Lovely Wars EP review and lipstick traces.

This could be another short review. The Lovely Wars EP is quite simply brilliant. End of. But as I always have to remind myself when writing for Blogs, we can’t do short, we have a responsibility to string words together in a Paul Morley style and waffle on incoherently and spout pop theories.

So let’s go track by track and spout theories. ‘Let’s blow the whole thing up’ is a punky bass rumble which has everything in it from Darling Buds, Transvision Vamp, Daisy Chainsaw right through to the pure pop sensibilities of the Godess that is Deborah Harry. The backing vocal “ahhh’s” ! give it sweet while the rumble of the bass kick ass so hard yer ass don’t touch the ground.

The chorus has Ani Saunders seducing, her vocals are quite stunning, she can yelp and play with her voice but she’s like a punk rock John McEnroe, bang on the ball (as in musical notes) she really is a gem of a vocalist as yet totally undiscovered, to borrow a Sunday Times quote about the Pistols back in the day – “Unseen, unheard but on top”. Saunders will be on top soon enough.

This song hits from the first note. It’s an instant hit. End of. But it’s also a grower, in the sense with consecutive plays it actually gets better. Lovely Wars accomplish the impossible. Perfect pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbqQqMh7EGs

‘Oh it’s a lovely war’  takes us downtown to a downtown “Kerdiff” discotheque. Saunders directs via a megaphone, the synth takes us on a 12 bar disco groove. The beat just forces anyone from sober to totally pissed to sway. With a bit of imagination this is something that you would have expected in the unfilmed and unscripted disco scenes in ‘Twin Town’ where the brothers Ifans give it some dancefloor action while Huw Ceredig does his thing. It’s that kind of track. Filmic. A call to arms to the tacky dancefloor of a Swansea night club with horrible 70’s lights and round disco balls.

We get a hint of the anthemic on ‘Through the darkness’  this is the Lovely Wars creating a better tune than ‘Little Baby Nothing’, remember beautiful lipstick traces Tracy Lords in bed with the Manics. Again why waste words when BRILLIANT will suffice. It is brilliant, totally brilliant and really does send shivers down in all sorts of directions. Not so much punky as synthy but actually the Manics could cover this and you would not notice.

Which brings us on to ‘Young Love’ which starts with something akin to Squeeze’s Cool for Cats, it’s that bassline, as Ani Saunders lead us on, and leads us towards a street corner where Blondie, Pet Shop Boys, Soft Cell and Dusty Springfield come at you from all directions, from different speakers in a true melting pot. It’s Doris Day for 2013 (and that’s a compliment). Simply put, if you are young enough to fall in love (again) or for the first time – then do it to this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRPKy42ojXo

What a brilliant, brilliant EP. What a cool band. There is culture in Cardiff. This is better than you realise ………..

Cardifftothesee Herald Gymraeg 25 Medi 2013

 

llun Ani Saunders 'Coch'

 

http://cardifftothesee.com/

 

Oes unrhywun yn darllen y golofn hon sydd yn cofio cylchgrawn ‘The Face’ ddechrau’r 80au ? Ar y pryd roedd y cylchgrawn arloesol yma yn cael ei ddisgrifio fel y “Beibl Steil” ac i nifer o bobl oedd yn ymwneud a diwylliant poblogaidd (yng Nghymru hefyd) yn ei holl amrywiaeth, The Face oedd y Beibl, yn hytrach na chyfieithiad William Morgan, 1588 ! Llwyddiant y cylchgrawn oedd i ddod a gwahanol agweddau o ddiwylliant at eu gilydd o fewn yr un clawr ac yn sicr i wthio ffiniau a herio agweddau.

            Fel cymaint o gerrig milltir diwylliannol, mae’r Face yn parhau i fod yn bwysig o ran dylanwad a diwyg a mae unrhywun sydd yn ymwneud ar maes heddiw angen bod yn ymwybodol oleiaf, o’r hyn ddigwyddodd dan olygyddiaeth rhai fel Nick Logan a Sheryl Garratt, a’r ffaith fod y cylchgrawn bellach yn cael ei arddangos (a’i gydnabod felly) yn yr Amgueddfa Gynllunio yn Llundain fel rhywbeth o bwys o ran cynllun a chysodi.

            Un elfen bwysig yn y Face oedd ffotograffiaeth arloesol, boed hynny yn luniau o’r ffasiwn diweddaraf neu o ddiwylliannau llwythol ieuenctyd fel y Mods neu Teddy Boys yn rhywle fel Siapan, neu yn amlwg y ffasiwn “Rhamantaidd Newydd” ddaeth yn sgil y gwisgoedd a gwalltiau heriol a wisgir gan Gymry fel Steve Strange a Lowri AnnRichards.

            Roedd y “stryd” o hyd yn bwysig, sef yr hyn oedd yn digwydd ar y stryd ei hyn neu mewn clybiau nos a mae’r broses yma o ddehongli a chofnodi drwy ffotograffiaeth yn rhywbeth sydd wedi parhau hyd heddiw. Beth yn union sydd i’w weld ar ein strydoedd yma yng Nghymru, o ran adeiladwaith ac o ran pobl ac os ydym am gymeryd sylw o eiriau yr Archdderwydd newydd Christine James, beth am y diwylliannau eraill yna sydd yng Nghymru, y diwylliannau a’r lliwiau anweledig, yn enwedig yn y Byd Cymraeg ?

            A dyma daro ar draws Blog hyfryd cardifftothesee.com sef Cardiff to the See ond yn chwarae hefo geiriau a gweld lluniau trawiadol Ani Saunders (cerddor / Pipette / cynllunydd ffasiwn). Lluniau fydda wedi gorwedd yn gyfforddus yn The Face dan olygyddiaeth Garrett, lluniau o “bethau a gwisgoedd” ar strydoedd Caerdydd, y brif-ddinas, Prif Ddinas Cymru ac eto lle aml-ddiwylliant. Yr hyn am trawodd yn syth am luniau Ani Saunders oedd fod hi yn ymdrin a Chaerdydd heddiw ond drwy lygaid sydd yn gweld yr anweledig.

