Tag: Audio Asylum

Aural Delights Radio Show 12th October

On this show….

Peter Hammill – Shingle Song – PNO GTR VOX – from a brand new double album on Fie featuring solo performances from 2010 including a gig at the Lowry Theatre which I was fortunate enough to attend – a classic piece of Hammill song-writing originally from the 1975 album “Nadir’s Big Chance”.

We Were Promised Jetpacks – Building Buildings – Medicine – the b-side of the recent single, whiich I actually prefer to the a-side. The new album “In the pit of the stomach” is impressive and I’ll be featuring it in future weeks.

The Computers – Surfin’ Bird – Rhythm Revue – another one where I prefer the b-side to the a-side – not sure about this band in general  but I do like their take on the classic “Surfin’ Bird” – originally by The Trashmen and then covered by The Ramones.

Half Man Half Biscuit – Tommy Walsh’s Eco House – 90 Bisodol (Crimond) – an album which gets better with every listen, my initial concerns about it have now disappeared, here we have Blackwell in full rant mode with the usual cultural targets getting the full force of his extremely acidic and very witty tongue.

Silent Cities – Gone Fishin’ – Dream – as featured last week, an impressive singer songwriter from Liverpool called Simon Maddison.

Audio Asylum – Pressure – Demo – another impressive Liverpool band i’ve featured before.

Down the Machine – Know Your Place – Single – north east band – they have a website with lots of info – latest vid-chip below….

Ides of Gemini – Matyrdom of the Hippolyte – The Disruption Writ – they have just signed to Neurot and will have an album out Spring 2012. This is a great track from their self released EP proving that you can do special things with this musical form.

Pale Man Made – Started in 1966 – another North East band don’t know much about them I’m afraid…..this was released on Monday on Tiny Lights Recordings

West Coast Sick Line – This Ain’t London – from Glasgow and the fertile mind of Dusty Moonan.

Tone Puppets – Ignore – it says “Full of eastern promise – and northern grit, resident band at The Lovely Job, Tone Puppets produce a fizzy, guitar fuelled indie laced sound with curious time signatures and mathy prog-outs that’s been likened to the Beta Band/Nirvana and The Doors.” Indeed.

Peter Hammill – Vision – PNO GTR VOX – another one from the great man – this was originally from his first solo album “Fools Mate” from 1971.

Van Der Graaf Generator – Scorched Earth – and to close the band that Hammill formed with a stunning track from the come-back album “Godbluff”…..

to listen click the link below

Aural Delights Radio Show – 5th October 2011

On this show :

  • Half Man Half Biscuit – Left Lyrics In The Practice Room – 90 Bisodol (Crimond)
  • Ryan Adams – Dirty Rain – Ashes & Fire
  • Audio Asylum – Into the fire – Demo Track
  • Silent Cities – All These Winds – Dream
  • Honey – Nowhere Floating – Single
  • Mike Patton – Cicatrix 11 – The Solitude of Prime Numbers
  • Bailer – Sometimes – Single
  • Firesuite – Sci-Fi Lullaby – You’re An Ocean Deep, My Brother
  • Gong – Perfect Mystery – You
  • Half Man Half Biscuit – Descent of the Stiperstones – 90 Bisodol (Crimond)
  • Bonny Prince Billy and the Phantom Family Band – Suddenly the Darkness – The Mindeater
  • Ryan Adams – Do I Wait – Ashes & Fire
  • Death In Vegas – Black Hole – Trans Love Energies
  • Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – 4 + 20/Helpless – Deja Vu

Aural Delights – 22nd June 2011

A variety of new sounds on this show a lot of them from the Greater Salford area…….or Manchester as it is more commonly referred to…..but many more from far flung places like Coventry, Falkirk and Huddersfield……

