Showing posts with label Andy Bell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andy Bell. Show all posts

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

Vapour Trail

Photo by Joe Dilworth

Cover version of the month #116
Trespassers William covers Ride's Vapour Trail

Trust me #110 - Vapour Trail by Ride

I started revisiting, reading and writing about Ride's blissful Vapour Trail for my Trust Me series and playlist. I'm still going to add it to that playlist. However, while researching the song, I discovered a gorgeous slow burning cover by a band called Trespassers Williams, hence, Vapour Trail is added to my cover version of the month series and playlist. Read on!

Ride burst on to the independent music scene in 1990 with a trilogy of EP's and debut album Nowhere. Aged between 18-20, the band seemed to be in their own world. Andy Bell, Mark Gardner (guitars and vocals), Steve Queralt (bass) and Loz Colbert (drums) looked fantastic, like a real gang and the four friends had a clear vision for their sound and values. 

Many labels were in the race to sign Ride from early doors, but Creation Records was the label Ride wanted - The Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine being crucial factors. There is a great section on Creation chasing and getting Ride in the magnificent Creation book My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize by David Cavanagh.

Vapour Trail, the closing song on Nowhere, seems so perfectly formed. Magical. If Ride's EP's and much of their debut album had a wall of noise that marked them as shoegazers, Vapour Trail had more space, a string quartet and a crystaline, chiming 12-string riff that really highlighted the bands development and maturity.

The song rides in on warm chords and Andy Bell singing the first line before the band fall in behind him.

First you look so strong, then you fade away

The sun will blind my eyes, I'll love you anyway

Thirsty for your smile, I watch you for a while

You are a vapour trail, in a deep blue sky

There are only 2 verses, with Bell singing about a love that seems to be fleeting (like a vapour trail), while he wants more. Each verse is followed by a la, la, la, la, la refrain. i particularly like the third line in the second verse - Bell is all in.

Tremble with a sigh, glitter in your eye

You seem to come and go, I never seem to know

And all my time is yours as much mine

We never have enough time to show our love

"I remember writing the riff in a hotel room on a very early Ride tour. We were in a bed and breakfast type scenario, and I was sitting on a bed with an acoustic to get that four-chord pattern which is really very simple. It’s played on two 12-strings. People seem to be quite interested with the guitar sound on this record, if there are fades or effects, but there’s not; it’s just two 12-strings. It’s just one of those magical songs. That’s the one that everyone talks about on the album in my experience. These songs are the easiest to write and the ones that you don’t really think about at the time. It came out so easily and it has that effortless feel to it. I guess it is the one I’m most proud of from that era." Andy Bell, MTV Hive, 2011

The second refrain finishes just before the 2-minute mark and everything cuts to leave the guitars before the drums come crashing back in, bass underpinning everything. Then comes the gorgeous string quartet over the top, the guitars continue to chime, the drums are cool and the bass is holding it all. 

Ride are lost in the music and invite the listener to do the same, letting things flow for almost 2-minutes before the guitars and Loz's ferocious drumming cut to leave the string quartet to play the song out. Sublime! Heart-achingly beautiful.

As mentioned above, I've recently discovered a gorgeous slow burning cover of Vapour Trail by Trespassers William who released their version as a single in 2003. The song also featured on the Bella Union UK version of second album Different Stars, that was initially a self release in 2002.

Anna-Lynne Williams and Matt Brown are the two constant members in the band, who released three albums between 1999 and 2006. Cast, a compilation album of b-sides and rarities came out in 2012.

How on earth do you cover Vapour Trail?!

Well, Trespassers William don't just show their love for the song by playing and replicating it. Instead, they slow the whole thing down, it's a dreamy swoon. Anna-Lynne Williams has a voice that sounds like a secret being whispered in your ear. It’s fragile, melancholic, and utterly captivating. You can tell they've spent a lot of time with this song. 

Gentle and persistent piano, reverb-drenched vocals, distant echoes of slide(?) guitar, then a little jangle, before a solo is introduced over the top. Oooft this gives me the tingles.

If Ride's version is a teenage Andy Bell writing about the excitement of new love and infatuation, the Trespassers William cover is like a heart-aching reflection of a love that's long gone, but fondly remembered.

Utterly gorgeous. Enjoy.

Ride's original and the Trespassers William cover of Vapour Trail are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs listed below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE I've also added it to my Trust Me playlist.

Previous covers of the month blogs

13. Hurt
39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
64. Lola
82. Drop
87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire
92. Valerie
101. Shout!



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Tuesday, 15 October 2024

Tenement Trail 2024

Last October, on a particularly wet, windy and stormy day, I ventured into Tenement Trail to catch Kerr Mercer opening the day at Saint Lukes. I was quite taken by the buzz around the area as fans and bands headed to BAaD to pick up wristbands and to check in.

I couldn't hang around due to a family engagement, but I vowed to return in 2024.

