Cool Manchester

The Statler Project

Mechanical Intervention album review

By Andrew Barclay

I first saw the Statler Project live back in 2009 at The Star And Garter.

They were like the cosmic collision child of Happy Mondays, Joy Division and Primal Scream.

They are back with a new album, fronted by Bob Spiers The Statler Project really are a fresh sounding band and its my pleasure to relate to you the brilliance to be found on ‘Mechanical Intervention’

‘Industrial Temptation’ marches off into a slick and sleazy disco funk, Spiers vocals are a barrage of rhyme and intent until he sings “all things will disappear” and it’s here echoes of Primal Scream can really be heard. A fine song to start the album off with.

‘Escape The Mundane’ is clever tight funk-dubbed up and sprayed with keys and guitar to heighten the impact. The vocals lead strongly and the chorus pay off if I have to compare, reminded me of Depeche Mode mixed with some Fad Gadget. Repeated listens make this an ear worm you’ll be singing to yourself all day long.

‘Sasquatch’ shows the band have a sense of humour, something seriously lacking in some artists. Its disco beats and strange synths add up to a tidy little ditty about, well… bigfoot of course!

‘Buzz Buzz [prelude]’ fades into what is a brilliant sounding funky jam with edges of modern jazz in there, my only complaint is that this wasn’t 8 minutes longer

‘Contrast’ is aptly named, the bass and kick drum start this intense dark number off.

Bobs spoken verse reminded me of Robert Kings vocal delivery on one of the Scars more well known tracks. The whole track is musically veering into prog rock territory put always pulls back into that brilliant dark sound that’s now all their own.

‘Head Down’ is bellowing synth disco with ace bass descending lines that get you moving upon hearing them. The vocals, fast and clear again, burst into an infectious chorus ‘’they say you have to keep your head down”. Love it.

‘Superiority Complex’ is a crashing disco animal with a duel vocal that really pins Spiers voice upfront. A lovely guitar riff comes in around 2.36. The whole song works and the pay off is thrashing guitars being brought down into a strange psychedelic guitar/synth chanting end.

‘Ma Buzzer’. Sample ‘well I have a sort of suggestion’ … over a dubby funky bass.

It moves into a free form sounding jam of funk, dub funk and soul. More sampled voices.

A nice little instrumental break.

‘Buzz Buzz 1 & 2’ well my patience was rewarded. The song prelude from earlier comes back and its disco bouncing funk reminds me of the more funk fuelled moments from the stones in the 70s.

It ends the album on a high upbeat note and I highly recommend you check it out now.

Reviewed By Ewan Saum

After going through difficult times and several changes in the band lineup, the latest offering from Gabrielles Wish “Hypnagogic” shows a return to form from the band. Extremely well written lyrics and complex melodies make “Hypnagogic” one of the best albums by Gabrielles Wish to date. The album will appeal to both new and old fans alike, it has darker strong guitar led-tracks (reminiscent of some of the tracks from “Portal”, released in 2003), which will appeal to the hard-core Gabrielles Wish fans, and it has more accessible upbeat tracks for new fans. 

THE NOISE OF ENGLAND, the opening track, is very much in my opinion “The Noise of Manchester.” An excellent dark instrumental with heavy guitars, akin to The Fall, Joy Divison and James (during their experimental “Wah Wah” period). 10/10

DIGITAL STALKER is classic Gabrielles Wish. If you are good at what you do, why deviate from it? Strong guitar from Steven Bunn, great vocals from Rob Corless (reminiscent of Mark E Smith from the Fall), with Eastern undertones. “Freedom is just a word” 10/10

INDISPOSABLE HAPPINESS is a poppier sounding track but with lyrics that are definitely not pop, and more challenging, with a lot of religious connotations. Robert Corless sings “God loves a fool, Christ knows I’m a fool” witty lyrics comparable to those of Frank Zappa. 8/10

 CELEBRITY PIGSTY is a very dark avant-garde track, similar to the work of Peter Christopherson (from Coil, Psychic TV and Throbbing Gristle), with a dig at the status of untalented reality-show celebrities being at the forefront of media in today’s society . 8/10

WANDERING THE STREETS. After the dark offering of “Celebrity Pigsty” comes “Wandering The Streets.” This is a great pop tune, with great vocals from Robert Corless, and excellent heavy drums. No wonder this track was released as a single! 10/10

WAR UPON YOURSELF, starts with an Eastern-feel to it (akin to The Cure’s “Snakepit”) and never strays from it, but also maintains a Gabrielles Wish sound to the track, thus making it their own. A truly original track. “Right on the money.” 9/10

DESTINY IS APPARENT. This track is a mish-mash of traditional Gabrielles Wish melodies with glam rock. Love the saxophone on this! 9/10

SEVEN FOLD. This track is very similar to The Fall. The drumming 2:20 min into this track is excellent, as is the bass guitar throughout the track. 8/10

HIT THE ROAD. The music in this track reminds me very much of The Cure during their “Pornography” period, but again Gabrielles Wish add their own stamp on the track and make it their own. The vocals on this track are almost Floydesque! 8/10

