Dot to Dot Festival Manchester May 30 2011

This indoor festival (not a bad thing given the weather in North West England) across a number of venues in Manchester's student quarter showcases mainly emerging indie bands, with a smattering of pop acts to make it financially viable. It lacked sufficient indie folk for my taste, and some of the early acts I saw were a little weak, but I had enormous fun, experiencing 6 hours of non stop live music, and it's a great way to experience new talent.

Nicki and the Dove 3/10
The first act I saw, from Sweden, was Nicki and the Dove. I'm afraid I didn't find them terribly engaging or original despite the tribal drumming and offbeat vocals from Malin Dahlstrom. Their first album is out in June on Sub Pop.

Foreign Office 5/10
This four piece band from Hackney, London has a clear 80's influence, with liberal use of synthesisers. A highlight was 'On the Beat' which is one of their singles, and the audience in Academy 2 seemed to enjoy the set. Paul Cousins, the front man, has a kind of geeky charisma, and if for me they lacked a spark of magic genius, they were eminently danceable. There's an informative interview here if you want to find out more.

Dom 5/10
Dom's Lo-fi  style didn't really excite me, but they were spoken of highly at SXSW this year and have received positive coverage from Pitchfork. There was acres of reverb for the falsetto vocals, and it was catchy, but just a little insubstantial for my taste. It may be unfair though to apply such high standards to a new band, when the sublime Arcade Fire act at Coachella is still fresh in my mind; this was all about discovering the unknown.

Braids 8/10
I've had good luck with Canadian music recently, following an amazing Rural Alberta Advantage gig last week. This was the most cerebral set of my Festival, with a really experimental and creative feel. They sounded different live to their album Native Speaker, almost surreal, with Raphaelle Standell-Preston voice waving a spell through long impressionistic songs. They are not gentle, quiet or polite throughout though; and whilst it's art music, it's not at all sterile or academic. I struggled to get into Animal Collective at Coachella, and whilst I wouldn't be surprised if this group admire their aesthetic, in this small indoor venue without pretentious video art, Braids made sense to me.

Wolf Gang 8/10
There was a real buzz around this band, but I saw all too little of the set as the venue was full and I had a long wait to get in. I was sufficiently impressed by what I heard to get a ticket to see them in more favourable circumstances very soon indeed: watch this space for my reaction. They previewed songs from their upcoming album 'Suego Faults' and vocalist Max McElligott from Scotland produced a feel good, optimistic vibe as the crowd went wild.

The Naked and Famous 8/10
This Australian band played the majority of their album 'Passive Me, Aggressive You'. The bass was truly shattering, standing directly underneath the speakers at the front, I can now imagine what it most be like to be in close proximity to a rocket launch. In fact, there were some issues with the balance, and for the first two or three songs the lead vocals were virtually inaudible. Once this was resolved, they really rocked the main Academy Stage and left a memorable impression: everyone danced.

Cults 9/10
This was possibly the most impressive set I saw, and I'd urge you to take a listen to their just released self titled album. Go Outside with glockenspiel is catchy and got the audience dancing. Cults is led by couple Brian Oblivon and Madeline Follin from San Diego, and is described as retro pop, but had expanded to a five piece band for this Festival. There's a 1960's psychedelic influence and one of their songs was introduced as for 'all the members of the audience who are on drugs'. They have dropped out of film school in New York to pursue their musical passions; they deserve to succeed on this evidence: it's fun, positive music without any claims to being great art. If there's a concern, having listened to their nearly released album, it's whether there's enough variety to sustain them: but they are very young and will develop.

The Joy Formidable 9/10
This Welsh trio lived up to their name with a charismatic performance, accompanied by some wild audience antics, including crowd surfing and out of control round dancing. More than any other set I saw, they really rocked, and had such energy. Along with Cults, this was the highlight of the festival for me and lead singer Ritzy Bryan really seized the attention of the audience. This is a band who really benefit from being seen live, but I'd recommend you check out their album The Big Roar, released in January this year. It's not subtle music, but they build up to amazing climaxes, with awesome crescendos and guitar riffs.

