Robyn Writes

Midday Committee – I’m Sure Someone Mentioned A Cheque [EP]

Portsmouth pop-punkers Midday Committee released I’m Sure Someone Mentioned A Cheque last July, and are heading back to the studio this summer in order to record a follow up record. This being their second EP, I’m Sure… is a sixteen minute burst of sunshine that flew under the radar when it should have been dominating the record stores. From the first twiddly bars of ‘This Job Has Its Ups And Downs’, it’s clear that we’re in for a lot of fun. Rich Sanders’ vocals are beautiful, and sound even better backed up by Keiran Heath, and that’s the case throughout the EP. ‘Chivalry’s Dead, Sugar!’ has vocal lines that soar like a majestic eagle, as well as some cheeky acoustic guitar punctuating throughout just to keep you on your toes. Although these tracks are a lot of fun, it’s ‘We Have A Particular Set Of Skills’ that really shows the weight these guys can pull. Breaking out all the tools in their arsenal – those sublime vocals, well placed gang shouts, inspiring lyrics, perfect melodies and infectious basslines to say the least – Midday Committee have written a guaranteed hit, perfect for the stage. Latest single, ‘Starry Eyes’ has a chorus that was made for singing along to, preferably in the car on the way to the beach (and probably in a country with a bit more sun than we’ll be getting). It’s the weakest song on the EP – it goes on a bit longer than it needs to – but it’s still tons of fun and showcases the rhythm section at its best.

Admittedly, Midday Committee completely play it by the book. This is pretty much pop-punk 101 in a nutshell. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a shining example of the best of the genre. So next time the sun shines long enough for a BBQ, crack open a cold one and get jamming this in preparation for the next record.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Campaign – The Black Album [7″]

A cursory listen to The Black Album will reveal two things – Campaign like to party – and I mean really party as in total uninhibited craziness that leaves you with the mother of all headaches and finding yourself inexplicably covered in blood. Secondly, Campaign want YOU – the listener, to be sucking vodka shots out of belly-buttons and committing yourself unquestionably to a whole manner of crazy-ass shit. With tracks such as ‘Breaking Bones’ and ‘Out Of Control’, Campaign’s breakneck punk flurries render themselves as the perfect Jackass soundtrack to a pre-sober Steve-O doing something particularly gnarly probably involving his genitals or Bam Margera kicking himself repeatedly in the head just for the heck of it. This is good-time punk, free from the accusatory nature of more politicized strains of the genre and whose aims are held down to a simple humility- to spread their beer-soaked vibes and preach the gospel of raucous festivity. Campaign’s hardcore zeal is provided by the less-politically inclined rage of party-centric hardcore of the likes of Black Flag’s Six-pack and TV Party era celebrations of nights spent getting hammered. Their overall sound therefore, is often strikingly similar to The Bronx- blistering punk n’ roll that’s often downright gritty and depraved but holds onto anthemic ambitions which manifest in the crowd-friendly “woah-oh” choruses. ‘Breaking Bones’ is a relentless piece of speed-punk where the band manages to cram two guitar solos into just two minutes whereas ‘Slums’ dispels any over-riding sense of one-dimensionality with some inventive and squalling lead guitar work. ‘Midnight Interrogation’ falls just short of a minute which is probably for the best as the drummer’s traction-engine arms seem to harbour some unsettled beef with the drum kit. In a rare use of subtlety, closer ‘Out Of Control’ comes complete with keyboards that hover in the background yet their effect as atmospheric device is perfectly tangible.

Lasting less than ten minutes, The Black Album is a flurry of punk fury for those in need of a quick and instant fix. Sure, you may be convinced that you’ve heard a few of these riffs before, but the sheer ferocity with which they are delivered eradicates any notion of unoriginality; its gargled howls and partially destroyed drum kit an irrepressible and hugely enjoyable exercise in no-frills party punk.

3.5 out of 5 high fives!

Juna – Heteroglossia [EP]

Over the years the town of Athens, Georgia has given the world a fair amount of college-rock and indie bands.  Alternative stalwarts R.E.M. hail from its shores (yes I’m using that expression despite the fact Athens is thoroughly landlocked) and in some ways Juna could be their natural successors.  Their new EP Heteroglossia draws on R.E.M.’s rattly, reverb tinged sound but adds to the mix a progressive element with impressive results.

The chilling first chords of album opener ‘Notes on a Penance’ course down the spine in anticipation of the heavier-handed guitar of the first verse.  This fierce fret work bookends smoother bass-and-drum interludes and the whole aura of this piece lends it an air of Floyd-esque prog rock but with a slightly unhinged element. Throughout the EP, an ominous darkness prevails, elements like the chorus of ‘Solemnly Swear’ sound almost akin to Black Sabbath.  These moments are always held down to Earth by the more laid-back air of tracks like ‘A Passage’; looser in composition but no less enthralling. The captivating nature of the songs is helped no doubt by the swapping tempos and sounds.  Early Muse-ish static noise tricks are not uncommon, alongside tones which wouldn’t sound out of place on that Josh Homme-produced Arctic Monkeys album from a few years ago.  All the while the drums give the listener a feeling of being perched quite precariously high up, on the verge of some massive drop. However, ‘A Passage’ sees the band sway into a different territory.  This is more abrupt, reflecting the subject of the song, and seems to cross guitar sounds that would be at home on a Tame Impala b-side with further elements of Humbug.

