everything everything – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Everything Everything – ICA, London Live Review

An inconsequential thing that draws me to the band, cialis 40mg Everything Everything, treatment is how any reference to their name gets misconstrued as a sarcastic quip, repeated. When asked, “what band did you see last night?” You answer “Everything Everything.” The listener hears, in your best David Mitchell tone, “oh all the bands”, twice. However much you may think I’m mocking you, last night, I really did see Everything Everything. An invented method that ensures clarification in this reoccurring and embarrassing situation is so simple yet so affective. When asked, “what band did you see last night?” I answer, “Everything Everything, the band.”

I had high hopes for “the band” after having their catchy single, Photoshop Handsome, shoved into my ear holes with quite positive results. It’s a superbly crafted track swarming with tasty pop idiosyncrasies. The falsetto vocals, retro harmonies, warring time signatures, and perversely pleasing discords. This is the pedestal where I had their take on when The Futureheads met They Might Be Giants placed and I really was hoping the rest of their repertoire measured up against the pomp that is Photoshop Handsome.

The four strapping lads from up north, open their set at the ICA in all their harmonic splendour with slow number, Tin (the manhole). We are a mile away from Handsome already, but in the up lighting, these dapper gents are already a hit. It seems their extended body of work retains the aforementioned exquisite elements, but in addition to this they also have a boy band approach to making albums, where slow jams nestle in between floor stompers. With the approach of another ballad, NASA Is On Your Side, I suddenly am reminded of the ’95 Take That Wembley Arena concert that only my ten-year old imagination took me to. In other words, I’m in a good place.

The lead singer possesses an adept vocal quality that allows him to race through syllables at an inhumanly rate and reach high notes that lesser men would not attempt, through fear of emasculation. For me, the charm of this band lies majorly in their vocal efforts. The melody itself serves as a carrot dangling over your urge to sing along. You bloody want to because it is so darn catchy, but here is where they have tricked you, into thinking it follows a conventional melodic pattern. Try and sing along and you will wail. Cue mass wailing when the band fire out their text speak titled MY KZ UR BF, officially the second best track just closely behind Handsome.

With all, bar one, tracks from their myspace covered, it’s time for the band to exit stage left and re-enter without even a split second for the audience to start the mating call for their return. We won’t hold that adherence to convention against them though as the one song they haven’t given us yet is sincerely one of the best songs I’ve heard this year. If you haven’t been paying attention, that’s Photoshop Handsome. With a few more belters like that, in no time at all, when asked what band you saw last night, your answer will provide no confusion. You will say “Everything Everything.” And they will completely understand.

Written by Katie Weatherall on Thursday November 5th, 2009 6:46 pm

Categories ,everything everything, ,field music, ,gig, ,ica, ,review, ,the futureheads, ,they might be giants

Amelia’s Magazine | Music Listings: 2nd – 8th November

Diamond Tears

From the 13th November the Tatty Devine Brick Lane gallery space will host an exhibition of work by artist Verena Paloma Jabs. ‘Diamond Tears‘ will showcase Jabs‘ mixed media collages and animations inspired by dark, remedy fantastical imagery from fairy tales and the illusory, murky depths of dreamtime. Her English and Russian heritage and resisdence in Germany have informed her work – expect to see laser cut acrylic frames and a limited edition heart shaped necklace, all featuring black silohuettes of woodland scenes and animals against beautiful landscapes.

November 13th Tatty Devine, Brick Lane

Make It Print It Pack It Ship It

Another pop-up gallery presented by MA and MFA Fine Art students from Slade School Of Fine Art will take place in Tottenham Court Road from this Monday for one week. The exhibition will be made up of sculpture, installation and painting from the eighteen artists. Exploring surrounding cultural, social and physical environment through the vehicle of the pop-up store, it will adopt the methods of production and dissemination of commercialism. 605 x 505, a box set of limited edition prints to accompany the exhibition, will also be available throughout the week.

November 2nd – 6th, 145 Tottenham Court Road, London

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009

Taking place at the National Portrait Gallery, this year’s competition is back again to offer up the cream of today’s contemporary photography practitioners. A mix of fresh new talent will be presented alongside more experienced veterans of photography. A remarkable 2,400 entrants have applied this year, resulting in over 6,300 images to be whittled down to sixty pieces for the final exhibition, including the four overall winners and the winner of the Godfrey Argent Award for an outstanding portrait by an entrant between the ages of 18 and 25 years old.

