11 is louder than 10

11 is louder than 10 is a new music blog: a veritable and eclectic selection of gig, album and single reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, and current music affairs. {lang: 'en-GB'}

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High voltage!

Sin City at Camden's Electric Ballroom leaves you feeling energised

Not since my Cardiff student days in Sweatros, I mean Metros, have I had so much fun in a club.

Tired of chavtastic night spots where you're liable to get bottled while listening to One Direction? Well, Sin City at Camden's Electric Ballroom provides the perfect, heavy tonic to satisfy all your headbanging needs in a friendly, yet buzzing atmosphere.

The ironic thing about metallers is that while they might look aggressive and dance aggressively, they are refreshingly aggro-free. In fact, during my time in metal bands, pretty much every single other person I came across was friendly and welcoming – a vibe which Sin City captures perfectly.

Another thing that helps the Ballroom is that it has masses of space, so there's no need for anyone to step on anyone else's toes or knock into their drinks. This means that when Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja comes on, you have plenty of room to bounce around like a mentalist.

In this gargantuan space downstairs the resident DJ blasts out a selection of nu metal and alternative tunes (Korn, Nirvana, Limp Bizkit), while the smaller space up top is like a den on Sunset Strip circa 1985; with leopard print-clad rock fans shouting along to AC/DC, Alice Cooper and Guns N' Roses.

Those who like to listen rather than dance can chill out on the leather sofas on the mezzanine level.

The Ballroom is also cheap to get in, has a cloakroom and is open until the early hours – there's literally nothing not to like about Sin City. Oh, apart from the fact it's only on twice a month!

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Hackney's stellar line-up didn't disappoint

RiRi, Egyptian style - Photo: Rich Ward

The Hackney Weekend was part of the BBC's contributions to the Cultural Olympiad being held to celebrate the 2012 London Games and, after this effort, someone should really give the guys at Radio 1 a medal.

Six stages of international acts across two days in an oft-ignored part of London for 100,000 young people who had only paid £2.50 in postage for their tickets - Hackney's ethos truly fitted the Olympic motto "inspire a generation".

When it came to the music itself, it was equally worthy of a gold medal.

I was there for the day two of the festival on the Sunday and, after negotiating five ticket check points and an airport-style metal detector, just got inside in time to catch the end of Bombay Bicycle Club's set on the New Music We Trust stage. 

They are a happily infectious bunch and had the whole tent bouncing with catchy, riff-led tune Always Like This. 

No sooner had they finished and Hackney-born and bred Professor Green was tearing it up on the Main Stage. I was massively impressed with the Monster singer's ability to take the graveyard festival shift – first on, half asleep people still arriving – by the scruff of the neck and get the crowd bouncing from the first tune onwards.

The Prof's Eminem-esque vocals are set to a more melodic sound than that of his American counterpart's – hip hop infused with elements of pop, metal and dubstep – that, when coupled with his enthusiastic personality, makes for quite a show. 

It was also pleasing to see a genuine show of emotion from Green as the by-now-tens-of-thousands-strong crowd sang the lyrics to closing anthem Read All About It.

The same can't be said for the next man up, Plan B, who was in need of alternative game plan after technical issues somewhat derailed his set. 

Suffering from monitor problems, the Londoner cut an increasingly agitated figure as his set became more and more disjointed. We had false starts, a costume change, some sporadic but uber-impressive beatbox interludes from FaithSFX and plenty of aggression from Mr B, who even pushed his guitarist into an amp. What was lacking however was crowd conducting finesse, which the Professor could definitely give him a lesson in. 

A more smiley presence appeared next in the leggy form of Jessie J in blue and white-striped trousers and colossal heels. While her Mariah Carey-like vocal vibrato can grate at times, there's no doubting the eccentrically-dressed diva has got a formidable set of lungs on her – the voice of the day without a doubt. 

Amazingly, given the ego-charged lyrical content of his songs and suggestive name, the next one on the Hackney Weekend conveyor belt of stars, Tinie Tempah, is a remarkably bubbly guy. He was literally bouncing with a broad grin on his face for the whole set and, like the previous three acts, has a signature tune – Pass Out – with which he is guaranteed to fire up any crowd.

There was then a change of pace as Florence and the Machine took to the stage, with their wall of sound of drums, harps and keys. Florence was gliding around in a flowing dress like some kind of mythical fairy and with her breathy talking in between songs it was all rather like being at a pagan festival. 

Disappointingly, the band didn't take the chance to milk You've Got the Love by giving the crowd a chance to sing a cappella. 

A sense of disappointment seemed to linger throughout the beginning of 'special guest' Dizzee Rascal's set. A new song about moshing was impossible to mosh to and people were perhaps wondering what he was doing there as Rihanna's warm-up. However, by the time he'd played Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me the euphoric atmosphere had returned. 

And then came RiRi. Entering out of the middle of a sphinx onto a stage flanked by two huge, red-eyed statues and packed with half naked dancers she was a mesmeric presence. 

Wearing a leather hat, tiny fishnet shorts and an over-sized t-shirt she hardly fitted with the Egyptian theme, but then it hardly mattered. With so many mega hits to perform, an adoring crowd, a guest appearance from her mentor Jay-Z, her slightly tipsy-sounding but endearing shout outs to the fans and a firework display, you've got a recipe for a perfect festival closing performance.  

The only shame was that Radio 1 had to call on the US for its two headliners for a British Olympiad event though… 

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OAF + Tempus Fusion + Triaxis + Elimination at the Unicorn, Camden

Four metal bands – one great night of free music

What a fantastic venue the Unicorn is (if you can find it, a good mile from the tube station!). How often can you just rock up to a gig, stroll in for free and enjoy a great night of music from a four-band line-up?

For a pub, the Unicorn also has a decent-size stage and great sound, which you certainly need when you've got a bunch of heavy metallers launching an acoustic assault on your ear drums.

First up was the quite unbelievable OAF. It's hard to describe them adequately, but try to picture if you can a bass player and a drummer, the latter dressed in a smart tweed suit with Brylcreemed hair and playing with a traditional grip, blasting out a mixture of metal, jazz and punk with screamed lyrics, infused with stand-up comedy. 

