Happy new year, pop pickers

As we leave behind the second warmest year on record and plough on into an disgracefully mild January, bask in the reassuring glow of some of the latest electronic noises released for your aural pleasure.

As ever, this month’s round-up is a byzantine cornucopia of music, straddling the myriad genres that you will, might and probably won’t soon be hearing on all good BBC 6Music stations near you.

Brought to you by the Green Wedge team of Silvia Rucchin (SR), Skye Corewijn (SC), Blandine Demailly (BD) and Matt Hanley (MH), and with an extended Brucie Bonus section at the end, here’s January’s music of the month. Enjoy.

1. Christmas in Bed – Lazy Heart Parade

Come December, Christmas songs are obviously impossible to avoid: radio stations, television channels and shops alike start playing the tacky “Christmas classics” on repeat. If over the years you’ve developed quite an allergy to Mariah Carey or George Michael, Lazy Heart Parade are here to reconcile you with the jingles of bells with their single Christmas In Bed.

Fronted by Liverpudlian Colin Smith and based in East London, six-piece Lazy Heart Parade have the great ability to find the right chemistry between Smith’s voice and that of co-member Louise, creating sweet melodies with a sad twist. Christmas In Bed is along those lines with its lyrics that first sound heart-warming but will undeniably appeal to the more cynical ones out there as well. Christmas 2012 number 1.(BD)

Christmas In Bed is out now.
http://lazyheartparade.com
http://www.facebook.com/lazyheartparade

2. ESP – Hooded Fang

Yes, yes, yes. From the very first notes, ESP will make you shake those hips if you like a good 1960s-inspired song that feels as though you’re playing it on the record player in your bedroom. Out of the 3:42 minutes of the track, Daniel Lee – the singer/songwriter of the band – only sings during the first half, leaving that second half to do its work and get the insistent tune into your head.

Tosta Mista, the album on which ESP appears, is about Lee’s break-up with girlfriend of five years April Aliermo, who also happens to the band’s bassist: “Love, lust, heartbreak, dramatic shit like that. Melodramatic huh? It’s all kind of tongue in cheek, but very real at the same time,” he says. That ironic detachment is very much present in the song: it sounds as if it’s just effortlessly cool, but you can tell there’s more to it. (BD)

Tosta Mista is out now.
http://www.hoodedfang.com/
http://www.myspace.com/hoodedfang

3. Are You Listening? - Patch and the Giant

North London based crew come along with quaint instrumentals, fireside melodies and, to be honest, a good old winter warmer. Give me a pint, a pub and Patch & the Giant and I’ll be sitting pretty for hours. Seeing as they’ve only been going full force since August – it’s a jolly good show – they may need a little more spit and polish, but I suppose their rough edges only add to the genuine feel and charm.

If Are You Listening is an honest sign of things to come from this young crew of folk musos, I look forward to seeing more of them. (SC)

Patch & the Giant will be playing regularly at Boogaloo, Highgate.

http://patchandthegiant.com/
https://www.facebook.com/patchandthegiant

4. Lady Majika – Holy State

It’s incredible how much Lady Magika resembles of any old Franz Ferdinand’s song prior their third electronic Tonight. Maybe it’s the infectious bass, the singer’s sexy and subtle voice which is shockingly similar to Alex Kapranos’ one or maybe it’s just because rock-punk-funk – call it however you want- is back to the scene after a couple of years. Lady Magika sounds more like a tribute song to what Franz Ferdinand have created almost eight years ago rather than an original indie rock tune. Which is nothing to be ashamed of as Holy State seem to have learnt that lesson well. (SR)

https://www.facebook.com/holystate
http://www.myspace.com/holystate

5. Assembly – Elephant

Elephant is producer and co-songwriter Christian Pinchbeck and singer/songwriter Amelia Rivas. They formed the band in May 2010 and have so far released only one EP named after opening track Assembly.

Assembly is a chilled-out, dreamy pop tune driven by keyboards and Rivas’ nonchalant singing (which may or may not come from her, apparently, French background). Yet despite its lazy hot summer feel, by the end of the song the listener is left with the sensation that there is disappointment in the air, that the sunny music is really there to hide a certain dissatisfaction or melancholia. (BD)

http://elephantshop.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/elephanttheband

6. Where Has Everyone Gone – Mozart Parties

Admittedly, I am not a massive fan of indie pop shoegaze because it makes me feel uncomfortable, sad and thoughtful. However, I have to say this tune is quite sweet, naïve and spectacular I might want to listen to it over and over again. Where Has Everybody Gone seems to come from an extra sensorial atmosphere due to its softness, quietness and coldness on a certain extent. Mozart Parties is a very young boy who perfectly knows how to assemble a refined yet accessible pop, pardon me, indie pop song. (SR)

http://www.facebook.com/mozartparties
http://twitter.com/#!/mozartparties
http://mozartparties.tumblr.com/

7. El. - Mojo Fury

After recently nominated for Best New Band at the 2011 Artrocker Awards, Mojo Fury serve up this swaggering beast of granite-laced rock and roll. Strewn from the gritty streets of Belfast, El stomps up the street with a concealed switchblade knife in its back pocket, waiting for someone, anyone, to look at it wrong.

Taken from Mojo Fury‘s debut album, Visiting Hours of a Travelling Circus, the comparison with early day Kasabian is hard to avoid, but is unfair (although their album name arrives in similar tempo as Kasabian’s West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum). El tells the sad tale of the demise of close friend’s relationship, offering fraternal solidarity, brotherly compassion and a kind arm around the jilted man’s shoulder. (MH)

Visiting Hours of a Travelling Circus is out now.

http://mojofury.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/mojofuryband

8. The Next Bar – Hey Hey My My

Until (very) recently the French music scene had been far from exciting: tacky radio-friendly tunes or wanna-be rock stars were all we had to offer. But the 21st century has been good to the indie scene, with bands like Hey Hey My My emerging.

Parisians Julien Garnier and Julien Gaulier quote The Beatles and Neil Young as their two main influences. Said influences led them to drop Molière’s tongue for Shakespeare’s as it better suited their needs for a “British” sound. The Next Bar, the band’s latest single, is a fun, light pop song that tries to embody best as it can what inspired it in the first place. (BD)

New album A Sudden Change Of Mood is out now.

http://www.myspace.com/heyheymymyband
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hey-Hey-My-My/35526505322

9. My Dreams - H. Hawkline

My Dreams could very well be a festive anthem: with a muffled voice and upbeat tune that would make you tap your feet, it’s easy to imagine it turning into the classic sing-along song of a small, friendly pub in Cardiff, H. Hawkline’s hometown. Despite its saturated sound, the song has a traditional folk element to it which will please an eclectic audience.

The project of multi-instrumentalist TV and radio presenter Huw Evans, H. Hawkline released his debut album A Cup Of Salt in December 2010 and was chosen in 2011 by fellow Welsh musicians Gruff Rhys and Cate Le Bon – among others – to support them on tour. (BD)

The Strange Uses Of Ox Gall is out now on Shape Records.
http://www.myspace.com/hhawkline
http://hhawkline.bandcamp.com/

10. The River – Seed

Scottish crew Seed belt out The River with some real verve. The rock genre mash up is tiresome at times, but it is a good foot stomper and I’m a sucker for banjo twangs.

Personally, a little too obvious. Perhaps they should leave sounds reminiscent of The Calling back in 2001 where it belongs. Saving grace? That banjo. (SC)

The debut EP from Seed will be released sometime in 2010.

http://www.facebook.com/seedband

11. Holding Nails - Weird Dreams

Clearly influenced by The Beach Boys, Weird Dreams should not refuse a more modern comparison to elegant indie poppers Phoenix. The same classy approach to music which sits perfectly in between pop and rock without being neither of them, track Holding Nails captures your attention if you are keen on dreamy pop revivalism, otherwise it might be mere musical exercise. Overall,  it’s not a bad song at all, very simple but not banal. (SR)

http://twitter.com/weirdydreams
http://www.weirdweirddreams.tumblr.com

12. Modern Lover - Black Cherry

Oh My God, Modern Lover is the epitome of the perfect, catchy, brilliant and seductive Friday Night song! Gently sliding between synth pop and soul, Black Cherry’s warm and soulful voice invites first club goers to warm up the dance floor.