November 5th 2009 – February 14th 2010, National Portrait Gallery

Panik – Changing Faces

Panik, the alias of Jack Murray is said to be one of the most prolific young graffitti writers of today. More accustomed to using the streets of London as his canvas, he is now bringing his work to the confines of four walls for the first time, in the form of this exhibition at The Underground. Panik comments that, “Creating work in the studio helps me move in the right direction, relax, delve into my thoughts and break down my style, which gives me confidence to experiment more on the streets. At the same time painting on the streets releases a lot of my inner tensions and gets my adrenalin pumping fuelling a lot of what’s behind my paintings”. Get yourself down to Argyle Walk this Thursday for the Private View.

November 6th – 28th, 26 Argyle Square London

One Taste Festival 2009

The fourth festival in their run so far, One Taste are back again with what has been described as ‘a 3 floor art explosion’ at the venue of The Bedford. There will be a generous serving of all things creative including music, poetry, film, art, philosophy, workshops, parades, theatre, DJs, dancing, food and much more. The event will start in the day and last though to the night. Some of the acts that will be there include Antic Bantic who will be providing games, music and art, a Lucid Dreaming workshop: Learn the art of Lucid Dreaming by Charley Morely, face painting by Bella Faces and Live Story Writing – collective story writing with OneTaste favourite poets.

November 8th, The Bedford 77 Bedford Hill, London

Let’s Get Ready To Jumble!

This Saturday The Monarch on Chalk Fram Road will welcome the friendliest of monthly afternoon jumble sales. Providing ‘treasures and pleasures galore’. Mens and women’s vintage, records, books, bric-a-brac, tombola and craft are promised and there are firework displays on at Primrose Hill and Alexandra Palace that night so we are asked to find something sparkly to go with your sparkler!

7th November, The Monarch, 40-42 Chalk Farm Road, London

Diamond Tears

From the 13th November the Tatty Devine Brick Lane gallery space will host an exhibition of work by artist Verena Paloma Jabs. ‘Diamond Tears‘ will showcase Jabs‘ mixed media collages and animations inspired by dark, sick fantastical imagery from fairy tales and the illusory, look murky depths of dreamtime. Her English and Russian heritage and resisdence in Germany have informed her work – expect to see laser cut acrylic frames and a limited edition heart shaped necklace, all featuring black silohuettes of woodland scenes and animals against beautiful landscapes.

November 13th Tatty Devine, Brick Lane

Make It Print It Pack It Ship It

November 2nd – 6th, 145 Tottenham Court Road, London

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009

November 5th 2009 – February 14th 2010, National Portrait Gallery

Panik – Changing Faces

November 6th – 28th, 26 Argyle Square London

One Taste Festival 2009

November 8th, The Bedford 77 Bedford Hill, London

Let’s Get Ready To Jumble!

7th November, The Monarch, 40-42 Chalk Farm Road, London

Monday 2nd November, sickness Daniel Johnston and Laura Marling, web Union Chapel

Troubled singer-songwriter troubadour Johnston returns to the circuit playing his brand of brutally honest lo-fi songs ahead of next year’s new album release. Joining him in this tour is equally avoiding of eye contact and (almost) equally as beguiling, viagra Marling who will probably also have new material to share.

Tuesday 3rd November, Camera Obscura, Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Glaswegian group, Camera Obscura, play their saccharine, melancholic indie pop evocative of Belle & Sebastian including latest album, ‘My Maudlin Career.’

Wednesday 4th November, Everything Everything, ICA

These four Mancunian chaps have provided one of Amelia’s Magazine’s favourite songs of 2009 in Photoshop Handsome, we’re hoping the rest of their set can deliver as perfectly crafted indie pop and doesn’t veer to far down The Futureheads vein.

Thursday 5th November, Dead Kids, Gaggle and Invasion, Corsica Studios

This club night by South East London collective, Off Modern, consistently puts out great music and for their fifth birthday celebration they are putting on a right royal shebang of a party. The celebratory music is provided by party starters Dead Kids, all-girl choir sensation Gaggle (pictured) and cosmic psych-metallers Invasion.

