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Amelia’s Magazine | Triton AW10 at Sao Paulo Fashion Week- Exclusive Report

Courtesy of George and Betty Woodman and Marian Goodman Gallery, case New York

When I hear the word Surrealism, instantly the likes of Salvador Dali, André Breton, André Masson and Max Ernst come to my mind. Well I can now add Frida Khalo, Leonora Carrington, Eileen Agar and many more female Surrealist artists to that male dominated list, thanks to Manchester’s Art Gallery! Their current exhibition, Angels of Anarchy, sets out to not only celebrate the works of female artists but to educate and inform those who know little (people like me) or nothing at all about the important role females played in the Surrealist movement. How about that?

Courtesy Private collection, Dilbeek, Belgium © DACS 2009

The exhibition covers five main categories within Surrealism – Portrait/Self-Portrait, Landscape, Interior, Still Life and Fantasy; the medium used ranges from sculpture to photography to film and the more traditional oil on canvas. Thanks to Salma Hayek’s performance in the eponymous film, Frida Khalo -who features in both Portrait/Self Portrait and Interior – is probably the name most will recognise but you will not be disappointed with the other lesser-known artists on display.

Courtesy ADAGP Paris, Musée National d’Art Modern – Centre Georges Pompidou. Courtesy Photo CNAC / MNAM, Dis. RMN / courtesy Jacques Faujour

The most interesting piece comes in the form of film by photographer/filmmaker Lola Alvarez Bravo -who incidentally went to school with Frida and was one of her closest friends. The 30 seconds (approx) of rare footage is left untitled but is captivating from start to end, not least thanks to the presence of Frida herself; the artist is more stunning on film that I had imagined. There is no audio in this eerie film and it’s quite foretelling that Frida is welcoming death into her home in the shape of an innocent looking girl; this was shot when Frida was in ill health and I thought this was one of many nice surprises within the exhibition. Bravo documented much of Frida’s life and she went on documenting even after her death; there is a poignant shot of Frida’s room after her death (Frida’s Room 1954), where her wheelchair, paintbrushes, a self-portrait and a picture of her husband are strategically placed in order to sum up her life. This particular scene left a lump in your throat!

Courtesy Manchester Gallery

Another big name featured in the exhibition is Eileen Agar – whose Angel of Anarchy (1936-1940) mixed media head dress is featured alongside its opposite number Angels of Mercy (1936-1940) – only two surviving pieces of four, are portraits of Joseph Bard (her husband) and to see them both is quite magical. Angel of Anarchy is wrapped in rich African bark cloth decorated in Chinese silk, beads and osprey and ostrich feathers and has a decadent aura about it. Angel of Mercy is quite the opposite but none less impressive to its corresponding part, using only her skills to sculpt the piece and her hand to paint it.

Courtesy Manchester Gallery

Whist big names like Kahlo, Agar, Oppenheim and Cahun are used to encourage people to visit the exhibition the lesser known artists really do shine and in some cases surpass their well known counterparts. Kay Sage’s beautiful black and white, landscape photography will lead you into the word of the extra-ordinary within the ordinary – her vision of seeing something interesting within what seems to be an ordinary landscape impressed me a great deal! Leonora Carrington’s self portrait (1937-1938) will immediately grab your attention as it did mine; I faced this one particular piece for a good10 minutes and I must admit I was truly transfixed and consumed in my trail of thought! This, in my opinion, is by far was the best self portrait (oil on canvas) in the entire show. I felt deep sympathy for Carrington and I was left wondering and wanting to know more about this wonderful talent.

Courtesy Banco de Mexico Deigo Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico DF / DACS 2009

The exhibition is over teeming with beautiful oils on canvas and sculptures that include a rarely seen Lee Miller torso cast that has only even been exhibited once before. Surrealist literature is present in the form of Leonora Carrington’s En Bas ( Down Below 1945) a memoir of her emotional journey after Max Ernst is arrested by the Nazis which leads her to being institutionalized in a mental hospital in Spain. There are video instillations by Francesca Woodman documenting herself exploring the female form and a beautiful interpretation of ‘There was a Miller on a River’ (1971), by Eva Svankmajerova. This old folk song tells the story of a young soldier returning home after 20 years. His parents do not recognise him, rob and murder him; once they realise it was their son they take their own lives. Such a brutal act is given a beautiful lease of life in Svankmajerova’s gorgeous illustrations.

