With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

Baby Bushka – Pocklington Arts Centre – York Thursday 3rd October 2024 October 13, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:26 pm
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Natasha Kozaily wanted a Kate Bush dance party in San Diego in 2017. Seven years later, what was born that night is almost at the end of their farewell tour. This is how Baby Bushka came into the world. Initially, I thought that they might be yet another Kate Bush tribute act, but they are so much more than that. Baby Bushka is an interactive, theatrical, interpretive, and often spiritual Kate Bush experience, with eight women who clearly love Kate and have an encyclopedia-style knowledge of her music. Even more remarkably they are American and Kate Bush was never huge across the pond. She rarely charted with singles in the Billboard chart until ‘Stranger Things’ helped “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” reach number 3 in 2022. Albumwise the ‘Hounds Of Love’ album reached number 12 in the US in 1985. This was the first time I had seen Baby Bushka and sadly as this is the farewell tour it would be the last.

I love the mix of hits and deep cuts this Kate collective performs. The great thing is that so many of these tracks have never been performed live by the one and only Catherine Bush. The hits were stunningly well enacted and played. Those included “Babooshka”, “Wow”, “Hounds Of Love”, “Army Dreamers”, “The Big Sky”, “Wuthering Heights” and the previously mentioned “Running Up That Hill”. You could have heard a pin drop during a haunting take on “The Man With The Child In His Eyes”. While “Sat In Your Lap” was not well received on release in 1981, but here with Baby Bushka putting every ounce of their power, energy, and passion into one of the high points of the night it became something else completely, I have revisited the original recording many times since. “Mother Stands For Comfort” was a mountainous run through a great tune. I loved the throwing of Baby Bushka tenners into the audience during “There Goes A Tenner”. I actually managed to get one too. There was not a duff song in the set, and the pinnacle was a gorgeous medley of “Why Should I Love You”/ “Cloudbusting”/ “Under The Ivy”. For years “Why Should I Love You” has been one of my favourite Kate songs. She wrote, produced, and performed the original, but Prince played guitar, keyboards, and bass guitar, and sang backing vocals. How many shows have you seen where you get to see wolves, polar bears, and an astronaut on stage at various times? What a night and I so wish I had discovered Baby Bushka earlier.

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“American Kid” – Straylings October 12, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 4:22 pm
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“American Kid” is the exquisitely gorgeous stunning new single from ace psych-folk duo Straylings on Deadpan Records. If Stevie Nicks had been born in the 90s she might well be producing music like this. The backing is a dazzling display of classic rock styles and tropes reminiscent, particularly in the guitar motifs, of the Byrds. But it is Dana Zeera’s ethereal pop-rock vocals that are the cherry on top of this sublime tune. It is a shame it is autumn (or fall to anyone reading in the US) because this feels like the sort of song I would play a lot in the summer. But frankly, whatever the season or the weather this is an awesome tune. get it in your life now!

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“How Bad” – Gilda House

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 3:53 pm
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Gilda House is composed of Meg Gildehaus (on lead vocals and bass synth; Meg is also the lyricist and the source of the band’s name), Tony Morales (on guitar, keys, and backup vocals), and Nick Miles (drums and lighting design). They have a new single out now, it is called “How Bad” and frankly it is damned good. The track has an underlying darkness, particularly the synth bass and fuzzed-up guitar sounds. Meg’s voice is crystalline and emotional and rides over the music like a punked-up Valkyrie. How bad is this release? Not bad at all!

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‘Season Of Loss’ – Birdlands October 10, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:24 pm
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From the ashes of the Rosemaries a new band, Birdlands has arisen. Like the immortal Phoenix, I believe Birdlands could become an unstoppable force based on this bold, audacious, dazzling, and daring debut album. It is an extraordinarily mature album for a young band and sounds at times like the kind of record a band who has been around for years and lived to tell the tale of their rise and fall rock ‘n’ roll adventures. The obvious comparison is post-punk, particularly Public Image Ltd, but there are hints of psych, shoegaze and whisper it softly, pop here too. I do not know if any of the band have been to Art College, but the music sometimes hits me like a post-impressionist painting brought to life through sound, like Gauguin and van Gogh in a Seattle grunge band. I have always felt that if it is done right, weird is good and the intermissions on this album are certainly weird, but in a rather excellent way. Lyrically these songs contain sublime prose. Imagine an eclectic bunch of writers like Shelley, Poe, Keats, Lovecraft, and Burroughs using music as a tool to enhance and enrich their towering literary triumphs. There is not a duff song here, I think that previous singles “Gallows” and “3AM” are my favourites with “Dead Birds” and “Blue Lights” close behind. And what other band would have the wit and the balls to include their version of “(What Shall We Do With) The Drunken Sailor”, Birdlands do it with panache. It is a sardonically, dark, sometimes twisted album with a dystopian mood, and I bloody love it!

