FEATURE: Inspired By… Part Thirty-Seven: PJ Harvey

FEATURE:

 

 

Inspired By…

PHOTO CREDIT: Miles Aldridge

Part Thirty-Seven: PJ Harvey

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EVEN though I have featured…

PJ Harvey a fair few times on this site before, I have not included her in Inspired By… There are quite a few artists who have taken influence from the Dorset-born icon. Her ninth studio album, The Hope Six Demolition Project, was released in 2016. I hope that there is a tenth album sometime soon. Before I come to a playlist at the end of songs from artists who are influenced by PJ Harvey, here is some biography concerning a remarkable talent:

“Of the singer/songwriters who rose to prominence during the alternative rock explosion, few are as distinctive or as widely praised as Polly Jean Harvey. Over the course of her career, Harvey established herself as one of the most individual and influential songwriters of her era, exploring themes of sex, religion, and political issues with unnerving honesty, dark humor, and a twisted theatricality. At the outset, she led the trio PJ Harvey, who delivered her stark songs with bruisingly powerful, punk-like abandon, as on 1993's Rid of Me. Over time, however, Harvey's music became more nuanced and eclectic. Her 2001 album, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, featured a heady mix of trip-hop, guitar rock, and troubadourism, earning her the prestigious Mercury Prize. Harvey continually shifted gears as the years passed, moving from the ghostly Victoriana of 2007's White Chalk to the moody social commentary of 2011's Let England Shake (an album that made her the only artist to win a second Mercury Prize) and 2016's The Hope Six Demolition Project. As the 2010s became the 2020s, her scoring work and archival reissues added further depth to her impressive body of work.

Harvey grew up on a sheep farm in Yeovil, England, where she was raised by her quarryman father and her artist mother. As a child, she learned how to play guitar and saxophone, and when she was a teenager, she played in a variety of bands. In 1988, Harvey joined Automatic Dlamini, the Bristol-based project of John Parish. She played saxophone, guitar, and sang backing vocals as they toured throughout Europe in support of their debut album, The D Is for Drum. Harvey also appeared on the band's unreleased second album, Here Catch Shouted His Father. Though she left the group in early 1991 to start her own project, she continued to collaborate with Parish throughout her career. She formed the trio PJ Harvey with her former Automatic Dlamini bandmates, drummer Rob Ellis and bassist Ian Oliver; the latter soon returned to Automatic Dlamini and was replaced by Steve Vaughan. After making their live debut in April, in June the band moved to London, where they recorded demos and sent them to labels that included the experimental indie imprint Too Pure. In October 1991, the label released PJ Harvey's debut single, "Dress." It became an indie rock sensation, as did the next one, "Sheela-Na-Gig," with both singles receiving lavish praise in the U.K. music press.

In March 1992, Too Pure issued PJ Harvey's debut album, Dry. Recorded at Yeovil's Icehouse Studios for under $5,000, the album earned international acclaim and reached number 11 on the U.K. Albums Chart. The trio followed it with an extensive tour, culminating with an appearance at that summer's Reading Festival. Shortly after the tour, Harvey moved to London, where she nearly suffered a nervous breakdown due to the extraordinary pressure and expectations surrounding her second album. Later in 1992, PJ Harvey signed to Island Records, and that December the band worked with Steve Albini at Cannon Falls, Minnesota's Pachyderm Recording Studio to make their second album. Albini imposed his trademark noisy, guitar-heavy sound on the record, which mirrored its harder-edged themes. Arriving in May 1993, Rid of Me was a major critical success and expanded Harvey's cult greatly: it hit number three on the U.K. Albums Chart and was certified silver; in the U.S., it made the Top Ten of the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and peaked on the Billboard 200 at 158. She supported the album with a tour featuring herself in a fake leopard-skin coat and a feather boa, signaling her developing interest in theatricality.

After finishing the Rid of Me tour in August 1993, the trio disbanded. Harvey's first release as a solo artist was October's 4-Track Demos, a collection of her original versions of the songs on Rid of Me. Like that album, 4-Track Demos was a critical success that also made a commercial impression; it reached number 19 on the U.K. Albums Chart and number 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. To make her third album, she wrote songs in the Yeovil home she bought with the royalties from her first two albums and recorded with producer Flood, bassist Mick Harvey, guitarist Joe Gore, and former bandmate Parish. Harvey developed a richer, bluesier sound with the expanded band, and To Bring You My Love was hailed as a masterpiece by many critics upon its February 1995 release. Thanks to considerable press attention, as well as strong support from MTV and modern rock radio for the single "Down by the Water" (which reached number two on Billboard's Modern Rock chart), To Bring You My Love was a moderate hit. It entered the Billboard 200 at number 40, and in the U.K. it debuted at number 12, ultimately earning silver certification. Harvey spent all of 1995 touring the album. The following year, she contributed vocals to Nick Cave's Murder Ballads and collaborated with Parish on Dance Hall at Louse Point.

In 1997, Harvey began work on her fourth album, reuniting with Ellis and Flood on a set of introspective songs that that incorporated electronics into her music. The results were September 1998's Is This Desire?, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Performance. The album peaked at 54 on the Billboard 200 and at 17 on the U.K. Albums Chart, and the single "A Perfect Day Elise" reached number 25 on the U.K. Singles Chart, her highest placing on that chart to date. Harvey also ventured into acting that year. In Hal Hartley's The Book of Life, she portrayed a modernized version of Mary Magdalene. She also appeared as a Playboy Bunny in Sarah Miles' short film A Bunny Girl's Tale, in which she performed the Is This Desire? outtake "Nina in Ecstasy." Two years later, Harvey reunited with Ellis and Mick Harvey for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. A more straightforward set of songs written in Dorset, Paris, and New York, it also featured several collaborations with Radiohead's Thom Yorke. Harvey's fifth album was one of her most commercially and critically successful: It hit number 23 on the U.K. Albums Chart, was eventually certified platinum, and won the Mercury Prize, making Harvey the first female solo artist to receive the award. It also earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Album; the single "This Is Love" was nominated for Best Female Rock Performance.

After extensive touring in support of Stories frothe City, Stories from the Sea, Harvey split her time over the next two years working on new material and collaborating with like-minded friends and contemporaries. She appeared on Gordon Gano's Hitting the Ground, Giant Sand's Cover Magazine, and John Parish's How Animals Move, but her most prominent collaboration was with the Queens of the Stone Age side project the Desert Sessions. She performed on more than half of 2003's Desert Sessions, Vols. 9-10, including on the single "Crawl Home." During this time, she recorded her sixth album. Handling production duties and playing every instrument except the drums (which were once again handled by Ellis), Harvey released Uh Huh Her, a fiery set reminiscent of some of her earliest work, in May 2004. The album reached number 12 on the U.K. Album Charts and was certified silver in her homeland soon after it appeared, while its lead track, "The Letter," hit number 28 on the U.K. Singles Chart. In the States, the album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200, making it Harvey's highest-placing release to date. Uh Huh Her's accolades included her sixth Brit Awards nomination and her fifth Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Performance. Two years later, the live DVD On Tour: Please Leave Quietly featured performances from Harvey's dates in support of Uh Huh Her.

In November 2006, Harvey began work on her seventh album. Collaborating with Flood, Parish, and Eric Drew Feldman in a West London studio, she went in another wildly different direction. Eschewing guitars in favor of ghostly, piano-based ballads, White Chalk arrived in September 2007 and reached number 11 in the U.K. and number 65 in the U.S. Following the tour for the album -- which found her adding autoharp to her repertoire of instruments -- she then resumed her partnership with Parish for A Woman a Man Walked By, which hit number 25 on the U.K. Albums Chart when it came out in March 2009. That year, she also scored director Ian Rickson's Broadway production of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler.

In 2010, Harvey, along with Flood, Parish, Mick Harvey, and drummer Jean-Marc Butty, began recording her eighth album in a church near Dorset. Let England Shake combined years' worth of poetry and lyrics Harvey wrote about World War I and the 21st century war in Iraq and Afghanistan with largely improvised recordings. Upon its arrival in February 2011, the album met with widespread acclaim, winning a Mercury Prize -- making her the only artist to win the award twice -- as well as Album of the Year at the 2012 Ivor Novello Awards. It also fared well on the charts, peaking at number eight on the U.K. Albums Chart and number 32 on the Billboard 200. Late that year, Let England Shake: 12 Short Films by Seamus Murphy collected the films that the photographer/director created for the album. Around that time, Harvey also composed some of the score for a production of Hamlet at the Young Vic. The following year, Harvey released "Shaker Aamer," a song about the Guantanamo Bay detainee who went on a hunger strike for four months. That December, she read her poetry in public for the first time at the British Library.

To create her ninth album, Harvey traveled to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Washington, D.C., with Murphy in tow. Their collaboration became the 2015 book The Hollow of the Hand, which collected her poems and his photographs. Working once again with Flood and Parish, Harvey recorded parts of the album in public at the London cultural center Somerset House. The results were released as The Hope Six Demolition Project, which arrived in April 2016.

The album topped the U.K. Albums Chart and earned a Grammy Award Nomination for Best Alternative Music. In June 2017, Harvey issued "The Camp," a collaboration with Ramy Essam that benefitted children escaping from the Syrian Civil War. The following March, she and Parish worked together on "Sorry for Your Loss," a tribute to former Sparklehorse leader and Harvey collaborator Mark Linkous. Harvey's score for director Ivo van Hove's stage adaptation of All About Eve appeared in April 2019. The work borrowed from Franz Liszt's Liebesträume -- a musical touchstone in the original film -- and featured songs sung by the production's stars, Gillian Anderson and Lily James. That June, her score and the song "The Crowded Cell" appeared in director Shane Meadows' Channel 4 miniseries The Virtues. In November, Murphy's documentary about the making of The Hope Six Demolition Project, A Dog Called Money, was released.

In 2020, Harvey embarked on an ambitious reissue campaign of her work that included demo versions of each of her albums and new artwork. Dry was reissued that July, with Rid of Me and 4-Track Demos following in August and To Bring You My Love in September. The re-release of Is This Desire? appeared in January 2021, with Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea arriving the following month and Uh Huh Her surfacing in April”.

If you need any convincing as to how influential Harvey is, the selection of songs at the end should give you some insight! Across multiple genres and corners, Harvey has made her mark and stirred the creative spirit of so many of her peers. That is going to continue for years and decades to come. Here is a tribute to the incredible…

PJ Harvey.

FEATURE: Kate Bush’s The Whole Story at Thirty-Five: Is the Album the Best Starting Point for New Fans?

FEATURE:

 

 

Kate Bush’s The Whole Story at Thirty-Five

Is the Album the Best Starting Point for New Fans?

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THIS will be the final…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankowitz

feature that I do about The Whole Story. The Kate Bush greatest hits collection of 1986, it is thirty-five on 10th November. I have written features before regarding the best starting place one should explore if they are new to Bush. I would say that, if you take her debut studio album, The Kick Inside (1978), and work your way forward, that is as good as any plan. If you want an album that brings together a variety of popular songs, The Whole Story is a nice introduction! Of course, as it was released in 1986, we do not get anything from The Sensual World (1989) forward. It renews my calls for another greatest hits collection. Consider everything she produced on the five studio albums since 1986! Even though this album is thirty-five, The Whole Story still acts as a superb representation of an artist without peers. In a review of the album, this is what AllMusic noted:

“The first compilation of highlights from Kate Bush's work is still one of the better ways of getting introduced to her music, even 20-plus years after its original release. Bush made a special effort on behalf of this collection -- originally an LP -- by re-recording and remixing her debut hit "Wuthering Heights"; she felt that her teenaged vocal didn't properly represent the song and, in fact, at one point thought to re-do the vocals on several other of the early numbers included. The collection is an excellent overview, presenting the many sides of her music, and bookending her whole career through 1984, from her debut to her then newest single, "Experiment IV"; nor is it confined exclusively to major hits, as important lesser-charting entries are also featured. As with Bush's other LP-era releases, American listeners thinking of buying this collection should be aware that the British CD edition was mastered from tapes that were at least one generation up on their American counterparts and, thus, sounds distinctly better than the U.S. version”.

I like the fact that, unlike some best ofs/greatest hits albums, The Whole Story is not chronological. That would have resulted in an uneven listen and bad pressing. EMI had to ensure that both sides were close to equal in terms of running times. You get a more varied and satisfying experience when the material is mixed. Taking songs from The Kick Inside (1978), Lionheart (1978), Never for Ever (1980), The Dreaming (1982) and Hounds of Love (1985), there was certainly no shortage of gold material for The Whole Story! As you’d expect, the label/Bush went for the singles rather than a few singles and some deeper cuts. It is subjective to say which Bush material is the best. In terms of greatest hits albums, it is about the commercial successes and what charted – rather than the songs unreleased that you might prefer. As we learn here, Bush was not completely happy to release a greatest hits album at first:  

“Yes, I was [against the release of a compilation album] at first. I was concerned that it would be like a "K-tel" record, a cheapo-compo with little thought behind it. It was the record company's decision, and I didn't mind as long as it was well put together. We put a lot of work into the packaging, trying to make it look tasteful, and carefully thought out the running order. And the response has been phenomenal - I'm amazed! (Kate Bush Club newsletter, Issue 22, December 1987)”.

It is nice that Bush was happy with the album and put so much thought into it. Some bands/artists have greatest hits albums released by the label without their consent or with very little effort. It can be seen as a way of cashing-in on success or the end of a group’s life. In the case of Kate Bush, 1986 was a year when her career was trending ever-upward. Hounds of Love (1985) took her to new heights internationally. Many might not have been aware of her earlier albums like Lionheart. I think that is a studio album under-served by The Whole Story. I suppose, as we are dealing with the singles here, EMI had to draw the line. There was only so much room. Aside from Wow (which reached fourteen in the U.K.), there was not a lot from the album released as a single. That said, there is so much on that album that is worthy of further exposure. The same can be said for Never for Ever. In that sense, you might say that The Whole Story is quite limited and imbalanced. I think the fact you get some nice cuts from each of her five studio albums (two from The Kick Inside, one from Lionheart, three from Never for Ever, two from The Dreaming and three from Hounds of Love (four if you include the fact The Big Sky was included in the VHS release) results in quite a varied record.

New listeners will not only hear great songs that showcase Bush at her finest. All the singles are very different. Even though there is eight years between the first and most-recent single on The Whole Story (1978’s Wuthering Heights and the new track, Experiment IV, of 1986), the sheer range of sounds is staggering! One cannot easily compare The Dreaming’s title track with Never for Ever’s Babooshka, even though the former was released in 1982 and the latter two years earlier! Consider Hounds of Love’s title track and Lionheart’s Wow. They are definitely the same artist, but they are so distinct as songs. I feel that a lot of greatest hits collections can be limiting in terms of sound and range. Even an album like the Madonna greatest hits record, The Immaculate Collection (1990) is not as varied and sonically-broad as The Whole Story. For that reason, I would urge anyone to start with this album. Though you can get it on vinyl, I don’t think it is as widely available as one would like. Might it be time to repress The Whole Story? There has not really been a follow-up accompaniment to The Whole Story that takes us from 1989’s The Sensual World to 2011’s 50 Words for Snow. Even though there have been compilations, we are awaiting another greatest hits album.

On its thirty-fifth anniversary, The Whole Story remains curious. It is a stunning album with some of the very best material from one of the very best artists ever. It is a flawless collection of songs. There is ongoing demand for a wider-ranging ‘best of’ that takes from all ten of Kate Bush’s studio albums whilst providing some deep cuts, covers and collaborations (imagine having her duet with Peter Gabriel, Don’t Give Up (also released in 1986) alongside 1991’s Rocket Man and The Wedding List from Never for Ever!). There are some people who might not be that familiar with Kate Bush. The Whole Story will give you a great taste and overview of her work. I would then suggest people investigate the studio albums and check out 2019’s The Other Sides. There, you will hear some of the lesser-known tracks, in addition to Bush’s ability to reinterpret songs and make them her own. I love The Whole Story, as the VHS introduced me to Kate Bush. Seeing the video for Wuthering Heights was my awakening (to her) as a child. Maybe it is also time to release The Whole Story on Blu-Ray/DVD – so that fans can see those glorious videos in crystal-clear splendour. If your Kate Bush knowledge is low and you are fairly fresh to her work then, with The Whole Story, you are…

IN for a treat.

FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.....

FEATURE:

 

 

Vinyl Corner

 DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.....

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HAVING turned twenty-five…

last month, I wanted to feature an album in Vinyl Corner that has had a few reissues since its release. One of the most assured and astonishing debut albums ever, DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing..... was released on 16th September, 1996. An instrumental Hip-Hop work composed almost entirely of samples from vinyl records, DJ Shadow produced Endtroducing..... over two years using an Akai MPC60 sampler and other minimal equipment. He edited and layered samples to create new tracks of varying moods. I am not sure how many similar albums were around the time DJ Shadow launched this remarkable album. Here in the U.K., the album reached the top-twenty. It was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry. One can listen to Endtroducing..... fresh now and be blown away by it. I don’t think that it is dated at all or only made an impact in the 1990s. This is an album that everyone should get on vinyl. A twenty-fifth anniversary release is a perfect buy:

“A seminal, incredibly influential hip hop release (also regarded as pretty much the last word in instrumental ‘trip hop’, a term used a lot at the time), Endtroducing is simply one of the defining albums of the 90s. It is famously also the first record ever made entirely from samples of other people’s records – with a particularly broad array of sources used, many mined from the catacomb-like basement under the artist’s favourite record store in Sacramento, which has long since closed its doors. This is the store pictured by photographer B+ on the album cover and in many other shots included in the package.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album UMC are proud to present this Abbey Road Half Speed Mastered edition. ‘Half-Speed Mastering’ is an elaborate process whereby the source is played back at half its’ normal speed and the turntable on the disc cutting lathe is running at 16 2/3 R.P.M. Because both the source and the cut were running at half their “normal” speeds everything plays back at the right speed when the record is played at home”.

