Does anyone care about Glassjaw being back?

This year we’ve gone all nostalgic and reunion crazy with all sorts of bands getting back together, from Pavement, Rage Against The Machine, Faith No More, Spandau Ballet and of course Take That. And for some reason our love for these bands somehow quadruples the second time round after merely existing with their extensive discography. But what about bands that were not so big the first time round?

Glassjaw are one of them and they’re back! At, um, Wembley Stadium. Not a bad start for a band that have been hiding away. The melodic experimental rockers will support Brand New but will them embark on a few headline dates themselves after.

So why should anyone care that they’re back? Well they might have only had 2 albums but the effect they had on music still lives. New York post-hardcore band Glassjaw were once deemed legends for the influence they had on underground music with just 2 albums. The riotous and intensity they delivered at gigs was also an eye-opener and they managed to get a cult fan base without having to over expose themselves. Now after a hiatus they’re back.

Some might say Glassjaw’s debut album Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Silence was one of the best albums of their generation when it was released in 2000.
Its powerful aggressiveness mixed with melody was a unique mix that Roadrunner records should have been proud to have on their roster, but actually they caused the band to hate the label. The band didn’t agree with how Roadrunner ran their business, and wanted to play way more gigs than they were allowed, so they left the label that they felt only cared about Slipknot.


Bassist Manuel Carrero was also kicked out of the band (who is now back with the new line up) and so a few changes took place. Soon the melodic experimental rockers began work on the follow up Worship And Tribute with Warner Bros.

It was a more mature and complex album than the debut bringing in all sorts of influences from Bad brains to Anthrax to The Cure. Key songs on Worship And Tribute were ‘cosmopolitan blood loss’ and ‘ape dos mil’ which showed just why they influenced bands like Finch and The Passion Pit.

The gigs started to come through thick and fast too, extensively touring the world until they decided on a hiatus in 2004, which gave front man Palumbo time to work on another project, Head Automatica.

Before this though, all the remaining members of Glassjaw were kicked out the band. Not exactly the most settled of bands! Palumbo soon engaged his interest of hip-hop and brit pop with the new project and out came songs like Beating Heart Baby. Most people assumed Glassjaw had split up and became Finch fans instead.

Over the years the band did things in dribs and drabs. A support act for Deftones, A B-side EP release and a few festival slots but nothing us UK fans could get majorly excited about.

Now, out of nowhere, they’re supporting Brand New, with a few headline gigs as well, so what does this mean for Glassjaw’s future? Is this just another one-off appearance until the next one in 5 years, or will there be a new album?
Well Glassjaw fans, it looks like the latter. Palumbo confirmed back in July that there would be an EP and album some time next year that would be the most aggressive Glassjaw have been to date. But do we really have room for Glassjaw in 2010?

We all need some aggressive passion with melodic/emotional experimentation in our lives, but if you don’t like it, at least try and spot the Mike Patton influences.

Biffy Clyro- Only Revolutions

Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro have managed to transform themselves from a cult band that sang dark melodic songs in 2002 with their debut Blackened Sky, to the mainstream UK rock gods who are at the pinnacle of their influential guitar career.

Having experimented with ridiculous lyrics and complex riffs and time signatures over the years, the success really started to come in 2007 after signing to 14th floor.
Radio play has accumulated more fans for Biffy and the release of Only Revolutions shows off their skill to remain true to the cult fans, as well as refreshingly bringing in a new direction.

You could say the band has been quite clever in music marketing as the album is already full of hits. ‘That Golden Rule’ and ‘Mountain’ are on it (both got in the top 10 of the UK charts) and the most recent ‘The Captain’, which got in the top 20.
Not bad for a band that sings about “hairy eyes being an obstruction” and “feathers flying if you shoot a bullet full of bubble gum”. Yes their lyrics are ridiculous, but this is what gives this band its quirks and there’s plenty more of them on Only Revolutions.

On ‘Born on a horse’ Simon Neil tells us “I pronounce it 'aluminium,' cos there's an I next to the U and M," and, "I've never had a lover who's my sister or my brother before” which quite simply doesn’t make sense but you’d be wrong if you thought all your attention will go on the lyrics.

Only revolutions has a sonic attack of strings and is the most tight and polished Biffy Clyro album to date. The orchestral charm on most of the tracks adds real depth to the melodic rock pop and anthemic songs that show the evolution of the band.

