Paramore – MEN Arena Manchester 16th December 2009

Around three and a half years ago, Paramore were playing in this very same venue on the second stage at the Give it a Name festival with only one record ‘All We Know is Falling’ under their belts. Fast forward to the present day and the same band have had two majorly successful follow up albums and are headlining the venue. What a difference time makes.

No one can begrudge them this success, as the band have worked hard and released solid albums in ‘Riot!’ and most recently ‘Brand New Eyes’. The only real disappointment tonight comes in the form of the support bands. Although they have been chosen by Paramore themselves, they seem a bit weak for a tour of such stature.

You Me At Six in particular are disappointing, not helped in any part by the poor sound given to them. Where they usually sound tight live, tonight they are sloppy in parts. Maybe it was due to the sound and poor communication, but the only British band on the bill didn’t give a great account of themselves, although the kids didn’t seem to mind judging by their ear-piercing screams.

If those teen screams were loud, it was nothing compared to the sound that greeted Paramore when they took to the stage. Opening with a brilliant atmospheric intro, the band then flew into recent single ‘Ignorance’. It is obvious that most attention is going to be focused on Hayley Williams as she prances and headbangs around the stage, but the rest of the band deserve just as much credit. Crafting a pop rock song as well as Paramore do is not a simple task, but they execute it with ease. Combining that with their undoubted improvements in a live environment gives a performance that lacks nothing.

Promoting ‘Brand New Eyes’, it is inevitable that the setlist was going to use this album as a foundation as the band blast through songs such as ‘Looking Up’, ‘Careful’ and ‘Where the Lines Overlap’. Even ballad ‘The Only Exception’ is played to break up the set in a timely fashion and encourage the usually cliched lighters (and mobile phones) in the air.

Paramore haven’t forgotten where they have risen from and the songs that helped them to get there. A good mixture from the first two albums is brought out with the likes of ‘That’s What You Get’, ‘Pressure’, ‘Emergency’ and ‘CrushCrushCrush’.

After an energetic hour, the band depart the stage following ‘Decode’ to prepare for the inevitable encore. The crowd still hungry for more have kept their energy levels as high as the band are dying for a few more songs, which they are then granted. ‘Misguided Ghosts’ beautifully signals the re-entrance as it then gives way to the crowd favourite ‘Misery Business’ and new single ‘Brick by Boring Brick’. Both are performed flawlessly again, with Hayley Williams’ vocals perfectly executed and complimented by the huge arena.

Shows should be like this more often. There was not one person leaving the venue that could count themselves as disappointed, and I’m sure no one did. Paramore and their fans looked to be having the times of their lives and that’s how simple the chemistry of a gig is. Everyone has a good time and everybody leaves happy. This is certainly the case tonight.

The Fall of Troy – Manchester Academy 3 18th November

Attendance at gigs no longer seems to reach the standards it once did. Whether that is concerning the economy or people’s general lack of interest in live music is hard to tell, but the fairly low attendance tonight has definitely not been affected by the hoards of teens off to see Elliot Minor.

Regardless, opening band ChickenHawk provide a welcome surprise. Combining heavy riffs and meandering rhythm, Chickenhawk powerfully open proceedings with an impressive set. At times the vocal stylings and heavy riffs have a similar sound to that of Cancer Bats before heading off into some completely unseen direction.

Having missed Twin Atlantic in favour of some football downstairs, The Fall of Troy were up next. Thomas Erak is as mezmerizing as ever, flailing guitar, hair and all while hitting every single note on his fretboard. By the end of a gig, there is not one single area of his guitar that hasn’t been played in some way or another. The band as a whole are on really good form for the small but appreciative crowd assembled. Opening with ‘Whacko Jacko Steals the Elephant Man’s Bones’, the pace is unrelenting.

Following the recent release of latest album ‘In the Unlikely Event’, there is a decent amount of new material played. ‘Panic Attack!’ and ‘Dirty Pillow Talk’ actually sound more impressive than they do on record with a much free-er sound allowing the band to improvise at any given second. Upcoming single from the album ‘Single’ also transfers perfectly to the live stage.

It is overwhelming how good The Fall of Troy are live. Erak comments at one point how they will get around to making a video eventually, but he just wants to play shows. The practice that they have put in over the last few years and the amount of shows they have played has paid off, they really are flawless live.

The perfomance concludes with favourite ‘F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.’ before an encore of ‘Sledgehammer’, the latter ending the night perfectly with its blend of intricate chaos and awkwardly heavy breakdowns. The only restbite of the night comes in the form of a solo rendition of ‘Caught Up’.

