The Rise(?) of the British Anti-folk Scene

[23 Daves]

Now then - this is a topic that's likely to split opinion straight down the middle.  There are two schools of thought about the UK anti-folk scene - the first is that it's a bunch of awful, shambolic, drunken nonsense delivered by a bunch of frequently rather ugly people.  The second is that it's a genuine underground outsider movement with original sounds, ideas and the makings of some marvellous nights out. 

A whole slurry of singles appear to be coming out right now after the bands have spent years gigging around the circuit, and it's going to be interesting to see if before the end of the year any of these bands have a major impact.

First up, Paul Hawkins with "The Evil Thoughts" - this is by far my favourite of the bunch, an oddball stalker anthem which manages to recall Steve Harley's "Mr Soft" with the boinging backing track, eighties synth pop with the "aah"ing backing vocals, and a deranged and possibly dangerous obsessive just about keeping tune on some vocals delivered through gritted teeth.  A lovely concoction, I feel, and the lines "Don't get me wrong, you're a really sweet girl/ but your taste in men is the worst in the world/ and I understand if you don't want me for your man/ BUT YOU REALLY SHOULD!" should have all the male Verbwhores singing along in a moving chorus of rejection.  I might even cry.

The video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOdvdneV5b4

David Cronenburg's Wife also have a single coming out at the end of the month which appears to be an old-fangled double A side.  Not too sure about this one, I'll freely admit - very very early Fall-ish, with very roughly recorded and untreated basic instrumentation, not an effects pedal in sight.  They're brilliant live, but these singles are almost too hollow sounding to my ears.  Anyway:

I Couldn't Get Off:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l37j24CV7W8

I'm On The Booze, Mama:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phlJW8Ff-eE

Sergeant Buzfuz are an altogether more trad, acoustic act with some surprisingly psychedelic tinges.  "Swallows" was one of my favourite tracks from last year, a very mesmerising piece of work with nostalgic lovelorn lyrics which almost recall the better seventies folk artists - not as filthy and bitter as yer average antifolk act, then, and certainly a lot more polished and produced.  Not too sure about the awkward acting in this video, mind you:

Swallows:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnkzF9cVmUM

And finally, Milk Kan's "Bling Bling Baby" for the benefit of those who haven't heard it, shockingly a single of the week on Chris Moyle's Breakfast Show. 

Bling Bling Baby:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSXYs4rYqHA

Additionally, Misty's Big Adventure are on the outskirts of the movement and have worked with many US anti-folkers, but seem to prefer not to be aligned with it.

Opinions, etc?  One thing that can really be said about the scene is that it's not a press creation- the bands genuinely do direct each other's videos (DCW directed the Buzfuz video above) release each other's singles (And Buzfuz put DCW's single out on his Blang label) and create their own festivals and all-dayers - I was at the first ever antifolk night (billed as anti-NAM or anti-New Acoustic Movement) in London back in 2001 when only thirty people were in the room, and now it's slowly making moves towards the overground with support slots and radio plays and significantly more impressive attendances.  Whether it will go all the way remains to be seen, but one thing I will say is that almost all of the bands I've mentioned above are better live than on record. 

[Marvin]

I've been meaning to post a similar thread actually, seen a few of these in London and Birmingham (where the scene is really flourishing, along with some great psych-pop acts). That Paul Hawkins single is brilliant.

[EddyWhore]

Check out Thee Intolerable Kidd (http://www.theeintolerablekidd.com/) for a laugh if you're ever looking for something to do in london.  He's very straight faced and his lyrics are fucking hilarious yet desperately bleak.  I've supported the band he's drummed for a couple of times and he's a really sound bloke.

[Marvin]

It's worth looking on Paul Hawkins' myspace as he has several songs there to download including The Evil Thoughts: http://www.myspace.com/tradinginsults

[CaledonianGonzo]

Where do the Fence Collective chappies fit into this, then?  Or are they something else entirely?

[23 Daves]

Where do the Fence Collective chappies fit into this, then?  Or are they something else entirely?

They're "nu folk", aren't they?  Which is a genre invented by the press, to the best of my knowledge.

It does get confusing, though, all the new folk genres that have cropped up in the last five or six years.  New Acoustic Movement, anti-folk, Nu folk, psychedelic folk, etc. etc. etc.

[23 Daves]

A quick bump to say that Everett True has written about this in Village Voice magazine:

http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/music/archives/2007/07/hugs_and_kisses.php

Not too sure about all the acts he's picked out from the pile there, mind you.  As fun as the Bobby McGees are, they barely deserve to be crowned as royalty in any genre, and some of the others he's mentioned are just attention-seekers with nothing to say who can barely play instruments.  But that's typical Everett in full effect there - namecheck the most DIY of the bunch without stopping to check if any of them are actually any good or not.  Especially if some of them happen to be your mates...

[Famous Mortimer]

Everett True is, unfortunately, a cunt, and as such deserves to have everything he writes taken with a massive pinch of salt, even if he often writes about good music.

Dunno about labelling these bands and musicians "outsider" though, they're no more outsider than anyone else who sets out to make music in an unpopular genre. Some of them are bloody good though, and I only wish a few of them would tour up here.

[Funcrusher]

Everett True is, unfortunately, a cunt, and as such deserves to have everything he writes taken with a massive pinch of salt

Never a truer word was said.