ActionAid: I'm Every Woman featuring Róisín Murphy

ActionAid have put together a rather cool cover of I'm Every Woman featuring an all-star female line-up. We thought we'd give this a mention as Róisín Murphy is one of the vocalists and well she's just all kinds of awesome. The single is FREE, yes FREE to download on the 8th July and the idea is that you pass it on to 6 friends. Here's some important info about the project '6 Degrees':

Produced for ActionAid’s 6 Degrees Project by Ivor Novello winner (and President of Epic Records) Amanda Ghost, and featuring vocals from Róisín Murphy, Sinead O’Connor, Micachu, thecocknbullkid and Alessi’s Ark, the track is inspired by the story of Hajara Mukyala, a 20 year-old single mother from Kampala, Uganda. ActionAid presents … ‘I’m Every Woman (6 Degrees re-work)’ has taken the original classic and given it an addictive haunting soulful twist, featuring diverse and compelling vocals from an eclectic and exciting mix of female talent.

The Six Degrees project is inspired by the idea that we are all only six introductions away from everybody else on the planet. Using the theory, Amanda found that she was able to connect herself to Hajara, even though they have never met.

Hajara lives in one of Kampala’s poorest slums. She was raped at 14 and sent away by her parents because she became pregnant. With no other means to support herself and her daughter, Hajara has had to earn a living as a sex worker.

Now, with ActionAid’s help, she is being trained in tailoring and would like to set up her own business and leave prostitution for good.

Amanda said: “When I found out that I was connected to Hajara I instantly thought, I’m Every Woman. But I wanted to re-record it so that it’s darker and more melancholic. “Violence against women is a serious issue and takes away the already limited choices that women in poor countries have. I want that to click for people when they hear the track. I want people to be inspired, to get involved and do something.”

You can download the single from the ActionAid website from the 8th. In the meantime go and have a look at what great stuff ActionAid do... http://www.actionaid.org.uk/

Interview with Gregory and The Hawk

It is a difficult affair to start to describe the music behind Gregory and the Hawk. For one, the name hides a wee lady called Meredith Godreau. Also, as much as it takes influences from Nick Drake and Liz Phair, as Meredith herself mentions them readily, it has a unique note in that it is Meredith and Meredith only being played through her songs. On her first time playing in the Welsh capital, at the Clwb Ifor Bach also known as the Welsh Club, Meredith agreed to answer a few of our questions...



Cat On The Wall: I’ve heard that the name Gregory and the Hawk came from your brother and his imaginary hawk friend?

Meredith Godreau: Well, Greg is my brother and it’s not exactly his imaginary friend, I think that was an internet spun story! It was just something I made up to go with his name.

COTW: So when did you start making music, what started you on your musical path, did you learn from childhood?

MG: I guess yes, my Mom really likes to sing and always sang in choirs and sang to us when we were little. Her brother played guitar and knew all the covers of kind of folk music stuff. I heard him play and thought it was really cool. I also took some lessons on string instruments and eventually just thought I wanted to teach myself guitar.

COTW: Who were your influences? Who do you like to listen to?

MG: I hate that question! (laughs) I never really know what to focus on! I feel like stuff that I listen to growing up effected me for my whole life kind of without choice so I always feel obligated to mention The Beatles and people I listened to in high school, I was really into Guided By Voices for a while.

COTW: You mention Liz Phair, Nick Drake and PJ Harvey as some of your influences in your promotional material. Are those your main influences or one way to simplify?

MG: I don’t know. PJ Harvey came as an afterthought when I was asking Adam when we were making the album ‘what do you think I should answer to this question?’ because I like a little bit of everything! He was saying that the album maybe sounded like PJ Harvey. I actually didn’t listen to her very much before I knew him so that made me discover her. The other two are totally things I’ve listened to for a while. Nick Drake is someone I really admire.

COTW: How does it make you feel when you see people on youtube doing covers of your songs?

