Andy Tullock's Music Column January 2006 (1/4)

(1/3), (2/4), (3/4). (4/4).

Hey, hey! Welcome to the first of my monthly columns, running you through the crazy, crazy world that is the modern music scene. Every month I will be going over the previous month's key events, as I see them (i.e. my get-out clause in case I forget some painstakingly obvious stuff, which, in time, will become painstakingly obvious that I do). Alright, so first I should probably address the issue that this first edition is appearing about a fortnight later than it should be (which in February means its nearly the end of the friggin' short and pathetic month, as if it even has the right to call itself a month!)....anyway, I suppose it'll stand me in good stead for the future.

Even though from now on I plan to get in there around the first week of the month you'll never expect anything better than two weeks late (but they do say that you can't make a second first impression, so in that sense I can't lose).

Also bear in mind that for you, as the reader, trying to set your mind back a couple of weeks to January is daunting when I bring up the issues, as the following piece will highlight, so imagine how hard it was for me writing the bloody thing. Especially as both my dictaphone and Spellcheck appear as fickle and weak as February itself and have rung in sick citing a bad takeaway from a night to which I wasn't invited. Right so enough of my dog ate my homework, honest excuses and lets move on to the piece in question...that lovely month that was January.

For many this has always been the most depressing month. Following the hangover of Christmas and New Year everything always seems so expensive, too much like hard work and, well, dauntingly real. For yours truly it has always been a welcome introduction to the year, but maybe that has something to do with the celebration of the anniversary of my birth (which, incidentally, more of you should use as a positive to all those aforementioned negatives, especially those ever distant wise men).

But for once, for many, January 2006 brought a new excitement and vigour. And I have no apologies for awarding the whole month to those boys from Sheffield, so much so that, even in my head, everything else paled into significance (four day birthday weekender included). A number one album, single and subsequent, overly-acknowledged debut record merely added a turbo injection to the Arctic Monkeys' already souped-up bandwagon. Tour announcements did little to calm the frothing public. Bird Flu seemed a million miles away now that the country had caught Monkey fever.

Obviously this even affected us little folk of Hull, as our town was 'blessed' as one of the scared sites to the welcoming of the second coming (...of Brit Pop?! sorry).

Yep, as the month drew to a close it was announced that our very own music cathedral, the Hull Ice Rink , as the advertisements declared, would be one of the venues for a tour that had, no doubt, been strategically planned by clever A & R men ( 'lets give this fickle public the band they all love but not in obvious over-sized venues so as not to over-expose them too early, muhahahaaaaaaa', or something along those lines).

Continued..... Next Page (2/4).

Single Reviews - Your Vegas - Flybuzz By David Thurlby
	Now don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing decadent Leeds based quintet Your Vegas of having ideas above their station, but Flybuzz has the air of a song which was composed, arranged and recorded purely for the Rock Stadium. From the opening tinkles of the piano, which would be used to portray glacial rain in a music class devoted to sound association Read more...

Album Reviews - Vib Gyor Five track EP By Michelle Dee
	The chiming keyboards and guitars opens Fallen followed by a soft breathy vocal then, as the song continues it takes on a definite Bono sound. As the guitar quickens, you find yourself exploring a fresh wind swept arena. Quiet, quick passionate wavy lines of guitar underpinned with urgent drumbeats, floating falling into deep wells of white noise. Plaintive pianos will oft be Read more...

Album Reviews - The LVRs - Death Has Become Her (Undergroove) Release date: March 13th 2006 Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	This dazzling spoken-word album is a side project for two of the members of LA rockers My Ruin, with the singer in Tairrie B doing the talking and musician Mick Murphy providing the background noise, mainly in the form of atmospheric soundscapes that are genuinely dark and deadly. Listeners of a nervous disposition might want to give this a miss, especially should you Read more...

Single Reviews - The Somatics - Elemental (Engine Room) Release date: 27th February 2006. Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	After the sad demise of cult heroes Ultrasound, ace guitarist Richard Green wasted no time in forming the Leeds-based trio The Somatics. Thus, we have Richard on lead vocals and guitar, backed up by bassist Stephanie and drummer Bruce. This single was also recorded and produced by Richard, to further prove just how talented he is both in front of and Read more...

Album Reviews - Yeah, It's Supposed To Sound Like That Vol 2 (17 Track Compilation Album - Colchester Recordings) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	The second compilation release on the label that's run by the singing and songwriting force behind the ace band The Party, James Sherry has once again collated seventeen hugely exciting and varied tracks from some of the best underground and unsigned bands/ artists not only from around the UK, but from around the world. Having said that, most of the tracks Read more...

