POWER BEHIND THE PENCIL #1 - B7

B7 is a Kettering based artist who's visual style has gained him a reputation and a mutual respect among artists, art fans, musicians and comic fanatics alike. How? That's easy to explain. His work blends together humorously psychedelic ideas with vibrant colours and detailed drawings. Like B7 himself, his work doesn't take itself too seriously, so don't be surprised when looking at his work to see crossed eyed cats singing, among other wondrous things. But at the same time, there is a side to his work, almost like streams of consciousness, that delve into darker areas. His work is twisted and often darkly funny, but it only just dips it's toes into the pool of insanity but runs through the fields of madness quite happily. Musicians all over Britain have caught onto his work, and so he has designed countless classic gig posters for the likes of The Wow! Scenario, Misty's Big Adventure, The Squids and The Retro Spankees to name but a few. So as well as being an incredible exhibited artist, gig poster designer and general all round commissioned artist, B7 brings to the world...comics! Under his own company; Flys Eyes Comics, characters such as Sparkly Sparkly Chew and Eyeball Face come to life in comic form, taking part in all kinds of ludicrously funny adventures. You want your gig to be well attended? Don't just post an event for it on Facebook, no! Get B7 on the case.

ARTWORK HIGHLIGHTS

Cover sleeve for The Squids EP

Commissioned poster for The Branstown Band

Cover sleeve/logo for the band Drool

 

The Old Market Inn poster commissioN

GET SOME BEN FOOT IN YOUR LIFE:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/benfoot/

http://www.benfoot.co.uk/Site/Home.html



Written by Jack Parker for Power Chord Music Blog. B7's pictures taken from his website and his flickr account listed above.

FINGER ON THE PULSE #1 (Captured Tracks)

CAPTURED TRACKS, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

VISIT http://www.capturedtracks.com/

Run by the head honcho of legendary NY band Blank Dogs, indie label Captured Tracks most definitely has it's finger on the pulse of alternative, strange and very different kinds of music. It's one of the labels that are associated with the current popularity of lo-fi bands and recordings but it has much more to offer. There are loads of reasons for you to love this label. For a start, it releases music from 100% underground artists, and not just those around the area of Brooklyn where it's based. There are releases from great British artists such as Wet Dog, Veronica Falls and La La Vasquez. And if the stranger sounding sounds are your thing, then look no further than Captured Tracks; featuring artists such as Blank Dogs with their ghostly post-punk and the haunting electronica of Silk Flowers. But with the alternative, comes the more mainstream appeal of the synth-pop magician Wild Nothing, the jangling guitar pop of Beach Fossils and the retro girl group sounds of Dum Dum Girls and Veronica Falls. Captured Tracks represents the new lo-fi underground scene by releasing records from the creme of the lo-fi crop. They don't just release something because it's lo-fi, they release it because beneath all the tape hiss and fuzz, these Captured Tracks bands have fresh new sounds and styles to offer. They are all released onto tapes, vinyl and when those sell out, you can download them. Their graphic style on their sleeve covers is reminiscent of the unnerving yet thrilling sounds found within. It's a strange mix of old film photographs, obscure drawings and collage. Captured Tracks are essentially trying to revive the value of vinyl, and they are doing a mighty fine job of it too. And when they are bringing the world essential new bands such as Dum Dum Girls who went on to sign to Sub Pop, who can argue with their eye for new bands?

Featured Artists

Wild Nothing, Blank Dogs, Beach Fossils, Aias, Dum Dum Girls, The Beets, Veronica Falls, Minks, The Soft Moon, Jameses, Cosmetics, Fresh & Onlys, Soft Healer, Girls Names, La La Vasquez, Dignan Porch, Wet Dog, Silk Flowers, Girls At Dawn, Beachniks, German Measles, Christmas Island, Spectrals, Thee Oh Sees, The Bitters, Grass Widow, Gary War, The Mayfair Set, Kid Romance, Blessure Grave, Further Reductions, Craft Spells, Juan Wauters, Soft Metals, The Monochrome Set, Voice Of The Puppets, Hanoi Janes, Automelodi, Frank (Just Frank), Tim Cohen, Woods.

Key Releases

WILD NOTHING - "Gemini" LP

BEACH FOSSILS - Self Titled LP

DUM DUM GIRLS - Self Titled EP


Written by Jack Parker for Power Chord Music Blog. Captured Tracks logo taken from their website.

