Hard to believe but the Italian rockers steal it. And a Jazz song gets joint TOTW - wonders will never cease...
Andy
Måneskin - They’re a bit of a novelty act but there’s some decent riffs in there somewhere. Can’t help but be reminded of Mokadelic, who did the music for Gomorrah, but that’s just the Italian sound I guess 5.5
The Blinders - Not bad but pretty unoriginal stuff. The sixth form politics is a bit on the nose and goes a bit reminiscent of The Levellers at times. There’s some decent dirty guitar sounds in there at times so they might be well worth a look at the fest 6
Fergus McCreqdie - I’m sure he’s very proficient at the old Joanna but Christ this was hard work. I know the mercury panel seem to insist on including a jazz album every year, maybe one day they’ll find a listenable one. This is not that day 2
Gorgon City - I appreciate this is the kind of thing a lot of the rest of the group really go for but I can’t see any appeal to it at all. It’s over an hour and feels it. Tedious stuff 3
Track of the week - Coraline by Måneskin
DFC - Various - kind of hard to follow lying on a sunbed and it ruined my phone battery but it was pretty listenable tbf, even when livestock encroached. Still not sure more than an hour would be a lot too much though 6
Jim
Maneskin 6
OK rock, bit RHCP at times. In the name of the father was cracking.
The Blinders 8
Flicked a fair few switches and whilst it feels like a shameless trawl trough AM albums 2-4 albeit without the humour or subtlety of ALex T, plus a smattering of Oasis thrown in, the 'suck and see' numbers are great, and I'm sure Black Glass will be in my "22 for 22 list at the end of the year". Rollicking stuff, and will be a nice afternoon pick-me-up on the difficult day 3
Fergus McCreadie 4
The piano made it slightly more bearable that might otherwise as been, but as you say Andy, twas a tough listen
Gorgon City 7
The sound is nice, and would suit daytime at Bora Bora (RIP), but otherwise it's pretty vanilla in a crowded tech/deep house field which is hard to stand out in. Saying that Tears and House Arrest are bangers and will no doubt make me (and Erol I expect) put our hands in the air at the fest.
TOTW The Blinders - Black Glass
Various DFC 7.5
Half of it, with gentle piano house and blissed out Beloved-esque choons, was beautiful. But the rest was just a tad too laayzee, and I'm not sure there's ever a place for animal sounds.
Guy
Måneskin - Surprised they weren't as bad as I thought. The fact they were on Italian X Factor and then Eurovision didn't bode well. Not sure what Reading are doing booking them though. 6
The Blinders - Touched on this on the chat before. I can totally hear the Arctic Monkeys sound which is good. The problem is the tracks never get going. They just meander along, lacking any umph. Black Glass is perhaps the exception I agree 6.2
Fergus McCreqdie - Don't kill me but I quite like a bit of jazz! This guy is superb on the piano and I think the slightly folky influence is a different sound. The first track gets off to a good start but then it just gets noodley and tedious - 5
Gorgon City - Enjoyed this. It's not the best electronica we've listened too but I thought it was good. Perhaps a little light on bangers but I'd still be tempted to venture into the Dance Tent for these guys rather than face Dave on the main stage - 6.8
Track of the week - Dreams by Gorgon City
DFC - Various - This was a novelty. Neither an album by an act or an album on Spotify! Special Interest selection you might say... I love a bit of ambient house but this didn't work for me. There were a couple of classics but overall I was disappointed. 6.2
Erol
Maneskin - I feared this would sound like so many forgettable bands that I used to hear on the radio when I lived in Italy. But it was pretty cool, I thought. A bit too Eurovision at times but not bad at all for an Italian rock band. For Your Love is a track I will go back to. 6.5
The Blinders - very enjoyable. A slightly punkier, more sultry version of Kasabian. I didn’t quite find myself air guitaring to this but their edgy style was highly appealing. The vocalist sounds a bit like Jim Morrison at times, which adds to the overall cool factor. From Nothing to Abundance is a great tune and Jim, I’m with you on Black Glass - it’s a belter. 7.7
