SOUTHERN ELEVEN
IF YOU ARE A MEAT EATER AND WANT SOMETHING A BIT MORE UPMARKET THAN TGI FRIDAYS THEN SOUTHERN ELEVEN IS THE PLACE FOR YOU.
After a tour of Spinningfields we finally found the place and was pleased to see it was busy with a good atmosphere. I wasn’t mad keen on the décor but they’ve obviously put a lot of thought into it using huge carved wood logs to separate the restaurant from the kitchen.
Our waiter was attentive and knowledgeable which was handy when we ordered our cocktails, being a Mojito lover, I went for their own version called Gin & Jazz which had a Lemoncello twist and was delicious, my partner went for the option of mixing his own, risky if your not a mixologist but it turned out good in the end. The option to mix your own is of course a fun option for groups and could be an excellent ice breaker should you go there on a first date, I liked this creative spin on ordering drinks.
The food was fabulous, for starters we went for the Chicken Wings and Fried Spears, the latter definitely worth trying and something different. Southern Eleven have their own smoking ovens that create truly delicious tender meats. Mark the waiter told us that the owner James Hitchin went to the USA for a year to learn how to cook like this and teach the chefs – I think it was definitely worth it. For mains we had a selection of meats all from the Ginger Pig Farm in Yorkshire that supply outdoor reared, rare breed pork and Longhorn beef. Hard to choose the best but my favourite was the Short Beef ribs and the Southern Chicken Dinner, all the dishes we’re very well presented.
If you can manage a dessert, go for the Chocolate brownie – it’s awesome.
Southern Eleven, Spiningfields, Manchester
www.southern11.co.uk
Words Kelly Doran
REVIEW: BEN & JERRYS SUNDAE
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FESTIVAL GOERS TURNED UP TO CLAPHAM COMMON ON SUNDAY 24TH JULY TO CELEBRATE PEACE, LOVE AND ICE-CREAM AT BEN & JERRY’S SUNDAE ON THE COMMON.
A very family friendly festival in the style of an old summer fete, artists such as Maximo Park and Gary Numan battled to win the crowd’s attention against a mass of other attractions. On entering the park a farmer appeared herding several pantomime cows through the throngs of people and it set the tone for the day nicely. Equally bizarre, but no less enjoyable, were the toe wrestling competitions, knock out competitions with giant foam bars, air guitar bands and mystic moo (telling fortunes from palms and empty ice cream tubs). On a serious side, the festival did much to raise the profile of such worthy causes as Fair Trade, ethical farming (including the new RSPCA ‘Think Pig’ campaign) and Oxfam, whose ‘Pants to Poverty’ group were running a bouncy bungee run (in their pants, of course). A large portion of the range of food stalls present offered organic and free-range food, with free samples being given out by ethical brand Devon Cereals as well as the chance to win prizes through their wheel of fortune.
Of course, for a festival put on by Ben & Jerry’s the main attraction was bound to be the free ice cream with over 150,000 scoops given away during the weekend in both Manchester and London. Each fair trade flavour was represented on it’s own stand, with queues proportional to demand. New flavour Coconutterley Fair proved extremely popular (and very delicious), as did perennial favourites Cookie Dough and Phish Food. Considering the crowds the speed at which ice cream was served was very impressive and nobody had to queue for long.
The petting zoo from Vauxhall City Farm proved almost as popular as the ice cream, with children and adults alike queuing up to meet Alpacas, Sheltand ponies and tiny newborn chicks. Also popular with all ages were the fairground rides with the queue for the famous Helter Skelter stretching far back into the park, although I preferred the beautiful old-fashioned carousel. All rides are free, although donations were been taken to help Vauxhall City Farm with it’s running costs.
Headliners of the day Maximo Park proved that they’re as popular as they were when they started with a large crowd gathering to watch them finish the day, but the highlight in my mind was Gary Numan (despite most younger festival goers being baffled until he got to ‘Are Friends Electric?’, famously sampled by the Sugababes in 2001). Earlier in the day saw Little Comets, Stephen Fretwell and The Duke & The King take the stage whilst festival goers fought to get the treasured spots in the shade of the burning sun (the first aid tent were forced to put up a ‘no suncream here’ sign early on in the day).
All in all, the festival was an enjoyable day and well worth the £17 ticket price if just for the ice cream and rides alone. The line-up was not the most spectacular of the summer, but it was an enjoyable and fun day out with something for a whole families to appreciate.
