Don't Speak (Too Soon)

In the past week, both Miranda Sawyer and Peter Robinson have put pen to paper to proclaim the death of masculine indie. Both writers bemoan the blandness of the four boys with guitars blueprint, directing readers to a roster of lovely ladies tipped to add colour and character to the charts in 2009; name-checking artists de jour Little Boots, Lady GaGa, La Roux and Florence And The Machine in the process.

Of course, Helen Of Troy... and our lovely readers are already aware that female's where it's at, but it's nice to know that even more people are turning to women when they want their music to be innovative, interesting and delivered with attitude. It's no new thing for women to top the charts, but the class of 2009 seem to exude an attitude and individuality missing from 2008 hot tips Adele and Duffy.

While this is all good news, and believe us, we're incredibly smug at the moment, it's important to note that the battle is far from over. Critics tips and proper crossover successes are completely different things. Just look at the relatively poor chart performance of Lykke Li, Ladyhawke and Those Dancing Days. Even the superb Santogold found it tricky to set the charts alight, despite soundtracking several high-profile ad campaigns.

Unfortunately, if the massive hype surrounding these female artists doesn't start equating to massive record sales, the safe-as-houses indie boys will be back and the under representation of women in music will return. Let's just hope the attitudes of the record-buying public are changing, or we'll be back to bland quicker than you can say Norah Jones.

Gig Review: Ladyhawke, The Roadhouse, Sunday 5th October

After watching Ladyhawke support act Little Boots, Helen Of Troy… knows what it wants for Christmas. The Blackpool-born electro-pop star-in-the-making creates her perfectly-polished sound with a Tenori-On (pictured below).

We’ve had a quick look round, and think they cost about £700. Helen Of Troy… is rich in many ways; spirit, knowledge and experience, but we’re not that rich money-wise, so we’ve set up the Helen Of Troy… Needs A Tenori-On Fund, details of which will follow later.

OK, enough with our begging and on with the gig review. First off is Little Boots, who quite frankly, is impossible not to like. She’s funny, in-control and cute - we fucking hate saying that, but she really, really is. Her electro-pop lite, which is reminiscent of Kylie at her very best, may lack substance, but as fun, danceable pop, it’s hard not to love.

On to the main event, 1980s-loving pop star Pip Brown. Even after a particularly busy and traumatic weekend, we were still well excited about this gig. As you’ve probably noticed if you’ve ever read this blog before, we’re quite big fans. Unfortunately, we left a little deflated. First of all, and this is not Pip’s fault, the sound was atrocious. For the first three songs, Professional Suicide, Manipulating Woman and Better Than Sunday (if our memory serves us correctly), her vocals were almost completely inaudible and without them, her music was rendered a little redundant. As the vocal volume increased gradually (though it was never consistently good) the gig got loads better, and singles Dusk Till Dawn, Back Of The Van and Paris Is Burning were very nearly delivered with the power and passion they deserve.

Secondly, the New Zealand pop star seemed so uncomfortable onstage, you almost felt guilty for asking her to play. It seemed like Pip would rather hide under a rock than rock out. We’ve seen plenty of shy pop stars before and not been bothered by their reticence, but this lack of confidence, combined with the poor sound, meant the gig was more of an apologetic whisper than the proud statement of arrival it should have been.

Music Round-Up (4th Of Oct to 16th Oct)

Saturday 4th October – Underachievers All-Day Festival
If you’re looking to do something this weekend that will inform your musical landscape and won’t break the bank in the process (see how we think of you during these times of credit crunch madness), check out this eclectic all-dayer. Featuring live music from the likes of Molly Macleod, Extinguish Her and Vile Vile Creatures, plus guest DJ sets from the guys from Underachievers Please Try Harder, Ladyfest, and yep you guessed it… us.
http://www.myspace.com/underachieverstrying
Details: Rampant Lion, Anson Rd, Manchester
3pm, £4 entry on the door, £3 after 11pm.


