With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

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

‘Armlock’ – School of X May 16, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 4:57 pm
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Armlock is the self-produced debut album from School Of X a.k.a Rasmus Littauer. Following the acclaimed EPs ‘Destiny’ and ‘Faded Dream’ this multi-talented artist has reshaped some of his earlier work to create a collection of emotional Indie pop songs with an adventurous new and refreshing sound. Opening track “Where Do I Start” begins with a great keyboard intro which leads into a melancholy pop song with some excellent keyboard embellishments. Next up “Bad Love” is a beautiful keyboard-based song. When the rhythm picks up this has a really good pop feel to it. Third track “Believe It” has a more indie feel to it and a very appealing guitar figure. Track 4 has an intimate ballad style opening and the addition of female vocals here is a nice touch. When the two voices meet in unison they fit together perfectly. Great keyboard sounds again.

“Forgot Me On The Moon” is a great melodic and upbeat song featuring more sublime keyboards. “Collarbone” has a strong backbeat with a beautifully controlled vocal. The seventh track “Flowers” opens with a strange bass soundscape leading into a fine keyboard theme. There is a slightly more experimental feel here. Ethereal vocals with echoing keyboard and more than a taste of ‘Steve McQueen’ era Prefab Sprout. “Rivers” has a strong rhythmic feel and a lovely lilting melody
Final track “Blood Flow” has a great anthemic slow feel and is a superb closer with a reprise of the marvellous vocal sound that is such a feature of this record.
This is an appealing and uplifting album and should help to move this innovative and gifted artist to a place where his delightful melodic music is heard and appreciated by a much wider audience.

Written by Paul Bamlett.

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‘Nostalgia for Infinity’ – Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate May 15, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:13 am
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Space rock-aligned prog-rock isn’t normally a genre that I would seek out. Which is strange. Because I love it. As you may have noticed if you’ve read my recent series of blogposts about Pink Floyd’s near-mythical gig at a tiny Quaker village hall in 1967, I am very much on board.

As well as the awesome band name, which sounds more like a post-rock band than a prog band (Godspeed You! Black Emperor & And So I Watch You From Afar, anyone?), the backstory and artwork are spectacular. The cover art for ‘Nostalgia for Infinity’ is beautiful and bleak. People with boxes on their heads, standing in the mist beside a grey and imposing wall is certainly the kind of image you’d expect to see for an album like this. Seven (of twelve) of the tracks on ‘Nostalgia for Infinity’ are based upon the novels by Science Fiction novelist Alastair Reynolds. I am already a huge fan of Reynold’s novels and included one of them, ‘Blue Remembered Earth’, in my blogpost about the 10 books which influenced me the most. This makes me particularly excited, going in.

The first track, “Century Rain” starts with a wash of keyboard and guitar ambience which just screams the word “SPACE” at you. Embedded in this ambient soundscape (which sounds how the mist on the cover art looks) is an arpeggiated synth line which sounds like it’s straight out of a Vangelis composition. You almost expect Harrison Ford’s dulcet tones and the harsh electronic bleeping of the Voight-Kampf test to emerge, dreamlike, from the aural mist. The arpeggiated synths are used throughout the album, as are the calming, ambient soundscapes. Both this song and the second track, “Twin Earth”, are based upon the novel called ‘Century Rain’ by Alastair Reynolds. It’s a gritty detective story set Paris during an alternative 1950s where, despite the failure of the Nazis, fascism still rose unchecked across Europe. As well as that, it’s also a time-travelling story of post nanocaust (pretty much how it sounds) survivors battling against the nanite swarms on Earth’s surface and attempting to save alternative Earths. I’ve probably oversimplified it as it’s a long time since I read it, the music does justice to it though.

“Ark”, a song about the World War 2 British aircraft carrier, Ark Royal, starts off with some gentle keyboards and guitars before changing up into several distinct sections built around piano and guitar. The various sections representing different periods in the Ark’s life, from its construction and launch, through to the sinking of the Bismarck and the eventual sinking of the Ark Royal herself. It’s a stirring piece of music and it has the potential to be particularly exciting in a live setting. The following track, “Chasing Neon”, is a retrofuturistic instrumental with more Vangelis-esque analogue synth workout with crunchy arpeggiated bass, floating vaporwave pads and mechanical, robotic rhythms. It’s actually quite unlike anything else on the record and has a wonderful video with visuals to match the vaporwave Bladerunner aesthetic (Check it out below).

