FEATURE: The April Playlist: Vol. 2: Sky Full, Fists Pumped and Crying Pretty

FEATURE:

 

The April Playlist

 IN THIS IMAGE: Florence Welch/IMAGE CREDIT: Unskilledworker 

Vol. 2: Sky Full, Fists Pumped and Crying Pretty

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THIS is another bumper week for new music…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kamasi Washington

We have a stunning new song from Florence + the Machine; a wondrous cut from Kamasi Washington and an alluring and busy gem from LUMP – a new project of Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay.

If all that wasn’t enough to whet the appetite – you have some nerve! – then we have Janelle Monáe, Gaz Coombes and Nicki Minaj; Sigrid, Manic Street Preachers and JONES – with a bit of CHVRCHES and Frank Turner to add a bit of spice and excitement!

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

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Florence + the Machine – Sky Full of Song

Kamasi Washington – Fists of Fury

PHOTO CREDIT: Mathew Parri & Esteban Diacono_100

LUMP - Curse of the Contemporary

The Weeknd - Call Out My Name

The Magic Numbers - Ride Against the Wind

ZAYN - Let Me

Meek Mill - 1942 Flows

Carrie Underwood - Cry Pretty

Amy Shark – I Said Hi

Bebe Rexha – Ferrari

Frank Turner – Make America Great Again

Vance Joy – Saturday Sun

Ina Wroldsen – Sea

Janelle Monáe (ft. Grimes) – PYNK

Catherine McGrath – Wild

Gaz Coombes – Shit (I’ve Done It Again)

Nicki Minaj – Chun-Li

Sigrid – High Five

Breaking Benjamin - Torn in Two

Maren Morris - Rich

Miley Cyrus – The Bitch Is Back

Plan B – It’s a War

Snow Patrol – Life on Earth

PHOTO CREDIT: Laura E. Partain

Courtney Marie Andrews – Songs for Tourists

Daktoa, Not3s - Sober

Twin Shadow – When You’re Wrong

Isaac Gracie – telescope

The Shires – The Hard Way

Laura Veirs – The Canyon

JONES – Tender

Matthew and the Atlas – Cali

Manic Street Preachers – Vivian

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – She Taught Me How to Fly

CHVRCHES – Miracle

Superorganism – Night Time

Youngr – Drive

PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

Speedy Ortiz – Villain

Tinashe, Little Dragon - Stuck with Me

FEATURE: Spotlight: Amber Mark

FEATURE:

 

Spotlight

 PHOTO CREDIT: Immstagramer 

Amber Mark

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IF you have not affiliated yourself…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

with the brilliant Amber Mark; ensure you correct that and get involved with her music. The New York-based artist has come a long way since her beginnings. A couple of years ago, Noisey spoke to Mark and asked where she recorded her music:

“What's the most enjoyable part of the process for you?
Yes, 90 percent of the times it's been in my bedroom. I've had the opportunity to work with other producers, but I feel I've produced my best work on my own, such as Space. For me the most enjoyable part would be the production side. Don't get me wrong, I have many days where I sit for hours and get nowhere. But when I feel the beat is good and I'm vibin' with it, its almost a mediation for me”.

Love Me Right is the songwriter’s current gem and shows what development and evolution have taken place since her introduction. It is a mix of eclectic, tropical beats and a summer-ready feel; vocals that are chocolate-rich and divine. One gets impressions Erykah Badu and some of the finest female artists of the past couple of decades. It is a brilliant song and one that shows she is ready and able to handle everything chucked her way. There is a lot of interest in the American songwriter at the moment.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rachel Cabitt/Pitchfork

Handling devastating loss can be tough for all of us. There are artists who tackle that pain and channel it into terrific music: most like to retreat and not really open up about it. Amber Mark lost her mother in 2013 and, following her death, poured her talented and sadness into music. What arrived from that transition was a stunning sound and imaginative palette. Her first track, S P A C E, was released last year and proved an instant hit with critics and fans. It was like nothing out there and, listening to it the context of her current material; one can hear that confidence and talent early on – she has grown and blossomed since then, too. Zane Lowe picked up her music and, after a few months, so many people were flocking her way. Her debut E.P., 3:33am, is out (released last year) and demonstrates what a consistent and alluring proposition Mark is. Each of the tracks on her E.P. is about stages of grief. There is the dealing of isolation and grief; having to accept things and realise she (her mum) is gone. The number ‘three’ plays a big part in Amber Mark’s life – she was born in 1993; her brother in 1983; her mum died on 3rd June, 2013. The aspiring star has managed to turn that anger and loss into something genuinely brilliant and spiritual. There is a lot of maturity and confession in the E.P.

Amber Mark has been hot on the interview trail and has not long left the U.K. – promoting a song, one hopes, leads to another E.P. She has taken advantage of some our best spots and, fingers crossed, she comes back and plays real soon. The New Yorker will not have a lot of time to get to the U.K. – what with 3:33am loved by many and gaining a lot of traction. The young artist, I know, was obsessed with Michael Jackson growing up. One can imagine her parents playing some great vinyl and exposing the impressionable music lover to wonderful sounds. Based in the U.S.; Amber Mark is competition with some incredible artists. We have brilliant Soul and Pop artists out there – to me, there is something different, refreshing and long-lasting about Mark. She has the strength and fortitude to bridge any problems and tackle the barriers and strain of the music industry. Mark breathes tenacity and natural spirit, which means she can negotiate any hard sell and cheating tongues – get her music out to the world and navigate her way through music on her own terms. Mark recently talked to Pitchfork about making the E.P. and how it got started:

“I didn’t really have the intention of writing an EP. “S P A C E” was one of the first songs I’d ever written, mainly because I had been dealing with a bunch of emotional roller coaster shit within myself. That was a way I could express myself properly, and it felt like a release. I was also really frustrated with myself, because I knew I wanted to be in music and to write music, but I wasn’t finding any producers that were working for me. So I just took matters into my own hands. Someone had given me Logic, and I started to do it all on my own. Writing by myself in my bedroom is definitely where I feel most creative”.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images/Amber Mark

She went on to assess what the E.P. means and how she wants 3:33am to connect with other people:

“I want this EP to have a bigger meaning, and I want people to feel even more emotional with this than they did with the previous one. Like, I still have drama. It may be all, like, love drama now. But it’s still drama”.

Mark will tour through North America through the spring and summer. It looks like we can expect her back in the country later in the year. Many fellow songwriters will take guidance from her and be inspired by what she is doing and the sound she throws done. There are elements of Sade – who she has covered and, after being written to by Mark, recognised her as a torchbearer and natural soul – and you feel, when listening to any of her songs, alive and exposed at the same time. Her seven-track E.P. talks about everything from drinking heavily and losing patience; having to shoulder the loss of an idol and assimilating grief and numbness into her life. One might read those words and assume everything is gloomy and hopeless. Instead, what we get is an E.P. filled with hope and passion. Amber Mark’s voice has so many layers and colours constantly bubbling, fizzing and swooning.

I cannot wait to see where Amber Mark goes and how the music world reacts to her. She is not naïve and an ingénue artist: there's a fierceness and understanding that goes into confident and assured music. One listens to her perform and it is like she has been doing this all her life. I can imagine her domestic scene being rather adventurous and fun. She revealed in an interview – with NME, I think – her boyfriend neglecting to put down the toilet seat is bugging her! You can sense that charm and humour that emanates from Mark. More than anything; in a year where female artists, in music and other industries, have to fight harder for recognition – it is humbling seeing Amber Mark among the leading voices in music. Barely singing a word; she proves what incredible female talent there is in music right now. There is a definite gap in the industry that requires filling: the sumptuous vocals and deep songs of Amber Mark are there to take the breath and resonate with the listener.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mon Mon Dieu

3:33am is out and, rightfully, it has accrued some massive love. This is the first big time for Mark and her career. From here, she hits the road pretty hard and will get to see a lot of new faces. I hope she is okay and gets some great reaction. I am confident people will fall for her music and take her to heart – it is only right! I am a big fan for a number of reasons...Mark has that intriguing and engaging personality that makes you want to listen to every word she says. The music gets into the soul and is unlike anything out in music. Finally, and importantly, there is a durability and a sense she will continue to reign and influence decades from now. I can hear that star quality and iconic sound from her debut E.P. If you have the time, and are so inclined; let 3:33am fill your ears and see why so many people…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

ARE tipping her for big things.

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Follow Amber Mark

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Amb3rMark

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/instagramber/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AmberMark/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0tbeZu9lv8YEKSQ9tZSslu

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpn3xVjGSB8zztwLjENjvw

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/ambermark

FEATURE: The Seasons Change: The Spring Playlist

FEATURE:

 

The Seasons Change

 ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash 

The Spring Playlist

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YOU cannot help but notice the weather is changing…

and things are getting warmer and brighter! Sure; we have wet conditions and cloudy skies but, by and large, the weather is turning and people are dispensing with their winter clothes. I have been making plans and getting quite comfortable with the improving sky. Spring gives us all a chance to reflect and get outside; be more optimistic and reveal in the longer days. With the changing season comes the possibility of festivals and experiencing more music. I have been thinking about spring-related songs and sounds that put me in mind of optimism, warmer days and the changing light. Here, before we start a new working week, is a list of songs that, I hope, put you in the mood for spring. Sit back, relax and let these songs – regardless of what the weather is doing outside – to put you…

IN a better mood.

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FEATURE: Four-Track Mind: The Brilliance and Popularity of the E.P.

FEATURE:

 

Four-Track Mind

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

The Brilliance and Popularity of the E.P.

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WE can see definite splits and differences between…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

the mainstream and underground music. What I have noticed is the nature of releases and how few popular artists, years ago, released E.P.s. When I was growing up; it was all about the single or album: there was no in-between stage or compromise the curious consumer could get their teeth into. Everyone from Sigrid and Wild Beasts have released E.P.s – in fact, most big artists, at some time, will release one or be involved with someone else’s. This year; Panda Bear (A Day with the Homies) and Belle and Sebastian have released E.P.s – How to Solve Our Human Problems was their series of concept E.P.s. Sigrid’s 2017 E.P., Don’t Kill My Vibe, helped launch her onto the world stage and under the gaze of the BBC (who named her one of their ones to watch for this year). It is a much more common thing in new/underground music. Artists, here, release singles and then, before they put together an album, they release an E.P. and have something to put out to the world. Often, this consists their singles and maybe, one or two other tracks they have written to accompany them. The reason behind this is the cost of the album. Many do not have the funds to compile an L.P. and it is a great way of keeping the music alive and out there.

Most of the artists I deal with are either releasing E.P.s or singles. Many do record albums but I am finding very few release one that early in their career. A lot of the time, it is about getting hype and ensuring there is enough demand for an album. Mainstream artists do not really have the same issues. If you are good enough to rub shoulders with the best of modern music; chances are you will have a label behind you or enough of a public ear to put an album out. I am seeing a few popular artists put out E.P.s as a between-albums device. Often, there is the pressure to do things like everyone else. Artists have to fulfil contracts and release a certain number of albums. When an album is announced; they drip-feed singles and slowly bring music into the world. By the time the record is out; most people have heard four or five songs. It creates a rather disjointed experience and means you are over-familiar with half the album. What appeals to me if the fact you get a perfect balance between the immediacy and singularity of a lone track; enough depth and interest as not to bore the senses. If you release a four or five-track E.P.; that means you can satisfy the fans and not have to commit to a complete album. A lot of new albums suffer from bloating and a little too ambition. Some might run out of steam by the half-way mark or be disjointed in terms of pace and quality.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

I am always excited when a big artist like Jack White or Courtney Barnett releases a single. I am invested in the follow-up and then wait with baited breath for the album. The past year or so, I have noticed one thing: many of the albums I have predicted for greatness have been a bit of a let-down. There are great records out there but, in a lot of cases; one could have forgiven the artist for releasing a concise and quality-rich E.P. Consider hot new acts like Goat Girl and Cabbage and the attention coming their way. They have both released albums in the past few weeks – Goat Girl and Nihilistic Glamour Shots – and have received terrific reviews. I know they will be touring those albums and keeping busy throughout this year. There is going to be the inevitable pressure: labels and fans baying for new material. Rather than wait for a year or two for a new album; a remedy might be to fill the gap with an E.P. I am seeing more artists do this and it is a great way of keeping the ball rolling without committing to something full – you might risk rushing a release and taking away that acclaim. New artists release E.P.s for different reasons.

IN THIS PHOTO: Arctic Monkeys

The cost of producing an album can be steep and rather daunting. Even if it a D.I.Y., simple thing; you need to write the songs and be confident with the material. From there, you have to gig the songs and make sure people hear/buy it. I feel the market is not as obsessed with the album as it was back when I was younger. I am seeing double A-sides come back; artists are releasing B-sides and giving themselves more flexibility. Even if an unsigned artist doesn’t have critical pressure and a strict time scheduled; they need to get music released so people know who they are and keep fans happy. The days of doing standalone singles seem to be long gone. Maybe a double A-side is a solution if you do not have an E.P. quite worked out – we need to get away from the assumption music is all about the album. The progress and structure of a new artist is anatomically different to a mainstream artist. There is too much focus on an album and getting artists to release records quickly. Some are leaving huge gaps between albums; others are hurrying material and it leads to sloppy results. An E.P. seems like an elegant and logical solution to the problem at hand. I wonder whether the five-year gap between Arctic Monkeys could have been filled by an E.P.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Fans and the media would have something to hear; the band would stay in the public eyes and it would let us know they are still active. I know their upcoming album, Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino, will be an epic thing – it NEEDS to be after that long wait – but I wonder whether an E.P., back in 2016, would have been a good idea. New artists bring out E.P.s because it is a natural stage between singles and their first album. Even when they have brought out that debut album; they release E.P.s and do not feel the need to bring out a new album every year. The E.P. is a perfect balance that allows artists to keep making music and not having that stress of putting together ten or eleven songs. I feel more popular artists need to take this approach to music-making. They may fear there would be commercial risks – music shops don’t really stock E.P.s anymore – and fans would feel short-changed. To me; the E.P. is a nice collection of songs that have concision and depth – without being too brief or risk suffering from a dip in quality. I understand there is always pressure from various angles to keep putting material out. Releasing an E.P. can be a pressure, too, and risk being rubbish if you do not let an artist create.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The fact big bands and acts are releasing them means the industry is starting to loosen and give artists a bit of freedom. I guess E.P.s have always been around but it is nice to see they are popular in an age of streaming. People hanker after music in all its forms so one feels, the next time a big name has some great material but not enough for an album; do not wait years for inspiration – get an E.P. out and, if you have a sudden rush of inspiration; you can release another E.P. and not have to put so much stress on your shoulders. I am a big fan of the album but there is something about an E.P. both special and intimate. New musicians rely on the E.P. and able to work this way; bigger artists are starting to turn to them, too. Newcomers like Sigrid have used the E.P. to put their singles into the market and open eyes – before they have enough material to put out an album. I hope the dexterity and accessibility of the E.P. leads to other changes and developments in music. Maybe artists will go to another extreme and release a double-album; some might release to cassette and float that out – there are possibilities out there. Those musicians with a four-track mind interest me greatly. There is something incredible about an E.P. I cannot put into words. I hope this year sees new musicians keep them in the fore and compel mainstream musicians to…

IN THIS IMAGE: The cover of The Comet Is Coming's E.P., Death to the Planet

FOLLOW their lead.

