-
WEEKLY FEATURES
CURRENT CONTRIBUTORS
ACTIVITIES
COLLABORATIONS
MORE FEATURES
GENERAL
MUSIC CATEGORIES
CREATURE EDITIONS (2006-09)
MINI EDITIONS
BROWSE THE ARCHIVES
-
RECENTLY PUBLISHED
REVIEW: ‘Drawing Daily’ Anthology Volume 2
Artist: Steven Kraan
Project: Daily Drawing Anthology 2
Website: facebook.com/drawingdaily
Steven Kraan releases the ‘Drawing Daily Anthology Volume 2’ a collection of 23 short comic strips featuring characters as diverse as a disgruntled Jesus Christ, chirpy human blood cells, thieving cave-men and (my personal favourites) the inept astronauts.
The Anthology presents a small selection of the comics Steven draws and puts on-line for the world to see, every day (as well as some brand new ones exclusive to this book). It can be ordered from here – stevenkraan.bigcartel.com at the very reasonable price of €7.50.
Steven Kraan started ‘Drawing Daily’ in 12th April 2010 and since then his fan base has grown and grown so that Kraan has quickly become a cult hero of internet art and narrative illustration. I first encountered the world of Steven Kraan when I was embarking on my own ‘Drawing A Day’ on-line project. My project only lasted for one year, but Steven just keeps on going and going. Hopefully, as long as there are pens, pencils and the internet there will be Drawing Daily.
Anyway, back to Anthology 2, this incredibly digestible digest will hook you with it’s colourful artwork and Steven’s unique drawing style but what really impresses is the charm and genuine belly laugh inducing humour Kraan incorporates into each strip. Having just one day and one page to express each story commands real storytelling skills It is very hard to imagine having great comedy timing within a still image but Steven manages to achieve this brilliantly.
The other great thing about having this very handy, pocket sized printed version in my hands is seeing how brilliantly the artwork and colours translate to the printed form. It makes you realise the potential the vast amount of characters that populate the strange World of Kraan have away from pixels and computer screens.
Publishers, get this man a book deal now.
You can follow Stevens epic project here: facebook.com/drawingdaily and on twitter: @drawing_daily
Reviewed by David Litchfield
Girls’ Names- Dead to Me (album)
In recent years there has been a resurgence in the popularity of lo-fi garage bands, mixing together 60s American sunshine-pop and the bleak sound of British shoegaze. Bands such as Crystal Stilts and Vivian Girls have emerged from the New York scene, but now with the release of Girls Names’ debut this musical trend has gained a foothold in the UK.
Formed in Belfast back in 2009, Girls’ Names quickly put out a series of small releases on Slumberland and Tough Love Records which earned them support slots with high profile names such as Dum Dum Girls and Abe Vigoda. Their first full length album Dead To Me (released this month) justifies this impressive billing whilst hinting at bigger things to come.
Using a classic pop combination of drums, bass, guitar and vocals, Girls’ Names adhere to the ethos that ‘less is more’, an approach that results in an album full of expertly crafted three minute pop songs. Snare heavy drum beats and slick surf-side guitar licks give their music a stylishly frantic feel, whilst echo laden bass lines combined with Neil Brogan’s dark and detached vocals add a sombre dimension to their sound which accentuates the album’s recurring themes of death and separation.
Within this admittedly strict structure however rises a whole host of influences which seamlessly permeate their music. Brogan et al dip in and out of sounds as diverse as The Jesus and Mary Chain fuzz of ‘No More Words’, to the unnerving Joy Division-esque track ‘Nothing More To Say’ which plays like an ode to ‘Digital’- Brogan’s voice summons up the spirit of Ian Curtis with his drone like vocals as he repeats the lines ‘I want to run away/ I’ve nothing more to say’ over and over again. However, the best is saved ’til (almost) last with the brilliant track ’Kiss Goodbye’: memorable for its more mellow undertones and soulful backing vocals, this song forms the backbone of the album in terms of style and quality.
Dead To Me is a 30 minute helter-skelter ride through the themes of death, loss and heartbreak and although this gives it a rather desolate outlook it’s a surprisingly enjoyable listen which passes by all too quickly. Maintaining a consistently high standard, the album achieves a stylistically conclusive feel. We can expect to hear a lot more from Girls Names in the coming years.
