King's Daughters & Sons - If Then Not When

King's Daughters & Sons - If Then Not When
Genre: Post Rock/Alternative
Rating: 10/10

Few record labels can boast a roster of such importance as scottish label Chemikal Undergrounds. With some previous alumni including post rock giants like Mogwai, Aereogramme and Arab Strap it would be hard to argue that they don't have the midas touch. New to their ever expanding roster are Kentucky based band King's Daughters & Sons who are releasing their debut If Then Not When on the 21st of this month. The band first caught my attention very recently when I recieved an email from Chemikal Underground about upcoming events, whilst most record label chainmail goes directly from inbox to my bin Chemikal Underground's newsletters are written with enough poise to make them feel quite personal and interesting. They announced signing King's Daughters & Sons and with interest at it's peak I decided to head over to myspace to have a listen prompted by their comparisons with Nick Cave and Led Zeppelin (which together makes them sound like some sort of freakshow). What I actually heard was quite unique and brilliant.

The easiest way to describe a new unknown band's sound is normally to make comparisons between their sound and more famous bands with King's Daughters & Sons though this is pretty damn hard. The musical style is varied and has hints of Nick Cave as well as post rock titans Gregor Samsa. The band's sound is made up of some pretty simplistic elements like guitars, pianos and drums the main thing you notice is the way each track is constructed. Each individual element comes in individually making the whole thing seem effortless and each track slowly leads on from a few stray chords into a sprawling epic. Lyrically the each track tells a story it is this and the classical elements of piano is where the similarity between King's Daughters & Sons and Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds is drawn. Whilst this is quite a favorable comparison to make the vocals that come from different people throughout If Then Not When are much less over the top and dramatic yet still very evocative. The music is sparse and melodic, the guitars move from more serene melodies to more rabble rousing strumming in places but are hypnotic throughout. The grim narratives add a bleak yet enthralling depth to the record making it a true stunner from start to finish. Highlights come thick and fast without a single dull track, opener "Sleeping Colony" is a great example of the band's dynamic as what appears as a simple narrative slowly develops into a sprawling epic where each individual element grasps at your heart strings. Other highlights include the hugely powerful "Lorelei" and the shorter, punchier "Dead Letter Office" which has a fiery anguished stomp that is truly infectious. The whole damn thing is so catchy I've been humming it all week at work.

Overall King's Daughters & Sons have delivered a stellar debut. It's powerfully emotive and brilliantly concieved yet more evidence that below the torrents of pretentious post rock there is still much life and potential in the genre yet. Not just recommended a true contender for the best album of 2011.

Download: "Dead Letter Office" "Lorelei"

The Birthday Suit - The Eleventh Hour

The Birthday Suit - The Eleventh Hour
Genre: Indie/Folk
Rating: 8.5/10

The Birthday Suit is the latest side project to spring from indie veterans Idlewild. When Idlewild first formed in the mid nineties there was a lot of interest in them mainly because rather than just sticking to one genre they fused two together. This is nothing new in the music world but normally helps build expectations for a simple idea turning into the next big trend. Idlewild's early material clearly demonstrated their own unique fusion of dissident punk and softer more emotionally adept indie sensabilities seperating them from the pack as it were.  16 years on and several records down the line the original harsh energetic punk attitude has mellowed and these days the band have more of a folky sound as both lead singer Roddy and lead guitarist Rod Jones have both established solo careers in this vein. The Birthday Suit however is quite different from  the other projects that have sprung from Idlewild in two ways. First of all it is not a solo project in which a random ensemble of players have filled in the necessary gaps and secondly it is not pure folk.

The Birthday Suit are fronted by Idlewild's lead guitarist Rod Jones who takes position of lead singer of a full band for the first time. After years of being a background singer and producing his own solo album I guess Rod has finally built the confidence to front an outfit and the results are more than pleasing. Whilst many have grumbled and moaned at Idlewild's more recent releases as losing the impact and power of their earlier raw works The Birthday Suit is oddly reminiscent of Idlewild's seminal album 100 Broken Windows. Combining the power of simplistic but emotive guitar, catchy chorus structures and a sense of occasion with dramatic orchestral flourishes the album immediately grabs you. Rod's vocal delivery, whilst not as consistent as his Idlewild counterpart Roddy's, adds extra character with his thick scottish brogue supplementing the punchy tracks whilst beautifully dual harmonies and backing is provided by the other members of the band throughout. Whilst it is decisively heavier than Rod's solo work there are still some softer moments and this does nothing but make the whole thing feel more varied and enjoyable. Highlights include the powerful "World Gone By" which is supplemented by some beautiful strings making it a truly heartwrenching ballad the heavier tracks like "On My Own" and lead single "Do You Ever?" also provide plenty some high points with their high octane driving guitars. The only criticism that of the Eleventh Hour is really the similarities between this and Idlewild's early work which is no criticism at all considering that Idlewild are no longer putting out music that sounds like this, and this sounds bloody brilliant.

Overall The Birthday Suit's debut is a surefire winner. Packed to the brim with catchy tunes the record oozes all the enthusiasm that made Idlewild great. A definite must have for any Idlewild fan and also anyone who's into indie for that matter. Highly recommended.

Download: "On My Own" "World Gone By"