ARAB STRAP: SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT…FOR SULKING

By Tom Semioli  

This feature appeared in Amplifier Magazine, April 2006.

"Welcome to the world of Arab Strap" coos Aidan Moffat with a nod and a wink following his world-weary reading of "Stink" from The Last Romance, released just days earlier in America. The intimate confines of lower Manhattan's rustic Knitting Factory, filled to the rafters with collegiate indie rockers pining for the Scottish "post-folk" ensemble's latest tales of pain and angst, provided the perfect backdrop for an evening of symphonic din and bleary visions aplenty. But don't let looks -or the music- fool you.

Arab Strap fans would be shocked to discover that Moffat, known for his bold lyrics depicting the darkest depths of fractured relationships, is actually a jolly lad in the flesh. Burly and bearded, he patiently waded through a nearly ninety minute sound-check simply to his please his partner, the equally confounding Malcolm Middleton.

In the rock tradition of Marr/ Morrissey, Ronson/Bowie, Mick/Keith, the introverted, ornery guitar genius Middleton ("Aw, he doesn't like to talk…let's have a chat after the photo session.") complimented Moffat's baritone delivery by way of spacey sound collages and linear counter-melodies throughout the early evening performance. To reflect their sixth long-player, the band's repertoire was delivered at a brisk pace. Reveals Moffat, “this album is alot more upbeat … like the dark side in Star Wars though – quicker, faster, and more seductive."

Fueled by a muscular backing band (Arab Strap is officially a duo) consisting of keyboardist/guitarist  Steve Jones, bassist Michael Scanlin, and Scott Simpson on drums, Moffat, the only animated performer among the group, served as an invisible catalyst on stage, egging his mates on with waving hand gestures and frequent gulps of beer. They didn’t seem to notice!

"We don't really play the songs live before we record them so we've got that special energy: it's all fresh. Plus, we've had so many different bands, o tour is the same. This time out we based the line-up on The Last Romance which was basically two guitars and a piano. I'm very happy that we brought exceptional musicians on this trip. All we did was give them a finished copy of the album, and told 'em to learn it and we'll see you next week. It's all worked out beautifully."

After a month of rehearsal and a brief UK tour, the '06 version of Arab Strap is a well oiled machine. Ironically, the tune which grooved the most was "Don't Ask Me To Dance." Simpson's primal disco beat sliced through Middleton's wavering arpeggios and Jones' cheesy string effects whilst Moffat warbled "you're no angel from above / you’re the last girl I will…" over a center stage cadre of hip-swiveling female devotees who called out for more, more, more!

"I'm never surprised at the requests" laughs Moffat, "especially the obscurities." Case in point: "there was a song, I can't recall the title right now, that we recorded for a John Peel session years ago and I swear we've only played once or maybe twice in our lifetime. Well, a few people shouted it out last night. I can't believe the memories our fans have, though with the internet and downloading going on these days, people can get hold of anything, no matter how rare. I'm stunned."

“There Is No Ending" ventured into jangle pop as Middleton offered  a warm series of chirpy Byrds-like melodies over Jones' keyboard samples which sufficiently approximated the horn arrangement found on the recorded version. "You get two extra tracks in America," notes Moffat. “That was one of them! We have ten years worth of material to choose from" the singer says with a measure of disbelief. "We do the songs that we enjoy mostly but I would love to rehearse all six albums worth of material along with all the singles and b-sides and play them all…now that would be a challenge!"

GOMEZ: A FEAST OF FRIENDS AT THE BOWERY BALLROOM

By Tom Semioli

This feature appeared in Amplifier Magazine, October 2006.

“We’re baaaaaaaaaack! How many of yer were here last night? How many of yer are coming back tomorrow?”

It was nearly impossible to figure out who was happiest: Gomez or their paying customers. On the second of three sold out nights at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, the veteran British five-piece emerged downright ebullient. Especially keyboardist- vocalist-guitarist Tom Gray, who simply could not wipe a Cheshire Cat grin off his face, nor stop playfully goading his extended family of fans. Attired no different than their faithful in t-shirts, sneakers, and worn jeans, Gomez’ extended residency exuded a frat party atmosphere.

