Carol Kidd - Dreamsville (Linn Records)
By Rebecca Hay
SCOTTISH jazz legend Carol Kidd is back in musical dreamland after a eight year absence. The queen of tartan has just released her new album and it was worth the wait.
"Dreamsville'' has helped Kidd get over the trauma following the death of her partner John in 2003. His loss caused Kidd to lose the will to sing, but after a long bout of recouperation, she is back. She found therapy in writing lyrics and the songs, co-written with guitarist Nigel Clark, "Do you Believe' and "There Goes My Heart.''
Kidd is well known for her wonderful timing and voice and despite now living in Majorca, she is still a Glasgow girl at heart and one that keeps fans in "Dreamsville".
Travels with my Aunt: Oldham Coliseum until 25 October
How do I describe Travels with my Aunt, Oldham Coliseum’s current production?
It is wonderfully clever, funny, unusual and superbly staged. Based on an uncharacteristic Graham Greene story, ‘The only book I ever wrote for fun’, is his description, it has been adapted for the stage by Giles Havergal into an intriguing, amusing script for four male actors. Kieron Buckeridge, Chris Hannon, Tony Jaywardena and Robin Simpson are excellent and the direction by Joyce Branagh, the design by Sophie Kahn, lighting design by Tom Weir and the entire backstage crew deserve the highest praise.
The curtain goes up to reveal a flat backscreen of white with the outlines of various doors and windows, reminiscent of Paddington Bear. And there are many similarities to a glorious cartoon. The four men appear on stage dressed in identical pin-striped suits with bowler hats and all represent Henry Pulling a middle-aged bachelor, a retired banker, concerned only with his dahlias.
Henry is about to attend the funeral of the woman he has believed to be his mother but there he meets his outrageous Aunt Augusta and begins to learn more about his past. Inexorably he is drawn into his aunt’s eccentric world and finds himself travelling with her to Istanbul and later to South America. He is an innocent abroad, unaware of the drug and gold smuggling and art thefts going on around him.
The joy of this production is in the marvellous ensemble playing of an accomplished cast, impeccable comic timing and brilliant use of the simplest of props. The cast manage to swap from character to character with consummate ease but also succeed in making everything clear to the highly entertained audience.
I had a fascinating, thoroughly enjoyable evening, impressed with the Coliseum’s ability to produce such inventive material.
Box Office: 0161 624 2829
www.coisuem.org.uk
Pippa Munro
YOU know the story – four Burnley lads get together, share a passion for music and try to take the local circuit by storm. And it works!
The Critics, formerly known as Columbia, unleashed their kamikaze attack on the epicentre of the town’s music scene five years ago leaving the remains of rival Indie bands in their wake.
A harmonious up-tempo concoction of soultry and unique vocals complemented by impeccable driving basslines, perfectly executed and catchy guitar riffs and hard-hitting drum beats all blend together to make one perfect sound and is the reason behind the band’s continual success.
Inspired by the likes of Oasis, The Charlatans, Razorlight, Kasabian, Kings of Leon, Killers, Paul Weller, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and The Editors, the talented four-piece, made up of Simon “Sid” Brown on lead vocals, Peter Rowell on bass, Chris Quinton on drums and Alex Crawshaw on guitar, the band are slowly becoming renowned all over the UK and have even followed in the footsteps of The Beatles by playing live at Liverpool’s famous Cavern Bar. |  | But don’t think for one minute that the Critics are just your average covers band. Not only can these boys play and work a crowd into a frenzy but they are lyrically gifted and have penned some of their own tracks with a typical mix of rock, new wave and indie sounds. Songs such as “Holding On”, “Peace in Pieces”, “You Take Me”, “Riot Act” and “Make It Happen” are fresh and inspiring. They are songs that need to be heard and deserve to be shared with the music loving masses. Bass player Peter Rowell said: “We all love playing music to people and seeing their reactions. We write our music for people to listen to and enjoy and we just want to get our music out there. I think a part of our success stems from us having our own individual sound, we are passionate about our music and we are four lads who want to play week in week out.”
The group are currently working in the studios in St Helen’s doing an EP which will consist of three of their own sensational tracks. They have also been offered an EP download release from a company in London with a view to being offered a record deal.
Rowell added: “It’s a great opportunity and is a stepping stone to see how well we do. A lot of people tell us that they love our own tracks but the atmosphere is always electric when we play the covers as well.
“I think we are starting to pull away from other local bands now because we have started to create our own sound and started to do our own thing rather than relying on playing covers. I think that is probably the reason why people appreciate what we do.”
To hear the Critics, who were forced to change their name because there is already a signed band called Columbia in Middlesbrough, catch them at the following venues:
Friday, May 9th, 9 p.m. – The Commercial, Briercliffe;
Friday, May 16th, 9 p.m. – Nelson Star Cycling Club;
Saturday, May 17th, 9 p.m. – Briercliffe Working Men’s Club;
Wednesday, May 21st, 8 p.m. – Bar Fever, Wigan;
Sunday, May 25th, 2-30 p.m. – The Barfly, Liverpool.
For a taster log onto www.myspace.com/criticsonline. | |
WHAT a comeback! Smash debut album, “difficult” second and now for the third. The Futureheads’ “This Is Not The World” is bold, brash and as in-yer-face as way back when these boys first embedded into your consciousness in 2004.
And they are playing Manchester Academy 2 on Monday, May 26th.
After a silently busy year away from the spotlight (after parting with their then record label 679), The Futureheads embraced the punk-rock ethic like never before. Barry, Ross, Jaff and Dave hatched plans to release their third album independently and took control of their own destiny.
They returned in late 2007 with a free download of “Broke Up The Time” and some key live shows in London and hometown Sunderland.
Live tours have dominated the opening of 2008 in advance of the first single release “The Beginning Of The Twist” which landed in the top 20.
Having won themselves a wealth of fans and supporters over their five years of making music together, The Futureheads have produced some of the most invigorating guitar driven punk-pop this country has had to offer in decades. |  | “This Is Not The World” is an amalgamation of their first two albums – it has the excitement, urgency and vigour of “The Futureheads” with the added control, sincerity and maturity employed on “News & Tributes”. It’s the album they always intended to make. Recorded over three weeks in Spain last summer, legendary producer Youth (Primal Scream, The Verve) clipped the Mackem lads’ overflowing pot of songs into shape. Out of it came twelve short, sharp, shocks of pure Futurehead joy, not dismissing the killer hooks and choruses that adorn each and every one. |
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