Albums To Embrace….Joe Cocker – Mad Dogs And Englishmen (1970) (Film & Album)

I thought I would give a review of probably my all time favourite concert film (and I own a fair few!!) as I believe it needs to be seen by far more people than it probably has been.

This fantastic tour documentary was filmed and recorded on Joe Cocker’s 1970 American tour and gives a fascinating insight into not only the rock n roll circus of the tour itself, but also a great document of the times from which it came. The story of the tour itself is something that you just cannot imagine happening in this day and age.

In early 1970 Cocker touched down in L.A. from a world tour exhausted and ready for a well-earned rest after a relentless tour promoting his first two albums ‘Joe Cocker!’ and “With A Little Help From My Friends’. Over the previous year he had built up a reputation for being one of the most passionate, unique, and electrifying performers on the world stage. His distinctive and powerful roar (there really is no better word for his voice) singing Rock n Roll, Blues, Jazz, and Soul with choice cover versions of famous songs by Ray Charles, Otis Redding, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, along with so many others, rubberstamped with his own style, had connected with a worldwide audience from all aspects of life, along with a show stealing performance at the previous summers Woodstock Festival.

Upon his arrival in L.A. he was informed by his manager that in only 8 days time he was to set off on another American Tour lasting 7 weeks, playing 48 nights, in 52 cities. This had been arranged without any consultation with Cocker himself and having already parted company with his ‘Grease Band’, he found himself without a band and only a week to find one, rehearse, and get as much material as possible to take out on the road. His hands were tied regarding trying to get out of the tour, and the ramifications of pulling out would have been catastrophic for his burgeoning career at that point. He made a few phone calls and his knight in shining armour arrived in the form of Leon Russell, a good friend and gifted musician who, with Cocker, held a week long open audition where musicians who were available would come along, jam, and by all accounts it became a week of playing music and partying hard! By the end of the week, such was Russell and Cocker’s pull; they had a 25-piece band to take on the road. Among them were Rolling Stones Sax player Bobby Keys, Chris Stainton (Piano and Organ), Don Preston (Guitars), Carl Radle (Bass), Jim Price (Trumpet), with Chuck Blackwell, Jim Gordon, and Jim Keltner (all on drumming duty!!!), Bobby Torres and Sandy Kolikoff (percussion) along with a 10-strong backing choir including Rita Coolidge and Claudia Lennear. The assembled cast of musicians along with soundmen, roadies, secretaries, managers, wives, kids, and animals made up a touring party of 43!

The results contained within this film are a glorious time capsule of a golden period in music with the hippy-spirit still thriving, complete with the rock n roll excesses and decadence synonymous with the times. It gives us a glimpse of the whirlwind nature of the tour, incredible live performances, the band travelling by plane and bus from city to city, the off stage excess, and the often hilarious camaraderie of 25+ musicians on the road together. It is often filmed in split screen, much like the Woodstock film that preceeded it, showing as many aspects of what is going on at the time from as many different view points. The director of the film Pierre Adidge said later “It was no ordinary tour. They brought together the finest musicians in Hollywood, who all went because they wanted to go, because they wanted to be a part of this whole giant effort, they wanted to be together through their music.” The fact that they got together in a matter of days, went on a riotous rock n roll tour, made great music for 7 weeks before disbanding, just adds to the magic. It is essential viewing for anyone who has an interest in the late 60s and early 70s music scene.

From the opening hustle and bustle outside the venue pre-show, mixed with backstage footage with inter-band dynamics already coming to the fore. The 25-piece band gather for a mini sermon in the dressing room with great linessuch as “Every night’s a Saturday, every days a Sunday” before a gospel rendition of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” is performed before heading to the stage. The spirit of togetherness is palpable before even a note is struck.

One of Cocker’s biggest hits opens proceedings as ‘Delta Lady’ hits you like a train with its funk-soul-pop gloriousness. A track impossible to keep still to, it showcases the power of the huge band to devastating effect. With 3 drummers on stage, a horn section, Russell playing guitar in his top hat and bell bottoms, along with great accompaniment from a truly gifted backing band and choir, fronted by the mesmerising Cocker with his dishevelled style, looking more like a hobo than a rock star, with his drunk uncle at a wedding shuffle, he gyrates and flails around the stage like a man possessed. The music completely consumes him, and his primal delivery swings from sheer raw power to more tender moments showing a very versatile, soulful singer that he often does not get enough credit for. The fact that he was only in his mid-twenties when it was filmed and recorded is astounding with the depth of feeling his voice possessed.

All of the live performances on the film and album are stunningly powerful and to think that this band was pulled together to tour in a matter of days is mind-blowing, such is the quality and musical tightness on display.  With each passing song, the exceptional musicianship, and a rowdy, addictive, feel-good vibe running through the music, unveils itself, making the shows sound like the greatest rock n roll party on the planet.

A version of Dave Mason’s ‘Feelin’ Alright’ bristles with the funky piano playing of Stainton and melodic guitar work from Russell. The laid back, but heavy, funk-groove of the bands delivery of the song, utilising the ‘Space Choir’ to maximum effect just makes you want to dance.

The Boxtops song ‘The Letter’ is slowed down with a chorus full of blues-funk and wall of voices, completely different to the original, but somehow still sounding like the same song.