Sunday 5th October – Ladyhawke
We’ve said all there is to say on this magnificently-modish popstrel, and now the time has come to don your Patti Smith t-shirts and your Daz-white jeans and watch the lady herself in action. If you need yet another reason to leave the house on a Sunday night (weirdos), how about the fact that hotly-tipped disco queen Little Boots is supporting.
http://www.myspace.com/ladyhawkerock
Details: Roadhouse, Newton St, Central Manchester
7.30pm, £7.50 adv (excluding fees).


Friday 10th October – CSS
Last year we broke some kind of unofficial record as the people to have seen CSS the most in one year (not including festivals), but this year has been a somewhat different story - mainly due to the release of their slightly-underwhelming second album. Given the fact that the Bawdy Brazilians haven’t been seen in these parts for some time, it may be worth battling your way down the litter-filled Oxford Road and entering the jam-packed Students’ Union in the hope of a sneaky peak of Lovefoxxx’s newest catsuit!
http://www.myspace.com/canseidesersexy
Details: Academy 2, Oxford Rd, Central Manchester
7.30pm, £12.50 adv (excluding fees).


Friday 10th October -
Helen Of Troy Does Countertop Dancing
Once again we’ll be taking to the decks and spinning a stomping selection of girlie tunes for your very own pleasure. Also this month, we welcome special guest DJ Ben East, who has a freakishly encyclopedic knowledge of music, lady-led and otherwise. Expect to hear the likes of Ladyhawke, M.I.A., CSS, PJ Harvey, Santogold, The Long Blondes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Ting Tings,
Le Tigre and others.
http://www.myspace.com/helenoftroyclub
Details: Charlies, Harter St (off Princess St), Central Manchester
10pm, £4, £3 w/flyer or valid NUS.

Album Review: Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke

Helen Of Troy… has been loving Ladyhawke since we first heard her gloriously retro 1980s electro-pop back in spring. It's understandable, if a little embarrassing, then, that when we got our grubby little mitts on Pip Brown's eponymous début album, we were filled with the kind of giddy excitement usually reserved for 13-year-old girls.

Perhaps the reason for this regression is that Ladyhawke, Ladyhawke could have easily been released when we were young snood and cycling short-wearing whippersnappers. The album pays homage to so many great bands and artists of the 1980s that sometimes it's difficult to know where Pip's record collection ends and the New Zealand singer-songwriter starts. Opening track Magic sounds like Depeche Mode fronted by Cyndi Lauper and Another Runaway is incredibly reminiscent of The Buggles' Video Killed The Radio Star. The Pet Shop Boys, Hall & Oates and Stevie Nicks also show up at this 1980s soft-rock/electro-pop party.

Happily, although Ladyhawke wears her influences like a battered Bananarama badge, this album is much more than tired pastiche. Singles Paris Is Burning, Back Of the Van and Dusk Till Dawn are still utterly brilliant and there are a few hidden gems that grow with each listen. Oh My is delightfully multilayered and Professional Suicide is a dirty-beated treat. Ladyhawke might not have blown our pop socks off with her début effort, but this is an album filled with real promise. She's playing at The Roadhouse in October, and we can't wait to see how these songs sound stripped of the almost slavish 1980s production. We have a feeling it might be brilliant enough to bring our waning teenage giddiness back.

7/10

Released on: 22/09/08 Label: Modular

New Music: Ladyhawke

No, not the 1985 fantasy film starring Michelle Pfeiffer, but the up-and-coming retro-chic poptart, Pip Brown. The Modular-signed London-based Kiwi cites Blondie, Patti Smith and Stevie Nicks as musical influences, the later being the most obvious in her panoply of glittering musical offerings. With this in mind, it’s worth noting that Brown still manages to sound fresh and relevant, proffering a mix of 80s-influenced electro-tinged beats complete with funk-laden pop sensibilities. Latest single Dusk Til Dawn is the subtlest and sparsest contribution to date, but as is so often the case with Brown, less is definitely more. In other words this is evocative, melodic pop at it's electro-retro best.

Ladyhawke's eponymous début album is released on Monday 22nd September and includes recent singles Back of The Van and Paris Is Burning. You can catch Ladyhawke live on the 5th of October at Roadhouse, Central Manchester. Tickets cost £7.50 excluding fees.

http://www.ladyhawkemusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/ladyhawkerock