Yews at Coach & Horses

As the Maltese Islands experience a refreshingly windy weekend, a large crowd is drawn to Coach & Horses. Almost two hours late, Yews takes to the stage at 10:55pm. Today she is performing with drummer Manuel Pulis, who has played with Brikkuni and local jazz bands. The music starts out very dreamy, soft chords emerge from her laptop and light beats drift from the drums. To this base, Yews adds vocals looped through her digital sampler and lyrics lightly shouted into the mic. Aside from some problems with the sound, it is a promising beginning beginning.

Her next song is 'In Time', a sweet child-like track accented by bold drumming and digital xylophone. Yews' style shows clear influence from Bjork and Grimes. Sound trouble persists as static bursts from the speakers intermittently.

Yasmin has been busy developing her sound in London. Her next track is lovely, very well structured with orchestral undertones from the laptop and focused drumming. Yasmin's vocals have also improved from the last time I saw her perform - at Sickfest last year. Gone are the wild animal screeches, replaced by soft tones voicing tender lyrics. Her sound has really developed and matured. Rather than being the focus of her music, she now uses her voice as a tool to bring together all the elements into one coherent piece. It is well put together and entertaining to listen to. The softness of Yasmin's tone is set off by the bold drumming, this is no lullaby.

Yews

Her technique in the use of the sampler had always shown promise, but this performance demonstrates a mature restraint. It hasn't yet reached the level of Owen Pallett (who we saw live here a few yeas ago), but Yews' style is somewhat different to his. She doesn't seem to find it hard to hold back, considering her previous loud hypnotic style. I think this might have something to do with studying sound art & design at the London University of Arts. It's such a shame that we have to export our talent to learn technique abroad.

Her music tends to be a bit repetitive, as atmospheric music does. Halfway through the gig, the tracks blend into each other. Later in the performance, the drumming is becoming overindulgent and overshadowing the music. The problem with the sound continues, and Yasmin has little conferences with the sound engineer between each track, ruining any continuity and needlessly lengthening the set.

Drummer Manuel Pulis

With only three songs to go, drummer Manuel Pulis grabs a microphone and apologises for the delays, blaming technical difficulties. He reminds the crowd that Yasmin traveled from London to perform for us and attempts to stir up encouragement.

Resident cat, Molly, trots up on stage. Yasmin offers her a microphone but (few people know this) Molly is actually deaf and therefore can't hold a tune. She is gently ushered off stage.

Yews ends the set on a new song, which features choral chanting as a background. It is a highlight track, reminiscent of John Murphy's work on the 28 Weeks Later soundtrack.  After negotiating with the audience, Yews agrees to play an encore and then ends at 11:50pm.

Yews on soundcloud 

Images: (1) Yews Facebook page, (2, 3) personal photos

When: 10th August 2013

Where: Coach & Horses, Msida

Who: Yews with Manuel Pulis

Price: 3e

3 Bands and some beer

The Beerfest is problematic. I don't know about the rest of you but I can't stand crowds, parents with pushchairs, screaming infants and those rotten tweens in their leggings worn as pants. At this year's Beerfest I found something I hate more and that is Maltese presenters, promoting brands with ridiculous competitions on a stage. I remarked at their oblivious use of the microphones: why would you yell into a mic? I suppose they were less aware of their sound amplifying tools than the glorious products they were peddling. At this point I realised I was at the wrong stage.

Three Stops to China started off a little late at 9.15pm with an uncharacteristically low-energy track about summer that ironically sounds more like winter. However their second track 'Arcadia' picks up the familiar 90s alt energy, although lead man Kurt Kind does tend to whine through it as though he's very bored of singing it. The third track, 'Following', stars out so promising with a contemporary underlying bass beat pulling the guitars along. If only 3STC sounded more modern. They care about their music and they know how to play their instruments, but they lack a modern sensibility that makes their music sound dated. It's not bad but it's not great --- it's far worse: mediocre. With the fourth track, the band sounds quite like a punk version of Placebo. A little whiny, but that's ok.

