Morning Star Monday October 26 2009
MUSIC
ORIGINAL:
Skindred
A band that isn’t afraid to push boundaries finally gets its due, writes RICHARD HAYES
Skindred
Electric Ballroom,
London
HAILING from the south Wales town
of Newport, Skindred were known as
Dub War 10 years ago.
They were a raucous mix of musi-
cal styles — from the New York hard-
core of Bad Brains to the full-on met-
al stomp of Sepultura, but with a
British and West Indian slant.
Singer Benji Webbe remained the
constant and he returned with a new
BAND BREAK-UP
Quitting while
they’re still ahead
The Broken Family Band
2002-2009
AND so it has come to pass that The
Broken Family Band (pictured) have
lived up to their name and broken up.
After eight years and five albums
the end came peacefully, with a simple
message that it was time to “give it a
rest” and quit “while they were still
ahead.” So, sadly, no juicy gossip about
dressing-room tantrums, departures
to religious sects or drug scandals.
Formed in Cambridge, they never
had any long-term plan for global suc-
cess — it was always just for fun.
However, their first album Cold Wa-
ter Songs was justifiably a critical suc-
cess, mixing alt-country with indie-
rock and some very dark lyrics.
As with many bands, the second al-
bum was critical. Welcome Home Loser
was musically their most varied album
ranging from out-and-out country to
hard rock. Both hugely accessible and
musically adventurous, it was their high
point and deserved to be the break-out
album for them, but that wasn’t to be.
After that the albums were increas-
ingly dominated by indie-rock tunes and
therefore always likely to obey the law of
diminishing returns, no matter how
Storming onward
band Skindred and continued their
assault of thrash, reggae and punk on
the closed minds of most metal heads,
preaching their message of in-your-
face mash-up.  ing up to their recent release Shark
But Skindred never quite achieved
the success their musical prowess
deserved and seemed destined to be
just another band flogging their way
around the British circuit, with only
minor success Stateside, where they
supported larger US acts.
But of late this seems to have
changed and is completely justified
for a band that have pushed the metal
good they were. And they were good al-
bums, right to the very end. None of this
seemed to bother the band. They played
to please themselves, which sometimes
could be exasperating.
Their gigs always seemed to go on
for just too long — leaving the audi-
ence wanting more was an alien con-
cept. But it’s doubtful that you ever
read a bad review of one of their gigs.
Maybe in 15 years they will reform
to play their albums back to back in a
sell-out week at the Barbican.
Then again, maybe not. It would be
nice to believe that they will go on to
better things, but they won’t. Hopeful-
ly more successful things, but sadly,
they are unlikely to be better things.
RICHARD HILTON
envelope to extremes over the years
and show no signs of letting up — de-
spite a three-year gap from their pre-
vious release Roots Rock Riot, lead-
Bites And Dog Fights.
Tonight’s event at the Electric Ball-
room was a sell-out — in keeping with
their recent British tour.
No mean feat for a band that origi-
nate from the same locale as indie acts
the Manic Street Preachers and the
Stereophonics. People are finally latch-
ing on to just how original this band are.
This is largely down to the huge stage
ALBUM ROUND-UP
Adan Pedroso
Esa Flor (Astar Artes Recordings)
ESA Flor — or “that flower” — is
Cuban guitarist Adan Pedroso’s
first solo offering, a lightly spark-
ing infusion of romance, politics
and Latin spirit.
Don’t expect any tub-thumping
political anthems though. The 12,
admittedly fairly similar-sound-
ing, tracks all feature a stripped-
back sound, with Pedroso’s fancy
fret-work and vocals creating the
main vibe.
Pedroso says of the title song:
“That flower is about emigrating,
facing and experiencing happy and
sad moments, looking for a place to
let your faith graze, to write adven-
tures and misfortunes.”
This type of romantic whimsy
is engrained throughout this
pleasant, gently uplifting album.
Shades of the Cuban nueva trova
movement add warmth and depth
to this promising first offering.
ROS SITWELL
presence of Webbe, who controls the
crowd like Faith No More’s Mike Patton
but injects a vein of funk into the show
that always keeps the crowd smiling
while they slam and mosh.
But to only mention Webbe would
be doing the band a disservice as they
are extremely tight. But it is Webbe
who steals the show, stirring up the
pit when needed with ferocious social
commentary, then injecting moments
of much-needed soul, such as the cov-
er of Eddy Grant’s Electric Avenue.
This is where Skindred come into
their own as they are a band that chal-
The Queensberry Rules
Take Your Own Roads (Fellside)
FOLK music often has to walk a
tight line between appearing rele-
vant and yet maintaining the tra-
ditions of its past.
This trio manage the trick with
ease on their fourth album.
When they sing about current
events such as the credit crunch
and climate change it’s marginally
less successful, although When
You Come Home Again looks at
those left behind when the men go
off to war.
Songs where they look to their her-
itage are far more successful, like
Canal Song about the bargemen and
the demise of their trade or No Par-
don about Admiral John Byng who
was executed for failing to engage
the French fleet at the Battle of Mi-
norca.
This collection hopefully signals
the more historical road the band will
be taking with their next album.
RICHARD HILTON
11
LIVE
lenge you to push your musical horizons
and not stay confined to one genre.
They played old favourites such as
Pressure, Set It Off and Rat Race
among newer tracks Stand For Some-
thing and the aforementioned Elec-
tric Avenue.
In response to Benji’s question,
“Who here tonight loves music?” the
crowd roars in affirmation as they
slam, skank and groove to the end of
Skindred’s set.
An amazing performance from a
band finally gaining the kudos their
music deserves.
Memory Tapes
Seek Magic (Rough Trade)
CURRENTLY going under the
moniker Memory Tapes, enigmatic
New Jersey native Dayve Hawk
has created an impressive debut
album of intricately layered elec-
tronic soundscapes. Hawk paints
with a wide palette, each song
crammed with musical ideas and
catchy beats.
Single Bicycle starts off with dis-
cordant strings before introducing
New Order-style guitars and ending
with a euphoric choral crescendo
reminiscent of Primal Scream at
their most blissed-out. The wailing
synths on Stop Talking are pure Daft
Punk while the shuffling, slightly
edgy Green Knight samples the
squeak of someone moving around
on a basketball court to great effect.
While it is never riveting, with its
ambient, trippy atmosphere and
Hawk’s ethereal vocals, Seek Magic
is a rewarding aural experience.
ian sinclair