One can hear the passion and sheer hard work that runs right through Endtroducing..... As a high school student, DJ Shadow spent a lot of time creating music from samples using a four-track recorder. He was inspired by sample-based music such as Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Records like this are at their very best on vinyl. There are a couple of reviews that can be dropped in now, just to give a feeling of how critics have reacted to it. In 2005, Pitchfork reviewed a Deluxe Edition of the mighty Endtroducing.....:

“Endtroducing taps that inner-whatever better than most of the albums of its day, and it swims so easily that it established an entire genre of instrumental hip-hop-- count how many records come out every month and are dubbed "Shadowesque." Building the album from samples of lost funk classics and bad horror soundtracks, Shadow crossed the real with the ethereal, laying heavy, sure-handed beats under drifting, staticky textures, friendly ghost voices, and chords whose sustain evokes the vast hereafter. Even the "look at me" cuts like "The Number Song" didn't break the mood; the album was so perfect and the technique, so awesome that it's still definitive today, and Shadow has yet to top it. (Never mind that if Four Tet could swing a record as proficient as The Private Press, we would throw him a parade.)

For this Deluxe Edition, Endtroducing hasn't been enhanced or remastered, but it now comes with a bonus disc of remixes and singles, including Cut Chemist's fantastic "party mix" of "The Number Song" and Gift of Gab's rhymes on "Midnight in a Perfect World", as well as alternate versions that give a useful perspective on the album. For example, "Building Steam With a Grain of Salt" and "Mutual Slump" omit the overdubbed speech, and without it, the samples seem naked and duller-- which highlights one of the album's subtler strengths”.

Before I conclude, there is another review that I am keen to source. It is from the BBC in 2011. Through the years, Endtroducing..... has won so much love from critics and fans alike. It is a towering work that few have managed to get near (even DJ Shadow himself):

“It’s an uncomfortably common practice in the cult of music critique for writers to overstate the importance of particular albums. Subsequently, long-players by relative makeweights like the Longpigs are talked about amongst scribes of a certain age as lost classics, and the consumer can pick up a deluxe edition of almost any album released prior to 2004, replete with unnecessary ‘bonus’ content that’ll never get played. So allow me to undersell the significance of DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing… LP, the Californian producer’s debut of 1996. It’s alright. It’s got merit. Its influence is definitely noticeable. It can be heard today and sound just as fresh as it did nearly 15 years ago. It did change the face of hip hop, sample culture, and has impressed its presence on next-to-every electronic artist to have dropped a break since its release. Sorry, I tried: like I said, such hyperbole is a mainstay of articles like this.

But in this instance it’s absolutely deserved, as there wasn’t an album released before Endtroducing… that sounded the slightest bit like it. Alright, so actually there were many records issued before its emergence which sounded the slightest bit like it, from a prosaic perspective: as a collection constructed exclusively of samples, obviously clips had surfaced prior to Shadow’s co-opting of them. Among the acts whose material wound up on Endtroducing… are Björk (Possibly Maybe is used on Mutual Slump), Metallica (Orion, on The Number Song), and Marlena Shaw (California Soul, on the wonderful Midnight in a Perfect World). Hip hop had long been scouring record stores for obscurities (and mainstream-successful sorts) to sample – the Beastie Boys’ Dust Brothers-produced Paul’s Boutique is a masterpiece of this art – but never had an artist compiled such a diverse array of lifts in such a fashion that the listener was never once distracted by them. They were only ever absorbed by the album at hand, a standalone work. Endtroducing… remains an incredible achievement where sampling didn’t merely embellish but provide both solid foundations and fantastic frills, core structural elements and orbiting additions.

It’s this bafflingly well-realised approach to Shadow’s arranging – start with a grain of salt-sized snippet of something that appeals, and build an impossibly massive head of steam from it (to appropriate a title from this disc) – that ensures that Endtroducing… hasn’t aged a day. Released at a time when trip-hop was ruling glossy monthlies, via the then-fashionable stable Mo’Wax, it could so easily have collected dust in the fashion of Unkle’s Psysence Fiction (a collaborative affair that Shadow bailed out of after said debut LP); but instead, a play today reveals all the nuances and entrancing passages that hypnotised the listener back when. From the introspective ambience and jazz percussion of What Does Your Soul Look Like Part 1 and the Halloween funk of Organ Donor (brilliantly extended as a B side, and subsequently available on the 1998 compilation Preemptive Strike), to the bombast of The Number Song and the elegiac soul of Midnight in a Perfect World, this is a record that defies shifting trends and neatly sidesteps hindsight’s cruel hand”.

I am going to leave it there. One of the greatest albums ever released, if you do not own a vinyl copy of Endtroducing..... then rectify that now. With gorgeous hugely evocative songs like Building Steam with a Grain of Salt and Stem/Long Stem / Transmission 2 that take you to another world, Endtroducing..... is an album that nobody should be without. Go and grab a copy if you can and witness music…

THAT lifts the soul.

FEATURE: The Love You Take, Is Equal to the Love You Make: Abbey Road Studios at Ninety

FEATURE:

 

 

The Love You Take, Is Equal to the Love You Make

Abbey Road Studios at Ninety

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IT is impossible to do full justice…

to one of the most important anniversaries this year. Abbey Road Studios was opened on 12th November, 1931. I will end with a playlist featuring some songs recorded at the famous studios. I want to start by bringing in some information from the official website that shows how Abbey Road Studios has changed since it started life:

“Originally a nine-bedroom Georgian townhouse built in 1831, Number 3, Abbey Road was converted into studios in 1929 once the Gramophone Company obtained the premises. The property was in an ideal location; it came with large grounds and was close enough to traditional performance spaces of the time but distant enough from the noise and vibration of traffic. Thus, the foundations of the studios were laid at the rear of the main building. By 1931, following a merge with Columbia Graphophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries, the studios became known as EMI Recording Studios.

Since its transformation, this once residential plot has become the venue for a host of the world's most celebrated recordings from artists including Oasis, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Ed Sheeran, The Hollies, Adele, Ella Fitzgerald and of course, The Beatles. Not to mention the incredible cinematic soundtracks that have also been conducted here, from Harry Potter and Star Wars to Lord Of The Rings and Indiana Jones.

More importantly, it has been the home of some of the most important technological breakthroughs. Since EMI engineer Alan Blumlein patented stereo at Abbey Road in 1931, the studios have been famed for innovation in recording technology, largely developed by the Record Engineering Development Department (REDD) who were responding to the needs of the artists and producers using the rooms. Their innovations include the REDD and TG desks, as well as studio techniques such as Artificial Double Tracking (ADT), created by studio technician Ken Townsend, who went on to become the studios’ MD, as well as Vice President of EMI Studios Group.

IN THIS PHOTO: Amy Winehouse 

Studio One

The largest purpose-built recording studio in the world, this space can easily accommodate a 110 piece orchestra and 110 piece choir, its dimensions measuring 92x52 feet with a 40-foot high ceiling. During the first decades of the studios' existence, it was devoted largely to the recording of classical music. For the grand opening back in 1931, Sir Edward Elgar conducted the London Symphony Orchestra as they played Land Of Hope And Glory. Elgar addressed the orchestra prior to the performance with the words, "Good morning, gentlemen. Glad to see you all. Very light programme this morning. Please play this tune as though you've never heard it before", which would subsequently mark the first recording made at the studio.

Studio One's control room marked the biggest change to the space. Originally, in the 1930's the room was used to cut straight to disc and was a lot smaller in size. But, as technology advanced and recording sessions got a lot more complicated, a larger control room was built to accommodate more equipment. Today, this space boasts a 72 channel AMS Neve 88RS recording console, a 7.1 surround sound monitor section, a Neve SP2 scoring panel, a playback rig, record rig and video rig... to name just a few.

Studio Two

Arguably the most famous studio in the world, let alone within the Abbey Road complex, Studio Two is considered a mecca by many in the music business and music fans worldwide. Opening in 1931 as one of the original three studios at Abbey Road, Studio Two was made famous by The Beatles and Pink Floyd, but continues to operate at the heart of popular music, playing host to landmark recordings by Adele, Radiohead, Muse, Lady Gaga, Oasis, Kanye West, The Streets, George Ezra, Ed Sheeran, Kano and Noel Gallagher.
In its early years, the space was used largely by big bands playing jazz and swing and smaller chamber ensembles, with a lot of comedy recordings taking place throughout the 1950s. When rock ‘n’ roll became popular in the mid-1950s, artists such as Cliff Richard and The Shadows started to dominate the space and it became known as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Room. Then, in June 1962, The Beatles recorded their first demo with Sir George Martin, which marked the start of an iconic relationship and perhaps the most influential period in the studios’ history, with the band recording 90% of their material here”.

Usually, I would spend a feature talking about how The Beatles made Abbey Road Studios their own and are the most famous act to walk through the doors. Whilst that is true, over ninety years, so many incredible musicians have recorded there – including Adele, Kate Bush and Oasis. We will see so many incredible musicians lay down music at the St. John’s Wood-based studios. I have never visited myself, though it is something that is on my to-do list. There will be celebrations and events to celebrate the ninetieth anniversary, in addition to articles and features. I would advise people to check out the Abbey Road Studios website, as they have the hashtag #AbbeyRoad90. A series of musicians and professionals talk about their experience at Abbey Road Studios. The Grammy award-winning, senior engineer Simon Rhodes sees the studios as his home. To mark ninety years of the iconic space, Abbey Road Studios are holding their own festival. There are some interesting plans afoot:

“Abbey Road Studios has today announced further details of the celebrations for its upcoming 90th anniversary. Running across 11 & 12 November, Abbey Road will welcome some of the leading players in the UK music industry, including the likes of Island Records, Universal Music Publishing, Pitchfork, The Ivors Academy, Abbey Road Institute, Spotify, PRS for Music, The MMF, AIM, Sound On Sound and Mix With The Masters as part of an event entitled Abbey Road Amplify.

 Over 11 & 12 November, the Studios will open its doors to the next generation of artists, engineers and creatives for a free, two-day festival featuring masterclasses, interactive sessions, practical workshops, Q&As and live performances. Alongside the Abbey Road team, some of the music industry’s leading names will share career insights from their personal journeys, as well as advice for upcoming talent and a range of live performances and showcases. Participants will be able to attend for free by entering a ballot and the festival will also be livestreamed”.

I am excited to see what happens over the coming days. It is a strange time to celebrate such an important anniversary, what with the restrictions and uncertainty of the pandemic. At least we can guarantee the one-hundredth anniversary will be bigger and less tense! I might do other features in the run-up to the ninetieth anniversary on 12th November. If you get a chance to visit Abbey Road Studios, then do go. It must be quite an experience stepping inside the hallowed space! A happy ninetieth anniversary to…

THE world’s best studios.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Moonchild Sanelly

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

 Moonchild Sanelly

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THIS is another case…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Phatstoki

of me featuring an artist in Spotlight that has been around for a little while and gathered quite a lot of success. Moonchild Sanelly is one of the most astonishing and fascinating artists of the moment. I am going to bring in a few interviews. The first piece that I want to bring in is from Loud and Quiet. The notion and idea of sex positivity – which is something the South African is keen to promote – was raised and explored:

“Now 32, Sanelly has lost none of her power to provoke, and has long been notorious in South Africa for her forthright attitude towards sex and female empowerment. When I ask if she’s out to stir controversy or simply to normalise such discussions, she laughs, “I’m out to be open about my experiences and what I believe in, and I just happen to be shocking.”

Her forthcoming EP Bashiri – set to be released in September via Transgressive – should elicit plenty of double takes. Sung in Xhosa, ‘Weh Mameh’ sets sex positivity to pounding beats, while the self-styled “future ghetto funk” of ‘Boys and Girls’ is a celebration of sexual fluidity. ‘F-Boyz’ finds Sanelly asserting her power over an irresistible amapiano groove. And then there’s ‘Where De Dee Kat?’, a glorious gqom/trap hybrid that more than delivers on the phonetic innuendo of its title, featuring Sanelly demanding, “Get it up man,” over the distant chant of “Penis, Penis, Penis.” It all feels doubly brave considering that only this year she was censored for much less.

As the mother of an 11 year-old, and seven-year-old twins, setting a positive example is clearly hugely important to Sanelly, and she does so by being authentically herself in the face of hypocrisy. On ‘Bashiri’ – the title track of the new EP – she attacks false prophets with a narrative sung from the perspective of a woman whose husband has been unfaithful. The song critiques a pastor figure who promises to repair the marriage by performing a miracle. When I ask Sanelly where she found inspiration for the song she guffaws, “Experience, girl!”.

“Let me tell you something! So my twins’ baby daddy is a staunch Christian and his mother-in-law doesn’t like me, because mother-in-laws generally do not like me because of my expression and how I’ve looked and whatever. So she brought this prophet from Zimbabwe to shower me in holy water to kick out the demon, and I’m like, ‘What demon?!’ And he was like, ‘You’re not going to get married because you’ve got a demon inside you, and it makes you wild.’ And I’m like, ‘Girl, look! I’m just Xhosa, and Xhosa people are actually very vocal in general.’”

Sanelly has often come under fire for this combination of confidence and determination. She recalls a specific incident at the beginning of her career, while recording at Red Bull Studios in Cape Town, back in 2013. “There was this white girl there who came to me and said, ‘You know what, your image makes me so confused, because you want everything.

You’re here, you’re there, you’re everywhere, and because you’re black you’re probably going to make it before me’. And I was like, ‘What did you say?! Is my drive offensive to you? You’re going to fault me for being ambitious when I’m being given this opportunity to go further? No!’ And actually, I’m here now and she’s not.”

When pressed about future collaborators, Sanelly cites Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Pharrell, Doja Cat and Da Baby as being top of her wishlist. She tells me that last night she actually dreamt about meeting Pharrell, laughing, “So I know what I’m going to say now because I’ve already said it in the dream. I believe so much in the things I want to happen, and I know when I meet him I will feel like it’s happened before, because it’s already happened in my mind.”

Following the release of Bashiri, there are plans to re-issue her 2015 debut Rabulapha!, and she’s already begun work on the follow-up, which will feature contributions from Diplo and DJ Lunatic, and consolidate her love of ghom, amapiano and future ghetto funk with the myriad influences she’s absorbed travelling the world. “I mean, it’s going to be amazing,” she says with trademark enthusiasm. “I’m going for the Grammys. I want a Grammy. It’s going to be lit”.

I am dropping in songs throughout this feature that showcases what a vibrant, bold and brilliant artist Moonchild Sanelly is. I feel that we will see this amazing artist A role model for sexual expression and sex positivity, there are many artists out there that will take inspiration from her. Another facet of her music that I love is that Sanelly uses the Xhosa language in her songs. It is a blend that one cannot find with many other artists. I am keen to bring in a DIY interview. There is a focus on the remarkable E.P., Nüdes:

“Moonchild Sanelly has picked the perfect moment to grace the world with her good vibes. With external misery continuing to closeaa in, her debut international offering, the ‘Nüdes’ EP (released last month via Transgressive), offers the perfect escape - its jubilant ac brimming with body positivity, sex positivity and a determination to let nothing stand in the way of a good time.

The Johannesburg-based singer and rapper established herself on home turf some time ago, where she’s been hailed as the ‘Queen of Gqom’ - the style of minimal house that arose in South Africa during the 2010s. After immersing herself in the Durban poetry scene of the late 2000s (“Give me a word and I can tell you a story,” she says), Sanelly branched off into making her own music because she “wanted something more exciting, something that wasn’t already being done”.

Having grown up obsessed with kwaito, hip hop and jazz, she now has her own way of describing her sound. “I call my genre ‘future ghetto funk’,” she says. “It’s a blend of different things. What I bring to a song is not necessarily limited to a genre, but it is very distinct and you can definitely hear where I’m from. If you don’t understand the gqom, there’s something else that speaks to you; it’s really exciting to see people from different places a that.”

It’s not all they’re celebrating, either. Her track ‘Thunda Thighs’ recently inspired a TikTok dance challenge, acting as an entreaty for women to celebrate their bodies. “It’s a song that reminds women that they are awesome as they are,” she explains, although the South African radio authorities didn’t agree, banning it from the airwaves earlier this year. It didn’t stop the track from becoming an international viral smash, however, and many of the clips are set to feature in a forthcoming video for the song.

August’s ‘Where De Dee Kat’, meanwhile, is a paean to sex positivity, a full-throated anthem to female desire with its chorus of “penis, penis, penis”. “It’s like, man, we come from sex, let’s talk about it!” she says. “I get surprised how people fear talking about sex, and it’s like, why? Why are they scared of something they’ve enjoyed?”

It’s grimly predictable that the singer has had to deal with a measure of abuse as a result. “They associate it with being a slut, saying that you enjoy sex and talking about it,” she explains. “I get called all these names all the time on social media, but they’ll have to deal with it, because I’m not changing anything and I’m not going to not talk.” Does she secretly quite enjoy winding those people up? “Abso-motherfucking-lutely! It really does give me a kick,” she beams. Suck it up trolls, ‘Nüdes’ is clearly just the beginning for Moonchild Sanelly”.

I am going to finish off with a review from The Line of Best Fit. They investigated Nüdes and recognised a vivid and incredible work from an artist who can marry something minimal with the atmospheric, anthemic and electric:

“Across thirty effervescent minutes, Nüdes installs Sanelly as the breakout star of the contemporary South African music community - a blistering, technicolour blast from a country that has been crying out for recognition for too long. Sanelly raps and sings with whip-smart, bounding excitement; her lyrics – whether in English or Xhosa – designed as much to topple outmoded social conventions as they are to catalyse dancefloors. Body positivity; sex positivity; genre positivity; it all gushes from Sanelly and pity the poor fool that tries to stand in her way.

"Where De Dee Kat", for example, is a love letter to female libido, an unshameable celebration that is on the one hand playful (its winking title and its climactic chorus of “penis penis penis”) but on the other carries a sober social message (Sanelly recently said, “unless we talk about female desire, rape culture exists”). Of course, it is a track that could not have arrived in the world with any more timely grace, and in a just world it would ride the "WAP" coattails all the way to the top.

