14 <strong>Seren</strong> - End of Year Issue <strong>2007</strong>MusicArctic Monkeys - Not just a flash in the panArcticMonkeys -FavouriteWorst NightmareAlittle over a year on, the NorthernFoursome have released the followto their critically acclaimed debutWhatever People Say I Am, That’s WhatI’m Not. New bassist in tow, Alex Turneret al have done the unthinkable and haveproduced an album that matches, punch forpunch, the quality of their first.After a relentless year of touring and anEP to boot, it is surprising that they have hadthe time to somehow squeeze in an albumso meticulous in construction. Displaying amuch more mature sound, both in style andcontent, it is evident the Sheffield boys havegrown up a lot over the past twelve months.Gone are bashings of chav culture and inare the more autobiographical musingsof a band that have experienced life at thevery top.However, that’s not to say they have losttheir sense of fun or the ability to pull peopleonto the dancefloor, first single ‘Brianstorm’being perfect proof of this. Everything onthe album feels slightly more polished andthought through, and although some fansmay see this as the band losing their rawedge, it is testament to how much they havelearnt over a relatively short period of time.Favourite Worst Nightmare is a veritablesmorgasbord of indie hits, with tracks suchas ‘This House is a Circus’ and ‘FluorescentAdolescent’ sure to instigate dancefloorhysteria in the future, whilst ‘Do Me aFavour’ and ‘505’ demonstrate a more subtleand understated side to the album. Thoughperhaps not as instantly accessible as theirfirst offering, the album does warrantrepeated listenings, each one revealing alittle more than the last.With Sheffield bands seemingly ten-apennythese days, it would have been alltoo easy for the Arctic Monkeys to slip intomediocrity and disappear under the radar.However, they have proved that they arenot merely a flash in the proverbial pan,and have shown bands such as Razorlighthow to properly produce a second album.With the superbly executed Favourite WorstNightmare, the Arctic Monkeys have boldlyconceived one of the defining albums of thenew era of Britpop.Chris ThomsonKings ofLeon -Because ofthe TimesThe four-piece from Tennesseehave set up a perfect backdrop totheir UK summer tour with theirthird offering, Because of the Times. Aftera magnificent follow-up to their debutYouth and Young Manhood, it was alwaysgoing be difficult to produce a third albumwhich rivalled the brilliance of the firsttwo.Whilst the first two albums followedsimilar veins in terms of style andsubstance, this new album seems to hailin a new era of the KoL brand, and it’s notto everyone’s taste. Much like the Strokes’disastrous third album, many fans havedubbed this a new ‘mature’ KoL sound,and with the first track an epic sevenminute monster entitled ‘Knocked Up’,this certainly seems to be the case.Don’t be mistaken, the Kings of old arestill hiding in there somewhere – CalebFollowill’s voice still has it’s uniquelyraw, strained edge, the riffs and melodiesare still as catchy, and the sense of fun isstill there. But the boys have grown up,and so have their talents as musicians.Technically, the album is far more complexthan the previous two; thumping beatsand pulsating, distorted bass lines featurethroughout the album – particularly in‘My Party’ and ‘Mcfearless’.This album won’t immediately grabyou. Give it a week. Two weeks. As longas it takes – but eventually it will grow onyou. As a certain fictional barman oncesaid: “Change ain’t lookin’ for friends.Change calls the tune we dance to” – andI’m dancing.Edward ‘Coach’RogersKings of Leon - A Royal OfferingPorcupineTree -Fear of a BlankPlanetThis is not going to be a track-by trackreview. This album deserves anddemands something more. Walls ofintricate sound carried by surging urgencycrafted from the orgasms of angels willcreep into every corner of your mind withinseconds of this record’s spin.There is a frantic yet still beautiful lyricaldelivery in place of Wilson’s trademarksoothing vocals. Instantly recognisableas Porcupine Tree, the sound of easterninfluencedguitar licks encompassedby wailing atmospherics and ambientsoundscapes is music to write to, to feelinspired to, to scream to, to meditate to,to toke to, to plot murder to. Is this musicas it never was, yet perhaps, should alwayshave been?Few singers can claim to match thegushing-from-the-heart pleading andpreaching of Wilson, who leaves us withthe conviction that he is truly singing forhis life. The sound on FOABP slinks backfour albums to the more Floyd-influenced(effortlessly deserving in comparison)sounds that