Stressed Vol.3. Compilation Review – Vanity Project (November 2006)
Pushing the East Midlands envelope, there are plenty of familiar names on here, but Stressed continue to dig around the more exhilarating species of rock. You Slut’s opener is vital stuff, guitars coming in from every which way and Felusia End make a similar cataclysmic wave of noise. You Judas drain away down a blackhole of hectic, caustic post-rocknroll. Lardpony’s brassy, apple-cheeked twee electro lightens the mood, but In Flight Program break the shimmering with a resolute death metal chorus throwndown, a theme developed later with Hanzo Steel going the whole grind hog. In the midst of all the testosterone, not to mention The Atoms spooty punk pogoing on their parent’s new settee are more pristine moments such as Biba’s romantic indielectro and Arsey Robs glitch-twicth minimal beat. Another classy, eclectic collection. Skif. www.stressedrecords.co.uk
Unknown
Stressed Vol.2. Compilation Review – Play Dead Issue (February 2006)
Definitely the compilation of the issue this one. Stressed Vol 2 is the latest in the series of Stressed Records of Derby scene, and whereas the first effort showed potential but was a little rough around the edges, this has seen many of the upcoming bands from that fulfil some of the potential. And when there’s a host of great new bands thrown into the mix like Biba and LostAlone then you’re on to a winner. There’s 23 tracks on here and it’s safe to say if you like guitars there’s something for everyone, but for me the highlights have to be the likes of Fixit Kid, In Flight Program, Dragonflies Draw Flame and You Slut! Good Work.
Marc Bird
Demo Review - Sandman Magazine (February 2006)
Derby’s Biba have sent me a CD without any tracklisting at all, the pests. But not to worry, because, y’know, they’re pretty good and everything. Imagine ‘Seventeen Seconds’ era Cure mixed with some of Mogwai’s quieter moments and you’ll pretty much be there.
All four tracks are instrumentals, so there’s no need to pester your mum whilst she’s watching Dancing On Ice, and none of them outlast their welcome, like instrumentals are sometimes guilty of doing. All in all, a very pleasant distraction.
SMT
Stressed Vol.2. Compilation Review – Leftlion (November 2005)
Getting a compilation of Derby’s best bands would excite different emotions in Notinghamians. Some might discard it, some deride it and some might even throw it back from whence it came, hoping it might decapitate some hapless inhabitant of our rival city upon its descent. But no, not I! Through this review I shall seal the rift that hath eternally divid’d our two cities, and we shall embrace as brothers in the streets. Yes! I profess Stressed Records Volume 2 to be…
A mixed bag. The opener from My Psychoanalyst is a spluttering progfest treat that sets the standard for the rest of the record, a standard that is sadly seldom surpassed. It’s hard to generalise with compilations, but seeing as it’s from Derby I’ll give it a go; it’s not that the bands are bad, just that as a whole they offer little original song-writing. Of course there are exceptions; Plans and Apologies’ effort ‘Eggbound Mutebone’ is a refreshingly unpretentious story about preachy Christians, with the classic line ‘If I don’t have faith in the bus timetable, how can I have faith in the holy Bible?’. Tracks from Biba and Fixit Kid establish Derby as a hub of post-rock promise, although efforts from The Atoms, In Flight Program and YouNoGoDie mean the same can’t be said for the punk and post-punk scene there. Easy Green and Lardpony are other bands worthy of a mention, just as Stressed Records is deserving of merely three of your grubbiest pounds to see how the other half live.
Unknown
Stressed Vol.2. Compilation Review – I Shot The Deputy (October 2005)
The name STRESSED VOLUME 2 is deceptive. What soon becomes clear is that this CD is not only a compilation of Derby’s finest and their stand out tracks, but that it is also a compilation of rock genres. At the mouth-wateringly cheap price of a single (£3) you really do not want to miss out on this insight into contemporary indie.
The CD starts off with some light distortion courtesy of Smiths influenced My Psychoanalyst. Cinderella certainly does not provide the best of beginnings and you can’t help but feel a little messed around with; this is not stressy music; it’s a 3:55 minute whine. Track two then sets the scene for what is to follow. It is stressed, intense, enigmatic and memorable; it is what can be classified as pop-Goth rock (if such a thing exists). Perhaps label politics prevented Younogodie from getting the top-spot, but it is nonetheless a welcomed improvement and foreshadows the transitions to follow.