Courtesy Manchester Gallery

Another nice surprise is the room ‘Teenangels’ in which the Manchester Art gallery has teamed up with art students from Levenshulme High School who have came up with their own Surrealist inspired artwork. I would have happily been left to think they were part of the Angels of Anarchy exhibition had I not seen the sign! Seeing interaction between a prestigious art gallery like Manchester’s and GCSE art students topped the exhibition off perfectly.

All in all this was a good exhibition which ran from the 26th of December 2009 to the 10th of January 2010. Penny Slinger describes her work as ‘a protest against females being seen as mere objects at a male’s disposal’. This exhibition sets out to break the notion that Surrealism is a male dominated movement and it does so successfully. Without the likes of Frida Kahlo, Claude Cahun, Edith Rimmington, Meret Oppenheim and the rest of the female Surrealist featured in the exhibition I doubt very much that women in art would be where they are today. They helped the female cause for decades to come and paved the way for equality in Art. They proved that chicks can do what guys do… and dare I say in some cases even better? If you were one of the lucky few who visited the show then you surely came away enlightened, informed and inspired by those surrealist amazons…just like I did.

Visit www.manchesterartgalleries.org/angelsofanarchy for more information.
Courtesy of George and Betty Woodman and Marian Goodman Gallery, cure New York

When I hear the word Surrealism, this instantly the likes of Salvador Dali, André Breton, André Masson and Max Ernst come to my mind. Well I can now add Frida Khalo, Leonora Carrington, Eileen Agar and many more female Surrealist artists to that male dominated list, thanks to Manchester’s Art Gallery! Their current exhibition, Angels of Anarchy, sets out to not only celebrate the works of female artists but to educate and inform those who know little (people like me) or nothing at all about the important role females played in the Surrealist movement. How about that?

Courtesy Private collection, Dilbeek, Belgium © DACS 2009

Courtesy ADAGP Paris, Musée National d’Art Modern – Centre Georges Pompidou. Courtesy Photo CNAC / MNAM, Dis. RMN / courtesy Jacques Faujour

Courtesy Manchester Gallery

Courtesy Banco de Mexico Deigo Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico DF / DACS 2009

Courtesy Manchester Gallery

Visit www.manchesterartgalleries.org/angelsofanarchy for more information.
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The third day at the Sao Paulo Fashion Week saw the show of one of the hippest brands among Brazilian youngsters. Triton has been showing at the biggest fashion week in Brazil for a while now, visit this site with the main inspiration behind their designs having always been music, here technology and a cool lifestyle.

Images throughout courtesy of Triton

For AW10 they invited CSS‘s lead singer Lovefoxxx (who used to work for the brand before becoming famous) to design not only some of the prints, but also the show’s soundtrack, which started dense and melancholic, with the sound of Crystalised, by English band The XX.

Primarily inspired by the trendy Japanese area of Harajuku, Lovefoxxx, together with Triton’s designer Karen Fuke, created one of the most playful scenarios seen on the runways of Sao Paulo. With models made up to look like Gothic Lolita’s taking to the runway Triton superbly illustrated the epicentre of Japanese excesses to a Brazilian audience.

There were so many patterns, so many shapes, so many references, that it was impossible to sort the designs in any distinct trend. The kooky prints referenced everything from spider webs and owls to mushrooms, teamed with heavy boots with super high heels which broke the romantic vibe. It couldn’t have ended better than with a rainbow coloured jumpsuit, making Luisa Lovefoxxx’s input and presence clear to all.

Triton’s AW10 show was a great example of creativity and coherence, from a brand to its public. No wonder it had one of the most amazing finales so far; with a standing ovation from the fashion-hungry crowd.

Written by Barbara Mattivy on Thursday January 21st, 2010 2:20 pm

Categories ,Barbara Mattivy, ,css, ,harajuku, ,Karen Fuke, ,lovefoxxx, ,Sao Paulo Fashion Week, ,The XX, ,Triton

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with JD Samson of Brooklyn-based band and art/performance collective MEN

(Left: Michael O’Neill, centre: JD Samson, dosage right: Ginger Brooks Takahashi)

Take two-parts infectious electro-disco rock, capsule add an ounce of social politics, a splash of über cool haircuts, and a few generous handfuls of electrifying live performances and blend… è voila, you have MEN!