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‘Another Nice Mess’ – Curtis Eller’s American Circus October 8, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:21 pm
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Curtis Eller is new to these pages, but Dan Lucas a.k.a. Boss Caine is a huge fan, so I had to give Mister Eller a listen. Once again Dan Lucas proves he knows good music. The new album from Curtis Eller’s American Circus, ‘Another Nice Mess’ is rather special indeed. The album opens with a swampy deep south-sounding workout called “True Love In The Exclusion Zone”. This song would be a perfect fit to soundtrack a dark, gothic horror film. “Goddam Loser” has elements of Dr. John, but with banjo and not keys. It also has a twang of Elton and Bernie’s attempts to do country music. The light country jazz feel on “Conscientious Objector” showcases Eller’s smoky voice perfectly. If Roger Waters went down Eller’s musical road rather than the pomp and prog of Pink Floyd he might sound like Eller on “We Know This By Heart” which is an utterly gorgeous song in a collection of utterly gorgeous songs. It also picks on the type of subject matter Waters has tackled before, this time the sad resignation to and familiarity of school shootings. Curtis Eller knows how to tell a great story in songs and “Carry The Faces (for Martha Wills)” invites you into his world and weaves a remarkable raconteur’s tale. The brass arrangements suggest the dark side of New Orleans. The title track, “Another Nice Mess” reminds me of early Dr.Hook when they still had the Medicine Show suffix and Ray Sawyer sang on “Sylvia’s Mother”. It carries such beauty in its simplicity and is an homage to the great friendship between Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

“Sonny Liston Told Us” has a dark funereal mood. Is it a narrative about the mysteries and darkness in Liston’s life, I don’t know, but it is a damned good tune. The sparse arrangements of banjo, bass, and Eller’s voice on “An Only Child” set the hairs on the back of my neck to rise, particularly when Eller sings of being afraid to die. His voice oozes deep emotion here. A dark blues style erupts on “Standard White Jesus” and it seeps into the auditory cortex of your brain and takes up residence. The dreamy late-night female vocal takes “Time Moves Slow (For Lilian Leitzel)” in a wonderful new direction which takes in the feel of someone plucking a banjo on the back porch while listening to a gospel choir. Eller’s voice is at its most soulful too. I believe that the titular Lilian Leitzel was a circus performer in the early 20th century. This is probably the finest track on the album. Album closer “I Saw Fay Wray” is a bluegrass-style almost lament about Eller’s experience of seeing Fay Wray in New York and mentions the high point of her career, ‘King Kong’ from 1933. This quirky, emotive, and vibrant album might well be one of the albums of the year for me! How about you?

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Absolute Bowie – The Crescent York, Friday 20th September 2024 October 6, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:50 pm
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Many of you are probably aware that I have never been a huge fan of tribute acts and I have only seen a handful over the years. Some that were very good and many that, let’s say politely, weren’t. As far as David Bowie tribute acts went I really wasn’t interested, but then I went to Fibbers in York in January 2017, a year after David Robert Jones’ death to see Absolute Bowie. Let me be completely honest, I really didn’t want to enjoy it, but I did. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I have now seen Absolute Bowie five times including this 2024 show at the wonderful Crescent in York. To paraphrase the words of the Dame himself I had drunk a lot (well a couple of glasses) of wine and I was feeling fine and ready for a night of Bowie nostalgia. I was lucky enough to see the real David Bowie 13 times. That is never going to happen again, so I am happy to accept a classy show from Absolute Bowie, fronted by probably the best Bowie tribute in the world, John O’Neill.

This tour consisted of two sets. The first was an early 70s Ziggy fest, second was a a great selection of mostly 80s hits. The costume changes in the first set were truly spectacular and included facsimiles of many of Ziggy’s weirdest and most extravagant costumes. All the classic Ziggy period tunes were there. Every one of them a highlight for me “All The Young Dudes” was the best moment of the first set. The Spiders costumes were spot on too, especially Mick Ronson a.k.a Andy Marr. But it wasn’t just Marr’s costume that was perfect, so was his emulation of Ronson’s greatest riffs. The singalong opportunities provided by the second set were incredible and I reckon everyone in the house was singing. “Fashion” and “Cracked Actor” really tested my vocal chords. Ending the show with “Heroes” is always a good sign too. I would urge any Bowie fans who feel negative towards tribute acts to get yourselves along to an Absolute Bowie night. (There are a lot of shows still to come on this tour). We know it’s not the real thing, but it is certainly the closest you are ever likely to come. A truly maximum rock ‘n’ roll night and immense fun remembering the Dame in all his glory!

