DEERHOOF Concorde 2 Thurs 2nd
No, not Deerhunter. A different band entirely, Deerhoof were formed in the mid 90s in San Francisco and have gone on to produce a none-more-prolific ten albums in ten years. At the centre of the quartet’s unbridled art rock is Japanese singer Satomi Matsuzaki, whose lollipop daydreaming adds further angles to their wild sound, rather like if Joanna Newsom fronted Black Sabbath. Currently touring 2008’s acclaimed Offend Maggie album, opinions still vary on the purpose of their music, which has earned hallowed support dates with Radiohead and Blur, while SOURCE’s girlfriend insists “this sounds stupid”. Still, what does she know? (BG)
PREFUSE 73 Audio Sun [email protected]
It’s been a difficult journey for Prefuse 73. Born Dave Prefuse in Miami, Florida, but removed from his family home by the US government as a teenager and sent to a Swiss IDM finishing school, majoring in glitch-hop. The college’s radical techniques (now banned) required each student to fully immerse themselves in a production line lifestyle, whereby all traces of identity were banished. Dave therefore became 73 and upon graduation embarked upon a career producing the sort of virtually unlistenable cut’n’fuck electronica you can hear at trendy Brighton house parties most weekends. It’s been a difficult journey for us too. (BG)
M83 Concorde 2 Mon 6th
It’s hard to work out whether liking M83’s music makes you more or less cool. He’s French, which is a definite plus, but in his press shots he somehow manages to look like a trip hop producer from Leeds. His latest album, Saturdays = Youth, has a very 80s sound, which we’ve heard goes down well with the hip kids at the minute, but the reference points don’t appear to be the right ones -Simple Minds, apparently. One thing is certain though, the man has a lot of great tunes, which sound unlike those ofany other band around at present. (DA)
WHY? Audio Tues 7th
Anticon’s hip hop raconteur Yoni Wolf hits the shores of Brighton once again this month, under the familiar guise Why?, dragging in tow the accolade of Alopecia being one of the critics’ albums of 2008. But after such a traveled musical road spanning multiple collaborations over the years with Anticon founder Doseone, which including experimental outfit cLOUDDEAD, this show will sit as a surreal showcase – headstrong with abstract imagery set to a melancholic backdrop. (AS)
!!! Coalition Thurs 9th
The idea that !!! are a great band is a slight exaggeration. The neo-punk funk outfit’s albums often meander without direction, songs taking a backseat the groove. But out of the studio that’s no bad thing though and on stage they can be one of the most exciting bands to dabble in that multiple layers of percussion. True star quality comes from out of control singer Nic Offer (see last month Six Of The Best Naked Pop People), and when !!! are on form they need that many exclamation marks. (JK)
:Kinema: The Hope Thurs 9th
The Leisure Sports promotion team has put together a cracking line-up of locally-sourced acts here, with the emphasis on selecting bands that don’t fit the traditional guitar format (but may well have silly punctuation in their names by the look of things). Growing in reputation all the time, :Kinema: head the bill with their aerodynamic electro-soul. If this three-piece outfit is not on your radar yet, then this show should serve as a fitting introduction. They are joined by the multi-tasking drum and synth duo, AK/DK, and live Italo-disco upstarts John John Slave. Get those dancing trousers on! (DA)
WELFARE MOTHERS Prince Albert Fri 10th
It’s easy to forget, while squinting into the media glare of actress wives, eco-pretensions and blustering musical bombast, that some of today’s more bloated “indie” stadium outfits were once exciting, credible small club acts. Snow Patrol, U2, Welfare Mothers, Coldpla…ah ! You’ve seen what we did there? Musically speaking, Dave Wheeldon and Co could sooo easily slip in with that company, but surely it’s better they carry on dropping jaws and blowing minds in places like The Albert, than ever gaining mass success and viewing places like the Brighton Centre as “a bit small”. It’d ruin it all. (PMR)
AN ALBATROSS Freebutt Sun 12th
