Rosy Glasses

Gig Review: Rough Comforts

2013-02-18T19:54:00.000+00:00

A little gig review I wrote for university...

Rough Comforts at The Lifeboat, Margate 19/12/12

Kent-based singer-songwriter wins over a home crowd with his heartbreakingly beautiful songs.

“Should I just start now?” asks Rough Comforts (real name James Mathew Davies), the singer-songwriter from Kent, who’s as polite as he is shy. It may seem strange for a man who’s been making music for over 15 years - from post-punk collective Babies Three to folk-pop outfit Elle Rayenne. Though understandable considering his current venture sees him stepping away from the drums and in front of the mic; guitar in hand.

The gig kicks off with a cover of Grizzly Bear’s ‘Deep Blue Sea’. Immediately the crowd is divided into established fans and those who are more interested in the local ales. The additional setback of playing without a PA system contributes to the initial disconnect of the audience.

After an underwhelming start, Davies nervously follows up with ‘Negative Capability’, from his 2010 debut album, Self-Titled. It’s the first time his seamless falsettos feature and are charming to the point that even the line, “like pissing dogs” sounds strangely sublime. His musicality bears a similarity to that of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. Throughout the song they build to a crescendo, which sets up a punch served by the anthemic final chorus. At this point, a few more people start to take notice. It begs the question as to why this wasn’t the obvious choice to open the set with.

In between songs Davies is constantly self-deprecating and eager to please. In an attempt to keep the audience on his side (“I don’t want to bore you with depressing songs”), he lets them decide between two Prince covers. ‘The Most Beautiful Girl In The World’ shows off his faultless vocal range and despite being an odd choice, people respond even more.

With the set in full swing, Davies is finally hitting his stride. He continues with ‘Too Afraid To Ask’ and ‘Warmer Place’, both fresh from his recent EP release, Heavy On My Mind. The depth and brutal honesty of these songs in particular may explain for his retiring on-stage demeanour. However, he completely loses himself whilst performing. Even in his awkward moments, Davies manages to execute with brilliance.

He keeps the fans sweet by proceeding onto ‘Deliver’ - arguably the most successful song in his repertoire. In moments, the dulcet tones of Davies are made even more poignant during the melancholic breakdowns. Not unlike the wavering coos of Thom Yorke, albeit a slightly toned down version.

Despite receiving his loudest applause yet, Davies is uncertain whether to carry on, asking whether he should “do one more or just stop?” Finally, he settles for ‘Petit Mort’ where for the last time, he shows the sheer vulnerability of his songs. “Your tears and pain they know my name, place your lonely hand in mine.” As Davies plays the final few chords of his set, he looks up to find a notably larger audience, erupting in applause. It seems as though Rough Comforts may need to get used to this.

Song of the Day

2012-10-20T21:05:00.002+01:00

Big Fin - More Than Love

Music Mouthpiece

2012-10-12T13:25:00.000+01:00

After a brief hiatus by the sea, I've returned for year two at university. Here's something I wrote for my column assignment...

Have you ever heard of that band, “Bumford and Sons”? You know, the ones that “dress like country bumpkins” with the frontman who’s “married to that boring Carey Mulligan”? No?

Nowadays, the folking 4-piece, Mumford and Sons, are getting more hate than love. Their newly released “Babel” is getting slated, despite the fact their recently announced world tour is selling out. So why is a Grammy-nominated band that is two albums into their career, still getting laughed off by people?

Lately, it’s been deemed cool to dislike certain bands. Even I have been prone to put down a group, despite the fact that I could probably sing along to their greatest hits collection. A prime example being when I was offered a ticket to one of Coldplay’s sold-out shows this past summer, in London. I politefully declined on the basis that I’m not their biggest fan and therefore my attendance may have been a waste. Though in the back of my mind I was worried at the idea of people knowing I went to a Coldplay gig. Societal stigma had me thinking that going to see a world-renowned, ridiculously successful, long-reigning band was shameful.

