INTERVIEW: SALT

INTERVIEW:

 

 

SALT

________________________

I yearn to find a band that is not only fresh and hungry…

but have genuinely fascinating members in its ranks. There are a lot of faceless and anodyne bands doing the rounds. Discovering a group that has flair, energy and genuine talent in the locker is a treat reserved for a choice few. Frankie Lord, Jack Reynolds; Ryan Morritt, Sam Brookland and Dean Ward are the boys behind SALT. The quintet has a string of awesome gigs ahead and just released the insane, brain-melting video for Don’t Look at Me That Way. Since 2012, the guys have been building their reputation and sound: you feel they are a group ready for the big stages – surely that will be something in their future. In addition to being part of Musicians Against Homelessness: I ask them about how the group came together; which artists influence their sounds – and reveal a rather naughty secret about one of their members…

____________________________

Hi guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey, hey; yer pretty good, thanks. Nothing too crazy but pretty good.

For those new to your music: can you introduce yourself, please?

Well, we’re SALT; I guess we’re Alt.-Rock. I guess a lot of people seem to be saying we’ve got a kind of Kings of Leon sound going on (hopefully the early albums). I can see what they’re saying.

We don’t aim to sound like anybody, though - we try our best to create our own sound through a number of different influences wherever possible.

It might seem like an old question, but how did you guys come together?

Right now; over to me (Frankie). Ha. Jack and I were always hanging out trying to learn covers and write music since we were about 16 or so. It was only quite a bit later on that we were like ‘Hey, why don’t we actually try and do this properly?’ One of our other mates, Tom, was pretty keen to join and he helped find us a drummer, Ryan Morritt (now guitar). Me and Jack grew up with Sam Brookland at school and we asked if he would be interested in playing bass. Tom quickly realised that being in a band wasn’t quite for him and Ryan - being desperate to show off his guitar skills - quickly found Dean Ward to jump on the drums. Turns out Ryan was better at guitar than drums anyway and you’d find it hard to find a more solid drummer than Dean. So that was that. It hasn’t changed since.

You seem to be a step above most the Alternative/Rock acts there. What, would you say, is the secret behind that recipe?

Wow, thanks very much. Well, I’m not sure there really is a secret. Just practice and practice and practice; write as much as possible. If it’s what you’re meant to do, it very quickly turns into an obsession. You can’t go anywhere without thinking of a lyric or a riff. We’ve always found it really important to have respect for other musicians. So often we’ll play gigs and the other bands will pretty much avoid any interaction at all. I mean we are hugely competitive also but what’s the point in being rude. Doesn’t seem to help at all as far as we’re concerned.

Which bands and artists were on your stereos when growing up? Have you kept them close to your heart or are newer artists dictating your influences and creative direction?

This is where you’re meant to say something really cool right; like I grew up only listening to Black Sabbath or something? I can’t talk for all the lads but for me growing up you’d just as likely hear me listening to something like 50 Cent or Eminem as you would Foo Fighters or Red Hot Chili Peppers (or Blink-182). When you’re young you don’t have a prejudice: if you hear something and you like it for some reason, then you’ll probably listen to it.

I think you always hold the music you listened to when you're young close to your heart but again, can’t speak for all the lads, it was the music I was listening to in my late-teens up until now (early-20s) that really sticks with me and influences myself.

As a young male, I’m often interested by coming-of-age music. I think it’s well-documented that going through your teenage years will be tough but nobody warns you about your 20s. I think in many ways there’s more confusion there than when you are young.

Skepta has just won the Mercury Prize. Do you think it is a sign music is accepting lesser-respected genres and what was your reaction to the win?

What a provocative question. But let’s be honest, it's great really, isn’t it? If you go back 50/60 years; Rock and Roll was a ‘lesser-respected genre’. Everything changes and it comes and goes in waves. I think Grime has got some serious passion. Anything that has passion; I think deserves to be acknowledged. It’s just a different form of expression. Just got to keep rollin’ with the times.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLpkpJb_Fho&w=560&h=315]

Don’t Look at Me That Way’s video is rather groundbreaking and eye-catching. Can you talk us through it and what was it like to film?

Thank you. Honestly, it was so much fun. We filmed in an old barn and all of our friends and fans came along to help out and just watch and be a part of it. We filmed in the middle of winter for some stupid reason and it was absolutely freezing! In-between takes we all huddled around this space heater for warmth. We made our own makeshift rain machine using water pumps and various bits of hosing and then filled up a giant vat of this water mixed with Fluorescein - and then just had it spraying out and over us. We haven’t used any visual effects at all in the film; I’m not sure that people realise that though because it is so strong visually. We really couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the film.

Can we expect to see an E.P. or album from SALT in the near-future?

E.P., definitely. We were incredibly lucky and recently recorded at Abbey Road, thanks to an online completion that we won.

So, we’ve recorded a 3-track E.P. that we will be releasing probably a bit deeper into the winter.

We want to get another video filmed to coincide with the release, but now were all racking our brains with how to out-do the last video. As for an album, I think we’ve kind of agreed to come across that if we can get signed. For now, we’re just writing and creating demos. that we can send off to the right people.

You guys hail from High Wycombe but are based in London. What is the capital like (compared with home) and do you still get a chance to play places like High Wycombe?

Capital as in monetary? I would love to say that we get really well looked after everywhere we go but it’s not exactly true. There are a lot of promoters inside and outside of London that are really looking to screw-over young bands. We do prefer to play in London though because of the opportunity. In London, you actually feel like you have a chance; everybody knows somebody. I mean, a few gigs back we had Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol in our audience. He gave me his email so I’ve been sending over tracks and taking notes. He’s going to try and get us onto some festivals with any luck.

We still absolutely love playing home shows but we’ve started to do them less regularly and when we do we put on our own nights and really pack out the venue.

On the issue of touring: which gigs have been especially memorable or epic over the course of this year?

Well, the last gig we played was a festival. One of the stage lights dropped right down onto the stage whilst we were playing.

It genuinely almost hit me but we just carried on playing. That was memorable. We’ve had some absolutely brilliant gigs. We headlined a local festival in our hometown. Not huge, only around 300 people, but everybody seemed to know us and were singing along to our music and just going a bit crazy. Usually, it’s the gigs you’re not expecting much from that are the ones that are really brilliant.

You play the Musicians Against Homelessness Festival on 24th. What was it like to be asked and is fighting homelessness an important thing the band feels compelled to be involved with?

Funnily enough; at one point very early on we were called Arm the Homeless.  I think it was a paraphrase taken from Tom Morello’s guitar; the original quote was something like “Arm them with knowledge, arm them with an education, arm the homeless” - I’m not 100% sure if that’s correct. Well, I feel if people are in need of a bit of help and shelter then why should they be denied that.

What do you guys want to tick off the ‘to-do list’ in the coming years? Any cities you’d like to perform in or goals in mind?

Well, I think for us Reading Festival has always been on our ‘to-do’ list. I don’t doubt that we’re good enough to do that anymore: we just have to gain enough exposure and find the right avenue. Personal goals: never end up as a poor imitation of your previous self; always change and evolve. So many bands just end up trying to recreate what they had early on. We all hope that we never become that.

Away from gigs and music: do you guys hang a lot and what is the bond like in the band?

Can’t get anyway from one another. We’re all a part of the same friend group now so we’re pretty much always together; that’s if were not already gigging or practising.

A lot of singers and musicians will be inspired to follow you into music. What advice would you offer them?

Well, if they are any then were truly honoured. At times it will literally feel like the shittest thing in a world to try and keep five strong-minded people together - all with different thoughts and ideas.

But, if you just keep doing what you’re doing you’ll literally have some of the best moments of your whole life.

We’ve not been together for so long but already we look back at some of the things we’ve managed to achieve and it’s just incredible - I mean: Abbey Road. You just can’t describe how it feels to be recording in the same room as the piano that was used for Hey Jude. And just musically to watch your own development; there’s something really magical about it all.

 

Can you tell us a secret about SALT or gossip on one of the boys – something most people would be unaware of?

Ha ha. Well, Frankie once accidentally went on a date with - albeit a very gorgeous transgender lady - following her; being won over by our performance at The Hope and Anchor. There. How’s that for a bit of gossip?

(Thanks so much for the questions. Some really interesting stuff being asked there).

Finally, and for being a good egg, you can name any song you like; I’ll play it here…

Hhmm. how about My Body Is a Cage by Arcade Fire? Haven’t heard that in a while.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhhZdune_5Q&w=560&h=315]

______________________

Follow SALT

 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/saltukband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/SALTUKBAND

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMq4wuFDoFApF5lY6UU-k3Q

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/salt.uk.band_/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/saltukband

FEATURE: My Favourite…. Live Album (The 700th)

FEATURE: 

My Favourite…. Live Album

(The 700th)

______________________

WITH the 700^th post now under my fingers…

I wanted to launch my second regular feature – alongside the Playlist series. In future rounds, I’ll be investigating my favourite album, song; band, years in music and many other topics – attempting to turn it into a 10-part series. To kick things off, I wanted to look at a subject that is not often covered among the polls and features of the music press: what constitutes the best live album of all time. In my opinion, there can only be one…

___________________

What Is the Album?

Jeff Buckley is my musical icon for a number of different reasons.

Not only is he, in my humble opinion, one of the most arresting and transcendent voices to have ruled the planet – still influencing singers and making its mark some 19 years after his death.

At a time (1993) when Grunge and Rock were topping the charts and inspiring legions of new bands: embracing something like Jeff Buckley’s Live at Sin-é might seem like an insane notion. You cannot deny the pleasures and beauty that lie within.

 

Background 

“He moved to New York City in February 1990,^[36] but found few opportunities to work as a musician. He was introduced to Qawwali, the Sufi devotional music of India and Pakistan, and to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, one of its best-known singers.^[37] Buckley was an impassioned fan of Khan,^[38] and during what he called his "cafe days," he often covered Khan's songs. In January 1996, he interviewed Khan for Interview and wrote liner notes for Khan's Supreme Collection, Vol. 1 compilation.^[39] Buckley also became interested in blues musician Robert Johnson and hardcore punk band Bad Brains during this time.^[20] Buckley moved back to Los Angeles in September when his father's former manager,Herb Cohen, offered to help him record his first demo of original songs. Buckley completed Babylon Dungeon Sessions, a four-song cassette that included the songs "Eternal Life", "Unforgiven" (later titled "Last Goodbye"), "Strawberry Street" (a different version of which appears on the Grace Legacy Edition), and punk screamer "Radio".^[40] Cohen and Buckley hoped to attract attention from the music industry with the demo tape.^[41]

Buckley flew back to New York early the following year to make his public singing debut at a tribute concert for his father called "Greetings from Tim Buckley".^[42] The event, produced by show business veteran Hal Willner, was held at St. Ann's Church in Brooklyn on April 26, 1991.^[42] Buckley rejected the idea of the concert as a springboard to his career, instead citing personal reasons regarding his decision to sing at the tribute.^[43] With accompaniment by experimental rock guitarist Gary Lucas, Buckley performed "I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain", a song Tim Buckley wrote about an infant Jeff Buckley and his mother.^[44] Buckley returned to the stage to play "Sefronia – The King's Chain", "Phantasmagoria in Two", and concluded the concert with "Once I Was" performed acoustically with an impromptu a cappella ending, due to a snapped guitar string.^[44] Willner, the show's organizer, later recalled that Buckley's set closer made a strong impression.^[45] Buckley's performance at the concert was counter-intuitive to his desire to distance himself musically from his father. Buckley later explained his reasoning to Rolling Stone: "It wasn't my work, it wasn't my life. But it bothered me that I hadn't been to his funeral, that I'd never been able to tell him anything. I used that show to pay my last respects."^[24] The concert proved to be his first step into the music industry that had eluded him for years.^[46]

On subsequent trips to New York in mid-1991, Buckley began co-writing with Gary Lucas resulting in the songs "Grace" and "Mojo Pin",^[47] and by late 1991 he began performing with Lucas' band Gods and Monsters around New York City.^[48] After being offered a development deal as a member of Gods and Monsters at Imago Records, Buckley moved back to New York to the Lower East Side at the end of 1991.^[49] The day after Gods and Monsters officially debuted in March 1992, Buckley decided to leave the band”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Buckley

What Makes it Special?

Sin-é was, and sadly no longer is, an Irish coffeehouse in New York’s East Village. Just look at the cover for Live at Sin-é and you can see how ‘cosy’ and small the place is. It is, in this rare and ultra-commercial time, a throwback to simpler, honest times – an independent coffee house that is not subjected to brand marketing and identikit shop banners – a million chains of Starbucks on your doorstep. It is one of my lasting regrets I never got to step into Sin-é and witnessing the magic go down. Back in 1993, just before Buckley signed his record deal, it was host to some modestly successful music nights. You had some great talents walk through the door but none like Buckley: as though medium and location were married in harmony the first time he opened his mouth.

You can practically hear spoons drop and coffee being made; little throat clears and people applauding – so intimate and homely. For that reason, it feels like you are right in the mix with Buckley: sitting with him as he unveils performances of immense beauty.

Aside from the sparse and cloistered space – the confined and raw setting – there is oceans of atmosphere, sound and reflection. Just listen to these little conversational snippets and Buckley’s charming and quirky personality comes through.

The album is not a set of ramped-up album songs with stilted conversation in-between. You do not get a band awkwardly shuffling between numbers and re-tuning. There is a real person speaking directly to the audience: they, in turn, are in Buckley’s palms and at his mercy. The music is not your typical live affair. Most live albums (the average ones anyway) have the classics and they are performed to a typically assured level – enough to please the punters and get the crowds singing. Throughout Live at Sin-é there are songs being performed like never before. Buckley covers – as you will see in some selections later – such a wide range of songs from so many different eras. Many of the patrons that saw Buckley perform would not have heard many of these songs played. Even tracks that would appear on Grace – the title track and Last Goodbye – were in their early stages and being experimented with. It was a young man starting to find his feet and taking his first steps. Ragged, loose and rough around the edges: just a human, guitar and amp – surrounded a choice few New York gig-goers. Even though it was released in 1993 it translates incredibly well and sounds as divine and seductive as the day it was released.

 

The Reviews

(E.P.)

Allmusic:

“These four songs certainly accomplished that end. Buckley hurdles seemingly unreachable octaves, suspends notes for what seems like minutes, and belts out his falsetto without a scintilla of restraint. That's a positive inasmuch as it allowed him to show off his considerable talent; it's a negative when it sounded like he was showing off. But his ten-minute cover of Van Morrison's "The Way Young Lovers Do" is a tour de force of strumming and scatting, and his acoustic "Eternal Life" has an electricity that is paradoxically lacking on the plugged-in album version”.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-sin-%C3%A9-mw0000594878

(Legacy Edition)

Pop Matters:

“Overall, though, Sin-é shows Buckley with a reasonably firm handle on his flourishes. Dylan’s “If You See Her, Say Hello” features some Indian guitar strains for some extra flavor, while he convincingly tears into the traditional “Dink’s Song”, making it sound like even more of a Zep tune than “Night Flight”. Buckley completely invests himself in Van Morrison’s “The Way Young Lovers Do”, injecting the song with hepped-up jazzy guitar and scat vocals that just carry you along”.

http://www.popmatters.com/review/buckleyjeff-liveatsine/

A.V. Club:

“But all the nitpicking in the world can't drown out the bittersweet excitement Legacy Edition generates, from the abundance of never-bootlegged rarities to the emphasis on freewheeling banter to the fragments of subtly spectacular guitar work that begin "Strange Fruit" and Buckley's signature concert staple, Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." In Buckley's sure hands, "Hallelujah" couldn't be more moving, but it's nearly matched here by the revelatory likes of "If You Knew" and "Twelfth Of Never." Best of all may be his cover of Van Morrison's "Sweet Thing," which for more than 10 graceful minutes chronicles the sound of Buckley discovering the depth of his power, as he learns just how loud his quietest moments can be. It's an awe-inspiring display, and a pleasure to hear it made public at last”.

http://www.avclub.com/review/jeff-buckley-emlive-at-sin-e-legacy-editionem-11825

 

Legacy

In today’s scene, coffeehouse gigs are probably ten a penny. With so many small venues closing and performances chances fewer: playing at a local coffee joint is an easy and available space for a musician. Less common among bands and larger acts: the solo artists has that chance to play to small audiences and experiment.

Buckley’s Live at Sin-é was a bit of a rarity when it came out. Most of his peers were playing electric and loud: filling stadiums and getting more attention. Most of the recordings at the café were not meant for consumption. Buckley was just doing his thing and doing what any musician does: getting live experience and giving his music exposure.

It is debatable how many modern singers would perform in smaller, more intimate venues were it not for Buckley’s example. In another way, it seems like we need to return to Live at Sin-é-esque live experiences. Think how many of your favourite artists would sound if they were ‘confined’ to somewhere like a coffeehouse. Stripping the music back and deconstructing it provides new life to songs and emotions the author might not necessarily have envisaged. There is still that zeal towards arenas and festivals: we cannot overlook how wonderful a Sin-é performance would be – getting back-to-basics and performing to a small number of people. Buckley was ahead of his time but just carrying on a traditional that had been in place since the time of his heroes like Bob Dylan.

 

Further Investigation

Going hand-in-hand with the legacy of Live at Sin-é is what an effect it had on Jeff Buckley himself. He was a musician (in 1993) that would be signed by Columbia Records shortly after. Limousines and executive motors would be parking around the block: all eager to see the young man perform and blow the crowds away. Fighting and bidding for his signature, Buckley would take this faith and energy into his 1994 masterpiece, Grace. The only studio album of his career is arguably one of the most influential in all of music. It has compelled generations and continues to gain huge praise and love. Buckley himself became more confident as a performer and as two distinct live cuts (below) show; he was one of the most audacious, consistent and beguiling artists to see live. Few since his death have managed to achieve that same degree of affection and reputation – many have tried to top him but none have equalled the majestic Jeff Buckley.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA5UAbl1OWY&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG62bMRml0E&w=560&h=315]

Choice Cuts

Take a listen to the below and get a sense of what the album is about. In actual fact, it is a double-album and contains many treats and wonders.

Buckley was keen to never repeat himself as a performed - no two renditions of the same song - and you can see that here.

He is always thinking and working as the song prevails; taking it in a new direction and keeping the audience alert. The sign of a true master is one who can make old songs sound new and reborn: something you will see...

Calling You

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOFmZ3WlTBE&w=560&h=315]

Eternal Life

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzgbIaBP9cU&w=560&h=315]

Strange Fruit

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhn8koaW-vQ&w=560&h=315]

Je N' en Connais La Fin

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__uu9kNBDS0&w=560&h=315]

Lover, You Should’ve Come Over

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FO_9Iig4EQ&w=560&h=315]

Hallelujah

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsyRq0WFOHY&w=560&h=315]

Final Thought

It is hard to say what defines a truly exceptional live album. Whether you favour the large stadiums or somewhere more humble it is all about the performers. So much emphasis is put onto bands and the festival circuits; a lot of solo artists get overlooked and often have to struggle for space and attention. I feel Jeff Buckley, even before Grace arrived, was laying down a legacy and showing just what can be achieved in a small setting. It is the simplicity and honesty of Live at Sin-é that wins your heart.

It is an album that can be played in any time and during every weather: its majesty and sheer beauty will comfort and stun the listener every time.

Live at Sin-é finds Grace’s future inclusions starting to take shape and form but also unites some older songs given fresh life by a young man who lionised so many artists. From Led Zeppelin and Leonard Cohen to Edith Piaf and Nina Simone: a transcendent set of performances that announced to the world one of the greatest singers and performers ever. He may be gone, but as Live at Sin-é prove, he will…

NEVER forgotten.

Purchase the album here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-at-Sin-E-2CD-Legacy/dp/B001CNFZCM/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1474207140&sr=1-2&keywords=live+at+sin-e

TRACK REVIEW: Bird - Girl Can't Decide (Moto Blanco Club Mix)

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Bird

 

 

Girl Can’t Decide (Moto Blanco Club Mix)

9.4/10

RELEASED: 26^th August 2016

GENRES: Alternative Pop

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

The album Beat is available at:

https://play.spotify.com/album/03rH8fmRbcfcXvTRf42EKk

____________________________________

IT is back to an artist who I last reviewed a little time ago…

when her album, Figments of Our Imagination was released. When reviewing that album, I was struck by the talent and range that appeared throughout the record. It was not just Bird’s voice that struck by the quality and memorability of the songs. Before coming to her music – and looking at how she has progressed – it is worth looking at artists who have faith in their material (producers and D.J.s remixing the songs and bringing new life to them) and the finest acts coming out of London right now – the musicians that are continuing to play and enduring against a tide of failing acts. Bird is a musician who, like my review subjects yesterday, has a bit of mystery about her. She has been recording for years now but, apart from yesterday, little is known on social media. There are not many biographical details – list of influences and background – but she keeps in touch with fans and is keen to provide updates and insights. I argued yesterday, when looking at Italian band Black Flowers Café how vital it is to have details on your social media pages – making it accessible and way for reviewers and new fans. There are a lot of musicians that keep too hidden and are willing to just let the music do all the speaking. It is a debate that will rage but people will fall on one side of the fence: too much information leaves little for the music to say; not enough makes it challenging for a listener and the artist comes off a bit aloof. I am more towards the latter and would be great to see more musicians put more details into their social media and websites. When it comes to Bird, she does keep her pages up-to-date, but I will like to know her backstory – where she arrived from and what inspired her to make music; the artists that mean the most to her. She is someone keen to connect with her fan-base and new music is in the ether – a bit more about the woman behind Bird would be great for new fans.

I was compelled to review a track from Bird’s new album because it shows how strong her material is – a remix album that works the tracks from her 2015 album, Figments of Our Imagination. That album is a 10-track work filled with sweeping and dramatic compositions full of details and wonderful moments; a voice that seduces and hooks the listener; lyrics that come from the heart but have plenty of personality and lovely little stories. It is great finding a musician that wants to take their material to the next stage and bring talent in to rework the songs. I feel there are a lot of bands that gets too saturated and fatigued by touring – when releasing new material – they are keen to move onto the next project and forget about the songs. After an album is released, the number of times you have to perform and hear those songs is high. Many will get to a point where they want to walk away from that material and focus on something new. Musicians that create a wonderful album and decide to remix tracks clearly have a lot of love for the material – the fans obviously want to hear them too. Bird, within Figments of Our Imagination, crafted an album that resonated with people and caused a lot of love-filled outpouring. She has joined with a range of top-producing talents to get the songs reinvented and reworked. Not only do the songs sound new and fresh: Bird crosses into new genres and shows she has authority when playing in the Dance/Electronica milieu. Beat is a record that is full of life and vigour; it has that endless energy and will speak to a host of new fans and clubs. Bird has been busy promoting Figments of Our Imagination since November last year and will be busy with Beat. There are few musicians that have the talent to endure across two albums (with the same songs) and have that determination.

London is the hub of British music and is becoming busier and more exciting as the years progress. I know cities like L.A. and New York will always be firm in the mind. There are some wonderful artists coming from those cities, but when it comes to British music, London is the natural centre for exceptional sounds and the best young artists. Bird hails from south London which is a part of the capital that is producing some exceptional musicians. Unlike other parts of the capital, which have their own styles and type of musicians, the south tends to favour those with more grit and imagination. It may be stereotyping, but you sense the north and south of the capital plays on the harder/edgier side whilst the west and east are a little more arty and angular. It may be a bit black-and-white but there is a definite difference when you walk through various boroughs of London. Kate Tempest (from Brockley) is putting south London on the map and showing what a fine and consistent writer she is. Her upcoming album Let Them Eat Chaos follows from Everybody Down and is another set of imagination-filled stories and fiery deliveries. Her Hip-Hop –cum-Rap style brings life to tales of inner-city concerns and people struggling with everyday woes and challenges. Let Them Eat Chaos looks at a group of strangers in a neighbourhood/residency who are assessed during a single night in London – they all come together at the end as a storm brews overhead. Bird, whilst playing different styles and genres, has that same gift for songwriting and consistency. Like Roisin Murphy in the north of London: Bird is a brilliant young artist who has a knack for filling her music with so many ideas and colours; the vocal always entrancing and passionate; the songwriting consistently impressive and detailed. It may be a generalisation to say there is a split but there some truth to it. However you dissect London; you cannot deny the amount of future stars it is producing right now. There is no other city or part of the U.K. that is as varied and startling as London. Bird seems firmly at home here and vibing from the people and sounds of London. It is a great place to make music and, with regards Beat and the inspiration behind it, find collaborators and producers.

Before looking at her music – something I will touch on soon – it is wonderful seeing a musician that continues to endure and invent. There are a lot of musicians that find it hard to remain and survive in such a tough industry. Bird made her first album over a decade ago and, apart from looking slightly different, seems like that same hungry artist she was back then. It is wonderful looking at that album cover and that sense of innocence, hope and potential. If her sounds and image have evolved and progressed: the consistency and talent she displayed back then is intact today and she continues to look ahead and plan her next moves. Bird has gained a loyal and huge foundation of supporters who are showing her love and giving her the push and loyalty she deserves. Riding high after the success and fond reviews for Figments of Our Imagination – it seems like she has many more years ahead. There are few musicians that can last over a decade, let alone do so in such an emphatic and impressive fashion. You can speculate as to why Bird has been so successful and managed to remain in music but the fact is this: her passion and talent have seen her through and continues to burn bright. Some artists get lucky and can forge a long career with very little originality and talent. Others will be strong and wonderful but are either overlooked or struggle to gain opportunities and chances to perform. Bird might not have lasted for over a decade, were she not based in London. It is a challenging and packed city, yet when it comes to finding platforms and supporters, there is no other part of the country that is so equipped to accommodate a musician. Having established herself and carved out a home in London: it is likely Bird will continue to press and create more albums; tour hard and get her music as far and wide as she possibly can. Beat is a smart move for a number of reasons. Not only does it bring new dimensions to her songs (from Figments of Our Imagination) but pushes Bird into new parts of music and gives her plenty to think about. It might be conceivable a future album sounds like Beat and is a harder and edgier affair. Maybe Bird will revert back to her earlier material and something more contemplative and softer? Whatever she decides, it is likely to be another assured and authoritative album from one of music’s complete packages.

