But it's doubtful that you even question for a second whether you like The Verve.
When we look back at the golden age of British rock they were in the front line, along with other bands that are still making awesome records (Supergrass, Portishead etc). The Verve have always stuck out as being different than their peers... and now they are back.
So now, they've done shows together. Nick McCabe played out with previous postees, and Mancunian up-and-comers, Lowline. NME posted a session of work they were doing. They've been busy getting their profile up. And now I present you with this little gem...
I wish I could provide you with more info, and perhaps will throw up an old b-side later... but I had to get this up with the quickness.
You know I like to tell dumb little stories. Here's my Verve story. I had tickets to see The Verve and Massive Attack but Massive Attack dropped off the bill at the last second, and it was going to be hard to get to the show so I said, "Oh I'll see The Verve some other time."
For years I've been kicking my ass. Hopefully now I won't have to :)
However, I doubt I'll ever get to interview them. I'm sure Richard Ashcroft has actually transended space and time and floats on stage now... that's way above what I can handle lol...
So... as you know... I'm not a huge fan of posting without an MP3. It's just... I dunno... it's an mp3 blog?!?!? Right? (Maybe I should rethink this, flesh out the site, and make it more than that... yeah? Maybe... someone want to be a contributor? Perhaps someone who actually LIVES in England lol?)... But every once and a while there comes something that deserves mention even if I can't get you the content RIGHT then.
My feeling about this is that if we "the listeners" are patient we will be rewarded by the labels in the long run. Obviously, they decided that the "blogosphere" is here to help and not to hurt, and since they are willing to extend an olive branch I'm willing to play ball as well.
Is that selling out? Nah, because if I don't like the song, or anything about the band, I'm gonna let you know right off the bat lol... there have been PLENTY, I mean PLENTY, bands that have NEVER hit this page because regardless of how free, or "cleared", the content maybe I'm not here to advertise for record companies. I think I've maybe made $18 dollars off this blog the whole time I've been doing it... trust me, no one is lining my pockets lol... in fact I'm so poor I can't afford to think right now lol...
SO ANY DAMN WAY... I posted something about Lowline a few weeks back mentioning they had a release in the near future... and the future is coming up on us quickly now.
They first started to pique my interest when Nick McCabe of The Verve played with the guys and gave them his blessing... I mean we all fucking love The Verve so his opinion means something. I mean, whenever like Adam Ficek from Babyshambles recommends something I listen... anytime anyone I admire recommends something that isn't JUST commercially based, my ears perk up...
So I did a little post about that... and now I guess I'm basically reviewing their track "Monitors" in hopes that I can get some goodies for you guys once the record gets released. Here we go... first you have a listen, then I'll tell you what I think...
"Monitors" strikes me as being a nice piece of the type guitar rock that I really miss. There aren't bands like this anymore that don't have some stupid agenda behind their music... everyone is trying to turn their stuff "new rave", or they are still aping The Libertines, or they are trying to break ground to the degree where they are doing the exact opposite. Lowline have managed to write an upbeat guitar song that isn't overly complicated... they aren't trying to be Interpol (although a little bit of that Manchester Joy Division seems to have seeped in there somehow lol), and they aren't trying to ensure they will be on the soundtrack of "Grey's Anatomy", they are just having fun and rocking out like bands from a more peaceful era. Basically "Monitors" strikes me as having been written in a "pre-911" era, totally devoid of extremely depressing angst (despite there being a bit of that in the song), and full of energy. Best comparison I can make is think Editors+Sunshine Underground+We Are Scientists-whining&pretentiousness= "Monitors". It reminds me of the the late Nineties, which, is something I sorely miss. It's not Coldplay, it's not Travis, it's not U2, and it's not The Verve lol... it's something that you will play repeatedly because despite being just under 4 minutes, it feels like it's only two. The chorus is super infectious and Owen Morris' production is superb. They may not have re-invented rock'n'roll but that's what I really like about this song... it just fucking rocks without overthinking things... and the world needs some of that right now (without being toss-away garbage)... if this is the single I bet the album will be a total fucking gem...
In search for a prophecy of 2008’s new order of rock and roll, British music need look no further than LOWLINE, as they begin their assault on the UK.
“More Manchester greats” - NME “The best new band in the country" - Tom Clarke, The Enemy “Lowline make timeless music like no one can at the moment. music with balls” Nick McCabe, The Verve
Monday 17th March 2008 sees the debut release from Lowline, arguably the most exciting new band to have emerged from Manchester in recent times. Monitors is a timeless indie anthem, the first yield from Lowline’s own youthful and uplifting brand of rock and roll. It combines addictive melodies, compulsive rhythms and an unforgettable chorus to create what some are already regarding as one of 2008’s most significant releases. The B side is Last Chance, a relentless and driving powerhouse of a track, which goes further to show the intensity, depth and urgency of Lowline’s sound.
Owen Morris (Oasis, New Order, The Verve) fell in love with the band, and was so convinced by them that he paid to take them into the studio to produce this; a remarkable, razor sharp record that brims with energy and promise. We see flashes of Manchester alongside notable references to Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine, but it is the bands ability to create a sound that is genuinely new that makes them so thoroughly exciting.
They have honed their craft playing a rift of raucous live shows and impromptu warehouse parties across the UK and release this single amidst a continuous touring schedule which has seen them develop an ardent and dedicated fan base.
This single is to be released amidst a massive level of radio and press interest, with major support already emerging from NME and XFM.
The word is out and Lowline are quickly becoming one of the UK’s most exciting new prospects, and in 2008 Mike, Andy, Sam and Robbie are intent on carving their own unique place in rock and roll.
