If you've been having problems with the site since last week (Friday 18 May) please read this. (Hide this message)

Amateurs - Hongu Kongu

Hongu Kongu by Amateurs

AMATEURS WERE FORMED IN 2003 IN SCOTLAND BY SETH CHANAS. SETH WAS ALWAYS MAKING UP FUNNY LITTLE SONGS ON WHATEVER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS HE COULD GET HIS HANDS ON AND DISCOVERED A TALENT FOR QUICKLY MASTERING THEM. BY THE AGE OF 14 SETH FOUND HIMSELF PLAYING IN MOST OF THE BANDS IN HIS HOME TOWN, AT ONE POINT AS MANY AS FIVE AT ONCE. AFTER PLAYING IN A SUCCESSION OF OTHER PEOPLES' ROCK BANDS, SETH FOUND IT HARD TO FIND MUSICIANS WHO SHARED HIS VISION OF A BAND WHERE ETHOS AND LOGOS WERE AS IMPORTANT AS PATHOS, AND THAT PROPERLY RENDERED, MISSED BIRTHDAYS, BAD WEATHER AND BUS PASSES COULD BE AS COMPELLING TO THE LISTENER AS SEX AND SUICIDE. SO HE MADE ONE UP. AMATEURS THUS CAME INTO EXISTENCE AS AN IMAGINARY BAND; SETH WRITING THE SONGS AND RECORDING ALL THE PARTS, OCCASIONALLY ROPING IN FRIENDS AND FLATMATES FOR THE ODD CONTRIBUTION. SETH BEGAN SELLING THESE, AMATEURS' FIRST RECORDINGS, THROUGH LOCAL MUSIC SHOPS. AROUND THIS TIME SETH MET INA HANISCH. INA, ORIGINALLY FROM SAXONY AND LIVING IN AMSTERDAM, WAS IN EDINBURGH VISITING FRIENDS WITH WHOM SETH WAS FLAT SHARING. INA EVENTUALLY MOVED TO EDINBURGH AND SETH WASTED NO TIME IN ROPING HER IN TO THE PROJECT. FOLLOWED BY HIS BROTHER SIMON, SCHOOL FRIEND CHRIS SUMMERFIELD AND DISGRUNTLED COLLEAGUES DAMIAN MALONE AND SARAH WEATHERSTON, AMATEURS WERE FINALLY REALISED AND BEGAN PLAYING GIGS AROUND EDINBURGH AND THE NORTH OF ENGLAND, BUILDING A REPUTATION AS A GREAT LIVE BAND WITH AN ECCENTRICITY AND LACK OF EGO THAT DISTINGUISHED THEM FROM OTHERS.

4...according to .

This is a good original album. Great songwriting! Seems a little underproduced, sometimes sounds like first takes but really good songs for the most part. Lyrics are a bit gritty and sombre made all the more hard hitting by the upbeat melodies, the male vocal could have done with lifting in the mix as at times it is difficult to make out the words. All in all something worth playing over and over.

Rating: 4 out of 5

So, what do you think? Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!

You don't have to provide your email address, but without it we can't give you a prize if this is the month's best review!

Keep it civil, please!

Anti-spam question...