"Standing in the Shadows of Motown", meet the Funk Brothers

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Thanks to my father good taste, I have always liked Motown and Stax. Not to the extent of being a fan or much more than an occasional listener. Just someone who fancies that style and is very curious to find out more about. So "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" was a rockumentary listed on the agenda for quite a long time.

The premise of the film, based upon the 1989 same title book is as simple as shocking. (Re) discover Motown music, or better said, find out who was behind Hitsville's trademark sounding style. The back-up band of Motown Records: the Funk Brothers. This stunning cast of musicians gathered by the company owner, Berry Gordy Jr. were, as labelled by the film "the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music". Over a spanning period of fourteen years they played the music on more number hits than any other artists on Earth (Beatles, Stones and Elvis included). But history neglected their vital role, leaving them unrecognised.

In "Standing in the Shadows of Motown", director Paul Justman, takes good care in showing this quite surprising story with detail and respect to the musicians. As a matter of fact, aside the archival footage so recurrent on documentaries, the film relies heavily on the opinions and thoughts of the surviving Funk Brothers. We see much of Motown history through their eyes on a pretty exciting trip. Their personal origins, their involvement/recruitment with Gordy Jr., their work at the studio and the creation of some of the label eternal classics, the consequences of period of time they lived (Detroit riots, Vietnam war), as well as the role each played (in that sense, the film is a compelling tribute to stunning bassist James Jamerson, and to a lesser extent to Benny "Papa Zita" Benjamin) until the company moved from Detroit to Los Angeles, condemning them to be (mostly) forgotten.

Aside from the more traditional documentary structure, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" also offers some re-creation scenes and twelve live performances of Motown classics played by the Funk Brothers backing up names like Chaka Khan, Ben Harper, Bootsy Collins, Montell Jordan, Meshell Ndegeocello, Joan Osborne and Gerald Levert. This really helps the film dynamism as provides a more movie. But it also hurts it, as one cannot help but wonder on the need of the low-budget movie scenes, mostly irrelevant, and the live versions of the tunes are really uneven. In one hand (at least to me), Ben Harper does wonders with Marvin Gaye's "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", while Joan Osborne shines with "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", but on the other hand Bootsy Collins, Me'Shell Ndegeocello and Chaka Khan ruined their tunes.

In any case, the mere existence of this rockumentary has to be praised and celebrated. Just as the music of the Funk Brothers.

SCORE: 7/10

"In Watermelon Sugar", Richard Brautigan's utopia

In Watermelon Sugar- Richard Brautigan

Some novels are very easy to review. Some others are quite hard. And then, you have Richard Brautigan’s books. “In Watermelon Sugar” might be his hardest work to rate. But I will try.

Brautigan, one of our favourite nuts, said he based the book, published in 1968, on his life in Bolinas during the 60s, a place known for their semi-communal, isolated lifestyle. But I’ll bet you anything Bolinas has nothing to do with the unique landscape where “In Watermelon Sugar” takes place. Let me “welcome” you to iDEATH.

iDEATH seems to the main house/meeting point of some sort of commune where things are made of watermelon sugar, pine wood and stone, each day has a different colored sun and some disturbing things happens. The worst of them, explained by the narrator, being the tension with inBOIL, a man who rebelled against iDEATH, living on the Forgotten Works, a close and forbidden area, where they make whiskey and keep the remnants of a former civilization. Confused? We haven’t finished yet. There are also “The Tigers”, who were (maybe not) real tigers, that were annihilated by people, violence and many deaths, and two love stories, one that ended due to the dramatic turn of events between iDEATH and inBOIL, and another ongoing while the narrator digs deep in the account of the story he is making (he is trying to write). Oh, I forgot to mention the last tiger was killed on a spot that later evolved into a trout farm.

How to interpret “In Watermelon Sugar”? I don’t really know, but the truth is that I keep thinking from time to time, almost two weeks after having finished the book. So at least one thing can be said for sure: its and addictive (admittedly, strangely addictive) work. iDEATH’s environment and origin (the battle against “The Tigers”) could be seen as a post-apocalyptic new beginning for the world. This sort of paradise, where things are made thanks to the interaction with nature, where there’s no money and no possessions, is threatened by inBOIL, “keepers” of the memory (the stuff) of the past civilization. Margaret, the narrator's previous “lover” looks like a very important character to me, representing the person that, raised within iDEATH idiosyncrasy, is tempted by inBOIL’s forgotten stuff. A revision of Eve’s myth betraying the garden Eden? I’m very eager to read your interpretation.