‘Monitors’ 7” is available for pre-order. Digital version will be available from itunes on March 17th from HMV.
And here's the bio for those of you who missed it last time. AS I said hopefully next time I will have a nice b-side or a live track... but I think these guys are gonna be huge... the single comes out the day before my birthday so maybe we'll have something rad for you by then! TO CELEBRATE lol...
LOWLINE BIOGRAPHY
“Lowline make timeless music like no one can at the moment. music with balls” Nick McCabe The Verve “More Manchester greats” NME “The best new band in the country" Tom Clarke, The Enemy "One of Manchester’s new hopes! Explosive & energetic live, combining Oasis, Primal Scream, Joy Division & a touch of Kasabian at times. you need to see these boys live to fully understand the Lowline vibe; driving guitars and bass lines with amazing drums & electric vocals & a touch of synth capturing the dark underbelly of the city" Kav, Happy Mondays "History in the making" Owen Morris, producer – Oasis / Verve / New Order
BIOGRAPHY Manchester is a funny place. Few places are so full of musical heritage, and with that comes expectation; something which has been unfulfilled in recent times. Enter the cities newest heroes: Lowline.
Lowline are intense and sinister yet totally up lifting. A group of mates in their early twenties who formed in the spring of 2007, they spent the rest of that year writing, locked away in a warehouse in Manchester’s less-than-glamorous Ancoats district. There are flashes of inspiration from cult legends The Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, but they strike a rare balance between razor sharp rock and roll, and epic shoegaze. Lowline’s intense guitar sound is underpinned by tribal house tinged drums and fuzzed up bass lines, all combine to make something with energy, atmosphere and spirit.
Their sound embodies the atmosphere of their City, whilst remaining distinctive and innovative, a combination that sets them apart and shows that this is the start of something special. Their sound impressed renowned Oasis and the Verve producer Owen Morris so much, that he immediately took the band into the studio and recorded some tracks over many late nights. The first yield from this session is their debut single ‘Monitors’, a timeless indie anthem which harbours Morris’s distinct style. It is set to be released on March 17th on 1-2-3-4 Records (Whitey, The Bishops) with the reverse side being taken up by the driving and relentless ‘Last Chance’. This massive debut has already begun to grab the eye of DJ’s, journalists and audiences alike, with NME and XFM showing great support for the band from the outset.
Live, the band are immense. They have crafted a rip-roaring show and brim with energy and confidence, which combined with their dance sensibility that has seen them demanding attention at shows across the country. Tours with The Enemy and Happy Mondays have seen Lowline continue to cultivate an ardent fan base, and as tales still spread about their recent warehouse party in Manchester (which guested close friend Nick McCabe - The Verve, on guitar) many more have sat up and taken notice. They now embark upon a vigorous touring schedule throughout the next few months as well as returning to the studio with Morris to continue to work on their debut LP. DEBUT SINGLE - MONITORS - OUT MARCH 17 2008 - 1-2-3-4! RECORDS
GIGS 27 February Manchester Academy3 w/ Dragons and Exit Calm 7 March Glasgow ABC with Inspiral Carpets 8 March Oxford Academy with Inspiral Carpets 9 March Sheffield Leadmill with Inspiral Carpets 10 March Northampton Roadmenders with Inspiral Carpets
Ok kids... I have an inbox BRIMMING with new shit so you know I'm hustling trying to get it to you... make sure to check back, and leave some comments to let me know what you thought!
You guys know I like to be ahead of the curve... and sometimes I can't pass up good news... even if it doesn't have an MP3 that comes with it! I know you all shit your pants when you heard The Verve were getting back together, so this little nugget of info will surely ignite your interest as well...
14th January 2008
THE VERVE'S NICK MCCABE JOINS RISING MANCHESTER BAND LOWLINE IN GUERRILLA GIG
Verve guitarist Nick McCabe joined rising Manchester band Lowline in a secret guerrilla gig in a disused mill on the outskirts of Manchester on Saturday.
The band were at Brunswick Mill, Ancoats to record the video for their debut single ‘Monitors’. Once filming had finished, the 300-plus crowd were treated to a full warehouse gig with McCabe taking to guitar alongside the band. It’s one of those gigs which will go down in Manchester folklore in years to come, in the same ilk as the Stone Roses starting out all those years ago.
Already tipped by The Enemy’s Tom Clarke as “The Best New Band In The Country” and only 30 gigs into their career, Lowline are about to drag Manchester back to the top where it belongs.
‘Monitors’ recorded by Owen Morris (Oasis / The Verve/ New Order) and paid for out of his own pocket after being blown away by the band, will be released March 3rd on 1-2-3-4! Records. www.myspace.com/thisislowlife link.
I mean... come on... it's coming out on 1-2-3-4!... Owen Morris? Nick McCabe? The Enemy? If you don't go to their Myspace you've got crack rocks for brains. Check back in the future and I promise you will hear more about these guys and I will certainly get an MP3 next time... until then...
If you just have to listen to something new and British check the new Ringo Starr? Ringo Starr, 'Liverpool 8'
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This website distributes this material, without profit from said material, to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research, criticism, and journalistic purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. IF YOU ARE THE OWNER OF THE COPYRIGHT, OR A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE OWNER, please email me to have the content removed. This site is meant to promote the artists and help spread the word... before making a complaint please contact me.
This blog is a place for me to share music I love in hopes of spreading the spirit of albion. This music is only here for sampling - if you like the song, support the band, buy the album, or go to the show. If you are the owner of a sound file and would like it removed, please contact me: ifallforeveryone AT gmail DOT com