There was a song about seagulls, and OAF's singer, who describes himself as  "He Who Strums & Shouts" on the band's MySpace page, apparently missed out on a career on Comedy Central.

Taken aback at enthusiastic applause after their opening number, he quipped: "That's nice, we're usually met with indifference."

The next band up couldn't have been more contrasting to OAF's quirky delivery.

Tempus Fusion are a five-piece hailing from Hampshire that describe themselves as "epic metal" for fans of the likes of Scar Symmetry and Tesseract.

Epic it certainly was as they crushed their way through a 22-minute set comprised of parts one, two and three of 'To End It All', the title track off their debut album.

After a sketchy start when drummer James Smith dropped a stick, the Tempus boys recovered to put in a tight and powerful performance that acted as a modern contrast to the headliners' 1980s leanings.

The magnificently maned V for Vendetta look-a-like Tim Goatham exhibited his sweep tapping arpeggios on a custom guitar, Anth Quinn chugged out the drop A riffs, Smith nearly destroyed the PA with his triggered double kick work and bass player/singer David Stanton played clean vocal cop to Max Pharnam's badass screaming.

As much as the name suggests otherwise, Welsh thrashers Triaxis are also a five-piece outfit who are regulars on the femme metal scene.

The star of their show is undoubtedly singer Krissie, who has a powerful and clean vocal that handles the big notes with ease.

As tight and confident as they are, I have two problems with Triaxis: firstly, they sound just a little too close to Iron Maiden with a female singer – something which they compounded by closing their set with an albeit excellent cover of 'The Evil That Men Do' – and secondly, I'm not a huge fan of the rather scratchy tone of their pointy, Flying V-esque guitars, especially as CJ's was feeding back for the whole set.  

Co-headliners Elimination couldn't be more 80s thrash if they tried, with handle bar moustache's, plenty of leather and insane volumes!

They absolutely rip through their tunes in a blur of notes, drums and hair – quite a sight and sound.

Ears ringing – despite my -25dB earplugs – I left the Unicorn a satisfied metal fan. But where is that bloody tube station?..

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Tim Neale working up a sweat at PYTHIA's launch of The Serpent's Curse @ The Borderline, London Feb 29th

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Rebecca Spinks of The Mariana Hollow killing it at the PYTHIA album launch show @ The Borderline, London Feb 29th

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Top 10 – Worst pop tunes of 2011

In recognition of the forthcoming Brits, 11 is louder than 10 is handing out its own, alternative awards: the 10 worst pop tunes from last year.

  10. The A Team – Ed Sheeran

  Sappy acoustic pop from the radio-friendly Sheeran, but it’s less the song itself and more the fact I’ve been left haunted by the sight of his giant orange head looming over me at every turn I made on the London Underground last year. Less pop album cover, more ‘1984’ book cover.

  9. Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5

  As pop tunes go, pretty decent, but unfortunately played to death. Would also frequently bore into my head like a parasite and refuse to go away.

  8. Price Tag – Jessie J

  Catchy pop, but too corny for my liking. There is also something just a little bit false about being told to reject materialism by a theatrically-dressed pop diva.

  7. Heart Skips a Beat – Olly Murs

  This pseudo-reggae tune grates just as much as that ridiculous hat Murs is seen sporting in the video.

  6. The Lazy Song – Bruno Mars

  On the list for so many reasons. Whistling never sounds good, let alone in a pop song that sounds like a DFS advert soundtrack. Also, the lines “Find a really nice girl, have some really nice sex / And she’s gonna scream out: ‘This is great’” are unbelievably cringeworthy.

  5. What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction

  This song sounds like a bunch of school kids playing Singstar at a sleepover. Caroline Flack must love babysitting. “Keep it down boys!”

  4. We R Who We R - Ke$ha

  An automatic qualifier for this top ten just for having a dollar sign in her name. As for the song, is there a skip in my CD player? It’s ha-r-r-r-r-rd to find anything good to say about this one.

  3. Born This Way – Lady Gaga

  What’s happened to the ‘Poker Face’ singer? She’s lost all her edge and attitude – a change exemplified by this nauseatingly up-tempo tune that incessantly repeats words and could easily accompany a cheap aerobics DVD.

  2. Lightning – The Wanted

  Are these One Direction’s older brothers? They are certainly just as cheesy and shoot straight into number two for rhyming “frightening” with “lightning”. If only they would go and play with some million-volt bolts of electricity.

  1. Swagger Jagger – Cher Lloyd

  Not sure I need to say anything about this one. Chavtastic Cher tries her bratish best to make our ears bleed with this awful mishmash of noises that sounds like several different, but equally terrible songs stuck together.

  I wonder what 2012 is going to throw at us?

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A Dramatic Turn of Events - Album Review

Dream Theater turn back the clock with new drummer

A Dramatic Turn of Events is not just the title of Dream Theater’s 11th studio album: it is also a clear reference to emblematic drummer Mike Portnoy’s acrimonious departure from the band in September last year.

After 25 years as the heart and soul of the band, his shock decision to leave is still causing friction among Dream Theater fans worldwide – with some desperate for him to return and others telling the Portnoy “fanboys” to “get over it”.

 Whatever your opinion, the fact remains that he has gone and ex-Steve Vai skinsman Mike Mangini is now behind the drumset. So what of A Dramatic Turn of Events?

 Well, for starters it was recorded at the same studio where they laid down 2003’s epic effort Train of Thought and even an album half as good as that would be well worth a listen. As it turns out, the new record is satisfyingly very much on par.

 First track ‘On the Backs of Angels’ is the perfect song to kick off an album, with its clean, arpeggiated guitar intro that slowly builds into a dramatic section replete with choir voices and heavy riffs. The chorus is anthemic and open, allowing James LaBrie to stretch his vocal chords.

After some rather ill-advised attempts at metal singing on recent efforts – not helped by Portnoy’s rather ropey growled BVs – LaBrie seems much more at home on this album and rekindles some of the magic of Dream Theater’s majestic work of the 1990s. 