As is shown on his records and throughout the film, Cocker is a wonderful interpreter of other people’s songs. The fact that 4 classic Beatles songs are featured, iconic and legendary on their own merits, but completely reworked to fit Cockers style and making them his own. His now legendary version of ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ is widely considered to be the definitive version, completely unrecognisable from its rather twee original arrangement. His version of George Harrison’s ‘Something’ is delivered soulfully and beautifully. His vocals gently build from an understated, weathered, blues-croon, to full pelt rock n roll power. “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window” swelled with the added choir and funky edge to the playing gives it additional rock n roll swagger.

He makes his mark on so many other classic songs too. The Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Woman” now a heavy groove with funky sax, before the chorus becomes an out and out, fast- paced, rock n roll extravaganza.

Ray Charles’ “Lets Go Get Stoned” is 7 minutes of slow-blues perfection with the horn players coming into their own with a gospel backing.

What this album and film does best is show that Cocker can do any style, any genre, take it by the scruff of the neck and make it his own. What this also demonstrates is how skilful Leon Russell is as an arranger and musical director. His influence over the band and the general fun-vibe that runs through the music is channelled through his vision.

The quieter moments between shows are often the most telling. At complete odds with his on stage persona, Cocker comes across as a quiet, almost insular character, visibly uncomfortable with a camera crew as a constant companion, and his rather endearing, engaging interview pieces where he speaks of why singing means so much to him are quite revealing. In his soft Sheffield accent he tells of his opportunity to sing as “a release” of pent up anger, emotion, and frustration. He refers to a quote he made that “If I didn’t have singing I probably would have murdered somebody!” such is the release of rage from within him, which gives his amazingly powerful roar that much more of an edge.  He speaks of being lucky that he has had singing as an outlet for that, and so many people do not have an outlet to let everything go, and for that he counts his blessings every day.

A lot of credit also has to go to the tour manager Sherman “Smitty” Jones, who’s ability to organise the touring party, getting them up and out of hotels in the mornings, getting them from place to place, arranging makeshift rehearsal space, negotiating large food orders with disinterested restaurant chef’s, etc, basically making the tour tick along as fluently as it is physically possible to do with such a large amount of musicians who are notoriously difficult to manage. But, doing it with such charm, charisma and level-headedness that is documented superbly throughout this film, he is one of the great unsung heroes of the tour.

There is a rather poignant moment towards the end of the film where the assembled tour party are having a picnic and break into a dancing circle, where again the sense of togetherness and friendship really shines through. Another from the same passage, tour manager Smitty recites the poem “The Face On The Barroom Floor” eloquently to the assembled throng. It is another touching moment.

The tour would eventually take its toll on Cocker. His addiction to alcohol and declining mental state due to depression would mean that he would spend a two-year period away from music back in Sheffield before resurfacing again. The intensity at which he performed, coupled with the sudden nature of the “Mad Dogs…” tour when he was physically and emotionally drained, accelerated his decline. Of course he could have been another rock n roll casualty but luckily Cocker is still here today and performing. His transition to watered down, blue-eyed soul has, I think, altered peoples perceptions of him and many, particularly people under the age of 40, see him as just some old, scraggy dude, with a rough voice singing soul ballads. The most famous of which “Up Where We Belong” with Jennifer Warnes seemed to seal his fate in some people’s eyes. But with ‘Mad Dogs And Englishmen’ you have a film and album that truly shows what a powerful and gifted performer Cocker was in his prime. A unique, one of a kind musician, and one who we should truly value and treasure as one of our greats.

Albums To Embrace….Kassidy – Hope St. (2011)

My first article regarding a brand new album release is from the band Kassidy and their debut album Hope St., who have been on my radar for the last 6 months or so with the release of a couple of EP’s leading up to the full album release this week.

Kassidy are a 4-piece Scottish band hailing from Glasgow who have been slowly building a reputation as a must see live band with a penchant for writing bluesy, harmony-drenched, acoustic anthems that vocally and musically fall somewhere between the blues-folk leanings of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, the uplifting anthems of Mumford & Sons, with the rock swagger of Kings Of Leon, wrapped up in a polished production that is aiming for the radio-waves. A stomping blues sound is a theme running through the whole album. Along with sun-kissed melodies and exquisite harmony vocals and a general air of fun being had by the band.

Opener ‘Stray Cat’ and its bluesy stomp and thumping bass drum beat, ushers in its wall of urgent voices and harmonica and sets the mood for the album.

The gentle acoustic strumming that opens ‘That Old Song’ gives way to a tale that sounds like it was written in the Wild West complete with rolling skiffle-beat, whistling, bell chiming, and harmonious cowboy vocals. You can imagine the four band members saddled up on horses singing the song, riding into the sunset.

“I Don’t Know” possessing another thumping beat over a gloriously uplifting, feel-good, melody with summery harmonies and the bands pop-sensibility shining through. This song begins a 6-song run of brilliantly executed tracks, tailor-made for raucous, drunken sing-a-longs, with huge melodies, soulful lead vocals, and shiny production.

‘Waking Up Sideways’ is slice of melodic brilliance with epic production, subtle organ, good use of electric guitar and a vocal hook that is very, very hard, to shake once it works its way into your head.

