Friday,February15,2013 1S NEW MUSIC ... · Django. JIMSAYS:Hardatwork honingtheirsoundover the past...

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VsVs WHO: Ross Hinton (vocals/keys), Stephen Morrow (guitar/keys/ vocals), Ricky McBride (guitar/keys), Chris Jar- vie (bass/vocals), Jamie Finn (drums). WHERE: Glasgow. FOR FANS OF: Foals, The Maccabees, Django Django. JIM SAYS: Hard at work honing their sound over the past months, VsVs (pronounced Versus Ver- sus) have emerged from the studio with their stun- ning debut single November Snow. Much like their former band Kobai, it’s an elec- tro-tinged rock affair, but perhaps more refined and less frantic. In essence, they’ve taken all the positive ele- ments from their former band to create some- thing a bit more sophisti- cated. Dare I say it, ‘cooler’? Originally a six-piece, featuring all the Kobai personnel, they con- sider VsVs to be a brand new band rather than a rebranding. The original line-up of VsVs made their live debut at Stereo in Glas- gow in December 2010, before regrouping and retreating to the rehearsal studio. Stephen said: “We’ve all known each other for many years and had some minor success with Kobai, releasing an album in Japan back in 2008. As VsVs we’ve only been together as a five-piece since 2011. “We’ve spent the past year forging our sound in the studio and play- ing a handful of well- received gigs and sup- port slots.” They sit perfectly alongside contemporar- ies like Chvrches, Disco- polis and Fridge Mag- nets. It’s definitely veer- ing on the indie-rock side of electronica with delightful results. Stephen said “We are huge music fans and lis- ten to a bit of every- thing. Underground indie, minimal techno, Motown, Italo disco, grunge . . . ” November Snow’s B-side Love (Unloved) hints at a more electro side, a keyboard-driven anthem that would get any dancefloor bounc- ing. November Snow is available to download from Monday, with a launch gig tonight at Pivo Pivo in Glasgow. They also play Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh on Friday, February 22. More: vsvs.co.uk Q Jim will be playing VsVs on In:Demand Uncut this Sunday from 7pm on Clyde 1, Forth One, Northsound 1, Radio Borders, Tay FM, West FM & West Sound FM. indemand- scotland.co.uk ONES 2 WATCH NEW NEW MUSIC MUSIC ROCK chicks Deap Vally describe themselves sim- ply as BAD ASS. The Los Angeles girls — drum- mer Julie Edwards and singer Lindsey Troy, right — aren’t inter- ested in sugar-coating anything. Their rawness has seen them become one of the most hyped bands of 2013. But incredibly the rockers met doing NEEDLEWORK. Julie said: “It was a crotchet class I was teaching. At first Lindsey was a really high-mainte- nance customer but somehow we totally bonded. “She was doing her singer/ songwriter thing, I was in my band and we’d both stalled. “We were frustrated over that feeling of not knowing what to do next. And here we are now.” Where we are is: the girls have earned a ton of attention for their back-to-basics approach. It is pedal-to-the-metal rock ’n roll. Julie explained: “A lot of our fans have been saying they’ve been waiting for heavy rock and we’re happy to be filling a spot that was left open. “We wanted to make heavy music as it’s definitely missing. “There isn’t much jam-gener- ated rock anymore, where it’s people in a room writing a song and playing live. I don’t hear it on the radio now much, usually only on oldies radio with Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath.” Being bad ass is something they’re proud of too. Julie said: “Musically we’re like that. We’re not making it on a computer, there’s no auto- tune. We didn’t ever write our songs with the intention we’d license them for commercials — it’s rock ’n roll with a punk aesthetic. “It’s bad ass to be a girl in a band as the music world is full of guys.” Raw They’ve just been finish- ing off their debut album which comes out in May. And to show it off, they’re coming over for a UK tour which hits King Tut’s in Glas- gow on March 4. It’s a city they can’t wait to get back