Top Of The Box » Indie

Hurrah! – The Sun Shines Here

Terry Lane — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:18:23 +0000

Signed to Kitchenware Records in 1982, Newcastle’s Hurrah!, along with the Paisley Underground movement of California, were a prime influence on the hugely successful Creation Records.

“Hurrah! were like a perfect punk rock fantasy Byrds… what we all wished we were. Great songs, great shows, supreme überpunk attitude… we just loved them.” – Alan McGee, 2011

With an appearance somewhere between early pre-mop top Beatles and part Byrds circa 1965, Hurrah!’s early singles helped pave the way for many 1980’s jangly guitar indie popsters.

Originally released in 1993 on Creation Records, The Sound Of Philadelphia features those first few influential singles and demos leading up to Hurrah!’s mid-1980’s breakthrough and will be re-issued in July 2011.

Comtemporary bands such as Crystal Stilts, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The See See and The Tambourines are all gaining acclaim for a sound that owes so much to Hurrah!

[Sorry for the quality of this promo video for Hurrah!’s debut single, The Sun Shines Here. Can anyone post a better version on YouTube?]

Marine Girls – A Place In The Sun

Terry Lane — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:52:22 +0000

Before EBTG even became Everything But The Girl, Tracey Thorn began her pop music career as a shy young thing singing and playing guitar with the Marine Girls, a group she started with Gina Hartman, a sixth form school friend.

The Marine Girls was formed in 1980 with further members Jane Fox on bass and her sister Alice on joint vocals and percussion. In 1981, Tracey went to Hull University where she met Ben Watt and formed Everything But The Girl.

Their debut single, On My Mind, was covered by Everything But The Girl on the b-side of their first single, Night And Day. While their debut album, Beach Party was listed as one of Kurt Cobain’s 50 favourite albums in his diaries. A second album, Lazy Ways was released in 1983. Both albums were re-issued as a double CD on Cooking Vinyl in 1997.

The Marine Girls also recorded two John Peel Sessions. The first included five songs: Don’t Come Back, Love To Know, He Got The Girl, Fever and A Place In The Sun.

A Place In The Sun was never released as a single.

The Libertines – What A Waster – Live Reading/Leeds 2010

John Williams — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:09:06 +0000

I never imagined that the reunion of Carl Barat and Pete Doherty fronting the Libertines would be this good, having almost forgotten just what an excellent band they had promised to be before their personal problems led to the band disbanding.

Here they are performing the top track What A Waster at Reading/Leeds festival in 2010.

You have to just love these guys!

The Libertines – What A Waster

The Primitives UK Dates & Really Stupid

Terry Lane — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:06:27 +0000

Can you remember what Tracy Tracy of The Primitives looks like?

The Primitives release the 4-track Never Kill A Secret EP in March, their first new recordings since they split up in 1992.

They emerged along bands like My Bloody Valentine & Primal Scream, following the noisy buzz-guitar indie pop of The Jesus & Marychain in the mid-1980s and are best known for their most commercially successful single, Crash. Though like The Jesus & Marychain, they dropped the noise of their first two singles, Really Stupid & Stop Killing Me before receiving commercial success.

A further two hit singles followed Crash in 1988 (Out Of Reach and Way Behind Me) and two more in 1989 (Sick Of It and Secrets). But by now The Primitives and their brand of sweet indie guitar pop music had been replaced by the grunge of Nirvana and the indie dance of The Stone Roses.

After three albums, Lovely, Pure and Galore, The Primitives decided to split up in 1992. Last year they reformed and this March they release their new EP and will be touring the UK.

The Primitives 2011 UK Tour Dates:

Wed 16 March
Joiners Arms, Southampton

Thu 17 March
Haymakers, Cambridge

Fri 18 March
Start the Bus, Bristol

Sat 19 March
Fibbers, York

Sun 20 March
The Arches, Glasgow

Mon 21 March
Moho, Manchester

Wed 23 March
Academy, Birmingham

Thu 24 March
Garage, London

The XX Crystalised & UK Tour Dates

Terry Lane — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:25:16 +0000

Last year The XX arrived with a bang!

Their self-titled album was released in August 2009 on Young Turks Records and received critical acclaim from such luminaries as the NME in the UK and Rolling Stone magazine in the United States.

Another admirer is Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Futurama, who has personally chosen The XX to perform at this summer’s All Tomorrow’s Parties he is curating in May in Minehead.

The XX debut album has so far spawned four singles: Crystalised, Basic Space, Islands and most recently VCR which was released in January 2010.

Their music is intense and low-fi, sparse and brooding. Their appeal may be the quality of the songs, coupled with the fact that they sound so distinct in a world of carbon copy music.

The XX use analogue synthesizers and drum machines alongside bass and guitars and have been likened to Hot Chip and Four Tet. The whispering vocal delivery also reminds me of Massive Attack.

Last year they supported the likes of The Big Pink but 2010 looks like it’s going to be their year as they set off in March to headline their first UK Tour.

Concert tickets for The XX tour are now on sale. The dates include Brighton, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh.

The XX UK Tour Dates

1 March
Komedia Theatre
Brighton

2 March
Shepherds Bush Empire
London

3 March
Shepherds Bush Empire
London

5 March
O2 Academy
Birmingham

6 March
Manchester Academy 2
Manchester

8 March
The Cockpit
Leeds

9 March
Studio 24
Edinburgh

viagogo is an online ticket exchange that allows people to buy and sell live event tickets in a safe and guaranteed way.

The Killers – Mr Brightside – Live 2004

John Williams — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:39:50 +0000

This is the Killers performing Mr. Brightside on Later with Jools Holland in 2004. Taken from the album Hot Fuss from the same year. Top stuff.

The Killers – Mr. Brightside – Live 2004

Richard Ashcroft & Coldplay – Bittersweet Symphony – Live 8

John Williams — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:27:16 +0000

A pretty awesome collaboration between Richard Ashcroft and Coldplay performing a great live version of the Verve track Bittersweet Symphony at Live 8 in Hyde Park in 2005.

Richard Ashcroft & Coldplay – Bittersweet Symphony – Live 8

The Zutons – Valerie – Live 2008

John Williams — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:54:44 +0000

This is an excellent performance from The Zutons recorded live in 2008 on the Later with Jools Holland show. Reclaiming their song Valerie from Amy Winehouse who had revived the song earlier that year.

The Zutons – Valerie – Live 2008

The Bluetones – Slight Return – Live 1996

John Williams — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:27:18 +0000

Slight Return was a great pop song released back in 1996 by London’s answer to the Madchester bands, The Bluetones. Looking fresh out of school and yet able to afford and play a Rickenbacker!

This is a clip from the popular tv music show Later with Jools Holland from 1996.

The Bluetones – Slight Return – Live 1996

The Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work – Live 1997

John Williams — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:28:05 +0000

Turn it up loud and let it float over you, a brilliant performance from The Verve on Later with Jools Holland in 1997. The Drugs Don’t Work is taken from the excellent album Urban Hymns and was the first number one single and album in the UK for the band.

The Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work - Live 1997