With its brutal end and confusing development, “In Watermelon Sugar” is not a book for anyone. I personally think the absence of humour, one of Brautigan’s trademarks, makes it less enjoyable. The feeling of absurdity and surrealism, ever-present in his books, is still there, but this time, with the metaphorical/allegorical resource, adopts a much “altered” voice. It’s still Brautigan’s deformed mirror, and his braveness and ability to at least try to reinvent literature. But I miss his ability for making me laugh while he shows how stupid we, humans, have become.

SCORE: 6,25/10

"A Confederate General from Big Sur", a tale of the pre-hippie America

A Confederate General from Big Sur- Richard Brautigan

Reading Richard Brautigan is such an experience. He is not your average writer, in terms of writing style, structure, storytelling or novel conception. You might have the feeling you don't have any clue where is the novel driving you to, but the ride is so unique and surreal the final destination is completely secondary. Maybe "A Confederate General from Big Sur" is not as explosive as "Trout Fishing in America", but the result is also pure Brautigan, therefore, a joy to read.

Don't get its title confuse you. This is not a novel on the Civil War. But it deals with a more recent period of the USA history: the 60s. With being young and trying to achieve freedom while confronting society and oneself. Brautigan wrote, in his messy and hilarious way, about the pre-hippy era.

But Brautigan never preach, or pontificates. His weapons are surrealism, humour and chaos. No one uses metaphors and similes like he did, and the scenes, while maybe disjointed one from the other, are powerful and enchanting in their own. "A Confederate"'s premise and is simple. Jesse tells us his story/adventure with his pal Lee Mellon, searching for information about Mellon's grandfather, supposedly a general in the Civil War...  But that idea is quickly forgotten, replaced by a tale of the 60s in the Californian landscape. Being Brautigan, the plot and structure is still quite linear. But that doesn't mean he wasn't attempting to subvert the boundaries of literature. So if you were looking for a canonical book, with a defined plot and a satisfying end, this is not for you. Here you will have, more than 100.000 ends. Literally.

It was his first novel, so you can see some confusion, some struggle between his striking lyricism and experimental treatment of fiction and a more traditional prose. But despite its shortcomings, "A Confederate"  offers a rewarding dose of Brautigan's freedom, of Brautigan's reinvention. The reinvention of literature. The reinvention of history, thanks to his "crazy saint" characters, experimenting with free love, drinking, drugs and a sense of rebellion, living and writing their own past and present. The reinvention of humour, used, like Valle-Inclán did, as a factor to deform and question the absurdities of reality. At the end, Brautigan's vision wasn't a happy one, but a very sceptical, even scared look of a world that was becoming more hostile for humanity, thanks to the behaviour of humans. But his books were capable of exposing that contradiction while making us smile.

SCORE: 6,75/10

"The Distractions EP", vindicating Rose Elinor Dougall

The Distractions EP

"Without Why", the 2010 debut album from the ex-Pipette Rose Elinor Dougall was a fantastic work that went criminally under the radar. Let's admit it, The Pipettes were a fun, entertaining band, even a guilty pleasure with some undeniably addictive tunes, but it was hard to consider them seriously being a 60s girl-group recreation. Luckily, The Pipettes gave us something much more rewarding than some "silly" (without negative connotations) songs to dance to. They gave us Rose Elinor Dougall, a real artist, with a (I hope) career to look for.

"The Distractions EP" is a three-songs collection released for free (they are available for download at her bandcamp) in early January 2012. The tunes were recorded at the end of 2010 as rough demos with The Distractions, her backing band. On the release note, Ms Dougall stress that "this is not material off the new record, as since the time of recording, a whole new body of work has been formed that has suggested a different path to me from the one gestured towards in tracks such as these. But i really hope you enjoy it all the same"... Too bad because the three songs are great, following the path of "Without Why".

