INTERVIEW: Avante Black

INTERVIEW:

 Avante Black

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THE gorgeous and fascinating…

Avante Black is someone everyone needs in their life! The talented musician talks tome about her new single, Acid Love. I ask about its story and whether it was based on real events. She talks about future plans and the differences between the music in Sweden and the U.K. – Avante Black has Swedish roots. I discover what she has planned for Christmas and how her music comes together.

I learn more about her future plans and artists that inspire her; the sounds she was growing up with; where we can see her perform  - and what she would say to any musicians emerging at the moment.

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Hi, Avante. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi, I’m very well, thank you! My week’s been alright, so far - the weather has been a beaut! 

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

I’m from a town called Uppsala in Sweden. I have been living in London for a few years. My work is a changing reflection of how it is to be young in love/out of love in this city…

…and about life here in general.

Tell me more about Acid Love. What is the story behind the song?

I had just found new love and, this time, it was a feeling I had never experienced before.

There are, so often, so many insecurities when you give yourself to someone; however, this time, I felt confident - and I felt like laying it all out there completely. 

It has already gained love from BBC – and many people online. Is it quite humbling and pleasing knowing the song has resonated so readily?!

Most definitely!

It’s so scary exposing your feelings so widely but, when people respond to it positively, there is no greater award. 

Do you have plans for an E.P. next year? What are you working on at the moment?

I have this group of songs that will form the E.P. At the moment, I’m looking back at a lot of experiences for inspiration.

I’m getting ready to open myself up even more...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Mathew Jones

This year has been a busy and memorable one for you! Is there a single memory that stands aside from the rest?

I remember, up in Nottingham in May, when I sang a song that has not yet been released; there were three people in the front just singing along to it - and I was like: ‘How do you guys know the words?!’.

It was amazing!

You have Swedish roots – but are based in London. What is the music scene like in Sweden – compared to the U.K. – and how much of your family/background do you bring to your musical ethos?

The music scene in Sweden is so different and so amazing...

I feel like genres are less significant: people just write and combine anything and end up with these amazing creations. It continues to surprise and amaze me. My dad used to be in a band called LSD in the 1960s. 'The L’ was a brutish pound. Sometimes, they’d play a reunion in our living-room, playing John Lee Hooker covers etc. My mum was more into lyrics and I grew up to Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Marianne Faithful.

However, I didn’t get into playing until I was fifteen/sixteen years of age. Before then, I was already aiming to learn Arabic and study Law. After a year in London; that goal changed drastically. 

Can you recall the first time music came into your life? Was there a single/artist that struck your heart at an early age?

I think there are so many artists that struck me at the same time.

I think my first obsession was Tupac - when I was nine. I remember getting a T-shirt for Christmas. A few years later, it was Black Sabbath, and then, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen – they were always there from early age.

Sorry for the blurry answer: I find it hard to pick one! 

I am interesting learning about an artist’s songwriting process. How do songs come together for you? Do you sit down and write songs – or do you rely on the muse of spontaneity?!

I rely on the instant feeling.

I might have gathered words, sentences or a melody - but most of my songs come along in the moment. I’m just practising my piano skills at the moment. As soon as I learnt a few chords from Same Drugs by Chance the Rapper; I started singing my own words and melodies over the same chords - and ended up with something new.

Sometimes; it’s like the songs write themselves. 

I feel female artists are stronger and more interesting than their male peers – yet, most of my requests come from male acts! Do you think female artists still have to struggle for equality and attention?

I think we’re all as interesting…

Being a woman is harder in so many ways – though, that doesn't mean male artist don’t struggle, too.  We’re in an amazing time with so, so many strong, talented and interesting female artists. To be honest, I hate having to divide the genders at all: an artist is an artist. If you write good songs and work hard it will show! The one problem might be not getting the right support.

Yet again, with the right motivation; you can create your own miracles. 

Are there any tour dates coming up? Where can we see you play?

I will play a very intimate show at the Servant Jazz Quarters (in Dalston) on 11th December. 

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sälen

Who are the new artists you recommend we investigate?

