Mogwai make a comeback with their sixth studio album, the first release since 2010’s live-recorded Special Moves, and it’s clear from the off that Hardcore Will never Die, But You Will will be a different, altogether more accessible beast.

Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

Opener ‘White Noise’ has a floating, optimistic melody that wouldn’t be out of place as the accompaniment to whales migrating on a BBC documentary. The whispered vocals and octave-flipping bassline of ‘Mexican Grand Prix’ are reminiscent of Primal Scream in their Kill All Hippies-era, with discernible verses and choruses. Could this be Mogwai doing pop? Well I never.

Album highlight ‘Rano Pano’ is built around a skull-crushingly distorted bassline, and this is yet another tune that makes its melody just as important as the texture. ‘George Square Thatcher Death Party’ is one of only a handful of tracks to feature singing, with Stuart Braithwaite layering his heavily manipulated vocals over the indie-disco backdrop of relentless beats, bass and synths. Get this: you’ll remember snippets of inventive vocal for hours later after hearing them just the once, rather than a clanging guitar refrain a la ‘Mogwai Fear Satan’ that might take ages to get beneath your skin. This is a more settled Mogwai, painting the bigger picture and more at ease with the intricacies of their genre.

The self-styled kings of the ostinato have taken a step sideways with Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, marking a shift into a more structured sensibility. Ideas and motives are explored with accomplishment but never overplayed or aggressively treated, making this record stand up as an amenable in-road for new Mogwai listeners. If all you know of Mogwai is ‘Glasgow Megasnake’, then it might be time for another listen.

Just Jack

It’s been annouced that Just Jack will be touring the UK in early November, in support of his new record All Night Cinema. The dates will run as follows:

Tue 3rd – NEWCASTLE, O2 Academy

Wed 4th – LEEDS, O2 Academy

Thu 5th – MANCHESTER, Academy 2

Fri 6th – GLASGOW, Arches

Sun 8th – BRIGHTON, Concorde 2

Mon 9th – LONDON, Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Tue 10th – NOTTINGHAM, Rock City

Wed 11th – BIRMINGHAM, Academy 2

Fri 13th – CAMBRIDGE, Junction

Sun 15th – BOURNEMOUTH, Academy

Mon 16th – NORWICH, Waterfront

Tue 17th – BRISTOL, Academy

http://ww.myspace.com/justjackuk

Soviet Disco

September 25th 2009

If you’ve got it flaunt it – that’s the way to do it – and Soviet Disco, a relatively new band from the north-east are certainly having a crack.

Much as the name suggests, Soviet Disco have an upbeat sound with four-to-the-floor bass beats and hissing hi-hats, but their politics might be more Teesside trash than Russian. Hailing from the tired seaside town of Redcar, their fare is definitely more dirty disco than glam and glitz.

Tonight, the four-piece kick off a Friday club-night in the backstreets of Stockton with and turn up with an impressive entourage. Opener ‘Groupie’ is Radioheadesque in its style, with the sort of chromatic guitar riffing that Jonny Greenwood excels at. However, it’s a bit more primal and bluesy than that, and it seems like a bit of a slow number for an opening gambit when you compare it with what comes later.

Frontman Phil asserts presence with knowing swagger, while the packed and tight-knit sound of the guitars spread heavily over Hicks’ accomplished drumming in ‘Martyr For The Fallen’. The closing double-header of ‘Insane’ and ‘This Is Dogging’ is always the highlight of a Soviet Disco set, both being perfect tunes for an indie disco, all smoky dry ice, echoey guitar hooks and intoxicating drumbeats.

Like the fun of The Rapture fuzzed up with the melodic distortion of OK Computer and the dirty, cocky blues of The Stones; we love it. All eyes are on Stockton-on-Tees right now, with bands like The Chapman Family deservedly breaking through – here’s another one to stick on your list of ones to watch.

Eddie Argos

September 12th 2009

Art Brut are like that special kind of old friend. You might not see them for ages, but the second you meet up with them again you get on like a house on fire. All the new stories come out and sit nicely with tales of yore, and you know you’re guaranteed a great time.

