Esben And The Witch "A Scratchy Spotlight"

I hopped onto this brooding broomstick via The Stool Pigeon music paper, when they favourably featured Esben and the Witch on the 'demos and myspace' review page in the Summer 2009 edition. Taking the name from a macabre Danish fairy tale (Is there any other type!) read about the fairy tale, this trio, based in Brighton U.K, claim to be influenced by glaciers, caverns and waning moons. For the benefit of those of you, who prefer more conventional comparisons, I'd pitch them in a coven attended by The Cure, Radiohead, The Cranes, Portishead and This Mortal Coil.

It's 'Gothic' in the traditional sense of the mood being melodramatic, conjuring up a sound of an evening of hedonism with Mary Shelley and Lord Byron, as opposed to being in a mood because one's too hot because yer wearing all black in the height of summer and the mascara is beginning to run type of goth.

This nightmare electro-post-rock is the product of Rachael Davies (vocals, percussion) , Daniel Copeman (electronics, guitars) and Thomas Fisher (guitars, keyboards) The musical brew is concocted with the ingredients of an organ, drum machines, some glockenspiel action and a groove box connected to a kaosillator!? as well as some scratchy guitars, which always goes down well here. A real plus point is Rachael's strong pure voice that's got enough oomph to carry the tunes and maintain the listener's interest.

'About This Peninsula' is shimmery and spectral and the tense 'Marching Song' hovers with a nervous spiky energy that beguiles. 'Eumenides' is a taught tune with ghostly siren like whispers, this one recalled for me, that fine recent episode of Dr Who called "Blink" You know the one with the moving statues which had us all hiding behind the sofa. The pick of the pack for me is 'Corridors' which has a menacing rattlesnake hissing sound, it makes your skin crawl but in a good way, then it slowly builds up into a dramatic climax. They're currently unsigned with a solitary E.P '33' under their cloak. You can download it here generously made available by the band for gratis.

Esben And The Witch have bagged themselves a slot at end of the road festival in September, where they should put in a spellbinding show (shucks! I almost made it through the review, without a reference to the blindingly obviously pun, oh well) Will they be accompanied on the stage by their resident owl? just like Birdpen have their bird mascot on stage, is this a new feathered based genre? perhaps I can lump'em together in a NME 'making up a hot new scene' stylee... how about "hardclaw", "fieldgaze" anyone? "chirp rock" "drum and cheap"...... hmm, I'll get me cloak!

Blips On The Blog Radar
http://breakingmorewaves.blogspot.com/2009/07/esben-and-witch-new-waves-breaking-more.html
http://www.thefourohfive.com/articles/1487
http://thesonicminefeild.blogspot.com/2009/05/esben-and-witch-33.html

Esben And the Witch - Confide In Me - Cover of the Kylie Minogue classic recorded live at The Freebutt, Brighton, 28/01/09

Upcoming Gigs
25 Jul 2009 Brighton The Freebutt
06 Aug 2009 London Hoxton Square Bar & Grill
22 Aug 2009London Notting Hill Arts Club
11 Sep 2009 Dorset End Of The Road Festival
01 Oct 2009 Sheffield The Harley

http://www.myspace.com/esbenandthewitch

http://www.last.fm/music/Esben+and+The+Witch

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Esben-and-the-Witch/117347218297#

Rosie and the Goldbug - Twelve Grooves of Christmas Part 4

Rosie, Plums and Pixie, these names conjure up an image of characters of a whimsical Sixties children's animation, but they're actually the three members of Cornwall's finest musical export in 2008, Rosie and the Goldbug.

It's been quite a year for the band with the release of their self-titled debut album, which received many favourable reviews. They are getting plenty of deserved positive feedback in the national press at the moment, culminating in a support slot on tour with Cyndi Lauper.

We first caught the bug back in July and quickly followed this up with a live review of their exuberant live show, Rosie is a natural star as a front woman and the trio put in a highly polished performance, despite playing what must have turned out to be the most low key gig of the year for them. Their catchy yet kooky sound is dramatic, dynamic and dazzling. A case of "Wham bam, thank you for the glam dram Ma'm, from a fan " if you please..!