to. Julie said: “We had so much fun — we love, love Glasgow. “We even filmed a lot of the video for our single End of World there too. “With the album, it’s all about capturing the live and keeping it raw. Deap Vally is a band that lives on the stage and in the rehearsal room — not the studio.” Q For tour tickets and music, go to: deapvally.com YOU CHICKS, ROCK! ONE2 SEE SCREAMING Maldini use almost every instrument under the sun to create their unique sound. They’ve crammed the lot into their self-tittled debut album — which is out now. The tunes are happy, bouncy and full of promise. They are cer- tainly worth listening to. If you’re interested in the inter- esting, check out the album at: www.screamingmaldini.net ONE2 HEAR By JIM GELLATLY By JIM GELLATLY SCOUSE trio Bird have the haunt- ing, mysterious thing down to an art. Their sound is super-spooky and stays with you. And the girls have twinned it with some good songs to create a powerful package. They’re out on a UK tour next week which stops at Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow. For info, go to: www.face- book.com/birdmusicofficial THE Courteeners took on the system and nearly won. The Manc lads were charging ahead in last week’s charts, sitting com- fortably in top spot with new album Anna . . . until the weekend. That’s when the record company juggernauts crus- hed them as Les Miserables soundtrack claimed No1. The band put it down to supermarkets refusing to stock them and they ended up sixth. Frontman Liam Fray ranted: “It’s a sad state of affairs when I’m saying I wish Tesco sold our album. “But that’s why we didn’t get to No1 no one was buying it in Tesco. Outsider “They stocked Les Mis and they stocked Fleetwood Mac. They only stock the guaranteed big guns, which is so wrong. “So if an outsider like us does have a slither of a chance of doing well, by the time Saturday comes and everybody goes to do their big shop, those chances are obliterated.” Ever since bursting on the scene, The Courteeners have been seen by some as cocky loudmouths. But By CHRIS SWEENEY Liam reckons that’s well wide of the mark. He said: “Our belief in what we do is misconstrued by people into how big we think we are. I’m not daft, I know how big we are. “Take Biffy Clyro. I’ve met them a couple of times and they’re real nice fellas. “They’ve worked for it to get where they are, it’s not been handed on a plate. That’s where we come from. “A lot of people expect to walk onto the Radio 1 play- lists and a lot of bands do. “I couldn’t tell you why they don’t play us. "Perhaps they are jealous of a talented, good-looking guy like me!” One thing the band’s hard- core fans react to is how they change things up on each album. That’s despite lots of assumptions that all they do is churn out ‘lad rock’ anthems. Liam, 26, said: “I think it was Frightened Rabbit who said Mumford & Sons were shovelling the same old s***. “When I saw that, I’m not going to lie, but I gave a smirk as it’s true. I’ve got nothing against Mumford & Sons and they’ve got some good tunes. “But when I heard their new song, to me it could have been on their first record. “Musically, we’re explor- ing different avenues and feel lucky to have the opportunity.” Now the boys are gearing up to take the new album out on the road. Their UK tour starts next week and stops in Dundee, Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Roots Liam said: “It’s really exciting thinking about play- ing these songs live for the first time. Whereas in the past you'd be like, ‘Well we’ll play the singles and after that we’re not sure’. “But now you can get an indication on Twitter of what the fans are into.” And as they set their sights on stardom, Liam insists they’ll never ditch their roots. He said: “There seems to be a lot more middle-class people in bands these days. “I’m not going to say I find it irksome but I find it perplexing that there’s not more normal kids. That’s not the case with us.” Q For all the tour info, go to: www. facebook.com/thecourteeners By CHRIS SWEENEY 56 Friday, February 15, 2013 1S