It’s not the first time we’ve featured MEN in Amelia’s Magazine but in case you missed our exclusive interview with the trio back in February, here’s a quick overview: MEN are a Brooklyn-based band and art/performance collective (by their own definition) focusing on the radical potential of dance music and the energy of live performance.

Formed in 2007 by the DJ/production/remix team of feminist electro-punk Le Tigre members, JD Samson and Johanna Fateman, and decidedly left-wing, the band deliver politically-motivated tunes, with an emphasis on issues ranging from wartime economies to the demand for liberties via hypnotic disco beats and creative, high energy stage shows.

With Le Tigre on hiatus, Samson and Fateman have teamed up with Michael O’Neill and Ginger Brooks Takahashi of Hirsute (a band of which Samson also fronts) to form the core of MEN, with Fateman taking on the role of writer, consultant and producer with artist Emily Roysdon.

Although the marriage of music and activism is no longer revelatory in today’s contempory music scene, what makes MEN worth checking out is that beyond the belligerent “rad image” and the “I ain’t nobody’s bitch” attitude, their tunes are pretty damn good and are likely to get you attempting robot moves on a beer-smeared dancefloor, even if the lyrical content may occasionally draw a few raised eyebrows (e.g. check out “Credit Card Babie$” where Samson exclaims “how expensive it is if you have a baby when you’re queer” over funky looped electronic intrumentals and slinky guitar riffs).

Having previously toured with the likes of the Gossip and Peaches, it is to no surprise that the fashionable threesome are being labelled as a “punk/disco/electoclash” band. In truth, their radio-friendly synth-driven sound makes them better placed next to New Young Pony Club, CSS and Ladytron in your record collection, which is certainly no crime at all in my book.

Fresh from closing a set of UK tour dates, Amelia’s Magazine takes some time out to talk with JD Samson about MEN’s creative direction, the merging of diverse musical minds and how he’ll be spending the festive season…

You’ve just completed a set of tour dates in the UK – how did you find playing to a UK audience compared to a US one?
I’ve noticed over a long time with touring that the audiences change mostly city to city, or even venue to venue, instead of country by country. Some towns can be super responsive and engaged and freaking out, whereas in other places, some can seem a little depressed or inquisitive. We had a great tour with lots of great audiences that seemed to really care about what we are doing and feel very grateful to have experienced it.

Your have been described as an act who ‘speaks to issues such as trans awareness, wartime economies, sexual compromise, and demanding liberties through lyrical content and an exciting stage show’ – was this always the creative angle you wanted to take as MEN or did this happen organically?
I think it is important to us not to adhere to any preconceived notions of what an electronic music band is. We don’t want to fit inside a box. We want to be fluid beings that move from one genre to another and one area of content to another. We want to be able to push ourselves out of a label and be able to discuss things that bewilder us with new adventures in music production.

You all come from different backgrounds (JD Samson is from Le Tigre, Michael O’Neill is from Ladybug Transistor and Ginger Brooks Takahashi is from LTTR) – did you find it relatively easy to merge your musical styles?
We all have very different music styles actually and are psyched to be able to merge them together. We are constantly inspired by each other, making mix CDs for each other and drawing from so many different areas of music.

Your live shows have been cited as one of your most enticing features as a band – how would you describe your shows to MEN gig virgins?
We go for it and give the crowd the energy so that they can give it back. It’s that exchange that pushes us through the set.

What’s the most unusual gig you’ve played to date?
Hmm, well we played at a friend’s wedding at a poolside in the south of France. That was cool.

What have been the most euphoric moments of being in the band so far?
Just getting our record finished and being able to tour without a press release or anything. Also realising how many rad fans we have.

Which bands excite you at the moment and why?
Midnight Magic because I love her voice and I love disco. Kim Ann Foxman because she is rad, deeply cool, a friend and I love her.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?
David Byrne and Joan Armatrading

Can you describe your new album (due for release in January 2011) in three words?
Body, money, power.

