Inspired by the Rapture

While sitting with two good friends and my younger brother – and after a drink or four – we started discussing the whole apocalypse and it’s potential for zombie invasion.  Oddly enough, while ranting on about it, The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love” started running through my head while I envisioned an epic zombie infestation.

Now I had listened to this song earlier today – so it was no surprise to me that it was still stuck up in the rafters somewhere – which got me thinking about music that inspired me to …. well …. do what I do.

The La’s – Something I Said:  I had heard of The La’s before and had even heard a few songs asides from “There She Goes” – but as I was shown a few years ago – I was missing out on a whole ton of obscene greatness.  My reaction to this recording was a near literal draw drop – followed by a squeal of joy and then – the inevitable dancing.  That melody sucked me in within the first few notes and as the song progressed so did my love for this band.  I had to have played this song at least 30 times over that following week – and each time it pushed me to strive for more when writing a new song.  It still does.

They Might Be Giants – We Want to Rock:   At the age of four my older brother blessed my ears with the sounds of nasally vocals, accordions and tantalizing lyrics.  By the age of five I had developed my very first obsession.  It’s hard to explain why this band has influenced and inspired me so much.  Every time I listen my heart fills with warmth and I feel entirely jovial.  Each song has a unique sound, one totally different from the next and the obnoxiousness becomes a soothing sound.  At least to me, anyway.   I suppose what inspires me most is their never-ending well of creativity.  They’ve been around for nearly 30 years still doing what they love and making people happy – and that’s hard for me not to respect.

Stevie Ray Vaughan – Pride and Joy:  I’ve accepted my raising in mild redneckery and southern values – and though I may not delve into those things anymore – parts of my past come back to endearingly haunt me.  Stevie Ray was one of my first exposures to electric blues guitar in this fashion and I was immediately drawn to it.  I spent a lot of time in my bedroom late at night hammering out his songs by ear in the most barbaric manner – cursing at wrong notes and sighing while starting the song over for the 20th time.  This man showed me what it meant to become one with the guitar – and gave me the courage to actually attempt playing without looking at my hands.  That was 13 years ago and I’m still grateful for having this in my repertoire.

The Beatles – Girl:  All I can say is without The Beatles I would definitely not be who I am today.  I love so many of their songs – but this is definitely my favourite.  His voice sounds so lonely but carries with such strength and conviction.  I learned sincerity with these guys – I also learned that a good, simple melody goes a long way.  Here’s to the fab four and the gallons of lives they’ve inspired through the years.

Traditional bluegrass – Jenny Lynn: I guess it all starts here.  My pops played an array of instruments when I was growing up – primarily the banjo –  and traditional bluegrass was a huge part of my environment.  Although Blackberry Blossom was the first song I had ever learned on the guitar, this song holds a lot of sentiment to me in so many ways nothing can beat it.  Hearing this throws me right back onto my kitchen floor, sat cross legged and watching my Dad scour the neck of the banjo with saucer-eyes of wonderment.  If it wasn’t for this stuff here – I would have never picked up the guitar.

Keep it between the ditches friends.

Goodnight.

–Tentoes

>The First Post of Shade of Red

>Hello! This is our first post and the band have chosen me (Fred) to write it, which was not wise.

Right, so I have been through the members’ Facebook pages and found links to music. Hopefully this is music they like:

Our lead singer’s video

The guitarist’s video

My choice


Unfortunately I am unable to find any videos for the rest of the band, but maybe in the future, when someone better organised has a go, you yet see their choices. Thank you for reading!

>Tentoes’ Melodic Market: Stand 4

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SHADE OF RED :Trials and Tribulations:  Let it be known that I had this song chosen prior to Shade of Red joining the Dirty Rooster convoy.  With that said – give them a warm welcome!  The the vocals are unique, the band is tight and the lyrics are so very interesting.  This song just travels along from start to finish leaving you more than satisfied.  The production is excellent and each individual part meshes together seamlessly.  I’m pleased beyond belief to have this band as part of our roster and look forward to what else they’ll release in the future.  Show these boys some love and spread the good word.  Wünderbar!

BUFFALO CLOVER :Luck:  I think, at this point in the evening, I had hit a dry spell trying to find the next artist.  Click after click after intentionally exaggerated click – 10 minutes full of 30 second clips of total ear abuse – but O!  What is this I hear?  A lumbering bass line and lonely vocals – walking steadily down a strand of total sweetness – then opening up into powerful chorus.  Have I mentioned how much I love tambourines?  I’m loving the vocalist – her voice is full of that winning mixture of attitude and confidence that catches the attention of the audience.  I’d give three thumbs up … but I only have the two …..

