Chess Club Records
There’s an intriguing wee scene blossoming down in London around a little indie label called Chess Club Records. Toadfans may well have encountered them already as they’re home to the magnificient Mumford & Sons, who have been received favourably here at Toad HQ both live and on record.
They also look after the affairs of one Justin Hayward-Young, who apparently shares a house with Marcus Mumford, and records under the rockiest of rock’n'roll monikers; Jay Jay Pistolet. His star seems to be on the rise following last year’s release, on Chess Club, of a single called We Are Free, which has been attracting mainstream attention. Jay Jay Pistolet has a lighter, more whimsical style than the thrills and drama of the Mumford boys, but I’m liking what I’m hearing. The two acts share common ground in the deft instrumental work and imaginative arrangements.
The label’s latest release is in less of an acoustic vein. Released on Monday, Australian band Ghostwood’s debut UK single, Red Version, is taken from an eponymous EP that’s already been on release down under, and which seems to have gone down reasonably well with our colonial cousins. They have the sort of epic mid-80s sound that evokes early Cure and U2, which means you’ve already decided whether you’re going to like it or not just upon reading that. It’s certainly a well-worn furrow they’re ploughing, but they could find a healthy market slipstreaming the success of bands like Bloc Party and Maximo Park.
So, interesting times down at the Chess Club. It looks like they’re putting a lot of hard work into finding unusual new acts to promote, and seem to be refreshingly allergic to anything too mainstream. That’s something to be commended if you ask me, and enthusiatically supported. I definitely think this little label are worth keeping a close eye on.
Mumford & Sons – Roll Away Your Stone
Jay Jay Pistolet – We Are Free
Ghostwood – Red Version
Well that is a pretty diverse stable of acts, innit? Really really good, all three of them, although that Mumford & Sons track bears a disturbing (for me) resemblance to the Dave fucking Matthews fucking Band. The Ghostwood doesn’t remind me of the Cure and U2 so much as For Against, which is a big plus in my book.
I’m not hearing much Dave fucking Matthews fucking Band in that song, myself. I think the Mumfords’ unusual rhythm changes during the song set it apart from the basic four-to-the-floor stomp one expects from the Dave fucking Matthews fucking Band.
But hey, I rarely listen to the Dave fucking Matthews fucking Band myself so I’m not particularly familiar with all their output.
When I say rarely I mean never.
When I say never I mean I’d rather stick my head in an industrial threshing machine to make the horrible noises go away.
Hang on, hang on… You didn’t agree with me about Ghostwood either! You’re just trying to start an argument aren’t you! Well, come over here and say that!
I’ll concede that the resemblance between Mumford & Sons and the DfMfB is merely superficial, and probably peculiar to this track. As I said, all three tracks are “really really good.” But upon further listens I continue to believe that the guy’s voice and guitar playing are somewhat evocative of DfM. In fact, it is precisely the “unusual rhythm changes” that remind of DfMfB, who are well known for such insufferable wankery. Now that was just gratuitously provocative, of course, but I have no other way to express my belief that Mumford & Sons is simply a DfMfB side project disguised as indie, just as the soul-patched “Chris Gaines” occasionally stands in for Garth Brooks.
I don’t disagree with you much on Ghostwood because For Against was undoubtedly influenced by the Cure and U2, although probably more by the Chameleons and some of the Factory Records bands, but it just sounds to me like For Against are a more direct ancestor of what Ghostwood is laying down, at least on this track.
This is excellent stuff.
I absolutely see what you mean about Mumford and Dave Matthews. His voice is similar, which is good because Dave Matthews voice was once easy to listen too. What is different though is all the music, and that Mumford is not followed around by twats. This has some of the best banjo I’ve heard in ages.
When Toad returns you should let him know that more posts introducing labels and displaying their artists is a great idea.
Absolutely love Mumford and Jay Jay, good post. Haven’t checked out Ghostwood before but definitely will now. Another band I feel are worth mentioned are Wave Machines, also on Chess Club Records. Their debut 7″ ‘I Go I Go I Go’ is fantastic.