Just before reviewing one of Beat’s songs, I wanted to look back at Figments of Our Imagination and how it followed from her earliest cuts. It is safe to say Bird has changed and developed since her very first recordings. No longer fledgling and inexperienced: she is one of the most confident and solid musicians in the country at the moment. She released her first album over a decade ago and, although not widely available, is surely not the same sort of record you get with Figments of Our Imagination. Looking at the cover to that album (it is available on her Instagram feed) and you see a deep-in-thought and bright young woman who seems to be full of curiosity but perhaps a few nerves and uncertainties. Fast-forward nearly a decade and Figments of Our Imagination found Bird develop and grow into a bright and fiery woman with no such nerves. She is at her most assured and confident and that seeps through in every note. Figments’ and its songs pack so much energy and drama in. The compositions put in electronic elements but never in an unsophisticated and vague way. She manages to eek so many different ideas and possibilities; always keeping the songs fresh and unexpected. Beat is not a radically different album and that is a good thing. Some producers and D.J.s would have taken the songs and transformed them in their vision and ideals. Bird has had a huge input and ensured the remixes keep the heart and flavour of the original but do not stray too far from her concept. What you get with the new album is the chance for awesome talent to come together and put their stamp on some tremendous songs. If you listen to Figments of Our Imagination and a lot of the work was already done. Urgent and fast-moving throughout: it is not as though the collaborators on Beat had to struggle and sweat to bring life to the music. Bird ensured that album was already rampant and overwhelmed by quality and possibility. It not a shock she decided to remix the songs as, what we see with Beat, is an album that is gaining new audiences and reaching wider afield. A series of singles has already been released from the album. Thrill Me (DEVolution Remix) was unveiled in June and followed by Drink Drink Drink in July (Seamus Haji remixing that one). Full Intention’s remix of Love Love Love came out last month and Moto Blanco’s reinterpretation of Girl Can’t Decide came out the end of last month. Think So will be the next single released from Beat and comes out on 30^th September. That brings Wideboys into the fray and will be exciting to see yet another helmer come in and adds their talent into the boiling pot. I am not sure whether Bird is going to keep releasing singles or will be thinking ahead to a new album – she has that rhythm and energy in her blood and seems to be on top form. Beat has already been picked up by a lot of stations and reviewers: new listeners are discovering a rare talent and hearing some amazing songs to boot.

After the success of the top 10-charting club hit of Hypnotise (remixed by Bimbo Jones) there was a lot of appreciation and love for Beat. I decided to look at previous single Girl Can’t Decide as it not only reworks my favourite song from Figments of Our Imagination but channels the talents of Moto Blanco. The duo is based out of south London and consist Danny Harrison and Arthur Smith. They have been dabbling and experimenting with music since they were in school and worked under different alias since - creating the Moto Blanco name in 2003 and moving into mainstream music. They are a consistent duo who has worked with a lot of artists. From Fergie and Christina Aguilera; Jennifer Hudson and Mary J. Blige: some of the finest American talent from the last few decades. They are nimble and stunning force who has that reputation and cache. They are able to transform songs by some of music’s titans and make them (the tracks) sound sharper and brighter. Girl Can’t Decide begins with compacted and tight beats that get the listeners compelled and moving. Aimed for the clubs and late-night revelers: you can hear depth and insight from the very first moments. It is not just a dead-eyed and lackluster throng of beats and electronics. Being such an assured and prolific duo: Moto Blanco give nuance to Girl Can’t Decide and make sure its first seconds is not too heavy-handed and direct. Rhythmic, pulsating and sexualised: you are under its spell but not sure what is going to follow. The percussion starts to expand and becomes less stuffy and dark than previous. Hissing, teasing high notes come in and takes the song in new directions. Not only are your feet moving (after hearing the initial percussion parable) but the hands start to move and you will nod your head in time to the beats. Before long, electronic rushes join and the track kicks up another gear. Before Bird’s voice arrives, the duo have laid down a marker and ensured Girl Can’t Decide gets people engaged and fascinated. Unlike the original – which has a lighter and more romantic edge to it on Figments of Our Imagination – here there is darkness and twilight moodiness to it. The song’s title is repeated and echoed against a wash of hissing electronics and teasing beats. In way, I am reminded of the classic club day of the ‘90s and early-‘00s and the quality coming out of that time.

As the vocal – that simple line of the title being sung – is chopped, layered and fragmented; the compositions remains fairly simple and level. It is great seeing that contrast of vocal and composition. Bird sounds confused, aghast and lost in a whirl – differing from the original vocal of Girl Can’t Decide. Giving the song an eerier, heavy and delirious nature: it decomposes the song and examines its themes and basis; building it back up with steelier foundations and new ideas. In terms of composition, the electronics and beats combine to create a catchy and bouncing coda. A repetitive and get-up-and-move swagger that recalls some of Moto Blanco’s earlier work; you are engaged and brought directly into the song. Our heroine had to go a long way (to get her man) and born out of a complex situation. These lines and thoughts are kept straight and pure – not chopped and mix too far down – and ensure story is revealed and we get some more insight from the author. Before that, some agile and spirited piano come in and provide youthful bursts and little shades of Black Box’s Ride On Time – perhaps an obvious comparison but you hear little touches of that song. Bird looks at a love that is confusing and hard – hence the title one assumes – and is wrestling with decisions. The girl is in love and she can’t decide. That is the central theme and the way Moto Blanco present the world and splice them with the composition brings fresh revelation and insight into those lyrics. Compared with the original album version and those words have new potential and meaning. Bird’s voice remains light and not too suffocated but her thoughts seem more tense and nervy than before – thanks in no small part because of the continuing endeavor and motivation of the composition. Not only is the vocal mixed perfectly into the song – not too low so it is cannot be heard or too high and dominant – that parabond of vocal/composition is a perfect chemistry and will please existing Bird fans and surely unify club-goers and aficionados of Electronic and Dance music. Even if I did not know about Bird I would approach the song and find much to enjoy. The remixed Girl Can’t Decide has been picked up by a good many D.J.s and it has received praise across social media. Tying together the best of the ‘90s and ‘00s with modern-day Electronic sounds: a superb accomplishment from the legendary duo. Bird’s voice is queen and she recalls how she negotiated a hot heat and oppressive climate. She has got this love and affection but need to “get some sleep”. You imagine her pounding the streets or desert and looking for a thirst-quenching affection – something she has longed for a good many years.

PHOTO CREDIT: Johnny Daukes

Into the second phase and the music changes direction and expands its wings. The opening phases were quite tight and racing whilst now there is more variation and openness. Perhaps suiting the lyrical progression – Bird does not know what to do and is in a sea of confusion – the producers match the sentiments and change in the story. If they were to go hard and put too many punishing beats into the fray; it would cheapen the lyrics and give the song too much hardness and violence. They splice electronic calm in and chop the vocals to add to the emotional confusion and turmoil. It is as though Bird is stuttering and chasing her tail; she is questioning her mind and battling her own thoughts. Moto Blanco keep everything disciplined and structured but keep the composition nimble and ever-changing.  While the heroine is unsure of the love and maybe has worked too hard to gain it: you wonder whether she will find happiness and who the hero is. Fascinated by her plight and the intoxication of the relationship she finds herself in: few listeners will be able to hear the song and not take anything away from it. The final embers of the song repeat the chorus/song title and make sure those words are firm in the mind – such a catchy and hooky sound that is sure to get clubs jumping and patrons singing. One of the biggest differences between the Figments of Our Imagination and Beat versions of the song is how accessible and flowing the latter is. Where Figments of Our Imagination had that experimentation and emotional candour to it: Beat has club daze (sic.) sunshine and lightness – taking the song into new audiences and directions. Both cuts are fine work but it is impressive seeing Moto Blanco bring new ideas and possibilities into the song. Into the last few moments, the introduction sound is repeated but with lighter shades. The beats persist and run but there is less weight and hardness than before – maybe signifying less anxiety and struggle in the heroine’s mind.

Beat is a smart move and one not many other artists would take. There is a risk inherent in remixing an album and putting it out there. If the original material is not that strong or variable: remixing songs seems like a pointless exercise and a bit of time wasted. Similarly, if the songs are very niche and do not have that flexibility: reworking them might make them worse, or at the very least, not progress them. Beat is an album that sounds fresh and original – if you had not heard of Bird you would think these songs are new. Figments of Our Imagination resounded with many because its songs have reality and personality but that ability to be reinterpreted and remoulded. There are not many musicians that can produce an album and then decide to take it forward and remix it. What Beat does is to keep the purity and intentions of the originals there but elevate them and provide the music a more club-ready vibe. It is not just dancefloors that come to mind when listening to Beat. The music has the ability to score beach parties or accompany someone making a night-time drive. Like Figments of Our Imagination and its vibrancy: there is so much colour and vivaciousness to be found throughout Beat. It is an album I decided not to review – mainly because I tend not to review albums – because it is so detailed and provokes so many different reactions and emotions. One imagines there will be touring demands and plenty of people who want to see Beat’s songs in the flesh and see those tunes given a new lease and sound. I do not know what Bird’s calendar looks like: she is sure to be pretty busy as the year ticks to its close. I urge people to delve into Beat as the album contains so many wonderful moments and it is a solid effort in its own right. I opened by looking at artists who have faith in their music and that is very clear with regards Bird. She knows how effective and loved Figments of Our Imagination was and how many wonderful reviews it garnered. Spurred by that momentum and appreciation: Beat is a decision not many artists would have taken. Normally, when an album does get praise, a musician would take it on the road and bleed the songs dry. It is the way music is and can cause some jadedness and fatigue. It is something that happens and just the way music can work. If you are a popular artist and have that kind of demand then people want to see you live. Bird has that demand and love but rather than tour Figments of Our Imagination for many months and do all she can with the songs in the live setting: she decided to bring in a cavalcade of hot talent and reimagine the track – thus giving them fresh revelation and potential.

Before closing, it is going to be interesting seeing what Bird does next and what moves she makes. I know she is busy promoting Beat and excited by the reactions it has gained. Out for four weeks now and the music is still very fresh in people’s minds. She must be buoyed and warmed by all the appreciation and interest in her work and that is likely to lead to more albums in the future. This year is almost through so one feels, if there is another E.P. or album, it is likely to arrive in 2017. In the past decade, the young hopeful girl that appeared on that first cover has now blossomed into a strong and defiant talent who has no intentions in slowing down and changing. She has tones of life and verve and will be wonderful seeing where that takes her. I mentioned Roisin Murphy earlier, and that is a musician I see a lot of in Bird. Murphy, from her early days in Moloko, has really changed her sound and is producing her finest work to date. Her current album, Take Her Up to Monto, brimmed with ideas, variation and quality. Perhaps less bold and big as previous work: it was a logical move and exceptional album from one of music’s true originals. Bird – Murphy is based in north London – is a south London girl who has that same degree of talent and potential. I would not be shocked seeing her enjoy a Murphy-esque trajectory and becoming a mainstream star of the future. All the foundations have been laid and you feel her time is now. If you have not clasped Beat to the bosom then I suggest you do. Even if you are new to Bird, you will not need to dig back into her catalogue to understand where she comes from and what she is about. It is advisable listening to Figments of Our Imagination and comparing the two – Beat keeps the songs pure but stretches them and gives them added punch and colour. Bird is a musician that has very few equals (in terms of her sound) and I know how much she wants to remain and inspire new generations. It is not going to be easy – there are challenges and competition – but that will not be an issue at all. She has such a desire and love of music which will more than see Bird succeed and ensure for a long time to come. Her latest album proves what a special force she is, so let us all hope that the…

BEAT goes on.

_______________________________

Follow Bird

 

Official:

http://www.birdofficial.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/birdinmusic

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/birdmusic

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY3YfQXt8frOfAGGR1A6Z5A

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/birdofficial/

FEATURE: The Feelgood Mix

FEATURE:

 

The Feegood Mix

______________________

IT seems, rather predictably, the summer is over and is being…

replaced by something much more ‘British’. With the declining weather and cool breeze: a lot of people I know are unhappy or unwell; going through some tough times and battling to get back to their best. In response to that; I have been looking through some of the songs that put a smile on my face – those tunes that get me uplifted and dig deep. Mixing 1990s club anthems with some classic cuts: a compendium of serotonin-building jams that should banish the pre-winter blues and bring some sunshine back.

___________________

SIDE A:

Madonna – Material Girl

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNSUOFgj97M&w=560&h=315]

Deacon Blue – Twist & Shout

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc6v7OWq5Bk&w=560&h=315]

M83 (ft. Mai Lan) – Go!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3YZTYXftzg&w=560&h=315]

Deee-Lite – Groove Is in the Heart

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etviGf1uWlg&w=560&h=315]

CeCe Peniston – Finally

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk8mm1Qmt-Y&w=560&h=315]

Beats International – Dub Be Good to Me

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MnELifX3sQ&w=560&h=315]

 

Snow - Informer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StlMdNcvCJo&w=560&h=315]

Shaggy - Oh Carolina

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtLqmWt2h2g&w=560&h=315]

ATB – 9PM (Till I Come)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A9OIIapSko&w=560&h=315]

Daft Punk (ft. Niles Rodgers and Pharrell Williams) – Get Lucky

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NV6Rdv1a3I&w=560&h=315]

Mark Ronson (ft. Bruno Mars) – Uptown Funk

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPf0YbXqDm0&w=560&h=315]

Stevie Wonder – Part Time Lover

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPf0YbXqDm0&w=560&h=315]

Kool & the Gang – Celebration

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M&w=560&h=315]

Black Box- Ride on Time

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0quXl_od3g&w=560&h=315]

SIDE B:

Snap! – Rhythm is a Dancer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMPM1q_Uyxc&w=560&h=315]

Salt-N-Pepa (ft. En Vogue) – Whatta Man

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-WFNbMohTQ&w=560&h=315]

Hanson- MMMBop

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHozn0YXAeE&w=560&h=315]

Spiller (ft. Sophie Ellis-Bextor) – Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOdgbRx4ihQ&w=560&h=315]

 

Urban Cookie Collective – The Key, The Secret

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j-Tji1DueU&w=560&h=315]

Oasis – Stand By Me

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maTP315XZCQ&w=560&h=315]

Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uj3zitETs4&w=560&h=315]

Charles & Eddie – Would I Lie to You?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_UXvcr22rM&w=560&h=315]

Jackie Wilson – Reet Petite

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CTs8a7dVa0&w=560&h=315]

Fatboy Slim- Gangster Trippin'

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k1comdW1Ig&w=560&h=315]

Bob Marley – Could You Be Loved?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm7muPjevik&w=560&h=315]

Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjPqsDU0j2I&w=560&h=315]

Beach Boys – I Get Around

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wREBD2og5iY&w=560&h=315]

The Beatles – Ob-la-di Ob-la-da

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiLadvl-VQo&w=560&h=315]

Basement Jaxx – Bingo Bango

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU-vdq7QxvY&w=560&h=315]

Bobbie McFerrin – Don’t Worry, Be Happy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU&w=560&h=315]

I hope the list – or sub-sections of it – have helped reduce the fatigue, sadness and depression – if only for a little while. Music has that transformative power: in a time where there is still too much introspective and insular music – we need to celebrate the songs and artists that go the extra mile to create a smile. Play the list and suggest your own choices: it would be great to add some more to the above.

TRACK REVIEW: Black Flowers Café - Mintaka ii

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Black Flowers Café

 

Mintaka ii

 

9.2/10

Mintaka ii is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7jpFKWmSuo&feature=youtu.be

GENRE:

Flower-Pop

ORIGIN:

Cosenza, Italy

RELEASE DATE:

18^th November 2015

HEADER PHOTO:

Michele Matteo Catanzariti Fotografo

__________________________

IT is probably the final time I shall mention…

the Mercury Prize, because it is hard extorting any new angles and revelations from the subject. It is still hot in my mind but it is worth bringing up one more time. Skepta walked away with the honour and it has sent warm waves through music. David Bowie was tipped to scoop the prize but, as has been said by the judges, came a close second. Skepta’s honour has meant Grime and Rap have been acknowledged in the mainstream and given a platform – there is still a long way to go. It shows there is a wide range in music and we are turning away from the predictable and everyday bands and starting to recognise what a variety there is. Konnichiwa, his winning entry album, was not reserved for lovers of Grime: its messages and music can be understood and appreciated by everyone. Fast flows and stories of the modern day streets are common to as all – perhaps not a huge surprise it affected the judging panel so much. What I love about the album is the sheer confidence and energy that runs through it. It is, above everything else, an interesting record that you find yourself coming back to and enjoy fresh revelation and layers. It may be something I say about many artists/songs, but you cannot underestimate the key and importance of nuance and longevity. Skepta will be a fixture for many years and is sure to develop his sound and grow in stature. My point is, rather artfully circling back to my featured band, how necessary it is to distinguish yourself and create something different. I find we are still producing too many average bands that stagger around and are content to replicate everyone else and commit cardinal sins. Whether it is songs about love and mind-aching vocals; the same old chords and images – we need to embrace musicians that are not willing to conform and have something about them. It is a bit of a vague topic to bring up, but it is worth further discussion. Skepta has shown how mainstream tastes are broadening and attitudes are starting to change. In the wider sense, I have seen some great artists emerge this year that has shown what variation and depth can be found in music. Away from the innovators and spectacular is that batch of past-their-sell-by-date-and-wearisome artists that insist on giving music a bad name. Maybe it is my ranting but I get a little fatigued by Indie/Alternative bands that think they can rock up and get away with the most basic and uninspired music.

Black Flowers Café are a band that intrigue me on their name alone. I do not even need to listen to any of their tracks before I am a little curious and smiling. I am not sure where the name originates but it gives you a little insight into what they are about. They are a Power-Pop band with some darker undertones but have that relatable, for-the-people vibe to them. Let’s hope the band get something together on social media and expand their pages. Before I get to their music and where they come from: it seems a lot of bands are being a bit shy and reserved when revealing themselves wholly. One of things about Black Flowers Café – they have a P.R. firm/contact helping promote their music – is how little is known about them. For the observer or international fans: it is important they get a little taster of the band and where they come from; who inspires them and what type of music turns them on. It is challenging understanding the guys and what makes them tick – their portfolio is reserved for music and images alone. In the modern age, there is an argument as to whether ‘overexposure’ or over-revelation on social media is a good thing or not. If you tell the audience everything about yourself then it can create one of two outcomes: either you are too transparent and open or you come across as aloof and distant. I feel, if you were to put too much information out there, it does not compel you to listen to the music too much – you feel you have the artist licked and their music will not provide any fresh insight. If you give a few lines on your social media pages, then you risk seeing the listener pass by – maybe that artist is not too interested in hooking people in. It all depends on the quality of the act as to whether (lack of information) is a big thing. With Black Flowers Café, there is a little bit of both camps. I feel the guys need to be a bit more open and let people know who inspires them and how they got started. In lieu of an official website and biography: it is challenging learning about them and what their future holds. They are an Italian band but obviously speak English and have amassed quite a following already. I am sure more information and insight will arrive in time but for now, one yearns for a little bit of a spotlight and conversation from the guys. Their Facebook and Twitter pages are very businessman-like and there is that risk of falling into the trap many bands do – not having fun and turning music into something too serious and by-the-numbers. Black Flowers Café are fun guys that have an affection and passion for what they do but one feels they need to flesh their pages out and get a bit more in the ether. What we do know about them is they hail from Cosenza: perhaps not the first place one would look for a new band. I have reviewed a lot of artists but only a couple from Italy. It is a nation we assume is going to be all Opera and Classical: that, or the Pop music is going to be unlistenable or dreck. Some European Pop and Rock is overblown and cheesy; there are too many European artists that fall into that stereotype. I feel we get hung-up on clichés and expectations and that rather stifles our adventurous nature. Cosenza itself is in Southern Italy has a population of under 1 million. Away from the Rendano Theatre and Morelli Theatre; the Old Gardens and Via Arabia stairs – lots of beauty, history and class can be discovered in the city. It is very much an archetypal Italian city full of culture and stunning views but not one of the more productive music centres. Perhaps Rome and Milan has a greater number of bands coming through so Black Flowers Café are a curiosity and innovators. We do not often embrace and celebrate musicians away from big cities and get too focused on the same places. That is not to say every nook and cranny of the globe houses wonderful acts but Italy is a nation we should explore more and realise its culture extends beyond museums and theatres – there is a thriving music scene that is starting to come from.

PHOTO CREDIT: Michele Matteo Catanzariti Ph.

Before coming on to investigate Black Flowers Café’s new (or current) single; the band themselves play Flower/Power-Pop blends and are Angelo, Antonio; Fernando and Gaetano write music that flows and ebbs; provides plenty of colour and emotion – much more effecting and graceful than most musicians out there. It is a genre that is not as represented as it should be and one feels (modern bands) are racing to harder sounds and overlooking what can be eked from Pop. We get bogged down – like we do when thinking of European music – feeling Pop is limited and sounds like everything in the charts. The genre is so wide-ranging and flexible: you can take it in all sorts of directions and throw other genres into the pot. Black Flowers Café plays in the Pop mould but has elements of Alternative and Rock about them – it is a concoction that seems designed to elicit maximum curiosity and fascination. The quartet has been established for a while but are continuing to grow and develop their music; take in new ideas and influences and make every single/album rich and rewarding.

Mintaka ii is the most recent single from the band, and some would argue, is their strongest track to date. They have been playing since 2011, so one has plenty of material to investigate and compare to – see how far the guys have come over the last few years. Mind-bending (from Rising Rain) was a great way to kick their careers off. Spritzing, kicking beats and an insatiable riff: “Nothing really belongs to you but the moment” it is said. The vocals are rushing and spirited whilst the band is tight and focused throughout. Grosvenor Square is one of the E.P.’s more curious songs and has glitchy, spacey electronics and a heavier mood to it. Whilst consistently flowing and energised; the song has slightly darker undertones and makes you curious. It shows, over the course of two songs, the boys are capable of taking the music in different directions but remaining focused and defined. Grosvenor Square is not as obvious as one feels and will win you with its intensity and messages. Deceit, emotions and poison are brought together – perhaps a message delivered to a lover or friend who has been deceitful? Whatever the origins of the song, it has a definite character and charm to it – the band keeping their native accents pure and ensuring they do not succumb to Anglicisation and Americanisation.

Flip the clock forward and their eponymous album took their music in new directions. More instruments and different shades were brought in. The production was a sharper thing and more polished: the songwriting more adventurous and the performances more confident. Thuban has echoed vocals and bongo percussions; spacey mood and glistening strings – an atmospheric with the hero wanted to be taken away (with the heroine). It is a gorgeous song that proves the experimental side of the band was at its fiercest and peak – you cannot compare a song like Thuban to too many others. The entire album boats that same kind of wonder and surprise. Alnilam starts with spoken word before going off into the cosmos. Once more, it has those intergalactic mentions and oeuvres but remains grounded and rooted in pure emotion.  The album explored themes of love, the self and modern relations but gave those (worn) subjects plenty of new life and uniqueness. It is the compositions that intrigue most and the sheer endeavor and inspiration across the album is to be applauded. Be/polar (2014) followed on and surprised with its consistencies and differences. The two-track E.P./single continued from their previous work but increased the confidence and quality. Perhaps their sharpest and finest produced work: another step up from the guys. Not quite as space-age as previous songs: you get embers of bands like Massive Attack in the beats and solid bass; the vocals hover and glide through the song and it is a wonderful release. Polar is more relaxed and sedate but the twanging, defiant bass-and-beats combination gets into the head and elicits serious impact – a song you come back to just to hear that. Be is a lot harder and gnarling; the percussion stands out and the track has huge force and rush – not forgetting the importance of the bass and how it continues to ride in the mix. Unlike previous releases, the vocal is more defined and clear. Previous Black Flowers Café releases have seen the vocal a little low down and hard to decipher. Maybe it is the annunciation and clarity that is most evident, rather than production guile. Here, unlike the debut cut for instance, everything is crisper and sharper. It makes the listening experience easier and ensures the song has a wider market and reaches further – decipherability and intelligibility are issues that can damage musicians. Mintaka ii pushes the music forward and has more in common with be/polar than the early efforts from the band. The band is at their finest and continues to experiment and bring new dimensions into the music. Production values are vital and Mintaka ii is a polished song that does not distill the song’s beauty – it brings everything to the fore and ensures every note and layer is sharp, clear and defined. Whatever shape new material takes – an album or E.P. – it will be wonderful seeing if the band continue down the space-themed songs and keep that sound in place – or move towards something more mainstream and Rock-based. They look at love and issues in life but have always put a new spin on it. Every time they tour and the more places they visit: the better their music becomes; the band learns new things and get tighter and more engaging. If they were to come to the U.K. and tour intentionally, it would see new sounds and ideas come into their work. Black Flowers Café are a band that keep getting stronger and finer: Mintaka ii is the perfect example of that and is a track that has been getting attention and love since its release last year.

PHOTO CREDIT: Michele Matteo Catanzariti Ph.

Previous tracks Four O’Clock and Up the River have accrued serious viewing on YouTube and gained a lot of love from fans. It is always hard topping your previous work and keeping the audiences satisfied and not repeating yourself. Black Flowers Café are one of those bands that are restless and hugely innovative. Following from 2014’s be/polar was the single release of Mintaka ii. It has received compliments and great reviews in the Italian press and blogs throughout the world have been keen to add their sentiments and applause. The opening seconds lead off with charging percussion and plenty of intention. The band does not jump in with guitars and bass and make it too heavy, too soon. That punchy and staunch percussion slam gets the track jumping right off. Mixing in some warm and colourful keyboard notes into the song: it takes on another side and takes the mind to the heavens. Like most of Black Flowers Café: their music heads towards the outer limits and has that cosmic splendor to it. There is a smile on the hero’s face and it seems like his mind is on a particular sweetheart. The Italian band is never that predictable and straight-forward when it comes to love and that side of the coin. They never deal with clichés and simple lyrics, which makes the opening moments intriguing and curious. “Don’t let me down” is a line delivered with elongating and effectiveness. Our frontman does not rush the sentiments: ensuring the words get into the heart and are understood. Once more, like so many Black Flowers Café songs, you are treated to an atmospheric and evocative composition that melts racing beats and romantic electric strings together. The vocal is there near the start but drops a few words and then retreats. Most bands are keen to get the vocals and lyrics heard as soon as possible and this means the composition often takes a back seat. Here, we get a little revelation and story but it is the music that is left to paint pictures and fill gaps. The band come together wonderfully and produces something mysterious and spirited all at once. The guitars trade low howls with dancing highs; pairing with galloping drums. Many reviewers have noted how the vocals and pronunciations have changed and become more English.