Rosie and the Goldbug - 'You've Changed' was released as a mp3 single at the start of this month and the video has Rosie charging around the Cornish countryside on a white horse, bearing a distinct resemblance to an treasured antique doll doing a Boudicca impression after overdoing the Smirnoff and redbull, marvellous!



http://www.rosieandthegoldbug.co.uk/

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=132530915

Ketch Harbour Wolves

The sea is a cruel mistress, as the ole saying goes and so is the music business. In 2003 vocalist Jonathan Tyrrell and drummer Brian Urbanik discovered this, as they set sail on a sea maiden of a band named The Flying Buttresses, they operated from an out the way fishing town called Ketch Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada. In due course, this project foundered upon the rocks, but the name of their home port was salvaged from the wreck, when the duo retreated to the safety of landlubber's metropolitan retreat Toronto, Ontario. Here, they enlisted old time buddy Scott Wynter on bass and by 2006, the trio had press-ganged into the pack, singer songwriter Liam Brown and keyboard/saxophonist Kristjan Bergey. The quintet set about foraging for the expansive sound that has become their trademark and have made waves, as a showcase band at the 2007 North by Northeast Festival.


Two albums in and the boys are really finding their sea legs. They released a debut mini album titled December in 2007 to ripples of acclaim and have followed this up with Dead Calm Horizon that has been steadily gathering plaudits and tipped as one of best albums to come out of Canada this year. The seven track album has been made available for free from the official website, in a canny piece of marketing and should deservedly widen their appeal. The stand out track Gold nestles nicely next to The Arcade Fire with an epic lush sound and Letters shows off the more rustic side of the group's musical influences. The mournful expansive mood of their overall sound builds you up into peaks of 'The Perfect Storm' moments before casting you adrift on the lush alt rock melodies. This pack is definitely pedigree with no howlers on board either.

Ketch Harbour Wolves-Gold

Ketch Harbour Wolves-Animals

Ketch Harbour Wolves-Letters

The 'Bullitt' stylised split screens in this inaurgral video to 'Words' are worthy of a mention and Steve McQueen 'the king of cool' would surely approve of the track as well!



Ketch Harbour Wolves will be dropping anchor at...

11 Dec 2008 The Drake Underground [w/ SPIRITS and THE REST] Toronto, Ontario

17 Dec 2008 Mongolian - Acoustic Waterloo, Ontario

3 Jan 2009 The El Mocambo Toronto, Ontario

22 Jan 2009 Holy Joe’s Toronto, Ontario

http://www.ketchharbourwolves.com/

http://www.myspace.com/ketchharbourwolves

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ketch-Harbour-Wolves/18934294904

http://www.herohill.com/2008/08/reviews-ketch-harbour-wolves-dead-calm.htm

Rosie and the Goldbug plus openroom - live review

Location Orange Rooms, Southampton

The first thing I noticed about this venue's ambiance is that the interior designer's job was pretty straight forward, when given the brief for kitting out this overtly cool bar venue... if it's orange and retro.. buy it!

It has to be noted that the promotion surrounding this gig seems to have been virtually non existent, to the point that even the bar staff weren't aware of who was playing. Fortunately we made the effort to turn up, persevering with the rumour that Cornwall's finest trio 'Rosie and the Goldbug' were performing, as part of a promotional tour for their debut album, which has just been released on Lover Records on 15th September 2008. I was pleased and relieved to see the logo plastered across the pavement by the front door, especially as I'd dragged along my saxophone playing chum Platterhorn, with the promise of an evening of top quality off kilter, yet commercial insect rock.

It's a test of a band's mettle to see how they react, when they are confronted with a sparse crowd at a midweek gig, who are mostly interested observers as opposed to dedicated followers. Luckily for us 'The Goldbug' have enough gumption about them to give it some welly and deliver a glittering nugget of a show, despite the less than awe inspiring circumstances. The three piece delivered a frenetic sound that sparkles with energy. I've always thought that the stripped down sound of a trio can often be more essential than a bigger group, when administered correctly. There's no room for any slack in the sound and every instrument has justify it's inclusion, just think of the raw sound Jimi Hendrix Experience or more recently Placebo.

