Double Groove (By The Leeds Music Hub) Free / Issue 1 / Winter 2014

DANCING YEARS

PlusTake Turns

/ Galaxians

/Marsicans

/Albums of the Year

2014/

Gig Listings

the leeds music hub

I set up the Leeds Music Hub just over two-and-a-half

years ago, after a similar length of time spent working

on, and worrying about, making the idea a reality.

The concept itself was relatively simple – to

create an open space for local music, which could

operate as a means to access the grassroots scene, as a

social/hang-out space, as an alternative music school, and a diverse, informal and music-devoted events space. The idea stemmed

from an unwavering, fully Yorkshire-pride, love of

the local music-making scene and a real excitement for its broad range of musical and creative outputs. But it was also founded in my experience of where the

local music community lacked a certain infrastructure or support network. There

are so many talented people doing so many creative things in the city, but

I saw the Hub as a way of addressing some of the more fractured social aspects of how Leeds’ pocketed creative

communities interact (not always very much), as

well as offering another alternative aspect on Leeds

and new music in general (beyond the high-profile, the

student nights, the large scale Academy events and now the Arena). I hope it raises awareness of Leeds’ active “underground” music scene, increases engagement with music-making as a social activity with the local

population, strengthens the community side of it all and encourages people to value the city’s grassroots music

and its creators.The Hub houses a café space, a shop for local releases,

A short introduction by The Music Hub founder

Kate Zezulka

spot t

he differenceteaching rooms for informal lessons from practising

local musicians, an events space which hosts workshops,

seminars, live sets... as much as I can programme!

Since the Hub opened, it’s grown exponentially and it definitely feels like it’s become the underpin and

day-time focal-point to the music scene that I’d hoped.

Its progress is really exciting to me and I hope that it will continue to

expand and involve even more of the local community.

But I’ve never really got the hang of explaining the Hub as well as I’d like –

come down and experience it non-textually, that’d be a far better introduction!

Albums of the year

Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 2

Run The Jewels are a hip-hop ‘super group’ consisting of rap titans Killer Mike and El–P, but if you’re easily offended, then maybe this album is not for you. Wade

past the potty mouth antics, and you’ll find one of the

most exciting hip-hop albums of 2014. Swerving between dirty double-time beats and even dirtier lyrical

disses, it’s an album that reeks of defiance. They’ve

also just been announced for next years Reading & Leeds festivals, and this album

is guaranteed to provoke an explosive reaction. So if you’re going, be careful, and expect utter mayhem.

Bombay Bicycle Club – So Long, See You Tomorrow

You may have worked out by now that Bombay Bicycle Club are neither from

Bombay, or own a bicycle club. Infact, this is the bands fourth album, and arguably their best. All the usual components are

there, and Jack Steadman’s silky-smooth voice is as

charming as ever. But there are a few seismic tweaks. Apart from the odd song or two, you’ll be hard pushed

to find a guitar on this album. Which is a stark

contrast to their debut ‘I Had The Blues and Shook

Them Loose’, where guitars featured heavily throughout.

But if you’re upset about that, then listen to ‘Carry Me’ or ‘Feel’, as they are guaranteed smile raisers.

Museum of Love – Museum of Love

LCD Soundsystem drummer Pat Mahoney has decided to team up with the Juan Maclean’s Dennis McNany, to produce an album that is likely

bring tears of joy to his former band mate James

Murphy. Their self-titled debut has everything you’d expect from a DFA release,

with its slick drum machines and bountiful amounts of electronic wizardry. Many LCD fans may be surprised to hear Pat sing for the

first time, and there aren’t many drummers that could move so seamlessly into the limelight at Pat has

done in this album. But he seems just at home behind the microphone as he does with a pair of drumsticks in his mitts. It’s also

worth noting that ‘Learned

Helplessness in Rats (Disco Drummer)’ is quite possibly the greatest song name ever.

Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witness

The second full length offering from the Illinois based singer saw her sound evolving in a way that few would have predicted. She

ditched her acoustic guitar and went electric, which has transformed her sound

entirely, and has given this album a real punch that

would be powerful enough to knock out any half-decent

boxer. ‘Burn Your Fire For No Witness’ is one of the greatest love stories you’ll hear all year. You

feel every ounce of Angel’s heartbreak when she sings, “Everything is tragic, it all just falls apart, but

when I look into your eyes, the pieces of my heart,”

in the emotionally charged ‘White Fire’.

Parquet Courts – Sunbathing Animal

Parquet Courts have actually released two albums this year, but we’ve decided to go with their first.

‘Sunbathing Animal’ manages to retain their trademark

razor sharp kick that epitomised ‘Light Up Gold’. But ‘Sunbathing Animal’ is less raw and more refined than it’s predecessor.

There is also perhaps even more of the usual Parquet Courts lyrical wit packed into this album. “Racing down the stairs in a nude decension, shedding and

discarding my hide,” drawls a very cheeky Andrew Savage in ‘Black & White’. Parquet Courts are fast gaining a

reputation for having one of the most hectic and sweaty sets around, so make sure you go and see them live!

(Oh and if you like cats then check out the video for ‘Sunbathing Animal’, it will

definitely make your day.)

St. Vincent – ‘St Vincent’

Apparently Annie Clark started writing this album the day after she got back

from touring with David Byrne, and it seems like she may have picked up a few tricks in showmanship from the legendary Talking

Heads frontman. If you see her live, expect to

be dazzled by syncronised dance routines that wouldn’t

look out of place on Stop Making Sense. You sense

that not many artists would attempt to pen an eclectic brass fuelled dance-romp,

but Annie has, and ‘Digital Witness’ is one of the

best songs you’ll hear all year. There are numerous adjectives that could be

used to describe this self-titled album, but none could do it true justice, except

maybe pure genius.

take turns /interview

This is an exciting moment for Take Turns, it’s their first official interview. So naturally I ask them what’s the first thing they would like to be published about them. “We think our bassist

might have hyperthermia, he’s been wading around half-naked in Wharfdale canal all morning.” Oh, right. There is a reason for this though, and it’s not because they’re avid fisherman. It’s to do with

their new music video, which features Zen Warriors, a running competition, and bassist Rob emerging from the canal in a slow motion shot. They assure me that

he looks like Daniel Craig, but I bet James Bond never

contracted a serious medical condition from an icy-cold

Leeds canal.

Early reviews of bands can

The band are about to release their new EP

‘Animal Fat’ when I talk to them, and I’m incredibly

interested to know how such a nice bunch of lads came up with such a gruesome name, and an even grislier album cover. “Well Animal Fat in

general is a nice expression that I like, and it was the first song we did this EP. So I sought of knew it was going to be called that, as it was like the blueprint

of what we were going to do for this EP,” says Mark.

Drummer James Grinton chips in with the story of how he made the cover art,

“With our previous EPs the cover art has been an after

thought. With this one I wanted to make something that looks gross, which reflects the song as it’s about fast food culture.

sometimes be way of the mark, as some journalists

feel the need to pigeonhole artists by comparing them

to already established acts. Take Turns have been

subjected to this, as they’ve been compared to

Parquet Courts, Blur and NME said they have a ‘shade of Biffy about them’. “I was a bit surprised by the Blur

one to be honest,” says lead singer Mark Wright. “I can see where they get Parquet Courts from though. Because when we first started out, we

started off with more pop punk influences, but those have now waned, and we use college rock as a starting point.” So I ask them to describe who they think

they sound like, and they throw various names around like Superchunk, Pavement

and Sebadoh.

So basically I bought lots of burgers from McDonalds, and went into my yard, and started hitting them with shovels. I looked like a

lunatic. My neighbors came out of their houses and were

just watching me hitting burgers and throwing mayo

at them.”

There has been a question that has been bothering

me for days, and it’s the kind of trivial question that’s perfectly suited

for a session at the pub, so it seems right to ask the band. “Which crisp do you think you could throw the furthest?” I say as my face reddens whilst taking a sip of ale, fearing that I’ve completely misjudged

the situation. But I haven’t, and their eyes

light up. Never have crisp aerodynamics, surface areas

or weight, been more hotly discussed.