Syllables are not stretched and given that Italian romance: preferring a sharper and shorter delivery; perhaps a sign the band are trying to gain more exposure and attention from the international press. Like some of the older Black Flowers Café songs, the vocal is mixed too far down and it does harm some of the decipherability. That luxuriant and smooth delivery is entrancing and sensual but a few of the lyrics do get lost and ignored – you may have to check a lyric sheet. Luckily (what I did do) you are able to pick up the most important words and realise the song mixes hurt and pleasure – there is that contrast and some rather vivid sentiments. “Search your soul/Hanging between demons and wonders” is a curious statement and you feel a lover is being attested. Maybe someone who can pour scorn but has a good heart: trying to get inside the mind of a rather unpredictable and inscrutable muse. She might be someone who has a hard time expressing affection or plays too many games. Either way, the song does compel further speculation and gets the listener thinking. The rousing and “Your child memory in your soldier sight/Why can’t you dream?” has obliqueness but poeticness too. It is not surprising an Italian band has a romantic and elegant way with words but it is great hearing lines delivered like this. Rennis’ yearning and powerful voice sits on that blend of alt-J and Interpol sounds. It can be a risky venture producing a composition-heavy song and holding interest of the listener. Black Flowers Café manage to give so many different colours, ideas and sides to the song. It is a beautiful piece that is transcendent and haunting; beautiful and deeply enticing. You draw yourself in and hold to the speakers – trying to climb inside the song and its gorgeous notes. By the closing stages, you are fully surrendered to the majesty and force of the song – all its contours and variations. If the lyrics get you guessing and speculating – a heroine that is quite divisive and unpredictable; an imbalance in love – you are left in no two minds about the composition. It is another stunning and atmospheric track from a band that deserves greater international acclaim and attention. They have made their way to a few reviewers but feel they are just to grab full focus – that will come soon enough. Mintaka ii is a beautiful and memorable number one feels could form the part of an E.P. or album. Watch this space.

Black Flowers Café are a band you know have a lot more to say and many years ahead of them. They play mostly in Italy but one feels they will not be there forever. I am not sure how many opportunities can be found in the country and whether there are the chances to succeed and grow. Like smaller towns in the U.K.: you are limited in terms of performance and crowds and often see artists migrate to places like London to get their music heard. The same is true of countries like the U.S. and Australia. Extending that to Italy, and one wonders if Black Flowers Café will be moving on shortly. They have enjoyed modest success and getting stronger with every new release. Their sound is very much rooted in the Britain and the U.S. so one feels the boys will be moving over this way. London would provide a natural home for them and give them greater potential to get the music discovered and push what they do. As I said with regards their social media feed: they need to put a bit more on the page; not just for the fans, but venues and promoters will want to see some details and information before booking them. In a time when competition is stiff and hot: there are few artists that can afford to expend little effort on their biographies and just let the music talk for itself. The boys produce great music but their best days are still ahead – they have not hit their peak and are still experimenting. Mintaka ii is a great single that builds on their previous work and follows from 2014’s be/polar. Let’s hope there is more in the band and they continue to put out music. Having toured hard for the past few months; the band are looking ahead and working out their strategy. I feel an album is a natural progression and would be a nice step up from their previous E.P.s. Whether they have the confidence and material to put together an L.P., it will be interesting to see. I am sure there is a lot of great material in their minds, but how they organise and present that, will determine if an album is born. Certainly one would not rule an E.P. out so we should keep our eyes their way. Few can deny the impact they have made already and come along since their 2011 debut, Rising Rain. Always masterful when it comes to untraditional and unique song titles (Ain’t it just @ wine spot being one of the most bizarre I have come across) they are not your average group. At least you see personality and originality come out of them. It is not just their song titles and cover art that separates them from their peers. With Black Flowers Café you get the impression they are going to be favoured around the globe but just need that opportunity and lead. Most of their touring is confined to Italy but it is only a matter of time before demand comes from around the globe and they are covering the continents.

Before closing this down, I will just briefly return to my opening subjects and how music is changing – the way we view modern music and narrow our minds. Not to bring Skepta’s name up again – it will not mean a lot to Black Flowers Café – but I am excited to see modern music change directions and become less suppressive and restrained. In the past, we have been exposed to critically-approved musicians that all sort of blend into one another. If you take a thing like the Mercury Prize and there was a period when it was rather formulaic and run-of-the-mill. The best artists were recognised, but in terms of genres and sounds, it did not push boundaries and progress at all. Rock and Pop were preferred and one would never consider how far along the award ceremony would evolve. In the last couple of years, we are seeing that shift and away-from-the-mainstream genres and acts are being acknowledged. It is a sign music in general is widening and attitudes are altering. The celestial, river-flow songs of Black Flowers Café is the sort of music that deserves more focus and getting itself heard wider than Italy. Of course, the guys have fans across the globe but there are more faces and crowds that have not discovered them yet. As a group, they seem like everyone else (on paper and image) but the music itself has something extra and special – that little hint of magic in the air. Quite hard to truly explain but you just know it will get into the brain and float around for days on end. Many people have been scared off Pop because they see it is chart fodder and envisage a certain type of artists. Maybe the mass-produced, faceless magazine star that has little personality or anything about them – all looks and generic sounds. If you look closely, you’ll find realise just how expansive and surprising Pop is. The Black Flowers Café boys play Flower-Pop with a little bit of Alternative and that works just fine. If you look on their social media you will see the hashtag #flow emerge and reappear. That suggests either an album or E.P. – perhaps a song is on its way? It has been a while since Mintaka ii but people are talking of it still and it is getting people hungry for more material. When that does arrive, and what form Flow takes, the four-piece are making plans and keeping the waggon rolling. They are seducing Italian crowds but there will be people over here (and around the world) that would like to see the guys in the flesh. Let’s hope, sooner rather than later, the band takes some time and…

PHOTO CREDIT: Michele Matteo Catanzariti Ph.

COME see us.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7jpFKWmSuo&w=560&h=315]

_____________________________

Follow Black Flowers Café

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Michele Matteo Catanzariti Fotografo

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/blackflowerscafe

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/bfcband

BandCamp:

http://blackflowerscafe.bandcamp.com/music

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKli_e7XLIn9SsdwWMVrKGg

FEATURE: The September Playlist: Vol. 4

FEATURE:

 

The September Playlist: Vol. 4

______________________

AFTER Skepta scooped the Mercury Prize…

there has been a lot of talk in the music world. It was a great triumph and defied the odds. Bowie won in spirit but when it came to guts and soul – there could only be one winner. Also, the likes of The Beatles are immortalised in film (Ron Howard’s new documentary, Eight Days a Week, is out soon) and Led Zeppelin have released their BBC Sessions album. Amy Winehouse was born on 14^th September, 1983, so I had to include a song from her. Lots of great singles have come out – Thom Yorke has just released one today –and the promise of great new music to follow.

___________________

Future Generations – Thunder in the City

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/274589406" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

Skepta – Crime Riddim

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVw542-t5W4&w=560&h=315]

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood - Present Tense

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hgVihWjK2c&w=560&h=315]

Led Zeppelin - What Is and What Should Never Be

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrqMdja4eYs&w=560&h=315]

DJ Shadow – Midnight in a Perfect World

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InFbBlpDTfQ&w=560&h=315]

Randy – Justice

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw3d9KTYHIE&w=560&h=315]

Professor Green - Back on the Market

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2kDeRhiVRQ&w=560&h=315]

Slaves - People That You Meet

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZg2qNAhSwE&w=560&h=315]

Matt Berry - Obsessed and So Obscure

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6eKamGyuMQ&w=560&h=315]

The Beatles – We Can Work it Out

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyclqo_AV2M&w=560&h=315]

Black Marble – Woods

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrwSeH6DNRs&w=560&h=315]

Billie Marten – Milk & Honey

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNAmwWBy0nw&w=560&h=315]

Devendra Banhart – Saturday Night

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md0000uSgOs&w=560&h=315]

God Damn- Fake Prisons

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiKeRFUfdPk&w=560&h=315]

Twenty One Pilots – Cancer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJleZQqvr44&w=560&h=315]

Years & Years - Meteorite

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFCsqixeluc&w=560&h=315]

JoJo - Mad Love

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUVgKzU-bMo&w=560&h=315]

Every Time I Die – Glitches

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY5YoFRUjxs&w=560&h=315]

Meat Loaf (featuring Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito) - Going All The Way Is Just the Start

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgMv9QOcmNw&w=560&h=315]

Sampha - Blood on Me

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oM1DFL43Lk&w=560&h=315]

Röyksopp (feat. Susanne Sundfør) - Never Ever

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5EK7V88ns&w=560&h=315]

Kim Gordon – Murdered Out

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvgRg_mUhtQ&w=560&h=315]

Pixies – Letter to Memphis

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erHJJgyt_Tw&w=560&h=315]

Yak – Heavens Above

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJrwPXxefEQ&w=560&h=315]

Amy Winehouse – Tears Dry on Their Own

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojdbDYahiCQ&w=560&h=315]

Cherry Glazerr - Told You I’d Be With the Guys

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFgz9aiiZlQ&w=560&h=315]

Beck – Wow

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyCkhPTU13w&w=560&h=315]

The Kills – Impossible Tracks

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haEqhj76z3I&w=560&h=315]

Jack Garratt (ft. Little Simz) – Far Cry

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/256213561" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

Thom Yorke – Coloured Candy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaxtoRCjoF0&w=560&h=315]

After the dust has settled on Skepta’s Mercury Prize win and all the great and bizarre songs have dropped – we look ahead to the coming weeks. Pixies will bring out Head Carrier while Devendra Banhart is preparing his new album. There are enough surprises in store and I will do my best to keep on top of all of them.

INTERVIEW: Paul from Quiet Quiet Band

INTERVIEW:

 

 

Paul from Quiet Quiet Band 

____________________________

IN a musical world where few bands can make their music connect…

let alone their personalities: it is wonderful discovering an act that hit hard on both fronts. Quiet Quiet Band are an incredible London-based five-piece DeathCountryFolkArtRockMovieMusic band (the short description on their Facebook page) and have played everywhere from sweaty bars to barns – bringing their brilliant, beautiful music to the masses – sometimes, livestock and farm animals. In the Body is the latest single from the rousing, good-natured Quiet Quite Band boys. Not only an incredible song: it gives us a glimpse into their future works and what is to come. From the fine facial hairs of the quintet; I get to chat with Paul (from the band) and quiz him good. I ask him about Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ new album – all the band is fans of his work – his plans for Christmas and what influenced their forthcoming E.P.’s final track – and why it is called Tony Robinson.

________________________________

Hey. How are you? How has your week been?

Great, thanks. We have been on a tropical island conducting pagan rituals ­ all to help with the release of COME HOME FROM THE WAR. Can't give too many details but chicken blood and shattered clay idols were involved.

For those new to your music, can you introduce yourself, please?

Sure.

Quiet Quiet Band are purveyors of homemade-organic-artisan-murder-ballads with a side order of sing-along country and a liberal dash of folk story-telling

DeathCountryFolkArtMovieMusic.

It is clear to hear, when discovering your music, how much of a bond the band has. How did you guys meet and what would you say is the reason behind the strong connection?

I trapped the rest of the band into a co­dependent pact of musically-assured destruction using a mixture of voodoo, guilt, blackmail and passive-aggressive disappointment.

Cleverly, this has been disguised as friendship for commercial gain.

I know Nick Cave is an influence of Quiet Quiet Band. Have you heard the new ‘Bad Seeds album, and if so, what do you reckon?

Jon (drummer) listened to the live stream of SKELETON TREE and described it is harrowing and incredible. I crashed my car when I heard JESUS ALONE for the first time ‘cause I was crying - so working up to a full listen under laboratory conditions.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/280880248" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

In the Body is your latest track and is, as you describe yourself, a departure in terms of sound and themes. What inspired the song and what was the reason for pushing yourselves in another direction?

The departure is really a natural growth for us. IN THE BODY is the 2nd of our front-man Tom’s songs that we've recorded (the 1st was SO LONG on our 1st album LOW NOON). He has a real talent for sensual, emotional writing; so we had to make sure the music conveyed that. Plus we have been listening to a LOT of Fela Kuti. The song is a celebration of our fleshy human vessels, ­ which themselves, grow in their own unique way.

Come Home from the War, where the single appears, is out on November 4th . What can you tell us about the E.P.’s sounds and what was the recording process like?

COME HOME' is definitely the best thing we've done so far.

It builds on the singalong Country stomp that we've always had with deeper African & Gypsy rhythms. We were lucky enough to record with Sam Wheat (Metropolis/RekRoom) and he made everything so simple and relaxed. Plus, his skills on the mix are insane. We could not be happier with how the E.P. sounds.

The final track on the E.P. is called Tony Robinson. Are there lots of Baldrick quotes or a bit of Time Team elements? What brought about the decision to immortalise the comedy legend in song?

There is a little bit of Tony Robinson in all of us. Everyone has had at least one cunning plan at a Roman hill fort, so I hope people can relate to the song. And if you check out Tony Robinson reading Odysseus you can see what a great storyteller he is. It's really a fan letter from one storyteller to another.

I know the E.P. ruminates on conflict and the way we try to escape it. How have recent political and terrorist events gone into your lyrics or are your songs more ingrained in everyday turmoil and confrontation?

Yeah ­ it's all pretty f***** right now. People that crave power are always crazy but seems that we have a golden generation at the moment. Lucky us.

As a band, we've always laughed, danced & sang in the face of death - so the more f***** it gets the more we all need to laugh and dance and sing. COME HOME is trying to process the explosions & invasions by focusing on what really matters ­ the people.

Your music blends sea shanties and zombie riffs; wonderful hoedowns and everything in-between. Which artists are you boys inspired by and helped push you towards the Quiet Quiet Band sound?

We all love a lyric & a story so Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave are massive inspirations. Their ability to convey time, place and feeling with the stroke of a pen is something we aspire to.

Also, Modes Mouse & Violent Femmes for that misanthrope, party-time vibe. Plus, lots of Fela Kuti. He had it all: when we finally start our commune, it will be because of Fela.

You each have mighty fine facial hair in different stages of evolution and maturity. Which band member would you say how the best facial hair – or is it something subject to fierce debate?

Tom (front-man) has to win ­ his is care and attention; the rest of ours are laziness.

Aside from your E.P. and new music, are there are dates or upcoming events you are really looking forward to?

The E.P. launch is going to be incredible (4 Nov @ The Finsbury in London). We've got a full-on Folk set coming up for Woodburner on 20th Oct in London that we’re excited about. Also, a Reading show in November that is going to be amazing -great lineup for that one.

Not to be depressing but it’s about three-­and-­a-­half months until Christmas. What is on your wish­list for this year?

A mansion so we can start our commune; a statue of Cthulhu and Donald Trump to find the dharma.

Getting back to music, and I am interested to know about the creative process. How do songs come together and who usually leads the songwriting?

Songwriting comes first from myself & Tom. When we have something decent we present to the band who tear it down and build it back up.

Scott (bass) is the sarge when it comes to this play-and-vicious-edit process. Inspiration mostly comes through coded messages left at bus stops and whispers in the darkness.

Looking at your music and tour dates and you seem to be torn between the country and city. Where do you feel happiest and most inspired, or does a blend of the two provide a perfect balance?

I think it's safe to say the majority of these band are city-mice. It's only me that fears large settlements - ­ too many people set off the voices in my head, like when Patrick Stewart puts on the Cerebro helmet in X Men.

Have you any advice for your bands coming through right now?

Channel as much pagan magic as possible. All else is folly

Finally­ and for being a good egg­ you can name any song you like (not one of yours as I’ll do that) and I’ll play it here...

Zombie by Fela Kuti (if you can fit it in). Ta.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj5x6pbJMyU&w=560&h=315]

________________________

Follow Quiet Quiet Band

 

Header Photo Credit: Silvia Cruz

Official:

https://quietquietband.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/quietquietband/?fref=ts

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/quietquietband

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/quiet-quiet-band/

__________________

See Quiet Quiet Band live

Friday 23 September: The Finsbury, London N4

Saturday 1 October: The Bell on the Green, Devizes

Friday 4 November: The Finsbury, London N4 (official E.P. launch)

Friday 25 November: Rising Sun Arts Centre, Reading 

FEATURE: The September Playlist: Vol. 3

FEATURE:

 

The September Playlist: Vol. 3

______________________

I hadn’t planned on doing another volume of the Playlist until next week…

but because of the Mercury Prize – and the nominees and artists I have not included much – there was room enough to create another addition. There are a lot of great singles out and albums arriving the next couple of weeks – I have been digging through and seeing what’s what. That is the thing with music: always something happening and songs popping up; you need to keep abreast of it all. Hopefully, this (rundown) helps…

_____________________

God Damn – Sing This

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy7Wqqk7zBI&w=560&h=315]

The Magic Gang - All This Way

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2r2sPaiVH4&w=560&h=315]

Aaron Lewis – This Ain’t Country

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFmINYbfhhQ&w=560&h=315]

Izzy Bizu - Fly With Your Eyes Closed

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oqt6Io96hw&w=560&h=315]

The Wytches - Hannover Square

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/281448946" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

Touché Amoré (feat. Julien Baker) - Skyscraper

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LkMrraYCWg&w=560&h=315]

Against Me! - 333

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUWi8lVaGcE&w=560&h=315]

Jasmine Thompson – I Try

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znJ6Dh_DyVU&w=560&h=315]

Kaiser Chiefs - Hole In My Soul

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDph7oYPET8&w=560&h=315]

Norah Jones – Carry On

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqA25Ug71Mc&w=560&h=315]

Ramones – Beat on the Brat

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HUGeA2lur4&w=560&h=315]

Dan Croll - Swim

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M34VETZL7uA&w=560&h=315]

Of Mice and Men – Like a Ghost

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUtv8S1R7v4&w=560&h=315]

Bon Iver - 10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNy7VtSsmu8&w=560&h=315]

A Tribe Called Red - (feat. John Trudell & Northern Voice ) - We Are The Halluci Nation

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4xwN3yPZA0&w=560&h=315]

Taking Back Sunday – You Can’t Look Back

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqmKSb0kPjo&w=560&h=315]

Preoccupations - Memory

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P6qqceGQlM&w=560&h=315]

LeAnn Rimes – How to Kiss a Boy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am86I6xb2VM&w=560&h=315]

Mac Miller (feat. Ariana Grande) - My Favorite Part

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vkko-vX06I&w=560&h=315]

Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wish

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiuXd807mKI&w=560&h=315]

Deap Vally – Smile More

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIreuaDVJdA&w=560&h=315]

How to Dress Well – What’s Up

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRSkmfwJxHU&w=560&h=315]

Warpaint – New Song

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PhAMlJDMeI&w=560&h=315]

Beach Slang – Punks In a Disco Bar

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ_83CuPOks&w=560&h=315]

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Magneto 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JfDU2Vj6k0&w=560&h=315]

Public Access T.V. – Sudden Emotion

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zULHrGuSbA4&w=560&h=315]

Devendra Banhart – Saturday Night

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md0000uSgOs&w=560&h=315]

Boxed In - Forget

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU2G9eLg8KY&w=560&h=315]

Flock of Dimes – Semaphore

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrw1E6xvYHE&w=560&h=315]

Jamie Woon – Skin

Savages - T.I.W.Y.G.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkICznLrnew&w=560&h=315]

Laura Mvula – Phenomenal Woman

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7---iGdDIBQ&w=560&h=315]

Skepta - Corn on the Curb

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knZ9R1q5QzE&w=560&h=315]

Michael Kiwanuka – I’ll Never Love

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLWU2FqQ66c&w=560&h=315]

The 1975 – A Change of Heart

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trbwqF0d7NA&w=560&h=315]

The Comet Is Coming – Space Cadet

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bih6JQzbFY0&w=560&h=315]

I shall relent from compiling another playlist for a week but because the Mercury Prize is up on Thursday, it has been tempting including a few of the nominees and uncovering some great tracks (not included a couple of days ago). I shall leave you to leaf through the music – check out the albums they come from and discover some fantastic new artists and records.

FEATURE: The Mercury Prize: 25 and Still Surprising

FEATURE:

 

The Mercury Prize:

 

25 and Still Surprising

______________________

WHETHER you consider it an irrelevant award or a…

vital part of the music catalogue: you cannot deny how important the Mercury Prize is to the artists nominated. Whilst some winners have faded into obscurity (Talvin Singh anyone?) bands like Elbow, Primal Scream and Suede are still together and recording years after they won the prize. There has been a lot of interest and attention paid to this year’s nominations considering David Bowie’s untimely death – he is the odds-on favourite to win in many people’s hearts. While I favour Radiohead for the prize but feel a win for Kano would be a great decision – there is no telling who will actually win on the night. To be fair, the Mercury Prize is not a curse for artists and can increase record sales and confident for those who claim the award – even those nominated see their music reach new audiences and their careers grow. It is brilliant to see the range of artists and albums nominated this year: from the gritty Rap/Grime of Skepta to the cosmic weirdness of The Comet Is Coming. In anticipation of this year’s event: I look back at all the winners so far – selecting the best track from each album.

HEADER ILLUSTRATION: Krent Able

___________________

 

1992: Primal Scream – Screamadelica

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWUC2-ypnDQ&w=560&h=315]

1993: Suede - Suede

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nWJQStqrfw&w=560&h=315]

1994: M People – Elegant Slumming

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCekWXCO6Uc&w=560&h=315]

1995: Portishead - Dummy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnFlrR43YBs&w=560&h=315]

1996: Pulp – Different Class

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0DRch3YLh0&w=560&h=315]

1997: Roni Size/Reprazent – New Forms

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwI0gbGEyuI&w=560&h=315]

1998: Gomez – Bring It On

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKrIkflT_YY&w=560&h=315]

1999: Talvin Singh - Ok

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VclOPJCMlCY&w=560&h=315]

2000: Badly Drawn Beast – The Hour of Bewilderbeast

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPVAipmV7jY&w=560&h=315]

2001: PJ Harvey – Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTrGowDPjBk&w=560&h=315]

2002: Ms. Dynamite – A Little Deeper

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxkRuJz0yrw&w=560&h=315]

2003: Dizzee Rascal – Boy in da Corner

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZGvnI37mxk&w=560&h=315]

2004: Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18pyJ1rPfH8&w=560&h=315]

2005: Antony and the Johnsons – I Am a Bird Now

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufmJo_OBWyM&w=560&h=315]

2006: Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqkBRVukQmE&w=560&h=315]

2007: Klaxons – Myths of the Near Future

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-SJjFcnsGs&w=560&h=315]

2008: Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxczVhG0os8&w=560&h=315]

2009: Speech Debelle – Speech Therapy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I98iyEf5a7E&w=560&h=315]

2010: The xx - xx

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pib8eYDSFEI&w=560&h=315]

2011: PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBtOWXNPQ_w&w=560&h=315]

2012: Alt-J – An Awesome Wave

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVeMiVU77wo&w=560&h=315]

2013: James Blake – Overgrown

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6PcFFUm5I&w=560&h=315]

2014: Young Fathers - Dead

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiMtr9QJHlY&w=560&h=315]

2015: Benjamin Clementine – At Least for Now

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dc5BQ31iLw&w=560&h=315]

2016: The Five in the Running...

Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI2oS2hoL0k&w=560&h=315]

Kano – Made in the Manor

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPmNxobIoWI&w=560&h=315]

Bat for Lashes – The Bride

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0QTaULDRXI&w=560&h=315]

Anohni – Hopelessness

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pei4SnavUk&w=560&h=315]

David Bowie – Blackstar

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zF2tsBJnpk&w=560&h=315]

In four days, we will find out who walks away with this year’s Mercury Prize. While there are definite frontrunners and favourites: Past years have shown you cannot easily predict who will win. The past two years have seen under-the-radar artists emerge victorious – those who defied the odds and claimed the top prize. In 1994, few would have guessed M People would have won the prize – considering The Prodigy and Blur were both nominated following career-best album releases. Who knows but many bookies are favouring David Bowie to win – it would be very shocking were anyone else to scoop the Mercury. With regards this year’s forthcoming ceremony…

WHO knows what will happen.

TRACK REVIEW: Blayre Mic - Love B.P.M.

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Blayre Mic

 

 

Love B.P.M.

9.6/10

Love B.P.M. is available at:

https://soundcloud.com/blayremic/love-bpm-1

GENRES: R&B; Soul

ORIGIN:

Oakland, U.S.A.

The E.P., The Pledge, is available from 10th October.

____________________________________

NOT only is my featured artist from a part of the U.S…

that houses many prominent musicians: she is also one of the boldest and most colourful artists I have encountered in a long while. California is one of the most prominent and prolific areas for great music – alongside New York; there has always been that legacy for wonderful and historic music. If we think about the U.S., there is that conception that there is little great music beyond the best the East and West Coast has to offer. That is naïve but it is also naïve to assume the best of California lays within Los Angeles. Being in London, I get a first-hand look into the finest and most varied artists in the U.K. – debatably, I am in the hub of the music world; the absolute centre of creativity and future stars. California always intrigues me and is no slouch when compared with London. Oakland has provided music some rather wonderful and variegated artists – and continues to do so to this day. Look back at Tower of Power and The Pointer Sisters; En Vouge and Zion I call Oakland home. Oakland is the third-largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the eighth-largest city in Los Angeles. It is not a shock to see musicians hail from here, but we often overlook this part of the state. Los Angeles gets a lot of the focus, and that is fair enough – a city that seems to stamp an endless stock of sensational musicians out. Oakland intrigues me with its stunning views and demographic. The city has a large percentage of Black and non-Hispanic (28% and 25.9% in 2010 respectively) and 25% of its people are Hispanic. It is this diversity and multicultural richness that goes into the music of Oakland. Looking back at the bands that come from the area, and directly applying it to my featured artist and En Vogue seem like the best example. The sassy, rebellious and defiant anthems they created – Free Your Mind especially – have compelled and inspired legions of female bands and solo singers – one feels Blayre Mic was listening closely in the ‘90s. Before going on further: let’s have a little look at Blayre Mic’s biography:

“‘Being normal was never an option given to me. I've always had to create my own path, and walk on it in stilettos!’- Blayre Mic 

She has a captivating and powerful voice, punctuated with powerful lyrics, and those ‘get-up-out-your seat’ grooves. Her voice is a sexy, seductive, sincere instrument that draws you in, and makes you wanting more.