Tracks like ‘Bubbles’ and ‘cloud of stink’ are reminiscent of the original Biffy sound while ‘God and Satan’ and ‘Know your quarry’ are the emotional mellow tracks that show they do have a serious side with the most honest and heartfelt lyrics on the album.

It’s already been compared to Jimmy Eat World and Muse but regardless of comparisons Only Revolutions lives up to expectations and ticks all boxes. Hit filled, radio friendly, quirky, original, emotional and anthemic.




Biffy Clyro- That Golden Rule

Hockley Hustle 2009...

The Hockley Hustle is now in it's fourth year and has grown into Nottingham's largest live music event, with over 20 venues and 200 acts involved in this years festival. With hopes of rasing more than £20,000, the Hockley Hustle is part of Oxfam's 'Oxjam' line-up of music events and also raises money for local NSPCC causes.

Not only was LeftLion involved in the festival with taking care of things at the Broadway Cinema, but we also have two intrepid writers making their way around the various venues and here is what they saw...


Becky Syson - photo by Steve Rowe

After fuelling myself with an obligatory bacon cob from the ever-lovely Homemade Cafe, I headed to Lee Rosys Tea Room for coffee accompanied by music from Folkwit Records. I caught a charming set from Marc Block and the Breezes, who furnished the early afternoon crowd with warm, harmonica-filled folk with deliciously subtle dark undertones.

Whilst wandering down Pelham Street I was caught off guard outside Cape by the Nottingham School of Samba, an awesome community project who lit up the street with thumping rhythms and broad smiles. Any Hustlers suffering the after effects of Saturday night would have been well and truly shaken into a more lively state, and the group pulled a pleasingly large group of onlookers from the Hustle crowd and regular folks alike.

Down to the Pit and Pendulum, which was filled with the glorious post-rock vibes of Beyond This Point Are Monsters, as well as frankly more audience than it could comfortably handle. Reverb, crisp, complex guitar work and fleeting moments of discord abounded, with the boys from Derby building each song through constantly morphing shapes and sounds up to epic, crunching crescendos.

Still at the Pit, I managed to catch a glimpse of Alright The Captain! before having to scuttle off to pastures new. Having only just recovered from seeing them play a week or so ago, I was happy to be plunged into their enveloping math-rock, chock full of huge noises and complex structures, once again if only for a short while.



natalie duncan - photo by Rachel Williamson

Oh my, good grief and holy crap, what a sight was Shaws. Being a big fan of soulful singing sensation Nina Smith, I was excited that she was being showcased by the BBC Introducing.. stage - turns out I wasn't the only one. The crowd was so huge I barely had room to sip my beer and there were people desperately trying to cram their way in throughout her whole set. It was worth the big squeeze though as she was on sparkling form, with her pristine, porcelain vocals permeating through the chilled grooves of her full backing band. Definitely one to watch, and I have a feeling I'm going to be glad that I got to see her before she gets whisked away by a major label.

Nipping back down Pelham street I was drawn into the Pit and Pendulum once again by the ethereal, ambient sounds coming from Brighton lads Monsters Build Mean Robots. As well as marking a personal first for me - seeing two bands with monster-themed names who play epic post rock in the same afternoon, completely by accident too - they played an encapsulating set of slow-burning, steadily building numbers with heartfelt, tentative vocals and even managed a full-on audience singalong at the end.




Captain Dangerous at Shaws - photo by Steve Rowe

Back to Shaws to see Captain Dangerous who served up frantic indie rock laced with violins and keyboards, and who are some of the cheekiest chappies I've ever clapped eyes or ears on. With the charm and chaotic energy of your favourite 6th form band but the tightness and polished performance of accomplished professionals, they laid on a relentlessly fun and enjoyable set of poppy, rapturous yelp-rock tunes.

Without realising it my feet somehow found their way over to Dogma, because it appears that I am now utterly incapable of missing a set by Rebel Soul Collective. And thank goodness, because they were on the best form I've seen them as they bounced, thrashed and stomped the crowd every which way they pleased to their unique mix of soul, jazz, rock, electro and anything else they feel like chucking in to the mix. Everything clicked, the band looked ecstatic as did the crowd of manically dancing fans.



Alright the Captain - photo by Steve Rowe

After a sizeable break for my feet and ears I headed over to Broadway, where I was just able to catch the tail end of Ulysses Storm. By the time I got there the crowd was in an adoring frenzy as they pumped out intensely funky, bluesy numbers.