            O edrych ar blog cardidfftothesee.com y peth cyntaf amlwg yw fod Ani yn gallu ymdrin ac adeiladau. Rwyf newydd orffen darllen y llyfr ‘Bloody Old Britain’ sydd yn ymwneud a chofnodi drwy ffotograffiaeth pethau yn y tirwedd wledig a threfol / dinesig a mae llun Ani o’r teils ar hen orsaf yr Heddlu yn Canton yn union y math o beth fyddai wedi dwyn sylw O.G.S. Crawford yn ei ddydd.

            Bron fod y teils ar yr orsaf heddlu yn eich tywys i wlad Islamaidd, rhywle yn Tunisia neu Morocco a rhywsut neu’i gilydd mae’r ffenestri budr wedi troi yn las a’r ffaith fod paent gwyn y ffram angen cot newydd yn ein harwain yn daclus at enw Ani i’r llun ‘teilie di treulio’. Ond nid llun o adeilad mo hwn, darn yn unig, nodwedd wedi ei amlygu, darlun sydd yn arwain at y disgrifiad, bron byddwn yn awgrymu a’r un cynildeb a’r bardd.

            Rhyfedd, achos rywf yn adnabod yr adeilad yma, fel unrhywun arall sydd wedi cerdded neu yrru trwy “downtown Canton”. Dyma’r pethau mae Crawford yn ei annog i ni sylwi arnynt, i’w cofnodi, i’w cadw lle bosib ond yn sicr i’w gwerthfawrogi. Felly os yw Ani Saunders yn defnyddio ei chamera fel mae’r bardd yn trefnu geiriau mae hi hefyd, heb yn wybod ddychmygwn i, yn dilyn llwybr Crawford. Mae hi yn gofnodwraig, yn archaeolegydd celfyddydol yn y tirwedd ddinesig, yn creu ar gyfer yr oriel gelf (blogiau) yn hytrach na’r  adroddiadau Comisiwn Brenhinol. Celf yw hyn go iawn nid cofnod pur ond mae’n gofnod o gyfnod gan ddal eiliadau ar gamera fydd byth yn digwydd, neu’r un fath, eto.

            Wrth reswm mae ei lluniau o gymeriadau, ffasiwn a diwylliannau yn llawer llai parhaol na’r adeiladau, er fod rhywun yn pryderu bellach  pam mor sydun a hawdd mae adeiladau yn diriwio neu yn diflannu. Cymeriadau o dras neu gefndir  Affricanaidd / Dwyrain Canol / Islamaidd sydd yn cael ei sylw ac un o’r lluniau wnaeth i  i chwerthin yw’r un o’r ddau hogyn ifanc yn ei gwisg traddodiadol ond gyda jeans ac un gyda  ‘trainers’. Yma mae’r ddau ddiwylliant yn cyfarfod – fel Constantinople, y Dwyrain a’r Gorllewin.

 

llun Ani Saunders 'Traddodiad jeans'
http://cardifftothesee.com/

            Dim ond yn y ddinas mae modd cael hyn, dydi hyn ddim mor hawdd yn Llanrug neu Ffostrasol ond mae’n gwneud i ni feddwl, os nad gwenu, a mae geiriau Christine James wedi fy nghyffwrdd go iawn ers y Steddfod eleni. Beth yw ein perthynas a’r Somalis yn y Dociau (Bae Caerdydd bellach), lle mae’r Gymraeg yn hyn i gyd, beth yw Cymru a Chymreictod, cwestiynau mawr ?

            Ewch am dro i safle cardifftothesee, dyma gipolwg drwy chwyddwydr neu sbeinddrych amgen, dyma olwg arall ar Gymru yn 2013. Ac wrthgwrs, a dwi’n derbyn hyn, mae dyddiau’r Face drosodd go iawn, ond rwyf yn defnyddio’r gymhariaeth fel modd i awgrymu fod yr hyn sydd gan Ani Saunders yn wirioneddol dda ac yn ychwanegu at y peth amhrisiadwy yna “diwylliant Cymraeg a Chymreig” yn ei holl amrywaith.

            Dyma luniau sydd yn ysbrydoli rhywun i drio adanabod y lle yma yn well, i ddarganfod onglau gwahanol ac i agor ein llygaid yn union fel pregethodd O.G.S. Crawford. Roeddwn mor, mor falch o daro ar draws y lluniau yma achos y Face oedd fy meibl i a rwyf yn dal i gredu !

llun Ani Saunders 'Dad'
http://cardifftothesee.com/

 

Was Welsh language Dub ever cool ?





 

Just to keep the ball rolling down the Welsh hills, I think we can agree at least in Llwybr Llaethog's case Welsh 'dub' was very cool indeed.

Maybe tracks such as 'Rocers' by Jarman worked as well, not dub as such but good pop reggae'

I have cut and pasted my recent review of the Dub Album by Llwybr Llaethog.

 

The 'funk' debate seems to include a lot of post-Punk bands with reference to Datblygu for example - yes maybe these bands have more funk to them with their drum machines than the muzo white boy wannaby funk bands that I was initially challenging. Also a point is that you need a great vocalist to execute real funk not the monotone voices that most so called Welsh language funk bands seem to have.

 

So Welsh dub is cool :

 

 

Llwybr Llaethog ‘Dub Cymraeg / Welsh Dub 12”  Review.

 

 

Is it really unfair to “blame the kids” ? They’d sat on my decks in the office, them or their mates, bent the arm and obviously broken the stylus. I’d lost the will to listen to music anyway (no more revolution and all that) let alone play vinyl so the decks gathered dust ……. until late one evening. I’d come home late after some archaeology lecture gig and had done that usual thing of belting up the A470 as fast as possible without breaking the speed limit.

            Once I got in the house I realised that I was far too wired to sleep so I flicked TV Channels and came across a wonderful documentary about vinyl on BBC 4. Not just one documentary but two ! – one on 7” singles and the next on 12” albums. All the guests talked about the ‘ritual’ of playing vinyl, of playing the same record over and over again and I was transported back to the late 70’s when music meant everything, more than life itself, when bands mattered and actually changed your life for ever, everything mattered from the sleeve, to the colour of the vinyl and I totally got the thing of the smell and the stylus and the whole ‘ritual’ ……totally …….