The Fall of Troy put on a truly great performance and it is a challenge to find a band that are more talented and cram so many different pieces into songs. One second they can be threading riff over riff with different time signatures and the next playing an ambient five minute middle section. This makes them an interesting prospect to fans and even the merely curious, and they no doubt impress both sets of people.

Portugal. The Man – Manchester Roadhouse 28th October 2009

When it comes to releasing albums, Portugal. The Man are are a prolific band, averaging around one full length a year, which is not bad going at all. On the other hand, waiting for them to perform live has been a different story as they have had limited opportunities to come over to the UK.

With their fairly vast amount of material, it would be difficult to predict a setlist going into this. With a fairly under-capacity roadhouse, the band peform a well-constructed flowing setlist. Mainly drawing highlights such as ‘And I’, ‘Everyone is Golden’ and ‘People Say’ from the bands latest albums ‘Censored Colors’ and ‘The Satanic Satanist’.

A feature of Portugal. The Man live is how much they expand their songs and morph into more of a progressive band than they are on record. Dynamic duo John Gourley and Zachary Carothers provide a focal point both visually and musically that gives the band a renewed sense of energy.

The only minor negative to the show is that the sound of the Roadhouse is maybe not particularly well suited to the vocal harmonies that make up so much of Portugal. The Man’s sound. They do still sound brilliant, but possibly in an alternative venue they could have been given the full focus they deserve.

Everyone that has waited to see Portugal. The Man will have left the venue satified tonight, with an impressive performance delving into much of the band’s catalogue. Hopefully it won’t be such a wait before the band return again, as they genuinely do perform an attention demanding set. With so many genres mixed into their expansive sound, they have the ability to please people of different musical persuasions, and a fairly diverse crowd in attendance, they could well be winning new fans already.

Saosin – In Search of Solid Ground

Since the release of their self-titled debut album, Saosin have been somewhat subdued. The album received good reviews in several publications and the band were well appreciated with a solid fanbase. The problem is that Saosin never really built on this and pushed themselves to higher levels with more opportunities.

I’m still not sure they are going to do this with ‘In Search of Solid Ground’. It is a decent album that improves with each listen, but never really lives up to the potential that is shown. Early tracks ‘Why Can’t You See?‘ and ‘I Keep My Secrets Safe’ carry on in a sense where the self-titled album ended. Cove Reber rhythmically vocalising over verses before hitting with a huge chorus capable of carrying the song itself.

‘Changing’ displays a different side of the band as it is more of a standard pop rock sound with no complicated breakdowns. It works well and actually suits the band and their sound. Similarly ‘What We Were Made For?’ adds a pop dimension to the latter stages of ‘In Search of Solid Ground’, and it works relatively well.

The album is only let down by minor flaws such as verses sounding similar to previous songs, and a fading focus towards the end of the album. ‘It’s All Over Now’ lets the album down as it just seems unnecessary and weak in comparison to other songs. It sounds a little rushed and lacking the attention given that was given to other tracks.

There are several really goods songs on the record along with the openers. ‘The Alarming Sound of a Still Small Voice’ is a more atmosphere focused song which works well, and ‘The Worst of Me’ could have had a place on the more consistent debut album.

In some ways it is difficult to sum up ‘In Search of Solid Ground’ as it has some genuinely very good moments on it. It is just let down by a slight lack of variety. There is no doubt that Saosin can write songs suitable to span the genres, but on early listens to the album it somewhat passes you by and moulds into one rather than individual tracks. Saosin will no dount gain fans if this is given decent promotion, but it is not quite on the same level as their debut.

The Swellers – Ups and Downsizing

Fueled By Ramen and a US tour with Paramore is a recipe for success in most instances, and this is the opportunity that has been gifted to The Swellers. Combined with praise from members of New Found Glory and Set Your Goals, the only thing to decide now is whether the band live up to this acclaim.

Opening track ‘2009′ suggests that they definitely do. Blending their own heavier aspect with a high tempo pop punk sound, The Swellers open with a verse as aggressive as pop rock can possibly get. Not only that, but this verse than melts into an instantly memorable chorus, maintaining the hard sound forged from the opening verse. ‘Fire Away’ is the first single to be released, but to be honest, there are a number of songs that could be released on ‘Ups and Downsizing’. This track continues in the manner set out from the off, except the tempo gives way to melody and further soaring chorus melodies. The Swellers provide everything required from a 3 or 4 minute song; melody, structure and focus from start to finish.