Miles away from the "doo-woop" style of her former band, Rose keeps showing a deeper, richer side, where sounds are sweeping but at the same time springy, especially on the more upbeat, song of the trio, the jangle greatness of "I've Always Known". Wistful arrangements that blend with her disarming sad voice, on which you can hear traces of Mazzy Star, Cocteau Twins or The Sundays. "The Night" is epic despite its constraint, allowing the atmosphere embrace Rose's singing before reaching the end, on an instrumental crescendo. "Hanging Around"  starts in a more straightforward way, with guitars presiding the verses before the chorus turns into a jangle, more melodic tune. Morrissey would be proud of this. Overall, "The Distractions EP" is a dreamy, weightless, slightly dark but charming, sophisticated and lasting indiepop offer. Really eager to hear your next step, Rose!

SCORE: 8/10

"Colour of the Trap", addictive treaty of retro pop

Colour of the Trap- Miles Kane

I know I'm late reviewing the album, but being honest I didn't really paid attention to Miles Kane until a friend showed me a video past November, after he was announced as the support act of the Arctic Monkeys at their gig in Barcelona. Which is sad, because I was missing a very good one. Not anymore.

Yes, it has been said and stressed every time Miles Kane's name is mentioned. The shadow of his pal Alex Turner is huge (he's credited on six songs of the album as co-writer). But as i cannot really judge to which extent the Arctic Monkeys' leader has been helping, I will focus on the tunes, because there's plenty to choose and enjoy here. Put your best clothes on, practice your best, seductive looks, and prepare yourself to the coolest image of the 60s. We're not reinventing the wheel, but fun is guaranteed.

The album opener is ridiculously addictive. "Come Closer" and "Rearrange" are superb retro indie-pop tunes, easily among the best songs of 2011. Marc Bolan, The Kinks, Paul Weller, "Wooahs" and "ahhs" to inject blood to the biggest stadium (you could learn something Chris Martin), crunching guitars and unstoppable melodies. Certified and deserved hits. And before we discover the "trick", Kane offers a brilliant change of path with the charming "My Fantasy", joined by Noel Gallagher in backing vocals. What a terrific start.

The second trio of songs doesn't start as promising, though. "Counting Down the Days" is an ok tune, but is too "cool" for its own good, or maybe too devoted to The Last Shadow Puppets, lacking a bit of punch. Luckily, "Happenstance" appears immediately to restore the situation and the vibe of "Colour of the Trap" with a sexy, fun, and irresistibly catchy, "low-light" duo between Kane and French actress Clémence Poésy ("Harry Potter", "In Bruges"). "Quicksand" comes next, with its, poppy, playful and carefree vibe. We reach half of the record, and by then we are seriously hooked by "Colour of the Trap".

A furious guitar precedes the controlled storm of "Inhaler", a piece of indie-rock paired with soul-infused backing vocals and a sense of urgency that I can define in just one word: stunning. The review, kind of a treaty on the styles of British indie-pop, adds a a new chapter, the psychedelic, with "Kingcrawler", co-wroted with Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), where the insidious percussion and the cracking chorus will knock you down. Unfortunately, the record keeps spinning with "Take the Night From Me", a pompous ballad that is completely forgettable and hurts the album as a whole.

The last section of "Colour of the Trap" starts with "Telepathy", another great song, that would fit on a Tarantino movie, fuelled by the appearance of Alex Turner. With "Better Left Invisible" I can't achieve the same level of enthusiasm, having the feeling it doesn't fulfill what promises. And finally, we end the album in a high note with "Colour of the Trap" a wonderful ballad with just one problem: it has Turner's dna written all over. It would fit perfectly on his "Submarine" soundtrack. But anyway, with just a real faux pas and a couple of "fillers", Miles Kane debut as a solo artist can only be praised as an addictive, enjoyable and really inspired album.    

SCORE: 7,25/10

Huge defeat by Tennis in Barcelona

Tennis. La [2] de Apolo, Barcelona, July 21st
We just came back to Barcelona after FIB Festival with another music night on the agenda. And a very special one it was. After being completely haunted by Tennis performance at Primavera Sound Festival back in May, the idea of seeing them again, this time in the intimacy of such a small venue like La [2] de Apolo in Barcelona seemed just perfect to enjoy a lovely night with the joyful music of this wonderful duo (trio on stage).

But we were wrong this time. Is simple to explain. From the start to almost the end, the sound was awful. Don't know if it has to do with the venue (the sound wasn't impressive with Basia Bulat's gig in February either) or (shared suspicion) the volume of drums and guitar was excessive. The result? We couldn't hear Alaina's voice until the last 4-5 songs. And we were on the first row.