I leave them debating it, safe in the knowledge that

I’m not the only person who has been perplexed by the great crisp-throwing

conundrum. But I’m also not the only person who will be taken in by the bands

friendliness, entertained by their stories of backyard burger smashing, or who

will fall in love with the spectacular riff-heavy tunes

on ‘Animal Fat’.

Dancing Years describe themselves as a ‘five-piece band who play songs’ but

really they’re being rather modest. Because not every ‘five piece band who play songs’ get the chance to

play Reading or Leeds, tour with George Ezra, or have their songs played on the radio by Huw Stephens, Jen

Long and Steve Lamacq.

The band recently decamped to Sweden to write some new

material, and try their hand at as many adventure

based activities as possible it seems. “We had this

beautiful little lodge by a lake, and every day we used to go swimming in the lake, and do a bit of canoeing or rowing. We basically spent the rest of the time having a good time, and trying to write some songs in between it,” says lead singer David

dancing years /interview

Henshaw.

The band have so far released three singles,

which are some of the most sincere and heartwarmingly smooth indie ballads your likely to hear for a long time. Seeing as they’ve

written some new material, I feel as if it’s appropriate

to ask them the dreaded interview question. Is there

an album in the pipeline?

“That’s kind of what we’ve been working on before we came on tour with Boy &

Bear. Our drummer’s friend had a barn that we’ve

commandeered, and we’ve just been trying to write as much music as possible. We’ve got a lot of material

that we’re sat on, which is a bit of a first for us. We’re used to writing music and releasing it straight

away, so it’s nice to have a collection, but I think we’d maybe think about releasing

an EP first.”

In June of this year, Dancing Years embarked on a full UK tour supporting

George Ezra. “We absolutely loved it, George is a

brilliant guy,” says David. Did they have any worries about playing to such big audiences? It appears not.

“They were the biggest shows we’ve ever played, and we were really excited about that. It was also a very

different crowd that we were playing too, as we are used

to playing to people our own age, and I’m not sure if 16 to 18 year old girls are really our demographic. But I think we got a few of them on board,” they giggle.

After having a song included

galaxians /interview

Leeds future-disco duo Galaxians have been tearing up stages across the country

recently supporting the likes of Har Mar Superstar,

The Juan Maclean and The Tom Tom Club. I had a chat

with Jed and Matt from the band about speedboats, being startstruck by Tina Weymouth, and the current state of the Leeds music

scene.

Please could you tell us a little bit about yourselves for anyone who hasn’t heard

of Galaxians before?

Matt:We’re a duo (Jed Skinner: synths & programming // Matt Woodward: drums &

programming) from Leeds and we play live dance music

using analog synthesizers, acoustic drums, drum machine sounds etc. We met in 2011

and started playing shows in 2012, and have played in the UK and Europe a fair bit since then. So far we’ve had

four releases, all vinyl cuts, of course!

The Leeds music scene is getting a lot of positive press lately, why do you

think this is and what are your thoughts about it?

Matt:For me it’s the best place

in the country to make music, because it’s a city full of talented musicians,

proactive people, and a tangible, strong sense of community. My thoughts on the positive press thing are that it’s cool to see that recognition from the

press and I think it’s deserved. People here have worked really hard - and continue to do so - to

on a film soundtrack, the band decided to take it one step further, and they are currently composing their own soundtrack for local Leeds DIY film ‘Busking

Tearfalls’. “We love cinema, and the music that goes with

it, so we’d definitely be interested in pursuing it further. You obviously get paid well in film as well,”

jokes David.

Before the interview I flick through the bands

music videos, and there’s a particular comment

on ‘Leaving The House’ that I have to ask them about. A commenter named

‘maturecheddar’ said “I want to roll Dan up in a carpet and keep him under my bed”.

So they beckon guitarist Dan Fielding over, and the look on his face is one of

worry and intrigue. But he’s

surprisingly welcoming about maturecheddar’s advances, “It’s nice to hear that people want to give you

attention like that. But if I was to take that literally

then I’d don’t think I’d like that,” he says. It’s safe to say that 2015 is set to be a good a year

for Dancing Years, as long as they manage to fend off advances from cheese-based

commenters that is.

a vinyl-only kind of band and our songs are so long

if we did an album it would probably have to be a double

12”. We’ll see.