‘The Lost’ is an undisputed album highlight, originally on the Rubbergum Vol.2 EP, and is a fast-paced blues-stomp hoedown, possessing a frantic acoustic riff, an uplifting vocal refrain, backed by a choir of voices. Its hard not to get carried along with its infectious beat and sing- a- long quality. Acoustic guitars are pummelled furiously throughout and it’s on songs such as this where the band embraces the more primal blues sound, and sound at their best and most vibrant.

“Take Another Ride” was an obvious choice of single and is the albums real anthem. Another song from the Rubbergum Vol.2 EP containing pretty guitar work on the verse with a soulful, slightly mournful vocal, bookended with ethereal “oooo’s” and twinkling guitar licks, before the wondrous chorus kicks in and lifts the song to the heavens. As the whole band sing “Take another ride with me!” you can picture the song as a festival anthem with seas of people singing along. In short, it’s an absolute tuuune!

‘Oh My God’ is another tune with an anthemic quality that is hard to shake out of your brain with a downtrodden lyric wrapped up in a joyous bar room sing-song.

The more reflective ‘La Revenge’ is a more atmospheric sounding piece with crashing drums, bell chimes, and more lushly produced wall of harmonies that grace the chorus, rising and falling with “oooo’s” and “Aaaaaahh’s”.

‘Secrets Tells A Lie’ begins with an acoustic funk riff before introducing a pounding drum beat as the song grooves with great Hammond Organ adding depth and texture.

‘The Betrayal’ ends the album on a real high, with its blues groove, stripped of the glossy production and sounding better for it. It steams along like a train with its rolling bass line and good slide guitar work before the songs outro reveals a dirty electric guitar riff channelling the spirit of Muddy Waters.

Overall the album is a fantastic debut for the band. Their strong songwriting with wide appeal is very accomplished for a band on their debut. You can tell they are ‘real’ in their approach and while there is no new ground broken in their style, they bring a freshness and a genuine love of the music they are producing, which in turn is infectious whilst listening. The production can at times sound a little too polished and a little too glossy for the rootsy style they employ, but overall it stays on the right side of tracks and a lot of the time it works really well on the more uplifting, anthemic tracks. A small part of me would have maybe liked to have seen a more lo-fi production on the album, and final track ‘The Betrayal’ gives an indication of what that may have sounded like. But these are minor quibbles on an album that is a thoroughly enjoyable listen and is bound to see them gain popularity, particularly with the slow-burn success of Mumford and Son’s and the publics appetite for acoustic, harmony singing, troubadours. You find yourself humming the tunes of many of the albums tracks, even after first listen, and with the albums release coinciding with the arrival of the first glimpses of warm, sunny, spring weather, the timing could not have been better. Kassidy are definitely one’s to watch and have produced what is easily one of my favourite new albums of 2011 so far.

Albums To Embrace….Miracle Fortress – Five Roses (2007)

The first in my reviews of my favourite albums in recent years is this release from Miracle Fortress.

Purely by chance I had read a rather glowing review in a national newspaper of the album upon its release and felt the description of The Beach Boys being produced by Brian Eno was something I would love to hear. Fortunately the album completely exceeded all my expectations, and has become an album I have returned to again and again over the last 3 ½ years.

Miracle Fortress is not so much a band, but the brain child of Graham Van Pelt from Montreal, Canada. Van Pelt wrote and performed all the tracks on Five Roses himself, and expanded the band to take out on tour.

Van Pelt likes The Beach Boys. A LOT! Brian Wilson’s influence is all over this album but while it would be easy to slip into parody, what Van Pelt brings to the table are indie guitars, swirling electronic atmospherics, engaging bass lines, and a hazy, summery buzz to his wonderful songwriting. The experimental edge to the instrumentation recalls indie stalwarts Yo La Tengo whose influence can also be heard throughout the record.

The album is chocked full of some of the sweetest melodies you are ever likely to hear on record. There is almost a nursery rhyme like quality to some of the songs, which are delivered with such delicate beauty, with the vocals shrouded in an ethereal vibe throughout, it’s hard not to imagine listening to them in a convertible along the coast line in the height of a glorious summer.

Lead single “Have You Seen In Your Dreams” arrives with an urgent guitar jangle, throbbing bass line, and the first glimpse of the dreamy electronica that peppers this album from start to finish. The vocals instantly make you think of the aforementioned Beach Boys with great harmonies and a sweetness to their delivery.

“Next Train” kicks off with an acoustic melody and one of the many hooks that lodge in your head for days afterwards. Finger clicks are used to good effect making sure that the listener knows that this is an album to be enjoyed, with a laid back feel as Van Pelt tells of being on a train to be reunited with his lover to escape his daily trials and tribulations. The air of optimism is a common theme throughout the record. A perfect tempo builds with a fuzzy bass line powering the song to the final minute or so which descends into a pounding beat, with wild electric guitar getting in on the action, as all instruments come together conjuring up the image of the train he is aboard picking up speed to reach its destination, before chiming keyboards cascade down bringing the song to an end.

“Maybe Lately” starts with a 60s sounding drum beat before a flurry of keyboards bring the song straight back into the 21st Century. A lovely bass line skips along before the quite shameless melodic lift from The Beach Boys “Don’t Worry Baby” arrives for the verse. Lyrically it’s full of the childhood innocence towards the feelings of love and wanting to spend every waking moment with each other.

