Kitten and the Hip- Hello Kitten

Cheesy bubblegum pop, electronic dance music and 20s jazz are just some of the genres which collide in this début release by Ashley Slater and Scarlett Quinn, A.K.A. Kitten and the Hip.

What the music lacks in depth or sophistication, it more than makes up for with the sheer energy and fun. Track by track, the mixture of electronic music and jazz horn sections and souped-up double bass lines keep the music moving along at a good pace. The different styles of older music added into the modern sounds ensure each song has a different feel-gypsy jazz, Balkan swing, 50s pop, soul and funk all make an appearance.

Shake it Out may take the electronic dance and dubstep edge a bit further than I enjoy, but there are plenty of other songs here which more than make up for that, the annoyingly catchy Shut Up and Dance and Don’t Touch The Kitten will be stuck in your head after only one listen.

Hello Kitten is a strong album, especially if you enjoy your music a bit mixed up, catchy, and definitely not too serious. Get your head bopping and hips moving to this one.

7.5/10

Youngblood Brass Band- Pax Volumi

 

Funk and jazz, hip-hop and punk; these are just some of the places that Youngblood Brass Band have gone to draw inspiration for this latest release.

Pax Volumi, the fourth album from this 10-piece collective from across America. Blending hip-hop rapping with tongue-in-cheek lyrics, jazzy horn lines, punk-y beats and funky bass lines, there really is something to appeal to all audiences about this music.

The album successfully captures the energetic craziness of the live band, and shows off the way the group is influenced by New Orleans Dixieland jazz with the semi-improvised nature of the tracks, and the interaction between the different parts.

Youngblood Brass band really have got some fantastic tracks on this album- the opener and debut single, ’20 Questions’ shows off their Hip-hop stylings to great aplomb. The horn riffs crackle like fire and the lyrics come thick and fast. ‘Wrestlevania’ is a much more jazzy number- instrumental, it shows off the band’s prowess as players. The cover of Chaka Khan’s 80s classic ‘Ain’t Nobody’ is full of life and energy, with some great sections of powerful horns, with a slightly latin beat. ‘The Old Rugged Cross’ takes the feel and sounds of a New Orleans funeral march, slow and sombre, before lifting up into a celebration of life with the segue into ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow.’ The moments where individuals have solos only serves to show how talented the individuals who make up the band are- both tasteful and complicated, these short solos add little bits of individual character to certain tracks, rather than being used as something to have in every song.

Overall, this album crackles with energy, and shows off the talents of the band as a whole; as well as individual musicians. Equal parts jazz, rock, hip-hop and funk, there is something for everyone on this release.

8.5/10

Sleekstain- Hard

Opening in the way they intend to go on, Sleekstain’s latest release of pure, un-diluted rock and roll channels the energy of classic acts whilst remaining individual and modern.

The music on Hard is all no-frills and stripped down. What solo sections there are are kept short and sweet, only as added sections to compliment some of the songs, rather than as compulsory, elongated areas for the players to show off for long stretches. However, this does mean that the songs can get repetitive and samey, with very little change in the texture or overall sound of the individual tracks.

The 10 tracks on the album are all high in energy and are intended to be played at a loud volume. The songs are melodic riotous, good-time rock and roll party tracks which showcase the bands ability to write uncompromising songs and great, catchy riffs, along with hooks and melodies which are instantly memorable and inspire you to sing along.

Overall, it’s a catchy album, full of good-time songs and soarin melodies. However the lack of variety can make it seem repetitive and samey. Despite this, track for track, the songs are all storming rock belters.

6/10

Ingrid Laubrock Anti-House- Strong Place

The lines between composition and improvisation have always been ones which jazz musicians seek to blur- from the melodious lines of Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis, to the flights of technical expertise of Charlie Parker and John Coltrane- the improvisational side of jazz has always been important, and on this latest album from multi-national ensemble Anti-House, led by saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, definitely adds to the blurring effect.

The tracks on Strong Place are a series of compositions which incorporate jazz playing with avant-guard techniques, and inflections of world music. The mixture of flowing melodies which seamlessly merge and combine with sometimes halting, stuttering rhythmic patterns and extended use of harmonies serve to accentuate the heavily improvised nature of the album and to make the individual tracks all distinct, whilst allowing a constant darker feel underlying the whole album.

The tracks are all of a length which allows all the members of the group space to play. This means that the album has a very organic, almost ethereal quality to it.

The musicians all make use of added techniques on their instruments, other than just playing normally- the guitar is played with the tuners, the saxophones squeak and rumble and the piano is played in a percussive style. All of this combines to make an exciting, eclectic and interesting collection of tracks.

