https://www.cluas.com/indie-music RSS feeds for CLUAS Irish Indie Music 60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/151/Tindersticks-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=151 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=151&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/151/Tindersticks-live-in-Dublin Tindersticks (live in Vicar Street, Dublin) Review Snapshot:  At a time of year when the ‘Best album’ gongs and baubles are being handed out, tonight’s impeccable performance serves as a reminder that ‘The Hungry Saw’ is as good as any record released this calendar year. It also served notice of Tindersticks’ return to form as a compelling live act. The Cluas Verdict?  9.5 out of 10 Full Review: It has been a remarkable year for Tindersticks. Rumours of the band’s demise had seemingly been concretized once Stuart Staples embarked upon his own solo career – in the process releasing the quite wonderful ‘Leaving Songs’ – whilst in-band politics rendered it impossible for them to remain as they once were. Exit Dickon Hinchcliffe - to concentrate on film scores - and enter a new era for the band.   The evening begins, appropriately enough, with ‘Introduction’ – the first sound onstage is of David Boulter coaxing some fragile notes from his piano as one by one, the band members file on stage just in time to take up their bass, organ, string and xylophone duties. At the song’s conclusion, the remaining band members take the stage – Staples among them – to a ‘Where the hell have you been?’ cheer. The band launch straight into ‘Yesterday’s Tomorrows’ and Staples’ vocals are immaculate from the off. There’s no letting up throughout the show – majestic performances of ‘Flicker of a Little Girl’ (you imagine the room collectively wince as Staples sings “It’s so easy to be beautiful when you’re young”), ‘The Other Side of the World’ and ‘Feel the Sun’ swiftly follow. Perhaps more than most bands, Tindersticks have suffered in that they’ve been stereotyped to death – debonair Nottingham miserabilists soundtracking Staples’ paeans to love and lust – but there’s always been a humorous side to Tindersticks which many choose either not to acknowledge or fail to see.  There’s evidence of self-effacing humour on show between band members tonight and, despite the fact that Staples limits communication with the crowd, there’s no hiding his pleasure at the sound his band are creating. During the show he admits that the band have wanted to play Vicar Street for some time now and the fact that the subtlest of nuances within each song is caught perfectly by Vicar Street’s oft lauded acoustics makes for the most bewitching of evenings. ‘The Hungry Saw’ provides the meat and bones of tonight’s performance but, tellingly, it’s the older tunes with which the audience immediately identify. There are quite stunning renditions of ‘Travelling Light’, ‘She’s Gone’, ‘Buried Bones’ and ‘Sleepy Song’, with the latter in particular compellingly showcasing the cinematic scope of their music. Each song tonight is embellished by the presence of a string quintet who add an understated flourish particularly during tonight’s set closer ‘The Turns We Took’. In itself, the song is magnificent, but it works equally as a succinct allegory for what the band have been through in the latter years of their career. An immaculate encore ensues – the band scarcely put a foot wrong all night save for Staples comically forgetting the words of ‘Boobar Come back to Me’ – with the band concentrating once again on their rich back catalogue; ‘If You’re Looking for a Way Out’, a raucous version of ‘Her’ and a wonderfully benign ‘The Not Knowing’ end an improbably perfect show. At the business end of 2008 then, quite simply, the gig of the year. Confucius   More ... Confucius Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:05:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:151 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/152/Okkervil-River-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=152 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=152&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/152/Okkervil-River-live-in-Dublin Okkervil River (live in The Academy, Dublin) Review Snapshot:  Their second visit to these shores in under twelve months sees Okkervil River battle with The Academy’s all too obvious limitations yet still produce a set which cements their reputation for a compelling live show. The Cluas Verdict?  9 out of 10  Full Review: Okkervil River are the band you haven‘t allowed yourself to love. Yet. Their continued existence – indeed, their present flourishing - is grounded upon their fan base’s affection for the band’s fascination with life in a band (particularly on their two most recent albums), nascent fame and all of its associated tawdriness. This co-existence is neatly played out tonight when the opening chords of ‘Pop Lie’ begin - the crowd shamelessly echoing Will Sheff as he sings: “He’s the liar who lied in his pop song, and you’re lying when you sing along.” The irony is, perhaps, lost on everyone but the band. Tonight’s gig begins with an apology - Sheff misplacing his capo for ‘Plus Ones’ - but ends with validation, as the band tear through perennial favourite ‘Westfall’.  