Saturday 27 October 2012

...On The Rock Show

TODAY: we're on the 'Amazing Rock Show' at 8pm (repeated Tuesday at 10pm) AND on the 'Audition' show at 4pm. Both on the aptly named Amazing Radio.

http://amazingradio.co.uk/?show=rockshow  

Thursday 25 October 2012

The Audition Show on Amazing Radio

"It recalls some of the moments that you first heard and fell in love with a Black Angels album all those years ago. Slightly spooky, slightly haunting, and yet an absolute cacophony of noise to lure you in and draw you in under their spell" 
- Charlie Ashcroft, Amazing Radio, 22/10/12.

Some kind words there about our song "Reality" which got it's first radio play on Monday! - you can stream the show here, or listen to the repeat on Saturday. x

Monday 22 October 2012

"REALITY" on Amazing Radio

"REALITY" is being played by Charlie Ashcroft today from 1-3 (6 songs in) on Amazing Radio. The first radio play of this song!

- If you like it then please take a second to vote for us in the 'Audition Poll' via this link: http://amazingradio.co.uk/?show=audition

Thanks x

Tuesday 21 August 2012

"Occupation" Video Shoot Blog by Soundyoucansee

A blog about the "Occupation" video shoot by one of it's makers Barry Hoffman of Soundyoucansee.

Read Here: http://soundyoucansee.com/trim-the-barber/

"This is what you get for locking yourself away on a beautiful sunny day in the depths of Stoke Newington’s Audio Underground rehearsal rooms with Trim the Barber. We had four hours with Hackney’s most exciting band right now to get in, get set up, record and film a live performance of ‘Occupation’ to coincide with the release of their debut ep.
Having nearly doomed the whole affair by blowing up half the room when trying their new strobe light we managed to get everything plugged in and loud enough to cope with Jonus’ heavy hitting.
These guys have been developing these songs for a while now and having started gigging heavily again, they know how to play. Every one of the six or seven takes was impressive and demonstrated to us why this band are getting all the attention they rightly deserve in the music press right now.

This tune has a simmering and serious urgency to it and breaks plenty of the traditional ‘rules’ for a lead track on an album. That’s why we love these guys, they have a way of doing things all their own and to our ears are quite defiantly defining a unique sound for themselves. It’s a track soaked in shimmering layers of guitar noise and a delay-laden vocal that doesn’t start until half way in; it rewards repeated listening with new details revealing themselves each time but also has an immediate and powerful impact on first listen. We love it! Make sure you catch them live."

Monday 30 July 2012

REWORK LONDON @ VISIONS - 30th AUGUST

Cancelled Gig & Other News...

THURSDAYS GIG HAS BEEN CANCELLED due to unforeseen problems with the organisers and venue, we're really sorry about that.

BUT we have just confirmed a show at The Finsbury on Saturday 13th October, and next up we are playing Visions Video Bar, one month away on Thursday 30th August.

Stay tuned on our Facebook, here on our website and on Twitter for news about our new single which is out soon, and meanwhile if you haven't got our debut EP yet, get it here: http://trimthebarber.bandcamp.com/album/trim-the-barber-ep

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Trim the Barber in WARP Magazine

Thanks to Javier Cuellar Somellera for writing a blog post about us for a Mexican Music Publication called WARP in the 'Bands You Need To Know' column.

(It's written in Spanish but you can translate the page, or read below)

Read here:
http://www.warp.com.mx/editorial/23307-BandsYouNeedToKnow-Echo-Lake-y-Trim-The-Barber

"It seems I have transported to Macclesfield, England where the legend of one of the most important movements in the history of music was born, Ian Curtis who was the leader of Joy Division, a band that influenced many others to be who they are today and appreciate much.
Trim The Barber is a band from East London with a proposal for post-punk, psychedelic and shoegaze, mixing well the melancholy of the Cure, the grunting of Wire and sonic attitude Bury Strangers A place to.
Ian Curtis quoted as Matthew Potter's voice reminds me of him. Energetic and heartbreaking, really you can feel melancholy. Ramsay Cooper on guitars and vocals, Patrick Banks on second guitar, voice and third engineer and finally Jonas Duss on drums and percussion are the complete lineup of the band who took their eponymous debut album last April.
We can listen to seven tracks starting with 'Occupation'. It's really powerful, dark, very English. A proposal brit for everyone, I am sure Trim The Baber not disappoint from start to finish."

