So much time, so little to say...

So then, My Sad Captains. They released their debut album, you know. Here & elsewhere, that's what they've called it which could refer to many things but not to where you'll find some words about it. The 'here' bit is right enough .. but elsewhere? Barely. It has been unObserved. The NME mustered a blah review then the editor announced his resignation; its not know whether the two events are related.
Which, in some ways, is how this blog likes it, of course. (If it had occurred at the time, this space would really rather be called LesserSpotted.) But the wrongness of this state of affairs cannot be allowed to go unremarked. OK, the record is signally not, by any stretch of imaginings, a Great Leap Forward; a Modest Shuffle Sideways is closer to it and if you've caught them live you'll have done just this...
reallyrather has by now lost count of the shows which is partly explains the state of mild stupefaction that decends on pressing play and hearing the loping melodic twinkle of old friends like Ghost song and Change of scenery...

With e-very sinew
I deny I've seen you

Cole Porter, how'd ya miss that one?! He might not be the most dominant vocal presence but Ed Wallis' words snag you in the same way the tunes do, their insiduous charms stealthily weaving in and around your memory cells. Pretty much every tune here punches its (admittedly Bantam) weight: peppy, wistful, quietly sparkling indie-pop songcraft abounds. One curiosity is the re-working of their perkiest and most exposed song - Bad decisions,indeed. It's a bit like replacing a 100-watt bulb with one of those planet-saving varieties; worthy but dim. Embrace your inner chirpiness, people, else that way, um, Absentee lies...
[my sad captains]

To Heaven last week for Silversun Pickups' fifth or sixth London show of the year. Frontman Brian listed all the earlier venues, fairly impressive recall for such a relentless gigging machine as this LA quartet. And 'machine' might be the word since the band have now honed their two-and-a-half albums into as tight an exposition of fuzzed-out, melodic indie-rock bombast as you could wish for. This was the fourth time for reallyrather (but the first with a really decent light show) and it was clear the band's star is still in the ascendent. How many does this place hold, 1500? It was sold out two months in advance and this blog can't believe most there won't be back:

At the same venue the next night were Austin power trio White Denim whose second album Fits is a belter. Ranging from powerhouse Doors/Zep/Hendrix psych-rockin' (Mirrored and reverse is some kind of time machine) to the blissful pop pastures grazed by the likes of Annuals and Plants & Animals, all in about 37 minutes, right here right now its feels vaguely essential.
Almost inevitably given the band's make up, the album's light and shade, the melodicism and subtleties tend to get obliterated in live performance which is one reason this blog didn't mind missing the show. The other reason was I'd caught them the week before smashing their way through a steamy 40-minute in-store at Rough Trade East - props to my li'l camera for just about holding up bang in front of the bass bin:

And so to Latitude...