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Blog End Of Year Music

Thrash Hits Top Tens and My Favourite Musical Finds of 2014

So. Things have been happening, and it’s the end of the year, and I should really write a blog.

Really. Write. A Blog.

See, it’s not that I don’t want to, but this is the Hinterland of the year, that magical in-between time, when all the dutiful joy of Christmas is over and done with, and equally as dutiful, but somewhat more desperate celebrations of New Year begin. The time when we tick off the last days of this year’s timesheet, and are just starting to tear it away, tear it to shreds, burn the damn thing, before we face the clean white tyranny of a fresh, crisp, blank New Year. Watch your fingers for papercuts.

I like this time of year. No matter how many wonderful things I have planned for the next twelve months – how many terrifying and scary upheavals that could mean the start of a new and much more rewarding phase of my life… I like that sense of a project completed. I enjoy revelling in that satisfaction, before a new year begins. I like a breather. So understandably, I want to prolong it as much as possible.

I suppose that means I don’t want to write a blog after all.

So in spite of myself, here’s two.
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Firstly, a little housekeeping. Thrash Hits have unveiled their annual round-up of the year’s best releases, voted for by their writers. Here’s the Thrash Hits Top 10 Albums of 2014. You can also check out songs from all those albums on the Sunday Slaylist: The Best of 2014, which you can also listen to on Spotify. The albums I voted for begin with track 33.



Talking of my personal Top Ten, here’s the Thrash Hits Staff Albums of 2014. No spoilers… except I am pretty well chuffed I got St Vincent on there this year.

You’ll also notice (okay, *some* spoilers, then) that it’s not been a particularly metal year for me, in terms of personal favourites. Frankly, folk-influenced and acoustic music has been doing it more for me, generally. Discovering RM Hubbert, Blue Rose Code (Honestly, The Ballads of Peckham Rye is no. 11 on my Top Records of 2014. Making this year’s list on two days notice killed me.), The Lake Poets, Sarah Jarosz, Trev Gibb (‘Old Wounds‘, trust me.), Hannah D’Arcy, MG Boulter, Nadine Shah, has been like finding precious lost items in cobwebbed attics, brushing the dust off, setting them down and watching them sparkle. Yes, I know I should really check out Richard Dawson. He’s next on my list. Honest.

Meanwhile, Les Claypool‘s Duo De Twang, and Devin Townsend and Ché Aimee Dorval‘s Casualties of Cool were both projects that elevated sides of these artists we’d long expected, but perhaps had never imagined would sound so sweet. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of sweets, that Primus cover of ‘The Candyman’ (from their Charlie and the Chocolate Factory album) is a fucking belter.



Told ya.

The other big influence on 2014 has been the theatrical. Or rather, the storytellers, I should say. Aidan Moffat‘s solo stuff, Shilpa Ray, St Vincent (still kicking myself for having flu the night she breezed through the North-East), Fair To Midland, General Sherman, By Toutatis and associated projects… When researching for a panel at Loncon 3, I also came across Darren Korb’s excellent soundtrack for Bastion – one hell of a case of first time lucky for the composer. New …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, and the follow-up to Devin Townsend‘s Ziltoid The Omniscient, Z2, scratched the same itch nicely. John Grant made a late grand entrance, courtesy of the livestream of his Sage Gateshead show with the Royal Northern Sinfonia; the night a friend and I confessed to each other that we were both, just a teensy bit, in love with him.

There are doubtless other names I’ve missed, but here are a few of my favourite discoveries of 2014.

Tissue Culture – Bleak Northern Beaches
One of my favourite discoveries through the Tiny Lights gig nights. Click here for some photos of them I took earlier this year.

https://soundcloud.com/tissueculture/bleak-northern-beaches

John Grant – Where Dreams Go To Die
I had such trouble picking one of John Grant’s tracks for this. ‘Queen of Denmark’, or ‘Sigourney Weaver’ could have easier been here instead. You should look those out too. Or ‘That’s The Good News’. Really, just go, before I start naming more tracks.

Blue Rose Code (w/ Samantha Whates and MG Boulter) – True Ways of Knowing
Killing three birds with one stone, this also features the amazing double basswork of John Parker of Nizlopi, and Rachel Newton, whose sterling harp playing is also on the recent BRC album. I shot Ross and co. at The Cluny in Newcastle earlier this year. He’s touring in April.

Nadine Shah – Stealing Cars
Another late contender this year, I’m barely done with first listens to this.

Shilpa Ray (w/ Warren Ellis & Nick Cave) – Pirate Jenny
Now striking out from her Shilpa Ray and her Happy Hookers outfit, Shilpa Ray is a trailblazer. Pick up the EP ‘It’s All Self Fellatio…‘, it’s a blinder.

RM Hubbert w/ Aidan Moffat & Alex Kapranos – Car Song
An older track, but one I was so glad to finally hear live when Hubby hooked up with Aidan Moffat at the Sage in May (click here for my DiS photo gallery).