Tonight, Art Brut are headling the final night of the four-day Fistful of Fandango festival, which showcases some of the best bands who’ve played for Fandango in North London. They’ve been touring Europe and America for what seems like months and kick off their set with a rendition of ‘Roadrunner’ by frontman Eddie Argos’ favourites, Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. “I don’t know what’s more surprising”, says Argos, “that we’ve only just started playing Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers songs or that I don’t know the words.”

New Art Brut listeners find enjoyment in Argos’ witty, story-telling lyrics and fans relish in a solid set packed with favourites. ‘Rusted Guns of Milan’ and ‘Good Weekend’ get an early showing and Argos descends into ranting, as he is wont to do, at the end of ‘Formed a Band’; he tells the audience not to play The Beatles Rock Band as “it’s not creative” and orders us to go and form bands with our friends when we get home. Sporting a new short hairdo, Argos is on form tonight and the rest of Art Brut are incredibly tight, creating the perfect base for the speak-sing vocals. The endings of songs are stretched out while Argos indulges in conversation and guitarist Jasper Future never misses the delayed final rock star chords when the songs are eventually brought to a close.

2007 single ‘Direct Hit’, with its awkward indie disco cry of “move around like your shoes don’t fit” fits well with 2009′s ‘Alcoholics Unanimous’, while the evergreen ‘Modern Art’ segues seemlessly into AC/DC’s ‘For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)’.

While Art Brut might always be one of those “Marmite bands”, fans of good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll and a clever sense of humour will appreciate what they do. Perfect Saturday night entertainment and the over-arching reminder that music should be fun, fun, fun. As Argos sings in ‘DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake’, “some things will always be great”.

Lauren Laverne

Ever wondered exactly how the judging panel comes to its decision on the winner of the Barclaycard Mercury Prize? Muso’s Guide caught up with previous judge and current BBC presenter Lauren Laverne for the inside track just before the winner was revealed.

MG: Hey Lauren. What are you up to tonight?

LL: I am here to present BBC2’s live coverage. We’re live from 10-10.30, Jools is gonna be doing the announcement live on the show and I throw to him. Get this – I’m in charge of him! Obviously, he has to be there or the whole thing falls down like a pack of cards… I’ve been here all day observing, enjoying, drinking in the atmosphere.

MG: Come on then – who do you think will win the Prize?

LL: I’ve judged before for a few years and I’m just glad I’m not this year ‘cos it’s very very close, a tough call and a strong list. Usually it’s between ‘X’ and ‘Y’ but this year I think it could go any way. You know, you’ve got Florence – I love her so much and would be so glad if she won – and then you’ve got big hitters like Kasabian, all the way to these really small bands like Sweet Billy Pilgrim. Their album was recorded in a shed and only sold 1000 [copies] pre-nomination. Tim from the band found out they were nominated when he was fitting a toilet for work and actually, do you know what, they’ve got a really good shot! So I just don’t know, I can’t call it.

MG: How exactly does the judging panel work?

LL: It’s so complicated; it depends, really, from year to year. They always say you can’t judge it on “what is the best album?” as that’s subjective, so they’ll be looking for something that sums up the year. I think they’re looking for something that represents Britain and Ireland; you know, they’re looking for a number of things, and you can see what would tick those boxes but it depends. I sort of know who’s on the panel, and having done it for a few years I can hear their arguments but even then I don’t know which way it’s gonna go. It’s sort of like Twelve Angry Men but with vol au vents! Lots of shots of people with beads of sweat glistening on foreheads… They’ll still be doing it now, downstairs in a room. You get brought up to watch the performances and then you get taken back down, and you get your dinner, and depending how difficult the decision is, you either eat it or not!

MG: Have you heard about Los Campesinos! and Dananananaykroyd planning to go on tour and cover Kenickie songs?

LL: No, really!? My goodness. Well, Dananananaykroyd, their singer is married to Jaff from The Futureheads and Barry from The Futureheads goes out with Marie who used to be in Kenickie [Lauren's got a bit mixed up here! Ed.], so there is linkage there: a Venn diagram to be had.