Words Tamsin Worrad
REVIEW: THE ICE HOUSE
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT A PRIVATE GET AWAY, SOMEWHERE WE CAN RELAX AND TAKE IN A BIT OF FRESH AIR, BALLINA COUNTY MAYO IN WESTERN IRELAND OFFERS AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL MOST DEFINITELY LEAVE YOU SPEECHLESS. IRELAND HAS MANY ATTRACTIONS IF EVERYDAY LIFE IS BECOMING A BIT STRESSFUL, AND YOU FIND YOURSELF NEEDING A WELL-DESERVED BREAK, THE REFRESHING COUNTRY AIR WILL SOON SORT THAT OUT.
The Ice House is a chic boutique spa hotel overlooking the River Moy in western Ireland. Built in 1859, the hotel has 32 bedrooms and suites, many of which offer stunning views of the tranquil forest and surrounding landscape.
The location is perfect as it compliments everything The Ice house represents; the spa facilities really bring it all to life as you are left feeling like you’ve just landed on another planet far far away. The treatments are just spectacular and you have a choice between Signature treatments, treatment Rituals, Facial Treatments followed by Body treatments.
I had the pleasure of enjoying a 60-minute facial, which was not at all what I expected. The therapist discussed the look I hoped to achieve then recommended the treatment that would achieve the best results.
I lay there in one of five treatment suites relaxed and totally chilled by the candles burning around the room and the classical music peacefully playing in the background; at this point I felt as though I was in heaven.
Between treatments, you have the use of other spa facilities like the relaxation area that has a stunning view of the River Moy Estuary giving you time to lay and chill out with a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice or you could use that time to read your favorite glossy magazine. The beauty inside is just as breathtaking on the outside, which you’ll find out when you go for a dip in the external hot tub, situated right over the river, giving you the opportunity to watch swans swim by while you take in the beauty of the vista.
Depending on your room preference, you have the choice between a traditional styled suite or a heritage one. Both offer two separate settings that make you feel comfortable and totally at home. You can expect a modern designed setting within the traditional room, with two plasma TVs. You can expect sliding glass doors, which lead straight to the balcony overlooking the waterway, giving a magnificent view of the surrounding area.
The luxurious room setting is complemented by a king size bed and the bathroom has built-in shower and deep bath. Soaps and products from L’Occtitane are provided for you to enjoy at your disposal.
The Pier restaurant has a glass wall, offering a view of the river, making the atmosphere very pleasurable. Winner of Best Restaurant design 2010 by the Restaurant Association speaks for itself. Breakfast is the best way to start the day here as you can look forward to a buffet full of fresh pastry delights, fruit salads with yogurt, freshly- squeezed orange Juice and still or sparkling water. If that was not enough for you, there is a breakfast menu with a choice of items – a full traditional Irish breakfast or Eggs Benedict served on toasted brioche with pancetta and hollandaise were just two of the mouthwatering offerings.
My choice had to be the American-style buttermilk pancakes served with syrup, presented with strawberries, which were to die for.
If you enjoy a bit of country air and want to get out and about you can enjoy a day of golf along the coast at one of four courses, take a boat trip, go fishing or maybe you would prefer a long stroll along Enniscorne beach for a view that is definitely breath taking.
The Ice House is a place for you to unwind and get away from daily stresses, enjoy the finest cuisine in their award-winning restaurant after a well-deserved day of spa treatments.
INFORMATION
Ryan Air has flights straight into Knock airport which takes 1 hour 30 minutes.
For further information visit www.ryanair.com
On arrival, there are taxis available to get to your destination in approximately 20 minutes.
Tourism Ireland offer tours and information on Ireland and surrounding areas.
The Ice house
The Quay
Ballina
Co. Mayo
Tel 000353 96 23 500
Email chill@theicehouse.ie
Prices start from £60 pppn, which includes breakfast and a deluxe room.
Words Lucy Gillfillan
ALEX TURNER – SUBMARINE EP
IT’S BEEN HARD TO IGNORE ALL OF THE PRESS COVERAGE CURRENTLY BEING GIVEN TO RICHARD AYOADE’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT SUBMARINE, WHICH IS TO OPEN IN CINEMAS THIS FRIDAY.
A comical “coming of age” story set in Wales, the film is adapted from Joe Dunthorne’s novel of the same name and has been causing a bit of a stir with those ‘in the know’ for quite some time.
