Foreign Slippers

Oh Death
Izumi Records

As its title suggests, the first release for alt folk singer Foreign Slippers was born out of the experience of death. Its varied subject matter, whether personal, mystical or romantic, are filtered through the lens of this loss.

Gabrielle Froden, as she is otherwise known, has a created a dark treat of a record, which is so laden with poignant beauty and regret that it seems to stir memories from the womb. Released on Izumi Records, Oh Death has earned Foreign Slippers support slots with the likes of Brit nominee Beth Rowley and Duke Special.

Foreign Slipper's sparse sound is warm and uncomplicated, making use of a surprisingly wide a variety of instruments. Her voice recalls the delicate intonations of Emiliana Torrini, or the cool, otherworldly croon of Kate Bush, and at times the soulful textures of Gillian Welch. When gentle nostalgic whisperings give way to searing full-bodied lamentation, you're feeling like you've listened to the musical equivalent of Grey's Anatomy's weepiest episode.

Opener 'Packed the Car' documents a day trip, a hazy, glowing memory of a summer's day culminating in boozy fireside reminiscences between old friends. Title track, 'Oh Death' is transfixing in its melancholic, meditative repetition, nailing you to your seat with a depth of feeling that is, quite simply, uncommon is today's commercially driven music industry.

Sad though her songs often are, they are buoyed by the comfort of friends, with soothing poetry about the-way-things-are, and hopeful hints of the way-things-could-be. Foreign Slipper's first release augurs auspiciously for a future full length that is currently at the mixing stage. We wait in eager anticipation.

Score: 9/10
Download: Packed the Car, Fisherman
For fans of: Emiliana Torrini, Kristin Hersch, Gillian Welch


Buy the EP on the Rough Trade website, iTunes or the Izumi website.

Tomorrow Today, Seeland

This is Seeland’s third release to date, and their first for Loaf recordings. Based in Birmingham, the band was formed from the burning embers of that city’s ‘retro futurist electronic scene’.

‘Tomorrow Today’ is an eclectic mish-mash of influences ranging from space age pop, to the BBC Radiophonic workshop, from the Human League to ‘eccentric 60s library music’.

Seeland sound like a pop-leaning Kraftwerk blended with Pink Floyd on happy juice. It’s also hard not to make a connection with the lo-fi sounds of Elliot Smith or ‘Under the Western Freeway Era’ Grandaddy. Indie electronic sound

Almost all the songs are gentle growers, with fifth track ‘Captured’ being the stand pop single. Its sweet melody and sing-able, lovelorn chorus are enough to get you closing your eyes and pretending it wasn’t actually winter. ‘Colour Dream’ is worth downloading for the chilled-out, blippy warmth of it all, if not for the slightly banal lyrics.

The shoegazing quality of the vocals may present something of an obstacle for some, but their shiny, unobtrusive consistency will appeal to others. The production of the album is impeccable and uncommonly creative; in short, ‘Tomorrow Today’ is a entertaining, eclectic collection of indie pop treats. I recommend it.

Download: Colour Dream, Captured
For fans of: Kraftwerk, Plone, Broadcast
Score: 7/10

Preacher Blues, Le Skeleton Band

It's hard to know how to judge 'Preacher Blues', Le Skeleton Band’s first full-length album. As the name suggests, they are a group of French guys, who mostly sing in French and their music definitely has an air of the thoughtfulness and intelligence that you might, perhaps, imagine is a prerequisite for any self-respecting Frenchmen. In a word, its all a bit foreign to the British listener.

Nevertheless, several reassuring influences become apparent with closer listening: the influence of Tom Waits' sparse garage-jazz sound is clear, and at times the vocals recall his dulcet tones; the folk-punk intricacies of the Violent Femmes begin to emerge as a significant feature; and the fractured art-rock sounds of psycho-billy band The Dead Brothers give the album a volatility which is cathartic.

The album is packed full of great musicianship, and the songs, which could by no means be described as ‘pop’, will reward repeated listens, particularly, I imagine, if you speak French.

Download: L’Automme
Score: 7/10
For Fans of: Violent Femmes, The Dead Brothers, Tom Waits

Live Review: Levi's OnesToWatch 5 Night Revue at The Macbeth, London

Iglu and Hartly
With support from Micachu

The first band to grace the Macbeth’s miniscule stage is Micachu, whose quirky, stuttering brand of indie rock is engrossing with its varied textures, odd timings and hidden layers of melody and percussion. Their sound conjures comparisons with acts as diverse as Jamie T and Mum, and despite a distinct lack of sing-able choruses, its very fresh sound and full of subtlety. It’s clear that cult status awaits this intriguing three-piece in the near future. Definitely one to watch.