What always amazes me is how much stick LaBrie takes from Dream Theater fans online (although they can’t hate him that much if they keep buying the records). However, their calls for a vocalist like Russell Allen of Symphony X are somewhat misguided. Dream Theater are a prog band, not a metal act, and, especially for their earlier work, LaBrie’s voice suites the music perfectly.

Back to the record. ‘Build Me Up, Break Me Down’ is an interesting concoction of symphonic metal, with a tinge of J-pop and a Linkin Park-esque chorus. I also hear ‘Caught in a Web’ from 1992’s Awake on this track.

Dream Theater generously allow you these two tracks to settle down before unleashing the insanity in ‘Lost Not Forgotten’.

After a filmic intro that moves from classical piano playing into grand sliding guitar riffs reminiscent of ‘Under a Glass Moon’, also from Awake, a syncopated guitar riff is followed by a truly mind-blowing harmony section where keys and guitar blast through a barrage of notes with drums and bass somehow keeping up – all of which could be straight from ‘The Dance of Eternity’.

That particular song is regarded as one of Dream Theater’s most complex was actually used by the band as an audition track in their drummer search.

In contrast, after a rather overly grand intro, ‘This is the Life’ is a slower, poppier affair reminiscent of some of the tracks from Metropolis Part 2 - although there is an absolute belter of a bluesy shred solo from John Petrucci to provide some interest.

Amusingly for someone born in the 80s, the vocal on the intro to ‘Bridges in the Sky’ sounds like Tidy Up from the children’s TV series Stoppit and Tidy Up narrated by Terry Wogan. This is later replaced by animals noises, choir voices and chimes (not as weird as it sounds) before a fast, heavy metal riff crashes in after a minute-forty and LaBrie finally appearing after three minutes – classic Dream Theater.

Bridges has got ‘A Glass Prison’ written all over it and Mangini’s double kick is working overtime for most of the track, which also has an Arabic sounding instrumental section with harmonies aplenty.

Bringing in a range of music styles has always been a signature of Dream Theater’s music and A Dramatic Turn of Events is not short of them.

‘Outcry’ is one of my favourite tracks from the album. It’s got a modern metal sound, an uplifting chorus and the instrumental section is out of this world - it’s fast, it’s syncopated, it’s packed full of time signatures and it’s what Dream Theater does best.

A special mention must go out to Jordan Rudess who absolutely lets rip on keys – there must have been steam coming off them after he recorded this.

‘Far from Heaven’ allows you to catch your breath with its ‘Hollow Years’ breathiness, but the reflection doesn’t last long as another epic track follows (the fourth and final effort on the album over ten minutes long) in the form of  ‘Breaking All Illusions’.

This song throws everything Dream Theater has into the mix – fast harmonised riffs, the use of samples, references to different genres (funk, classical, metal, blues), an anthemic chorus and a million different effects – and the result is pure prog heaven. 

The last track, ‘Beneath the Surface’, is about two people growing apart and features the lines: Until one day you stopped caring / And began to forget why you tried to be so close / And you disappeared into the darkness.

Goodbye Mike?

Dream Theater are touring Europe in January and February 2012 and are stopping by at Wembley Arena on February 10th

9 out of 11

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Eschar - Live Review

The Miller was alive last Saturday night with sound of some right (post) rocking music from Guildford-based metal heads Eschar. 

Following on from a highly original act with three guitarists and a saxophonist, playing a fusion of Diagnosis Murder-esque jazz and metal (yes, you read that right), the 4-man Eschar crew took to the stage and were soon creating soundscapes that transcended the tiny space located upstairs from the bar. 

Eschar's work is very chordal which gives it a full, rich sound punctuated by the powerhouse kick work of drummer Rory Gilhespy and fast-fingered bassist George Linacre.

There was some really pleasing stuff on the ear in Eschar’s set - progressive enough to be interesting (7/8 cropped up quirkily in one tune), but still catchy enough to engage with. 

As Eschar play sans-vocalist, Messrs Sam Beattie and Rob O'Murphy swop lead parts on guitars, using tapping and melodic phrases to act as a top line melody.

Beattie in particular employed slide tapping and violining to excellent effect when Eschar dropped down the dynamics. 

Stage presence was a bit lacking at times, as the band tended to concentrate on their playing and, without a singer to lead the show, crowd engagement ends up suffering somewhat, especially during interludes between songs. 

I also felt  that Eschar's open, anthemic and atmospheric songs were at times crying out for a screaming vocal - so much so, I found myself adding my own lyrics as the gig progressed.

I know that's not the idea with post-rock, but perhaps then, this is where the points about stage presence and engagement become even more valid in terms of holding the performance together. 

Despite this, Eschar have tons of potential, not least because they are, as a former music tutor of mine would say, as tight as a nun's... perhaps I should stop there – I think you get the point. 

7.5 out of 11

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This Town Needs Guns - Exclusive Interview

This Town Needs Guns are an Oxford-based math rock band, employing melodic guitar trickery, intelligent lyrics and a sense of humour in their approach to music. They released their debut album Animals in 2008 and the follow up is due next year.

Vocalist Stu Smith played his final gig with the band this autumn having decided to swap singing for parenting and 11 is louder than 10 caught up with him, new frontman Henry Tremain and the rest of the band to discuss fond memories, future plans and Japanese night terrors!

What was the idea behind the animal theme of your debut album?

 Tim Collis (guitar): It was going to be shapes, but the spellings for some of the shapes were too hard (everyone laughs). In a way it was pretty lazy. We haven’t tended to choose song titles related to the lyrics.

Stu Smith: Fundamentally, we were writing really quickly – we wrote the album in 4 months – and I think rather than call them ‘New Song 1’ and ‘New Song 2’, we just gave them holding names.

Jamie Cooper (bass): All the new ones have just stupid names – we can’t remember which one’s which!

Off the wall question: out of the animals featured on the album, which one are each of you most like?

Stu: Jamie would be a panda

Jamie: Why?!