Fergus McCreaddie- I wouldn’t mind hearing this in the background in a classy restaurant but to have to listen to it as a standalone work was tedious, to say the least. He is clearly a super talented musician and for that he has my utmost respect. His music just doesn’t float my boat though. Sorry, Fergus. 4
Gorgon City - I am a total sucker for anything with electronic beats and a dance piano. This has both in abundance. A happy blend of fresh, summer foot tappers. Yes, it often fails to achieve total lift off but it doesn’t have to - it works just fine as it is. After a belly full of beer, I will definitely be heading to the dance tent to listen to these guys. 7.8
DFC - Various - some happy memories here, but am afraid to say much of it sounded dated. 6
Simon
Maneskin: dire Eurorock, and sung in Italian it sounds even more ludicrous than usual. 2
The Blinders: pretty mediocre overall, with some laughably bad lyrics - Black Glass was half-decent though. 5.5
Fergus McCreadie: not for me ta, although I rather listen to this again than Maneskin. 4
Gorgon City: OK if too long, and veers too close to the cheesy Eurohouse end of the spectrum to be properly interesting. 5.8
DFC compilation: interesting listen, if largely for the fact that as Justin said it was right at the vanguard of the early '90s ambient scene. 7
TotW: You've Done Enough - Gorgon City
Justin
Maneskin - an enjoyable euro rock album. Thought u was going to hate it but kept my interest the whole way through. A few possible tune of the week. 7
The Blinders this just never took for me. Liked his voice but needs to be rockier. 6
Fergus McCreadie I like this type of piano heavy jazz style. Sometimes a bit noodley but overall a great listen 7.2
Gorgon City they've had some banging piano tunes over the years but unfortunately I found a lot of this a bit subdued 5.5
Totw Fergus McCreadie the unfurrowed field.
DFC - Various - It is a bit of a strange compilation as 5 songs are by one italian dj and the orb and the klf songs both credit Jimmy Cauty who was in both bands at the time. I got this on vinyl when it came out in April 1990. This was before What time is love charted later in 1990 and before the orb debut album came out in 1991. I've listened to this album hundreds of times over the years so hard to be objective. I got this album before I had even been to ibiza as an adult. So it reminds me of student times as much as ibiza/Spain. Great tunes. Yes some have dated and/or their samples now over used, but still an ambient classic in my view. 9
Sam
Maneskin : love this ! Banging italo rock ! I wanna be your sleeve is awesome. 8
The Blinders : cracking indie rock . Very impressed by the teens . 7.8
Fergus Mcreadie . Dear God in heaven , please make it stop … 2 ( because at least Glade is quite pleasant..)
Gorgon City : some bangers in here but too long . Still yes in a beach bar very nice . 7
Tune of the week : Forty Days and Forty Nights by The Blinders
Mark
Maneskin - a bit novelty, but would have been a good watch on the last day of the festival. Basic derivative euro rock - 6.5
The Blinders - gave this a couple of listens and it grew on me second time around, it's got a bit more going on than your average indie touch outfit - 6.5
Fergus Mcreadie - there's obviously some talent here, and the slower more reflective ones were lovely, but I found the manic fast piano tracks just put me on edge - 6
Gorgon City - just above average EDM, this kind of stuff has to be exceptional and different for me to really rate it these days, and this isn't it - 6
TOTW - The Unfurrowed Field by Fergus Mcreadie
Matt
Maneskin - it might be the Lambrusco talking but I thought they were superb and would have been great at Reading had they not canned it. Wankers. 7.7
The Blinders - the whole languid lounge lizard thing started to grate quickly 5.5
Fergus McCreadie - surprisingly enjoyable. Was worried it would be like the Blinders but whereas they seemed a little contrived this was genuinely uninhibited. 7.8
Gorgon City - best heard in the background in a bar. 5
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