Transparent Dayze by Angel Kaplan, and The Higher State at Liar Liar

by Parsley Post to Twitter

PARSLEY'S COMMLOCK

Album Review : Transparent Dayze - Angel Kaplan (Lost Recordings)
If Paul Simon was young and Spanish then he would be Angel Kaplan. Angel is the bass player of high energy Spanish crazy guys Doctor Explosion, and he has used the legendary Circo Perotti Studios (of Doctor Explosion singer/guitarist Jorge Explosion) to create the 6 tracks on this 500 copy limited edition 12-inch vinyl, available from Rough Trade & Sister Rae.

Broken Toys - the Byrds harmonies and excellent brass bring a story of lost love.
Not My Friend - brushed drums/gentle acoustic guitar make a delicious Paul Simon moment.
Time Will Be Gone So Fast - viola, steel guitar and female vocals paint this country style.
Artificial Paradise - harpsichord introduces this driving ditty about the modern world.
Kid Kubrick - acoustic pure melodies serenade us lightly.
No Return - Beatlesque melancholy musings tickle lonely heart-strings.

Kaplan is a cool, really nice guy, who is good fun to hang out with. Alongside his Doctor Explosion duties, occasional bass playing for The Cynics, and his work for his father's amazing business hand-making collectible Scalextric classic cars, he wrote all the songs. The now legendary team of Jorge Explosion, Mike Mariconda and the full might of the Circo Perrotti studios have delivered this multi-textured musical adventure.

It's a remarkably accomplished effort of an honest songsmith. A nicely modestly presented sleeve wraps it up. A collection of haunting songs conveyed with heart.

Concert Review: The Higher State, Speak & The Spells, Liar Liar Club 12/09/08
Barely discovered this club in New Cross after being given a gig there at the last minute, when I was back to see the wonderful Higher State. There was actually an armada of bands playing this night, but myself & Jim Bishop only arrived in time for the last two.

Speak & the Spells were a 3-piece drenched in a striped shirt attitude that reminded me of when the Clique blew the James Taylor Quartet off stage at the Forum (when it was the Town and Country Club).

Between jerky movements of Ben on bass and the Laurie Driver-esque drum rolls of Alex, Joe on guitar led the way. It was a delightfully raw and exciting performance from these young chaps, and I'm very happy to say the unfettered feeling comes across on the sounds waiting for you free at their myspace : myspace.com/speakandthespells.

Of course I was here for The Higher State. Having honed their craft with previous bands like The Mystreated and The Embrooks, these guys are just perfect. Can't think of another word. They just have to be seen, and it's a relief to know there's a band that is so comprehensively worth pushing yourself out the door for.

This is authentic garage psych of the highest order, with a touch of the folksy. If you've ever wanted to know what it was like to see a band like The Byrds play live, then this is the band for you.

It was a frighteningly good show. On a perfect Ludwig drum kit, Mike Warren's playing was…perfect. I'm sure we all know a good drummer or two, but Mike's every flourish was so well judged and right for the sound. I found myself mesmerised, thinking at some point he's got to let his guard down and do something a bit loose, but I swear in the whole set I was staring and didn't see him falter for one micro-second.

Allegedly Love's masterwork '7 and 7 is…' took loads of recording cos the drumming was so difficult. I couldn't help feeling that Mike would have nailed it first take. Indeed he does nail it on the CD which they were selling after the gig. I stupidly didn't buy one but Jim generously repaired my mistake with his copy.

If the drumming wasn't gob-smacking enough, there was then Mark Hyslop being similarly masterful on the bass. Occasionally he would break into an amazing trot around the fret board that he made look like it was the easiest thing he'd ever done. It was a virtuoso performance that was all the more stunning because it sounded so utterly natural.

Out front on guitars Marty Ratcliffe and Mole gave us the wonderful vocal harmonies and weaved songs that felt like absolute classics even if you'd never heard them before. 12-string Rickenbacker was on hand to make that sound magic.

Afterwards chatting to the band Marty was disarming with his grizzled cheeky humour. A typical line was his comment about mod promoter Rob Bailey - 'I'd rather cut my balls off than play for that dick'.

He certainly needs to retain his humour after their bad luck trying to put out their long since recorded album. It's finally going to be released…next March! Well whenever it comes out it will certainly have been worth waiting for because this band is completely wonderful and amazing. They've even offered to play at my birthday party next year. If that happens it will surely be one of those 'I must be dreaming this' moments.

parsley@gardenrecords.com [www.gardenrecords.com]