Marie Modiano - Two New Albums "Ram On A Flag" and "Espérance Mathématique" & Debut Novel released on September 30th.

Marie Modiano by Julien Bourgeois

Marie Modiano, the Paris based singer, songwriter, poet (and now author), will be very busy on September 30th as she simultaneously releases two brand new albums "Ram On A Flag" and "Espérance Mathématique" and her debut novel "Upsilon Scorpii" all on the same day! I saw Marie perform as part of a special Scandinavian weekend event at La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris last year and was captivated by her performance. I snapped up a copy of her album "Outland" at the merchandise stand and although it has since become one of my favourite albums of recent years, it was slightly disappointing that so many of the great songs she played that night were actually new and unreleased at the time. But now the long wait to hear those songs recorded is finally over and we also get the bonus of the second album too. The Event in Paris was curated by Swedish Singer-Songwriter Peter von Poehl and orchestrated by Martin Hederos, who not only appeared on stage with his own band, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, but also with Marie and Peter too. Equally as busy was the excellent drummer Ludwig Dahlberg (ex-International Noise Conspiracy and Mattias Hellberg's White Moose) who played brilliantly during Marie and Peter's sets and then rocked out with his band Free Fall. You can read a report and check out photos of that great weekend on the Blog here.

So, onto the new albums and Marie Modiano is once again reunited with Martin Hederos and Peter von Poehl on the English language "Ram on a Flag", which follows on perfectly from "Outland". With lyrics and music by Marie except on three tracks which are co-written with Peter von Poehl, the album was recorded at various studios in Sweden and features Marie on vocals and piano, Peter von Poehl on guitar and vocals, Martin Hederos on piano and organ, Christoffer Lundquist on bass and saxophone, Jens Jansson played drums and percussion and Thomas Ebrelius on violin and viola. Just like its predecessor "Outland", the album is a stunningly orchestrated piece that is organic and uncluttered and has a slight tinge of melancholy. Similar to Martin's old Soundtrack of Our Lives colleague Björn Olsson's current solo music, "Ram on a Flag" is extremely evocative of a coastal landscape, you can almost hear the sounds of seagulls and fishing trawlers heading off into a beautiful sunset. The lyrical subjects of "The Islands and The Skerries" and the stunning "Long Journey on a Rock-Pool Train", with it's swelling gospel choir backing vocals, reinforces that coastal atmosphere even further. My favourite track on the album is "New Wings of Mine", which would make a great choice as a single, and features some seriously impressive, almost Jon Entwistle style bass. "Paper Boots" is a great duet with Peter von Poehl, who also shares vocals on "Shutters of Sand" which is an epic track that builds nicely to a crescendo. The album ends with "Twilight Rhapsody", a beatifully simple piano based song that highlights Martin's admiration for Erik Satie and would be appeal to those that appreciated Soundtrack of Our Lives "Tonight". So, "Ram on a Flag" is a really impressive follow up to "Outland" and thoroughly recommended if you enjoy the orchestral side of The Soundtrack of Our Lives, David Sylvian's more accessible work, Kate Bush and other similar emotionally engaging music.

The second album "Espérance Mathématique" is a collection of Marie's poems put to music by Peter von Poehl and was recorded and mixed in Paris. It's a spoken word album with Marie reciting her poems in French over music performed by Ludwig Dahlberg on drums, Nicolas Mathuriau on percussion, with the string section of Zach Miskin and Marielle de Rocca Serra. All other instruments are by Peter von Poehl and the string arrangements are by Martin Hederos. Of course, my understanding of the album, if not my enjoyment, is hampered somewhat by my not speaking French, so I cannot appreciate the poems themselves, but I can certainly enjoy the wonderful delivery from Marie and of course the music itself. What springs to mind first of all are the two great Serge Gainsbourg concept albums "Histoire de Melody Nelson" and it's more musically diverse follow up, "L’Homme à tête de chou". So, an impressive double hit of albums from Marie, with both complimenting each other perfectly.

Marie with Martin Hederos & Peter von Poehl, Paris 2012 - Steve Worrall

Marie Modiano is the daughter of French author Patrick Modiano and originally started out as an actress, studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and appearing in films such as "La Vie Privée". She then began peforming as a singer with a folk-jazz-pop group that included Grégoire Hetzel (piano), Daniel Yvinec (bass), and Arnaud Lechantre (drums). In collaboration with Hetzel as her producer and co-writer, she released her full-length debut album in 2006 on Naïve Records entitled "I'm Not a Rose", which included the single "C'est dur l'Amour". She then collaborated with Peter von Poehl and Martin Hederos on her 2008 follow up, "Outland", some of which was recorded at Svenska Grammofon Studion, the Gothenburg based studio run by Kalle Gustafsson from The Soundtrack of Our Lives. Then in 2012 l’Arbalète/Gallimard published a book of Marie's poems "Espérance Mathématique", on which the new album of the same name is based.

