The Selfish Gene listener testimonies:
"Not my kind of music" - MS
"Those lyrics are scary" - DA
"Those organs freak me out" - RM
"Lovely (in a dark kind of way)" - MW
"Every song would benefit from some post-production" - DO
"Nice yelp" - RL
"Literally spine-tingling" - MB
"Bizarre" - KW
"Like a full scale model of the earth only built out of wobbly cardboard and Fairy Liquid bottles" - NB
"A lot of angst went into this, didn't it?" - CM
"I think 'I Am Just A Complicated Vehicle' should be fixed" - GR
"I must have come across as very eccentric today, walking around North London humming your tunes to myself and suddenly telling people that they ate all the grapes" - KA
"Thanks for sending us that beautiful album, those sound waves that you converted to an electrical signal? They hit our eardrums and set up a pressure wave which moved some hair that bent a membrane to produce receptor potentials to generate nerve impulses, and it was wonderful. The artwork was sweet too." - MVH-D
"Reminds me of an episode of Hancock's Half Hour... very moving" - NB
"I found it really quite disturbing actually" - AB
"I think it probably distils everything I look for in a record better than anything else I own... serious, silly, honest, direct and oblique all at once. You bastard." - KH
"A religious experience" - SG
'My Lordship' Pop Junkie review
(July 2006):
"Single Of The Month: Keyboard Rebel are a strange breed. They really are. Not averse to dressing like peasants and creating tunes catchier than mumps. The group started of on the wine bar trendy Twisted Nerve, with the release of the loved Bootylicious. Since then, theyve set up their own label called Slick Nine Records, backed the more than fabulous John Stammers- Hawks style, and released a couple of cheeky ones called Northern Sherpa and Ghost Lady.
So now, were up to date, the latest release, My Lordship, sees Keyboard Rebel in full tilt. Squidgy basslines with fatter than fudge beats with insanely catchy Ba-Ba-Bas rollock around with a tale about peasants and feudal politics. Sound kooky?
Well, it is, but not annoyingly so. My Lordship is the sound of Beck having a jam with the Dust Brothers if they both grew up in a leafy suburb of Manchester. There is also echoes of the marvellous Bobby Conn and magnifique Phoenix. This is a single that doesnt mind a bit of cheek, and certainly confident enough to release a great pop record.
My Lordship is a killer floor filler destined to shake some rumps in indie discos that are fortunate enough to get their hands on a copy. The bastard son of baggy and mid seventies pop will surely be picked up by those looking for a sure fire hit for the summer.*****"
'My Lordship' High Voltage review
(July 2006):
"One thing that nobody could accuse Keyboard Rebel of is following the crowd. My Lordship, their second single for Slick Nine Records after releasing their debut on Twisted Nerve, effortlessly fuses disco, punk, soul and jazz to create a happily laid back summer track.
Their acapella vocals put harmonising favourites The Futureheads to shame with the purely vocal instrumental intro its guaranteed that anyone who listens to this track will come away singing this repeatedly with only a faint idea of why theyre doing so, and without a care for the inevitable strange looks it might attract on the bus of a morning.
A tale of 14th century peasant revolt, My Lordship is endearingly offbeat, and will hopefully gain Keyboard Rebel the attention they deserve. B-side Whirlwind goes on to show another side to the band, a gentle-paced ballad with pleasing instrumentation from muted trumpets and flute which comfortably offsets its A-side counterpart. 4/5"
'My Lordship' Uncarved Blocks review
(July 2006):
"On this their third release for up and coming Manchester label, Slick Nine Records, Keyboard Rebel display an admirably unconventional world view, an endearingly skewed approach to making music and an almost gleeful lack of respect for conventions.
'My Lordship' is an example of Keyboard Rebel's 'anything goes' ethic; it tells the story of the 14th century peasants revolt against a backdrop of languid funk, a strange and wonderful juxtaposition. Kicking off with joyfully loose a-cappella harmonies and percussion that wouldn't sound out of place on a Tropicalia record before the blissful groove takes over. Punctuated by low end keyboards and driven along by persistently funky rhythm guitar, it combines melody and rhythmic punch with some eccentric and original lyricism.