FEATURE: Kintsukuroi: London’s Forming Cracks and the Future for Musicians

FEATURE:

 

Kintsukuroi

 IMAGE CREDIT: @Laucorne 

London’s Forming Cracks and the Future for Musicians

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THE past couple of weeks have seen news reports…

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash

filled with violent scenes and doom-laden prophecies from the streets of London. There have been over fifty murders in London this year already. Although we have lived through years, fairly recently, with a higher number of deaths; there seem to be a very real problems unfolding. A lot of the murders are knife-related and, aside from some random and isolated killings; a lot of them seem to be either gang-related or about territory. Some commentators, including Cressida Dick, have looked at social media and the way that has led to the issue. Many are going onto social media and urging these killings; sending insults and pushing people to go out and commit murder. Looking at a report by Sky News - and Metropolitan Police commissioner Dick has backed away from assumptions the rise in deaths on the streets of London constitute a crisis:

“The head of the capital's police force told Sky News she is "really concerned" about recent deaths and admitted London has experienced a "bad three months" in terms of murders.

But, Commissioner Dick expressed her hope Scotland Yard would soon reduce the bloodshed as she confirmed 300 extra officers a day will be deployed in London over the weekend.

Since the turn of the year, Sky News has identified 51 people who are suspected to have been deliberately killed in the capital amid a spate of stabbings and shootings, with two teenagers left injured in the latest knife attack at the Whitgift Shopping Centre in Croydon on Friday evening”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

There has been a sharp rise in deaths the past few weeks. Maybe news of killings is spurring would-be perpetrators to follow suit and settle debates in the same way. Although there are more dangerous parts of the world – and knife/gun killings are nothing new – there is distinct cancer that needs curing. Why young people have access to guns and why they are driven to such random and senseless murders. I have written about London and how it is a Mecca for many aspiring musicians. Many people move here to succeed and progress their careers. It is a packed and busy time for music; there is little room for error and, if you want to go all the way, you need proximity to great venues, labels and stations – so your music does not have to travel too far. There have always been problems in the capital but now, as we move into spring; we are all waiting for sun and warm weather – excited to see things improve and take advantage of the conditions. Instead of having an optimistic outlook; many are worried about the spate of deaths and what this signals. Many I know are moving to London and, understandably, are hoping to stay there long-term. Of course, the chances of dying in a stabbing or shooting are very slim – it is unlikely someone will be randomly targeted by a stranger.

We are all subject to the randomness of life and the dangers around us – there is no way we can protect everyone from everything. I have side-stepped a definite move to London for a more pragmatic and safer aim of Manchester. That is not compelled, in whole, because of the growing violence and struggles there. It is, for many musicians, putting them off and creating nerves. London is at the leading edge of British music and needs to send the message to the world (the city) is a safe place and is improving. We know issues around rising rents and Brexit; other problems that are putting a lot of people off of London. We hope the killings will desist and things will return to ‘normal’ before too long. What worries me is the fact there is a lot putting musicians off of London. All of the biggest labels and venues are here; it is the busiest city in the U.K. and, as such, need to retain its reputation as being a creative and great place for musicians. The fact there are murders happening does not detract from London’s multicultural people and the options open for musicians. If many, who are thinking about relocating, see what is happening on the news; one has to ask whether they will avoid London or delay their move.

I have changed my plans and cannot lie that, in some way, the rise in violence has put me off. I am not saying where I wanted to move to (around Brixton) would be any worse than it has been the past few years. There are so many great things about London but, if you balance it against other cities; how ideal and sustainable is a comfortable life there? It is clear there are cracks in the city that need gilded repair and some expert treatment. The city is like an ornate and treasured jug. It is proud and beautiful; it has a place and purpose but, right now, there are value-decreasing cracks forming at the bottom. The only way London can keep its crown as the go-to location for musicians hoping to make a go of their career is to address a lot of the problems it is facing. Gentrification and rent hikes are putting enough people off already: unabated street violence is another fault we can do without right now. I wonder whether, in combating the reasons behind the violence in the capital; we can bring music in to help give these disaffected young people direction and place. I know their motives for murder are more complicated and personal than simple boredom and disaffection. There is a frustration building in the boroughs; a sense they (the young) are not being listened to and represented.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

The Prime Minister, so far, has been an absent leader and theoretical tackler regarding the new cases of gun and knife-related deaths. One would hope the P.M. takes a more direct and passionate approach to finding out why so many young lives are being snubbed out; how we can all resolve to fix the problems and discover the reasons why people are turning to murder. Mayor Sadiq Khan has been attacked and blamed for the rise in attacks this year – many have come out and queried why politicians are being so passive. Tottenham M.P. David Lammy, when speaking to The Guardian, highlighted how the war on drugs has failed; how much black lives DO matter – and why Sadiq Khan has been relatively silent about the problems:

“Sadiq and I have a good relationship,” he says, but the only reason he can think of to explain why Khan didn’t call is also his greatest fear: “I think it’s that we’ve come to normalise it. We think of gun and knife crime among teenagers as normal. And it is not.”

To Lammy, the rise in London murders feels ominously different to previous surges of violence. “I am more worried about this spike because the profile of the people getting caught up in it is younger. The callousness of shooting into a crowd outside a cinema, shooting at young women, the normalisation – never mind the ramping up by social media – all of that makes me alarmed and worried. I am pretty confident that we’re not going to get over this problem unless there is a proper political consensus. This is not going to self-correct”.

I am not suggesting arts and participation in music is going to be a magical cure to a deeper issue – it is a surface solution. I am not trying to tackle the issue by avoiding the problem: my point is that there are ways we can communicate and negotiate with those who are killing others by actual discussion and progression. Ignoring the problem and casting blame is not a solution; highlighting social media’s role and not doing anything about it is appalling and incredibly unhelpful. I feel a more cooperative and personal approach to the problems would help ease the burden and conflicts happening on the streets. Giving young people an outlet and a productive channel is a good and practical first step. Beyond this; we need to look at reasons why London’s youth feel they have to go out and kill others. There is a rising drug epidemic – cocaine use and trade are on the increase – and there is a sense of disaffection and alienation. With homogenisation and the changes happening in London; a lot of its settled and native residents feel they are being pushed to the boundaries. London is a wonderful city but, if we continue to negate discussion and shirk responsibility, the problem will only worsen. The violence we see on the news will put many people off moving to London; there is that inherent strain on the music industry – fewer people will want to come to the capital – and that will only get worse.

We need to make London a place people want to come to; where musicians feel safe and they feel they have a voice. Politicians are being accused of conscientious objection and remaining silent. Rather than hold meetings and get out into the affected communities; they are standing behind desks and making false promises. Let’s all resolve to discover what is behind the rise in knife and gun crime; how we, as people of the U.K., can work together and stem the tide. London is at the beating heart of the isles and, as such, should be a shining and golden example of what Britain is about. If people look at the news and what is happening here right now; they will be put off and reluctant to spend time here. Musicians pine for that London life but, the more murders we see reported; are ones already based here going to move and take their talents to other parts?! I am hearing of some emigrating; others, who planned on coming, are going elsewhere. There are definite problems and they will not be fixed with words and a wait-and-see policy. I am genuinely worried London is starting to lose its way a bit and that, in the long-run, will have a huge impact on the music industry. If we can apply some logical thinking and proactive policies; that can help redress the problems coming from the streets and make the young populous feel heard and understood. We do not want people avoiding London and feeling it is an unsafe place to be. If all that fails then, well; I guess…

THERE’S always Manchester!

FEATURE: In Order to Succeed: Is It Possible to Create a ‘Perfect’ Playlist?!

FEATURE:

 

In Order to Succeed

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash

Is It Possible to Create a ‘Perfect’ Playlist?!

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EVERY music obsessive has that same dream…

IN THIS PHOTO: St. Vincent/PHOTO CREDIT: Renata Raksha

the chance to create their own playlist for radio! One might counter with an obvious suggestion: become a D.J. A lot D.J.s, in fact, do not get as much say in the running order and musical inclusions as the producer of the show. Unless you are playing as a club/pub D.J.; chances are, someone else will be directing what is played on your show. I know one can have a podcast and run a radio broadcast themselves. My point – getting away from semantics and digressions – is this: could one ever create a ‘perfect’ playlist?! Among my musical dreams would be the chance to appear on Desert Island Discs. I realise that is never going to happen – as I have not achieved anything that would warrant an appearance on the show – but each ‘castaway’ has to choose eight records. The fact I would struggle to select eight songs from The Beatles shows what an unenviable task it would be! I would also love to do a bespoke, one-off show for a station: compile a selection of music and introduce each song. Even then, one would suspect there would be around about two hours of music. If I got that call; my mind would instantly explode with joy and energy. After that, considering the task ahead; that sense of discipline and dread would come in...

Even if I was given free rein to choose, maybe, fifteen songs; I would still wonder whether it was possible to distil my vast tastes down that far – coming up with a playlist that covered genres, decades and tastes. Would I, by the end of the broadcast, be able to satisfy everyone out there and throw down an unbelievable gauntlet? I know there is no real competition when it comes to assembling music and having your own show. What I mean is, when you have the chance to showcase your musical favourites and impressive library; you do not want any weak spots and obvious inclusions. You’d want to get the running order right so you’d start with an immediate track that gets people up and invested; maybe keep the pressure high on the second song – end with something that has similar energy and desire! My opener, as above, would be Beyoncé’s Ring the Alarm. That might sound like an unusual choice and left-turn for someone like me. To me; there is no finer way to open a broadcast. There are two reasons why. Not only is it a fantastic and popular song; it is from a black female artist. That might sound like a controversial thing to say. Many people assume a male D.J./journalist would choose a male artist to open a show – any decent playlist would ensure ethnicity and gender was part of the mix.

My balance would see an equal weight of male/female; go as early as the 1960s – I am tempted to include some older Jazz from Miles Davis, mind – and go right up to the current time. I would not feature too much music from the first five years: including brand-new unsigned artists is a smart suggestion. It would be impossible to cover ALL genres in a single show. I would not have any Country, Dubstep or mainstream Pop; I would be reluctant to include much Heavy Metal into the show. That being said – and, with vast and varied preferences – I would go from Kate Bush/Eva Cassidy calm to the rush and rawness of Metallica and Queens of the Stone Age. If Beyoncé opens the show; the choice of closer would be a two-horse race – between The White Stripes and Tears for Fears. The latter would be there because Everybody Wants to Rule the World is my first memory of life/music – and, therefore, holds a very important place. I am a massive fan of The White Stripes and love rarer songs such as Hand Springs (a B-side not many people have heard). In fact, no; I have changed my mind: Nirvana’s Negative Creep would be my swansong. You can see how hard it is to whittle a playlist down to a rather focused and cohesive group – imagine what a nightmare it would be if I had a regular, daily radio show!

I have outlined all the negatives and horrors of assembling a one-off playlist/show: there are infinitely more pleasures and joys. This feature is not a chance to indulge my desires and aimlessly prattle about my musical tastes. Every time I listen to a show on BBC Radio 6 Music (or another station); I listen to the array of music played. There are older songs I have not heard of before; cuts from brand-new acts that get into my head – more obvious songs that sound perfect and right for the moment. There is a lot to be said for one’s musical tastes and song choices. They say the eyes are the window into the soul: I would argue a proper-cultivated and balanced playlist is even more revealing and alluring. I have, so far, mentioned more American artists than British. Among other artists I would include – in a two/three-hour show – would be Björk, Eels; King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Kate Bush; Nick Drake, The Beatles, St. Vincent; Deee-Lite, The Smiths; Paul Simon, Madonna; Radiohead, Jeff Buckley; Carole King, Billie Holiday – I guess it is still straying into the U.S. side of the spectrum. The sheer pleasure of scowling through vinyl and digging through digital crates would obsess my mind. I’d have to throw in The Avalanches and Beastie Boys; lob in Steely Dan and Basement Jaxx. I guess, even if I thought I had a brilliant playlist ready for broadcast, I’d ask myself the same thing: is it as good as it could be?!

Trying to achieve that ‘perfection’ seems like an impossible thing. I guess, in a way, we are trying to show how good our musical tastes are. If one were to have the chance to showcase their music collection to the public; they’d want to please themselves and the people out there. Many argue there is no such thing as a ‘guilty pleasure’. Would you scroll through your song choices and make sure there wasn’t anything too cheesy or tragic? I would love to put some classic ABBA in there: would other people see it as a bit naff and derailing? I think it has a place but, against artists like Nirvana and The White Stripes; is it possible to put an ABBA song among the pack?! We are getting into areas of psychology and perception. Each radio show I listen to – a three-hour broadcast from a range of D.J.s – I am amazed by the way the songs hang together and there is that flawless and natural flow. I envy producers and the skills they have when it comes to programming show. Not only do they have to consider all the music they include in a show; there are jingles and announcements; making sure everything runs smooth and, if you are dealing with the public; they are looked after and organised. It seems, then, something as comparatively simple as thinking about songs is a breeze!

All of this, in essence, is a long-winded audition for a future invite! Every true music lover has two big assets/drawbacks. We all think we have the best musical tastes in the world; all of us, too, think we have a passion for music like nobody else. There are many like me, who do not get a chance to show their musical plumage, who are having this same thought process. What would happen if we got onto the radio and were asked to narrow down our favourite music to a (relatively) short list – you can see why I’d be a nightmare on Desert Island Discs! There would be something simultaneously sorrowful and wonderful about a one-off, golden ticket. I have thought of other acts whilst typing this – Eminem and The Bangles among them – and look at the genre spread. Once you have thought of the list of artists you want to include; there is the matter of arranging the sounds so it is a nice mix without too many sound-alike songs in a row – starting and ending with a big impact. Programming a show is like ordering an album: ensuring the tracks are in the right order and create the best possible listening experience. Returning to my original question: is it possible to create something perfect and universally popular?