were ripped into the millenniumby a more band-orientated sound. Withtrack ‘Anesthetize’ weighing in at 17.42minutes, this is a record for those who canlook beyond 3 minutes of the safe music thatpromises not to encourage anything new toignite in your heart, and delve into the coolfreshness of Porcupine Tree’s secret art.This is not the raping of the senses thatfalls clumsily from the instruments of somany fleeting bands that lurk around everycorner of the current music world. This is anintelligent and subtle take over. Prepare tobe seduced by Porcupine Tree…yet again.Mike. E. Sheppard.Maximo Park - OurEarthly PleasuresProbably one of the most underratedbands of the moment, Maximo Parkfollow up their critically-acclaimeddebut album A Certain Trigger with this, OurEarthly Pleasures. Overshadowed by similarsounding bands such as The Futureheadsand Franz Ferdinand, Maximo Park don’tseem to have commanded their fair shareof media attention despite being nominatedfor the Mercury Music Prize.The problem is that Maximo Park seemto have emerged in the aftermath of theart-rock fad which at the moment seemsto have recoiled having experienced asomewhat saturated market. This has madeit a challenge to establish a unique identityto help them stand out from the crowd.Hopefully Our Earthly Pleasures shouldsee this change with a veritable plethora ofradio-friendly catchy tunes sure to garnermainstream attention.Leading the charge back into radio-landis the single ‘Our Velocity’, an energy-packedriot of a track which charted at number 9.‘Our Velocity’ is representative of abouthalf the album, namely the half that is whatcould only be described as a spring-loadedsing-along rock-athon. The other half is abit more country sounding – think an uptempocatchier version of Idlewild (of whichthe second single from the album, ‘BooksFrom Boxes’, is a good example). There arefantastic tunes to be found on this albumsuch as the beautiful piano-laden ‘YourUrge’ which retains an upbeat feeling, butblends it with a sprinkling of melancholy.If you enjoyed A Certain Trigger, youcertainly shan’t be disappointed by this –Maximo Park have kept true to their sound,producing another energetic offering butwith refined lyrics and an emotional aspectto every track lending depth to the album.Ross ButlerRhythms DelMundo, Cuba.Contempory artists have joinedup with the Buena Vista SocialClub, a band made up of mainlyoctogenarian Cuban musicians in orderto create an album for climate changeawareness. What this means in practiceis modern tunes that we’re all familiarwith, getting put to a Cuban beat, as wellas classic songs translated into Spanish,all wrapped up in an environmentallyfriendly package.Strange as it may seem, but the ArcticMonkeys do in fact translate surprisinglywell when put to a Cuban beat, withRhythm Del Mundo’s version of ‘DancingShoes’. Jack Johnson’s ‘Better Together’however doesn’t fair so well, but therest of the album more than makes upfor it. There’s a stirring Spanish versionof ‘Killing Me Softly’ as well as U2’s ‘IStill Haven’t Found What I’m LookingFor’. Other modern classics, such asRadiohead’s ‘High and Dry’ get the Cubantreatment, as well as Franz Ferdinand’s‘Matinee’.Other tracks include songs witha climate change message, such as‘Fragilidad’, sung in Spanish and outliningthe fate the world if climate changecontinues. A highlight for any Buena Vistafan is a version of ‘As Time Goes By’ sunghere by the late, great Ibrahim Ferrer, afounding member of the band. Whetherit’s hearing some of your favourite songsdone a bit differently, or you love Latinobeats, Rhythms Del Mundo is somethingvery appealing and a little bit different.Emma DoddCoachella andRage Against theMachine - £700well spent?For the majority of this decade,a promotions company calledGoldenvoice have been hosting whatthey feel is the American Glastonbury inthe California desert, a little festival namedCoachella. This year, they extended it tothree days, after the success of the previousyears. Not only that, they convinced one ofthe greatest bands of our generation, RageAgainst the Machine, to reunite for whatwas meant to be a one off gig. I never gotto see them back in their heyday, thanksto partially over-zealous parents unwillingto take me to one of those horrible rockconcerts (my first gig was Coldplay in theManchester Apollo back in 2000 for godssake). Naturally, this seemed like the perfectopportunity to unite a much neededholiday, my annual festival trip, and a oncein a lifetime opportunity into one crazy sixday trip. So, here’s a few tips and thoughtsabout the American festival scene.1) If you are going over purely