Monthly Archives: May 2015

05.14.15
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Dayflower – Sweetheart & Genie

Dayflowers – Especially in moist shady places, they spread easily by cuttings and seed and by rooting of their prostrate stems. As the common name implies, the flowers fade quickly.

I’ve mentioned before on Sonic Breakfast how much I enjoy spending weekend time immersing myself in the Fresh On The Net listening post. 25 or so songs selected each week which the listener (you or I) can then shortlist into five picks. 

To my shame, that was when dayflower first registered on my radar. It was my first time introducing FOTN to Amber and we both agreed that there was something hauntingly simple, excessively charming and utterly complex about their track, Sweetheart. I really should have clocked them before that. The singers voice did sound incredibly familiar!

 

 

It was a surprise to receive a Facebook message later that day from Dave Dhonau, a member of dayflower. I had no idea that this charming eccentric fizzball, a man with whom it’s always a pleasure to have a pint with, such is his conversational vibrancy, was a key part of dayflower. I had no idea that this was a band from my home city of Leicester. I had no idea that I’d been rating misfits (and I’m using that term positively) from the local scene earlier that day. 

In so many ways though, dayflower have already transcended anything ‘local’. They might be based in this fine, moist shady place but already their focus on gigs spans beyond the city walls. Take the recent video that’s been produced for their song, Genie. It’s a charming short film made by Gwendolyn Rooker, a friend of Dave Dhonau’s from Philadephia. It’s perfect viewing for a track that glistens.

Dave says about Gwen, ” she is truly multi talented. A brilliantly creative soul. actress. Performance. artist. Clown. Puppet maker. Musician.” He adds, “I’m glad to say she has been my friend ever since we watched ‘Withnail & I’ on a rooftop in New York in 1998. Although she has the voice of a woman one could imagine thrashing David Byrne on the pool table in CBGB’s or battle rapping Patti Smith over the last chocolate chip cookie in 1978. A surprising and sweet and curious wonderful human.”

The flowers on this particular dayflower are showing no signs of fading fast. 

 
05.11.15
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Brian Lopez – Static Noise

Festival season is starting in earnest with The Great Escape down in Brighton from this Thursday. To say that I’m a little bit excited is a mild understatement. I’ve never been before but with so much new, live music to discover in a town that I don’t know that well… I’ll be that kid in a sweet shop again. 

 In truth, I’ve already sucked my first and second festival gobstopper of the year. Perhaps the Rock and Blues festival at Butlins Skegness in January doesn’t properly count but the wonderfully compact Handmade festival in Leicester was a fine way to spend much of the May bank holiday weekend. My eFestivals review has now been posted here.

 I really should be voraciously poring over the schedules for The Great Escape. I sense that my plans should be meticulous if I want to see the custard cream of what’s on offer.. But instead, contrary to the end, I’ve been diverted by the latest video from Brian Lopez. To the best of my knowledge, Brian is not playing at The Great Escape. Indeed, he’s probably still at home over in the USA, packing his suitcase before heading across to Europe in a couple of days. He reaches England in June when he tours with Howe Gelb and Giant Sand. Those could be cool shows. 

 The video to Modern Man, a fine shimmer of a track taken from Brian’s Static Noise album, is something of a juxtaposition. A floral shirt frenzy, the suggestion is that the three characters within are far from the modern men being sung about by Brian. And when the might of the Samurai sword is released, I think we might all be aspiring elsewhere. The photography enthralls though and the scenery stuns. It’s a fine watch and a fab tune.

 

 

 This isn’t the first video from Static Noise that has captured my attention either. A couple of months ago, I was going to write about the track, Crossfire Cries. It’s a tune that’ll get into your head. The accompanying video will appeal to those of us who still play with Lego when we’re supposed to be working. 

 

 

It all brings me back to the video for Brian’s song ‘Persephone’. If you watch one video today, then watch this. A charming animation, it surely won’t fail to pluck at your heartstrings. I guess we all have secrets that we’ll take to our graves.

 

 

Mostly, I’d suggest that these three very different videos work because of the quality of the songs. Perfectly showcasing the talents of  Brian Lopez, I’m off to listen to the complete album. And then, I’ll pack my suitcase for Brighton.

 

 

 

05.01.15
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Peaness – Fortune Favours The Bold

A friend of mine, Ellen, sent me a Facebook link for a band I’d never heard of. Ellen likes elaborate folk and clever classical stuff but we’ve been friends for long enough that I trust her taste when she’s sharing. 

The track she shared was for a band called Peaness. I can’t decide whether that is the most terrible name for a band or the most brilliant. But, it simply doesn’t matter when the music is as good as this. Yes, I’m a sucker for the slightly punky indie tweenage pop of ‘Fortune Favours The Bold’. I’ve listened to it on Soundcloud about a dozen times this evening. And I’ll probably do the same again tomorrow.

At its heart, this is a song about doing things differently and getting away from it all. It’s about enjoying your own company, choosing to take your own path and kicking back against routine. It might be about escaping from a limiting relationship or it might be about no longer wanting to confine yourself to your bedroom when there’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored.

Whatever, it’s hard not to feel invigorated as you let the perky Peaness harmonies in. It’s uplifting, motivating and guaranteed to raise a smile. This three piece from Chester have set the bar high with their first ever release and I can’t wait to see what they might do next. 

“I taught Jess music when she was at school, they’ll be up for any coverage you might be able to give”, Ellen mentioned. Surely, it won’t be long before Peaness are picked up by bloggers and others across the world? For now, Ms Woodrow can congratulate herself on such fine teaching and talent spotting.