- Javier Cuellar Somellera, 17th July 2012.

Trim the Barber on RADIOZONDERMIDDENRIF Podcast

Thanks to Leon Riether who included "Occupation" in his latest RadioZonderMiddenrif podcast (with new music by Savages, DIIV, Gravenhurst, dEUS, Fidlar and many others)

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Trim the Barber on XFM EXPOSURE

We were played on XFM Exposure with John Kennedy again on 21st May, the third time he's given Trim the Barber a spin!

Trim the Barber on NME RADIO

On 18th May "Occupation" was given a spin on NME Radio on The Selector show (Fridays 1800-2000) Presented by Goldierocks and syndicated to 33 countries around the world with an estimated global reach is in excess of 4 million listeners!

Saturday 5 May 2012

Trim the Barber on Q RADIO

Tonight between 7-9pm on Q RADIO, Caroline Beavon will be playing 'Occupation' on the 'NEW TO Q' show.

Listen here: http://radioplayer.qthemusic.com/

EP review by OLIVER ARDITI

Read here: http://oliverarditi.com/2012/04/26/various-artists-singles-and-eps-013/

Trim The Barber – Trim The Barber (post-punk)
self released, 2012, CD and DD EP, 17m 17s
£2.50 (DD) £4 (CD numbered edition of 100)

By Oliver Arditi, 26th April 2012

Apart from earning major kudos by naming their band after a stand out track from the founding father of dub, Trim The Barber have a thing or two to say about making atmospheric and texturally creative post-punk music. At this stage in proceedings it’s probably a bit late to call this stuff ‘New Wave’, but it certainly harks back to that historical sound of the future, without sounding at all nostalgic or derivative. There was a thing in the immediate post-punk period (coincidentally the period when I first became aware of something called ‘the charts’ or ‘popular music’) where vocalists adopted a deliberate coldness or hollowness to their delivery, declaiming their lyrics like great howls of anomie in the infinite existential darkness. Trim The Barber have that kind of buzz going on, in combination with an effects laden set of textural guitarscapes, also redolent of that era, when players like Robert Smith and Roger Morris sought ways to play more creatively than punk allowed, without resorting to the tired old cock waggling of earlier approaches. What the guitarists do on this release is pretty rocked out in comparison, in keeping with contemporary tastes, but dead creative, firmly supported on an angular gridwork of bass and drums. They claim to fuse post-punk with elements of shoegaze, but the influences I’ve mentioned are where shoegaze came from anyway. These are big, creative, engaging musical journeys, and I was with them all the way.  

Trim the Barber feature in GESTURE MAGAZINE

Pictures from our recent Fierce Panda/Club Fandango gig and an interview with Ramsay:

View using Desktop/Laptop: http://bit.ly/JN9V1S

View using iphone/ipad (PDF): http://bit.ly/JbdS2N


Gesture Magazine | Issue 8

EP review on MOJOPHENIA

Read here: http://mojophenia.com/2012/04/30/east-londons-trim-the-barber-debut-ep-release/

MOJOPHENIA

East London's Trim the Barber, Debut EP Release

Posted by Andy on April 30th 2012

“Trim The Barber are four-piece Psychedelic-Post-Punk-Shoegazers from East London. A Combination of the melancholic style of  The Cure, the spiky snarl of  Wire and the considered sonic attitude of A Place To Bury Strangers. The lush musical euphoria of shoegaze meets the cold atmosphere of minimalist post punk. The  self-titled debut EP was released on April 9th”.

In my eyes an EP is a roaring success if half the content gives me the reason to dig a little deeper into a band’s reason for making music in the first place. Indeed Influences run very true, you’re never going to get those first few iconic chords erased from your head and great melodies are often worn proudly upon a tattered sleeve. The four track EP from Trim The Barber manages the mathematics comfortably with three great tracks on their four track EP release, the spin on melodic indie and heavily layered shoegaze points directly to the post-punk obscurities bands used to cram onto those wobbly 7″ singles thirty something years ago.

Structured guitar noise and controlled fuzz, Trim The Barber build volume in small deliberate steps. The opening track `Occupation` has a killer intro, although the expectation of a squeaky Robert Smith vocal subsequently detracts from the charming reverb and haunting melody, it`s an excellent way to kick off a four track teaser. `Reality` gets the audio exposure above, the welcome attention to detail and straightforward Rock `N Roll annihilation always pays dividends.  

