Moi Caprice - 'Maureen'

"I never really want to see you when the Sun is shining..."

After some ten years away Danish indie-rockers Moi Caprice have returned with a new single, an homage to a doomed character in Sergio Leone's classic Spaghetti Western Once Upon A Time In The West. Unlike Leone's epic, a gorgeous sprawling tale of greed, honour and revenge in the old west, Maureen is five minutes of tight synth, programmed percussion and breathy vocals. This ode to Maureen McBain, whose family's fate acts as a catalyst for an equally bloody chain of events, might not seem a likely topic for a song but Moi Caprice have previous form in taking inspiration from the big screen; the name of their debut album was also inspired by Leone's 1968 epic and their last long player, 2008's We Had Faces Then, both took its title from Sunset Boulevard and included a song paying tribute to Claudia Cardinale.

As a taster for the band's forthcoming fifth album Maureen bodes very well indeed, although we'll have to wait until the Autumn (at least) to hear what other magic the reformed line-up of Michael Møller, Casper Henning Hansen and David Brunsgaard, now joined by touring guitarist Jakob Funch and Fridolin Nordsø on bass (replacing Jakob Millung), have wrought in the studio.

The band haven't exactly been idle in the saddle in the intervening years, individually they've busied themselves as touring musicians or have embarked on solo projects, the most notable of which is Michael Møller's A Month of Unrequited Love. This  daily release of love songs grew into a 31 track LP, Denmark's first crowd-funded vinyl release.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a fan of the band (I'd have to check Last.FM to find out just how many times I've listened to The Art of Kissing Properly, it's definitely in high double-figures though), I am therefore understandably chuffed that they're back in action. And if you're wondering what the relevance of the harmonica at the end of the music video is then, well, you'll just have to watch the film. 

Fontaines D.C. - 'Big'

"Dublin in the rain is mine, a pregnant city with a catholic mind, starch those sheets for the birdhouse jail, all mescalined when the past is stale, pale"

So go the opening lines of Fontaines D.C.'s latest release, painting a Hunter S Thompson fever dream image of Ireland's capital city in the mind's eye. Personally, having spent many a night voyaging between some of Dublin's fine hostelries, I can vouch for the city taking on a particular charm when the rain falls (though this may be due to carrying several pints of Arthur's finest in my belly at such occasions). 

At under two minutes Big is a short, punchy statement of intent; "but I'm gonna be big" yells the tune's protagonist, over a rolling bassline and pounding beat, railing against his city as only someone who loves their home can. If a flicker of recognition causes your brain to conjure up Professional Widow you wouldn't be alone, though this is a different beast than Tori Amos' tune (but I'd not say no to a mash-up).

The video, below, features a precocious boy stomping around the stalls of Moore Street market, passers-by stumbling into frame as they exit shops along the cobbled street. It's a welcome remove from the usual tropes of Dublin directors fall back on; no sham-rocked stereotypes here, just a lad being himself in the city, and it fits the song well. Yes, the more I hear of Fontaines D.C. the more I like them, and that's no bad thing.

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Fast Trains - 'Measure by Measure'

Some years ago I found myself on a fast train travelling from Malmö to Stockholm, the snowy countryside beyond the carriage windows speeding past in grey and white blurs, a journey sound-tracked by the Walter Mitty ta-poketa poketa rhythm of the wheels on the tracks. Landmarks would briefly appear amidst the flurries, ghosts of buildings disturbing my reverie, that soon vanished into the pale distance. Yes, when seen from a fast train the world is a very different place.

I couldn't say if Portsmouth musician and engineer Tom Wells has a similarly romantic view of train travel, hopping a 444 from Havant to Fratton doesn't have quite the came cachet about it as a jaunt across the Swedish plains, but I do know that his new solo project takes the moniker from such high-speed rail, Fast Trains. 

Measure by Measure is the first offering by the Kassassin Street bassist's new outing, a rhythmic three-minutes-and-change of beats, bassy wobbles and delicate vocals that rolls along beautifully. It's a light and wonderfully catchy slice of loveliness, with lyrics that touch upon modern lift and how to survive it, a musical mantra that would sit nicely alongside the likes School of Language and Metronomy on a travelling playlist.

Apparently recorded in a small flat in Havant, with an extra pinch of Kassassin Street DNA thanks to bandmate Nathan Hill providing percussion, the song is currently available exclusively via YouTube (where it's paired with a moody, monochrome video created by Sam Brandon) but fingers crossed it'll be available for purchase via Bandcamp soon. Very nice, more please.

Sleaford Mods - 'Kebab Spider'

New year, new Sleaford Mods track; Kebab Spider is taken from the Nottingham duo's forthcoming long player, Eton Alive and, as you'd rightly expect, is fair full to overflowing with energetic beats and blistering wordplay. The club-based video, below, allows the pair to show off their funky moves amongst a crowd of friends and fans.

What, you may be wondering, is it about then? Well, Mods' frontman Jason Williamson has stated that the song is...

"the accumulation of torment for those that refuse to capitalise solely through mediocre channels and as a result are ejected back onto the concrete. Obscure and under the horror as a giant spider crawls out the crown of their small portion of street meat"

So, there you go, obvious when you know really. 

