Posts Tagged ‘Reading’
ARE YOU LISTENING Reading Saturday 25th April 2020
Posted: January 17, 2020 in FESTIVALS, MUSICTags: Are You Listening, Reading
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SUNDARA KARMA – ” Illusions “
Posted: October 14, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSICTags: Oscar Pollock, Reading, Sony Music, Sundara Karma
“Yes, but what should I do?” questions a Siri-like voice before a crash of cymbals wash away the robots and a loosely funky guitar line takes our hand into Sundara Karma: Phase Two. If there’s one thing that’s abundantly clear even from the opening notes of the Reading lot’s next moves, it’s that they’re not going quietly into the night this time around. Firstly, there’s that new press shot: a gloriously unapologetic thing featuring frontman Oscar Pollock resplendent in a flowing blonde wig. Then, there’s the fact that the first words the singer speaks on his band’s big comeback are “Welcome to the abattoir/ Disconnected from who we are”. If Sundara always sat slightly on the peripheries of the indie realm – a little bit too overblown and literary to be comfortable bedfellows with the Catfish’s they were often billed alongside – then on ‘Illusions’ they’re not exactly dialling down the idiosyncrasies.
There’s a chorus that harmonises Pollock’s falsetto with a synthetic, Daft Punk-esque vocal effect, a warm, slow-building mid-song instrumental interlude and a final, whirring, spacey fade out (completed by cheering and whoops). If it all sounds like a lot, then that’s because ‘Illusions’ is undoubtedly packed with ideas. But what’s impressive here is that actually, Sundara Karma’s latest doesn’t SOUND too ritzy at all. Instead, it’s a laid-back banger that preps us for a record that’s undoubtedly going to go all in all manner of weird and wonderful new directions and shows a band cavorting around a musical playground entirely of their own.
Band Members
OSCAR / HAYDN / ALLY / DOM
Music video by Sundara Karma performing Illusions (Audio). (C) 2018 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited
PALM HONEY – ” Hot Simian Weather “
Posted: March 20, 2018 in MUSICTags: Palm Honey, Reading, Tucked Into the Electronic Wave
Reading’s Palm Honey continually ask questions of themselves. Grinding fuzzed out riffs with a head-long psychedelic charge, the band’s material shares the dissonance of Sonic Youth’s imperial phase but adds a cynical UK-focussed outlook. This quartet are one of the more left-field bands , Their unique sound could be categorized as everything from psych-pop and synth-rock to krautrock, space rock and prog rock. Their debut EP, Tucked Into the Electronic Wave, released last year, was among the finest of the year, featuring standout tracks “Stick the Knife In” and “Going Normal.” The four-track EP is a mystical, memorable journey comprising cosmic synths, saxophone solos, insecure lyrics, meticulous guitar riffs and musical tangents that would signal their next release, “Starving Hysterical Naked.” In a lot of ways, Palm Honey are the antithesis of most guitar bands these guys, as evinced by the two-part, nine-minute jam,
Out now, the track was followed by some seismic live shows, with Palm Honey ably underlining their focussed potential. Arranging a live session, Palm Honey decided to perform under crisp white light, arranged facing inwards to suggest the equality of their approach.
Palm Honey – ‘Hot Simian Weather’ is now available on all good platforms.
PALM HONEY – ” Starving Hysterical Naked ” (Official Live Session)
Posted: February 16, 2018 in MUSICTags: Palm Honey, Reading
Palm Honey are an interesting entity, ready to chew your ear off about their love for free jazz and Brian Eno as much as they are about how tour means the exciting prospect of a new Wetherspoons everyday. Their road is a consistently progressive one, especially so early on into their career.
The four-piece, all Reading natives, once dealt in sunny, reverb-laden fuzz before swapping it in for something a little bit more, shall we say, tainted. After forming three years ago over a mutual dislike of their college course, the band’s sound has mutated and developed into something which combines the sordid and the pleasant with a respectful mastery. Ultimately, it’s refreshing to see a band so at ease with going down whatever route feels natural to them, regardless of how much it may challenge their listeners.
Live session recorded on 8th October 2017 in London. Filmed by David Gourlay. Mixed by Scott Docherty.
PALM HONEY – ” Starving Hysterical Naked “
Posted: February 16, 2018 in MUSICTags: Palm Honey, Reading, Tucked Into the Electronic Wave
This Reading quartet are one of the more left-field bands to watch out for this year. Their unique sound could be categorized as everything from psych-pop and synth-rock to krautrock, space rock and prog rock. Their debut EP, Tucked Into the Electronic Wave, released last year, was among the finest of the year, featuring standout tracks “Stick the Knife In” and “Going Normal.”
