th March at The Shacklewell Arms, London New Cross and 21st at the Seebright Arms off Hackney Road as they make their mark on the UK. Follow your nose here to listen to their debut album. It’s a great blend of 70’s punk and trashy indie steez.

BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB – Dublin, Belfast

The rest of the UK have missed out but just in time for their new album ‘Specter At The Feast’, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will be hitting up Belfast and Dublin. The American garage rock band will hopefully be back soon, but if you are in Ireland then get down to some shoegaze. Check here for dates.

BIFFY CLYRO – Tour across the UK

Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro will be heading off on tour from 20th March, heading to Newcastle, Birmingham, Cardiff, Sheffield, Manchester, Bournemouth, Dublin, Belfast, Aberdeen, Glasgow and London. Arenas are their kind of place and their shows are usually full of fire, smoke and rock and roll. Click here for full dates.

THE SMOKING HEARTS – Tour across England

British rock and roll band The Smoking Hearts will be doing a small tour at the end of March, visiting London (free show!), Bournemouth, Carthmathean, Cheltenham and Basingstoke. These newcomers are already known for their crazy antics of smashing guitars and drum kits sprawling across the stage. Click here for full dates.

JAGERMEISTER W/ GHOST, GOJIRA & THE DEFILED – Tour across the UK

Booze and rock and roll hits the road this month. A mere £5, the tour will be visiting major cities across the UK, bringing their A-game no doubt as they take everyone apart, piece by piece. For full dates click here.

GIDEON – March 20th – London

Heavy metal band Gideon will be showing off their stuff at The Garage, London at a one off show. Profoundly known for being aggressive and hardcore as fuck, £6 is most certainly a good deal. Click here for more information.

RED DONS

Red Dons are visiting for 3 shows in the UK this month bringing their unique incendiary hardcore with them. On Wednesday 27th March they play The Shacklewell Arms in London, Thursday 28th March at Wharf Chambers in Leeds and Friday 29th March TBA in Manchester. Read this killer interview and make sure you don’t miss this. Hyped.

Words: Sean Hendrie