MG: One last question: will Kenickie ever reform?

LL: Errrr, I think probably not, I don’t see it. When you’ve got hot young properties like Dananananaykroyd and Los Campesinos! covering you, the pop scene has no need of us.

And with that she tottered off in her very glam high heels, ready to begin the tag-team with Jools and announce that Speech Debelle is 2009′s Mercury Prize winner.

Faris Badwan

We’ve got some exclusive news on The Horrors live from the Barclaycard Mercury Prize 2009!

Muso’s Guide chatted to the band on the red carpet outside the event at Grosvenor House Hotel in London. They told us that their show at this weekend’s Offset Festival was one of the hardest they’ve ever had to play, as they were riddled with technical difficulties. Obviously, they were pleased that everyone enjoyed it.

We also found out more about a new single release. The band have been recording and a new tune, ‘Who Can Say’, produced by Damon Albarn, will be out in the very near future. They’ve been recording and it’ll be out soon, or so they say…

In the meantime, they’re firm favourites to win the Mercury Prize tonight. Time will tell…

Offset Festival

September 5, 2009

So here we are again: the first weekend of September. An autumnal chill on the darker nights, and one of the last festivals of the summer – Offset, in a beautiful country park in Essex.

Muso’s Guide latched onto this particular fest in its infancy – 2008 was the very first Offset – and on a rainy and miserable Sunday we experienced the delights of seeing Gang of Four ripping up the main stage and Metronomy sparking a mass dance-off in a teeny tent.

This year, Offset really is bigger and better, and Metronomy return as Saturday night headliners. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, there are other fish to fry first. We kick off with a bang by heading straight to the Main Stage to catch The Chapman Family. Favourite sons of Teesside and one of the hardest working bands I can think of, TCF (who are not a cult, coincidentally) hit us with a blinding set. Recent single ‘Kids’ loses none of its power and wrath, as frontman Kingsley stabs himself in the chest with his microphone and mocks up a noose with the microphone lead. Confronting the alienation and apathy that it’s easy to feel when you come from a grim town with dark, choking indie-fuzz, big things are coming The Chapman Family’s way. It’s long overdue; we’re well excited about their forthcoming album here at MG Towers.

Team Muso's takes a well-deserved rest at Offset

After starting Offset on the good foot it’s time for a wander of the perfectly sized festival site; with six stages (five of them inside marquees) it’s dead easy to make your way around the site and catch as many bands as you feel necessary. It seems like a large proportion of Shoreditch has decamped to Hainault this weekend but, dodgy haircuts aside, there’s a nice atmosphere here – much preferred to the beery-leery types at Reading and Leeds. Enjoying the last of the afternoon sun, we head to the ECC Stage to catch the excellently-named Teeth Of The Sea. All melodic-but-very-loud instrumentals, TOTS propel their eardrum-shaving noise with a hypnotic floor tom, entrancing the whole tent with tunes from their debut record Orphaned by The Ocean.

It’s Male Bonding up next, in the Loud & Quiet tent. Of course, the “Quiet” bit of the stage name can be disregarded for these grunge-punks from East London. The trio play a slamming set (and turn out to be my highlight of the weekend) to a rapturous reaction from the crowd, who are clearly as pleased as the band are about their recent signing to Sub Pop. It’d be silly to overlook the similarities to Nirvana; they are there and they are plentiful, but it’s the funner, poppier side of the Seattle legends that Male Bonding have taken on board. Guitarist John Arthur Webb pulls off moments reminiscent of Graham Coxon in his ’90s heyday while his bassist leers around the stage with his long blonde hair in his face. A horde of kids invade the stage, pogoing everywhere, toilet roll flies through the tent and someone hijacks the mic to sing The Vaselines’ ‘Molly’s Lips’. Crazy and utterly glorious. Another album we’re so excited about…