Maybe a slightly bit conventional from the lyrical point of view, but that doesn’t matter considering Lady Gaga earned her first wage thanks to the verses “Just Dance/ Gonna be OK…”. Surely, Black Cherry will be a sophisticated choice in more elegant clubs. (SR)

http://www.myspace.com/blackcherrymusic

And, finally, now for something (not too) different.

Klara and Johanna Söderberg, aka First Aid Kit, unveil the first fruits of their new album ‘The Lion’s Roar’, due out in the UK in January 2012.

In 2007 the Swedish sisters sent a demo tape of their home-recorded “Tangerine” to a Swedish radio station. The station loved it, and First Aid Kit were signed to Rabid Records, a label co-owned by the Swedish electronic duo The Knife.

If The Lion’s Roar single is anything to go buy, and featuring guest performances from the likes of The Felice Brothers and Conor Oberst, the coming album is going to be a highlight of the year.

The Lion’s Roar album is due out in January 2012. I would get on it, pronto.

They’re touring too (2012):

23 Feb / London, King’s College
24 Feb / Manchester, Academy 3
25 Feb / Dublin, Workman’s Club
27 Feb / Glasgow, King Tut’s
28 Feb / Leeds, The Wardrobe
29 Feb / Bristol, Thekla

http://thisisfirstaidkit.com/
https://www.facebook.com/firstaidkitofficial

Brucie bonus:

This wonderful video about gay marriage manages to wade through the false arguments about defending faith and religion, and all the straw man debates about protecting the sanctity of marriage, and simply reduces the issue to its core: that two people, in love, should be allowed to get married.

This video is from Australia, but is just as relevant in the UK and pretty much the rest of the world. See this article for a fuller picture of the battle for gay marriage in the UK.

And let’s check in with US comedian Lee Camp, this time mouthing off about how the rich, by stealing all of our money, are actually fucking over themselves. Simple argument, really.

And here, in the shadow of the aforementioned second warmest year on record, David Mitchell keeps our minds focussed on the terrifying prospect of climate change.

Given that the overwhelming majority of independent climatologists, meteorologists and climate change scientists all agree that global warming is happening and it is our behaviour causing it, then surely the burden of proof must fall on those climate change denying charlatans. And our man says, ‘Once we’ve proved it’s not happening, that the sceptics were right, all the scientists (including the American Association of Petrolium Geologists) were wrong, and this was a silly fuss about nothing, then great. All aboard the cheap aeroplanes. But for now, get a grip!’

And on that note, comrades, this is Green Wedge signing off. See you next month.

The music-loving writers of Green Wedge, and some of our good friends, present for you their favourite 3 albums of 2011. Enjoy the music.

Blandine Demailly, Green Wedge

Love Notes/Letter Bombs - The Submarines
Blake Hazard and John Dragonetti’s voices complete each other perfectly as they question their on-and-off relationship in these ten haunting indie pop songs. This album will forever be intricately linked with my busy spring of 2011, running around the city under the hot sun.
http://www.thesubmarines.com/

Last Night On Earth - Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale goes all American on this third record. While originally surprised by all these keyboards and absence of cute British awkwardness, these tales of mid-twenties life crisis and desire to start all over again for the better eventually resonated with me and simply worked – especially live.
http://www.noahandthewhale.com/

Bury Me In My Rings - The Elected
Blake Sennett is best-known for being the guitarist and occasional singer of Rilo Kiley. Evolving in the shadow of Jenny Lewis, he released his third album as The Elected when he thought he’d never pick up a guitar again. ‘Go For The Throat’ alone (his response to Lewis’s ‘My Pet Snakes’) is cheeky enough to love Bury Me In My Rings.
http://theelectedband.com/ 

Silvia Rucchin, Green Wedge

What Did You Expect From the Vaccines?  –  The Vaccines
I don’t think people should wonder why this debut is one of the best 2011 records. In an indie environment dominated by lo fi crap and boring folk guitars, The Vaccines have brought guitar music back to decent heights. Wreckin Bar Ra Ra Ra is the indie rock track of the year, If You Wanna is so catchy and immediate indiephobics would change their minds too and in general What Did You Expect for the Vaccines sounds complete and stunning.
http://www.thevaccines.co.uk/us/home/

Mona – Mona
If you cheat on the person you should love, if you feel hated and misunderstood, if you are a lonesome sinner but at the same time proud, arrogant and romantic the eponymus debut by Nashville band Mona is the exquisite for you. Bold Choruses, American rock’n’roll, massive guitar riffs, this record is so down to earth and sexually tense you either embrace it or refuse it because of its honesty. Mona is both a great and underestimated band because of the easy comparison to Kings of Leon. But at least this record is honest and Cloak & Dagger can prove it.
http://www.monatheband.com/ 

Euphoric///Heartbreak\\\ – Glasvegas
It seems almost impossible to conceive something as good as their debut, but Glavegas have created a follow up that is grown up, heartfelt and anthemic. Almost better than the first. James Allan’s pain is nothing to be ashamed of, that’s why songs such as Lots Sometimes and Euphoria Take My Hand work so well at gigs. Glasvegas master sufferance, heartbreak and negativity in a way you feel comforted by and not dragged down. Their rock is above many standards and Euphoric /// Heartbreak \\\ is just pure ace.
http://www.glasvegas.net/gb/home 

Lazy Heart Parade, http://lazyheartparade.com/

The Family Tree: The Roots - Radical Face
Ben Cooper’s first album Ghosts was written and recorded in a shed in his garden in 2007, and was based on the rather novel concept of ghosts in the walls of his house. I fell in love with it instantly and have been waiting (a long) 4 years for the 2nd to arrive. And it hasn’t disappointed me, yet. Another conceptual piece, delving hairline-first into the roots of his family tree.

I have to admit, i didn’t fall as instantly in love with it as I did Ghosts, but it’s definitely more of the same. With hand-clapping and ethereal harmonies at the heart, (and not a track on a Nikon ad in sight) this album is definitely one to get into.

Whether it has enough blood pumping through it to keep me warm for another 4 years though I’m not too sure.

So don’t wait so long next time Radical Face.(Colin)
http://www.radicalface.com/ 

Into the Murky Water – The Leisure Society
‘Into the Murky Water’ is the second album by The Leisure Society, following up their marvellous debut ‘The Sleeper’ from 2009. I was excited to hear more from this band and I was not disappointed, definitely my most listened to album this year by far. Exciting instrumentation along with smart, imaginative lyrics is always a good combination, this album gives you that and so much more. The songs are beautifully arranged, gloriously melodic and generally just very lovely. I went to their phenomenal show with the Heritage Orchestra at the Barbican the other day and was completely entranced the whole way through. Their already wonderful songs were elevated to something quite magical – my gig of the year and album of the year for sure! (Lisa)
http://www.theleisuresociety.co.uk/

Paradise – Slow Club
The second Slow Club album abandons some of the twee lyrics and close harmonies of the first, which has helped revive the duo’s infectious energy. There are stomping rhythms and the rousing, catchy choruses that I’d hoped for-  I still can’t help but join in with them. The Slow Club Christmas Party is sure to be a hoot. (Louise)
http://www.slowclubband.com/

Lazy Heart Parade will be releasing their debut EP in spring 2012.

