Robyn Writes

Artist Spotlight: Held By Horses

I heard a rumour a while back that summer would soon be upon us. Considering I’m sat writing this while hail stones assault my windows, I won’t hold my breath. But, should the seasons ever change and the sun grace us with his burny presence, I think I’ve found the chilled soundtrack to your summer. ‘Held By Horses’ are a young four piece from the depths of Essex who, despite the hardcore connotations that all ‘by horses’ bands seem to hold, play delightfully catchy soft-rock tunes.

Looking at them, you’d be surprised they were old enough to play in any venues but, as is the case more and more nowadays, their youth gives them edge. Their sound is fresh, sincere and uncomplicated. Too many bands in similar genres try and set themselves apart by stretching their talents far beyond their capabilities, yet Held By Horses know what works for them and stick to it. By no means is their sound uninspiring or samey, but solid.

Refreshingly, for a female-fronted band, their singer does not try and sound like Hayley Williams. This fact on its own surely merits a listen? I’ve lost count of the number of shows I’ve gone to where there’s a tiny redhead on stage forcing unnatural tones through her face, trying painfully to replace her Dagenham accent with a Tennessee one. No. Tiny vocalist Harriet Reynolds has a wonderfully individual, quirky tone to her voice (rather akin to that of Ellie Goulding) which is allowed to take centre stage without being overpowered by heavy basslines or distracting riffs. While Reynolds is understandably the main focus or selling point of the band, it couldn’t be so without the solid backing of the rest of the band who, despite not attempting any particularly complicated passages, are all compelling and accomplished musicians and performers.

With a new EP (‘In History’) due soon, they’re definitely a band you’ll want to get your teeth into. Until then, why not head on over to their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/heldbyhorses and have a listen to the few tracks they have available for streaming. ‘Who We Are’ is a particularly catchy offering with a particularly sweet, summery riff and a chorus that can’t help but get you swaying. As far as lyrics go, there’s a few clichés thrown around, but overall, they’re bloody good. Who We Are is also accompanied with a video, should you wish to go snooping. Nicely filmed with a running University-themed storyline, but the obligatory ‘band in a forest’ shots are a little too sedate to make the necessary impact the track requires. ‘Give You The World’ is my particular favourite; it’s upbeat, peppy, and works as a great showcase of Reynolds’ beautiful tones. While I urge you to listen to all tracks on offer, their cover of J-J-J-Jessie J’s ‘Do It Like A Dude’ is an odd one, but well worth your time. It baffles and entertains be in equal measure. One can’t help but think that a tempo change would make it fit in far better with their repertoire, but nevertheless, give it a go – it’s an interesting take.

Held By Horses may not be breaking down any barriers in terms of re-inventing the genre, but what they do create is not only music, but an entire atmosphere that one can’t help but be absorbed into. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see them high up on festival billings in no time at all.

Andrew WK – HMV Forum London, 12/4/12

Ten years since’ I Get Wet’ first assaulted our eardrums. Ten whole years. It seems like only yesterday that Andrew WK first graced our screens and stereos ubiquitously and relentlessly with ‘Party Hard’. To celebrate, he’s going on a worldwide non-stop party, playing the entirety of ‘I Get Wet’, and stopped by the UK for three dates. TwoBeatsOff made the trip down to the HMV Forum in London to finally catch one of our heroes.

Hawk Eyes were the first support of the night. A great young British talent, Hawk Eyes certainly captured the audience right from the start. While they’re not necessarily bringing anything shockingly new to the table, their performance was solid and their own brand of rock and roll is certainly captivating enough. A great start to the evening, we can’t wait to hear a little bit more from Hawk Eyes. The brilliantly named Turbowolf carried on the predator theme with a lot of bad Hawaiian shirt all up on that stage. Their set started off quite well with some light hearted party rock but strayed into slightly doomier, slightly more rubbish territory. We also had no idea what they were singing about and presumed wizards. Indeed, I’m all about more wizard representation in popular music. They did a cracking cover of Jefferson Airplane’s ‘Somebody To Love’ though and set us up nicely for the party god in question.