Listened to the album? Let us know what you think…
RATING: 4/5
BEST TRACKS: Kiss Goodbye, I Lose, When You Cry
SOUNDS LIKE: The Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Tambourine, Crystal Stilts
Girls Names’ Dead To Me is released on Tough Love Records on April 25th.
Owen Pallett- The Great Elsewhere (music video)
Okay, so we’re huge fans of Canadian musician Owen Pallett (nee Final Fantasy)… This is the video for the latest single to be taken from his Heartlands album.
Directed by Yuula Benivolski and Geoffrey Pugen, ‘The Great Elsewhere’ features a beautiful yet barren wintry landscape over which Pallett’s vocals swoop and dart. The aesthetics of this video really bring the wind arrangements on this track to life and provide a dramatic grounding for the romanticism of Pallett’s vocal narrativism. 3:06 is where things start to get really interesting; we love the subtle blends of colour and the interesting camera angles that Benivolksi and Pugen employ to match the movement of the song. The pair provide a real visual treat and should be deservedly proud.
Heartlands is available to buy now on Domino Records.
Grandfather Birds- Higher Bridges (single)
New week, new music, and to kick it all off we’re featuring Newcastle four-piece the Grandfather Birds’ new single ‘Higher Bridges’.
The track is a perfect example of why these guys have been tipped as one of the best emerging artists on the north-east circuit at the moment, effortlessly blending folk-tinged guitar melodies with sharp drum beats and charismatic vocals. ‘Higher Bridges’ bursts into life with a lone guitar hook- reminiscent of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’.
Lead singer Matt produces the goods here with a confident mix of confessional verses and an optimistic and lively chorus that showcases his vocal range almost to its very limits. At points strained, his voice conveys the emotional bounce of the instrumental arrangement his vocals cut through, producing a convincing and catchy hook that’ll have you humming along- we particularly like the refrain.
The understated rhythm that keeps the track upbeat even when the lyrics dip into darker places, achieved through the subtle drum beat that energizes the track and a plum bass line that puts in the leg work beneath the more elaborate guitar work.
Overall, we think it’s a top tune!
Pre-order it now, or download it on it’s release date of 2 May 2011 from the band’s website or off itunes. In the meantime, give it (and B’side ‘She Likes it on the Left’) a listen here.
SOUNDS LIKE: Jeff Buckley, Tears for Fears, Folk, Pop, Indie rock all shook up and presented with long hair and a stubble.
RATING: 4/5 Spring is here!
Sea Of Bees- Songs for the Ravens
+ Enlarge Image
WORDS: ANDY HAYWARD
Julie Baenziger’s unusual voice started to take shape in her mid-teens. Whilst at church with her sister, Julie found herself a love interest- not in God as you might expect from a ‘good-Christian girl’- but in a girl- or more precisely a girl with a fantastic voice. Too hesitant to share her true feelings, she set about trying to emulate the wonderful sound she had heard- the teen locked herself away and taught herself how to sing…
Julie Baenziger/Julie Ann Bee- or just plain old Jules to her friends- began playing bass in a band where she was spotted by publisher and producer, John Baccigaluppi. With Baccigaluppi’s help Jules developed from the shy young girl singing in her bedroom into the mature female artist that has emerged from the colony of unsigned folk musicians as the band Sea of Bees.
Now, the Sea Of Bees line-up is a very simple concept…It’s just Jules. Whether it be writing the songs, singing the words or playing the notes she’s the one doing it- and she does it extremely well on her debut album Songs for the Ravens.
Songs for the Ravens kicks off with the track ‘Gnomes’, a fantastic blend of Nancy Sinatra-styled vocals with a regimented Johnny Cash style guitar rhythm that creating a genre coined by the phrase ‘old-style’ new-folk. Drawing from the past, Baenziger manages to create a sound that is both original, and that manages to assert its own stamp on the world- her own brand of musical honey. The two styles are blended to to perfection, making Songs for the Ravens nearer an equal of the two music giants of Sinatra and Cash over a poorly executed parody.
As Songs for the Ravens progresses, every album track seems just as seemless as its predecessor- and each one is just as unique as the last. Another masterpiece we loved is ‘Skinnybone’; as harmonious as ‘Gnomes’, ‘Skinnybone’ commands a more percussion-inspired instrumental that demands uncontrollable movement from your feet. This is happy music for sure.
