Pagina's

Thursday, April 22, 2010

UNKNOWN PLEASURES : THE ARKANES

Reading biogs is always funny.
I think I have read thousands of biogs so far and they have all one thing in common : if it's up to the bands then they all will be stars within some months.
Nothing against such an attitude because if the band doesn't believe in themselves then who will anyway?
If it depends on this Liverpool-based band then they will be stars too and so far they have collected some awards from which no one has ever heard but let's get to the essence : how do they sound like?
Well they're not the new Bunnymen or the new Beatles and that's only good as I'm not in the mood to hear a new Beatles anyway.
The Arkanes have chosen an American rocksound that comes close to The Black Crowes, only much more melodic.
Couldn't help thinking that a track like "Schitzophonic" ripps off the guitarchord from Inspiral Carpets' "I want you"...
When the record ended it felt good and I couldn't help laughing that they probably won't change the world... (but seeing your comments it looks like they made it in the UK or the US, so cheers for that!)

www.thearkanes.com

22 comments:

  1. Another person who has something to say about music but clearly knows nothing! Just listened to Inspiral carpets " I want you" and there is nothing thats the same between that song and "Schitzophonic" notice how he spells it "Shitzophonic" I watched this band in Boston US and they are the best band I have seen in a long time,you my dear friend should quit writting about music because you are quiet clearly the worst reviewer I have read in a long time, quiet shit yourself...there is a reason why people go mad for this band you... just dont quiet get it but then again its not music for idiots...

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  2. So you spend a paragraph complaining about a bands positivity, and then you point out your own ignorance by admitting you haven't heard of some underground awards, which are very important to unsigned bands, and then you purposefully (unprofesionally) spell a song wrong and can't even write a valid sentance about the actual content of the music (as comment above). Boy Didier you are really good at being a critic, keep going with this page you'll get places. Jennie- some one who knows the ARKANES ROCK

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  3. Clearly don't know much about music do u my friend??!!

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  4. I know one of the band members so this could/should be taken as biased. The Arkanes are one of the best bands to come out of the North West of England in a long time! They might not change the world but they'll certainly tweak it and WILL be very successful. By the way Didier I suggest you invest in a dictionary or spell checker

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  5. i agree with anonymous !

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  6. i dont know if your being a smart ass by spelling schitzophonic (shitzophonic)or if you are some form of retard but once again someone who knows fuck all about music is given a job as a critic.The words shit,ass and gobshite come to mind when i read this "review" and all those words are to do with you didier, oh i forgot one split arse, that is all, keep it up your fantastic.

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  7. By any chance are you a looser errrm yes u are cant wait for you to eat your words

    H.

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  8. I think someone is a little jealous of The ArKanes... what did one of the lads steal your girlfriend. You need to get a life and/or a new set of ears.

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  9. Arkanes are a quality act both in the studio and definately live on stage, I suggest that whoever wrote this sticks to listening to shite from the likes of Britney, Glee etc.....!!!!

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  10. IT'S TRUE DIDIER, nobody have never heard FROM an award, and yes, THE ARKANES have opted for the "American" rock sound, just like the Inspiral Carpets???? why does everybody think that Liverpool bands always want to be the new beatles? or bunnymen? and if THE ARKANES do, why would they rip off a Madchester bands "guitarchord" (whatever a guitarchord is), you are entitled to your opinion, just like the rest of us and just because some of us think your a tit, it doesn't mean you are.... THE ARKANES might not change the world BUT it's a bigger probability than you becoming a paid music criric... dont act like you know stuff

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  11. It's looking like these are some dangerous times for you Mr. Critic... who do you think you are?

    The ArKanes are awesome! They are who they are... they aren't trying to be anyone but themselves so lay off!

    They've got some pretty badass American fans that will find you and kick your ass.. you've been warned.

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  12. Jennifer Banshee KeplerMay 1, 2010 at 11:22 PM

    I will not comment on spelling, considering many of us have problems here.
    I will say however that I personally enjoy the arkanes' sound. Perhaps
    this is because I hail from Detroit- where we like
    our music to have a bit of an edge to it- or perhaps
    it is because I now live in belgium where we appreciate
    a wide variety of music prefering new or "smaller" acts
    over the pop mainstream- or finally perhaps it's simply
    because the Arkanes are simply very, very good.
    Keep up the good work guys! And Didier, please go to the
    doctor- clearly your ears need cleaning out!

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  13. i feel it's fucking trendy to slag a band that easily shows so much promise ..they took boston by storm ..in their first gig ever in the states
    band has it all ..last band that did that here in boton was U2 ..now dont get me wrong i dig the arkanes sound way more than all U2 ..the point is follow history the arkanes are and will be as big as U2

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  14. The thing most people are forgetting here is that this is a review from a non entity!! It's a FANZINE and who the hell takes any notice of what they say anyway? An industry review yes, but this guy clearly doesn't want to be recognised for his adept descriptions or pictorial definitions. I have worked with some awesome bands over the last 13 years and although I may not be a musician and lack some of the techincal phrases of those who know their way around a fret board etc, I certainly know a band with potential when I hear them!! I have worked with a record label throughout those years and been involved in various major hard and melodic rock festivals. I'm pretty certain this guy has never set foot over his own doorstep and is clearly reviewing albums that are sent to him, not necessarily venturing out to see them live. My suggestion to every band who actually has talent out there is DO NOT SEND YOUR ALBUM TO 'THE ORIGINAL SIN' for a review. Get it to Kerrang, Scuzz, Rocksound, AORFM, FIREWORKS Magazine and probably about another 100 I could mention!! Get reviewed by someone who knows the sound of a drop 'D' or what a 12 string guitar looks like. I just read another review which stated 'a guitar and pedals' for f**k's sake!! If that's the description coming out from this guy, he REALLY needs to get more involved in the industry from the ground up or at least go on a descriptive writing course!!