How will MEN be spending their Christmas this year?
I can’t speak for the others but I will be in Australia with my girlfriend’s family.

And finally, if there were a tagline for MEN, what would it be?
Humans can be whatever the fuck they want.

MEN’s debut album “Talk About Body” is released on IAMSOUND on Monday 31^st January 2011.

Written by Kat Phan on Wednesday December 1st, 2010 9:19 am

Categories ,Credit Card Babie$, ,css, ,david byrne, ,Ginger Brooks Takahashi, ,gossip, ,Hirsute, ,JD Samson, ,Joan Armatrading, ,Johanna Fateman, ,Kat Phan, ,Kim Ann Foxman, ,Ladybug Transistor, ,Ladytron, ,Le Tigre, ,LTTR, ,MEN, ,Michael O’Neill, ,Midnight Magic, ,New Young Pony Club, ,Peaches

Amelia’s Magazine | Glastonbury Festival Of The Performing Arts

In today’s over-saturated electro market it would be easy to dismiss Simian Mobile Disco as just another bleep and whistle DJ duo. However, stomach troche if the reaction of the Hoxton Bar crowd was anything to go by it would seem that what we have on our hands is a bona fide rave outfit.

I’m not talking lamé leggings and novelty over-sized jewellery here (although the room wasn’t short of any of that), but in a scene that’s more about the fashion than the music SMD stand out as one of the few acts who understand what the phrase ‘Rave’ actually means.

A sweaty, hands-in-the-air music industry crowd is a rare sight, and while many tried the obligatory arms folded, ‘contemplating the relevance of the sound look’, it wasn’t long before the irresistible combination of the spectacular light show and pounding, dance heavy hooks and beats had everyone moving like it was 1992.

With all the retina burning, multi-coloured strobe action and the fact that I was stuck behind a couple of six-footers, it was difficult to catch a glimpse of Misters James Ford and Jas Shaw, although it was clear from the head-bopping shadows on stage that these two were enjoying their music just as much as their sweaty disciples. As things reached their climax with the brilliant It’s the beat, there was barely a still foot to be seen and with the whole night taking on a distinctly retro air it was long before the ‘ironic’ old skool hand movements made an appearance, probably in a bid to disguise the fact that GASP, they were actually enjoying dance music. Like it or not, SMD had brought out the Bez in all of us.

This year the RCA’s Summer show combined various fields in an all-encompassing exhibition space that was both innovative and exciting to explore.

Amelia’s Magazine | CSS

Emerging from the deep woods into Portland, web see Oregon and subsequently into The Pigeon Hole in London, cialis 40mg is one Alela Diane. Armed with her simple yet meticulously picked guitar and bluesy, plaintive vocals, she quietly charmed the audience with her soft presence.

Alela Diane’s deceptively sweet melodies often belie the darker, more shadowy subject matters of her songs; telling of rural family existences and the cycles of nature and life. If you’re a cynic you’ll be skeptical of her authenticity; her earnest performance may be too sweet for some, but if you suspend disbelief you find that her somewhat selfconscious presence and performance convey exactly what she sings about: hard working pioneers, silt, water and tatted lace.

A contented kind of yearning accompanies her campfire-style, gospel tinged vocals. An encore presented a new song that showed a more complex development of her music. It looks like this young nouveau-folk-singer/songwriter will be conquering the miles of prarie-land ahead in what could be a long career in the biz.

Lovely.

Everyone seems to have a bit of a crush on all-girl keyboard trio Au Revoir Simone , cialis 40mg consisting of hot girls that epitomise geek and their self-proclaimed ‘sandbox chic’.
Au Revoir Simone is like a perfectly whipped pavlova: light, viagra buy fluffy and crunchy, topped with cream and tangy fruit. As leggy and willowy as their music are Annie, Erika and Heather. With five keyboards, omni-chord, a drum machine and a glockenspiel amongst other miscellaneous electronic and otherwise paraphernalia, their synth-driven compositions are quite delectable.

