Realized it’s been a couple weeks — weeks? Months? I’m not sure anymore, actually — all time has lost significance in Pandemia… — so wanted to pop in with some more music to fuel your fugue. Since we can’t travel anymore (what will take longer — you feeling comfortable getting on a cross-country/ocean plane or you hugging/handshaking another person?) thought we could vicariously skip across the pond to the Queen’s backyard for a little ramble through the realm. We’ll start with my former homeland and the work of a bunch of Scots, first the acoustic offerings of Gerry Cinnamon. Aside from being a fun alias generator (your grandfather’s name and a spice — Milt Cardamom! Duke Rosemary! Ellis Coriander!) ole Gerry makes quite a ruckus with just his voice and guitar, belting out bangers that would whip the local pub into a festive singalong.
His music is perfectly suited for that type of venue — raucous, warm rooms filled with clinking pints and chatty people. (Remember those? Pop quiz 2 — what will take longer, you feeling comfortable being in a packed bar/club or you not wanting to wash your hands immediately after touching a door handle/credit card keypad/elevator button?) And while we may not be able to see him (or anyone) in those settings quite yet, his album conjures that aura from the comforts of your home. His second album, The Bonny, is full of songs that will whisk you towards the tavern and is just as winning as his 2017 debut, Erratic Cinematic.
The recipe’s the same — just Cinnamon’s thickly accented voice, acoustic guitar, and simple, earnest lyrics — and while it’s not one you haven’t heard a hundred times before, it’s well-executed and winning here. Songs like “Head in the Clouds,” “Dark Days,” and “Outsiders” are spare strummers, the occasional harmonica thrown in for a little spice, but built on solid melodies that lock you in, while ones like the title track sound like unearthed relics, centuries-old folk songs that have been sung for generations rather than a scant few months. The rest of the album’s much the same — there’s really not a stinker in the bunch — and it’s been an enjoyable, transportive listen the past few weeks.
I’d been looking forward to seeing him live this summer at Shaky Knees (I think seeing him in the sunshine and fresh air will almost be as good an environment for him as that bustling, booming bar), but who knows if/when that’ll ever happen. In the meantime, take a listen to the lead track “Canter” and savor the added pleasure of hearing/singing lines like “if you were just a wee bit less of a wanker,” which might just be the perfect cure to what ails us. (Along with light, heat, and bleach, of course.)
Second verse, same as the first! We’ll stay in the highlands (why would anyone want to leave?!) and essentially repeat most of what we discussed with young Gerry — a band of Glaswegians, back with their second album, sticking with the sound of their debut (which also came in 2017), putting out high energy, winning tunes that’re almost impossible not to get caught up in. The main difference in this case being who the band calls to mind — whereas Cinnamon reminds you a little of Frank Turner at times, the lads of Catholic Action could be the kids of Franz Ferdinand with their infectious, danceable grooves and their swaggering confidence.
Their second album (Celebrated by Strangers) is a rather breathless affair, opening with five straight songs all but guaranteed to get you moving. Songs like “Grange Hell (South London in D),” “Witness,” “Yr Old Dad,” and “People Don’t Protest Enough” are high octane winners (the latter two showcasing some of that Franzian cheekiness, too, with “Dad” opening with the comical line “Yer ooooooold DAAAAAAAAD is dyyyyyyin” while “People” offers the endlessly enjoyable refrain of “tell me what you d-d-d-d-d. what d-d-d-d-d-desPIIIIIIIIISE!”) They give a bit of a breather on the back half of the album, balancing “Another Name for Loneliness” and “Four Guitars (For Scottish Independence” with slower tracks like “And It Shows” or “Sign Here.” It’s another solid outing for the foursome — none more enjoyable than “One of Us,” whose drunken, carnivalesque breakdown at the end (with the boys deliriously shouting “la da da da da da da da daaaaaaaaaaaa”) will have you laughing and dancing along. Check it out here:
Last offering from the kingdom comes from rapper Slowthai, the rambunctious problem child that the British tabloids just love to hate (or hate to love — maybe both). You know the profile — covered in tattoos, provocative statements, even more provocative behavior, endlessly grinning at either his own audacity or people’s overheated response to it (or both). His debut Nothing Great About Britain was underwhelming — similar to most British rap, I found the beats bland and the verses (with their sing song cadence and accented language) similarly limp — but his recent work with Gorillaz and his string of recent singles has me intrigued.
One immediately notices an upgrade on the latter in terms of beats — courtesy of the aptly named Kenny Beats and others, these hit harder than those on his debut and it serves his frantic delivery (and his lyrical content) well. He dropped three in a week and they’re all pretty good — “Magic,” “Enemy,” and “BB (Bodybag)” — the latter being the best, in my opinion, with its haunting earworm of a melody. We’ll see if these are building to an album or just a series of one-offs to ride out the pandemic — in the meantime give this one a listen:
We’ll come back to this side of the Atlantic for a few closers, first the latest from Kills frontwoman Alison Mosshart who appears to be gearing up for the release of her first solo album. Her last single “Rise” was a solid listen and this one’s no different, sporting her signature bluesy rasp. Still no word on an official release date, but we’ll keep a lookout and hope for something soon. Check “It Ain’t Water” out in the meantime:
Next comes the latest single from the upcoming debut of Pottery, a Canadian five piece whose frantic energy call to mind early Talking Heads. They’ve released a couple other tracks from the album, Welcome to Bobby’s Motel (what I say to all visitors of the Sunshine Chateau), but this one’s my early favorite. Sounding like a potential outcast from the aforementioned band’s 77, this one builds to a killer breakdown that’ll have you stomping along by the end. Hopefully the rest of the album captures similar magic (it’s due out June 26) — check out “Hot Heater” while we wait:
Last up we’ll head to my favorite place on the planet (#GPOE!) and the latest from Chicago band Primitive Teeth, who just released their second EP (self-titled, just like their first). These guys were a new discovery for me, but I really like what I’ve heard so far. From the thundering drums to the powerful voice of their lead singer, these guys have a commanding presence that belies their limited time on the scene. (Truth be told, they wouldn’t sound out of place next to some of the early 80s punk bands that surrounded the aforementioned Heads.) You can stream/buy both their EPs off their Bandcamp site, with the lead track from their latest being the best place to start — check out “Bubble of Me” here:
That’s it for now, my friends… –BS