Learn More And Buy
Courtesy Of  Theo PR

Stream our Matt Barnes Indie Show interview

Thursday 26 April 2012

Trim the Barber interview on ROUNDHOUSE RADIO

Last night we ventured out to our local pub to meet up with Matt Barnes from Roundhouse Radio. The interview we recorded will be aired tonight between 8-9pm and will be available to listen again here: http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/explore/radio/matt-barnes-indie-show/matt-barnes-indie-show-26th-april-2012

Matt's previous guests include Veronica Falls, The Futureheads, The Duke Spirit, Glen Matlock and Andrew WK!

Wednesday 25 April 2012

FRIDAY NIGHT!


Limited Edition EP CD: available to buy online


Limited edition run of 100 individually numbered and cellophane wrapped EP CDs with cover art by Andrew Shields and inside cover art by Elyssa Iona. 

£4 plus p+p. Will ship anywhere.

(Includes immediate download of EP in just about any digital format you desire)

Trim the Barber in TNT Magazine


TNT Magazine | Issue 1494, 16-22nd April 2012.

Trim the Barber in TOTAL GUITAR Magazine

(click to enlarge image)


TOTAL GUITAR | May 2012

John Kennedy plays Trim the Barber on XFM

Thanks to John Kennedy for giving "Occupation" a spin on XFM on Wednesday 18th April. 
We were played directly after Manflu, who are awesome.

X-posure Playlist: http://www.xfm.co.uk/onair/shows/xposure/xposure-playlist

Saturday 14 April 2012

Trim the Barber in the HACKNEY CITIZEN!





http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2012/03/31/trim-the-barber-a-cut-above/

By April Welsh, Saturday 31st March 2012 | Photograph: Elyssa Iona | Hackney Citizen Issue 30 April 2012

EP Review on MUSIC LIBERATION

Read here: http://musicliberation.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/ep-review-trim-barber-trim-barber.html

MUSIC LIBERATION

EP Review : Trim the Barber - Trim the Barber

Author : John Sidwell // Posted Tuesday, April 10, 2012

It feels like its been a long time coming to hear this debut self titled EP from London's Trim The Barber. We first came across the the four-piece during the Summer last year with the single 'All We Can Be', and ever since we've been eager to hear more. So it was with great delight and anticipation when we pressed play on their shiny record that recently dropped through the letterbox.

Fortunately the long wait is soon forgotten as opening track 'Occupation' kicks in, with some dark atmospheric guitars and mind focusing drums, and we are swiftly reminded of our fondness for Mathew Potters swirling vocals which are equally moody and content. 'Autocue' carries on in a similar vain; expansive guitars, commanding drums, with the finale to the track being really vamped up leaving you feeling a bit claustrophobic but strangely happily so.

It is with the third track 'Digitalis' that the strides this band have made since that first single can be seen. Opening with a brash guitar, the tempo is slow and assured, building gently before Potters' vocals are introduced. As the track develops you are unavoidably sucked in, with your mind taken over by the ever increasing intensity and sheer power this group can produce.

The EP closes with 'Reality', a track which takes a slightly different tack for the band, albeit maintaining those filthy guitars, with the tempo increased a notch. It's an interesting insight into how the band could expand within a full length release, as well as demonstrating the potential to mix things up with their live shows.

This debut self titled EP from Trim The Barber is really something quite special, combining a sort of melodic shoegaze feel with ragged punk like guitars, whilst all the while lyrics deal with an altogether ill feeling towards the current state of social affairs within the UK and beyond. It's essential listening for those who require their music a little darker and can appreciate ideas that sometimes take you out of your comfort zone.

You can download the Trim The Barber EP for free all this week from the band's Bandcamp. // Trim The Barber

Trim the Barber on PATTIES RADIO in Houston, Texas

Read here: http://pattiesradio.tumblr.com/post/20869548506/trim-the-barber-reality

"Wow. I Usually Try Not To Curse In these Posts Because We Are Being All Professional and What Not. But Oh My F***** God I Thought My Head Might Explode Listening To This Greatness. With Any Luck, You Will Be Hearing This On Your New Favorite Radio Program Patties Radio. These London #PattiesPeeps Are Killing The Game Right Now!!!"