Martin Hederos, Marie Modiano, Ludwig Dahlberg, Paris 2012 by Steve Worrall

The albums "Ram On A Flag" and "Espérance Mathématique" are both released on September 30th by Nest and Sound Records and on the same day, Marie Modiano's first novel "Upsilon Scorpii" is published by l’Arbalète/Gallimard.

With many thanks to Damien Besançon at Laitdbac Records and Ludwig Dahlberg.

Nervous Twitch "This Modern World" E.P.

Initially forming in 2011 with the now lead vocalist and bassist, the pink haired Erin Van Rumble, on the drums, Nervous Twitch have undergone a number of line-up changes before establishing the current line up in early 2013. Inspired by a shared love of the Ramones and other 70s punk bands, 60s girl group such as the The Ronettes through to modern North American Garage Punk acts such as Nobunny. Nervous Twitch create short sharp contagious pop songs crammed with hooks and memorable melodies. Nervous Twitch released "Bad Reputation" their 1st E.P. at the beginning of 2013. Made up of tracks recorded the previous year, featuring previous band members and Erin on drums, the "Bad Reputation" E.P. used lo-fi production to good effect and featured 5 catchy, garage punk numbers most of which remain in the live set today. In June 2013 the band released "This Modern World", with a fuller sound the band continued to experiment with their songwriting style whilst maintaining their pop sensibilities. Nervous Twitch have already played with the likes of 'Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds, Thee Spivs, Thee Bat and Dan Sartain and continue to entertain audiences with their own unique brand of Rock 'n' Roll at nights up and down the UK. With a more settled line up and some releases under their belt the band continue to work on new material covering a number of styles from Punk, Garage, New Wave and Pop.

Nervous Twitch are an unsigned four piece from Leeds who deliver short, sharp bursts of garage punk. The influence of bands like The Ramones is recognisable throughout their songs and none more so than on "Bad Reputation". It definitely has the retro feel of the 70’s punk era without being copycat and the chorus is really catchy and you find yourself singing along to it before the end. Riffs on songs such as "You Soon Found Out" and "You Don’t Matter No More" continue in the same ilk. However there is also a reminder of bands like the Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster in some of the bass lines. All the songs come in around the two minute mark and are fast paced all the way through. Impropoganda Blog Spot June 2011

 

Nervous Twitch have since re-recorded this EP of songs with more skill, and a bigger budget, but this still bears your consideration. There’s something I find charming about hearing them not exactly have the best handle on the songs yet. There’s piss and vinegar to give it the right kick, but no one quite owns the songs yet. "You Don’t Matter No More" and "You Soon Found Out" prove this is a band that has what most every other band lacks, SONGWRITERS who can turn a memorable phrase. "Shake of the Damned" is sexy and fun bit of an organ grind. Nervous Twitch have been blessed with a memorable name, great hooks and now as their musical skills improve with leaps and bounds they make it seem easy. This name your own price release is the perfect background noise for keeping that neighbour you can’t stand awake. Indie Music for the Unaffiliated March 2013

 

Aside from having a great freaking name, they write memorable music that feels dirty enough for it to be fun. This latest E.P. "This Modern World" is no exception. NT do their best to be Mods with the title track and “Baby, I’m Bored” by inking songs Ray Davies wishes he’d written. There’s a jittery agitated, over-caffinated feel to the band's performances, add to that the jangly guitars and it just makes you wanna move. “You Ask Me Why” is a perfect example of this affected combination. Even the closing instrumental, “Stuck in the Mud,” starts with a sinister enough guitar tone, but the high trebly melody line feels like a Mod spy soundtrack circa 1966 and baby, it is intoxicating.

Indie Music for the Unaffiliated July 2013

Here's the video to the great title track of their new E.P. "This Modern World"

You can check out more information on the band, including upcoming tour dates, at their official web-site and download their music at their Bandcamp site. Thanks to Jay.

