Truck 2006
Eamon was on the 6 Music news with a few words saying how they've moved up stages each year (they started on the acoustic stage) He also said they've just finished recording their album, mentioned sitting on porches with Cerys Matthews. He also talked about recording the album and David Briggs, the guy who used to play piano for Elvis: "It's just brilliant".
Truck Festival Sessions at BBC Collective. What's In It For Me (acoustic with Eamon & Marc) Brakes are also on the festival report (short interview & Disco Party clip)
Truck 2006 in Moving Pictures (with photos of Brakes)
Buy from Truck ... Proceeds go to charity ... More info
Sounds XP This year the CD has 18 tracks, 14 of which are new or unreleased and five were written especially for the CD. Brakes offer the amazing Neil Young/Byrds-flavoured You're So Pretty with its barbed lines: you know I trust you, babe/don't fuck me up You should buy it because the Truck Festival is a great idea from nice guys who put out good music, because this is a non-sucking festival souvenir and, above all, because the money goes to good causes.
Sounds XP It's back to a sunnier main stage for an amazing set by Brakes. Intense, fresh and frantic, they're like a young and fit Pixies and blow everyone away with Heard About Your Band and All Night Disco Party. They'd be the perfect Saturday night headliners next year.
God is In The TV Brakes put in a solid performance of punchy start/stop blasts and countrified indie, with Eamon spitting the words out as if his life depended on it. Most of their album Give Blood receives an airing, as well as a couple of b-sides, such as Porcupine or Pineapple which gets a good portion of the crowd singing along. One of my personal highlights of the festival, I was of course ecstatic to get a double-helping of the White brothers (they of The Electric Soft Parade), but Brakes have emerged as a confident, idiosyncratic band in their own right. No more talk of super groups from now on. Maybe.
powpowpow.com The main stage array of Good Books, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, and Brakes must have stunned all in attendance. Good Books melodic indie charms, Get Cape's heartfelt acoustic lyricisms and Brakes throbbing alt-country-rock-craziness added fuel to an already sparkling fire.
From nightshift.oxfordmusic.net/2006/aug/aug.pdf
lostmusic.co.uk Brakes, the indie super group, who are, in my opinion, about the best festival band around. With song styles veering between pop, rock, country, and dance, sometimes in the same song, the crowd love them. All their songs are catchy, even the 6 second Comma Comma Comma Full Stop, and I love their cover of the classic country song Jackson. And, being the perfect festival band they even manage to put the brakes on the rain, and by the end of their set, the sun was shining again, hooray for Brakes!
burnt-jamb.livejournal.com Wow! Like the Pixies, but a tiny bit like British Sea Power (that's a given, considering frontman Eamon used to be their keyboardist) and all types of indie rock driven goodness, this band really surprised me with their awesome hooks and equally excellent vocals. Featuring "those two" from Electric Soft Parade, the music ability on offer is outstanding, they even jokingly brought the sun out...
Gigwise.com Brakes promise to clear the clouds for us, and by the time they've got through their joyous set of weird country and the occasional nine second song to All Night Disco Party they've brought out the sun, good lads.
ShadowPlay Fanzine Brakes (ESP & BSP if you will) coax the sun out with a rattling rocknroll set which explains why Tom and Alex Soft Parade now seem to practice only their quieter and more expansive side in their own band. All the hits - Heard About Your Band, All Night Disco Party, I Can't Stand... are rolled out in fine style, audience and old man who looks a little like a turtle alike bellowing them out. Jackson also gets a huge roar of country approval as the sun finally shines out fully and the plastic bags are taken off the speakers before their JAMC cover, Sometimes Always bangs a lump into my throat.
Photo gallery: underexposed.org.uk Photos of Tom & Eamon at photography-of-rock.com
mapsmagazine.co.uk Brakes put in the best performance I've seen from them, finally proving that they are more than the sum of their parts - for which read 1 part British Sea Power, 2 parts Electric Soft Parade + 1 bassist of unknown origin (to me at least) -- Marc from The Tenderfoot -- They manage to keep a lid on their tendency to play 45 second bursts of silly voices and loud guitars, and instead play a set of urgent lo-fi sprinkled with surprises and obscure cover versions (Camper Van Beethoven anybody?) See the photos
national-student.co.uk Throwing in some new tunes like the banging, dirty-rock stomper Cease and Desist, written on a trip to Nashville, todays performance indicates that Brakes can get only get better.
domdadom.blogspot.com Brakes were awfully good as usual, and it was pointed out to me that there are few other festivals in existence where the whole audience at the main stage would be able to sing along with Brakes songs word for word.
sweepingthenation.blogspot.com Just as the rain eases and the sun appears on the horizon, we welcome Brakes, joined for two songs by Electric Soft Parade's Matt Twaites on sterling tambouring/smoking work, and they mean business. Not that Eamon Hamilton has ever been particularly easy on his targets, but they're on raging form today, where even a solo version of Jackson makes sense, semi-legendary B-side Porcupine Or Pineapple gets a singalong and the new songs sound superb. The crowd participation builds right throughout NY Pie and an impromptu Heard About Your Band until the traditional closer Comma Comma Comma Full Stop, and it's clear we've all had A Moment. See a photo
blog.myspace.com/jack_and_the_elations Brakes were the band that coaxed the sun out to play, complete with hat and received a rapturous reception possibly as a result. Not to say their abrupt brand of equally irritated and agitated country seasoned punk didnt deserve such a reaction, with 'Heard About Your Band' and 'Hi How Are You' becoming more and more relevant with every playing. Despite lacking the energy and vigour of past performances on far smaller stages slightly, they still proved a very good turning point for the afternoon.
Photos: Sally J Saveall -- attentiondeficit -- blog.myspace.com/robsell01
blog.myspace.com/thefamousnelly Brakes were brilliant fun, bonkers but fun!
blog.myspace.com/georgeorwellwasright Brakes were great and really got the festival going as the sunshine reappeared over Truck. A really energised performance. Truck wouldn't be the same without the Brighton collective. See a photo
Photos: by jollyness: pic 1 -- pic 2 and Phil & Maria