            I phoned up my old mate Dewi from Byd Mawr to see if he knew anyone who could sort out my decks and by sheer coincidence got a call from John from Llwybr Llaethog who wanted to send me a test pressing of their new LP “Dub Cymraeg”. So it was written in the stars …. so I got to it with a degree of urgency, got some new stylus’s easy enough and just bent the arm back – DIY Punk Style – it worked. I’m now sat with the decks through the PA and have got this mighty fine test pressing on ……..

            Llwybr Llaethog probably more than any other Welsh Language band (EVER) probably deserve some kind of medal. Maybe John and Kevs should be invited to the Gorsedd ? They have hung in there for so long and are still doing it – quite simply only one Welsh word will suffice – ‘Parch’ !

            Years ago, we met up with John and Kevs in the Queen’s Hotel in Blaenau Ffestiniog, by that time Recordiau Anhrefn was in existence and they’d actually sent in a cassette (demo tape proper style) of a track called ‘Rap Cymraeg’. They’d been over to New York, realised that Punk was done and dusted and that the next phase was ‘Rap Music’. I can’t tell you how inspiring that meeting was, we had found more allies for our Welsh Underground Revolution and the next record released on the Label was simply lifted off that cassette demo.

            Over the years our paths have crossed many a time, in collaboration, in solidarity, in business and at other times our paths have been long and distant ones,far apart, untouched  – not destined to cross maybe for a few years. Llwybr Llaethog. They are consistent. They maintain presence. They refuse to give up.

            I have no idea if Llwybr Llaethog played at this year’s National Eisteddfod ? I wonder if they were even invited ? As I ponder this thought I think of the young tastemakers of the Welsh Scene today (mainly BBC employees) who hung out for the Edward H concert with 4,000 others on the Friday night of the Eisteddfod. So the revolution is well and truly over and has gone around the Circle Line ….. do they realise that Llwybr Llaethog released records that meant that Welsh Music was more than maintaining the Status Quo (riffs). They probably don’t realise, they weren’t even born ….. maybe Llwybr Llaethog should have done an Adrian Sherwood and mixed / dubbed out the final Edward H concert ?

            So the 12” is proper dub, full on echo, shout outs, gunshots, wibbly bits. This is soundsystem stuff. I hear Jarman and Dave Datblygu echoed around the room and horns, great great reggae horns. This is “Welsh Dub” and even today, 2013, Llwybr Llaethog prove it’s possible, it’s entertaining, it vibes up the senile man (quote Mark Perry).

            Those who grew up post Slits, post punky reggae party, post On-U Sounds will get this. This is not cheap copy, not imitation, this is the real dub deal. This is still revolutionary music, if such a thing is possible in 2013 – then this dub 12” reconfirms. They could support a band like Primal Scream I guess if Edward H are never to ask again for a dub mix, but again it dawns on me that they will surely be overlooked by Festival No6, Green Man, Womex …… again I don’t know, but surely, surely someone somewhere should realise the contribution these guys have made and just give them a stage, a decent billing and a decent wedge.

The best thing about this 12” is that it takes me back to a time when music mattered, I no longer feel like an ageing 51 year old archaeologist punk has-been who can only snipe from the Blog sidelines that it’s all shit out there and that there’s no revolutionary messgae within Welsh Culture any more. Don’t listen to me. Check out the 12”. Turn up the bass. Warn the neighbours that walls will shake.

Llwybr Llaethog re-affirm. Pagan God Bless Them !

 

 

Was Welsh language Punk ever cool ? The first Welsh language Punk record was (arguably) N.C.B by Llygod Ffyrnig. Here it is off youtube, judge for yourselves

http://youtu.be/-90zyrTuelM

I posted a comment recently about the failure of Welsh language bands to have enough 'funk' in them to play funk music. I have never been convinced that any Welsh band has really got to grips with this musical style, mainly because they are playing at funk rather than playing funk. Like soul without the soul.

These comments provoke what we call a "Storm in a teacup" moment, one or two respond, but that's your lot usually.
The most recent "Storm in a teacup" was the comments about the Selar Awards but there have been a few others, such as the whole Plygain episode a few years back. Mind you the mini uproar about contemporary folk bands interpreting Plygain songs served only to inspire this piece of artwork by Brian Jones / Futile Gestures ;

So back to the 'funk' question here are a few comments to date

Best comment was from a Hanner Pei song title

Gwen Love ‏@GwenLove3 20h

@therealrhysmwyn Ffynciwch o 'ma nawr.

 

Then this next one raised the Punk question :

 

Wiwer ddu 黑松鼠 ‏@Wiwerddu 20h

@therealrhysmwyn siwr fod y purists yn 70s 80s yn dweud rywbath tebyg am pync Cymraeg a roc Cymraeg. chwalu ffinia' Mr Mwyn ynte

 

And Alan Holmes reminded me of the Fflaps track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InLuS8DL23w&feature=youtu.be which I suggested was @lt-funk surely ?

 

That's it for now, let's rage on the debate about Llygod Ffyrnig ........

Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant Herald Gymraeg 18 Medi 2013

 

Roeddwn wedi teithio draw i Lanrhaeadr ym Mochnant i drafod “Sgwennu Colofnau” hefo’r gangen lleol o Ferched y Wawr a dyma weithredu’r union beth roeddwn yn ei drafod, mae fy ymweliad wedi ysbrydoli’r golofn yr wythnos hon.

            Y peth cyntaf am trawodd wrth ddodd allan o’r car yng nghanol y pentref oedd yr acen “Sir Drefaldwyn”, yr acen gora yn y Byd wrth gwrs a hyfryd i’w ei chlywed bob amser, yn enwedig felly i fi  sydd bellach rhy ddiethr a bro fy magwraeth ac yn clywed yn amlach na pheidio acen ‘Cofi’ neu acen hyfryd Pen Llyn (gan fy mod yn treulio gymaint o amser yno). Dyna chi ddadl arall, dwi ddim ond yn ochri hefo Maldwyn achos yno cefais fy ngeni ond mae acen Gymraeg Pen LLyn hefyd yn drysor Cenedlaethol heb os.

