When local noiseniks Pincher Martin went in to record their new album, they characteristically opened the proceedings with a rather defiant blast of electric guitars that managed to collapse the whole studio sound system. Left only with some scorch marks and a pair of acoustic guitars, they put the kettle on, moaned a little about what they had just done and then did what any sane person would do in the same circumstances - they started playing country'n'western songs. Such was the vibearama they got off the twangy ol' "lost my missus in a card game" session, they decided to do a full-on white trash country album - and a wonderful piece of work it is, too. The new countrified band are known as The Great Western Squares, and the actual line-up is Gary Fitzpatrick (from The Pinchers), Oona White (vocals), Stan Erraught (ex-Stars Of Heaven and Sewing Room) and someone called Gog who plays the mandolin. Not being too au fait with the whole country'n'western thing (and neither would you if you were from Phisboro) they've made Judas Steer a mainly covers album; but the original stuff augurs very well indeed for the future.
There's something brilliantly punk rock about the whole thing being recorded and mixed in 25 hours, but don't let that get you thinking that this is some half-hearted, lo-fi quickie - the playing on Judas Steer is great and the clever use of vocal harmonies works a treat. The covers come from the cooler end of the country songbook - there's Gram Parsons's A Song For You, John Prine's Rocky Mountain Time, Dwight Yoakam's This Drinking Will Kill Me and Motorhead's Ace Of Spades - not a song about anyone called "Mabelline" anywhere in sight. And yes, you did read that right, they actually do a countried-up version of Motorhead's headbangin' classic - don't laugh, it may well be the first single. Covers aside, an original song called White Wash (written by Gary Fitzpatrick) is one of the best songs I've heard all year and the other original, Shake The Memory, ain't too bad either. The good news here is that Fitzpatrick and Stan Erraught are currently writing an entire album of originals, which should be a blast, and also that The Great Western Squares can be found gigging near you in the near future (they launched the album last night in Whelan's). Also on the live front, a slimmed-down version of the band play in The White Horse (near Tara Street Dart station) every Tuesday night and if you buy them a pint and ask them nicely they may well do something very sublime indeed - a cover of The Stones' Wild Horses. Yes indeed.
By total and utter coincidence, Stan Erraught's ex colleague in the Stars Of Heaven, Stephen Ryan, has just had his new band's (The Revenants) debut album re-released, primarily for the French market but also going out on mid-price over here. Originally released in October '93, Horse Of A Different Colour (which was recorded on an eight-track though you'd never know it) is one of the finest examples of superb songwriting you could ever hope to hear - just take a listen again to William Byrd, Capercailye, Ted's Tune and Speak Slowly and you will find no argument with the following: what The Replacements are to the US and The Go-Betweens are to Australia, The Revenants are to Ireland. If you don't buy this album you are indirectly responsible for The Corrs and The Kelly Family. Do The Right Thing.
Gigs! If you're going to the Bowie gigs in the Olympia, please remember it's predominantly a drum'n'bass set - just so it won't all end in tears . . . Brace of good bands in over the next few weeks: first Blur's new friends, Pavement, are at the Music Centre (Temple Bar) on the 19th and 20th August, then the lovely Tindersticks are at the same venue on the 22nd; which clashes with The Verve, who play the SFX on the same night. It's always the bloody same, they feed you on a diet of crap tribute bands all summer long and then put on three good bands in the space of a few days . . . The Ultra Montanes have their new/third single, called Late, in the shops, while label mates Jubilee Allstars should be getting their debut album out soon. Just to repeat: today's lesson is that a great music album can be recorded and mixed in 25 hours. And while I'm at it, when it comes to song length, please remember that if you can't say it in three minutes, you can't say it at all. Thank you and goodnight.