4/5 EP Review from ZEITGEIST MAGAZINE

Read here: http://www.zeitgeistmagazine.com/#/trim-the-barber-ep-review/4562733694

ZEITGEIST MAGAZINE

Trim the Barber EP Review

Words by Sean Williams | 4th April 2012

It'd be easy to ignore a band who describe their sound as "psychedelic-post-punk-shoegaze", who go on to add that they formed "from a sense of despair at the alienation and devolution of modern life". In these current doom and gloom times that could be pretty much any bunch of angst rich, cash poor, twenty something year olds in a band who are fucked off at the world, but Trim The Barber might just be that rare gem who are turning that dejection into something beautiful and poignant.

East London based band Trim The Barber's self titled debut EP comes out on April 9th, and, while not quite the finished article, it definitely shows huge promise. Melancholic yet with direction, their sound is layered and cinematic in ways that are reminiscent of New York band A Place To Bury Strangers, but with an almost pop, post-punk tinge to it that is more in the style of Gang Of Four.

Stand out track 'Digitalis' upon first listen (and even now on what must be my twentieth) is vocally incredible, like Paul Weller back in his early The Jam days. The delivery is venomous, the vocals spat out and meaningful, but that's where the similarity with 'The Modfather' ends. Trim The Barber's eponymous EP perhaps won't blow you away, but like so many bands, this EP I feel is a work in progress, and a hugely promising one at that.

Zeitgeist's Rating: 4/5

"Occupation" Live Session Video


All audio and video recording, mixing and editing by Barry Hoffman, Patrick Banks and Ross Cooper. www.soundyoucansee.com
Projections by Elyssa Iona

TRIM THE BARBER EP IS OUT NOW!

Trim the Barber - Trim the Barber EP


"a stark, utilitarian record, which yokes the minimalism of post-punk with a florid, psychedelic core.'"- [Hackney Citizen]

"a glorious, shambling, noise-shimmer surge. Authentically classic yet wholly modern." - (5.5/6) [Zero Tolerance Magazine]

"guitar sounds that scream through feedback like claws going down the windowpane" - [AAA Music]

"the London four-piece’s debut EP is far fresher than your average Communion signee, and there’s not a blood stained, greasy flat cap in sight (thank Goodness)" - [DrunkenWerewolf]

'Trim the Barber EP' was digitally released on Monday, and is a free download from 9th-16th April.  You will find the free download exclusively on our Bandcamp. It's also available from iTunes, Spotify and Amazon etc. It's been a long time coming, we really hope you enjoy the music and spread the word while the EP is still free.

GET THE EP HERE:
[Bandcamp] - FREE from 9th-15th April only.

To accompany the release we have made a live session video of "Occupation" - http://youtu.be/EX6RqDA2AsQ

We'll be playing at Fierce Panda Records' Bamboozled night at The Bull and Gate in Kentish Town on Wednesday 18th April, Friday 27th April at The Silver Bullet in Finsbury Park and Thursday 3rd May at 333 Motherbar on Old Street. We have a limited edition batch of physical copies of the EP which will be available from these gigs.  

18th April - Bull and Gate - TICKETS
27th April - Silver Bullet - £3 ON THE DOOR
3rd May - 333 Motherbar - FREE!

Tuesday 10 April 2012

5.5 out of 6 EP Review from ZERO TOLERANCE Magazine

**Review is of self titled EP, not All We Can Be**

ZERO TOLERANCE ISSUE #46 APR/MAY 2012

EP Review on 7 BIT ARCADE

Read here: http://7bitarcade.com/music/article/ep-review-trim-the-barber/

7 BIT ARCADE

EP Review: Trim the Barber

By Katy | 6th April 2012

Being described, in short, as psychedelic – post punk- shoegazers and likened to The Cure among others made me very interested to see what this London-based band had to offer on their self-titled four track EP. The song titles are to the point which is much like their songs. Occupation has the heavy drum beat alongside the echoing guitar and light bass line with a space sound pulsing alongside them. It sounds like a haunting track and when the vocals kick in they too echo and pulse through the song, building up to the chorus with a rampaging mash of instruments. The song is a recognition of the destroying nature of everyday life and the idea that there is more to life than your work. The theme of the EP seems to continue on with the idea that things are dreary and unimaginative.

Autocue is about lack of thought and challenging your surroundings. Once again the heavy drum beat is the linchpin with guitars swirling round the track. The vocals ‘Waiting, writing, living, dying’ reverberate in the background to present the grim and desolate nature of life. The way the vocals come together to shout these lyrics presents the idea of the masses and the mainstream as a world devoid of substance, something which I think this band are seeking to breakthrough and smash to pieces with something that is in your face and aggressive.