Return I did. My friend Joe and I headed toward the Barrowland, BAaD and Saint Luke's for just after 1pm and literally as we picked up our wristbands the heavens opened and the blue skies turned to grey. The rain battered it down, so we opted to head to stay exactly where we were and grab a beer and some lunch in the BAaD courtyard - thankfully covered! 

Hanging outside BAaD

There was sunshine after the rain though and we headed round to the Barrowland for our first bands of the day. Peach Crumb opened proceedings in the downstairs (Barrowland 2) bar with a short 25-minute set, ending with their two singles NBDY and Keeping Busy. The third song in their set stood out for me though. Singer Becca ditched her acoustic guitar to strut, dance and pull shapes to a more energetic style and sound in comparison to the rest of the quite dreamy set. 

yesandmaybe 

Yesandmaybe were on next and they absolutely blew me away. I can't recall seeing a band so perfectly formed at such an early stage since .... probably Chvrches. Joe and I caught them line checking and they had quite the set up. It turns out that yesandmaybe are a Scottish/French duo who met online and worked up an album that way. Live, they were amplified by an ace drummer (Craig who was formerly in Twin Atlantic), bass and additional guitars/synths.

Think The Strokes crossed with Phoenix. Gigi (I think) from France is an exceptionally inventive guitarist, while the singer (I didn't catch his name) played soaring stadium synth riffs and sang with a similar cool distorted effect on his vocals like Julian Casablancas. 

Every song sounded like a potential single. Train To Nowhere is apparently the title of their forthcoming debut album (they already have that in the bag, despite this being their second gig) and thr title track sounded impeccable. Songs like God Isn't Real and Bloody Madness also sounded sublime. Dressed in sharp black suits, the band looked as sharp and cool as their songs. 100% ones to watch.

DEFINITELY YES - yesandmaybe in Barrowland 2

While tempted to stay in the Barrowland 2, Joe and I opted for some fresh air and a walk round to BAaD to see a band called Dallas Love Field, simply because we liked the name. We enjoyed the band too! The four piece created a glorious shoegaze, psychedelic racket with some dreamy lead vocals. Some of the lead guitar work was reminiscent of the sounds Nick McCabe would create on the first Verve singles and album.  I'd definitely go and catch them live again. There is little information about them online at present, but it sounds like they made their live debut at BLOC in March 2023 and are now working with Jason Shaw who has previously worked with Ride. Sounds like a good match! I can imagine them releasing on the Sonic Cathedral label that Andy Bell is involved with.

Dallas Love Field in BAaD

After catching up with a couple of friends, a further walk led us to The Gate, a beautiful speakeasy style pub across the road from The Barrowland. We arrived in time for most of a secret acoustic set by Slix, a band from Greenock that my friend Joe (a native of that part of the world) had his eye on. We somehow managed to get a seat at the far side of the bar and enjoyed the few songs we heard, that included a cover of Digsy's Dinner by Oasis. Slightly odd choice of cover, but hey.

Exiting on to the Gallowgate we decided that more food was in order, handy as we were right outside Ho Lee Fook, a super cool Thai street food 'hole in the wall' type place that is becoming an Instagram hit. Having sampled their food before, I was delighted to go back. They were in demand, so Joe and I had 20-25 minutes to kill, so we opted for a nearby Celtic bar for a quick beer.

TTSSFU

We then took our food back to BAaD for TTSSFU from Manchester. More cool shoegazey sounds from the 4-piece who looked super delighted to be up in Glasgow and playing in such a large venue to a packed crowd.

That is one thing Tenement Trail has going for it, the festival puts (often) fledgling bands on big stages to crowds way bigger than they would normally play to. It's a little sink or swim, definitely an incredible opportunity.

Last up for me, as I had yet another prior family engagement, was a trip back to the Barrowland to see Greenock boys Slix on the main stage. They pulled a sizeable crowd and seem to be on the up as they have announced a headline show at The Garage in April. 

We didn't catch all of their set as I was getting picked up and Joe decided to head to Saint Luke's where he caught some of Imogen and the Knife, Parliamo and then headliners Neon Waltz who he particularly enjoyed.

Congratulations to Tenement Trail on a fantastic 10th anniversary festival. I remember when it started up at the top of Sauchiehall Street. It is amazing to see how it has grown to become an absolute staple in the Scottish music calendar. I hope to attend next year.




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Thursday, 21 September 2023

INTERVIEW - Andy Bell

Back in August 2020 Andy Bell released a brilliant single called Love Comes In Waves and he very kindly answered some questions for my blog. Being the lovely guy he is, Andy was 100% up for another interview ahead of 3 Scottish dates next month under the guise of GLOK, his electronic alter ego.

GLOK play Edinburgh, Voodoo Rooms 11th October, Aberdeen, The Tunnels 12th October and Glasgow, Stereo, 13th October.

You can get tour tickets and pre-order Gateway Mechanics, the new GLOK album from this link.