It really is strange to think that ‘I Get Wet’ was ten years ago when Andrew WK doesn’t seem to have aged at all. Looking just as ready to party as he did in the video for ‘Party Hard’, he barrelled onto the stage to break straight into ‘It’s Time To Party’. From the opening bars, the entire venue went wild, from the front right back to the merch table. It’s safe to say that the band know how to party as well – I’ve never seen a bunch of people so elated to be playing to such a crowd. It wouldn’t be hard to describe the ‘I Get Wet’ half of the set as utterly perfect. Well, possibly excepting Andrew’s weird guitar solo before they did ‘She Is Beautiful’, but his guitar was shaped like a pizza and had his face printed on it several times. He can be forgiven. The energy was high for the whole album set, with multiple stage invasions (crowdsurfing Banana Henry was my favourite) and shenanigans beyond your wildest dreams. Forget New York City, London Town is where the party’s at!

The encore, featuring a lot of songs from his second album, didn’t go down quite as well. It’s not to say that Andrew and his band weren’t still on form, but ‘The Wolf’ went largely under the radar in the UK and a lot of people took to the bar. I was waiting for one of the Japanese covers, but I think that was just me. Nevertheless, Andrew’s totally unexpected piano solo because-he-could was spectacular. Many people forget that he’s actually a pretty talented musician (as was proven by his piano only album, ’55 Cadillac’) and for those still with us, it was awesome. Because not just anyone could get away with that. Nor could just anyone get away with the motivational speeches that Andrew is prone to giving in between songs. From anyone else, it would have sounded like a cheesy attempt to get the audience on side, but for Andrew effing WK to tell you that the party feeling of that night will last for days, and that music is the most uplifting thing of all… You’d be a goddamn fool not to believe him. A new song, ‘Headbang’ was wheeled out for us and got everyone excited again, just before the superb finale that was ‘We Want Fun’. There literally must have been sixty, seventy people up on that stage giving it all they had. And that’s what it’s all about, right? One great night.

Many people have said, and will continue to say, that one cannot write songs about partying alone. The other night in London will prove those people the hell wrong. Because Andrew WK is here to stay, and he is here to party hard.

We Are Fiction – The Vault Rugby, 13/4/12

The Vault in Rugby is the kind of venue that every town needs; a well-stocked bar, snazzy decor and a liberal attitude to young gig goers (Seriously, a ‘12+’ show, I forgot they existed). The whole venue had a familiar, local feel about it while still remaining welcoming to out-of-towners such as myself. While such a comment may seem trivial and unimportant, believe me, I’ve been to enough back-water ‘local’ gigs to know what ‘unwelcome’ and ‘suspicion’ mean. And at three quid for entry, the evening might well have been the best value these kids will see for a long time.

Up first were bright, shouty young upstarts ‘Stop Fontaine’. While I thought being familiar with their previous work in ‘Lavondyss’ would give me a good idea of what to expect, I couldn’t be more wrong. With one guitarist down and the proclamation that tonight’s performance was only their second gig as a band, they blew all expectations out of the water and punched a metaphorical hole through the roof. Appearances can be deceiving, and I certainly didn’t expect to see a wirey ‘what-a-nice-haircut-I-bet-your-mother’s-proud’ vocalist throw himself across the stage with all the self control of Brian Harvey at a potato harvest. Neither did I expect his screams to be so powerful and vitriolic that they held my attention even through the inevitable teenage gang-bang that was happening on the sofas to my left. With riffs so meaty they’d make a vegetarian cry and a drummer so solid you’d fear he’d fall through the floor, they certainly made a lasting impression on all who saw them. With a quirky stage presence and palpable energy to their performance, they’re definitely one to watch.

The main support for the We Are Fiction tour, and next on The Vault’s mini-stage were Woking’s finest ‘Palm Reader’.  From start to finish, Palm Reader throw out a full-on hardcore assault; heavy and frenzied enough to tear your face clean off, but so mesmerising that you can’t help but get involved. More and more hardcore bands these days are leaving all physical exertion to the vocalist, and all other musicians tend to take a back-seat; slumping or crouching with their instruments, purposefully ignoring the presence of an audience. Thankfully, Palm Reader are the absolute antithesis of such a setup. With more energy than a toddler after a pint of Ribena and less spacial awareness than a fat lass in a lift (I was lucky enough to get to a few gigs on this tour, and the chances of a face to guitar-neck union were frighteningly high throughout), their stage presence is hard to rival. They’re heavy, they’re passionate and they’re a little bit mad. If you have any interest in punk, or even if you have any sense at all, I implore you to get online or get to a show and pick up their EP.

