SoundCheck

Paolo Nutini and Suede not good enough to headline Latitude

Anthony Bond — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:52:00 GMT

THOUSANDS of people will descend on Suffolk this weekend to attend the sixth Latitude festival, held in the incredible setting of Henham Park.

Since its inception in 2006 the festival has been nothing but a huge success. With its mixture of music, comedy, poetry and theatre it has gained its own unique place in the already crammed UK festival circuit.

I've been to every one of the festivals except 2008 and sadly I won't be able to attend this weekend. But will I be missing out on that much? When the line-up was announced I was left feeling completely underwhelmed, particularly by the headline acts.

I am a huge fan of New York-based The National and thought High Violet was one of the best albums of 2010. But - although brilliant - the quintet's music is mournful and melancholic and not something which will inspire everyone to race into the woods afterwards to continue the party long into the night.

This wouldn't be too much of a problem if the other headline acts were strong and guaranteed to excite. But in Paolo Nutini and Suede you can't help but feel disappointed.

Nutini's brand of easy listening is no doubt fine during a festival's hazy mid-afternoon slot when everyone is feeling relaxed and sleepy following a few drinks and a large lunch. But as a headline act to finish a Saturday night? Not a chance. Will Jenny Don't Be Hasty get the crowd going in the same way as Arcade Fire's Rebellion (Lies) did back in 2007?

Will the masses at the Obelisk Arena be left as awestruck watching New Shoes as they were when a terrifying Nick Cave was spitting out Stagger Lee's filthy lyrics in 2010?

The honour of closing the festival on Sunday night has been handed to Britpop band Suede. Back in 1992 they were hailed as The Best New Band in Britain but despite the success of third album Coming Up they never quite lived up to expectations.

I'm sure the likes of Trash and Beautiful Ones will go down a storm but I can't help feeling that Latitude festival goers have been left short-changed.

Suede have reformed just as their Britpop contemporaries Pulp and Blur have in recent years. But while Glastonbury had Blur a couple of years ago and T in the Park and Wireless Festival booked Pulp this year, Latitude gets Suede. Not quite as exciting is it?

Latitude is an expensive festival (a weekend ticket costing about £177) but I have always thought it value for money because of the huge variety on offer. This time around I am not so sure.

Take a look back at the headline acts since 2006. For a festival which has grown in popularity and size since then, you have to say that this year's headliners are the weakest Latitude has had yet.

Do you agree? What do you think of this year's Latitude line-up? Please comment below. In order to comment you will need to quickly register on www.eadt.co.uk.

Rule-breaker

Anthony Bond — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:11:00 GMT

I'm afraid I owe you all an apology. Just two blogs in and I'm about to break the strict rules I set myself before starting SoundCheck.

It was to be a blog all about the latest new music releases, I told myself. Anything older than a few weeks wouldn't get a look in. But in the past few days I've been listening to an album which is so good that I just have to write about it.

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Whokill by tUnE-yArDs (Yes, that is how it should look) is the brainchild of Oakland-based Merrill Garbus. It was released on April 18 and for some reason it completely escaped my notice.

Garbus is a songwriter, Ukulele player, percussionist and vocalist. And she's created an album which has made me reconsider everything I said in my last blog about the best albums of this year so far.

Yet despite deciding to take the drastic and much agonised-over decision to throw the SoundCheck rule book out the window and write about this album, i've discovered a problem. It's actually really hard to write about.

(Please visit the site to view this video)

This is because whokill is a complete mish-mash of styles, fusing everything from rock, jazz, folk, R&B and soul. Its loud, its quiet. One minute its frantic, the next its calm and slow. The one consistent is that Garbus' voice is incredible throughout. If you don't believe me, check out Riotriot.

With the charts full of the same, turgid, recycled rubbish and shows like the X Factor churning out drones from yesteryear, its led to a debate about whether artists have completely run out of ideas in order to create original, new music.

After all, bands like Pulp, Blur and Primal Scream have taken headline slots at festivals in the past couple of years performing music which was first released 10 to 20 years ago. And my last blog mentioned the current 80s revival through artists like Twin Shadow and Ford & Lopatin. Its no surprise people are wondering where all the ideas have gone.

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Well - thanks to Garbus - the doubters can all rest easy and be assured that the musical future is secure. Here is an album which is refreshing, original and worthy of hyperbole. And it's definitely worth breaking the rules over.

What do you think of tUnE-yArDs? Can you recommend anything better? Please let me know by commenting below.

Album of the year contender?

Anthony Bond — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:19:00 GMT

SINCE the turn of the year we've been spoilt for choice with plenty of excellent albums released. Some of those which spring to mind include Wild Beasts third album Smother and Past Life Martyred Saints by American singer EMA, otherwise known as Erika M.Anderson.

For me though nothing has so far bettered PJ Harvey's eighth studio album Let England Shake. Full of images of England and ideas of Englishness it is also incredible brutal at times and packed with references to death. But don't let this put you off. Musically its brilliant and - although its difficult to pick out a standout track - On Battleship Hill is my particular favourite.

However, one album out this week may be about to knock PJ Harvey off her perch. Bon Iver released his self-titled second album on Monday to huge critical acclaim. His previous For Emma, Forever Ago, was released four years ago, and again was heavily lauded by the music press.

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver, wrote the album following the breakdown of his relationship with his girlfriend. The story has been told many times now about how Vernon took himself off to a remote mountainside cabin and partly recorded the album. As a result, it is extremely bleak and sparse and despite the excellent reviews at the time, I wasn't a fan.

So it was with some trepidation that I approched his new release. But despite containing plenty of elements from his first album, it is much more upbeat and doesn't have the same introspective, lonely feel as For Emma, Forever Ago.

This is clear straight from the opener Perth and also his single Calgary. It's a brilliant album, with third track Holocene one of the stand-out tracks.

If Bon Iver is a litle too sedate for you then Channel Pressure - the debut album by American electro/pop duo Ford & Lopatin - may be more up your street.

There has been a recent explosion in bands and artists recreating the sounds of the 80s – other examples include last year’s Before Today by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and more recently the brilliant Forget by Twin Shadow, which is one of my favourite albums from last year.

(Please visit the site to view this video)

This trend has been carried forward by Ford & Lopatin – formerly known as Games – with Channel Pressure. Tracks Emergency Room and Joey Rogers are full of references to 80s disco.

While my favourite track from the album, Too Much Midi (Please Forgive Me), has an opening bassline which isn't a million miles away from New Order's 80s classic Blue Monday.

And finally without doubt the best song I've heard over the past few weeks is Hearts by Swedish duo I Break Horses - made up of singer Maria Linden and her musical partner Fredrik Balck.

The pair, who describe their influences as My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and The Jesus & Mary Chain, release this single on July 18 with their nine-track self-titled debut album to follow later in the year.

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Let me know your thoughts on the tracks above or if you have any recommendations yourself.