Pepe Belmonte, Pete Greenwood, Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou - Edithmead Church
Posted in SHOFT on Saturday 15th January 2011 at 11:01pm
It's not often I need to begin a live review with a picture of the venue, but on this occasion at least it saves a lot of explanation to bewildered readers. Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou promoted their first album by touring the UK's village halls, and now following signing to Heavenly and in advance of their second record, they are touring the remaining Tin Tabernacles around the land. I'm lucky enough to have one of these originally temporary places of worship fairly near to my home. However, being an avowed atheist, despite having passed by over the years of living here, I'd never been inside until tonight. There was an authentic 'church fete' feel to proceedings from the start. Access to the church was via a narrow bridge over a rhyne, which was signposted with a hand painted board and a little lantern. This was necessary - it was very dark indeed out here in the sticks. Once inside the tiny building, I was greeted with a wood panelled room with small and uncomfortable looking wooden pews. The stage was a tiny raised area beyond the altar rail, and tickets were checked in a cupboard just inside the door. All in all, this was an inspired choice of venue - and I harbour secret hopes there may be ways of using it again.
So following a surreal introduction from the local Vicar, first up was Pepe Belmonte. Pepe's origins in West Cork, and from his own accounts a fairly nomadic life, have left him with a curiously placeless and unfocused accent. This allows him to slip effortlessly from his own, simple and precise English folk ballads to a take on 'Carrickfergus' with little effort and a massive confidence. If anything, his delivery was hushed and a little restrained, but that probably had a lot to do with this being a truly tiny venue with the audience quite literally in his face. It may also have been due to the fact that the Church Committee seemed to have bagged the majority of the tiny amount of tickets available for this show, and were clearly expecting some appropriate and wholesome entertainment! Pepe's strengths tonight were in the more upbeat numbers, where his lightning-like picking technique and malleable voice warmed-up the restrained crowd. He closed his set by inviting Pete Greenwood and Trevor Moss onto the spatially inadequate stage for an impromptu and rather excellent take on Gillian Welch's 'Everything is Free'.
After a short break, Pete Greenwood took to the stage alone for his brief set. Originating from Leeds, Pete seemed to embody the self-deprecating and gruff northern humour I've always associated with the city. This seeps through his songs, bittersweet stories which by his own account take a darker turn during the writing process. His delivery is quiet, understated and earthy - a whisper of a voice which occasionally soars when the song needs it to, most particularly on his own composition 'The 88'. Again, some truly superb guitar picking held the church spellbound. Somewhere mid-set Pete played an inspired and surprising cover of Stuart Murdoch's 'Another Saturday' - an obscure gem from 2009's 'Dark Was The Night' charity compilation. Pete left the stage as he'd found it - apologetic and clumsy, but without any need. This was remarkable music. We just don't get this kind of thing here!
Another interval, where the highly symbolic acts of passing around free glasses of wine and collecting donations took place. I'm assured though that this was to avoid licensing issues, rather than for any more sinister liturgical reasons. Finally, Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou stepped up and we were treated to a warm, engaging set from this funny, clever and unashamedly enthusiastic pair. Starting with 'The Allotment Song' from their first album, I looked around to see the tiny audience spellbound and open-mouthed at their simple, clear and shimmering performance. The people who'd turned out just because "it seemed like the rather fun thing to do on a Saturday night in Burnham" looked most stunned. This was original music, from genuine talents, and here on their doorstep. The pair's voices twisted around each other - sometimes blending into one clear, high note. Working through a number of further older songs such as 'Concorde' and the desperate and plaintive 'England', Trevor and Hannah interspersed the compositions with banter which felt more like a conversation in the intimate setting. They were genuinely engaging people, clearly very happy to be here - and indeed on this tour of Tin Tabernacles - and grateful for the support, even in this tiniest of venues. Towards the end of the set, they talked about The Lantern Society - the London folk club they'd started, and how they'd met the other musicians on the tour. This led into a very different but equally affecting version of Pete Greenwood's 'The 88', rather a surprise to him too it seemed. The new songs performed tonight bode well for the recently recorded new record too, with Hannah's voice taking perhaps more of a foreground role on some of the numbers, and a new complexity which they pulled off in a tricky live setting without breaking a sweat. The audience reception to the set was as near rapturous as things get around here - it had been a successful night in Edithmead.