"Bashiri" and "Come Correct" are the record’s two most addictive tracks, both sparkling with the vibrancy of gqom, the style of minimal electronic beats that rose from the blend of kwaito and house in the Durban townships during the '10s. It is a more refined sound than the shangaan electro of Nozinja or DJ Khwaya that was the last South African scene to gain some intercontinental traction, but is nevertheless an earthier, more handmade alternative to mainstream contemporary Western house. Sanelly herself describes it as “future ghetto funk”, although she is also not afraid to bring the energy down at times, such as on the beautiful "Weh Mameh", where a textured, plaintive piano line repeats while Sanelly insistently repeats the title as a mantra, her words lapping like the incoming tide.

Sanelly's assertive, take-no-bullshit attitude may not be deliberately provocative but she has still fallen foul of the censors in her homeland, who banned a previous single from radio airplay in South Africa for the sexually explicit crime of listing body parts. The result is now the track "Thunda Thighs" and its accompanying Insta hashtag, a reminder that her sights are set far beyond the small-minded authorities that would hold her back. It hasn’t, for example, stopped her from working with Beyonce on the track "My Power" from Black is King, or appearing on Africa Express or Gorillaz records too. Evidently, Sanelly knows what she wants and she knows how to get it, so the rest of us had better get ready”.

If you have not checked out Moonchild Sanelly, go and follow her on social media (the links are below) and listen to as much of her music as possible. I feel that, as we look into 2022, there will be some new and exciting music from the South African artist. She has definitely established herself as one of the most inspiring and original artists on the scene. It is no surprise that her music has captivated so many and caught the ears of so many critics. It is going to be curious to see where Moonchild Sanelly goes…

AS we look to the future.

_______________

Follow Moonchild Sanelly

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/moonchildsanelly/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Moonsanelly

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/moonchildSA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCotS95j4jtOfhnX1f3qDxrg

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6aDX1jzNVAI9enlQzW0Pgw

FEATURE: Groovelines: Spice Girls – Say You’ll Be There

FEATURE:

 

 

Groovelines

Spice Girls – Say You’ll Be There

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I normally wouldn’t…

return to the Spice Girls so soon after a previous feature or record them twice in Groovelines. I have looked at their debut single Wannabe, before. As their debut album, Spice, turns twenty-five on 4th November, I wanted to look at another song from the album. Say You’ll Be There is one of the best-loved songs from Spice Girls. Written by Spice Girls, Eliot Kennedy and Jon B., it was the second single from the album. Say You'll Be There was released in the U.K. when Wannabe’s popularity began to wane. There was gigantic expectation and anticipation around  the release of their second single. A week before the release, reports gave the single advanced sales of 334,000 copies - the highest Virgin Records had ever recorded for a single. I think that Say You’ll Be There is one of the key Spice Girls cuts. Many polls have placed it in the top-five songs from the five-piece. There are a few things that I want to say about a single from an album which is celebrating a big anniversary tomorrow (4th November). This Wikipedia article discusses and highlights the critical reception to Say You’ll Be There:

“The song received mixed reviews from music critics; many of whom praised "Say You'll Be There" for its catchiness, while others were critical of its production. Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "After a tinkly cocktail bar piano intro, it moves through a Zapp-like phase right into Eternal territory. It's somewhat more sophisticated than Wannabe and is likely to further their career, though some who liked the quirkiness of the first hit may pass.” Dele Fadele of NME dubbed it as a "monstrously catchy tune", and lauded it as "state-of-the-art pop music for '96".

Time magazine's Christopher John Farley was mixed on the track, although he called the song's groove "penetrating", he believed that it resembled too close to the work of Earth, Wind and Fire. Richmond Times-Dispatch critic Melissa Ruggieri, considered the song "a harmless, mid-tempo foot-tapper" that was made for Top 40 radio. Edna Gundersen of the USA Today dismissed the group's debut as "assembly-line dance-pop", but singled out "Say You'll Be There" as one of the album's highlights.The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer Steve Dollar criticized the song, describing it as "pure confection more sugar really than spice", he also noted influences of Stevie Wonder in the harmonica solo. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune was unimpressed with their debut album, he considered the song's "G-funk synth" as simply part of "a compendium of slick secondhand urban pop". When comparing the song to "Wannabe", Billboard's critic Larry Flick thought it was as "immediately infectious" but "not nearly as silly and novelty-driven". Barry Walters of The Village Voice also compared the two songs. He found "Say You'll Be There" to be "even catchier" than "Wannabe". Reviewing the single, David Browne of Entertainment Weekly rated it a B+, describing the melody as "delectably frothy", but was at the same time confused by the song's lyrical content. Ken Tucker from the same publication, was more negative calling its P-Funk production "a bid for street cred".

 Retrospective reviews from critics, have been generally positive. Reviewing their debut album Spice, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic was surprised at how the song's "sultry soul" was "more than just a guilty pleasure", while Brian Grosz from Albumism called it a "a great disco track". In a review of the group's 2007 compilation album Greatest Hits, the NME said that it is a "fine song in any age".[66] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian felt it was more polished than "Wannabe" and described the melody as "instantly memorable". The Evening Standard reviewer Jessie Thompson deemed the song as one of the group's best, praising the song's lyrical content and the harmonica solo.[67] Writing for Billboard, Jason Lipshutz complimented the song's production, calling the hook "enormously catchy" and the instrumental arrangement "smart-but-simple". Anne T. Donahue of Vulture.com depicted it as "the perfect middle-ground" between the group's slower ballads and their upbeat singles, she added that "over 20 years later, we still remember the words to 'Say You'll Be There'". On a 2018 ranking of the group's songs, the NME writer El Hunt placed it at the top of the group's whole catalog, and characterized it as the "essence of everything that girl power stood for". Q magazine ranked "Say You'll Be There" at number 93 in their 2003 list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever". Time Out placed the song at number 39 on their 2015 list of "The 50 best '90s songs". Laura Richards felt that the song epitomized the group's musical style of blending pop with R&B, considering it "pure genius". On Billboard's 2017 list of the "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time", it ranked at number 25”.

I think one reason why Spice Girls stood out in 1996 and were such a sensation is their visual imagery and how they represented themselves in videos. Sporty, Posh, Ginger, Baby and Scary had their own personalities and traits. Wannabe showed them as cheeky, confident and fun! For Say You’ll Be There, the group adopted martial arts personas for a video that is bolder and more exotic than that for Wannabe. This interesting article salutes a fantastic video for one of the most important singles of the 1990s:

“Are you ready to feel old? “Say You’ll Be There” by the Spice Girls was released 20 years ago today. I know, I’ll let that sink in for a minute — how can it be possible that the best girl group ever has been spicing up our lives for a solid two decades now? Every ’90s child has their favorite Spice Girls song — maybe you’re strictly here for the classics like “Wannabe,” or perhaps you like some of their more soulful stuff, like “Something Kinda Funny,” but either way, these five ladies taught us all the importance of girl power and equalization between the sexes, and we’re forever indebted to them for it.

“Say You’ll Be There” quickly became one of their biggest hits upon its release back in October 1996, and was only their second single ever — yet it shot to the top of the charts in their native United Kingdom, before becoming a global hit in early 1997. The song itself is catchy as hell, of course, and in true Spice Girls fashion, the music video is the most badass, feminist video ever… even 20 years later.

It takes place in the Mojave Desert, and the ladies are rocking some seriously sexy outfits — can we please admire Victoria Beckham’s all-black leather ensemble and Geri Horner’s thigh high red leather boots? YAS, GURLS.

Plus, each girl has a ninja alter-ego and the fivesome they’re part of is on a mission — to take down a hapless dude who simply wouldn’t promise he would be there. Come on, now. These ladies don’t have time for that nonsense!”.

I am going to wrap up in a minute. There is a simplicity to Say You’ll Be There. In terms of its lyrics, it is about the unity within the group and what they have been though. They pledge that there’ll be there for each other. One can read it more widely as a song about romantic relationships and staying together. I think the big strength of the song is the infectious vocals and spirit. Spice Girls give it their all! They all get brief moments in the vocal spotlight, though I always associate the strongest turn with Mel C (Sporty). Maybe it is a song that is very much a product of the 1990s. It has aged quite well, but I always link Say You’ll Be There with the ‘90s. Before Spice turns twenty-five, I wanted to do a final feature around the album. It remains, to me, one of the most important debuts ever. That is in no small part due to singles like Say You’ll Be There. After twenty-five years, it remains so…

FUN and memorable.

FEATURE: To Whom All Things Return... Kate Bush’s The Red Shoes at Twenty-Eight: A Look at a Standout Track, Lily

FEATURE:

 

 

To Whom All Things Return…

 Kate Bush’s The Red Shoes at Twenty-Eight: A Look at a Standout Track, Lily

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RATHER than look at the whole album…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1993

I want to spend a bit of time with one of the highlights from Kate Bush’s The Red Shoes. Her seventh studio album, it was released on 1st November, 1993. The album was accompanied by Bush’s short film, The Line, the Cross and the Curve. The album reached number two in the U.K. album chart and has been certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for over 300,000 copies sold. The album also reached number twenty-eight in the U.S. album chart. I think that The Red Shoes is one of the underrated Bush albums. Far stronger than many give it credit for, I recently produced a feature where I stated, if the tracks were put in a different order, it might lead to a better and more consistent listening experience. Ahead of its twenty-eighth anniversary, I wanted to have a look at Lily. To me, this seems like a natural opening track. Though the bounce and urgency of the actual album opener, Rubberband Girl – my favourite song on The Red Shoes – is great, the slow fade-in and eventually rapture of Lily is a sublime way to open an album that has so many different moods and layers. I feel that, because of the production sound, it was only natural Bush wanted to rework some of the songs from The Red Shoes (and The Sensual World) for her 2011 album, Director’s Cut.

The Red Shoes is an album that definitely warrants more exposure. It has got some mixed reviews, though the fact that it did so well in the U.K. and U.S. is no fluke. 1993 was a busy and exciting year for music. Although the decade was not as hugely prolific one for Bush, she proved that she could adapt and bring her music into its third decade. Lily is a great song that you hear now and then on the radio. The Kate Bush Encyclopaedia gives some background about the song:

“Song written by Kate Bush. Originally released on her seventh album The Red Shoes. The song is devoted to Lily Cornford, a noted spiritual healer in London with whom Bush became close friends in the 1990s. “She was one of those very rare people who are intelligent, intuitive and kind,” Kate has said of Cornford, who believed in mental colour healing—a process whereby patients would be restored to health by seeing various hues. “I was really moved by Lily and impressed with her strength and knowledge, so it led to a song - which she thought was hilarious”.

I like the story’s behind Bush’s songs. You get a real sense of who Lily is through the lyrics. The fact that Cornford narrates gives the song an extra element of authenticity. Bush did not bring too many female voices into her music. The fact that Cornford also appears alongside the Trio Bulgarka (a Bulgarian Folk ensemble) is wonderful.

Whilst we do see a video for the song in The Line, the Cross and the Curve, I would really have loved to have seen the track performed live in 2014. Bush opened Before the Dawn with Lily. It shows that she has an attachment to the track and, as it kind of offers up a prayer, it was the right tone for the audience in 2014 – perfectly introducing them to what was about to unfold. I like the version that appears on Director’s Cut, though I think Lily sounds best on The Red Shoes. The lyrics are remarkable. Some of the words on The Red Shoes are not at Kate Bush’s normal peak. Lily is an exception. Such an evocative song: “Oh thou, who givest sustenance to the universe/From whom all things proceed/To whom all things return/Unveil to us the face of the true spiritual sun/Hidden by a disc of golden light/That we may know the truth/And do our whole duty/As we journey to thy sacred feet”. The bond and trust between Bush and her healer are clear. Bush feels affected and shocked: “Well I said/"Lily, Oh Lily I don't feel safe/I feel that life has blown a great big hole/Through me"/And she said/"Child, you must protect yourself/I'll show you how with fire". The two versions of Lily do not differ too much when it comes to composition. John Giblin is on bass, whilst Dan McIntosh is on guitar. The biggest difference is that Mica Paris provides some backing vocals on the 2011 version for Director’s Cut. Twenty-eight years after The Red Shoes was released, it is an album that I am growing to love more and more. It is thanks to songs like Lily that it remains such a great album. To me, Lily is one of Kate Bush’s…

BEST songs.

FEATURE: Labels Mates: Inside Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records

FEATURE:

 

Labels Mates

IN THIS PHOTO: Clockwise from left: Charlie Hickey, MUNA (framed), Phoebe Bridgers, Sloppy Jane (cardboard cutout), Scruffpuppie and Claud photographed on 12th October, 2021 at the Paramour Estate in Los Angeles/PHOTO CREDIT: Sami Drasin

Inside Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records

___________

MAYBE this will turn into…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Frank Ockenfels

a proper run of features, but I read an article on the Billboard website a couple of weeks back. I do wonder whether people look at labels and they are important at a time when we have Spotify and Bandcamp. I feel that a good label has its own identity and ethos. That is definitely true of Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records. I have left this a little while to cover. Similar to the way singer-songwriter Lucy Rose launched Real Kind Records last year, having an artist front a label means that you get that experience, expertise and affinity. Bridgers’ label seems to be a very special and interesting proposition:

“Just before the pandemic, when indie-pop singer-songwriter Claud got coffee with Phoebe Bridgers to discuss signing to Bridgers’ new label, they talked about Nickelodeon’s iCarly. In a 2008 episode of the show, about a teen girl with a popular web series, a high-powered network executive picks up her program and, little by little, changes it beyond recognition. Claud wanted to know: “Are you guys going to do that to me?”

Bridgers had little interest in that approach. The first time she listened to a Claud song, she was so taken with the music, she texted her manager to ask if Claud was signed before the track even finished. “The weirdest part about having a label is being like, ‘What you’re doing is so awesome that I want to mess it up! Let me fix something that’s not broken for you!’ ” jokes Bridgers. In the end, her pitch to Claud was simple: “I think I could amplify what you’re already doing.”

 That ethos underscores Saddest Factory Records, the label Bridgers unveiled in October 2020, with Claud as her first signee. A stand-alone label within Secretly Group — home to Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar and Dead Oceans, which signed Bridgers in 2017 — Saddest Factory marks a new chapter in the career of one of indie rock’s brightest rising stars and pandemic success stories. Since releasing her 2017 debut, Stranger in the Alps, the 27-year-old has steadily built word-of-mouth buzz thanks to her intimately detailed, quietly devastating songwriting that, following 2020’s Punisher, deeply resonated with a grim national mood — to the tune of four 2021 Grammy nominations and a February performance on Saturday Night Live.

Now, with her own label, Bridgers is offering artists a chance to similarly grow at their own pace, with little interference and all the resources of the Secretly Group team. “If I had put out my first record on a major label, I think I would’ve immediately gotten dropped,” she says. “Dead Oceans had to twiddle their thumbs until people gave a s--t about my music — and they weren’t going to give up on it. That’s how I would describe the deal [with Saddest Factory].”

The label’s roster — which also includes alt-pop trio MUNA, chamber-rock project Sloppy Jane (led by Haley Dahl) and singer-songwriters Scruffpuppie and Charlie Hickey — also benefits from Bridgers’ creative savvy, on display in her inventive, early-pandemic remote performances, during which she turned a skeleton onesie into a fashion staple, and tongue-in-cheek merchandise. (One sweatshirt features the hand gesture for a certain uncommon sex act.) “She’s a marketing genius,” says MUNA vocalist Katie Gavin, who compares Bridgers to Lil Nas X.

 And while Bridgers is in her element when helping artists with music videos or kooky promo ideas, she’s perhaps most vital when acting as a kind of artist-to-executive translator. “I don’t talk to [Secretly Group staff] that much,” says Claud. “I’m like, ‘How did they just know that’s what I was thinking and I didn’t even tell them?’ But now I realize it’s because Phoebe has been telling them.”

Bridgers talks about her leadership as almost haphazard — every signing was “weirdly serendipitous,” the roster’s large number of LGBTQ+ and nonbinary artists is “a total accident.” (“Queer people are making the coolest f--king music by leaps and bounds, to me,” says Bridgers, who is bisexual.) But her self-deprecating comments about not reading spreadsheets or understanding budgets bely the very intentional community she has created — a place where artists are free to be themselves and can focus primarily on making art.

Now, with Saddest Factory just over a year old, Bridgers is relieved to see all the effort start to pay off: Sloppy Jane and Scruffpuppie are readying new albums, while Hickey released an EP in February that will get a physical release in November; Claud is touring with Bleachers (frontman Jack Antonoff tweeted that they are “one of the best new artists”), and “Silk Chiffon” recently became MUNA’s first hit on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart”.

Having been around a while, the label has brought in some terrific and varied talent. Bridgers is an artist who take risks, but she also has a great ear for new talent and artists who are going to make a change in the music world. I may spotlight other artist-run labels in the future weeks. At the moment, I want to react to that Billboard article. That important relationship between Bridgers and the Secretly Canadian label is important. Bridgers is not just an artist who has set up a label and is randomly signing people she liked. She has crated and crafted an identity and tapestry that is unique and fascinating. With its own skin and some of the most promising artist around signed to her roster, I feel we will see Saddest Factory Records grow and become one of the most impressive and go-to labels around. Maybe labels are less impactful than they used to be though, for artists, signing to the right one is vital regarding their career. Phoebe Bridgers can offer her signees a stable where they are fostered and supported. It is good to see of the success already; her artists releasing some great work and building their own platform. Bridgers is looking forward to getting everyone together for a proper label party. One of the most inspiring and hardest-working musicians in the world, Phoebe Bridgers is so inspiring and pioneering. The magnificent and impressively-stocked Saddest Factory Records is a label that will continue…

TO grow and grow.

FEATURE: The Red Shoes at Twenty-Eight: Del Palmer’s 1993 Interview with Future Music

FEATURE:

 

 

The Red Shoes at Twenty-Eight

Del Palmer’s 1993 Interview with Future Music

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I am quoting an entire interview…

IN THIS PHOTO: Del Palmer in 1993

because, as The Red Shoes turns twenty-eight tomorrow (1st November), I am not featuring Kate Bush directly. Instead, I am featuring an interview with Future Music where Del Palmer (who played on the album, was her engineer, and was in a relationship with Bush until 1993) ran down the tracks and gave some insight. I have included various songs from The Red Shoes through the years. It is good to bring them together for this anniversary piece. An underrated and under-appreciated album, The Red Shoes deservers a proper listen on its twenty-eighth anniversary. Here is the chat Del Palmer had with Feature Music where we got a track-by-track spotlight:

“After a four-year silence, Kate Bush is back with a new album. Mark Jenkins quizzes producer Del Palmer on the ins and outs of her opus The Red Shoes.