Three Stops to China

'Back for You' was a refreshing song, dark and creepy, slow and haunting with jangly post punk chords. The energetic lyricless interludes would be great in an epic video game battle sequence. The band's tempo control was quite lacking, as they bounced between high-energy and low-energy songs without maintaining any kind of momentum which was very tiring.

As I said , the Beerfest is problematic. I get the sense that most people, even at the rock stage aren't here for the music. People talk so loudly it's impressive that the music can be heard. So why are they here? Could it be the 40 different food stalls? The special limited edition mass produced beer mugs? The glorious Maltese night air (read: humid stuffy airless conditions)? perhaps these people enjoy the significantly reduced personal space, or violating the personal space of others. I swear the next fool to knock my handbag is getting a slap.

Dolls for Idols started at 10pm. The guys took over the stage with their cooler than ice image and flashy cover art on the projector screen. I think the crowd is pleased by the music because it has a clubby quality. They burst into their new(ish) electronic style, with Daft Punk inspired digital keyboard effects; which was more advanced than on their last album 'Cut, Paste and Rave'n'Roll'. Weren't they a rock band?? Their performance at the Beerfest shows such an intense progression from the last time I'd seen them live - at Sickfest last year. They've evolved from a rock band into a blend of nu-rave, punk and British indie. 

Dolls for Idols

I think the instrumental first track was a gutsy move at this venue, where people could easily be taken aback by something unusual, however they pulled it off perfectly. They play for the crowd as though they're performing at Glastonbury: cocky, confident, in the zone; an energy found in all their music videos.

They maintain the fast-paced digital energy throughout the set. 'Wonderlust', another instrumental, which keeps up the tone with some ridiculous keyboard beats, impressively matched by the guitars and drums (and it's a B-side!). The alternating between vocal and instrumental tracks works really well. Following is 'You' which sounds more like The Kooks or Razorlight on speed - fluffy British indie - because of frontman Clint Spiteri's hunky gruff vocals. This is more like the old Dolls for Idols, and this fusion of punky British indie and electronica gives the impression of a split-personality within the band. Not that I'm complaining - the versatility of this band is impressive, they are clearly overflowing with talent.

Stolen Creep

The ladies of Stolen Creep took to the stage at 11pm to lots of cat-calls. Thank you, men of Beerfest for showing your sexism before the band even begins. By this time, it's pretty obvious that certain members of the audience are drunk.

The regular line-up of Katryna, Martha, Rebecca and Marie are joined by Yasmin Kuymizakis (Yews) on keyboard and vocals. Katryna, Marie and Yews on vocals for this song provide a quiet intensity as Martha and Rebecca match them on bass and drums respectively. They start off very slow, with some light haunting bass that shows the sound engineer's faults all too clearly, as feedback echoes around. This problem was present but far less noticeable through the other bands' performances; the poor sound quality ruined an otherwise good opening song for the band. 

As a fan of Stolen Creep I worried that their style wouldn't be suited to the Beerfest as a venue. I couldn't have been more wrong. Perhaps it is the nature of the group that they adapt to their setting and fill it with music, music which is actually very versatile. It would fit well in a bedroom, a pub and an open air venue.

At the end of their opening number, the girls stopped playing to communicate with the sound engineer. After a pause they carried on to the next song which sounded better but far from perfect. The track about escapism uses bright summery chords for a cheerful effect, but it is somewhat dulled by the lacklustre vocals and slow-paced progression. After all this is Stolen Creep's style. They set a tone at the beginning of each track with the bass and throw in just a few vocals allowing the guitars and drums to pick up the pace, building up to the climax of the song and then fading out softly.

As a venue, the National Park at Ta' Qali is... ok. The lighting effects were poor, the sound quality was poor, but there was enough space for people. It's difficult to complain about a free event. My main gripe with the place (and the reason I left before Cable35 performed) was the loutish behaviour of certain people and the intense heat. All three bands put on a good performance, with the Dolls standing out for their outrageous talent. 

Images: (1, 2) David Grech Urpani, (3, 4) personal photos

When: 31st July 2013

Where: Rock Stage at the Beer Festival, Ta' Qali National Park

Who: Three Stops to China, Dolls for Idols, Stolen Creep

Price: free

Brikkuni Live at City Theatre

 

As one approaches the City Theatre, the sound of locals shouting becomes louder, leading the way like the star of Bethlehem.