As people started to shuffle out, delayed by the encouraging activity around the merchandise area near the door and with an exhortation to join holy communion tomorrow morning ringing in their ears, I realised this was probably a one off. If we ever asked the Vicar to let us do something else like this he'd probably cluck and sigh and say "we'd have to see...". So, putting ideas of future cultural activities aside, I contented myself with having been involved in a truly unique evening and hearing some beautiful music.
Despite a couple of opportunities for escape over the extended holiday, this was the first relatively normal trip of 2011. This time of year is always a little odd - a bunch of hastily arranged trips to fill in gaps in a sparse programme of tours - and this week was no exception. The programme was a fairly straightforward one - up to Sheffield, then a spin around the route via Penistone for the long haul homewards. Out into a damp but mercifully frost free morning, and onto the first train of the day. The hacking cough which I'd been suppressing poorly for much of yesterday afternoon had turned into the beginning of a cold. I sniffled and shuffled to the station, looking forward to the opportunity to get coffee. It had, in fairness been a pretty bloody awful week in most respects - uncertainty, doubt, disappointment and frustration had defined the first working week of the new year. Still, today was one of those precious escapes and I wasn't going to waste it.
A little longer at Bristol than normal, as I'd decided on the 07:30 direct to Sheffield. I hadn't any recollection how busy this one got, but the station was extremely quiet. Had a fairly big breakfast - because colds always make me hungry - and quaffed absurd amounts of coffee whilst waiting. On boarding, realised I was practically the only person in the carriage. Settled in for a pleasant ride up to the Midlands, listening to podcasts and watching a surprisingly inspirational sunrise. Surprisingly few passengers joined at Birmingham except for a small group of fans off to Doncaster Rovers, so continued my listening and occasional dozing through Derby and on to Sheffield. Didn't feel energetic enough to stroll into town here, despite blue skies and amazingly warm sunshine - so found a window seat on the concourse and enjoyed yet more coffee. This was a good, calming morning.
If today had a target at all, then the next leg was probably it. I'd done the line to Huddersfield on an All-Line Rover a few years back, and enjoyed the trip a great deal. This spin would take me in the opposite direction around the loop. Shopped a bit, and boarded the unit which soon filled up fairly well - including an oddly smelly young chap who was downwind of me every time the door opened. Not pleasant, but marginally preferable to the racket coming from a large group of Yorkshire youngsters in the next carriage who whooped and hollered their way around most of the line with me! Headphones on, I enjoyed the stunning views from the window - including some sudden bursts of sunshine as we exited tunnels and crossed viaducts over deep valleys. This line rarely gets a mention in 'great railway journey' articles, but it's certainly worthy in my view. Noted a couple of well-preserved station buildings along the way too - not least at Brockholes where the branch to Holmfirth once diverged. Surprisingly soon we arrived at Huddersfield under darkening skies. It was incredibly cold on the platform, with a strange icy rain blowing in under the canopy. Watched the busy station operations for a while, before hopping onto a slightly earlier than planned service to Leeds.
Feeling grim now, with the cold firmly taking hold - so bunkered down in the coffee shop and necked further industrial quantities of strong coffee. Made some notes about the previous week for future reference - there was a lot to remember, and these stocktaking sessions have become rather important in some ways. As I settled back to finish my coffee, the sun streamed through the roof of the art-deco Northern Concourse. Wandered off to find my train home feeling oddly encouraged. The 15:12 to Penzance started here - which meant no great scramble for seats. Found my spot and settled in for the long ride back via Wakefield, then retracing my steps from Sheffield. As we sped south through Derbyshire, the sun began to set in the clear skies. Reasoned that despite a strange week, today had been a good cobweb-clearing trip out. Even a few minutes delay and the wait for a slightly later connection home didn't seem to matter too much. It's good to be back to normal, even if it's only these journeys which are anything close to it!
