Future of the Left have posted links to some new demos, which will presumably eventually appear on their upcoming third studio album, on their Facebook page. It's the first chance fans will have had to listen to what the Cardiff band has been up to since their line-up change earlier in the year, other than from live videos like this one. Stream the tracks tracks below.
Future Of The Left - I Am The Least Of Your Problems (demo)
Back in 2005, The Independent were correct when they wrote that “one way or another, we will be hearing quite a lot more of Jimmy Watkins.” Referring to an on-track incident where, during his career in athletics a few years back, Jimmy farted whilst lining up for a race, although The Independent, even after that, probably weren’t expecting for us to hear more of him quite in the way that we have over the past year or so.
Indeed, the Jimmy Watkins in that article is the same Jimmy Watkins who fronts Cardiff band Strange News From Another Star and, indeed, also the same Jimmy Watkins who was asked to join Future Of The Left, one of his favourite bands, as guitarist and fourth member not long ago.
Jimmy likes to make a bit of a pillock of himself. Anybody who has ever even briefly met him or seen him play live (be it outdoors strumming an acoustic with his trousers around his ankles, dressed either in denim from head to toe or, with his now slightly plumper figure [sorry Jimmy], in his old athletics kit onstage) will be testament to that. Strange News' debut EP Full Frontal, although a strong release that a lot of hard work went into, was still Jimmy - and bandmate’s Mark Foley, bass, and Harry Jones, drums - in all of his usual silliness through the medium of raucous, blues-influenced, alternative rock. Since the release of Full Frontal last year, Mark has had a shave and a haircut, Harry has graduated from university, Jimmy, whilst still working in a Welsh wool shop, has joined Future Of The Left, and Strange News From Another Star have made some new recordings.
Now, it’d be foolish to suggest that with these new recordings Strange News have turned sensible because, well, they haven’t. They’re still completely nuts. For example, ‘A Ballad Of John Rostron’ is a song to/for/about/containing Cardiff-based music promoter and Swn Festival co-organiser John Rostron, where Jimmy asks “Where’s the car park?/Where’s the car park?/Where’s the car park, John?” (no idea...). ‘Deathbyugg’, besides from being perhaps the best named song ever, features a female/Jimmy unusual duet, ending with Jimmy, all Welsh accented, repeating “Burn that Tesco, burn that Tesco down, burn that Tesco, burn that Tesco down”. ‘White Man Blues’ is two minutes of heavy, blues-y guitar riffs, pausing occasionally for lines like “Tell your mother I’m back again/This time a respectable man.” And, after all, the band are still sponsored by a sandwich shop. But in these songs - some of which that will form an EP at some point - Jimmy, Mark, and Harry are, it’s fair to say, taking their music a lot more seriously and are certainly seeming a lot more relaxed, comfortable, and confident with their sound.
Although no gigs seem to be lined up at the moment, and there are no firm plans for this new EP, there will be some updates within the coming months, no doubt.
Head here for a playlist made by Jimmy for The 405, here to stream both debut EP Full Frontal and a live radio session for Bethan Elfyn, or follow them on Twitter here for more news on live shows, a possible EP, etc, and listen to clips of some of the new recordings below.
Strange News From Another Star - I Am Weatherproof (Crop)
Strange News From Another Star - Bullets (Crop)
Strange News From Another Star - Last Night I Happened Twice (Crop)
This week's gig of the week is not Kaiser Thiefs at Live Lounge (a Kaiser Chiefs cover band at a 'music venue' with an Oceana vibe - I can't think of much worse). See below for what it is.
Action Beat are sometimes loads and loads of people, sometimes not quite so many people making improv noisey punk. This show will feature between 7 and 9 members, apparently, which will translate to drummers as around 3 or 4.
Support comes partly from the relatively new Brandyman, featuring members or ex-members of the likes of Truckers of Husk, Gindrinker, and Joy of Sex. Expect heavy guitar riffs and plenty of clever music-y stuff. Support also comes from Saturday's Kids (talked about lots on here) who, as I've said many times, make heavy post-punk sounds with cool speeding up and slowing down and care free vocals. They just released a 7" on Art For Blind Records.
Also worth noting include: Alessi's Ark at Chapter Arts Centre Thursday 9th, and a celebration the 10th birthday of the Welsh Music Foundation with free gigs in the foyer of the Millennium Centre in the Bay on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th (Future of the Left play on the Friday).
Future of the Left have announced that they are to become a four-piece, and that bassist, Kelson Mathias, is leaving the band and to be replaced. I wrote a short news article on the topic, which is online now at The Line of Best Fit.
The fourth band member will be, I'd imagine, revealed in the coming days...