City Theatre is a sterile place, the hotel-like lobby is peculiarly devoid of character. Attendees must climb several flights of stairs to get to the theatre. The standing area is modern and plain, however an effort has been made to liven it up with projected shapes and movie clips running on a loop on the stage backdrop.

At 9.50pm, Alex Alden takes to the stage with percussionist Luke Briffa. Alden’s powerful mastery of vocals is complemented by the country/blues style of music she plays. Her lyrics and the way she sings present the image of an older songwriter. Despite her use of just two instruments, the depth of sound produced is of many more. Alden clearly understands music to the point where she is able to deconstruct it to a bare minimum without sounding empty. She would be very well-suited to performing in a piano bar in some downtown cosmopolitan city. She is young but so obviously comfortable on stage on her own.

 At 10.51pm the main act begins. Brikkuni are a large outfit, with more performers than a standard band. The five guys on stage and the backing vocalists are joined by Mario Vella, the mastermind behind Brikkuni, swaying and bouncing around in the spotlight like a simian pop star.

The first song is about kannoli. I thought I had misheard the lyrics but no, “kannoli bla krema” are indeed the lyrics. The audience really loves this band. The standing area is totally full, and as each song ends the crowd claps and sways boisterously. It is immediately apparent that the crowd is just as much a part of the gig as the performers on stage. Mario doesn’t announce the names of songs, he doesn’t even need to as the audience recognizes them and sings along.

Brikkuni use a strong bluesey bassline with rhythmic drums, joined by several guitarists (I count 7 guitars on stage), 2 synthesizers, 2 trumpets and a violin. The result is a deep and overpowering sound, sometimes like a fanfare or local band club – very noisy and invasive. The crowd loves it. And Mario is something else. His endless energy is reflected by the crowd, as he jumps around they jump around too, in a hypnotic spiral of movement.

The difficulty in using Maltese lyrics is that they tend to be very aggressive and monotonous. Mario’s lyrics and delivery are certainly aggressive, but he uses this to his advantage because together with the depth of sound from the band, the music and vocals come together. The political songs are like a chant for an angry mob.  This aggression is a result of Mario’s use of ultra-Maltese elements (lyrics, topic, band-club arrangement) which suggest that Brikkuni have something to prove - that a band can be Maltese and also be successful; although to date only one band has been signed to a major record label, and they use English-language lyrics. Each song screams “Jien Malti u kburi” (translation: I am Maltese and proud) – and this is why the crowd loves them. It is an identification of spirit. 

Mario’s handling of his own vocals is precise, he only comes off as harsh when he intends to, and he can also hit a few high notes. Mostly, he is on key and very accurate with the use of tone, varying it according to the demand of the song. The sound is very traditional, due to the choice of instruments and the theme.

The large stage is fully-occupied with 10 people most of the time. They are comfortably clustered in little groups, almost like patrons sitting at little tables in a band club. 

The projections change with each song, moving from scenes of urban transport and commuting to vintage Popeye dance routines and an idolization of Arnie Schwarzenegger’s muscle man routine. I am unsure if each clip complements its corresponding song because they could easily be interchanged; however they add character to the room and the music. The most memorable was Popeye and Olive Oyl dancing to Il-Bar ta’ Taht il-Knisja, as the crowd sang along, perfectly may I add. The different layers of the performance – the projections, the band, and the crowd – were very entertaining because of their unifying theme.

Photos: (1) Brikkuni Facebook page; (2, 3, 4) personal photos

When: 15th March 2013

Where: City Theatre, Valletta

Who: Alex Alden, Brikkuni

Price: 8e

The Shh Live at Coach & Horses

Around a hundred people gathered at Coach & Horses for a relaxed evening of live music by local band The Shh. The Shh are (two-thirds of the Beangrowers) composed of Alison Galea on vocals, guitar and synthesizer, and Ian Schranz on bass, drums and vocals. The Shh can be summarised as sweet summery music with pretty melodies and moody lyrics. This gig on the home shore is a precursor to their Italian tour, where they will be playing to audiences in Palermo, Catania and Syracusa, among others. In accordance with custom, the gig starts late at 10:14pm. 

