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Deanna Reviews
Band: DragKing; Venue: Various Recordings: Voodoo Skin
DragKing are a large-scale, elaborate, ultra unique, rockin' band that gave me a wind beneath my seriously damaged musical wings. Those boys succeed on many counts: image, live performance and their Voodoo Skin demo recordings.
Panache of their frontman Jack, parallel but run of the mill punk chic of their drummer Glen and cool metal dude’s image of Paul and Dan on strings gives you that original taste of DragKing outfit.
N-i-c-e!
Voodoo Skin can be read as blend of metal avant punkrock. Or rockpunkmetal avant?
Do we care?
No.
What is really important is that they come across as neither amateurish nor pretentious; the way they intertwine satire on every day-society issues into their music doesn’t kill its thrill, or collide with their message.
Live: they are bursting with energy. I had a pleasure to watch them twice and I cannot wait for my third treat.
DragKing are going places so buckle up your seat belts – its going to be a very speedy ride to pinnacle of the music mountain!
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Band: Annabel’s Coat ; Venue: Various Recordings: Sweetest Of All
It always sadness me when I get an Album like Sweetest Of All.
I can see that heaps of hard work went into it, great sleeve designed, clever promo, thought-out image and production exceeding perfection.
Lots of hours and lots of cash went into this project plus Annabel’s Coat are really nice guys but their music is tuna without any seasoning!
Nice, quality piece of fish that can do you world of good but will not leave a taste in your mouth because there isn’t ANY!
I was making my heart skip a beat, I was trying to fake it (girl’s prerogative), I sooo wanted to like Annabel’s Coat music but it ain’t happening.
And it ain’t happen even if THEY try harder.
Ever.
Just to make sure I’m clear: EVER!
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Band: XES1; Venue: The Resistance Gallery Location: London E2
Saying that finding Resistance Gallery Venue where Xes1 were playing on Saturday 2nd of August was a nightmare is understatement. Hidden away under railway arch – it took all my gene inflicted persistence to find it! I did it in the end but almost lost my will to live along the way. Xes1 (Kelly drums, Les bass, Brian guitar and Stitch vocals) are yet to make their mark on the charts but when it comes to playing live they’ve got the market nailed. And while perhaps not genuinely ‘live’ (I would personally drop that stack of samplers and computers) the band does focus on live-ity as much as THAT stack allows. Frontman Stitch is very tall, and I think most people are surprised , in the days of sprightly, pre-pubescent rock stars not fully grown, to see him and have to gaze upward. Unfortunately this was another gig with a sparse crowd, only 40-50 people but it turned out to be really enjoyable night. Stitch’s banter with the crowd was frequent and amusing with the audience returning the banter – it made the night and it was like the crowd and XES1 were all part of the same gig. They played a mixed set showing off material from their upcoming album InSaneVoice (industrial electrometalica) as well as knocking out some fan favourites. New tracks like Turmoil and J4C were lost among crowd pleasing cover of Wild Boys and Self Destruct but playing new songs in front of semi-tired over-ripe fans was never going to be the greatest place to give the new tracks an airing. Nonetheless, it all sounded amazing and for people who couldn’t tell the old songs from the new, there were lots of porn borderline artworks around to keep them amused. Hurrah. Not the cheeriest set in the world but XES1 proved without doubt that precision guitar chops, expressive lyrics and few pouts along the way can sometimes be enough to make a grown women cry with pleasure. Get to their next gig without hesitation. Great time guaranteed.
*********************
Band: Brasil; Debut-Double A Side Single; Songs: 1. What You Need 2. You Can Talk To Me 3. Not What You're Looking For
The debut-double side-single from these Leeds’ boys gives us the gamut of good old indie rock with its lanky guitar lines and soft nurturing vocals.
You’d be forgiven for being disappointed to start with: Brasil: Is not exactly what it says on the tin.
With name like that you would expect sunny Samba pummel. Instead you are getting some pure Northern indie rock at its finest.
Once in my life I was happy to feel deceived!
*******************
Band: Photons; Album: Once Upon Our Time
This sound-like home recorded 11 track album is one of those that no-one much cares about.
Photons would be much kinder by cutting off your ears and then making an omelette out of it than making you listen to Once Upon Our Time.
This wanabee rough and ready quintet reminds me of Cliff Richard on acid with copious pinches of early Eric Clapton.
Snarling to harmonious vocal switches, guitars lipped to its utmost, week drums and a dribble of harmonica (?) resulted in a very ill made stew of something something rock.
Crap!
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Band: Night's Bright Colours; Album: First Set Fire To The Stars
With Night’s Bright Colours, a wholesome indie-pop band from Asheville USA, there is no surprises. The music is invariable, borderline monotonous with side order of predictable.
Not some work-out music, far away from it but tracks you can multitask to.
Yawn? No way! All of above was exactly what doctor ordered!
Soft and effortless, unpretentious 17 (yes, seventeen!) songs from band’s fourth album First Set Fire to the Stars festooned with dreamy blips and twinkles.
Beautify Simplistic.
Download for free from band’s web site.
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Band: Options; Album: The World Of Today
Never has an album brought a tear to my eye until I listen to The World Of Today.
This project was a gloomy attempt to bring a sense of drama in some confusing fret-mashing metal mayhem.
There is nothing that prepares you for the fundamentally weird lyrics so creepy to fully describe, repulsive mix of rage and arrogance coming out of every string used!
This bizarre nonsensical asinine produce did Son of Sam proud. Stay away from it!
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Artist: Sonya Swan; Album: My Diary
This expedient pop album tell us nothing new. Depressingly banal. Absolute creative stalemate. Nail bitingly lacklustre. And it goes on, and on and AH! On! Bin it!
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Deanna ovic-Gardner featured  in: "100 Who is Who in The Music Industry"

Deanna's Reviews Deanna Vukovic Gardner is on the roll again. Due to other studio and private (mum again!) engagements she wasn't able to do REVIEWS for a while. "I 'm really sorry if I let you down. I really couldn't keep up with reviews last year, it was impossible for me to find any spare time in my hectic schedule. Joy of parenthood, eh!? But I am here now, all back to normal from February 2009. Let me clear this backlog first before I take on new projects. I please do forgive me!"   Please note: Deanna is accepting your DVDs for Reviews from February 2009. Send your DVD or CD with your contact telephone number, name of the project/band, photograph and short info. Send your material to: Deanna's Reviews BonaFideStudio Burbage House 83-85 Curtain Road London EC2A 3BS UK 020 7684 5350 or 020 7684 5351 Click here for Old Reviews

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