Pixie attacked his bass, ducking and diving like Muhammad Ali in his prime, Plum (previously of Japanese drumming group Kagemusha Taiko) clattered the drums with sheer finesse and in Rosie, this combo have a charismatic performer capable of holding the attention of any audience, leading from the front. It's fair to say that she doesn't just play her keyboard, more like use it as a launch pad for her theatrics. Clatterhorn remarked that the presence of a lead guitar wasn't missed at all in the mix. The chorus hooks are very catchy and have a strong commercial edge underneath the Gothic burlesque frills. It comes as no surprise that Marcella Detroit has had a hand in the songwriting duties as there is a hint of Shakespear’s Sister in the dramatic song structures, El Presidente and producer Jim Eliot (Kish Mauve) have also had a hand in crafting the Goldbug sound.

They opened with the spiky Butterfly and then launched old favourite War Of The Roses (Because You Said So) rattled through Strange Girl, current single Lover and It's Electric, before easing up with Springtime Dreaming a slower song that reminded us of Regina Spector and finished up with a smooth slab of Goldfrapp like electro pop Heartbreak. We appreciated all their efforts and special mention must go to the game girl dressed up as a gold bug who spent the evening popping wooden clothes pegs promoting the website onto unsuspecting members of the audience. We look forward to another Goldbug experience, but hopefully the next time our paths cross, there will be a proper crowd to participate in the event, otherwise I might just have to bring my dressing gown and comfy slippers if it's going to feel like a private performance in my living room again and no one should be subjected to that sight!



A quick mention of local boys openroom, a group of five young scamps with asymmetric haircuts, who deliver a pleasing sound that mixes Artic Monkeys with 'Planet Earth' era Duran Duran. These whippersnappers have some very toe tapping tunes in their set, with 'We're Gonna Run' standing out, it's catchy new wave synth hook reminding me of The Soupdragon from The Clangers, which can only be a good thing in my book.

http://www.rosieandthegoldbug.com/

http://www.myspace.com/rosieandthegoldbug

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosie-Goldbug/dp/B001DMJAGO

http://www.myspace.com/openroom

Rosie and the Goldbug

Rosie Vanier fronts this trio who describe themselves as 'Kate Bush on Crack' The Goldbug consist of Plums on drums and Pixie doing bass duties. Now I know what your thinking at this point: "KOOKY ALERT! taxi for Scratchy!!" but stay with me because beneath the black velvet grandma's attic shawl lies a catchy commercial Blondie new wave vibe which really demands attention especially with Rosie bellowing out hummable hooks with her exemplary voice. This bug has a polished shell and is pushing along a nugget not a lump of dung so watch where yer step on and shake those kongos along with Rosie and her stripey hosiery's.

They have a residency at London's 12 Bar on Denmark Street on Thursdays throughout July and are doing some festivals as well this summer.

A gold star for putting some proper effort into the promos and the website as well.

http://www.rosieandthegoldbug.com/

http://www.myspace.com/rosieandthegoldbug

Tickley Feather

Annie Sachs, from Philadelphia goes under the moniker of Tickley Feather. She creates a lo-fi mash up of twisted nursery rhymes set to a D.I.Y indie beat. I keep thinking of Strawberry Switchblade crossed with Kate Bush as sung by the spooky dead girl from the 'Don't Look Now' film. She's signed to 'Paw Tracks' (Animal Collective) and her debut album is out on April 28th 2008 in the UK and April 29 in the U.S.A. The vinyl version of the album is released on 'Badmaster Records' on April 2nd 2008. You should smile and squirm with with delight as her digits play those Boa Selecta tunes!

http://www.myspace.com/tickleyfeather

http://www.last.fm/music/Tickley+Feather

http://www.strawberryswitchblade.net/

http://musicslut.blogspot.com/2008/02/tickley-feather-preps-debut-lp.html