Read on for an excellent interview. Andy is exceptionally open and honest as he reflects on his career, his songwriting and looks to the future. Is this an exclusive on a new Ride album?!

You've been super busy with Ride - the new albums have been fantastic and you've had a chance to reflect on your discography with reissues and playing albums in full on tour. 

Are there any songs (old or new - maybe you could choose one of each) that you particularly look forward to playing live? Why?

I really love playing Seagull off Nowhere because it’s never the same twice. I saw some early footage of us playing it recently, from 1990 or so, and the start what I was playing was all straight strumming, and Loz was playing a kind of Velvets beat. Now we do a version which is a bit more faithful to the recorded version, but there’s still parts of the song that can go into new places each time we play it. Of the newer songs - Lannoy Point is a favourite because it gets the crowds going. 

Seagull - Live on KEXP, 2015

Seagull - Live on The Happening, 1990

Lannoy Point

When you're writing, do you know in advance if the song is for Ride? Or does it depend where the song takes you? 

It’s not always immediately apparent and some would actually work in a variety of guises. But usually by the time I’ve finished a demo I know where it’s going to be going. If it’s a song with verses and choruses then it’s going to be for Ride, unless it’s going down a more folky path, which is often the sign that it will end up on a solo album. And the more dancey or  soundscapey music is for GLOK. But I don’t work on 1 song and finish it. I work on dozens of things all at the same time, everything is unfinished, I just dip in and out, and eventually something sounds done. Time will pass and I’ll suddenly feel like grouping sets of tracks together and sending them off towards a final point.

You recently toured America with The Charlatans. How did that go? Would you consider a tour or some one-off shows in the UK? I'm sure either would be immensely popular!

It was brilliant and we’d like to do it again. And yes, I’d love to do it in the UK. They’re a lovely bunch of people and so are their fans. 

NOTE - The Charlatans and Ride have just confirmed that they will be touring America again in early 2024.

You recently reissued Carnival Of Light, an album I really enjoyed when it was released. However, it is well documented that it created quite a bit of tension in the band at the time. Was it hard to revisit? What do you think of the album now? Do you have any favourite songs from it?

When I heard the remastered version I thought it sounded great, the production stood up really well. What I think it lets it down is my own songwriting and singing. I love the songs the rest of the band wrote, and some of mine on Carnival of Light are OK. The music and playing I like. I just don’t think I was playing to my strengths at the time. My favourites on the album are Moonlight Medicine and Only Now. 

Moonlight Medicine

You seem to have everything pretty nailed at present; Ride, your solo material and also your electronic alias GLOK. How are you feeling about writing and creating? Are you 'in the zone' at present?

I am working through a process, something I’ve been going through for the last few years. I feel like I’m still clearing the decks and opening the channels for myself to get into some kind of ongoing flow state. The music I’ve released since 2019 is all part of that. What was going on up to that point I regard as some form of hoarding and I don’t think that’s very healthy artistically. 

I’m definitely not there yet in terms of my headspace, there’s a time lag as well. Ironically the times when things are released can often end up being times when you feel at a dead end, possibly due to being in a different state mentally, having to look back over where you’ve been can prevent you seeing where you’re going. Right now I’ve not worked on anything new for weeks. It’s been a mad Summer and I’ve done almost no music, I’m feeling the lack of it, like I really miss it. I guess I broke my hand, that’s held me up a bit too. But saying all that, I feel like I’m getting into a better and better headspace musically all the time. It’s just an ongoing process. 

With GLOK, what kind of set up do you have for playing live? And, at home or in the studio, do you have a favourite synth or drum machine?

I have my guitars, pedals and amps, and I have re-edited backing tracks which have been remixed by me from the GLOK multitrack masters, to play over. To play them I use DJ equipment because that allows me to extend or reduce different sections as and when I want to. For GLOK gigs I am also joined by my friend Chris (Innerstrings) who will be bathing the whole thing in a psychedelic light show. 

You recently worked with Dot Allison who has released a beautiful album. Is there anyone you'd love to write for or play on a record with?

There’s an artist called Justine Forever, who has just released an incredible track called Klaus, I’d love to work on a track with her, but in a way I’m happy enough just listening to her music, it’s probably better than GLOK anyway. 

Klaus

Speaking of writing songs for people - You wrote songs for Oasis and Beady Eye. Would you ever consider writing a song for Liam and sending it on? He does have people writing for him. Turn Up The Sun was such a perfect song for him (and Oasis). I was at Benicassim in 2005 and you came on to play that first, it was so powerful. 

I think with songs like Chinatown and Once, Liam has no need to be working with someone like me. He’s doing amazing and more power to him. The songs I wrote back in Oasis and Beady Eye, I’m very proud of them and he gave them everything vocally, he delivered them with total commitment every time, it was amazing. I think that Turn Up The Sun was the best thing I wrote for Oasis so it was an incredible feeling for me that it got played so much on that tour. 