Hurts 7/10
Hurts were dramatic, operatic with impressive staging and a large backing group befitting their headline act status. At one stage, the lead singer Theo Hutchcraft threw down his mic stand: this was uncharacteristically rock and roll for a more pop / dance themed show with heavy use of synth. Their style is pretty formal, wearing suits, and a long way from a hippy aesthetic. I find this kind of music a little manipulative emotionally: superficially enjoyable but ultimately unsatisfying, but there's no doubt the audience loved it, and I had a lot of fun.

The Phoenix Foundation 6/10
I'd been impressed by this New Zealand group's album Buffalo album, but this show was a little bit of an anti climax. The audience in the Club Academy was thin on the ground, and the six piece band were enjoyable, but the set failed to really take off. There's interesting music, and I particularly loved the percussion, but perhaps this late night slot didn't serve them well.

Rural Alberta Advantage, Deaf Institute Manchester UK 23 May 2011 9/10

You may think that this trio, with no electric guitar in sight, would put on a worthy but slightly dull folk or country show; yet I had tremendous fun last night as the room danced, clapped and sung along in a memorable show. They really played their heart out and this was one of the highlights of the year so far. You really do have to see this band live (and will appreciate their albums far more afterwards): confounding expectations, they rock.

I have to declare an interest: I am very fond both of Alberta, Canada, and Amy Cole, who is the brains behind the band, providing harmony and texture on keyboard and beautiful backing vocals. She shows amazing energy in her dancing and movement on stage and is versatile, employing tambourine, xylophone and maracas, always creatively. Paul Banwatt, the drummer is totally committed, and in common with the others has infectious enthusiasm: the band is so happy, despite the introspective nature of some of their songs. They also have such a great vibe with each other, despite bringing very different qualities and sounds to the band.

Your reaction to lead singer Nils Edenloff may determine whether you can fall in love with this band: his vocals are nasal, astringent and some may say irritating, although I prefer to think of his sound as charismatic and heartfelt. It is particularly effective on songs such as Frank AB, about a rockslide in the eponymous town, and Edmonton, about a unlikely tornado there in 1987. These are emotional and all the more tragic for Nils' voice almost breaking up under the strain as he screams in the mic. Some commentators fear for its longevity, and I hope that it survives the pressure he’s putting on it. Amy’s gentle touch is a brilliant counter to this coarseness, and it was compelling to watch her become completely engaged in the music.

Nils grew up in rural Alberta, and whilst the band is now based in Toronto, they are rightly proud of their province, evident whilst singing in The Breakup and Coldest Days, both about the icy winters. Despite the melancholy tone of some songs, I came away incredibly uplifted, because of the unique mix of energy, sometimes almost tribal drumming pulsing through your body, and the authentic emotions, from the angry to the intimate and sentimental. Several songs have a theme of being separated from those you love (for example North Star and Under the Knife) with rich and deep emotions.  They were also appreciative of the audience and unfailingly good humoured: Nils teased Amy about The Rapture after she asked us to pray that they didn't get stuck in the volcanic ash cloud for the second time on their travels to the UK.

They played nearly all the material from their two albums, Departing and the début Hometowns in a 75 minute set. It’s difficult to single out highlights, but Two Lovers was particularly moving: “the hardest thing about this love is that you’re never coming back”, prompting Nils to say afterwards “let’s continue with the rock concert now”. Stamp and Muscle Relaxants are driven forward by Paul's insane drumming, and really got the crowd moving. We believed the final encore was the powerful Death in Lethbridge, but the actual ending was even more memorable. The band left the stage, stood in the centre of the crowd, and played Goodnight acoustically in the round, with no amplification, a moving moment (see photo below).

RAA are far bigger in their native Canada. I missed them at Coachella, thanks to the chaos at Will Call, but it was a privilege to see them in such an intimate venue. Needless to say I will not hesitate to relive this experience next time RAA come to the UK: please don’t leave it too long! RAA are very different to Portugal. The Man, but they did capture some of the simple delight of that unparalleled experience: live music can give the most amazing joy! There was no fancy lighting, no lavish backing band; just the power of music.