Similarly, now I’m being told about the bands that are really ‘cool’ to like (Alabama Shakes anyone?) Before even downloading their music, I was reading a track-by-track tweetathon of Alt-J’s debut album telling me why I should love this band. Suddenly, I felt like I had no other obligation other than to be completely infatuated with it.

Would people have been as accommodating had they entered the industry via a different route? What if they had been a by-product of the British talent show empire? And what happens if Alt-J’s hype gets so big, they demand to get carried to a venue in a glass egg? Are we supposed to drop them quicker than you can say Chris Martin?

So it seems in order to maintain our love for you emerging bands, you need to stay fairly underground, don’t wear waistcoats and refrain from falling in love with an award-winning actress. Is that alright with you?

Songs Of The Week

2012-08-19T15:25:00.003+01:00

With the release of Spector's Enjoy It While It Lasts, not to mention a couple local gigs from Rough Comforts, I haven't been listening to much else. So have a listen to these Songs Of The Week - and by week, I mean all through the week.

Spector - Never Fade Away

Rough Comforts - Deliver (Acoustic)

Tailored

2012-08-04T12:13:00.000+01:00

Today I found that once you've fallen in love with a garment, nobody can deter you from buying it. An example being these pansy print trousers, from Next. Although on the surface they are quite the bold print (something I'm not used to), when paired with a loose fitting shirt, they are just what I need.

I think I've restored my love for the tailored trouser leg.

Cambridge

2012-07-31T18:39:00.000+01:00

Cambridge satchel - £105

When it comes to your bag of choice, there's nothing cooler than a Cambridge satchel. The classic design means you'll never grow tired of them, plus anything that falls under the smart/schoolgirl category is fine by me.

Now, The Cambridge Satchel Company have decided to bring out a pastel range. Available in Duck-Egg Blue, Rose Pink, Lilac and Lemon, the bags are perfect for the following summer months. However, they're only around for a limited time. Maybe this means they will release another collection for Autumn/Winter. I'm hoping for burgundy and bottle green. Anyone else?

Check them out here

Miu Miu

2012-07-27T10:37:00.004+01:00

With the weather being far too hot, it makes me wish that colder months would hurry up, so I can don a long-sleeved shirt/embellished shift dress combination like Chloe Sevigny does in this video. Or should I try a tailored suit?

Miu Miu F/W 2012 campaign - behind the scenes

Varvatos

2012-07-15T16:37:00.001+01:00

I can only apologise for my absence of late, summer has well and truly stolen me. Though I return bearing gifts, in the form of the new John Varvatos Fall/Winter 2012 campaign video - starring Paul Weller and Miles Kane. Am I forgiven?

John Varvatos Fall/Winter 2012

Songs of the Day

2012-06-19T18:05:00.003+01:00

To compensate for a lack of blogging, enjoy not one, but two songs of the day from Rosy Glasses favourites, Slow Club and Summer Camp. Both great songs. Both great videos. Both featuring some ace hawaiian shirts.

Slow Club - Beginners

Summer Camp - Always

Tennessee

2012-06-09T11:24:00.000+01:00

Check out this ace campaign video for the Calla A/W 2012/2013 collection. Shot on Valentine's day, the vid was directed by Eva Michon, styled by Leith Clark and modelled by Tennessee Thomas. Enjoy...

Song of the Day

2012-05-30T10:50:00.003+01:00

The Like - He's Not A Boy

I'm With The Band

2012-05-27T00:22:00.000+01:00

The band t-shirt is definitely a staple in my wardrobe, with Joy Division, Tom Williams and the Boat and The Vaccines tees being firm favourites of mine. Maybe it's the fact it's combining my love of fashion and music, or how they can lend itself to pretty much any outfit.

After seeing model Suki Waterhouse don this Je t'aime Miles Kane top, I was happy to realise it's actually being sold in the Miles Kane online store (and not just a product of a girlfriend customising her clothes). At £20 a pop, it's definitely at the top of the shopping list.

Gatsby

2012-05-23T18:22:00.000+01:00

Is anyone else really excited for this?

Song of the Day

2012-05-19T10:57:00.002+01:00

I'm currently working on a group project, creating a 3-minute segment on the ukulele. During this time I've discovered The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. If you haven't heard of them, look them up because they do some amazing covers, including today's Song of the Day...

