Best of 2021 (part 3)

OK, after last week's all female selection, it's time to give the fellas a look-in. Here's four more excellent records that have lit me up over the past 12 months.

IDLES - 'Crawler'
If you thought all Idles did was make loud shouty politically-correct punk songs, think again, for 'Crawler' sees the band make quite a dramatic shift in their approach. Yes, the shouty punk songs are still there, but you also get dark electronica, discomforting soul and, in Progress, something so haunting and ominous, it sounds like another band entirely. It's arguably their most triumphant attempt at experimentation and production. Trust me, put the headphones on and turn this one up. Stunning, possibly my favourite Idles moment to date.

THE CORAL - 'Coral Island'
The 10th album from our favourite Scousers has drawn comparisons to classic 60s records like 'The Village Green Preservation Society' by The Kinks, and the Small Faces' 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake', and it is a concept record crammed to the brim with the band's trademark psychedelic folk. Telling the story of a fictional seaside town and its people, it features narration from Ian Murrary, none other than the grandfather of the Coral's own Skelly brothers James and Ian. Some cracking songs on this, but then it is The Coral after all.

GRUFF RHYS - 'Seeking New Gods'
It would, of course, be remiss of me not to include at least one album from the Land of Song in my rundown, and there can be no finer ambassador than Gruff, who delivered one of the best solo records of his career. Rather oddly (which itself is perhaps not surprising), it's influenced by Mount Paektu in North Korea and was recorded partly in the Mojave desert and partly in, erm, Bristol... Wherever they come from, the songs on 'Seeking New Gods' are pretty damn infectious.

LIARS - 'The Apple Drop'
You never quite know what you're going to get from Liars. They lurch from style-to-style, often during the same record, with little regard for genre or theme. While that can be said to some extent of their 10th album, it all seems to hold together pretty well and contains some really good songs. It's like dark, synth-infused post punk with traces of Nick Cave and 'Kid A'-era Radiohead thrown in. It's certainly, for me, their most enjoyable record since 2014's 'Mess'.

More next Sunday. Merry Christmas.

"When your dinner isn't ready, I'm your uninvited guest."

After a somewhat slow start to the year in terms of good new music, things are really trickling through now. I was delighted this week to learn that there's a new Gruff Rhys album due in June. It's his fifth solo record and he's really gone to town on it. It features the 72-piece BBC National Orchestra Of Wales with each song scored by Swansea composer Stephen McNeff. Lead single Frontier Man still sounds like Gruff Rhys though, albeit a Gruff Rhys singing a classic orchestrated country tune. Lyrically he's on top form too.

I love Gruff. He should be given the title of Prince of Wales. No one ought to mind the Severn Crossing being renamed then...

Memories of a thousand* gigs #50

(* probably not actually that many, but who’s counting?)

#50: Gruff Rhys
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff - 18 December 2014
Support: Martin Carr
Also in attendance: MrsRobster

This one stands out as being the most unique gig I've ever attended. So much so, in fact, that it shouldn't really be labelled as a gig at all; it was more a lecture interspersed with songs. Sound bizarre? Well of course - we're talking about Gruff Rhys here, after all. This show (the first of two he played at the Sherman Theatre on consecutive nights) was part of his 'American Interior' tour. The album and show tell the story of 18th century Welsh explorer John Evans and his ultimately futile trek across America in search of a Welsh-speaking tribe of Native Americans. So naturally it was always going to be a bit different.

Opening was former Boo Radleys singer Martin Carr. He roped in Cardiff folk trio Barefoot Dance of the Sea to sing backing vocals. I was never a big fan of the Boo Radleys, and his solo set failed to inspire me also. It was pleasant enough, but nothing to get me excited enough to check him out further.

Gruff didn't need anyone to help him out. His supporting cast consisted solely of a stuffed John Evans puppet, an acoustic guitar, a keyboard, a few effects and an iPad. The latter was used to control a PowerPoint presentation which illustrated the story. The stage set would normally have been rather sparse, but this being the festive season, the Sherman was hosting Cardiff's big panto Arabian Nights and its props and scenery (sand 'n' all) remained in place while Gruff set himself up in the middle of it all. He played songs from 'American Interior' and regaled the audience with softly-spoken, frequently funny tales of John Evans' adventure. Even though we all knew Evans' search was in vain, Gruff's sympathetic delivery made us all root for him regardless.

The songs were far more stripped down than the versions on the album, but this merely added to the intimate feel of the whole thing. The Sherman is small as theatres go and everyone is pretty close to each other. Come the end, Gruff treated us to a few of his other solo songs - The Court of King Arthur (my favourite song off 'Candylion'), If We Were Words and a few others from the award-winning 'Hotel Shampoo', and to round off on a seasonal note, Post-Apocalypse Christmas from his 'Atheist Xmas' EP.

Yes, the most unique show we'd ever been too, and one of the most enjoyable as a result. 


Soundtrack:

• American Interior [live] - Gruff Rhys (from the Off.tv session 2014)
• If We Were Words (We Would Rhyme) [live] - Gruff Rhys (from the Daytrotter Session, 2012)

Welsh Wednesday #67

#67: Slashed Wrists This Christmas by Gruff Rhys

Not everyone enjoys Christmas; for some people it's the most lousy time of the year. While we're all subjected to the same infuriating pap from Macca, Shakey, Slade and Wizzard every freaking year, all happy jolly ditties celebrating what a wonderful time everybody has, Gruff Rhys approached the subject from a completely different perspective.

In 2011, he released his 'Atheist Xmas' EP which included this tragic tale. “Sad things happen at Christmas as well you know, it’s like any other day," he told the BBC at the time of release. “It’s a song based on true events and things that have happened to my friends over the years. So I hope it’s not too crass, you know. It’s a crass title, but it’s just a really sad song."

Recording it wasn't exactly easy either; there was certainly no Christmassing up the studio. In fact there was a riot going on outside while Gruff sweltered in the basement space in Bristol. Somehow though, he makes it sound as charming as all his work, yet terribly upsetting too

So while you're opening your expensive presents, overindulging in sumptuous foods and alcoholic beverages and generally being cheerful and merry, spare a thought for those poor souls who have little to look forward to at this time of year. Merry Christmas...




(I'm taking some time off for the holiday period, so this is the last post of 2015. Back on 2nd January.)

Welsh Wednesday #18

#18: Ni Yw Y Byd by Gruff Rhys

In January 2005, Gruff Rhys released his first solo album 'Yr Atal Genhedlaeth'. It was in many ways the polar opposite of what the Super Furry Animals had been doing. While the band were sounding bigger than ever, with more ambitious and expansive sounds and production techniques, Gruff's record was very stripped back and basic. It was also performed completely in the Welsh language. This was clearly no cynical attempt to cash-in on the Furries' success, especially seeing as it was released with minimal publicity on the band's own Placid Casual label rather than through Sony who they were signed to at the time.

Ni Yw Y Byd (We Are The World) is typical of the album in that while it sounds deliberately low budget and low-key, it is ridiculously catchy, an example of one of Gruff's best qualities - the ability to pen a damn good tune. Its playful key changes lead up to what I suppose could be considered some kind of understated crescendo featuring a flute/recorder (I can't work out which) solo.

It has always been my favourite track from the album so that's why it's a Welsh Wednesday choice.