After this, we dive back into the worlds of sci-fi with songs about nanotech tumours “Nanobotoma” & a four-track sequence: “Glitterband”, “Conjoiners”, “Scorpio” and “Inhibitors” based on the Alastair Reynolds epic Space Opera, the Revelation Space series. I have it on my shelf but am yet to read it. These are dramatic compositions full of menacing piano, changeable rhythms, and virtuous guitar playing. The penultimate track, “Voyager”, takes us back up into space, inspired as it is by the exciting journey of Voyager 1. It is a gentle, synth-led instrumental with lilting melodies and complex rhythms. The closing track, “The Sixth Extinction”, addresses the impending environmental breakdown by way of upbeat rhythms, alternating choppy and crunchy guitar riffs, and early ‘90’s funk metal-style fast speak-singing. The anthemic nature of the chorus further lends to this feeling while the lead guitar leads things firmly back into the land of prog.

‘Nostalgia for Infinity’ is available on CD & all the usual digital distributors.

Written by Tom Ray

The photos were sourced via Google and the videos via YouTube. If any of them are yours and you would like a credit or for them to be taken down please let me know.

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‘Emanate’ – Yair Elazar Glotman and Mats Erlandsson

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 6:04 am
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This is one of the most interesting and experimental recordings it has been my privilege to review.
These two artists have been collaborating since 2015 and produced their first recording “Negative Chambers ” in 2017. They mix electronic sounds with traditional acoustic instruments. They employ an ensemble cast and various forms of displaced sound. Their music occupies a space all its own between electronic and acoustic.
The opening track of ‘Emanate’ “From Light to Refraction” begins with a single note. This builds to a somewhat discordant sound with ambient sounds beneath. The idea of shifting is strongly suggested. There are hints here of Eno’s ‘Discreet Music’ but also of modern classical composers such as Philip Glass and Samuel Barber
“Interlude 1” maintains the one-note theme with hints of rhythmic wood blocks echoing beneath the strings. Track 3 “From Reflection To Procession” has a feel of baroque sacred music. Flavours of Tallis and Purcell resonate. The ambient sounds flutter and echo through the structure as bass vibrations rumble beneath.


“Interlude 2” features a more electronic feel. The more organic woodblock sounds return. There are hints of Steve Reich and a captivating fizzing sound persists.
“Procession” continues the more electronic feel and there are hints of film soundtracks. It is possible to visualise the slow-moving procession with swaying black robes. Fading and growing by turn the music builds to eerie crescendos before falling away. “Interlude 3” has breathier sounds and the claves and woodblocks sounds return in this shorter piece. Distant rhythmic echoes persist. “From Procession To Refraction” features unnerving, shifting sounds that create an uneasy feeling with suggestions of melodies that never begin or end. Track 7 is a longer piece with multiple layers of sound. An orchestra suggests itself as if hinting at Vivaldi-like themes but the beauty is that it never manifests itself totally. “Interlude 4” once again features the one-note introduction. The woodblocks are more persistent here acting as a lead instrument rather than background sounds. The final track “From Refraction to Light” closes this brave, introspective, and deeply thoughtful record with a longer piece that takes us back to where we started with growing layers of strings slowly and elegantly drawing the piece to a close. This is a captivating recording and it would be fascinating to hear it performed live to experience the totality of the profoundly introspective vision of these two pioneering artists.

Written by Paul Bamlett

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With Just A Hint Of Mayhem – Singles Round-Up 2020 Part 5 May 14, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:42 pm
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How would you like another great batch of singles to listen to during this COVID-19 lockdown? You would? In that case here is our fifth 2020 singles round-up.

These five tracks feature another eclectic mix of bands and singers from London, Kent, Queensland (Australia), California (USA) and Brooklyn, NYC via Argentina and Colombia. Three of these acts are new to With Just A Hint Of Mayhem, apart from Glass Peaks and Tei Shi. Treat yourself to a great set of tunes below!

“Mid-Twenties (Acoustic)” – Josh Collins

Josh released his first EP, ‘Porky Pies’ three years ago to great acclaim, Tom Robinson is a fan. This track is a stripped-back lo-fi song about coming to terms with getting older when you are still pretty young. His lyrics are spot on and Josh really can tell a decent story via a song. It is as though Jack Johnson wrote a tune using lyrics by Mike Skinner. There is a Jamie T element to his vocal but without that frenetic Jamie pace and that makes Josh come across more easily, he is, without doubt, a great singer. I love this song and I believe it is a portent to greater things to come in the future from Josh Collins.

