Chordblossom
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Music Reviews
    • Live Reviews
  • Features
    • Articles
    • Festivals
    • Fresh NI Music
    • Interviews
    • Introducing
    • Win
  • Media
    • Playlists
    • Photosets
    • Podcast
    • Sessions
    • Transmission
    • TV
  • Kickstart
  • Chordblossom Gigs
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • Mailing List
    • Vacancies
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Music Reviews
    • Live Reviews
  • Features
    • Articles
    • Festivals
    • Fresh NI Music
    • Interviews
    • Introducing
    • Win
  • Media
    • Playlists
    • Photosets
    • Podcast
    • Sessions
    • Transmission
    • TV
  • Kickstart
  • Chordblossom Gigs
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • Mailing List
    • Vacancies
No Result
View All Result
Chordblossom
No Result
View All Result

Cupboard 55 – Exhibit

Christopher Owens by Christopher Owens
March 13, 2022
in Music Reviews
Cupboard 55 – Exhibit

Death forces us to re-examine ourselves and our life choices.

Sometimes it means a complete overhaul. Sometimes it means carrying on.

On the go since 2010, Belfast’s Stop Stop Start Again were one of the stalwarts of the scene. With links to the first wave of Ulster punk (Stage B and Lunatic Fringe), they retained this edge while mining their love of glam rock and androgyny to create something darkly humourous. And they were pissing off crowds right until the end as well (I once witnessed them clear the Black Box with a mashup of ‘Believe’ by Cher and ‘No Feelings’ by the Sex Pistols.

The death of talismanic singer/guitarist Paul Rowan in 2019 ended the band. Now, arising from the remnants of SSSA, are Cupboard 55. Named after a section of the British Museum that stores historical items that have been classed as obscene, this band sees bassist Colin Fletcher and guitarist William Maxwell join forces with Ian Livingstone. And ‘Exhibit’ is the end result of this.

‘Guru’ has a heavy Magazine vibe to it due to the driving bass and guitar riff that has that inverted Stones feel that John McGeough did so well, while the soaring chorus puts me in mind of Fiction Factory. Lyrically, references aplenty to David Bowie and the Velvet Underground seem to make this less of a tribute to Paul and more a celebration of the milieu that all the band emerged from.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dealing with the notorious cupboard 55, ‘Secretum’ is a sneering punk rock/power pop work out that is very much in the same vein as SSSA’s ‘Banging on Your Back Door’, although Ian Livingstone’s vocals are more along the line of ‘frontman with attitude’ than Paul’s knowing subversion. Nonetheless, a great track with a bouncy chorus.
Predictably, ‘When Lou Was King’ starts out as a Lou Reed pastiche before giving the listener a simple but upbeat chorus that acts as a (dare I say) almost gospel number in places. It’s surreal, ambitious and (coming in at just over 3 minutes) succinct. More of this sort of thing please.

Referencing the notorious Tyburn Tree (a site notorious for public hangings) ‘Tyburn’ is another moody, Magazine number with a chorus straight from the Marc Bolan school (complete with tambourine). This is a song I’d like to see expanded, with the moody verses really drawn out in order to ensure the chorus injects some much-needed levity. As it stands, it works but a subject like the Tyburn Tree is one that deserves a bit more study, so it feels unfinished.

With some gigging to be done, they’ll find their feet soon enough. This, however, is a confident and assured release that is more than a match for any band gigging in Belfast today.

Leave a Comment ⁞

Tags: Christopher OwensCupboard 55Exhibit
ShareTweetShareShareSendSend
Previous Post

Watch: Leisure Theory – Red

Next Post

Influences Mixtape: Junk Drawer

Related Posts

Paper Tigers Band Photo
Music Reviews

Paper Tigers – Graceless

May 4, 2022
stop stop start again
Interviews

Interview: Stop Stop Start Again

November 25, 2019

Recent Posts

Thom Southern - Photo by Ebony Alexander

Thom Southern – Plaza

May 16, 2022
Junk Drawer - photo by Laura MacLennan

Junk Drawer – The Dust Has Come To Stay

May 13, 2022
Influences Mixtape: Mark Hegan

Influences Mixtape: Mark Hegan

May 12, 2022

Twitter

Instagram

Follow

  • Lauren Ann in the Speakeasy on Friday night. 

Photos by Jonah Gardner
  • Villa In France’s ‘Green Machine’ single launch in The Speakeasy on Friday night. 

Photos by Jonah Gardner

Spotify Playlist

Fresh Music From Northern Ireland

Mailing List

  • About Chordblossom
  • Kickstart
  • Music Reviews
  • Live Reviews
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Photos
  • Fresh Music From Northern Ireland Playlist
  • Chordblossom Gigs
  • Mailing List

© 2020 Chordblossom

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Music Reviews
    • Live Reviews
  • Features
    • Articles
    • Festivals
    • Fresh NI Music
    • Interviews
    • Introducing
    • Win
  • Media
    • Playlists
    • Photosets
    • Podcast
    • Sessions
    • Transmission
    • TV
  • Kickstart
  • Chordblossom Gigs
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • Mailing List
    • Vacancies

© 2020 Chordblossom

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT