Issue 02 - University of Surrey's Student Union

Andy’s Album of 2008 Two Fingers Of Firewater – Two Fingers Of Firewater
By Andy Vale
As I sit down to write this, I have the album
pumping out of my speakers and have done
for about fifteen minutes. I keep meaning to
write something but there is always a rhythm
I’d rather be tapping out, a bass-line to thud
along too or a chorus to wail with. Since interviewing
this band at Fahrenheit in March this
year, the eleven tracks comprising their self-titled
debut album have become a soundtrack
to my existence. This is one of the finest party
bands I have seen in all my time being here,
and their gigs tend to have more fire, passion
and spontaneity than seven Flirt costume parties
combined.
The album opens with a reworked version of
the traditional track “Satan, Your Kingdom
Must Come Down” that pulsates into the bands
instrumental barnstormer “Bandit”. When a
band’s opening track has an accordion solo
and a mandolin solo, you know the album
could well be interesting. Following on from
Big Strides at 93 Feet East
27/11/2008
By Rachael Fitz-Patrick
If you don’t know who they are, Big
Strides are a trio from London who
have just released their 3rd album,
‘Super Custom Limited’. You name
a genre and it is probably incorporated
into their music; indie, pop,
rock, jazz, blues and hip pop. There
is literally something for everybody.
With 93 Feet East being renowned
for exciting interactive gigs, I was
intrigued about seeing what they
could do. Arriving at the venue, I
was shocked at how empty it was.
For a band massive in Japan, even
with their own clothes line, it would
seem that us Brits were perhaps not
feeling the love. By the time 9.30pm
rolled around, a small crowd had
gathered. The fans that were there
were dedicated, knowing most, if not
all, of the songs and made the venue
feel fuller than it actually was. It’s
24
this is the pedal-steel-led “Endless Highway”
which shows the rhythm section to be tighter
than a gnats sphincter.
I don’t want to give a description of each song,
but at the same time I feel bad for not mentioning
each one. It is genuinely hard to pick any
holes in an album as accomplished as this.
There are simple, strong, well written songs
and some interesting two-part compositions
such as “The Beginning/The End” that take a
couple of listens to until you really appreciate
them. I think that is why this album still sounds
so vibrant to me after 9 months of fairly regular
listens. It has that very tricky skill of having
patches that augment from enjoyable to
un-missable over time. In the mean time, there
are some more immediate tracks such as “The
Night Ends” and “South Bank Girl” which have
catchy hooks, clever lyrics and the power to
take over your body for a few minutes.
When the final strum plays out at the end of the
dozy, whimsical album closer ‘The World Can
Turn’, there are few more satisfying feelings.
difficult not to be impressed by the
band’s versatility showcased in their
live performance- they effortlessly
swap and mix different genres to produce
an amazing sound. Their new
single ‘Hen Night Limousine’ was
performed with the lead singer lying
on the floor in the crowd, definitely
something different! At times they
sound like a lighter Rage Against
the Machine, which in my opinion is
no bad thing. I urge you all to check
them out!
5/5
By Miriam Kidane
It makes you glad that at some point someone
decided to put the Repeat setting on most
musical appliances. The album is on iTunes,
but if you want to be extra cool then pop down
to their Christmas gig at The Boileroom on
December the 14th.
The Shortwave Set at 93
Feet East 24/11/2008
AHHH! Firstly, it was probably the coldest night of the year and
open toe shoes are not appropriate in that kind of temperature,
especially on your way to a trendy venue, about to watch a trendy
band.
So it’s 9.45 we enter 93 Feet East, one of my favourite venues,
and I hear some funky sounds, start bobbing my head, look up
and it’s the support act, The Mentalists. They had some amazing
50’s style bright outfits. I liked.
But on to the band that we were reviewing, The Shortwave Set,
a London based three-piece who are all about making soundscapes
and wonderfully atmospheric music. I hadn’t heard much
about this band apart from a quick listen on their Myspace. They
are a distinct sounding band but sometimes the attempt of a
recreation of ‘retro’ fails and hits dated.
So the gig… it was a chilled out affair and I was surprised at how
good the songs sounded live. I think the band peaked early in
regards to their set list. The second track that they played, ‘High
Social’, was by far the best of the night- it was catchy and fun and
got the crowd moving.
Overall, the band were good, easy to listen to, and I liked the electronica/acoustic
sound that they were trying to portray.
3/5