My friends Sälen are a must-check-out! They continue to amaze me.

Also…Average Sex! 

 IN THIS PHOTO: Average Sex/PHOTO CREDIT: Agnė Papievytė

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Oh…I hate this question - because I’ll change my mind as soon as I’ve sent this; but, I guess...

All Eyez on Me - Tupac

It was just such a big impact on me from early-on - and gave my young self a lot of confidence back in those days

Hung at Heart - The Growlers

I listened to it in-and-out over six months - and still am. Beach Rats will always be one of the best songs ever made.

Songs of Love and Hate - Leonard Cohen

I grew up on this album - and I think it defines me in so many ways. 

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Listen to advice but trust your guts. Keep working hard. Remember, as an artist, any backlash can be turned into something beautiful.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

I’m going to the South of Wales on Christmas Eve - and will spend a few days drinking cask ales and eating my body-weight in Christmas food. 

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

Well. My friends always end on this one when they D.J. - so I might steal it. Sorry, Max!

Macy Gray - I Try

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Follow Avante Black

Official:

https://www.musicglue.com/avante-black/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/avanteblackband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/avanteblack

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/avanteblack

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/avanteblack/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ozgRN8Tm1jo5HEdRk2DMk 

TRACK REVIEW: Zoë Wren - She’s a Highway Man

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Zoë Wren

She’s a Highway Man

9.2/10

She’s a Highway Man is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/folkstock-records/zoe-wren-shes-a-highway-man

GENRE:

Folk

ORIGIN:

London/Cambridge, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

17th November, 2017

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THROUGH the course of this review...

I will look at a range of different topics. I want to talk about change and creating differences – as well as looking for that in other people; the young and aspiring artists that receive reward and opportunities very early in their career; the importance of strengthened social media to connect with fans; artists who can mix education, awards and natural intuition; creating songs that differ in terms of themes and lyrics – the next step for artists who have created impressive foundations. I want to start off talking about myself a little – before I come to assess Zoё Wren. Wren is someone I am excited about but, looking at the way she is doing things, it has compelled me to rethink and re-evaluate things. In terms of writing; I am going to be, going forward, looking for review subjects off my own back. That is no slight to the talent I am being emailed – certainly not the case here – but I crave diversity and depth as my blog gets bigger and bolder. I am getting a lot of request from male artists and musicians who sound similar – to what I have already reviewed and assessed before. The deeper I get into music – and take my mind around the world and into different avenues – the more excited I get. There are limitations when it comes to opening the doors to others – the quality and originality can wane slightly. This new proclamation will take effect in a couple of weeks: it is a risk that might fail but I have a hunger to spread the genres and approach artists further up the career ladder. It makes me excited looking at someone like Wren. She is young but has already accomplished a lot. I am at the stage where the need for transition and improvement is paramount. In terms of living situation, job and happiness; the yearning and desire to better things and live life in a desirable manner has reached a palpable high.

There is a temptation, in me, to relocate and go somewhere else; take a huge gamble and make a big break – where I am now, and what I am doing, is creating nothing but unhappiness. I guess writing is not as flawless and desirable as one would imagine. It is great seeking out artists and helping them get their music to a larger audience. The greater the hunger and ambition, the more time I am spending on the laptop. Spending that much time in isolation fosters depression and makes me withdraw into my own world – and keep cloistered away from the wider world. I have the need to detach from the digital-heavy workload and spend less time on the laptop. Seeing artists like Wren perform and grow makes me want to get out into the ether and connect on a personal level. I feel she has real potential and is someone doing much the way she wants to. That is a rare quality to find in music: most new artists follow the herd or follow a really rigid course. Before I come on to ladle compliment and raise her spirits: a little on things that can help her going forward. One of the reasons I am taking a more autonomous approach to reviewing is the need for more artists with great visuals and a stock of images. I realise I have flogged this horse to death but, as my blog gets more focus and praise; the craving to make it a professional outlet means the visual quality needs to grow. The majority of the review requests I have received have lacked a certain something – most of them concern photos and/or biographical information. There is plenty of information about Zoё Wren but, when it comes to images, one would like to see more. She is very photographic and, seeing as her music is reaching more ears, it is the time for her to get some professional shoots done. It is no coincidence the artists I go after have an array of wonderful photos and terrific music.