Digitalis follows with a bleak view of the modern age detailing the view of digital media against treasured materialistic, hard copies of photos and records or cds. With very british vocals shouting ‘You can’t pixelate me’, it sounds like a loud, brash rally against the way that our lives and loves are celebrated.

Reality bounds right in with the rolling drum beat and guitar reverb to create a fast-paced track. The vocals echo in the background to make the drums and the erratic guitar at the forefront of your listening attention. This is where I can see comparisons with bands like The Cure as it has the same kind of power and quirkiness of a masculine nature. The lyrics do not seem as important here and what really keeps this song alive is the disarray of all the instruments over the quieter more gentle vocals. It’s a punchy ending to leave you wanting more.
This is clearly a band who are bored and angry over the state of culture and life today. Their music is there to get this message across in a way that makes you think, through their lyrics and the layered sound that they produce. I would definitely say in a sea of identikit indie bands that are revered by theNME this band present something definitely different. I have read that their live shows are loud and on the basis of this EP I could see them blowing some ears off.

Trim the Barber on DROWNED IN SOUND

The EP got a mention on Drowned In Sound's 'This Weeks Singles' page from 09/04/2012: 
http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4144754-this-weeks-singles--9-04-12s-ss-trembling-bells-bobby-conn-slugabed-bonnie-prince-billy

EP Review on AAA Music

Read here: http://www.aaamusic.co.uk/2012/04/09/trim-the-barber-trim-the-barber-ep/

AAA MUSIC

Trim the Barber - Trim the Barber EP

By aaamusic on Apr 09, 2012 in Albums, Reviews  

Taking their cues very much from The Cure circa ‘Seventeen Seconds’, ‘Faith’, and ‘Pornography’, Trim The Barber offer up four tracks of echo-drenched moodiness. Tribal drumming, slow bass and keening guitars all float around on this EP in abundance, making for a claustrophobic yet cathartic effort.

‘Occupation’ picks up right where The Cure left inventing some kind of new genre on the two aforementioned albums. Yes, it’s very familiar, that post-punk wailing guitar sound that shimmers into jangling melodies, although there’s the propulsive bite that’s absent from The Cure, marking Trim The Barber out as standing more on the rock end of the spectrum as the song builds in a manner far more forceful than the introspection of the influences. The drumming, through the feedback, seems to even take a few cues from hard rock just as much as the post-punk greats. In fact, ‘Autocue’ goes one step further, injecting a rumbling gothic blues into the squalls and morose vocals. Choppy delayed guitar and loping basslines swirl around a sound that edges close to A Place To Bury Strangers collaborating with Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, culminating into a muffled but not ineffectual chant.


‘Digitalis’ takes us back to the glacial pedal-bothering, with guitar sounds that scream through feedback like claws going down the windowpane and phantom delay chords cutting through a surprisingly roomy mix, the sounds all perfectly matching the lyrics that speak of the way digitised music leads a ghostly existence. Ultimately this sounds like something The Horrors could have cooked up, but the band’s sparks elsewhere save the track from feeling derivative, as does the excellent instrumental outro and fade-out that storms over the last minute of running time. Then ‘Reality’ kicks things into gear with a biting A Place To Bury Strangers sound and hard rock attitude and backbone pitched to perfection, making sure the EP ends with a bang and several shattering cymbal smashes rather than a whimper.


I have had my curiosity piqued by Trim The Barber. On the one hand, they could fall into the netherworlds of “a bit like The Horrors”. But there’s something about them that kicks out against a lazy conclusion. The harder rock that lurks somewhere amongst the feedback and delay creates a powerful driving force to their sound that makes me interested in seeing what they would be like live, something that tends to be an encouraging sign.

★★★★★
Katie H-Halinski

Acuvi's New Music Roundup #4

The EP got a mention in the Acuvi New Music Roundup from 05/03/2012: http://acuvi.org/2012/03/05/acuvis-new-music-roundup-4-05-03-12/

The Big Beat: Amazing Radio Podcast

We've been featured in our second Amazing Radio Podcast, from 29/03/2012 recorded in Austin Texas by Mike Taylor of 'The Big Beat' showcasing his favourite tracks of 2012 so far.