Once

Turn Up The Sun - Benicassim 2005

What was your favourite Oasis song to play live? Why?

Rock n Roll Star was the one I had the best time playing, because it just rips. 

Rock n Roll Star - Wembley Arena 2008

Lastly, what next? Any plans or are you going with the flow?

I have the GLOK UK tour in October, there’s also the GLOK live album Gateway Mechanics which is released on September 29th via ES (Electronic Sound). 

You can get tour tickets and pre-order the album from this link:

https://linktr.ee/AndyBellGLOK

We also have a Ride album finished and ready to go. It’s been along time coming, without a doubt the longest gestation period ever for a Ride record. It was mastered by John Davis, who has tragically just passed away. John was a very talented man who was a lot of fun to be around, a huge Bowie fan, and so enthusiastic and positive. He’ll really be missed. So yeah, the records ready. We just signed off on the sleeve art and then it’s up to the record company to give us a release date. But we’re really happy with it.




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Wednesday, 28 April 2021

The Indica Gallery EP by Andy Bell

 The Indica Gallery was a counterculture art gallery in swinging central London between 1965-1967, most famously known for being the place that John Winston Lennon met Yoko Ono. In one of my favourite Lennon interviews he describes this meeting; walking in and seeing some step ladders and a magnifying glass, he perches on top of the ladders and peers through to see the word YES. If it had been NO or MAYBE then he might not have stayed, but the positive nature appealed to him and he stayed. The rest, as they say, is history.

Anyway, The Indica Gallery EP is the first of three EP's that Andy Bell is releasing between April and June 2021. Each EP will be released in a different format; 12-inch, 10-inch and then 7-inch, hence the series will be called Ever Decreasing Circles.


Bell's debut solo album The View From Halfway Down was one of my top 10 albums of 2020 and Andy also very kindly gave a very insightful interview for the blog around the release of his single Love Comes In Waves.

I love the creative energy that seems to be pouring out of Bell. Ride have produced some incredible music since reforming, while outwith that, Andy is releasing experimental electronic music under the guise of GLOK and psychedelic guitar pop with lots of grooves under his own name.

Electronic music and blissful psychedelic grooves gel on the 6-track The Indica Gallery EP as the artist Pye Corner Audio is let loose on 5 of the gems from Bell's debut solo album; Indica, Skywalker, Cherry Cola, Love Comes In Waves and I Was Alone. The 6th song is Bell in his GLOK guise also remixing Indica.

The remix of Cherry Cola is a particular favourite. The last couple of minutes are beautifully dreamy, there is feedback in the background as a sublime electronic riff is allowed to run and run, before fading to the guitar riff from the original.

Elsewhere I Was Alone just seems to float and glide. Ladies and Gentleman, we are definitely floating in space with this beauty! The pH value on this remix is a clear 14. Sublime.

Love Comes In Waves is transformed into ... well psychedelic waves that just keep coming! Skywalker sounds like it could do with a 12-inch all to itself, just taking off before teasingly being brought back down.

Love Comes In Waves (Pye Corner Audio remix)

With Indica it's interesting to compare two different artist taking on the same song. Pye Corner Audio layers beats and synths, creating a warm melting pot you could easily get lost in. Then Bell, as GLOK, starts with blips before adding beats, synth bass and then introducing a riff that reminds you this a remix, taking you on a trip. The remix compliments the original perfectly. 

The Indica Gallery EP is further proof that Andy Bell is in a rich vein of form right now. He seems to be blessed not only with real creative energy, but with the outlet to get things out there. Martin Jenkins aka Pye Corner Audio, works wonders, taking the songs to new places, yet they feel right, like this is a journey they had to go on.

Jenkins and Bell met at The Social in October 2019 for label Sonic Catherdral's 15th birthday party

"Pye Corner Audio was headlining with bdrmm and myself playing live sets, as well as Simone Marie Butler, Maps and others djing. Before this legendary night was over, Martin and I agreed we would work together on something, sometime. I wasn't sure he' remember the conversation, but luckily he did."      Andy Bell

"It gave me a great deal of pleasure working on these remixes, and I think the EP is a fitting companion piece to the album." Martin Kenkins aka Pye Audio Corner

Andy Bell - Bandcamp

Cherry Cola (Pye Corner Audio remix)

Pye Audio Corner - Bandcamp



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Sunday, 6 December 2020

My albums of 2020

Despite lockdowns, restrictions and all kinds of challenges, artists and labels across the world kept releasing music right throughout 2020. And oh how it helped to get lost in an album, to escape reality for a while. In the words of ABBA; thank you for the music.

Working from home and the fact that there were no gigs meant that I probably listened to more newly released music than normal, certainly way more than last year.

I think I've appreciated music more than ever through this strange year. I've bonded with people with similar taste on social media and appreciated that sense of (virtual) community and connections. I've enjoyed a number of Tim Burgess' listening parties. I've arrange zoom calls for fellow fans of Teenage Fanclub which has been brilliant for socialising and I've been able to get lost in music when I've needed to, or even when I haven't. 