Gig Swig: DECIBELS Live At The Labour Club, Northampton (26th November 2010)

Decibels In Keyboard Concentration Mode

Regardless of what a lot of locals might say, Northampton has a lot to offer, especially in terms of music. Sometimes places have certain scenes that reign supreme and variety is hard to find. I don't feel this is the case with Northampton, the bands in Northampton may not be anything ground breaking and influences may shine clear with it's bands, but variety is something it definitely has to offer. Such is the case with Decibels, a relatively fresh formed band featuring, if I'm not mistaken, two members of the short lived Yeltsin. Yeltsin were a great indie rock band full of energy and promise, but they sadly disbanded, for reasons unknown. Nice to see two of the three doing something new! The third member can be found these days playing in the high octane rock'N'roll rifforama band Wotwolff. This is another thing that's great about Northampton based musicians, when one band ends, two or three spring from it's place and they are usually something in a different vein. Decibels build up anticipation for their performance by leaving it till around half ten to come on stage, and with the gig starting at eight and no support band, it's left to the Everything Is Beautiful DJs to get the party started, and boy oh boy do they deliver. Luke and Stu from the much loved The Parks Dept. band make up the DJ duo, and they drop a potent mix of drum and bass, rap and alternative dance and electro anthems. I can already sense that Decibels know what they are doing; getting the best dance DJs in town to whip the crowd into an electro frenzy then leaving it till half ten to play. This can only result in a party with the only guests being the band and the crowd, surely?

Smart Of Trouser, Smart Of Tune

Crooning And Twiddling; Two Of Decibels Favourtite Things

This only half comes true, the DJ set is rapturously received by the youngersters among the crowd, but most people decide to enjoy the night as wall flowers. Then when Decibels come on, they deliver a slick set of a more ambient, minimalist kind. Each song is based around a thumping dance drum beat, the kind you'd expect to hear on a hardcore dance track. What floats around these beats however is a much more atmospheric mix of croons from both lead singer and band members alike with the gentle hum and throb of blissed out synthesizers.The equipment looks very complicated and industrial but the sound that it makes is gorgeous, almost natural like waves or the wind. Despite this style being their strong point, it feels as though something more should be there. The tracks seem to just come and go without change of pace or a triumphant break down. But if you are tired of most electronic music forever building up to the climatic kick in, then Decibels are definitely for you. Their music recalls the laid back minimalism of acts such as Small Black and the Earls Barton based producer J.Carter. The night comes to a close having provided the audience with the two extremes of dance music, from the frantic electro DJ set to the ambient main attraction. hey are sure to become firm Northampton favourites, they may even taste the level of success that Northampton based electro band The Parks Dept received. Only time will tell, but even if they do disband, something glorious will come from it, maybe something with more ambition, who knows? But for now, Decibels are bringing something fresh and ambient to Northampton's music scene.

Keeping Their Eyes On The Prize (Keyboard)

Everything Is Beautiful DJs Doing Their Beautiful Thing

POWER CHORD LIVE RATING: P P P
 

GIG HIGHLIGHT: When the Everything Is Beautiful DJs dropped "Just A Rascal" by Dizzee Rascal


BEST PERFORMED SONG OF THE NIGHT:  "This Life" - Decibels




Want more from DECIBELS? Check these websites out:


http://www.myspace.com/decibelselectro

www.facebook.com/pages/Decibels/140778769292821


Photography and words by Jack Parker for Power Chord Music Blog

EGYPTIAN HIP HOP - "Some Reptiles Grew Wings"

EGYPTIAN HIP HOP in the flesh

Egyptian Hip Hop's first EP is full of promise from the first second of the first song. They are full of ideas for a relatively young band, the songs often change pace several times in each song. But don't worry those of you who like shorter musical thrills, they don't make yawn inducing prog rock. But for those of you who love a bit of prog, then check them out: they are more than an interesting listen. The EP almost splits itself into two halfs, the first two songs are the poppy moments with chunky basslines, lots of different synth sounds and the lead singer's Robert Smith like croon wrapping itself around catchy choruses. But don't write them off as another synth pop band, their songs have more of an edge than just simple synth pop musings. As the second half of the EP proves with "Middle Name Period" and "Native", the more experimental songs. "Middle Name Period" is a perfect song to do the robot to with its juddering rhythms and "Native" is even more curious with it's samples of ghost like voices. Egyptian Hip Hop are reminiscent of New Order in the way they play around with time signatures and different synth sounds whilst developing each track and avoiding the sometimes boring repetition in electronic music. Synths are in fashion, and so as a listener you may be sick to the back teeth of every chart pop act lobbing a synth on top of a regurgitated song, but fear not! Restore your faith in synth based music with Egyptian Hip Hop. They may not be the genreless multi-style geniuses that they are being heralded as just yet, but they are very promising and very good looking.

