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Recommended Listening - October 2011

These are the latest albums reviewed by Scootering Magazine.

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The Laynes - We Got Time (Two Cat Records)

I first heard of Scotland’s The Laynes when they sent us their debut album a year back for review. Well they’re back again with a single that was released on August 29. We Got Time is the A-side and there’s no doubting their sound is mod, a decent blend of revival and 1960s. Short, sharp guitars, vocal harmonies in the chorus, a tambourine constant throughout and a guitar solo that blends the Who with The Kinks and a touch of garage. A proper sing-along and no mistake guv!

The B-side is more mellow, a cover of Wasn’t It You written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, famously covered (apparently) by The Action in their time. To be honest it ain’t bad and could stand fairly well on its own, but following We Got Time it sounds a bit weak. More 1960s pop than upbeat and fun. It doesn’t matter though, because they complement each well and showcase The Laynes nicely. Now, back to side A...

Andy

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Magnus Carlson - From Now On (Acid Jazz)

Acid Jazz head honcho Eddie Pillar apparently first heard this as a demo while he was DJing earlier this year. Swedish popstar Magnus Carlson, former vocalist with band the Weeping Willows over there (nope, I’ve not heard of them either!), recorded this modern sounding Northern Soul number that Eddie’s been playing in the UK to great response, hence its release on 7-inch vinyl and digital download on September 5. With all the great ingredients of a Northern Soul hit; fast moving, catchy, the right instruments and easy to dance to, From Now On sounds polished as a 21st century recording should do. I can see this being a wider hit if rally DJs give it a decent airing at events. The B-side is a cover of the Donovan/ Jeff Beck “post-Mod classic” Barabajagal. A late 1960s style number, you should be smoking European cigarettes (Gauloises maybe?) and clicking your fingers to this side – if you want to be in with the cool cats.

Andy

The Red Inspectors – Are We The Red Inspectors? Are We? (Acid Jazz)

The Red Inspectors are Miles Chapman, Andy Lewis, Pete Twyman and Alex Richards. The first three were in a band named Pimlico in the 1990s, whom found fans within the mod scene (and re-formed a couple of years ago), as well as working with Andy Lewis on his various solo projects, many of which we have reviewed here. Mr Lewis of course is also part of Paul Weller’s band, and indeed Mr Twyman has played with the Modfather too. Back to The Red Inspectors and between them they play drums, percussion, bass, guitar and a variety of keyboards, and occasionally sing.

With the background out of the way we can get on to the album here, Are We The Red Inspectors? Are We? which was written and recorded earlier this year and will be released in October. It’s mainly instrumentals, as any fans of Mr Lewis may have guessed, with keys featuring heavily, but of course there’s nothing wrong with that. So we kick off with Spectrum Boy which takes inspiration from the 1960s, sounds from the 70s and 80s, blends it together with some 21st century style and Hammond organ, and blows out a cheeky two and half minutes of funky TV soundtrack-type number from your childhood. 148 seconds in to this 12 track offering and already your flares are flapping in the dance floor draught!

Ending abruptly, we arrive next at the The Kardomah, easy listening from the cocktail lounge with a hint of bossa-nova and Bontempi, which just affords porn-film theme with a little middle that could best be described as a little mysterious, detective series theme.

Grand Union Carnival shows The Red Inspectors definitely in the 21st century, regardless of the lift music they were listening to while travelling there. It’s still laid back, Hammond chords breaking between the electronic tune, before it all picks up into a crescendo of sound, heralded by vocals and then brass. Into Morocco has an obvious north African feel, a bit trippy almost, but too fast for that; the pipes charming you back to your feet, giving way to guitars and drums but returning to bring everything back to the sun periodically.

By now I’ve probably conjured up an image of disjointed sounds; but this album’s not . It is varied, but there’s a common thread running through the CD and that the overall style and influences of the band, and of course the instruments they play. He’s a Menace is a ‘proper song’ for want of a better phrase; verses and chorus and middle eight. It’s punchy and powerful and yet while you can’t pigeonhole the sound, you enjoy it and know precisely where The Red Inspectors are from. Many others would make a right pig’s ear of the ingredients here, but these chaps weave them expertly together to give us sounds that vary from the sitars on Clutching At Straws to the prog-rock-esque 13948 Overture to the typically acid jazz sounding funky dance floor filler of Frankenstein’s Finger, and everything before and give us an album that sounds complete from beginning to end, flowing perfectly along the way. It’s full of surprises, yet no scary shocks so while I suppose that means it may not be for everyone, I can’t say any more other than I love it!

Andy