THE RED SEA PEDESTRIANS :Ella:  My first reaction to this song was a nod of approval – until the vocals kicked in – then it was more like “oh hell yes …. “.  A devilish grin spread across my face as the song progressed into an encore of quirkiness.  This is so entertaining – much better than a bear teetering around on a tricycle – and it’s short time-span doesn’t take away from this tune at all.  Everything about it is where it should be – and I wouldn’t recommend changing a thing.  It’s total goodness.

BARNSTORMERS :Tin Roof:  It’s an odd reason why I chose this song initially.  Over this last weekend I was down in good ‘ol Missouri touring the town where my grandparents grew up, met and married.  We had passed by an empty overgrown lot that used to hold my grandparents first home – and my grandma reminisced about the old tin roof and how soothing the rain was splashing on it.  So the title of this song is what grabbed me first – and to be honest – I didn’t expect it to be such a powerful song in the end.  I love the quiet simple start and it’s slow growth into something full and strong.  The ending has an interesting depressing feel to it as it departs off into a single ending note.  I would like to see these good folk live sometime – I bet it’s great.

KIM TAYLOR :Let Me Down:  I like pianos.  I like them a lot.  I also like the piano in this song.  It has a nice poppy feel to it without the obnoxious bubble gum flavour.  I really do hate the taste of bubble-gum so this song was perfect.  The vocalist is super-cool and she certainly proves that with such a catchy melody.  This song is not overdone in any way and it makes for a very enjoyable chew – but not like bubble-gum.


WILLIAM DOUGLAS AND THE WHEEL :Sunshine:  I don’t really have a lot to say about this song.  I’m aware that I live -mostly- under a rock and was shown this song a few days ago.  Simple enough – I loved it and decided to share my joy.

HOT CLUB PHILLY :Song D’Automne:  Ladies and gentleman, I’d like to introduce you to three and a half minutes of finger-snapping, toe tapping glory.  The way the band carries this song with such snazzy softness is impeccable and WHO wouldn’t want to dance to this?  Get off your bum and start grooving wherever you are!  Excuse me whilst I go listen to it again ….. in the meantime go give this band a good look-around and lend an ear.  It’s so delicious.


THE LOWER 48 :Transmission Pt. 1:  I’m a sucker for soft songs like this – and good, constant thick harmonies.  Sometimes we must all enjoy the simple pleasures in life – and this is a good place to start.  The song holds a delicate sway to it – and the vocals are purely gorgeous.  It gave me a sense of peace and tranquility – if only for the duration of the song – but that proves this group provides the song much justice.  I will definitely be listening to more. 

Hope you enjoyed.
Keep it between the ditches!
–Tentoes
 

>Jacobs Ladder (May Gigs)

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>a youtube-licious first entry from uganda pride

>seeing as i’m new to join these lovely people associated with dirty rooster, i thought i’d use this as a little bit of an opportunity to introduce myself with some tunes i’m listening to right now and some of my all-time-favourite-sleep-to-these-songs-every-night-without-fail songs.

so without further ado, here goes

some things i’m listening to right now:

tallest man on earth – a thousand ways

this ironically short man from sweden has been pulling my heartstrings at the minute and this particular song i can’t stop playing. it’s not my usual lyrical fodder, but have a listen and i think it speaks for itself

blondie – sunday girl

i’ve only recently started to get into blondie and even in this early video you can see how much debbie harry rocks.

the head and the heart – cats and dogs

you have no idea how much i love vocal groups. beautiful lyrics and a good medley. nothing beats a good medley

albert ross and the otters – as young as we are tonight

the new(ish) single from a band of which one of the singers taught me contact improvisation. an interesting peice of trivia there. a really good uplifting folksy band. seriously check them out.

RDX – bend over

i have no idea why i love this song. ever since i found out my friend’s 8 year-old sister can’t help herself but dance to this song it’s been a little stuck in my head. and no, i have no idea what they’re saying either.

and for some important songs/artists to me
i’ll just try and stick with the folksy ones. i’ll do a post of the less folksy stuff later on.

bright eyes – at the bottom of everything

well basically, conor oberst is a genius. bright eyes, conor oberst, conor oberst and the mystic valley band, desaparecidos, monsters of folk, it’s all good to me. this man cannot go wrong. this is one of the first songs i heard of his and it’s just, wow. awesome video as well.

paul simon – graceland

this album is the good bits of my childhood. ’nuff said

all the songs are equally as amazing so i thought i’d use the title track.