Music News - Zhain on Tour in USA By Rocky
	Three guys from Hull prove U.K. bands can still successfully play the U.S! We prove not only older people can still rock 'n' roll but that U.K. bands can still successfully play in the U.S. contrary to articles in The Times etc. We left for Los Angeles for our first shows in 27 years with, due to circumstances beyond our control, Anners daughter being born Read more...

Music News - Barmby Bash Could Kickstart DJ's Career
	Hull DJ Chris Plant has warmed up for a transatlantic trip by taking to the decks at a party held by Hull City star Nick Barmby. Chris is heading to America to meet with radio station bosses and representatives of broadcast giant CBS, hoping to hit the big time. But, just days before the trip, the star in the making agreed to play at Barmby's birthday party.Chris said: "Nick told me Read more...

Album Reviews - Babar Luck - Care In The Community (Rebel Music) Release Date: March 13th 2006 By Steve Rudd
	Rewind a few years back into the early 90's, and a hugely original band called King Prawn was taking the underground music scene by the storm, especially on the back of superb albums such as Surrender To The Blender. Fast-forward back to the present day - 2006 - and the former King Prawn (RIP) bassist/ backing vocalist in the Read more...

Album Reviews - Keeping It Peel (Thisisull Compilation Album) By Steve Rudd
	A fitting tribute to the legend that was DJ John Peel, this 12-track CD commemorates Peel Day from October 13th 2005. The good people behind the high-profile website www.thisisull.com put on a concert in memory of the man, and the bands that feature on this CD appeared at such a gig. In total there are six bands on this release, each with two Read more...

Album Reviews - Kelley Stoltz, Below The Branches (Subpop) Release date: February 6th 2006. By Steve Rudd
	This man is amazing; a true star-in-the-making. Kelley is San Francisco-based, and a home recording artist to boot, following-up his 2001 album Antique Glow with this astounding 13-track album that stuns the senses with its down-to-earth and humbling sensitivity that streaks through every song right from the curtain-raising Wave Goodbye: a tune that's both Read more...

Album Reviews, - Richard Ashcroft - Keys To The World (Parlophone) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	Thank God for the songwriting talents of Richard Ashcroft. He is now some six years into his solo career since the nation's favourite band from Wigan - The Verve, that is - split. Luckily, the material that Richard has released as a solo artist has consistently been just as enticing, and this latest 10-track album of his will have surely to goodness attracted plenty more Read more...

Music News - Vib Gyor Press Release
	Combining the intensity of Radiohead with the subtle soundscapes of Sigur Ros, Vib Gyor have become purveyors of the finest atmospheric, explosive rock. With shimmering guitars, pounding drums and aching sweeping vocals, they project a rich anthemic, yet totally original sound. Frustrated with everyday life, the Leeds based band formed in 2004 through the Read more...

Music, Band Biog- Introducing Silverjet
	Since their live debut in late September 2004, Silverjet have been taking the music scene by the scruff of the neck and shaking it with their own dose of Rock 'n' Roll. Their songs are raw, catchy, loud and infectious drawing from influences such as The Faces, The Black Crowes, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, The Quireboys and Aerosmith to name but a few. The result is Read more...

Single Reviews - The Fallout Trust - Washout (At Large) Release date: Feb 13th 2006 Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	At just over three minutes long, the latest single from the London sextet in Washout perfectly showcases just how talented this band is. Given that there are six members, the music naturally has immense depth, and fortunately no elements are drowned out in the mix. The guitars ring especially proudly, as band frontman Joe Winter sings out his pretty little heart. Come the sublime Read more...

Single Reviews - Cherubs - Paper Cut Moon (Cargo) Release Date: Feb 6th 2006 Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	You might already have caught this extraordinary outfit during one of their 2005 festival appearances... perhaps at the Carling Weekend or T in the Park for starters. The widespread consensus seems to be that to hear them is to love them, and there's no wonder if this attention-demanding single is anything to go by. Paper Cut Moon pits beautifully rousing guitar Read more...

Single Reviews - Fallout Boy - Sugar, We're Going Down (Mercury) Release Date: Feb 7th 2006 Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	A chart-friendly anthem for the masses, the wall-of-sound vibrancy that blasts out of this beauty of a single release is the ultimate wake-up call for anybody who even remotely finds their ears attracted to high-calibre Pop-Punk music. Sugar, We're Going Down is melody and harmony-saturated to the hilt, thus ensuring that it's ludicrously catchy in the extreme, as the energy Read more...