Videos

9/10

Sufjan Stevens, Manchester Apollo May 19 2011 5/10

At home, I often listen to music in the dark, with my eyes closed, so I can become immersed in the sound world to the exclusion of all else. Sufjan Stevens takes the opposite approach in his shows, bombarding the senses into overload with dancing, state of the art lighting, video art from Deborah Johnson, and ever more ludicrous florescent costumes. In a previous life, I was a dedicated opera fan, where the visual medium is also important, and yet I can remember few productions where the set design was so original or so centre stage.

This show was ambitious in scale, Sufjan having the benefit of 10 backing musicians in his band (even extending to two trombone players) and a vast array of technology. This UK tour has received ecstatic reviews in respected national newspapers, and I’ve even found one by an opera critic and Wagner specialist whom I respect greatly. It was only his second even pop concert and he ended up enjoying it greatly. Well, I’ve now been to considerably more than two gigs, and whilst spectacular, this one didn’t engage with me emotionally: the musical magic was missing. It’s almost as if Sufjan was trying too hard to make up for the music's diffidence by engaging the audience in other ways. I wished I’d seen him five years ago at acoustic gig in a small venue.

Sufjan isn’t exactly shy or retiring, and talks at length between songs: he launched into an extended explanation of the life of outsider artist Royal Robertson, which was  heartfelt but a little self-indulgent. The show centres on Sufjan: he’s not the collaborative lead singer of a band, instead the backing musicians work for him. He idiosyncratically explained that his parents thought they were star aliens, and raised him as a star child. The space and alien theme was recurrent, along with religion. In fact the ritualistic, processional presentation reminded me a little of the opera Akhnaten by the contemporary American composer Philip Glass, especially in its epic qualities.

Most of the set was devoted to his 2010 album the Age of Adz, culminating in a 25 minute rendition of Impossible Soul. This album represents a huge discontinuity in style from his previous work, moving away from an indie folk style to electronic space pop. It's difficult to describe: sometimes it feels like a pastiche of pop, sometimes a brass band appears, and other times it sounds like avant garde film music. It's a strange combination of kitsch and deeply original, but the overall effect on me, perhaps due to the rhythms, is unsettling. There's might be a distant influence of Kid A or King of Limbs here, but there's more humanity in Radiohead.

Sufjan said that this new material was a tremendous challenge to play, and I wonder if this focus on the technical in both the music and the production came at the expense of emotional engagement. Only in the final encore, Chicago, from the album Illinoise, did I experience the transportational magic of music, and the crowd had tremendous fun, with the release of balloons adding to the atmosphere.

Sufjan interspersed simple acoustic folk songs between numbers from Age of Adz, but in the middle of such an assault on the senses, they risked being swamped.Ultimately, your reaction to this show will have been conditioned by your view of his shift in style: even listening at home, in the dark, I find something disconnected and alienating in Age of Adz, whereas I'm more sympathetic to Michigan from 2003, for example. This material could hardly have been presented better visually,the venue was great, as was the choreography, directed by the sister of two members of The National. Don't let my personal reservations about the musical style discourage you from seeking out this spectacle yourself; I have immense respect for Sufjan. 

Further Photographs

  

Videos

5/10

Top Recent Album Discoveries (May 2011)

The decision which albums to include in this round-up was more difficult than usual, a reflection on the quality of indie albums over the last two months. The majority of this list are recent releases, but there are a few older ones which have only just come to my attention. Incidentally, my core listening has included Awolnation Megalithic Symphony, Arcade Fire The Suburbs and The National High Violet, all mentioned previously.

Top Picks:

• iko Ludo Says Hi
• Civil Wars Barton Hollow
• The Jezabels Dark Storm
• Lyyke Li Wounded Rhymes
• Middle East I Want that you are always Happy
• My Morning Jacket Circuital
• Other Lives tamer animals

Agnes Obel Philharmonics is a gentle, subtle and often classical in its mood, with the Danish Agnes' light, haunting voice accompanied by piano and cello. I find it beautiful and atmospheric; some would call it sparse, and most of the songs are slow, but there is an underlying warmth and humanity.
8/10

Boxer Rebellion The Cold Still has had mixed reviews, some comparing it (unfavourably of course) to Radiohead. I'm seeing them live soon and hopefully after that will have the confidence to disagree with the detractors. I hear influences of The National in their moody, atmospheric sound, and whilst they are not groundbreaking, I like the layered sounds and reflective melancholy. Organ Song is a good place to start.
7/10