KATE BUSH. One of the most original songwriters/musicians in the popular music world, and certainly the most distinctive British female star around. It's been four years since her last album The Sensual World - only Kraftwerk and Peter Gabriel seem quite as tardy in coming up with new material. Despite a few collaborations with The Comic Strip, Kate hardly seems to have been busy during this time. What has she been up to?

One reason for the silence has been a complete changeover in the set-up at her impressive personal recording studio, at which she started work on The Red Shoes using 48-track analogue techniques, but changed midway to digital recording - along with all the advanced editing possibilities that implies.

At the time of writing, Kate is busy working on videos for the new album, but FM has tracked down Del Palmer. He's worked on all of Kate's albums and engineered and produced Tbe Red Shoes.

He's undoubtedly the best man to supply us with background on the inspiration behind Kate's latest work, the recording techniques involved and to offer a blow-by-blow account of the genesis of each of the album's 12 tracks.

The Red Shoes is set for release on EMI Records on November 1.

Del tells what Katie Did

"ODDLY ENOUGH, the idea of this album," explains Del, "was to get it recorded quickly and get out on to the road with it." Kate's only previously played one short tour. "It didn't work out that way, but the idea did influence the way the album was put together. Because I wanted to concentrate on engineering and didn't want to be in the live band, I didn't play much bass on the album, and we used the same drummer and bassist - Stuart Elliott and John Giblin - almost throughout. A lot of the time we got them to play together live to create a consistent backing for a song, even if we had to go back and change that as the song developed.

Now, with plans for live performances of The Red Shoes shelved, listeners are left with an album which has a preponderance of tight, live-sounding tracks. Some of these will be aired in a 50-minute film which, like the album itself, is influenced by the tale of The Red Shoes filmed by Michael Powell in the 1950s. The film will feature Kate herself in an acting role as well as Miranda Richardson, choreography from Lindsay Kemp and work from Terry (Monty Python) Gilliam's animation studio.

Let's take a track-by-track look at how The Red Shoes came together.

Rubberband Girl

Chosen as first single from the album, Rubberband Girl is up-tempo and infectiously melodic. Originally, the first single was intended to be Eat The Music. but during the production of the film to accompany the album, Rubberband Girl seemed to be catching everyone's imagination, and has proved to be a substantial chart success.

Although the song has a relatively straightforward pop/rock feel, the vocals are multi-tracked and some of them seem incredibly low-pitched. "This song and And So Is Love are typical of the live band feel," explains Del. "We were trying to create a very accessible, live sound and the fastest way to record was to have at least two or three people playing together initially.

"On Rubberband Girl the bass, drums and basic keyboards were all done together, but we did change the whole track afterwards in the sense of editing it digitally rather than re-doing tracks. The bass and drum sound was important because we wanted to have them consistent throughout the album."

Although Stuart Elliot and John Giblin's performances tended to go on to tape 'live' at an early stage, this didn't avoid the need for subsequent changes. "When you put later tracks down, the earlier ones sometimes have to change because the whole feel of the piece changes. Sometimes we had to do the bass and drums three or four times, not because we were unhappy with the original performances, but because the feel of the song had altered as new tracks were added. Rubberband Girl is one of the few that worked first time - it just has a basic rock feel with a riffing guitar, the backing vocals went down first and then we tried various lyrics and lead vocal ideas.

"In most songs the lyrics change a lot during the recording process, although a basic seed remains solid. It often gets to the point of struggling over just one word which has to be returned to many times -there's never any pressure to write a song to fill a particular function, like acting as a single or being a very slow ballad, so the whole feel can often change,"

And So Is Love

Del says this is his favouritc track on album. "This one seems to have the most effective band sound to me; we had Gary Brooker (from Procul Harum) on Hammond organ and Eric Clapton on guitar, and that was just a couple of months after his son died. I admired him for doing that - he'd promised to do it and he wanted to stick to his commitment. Eric only really plays in one style, but he's a genius at what he does, so that was a highlight for me.

The track's original backing is a sequenced 4-bar Fairlight pattern which was played to the musicians to give them a feel for the piece.

"Usually we keep more of the Fairlight sound", says del, "but in this case it got scrubbed apart from the toms so it could all stay in strict tempo, so it could all be played live."

Kate's Series III Fairlight is pretty obsolete now, and most of its capabilities could be reproduced by a computer and a couple of Akai S1000s. However, she's got used to the machine over the years and has a lot of favourite sounds on it. "On this track there's a little flute/reed sound, but the Fender piano sound is a real one and the drums are Sl000 samples. We only have a very small room for acoustic recording and the sound of the room tends to get on to drum recordings, so we used a lot of S1000 drum samples triggered from Simmons pads plus real cymbals. Stuart Elliott knows that our drum recorcling can be a long and arduous process and he might get called back four or five times - not because we're unhappy with what he's done, but because the track changes as it develops."

Eat The Music

This track, laden with trummpets andl light percussion, has a very Latin American feel which actually stems from the music of Madagascar. "It uses a small guitar called a 'caboss' which is one of the instruments Paddy (Bush, Kate's brother) discovered and brought back with him. He's very into ethnic music of all kinds and has always contributed a lot of ideas to the albums - he helped bring in some authentic players and the track started off with bass guitar which was then replaced by an acoustic bass - but that sounded a bit too Latin. The horn section's real, of course."

The decision not to release this track as the first single from the album represents one of the few times Kate has been influenced by outside opinions in this respect -the interest in Rubberband Girl winning out in this case.

Moments of Pleasure

Like tracks on many of Kate's previous albums, this represents the piano and orchestra style of composition and was recorded largely at EMI's Abbey Road studios. Abbey Road's Studio 2 is equipped with the same SSL. automated mixing desk as Kate's own studio, and she has always recorded at least part of each album at Abbey Road. "There does seem to be at least one of this type of song on each album, although the vocals proved a struggle this time. It's inspired by a visit to the USA in 1989 which included a meeting with Michael Powell (director of the original film The Red Shoes) which took place in a flat in New York, and a lot of the lyric lines refer to that occasion."

The piano parts were actually recorded in Kate's studio using a Grotrian Steinweg -built by an offshoot of the Steinway company - while the orchestra was produced by Haydn Bendall. "I'm not too proud to say that he was the man for the job," acknowledges Del. "Abbey Road is the best studio in the world, and it's all down to the people there like Ken Townsend who will help with anything, including loans of equipment whenever we need something. They don't seemq to mind that we're taking business away from them by recording in our own studio as well."

Microphone technique for piano recording can be a case of trial and error. "It all depends on the player. A couple of Shure SM87s in the lid, with the lid propped up as high as possible, gives you about 18 inches of microphone spacing from the strings. They're usually above the iron section to give a slightly metallic sound, and then we have Massenberg equalisation units to tailor the sound. The equalisation on the SSL. desk is too violent and you can't get very specific, which is great for some things but not for the piano."

The Song of Solomon

Just as Kate used a section from .James Joyce's Ulysses on The Sensual World album, Song of Solomon uses biblical texts almost verbatim. "This is one of the first tracks we mixed and it's very simple. The sampled harp sound on the Fairlight alternates with the piano - the toms were originally played, but the final sounds are sampled from an Emu percussion unit but with a boomy bottom end added - the originals were more like tablas and they sounded too lightweight along with the ethereal harp and piano. The original tom sound is gated so that it just produces a short click, and the click is used to trigger the Fairlight. We had to advance the track on the digital multi-track to get the timing right, then move it back again with a digital delay so you've got a mixture of toms where some are on the beat and some are slightly off it. The good thing about the Fairlight is that it's stereo so you can sample a whole drum kit in one go."

Lily

This track opens with a voice recording of a simple prayer. "Lilly is a healer who helps Kate a lot and this is a little prayer she uses," reveals Del. "It just says that you have to have hope to be able to carry on. The track includes an instrument called a Fujara, played by Paddy, which comes from Yugoslavia - the very soft opening lulls you into a false sense of security, then you get what sounds like a drum loop, but in fact it's all played live. This is another track where the original bass and drums had to lie re-done at a later stage because the feel had changed almost to a hip-hop style." This very short track might seem an attempt to enter the indie rock field, but Kate would insist that there's no intention of confoming to specific styles in this way.

The Red Shoes

The album's title track seems to have an Irish folk music influence, with a big bass drum sound and an unusual legato bass part, but again this stems from the music of Madagascar. "It's fascinating how music from different parts of the world can have these similarities. All the mandarins and mandolas are played by Paddy, who has really gone into this sort of music, and he also plays all the various whistles and flutes on the track".

Top of the City

Again featuring .John Giblin's unusual high pitched bass line, this track has a very theatrical approach and emphasises the power of Kate's voice to deliver an emotional ballad. "The impression is of being high up in the clouds over a city, and originally there was more rhythm section, but a lot of it was taken off to emphasise the airiness of the track. That left the bass part very prominent so that was put through a delay to repeat it and emphasise its effect."

The track was one of the first recorded for the album, but changed an awful lot during the studio sessions. "Nigel Kennedy features on violin and his parts were recorded on analogue on 1990. There was a complete metamorphosis in the editing process and we lost a lot of the cymbals, which made the track sound quite sparse but a lot more powerful."

Constellation of the Heart

Reminiscent of nothing more than a Nile Rogers or Prince track as it opens, this one features a big American sound, lots of synth string chords, guitar processing and West Coast-style backing vocals. "This one staarted off as a 4-bar rhythm with this little chant going about turning telescopes inwards on ourselves. That turned into a sort of chanting, soul-style backing, and again it was a track that metamorphosed into something new and had to have the original bass and drums backing done again. Now it has a sort of Sly Stone feel to it..."

Big Stripey Lie

This track is fascinating in that the bass and guitar sounds which seem typical of dub specialist Jah Wobble and quirky American indie rock bands are in fact all played by Kate herself, who picked up a guitar during the recording sessions and within a couple of weeks was asking for Marshall valve guitar amps to be delivered so she could create screaming guitar solos. "It's a sort of stocking-filler track, the last one to be written, and has a sort of Captain Beefheart impersonation on the bass and guitar."

The bass sound is intentionally overdriven on the mixing desk, but also partly results from Kate's style of playing it - her energetic style overloads the compression on the desk without actually creating distortion due to high volume. Chirpy keyboard sounds on a Yamaha DX7 and an unexpected violin part combine to make this one of the most absorbing tracks on the album, despite the fact that it's untypical in its overall recording method - "this one was done quite quickly by the old method of putting down one track ata time, so it's not representative of the band-orientated approach on the rest of the album."

Why Should I Love You

This one actually was recorded in collaboration with Prince - Kate went to see him at a gig and was flattered to be asked to meet him after the show, when they discussed a collaboration. Unable to physically get together in the same room, they swapped multi-track tapes, with a slave reel returning from Prince's Paisley Park studio covered in vocals, guitar solos and keyboards. "The problem then was to put the track back together into something resembling its original form while retaining the best of what Prince had done. He hadn't added one of the vocal parts which would have been particularly good for him, so it basically took two years to put it back together. What's left is his lead guitar, some digital synths and some chorus vocals. Then Lenny Henry came in to do a vocal on the end - he's really got a great voice and ought to be doing a serious record of his own."

You're The One

Again featuring Hammond organ and Fender piano, this track also includes a rare synthesizer melody line and features Jeff Beck on guitar. "His style is completely different from Eric Clapton's - they're both great players but with very different aproaches.Jeff came in a couple of times to fix things up because he wasn't completely happy with them, and the end result is like classic '70's and 80's rock, with the Hammond from Gary Brooker again."

If you're deeply committed to pop of a particular persuasion, listening to The Red Shoes can be a very unsettling experience. Kate Bush has little regard for fashion, transitory musical tastes or transparently obvious lyrics.

If you're in the mood for a sonic experience which stretches the limits of style, vocal technique and compositional mixing and matching, this could be the album for you - and if initial response to the single release of Rubberband Girl is anything to go by, it seems abundantly clear that Kate Bush is back in a big way”.

It is interesting knowing more about the tracks. I think the album gets defined by songs like Moments of Pleasure. Not that many delve deeper and give it a proper spin. I would encourage people to spend time with the album tomorrow on its anniversary. The Red Shoes is a great album that has more than a few excellent tracks. I am a fan of a Kate Bush record that remains such…

AN interesting listen.

FEATURE: Drink the Music: Insight from Del Palmer: Kate Bush's Fantastic The Red Shoes at Twenty-Eight

FEATURE:

 

 

Drink the Music

IN THIS PHOTO: Del Palmer in 1993 

Insight from Del Palmer: Kate Bush’s Fantastic The Red Shoes at Twenty-Eight

___________

THERE is a great feature from 1993…

where engineer and musician Del Palmer talked about his experiences working on the Kate Bush album, The Red Shoes. Rather than including this in the Kate Bush Interview Archive, I will bring in some fascinating insights into an album that remains under-explored. There is a lot of criticism still levied at the album in terms of the song quality and sound. Whereas there are fewer standout tracks compared to Hounds of Love (1985), I don’t think there is much wrong with The Red Shoes. With a few weaker tracks ending the album, there are still clear highlights and some of Bush’s best material on there. I feel, as this was the 1990s, the biggest change from her previous work was the digital sound. One can definitely hear a change in her production style on The Sensual World (1989) and The Red Shoes. I think looking at the working relationship and working bond between Del Palmer and Kate Bush (they were also in a romantic relationship and split around the time The Red Shoes was completed) sheds new light on an album that many people have put aside or do not dissect in detail too much. I have chosen a few sections from interview/feature mu:zines put out in 1993:

“Kate Bush's private studio was initially set up to record demos for Lionheart; Del Palmer was the only band member interested in operating the tape machine! Fifteen years on, Del is Kate's main man with the faders, and what was once a demo studio has evolved into a sophisticated private recording facility.

Located in barns adjacent to the Bush country home, today's studio is equipped with a 48-channel SSL 4000E console with G-Series computer, two Sony 3324A digital machines, a Studer A80 half-inch, and a couple of U-Matic video recorders.

Del takes up the story: "During early 1990, Kate said 'I want to do something, I want to go in the studio and work.' During the early stages I can set up a sound for her, set up some keyboards, show her what to do on the console, and leave her to it. She'll work for days until she's got something, then we'll get the musicians in and carry on from there."

As both producer and artist, Kate Bush is extremely focused and knows exactly what she wants. So when Del comes up with a particular sound, she wastes no time in telling him whether or not it's what she's looking for.

"There have been lots of times when I've had quite heated arguments with her — I'd say something wouldn't work, to which her response has been, 'Indulge me... Just do it.' For example, on the Hounds of Love album, there's a part that goes, 'Help me, baby, help me, baby,' which cuts in and out very quickly, which she wanted to do by turning the tape over and cutting in and out with the record switch. I said it would just be a mess, but she said, 'Look, just do it, will you?' So I did it and of course it worked, and I had to eat humble pie. I've eaten so much humble pie over the years that I'm putting on weight!"

Kate is apparently not averse to placing her own fingers on the faders, especially in relation to the vocals as well as much of the instrumentation. "I was able to just set her up with a sound, and she'd take care of it herself," explains Palmer. "She'd record all the vocals, then phone me up and say, "Let's put it all together."

These days, Kate Bush tends to write about 90% of her material as part of the overall recording process in the studio, largely because of the difficulty of trying to recreate the spontaneity and the feel of the demos.

The trademark Kate Bush sound that has been developed over the course of the past four albums owes a lot not only to the pulsating, highly atmospheric, slightly discordant noises that seem to emanate from every direction, but also her own unique vocal style, with its breathy delivery and haunting presence.

"I can't take any credit for Kate's vocal sound," admits Palmer, "because it was originally shown to me by an engineer called Paul Arden who taught me so much. He would explain anything that I asked him about. One day he couldn't make a session, so he said, 'Why don't you do it?' So I did, and he showed me how to get the sound which they had started using on The Dreaming. Kate loved it, and ever since then we've been using it.

"Basically, it's all down to an overdose of compression, and the fact that she really knows how to work with it. We set her up with a Neumann U47 in the live part of the studio — brick floor and stone walls — so it's very, very live — and then there's loads and loads of compression on the mic. The SSL desk's compression is very violent and works very well for this. So, what's happening is that every time she breathes in, you can hear it, so she has to be very specific in the way that she deals with this. She's backing off from the microphone all the time, really working it. We use a small amount of gating so you'll get the sound of the room and then it cuts off — a bit like the Phil Collins drum sound.

"If Kate's singing really loud she backs off from the mike and then she comes right in close for the quiet stuff, but when she breathes in, she does this to the side. I have to say that from a purely technical standpoint, it's really badly done, there's just so much compression on everything. But I'm not interested in being technical, I want it to sound good, and if it does, then what's the point in changing it?

With Kate's stuff, where you do have a lot of level changes, there's a constant fight between noise levels and signal levels, but with digital you don't have that. You can put the quietest thing on tape and you won't get any background noise. At the same time, whereas with analogue you may say, "I'm going to put some 10k in here because I know I'm going to lose a bit," with the digital machines I found that I was using far less EQ right across the board."

As things turned out, since the decision to switch to digital was made relatively early during the Red Shoes sessions, much of the analogue material was later replaced. Only the performances by the Trio Bulgarka, as well as Nigel Kennedy on 'Top Of The City', remain from the analogue.

"With digital, a lot of doors opened up to us which we previously had no idea about, and the result was that Kate was off and running," says Palmer. "She had so many good ideas to try out, generally to do with editing. For example, if there was a piece of vocal here, rather than sampling it and flying it back in, we could actually offset the machine and put it in various strange places. Sometimes this wouldn't work, but a lot of the time it did, such as the track with Prince ('Why Should I Love You?') on which we had to offset lots of things, and some of the guitar parts now appear in the weirdest places. I'd say, "Wait a minute!" and she'd say, "No, no, it works, leave it! Put that down, it works."

