Page 30 - June 2017

ALBUM REVIEWS
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RADIO STARS
“thinking inside the box” (Cherry Red)
Radio Stars occupy a
curious place in musical
history. The individual members all hailed from
a glam-rock background.
Bassist Martin Gordon
had played on Sparks
flawless mid ‘70s albums
Kimono My House and Propaganda, while vo-
calist Andy Ellison had previously sung in ‘60s
pop-art Mod band John’s Children, alongside an embryonic pre-T Rex Marc Bolan.
All of those bands I adore, and they occupy much shelf space in my personal col- lection. Yet, I can’t help feeling, despite their unquestionable musical prowess, Radio Stars arrived fully formed but slightly over qualified and out of step for 1977, slap bang in the middle of punk. For sure they had musical chops in abundance, but their individual talents strike me as slightly at odds with regard to the back-to-basics three- chord urgency of the punk movement. Their songs, by and large, are highly polished quirky pop-punk which lyrically possesses a very English cheeky and smutty vibe.
I’m sure they must have rehearsed 8 hours a day. There is an air of orchestrated showmanship that caused them to be viewed with suspicion by the punk crowd. Af- ter a couple of energetic singles, “Dirty Pictures” and “Nervous Wreck,” that saw some minor chart success in the UK, the band released the more power-pop orientated debut full length Songs for Swinging Lovers. The LP was critically well received, and the bands live performances were a good draw and always good value. Yet the Ra- dio Stars never managed to convert their acclaim into any solid traction up the pop charts. A second LP The Holiday Album followed the following year (1978), featuring possibly their best-known single, the extremely catchy “No Russians in Russia.”
This box-set highlights the fact the Radio Stars strength was that they were a great singles band. This is proven with disc 3, Singles and Rarities, which to my ears repre- sents the greatest hit to miss ratio of all the discs. The 4th disc, At The BBC, compiles three John Peel sessions from 1977 and ‘78, and recording wise are more sonically satisfying recordings than the single and album versions of the same songs spread over the previous discs. Overall, this collection presents a wonderful time capsule of a band caught in a transitional period of music.
WALTER ETC. / DINERS
split 7-inch
(Lauren Records)
Some of us (of a cer- tain age that is) still la- ment the demise of the humble 7-inch record. Back in my youth 45rpm singles were the way to get a quick taste of new bands cheaply without going the whole hog by having to invest in a full length. (These days, I guess free downloads are the new singles?)
Due to many boutique reissue labels now cornering the vinyl market with over- priced re-issues, the 7-inch single these days is often perceived as an oddity. Or worse — an overpriced luxury item. (Sigh).
Still, it’s encouraging to me that younger indie bands such as Diners and Walter Etc. are keeping the spirit of independence alive by embracing the truest of all pop formats. From Phoenix, Diners are a band many of you should be aware of by now.
BY BEVERLEY NAPALM
Diners is the vehicle for boy wonder and talented songwriter Tyler Broderick. His songs are always so wonderfully considered, upbeat and positive. There are cherry picked moments of pop sensibilities from decades past among Diners songs that be- lie Tyler’s youth.
“Sunrise” is classic Diners — inviting honeycombed pop. These are kind of songs Brian Wilson would be making today if he was in his mid ‘20s. Walter Etc. is new to me. They/he is from Portland Oregon and not a million miles from the crystalline pop of Diners, and a super compliment. Both sides are great. The Walter Etc. side is a little more upbeat than Tyler’s offerings. EP opener “Night Swim” follows a classic indie- pop template, enjoyable and well executed. Both bands offer 3 songs, on yummy red translucent vinyl. Laurenrecords.bandcamp.com
SLEAFORD MODS “English Tapas” (Rough Trade)
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If
heard Sleaford Mods, where to begin? Firstly, let’s be clear: they aren’t Mods, and they aren’t from Sleaford. (Sleaford is a tiny town that the much-loathed former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher hails from). I was drawn to the perversity of the band, who are a tan- gle of delicious contradic-
tions, from the get go. The first time I heard them a couple of years ago I truly couldn’t get my head around it. Bizarre and nothing like anything I had encountered before.
So, what is this? Well, it’s two 40+year-old guys, one with Tourettes and a passion for a scattershot spouting of hard left politics, the other constructs minimal beats on a laptop who presses play grinning insanely and sups beer in the shadows whilst wearing dodgy sweatpants and playing pocket billiards. It sounds ridiculous, and to a certain degree, it is. But it’s also sort of Dadaist deconstructed hip-hop punk with razor sharp focused lyrics.
There is a lot going on here. There is a phenomenal passion and verve with the de- livery of their music that I simply cannot equate with any other current band. It is not an exaggeration or hyperbole to dub them the most important band in the UK today. They have had numerous top 10 chart hits, which is an amazing achievement given the abrasive nature of their music.
The band has just completed a sold-out US tour. I am amazed at the American re- sponse given there are so many obscure Northern English regional references that don’t translate exactly into American culture. And the language is very choice. Not for the kiddies. There are lots of F-bombs and a liberal smattering of the C word. (Which, as someone originating from the North of England, I would add is culturally more widespread and used without deliberate sexist connotations in the UK).
Singer Jason Williamson is an incendiary performer. After years in the wilderness struggling and cutting his teeth in many “Sh*te indie bands” it’s heartening to see such a rank outsider find his niche and run with it. Likewise, beat-meister Andrew Fearn had a similarly bleak upbringing as a DJ on the fringes of popular culture. The beats and music he constructs are the secret sauce in the Sleaford’s success. At first listen they appear primitive, minimal and repetitive, even a little lazy. But that is far from the truth. Once you “get it” you realize the uncluttered backing is an amazing artistic achievement and necessary for Williamson to excel with his vocal delivery.
There is no flab on the backing tracks. It’s avant minimalism pushed through a punk rock filter. The songs are all remarkable. This is the Sleaford Mods 4th LP as a duo and they are at the top of their game right now. (Williamson recorded several low-key CD-R demos as Sleaford Mods before meeting Fearn, which he now disregards as “Sh*te” of course). I could break down the songs one by one, but I honestly need to. If you haven’t heard them, hop onto YouTube and witness some of their bizarre and brilliant performances. Many of you will hate it. But I suspect a good chunk of you may just have found your new favorite band.
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