Boy and Bear with Emperor Antarctica is reminiscent of Fleet Foxes, despite being Australian, and is inspiring and upbeat, with great vocal harmonies and a mixture of acoustic and electronic instrumentation. I'm looking forward to seeing how this recently formed band develops.
7/10

Brian Wright House on Fire could be categorised as 'Americana': there's are strong blues and folk influences, but it's Brian's voice and story telling which makes this album stand out. It feels honest, and authentic, and all the instruments on the album are played by Brian himself. The album's varied, but the spare, touching Maria Sugarcane is one of my favourites.
7/10

The Civil Wars Barton Hollow: Joy Williams and John Paul White really listen to each other and make a gorgeous sound together. This is immensely reassuring but also passionate music, which feels timeless and natural. This is their first LP and a real discovery: it's become part of my regular listening and I feel I'm unlikely to tire of it. There's obviously a country influence; the instrumentation is sparse; but it's more than the sum of its parts. I also recommend strongly their Live from SXSW 2011 EP available on iTunes.
9/10

Generationals Actor-Caster is lively and catchy pop with an uplifting feel. It's fun music: not profoundly moving, but summery, with 1960's influences, and I particularly like the instrumental work. The second half of the album perhaps becomes a little repetitive, but this has obvious appeal.
7/10

Gus Black The Day I Realized is his 6th album, but the first I've listened to and has real integrity. Many of the songs are quite slow and simple, but show great musicality and get under your skin. It's not at all showy, and time is needed to appreciate its imagination and understated emotion. Although there from different sides of the Atlantic, my response to this music is quite similar to David Ford's.
7.5/10

Gypsy & The Cat Gilgamesh is so upbeat: this Australian electro-pop has 80's influences and can hardly fail to make you want to dance. It's their debut album, and has a youthful feel; I love the spacious, imaginative instrumentation. It not profound, but just enjoy the moment. Hopefully they'll be in one of the tents at Coachella next year.
8/10

He's My Brother, She's My Sister EP: absolute fun, this is foot tapping music and I can only imagine they would create an awesome vibe live (please come to the UK!). It's jazz influenced but rootsy, and I'm not surprised to find that they have toured with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. They are real originals, a charismatic mix of influences, and How I'm Gonna Get Back Home will have you dancing round the room even if you're sober.

7.5/10

iko Ludo Says Hi was released in 2009 and I've been bowled over by its combination of power and beauty. These guys rock one moment, and can be subtle and reflective the next; I can't believe they're not far better known. There's no excuse not to get to know them, since the band has made an EP containing five tracks from this album available for free download. It's incredibly emotionally satisfying music, and this album is a real masterpiece.
9.5/10

James Vincent McMorrow Early in the Morning is affecting and tender, folk influenced in the style of Bon Iver with heavy use of acoustic instruments including the banjo. It's simple music, perhaps a little derivative, but this Irish musician sings with passion with his counter tenor, falsetto voice. Some of the harmonies will be familiar from the Fleet Foxes, but if there's a criticism, it's a suspicion that he's studied and is trying to emulate the commercial appeal of Mumford and Sons, so it's just a little self-conscious.
7/10

Jeremy Messersmith The Reluctant Graveyard: definitely has a 1960's pop feel (which I consider to be a compliment) and despite the theme of death is uplifting. A good place to start is 'A Girl, A Boy and a Graveyard' which is the strongest track here, perhaps because it's rooted in folk and simple storytelling. He has a gift for melody, and deserves greater exposure.
8/10

Jessica Lea Mayfield Tell Me: despite her youth, this is Jessica's second album and her voice has a country twang. The lyrics are astonishingly mature, with Blue Skies again the outstanding track. The guitar and drum accompaniment give forward momentum, but there's also a pensive, reflective feel.
7.5/10

The Jezebels Dark Storm is the third in a trio of EPs from Sydney released in 2009-2010, and it's moody and not dissimilar in its emotional impact to iko. Hayley Mary has a compelling voice, and the instrumentation is full and lush, and yet it manages to be catchy. There's an epic outdoors feel, and my hopes are that they'll record a full length album, and come on tour to Europe.
9/10