MG: I guess mostly I feel really flattered. When I think about what’s actually happening right now, if I actually thought about it, it would be a little overwhelming to think that I wrote a song that suddenly a bunch of people were playing and even give a shit about! I don’t really think about it, I don’t go there! I try and keep everything down to earth.

COTW: Have you covered songs from other people?

MG: Yes! I did a cover I was really proud of once, it was Björk’s ‘Aeroplane’ and I recorded it thinking I could listen back to it later and relearn what I did because it was in a weird tuning. I listened to it back a couple of times and I was like “wow”, I’m pretty proud of that. That was before my computer died and I lost it forever! I never relearned it again as I don’t think it will be as good, maybe it would be better, who knows!

COTW: Is this your first time playing in Cardiff?

MG: Yes! It’s the first time we’ve ever been to Wales! We just came from Ireland, first time we’ve ever been there too! Then we went to Germany before that, first time there! (laughs)

COTW: How did the tour come about? Was it the audience nagging the record company to bring you over?

MG: In this case it was one guy who really likes our music and wanted to help us out by booking shows. I guess he’s been doing it for a while. His name is Scott Stuart, he has a little business called the Glass Agency. He rode up late one day and said do you want to do 3 weeks? Yes please! (laughs)

COTW: Are there any places you’d like to play?

MG: Well, in a couple of weeks I’m going to Japan and I’ve always wanted to play there. That’s really exciting. So excited to be there and get to play music! It’s awesome!

COTW: What’s your relationship with the fans? Do you get to meet them? Or are you more the shy type?

MG: I do like talking to people but yeah, there is that element too where I’m just like I don’t really understand, I don’t like to over think it or have too much... I don’t like hearing feedback too much because it makes me nervous! I get overwhelmed even when I’m talking to my friends! [Laughs] But it is nice, it’s cool to go to a live show and play and have an intimate sized audience and then get to meet people afterwards.

COTW: Is your name, Godreau, from a French origin?

MG: Well my Dad is Portorican, so it’s from his side of the family. I think it might have something to do with Portorico being in the Caribbean but no I don’t have any direct French relatives that I know.

COTW: Do you have any advice that you’d give aspiring musicians?

MG: Um... I’m so not in a position to give advice! [Laughs] I feel like I should be way more wise than I am now to give people advice! I guess there’s no real advice aside from liking every part of what you do... just being psyched to do it every day!

COTW: Nice! It sounds like it comes from experience, not something that you’ve planned. You go with the flow.

MG: Yeah it’s true, I feel like the only reason I still play music because it’s the only thing I’ve always wanted to do. I guess I could be doing something else but I didn’t always want to do that!

COTW: So you plan on doing this for a while still?

MG: I hope so, it’s kind of the only thing I know how to do!

Meredith’s album ‘Moenie & Kitchi’ is out now on Fat Cat Records.
Gregory and The Hawk on Myspace

Interview by Elisha Lewis and CB Lux

Press Play. Repeat 03

Wave Machines: Wave If You're Really There

Well! This four-piece band from Liverpool is like a breath of fresh air to my lungs. The first track on the album, "You Say The Stupidest Things" introduces Wave Machines in all their electronic glory. They manage to bring out elements of names such as the daintiness of The Postal Service, and the poppyness of MGMT.

The album has feelings of passive aggression, subtly interpreted only through the lyrics as the uplifting, catchy melodies give very little indication of.

I certainly enjoy the distinctive yet light-hearted combinations of emotions in Bruzon's vocals (very similar to that of Joel Patt from Athlete at times, namely "Punk Spirit") and the lyrics which seem to fly falsetto and delicately above dainty guitar riffs and the precision of the rhythm.

"Wave If You're Really There" is an album which I can only hope gets blasted through car stereos this summer, and I sincerely hope that the new single "I Go I Go I Go" hits some even bigger speakers.

Tracks to listen to here are "I Go I Go I Go", "Punk Spirit" and "Dead Houses", as they all oppose each other. "Dead Houses" most so though, as its theme of being forgotten and left behind is explored delicately and the steady climax throughout the song is just fantastic.