There is a link between the two points: those who produce great music, and it proves popular, take a serious approach to the visual aspect and know the importance of visibility and exposure. There is nothing cheap and shallow about getting your images out there and making yourself stand out. Zoё Wren is a young woman who is entering music at its busiest and most competitive time. I have reviewed a lot of Folk artists who, on paper, have very little to distinguish themselves from the competition. If artists making similar music and seem alike; there are going to be few who will know how to separate them and detect the stars from the average. The Folk artists I have assessed have all been great but many I have had to dig deep in order to inspire words. That is not the case with Zoё Wren. She has an allure and photographic quality that would inspire some great images. I am not suggesting she spends an inordinate amount of money and has dozens of photos on the page. She is in a new phase of her career so people like me – and D.J.s, fans and venues – will search social media and take all this into consideration. It is one of my gripes for a very good reason: music is visual and the more images someone has online; the better a journalistic piece will look. The images in this review are good but, seeing how natural she is on the page, makes me want to expand that and see more. I know Wren will consider this in 2018 but she would benefit from a few shoots that see her in various locales. Not only will that update her snaps – a lot of her images are older - but it would show she is willing to spend money on her career and attracting the senses. The music she is producing is wonderful so it warrants serious acclaim and focus.

PHOTO CREDIT: Matthew Allen

In addition to the images; getting more music videos and updates to the people would be great. Catered for by Folkstock; there is a safe-bed and professional body putting Wren’s music to the right people. Wren has a very visual dynamic to her songwriting so, backing her singles with music videos, would be a way of getting more celebrity on channels like YouTube. Visuals as crucial so one cannot limit themselves to audio platforms. Songs as impactful as She’s a Highway Man provoke filmic inspiration and it seems like there will be a video down the line. I am not sure what her 2018 has in store but I predict more music and gigs. Getting all these ingredients thrown into the pot means there is less chance of a culinary disaster – it’s a lazy image but you know what I mean! The artists I go after are those who have that blend of visual and audio; they have all the contours and layers cemented and firm – one is hooked and tempted to write about them. Wren is someone who understands this but one suspects her time and heart have been fully committed to the music and getting that right. Wren is one of the recipient of the 2017 PRS Lynsey de Paul Prize for emerging female singer-songwriters. She has played the Main Stage at Folkstock Festival – the youngest artists to do so; she was sixteen – and been championed by a certain Bob Harris. These honours would seem daunting to someone in their thirties: the fact Wren is nowhere near that age means the music is already connecting and fully-formed. With a new single fresh out to the world; I believe there are whisperings of an E.P. This is a very hot and productive time for the young songwriter. I have mentioned image and building the social media stock but, actually, when it comes to updates – Wren is doing very well and keeping her fans engaged. She has won that prize and taken to some big stages. One wonders what she can achieve in 2018.

I know Folk is a genre that wrestles for appeal but, when you see artists like Zoё Wren emerge; one knows Folk will get the attention it has always deserved. Before I go on – to highlight how far she has come – I want to quote from her biography:

“Zoё’s growing reputation has seen her invited to perform at Cambridge Folk Festival by Hitchin Folk Club in the summer or 2016, having previously been invited to perform on Stage 2 in Brian McNeill’s Festival Session at the festival after her floor spot in the Club tent the day before. In the final year of a music degree at Cambridge University, Zoё is certainly attracting attention having supported various artists including Peter Knight's Gigspanner at Cambridge Folk Club and Jim Causley at Hitchin Folk Club, where she has been booked three times in one season, as a result of winning the Best Newcomer award at Folkstock's Love Folk Live Awards. FATEA Magazine featured Zoё in their Autumn Showcase 2014 and her first headline gig was a sell out at Redbourn Folk Club in the summer of 2015”.