Amelia’s Magazine | New Young Pony Club – Lost A Girl – Single Review

On Saturday 23^rd January at 12pm over 2000 photographers gathered in Trafalgar Square in protest at Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, dosage which allows police greater powers to stop and search photographers. The demonstration was organized by the group I’m a Photographer, recipe Not A Terrorist via facebook and twitter. Armed with a borrowed compact piece of shite and hardly able to call myself a photographer, I went to investigate. My subsequent two hours of extreme camera-envy were, thankfully, balanced out by a humorous and lively demo with a huge turn-out, friendly crowd and serious civil liberties message.
crowd1 placardscropped crowd
“We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it” states PHNAT’s website. The arrests of high-profile photographers arrested under section 44 have contributed to the immediacy of the message. But while the Met’s website gives a very measured description of police powers to intervene in media-related activity, many photographers complain that these powers are frequently abused, and the law and photographers’ rights are very unclear. suspectreport

Winding its way through the centre of the crowd, a ‘Vigilance Committee’, closely protected by a man on stilts in a helmet/balaclava/CCTV strapped-to-head ensemble (we should definitely all take a leaf out of his fashion bible and don portable CCTV cameras, for our own security), arrested random, unsuspecting photographers in a stop and search parody.
marrtile2

As soon as the stop-and-search ‘guilt certificate’ they used (below) was completed, they proclaimed their suspects guilty and gave them two penalty options: six years forced labour or life-time contributor to the Vigilance Committee. Most chose six years’ forced labour.
guiltcertificate

One professional told me at the end of the demo ‘ our hope is that by organizing this demonstrations we’ll make the police re-think their strategies. The freedom to record and document history is a really important one, and a lot of press photographers are experiencing increasing difficulty with the police’. Magda, a photography student from Poland told me: ‘I’m just here because I want to make the point that just because you have a camera, it doesn’t make you a terrorist or a criminal. I heard about this on facebook but I didn’t expect to find so many people! I’m tired of being treated suspiciously when I take photos at demonstrations for example, at times and places where it’s really important to accurately record what’s going on, and my boyfriend, who works for a magazine here, has been stopped by the police quite a few times. I’m not against anti-terrorism measures, but it seems like almost everyone is a suspect now. There are…. CCTV cameras per person in the UK…if we are being observed, can’t we do some observing ourselves?”

On Saturday 23^rd January at 12pm over 2000 photographers gathered in Trafalgar Square to challenge Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, buy which allows police increasing powers to stop and search photographers. The demonstration was organized by the group I’m a Photographer, Not A Terrorist via facebook and twitter. Armed with a borrowed compact piece of shite and hardly able to call myself a photographer, I went to investigate. My subsequent two hours of extreme camera-envy were balanced out by a lively demo with a huge turn-out and serious civil liberties message.
crowd1 placardscropped crowd
“We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it” states PHNAT’s website. The arrests of high-profile photographers arrested under section 44 have contributed to the immediacy of the message. But while the Met’s website gives a very measured description of police powers to intervene in media-related activity, many photographers complain that these powers are frequently abused, and the law and photographers’ rights are very unclear. suspectreport

Winding its way through the centre of the crowd, a ‘Vigilance Committee’, closely protected by a man on stilts in a helmet/balaclava/CCTV strapped-to-head ensemble (we should surely all take a leaf out of his fashion bible), arrested random, unsuspecting photographers in a stop and search parody.
marrtile2

As soon as the stop-and-search ‘guilt certificate’ they used (below) was complete, they declared their suspects guilty and provided them with two penalty options: six years forced labour or life-time contributor to the Vigilance Committee. Most chose six years’ forced labour.
guiltcertificate

One photographer told me at the end of the demo ‘ our hope is that by organizing this demonstration we’ll make the police re-think their strategies. The freedom to record and document history is a really important one, and a lot of press photographers are experiencing increasing difficulty with the police’.

Magda, a photography student from Poland told me: ‘I’m just here because I want to make the point that just because you have a camera, it doesn’t make you a terrorist or a criminal. I heard about this on facebook but I didn’t expect to find so many people! I’m tired of being treated suspiciously when I take photos at demonstrations for example, at times and places where it’s really important to accurately record what’s going on, and my boyfriend, who works for a magazine here, has been stopped by the police quite a few times. I’m not against anti-terrorism measures, but it seems like almost everyone is a suspect now. There are…. CCTV cameras per person in the UK…if we are being observed, can’t we do some observing ourselves?”