Accompanying Ayoade’s vision on scoring duties is Arctic Monkey’s front-man Alex Turner who features six songs in the film, all of which have just been released as an EP. A stripped down, other worldly acoustic effort that sets the tone for the film perfectly, as an EP this sounds a complete and coherent work from start to finish. The songs whilst individuals, all clearly point towards a much larger work, obviously, not a great surprise when you remember why these songs exist. The sense of completion however does improve the listening experience considerably.
Forgetting for a second that they have been written for a film, as a collection of songs this is an impressive record. As someone who isn’t enormously enamoured with the Arctic Monkeys and had previously found Alex Turner’s song writing a bit charmless, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by this record. But, that said, for all of the accolades and sycophancy bestowed upon this man over the past few years, I’m not sure that these 6 songs have convinced me that I was completely wrong about him and that he actually is the greatest song writer of our generation.
There were moments on the first play-through when I found myself pausing a song for one reason or another and completely forgetting that I’d been listening to anything, which isn’t the behaviour of someone immersed in a work of genius. If anything on repeated listening it’s easy to find the tracks a little boring and I did constantly find myself looking for reasons to hit the pause button. Considering this it’s easy to say that the EP is a lot less than sum of it’s parts and whether the EP will retain any of its initial charm once the film leaves our cinema screens will remain to be seen.
The film isn’t out for a few days, and I was already pretty excited about it. Having now listened to part of the soundtrack and better understood how it will work and enhance the film, I am now going to spend the rest of my week trying to find things to do until Friday.
4/5
Words Luke McGee
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Buy the Submarine EP now by clicking here.
For more reviews click here.
ALBUM REVIEW: WHAT WOULD JESUS DRIVE, BLACK AND BLUE
BAND: WHAT WOULD JESUS DRIVE
ALBUM: BLACK AND BLUE
RELEASE: 28TH MARCH (DIGITAL), 30TH MAY (PHYSICAL)
CONSIDERING THAT PANCAKE DAY HAS ONLY RECENTLY PASSED, I THINK IT MIGHT BE NICE TO TALK ABOUT PANCAKES FOR A SECOND.
Now, as a meal there is nothing inherently wrong with pancakes at all. In fact, you could say that their pros easily outweigh their cons. They are easy to make, they comprise of simple ingredients that you almost always have and they take no effort to eat. You could easily slop one down when on a hangover with minimal vomit potential or make them a full on meal with lots of hearty toppings. They are sweet but equally delicious savoury and taste fine on their own without toppings and extra additions.
What Would Jesus Drive are similar like that. They taste absolutely fine on their own. But could they benefit from the addition of something else a little more interesting? Yes. Yes they could.
Black and Blue is not a horrible album and is actually fairly listenable but not at all memorable. It’s the kind of thing that you might find slung into the middle of an indie playlist in a shit hole club that you’ll never remember the next day. They follow the tried and tested formula of mildly accented vocalisations mixing it up with spoken word and shouty romps ala Art Brut and Los Campesinos! Only, they don’t have the lo-fi charm of Art Brut, or the musical chops of the ever expansive Los Campesinos! (Apparently the exclamation mark is essential, which I agree is very annoying).
Truthfully – and I say this with a heavy heart because their name is fantastic – there is really very little to WWJD. Just like pancakes. They bring nothing new or particularly original to the table and we have already heard it all before. Most likely in the band that you yourself formed aged 16 and why would you listen to that on a album when you could listen to something a lot better by…I don’t know… those funny indie failures that never did anything – The Oxfam Glamour Models. At least they, whilst being tragic and terrible had a genuine fire to them. WWJD just seem forced. Like The Wombats, and the only time that was ever acceptable was in 2007. Of course I might eat my words when they release their new album later this year but something tells me I won’t have to. Something tells me it will either sound nothing like their debut or be absolutely rubbish. WWJD just sounds like an angrier version of Wombats and that’s not great.
Still, I bet they’re banging live and fun to dance to, which is probably their real aim anyway. I hope. Now where did I leave my pancakes.
