Gig Review: Death Cab For Cutie

Whilst their legions of be-fringed disenfranchised fans, and a collection of hits akin to the Grey’s Anatomy sound track seem to suggest otherwise, I have always persisted that Death Cab For Cutie aren’t an ‘Emo’ band. Always seeming more sincere than their ‘Emo’ counterparts, Death Cab’s melancholic lyrics always seemed due to their influences as opposed to convention. Nevertheless, last Wednesday’s set at the Brixton Academy, seemed to prove that at the very least, Death Cab For Cutie have the tunes to hang with the big boys.

As Walla, Gibbard, Harmer and McGerr jogged on stage to the usual riotous applause, the now skinny as a rake Ben Gibbard took the spotlight and quipped “What’s goin’ on?”. Whilst the choice of opener; ‘The Employment Pages’, was a lacklustre ease in to the show, it didn’t fail to captivate the adoring audience. As the lads settled into what was to be a typically laid back set, it was nigh impossible not to be struck by a mix of their absolute sincerity and flawless instrumentation.

Being a band whose sound is largely defined in the studio, one would expect that their intricate songs would be impossible to recreate on stage. Armed with only two guitars, a bass, drums and an organ; Death Cab managed to perform the likes of ‘Soul Meets Body’ seamlessly, whilst still maintaining a delightful spontaneity.

Just when you thought they couldn’t be upbeat, Narrow Stairs’ ‘No Sunlight’ and Plans’ ‘Crooked Teeth’ brought movement to the crowd. Then Gibbard took the spotlight alone with an acoustic guitar, and sparked the most intimate sing-along of the night, with ‘I Will Follow You into the Dark’.

The post encore treats including the sombre piano ballad ‘What Sarah Said’, and the beautiful ‘Title and Registration’. The epic ‘Transatlanticism’ in all its eight-minute glory, closed what was a quietly powerful set.

They may not be the biggest live act in town, but through their at times sedate performance, shines an aching sincerity. Their music isn’t designed for stadium rock, nor will it ever be, yet in a setting slightly more intimate, their song writing shines.

The Renaissance by Q-Tip

Every genre has its creatively barren years. For Rock and Roll it was the 80’s, for Brit-Pop it was the 90’s and for Hip-Hop it is the 00’s. With his first album in nine years, Q-Tip reminds us how far Hip-Hop has fallen, as he returns the genre its soul.

Ever since the demise of the now legendary A Tribe Called Quest, I can only assume Mr Fareed, sat back and scratched his head, as the music he loved fell deeper and deeper into commercialism. As the likes of Soulja Boy topped the charts, record company pencil pushers became more and more reluctant to release his eclectic brand of Hip-Hop.

Many a fan was terrified that Arista’s failure to release the critically acclaimed Kamaal the Abstract, marked the demise of Q-Tip. But now signed to Universal Motown, Q-Tip’s back with a vengeance, and such rhymes as “What good is an ear if a Q-Tip isn’t in it?” remind us how much we’ve missed him.

With Q-Tip acting as front man and producer for much of Tribe’s back catalogue, the die-hard Quest fans would hope The Renaissance would reflect their old jazzified style. Indeed the downfall of his last solo album, Amplified, was Tip’s obvious attempts to distance himself from his old band, by dabbling in the electronic. Fortunately, now the retro returns, as, from the opener ‘Johnny is Dead’, Q-Tip flaunts his jazz chops, whilst also branching into funk and even soul, with surprising success.

Whilst no two songs are alike, they each have a patchwork quilt quality, mixing sample with instrumentation and lyric to create Hip-Hop tracks with infectious vibe. ‘Move’ produced by the late great J Dilla, stands out, as the skilful interplay between beat, bass and rhyme make it a danceable powerhouse. Refusing to stay static, Q-Tip wanders through style and genre. With ‘Gettin’ Up’, Q-Tip provides the most summer soaked groove ever released in November, whilst the emotive ‘You’, achieves a sincere soul-filled sentiment few others could achieve.

Lyrically, he’s as strong as ever. Whilst his topics are risky, he walks the tightrope masterfully. Apparently titled in hopes of a Hip-Hop rebirth, The Renaissance sees Q-Tip voice his dislike of mainstream rap, but at no point does he sound like a bitter has-been. Admittedly his political lyrics offer no grand insight, but at least it doesn’t sound like its been thrown in for good measure, as many a rapper is guilty of. Indeed his strength is being a cut above the rest, as he can push the boundaries further than any of his contemporaries.