On Saturday 23^rd January at 12pm over 2000 photographers gathered in Trafalgar Square to challenge Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, generic which allows police increasing powers to stop and search photographers. The demonstration was organized by the group I’m a Photographer, Not A Terrorist via facebook and twitter. Armed with a borrowed compact piece of shite and hardly able to call myself a photographer, I went to investigate. My subsequent two hours of extreme camera-envy were balanced out by a lively demo with a huge turn-out and serious civil liberties message.
crowd1 placardscropped crowd
“We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it” states PHNAT’s website. The arrests of high-profile photographers arrested under section 44 have contributed to the immediacy of the message. But while the Met’s website gives a very measured description of police powers to intervene in media-related activity, many photographers complain that these powers are frequently abused, and the law and photographers’ rights are very unclear. suspectreport

On Saturday 23^rd January at 12pm over 2000 photographers gathered in Trafalgar Square to challenge Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, price which allows police increasing powers to stop and search photographers. The demonstration was organized by the group I’m a Photographer, click Not A Terrorist via facebook and twitter. Armed with a borrowed compact piece of shite and hardly able to call myself a photographer, I went to investigate. My subsequent two hours of extreme camera-envy were balanced out by a lively demo with a huge turn-out and serious civil liberties message.
crowd1 placardscropped crowd
“We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it” states PHNAT’s website. The arrests of high-profile photographers arrested under section 44 have contributed to the immediacy of the message. But while the Met’s website gives a very measured description of police powers to intervene in media-related activity, many photographers complain that these powers are frequently abused, and the law and photographers’ rights are very unclear. suspectreport

Class: None, Sexual Orientation: Rarely
guiltcertificate

Photographer David Hoffman is interviewed after the demo

The jewellery designer Little Glass Clementine is enough to melt the heart of any eco-conscious fashionista, check the innocence in its name alone summarising the beauty of the designs– jewellery with soul. The ethos for these designs is simple; naturally sourced materials used to maximum effect to create intricate necklaces and exquisite hair pieces. The brainchild behind this brand that can regress even the most mature person to ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ in child-like wonder, adiposity is Clementine James, more about or Clemmie. Many Amelia’s readers will recognise Clementine from the earth section of our magazine as she was interviewed last year about her time spent in the remote location of Tuvalu in the South Pacific. A self taught jeweller Clementine has been skilfully making and selling her creations since the tender age of 16. Her aim is to tell a story with recycled materials stumbled upon to create something new by transforming the old so memories can live on.

Little Glass Clementine

Clemmie describes her sourced materials through a set of findings: “A ring from a love affair, a pebble from a Scottish shore, a button from a grandmother’s box, gems from India, a single earring, jewels from a charity shop, junk from a boot fair, lace from an antique market, fabric from an old coat, and pearls from the sea.” These individual items work together to create the ultimate in reclaimed possessions, and comprise the perfect accessories to make even the most ordinary outfit look both unique and interesting.

Little Glass Clementine golden park

Clementine has exhibited in galleries and boutiques in both London and Edinburgh and has sold in a plethora of shops, markets and even Brighton beach! For me the best thing about the designs in the brands back catalogue is the inspiration they can ignite for others. Whether it’s the urge to buy a Little Glass Clementine necklace, to revisit old memories or to get crafty with the pliers, there’s something about Clementine James that can make anyone feel inclined to be creative and eco-friendly.

Back in 2007, purchase the five piece New Young Pony Club (or NYPC), website spearheaded by the captivating Tahita Bulmer, were causing quite the ruckus. Their style of post punk, new wave, indie-electro pop, heard in their debut album Fantastic Playroom, quickly became the go- to sound for all the cool kids around town. With acts like CSS, LadyHawke, and The Ting Tings picking up where NYPC left off, it’s obvious that they need to return with a couple of hard hitters to assure us of their place in the market. If the first release off their new album The Optimist is anything to go by, then they don’t have to worry about being M.I.A for the past few years.