Slower moments on the album come in the form of ‘Feet First’ and ‘Stars’. The former only partially before erupting into the trademark sound set on the album. This is for the better as the latter track is decent enough but doesn’t quite live up to the rest of the album. The beauty of the album is that it doesn’t outstay its welcome, it infact demands subtly that you play it again. It is the perfect length and with twelve songs is very solid in form and song structure.

Certain aspects of the album extract influences from older pop punk of the decade, which sounds fresh when compared with some of the recent releases. ‘Watch it Go’ in particular sounds as if it could have been released years ago and fit in with the ‘punk’ scene of the time. Even more to the bands credit is that it fits now and demonstrates how to write the perfect pop punk rock song.

The later stages of ‘Ups and Downsizing’ feature a return to the more strictly punk orientated sound in the form of ‘The Iron’ and ‘Dirt’. The second of these tracks brings the album to a close in a relentlessly melodic fashion, ready for a repeat play. This is an album that grows with each listen. It is not completely obvious, and it is the hidden intricacies and subtle melodies that keep you coming back for another listen.

The Swellers have delivered a well produced and well written album that will ensure they are a very busy band over the next year or so. Hopefully this can include a UK tour so the songs can be judged in a live environment, where no doubt the band will excel further.

Polar Bear Club – Chasing Hamburg

‘Chasing Hamburg’ has been one of the most anticipated alternative releases of 2009, following the somewhat unexpected popularity of ‘Sometimes Things Just Disappear’. This popularity is no doubt set to continue to rise and fill the bands packed touring schedule to the maximum.

The album fires out of the blocks with opener ‘See the Wind’ showcasing a straight up abrasive punk/rock sound. Instantly noticeable is the use of production compared with the bands previous efforts. This is not a particularly polished album, but then again, it isn’t meant to be. The rough edge given to the music now piles onto the already gravelly vocals of Jimmy Stadt giving every track an intensity required from a ten song album.

More melodic moments come on the album in the shape of tracks such as ‘Living Saints’ and ‘One Hit Back’. The latter revealing itself towards the conclusion of the album is a genius stroke, as it already sets you up wanting a repeat listen of the album. With a perfect dosage of pop injected, Polar Bear Club display more depth to their talents with their ability to draw in a further audience.

‘Drifting Thing’ and ‘Song to Persona’ also alter the structure of the album with the former consisting primarily of vocals and a palm muted guitar, it acts as a sort of ballad, in a different way to the typical ballad. ‘Song to Persona’ slows the tempo down, and fully expands itself within the last 30 seconds, as the song builds to a well constructed vocal driven outro.

The self-titled final track on the album suitably wraps up proceedings on a job well done. If you want a solid album consisting of no nonsense modern punk rock, then you should listen to ‘Chasing Hamburg’. If you haven’t listened to Polar Bear Club before, listening to ‘Sometimes Things Just Disappear’ would probably be advisable to get the full picture of where the band have been, where they are now and where they are headed. There is no doubt that they can have another big year with this album.

Thrice – Beggars

The ridiculously early leak of ‘Beggars’ has worked in favour for fans of the Thrice, with the digital release of the album pushed forward from the planned October release. In some ways, the leak could possibly have worked in the favour of the band too as an unorthodox promotional strategy, because since the leak, people have been talking about it. Thrice can also take comfort in the fact that they have a loyal fanbase who generally are still part of the record-buying community and will support the physical release when it is out in September.

‘Beggars’ is another step for Thrice to distance themselves from the bands that they have unfortunately been categorised with in the past. Even when they were known as a post hardcore band, they were the band trying to push the scene further than the bands that were just out to make a quick buck from the current musical trend. Thrice’s ambition to expand and progress is the reason that their music still sounds so fresh and completely different to the band they were five years ago.

Vocalist Dustin Kensrue’s melodies form the focal point for many of the tracks on ‘Beggars’, demonstrating how to manipulate vocals to bring even the simplest section of a song to life. ‘All the World is Mad’ instantly points to a progression continuing in the direction set by the ambitious ‘The Alchemy Index Volumes’, with Kensrue’s vocals powering over the musical backdrop set by guitarist Teppei Teranishi, and the Breckenridge brothers rhythm section.

The structure of the songs is particularly impressive, with many of the verses possessing an ambient atmosphere before erupting into hugely soaring choruses. Both ‘The Weight’ and ‘Circles’ effectively combine simple use of instruments to great effect as the tracks unfold with climatic and suitably fitting conclusions.

