Approaching the writing and recording of his fifth album, Vincent Carr stumbled across that age old problem all artistes face, whether a musician or writer: that potential stumbling block being, in his own words, “how to remain true to yourself, without repeating yourself”. With that in mind, although largely instrumental, ‘Rekindled’ almost feels thematic in its aim to reconnect; it’s music has a slow burning retro style that celebrates a love of things with an old spirit, while simultaneously looking at things afresh.
Monthly Archives: June 2016
CHARLOTTE CARPENTER – How Are We Ever To Know? EP
“You’re not my real love…I don’t think I can love no more…”, cries a soft voice, providing the main hook for ‘Last Love’, a number dedicated to moving on, maturing and the realisation that things rarely last for ever. For those familiar with Charlotte Carpenter’s work – and particularly her ‘Fault Line’ EP from 2015 – these stark words will not surprise. The themes of growth, broken relationships and inner strength have so often seemed central to her work, but never more so than on her 2016 release ‘How Are We Ever To Know?’, its questioning title so fitting for the short collection of poignant outpourings.
PENNY FOR THE WORKHOUSE – Sneaky Peekers EP
Penny For The Workhouse have attracted attention by performing a spirited cover of ‘Pick a Pocket’ from Oliver in their live sets. That and their choice of band name should give you at least some idea of where this quirky London band’s main interests lie. Their self-named brand of folk ‘n’ roll is occasionally spiky, sometimes upbeat and has the cheeky charm of a stage school pick-pocket. However, like the kid who learnt their craft at stage school, their performances often seem contrived and try too hard to impress, rather than just tapping into a natural talent. The five tracks on ‘Sneaky Peekers’ – the band’s second release – are lo-fi and hard going, but nothing if not spirited. Not that those high spirits will help at all should Lionel Bart’s estate come knocking – in that instance, they won’t have the Dickensian orphan’s song(s) to fall back on for too long should those guys get wind of the live show…
NIGHTMEN – Fifteen Minutes Of Pain
If you imagine the sounds of proto-punk from 1975 transferred via Sweden, you’ll know almost instinctively how this release from Nightmen sounds. This Scandinavian quartet dish up some really honest and authentic music on this audio love letter to the days of New York Dolls and the Ramones’ debut; the twelve tracks crammed into under half an hour showcases the sounds of leather and sweat, with a little camp trash thrown in for good measure. In short, ‘Fifteen Minutes of Pain’ might be heavy on the recycling, but the energy combined with a knack for hooks and riffs makes it an essential listen.
WATTS – The Black Heart Of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Never shy of their love for The Stones and various garage rock bands, Boston’s Watts get better with age. Their second album ‘On The Dial’ was home to a few great tracks and some filler; it’s successor ‘Flash of White Light’ had far more sparkle and set the band on a higher pedestal, suggesting that their fourth release could be a classic. Here it is…and this time, the band draws from an even broader selection of influences. In their own words, ‘The Black Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ finds them “diving deep into their record collections for inspiration”. The result can often lead to a game of “spot the influence” for those fans who’ve surely treasured similar collections themselves, but there’s little doubt that ‘The Black Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ really gets the blood pumping and is a largely fun listen.