In an industry that strives for individuality, Blayre Mic is an individual soul without bounds. Perhaps it stems from her up-bringing in Oakland, California. “As a kid I never wanted to be like everyone else. I wanted my own style and personality. Thankfully my parents allowed me to figure out who I was on my own. So if you want to stand out in my family, you have to be pretty spectacular at something.”  Blayre Mic, who is influenced by greats like Donna Summer, Outkast, Patti LaBelle, Grace Jones, and Prince. As a child growing up in a family as the youngest and only girl, Blayre Mic developed her voice and stage presence by performing in countless stage productions, until finally breaking out into film/television roles in her early teens. At the age of five, Blayre Mic sung a head turning rendition of Ray Charles' classic, ‘Hit the Road Jack’ for family guests, and her parents knew she was destined for the stage. A year later, Blayre Mic started playing and writing music. 

Establishing her own brand of pop called "Progressive Pop", which Blayre Mic describes as 80's Prince meets Outkast, this chanteuse is destined to be music's next big artist to watch! Look out world, here comes Blayre Mic”.

Blayre Mic is someone who wants to make changes in the musical world and brings me to my next point – artists that have bold personalities and stands out. You cannot miss Blayre Mic in the crowd and she is someone who is a bit outspoken but wants her opinions heard. In his words, and in a recent interview with Female First, she described herself as a “royal blue-haired, outspoken, in-your-face singer/songwriter/lyricist, who wears her heart on her sleeve, is addicted to hearing the beat drop, and [is] always on the look out for a sensible six inch stiletto”. Just looking at her and you sense a strong and focused woman who knows what she wants from music. She has a huge love of Prince – Why Don’t You Call Me Anymore is her favourite song – and acts like Rick James and James Brown were part of her childhood. Blayre Mic is inspired by colours and textures and is obsessed with vibrancy and fabric. You can tell in her looks and music how much colour and multifariousness means to her. All of this together and you have a sassy and hard-hitting musician that wants to be taken seriously and in no mood to surrender at any point – that will stand her in very good stead. We have so few genuinely stand-out and impressive personalities in the music industry so it is always wonderful discovering one.

You get the impression (Blayre Mic) will go all the way and will bulldoze any barriers that come before her. She is, as she proclaims, ‘dope’ and one of the coolest and intense musicians around.

That spirit of James Brown and Prince comes through. There is a funkiness and cool-edged sass to her music; a defiant confidence and control – she comes to the microphone and gives it plenty of attitude, panache and sexiness. I mentioned En Vogue earlier and they are, to my mind at least, the last girl band who introduced important themes to music and reigned with supremacy and passion. Too many modern-day equivalents focus on love and relations without addressing social issues and more important topics. Blayre Mic looks at heartache and love but does so without sorrow and self-destruction: she smashes outwards and sends out a positive message to women not to be taken for granted and be made a fool of.

It is rare to see, not only a character and real personality come through, but someone who wants to change the world and improve things for disadvantaged people. Blayre Mic, in the aforementioned interview with Female First, wants to bring her music to those who suffer illiteracy – not just women, but communities where the inhabitants do not have the same privilege and opportunities as others. It is a commendable and thoughtful attitude from a musician who could easily turn her back on altruistic endeavours. She has the talent and determination to make money and get her face across magazines – the beauty and personality to win most over and rank alongside the freshest and finest of the mainstream. Many artists who find that acclaim and stature become embroiled in a lifestyle of gaudy wealth and publicity-chasing column inches – becoming rich and insignificant; only thinking about themselves. You know that will never be the case with the young American.  Blayre Mic is never going to be one of those people. She grew up with humbleness and certain meekness: always looking at those less fortunate and hoping to use her music as a platform for reform and betterment. I know that will come because, as Love B.P.M. shows, it is capturing hearts and ears with ease. I’m not someone who can swing the word ‘dope’ around and make it sound natural – being the whitest person in the world – but it is a syllable that seems entirely appropriate for Blayre Mic – she is hungry, attacking and ice-cool as they come. Her E.P., The Pledge, is forthcoming and it will be interesting to see how she expands from Love B.P.M. and whether the themes follow the same sort of course – giving lovers a dressing-down and demanding respect and proper affection. I know Blayre Mic wants to bring her music to those who have less and the messages and themes have to relate and resonate with those communities. If the music looked at fame, fortune, and shallow concerns – it would be a poor message to teach those not only learning to read and write but perhaps thinking about a career in the arts. Blayre Mic knows what is not her and she is not someone for whom materialism and bling are not ideologies and lusts – she is much happier teaching respect and values. It is not a marketing ploy or a way of gathering quick focus and respect – it is who she is and will always continue to be.

Blayre Mic is a fearless and ambitious star that wants to remain large and prominent in music years down the line – her first foray into the industry is hugely direct, impressive and characterful. It is challenging comparing her early work with previous as they are one of the same. One feels her E.P. (The Pledge) and its release date is a sly little hint at its quality. It will be out on October 10^th (10/10) and that cannot be an unconscious or accidental drop date – she knows how good the material is and wants critics to make it accordingly. I am not sure how many 10/10 or five-star reviews The Pledge will garner – it is going to get its fair share of passionate reviews for sure. Love B.P.M. is an empathic and impassioned offering from a young woman who transposes love stories and contemporary urges – penning sappy and sensitive lyrics – and comes out the gate defiant and aggressive. She is not someone who comes across too brash and loud – the song looks at being treated right and her man showing her proper affection. You do not get many musicians looking at this side of relationships so that is to be commended straight away. One suspects The Pledge will go down the same road but also cast its net wider and look at societal imbalances and gender politics – perhaps some anthems about inequality and unfairness in the industry. I cannot say for sure but you know the E.P. will burst with life and wonderful music – if her debut single is anything to go by! It is good to see a musician so young and fresh have high hopes and ambitions right from the get-go.

I know Blayre Mic will be thinking ahead and looking at possible L.P.s and follow-up E.P.s. There is that intense passion and ambition in her heart that cannot be quelled and extinguished.

She wants to burn hard and make her mark on music from the earliest possible point – that is to be congratulated and encouraged. Let us see just how far she can go and how hard she can strike.

Love B.P.M. takes no time in establishing its presence in the opening moments. L-O-V-E is stuttered and repeated as a mantra: the heroine gets into the head and lets her voice mix with edgy, cut-and-paste beats and twanging bass. There is plenty of funk and energy expended early that carries the song into the heavens. It is those beats and hand-clap effects that will register hardest to start. It gives the track a heaviness and definite authority that is hard to refute and overlook. Squelched electronics and vocal fragments charge - the beats reign and the song bolts fast with phat percussion smash – teeing up Blayre Mic and her noble mandate. She does not want her man rolling up in a fast car and wallet stuffed with cash. If he has money and wealth then that is fair enough: just don’t go breaking her heart and expecting to get away from it. It appears the kind of guy being represented – maybe the kind who have been attracted to Blayre Mic – feels wealth and possessions make up for genuine emotion and affection. Those types of lovers feel they can buy a woman and treat them like accessories – this attitude is being addressed and attacked in the song. Blayre Mic keeps the vocal cool (or ‘dope’) and swaggers through the opening seconds. Horns are compacted and stretched; the composition blends a heavy-handed punch and melody with affection and intelligence – enough kick and jazziness to get the body moving but concrete and forceful in its intent. When coming back to the microphone, Blayre Mic lets it be known she is the kind of girl who likes honest. Not one to be toyed and messed around: if you lie and deceive then you’re likely to be given short shrift. “Baby you don’t want to play” is repeated and stuttered – like the opening ‘L.O.V.E.’ – and crosses Lemonade-era Beyoncé with Kellis – a little bit of Prince in terms of the Funk and Pop elements working in the undergrowth. At every stage, you are caught by the energy and quality of the song. It is never too processed or cliché and manages to evoke potency and catchiness in equal measures. Blayre Mic’s voice switches between sweet-natured and bold – teasing the boy but sinking in the fangs when it is needed. “Think I wanna stay with you/think I wanna be with you” wants more given a repetitious quality – every notable line or lyrics is reintroduced to ensure her meanings and words ring true and are understood. There is a sense that the relationship is pure and true but there are some problems for sure.

Maybe the boy is not being open and sensitive to her needs and expending necessary affection. Perhaps too caught up with money and his own concerns. The 'B.P.M.', in medical terms, is ‘Beats Per Minute’. One feels it has been reworked as ‘Baby Please Me’ or something similar. The chorus gives the song title and sentiments necessary swing and swagger: a male voice joins in the back and the composition gets busy and layered. You get sucked into the sheer momentum and dance; the brilliant kick and sheer confidence of the vocal line. It is the vocal transformations and dynamic shifts that give the song its flair, nuance, and originality. It is like there’s an entire band in the room. Usually, when it comes to girl groups, you have various members singing various parts. Some are stronger in the middle of the range whereas others are better when harmonised – almost like lining up a football team. Each singer has their strengths and are arranged accordingly. Blayre Mic goes from high to low, sweet to cutting – sometimes the vocal is left pure and other times it is machine-fed and cut up. It not only gives Love B.P.M. a restless and drunken quality – it ensures the song gets bodies onto the dancefloor and gets people singing along. The song establishes a distinct pattern by the half-way point. The verse concerns loyalty and dedication – the terms of the engagement and how the bond will exist. If the boy wants to be respected and stay with Blayre Mic then he needs to be respectful and open his heart more. Perhaps he has not said “I love you” and is being too cagey and coy. It is impossible not to get caught in the dizzying mix of notes and ideas in the song. It is such a busy and hyperactive number but one that paints and important message and stands aside from lazy, stereotyped R&B numbers (many others release). Love B.P.M.’s chorus is an insatiable and dynamite explosion that gets into the brain and is impossibly hooky. By the two-and-a-half minute mark, there is a calming and refrain from the storm. Blayre Mic soothes and coos, while the beats relent – just left with slight electronics and the odd hint of what came before. Perhaps the previous couple of minutes represent arguments and the tension that has arisen in the relationship. Now, there is something more relaxed and casual that signifies either a détente or compromise – or the bond has been broken and both have gone their own way.

“I’m the sweetest girl you’ll ever know” the heroine lets it be known – she has a big heart and will let it show. Extolling her virtues and personality traits that may have been missed; imploring to the man and hoping he does not turn ignorant to her charms and pluses. It seems like the anti-hero has been playing it too loose and not committing to something real and proper. He will throw away something special and deep if he continues to tom-cat around and wake up. Knowing the cachet and merits of the chorus: it is brought in heavy towards the end and ensures every little piece of it gets into the collective mindset. You cannot argue against the fact the delivery and sound is something urgent and bracing – you will be singing along and seduced by its addictiveness. Our heroine does not want to be played around and passed over for no reason at all. When she enters a relationship, she gives her all so that should be respected and considered. By the time Love B.P.M. comes down to close, one feels the message has been delivered and if he does not shape up – he is going to be hitting the bricks and done with. I am not sure whether the song looks at a real relationship and past love but it has a definite conviction and sense of reality. Of course, Love B.P.M. will be a centerpiece of The Pledge and it will be amazing to see if any other songs on the set have the same vibrancy and catchiness.

You come away from Love B.P.M. and want to replay it and dance along. An emphatic and stunning slice from a new artist who is going to make a big impression on the music industry.

It is not good enough to simply come into music and either follow the crowd or expect others to promote your work – without expending necessary energy and protocol. I have seen a lot of young musicians coming along and sit behind management companies and let them do the work – their songs and albums have been filled with cliché and unforgettable sounds. Those who come along and shake things up are the way forward for music. Sure, if there was little to recommend in the music then that effort and determination would be somewhat half-assed. As it is, you get the complete package with Oakland native Blayre Mic. Having been attuned to her dad’s record collection – James Brown and Rick James featuring prominently – and that fascination with Prince – she seems like a reincarnated musical version of the sadly-departed legend. The way he (Prince) obsessed over colour and fashion – purple an obvious colour of choice – you can see much of Prince in Blayre Mic. The similarities extend to music and the attitude and funk you get: two musicians that take very little bull**** and are at the top of the romance food chain – they want respect and lovers that fall hard. One imagines, like Prince did often, Blayre Mic will take the volume and lights down and offer some sensuality and tenderness in future songs, but right now, she is keen to establish herself as The Boss. She has no intention of being a workaday Pop star and being lauded by the celebrity tabloids. Blayre Mic wants to attack on two fronts. Her music is fresh and alert: there to stand aside and show what a force she is; someone who shows plenty of spunk and raw power and wants to stick in the mind. On the other hand, she wants to go deeper and speak to communities and those who are often overlooked. Specifically desiring the chance to those who are illiterate – breaking down boundaries and utilising music as a therapeutic tool and way to not only assimilate more easily but discover something wonderful and eye-opening. Blayre Mic is in no short supply of confident and passion and this has helped her break into the industry with ease. She knows it is tough for women to make it in music. There are still discriminatory limitations and holdbacks or women and old-age attitudes that need eradicating and overhaul. Blayre Mic knows, for music and civilization to evolve, we need to work with one another gender-blind and find that cooperative kinship.

No changes and progression will occur if we are on different pages and balkanised as people. That being said, there is a gender divide that extends across pay, attitudes and opportunities. I know festivals and the big-league line-ups offer few female performers – Britain’s top-four festivals are male-heavy and seem to favour bands over solo artists. I am not sure what the dynamic and breakdown is in the U.S. – one suspects festivals like SXSW and Lollapalooza favour the XY music-determination rather than a more equal showcase. I am not sure whether this imbalance is to do with talent and appeal: are the male bands and solo artists stronger than their female counterparts? I suspect, in terms of quality, there is a little edge to the men but I find the lack of opportunities and focus is damaging and polluting that argument. Women are often focused-on due to their looks and sex appeal – even in 2016, there is a very prehistoric and sexist attitude towards women. Pay imbalance and inequality exists throughout the workplace and this is certainly true of music. These factors – and the fact there is such a history of favouring male-made music – is putting a lot of young women off coming into music. Blayre Mic has three nieces and she wants them to see her as a role model and ambassadorial figure. It is not good enough to sit back and hope legislation and governments take steps to redress this issue – we could be waiting generations for that. Strong and motivated artists like Blayre Mic are taking big steps and influencing others to speak up and strike against unfairness. It is all getting a bit heavy, so I’ll bring it back to music and the multiple assets of the U.S. artist. The Hip-Hop-cum-R&B-via-Soul blending are a knee-buckling and brain-spiking cocktail that once sipped, compels you to drink it down and keep coming back to the bar – her music and personality is compelling me to change my writing style and attempt coolness (failing perhaps!). Keep an eye out for her E.P. – her Facebook page is down at the moment so follow her on Twitter – and Love B.P.M.’s fast-moving, body-rocking vibes. Blayre Mic is a woman who, when she falls in love and gives her heart, does not take rejection and insincerity lying down. She is in-your-face and unapologetic but has compassion and sensitivity – she deserves respect and equal billing and will always fight for this. I know the next few months will be busy for Blayre Mic: she will be playing dates in the U.S. and preparing for the E.P. release but one hopes she gets to the U.K. as plenty will love her. Radio stations and venues are here for her and one suspects big crowds are waiting for an artist like her to come along. Whether that is part of her itinerary I am not sure, but at the moment, all eyes and ears have been hooked around the bliss and attack of Love B.P.M.

It signifies a fine and inspirational talent that demands to be taken seriously and wants to make big changes in music.

How long it will take for Blayre Mic to be given appropriate opportunities – considering the way female artists have to fight – is hard to say but she is shouting loud and one suspects her time will come very soon. When that does arrive, she will compel others and act as a spokesperson in the industry. Until all this happens, have a good listen to Love B.P.M. and succumb to the unerring and soul-pounding experience of…

ONE Blayre Mic.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/276777346" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

_______________________________________

Follow Blayre Mic

 

Official

http://blayremic.com/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/blayremic

SoundCloud

https://soundcloud.com/blayremic

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/blayremic/

FEATURE: World Suicide Prevention Day and a Musician's Voice

FEATURE:

 

World Suicide Prevention Day and a Musician’s Voice

______________________

IT is not a day or event that will lead to Internet fads and stupid…

costumes. Like all the banal and what-the-hell-is-the-point days we are forced to recognise –Dress Like a Pirate Day springs to mind – this one will perhaps get less attention, unfortunately. Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and addresses a problem that is common to all of us: depression and mortality and how the two go hand-in-hand. Maybe 1 in 4 of us will experience depression in our lives but that much-heard statistic seems too low and illogical – most of us, in some degree or other, will experience depression in our lifetime. Mental illness is not just about depression and is not the only cause of suicide – anxiety, eating disorders and other psychological disorders are just as relevant and culpable. It is not good enough, in this day and time; we should be ignorant of such a huge and growing issue – that is why World Suicide Prevention Day is so key and important. Before carrying on, let me give you some facts from the official World Suicide Prevention Day website:

“The World Health Organization estimates that over 800,000 people die by suicide each year – that’s one person every 40 seconds. In Australia more than 2500 people die each year with latest figures (2014) telling us that 2,864 Australians took their own life. Research also tells us that some 65,000 people attempt suicide each year. This tragic ripple effect means that there are many, many more people who are impacted by or exposed to suicide and the pain it brings when… it touches our lives”.

Not only is it Australia – where the event/commemorative day emanates – where there is a stigma and need to take action – suicide occurs in every nation on earth and we all hear the stories from the press. It seems a day does not past when a life is lost needlessly. Whether – the reason behind this – is a lack of dialogue or understanding; not enough government intervention or old-age views of mental illness – many assuming it is something to ‘get over’. If you cannot see physical evidence of suffering then you’re okay, right? No. That is the underlined curse that the mentally ill (including myself and many others) have to deal with. I have heard people tell me to “get over myself” and, worst of all, “there are those much worse off than you”. How would you know that?! How do you know how bad things are and who cares about others?! I know there are those with terminal illnesses and have lost their families but how is that relevant to what I am saying?! My heart goes out to them but by saying that (others are worse off) it is ignoring my problems and assuming I am pouting about nothing. That is one of the biggest problems in society: the lack of understanding and empathy from non-sufferers and how much ignorance still pervades. Looking at Samaritans’ website some figures really underline the problem:

Key trends from the Samaritans Suicide Statistics Report 2016

• There were 6,581 suicides in the UK and Republic of Ireland, in 2014.

• In 2014, 6,122 suicides were registered in the UK. This corresponds to a suicide rate of 10.8 per 100,000 people (16.8 per 100,000 for men and 5.2 per 100,000 for women).
• The highest suicide rate in the UK in 2014 was for men aged 45-49 at 26.5 per 100,000.
• The male suicide rate decreased in the UK (by 5.6%), England (by less than 1%), Wales (by 37.6%), Scotland (by 17.6%), Northern Ireland  (by 10.2%) and Republic of Ireland (by 6.4%) between 2013 and 2014.
• Female suicide rates increased in the UK (by 8.3%), England (by 14%), Scotland (by 7.8%) and Republic of Ireland (by 14.7%) between 2013  and 2014. Female suicide rates decreased in Wales (by 38.2%) and Northern Ireland (by 17.7%).

• The female suicide rate in England is at its highest since 2005.

• The female suicide rate in the UK is at its highest since 2011.

In the U.S., the rate of suicide is increasing and a recent BBC article showed how it is rising in the student population. It is paramount suicide is not ignored or underestimated because all the facts and figures are in front of us.

World Suicide Prevent Day is not a doom-and-gloom reminder of how widespread mental illness and suicide is: it is designed to get people together and get mental illness sufferers talking and opening up. Countless mental health charities are taking part and getting involved today and creating awareness and conversation – helping to ensure future years see fewer suicides and measures being taken so we can tackle a situation that is getting out of control. Connecting with others and letting people know that #ITSOKAYTOTALK is the key message for this year's World Suicide Prevention Day. Samaritans have answered the key questions for those who might wonder why we have such a day and need to look closely at the issue of suicide:

What is World Suicide Prevention day?

World Suicide Prevention Day is held each year on 10 September. It's an annual awareness raising event organised by International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This year's theme is about connecting with others and letting people know that #ITSOKAYTOTALK.

Why is it important?

More than 800,000 people take their lives each year across the world. In the UK and ROI, more than 6,000 people die by suicide a year - an average of 18 a day.

Reaching out to people who are going through a difficult time can be a game-changer. People who are feeling low or suicidal often feel worthless and think that no-one cares. Small things like hearing from friends or family, feeling listened to or just being told that 'it's ok to talk' can make a huge difference.

What you can do

Start a conversation today if you think a friend, colleague or family member may be struggling.

You can also join us on Twitter to spread the word.

When a person reaches a point where they are focused on taking their life, they’ve often lost sight of trying to find a way through their problems. This period usually only lasts a short while and often it doesn’t take a huge amount to bring someone back from that decision – something as simple as saying, ‘it's ok to talk’ can be enough to move someone out of suicidal crisis.

How can people reach out?

It can be daunting to approach someone who is struggling to cope; you may not know what to say, how to start a difficult conversation or worry that you'll make things worse. However, you don’t need to be an expert. Often, just asking if someone's OK and letting them know you're listening can give people the confidence to open up about how they're feeling.

The reason I wanted to write this piece, in addition to supporting World Suicide Prevention Day, is tie it to music and what I do – the fact many artists and songwriters are getting involved and getting their voices heard.

Joshua Luke Smith is a multi-talented musician, poet and writer who has been making his name as one of the finest Rap/Hip-Hop artists in the U.K. Someone who has suffered/suffers mental health issues and knows how hard the day-to-day reality can be...

he has written a special piece; a poem that raises hope and tells how vital it is to share and talk. Becoming Human is a powerful piece that looks at how vulnerable and connected we become with one another when at our most tormented and affected. In his own words, he described Becoming Human:

"I wrote Becoming Human to connect with the heart of our human story. In a driven culture based on success and stature where is the space to become, to grow, to fall and then stand back up? In reality we connect at our most vulnerable. We all break sometimes, we all arrived here naked. We don’t talk about our weakness enough and that’s why I think so many of us feel lonely, isolated and disconnected. I wrote the poem as a personal challenge to myself to remain present, intentional and aware of the beautiful, restored ruins I have the honour of being connected to, simply through the essence of being human."

It is a powerful and brilliantly delivered piece whose video, made in collaboration with Orphan No More (and filmmaker Dom Doring) that verbalises and visualises the problem – how we can often connect about mundane things but not talk about deeper and more serious issues. I cannot do full justice to Becoming Human but urge you to watch it and let its words and effect take hold and get into your head – a beautiful piece of work that aims to de-stigmatise mental illness and show how we can all help reduce a big problem that is inescapable and harrowing.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BZ7cHjc0P8&w=560&h=315]

Smith wrote the piece and is being supported and promoted by Samaritans. Becoming Human is a piece of art that is not just meant for a single day and to fit in with a crowd: it is a timeless poem that should be played every day until suicide is a minor concern – it will be one day I am for sure. World Suicide Prevention Day is getting people together and engaged and that is a great thing. Let’s hope, when many of us are already thinking ahead to Christmas and family, we do not sweep suicide under the carpet and only recognise it once a year. Like cancer and every illness on the planet, it affects more than those that suffer it – suicide remains the leading cause of death for young men in this country and that seems extraordinary. While cancer gets huge charity events and media exposure, the death rates – among men at least – are less when compared with suicide. So why does mental illness and suicide get overlooked by comparisons? Maybe there is a stigma and it is a taboo subject that may take years to fully gain acceptance. In 2016, it is not good enough so many suffer psychological and mental illness to the extent they feel death is the easiest way out – how is that acceptable in society? On a very important day, not only should you hear Becoming Human and take in its messages and potent sentiments, but join the discussion on World Suicide Prevention Day. Those who suffer mental illness and contemplate suicide feel alone and like they are misunderstood. If we all become more aware, engaged and conscious then not only can we reduce suicide numbers for good but those who contemplate such a dark fate…

GET the support and love they need.

_________________________

Further Links:

World Suicide Prevention Day

http://wspd.org.au/

https://twitter.com/search?q=world+suicide+prevention+day&ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Esearch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Suicide_Prevention_Day

Samaritans http://www.samaritans.org https://www.facebook.com/samaritansch... https://twitter.com/samaritans https://twitter.com/samaritans

Joshua Luke Smith

http://www.joshualukesmith.com http://www.instagram.com/joshualukesmith http://www.twitter.com/joshualukesmith http://www.facebook.com/joshualukesmi...

Orphan No More

http://www.onmmusic.com http://www.instagram.com/orphannomore http://www.twitter.com/onmmusic

Dom Doring (film maker)

http://www.dominicdoring.com https://www.instagram.com/dominic_doring https://www.instagram.com/dominic_doring https://vimeo.com/doring

TRACK REVIEW: Fil Bo Riva - Like Eye Did

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Fil Bo Riva

 

 

Like Eye Did

 

9.4/10

Like Eye Did is available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXZPBVv9T-g

RELEASE DATE:

2^nd August 2016

GENRE:

Alternative

ORIGIN:

Rome, Italy

The E.P. If You’re Right, It’s Alright is available to pre-order:

https://www.amazon.de/If-Youre-Right-Its-Alright/dp/B01IAOPUOS/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=foundee-20

TRACK LISTING:

Like Eye Did

Franzis

Greeningless

Killer Queen

The Falling

RELEASE DATE:

23^rd September 2016

____________________

AS the summer weather seems to have abandoned us...