They say it’s always incredibly hard to review one of your favourite bands, as all objectivity is automatically removed, but sod it. We Are Fiction are a phenomenal live act, and you should get your arse in gear and head down to a show as fast as your tiny legs can carry you. The Peterborough five-piece have been destroying venues since 2009 and just about tore Rugby a new one. With a solid set of old EP material, painfully catchy new songs and inevitable crowd pleasers, WAF did nothing more than blow everyone away. Peddling their brand of catchy Alexisonfire-inspired/post-hardcore, they’re the sort of band that are impossible not to like. Their musicianship is enviable, their lyrics were made to adorn a thousand script tattoos and they take their music seriously. While they’re quickly becoming synonymous with heavy partying and Asda’s finest ‘Mansion House’,(It’s a …beverage that’s somewhere between sherry and despair, and the WAF lads seem to thrive on the stuff!), they carefully craft their music into something important and memorable. They don’t drown in sentimentality and they don’t crush their brains under the weight of too many breakdowns. Through their entire set, the venue was set alive with energy- whether through clumsy mosh-pits, sweaty screams, or flying bassists (followed by a falling and then painfully sprawling bassists), WAF’s short set could easily feel like your own little Woodstock. Their entire set was incredibly well-structured; with new material such as ‘Mansion House’ and ‘Earth Medicine’ sitting well against older more aggressive works as ‘Bitch’(my personal favourite) and ‘Desire Lines’, there was something for old fans and new alike. As ever, the set culminated in crowd-favourite ‘Sail On’, where vocalist Phil was found throwing himself into the crowd (which judging from the age-range, might have got him put on some sort of register), quite comfortably giving everyone present a masterclass in frontmanship.

Watching We Are Fiction is like watching the creation of a beautiful monster, and its only a matter of time until these venues are too small to contain it. With a new album due out this year (although their eta’s have been liberal at best!), We Are Fiction are becoming one of the brightest lights in the UK music scene. Go see them before they go stratospheric.

Will Tun and the Wasters – Time Is A Bastard [EP]

Will Tun and the Wasters are a bunch of folk-punk reprobates from Reading, ready to set the world on fire with their new EP. Time Is A Bastard is a frenetic five-track offering from the band and is bound to set them apart as one of the most individual bands coming out of the folk-punk scene today. First track, Community, is a politically charged promise to stand by… well, everyone, and is rampant with fantastic solos and a truly fantastic ska-based sound with the inclusion of DJ Amalgam. The EP as a whole showcases a variety which is extremely hard to achieve in folk-punk and although influences from bands like Gogol Bordello and World/Inferno Friendship Society are clear, Will Tun and the Wasters have a distinctly English voice while sticking true to their ideals of unity, as is shown best in ending track, Cracks In The Wall, a call to arms against fascism, homophobia and racism.

Lyrically, the band range from politics to romance to fantastical jaunts on a ship. While at times, the band are extremely current and relevant, nods towards the Irish ballad (and some great tin whistle) in songs such as Four Leaf Chambers and Gypsy Road keep the EP from becoming a total ranting assault. And surely, every song on the release is bound to get everyone up and dancing with a sense of reckless abandon. The EP displays a vast show of confidence in their own abilities which is rightly deserved and their musical swagger is sure to impress even the most sceptical of punks. Vocalist Will, for who the band is named, spits out his tales with a wonderful rasp that should usually only be reserved for the saltiest of sea dogs (or Tim Armstrong) while being backed up beautifully by “The Donkey Jacketed Demon on the Tin Whistle”, according to Facebook. Every song is catchy, exciting and perfect for a hot summer’s day. With a truly ambitious vision combined with a DIY spirit, it’s only a matter of time before Will Tun and the Wasters are the new prophets of the punk rock scene.

