June
Clémence Freschard
Weds 10th & Thurs 11th June 7.30pm
The Doublet
seetickets.com
Clémence Freschard is a French singer who sings in English. She was born on a farm in Burgundy, moved to Paris in 2000 at 18, then New York and then onto Berlin in 2004 where she started her recording career with her debut album ‘Alien Duck’.
I would describe her music as shoegazey Indiepop, but with obvious French flare. Her words are playfully arranged too with one song in particular called ‘Bob’ that’ll bring a smile to your face.
Whilst researching her I stumbled upon a festival she’s played called Indiefjord. It’s a small Indiepop festival that takes place in July in the beautiful village of Bjørke in western Norway nestled deep in the Sunnmøre Alps. The scenery and location make for quite a spectacle.
Choice Track: ‘You Can’t Fool Around Forever’
Sparks
Sunday 14th June 6pm
Kelvingrove Bandstand and
Amphitheatre
glasgowlife.org.uk
LA born brothers Ron and Russell Mael did the very rare thing of moving to the UK in the early 70s to pursue a musical career. The more musically conservative US audiences didn’t really get what they were about. Not long after they got here they started to connect with European audiences and their 1974 top of the pops performance of ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us’ still holds up today. They were Art Rock pioneers. They also invented the synth pop duo genre too, paving the way for bands like The Pet Shop Boys and Erasure.
50 years on and 26 albums later, they are still making a spectacle of themselves. Incidentally, they never really did make it in the USÉ they really didn’t have to.
Choice Track: ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us’
Lily Allen
Wednesday 17th June 6.30pm
OVO Hydro
ovohydro.com
I’ve always liked Lily Allen. I used to get a bit of stick for that when she first appeared in the charts 20 years ago. But I enjoyed her early interviews in which she would always give a notable nod of appreciation towards the 2 Tone movement of the late 70s which was a big part of my youth, and I also liked her London wit and sass.
But her recent resurgence seems to me to be tainted with so much pain. Her new album West End Girl is probably THE ultimate break up album, but all those scenarios she so vividly paints throughout the songs in reality must have been so difficult to navigate. It’s got to have hurt. So, I hope she finds solace on all the stages she graces as her recent tour keeps expanding and extending into even larger venues. Success it seems often carries a very high price.
Choice Track: ‘Sleepwalking’