Check the track listing here: http://www.thisisthebigbeat.com/2012/04/listen-amazing-radio-29-march.html

AltSounds File-O-Facts with Matthew

Read here: http://hangout.altsounds.com/features/146053-file-o-facts-matthew-potter-trim-barber.html

EP Review on LOUD-STUFF

Read here: http://www.loud-stuff.com/trim-the-barber.html 

LOUD-STUFF.COM


Trim the Barber | Words: Dave Nicholls

Further to our review of Trim The Barber recently, they sent us through a link to their EP in full so we could hear their finished product, the below tracks being a selection of tracks which they’ve been releasing over the last year or so. As such, based on what I’d heard before, I thought it only right I see how they’d gotten on with their production of a fully fledged EP!

Occupation certainly demonstrates that this is a band who have been on a journey together, taking the tracks which they’ve produced before and throwing them all into a melting pot before crafting their final draft. Relatively simple as it grows, the track seems to build around you as the drums and guitar combine, forming a sound which borders on the atmospheric at times, but always keeps a sense of honest, real music flowing through things. Not following convention is something which seems to come naturally to the guys in the band, so it’s no wonder that this track doesn’t follow the conventions of a normal track, but as it grows it ceases to matter, all that matters is the music which you’re being treated to. Haunting and dark yet somehow uplifting and intriguing, this is one hell of an opening to an EP and suggests very good things to follow!

Autocue follows on with the idea of not doing what they’re supposed to, opening with a bass heavy sound to accompany the soft and haunting vocal line. The mix here once again seems to drag you in, crafting a sound which is going to make you question what you thought you knew about music but reassuring you that there are bands out there who are producing music the way THEY want to do it. Layered vocals, soft and hard guitar lines, pounding drums and rumbling bass – it’s all here and all works well to craft a sound which is sure to become the signature of this tightly formed unit. Digitalis on the other hand is a moment of pure genius, and probably my personal favourite track off of the EP. The sound from the off is once again firmly based around the bass, the drums and guitar effects merely serving to back up the monotone approach, forming a sound which is once again going to stay with you. Harking back to the sounds of punk combined with the likes of The Cure, the sound here is incredibly hard to pigeon hole into a genre, but at the same time I’m not sure it needs to be. It’s a good sound, one which is relaxing whilst still keeping a sense of energy flowing through it, somehow continuing to combine atmospheric with post-punk, hard with soft, and all the time keeping things moving at a pace which makes you want to get out and see them live.

Monday 26 March 2012

Trim the Barber on LOUD-STUFF: a new review of old songs

Read here: http://www.loud-stuff.com/trim-the-barber.html

LOUD-STUFF.COM


Trim the Barber | Words: Dave Nicholls

Formed from a sense of despair at the alienation and devolution of modern life, Trim The Barber are set to release their self-titled debut EP in April of this year, and it promises to be something pretty damned epic. Already known for explosively loud audio-visual live performances, the band have been playing all over the UK, forming their sound and crafting their tracks to perfection ready to unleash them on the world. As such, when guitarist Paddy dropped me a line, how could I refuse the chance to check them out?

All We Can Be doesn’t really give a lot away about the style of the band as it opens, sounding like a combination of early punk and dark gothic influences, all pinned together with a strange sense of melody. The mix which opens the track soon begins to fade into a deeper track, the sound seeming to grow as it progresses and making you question exactly what you’re hearing. What’s most striking here is that the band aren’t following a convention, they’re not basing their music on any one genre, instead allowing it to build into its own unique sound and packing a punch as it goes. Deep, powerful and strangely addictive, there’s an almost hypnotic quality about things here, somehow managing to draw you into the dark melee of elements and making you want to know what’s coming next.

Now The Joke Is On You marks a significant change on the EP, this time launching into a sludgy riff fuelled track, once again harking to the origins of punk yet firmly stamping their own sound on it. Catchy whilst somehow still unconventional, this track is one which seems to be crafted for the live scene, packing enough punch to get the crowd involved yet enough catchiness to get everyone singing along after a couple of listens. For me, the most striking moment on this track was the mid-section featuring the guitar solo, not for the solo but for the mix which formed, the music changed into an atmospheric mix, grabbing your attention once again and renewing that question in your mind about how they’re going to follow it! The answer to the question is presented in Free Falling, another track which airs on the stranger side of things yet still somehow manages to work to continue the EP forwards. Basing the track around the vocals, there’s once again a sense of darkness flowing through this one, adopting a sound which nods towards their influences, yet still presents us with moments of questionable progression. Elements like a wood block are thrown in, bongos, dual vocal lines and string synth sound, they’re all here and somehow make this track work, yet quite honestly, it shouldn’t. Despite the strange combination, this is actually a seriously high point on the EP, and a track which I would highly advise you to check out.