4.5 out of 5 high fives!

Artist Spotlight: Even Flowers Kill

Even Flowers Kill is a Coventry based post-hardcore band, with many members originally coming from different bands in the local scene. Sat in front of me is their 2009 EP, Smile For The Camera and a more recent split with Birmingham lot The Fall, The Rise which was released in February this year. I’m going to crack open both and find out what EFK are all about.

Smile For The Camera is an assault. Opening track, ‘Ruth Has Information That Will Destroy You’ is deceptive (apparently like the Ruth it’s named for) – it starts off slowly and atmospherically before the monitor flatlines and some crushing guitars and vocals enter in. Probably the least heavy and most melodic song on the EP, it lulls you into a false sense of security before the rest destroy all of your preconceptions. An electronic presence is first felt in this track, but it doesn’t overwhelm here or in the rest of the EP. Nevertheless, the electronics add a completely new and interesting element to the sound. This carries through especially to the next track, ‘I Love You Kerry McKenna, Please Come Home (And Bring The Kids) with some incredible clean vocals and a sneaky electronic breakdown before an intense middle section. There’s a clear The Fall Of Troy influence in the guitar tone and frenetic riffs throughout the EP and it’s probably the most noticeable in this track, but the spoken word sections and great musicianship stop it from straying into copycat territory.

The third track, ‘Dick Wang Is A Dirty Stinking Liar (What Octopus)’ is full of cheeky Goonies references, from its title to some great gang cries along the lines of “HEY YOU GUYS!” Despite cranking the amps up to 11 for the most part, the song ends with an incredible melodic sequence – for those who think that the ‘mathcore’ tendencies might be a bit inaccessible, this proves it all wrong. While it’s obvious that EFK can play well, this is proof that they can certainly write well. Track number four, ‘Machiavelli vs. The Little Prince’ is again, deceptive. It starts off calm with a slight jazzy tone before moving right into a punishing chugging riff and some seriously throaty growls. The breakdown towards the middle of this is absolutely incredible and one of the most intense moments on the EP. Final track, ‘I Am Jack’s Smirking Revenge’ holds true to its name and is utterly relentless the whole way through. The screams towards the end are utterly harrowing and EFK take all the risks in this, interjecting moments with harmonica and messing about with some crazy time signatures. It all pays off though to create an increasingly intense experience. In a way, the inclusion of a bonus track seems off – the EP itself is well rounded without it. The bonus track itself is a great song, with the same kind of melodic thread running through it as the rest of the songs but perhaps should have been included amongst the rest as opposed to being put at the end.

The split with The Fall, The Rise is equally as impressive as the EP. The Fall, The Rise’s half of the split counterbalances EFK’s perfectly – it’s far less heavy but equally as well crafted and is reminiscent of At The Drive In’s softer moment with some Foo Fighters thrown in for good measure. The second track, ‘A Selfish Man’, in particular has a great chorus and some catchy moments in the bridge. Perfect driving music. Nevertheless, EFK’s half of the split has more of an edge and just takes the spotlight. ‘Song For Brad Svoboda’ is the most atmospheric song on offer here, opening with some dark Western style guitars and a heartfelt spoken word goodbye to a good friend. The sudden shift from this to pounding guitars and gut-wrenching screams is incredible, fully demonstrating the pain of grief that the song is desperate to portray alongside an honest and touching eulogy. ‘By The Jaw Of St Jerome’ is the most technically impressive song from the EFK collection as they pull out all the stops in an aggressive attack on your ears. ‘Play For The Angels’ features yet another incredible breakdown and rounds off an excellent collection of tracks. Only one complaint – the whole EP has been mixed far too quietly!

Even Flowers Kill are an impressive band. If you like your music to be challenging yet melodic, aggressive yet heartfelt and beautifully written to boot, then EFK are the band for you. Perfect for both the darkest depths of winter and the height of summer, the two releases here are more than relevant right now. Pick it up if you’re a fan of good music.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Check out the split between The Fall, The Rise and Even Flowers Kill at Damage Limitation Records