The gentle opening of “Beach Baby” with its delicate soundscape sounds like an instrumental piece before some smooth, high vocal harmonies sweep in telling the story of a child that “Wasn’t meant to walk with men, doctors brought him round again” and the inspiration a child has over their parents. The optimism and hope returns with key lines such as “In his eyes there is a cure to all the troubles in this home, It’ll haunt my every bone, force me through the great unknown”.

One of my favourite songs on the album is also one of the simplest. “Hold Your Secrets To Your Heart” starts with just a two note guitar line while additional guitars play around it subtly, before woozy bass and electric guitar form the basis of a wonderfully atmospheric work of dream pop. It contains just four lines “Hold your secrets to your heart, where love can build its heat. It hurts when we’re apart, I’m hiding in your blood”. The lines are repeated throughout with additional voices dancing around the lyrics recalling The Beach Boys at their experimental best.

“Poetaster” is musically the most different from the rest of the tracks here, lyrically it’s certainly the darkest, but is also the most commercial effort on the album. Acoustic guitar chords power the song into life with strong drum work along with the now trademark dreamy keyboards. With the repeated “Oooohh’s” acting as the chorus, Van Pelt speaks darkly, pleadingly, “Mother free me, they beat my body blue, bloody, take me up to you” and openly questioning himself with defeated lines “I’m in no shape to share my point of view. Maybe failings the first thing I can do”. He yearns for anything to take him away from it all with the killer line “Devil, Angel, anyone you are, place me safely somewhere very far”. If these melancholic lyrics weren’t wrapped up in such an uplifting pop song you would feel that he had hit you with an emotional brick. A perfect light and shade song.

The sunny disposition of  “Little Trees”, the poppiest moment on the album, manages to throw in lines about singing to birds and even the word “Tweedle-Dee” to add to the joyous, summery, sweet feeling it has. The same goes for album closer “This Thing About You”. The song see’s the return of the 60s drums, chiming guitar, and heartfelt lyrics talking about the joys of love, all wrapped up in a Motown-esque arrangement. Lines such as “But even things that are wrong about you, make my will too strong to doubt you” show the defiance at judging eyes while the songs hook pogo’s around your brain.

All in all, this album is a spectacular work of ambient, guitar-orientated, electronic, dream-pop, with songwriting that remains consistently brilliant throughout. It’s sweetness may not sit comfortably with some people, but in a music scene where bands such as Beach House, The Crayon Fields, and Camera Obscura receive such high acclaim for creating similar alternative pop music, along with some simply stunning efforts that have emerged from the evergreen Scandinavian, alternative indie-pop scene in the form of Treefight For Sunlight and The Kissaway Trail in the last year or so, I find it amazing that this album has not had the far more widespread attention that it deserves. It is an album I regularly recommend to friends and I have championed its merits to anyone who will listen from the moment I heard it 3 ½ years ago. For me it proves that “Pop Music”, if executed well, with strong song writing, an abundance of charm, while still sounding credible with enough of an experimental edge to cater to the alternative audience, can still thrive without it becoming a dirty word for all that is wrong with the music industry.  With new material finally on the way in 2011 and Miracle Fortress appearances at SXSW Festival this month, I am really looking forward to what Van Pelt has in store.

Saint Jude – Heartfelt, Authentic, Rock n’ Soul.

The next instalment is a bit more grassroots but no less important. Saint Jude are a band I have seen as regularly as I can since I first saw them in 2008. Their blend of classic rock and soul from the late 60s and early 70s was always going to sit well with me as I was raised on all the classics from an early age. The likes of The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Faces, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Free, Aerosmith, and Rare Earth, along with the soul legends Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield, etc, were a constant soundtrack in my youth. Despite the indie leanings in my first couple of blogs, it is this type of music I have always been the most passionate about. While in recent years the rock world has only really churned out poor imitations of the real deal, some have been decent, but nothing that has stopped me in my tracks and made me go “Wow!”, until I saw this lot.

The band made up of Lynne Jackaman (Vocals), Adam Green (Guitars), Lee Cook (Drums), Joe Glossop (Keys), and Scott Wiber (Bass) manage to sound like a classic band already. In Jackaman I firmly believe they have one of the finest female vocalists in the country. Their sound of Janis Joplin fronting The Black Crowes whilst having a party with The Faces I don’t think does enough justice to Jackaman’s vocal power. While she shares Joplin’s passionate delivery and tone, particularly in the higher registers, the range and soul she possesses in her voice appear effortless, and elevates the music to an entirely different level.

When I first encountered the band it was back in 2008 when I went to The Red Lion in Twickenham with my brother to see a few local bands play. Saint Jude were the headliners that evening and as soon as lead singer Lynne Jackaman opened her mouth to sing I was transfixed. Her voiced filled the room and I think I can safely say that everyone was mesmerized not only by the powerful lead vocals, but by the songs too. They had the songs to back up the exceptional musicianship which again is so rare these days. So often you see bands that are brilliant musicians but the song craft just doesn’t scale the same heights. Jackaman liked to make eye contact and hold it, captivating you, holding your gaze while she sang the lines towards you, her intensity reeled you in making you feel like you were the most important person in the room at that moment. I left the gig that night knowing I had seen something very special indeed.