Central to the album are middle tracks ‘Doublespeak’ and ‘In Exile’ which succesfully maintain the high quality of the album. The first being a fairly simple track, combining a loosely hammered piano melody and a riff-centred chorus in a standard verse-chorus structure. The latter of the tracks is probably the strongest on ‘Beggars’, although it is difficult to select highlights due to the consistent nature of the tracks. Again, the vocals perform perfectly against a simple background of music. The key is that the instrumentation is never overpowering, with the full potential of Dustin Kensrue being realised throughout the track as the melodies span through several genre styles.

‘Beggars’ is difficult to pin down into a certain genre, with ‘progressive’ the only tag that can easily be put on it. Tracks such as ‘At the Last’ and ‘Talking Through Glass’ have a more standard rock feel about them, with slightly more distorted outputs and aggressive natures, but they never lose their identity amongst the rest of the album. The final two tracks on the album are beautiful pieces of music, in particular ‘The Great Exchange’. The music flows and has a feel of some of the music evident on the water disc of ‘The Alchemy Index’, with a gentle, almost soothing using of vocals acting as a calming presence over the clean musical backing.

‘Beggars’ closes the album, beginning with a slow beat before growing into a larger force showcasing raw vocals and some effectively places trem-accompanied guitar riffs accompanying a crashing percussional piece. Thrice have made another oustanding album with ‘Beggars’, and continue to keep their fans interested with their progression and musical direction. It is a shame that the album leaked as early as it did, but thankfully ‘Beggars’ has the staying power to stay interesting until the band’s next release.

MUTEMATH – Armistice

It is always nice when it is difficult to pin a band down to any particular genre, and Mutemath are one of those that easily melt away the boundaries between alternative, pop and rock. The band’s self-titled 2006 debut was a huge success and even reached the levels of an American Idol contestant performing the single ‘Typical’.

As a whole, ‘Armistice’ takes Mutemath’s ideas to a new level and extends their musical boundaries further than previously demonstrated on the first album. The opening segment of the album demonstrates a more straightforward approach, slightly, but not completely abandoning their experimental approach with extended instrumental periods. ‘The Nerve’ and ‘Backfire’ are the perfect example of how to write a great pop-rock song with a generally simple verse and chorus. Paul Meany’s vocals as always are exactly what is required of the song; flowing and calm in the verses and largely melodic in the choruses. ‘Clipping’ is the first instance on the album where Mutemath begin to satisfy their experimental curiosity, with a complete slowdown in tempo accompanied with a meandering piano melody. They are a hugely talented band and know how to use it in good measure within a single track.

Prior to ‘Armistice’ being released, the band released ‘Spotlight’ as an EP and it was featured as part of the original soundtrack for the mega-hit film of last year (and this year) Twilight. This no doubt gained the band further exposure and was a genius move on the promotional aspect of the band, as the merchandising from the film has been overwhelming.

It is definitely not an album that can be accurately represented from one single listen, it has hidden depths musically and lyrically that only appear following repeated listens. ‘Goodbye’ and’Electrify’ are brilliant pop songs that would easily fit in with the mainstream music culture, but at the same time it would stand out without becoming part of the repetitive pop-rock mainstream scene.

The album concludes in a change of direction, following the somewhat piano ‘ballad’ of the album ‘Lost Year’, the track ‘Burden’ is Mutemath’s nine-minute showcase of what the band is all about. The final five minutes of the song are where the true representation lies, as atmospheric guitars, vocals, keys and complex drumming patterns perform to bring ‘Armistice’ to an altogether different ending than anything else on the album.

As is the case with many bands, Mutemath are best seen live, as keytars, several drum pieces and an assortment of instruments are brought together to provide an exhilarating performance in both sound and vision. But for now, ‘Armistice’ more than fills the gap until the band tour again.

Manchester Orchestra – Manchester Academy 3 16th July 2009

After a brief spell of good weather Manchester has returned to its traditional rainy self. Not that this has deterred anyone, as tonight’s gig is a sold out affair after being upgraded from the smaller Night and Day venue, suggesting that the band themselves underestimated their following.

Following a stint opening for Brand New on their UK tour and a couple of headline shows, Kevin Devine has stuck around to support Manchester Orchestra on this tour. Similarly to the Brand New tour, the atmosphere is somewhat spoiled by much loud chattering from the rear of the room, but he prevails. Playing acoustically solo on this occasion, the strength of themselves alone are as powerful as when they are performed with a full backing band. A live environment provides a perfect setting for Kevin Devine and his songs, with their basic form expressing the genuine effort that he puts into his songs.