Some records just don't sound like anything else, which makes the lazy art of comparison a redundant tool in the reviewers kit. This is just such a work, and despite the sometimes charmingly ramshackle and unplanned feel to Conquering Animal Sound's output, there is a precision at work in this set of songs. I confess was almost prepared not to like this band when I first stumbled across the beautifully packaged seven-inch single on Gerry Loves Records, on the basis that I have a strange and inexplicable aversion to 'animal' band names! However, I was sold from the start on the simplicity and purity of their sound. Kammerspiel has since become one of the most anticipated releases for some time in the Songs Heard on Fast Trains household.
The band translate the title of the album as "Machine Music", but interestingly it also translates roughly from German as "Chamber Piece" and there is perhaps something rather baroque about the sounds generated by the range of toy percussive and string instruments which are deployed throughout the record, which evoke the harp and the harpsichord. There is more than a hint of a European sensibility about this record too, not least in the strangely stark production which lets the songs echo around their own spaces, and in the sometimes curious phrasing and inflection of Anneke Kampman. Björk comparisons will be inevitable as this record acquires deserved critical acclaim, but I'd risk sacrilege in some quarters by suggesting I prefer Anneke's quieter, atmospheric delivery. In fact, Conquering Animal Sound are an Glasgow-based duo, the other half being the multi-instrumentalist James Scott who manages to combine found instruments and warm analogue electronics with newer technology and good old fashioned musical instruments to create tense, building landscapes. This stall is set out from the outset on opening track 'Maschine' which begins with an insistent clockwork chime, before looped handclaps and a droning undercurrent of low frequency organ lead into a pulse of drums. That this is capped by a vocal which ranges from whispered threats to joyous yelps makes this all the more uplifting a beginning.
Recent single 'Bear' slides in with an insistent heartbeat, and a strange repeated war cry which is echoed and amplified as the song grows into a menacing, glockenspiel flecked paean to being eaten alive. In the sense that there is such a thing a 'single' format anymore this is an obvious choice as it summarises Conquering Animal Sound's manifesto perfectly, with it's understated vocal and final descent into strange, but infectious electronic warbling. Anneke's voice is allowed a wider range on 'Tracer' which is driven by her sweet but oddly sinister singing, over bass and a click-track which hint at Young Marble Giants in their brief, brilliant prime.
I realise I've spent a lot of time describing the processes and the sounds which underlie Kammerspiel which surprises me - and it's possible of course that a record which relies on an unearthly vocal talent and lots of technology could come across as a cold and somewhat distant experience. It's testament to Conquering Animal Sound that they have produced a warm, human record with melodies which although sometimes as fractured and fragmented as the cover image, manage to worm themselves into the listener's mind. I defy anyone not to find Kammerspiel an engaging and uplifting piece of work.
Kammerspiel is released on 7th February, on Gizeh Records . Conquering Animal Sound are embarking on a UK tour during early February.
Conquering Animal Sound - Bear
Having had some uncharacteristically spare time over the holidays, I've made some changes to the site. Firstly, I've found myself wanting to write more about music in recent times, and to blog about the soundtrack to my travels. That's no bad thing in itself, but I became increasingly aware that the two aspects of the current site didn't sit terribly well together. For that reason I decided to separate out the musical witterings into their own compartment.
Naturally this will still probably end up with me rambling on about music and place - two concepts closely tied up together for me, and something which means I tend to write pretty personally about things I enjoy listening to. It remains to be seen if this will make for sufficiently interesting reading - but it's going to be a curious experiment.
So welcome then to Songs Heard on Fast Trains. I hope the few who read this page will take a look, and that it'll keep this side of things a little tidier too...
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