            A dyma ni felly ar y Gororau, agos i’r ffin, ardal a diwylliant a gwleidyddiaeth a deinameg sydd yn gyfarwydd iawn i mi wrthgwrs felly rwyf hefyd yn clywed acenion y mewnfudwyr ac acenion di-Gymraeg  ochrau Dwyrain Maldwyn. Cymysgedd od o synnau a phrysurdeb pentref cefn-gwlad sydd yn unrhywbeth ond distaw. Mae yma fwrlwm o fynd a dod a 4x4’s.

Rwyf yn sefyll ar y sgawr yn tynnu llun o gampwaith pensaerniol Giles Gilbert Scott, un o’r blychau ffon coch a gynllunwyd ganddo yn ol ym 1924 yn wreiddiol, sef y blwch  K2, er fedrw’ ni ddim taeru hefo neb ac unrhyw awdurdod os yw’r blwch coch yn Llanraeadr yn un K2 neu yn gynllun diweddarach. Ond gallawn gytuno fod yma engraifft o’r blwch ffon coch eiconaidd. Wrth ei ymyl blwch llythyrau yn yr un lliw.

 

 Giles Gilbert Scott yw pensaer yr Eglwys Gadeiriol yn Lerpwl (yr un hen nid Paddy’s Wigwam fel mae’r Sgowsars yn galw’r un Gatholig) a Giles hefyd oedd pensaer pwerdy Battersea sydd yn amlygu ei hyn mor drawiadaol yn fideo ‘London’s Calling’ gan The Clash. Ar ol cael blas o’r acenion a chael lluniau o waith Giles Gilbert Scott roedd yn hollol amlwg fod William Morgan a’r Eglwys St Dogfan yn galw.

 

Braf oedd canfod fod drws yr eglwys yn parhau i fod ar agor er ei bod wedi troi 5-30pm a dyma gael mynediad a mynd yn syth i chwilio am Garreg Cwgan, hen garreg fedd sydd a hanes diddorol iawn. Mae’n debyg fod y maen yn dyddio o’r 9fed Ganrif Oed Crist ond ei bod wedi cael ei hail ddefnyddio wedyn fel carreg fedd yn yr 11fed ganrif. Mae’r busnas ‘ma o ail ddefnyddio cerrig ddigon cyffredin, dyma ail-gylchu ganol oesol os mynnwch.

Llwyd yw’r maen gyda cerflun o groes hir arni a chylch am y groes a wedyn cerfluniau lled “Geltaidd” cain wrth ymyl coes y groes. Saif y garreg ger un o golofnau corff yr Eglwys gyferbyn a’r organ a ger yr arddangosfa i William Morgan. To hynafol pren sydd uwch ben y gangell a mae’r bedyddfaen yn dyddio i 1663. Tu cefn i’r allor gwelir olygfa o’r Swper Olaf ar y sgrin bren “reredos”. Hyfryd iawn.

 

Doedd dim amser gennyf i chwilota am garreg fedd Gwallter Mechain ond mae o yma yn y fynwent yn rhywle, ar ochr ddeheuol i’r Eglwys yn ol y son, felly dyma rhywbeth i’w ychwanegu at y rhestr ‘pethau i’w gwneud tro nesa dwi’n Llanrhaeadr’. Mae maen hir arall ger yr hen ysgol ar waelod yr allt, ochr Llanfyllin i’r pentref felly dyma grwydro draw at honno. Dyma engraifft arall o ail-gylchu hanesyddol o fath gan fod rhywun wedi ychwanegu’r pellter i’r Amwythig a Llundain ar wyneb y garreg.

Felly dyma faen hir, dychmygaf o’r Oes Efydd, sydd wedi cael ail wynt yn hanesyddol fel carreg filltir. Os darllenais y rhifau Rhufeinig yn gywir mae 26 milltir i’r Amwythig a 280 i Lundain. Os gwnes gangymeriad dyma gyfle i bobl Llanrhaeadr i ymateb. Nodwedd arall hynod ddiddorol gyferbyn a’r maenhir oedd y garreg filltir yn dyddio o 1894. Camargraff efallai yw disgrifio hon fel carreg filltir gan mae plat metal wedi ei osod yn y wal yw’r arwydd ond wrth reswm yr un yw’r pwrpas.

 

 

Felly ar yr arwydd filltir cawn weld mae Wrecsam oedd yn gyfrifol am osod y plat ac yn wir yma cawn gadarnhad fy mod wedi’r cwbl wedi darllen y rhifau Rhufeinig yn gywir a mae 26 milltir sydd i’r Amwythig. Yr hyn oedd yn amlwg oedd y cyfoeth oedd yma i’w weld,sef y nodweddion bach diddorol sydd yn cael sylw O.G.S Crawford yn Bloody Old Britain a dyma roi ei ddamcaniaethau i waith ar strydoedd Llanrhaeadr.

 

Cyn wynebu Merched y Wawr (sydd bob amser yn bleser cofiwch) roedd angen panad a byrbryd a dyma lle mae Llanrhaeadr yn rhagori – roedd caffi y “Gegin Fach” ar agor a hithau wedi troi 6pm erbyn hyn. Chefais i ddim fy siomi gan y croeso, yr awyrgylch a’r datan drwy grwyn caws rhagorol ond uchafbwynt fy ymweliad a’r Gegin Fach oedd sylwi fod Bryn Fon, ie Y Bryn Fon y canwr pop Cymraeg enwog wedi gadael llofnod a dymuniadau gorau i’r staff ar ochr y cownter.

 

 

 

'Week of Pines' Georgia Ruth Review

This could be a very, very short review. If I said “this is a very, very good album”, would that suffice ?  Why waste more words ? Job done. It would be true.

But then, that’s not what we do is it, we exist to discuss pop music, to throw around theories and opinions, so here’s the long version of “This is a very, very good album”.

In old school terms, in 7” vinyl terms, ‘Week of Pines’ is obviously the single, title track, call it what you like, but once again it’s very,very good. In old school terms this would have been released a couple of months in advance, as a taster, get you hooked so that you went out and bought the album and went to see the artist on tour. Again job done.