#timstwitterlisteningparties

6 Music has been on most days while working from home and although I've massively missed gigs and all the socialising that goes with them, in some ways I feel closer to music. Strange, huh?!

I always like to point out that there are always albums I discover after writing my Albums of the Year blogs. For example there was a trio of albums released in 2019 that I only discovered this year; I really love the Erland Cooper, Callum Easter and Better Oblivion Community Centre albums. 

So no doubt I'll discover a gem from 2020 next year, indeed I'm only just getting into the SAULT albums. 

I'm not going to name an album of the year for 2020. It's been such a strange and shit year in so many ways, but in terms of new music, it has been excellent and there are a number of albums I keep returning to.

Andrew Wasylyk's is just beautifully crafted music to get lost in, I fell for the talent of Phoebe Bridgers in a big way, The Flaming Lips moved me to tears with their vision, ambition and psychedelic pop, my sister Carla J Easton moved forwards with a defiant, powerful, melodic and emotional heart on sleeve pop record, the Whyte Horses album just oozes great taste and has such a good feel to it, Andy Bell delivered an exceptional debut album of psychedelic pop and grooves, and Dua Lipa released an exceptional pop album that is loved by everyone in our house.

So read on for my 10 favourite albums of 2020 plus 2 incredible compilation albums released by Last Night From Glasgow and Olive Grove Records, also a little on the LNFG reissue of Sisters by The Bluebells and the fast moving novel The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong.



Fugitive Light And Themes Of Consolation by Andrew Wasylyk
Label - Athens Of The North

Andrew Wasylyk is an incredible talent who I've been following since his second album Themes for Buildings and Spaces was released back in 2017. Now on album number 4, Wasylyk creates beautiful grooves, dreamy landscapes and majestic layers to get lost in. David Axelrod is a name that sprung to mind when I first hear the album and it was interesting to hear Andrew mention him in an interview on BBC Radio Scotland. That is the kind of talent and ambition we are talking about.

Last Sunbeams of Childhood is utterly sublime and then Wasylyk actually has a song called Everywhere Something Sublime which totally is .... something sublime!  

Awoke in the Early Days of a Better World is a song I've played a lot. It has a kind of beautiful mellow stoned groove. It somehow has the ability to feel like there is a lot going on, but at the same time there isn't. 

Andrew Wasylyk creates and captures something really incredible with this album.


American Head by The Flaming Lips
Label - Bella Union

When they are on form you sure can get lost in an album by The Flaming Lips. American Head moved me to tears on first listen. Headphones on, glass of red and Wayne Coyne singing from the bottom of his heart and the far reaches of his mind. It's a melodic, soulful, psychedelic trip as song titles like You N Me Sellin' Weed and When We Die When We're High might suggest. 

The sonic vision and ambition of The Flaming Lips never fails to amaze and they go really widescreen with opener Will You Return/When You Come Down which is almost 6-minutes of wonderful psychedelic pop. Mother I've Taken LSD is all kinds of self realisation and empathy; now I see the sadness in the world, I'm sorry I didn't see it before. Hopefully we will see Wayne back riding around the Barrowland Ballroom on a unicorn again before too long!


The View From Halfway Down by Andy Bell
Label - Sonic Cathedral

Andy Bell is someone who feels refreshed and revitalised. Ride are a shining example of how a comeback can work out and Bell seems to have a tremendous sense of urgency and freedom to create outwith that.

His debut album, at the age of 50, sounds fresh, inventive, timeless and fun, full of grooves, twists and turns. The way Skywalker develops on a bass groove for a further 3-minutes just when you think it is about to end is surprising and glorious, while Cherry Cola is just super cool, melodic sunshine on record.

Andy very kindly gave an extensive interview back in August that you can READ HERE


Weirdo by Carla J Easton
Label - Olive Grove Records

My sisters second album under her own name is escapism, realisation, reflection, defiance and at times, a big F**K YOU, like on the absolute anger Over You. Get Lost is Carly Rae Jepsen fronting New Order escapism, Never Knew You is Taylor Swift style realisation and self therapy with the brilliant when I was up I was up, and when I was down you were never around hook, Thorns is a stunning synth ballad, Waves That Fall marries Chic style guitars with Scottish Hip Hop with a blitz by guest Solareye from Stanley Odd while the title track celebrates all that is good about being weird. 

I'm a rollercoaster rolling

The first edition of Weirdo sold out in pre-sales which was incredible for Carla and Lloyd from Olive Grove Records. I think at first that was going to be that, after all, it is quite cool to sell out your pressing. But there was a real demand for a repress and it was no ordinary repress as the artist Jim Lambie designed new artwork.

