PRESS
RECORD REVIEWS
"Out of the Rain"
"Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité"
- The List, 19-26 August 2004
- Drowned In Sound, August 2004
- Stayfun, August 2004
- Is This Music?, Issue 12, September 2004
- Norman Records, 24 September 2004
- Friends Of The Heroes, Issue 94, January 2005
- Losing Today, April 2005
LIVE REVIEWS
- Is This Music?, Issue 13, Winter 2004
Drouthy Neebors, Dundee, 5th November 2004
- Evening Times, 8th September 2005
The Universal, Glasgow, 1st September 2005
- Dead Earnest
Balcony Bar, Dundee, 8th March 2006
INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES
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RECORD REVIEWS
"Out of the Rain"
Blowgun
"Ahead of the release of their forthcoming debut album, and a glimpse of the delights in store, 'Out Of The Rain' is a sidestep for the Dundee Forest; stripped down and minimal, the track less resembles their trademark Silver Mt. Zion-esque soundscapes and more the cut-up electronica of The Books or Jimmy Tamborello. A gorgeous vocal, stuttering drums, twinkly things, lilting and sad. A band that sticks out a mile from their local contemporaries; music for films and sweet dreams." [8/10]
View article
"Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité"
The List, 19-26th August 2004
* Single of the Week *
"Franz Ferdinand...head and shoulders above almost everything here. But not Mercury Tilt Switch and The A Forest. The two Dundee bands' split single, 'Get Ready For The Trench Run'/'Dans L'aide Du Levrier Retraite' (Too Many Fireworks) [4/5] shows just how much vibrant, varied tunesmithery is coming out of Scotland. The former is a collapsing mayhem of angular At The Drive-In shrieks, the latter is a bittersweet dreamscape of breathy Stereolab romance. Single of the week, naturally."
Doug Johnstone
View article
Drowned In Sound
"...As for The A Forest, that is a whole different kettle of fish. From the brash in-your-face approach of MTS, these guys and girls are like the soundtrack to a dream with brush-on-cymbal drumming over a gentle, echoing keyboard in the background, and the soft female vocals are (from what I can make out) entirely in gaelic. The fact is, while it's nice enough in its own right, it just seems out of place when up against MTS." [4/5]
Colin Weston
View article
Stay Fun
"...Alternatively there is The A Forest with ‘Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité’, which is poles apart from MTS. Gone is the fury, replaced by beautifully relaxing sounds that bewitch and hypnotize you. As it fades in, you could be forgiven for thinking it was Yo La Tengo in one of their recent quiet moods thanks to those synths. At least until the almost ethereal female vocal enters and sweeps the song up to another level of your imagination. It’s simply a magnificent soundscape, and it feels like a long time since a band from Scotland has created something so lovely in this genre. It was even tempting to break out a Cocteau Twins comparison, but I’ll leave The A Forest with something more to work towards."
Steven McCarron
View article
Is This Music?, Issue 12: September 2004
"...by complete contrast, The A Forest give some fey breathless moody electronic-powered acoustica, and a rather fine tune to boot."
Stuart McHugh
Norman Records, Weekly Review: 24th September 2004
"It's the child in me I know but whenever I type Mercury Tilt Switch I always get the urge to omit the 'L' for some reason. Too many years reading Viz I'm afraid. This band, it seems, are only capable of releasing split records with other bands. The other band in this case are The A Forest, not named after The Cure tune, surely? What next? The Friday I'm In Loves? The Jumping Someone Else's Trains? For fucks sake. Anyway the Tit side is noisy emo-ish indie & The forest side is in French so they lose even though It's a really nice tune sung by a sweet sounding lass & whatnot. Sorry for being arsey but Paul Draper (Mansun)'s whining voice is still reverberating around my head like the donkey from Shrek. Hmmmm."
Brian
View article
Friends Of The Heroes, Issue 94: January 2005
"...Flip the vinyl and you will find yourself in come down wonderland. The A Forest were the reason that I rooted out this record, and I certainly wasn’t let down. In an ethereally Stereolabby kind of way they caress the senses and soothe away the rigours of life. I don’t profess to understand the lyrics, it seems that ‘A’-Level French was mightily successful in Eastern Scotland, but in that same way an instrumental can set the scene, the vocal tracks here evoke scenes of tranquillity that are hard to ignore. Think dreamy, think gentle luscious scented breezes, think overwhelming calm and you’re halfway there, add in vocal lines that Elizabeth Fraser would kill for and you have hit the nail on the head.