PHOTO CREDIT: Francesca Di Vaio

HEADER IMAGE: Fiona Laughton

it is fitting to experience and embrace an artist that brings the light and heat back into life. It is getting darker earlier and the days are now shorter – it can create a negative effect on the mood and we need music to cheer us and keep our minds on something positive. Before introducing my new featured artist, it is worth looking at Italian music (my featured act is from Rome) and realising your path in music – the importance of being distinct and standing out in a music world that is seeing a lot of familiarity and repetition. It is not often I get to review a European artist that does not emanate from outside the U.K. Perhaps hard to think about Italy without drawing certain images – stereotypes perhaps – and views about the music we will hear. One might assume it to be opera-heavy and not really have the accessibility and familiarity of British music, for instance. It is not as though countries like Italy are behind the times and lack any contemporary, modern-day edge. I feel we become entrenched in clichés and assume we have a country figured out. In the past, I have looked at artists from Colombia, Mexico, and Sweden – uncovering the local scene and all the wonderful artists that play there. In terms of Italian music, there is a very rich and vibrant music scene that deserves fonder study. Negramaro hail from Puglia and are one of Italy’s best Pop/Rock bands and have been igniting the country since 1999 – translating their music internationally. Subsonica formed slightly before Negramaro and although they sing in the native tongue – a band that has a rich sound and uplifting songs that will resonate with everyone who hears them. Tuscany’s Negrita and have been performing for over 25 years now – one of the most enduring acts in Italy. Pop acts like Le Vibrazioni and Blue Dolls, between them, have made their stamp on the contemporary scene in Italy – the latter focuses on 1940s Pop-Jazz shades and are one of the most eye-catching acts you will see.

PHOTO CREDIT: Zlexander Aielasko

It appears, from this short list anyway, that there are some fantastic bands/acts in Italy but you wonder how many more can be found. Most of Italy’s most successful and enduring acts have been playing since the ‘90s (or even earlier) and it appears there are very few recently-formed acts out there – unless they are hiding out of the critical microscope. It seems like there are either some great musicians not been given attention or Italy’s hungry young musicians are emigrating and trying to find success abroad. This brings me to Fil Bo Riva:

“Born and raised in Rome, the Italian music of the 1960s influenced his approach to melody, as did his early liking for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. The four years he spent in a monks' boarding school for boys in Ireland introduced him to a widely varied scene of international music. But it was his move to Berlin and an unhappy romance which catalysed his decision to give it a go as a serious musician, igniting the songwriting touchpaper which had always been inside him, waiting for its moment. Amongst the multitude of singer-songwriters plying their trade today, the 24-year-old, has emulated his idols in searching for the only voice that matters – his own.

Your first sadness is the most beautiful time of all, the next most beautiful is the sadness which follows. The songs for Fil Bo Riva's first EP emerged out of the latter, indeed “If You’re Right, It’s Alright” owes its creation to a “story about a woman”. So even if the world is not destined to end in an EP, in this case it did.

“The idea to become a musician had always been there in the back of my mind, but I was busy doing other things – working in kitchens or as a barkeeper in Munich, Madrid and Rome, studying industrial design in Berlin. That kind of thing. I'd played in various bands but never really had the belief that we could make it. Not to mention the 'Music? You'll end up on the street!' warnings from my friends.” Ironically, it was the streets of Berlin which proved decisive in Fil's further development. His time as a busker was a formative, thrilling experience, allowing him to road-test his music and benefit from direct, positive feedback. On the street, the street is all there is. In a house you might have nothing at all, not even the street.

It was in this phase of burgeoning self-assurance that he got to know Felix A. Remm and Robert Stephenson, two figures who would play an important role in his continuing development and would see to it that Fil Bo Riva made the leap from solo project to a collaboration of like-minded souls. Felix took the decidedly raw material and broadened its sonic scope whilst Robert Stephenson dragged Fil straight from the street into his studio to record the songs you can now enjoy on the EP. These rugged, powerful songs have lost none of their urgency but have gained many exciting touches, secreted in the arrangements. Floating between folk and soul, Fil Bo Riva merges beating melancholic songs with great dynamics.

“I can't read music, I am completely self-taught. So I always begin, I have to begin, by asking what feeling, what emotion do I hope to convey? What do I want to say?” The freshness of the EP will in no way be compromised. “In the end, everything you experience teaches you something. And these lessons should be reflected in the work, otherwise you risk succumbing to stagnation”.

I love Italian music both classic and contemporary, but it might be the same problem we face in the U.K.: in order to get under the glare of the media and succeed, you need to move to cities like London. Italy is a fabulous country and is responsible for The Renaissance, but how have times changed? Perhaps the local scene is not as strong and opportunity-laden as nations like the U.K. – it would be interesting to see just how many excellent musicians are in Italy and not getting due attention. Fil Bo Riva spent his formative years in Rome but has had an itinerant upbringing – moving between Italy, Germany, and Spain. One listen to Fil Bo Riva’s voice and you can hear strands of other nations, decades and singers – one would not assume a typical Italian singer. He grew up on ‘60s music but his sounds are more contemporary, harder-edged and exhilarating then idols like The Beatles. It can take a while for musicians to realise their path and that is quite an exciting time. Fil Bo Riva, not reading or writing music, had a bond and affection for music but was not sure how to follow his dreams and make a career from it – taking jobs abroad and traveling in order to find direction and stability. Even if you grow up on a wealth of varied and legendary artists – it can be frustrating trying to get into the music industry and finding breaks. As Fil Bo Riva has shown, and gone from country to country, it often takes years to actually get to where you need to. Many musicians need instant gratification and success and can get frustrated at the shortage of opportunities and paid gig. Sometimes it takes patience and you need to understand how busy and fraught the industry is. I bring this point up because Fil Bo Riva and his variegated travels feed into his music and make it richer and deeper – that patience and worldly experience have made his work stronger than it would have been had he instantly fallen into the scene. It would be good to see just how far he can go as there is a definite individuality and sense of excitement to the music – a coarse and stands-to-attention voice that brings majesty and a sense of danger to the words.

Like Eye Did (and its punny title) has gained a lot of positive feedback across social media and YouTube – a couple of trolling detractors on YouTube, mind. Those negative reactions have come out of a sense of ignorance. If you listen to Fil Bo Riva and it is not your average voice. There’s the gravel and smokiness of Tom Waits; the familiarity of George Ezra and little hints of Captain Beefheart. Not the sweet and saccharine tones you might get from an effete Pop singer or talent show reject. People are scared of those that are different and unique so that has to change. If a voice or musician does not conform to an ideal and is ‘crowd pleasing’ then that is scary and not right to them. Musicians that stand out and genuinely move music forward are those that push against the formulaic and familiar and put their own soul and ideas into songs. Fil Bo Riva is someone who might take a few moments to settle into the mind and provoke pleasure but that does arrive – a fantastic and quirky voice that gives gravitas and occasion to his lyrics. If you have not fallen for his music and following his plight then you should as big things are going to happen for the Italian-born star.

If You’re Right, It’s Alright is the debut E.P. from Fil Bo Riva so it makes it hard comparing (his recent output) with past work. It is impressive seeing musicians go in hard and meaningful with an E.P. – rather than a series of singles and big wait until an E.P./album. Like Eye Did is a stunning track from a very striking voice: paying testament to everyday themes and personal feelings. Most musicians are compelled and inspired by love but there is something difference and rarer with Fil Bo Riva. Maybe it is the vocal sound or the dynamics that you get but you are never reminded of anyone else. Each new singer that comes along tends to have distinct shades of others. You can always tell the influences and never really feel like there’s that distinction and originality one yearns for. Perhaps the travels and background of Fil Bo Riva have gone into that voice: an instrument that comes from his heart but you will struggle to compare him with many other new musicians. That deep and urgent voice might cause some to turn their noses up with imperious disregard – those that know their music and have affection for a special voice will love it and all the possibilities evident within. Killer Queen is the second single from the E.P. – came to my attention after I agreed to review Like Eye Did – but shows If You’re Right, It’s Alright is not going to be a samey and predictable record. You cannot compare the two songs easily and both have their own merit and distinctions. I feel Like Eye Did is more instant and enduring than Killer Queen but perhaps the latter has more nuance and slow-burning qualities to it. Who knows what E.P. mates Franzis, Greeningless, and The Falling will sound like but you are instantly intrigued by their titles. Fil Bo Riva never trades in predictable song titles and his music matches that ambition – you get a sense of an original artist that is not concerned with following the crowd and trying to fit in with any ideals and media demands. I have the feeling he will be able to follow up If You’re Right’ with more E.P.s and albums and we are really just hearing the first steps. Maybe the vocal will change and evolve and the song themes will differ and variegate. Perhaps he will stick with a very trustworthy and distinct sound and keep that momentum going. It is going to be an exciting time going forward and wonderful seeing how the career of Fil Bo Riva unfolds. Just a few seconds into Like Eye Did and you are gripped and hooked by something that is a little unorthodox and unusual. When it unfolds and progresses, it becomes more natural and seeps into the mind – few songs are capable of doing that.

PHOTO CREDIT: Juliane Spaete

Lilting and passionate strings open up Like Eye Did. Mainly acoustic and classical in sound: the guitar has a calm but exotic flair to it and soothes and eases the listener in. Already caught by the beauty and entrance of the strings – the hero approaches the microphone. Juxtaposing the consistency and down-to-earth nature of the strings is a vocal that howls, swoops, and growls. There is no straight edge or level plain with regards the delivery. It comes in hot for one word before retreating Doppler Effect-like before coming back into view. Such is the intensity and style of performance; it gives the words, which could be mundane and boring in other hands, an elevated quality and real sense of meaning. The heroine, whomever that may be, has been kidding the hero and maybe not being honest – he would never do that or be so thoughts. This girl (“You’re the beat in my head”) is causing anxiety and pain it seems. “Shoot me down and shoot me dead” Flo Bo Riva declares against backing (female) vocal and spirited percussion. The song becomes heavier and more affected – mutating from the romantic candour of the first few moments – and the full weight of emotions start to come to the fore. The vocal delivery, in all its peculiarity and brilliance, does not over-emote or twist words without consideration for emotional resonance and decipherability. Ensuring the lyrics are clear but not stray into over-emoted directions – there is always a sense of control and consideration. Gun noises and shots are delivered with a certain cheeriness which is not a way to trivialise the effect the break-up has had but maybe how casual the girl was. Falling in love with her friend, overlooking the hero and not considering his thoughts, all of that anger and confusion comes bubbling to the surface. Possessed with a voice capable of fear and explosion: the delivery is kept controlled and disciplined but certainly swoops and dives in for the kill. That guttural, graveled tone ensures the lyrics have that necessary bite and rawness to them. After a brief pause, when the volume goes down and a bit of calm comes in, the hero is back into the spotlight and trying to piece things together.

You can certainly empathise and support the plight of Fil Bo Riva who has clearly been dealt a savage had. Without seeming explanation or warning he has been blind-sided and left for dead. Never succumbing to hyperbole or any over-emoting: he lays out his hurt and pain, but above it all, looks for some answers and reasons why things have turned this sour. A lot of musicians would throw heavy compositions and needless force into the agenda in order to register their emotions. It is all down to the vocal here which manages to convey every thought and accusation whilst keeping the composition fairly light and unobtrusive. Vocally, words are spat and drawled; overs elongated and languorous – some sharp and forceful. It is the way certain lines are broken into sections and presented at different speeds that make the song so effective. I know a lot of singers take time with their deliveries but few match the brilliance of Fil Bo Riva. Maybe George Ezra comparisons will come about as there is a similar tone and cadence to each singer’s voice. Ezra, to my ear, has a more conventional delivery and more optimistic with his themes. Most of his songs are defined by his voice but the way he performs and sings is more traditional and less distinct than Fil Bo Riva. Towards the closing moments, the tensions start to rise and the song gains new weight and relevance. The odd profanity is put in and keeping that anger and tension under wraps – it is becoming more difficult. The hero lets it be known how unhappy and angry he is. Whoever the friend was, the one that helped cause the split, he is being looked at but never named. Perhaps a mutual friend or someone who was kept a secret: it makes you wonder who he was and why she went to him. Throughout the final verse, the vocal is calmer and more tender. Perhaps exhausted and wracked with hurt – not as combustible as the earlier stages. It brings Like Eye Did down and causes the listener to reflect on what has come. Maybe it will take a few spins for the song to hit and appeal to many but it certainly arrives. Fil Bo Riva is not an average singer that does things traditionally and follows everyone else. Every note and line has that unique sound and is given such a sense of urgency and gravity – again, two words that have been said but are completely appropriate under the circumstances. It will be exciting seeing what else is on the E.P. If You’re Right, It’s Alright. Killer Queen is out and has a fairly similar tone to Like Eye Did but differentiates itself in terms of themes and delivery. The Italian-born musician has created a song that is so raw in its emotions and exhausting you might need a few minutes/hours before playing the track over – you will be tempted to for sure. In a period where individuality and originality are under-valued and ever-relevant demands: it seems like Fil Bo Riva is a young man that can go a long way. Already getting into the head and heart of British stations and media – it seems like the world is his oyster right now. Follow him closely and just how far he can go in the coming years.

You cannot say Fil Bo Riva is a niche artist who has come to my attention because he is not getting acclaim elsewhere. He has recently played on Radio 2 and performed in the U.K. – he has played Italy and Switzerland too. At the moment, he is in Germany and will finish up his tour there on 22^nd – a day before the E.P. If You’re Right, It’s Alright comes out. Not only does he have international acclaim and made his way to the taste-making D.J.s in our country (Dermot O’Leary especially) but you feel he could go even further and gain audiences in the U.S. and Australia. I always list those two nations as they are poles apart but have phenomenal music scenes. Fil Bo Riva would have audiences and love in cities like New York and the busy and rushing street but also find affection and demand in the more laid-back and relaxed cafes of Sydney and Melbourne. That might be a consideration for him and something he could address in the future. Maybe money is a bit short and it is not a realistic expectation at this junction – the coming years will provide the chance to travel more widely and reach the U.S. Killer Queen is the new taster from the E.P. and was unveiled a couple of days ago. It shows another side to Fil Bo Riva and what the E.P. will contain. Like Eye Did has got people talking and brought Fil Bo Riva to the public. If you are struggling to become attuned to his raw and ragged voice – that will come over time. If you are not a fan of that graveled burr and theatrical delivery then listen to the lyrics and you will find much to love. The reason Fil Bo Riva got into music – and the E.P. came to creation – was following a bad romance and the realisation things had to change. That sense of heartache and desire for betterment is a universal sentiment and is one of the reasons he has gained such a hearty and affectionate fan-base. If You’re Right, It’s Alright goes back to my earlier point about freshness and uniqueness in the music world. If you follow the crowd or over-rehearse music then it becomes stagnated and it sounds watered-down. Perhaps Fil Bo Riva’s lack of musical education and experience has done him a favour. As he said himself: “In the end, everything you experience teaches you something. And these lessons should be reflected in the work, otherwise, you risk succumbing to stagnation”. Fil Bo Riva is three words and three cities: Rome, Dublin, and Berlin. Having begun his life in Rome – and spending time back there – it appears the 24-year-old musician is a restless soul who prefers the instability and adventure of the road. Perhaps not. It would be great if he came back to the U.K. to perform soon but one feels there are more nations and audiences he should be playing to – just how far he can go and succeed. Whether you capitalise his name or not – it is split across social media – FIL BO RIVA stands out and has a bracing and powerful sound not intended to scare or distance himself – embrace and bring the audience in instead. We do get rather used to listening to certain kinds of music and not really looking at other nations and cultures – a point I have raised a few times before. It is a shame nations like Italy are not studied in more depth and tend to get overlooked by the media and the public. Europe, in fact, has a great many acts that will be mainstream stars in a very short time – they tend to get passed over or have limited attention. Maybe Fil Bo Riva understood this when in Rome and has had to do something about it. Maybe it is a quandary and concern that has no easy fix but the point remains: we all need to be broader with our tastes and discover what is out there. Like Eye Did announces a keen and rare talent whose E.P. will be met with a lot of interest and approval. Reviews and airplay arriving already show there is a demand and affection for an artist that goes beyond the normal and pushes the envelope. There is something operatic and dramatic (about Fil Bo Riva) but a definite sense of history and familiarity – touches of ‘60s and ‘70s music with a bit of Tom Waits and other singers. That combination has already caught the ear of Radio 1 and 2 and the U.K. is starting to fall under his spell. Just how far he can go is anyone’s guess but one thing is certain: there are very few…

OUT there like him.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXZPBVv9T-g&w=560&h=315]

_________________________

Follow Fil Bo Riva

 PHOTO CREDIT: Juliane Spaete

Official:

http://www.filboriva.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/filboriva/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/filboriva/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/fil-bo-riva

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC72grrB_OA8J4sRnOIkdAWw

INTERVIEW: Helene Greenwood

INTERVIEW:

 

 

Helene Greenwood

_________________________

MUSIC is always at its richest and most promising when those with…

true personality, spirit, and originality come through and are unearthed. Helene Greenwood is an artist that stands in her own mould – you will struggle to hear anyone quite like to her. Not only is Greenwood assuredly grounded and wonderfully bright – her music has a blend of quirky compositions and resonant, soulful vocals. Bringing bare and emotive to beguiling and unearthly: if you can pull that off then you are sure to stand apart from every other musician. Helene Greenwood’s bright and engaging personality goes into her wonderful, rich music – packed with imagination, strange characters and stories. I was lucky to have some time to interview Greenwood and ask her about influences, the lure of Camden and her new album, Exquisitely Hopeless.

___________________________

Hey Helene. How are you? How has your week been?

September is one of my favourite months. I like that going back to school feeling and the excitement and trepidation of new beginning - fresh exercise books and hazy autumn sunshine!

For those new to your music: can you introduce yourself, please?

I started my musical life as a composer and see myself as a singer and composer.

I fell into writing songs as it sets up such great limitations, which can be very freeing expressively.

The aim of verse and chorus is a good framework even though I rarely get round to writing a song with such a straight structure. I love the way words have their own musicality and rhythms - they are like another instrument the way they can pull a song into a whole new direction and feel.

I believe Camden is your home right now. That is quite a bold and characterful part of the capital. What is daily life like there for a creative?

I’m on the Belsize Park fringes of Camden but always gravitate to Camden Town for yoga, vintage shopping and (I) appreciate the mix of people. It feels more relaxed than the other parts of London, which can feel more of a rat race. I love the solitude of walking around Primrose Hill and Regent's Park nearby and thinking about new songs.

 

You hail from Dover. What are the differences you have found between the two areas – in terms of the music scene and opportunities – and does London inspire you as a songwriter?

I grew up in Dover and was composing contemporary music. I remember the last thing I wrote was for a women’s choir called Sea Oracle. When you are by the sea, the air is amazing for your lungs and vocal chords. It is also a place where you can enter deep inside of yourself and respond to the elements.

London, to me, feels extremely sociable and has its own energy from all the communities. I feel it’s a place where you can communicate and tell your story.

That’s what I love about writing songs and gigging them: it’s an opportunity to tell my own story.

How big a role did music play in your childhood and when was the moment you realised this (music) is your passion and goal?

Sorry, I just realised that there are quite a few more questions so I will make my answers shorter!  My music teacher, Rosemary Dunn, who sadly passed away in August, was a huge influence in encouraging me to compose. She was into creative self-expression of any kind, and would bring in books on The Tibetan Book of the Dead and Jung to inspire me. She is one of the voices in my head who reminds me you should always keep searching a bit further.

Your released your debut album Collectable You in 2013. How do you think you have progressed and changed as an artist in the last few years?

The songs from Collectable You were composed at the piano and are more of a tighter structure with more harmonies. With Exquisitely Hopeless, I was lucky to be able to spend a lot of time working out the atmosphere of each song, and some of them started from an initial idea jammed through in the studio. I worked in a dusty studio in Richmond with James Hallawell as producer. I use an old ‘80s Oberheim synth. that would take a while to warm up. Sometimes, it would create this wobbly, cranky sound which was perfect as we were hoping to find some happy accidents. It helped create some of the distorted, unsettling sounds inspired by horror movies, like The Others and Hitchcock films. So, this album has had a lot more contemplation given to the productions side. I also feel my vocal has a more narrative, spoken feel to and I’m very into mystery. I’ve been inspired by Julia Holter and this trance-like quality.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz7sax6lBWA&w=560&h=315]

Exquisitely Hopeless is your forthcoming album. The album title suggests contradictions and personal searching and examining the nature of self. What can you tell us about the album’s themes and what inspired it?

I think it’s the hopeless moments that can be challenging but also help you to understand yourself a bit better and help you to notice that life is truly exquisite and mysterious too.

This Is the News Today, the latest single, looks at a missing figure. Was there a person that compelled you to write that or was it taken from imagination?

The lyric This Is the News Today came from a studio session jam, and I felt like it was a line taken from a radio news report. I always try to mix experiences from my life and mix it with texts that I connect with. I love Murakami and his novel IQ84. There is a character that goes missing and some of the scenes from the book inspired the rest of the lyrics.

In terms of childhood music and the artists you grew up to: which were most important with regards your musical and vocal direction?

I used to pretend I was on stage and sing along to Kate Bush and my parent would play The Rolling Stones at parties. I also toured around cathedrals singing Evensong with my school choir singing Renaissance choral music. I have also listened to a lot of contemporary composers and think my musical listening has always been extremely mixed. In my vocal direction, I can be inspired by some actresses that have beautiful speaking voices like Sissey Spacek in Badlands, as well as singers. I love Joanna Newsom’s voice and her narration at the beginning of Inherent Vice and I’m writing a song about astrology based on that at the moment.

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrtnZplnlM4&w=560&h=315]

Your compositions and musical blends are exotic – Japanese soundscape and tango flair – whilst the vocals and lyrics hint at more intimate and homebound dynamics. Was this a conscious decision or a sound that came about through time and experimentation?

I love that description! With my lyrics, it can often depend on what I’m reading or a film I’ve watched. To Live in the Moon was based on an ee cummings poem. My song Flat Roof House was influenced by a text by the artist Pipolotti Rist as she describes an installation she created of a flat-roofed house.

I suppose I’m always interested in subverting the domestic scene and finding new ways of thinking about it.

The album Exquisitely Hopeless follows a journey from the house and wanders out into nature in cosmic wonder.  I love the way there might be Japanese scales, blues harmonies, and sub-bass as part of the texture as it moves forward.

Which current artists are you listening to at the moment?

I’m listening to Bat for Lashes’ The Bride at the moment and love some of the stripped-down production in some of the songs. Her voice has an elemental earthy quality which really communicates.

Away from music and its demands: what keeps you busy and where can we see Helene Greenwood on a day off?  

I’ve just had a couple of days catching up with films I wanted to see and watched Julieta, Café Society and The Secret Life of Pets. I loved working out which animal reminded me of my friends or family! Some of the pets had some very dark drives: they were the unleashed ones who didn’t want to become too domesticated as they had been treated badly by past owners.

The rest of the year: what kind of things are in store with regards tour dates and promotion?

I have been working on a couple of posters with Max Ammo, my animator. Her artwork for the album is so beautiful and I thought it interesting to weave lyrics around it.

I have a gig at Proud on 17^th September and will be releasing it in St Pancras Clock Tower on 7^th October.  There are more details for this on my website. I will then be gigging the album and would love to tour to places like Liverpool and Manchester.

It may sound like a job interview trope but bear with me. As an artist, what would you like to achieve in the next few years?

For the next stage, I would like to concentrate on performing and finding out about new communities through gigging and find more singers and producers to collaborate with. It would be great to be able to carry on with learning more of the production side so I begin to do more editing and producing myself.

Can you provide any advice for those looking to follow you into music?

I think those people that decide to go into music or the arts do it for the reward it gives them above doing it to make a living.

I think it’s the activity of creating something and practicing an art that becomes precious enough.

Finally - and for being a good egg - you can name any song you like (not yours as I’ll include one) and I’ll play it here…  

Happy to be a good egg :) ….The Fog by Kate Bush

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKO68DD2DeI&w=560&h=315]

________________________

Follow Helene Greenwood

 

Official:

http://www.helenegreenwood.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/HeleneGreenwoodMusic/?fref=ts

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HeleneGreenwood

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/HeleneGreenwood

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/helene-greenwood

FEATURE: London's Ten Best Music Venues

FEATURE:

London’s Ten Best Music Venues

____________________

AFTER the controversial and sad close of fabric in Farringdon: there have been many voices calling out for enquiry and justice – making sure it is not closed for good. Whatever happens – and whether it is ever reopened - it has got people thinking about the great clubs and venues in London and how important they are. We mustn’t forget how many great venues still remain, so in that spirit, I look at ten of the best music venues in London – and a little bit of information on each…

Izzy Bizu plays KOKO on Wednesday night

_____________________

Ronnie Scott’s

Starting off with one of the capital’s most-famous and notable venues: the grand and legendary Ronnie Scott’s. Few musicians worth their salt are ignorant of the venue – most want to play there and have that on their C.V. Hardly surprising when you step inside and let the music, magic and atmosphere wash over you. Just a little bit of history on Ronnie Scott’s (from Wikipedia):

“Zoot Sims was the club's first transatlantic visitor in 1962, and was succeeded by many others (often saxophonists whom Scott and King, tenor saxophonists themselves, admired, such as Johnny Griffin, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt) in the years that followed. Many UK jazz musicians were also regularly featured, including Tubby Hayes and Dick Morrissey who would both drop in for jam sessions with the visiting stars. In the mid-1960s, Ernest Ranglin was the house guitarist. The club's house pianist until 1967 was Stan Tracey. For nearly 30 years it was home of a Christmas residency to George Melly and John Chilton's Feetwarmers. In 1978, the club established the label Ronnie Scott's Jazz House, which issued both live performances from the club and new recordings.

Scott regularly acted as the club's Master of Ceremonies, and was (in)famous for his repertoire of jokes, asides and one-liners. After Scott's death in 1996, King continued to run the club for a further nine years, before selling the club to theatre impresario Sally Greene and philanthropist Michael Watt in June 2005. Managing Director Simon Cooke joined in April 2008.

In 2009 Ronnie Scott's was named by the Brecon Jazz Festival as one of 12 venues that had made the most important contributions to jazz music in the United Kingdom,[1] and finished third in the voting for the initial award”.

Upstairs @ Ronnie's is upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and is a 140-capacity bar and live music venue (separate to the main club). There is live music every night of the week ranging from Acoustic-Jazz to Cuban bands, Jazz/Funk D.J.s; Indie, Jive nights, poetry slams, Soul/R&B, jams, Samba - they cater to all tastes in the arts! We open at 6pm every evening until 3am most nights with bar, table service, fabulous food and an award winning cocktail list!

Who’s On?