Stu: Because he’s big, cuddly and black and white

Jamie: You’re a pig

Stu: I’m down with that

Tim: [I am] The weakest animal on there

Jamie: Slug! (everyone laughs)

Tim: Quetzal

Jamie: When he gets out of the shower, you should see his plumage! (laughter)

Chris Collis (drums): I have no idea

Stu: Chris is an elk, definitely

(Chris looks unimpressed)

Right, shall we move on?.. You guys have been described as math rock, among other genres –

Stu: Cock rock

Tim: Spock rock

Jamie: Math cock

Tim: Smash cock

Jamie: Dick in math cock (hysterical laughter)

To me, math rock is a term that implies a calculated approach to writing. Do you write deliberately or is it more organic than that?

Stu: It is organic in the sense that Tim just writes the way he writes

So you naturally write in asymmetrical time signatures?

Tim: Yeah. I’m terrible theory wise. It’s when we start playing it together that we realise it’s in some ridiculous time signature. But there are predetermined sections.

Do you have a favourite time signature?

Jamie: I like lunch time (everyone laughs)

What influences your writing?

Tim: Completion of the previous song and knowing we can get through it!

Stu: The fact that we’ve written songs before. It’s a bit of weird one isn’t it?

Jamie: Easter I find quite inspiring. I just think about Easter, past and present (everyone laughs hysterically)

Favourite bands?

Stu: Make Believe, Joan of Arc, American Football – just reading the t-shirts on people [here]

Tim: Dismemberment Plan

Jamie: I’ve been listening to lots of Into It. Over It.

Stu: I like Radiohead, a lot. The Deftones.

Jamie: The Earthworm Jim soundtrack (everyone laughs)

Stu: In terms of inspiration, certainly lyrically, when we’ve written a song I try to make the lyrics fit the feel of the music – or the complete opposite to the feel of the music.

Turning to Tim, you have a unique guitar-playing style – how did that come about?

Tim: I just thought I’d try it out and then carried on. That was it really.

But was there a particular guitarist who influenced you?

Tim: Not really. I guess maybe Sam Zurick from Make Believe. He is pretty good. Actually, the guy from Minus the Bear in the early days. I think that’s when I first saw melodic fret tapping as opposed to “metal” fret tapping.

How long has it been since you put down your plectrum and played this way?

Tim: I’d say between seven and nine years

Were you naturally good at it or did you spend ages practising?

Tim: I think I probably did spend a lot of time practising.

Stu: He didn’t though! Literally, it was like one minute you were playing with a plectrum –

Tim: Maybe two weeks. Actually, that’s what it was. I saw this band Owls and thought that’s pretty good. I kind of felt like I’d got as far as I could get [playing the way I was].

It’s been a while since your last album. When is the new one due?

Chris: April [2012]

Jamie: We’re recording in October. We’re getting a guy called Ed Rose from Black Lodge [Recording]. He recorded with The Get Up Kids and Alien Ant Farm.

Stu: He worked with Puddle of Mudd

Jamie: Alien Ant Farm was a lie. We’re recording at Brighton Electric.

Is there going to be a theme with the song titles again?

Tim: They’re equally, if not more, pointless. They’re just usually linked to funny stuff – stories and random things. I guess they’re just a bunch of personal jokes really. It’s a little unfair in a way.

Jamie: I think after Animals we realised what a mistake we’d made! (everyone laughs)

Stu: It was weird reading reviews of Animals and seeing people get really hung up. I think NME was one I remember. They gave it three out of five or something like that and they kept banging on about the song names and how they didn’t bear any relation to the music or the lyrics and I just thought that for such a short paragraph of a review to spend it talking about the song names was a really dumb thing to do. It just made me want to call all the songs on the next album things like Ace of Spades or Smoke On The Water or something famous (everyone laughs).

Obviously things are changing from today onwards, so where do you guys want to take the band?

Jamie: Jamaica (laughter)

Tim: We just want to try to play more gigs.

Stu: And finally get this second album done. I say finally – it’s taken nearly three years. We probably could have written an album [by now] but it wouldn’t have been very good so what would have been the point? I think a lot of bands nowadays do one record a year and it ends up being crap and personally I think in some cases they’d have been better off waiting.

Henry, how do you feel about joining the band?

Henry Tremain (vocals): Pretty excited. I’ve known these guys for quite some time and I’ve been a big fan for a long time and being able to make music with them is, well, an awesome dream.

Stu, what will you miss most about playing with the band?

(Everyone else suggests Jamie’s night terrors)

Stu: Yeah, probably. Probably quite a lot of stuff like that. Waking up in a hotel room with Jamie in the bed next to mine covered head to waist in his own duvet, legs kicking out and screaming about spiders (everyone laughs). Stuff like that. Hanging out with friends and playing music. Writing music that I really enjoy doing. One of the things I find weird when reading interviews with other bands is when they say they don’t listen to their own records. Because, for me, being in a band has always been about writing music that I like.

So you feel proud when you listen to your own music?

Stu: Yeah, I suppose so. I mean, that might be terrible thing to say in a lot of people’s eyes, but personally I’m really pleased with what we’ve done and I really love it. I’m just glad a couple of other people like it as well. And we’ve got to do some really cool stuff over the years, like going to Japan, America, Australia and all around Europe.

But you’re excited about what you’re going on to do as well?

Stu: Yeah, that’s alright (laughs). That’s going to be terrifying.

Not like Jamie’s night terrors though?

Stu: No, not like Jamie’s night terrors. Well maybe. I could get pretty tired and start seeing things like Jamie.

  This Town Needs Guns recently released a new 7” ‘Adventure, Stamina & Anger/ Mnspector Iorse’. They have just embarked on a UK tour and will release their second full-length studio album next year.

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Incubus ask "when?", I ask "why?"

If Not Now, When? - Album Review

One of the main reasons why Incubus are such a great band is that they have never been afraid to experiment. From furious, raw beginnings, they brought us refined attitude in the late nineties, moody reflection and politics in the noughties and then If Not Now, When?.

As experimentation goes, this latest effort really takes the biscuit. To say it is a departure from the Incubus sound we know and love is an understatement. Make no mistake about it, this is a pop record – with only the most chilled out of songs from A Crow Left to the Murder and Light Grenades coming close.