It might seem daunting accomplishing that much so young but it is a natural progression for someone who is striking the right chords. I have talked about education and how it can be beneficial mingling academia with a more conventional route into music. Some might see the Cambridge credit on her C.V. and wonder whether privilege and financial advantage has found Wren get the sort of education many of us will never be able to obtain - they would be wrong; it is her talent and drive that has got her there. Wren’s intelligence and aptitude that has brought her to our finest university. In addition to her academic success; she won a bursary for her music course at Cambridge, her parents are stall holders in Camden market - quite a varied background! The sort of thing she has studied will link with her upbringing and peers. Wren has been afforded a great chance to explore music and get an education from some incredible professionals. Many feel the best way to get a career in music sparked is to follow their own path and learn as they go along. There is a lot to be said for self-education and intuition. I find, if one wants to expand their horizons and bring more technicality into their sounds, pursuing education is beneficial.

Wren is someone born into music and destined to follow it to its natural limits. She has always loved the form and her desire to get a degree in Music was only a matter of time. I have studied in Cambridge – but not at Cambridge – and know what the people are like there. It is an eclectic and fascinating city with a large student population. When I was up there (2002-2004), things were different. There were not that many music venues. If one wanted to see a musician up there, they would have to go to a local bar. Things have changed and local events like the Cambridge Folk Festival are invaluable for artists like Wren. It is a wonderful environment for someone who wants to take music by the horns and learn as much as she can. I know London will be a natural base for Wren because Cambridge provides fewer chances in the long-run. What it does do is give that prestigious educational platform and a great and vibrant Folk scene. Wren can assimilate what she has learned (from Cambridge) and bring that to the capital. I feel London still places other genres ahead of Folk. Perhaps Folk is not the most immediate and rousing display of musicianship but, in a time when the world needs something beautiful and refined; it seems Folk’s role will be heightened next year. Wren has an affinity for music and is a rare songwriter. One need only look at the title of her new single to know she is not like everyone else. Although I am detaching from Folk music for a long time – as I take my own route and seek different sounds – I know the beauty and magic one can hear when artists push boundaries. A lot of modern artists still focus heavily on love and are unable to understand the refined listeners wants something different and deeper.

I know relationships and love are commodities that we can all relate to. If that is all you are hearing then it can be very tiring and uninviting. Wren will have experienced heartache but she knows the way to get her name above everyone else’s is to write music with a unique soul. That is the case when one hears She’s a Highway Man. When looking at that title I was, oddly, reminded of an old episode of Blackadder; where Edmund was fooled by a highwayman (played by Miranda Richardson) into robbing the Prince Regent (played by Hugh Laurie) and running away with her. Blackadder was tricked and robbed at gunpoint in the end. After receiving a cunning suggestion from Baldrick; the roguish highwayman/woman was hanged and the devious Blackadder was victorious. That is the last time I have heard the term ‘highwayman’ in the popular arts. Maybe Adam and the Ants – Stand and Deliver – have found success with this sort of theme but nobody has written about the topic since. It is a very old-time and historical image that one would think is devoid of musical potential. That is what makes Zoё Wren such an appealing artist. She has taken a subject that does not get exposure and provided her own take on it. Not only are her lyrics captivating and picturesque: the music backing it does not plod and drag: it is a spirited and nuanced blend that makes the song a winner. In fact, I have mentioned Wren’s upcoming E.P. – it will be called Gold and Smoke – and it seems there is an important gap in her latest song title. I have mentioned the image of a ‘highwayman’ but it seems Wren’s new single could be called She’s a Highway, Man.

That might seem like a trippy and blissed-out image but it is Wren’s reimagining of a traditional number. When speaking with Acoustic Magazine - she explained the song’s origins:

“The song is a twist on the story of the traditional song ‘The Female Highwayman’, in which the protagonist Silvie dresses up as a highwayman and robs her lover in order to test his loyalty,” explains Wren. And she should know a thing or two about that, having just completed her music degree at Cambridge University, which included a dissertation about the voices of women in folk.

“It’s a great example of an independent and intrepid heroine in folklore,” Wren adds. “However in the original story, everything works out fine and goes back to normal. So I wondered what might really happen when Silvie gets her first taste of true freedom, and whether a humorous swapping of gender roles might, in fact, reveal something a bit more interesting.”

