There’s an album coming out at the end of the month, and it’s going to be one of the best albums of the year. It’s also likely to be one of the best things to happen to heavy music in years.
This is Uneven Structure’s Februus, out on 31 October through the bloody fantastic independent, Basick Records.
I get excited about a lot of albums, but I haven’t been this excited about an album in years.
Februus’ reviews are beginning to emerge, with Rock Sound giving it 8/10 and the ever-reliable Dom Lawson backing it. It’s a good sign that big things will come their way, that goes for band themselves as well as the label behind them.
For all the love for heavy music I’ve been channeling lately, Tellison’s second album – The Wages Of Fear – has had a massive impact on me. It’s easily one of the best albums of the year.
I’m also pretty adamant that they wrote the album inside my head.
I’ll be seeing them at the end of the month. I am pretty damn excited about that.
Oh, hi there, blog. I’m sorry I’ve been so neglectful, it’s been ages.
I should really post in here more often, but I’ve let other things get in the way; many of which aren’t good enough excuses not to fill you with postage.
I’ve been thinking about branching out, putting some film reviews and topical rants in here, and maybe even a section dedicated to the fiction I’ve slowly been producing – though until I can stop writing material of a highly personal or messed up (or both) nature, maybe not yet.
But then I might have to change the blog’s name to something more appropriate – and I do so like the Phill Harmonic title.
Not that there hasn’t been musical things worth putting in here, though. I’ve been to Glastonbury for a second time, and 2000Trees festival for a first time. Tellison released a second album that’s instantly become one of my favourite albums of all time thanks to the wonders of connecting emotional personal events to the excellent lyrics of complete strangers. Amy Winehouse died and I have some ranting about that to do which will probably cause much disgust to be poured my way, and – hell – how can I have let a FRANK TURNER album get released without me gushing my opinion about it all over the internet? (FYI: It’s his best.)
So, dearest blog, I’ll endeavour to use you more often, so tell those sexy readers to watch this space – but not too closely, as it might not be for a while.
In the mean time, back to the news and a real recent tragedy has got me thinking of Norway. Awful stuff, covered in the media in a terrible fashion. But with me thinking of Norway, it got me thinking of a band from Norway who never fail to put a smile on my face.
The video’s a bit bloodthirsty – it’s not meant in poor taste. Kvelertak are a sign of great taste. And they have a taste for MJØD!
I read somewhere this song is about Odin kicking Suttungr‘s arse to get at his magical mead. Well, who needs another fucking song about love, huh? 😀
“ODIN GA OSS!
Suttung sitt mjød!”
I really, really need to experience these guys live. They’re supposed to be excellent.
I probably won’t drink mead, though. I wouldn’t want to risk an Odin smackdown!
Yesterday, Funeral For A Friend released their fifth album, Welcome Home Armageddon.
The internet says “They’re back!”, as if they went away, which makes me pretty annoyed when album four and the material produced after was so good, but nevertheless, this album is yet more proof of the band’s talent.
It also spawned this, one of their finest tracks to date!
This is my favourite from the album, mainly for the usual reason behind my love of this band – connecting the song to something personal. For some reason I connect this with something completely incorrect, but it keeps making me think of an argument with myself concerning my own creativity and how I need to stop making excuses and kick itsinto gear to be something.
Their albums always seem to come along at the right time for me. But, with the wave of praise this album is receiving, it looks like it’s come along at the right time for them, too. I hope it does them proud.
Here’s the video I put together of my time at Glastonbury this year.
It was my first time, and despite the lack of noisyshouty bands, it was one of the best weekends of my life.
Having been blown away by ‘Da Funk’ and impressed by Homework, but largely bored by their work since, this tiny little track is one of the best things the duo have fired out to date.
It’s also played an alarmingly large part in building my excitement for seeing the film.
So much to my utter dismay, yesterday I found out that Telegraphs – one of my favourite bands – have split up.