They say that music is often a reflection of your surroundings, if that is the case then Mercury Tilt Switch and The A Forest must be living at completely opposite ends of Dundee. Their respective offerings may be wildly different, but they both have one obvious theme running through them, and that is the fact that here are two bands, not from a popular place, embracing their intellectual and musical sensibilities and serving up two fantastic audible moments.
I implore you to listen; it’s your New Year promise."
Johnny Mac
View article
Losing Today
"Flip over the disc to be greeted by the distinctly contrasting sound of The A Forest. ‘Dans l’aide du levrier retraite’ charms its way into your air space almost like an apparition, frail and frosty sounding, sparsely beautiful it has to be said yet maintaining that same initial impression brought about when first hearing ‘Waxen Wane’ by the Cocteau Twins and ‘Geek Love’ by Bang Bang Machine drifting from the speakers of the old dusty radio set one late and dark evening courtesy of the late John Peel’s night time show. While it might lack the force and grandeur of the latter there’s something numbingly arresting about the way the vocals sweetly caress almost siren like as though your stepping from what passes for realism into something picture book albeit pastel shaded. Ultimately though its perhaps the quieter and more reflective moments found nuzzling between the bitter sweet angst of Melys’ back catalogue that many of you folk may nod approvingly and agree it shares an affinity with. A daunting split release and of course essential. Limited to 500 copies and no doubt selling by the bucket load if there’s any justice out there."
Mark Barton
View article
---------------------------------------------------
LIVE REVIEWS
Drouthy Neebors, Dundee, 5th November 2004
Is This Music?, Issue 13: Winter 2004
"...The A Forest are shambolic yet strangely organised. Amongst the mayhem of broken guitar strings and poor mics, the band are furious yet subdued with rampant guitars and harmonious vocals. In theory it's a jigsaw that's been badly put together but in reality it's a magnificent noise that sets the band apart from every other band in this fair city. The debut single 'Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité' sounds like the devil's folk song with the transcendant vocals being accompanied by manic guitars that manage to linger in the background."
Seonaid Masson
The Universal, Glasgow, 1st September 2005
Evening Times, 8th September 2005
"This gig showed what a music industry event like MusicWorks should really be about. Two Scottish independent record labels working together (Pet Piranha/ Gargleblast) is something of a rarity, but along with New Music in Scotland (NEMIS), that's exactly what happened.
Dundee is a hotbed of new musical talent, and most of it is signed to Pet Piranha Records...The A Forest made a great job of bringing their dreamlike soundscapes to life."
John Clarke
View article
Balcony Bar, Dundee, 8th March 2006
Dead Earnest
"So, first up was a band called The A Forest. You knew this was going to be different from what you normally hear there, as the female electric cellist sat down stage left of two guitarists, one with this dazzling array of foot pedals, a bassist, drummer, female singer and, in the corner, a keyboard that turned out to be used by the two guitarists, individually. The band began - well, talk about my jaw hitting the floor, I think you'd have needed a JCB to get it back up. With crisp delicate drumming, ringing guitar chords, litling bass, a deep resonance from the cello, the band immediately provided this wondrous sound - but when the female vocalist opened up, it was positively spiritual as this gorgeous ethereal high-register voice floated and soared above the solid but expansive instrumentation. Wow!! As the track continued, the guitars chimed out, the cello provided the depth and the bass the rigidity for the vocals to fly around the room with grace and space - then the drummer suddenly kicked it up a notch and the band catched fire, although still quite relaxed at the same time, not sop much exploding as smouldering - but a truly captivating opener froma truly original band. The second track was just as good. Then, for the third track, the vocalst donned what looked like a hand-held electric clavinet with a mouth attachment (or a mini EWI or summat like that). Over deft touches from the keyboard, strong almost tribal but restrained drumming, solid flowing bass and more delicate chiming, ringing guitar leads, the cello and this organ-like instrument carved out the lead lines to another ethereal paradise, as the vocalist weaves another magical spell of singing purity in between the instrumental passages. For the final number, the wondefully titled "There Is No Love Between Pigeons", the vocalist began with an altogether more sultry tone as the multi-textured leads and effective rhythm section provided the ambience. But then the drums crash in, and the band at alst fires up to almost fiery extent, you still getting the feeling that they're holding back and that, instrumentally, they can really let rip if they choose. Meanwhile, our vocalist is just flying as another gem of a song takes off, only to drop down to earth all too soon. Stunning, and a band I have to see again, for sure."