2/5
Words Jordan Waller
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For more reviews, click here
ÓLÖF ARNALDS – SINGLE ‘SURRENDER’ AND LIVE SHOW
THERE’S A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF ÓLÖF ARNALDS. THIS IS BECAUSE AS A GENERIC WESTERN CONSUMER, YOU’RE SO PRE-OCCUPIED WITH FINDING THE NEXT BUCKET OF DRIVEL SERVED UP BY BRITAIN OR AMERICA, YOU’VE LITTLE TO NO INTEREST IN ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN ICELAND. ESPECIALLY SINCE THEIR ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION TO OUR ECONOMIC CRISIS, YOU PROBABLY DON’T THINK WE CAN TRUST THEM.
Well, luckily for your I’m here to point you in the direction of an artist so whimsical and exciting in equal measure that on her most recent album Bjork featured as nothing more than a backing singer and her only UK show currently scheduled for this year has already sold out.
So, the album is already out and her only UK gig you won’t be able to get tickets for, so why on earth am I telling you about this person?
Ólöf Arnalds is an artist achieving both critical acclaim and relative fame at an unusual stage in her career. Although she has toured with a number of other artists and has for some time been a member of the experimental band Mum, it’s only now at the age of 31 and as a solo artist that Ólöf is receiving the individual attention that she so clearly deserves.
Her 2010 album Innundir Skinni was written after giving birth to her first child, an experience Ólöf described as inspiring her to have a lot of beautiful ideas from being in a blissful state.
Next month she will release another single from last year’s album, and to promote it she has added another date to her European tour, one day after the sold out show at London’s Vortex Jazz Club.
You could do far worse than to check out the upcoming single ‘Surrender’ by watching the video beneath this post however, please be aware that it has some moderately graphic scenes and should a bit of human flesh be too much for you then you can listen to the single on SoundCloud by clicking here.
The single is a beautifully intimate folk lullaby that is stripped down to such a degree that you could easily believe the performance to be taking place in the room with you.
Bjork provides a haunting backing vocal that are understated enough not to overpower the song’s core, but adds an ethereal dusting to the extraordinarily personal performance from Ólöf.
She has already been tipped by The Guardian, NME, Mojo and Q magazine to cause a bit of a stir in 2011. Well, as much of a stir as someone seemingly so reclusive can muster.
You can book tickets for the London show by visiting this website and if you’ve decided to do that, you might as well buy a copy of Innundir Skinni, which is avaliable on iTunes.
Follow me on twitter @monkeyhotel
Words Luke McGee
MODDI – FLORIOGRAPHY
IF EVER THERE WERE A SENTENCE LIKELY TO DISCOURAGE YOU FROM LISTENING TO AN ARTIST, IT MIGHT BE THIS; “HE BEGAN CAPTIVATING LISTENERS WITH MUSIC THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A BLEND OF DAMIEN RICE AND BJORK”.
Oh dear. I mean, the Bjork bit is okay and I suppose Damien Rice isn’t exactly evil, but where on earth is the middle ground between the two?
Fortunately whenever I get a press release I scroll immediately to the bottom of the email looking for a link to the music before reading any of the text. It’s easier this way and probably avoids hours of reading about something I’ll ultimately hate or ignoring something very special indeed.
I’ve not been as immediately captivated by an artist as I have by Moddi in a very long time.
On paper Pål Moddi Knutsen’s debut album Floriography sounds the opposite of anything any normal human should want to listen too. Slow, evolving, ambient songs from a sentimental and contemplative songwriter who works alone and at night.
Songs that all sound more or less the same and under normal circumstances should begin to bore you, but instead draw you further into the intimate bubble, in which only exists your mind and Moddi’s voice.
The voice is a good place to start in praising Moddi. To describe his voice as androgynous would be quite an understatement. Working out whether he is male of female is only the start of your dissection of this rather peculiar voice. It may be something about the Norwegian accent, but Moddi’s voice sounds constantly as though it is being electronically modified.
The album does have stand out tracks, which I’ll address shortly, but it’s important to acknowledge that this is a proper album. When I say proper album, I mean that the songs are in an order where they pay compliment to each other, and by the end of record you feel as though you have listened to one cohesive work, rather than a selection of songs by one writer.
So often do artists fail to achieve this on a debut album, and produce what feels like a best of show-reel that is part of a desperate scheme to become famous. Floriography is instead an album with such a distinct voice that on first listen, it’s difficult to remember how many songs you’ve listened to or how much time has passed. In Floriogaphry, Moddi has created a sonic world in which his music is everything, his music is sovereign and you are an invited guest.
That’s not to say that the album is an easy listen. As I mentioned above, Moddi’s voice presents the ear with a problem, which remains a point of integral interest until the end of the record.