The B-side, 'Whirlwind' sees the band showcasing their gentle side. A harmonious piano ballad, it's blessed with an aura of sweet sorrow thanks to the drowsy flute and keyboard adornment and a lovingly crafted tune. It proves that Keyboard Rebel can do it both ways; they can break your heart or make you want to move your feet!"
'My Lordship' Unpeeled review
(July 2006):
Click here.
'Northern Sherpa' City Life review
(Sept 2005):
"Folky loveliness oozes from Keyboard Rebel's debut. From the onset of the title track's recorder, cornet and glimmering xylophone interjections, which trickle around singer-songwriter Mike Bray's languid vocals and precise guitars, to the reggae-ish rhythm of 'I Feel Trapped', you get the feeling this band's quirkiness could set them apart."
'Northern Sherpa' AngryApe review (Aug 2005):
"What do they put in the Manchester water supply? The city just breeds one excellent singer-songwriter after another. Joining the likes of Badly Drawn Boy, Jim Noir, Jack Cooper, Aidan Smith, Nathan Burton and legend in the making John Stammers, Keyboard Rebel will undoubtedly become another addition to the city’s glowing roster. Appearances to date have been fairly sparse, with an inclusion on Twisted Nerve’s Jukebox Series (a brilliant rendition of Destiny’s Child Bootylicious...no really) and the Ghost Lady track for Slick Nine’s compilation EP earlier this year. Northern Sherpa is the Rebel’s first full solo outing, with two brand new offerings of avant folk oddities and acoustic loveliness. Keyboard Rebel draws upon old r & b, folk and pop for inspiraton, yet there’s even room for a reggae-ish twist to I Feel Trapped, where trumpets glide over xylophones, twinkly percussion and some of the best use of melody in years. This is an eclectic release to say the least, that betters with every listen." (Link)
'Northern Sherpa' Alternative Malta review (Jan 06):
"When I reviewed the ‘Slick Nine Presents’ sampler I had boldly stated that all the acts featured had the potential for going somewhere.
Well here’s the first taster. Keyboard Rebel has released his first two track CD-single, and its fantastic! Imagine the first few Belle and Sebastian EPs mixed with the quirky lyrics of Stephen Malkmus (sing about deconstructing pop songs). “Northern Sherpa” is an uplifting tune with trumpets, flutes, surfy drums and a dash of sunshine to boot. The second track, ‘I Feel Trapped’ is just profound. It starts off with an acoustic strum then evolves into a twinkly, trumpety piano rollicking tune and then reverts back to the strum. Just as catchy, and a great flipside. Now I definitely know that Keyboard Rebel has got what it takes to go somewhere: tunes and general oddness. Watch out!" (Link)
AngryApe singles of the month:
Northern Sherpa made it into the AngryApe top 10 singles of the month for August 2005, alongside Super Furry Animals, King Creosote and Broadcast. Follow this link for the full top ten.
Keyboard Rebel interview (Feb 2004):
For those of you who missed it the first time round, the interview in City Life magazine with Keyboard Mike and Lightnin' Rod Jackson (pictured bottom left), is online here.
Slick Nine Records Presents EP reviews (2004):
Angryape.com:
"I imagine Slick Nine run their label from a garden shed, which also handily doubles up as their in-house studio. Their first release, a sketchy, loosely thrown together collection of their current roster is what the term ‘DIY’ was invented for.
This 10” is a warm introduction to the label’s impressive and frankly, odd-bod artist range: from the opening rock ‘n’ roll ‘Fun House’ blast of the Bangkok Huskies, to the horn-fuelled, Coral-esque space-rock of And The Adventures Of and Senockian; the sound of Trunk’s Transcargo adding a punk-funk rhythm section to their bizarre creations.
Although local hero Keyboard Rebel is truly where it’s at. Some may be familiar with his contribution to last year’s ‘Jukebox Singles’ on fellow Manchester label and original kings of all things lo-fi, Twisted Nerve. ‘Ghost Lady’ is an uptempo New Orleans infested bastard of a tune, that manages to be infectious, wild, and brilliantly charming, all rolled into a quirky 3 minutes.