Friday 6th November, Peggy Sue, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Mechanical Bride and Lulu & The Lampshades, ICA

For the sake of adhering to the mantra including the words, ‘variety’ ‘spice’ and ‘life’, we wouldn’t usually promote revisiting venues in the same week, but Peggy Sue, formerly possessed of Pirates, gives us an excuse to do just that. There are a host a great support acts including our former Music Editor, Lulu & The Lampshades.

Saturday 7th November, James Yorkston And The Big Eyes Family Players, Alasdair Roberts, Marry Gilhooley and Mary Hampton & David Jaycock, The Tabernacle

For an anti-X Factor, anti-Saturday night out sample this almighty cast of folk polymath players play The Tabernacle with Yorkston heading the bill. Enigmatic Roberts and ethereal Hampton are particular gems in this stellar line-up.

Sunday 8th November, Espers, Rough Trade East

This Philadelphian neo-folk sextet are known for their evocative blend of traditional and 60s folk and, yes you guessed it, have a new album to plug, ‘III’ follows a self-consciously song-based path. And what’s more this is free.

Written by Katie Weatherall on Monday November 2nd, 2009 5:22 pm

Categories ,alasdair roberts, ,Camera Obscura, ,Daniel Johnston, ,Dead Kids, ,espers, ,everything everything, ,gaggle, ,gig, ,invasion, ,James Yorkston, ,Laura Marling, ,listings, ,london, ,Lulu and the Lampshades, ,mary hampton, ,mechanical bride, ,Peggy Sue, ,sons of noel and adrian, ,the futureheads

Amelia’s Magazine | Festival Preview: The Great Escape

The Great Escape Festival is like a British version of SXSW. It’s the one festival where you’re guaranteed to stumble across the next big thing, see catch some already big bands in relatively small venues and generally have a good time.

I went to the first ever Great Escape when I was 18 and immediately fell in love with the block party idea of venue hopping with one wristband. The festival has grown since those days, and now you’ll need a plan of attack if you want to make the most of TGE. It’s less easy to venue hop these days, simply because it’s become that much more popular, but with a little planning and pre-thought you can still see the acts you want to.

The great thing about festivals of this nature is that there’s no main stage – you don’t have to sit through a set if you don’t like the band that’s on. You can head to the next venue and see what else is happening. TGE is at its best when you take a chance on a band you’ve not heard before. The first time I saw Friendly Fires was at the 2008 Great Escape.

The line-up this year is probably the best so far. Groove Armada, Chase and Status, Broken Social Scene, Delphic, Wild Beasts, Angus & Julia Stone and These New Puritans are at the top of the bill. There’s also plenty of up-and-coming acts that will be playing too, including Is Tropical, Everything Everything, Frankie & the Heartstrings, Chew Lips and White Rabbits.

Whichever venue you choose to check out, there’s someone pretty exciting playing each day. That leads to plenty of clashes that are sure to divide the festival-going masses.

TGE is an industry event too; a delegate’s pass lets you push to the front of the queue for venues, and you get access to the interesting seminars that run throughout the day. There’s a long list of speakers, ranging from people who work at record labels to music journalists, PRs and other media insiders. At £150 a delegate’s pass is still cheaper than the majority of British festivals, but a massive hike up on the £55 standard venue-only pass.

This year there is a bigger range of TGE tickets available than ever before: you can buy individual day tickets; a ticket for Friday and Saturday; a priority pass which lets you skip the queues or a single gig entry ticket.

I’ll be heading down next week for the launch party on Wednesday and running around Brighton for the full three days making sure I can report back to the Amelia’s site with a strong list of bands who wowed at this year’s TGE, and some tips for the bands to watch over the next few months.