No doubt big things lie ahead for Sea Of Bees. Jules has a truly beautiful voice, a head buzzing with ideas, and an ability to combine elements to create and musically convey a vast array of emotions. Who knows where the future will take her… We hope it’s far.
RATING: 4/5
BEST TRACK/S: Skinnybone, Gnomes, Wizbot
SOUNDS LIKE: Lykke Li, Nancy Sinatra, Bat For Lashes, I Blame Coco, Robyn
Jules is currently touring the U.K supporting John Grant. They play Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 27 March 2011. The album Songs For The Ravens is available now on Heavenly Recordings.
ILLUSTRATIONS: JULIE VERMEILLE
Shambala Festival 2010
Creaturemag at Shambala Festival 2010 – The 10 Picture Challenge
Shambala festival is a teeming tented circus town, a brew of sensory stimulation that is just right and ready. It’s all about the participation, there is an emphasis on open expression, friendliness and a staunch resistance against commercialisation and consumerism. It’s a truly eclectic gathering of characters, creative explorers and hedonistic experimenters stirring up a very special atmosphere and one that is very unique to Shambala. Our challenge was to sum all this up in 10 photos.
Arriving at 4pm on Friday, equipped with the necessities and armed with 10 photographs yet to be taken, we embarked on a 48 hour exploration of this new found land. Soaking up the splendid array of music the fields awash with art, costume and splendidly happy people all willing to make, do and see whatever they want. This is a creative enthusiasts dream and a field full of inspiration ready to be harvested.
The following photos form Creatures visual diary, 10 photos and some commentary that we feel sums up our Shambala festival 2010.
1 – Welcome to Shambala
Overlooked by a mansion house sat beside a lake on the edge of the woods lies a creative wonderland. Shambala is brimming with well considered art installations that make this festival an utterly extravagant garden for the senses. The sculpture above sat in the lake, you could walk to it over the water on a bridge just below the surface. (more…)
EXTRA ORDINARY – Words by Supermundane
Title: EXTRA ORDINARY
By: Supermundane
Website: http://presentjoys.com
Creature was recently sent this little book of words from the publishing house “Present Joys”. A thoroughly enjoyable little read that we felt compelled to bring to light on the Creature blog…
(more…)
Alternative Press Festival London – Review
On 13th February Alternative Press Fair celebrated it’s 1st Birthday party with a wonderful zine show in Euston London. It was jammed packed full with entertainment for all! http://www.alternativepress.org.uk/
Lancashire Artists Book, zine and multiples fair – Review
Lancashire Artists Book, zine and multiples fair – Review – www.zinefair.com
By: Kate Eggleston-Wirtz
LOOK BOTH WAYS @ OLD QUEENS HEAD – REVIEW
Review – Look both ways, free art, music, poetry night with… Buffy C Noble, Ross Sutherland, Yo Zushi and lots more.
Hello Creatures.
Sorry for the lack of blog posts of late, we can assure you that there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes in preparation for the start of the 9th online edition of Creaturemag. In the meantime, here are a couple of interesting little goodies to keep your eyes and ears occupied.
Creature went along to a great little night a couple of weeks ago at the Old Queens Head on Essex road.
Look both ways is a free night of arts held sporadically in nice, intimate venues around London. Showcasing an eclectic array of creative souls, performing their poetry, songs, video art and beyond this is a night that is sure to inspire.
Not really knowing what to expect, Creature went along to find a lovely open room with high ceilings and a chandelier packed to the point of bursting with friendly, interesting looking people all starring intently as more friendly, interesting looking people presented their creative wares on stage.
Highlights for Creature included Buffy C Noble (myspace page) performing some of her dreamy poetry accompanied by her boyfriend making some beautifully strange sounds on acoustic guitar, Ross Sutherland (myspace page), literally spitting his brilliantly constructed and performed poems at an attentive gathering of appreciators. Thirdly, we really enjoyed the work of Nikolas (myspace page), a video artist who showed his music video “include me out” which you can see here: Include me out.
To top off an evening of brilliant entertainment was an intimate performance by Yo Zushi, a folk artist from Japan (myspace page) performing his intriguing and melancholic songs whilst camped out cross-legged, surrounded by his lyric sheets. If your into storytelling folk-new-wave-psych-freak-folky-dolky-whatever the hell we are calling it nowadays, then a Yo Zushi gig is well worth a visit. Please see below for further Yo Zushi dates, including a tape album launch at Cafe Oto on 15th March.