Always Delayed closes the EP and once again, raises a question in my mind – where did this come from. Launching head first into a distorted yet melodic mix of guitars and rumbling bass, there’s once again different elements thrown in all over the place to craft a track which harks back to the likes of The Cure. If you’ve ever wondered what post-punk sounds like then this is about as close as you’re going to get, it’s a sound which oozes with the smog of London yet somehow still manages to sound fresh and new, updated almost.

What you’ve got here is an EP which isn’t going to appeal to everyone, but to those that it does it’s going to mark a moment of sheer genius. The tracks aren’t the sort of thing you can whack into a genre, and this is what makes the EP so special. There’s influences everywhere, sounds which you think you recognise, moments which confuse you and catchy lines which you want to sing along to, all combined with music which is at times dark and foreboding whilst at others, light and sunny. I don’t know that I fully understand this EP, nor am I sure that it’s the sort of thing I’d listen to a lot, but I know that I’ll come back to it at some point, just to make sure I still appreciate how incredible music can sound when the musicians making it want to work on something unique.

To find out more about Trim The Barber, check out their Facebook page HERE.

Trim the Barber in XYZ Magazine

Read here: http://www.xyzmagazine.co.uk/brighton/news/latest-news/trim-the-barber-ep-out-april-9th-2012

XYZMAGAZINE.COM

TRIM THE BARBER - EP out April 9th 2012 & London show dates

22nd March 2012 | By WebGuy | Category: INFOMusic Tours & ShowsINFOUpcoming ReleasesLatestNews 

This psychedelic-post-punk-shoegazing quatet from East London combine the melancholic style of The Cure, the snarl of Wire and the considered sonic appoach of A Place to Bury Strangers. Formed as it’s said ” … from a sense of despair at the alienation and devolution of modern life”,  Trim the Barber’s songs reference conscious lyrical themes of despondency and frustration with an existence in post-Millennial Britain.

Gaining notoriety for their explosively loud audio-visual live performances, the group have played acorss the UK over the past year, melting the ears off of audience members with their unique brand of noisy yet melodic compositions.

With positive press from the world of music blogs, including Battery In Your Leg, Music Liberation, Can’t Hear My Eyes and Killing Moon Limited, they’ve also enjoyed national radio play on Amazing Radio, XFM, Future Radio and BBC 6music, all whilst producing their self-titled debut EP, out on 9th  April 2012.

The EP will be available FREE to download for one week only, on the week of release from the band’s bandcamp profile! trimthebarber.bandcamp.com

 For more infomation and live dates please check
trimthebarber.blogspot.com
facebook.com/trimthebarber

100 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED LIMITED EDITION EP CDs

...will be available until they are no longer available. Get yours here: http://bit.ly/zN4yUD

Thursday 22 March 2012

Trim the Barber on ALTSOUNDS

Read here: http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/145405-review-trim-barber-occupation-single.html#post181013

HANGOUTATALTSOUNDS.COM

Review: Trim The Barber - Occupation [Single]
SELF TITLED | "DISTINCT VOCALS AND WALLS OF GUITAR FUZZ..."


March 21st 2012 // by Phatty73 // More

Do you have a 'Bucket List'? I do. Everyone should have one. The main problem of said lists though is actually achieving all the entries before the sands of time slip away for ever. Finishing this list is even harder when you hear Trim The Barber's 'Occupation' because it will have you diving for your ballpoint to scribe 'see these guys live'.

Seriously, only 15 seconds into the track and we have tribal drumming and a post punk - almost New Order bass line. About a minute later and we are hit with distinct vocals and walls of guitar fuzz that any shoe-gazer would be proud of (well not proud because they would be too nervous staring down at their ragged converse of course).

'Occupation' is just one track from Trim The Barber's up-coming, self titled EP. The band are releasing one track a week from this EP and if 'Occupation' is anything to go by it will most definitely be worth grabbing a copy of the full release.

I would love to expand on the wall of sound these guys emit but I'm off to hit Google for tour dates to get em 'crossed off'.

Occupation is out now.