Opening with a rambunctious reading of their sunny folk rock anthem “California,” Gomez immediately settled into a comfortable groove which characterized the evening. “Hopefully we can continually reinvent our songs” opines Gray. “It tends to happen over a long cycle. Some songs have managed to change year in and year out and are eternally part of our set. Although, we do love to pull out an obscure tune we haven’t played for several years just to see if we can get a feel for it again.”

Upon their debut in the latter stages of the 1990s Brit-pop explosion, Gomez distinguished themselves not only by the fact that they had three singers and four songwriters in their potent line-up, but they steered clear of the Beatles worship (Oasis, Verve) that made much of the decade seem like a pleasant, albeit re-cycled, rock ‘n’ roll affair. Based in blues, acoustic rock, experimental and old school busking, Gomez have carved out a cult niche, however the band’s record sales have yet to match their critical acclaim.

This year, with a new imprint (ATO), new producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters), and a strong new record of well-crafted pop tunes entitled How We Operate, Gomez appear primed to stay in the game for as long as they wish. Fresh off an appearance on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show, the band’s current trek across North America is a hot ticket. Nearly all the gigs are sold out. “We never practice to speak of,” notes Gray. “We’ll do a rehearsal before taking a new record on the road, but after that we just wing it. I don’t feel that our music ultimately benefits from being over-worked. The naivety gets sucked out and everything can become affected.”

Though Ben Ottewell’s raspy vocals – most familiar to the masses by way of the band’s cover of the Beatles’ “Fixing A Hole” in the Phillips Electronics commercial in 1998 - is Gomez’ most identifiable recorded moment - Gray and guitarist Ian Ball’s harmonies and leads are pleasantly unpredictable. Ian’s solo break on “Charley Patton Songs” and an off-the-cuff rendition of the blues warhorse standard “Baby Please Don’t Go,” which collapsed after two verses, were among the many enjoyable surprises.

With ten years worth of albums and touring under their belt, cat-calls for Gomez tunes went unabated. Gray is continually amused. “There is a daft out-take on Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline entitled ‘Shitbag.’ It’s absolute nonsense, but once and awhile, a voice, usually male, will cry out ‘shit---bag!’ Whether that’s for personal amusement or out of a genuine wish to hear the song, I cannot say.”

The title track to their latest collection featured intricate guitar play between Ball, Gray and Ottewell as the latter’s staccato lead vocal stopped and started on the verses in absolute sync with bassist Paul Blackburn and drummer Olly Peacock’s funky rhythms. Peacock’s jazzy brushed snare on “Notice” along with Blackburn’s reggae lines showed the band to be growing even more dexterous and diverse as they approach middle age.

Akin to a grizzled uncle affording advice to the younger generation, the band’s foot-stomping reading of “See The World” came off as well-intentioned mirror of their own life experiences. “Scouting for good restaurants” are among Gomez’ many off-stage on-the-road diversions revealed Gray. “And playing ukulele…or watching downloaded UK television comedy. As for their fans’ continued devotion, nothing surprises Gray, who has seen almost everything imaginable from the stage. “Fighting, getting naked, pissing …occasionally, all at the same time!”

M83: YOU ARE WHAT YOU LISTEN TO

By Tom Semioli

This feature appeared in Amplifier Magazine, November 2004.

"The French are always listening to American bands" exclaims M83 brain-trust Anthony Gonzalez in his endearing Meridional Franco-phonic accent. Finding the proper words to express himself in an unfamiliar tongue is actually an enjoyable endeavor for the Antibes native. "It's almost like we speak the same language!"

Appropriately named after a celestial galaxy, M83's third official release is essentially a Gonzalez solo opus. His former partner in electronic shoe-gaze pop crime, guitarist/producer Nicholas Fromageau, with whom Gonzalez has recorded two acclaimed albums (an eponymous debut and Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts), has departed on good terms to pursue other projects. However the thought of going it alone does not faze the young multi-instrumentalist who favors discarded keyboards, abrasive e-bow guitars and odd instrumental configurations that most singer-songwriters dare not consider.