RATING:   P P P P

TRACK LISTING
1) Moon Crooner

2) Rad Pitt

3) Middle Name Period

4) Native

STAND OUT TRACKS:   "Moon Crooner"   "Native"

LIKE THIS EP? TRY THESE ALBUMS!

LATE OF THE PIER - "Fantasy Black Channel"

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING - "Man Alive"

RELEASED: 20TH SEPTEMBER 2010 ON MOSHI MOSHI RECORDS

WANT SOME MORE TUNES FROM Egyptian Hip Hop?
CHECK OUT "Wild Human Child" and "Heavenly" 


Photography and words by Jack Parker for Power Chord Music Blog. Egyptian Hip Hop photograph taken from google images.

Gig Swig: THE VACCINES Live at The Cornerhouse, Cambridge (27th October 2010)

The Vaccines: Rock'N'Roll Stars.

The Vaccines are set to be one of the biggest bands in 2011. Hailing from London with their insanely catchy brand of rock'n'roll that includes influences from various other musical styles including shoe-gaze, pop punk and surf rock, they are causing quite a stir among music fans, journalists and various other musical humans. And of course, every band starts somewhere, and The Vaccines are starting with a string of low key gigs at rather small venues. One of which, I was lucky to catch them play at; the Cornerhouse in Cambridge. I felt like one of the privileged few in Cambridge to see them on such a small stage (they are soon to be playing much bigger venues, I can just feel it in my bones!). The small crowd gathered in the humble pub are warmed up by thrilling support act Wildlife. They play through their set at an unrelenting pace so there is no room for banter, but at the same time, no need for it either. The songs more than speak for themselves. They conjure a feeling of unrest with their skattering guitar lines and obscure time signatures, all based around guitars, drums and vocals. Which leads us to the main event: The Vaccines. Moving swiftly onto the stage, each member looks quietly confident, apart from their lead singer. With a nervous look in his eye, he introduces, without needing to, his band. You can almost smell the excitement dripping off the walls then without further a do they burst into "Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)". This signature track made their name on the internet with it's excited, fit to burst pulse of pop and punk. From the beginning of the performance, the once nervous lead singer switches instantly into stage mode and rocks, shakes and stares his way through their songs. Playing fan favourites "If You Wanna" and "Blow It Up" alongside future fan favourites: "Wet Suit" and "Post Break Up Sex".

Freddie shows off his guitar skills while Justin checks up on their bassist.

Justin wins centre stage back from Freddie, temporarily.

They have a stage presence that makes you look their way without them trying. The key members for this effect are lead singer Justin and lead guitarist Freddie. They are constantly battling for centre stage dominance and they both have a rock'n'roll pep in their step. When Justin doesn't need to play guitar anymore he simply takes it off and strides around the stage with his mic in hand. At one point he jumps off stage into the crowd and starts play fighting with a very enthusiastic man with a pint. Highlight of the gig for the man with the pint. Then to end their night in true rock star style, Justin drops his mic at the end of the last song and walks straight out the venue. Freddie kicking up some mean feedback with his guitar. Then just like that, it's over. The crowd is unsure of what they have just witnessed, but they know it's going to be a part of music's future.

Freddie plays the guitar one handed.
 

Wildlife warm up the Cornerhouse crowd.

POWER CHORD LIVE RATING: P P P P
 

GIG HIGHLIGHT: When lead singer Justin started moshing with shouting, pint grasping punter in the crowd.


BEST PERFORMED SONG OF THE NIGHT: "Wet Suit" - The Vaccines






Want More From THE VACCINES? Check these websites out:

http://www.facebook.com/thevaccines

http://www.thevaccines.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/thevaccinesuk

Want EVEN MORE From The Vaccines? Check out the awesome video for "Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)" here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ1TGlpCUKA

Photography and words by Jack Parker for Power Chord Music Blog