I look forward to hearing these songs being blasted out live and Carla is a rollercoaster rolling. 2021 will see TeenCanteen release their very first recordings and Carla has a number of new songs written for her next solo album and also for a new band she is forming with Simon Liddell. They are looking for a band name; check this tweet if you have any suggestions!


Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa
Label - Warner Records

I can only imagine how massive Dua Lipa would have been in a non COVID world. She would have been everywhere with her catchy, clever and euphoric pop. 

The kids kept asking about Dua Lipa songs after discovering her via Tik Tok and they soon got me into Dua Lipa too, but not Tik Tok!

Hallucinate is my personal favourite, its so catchy, the chorus flows so easily. Don't Start Now was the first song I heard off the album and it is brilliant pop music, the whole album is. Physical is totally euphoric, Levitating is ridiculously catchy, while Break My Heart asks the brilliant question am I falling in love with the one that could break my heart?

A genius pop album by a brilliant pop star. We watched Dua Lipa's Studio 2054 online show at the end of November and I really hope to take the kids to see her in person at the Hydro when she eventually plays. 

My feel good album of the year. My kids album of the year. Stick it on and make room to dance.


Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
Label - Dead Oceans

I fell for Phoebe Bridgers big time after hearing Kyoto on 6Music, reading various reviews and then buying her album and checking her back catalogue. 

Bridgers seems effortlessly talented and ridiculously prolific, full of creative energy that can come bursting out in melodic pop like Kyoto or in more mellow, subdued and reflective ways like the beautiful Garden Song.

I've enjoyed exploring her discography; her EP/mini-album with boygenius and her album with Conor Oberst as Better Oblivion Community Center are both excellent. I can't wait to hear what she does next.


The New Abnormal by The Strokes
Label - RCA Records

The New Abnormal somehow has a sense of urgency along with a sense of don't give a flying f**k and as a result The Strokes sound glorious. The twin guitars of Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr entwine beautifully, even when it sounds like it shouldn't work ... it does. There are keyboards/synths, vocal effects and lazy punky flowing melodies, delivered in Julian Casablancas cool New York drawl. 

I thought The Strokes had disappeared and split a long time ago. This album really was a pleasant surprise. Sure some songs are a little long (and there are only 9 of them) but there are cracking guitar riffs (Why Are Sundays So Depressing), moments of  sheer brilliance like the dive into the flowing chorus of The Adults Are Talking and times, like Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus where everything somehow crashes together to sound magnificent just after it sounds like it could all far apart

I was reminded what a stunning band The Strokes can be, what a stunning band they are ... if they are in the mood.

2021 will be the 20th anniversary of their vital debut album Is This It? That was then, this is now.


Hard Times by The Whyte Horses
Label - CRC Records

This album was released away back in January, it feels like ages ago, so much has happened since then. This is kind of a compilation album but it is a covers album. Whyte Horses display impeccable taste in songs and in guests with La Roux, John Grant, Badly Drawn Boy and Traceyanne Campbell included.

Their faithful version of Red Lady by Phil Cordell opens proceedings, sunshine psych, all round good vibes, beautiful vocals. And you're into the world of Whyte Horses where they romp through Ca Plane Pour Moi and sound like they've gone back to their rehearsal room after being down the pub with Badly Drawn Boy to knock out a lovely rough n raw version of Lou Reed's Satellite Of Love.

I was really looking forward to Whyte Horses coming up to play the CCA in Glasgow, I hope they make it in 2021. 


Working Men's Club by Working Men's Club
Label - Heavenly Recordings

The first time I heard Working Men's Club was on the radio but I had missed the intro, so I was really wondering who this was. There were echoes of both Joy Division and New Order, with a hint of Ian Curtis or Alex Turner on vocals.

Yet another stunning addition to the Heavenly Recordings family. This album is full of glorious synths and beats, playful guitars, moments of euphoria and loads of grooves.

John Cooper Clarke, Valleys and Tomorrow are particular favourites. Another band I can't wait to see live when possible. I can imagine they'll be chomping at the bit to get out there and in some ways the absence of gigs might work in their favour as the buzz around the band and album might catapult them to larger venues.


Hether Blether by Erland Cooper
Label - Phases

I only discovered Erland's 2019 album Sule Skerry via the SAY Award. Thankfully that ensured I was immediately on to his swift follow up.

Hether Blether is Cooper's third and final album in a trilogy of releases shaped by the islands where he grew up. Hailing from the archipelago of Orkney in Scotland, Cooper is inspired by the sights and sounds of his home to create magic music.

Skreever is majestically beautiful, the sound of the Orkney wind over gentle strings. It's rather beautiful, a real favourite. Elsewhere Kathryn Joseph sings on 3 tracks, including Longhope, which starts with strings, a thumping beat and spoken word samples from islanders, building until Joseph's atmospheric vocal sounds like she is whispering a secret fairytale story directly to you. 

An extremely beautiful and moving album. 