“Elegant Vampires” – Pattern Seeking Animals

California’s Pattern Seeking Animals have just released their third single of the year. It is taken from their forthcoming sophomore long player ‘Prehensile Tales’. The music has a mystical eastern feel and cinematic scope with Ted Leonard’s yearning and at times ethereal vocals adding to that beautiful mysticism. There are US east coast things going on here and also a big prog-rock influence. A great song which will I think be a part of a great album. The video, shot during the lockdown, is pretty good too.

“São Paulo” – Glass Peaks

This is the first track launched from their new EP ‘It’s Raining On The Wrong Side of The Window’. It is a full-on blast of emotional rock that would compete with the Killers’ best output. Both Morcheeba and the Guillemots have recorded songs with the same title as this, but neither can touch this excellent tune from Glass Peaks. The production is crystal clear and showcases a band that gets better with each release.  Alfie Jefferies conveys every aspect and every layer that could possibly be experienced in a failed relationship in these sublime lyrics.

“Die 4 Ur Love” – Tei Shi

I was lucky enough to review Tei Shi’s first album ‘Crawl Space’ back in 2017 and it was a great take on modern R & B sound. She has progressed fabulously and her second album ‘La Linda’. This new song takes her to another level, as a listener you are drawn in quickly by the thumping bass synth riff and perfectly syncopated percussion, which may be a drum machine. Her vocals are dreamy as they wash the track. Both the tune and Tei Shi’s vocal style is at times reminiscent of Madonna in her 90s dance pomp, with a little Janet Jackson thrown in. This track has the potential to be a total dance floor banger. The lyrics are pretty dark, but with such a singalong vibe. How about for obsidian dark words, “But I’d run for miles If you said you were waiting, Waiting on the other side, Waiting in the afterlife” She has previously collaborated with Glass Animals and Blood Orange. But right now I reckon she is ready for bigger things and surely global success is just around the corner!

“Bad Gas Travels Fast In A Small Town” – Ten Ton Tinnies

If you like country and you like pop-punk, especially Bowling For Soup, you will love the Ten Ton Tinnies. “Bad Gas Travels Fast In A Small Town” is a potent combination of both genres which you cannot fail to be singing along to after just a couple of listens. The lyrics appear to be about life on the seedier side of the aforementioned fast gas small town. This is the Ten Ton Tinnies first single and frankly, I am already looking forward to their album.

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“False Prophet” – Bob Dylan May 9, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 12:00 pm
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Despite late-night speculation over on my Blog a couple of nights ago, Dylan today released a new single, not an album. He did, however, confirm via a Tweet that his new album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, will be released on 19th June.

“False Prophet” follows Dylan’s current trend for sparse, minimal arrangements but the sound palette is very different. Consisting of a snarling, overdriven guitar and more rock-style drumming, “False Prophet” has a sleazy, blues-rock vibe, calling to mind smoke-filled pool halls and bourbon on the rocks.

Lyrically, Dylan seems to be denying that he is the titular false prophet while framing himself as a kind of underdog hero. He declares himself “the enemy of treason” and boldly declares “you girls mean business and I do too”. He’s “first among equals/second to none/last of the best/you can bury the rest”. A sliver of the carefully choreographed arrogance of the early days of his career shines through here.

The back-half of the song seems to be an apology for dragging his loved ones into the kind of life he lives. The kind of life the lyrics to his music appear to suggest he lives, anyway. It’s unlikely that Bob is really out on the streets at nights fighting the man and righting wrongs, but that seems to be the image of himself he’s trying to project in these lyrics. This isn’t necessarily a criticism from me. Dylan, after all, is an actor who has played many parts and created many characters across his career. His latest one is particularly well written and vivid.

Written by Tom Ray

False Prophet is out now on all digital distribution platforms. Rough and Rowdy Ways is available on 19th June.

