THERE'S ENOUGH ENERGY HERE TO POWER A SPACE FLIGHT
Are you experienced?
Is it punk played on jazz instruments or jazz played in rock venues? Kenny Mathieson resists pigeonholing and basks in the chaos of Acoustic Ladyland
coustic Ladyland may have drawn their
inspiration from music that first blasted ears
four decades ago. but their scorching aural assault has broadened considerably from the quartet‘s initial acerbic fusion of Jimi Hendrix. post-Coltrane free jazz and punk. It has elevated them to serious cult status. and — as the venue suggests — has taken them out of the jazz. circuit and into rock venues.
The band initially got together with their first re- workings of thinly disguised Jimi Hendrix material back in 200]. They took their name from Hendrix‘s famous Iflr’r‘trit‘ Ladyland album. but the non- cooperation of the Hendrix estate meant they had to adopt a pseudonym. Their first album. Camouflage (2004). was followed by a Best Band award at the
BBC British Jazz Awards in 2005. and the release of
their second disc. Last (‘ltum‘r' Disco, later that year. The quartet. with Pete Wareham on saxophone. Tom Cawley on keyboards. Tom Herbert on bass and Aberdeen’s Seb Rochford on drums (and hair). caused a bit of a stir. as did Rochford‘s other band. Polar Bear. which also featured Wareham and Herbert
(I should say one of his other bands — he is nothing if
not ubiquitous). Acoustic Ladyland neither looked nor sounded the way jazz bands were generally supposed to. and their off-centre fusion generated a fair bit of amazed comment. Pete Wareham has remained fairly phlegmatic about the whole business.
‘I just wondered what it would sound like to play punk rock on jazz instruments. Then I realized it was quite new when I couldn‘t find any real evidence of it. apart from people like Morphine. I think barriers
60 THE LIST 12 «'26 Apr 2007
between genres are getting broken down a little bit now. For us it‘s not an outlandish thing to merge different styles of music. But other people seem to be making quite a fuss about it.‘
liighteen months on and the band’s third album has pushed the boundaries of their music even further. Skinny (irin added vocals to the mix. with Wareham taking the bull by the horns on lyrics written by his wife. Maxime. augmented by contributions from two women singers. Alice Grant (on ‘Paris‘) and Anne Booty. recruited via MySpace and featured on ‘(‘uts & Lies‘. while James Chance (remember him?) guested on saxophone on ‘Saltwater‘.
For their dates this month. the band will introduce their new bass player. Ruth (ioller. The change is
unlikely to alter the band‘s trademark combination of
anarchic freedom with a startling ensemble precision. and enough energy to power a space flight. fuelled by Seb Rochford‘s electrifying drumming. Just don‘t ask the saxophonist to categorize what they do.
‘l've had to resist giving the music a name. My argument is if you give music a name it will grow really quickly bill will die out really quickly. We're on a different path to that. It‘s still the band and the sound and the energy. but aesthetically it might change and I want to have the freedom to do that. We‘re jazz musicians. but we‘re in the rock section in
your record shop as well. We‘re playing this kind of
music and that‘s all it is. Who cares what it's called. We just hope people like the sound of it.'
King Tut’s, Glasgow, Thu 26 Apr.
BEST Rout, POP, JAZZ & FOLK
:1: Mark Eitzel The erstwhile American Music Club lynchpin wears his heart on his sleeve and can write a love song that would break your heart clean open on one listen. Not a dry seat in the house guaranteed. Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Thu 79 Apr. (Rock & Pop)
73;: Salon Boris, Leigh Myles and Boys Iron DNA This Thursday Night Live series conitnues with Glasgow duo Salon Boris and their excellent dirty, filthy, electropop and two kindred spirits in support. Keep an eye out for more good things emanating from this regular live slot. Ego, Edinburgh,
Thu 72 Apr. (Rock 8. Pop)
:2: The Go! Team The Smirnoff Electric Cabaret fires up with Fred 'Lemon Jelly' Deakin on the decks and all manner of sideshow silliness from burlesque performers to hula hoopers. See preview, right. Mansfield Traquair, Edinburgh, Fri 20 Apr. (Rock 8 Pop)
21:: Kings of Leon New album Because of the Times may have a stupid name but it’s a damn fine record (see review, page ??) and live they're got their shit together finally and are firing on all cylinders. Carling Academy, Glasgow, Tue 24 Apr.
(Rock & Pop)
:3: Yann Tiersen This French multi-instrumentalist is renowned for his luscious. quirk-laden soundtracks to films like Amelie and Goodbye Lenin! but live he’s an unpredictable ball of energy. See 5 Reasons, page 72. Arches, Glasgow, Tue 24 Apr. (Folk)
:3: Einsturzende Neubauten Veteran German industrial dramatists make a beautiful. peculiar noise to kick off Triptych in quintessentially uncompromising style. See feature, page 10. Tramway, Glasgow, Wed 25 Apr.
(Rock & Pop)
3:: Acoustic Ladyiand See preview. left. King Tut’s, Glasgow. Thu 26 Apr.
(Jazz, Rock 8. Pop)