Yes, the natural charm was right there. They unforced approach towards the audience too. The way they play, with Patrick lost into himself and Alaina gracefully moving and jumping barefoot was inviting an enchanting, like if we were allowed to see them performing in their garden in Denver, or enjoying music in a relaxed way on their sailing ship. In an hour they played all their debut album, "Cape Dory" and experimented with three new songs and one cover. But honestly, we couldn't do much aside from enjoying the 60s vibe of the music and imagine Alaina's gorgeous voice. And that's far from being enough. Tennis are a great band, but Thursday's concert, taking advantage of their name to make a sports parallel, was like watching your favourite team being trashed by its archenemy. Hope there's a chance of seeing them soon again. We deserve a re-match!

A small clip that serves as example of how bad the sound was...

"Different Gear, Still Speeding", Beady Eye's debut, or the (new?) life without Noel

Different Gear, Still Speeding- Beady Eye

How things change, and how fast. Now any song that has a real musical instrument played, that doesn't have a rapper, that wants to have some meaning/substance, or that is sung in English, has no chance to succeed in Spain. But not so long ago, Liam Gallagher was the voice (or at least one of the voices) of my generation (teenage years), on a time, when brit-pop was all over Spanish radio and tv. Sure, "Definitely Maybe" and "(What's the Story) Morning Glory" weren't re-inventing the wheel, but 16 years after, they still have more good tunes and more relevance as albums than 99% of  the records that reach the number 1 at the charts nowadays.

Oasis, or better said Noel Gallagher, called it a day, and the brothers, that were never near their first two albums, decided to move on. Liam (with the former members of Oasis and a new keyboardist) has been the first in having his say with Beady Eye eager to prove the world he doesn't need anyone, not even Noel, and that there's life beyond Oasis. But judging the results of the "Different Gear, Still Speeding", is he right?

The first approach to "Different Gear" is really positive. First, Liam's voice is in full mode, reinvigorated and powerful. And second, it seems the band had quite a lot of fun making the record, a joy that it is showed throughout the record, especially on the more upbeat songs. And third, the album has a flair of unpretentiousness that is somewhat gratifying coming from music biggest bigmouth of the last two decades.

Unfortunately, the virtues are not enough if we judge the record in terms of its strength, durability or interest. It's hard to keep the attention focused because the album is one-dimensional and by far (and considering the Oasis career this is not a minor statement) the most deliberated attempt to revisit the 60' British invasion style, with ripoffs from Lennon ("The Roller" is pretty blatant) Beatles, Stones or The Who. And although the classicism might be entertaining for a while (as I said, songs like "Four Letter Word", "Bring the Light" or "Standing on the Edge of the Noise" are pleasant rides) it gets really tiring after during 13 songs and shows an important lack of effort/ambition on Liam's and Co. songwriting.

Getting past the legacy and comparisons to Oasis is not an easy task. But with albums like this one, is going to be impossible. Please Liam, consider to switch off the autopilot mode. There's probably a much better album awaiting to Beady Eye if you do so.

SCORE: 5,5/10

Discoverer 2: new indie findings

Second round of indie bands for your listening pleasure!

Reading Rainbow. Sarah Everton and Rob Garcia are Reading Rainbow, the couple responsible of "Prism Eyes", their sophomore album, a refreshing treaty of indie pop/garage-punk, full of reverb, compulsive beats, hyper-vitaminated guitars, joyful intertwined harmonies and occasional vintage synth sounds, like in this "Always on My Mind". If you like Best Coast, Wavves or Dum Dum Girls, try Reading Rainbow.

La Sera. "Kickball" Katy (or Katy Goodman) is one third of the Vivian Girls, one of the top bands from the lo-fi/pop-punk, female-fronted, American scene. But she also embarked herself on a solo project, that after hearing a couple of tunes in 2010, has crystallised in a debut album released this February, where she replaces the noisier sound of the Vivian Girls for a poppier style, somewhere between Pixies and the dream-pop. Add funny videos like this one, and the combination  is simply irresistible.




Summer Fiction. Before 2010 ended, an unknown band from Philadelphia released a collection of charming, bookish and classy indie pop gems. It was one of the best debut albums of the year and it all came from Bill Ricchini's mastermind, who composed and self-produced this wonderful album. Chamber pop that trails back to the 60s and has the looks of a black and white French or Italian film full of glamorous parties, betrayals and summer romances. Like in this stunning "Chandeliers".