I feel music is subjective enough so someone, somewhere will pick up on a ‘bad’ or misplaced track. You cannot quibble with The Beatles and Kate Bush, say: many might not like a bit of Beyoncé or Eminem filing their ears! Music is a way of expressing ourselves and representing our personality and complexities through sound. There is that desire for people to like the music and, as such, bond with the person putting it together. I feel I could curate a playlist that had a good mix of genres and artists; throwing in some curveballs and ensuring all ages were catered for. My mind would always hover to the list and wonder, somewhere, whether there is a substitution I should make. It is a good conundrum to have before you: come and do your own radio station and choose whatever music you like! It, actually, a bit of a dream – the fact there is the nightmare of chasing perfection does not dampen the honour. That opportunity would, ironically, lead to new discoveries and revelations. I will end this now – with my chosen closing song – but compel others to think about their musical tastes and what they would do were they provided with the chance to do their own show. Every little move, machination and mannerism return me to the pressing question and the need for a definitive answer. No matter how good our tastes are; no matter how educated and passionate we are; I wonder whether it is technically possible to produce and compile…

A ‘perfect’ playlist?

FEATURE: Drive with a Chance of Reverb: The Continuing Need for an All-Encompassing Music T.V. Show…

FEATURE:

 

Drive with a Chance of Reverb

 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

The Continuing Need for an All-Encompassing Music T.V. Show…

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I can’t remember how many weeks ago…

it was when I mooted the desire for a return to the days when there were genuinely good music-based T.V. shows on. It might have been around, I guess, the time of the one-off revival of The Old Grey Whistle Test – hosted, on the night, by Bob Harris (in February). I floated an idea out there: getting The Old Grey Whistle Test back on a full-time basis. I have been following the progress and nature of the newest music show on the box: Sounds Like Friday Night is hosted by Radio 1’s Greg James and Dotty. The show has been picking up good reviews and a firm following but, to me, it appeals to a particular demographic. The main artists booked are Pop-based and chart-bound. The presenters have charm and charisma; there is a connection between them that cannot be faked. There are amusing sketches and the whole show has a feel of nostalgia-cum-modernity: recalling some of the aspects of Top of the Pops with the urgency and polish of modern-day music. Whilst it will continue on our screens – I feel it has another few series left in the tank… - there is a gap forming in the market. When The Old Grey Whistle Test returned to the screens; there was a two-fold aftershock that stuck in my brain. Seeing Harris and other contributors look back at the show’s best memories and finest guests. It was great seeing the likes of Bob Marley and Sex Pistols play for the show.

IN THIS PHOTO: Dotty and Greg James/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images

There was a varied catalogue of guests during its long reign. The show ran from 1971 to 1988 and stood out from what was on the T.V. Now, in 2018; we have very few musical options. Look at Jools Holland’s late-night, hugely popular show and Sounds Like Friday Night – that is about it, really! I am not suggesting there is a straight revision of the long-gone music show: more, a guide from its foundation, updated for the modern age. One could argue today, given the access we have to music; there is very little desire for music T.V. YouTube means, essentially, any artist can get their faces on the screen and their music viewed. One can see the biggest mainstream tracks and hidden gems from unsigned acts. There are two rebuttals regarding that assumption. For a start; YouTube is a huge and unfiltered site that has little of the organisation you would hope. So many artists and videos pass you by – even some of the big-league releases slip by; it is hard compartmentalising and organising videos so we get a good and fulsome spread of sounds. The other problem (with YouTube) is the fact it is not the same as seeing a band/artist play live. Reviving The Old Grey Whistle Test, essentially, would be a rather lazy move...

Some would argue why I am floating this notion prolifically and vociferously. To me, modern music needs a T.V.-based tentacle that provides platform for artists, new and established. Sounds Like Friday Night is, for the most part, a pulpit for the best of the mainstream/near-the-mainstream artists to shine and perform. The performances are live but, in terms of genre and age demographic; it is narrower than, say, Jools Holland’s brand. Even if you consider Later… - that is a show that has been on a fair few years and its format has not shifted (critical attention and praise: no need for a retooling, sure?!). If one can argue – wrongly and foolishly – there is room for one talent show, let alone several of the bloody things; you can apply the assumption to a show that promotes genuine, proper musical talent! The concept I would pitch – I am not sure of its name just yet – would use The Old Grey Whistle Test as its muse and mother. The studio would be fairly small and have a smattering of audience members. It would not need a lot of lighting, gloss and glamour: nor would it be a glorified portal toilet in an industrial estate in Coventry (no offense to the makers of portable toilets!). We have Facebook Live and YouTube: neither is an effective and practical substitute for the thrill and physicality of music T.V.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I know the game has shifted compared to The Old Grey Whistle Test/MTV days. People have access to musical visuals without having to switch on a T.V. Families do not excitedly hustle around the glow of the box – I am making this sound like a 1950s dystopia! – to see the latest sh*t-hot music video or an interview with the likes of Madonna or Talking Heads. Given the inaccessibility and inconvenient nature of live music – many people cannot afford to travel or have time to watch a great artist play – moving that to television would, you’d think, be a win-win scenario?! The ‘classic’ element would keep that studio setting and sense of minimalism. You would have a single host in the studio – not necessarily someone young and trendy: it is open for debate and discussion – and the music being featured in the studio itself would be a real mix. There would be accommodation for established artists in any genre – so long as the music is great and affords itself to the rawness and nature of the studio. I would like to see established acts like, spit-balling here, Radiohead or Björk performing new songs (if such an eventually was to happen!) and some classics. Newer acts – Goat Girl and IDLES; Hannah Peel and Nils Frahm, for example – could lay down a song or two each?!

IN THIS PHOTO: Goat Girl/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The way I have described the set-up and backdrop (of the studio) sounds like musical nihilism: it would, in fact, be quite a homely and good space for the artists to pull great performances out the bag. Running alongside the performances would be music news and updates. We would bring in social media aspects and bring live – as close to the show’s broadcast – news updates to the people. Interviews would either be done in the studio or a special location. I have been thinking of artists being interviewed in a cocktail bar – something like Nightjar in London. It is a quirky and cool space; one where the interview and artist can get down to business and chat. They would select a favourite song or album of theirs; talk about their past and new music – a full and unique interview series. There would be multiple features and regular spots – including recommendations of new acts and documentaries that tackled issues/sides musicians and fans alike would be into (mental-health features and the live music scene; the music culture of various cities; highlighting music from a certain decade/year etc.). There would be documentaries that explored classic albums. This is nothing new: stations like VH1 have investigated legendary records and talked to the people involved. From The Beatles’ eponymous record to Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours; the introduction of Elvis Presley and Joni Mitchell’s Blue – a thorough and candid look at the album’s creation, its best moments; its lasting legacy and how it changed music at the time.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I would like to see a one-hour, weekly show that helped preserve legendary music and surprise those who are passionate about the prospect of a cover-all music show. It would act, in a way, like a radio show: a selection of genre/decade-hopping songs and great live bits; minimal needless chatter and quality at the absolute top of the list (depends on what station you are tuned into!). The show would not necessarily need a comedic/light feel – I have an idea for a music-based animated short that would be a miniature sitcom. Education and enlightenment are important factors that cannot be overlooked. Whilst the emphasis is going to be on live performance and making sure there is a national platform for the best new acts; it would be naïve to reject the needs of the fully-rounded and cultured music fan. If we just had a show that did live sets and nothing else; its appeal would be one-dimensional. The magazine aspect of the show would be a delicate balance. One would not want something tabloid-like or trashy: neither would it be wise to have a snooty or austere show that had a sense of elitism. It could be on BBC 2 or BBC 4 but, when it gains traction and popularity, a natural shift to BBC 1 would seem the best option. That transition does not have to come at the expense of the show’s identity and ethos. It would retain its gnarliness and ensure its tattoos were being sported boldly – none of this three-washes-and-its-faded henna stuff!

Getting the right host is a crucial consideration. It need not be a single name – maybe a duo (one could be studio-based, in London; the other, perhaps, over in Manchester?!) would do just as well. The aim is to broaden the demographic reach and include every age. There would be some controversy and spit to the show – nothing that alienated younger viewers, though. The desire is to get that much-watch music T.V. show that recalls the days of MTV and Top of the Pops. I know we cannot return to the past and create the same sensations as the 1980s and 1990s, for example. What everyone wants is an accompaniment to the music T.V. shows we have right now. Three shows – unless I am missing an obvious one – is hardly a ‘crowd’. It would be great to have something on the screens that encompassed the best radio stations/shows with older-days music television; link it with the modern pace of life and bring in a mix of technology-advance and classic-nostalgia. Putting the live element up-front and central means those who cannot afford to see a hot new band perform can see them from the comfort of their home. Whilst the experience is not exactly the same as going to a gig; that is, in a good way, a good thing.

Artists who appear on the show would not find that T.V. light too alluring and seductive: the chance to get your music out to home-based audiences and uninitiated ears is a definite bonus! I cannot pitch a show directly to the BBC – they do not take submissions from individuals – but, one suspects, there is a production company out there who could coherently and effectively do so on my/everyone’s behalf. There is that endless desire for a show that nods to the best days of music television and gives it a modern lick of paint. 2018 is a year where music needs to listen to voices that are going unsatisfied and silent. A great T.V. show could, actually, help tackle issues surrounding music right now – venues struggling; sexism and inequality; whether streaming and digital music is better and more important than vinyl and traditional forms. I would love to see it happen. The show would not cost a lot and good work alongside those already on the market. I like Sounds Like Friday Night and fills it does what it needs to perfectly – with two great presenters helming it! If we added a younger brother/sister to the cot; worked with T.V. and radio stations and devised something that would be popular and long-lasting (getting any kinks sorted along the way) then I believe, if all goes well; it – whatever the show is called! – could last as long as…

IN THIS PHOTO: Bob Harris, on the set of The Old Grey Whistle Test/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images

THE Old Grey Whistle Test.

FEATURE: Figure It Out: Why Industry Leaders Need to Stop Reducing Women to Image and the Physical

FEATURE:

 

Figure It Out

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Why Industry Leaders Need to Stop Reducing Women to Image and the Physical

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THIS piece has been compelled…

IN THIS PHOTO: Jameela Jamil/PHOTO COURTESY OF @jameelajamil

by an initiative launched by Jameela Jamil. She has introduced an Instagram account that gets women to think beyond what they weigh. Her inspiration came from an unlikely source: an Instagram post where the Kardashian sisters (I don’t know if any male members of the family were included) compared their weights. Jamil’s goal is to get women talking, openly, about their lives and its full spectrum. There is, I guess, a crudeness that still runs through advertising. The perceived notion of a ‘perfect’ woman is a slender and toned physique. That woman is usually very beautiful and has barely an ounce of fat on her – often, the image behind idolised is underweight and close to being unhealthy. Many women obsess over weight and see that as the most important thing about them – making sure they do not offend the eye and fit into the guidelines advertisers and billboards put out. A woman’s personality and worth is not binary and limited. Sexuality, personality and professional desires are more important and under-covered: the ongoing conflict regarding image and pre-conceived models of ‘sexy’ and ‘beautiful’ are causing many women’s’ anxiety levels to rise beyond control. Jamil’s desire is to reappropriate the notion of womanhood and desirability. By urging women to think widely and uncritically; it has led to revelation and improvement. Many women have contacted her and given their thanks.

That spirited and inspiring movement has made me look more closely at the way women are being perceived in the industry. Sexism is, of course, still ongoing and untamed. Every female artist I speak with has the same impression: they are not being perceived the same way as male acts. We are living through one of the most disconnected and detached eras of human existence. We have technology and endless resources available at our figures. Rather than use this to better the human race: there is greater stress, self-criticism and lacking confidence than ever before. I have written about sexism and sexualisation in the music industry a few times before. What troubles me is an ill that has spilt from other industry into music. Hollywood has improved in some ways: in other ways, it has crawled back into the swamp. There was a time, decades ago, when a fuller-figured woman was seen as ideal. Not to focus too cheaply on the physical; there wasn’t quite the same pressure to have actresses being thin and looking a certain way. Now; we look out into the world and see adverts everywhere. Women, often, are dressed in swimsuits and lingerie. If they are more modest; the model you see looking back at you is very striking, beautiful and thin. Music, unfortunately, is struggling with some of the same issues.

If men are used to advertise a product or service; they are not told to look a certain way or be a particular weight. There are so few adverts that, A) feature a woman on them and, B) when they do, go beyond looks and the physical. I have seen adverts for headphones and music-streaming sites and the artists being used to push the product are ostensibly sexy, slender and covered in make-up. Many might argue this has always been the way: in every industry, for many decades, women have been portrayed this way. I wonder what effect that is having on artists who already have a hard time of things. We all know there are fewer women in headline slots and on the drive-time radio shows we all listen to. There are gaps and issues that need to be patched and reversed. What gets me is how many record labels and avenues of music are either pushing sex too much into the forefront – if not, they want their artists to be a certain way and have a particular ‘look’. Perhaps this is not something that impacts underground music as much as the mainstream. Aside from a wave of tough, spirited and intelligent young performers coming through – from Sigrid and Cardi B to St. Vincent and Stefflon Don – I am still seeing popular artists proffered because of their looks. The situation has improved slightly but there are still big problems.

There are fuller-figured female artists on the scene but, when you see female artists being promoted and highlighted; there is still that optimal weight/look/age. The vast majority of the mainstream Pop artists are young, thin and beautiful; too many interviews and putting artists in provocative poses and reducing them to skin and bones. If a female artist wants to push their sexuality and looks – as a way to be more empowered and confident – then that is a different thing. We are not quibbling with semantics. New female artists coming through are looking out at the mainstream and seeing artists look a certain way. I am naming nobody but I could rattle off a list of names that, to me, symbolise what labels and music industry bosses are looking for. I wonder how much of the imbalance and sexism we see in music is down to look and sexuality. If an artist is not thin, stunning and sexy then they are overlooked. I know female artists are determined to fight back and gain merit on their own terms but, when they are working in an industry where cracks are starting to show – does it signify a slippery slope?! I still get the impression the biggest labels around the world are recruiting and spotlighting female artists who look a certain way – rather than what is coming from their minds and mouths.

Attractiveness and sexual appeal have nothing to do with music. I can understand professions where a woman’s looks and bodies would be seen as an advantage. Music is about songs and sounds: expecting female artists to look a certain way in order to succeed is a rather unsettling and unpleasant thing to digest. If there is not quite the same blatant discrimination and looks-obsessed push as we see in advertising; we need to address music and wonder why many female artists are being promoted because of their looks and sexual appeal. Aside from considerations of looks and sexualisation; I am hearing from many other women who have self-doubt issues and obsession with body image – exactly what Jameela Jamil is trying to override. There have been articles and impressions (from artists) that outline the industry’s obsession with musical idealism – a body looking a particular way and the women being cute and submissive. A few years ago; U.S. songwriter, Ke$ha blamed her eating disorder on the music business’ expectations:

“The music industry has set unrealistic expectations for what a body is supposed to look like, and I started becoming overly critical of my own body because of that,” she wrote. “I felt like people were always lurking, trying to take pictures of me with the intention of putting them up opine or printing them in magazines and making me look terrible”.

Another article explored the idea of ‘sex sells’ and how female artists are consciously dressed in designer clothing and turned into accessories:

“That is why we always see music artists dressed in something impeccable from the "hot" new designers with fancy cars and jewelry. They too have meet this standard of meeting society's expectations to be commercially successful. From them, society, specifically women, learn that you have to be rich and should envy their lifestyles. As for the bystanders and video girls found in the videos, society, specifically women, learn that you have to be "made up", have an amazing body with matching assets (big breasts and voluptuous behind), fair skinned, natural beauty is not widely accepted, and imperfections should be covered up. All of these unrealistic expectations lead to body dissatisfaction and lowered self-esteem”.

Many could state the problem has lessened since, say, 2014 – when a lot of articles arrived that explored the way female stars are being marketed. We see big female stars in music videos cavorting and pouting; teasing their curves and being turned into the ‘ideal’ woman. Another article,  2013, looked at music and how women are being made to look/act a certain way:

“ It’s rare to come across a song these days that does not discuss the anatomy of the female body. Musical lyrics put so much emphasis on the butt and breast size, that it’s no wonder women are never really satisfied with their body images. Fox news posted an article this morning about a woman who had to undergo quadruple amputation because of an illegal silicone she had injected in her butt. She was approached by a woman who claimed the silicone injection would plump up her butt to her desired size”.

Things are slowly starting to improve. There has been a range of songs that explore positive images and going beyond the physical. They have urged women – songs written by female artists – to celebrate their flaws and human sides; to look inside themselves and not be defined by weight ranges looks and fitting into what society deems as ‘acceptable’. I wonder how much of the pressure has come from women themselves: compared to the control and hand of male music executives. There are artists who put pressure on themselves and feel the only way they can succeed is by being slender/curvy and/or stunning. They might wear low-cut dresses and write songs that augment sexuality and the physical. Even if there are cracks of lights twinkling through the mist; there are fetid realities that are not being tackled. Right now; more allegations are coming through about sexual abuse and female artists being taken advantage of. Alongside this is the industry’s pressure to have their big stars looking good and behaving a certain way. If unsigned artists look into the charts and see big stars bring told what to wear and what to do with their bodies – that sends out a rather cold and troubling message! New artists are free to look and behave however they want but there is still something common occurring.

IN THIS PHOTO: Lorde/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Women are tying their self-worth and validation in terms of pounds, ounces and ‘hits’. There is a world of anxiety and self-pressure around their image and whether they are ‘enough’. Music needs to send out the message that it will support female artists and give them the same rights/opportunities as men. Those in positions of power need to tell women they will succeed and be promoted because of their minds and complete personalities. Men have never been in a position where they have had to flaunt their bodies to get attention and popularity. Things are taking a while to change and, as I look out at music; I wonder whether lessons are being learned and enough is being done. Women themselves are sending out positive messages but it is hard to change perceptions and minds when we see so many images and videos of these inch-perfect women looking incredible; reaching huge streaming figures, seemingly, because of their looks. The BBC ran a piece that drew together a few artists who suffered from bulimia/eating disorders and anxiety – felt they had to look a certain way to fit into music. Lorde was one of those who spoke out:

"I remember being made aware of my looks and my body in a way that I had never been," she recently told the NME, recalling the early days of her career. "I remember all these kids online were like, 'F*ck her, she's got really far-apart eyes,'" she said. "Just weird sh*t like that...It rocked my foundations and could have f*cked me, you know?"

Luckily, Lorde has able to find safe spaces to develop her peace of mind. "I was able to return to my family and shelter against that and get to where I am now," she said. "I feel so comfortable in myself".

We do not want to send out the message that there is this ideal look/figure every female artist needs to conform with. The messages from names like Lorde should get into the heads of an industry, male-dominated and ruled, that still asks its popular stars to think about their sexuality and size – rather than the music and their soul! If female artists are told body image and sexiness are not as important as what they have to say and do; we can help reduce psychological disorders and women putting so much pressure on themselves. Not only will show music in a better light; it will encourage female artists to come through, stand tall and be unafraid to…

STEP into the limelight.

FEATURE: The April Playlist: Vol. 1: Where Does the ‘Goat’ Part Come From?

FEATURE:

 

The April Playlist

 IN THIS PHOTO: Goat Girl/PHOTO CREDIT: Phil Smithies  

Vol. 1: Where Does the ‘Goat’ Part Come From?

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THERE are some pretty interesting…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kylie Minogue

albums out this week! Goat Girl’s eponymous debut is here; there is a new album from the legend that is Kylie Minogue; Sex & Food is the latest from Unknown Mortal Orchestra; En Vogue, rather awesomely, bring us Electric Café; Hinds and Eeels do not disappoint – that is not to overlook the singles…

Manic Street Preachers, The Aces and Plan B have brought us treats; so too has Cardi B (with Kehlani), James; Dua Lipa (and Calvin Harris); Baxter Dury and Lady Leshurr…

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

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Ben Howard – A Boat to An Island on the Wall

Manic Street Preachers – Liverpool Revisited

Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – One Kiss

The Aces – Last One

Friendly Fires – Love Like Waves

James – Better Than That

Sabrina Claudio – All to You

Blackberry Smoke – Medicate My Mind

Cardi B (ft. Kehlani) – Ring

Eels – Bone Dry

En Vogue – Rocket

The Chainsmokers - Everybody Hates Me

Goat Girl – Slowly Reclines

PHOTO CREDIT: @avanstokkum

Hinds – Linda

Baxter Dury – Listen

New Hope Club – Start Over Again

IMAGE CREDIT: Unskilledworker

Florence + the Machine – Tiny Dancer

Alice Merton – Lash Out

Lady Leshurr – Black Panther

Kali Uchis – Flight 22

Kylie Minogue – Love

Lisa Stansfield – Deeper

SG Lewis – Sunsets – Pt. 2

 

Sinead Harnett - Body

Thirty Seconds to Mars (ft. Halsey) – Love Is Madness

Tom Misch – Man Like You

Lethal Bizzle – Flex

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – How Many Zeros

Sofi Tukker – Batshit

The Wonder Years – Raining in Kyoto

Albert Hammond Jr. – Set to Attack

Tove Styrke – On the Low

Johnny Marr – The Tracers

The Shires – Accidentally on Purpose

Plan B – Grateful

Beach House – Dark Spring

Soleima – Pacify Me

PHOTO CREDIT: Hollie Fernando Photography

Fenne Lily – The Hand You Deal

Ross from Friends – March

FEATURE: Of Songs’ Praise: The Best Albums of 2018: January-April

FEATURE:

 

Of Songs’ Praise

 IN THIS PHOTO: Shame/PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

The Best Albums of 2018: January-April

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I am in the mood to write a lot…

IN THIS PHOTO: tUnE-yArDs/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

of ‘best of’ features that look at contemporary and older music. Seeing as we are in April, and have enjoyed a busy three months of music; it felt like a good juncture to consider the best albums of 2018 so far. I have been excited seeing new bands and established masters produce some exceptional work. Field Music’s Open Here, so far, is the top of my list. Other critics have their own views: the subjective nature of music makes it interesting trying to decipher the true champions of the year. Here are the albums, I feel, have made the biggest impression on this year…

ALL IMAGES: Getty Images

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Shame – Songs of Praise

Label: Dead Oceans

Release Date: 12th January

Critical Snapshot:

“This is a band with a real sense of showmanship, as those who have witnessed Shame’s sweat-slicked live shows will know. It’s this that makes ‘Songs Of Praise’ utterly invigorating” – NME

Standout Track: One Rizla

Nils Frahm – All Melody

Label: Erased Tapes Records

Release Date: 26th January

Critical Snapshot:

“It’s a wonderfully imaginative process. ‘Human Range’ uses wind instruments like the horn to give it this kind of airy quality, while the notation is more stuttered, bringing in also that premier wind instrument – the voice. ‘All Melody’ is a masterpiece of texture. Incessant overlapping rhythms which swoop down from on high, peeling off into the subsequent track ‘#2’ which just wallops you with rhythm. It’s continuously changing, perfectly timed, evenly spaced - an impeccable album” – Drowned in Sound

Standout Track: All Melody

tUnE-yArDs – I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life

Label: 4AD

Release Date: 19th January

Critical Snapshot:

“Merrill Garbus must now be recognised as one of the most exquisitely playful and inventive voices of our generation. “I came to get down,” she says on “Home”, “but you’re not telling my story, man.” More than ever, it’s time we started listening better – to other voices, certainly, but also the way we use our own” – The Line of Best Fit

Standout Track: ABC 123

Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour

Label: Mercury Records

Release Date: 30th March

Critical Snapshot:

“The result is Musgraves’ most accessible record and her most ambitious, a magnetic, comfortable culmination of her pop and country instincts. While dynamic enough to house both the stirring, alone-at-the-piano fragment “Mother” and a full-on country-disco kiss-off in “High Horse,” Golden Hour is alluringly cohesive, both lyrically and musically. In “Wonder Woman,” she confronts a partner’s unrealistic expectations and gives a simple counter: “All I need’s a place to land.” Throughout these songs, she finds one” - Pitchfork

Standout Track: Space Cowboy

Lucy Dacus – Historian

Label: Matador

Release Date: 2nd March

Critical Snapshot:

“It's music that bears the weight of the critical accolades heaped on her upstart 2017 debut No Burden rather beautifully. Dacus and her band sound emboldened, confident, like kids who are thrilled they still have something to prove” – Rolling Stone

Standout Track: Night Shift

Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar

Label: Ninja Tune

Release Date: 9th March

Critical Snapshot:

“Cocoa Sugar bursts with the weird warmth of an ice burn, a sizzling stew of Tricky-covers-the-Fall garage rap. Each song is nasty, brutish and short, bristling with imagination. Wow shackles its motorik angst to a dead-eyed drawl, seasoned with abattoir squeals. In My View is a slugabed’s vision of anthemic pop, while Toy is the most conventionally vicious rap here, every word a wound. The trio reckon this is their most “linear” album, which seems a stretch. It feels just as estranged of pop’s traditional structures and strictures as they’ve always been. It feels exhilarating; it feels like freedom” – The Guardian

Standout Track: In My View

Field Music – Open Here

Label: Memphis Industries

Release Date: 2nd February

Critical Snapshot:

“In the years to come we might turn to Plumb or Measure before Open Here to remind ourselves of the essential Field Music, yet this, their seventh record, is nevertheless a thing of immense songwriting charm and ideological strength, defined by its sardonic judgement of various seismic social shifts” – The Quietus

Standout Track: Count It Up

CupcakKe - Ephorize

Label: CupCaKKe

Release Date: 5th January

Critical Snapshot:

“CupcakKe's confidence and complete lack of a filter remain her greatest allies on Ephorize, with the album feeling like an arrival. Queen Elizabeth may have made some noise, but here, she drowns out the competition. Her position has become undeniable, leaving room for only one thought: what's next. She's sure to be eating on the couch for a while” - The 405

Standout Track: Single While Taken

Hookworms – Microshift

Label: Domino Recording Company

Release Date: 2nd February

Critical Snapshot:

“It's the beginning of the 2018 and talk of albums of the year right now is obviously churlish, but on Microshift we're hearing a band hitting their sweet spot with such an effortless swagger that we're sure this is a contender” – The Line of Best Fit

Standout Track: Negative Space

Anna von Hausswolff – Dead Magic

Label: City Slang

Release Date: 2nd March

Critical Snapshot:

“Dead Magic is a brilliant artistic statement, Anna von Hausswolff’s best self-definition to date. She still finds inspiration in the areas others fear to tread and is able to transform it into compelling pieces of work. It will be fascinating to see how deep and dark she can eventually go” - musicOMH

Standout Track: Ugly and Vengeful

Rolo Tomassi – Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It

Label: Holy Roar Records

Release Date: 2nd March

Critical Snapshot:

“Time Will Die… is a hugely satisfying listen, with the longer songs in particular allowing the band free rein to indulge every experimental urge. Contretemps pits Eva Spence’s frenzied vocals against twinkly post-rock guitars and a delightful organ pattern, but ends up a delicate ballad. Alma Mater and Whispers Among Us juxtapose hardcore fury and tech-metal shredding with lush melodic sections. And with many of the songs flowing into one another, this album sounds like a multi-part epic made up entirely of multi-part epics. And also, undoubtedly, like a career high” – Kerrang!

Standout Track: The Hollow Hour

FEATURE: The First Amendment: Why Jesse Hughes’ Comments Regarding the Student-Led Gun Protests in the U.S. Is a Warning Shot Against Free Speech

FEATURE:

 

The First Amendment

 IN THIS PHOTO: Eagles of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes/PHOTO CREDIT: Gustav Maartensson/AFP/Getty Images  

Why Jesse Hughes’ Comments Regarding the Student-Led Gun Protests in the U.S. Is a Warning Shot Against Free Speech

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THERE is something rather annoying…

IN THIS PHOTO: Nikolas Cruz appears in court for a status hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer. He faces seventeen charges of premeditated murder in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida/PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Stocker/Pool/Getty Images

about giving certain people a voice and means of spouting their words into the world. Following the Parkland (Florida) massacre, where seventeen students were killed in the U.S.; the always-controversial Jesse Hughes called the student-initiated protests “pathetic and disgusting”. The man is not exactly a stranger when it comes to letting his gob overtake his brain. Eagles of Death Metal's frontman, following the attacks at The Bataclan in 2015, mooted they were an inside job by security at the venue – or they simply allowed it to happen. One is hardly in any doubt when it comes to Hughes and his views on the Second Amendment – the right of any American citizen to bear arms. He should look just above that Amendment and keep his opinions to himself once in a while. The right to free speech is only valid when you are not deliberately trying to denigrate the memory of deceased gun-violence victims. To call angry and distraught students ‘pathetic’ when their motives are pure and honourable is incredibly callous. Rallying against them and, in essence, accusing them of being posers and ignorant is as bad as anything Donald Trump has come out with. Looking back at Jesse Hughes’ rap-sheet and the man spends a lot of time with his foot firmly wedged in his mouth!