    To conclude........I heard The Arkanes in the Wellington in Southport for the first time and after seeing the energy on stage and hearing the tightness of their set of ORIGINAL music, I knew they would be a band to watch. They may sound influenced by several other bands but isn't that what every band sounds like? I have never heard anyone say 'That band sounds like nothing I've ever heard before' it's 'they sound like such and such with a bit of you know who thrown in and guitar riffs like....'

    THAT'S how we pass on a description so that other people go check them out!!

    Enough rambling - I could go on for ages but suffice to say I think The Arkanes are an awesome young band and we are very pround to say they come from the North West of England!!

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  15. Didier you are a toss pot. go and shite. quit your job, then quit your life. end it all you slightly bent bell end. btw if you find my Calvins under your bed tell your missus i'll get them next time your in your study, writing bullshit that no one agree's with about some other band. i bid you good day (bow)
    cock jouster

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  16. No, you may not join The Anti-ArKanes Task Force....

    I figured you would eventually ask.

    Your kind is not welcome. We prefer members who can read and write. It also helps if they are not pricks who dislike EXCELLENT music.

    Anyway...

    get a life.

    Love,

    Tapanga Malanga
    President of The Anti-ArKanes Task Force (American Chapter)

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  17. I don't know what's funnier... your sorry excuse for a "review" or the comments bashing your ass. You need help!

    The ArKanes are going places.. you'll see.

    Now go wash your hands! I can hear your mother calling you up from the basement for din din.. moron.

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  18. And the funniest thing of all is that I don't even said this band are bad!
    Nope, they're not bad and as far as I saw my review I can't even see that I wrote something negative...
    Well yes, biogs are boring....
    All biogs are boring, even mine...
    All awards are useless, all of them....
    Is it bad that I said they're American-oriented?
    I don't think so.....
    Is it bad if I said a song is melodic?
    I don't think so.....
    Is it bad if a song is similar to Inspiral Carpets?
    At least some good inspiration, me think.....
    Will they change the world?
    I sincerely hope it for these guys, I sincerely do, but it's my right to think I have my doubts if they will....
    Why? Because they're bad?
    Come on, you know better...I have in this room
    thousands of records from artists from whom I thought/wished/whatever that they're big....
    Do I need a dictionnary I guess so...
    never said my English is perfect....
    I live in a country where people are ready to fight for a language....how sad that is, friend....
    Language is just there to communicate....
    I'm not a reviewer, sir.
    I am a fan of music which goes from Atari Teenage Riot to Johnny Cash to The Who to The Stone Roses to The Fall...
    Am I a moron?
    I am, mind you....
    I'm doing The Original Sin for 15 years...
    and I always thought it was important to talk about small bands, bands on little labels.
    Why?
    Cos it's hip????
    Hip, no one know these bands...it'd be much hipper to talk about Hot Chip and all those other Editors but I won't...
    I never take the piss out of one small band.
    I do it with my friends, but not on paper, then I just shut up...
    Wanna know why?
    I have too much respect for musicians who put all their efforts in a recording that it would be a very stupid thing if I would sit down here and take the piss out of them....
    I would never do that...
    Me being a paid music critic?
    I would never do that, besides I'm too old and I don't like Vampire Weekend so there goes my change....
    Let me end with a nice thought...
    I was thinking about it to contact these guys to do an interview with 'em for another publication...
    That means : typing it, translating it, retyping it...all for nothing, just hoping that someone would give these guys a listen...
    would a paid music critic do that?
    Just think about it honestly...
    By the way : their EP got played quite a lot here in my room, can't say that from that much bands.....

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  19. Oh I write everything in bad English hoping that people from everywhere can read about small bands, if I would do it in my language, in a correct way, we can diminize it with 90%

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  20. Ooooh and I forgot something else, Arkanes-fans.
    I wrote a review in my language on a well known website over here.
    I was the sole who did it because the paid journalists didn't give a toss...
    The review I wrote was good, same as here in fact just more in detail.
    I gave it an 3.5/5.
    The distributor from their records was so pleased with it he put it on his website.
    You can laugh with my English or with the fact that I doubt it that they'll ever make it, but at least I was the sole person who gave your band a shout...and I did it for free...
    So yes I'm a moron...but believe me, I'm sure your fave band will love it that at least someone here tries to give them a shout...

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  21. Hey Didier Judd here the manager lets talk hardhitproductions@yahoo.co.uk

    Speak soon

    Judd

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  22. Shut up Didier. dont back track! you gave the Arkanes a bogus review that nobody agrees with and decided to sugar coat your reply by quoting 'bits' of your review that sounded like you where praising them.
    you said that schitzophonic 'RIPPS OFF' 'i want you' by the inspirals.. i know the singer, who writes all the songs, and i can honestly say his music taste veers nowhere near the inspirals because theyre shit.. so i can tell you on good authority that he has never heard 'i want you'.. It sounds more like sweet dreams, which is where he got the melodic influence from. so fuck off.
    so i digest: Dont be a shit bag, stick to your guns and take the wrap for it like man. Dont be the cliche' frenchman with his tail between his legs, coz we all know what that got you. bad attitudes, a vendetta against the country who stopped you speaking german (for some reason) and a chip on all of your shoulders.
    Ps; fuck you very much.

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