Having work the next day I decided that it might be an idea to call it a night, but as I made my final descent down Pelham Street I was caught again, this time by the fiery gypsy jazz sounds of Maniere Des Bohemians emanating from the Bodega Social, and was unable to continue my journey without one last stop. Having amassed an unbelievably riled up crowd they had the walls dripping with red hot fiddle playing, jaunty accordion sounds and had the audience almost literally swinging from the rafters. It was perfectly debauched sight with music to match, and a spectacular end to a ridiculously fun day and night.

Sarah Morrison




Tasty Morsels - photo by Steve Rowe

I made my first stop at Broadway to see some alternative folk from Timothy J Simpson, who played his acoustic songs to people relaxing with their afternoon coffees and Sunday dinners. His honest and heart felt lyrics created a feel-good atmosphere, and you can see that he has a genuine love for what he does. He grew up listening to punk bands like Dead Kennedys but his transition to subtlety and delicacy gives him a Willy Mason feel.

Next was Tayla Jade on the BBC Introducing stage at Shaws, who sang soulful R'n'B songs over guitar and keyboard, that come from the heart and molded by her own experiences. She engaged people with her controlled and confident voice clearly inspired by modern urban acts like Beyonce, and to prove it, even finished her set with a Beyonce cover.

I then went to see some atmospheric rock from The Amber Herd at Brownes, where the managed to fuse melodic guitar riffs with powerful vocals and lyrics.

Next was Rugosa Nevada from Derby, who have had the most requests on BBC Nottingham’s The Beat in recent times, proving that indie rock mixed with a cheeky charm can pay off. They have a distinct tight sound that stands out from the rest of the indie dribble that tends to come and go.

Liam O Kane was a personal highlight at the Old Angel playing acoustic ska with songs with light-hearted subjects like Taxi Man and Post Man. Liam is from ska band Jimmy The Squirrel and was joined by the bassist and drummer to play tracks that got everyone ‘skanking’ on the dance floor, and singing along to his simple yet powerful chilled out songs.



photo by Rachel Williamson


Breadchasers create unity with their political reggae-ska tunes and features a couple of familiar faces, Gaz who manages The Maze and the ex-Alright The Captain drummer. They address serious issues with songs like No-one Believes, but they do it in a fun way with ska shouts and skanking galore. The Scottish sax player completes the band, entertaining the crowd with his love for drinking!

Resolution 242 tonight showed why they have been featured on Radio 1’s Punk Show. Without getting too much on their 'high horse', they make people aware of injustice in the world and issues such as animal rights through their punk influenced reggae music. Singer Perkie has genuine passion for what the band stands for and their song Shotgun, with an early RX- Bandits feel, is a gem.

Girlfixer are an aggressive girl fronted punk band with attitude that speaks volumes through their music. Natalie’s growling vocals is the driving force for the The Distillers/Bronx influenced punk rock creating a mini mosh-pit at Old Angel. Songs like Blackout and Addict show why bands like Anti-Nowhere League and Random Hand want to share a stage with them.

Kristi Genovese

Interview with Wade from Alexisonfire...

Canadian post-hardcore band Alexisonfire are back in the UK again on the Eastpak tour with Anti-Flag, Ghost Of A Thousand and Four Year Strong and released their 4th album Old Crows/ Young Cardinals in the summer. I spoke to Wade (the founding member of the band) about illegal downloading, bands they like and Leeds and Reading festival.

So, you're back in the UK again what do you think to your UK fans compared to fans back at home?


Um, I dunno it's always been really good for us over here. The first time we came over we had no idea if our CD was out over here or if anyone was gunna come to our shows so it was kinda like really surprising. Its just grown and grown and it feels a lot like we're over here so much it definitely feels great to tour over here and we've got a lot of friends. It seems somewhat familiar cuz we've been here so much, yeah we always love coming over here.



And this summer you just released your 4th album. Was there any concept idea behind Old/ Crows Young Cardinals?


No there's no grand theme, there's no grand design, I think its just a collection of songs of where we're at with everything and where we're at with music and in life and everything goes into it from the time you take to finishing and recording the last record to the time it takes to do that next one. So there's some recurring themes in it but its no rock opera.



This time around Alexisonfire co-produced the album why is this something you wanted to do?


I mean its something we've always done its not like we've worked with another producer we've used the same guy. He definitely puts his two cents up its not like we just had over our songs to somebody so its always been that way.



You've worked with Julius Butty for most albums. What makes him a good producer that you keep working with him?


He's got a lot of tact and I think he just gets the best out of us I believe and he has some great ideas and he himself is a musician so he doesn't look at everything so clinically. He likes the stuff we like and has a good ear for things and us working with him it feels like he's another part of the band and I don't think there's any reason to not record records with him.