Unfortunately that gig was one of their last in London for around 8 months due to a couple of the band members returning to America. I kept my eyes and ears peeled for more news on them and hoped that this one fleeting moment would not be the last I saw of them. I consoled myself with the tracks they had on their Myspace page, a lot of which made the album Diary Of A Soul Fiend, and in the summer of 2009 they started to spring back into action with gigs dotted around between London and Holland.

Luckily the first edition of ‘Diary Of A Soul Fiend’ had been released on itunes by this point and surpassed all my expectations of what I wanted from their album.

‘Soul On Fire’ leaps into life with a Black Crowes groove reminiscent of their track Sting Me, and showcases Jackaman’s vocal ability flawlessly. Bluesy guitars, melodic piano work, and great horn section made this an obvious single, and has been an entry point for so many people that I have managed to introduce the band to.

‘Little Queen’, another obvious single, is an upbeat soul rocker with a chorus that is so good it is hard to imagine that it has never been written before. ‘Down This Road’ and ‘Down & Out’ show the more laid back acoustic sound the band are able to do so well. The spirit of The Black Crowes more acoustic side is channelled beautifully into those tracks with lovely backing vocals on both the songs’ chorus, complimenting Jackaman’s voice perfectly. ‘Pleased To Meet You’ is the centre piece of the album with a fantastic blues-stomp groove and fabulous Hammond organ playing.

‘Parallel Life’ carrying a potent, heavy riff with a funk edge, a huge chorus, and a great breakdown in the mid section that jams around a sleazy riff, before gloriously bringing the chorus back again. ‘Sweet Melody’ follows the same vein with great interplay between the band with a blues riff, harp, and piano all jostling for position while Jackaman lets fly in her higher register before a seductive chorus cascades around you. The jam section towards the end of the song grooves with flurries of piano and guitar leading into a scorching guitar solo with uplifting Hammond organ accompaniment and freestyling high end bass playing, before the return of that funky breakdown riff and brilliant chorus again.

Southern Belle’s up tempo blues rocking groove and enormous chorus, is another firm favourite in the live environment with exceptional guitar playing by Adam Green, with Jackaman’s vocals being allowed to excel during the mid section.

The album is flawless from start to finish without a single weak track, successfully catering to fans of rock n roll from a golden time, but sounding completely fresh and interesting enough for a new younger generation to discover and get into.

I think what set’s them apart from the current retro rock pack is a number of points. The first is the sheer vocal prowess of Jackaman, whose vocal delivery spellbinds. No matter what music you are into, it would be very hard to find anything constructive to criticise about her voice. The next is the sheer natural brilliance of the musicianship with the quality of each instrument shining through on each track without being “Showy”. A difficult balance to get right, but the band gets it spot on. Lastly (and I think most importantly) the melodic sensibility to the song writing. The songs are so well crafted, holding your attention with melodic peaks as well as low end power. None of the songs ever feel bloated, contrived, or outstay their welcome and any person who has a love of rock n roll from 1968-1975 will definitely find something they love on this record many times over.

Eventually I was able to see them again in 2010 supporting The Union at the Islington Academy after a wait that felt like forever. Subsequently I have been able to see them at one of their 100 Club residency shows, as well as Bush Hall and more recently at my favourite London club venue, The Halfmoon in Putney. In late 2010 Adam Green left the band and was replaced by the exceptional Ivor Sims on guitar. Marcus Bonfanti also joined the band on a full time basis after increasingly regular guest appearances. Their gig at The Halfmoon was the first chance I had to see the new line up and was suitably blown away by the added depth an extra guitar player brought to the party.

All these gigs I have attended I have brought along new people who have never heard them before, and every single one has left completely converted with quotes such as “They have restored my faith in British music again” and “What a phenomenal band!” being fairly standard responses when asked what they thought afterwards. They also have a celebrity fan in the form of the legendary Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones who has frequently got up on stage with them to perform when he has attended their shows.

All the while over the last year their profile has been raised, the album re-launched, more and more press coverage, shows selling out as standard, high profile gigs at The Isle Of Wight Festival and this years High Voltage Festival, and a general buzz around them that appears to be gathering momentum. So, I would urge anyone who has not already seen them to get down to a gig as soon as possible, as the way things are going, the days of playing small club gigs will be a thing of the past, and I for one could not happier for them if they pull it off.

Arcade Fire – The Most Important Alternative Band In The World Today

A couple of significant events occurred in the last couple of weeks in mainstream America and the UK, specifically relating to their annual awards shows the Grammy’s and The Brits. A band from Montreal , Canada shifted the thinking of the suits who make the decisions as to who should be rewarded for their achievements in the music world over the previous 12 months. Both awards ceremonies receive such widespread attention from all corners of the music world, with the vast majority thinking that they do not represent true music and pander only to the general public who thinks music integrity starts and ends with the X Factor. Sneered at by the indie mafia, and other musical genres for their token nominations for bands that are under the radar or seldom played on the radio, knowing that there is not a chance that they will win. Well on both sides of the Atlantic that trend ended. Both the Grammy’s and The Brits gave recognition to a band that I have adored since the first moment I heard them 6 years ago, awarding them Album Of The Year at the Grammy’s, and the Brits awarding them the awards for Best International Band and Best International Album. The band in question: Arcade Fire.