This track is both catchy and moody, it has an edge but it’s an undefined edge and by that I mean not so much that the artist has not defined the edge or is still looking for the edge but rather that Georgia has already created her own edge. If this edge is undefinable then that is a compliment to the artist.

Week of Pines video :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSOSALwg1mQ

 

So let’s got one with the good bits.

Georgia Ruth has managed to make an album with the harp, that most traditional of Welsh instruments (well it would be if it was y Delyn-deires) that is, to use a vastly over used adjective, “sexy” and she’s done that effortlessly. This very, very good album has set a new benchmark, a new milestone on the ol’gravel road. (The gravel road bit acknowledges the odd bit of southern soul / country got soul hints we get once in a while as a gentle touch of something extra on this album).

If Linda Plethyn   was the first diva of Welsh folk music and Cerys has undoubtedly set another milestone with ‘Tir’ then ‘Week of Pines’ is a worthy successor by the new pretender to the throne.

Plethyn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzZf2z02ltA

You can read Cerys ‘Tir’ review here http://link2wales.co.uk/2013/crudblog/cerys-matthews-tir-album-review/

 Georgia has also created a wonderful image, that one with the roses in her hair. I would have given the album a very, very good review for that image alone.

As the late, great, Tony Wilson always theorised, real talent has a way of finding it’s way through all the dross and I’ve always wanted to understand what all the fuss was about with Georgia Ruth. I’ve yet to see her live but the whispers suggested check this album out.

 Track 2 ‘Hallt’ as an Ivor Cutler style drone. Does anyone remember Cutler ? Always featured on John Peel, when radio both informed and entertained and meant we could never get to sleep before midnight. So we listened to Peel in the hope of hearing the new Clash single and got Ivor Cutler instead – great, as I said educated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47qL_w-ae2A

‘Hallt’ if anything is the most unusual / radical Welsh Language track on the album and I did get an impression that the Welsh tracks were more traditionally folky – which may be a coincidence or may be nothing at all. Maybe Week of Pines translated into Cymraeg would be cool ?

On the photograph accompanying ‘Mapping’ we see a rural landscape with a Giles Gilbert- Scott red phone box (somewhere in the sequence K2 – K6). This is image very Mike Parker, ‘Real Powys’ a real psycho-geographic image. If this was a 12” album we would be staring at the sleeve while listening to the songs. The song by the way is as cool as the image – it stands up to the Giles Gilbert Scott phone box, quite beautiful.

So folk album yes, obviously,  but there are bits of Irish and Country in there, and of course all those share common traditions, but this is done always with subtlety and mood and that omnipresent edginess that we fail to define. The overall feeling with this album is that it’s finely tuned, almost mature, confident, assured, classy – to put it simply it really does feel quite right.

The ‘backing band’ whom I recognise as Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog do an excellent job. They do what most musicians fail to do. They do not do too much. They do what is required at the right time in the right place. David Wrench also does a sterling job in the producer’s seat. Again it’s all just very, very good, almost faultless.

And finally the not so good bits (but really not bad)

If anything the last two tracks are the only ones where you wonder if they are slightly at a loss as to what to do. ‘A slow parade / winter ?’ could have been left out without too much damage as could ‘Track 11’ but we might be closer to a mini-album scenario then. I was totally convinced up to track 9 and then just thought that they had maybe worked so damned hard that they took their eye off the ball for a minute. Minor criticism when you have written a track as good as ‘Week of Pines’.

On that basis let’s give it 9/11 or let’s just go for **** review – either way this is a very, very good album.

 

Footnote.

Final criticism which has nothing to do with Georgia Ruth or the band, was that we had to chase up the Label for a review copy – which to their credit, was sent out First Class as were the photos, but these PR types and Label Managers with their  M4 strategies and 6Music plays league tables should at least be looking out for sites such as link2wales, blog is the new cool. I’m an old fossil from punk days so I no longer qualify for review copy status but link2wales should surely be on the mail out list as a Welsh platform – and that applies to all the Welsh labels – support the local blogs !

 

 

 

'Bloody Old Britain' Herald Gymraeg 11 Medi 2013

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloody-Old-Britain-G-S-Archaeology/dp/1847080774

 

Heulwen ar hyd y glennydd - a haul hwyr

A’i liw ar y mynydd

Felly Llyn ar derfyn dydd,

Lle i enaid gael llonydd.

Efallai i J. Glyn Davies grisialu popeth yn y llinell olaf yna. Sawl gwaith rwyf wedi ei ddyfynu yn y golofn hon, a dyna pam mae rhywun yn cerdded llwybrau, mynyddoedd, yr afordir, coedwigoedd ynde, yn y gobaith fod ein henaid bach gor-brysur yn cael y mymryn lleiaf o lonydd – i ffwrdd o swn y Byd.

Ond wedyn mae yna linell gan T.H Parry Williams sydd hefyd yn crisialu popeth, sef i ni beidio meddwl ein bod mor bwysig a hynny, pethau bach gymharol di-bwys, yma am gyfnod byr, ydym wedi’r cwbl, yn gobeithio ein bod yn gwneud rhyw wahaniaeth, yn cael rhyw effaith ond yn y bon, beth ydym “ond swp o esgyrn mewn gwisg o gnawd ?”.

Does dim dwy waith fod Cymru wedi cynhyrchu toreth o feirdd a llenorion sydd wedi gallu mynegi pethau oedd angen eu mynegi ond ychydig iawn sydd wedi gallu son am beth sydd ar y tirwedd yn hytrach na chanmol ei brydferthwch. Byddaf yn dweud yn aml iawn mae’r broblem fawr hefo Cymru yw fod y golygfeydd mor hyfryd a’r cwmni mor dda rydym yn treulio ein hamser cerdded yn rhyfeddu ar yr olygfa ac yn mwynhau sgwrs ac o ganlyniad does neb byth yn edrych i lawr i weld beth sydd o dan ein traed.