Dot Dash "Half Remembered Dream" New Album Out Now

"Half-Remembered Dream" is the third Dot Dash album released in less than two years. This follows 2012's "Winter Garden Light and "spark>flame>ember>ash" which was released in September 2011, all on The Beautiful Music, the Ottawa based indie label that has been issuing underground pop records for more than 10 years. For the new album the Washington D.C. based quartet traveled north to neighboring Baltimore, where "Half-Remembered Dream" was recorded at Lord Baltimore Studios. As before, there’s a persistent thread of melancholy running through Dot Dash’s ringing, intense, melodic pop, but it takes on a variety of forms. Amidst jangling, wistful guitars, contrasted by often thunderous bass and drums, "Half-Remembered Dream" is, by turns, energetic, plaintive, and punky. Dot Dash play live frequently and has shared recent bills with Ash, The Drums, The Bats, The Monochrome Set, and Glen Matlock, among many others. I think this is my favourite of the three Dot Dash albums and I would thoroughly recommend it for lovers of intelligent, melodic and emotional guitar music. They have echoes of that wonderful late seventies/early eighties period of The Cure, Psychedelic Furs and Wire but mixed up with the beautifully textured and intricate guitar work of early R.E.M., Dream Syndicate and Long Ryders.

The Band line-up is: Terry Banks – guitar & voice; Bill Crandall – guitar; Hunter Bennett – bass; Danny Ingram – drums. "Half-Remembered Dream" is available as a CD directly from The Beautiful Music’s PayPal-enabled ordering site at www.thebeautifulmusic.com and is also available as a download via iTunes, Bandcamp, eMusic, and Amazon. You can check out more info on Dot Dash at their official Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/dotdashdc

Here's a taster from the album and the great opening track "(Here's to) The Ghosts of The Past"...

Dick Venom & The Terrortones "Invasion Of The Spider Queen" New 7" Single Out on September 09th

Tomorrow, September 09th, Dick Venom & The Terrortones unleash their brand new 7" Vinyl Single and download on Jailhouse Morgue Records entitled "Invasion of The Spider Queen/Planet of The Honeyfuzz". It's a glorious slice of sleazy primal Rock 'n' Roll that chews up no end of Trashy genres and references and spits them out in their own inimitable style. In a way they remind me of Jonny Cola & The A-Grades in the fact that are taking theatrical Glam, with a slightly seedy underbelly, and twisting it into a thoroughly modern sound that blazes a colourful and exciting trail through the current alternative music scene. From the misleading Doo-Wop harmonies of the title track which are rudely ripped aside by a blast of guitar and thundering bass, powered along on a massive riff as big as the giant spiders that are chasing Dick throughout the song. "Planet of The Honeyfuzz" has another trademark bass riff, something that I really love about the band, and Dick's impressively twisted monster crooning is at it's best, almost making Lux Interior seem like Aled Jones! But although it's The Cramps and early 80's Psychobilly of The Meteors and Sting-Rays that remain the Terrortones blueprint, there is a far heavier Rockier influence that conjures up the tongue in cheek antics of Zodiac Mindwarp and Monster Magnet and again pushes the boundaries of those pesky genres.

Here's some other comments on the band...

“The true future sound of Rockabilly/Psychobilly return with their sharpest, most playful and most deliciously sleazy single to date". (Penny Black Music)

"In the cool snarl and croon of Dick Venom’s vocals and the hard punch-drunk crunch of Wrex St.Clair’s bass, and with Hurricane Valley and SugarBeats on-side (guitar/drums respectively), imagine The Cramps, Stray Cats, New York Dolls, The Damned, or the Ramones souls stolen and reincarnated in Psychobilly”. (Rock The North).

"For just over three years Dick Venom & Co. have toured the UK alongside The Meteors, Bad For Lazarus, Demented Are Go and Vince Ripper (ex-Alien Sex Fiend), serving up slices of “irresistible, hypnotic and honest graveyard rock ‘n’ roll” (Ringmaster Reviews) in “hedonistic, hot-rod three-minute anthems” (Steve Beebee).

You can download the single from iTunes or Amazon or order the 7" (complete with comic book) from the band's official web-site or Jailhouse Morgue Records.

We played Dick Venom on the very first Retrosonic Podcast which you can check out here...

The Rousers "Playing the Rock and Roll For You"

The Rousers, the Power Pop trio with a true New York Punk pedigree, have been rocking NYC since their first gig at CBGB in 1977. As one of the house bands at Max's Kansas City, they had the opportunity to perform with many of the headliners of the day, including The Troggs, The Dead Boys, as well as a classic New Year's Eve show with Robert Gordon. That night, The Rousers were joined on stage by David Johansen as well as Lenny Kaye and Chris Spedding. They became headliners in their own right, enjoying great gigs with many fine bands and venues. Their last show at Max's before it closed featured an upcoming young woman as an opening act who went by the name of Madonna. While headlining shows all over the northeast, The Rousers released only one single,"Party Boy", on Jimboco records. This Wayne Kramer-produced single was favorably reviewed in the New York Times. As the years went by the band changed names and some members over time, but everyone who knew of them from the old scene still referred to them as The Rousers, so The Rousers they remain. The Rousers have released a new album entitled "Playing The Rock And Roll For You". It is available from all the usual outlets and is quite the rocking collection. These are new recordings and remakes of a couple of their old "hits", as well as a stirring rendition of the Troggs' "With A Girl Like You".  Here's a little taster of some tracks from the album...enjoy!