The 8 piece band is based around husband and wife Win Butler (Guitars, Lead Vocals) and Regine Chassagne (Keyboards, Accordion, Drums) along with Win’s younger brother Will Butler (Keyboards, Bass, Guitars), Richard Reed Parry (Guitars, Keyboards), Tim Kingsbury (Bass, Guitars),  Sarah Neufeld and Marika Shaw (Violins), and Jeremy Gara (Drums). There reputation as one of the world’s finest bands has been a steady, word of mouth sensation, with critical acclaim, and a strong loyal following that has built up over the last 8 years leading to them to the point of selling out arena’s worldwide, headlining Reading Festival, and numerous other high profile festivals around the world. This is all without a hit record to their name, and staying largely out of the public consciousness which led to such an out pouring of “Who the f*ck are Arcade Fire??” when they were awarded such high profile awards. They have done everything artistically on their own terms, not compromising on how they want to be as a band, and have connected with a growing number of people as awareness of their epic, joyous, emotional, and life-affirming sound as well as blistering live performances has gathered pace. Many critics have cited an almost religious feel to their live shows where band and audience are working together to find the ultimate emotional connection, and having now witnessed them live on a few occasions I can only agree with that sentiment.

My first experience with the band came in mid-2005 when I was around a friend’s house in South London one Friday night. There were a fair few of us there having drinks and gearing up to watch Later With Jools Holland. A couple of my friends had mentioned that they had seen a band that were playing on the show that night only a couple of days prior to that at The Astoria (RIP) in London , and were waxing lyrical about how amazing they were. I had read a gushing review of their album Funeral in the NME only a couple of weeks prior to this. I had disregarded it as typical NME over the top, sensationalist, hyping of a band, so watched the programme with slight cynicism but knew my friends well enough to know that they would not be so praising of a band that didn’t deserve it. The very first song they performed was called Power Out and it caught my attention immediately with its driving, unique rhythm, great energetic guitar riff, a chorus chanted by every member of the band, an almost funky bass line that you would not expect to appear towards the end of the song, along with the use of a xylophone to counter each vocal line! The singers cracked, high end vocals I was not normally a fan of, but really seemed to work perfectly for the song they were singing. Another element that caught me immediately was the energy and manic performance from every member of the band, playing as if their life depended on it (a trait that the band has become famous for). The second song they played, Rebellion (Lies), cemented my initial feelings and I knew that this band was going to be something special.

FUNERAL

A copy of Funeral, an album that got its name and was partly inspired by the death of several of the bands relatives before and during the recording of the album, was bought on the Monday. As a debut album, it is one of the finest albums ever recorded. The gentle piano intro to the opening track, “(Neighbourhood 1) Tunnels”, completely absorbed me before the pounding tempo of the bass drum arrives along with it the opening line “And, if the snow buries my neighbourhood”. As the song unfurls it conjured up intriguing imagery of a two kids abandoning their every day life in favour of a life together in the depths of an eternal winter, forgetting all about their parents, friends, and loved ones, yet still having that connection that they cant seem to let go of that haunts them even as they grow old. As the song progresses the music builds at a beautiful tempo, with flurries of piano, violin, bass, and atmospheric ringing guitar, all coming to the fore at various points, making their presence known but never over stating themselves. The chorus of “You change all the lead, sleeping in my head to gold, as the day grows dim, I hear you sing a golden hymn” still shows the undying love for their partner despite the memories of their previous life never far behind them. The climax of the chorus sees all instruments come together in a beautiful chord progression coupled with an increase in tempo before falling away and allowing the following verses to take centre stage. The song builds to a finale where the tempo is increased, all instruments are playing faster and harder, and the vocals becoming more passionate, but the song never loses its beauty throughout this and the final declaration of love in the final few lines of “Purify the colours, purify my mind, spread the ashes of the colours over this heart of mine” is followed by what has come to represent everything people love about the band. An ethereal, wordless coda, backed by a pounding beat, epic production, with all instruments building the instrumentation to a rousing crescendo of that beautiful chord progression. Never has a song had such a massive impact on me as a grown adult. It is simply stunning and nestles easily into my top 3 songs of all time.

The good thing is that the quality of the album does not let up. Lyrically it has so many interesting reference points creating an atmosphere that runs throughout the whole album. Musically I had also not heard so many interesting sounds coming from a record using so many different instruments and making the band so massive with layers and layers of sound that still uncover hidden depths even to this day.

“Laika” has its roots in more traditional indie with the added bonus of an accordion and stabbing violin lines.

“Power Out” as mentioned before grabs your attention immediately with a beast of an arrangement that makes you feel like the world is about to cave in on itself.

“Crown Of Love” another beautiful love song (or possibly a stalker song with a slightly sinister edge to a few of the lines) about someone who has lost a lover that has moved on but is helplessly hoping that they may come back to them one day. It avoids all cliché’s with what is a fairly standard subject matter for such a song, and the song erupts in the final minute into a fast paced violin-led riff with pounding piano accompaniment before the fade out that makes you desperate for the song to carry on its momentum for another few minutes.

“Rebellion (Lies)”, the most commercial moment on the album again contains that unique rhythmic quality that has become so distinctive to Arcade Fire’s sound. Its uplifting chanted chorus is a show stopper, and the now standard segue in live shows between Power Out into Rebellion is worth the ticket price alone.