Friday 16th:

Main Show

Incognito – SOLD OUT

Late Show

Carl Orr Quartet

Upstairs @ Ronnie’s

VIVA CUBA! (Live Cuban bands & DJs / £5 from 7pm, £12 after 8pm)

Saturday 17th:

Main Show

Incognito – SOLD OUT

Late Show

Carl Orr Quartet

Upstairs @ Ronnie’s

FUNKY NATION! (Live DJs- Jazz/Funk/Soul/House)

Sunday 18th:

Main Show

Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion

Upstairs @ Ronnie’s

SUNDAY LIVE MUSIC SESSIONS: ROY'S BIG SMOKE FAMILY

Sunday Lunch:

DEBBIE SLEDGE with the NIELS LAN DOKY TRIO

Address: 47 Frith St, London, W1D 4HT

Website: http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/

Google Reviews:

Correy Hammond

3 weeks ago

7pm on a saturday night. That is how I know this place. Lovely atmosphere. One of the finest jazz entertainers in town. Great place to chill after a stressful week. Visit and fall in love with jazz.

Pete Statham

3 months ago

Great jazz, good atmosphere, friendly staff. Drinks and food aren't cheap, but are good quality.

Tom Griffiths

A week ago

Great atmosphere. Upstairs is relaxed but not scruffy, then lively when the music starts.Visually it's perfect for what it is. Speaking as a sound engineer and musician I'd say that the sound system is certainly good enough, and thankfully wasn't too loud.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR4WoXDTZa0&w=560&h=315]

100 Club

Photo credit: Andreia Lemos / http://sy-hm.tumblr.com/

One of those venues that is respected and celebrated among music fans but might be unknown to some – you can hardly miss it on Oxford Street. In the words of the venue itself:

“London’s iconic 100 Club has been trading under the same name since 1964 and has put on live music since 1942 as the Feldman Jazz Club amongst other names, earning it the title of the oldest independent venue world wide.

Through out the decades the venue has championed all manors of ground breaking scenes including the blues of Muddy Waters and BB King as well as mod stylings of The Who and The Kinks in the 60s; the birth of punk with the Sex Pistols, The Clash and Siouxsie & The Banshees plus regular reggae sessions from Eddie Grant and The Mighty Diamonds in the 70s; the first ever Northern Soul All Nighter in the 80s; the indie explosion with early shows from Oasis and Suede in the 90s as well as key shows for artists such as The Horrors, Gallows and Kings Of Leon in the 00s.

Despite its historic reputation the venue still continues to showcase some of the most exciting new music in London with recent shows from artists such as Blood Orange, The Fat White Family, Dean Blunt, Parquet Courts, Jake Bugg, Kindness, Joey Bada$$, Pulled Apart By Horses, The Smith Westerns, The Orwells, Radkey and A$AP Ferg across it’s programming of regular events and hosting of NME Awards Shows, Converse Gigs and other series”.

Who’s On?

Saturday 17th:

Anarchy! McLaren Westwood Gang

6.00pm - 8.30pm

£8.00 Adv + Bf

Tuesday 20th:

100 Club Punk Special 40th – Spizzenergi

7.30pm - 11.00pm

£15.00 adv + bf

Address: 100 Oxford St, London, W1D 1LL

Website:http://www.the100club.co.uk/

Google Reviews:

Russtafa B

5 months ago

Been going to the 100 club for many years and saw a lot of the punk bands up there. Later on seen many rock acts and in general this is a totally brilliant venue, one of an increasingly disappearing "species' I am afraid. ...MoreBeen going to the 100 club for many years and saw a lot of the punk bands up there. Later on seen many rock acts and in general this is a totally brilliant venue, one of an increasingly disappearing "species' I am afraid.For me the most memorable occasion there was when a brilliant blues musician called Son House played there in 1970. Being a total out and out blues fanatic this was a bit of a serious moment in my life. Remember seeing John Peel there in the audience. Had the great fortune to talk to Al "blind owl" Wilson from the famed band Canned Heat. He was kind of a bit of an introverted chap but someone I had great respect for too. Really talented musician and a very humble person.If only I had a modern video camera, what a memorable occasion, but I had plenty of those during that era.

Deanne Jones

A month ago

A great wee venue. I saw The Amazing Darts play. Beers pricey but they have a good choice.

Henry

2 weeks ago

Iconic london venue. Might not be the cheapest inside but worth every penny.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR8KEHWqHEs&w=560&h=315]

Under the Bridge

One of the newest kids on the block: Under the Bridge’s building a reputation as one of London’s must-visit venues due to its warm staff welcome, unique location – right near Stamford Bridge – and the musicians flocking to play there. The venue’s official website sums up their history and appeal:

“Under the Bridge is a uniquely stylish west London music venue, purpose-built with the highest attention to detail, and featuring stunning, state-of-the-art sound and lighting.

Designed in homage to the legendary venues in London’s rock history and the greats of British Isles music, it’s a new club that feels like it’s been around forever.

This inspiring venue, holding up to 550 people, is perfect for gigs, press calls, showcases, fashion shoots, live broadcasts, warm-ups, after-parties, comedy nights, corporate events and much more”.

Who’s On?

Michael Rother

7:00 pm - Doors Open

29-09-2016

Under the Bridge presents MICHAEL ROTHER PLAYS NEU! & HARMONIA & SOLO WORKS with DJ Rusty Egan {Visage Blitz Club} DJ set Revered multi-instrumentalist Michael Rother returns to Under the Bridge

Leonid Fedorov

7:00 pm - Doors Open

30-09-2016

Сольный концерт Леонида Федорова — ни с чем не сравнимый опыт, который необходимо пережить каждому поклоннику «АукцЫона». Поэтому мы приглашаем всех друзей на единственное выступление музыканта в Лондоне 30 сентября.

THE TUBES

7:00 pm - Doors Open

07-10-2016

AGMP.co.uk presents an evening with THE TUBES featuring Fee Waybill After opening up for Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop & the New York Dolls in the early 1970s,.

Address: Stamford Bridge, Fulham Rd, London, SW6 1HS

Website:http://underthebridge.co.uk/

Google Reviews:

Toby Dawson

5 months ago

Such a great gig venue! Not overcrowded, it's wide and shallow which i like and plenty of staff so no massive wait for drinks. Great view of the stage from all angles. p.s. Great toilets! You'll understand when you go!

Michaela GB

3 months ago

Great venue!! I highly recommend checking it out a show here. It feels really intimate. ...MoreGreat venue!! I highly recommend checking it out a show here. It feels really intimate.

There are a couple of bars, and I barely had to wait for drinks which was fab. I'll be looking out for more shows here for sure.

Nik Bradbrook

3 months ago

Awesome venue so exclusive and great vibe saw Toyah and sat so close you could touch her great bar and photos too

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf7KzqZ6m5Y&w=560&h=315]

Roundhouse

There are few venues in the U.K. that hold the prestige and weight of Camden’s Roundhouse. Its honorifics, effusive reviews and solid legacy is built on a core of consistently brilliant music and wonderful hospitality – set in one of the most colourful and cosmopolitan parts of London. It is best to let Roundhouse themselves sum it all up:

Create to transform

“The Roundhouse is a hub of inspiration where artists and emerging talent create extraordinary work and where young people can grow creatively as individuals. We believe in the power of creativity to change lives. By giving young people the chance to engage with the arts through our music, media and performance projects, we inspire them to reach further, dream bigger, and achieve more.

We do this because we believe creativity gives us freedom, hope and has the power to transform.

So we’re here to transform. To create, agitate and excite. To shake things up

Each year, we give thousands of 11–25-year-olds the chance to develop their skills and confidence through creativity – in music, media or the performing arts. We help them find new perspectives and new directions. Whether it’s helping someone get into education, or out of a rut. Or supporting their early career in the arts. Whatever the spark, we nurture it into a flame that can change everything.

Creativity drives change drives creativity drives change drives…

The Roundhouse is one of the most incredible live performance spaces in the world where the biggest names in music, theatre, circus and spoken word take to the stage every day. A former railway engine repair shed, the Grade II* listed building was transformed into a groundbreaking performing arts venue 50 years ago, and we have welcomed legendary artists from all over the world to perform in our unique spaces”.

Who’s On?

Elton John

Sunday 18th September

The 1975

Monday 19th September

Alicia Keys

Tuesday 20th September

Address: Chalk Farm Rd, London, NW1 8EH

Website:http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/

Google Reviews:

Neil Kite

A month ago

Great and unique venue with an interesting history. The layout lends itself perfectly to live perfomance, and they always have a great line up and exciting shows on offer. During the summertime they also host Camden Beach on their roof, which is a great spot for on sunny day.

Ben Harris

3 months ago

Great venue for concerts. I've been a few times and have never left disappointed. Try and get standing and get into the center circle as this is where I've found the sound quality/atmosphere is the best. Queues for beers can be a little long but the same with most music venues these days.

Daniel Doherty

A week ago

Amazing venue for life music, an absolute must visit place. Go to the 1st floor and see all the posters/art of the famous bands, acts and historic figures who have graced this original venue. Also in the summer they sometimes turn the roof into "Camden beach"...

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA0cz5rijT4&w=560&h=315]

XOYO

Image result for XOYO

Like 100 Club: one of those venues that does not instantly spring to mind when compiling a list of London’s finest music venues. There is not a lot of history and background on the venue’s website but plenty of information about upcoming acts and D.J.s playing there. Situated near Old Street, and with Shoreditch on its doorstep, it is right at the beating heart of London – fast gaining a reputation of excellence because of its club nights. It is, as you will see below, a nightclub but will expand and develop in years to come – its name and legacy will only grow larger with time.

"Live music and DJ club nights across 2 floors in refurbished nightclub in Shoreditch, East London, with street art aesthetic. XOYO is first and foremost a nightclub with focus set on a consistent music policy headed by global names (as well as upcomers), their ethos is locked into delivering London an unrivalled weekendsoundtrack".

Who’s On?

Bugged Out! with Julio Bashmore + Mosca + Guest tba

Friday 30 September 21:00 - 04:00

XOYO Loves: François K + Late Nite Tuff Guy + Red Greg

Saturday 01 October 21:00 - 04:00

Jackmaster & Numbers Present: Mastermix

Sunday 02 October 16:00 - 01:00

Website:http://xoyo.co.uk/

Address: 32-37 Cowper St, London, EC2A 4AP

Google Reviews:

Ciara Walsh

2 weeks ago

This place is killing it with their line ups. £5 early bird tickets to see DJ Harvey, bloody fantastic. Drinks prices are pretty standard for London. Door staff are very friendly also, which makes a nice change from other bars in the area. ...MoreThis place is killing it with their line ups. £5 early bird tickets to see DJ Harvey, bloody fantastic. Drinks prices are pretty standard for London. Door staff are very friendly also, which makes a nice change from other bars in the area. Can get a bit busy but victim of it's own popularity I guess. Looking forward to Heidis Jackathon residency!

Stephen Phillips

A week ago

Saw Harvey there who was great and there was a good atmosphere there too. Feel compelled to leave a review, however, as some of the security staff were rude and clearly on the classic bouncer power trip. The smoking area is a horrible ...MoreSaw Harvey there who was great and there was a good atmosphere there too. Feel compelled to leave a review, however, as some of the security staff were rude and clearly on the classic bouncer power trip. The smoking area is a horrible experience, you're basically put into a smoking queue and constantly harassed to keep moving along the queue. They really need to sort this out as for a lot of people (myself included), the smoking area is a chance to get a break from the mayhem of the dance floor, get some fresh air and actually have a conversation.

Gabriele Drago

2 weeks ago

Great lineups, great music, hosting Mount Kimbie is not for everyone for exercise but there is more. Drinks are served both at ground floor and downstairs.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d9KuiwdrdU&w=560&h=315]

The Dublin Castle

It seems like, if you want to grab the crowds and put your name in the spotlight, a music venue needs to be situated within easy walking distance of Camden. The Dublin Castle has the vibrant borough a mere 2 miles away – one of the reasons it has garnered a terrific name and is incontestably one of the finest venues in the U.K. The guys say themselves:

 “The Dublin Castle is a legendary pub and music venue located 2 minutes away from Camden Town tube station. It has been ran by the same family for over 28 years and features 4 live bands every night as well as a great selection of beers, ciders and wines. There’s DJs after the bands on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and a fabulous jukebox in the front bar if you’re after a more relaxed atmosphere. But what is it that makes the Dublin Castle the long-standing centre of the indie rock universe? Is it because it’s Madness’ birthplace? Because its stage has been graced by everyone from Blur, through Coldplay, Supergrass, The Killers, The Arctic Monkeys, Billy Bragg, etc? Is it because it was no surprise to see Amy Winehouse behind the bar serving costumers? Or Suggs? (who, mind you, tended to ignore costumers and serve himself) Or is it because far from being just another Camden venue it has established itself as an indie rock institution? The answer is that it’s not only because of its musical heritage that people come to the Dublin Castle, it’s because whilst you enjoy a pint, play some tunes on the jukebox, check out the live bands, get your dancing shoes on for our DJs, chat to our friendly staff or even stage-invade a little, you’re inadvertently being part of this movement the Dublin Castle leads, this cultural legacy. Expect no castle battlements. Just pure rock and roll royalty”.

Who’s On?

Fri, 16 Sep 2016

Little Green Men Lazy Pilgrims Pretty Visitors Tokyo SexWail The Second Sons

Doors 7.45 £7/£5 on the door

Sat, 17 Sep 2016

Reece Percudani Group Evyltyde

Website:http://thedublincastle.com/

Address: 94 Parkway, London, NW1 7AN

Google Reviews:

Andy Eggleden

A month ago

Scruffy and original venue that I'm surprised still exists in London, long live Dublin Castle. Good prices for beer and a sweaty little venue out back of the pub. TV's for sports up on the walls too.

Stephen Bradshaw

A month ago

Great staff really friendly and helpful defo coming back

Luke Micallef

A month ago

Bit spit and sawdust but had some good beer on for decent prices and great music.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvnnU-5T-cU&w=560&h=315]

KOKO

Newcomers like Izzy Bizu will pass through KOKO’s doors in the next few days: a natural stomping ground for the best and brightest musicians looking to get their sounds heard by the coolest and most discerning crowds. KOKO’s website is one of the most colourful, informative and eye-catching you can find – the venue is one of the greatest in London and another located in Camden. If you want a history on the venue; Wikipedia puts it best:

“By 2004 the Camden Palace was rundown and in a state of disuse. That year the theatre was purchased by Oliver Bengough and his company Mint Entertainment. Bengough saw the potential of the theatre and embarked on a multimillion-pound restoration process lasting more than six months.[2][12] The restoration process included all new technical facilities, enabling the scope of operations to be broadened to include live concert performances, club nights, corporate events and television production.[20]The Daily Telegraph described the modern interior amenities and the building's historic facade as "lend[ing] a sense of grandeur to any gig"

Since restoration, KOKO’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised with an award for Environmental Excellence in Camden Organisations (EECO), for Innovation in Waste Management and Recycling.[22] The venue has been praised for ‘the continued exceptional effort by staff to achieve a 95% recycling rate in the difficult events and entertainment industry, and for the use of recycled materials within the building in order to close the recycling loop.’[23]

The key points in KOKO’s innovative recycling and waste management strategy include:

• Recycling paper and cardboards (including flyers), as well as approximately 30,960 glass bottles, 20,088 aluminum cans and 77,166 plastic cups every month;

• Replacing 982 light bulbs with GLOWB low energy light bulbs;

• Reducing emissions, by working with ‘The Carbon Trust' and ‘Better Climate for Camden’: by switching to a green energy supplier, KOKO aims to prevent the release into the atmosphere of 520 tonnes of CO2 over the next 12 months;

• as KOKO currently produces approximately 310.809 tonnes of CO2 per annum, they have teamed up with Solar Aid who supply Solar Lanterns to under-developed countries to help offset this.

Since restoration, the club has attracted well known musicians including Al Murray, Irfan Latif, Don Broco, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Coldplay, Tori Kelly, Katy B, My Chemical Romance, Emma Marrone, Oasis, Bruno Mars, Thom Yorke, Amy Winehouse, La Roux, Skrillex, Lady Gaga, The Killers, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Lily Allen, Demi Lovato, Usher, Noel Gallagher, Swedish House Mafia and many others”.

Who’s On?

Friday 16 September 2016

WILEY - ON STAGE 8PM

Friday 16 September 2016

Club NME: KING NO-ONE

Saturday 17 September 2016

SANKEYS LOVES 338

Website:http://www.koko.uk.com/

Address: 1A Camden High St, London, NW1 7JE

Google Reviews:

Jesús García Salinas

In the last week

Huge disco of 4 floors with a balcony to smoke. The inside is pretty similar to a theatre or an opera so it's really impressive. The music is good and not too loud. It's very well located 1 minute walking from Mornington Crescent tube (Northern line). Before 22.30 is usually free but after that it costs 20 pounds.

Alistair Burns

In the last week

Very similar to Shepherd's Bush Empire with a very different feel to it and great balconies for those who can't hack the ground floor. Extremely stylish.

Brianna Krauser

A month ago

Events are kind of pricey, but so much fun! Good dubby music the night we went. Getting a drink wasn't too difficult & drink prices are pretty average for a big club (6 euro for a jaegerbomb)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA3KQ6ZY6fU&w=560&h=315]

Union Chapel

Whereas a lot of London’s most-celebrated venues have a quirkiness and contemporary vibe: Union Chapel is lovingly pure and historic. It does not need a paint job or conform with other venues – its strengths and character are all there and does not need to change an iota. Because of this, and the fact it is such a wonderful setting, so many artists and fans flock there. Their calendar is packed up until the end of the year and you need to get yourself down there. Union Chapel in their own words:

“Union Chapel is an amazing space. It is an architectural treasure that’s home to a working church, an award winning venue, a unique organ and The Margins Project for those homeless and in crisis in London.

It’s a rich community where people come to revel, to worship, to listen to wonderful music, to volunteer and to find help when they need it most.

Over the past 25 years the Chapel has gone from facing demolition to being Grade 1 listed and from being virtually abandoned to welcoming tens of thousands of visitors a year.

Union Chapel is now a vibrant hub of activity with a huge amount going on. There are six main groups based here all united by a love for this space and our desire to welcome people to it – we hope to see you here soon.

Since 1991, Union Chapel has been hosting concerts and events – this has grown over the years and we now have hundreds of events a year. Readers of Time Out have voted us London’s Favourite Venue an amazing three times.

London’s Favourite Music Venue 2002, 2012 & 2014!

Runners up 2015

We are proud to say that our venue is a little bit different. We have pews, amazing acoustics, sublime Victorian Gothic architecture and some really great gigs.

Our busy Bar and Kiosk serve thirsty gig goers at most events – so you can enjoy the show with a mug of tea in hand or head up to the Bar and have a beer. And all the money raised goes to the restoration of the building.

We also have a wonderful team of staff and volunteers who work at all the gigs and events so say hello when you come along!”

Who’s On?

Saturday 17th:

10am: Open House, London

12pm: Daylight Music 232: Michele Stodart + Alright Gandi + Alev Lenz + Joli Blon

Sunday 18th:

Sunday Service – Guest Speaker

Website:http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/

Address: Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, London, N1 2UN

Google Reviews:

Greg Clough

2 months ago

It's a church... it's a gig venue... it's a community space. The Union Chapel is a fantastic resource for Islington, it's not full of stuffy "Church People". There are a lot of well known acts, as well as some great up and coming bands ...MoreIt's a church... it's a gig venue... it's a community space. The Union Chapel is a fantastic resource for Islington, it's not full of stuffy "Church People". There are a lot of well known acts, as well as some great up and coming bands that play here... so I can only suggest that you check our their calendar and head over to the Chapel.

Malcolm Brady

4 months ago

London has plenty of great concert venues though few, if any, match The Union Chapel. The audience sits on pews (first in grabs the best) all focussed in the alter/stage so there's no bad seats, really, other than those front and side. The ...MoreLondon has plenty of great concert venues though few, if any, match The Union Chapel. The audience sits on pews (first in grabs the best) all focussed in the alter/stage so there's no bad seats, really, other than those front and side. The acoustics are great so rock sounds as good as acoustic. The bar is in the back, a pretty cool place to relax before & after the gig, though drinks aren't allowed in the chapel, other than tea...go figure, but go there.

Phil Exon

2 months ago

Great venue, with superb acoustics. Come a bit early for food. There is also a bar. Profits support the church.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo8vU2D67So&w=560&h=315]

The Lexington

A multi-level venue that blends a flavour of the U.S. with the comforts of Britain. There are scant few venues where one can enjoy some good beer and grub downstairs before heading up to a gig – you are usually restricted to a single floor or have to bustle and shove your way through crowds. The Lexington has an easy-going charm and is one of the most welcoming joints in London. As they say themselves:

“The Lexington is a classic London boozer turned lounge bar, with a hint of Kentucky charm and lashings of rock & roll excess. Enjoy award winning food served up with our favourite American craft beers or just lounge around in our baroque mezzanine exploring the best bourbon selection in London. If you like it a little bit louder, head upstairs for the latest and greatest bands in our live venue. Then dance the night away with our family of music loving DJs, playing everything from ‘20s jazz to the newest indie through the sea of counter-cultural sounds into the wee small hours”.

Who’s On?

16th:

8:00 pm- 11:00 pm Lawrence Arabia, James Canty - White Heat presents

11:00 pm - 4:00 am White Heat

17th:

8:00 pm- 11:00 pm Louis Barabbas And The Bedlam Six

11:00 pm - 4:00 Dumb Disco Ideas: A party is a statistical inevitability

Website:http://thelexington.co.uk/

Address: 96-98 Pentonville Rd, London, N1 9JB

Google Reviews:

Alay paun

A month ago

Old pub with cool decor, good music, good beer and table footie. Only downside is the surprising lack of a good cider. Strongbow? Come on Lex, sort it out.

Paul Dawes

3 months ago

Amazing venue with excellent acoustics. Up stairs is a great venue, which always has a wide selection of acts. Downstairs bar has a great selection of beers with a real chilled out indie atmosphere. Rough Trade host a quiz night on Mondays.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9Mhnp8du7w&w=560&h=315]

Scala

“Scala is a beautiful multi-purpose venue in the regenerated King’s Cross area, on the north side of central London. The building incorporates four main floors and accommodates events for just over 1000 people.

There are three bars, two dance floors and a large stage for live performances. We do not assign seats to tickets. There is limited seating on each floor.

Main Room & Stage

The main room is spread across a series of terraces with a low dancefloor and low stage. There’s a long balcony on one side of the room accessed from the mezzanine level. This balcony can function as a VIP space when needed. As there is no bar in this space it works well for more acoustic performances.

Foyer Bar

The Foyer Bar is a large room with a beautiful terrazzo floor and a high vaulted ceiling. It has two staircases on either side leading into to the main room. You’ll also find a small lounge with a low ceiling called the Foyer Den. There’s a DJ booth which functions as a merchandising booth too.

Glass Bar

The Glass Bar is on our mezzanine level. We have a number of comfy sofas beside large windows overlooking the main room. You can get to this bar from the main room or Balcony Bar. The Glass Bar sometimes functions as a VIP bar.

Balcony Bar

The balcony bar is a large square shaped room on the top floor, with a wide balcony overlooking the main floor. There are a number of booths with seats and a DJ Booth. We have a temporary wall and stage system we install when there is a DJ or live performance in this space. The kitchen is also on this level behind the bar”.

Fri 16th September

El Grande

Salsa, Latin and Afro-Latin

Sat 17th September

Earthdance London

Tue 20th September

Yuna plus Mahalia & Jarell Perry

Website:http://scala.co.uk/

Address: 275 Pentonville Rd, London, N1 9NL

Google Review:

Daniel Wajda

5 months ago

The venue has a nice distinctive look but the layout is not the best - some parts have a poor view and leaving the main room to get to the bar and having to climb a couple flights of stairs to get to the toilets is annoying. Question marks ...MoreThe venue has a nice distinctive look but the layout is not the best - some parts have a poor view and leaving the main room to get to the bar and having to climb a couple flights of stairs to get to the toilets is annoying. Question marks over the security too. I have been to some good gigs here but the sound is sometimes not as good as some of its rivals - I damaged my hearing for a few days after one particularly distorted reggae set.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM6qvmkkC_c&w=560&h=315]

FEATURE: The September Playlist: Vol. 2

FEATURE:

 

The September Playlist: Vol. 2

______________________

IT is always hard trying to get on top of all the excellent snippets…

of joy: the music world offers up with nary a blade of warning and prediction. Each day, it seems like a fresh and ripe track is out – out of nowhere and completely out of space. That has been the case the last week and drinking it all in has been a challenge. I have been looking at the singles and songs out this week – either standalone or taken from corresponding albums. I also peek ahead to albums a bit further down the month – including a track that will appear on Billie Marten’s debut – and  what to expect…

_____________________

Massive Attack (ft. Hope Sandoval) – The Spoils

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r31DFrFs5A&w=560&h=315]

Pixies – Tenement Song

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLgXBLQA2M&w=560&h=315]

Sløtface - Take Me Dancing

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvUGS47EoBM&w=560&h=315]

JAWS – Right in Front of Me

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0mFLt-X9fs&w=560&h=315]

White Lies – Come On

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tjFV8NhJbo&w=560&h=315]

El Perro Del Mar – Ding Sum

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9AXfA6ogog&w=560&h=315]

Young Guns – Mad World

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omFHvyfLjeI&w=560&h=315]

Sia (ft. Kendrick Lamar) – The Greatest

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKSRyLdjsPA&w=560&h=315]

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – I Need You

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAMZYpZi_M4&w=560&h=315]

Die Antwoord – We Have Candy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkmiDwp_HC4&w=560&h=315]

KT Tunstall – Maybe It’s a Good Thing

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLTi_Eu5mtM&w=560&h=315]

Kings of Leon – Waste a Moment

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAhJoXUeJ08&w=560&h=315]

TOY – I’m Still Believing

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/281467090" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

Slaves – Take Control

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GROt_rQ9Jo&w=560&h=315]

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Go Robot

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvG5_AUDh4o&w=560&h=315]

Prince Buster –  Enjoy Yourself

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iibpewIA_ik&w=560&h=315]

CRX – Ways to Fake It

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHtRJRiPCBk&w=560&h=315]

Regina Spektor – Black and White

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZW4kZKDfow&w=560&h=315]

Twin Atlantic – No Sleep

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcqeM4KLqok&w=560&h=315]

Rat Boy – Get Over It

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o1QrgjGMZQ&w=560&h=315]

Wilco – If Ever I Was a Child

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9WyJMgz9dw&w=560&h=315]

Beauty Sleep – Living Right

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/276245234" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

AlunaGeorge – Mediator

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wsPpBprasI&w=560&h=315]

Grouplove – Welcome to Your Life

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng8cDzyktEY&w=560&h=315]

Billie Marten – Bird

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smX6xCPDbrE&w=560&h=315]

Elephant Stone - Andromeda

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW24-oDNGGs&w=560&h=315]

M.I.A. – Go Off

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGDhHxgY6uo&w=560&h=315]

Zach de la Rocha – Digging for Windows

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT1G7lRZQ6U&w=560&h=315]

Sleaford Mods - TCR

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT2mLi7ldew&w=560&h=315]

It seems like September may well top August with regards fantastic songs and unexpected treats – and we’re only a couple of weeks into the month! Looking ahead and there are some truly fantastic albums and songs approaching – Bruce Springsteen among them. Have a listen to the above and check out the corresponding albums and artists making big moves throughout September.