That explanation shows what she has learnt from her studies. Engrossing herself in the roles of women in music and Folk greats; Wren has found a traditional song and skewed its gender roles. By reversing the gender roles, and showing perceptiveness, it has opened up a whole new world. In a way, She’s a Highway Man is a cover version - albeit it, one that Wren has put her stamp on! An incredible achievement from someone who has been in the music industry only a few years. I am excited by the E.P. and will take a listen to it when it comes out. I believe there were plans to release the E.P. this year but it seems like we have to wait a little longer for it. The reimagining of Folk stories gives the Folk musician a chance to show what she is made of. Her previous E.P., Pandora’s Box, was released in 2014 and gained a lot of love. Her music has been supported by Bob Harris and got under the skin of some big names. Next year will be a pivotal one for her. I cannot wait until the E.P. comes out and she has a chance to take the songs on the road. Right now, Wren is intoxicating crowds wherever she goes and proving herself one of the best new talents in the Folk world. I know how busy and bustling Folk is - so that is no small honour. I will wrap this point up – as I am keen to review the song – but I am interested in Wren’s songwriting approach and how she can reinvent traditional songs and give them a modern turn. It seems gender and parity are important to her. In a song where the central character met a somewhat unfortunate end: Wren’s approach was to provide a happier outcome; one that keeps the listener engrossed and engaged. There are some great songwriters out there but I wonder how many of them have the same imagination and considerations as Wren?

The new track, She’s a Highway Man is a twist on the traditional song, The Female Highwayman. The protagonist, Silvie, dresses as a highwayman and robs her lover – in order to test his loyalty. The original song works out fine and everything returns to normal. This version keeps the story going and reverses gender roles. When Wren steps to the microphone; her voice is raw and exciting. The production means the recording sounds live and homely. One can imagine being in the same room and hearing the song unfold. It is a dramatic but levelled performance that builds on sprite strings and a warm, yet firm, voice. Wren talks about the hero spending long nights out and no coherence between night and day. Many might think there is an affair taking place but our heroine has suspicions. Wondering whether her man would stray; our girl has found a solution and retribution for his lack of attention. At first, there are suspicions without much concrete proof. Again; one might listen to the song and think the man is spending nights out with another woman. Knowing the inspiration behind the song – and looking at the title – we know things are different. From the tension and suspicions of infidelity; things see the heroine take her own path and flee the man. Rather than plot vengeance and wait for him to slip up; she adorns highwayman clothing and gets out on the road. Maybe there is a horse involved – or a modern equivalent? – but one can imagine the wind whistling through her hair. On the road, there is nobody to answer to and a lack of responsibilities. That freedom is provoking a surge of excitement and ambition in the heroine. Rather than see it is as a chance to emancipate herself from domestic shackles: one feels the highwayman/woman seek something more thrilling and dangerous. Part of her heart wants the risk and the chance to enter a more meaningful life. That meaning comes at a price it seems.

When the heroine comes back home, she yearns for the road and, whilst she was undercover, rode to her lover and put a gun to him. Amazed at the powers “that came with the trousers” – a marketing strapline for Marks and Spencer, perhaps?! – that humour and revelation surge through the blood. The heroine is in a new frame and role and loving the exhilaration. Rather than approach her lover directly: the anonymity and subterfuge is a perfect masquerade. One hardly hears any tales that look at revenge and retribution in such an interesting setting. Equalling the score is usually a tense and cliché thing in music. Wren takes a different angle and provides something fascinating and funny. It is a way of providing the listener familiarity – cheating and the need to get equal – with something historic and based on fantasy. Maybe the need to detach from a rather rigid and boring life has led her to take this way of life. The thrill of danger and the illegality means the addictive quality gets into her blood. The fact she manages to rob her boyfriend is a huge reward. The boy trembled and gave her his things. When she is done; she asks for the wedding ring – or an engagement ring? The man clings onto it so one is not sure whether she got it in the end. Regardless; that thrill has taken effect and the highwayman role is hers now. That contrast between the home and road is really exciting. The man finds out about the deceit and discovers her web of lies. He begs the girl to stay and not succumb to that way of life – it seems she prefers dressing in a shirt and succumbing to the dangers before her. Maybe her has caused this recklessness but it is subverting gender roles. Many assume women should be in the home and obey the man. Instead; we have a woman who takes the opposite assumption and gives herself to the road. This new life is her identity and, as such, she has no time for romance and the old ways. She’s a Highway Man seems apt given the fact the girl is a racing and free spirit. She is not a ‘highwayman’ – that would be sexist – but she is someone who craves the adrenaline and shadiness of the tarmac. Maybe this is a modern reinvention of the highwayman tale but I find myself remaining in older centuries. It is an extraordinary song from a young Folk artist doing things very differently. She’s a Highway Man is a song that could gain a lot of love from Folk champions like Bob Harris and Mark Radcliffe. I am excited seeing just how far it can go!