Tonight they will be playing tracks from their EP The Burning Love and other songs. They start with ‘All Things With Love’, a happy indie pop tune, one appropriate for summer cruising and beach barbeques. Using well-spaced and simple but not simplistic chords, The Shh surreptitiously transform the venue into an open air stage at sunset. Alison’s vocals are spot-on as usual, her high notes are reached without strain. Ian's deep voice occasionally joins in providing a contrast.
The Shh introduce a strong eighties vibe on the synthesizer and bass guitar in ‘Song for Now’, which begins like a power ballad. The tracks are very similar in terms of lyrics and theme,  as well as the repeated use of oohs and aahs reminiscent of 60s pop songs, however they are different enough to keep the audience attentive. 

‘Antichrist of love’ begins in a sultry, whispery tone from Alison; the power of her voice gradually increases as Ian joins in. This more serious song about heartbreak is set apart from the other light-hearted tracks by its slower tempo. An area where The Shh continually excel is in describing emotion through music, both with the chords and tempo they choose and their lyrics. These lyrics match the sound perfectly, complimented here by Alison’s powerful high notes at the climax of the song. 

Ian takes a seat at the drums to perform percussion on ‘Just Like You’, another cute 70s style pop song that reminds me of the Monkees. It's great to see some good music coming out of just two musicians. Of course they are the indie royalty of the Maltese Islands, rising to fame as the Beangrowers and now, minus their regular bassist, as The Shh.The duo continue to impress the audience with tracks that can easily stand alone as singles, and this is true for ‘Written in the stars’. The catchy chorus and bouncy drum beat makes this one a stand out track. 

Around halfway through the performance, The Shh played a cover of ‘Nightcall’ by Kavinsky & Lovefoxx. I felt it was an odd choice of song to cover because, despite its irresistible catchiness, the song is rather downbeat. I wouldn’t like to typecast them, but The Shh do upbeat so well that it seems a shame to go for a demure sound. The cover was a very faithful rendition of the original, and while not bad at all, didn't bring the summery goodness of The Shh. 

‘Burning love’ is the title track from The Shh’s EP. It is another slow song that deviates from the upbeat side of The Shh into the dark side of the moon. It follows Nightcall aptly with a continuation of eighties synthesizer chords and slow drums, however it is not a stand out track.  
The penultimate track is ‘So over’, a dull song about breakup that is actually the first track of the 5 on the EP. For the first time the vocals from Ian and Alison don’t harmonize, creating a jarring intro to the song. The guitar and drums are perfectly good but the vocals kind of ruin the song. The reprise towards the end serves as an awkward pause that confuses the audience into thinking the song is so over, but then it returns for another round of the chorus. I am unimpressed but the audience has clearly enjoyed it, cheering loudly. 

Setlist pilfered from the scene

The final track revives the eighties-sounding synth wave that The Shh have mastered and blended into a modern pop sound. ‘God Hates Us’ is a sad song which picks up the synth-pop sound laid down in ‘Nightcall’. The lyrics here are serious and sad but hopeful. The harmony of Alison’s vocals at a higher pitch than Ian’s are soulful and resonating. There is a great little interlude in the middle of the  song where the soft synth stands alone. It was a wise decision to end the night on this darker side of The Shh, as they began with the lighthearted pop and gradually matured into grown-up emotions.  

It would be easy to assume The Shh are nothing more than a summery pop band, but they have shown that they can also achieve a more serious tone. Playing music both from their EP and other non-EP tracks, The Shh have brought a little sunshine to a dark winter night.

Photos: (1) The Shh Facebook page, (2,3,4) personal photos

When: 7th March 2013

Where: Coach & Horses, Msida

Who: The Shh

Price: 3e

Review: Skimmed launch Summer Lovers

Members of the Maltese alternative scene gather at the Royal British Legion in Valletta to watch Hey Sus, a band we haven't heard from in a while, and Skimmed, who are launching their second album Summer Lovers.

Hey Sus are the opening act for tonight, they build up the crowd with their fresh indie pop energy. Their sound is quite different to the main act, providing a strong contrast to Skimmed’s darker sound. They have certainly improved since their last performance; when will we be able to hear an extended set from them? Hopefully very soon. 