"Ever since I was a teenager, I've always done things by myself. I like to be my own boss.” He pauses again to choose his words carefully. “Like Brian Wilson!" Suddenly Gonzalez backtracks, correcting himself and recounting that Mr. Wilson had quite a bit of input from his fellow Beach Boys, Van Dyke Parks, and a bevy of top-shelf session players. "Nicholas was always there to help me. He's a fantastic, talented guitarist with a great sense of improvisation. My partner pointed me in new ways and inspired me to go in many different directions."

The new release Before The Dawn Heals Us continues M83's pursuit of Mussorgsky meets Mogwai meets Sonic Youth meets My Bloody Valentine. Gonzalez, who still resides in the seaside town of Antibes, composed the entire album in six months and recorded it all a mere month: broken down into two weeks of actual playing with a drummer and bassist and two weeks of mixing. Though the record packs a sonic assault on the senses - the surroundings had little to do with the content. "It all came together in a little house in the country, just outside of Paris," he notes. "It was very quiet, very serene."

Bouncing abstract ideas off sound engineers, session musicians, and his manager, Gonzalez captured the reverberations in his head for the pop world to figure out. "My parents used to play records from ridiculous French pop singers" he recalls with a laugh, "so, like any kid, I went against that, buying heavy metal records by Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Judas Priest. Then as I grew older I became more interested in electronic music from Germany, and artists like Can and Brian Eno. It's important to me to have a wide variety of music. I'm always downloading songs and buying records. It's a great way to absorb different cultures and influences; essentially, I am my record collection."

From the heartening, anthemic character of the disc's first single "Don't Save Us From The Flames" to the bizarre avant-garde yearnings of "*," to the exploding sounds of fireworks that punctuate "Let Me Burn Stars" to the campy, nationalistic romp of "Farewell/Goodbye, to the epic conclusion of "Lower Your Highlights To Die With The Sun," Gonzalez has crammed a half-century's worth of pop magic into fifteen tracks. The spoken word vignettes stitched into the fabric of "Moonchild" and "Car Chase Terror," the latter composed by Gonzalez' brother Yann and recorded by American theater actress Kate Moran, afford Before The Dawn Heals Us a cinematic aesthetic that vacillates between high drama and kitschy sci-fi flicks." My brother and I love horror movies. First I had to make a good record, then I had to find a solution to play it live."

Bringing Before The Dawn Heals Us to the United States for M83's first extended concert tour requires a slight change of plans for Gonzalez. Whereas making records is a slow deliberate process for the artist, playing gigs presents a myriad of hurdles to overcome. "I want to play something different and more interesting for the audience. It was important for me to change some things and give new life to the songs." Gonzalez cobbled together a dexterous line-up drawn from notable French bands, namely drummer Ludovic Morillon, bassist Stephane Bouvier, and guitarist Philippe Thiphaine. The super-group gelled immediately. "I didn't tell them what to play," Gonzalez reveals with a measure of relief. "We just 'felt' each other. Everyone brings their own ideas into the music, and though we're very different, there is unity. These are very well-known musicians whom I really admire."

With only two weeks to rehearse M83 crossed the ocean to commence their trek on the east coast of America. "Since we came together it has been very intense. No time to sleep!" Gonzalez laments. "It can be scary, we really didn't practice that much. Fortunately when you are scared, you don't have time to worry."

Though France and America are officially at political odds, Gonzalez feels that the two cultures share common ground. "We see many movies from New York and Los Angeles, and we're glad to be here and experience the diversity of people and different points of view. In France we know that all Americans do not think like President Bush. But we are also concerned about how Americans view us because our government chose not to participate in the war."

Since the release of their sophomore effort Dead Cities, M83 have become stars in their homeland and the UK when their debut performance at the legendary Victoria & Albert Museum won the band raves which rippled throughout the indie rock grapevine. American record chain clerks championed their noble cause, playing the M83 record in stores and voting the disc as one of the most distinctive new releases of the year among other imported European acts such as Faithless and Keane. In early 2004 M83's gigs in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago were sold-out within hours and hard-to-find copies of their first two albums were snapped up in a hurry.

Yet despite all the hoopla, Gonzalez' immediate plans are rather modest. "We don't have a lot of time here, especially in New York. Right now I want to check out American record shops and guitar stores. You can really get good stuff here at a low price. We'll figure out how to pay for it later I guess…"