 

 

 

Amelia Gregory, Founder and Editor of Amelia’s Magazine

Demonmeowmeow - Pumajaw
Pinkie Maclure and John Wills have created a spookily sexy album that combines influences from jazz, folk and the blues with deep electronica and hypnotic vocals.
Read more at Amelia’s Magazin
http://www.pumajaw.co.uk/ 

Songs from the Barley Temple - Rapunzel and Sedayne
Proving that the more traditional end of the folk spectrum is every bit as imaginative and bewitching as the new. Songs from the Barley Temple is a slow burning testament to musical talent with heart.
Read more at Amelia’s Magazine
http://www.folkpolicerecordings.com/rapunzel–sedayne.html

Fear of Mountains - The Witch and the Robot
For sheer oddity combined with musical brilliance you can’t beat TWATR, who released a psychedelic mash up from deep in the wilds of the Lake District.
Read more at Amelia’s Magazine
http://www.thewitchandtherobot.com/ 

 

 

Matt Jarrett, co-owner of Diverse Records & Diverse Vinyl

No Witch - The Cave Singers
It’s been top since it came out at the end of February and it’s staying there. It’s swampy folk blues with a hint of Rolling Stones. It sounds like one long celebration and in a year where people have chosen earnest folk and boring indie as their favourites, this is surely a good thing. It also has one of the best cries of ‘wooo!’ since Refused’s New Noise.
http://thecavesingers.com/ 

Strange Negotiations - David Bazan
Formally known as Pedro The Lion. I was looking forward to this coming out and it didn’t disappoint. I’m going to classify it as college rock as ‘singer songwriter’ sounds a bit David Gray. Melody a plenty and Bazan’s low, rich voice makes you take every word seriously. I’m a bit emo at heart.
http://www.davidbazan.com/ 

Out In The Light - Waters
Folky Port O’Brien guy Van Pierszalowski goes a bit loud. Brilliantly fuzzy alt.rock album that wakes you up in the morning and makes you sing along at night. A bit like Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes departure Desaparecidos. Only with less cocky about.
http://www.thewatersmusic.com/ 

 

 

 

The Sea, http://www.theseasounds.co.uk/

Blood Pressures - The Kills

They have always been a massive influence on us and this record is the sound of them pushing their sound forward. Which make it even more relevant to us as this is what we’ve tried to do with our new record. They’ve still got those awesome dirty riffs and Alison’s sexy vocals but now there’s also a bit of piano and strings in there which make it more lush… We were lucky enough to play some shows with them this year and got to meet them, which was really cool.  Also the sexiest live band ever.
http://www.thekills.tv

What Did You Expect From The Vaccines – The Vaccines

We saw them play right at the start of the year in a tiny venue in London and then it was obvious that they’d be big. Great songs, great live. Probably the best songs of this year (especially Wetsuit which really speak to us as people…and we’re pretty positive it’s about surfing….double cool!)
http://www.thevaccines.co.uk/gb/home/

 

The English Riviera - Metronomy

Staying on the subject of surfing! the whole album has the scent of summer about it, it’s just proper chilled and perfect for the beach (I imagine driving along the Malibu road in LA when listening to it (although I’m driving through Kings Cross!)
http://www.metronomy.co.uk/

The Sea are releasing their new single New York on April 1st, 2012, and the new album Rooftops on May 1st, 2012. Buy them. They’re REALLY good.

 

Jess Laney, DJ as part of Cool Britannia. Resident DJ at This Feeling nightclub and Cool Britannia, Camden.

Freedom Run - The Rifles
Their third album is more grown up than their first two. From urgent Modsters to more measured, melodic Rock ‘n’ Rollers with harmonies and hooks. Joel’s vocals are as recognisable as ever but this album gives Luke more of a chance to shine with his softer tones too. ”Tangled Up In Love” is a gorgeous piece of pop, ladened with strings and an anthemic hook, whilst ”Love Is A Key” is a stomping groover. All round an excellent effort and a staple on the “CB” decks.
http://www.therifles.net/

Colour Of The Trap – Miles Kane 
Guitar hooks and soulful street vocals from his first solo album. ”Inhaler” shuffles briskly then rocks incessantly with a riff to die for, its my highlight by far. There are some splendid pop moments all the way through, indeed “Quicksand” borders on the Banana Splits, yet Mr Kane keeps the flag flying high for those desperate to maintain character and charisma in the world of rock music.
https://www.mileskane.com/ 

Skying - The Horrors
Atmospheric, eccentric and ultimately fulfilling. Everyone has their ideas as to who The Horrors are trying to be. I personally see them as a bizarre concoction of all their influences, somewhere between Psychodelia, Garage Rock, 80s Pop, 90s Baggy and a tranced out chill-out room. “Still Life” is immense but by far the biggest track on the album is “I Can See Through You” with a anthemic organ riff, peculiar guitar tones and almost Xanadu-esque synth stabs.
http://thehorrors.co.uk/ 

 

 

British Sea Power, http://www.britishseapower.co.uk/

A Turn In The Dream-Songs - Jeffrey Lewis
Whoa! Look dudes, it’s that Jeff guy, running around like dear dead Mr Vonnegut when he’s done lost his winning parking ticket. What’s not to like? These songs about the primordial sludge and being love’s answer to a Fall B-side are full of wit, wisdom and melody. Suddenly Mr Richman is back, back, back and now with a PhD – in Advanced Robert Crumb Studies.
http://www.thejeffreylewissite.com/ 

Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
Wow! Raised by wolves in the Etruscan countryside, Anna hits the record racks like Gala Dali shouting it loud in the Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s. Confident, seductive, FAB-U-LOUS! In our dreams Anna’s ŒSuzanne And
I’ will soundtrack a particularly tasty tango on Strictly Come Dancing’s Xmas special.
http://annacalvi.com/ 

Diamond Mine - King Creosote And Jon Hopkin
The laddies convene in a bonnie Fifers cafeteria, hoping for extra bread and frying with the fried bread – plus all the latest tips on spill-free refuelling for outboard motors. But, crivens, what’s this? A voice from high in the albi-celeste and lyrics of rarest back-o’-the-beermat beauty. This dispatch from the Fence Collective also somehow hints at the happy hours BSP spent at the glorious Away Game event up on the isle of Eigg…
http://www.kcjh.co.uk/ 

 British Sea Power are, well…just awesome.

 

Julia Grant, Loose Records

Nothing Is Wrong – Dawes
I’m sorry, I know it’s a Loose album, but I’ve allowed myself one in my top 3 and it genuinely is my favourite album released this year. It just is so fucking good. I guess I’m working for the right label then. Taylor Goldsmith is one hell of a songwriter. And it all sounds even better live!
http://dawestheband.com/

Factorycraft – Found
Released through my second favourite label, the super-cool Chemikal Underground, this album is faultless – I really couldn’t think of a bad word to say about it. I’m a sucker for Scottish accents and combined with these catchy songs… wow. I was hooked from my first listen. Can’t recommend it enough.
http://foundtheband.com/ 

Sleep Beneath The Willow – Daniel Romano
Third choice, this was really tough. I changed my mind so many times. I think I’m going to have to go for Daniel Romano though. His voice. OH GOD, HIS VOICE. Yes. I like to think this will be an album I could come back to in ten years time and still go all gooey over. Beautiful.
http://www.danielromanomusic.com/

 

 

Sandra Bhatia, organiser of the Honeyfest festival.

High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher
High Flying Birds is a collection of all those genius type B Sides Noel wrote back in his Oasis days. Stripped back, intense and simplistic remind me why this magic man had the ability to pen the sound track of a generation.
http://www.noelgallagher.com/ 

Velociraptor - Kasabian
Kasabian have pretty much delivered on all their albums. Even though this isn’t my favourite, they have still managed to inject their distinctive personality and package it in a familiar way that echoes some of my favourite bands from yester year. So of course, I bought them again…
http://www.kasabian.co.uk/gb/home/ 

Fall – Gorillaz
Damon Albarn is a modern day musical Rubik’s Cube. An incredible, mind blowing talent with that many creative sides… The Gorillaz is one of the sides which just experiments and works. Love ‘The Fall’.
http://gorillaz.com/

The wonderful Honeyfest is a cracking one day festival in deepest Wiltshire. The second edition is on 14th April 2012. Read a Green Wedge review of the first ever Honeyfest last year, featuring Laura Marling, Damien Rice and The Magic Numbers.

Blandine Demailly speaks to Fairewell’s Johnny White and falls under the spell of his dreamy, blustery debut.

On first listen, it would be easy to try and label Poor, Poor Grendel. There is an obvious shoe-gazing sound to it, courtesy of its long, dreamy instrumental tracks. However, there is much more to Fairewell’s debut album than that as it turns out to be a rollercoaster of emotions, taking its listener from happy places to more reflective, lonely ones. And as we find out more about the man behind the music, it makes perfect sense.

Fairewell is 27-year-old Johnny White, a native of Sheffield now living in London. Fairewell is not his first alter ego as in his teenage years he released two albums under the name of The Rollercoaster Project. We are told that he is currently also the member of a punk band called Tesco SS; their song, ‘Store Locator,’ is short and loud – as all good punk songs should be! – and quite the opposite of what is to be found on Poor, Poor Grendel.

How, then, does Fairewell fit in these various projects? “Fairewell follows the trajectory of the music I’ve always made myself,” says White. “Bands I’ve been a part of outside of that have all been quite different, but that’s just because I like playing music and I like lots of different music. I am an official unofficial member of Hygiene, their album ‘Public Sector’ is one of my favourite albums maybe ever.”