This is the second time Austin’s finest (think Roky Erickson as opposed to The Butthole Surfers) have visited these shores in the past twelve months, and so it is that Okkervil River now find themselves at the vanguard of American bands destined to jump from obscurity to, perhaps, soundtracking episodes of 90210. Let’s hope not. There are blips tonight - a surprisingly lacklustre ‘Starry Stairs’ - and, if we’re being petty, a drawn out version of ‘A Stone’ which merely serves to confirm that there are folk who will pay in to see a band and talk very loudly at the bar. The venue itself doesn’t help - horrible sight lines, poor sound, a non-existent stage and rumblings of a dictatorially enforced curfew mean the band have to battle against forces beyond their control. Ultimately, this matters little given the energy with which the band launch themselves into the likes of ‘A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene‘ and ‘Unless Its Kicks‘. The show itself pivots on a perfect rendition of ‘Blue Tulip’ - a gentle acoustic and piano-led intro ultimately gives way to Sheff screaming: “With every single cell of me, I’m going to make you mean the words you sigh”. Truly, it’s a point of no return. For all the politeness of the early tracks, the song is a trip switch for band and crowd alike.  ‘Lost Coastlines’ begins with what sounds like a bastardised attempt at Irish trad but swiftly morphs into ‘The Stand Ins’ catchiest tune. A quite mesmerising series of songs brings the gig to a close at least one encore too early. Indeed, it’s the songs they choose not to play tonight which is as much of a show of strength as those they do. A slow burning triumph then. Confucius More ... Confucius Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:11:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:152 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/155/Mercury-Rev-live-in-Galway#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=155 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=155&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/155/Mercury-Rev-live-in-Galway Mercury Rev (live in Róisín Dubh, Galway) Review Snapshot: With their recorded output of late suggesting the band have lost their studio and creative focus, their current tour is a litmus test of whether they still have the live presence to carry what is, after all, a largely stunning back catalogue. The intimate confines of Róisín’s suggested – in parts – that they haven’t and they won’t. The Cluas Verdict? 6.5 out of 10 Full Review: For all of the diminishing returns in the studio in recent years, Mercury Rev have always been an eminently bankable live act. Live, their songs have been free to breathe, far away from studio excesses and overproduction. One of the most intriguing prospects prior to this show was how they would transform 2008’s disappointing ‘Snowflake Midnight’ into the live arena. The results are unconvincing, with the notable exception of ‘Senses on Fire’ which retains its insistent menace and brings a thrilling end to proceedings. That they choose to open with ‘Snowflake in a Hot World’, however, neatly documents their current dilemma. It starts off well enough – the anticipation of the crowd married to a perfectly drawn out intro, but it quickly becomes apparent that the song doesn’t have the legs and it’s outstayed its welcome long before the band segue into ‘October Sunshine’. Perhaps most tellingly of all however, is the complete absence of any material from ‘Yerself Is Steam’. ‘Frittering’ - long a staple live favourite, and always a welcome reminder that the band are still aware of how they started out - has been jettisoned completely. There’s no ‘Tonite It Shows’ and you feel that, as they’ve chosen to play any number of weak tracks from ‘Snowflake Midnight’, they’re short-changing an audience who raucously react to ‘Opus 40’ and ‘Goddess On A Highway’. Jonathon Donahue is unquestionably an engaging frontman, yet he veers into Jim Kerr territory far too often. I awaited the call to ‘Let me see your hands’ which, mercifully, never arrived. However, on two separate occasions, as he croons about ‘wings’ and ‘birds’, he chooses mimic a bird taking flight. It’s frankly embarrassing. Jesus, this man once wrote ‘Carwash Hair’ And yet there are positives too. ‘Holes’ – one of their finest tracks – gets an early airing and the band manage to replicate that spaced out timelessness perfectly. ‘The Dark is Rising’ retains its anthemic charm without ever veering into bombast, whilst their