"Her overview of everything is alarmingly interesting. I really find it fascinating how she can hold all these things in her head at the same time. She's very au fait with studio work. I'm sure a lot of people think, 'Well, she gets the producer credit but I bet she doesn't do much,' yet that's really not true. She knows what she wants to do and, being technically minded, she knows how to do it."

As to the future, Del Palmer feels that there's a lot of new studio gear on the market which he must check out before re-equipping Kate's recording environment. "One of the things I'm now looking to do is to make the studio a little bit more conducive to her, with everything plumbed in permanently," he says. "So all she'll have to do is push a button and the Fairlight or whatever will be up and running. And I'll find her a few more little goodies to play with...".

Tomorrow (1st), The Red Shoes is twenty-eight. It was the last album Bush recorded before she took an extended period out. She would return with 2005’s Aerial. It must have been exciting stepping into the studio to record The Red Shoes. Although it is not as acclaimed and celebrated as other Kate Bush album, you only need to listen through to the album once to realise that there is…

SO much to explore.

FEATURE: Second Spin: Nerina Pallot - Fires

FEATURE:

 

 

Second Spin

Nerina Pallot - Fires

___________

THIS is an example…

of a Second Spin where the featured album was reviewed positively, yet you do not hear the songs from it played as widely and frequently on the radio as we should. The album today is Nerina Pallot’s excellent second album, Fires. Having not released an album since 2017’s Stay Lucky, I wonder whether we will hear more from her? The London-born songwriter has had such a successful and consistent career, where all of her albums have been positively received. Released in April 2005 on her own label, Idaho Records, Fires was greeted with big acclaim from critics. That said, it was a bit lukewarm in terms of its commercial performance. I suppose this feature is also designed to direct people to the album in general. I am not sure whether you can get it on vinyl at the moment. If you can get it on C.D., I would advise people to spend some money on it. The story of how Pallot came to prominence and got signed to 14th Floor Records is interesting. She was working as a support act for Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega – two legends who could detect Pallot’s huge talent. Getting a lot of love from audiences, Fires got re-released in April 2006. Despite this, the album got to forty-one on the U.K. album chart. Listening now, it is baffling why more people did not buy Fires! I feel that, were it released today, it would fare much better.

Perhaps changing trends or a lack of awareness meant that a golden album like this was sorely overlooked. With singles like Everybody’s Gone to War doing well, Fires did climb as high as twenty-one. Since its initial slow start, Fires has sold well in excess of 100,000 copied (in 2009, the total sales were 138,563). Every one of the eleven tracks were written by Pallot. She is such an inspiring and distinct songwriter who matches incredibly memorable and personal lyrics with vocal performances and composition. That mean every tracks begs for re-investigation and love. There are so many songs on the album that you do not hear that often. Halfway Home, Sophia and Learning to Breathe are incredible tracks that should be played often and widely. I want to bring in a couple of reviews for Fires to show what critics have made of it. Whereas, in some parts of this series, I look at an album that gained mixed reviews and got good sales/an album that was poorly reviewed and sold really well, this is a case of one that won critics but did not find a huge audience. Maybe a slightly underwhelming commercial performance can be explained by the sounds of 2005. Fires highlights Pallot’s influences such as Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon. In 2005, albums from Gorillaz, Bloc Party, Sleater-Kinney, The White Stripes, M.I.A., and Franz Ferdinand were ruling. Perhaps Fires was out of step with what consumers were buying that year – or the music media did not cover the album as widely and passionately as they should have.    

Regardless, I want to document a couple of positive reviews. The Guardian had their say in 2005. Although they identify the fact Pallot wears her influences on her sleeves at times, they were impressed with what they heard:

“If you're going to steal, steal from the best, and Nerina Pallot makes no bones about her musical debts to Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon. But there's much more than mere mimicry on this intriguing record. It opens with the scintillating blast of Everybody's Gone to War, in which Pallot re-creates the protest song as amped-up powerpop with a lethal chorus and chilling lines such as: "I've got a friend, he's a pure-bred killing machine, I think he might be dead by Christmas." Elsewhere, the classically trained and partly French Pallot (pronounced "Pallow") scatters fresh melodic ideas and crafty narrative twists all around her, as in the reminiscences of her first steps in the music business, the philosophy and scintillating harmonies of Learning to Breathe, or the little twist of Michel Legrand in the back-to-front romance of Geek Love. The more you listen to it, the better it gets”.

I have been listening to Fires on and off since 2005. I knew about Nerina Pallot before that, yet it was this album that really made her stand out. I think Fires still sounds current today. Many artists since have released albums similar in tone and sound.

I am going to conclude with a review from Music Box. Kirk deCordova provided his take on an album that, to me, is one of the best of Pallot’s career so far. There are so many great tracks on a very fulsome and appealing album:

“Those unfamiliar with Nerina Pallot — pronounced "Ne-ree-nah Pall-o" — probably aren’t alone. Pallot’s career was launched in 2001 with the release of her debut album, the under-appreciated Dear Frustrated Superstar, though it stalled almost as soon as it began. While mulling over her options, which included becoming an English teacher, the gifted Pallot fortunately chose to continue singing and writing songs. These efforts culminated in her sophomore effort Fires, which initially was issued in 2005. After falling upon deaf ears, the outing has been re-mastered and repackaged by a new label, and subsequently, it’s being given a fresh marketing push. Throughout the affair, Pallot brings much to the table including a versatile and pleasing voice, inventive melodies, and thoughtful lyrics that are sprinkled liberally with philosophical allusions. Blending folk, rock, and pop into a shiny package, she offers vocals that are reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, Paul Simon, and Carole King. Nevertheless, although she has been influenced by some of music’s greatest artists, she still retains a sparkling and sarcastic wit as well as an intelligence that brands her work as refreshingly original.

Whether featuring guitar or demonstrating intricate piano styling, Fires is packed to the brim with elegant and, at times, playful tracks. The album begins with the politically minded rocker Everybody’s Gone to War, a 1960s- style protest song that boasts such pointed lyrics as:

"I’ve got a friend, he’s a pure-bred killing machine,

He says he’s waited his whole damn life for this,

I knew him well when he was seventeen,

Now he’s a man he’ll be dead by Christmas”.

Throughout Fires, Pallot ruminates upon an array of topics and emotions that include expressions of life, death, depression, joy, loneliness, regret, and self-examination, all of which are delivered with a serious yet whimsical attitude. Some songs of note on the album include the lyrical masterpiece Damascus, and the wonderfully orchestrated and haunting Idaho, the latter of which features the lyrics:

"I can’t be anyone but me…

And I can’t keep dreaming that I’m free…

I don’t want to fall asleep and watch my life from fifty feet,

My hands are on the wheel so I’m driving to Idaho,

Cause I hear it’s mighty pretty…in Idaho"

The song that may prove to be the gem of Fires, however, is the simply produced and introspective Mr. King. This philosophical track is drenched with the influences of Paul Simon and Paul McCartney, and it’s a delightful excursion that gains resonance the more that it is heard. Elsewhere, Pallot’s wit is on display during the comical and infectious Geek Love, a tongue-in-cheek popper with a bouncing, carnival-esque lilt. Equally intriguing is Sophia, a ballad of desperate, burning, and unfilled love that has become a highlight of her concerts as she confesses:

"Sophia, Sophia, I’m burning, I’m burning,

It’s a fire, a fire I cannot put out,

Sophia, Sophia I’m learning that some things I can’t go without,

And one of those is him".

I think radio shows should play Fires more. If you have not bought or heard the album, go and spend a moment or two with it. Nerina Pallot is one of our best artists. A wonderful songwriter who I hope will record more music, Fires is a beautiful and often hugely affecting album that deserved a bigger commercial performance. I feel songwriters like Laura Marling have been inspired by Pallot. A writer of incredible vision, scope and potency, Nerina Pallot’s Fires is an album that everyone…

NEEDS to hear.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Lex Amor

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

Lex Amor

___________

THERE are a few interviews…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Tyrus Hill

that I want to bring together in order to illustrate the talent, promise and personality of Lex Amor. Here is an artist that I have switched onto recently and really got invested in her music. Her latest single, Rocks, was released a few days back. It is another wonderful and compelling song from the Londoner. Her incredible debut album, Government Tropicana, was released in October last year. I would encourage people to check it out. The Floor reviewed the album. This is what they had to say:

“The stream-of-consciousness approach to her writing is what marks Lex Amor apart from other rappers. Remarks such as ‘it’s quarter century, fuck is happening?’ on the project opener give the listener an insight into the racing thoughts of an artist who still draws on the attachments to her youth for inspiration, yet can’t shake the feeling of time moving too fast. When she spits ‘Pythagoras ain’t copping Pradas, what the fuck is this?’ against the eerie synths that form the backdrop of P.Y.F, Amor channels a common feeling of disillusionment that continues to define generations of young people aspiring for more than they are given. But her message is not one of hopelessness or lacking. As she continues through the journey her train of thought takes her on, Amor makes it clear that, despite everything, she is in control, brazenly questioning on Odogwu Freestyle, ‘How can I fear what I can scatter?’ The confidence in her ability to master her environment emboldens her to the point where she can bestow a title such as ‘Odogwu’ (a title alluding to ‘greatness’ in the Nigerian Igbo language) upon herself freely.

Amor’s floetic rhyming ability had been apparent long before this record. Freestyles on platforms like Boiler Room and Rap in Paper have allowed her to flex her penwomanship and established her as an esteemed lyricist. On ‘Government Tropicana,’ we begin to witness the artist's versatility, delicately translated through a varied palette of beats and  subtle changes in delivery. Amor pairs her faint, praise-like vocals with dreamy keys on 100 Angels to create an ethereal sounding piece. Despite it being one of her only fully-sung tracks, it’s a side of the artist that doesn’t feel out of place with the sound she came up on. The woozy R&B cut Moesh emerges as a stand-out. A stellar Lo-Wu production, which feels like it was lifted from an old Timbaland hard drive, with its skippy drum pattern and rising synths, provides the perfect template for Amor to deliver her sparsely sung vocals. The tightly delivered guest verse from Dips is a big change of vibe, yet exists in synergy with Amor’s offering. Her holistic approach on this record allows her to shine on any type of beat; the jazzy Seinna-produced cut Bones sees the artist sit comfortably in the pockets created by the steady percussion. If Amor’s beat selection on this project is anything to go by, we can expect even more experimentation with her sound in the future.

‘Government Tropicana’ is a tidy introduction to Lex Amor, providing the artist with a solid foundation for new listeners to get to grips with her sound. Existing fans will find comfort in the familiarity of her free-flowing bars, but it is the variety in production of this project that will make the new listener sit up and take it in for the well-balanced effort that it is.

It feels polished, yet doesn’t stray too far from the raw, heartfelt raps that built her a cult following. As she continues to ‘gather up believers,’ the North London rapper can proceed with the knowledge that she has delivered a more than solid debut”.

It is worth seeing where Lex Amor came from and where her creative path started. Apologies if there is any repetition regarding facts and biography. Key Lime Blog spoke with Lex Amor earlier in the year. It seems the spark – regarding music and poetry – was lit when she attended university:

“Lex Amor’s introduction to music started in 2012 at university, surrounded by a creative community of poets and graphic designers, where the former Young Peoples’ Poet Laureate, Caleb Femi, signed her up for a collaborative event with the Gospel Choir. Until that point, Lex had run a blog where she wrote bits of poetry and anecdotes, none of which had been intended to be performed live, until her unpaid commission for UNITE, where she read a joint poem with her friend Ebony. In the midst of creatives of all disciplines and genres, Lex developed her passion for music as a listener, always receiving encouragement from those around her to take the leap into making music herself.

‘There was something about that moment early doors that I thought was special and just felt natural to me and natural to my spirit and after that I was just going to little poetry gigs and stuff like that, doing a couple poems here and there.’

In the summer of 2014, Lex and some creatives started the SXWKS Collective. The purpose of the project was to meet up every day, to talk, inspire, write, create and dream and by the end of it, put on a showcase of the work that was made. This was Lex’s first venture into music, blending her growing poetic voice with a new musical impetus.

‘The thing about music and rap is that it is so complex and when you want to enter a particular role you have to have enough respect for it to learn it, to study it and the transition from poetry to rap wasn’t seamless. Rap is its own distinct creative means of output, it’s not something you can just jump into… If I think back to my earlier bars, they were so cryptic and wordy and lofty and I feel like around 2016/17 was when I started coming into myself and started finding ways to express things with a natural cadence, very basic wording, and still be able to get a message across. [I started] to find the balance between being understood and being felt.’

The legacy of Lex’s poetry can be heard all over her writing; everything from the density in her lines, the repeated emphases on ‘100 Angels’ to the specific phrasings on ‘341 Freestyle’ is all indicative of an ear for poetics. There will always be a musicality in poetry but ‘rap’ as a form and a discipline in of itself presented a different challenge for Lex. It wasn’t enough to put words to music, there had to be a change in the writing process to make sure that the words had respect for the musical accompaniment or beat. It was in these early years, 2014-16, when Lex was an avid consumer of music listening to Ghostpoet and Hawk House, that she was inspired by the bourgeoning London sound, incorporating elements of jazz, traditional Hip Hop, grime and electronic music. In these years, Lex patiently worked on her craft, stopping occasionally when she came upon something good enough to release.

‘I started ‘rapping’ in 2014 but I didn’t release my first song until October 2016. After that song, I released maybe three or four more and I dropped the project and now we’re here. So, the road hasn’t been full of loads of drops and loads of musical output, the reality is along the road I’ve really been learning how to make music, learning how to make a song and then maybe catching one in between that process.’

This process of learning demanded patience, something which Lex admits she struggled with when she started out and something which still to this day is developing. Learning to make music wasn’t simply about understanding how to write a verse, how to write a hook, how to take care of your voice, how to mix, how to source your equipment. It was about what she had to prove and how to get closer and closer to her creative vision whilst understanding that the struggle to get better is simply part of the growing pains. Lex is too modest to say that she is an engineer but the years she spent producing for other artists, learning how to mix and developing her own unique musical voice have made her the complete artist. It is something she has always imparted to younger generations of artists: ‘learn how to mix!’ Even now, with a solid foundation of skill and success, Lex still feels she has so much more to achieve in getting proximity to her creative vision.

 ‘It’s like stumbling forwards, every single time you drop to the floor, when you get up you are further than you were when you dropped.’

And those years of strength and conditioning have paid off with Lex releasing her debut mixtape, Government Tropicana, to wide critical acclaim even in the middle of a pandemic. In her own words, ‘this project is a celebration of collective cultural norms and an exploration of my life to this point.’ There’s a tendency to look back on Government Tropicana with the vivid warmth of nostalgia and something which mirrors in Lex’s life. Speaking about some of the lessons she’s learnt over the past couple of years, Lex explains the importance of gratitude and self-love in a society that pressures us to justify our existence with output,

‘Unfortunately, we forget that to wake up, to exist, to breathe, to take in the world, to go outside, to take in the air, to contribute to the ecosystem of the world is enough, is valuable…’

Although the pandemic has caused worldwide mortality, financial strain and exacerbated issues around mental health, 2020 proved to be a highly successful year for Lex Amor with the North-London born artist releasing a project, performing on the Colors platform, gaining an international audience and expanding her creative community to include some of her musical idols. Today, Lex is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ego Ella May, Kojey Radical, Ghostpoet, artists from similar communities she grew up in, who she has long admired. It is no secret that Lex’s two biggest musical loves have been Ego and Ghostpoet and having them as collaborators and friends has impacted her both musically and in a business sense. Now, when Lex needs advice she has a community of experienced artists who are graceful with their time to help her make the best moves. The power of the collective, the confidence that it brings has been invaluable. In some ways, Lex felt that the unyielding flurry of great opportunities and milestones stole the appreciation she had for the hard work it took to get to this point.

‘… it was a crazy year but what it did do is that it stole my gratitude because things were just happening and I was just floating through everything that was happening.’

The more Lex talks, the more she begins to disassociate, creating compartmentalised versions of her past and future self. This is how she maintains her gratitude, reminding herself of how far she has come as an artist,

Shedding the burden of aspiration is not short work and Lex Amor stands as an inspiration to up and coming artists trying to find their voice. She is herself a writer, producer, rapper, poet, she has hosted radio shows and has a platform where she brings together interdisciplinary artists. In the years she has patiently worked on her craft and built a supportive artistic community, Lex Amor has become one of the most exciting voices to emerge in recent times with a promising career on the horizon. In the many conversations over the past hour, Lex comments on the things that inspire her art. When the subject moves into philosophy she continues to press the importance of discovery, asking questions and never being satisfied with the answers before concluding ‘you can’t get everybody in the world to believe in one universal truth, I find that so fascinating.’ This tension drives her art, propelling her to find new solutions, new ideas but always remaining honest to herself. Looking ahead to the future, Lex is excited by the prospect of making new music about how much has changed in her life since she wrote the ‘foundational’ tracks for Government Tropicana. Lex Amor is ‘the truth’. Her music is part of a lineage of voice that crosses genre, widens the realm of experience and demands your undivided attention with every syllable. Lex Amor is resistance personified, free of bravado, finding strength in vulnerability. If her debut is anything to go by then I can’t wait to see the music ‘future Lex’ is making”.

Government Tropicana is an amazing debut! She has released (or appeared on) singles since. I wonder whether there will be another album next year - though that question sort of gets answered a bit later on. Right now, Lex Amor is turning heads and being talked about as a name to watch. I can agree with that! PAM sat down with Amor last year. She discusses her debut album, how it was recorded; what she especially loves about music, in addition to what the collaborative project Extra Soul Perception means to her:

“When Lex Amor performs, the rest stay quiet. The walls fall and suddenly, a certain vulnerability sets in. Somewhere between rap and poetry, the Londoner takes stock of her life by whispering introspective verses on the nine songs that make up her first album, Government Tropicana. “It’s a 100% DIY album,” she explains, surprisingly. “Most of the songs were recorded in my bedroom and produced by my friends. There was no kind of external help or assistance, it’s very homegrown, and I think it’s representative of this time.” Despite the rudimentary aspect of its genesis, Government Tropicana sounds like one of the best hip-hop albums of the year.