This is a promising EP from a band relatively unknown on UK shores, but by combining influences from both sides of the pond in their sound, it results in the sort of music you’d expect to hear reverberating through a disused cathedral or the vault of some long-since-emptied bank which has been moved into by a group of indie squatters.  The ‘strangled bass’ noises heard on some of the tracks are also a welcome weapon, generally underused in the indie arsenal.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Empire – Shedding Skin

I don’t usually think of North Carolina when I think of melodic hardcore bands. From my position in the verdant English countryside, my view of America and its musical hotspots is largely geared towards the coasts, and that’s usually with regards to happier, bouncier stuff. This kind of bleak, desolate hardcore is usually Canada’s domain, or crops up from Scandinavia; cold, harsh places for cold, harsh music. But then in these times of austerity, fear and uncertainty, the fire that fuels tracks like these can ignite anywhere, and Empire, hailing from Raleigh, NC, have made a record that embodies that feeling effortlessly.

‘Set In Stone’ immediately creates the right atmosphere for the rest of the EP. Minor tones and crashing rhythms invoke a bleak sonic landscape. Every phrase to pass vocalist Ben Daughtry’s lips feels pained but not fragile and his half screamed, half shouted tone provides the perfect overlay for the rest of the track. It’s a fairly slow affair though, something which ‘Moore Square Station’ and ‘Minour’ alleviate with more frantic and intense riffs. The tone in the vocals begins to shift to something far more aggressive, and in ‘Minour’ especially, the guitar lines tread the line carefully between moments of deep angst and melancholic beauty while demonstrating Preston Mitchum’s immense control. ‘…And I Am Drawing Down’ has a particularly devastating feel to it, the rhythm section in particular providing a solid and crushing backbone. Final track, ‘The Iconoclast’ sounds as if it’s directly a part of its predecessor; there’s not enough of a division, but the two tracks would probably have worked very well as one whole, considering how short each track on the EP actually is – none clock in at over three minutes. Nevertheless, Empire play with some clever effects here and the constant refrain of “saying goodbye” rearing its head throughout is completely haunting.

Shedding Skin shows a great deal of promise. Empire have created a tight, emotionally involving and impressive record that is bound to thrill fans of Defeater, Circa Survive et al, but steps away from their legacy to forge something entirely their own.

4 out of 5 high fives!

J-Pop Sunday – GACKT

Singer, composer, writer, and actor: That’s our GACKT. When I think of GACKT one of three things typically springs to mind: First is “REDEMPTION”, the song he did for that Final Fantasy VII spin-off game – because it’s a great song. Next is his acting role as 16th century samurai lord Nobunaga Oda in the “Sengoku Basara” television drama series – because I’m a massive Sengoku Basara fan. The final item is the topless photo of him I have saved on my hard drive – because he has a nice torso.

This obviously isn’t the aforementioned photograph.

Quick Guide
Act Name: GACKT
Real Name: Gakuto Kamui( 神威 楽斗)
Years Active: 1994 – Present
Genre: Rock
Notable Tracks: “Mizerable” (1999), “Vanilla” (1999), “Wasurenai Kara (忘れないから)”(2002), “Metamorphoze” (2005), “REDEMPTION” (2006), “Returner ~Yami no Shuen~ (RETURNER～闇の終焉～)” (2007)

GACKT grew up studying classical music – mainly piano – at the request of his music teacher parents and spent much of his childhood only listening to classical music – Chopin being a particular favourite of GACKT’s – and traditional Enka ballads. As he grew older he developed an interest in rock music with Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” having a profound effect on him in particular. In the early 90’s he formed a short lived rock band called “Cains:Feel” then later joined another band “MALICE MIZER” who needed a new vocalist. With GACKT on board Malice Mizer’s popularity grew, but in 1999 GACKT felt a rift between him and his band mates and left to embark on a solo career. Considering that his name is still around today and he’s still releasing new material that safe is to say that this was a good move for GACKT.


GACKT’s first solo single “Mizerable”

Outside of his music duties GACKT has also been involved in acting and filmmaking. In 2003 he assisted in the writing of and starred in action horror film “Moon Child”, he also appeared in the NHK samurai period drama series “Furin Kazan” with one of his songs “Returner ~Yami no Shuen~ (RETURNER～闇の終焉～)” being used as the theme song for the series. A number of other GACKT songs have been used in soundtracks: These include 2005’s “Metamorphoze” which was featured in the sci-fi anime film “Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: Heir to the Stars” while – as previously mentioned – 2006’s “REDEMPTION” was included in the PlayStation 2 game “Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus”


The video for “Returner ~Yami no Shuen~” follows the samurai theme of “Furin Kazan”


“Metamorphoze” features scenes from the “Gundam” film along with GACKT in the pilot seat of a Mobile Suit.


Cornrows, GACKT? Seriously? Not cool. Other than that “REDEMPTION” is a rocking tune.

Currently GACKT is preparing for his latest nationwide tour which kicks off later this month – his first tour in four years and he’s still as popular now as he was when he made his debut.
I’ll leave you this week with this somewhat surreal video I stumbled upon while conducting this week’s research. It appears to have been taken from the extras section of one of GACKT’s live tour DVD: A short skit of GACKT in a selection of silly outfits:


I‘ve got to say; the nurse outfit totally does it for me.

Until next time!