The album also contains “Wake Up” the bands calling card. An epic anthem with a wordless chorus that is so joyous and remarkable it is now hard to imagine a musical world without it. It has become a hymn for the current indie generation with its self reflecting yet uplifting lyrical content over a genius guitar and bass riff before the final section of the song turns into a fast paced, motown influenced, pop song. A standard set closer these days and if there is any song that can show you the power of this band then this is it.

The album closes with “In The Backseat”, a hauntingly beautiful piano and strings based song sung by Regine about watching life go by while sitting in the backseat of a car before clanging electric guitar joins in for the chorus where lyrically it turns slightly dark with the line “ Alice died in the night”. The guitar drops out at the end of the first chorus allowing the violins to flourish, beautifully linking into the second verse. The song builds delicately and the chorus arrives again this time with powerful drums that could potentially ruin the ambience of the song, but somehow it works. As the song fades out each individual instrument slowly drops out of the mix, before leaving a faint picking of the violin neck before finishing. It is done with such panache it is difficult not to stand up and applaud at the songs end. A perfect ending to a perfect record in every way.

NEON BIBLE

Their second album Neon Bible arrived in early 2007 with much anticipation within indie circles and was critically acclaimed when it arrived despite the dark nature of the subject matter. It was recorded in an old church the band had converted into a recording studio, and it spoke of impending apocalypse, post 9/11 doom, and feelings of loss and desperation. Yet somehow possessed some of the most uplifting and popular songs in the bands canon including lead single “Keep The Car Running” that announced their return with such power and finesse. Mandolin and hurdy gurdy are used prominently throughout along with an upbeat, powerful rhythm and trademark chanted chorus. “No Cars Go” originally on their self released EP now transformed into a monster stadium anthem with a return of the accordion that plays the songs central melody throughout. It is played at a frantic pace where the entire band sings as one. A wonderful breakdown occurs leaving just the voices and a few violin lines singing the fantastic line “Between the click of the light and the start of the dream” repeatedly, before building up the tempo, re-introducing the instruments steadily, before the line “Little babies, lets go!” introduces an explosion of strings while they round up every other person they can find to go with them, they finish with the uncertain line “Don’t know where we’re going” but immediately followed by a chorus of “Whoooooaaaaaas” that look to scale the heights of the similar passage in their signature song “Wake Up”. As the song reaches a crescendo all of a sudden it really doesn’t seem to matter where they are going as their army of followers chant along into the sunset. As a live song it is truly one of those church moments!

Other highlights include “Antichrist Television Blues” a Springsteen influenced country hoedown speaking of planes crashing into buildings, questioning god, and the exploitation of talented young teenagers to name but a few.

“Windowsill” another dark lyrical acoustic number speaks of their distaste of what a post 9/11 America has become living in constant fear of the end of days.

“Intervention” arrives with a huge church organ that runs throughout the song while lyrically it challenges the blind faith in religion while everything around crumbles apart. But once again, a dark and questioning subject matter that would be thoroughly depressing were it not wrapped up in an epic, hymn-like arrangement.

So while Neon Bible in retrospect was a very dark and gloomy album lyrically, it still possessed the wonderfully uplifting musical moments that saw their reputation rise again culminating in appearances at Glastonbury and a sub-headlining slot at that years Reading Festival. They toured constantly for a year with huge numbers of people turning out to see them for such a word of mouth band. They resisted the temptation to go for the easy option and play arena’s, choosing venues with far more character such as London ’s Alexandra Palace and playing multiple nights.

The Neon Bible tour also saw the band struggling to come to grips with playing in front of so many people. Not in a musical sense as their live shows continued to receive massive praise, the band continued to throw every ounce of energy into their performance, but the band looked awkward at the quieter moments between songs and looked uncomfortable communicating with the audiences. This did not hamper their ascendency and by early 2008 their profile was even higher, while still maintaining anonymity in the mainstream despite playing multiple nights at big venues.

THE SUBURBS

A two year writing and recording break brings us round to the last 8 months when it was announced in spring 2010 that the new album “The Suburbs” would be out in the summer. It was released with massive praise by fans and critics alike. They headlined Reading Festival in August a few weeks after the album went to the top of both the UK and US charts.

For me personally I thought that the album was a leap forward from “Neon Bible”. It had a more nostalgic, yearning feel lyrically rather than the doom and gloom of the second record, and it is what could be described as a concept piece. The title and the lyrical feel to the album was inspired by when the Butler brothers returned home to their native Texas during their down time, and realised how much had changed since they were children. Lines such as “The summer when I broke my arm, I waited for your letter, I have no feeling for you now, now that I know you better” from another Springsteen influenced song “City With No Children” showcasing how time changes so much of what was so important to you as a child. The song, one of the more upbeat numbers on the record has a lovely atmospheric sound with an excellent guitar riff.

The opening title track takes you a bit by surprise due to its bar room piano lead and is a real red-herring for what is to come.

“Ready To Start” a thumping beat driven tune that has opened almost every live show they have done since its release, brings the audience back to what Arcade Fire are capable of with the powerful guitar riffing and slightly gloomy lyrical lines such as “If the businessmen drink my blood, like the kids in art school said they would”. It’s a wonderful statement of intent.