Learn how to get your music noticed at ReverbNation.com

You can download the album "Playing The Rock and Roll For You" from iTunes and get more info on the band at their official Rousers web-site.

Eel Pie Island "The British Beat Explosion" Exhibition

 

I went along to an excellent exhibition about the musical heritage of Eel Pie Island, at the Stables Gallery in Orleans House, Twickenham, and it turned out to be a fascinating look at the importance of this tiny Island in the River Thames, which along with Richmond's Crawdaddy and Windsor's Ricky-Tick Club, played a vital part in British Jazz, Rock 'n' Roll, Beat and Rhythm & Blues history. There are many interesting exhibits and displays of memorabilia, posters and photographs charting the various high profile acts associated with "Eelpiland" - as it was known - from George Melly, Alexis Korner and Chris Barber to the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, Downliners Sect and many other acts. The Who were another band closely linked with the Island, so much so in fact that Pete Townshend named his publishing company and recording studio after the Island, and even his official web-site is entitled eelpie.com. The Eel Pie Hotel is long gone, burned down in a mysterious fire in 1971, only to be re-built as a block of apartments, and nowadays the Island itself is mainly home to a boat-yard and a slightly Bohemian collection of Artist's studios. However local Indie band The Mystery Jets do have their recording studio there, and local pub the Cabbage Patch hosts special Eel Pie Club nights, so the Island's connection with music still continues to this day.

I also picked up a really nice little book that has been published to coincide with the exhibition entitled "The British Beat Explosion: Rock 'n' Roll Island" and co-written by the excellent music journalist and biographer Zoe Howe (Wilko Johnson, The Slits, Jesus & Mary Chain etc) and Michele Whitby. The book tells the story of Eel Pie Island's musical heritage and features lots of great photos throughout.

The Eel Pie Island Exhibition is in Stables Gallery at Orleans House on Riverside, Twickenham TW1 3DY and runs until September 29th, so if you are in the area please do pop along to have a look, and check out the excellent web-site for details on how to get there and opening hours.

Here are some photographs of my visit to the exhibition.

 All Photos (except book cover) Copyright Retro Man Blog 2013.

Retrosonic Podcast: Sparks - Part 2 of The Halfnelson/Bearsville Years with Harley Feinstein

In Episode 2 of this special edition of Retrosonic Podcast we are very pleased to welcome back Harley Feinstein, the original drummer with Sparks. Harley appeared on the band's first two Bearsville Records albums "Halfnelson/Sparks" and "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing", and was in the line-up for their very first visit to the UK back in the early Seventies. In the previous episode,  Harley told us about how he first met Ron and Russell Mael and joined the band. Now in Part 2, Harley talks about the band's first experiences in a studio with Todd Rundgren and James Lowe of The Electric Prunes and how a notorious bunch of Groupies contributed to them getting signed to Bob Dylan's manager's record label, Bearsville. This introduces the band to the nefarious world of the music business with it's aggressive managers and pressure to "make it".

Harley on stage with Crash 74 - Photo by Paul Slattery

There's the enforced name change from Halfnelson to Sparks and we discover some of the hilarious, and slightly worrying, alternate names that the band might have been lumbered with. We follow the band to England and their first TV appearance on Old Grey Whistle Test and sold-out gig at the Marquee, their residency at The Pheasantry and the taste of what can be achieved on record company expenses. We then find out how an ill-fated trip to Zermatt in Switzerland became the final nail in the coffin for the band at that time. Harley speaks with candour about the Mael brothers, the Music business and his part in one of the greatest cult bands of all time. Soundtracked by lots of early Sparks songs, including material from their original demo album, this is a fascinating tale of Sparks' formative years.

Here is Episode 1 of Harley's story of Sparks, in which first of all, he starts off by talking about his current project Crash 74 and how this eclectic trans-Atlantic group - featuring members of his Californian based band, vocalist Michelle and bassist Paul Jensen, got together with ex-Revillos drummer and Roadholders front-man Nicky Forbes, trumpet player Dexy D'Angelo from The Stone Foundation, guitarist Stevie Savage from The Roadholders and Danielle Dax's band and saxophonist Lee Sullivan who also happens to be a Dr. Who comic book illustrator...For more information on Crash 74 and their fantastic summer gig at the 12 Bar Club in London, including exclusive Paul Slattery photographs, please check out the earlier Blog feature here. 

With many thanks to Harley for his cooperation - it's much appreciated.