White’s eclectic tastes appear in an obvious manner on his first Fairewell record. The first single, Born Under A Bad Sign, is an upbeat, airy pop tune in which the vocals are slightly covered by the sounds. Despite the coldness and loneliness of the song – with lyrics about snow and not hearing a sound in supermarkets – it has the strange ability to raise the listener’s spirits, as powerful as a spring-like melody that makes you want to go out there and do millions of things. With an old-fashioned video that is equally nostalgic and sweet, Born Under A Bad Sign sets the mood in an adequate fashion.

Indeed, White qualifies his lyrics of “magic loneliness”, a loneliness reinforced by the album cover which represents him as Grendel, Beowulf’s great enemy, hiding underground; he is alone among the cold shades of green, grey and blue of the oil painting. Grendel is actually omnipresent on this record, with two tracks named after him on top of the artwork. After reading John Gardner’s Grendel, White started to feel like his own version of him.

Grendel, it seems to me, appears to have been turned into a “lonely monster” because of the world that surrounded him. Is it something he relates to, to a certain extent, I ask him. “I’m not sure if Grendel, or my Grendel, was shaped by the world around him.

“I think he was cursed to forever be trying to force his way into the world and at the same time keep himself far away, and it that way he stays lonely. I’m obviously not a huge amount like Grendel, I mean I don’t get mistaken for him in the street, but there’s a part of me that always feels very Grendel.”

I wonder if White’s unusual obsession with supermarkets finds its roots there: being alone in a place surrounded by strangers. There is something rather contradictory about supermarkets.

And these contradictions are all over the album. Besides Born Under A Bad Sign, So May We All and its heavy bass line sound haunting, almost claustrophobic.

It is followed by Sunday Towns, a keyboard-driven song seemingly coming from outer space whereas Honey Street has a something nostalgic about it, as if it could take you back to your childhood or the key moments of your life. Others of Us, on the other hand, is the quintessential indie pop/rock song.

However, the most impressive track remains the epic 11-minute-and-25-second instrumental Wild Meadow / I’ve Been Locked Away. Was including largely instrumental songs a conscious decision? “Not really,” says White. “I never really know where the songs are going to go when I start them, it’s very rare (in fact so rare that it’s never happened) for me to sit down and think ‘I’m going to write this kind of song’, it normally just takes shape in a kind of half-daze panic in the studio and then I try to shape it as best I can.”

With so many different sides to him and his music, it is no surprise that Fairewell is capable of finding inspiration in everything that comes his way. “I’m inspired by pretty much everything the whole time. What goes into the songs is mostly these thoughts and feelings that I’ve been walking around with for years. However, art and books and films are a big influence because they influence me to frame these things in a certain way. Possibly that what all art does anyway. For example, the film Manhunter is a big influence, the way it looks and the heaviness of the light, but the reason it was such a big deal was because it helped release all these ideas about music that I’d had half formed anyway. There aren’t things that don’t go into Fairewell.”

Here’s to hoping for many more records, then!

Poor, Poor Grendel is out now on Sonic Cathedral.
Buy the album here and here
facebook.com/fairewell

Friday 2nd December, 1pm, XOYO, Shoreditch. FREE!

Artrocker magazine is a curious beast – a common sight in independent music shops of the country and trendy cafes and bars of London, the music magazine purposefully eschews the mainstream indie music chart-led hubris and, despite it national circulation of 30,000, has its red-ribboned heart firmly in London’s cultural boiling pot.

Since the implosion of Melody Maker and Sounds, Artrocker is the only serious rival to the NME, having grown from a weekly email news letter in 2004.

And now, as if to celebrate and cement its growing reputation of a force of some journalistic influence on the alternative music scene, Artrocker is holding the inaugural Artrocker Awards Ceremony 2011 this Friday at XOYO in, where else?, Shoreditch, London.

The awards start at 1pm, and there is no charge for the awards show. The first 50 guests in the queue will receive wristbands for the ace evenings show of live music (from 8pm, £15 a ticket), with some of the greatest bands and artists of 2011, and Gary Numan, appearing together across two-floors at XOYO this Friday (2nd December 2011), until 3am.

With Gary Numan.

The ceremony kicks off at 1.30pm, finishing at 6pm, taking over the whole of XOYO and, brilliantly, includes FREE BOOZE for everyone for the whole afternoon.

Then, from 8pm until late, the live music.

So, as the boys and girls at Artrocker advise, get your drinking boots on and join Artrocker to put some much needed ROCK & ROLL back into the music industry

With Gary bloody Numan!

Full information and full categories and nominations can be found here: www.artrocker.tv

• VITAL INFORMATION •

Free Booze all afternoon • Eat before you arrive • Arrive promptly • Free entry for awards

No dress code • No tables • Famous faces • Photobooths • Proper awards and winners

The Jim Jones Review. They will be loud.

Getting the party started in XOYO’s Gallery Bar will be DJ Sets from the legendary electro pioneer Gary Numan, Jim Reid of The Jesus & Mary Chain and Tim Burgess, whilst events downstairs in the main room will see live performances from the best live band of 2011, The Jim Jones Revue, Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys and, following tours with The Duke Spirit, The Subways and stella performances at Reading & Leeds 2011, the best new band around, The Computers.

With further DJ Sets from young guns Tribes and Is Tropical, this will be a party to remember, so start your Christmas celebrations now!

THE BEST OF 2011

2 DECEMBER 2011 @ XOYO, LONDON

8PM – 3AM

£15 ADVANCE TICKETS

XOYO
32-37 Cowper St
London
EC2A 4AW

ROOM 1 (Gallery Bar)

DJ SETS FROM:

GARY NUMAN
JIM REID (THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN)
TIM BURGESS
TRIBES
IS TROPICAL
AND MORE!

ROOM 2 (Basement)

GRUFF RHYS (LIVE)
JIM JONES REVUE (LIVE)
THE COMPUTERS (LIVE)
HEAVENLY JUKEBOX DJS

£15 ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM:

SEE TICKETS http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/GRUFF-RHYS

TICKETWEB http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=477798

XOYO www.xoyo.co.uk

Ahoy ahoy, good pop-pickers of this scepter’d isle.

As a fair chill returns to the air, and a browning hue to the trees, Green Wedge pulls on its woollen hats and scarves and brings you a whole new collection of great songs ready to sing out the dying summer and welcome in the darkening autumnal evenings.

I know, I know. We’ve been away for a wee while, but there’s a very good excuse for this. It was summer and, frankly, there were festivals and gigs and BBQs and parties whose booze gently but forcibly needed  liberating by concerned and caring citizens.

But we’re back, bigger and better (although ‘better’ is entirely subjective). Lovingly chosen and crafted by the Green Wedge team – Silvia Rucchin (SR), Skye Corewijn (SC), Blandine Demailly (BD) and Matt Hanley (MH) – introducing our November playlist

1. Nina – Jamie N. Commons

Here comes the big surprise. Close your eyes and listen to the marvellous Nina and I bet you would think that powerful voice belongs to an old bluesman, a Devil’s son who’s begging for redemption. Open your eyes and, now that you’ve found out Jamie N Commons is not a grumpy Tom Waits but actually a young dude from New Cross, what will you think?

This song exudes experience, heart and inspiration. Clearly Jamie N Commons can’t be bothered with age because Nina is one of those songs miles away from musical stereotypes. He might be a white and young Londoner but he can cry his tears somewhere in America like a modern Huckleberry Finn. (SR)

The Baron EP is out now.
http://www.jamiencommons.com
https://www.facebook.com/jamiencommons 

2. You’re So Cool – The History of Apple Pie

Dreampop lady lead vocals aren’t anything outrageously new, but Stephanie and the rest of History Of Apple Pie have managed to produce something hard not to like. Light and airy, these Whitechapel locals have evaded my muso radar untill coming across You’re So Cool - a sugary and jaded tune, best for daydreaming bus rides or some other nonchalant activity.