The British Legion in Valletta is an unremarkable setting in that it is so similar to the other venues chosen for live performances by our local bands. The bands were perched on a small stage in the main hall, a deep room with a barrel vaulted ceiling. Chandeliers provide a sense of false grandeur, confirmed by the olive green curtains covering every wall. This is the setting picked by Skimmed to launch their new album Summer Lovers, setting a tone of grungy rock with elements of post-punk and dirty sexy lyrics. 

 

Alexandra Aquilina is the centre of attention, literally, in the centre of the stage on lead vocals and synthesizer, next to her is Daniel Borg on lead guitar. Frederico Cilia is the band’s bassist, and Christopher Mercieca is their drummer. For the launch they are also joined by Daniel Abdilla (from Clandestines) on another synthesizer, Michael Galea also on drums, and Alex Alden and Rachel Tedesco Triccas as backing singers. Everyone on stage looks like they belong to a 60s rock band, except for Abdilla who looks like a member of a screamo/post-punk band.

Skimmed begin with ‘Ronnie’ and ‘Fingernails’, songs that they released on Soundcloud, and follow with the album’s title track ‘Summer Lovers’. Each track follows from the previous seamlessly by retaining a common tone: this grungy rock with a strong bass line and guitar, blending with the rough and smooth vocals. It would be exciting to hear some of these tracks accompanied by a saxophone. 

Alexandra’s vocals have improved since her performance at Sickfest. She is still sometimes off-key, but in her stronger moments she channels Karen O. The backing singers are also sometimes off-key, which makes me wonder if this is being done on purpose – and for most bands that would sound ridiculous, but with Skimmed the deliberate sloppiness is plausible. Skimmed isn't a finely-tuned operation. The sloppiness seems part of their appeal.

Skimmed play a cover of OMD’s ‘Enola Gay’ which introduces the darker half of the album. The use of the synthesizer gives an 80s synth-pop sound, reminiscent of bands like The Cure and Erasure that experienced a comeback recently.

Alexandra’s stage presence is sexy and energetic but at the same time contained, she has a short hemline but a high neckline. She channels the persona on the cover of the album, a girl in a hotel room with a man. The hall is heating up and people shed their outer layers, preparing for a bedroom duel with Alexandra.

Skimmed continue with ‘Ghost in the Mirror’, a strong track which picks up the eerie synth-pop sound combined with dark and sultry lyrics. As the third or fourth song to use the synth-pop style, ‘Freak Show’ is repetitive. However, Alexandra’s shouty vocals, reminiscent of Peaches, work well with the rest of the instruments to produce another dark song. They perform well together as a band and tighten up in their synchronicity as the performance advances. At midnight the crowd is well into it, swaying and tapping along to the beat. Some people indulge in a little head banging, but there is no mosh pit tonight.

The set continues with ‘Tiger Tiger’ and the band sustains their energy, which must be difficult despite their youth as the album is heavy and demanding. Their songs follow a pattern, beginning with a quiet intro which becomes louder and louder as it builds into an aggressive climax and finishing on that note. They continue to use the same synthesizer sound, which negates its effect by becoming monotonous and repetitive. Skimmed continue with a strong 80s vibe in ‘Devil’s Alibi’, where the changing bass line sounds a bit like the Black Keys until the drums overpower it. ‘Isobel’ is perhaps the darkest song yet, it moves towards a prog rock style but still it is more of the same. This track would fit well in the soundtrack to a neo-noir film. 

They end on ‘Dream Girl’, a sweeter song which also ends the album.

Skimmed had a certain style in mind for ‘Summer Lovers’, a style that carries through in the album artwork, with its strong bold lines and sleazy hotel room photographs. The style also binds together the tracks on the album, providing a common theme in the sexy sordid lyrics and aggressive vocals, while the guitars and drums pull everything together as a solid frame. 

Photos: (1) Skimmed Facebook page (2) personal photo (3, 4) Skimmed website (5) personal photo

When: 23rd February 2013

Where: Royal British Legion, Valletta

Who:Hey Sus, Skimmed

Price: 7e