neutral milk hotel – king of carrot flowers (parts 1-3)

although it’s a long video, hold on and stick through it. it’s absolutely beautiful. it’s from the album ‘in the aeroplane over the sea’ which was written immediately after and as a result of jeff mangum apparently reading anne frank’s diary. some trivia and context there

joanna newsom – peach, plum, pear

all i have to say to the people who complain about her voice is ‘shut up and listen to her words’. i like to think of her voice as ‘honest’.

this lady’s lyrics are genius and i love her. also check out her song ‘sadie’, that song is one of the few things i will admit to making me cry.

department of eagles – noone does it like you

department of eagles/grizzly bear, the bands that got me loving groups of people singing together. yum

little surprise things i couldn’t help but not put on here but didn’t really have a reason to, but did anyway:

animal collective – i’ve got mine (planet claire sessions)

tallest man on earth & jaw lesson- graceland (at risk of putting the same song and artist twice, but you’ll see why)

megafaun – his robe

thankyou very much for reading my post, and apologies for it taking ages to load.

sincerely,

uganda pride

>Numsig’s Musical Harvest #3

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Here we are once again picking out the Wheat from the Chaff on the Reverbnation scene. This month I have been focusing on my local music scene quite a lot, and it seems that beyond the surface, Cornwall is hiding some absolutely killer acts, which really need the Rooster treatment before we can head out into the wider world. Seven of the acts here hail from Cornwall, and we really do recommend checking out the pages of these bands if you’re not familiar and getting out to some shows that they have coming up locally.

CULT OF WEDGE : St. George & The Dragon ::
The English nation has always been rather lousy at celebrating the day of their patron saint, unlike the Irish who have turned peddling Guiness into a worldwide holiday. However Cult Of Wedge have served up this musical offering toasting the virtues of being English, which these days seems to revolve around supporting the England football team. I would guess that was what was in mind when this track was done, probably done in anticipation of the World Cup in South Africa. It’s a shame it never got picked up in a more high profile manner as it’s a cracking little song that transcends the normal football related guff. Think Lemon Jelly doing early 90s New Order and you’ll not be far away.

ALL THE FIRES : The Anchor Song ::
This Cornish six-piece is simply brilliant. Wonderful lilting folk songs with quite stunning instrumentation and wonderful vocals, it was a real chore choosing a single song to highlight here. It seems that all the band members get in on the act of songwriting and singing which, whilst not destroying the common thread of the group, does give them a delightful touch of variety. Pianos tinkle around a steady and tight rhythm section as the verse unfolds into a crescendo of strings and harmonies before delivery the killer melodic hooks and then falling away peacefully back into the verse sections. This band is the real deal, go show them some much warranted love.  

SEAMUS CAREY : Cake For Tea ::

This is another extremely talented Cornish artist. The piano based song has a wonderfully hesitant yet bouncy rhythm and Seamus is a master of those subtle little stresses and accents that separate the best artists from the more mundane. He has also shown in this track a great melodic ear and some rather wonderfully quaint and quirky English lyrics which hark back to the lyrical genius that was Ray Davies in his pomp.

DISFUNC : Rollin’ Disco ::

Totally different direction from yet another Cornish outfit, this time we have some dance floor rug cutting mayhem from Disfunc, which again transcends the normally expected averageness that is often found from amateurs in this genre. It opens with a looping synth reminiscent of the Plump DJs at their finest, before a simply majestic hook line comes into the fold which reminds me of the classic 80s ‘Popcorn’ track. Another few revolutions and we get introduced to the real magic here as the bass section explodes into a funky, understated, but extremely potent force, which defies anyone to not move their feet to the beat. Given some decent exposure this track should be massive on the dance scene. Here at the Dirty Rooster feed farm, we’ll be doing our best to make this happen.  

SIMON JOHN FIELD : Try As I Will ::

Warm brass, cellos, soft guitars and banjo and some orchestral backing perfectly frame this well constructed and fantastically produced track by Cornish artist Simon John Field. The double tracked vocal reminds me a little of Jack Johnson, but the delivery is a lot more laid back and gentle than Jack and the instrumentation is from a different world. The song itself is short and direct and uses very short vocal phrases which rise up in distinct little bursts. I would imagine an album full of this material could easily become one of those summer favourites that perfectly serenade the end of a warm summer evening watching the sun going down with friends after a hearty food stuffing at a BBQ.