Whitechapel based, London quintet, The History of Apple Pie sing 90s based American dreampop. With Galaxie 500 and Pavement as influences, lead guitarist, Jerome and vocalist Stephanie charge on with songs like You’re So Cool; fuzzy and sweet, a real summer single drenched in blasé effects, like they’re saying; ‘Yeah, this is super easy.” Numerous UK tour dates are on the cards along with NME Radar Tour, The Great Escape and Field Day festivals already behind them. (SC)

Second single Mallory is released on November 14th.

http://www.myspace.com/thehistoryofapplepie
www.facebook.com/thehistoryofapplepie 

3. Ellie, Rebecca - Then Thickens

Jon-Lee Martin has a new little project and with only a few lo-fi recordings it’s all a bit of a treat. Ellie, Rebecca is a lazy day song with typically simple stylings and a voice that’s something oh-so-charming and as the song creeps on you’re starry eyed by hazy melodies.

It’s a build up to be sure, in essence, Then Thickens make a sweet sandwich. Tasty toppings one by one; keys, beats and harmonies layered until’ it’s over and been wholly consumed by hungry ears. (SC)

http://thenthickens.tumblr.com/,
http://www.facebook.com/thenthickens,
http://THENTHICKENS.BANDCAMP.COM

4. Solar System - 200 Years

With the days growing shorter and colder, one of the best seasonal treats is to sit on the couch with a blanket and a cuppa to keep you warm, a good book to devour and, of course, music in the background. 200 Years‘ Solar System brings this perfect airy, stripped down sound to your playlist.

Ben Chasny’s subtle guitar playing and Elisa Ambrogia’s soft vocals are reassuring and, while this is all that you may need these days, it is just as easy to imagine this track as a soft whisper on a summer night as you look at the stars. Think Great Lake Swimmers or slightly quieter Bon Iver. (SC)

Solar System is taken from the duet’s first self-titled album, out now.
http://www.dragcity.com 

5. White Horse – Cold in Berlin

Cold in Berlin turn on its head the angular vocal gymnastic’s of The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O, aping the minimal bass driven theatrics but here threaded with doom and despair, before exploding into a expletive-laden lambast against the straw dog belief of salvation: ‘Black hole take my soul so I am nothing’… ‘There is no White Horse, and you’re a stupid little fucker if you thought there was.’

Cold, emotional and fatalistic, misery has seldom made you want to dance so manically. Cold In Berlin will have you grapsing at nihilism with the romance of a doomed love. (MH)

White Horse was released on 10th October. Cold In Berlin will be releasing their second album in 2012.

http://www.coldinberlin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/coldinberlinband

6. Landfill – Daughter

Wow, how have I not heard of Daughter before? Crystal and gentle vocals effortlessly walk about the airwaves reeking dreams. I know artists hate comparisons but Feist screams to mind as Elena Tonra and crew take on Landfill.

North London born and bred, Daughter is a gem. The first lines of vocals hook and hold on; you’re a gonner within seconds, line and sinker. (SC)

Daughter’s debut EP ‘His Young Heart‘ is out now.
http://ohdaughter.bandcamp.com,
www.facebook.com/ohdaughter  

7. Up, Up, UP - Givers

Your dog may have died, you may have lost your iPhone, you may have accidentally put salt in your cuppa – but as soon as Up Up Up kicks off – you’re cheered. With that irrepressible, dare I say it, afro-borrowing tempo and guitar pluckings, airy lyrics that quite literally makes sunshine aurally tangible – Givers have created an ace summer tune that will get put a skip in your step sending you up up up.

Lafayette, Louisiana based quintet smashed SXSW in March and are set to release their debut single Up Up Up come 4th July. Now you wouldn’t necessarily pick the bayou as the home of an up an coming indie band from the USA but – here you have it. Theses guys are ones to watch – vocally rich with an infectiously fun sound mixing afropop with southern charm. (SC)

New album In Light out now.
http://giversmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GIVERS

8. Green Leaved Trees – Jonny Kearney & Lucy Farrell

Jonny Kearney and Lucy Farrell met at Newcastle University back in 2005. Eighteen months ago, the duet released their much-acclaimed first EP, The North Farm Sessions. Praised by no other than The Guardian and Q Magazine, which both gave it four stars, and receiving airplay on BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 and 6, debut album Kite – out since early October – was certainly much awaited.

If Green-Leaved Trees is anything to go by, no doubt listeners will be content: the lazy drumming and light, discreet instrumentation mixed with the complementary male and female voices could be mistaken for the soundtrack to a stroll around New York City on a hot summer day if only it did not sound so obviously British. Far from breaking your heart, this nostalgic tune will undeniably warm it up. (BD)

New album Kite is out very soon.
http://www.jonnyandlucy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Jonny-Kearney-and-Lucy-Farrell

9. Into the Trees - Still Corners

Listening to Still Corners is floating toward endlessness. And being skyward bound throughout their debut album, ‘Creatures of an Hour’, Into The Trees is no exception.

They’re airy shoegaze demanding attention as drums roll and mirage like melodies draw you in. Hypnotic, angelic whispers leave you dazed; and reality is some sucker who barely exists. Having stirred glittering reviews and calling London home, you should be able to catch them soon enough. I heartily advise it. (SC)

http://stillcorners.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/stillcorners

10. Tame the Sun - Male Bonding

East London three-piece Male Bonding take you back to your teenage years when you wanted your music loud and energetic and the songs short and efficient. Fast drum-banging, electric guitars which nearly cover up the lead singer’s voice and a melodic bass line… this is what Tame the Sun is all about.

The single is taken from their second album, Endless Now, which was released on Sub Pop in August of this year. The Seattle-based label is best known for signing some of the major grunge bands back in the 1980s/90s, so it is not so surprising to find Male Bonding’s indie rock record – produced by John Angello (Thurston Moore, Dinosaur Jr. among others) – in their catalogue. (BD)

https://www.facebook.com/MALE-BONDING
http://www.myspace.com/malebonding

11. The Tide – Jack Joseph

Jack Joseph never wanted to be in a band. Starting off as a lonesome troubadour, winding his way through life’s folksy thoroughfares, fate bestowed on him a drummer and a fellow guitarist and suddenly the world had a wonderful trio, Straw Milk, singing beguiling songs about love and life and warming the heart of this shivering reviewer at the end of Brighton pier on a cold spring morning. Cider was also involved.

Complete with slide guitars and brush drums, The Tide takes the listener on a voyage of love and commitment, but frayed around the edges with the self doubt and uncertainty of a man at odds with his assuredness.

‘I’m all out of reasons. I used to be so sure. It comes with the seasons, leaves with the tide.’

One person’s crisis of faith is another person’s self-expression. In The Tide, Jack Joseph uses one to inform the other. And a good job, too. (MH)

jackjoseph.bandcamp.com
www.myspace.com/jackjosephmusic

12. Something Is Better Than Nothing - Tashaki Miyaki

Any decent rock tune that is coming out the indie-sphere right now is very ‘90s, rough and shoegazey. Like Tribes and Yuck for instance.  Neither modern nor old. Not experimental yet so immediate. Something Is Better Than Nothing by the LA duo Tashaki Myaki fits perfectly in this trend.

This song has such a strong 90’s grunge revivalist vibe we may want to say “already heard, next please”, but in fact Tashaki’s relaxing and monotone voice makes the track addictive and enjoyable. The perfect choice for both a lazy afternoon  and a cool retro chic night out. (SR)

http://tashakimiyaki.bandcamp.com/

13. Going Wrong - Catherine AD

With a voice as bleakly haunting as Tori Amos and as passionate as Regina Spektre, and woven with the idealistic literacy of her idols the Manic Street Preachers, Catherine A.D has already gathered Courtney Love, Lauren Laverne, Rob Da Bank and Steve Lamacq as fans.

Going Wrong is a beautiful 4 minute lament to the hurt and broken dreams that only the catastrophic love of a person can bring, with violins and piano mourning the loss of a once-brilliant shared future.

“This is the hope that you sat on. See how it’s squashed into the ground now,” she cries.  ”I think something’s going wrong inside this head of mine, because it’s a very very sad place.‘ (MH)

Catherine A.D‘s Communion: Live at Church Studios, was released as a mini album in October and precedes a full length album, to be released in 2012.

http://catherinead.com/
https://www.facebook.com/catherineADmusic

14. Born Under A Bad Sign - Fairewell

Sheffield native Johnny White released two albums as The Rollercoaster Project before becoming Fairewell. Fascinated by supermarkets, he says, ‘I have yet to be surprised in the supermarket. It’s calming, like meditating. I just enjoy going to them.’ Calming and meditating could qualify Born Under A Bad Sign: the song has an old-fashioned nostalgia to it, reinforced by White’s voice which sounds much more mature than what you’d expect from a 27-year-old and is reminiscent of that of American crooners.