A member of the cast within the collaborative project Extra Soul Perception — which PAM got to know  here — Lex Amor considers this band of ephemeral artists as a “family, a community with collective reason and creativity.” ESP has left positive after-effects on the artist, freeing her from her chains: “ESP is an open plan,” she continues, “with these different voices and experiences, the music needed to be given space to be able to flourish, it was very impactful for me.”

Traveling from one home studio to another while writing lyrics on the road, Lex Amor is finally ready to deliver a slice of her musical journey and her current state of mind. Floating on the music thanks to her disarming  charisma, she has surrounded herself with talented friends and family on a few verses, and enhanced the flow with smooth production. “One thing I do love about music is the community, the family who supports me,” she says. “I mean, it was not even a case of choosing people, these are people I make music with, people I’m around. We were in the studio, we made songs and it happens that these songs are in this project, it was me and my friends, organic vibes and music. These are people I respect highly, friends first, but I am also a fan of their work, collectively and individually.”

Behind the sensitive UK garage vibe of “Moesh,” the poignant “Plant Your Feet” or the shiver-inducing, magnificent “100 Angels,” lies her life story, which she relates through an early generation of black workers that came to work in London. “The first thing that comes to my mind is the multiplicity of communities I was surrounded by while I was growing up,” she says. “That kind of exposure determined how I speak, how I think, and how I navigate my own journey. I feel very blessed that I grew up around many different cultures and it formed a lot of what I’ve become and is now exploding in this project.” Lex Amor surveils her own evolution in a cosmopolitan capital, far from her roots, which she sometimes honors by singing in Igbo, the language and dialect of eastern Nigeria. An absolute revelation, Government Tropicana is a 30-minute masterpiece that resounds with confidence, disarming the listener while pulling them in …”

I am going to finish off with a recent interview with The Face. They spoke with Amor about her work last week. We get word that, although the new single, Rocks, is separate from her debut album, there is more work on its way:

“It’s been a big year for rapper, DJ and producer Lex Amor. Her 2020 debut album, Government Tropicana, helped establish the North Londoner as one of the city’s most introspective and intelligent lyricists. Filled with levity, mellow, sometimes somber beats and home truths about working class life, she describes working on the project as a purge of sorts.

“It was like I’d given context to my lived experience and could reflect on who I am and what I do now – my struggles, vulnerabilities, relationships, all that kind of stuff,” she says. ​“Government Tropicana was a bit of a concept for me. I was almost trying to justify my birth to the ages of 15 to 20-years-old, the nostalgia of that, all the things about the city and my experiences that make me, me.”

On Thursday, Amor released her low-key new single, Rocks. Written off the back of Tropicana, and following the deeply moving, poetic sound Amor has established so far, the track is a soulful meditation on how to dream big, even when you’re constrained by the monotonous routine of daily life.

 “After the shit that was 2020, I felt like there was a really urgent need for us, myself in particular and the people around me, to find values and freedom outside of our current circumstances, to navigate life in a different way,” Amor continues. ​“This song was an attempt at reconciling that – renegotiating our personal safeties in ways we haven’t been challenged to before, when human beings sometimes unwillingly submit to rules without thinking about our dreams.”

In the accompanying music video, directed by Tyrus Hill, Amor sits in a confessional as she delivers sharp lyrics over an emotive instrumental: ​“Don’t put me in your list, it’s cool/​I was never the littest in school, I just/​I just knew I had a thing for them 110’s/I had them crep before a ting to prove, she raps in her characteristically soothing tone”.

While Rocks is a separate release from Amor’s upcoming album, rest assured that a fresh body of work is on its way. With hopes for an early 2022 release, she explains it’ll be a continuation of the musical and emotional themes explored so far: ​“The basic premise of it is for me to articulate the human experience that binds us all together, and to create some meaning in the music.”

In the meantime, hit replay on Rocks and get your 100% fill on Lex Amor below, from her knack for making pancakes to that one time a fan tried to gift her their cat – true story.

10% Where were you born, where were you raised and where are you now based?

I was born, raised and I’m currently based in North East London. That’s me, that’s my story. I’m a North London babe through and through.

20% What kind of emotions and experiences influence your work?

I feel like there are particular emotions that are at the core of every reaction, every behavioural change: love, rage, confusion. I try to explore all of these basic presets and find context as to why they come up when they do. My experience of being from London, first generation [British-Nigerian], working class, navigating the city with dreams and ideas, exploring what makes you want things. All this stuff I’m taking in both consciously and subconsciously, the people around me and the various paths we’ve all taken and why. I’m always trying to understand why I do what I do and unpick how I move now, as an adult, how I have conversations. I want to read into humanity. The more you live, the more perspective you have.

70% You rule the world for a day. What went down?

I would cancel all student loan debt, bring down house prices and make them cost about £5,000, every single house, maybe for a couple days. I’d make all food in the shops free, bring back the Night Tube and outlaw all forms of politics. Anarchy gets a bad rap – it’s not just lawlessness, it’s about devolving power and ensuring that communities have a way of determining how money is spent. It would be great to create micro-structures where community leaders are able to distribute funds more effectively, like a decentralised power structure”.

One of the capital’s most impressive young artists, I am looking forward to seeing what we get next from the incredible Lex Amor. Rocks is a song that is still in my head. I love her debut album and everything she has put out so far! Throw your support behind her music. As we end a rather tense and bleak year, we are lucky to have the likes of Lex Amor…

PRODUCING such great music.

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Follow Lex Amor

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/lexysaluteme

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LexAmor_

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/LexAmor/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmP8ESDmMreTB9zLfnoNdIA

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0IKVDL3N8vpYgeNOV6np14?si=GMjRDMlOSBqi4nb5c8bDrg

Bandcamp:

https://lexamor.bandcamp.com/

FEATURE: Second Spin: The Chemical Brothers - We Are the Night

FEATURE:

 

 

Second Spin

The Chemical Brothers - We Are the Night

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FOLLOWING the terrific…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Simon King/Redferns

Push the Button of 2005, The Chemical Brothers released We Are the Night in 2007. By this stage, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons’ albums were starting to divide critics. Look at their triumphant first three albums: 1995’s Exit Planet Dust, 1997’s Dig Your Own Hole and 1999’s Surrender. It is clear that The Chemical Brothers ruled the late-1990s! Their Big Beat and Electronica blends definitely ignited club-goers and impressed critics. Maybe something had been lost as they headed into a new century. I think that their sixth album, We Are the Night, has highlights and strengths. It got a few positive reviews in 2007, though many were quite mixed. The sense that The Chemical Brothers lacked the punch and inventiveness that made their 1990s work stand out. The duo has since released albums that have won critics and done really well (their most-recent album, 2019’s No Geography, got good reviews). I feel people should give this album more time and love. There are a few average tracks. Cuts like Do It Again and The Salmon Dance are amazing. I think people need to give the album a proper listen. I can appreciate why diehards fans of The Chemical Brothers felt We Are the Night was not up there with their best. Rather than it being about the noise and hitting the gut, The Chemical Brothers were focusing more on melody.

I want to highlight a couple of reviews to show what critics have said about this album. In their review, this is what AllMusic offered:

 “The Chemical Brothers never stopped being great producers, but during some of their ho-hum full-lengths of the early 2000s, they relied too much on production skills and forgot what they were first known for: innovative sounds and great hooks. (It's hard to deny that their comparatively sleek psychedelic house was a far cry from the big-beat bombast and excitement of their first two LPs.) Unfortunately, We Are the Night is no departure, although it does reveal Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons showing some build-to-suit character instead of angling for the straitjacket-tight and over-serious dance music of their past ten years. The first half of the record, including the single "Do It Again" (unconsciously ironic title?), is no better nor worse than most of what the Chemical Brothers produced between 1998 and 2007, but beginning with a diverting little electro noodling called "Das Spiegel," it becomes clear that there's a little more going on here. Hip-hop's favorite toker, Fatlip, stops by to relate an odd tale about fish ("The Salmon Dance"), "A Modern Midnight Conversation" dabbles in Italo-disco (but gets most of its flavor from a sample), and the duo stretch out (slightly) for the creepy four-four crawl "Battle Scars" with neo-folkie Willy Mason. The Chemical Brothers have occasionally shrouded their more interesting productions until the second half of their LPs, but something else is obviously needed”.

In another review, the BBC seemed disappointed by a duo who, years previously, were masters of their craft and winning adoring reviews all over the place:

“Listening to the latest Chemical Brothers album is a dispiriting experience not a million miles from following the fortunes of England’s national football team.

Watching England play used to be exciting and rewarding. Punters could be assured of high standards and were almost always certain there were moments of brilliance on the way. Now everyone else has caught up but England haven’t improved.

The Chems have influenced massive swathes of modern music and particularly the UK’s dance scene, but now it’s difficult to be anything but apathetic.

Pop down the shop for a pie and you’ll practically get knocked over by a beat and bass disciple running back to their studio to work on a new loop. Simian, Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal and Groove Armada are all churning out high quality albums right across the genre and that’s before factoring in the likes of New Young Pony Club who straddle the indie/dance divide.

This being Tom and Ed Chemical (their real surnames are far too dull), WATN is not an unmitigated disaster.

The title track remarkably sounds like stars exploding and towards the end of the record are three ace tunes in a row. "Burst Generator", where synths explode into coruscating My Bloody Valentine waves of sound, is clearly this LP’s answer to "The Sunshine Underground" from the duo’s far superior Surrender album. But it remains to be seen if a band will name themselves after …"Generator".

Immediately after this "A Modern Midnight Conversation" is much better than its shocking sixth-form art project title suggests and is almost 2007’s "I Feel Love". Giorgio Moroder would surely love the bassline. Finally, "Battle Scars" is a pleasing set of aural contrasts with gentle piano samples working well with a spoken poem and crisp breakbeats.

This top trio aside, WATN is something of an embarrassment for a pair that were masters of their art. Klaxons collaboration "All Rights Reversed" takes the worst of both bands and shunts them together, "Do It Again" is a sexless and joyless Kelis parody, "The Salmon Dance" is only slightly less annoying than getting hit by one in the face and "Saturated" is the sort of timid trance-edged guff that gives deep house a bad name”.

I am going to wrap up soon. Whilst We Are the Night is not my favourite album from The Chemical Brothers, I do feel that it was unfairly judged when it came out. Too many critics comparing it with their classic work, rather than accepting the evolution and changes that needed to come in. If you have some time, sit down with We Are the Night and explore and album by The Chemical Brothers…

THAT remains underrated.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: A Spooky Halloween Mix

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

PHOTO CREDIT: Paige Cody/Unsplash 

A Spooky Halloween Mix

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BECAUSE it is Halloween today…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Colton Sturgeon/Unsplash

I had to assemble an appropriate playlist. Things will be different this evening in terms of trick and treating. Maybe not quite as common as a couple of years back, there is still a lot of Halloween ephemera and decoration around. I have heard some Halloween-inspired songs on the radio recently. There are some great tracks that are perfect for a special Halloween mix. Because of that, the Lockdown Playlist below contains songs that are either spooky, ghoulish, or they nod to Halloween in some form or the other. Whether you are throwing yourself into Halloween or are taking a more relaxed approach, the songs below are definitely going to get you into the spirit. Immerse yourself in all things dark, spooky and Halloween-y with…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Luke Southern/Unsplash

SOME awesome tracks.

FEATURE: The Case of Wuthering Heights and a New Vocal: Kate Bush’s The Whole Story at Thirty-Five

FEATURE:

 

 

The Case of Wuthering Heights and a New Vocal

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in an outtake from The Whole Story shoot/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush  

Kate Bush’s The Whole Story at Thirty-Five

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I am going to start with…

the album broadly before moving on to the case of Wuthering Heights. Turning thirty-five on 10th November, The Whole Story was the first greatest hits collection for Kate Bush. There had been The Single File of 1983. That was a collection of her singles that, whilst you can technically think of it as a greatest hits package, I don’t feel that was what it was marketed as. A collection of Bush’s music videos, the original U.K. version of Wuthering Heights was on that release. My first exposure of Kate Bush was the VHS of The Whole Story. I think, seeing her videos rather than hearing the music first, gave me a bigger hit and greater impression of her talent. That visual aspect was key. Before moving to a bit about Wuthering Heights, the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia gives some details regarding The Whole Story:

“The album was released on LP, CD, tape and - in 1998 - on Minidisc. The LP came in a gatefold sleeve.

A 180 gram vinyl edition was released by Simply Vinyl on 30 October 2000.

In 2005, a so-called 'mini LP replica' version was released on CD in Japan.

There was also a video version of 'The Whole Story', released on VHS video and Laserdisc, containing the videos for all the tracks, plus one bonus video: The Big Sky. A Video CD version was released a few years later, entitled The Whole Story '94.

Critical reception

Roger Holland in Sounds (UK): "Over the last nine years and five albums, Kate Bush (...) has matured into quite the most sensual, expressive, and creative artist this country can now boast". Colin Irwin, Melody Maker (UK): "This glorious retrospective collection... she's playing a high-risk game, and more often than not her irrepressible flair, her instinct for a hook, and her gift for unusual and gripping arrangements carry her through." John McReady, NME (UK): "More useful and more enjoyable than the constipated jangling of a hundred and one little lads with big mouths and even bigger clothes allowances. Such people are not worth a carrot. Meat or no meat, Kate Bush is streets ahead." Andy Strickland, Record Mirror (UK): "A monumental tribute to this craziest, coziest girl-next-door. (...) One of the most refreshing compilation LPs it would be possible to put together."

Kate about 'The Whole Story'

Yes, I was [against the release of a compilation album] at first. I was concerned that it would be like a "K-tel" record, a cheapo-compo with little thought behind it. It was the record company's decision, and I didn't mind as long as it was well put together. We put a lot of work into the packaging, trying to make it look tasteful, and carefully thought out the running order. And the response has been phenomenal - I'm amazed! (Kate Bush Club newsletter, Issue 22, December 1987)

It wasn't chronological because we wanted to have a running time that was equal on both sides, otherwise you get a bad pressing. In America, where I'm not very well known, they didn't realise it was a compilation! ('Love, Trust and Hitler'. Tracks (UK), November 1989)”.

I have written about The Whole Story a few times. I have not really focused too much on the new vocal that Bush recorded for Wuthering Heights in 1986. Then, she would have been about twenty-seven/twenty-eight. The original, for her debut album, The Kick Inside, was recorded when she was eighteen. The reasoning behind doing a new vocal for her greatest hits collection, I guess, was her putting a modern take on her best-known song. Her debut single, she wanted to give the song a womanlier take. The vocal for the original is higher-pitched and teenage. Perhaps feeling the track was a bit too immature or strange the first time around, the 1986 version is sort of similar - but there is a distinct difference in terms of the pace of the vocal. This is something that has split critics through the years. When singling out her number-one track in previous features, I have looked at the original and what it means. Watching the video on The Whole Story when I was a child means that the original is favourite and the one I recall fondly. I am not against the re-recorded vocal, though I think the original was flawless.

I have touched on this before. From Bush’s perspective, I feel she distanced herself slightly from her first couple of albums. The vocal on Wuthering Heights was an effect that she did to make it sound more ghostly and dramatic. Wanting to calm things down and put a slightly deeper vocal on the song, one can forgive that decision (and the original is always available). I wonder whether I would have had the same fascination with Wuthering Heights and Kate Bush if my first experience had been with that new vocal. Maybe not. I reckon there could have been a place on The Whole Story for both versions of Wuthering Heights. The 1978 original is so iconic, it did seem a little strange to put the new version on. I do like both versions. I just feel the original carries something extra in terms of beauty and power. I wonder whether, nearly thirty-five years since The Whole Story came out, Kate Bush would ever think about doing a new version of Wuthering Heights. A now-Bush recording the song would sound fascinating! I would urge people to go and listen to The Whole Story and see, by 1986, what a collection of awesome songs Bush had released1 Three is no doubting the importance of Wuthering Heights. Its vide opened my eyes and ears to an artist that is very important in my life. I have warmed more to the new vocal recording of the song. It has its strengths. The fact she did it at all means she knows how important the song is. She has affection for it but wanted it to sound more like her in 1986 than the teenage self of 1978. A happy thirty-fifth anniversary to The Whole Story on 10th November. Fans and critics have been divided since 1986 as to whether such a huge song sounded better originally or with a new vocal. To me, nothing can beat the spine-tingling version of Wuthering Heights…

FROM The Kick Inside.

FEATURE: Groovelines: Adam and the Ants - Prince Charming

FEATURE:

 

 

Groovelines

Adam and the Ants - Prince Charming

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THIS might be the first time…

that I have included Adam and the Ants on my blog. If I have, I definitely do not feature them often enough! I want to spotlight Prince Charming for this Groovelines. Undoubtedly one of the best-loved songs, it was released in September 1981. Written by Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni, and featuring on the Prince Charming album, it was Adam and the Ants' second number-one single (after Stand and Deliver earlier in the year) in a row. It was the fifth-biggest hit of 1981. I love Adam and the Ants and, between this song and Stand and Deliver (which is from the same album), it is impossible to dislike them! I have been listening to songs like Prince Charming since I was a child in the 1980s. I think the music still sounds so fresh and exciting! Nothing like Adam and the Ants exists today. There will be debate among fans as to which of their songs is best though, for me, Prince Charming is the standout song. Its sense of flamboyance, drama and excitement is electric! I want to bring in a couple of features which discuss the legacy and importance of Prince Charming. In a Classic Pop article from earlier in the year, producer Merrick/Chris Hughes (who produced the Prince Charming album and drummed under the Merrick moniker) reflected on a very special time for the band:

“Although the Ants split shortly after touring Prince Charming, by 1981 they were the biggest deal in town. Everything Adam Ant had dreamed of when turning his band from the arty punks of 1979’s Dirk Wears White Sox into proper pop stars had been achieved at an incredible speed.

If it’s hard to imagine a similar career progression now, it was just as unlikely in 1981. Even David Bowie needed a few years before and after Space Oddity to get it together.

For Chris, it was the intense bond between Adam and his writing partner/co-conspirator Marco Pirroni that propelled them onto the nation’s bedroom walls.

