HOME

REVIEWS

SoundsXP Presents

Pictures from some recent gigs we've hosted:

29 March 2013 - Brixton, London

Viv Albertine, VuVuVultures, Left Leg, Mickey Gloss, Big Wave, No Cars, Arthur Gunn, Simon Love (Pictures)

8 March 2013 - Lexington, London

R.Ring, Golden Grrrls, Slushy Guts and Equinox (Pictures)

On Our iPod

Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold (album)

Hard Skin - Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear (album)

Black Angels - Indigo Meadow (album)

Thee Oh Sees - Floating Coffin (album)

R Ring - Fallout and Fire 7”

Royal Headache - self-titled (album)

The Mariner’s Children - Sycamore EP

Can’s Ege Bamyasi played by Stephen Malkmus and Friends(album)

The Fall - Sir William Wray 7"

Lord Huron - Lonesome Dreams (album)

Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds - Conjure Man 7”

Lightning Bolt - Oblivion Hunter

Robyn Hitchcock - There Goes The Ice (2x 12")

Latest Forum Posts

Interview

Married to the Sea

Article written by Mary B - Dec 9, 2007

Married to the Sea are not really married to the sea. They're just four lads from Liverpool going about their daily lives while creating some cracking tunes. They should be making waves in the music world but I want them to remain buried treasure. I do not want to share them with anybody...ok, if you insist...

SoundsXP: Married to the sea - do you have a love affair with the waves? Where did the name spring from? Comics? Ports?

MTTS: We do all love the sea but we took the name from a line in the film Rushmore. We discovered the comic after we chose the name. It's a really good comic so it's kind of a nice association.

SoundsXP: I couldn't help but notice that Abba are mentioned first on your list of influences - 4 of you - 4 of them - some had beards too (the men tried to grow them) - what's your favourite Abba song and how much of an influence are they? Please don't tell me that you put Abba in as a joke as i'm trying to get the swedish four some street cred. They're shamefully ignored.

MTTS: It's absolutely not a joke. Abba are one of the greatest bands ever. The idea of music as a guilty pleasure is pretty ridiculous. If music has merit then that's the end of it. Shame needn't be involved. Our favourite Abba songs are:

Nick: Does your mother know?/Knowing me knowing you
Simon: Knowing me knowing you
Sam: SOS
Greg: Undecided but definitely not Dancing Queen.

SoundsXP: I love 'Great i'm in love now'. Have any of you ever been in love? Are any of you in love right now? Love is good, right? Or not?

MTTS: Love is good for songwriting. For evidence, see Abba.

SoundsXP: Tell us about your music. Pretend that there is such a thing as a band dictionary. What would Married to the Sea's entry say?

MTTS: Hopefully something enigmatic, or completely flattering or perhaps outrageous.

SoundsXP: You come across as funny and sunny to me yet you say that you're fabulous but evil? Where is this evil coming from then and who is the most evil out of you lot? I can't imagine you lot doing anything evil....

MTTS: You should ask our groupies about that. Just kidding, they know full well not to say anything.

SoundsXP: What's great about Liverpool? What bands do you like who are emerging out of Liverpool at the moment, apart from yourselves?

MTTS: The liverpool music scene is relatively unpretentious and from our experience friendlier and less cliquey than a lot of other cities.

Great bands -
The sporting life
Arms at last
Puzzle
Voo
Elle s'appelle
Dude music
Hot club
loads....

SoundsXP: You're taking part in Liverpool music week. You may have already taken part by the time this reaches you! Talk to me about it. What's it all about? Are you looking forward to it?

MTTS: It's kind of like a week long festival spread out over lots of different venues. It's really exciting, or it was last year because a lot of people came out to the nights, most of which are free. Or I might have made that up...

SoundsXP: You've been in bands before. How does the experience compare with being in MTTS?

MTTS: Less uptight but more serious and more successful.

SoundsXP: The John Craven's newsround thing isn't true is it? That's pretty special if it is. He's an institution he is, or should be in one, depending on how you view him.

MTTS: It's kind of true. We were briefly on Newsround because we supported the 'Tiny masters of today' and Presspack were doing a feature on them.

SoundsXP: Any insomniacs in MTTS? Any tips on how to cope with it? I feel like there are night owls among you.

MTTS: Simon suffers from occassional bouts of insomnia. Then when he finally does get to sleep he'll usually have an upsetting dream. If someone's around, a cuddle will usually sort him out otherwise he might go to 24hr Asda and look at dvds and electrical goods.

SoundsXP: Christmas is coming. What carol would you cover and why?

MTTS: 'In the Bleak Midwinter' because it's sad and pretty or Greg said 'Little donkey'. I don't know if that's a joke.

SoundsXP: I love Crash Hams but I don't know what Crash Hams means? What is crash hams?

MTTS: I read an interview with the comedian, David Cross, and they asked him to come up with an imaginary 'Guided by voices' song title and he said crash hams. I thought it was really funny and because I really like GBV. A nice homage also. Generally though I don't approve of those kind of free association song titles or lyrics or pretentious answers to questions.

SoundsXP: Where are MTTS swimming to next? Where is the tide taking you? Where will you be washed up? (ok, enough of the sea comparisons)

MTTS: We will be playing Lancaster with 'Uncle Jeff' on Monday10th, and 'Le Bateau' in Liverpool on the 12th with Dude Music and Puzzle.

SoundsXP: Finally, what is your favourite fish and why? (I had to ask that really didn't I?)

MTTS: Simon says he saw an Alfred Hitchcock film where a guy was using a swordfish as a weapon....so a swordfish or a dolphin if we're allowed to choose a fishy mammal.

You can have whatever you like, boys. Christmas is around the corner. Why not go on a voyage of musical discovery today and sail to MTTS's website? Drop anchor in their ocean and throw your sadness overboard...(ok, no more sea puns) *Waves* goodbye...

Links:
http://www.myspace.com/marriedtothesealion