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - Teenage Dirtbag (Wheatus cover)

If You're Not Busy...

2012-05-16T12:44:00.001+01:00

Click here to read a piece I wrote for The Flaneur about jelly shoes. If anything, the piece includes two references to Destiny's Child "Bootylicious" and for that reason alone, it is worth a read.

Hawaiian Air

2012-05-13T15:21:00.000+01:00

I don't know whether it's the fact that summer's approaching, which is making me want to venture into prints, but I've got a thing for Hawaiian shirts. Yes, Hawaiian shirts. There's something about them: the kitsch prints or maybe the 'so right they're wrong' quality they possess. Along with jelly shoes, tie dye and dungarees, they're another piece of nostalgia available on the high street right now.

If you like the idea, but maybe not the prospect of looking like Leonardo DiCaprio, circa Romeo and Juliet, then the shirt dress is the best option. This recently purchased number from ASOS ticks all the boxes - especially with its peter pan collar.

If you're with me, head to ASOS for a plethora of Hawaiian prints.

Song of the Day

2012-05-10T13:45:00.000+01:00

François and the Atlas Mountains - Edge of Town

Joe Simpson Profile Piece: Part Two

2012-05-06T14:52:00.002+01:00

Musician Portraits, featuring Justin Young of The Vaccines

The cinematic pieces present in Almost There aren’t all that Simpson can do. His most successful undertaking is undoubtedly the Musician Portraits series, last year. The collection of paintings were of 22 musicians – all of which Simpson was a big fan of. “I had to use some serious Google skills and write persuasive emails. It was often hard getting around management and to ask the musicians directly.”

Throughout the process of getting in touch with his subjects, Simpson came across a pleasant surprise. “I went to see Newton Faulkner at his house and hung out with him for a little bit,” he says. “His heavily pregnant girlfriend came in and I realised that I used to sit next to her at college. I haven’t spoken to her, so I had no idea there was any connection. It was quite surreal.”

Originally the exhibition was held at a pop-up gallery, in Soho. Now it’s going to be shown at the Royal Albert Hall later this year. When I ask him how this opportunity came about, he answers that he was lucky as “somebody from the Royal Albert Hall just happened to pass and had a look - they were really keen for it and they’re going to put it on.” The opening night of the exhibition is even going to include a spoken word session from musician (and one of the subjects) Scroobius Pip.

Whilst waiting for the space in Soho to be ready, Simpson wasted no time and started another project, Everything Is Electrified. He decided to use the obscure subject of pylons – an intentional choice, in order to be able to use minimal source material and no sitters. “I’ve always been interested in bold skies and clouds and started to make landscapes,” adds Simpson. “I wanted to contrast the sprawling natural shapes of the skies with straight, formal and rigid imagery – I want these grand skies, punctuated by these manmade structures. They feel quite cinematic – like they appear in a Spielberg movie.”

Everything Is Electrified

Despite the reaction to Everything Is Electrified as being “oddly positive”, Simpson’s strengths lie in people. His Tumblr website, The Mistakes We Knew We Were Making, is used as “a way of logging images that interest me in some way; to keep as an almost scrapbook.” These images are mostly of people in a melancholy state. It’s this kind of feeling that usually drives Simpson’s work. “It’s a mood that keeps the journey interesting and I think that pain kind of works well within images,” he answers. “You know, because paintings are still and there’s a long time to create it. I think it just fits with the medium. Being slow and measured and just kind of drawn out, it speaks to the process a bit more.”

By always relying on heavyhearted emotions for his art, Simpson looks for light relief in his side projects. “I’m doing little bits and bobs. I’m working on something for a Scroobius Pip t-shirt, painting a portrait of a model - Nina Kenny. I’m also working on a TV advert and making a short film, called Elliot.”

With just under two months left until he leaves for America, does Simpson have any plans on a project to follow? “No, I think that [Across America] will take a considerable amount of time. When I worked on a commission for P&O, I went to New York for 3 days and took loads of photographs. Those kept me painting for at least 6/7 months,” recalls Simpson. “I think it’s good to have a bit of a break and a step back and think.”