The title track immediately sets the precedent, with its ‘I Want to Break Free’ bass line and ‘Albatross’ (Fleetwood Mac) atmosphere. These are just two of many references to other artists on an album littered with them.

‘Promises, Promises’ has a light chorus and Norah Jones-style splashes of piano. DJ Kilmore has been learning the instrument – probably because the new Incubus sound has no room for scratching and sampling.

Once you’ve heard ‘Friends and Lovers’, you begin to wonder if Jones herself is playing on the record. There’s also a bit of Barenaked Ladies about it as singer Brandon Boyd adds uncharacteristic pop quivers to his vocal.

‘Thieves’ starts with a promising intro of intertwining guitar riffs, but after that it just plods along like many of the other songs on the album.

 It’s only when you get to track five, ‘Isadore’, that you remember you are listening to Incubus. A reverb-laden, We Will Rock You-style drumbeat for the intro and an evocative vocal hook for the chorus makes this song stick in your head. Although the band still find time to throw in an off-the-wall major key bridge that reminds me of Sheryl Crow.

Sadly, on the next track, ‘The Original’, Boyd is straight back into boy band mode. It sounds like an East 17 number, and the line “girl you’re the original” is cringeworthy.

Acoustic track ‘Defiance’ has jangly guitars and wouldn’t have sounded out of place at a hippy festival circa 1970, while Boyd sounds completely unrecognisable on ‘In the Company of Wolves’ – save for a few lines where he cuts loose – as he does his best Chris Martin impression. After this Coldplay number comes ‘Switchblade’: an angular indie song, replete with handclaps 

Finally, track ten, the single ‘Adolescents’ that has a striking music video to accompany it, delivers some familiarity. There’s some distortion, a noisy angular guitar solo, a 6/8 feel – and it sounds great.

Unfortunately, they didn’t stop there. The final two tracks are the worst on the album. ‘Tomorrow’s Food’ sounds like a country song in a blender with its uncomfortable melodies and the lyrics are suitably terrible. They are not much better on bonus track ‘Rebel Girls’, which sounds far too much like Axl Rose’s ‘My World’ for my liking. 

After listening to If Not Now, When?, the following questions immediately spring to mind: where’s the edge and attitude? What’s happened to Boyd’s razor sharp wit and clever phrasing? Why did Mike Einziger think simplifying everything – as he stated his mission was with this album – was a good idea? He said this change of style would ask a lot of fans, but in my opinion it asks far too much, giving nothing in return.

Incubus include a live version of ‘Drive’ on the album, but all that makes me want to do is put Make Yourself on at full volume to erase the memory of one of my all-time favourite singers crooning like an X Factor auditionee while his hugely talented band mates barely raise a note in anger.

Summary:

Incubus’s experimentation goes a step too far – resulting in a dodgy pop album with far too few tracks worth listening to more than once. It’s such a shame because on the evidence of their recent live shows, they’ve still got what it takes to make a decent record if they could only remember how. 2 out of 11. 

[11islouderthan10-blog]

Gig review: The Mariana Hollow at the Fiddler's Elbow

     Last night, Camden’s Fiddler’s Elbow played host to The Mariana Hollow in their first headlining show with support from fellow London-based metallers SOLSIKK.

In the spirit of the modern music industry, The Mariana Hollow had organised the event themselves. Several bands had dropped out of the original line up, which meant an extended set from The Mariana Hollow – and this can only be a good thing.

However, The Mariana Hollow’s set started inauspiciously with rhythm guitarist Richie Walden somehow snapping his low E string with his first strum. Just a few songs later and his replacement guitar’s high E string was dangling from the fretboard, but this time he carried on. “He doesn’t need that one obviously”, quipped someone in the crowd.

All these string snapping shenanigans merely demonstrates the level of energy that The Mariana Hollow put into their music and they powered through tunes from both their debut release Coma Heart and forthcoming follow up Velvet Black Sky. Satisfyingly, this new material intertwined seamlessly with the old. Drummer Adam Stanley noted that it felt good to be able say “this is a song from our first album”.

He joined frontwoman Rebecca Spinks for some attractive vocal harmonies on the first song of the night Halo off Velvet Black Sky for which the band will shortly start work on a video. This is to take place in a barn it was announced, with Walden adding dryly that “we aren’t metal enough for a warehouse”.

In truth, The Mariana Hollow are good enough to play anywhere and certainly on a far bigger stage and to a much bigger crowd than the Fiddler’s Elbow could provide. Perhaps The Roundhouse down the road would do nicely.

In my opinion, it is the singer that makes or breaks a band and, in Spinks, The Mariana Hollow have something of a gem. As good live as on record, she exhibits the phrasing intricacies of Brandon Boyd, the quirkiness of Kate Bush and the power of Skin. Forthcoming acoustic sets in Guildford and London should provide a wonderful canvas to showcase her vocal dexterity.

When you back this up with Mr Tasteful, Danny Russell, on guitar with his beautifully crafted melodies and clever use of effects, aforementioned powerhouse Walden and the click-track cohesion of Scott Chesworth and Stanley in the rhythm section you have something quite special.

Tonight’s performance was classy, professional, energetic and importantly, full of simply quality tunes. The Mariana Hollow might be the lowest point in the world’s oceans, but these guys are surely destined to the hit the heights – the very top. 

10 out of 11

The Mariana Hollow reviewed for 11 is louder than 10 by Rich Ward

www.11islouderthan10.tumblr.com/post/8013678675/gig-review-the-mariana-hollow-at-the-fiddlers-elbow

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Mike Portnoy’s new band: a genuine music force or more “flash mob” than “Adrenaline Mob”?

      MP is back. After a turbulent time following his acrimonious departure from Dream Theater, the band he had founded 25 years previously, and then being let go by temporary assignment Avenged Sevenfold, the drum legend has wasted no time in assembling a new project entitled Adrenaline Mob.

The line up certainly has some serious potential, with no less than Symphony X’s Russell Allen on vocals – although his presence in itself brings up its own fair share of conjecture – and my namesake Rich Ward, of rap metal pioneers Stuck Mojo, on guitar.