Telegraphs were the newest, youngest band to join the list of bands with a place inside my heart. They are also the first band to give me a little ‘claim to fame’, something I was pretty moved by. Gutted does not even begin to describe it.
I have my editor to thank for discovering them. Receiving the promo for their first EP, their brand of anthemic rock wasn’t what I normally listen to by choice, but they did it so well I almost forgot that I had other CDs to listen to that week.
“Telegraphs have served up a five track E.P. of near-flawless beauty here”
– Across A Wire Review
From then, the boss sent almost every release of theirs my way, and try as I did to keep a level head, everything they put on CD lived up to and exceeded my expectations.
…and now you’re back with new single The ‘Rules Of Modern Policing’; a huge, anthemic number that’ll blow the roof off the venues you play, contains exciting lead guitar, an immense chorus, is just as catchy as your other material, and will likely be just one of a number of reasons that début album will be f**king brilliant… And you’re not recording it until JUNE? Have you not heard that massive, explosive climax to your own single? And you want to make us wait for more? Bastards!
– Rules Of Modern Policing Review
Finally an album came. I was worried it would be a let-down, as I already knew most of the songs on it But with Dave Eringa behind the production desk these songs I already loved somehow improved. ‘I Don’t Navigate By You’ became this HUGE, dynamic monster of a track; everything soared higher, and the sound of Darcy and Hattie singing together covered me with goosebumps, it was magical – and I really don’t care how silly that sounds.
“For those who don’t know, Telegraphs are Brigthon’s best kept secret, a band that play melodic rock without trend or gimmick; it’s not retro and it doesn’t need a ‘core’ suffix to describe it. The only tags you can pin to it are ‘anthemic’, sometimes ‘epic’ and often ‘bloody awesome’.”
– We Were Ghosts Review
I would witter on about them to friends, because they were the rarest of rare bands; one that I liked that other people would actually enjoy listening to. There was no niche genre here, no accusation of “just a load of hairy dudes screaming” looming on the horizon. Intense songs, powerful lyrics, engaging music, but universal. Anyone could like this band. Everyone should have.
I got their album shortly before finally seeing them live. On the train on the way to see them in Cardiff, I read the thank you list on the inlay card and made a double-take. Was that my name? That’s my name. Right there. Near Tom Barnes and a bit below Bruce Dickinson.
The smile nearly split my face in half. When I got to the gig, not only was it great to discover that they were excellent live, but I got to meet them. They weren’t just down to Earth and generally lovely people; they were genuinely excited to meet me. The few paragraphs of excited words that I had written about them – words that are only an opinion – meant something to them. It meant faces broke into big grins, hugs came out of nowhere and handshakes were applied with enough vigour to damage muscles. It wierded me out – I was the excited fan, yet they made it feel like a role reversal. It remains one of the biggest confidence boosts I’ve ever received, and meant a great deal to me.
But it was not to be.
After five years, yesterday they called it a day.
“Unfortunately, despite all of our hard work it comes down to simple economics… there was no money to make a second record and we eventually ran out of momentum. As a band we wanted to finish on a high note and not wait for it all to turn bitter.”
– Telegraphs Blog
This can’t help but make me sniffle. And curse my failure to win the lottery and inevitably fund its creation!
Enough of the glum, though. They may not have ended playing the huge venues their songs belonged in, but as far as I’m concerned they did go out on a high note.
Their outstanding album has made many hours of my life that little bit better, it’s something I’m immensely grateful for.
If you get the chance, pick up a copy of the album, listen to it on spotify, or use the links on this page.
Their songs are outstanding.
Now, instead of moping, I can look forward to the prospect of a number of new bands they can fill with potential.
I don’t know how these bands will compare, but I – for one – cannot wait to find out.
Thank you, Telegraphs.
I don’t have an inlay card with a thank you list, but if I did, you would be on it.
Phill Harmonic 