Un o fy fyfyrwyr gyflwynodd y llyfr ‘Bloody Old Britain’ i mi gyntaf. Gweithred gyfeillgar a chymwynasgar o rannu gwybodaeth drwy fenthyg  a dyma ddarllen y llyfr o glawr i glawr o fewn dyddiau. Yn ddiweddar bu rhaid i mi brynu’r llyfr, gan fy mod am ei ail ddarllen a gan fy mod angen copi yn y llyfrgell, mae’n lyfr mor hanfodol a hynny !

Yn y bon, cynnwys y llyfr yw adroddiad gan Kitty Hauser, sydd bellach yn ymchwilydd ym Mhrifysgol Sydney, o fywyd a syniadaeth gwr o’r enw O.G.S Crawford. Mae teitl y llyfr ‘Bloody Old Britain’ yn ategu teitl llyfr Crawford o’r 1930au na chafodd ei gyhoeddi gan fod cynnwys y llyfr llawer rhy negyddol a sinigaidd wrth i Prydain ymbaratoi am ryfel gyda’r Almaen. Dim ond dogfennau ac ambell gopi felly sydd yn bodoli o lyfr Crawford, does dim pwynt chwilota amdano ar Amazon.

Bu Crawford yn hedfan dros y ffosydd yn ystod y Rhyfel Mawr, ei waith oedd edrych ar safleoedd yr Almaenwyr o’r awyr er mwyn cyfeirio y bomiau i’r cyfeiriad iawn dros y ffosydd, ac wrth reswm i osgoi gollwng bomiau ar y Fyddin Brydeinig. Dyn mapiau oedd Crawford felly roedd ei gyfnod olaf yn y Rhyfel yn ymwneud ar ochr gwybodaeth yn hytrach na saethu yn uniongyrchol. Er hynny, gwaith peryglus iawn oedd hedfan dros linellau’r Almaenwyr a bu i’w awyren gael ei saethu i lawr a fe’i anafwyd ond bu’n lwcus iawn o gymharu a chymaint o’i gyd filwyr a’i gyfoedion – daeth adref yn fyw.

Rhwng y rhyfeloedd bu’n gweithio i’r Ordnance Survey fel eu hunig swyddog archaeoleg ac mae diolch mawr i Crawford am ychwanegu cannoedd o safleoedd a henebion i’r mapiau OS rydym yn eu defnyddio ac yn eu gwerthfawrogi gymaint heddiw. Diddordeb arall gan Crawford oedd ceisio sicrhau ‘gwell Byd’, lle roedd rhesymeg gwyddonol yn trechu ofergoeliaeth a chrefydd ac i’r perwyl hyn bu’n teithio’r Undeb Sofietaidd fel roedd Stalin wrthgwrs yn dechrau’r newidiadau mawr yn y Byd amaethyddol yno.

Fel nifer o’i gyfoedion mae awgrym fod Crawford wedi bod yn ddall i rai o erchylltera amlwg Stalin ond yng nghyd destyn y cyfnod efallai fod pobl yn gobeithio fod comiwnyddiaeth yn mynd i gynnig rhywbeth gwell na’r drefn gyfalafol. Yn y bon roedd Crawford yn iawn o ran ei gymhellion  ond doedd neb efallai yn rhagweld pam mor eithafol yr oedd Stalin am fynd a hawdd yw i ni ei feirniadau am ei ddiniweidrwydd heddiw drwy sbectol yr unfed ganrif ar hugain.

Ond beth sydd wrth wraidd llyfr Hauser a holl ddamcanaiaethau Crawford yw pwysigrwydd y tirwedd a’r angen i ni fel y boblogaeth i fagu a meithrin y sgiliau i allu darllen a dehongli yr hyn sydd o dan ein traed.  Sais oedd Crawford ac ardaloedd sialc De Lloegr oedd ei gynefin, ond mae ei syniadau yn cyfieithu a mae modd eu trosglwyddo  yn uniongyrchol i’r hyn sydd ei angen yng Nghymru heddiw. Rydym angen gwell dealltwriaeth o’r darn bach yma o dir, y lle yma rydym yn perthyn iddo, yn brwydro dros ei Iaith a dadl Crawford yn ei hanfod yw fod archaeoleg a dealltwriaeth o’r tirwedd yn rhywbeth gwleidyddol, rhesymol, gwyddonol sydd yn ein harwain at well dinasyddiaeth a mwy o barch at ein cyd-ddyn.

Wrth reswm mae hyn yn ddweud mawr, ond o ystyried sylwadau Crawford mae rhywun yn gweld pam mor bwysig a pherthnasol yw’r tir, y tirwedd a hanes a datblygiad y tirwedd yna i ni fel Cymry. Dyma’r tirwedd a’r hanes sydd wedi ein creu !

Yn ol Crawford mae gwyddoniaeth yn ein harwain tu hwnt i “genedlaetholdeb” yn ogystal a chrefydd, a hyn oll wedi ei ysgrifennu yn y 1920au a’r 30au. Dyn diddorol heb os a dyn lle gallwn fabwysiadau, dwyn neu addasu rhai o’i syniadau.

 

Y profiad o ymweld a Cor y Cewri, Herald Gymraeg 4 Medi 2013.

 

Cwestiwn diddorol mae ‘English Heritage’ yn amlwg yn ei wynebu gyda Cor y Cewri yw sut mae ‘rheoli treftadaeth’, rheoli’r niferoedd a’r mynediad i’r safle. Dyma un o 5 Uchaf safleoedd treftadaeth mae ymwelwyr am eu gweld yn Ynysoedd Prydain, rydym yn son am filoedd ar filoedd o bobl bob blwyddyn a dyma safle fel Stratford upon Avon, Caeredin a Llundain y mae’n rhaid i ymwelwyr gael rhoi tic yn y blwch.

            Mae Mur Hadrian yn un arall sydd yn yr un categori a Chor y Cewri yn yr ystyr ei fod yn safle archaeolegol ac yn anffodus yn yr engraifftiau yma, nid son am gwrydro tref neu ddinas mae rhywun ond am ymweld ac un safle penodol, sydd angen ei warchod ac un fyddai’n cael ei ddinistrio petae pawb yn cael rhyddid i grwydro ymhlith y meini neu heb reolaeth. Er fod llai yn ymweld, meddylich am lwybrau’r Wyddfa – gormod o bobl yn troedio’r un llwybr yw rhan o’r broblem felly.

