Oberhofer – Time Capsules II

Release Date : 26/03/2012 (Glassnote)
Permalink : http://mostlyferocious.com/2012/04/25/oberhofer-time-capsules-ii

Oberhofer - Time Capsules III saw Oberhofer play live at Rough Trade East last week. It was a small showcase set of about half an hour and they impressed the hell out of me. Oberhofer is essentially NYU ‘Music Theory and Composition’ graduate Brad Oberhofer (his actual name) and, off the back of a couple of Eps, they’ve already caused a bit of a fuss. This, their first UK (free) live show heralds the beginning of a short UK tour.

Oberhofer’s live act is fast and furious and the songs are incredibly infectious. Brad Oberhofer is a born frontman and his onstage antics are as energetic as the band’s music. There was leaping off drum kits, playing from the rafters and enough twitchy guitar-rock-spasm to put even the most seasoned punk band to shame. Their musicianship was phenomenal. I watched a small group of spectators become a fairly sizeable crowd as the set went on, culminating into a full scale gig by the end of it.

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Dum Dum Girls – Live

O2 Academy Islington – 11/04/2012
Permalink : http://mostlyferocious.com/2012/04/21/dum-dum-girls-live/

Dum Dum Girls O2 Academy IslingtonThe queens of Subpop, Dum Dum Girls, off the back of the success of their second album, ‘Only In Dreams’ play tonight at London’s O2 Academy in Islington. Arriving on stage in matching white sixties dresses they look as divine as always. Gone are the dirty leather biker jackets in lieu of something purer (thankfully, trademark fishnets and blood-red lipstick are still in check).

Kicking off with ‘He Gets Me High’, their guitars are louder than hell from the start. Dee Dee’s swagger and frantic head nods signify how ‘up for it’ they are for this. Bassist Bambi has been swapped out for newbie Malia James, and she looks like she’s always been part of the band.

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Weird Dreams – Choreography

Release Date : 02/04/2012 (Tough Love)
Permalink : http://mostlyferocious.com/2012/04/19/weird-dreams-choreography/

Weird Dreams ChoreographyEast London four piece ‘Weird Dreams’ seem to be the talk of the town these days, and for very good reason. New album ‘Choreography’ is a heady mixture of hazy guitar riffs and shimmering pop tunes. It’s enough to make you think summer has arrived already.

In terms of sound, Weird Dreams are probably most akin to the likes of Real Estate and Wild Nothing (who they’ve opened for previously). It’s all about the texture and depth of the sound – it’s gentle stuff, but very detailed. Throughout the record, deep bass lines form a solid base for light noodlings from lead guitar, and vocals arrangements are experimented with almost constantly.

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Low – Live

Royal Festival Hall, London – 03/04/2012
Permalink : http://mostlyferocious.com/2012/04/17/low-royal-festival-hall-london

Low CountdownI consider myself a relative newcomer to Low, having seen them only once before. I saw them at Primavera Sound in Barcelona two years ago performing one of their albums, ‘The Great Destroyer’ in its entirety. For someone who had never heard their music before it was something of a revelation. Low have long been termed with the genre ‘slow-core’ on account of the speed on their tracks, their minimal arrangements, and downbeat lyrics – which, given the tension this creates, makes for an almost religious experience.

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Strange Hands – Dead Flowers

Release Date : 11/05/2012 (Shit Music For Shit People / Azbin Records)
Permalink : http://mostlyferocious.com/2012/04/15/strange-hands-dead-flowers

Strange Hands Dead FlowersSince launching Mostly Ferocious I’ve been approached by a number of indie labels to review upcoming releases. None more of a surprise than the intriguingly named Italian/Portuguese label, ‘Shit Music For Shit People’ (no, really). SMFSP, as they’re known, are probably most revered for amazingly detailed cover art, and in terms of genre, they specialise in avant garde, ‘no-music’ and, you’ve guessed it, ‘Shitcore’. On Googling, the latter revealed something less than melodic; and what I can only assume is more ‘art’ than music. Nevertheless it’s always refreshing to hear of new movements, regardless of taste.

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UV PØP – No Songs Tomorrow

Release Date : 02/04/2012 (Sacred Bones Records)
Permalink : http://mostlyferocious.com/2012/04/10/uv-pop-no-songs-tomorrow

UV PØP - No Songs TomorrowSacred Bones Records (home of ‘The Men’) have reissued early eighties punk/electro curiosity UV PØP’s ‘No Songs Tomorrow’. UV PØP (UV standing for ‘Ultra Violent’) hail from South Yorkshire at a time when Thatcher ruled, coal mines were closing, unemployment was at record levels, and there was very little to be cheery about. This record is as much a testament to the social climate of the time, as it is to the huge number of musical directions happening during that era. Punk and No Wave was dying away to more electro-led movements and there were a number of bands caught in the crossfire. On its initial release, ‘No Songs Tomorrow’ was pressed in very small numbers and after developing a word-of-mouth cult following, became a much sought after rarity. Over the years, the groundswell of bands citing this record as influential has led to its reissue, and, hearing it almost 30 years later, you can really see why.

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