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Eagles of Death Metal are hardly a world-class and mega-popular band: they are in the public and, as such, there is a faction out there who will agree with what Hughes has said. Of course, there is, naturally, many more who disagree with his views – the fact many Republicans attacked his views proved the Rock musician was, pretty much, pissing into the wind. Hughes should know better than to promulgate hatred and insulting opinions. He was on stage when terrorists opened fire at The Bataclan back in 2015. The remnants and after-effects of the attacks are still being felt. Back in November last year; Guillaume Valette took his own life – two years after surviving the attacks. There are many others suffering mental-health issues. The same is true of the recent massacre in the U.S. The student protests are not a response to this isolated event: they are the response to the years, decades and centuries of gun-violence in the U.S. Many us have lost count of the number of news reports that have come through with images of dead students – members of the community and scores of innocent people wiped out. From attacks at churches to the police shooting black ‘criminals’ – their annoyance and need for change are understandable. I was reading a piece in Paste Magazine, where they reacted to the ‘apology’ Hughes issued following his ill-thought-out comments:

“As mea culpas go, this one is paper thin. Hughes apologized not for what he did—namely, attack in the grossest terms the effort by these survivors to take action in the wake of the unspeakable tragedy they witnessed—but for what “it seems” like he did. Worse, he framed it in his own undeniably traumatic experience as a survivor of terrorism, despite an unfortunate history of lashing out at other victims”.

Looking like strung-out mime, Hughes insisted in Saturday’s Instagram video: “What I had intended to be a statement about the hijacking by any side of the aisle of the beautiful agenda of the movement of our nation’s youth came off seeming like a mean-spirited personal attack and slight of the youth themselves and even a personal attack of its leadership, and I want to be clear, I never intended for that to happen. I was not attempting to impugn the youth of America and this beautiful thing they’ve accomplished. I am truly sorry.”

This is not the first time I have written about a Jesse Hughes comment: sadly; I do not think it will be the last time. Whether the man is constantly strung-out or a radical gun-nut; there is never any excuse for such degraded and insensitive remarks like his. Saying students – who protest against gun deaths – are pathetic, in many ways, supports those who carry out these vile acts. It is the insincerity of Hughes’ apology – promoted more by backlash than morals and regrets – that adds an extra sting. He is like a bully who is forced to issue an apology to the students he tormented. He has been screamed at and threatened but, when all is said and done, it is lip service.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

Politicians like Donald Trump, with his equally ignorant and gross views on gun control, are setting examples to musicians and public figures whose small minds and right-wing views are doing more damage than they realise. We have already seen enough controversy and disrepute in the acting profession over the past few months – as more and more revelations come to light in regards sexual abuse. Music is not immune to controversy and disreputable figures. The last thing music, and any industry, needs is the sort of comments Hughes made. Some can say his remarks were not too stark and he wasn’t, technically, supporting the perpetrators of the recent attacks. The fact Hughes has ‘form’ and has already had to issue a similar apology, you’d think, would have made him think twice. We cannot beat around the facts: he is a supporter of gun ownership and does not have any problem with what the attacker did – and, it seems, what happened in 2015. If he felt aggrieved at the attacks then he would have come out and lambasted the attackers – rather than looking at conspiracies and questioning those who want an end to gun-violence. I worry Jess Hughes’ stance is going to inspire other artists to let their inhibitions slip when the next tragedy unfolds. I wonder whether there should be stricter punishments following Hughes’ most-recent remarks.

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

The fact he received such a backlash and condemnation (not for the first time!) should be enough for those in a position of power to take action. I am not saying the Eagles of Death Metal man should be banned from music or forced to pay compensation. What I do think is more needs to be done to ensure anyone who has the same views as Hughes keeps them private. The Second Amendment does not really apply outside of American: in the U.S., it does not mean you can run your mouth off and not think of the consequences when you harbour such deplorable politics. Gun-related deaths are not on the decline and it seems, with the current President, we are no closer to solving the quandary. Trump will never repeal the Second Amendment and, so long as the Republicans hold sway in the White House; there will never be dialogue and discourse aimed at compromise and moral advancement. I will leave things there but, before departing, wanted to look at music and how its male members are tarnishing its good name. There have been reports of sexual abuse by members of popular bands – ranging from inappropriate touching to rape. We are trying to clean that sorry mess up and not slide into the same murky pit as Hollywood. Fat-mouthed musicians like Jesse Hughes should think about what they are saying and show greater respect to those who want to see an end to gun-violence – even if their protests are not, in the short-term, going to make a huge difference.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Those students (who protested) mourned and felt the effects of the attack – some claimed they seem pretty well-adjusted and upbeat considering the violence; their motives were cynical and aimed at creating publicity – and were not doing it to get on the news and be celebrities. In any case; we all should work together to see fewer guns in society; fewer deaths and an end to the blood-filled images we have been seeing on the news. This applies to the entire world: not only U.S. high-schools. Jesse Hughes, regardless of his opinions about gun legislation-tightening, should work towards improving the situation in his country. At the very least, if he can’t think of anything sympathetic and understanding; he should keep his misguided and hate-fanning comments…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

TO himself.

FEATURE: Teenage Kicks: Debut Singles That Hit the Spot

FEATURE:

 

Teenage Kicks

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

Debut Singles That Hit the Spot

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A recent poll/battle on BBC Radio 6 Music…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

asked listeners to cast their vote regarding the best debut single from music. The final pitched The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks against Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights. I won’t spoil the result but those two, disparate, introductions show what a truly great artist can do from the off. I have collated the best debut singles from all-time; from The Beatles’ 1962 gem to more-recent efforts. Here is a list of the finest opening salvos ever…

ALL OTHER IMAGES: Getty Images

___________

The Beatles – Love Me Do

Album: Please Please Me

Year of Release: 1962 (Album Released in 1963)

Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights

Album: The Kick Inside

Year of Release: 1978

The Undertones – Teenage Kicks

Year of Release: 1978 (Single, Non-Album Release)

Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)

Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Year of Release: 1998

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Hey Joe

Album: Are You Experienced?

Year of Release: 1966 (Single Release From the North American L.P. release)

Lorde – Royals

Album: Pure Heroine

Year of Release: 2013

Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop

Album: Ramones

Year of Release: 1976

Blur – She’s So High

Album: Leisure

Year of Release: 1990 (Album Released in 1991)

Nirvana – Love Buzz

Album: Bleach

Year of Release: 1988 (Album Released in 1989)

Suede – The Drowners

Album: Suede

Year of Release: 1992 (Album Released in 1993)

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor

Album: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

Year of Release: 2005 (Album Released in 2006)

Lily Allen - Smile

Album: Alright, Still

Year of Release: 2006

FEATURE: Illuminati, Fake Bumps and Dorian Gray: Why the Rumours and Conspiracies Surrounding Beyoncé Cannot Hide the Fact: We Need Her to Guide Music Right Now

FEATURE:

 

Illuminati, Fake Bumps and Dorian Gray

 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images 

Why the Rumours and Conspiracies Surrounding Beyoncé Cannot Hide the Fact: We Need Her to Guide Music Right Now

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WHETHER you consider yourself a big fan…

PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur (Getty Images for TIDAL)

of Beyoncé or a casual observer; you are probably aware of the ridiculous rumours that surround her. These (rumours) include the nature of age – exactly how old is she?! – and she is part of the Illuminati. Some think her recent pregnancy was a fake – a child would disprove that theory! – and that, Solange Knowles, is actually Bey’s daughter! The fact Beyoncé is in her thirties and, unless she popped out Solange when she was in school; that assumption holds little water – and, why would anyone think Solange would lie about being Bey’s sibling?! Others have speculated Beyoncé killed Joan Rivers and held Sia captive in a lair years ago. I never had Beyoncé pegged as a killer and dictator: going after random celebrates and getting a criminal record is not the best way to shift records! Other sources have linked her to former President Barack Obama; other absurd and wild theories have come to light. Bey actually hit back at those Illuminati rumours in her song, Formation (from her 2016 album, Lemonade). Whether you have enough patience to scotch those rumours and give credence to any turn of the gossip wheel – Beyoncé is not the first musician who has had many theories attached to their name. From the rumours surrounding Paul McCartney’s death back in the 1960s to, well…you can do your own research!

IN THIS PHOTO: Jay-Z and Beyoncé

I am not sure why so many idle and non-seneschal theories surround Beyoncé. I guess, when an artist seems normal and well-adjusted; the press get it into their heads they are hiding something. It is not possible, we are told, for a big name to be an ordinary person – albeit, someone blessed with enormous talent! Beyoncé has hit back at these slights and has, with her husband Jay-Z, added more dates to their On the Run II tour. They will head to the London Stadium on 16th June and, assuming there are no other conspiracy theories thrown at her before then; she will be free to kick some arse in the U.K. I guess, in a way, it is flattering to have people take an interest in your life that does not revolve around fidelity and relationships – even though claiming she is a murderer is a bit much! One of the reasons I wanted to write about Beyoncé is because, right now, she has a role to fulfil in music. She has recently given birth to Rumi and Sir. Having twins can put a career on the back-burner for a bit: the fact she is embarking on tour dates means there is not a lot of time to ponder and relax! Lemonade, two years ago, was the last album we heard from Bey.

That record tackled reports around Jay-Z: many felt her husband was having an affair; one can detect a lot of anger and marital tension in the songs. She came out and claimed Lemonade’s most fired-up tracks were fictional – not related to the suspected cheating of Jay-Z. However you view that statement – maybe there is some truth in it – the sheer anger and confidence put into the music took many by surprise. Other songs, looking at political tension and the role of women in society, got under the skin – Lemonade is her best-reviewed album to date. Aside from Sanaa Lathan being revealed as the actor who bit Beyoncé – the woman can’t catch a break – we have not heard too much from Beyoncé since 2016. I am still listening to Lemonade and feel, back during the Obama administration; there was less reason to be riled and furious than the current (Trump) incarnation. Now, with gun violence and racial tensions; sexism and bigotry acting as White House wallpaper – surely, now, is a time for music’s foremost voice to come forward and attack?! The thirty-six-year-old Texan superstar has enjoyed a long and varied career. Lemonade, to many, is the peak of Beyoncé’s career. Although there were a fair few writers and producers in the musical kitchen: it is Beyoncé’s voice and power that strides through. The tracks run right through R&B, Rock; Soul, Hip-Hop and Blues. There are Country touches and nods to traditional Pop – although, like any Beyoncé album, there is nothing sugary and empty. Anger and betrayal played a big role; anger, political and personal, were evident – that was mixed with lighter tones and reasons for celebration.

Standouts like Don’t Hurt Yourself, Formation; Freedom and Hold Up are as good as any Beyoncé track. Few artists have the same potency and ability to grab the listener by the throat. Look back at her career and you can hear the evolution. I have been a fan of hers since the Destiny’s Child days. In my view; Beyoncé started coming into her own as a leader and performer during Destiny’s Child’s second album, The Writing’s on the Wall. In 1999, with singles like Bills, Bills, Bills; Bug a Boo and Say My Name out in the ether – we could hear Beyoncé stand as the unofficial band lead and bring these songs to life. 2001’s Survivor found the band, and Beyoncé, turn from songs about faithfulness and love to womanhood and independence (although, sexual liberation and equality were part of the band’s make-up from the debut). The title cut is as emphatic and anthemic as they come; Independent Women Part I is a huge banger; Bootylicious and Dangerously in Love are, perhaps, two of the best-known Destiny’s Child songs. During this time, Bey stood out as the group’s lead writer and took more control of the music. Prior to 2004’s Destiny Fulfilled coming out; it was announced each member of the group would release a solo album – to heighten interest in Destiny’s Child and get them more attention. Some felt this move was a mistake: reviews for their final album were not as good as expected.

More writers and producers came back into the folder; there were fewer anthems and ready hits as earlier records – band members Kelly Rowlands and Michelle Williams were more involved as producers. None of this was bad or an error of judgement: the group’s time had run and, despite a couple of gold tracks (Lose My Breath and Soldier), it was time for a change: a time for Beyoncé to stand out alone. A year before Destiny’s Child’s last studio album; Beyoncé released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love. Its opener, Crazy in Love (featuring Jay-Z) hit number-one in the U.S. and demonstrated how strong Bey was when stepping out of the ‘shadows’. Not that her then-band were causing restrictions: it was about each member and, as such, harder for each member to put their stamp on songs that were, quite often, written by committees. Beyoncé’s solo debut allowed her to help master, produce and write the songs she would go on to perform. She hit her first peak, in my view, on the sophomore album, B’Day. Released on 1st September, 2006 – to coincide with Beyoncé’s twenty-five birthday – the album’s cover sees the star in a sexy and sultry mood. That is not to say the songs on the album had any intention of being submissive and predictable. Among the tracks are some of the most personal and emphatic slices of Bey’s career to that date.

She was in a productive mood and, with good teams around her, free to conspire, create and expand. Working with her husband, Jay-Z; the album was recorded at four different studios with a range of names/producers. It is not a shock B’Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Get Me Bodied and Ring the Alarm are as good an example of Beyoncé’s magic as you will get –  the latter, a song that suggested what the heroine would do if she caught her man walking around town with another woman! Songs on the album hinted at what she would create a decade later: a strong and proud woman who was taught to take vengeance on men who wronged her. Although there are enough names on B’Day – like every Beyoncé solo album – it was designed to give her range and diversity…rather than show a lack of talent and confidence. I Am… Sasha Fierce was a two-sided release. The first, ‘I Am…’ was composed, largely, on slower songs and ballads: the latter, employing her new persona, was a more pumped and sexual offering. Although the 2008 album did not get universally hot reviews upon its release; singles like Halo and If I Were a Boy (from the first side) impressed and showed a sensitive, mature side to Bey. Nine singles were released from the album: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), from the second-half, stands as the highlight cut. Some felt the album failed to reconcile its disparate and unique halves; others expressed doubts regarding the number of singles released and the hype the album received – never able to live up to such expectation.

2011’s 4 and 2013’s Beyoncé got the wheels back on the tracks, as it were. 2011’s swansong, Run the World (Girls) and Beyoncé’s XO showed she had lost none of her ability and talent. 4 showed sensitivity and Beyoncé’s ability to shine as a torch singer. Beyoncé was, at that point, the best-reviewed album of her career. That upward trajectory was no shock: with each release, she was growing in stature and acquiring new skills as a songwriter. Maybe changes in her life – the security of love and motherhood – she gave birth to Blue Ivy Carter in 2012 following a miscarriage the year before – was responsible. However you view her career and quality up until that point; there is no denying the reliability and determination. Live performances were heralded and proffered; her fanbase swelled and, prior to Lemonade, Beyoncé was the most sought-after and influential female solo artist on the planet. Her 2016-released masterpiece prefaced her brief hiatus – with new life in her came new responsibilities. Lemonade blew the doors open and showed, at that point, there was nobody quite like her. In summing-up; the reason I feel we need a Beyoncé charge ties to everything she has achieved – and what we need in music right now. The fact she has overcome marriage difficulties – if you feel Lemonade was autobiographical – and achieved a lot since then means, surely, there is the inspiration for something heartfelt and passionate.