I know from the different albums your sound has changed a lot why did you want to change the sound from the 1st album?


I think the first album is just us 5 guys playing together for the first time and its not like some sound we conceived and not something we were really trying to go for its just the way the band sounded when we started practising. The more you play with people the more focussed it gets and you kind of strive towards something. I'm more stoked with how the band sounds today then I've ever been.



How would you describe that sound then?


I dunno, I think its safe to say we're a screamo band or a post hardcore band and screamo is definitely a dirty word these days but I think the way we look at it is it's the stuff that we came from, that kinda stuff we were trying to emulate when we first started was something that meant a lot to us and it wasn't like heavy metal.



So what bands do you listen to at the minute?


Ive been listening to Trash Talk a lot lately I really like that band. The new converge is really good. I'm almost listening to a lot of heavy music right now. Trap Them, yeah all kind of trashy hardcore stuff and I've been listening to this country band called the Avant Brothers, I guess that's the music I'm falling asleep to.



So apart from the country that's quite a lot of hardcore so what does hardcore mean to you?


Usually it means I have a pretty big distaste for it just recently like I've been finding out about some newer hardcore bands I think are actually worth while and usually they're pretty few and far between so its something I very rarely listen to at home and maybe cuz we've been on tour.


As you mentioned earlier when you first came to the UK you wasn't sure how people would take you but now you've had mainstream success did you ever expect or want that?


I think we're not a band with a lot of preconceived ideas of what we are and we're not pushing the genre or trying to keep it in basements or keep it in halls. We write music and you wanna get it out to people and I think when we started the band, there wasn't the idea of us playing like bands that sounds like they should be in large venues but when that first started happening it was very odd.

All the faces changed in the audience but yeah I think its great, its awesome I love it. I dunno if I ever would have expected it but I think its great to be able to play confrontational music to that many people.



You played Leeds and Reading festival twice in a day this year, whose idea was that?


I know a couple of bands have done it before Dropkick Murphys did it when we were over there once and we thought that was awesome and then I think I may have bought it up and they were into it. It was really fun I mean by the last show, the second show at Leeds, I was almost ready to fall over I was just completely out of it but it was fun, being out of its really good.



So what do you do to get ready for a show?


Not much I try and warm up my voice which I probably don't know how to do properly. I do some stretches that I think is more of a mental thing that I've been doing for years and probably doesn't stretch anything, and we do some weird chant thing that our bass player does before we go on stage, its always changing.



There's always an opinion on illegal downloading so how does Alexisonfire feel about this?


I think it's a great I do it too. I think it's a very positive way to find out about music and I definitely use it in that way and I collect vinyl and I just don't wanna be bothered to tape it on to a CD then turn it in an mp3 and upload it on my computer.

I usually download the records that I buy on vinyl but I think there's a lot of bands I wouldn't have found out about if I hadn't of done that and I mean vice versa for us it works that way. The first time we toured the states our record wasn't out there and people were coming to our shows because they found out about us online so I don't care.

The music industry is a big sinking ship where labels are trying to grab money and there's such an unfair portion of how bands get paid off record sales anyway you don't make money off selling CDs even if you sells tons of them. So download our record, come see us play live, that's the important bit



And when you do finally have a day off away from the band what do you do?


We usually end up going to a show, the first day we got here a bunch of people went to see Bat For Lashes and then I think we might go see The Cribs. With Johnny Marr in the band I'm pretty stoked.

My top 5 favourite songs this week...

Mariachi El Bronx- Cell Mates

The side project of The Bronx is eloquently honest and this song has a celabratory tone with it's strings and brass typical of mariachi Mexican music. The hardcore band have opted for a subtle and sweet sound with heart felt lyrics "honestly, will you wait for me. Little world promise me one day I'll be free" Go on and get some mexican culture in your lives!



Alexisonfire- Sons Of Privilege

Post-Hardcore canadians Alexisonfire return with a melodic-screamo song that waves goodbye to the sound of the first self-titled album but welcomes a band who have evolved and matured with song structure and instrumentation.
The thought-provoking lyrics "America, Grin and bare the resentment of the world,
With all your ugliness and arrogant self-worth, Desperate to grease the gears of the hideous machine, The swine, they writhe and praise the infallible regime" are complimented with Dallas Green's strong talented vocals.