There’s a Monty Python sketch where John Cleese stands on a beach screaming “ALBATROSS !” while Terry Jones tries to buy an ice cream off him. Decade old Penn State quintet An Albatross possibly know of this skit and are on a mission to aurally recreate it, with the brutal Casio grindcore of Trencher replacing Cleese and the spiralling psychedelia of USA Is A Monster as Jones. The result is so intensely thrilling you may well laugh out loud, though do expect a big pink foot to come crushing down on you as the final chord is sounded. (PMR)
HOT 8 BRASS BAND Coalition Weds 15th
Hailing from the streets of New Orleans comes a force pushing for brass domination. With such a vibrant and energetic attitude to getting things a little funky, the ten-strong members of the Hot 8 Brass Band have created an unmistakably infectious jazz spirit. With their joyous cover of Sexual Healing being one of Tru Thoughts’ most eagerly awaited singles, expect a riotous affair of heartfelt soul and toe tapping, jive-styled licks. (AS)
MEDICINE AND DUTY / TEETH OF THE SEA / PEEPHOLES The Greenhouse Effect Thurs 16th
A triple bill of noisy bastards, courtesy of the wonderfully unassuming Greenhouse Effect. Medicine And Duty howl and abuse their electronics with help from erratic solo phenomenon Mr Jack Cooper; Teeth Of The Sea build billowing epic soundscapes in a post-Constellation Records vein; and willfully amateur duo Peepholes still make The Sticks sound like Level 42. If they’ve learnt to play we’ll be well fucked off. (SH)
HAFDIS HULD Freebutt Fri 17th
For those who love Bjork’s quirky character but find her music a little inaccessible, Hafdis is the girl for you. If she doesn’t make it as a singer, she should definitely attempt a career as a comedienne because her banter between songs is always hilarious. However, it’s her adorable songs that have won her many devoted fans and hopefully she’ll win over a few more during her performance in Brighton. (JP)
STAY SICK LIVE! The Albert Fri 17th
Every so often, Stay Sick! like to find shockingly good bands, book them to play and stick them in the smallest venue that their ego will fit in. This month is the turn of The Guillotines, Vile Imbeciles and Bijou to squeeze in at The Albert. An interesting mix of sounds tied together nicely with some equally interesting visuals to watch and excellent music in between bands courtesy of the Stay Sick! DJ’s. Tickets are £5 from all the usual places. (GA)
JACQUEMO / BELA EMERSON Latest Music Bar Fri 17th
Upbeat, cabaret jauntiness from former Los Albertos chap Nic Tribe, ably assisted live and on record by Brighton’s favourite experimental cellist Bela Emerson. Jacquemo’s comic Happy Hammond Goes Punk tunes bring to mind the ghost of Ian Dury caught-up in a Brecht/Weill musical, which should bring out the playful side of Emerson’s well-honed cello and saw loops. A potential evening of rowdy bonhomie at the rather staid Latest Bar shouldn’t go amiss here. (SH)
FRANKMUSIK Audio Fri 17th
The BBC’s “Sound Of…” survey likes to unearth hidden, upcoming talent. It’s their job. The 2009 edition was stuffed chocka with strappingly cool electro pop hipsters, overburdened by Technicolour hair and underwhelmed of trouser. Vincent Frank, aka Frankmusik, was among the final 10 and so preoccupied is he by 80s sounds and stylings that many have him down as La Roux’s brother. He is not. What he is, however, is one of the hottest talents on this dangerously overcrowded bandwagon, while also, apparently, Holly Valance’s well fucking lucky new boyfriend and the owner of 2009’s gayest album. Consider tonight a homecoming. (BG)
YACHT/MAX TUNDRA Audio Sat 25th
Portland’s Jona Bechtolt is both a multimedia artist and the founder of a blogging web community (check out the wonderfully named Urban Honking) but, more importantly for us, he also makes fantastic spiky disco music under the alias Yacht. If the fact that he’s signed to the mighty DFA label doesn’t excite you enough to buy a ticket, then you should know that his live shows often incorporate…er…elaborate PowerPoint presentations. Domino’s Max Tundra joins the bill for what is essentially a double-headliner show, and his new poppier sound should ensure that it’s a comfortable pairing. (DA)
Jessica Pinkett
Dom Ashton
Ben Gilbert
Greg Ackerly
Phil MRiot
Stuart Huggett
Adam Strandt
James Kendall