“False Prophet” – Bob Dylan – Lyrics

Another day that don’t end
Another ship goin’ out
Another day of anger, bitterness, and doubt
I know how it happened
I saw it begin
I opened my heart to the world and the world came in

Hello Mary Lou
Hello Miss Pearl
My fleet-footed guides from the underworld
No stars in the sky shine brighter than you
You girls mean business and I do too

Well I’m the enemy of treason
Enemy of strife
Enemy of the unlived meaningless life
I ain’t no false prophet
I just know what I know
I go where only the lonely can go

I’m first among equals
Second to none
Last of the best
You can bury the rest
Bury ’em naked with their silver and gold
Put them six feet under and pray for their souls

What are you lookin’ at
There’s nothing to see
Just a cool breeze that’s encircling me
Let’s go for a walk in the garden
So far and so wide
We can sit in the shade by the fountain-side

I search the world over
For the Holy Grail
I sing songs of love
I sing songs of betrayal
Don’t care what I drink
Don’t care what I eat
I climbed the mountains of swords on my bare feet

You don’t know me darlin’
You never would guess
I’m nothing like my ghostly appearance would suggest
I ain’t no false prophet
I just said what I said
I’m just here to bring vengeance on somebody’s head

Put out your hand
There’s nothing to hold
Open your mouth
I’ll stuff it with gold
Oh you poor devil look up if you will
The city of God is there on the hill

Hello stranger
A long goodbye
You ruled the land
But so do I
You lost your mule
You got a poison brain
I’ll marry you to a ball and chain

You know darlin’
The kind of life that I live
When your smile meets my smile something’s got to give
I ain’t no false prophet
No I’m nobody’s bride
Can’t remember when I was born
And I forgot when I died

 

The pictures were found via Google if one of them is yours and you would like it removed or would like a credit please let me know. The lyrics were sourced from Far Out Magazine.

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“Rust” – Not Tonight and the Headaches May 8, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 12:21 pm
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Firstly top marks for the band name, Not Tonight and the Headaches is the best name I have heard for a long while. The band consists of Jimmy Headache a really deep bass plucked and Vocals/Backing Vocals, Snellitor bashing the Drums so hard that they are scared of him, Throbert on Guitar and also Vocals, to be fair with a name like Throbert he should be the bass player and King Awesome/Cadefunk delivering even more Guitar and Backing Vocals. You might have believed that these were not their given names, but in fact, they are. Their nicknames are James Elliott, Matt Snell, Rob Tew, and Matt Cade respectively, which all sound far more punk than the real ones, right?

The boys claim to be the 123rd best band in Grimsby, is that true? Are there actually that many bands in Grimsby? Not Tonight and the Headaches have been a bit quiet for a few years but they are definitely on their way back with a sparkling spanker of a new single “Rust”. The band claim to be “on a four-man mission to resurrect mid-nineties pop-punk’ and “Rust” proves that. It veers toward the softer side of pop-punk, but it is a hellishly good song. After listening to it 123 times I am hooked (just joking, it actually stayed in my brain like the best earworms after just a couple of listens. These lads hope to get cracking on their next album very soon, once we can all put this vile COVID-19 behind us. I am looking forward to that new album and getting a chance to see them live on the other side of this. Check them out, you will not be disappointed unless you are the 124th best band in Grimsby!

The video for “Rust” is below, click here to check out even more of their excellent stuff on Spotify!

The pictures were found via Google if one of them is yours and you would like it removed or would like a credit please let me know.

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‘From Darkness, Light’ – Brudini

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 12:09 pm
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Brudini has attracted attention from New York Punk legend Danny Fields (Iggy, Doors, Ramones ) and has co-started at a sold-out Soho underground alt cabaret. Louder than War love his music a great deal and on the basis of this delicately structured and striking debut it is easy to see why. Opening track “Roselight” sets the tone. Spoken word over an intriguing backing. Next track “Nightcrawler” picks up the beat in a gentle way. The vocals sound great over the sympathetic backing of drums and guitar, the introduction of keyboards adds an extra layer. Backing vocals add still further depth. The spoken word tracks are well balanced and add an extra dimension. “Hunger” is a poetic moment.

“Reflections” leads off on a great repeated bass line. The drums have a jazz feel. Brudini’s captivating voice returns to give us a hint of Michael Stipe and the instrumental section is stunning. The strings add depth and this track ends on a beautiful piano coda. It’s easy to see why this was chosen as a single. “Female Rimbaud” is more of the spoken word over a guitar phrase leading to “Emotional Outlaw” which has a driving feel. A hint of the Doors is evident here with the rhythm and almost chanted vocals. “Pale Gold” is introduced by a tuba and features a march meets tango feel. There is a Chanson feel and the introduction of a Mariachi band adds to the tracks strange melancholy. “God Unknown”‘s spoken word introduces “Radiant Man”. This track has the feel of an ethereal Glen Campbell. The vocals are pure and laced with quality. There is a strong piano figure and for me, this is the standout track of the whole album. This is a beautifully crafted track.