Yn ystod blynyddoedd y 1920au amcanfyfrifid fod oddeutu 20,000 yn ymweld a Chor y Cewri yn flynyddol. Erbyn 1951 roedd y ffigwr yn agosach i 124,000 ac ym 1971 roedd y ffigwr dros hanner miliwn (a finnau yn un ohonynt rhywbryd ddechrau’r 70au). Heddiw mae’r nifer dros filiwn yn flynyddol, dros hanner rheini o dramor sydd efallai yn ategu’r pwynt uchod fod hwn yn safle i’w weld ar un o’r gwybdeithiau o amgylch Ynysoedd Prydain.

Os cofiaf yn iawn, ddechrau’r 70au cefais grwydro ymhlith y meini, byddwn felly wedi cyffwrdd a rhai o’r meini gleision o’r Preseli ond heddiw wrthgwrs cerdded mewn cylch o amgylch y cerrig mae rhywun gyda rhaff fach yn eich cadw at y llwybr. Wrth gerdded o gwmpas ychydig ddyddiau yn ol roedd yn amlwg fod cwrs y llwybr yn cael ei amrywio o flwyddyn i flwyddyn er mwyn caniatau i’r glaswellt ail dyfu.

Dechreuwyd wrthod (rheoli mynediad) i bobl gerdded ymhlith y meini ym 1978 o ganlyniad i erydu sylweddol dan draed ac yn fwy siomedig, gan fod rhai yn fandaleiddio’r meini. Anhygoel medda chi, ond mae hyn wedi arwain hefyd i CADW orfod rheoli’r mynediad i safloeoedd fel Barclodiad – mae rhai yn dal i fynu crafu graffiti ar y meni yn Barclodiad petae dim rheolaeth yno.

Roeddwn am ymweld a Chor y Cewri i drio cael argraff o’r ‘profiad’. Yn ddigon naturiol, yn reddfol efallai, roeddwn yn credu fod angen cerdded ymhlith y cerrig i wir werthfawrogi’r safle ond ar y diwrnod hwn, holl bwynt yr ymweliad oedd bod yn “ymwelydd”. A wyddo’chi beth doedd y profiad ddim hanner mor gynddrwg a’r disgwyl. Oes wir mae gormod o ragfarnau weithiau yndoes.

Do fe chwerthais wrth edrych ar yr holl geir yn y maes parcio, fel dywedodd un o’r hogia, mae fel Steddfod fach – hynny yw, ‘dim’ o’i gymharu a maes parcio’r Steddfod Genedlaethol a dim on tua tri bws oedd yn y maes parcio bysus wrth i ni gyrraedd. Doedd hi ddim yn ffair wallgof o bell fordd, prysur oedd ond ddim yn anifir felly.

Wrth gerdded i mewn drwy’r fynedfa danddaearol (o dan yr hen A344 i Devises) braf oedd gweld fod y ffordd honno bellach wedi ei chau am byth ger ochr y cofadail a fod archaeolegwyr o gwmni Wessex Archaeology nawr yn clirio’r ffordd darmac unwaith ac am byth cyn ei throsglwyddo yn ol i dir glaswellt. (Yma gyda llaw mae llinell y cwrsws).

Rhaid canmol staff ‘English Heritage’ oedd yn fwy na chyfeillgar a hwyliog, pawb yn glen ac yn hapus – a phawb yn cydnabod yn syth na fydd y pedwar ohonnom yn ymaelodi gan ein bod o Gymru a felly am ymaelodi a CADW. A dyma ni, o dan yr hen ffordd ac i mewn ar safle’r cofadail. Mae digon o le i gymeryd lluniau, neb yn stwffio, pawb i weld yn cymeryd sylw. Nifer fawr hefo’r teclynau tywys ar gyfer y glust. Da iawn nhw yn cymeryd diddordeb go iawn !

Mae nifer o’r ymwelwyr yn gorweddian ar y glaswellt o amgylch y safle, mae’n haul poeth, ac unwaith eto braf gweld pobl yn cymeryd eu hamser. Nid mor hawdd i gwsmeriad y bysiau wrth reswm achos bydd angen iddynt fod yn ol yn eu seddau mewn hanner awr er mwyn cyrraedd Stratford erbyn amser te. Rydym rhy bell i weld y cerfluniau bwyeill ar rhai o’r meini a rhy bell, a heb y golau angenrheidiol, i weld yr hoel gweithio a siapio ar rhai o’r meni.

Rydym hefyd rhy bell i gael gwir argraff o’r cylch meini gleision – dim ond cipolwg geir ohonynt tu cefn i’r trilothonau – efallai mae dyma’r siom fwyaf i ni o Gymru. Ar y llaw arall rydym yn cerdded yn ofnadwy o agos i’r Maen ‘Heel’, does gennyf ddim syniad os rydym a hawl i gyfieithu ‘r garreg fel Maen Sawdl ?

Felly sut brofiad yn union gafodd Mr Mwyn ? O feddwl ein bod yno ddechrau’r prynhawn a fod y safle yn gymharol brysur roedd yn brofiad ddigon pleserus, chefais i ddim fy siomi mewn unrhyw ffordd sylweddol. Cefais argraff hynod dda o’r staff, fod pawb yno yn groesawgar ac yn gwerthfawrogi fod y mwyafrif yno mae’n debyg ar wyliau ac yno i fwynhau.

            Welais i fawr o neb yn ‘dadansoddi’ na thrafod, welais i neb oedd yn edrych yn amlwg fel archaeolegwyr a chlywais i neb yn cyfeirio at Preseli ond mi welais rai cannoedd yn mwynhau yn hamddenol a da o beth mae’n siwr yw hynny. Wrthgwrs mae’n biti fod y mynediad yn gorfod cael ei reoli ond dyna bris rhoi cymaint o ffocws ar un safle – bellach does dim modd newid hynny. Os am brofiad fwy agos a meini hirion, ewch draw i Avebury ond am pa hyd fydd Avebury yn caniatau i ni grwydro ymhlith y meini – dyna chi gwestiwn arall !