Compilations



Isolation Sessions by Last Night From Glasgow

Always full of ideas and burning with creative energy and a sense of purpose, LNFG acted swiftly when lockdown was announced, inspiring to their artists covering each other from their own homes for a compilation album, Isolation Sessions, that was quickly put on sale with proceeds going to venues across the city to help them (hopefully) make it through lockdown. At the time of writing, proceeds from November onwards are going to my favourite music bar McChuills. I think this is a fascinating document of the times, married with LNFG photographer Brian Sweeney's documentation of artists and label members in their own homes. Find out more and order a copy HERE

LNFG's development has been staggering and I fully expect them to not only it the ground running, but full on sprinting when things open up again in 2021 (fingers crossed).


Get Into The Grove, 10-years of Olive Grove Records

Lloyd Meredith who runs Olive Grove Records had big plans for the tenth anniversary of the label in 2020. Hopefully live plans will happen next year, but in the meantime check out the wonderful Get Into The Grove compilation album. You can order the vinyl online now for a January delivery and you'll immediately be able to download and stream the album from Bandcamp.

Running a DIY label for 10-years isn't easy, but just listen to the variety and quality across this record. The purity of moonsoup who I want to hear and see a lot more of in 2021, Jo Mango with The Madrigirls is exquisite and beautiful, while Call To Mind conjure all kinds of emotion with Recovery. The Olive Grove artists have done the label proud. 

Reissue

Last Night From Glasgow have set up Past Night From Glasgow to focus on reissues and oh my, what a way to launch the label with the Sisters LP by The Bluebells, originally released in 1984 and long out of print.

Past Night From Glasgow has some incredible plans for 2021, with BMX Bandits Star Wars album appropriately set for a May 4th release and the past has a bright future going by the quality of artists, albums and physical product that is being reissued with love and care.

Sisters by The Bluebells
Label - Past Night From Glasgow

Look out for a feature blog on The Bluebells Sisters album over the festive season. 

Book of the Year - The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong
Get lost in the world of a Young Team in Airdrie; gangs, fights, drugs, alcohol, dance music, escapism, isolation, the older ones ... a debut novel that lets rip at a ferocious pace, introducing brilliant characters and storylines. Ripe for a film. The 2020's Trainspotting.



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Friday, 21 August 2020

Love Comes In Waves - Andy Bell interview

 

Andy Bell's love of music shines through on his social media channels. During lockdown I've enjoyed Andy's tweets of him playing cover versions (and tutorials) of his favourite songs. In addition Andy has talked openly about celebrating a recent landmark birthday. 

And then Andy posted news that he would be releasing The View From Halfway Down, his debut solo album, on 9th October, before treating us to a taster with the single Love Comes In Waves.

The fresh psychedelic pop vibe of the single sent warm tingles down my spine, there is an urgency and playfulness to it, there is a constant flow and drive, Bell sounds like he's having fun. The guitars sound glorious and I immediately wanted to play it again.

I was so inspired that I sent a few questions off and I was thrilled to receive a reply!

So read on for a feature length interview taking in the impact of COVID, Ride, GLOK (Andy's electronica alter ego), recording with Andrew Weatherall, the solo album and what Andy hopes the album will be thought of if he has succeeded.

A desire to create and play leaps out from the interview and I look forward to hearing the album in October, I'll be blogging on that on release.

But first - A few links and the video for the single before we get started;

Andy Bell - Bandcamp  

Ride - website 

GLOK - Bandcamp

Album pre-orders from Sonic Cathedral

How are you? How has life been for you over the last 5-months? What have you had to put on hold? What have you had more time to do?

I'm really good thanks. In the grand scheme of things I feel like I've had things pretty easy during lockdown. Luckily no-one in my family has been taken ill. It's hard not being around people outside of our family unit, but that has started to ease a little in the last few weeks. But there are still folks, such as my wife's parents over in Dublin, who we haven't been able to see at all, and that's been hard.

When this all started I had just come back from a Ride tour of Europe. It was the start of February and COVID was looming over the horizon but not here yet. Ride has a summer of festival gigs lined up and we were looking forward to that But Ride was coming to the end of a cycle rather than launching into a new one. This meant that we were mentally prepared to be winding down anyway, at least for the moment, which made it easier I think.

My immediate plan was to prepare for the first GLOK gigs, which had been put in the diary from March onwards. My GLOK live debut was due to be at an event called Music's not for everyone which was curated by Andrew Weatherall, and this was cancelled, not because of COVID, but because the great man tragically passed away at the start of the year. In fact his funeral was the very last time I saw people out and about, before lockdown started.