More poetry leads us into “Everything Is Movement”. Found sounds echo around the wonderfully tremulous vocal. A slower piece that fades away.
This excellent album closes on the slow but interesting “Boulevards”. There is a slight tip of the hat to “Space Oddity” here whether intentional or not. The theremin sounds which have been present throughout bring the track to a falling end. Brudini has been compared to other artists such as Nick Cave and Sufjan Stevens but this is original stuff and when gigs return I will be watching the press for shows by this extraordinary new artist.

Written by Paul Bamlett

The pictures were found via Google if one of them is yours and you would like it removed or would like a credit please let me know.

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“Forever” – Apollo Junction May 6, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 12:05 pm
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Those delightful and extremely talented chaps known collectively as Apollo Junction released a new single a couple of weeks ago. It is called “Forever” and it is the first single to be taken from their yet to be released second album. It is close to being a perfect lockdown anthem. It is upbeat, has a happy vibe, and a great singalong hook. I dare you to listen to it and not end up with a smile or singing along. If you do manage to frown and not sing along with this fabulous tune then you probably need to seek help. “Forever” is another leap forward for the band after the success of their first album ‘Mystery’ released at the end of last year.

The song evokes the best of 80s and 90s pop-rock and the kind of songs that many of the best British bands used tow write with ease in their prime; the Kinks, Small Faces, Oasis, Blur, and many more. I love the jangly indie guitars and a bass line that James Jamerson would have been proud of. The song is accompanied by a great video filmed by videographers Yorkshire Folk prior to lockdown. The film features drone footage of many Leeds’ landmarks such as Kirkstall Abbey, Roundhay Park, Headingley Stadium, and obviously, Elland Road. Put Apollo Junction on your list of gigs to see post lockdown, you will not regret it, you may even see me there! Jamie, Matt, Ben, Jonathan and Sam, I will see you on the other side of this!

The pictures were found via Google if one of them is yours and you would like it removed or would like a credit please let me know.

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“Drugs” – Tommyrot May 1, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:59 pm

Tommyrot are another fine young band from York who were formed, last October, from the ashes of Azera. I saw Azera back in January 2019 and they were pretty bloody good. The big changes in becoming Tommyrot are that they no longer have a singing drummer, Rhys has moved from bass to drums, Greg from lead guitar to bass while Felix and Kieran are the new vocalists and stayed as joint axemen. The boys met at Access Creative College in York and have played four gigs so far. Hopefully, there will be many more post-COVID-19 lockdown.

They have their first single, “Drugs” out now (click here to check it out on Spotify). It is a funk and grunge blend that has been overlaid with the best elements of slacker rock. Imagine the Red Hot Chilli Peppers take on the Ohio Players, Nirvana’s quieter moments, and Pavement at their peak. If you like any of that combination you will probably love “Drugs”. The lyrics describe coming down from a particularly bad trip. The opening line “That’s a fat banana, why’re you whipping it out?” is not an outtake from a Carry On script, nor does it describe a huge spliff (which was my first thought). It is about the benefits of bananas making a comedown less extreme, according to Kieran. There is some truth in that though. Serotonin is the chemical in the human body that helps with feelings of wellbeing and happiness and Tryptophan is the amino acid that gets converted to 5-HTP, which eventually gets converted to serotonin in your brain. The key Tryptophan heavy foods are tuna, eggs, and bananas.

Use drugs sensibly people and maybe avoid a tuna, egg and banana smoothie to aid your comedown! But whether drugs are your thing or not make sure that “Drugs” by Tommyrot is your thing!

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“Will Of The People” – PERCY

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:17 pm
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West Yorkshire Super Heroes PERCY have just released a rather splendid video for my favourite song from their current album ‘ Seaside Donkeys’. The song is “Will Of The People” and the video is an incredibly angry and pertinent animation which shows Boris Johnson in the light he really deserves, i.e. a bad light!

Check out my review of the album here and click here to order it.

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