Shrine Black Peaks – Say You Will
One of the things that keeps me writing for Thrash Hits is the radar those boys have. This blindsided us all. Thankfully, their quiet since is largely down to their name change since they released their debut EP, Closer To The Sun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nIn24wO7nE

Sarah Jarosz – I Can’t Love You Now
There’s something about Sarah Jarosz’s writing that suggests someone ten years older writing about how they feel in their early twenties. Here’s one example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4g5ITA32dE

Casualties of Cool – Flight
Not so much a new discovery, but wonderful to hear a project with Ché Aimee Dorval front and centre.

The Lake Poets – Husks
To close, this track taken from the debut EP Honest Hearts. Martin’s show at the Mining Institute in Newcastle was a privilege to witness.

http://youtu.be/spB3a7TG0mU

Categories
Music Photos Reviews

DiS In Photos: Mastodon & Thrash Hits reviews: Mike Patton

This week, a couple of new music things have appeared online. Firstly, my shots from Mastodon‘s thunderous pit stop in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne last week are up now on Drowned In Sound‘s In Photos section. Meanwhile, on Thrash Hits have another review from me. Geocidal is the debut of tētēma – that’s Mike Patton‘s intriguing new avant-garde collaboration with Anthony Pateras. Links and more below…

 

Categories
Blog Music Photo Friday Photography Photos Reviews

Photo Friday Thursday: Möngöl Hörde w/ Palehorse & Oxygen Thief

Möngöl Hörde at the O2 Academy 2, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne - 20th June 2014
Möngöl Hörde at the O2 Academy 2, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne – 20th June 2014

Continuing the tradition of Photo Any-Day-But-Friday, this week I’ve got some bonus shots for you. You might have heard of Frank Turner – he was the one playing folk guitar on the hill during Danny Boyle’s Olympics Opening Ceremony last year. You might not have heard of his other band, Möngöl Hörde. Completed by Matt Nasir (from Turner’s backing band The Sleeping Souls) and Ben Dawson (Turner’s former bandmate in Million Dead), they hit the road earlier this Summer with Oxygen Thief and Dawson’s other band Palehorse – including a date at Newcastle’s Academy 2.

I could tell you what a brilliant night it was, but you can actually find all my thoughts in the Thrash Hits review that I, err, didn’t actually realise was online. You can read it here:

http://www.thrashhits.com/2014/07/live-mongol-horde-newcastle-o2-academy-2-20-june-2014/


However, I also took some shots that night that didn’t end up making the final review. So I thought you lot might like a look. Enjoy!

Categories
Blog Music New Story Photography Photos Reviews

Bits & Bobs: *UPDATED* The Lake Poets, Girl At The End Of The World, and Monuments

And SHAZAM – August! How did that happen? Things have been a bit quiet on the blog front, but that’s because things have been so busy on the work front. Hopefully more on that soon…

First, though, here’s a wee update on a couple few things published in the last few weeks.

NEW FICTION

THE GIRL AT THE END OF THE WORLD, Vol. 1 & 2
Fox Spirit Books
Feat. ‘Blueprint for Red Wings’

The Girl At The End Of The World, Vol. 1 - Girl variant cover
The Girl At The End Of The World, Vol. 1 – Girl variant cover


Out now. Spread across two volumes, this collection of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction includes stories from Adrian Tchaikovsky, James Oswald, Margret Helgadottir and many more. You’ll find my story ‘Blueprint for Red Wings’ amongst them.

There’s also two variant covers for each one – the one above is my favourite for volume 1. Available from the usual outlets…

NEW PHOTOS

The Lake Poets w/ Daniel Laidler
(EP launch night at the Mining Institute. A beautiful wee venue.)
http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4147992-in-photos–the-lake-poets-the-mining-institute-newcastle

The Lake Poets - The Mining Institute, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne,  June 2014
The Lake Poets – The Mining Institute, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, June 2014


Still to come… Photos of Blacklisters, Martha, General Sherman, the last ever Rivals set, Eliza Carthy, Fran Muriel, and rare By Toutatis shots.

Which reminds me, I’ve got a little question for you… You’ve been reading this blog for a while. Are there any bands, particularly in the North-East, that you reckon I should photograph? Give me a nudge on here or on twitter if you’ve got any thoughts.

*UPDATE* NEW REVIEW

Monuments – The Amanuensis
http://www.thrashhits.com/2014/07/album-monuments-the-amanuensis/

Monuments - The Amanuensis reviewed for Thrash Hits
Monuments – The Amanuensis reviewed for Thrash Hits


I knew I’d forget something.

That’s it. Now I reckon it’s time for a blog on what’s coming up… See you soon!
Categories
Blog Fiction Music Opinion Other Stuff Photography Photos Ruth Runs

Bits and Bobs: Blue Rose Code, RM Hubbert + Aidan Moffat, New Column + Photography Gigs, and more

Lots of things to tell you about, particularly if you like photos of RM Hubbert and Aidan Moffat, Blue Rose Code and M. G. Boulter, Drowned in Sound, Mass Movement, Thrash Hits – and this…

Mass Movement - Ruth Writes #0: An unexpected phone call...

So, let’s get to it…