This eclectic blend ranges from indie-seven-piece – Plans and Apologies’ (what a mouthful) pretty, not stressed Eggbound Mutebone track 2. A young emotionally tapped listener’s Rakes or rather, a mild but rather less musically astute Morrissey. Then reaching out as far as the heavy bass lines of post-punk rockers The Atom’s – You Can’t Break My Heart, sadly spoiled by a quick get-out finish of downing the volume. What with rack 16 later providing the token girl band and their feminist rant (Patchwork Grace – Doll’s House) while the weird-as electronica instrumentals come courtesy of Biba you are going to feel musically cultured to the point of bursting. Not of course not missing out on a touch of EMO track 9 (– In Flight Program) and another 2:29 minute instrument-only rock set at track 10 (- by You Slut!).
The most outstanding track award goes to Lardpony – Scene But Not Heard (www.lardpony.co.uk), and the “most familiar sounding award “ going to Easy Green – Down Down Down. The eclectic range of music on this CD gets stranger by the minute, but if you like indie in any shape or form, it is snack money well spent.
Vivian Marie
Stressed Vol.2. Compilation Review – Angry Ape
The name Stressed Volume 2 is deceptive. What soon becomes clear is that this CD is not only a compilation of Derby’s finest and their stand out tracks, but that it is also a compilation of rock genres. At the mouth-wateringly cheap price of a single (£3) you really do not want to miss out on this insight into contemporary indie.
The CD starts off with some light distortion courtesy of Smiths influenced My Psychoanalyst. Cinderella certainly does not provide the best of beginnings and you can’t help but feel a little messed around with; this is not stressy music; it’s a 3:55 minute whine. Track two then sets the scene for what is to follow. It is stressed, intense, enigmatic and memorable; it is what can be classified as pop-Goth rock (if such a thing exists). Perhaps label politics prevented Younogodie from getting the top-spot, but it is nonetheless a welcomed improvement and foreshadows the transitions to follow.
This eclectic blend ranges from indie-seven-piece – Plans and Apologies’ (what a mouthful) pretty, not stressed Eggbound Mutebone track 2. A young emotionally tapped listener’s Rakes or rather, a mild but rather less musically astute Morrissey. Then reaching out as far as the heavy bass lines of post-punk rockers The Atom’s – You Can’t Break My Heart, sadly spoiled by a quick get-out finish of downing the volume. What with rack 16 later providing the token girl band and their feminist rant (Patchwork Grace – Doll’s House) while the weird-as electronica instrumentals come courtesy of Biba you are going to feel musically cultured to the point of bursting. Not of course not missing out on a touch of EMO track 9 (- In Flight Program) and another 2:29 minute instrument-only rock set at track 10 (- by You Slut!).
The most outstanding track award goes to Lardpony – Scene But Not Heard ( www.lardpony.co.uk ), and the “most familiar sounding award ” going to Easy Green – Down Down Down. The eclectic range of music on this CD gets stranger by the minute, but if you like indie in any shape or form, it is snack money well spent.
Victoria McNaught-Davis
Live Review – Sheffield Sandman (March 2005)
Biba, Pixel Pixel Pixel, [Heart] Yeah!! @ Lescar Hotel
It’s a cold and windy night and as i walk along Ecclesall Road i feel the need to boost my alcohol fuelled chill shield. I pop into the classic rock bar for a swift half, inside i see a sight so normal that i don’t really pay any attention, four young men with guitars and drums going through the standard rock ‘n roll motions, safe, secure and non-threatening. A short hop, step and a jump later and I’m in the back room of the Lescar and a completelt different world. Due to my short detour I miss the first band but soon Biba take the “stage” area. This two piece are so involved in their instrumental noise pieces that they seem oblivious to the crowd of people watching. An overdriven guitar beautifully contrasted with a melodic bass and thumping drum machine.
And now as they say, for something completely different. Pixel Pixel Pixel appear to be a six foot moustachioed rabbit. Through a laptop and keyboard it plays classics like the theme from Robocop and games like Mario Bros. Dancing above a fit and inducing strobe he is at once unnervingly sinister but amazingly entertaining.
[Heart] Yeah’s!! set is riddled with technical problems, leads crackle and short out, instruments just seem to die as this duo touch them, oddly this adds to the tension of the music and the performance. Every time the guitar is struck (struck, not strummed) the sound hits your head like broken glass, the vocals switch from soft muttering to impassioned yells of defiance. This two piece make as much of a full sound as anyone can.
This whole evening has been something different to many of the gigs i could have gone to tonight. The people in the room know it, they know they have just witnessed something that has been building for a while, a break from traditional “indie” bands, something new and dangerous. One or two drummers in the room look a little nervous, their time may soon be up.
Chris Long