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“Law & Order” – Casii Stephan, Crys Matthews and Jay Burgess

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:58 pm
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Deep in my soul, I have always held a belief that most people are good and that most people are not racist, sexist, homophobic, and many other hate positions. Sadly it feels like those numbers are growing so it is refreshing and wonderful to hear the new single, “Law & Order”, from Tulsa-based singer-songwriter Casii Stephan featuring social justice warrior, proud black woman, and LGBTQ+ folk singer-songwriter Crys Matthews, and acclaimed producer and musician Jay Burgess. The song discusses racism and just how prevalent it is in the USA. The principle fits for other countries too, certainly mine, the UK. The song is a poignant acoustic and gorgeous piece of music that takes on racism. Lyrically it is heartfelt and clear in its message. Casii Stephan said this about the song, “In the South, politics takes on a different flavor. We say we’ve progressed and in many ways we have. At the same time, racial slurs shouted from cars and pickup trucks just because they can isn’t abnormal. And that’s not even getting into how our justice system is skewed, bent, and twisted. It seems we keep singing the same song in new ways over and over again. In the middle of 2021, I started writing this song. Then in 2023, I met Jay and Crys and asked them if they would write their perspective about their respective states. This is Law & Order. To those fighting to make our justice system more just and less racist, thank you.” It is up to all of us to ensure that good will prevail and we need to continue this fight until it does!

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‘Githerments In Groove’ – Gents & Ginger

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 6:49 pm
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York band Gents and Ginger have got a funk box and they know how to use it! Their recently released album, ‘Githerments In Groove’ showcases their steadfast talent for being as funky as hell. There are a few great instrumental workouts on the album. “Ricke” opens proceedings with an explosion of joy while “Abience For A Kebab Shop Pt II” oozes the style and ability of some of the great funk bands from the past to rock out. I think I prefer the songs here that feature vocals and the first of those to appear is “Turtle”, musically it has the feel of the classic Bowie band from the 1974 American tour. “4 Silly Balls”, what a great title that is, and “Style Control” power on like extended versions of one of the jazzed up interludes that Earth, Wind, and Fire included in their best 70s albums. There is a strong 80s synth-pop vibe in “Those Were The Days” and this gorgeous story song is one of the best on the album. On “Hardware Store” the band gives a very British take on George Clinton. This probably just about shades it as my favourite track on this fine collection.

Gents & Ginger join a club of great artists that have recorded a song about tea, this includes Kacy Musgraves, the Police, Nirvana, the Kinks, and Led Zeppelin to name just a few. The song, “Social Tea”, has some great Steely Dan and Boz Scaggs feeling in it. I was reminded of early Commodores tracks like “Machine Gun” while listening to “Bunk Bed” and “Hi-Vis Activator”. The album closes with the heartbreakingly beautiful “Don’t Delete The Playlist”. This is perfect as a late-night chill-out tune. It would fit perfectly on Angela Griffin’s Radio 2 show. The band explained the album title saying “Githerments is defined as a collection of unmatching things, much like the contents of the album, yet they are all somehow in groove with one another.” It would be hard not to agree with that statement! This is a great album, if I have one minor complaint it would be that at just under 32 minutes it is too short, but it really is a rewarding way to spend 32 minutes of your time!

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“Adamas” – Liz Davinci October 4, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:21 pm
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Liz Davinci’s elegantly resplendent new single “Adamas” is out now. It is a gorgeous and deep Baroque Pop piano ballad that draws on some Tori Amos influences and an undercurrent of Kate Bush. The piano coda at around 4 minutes 30 seconds has some sublime similarities to the piano sound on Kate Bush’s breakthrough hit “Wuthering Heights” from 1978. The lyrics are potentially dark and yet uplifting too. I particularly love the lines “She never gives in. Even if it means. She has to sin“

I believe the song is about being invincible or unconquerable as Adamas in Greek Mythology Adamas means unconquerable (Ancient Greek: Ἀδάμαντα’). Adamas was a Phrygian participant during the Trojan War. He was the son of the Phrygian leader Asius, King Dymas’s son, and Phaenops’s brother. Adamas was killed by Meriones. It is a haunting tune that slowly infects you, making you want to hear it repeatedly.

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“Come On Outside” – ALT BLK ERA October 3, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:03 pm
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ALT BLK ERA are back with a new single, “Come On Outside”, from their forthcoming debut album ‘Rave Immortal’. Try and pigeon-hole this band at your peril they comfortably play fantastically well at multiple music genres. “Come On Outside” has a riotous, riff-laden grunge feel to carry its positive message. The chorus is alive and takes up residence in your brain almost immediately after the first listen. Chaya wrote the song for her sister Nyrobi and had this to say about it “For two years my sister was bed-ridden with a chronic illness that shot waves of pain throughout her body. The doctors couldn’t figure out what it was. I thought I was going to lose her. Thankfully, with lots of support, she is slowly getting better and she now has strong medication that helps her to manage the pain. This song is my message for Nyrobi, for you, and for anyone else who has faced physical or emotional challenges.” Based on this and other recent releases from this incredibly talented band I am going to take the bold step of saying that the debut album, due out early next year, will be a contender for album of the year 2025!

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