  • WU LYF – Dirt (Single) : the next big thing? I think it’s too early to tell but this single is definitely quality stuff. You will be able to see for yourself at Manchester International Festival in July.
  • White Swallow – Rain (Single) – consist of Bobby Mambo- Guitar + Vox and
    Sam Swallows- Drums and hail from Chorley (a fine place with some nice restaurants).More info the Brock and Roll site.
  • The Strive – Down in London (Demo) – interesting band from Stretford consisting Gurmakh Singh – Guitar/Vocals, Jake Ogden – Guitar/Vocals
    Thomas ‘Toast’ Barlow – Bass/Vocals, Mike Carolan – Drums.
  • Beirut – East Harlem (Single) – nice to see them back and with a great tune from Zac Condon.
  • The Suns – Sun Strut – Down and Out in Little Deva (Album) – the rather impressive and utterly groovy Suns who are playing at Helmets for Men in September…..and are well worth seeing.
  • Zap Zap Zap – Brick Window – apparently the NME think they are good which is usually the kiss of death for me but they are actually very impressive. It would appear that they “enjoy taking influence from the potent and enigmatic things of everyday life; amplifying them to great heights of their own musical art”. Not sure that adequately covers a very polished and unique sound that encourages further listening. Very melodic and well constructed tune this.
  • Bad Pollyanna – My Incubi (Single) – I like a touch of alternative rock sturm und drang once in a while and this one ticked my one working set of ossicles so I thought I would give it an airing.  The album is in gestation as I understand it. Based in Huddersfield the band consists of Olivia Hyde – Vocals, Nikki Kontinen – Bass, Sam Morrow – Drums,  and Peter Dawes – Guitar. Apparently the stage show is pretty impressive and looking at some of the vids on You Tube they do have an impressive look to them. Turns out Sam the drummer lives in Manchester also. If you want to contribute to the production of the album you can pay for the single otherwise its free to download. Good idea I think – something Kristin Hersh does with her Strange Angels thingy.
  • Audio Asylum – Pressure (Demo) – a very impressive band from Liverpool who I’ve played before. A taster from a forthcoming ep.
  • The Black Hands – 45 (Demo) – Five piece Blues Rock outfit The Black Hands are: Daniel Riley – Guitar & Vocals, Richard Moore – Guitar & Vocals, Andy Gannon – Vocals & Harmonica, Dan Bennet – Bass, Ben Atkins – Drums. Rather reminiscent of the music I was listening to when I was a young whippersnapper in loon pants and a tank top.
  • The Wild Swans – Falling to Bits – The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years (Album) – if you want any further evidence of my advancing senility then you have it in me describing the rather marvellous Wild Swans as the “White” Swans – I put this down to an over-ingestion of Doctor Joey Holts bronchial medicine. Aside from my idiocy an excellent track from a brilliant album.
  • Pose Victorious – Off The Rails –  Beneath the Lighthouse (EP) – e a 5 piece indie rock band from Falkirk, Scotland. Having formed in mid 2009 they quickly released their self titled debut E.P. in March 2010. Since then the band have endeavoured to introduce their sound to new ears, playing a host of gigs and down the country, this is from their new EP.
  • V Thirteen – What Happened To You (Demo – Radio Edit)  – V Thirteen was formed in March 2011 by Dermo (from Northside) and Matt Rynn. Work is now underway on the writing of the self recorded debut album ‘The Rest Is History’ which will be engineered, produced and mixed by Dermo and Matt. This is the first demo.
  • Pint Shot Riot – Twisted Soul (Single) – from Coventry, the band were formed in 2004 under the name ‘Avenue’ – they changed their name to ‘Pint Shot Riot’ because when you enter the word ‘Pint’ into predictive text, the phone often mistakes it for ‘Shot’ or ‘Riot. The Band’s current lineup consists of two cousins Richard ‘Rocket’ Emerson (Guitar and Vocals) and Chris ‘Mini Rocket’ Connell (Drums and Backing Vocals) with Dave ‘Baby Dave’ Page (Bass) and Rob Clements (Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals).
  • Esmerine– A Dog River – La Lechuza (Album)an experimental instrumental group started by Bruce Cawdron and Beckie Foon, who have contributed to other Montreal-based bands as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Set Fire to Flames, and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band. The music consists mainly of percussion, cello, and marimba sharing many characteristics with minimalist classical music and chamber music.
  • Electric Wood – A Tragic Satire (Demo) – very little info about these guys at this point in time but an impressive tune.
To listen click on the link below

Aural Delights Radio Show – May 25th 2011

Mostly new stuff on this show with a welcome return to the utterly marvellous Trevor Sensitive and the Locals after a brief hiatus.

1 Trevor Sensitive and the Locals –  Saving Albion From Itself – Exclusive Singles Club Release Preview : those of you lucky enough to purchase the Sensitive album get to be part of the singles club – this is the first of what I hope will be a series of exclusives for the station. Mind you after getting airplay on the Tom Robinson show the band may well be headed for super-stardom!

2 Efrim Manuel Menuck  – I am no longer motherless child – Play High Gospel : The GBYE and ASMZ front man does his first solo album and it’s smashing! Lots of loops and Efrim’s trademark angst ridden vocals which always cause a split opinion in our house.

3 Bass Drum of Death – Nerve Jamming – GB City : brilliant album, track it down! Nuff said.

4 Verma – Salted Earth – Salted Earth : came  across this lot whilst researching The Cosmic Dead – rather impressive pysche rock.

5 The Home Town Secret – LSD Morons  -Demo : regular readers will know I record the shows well in advance of them being aired – sometimes it has unforseen consequences in that this band have now split up. Pity really they had a lot of promise.

6 Glassheads – Man in the Street – Single : just another gentle reminder to treat yourself to the latest single from Wigan’s finest.

7 Audio Asylum – Hitting Bottom – Demo : got contacted by the Rebel Soul collective from the other end of the M62 about this band and was rather impressed by their tunes. Expect to hear more in future shows!

8 The Smitten Ones – Crooked Cards – Single : from the very excellent Twister Records. I was immediately hooked by the excellent baritone vocals and the twangy guitar stylings – memorable stuff I reckon and the limited edition single can still be purchased from in person at Action Records (Preston), Townsend Records (Chorley, Leyland, Clitheroe), Piccadilly Records (Manchester), Norman Records.com (Leeds) and HMV (Southport). The single is also available fromHMV.com and can be download from I-tunes, Amazon, Play.com, 7-Digital and streamed on Spotify

9 The Dead Texan – Glen’s Goo – The Dead Texan :  an audio-visual musical duo comprising of Adam Wiltzie and Greek video artist Christina Vantzou. Wiltzie is better known as one half of the ambient project Stars of the Lid. Thought I would dig this one out of the archives.

10 Lillies on Mars – Aquariums Key – Lillies on Mars : can’t remember how I tracked this lot down but I am glad I did. Also featured on T.Robinson – there must be some synergy going on here :). They have a new album out this week.

11 Entangled – This Way and That-  Demo : some excellent modern prog with a nod back to Bush, Gabriel and The Floyd. More to come from this band who sing and play well and have great arrangements. Prog is the new punk dont’cha know!

12 The Smitten Ones – Siren – Single

To listen to the show please click the link below