He states that ‘magic loneliness’ is the main lyrical theme of his record. With Born Under A Bad Sign feeling like the perfect track to a lonely white Christmas in the city, he couldn’t be more right! (BD)

Fairewell’s debut album Poor, Poor Grendel is released in December.  The launch party will take place on 6th December at the Shacklewell Arms in Dalston, East London.

https://www.facebook.com/Fairewell

15. Lonely In Your Arms - Deep Sea Arcade

Drawing on the lo-fi surf pop fad – you’ve got to love this song. Mind you, leaving London and relocating in Australia makes the surf thing far more viable. Hinting on melancholic, it’s 80s and new wave rolled into a delicious day on the beach in 1964. Nothing astonishingly new; but Deep Sea Arcade are doing a good job nonetheless.

Led by vocalist Nic McKenzie and bassist Nick Weaver, Deep Sea Arcade combine their love of ‘60s beat, surf and psychedelic pop with 80’s new wave, and 90’s indie.  Having just signed to Ivy League Records in Australia,the relocated McKenzie seems to have made a good move. London gave him Britpop and Sydney gave him Weaver and a DIY studio, where the rest of the crew made their way over and Deep Sea Arcade came into being.  Lonely in You Arms hits us via New Music Club, and it has already found a home on our radio waves. Oolala. (SC)

Lonely In Your Arms is out now.

http://www.myspace.com/deepseaarcade
https://www.facebook.com/deepseaarcade

16. Hurt Me - The Jezabels

It’s all about drama. What made Florence Welch the multi prized artist that is her now grotesque and theatrical stage presence, dark personality and refined sense of style; surely it wasn’t not her average pop tunes.

Hurt Me by Australian band The Jezabels might adhere to the same formula. The frontman is actually a woman whose powerful voice and falsetto would delight both an Opera and Glastonbury. But there’s something quite solid and vintage about this track. On a piece of paper, it should be irritating because  of all its 80s pop references but it’s pretentious and ambitious enough to become The Indie Pop Anthem of the next months. (SR)

Debut album Prisoner is out now.

http://www.thejezabels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/The-Jezabels

17. Squealing Pigs – Admiral Fallow

Tickling guitar with no attempt at muting an accent, makes you want to head to the country, meet a boy and hold his hand. Sqealing Pigs has simple charm with a steady and quite engrossing build up – from dreamy to Mumford and Sons at what sounds like a barnyard party.

Great ol’ ditty; foot stomping and pints all round.

From the rolling hills of kilts and thistles, Admiral Fallow bring their heartfelt indie pop to happy ears all over the UK. Ranging from riotous cacophonies to gentler tunes – their music is a fresh and happy indie from the highlands.

Having opened for Belle and Sebastian at the O2, hitting up Glastonbury this year and getting loads of media attention; watch ‘em. (SC)

Debut album Boots Met My Face is out now.

http://admiralfallow.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AdmiralFallow

18. Devil’s Banquet - Our Mountain

It’s incredible how good you can feel thanks to a cathartic, semi-Gothic  and frankly disturbing grunge song. After all, isn’t  Smell Like Teen Spirit all about that? All about taking  the angst and depression out of desperate teenagers (and adults as well)? Once again, the 90s have never been so close and relevant.

Devils Banquet is such a modern grunge anthem full of guitars, pain and sufferance you can’t help but feeling empathy. Some might say there’s nothing new on the horizon, but sometimes it’s better to cut and copy something worthy than trying hopelessly to be original. (SR)

Devil’s Banquet is out now.

http://www.myspace.com/ourmountainourmountain
https://www.facebook.com/pages/our-mountain/144372552103

And, finally, now for something (not too) different.

Joy Williams and John Paul White of, where else, Nashville, USA, make up the bluesy duo The Civil Wars. Coming to attention of the Great British unwashed when they performed live an ultra stripped down version of Barton Hollow on Later…with Jools Holland at the beginning of October, their debut album is that most rare of beasts: a good country album.

Barton Hollow album is out now.
http://thecivilwars.com/

Brucie bonus: Now, pay attention. Neoliberalism is why the country, Europe and most of the western world is currently fucked. It’s a market-driven approach to economic and social policy, based on wonky ideas that glorifies the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalised trade and open markets. The system seeks to transfer control of the economy from public to the private sector, under the belief that it will produce a more efficient government and improve the economic health of the nation.

And it is also, of course, utter bollocks.

Here’s US comedian and activist Lee Camp delivering a guided missile-accurate dismantling of the neo-liberal fuckwittery that has paradoxically broken the world whilst making a small band of men extraordinarily rich.

You can subscribe to Lee Camp podcasts from his website here. I heartily recommend it.

Green Wedge, signing off. See you next month, comrades.

If you live in London you need no introduction to the Camden Crawl. It’s been a welcome to
spring and festival action for years now, and so, you have a pretty good idea what you’re in for before putting foot on the high street. It’s a blissful weekend of beer, bands and blurred walks home.

And so, a launch party is nothing more than a novelty and excuse for pre-emptive jubilation and a very early start to the weekend.

The Star of Kings opens it’s doors to Camden Crawl lovers from 6pm for a surely enjoyable and dare we say, cost effective, way to spend your Wednesday night. Kicking things off a Rough Trade Shops pub quiz, followed comedians Tiernan Douieb and Phil Nichol for sniggers and such.

The night would not be complete without tunage from scuzzy rockers, Two Wounded Birds and self acclaimed chaos, Young Legionnaire with Good Girls Gone Bad DJs till we’re booted out. Beer, bands and a blurred walk home… sounds like the Camden Crawl.”

For more information:
http://starofkings.co.uk/2011/10/camden-crawl-launch-party/

CAMDEN CRAWL 2012

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

DATES: Opening Night Party at KOKO: Friday 4th May 2012 5pm – 4am

Camden Crawl Weekend:
Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th May 2012 (May Bank Holiday Weekend) 12pm – 4am both days

TICKETS: » Early Bird Weekend Tickets £57.50 (£10 off standard ticket for limited period)
» Early Bird Weekend Tickets + Opening Night Party £62.50
» Opening Night Tickets @ KOKO £20.00

** ON SALE 9:00 AM WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2011 **

Tickets available from the following outlets: 24 Hr CC Hotline 0871 2200 260 / See Tickets 020 7403 3331 OR buy online: www.thecamdencrawl.com

Tickets are to be exchanged for wristbands which allow unlimited entry to each of the participating venues as individual capacities permit. Ticket price includes lanyard programme guide, festival magazine and 2012 compilation album

Climate change denial, Mercury Rev & Michelan-starred banquets – brand new ‘grown up’ festival Wilderness re-imagines how festivals should be.

12th – 14th August, 2011

wildernessfestival.com

Green Wedge returns to Oxfordshire for the next in our review series of intimately hedonistic and indulgent festivals of the British summer (lazier reviewers would dash off the brusque label of ‘boutique’ – a pox on their pseudo-trendy house(s)).

Nestling secretively in the wild countryside that electrified the imaginations of Lewis Carroll, Tolkein and, er, Tim Henman, the brand new Wilderness festival brings us a forested, byzantine celebration of music, food, poetry, debate and dancing that Oxfordshire’s favourite children would be proud of.

To quote the blossoming Latitude festival, Wilderness is so much more than a music festival. In fact, from the same people that brought us the wondrous Secret Garden Party and MAMA Festivals, Wilderness has ensured that the music line up plays a stubbornly equal billing to the literary debate, the evening banquets (yes, I said banquets) and the weekend theatre.

But first, the music.

Unsurprisingly, from such an eclectic festival comes an eccentric billing. Ukraine’s unhinged Gogol Bordello grace Saturday night’s headline stage, amply supported by the omnipresent Dry the River, the raggae-tastic Toots & the Maytals from Jamaica, the joyous many-headed racket of Chicago’s Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, and the mental covers-but-not-as-you-know-them bluegrass madness of deep south USA, Hayseed Dixie.

Sunday’s music line up is of a more familiar, but no less spectacular, fare. Anthony and the Johnson’s are set to headline, beefed and backed up by the Heritage Orchastra, while the blissful Mercury Rev will play their seminal Deserter’s Songs album in its entirety.

The bluesy genius of Daniel Johnston brings his own vulnerable rhythm and blues to the festivities, with Laura Marling, The Guillemots and The Low Anthem Sunday’s supporting acts.