I have spoken a lot about Zoё Wren and what she has achieved so far. I maintain my opinions on her music – the fact she is captivating big sources means she is on the right path! I maintain my opinions about social media/images, too. It would be great to see more of Wren in photographic terms. One of the reasons I almost turned the review down – and delayed its publication – was the limit of photographs. Not that I am trying to get a beautiful woman to show her face more: every musician will want to get exposure and interviews etc. Visuals and photos are so important now; no artist can really expand and survive with very few photographs online. Zoё Wren is a talented and upcoming artist so I am sure this is something that will be addressed in the coming year. Wren has played The Song Loft and Cambridge Acoustic Nights. According to a Facebook update; this is what Wren’s weekend has in-store:

“I've got a great weekend coming up - I'll be performing at Celebrate Christmas with Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery alongside the wonderful Minnie Birch and Emily Aldrich, followed by a live session on the Terry Krueger Folk Show on Saint FM Radio Station (94.7).

Then on Sunday I'm playing at Art? or Politics? It's a riot: Female Voiceswhich looks set to be a super - and very interesting - evening. Would love to see any London friends there!”

Although Wren’s studies have recently completed: she is keeping her hand in the Cambridge market and taking advantage of the venues/events there. It seems the city is perfect for a Folk artist who wants to embrace a blend of pastoral surroundings and the buzz of a university city. Step a few miles away from the dreaming spires – or is that Oxford?! – and you get the countryside and rural retreat. That is why Folk is a big business there. London has a growing market and there are many labels/venues that would love to see more of Zoё Wren. I know her E.P. is being worked on right now - it will be out in February, I understand. She is working with Lauren Deakin Davies on it and that combination will lead to great results, for sure!

It is an E.P. that has Wren excited and hopeful. That is understandable and, as we approach Christmas, she is not slowing down. She will play St. Pancras Old Church (London) on 22nd before doing a few radio performances/interviews before the year is done. It seems this weekend is a busy one and will get her music to new faces. If you can see her in London, make sure you do. There is a rooted and lovable quality to Wren that means she gets into the heart before a word has been spoken. She is a modest talent but someone with a big future. I am not sure whether there are any other plans apart from the E.P. next year. I guess she will situate herself in London and spend less time in Cambridge. That is a guess but, as her career grows, the need for relocation and attention will grow. There are so many Pop and Rock acts out there: a chance to see Folk artists take some spotlight is much-needed. Make sure you investigate She’s a Highway Man and follow Wren’s progress. She keeps her Facebook/Twitter pages updated so you can get the latest insight and decisions from those sites and follow her progress. I know 2018 will be a huge one from an artist that has achieved a lot the last few years. She is a prize-winner and played festivals; released an E.P. and studied at Cambridge. All of this provides foundations for a musician who has a lot more to say. I will follow her career and see where she can go next. It is an exciting one for Zoё Wren and her music. Take a listen to her latest single and get dragged into a wonderful world…

YOU will not want to escape from.