Back to the Main Stage, and Future of the Left are doing their darnedest to push their mega-rock onto the crowd who are milling around. I sort of wish they were in a tent, but they do a pretty good job of gravving the scenesters and getting them nodding along. ‘Best Laid Plans’ is cracking, as the remnants of 2003 favourites Mclusky stand their ground with the Main Stage big boys. Watching these fellas with a spicy chana aloo wrap from Chapati Man (truly the food of the Gods), and with the sun going down across the fields – this is pure class. The Futureheads are next up on the Main Stage, sticking with the forward-looking name theme, and what a set of jolly Mackems they are! Guitarist Ross Millard is on form, telling a chilly member of the crowd to “get another Bratwurst down yer, man, and keep quiet”. They rattle through the big numbers at speed, cramming as much as they can into their set, and while it’s all fun and a nice singalong, we’re sad to say that The Futureheads might have lost a bit of their charm on us now. We’d love to see them take a completely new tact on their next album, but time will tell.

The Futureheads - photo by Paul Caudell

Feeling the need to warm up and man up a bit, we rock over to the tent for Dead Kids. Much loved by a few Muso’s writers, Essex’s Dead Kids are the connoisseurs of entertaining live shows. Frontman Mike Title is menacing, standing on the monitors holding his microphone aloft. Amusingly, a raft of bouncers turn up (Right Guard Security, safety fans) to which Title’s reaction is to shout “calm the f*** down, security!”, before berating his own band for complaining about the sound. It’s all very heartening, really. Mike Title is probably the last person you want to spill your pint on, but his arrogance is not misplaced as Dead Kids really are great, dragging punk up off its arse and making it look easy.

As the smaller stages wind down for the evening, it’s back to the main stage and The Slits. Concluding a set that’s heavy on newer material, the ’80s punks have taken a turn towards reggage and it seems to be falling flat on a crowd ready for one hell of a Saturday night party. Maybe it’s for this reason that Metronomy are upgraded to first class: a Main Stage headlining slot.

Metronomy - photo by Paul Caudell

Gone are the novelty-in-hindsight pushlights but the addition of Gbenga Adelekan on bass bolsters their sound into a tour de force of even more cosmic proportions. They’re in need of some new material now, aside from that recently released Not Made For Love EP, but once it comes their impact’s set to be even more distinctive. ‘Heartbreaker’ is still addictive, ‘Radio Ladio’ is frighteningly moreish and the general conclusion is that they’re still one of the funnest live bands the UK has produced in the noughties.

Click here for our thoughts on the Sunday.

Barclaycard Mercury Prize

Our lovely writers at Muso’s are known to enjoy sticking 20p each way on the horses, and even for making some cash from betting on the annual Mercury Prize. So who are they tipping for the gong this year? Is Florence odds on favourite or are Kasabian going to kill it?

STUART ANDERSON

My Pick: This year it’s all about the chicks. Florence Welch, Bat for Lashes and La Roux. But whom out of the three? I mean they’ve all released solid albums, they’re all a bit weird and they’re all fit: therefore they all fill the requirements for a lass winning the award. “Evidence?”, you cry? PJ Harvey who won 2001′s award with Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. She crafted a solid album (not her finest though), she’s mad as a box of frogs and you wouldn’t kick her out of bed, would you?

Some will go for Bat for Lashes because she missed out last year, but my filthy lucre is on Florence and the Machine because they/she came straight out of left field and immediately bowled over audiences and critics alike. And frankly, that voice is amazing, as is her crazy dancing. She’s the complete package. Personally, I also really hope she does win because I’m sick and bloody tired of seeing Two Suns posters all over London Underground, and if Bat for Lashes wins, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll stick a “Mercury Price Winner” banner on them just to really piss everyone off.

Daft Fiver: Kasabian – because they’ve got stupid hair and some people like that sort of thing; oh, and this applies equally to Glasvegas; James Allan’s quiff probably houses a brood of pigeons – with space for a can of Special Brew and a packet of Lambert & Butler Gold.

Florence Welch

RICHARD WINK

My Pick: Unfortunately the Mercury Prize nominations list has become rather formulaic with the indie darlings, the pop flavour of the month, and the token entries from the worlds of folk, jazz and hip hop. None of these are ‘great’ albums, but I am picking Florence to be the first female winner since Ms. Dynamite in 2002. She’ll win because she’s more likeable than Bats for Lashes.