So far, so exquisite.

But, most excitingly of all – the late night parties. Put the kids to bed, slip on your favourite persona, and join the make-believe. The theme for Friday night’s shenanigans is, seductively, Where the Wild Things Are, brought to you by the good people from Secret Garden Party. The promise is to ‘transform an ancient forest clearing into a theatrical landscape of make-believe’.

Then, don your mask and gown, and prepare for the ever-decadent Last Tuesday Society-hosted Midnight Masked Ball on Saturday, including ballroom dancing, late-night story telling, puppet theatre, processional bands, séances and life drawing.

And to accompany this sensory feast, Wilderness have drafted in Michelin-starred chefs Skye Gyngell (Petersham Nurseries Café) and Sam and Sam Clark (Moro restaurant) to host daily banquets for 800 people. Not your usual dubious burger vans, overpriced noodle shacks or fleecing pizza stall here, oh no.

In between having your ears warped and your face stuffed, there is also rich food for the brain at Wilderness, as Intelligence Squared and Idler Academy organisations erect a four-tent marathon of lectures, seminars and debate.

Over the weekend, expect to hear the good (Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace, Dr David Bramwell’s talk on modern utopias, Ben Moor of the Frisbee Tree Golf sessions, author and futurologist Mark Stevenson, and philosopher and author Julian Baggini), the bad (editor of Spiked online, Rory Sutherland, and professional climate change denier and Torygraph attack dog James Dellingpole), and the lunatic (UKIP member and discredited ‘High Priest’ of climate change denial Viscount Monckton of Brenchley).

The latter two will be speaking for the rather irresponsible motion Don’t Let the Eco-Warriors Spoil Your Fun. Speaking against the motion will be Mr. Naidoo. And some very pissed off people.

Incidentally, here is a hilarious short film of Dellingpole having his arse handed to him on a plate by a climate scientist (2 min 20 in). This debate should be fun.

On top of all of that, The Old Vic, The Tax Deductible Theatre Company and Factory Theatre will be putting on a range of top class theatre throughout the weekend. Mesmeric.

There’s even a bloody Wilderness Spa by the beautiful Oxfordshire lakes, with hot tubs, saunas and massages; just the thing to calm down with after some verbal jousting with people who oppose scientific consensus when it doesn’t fit their ideological world-view.

And there’s so much more besides.

Judging by this packed programme, Wilderness has gone all out to create an exceptional festival for ‘grown ups’. For a very reasonable price, it has distilled the original ethos of Latitude and Secret Garden Party, drawing out the essence of intelligent entertainment, prodding the senses on myriad levels like a kaleidoscopic wanderlust of down-the-rabbit-hole curiosity. Or something.

At the moment, it’s a well kept secret. I would get your tickets before everyone finds out.

Knee-jerk reactions from anti-euthanasia campaigners and the Daily Mail to a forthcoming Terry Pratchett fronted BBC documentary about the right to die are ill informed, patronising to viewers and aim to place death beyond rational discussion by mature adults. By Andrew Taylor.

Originally published 27th April, 2011

Dr Peter Saunders, Director of the anti-euthanasia lobby group ‘Care not Killing‘ has accused the BBC of ‘acting like a cheerleader for assisted dying‘ because the film follows a man in the latter stages of motor neurone disease to the Swiss euthanasia clinic Dignitas and stays with him until the moment that the drugs which are administered take hold. Dr Saunders’ position is illogical; by this rationale, a broadcaster that shows a documentary about Hitler would inevitably be a Nazi sympathizer. Filming a man end his life does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that you are suggesting that others do the same. This view also shows contempt for the viewer and their ability to come to an informed opinion from such a film.

Screaming and shouting at the BBC for filming a man in the last moments of life is an extremely irrational thing to do. After all, death is of course an essential part of life and an inevitability. Propagating fear about death is never a constructive thing to do. It may just be that a sensitively filmed documentary that follows a man who has made a reasoned and informed decision to end his life whilst still entirely mentally competent could in fact help others to deal with fears surrounding death and have a greater understanding of what it must be like to face terminal illness.

As the broadcasting of the documentary is still several months away, we can only speculate as to how Pratchett and the BBC have handled the issues involved but it is easy to sympathise with the official BBC statement (quoted by the Mail) that ‘death is an important part of the human experience and is integral to any discussions about assisted dying, which is why it is appropriate for it to be included.’

If an individual’s quality of life is set to rapidly decline to a point that they feel that they would have no quality of life at all or they have a terminal illness which will lead to an agonising and slow decline before death, it seems only humanistic and caring to allow an individual the autonomy to make an informed decision whilst they are able. A rigorous legal framework would need to be in place if assisted dying were to be legalized in the UK, but a situation where an individual is denied the option of making a decision about their future or a family member is criminalized for helping ease their pain is frankly immoral.

The BBC certainly is.

The Daily Mail does of course love nothing more than sticking the boot into the BBC – so the opportunity for them to engage in tub thumping moralizing about euthanasia whilst sticking the boot into the BBC must have been too good an opportunity to miss! However, the contribution to this debate which needs the strongest rebuttal of all has come from Tory MP Nadine Dorries who has stated that ‘a programme like this will romanticise assisted death and dying.’

How anyone thinks that footage of a seriously ill man being overcome by a lethal dose of drugs could in any way ‘romanticise’ assisted dying is beyond me. She demonstrates serious naivety about the issues surrounding assisted dying and also contempt for the judgment of the viewer equal to that shown by Daily Mail writer Liz Thomas.

In their article, the Daily Mail insinuates that the BBC is somehow irresponsible for making this documentary, however these are issues which need to be discussed. The response Sarah Wooton, chief executive of campaign group Dignity in Dying summed it it brilliantly in saying ‘Claims today suggest it is irresponsible to screen a documentary which explores assisted death; I believe it is irresponsible not to be discussing this issue and therefore driving it further underground.’

Terry Pratchett should be commended for his courage in addressing these issues whilst he deals with Alzheimer’s  disease and the BBC should be supported in their decision to discuss assisted dying in a frank and open manner.

We should not allow squeamishness about death and knee-jerk reactions to attempts such as that of the BBC’s to explore assisted death to cloud genuine debate on euthanasia and the arguments for legalising it in Britain.

Tomorrow, radical Christian Symon Hill begins his long pilgrimage from Birmingham to London, in penance for his past homophobia. Here he explains why.

Symon Hill, associate director at Ekklesia

In 1997, I described opposition to same-sex relationships as being a matter of “God’s opinion”, rather than my own. I made the remark to my colleagues in the Christian youth centre were I worked. One of them was gay. That same year, I nearly told a thirteen-year-old to reject her lesbian feelings. And I voted against the ordination of ‘practising homosexuals’ as ministers in the denomination my church belonged to.

This week, I will begin a walk of 160 miles from Birmingham to London as a pilgrimage of repentance for my former homophobia.

I will begin with a launch event in Birmingham on Wednesday evening and start walking the next morning. I will give talks at churches along the route, encouraging Christians to take a stand for equality. I will arrive in London on Friday 1 July, speaking at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church that evening before joining the Pride march the next day.

News of my walk has provoked a range of reactions. A right-wing US website has accused the churches that are hosting me of “apostasy” (but as the same website regards Barrack Obama as the antichrist, I’m not too worried). At the other extreme, someone commenting on an online Guardian article wrote that he would never forgive Christians for homophobia, even if I were to crawl to London on my knees.

At the same time, I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received. My pilgrimage has been endorsed by eleven national organisations, as well as a number of churches and local groups. They include the Student Christian Movement, Accepting Evangelicals, Bisexual Index, the Greenbelt festival and Workshop (who run courses on radical Christian discipleship).

I have been deeply moved by many personal messages of support. They have been sent by a real range of people, from gay Christians to straight atheists. They include a gay Methodist minister who used to deny his own sexuality, a heterosexual Muslim who compared homophobia to Islamaphobia and a bisexual Pagan who sent me myrrh powder to use on blisters. I was nearly moved to tears by an email from a Christian mother who had initially struggled with the fact that both her adult children are gay. She had come to accept their sexuality and now promotes LGBT inclusion in the Church.

There is nothing unusual about my journey from homophobe to equality activist. Many Christians have made a similar transition. I don’t claim that my homophobia was worse than theirs or my support for equality more effective. As a Christian, I believe God has already forgiven me for the sin of homophobia. My pilgrimage is not an attempt to win God’s favour. And it’s years since I abandoned homophobia and adopted very different views on sexuality. So why am I going on this walk?