It is the potential righteousness and aggression that excites me. Trump is now in office and there is the Time’s Up and Me Too movements. Women’s rights are at the forefront and there is the fetid sleaze of Harvey Weinstein hanging in the air like an insistent fart. More revelations and accusations are coming out; racism and aggression against the black population are unabated; gun violence is still a huge issue – so many troubles, not only in the U.S., but the wider political stage. In a world divided and struggling; the sort of sermons and spirit Bey brings to the music world is now, surely, needed more than ever?! I look out at music and, aside from Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z; there aren’t that many big artists able to adequately articulate the frustrations we all face. Sure; there are Punk and Rock bands who make a good stab at it – I feel U.S. artists, sadly, are more impressive when it comes to that much-needed fire and leadership. Eminem, sadly, produced a weak album with Revival. I felt, when it was announced, it would be a modern (albeit, older) version of The Marshall Mathers LP – a collection of songs that reminded us why he is one of the best rappers ever. A lack of focus and too much collaboration (Ed Sheeran, for Christ’s sake!) meant it failed to register and impress – signalling an end to his best days; perhaps, it seems, his last album?!

I feel Beyoncé is the person to step forward and provide the album we all need right now: one that would show it political colours and, at the same time, provide personal and passionate songs (a mix of maternal ponderings and sexual, sensual hip-swivelers!). A new album could stray along the same lines of Lemonade: it would not be bad hearing the second part of that record. What I feel is best – and what she could do – is update its political mandates and bring in some of the inspirations we heard in her earlier career – a 2018 version of Ring the Alarm of Lose My Breath, perhaps? She is in her mid-thirties now; the inspirational palette has taken in new colours. In any case; there is a definite spotlight waiting to be filled. I have been impressed by recent albums by St. Vincent and Phoebe Bridgers. There are so many great female artists providing exceptional, nuanced music. At a time when there is gender-inequality and discrimination; ‘Queen Bey’, it seems, need to sit back on the throne and deliver a devastating message to the world. Whether that will come post-tour – there is chatter she is working on music right now – I hope there is plenty of anger in her heart. An all-ballads record would be understandable: it is not what the public, and her fans, want right now. I am excited to see what could come and, in a year where we need a strong and defiant voice to show us the way; it seems Beyoncé’s talents and powers are required now…

MORE than ever.

FEATURE: Are People Strange? How the Industry Benefits From Artists Who Are a Bit ‘Out There’

FEATURE:

 

Are People Strange?

ALL PHOTOS: Unsplash

How the Industry Benefits From Artists Who Are a Bit ‘Out There’

__________

IF you are the kind of person who licks windows…

and eats dog food for its taste; you’d probably be a bit short-changed looking out at the music landscape - hoping to find something that strikes the ear and makes sense. What bugs me is, among all the progression and evolution in music, there are few artists working on the fringes; those who push the envelope and provide some proper-odd music. I am not saying they need to be as peculiar as, say Captain Beefheart, or some wigged-out Psychedelic band. What I mean is, when you are faced with a blank page and the prospect of an album – what is the harm in doing something a little unusual and adding some strange spice to the pot?! I feel there is too much ordinary music and predictable steps being made right now. The reason I have written this piece is because of two current artists/albums – from Let’s Eat Grandma and Jack White – show what can happen when you tease a bit of acid into the cuisine. White’s latest album, Boarding House Reach, has been receiving some good reviews. There are some that have been a little lukewarm regarding his latest effort. One of the biggest concerns – regarding his latest album – is the lack of real punch and epic riffs…the kind we are used to hearing from the former White Stripes lead. What has made an impact is how he has strayed far from the ordinary and produced an album with weird tics, movements and sounds.

Like some weird loner holed up in a woodland shack; Jack White took his four-track and box-set of Keeping Up Appearances and started the wood carvings of Boarding House Reach. Among the howling wolves and blowing wind was a stream of consciousness that led to some brilliant recordings. Why Walk Like a Dog? has spacey organs and electronics; its muted vocals and shadowy tones show the U.S. musician has lost none of his mystique and eccentricity. Abulia and Akrasia features a rousing speech set against cascading piano notes and aching strings; Hypermisophoniac and Get in the Mind Shaft definitely depart from your normal Rock/Alternative album. There are some softer, more conventional offerings on the record – the fact the album is taking a while to capture all critics is the way White has gone a bit bananas. I have listened to him in interviews lately and the man is his usual warm, funny and fascinating self. Going against the more restrained – for him, anyway – offerings; he has released an album that takes you by the knackers and trips the mind. The album is not an out-and-out weirdo: it has some odd edges and subverts any expectations we had. I wonder whether, in a time like this, we need to be a bit more open-minded and supportive of those artists who go beyond the obvious and take music in new directions.

There are other modern artists, like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard who produce music that definitely does not look at sell-by dates and your ‘best before’ labels. They drink from the toilet and juggle beer cans in the park. Whilst those images might provoke a lunatic or derelict; modern inventors and provocative artists show where music can head. Maybe Jack White’s third solo outing has some loose flaps and unfocused numbers. It is when he opens the taps and lets his imagination fly that we get the biggest and boldest sensations. Even though critics have been ambivalent towards his new effort; those who have praised it highly signal out his weirdness and experimentation as a major bonus! Another act doing something different is Let’s Eat Grandma. They have very little common with the American icon. Instead; here are two British friends, Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth. Their 2016 album, I, Gemini, impressed critics and launched the teenage songwriter to the world. Let’s Eat Grandma’s newest track, Falling Into Me, shows what we can expect from their forthcoming album, I’m All Ears (out on 29th June). The song, for them, is more controlled and safe: the previous single, Hot Pink, is a right-out-there barker that, happily, recalls their debut album. The duo match fizzing, violent and eerie tracks with something more accessible and digestible.

One can argue an artist like Kate Bush or Björk – when they arrived in the 1970s and 1990s, respectively – were the equivalents of Let’s Eat Grandma and King Gizzard’. Jack White, although he has been releasing music since the 1990s has increased his cosmic horizons and is exploring sound and texture in new ways. Let’s Eat Grandma are not an art project or something you might expect to see on a John Lennon and Yoko Ono album – weird effects, tape sounds and random howling. Let’s Eat Grandma are a wonderful act who might face a challenge: getting widespread acceptance and appreciation. They have a lot of fans already: getting further out there and resonating with wider markets might take a bit more time. I feel one of the reasons there are not more artists out there like the aforementioned is because music is still, in 2018, too tame and limited. There are innovative and brash artists but, even at their most outrageous and daring; I still find myself wandering off half-way through things. The reason the innovators and legendary ‘kooks’ like Kate Bush created such a stir is that they were not the same as everyone else. I am not suggesting artists need to lose their minds and provide an acid trip to the listeners. The reason I am so captivated by those who do not colour between the lines is (because it) is the antithesis of the bland and formulaic mainstream act. I have a lot of time for popular music but it is nice to get out of the routine and discover something a little unusual.

One-off songs like Frontier Psychiatrist (The Avalanches) have dropped in the world and stunned people. We did not know what to make of that song and yet, years after its release (it was part of the 2000 album, Since I Left You); it is a song people gravitate towards and love. I wonder whether we need to stop being so restrictive with music and push boundaries more. There are more artists – than I have mentioned – who splice genres and take gambles; subsume predictions and take the brain somewhere else. Whether an artist rewinds a tape and splices in a spoken word piece; they distort the voice or create a multi-part suite – I long to hear something that thumbs its nose at the three-minute, suitable-for-radio jam. You do not have to alienate people to be seen as alien. By that; I mean you can create wonder and curiosity by slightly tweaking the ordinary. Jack White’s current album is relatable and resonates with those who have followed its career. What it does do is add a little bit of oddity to his palette and is definitely not, in any sense, boring. A complete overhaul and redefinition of modern music is not the answer to the problem. Having everyone doing the same thing – a little strangeness to the agenda – would create a similar issue. Freakier, unusual artists might, on paper, seem like a hard prospect to love.

I would object to huge waves of out-there artists coming into music and washing over what is already here. What I DO want is more of the artists working in the underground – that have those peculiar embers and inventive songs – get more focus and embrace. Maybe it is a case of the odd kid in school being isolated in the playground. I don’t think modern music is that clique-obsessed and ignorant: there are plenty of mainstream and popular acts capable of enticing with a sense of the strange. What I have noticed is a scene where there are too many same-sounding and restricted ambitions. It is nice having artists who do not care about fitting in with the rules and following the pack. Maybe there are some sound-pushing, wild artists ready to add a dose of the zonked into a more palatable and acceptable concoction. Most of those artists, from what I hear, are reserved to specialist radio shows or are working in the underground. Perhaps artists like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and Let’s Eat Grandma are temporary flashes and rare specimens. I think there is something oddly captivating and attractive about an artist who takes those sort of gambles. I am not in the minority: many people are connecting with songs/musicians who approach things from odd angles. To answer the question posed at the top of this feature, ‘Are People Strange?’; I would say, on the evidence around us, the answer is…

NOT as strange as they should be!

FEATURE: After Ten Minutes of Silence… The Best Hidden Tracks in Music

FEATURE:

 

After Ten Minutes of Silence…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash 

The Best Hidden Tracks in Music

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MAYBE it is hard to represent this feature…

PHOTO CREDIT: Unsplash

with as much purity and effect as I had hoped. What I mean is that some of these songs, the hidden tracks, occur after a long silence – you don’t get the same suspense and surprise with them out of context (the feature’s title is a nod to how long it takes for the Nirvana song, Endless, Nameless, to arrive after Something in the Way). I have looked at the best hidden tracks from music. Some of them are obvious and much-heard – Her Majesty on Abbey Road, for example – whereas some, I’d imagine, are fairly new to the senses (a certain Oasis track might have slipped many by...). I have collected the tastiest hidden tracks from popular music – and listed the albums/E.P. they can be heard or (or were issued on re-releases or vinyl versions).

ALL OTHER IMAGES/PHOTOS: Getty Images

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Her Majesty – The Beatles

Album: Abbey Road

Release Date: 1969

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Lauryn Hill

Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Release Date: 1998

Endless, Nameless - Nirvana

Album: Nevermind

Release Date: 1991

Citizens Band – Super Furry Animals

Album: Guerrilla

Release Date: 1991

Milk - The 1975

E.P.: Sex

Release Date: 2012

Late - Kanye West

Album: Late Registration

Release Date: 2005

Encore for the Fans/Listen/Get Me Bodied (Extended Mix) - Beyoncé

Album: B’Day

Release Date: 2006

Alas, I Cannot Swim - Laura Marling

Album: Alas, I Cannot Swim

Release Date: 2008

Bonehead’s Bank Holiday - Oasis  

Album: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?

Release Date: 1995

All By Myself - Green Day

Album: Dookie

Release Date: 1994

Intense Thing - Ash  

Album: Trailer

Release Date: 1994

France - The Libertines

Album: The Libertines

Release Date: 2004

Poor Song - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Album: Fever to Tell

Release Date: 2003

FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: The Beatles – Please Please Me

FEATURE:

 

Vinyl Corner:

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

The Beatles – Please Please Me

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WHENEVER I need a lift and a bit of cheer…

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1963

music is always there and ready to provide something special. Now, as I look at transition and taking on new challenges; I have been looking at the music industry and trying to find guidance. There is an album, however, that provides everything I need in one place: the marvellous debut from The Beatles. Whilst other albums of theirs – Revolver, Abbey Road; Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Beatles – are more celebrated and better-received; there is something to be said for their debut. Put 1963 into context. The boys were known by then – having played in Hamburg and establishing a name for themselves at The Cavern Club (in Liverpool). The debut single, Love Me Do, was released in 1962 and, already, the band was popular and creating buzz. After the success of Love Me Do and its number-one follow-up, Please Please Me; there was demand for an album and more material. At the point of entering the studio; eight original songs were written – producer George Martin and Parlophone needed more tracks so they could get an L.P. out. At the time, The Beatles were performing cover songs at their gigs: several of these tracks made their way onto the L.P. The concept was simple, yet daunting: record the album during a single day; essentially, as a live-sounding L.P.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1963/PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

The aim was to release something that was, in essence, a Beatles live set – a sprinkling of covers alongside the originals of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Interest in The Beatles piqued at this time so that pressure could have resulted in something hurried and slapdash. The fact the album was recorded during a day-long session meant, technically, there was a need for expeditiousness and ‘efficiency’. With EMI Studios in Abbey Road booked; on Monday, 11th February, 1963; The Beatles began working on the album. The idea was to have a morning and afternoon set – getting everything dusted and captured by the evening. The guys started the recording at 10 A.M. and performed a different number of takes for each song – finishing at 10:45 P.M. (Ten songs were recorded during that session; they had already recorded four tracks - Please Please Me, Love Me Do; P.S. I Love You and Ask Me Why - as sides A and B of the two singles released prior to that point). What is amazing to me, and George Martin back then, is the endurance and discipline the band had. Compare it to a modern-day Pop band and you would not get the same stamina and results. Now, they would record a few songs a day, if that, and enjoy the luxuries of the studio. The urgency and desire to have Beatles material into the world meant there was a pressure to get the material sounding right and pure – whilst ensuring it had a live feel and replicating their sets at The Cavern Club. The fact they managed to perform the songs that fast, and keeping their voices strong and working, is a huge feat in itself!

The fact remains: the longer the day went on, and the more they played, the better they came. After 585 minutes of recording – the most efficient and spectacular in all of music – they had a record finished. To get a sense of why the album is so groundbreaking and important; we need to pick the needle up and reposition it into the groove. There were some double-tracked vocals (McCartney on A Taste of Honey) and overdubbed instruments (piano on Misery; harmonica on There’s a Place) but, for the most part, it was that simple and bare-naked bliss. You listen to the first track from the record: the insistent and joyous, I Saw Her Standing There. McCartney counts it in and launches – with the band – into a captivating and youthful paen to the possibilities of a night out. It has innocence and allure but there is a sexuality and suggestiveness that makes the song both pure and salacious. Boasting, perhaps, the most-noted opening lines from any Beatles song – “She was just seventeen/You know, what I mean…” – it is a delirious, raucous sting that gets the album off to a brilliant start. At this time, given the way albums are promoted and singles drip-fed; it would be tempting to throw their biggest hits into the top-three. They could have put Love Me Do and Please Please Me right after the opener – hooking people in and keeping them invested. Those tracks, transposed, do not appear until tracks seven and eight – right at the half-way marker!