I'll admit that late night gyros aren't really my bag however, tucked away in the dark recesses of my brain, there sits a chemical memory of a boozy night many years ago in Faliraki. A surfeit of Ouzo means that several scenes are missing from the evening (how I got onto that bar I'll never know) but I definitely recall a kebab being waved in front of my vegetarian face at the end of the night. For all I know, a tarantula may indeed have crawled out from the salad and compressed meat to say hello. Did I mention there was a lot of Ouzo?

As for the track it is, to further quote Jason Williamson, proper, and kudos as always to rhythm man Andrew Fearn for supplying music that blends textures of late 80's Manchester dance with Mr Oizo's Flat Beat but makes something altogether better. It's a corker of a track and I wait with baited breath for a hard and dirty bass heavy remix.

Kebab Spider is available now with Eton Alive is scheduled for release on Friday 22nd February, with a UK tour kicking off in March (the chaps play Portsmouth Pyramids on Thursday 2nd May, Bournemouth's Old Fire Station on Friday 3rd May and Southampton's Engine Rooms on Saturday 4th May).

Desperate Journalist - 'Cedars'

Although I listen to a lot of music I don't, especially around this time of year, go in for yearly Best Of lists. However, if I was so minded and had created one for, err, 2017, either for gigs attended or albums consumed the joyous Desperate Journalist would rightly be on both.

I had the delight of seeing the London-based four piece headline a packed Scala that April. Sophomore album Grow Up (released the month before) has consistently been one of the soundtracks for my daily commute since it landed on my iPod (yes, I still have one of those). 

Grow Up's combination of driven guitars, insistent rhythms, wry and relatable lyrics (which gain additional heft thanks to Jo Bevan's strong, exquisite vocals) produced one of best long players of the year. It's an album with a sound that is both instantly familiar to old ears yet fresh, new and vibrant at the same time. It's a fantastic balance of 90's Indie retooled for the 21st Century, it admits its influences yet stands alone as something else entirely. Yes, it's safe to say, I really like the album.

That brief moment of fanboy nostalgia and appreciation leads me nicely into preferring something new from Desperate Journalist; Cedars is the first track to be released from their forthcoming third LP, In Search of The Miraculous, and rather good it is too. 

It's definitely apparent that Desperate Journalist have a gift for melody, and the guitar solo is thing of joy, and any music video that features either the London Underground and/or bands doing normal things like having a quiet beer is all good with me. Cedars is available now, In Search of The Miraculous will be released in February 2019.

Fontaines D.C. - 'Too Real'

Dublin's Fontaines D.C. have been causing a bit of a stir for a while now, gaining a London following on strong word of mouth, leading to a support slot with Shame, plus they've had love lavished upon them from the likes of Steve Lamacq and the NME (I know, I stopped reading it when it from a Libertines fan club magazine to a freebie doled out in Top Shop, but they it still get it right occasionally).

New single Too Real is a weirdly brilliant rollercoaster of rhythm (THAT guitar sound is a wonderful thing) and lyrics, jarringly catchy, polished off with a refreshingly disaffected vocal delivery. To be honest it may as well come with a neon sign attached flashing "We're Ones To Watch, See You Everywhere In 2019".

Fontaines D.C. are currently playing the smaller venues on the circuit (they rock up at Southampton's Joiners in January) though I'll wager that, come the end of next year, you'd be lucky to find them playing anything smaller than an 1800 capacity venue.

Electric Six - Gay Bar

The sight of four young whippersnappers, dressed in hot-pants and skimpy pink vests, decorated with stick-on Abe Lincoln beards and stovepipe hats, brought much amusement to the bar of The Wedgewood Rooms last night. Electric Six headlining had something to do with it (well, I'm hoping it did, if not there's something dodgy afoot).

Unfortunately, not having seen the promo for Gay Bar, the connection was lost on Jim; us drunkenly explaining why four (most likely) students were dressed in such a manner didn't really help matters either. It's always best, I find, to show rather than tell:



Just plain bonkers I tell you.

Anyway, the band's latest album, Switzerland, has been out awhile and, whilst it didn't exactly set the charts alight, is worth a listen. If you head over to Fluxblog you should just about be in time to download one track, Mr Woman, before it drops off the site's server. Nice.

Crowded House - Don't Stop Now

Co-written with Johnny Marr (!), Don't Stop Now is the first single lifted from the latest release from everyone's favourite antipodeans, Crowded House. Neil Finn, Nick Seymour and Mark Hart have been joined by ex-Beck drummer Matt Sherrod (who has the unenviable task of stepping into the late Paul Hester's shoes) and so far things are looking (and sounding) pretty good.

The new single is a slow burner of a song and, whilst not evident in this 'lifted from breakfast telly' clip, definitely provides rewards with repeated listens. Enjoy.



The single will be released digitally in the UK on 18th June with the physical release (on several different formats) scheduled for 25th June. The album, Time On Earth, is due to be released here on 2nd July 2007.

Moi Caprice - The Town And The City

My copy of Moi Caprice's latest album, The Art Of Kissing Properly, arrived the other day and has soon become one with my CD deck. It won't budge, it can't be moved, it just demands to be played over and over again.

Part of the reason for this is tracks like this one:



H'mm. They must be putting something in the water in Denmark.