However much I hate to keep comparing Slick Nine to Twisted Nerve, this 10” bares all the exciting and eclectic qualities of the Nerve’s earlier compilation releases. Which could never be a bad thing. Bloody great. 8/10"
Rough Trade Record shop, London:
"First release on new manchester label slick nine records and they uncover four new artists set to take the world by storm. bangkok huskies jerk and jive with soul like a northern make up, the adventures of is like a summery 60s pop track with a cool flute floating over the top, senockian is like a funky lo-fi quando quango whilst keyboard rebel is the puck of the bunch with a home recorded 60s style track that has the same charm as the first badly drawn boy 7"."Thebeatsurrender.co.uk:
"Slick Nine records are a brand new record label that don’t seem concerned with genre, more about quality. This lovely little 10" sees four artists doing their own thing in their own way.
What makes this more interesting is their band member cross-over thang that they have going on, I won't go into detail here. Go and look at the website for details.
Bangkok Huskies get us off to an ass shaking start with their Blues Explosion meets Mooney Suzuki glam stomp of 'Rocola Supersound'. Highlight from this record for me.
Next up And the Adventures Of seem to have acquired an uncanny ability of having a brass section & a flute in their music and not making it sound rubbish. 'Damn The Fifties' is delicate and softly spoken.
Senockian have a definite funkiness running through them with a Chilli Peppers feel in the way their guitar and bass work it throughout 'Beat Beat'.
The rumpa-tumpa-tumpa-tump-oi (you know when you buy the record) of Keyboard Rebel's 'Ghost Lady' finishes things off nicely. A very likeable record from a record label whose DIY attitude is inspiring. 7/10"
Piccadilly Records, Manchester:
"This is great! An odd, quirky, eclectic compilation, from local label Slick Nine Records. An ethic of 'do what you want, just make sure it's amazing' underpins the work of Slick Nine's nine boys and two girls, and as you can hear from this 10" it's one that's gonna make people fall in love with 'em."
High Voltage fanzine:
"Quirky and eccentric local collective Slick Nine are a bunch of musicians that play in a number of live outfits. This compilation commits the musical highlights of the collective onto CD, each of the four tracks are from the same school of though (sic) and fit together very well, it’s also difficult to separate them quality wise.
Bangkok Huskies are probably Slick Nines best bet for success. They offer ‘Rocola Supeground’ (sic) to this compilation, a track that has already gained High Voltage praise in the past, coming across as a lo-fi version of teenage Supergrass. The Huskie’s have their own distinct sound, and it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but their raucous rock n roll is worthy of more peoples time and attention.
The remaining three tracks are also well worth a listen: And The Adventures Of…add a touch melancholy with ‘Damn The Fifties’. The warm brass and wind parts to the track give it added depth, complimenting the subtle lyrics greatly. Serockian add an eerie, paranoid edge as the tense vocals and high pitched guitar parts are backed by some clever guitar beats, and ‘Beat Beat’ is an interesting effort, though it lacks the same amount of immediacy as the other tracks on this compilation. Keyboard Rebel’s ‘Ghost Lady’ is the most lyrically dependent of all, typifying the Slick Nine approach of championing friendly and honest music which engages the listener, creating positive vibes by adding a spicy slab of intelligence into their music.
It’s not easy to see what the future lies for Slick Nine and the four bands featured on here. Each of the four tracks offers something fresh, and a reason to get excited. The limited appeal of the music will ultimately prevent widespread adulation, which is a grave shame. 4/5"
Unpeeled fanzine:
"Four tracks, four bands and going on the unreliable theory that it’s as printed on this menu thing… The Bangkok Huskies “Rocola Supersound” is nothing short of phenomenal, viper-sniper riff ripping the ankles of a nimble rhythm section, top, top noise. Unlike… And The Adventures Of who say “Damn The Fifties” and think that doing Terry Hall impressions at the wrong speed under a duvet will really send the fities to hell, daft. Flipping the slab gets us Senockian’s “Beat Beat” and the funkily messy thing that it is suggests that they might be quite good once they someone has hidden their old Jonathan Richmond records. Bringing up the rear is Keyboard Rebel and the jarring combination of zylophone tones and broken-hearted zombie vocals is one that could well catch on, the uptake to honky-tonk drumming halfway through is a masterstroke and if you’ve never heard the undead sing you’ve never been to a Motorhead gig, so you should go to www.slicknine.com instead."