FEATURE: The Ten Best Vocal Performances from Freddie Mercury

FEATURE:

 

The Ten Best Vocal Performances from Freddie Mercury

_________________________

TOMORROW would have marked the 70^th birthday…

Picture (and photos underneath song titles, except Barcelona and Radio Ga Ga) taken from the book, FREDDIE MERCURY: The Great Pretender

of Queen legend Freddie Mercury. The Zanzibar-born, British-based titan of music died on 24^th November 1991 from an AIDS-related death – and with it, one of music’s greatest ever vocalists left us. Say what you want about Queen – and most people do – but you cannot deny the peerless genius of Freddie Mercury. Whilst his band played on the camp side of music – the songs rarely defined by composure or subtlety – everything was made to sound essential and affirmative by Mercury’s wonderful, planet-destroying voice. Whether entranced by his once-in-a-lifetime perfomance at Live Aid in 1985; the lung-busting power of Somebody to Love or the heartbreaking curtain call, The Show Must Go On. In honour of the icon’s birthday: I have whittled down his ten finest vocal turns for your delectation…

_____________________

Barcelona (ft. Montserrat Caballé) – Barcelona

Montserrat Caballé provided the beauty and grace whereas Mercury produced a performance of sublime power and absolute intensity. After Barcelona was selected to host the 1992 Summer Olympics: Mercury was approached to write a theme song. Caballé was a hero of Mercury and he leapt at the opportunity to sing with her – the two would go on to make an album (Barcelona) that was met with mixed reviews. The title track shows what Freddie Mercury is all about: theatre, grandeur, and above all, immense passion.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Eg-mWdDLc&w=560&h=315]

Under Pressure (ft. David Bowie) – Hot Space

Recorded for the 1982 album Hot Space and featuring the sadly-departed David Bowie: another incredible duet where Mercury, matched with an exceptional singer, steals the show. Hot Space possessed few standout tracks – a malady of Queen’s early-‘80s work – but this song has endured and continues to stun. If you isolate Mercury’s vocal you can see the detail, drama and technique involved. Seemingly effortless and another day at the studio: a sublime, unstoppable performance few of his peers could even conceptualise, let alone match.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01QQZyl-_I&w=560&h=315]

Bohemian Rhapsody – A Night at the Opera

It is hard to mention one of the greatest songs ever (according to most critics) are ignore the voice that scores it – even though Mercury’s is not the only voice on the track. Aside from the multi-layered, technology-pushing ambition of the vocal tracks: it is Mercury’s singular performance that defines the track. Starting seductive and affected in the opening verses: it mutates into a hot-blooded belt before coming down to land in the final seconds. It is impossible to truly decompartmentalise and deconstruct the elements of that single vocal: such is its complexities, skill and nuanced. Another world class turn from a vocal giant.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ&w=560&h=315]

Crazy Little Thing Called Love – The Game

Reportedly written in the bath by Mercury (you can picture the scene!) it is one of the most surprising and un-Queen songs in their cannon. Mixing ‘50s Rockabilly with Doo-Wop: it is infectious, finger-snapping joy one cannot help sing along to. Given its insatiable cool and tease is Mercury, who proves he is just as mesmeric and sensational when taking the power levels down – one of the most focused and natural performances from his career. Not all Queen songs compel you to come back time and again and just lay back: Crazy Little Thing Called Love is an infectious and head-spinning joy because of Mercury’s suaveness and ice-cold authority.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO6D_BAuYCI&w=560&h=315]

Somebody to Love – A Day at the Races

This is when Mercury searched his soul and regretted his lack of love life and romance. What followed was a look inside his psyche and a transcendent revelation: Somebody to Love is a stunning investigation of faith, passion and fulfilment – Mercury’s voice interweaved into a Gospel tapestry that has been ranked among the greatest vocal performances of all time. Not only one of Queen’s most famous and celebrated songs: its vocal must surely be considered one of Mercury’s most impressive and wide-ranging. Sing along at your peril: there are few singers that have the lung capacity and range to pull it off!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kijpcUv-b8M&w=560&h=315]

_____________________

Another One Bites the Dust - The Game

The Grammy-nominated, chart-riding smash Another One Bites the Dust was one of Queen’s most successful and commercial tracks. Released in 1980 for The Game – it was actually composed by the band’s bass player John Deacon. This is Mercury on the attack and standing tall: few have the panache and personality to bring every note and emotion from the song with such conviction. Those who define Freddie Mercury’s vocals always use the same three words: power, soul and passion. All of these come together but are joined by venom, grit and panache – showing just how many sides Mercury had to his vocal armoury.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE&w=560&h=315]

Radio Ga Ga – Live Aid

Maybe it was the occasion or the crowd was in a unified spirit: Queen’s legendary performance got everyone singing and utterly hypntoised. The band mesmerised from start to finish: it was the moment Freddie Mercury proved he was one of the greatest voices music has ever seen. Perhaps the most memorable moment of the set was Radio Ga Ga. A little indirect and unemotional on the original album (The Works): here, it was turned into something life-affirming and biblical. Getting the crowds clapping, singing and in one another’s arms: surely one of the finest live performances of any time period.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xXny7VDjpY&w=560&h=315]

Living on My Own – Mr. Nice Guy (solo album)

Wanting to move away from the band and take a break from Queen: Mercury released his first solo album in 1985. It was not hugely well received but proved he could exist outside the band and stretch his wings. Living on My Own is classic Mercury all the way through - vocal affectations and changing pace; sexuality, flair and vivacity in spades. Another Freddie Mercury song where confidence and authority are in no short supply. Remixed in 1993 and hitting the number one spot in the U.K.: the first number one of Mercury’s career.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYDWCe6n2_M&w=560&h=315]

Love of My Life – A Night at the Opera

On an album that contained the bombast and majesty of Bohemian Rhapsody: few bands would be able to put a song like Love of My Life alongside it and see it flourish. If anything, the song is an equal par due to Mercury’s tender and heartfelt performance. Written for his then-girlfriend Mary Austin, and one of the purest songs in the Queen back catalogue, it became such a fan favourite Mercury often had to stop singing and let the crowd take over. It shows the song resonated and connected with the masses: one of the key reasons is a knee-buckling, soul-kissing vocal turn from Mercury.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hFeER3_ZRQ&w=560&h=315]

The Show Must Go On – Innuendo

Featured on the twelfth and final Queen album: The Show Must Go On is unarguably the greatest example of Mercury’s insane abilities. Recorded whilst ailing and near-death, it is a testament to the resilience and determination of the singer. Brian May challenged him at the studio and asked whether Mercury could perform (whilst so frail). Mercury exchanged a coy smile (vodka in hand) and simply said “I’ll fucking do it, darling” and slammed his vodka down. Recorded in a single take; he lacerated the vocal and the rest, as they say, is history. Few vocalists could get within touching distance in full health: pale and ill Mercury put everyone to shame and helped create the Queen frontman’s fitting epitaph. Not one to let things get him down or be defeated by life: it is a bold and phenomenal statement of intent and defiance. Listen to and try and battle back to the tears: it shows Freddie Mercury is very much alive and inside all of us.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99KH0TR-J4&w=560&h=315]

_______________________

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4XgdWDhvQw&w=560&h=315]

Even if you are not a Queen fan – almost having to defend a terrific band against needless criticism – but nobody can deny or ignore Freddie Mercury and what he gave to music. Not only one of the most charming, quixotic and charismatic personalities even to walk the Earth – surely the biggest and most sensational vocal talent we have ever seen. It seems unlikely we will ever see another singer approach Mercury’s talents and passion – a true one-of-a-kind. You imagine he’d still be singing had he lived and who knows what he could have accomplished? In his relatively short, but highly sparkling career, Freddie Mercury established himself an absolute…

GIANT of music.

INTERVIEW: Josh Michaels

Interview:

 

 

Josh Michaels

__________________________

I have had the chance to interview a few Opera-Pop/Rock crossover artists, but…

none quite like American Josh Michaels. He is one of the most talked-about and respectable crossover artists emerging from the U.S. – his music is among the most arresting and passionate you will hear this year.

“Josh was born in New York in August 1990 and began singing at a young age. He is trained in Italian opera. Josh writes from the heart and uses his operatic qualities within his pop/rock music. Michaels’ music has been featured on various radio stations throughout Europe and the United States. Performance wise, Josh has performed throughout the world, but prefers his hometown venue where legends before him have started, The Bitter End. Most recently Josh has received much placement with his tracks, including short films. MTV’s Catfish (The TV Show) has placed Josh’s track Awaken Now”.

I was keen to catch up with Michaels and see how his year has been and his plans for months ahead. With the E.P. Out of the Deep Blue forthcoming: a perfect time to ask about the influences and subjects that have gone into it.

___________________

Hey Josh. How has your week been? What have you been getting up to?

This week I have been very focused on promoting my new E.P. Out of the Deep Blue. Alongside my P.R. help, I enjoy being hands-on with my own releases. I am an independent artist; I do not have any labels (helping) backing me. I have been very focused on my marketing as well as my craft. These past few months I have been writing with other artists. I have some great collaborations in the works, which I am greatly looking forward to announcing.

Awaken Now is your song that implores friends – going through bad relations and hard times – there is a light ahead. Were there any particular people who inspired the song and can you remember the moment you wrote it – what emotions were you feeling?

Awaken Now is a track I wrote for people stuck in bad friendships, relationships - anything holding them down.

This song is meant to remind them of the light ahead and the need to let go of what’s keeping them back. We all deserve to awaken into freedom and have peace of mind.

I wrote this song based off of an experience I viewed. I had a friend who was verbally abused by her boyfriend for many years. I taught her what she is worth and to let go of him and find the light.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_4lqMmf3U&w=560&h=315]

Your E.P., Out of the Deep Blue, will follow. What can we expect from it in terms of themes and sounds?

Out of the Deep Blue was written based off life experiences to help others with their own life experience. Each song is meant to open all hearts and minds. I write based off of that universal message and for all people to link on. Sound-related - I personally never like to stick with one sound; each song holds a different flavour.

Are there any local artists you would recommend to us?

Two local artists that I would recommend to you and your readers are Kristin Hoffmann and Premik Russell Tubbs. They are both based out of New York. I have known them for several years. Kristin has a voice that will forever leave you wanting to hear more of her. She writes about world peace and unity; she is full of truth and healing. Premik is a brilliant saxophonist who has played with the best in the business, including someone I look up to very much, Carlos Santana.

In the U.S., the biggest musicians tend to play out of New York and L.A. What is it about New York musicians that give the state such an incredible reputation?

I have lived in New York my entire life. Many people tell me I should be living in Los Angeles because of the music scene and the belief that you need to be there to 'make it'. That is a false belief.

I have many friends who have moved there thinking that they need to be there for their music success. I know from experience that it is not the place you live, it is the work that you put into your music and your network.

You were born in 1990 so must have grown up on a combination of pre-'90s and '90s music. Were you parents influential with regards your musical love and which artists were important to you growing up?

My parents’ taste in music has most definitely influenced me. I grew up listening to my dad's favorites, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. To this day, these two bands are my favorite as well.

As a trained opera singer: how do you apply your talents and vocal style to Pop and Rock? Is it quite an easy transition?

I enjoy using my operatic tones within my Pop/Rock music.

I don't think enough artists are using their true voices within the music they are making.

Many labels today are controlling the way many artists sound. They induce fear into many artists and make them think that one way is the right way. Whether it be in making music or not, I create my own path and believe that everyone should be doing the same. It may be easier to follow the crowd, but making your own path is much closer to your truth and destiny.

What defines music for you? Exactly what does it mean to you?

Music to me is when I hear a lyric that stays with me forever. When I can apply that lyric to any situation I'm in to help me get through that moment of time. This is how I write. Beautiful voices are gifts. Not one of them should stay silent. Sing your hearts out.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjSbM5Fbte8&w=560&h=315]

You have performed far and wide and met a lot of new faces. Are there any dates or performances that stand out in your mind?

Not a place or performance stands out to me. What stands out are the connections I make with people from all over the world through my music. I enjoy meeting people from all ends of the planet and realise one thing: we are all able to connect through music. Music is the answer. A universal language.

Your manager Steven has worked with names we all love. Ozzy Osbourne, Leonard Cohen, Seal (to name a few). Which of these artists do you admire the most?

Seal is an all-time-favorite of mine. His voice to his lyrics are brilliant and are songs I listen to every day of my life.

Have you any advice for any other musicians coming through looking to follow in your footsteps?

My best advice is to keep going. Hold on to your visions. Never give up. Don’t let fear become your worst enemy. Face your fears and always listen to your heart.

Finally, and for being good sports, you can select any song (other than your own) and I’ll play it here…

R. Kelly, I Believe I Can Fly

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIQn8pab8Vc&w=560&h=315]

_________________

Follow Josh Michaels

 

Official:

http://www.joshmichaelsmusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/officialJoshMichaels/?pnref=lhc

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/user-427547948

Purchase Josh Michaels' E.P. Out of the Deep Blue here:

http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1152278451?ls=1&app=itunes

E.P. REVIEW: Words & Noises - The Collector

E.P. REVIEW:

 

Words & Noises

 

 

The Collector

9.5/10

 

The Collector is available at:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-collector-ep/id1143535153

RELEASED: 12^th August 2016

GENRES: Pop-Rock

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

TRACK LISTING:

Desperation - 9.5

Play Your Cards - 9.6

The Morning After - 9.5

Rewind - 9.6

DOWNLOAD:

Play Your Cards; The Morning After; Rewind

STANDOUT TRACK:

Play Your Cards

______________________________

Lyrics & music © Chris Selman 2016 all rights reserved. Recorded, mixed & produced by Tim Thomas at Blueprint Studio One, Manchester, April 2016. Mastered by Andy Walter at Abbey Road Studios, London, May 2016. Words & Noises are Chris Selman (vocals, guitars, keys) and Simon Williams (drums, percussion). Additional performers: Rory McDonnell (backing vocals) and Ewart Hodge (viola).

______________________________

TODAY I have been thinking about the small venues and clubs…

in this country and what their survival rate is going to be like in the coming years. Writing a piece for Impakter: it gets me thinking about the venues around the country and how vital they are helping foster our brilliant music industry. Before I come to my featured act, I wanted to look at that topic; acts that have come from Manchester to London (and the best our there) in addition to the art of quirky and unique songwriting. It is lamentable thinking the music industry will shrink and fragment because of the unpredictable fate of the clubs and small venues. We look around and hear stories of clubs like fabric shutting down and subjected to controversy and threat – will they ever see their doors open again? It is not just confined to London: the problem extends across the nation and is very worrying. Maybe there is a north-south divide but one wonders how we can stem the problem – make sure we preserve our very best venues so bands have somewhere to play. That is the reason for bringing up that side of things: how the best bands around started out playing these clubs. In order to transcend to the mainstream and cut your teeth appropriately; you need to go through the ‘toilet circuit’ and bond with the loyal, small venues crowds. What happens if we rob musicians the constitutional right to play clubs and venues? It is hard to imagine how music can survive were the club scene to shrink and musicians had to rely on larger venues and Internet-based promotion. It is quite shocking seeing so many places go out of business, and one wonders the reasons why. Perhaps there is a financial component and instability; maybe a lack of demand given high living costs or the fact more people are choosing to stay in to socialise. Whatever the reason behind the uncertainty; it is making many new artists very nervous and unsure. The reason I bring this up is because Words & Noises’ Chris Selman and Simon Williams rely on such venues in order to get their music out there. Perhaps not visiting many of the ‘basic’ venues around: the only way Words & Noises have arrived at your ears is because of the small clubs and venues.

Their new E.P. is out and one wonders whether it would have been made were it not for the opportunities and gigs they have been afforded – a chance to get live experience and connect with the audience. Before I raise a new point, it is worth meeting the London-based band:

“Words & Noises is an English pop band. It is the brainchild of London-based singer/songwriter Chris Selman, who works collaboratively with Manchester-based percussionist Simon Williams; together with a number of guest musicians they create a unique brand of piano-pop music. Following on from the 2013 EP Beating Heart and the 2014 EP Loaded Gun, Chris and Simon released their new EP, The Collector, on 12th August 2016. It was preceded by a single, Play Your Cards.

The new EP was recorded, mixed and produced by Tim Thomas at Manchester’s renowned Blueprint Studio One in April 2016. It was mastered by Andy Walter at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London during May 2016. Chris and Simon previewed the EP in its entirety at a one-off acoustic show in Manchester during the May bank holiday weekend. During July and August 2016 they played a trio of shows in London, Manchester and Liverpool, alongside numerous press interviews and TV and radio appearances to promote the new EP”.

I know the future of Words & Noises is secure but they still rely on small venues (at the moment) to promote their music and make a living. In time, the boys will be playing large festivals and arenas, but for now, they must depend on the honest and staple club scene. It is there for a reason and must not be sacrificed for any reason – we cannot lose our music scene or see it suffer. It is a point I wanted to make and something I will explore more at another time. Thinking of Words & Noises and one sees a duo that has a very bright and sturdy career ahead. They are based in London now but have come from Manchester. It is axiomatic to say Manchester is one of those cities that not only keep producing terrific bands and artists – it has helped shaped the modern music scenes and brought us legends of the future. The Gramotones, The Watchmakers, and PINS are a trio of Manchester acts I would recommend that show the variation and quality emanating from the city. Modern chart acts like Blossoms have put the city (or Greater Manchester) on the map and follow on from legends like The Smiths, The Stone Roses and Oasis (among many others). It is impossible distilling Manchester’s music and brilliance into a short space – suffice to say the city is one of the greater areas for fantastic music. In unison with my musing about the club scene in the U.K.: the small venues in Manchester and the North are more assured and secure than their southern counterparts it seems. It appears a lot of Manchester bands are coming further south and settling in the capital. Despite the reputation for a certain coldness, expensiveness and anxiety: many musicians are favouring the relaxation and quiet of the towns and coming to London. Despite Manchester being a prosperous and wonderful city for music; the boys of Words & Noises are in London and taking the bull by the horns. Of course, they will be playing gigs in Manchester and connecting with the city; but it is interesting to see so many artists come to London. The opportunities are there and a rich community: many are undeterred by the negatives and struggles and discovering it is the place to be.

Words & Noises are ones to watch not only because of their links to Manchester and London but because of the wonderful blend of sounds they possess. Many reviews have all said the same thing about the duo: what a special and entertaining act they are; tasty tunes and a clear bond that makes their songs unforgettable and universal. It is rare to find an act that differs that much from the crowd and puts so much of themselves in the music. Against a lot of formulaic and familiar sounds, it is always wonderful discovering musicians that have that distinct quality and creates their own sub-genre. Words & Noises mix Pop and Rock but you are loathed to compare them readily with any other act – there are not many that instantly spring to the mind. I cannot wait to see how their future unfolds as it’s clear they have a lot more left to say. The Collector is their four-track E.P. and one that runs over with sensational moments and memorable choruses. All welded and bonded by fantastic performances and assured songwriting – a duo you have to seek out and follow. I have speculated just how many great duos there are around and how they differ to bands. In order to succeed and continue, the two players have that have a solid friendship as they cannot hide behind other players and fade into the background. If the duo has a strained relation then the music cannot hold up and their lifespan is finite. It is clear Selman and Williams have a brother-like bond and at the peak of their form. Long may this continue.

Before I get to grips with The Collector, I am compelled looking back at the band’s catalogue and how they have changed over the years. Beating Heart was released in 2013 and a confident, glimmering E.P. from a duo still finding their way into music. Having played together a lot before and performed locally: the E.P. has ample authority and is not the sound of two new musicians with no idea what they are doing. Words & Noises’ sound comes to the fore straight away and they demonstrated (back in 2013) how variegated and multi-layered they are. In the early days, perhaps trying to capture public attention and get into the spotlight, the duo penned and recorded the songs quite quickly in a D.I.Y. manner – getting the music out there and no relying on studios and gloss. It is understandable why the duo took this approach and could not afford to procrastinate and labour too hard. If you are a brand-new artist coming into the market, it is important to make your music heard quickly. That is not to say you should rush music out and negate the considerations of quality and focus. Beating Heart is a very solid and nuanced work that shows care and attention have gone in – an E.P. that has plenty of soul and instant classics. The boys showed how they differ from their peers and each song has a distinctly Words & Noises sound – you cannot compare it with other acts out there. Loaded Gun built on Beating Heart and boasted more weight and insight. The sound was familiar similar but, to my mind, the songs are more instant and enduring; that extra little something can be heard and the songwriting that much sharper and deeper. Like its predecessor, the E.P. has that lo-fi quality to it and is another release that boasts a D.I.Y. aesthetic. Perhaps trying to capture the mood and follow on from their previous work quickly – it was quickly put out (again) and ensures the duo remained in the public mindset. After those E.P.s and accompanying touring, things are changed. The boys’ reputation was solidified and radio stations started to throw huge love and praise their way. Having that fanbase behind them, there was less of a need to rush The Collector and that shows. Songs are more polished and refined and have been worked on repeatedly to get the sound and feeling just so. No weak moment or any half-hearted sentiments: the duo has taken care, in every stage, to make sure the songs are as they envisaged them and taken a studio-based approach. This change in dynamic and writing has not changed their music for the worse. All the components and qualities of Beating Heart and Loaded Gun are there but The Collector takes it on a step and is their finest work yet. More mature, reflective and accomplished than anything they have ever done.

Already, The Collector has gained effusive reviews and being spoken about with huge passion – guess I am a little late to put my opinion into the mix. Desperation starts with jubilance and grandiose gallop and shines with alacrity and sunshine. Given the song’s title, it was unlikely the lyrics would reflect such an optimism and hopefulness. Our hero approaches the microphone and (with cheery abandon) state there is a “whiff of desperation in the room”. Selman’s lyrics and vocals look at something “quite contrary” and surprising. The youths come to drink  and wipe away their problems: you envisage a club scene or setting and a general feeling of hopelessness. Whether Selman is referring to nightlife and the people who are “quite ordinary” I am not sure. It seems like the lyrics could apply to a wider suggestion and look at those who think they are everything and get consumed by their ego. You can apply the logical to relationships and workplaces; the music scene and social gatherings – the words have an adaptable and amenable nature; every listener can attribute them to their own imaginations and opinions. In my mind, I got thinking about an egotist and showman that thinks he is the business but slightly disillusioned.  Selman’s voice has quirky nature that brings rare emotions and colours from the lyrics. He is sympathetic but in no mood to celebrate a central figure and that way of life. Becoming more intriguing and fascinating with each new thought – one wonders whether it is a friend of the duo or known acquaintance. You can picture scenes where the guy rocks up expecting to be celebrated and acclaimed but is being shunned and overlooked. Maybe referencing a general type of human or a known target – a fascinating song that provides plenty of mystery to The Collector. The anti-hero hangs in dingy clubs with teenager and seems like a sad figure – kidding himself and trying to be cool for no reason at all. Looking at the nature of fitting in with wrong crowds and being disillusioned: boasting the very human and witty observations Words & Noises are famed for.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/264082977" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

Following the sparkling, almost Christmas-like chime of Desperation: Play Your Cards follows and keeps the momentum going. A single that has picked up a lot of attention and airplay already; it is perhaps the key cut from the E.P. Looking at the unpredictability and gamble of love (hence the title): it looks at relations and passions with new insight and objectives. The composition is tenser and tighter than the opening track and has more melody and singalong charm. Carrying itself on a gleeful wave of charm and pristine composition notes: Williams provides lust, colour and character to the song whilst Selman’s distinct vocal stylings push the lyrics forward and provide rush and excitement. Not ever trying to fit in with any other act: it is a distinctly Words & Noises song and mixes positivity and negative perfectly. Another assured and delightful composition – kudos to Williams’ performance – they are matched by Selman’s lyrics and graceful voice. Looking at protectors and those who want to ‘collect’ his heart – referencing the E.P.’s title here – he is a gambler who is stepping into relations not knowing how they will develop. Swooning, graceful vocals give the song gravitas and beauty but there is anxiety underpinning it. Our man is laying his cards on the table and his heart is on the line. What could come off as cliché and trope is given plenty of distinction and personality because of Selman’s delivery and insights – Williams injection so many different layers and nuances into the composition. Wordless vocals provide a ‘60s-Pop shine and there is a consistent drive and intensity to the song – never suffocating; the song is always light and agile. Having been castigated and disappointed in the past: our hero is hesitant putting his soul out there and risk being fooled. Like the rest of The Collector: you are addicted and seduced by the gleefulness of the composition and the wisdom and story of the lyrics. Play Your Cards is an instant favourite that not only get you singing ad moving in time with the song but compels repeated listening – just so you get to the bottom of the words and all their truths.

The Morning After might have obvious suggestions and ideas but is not quite as simple as that. The hero is trying to distil his Rock ‘n’ Roll spirt and perhaps recapture some of his better days. The Collector, as Selman has stated, is a more mature and reflective work. Perhaps a nod back to his 20s and clubbing days – perhaps it is harder fitting into that mould when you’re in your 30s. Not just looking at casual sex and the walk of shame: it is a wider and deeper investigation of growing up and not being that person anymore. Selman walks outside and may “be some time” it seems: collecting his keys and heading out to have some fun. Maybe (Selman) is not looking to self-destruct or rekindle his youth but looking for answers and truths. It is a song that makes you investigate away from obvious conclusions and get thinking. Once more, and like Words & Noises’ other tracks, the seriousness of the foreground is balanced with a composition that has spring, skip and Pop flavours. That blend does not distill The Morning After and its words: instead, it makes it more accessible and endeavouring; more rounded and complete. An unexpected and much-needed spark of electric guitar comes past the half-way mark and adds new dimensions and compositional elements. Emotive, swinging and gritty: it catches you unaware and provides a lot of regret, heartache and anger. It is clear the hero is not who he was and no longer natural in that morning after role – he seems to be going out and drinking for sake of things. Maybe wanting to meet a man but not have anything permanent: a very ‘teenage’ way of life is being documented – for someone in their 30s. Squandering his youth and regretting choices he has made; you cannot help but empathise with the hero and that sense of confusion. Words & Noises ensure the song goes right through the deck of cards – maybe the joker is being played too many times.