8/10 

Ant Law- Entanglement

Mixing a virtuosic technique which takes as much from rock shredders as it does from past masters of jazz guitar, Entanglement gives an interesting and exciting selection of tracks which show off a stunning array of styles and techniques. The album feels like more of a whole band effort at times more than a solo release, with guitars being used heavily for rhythm playing as well as lead lines.

Ant Law doesn’t hog the spotlight at all on various tracks other members of his group step up to the plate and take the lead- the sax is prominent on opener ‘Kanda Jhati’, while the piano offers a rippling wash of notes over the top of ‘Entanglement I- Janus and Epimetheus’.  Both these tracks offer different flavours. ‘Kanda Jhati’ in an unusual, groovy piece, feature swinging guitar and sax solos, whilst ‘Entanglement I’ is much more relaxed and has an ancient quality to it- utilising lots of guitar chords, wind drones and a more laid-back beat. The group nature of the album continues, with ‘Silver’ featuring a bass solo accompanied by minimalistic guitar chords.  

The way in which the album allows the whole band to stretch their musical legs through melodies and solos without keeping too much focus on Ant Law’s guitar gives it a much more rounded scope than is often the case with solo releases. When Ant Law is the focus, however, the playing is fantastic, a great young jazz guitar talent.

8/10

Voodoo Six- Songs to Invade Countries to

Modern rockers Voodoo Six have been championing a form of all-guns-blazing music which has been recognized by members of the rock and metal elite from Steve Harris of Iron Maiden to Mike Portnoy formerly of Dream Theater.

Songs to Invade Countries to provides a great balance between heavy, guitar based epics and melodic moments which show off a more light-hearted side to the band. The tracks also have a groove and definite blues-based kick which, along with the fantastic guitar solos, played with a gnarly tone shows how Voodoo Six are masters at a very traditionalist form of hard rock.

The vast majority of the album falls firmly into a category of earthy hard rock, which meld with groovy hooks to create a gritty atmosphere. The tracks are all strong rockers; riff laden and driving, which keeps the album moving forward without becoming repetitive.

The album perfectly shows off the musicianship and song-writing skills of all the band members, offering opportunities for all to shine.

Overall the album is a great rock and roll album which draws heavily on classic influences, whilst still managing to maintain a modern sound which allows it to fit in with the 21^st century’s rock and metal scene without sounding outdated.

8/10

Voodoo Vegas- The Rise of Jimmy Silver

The Rise of Jimmy Silver is the new release from young blues rockers Voodoo Vegas. Their brand of high-octane guitar rock is both melodic and heavy at the same time.

This album is, from start to finish, a storming album. The 11 tracks, including a brief intro and an interlude track, the Voodoo Vegas definitely have one foot firmly in their roots, with their blues-oriented tracks talking about girls, cars and folk-heroes. The album even includes a once-compulsory acoustic track (what happened to the days when every rock band tried to have one acoustic track on their albums?) The haunting ‘What I Pay’ simply oozes with a spooky, swampy air which sounds like something a 70s Southern Rock band may have come out with. ‘Ferry Song’ furthers the classic vibe of the album and the band’s overall sound with a wailing harmonica solo, imitating train-like sounds and pushing the track along as well as any old-school bluesman. ‘Lost in Confusion’, a pain-drenched ode to pointlessly lost loves goes to show that Voodoo Vegas have a softer side, and can write a heart-rending ballad as well as any 80s arena superstars.

This album is a joyous rock and roll romp, which goes to show that guitar-based music can still kick, yet remain soulful and be played with plenty of feeling.  Definitely a band to watch out for in the future!

9/10

Subservience- Ripped in Half

Brutal, extreme and violent, Ripped in Half is a decleration of war from Brighton-based metallers Subservience. This 4 track EP shows that British death metal is healthy and remains a force to be reckoned with on the metal scene.

Subservience’s songs are all fast-paced, riff-led and full of double-kick drum barrages which never let up. The music is loud and in your face. The songs are all stripped back and no frills, 3 of them clocking in at little over 3 minutes, and the bonus track ‘Round 1, Fight!’ is only 10 seconds long.

There are few compromises or areas where they give in to technical wizardry alone- solos are minimal, and the majority of the album focuses on the angry, tight sound of the band as a whole.

Overall this EP is as good as any other extreme metal that I have heard recently; completely brutal, understated and unrelenting.  

7/10

Diemonds- The Bad Pack

            This female fronted Canadian hard rock outfit is yet another example of a modern resurgence in music steeped in the legacy of 80s American hard rock and heavy metal. Full of driving riffs and loud choruses, The Bad Pack definitely has the feel of a good-time metal album.