“Adam and Marco’s belief that the Ants would happen was very powerful and prevalent,” recalls Chris from his home studio near Bath. “They were like Mick‘n’Keith, those two. They were unbreakable and totally held up each other’s opinion. Adam and Marco were so tight you couldn’t pick either of them off, and their forward motion was unstoppable. It was ‘Yeah, I want this and I’m going to get this’ all the time.”

The unbeatable singles Stand And Deliver and Prince Charming were exactly what was needed to seal the Ants’ regal period as perfect colourful pop stars. Chris, albeit under his nickname, was cemented in 80s folklore in the chorus of Ant Rap”.

It must have been amazing being in Adam and the Ants and producing an album like Prince Charming. The thrill and catchiness of the title track is insatiable. It is a shame that the band would split so soon after Prince Charming was released. I look back at the very best music from the late-1970s/early-‘80s and Adam and the Ants ruled. 1980’s Kings of the Wild Frontier must go down as one of the best albums ever! One could still hear a real spark on 1981’s Prince Charming.

I am going to round things off soon enough. I want to source Louder Than War. They revisited the Prince Charming album back in February. They remarked how Prince Charming was different from Kings of the Wild Frontier:

“On release, Prince Charming was a big hit slamming into the charts at number 2 but compared the astonishing success of the number one for months of the Kings Of The Wild Frontier album it felt like a flat success, the reviews were lukewarm and the band’s younger fan base were starting to move on to less interesting pop pastures. There was still enough petrol in the tank though to propel the band’s to two preceding single releases and album cuts to massive number hits with Prince Charming and Stand And Deliver but the album has spent years being looked on as a disappointment.

The pop genius of Adam was still there though and years later like a team of archeologists discovering a golden city under the ruins of a rubbled ancient settlement decades later we find an album that is as bizarre, brilliant and beautiful as Kings.

Prince Charming has moved on from Kings whilst retaining some of its hallmarks. It’s full of odd rhythms, strange songs and a perfect art-house pop that needs to be celebrated and makes it one of the great lost albums of the period despite its then big chart status.

We have already the staggering moment when Adam And the Ants went from underground freaks to mainstream Antmania and it was always going to be difficult to replicate that shock of the new value.

It’s still quite staggering how such a strange band managed to turn themselves into pure pop with a thrilling dark undertow, sex and an art school obliqueness. That whiff of cordite danger is what makes the greatest of great pop and Adam understood that and that fine line between the weird and the toppermost of the poppermost has stood his music in good stead for decades.

The narrative is now set in stone…his debut Dirk album was a monochromatic cult oddity beloved by his kung fu slippered Ant fans and the remnants of the freak fierce punk scene who gathered around the band after the Sex Pistols imploded.

Adam was the sound of the early punk squats and the freak scenes up and down the UK – those strange post-punk dark disco songs of sex and violence and post-modernism were perfect for the time. His breakthrough album Kings Of The Wild Frontier was a glorious technicolor masterpiece that was the gateway album for a whole new generation of fans.

In that early eighties pomp Adam, like Bowie, was the gateway artist who opened the doors for all kind of underground artists, musicians and authors that Adam was referencing. Goth would never have been as big with Adam or even industrial and even Britpop and beyond with many of the later generations of musicians retaining a huge affection for him. Dealing his fantastical pop and an esoteric culture hinterland he took his fans on a trip. Kings was huge and it glorious Burundi pop was carved into shape by his band of merry like the wonderful Marco and into one of the great British pop records.

Where do you go from there? Prince Charming was the swift follow-up after the brief regal reign of the banD and is yet another gem that needs revisiting. If it lacks those thrilling Burundi drums of songs like Kings Of The Wild Frontier and Dog Eat Dog off the preceding album it was because it had moved on into yet another brave and exotically strange collection of rhythmical pop perfection”.

I will finish off here. Forty years after this remarkable song came out, Prince Charming has lost none of its dandy swagger! It is a song that has influenced so many artists. Bands like Nine Inch Nails are inspired by Adam and the Ants. I feel the impact and relevance of songs like Prince Charming will reverberate for decades to come. If you have not played this song in a while and need a lift, what better time than to spin…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Scope Features

THE remarkable Prince Charming?!

FEATURE: I'm Not a Pandora: Kate Bush’s Suspended in Gaffa

FEATURE:

 

 

I'm Not a Pandora

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush with her mother, Hannah, in the video for Suspended in Gaffa 

Kate Bush’s Suspended in Gaffa

___________

THE last time that…

I spent some time with Suspended in Gaffa, it was late last year when I was writing about it being released as a single. Part of Kate Bush’s The Dreaming, there was this case of releasing two very different songs as singles in different parts of the world. There Goes a Tenner was a disaster when it was released as a U.K. single. In Continental Europe and Australia, Bush put out Suspended in Gaffa. I can understand why There Goes a Tenner was seen as a single. I am surprised that it did not do better in the U.K. – maybe the unconventional nature and sound of the song (it not being commercial) put people off. After the equally different and unique The Dreaming, another track that was far from the mainstream might have contributed to a lowly chart performance. I think that, instead, Suspended in Gaffa should have been released as a single in the U.K. too, to be followed by another song, Get Out of My House, as a single in other parts of the world. I think that Suspended in Gaffa would have been more successful in the U.K. than in Europe (where it didn’t do overly-well), where Get Out of My House has that urgency and atmosphere that would have resulted in a bigger impact on the charts. As Suspended in Gaffa turns thirty-nine on 2nd November, I wanted to come back to it. It has beautiful musicianship from Bush, Del Palmer, Stuart Elliott, Paddy Bush and Dave Lawson. Kate’s mum, Hannah, also appears in the song’s video!

There are some Bush anniversaries I am overlooking so that I do not post too much – such as writing about The Sensual World’s thirty-second anniversary recently -, but I am fascinated by The Dreaming and the sheer variety of sounds and sights throughout. Suspended in Gaffa is one of the underrated gems that should have been given a wider release as a single. In terms of its inspiration, the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia  quotes interviews where Bush discussed the song and what compelled it:

“Whenever I've sung this song I've hoped that my breath would hold out for the first few phrases, as there is no gap to breathe in. When I wrote this track the words came at the same time, and this is one of the few songs where the lyrics were complete at such an early stage. The idea of the song is that of being given a glimpse of 'God' - something that we dearly want - but being told that unless we work for it, we will never see it again, and even then, we might not be worthy of it. Of course, everybody wants the reward without the toil, so people try to find a way out of the hard work, still hoping to claim the prize, but such is not the case. The choruses are meant to express the feeling of entering timelessness as you become ready for the experience, but only when you are ready. (Kate Bush Club newsletter, October 1982)

I could explain some of it, if you want me to: Suspended in Gaffa is reasonably autobiographical, which most of my songs aren’t.  It’s about seeing something that you want–on any level–and not being able to get that thing unless you work hard and in the right way towards it. When I do that I become aware of so many obstacles, and then I want the thing without the work. And then when you achieve it you enter…a different level–everything will slightly change. It’s like going into a time warp which otherwise wouldn’t have existed. (Richard Cook, 'My music sophisticated?...'. NME (UK), October 1982)

'Suspended In Gaffa' is, I suppose, similar in some ways to 'Sat In Your Lap' - the idea of someone seeking something, wanting something. I was brought up as a Roman Catholic and had the imagery of purgatory and of the idea that when you were taken there that you would be given a glimpse of God and then you wouldn't see him again until you were let into heaven. And we were told that in Hell it was even worse because you got to see God but then you knew that you would never see him again. And it's sorta using that as the parallel. And the idea of seeing something incredibly beautiful, having a religious experience as such, but not being able to get back there. And it was playing musically with the idea of the verses being sorta real time and someone happily jumping through life [Makes happy motion with head] and then you hit the chorus and it like everything sorta goes into slow mo and they're reaching [Makes slow reaching motion with arm] for that thing that they want and they can't get there. [Laughs] (Interview for MTV, November 1985)”.

Ahead of the anniversary of There Goes a Tenner and Suspended in Gaffa being released as singles – do artists put out different singles for different continents these days?! -, I was eager to spotlight a song that I don’t think gets a lot of radio focus. Suspended in Gaffa boasts some of Bush’s finest lyrics. Right from the off, we are entranced and spellbound: “Out in the garden/There's half of a heaven/And we're only bluffing/We're not ones for busting through walls…”. The moment in the video where Bush is comforted by her mother is really touching. The production and performance on the song is phenomenal! Perhaps a little too deep and serious for single-buyers in 1982, the song sort of got overlooked. The Dreaming was not an album that boasted a lot of obvious singles and enjoyed great chart success (that was rectified on 1985’s Hounds of Love, where Bush released hugely popular songs like Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) and Cloudbusting). I love Suspended in Gaffa and hope that people who have not heard it before spend some time with it. Distinctly the work and sound of Kate Bush, it is one of the jewels of The Dreaming. Nearly thirty-nine after the song was released into the world (well, Europe and Australia), the charms of Suspended in Gaffa are still…

VERY much evident.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Flo Milli

FEATURE:

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Brandon Bowen 

Flo Milli

___________

ONE can say that…

PHOTO CREDIT: Joelle Grace Taylor

like some artists I have included in Spotlight, I am a tad late to the party again! Flo Milli is an artist with a massive fanbase. I am not sure whether she is as well-known in the U.K. as she is in the U.S. The Alabama-born twenty-year-old (whose real name is Tamia Monique Carter) is an artist with an incredible future. I am going to combine a few interviews, where we get a sense of who Flo Milli is and what her music is about. One of last year’s best releases was Ho, why is you here ? The mixtape is really incredible and hugely accomplished! Having released singles from the mixtape - and appearing on other artists’ songs since 2020 -, it has been a busy past year or so for Flo Milli. Before I come to some of the interview out there, it is worth highlighting a review for Ho, why is you here ? This is what Pitchfork observed when they sat down to review the mixtape:

“Her constant barbs are bolstered by her subtly spry cadences. Her flows are conversational and loose despite being strictly metered. The record is largely devoid of melody, but Flo Milli doesn’t need to sing to emote. She has an intuitive sense of when to throttle flows for emphasis, as on “Pussycat Doll,” which is full of tiny pauses that set up her punchlines. “Make a nigga blow a check on me/Save his number under ‘We gon see,’” she jokes. Her performance on “Weak,” a J White Did It production, is fleet and buoyant, flipping SWV’s “Weak” on its head yet preserving the song’s warmth. “These niggas weak/They been texting me all week/Just let me be,” Flo Milli huffs with exasperation.

The production isn’t always as spirited as Flo Milli’s performances. “Scuse Me” is an outright dud; it sounds like a parody of a JetsonMade beat and Flo Milli’s hook is uncharacteristically strained. Otherwise, a current of self-discovery runs through the beats. “Like That Bitch” and “Not Friendly” embrace the minimalism of snap music, which has long been a testing ground for experimenting with flows without sacrificing bounce. (Incidentally, “Not Friendly” interpolates Soulja Boy’s “Gucci Bandana.”) And the bouncy bass and bright keys on “In The Party” and “Send the Addy” evoke the charm of bubblegum trap, which tapped into the joy of a subgenre often characterized by stress and struggle.

There’s certainly a disparity between Flo Mill the cocksure persona and Flo Milli the budding artist, but even when Flo Milli is spitballing ideas trying to see what sticks, she’s a force of nature. She once described her catchphrase “Flo Milli shit” as the mantra for “My alter ego, which is what I am most of the time,” and Ho, why is you here ? sells that odd dynamic. She’s still figuring out her music, but she knows exactly what she wants it to be”.

The first interview that I want to bring in and mention is from VICE. They spoke with Flo Milli last year. Whilst her mixtape and music dominated and put her on the map, she didn’t expect that level of success and resonance:

“For the last three summers, women have dominated rap. In 2017, just when it seemed like "Bodak Yellow" was the biggest song of the season, Cardi B released Invasion of Privacy extending her reign another year. In 2018, the City Girls caused everyone to "Act Up," and last year was scorched by the warmth of Megan Thee Stallion's "Hot Girl Summer." Flo Milli, the ringleader of this summer, isn't a fast-talking rapper from a big city, and she isn't old enough to drink legally. But her bossy raps have permeated outside of her hometown of Mobile, Alabama, causing the world to latch on to her monstrous confidence, which she shamelessly plugs in ad-libs and song titles as "Flo Milli Shit.

"I really didn't expect all the attention [the mixtape] got," she tells me over a Google Hangout, batting eyelashes bigger than the animated personality that comes through on her records. We talk briefly about the industry's tendency to rally around women in rap while they're profitable, only to abandon them when they need support. She's still getting used to the fame but hopes that the Flo Milli Summer transitions seamlessly into a lifestyle. "I've had this dream since I was little, so for me, it's long term."

Over the last year, she released a string of loose songs that found popularity on TikTok with "Beef (FloMix)" and "In the Party," building anticipation for her debut mixtape Ho, Why Is You Here? Her mixtape cover is a modern take on 90s nostalgia: Her squat is a modest version of Lil Kim's 1996 album Hard Core, and she's dressed similar to Halle Berry's character in the film B.A.P.S., blonde wig and all.

Flo Milli's music straddles two worlds. Her tone is polite, with traces of southern hospitality, but her lyrics are Regina George-level petty. She flips beats from her male peers, as she did on the aforementioned singles, and puts her feminine touch on it, completely refreshing songs that once were associated with Playboi Carti ("Beef") and NLE Choppa ("In The Party"). Most importantly, Flo Milli's music finds her at the intersection of Gen Z and Millennials, using her beat selection and nods to pop culture as a bridge between two audiences.

The 20-year-old credits watching BET's video countdown show, 106 & Park, growing up as an inspiration for her rap ambitions. The show was a conduit for emerging talent and premiered in 2000, the same year Flo Milli, known to her inner circle as Tamia Carter, was born. She and the show grew in tandem, and at 11, she became enamored by the charismatic Queens rapper Nicki Minaj during her Pink Friday era. By the time she got to high school, 106 & Park's reign was over, but it wouldn't be long before she would embark on her own journey as an artist. But school wasn't exactly a fun time for the Mobile rapper.

"I could just tell girls didn't like me type shit," she says. Flo says she wasn't bullied, but teen drama kept her skin thick and her confidence high. It was the first iteration of the unshakeable confidence fans have come to love in her music. "I had to deal with that for four years," she says. "I kinda looked at school like jail. We're put into this jail, and we're here for years, and you just have to deal with it. [Rapping] became a coping mechanism, and I just started not giving a fuck”.

Coming to a great interview from REFINERY29 from earlier in the year, we discover more about her confidence and incredible talent. It was interesting reading about her childhood and what it was like for an aspiring musician in rural Alabama:

“Then, there was Flo Milli—skilled, irrefutable, and not one to f*ck with. Her confident take on Playboi Carti's "Beef" ("Beef FloMix") took TikTok by storm, leading up to the release of her landmark debut EP. The 12-track, 30-minute mixtape was featured in multiple Best of 2019 lists — including The New York Times, NPR, and Complex — and has racked up 500 million plus streams and video views across the world. “In The Party” is now RIAA gold certified. Flo was also nominated for Best New Artist at the 2019 BET Hip-Hop Awards. But while she may have gained momentum through viral fame, Flo quickly (and graciously) corrects me when I allude to her as an internet sensation.

“I never was a viral internet star. I just used my internet platform to my advantage, but I’ve always been an artist first,” she tells me. If anything, Flo considers, the attention she garnered through TikTok taught her how to use her social media platform to market herself as an artist. This skill would prove beneficial amidst a global pandemic, when many people were quarantined and scrolling on their phones at home. I ask her if she feels the circumstances of the pandemic slowed her down at all, if things ever became tough for her to navigate despite all her success. “The best thing to do in the music industry right now is to take advantage of your circumstances,” she says.

Born Tamia Monique Carter in 2000, Flo is part of the last in a generation of kids raised on MTV and BET, when music video countdowns still reigned over the airwaves. She cites shows like BET’s 106th & Park as inspiration. “I swore up and down I was gonna be number one on that top 10,” she says. “I swear I used to always say that.” The artists she was introduced to back then served as notable influences. “Nicki Minaj was somebody I was heavily inspired by watching her on 106th & Park. I thought [she] was dope,” she says. “Nicki was everywhere when I was growing up. She very much inspired me in my era and she still does.”

Flo says there weren’t many artists breaking from Alabama when she was growing up, though Rich Boy, whom she admires, immediately comes to my mind. When I mention him, I hear her voice brighten.“I still have mad respect for him for doing the things that he did do and getting the respect that he did get. That’s the only person I really knew. And then after that it was just kind of like, you know.” She pauses, and I feel like she may be taking a moment to reflect.

She remains short when I ask her about what her life was like when she was growing up, which doesn’t surprise me, since there isn’t much mention of her family life in her other interviews. But what she does share (she cites navigating a “rocky road,” alluding to an overcoming of odds) further solidifies her destiny to be where she is today. She performed at school talent shows, at restaurants, and even started her own rap group (Real & Beautiful, later renamed Pink Mafia). “[I did] anything I could do to get my name out there. It was really kind of like a little girl with a dream from a small town.”

Making it out of Mobile, AL is no easy feat, Flo shares with me. “I was the first girl out of Mobile. All the other rappers were boys.” Her story points to the trajectory of the hip-hop industry as a whole, in which male rappers are magnified while women are marginalised. “I think it’s very empowering to see women dominate a male sport.”

As a breakout star, Flo is as focused on being a source of inspiration for her fans as she is being a successful artist. But, as she’s noted in multiple interviews, she especially wants to be a champion for Black women—a crucial mission within an industry where misogynoir continues to leave Black women on the back burner. “I’ve always felt like a strong Black woman. We’ve always been the strongest even over time. We should just continue to know our power and our worth, and that’s what’s gonna allow us to stay strong.”

And in terms of keeping her momentum going, she has no worries.

