Kayos and D Dot Man @ Stoke Sounds Launch Party, Burslem Park. August 2nd.

Review and photo by Stephen Harvey a.k.a. DJ Fresh

The hip hop genre is the largest and most diverse of all the many hundreds and thousands of different styles that can be found in the record shops, and that’s not counting the internet websites devoted solely to hip hop. This is also the genre, that without doubt signifies the most obvious differences between the U.S and U.K.

The majority of the population barely hear the intro of a tune on MTV base without reaching for the remote control to hear something they are more familiar with, and this is the problem with selling hip hop to the masses in this country. The likes of Dizzee Rascal and The Streets are still basically underground hero material rather than mainstream popstars, even when their albums are selling by the millions. The youth of this country, have for a long time now, been portrayed as yobs and gangster ‘wannabees’ and most of this misinterpretation comes from the misunderstanding of hip hop popular culture and fashion I believe. I seem to remember my own parents saying the same to me back in the eighties when I was walking around with trainers with no laces in them like Run Dmc, and hip hop had only just arrived back then.

Kayos and D Dot Man came across as two intelligent and likeable characters that were using their wit and musical knowledge to tell stories in the only way they know how ‘in musical rhyme’ and ‘bassline’ or ‘grime’ which is the music of choice for many young aspiring artist from this generation. I will be totally honest and admit that it is not the style of hip hop I am used to hearing or performing for that matter, but whatever we think it is making big moves in the clubs and slowly being watered down for our consumption in the mainstream pop charts.

The performance of these young lads, who were after all only 16 years old, was not to everyone’s taste in the crowd, but then again it was never going to be. The younger members of the audience seemed to enjoy what they were all about though, and they had brought a sizeable crowd with them, which was well on par with all the other bands that played on the same bill and at least one of them has had a top ten hit in the national Indie charts.

The first track was a chirpy little two-step number called “its over” which was about a teenage break up scenario. I know it’s not the most original idea, but I doubt it will be the last one on the subject either. My personal favourite however was the more bassline inspired dance number “skank” which was enough to get the members of Love Music Hate Racism group to temporarily put down their banners and start dancing on the concrete in front of the main stage, which in my eyes said a lot for the musical quality of the lads. It’s not everyone that can temporarily take the L.M.H.R away from their political matters in Stoke, and have them bouncing around the park like they were teenagers again.

All in all I would say the lads did their generation some good on the day, and I look forward to seeing them again sometime in the near future.

CD Review: Everything on Red - 'Everything on Red'

Review
by
Steve Dean

Noted for their slick arrangements and meticulous timing, Everything on Red have produced a 4-track EP that states most satisfyingly where the band are at right now in terms of musical identity and direction.

Opening track ‘Neveroddoreven’ demonstrates their considerable ability most adequately. In some ways, they put me in mind of keyboards-heavy late 60s/early70s bands like The Nice and to a lesser extent Atomic Rooster, although within Everything on Red, musical duties are pretty much divided equally among its four members. A well-disciplined outfit, they are almost watertight however complex the arrangement they put together.

The quirkily-titled ‘Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder’ deviates from their regular path in that it has a more definite riff than their usual rapidly morphing compositions. Some thoughtfully penned lyrics to boot. Nicely layered harmonies make this an exceptional song.

‘Take the Plunge’, leaning almost towards the classical in places, sounds like Bach himself has made a few suggestions. Some nice leadwork from Alex James as well. He and the other members; skilful drummer James Rathmal, Sam Brown on bass and Tom Brown on keys play to a very high standard throughout and this EP gives a very definite taste of what heights this very able band is capable of reaching.

The last track, ‘This is How it Will End’, with its neat opening guitar line and heartfelt vocals begins in a slightly more mellow vein before heading into the more complex territory where one senses this band feels most at home.

Not an immediately commercial EP, but I’m not sure if that is the band’s intention anyway. Fine songwriting and arrangement skills along with inspired musicianship make this an impressive first release.

‘Everything on Red’ is available at gigs and from Roadkill Records in Manchester and Music Mania in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

Hear 'Neveroddoreven' and 'Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder' on http://www.myspace.com/everythingonred

Feedback from Stoke Sounds launch party

Please send any reports & photos to news@stokesounds.co.uk - our regular photographers and writers were too busy manning the event :)


• Review on Radical Press
• Review on Upstart
• Review in The Sentinel and news story

"Well done! it looked to me to be a resounding success the festival in the park and the weather was kind as well."

Sir John Mandeville/Operation Error/Sons of Albion @ The Sugarmill, Hanley. July 31st.

Review by Steve Dean

Photo by Simon Bamford

Sir John Mandeville, a three-piece power trio, are an unusual rock outfit in that they appear to have what is in effect a lead drummer as well as a lead guitarist. Sticksman and sometimes vocalist John Harrison is a formidable driving force in this band and I must admit it is a very long time since I saw a group include a drum solo at a gig - one of such a length anyway. Practically an essential part of most rock bands’ acts in the late 60s/early 70s, the long drum solo seemed to fall out of favour with the development of progressive rock - a genre which tended to incorporate the fancy beats and rhythms into the music rather than allow the drummer an escape from his general 4/4 beat discipline for a while in the form of extended soloing. Harrison, along with Peet Walsh on Guitar and vocals and Alex Morley on bass, have rooted their sound and appearance solidly into the 70s and recapture the era well. Their music includes some jazzy influences in places and their overall sound is one of a band who enjoys a good jam. The busy percussion also reminded me of The Who’s erratic, but effective style here and there and it is a pity there weren’t more people in the place to see them. Different; in this day and age at least.

I was expecting crowd numbers to increase significantly before Operation Error came on, but still the Sugarmill remained starkly empty save for a few bodies here and there. Having reviewed Operation Error only very recently, it is enough to say that they put on their usual fine show and I was glad to catch them again so soon.

With barely fifteen people in attendance, I thought it a little ironic that the son of a vocalist who could fill the gigantic Earl’s Court many times over should be fronting a band that could attract so little attention - well, on this night in Stoke-on-Trent anyway. Logan Plant, son of Robert, is one quarter of a band of considerable ability and power and appears very at home within it. As far as I can ascertain, they are unsigned as yet, although I’ve heard that they have been broadcast on American radio, and it is clear that the vocalist is determined that he and his colleagues make it off their own back. Playing to empty halls is a dispiriting event for any band, but the Sons of Albion took it in their stride and played a belter of a set. The rest of the group, guitarist Nuno Miguel, bassist Richard Fugoni and drummer Francisco De Sousa are top notch instrumentalists and play with immense fire and power. De Sousa’s fantastically solid drumming had me riveted throughout and the band is as tight as two coats of paint, as Ronnie Wood once said of Rod Stewart’s thriftiness, but a favourite analogy of mine nonetheless. The Sons of Albion are very heavy without being heavy metal and the influences of all the best rock bands of the late 60s onwards are there in the mix, along with some neat ideas regarding arrangement and composition that give them a sound pretty much all of their own. By the same token, Logan’s vocals have the expected influences, especially in the powerful ‘Seven Seals’, but generally he has a rawness and grit that is distinctly all his. They should go far.