Andy G
View article
RECORD REVIEWS
"Out of the Rain" "Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité"
- The List, 19-26 August 2004
- Drowned In Sound, August 2004
- Stayfun, August 2004
- Is This Music?, Issue 12, September 2004
- Norman Records, 24 September 2004
- Friends Of The Heroes, Issue 94, January 2005
- Losing Today, April 2005
- Is This Music?, Issue 13, Winter 2004
Drouthy Neebors, Dundee, 5th November 2004 - Evening Times, 8th September 2005
The Universal, Glasgow, 1st September 2005 - Dead Earnest
Balcony Bar, Dundee, 8th March 2006
---------------------------------------------------
RECORD REVIEWS
"Out of the Rain"
Blowgun
"Ahead of the release of their forthcoming debut album, and a glimpse of the delights in store, 'Out Of The Rain' is a sidestep for the Dundee Forest; stripped down and minimal, the track less resembles their trademark Silver Mt. Zion-esque soundscapes and more the cut-up electronica of The Books or Jimmy Tamborello. A gorgeous vocal, stuttering drums, twinkly things, lilting and sad. A band that sticks out a mile from their local contemporaries; music for films and sweet dreams." [8/10]
View article
"Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité"
The List, 19-26th August 2004
* Single of the Week *
"Franz Ferdinand...head and shoulders above almost everything here. But not Mercury Tilt Switch and The A Forest. The two Dundee bands' split single, 'Get Ready For The Trench Run'/'Dans L'aide Du Levrier Retraite' (Too Many Fireworks) [4/5] shows just how much vibrant, varied tunesmithery is coming out of Scotland. The former is a collapsing mayhem of angular At The Drive-In shrieks, the latter is a bittersweet dreamscape of breathy Stereolab romance. Single of the week, naturally."
Doug Johnstone
View article
Drowned In Sound
"...As for The A Forest, that is a whole different kettle of fish. From the brash in-your-face approach of MTS, these guys and girls are like the soundtrack to a dream with brush-on-cymbal drumming over a gentle, echoing keyboard in the background, and the soft female vocals are (from what I can make out) entirely in gaelic. The fact is, while it's nice enough in its own right, it just seems out of place when up against MTS." [4/5]
Colin Weston
View article
Stay Fun
"...Alternatively there is The A Forest with ‘Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité’, which is poles apart from MTS. Gone is the fury, replaced by beautifully relaxing sounds that bewitch and hypnotize you. As it fades in, you could be forgiven for thinking it was Yo La Tengo in one of their recent quiet moods thanks to those synths. At least until the almost ethereal female vocal enters and sweeps the song up to another level of your imagination. It’s simply a magnificent soundscape, and it feels like a long time since a band from Scotland has created something so lovely in this genre. It was even tempting to break out a Cocteau Twins comparison, but I’ll leave The A Forest with something more to work towards."
Steven McCarron
View article
Is This Music?, Issue 12: September 2004
"...by complete contrast, The A Forest give some fey breathless moody electronic-powered acoustica, and a rather fine tune to boot."
Stuart McHugh
Norman Records, Weekly Review: 24th September 2004
"It's the child in me I know but whenever I type Mercury Tilt Switch I always get the urge to omit the 'L' for some reason. Too many years reading Viz I'm afraid. This band, it seems, are only capable of releasing split records with other bands. The other band in this case are The A Forest, not named after The Cure tune, surely? What next? The Friday I'm In Loves? The Jumping Someone Else's Trains? For fucks sake. Anyway the Tit side is noisy emo-ish indie & The forest side is in French so they lose even though It's a really nice tune sung by a sweet sounding lass & whatnot. Sorry for being arsey but Paul Draper (Mansun)'s whining voice is still reverberating around my head like the donkey from Shrek. Hmmmm."
Brian
View article
Friends Of The Heroes, Issue 94: January 2005
"...Flip the vinyl and you will find yourself in come down wonderland. The A Forest were the reason that I rooted out this record, and I certainly wasn’t let down. In an ethereally Stereolabby kind of way they caress the senses and soothe away the rigours of life. I don’t profess to understand the lyrics, it seems that ‘A’-Level French was mightily successful in Eastern Scotland, but in that same way an instrumental can set the scene, the vocal tracks here evoke scenes of tranquillity that are hard to ignore. Think dreamy, think gentle luscious scented breezes, think overwhelming calm and you’re halfway there, add in vocal lines that Elizabeth Fraser would kill for and you have hit the nail on the head.
