Morton Valence: Bob And Veronica Ride Again

Jun 192009

Morton Valence
Morton Valence: Bob And Veronica Ride Again
Released 4th May 2009
Bastard Recordings

Morton Valence’s debut is an achingly British slab of pop, so desperate to tell us the story of the title’s namesakes that it comes packaged with a romantic novella. Thankfully, unlike many concept records, the album forms a coherent whole and begs to be listened to from start to finish. It does this whilst constantly shifting in style; dipping from Jesus And Mary Chain style shoegaze on the fantastic “I Must Go,”Said Veronica, “But I Will Always Come Back” through to classic electropop reminiscent of Saint Etienne or Black Box Recorder . The similarities to the latter don’t end there either, with Anne Gilpin recalling the glacial delivery of Sarah Nixey.

Whilst treading the same well worn boards as their pop peers Morton Valence carry the whole thing off with such charm, wit and panache that it never comes across as anything but original. I can’t wait for word to catch on about this glorious piece of work, and I suspect neither can the fans who invested in ‘shares’ of the album to ensure its release. A wonderful album that deserves to be near the top of the pile come the year end reckoning.

Rating: ★★★★★☆

For our London readers there are a couple of opportunities to catch Morton Valence over the next few weeks in the city. The first is on June 25 at the last of their Bob And Veronica Book Club events at The Enterprise, and also a chance for a bit of a boat party on July 9 as they play the Battersea Barge.

Morton Valence – Hang It On The Wall (mp3)
Morton Valence – Chandelier (video)

Band site

Last.fm

Myspace
You can buy the CD version of the album that comes with the novella from the band’s website.

Sonic Youth on Jools Holland

May 022009

This didn’t quite make up for missing them at the Scala on Monday, but the band seemed on good form previewing Sacred Trixter and Antenna from upcoming LP The Eternal before letting loose Teen Age Riot. Hard to believe that this was 17 years on since their first Jools performance, and I think their last UK TV appearance, where they played Sugar Kane and Drunken Butterfly. Wonderful glimpse into the new record, still over a month away from the shops…I’m not a big fan of waiting!

UK readers can see the full show, featuring a vampish Lily Allen and a rejuvenated Depeche Mode for a week here

Sonic Youth – Sacred Trixter
Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot

Record Store Day Shop #3: Banquet Records

Apr 182009

banquet
Now Record Store Day is upon us (I’ve fallen a little behind with updates – blame late nights with Errors and Bat For Lashes!) how could I pick any other store than my local – the veritable Banquet. Located in London satellite town Kingston-upon-Thames the shop is a wonderful little place, and a success story in these times of music business downturn. Local blogger Kittens In Mittens has a great piece on their phoenix from the flames story, so have a read here. Suffice to say that these days the shop is always bustling, stacked with a great variety of customers, all catered for by the wide-reaching knowledge of the staff. Undoubtedly the best bit about Banquet is their in-stores and local club shows (New Slang and more) , always featuring a stellar cast of big, or soon-to-be, bands. In 2008 they hosted shows from Cut Copy, Los Campesinos!, Be Your Own Pet, Hot Chip, Laura Marling, Friendly Fires and so many more; all for around a fiver a pop. Not only that but a fair number of their in-stores are under-18s only, meaning that local kids really get a feel for being part of a local scene – genius.

Star Find: Less of a record, more the experience of first seeing Los Campesinos! for the first time. The sound in New Slang’s old venue, decrepid Kingston hole The Works, was dreadful but the Welsh whizzkids really lit the place up. I’d been keen to see them since the release of You! Me! Dancing but was a bit suspect they’d be a one trick pony – not at all. My first trip to New Slang, despite being a local for years – the first of many!

Los Campesinos! – Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks

Record Store Day Shop#4: Rebel Rebel

Apr 152009

Rebel Rebel Records
December 2007 – We’d been planning a trip to New York for years and years and the famous record shops were a big draw for me. New York artists are responsible for a huge proportion of my record collection – I hoped to stock up on several back catalogues whilst there, taking advantage of the then superb exchange rates… Well the city and it’s shops didn’t let me down! Greenwich Village was obviously the first and best call, with at least three along Bleecker Street alone. Worth a mention were the staff at Bleecker Street Records who valiantly tried to help us get tickets to see Yo La Tengo over in Hoboken that night, alas in vain.

Streets ahead though was Rebel Rebel Records. Take a gander at the picture above – total chaos. I’d have quite happily spent hours browsing away in here, but we had sights to see and galleries to muse through. The chap poking out through the piles littering the counter quite happily chatted away to me about the London scene, how Burial records were difficult to get hold of and how good it was for us Brits shopping in the Big Apple. The kind of interaction you’d expect from your own local record shop, only I was thousands of miles away. I turned away to rummage through a few likely looking boxes, randomly picking the ones that might hold a gem…

Star Find: In the end I found pretty much exactly what I wanted, the latest Blonde Redhead LP, 23.  A New York record by a New York band, and one of the very finest albums of 2007.

Blonde Redhead – 23

Photo: ChrisB

Record Store Day Shop #5: Rounder Records

Apr 142009


Kicking off my run down of the best independent places to spend your hard earned is a Brighton institution – Rounder Records. Nestled away in the famous Lanes, Rounder (like all the best record stores) is a hive of local scene activity – stocking tickets for Brighton’s vibrant live scene along with a choice selection of vinyl and CDs. Record stores have a reputation, mainly deserved, for being fortresses of snobbery and sneer – and a lack of that is what drives Rounder into my Top 5. It’s a thoroughly pleasant place to spend time – light, airy and not overstocked, and perhaps most importantly staffed by pleasant folk. In my experience of the shop not once have I seen someone talked down to, dismissed or ignored – and despite often being rammed there always seems time to discuss the latest and greatest with the bloke behind the counter. From Blackalicious to the Bad Seeds not only has there been knowledge, but interest too – a proper two-way conversation. A key factor in their 43 year history, surely?

Star Find: Back in 2004 when The Killers weren’t a band of language manglers (or maybe they were, but I was younger then…) there was a limited edition light blue vinyl of Hot Fuss that I had trawled most of London’s stores for, chain and independent. I’d driven my lady insane with this wild wax chase, and we’d probably escaped to Brighton to get away from record shops. Wandering past Rounder I couldn’t help but notice that they’d assigned LCD’s seminal Yeah one of their singles of ’03 – I had to go in, and there it was, no. 2919. Done.

The Killers – Mr Brightside

Photo: Brighton Photo Daily

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