Rhythm Section

Enter Shikari are off round the world but . . .

By Kevin Bridges

Rock band Enter Shikari are fast becoming one of Britain’s most successful music exports. 

The lads are about to play two big shows in Glasgow — tonight at Barrowlands and tomorrow at King Tuts — which will be a last chance for their fans to catch them before they head off around the world. 

Their last album, Common Dreads, came out only last summer but they already have a treat for their worldwide fan base in the form of new album Tribalism, due for release on February 22. It’s preceded by the new single Thumper next week.

The album is described as a companion to their last in that it features some new tracks, some remixes and some live performances. Vocalist Rou Reynolds says it’s a bonus for their fans.

Bonus

“We had a few tracks left over last time and were anxious to get them out. It’s a tidying-up exercise I suppose — putting out all the stuff we have that we think is good.” 

For a band who make a mighty noise it’s hard to imagine that Common Threads was put together at the bottom of a garden and then recorded on the Isle of Wight! But Rou assured me it’s true.

“We did the demos in (bass player) Chris’s parents’ back garden. They have a cross between a bungalow and a garden shed there and we sort of hijacked it. It isn’t soundproofed or anything so we made sure we stopped working by around 6 pm, when people were coming home from work. 

“Then we recorded the whole thing where it wasn’t easy to get distracted — in the middle of nowhere on the Isle of Wight. We’d have a few walks over the moors and there was one pub we could walk to but that was it.”

The band admit they’ve been getting more political with their lyrics on the new album.

“Politics are unavoidable — we can’t just write sappy music. Personally I can’t write limp, soulless songs about how lovely a girl is. 

“We’ve always been fairly socially aware and I think we have a responsibility to our fanbase, so we made a conscious decision to write about things that affect everyone — climate change, war, CCTV society and the effects of capitalism.”

Cheap flights

This is set to be one of the busiest years yet for the band, who formed seven years ago in St Albans. They’re heading for important gigs in Australia, Japan, the USA and even Russia! They fly to Australia later this month.

“I’m not looking forward to the flight,” Rou admitted. “I’ve never done such a long one before. We’ve played there before but we were already in the Far East, so it wasn’t such a long haul. We’re also in the cheapest seats possible because my dad is our tour manager and he’s as tight as anything!” he laughed.

Rou admits having his dad around on tour isn’t exactly normal for a young rock band but they’ve got used to it.

“When we started we were 16 or 17 and he used to drive us around to local gigs. He doesn’t come on every tour with us, so it’s not like he’s checking up on us all the time,” he laughed.

The band are looking forward to visiting Japan, though. 

“It’s very weird when you play there — the fans are as crazy for you as they are anywhere else but in between songs you can actually hear a pin drop it’s so quiet.

“It’s actually quite unnerving to hear such silence but it’s just that they’re so into you that they want to hear everything you have to say. So they don’t talk or go to the bar. 

“We’re looking forward to doing some window shopping in all the electronics shops so we can see all the latest gadgets and robots,” he added.

Russia

After a trip to the States to play some important dates they’re planning their first trip to Russia.

“Russia will be amazing. One of our technicians has been there and keeps telling us scary stories about the Russian mafia.

“We’re doing three shows — St Petersburg, Moscow and Kaliningrad — and we’re travelling there by train, so I guess we’ll end up seeing a lot of the Russian countryside. We’re going to try to document the whole trip.”

After all that travelling they should be ready for a bit of a break before heading back to the garden shed to write the next album!

For more about the band go to their official website at www.entershikari.com

Albums of the Month

 February 2010

Vampire Weekend
Contra
(XL)

The New York outfit made a big impact with their debut album a couple of years ago but are set to fare even better with this.

It’s a highly accomplished collection that yet again sees them revelling in their world music influences. Catchy tunes, upbeat and positive music with a real feelgood vibe, this album has already been a surprise US No.1. 

Always inventive — with snippets of African rhythms reminiscent of Paul Simon’s Graceland, along with other south American influences — this is joyously different. Occasionally some very quirky lyrics only add to the sense of fun. 

Probably the only album this year that will reference a balaclava!

Corinne Bailey Rae
The Sea
(Virgin)

If anyone knows how quickly your world can collapse, it’s Corinne. Having achieved global fame with her sparkling debut, life was pretty good. Then she got a call saying her husband had died from an overdose.

Half the songs on this superb album deal with the loss she’s had and at times listening is almost uncomfortably moving as her voice is often a fractured whisper, aching with grief. With stripped back arrangements, it’s a stunning baring of the soul.

With great melodies and lyrics that burn into your mind, this is an album that could well be her masterpiece.

Laura Veirs
July Flame
(Bella Union)

There aren’t many artists who can reach new levels with their seventh album, but that’s the case with this new release from this US singer-songwriter. 

The songs and musicianship are simply glorious. One supremely melodic, well-sung song follows another and the backing tracks are full of interesting flourishes that keep the whole thing constantly entertaining. 

With music as good as this Laura deserves to be a household name.

Lostprophets
The Betrayed
(Visible Noise)

The Welsh rockers have built up a huge international fanbase over the years but things have been quiet since their last chart-topping album in 2006. 

There was meant to be an album out three years ago but the band ditched recordings that had cost around $750,000 because they weren’t satisfied with the results. These 11 songs which they are happy with make up an album of slick, well-crafted hard rock. 

Crunching guitars and fervent choruses are to the fore and there’s an air of chilling professionalism about the end results. Some of the tracks sound a little samey but it won’t disappoint their many devotees.

Fyfe Dangerfield
Fly Yellow Moon
(Geffen)

After a couple of albums as lead singer with Guillemots, Fyfe has delivered his first solo album and it’s packed full of strong catchy melodic songs. It was recorded over just five days and occasionally it shows.

Sometimes overly sparse instrumentation merely serves to highlight his vocal limitations, but when he goes to town on tracks like She Needs Me, the results are fine radio-friendly pop-rock.

One Republic
Waking Up
(Interscope)

Frontman Ryan Tedder has carved out a secondary career for himself as writer of big songs for Leona Lewis and Beyonce (he came up with Bleeding Love and Halo) so it’s hardly surprising that highly tuneful, grandiose balladeering is evident on this enjoyable collection. 

The songs are strong, the production excellent and the performances accomplished but somehow you always think the numbers would sound even better sung by a soul diva.

Beach House
Teen Dream
(Bella Union)

This is a great album of gentle, folk-tinged pop full of blissful harmonies from a relatively unknown Baltimore duo. 

The soundscape is redolent of lazy, warm days and vocalist Victoria Legrande, while sounding silky smooth throughout, also manages to inject hints of edginess into her vocals. 

Well worth investigating if you don’t know them.

White Rabbits
It’s Frightening
(Mute)

The album kicks off with a barrage of drums like a rebirth of Adam And The Ants, but soon settles down to a passionate collection of art house indie rock which shows these New Yorkers to be a very talented bunch with huge potential. 

For fans of the likes of Radiohead there’s plenty to enjoy here. 

© All copyright D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd., 2010