Lost A Girl is a strong, self assured anthem that shows that NYPC don’t miss a trick. Over an early 80′s electro beat, Taihita sings like she’s the love child of Souxsie Soux and The Cure’s Robert Smith. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, but with a head turning defiance, she picks apart a relationship that seems like it’s dead in the water and doing nothing for her. “I’m making you smile, why am I doing that?” she asks. As the chorus breaks into “la la la la,looks like you’ve lost a girl”, the statement sounds more of a taunt than a lament, directed to who ever was not good enough to keep her attention.

NYPC are smart enough to revisit the music scene with a track full of catchy hooks and hard edged melodies. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it reminds us of their much valued place in the British music scene. Welcome back!

Written by Cari Steel on Tuesday January 26th, 2010 12:45 pm

Categories ,css, ,Fantastic Playroom, ,LadyHawke, ,Lost A Girl, ,New Young Pony Club, ,Robert Smith, ,Souxsie Soux, ,the cure, ,The Optimist, ,The Ting Tings

Amelia’s Magazine | Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS)

Chan Marshall is a confusing character, viagra sale you hope for her to be brilliant live but there’s always the niggling feeling that it might just go pear-shaped. She’s always been a little fragile; undoubtedly it’s part of her charm. However as soon a she skips onto stage you realise that tonight’s performance is going to be different.

Chan seems to have overcome, approved or at least learnt to deal with her performance issues. She arrives with a curtsey and a gigantic grin on her face, symptoms and it seems immediately obvious that this isn’t going to be one of her infamous ‘two songs and I’m off’ performances. The crowd sense that she’s on good form and welcome her with a roar of applause, perhaps out of relief as well as appreciation.

Keeping the chit-chat to an absolute minimum, the audience are treated to a brilliant mix of covers including I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction) and Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ (giving us a taste of her upcoming release) as well as songs from her latest and much-celebrated album; The Greatest. A set of pure blues, however the replacement of the Memphis Rhythm Band with The Dirty Delta Blues seemed to leave the arrangement blues-light and admittedly I missed that extra layer of soulful vocals from her regular group of backup singers.

At times I longed for a break from the rather slow pace and the absence of any of her pre-Greatest material was a disappointment. However, there’s very little to criticise about the woman herself and the audience were quick to give encouraging yelps and cheers at every opportunity. At times she seemed overwhelmed and kind of surprised that we’d even turned up, ‘You guys are amazing, you’re going to make me cry’. Of course, her unmistakeable voice was as incredible as ever, she’s one of those rare performers who understands the power of restraint.

Chan isn’t out to prove her vocal abilities by show-off jazz grandstanding; there are no self-indulgent runs or vocal acrobatics. Perhaps a skill born out of self-preservation, Chan sings as if no one is watching. And it’s beautiful.
Well, and I have just spent the last three days intensively shooting the Sheffield band the Harrisons for their press shots – they are currently putting the finishing touches to their debut album in a remote studio called The Chapel in Lincolnshire with reknowned producer Hugh Jones, who has worked with such luminaries as Echo and the Bunnymen. The studio has seen many famous bands pass through it’s environs – the Arctic Monkeys being the most recent to record their block-busting album in what would once have been the alter of the chapel and is now a cosy wood panelled studio. It was really fun, if hard work – getting the boys out of bed early enough in the morning to get moving and actually get enough shots done before a) they had to return to carry on recording and b) the sun went in for good – jeez the days are short, especially in the north-east – was quite a lot of effort. They range in age evenly from 20 – 23 yrs old and it’s just not very rock ‘n’ roll to get up before lunchtime anyway.

Amelia’s Magazine | Coachella Festival 2007

Those of you who’ve seen Fame (you know the one, store information pills “Remember my name (FAME!)/I’m gonna live forever” and all that jazz) may remember the relatively small but significant character called Bruno. He hated playing in the strings section of the orchestra because he could electronically create an orchestra of sound and fury on his own, information pills healing resulting in much dancing in the streets and on taxis…

…The comaprison: Napoleon IIIrd Napoleon IIIrd. Why he hasn’t had more Fame action himself is quite beyond me. Though that said, I had heard on the grapevine that the man was touring with a full band and was hoping to see and hear such a spectacle in the flesh. But alas, whilst hoping that the brass section was hiding out in the toilets working up the saliva to play, the man himself emerged to take his place behind two microphones, that met above a keyboard, nestled between all manner of electronic and musical paraphernalia…and no band.