Daft Fiver: The Horrors.

CHRISTOPHER PANKS

My Pick: I think Bat for Lashes will win; I wouldn’t actually agree with that decision, but I think the album is good enough. From the shortlist, my favourite album is probably The Invisible, but I can’t see them winning. I was personally disappointed not to see Emmy The Great, Dananananakroyd or Liam Frost on the list; guess there’s always next year for Liam.

Daft Fiver: Put five bucks on Kasabian, Glasvegas or La Roux. If you’re going to witness the death of creditable music, you may as well profit financially. It’s the recession, y’all!

Friendly Fires

JAMIE SMITH

My Pick: Obviously Friendly Fires or Glasvegas should clearly win, but I reckon the ‘kooky charm’ of Florence and her Machine will sway the judges. I don’t get it myself – she seems to be this year’s Marmite act – but her eclecticity seems like exactly the sort of thing that the Mercury judges usually go for. Her acquired taste vocals and penchant for vintage style makes her a highly watchable performer, and despite the amount of filler on her album Lungs, I can’t see where else the prize could go this year.

Daft Fiver: Kasabian. Having been written off as just another ladrock band, they genuinely seem to be rising above that and doing something different. Critically, their third album was well recieved, and this year has seen them become one of Britain’s biggest bands. It would be a shock, but the judges might just reward them for trying to stand out from the crowd in their field.

PAUL TAYLOR

My Pick: The Horrors – Primary Colours. Although it rarely turns out that way, the Mercury Prize should be awarded on merit, creativity and talent. So by that logic, the only obvious winner from the shortlist is Primary Colours by The Horrors – an album so far ahead of the other eleven for quality that it’s crass. If the bookies are to believed then it appears that Faris Badwan et al will be overlooked, but after the criticisms levelled at them for Strange House, many will see this as a leap in the right direction, whatever the outcome on results night.

Daft Fiver: Stick all twelve into a hat, and cross your fingers.

MITCHELL STIRLING

My Pick: Looking over the current music trends in the UK, the number of years since the last female victory and most importantly the strength of the album and her narrow failure to beat the Klaxons in 2007 I’m going to have to go with Bat For Lashes’s Two Suns. ‘Daniel’ is one of the singles of the year, opener ‘Glass’ sounds like it was produced by Martin Hannett and of course Scott Walker actually sings, not dribbles down his chin, on ‘The Big Sleep’.

Daft Fiver: There’s no such thing as a daft fiver if you’ve covered five acts on Betfair. Friendly Fires and La Roux are good value at 11/1, Florence and The Machine won’t win, 7/2 is not a good price.

The Beat

Yep, you read that right. The Beat, absolute pioneers of two-tone in the ’70s and ’80s, are headlining Whitechapel’s The Rhythm Factory on Friday 18th September.

Their status is bolstered by having played with some of rock’s most legendary groups: The Clash, Talking Heads, Madness and The Specials to name but a very select few. The band celebrated 30 years together in 2009 with a massive tour of the US, and now they’re bringing their hits to London’s East End.

Top tunes that you can expect to hear on the night? ‘Mirror In The Bathroom’ and ‘Too Nice To Talk To’, we’re hoping.

Muso’s Guide will be there at the front!

Split Festival

It’s no secret that the North East harbours some of the UK’s finest bands, and now the lucky people of Wearside are being treated to an all-day festival with a cracking line-up.

Indie legends The Futureheads are topping Split Festival‘s weighty bill, supported by the ever-wonderful Field Music, as well as B>E>A>K and Sea of Glass. New Muso’s Guide favourites Frankie and the Heartstrings are also playing at the day-long event, to be held on Sunday October 4th at Sunderland’s Ashbrooke Sports Club. Tickets are £19.50 and the gig runs from 1pm-9pm, with under 8s getting in for free.

An amazing chance to see Wichita signings Frankie and the Heartstrings before they go global, and an even more exciting opportunity to check out some new material from Field Music…

http://www.splitfestival.com/