 

 

 

A Megalithic Ramble.

 

 

Post 3 Stonehenge

 

Finally got hold of these pictures taken in the early 1970's by my father, it took a while to locate them amongst the thousands of pictures he has taken over the years. I'm not sure of the exact date but it has to be early 70's, the stones were closed off in 1978. The pictures are of myself and brother, Sion Sebon and mother in the white coat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had visited Stonehenge on 30th November this year and was pleasantly surprised how pleasurable the whole experience was. English Heritage staff were brilliant and it was not too busy and all the visitors seemed to respect everyone else's space - there was no hurry, everybody very relaxed and really good to see the Devizes road disappearing under the archaeologist's trowels - so the area of the Avenue will at least be green and pleasant again.

 

I wrote a piece in Welsh for my Herald Gymraeg column on the experience see :

 

http://rhysmwyn.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/y-profiad-o-ymweld-cor-y-cewri-herald.html

 

 

 

This is the guidebook that I still have from the 1970's

 





 

 

Post 2 The Manio Giant

 

 

The Manio Giant standing stone is certainly one of the most impressive stones to visit in the Karnag area, located down a forest trail, surrounded by woods and lying between the Kermario and the Kerlescan alignments.
If I have understood correctly the stone was originally included within a barrow which has since been excavated. Looking around there is just about an impression of stones scattered on the floor that may have once constituted part of the mound and there is a very gentle slope around the maenhir but there really is not much left.
The other thing that I had read is that there were carvings or rather peck marks of snakes on the lower part of the stone - again I could not really make them out.
I took plenty of photographs and will seek further information or guidance

Next to the stone is the 'quadrilateral enclosure' which is actually the remains of a tumulus - it's quite unusual for us to interpret this in that it's basically rectangular in shape which is probably what we'd expect for a Neolithic house (obviously the houses would have been built of timber frames) - but a burial monument it is, not a cromlech. I can't think of a parallel in Wales ?

It took a bit more of a search to find the nearby Kerlescan Dolmen, this is to the east of the Kerlescan alignment and actually the signpost had fallen off it's post. In a funny way I actually think that bad signage is not such a bad thing. It keeps the masses away and it's part of the fun to go trooping down lanes, across fields, map in hand basically 'lost' looking for that elusive monument / stone / cromlech .... and you always find it in the end and the satisfaction factor then is definitely enhanced.

The Kerlescan dolmen is later than the alignments - dating to around 3200-2800 BC and has a lateral entry. It compares to Pierres-Plates at Locmariaquer in form. This surely suggests that this area is still important even as the focus on the alignments is obviously diminishing.
This is the Kerlescan Dolmen :

 

Post 1 Karnag

 

My Rock’n Roll travels have led me to Carnac over the years. From now on I will use the Breton version ‘Karnag’ for the place name. The French Government  tried to suppress the Breton Language during the early-mid C20th by replacing Breton names with French names but in rural areas such names were often never adopted - such was the victory of the rural Bretons.

It's also tempting of course to see this as an attempt to de-paganise this whole megalithic area by introducing French names for the monuments and sites but it was the Language that was under attack not the pagans. So the Breton people who spoke little French did not adopt these new names and as a consequence we are left with many sites today which have Breton names.

Just a thought :
There is no English name for Barclodiad y Gawres or Bryn Celli Ddu !

So thanks to Rock’n Roll, my first encounter with the alignments at Karnag was during Anhrefn days, late 1980s. I was actually en route to see a Record Label in San Sebastian (Donostia)  in the Basque Country who were interested in licensing some of our recordings. Being young and energetic it seemed like a good idea to drive all the way down from Wales with the master tapes.

Stopping off in Nantes / Naoned with our good friend Gweltaz Adeux from Breton band E.V we detoured to Karnag before heading down south to Euskadi. In those days (pre-1991) the stones were not fenced off, it seemed pretty quiet, we strolled around.

Over the years I have returned during visits to Lorient Interceltique Festival, with bands such as Gogs/The Heights, Frizbee and Hen Wlad Fy Mamau (Land of my Mothers) each time detouring to Karnag while the band members usually got dropped off at the beach near a bar to be picked up later.

My return this summer served only to remind me how things had changed. The alignments, certainly around the Menec section are now so popular, it has an air of Stonehenge about it, a visitor centre in the form of Maison des Megalithes. People everywhere, most of the stones fenced off, the inevitable erosion of the footpaths around the perimeter fencing. I will return later to this whole question of the balance between archaeology for all, the tourist economy and possibly the plain fact that there are just too many people here.

 

I’m staying here for 6 days, so this time I have enough time to wander, map in hand and follow my own path at my own pace. Early in the morning it’s quieter. Out at Kermario I have the stones to myself and at the Geant du Manio and tumulus, perfect peace and quiet. Later in the day there will be people here as well but not in the same numbers as the focal point around Menec.

Being involved with the Tourist / Tour Guiding business in Wales I book myself on to a guided tour of the stones – this gets me in to the enclosure amongst the stones and also offers a guide who does a sterling job in English despite this obviously being a second language for her – I presume she probably does the German tours as well.

The guided tour is pretty well a basic introduction for the generally interested visitor, it’s not too basic and she does explain the concept of Neolithic following on from the Mesolithic for example. And she does point out, quite humorously, that the Asterix the Gaul cartoons are false – the stones were definitely here before the Romans. Some details were pointed out, which prove the value of a guide, but really I needed to be out with an archaeologist – I had too many questions, too may thoughts ….

 

In North Wales of course we have the wonderful 3 stones at Llanfechell, the 2 stones at Penrhos-feilw, the huge stones at Bryngwyn (the remains of a circle) and the impressive stones at Bwlch y Ddeufaen – but we have nothing that compares to this. The scale of the monuments and the amount of stones erected is truly impressive if not totally mindblowing. The whole factors such as manpower and social organisation involved, let alone the why and the concentration of megalithic monuments here in the Gulf of Morbihan is truly impressive and dwarfs what we have in Wales and really dwarfs most monuments except the exceptions of Calanis, Stonehenge, Avebury.