Palm Honey’s current trajectory is their best yet, from sleazy, experimental track, ‘Hot Simian Weather’ right up to their latest release, ‘Starving Hysterical Naked’. An ode to Allen Ginsberg’s infamous poem, HOWL, it’s heavy and tenebrous combining all the best elements of garage rock into one hell of a jam, touching upon elements of Thee Oh Sees. For a generation of music fans whose attention spans are shorter than ever, ‘Starving Hysterical Naked’ never stays in one place long enough to lose your interest, despite its nine minute running time. It’s just wholesome, fluid goodness.
The four-track EP is a mystical, memorable journey comprising cosmic synths, saxophone solos, insecure lyrics, meticulous guitar riffs and musical tangents that would signal their next release, “Starving Hysterical Naked.” In a lot of ways, Palm Honey are the antithesis of most guitar bands these guys, as evinced by their two-part, nine-minute jam, “Starving Hysterical Nature.”
Band Members
Joseph Mumford / Harrison Clark / Sebastian Bowden / Ayden Spiller
ARE YOU LISTENING FESTIVAL – Saturday 22nd April 2017
Posted: April 1, 2017 in FESTIVALS, MUSICTags: Are You Listening, Reading
ARE YOU LISTENING FESTIVAL – Reading Saturday 22nd April 2017
Posted: November 25, 2016 in FESTIVALS, MUSICTags: Are You Listening Festival, Reading
The Big Moon, Animal House, Saltwater Sun, Shame, Flamingods and Tusks are amongst the first names announced for 2017’s Are You Listening? Festival, a one-day, multi-venue music event in aid of Reading Mencap.
Taking place on Saturday April 22 2017 at various Reading venues, Are You Listening? Festival returns for its fifth edition, which has seen around 5,000 festival-goers raise over £34,000 for local learning disability charity Reading Mencap. A small local charity that provides information, support and respite services for children and adults with learning difficulties, disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders, along with their families, they are affiliated to the UK’s leading learning disability charity, Royal Mencap, but receive no financial support from them.
The first wave of announcements for 2017 include Radio 1 DJ and new music champions Huw Stephens and Radio X DJ John Kennedy, Fiction Records signings The Big Moon, Middle-Eastern influenced psych band Flamingods, Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, M.I.A) produced rock act Kagoule, hotly tipped Rough Trade signed Shame and Reading acts Matt Maltese (recently seen supporting Tom Odell) and Area 52. Also announced on the bill are Animal House, Big Zero, Quiet Quiet Band, Saltwater Sun, Tiny Giant and Tusks.
SUNDARA KARMA – ” She Said “
Posted: September 5, 2016 in MUSICTags: Reading, Sundara Karma, Youth is Only Ever Fun
Sundara is a Sanskrit word that means “beautiful” or “noble” while karma is, you know, karma. This information tells you precisely zip about this young band, although it does express a certain boldness and brightness that is relevant (someone – possibly the band themselves – has described them as “more refreshing than sunshine”).
The Hindu/buddhist allusion is a red herring – the new Kula Shaker they are not. They are from Reading, which, for the purposes of this article, we are going to pretend is the New Jersey to London’s New York – just far enough away from the big city to engender a simultaneous loathing of confinement and desire for escape. And the band make a yearning, ringing, powerfully plangent sound that is suggestive of four teens eager to flee and fulfil their dreams and seeks to solicit the approbation of a large audience. They aspire to the driving, rousing anthemia of Bruce Springsteen, with big ideas about death and sacrifice and music up to the task of reflecting same.
Get She Said instantly when pre-ordering the album ‘Youth is Only Ever Fun”
SUNDARA KARMA – ” A Young Understanding “
Posted: February 26, 2016 in MUSICTags: Reading, Sundara Karma
Music video by Sundara Karma performing A Young Understanding. now with a big label like Sony Music Entertainment , Sundara Karma are all long hair and stern looks, the Reading foursome are bringing indie rock back in a big way. Having just toured with Wolf Alice, they’re currently on their own UK tour that will see them back in London on 10th March. Taken from their forthcoming debut album, we’re stoked to present the premiere of their video for addictive new single A Young Understanding. Due for release on 25th March via Chess Club/RCA, the visuals open with a simple question. “Can you get that guy out the back please?” Hint: that guy doesn’t get out of the back and the making-a-music-video set-up goes from one performance to a different kind of show altogether. The track focusses on the darker side of side of growing up before playing down the feelings as simply, a young understanding.
SLAVES – ” Sockets ” Live At Reading Festival 2015
Posted: January 16, 2016 in FESTIVALS, MUSICTags: Reading, Slaves
Slaves perform Sockets at Reading 2015. Visit the Reading webpage for more from 2015 , If the British two-piece hadn’t ended up on stage, there’s a decent chance they would have ended up in prison on charges of grievous bodily assault. Classic British punk with harsh bluesy garage riffs, Slaves turn up with primal songs that throw together punk existentialism, sketches of suburban life and absurd narratives about manta rays and Sasquatches in noisy three-minute bursts.website for more videos and photos
The Fat Angel Sings 