Biffy Clyro - Umbrella (ellaellaella)

Dinosaur Jr - Beyond

I was given a great musical education by my older brothers when I was growing up. Football on the lawn with the latest AC/DC album blaring. The first album I bought was Van Halen II aged 12. I had an Angus Young back patch. When they left for university I learned that growing up in a small rural town in Ireland, I would often struggle getting the music I wanted. I remember making the 6 hours return trip to Dublin to buy the latest Dinosaur Jr. album (on vinyl of course) in a dodgy music store in a laneway in Temple Bar. It’s fair to say I have a history with Dinosaur Jr. And that’s where I thought they’d stay.

In 2005 the original lineup got together to support the remastered reissue of their first three albums. We didn’t hold out much hope, as the previous band split had resulted in a “Morrissey / Marr” like rift. Despite this, and defying all logic, the reunion worked — working so well that the band decided to record a full-length album, Beyond, releasing it in May 2007.

Beyond is a brilliant album, not a reunion album. It’s great because it’s as bold, vital, and monstrous as their best early work. 2 seconds into opener “Almost Ready“, it’s clear that Dinosaur Jr. have not only recaptured the essence of their music, and their thundering roar sounds as vivid and thrilling as it was the first time around. But this time they are assured of their talent and steer beyond sounding as good as they used to, but sound as good as they could have been had they stayed together. If anything, Beyond makes their entire twenty-year output sound contemporary again.

In an era of ATM tours, when every band I’ve ever adored (don’t do it Soundgarden) has reunited with varying degrees of success—Smashing Pumpkins being the most recent heartbreaker—it’s refreshing to know the bus journey would have been worth Dinosaur’s most filler-free record.

THINK: It’s Dinosaur Jr. Nuff Said.
READ: Their homepage, myspace or J Masics’s page
WATCH: Mountain Man (from upcoming DVD)
BUY: Beyond at insound

Duke Special - Songs from the Deep Forest.

So as you may be aware, I returned to Ireland and the UK recently in a bid to introduce my girlfriend to the sprawling gene pool that is my family. (Before you go thinking that I dislike my family in anyway – 73 first cousins on my Da’s side. Nuff said.) While I was there Ciaran, my eldest brother (of 4 boys – My Da was the sensible one) gave me the new Duke Special album ‘Songs from the Deep Forest’. What with me being in Australia and all, I hadn’t heard of him. Despite what, I’ve since learned, has been a huge media response and much critical acclaim. So, I give you Duke Special.

Duke Special (real name Peter Wilson- no anagrams this time) is a pop-rock musician based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Much in the same vein as Badly Drawn Boy, Duke Special is a piano-based singer-songwriter with a distinctly-accented voice. It’s quite refreshing to hear an artist retain their accent.

‘Songs from the Deep Forest’ is an album that has touches of vaudeville and cabaret. Orchestration, brass and reed atmospherics are layered subtly to emphasise the mood of each piece. The mood of the album, while changing from track to track, has an upbeat optimistic quality.

‘Brixton Leaves’ is a perfect example of the assured arrangement through out the album. Reed and string sections punctuate the time changes perfectly with brass sparingly used to ‘last call’ effect. Although it isn’t the strongest track, it serves well to illustrate the qualities of this album. ‘Last night I almost died’ is an upbeat pop-rock song that hooks you immediately and carries you along with a sense that you’re listening to a movie soundtrack, except you’re the star. You’re the star, sweetheart!

THINK: A consistant gimick-free Badly Drawn Boy
READ: Duke Specials homepage or interviews
WATCH: ‘Lastnight..’ or ‘Tainted Love’ feat. Neil Hannon
LISTEN: Get a free EP here
BUY: Songs from the Deep Forest at amazon

18_Borrowed_Beats_August_07_Edition

There is so much music available today, with mp3 sites (not unlike this one) all over the net. There are thousands of podcasts on any topic you’d care to think of all filled to the brim with music that’s new and exciting.

With the rabid thirst for new music that radio stations promote (Hear it first on….you’re number one for new music….where the new tunes live..), no one ever looks back. But we always do things a little differently here at triplejaysus.

This month we take an hour to look back at some brilliant music from an era long since passed. I hope you can take an hour to enjoy these stunning sounds of the sixties. It’s not going to kill you…who knows? maybe you’ll surprise yourself and actually like what you hear!

G

Mice Parade - Mice Parade.

Mice Parade, huh? Do you just dig out stuff you know we won’t know? Get your kicks like that, do ya Buddy?  And next you’re gonna tell us that they’ve been around for ten years so that not only do I feel uncool now, but I’ve been uncool for a decade! Extra salt for that wound?

Well, let’s start a club then comrades! Because until recently I hadn’t heard of Mice Parade either. And I’d love to think that I haven’t been missing out – But I, and I hope some of you too, have been missing out.

This, their self titled seventh album, not only doesn’t sound like previous Mice Parade albums, but it doesn’t sound like anyone else either. (The very reason I went out and tracked down four of the other six). Adam Pierce (anagram, anyone?) is a percussionist. Not suprising then that Mice Parade’s compositions start with drums. The twin drum kits not only provide a beat to hang a melody on, they also become part of the melody – to such an extent that it would be easy to believe it was very sophisticated electronic drum programming.

The album opener “Sneaky Red” layers from the precise patter of drums and acoustic guitar My Bloody Valentine inspired shoegaze-noise with delicate keys keeping the melody in mind. Such accomplished composition helps prop up lyrics like “Girl, I miss you now much more/ Than I ever did before. On “Double Dolphins on the Nickel” (which apparently is a reference to another band I haven’t heard of) features vocals by Kristin Anna Valtysdottir of Belle and Sebastian fame. Her kitten like saccharin tinged voice moves from Icelandic to English. Isn’t everyone Icelandic these days?.

So join me as we explore this great band together, and when someone else asks who we’re listening to, we can say Mice Parade. You haven’t heard of them? Where have you been man?

THINK: A soft focus Sonic Youth

READ: NO web pages! How underground!

WATCH: ‘Tales of Las Negras’ live or on KCRW

BUY: Mice Parade from Fat Cat Records