Monday 9 April 2012

Snuff @ The Cockpit, Leeds


The omens were not looking good for last Saturday night, where I was seeing Snuff at the Cockpit in Leeds. Despite having wanted to see them play for as long as I can remember but never quite managing it, the stoke was dampened somewhat by the fact that it was at the Cockpit (one of my least favourite venues in the city) with support from two bands whose music was, with the best will in the world, not my cup of emo. Add in an afternoon nightmare trying to sort Megabus changing in my lunch break, impending man flu and spending the time between work and gig being shouted at by pissed up roiders who took umbrage at me having a skateboard, and I was not in the best of the moods by the time I got to the Cockpit. Luckily I only caught the last few minutes of the second support band, and it was warm enough to lurk outside while the DJ played the same Dead Kennedys song about 4 times (in between the Slipknot and Goldfinger, because it was a punk rock show and you have to know your audience as a DJ. Fucking cretin.) The vibes were turning nasty, and I didn’t know why – so thank fuck for Snuff, who took to the stage and gave two fingers to my negative attitude by moulding there frenetic, melodic punk rock into one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time. When I tried to drum up a crew for this gig, I was met with a baffled reaction far more than I expected to be; the only reason I can think of being that the use of the term ‘pop punk’ from certain quarters puts people off from even trying. These people are mongoloids, as Snuff are now one of my favourite live bands, with the same energy I imagine they had 20 years ago, and an odd kind of shambolic tightness to their set (if that contradiction makes any sense). Highlights included ‘Chocs Away’, ‘Do Nothing’, ‘Now You Don’t Remember’, and their cover of ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ as performed by the drunkest looking people in the crowd…musical genius. They bought the night to a close with ‘Arsehole’, also with heavy crowd participation. I have a feeling this encore was going to be followed by ‘Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads’, but unfortunately those lovely Cockpit staff decided that one more song would completely ruin the evenings schedule, I’m assuming which mostly included a soul destroying club night full of first year students listening to Blink 182 and trying to cop off with each other. In the words of some philosopher cunt, if you stare too long at the Cockpit, the Cockpit will stare back at you. Reading this back I’ve realised how livid I sound – I would like to point out that I couldn’t be too livid, because Snuff were really, really good. Go see ‘em fools!
4/5
Jono

Slowcoaches - We're So Heavy EP

Living in Leeds seems to be a definite plus for someone reviewing new music, due to what seems to be a constant stream of new musical talent. True, it can seem oddly transient - due to a revolving door of students bringing their musical influences and abilities in, and taking them away just as suddenly - but scratch the surface and there’s a thriving scene of both long time Yorkshire heads, and people who turned up years ago and never left. Slowcoaches form part of this bedrock group of artists who have been lurking around the Hyde Park area for a few years, and their first EP ‘We’re So Heavy’ fuses scuzzy stoner rock with the nervy melodic hardcore of Husker Du. With 6 tracks at just under 15 minutes, it grabs attention from the start with the title tracks slow, booming guitar giving way to fast paced punk rock with a riff that will stick in your head for days. This lays the blueprint for the rest of the record; fuzzy hardcore punk with an oddly pop sensibility when it comes to a tune that makes this one of the most interesting records I’ve heard in a while. Highlights include the title track, ‘Get Ripped’ and ‘Gimme Fuck Ups’. A solid and exciting first release, I’m looking forward to seeing them live!
5/5
Jono

Friday 6 April 2012

Autonomads/Black Star Dub Collective - From Rusholme With Dub

Unless you've been living under a large Manchester shaped rock of late, you will have heard of at least one of these excellent bands on the long-awaited (well, in my case anyway) split from Autonomads and Black Star Dub Collective. And let me tell you, the excellently titled 'From Rusholme With Dub' does not disappoint in the slightest.

The split kicks off with 5 tracks from Autonomads, the opening track 'Best of Both' gives a taste of savage riffs combined with ska-dub that fans of the band will recognise instantly, with a splash of saxophone too. Each track by the band gives as good as the one before it did, and it seems as the album goes on the band get angrier with the general state of things (and rightly so, might I add). My personal favourite track is probably 'Fight Dem Back', but the whole thing is so fucking good it changes each time I listen to it. You just need to buy, steal, download or get a copy of this.

Black Star Dub Collective are, erm...a collective of various folk from Manchester-based bands, including the former singer of the much missed Harijan. Their tracks on the split are longer, but don't let that put you off...their tracks are too filled with politically charged dub with a slightly more reggae vibe to it. Their excellent track 'Leviathan' also features on the crackin new comp from TNS Records (grab a copy of that too while you're at it). I still can't pick a favourite track from their 5 on the split, I think I'm probably going to get my arse into gear and get to the north to see them play a show, although hopefully with enough coverage they'll be able to play south too!

Well done Pumpkin Records and TNS Records, another amazing release! (I was so excited about getting this I accidentally ordered 2 copies...)

5/5
Kathy