forCoachella, DO NOT fly to LA. If you’refeeling brave enough, rent a car. But gettingto and from LA to Indio (where the festivalis held) can be more hassle than it’s worththanks to a horrendously run Greyhoundservice. Palm Springs is a much closerairport, and should not be too hard to getto and from.2) Ensure that any taxi services arerunning the meter, you can get ripped offquite easily.3) Take plenty of sunscreen, hats andloose clothing. It was 100 degree Fahrenheitweather all weekend, which seems likean oven to those of us used to the Welshclimate!4) Queues can be ridiculously long,so ensure you have enough water for thequeue, you can only take one sealed bottleof water in with you, and you will NOT beallowed re-admittance to the arena if youcome back to the campsite.Despite all this, the festival was prettywell run. The campsite was gorgeous, withtoilets that were actually a pleasure to useand plenty of showers! There was plentyto do without having to resort to tattyfestival shops or £5 a pop Oxygen tubes(I can’t be the only one sick of those).Coachella is a chance to see some prettyincredible art on display, a lot of whichtruly comes alive at night, such as hugetesla coils and light displays. The arenaitself was well contained, and each tentwas within quick walking distance fromeach other (a godsend, as I had to runfrom Arcade Fire to LCD Soundsystem toensure a decent spot). The atmosphere wasridiculously friendly, without the need toresort to alcohol, which was too expensiveand rubbish to drink regardless. And allof it was set in one of the most beautifulenvironments I’ve ever seen a festival heldin, every day affording a wonderful view.Overall, if the lineup is as good as it wasthis year (http://www.coachella.com to seewho was playing this year), I may well payanother visit.However, I was only truly there forone band. And boy was it worth it. I’venever experienced a more electric crowd,brimming with anticipation before I sawthese guys. Opening with Testify, the crowdliterally exploded, with no end to the moshpit in sight. Zack, looking a bit aged in allfairness, looked as though he was havingthe time of his life. They blasted throughclassics such as Guerilla Radio, Bulls onParade, Bombtrack, Wake Up (whichafforded Zack a moment to reflect on theBush administration) and closed with thealways incendiary Killing in the Name Of.Coupled with the atmosphere, the beautifulsetting, and the feeling that we were part ofone incredible night, it easily added up tothe most amazing hour of music I have everwitnessed. Welcome back Rage, we havemissed you.Ian Davies
<strong>Seren</strong> - End of Year Issue <strong>2007</strong>15<strong>Bangor</strong> <strong>University</strong>’s Star PublicationSERENFestival Guide <strong>2007</strong>McFly - What is the one on the right doing?Caught Live:McFly @Venue Cymru,Llandudno23/04/07On 23 rd of April, chart-topping bandMcFly brought their ‘Up Close andPersonal’ Tour to Venue Cymru inLlandudno. As a big fan, I was eager to go,but it took the offer of four free front-rowtickets to convince three of my friends toaccompany me.As support acts go, it didn’t sound verypromising. Lil’ Chris (aka Chris Hardmanof ‘Rock School’ fame) isn’t someone anyof us would normally listen to, but he wassurprisingly entertaining, even though itwas slightly disturbing to hear someone whois barely legal themselves asking 14 year-oldsif they are ‘Gettin’ Enough’.McFly were on top form. They openedwith their latest single, ‘Friday Night’ andwent straight into a number of songs fromtheir most recent Motion In The Oceanalbum, including the #1 hits ‘Please Please’and ‘Star Girl’. From our seats (which werepractically ON the stage), it was clear that allfour boys were really enjoying themselves,and this came across in their banter betweensongs, as they spent most of the timewinding each other up and mocking eachother for making mistakes during songs.Although occasionally their comments wereslightly inappropriate considering therewere younger children in the audience, us 20-year-olds were very amused. They roundedoff a great set with new single ‘Transylvania’(out now), and old favourite, ‘Five ColoursIn Her Hair’. Surprisingly, the highlight ofthe evening was Lil’ Chris joining them onstage to perform a cover of ‘Fight For YourRight’.Despite their previous two tours bothtaking place in Arena venues, the energy inthe rather tiny Venue Cymru was brilliant.All in all, a bloody fantastic evening. Ithink my friends may have been converted.Result!Loran PerkinsAdieu!Well that’s it. This is my last evermusic page as I shall be leavingthis summer hopefully to go onto bigger