The ordering of the first-half is interesting. After that explosive opening; Misery (another original) is followed by Anna (Arthur Alexander). The guys showed their songwriting variation up-top before unveiling a diverse hattrick of covers – Chains and Boys followed (the latter handed the microphone to Ringo Starr). Ask Me Why, track-six, brings it back to original territory; the closer is the title cut. It is a great move ending the first side with a big hit – it gave the first side a great balance and ended it (and started) with a huge high. The same is true of the second-half. It opens with their debut single, Love Me Do. Whereas the opening side started with fizz and race: the next side opens with something more romantic and Blues-inspired. Lennon’s harmonica playing has been highlighted by critics as a revelation. Most people would have expected bent notes and American-style playing. Lennon’s performance was rawer and truer to Northern England. It has expression and melody and far more honesty than what was floating around Rock and Pop. Again, another original completes a glorious opening duo of songs. P.S. I Love You, more popular with some critics than Love Me Do, builds the mood up and shows, even in 1963, what interesting and perspective songwriters Lennon and McCartney were. Although the writing was simpler than the work they would produce by 1966 (Revolver); the original recordings on Please Please Me reflected where the band were in 1963.

They were in the studio to get down something quick and exciting: labouring over melody, compositional layering and pushing technology wouldn’t have been cost-effective or required. It was not until the band transitioned from Rubber Soul to Revolver (1965-1966) that they transformed from more straightforward songs to the experimental and mind-altering tracks that would take them to a new level. It is the freshness and verve one hears through Please Please Me that strikes the mind. George Martin’s production manages to leave the songs uncomplicated yet professional. He got the best out of the band but did not expect them to record endless takes of the same song – the clock was out and the budget limited. The remaining five songs of the record sprinkled covers and originals: Baby It’s You and A Taste of Honey (tracks three and five of the side) were sandwiched by Do You Want to Know a Secret? and There’s a Place (tracks four and six). Cleverly, and economically; the band closed their debut with a popular and explosive cover – bookending the thrills and rush McCartney provided at the top. Unlike later albums like Abbey Road and Let It Be; Please Please Me saw John Lennon take more of a role in the band. One can chart The Beatles up until 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band to see when the dynamic shifted.

The fall-out from that world-changing, paradigm-shifting album was the vast and compartmentalised, The Beatles (‘The White Album’). From 1968-1970; McCartney took more of the ‘band leader’ role – he exerted that sort of command during Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – until the end. The debut, to me, is defined by Lennon’s role. Although the two songwriters showed their skill and variation: the entire band was present and featured in vocal roles. Starr took the lead for Boys; George Harrison took the mantle for Do You Want to Know a Secret? Although Harrison’s vocals were criticised by journalists (and seen as a bit weak by the band) it was good to see a democracy and four different voices through the record. Please Please Me has that balance of meticulous construction and planning with live-sounding music and simplicity. If the spread of covers and originals was a savvy move and balance – alongside the bookended choices – the finale was always going to be Twist and Shout. The song was the last to be recorded and one could argue, was John Lennon’s voice in better shape, it would be higher up the pecking order. It is conceivable the album, and The Beatles’ careers, could have changed and been different if another song ended their debut album. The reason Twist and Shout ends things is because Lennon, during recording, was suffering a bad cold. Whilst the rest of the studio was drinking coffee and smoking: Lennon was drinking milk and preserving his voice.

An all-day recording session could bust a healthy and perfect voice: one that was already damaged and vulnerable should not have lasted as long as it did! With little time left, and little voice left in Lennon, the band knew they had to master Twist and Shout on the first take. If the take had gone wrong (the voice breaking or the band fluffing) they would have stopped tape to regroup. Lennon might not have had the capacity to complete the recording and, as such, the record would have entered its second day. To consider how disruptive and inorganic that would sound makes the actual recording of Twist and Shout a marvel. Lennon gives it his all and, with that sore throat, created one of the most rebellious, electric and impressive vocals of the 1960s. It harked back to Rock ‘n’ Roll icons like Elvis Presley. Such power and raw sexuality was not expected, or promoted, in 1963’s music scene. It changed the game and excited the bored youth – with it, sparking a revolution and launching The Beatles onto the world stage. Please Please Me was recorded for £400 (just under £8,000 in today’s money) and, given the fact Parlophone had a yearly budget of £55,000 to cover all musicians on their roster – it was a fair chunk of change but, compared with the impact the album made; I figure it is money well spent! Please Please Me went to number-one on the U.K. album charts and was made platinum in the U.S. (it has sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies!).

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles at The Cavern Club (circa 1961/1962)

To me, the album represents the first (literally) flourishes of The Beatles and discovering music in a different way. I remember gearing the songs, on tape and radio, when driving to my grandparents’ house in the late-1980s/early-1990s. I was used to a different sound and type of music when I was that young. The simplicity and excitement of Please Please Me opened my eyes and seeped into my imagination. Every time I hear the opening harmonica notes of Love Me Do or that ready-to-rock-and-roll clarion from McCartney on the opening track – I am transported to my early life and discovering The Beatles. There are, yeah, some rougher patches on the record – Harrison’s sole vocal lead; covers like Anna and Baby It’s You – but, on balance, it is an exceptional and revelatory album. Those looser edges and weaknesses make the album such a treasure. It represented and mirrored the type of performance one would expect from The Beatles at that time. They would, as I mentioned, go on to grow as innovators by the middle/end part of the 1960s. Even from the debut album; people knew what The Beatles could achieve and how talented they were. The closeness and brotherly spirit of the band is evident in every track. To be a fly on the studio wall when they were putting the songs together would be a dream come true. I can only imagine what sort of conversations happened when the album’s last note was captured – you can hear McCartney let out a jubilant cheer at the very end of Twist and Shout! All said and done; Please Please Me is one of the most important and underrated albums of all-time – and one we should all have as part of our collection. It is perfect on vinyl and, if you have a spare thirty-three minutes; stick it on the turntable, drop the needle; let that evocative and genius music…

IN THIS PHOTO: John Lennon and Paul McCartney at EMI Studios; 4th September, 1962 

TAKE you to another place.

FEATURE: For Reel?! Will We Ever See Another Iconic Music Video?

FEATURE:

 

For Reel?!

 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Will We Ever See Another Iconic Music Video?

__________

IF you look at the greatest and most iconic…

music videos from time; the list is likely to go back quite a few years. What I mean by that is, if you have a top-ten of the best videos; the majority are going to be from the 1980s and 1990s. There are a few from the past decade – how many, even in a top-fifty, would be from the past few years?! I love the works of Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham and the great clips they have directed for fantastic artists. Gondry is someone who really captivates me. He has produced sensational work for Kylie Minogue (Come into My World), Björk (Human Behaviour, among others) and The White Stripes (The Hardest Button to Button, again, among others). There are other great directors – Spike Jonze and Floria Sigismondi – but, to me, there is nobody quite like Gondry. I will end this piece collating a selection of the best music videos ever. One can state the reason these videos have gained legacy and celebration is the fact they score fantastic songs. Anointing a superb song with an equally-great visual can elevate music to an art form. I have been looking around modern music and hear some songs begging out for great treatments and wondrous films. We have modern icons like Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé; fantastic bands and some unique songwriters floating around the globe.

Although a lot of those legendary videos have been shot by the same people; it is the song itself, I feel, that compels that imagination and brilliance. We could extrapolate, therefore, music is not provoking enough creative wonder and pioneers. I do not think music has declined to the extent videos are redundant and struggling. A lot of the classic team still make promotional – the likes of Jonze and Gondry are making fewer these days – but the role of sites like YouTube, perhaps, are having an impact. Every new artist can put a video online and have it seen around the world. Compare the amount of videos put now to back then. In 2017, there would have been a huge amount compared to, say, twenty years ago. Maybe budget is playing its part. Look at the fantastic video/film for Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The John Landis-directed video is widely regarded as one of the (if not the absolute) finest unifications of music and film. A modern artist could create a video like that these days – it would take a lot of time and a fair bit of money. I think a lot of the emphasis, today, is time-related. Many of the new artists I look at have limited wallets and can only spend a short time making videos. It is a rather unpredictable time regarding music videos.

Modern videos like Bad Blood (Taylor Swift, 2015) and Fade (Kanye West, 2016) have provided memorable images and great storylines. Kendrick Lamar’s HUMBLE. (2017) and Beyoncé’s Formation (2016) are big and dramatic productions. A lot of today’s focus is how many views a video can get on YouTube. The rising numbers do not necessarily correlate with quality. If you look at a modern Pop artist; they can get 10,000,000 views within a few days. All of those views will come from hype and the existing fanbase. Compare that to classic videos like Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel) and Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana). If you have a song that is anthemic and genius – like Smells Like Teen Spirit – it is easier to create a timeless video than it would be today (songs that won’t reach that level). You can argue we do not have a scene as impactful and productive as Grunge; music is so widespread and compartmentalised that it is tricky to see what is going on and where the next, great video will come from. What I am noticing is how many videos are coming along. We are in a time where, as I said, any artist can put something online. I am witnessing tremendous videos emerge from every corner of the globe. Although the scale and durability is not what it was years ago; there are suggestions we could witness a world-class video very soon.

We could also argue the fact videos such as Sledgehammer stood out is because they pushed technology. Stop-motion was a fairly new and unexplored formula that was begging for something incredible. The same can be said for a-ha’s Take on Me. We are living in a world where we can create anything and have anything we imagine come to life. The technological luxuries mean it is less impressive if an artist makes a video that mixes stop-motion and animation. Artists are releasing large-scale videos but, again, if it easier to do so – especially if a mainstream artist has a lot of money – then it will not stand out from everything that has come before. There are two arguments we can bring in at this point. The first is this: are people really bothered about videos, given the fact we have streaming services are more interested in the music itself. The other is around the types of songs and climate we live in. Many listeners get their music on the go and have a song playing in their ears. They might listen to a track and check out the Internet whilst listening – not really concerned about the visuals of the song. If a video is bad/ordinary; is that going to change our view of that track? I would say a groundbreaking and unique video can make a poor song good.

Music television doesn’t exist anymore. We have passed a time when MTV played the best artists and brought us those iconic videos. We did not have the Internet and, as such, could only see videos on the T.V. Artists pushed themselves and knew a great, much-watched video could sell albums and elevate them above their peers. The nature of promotion and competition has shifted its nature and feel. Videos are taking a back seat to marketing and other considerations. The way we digest and experience music means the visual elements are not as important and needed as once was. It is a shame because, when I hear a big song come out I have been waiting for; I am always eager to see the video and what the director has done. There have been some great videos lately but, largely, they do not stick in the mind. Years and decades past; great directors moved from film and T.V. into music – or vice versa – whereas now, artists are directing themselves – or smaller, less experienced directors are taking the helm. In any case; there are fewer videos at the moment we will remember years from now. It is sad to think we will talk about the established and older videos over what is being produced now. Maybe I am living in the past but there is a lot to be said for an amazing and unexpected video. It is not about profit and popularity.

IN THIS PHOTO: Michel Gondry/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

We want to pass music down the generations and show the artists and directors of today have the same intelligence and imagination as their predecessors. Maybe the sheer volume of videos and vastness of music means speed and economy is more important than time and creativity. Sound has overtaken visuals; we are all becoming a little lazier and less bothered when it comes to music videos. It is a shame because, with the introduction of services like Netflix; people are as invested in film and T.V. as ever. Money is a factor I have alluded to. Many bands and new artists do not have a lot of cash to do anything major. They might have deadlines and are writing songs in a different way. I don’t know. What I do know is it has been a fair few years since I’ve seen a video that moved me and remained in the mind. A lot of my favourite videos are from the 1990s and early-2000s. It is a shame to think music has changed to a degree where fewer people are concerned what a music video looks like. A lot of artists are excited to film and get those films out to the public. How many artists and directors are trying to rub shoulders with the greats and produce a modern-day version of Sabotage (Beastie Boys)?! Perhaps things will change but, for now, there is a quagmire that cries out for a visionary and unbelievable video. It would not radically change music: it would show we cannot easily predict and assume the best days are behind us. To all those eager directors who want to topple the likes of Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham: step forward and, regardless of budget, hunker down, slave away and bring the world a music video that…

STOPS us in our tracks.

FEATURE: Zero Hours Contract Killers: Making the Name and Images Stand Out

FEATURE:

 

Zero Hours Contract Killers

 ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

Making the Name and Images Stand Out

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ONE thing I notice…

when looking out at the music world is a lack of real spark and distinction. That is not a reflection of the music and level of talent out there. What I mean is there is a slight greyness regarding artist names and images – including album covers and the way bands project themselves. I have grown a bit weary, as explained in other posts, when it comes to artists and what they call themselves. An artist’s name, like a child, is one you are stuck with and have to love. I will not mention specific artists – it would take too long to muster the energy to type their names – but I get the impression few are doing their research before going out into the market. I raised this point last year and, when exploring the way musicians plan their first attack; it seems like little originality is expended into naming conventions. You, obviously, want to make sure there are no similar-named artists people could confuse you with. Accidentally, I have received interview responses from artists – where they name new acts to watch and seek out. I have typed that name into Facebook/Google and, as I thought, found the act they were referring to. Before I know it, when the interview is out there, I have selected the wrong act! The thing is this: there are, worryingly, a lot of acts with the same name.

It can be unavoidable when it comes to similar-named acts: why would any artist/band choose a name exactly the same as another one out there?! One of the fundamental things any artist needs t ensure – before they get into music – is they are unique. Being original is so important underrated. Whilst that might be hard from a musical perspective; it is a lot easier when it comes to names. You only need type into a search engine some options until you find out whether your choice is fresh. Inevitably, it can be hard avoiding artists who are confined to a few sites – they might not be readily available on a search engine. More and more artists I feature, either share their name with someone else or are recommending artists with doppelgangers and duplicates. In some cases, the name I see is very ordinary and uninspiring. I am not suggesting bands name themselves Unknown Mortal Orchestra or King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – something that out-there – but that sort of distinction would be appreciated. Even if you are a one-worded band/act; it is not that tricky selecting a name that will stand out from everything else – and draw people in with its sense of allure. That is not the only thing worrying in the ‘name game’.

Artists – bands, mostly – get it into their head something stupid or abstract is the way to get people into the tent! If you have a name that has symbols, odd accents and lettering in; how easy is it for people to find you?! I wonder whether artists are deliberately trying to alienate themselves with their choices. Some bands, not naming again, do some capitals or all; maybe they will all be capitals with some numbers thrown in! It reminds me of someone working in on office changing their password – struggling to think of something they haven’t already used! They will do a mix of numbers and letters; some upper-case and strange characters. Some might say a name is an insignificant and irrelevant point – if the music is great, people will come, right?! The trouble is; if you name your child ‘Spacmaninoff’ the other kids aren’t going to crowd around in the hope he/she will be able to blow ping-pong balls out their arse! I have been put off from approaching some bands because they have a forgettable/lamentable name; lost others because they are Google-proof and isolated. If you have to spend hours finding a group because their name is so familiar - bringing up hundreds of other results before you get to them – then you’ll get annoyed and move along.