Written by Laura Nineham on Tuesday May 11th, 2010 5:36 pm

Categories ,Angus & Julia Stone, ,broken social scene, ,Chase and Status, ,Chew Lips, ,delphic, ,everything everything, ,festival, ,Frankie & the Heartstrings, ,Groove Armada, ,Is Tropical, ,sxsw, ,The Great Escape Festival, ,These New Puritans, ,White Rabbits, ,Wild Beasts

Amelia’s Magazine | The Barclaycard Mercury Prize – 2011 Nominees

Elbow by Natasha Thompson

Next month 12 acts will nervously wait to see if they will be announced as the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize winner for 2011. The Mercury’s are well known for championing the best of British music and this year’s shortlist is no different. Many of the acts (like Adele) are not surprising but there are those lesser-known acts (Gwilym Simcock, here anyone?) and what’s exciting about the Mercury Prize is that the judges do have a tendency towards picking the act that no one suspected. Read on to hear about each of the nominated acts.

Adele by Natasha Thompson

Adele 21
Very much the favourite and it’s not at all surprising when you consider what a year it has been for Adele. Her second album 21 has smashed chart records and she has become a sensation across the pond too.

PJ Harvey by Claire Kearns

PJ Harvey by Natasha Thompson

PJ Harvey Let England Shake
PJ Harvey has already won one of these Mercury Prizes before 2001 for the album Stories from the City, site Stories from the Sea, visit this making her the first woman to win the award. Despite her incredible discography critics are lauding Let England Shake as Polly Harvey’s masterpiece.

Elbow by Natalie Hughes

Elbow Build a Rocket Boys!
By no means a new act but Elbow have come to the fore once again this year with their new album Build A Rocket Boys! and after storming their set at this year’s Glastonbury. If they won it would be the second time for Guy Garvey et al who were victorious in 2008 with their album The Seldom Seen Kid.

Tinie Tempah by Tom Casson

?Tinie Tempah Disc-Overy
One of the newer acts in the this year’s Mercury shortlist and joint fourth favourite to win, unsurprising as the star’s Pass Out as been a constant soundtrack to the past 12 months, no bad thing as it contains one of my favourite ever lyrics ‘I got so many clothes/ I keep some at my Aunt’s house.’ Genuis. He’s already won himself a Brit award, so he could well be on to track to bag the Mercury prize.

?Anna Calvi Anna Calvi
Anna Calvi has perhaps managed to ride into the music scene on the slipstream of big female acts like Florence and Adele but unlike some of her contemporaries, Calvi has bought something new to the table. Her big sound and ferocious guitar playing makes her a real contender for the Mercury prize.

Katy B by Cheryl Windahl

Katy B On a Mission
Like Adele, Katy B attended the famous Brit School, who are clearly doing something right. Katy B hasn’t quite taken off like her schoolmate but her mix of dubstep and R&B sound means she is standing out from the crowd

Metronomy The English Riviera
Metronomy have been around a while and although winning themselves a large fanbase they haven’t yet become mainstream – making them a perfect candidate for the slightly offbeat Mercurys.

Everything Everything by Emma Carlisle

Everything Everything Man Alive
Everything Everything are relative newcomers but have certainly made an impression and can often be found brightening up the radio waves with their single Photoshop Handsome. Their sound is good, old fashioned indie-pop, which could mean Everything Everything lose out at the Mercury’s.

James Blake by Cheryl Windahl

?James Blake James Blake
James Blake has made waves this year with his minimal electronia and moving album James Blake. It includes the blusey Limit To Your Love, which has got everyone excited about sustained pauses or the gaps between the notes as well as his futuristic sound.

?Gwilym Simcock Good Days at Schloss Elmau
The Mercury shortlist always contains a jazz musician and there are always rumours that the judges will shun the favourites and pick one of more obscure acts on the list. The talented Gwilym might want to hope that he isn’t picked as the Mercury curse could see his career stopped short, a la Speech DeBelle in 2009!

Ghostpoet by Chris Ross

Ghostpoet Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam
One of those hotly tipped artists for 2011 Ghostpoet is nominated for his album Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam. Full of laid back and melancholy electronica-laced tracks Ghostpoet hasn’t exactly exploded yet but you might recognize the single Survive It.

Written by Emma Barlow on Tuesday August 2nd, 2011 9:53 am

Categories ,Adele, ,Anna Calvi, ,Awards, ,Barclaycard, ,Elbow, ,everything everything, ,Ghostpoet, ,Gwilym Simcock, ,James Blake, ,Katy B, ,King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, ,Mercury Music Awards, ,metronomy, ,PJ Harvey, ,Tinie Tempah