Check out Joe's work here

Song of the Day

2012-05-03T17:00:00.003+01:00

Alex Turner - Piledriver Waltz

Joe Simpson Profile Piece: Part One

2012-05-01T15:07:00.000+01:00

As part of a university assignment, I spoke to London-based artist (and Rosy Glasses favourite) Joe Simpson. Here's part one of a profile piece I wrote...

Joe Simpson

“I think there will be moments of horrible loneliness, but that might make for some interesting art along the way” says Joe Simpson. We are tucked away in the corner of the Ritzy Café in Brixton, where Simpson is based, sipping on our coffees.

Discussion starts with his new project, Across America – documenting his trip around the states through paintings, sketches and photographs. When he returns to the UK, he will develop these into larger oil paintings.

“America seemed like the best place for this project,” Simpson says. “The artists I looked at, like Edward Hopper, include a lot of movie references and are quite cinematic. It’s that kind of art that I want to create and have those American themes.”

The project is being run through crowd funding – a scheme where people buy pieces of art that Simpson will create on location. Yet how on earth does he get people to part ways with their money for something that doesn’t even exist yet? “I thought that it was a nice way to promote it and get people invested in it early. I thought it would be a novel way to do it.”

Having already surpassed the target total on its very first day, it seems that luck is on the young artist’s side. Not to mention a busy schedule. As a figurative painter, Simpson has been working solidly since graduating from Leeds University in 2007, with a degree in fine art. “After uni, I had a few lucky breaks, which meant that I could carry on. I try and treat it like a 9 to 5 job. It’s the idea of keeping on top of it, trying to keep a work ethic, it’s not always easy.”

Almost There

He insists that he prefers to work in projects as opposed to single paintings. “I always feel they speak better when they’re together.” This explains one of his previous bodies of work, entitled Almost There. The series of 12 paintings also incorporate America and the idea of the road trip, but with the added bonus of a soundtrack. Each painting was in association with a different band; a song was written specifically, which matched the scene and mood. This culminated in both the paintings and audio illustrating the subject’s journey.

The paintings were deliberately left to show uncertainty about how they are connected, allowing people to make their own story. “You’ve got this one image and you have to think of a context for it; fill in the blanks,” muses Simpson. “It’s such a limited amount of information; I think that’s what gives painting their strength.”

In all of Simpson’s pieces, ambiguity is a key factor. It’s the sense of an enigma that he’s drawn to. By highlighting the in-between moments, the times where you’re unsure what exactly is happening, it adds much more depth to the scene. Or as Simpson himself puts it, “there’s a bit of mystery to it and it means something to different people. It captures a bit of a mood. I think it’s more powerful if it’s ambiguous.”

The paintings itself are dramatic, in the sense that high-key lighting is often featured. Always using oil paints, the pieces are almost like photographs; as they could be stills taken from a feature film.

Check out part two here

Song of the Day

2012-04-24T14:53:00.000+01:00

In the run up to Saturday's Ally Pally gig, here's a classic...

Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This

19

2012-04-19T17:27:00.002+01:00

Click here to read 19 magazine - created by university student, Georgia Burgoyne. There's a couple of pieces in there written by me, but the whole thing is edited by Georgia herself. This girl is talented! Check it out...

Song of the Day

2012-04-16T19:15:00.000+01:00

Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry

Sandy

2012-04-13T23:48:00.000+01:00

Watching Grease a few days ago, I was reminded how great Sandy's outfits were. The girl looks ace with her peter pan collars, pastel shades and ribbons. Admittedly, much better than her leather-clad ensemble at the end.

ASOS - £48

We were probably meant to prefer someone cooler like Rizzo, or lust after the T-birds, but all I was wondering is where to shop, in order to channel my current style crush. It's probably better not to go all out with the matching cardigans and full skirts, but I think this mint green jumper from ASOS could fit the bill.

Now I'm off to go buy some ribbon..

Song of the Day

2012-04-10T12:27:00.000+01:00

The Pantomime Villains - Hook, Line & Sinker