Mr Weatherall's passing was such a massive loss to music. Andrew was a titan of the musical culture I grew up with and definitely a hero of mine. It was sad to me on a personal level as well because we become friends a couple of years earlier, when he invited me down to his studio, ostensibly to buy a guitar off him. In the event, I ended up staying for upwards of 2 weeks, because when I plugged the guitar in to try it out, I ended up playing on something he was working on (a track he eventually titled Making Friends With The Invader - the guitar is a Vox Invader) and then another and another. These sessions, which took place in Summer 2018, were a fantastic memory that I will carry with me forever. Andrew had also become something of a mentor to GLOK and one of his last remixes, possibly his last one, was of a GLOK track called Cloud Cover. (check it on Bandcamp) 

As well as the Music's not for everyone gig, GLOK also had shows lined up at the Social, the Great Escape and Worlds Unknown. I was figuring out to convert my album Dissident into a live setting, when lockdown just obliterated all those plans. There was a GLOK remix album about to be released Dissident Remixed which ended up getting put back a few months due to COVID, that's now been released and has done really well. It's great - it includes that excellent Weatherall remix but also great mixes from Maps, Timothy Clerkin, Richard Sen, C.A.R. and many more.

So no GLOK gigs, no GLOK remix album, no Ride festivals, lockdown left me with only one thing to work on, an EP which I'd planned to put out on Sonic Catherdral, to follow up a 7" I'd released in 2019 as part of their singles club. I was trying to figure out which songs to put on this 12", out of all the possible choices, and it was doing my head in until I had the idea to maybe expand it from 20 minutes to 40 and make it an album. The change from an EP to an album was a direct result of lockdown. That, and a shedload of DIY!

You've announced your solo album The View From Halfway Down is coming out in October. Did you set out to write a bunch of new songs or did it just happen?

For me it was more a question of track selection. I recorded a lot of tunes with Gem Archer at his stdio back at the start of 2016, directly following the death of David Bowie, and this album draws from that but also other bits and pieces. The songs on this album were mostly finished before all of this. It was mainly vocals and mixing that happened this year.

The lead single Love Comes In Waves is real melodic psychedelic pop. Did anything specifically influence the sound of the single or forthcoming album? What kind of stuff were you listening to?

The influences shine through as clear as day I think, it's the music everyone knows I'm into. The Beatles, Krautrock, Spacemen Three, The Stone Roses.

Would you like to play some solo shows when it is possible?

I'd like to, yeah. I'd like to play some Ride shows too! And some GLOK shows! I'm basically desperate to play a real gig again. Ride did an online gig the other day, and although it was great to do, it basically just highlighted everything that was missing from that moment. I miss our audience and I can't wait to get onstage on a real tour with Ride again. I feel cheated out of the end of our last tour, but hopefully we can pick up again where we left off when this is all over.

What can fans expect from the album?

It's a pretty humble affair. Around half of the tracks are instrumental, it's not so much of a "songwriter" album. It's more about a listening experience, I tried to make something that I'd want to listen to. It's pretty gentle most of the time, touches of psychedelia, I think it sounds great in the sun. Basically, if I've succeeded, it's the ideal shoegaze barbeque album.



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Monday, 8 October 2018

ABBA-esque

Cover version of the month #39 - Erasure cover ABBA



My kids recently discovered ABBA via the Mama Mia film, so our house has been full of pop perfection for the last month or so. Thankfully it isn't always the film that is on. There is only so much of Pierce Brosnan singing that I can cope with!

So it got me thinking about the monumental ABBA-esque EP by Erasure that came out in 1992 when I was 16. Erasure seemed to be everywhere with this - Top of the Pops, the Chart Show, in the papers, in magazines and all over the radio.

Andy Bell and Vince Clarke camping it up in drag in the Take A Chance On Me promo video is something that I'm sure most people from my generation will remember!


Erasure were huge in the late 80's and into the 90's, their 1992 compilation POP: The First 20 Hits emphasised their ear for pop with Sometimes, A Little Respect and Stop being favourites of mine. Vince Clarke is a pop genius, early Depeche Mode is really the only era of the legendary band that I enjoy and then his work with Alison Moyet as Yazoo produced some incredible synth pop soul gems, Only You must be one of the best debut singles released in the 80's.

After Yazoo, Clarke placed an advert in Melody Maker to recruit a singer and he discovered Bell. The duo have never looked back and hit upon formula of euphoric synth led pop that broke down barriers and led to critical acclaim and huge commercial success.

Covering ABBA was probably very natural to two people so infatuated with pop music. And Erasure set out to have fun whilst doing it.

Clarke provides the beats and synths and whilst its not quite karaoke, Bell is clearly enjoying himself and not taking it too seriously. As was the way in 1992, in Take A Chance On Me they duo introduce a female to sing a brief ragga rap.

Erasure covered Lay All Your Love On Me, S.O.S. , Take A Chance On Me and Voulez Vous on the EP. Remaining pretty true to the originals (especially in terms of vocal melodies) and bringing ABBA's pop perfection to a new generation. After a couple of number 2 singles, this EP gave them their first number 1.

And what can you say about the ABBA originals?! They are pristine and sublime slices of pop perfection. Lyrically, melodically, in delivery, structure and production. Timeless! They deserve an essay, but for now just take some time to revisit some masterpieces of pop.



Previous covers of the month




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