Allen’s selection is intriguing for the reason that a seemingly significant factor in Dream Theater’s unrest was Portnoy’s work with another band in the form of Avenged. Now Allen is with Adrenaline Mob, I wonder what the rest of his Symphony X colleagues make of it? Of course, plenty of musicians have side projects that do not affect their main bands and I sincerely hope this is the case with Symphony X.

Band politics aside, Adrenaline Mob is a name which suggests metal – a direction Portnoy was desperate to take Dream Theater in – and, from the looks of the promo pics (see above) and the sounds of the album teaser on Facebook, that is exactly what we’re gonna get.

From the rather chaotic teaser I can make out some screaming shredding, crunching riffs and Symphony X-esque melodic sections to highlight Allen’s vocal dexterity – an enjoyable concoction.

However, with Mike Portnoy and Russell Allen on board, musical quality was never really going to be an issue. What I’m really interested in is whether Adrenaline Mob is a serious long-term band or merely just another one of Portnoy’s eye-catching spin-offs? Is he ever again going to reach his pre-2011 heights, or is he now forever destined to be a musical journey man, remembered as the guy who used to be in Dream Theater? As ever, only time will tell.

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Gig review: Dédé at the World’s End, Finsbury Park

                Firstly, I must apologise for my hiatus from Tumblr. I’ve been in the process of relocating to London and have sadly not had the time for any music-related activity. However, now I’m here, I’ll have the opportunity to go to lots of great gigs like Thursday night when I saw Dédé (pictured above) at the World’s End, Finsbury Park.

Sandwiched between shouty acoustic popster Ashley Dawes and moody cello-guitar-drums-vocals quartet The Ungrateful Guests, Dédé brought some much needed soul and groove to the party.

The pocket-sized south Londoner was on it from beat one – hips wiggling (she later confessed that they felt tired, such was the voracity of her movement), arms aloft and vocals powering. No mean feat in front of a subdued pub crowd, bums on seats. Sadly, Dédé’s enthusiasm was not matched by her backing band of casually dressed gent’s slightly wooden, albeit competent, performance.   

With just drums, a clean-cut guitar, bass and no BVs, Dédé’s live sound is a very stripped down one and so it is up to her to provide all the melodic interest – a task her Skin-esque soulful, yet edgy and powerful voice handles brilliantly. She could certainly front a much larger band and benefit from it too.

Having said that, even with a small band, the songs grooved and had a nice dark edge and a bit of attitude about them. Apart from a few too many abrupt song endings and some sound level issues, the majority of the set was a foot tapping, alternative/indie/pop/rock delight on a dreary north London evening. With some talented producers on board, Dédé should be going places. Watch this space.

Gig reviewed by Rich Ward for 11 is louder than 10

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Know any deaf musicians?

The answer most probably is no. But you might not think so given that so many musicians (including my good self until recently) demonstrate a remarkably blasé attitude towards their hearing.

Although John Cage’s composition 4’33” consists of nothing but silence for its duration, if you have designs on a career as a musical performer the chances are you will need to use your ears quite a lot. So why is it that us musicians seem to care so little about preserving our hearing?

Fashion 

For so many things in life, our choices are dictated by fashion. And like all forms of safety gear, from fluorescent cycling jerseys to skateboarding shin pads, earplugs are seen as a major fashion faux pas. And granted, it is very hard to look cool with two bits of fluorescent foam sticking out of your ears.

Comfort 

Most off-the-shelf plugs fit badly in the ear creating discomfort and irritation when worn for long periods. Consequently, you often start a session with earplugs in, only to undo your good work later on by taking them out.  

Sound

Foam earplugs especially have a detrimental effect on sound quality. I remember when I first started wearing earplugs how detached I felt from the music.

The hangover factor 

Anyone who’s had a heavy night on alcohol will know the next day can feel quite rough. However, the body soon gets over it and the headache and nausea become merely an unpleasant memory until the next boozing session.

It is the same with your hearing. A night of loud music is followed by 24 hours of ringing ears. Once again though, your resilient body clears up the problem and your ears are ready to abuse again. Or are they?

If like me you have permanent tinnitus, you will have rather shockingly discovered that your ears do indeed have a breaking point beyond which recovery is not possible. Hangover ringing becomes an unpleasant way of life. For a friend of mine, it is an issue even over the sound of a car engine. 

Realising I had developed mild but permanent tinnitus was the kick up the arse I needed to start taking care of my ears seriously. For years I just bumbled along; first not wearing earplugs at all, then wearing off-the-shelf earplugs for practice but not for anything else, then for practices and performances but not for other bands’ gigs… Finally, after a decade of live music, my ears gave up recovering and succumbed to permanent buzzing.

However, with my friend’s chronic tinnitus in mind, I have now made a conscious decision to ensure that my issues don’t get too serious. So now, as well as wearing plugs for every loud situation including clubs, motorsport events etc., I have since invested in a pair of custom hand-made attenuating earplugs.                  

They are ER25 earplugs from ACS: a company founded by Andy Shiach whose own musical career was actually ended by a massive noise trauma in a music rehearsal (nasty). The ER series is designed specifically for musicians, meaning that the issues listed above are negated.

 Fashion and comfort

ACS plugs are moulded to the shape of your ear so they fit like a glove and don’t stick goofily out of your ears. Plus, because they fit perfectly, they don’t pop out while you are playing like cheap plugs tend to. They come in a range of colours as well – proof that safe can be sexy!

 Sound 

While cheap plugs mute high frequencies (eliminating guitars and vocals and accentuating bass) the ER25’s special filters work by reducing the volume of all frequencies by around 21dB to ensure that you still get a good picture of the whole soundscape but at a much safer level. Of course, these are not ear defenders so “safer” is relative. You still need to be careful when dealing with extreme volumes for long periods of time. 

ACS also offers a good deal of choice, as there are a range of attenuation levels on offer, as well as special plugs for singers so your voice doesn’t boom in your head (another problem associated with earplugs) and many other great products for musicians, such as in-ear monitors. 

The hangover factor

A thing of the past once you’ve started wearing earplugs!