Maybe my gripe is more at the inconvenience of having to wade through the Internet in order to locate an artist. If I have to do that, then other people are; they will bypass that band and go to someone else. I can rattle off a dozen names, if I were in a band, I’d be happy to sport and boast – and, I feel, would be hard to compare with anything else. Visuals, again, are aspects every artist needs to get right. I won’t bore you with my fascinating rant regarding photos and the lack of them on many artists’ pages. I am thinking more about covers and design. I will look, today, at music videos and how they have petered away and lost their exceptional allure. Although there are fewer physical albums being unleashed to the world; every artist needs to put an image out that covers, well…the cover. Music is about covering all angles and ensuring all aspects are considered. One might feel the modern consumer cares less about names and images than they did decades ago. An album/E.P. cover does not need to be intricate, packed and mind-blowing. Think about the best covers ever – Nirvana’s Nevermind and The Beatles’ Abbey Road – and they are sheer simplicity. They have gained iconic status because of the music they were attached to; a sense of mystery and oddity; a striking image that makes you think and wonder.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Whether it is an image-heavy shot or something sparse and simple: getting that right can bring people and show you are serious about music. A lot of the covers I am seeing now, in new music and existing, are insipid and barren. I can apply this point to mainstream acts and those well-established. Why would you spend all that time recording music and putting your heart in it, only to release it with such a poor and average image?! Even if we hear singles on the radio – before we see the record itself – then we will, at some point, see the cover. That is what stares out at us from the shop shelves. At a time when more and people are turning onto vinyl; having shoddy covers is not going to entice people to pick up the L.P. and take it home. A lot of bands, I find, are doing mindless portraits and photos – where they are stood around looking moody/fun/sexually aroused. Solo artists either provide something plain or unimaginative. Again, like a band’s name, I am not looking for something that takes months to decode and has you gawking – although, that would be nice! Go back to the example of Nirvana and Nevermind. I know people would play the album if the cover art was something as formulaic as the three band members standing around looking moody.

One of the reasons people pick up the vinyl and get into the record is that iconic and stunning image. We might not be able to replicate a photo like that in these times – a nude baby, despite good intentions, would ruffle the feathers of many-a Daily Mail reader! – but there is ample scope to create a timeless image. When was the last time you saw an album/E.P./single cover and thought it had the same genius as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon or another Beatles classic, The Beatles (‘The White Album’)? The fact there were better covers decades ago does not make a lot of sense. We have access to cameras and are taking more images now than ever. Technology means we can create anything that comes into our mind. Is the luxury of access and options stifling creative juices and making us lazier?! If an artist had to work on a tight budget with little technology and options at their fingertips; that would force them to think more carefully and push boundaries. There are, naturally, great album covers produced every year. Maybe the sheer volume of new artists means it is harder to single the great from the average. From St. Vincent’s MASSEDUCATION to Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy – we are still seeing some world-class art come through!

IN THIS PHOTO: The cover of Tyler, the Creator's album, Flower Boy/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I am getting a bit riled but, when entering a packed, busy and, at times, cold industry; having all the bases covered and worked out before launching is essential. I am interested in artists with great names that stick in the mind. I love cover-art and something that stimulate my brain. If you can stand aside and do something different to everything out there; that is half the battle won already. Repeating what has come before and blending too aimlessly into the pack is, at best, lazy: at worst, it could spell a rather short and unspectacular career. Maybe they do not add a huge amount of value against all the other considerations of music – the sounds, marketing and endless promotion – but I am just as likely to bypass an artist if they do not expend thought and originality needed regarding their name and artwork. I will, as said, look at music videos later – why, I feel, we have seen the best of all-time. For all those out there who feel having a good, original name is nothing big; so long as you put out music – who cares what your art and covers look like?! To them, I would retort: having that sort of attitude will drive many people away. Before you get into the game – or, if you are mainstream or established; as you prepare your next release – consider something that gets into the mind and sets you apart. If fans struggle to locate you, or get bored the moment they see you on the page; that is likely to have a negative impact on your career that is…

SO needless and avoidable.

FEATURE: The March Playlist: Vol. 5: Will They Serve Us Glitter During the Hour?!

FEATURE:

 

The March Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Kacey Musgraves 

Vol. 5: Will They Serve Us Glitter During the Hour?!

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THIS Playlist…

brings together treasure from Kacey Musgraves, Chvrches; Lady Gaga, Plan B and Kylie Minogue – some big names have released some stunning music this week. As it is Easter, and we are looking for some music treats, too; sit back and enjoy some incredible sounds from the banquet of modern music – from established and newer artists alike…

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Getty Images

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PHOTO CREDIT: Danny Clinch

Chvrches – Never Say Die

Grace VanderWaal – Clearly

Lady Gaga – Your Song

PHOTO CREDIT: Fryd Frydendahl

MØ - Nostalgia

Kylie Minogue – Raising Glitter

Sam Smith (ft. Logic) - Pray

Wye Oak – Lifer

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays

Plan B – Queue Jumping

Ezra Furman - Suck the Blood from My Wound

Soccer Mommy - Cool

Leon Bridges - Bad Bad News

Flo Rida – Sweet Sensation

PHOTO CREDIT: Scarlett Carlos Clarke

Matt Maltese - Greatest Comedian

Thirty Seconds to Mars – Rescue Me

Zak Abel – Love Song

PD Liddle - You Shouldn't Have Called

Cabbage – Exhibit A

Kadhja Bonet – Mother Maybe

Charlie Puth (ft. James Taylor) – Change

Her’s – Love on the Line (Call Now)

The Weeknd – Try Me

HOTO CREDIT: Samantha Marquart

Post Precious – Lose Myself

The Vaccines – Young American

Kacey Musgraves – Space Cowboy

Louis Berry - Stumbling

Au/Ra, CamelPhat – Panic Room

Sigrid – I Don’t Want to Know

Billie Eilish – bitches broken hearts

James Bay – Us

Diplo (ft. Desiigner) - Suicidal

5 Seconds of Summer - Want You Back

Octavian – Hands

Lauv - Chasing Fire 

Stereo Honey – What Makes a Man

Jessie Reyez, Daniel Caesar – Figures, a Reprise

Daryl Hall & John Oates (ft. Train) – Philly Forget Me Not

Fenne Lily – Car Park

FEATURE: “I Can’t Get No…”: The Wonders of the Musical ‘Release’

FEATURE:

 

“I Can’t Get No…”

ALL PHOTOS (unless credited otherwise): Unsplash 

The Wonders of the Musical ‘Release’

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THE title of this piece might suggest…

something orgasmic and prurient. In fact; I can back that up a bit…there is a sense of the sexual and satisfactory! I have been thinking about music - and why I listen to certain songs. Looking through my daily rotation and those moments I repeat and hold close; there is something common and revealing coming to the fore. One can throw all sorts of psychological interpretations and insults my way: my choice of songs, I guess, reveal a deeper desire. We are all, in our own way, frustrated and longing for something new. Many find that fulfilment and completion in relationships and friends; others have jobs and rewarding careers; some travel and see the world. To me, the way I wrestle with deep emotions and make sense of anger's tangles is to unburden them through music. At the moment, I have classic 1990s Dance music loaded on Spotify; I have Metallica’s eponymous album in the car; my YouTube lists are filled with songs from my childhood – there are some boisterous, stone-cold R&B gems from the 1990s/2000s elsewhere. The casual observer could say this: they are random selections and have no deeper meaning and substance. The songs are fun, memorable or evocative. In any case; they serve a need and have a sentient relevance.

My song choices are not dictated by the cycle of the moon or the mood I am in – something personal and emotion drives my decisions and the sounds I uncover! Right now; I am caught by career unhappiness – that extends to geographical lumber – and, well…’physical’ ‘urges’ (you can fill in the gaps yourself!). Spring is coming and, with it, the potential for sunshine, warmth and a rise in happiness. That last part not might apply to me as easily and fervently as others: I am hopeful the longer days and clement conditions unlock a part of my mind unable to break free from ruts and easy options. In any case; music is filling holes, metaphorical and near-physical (another gap to fill in!), that are causing pain and confusion. There is something to be said for the sensations music provides. I am not necessarily talking about physical explosions and epic choruses: a satisfying piece of string articulation or unexpected chord change gets into the bones and causes unexpected and fantastic reactions. I paraphrased and borrowed a lyric from The Rolling Stones – we all know the song... – because there is something incredibly physical and sense-screwing about music. I have Metallica shaking my car’s electrical components because of the meaty riffs and animalistic vocals. I cannot put into the word the feelings I get when Enter Sandman’s (the opening track from Metallica) introduction plays.

IN THIS PHOTO: Destiny's Child/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

That sound and excitement provokes a de-stressing and fist-pumping alacrity that nothing else in life does. I listen to En Vogue, Destiny’s Child and All Saints because the combination of strong female vocals and hip-swivelling jams loosen my body and gets the voice ringing. I could easily couch these sensations in very simplistic terms and reduce them to their components parts. You could say a big riff and chunky chorus is a sexual release and sublimation of inner tensions. It is true there is a whirlwind of physical contortions not being slaked by companionship and sex. I do not use music to replace a physical relationship – it is not a synthetic substitute and acceptance I cannot find anyone. Instead, and a more healthy viewpoint, is there is an addictive sound that registers inside me and produces a burst of serotonin. Many of us gravitate towards big Rock songs because of the physicality and ferocity in which they are delivered. At gigs; there is that tribal aspect: likeminded souls losing themselves in the sweat-flying divinity of the moshpit. For me; I long for the sort of excitement and brilliance a great Rock song can deliver. A fiery arpeggio or insatiable chorus can dissipate all the troubles around me; a sleazy vocal or Rolling Stones-like classic can, in me, can transpose the furies of the song itself: create immense fulfilment and a warmth that hits all the bases and fulfils the senses.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

R&B/Pop classics, that I have mentioned, have a brassiness and allure that speaks to me, and many others, in some way. Maybe the lyrics are different and the sounds varies – the effect and purpose remain the same. In any case; I am seeking sounds that take away my troubles and, with it, get me singing and in a finer frame. That word, ‘release’, is a complex and multifarious thing. There is, sure, a sexual and physical component to it. The larger and catchier the sound, the sexier – to me, at least – it is. I have mentioned how music does not need to be inflamed and engorged to provide a chasm of pure emotion and unbridled pleasure. Softer, more melancholic tracks can do the same thing. I have been listening to a lot of Joni Mitchell and Carole King because (their music) soothes and entices the soul. Maybe it is tied to childhood discoveries and the effect this music has on my growing up. Whether it is a Tapestry (Carole King) classic or a brilliant piece of personal pondering from Blue (Joni Mitchell) – it is amazing seeing what that sort of music does to me. The same way a great track from Metallica, The Beatles or Underworld can unshackle my strains with its energy, pulsating beats and peppiness: the aching devotion and velvet nuance of Folk greats dissipates my complex tormentors in its own, paternal way. The Rock and Pop – and R&B – slammers, climb on top of me and take their top off; ride hard and do not stop until the mattress is touching the floor (a bit graphic, but, you know…it has been a ‘while’).

Strangely, Folk and Pop (something more delicate) has that caress and enticing whisper. It holds me by the shoulders and lets me know everything will be okay; providing a cotton-wool-cocoon that swaddles the spikes and offers a comforting blanket. Maybe we have decoded and reprogrammed our brains, from childhood, to associate various artists/sounds with personal needs and objectives. By that; we bond with particular types of music because they provide us with something humans/life cannot. I involved myself with music strongly because there is a sociability and unquestioning loyalty that accompanies me through my days – both bleak and good. As I type this, I am playing Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game. Not only is that one of the sexiest and most seductive tracks ever written; it is delivered in that Elvis-like croon. I could show you my playlists, on Spotify and YouTube, and one could reason and rationalise my selections. Nothing on those lists is frivolous and random: there is a reason why I choose those songs and listen to them devoutly. I am avowedly committed to quelling my stresses and discipline my frustrations through the expansive joys of music. It would be naïve to suggest music alone can act as a psychological guide and medicinal guru. Music has its benefits, I know, but is not a long-term and approved cure for depression, anxiety and loneliness. To me, it is the simplicity and inexplicable reactions that draw me to music. I could not tell you why I close my eyes, drip my head – with headphones – and float away as I listen to, say, Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

I have written about that song before and how, I think, it is my first memory of life. Nor can I qualify why something cheesy and 1980s carpet-bombs misery and eases the body – maybe, an early cut from Kylie Minogue’s career; something from Belinda Carlisle, perhaps. Perhaps it is simple, really: those songs are designed to provoke those responses in the listener. I think there is something unique about music. Even if a person has a similar physiological response to a 1980s Pop piece or a modern-day Grunge anthem; it is fascinating how that same piece of music remains with someone (and disappears in someone else). Like snowflakes, fingerprints and vitriolic outbursts from Piers Morgan: no two, I am afraid, are ever the same. No song, at any volume or in any situation, will resonate with two people quite the same. I find myself hankering, more and more, for the kind of pleasure music provides. There are many reasons why we retain certain bits of music and treasure certain albums. There might be that childhood love; a connection to a personal event or life-changing experience – something random, in some cases. So much of what I listen to regularly unlocks knots and provides guidance. I cannot rationally say I listen to Eminem and Soul II Soul because the music sounds nice and is brilliant: those songs get inside me and tease the senses! The reaction and reason need not be crude and proactive: a sweetly-delivered chorus or frivolous performance can make me smile and melt away.

In the Yorkshire Dales of the musical landscape; there are multiple reasons why certain songs do their thing; endless combinations of sounds, subjects and sensations. At the forefront and coalface of deduction and explanation, there is a common recruitment and woe: that ‘sensation’. Call it ‘fizz’, ‘satisfaction’ or ‘happiness’: whatever word you attach to the phenomenon; it is a wonderful thing to behold. My abiding point- rather than expose and embarrass myself – is to highlight how powerful and beneficial music is. I should have put together a playlist – Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel), now playing, would be on there – and see if the songs cause the same responses in everyone…but I won’t. I love exploring music and how, in many ways, it can remedy and reason. It can dive deep into the psyche and pull the lint from the filter; it can provide hugs and comfort when needed: there is a magical and mystical power that exists nowhere else in the world. As I listen to The Beatles’ Love Me Do and surrender to the multiple whiplashes and caramel-flavoured tongues of temptation; I am reminded, as I am every day, how powerful, potent and satisfying…

GREAT music is.