For fans of: Mum, Janie T, Bjork, Hot Chip
Score: 7/10
Download: Golden Phone


Both the drummer’s comparison of their music with Tina Turner’s, and the Bon Jovi jacket sported by the lead singer, served to dim my expectations of Iglu and Hartly somewhat before they take to the stage. However, after a few bars of their foot-stomping, psychedelic, white-boy-rap, all such associations are proved to be merely ironical. Said jacket is ditched one song in as singer Jarvis Anderson calls out, “Let’s get it down like a mother-fucking clown!” And they seem to be doing just that. The new single, In This City, the first to come from their album ‘& Then Boom’, is greeted rapturously: pretty soon even a busy barmaid is dancing, a drink in one hand and an invisible lasso in the other.

One song later however, about eight songs in, and the band have inexplicably decided to leave the stage: oh wait, they’ve finished their set! In hindsight, their rather sheepish exit seems reflective of the fact that, decent as the set is, their current single is the only standout track; reluctant to be judged on its merits alone, they haven’t saved it till last. It seems doubtful that the new album will have any songs of a similar calibre. Anyway, check it out for yourself: it arrives in UK shops on the 29 September.

For fans of: Beastie Boys, MGMT and Tina Turner.
Score: 5/10
Download: In This City

Review: Nik Freitas, Sun Down

Sun Down is the third LP, and second release on Conor Oberst’s Team Love imprint, for master of all musical trades, Nik Freitas. Every one of his ‘60’s influenced pop songs work well by themselves, and they ebb and flow by turns the way a good album should. But somehow, there’s nothing visceral enough to provoke a degree of affection any greater than “yeah, it’s nice like.” Nik never seems to let his heart take control of the many instruments he wields, so that even though he talks about love, disillusionment and self-destruction, I’m not convinced he’s ever experienced them. Listenable enough, but pretty bland.

Score: 5/10
For fans of The Beatles, Josh Ritter, Simon and Garfunkle.
Download: All The Way Down, What You Become

CHALLENGE

My angel, evidently, has broken wings, still tries to lift me up,

It also somehow clearly seems, my chalice forms a broken cup,

The song I dream from my cracked lips, the bowl from which I sup

Imperfect too, a blemished thing, rides like my shirt untucked.

Yet from the grist and guts of it twists my remaining luck,

As one who wins just second place my thoughts also run amok.

From my wrist I fashion it, unclenching my tight fist a bit

Into an open palm in order not to strike a blow or hit out at anyone;

- If God were perfect and could fit together like an answered prayer,

Love would take me home to him borne on such a rarer air.

Yet truth is not enough I fear and hope but mere deceit

And from what I’ve seen everywhere, Life ends always in defeat.

For this I am guilty to declare my challenge to miracles anywhere,

God, prove me wrong, if you dare to show me nurture and not harm

Or else at least to show you care a damn with truth to accept me as I am

Not just judge my lack of charm or doom my gloom right down.

I’d like to sing of second birth and say heaven is to be found on earth

But from the dirth my dirges groan with lack of thrumming mirth

And thirst for meaning makes me bleak and black as my parched tongue

When champagne springs and angel wings are only when you’re young.

By Bart Wolffe

Review: The Acorn, Hope Glory Mountain

This album is an extended eavesdrop on an intimate gift from singer, Rolf Klausener, to his mother, Gloria Esperanza Montoya (loosely translated: Hope Glory Mountain). It is a tender, poetically abstract set of ethno-folk-rock verses that evoke the bootstrapping skills Gloria acquired on her journey through life. As you might imagine, it glows and twinkles with a subtle hopefulness throughout. Hand drums pound out primordial grooves, while animalistic screeches and howls recall tribal exorcism rituals. It's a warm, listenable fabric of an album, but unfortunately it seems to get waylaid down various roads-less-travelled, and can at times be more hard work than a wearisome musical sojourner might wish for.

Score: 6/10
Download: Hold Your Breath, Oh Napoleon
For fans of: Calexico, Akron/Family, Horse Feathers