Song, by Toad

Erm, sorry, tedious pun I know. The reason for it is that when I posted about the quite decent Candie Payne album last week I received a rather surprised/horrified comment from the lovely Hannah, one of my regular readers, that reads thus (please note excellent use of the possessive apostrophe – no greengrocer she!):

I just realised – this is sean from the zutons’ sister! and hey, she’s doing a record with your beloved mark ronson. eek.

Yes, the Ronsonator is back, F-ing Music in the A for all he’s worth once more. More pertinently, the Paynes: Candie, Sean from The Zutons and Howie who used to be in The Stands. Well we all know about The Zutons and their always promising but never quite delivering brand of sax-heavy indie pop, but I thought I’d post a couple of alternative versions from their first album just for fun. I never bought the second as I just never liked them enough, but they have some decent moments. Remember Me is a nice track actually – sincere and a bit jealous, which I like. If only their music lived up to their excellent cover illustrations.

The Zutons – Long Time Coming (Alternate Version)
The Zutons – Remember Me (Alternate Version)

More pertinently, Hannah commented further this morning:

their other brother is howie payne, who used to be in the stands and the big kids, two bands I have never heard of but wikipedia tells me are “alternative rock”.

So I think we can put this right. The Stands are indeed ‘alternative rock’: every band in the universe is alternative rock these days, so they must be. They released a half-decent album called All Years Leaving about three or four years ago which had some decent stuff on it. I wouldn’t necessarily rush out and buy it, but it might be worth a try if these songs strike your fancy. So without further ado Song, by Toad presents, for the benefit of the splendid Miss Hannah….

…drum roll please…

…The Stands!

The Stands – Some Weekend Night I particularly recommend this one.
The Stands – All Years Leaving
The Stands – Outside Your Door
And a bonus Dylan cover, which is pretty nice too: The Stands – Lay Lady Lay

Well I’m really rather surprised to like this as much as I do.  Which is not loads and loads, mind, but plenty.  It’s actually, despite the rather irritatingly NME-friendly marketing, a pretty good record.

Something about her name, the skinny lass on the cover of her album and various other blind and unfounded prejudices led me to sort of dismiss Candie Payne as a Cabaret Kate Nash, which reflects far worse on me than it does on her. The album itself, now I’ve got my head out of my arse and actually listened to it, is a kind of amalgamation of Barry Adamson’s devil-take-me jazz style and the kind of slightly pubescent modern white-girl soul that is simmering around the UK at the moment.

This is perhaps one of those reverse-expectations moments actually.  I was rather expecting this to be rubbish, so the fact that it isn’t seems like a refreshing surprise.  Have a pop, it’s definitely worth a sniff, this one and you might be pleasantly surprised as I was.  Don’t expect to be blown away by unimaginable genius and you might find some nice surprises that play perfectly over an evening in with some smelly cheese and a glass of Cotes du Rhone.  None of yer Aussie pish though.

Candie Payne – In the Morning
Candie Payne – All I Need to Hear

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