_______

Follow Zoë Wren

Official:

http://www.zoewren.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/zoewrenmusic

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/zoewrenmusic

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/zoewrenmusic

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-JgEqNqiaCYi7bH7h6LSHQ

INTERVIEW: S.O.S

INTERVIEW:

S.O.S

________

THAT name might seem like a cry for help…

but, when it comes to S.O.S, there is no such peril – I shall forgive the missing full-stop after the second ‘S’ in the name, too. Sophie is the woman behind the acronym. I ask her about the new single, Bloodline, and what the story is behind that; why she moved from her native Malta to London – and the artists/albums that have compelled her.

She regularly performs on the London Underground and reveals why London, and its people, are important to her drive and desires. I ask about future recordings and gig plans; whether she will ever gig in Malta again; a new artist we should keep our eyes peeled for – and how she will be spending this Christmas.

________

Hi, Sophie. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi! I’m good, thanks. My week’s been busy - but fun and productive! Bloodline has just been dropped and the feedback so far has all been really positive; so, yes - a great week so far!

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

Sure! My name is Sophie - but, on stage, I’m known as 'S.O.S'.

I’m a twenty-three-year-old singer-songwriter; originally born in Malta. At the age of eighteen, I followed my roots to the U.K. and was awarded a scholarship to study songwriting at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. Since then, I’ve been writing and releasing my music independently - whilst gigging around the U.K. and busking on the London Underground network.

Bloodline is your latest song. Can you tell me about its story and creation?

The idea for Bloodline came to me after someone disabled became part of my life...

I  had never spent much time around someone with a disability before so I found myself feeling a bit odd about the situation - and unintentionally ended up treated this person differently to everyone else I knew. I also began to feel sorry for them because of how different their life had to be (due to their disability).

The more I spoke to people about these thoughts, the more I realised how universal this mentality is - and how it could be applied to any category of society that doesn’t form part of what we consider to be the ‘norm’.

Bloodline is my way of saying that at, at the end of the day; we’re all the same and shouldn’t be judged or defined by the way we look. I think this is quite an important message to get out into the world - especially given the troubled global situation we currently find ourselves in; where it seems like cultural differences divide us rather than unite us.

Do you think we are living in a time where we’re divided and troubled? Is Bloodline a need for people to come together and react?

Yes! Although the concept for Bloodline stemmed from a more personal experience, the song has developed into a universal reminder that we are all uniquely individual and should encourage and embrace people’s differences. I also strongly believe that in the face of the terror and sadness we are currently witnessing throughout the world, we should react by showing compassion and kindness towards the people around us.

At the end of the day; love and unity will always win!

Edges of the Mind is your upcoming E.P. What are the themes and ideas you look at throughout?

Edges of the Mind is my very first E.P. and is a collection of work that I’m very excited to share with everyone.

It explores a whole load of controversial themes that are rarely highlighted inPop music. I enjoy writing about various unspoken, and sometimes awkward, topics and situations that have either effected myself or the people around me. I think that (especially) given that some of my listeners are quite young, it’s really important to be discussing topics like these - so that everyone knows that we all go through similar problems throughout our lives and it’s ok to talk about them.

How important has your gigging around London regards your honed musical skills and new ambitions?

I love gigging around London and I think over the years it’s played a major role in helping me find my confidence as a performer. If I think back to the beginning of my journey as an artist doing music and performing live in the U.K.; I was so inexperienced and nervous on stage especially since I had only just started playing the guitar. I remember my first gig was in Hammersmith and I could not have been more scared.

Since then, I practiced loads and every time I had a gig I gained little more confidence and gradually began to actually enjoy myself with a guitar on stage - instead of being a total bag of nerves. On top of the gigs, I do a lot of busking around London now, too, which is a lot of fun - and I think it’s also been a really great way of honing my skills and growing some thick skin…trying to entertain a few hard-to-please commuters.

Your sound is contemporary and recalls acts like Lorde. What do you think of modern music and artists like Lorde and Halsey?

Ah. I love them both so much!

They both have such individual sounds which are so unique and distinct. They’re definitely trendsetters in the music industry that don’t copy anyone else. I think their music speaks volumes to the younger generations whilst still having a timeless feel to them. They inspire me constantly and I will forever look up to them.

