The Sandells - In Session on Reformation

22nd February 2010

1 Cowboys don't have brollies

2 Hell in Heaven

3 The Girl from Iphigenia

4 Jewels #7

Tim Lyons - Bass, Vocals

Johann Kloos - Guitar, Vocals

Brian Benson - Drums

with

Dave Thom - Keyboard

It's not often you get the chance to listen to a band one on one, but I suppose one of the added values of being a DJ is you do get the opportunity to watch musicians at their craft close up as it were.

When Tim Lyons suggested to me that The Sandells would like to do an electric set for the Reformation show my initial reaction was - we can't do that. The studios at Salford City Radio are somewhat limited size wise, and the accepted norm is that we can do Acoustic with maybe one electric instrument. But Tim is a persistent kind of chap and after several e-mails and a visit to the station we decided to go for it.

I'm glad we did.

With Dave Thom from Calvin Party sitting in with the band on this occasion we got the chance to hear The Sandells plus keyboards - which was a bonus and perhaps suggests that a fourth instrument might be a good future direction for the band.

Starting with the epic "Cowboys don't have brollies" the band immediately create a sense of style and drive not normally seen these days. Tim's paean to recording legend Joe Meek is replete with imagery and backed with a soundtrack that Ennio Morricone would die for. The bands motorik approach to rhythm is a huge hook, and the echoes of 60s star John Leyton are their, if you are old enough to remember!

The muscular "Hell in Heaven" is pure kraut-punk - an appellation that I think the band use with some degree of mischief. There's Neu! and Can in here but also a Manchester sound which carries it past all that to something new. With a very catchy riff from Kloos and dynamic drumming from Benson here is a song which is a key part of the live set.

Next up is a bossa nova, with Brian Benson's punning title "The Girl from Iphigenia" (she is the daughter of Agamenon and Clytemnestra). This is a fantastic slower piece, starting with a simple picked riff, which builds into huge wall of phased sound from Johann Kloos's array of pedals. This band know how to write and there is clear form and structure here worth checking out.

Finally the mammoth 8 minute version of "Jewels". Starting off as a rehearsal jam some months ago this has morphed into a fantastic piece of post-rock psychedelia. Again building from a slowly descending guitar/bass figure with chittering percussion sounds into a great wall of sound leading to an echo laden close, with Dave Thom adding layers of Korg to make this a memorable closer to a memorable session.

Watch our for The Sandells they have all the ingredients to create music of great substance.