Grammatics (2009)

Grammatics
Self-Titled (2009)

High quality production has many negative connotations within the music community – covering up weak tracks, selling out, major labels, emotionless chart ambition etc. etc, etc. Based on this it seems many bands rely on lo-fi sensibilities to create an idea of authenticity. Sweeping aside this theory are the soaring Leeds/York youngsters Grammatics. Tipped for success for nigh on two years now, the wait for an album seems like an eternity, but the quest for perfection is a time-consuming art and for once solid production only enhances the sheer intricate delights of these twelve tracks of pure epic perfection.
Grammatics are as distant a foray as possible from their former incarnation as mid-2000s Kerrang! also-rans Colour of Fire, ditching the power chords and shoutalong choruses for majestic soaring epics and beautiful heart-wrenching melodies. Although much of the material on the album has previously been released via countless singles and EPs the album is brilliantly cohesive and creates a true atmosphere of its own, switching between despairing hymns and hopeful major key masterpieces extraordinarily.
The true splendour of this album lies in its total lack of any real contempory comparison, a unique and near orchestral delight. A world has been created within sixty minutes closer to Beethoven or Bach than any of the overused indie-rock influences such as My Bloody Valentine or Joy Division.
All twelve tracks are lyrically poetic and imaginative, if a little self-important at times, cramming in detailed psychological insights in a Conor Oberst-esque falsetto. Indeed, the lyrical musings show an impressive knack for exploration matched only in ambition by the music itself. Broken Wing proves to be a particular highlight with a stirring build-up and immense collapsing finale. The art of accumulating to an enormous climax is perfected on Relentless Fours, with its thudding bass drum and repetitive guitar line and quiver inducing, knowingly wistful hook “Everyone loves a breakdown”.
Despite every pretentious pitfall faced by the statement it is certainly very difficult to refrain from labelling this album a real masterpiece.

Get Wavving

2008 wasn't really the greatest year for music. The big guns omitted to put out any really great records and, the indie masses had to reply on decent offerings from middle-weight bands like frightened rabbit and m83 to keep them in their chosen state of mild indifference.

But underneath a sleek hipster visade a few really really great bands slipped under the radar.

For me 2008 was a year of noise pop. No Age sold a few records in the US and got a supporting slot with hyperbole art-poppers Los Campesinos! in the UK and Times New Viking made a few fans on the same lineup. HEALTH couldn't decide if they were a dance-punk or a noise band and ended up as a startling imitation of Liars (in the days they used to write actual songs).

And on the message boards, bearded sweater lovers went (quite rightly) mad for Women and Wavves.

These are two truly excellent bands, Women for their droning slow burning autistic masterpiece of an album and Wavves for putting the fun back in music with angsty beach pop anthems wedged somewhere between JFA and Iggy Pop.

What the next year holds for these bands and how they progress remains to be seen but for now i'm quite happy in a hazy bubble of fuzz and imaginary beaches.

Wavves - So Bored
Women - Black Rice

To The Five Bollocks

5 To Avoid In 2009

January is a month perfect for dull overcast skies, returning shit presents and lists of top tips for the next year. Every music publication imaginable will be outlining their tips for success in the next year – expect to see Ian Curtis wannabes White Lies topping the majority. But as highlighted by the crock of shit that was last year’s NME tips list, featuring the awe-inspiring and ever so groundbreaking Ting Tings and Black Kids it seems more appropriate to outline the bands to hate on early. Stock up the stagnant bottles of piss now ready for festival season.

1 – Twisted Wheel

One sure sign of a terrible piece of lad-rock dross is a band having Oasis as an influence. Sure enough, like their gay-incestuous spiritual fathers the Gallaghers, Twisted Wheel are an incredibly poor Beatles knock-off. They even have the gusto to use the lyric – ‘Lucy in the castle’s gonna blow your mind’. If you’re going to swindle one of the most famous songs ever, at least change the girl’s name in the title you thick Manchester lad-rock dickheads. That said they are so bland and unoriginal they will probably go multi-platinum and headline V Festival.

2 – Esser

Formerly of pretentious indie wank outfit Ladyfuzz, Esser strides tentatively forward. It would be easy to be swayed by the Hoxton Rent-boy chic and claims that ‘pop is not a dirty word’. If you’re Duran Duran this might well be the case but with over produced and under-written sub-Penate tunes, live shows as enigmatic as cot death and a support slot for the Kaiser Chiefs, respect doesn’t seem on the horizon. Expect two top 20 singles and a second album sinking without a trace.

3 – Sergeant

Here’s a refreshing concept - more lad-rock bollocks giving the North a bad name. File next to the Courteeners as tracksuit indie with absolutely no redeeming qualities what-so-ever.

4 – Dan Black

Marketed as a reputable alternative to Sam Sparro, Dan Black creates forgettable disco-pop with cringeworthy rhymes and half-hearted lyrics. The infuriatingly yoof demographic titled ‘HYPNTZ’ is a wonderous piece of irony at just how white Dan Black is. The Jay-Z sampling track delivers an abortion of corny lines with a camp rasp to make Los Campesinos! seem macho. Currently touted for success by the BBC and NME expect this to be the soundtrack to the summer you kill yourself with a mirrorball.

5 – Skint & Demoralised

The absolute abyss. Combining the worst elements of white-boy rap, lad-rock and shit mid 90s brit-pop choruses we have Skint & Demoralised. Every track is so terribly contrived that even with the odd swear thrown in for good measure, the hideous creations that go loosely by the name of songs can make Scouting for Girls look edgy. Desperate to be labelled Northern Soul, but with a voice of a useless crack-head, the tales of a useless crack-head and, well, the look of a useless crack-head S&D is more likely to be labelled a whiney, brainless sack of shit. Avoid like the plague.

Download (if you must)

Sergeant - Tonight
Dan Black - HYPNTZ