Kate Nash returns on the back of a spiky new pop-punk sound, a lively all-girl band and a suitably titled new album Girl Talk, the first release through her own independent label, Have 10p Records. Plus: Hawkwind, The Shee, Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun.
KATE NASH
Norwich Arts Centre, April 5
Kate Nash returns on the back of a spiky new pop-punk sound, a lively all-girl band and a suitably titled new album Girl Talk, the first release through her own independent label, Have 10p Records.
Since her 2007 debut album, Made of Bricks, launched to a fanfare of giddy praise in the wake of first single, Foundations — which charted at number two — the singer has made a point of confounding expectations.
The saccharine indie-pop singer-songwriter, whose songs were full of chattiness and charming lyrics, made way for a more mature sound on 2010′s My Best Friend Is You, but on the back of the truly annoying single Do-Wah-Doo, it failed to repeat the success of its predecessor.
She was subsequently dropped by her record label shortly after starting work on her third album, and her misery was compounded by the death of her pal Siobhan Malhotra, who suffered from cystic fibrosis.
It could easily have been a crushing time but she is made of sterner stuff and the adversity actually spurred her on to further explore. She relocated to Los Angeles and channelled her pain into her new material.
'I feel so proud of this record because of what I've been through emotionally and the challenges I've faced within my career. Getting dropped from my record label...was a scary thing...but ultimately liberating,' she said.
Girl Talk is certainly a bold, passionate and personal album. 'I wrote songs really quickly. They are ballsy. You can hear the anger. I've learned a lot about people. I used to be really naive and trust people too much. Not any more.'
t Further listening: www.myignorantyouth.com
HAWKWIND
Epic, April 7
Formed in 1969 by London busker Dave Brock — and originally as Hawkwind Zoo — the space-rock veterans beam down once again in Norwich.
Though there have been numerous line-up changes down the decades — some 53 members have come and gone — Brock is the one constant.
And with some legendary stage spectacles — including the lavish Space Ritual shows — numerous legal battles, bust-ups and reunions, it's been quite a ride being at the helm of one of the world's longest-running and most unique bands.
'It's all still there after 44 years — space, politics, love and some peace,' he says.
Psychedelic rock — hypnotic riffs and spacey jams — have been Hawkwind's niche and at Norwich's Epic Studios, one of a limited number of special gigs, they will be featuring a rare performance of their classic 'lost album' Warrior On The Edge Of Time. The album has just been re-mastered and is set for a re-release in May on the Atomhenge label.
Label manager Mark Powell said: 'Contrary to popular myth, the master tapes of this classic album were never lost. They remained in the United Artists vaults. The reissue will be the first ever CD edition to be taken from the original first generation master tapes. All previous editions have been taken from vinyl transfers or inferior copy master tapes.'
t Further listening: www.hawkwind.com
THE SHEE
Norwich Arts Centre, April 9
Acclaimed all-female folk outfit The Shee arrive in Norwich as part of the second part of their lengthy Murmurations tour, showcasing material largely taken from the wonderful Murmurations album, released at the end of last year.
The band includes some of the very best female folk talent sin the UK including Lillias Kinsman-Blake on flute, Shona Mooney on fiddle, harpist and singer Rachel Newton, singer and violinist Olivia Ross, mandolin player Laura-Beth Salter and accordionist Amy Thatcher.
Their diverse range of individual musical influences combine to produce an adventurous brew of folk, Gaelic and bluegrass, earning them considerable recognition along the way with high profile performances at festivals including the Cambridge Folk Festival.
Their debut album A Different Season was released in 2008, followed by best newcomer nominations in both the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards and the BBC 2 Folk Awards. Their second album Decadence saw them nominated for 'Folk Band of the Year'.
The arrangements on the new album are a mixture of their signature complex, inter-weaving textures and a much more stripped-back feel. Displaying beautifully sensitive musicianship and stunning vocals, it's hard not to be left spellbound.
t Further listening: www.theshee.com
JIM LOCKEY & THE SOLEMN SUN
Waterfront Studio, April 11
Times are good for anarcho-anglo storytellers Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun and their blend of country-folk and indie-punk.
After signing with Xtra Mile Recordings — home to Frank Turner, Future of the Left and Against Me! — and releasing their second album Death last year, the band has had a real rollercoaster 12 months.
The anarcho-anglo-folkcore four-piece played rapturously received sets at festivals across the globe, including the hugely influential SXSW, undertook two UK headline tours, and backed Frank Turner, including at the Olympics Opening Ceremony to an estimated audience of 25 million.
Jim actually started out as a singer-songwriter, releasing one album on his own before pulling together a band for 2010 record Atlases.
Singles Wishing Well, A Song About Death and England's Dead, highlighted the young quartet's diverse influences that draw from a plethora of sources including alt-country, folk and hardcore punk.
The band's second album, Death, continues this mix, adding hard rock to the formula.
Lockey's part-grunting, part-groaning vocals are perfect for this four-way fusion of genres.