When the idea for the pilgrimage came to me, I knew that I would act on it. While it felt quite sudden, I could see that it resulted from thoughts that had been going round my head for some time. Looking back, I can see four strands that came together.

Firstly, personal accounts from both acquaintances and strangers made me more firmly aware of how much hurt I had caused and contributed to. Secondly, I became more confident and open about my own sexuality. The majority of people I find attractive are women, but some are men. Accepting this has helped me realise the damage I did to my own integrity.

Thirdly, I have become convinced that Christians who oppose homophobia must speak up as loudly as those who promote it. Recent years have seen a backlash against LGBT rights pioneered by certain Christian groups. There has always been some strong opposition to same-sex relationships, but there are now organisations such as Anglican Mainstream and Christian Concern for whom this is a core purpose.

This seems to be a reaction to the decline of Christendom – the situation that prevailed for centuries, in which the official church enjoyed considerable political and cultural power. Christendom has faded in a multicultural society. For some Christians, Post-Christendom is an exciting opportunity to reject churches’ collusion with wealth and power and turn again to Jesus’ teachings of compassion and radical inclusivity.

But for other Christians, Post-Christendom is frightening. They cling on to the last vestiges of Christendom, such as bishops in the House of Lords and privileges for faith schools. Perhaps because of the speed with which attitudes to homosexuality have changed, they have latched onto the issue as the one to fight over.

Fourthly, I now see more clearly the links between queer freedom and other issues which I really care about. I have long campaigned for nonviolence and economic equality. Jesus saved his harshest words for the rich, the powerful and religious hypocrites who choose legalism over love. He challenged relationships based on power and abuse in favour of those rooted in love and forgiveness.

In our society today, love and power provide competing motivations for relationships and sexual expression. Both hedonism and legalism deny love. Hedonism is based on selfishness. Legalism requires conformity to social conventions that serve the interests of the powerful, for example in the way that the “traditional” nuclear family fits well into the economics of capitalism. Resistance to homophobia must involve resistance to the social and economic structures that have benefited from it.

Not everyone thinks so. For some, the social acceptance of homosexuality is an opportunity for profit. Britain now has its “first gay wedding magazine”, which perpetuates the same consumerism peddled by its straight equivalents. Equality must mean more than the right to be economically exploited on the same basis as others.

JC throwing 'a wobbly' at the Temple

I am sometimes accused by socially conservative Christians of accepting same-sex relationships simply because I am endorsing the most popular values of society. This is far from the truth. The values that dominate our society are values which are, in theological terms, idolatrous. Our politicians and corporations worship at the altars of money, markets and military might

Jesus sided with those on the margins and predicated that those who hunger for justice will be satisfied. Many other people, both religious and non-religious, have taught similar values of radical compassion. Any attempt to put these values into practice at a social level must involve a rejection of capitalism, militarism and other abusive social structures.

I reject the values of secular liberalism. This is not because they are too radical. It’s because they are not revolutionary enough.

-

Is the end in sight for the ban on gay marriage?

-

For more information, and to keep up to date with Symon’s pilgrimage, please keep an eye on his blog at http://www.repenting.wordpress.com.

Symon is the Associate Director of Ekklesia, an independent, not-for-profit thinktank which examines the role of religion in public life.

Follow Symon’s pilgrimage on Twitter @SymonHill using #walkofrepentance

Or follow news by “liking” the walk on Facebook – http://t.co/85Dni4i.

WOOD festival, population: 800, and crafted into the beautifully rolling Oxforshire countryside, provides for an utterly remarkable and spell-binding weekend.

There’s something cocooned in a sleeping bag, rolling past me down the hill, and over there small children are poking a roaring open camp fire with large sticks. There’s another child walking past with what looks like a tiny lamb in her arms. And there’s a wizard, jumping around like a loon to the awesome music coming from the solar powered main stage.

These are indeed interesting times.

As reported here, WOOD is run on 100% renewable energy, have composting toilets and bicycle powered stage. For their eco-loving troubles, WOOD organisers Robin and Joe Bennett have green awards tumbling out of their finely tuned ears.

WOOD is a marvellously family-friendly affair; much like a Woodcraft Folk away day but with infinitely better music. The music alternates between the two renewably-powered stages: great because you never miss a thing, but a pain in the arse to constantly have to shift around, just as you’ve relaxed into the warm grassy slope in front of the main stage.

Photo by Amelia c. Amelia's Magazine

But that is a minor quibble in an otherwise glorious weekend.

Headlined by Thea Gilmore, Eliza Carthy and the supreme Willy Mason, the weekend’s line up was as rustic and folky as it was typically esoteric, but still with the odd rock and roll surprise.

This is a quick interview with Willy Mason, in which the US alt-country singer struggles heroically while an idiot interviewer (me) waffles on about compost toilets, offshore wind farms and the rapture, and then insults him by suggesting his earlier bands were crap!

Willy Mason interview by Green Wedge

Of the bands playing cross the two small, renewably powered stages, honourable mentions musty go to Goodnight Lenin, Zues, Dreaming Spires and the Treetop Flyers.

The afternoon music finishes every day at 3pm, which leaves two or three good hours before the evening session for the workshops, food or, in many cases, a cheeky snooze.

Your intrepid Green Wedge correspondent, however, was having none of that. Into the morris dancing workshop we strode and, an exhausting hour later, we were capering, swaggering and thwacking our sticks together with abandon.

Here’s a rambling interview with head bell ringer and Morris man-in-chief Sem Seaborne, of the Icknield Way Morris Men.

Morris dancer interview by Green Wedge

We also carved some mean lino prints (back to front in the end – schoolboy error!), but due to an unscheduled diary change we completely missed out on how to make musical instruments from vegetables.

The positive environmental message that threads together this festival runs to a rather wonderful bicycle powered tent that hosts a cinema, a club and a small stage for acoustic sets. On either side of the stage sit a dozen bikes, all hooked up to the tent’s generator. If there’s not enough pedal power, the power dies.

And this happened at one memorable point.

As The Magic Numbers’ Michele Stodart was in the middle of her short solo performance on the bike-powered stage, a number of the riders who were dutifully aiding her beautiful songs decided to take a break, and the mic and amp duly ground to a halt. Up rushes loyal brother and Magic Numbers front man Romeo, leading the charge to rescue his poor sibling from an ignoble end, slinging his leg over the nearest bike and pedalling furiously. Up cranks the electrics, and sister Michele continues her melodic enchantment.

Fresh from her performance, and being constantly, but sweetly, interrupted by children and well-wishers, here’s a very short interview with Romeo and Michele. Again, apologies for my inane wittering. You won’t learn much from this interview, but they’re absolutely lovely people.

Magic Numbers interview by Green Wedge

Romeo was spotted a few hours later, smoking his pipe while warming himself up by the festival campfire.

Finally, a special mention must be made for the band Dreaming Spires, who finished the whole festival off with a barnstorming set late Sunday night and then in the bar early into Monday morning. Robin and Joe Bennett, the two brothers who put together WOOD, as well as Truck festival and also run the Truck store in Oxford, both front this wonderful part Beatles, part Stone Roses rock and roll band. Their rollicking, boisterous cover of the Boss’ Born to Run was the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

Dreaming Spires’ new album is out soon, and they’ll be playing near you soon. I heartily recommend that you join the queue to see them.

WOOD is a fantastic festival in which to refresh and recharge the soul. Its intimacy and interactivity is refreshing for adults and children alike, from the wonderfully run workshops to just saying hello and sharing a cider with any of the bands and artists kicking around the site.

Belying the hours of stress and hard work that I’m sure went into organising WOOD, everything is thought through with a breezy contentedness to secure the festival’s ecological awareness, tremendous good humour and enduring comfort. The punters return that faith in spades to make WOOD festival a roaring success and top quality addition to the festival season, staying just the right side of hippy.

The Truck Monster. Photo by Amelia c. Amelia's Magazine

And all watched over by a monster of loving grace.

-

Most of these lovely photos were taken by friend of Green Wedge Amelia Gregory of Amelia’s Magazine, Green Kite Midnight and a world of other pies that she has her fingers in. Do pop over and read her far superior WOOD review instead relying on this ponderous ramble.