“People fell in love with me because I was always myself, so I’m gonna continue to be myself and they’re gonna continue to love me. What’s for me is for me and what isn’t isn’t”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Munachi Osegbu

The reaction to Ho, why is you here ? was hugely positive and impassioned. The songs are so confident and stunning. One cannot casually listen to the mixtape or have it playing in the background: one needs to dedicate their full attention to a masterful work! CLASH echoed some of those sentiments when they interviewed Flo Milli in August:

“Following the release of her debut and critically acclaimed mixtape ‘Ho, Why Is You Here?’ last year, of which boasted 12 confidence-oozing tracks that at no moment presented any flash of self-doubt, set the female emcee up nicely as her brash persona took centre throughout. From the stand-out tracks ‘May I’ and anthemic hit ‘In The Party’, a song that brushes any form of hater to the side, “Yeah, dicks up when I step in the party / Yo' main dude wanna feel on my body / And if I take I him, bitch, I won't say I'm sorry” – it’s safe to say Flo Milli is the epitome of ‘bad b energy’.

Filled with controversial yet empowering statements from start to finish, it’s a bundle of riveting, raw, and addictive statements. When asked if there was anything – specifically - she wanted to push with this project Flo comments: “I wanted to emphasise having strength and a voice as a young female. I didn’t want to make everything about boys and instead learn to love yourself, and to love yourself no matter what. You can chase your dreams at a young age, and that’s what I wanted to put across to my listeners”.

Being in such a male dominated industry can be daunting to some female artists, especially if what you are putting out to the world is as raw and bold as ‘Ho, Why Is You Here?’; whether or not you’re anxious about how people will react, dropping something that authentically represents your true self can be overwhelming. Asked if she was ever apprehensive about dropping the mixtape, she confidently responds: “No, I never felt hesitant or apprehensive as to how people would take it because I’m unapologetically me every day of my life. That goes over into my music, I would never care what anybody else thinks… as long as I approve it, then that’s all that matters”.

Over time female empowerment has become more prevalent than ever, and it’s about time too. Each year more and more female rappers across the world are owning their power and strength and putting it on a pedestal for all to hear, whether you agree with it or not. However, most women in the industry are often looked at as competitors and not friends; in fact, some may see it as a threat when two or more strong women come together as one, and let’s be honest that sucks. What are the first things that come to mind when you think of female empowerment? Strength? Unity? Power? For Flo, it’s about uplifting each other. “The first thing that comes to my mind is Queen Latifah and being able to encourage each other, seeing each other’s light and acknowledging it”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Joelle Grace Taylor 

Surrounded by strong women her entire life and looking up to the likes of her mother, Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Beyoncé, Shakira, and Rihanna, it was inevitable that Flo’s confidence would shine through. For many young men and women, this isn’t always the case, and is something that can take years to build, so I was curious to know where she draws this energy from. “I’ve built strength over the years as a kid, and growing up around strong women, you have no choice but to be that way. If you don’t love yourself, then nobody will. I have always had that installed in my mind at a young age to always be strong, to be sure about myself, and love what I do. Being my biggest supporter has helped me believe in myself even more,” she says.

“My number one piece of advice would be to not compare yourself to others on social media,” she adds. “I know social media is a big thing in our generation and people of my age tend to do that, looking at whether the other person has more success than you do; I would say do not let that stop you. If anything, let that empower you to do better than your peers. A lot of people get discouraged and don’t pursue things because they aren’t good enough. As women we possess the ultimate superpower and create life! Everyone should always stick to their individuality and move at their own pace to the top”.

Before the end, there is a final interview that interested me. I have dropped in some songs/videos from Flo Milli. I would urge people to spend even longer checking out the work of one of the finest rappers on the planet. W Magazine posed to some questions to Flo Milli a few months back. There are a few questions that caught my eye:

“A certain audacity comes out in your music. Were you always like that?

I come from a household full of women. We used to argue a lot. When you’re around women all your life, you adapt to the attitudes. The energy I’m bringing is like, How dare you, because I’m that bitch. [Laughs] And it’s because I’ve always been around it. I had to be strong, because in high school, it was hard to accept that I had a lot of confidence—it would trigger people’s insecurities. But to me, I don’t give a fuck.

What was your original career plan?

It was always rapping, but I also wanted to act. Me and my older sister would rap in my room for fun. And of course, I grew up in a household where my mom loved music too, so it came natural to me. I was a big fan of Shakira. Gwen Stefani. Fergie. I did a talent show when I was 9 or 10, to “Fergalicious.” I was very much into that type of music—prissy, but still attitude-y.

Do you worry about being too pop, or do you not focus on genres?

I think about how I can reinvent myself, but I don’t box myself into one thing. It’s cool to try new things and see what my range is. I’m gonna always think about what I find good first. And if I like it, I know somebody else is gonna like it”.

I am going to end it there. The tremendous Flo Milli showcased her talent on Ho, why is you here ? The world will await to see where she goes next. Such is the quality and consistency of the music from female rappers this past few years, we have been treated to music of the highest order. In an exciting and growing sea of artists, Flo Milli is definitely making a name for herself. If you are unfamiliar with the buzz around her, correct that now and go to listen to…

HER incredible music.

____________

Follow Flo Milli

PHOTO CREDIT: Brandon Bowen 

Official:

https://www.flomilli.com/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/flomillishit

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/_FloMilli

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/FloMilliOfficial/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/08PvCOlef4xdOr20jFSTPd

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCylw9yLlhFVX_vIdjc6DjGQ

FEATURE: Spotlight: Tamera

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Morgann Eve Russell 

Tamera

___________

THERE are so many great artists…

I want to include in Spotlight in the coming weeks. If you look back at most of the recent editions, you will notice the majority of artists are women. I think that is because a lot of the most compelling music is being made by them – though I will include more men and male bands in future parts. Even though Tamera is not brand-new off of the block, she is a rising artist who is making some incredible music. Although she appeared on The X Factor back in 2013, Tamera has defied any expectations and stereotypes one would associate with talent show contestants. She is a young artist who is primed to do big things! I want to source a few interviews where we get to know from the London-based, Kent-born treasure. I shall come to 2021 interviews soon. Before that, PRS for MUSIC spotlighted a fascinating rising talent last year:

“Following on from her debut single Romeo and follow up Don’t Phone, Kent-born artist Tamera has released her third and most impressive offering yet, Flipside.

Speaking on the track, Tamera says: ‘Flipside is about having no energy to deal with relationship woes, reclining into procrastination and setting everything aside to deal with tomorrow, or else you might hurt someone’s feelings with an aggravated tongue.’

2020 will see the release of Tamera’s highly anticipated debut EP, so now’s the time to get to know her a bit better.

Read all about her.

Who?

Tamera.

What?

A rising R&B songstress with impeccable, sultry vocals who must not be slept on.

From where?

Gravesend, Kent.

What’s the story?

One of the UK’s most breathtaking new talents, Tamera’s her incredible vocal ability and penchant for relatable lyrics about life, love, finding her place in the world has earned her early fans across the board.

Tamera only has a handful of releases under her belt but has already been championed by tastemakers like Giles Peterson and DJ Target. Back in March, she played a sold-out debut performance show for Annie Mac Presents alongside Joy Crookes.

Sounds like?

Silky, seventies, neo-soul.

Predicted to?

Drop one of the smoothest EP’s of 2020.

Must hear?

Her latest single Flipside. Tune in below”.

There are a few, great more recent interviews that proudly highlight the talents and huge promise of Tamera. CHECK-OUT had a deep conversation for an artist who has a huge online following, yet her music is perhaps not as widely-known as it will be very soon:

“Tamera, hailing from Kent but having relocated to London four years ago, is one of the many hot new musical acts to hit our radar over the past few months. Applauded for her seductive R&B beats and teasing lyrics, Tamera’s music truly can transport you somewhere tranquil; her track Wickedest just makes you want to hop in a hammock and sway your troubles away. “Your secret's safe if I say so,” she practically coos in our ears.

Phoebe Shardlow: Do you remember the first song you ever made?

Tamera: Oh my god! I actually do, which is wild. I was probably around 17 and just got signed to a major label and they told me ‘first of all we’re getting you in the studio so you can start writing’. I’d never been in a studio before, it was all so exciting to me - so I went to my best friend’s house and I was like ‘okay babes you’ve got to help me write some songs before I go’. We get a YouTube beat and start writing a song that is so silly; all about waking up in some fresh new Jordans and it’s a sunny day and living every day like it’s my birthday. Looking back it’s so silly but we had so much fun trying to get there and it’s made me realise how far I’ve come.

PS: It’s totally different from where you are now.

Tamera: 100% completely different. I don’t think I knew what kind of artist I wanted to be either. I did what I thought I should, what a good song should be. Eventually, I realised you have to dig deeper and draw things out from yourself, instead of looking from the outside”.

PS: Who have been some of your greatest musical influences?

Tamera: Ooh! That’s a tough one, I listen to so many different things. I’d say that more recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Drake and KENDRICK LAMAR. I love to study rappers and the way they place their cadences and their flows. They get a lot more out of a song and in turn, are often way more creative with how they get it all out. I think it’s so fascinating, especially Drake with the punchlines, I mean that dude has been consistently giving us punchlines over the last decade.

Tamera insists to me that outside the studio she’s actually quite boring, but with such an impressive body of work being inspired by her life experiences, I sincerely doubt that. But she’s a woman of comfort and simple pleasures, I can confirm. She cherishes long baths and catching up on Love Island - I ask her what she thought of the final, did she think Choby was robbed?  But Tamera is pleased for Millie and Liam and thinks the right couple won. Reality TV aside, I truly digressed here, what does the future hold for Tamera? She tells me of hopes for some music in the charts, a tour and how she’d really like to own a house.

PHOTO CREDIT: Morgann Eve Russell  

PS: Let’s say you have the most extravagant world tour ever and you could get any designer to do the clothes - who would it be?

Tamera: There’s this London designer called Mia, her label is called MYAEMADE. She’s lit, very lit.

PS: We’re gonna have to find her for Check-Out! And if you could perform anywhere, where?

Tamera: The Royal Albert Hall, it’s so beautiful.

PS: Could you ever imagine yourself doing anything other than music?

Tamera: I feel like if I wasn’t in music and I wasn’t an artist the only other thing I could imagine myself doing and being passionate about is some kind of a writer.

As the world begins to open up again, Tamera can’t wait to meet you all. With new songs on the horizon, the singer tells me how hungry she is to get up on stage again -  her first and only live show was back in early 2020. But speaking of hunger, it’s time for a classic Phoebe Shardlow question…

PS: You can invite three people, dead or alive, to dinner - who are they?

Tamera: Whitney Houston, Prince, and Amy Winehouse”.

<

One of her best tracks to date is Strong for Me. It is a song that everyone should listen to (as they should to the rest of her catalogue!). PAPER wrote about the incredible track back in August:

“UK artist Tamera's new track is sure to have fans consciously uncoupling from their toxic relationships. Out today, "Strong For Me" asks hard questions and ultimately comes to equally difficult conclusions, making sure the listener feels every bit of the heartbreak.

Though understandably hurt and angry with a seemingly apathetic partner, Tamera focuses on the moment of calm clarity in "Strong For Me," as opposed to the feud and fallout. "I'm so tired of being the only one to fight," she sings. Tamera is waving the white flag, realizing that there's more strength in her ability is to walk away than in her attempts to win the match.

Speaking exclusively with PAPER, Tamera revealed how the song came to life. "I could only write this song when I had reached a place of strength," she said. "It took a lot of strength to confess my faults so openly or even to become aware of them."

She continued, "Giving your love so generously and freely only to have ugliness returned really can break someone and cause them to be a colder person to the people that genuinely do love them and that's what this song is about."

 Of course, finding the strength to move on doesn't come without its emotional battles and in the accompanying video, Tamera brings the metaphorical emotional pendulum to life. On one side, she's the peaceful lover, surrounded by butterflies and performing sweetly for the camera. When the frame cuts, she's dressed in dark clothing, sipping something to control the pain — breaking down.

"I wanted to capture the feeling of being emotionally exhausted and how that can push us into self-isolating and self-medicating in a desperate attempt to grasp onto happiness," she said.

"Strong For Me" is just Tamera's latest in a long string of successes over the past few years. Last year, her breakout single "Flipside" garnered her acclaim across the internet and led to Amazon Music UK naming her "One To Watch," alongside Bree Runway and Ivorian Doll, while this summer's release of "Wickedest" has garnered over a million streams — surpassing her previous hits”.

There is a lot more I could write about the amazing Tamera! With so many interesting and original women pushing through and releasing such phenomenal music, it is a pleasure to write about artists like Tamera! I will end with a recent interview. A new series, Young Gifted And Black: Women In Music x YouTube Music, was launched for Black History Month this month. Tamera is the last name to be featured. It is interesting reading the Music Week conversation, as you can hear the tangible sense of joy and positivity that emanates from an artist who has so many great years ahead:

“Singer and songwriter Tamera is really excited about the next phase of her career.

“I'm ready for music now. I’m about to release my first EP, which is insane, and I sold out my first headline show last week, like what the heck is going on?”

It’s not surprising that she is so amped. All of this has been a long time coming for the 26-year-old from Gravesend, who first came to the public’s attention in 2013 as a 16-year contestant on the X Factor.

Last year, Tamera had to put things on pause for a bit due to the pandemic. But she is now back in business and along with some upcoming live shows, she is gearing up to release an EP, her first project.

 “These are songs I've been working on over the last year and a bit,” she says. “There's going be visuals to all of them, which I'm super excited about. I've already started the next project as well, so there's going to be a whole lot more new music to come.”

Tamera is also one of the 132 black creators and artists being championed by #YouTubeBlack Voices program.

“YouTube are doing an amazing thing with Black Voices,” she says, “supporting Black artists, producers and writers in the industry, helping to give them a voice and putting them on to different opportunities.”

So, it’s clear that great things are on the horizon for Tamera and although she’s been a part of the industry for a few years now, she is just getting started.

How did you start with music?

“I always loved singing. I always loved the creative side of life. So, I used to draw a lot and paint a little bit more seriously when I got into my teens. I will never forget; I had a descriptive writing English lesson in primary school, and I think I was in year three or something, quite early on. My teacher put up a picture of an old Grecian town with a well. She said: ‘just describe what you think you would hear, smell, see if you were standing there in the middle of the picture’, and it really made me think about writing and, you know, creating pictures in people's heads with words. And that really fascinated me. So that really got me into writing. And I started writing short stories and poems and stuff like that. I did try and write songs when I was young. But you know, I don't think I'd lived that much, so I didn't have much perspective.”

Some people may have first heard of you from your time as a contestant on the X Factor back in 2013, what was that experience like?

“I get so red when people mention it (laughs). But I will say that it was an incredible opportunity, and I’ve learned so much. But when I think back to that little chubby baby that I was then, I was only 16 at the time and I had planned to go to performing arts college. Then I got through to the live shows of the X Factor in my second week of college. I was a bit conflicted about whether to stay at college or go on the show, so I spoke to my teacher, and he was like: ‘You're going to get so much experience in the music industry going on the show, and that's what you're going to college for. So, if you just document everything you're doing we can grade you on it.’ So that was amazing!”

And have you experienced many challenges due to being a woman, or a Black woman in the music industry?

“I try not to pay attention. You know, I feel like there's so many negative things that can happen to us as human beings. We have to deal with a lot. This world in 2021 is very crazy, so I find it easier if I just focus and have tunnel vision. That's why it's been super important for me to find a good team because it's not like something that I want to change too often. I really want to have the same people around like a solid unit.”

 What are you most excited about moving forward with your career?

“I’m most excited about performing just because when I started releasing my music at the end of 2019, and at the start of 2020, I was supposed to performing a lot, doing shows, and touring, but then obviously Covid-19 hit, and no one could go outside. So, I didn't do any shows last year at all. I've only just started getting back into it about a month ago, so I'm really excited to perform more and meet people that have been supporting me and see their reaction”.

Going forward, we are going to hear and see a lot more from one of our brightest young talents. Her popularity on social media is not because of hype or anything shallow. Instead, it is raw talent and music that has resonated with so many. If you have not heard Tamera, then go and check her out (links are at the bottom) and dive into her music. I am not sure whether there is an album or tour dates later this year. There is definitely going to be demand for more songs. I discovered her fairly recently but, ever since, I have been spinning her tracks and falling for them! She is someone I predict great things for. Do ensure that Tamera is part of your…

REGULAR rotation.

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Follow Tamera

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tamera

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/officialtamera

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/tameramusicofficial

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4S68J6bchvHhqHO1Kp8W9X

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYebCAWmdVyP6EEINxRFEfg

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: Songs from Albums Shortlisted for the Welsh Music Prize 2021

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: The Anchoress (Catherine Anne Davies) is one of the shortlisted artists for this year’s Welsh Music Prize for her  second studio album, The Art of Losing

Songs from Albums Shortlisted for the Welsh Music Prize 2021

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BECAUSE the shortlist…

for this year’s Welsh Music Prize (Gwobr Gerddoriaeth Gymreig) has been announced, I wanted to compile a playlist of songs from the amazing artists featured. There is always so much attention when it comes to ceremonies like the Mercury Prize and BRIT Awards. A lot of focus is on English artists. In fact, when you look at the winners of the Mercury Prize the past few years, it has not gone far out of London! There is such a rich and fertile scene in Wales - and there has been for many years. So many wonderful and worthy artists who deserve a lot of acclaim. The shortlist for this year’s Welsh Music Prize is typically outstanding and filled with terrific albums! Grabbing from the Prize’s official website, this is what the Welsh Music Prize represents:

“Founded in 2011, the Welsh Music Prize celebrates the finest music made in Wales or by Welsh people around the world. Originally originally launched to co-incide with Swn Festival it has now grown into its own, taking place each Autumn.

With a commitment to diversity and fine production, the Welsh Music Prize will continue to champion the best new music in Wales”.

The twelve shortlisted albums this year are: Afro Cluster – The Reach, The Anchoress – The Art of Losing, Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 – Mas, Datblygu – Cwm Gwagle, El Goodo – Zombie, Gruff Rhys – Seeking New Gods, Gwenifer Raymond – Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain, Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song, Mace the Great – My Side of the Bridge, Novo Amor – Cannot Be, Whatsoever, Private World – Aleph, and Pys Melyn – Bywyd Llonydd. I am going to include two songs from each album. The standard and quality is the highest it has been for many years! We will find out who the winner is later in the year. Until then, here are tracks from albums made by…

TRULY wonderful Welsh artists.