and better things. A big thank youto everyone who has contributed over thepast year, without you it would not have beenpossible. Well that’s a lie, it would have beenbut I would have had a lot more work to do.We haven’t always seen eye to eye, you andI. Although a lot of you didn’t like my LilyAllen review and my grasp of Renaissancecomposers apparently leaves a lot to bedesired, I feel I have done an adequate job inkeeping you up to date with the music scenein <strong>Bangor</strong>, as well as bringing you reviewsof the latest albums. I shall be leaving yourmusical needs in the capable hands of yournew Music Editor, Miss Emma Dixon. She’salright I guess.Chris ThomsonFestivalSurvivalGuideAs students I’m sure many of you areregular festival-goers and don’t givea second thought to the dos anddon’ts of festival survival. However, it isvery important that you go fully prepared,especially for those festival virgins amongyou. There is nothing worse than gettingyourself all geared up and excited just torealise when you get there that you haveforgotten a load of vital kit. Fortunately,help is at hand with the <strong>Seren</strong> FestivalGuide.Presumably you have booked your ticketsfor your festival/s of choice, but what aboutactually getting there? If you are travellingby car then make sure you have the relativecar parking permits as without them youcould be refused entry. An excellent wayof getting to and from the festival is byorganised coach travel. Check with NationalExpress coaches to see if there is one fromyour hometown.If possible take as much food and drinkwith you as you can to avoid paying thefestival prices. You can pay up to a coupleof quid just for a bottle of water andyou’re looking at least a fiver for any sortof food. The food in general is fairly goodquality, ranging from burritos to Yorkshirepuddings. However, be warned, glass bottlesare not permitted at any time and will beconfiscated.It’s amazing how many immaculatelydressed girls you see at festivals with perfecthair and make-up. So what is their secret?Gas-powered hair straighteners are theanswer for those who can’t live withouttheir GHDs, and apply make-up sparinglyas you’re likely to get more than a littlesweaty. You can always nip back to thecampsite if necessary. Rolling your clothesrather than folding them is also a great wayto get that straight off the hanger look. Andmost importantly, be prepared! Pack yoursuncream as well as your wellies and anorakas we all know how unpredictable the Britishweather can be.Location. Location. Location. Where youpitch your tent is more important than youthink. If you like a good night’s sleep thendo not camp next to the dance tent, and tryand avoid camping at the bottom of a hill,as you will end up sleeping in a puddle.Make friends with your neighbours. Ifyou get on well with them then it can reallyenhance your weekend. However, get offon the wrong foot and expect a weekendof hostility.Finally, festival toilets are simply horrific.Unfortunately there is nothing you can doabout it so simply grin and bear it. Justmake sure you have plenty of loo roll.Follow these simple tips and you can’t gowrong. <strong>Seren</strong> wishes you all a happy festivalexperience!Emma Dixon and ChrisThomsonGlastonburyFriday 22 nd – Sunday 24 th JuneArctic MonkeysKasabianBjorkThe KillersShirley BasseyThe WhoKaiser ChiefsBabyshamblesArcade FireChemical BrothersHot ChipThe FratellisLily AllenV FestivalSaturday 18 th – Sunday 19 th AugustThe KillersKasabianFoo FightersSnow PatrolPinkKanye WestManic Street PreachersLily AllenMikaBasement JaxxAmy WinehouseThe FrayJarvis CockerDizzee RascalT in the parkFriday 6 th – Sunday 8 th JulyArctic MonkeysBloc PartyThe KillersRazorlightJames MorrisonSnow PatrolScissor SistersKings of LeonAvril LavigneThe KooksMy Chemical RomanceQueens of the Stone AgeSinead O’ConnorBrian WilsonKasabianWakestockFriday 20 th –Saturday 21 st JulyIsle of WightFriday 8 th –Sunday 10 th JuneCarling Weekend: Reading and LeedsFriday 24 th – Sunday 27 th AugustRazorlightKings of LeonInterpolRed Hot Chili PeppersArcade FireBloc PartyFall Out BoySmashing PumpkinsNine Inch NailsThe ViewKlaxonsCSSJamie TDownloadMuseThe Rolling StonesSnow PatrolFriday 8 th – Sunday 10 th JuneMy Chemical RomanceVelvet RevolverWolfmotherLinkin ParkMarilyn MansonSlayerIron MaidenEvanescenseStone SourKornMotley CruePorcupine TreeDream TheatreReel Big FishThe BraveryDirty Pretty ThingsGet Cape. Wear Cape. FlyFestival Internacionalde BenicassimThursday 19 th –Sunday 22 nd JulyArctic MonkeysMuseHuman LeagueCreamfieldsSaturday 25 th AugustChemical BrothersGroove ArmadaLCD Soundsystem
Change language