STAND TOGETHER. The most accessible track on the album. An excellent pop track, well deserving of it’s single release. Great complex guitar melodies, great vocals, and a really well produced track....LOVE IT!!! 10/10

ROUND AND ROUND (SQUARING THE CIRCLE). This track reminds me of Gabrielles Wish’s albums “Reformer” and “Circa”. I like the retro 80s/90s synth-feel to this song. 8/10

WASTED. Superb bass guitar on this track from Darren Moran. This is one of the weaker tracks on the album, however, it is still a good one! 7/10

ALPHABET FIVE ONE TWELVE. An epic track, with slightly gothic undertones, and romantic lyrics from Robert Corless. “Always be there for you, she is my true love, look in your heart now.” 9/10

 QUADRA is an excellent track, and an fitting finale to the album. Gorgeous melodies, superb use of the flute, which further enhances the track. Both stunning and beautiful, and nice female backing vocals too! 10/10

I thoroughly recommend checking out this album, if you haven’t done so already, and purchase a copy to keep supporting our talented local bands. Long live Gabrielles Wish, may they continue for many years to come!

Ewan Saum INDUSTRY BIO.

Ewan Saum has spent nearly 10 years in the music industry, as both a band manager and a gig promoter; having raised money for cancer charities inc. “Gig 4 Life” and “Versus Cancer”, and helped out with music festivals. 

Ewan started out as a Music Supervisor in the Film Industry, due to his knowledge of the current music scene, and of bands across the world. He has won 3 awards, from the radio station “Radio Gets Wild,” for “Best Soundtrack,” and was nominated for the award of “Best Soundtrack” at the prestigious East End Film Festival in 2014.

00's indie-pop hero's THE ORDINARY BOYS 

are back and coming to Manchester.

Support comes from North West bands Faitala and Flight of Arrows. 

PRESS RELEASE

Doors: 7pm 

Ages: 18+ 

Date: 8th November 2015

Venue: Night & Day Cafe

Tickets now on sale at Night & Day Cafe £10: http://bit.ly/1HrEYj2

For more information and guestlist accreditation please contact Gareth Butterworth or Tommy Ford on: 0161 236 1822 alternatively gareth@nightnday.org or assistant@nightnday.org

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Gareth Butterworth

Booker/Promoter 

Night & Day Cafe

Ryan Jarvis – Moving Far Too Fast (Single Review)

By Ian Jackson

Eromeda Records 2015

Looking way back into my distant past I recall arriving in Manchester at the train station in 1989 all the way from …Watford.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with Watford, I love the place I grew up there but it was and perhaps never shall be the ‘hip’ center of ‘cool’ that Manchester was then and still is today.

Back then one Mr Tony Wilson had met me and took me for a tour around the city and talked (and he COULD talk) for hours about socialism and the cities industrial past and of course, his much beloved night club and record label.

I had a hint of De Ja Vu when I arrived at Piccadilly train station this time around.

Andrew James Barclay to give him his full name set up Eromeda Records over 5 years ago with his sister and brother. Andrew was giving me a grand tour of the ‘Northern Quarter’ area of Manchester, seemingly very proud of his city.

And funnily enough, he’s a socialist idealist, just like Tony was.

I’m not comparing the two men in anyway side from one glaring and very obvious thing, the eye for talent and the joy of seeing talented men and women thrive. Ryan’s story with Eromeda started nearly 4 years ago.

David Barclay had been sifting through unsigned singer-songwriter acts for weeks.

He’d become depressed by what he was hearing. A rash of very promising artists

but nobody with ‘star quality’.

Upon hearing Ryan’s ‘Outside This Town EP’ Andy and David decided that Ryan was such a star and signed up him with a view to developing a raw talent into something polished and ready to blow music fans heads off.

All involved have succeeded.

‘Moving Far Too Fast’ is the perfect pop song.

Its melodies are spritely and slight but hang together like a wonderful frame for Ryan to hang his lyrics over.

Its perhaps the simplicity of Ryan’s work that saw this single peak at 28 in the iTunes Singer Songwriter Charts (two notches above Ed Sheeran).

The lyrics are simple. They tell simple stories. The melodies are simple. They lodge into the listeners mind like some form of musical ear worm and refuse to leave until you get your next fix of the song.

A great debut A side and one I’m sure he’s very proud of.

The B Side is a Piano version of his earlier crowd favourite ‘Outside This Town’.

It’s not the greatest recorded music I’ve ever heard I’ll be honest.

Although for a B Side its an interesting curiosity but the main treat here is the

single itself and what a single it is.

Maybe you can tell by now that I enjoyed Ryan’s work?

I’m also seeing a wide cross section of possible fans. I’m 53 in November.

My daughter is 19 herself soon and she loves Ryan’s single as much as I do.

Hopefully my next trip up to Manchester will be to meet and interview Ryan.

Until then I’ll keep this song on spin cycle, I implore you to do the same.