The Rock of Travolta (Bands You Probably Haven't Heard of But You really Should Listen to, pt. 1)

The Rock of Travolta aren't a new band, but with their last release (bar a couple of tracks on a couple of compilations) being in 2003, you could be forgiven for thinking that they are. The band's last album, Uluru, was extremely well received outside of the mainstream – now, eight years is a huge gap to have between LPs, but judging by new material I've heard at live shows and online, they certainly have not lost it.

For those of you who remember The Rock of Travolta, there has been a line-up change since Uluru, and for those who don't, this will all be new information anyway. The current line-up consists of Jennie Bates alternating between playing bass, keyboards and cello (literally switching mid-song at times, it is really a sight to behold), Matt Spooner playing guitar, bass and keyboards, Dave Warrington on guitar, Joe Durow on drums and Jon Carter playing bass.

Although pigeon-holing is so 2010, “The Rock” could be fairly accurately described as post-rock, with dynamic riffs and a huge, full sound. The band is almost exclusively an instrumental affair, but there's so much going on in their songs that you don't ever miss the absence of vocals. This is a band I would definitely suggest to fans of Mogwai, ...And You Will Know Them by the Trail of Dead and Shellac. Actually, I would suggest them to anyone, only those would be the people most likely to listen.

The Rock of Travolta's new album, Fine Lines, will be out 14^th March 2011 on Big Red Sky Records. Those wanting an intro to this phenomenal band should check out Last March of the Acolytes, which is (at the time of posting) available on their MySpace page and also as a free download upon signing up to their mailing list via their official website.

http://www.myspace.com/therockoftravolta/

http://www.therockoftravolta.com/

Beard of Zeuss, Domes of Silence, Caravan of Whores & Undersmile – The Wheatsheaf, Oxford – 21/01/2011

Local up-and-coming stars of the sludge scene, Undersmile, open the night – although they really deserve to be higher up tonight's bill. Undersmile's songs are slow, very slow, rarely clocking much under the 10 minute mark, and can be likened to Melvins or Harvey Milk. Taz and Hel provide haunting/droning (delete according to taste) vocal harmonies. Their music is characterised by a feeling of impending doom, or to paraphrase one young lady, it feels like you're about to be stabbed in the chest... but in a good way. Sweet.

Caravan of Whores are next to take to the stage. Their name is either genius or terrible, and I can't quite decide which. Their music doesn't quite evoke such strong ambivalence, but rather lies somewhere in the middle. I suppose I enjoyed the set, but it was nothing to write home about. Sorry, mum.

I have a similar experience with Domes of Silence. They're very tight and have some solid riffs and they are not BAD, but they fit about halfway in between Kyuss and Status Quo, and I'm not so sure how I feel about that. Not entirely great, I don't think.

Beard of Zeuss are headlining tonight, and the turnout is pretty astounding for Oxford's somewhat apathetic music scene. And, rightly so. Beard of Zeuss are an amazingly underrated band who really should have a lot more attention than they get. They are far from well rehearsed tonight, perhaps due to the frontman, Will's, move away from Oxford, but they laugh it off with the audience and make up for it with sheer spirit and some great songs.

Dive Dive - Potential

Dive Dive are a rock band who hail from Oxford. As a fellow citizen of said city of dreaming spires (and all that), a place with a really great local scene that a lot of talented bands come through, I have always held a bit of a soft spot for Dive Dive as they are "one of our own". Local band or not, they're always a pleasure to listen to, and their latest release, Potential, is no exception.

This is Dive Dive's third LP, and is the first since 2007. We hear less from this band than perhaps most would like, due to the fact that three quarters of Dive Dive are often busy making up Frank Turner's backing band. Potential starts with the punchy opener, Mr 10%, and easily holds your attention right through to the closing track, Let's Swap Places (well, there is another track, but shush - that's a secret), which is one of their mellower affairs. The album is littered with chunky punk rock riffs and a sort of post hardcore stop/start dynamic, reminiscent of Reuben or Jetplane Landing.

On what is, for me, one of the stand-out tracks of the album, The Point Is, Dive Dive are at their frenetic best. Wherewithal is another of my favourite tracks on Potential, a great example of how slow and apparently minimalistic can provide real impact. Even the poppier parts of the album, such as Liar, are far more complex than you might expect on first listen - the guitars layered and elaborate.

For anyone new to Dive Dive, Potential is a good place to start, perhaps even their finest work to date, but do go out and buy the other two! And for existing fans, well let's just say that you wont be disappointed.


Potential is out now on Xtra Mile.

Albums That Are Old But That I Think I Should Review Anyway pt.I

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – The Boatman's Call (1997)

One of Cave's most highly praised releases, I don't think anyone could call this an under-rated record, but sadly not enough people really rate Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds these days, or even know who they are other than by name. This could be said about any non-mainstream artists, I suppose, but it always seems like a travesty when it comes to this band.

A little more personal than Murder Ballads, Cave's previous release, various songs on The Boatman's Call have been rumoured to be about various women in his life from his ex-partner and mother of his son, Viviane Carnerio, in “People Ain't No Good” to fellow musician, PJ Harvey, in “West-Country Girl”.

The composition on this album is deliberately sparse and minimalistic, which, in a way, reinforces the gloomy feel of the record. Whereas the lyrics are rich and poetic as ever. Cave has a real knack for creating an atmosphere through music, and this one is unsettling yet weirdly sweet at the same time.

This is amongst the finest albums you can get your paws on, and don't let me catch you saying otherwise.

ATP: Strange Days with Sonic Youth & Shellac 31/12/2010

With Sonic Youth due to be playing their set way past midnight, I figured what better way to start off 2011?

Opening the night was Factory Floor. Over-hyped in the press and so hip it hurts, this band don't really do it for me. You get the feeling that, if asked, they would say they were trying to break boundaries, but these boundaries were broken so long ago that it just comes off contrived. That said, they had their moments and were compelling to watch live. Perhaps I'm just getting too old to listen to a wall of noise, but I really prefer my songs with more... song.

Having been a short-lived cult band, the recent reformation of The Pop Group is quite a big deal within the right crowd. From what I've heard, the set they played was a lot more accessible than some of their material but their funk-tinged style seemed a little out of place on tonight's bill.

Shellac were on storming form. No one can deny Steve Albini his influence and status within the alternative music genre and you can really see why here. Perhaps the Gem of the was “The End of Radio”, which closed the set and has such raw force experienced live. In one of their customary impromptu “Q&A” sessions Bob Weston fielded a question for Steve about his shoes, about which he didn't seem overly enthused, but it was fun to witness none the less. Although almost everyone who knows anything about rock music will know who Albini is, Shellac are strangely under-rated, which is a huge shame. If you do one thing this year, buy a Shellac album. You will not be disappointed.

Headliners Sonic Youth came on just moments before midnight. Thurston provided the obligatory count-down, followed by huge glitter explosions. Sonic Youth have been playing together so long that their sets are tight and go smoothly are always a pleasure to watch. The set contained a good mixture of old and new songs, with less tangental jamming than you sometimes experience at one of their shows. The only slight worry tonight was that Thurston seems to have forgotten the names of their songs and referred to “Schizophrenia” as “Sister”, but with a back catalogue as big as Sonic Youth's, who could blame him? Plus, either way, it was a very welcome addition to the set. A rose by any other name and all that...