Infused with a punky attitude, but retaining the more metal side of the music, from the “widdly-widdly” (technical term there…) solos, through to the spandex and hairspray, Diemonds are definitely takes a modern look at hair metal, whilst creating a different attitude with the use of a female singer. The songs don’t try to do anything mind-bending and drastic to their genre, however, they provide a definite shot of ‘Loud N’ Nasty’ energy to it, and don’t seem to take themselves too seriously, acknowledging that it’s  fun, noisy party metal which is great for a good time.

The songs on The Bad Pack stick with the traditional themes which are followed in classic metal- night time parties, escapism and generally having a good time. The music is also very much what you would expect- fast paced riffs, melodic lead guitar lines, over the top solos and chugging rhythmic patterns.

Overall, whilst the invention is kept minimal, Diemonds have produced a bombastic album that’s full of pure, good old fashioned rock music.

8/10

Pink Narcissus- Blood on the Page

Described as “David Bowie meets Rage Against the Machine”, Pink Narcissus’ album Blood on the Page does provide a heavy dose of noisy, artsy rock music, which matches the poetic vocals and deep voice of David Bowie and a heavy, electric side with a funkier edge, which is more associated with Rage Against the Machine.

Full of fuzzy guitars and experimental sounds using feedback, the album provides a heavy rock riffs and rapid beats, whilst covering it with semi-choral lines and a frantic style of singing which brings across an eloquent form of anger and angst which is more effecting than other forms of “angry” music.

The six tracks presented on Blood on the Page are an interesting mixture of heavy, effects laden rock, complete with nods to more synth based styles from the 1980s, which makes the album engaging and eclectic. Pink Narcissus’ songwriting allows for massive changes in feel, tempo, and style, even within songs, with ‘The Great Divide’ alternating between heavier sections and occasional melodic areas. ‘Kingdom of the Blind’ also, starts with a series of seeming noises before a stricter rhythm begins, whilst a powerful bass which gives more than a passing nod to more electronic forms of music slowly builds up. This creates a powerful and atmospheric piece of music which really shows off the experimental nature of the band.

Overall, this is an interesting album, with off kilter-rhythms and occasionally disturbing sonic passages.

7/10

Spock's Beard- Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep

Complex, atmospheric, yet undeniably heavy, this new release from a leading light in the Prog world doesn’t let down fans of odd time signatures and ever-changing song structures. None of the songs on the album clock in at any less than 5 minutes long, which means that within each song, there is plenty of room for every member of the band to stretch their musical legs.

It is hard for a band to replace any member, however the greatest challenge or both band and listeners must be a change in singer. However new boy Ted Leonard does a great job as replacement for Nick D’Virgilo, continuing with the soaring, melodic vocal lines which are a staple of Spock’s Beard’s style and retaining the spirit of classic Progressive bands which Spock’s Beard hold as their obvious influences.

Each track’s length means that there is able to be a definite sense of development; many of them starting with a more relaxed feel, gradually building to a climactic section of riffs and solos. The track ‘Afterthoughts’ even includes an a cappella refrain, just to add something even more different to the mix.

Overall, the album is great for a more interesting, challenging take on rock music. The mixture of atmospheric sound effects and technical passages allows for a great blend of modern sounding and more traditional styles of progressive music.

8/10

Sacred Mother Tongue- Out Of The Darkness

High speed heavy metal, thrashing riffs and insane guitar solos, it’s no wonder that people are saying that Sacred Mother Tongue are a band to watch. This second release continues in the same vein to which fans of SMT are used to.

Every song is a high-speed exercise in precision riffing, and the quality of the guitar solos (of which there are a great many) shows that it is no wonder that guitarist Andy James has been nominated as “Dimebag Darrell Shredder of the Year” in 2013’s Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards.

The band shows off an ever more complex writing style, with riffs which require a great deal of rhythmical interplay, along with heavier, slower sections in which the whole band falls into a solid groove.

A standout track which shows off all of this is ‘Seven’. Opening with an extended instrumental introduction section in which the tight rhythmic playing of the band, followed by a burst of technical guitar virtuosity. 

Between verses, the band falls into a tight-knit groove, guaranteed to get heads nodding along, fists pumping, and generally infusing the listener with as much energy as is evident on the album.

Really though, there seems to be little variety in the way Sacred Mother Tongue writes songs. Many of the tracks are of a very similar high speed, and follow the same formula which, by the end of the album can seem to have become a little tired.  The good thing about this though, is that the tracks are all great numbers, and any of them stand alone as great examples of modern heavy metal.

9/10