Lauryn Hill Miseducation I'm so grateful I discovered this lengthy concept album before Coachella, as I otherwise might have missed her set at Coachella, which truly broadened my musical horizons. I don't habitually  listen to R&B, but this is surely a classic album which so evidently comes from the heart, and has such a strong opening. Much has been written about it by specialists, so I'll just say that you can't neglect this.
9/10

Luke Rathborne Dog Years / I can Be One split EP doesn't sound like the work of a 22 year old with a deep understanding of broken hearts and revealing a vulnerability. There's plenty of variety over its 8 tracks, with an undeniable country influence, and a freedom of vocal expression. I hope he will evolve further (I find the vocals on the final track too raw, for example), but there's a promise here.
7/10

Lykke Li Wounded Rhymes isn't at all a trite pop album: it's dark and moody, this album reflecting a relationship break up. Her voice doesn't have anywhere near the power of Adele's (it's far lighter) but she's still able to convey vulnerability and powerful longing. It's also revealing more with each listen: I'd suggest strongly you listen to this.

9/10

Manchester Orchestra Simple Math can be subtle and sympathetic, and although some have criticised the addition of lush strings, it still sounds sincere. There are also plenty of powerful guitar riffs, as on opening of the second track, and these guys are ambitious. This young band obviously don't reach the heights of The National (whom I suspect were an influence), but generate some power and angst. The title track is the strongest one.
6/10

Matthew Mayfield Now You're Free is melodic, poetic and thoughtful. It can also have drive and power, with variety within this first album. Occasionally I wondered if there was a touch of generic pop blandness, but it will convince many.
6/10

My Morning Jacket Circuital one of the higher profile albums on this list, and is one of the most imaginative and lavishly produced. It sounds as if it was recorded in a large space, which adds to the epic feeling, and several listens later, it's still growing on me. I'd be surprised if this doesn't make several end of year lists, as there's a sense of fun coupled with substance and the confidence to use unexpected textures and sounds.
8.5/10

Middle East I Want That you are always Happy from Australia is gentle, subtle and daring. The opening is dark, even bleak, and it's not afraid to tackle religious topics or be introspective. Much of it is acoustic, and there are striking resemblances to contemporary classic composition. Deep Water is an amazing track, but the entire album holds my attention. It's a minor masterpiece, cerebral but also emotionally engaging in a way I found much classical music failed to do for me.
9.5/10

Naked and Famous Passive Me, Agressive You from New Zealand is fairly undemanding music, not great art, but I'm pleased to say I'm soon seeing them live, so may revise my views. It's derivative (think MGMT), but still enjoyable and upbeat, as evidenced by the 2nd track, Punching in a Dream. I can see it working live, as much is eminently danceable and fun.
7/10

Neon Tress Habits: my enthusiasm for this album has been fuelled by their recent Coachella performance where their set was really energetic. Their sound is catchy and loud, and has simple appeal: it makes you feel happy at that moment in time. It can lack depth (e.g. Animal, paradoxically with 1983 one of the strongest tracks) and can't be compared with MMJ Circuital in musical skill or subtlety.
7.5/10

Other Lives tamer animals only just made it into this line-up thanks to a recent and enthusiastic review in Owl Mag; perhaps it appeals to me so much because as their review mentions, there are classical influences. It's subtle and has masterly control of structure across the album, using melody to create tension. There's an almost orchestral sound at times, with a panoramic quality. I find it very inspiring, and evocative of nature; so satisfying.
9/10

Peter Bjorn and John Gimme Some is another album which I appreciate infinitely more following a great live experience. It has a fairly simple, direct appeal based on catchy tunes and driving rhythms centred on guitars, bass and drums. It's been seen as a return to form for this Swedish band, and it's so well executed.
8/10

Vandaveer Dig Down Deep is charming, lyrical and upbeat with folk and country links evident in the harmony. It makes for a cohesive album, which is often atmospheric and emotional, but generally positive in outlook.
8/10

Voxhaul Broadcast Timing is Everything is ambitious, with its sights on Arcade Fire, with quite a rock and roll feel. They have great skill in execution, but I find the music a little unsatisfying: is it all about their sound and technique? Still enjoyable, and a band worth watching.
7/10