It's Record Store Day!

Whenever I'm in London, there's nothing more I like doing than having a wander down Berwick Street off Oxford Road, to stop by my favourite haunt Sister Ray Records. I never fail to leave there without picking up something (last time it was a cheap copy of Pavement's Slow Century DVD), and the place always reminds me of the importance of the independent record store, and the pleasure that comes from leafing through their stock, and finding that rare EP you've been looking for, or making that impulse purchase that you later come to treasure. Sister Ray is one of a number of stores in the UK (and indeed the world), participating in Record Store Day, so check out which stores near you are taking part near you, and give them your support.

Record Store Day UK

Review: The Whiskers - War of Currents

The third record from Awkwardcore collective The Whiskers once again has the familiar touchstones of quirky Canadian acts such as Sunset Rubdown, Frog Eyes and Wolf Parade; the trembly guitars, jittery vocals and the queasy-sounding keyboards are all in place. However, whilst last year's sophomore effort from Swan Lake (a collaboration of the key members from the aforementioned bands) disappointed, the Whiskers have hit new heights with War of Currents.

The first thing that's immediately apparent is the higher production values; this is a much lusher sounding record, which gives the songs a sense of warmth. No more is this true than opener Cameras, which is buoyed by triumphant-sounding horns, and is the most inviting song in the band's catalogue. The extended running-times (only one track dips below the 5-minute mark) also gives these songs the chance to breathe and evolve; the band's eccentricities have been turned down just a notch (there's nothing quite as unhinged as Ziggurats here), but the band have become tighter, which allows them to navigate the twists and turns of the likes of Ornithopers with ease.

It's not only the music which shows a greater togetherness; the vocals of Thom Stylinski and Brett Mattox are much more integrated this time, and whilst Stylinski's warble still gets the lion's share of the vocal duties, the sinewy Dan Bejar-meets-Neil Tennant stylings of Mattox are invaluable. His lead turn on Only Source of Light, which descends into a twisted carnival jaunt is one of the album's highlights.

War of Currents is the most satisfying release yet from a band gaining steadily in confidence and identity. Oh, and that coverartwork is the best I've seen this year so far.

84/100

(War Of Currents is available now, free, and in full, from the Awkwardcore Records website, but give these guys the fillip they deserve by investing some dosh, and you'll be rewarded a jewel case and a complete lyric sheet)

Gig Review: Mount Eerie @ London Scala, Tue 6th April

I came to this gig with absolutely no idea what to expect; both Phil Elverum's recordings and his performances can range from being very spare and haunting, to a blitzkrieg of noise. His most recent entry under the Mount Eerie moniker, last year's outstanding Wind's Poem, frequently veered towards the latter, and so Tuesday's night's performance, which included a full band, was a suitably loud affair, but even during its heaviest moments maintained a level of intimacy so pivotal to his recordings.

Opening support act Team Brick, aka Bristolian Matt Williams was fascinating; using a mix of effects pedals, a couple of mics. a few instruments and the art of throat singing, he cooked up a varied set which stayed on the right side of experimental. That was followed by No Kids, a twee-looking bunch who eschewed guitars in favour of keyboards. Their bitter-sweet pop had plenty of groove, but the set was too long, and they couldn't sustain interest for the duration.

However, it was a welcome sight to see many of them walk on stage again, this time as part of Mount Eerie. After a few awkward but genial words from Elverum, the set was opened with a gut-wrenching burst of noise as the band commenced Wind's Dark Poem. They proceeded to play Wind's Poem in its entirety, but this was no mere run-through, as every song built, and improved upon its recorded original. The loud moments (of which there were many) were made doubly devastating by the inclusion of two drummers, and during these points Elverum cut an animated figure on stage. These noise assaults made the moments of serenity all the more affecting; album highlight My Heart Is At Peace was achingly beautiful, and the haunting closing words of Summons, assisted by the shimmer of cymbals, almost seemed to flutter away on the wind as they left Elverum's mouth. It's the imagery of Elverum's words, coupled with his soft, plaintive voice that makes his music sound so organic, so natural, whether it's accompaniment is the sound of thunder, or a gently blowing breeze.

All My Favourite Singers Couldn't Sing. #1 Efrim Menuck

Perhaps the most famous lyric from the oft-quotable ex-Silver Jew Dave Berman, "all my favourite singers couldn't sing" hits the nail right on the head for me, in that a good frontman (or woman) possesses presence and individuality, and not neccessarily a voice fit for opera. There are of course notable exceptions, but a singer who is less than pitch-perfect, but performs with intensity and earnestness often manages to overcome their flaws, or even make assets out of them.

Efrim Menuck takes these criteria to the extreme. Having perhaps been the closest thing to a frontman for the monumental instrumental rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Efrim took to the mic for A Silver Mt Zion (now Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra, having gone through a number of name changes inbetween), and with each subsequent release Efrim has taken on more and more vocal duties. Many feel he should've stuck to the guitar. His persistently off-key yowls, coupled with his strange French-Canadianisms (which make him sound like a drunk with a cold) are an acquired taste's acquired taste. Menuck sings with a reckless abandon, that's admirable to some, infuriating to others, and his voice to many is the deciding factor on whether you're a fan of ASMZ or not.

I've always sided with Menuck though. With each release, Menuck's confidence has clearly risen, and his intensity is beyond question. With GSY!BE, Menuck and his bandmates expressed their non-conformism through spoken recordings from Blaise Bailey Finnegan III and tree-diagrams of the record industry on their album sleeves; with ASMZ, Efrim challenges conformity just by opening his mouth. When the band incorporated a choir into their ranks, it wasn't a choir in the traditional sense, but a rag-tag bunch of unschooled singers, with Efrim perfectly cast as their riveting ringleader. And when he does tone it down, on songs like Movie (Never Made), his fragile falsetto is a thing of unexpected beauty.

Seeing ASMZ live a couple of years ago is what ultimately convinced me of Efrim's virtues as a vocalist, and whilst the heaviness of their last two albums are a far cry from their spectral beginnings as a trio on He Has Left Us Alone..., I regard them as their finest releases since that early high-water mark. I continue to follow their development with great interest.