It has indeed been a long time, and with many a critical eye watching and a natural desire for the Tipster to prove he’s still an innovator, The Renaissance could have quite easily been a shocker. Indeed Q-Tip crosses every line a rapper really shouldn’t; he goes political, sentimental and even sings. The only difference is; he pulls it off. Much to the despair of the cynics, The Renaissance is a triumph befitting his legendary status and one can only hope, that it will act as a firm slap round the face of the Hip-Hop establishment.

NOTE FROM REDFACE:

Big Thank-You to Q-Tip for promoting my site!

Matachin by Bellowhead

Bellowhead’s follow up to their debut Burlesque was destined to be met with high expectations. Burlesque was so hugely successful, that after only having been a band for 4 years, Bellowhead were headlining the first BBC Folk Proms, beating more established and significantly older folkies to the half hour closing set. This big band folk outfit clearly have plenty of promise, unfortunately too little of this is realised in their second album Matachin.

In 2004, two established darlings of the folk circuit; Jon Boden and John Spiers, wondered how the traditional English folk song and Boden’s delicate vibrato would sound when backed by a small folk orchestra. They soon went about recruiting the likes of bouzouki boy Benji Kirkpatrick and percussionist Pete Flood, until they had a group of musicians as talented as they were numerous. Their debut set a tone of theatricality and fun, making them the talk of every morris dance from London to Loughborough. By 2007 they had a hit record, a string of awards and a powerful live show. All that was left was a strong follow up to prove they hadn’t shot their wad. Unfortunately, it would seem that for all their potential, this is something John and Jon couldn’t quite manage.

For the uninitiated, Matachin provides a summation of the English folk tradition, from the ‘night-visit’ tales of dead lovers returning from the grave, to the joyous sea shanty and of course the romantic ballad. And sure enough with the opener comes the sweeter than sugar - ‘Fakenham Fair’. The whirlwind of instrumentation that opens the album showcases the talents of their 11-piece band, however it would seem that down this road lays trouble. In terms of the production, the big band formation seems to limit the way in which the material has been tracked and arranged. Whilst with 'Fakenham Fair' the instruments gel gorgeously, on tracks such as ‘Widow’s Curse’ or ‘Roll Her Down The Bay’ you become very aware you’re listening to 11 musicians as opposed to an 11-member band. Perhaps due to band politics, each instrument is given its own space, and with the absolute clarity with which they have been captured, the overall sound becomes (dare I say it?) almost gimmicky.

The crown jewel of their live performances has always been their sea shanties and dance numbers. The band have often spoken of how they feel folk is simply the oldest form of dance music, and in many ways this is what has made them so refreshing amongst their peers. Whilst other young guns such as Jim Moray and The Imagined Village have tried to bring it to the kids by introducing modern technology and styles into the traditional palette, Bellowhead have managed to draw in a younger audience by being wholly enjoyable. Lucky for us, this philosophy has been continued on into Matachin. Such jaunty numbers as ‘Whiskey is the life of man’ could coax a jig out of even the most reserved listener. Nevertheless, too little of the innate energy of these songs has been captured in the studio.

As the album continues, so do the disappointments. But once again the material isn’t to blame. With the exception of the thoroughly dull ‘Cholera Camp’, the remainder of the album is far from filler. ‘Spectre Review’ sees drummer Pete Flood flaunt his skill in arrangement as well as his passion for percussion, whilst the jazzy ‘Bruton Town’ is one of the most beautiful and exquisitely arranged ballads on the album. But one by one these original successes are strangled by the production.

Comprised of folk tales documenting death, deceit and drinking; Matachin is an album with plenty of grit in its teeth, yet none of this is reflected in the sterile way it has been recorded. It would seem Bellowhead could take note from American counterpart Zach Condon, whose recent big band efforts with his Balkans folk project ‘Beirut’, has created a nostalgic and eclectic sound through embracing less traditional recording techniques.

This latest offering by one the UK’s most promising folk bands is an album with no clue in which direction it is headed. The lack lustre production implies a back-to-basics approach, whilst the funk filled fun of ‘Kafoozalum’ and the melancholic jazz of ‘Bruton Town’ suggest a penchant for folk fusion. With Matachin we see Bellowhead refusing to pick a lane. What results is an album that is essentially an overview of what English folk means to the current generation. It is by no means a bad album, but for a band brimming with talent, it is far too tame.