Devil Wears Prada- Still Fly

"What's up fresh, it's our turn baby." Metal-core Devil Wears Prada cover hip-hop act Big Tymers and pretty much turn it into a different song making hip hop and metal a perfect combo. It's off last year's Punk Goes Crunk compilation and it's a must hear to see how metal can walk all over hip hop.




Brand New-Vices

If you're stuck in the Deja Entendu days then you need to hear Brand New's new album Daisy, and this track opens it up giving you something you won't expect. The first 1 min: 25 seconds might make you think what the hell has happened to Jesse Lacey's voice but don't worry it's a woman singing falsetto beautifully which Jesse rips apart with his screaming and aggressive vocals. It'll wake you up and make you wonder what happened to 'The Quiet Things That Noone Knows' but then this is the same guy who wrote 'Seventy Times Seven' so I ain't too surprised!



Spinerette- All Babes Are Wolves

Brody Dalle, formerly of The Distillers, is back with a more mature yet still sexy song that still slips in her growly voice but is much more radio-friendly than her 'Sing Sing Death House' days. I guess marrying Josh Homme can make song writing (and life) a lot sweeter. But with lyrics like "I would die for you, I will never stray, I would die for you, I will never leave" looks like a more vulnerable and emotional Brody is on her hands!

Do you need money to make a good music video?

So Arctic Monkeys have just made their music video for Cornerstone and it will either make you chuckle for its indifference and irony or make you question if they spent a bit too much money on getting Josh Homme to produce and record their 3rd album in a desert, but whatever you think of it somehow I don't see it winning any video awards. Maybe the point they are trying to make?



Here's another video that clearly didn't leave a hole in Conor Oberst' back pocket.



But is the end result really worth it when artists DO spend millions on a music video? Take a look at the top 3 most expensive music videos ever made...


1) Michael and Janet Jackson- Scream (cost $7,000,000)



2)Madonna- Die Another Day (cost $6,100,000)



3)Madonna- Express yourself (cost $5,000,000)




It ain't really a surprise that the richest King and Queen of pop had the most money to create a few minutes of a visual experience but I must say that neither are they the most inspiring or memorable music videos I've ever seen.

Alex Turner definitley hasn't made a masterpiece here and it will cause people to mock their budget but at least it's one I'll remember and one that proves that you don't have to have a stupidly big budget to create an impact.

What's one of your favourite music videos and how much did it cost to make?

Megadeth- Endgame Review

The pioneers of thrash metal are back with the album fans have been patiently waiting for. Endgame is Megadeth at their best; full of epic shredding solos, dominant bass-lines and precise ear-pounding drumming. It also sees the debut of new guitarist Chris Broderick, making a match made in metal heaven with Dave Mustaine’s vigorously rousing riffs.

When Mustaine was sacked from Metallica back in 1983, after being the lead guitarist for two years, he said: "After getting fired from Metallica, all I remember is that I wanted blood. Theirs. I wanted to be faster and heavier than them".

With 11 released albums, 6 Platinum albums, and 7 Grammys for Best Metal Band, Megadeth dragged the bull by its horns through Metallica’s dirt and proved that Mustaine could get by just fine without Lars and Co.

Endgame is Megadeths 12th release and still manages to sound as fresh and inspiring as the gems they released in the 90s.

The album’s proficient introduction Dialetic Chaos is an epic instrumental that shows the skilled partnership of Broderick and Mustaine that was only ever seen with former guitarist David Ellefson who left the band in 2002. The track launches straight into This Day We Fight! with aggression and speed that gives Iron Maiden a run for their money with Mustaine’s infamous growling vocals.
The next track 44 minutes starts with a cop radio reporting a crime scene with riffs and drums pounding the airwaves with the most melodic chorus on the album.

1,320 and Bite The Hand show how metal solos should be done; hard, fast and powerful while Bodies is a bit subtler with its aggression, but it is Endgame’s most tempo-changing song. Endgame starts by shouting “Attention! Attention! All citizens report to your district detention centres! Do not return to your homes!” and is one of the darker songs sonically and lyrically.

The hardest part of letting go slows the pace right down with its acoustic guitar and strings showing us the soppier side of metal but fear not as the next track Head crusher slaps you in the face and is classic Megadeth.

How the story ends has is another melodic gem with hammering double-bass drums that leads into the last track of the album The Right To Go Insane with its booming bass-line.

Metal Hammer has already called it the album of the year and the best work from Megadeth since United Abominations in 2007. So if you want some thrash in your life, look no further than the band that taught the world how it’s done.