 Cost

Although the plugs are quite expensive compared to off-the-shelf alternatives at around £200 a pair, can you really put a price on your hearing?

If you really can’t afford some custom ERs, that’s no excuse for not wearing plugs at all – a pair of one-fits-all ER20s are only £14.

All the info you need to get your ears protected can be found on ACS’s website www.hearingprotection.co.uk

Rich Ward for 11 is louder than 10

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A man's world?

                                                                    Jeanne Sagan, All That Remains

The recent Sky Sports sexism row has raised the issue of women in football, but clearly the Premier League isn’t the only place with a lack of female influence. While many talented ladies front bands, very few are making an impression as instrumentalists. This is despite the fact that in the classical world there are many talented female musicians.

Speaking from personal experience, during my time at music college, I came across only a handful of female drummers and guitarists but met tens of girl singers. Furthermore, none of the bands I listen to regularly have a female instrumentalist.

One signed band that does have a female bass player is American metalcore group All That Remains. But this rarity is not lost on the following YouTube commentator:

@ZeroCool2211 finally a girl whose (sic) good at an instrument. you dont (sic) see that very often nowadays in the musicworld (sic), especially not in metal. Yes I know there are plenty on youtube (sic) etc, but you never see them in a band.

In order to try to explain this phenomenon, I’ve tracked down some front women to find out why they chose a microphone over a guitar.

Emily Alice Ovenden, singer with PYTHIA and The Mediaeval Baebes

Why did you decide to sing rather than play an instrument?

It wasn't really a choice. I'm just good at singing, that's where my talent lies and I believe you should just go with what works for you. I do play a few instruments but not that well. Your voice is something you carry with you and is a part of you and therefore it's easier to develop because you can sing anywhere.

I wish I could play piano or guitar better than I can because I would be a self-sufficient musician but in fact with the way music technology is moving forwards I think it's just as important to be able to use music software and I'm getting better at that all the time.

Why do you think women in general don’t play instruments in bands?

I think men and women have different strengths. In order to become a really good instrumentalist you need to sit in your bedroom on your own for years running up and down scales. Men are far more single minded and happier to do this than women, who like exploring lots of different things at the same time. I suppose it comes down to this “men can't multi task” myth, but there is some truth in it in my experience.

Of course, there are fantastic female instrumentalists out there but it is a bit of a boys club and perhaps they don't get the opportunities that some men get. I'm not sure that women are naturally as ambitious as men and the music business is very competitive. It takes a pretty fucked up individual to want to weather all the shit storms that the business chucks at you! Maybe most women are too sensible to waste their lives listening to blokes bore the arse off you talking about music equipment. Who knows?

Rebecca Spinks, singer with The Mariana Hollow

Have you ever considered playing an instrument?

I did play other instruments when I was younger, but mostly in a classical way through orchestras and stuff. When I was learning drums I completely loved it, but I just didn't feel the same connection to it as to singing. I think the musical instrument you feel drawn to does depend a lot on your personality. I did play bass and sing once at a gig, but I wasn't too good at it! Also, I prefer concentrating on one thing at a time, so I guess that's why I didn't continue down that road, or play guitar. I did used to play a tiny bit of guitar, just to learn songs or whatever, but I never played it to the extent that I got really good or anything. I guess because I always put my vocals first.

What appeals to you about being a singer?

I'm not too sure to be honest. I just know that I have always loved singing and I get a real sense of satisfaction from it. When I was growing up I had music lessons in instruments such as piano and clarinet, and also drums, but the singing was always still my favourite thing to do. I think it's partly because I could practice singing with ease, at home, in the bath, in the car!

I never had singing lessons but I felt like I could still practice hard and make improvements bit by bit, which I was really stoked by. When I was at school my first few bands were all-girl bands – with my close friends playing bass, drums and guitar, so I finished the puzzle by opting to be the singer! I guess because singing was the one thing I felt I could connect with, I always gravitated towards being the vocalist. I don't feel like I actively went towards singing as opposed to another instrument, I have just always enjoyed it.

Why do you think women in general don’t play instruments in bands?

I have been consistently surrounded by girls in bands growing up, so to me it's very normal, but I was always aware of how few of us there were. In my home town music scene when I was younger, there was probably 95% guys and 5% of girls representing in bands. I think a lot of girls felt a bit crushed by that, and felt the pressure from a very male dominated scene. I think a lot of girls probably feel like that now.

I would say that although girls have the potential to have absolutely the same ability and prowess on instruments, the guys I've met throughout my life have tended to have more of a nerdy obsession to playing their instruments and getting really, really good, whereas that's not always something girls benefit from. Because this music scene is so male dominated, the minute a girl gets onstage they automatically will be noticed and possibly subjected to more scrutiny. I think girls often have to work damn hard to be accepted and to be admired musically because the talent of some of the guys is just so high. I think the more common it becomes to see girls in metal bands the more girls will be inspired to play. There are some incredible female instrumentalists that I've met through playing gigs from when I was younger to now and it annoys me when they don't get the recognition they deserve. It's particularly noticeable at festivals like Download and the like – I can usually count the females on the stage on 2 hands. It's crazy! I adore watching a talented female musician play, especially in metal bands, it gives me a real kick. I hope to see a lot more of it in the future!

Trissy Norris, singer with Tainted Grace

Why did you decide to sing rather than play an instrument?

I have played the keyboard from an early age but without lessons I never picked it up properly – however I soon realised that I enjoyed writing my own songs. I tried learning guitar when I was 16 but I didn't have the patience for it really. I was busy doing synchronised swimming and my parents couldn't afford that plus guitar lessons, so I gave up guitar or just tinkered with it. I've always sung: I was in the school choir and at church, plus I enjoyed singing more than guitar. I'm a very emotional person and somehow singing helped me release my emotions in a controlled way and made me feel good. Guitar just made me frustrated. So I carried on singing and eventually had some lessons. In hindsight, I would have liked to have learnt to play bass guitar but it never occurred to me at the time. I guess bass guitar didn't have the same appeal at the time.

Why do you think women in general don’t play instruments in bands?