scarcely recognisable cover of Talking Heads’ ‘Once in a Lifetime’ reminds those present that Mercury Rev have always had a penchant for tasteful covers as an integral part of their live performances (a wonderfully tender cover of Galaxie 500’s ‘Tugboat’ immediately springs to mind). Based on this performance then, it’s clear that the magic is still there. What is in doubt – and the gig does little to provide an answer – is the next direction Mercury Rev are headed. ‘Deserter’s Songs’, took the band down a road of reinvention, where the band discovered the new in borrowing from what was already around them – the great American landscape. Perhaps it’s time to revisit that route. Confucius More ... Confucius Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:44:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:155 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/351/Okkervil-River-The-Stand-Ins#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=351 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=351&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/351/Okkervil-River-The-Stand-Ins A review of the album 'The Stand Ins' by Okkervil River Review Snapshot:With their name lifted from a short story by a Russian writer and their albums to date smothered by literary references, there's no doubting Okkervil River aren't your average Texan band. On this their sixth album (not including last year's free, online only 'Golden Opportunities') the band take a side-step rather than the much anticipated giant stride both lyrically and musically. The Cluas Verdict? 7.5 out of 10 Full Review: Okkervil River are one of those bands who've been in existence much longer than you've imagined, churning out some fine records before last year's critically acclaimed highpoint 'The Stage Names'. 2006 saw the release of 'Black Sheep Boy', a record which merged gothic menace with tantalising glimpses of melody ('A King And A Queen' for one), which was more fully explored on 'The Stage Names'. If there was a more charming, melodic and better written pop song than 'Plus Ones' written last year, then please hum it to me. 'The Stage Names' worked mainly because it was a perfect fusion of OR's live sound and the aforementioned innate awareness of the need for a good tune. 'The Stand Ins' has widely been heralded as a companion piece to 'The Stage Names' and this, perhaps, is where the problems begin. For one, most of the songs were recorded during the same sessions that gave birth to 'The Stage Names', thus this latest release could well be seen as songs that weren't strong enough to make the initial cut. There are three pretty, but pretty inconsequential, instrumentals on here, none of which lasts more than one minute - which leaves you with eight new songs to admire. The other issue is that bands need to evolve. It's the exciting part of waiting for the next album to be released - how will the intervening period change the sound or how will life alter the lyrical approach? Alas, you get none of that on 'The Stand Ins'. Ultimately, it is 'The Stage Names' Part II, which in itself is no bad thing. 'Lost Coastlines' has been floating around on blogland for some time now and the album version features vocalist Will Sheff sharing duties with one-time member Jonathan Meiburg (subsequently departed to become a full-time member of the quite wonderful Shearwater - check out 'Rook' from earlier this year). A rockabilly chug driving it from beginning to end, the song itself is engaging, but there's an arcane twist to Sheff's lyrics at times, an impenetrability - undoubtedly intentional - which leaves meaning almost always beyond the listener. But what Okkervil River do best is write masterful pop songs - 'Singer Songwriter', 'Pop Lie' (surely a companion piece to 2007's 'Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe') and 'Starry Stairs'. The latter features a recurring theme in Sheff's lyrics - characters on the fringes, outsiders, although scarcely in a Kafkaesque sense: "And if you don't love me, I'm sorry". Another of Sheff's recurring lyrical themes is entirely self-referential - his frequently self-deprecating analysis of life in a band, more closely seen on 'The Stage Names' but present here also on 'Singer Songwriter' and 'Pop Lie'. 'Blue Tulip' recalls 'Another Radio Song' from 'Black Sheep Boy' in spirit and sound - from an acoustic beginning it swells into a near 'A Day In The Life' crescendo, merely missing the na na na's at its end. Ultimately this is a wonderful record by a band undoubtedly destined to make many more fine, and hopefully finer, records. But 'The Stand Ins' is a mere side-step for them, a wonderful stop-gap to maintain interest until they go off and make a brand new record to add to their already impressive canon. Here's to Sheff's mid-life crisis then. Confucius More ... Confucius Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:351