Never mind though, performing solo, he didn’t disappoint. Unexpectedly formidable, Napoleon is energetic and jerky as his music often is. One thing is that from the start, Napoleon is so believable. Without guile or pretensions, yet vaguely angsty and almost aggressive, not quite desperate but definitely hopeful, he is one man doing his own orchestral manoeuvres in the dark.

Like a proud band leader, pumping his metaphoric baton triumphantly, Napoleon IIIrd conducted his way through the set with a well practiced panache; twiddling with levels, blue-tacking keys, pressing buttons and bristling on his guitar. Completely comfortable but not complacent, Napoleon IIIrd played with abandon. With heavy industrial beats, crunchy glitches, big refrains, random samples and a pre-recorded choir of Napoleons to back him up, Napoleon IIIrd’s music is quite epic live. It’s all the more strange to match the sound to the scene when the guy is all alone on stage amongst his band of merry, electronically recorded selves.

So remember his name, because Napoleon IIIrd is dynamite.
Having studied graphic design, remedy I too had put on a show at my university and then made the journey to London to showcase my talents to industry moguls. My experience was, remedy well, pretty shit – but this was flawless. With over 50 stands showcasing talent, 2 fashion theatres and an orange-carpeted Moët bar for pre-show drinks, GFW supported by River Island (amongst other major players) really packed a punch.

Amelia’s Magazine | Sunshine Underground/ CSS/ Klaxons

viking%20moses%20-%20swollen%20and%20small.jpg
One thing is certain on listening to Swollen and Small; Viking Moses is utterly in love with Neutral Milk Hotel. He knows the songs inside out, for sale information pills upside down, and has grown up learning to play along with Jeff Mangum’s melancholic ponderings on life, the universe and everything.

This EP is a collection of four NMH covers, all played uniquely but strangely similar to the original tracks, with the emotion and devotion of a true disciple of the band he obviously so loves.

Having played with the rock stars of the alt-folk movement over the last five years (Devendra Banhart, Will Oldham, Cat Power), Moses has finally decided to do the self indulgent thing of strumming away his favourite songs for all to hear… And I’m damn happy that he did. It’s an interesting selection of songs he has decided to cover, three from the lesser known On Avery Island, and the dance floor filler Holland 1945 (from In the Aeroplane over the Sea), all of which are done justice.

Viking Moses has the same sort of off -beat, powerful and delicate voice as his idol and pulls off the long high drawn out notes in a wonderful, same-but-different manner from the originals. His rendition of Holland 1945 is truly spectacular, edging away from the rollicking, percussion driven original and opting for a quieter and all together gentler rendition which allows for the heartbreak of the lyrics to really come through.

It’s basically a one man and his guitar affair with occasional slide guitar and harmonica, percussion coming from the pounding of palm on guitar, working particularly well on Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone; a brilliant original and a worthy cover. As goes for the rest of the record.

This debut single from hotly-tipped Cardiff students Los Campesinos! suffers from the same problem as past efforts from the very similar Leeds band The Research and Bristol-based Kid Carpet. Namely, more about the whole thing reeks of a kind of contrived wackiness. I’m all for simple pop – The Ramones, shop for instance – but there’s simple pop and then there’s children’s music, and this – so sugary and kooky, veers towards the latter. And yes, the Americans say “math” – how amusing.

The press release for this EP not only offers the terrifying prospect of a “jazz flute” but also the use of something called a “shlang dan”. Thankfully, purchase the prospect of a muso jamming session – high on fannying about, viagra sale low on actual tunes – fails to materialise. That’s not to say, however, that Born Ruffians are particularly tuneful – they’re not. They play an ultimately frustrating kind of country rock reminiscent of Neil Young at his most MOR. What’s more, Luke LaLonde’s singing voice is so whiny it makes the vocals of infinitely annoying Clap Your Hands Say Yeah front man Alec Ounsworth sound like Johnny Cash.

If you weren’t sure with the term ‘neon done well’, pill this could have been your crash course. If you mix ‘indie’ and ‘rave’ apparently this is the uniform! Brilliant, price I got given three glow bracelets from an almost-nuclear guy at the bar. That’ll do nicely.

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