The musical arrangements provide just as much fascination; Unconventional recordings of acoustic instruments, seamlessly mixed with electronic sounds and creative uses of harmony combined with timbral ideas to create significant tensions and releases that reflect perfectly Moddi’s voice and lyrics.
If you like your pop music a little more challenging than Coldplay but as listenable as anything you’re likely to hear elsewhere, then please watch the video for the rather excellent single ‘Magpie Eggs’.
If you like the idea of Damien Rice collaborating with Bjork, then do yourself a favour and avoid this album.
Floriography isn’t out in the UK until April 18th, but you can listen to it now on Spotify, and you can find out everything you need to know by visiting the official Moddi website.
Words Luke McGee
Follow me on twitter @monkeyhotel
SITAARAY
HOW OFTEN IS A MEAL OUT IN LONDON YOUR EVENING’S MAIN EVENT
MY GUESS IS NOT VERY. FOR MANY OF US A RESTAURANT IS A PLACE TO MEET OR A WAY TO KILL TIME BEFORE GOING TO THE THEATRE, A GALLERY OR SOME OTHER GHASTLY NIGHTLIFE SPOT.
This is certainly the case in London’s west end, where eating out is something we expect to be over with quick snap with the quality remaining sky high, before moving on with the rest of the evening.
On Drury Lane, a walking distance from anywhere worth visiting in the west end, lives an Indian restaurant like no other I’ve been in before now.
Sitaaray is an intimate room (maximum capacity only 55) that is not only unique in the manner with which it serves you food, but also in that it is a themed restaurant where the concept doesn’t feel uncomfortably crowbarred into the menu, nor does it feel thrust into your face.
The theme is Bollywood. As you walk in, you’ll discover the walls dripping with pictures of Bollywood stars and promotional posters for famous Bollywood films. Although most of these people and films will be unfamiliar to us Brits, the decor does add a genuine sense of glamour and class, which makes Sitaaray feel a truly unique and special place.
Once in the restaurant you will be seated in one of four themed booths; the heroine booth, the villan booth, the hero booth or the romantic booth, situated downstairs.
When seated you will be asked to make a choice, and as far as what you eat goes, this is virtually the only decision you will have to make all night. The choice? Vegetarian or meat.
After making your decision, you will be handed a menu informing you of what is about to be placed in front of you, one course at a time. There are 12 items on each menu, nine kebabs and three curries.
The courses are then brought to you at a rapid pace, one after the next with each installment building to a crescendo of deliciousness.
It would not only be unfair to give any particular dish special mention, but also rather a waste of time, as once you’re done with sampling everything from your selected menu you can have as much as you like of any particular item. Not bad for £22.50.
Having said this, it’s worth keeping an eye out for the battered fish, a lentil sauce which accompanied the naan bread for dipping (that takes 3 days to prepare, so the chef informs us) and the tikka masala.
Drinks wise, the cocktails are reasonably priced and wonderfully refreshing. I was recommended the Awaara, a raspberry and vodka tribute to the 1951 Bollywood classic, and I would like to pass this recommendation onto you.
Other reviews I’ve read have criticised the lack of choice, claiming that it makes you feel out of control. Well, I personally found this aspect not only relaxed me, but the knowledge that I could re-order any of my favoured items made me feel more in control than if ordering off a menu. Also, what kind of maniac is concerned by how much control they have over dinner?
Sitaaray is a conveniently located restaurant that for its price range, towers above anywhere else I can think of within a mile radius. It is certainly the best Indian food I’ve had in London. Whether you’re looking for a convenient place to grab a bite before a show, an intimate meal for two or a celebratory meal with friends, Sitaaray is a place that must be considered.
Click here to visit the website and peruse the menu. If you want to eat in a large group, you will almost certainly need a reservation.
167 Drury Lane
Greater London
WC2B 5PG
Tel: 020 7269 6422
Words Luke McGee
HAUSCHKA – ‘SALON DES AMATEURS’
THE TERM ‘IDM’ (INTELLIGENT DANCE MUSIC) IS ONE I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND RATHER CRINGE INDUCING. AT LEAST I DO UNTIL HEARING THE MUSIC IT’S BEING USED TO DESCRIBE, AT WHICH POINT A VEIL OF RAGE AND GLOOM DETACHES ME FROM THE REAL WORLD.