Last time Manchester Orchestra played a headline show in Manchester at the same venue, the crowd were treated to a couple of new songs before the release of ‘Mean Everything to Nothing’. After a brief opening with Andy Hull performing a Paul Simon song, the full band join him for ‘Shake It Out’. A combination of all of the things Manchester Orchestra do well, this is executed to perfection and actually sounds better than it does on record. Hull’s vocals and the complete sound of the music have much more bite than is evident on record and it produces a powerful set opener.

The set continues in a similar fashion, with the material selected from the band’s recent album sounding so much more impressive than it does on record. This is not to say that the album itself sounds bad, but witnessing the raw emotion visually also adds so much more to the spectacle that is Manchester Orchestra. Tracks such as ‘In My Teeth’ and ‘Pride’ really do come to life when you see the band perform them.

Older material is not ignored, with ‘Now That You’re Home’ and ‘Wolves At Night’ impressing and fitting in perfectly the the patterns set by the tracks from ‘Mean Everything to Nothing’. ‘Where Have You Been?’ is the most impressive. Taking a different shape to how they have previously performed it, Andy Hull adds additional vocals with an extended ending giving the track a fresh sound. Kevin Devine also makes a welcome guest appearance giving a hand on vocal duties, along with the audience who continue to sing the lyrics long after the band have concluded. It really is an amazing experience to hear live.

Concluding with tracks taken mostly from ‘Mean Everything to Nothing’ is a welcome change to people that have heard ‘I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child’ performed on the band’s previous tours. Again, the new songs impress more live, with ‘The River’ providing the huge ending for the majority of the band to leave the stage to. The stage is left to Andy Hull and key player Chris Freeman to conclude proceedings. Performing a somewhat acoustic version of ‘The Only One’, the song explodes at the end with Freeman performing percussion duties to finish in perfect style.

Tonight the band have looked at ease with playing live, whereas in the past they have appeared tense. With jokes and banter between the band and the crowd, you get the feeling that Manchester Orchestra really do enjoy their work, and at the same time give an intense performance of pure power and beauty.

Set Your Goals – This Will Be the Death of Us

Very few bands successfully pull off a hardcore-tinged pop-punk sound, but with ‘This Will Be the Death of Us’, Set Your Goals show how to perfectly execute this. Packed with catchy riffs and choruses, the odd breakdown and gang vocals, this is an addictive follow up to the band’s ‘Mutiny!’ album.

The first noticeable difference with the band is the vocals. Where Matt Wilson’s ‘whine’ used to grind on the ear in some areas on ‘Mutiny!’, it has now taken on a lower pitch but retaining all of the enthusiasm from former tracks. Forthcoming single and album title track ‘This Will Be the Death of Us’ opens proceedings with its structured punk chord progressions and a typical Set Your Goals sounding verse. Having acted as the backing band for The Movielife at recent shows, the title track features guest vocals from Vinnie Caruana, now of I Am the Avalanche. With some hints of The Movielife about their sound, Caruana fits seamlessly into the mix.

Set Your Goals are a band dependant on their sound flowing and maintaining an energy, and with both their albums they kick off a rapid pace. Tracks ‘Look Closer’ and ‘Summer Jam’ have a much poppier sound musically in some parts, with the opening riff of ‘Look Closer’ sounding similar to a Blink-182 riff when they were at their peak. ‘Summer Jam’ lyrically focuses on the history of the band and their journey to get to where they are now. Although bands complain about touring, Set Your Goals sound to enjoy their time spent touring with a positive outlook voicing ‘Even as we get older, we can do it all over’.

I am a fan of guest vocals, and this album has plenty of them. Hayley Williams of Paramore features in ‘The Few That Remain’ and this is probably the best of them. It displays a different side to her vocals than she gets to express with her own band and her aggressive side fits in with Set Your Goals much better than I imagined it would do, as do her usual melodic vocals. ‘Our Ethos: A Legacy to Pass On’ has additional vocals from Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory. Although he does occasionally add his chant vocal aspect to New Found Glory, they would benefit from more vocal input from Gilbert as he does a great job on this track.

‘Gaia Bleeds (Make Way for Man)’ is the most powerful song lyrically and musically on the album. Having this as a heavier track does help to convey the message across, and is a new direction for Set Your Goals to create a song expressing a form of political output. Although topical to current events, it also conveys a general message of the negative idea of man playing god and the damage that it actually does without resolving anything.

Set Your Goals have produced a really good second album showing maturity and growth following ‘Mutiny!’, but holding onto their pop sensibilities and ability to write addictive songs that demand a second, third and fourth play on rotation. Their move to Epitaph after suffering through issues with Eulogy Records has proved a positive move for the band. Having recently improved their roster with several new bands, they now have another great release under their label with ‘This Will Be the Death of Us’.