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Top 10 Promising Bands for Kendal Calling |
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Written by Richard Milburn
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12 07 2010 |
 Kendal Calling festival is at the end of July - and I'm very excited to see bands I've liked for years and also some new and upcoming artists. The following is a preview of the top ten acts that I've listened to and have stood out to me. I would encourage you to have a listen, even if you're not heading to Kendal; you may just see them another time.
...in no particular order:
Seal Cub Clubbing Club
Calling Out Stage
Saturday
A modern turn on shoegaze is just what I want at any festival;
everything sounds perfectly complicated and lulls you into leaning to
your sides without realising while you try to figure out what you're
listening to and why you like it so much. If they nail the lighting at
this show then I'm sure that I'll happily stay at this stage the
remainder of the day after they've played in hope that they come back
on again. It's these kinds of bands that make you glad that music
exists in the first place.
http://www.myspace.com/thesealcubclubbingclub
The Jessie Rose Trip
Calling Out Stage
Saturday
I've been looking for someone to convince me that modern-soul can sound
good for a while now - and I think these may have just swayed me.
Backed by a balanced mixture of off-beat guitar treble and some
fantastic keyboard sections, Jessie Rose's voice joins these elements
together with her adhesively addictive vocal styling. Usually around
about here in a preview of a band you'll see some obvious comparisons
to similar artists, but to be honest I don't think she can be compared.
There's something about her voice which just has that extra little bit
more to others who pursue this genre. I'm interested to see how the
band performs as a whole and if it's anything like their recordings
suggest then I'm excited already. I also wonder if Jessie will marry me
if I ask nicely...
http://www.myspace.com/thejessierosetrip
Michael Kiwanuka
Kaylied Stage
Friday
A great solo musician from London here strumming classic acoustic
roots-influenced soul. Vocally it is apparent that he's singing from
the heart and it's not often that singers can convey that within such
simple arrangements. Backed by two other musicians, the full experience
of one of Michael's tracks is something I encourage you all to check
out. I don't want you to think that I'm emphasising the ‘simplicity' of
his songs but they really work well in this form and his soul is really
in all of them. I've only heard three of his songs but I'm already
somewhat uplifted by the sweetness of them all.
http://www.myspace.com/mikeksongs
The Roots Union
Riot Jazz Café
Saturday
Original-traditional folk-dub-waltz is how I'd describe this fantastic
assembly of innovative individuals. They're the type of band that
you'll try describing to everyone you know but not being able to come
up with the right words. I mean, it's taken me half an hour to get this
far. Atmospherically down-tempo music should never put you off; bands
like this know what they're doing and, in my opinion, The Roots Union
are doing it better than the majority of bands out there. One minute
you're listening to a bizarre combination of bass and violin and then,
before you know it, you'll be thrown into an ambient dub-whirlpool.
http://www.myspace.com/therootsunion
First Aid Kit
Kaylied Stage
Friday
Klara & Johanna Söderberg; harmonious Swedish folk songs have me at
just the concept. They sound beautiful together and their simplistic
approach to the fantastic song-writing works in ways I hadn't thought
possible. They're much more than your regular acoustic duo and the only
thing that would make me love them more is if they let their apparent
innocence slip and just totally rock out while performing. Either way,
I'm pretty sure that these will amaze and have the majority of
goosebumps saluting.
http://www.myspace.com/thisisfirstaidkit
Little Axe (Skip McDonald)
Kaylied Stage
Sunday
Dirty blues and sinful soul; Skip McDonald with his band will surely be
a sight to see with their smoothie of elements of blues, dub, soul, you
name it. The classic 80s bass-grooves throw me back to The Dan Reed
Network which I never thought I'd ever hear again and the guitar
solo-droning gets me in the mood for one funky final day. If you liked
the 60s, 70s, and/or 80s then I recommend you check out these modern
prog-blues cats.
http://www.myspace.com/littleaxesound
Stan's Magic Foot
Kaylied Stage
Sunday
If you don't like gypsy tango waltzing then there must be something
wrong with you - be sure to visit your local Stan's Magic Foot to cure
you of your scepticism. A treatment of different stringed instruments
and a dose of percussion then you'll be ready to dance your Sunday away
with promises of stimulating samba sing-a-longing.
http://www.myspace.com/stansmagicfoot
Exit Calm
Calling Out Stage
Saturday
I'm a sucker for ambiance as it is. When a band throws heavily reverbed
vocals in the mix (literally) then I'm a fan within the first few
seconds. It's rare that I'm able to dose up on post-rock at festivals
but these will help the desire to lay back and pretend I'm the only
person there - even though everyone should go see these! I assure you
that Exit Calm on the Saturday will help calm your eclectic cravings
and will cool your festival drives. It's also refreshing to see a band
playing music which reminds me of early material by The Open and The
Music.
http://www.myspace.com/exitcalm
The Coral
Main Stage
Sunday headliners.
The Coral were one of the first band I really started obsessing over -
I'm talking a ‘collecting all the b-sides' type of obsession. Their new
album is surprisingly relaxing. Not that there's anything wrong with
that; I love it! Although there's no ‘Skeleton Key' there are more than
enough organ-driven merry-go-rounds to keep us manically passionate
fans swaying to the possession. I'm sure I heard a bit of a Flaming
Lips inspiration in there too which has me hoping they throw some
nostalgic insanity into the set as the final main-stage act of the
weekend.
http://www.myspace.com/thecoral
OK Go
Main Stage
Saturday
Treadmills. I saw these while they were touring their first album many
years ago. I then forgot about them until recently when I listened to
their new album and was mesmerised as to how much more bizarre and
distorted they've become. It feels like reliving my teen-hood with even
more experimental enthusiasm. I intend to hold back my memories of
their past albums until I see them at Kendal where I will more than
likely be singing along and jigging my legs like I'm 14 again.
http://www.myspace.com/okgo |