You’ve played with some great artists (Tom Tom Club, Zombie Zombie and Ital) But what has been your favourite

gig to date and why?

Matt:The Tom Tom Club show was definitely a highlight. I was pretty star-struck at the moment I shook hands with Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz. They were so utterly charming and

eccentric and friendly that it only increased my love

and affection for them. Our show at L’International in Paris this year was also incredible. I mean, who

wouldn’t want to play to a packed-out room of beautiful

happens. The way I see it is that Galaxians isn’t

really about us as people but about the music, so it’s the music what matters, to

borrow a phrase.

Could you tell us something about Galaxians that nobody

knows yet?

Matt:We’ll be doing a European tour in May next year and buying a shitload of gack and a speedboat. One or

more of those statements is false.

Jed: No, because nobody

knows about it yet.

Parisians all losing their shit and getting on stage

to dance around you?!

Jed:It’s really difficult to pick one gig out because

we’ve been really lucky to be able to play at a lot of really intimate spaces where people have been really up for it. But playing Beacons

Festival this year was unbelievable. It seemed like so many people were there. I was so nervous that my

hands were shaking. But it was totally exhilarating.

Have you ever thought of adding vocals to your music?

Jed:

We definitely want to explore new things. Working with a singer is a definite yes, as is collaborating with

other musicians to see what

build something meaningful, with a high quality-control

threshold, but I’d guess that a lot of people in Leeds might feel that it

would be the same regardless of positive or negative

press.

You released ’Personal Disco Component’ and ‘Galaxians’

through US dance labels Dither Down and Rotating Souls last year, can we

expect any more releases in the near future?

Matt:Hopefully! We currently have

around 70% new material in our live set and by the time we get to spring 2015 we should have enough new music to record 10 songs. We would really like to do an album as we’ve done EPs and singles only so far.

Only problem is that we’re

marsicans/wharfchambers

Marsicans look a little embarrassed. Its their sold out homecoming show and the

crowd are singing every word, of every song back to them. There are throngs of

long fringed lads in leather jackets bouncing off the walls like malfunctioning pogo sticks, despite the fact that the venue is so hot that any avid potter

would have been happy to use it as a makeshift kiln.

It’s been a busy year for the Leeds four-piece.

They’ve just released their new EP ‘Chivalry’, and

have earnt themselves some impressive support slots

with Catfish & The Bottlemen and Embrace. But you sense by the rapturous reception

this gig received, that it may well have been the highlight of their year.

If catchy pop hooks were criminal, then Marsicans

would be wanted men. Every song is packed full of dangerous amounts of

delicious guitar licks and harmonies so sweet, that it’d be wise to book a

dentist appointment after extensive consumption.

They are a band that are clearly enjoying themselves at the minute, as they all

excitedly bobbed around stage like a group of

teenagers who have just overindulged on their first

energy drinks.

At the end of the gig the crowd demanded an encore,

which they finally got after lead singer James Newbigging initially came onstage and embarrassingly waved off their requests. Which is the kind of support that some bands can only dream

of. A few more electric gigs like this one, and it surely won’t be long until Marsicans are lighting up venues across the country.

dancing years /brudenell social club

After being subjected to blasts of bitter winds and

icy rain on the journey to the gig, some people may have been tempted to

don their Christmas jumper early, and you wouldn’t of blamed them. But luckily

Dancing Years had the perfect remedy up their sleeves, a heartwarming set that could thaw the

frostiest of hearts.

There’s a reason why Dancing Years have toured with

Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Dry the River and Boy & Bear. It’s because they

have an uncanny ability to reduce any crowd to a state of utter gooeyness, which is

partly due to lead singer David Henshaw’s velvety

voice, which is warmer and more welcoming than any cup

of cocoa could ever be.