Completing the E.P. is Rewind. Whereas previous songs have sprung from the traps and won you with energy and effusiveness – there is a more casual, serious and reflective sound being put out. Earlier tracks of youth, love and gambling have all looked at age and the need for maturity and wise decisions. Rewind seems to be the aural equivalent of revelation and sobering up: waking in a haze and realising changes need to be made (little lyric in there for you!). That is all revealed in a vocal that is more tender and pure than anything. Gone are the more playful edges and youthful spring to be replaced by man who is sizing things up and looking at the nature of love. Having fallen for others in the past: it seems a pattern if emerging. The song is still enjoyable but there is a more serious sentiment that adds a new layer and side to the duo. Whoever is being represented in the song might be a player. It seems like our hero is not sure whether the affection is pure and whether it is a trap. Perhaps cynical but you feel the reticence and hesitation comes from a sane voice – one that has found too much heartbreak and disappointment in the past. Stately strings and shoulder-supporting percussion ensure the song has necessary emotion and sadness but not too tired – plenty of beauty and gracefulness come through in the composition. Selman shows his knack of conversational brilliance in the lyrics – never one to succumb to cliché and lacking inspiration. The lovers are keen to start anew (the word “dear” seems like a charming and anachronistic term of endearment) and not make the same mistakes. In the midst of such a situation: Selman’s voice remains dignified and composed; never showing too much emotion or being insincere. Words & Noises show how they can shift moods and sounds whilst keeping their distinct personality firm. Many bands and acts, the very best out there, can switch like this and (Rewind) provides an emotive and heartfelt finale. “Are we falling apart?” is a question that has rarely sounded so meaningful and affecting as here. Perhaps the sweethearts have a history and it is a complicated situation. Our hero swims in his own head and is looking for clarity know it might never come. It is clear things will take time to resolve themselves and you are always wondering whether hearts will be broken or happiness will emerge. Towards the closing stages of the song, that earlier question is emphaised and the necessity to rewind is paramount – going back to the start and picking things up fresh. A wonderful song that demonstrates how the duo have progressed. Rewind could never have exited on their first two E.P.s and benefits from studio treatment and polish; ensuring every line and sentiment gets straight into he heart. It completes a wonderful four-track E.P. and a fascinating, consistent creation that is their crowning achievement to date.

The Collector is a stunning work that is tight, focused and awash with imagination, fantastic songs and distinct edges. The boys do not copy their contemporaries or come off as a second-rate version of someone else. One of the most varied and individual duo you are likely to hear in years: the fantastic reviews and hype they have received is justified and appropriate. I am not sure what the rest of 2016 holds for them but I know there will be tour dates and chances to get their new E.P. to the crowds. Let’s hope there are plenty of venues out there for the guys – coming back to my early point – and the audiences are warm and receptive. The feedback and acclaim they have received suggests they are incredible live and an act I will have to see. The next time they play London I’ll have to get myself involved and witness their music first-hand. Before wrapping this up, it is prudent not only looking at the duo’s future but see how they have come on. I mentioned early on how their latest work is more polished and assured than previous E.P.s and that speaks volumes. Clearly there is a lot of confidence and faith in the group and they are not musicians that want to stand still and repeat themselves. Embracing a cleaner and more studio-set sound: it still has D.I.Y. touches but it more accessible and polished without losing the common touch.  The Collector signals a new phase for the duo and sees them preparing themselves for mainstream life. I am not sure whether they have any plans for the future with regards new material and albums but it seems only a matter of time before they join contemporaries like The 1975 and Everything Everything.

Those two bands are ones the band tip as idols and define the Manchester scene. The city will always be the spiritual home for Words & Noises (Selman especially) and runs in the blood. Aside from current favourites Blossoms and Guy Garvey – showing how nimble and consistent he is when stepping aside from Elbow – the bands who made the city what it is today never forget their roots. Words & Noises are based in London but always remind you of Manchester’s finest – a little bit of fellow norther acts Artic Monkeys and The Beatles. It is likely the boys will keep things lo-key for the rest of 2016 and prime themselves for new material and chances. On The Collector; they have taken a step forward and are working with professionals who have contributed to material by Radiohead and David Bowie. I know Selman would like the chance to perform alongside Paul McCartney and Noel Gallagher and you wouldn’t bet against that. Words & Noises are a utilitarian act that have won many hearts and are only going to grow stronger and bigger. Do not overlook just how important it is to promote and investigate acts like Words & Noises. On the surface, you may assume them to be another act that sounds like so-and-so and will not really stand aside. That is a naïve assumption but perhaps excusable. We get bombarded with so many artists who are tipped as the next big things and it can murk the waters. The artists that are truly unique and wonderful often toil in anonymity and struggle to get appropriate dues. I still find the young guitar band gets too much focus and is the default go-to ‘hero’. We need to shift our thinking and celebrate musicians on merit rather than history and market trends. If you factor out all the media narrowmindedness and predictability and there are still many willing to open their ears and bring us the very finest acts – 6 Music are among the champions of Words & Noises. The Collector is a wonderful E.P. that arrives from a duo who improves and expands with every new release. If you require music original, accomplished and characterful then embrace the boys and take them to heart. Manchester has produced so many wonderful acts the past few decades: it is no exaggeration to suggest Words & Noises…

DESERVE to be mentioned alongside them.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/273347144" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

___________________________

Follow Words & Noises

 

Official:

http://wordsandnoises.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/WordsAndNoises/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/wordsandnoises

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/wordsandnoises

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_bbbYssuVE&feature=youtu.be

FEATURE: The September Playlist: Vol. 1

FEATURE:

 

The September Playlist: Vol. 1

______________________

ONLY a few days into the month and there is ample evidence…

to suggest September will be overflowing and awash with fantastic music and notable albums. It is worth collating the singles and songs from the first week of the month – the music that is defining the early-September buzz. I have been having a search around and bring the best from the bunch.

_____________________

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Jesus Alone

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iGxoJnygW8&w=560&h=315]

Psychic Twin – Hopeless

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSFkkA71n3s&w=560&h=315]

Twin Atlantic – The Chaser

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpA6JOWpiEY&w=560&h=315]

Sleigh Bells – It’s Just Us Now

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnuMMkDGjmE&w=560&h=315]

The Head and the Heart – Library Magic

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg4VCNyzI2I&w=560&h=315]

Soft Hair – Lying Has to Stop

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFkAjX0Gz8Y&w=560&h=315]

Local Natives – Coins

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2kYC4H-70k&w=560&h=315]

GoldLink – Fall In Love

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQmltBqeoZw&w=560&h=315]

Jamie T – Drone Strike

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fLEkq39SYc&w=560&h=315]

Bastille – Send Them Off!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yhuSy7_frw&w=560&h=315]

Teenage Fanclub - Thin Air

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjAl8jqdMjg&w=560&h=315]

Wilco – Someone to Lose

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICacxeEUa90&w=560&h=315]

James Blake (ft. Vince Staples) – Timeless

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO1L2R3oQ6Q&w=560&h=315]

Rebecca Ferguson – Bones

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaicRZoHO6Q&w=560&h=315]

Angel Olsen – Sister

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mIA1r2ZELU&w=560&h=315]

July Talk – Push + Pull

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWywb9i-z7Y&w=560&h=315]

A Day to Remember – Exposed

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_qef2tsh6U&w=560&h=315]

Zara Larsson – Ain’t My Fault

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4W9rp5zVY&w=560&h=315]

Fetty Wap – Make You Feel Good

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB8OZLLDIgY&w=560&h=315]

M.I.A. (ft. ZAYN) – Freedun

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Nc1FdTD10&w=560&h=315]

Devin Townsend Project – Secret Sciences

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy7uQ4evb8g&w=560&h=315]

Jack White – Carolina Drama (Acoustic Mix)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUKcChH7sbo&w=560&h=315]

All Sons & Daughters – I Surrender

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j2IRgLYQ4o&w=560&h=315]

The Divine Comedy – How Can You Leave Me On My Own

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehxil2jZiok&w=560&h=315]

Izzy Bizu – Mad Behaviour

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA_E6udchlM&w=560&h=315]

Kaia Kater – Rising Down

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuG9Xh5FUw8&w=560&h=315]

Ward Thomas – Guilty Flowers

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3fk_CL4AXs&w=560&h=315]

 

King Creosote – You Just Want

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCqXVTnGzgU&w=560&h=315]

Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Come With Us

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F8mEQsXVkQ&w=560&h=315]

I have had to stop myself as there is a raft of great songs still left to put out there – I shall leave it for future editions. There are another four parts to go, so lots of chance to hear September's’s best songs from brand-new albums. If you are feeling low by the shorter days and moody weather: stick on this playlist and have a smile put on your face.

TRACK REVIEW: Cocoa Futures - The Blue

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Cocoa Futures

 

 

The Blue

9.6/10

The Blue is available at:

https://soundcloud.com/cocoafutures/the-blue

RELEASE DATE:

August 2016 (SoundCloud)

GENRES:

Funk; Pop

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

_________________

WITH this year starting to get darker and colder…

it is worth looking at music that gets the spirit warmed and the body moving. I have heard a lot of bands and artists who have a pretty great sound – it tends not to stick in the mind and you go off looking for something else. My feature act is setting themselves aside and already (so early in the career) gathering some great reviews and hype. Before I come to them, it is worth looking at addictive music and its importance; the fusion of Pop and Funk and the London-based bands forging forward in 2016. It may seem like a minor point, but you cannot underestimate the strength of a catchy song – one that gets your feet moving and the body dancing. There is a lot of seriousness and po-faced music going around: every now and then, the listener yearns for something more rousing, danceable and funky. So many of the brand-new bands/acts emerging still lack the necessary rhythmic freedom and positivity – still confined and limited. Some of the most instant and enduring songs I have come across this year have been noted for their catchiness and incredible sense of energy. M83’s Go is one of those songs that creates dance and merriment: an unashamedly giddy song that, once heard, rattles around the brain and compels you to listen again and again. Cocoa Futures take that core and expand it to create music full of nuance, infectiousness, and ambition. When reading reviews for Cocoa Futures, that word ‘infectious’ keeps coming back and standing out. It might sound like an odd word to apply to music but one I do not see often enough. So many new songs are okay on first listen but you move on and do not really feel the need to return. In order to survive in the modern age, the songs you perform have to have to go deeper and ensure the consumer is hooked and entranced. I have a great love for musicians that try something new and genuinely push themselves.

On the other side of the argument: there are those that think catchy and infectious music is shallow and lacks any real emotional clout and authority. The artists that create upbeat/repeatable songs and get you thinking are quite a rare breed. I agree there are a few bands/musicians that can pen an addictive song but it lacks any real intelligence and wisdom. Cocoa Futures are one of those propositions that have been gaining rave reviews and rightfully so. Penning music that hits all the senses and gets the brain sizzling, engaged and provoked: a genuinely exciting act that are going to be around for a very long time. I shall raise a couple of new points, but for now, it is worth introducing you to my featured act:

Greg, Dave, Jack, and Zoe

“Our ethos is pretty simple – to be ambitious about making music we’re proud of. And to have a nice time.” Greg, Cocoa Futures

Scotland-bred and London-based, Cocoa Futures are the brainchild of frontman Greg (vocals/bass). They specialise in pristine pop harmonics crossed with a taste for the unexpected. Greg assembled a band including Dave (drums), Zoe (keys) and Jack (guitar) and first came to prominence in 2014 through the self-released upbeat singles ‘Do Something’ and ‘Scotland’, while commanding distinguished reviews for their select live shows, which included the Great Escape and Camden Crawl festivals. This early promise served as a staging post for the band to determine their musical direction and decamp to the studio to write. And write. Crafting and developing manifold demos became a daily pastime for Greg and when he sent a batch of these over to producer Marc Withasee (Micachu & the Shapes), he received a wordless reply that contained an amazing first draft of what would evolve into ‘The Blue’. Withasee and Cocoa Futures bonded over a love of ‘messed up’ pop and the producer was instrumental in setting tempos, tweaking arrangements and bringing out the band’s penchant for building tracks around loops and effects as they collaborated on the four-song ‘Blue’ EP, completed in early 2016. When Greg shared the results with Lost In The Manor Records, the label wasted no time in offering the band a contract and the EP’s release will coincide with a number of key London launch dates. ‘Blue’, mixed by Max Taylor and mastered by Jason Mitchell, is immediate yet intriguing, a collection of fantastic pop moments wrapped up in music of great depth, and its release seems set to propel Cocoa Futures to the frontline of UK pop’s key innovators”.

This year has been a bit of a mixed one for new acts. It has been more consistent and impressive than 2015 but I still find too many artists who do not resonate and linger at all. So many artists are temporary and transitory and have not really cemented something original enough to keep them in the consciousness. Cocoa Futures hail from Scotland but have moved to London and found inspiration there. It hasn’t been easy but the cosmopolitanism, variation, and colour feed right into their single, The Blue. It is not just the city and people that have brought about such a terrific song – the mixing of genres is not to be underestimated. Pop and Soul go alongside Funk and Alternative without seeming disorientated and over-stuffed. I love Rock music and harder-edged bands but something with a bit of slinkiness and movement. I mentioned how a lot of bands are getting too serious and that is something that is becoming more prolific and widespread. You can sing about love and the unpredictableness of romance and still make songs that have some optimism and variegation. What Cocoa Futures provide are Prince-like guitar squalls and histrionics with rump-shaking memorability and hook. The quartet has come from Scotland and ensconced themselves in the capital now. Scotland is, as I have stated in other reviews, one of the most prolific and prodigious nations when it comes to great music. We overlook artists there in favour of England and forget just how many terrific acts are based there. The difference there, as opposed to London, is the sense of freedom and lack of anxiety evident. What I find with Scottish music is a sense of heritage and community. A lot of bands and acts vibe from their past heroes without replicating them. You get touches of the finest Scottish artists ever; fed through a very modern-sounding and fresh prism. A few people assume music in Scotland is going to be samey and hard-nosed but there are rafts of acts that know how to inject plenty of fun and Funk into the mix. It is not fair to assume London has been solely responsible for Cocoa Future’s success and direction. They have stated, in a recent interview, how it took a while to assimilate to London life and find a niche – now they have; the music is mutating and growing with the beat and flair of the city. In The Blue; you can hear a stunning mix of Scottish traditional and singular sound with the expanse and daring of London – together with little flavours of the U.S. Comparisons have been made with Prince – the stunning falsetto do not do anything to deter that thought – and it looks like things are moving forward for the intrepid four-piece.

London is a city that has always been synonymous with its wonderful music – the natural British centre for the best and brightest. I can see the appeal of going to London and pursuing the music dream. Few opportunities are to be found in a lot of towns around the country so more and more musicians are emigrating in order to get their music heard. In the case of Cocoa Futures: the guys are still new but already being tipped for great things and success. They have a few gigs lined up – a chance to sort their material and try different things – and it is all very exciting right now. It is a very tough and competitive market (especially in London) so you need a very special sound to get people talking and ensure longevity. So many waltz into the city with something cliché and regular and assume there is room for them and success will come – rather stunned and overwhelmed by the reality check that awaits them. Cocoa Futures have taken care to hone their music and work on it rigorously. Despite the fact they’re hip-swiveling and insatiable: that sort of freedom, sass, and quality has not been lazily tossed off and blagged. Among the most hard-working and determined acts around the country: one feels that dedication and work ethic will see them rewarded and celebrated. London is showing just how many great artists are in their midst and what variegation and choice is available. It is understandable coming to the city and being fearful and anxious – not quite sure whether survival and prosperity is going to be assured. No such concerns with Cocoa Futures who have a great management team behind them and some important dates lined – London crowds starting to turn on to a wonderful act who make music for the masses.

At this point, I normally look at a band/musician’s past and compare their past work with their current. That is tricky in the case of Cocoa Futures who are just beginning and in the early stages. When they unveil their E.P., it will afford a chance to see how the songs different and the range of sounds they have in their locker. At this juncture, it is down to The Blue with regards defining the London band. It already sounds completely fully-formed and confident: hardly natural for a band so new and fresh. Of course, the individual members have been around for a while and performed before – they sound like they have been gigging for years and recording just as long. You never get a sense, throughout The Blue, that there are any hesitations and room for improvements. The band has released other songs in the past – Do Something and Scotland were released in 2014 – but are hard to get your hands on. Essentially, their 2016-work is what matters and what the band is putting out to the ether. They are bonded by a love of messed-up Pop and that fascination with hooks and samples – tweaking them and seeing just what can be achieved through music. Quite an unorthodox and experimental group that differs from the pack – those who will compel others and innovate the scene. So many of today’s ‘best’ bands lack necessary malleability and originality making one wonder why they were tipped in the first place. Cocoa Future’s gorgeous harmonies and Funk-kicking guitar lines stand out on their own – there is so much more when you dig deep. Just consider what Blue will contain: an E.P. sure to be noted for its dexterity and peerless quality. The critics and reviews that have seen the band live are already talking about them as one of those acts that will change music. A lot of press attention is coming their way so that all bodes well for them. Hopefully, their future E.P. will be praised as heartedly as their single. If that is the case, and one would assume that, then the future is very much safe and assured for them.

The Blue starts out in a mesh of industrial beats and electronics. With the same sort of flair and sound as Word Up – it has that kind of Cameo ‘80s R&B. to it – and you are instantly braced and surprised. I have not heard a song come out the blocks so authoritatively without huge guitars and noise. The band has kept things restrained but managed to create such an atmosphere and gravity with simple components. As I said a little bit earlier: they love to tweak beats and sounds and love a good loop/hook. That is all evident right from the off and there is no time for gradual build and surprise. The Tottenham group are on the same page and ensure The Blue gets into the head right away. Perhaps looking at relationships and two lovers with different views – the early lines are quite intriguing. Imploring (the girl) not to fight it and the listener will come to their own conclusions. A good time to “feel low” and words explaining how experience matters – perhaps the rituals of humiliation and misunderstanding are being laid out. I got the impression of the duo in a relationship but being separated by personality clash. They want different things from life and it seems like the bond is about to break. The band has not explained the true origin of the song but I was thinking of a general fall-out between people who have lost that love and affection. The hero’s voice is falsetto-sharp and pure but carries a sadness and weight to it. Some of the words have intelligibility issues – a bit too low in the mix perhaps – but the vocal beauty and heartfelt delivery pave over those cracks. The composition, equal to the foreground, provides so much joy and fascination. It is hard to explain what goes into the sound and how it was crafted. You get sturdy beats and definite funkiness. Calypso percussion and tropical vibes sit with jagged, robot-like electronics and the overall sensation is quite hard to take in. Few bands are as original when it comes to compositions so The Blue is a song that demands a few spins so you can appreciate it. Our man wants to take a holiday from feeling low and just get away from things. At this point, one wonders whether it is just relationships that are getting him down. There is a wider possibility that life in general is causing issues and not quite as he hoped. I am not sure, but that openness and possibility exists. In terms of the vocals and production sound: it is a very modern and cutting-edge sound and one that puts your mind in 2016. The compositions recall more of the ‘80s and mixes influences as wide as Talking Heads and Madonna. There is a bit of La Roux and contemporaries, but for the most part, you are taking back to the past.

Everyone will get their own view of the truths and origins, but for me, there is that desire to be somewhere else and escape from a harsh bond – perhaps start again or take a break. Vivid, oblique lyrics about car crashes and helicopters take the imagination elsewhere. Take the weekend out the city, our man states. The ideas of franticness, busy streets and exhaustion start to emerge and I was getting ideas of fleeing the city and finding some solace and reflection. It is interesting hearing the song unfold and the way your opinions change according to the narrative. The central figure (the girl) is being cut down and caught up with; there is a definite sense of strain and emotion but the lyrics never truly reveal their truth. It is the images and ideas being sung about that form their own story rather than literal revelation and backstory. I am not sure whether Greg has explained the song – and I may be off the mark – but The Blue is something that will be taken to heart by the listener. Greg did explain how there is a general sadness that goes into the song: it is okay to feel that way and there are fun ways to avoid the depression. That is a nice way of looking at things and the city, key in my mind, is a perfect example of both sides. It can be a harrowing and lonely existence being inside a busy city but there are so many distractions and entertainment – capable of feeling together, as one and fulfilled. Modern life is so hectic and unpredictable: most of us get caught in a bad rut and there is that need to overcome the blues and reclaim the soul. Various reviewers have put names like David Bowie and Hot Chip together with The Blue, and that is understandable. The band has a wide range of idols and you get a little bit of each in there. Bowie’s Let’s Dance work is evident in the driving, Funk-heavy composition and the same can be said of Prince. There is a definite impression of the sadly-departed legend in the falsetto vocal and delivery. When it all comes to it, you get a band that is very much separate of others and merely bring other musicians in as leads and guide. It is the insatiable and determined stomp (with the pulsating bass line) that not only gets you dancing and jiving along but will go down well in the live setting. Perhaps there is a summertime flair to the song but it is something that will translate into autumn and winter – a track that is uplifting and wonderful in any season. By the closing notes, you have taken a lot in and heard from the hero. Those blues and stresses are heavy on his mind but there is the chance to get away for a couple of days and unwind. Whatever you take from the song and however you view its lyrics, one thing is evident: that catchiness and addictiveness reign from every note. The mind and soul will be nourished by the lyrics and the contrasts of blues and escapism. The body and bones will react to the busy, multicoloured composition that is impossible to deconstruct and explain. It is such a quirky and perfect setting for the song and differs from everything out there. Bands who play in a similar style often keep the composition a bit basic and predictable I find. Cocoa Futures lace together various genres, sounds, and hooks together in a splendid way. All of this together signals a group that has a lot of years ahead of them and let’s hope they keep the quality this high. If their E.P. contains the same gems and standard as The Blue then critics will go wild. That comes out on December 2^nd so make sure you keep your eyes open and prepare for something quite wonderful. London is used to producing and supporting some tremendous acts – Cocoa Futures definitely rank alongside the finest in the city right now.

The Blue is the latest single from Cocoa Futures and, as said previously, a song that is getting plenty of buzz, love and wonderful feedback. I know the guys have an E.P. (Blue) in the pipeline and that will be exciting to see. Being taken care of by Lost in the Manor (London) and filled with promise and determination – keep your eyes on the band. Let’s hope they have time aside to add more to their social media as it would be great to hear about where they came from. I know interviews are the best way to learn about musicians, but a little biography and insight help new listeners and fans learn about an artist. The guys play Lost in the Manor’s Blogtober – which I am part of – and that will give them a chance to nestle alongside some great acts and get their music to a new crowd at The Finsbury. I hope the band gets some more promotional images out there and up as it would be good to see – this review has a few images but not many. Looking at social media and you would think it is a one-man act: leaving quite a lot of mystery and questions towards Cocoa Futures. That might come with more exposure and demand but I am sure fans and followers would like to see more visual insight from the group – some photos that put faces to names and show them on the road. I know the group (Greg and Dave at least) began in Edinburgh and relocated from the city – finding it a little boring and stifling as musicians. London has opened up its arms, but of course, there is work to be done and more music on the horizon. The Blue E.P. will be interesting and one wonders whether the template will follow the lead of The Blue. The track is, quite rightly, defining the band and the temptation would be to produce another 3 or 4 versions of that song. Many bands and artists do this and that can lead to problems. If you become homogenised and predictable that early then critics have you figured out. I know Cocoa Futures have a long list of influences and styles that inspire them. I am confident we will see that come to fruition on the E.P. – a wide range of different genres and themes being explored. Until then, they are getting on the road and picking up that all-important live experience.

Before concluding things, it is worth looking at the earlier points and seeing where Cocoa Futures are heading. Greg is very much out front for the band, but his crew and bandmates are not to be overlooked and underestimated – making sure the music is fleshed-out and vivacious; the connection and understanding between the members is incredible. Perhaps the Edinburgh-based lead has found more prosperity down south but you can hear elements and strands of Scotland and the musicians there within Cocoa Futures. I wonder whether various well-established musical cities are going to suffer in the future. A lot of acts are decamping and finding more excitement and popularity away from home so it gets you wondering what of the fate (of the other areas). Edinburgh has always produced exceptional musicians but a lot of the new generation are leaving, and with it, taking wonderful music away with them. London, as a result, is becoming more crowded but that is good for the music economy – so much choice for the consumer. Cocoa Futures have arrived with plenty of heart and determined spirit and found themselves a loyal and faithful management team – willing to support the music and get them gigs. I would urge you to see the band play if you get the chance and find out why they are being lauded by so many critics. It is early days still but the propulsion and push The Blue has given them will lead to some great things. Few new musicians are taking their mind away from heartbroken and serious love songs and understanding how vital energy and addictiveness are to music. It is not cheap and easy creating something catchy and dance-able so long as the lyrics have a bit of seriousness and soul to them. There are those acts that can provide catchy songs but often lack any depth and intelligence – it can become cloying and frustrating the more you hear them. Cocoa Futures have shown just what can be achieved from a blend of wisdom, Funk and emotiveness. The bond between the members ensures every note strikes from the speakers and gets the feet and backside moving and involved. It is going to be wonderful seeing the group flourish and discover London in all its delights. Cocoa Futures play Ryan’s Bar on the 16^th; they head to The Finsbury for Blogtober and then to Sebright Arms in December. More dates are likely to follow in 2017. I am looking forward to charting a group who are just beginning their careers and have plenty of potential and scope. When their E.P. is released, I know there will be wider demands and they will have touring demands across the U.K. Until that moment, and whilst they plan their future, you should keep in touch with Cocoa Futures and just where they are heading. Surely they will be one of those acts…

CAPABLE of some very big things.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/276329600" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

_____________________________

Follow Cocoa Futures

 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/cocoafutures/?fref=ts

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/cocoafuture

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/cocoafutures