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The
nun “ . t ‘ I L‘ i.
‘LONDON'S QUITE . . . PISH. I THINK THE AUDIENCES ARE JUST SPOILED DOWN THERE'
.K‘K‘Krk. .
They may not indulge in Liam’n’Noel spats or Jack Daniel’s-soaked excesses but
Malcolm Jack finds Aberfeldy are more
match a pop career with the opening gambit 'l loyc ey'eryiiiie/eyerybody underneath the sun‘. as Aberl‘eldy did in the first lyric of 2004's debut album Young I-rii'r'i'r'i'. and you will fight
against a certain tide ol' conceptions. Particularly if
you a) are a bit l'olky bl utilise cutesy boy/girl harmonies. and c) sing a song called 'Vegetarian Restaurant'. All these elements ol' course contributed to making )iiiriig l‘iH't’l'(’/' one of the damn finest first albums of' recent times. Perhaps equally. howeyer. it’s
left them with something of a weight around their
neck: that eternal scourge word so often synonymous with Scottish bands of a breezy disposition: 'tw‘ee‘. ()ne lengthy chat with enigmatic front man. songwriter and Aberl'eldy founder member Riley Briggs later. and such impressions are at least in part stubbed out. (‘hain smoking his way through a pack of (‘amels outside a Leith bar. a sense of his determination that this hand be taken as something
more robust is palpable; as is a slight win of
despondency at their not yet having made a step up to the nest leyel. ‘lt‘s pretty much all the same places we played last
time.‘ he says. in regard to their forthcoming l'K tour
in support of second album Du ll'liurr'i‘r'r Turns You On. ‘Well. maybe some slightly bigger places. We're doing the Bush Hall in London this time. The last gig we did in London we didn't really enjoy. London‘s quite . . . pish. I think the audiences are just spoiled down there. But otherwise. pretty much same places as last time.‘ He pauses. before adopting a mock sarcastic tone to proclaim: 'we‘re going nowhere? This band is going nowhere! We're supposed to he building an audience!‘
Whether so far big enough or not for Briggs. the
62 THE LIST 7-21 Sep 2006
than twee, they’re an undiscovered gem.
following :\bei‘l‘eldy l‘ey'erishly garnered met the last two years will certainly not haye been turned oil by their latest long-player. a gl'ooyy synth-wrapped crystalline pop record that takes them neatly into new territory beyond the homespun ethic of their debut release. While admitting he would haye liked to spend more time in the studio. Briggs is glad to haye not dwelled on it as long as the much l'eted one microphone technique utilised on Young l'itl't‘l‘t'l' necessitated: ‘l’eople might say. "oh. it's not got the lo-li stripped down simplicity of the first album.” he says. ‘But I'm just like: "no way". The first album took a fucking year to make and cost a lot more than this one. which took two weeks and came in under budget.‘
It‘s particularly impressiye considering that recording took place with a new drummer added late to the fold in the shape of' Riley‘s brother Murray. Are there sibling riyalries to contend with now in the Aberl‘eldy camp‘.’ 'No. We actually get on shockingly well.‘ he s;i}’s. '“Cd'c‘ total best friends. We hayen't had a crossed word since we were IS. But when we were kids we used to really kick luck out of each other.'
Murray's credentials as a grindcore sticksman might add a little extra stillness to the band's backbone. but his presence is as much a soothing one as anything else: ‘lt‘s funny because I‘m in a band with my brother and my girlfriend now.' says Briggs. ‘Which is good. because it kind of encourages me to behaye mysell'. It I wasn‘t I'd probably be a complete animal on the road. I'd be like Lemmy?
Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Mon 18 Sep; ABC, Glasgow, Tue 19 Sep. Do Whatever Turns You On is out now on Rough Trade.
,
22& FOLK
t; Jug:
PVJ
it Mark Olsen and the Creekdippers Wholesome and Vibrant Americana from Olsen, his Wife Victoria Williams and Ben Weaver all the way from Joshua Tree. California. ABC. Glasgow, Sat 70 Sep. (Rock & Pop)
The Joyriders The Edinburgh-based pop-grungers played with Nirvana, The Lemonheads and Mercury Rev in the 90s before disintegrating in a drunken heap. Technically, they never split up so this, a one-off reformation seems all the more peculiar. This final farewell show which should be a boot, it they can hold it together long enough. Bannerman's, Edinburgh, Sat 9 Sep. (Rock (9 Pop)
:2? Foals at Spies in the Wires I know they seem to be taking up permanent residency in the Hit List at the moment, but Spies in the Wires have pulled off another top night. Main (or is that mane . . . oh, ho ho. stop me please!) attraction are Foals. a Rapture meets Battles kind of affair, but still manages to look pretty good on the dancefloor. The kind of outfit that makes the heart grow fonder. Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Thu 7 Sep. (Rock 8. Pop)
i-‘L: Badly Drawn Boy A welcome return for the be- hatted Manc troubadour who uses this intimate show to showcase new songs and remind us just what we were missing all this time he's been away. King Tut's, Glasgow. Sat 9 Sep. (Rock 8 Pop)
f‘li Islay Jazz Festival Get out of the city and onto the islands for a mix of jazz, which goes from pleasantly trad to decidedly futuristic With Brassjaw. Colin Steele. Haftor Medboe, Mario Caribe and plenty more parading their wares around a variety of novel intimate venues. See preview, page 64. Various venues, Is/ay, Fri 75-Sun 17 Sep. (Jazz)
Aberfeldy See preview, left. Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Mon 18 Sep; ABC, Glasgow. Tue 79 Sep. (Rock 8 Pop)