I think girls like singing because of the emotional release it gives them. Men in general do not feel comfortable showing their emotions, but they are better on the whole at learning instruments because they are good at focussing on one thing at a time and, in my opinion, are more driven to become good at playing an instrument because they are more competitive.

Article by Rich Ward for 11 is louder than 10

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11 Questions 4... Emily Alice Ovenden

                           This month, Rich talks to classical recording artist and metal baebe Emily Alice Ovenden about Bruce Dickinson, sushi and space travel. 

1. Who or what inspired you to become a musician?

I think I was born a musician. I started singing really as soon as I could speak and I've never stopped. Of course over the years many things have inspired me and shaped the way I make music and styles that involved me but I think the actual musician in me was formed long before I was born and without choice.

2. You split your time between classical music and rocking out with heavy metal band PYTHIA. How do the two experiences differ?

The disciplines are very similar. PYTHIA is a bit more fun as I get to roam the stage freely and I really enjoy the heaviness and passion of our music. It's also a bit more challenging vocally as I wrote the songs to cover the full expanse of my range.

3. Your music has a theatrical flare and you frequently dress in lavish costumes. Do you feel like you are acting out different characters when you are on stage?

I feel like I am presenting a part of my personality. I wouldn't say I am acting but more playing with something that is already there, developing it and pushing its boundaries.

4. PYTHIA have just secured a two-album deal in Japan. How excited are you about raising your profile in Asia?

This is something that enormously excites me. From the beginning I've wanted to see what the Japanese market would make of PYTHIA as they love their metal and now we have the opportunity. It will be very interesting to see how things work out over there. I really hope we get out there to play some shows. I've heard that Japanese people really go nuts and the food is just the best. Sushi is my favourite.

5. What can we expect from the 2nd PYTHIA release and when will we get to hear it?

I'm really pleased with how the new album is progressing. I think it's going to be an album that will make everyone sit up and take notice. It's going to big, bold and full of very heavy music.

We're looking at a September 2011 release as we want to make sure everything is in place and we don't rush it. Its a long process making an album and you really need 3 months after the album is completed to get all the boring business stuff in place.

6. Living legend Brian Blessed did a reading on your last album for the track Army of the Damned. How did that happen?

We decided that we wanted Blessed to recite the poem from the beginning and we weren't going to take no for an answer. I wrote to him twice and also tried to see him at a panto he was in, but no luck. Eventually, Marc contacted his agent and we went through the official channels. It was a fantastic day in the studio and he was everything you would want him to be. We all cried with laughter at his stories about trying to poo at the top of Mount Everest.

7. You’ve got a lot of male fans – do you enjoy the attention?

Mostly people are very respectful and I've always enjoyed meeting new fans so I make an effort to chat to people when I have the time. Sometimes things can't get a bit weird but I'm pretty good at telling people to fuck off when they cross the line. I think it's just part of the job and I cope with it as best as I can.

8. Which is your all-time favourite metal act?

It's a difficult one. I'm going to go for Rainbow because I've loved them for a long time. Iron Maiden would be up there also.

9. What was it like to eat cookies with Bruce Dickinson?

It was actually a really good experience because Bruce and I got on really well. I didn't expect him to be so friendly and so interested in what we were up to. We talked for about 3 hours until the BBC chucked us out of the studio and he played us the unmixed masters of what was to be 'The Final Frontier.' He's got an amazing energy about him and I came away invigorated by spending time with him. He's very funny and sweetly boyish. I suppose a bit of a Peter Pan. I hope I meet him again one day. I'd love to continue the conversation about relocating your genitals to a more practical place and, by the way, I didn't get any cookies - he ate them all himself.

10. If you hadn’t become a singer, what would you be doing now?

I also write fiction so I expect I would be doing more of that. When I'm too old to hurl myself around a stage I will concentrate on writing.

11. Where would you like to be in 5 years’ time?

I'm a great believer in the saying 'The best laid plans of mice and men.' I don't think you can really plan ahead and expect things to turn out as you would like. Ideally I would like to move to a sunnier country. I find the British weather very oppressive. I quite like the idea of Portugal, where we could build a bigger recording studio and have a better quality of life. I would like to have a crack at the USA with PYTHIA and really show Europe what a UK act can do. I'd like to go on tour with Iron Maiden and Blind Guardian.

I would also love to travel through space and see the universe, own a beautiful white horse and train to be a wizard. 5 years is a long time, your guess is as good as mine as to what I'll be up to! 

PYTHIA’s debut album Beneath the Veiled Embrace is available via www.pythiamusic.com

Questions asked by Rich Ward for 11 is louder than 10

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Product Review: Pick Punch

   Anyone who plays guitar will know that choosing a plectrum is a very personal choice where every millimetre counts, so to speak. PickPunch.com have taken individuality to a whole new level with their Pick Punch Standard that allows you to shape your own unique designs.

Simply take your chosen material (credit and gift cards work particularly well), line it up, clamp down using the lever and, hey presto, your custom pick is fired out the bottom. During testing, I created a particularly personal pick from an old ID card with my own face on it. Sexy.

But what about using these custom plectrums? Well, because the materials I chose were very close in thickness to the picks I normally use they actually feel remarkably good to play with. Furthermore, the pick I made out of an old debit card has raised digits on it which provide excellent grip (see below for some examples).

However, there is one downside. After playing for a short period of time the top layers of card, which aren’t really designed to withstand shredding, begin to flake away – resulting in the pick loosing its shape and your guitar body getting showered in a plastic dust.

Clearly the Pick Punch is good fun and could be a great way to keep young guitarists whose practicing might be waning interested in playing. And personally, as someone who burns his way through even manufactured plectrums at an expensive rate, the opportunity to practice with home-made picks is a real money-saver – as long as I have my cleaning cloth to hand to wipe off all the plastic flakes. I can also see trendy indie bands making use of them to give out to fans as unique souvenirs at gigs. However, I will be sticking to my Dunlop Ultex picks for gigging and recording.

If you’re interested in getting customised, the Pick Punch is available online and can be shipped from the US for around £24.

Rating: 7.5 out of 11

Rich Ward for 11 is louder than 10