Transcript of Friday,February15,2013 1S NEW MUSIC ... · Django. JIMSAYS:Hardatwork honingtheirsoundover the past...

Page 1: Friday,February15,2013 1S NEW MUSIC ... · Django. JIMSAYS:Hardatwork honingtheirsoundover the past months, VsVs (pronouncedVersusVer-sus)haveemergedfrom thestudiowiththeirstun-ning

VsVsWHO: Ross Hinton(vocals/keys), StephenMorrow (guitar/keys/vocals), Ricky McBride(guitar/keys), Chris Jar-vie (bass/vocals), JamieFinn (drums).WHERE: Glasgow.FOR FANS OF: Foals,The Maccabees, DjangoDjango.JIM SAYS: Hard at workhoning their sound overthe past months, VsVs(pronounced Versus Ver-sus) have emerged fromthe studio with their stun-ning debut singleNovember Snow.Much like their former

band Kobai, it’s an elec-tro-tinged rock affair,but perhaps morerefined and less frantic.In essence, they’ve

taken all the positive ele-ments from their formerband to create some-thing a bit more sophisti-cated. Dare I say it,‘cooler’?Originally a six-piece,

featuring all the Kobaipersonnel, they con-sider VsVs to be a brandnew band rather than arebranding.The original line-up of

VsVs made their livedebut at Stereo in Glas-gow in December 2010,before regrouping andretreating to therehearsal studio.Stephen said: “We’ve

all known each other formany years and hadsome minor successwith Kobai, releasing analbum in Japan back in2008. As VsVs we’ve

only been together as afive-piece since 2011.“We’ve spent the past

year forging our soundin the studio and play-ing a handful of well-received gigs and sup-port slots.”They sit perfectly

alongside contemporar-ies like Chvrches, Disco-polis and Fridge Mag-nets. It’s definitely veer-ing on the indie-rockside of electronica withdelightful results.Stephen said “We are

huge music fans and lis-ten to a bit of every-thing. Undergroundindie, minimal techno,Motown, Italo disco,grunge . . . ”November Snow’s

B-side Love (Unloved)hints at a more electroside, a keyboard-drivenanthem that would getany dancefloor bounc-ing. November Snow isavailable to downloadfrom Monday, with alaunch gig tonight atPivo Pivo in Glasgow.They also play CabaretVoltaire in Edinburgh onFriday, February 22.More: vsvs.co.uk

Q Jim will be playingVsVs on In:DemandUncut this Sundayfrom 7pm on Clyde 1,Forth One, Northsound1, Radio Borders, TayFM, West FM & WestSound FM. indemand-scotland.co.uk

ONES2WATCH

NEWNEWMUSICMUSIC

ROCK chicks Deap Vallydescribe themselves sim-ply as BAD ASS.The Los Angeles girls — drum-mer Julie Edwards and singerLindsey Troy, right — aren’t inter-ested in sugar-coating anything.Their rawness has seen thembecome one of the most hypedbands of 2013. But incredibly therockers met doing NEEDLEWORK.Julie said: “It was a crotchetclass I was teaching. At firstLindsey was a really high-mainte-nance customer but somehow wetotally bonded.“She was doing her singer/songwriter thing, I was in myband and we’d both stalled.“We were frustrated over thatfeeling of not knowing what todo next. And here we are now.”Where we are is: the girls haveearned a ton of attention fortheir back-to-basics approach. Itis pedal-to-the-metal rock ’n roll.Julie explained: “A lot of ourfans have been saying they’vebeen waiting for heavy rock —and we’re happy to be filling aspot that was left open.“We wanted to make heavymusic as it’s definitely missing.“There isn’t much jam-gener-ated rock anymore, where it’speople in a room writing a songand playing live. I don’t hear it

on the radio now much, usuallyonly on oldies radio with LedZeppelin or Black Sabbath.”Being bad ass is somethingthey’re proud of too.Julie said: “Musically we’relike that. We’re not making iton a computer, there’s no auto-tune. We didn’t ever write oursongs with the intention we’dlicense them for commercials— it’s rock ’n roll with a punkaesthetic.“It’s bad ass to be a girl ina band as the music worldis full of guys.”

RawThey’ve just been finish-ing off their debut albumwhich comes out in May.And to show it off, they’recoming over for a UK tour —which hits King Tut’s in Glas-gow on March 4. It’s a city theycan’t wait to get back to.Julie said: “We had so muchfun — we love, love Glasgow.“We even filmed a lot of thevideo for our single End ofWorld there too.“With the album, it’s all aboutcapturing the live and keeping itraw. Deap Vally is a band thatlives on the stage and in therehearsal room — not the studio.”Q For tour tickets and music, goto: deapvally.com

YOU CHICKS, ROCK!ONE2SEE

SCREAMING Maldini use almostevery instrument under the sun tocreate their unique sound.They’ve crammed the lot intotheir self-tittled debut album —which is out now.The tunes are happy, bouncyand full of promise. They are cer-tainly worth listening to.If you’re interested in the inter-esting, check out the album at:www.screamingmaldini.net

ONE2HEAR

By JIM GELLATLYBy JIM GELLATLY

SCOUSE trio Bird have the haunt-ing, mysterious thing down to anart. Their sound is super-spookyand stays with you.And the girls have twinned itwith some good songs to create apowerful package.They’re out on a UK tour nextweek which stops at Edinburgh,Inverness and Glasgow.For info, go to: www.face-book.com/birdmusicofficial

THE Courteenerstook on the systemand nearly won.The Manc lads werecharging ahead in lastweek’s charts, sitting com-fortably in top spot withnew album Anna . . . untilthe weekend.That’s when the recordcompany juggernauts crus-hed them as Les Miserablessoundtrack claimed No1.The band put it down tosupermarkets refusing tostock them — and theyended up sixth.Frontman Liam Frayranted: “It’s a sad state ofaffairs when I’m saying Iwish Tesco sold our album.“But that’s why we didn’tget to No1 — no one wasbuying it in Tesco.

Outsider“They stocked Les Misand they stocked FleetwoodMac. They only stock theguaranteed big guns, whichis so wrong.“So if an outsider like usdoes have a slither of achance of doing well, bythe time Saturday comesand everybody goes to dotheir big shop, thosechances are obliterated.”Ever since bursting onthe scene, The Courteenershave been seen by some ascocky loudmouths. But

By CHRIS SWEENEY

Liam reckons that’s wellwide of the mark.He said: “Our belief inwhat we do is misconstruedby people into how big wethink we are. I’m not daft,I know how big we are.“Take Biffy Clyro. I’vemet them a couple of timesand they’re real nice fellas.“They’ve worked for it toget where they are, it’s notbeen handed on a plate.That’s where we come from.“A lot of people expect towalk onto the Radio 1 play-lists and a lot of bands do.“I couldn’t tell you whythey don’t play us."Perhaps they are jealousof a talented, good-lookingguy like me!”One thing the band’s hard-core fans react to is howthey change things up oneach album. That’s despitelots of assumptions that allthey do is churn out ‘ladrock’ anthems.Liam, 26, said: “I think itwas Frightened Rabbit whosaid Mumford & Sons wereshovelling the same old s***.“When I saw that, I’m notgoing to lie, but I gave asmirk as it’s true. I’ve got

nothing against Mumford &Sons and they’ve got somegood tunes.“But when I heard theirnew song, to me it couldhave been on their firstrecord.“Musically, we’re explor-ing different avenues andfeel lucky to have theopportunity.”Now the boys are gearingup to take the new albumout on the road.Their UK tour starts nextweek and stops in Dundee,Inverness, Glasgow andEdinburgh.

RootsLiam said: “It’s reallyexciting thinking about play-ing these songs live for thefirst time. Whereas in thepast you'd be like, ‘Wellwe’ll play the singles andafter that we’re not sure’.“But now you can get anindication on Twitter ofwhat the fans are into.”And as they set theirsights on stardom, Liaminsists they’ll never ditchtheir roots.He said: “There seems tobe a lot more middle-classpeople in bands these days.“I’m not going to say Ifind it irksome but I find itperplexing that there’s notmore normal kids. That’snot the case with us.”Q For all the tour info, go to: www.facebook.com/thecourteeners

ByCHRIS

SWEENEY

56 Friday, February 15, 2013 1S