Wave Machines on Myspace

Review by: Elisha Lewis

autoKratz: Animal

After releasing quite a few singles and an EP/mini album called ‘Down & Out In Paris & London’ (which I ended up not buying as it was just an amalgamation of all their singles which I had previously purchased) autokratz have finally released their debut album ‘Animal’, something that I was eagerly awaiting!

On first impressions I must admit that I wasn’t particularly blown away which confused me as I loved the freshness and originality of the autokratz style from their first single releases. Everything is there though, the simple yet electrifying beats and the hypnotic synth work – all the things that should make ‘Animal’ a superb record. Too much of a good thing? I think so.

The trademark off-beat rhythms that drew me to the band initially are present on almost every song and subsequently lose their quirky uniqueness. I’m also more of a fan of autokratz’s instrumental tracks and there’s just too much singing on this album. Nothing against David Cox of course, tracks like Stay The Same and Speak In Silence are really pleasurable to listen to, his soft vocals are not intrusive and are a sweet alternative to the dirty electro but overall would be better served as small bites.

Don’t let my review put you off purchasing ‘Animal’. It is a great electro dance record and if you’re a fan of that genre if offers you everything and a little bit more! My heart, however, still belongs to ‘Pardon Garçon’.

autoKratz on Myspace

Review by: Jo Whitby

Hamburg’s Reeperbahn Festival 2009

Every now and again a festival pops up that catches our attention. The Reeperbahn Festival held in Hamburg, Germany is an international affair and from what we gather from the press release features some pretty cool artists and bands. See below for more information or visit the Reeperbahn Festival website!

Now in it’s fourth year, the Reeperbahn Festival is a club-festival that’s unique and synonymous with great bands and entertainment throughout Europe. From September 24th - 26th 2009, up to 200 new international bands, solo artists and indie stars will meet enthusiastic audiences in and around in Germany’s bustling music metropolis of Hamburg.

Visitors not only enjoy the diverse and eclectic musical line-up, but also the matchless and inimitable setting of The Reeperbahn. Once commonly known as the "Wicked Mile", it is now a world famous entertainment boulevard, atmospherically dense and lined with countless cutting-edge music clubs, cool cafés and boho restaurants.

So far this years line-up highlights include the ever-popular neo-post-punk quartet Editors and underground legends Dinosaur Jr, who join Germany's chart-topping techno-rap party monsters Deichkind. The Reeperbahn Festival’s strapline and focus is "New International Music", be it singer-songwriters, alternative rockers, electro nerds, funkateers or rastafari, the three day line-up consists of hand-picked newcomers from all over the world – all of whom have the potential and dream to become the next big thing.

Currently, Britain is represented by the dark melodic tones of the Cinematics, hotly-tipped The Sea, wild rockers Lowline and the BBC‘s "Unsigned Band Of The Week", Bleech.

Other European neighbours are also throwing their hats in to the musical ring and offering their best home-grown talents. E.g. Sweden offers melancholic songwriters like Björn Kleinhenz, Norway brings the female four-piece Katzenjammer who reputably sound like a ‘fantastical hord of drunk farmers from the Balkans’. Canada's Ohbijou enchant with sweet acoustic pop, while Germany's own Frittenbude and Egotronic hit the dance floor with driving electro beats. American band, Slightly Stoopid, glide in on relaxed reggae grooves, enriching the extremely diverse Reeperbahn Festival line-up, which will be constantly added to throughout the summer.

Similar in set-up to Texas’ annual SXSW festival, and Cannes’ Midem, Reeperbahn Festival offers both an international showcase platform for emerging bands to play to influential music industry professionals and fans alike, and also an important meeting ground for the creative industries at large, in the form of seminars and workshops, addressing key factors currently affecting their industries. This ‘industry’ side of the festival will be known as ‘Reeperbahn Campus’.

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