Trim The Barber EP is released 9th April 2012

For more information, check out: TRIM THE BARBER

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Trim the Barber on DRUNKENWEREWOLF

DRUNKENWEREWOLF.COM

TRIM THE BARBER READY TO RELEASE THEIR DEBUT EP

19th March 2012 | By Tiffany Daniels | Category: BLOG

A name like Trim the Barber could insinuate a harmonious group of nu-folk chaps, dressed like the 50s-styled offspring of Mumford & Sons; or it could mean we’re dealing with a pack of rabid Jack the Ripper enthusiasts. Actually what springs forth from the London four-piece’s debut EP is far fresher than your average Communion signee, and there’s not a blood stained, greasy flat cap in sight (thank Goodness).

Or so their first release, available to stream below, would have us believe. Punching a medley of Madchester vocals and shoegaze into the band’s penchant for breaking structural convention, there’s also a smidge of industrial seeping through the cracks of Trim the Barber’s outlay. Influenced by bands as diverse as The Cure, Wire and A Place to Bury Strangers, the songs “feature conscious lyrical themes of despondency and frustration with an existence in post-Millennial Britain”. Ooo err…

If musical integrity alone isn’t enough for you, Trim the Barber have already caught the eye of radio stations galore, accruing time on Amazing Radio, XFM exposure, Future Radio and BBC 6music. Their EP will be released on April 9ththrough The White Label.

Download previous single “Always Delayed” below.
 

Monday 19 March 2012

Trim the Barber on AAA Music

Read here: http://www.aaamusic.co.uk/2012/03/18/trim-the-barber-debut-ep-on-9th-april/

AAAMUSIC.CO.UK

TRIM THE BARBER DEBUT EP ON 9TH APRIL

By aaamusic on Mar 18, 2012 in News

Trim The Barber are releasing their debut EP, ‘Trim The Barber’ on the 9th April.
Combining shoegaze with minimalist post-punk to create a sound that is reminiscent of The Cure and Wire. The band have received plays on BBC 6Music, XFM Exposure and Amazing Radio, amongst others.

The band are releasing one track from the EP each week in the run-up to release, and first up is opener, ‘Occupation’, which can be heard HERE

Thursday 8 March 2012

"Occupation" on Future Radio tonight...

Mark Thorpe from Battery In Your Leg will be playing a song from our new EP on his Future Radio show tonight between 8-10pm. Tune in here: http://www.futureradio.co.uk/shows/ianandrosieandthemixtape

Trim the Barber on RATTLING ABACUS

Read here: http://rattlingabacus.tumblr.com/post/18852458183/trim-the-barber-occupation-ttb-describe

RATTLINGABACUS.TUMBLER.COM

TRIM THE BARBER - 'OCCUPATION'

6th March 2012

TTB describe themselves as “wailing fuzztone psychadelic post-punk shoegaze”, which should be laughable since it’s essentially enlisting a massive chunk of the alternative genre spectrum and smooshing them together in the hope that at least one will make sense. It’s like asking someone’s favourite colour and them saying “the rainbow”. Helpful as fuck. However, in TTB’s case, they just get away with it. They’re music is an ominous wall of sound that does tip its toes into each of those genres, sounding like a cross between Gang Of Four, Oasis, Sonic Youth, Wire and The Brian Jonestown Massacre all rolled into one giant ball of energy. No small feat.

‘Occupation’ is taken from their eponymous debut EP, which will be released April 9th. It follows a string of supportive plays on such alternative milestones as BBC 6, Amazing Radio, and XFM Exposure. If this were Scrabble they’d have just hit the triple word score.

I do like this band, they have the kind of sound that could be mesmerising live, but I have to make a slight dig at the photo. I mean, am I the only one who finds it slightly unnerving? It’s like the mugshots from the aftermath of some apocalyptic, cult-led attack. “Marvin was such a shy boy, but we knew something was wrong when he painted his bedroom black and insisted on sleeping in a cage with seven ravens and a fork.”

Saturday 25 February 2012

Trim the Barber on BBC Radio 6 Music!

Tom Robinson will be playing "OCCUPATION" on his Fresh On The Net show tonight (26th) between 1 and 3am on BBC Radio 6 Music

You can listen to the show online either live or via Listen Again for 7 days after transmission via the links at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6musicintroducing

Friday 24 February 2012

NEW GIG CONFIRMED!

Fierce Panda Records and Club Fandango present: BAMBOOZLED! 
- Wed 18th April at the Bull and Gate in Kentish Town. Details to follow...