KB : Rohypnol ::

A long overdue song about spiking a ladies drink? Can’t say I agree with that sentiment, but this song displays some neat songwriting and some even neater production. It reminds me a lot of what’s been happening on the Oxford music scene in recent times, which is something unique at least considering that is very unusual for Cornish acts. Echo Boomer immediately jumps to mind as a comparison with the spring delayed guitar sounds and shuffling drums before rising into a rather spiky sounding chorus with rich overdubbing, subtle synths and fizzing guitars added to a fair chunk of well controlled reverb softening the whole thing up. It’s radio friendly these days and I’d not be surprised to hear this pop up prominently on Amazing Radio or perhaps even 6Music on the BBC.

ACCIDENTAL HERO : Ode to an Airplane ::

There is no doubt about it, this is my absolute favourite Cornish act, and I badly want to get him onto our roster. The first song on his reverbnation profile was strangely awful, but the other 11 or so tracks, which were played and produced in a much more simplified acoustic style, were simply magnificent. This is songwriting that far outperforms it’s humble lo fi production, and when you have songs this good you really don’t need to be trying anything too clever. The lyrics strike the perfect blend of sentimental, insightful and sincere without veering off into over emotional teenager territory, the chordal sequences are classic, perfectly chosen and as a result sound like they are brand new, never thought of before masterpieces. When simple music is done this well it tends to create that forgiving effect which makes you feel that these songs have always been there, are known by all, and could never be bettered. They really do have a Beatles or Kinks classic-ness to them especially this song, which is short and to the point, but absolutely puts you into the cockpit with Accidental Hero. This is no accident however, it’s genius at work.

MOONLET & THE LOVE MONKS : Lillipad Lover ::

“When I saw you on that log, I thought what a pretty looking frog, you made my heart go bippeddy-bop!”
Frankly bizarre lyrics are the forte here, and it does give you a little extra amusement as you listen to this Cornish quintet. Quirky is definitely the order of the day, and whilst some of the songs do perhaps stretch the tolerance for quirkiness a smidge, this number is a bonafide classic. The band is rootsy and raw and very together and the harmonies are wonderful. I would guarantee that this is a band that should get you dancing and singing and having a hell of a good time should you go to one of their live shows. If not, I would assume you are a soulless gremlin of no value at all! I will be catching them as soon as I can, and if you live in the region you should also be pencilling their dates into your diary.

LI’L ZE : Built To Ride ::

Happy Mondays or Black Grape anyone? No, what about throwing a healthy dose of the cooler Primal Scream moments into the mix. Surely? It works for me, and whilst some may think it’s a little dated I have to say I find it a welcome return.

>YouTube, I love you

>There is nothing that can be more satisfying than surfing YouTube during the late hours of the evening – especially when you come across those gems that shine amongst the shit.  You know what I’m talking about – those videos that make your cheeks swallow your eyes because the grin stretching from ear to ear has practically enveloped your face.  Of course you have to turn to the person next to you and tweak out momentarily followed up with an “OH MY GOD – this ….. is …… epic”.

Yeah.  One of -those- moments.

With that said – it’s pretty obvious where this is headed.  Five videos that have made me have those exact reactions over the last year or so.  Sit back and enjoy.

Here we have Benjamin Darvill, the harmonica/mandolin player of the late Crash Test Dummies, who has apparently lathered himself up with soul.  ‘Son of Dave‘ is how he rolls these days and I do believe he’s got something groovacoius going on. 

I don’t need to say anything here but ‘genius’.  This is Rodrigo y Gabriela – a couple that Numsig turned me onto – and I couldn’t be more grateful.  The skill alone leaves me gobsmacked but the whole thing is just purely amazing.  

I adore Lily Allen and I adore this.  This guy’s name is Ori and his interpretation of this track is gorgeous.  It gives the song an entirely new vibe without losing it’s roots and I think that’s a pretty fantastic talent. 

I don’t give a damn if you TELL me you hate this song.  Deep down your heart ticks along to this weird love song and we all know it.  The Proclaimers are one of the tightest ‘groups’ I’ve ever seen – and check out the tambourine work!  These two take what they’re doing so seriously you can’t help but smile FOR them.  Take a look at those neck veins …. they’re so not kidding. 

Best for last!  I love me a good Beatles cover but this is just incredible!  The Cover Tune Grab Bag is their name and what a happy bunch they are.  I can’t say much else – the video speaks for itself.  Epic guys, this one is epic.

Catch you on the flip flop!
-Tentoes

>Jacob’s Ladder (April gigs)

>Here is the live music schedule for The Jacob’s Ladder in Falmouth this month! Don’t forget there are also regular open mic nights on Wednesday’s and Sunday’s where you can earn a free drink for getting up and playing a song.