Like Turner, they also deal in some strong scio-political lyrics but don't let that get in the way of delivering plenty of hook-filled harmonies.
t Further listening: www.jlandtss.com
SOUNDS IN THE CITY
APRIL 5
Kate Nash (pop) — Arts Centre
Light Parades (indie/album launch) — Waterfront Studio
Folk Friday: feat. Murphy's Lore + The Woodland Creatures + Twisted Routes (roots/folk) — Epic
Lee Memphis King (Elvis tribute) — Maddermarket
Buster James Band (blues/rock) — Brickmakers
Saigon Kiss (metal) — King Edward VII
Run Like Rivers + I Was Once A Dinosaur + Naked Horses (indie/rock) — B2
Hot Cold Ground (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades
Fresh Blood: feat. Stewart Harrington + Tommy Aggett + Jon Hart + Antonio Lulic + Zach William Thomas (singer-songwriters) The Birdcage
The Middle Ones + Halo Halo + Ace Busy Striptease (indie) — Olives
Floating Greyhounds (rock) — Heartsease
We Ghosts (indie/rock) — Brewery Tap
Pete 'Kiwi' Keegan (skiffle/bluegrass) — Blueberry
Noise Complaint (hardcore) — The Stanley
Colider + Neil Mackay (acoustic) — Hog In Armour
The Otter Drayton
Norwich Folk Club (folk) — Christ Church Centre
Latino Sound (Latin) — Revolucion de Cuba
The Planks (soul) — Marlborough Arms
Electricity (blues) — Golden Star
ABC Blues Brothers — Fiveways
Pyevarotti — Trowel & Hammer
APRIL 6
Comus + Bruise (jazz) — Arts Centre
Wicked Faith + Single Thread + Shock Hazard + Skeleton Jack (rock) — Waterfront Studio
The Destroyers + Sashi and The Wild Beans (soul/ska/cabaret) — Open
To The Last + Already Gone (rock) — Brickmakers
MMG Battle Of The Bands Final: feat. Old Versus New + Enigma + Eridium + The Rainbreakers + Dead Horse (local competition) — B2
Burning Crows (rock) — King Edward VII
Red Leaf (indie/rock) — Blueberry
Grazing Saints + B-Roads + Jessie Q + The Spores (psych/blues) — Walnut Tree Shades
The Cream Horns (rock/pop) — Old Catton Maids Head
Barry Lee (pop/rock) — Gas Club
Replica (rock) — Heartsease
Worlds Apart (rock/pop) — Trowel & Hammer
Alen Ley — The Windmill
Davie J — Angel Gardens
Bondy — Keir Hardie Hall
Karen — Robin Hood
Graham Stacey — The Champion
ABC Blues Brothers — Quebec Tavern
APRIL 7
Hawkwind (rock) — Epic
Larry Miller + Nina Baker (blues/rock) — Waterfront
Johnny Jump Band (country/blues/5pm) — Silver Road Cottage
Floating Greyhounds (rock/4pm) — Old Catton Maids Head
Hayley Moyses Bluegrass Forum (roots/3pm) — Brewery Tap
Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers
APRIL 8
Lewis Mokler + Grant Ley (acoustic/pop) — Waterfront Studio
Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers
Jazz Jam: feat. Rich Buddie — Walnut Tree Shades
Jazz Jam: feat. Brendan Young + Lee Vasey + Ian Hireson + Mark Jolley + Matt Furness (jazz) — Silver Road Cottage
APRIL 9
The Shee (Celtic/folk/bluegrass) — Arts Centre
Gilmore & Roberts (roots/acoustic) — Bicycle Shop
Norwich Jazz Club: feat. Karen Sharpe + Simon Brown Trio (jazz) — Thunder Lane Cottage
Traditional Folk Night — Beehive
Jam Night — Rumsey Wells
APRIL 10
Tribes + Transfer + Blue Lip Feel (indie/rock) — Waterfront
Huh! Get Down: feat. Lee Vann + T-Bone & The Horn + Science & Magic (funk/pop/acoustic) — The Birdcage
Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers
Traditional Irish — Gatehouse
Open Mic — Garden House
APRIL 11
The Ataris + Mike Herrera + Versus The World (pop-punk) — Waterfront
Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun (alt country/rock) — Waterfront Studio
Aftershock (rock/pop) — Brickmakers
Against The Grain (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades
The Rumours + City Solace + Fran Davey + Grimms Law + Montagues & Capulets (acoustic) — Olives
Killamonjambo + The Piratones + The Disgraceful Que (ska/reggae) — B2
Alex Beckhelling + Lisa Webster (acoustic/pop) — Ten Bells
Ghostriders Western Club: feat. Double Barrel (country) — TA Centre
Emma Crowster (pop) — Bar 11
Johnny Jump Band (country/blues) — Micawbers Tavern
Space Eagle (blues) — Rumsey Wells
Groovpolitan (funk/soul) — Rose Tavern
Open Jam — King Edward VII
Open Mic — Lounge
Open Mic — Union Street Coach & Horses
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