Their cover of Broken Social Scene’s “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl”, provided the rock

and roll moment of the set, and violently shattered the tranquil bubble that

they had worked so hard to create. As the band erupted

into the songs climax, a wave of grittiness swept across their faces, which

startled the besotted crowd into bouts of polite head

bopping.

Dancing Year’s songs sound like a collection of love letters, and if they are,

then the rest of you wannabe Romeo’s best up your game. Because Dancing Years are about to come and muscle in on your turf. But you

shouldn’t worry about that, because it’s likely that

they’ll charm the pants off you too.

“I miss you so much Bradley, even though we’re in the same house.” David repeatedly declares over

delightful shimmering guitars on set finisher ‘Keegan Bradley’. Well whoever Bradley is he’s

certainly missed by Dancing Years. But after tonight’s performance, these lovely Leeds lads will be sorely

missed by large sections of the Brudenell crowd.

Bilge Pump

Wharf Chambers19th December

Carvella

The Library 20th December

Martha Reeves &

The Vandellas

Brudenell Social Club21st December

Belgrave Music Hall4th January

Baby Strange

gig listings

Glass Skull

Nation of Shopkeepers 31st December

Brudenell Social Club26th January

Alvvays

Fresh from crafting one of the most beautiful singles

of this year, (‘Archie, Marry Me’) Canadian indie dreamers Alvvays return to our shores in January for a full UK tour. Their

self-titled debut album was produced by folk singer Chad

VanGalen, and was rightly featured on countless end

of year polls (except ours, sorry!). Those of you who were lucky enough to see

them in October supporting Real Estate, will know

that this is one not to be missed.

Jessie Ware

O2 Academy 24th January

The South-London songstress is one of the hottest names

in pop after releasing her second album ‘Tough Love’ earlier this year. Containing tear-jerking ballads, uplifting pop

ditties and Julio Bashmore produced dance numbers; you wont know whether to bring

out your hankie or put your dancing shoes to some good use. But one thing is clear; this is a gig not to

be missed.

One of Leeds’ hottest club nights has curated a line up of bands and DJs that will blow your Christmas themed socks off. Welcome the New

Year in style with Nai Harvest, Beach Skulls and Chaika, and better still, it’s absolutely free! What

better way is there to dance off all those mince pies you

consumed over the festive period; do you really need

any more convincing?

Hora Douse – Crash

If rage-poppers Pulled Apart By Horses and Turbowolf got together and had a child,

then Hora Douse would be it, a screaming mess of sweaty

brilliance.

The banshee-esque screaming in ‘Bored’ may make your ears bleed slightly, but it’s okay because ‘Speak’ is the perfect remedy for

that. It’s a sobering three minutes full of heartfelt lyrics and lilting guitars

that will wash away any moshing sustained injuries.

But the fidgety guitar on ‘Crash’ is likely to get your pistons pumping once more, so be on your guard.

Warning: do not listen to either ‘Crash’ or ‘Bored’ in a confined

space. It will make you

want to jump about in a highly aggressive manner, meaning that anything in the near vicinity will be

obliterated.

Like this? Then check out - God Damn, Menace Beach, Fawn

Spots or The Wytches

Cottonwoolf – Cottonwoolf

One look at the artwork of this EP and you can

tell that it’s going to be something special. It’s of a hitchhiker strolling around some picturesque mountains,

and it seems like the perfect setting to listen to

this dreamy set of songs.

Grant Fenell’s voice may be smoother than a freshly polished wooden floor, but don’t be fooled, as there

is venom in his sweetly sung words. “You call yourself a human, but you’re no more

than a dog to me”, he sings over some furious acoustic

noodling on ‘Owning A House’.

This debut EP is swimming in gorgeous reverb, and

you’d certainly be a fool

not to take a dip. Veering between the effortless

sounding guitar-licks on ‘Coming Up Roses’ and the emotionally charged ‘The Power’, Cottonwoolf show that they’re not happy to stick to one particular

style, which makes this EP well worth a listen. But

whatever genre it is, it’s rather beautiful.

Like this? Then check out - Incredible String Band. Tweedy, Damian Jurado or

Willis Earl Beal

ep/reviews

contacts us/

hellohubfanzine@gmail.com