This is followed by the more subdued “Modern Man” that speaks of the suburban man that has turned into everything he thought he wouldn’t be leaving his dreams behind and quietly accepting this fate.

“Empty Room” explodes with frantic violins and a reverb drenched Regine lead vocal over a wall of sound that is one of the most energetic and atmospheric tracks on the record, this is followed brilliantly by the aforementioned “City With No Children”. The track “Half Light 1” a duet between Win and Regine is a beautiful string-laden track full of swirling atmospherics before leading into the electro buzz of “Half Light 2” that is heavily influenced by Depeche Mode.

“Suburban War” ambles into the room with some lovely guitar work and the most nostalgic feel and lyric on the album. Full of key lines “Now the cities we live in could be distant stars, I look for you in every passing car” “They keep erasing all the streets we grew up in”, “All my old friends, they don’t know me now”. A lovely moment occurs halfway through the song where three voices sing in harmony together before the verse starts again. A very minor part of the song, but an utterly charming one. The song turns on its head for the final minute and a half as heavy drums crash into view and bring the trademark Arcade Fire epic sound to the fore as the line “All my old friends, they don’t know me now” is sung over and over and the drums crash around it with the rumble of the band behind. This then leads into “Month Of May” a post-punk tune that you can tell the band love playing and has the same wall of sound and heavy atmosphere but packs a mighty punch when played at full volume. They even manage to throw in digs at the hipster crowd “Kids are still standing with their arms folded tight” for good measure.

The sequence of “Empty Room”-“City With No Children”-“Half Light 1” – “Half Light 2” – “Suburban War” – “Month Of May” is perfectly executed and is where the album flows at its best. Most surprising is the fact that “Month Of May” is the only track in that sequence that has been played live on a regular basis!

“We Used To Wait” again talks of childhood and how drastically the world has changed. The art of letter writing, sending it off and waiting daily for a response is sadly going to be an alien idea to anyone who was born beyond 1990 and lines such as “It may seem strange, how we used to wait for letters to arrive, but what’s stranger still, is how something so small can keep you alive” highlight this fact. It speaks of our all consuming society and everybody needing everything immediately without having the patience to wait.

“Sprawl 2 (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” is another electro song, that sounds very much like Blondie with a vast array of sounds swirling around a Regine lead vocal. It’s a direction that they band had not explored before now but based on the electro-pop tracks that are showcased on the album, it’s a sound that they have nailed and will probably explore further.

In many fans eyes Funeral was their high watermark. A moment in time where the stars align perfectly that will never be topped, but by adding extra dimensions to their sound on “The Suburbs” and having such widespread critical acclaim then they will have the freedom to expand further as their career progresses.

Of course with all the acclaim by the press, fellow musicians who have name dropped Arcade Fire as a band they love since the Funeral days, along with an adoring public, their star has risen so much and the day came where the small intimate venues that they used to play have become a thing of the past. For their recent UK tour it was the vast enormodomes of The 02 and other arena’s around the country that were beckoning, and while I completely resented having to see them in such soulless venues they actually were able to get to grips with the awful acoustics of these venues but also managed to make them feel intimate. No mean feat. Their headlining Reading Festival appearance last summer was another triumph and the band seemed totally at home in front of seas of people along with an improved on stage patter between band and audience. Win Butler ’s voice has improved from the slightly forced high pitched yelps that graced Funeral that helped add the emotional intensity of that album. The last two albums have shown his voice improving and he appears to be at the top of his game as a front man. He has wrestled away the demons he was fighting on the Neon Bible tours in 2007 and looks a comfortable figure leading the line of an exceptional band.

The live environment is where the bands material packs the mightiest of punches. Visually they are mesmerising. Win with his intimidating height and boyish good looks, Regine dances and twirls around the stage, playing a variety of instruments. Jeremy is the pounding heartbeat of the bands rhythm section. Richard a tall, geeky, red head with a wide smile and a unique guitar sound, Tim who quietly goes about his business but is a powerful bass player and in Win’s words is the unsung hero of the band. Sarah and Marika not only masters of their instruments but also show incredible passion when performing. Finally my own personal hero Will Butler whose energetic stage presence is a major talking point for anyone who has seen the band perform. His long dark hair flailing around as he pummels any instrument that happens to have the misfortune of being in his possession. The man is completely awe-inspiring to watch, whether its him beating the living daylights out of a drum during “Rebellion”, battering various percussion instruments and his band mate Richard during “Laika”, his manic tambourine playing during “Tunnels”, climbing the stage rigging, and dancing behind his set of keyboards like a mad wizard. His energy is infectious and helps power the band along during shows.

Each member has their specific role to play and it’s difficult to imagine how the band would be able to function without each key element.

So, with three exceptional albums, critical and public adoration, multiple awards with each passing year, stellar live shows, and staying pure as artists in the process, there really could not have been a more deserving band to receive (in mainstream music’s terms) the highest honours that were bestowed upon them at The Grammy’s and The Brits. It has shown that the independent music scene still has a voice and can influence the suits in the industry to vote in favour of artistic integrity. It proves that being a true artist can pay off and be as rewarding as it used to be when creativity was valued and was given time to develop. Their steady rise to the top is testament to that. They should be an inspiration to any musician starting out that by staying true to what you believe in, and creating music that connects with people, anything is truly possible. I cannot wait to see where things go from here.