Isn’t it a preposterously pretentious term? Placing some dance music on an intellectual pedestal above other dance music, that is in all honesty probably equal in its vapidity? And what about a Strauss Waltz, or a Chopin Mazourka? Unintelligent, I presume.
Well, at the risk of sounding an enormous hypocrite, an album is soon to be released that I believe may deserve the descriptive tag “IDM”.
If you’ve heard of the experimental pianist Hauschka, then please, accept my congratulations. The rest of you, pay attention for the next 300 words or so.
The wonderfully creative composer is back with a new album, that will hopefully pick up precisely where his 2010 slice of wonderment ‘Foreign Landscapes’ left off.
‘Salon Des Amateurs’ will see Hauschka (aka Volker Bertelmann) returns to his celebrated prepared piano style, where he will present us with what will doubtless be a unique take on minimalist techno and house.
For those of you unfamiliar with the prepared piano (do you know nothing of the works of John Cage? Goodness me!), Bertelmann achieved fame for placing unusual objects; bottle tops, gaffa tape and even vibrators inside the body of his piano, which allows the instrument an emphasised set of percussive properties.
It is from these percussive sounds that Hauschka will presumably form the basis of his dance tracks.
‘Salon Des Amateurs’ will certainly be quite a departure both stylistically and aesthetically from any of Hauschka’s previous works, particularly the aforementioned ‘Foreign Landscapes”, which saw his distintive arrangements evolve from the piano and spread across an orchestra.
The album isn’t out until April 11, so in the meantime I suggest you make yourself familiar with some of Hauschka’s back catalogue, starting with his last album which can be listened to in full beneath this article.
For more information on Hauschka, click here.
Follow me on twitter @monkeyhotel
Words Luke McGee
Hauschka – Foreign Landscapes by Hauschkamusic
BEADY EYE DEBUT SINGLE – THE ROLLER
A LOT OF TIME HAS PASSED SINCE THE BREAK UP OF OASIS. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT “WELL, THAT’S A SHAME. I HOPE NOEL CARRIES ON RELEASING MUSIC”.
I just assumed that Liam would probably call it a day and spend more time on his fashion and socialite career. Noel Gallagher was the pulse that drove Oasis. Whilst Liam gave the band its swaggering, rebellious image that certainly aided the group’s success, it’s probably fair to say that any musical contribution made by the singer was detrimental to the band. Anyone who has heard an Oasis song penned by Liam should agree with this.
Nevertheless, I was delighted when I first heard that Liam was to continue releasing music with his new band Beady Eye, a band that consists of Liam and the former Oasis hired-guns Gem Archer and Andy Bell. I suppose you could look at Beady Eye as being Oasis sans Noel.
So what do Oasis without Noel sound like? Fairly average, unfortunately. ‘The Roller’ sounds like an Oasis song that would probably have been scrapped, or at best been a B side. The song opens with sustained chords and a vocal tune that are painfully similar, if not identical to the Beatles ‘All You Need Is Love’, which then continues throughout every verse. I assume this was deliberate, although I’m not sure that makes it any less cringe worthy. We get it Liam, you like John Lennon.
The lyrics are a tough lightweight, and although the chorus is quite catchy, the verses are practically un-listenable.
Although ‘The Roller’ will be Beady Eye’s debut single, it’s the third song we’ve heard from the band’s forthcoming debut album Different Gear, Still Speeding, which will be released on February 28th. Sadly, the two songs we’ve already been treated to tell a similar story, and haven’t filled me with a great deal of excitement for the album.
I think it’s fair to say that towards the end Oasis had long since peaked, and the split felt inevitable. Noel had been performing on his own for a while and at the time it seemed obvious to all the he, and the rest of the band were ready to move on. This is why the former members of Oasis forming a band like Beady Eye strikes me as being slightly short sighted.
To my ears Beady Eye don’t sound like the remnants of a groundbreaking band moving onto pastures new. Rather, they sound like a new band who were heavily influenced by Oasis.
Yes, they are perfectly passable as a standard, British guitar band and I’ve certainly heard worse music, I’m sure we all have. However, when you consider the heights that these musicians used to scale, one can’t help but feel that they would have been better advised to take a dignified final bow, rather than desperately hang onto what might be a lengthily descent into the pits of mediocrity.
If you would like to learn more about Beady Eye then you can visit their website by clicking here, and you can listen to ‘The Roller’ beneath this post.
Words Luke McGee
Follow me on twitter @monkeyhotel