They say that music is often a reflection of your surroundings, if that is the case then Mercury Tilt Switch and The A Forest must be living at completely opposite ends of Dundee. Their respective offerings may be wildly different, but they both have one obvious theme running through them, and that is the fact that here are two bands, not from a popular place, embracing their intellectual and musical sensibilities and serving up two fantastic audible moments.
I implore you to listen; it’s your New Year promise."
Johnny Mac
View article
Losing Today
"Flip over the disc to be greeted by the distinctly contrasting sound of The A Forest. ‘Dans l’aide du levrier retraite’ charms its way into your air space almost like an apparition, frail and frosty sounding, sparsely beautiful it has to be said yet maintaining that same initial impression brought about when first hearing ‘Waxen Wane’ by the Cocteau Twins and ‘Geek Love’ by Bang Bang Machine drifting from the speakers of the old dusty radio set one late and dark evening courtesy of the late John Peel’s night time show. While it might lack the force and grandeur of the latter there’s something numbingly arresting about the way the vocals sweetly caress almost siren like as though your stepping from what passes for realism into something picture book albeit pastel shaded. Ultimately though its perhaps the quieter and more reflective moments found nuzzling between the bitter sweet angst of Melys’ back catalogue that many of you folk may nod approvingly and agree it shares an affinity with. A daunting split release and of course essential. Limited to 500 copies and no doubt selling by the bucket load if there’s any justice out there."
Mark Barton
View article
---------------------------------------------------
LIVE REVIEWS
Drouthy Neebors, Dundee, 5th November 2004
Is This Music?, Issue 13: Winter 2004
"...The A Forest are shambolic yet strangely organised. Amongst the mayhem of broken guitar strings and poor mics, the band are furious yet subdued with rampant guitars and harmonious vocals. In theory it's a jigsaw that's been badly put together but in reality it's a magnificent noise that sets the band apart from every other band in this fair city. The debut single 'Dans L'aide Du Lévrier Retraité' sounds like the devil's folk song with the transcendant vocals being accompanied by manic guitars that manage to linger in the background."
Seonaid Masson
The Universal, Glasgow, 1st September 2005
Evening Times, 8th September 2005
"This gig showed what a music industry event like MusicWorks should really be about. Two Scottish independent record labels working together (Pet Piranha/ Gargleblast) is something of a rarity, but along with New Music in Scotland (NEMIS), that's exactly what happened. Dundee is a hotbed of new musical talent, and most of it is signed to Pet Piranha Records...The A Forest made a great job of bringing their dreamlike soundscapes to life."
John Clarke
View article
Balcony Bar, Dundee, 8th March 2006
Dead Earnest
"So, first up was a band called The A Forest. You knew this was going to be different from what you normally hear there, as the female electric cellist sat down stage left of two guitarists, one with this dazzling array of foot pedals, a bassist, drummer, female singer and, in the corner, a keyboard that turned out to be used by the two guitarists, individually. The band began - well, talk about my jaw hitting the floor, I think you'd have needed a JCB to get it back up. With crisp delicate drumming, ringing guitar chords, litling bass, a deep resonance from the cello, the band immediately provided this wondrous sound - but when the female vocalist opened up, it was positively spiritual as this gorgeous ethereal high-register voice floated and soared above the solid but expansive instrumentation. Wow!! As the track continued, the guitars chimed out, the cello provided the depth and the bass the rigidity for the vocals to fly around the room with grace and space - then the drummer suddenly kicked it up a notch and the band catched fire, although still quite relaxed at the same time, not sop much exploding as smouldering - but a truly captivating opener froma truly original band. The second track was just as good. Then, for the third track, the vocalst donned what looked like a hand-held electric clavinet with a mouth attachment (or a mini EWI or summat like that). Over deft touches from the keyboard, strong almost tribal but restrained drumming, solid flowing bass and more delicate chiming, ringing guitar leads, the cello and this organ-like instrument carved out the lead lines to another ethereal paradise, as the vocalist weaves another magical spell of singing purity in between the instrumental passages. For the final number, the wondefully titled "There Is No Love Between Pigeons", the vocalist began with an altogether more sultry tone as the multi-textured leads and effective rhythm section provided the ambience. But then the drums crash in, and the band at alst fires up to almost fiery extent, you still getting the feeling that they're holding back and that, instrumentally, they can really let rip if they choose. Meanwhile, our vocalist is just flying as another gem of a song takes off, only to drop down to earth all too soon. Stunning, and a band I have to see again, for sure."
Andy G
View article