I definitely think the world need to see more strong female artists like them right now!

Speaking of ‘bloodlines’; you have Maltese heritage. Do you ever play in Malta and what are the differences between the music scenes there and the U.K.?

Yes! I do have Maltese blood - which I am very proud of - and which I like to shout about wherever I go. Although I’ve taken on the U.K. as my new home; I’ll never forget where I came from and I’m humbled by the amount of talent that keeps coming out of the little Maltese Islands.

The music scene in Malta is very different to the U.K. and I think that’s probably one of the main reasons why I made the move six years ago. Although I love Malta, and I can’t say enough good things about the place, I felt that the music opportunities were slightly limited and since I wanted to have a career in music; rather than just do it as a hobby.

I felt the need to be in London - where the opportunities are endless.

Give me an impression of the artists you grew up listening to. Which artists did you discover as a youngster?

Ok; so this is going to be totally cringey...BUT I was a lot younger at the time, so please forgive me…

I’d love to give you a really cool answer here like The Beatles or Michael Jackson but, no, I (luckily) came across those brilliant artists a little later on in my life. The artists, or should I say, bands that I literally grew up listening to were Steps, S Club 7 and the Spice Girls. Yes, I admit it: I was definitely a fan of the Pop bands back in the day. My sister and I used to learn all the words and choreography from video-cassettes of their tours. Luckily, since then, I have discovered a lot more interesting and significant musicians and artist.

But I guess being a fan of those cringey bands, when I was a kid, is all part of my story!

You have performed warm-up for the likes of Take That; been celebrated by radio stations and fans – some big achievements, there! What has been your proudest moment so far in music?

Looking back I think that, although it’s hard to choose, I would have to say that my most memorable moment would have to be the time I played one of my original songs to thousands of people on the Main Stage at London Pride in Trafalgar Square - and having them all sing it back at me!

Definitely; one that I’ll share with my grandkids one day.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sarah Close

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

You definitely need to check out Sarah Close and Jazz Mino!

They’re both good friends of mine and are both doing amazing things with their music right now!

IN THIS PHOTO: Jazz Mino

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

To be honest, I’m more of a singles kind of girl but, if I had to pick three albums, they’d have to be:

 + by Ed Sheeran

Because this was the album I literally had on-repeat when I first moved to London. Whenever I listen back to it now, I instantly go back to all those feelings I had as a young eighteen-year-old girl - moving away from home into scary London to try and begin a career in music.

Pure Heroine by Lorde

Simply because it’s timeless to me. I still listen to it on a regular basis and it’s a constant form of inspiration to my music. I feel like I hear new elements in her tracks every time I have another listen - she’s so clever like that, keeping her listener hooked!

The last one would have to be a mash-up of three Michael Jackson albums: Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad

I mean…who can deny the brilliance of those albums?! Yes, I can easily say I am a massive M.J. fan! In particular, these three albums really shaped me both as an artist and as a person. I’m also a keen dancer, so I’ve always been massively inspired by the complete package this amazingly talented human being had to offer.

I (just) massively regret never seeing him live!

Can we see you perform anywhere soon? Where can we catch you play?

I’ve actually got quite a few private gigs coming up - which are all hush-hush - but people can regularly finding me busking on the London Underground (usually at Kings Cross station).

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Just keep doing what you’re doing: the world can never have too many artists and, if you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you too! The best advice I’ve ever been given in my career is to never copy what anyone else is doing - because trends come and go but the artists who will really shine through and stick around are the ones who create their own individual trend and style.

Be the trendsetter and let others copy you!

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

I love Christmas and always look forward to it every year!

Christmas is all about family for me so, as usual, we’re planning a massive family gathering full of food, presents and booze! I always like to try and squeeze in a visit to Winter Wonderland at some point, too; so I’ll have to save a date for that.

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

Yes. Sure thing!

I’d love it if you could play my friend’s new single Crush! Her name is Jazz Mino and she’s doing big things with her music right now - so everyone should keep an eye out for her!

_________

Follow S.O.S

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/sophiesofficial

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/sophiesofficial?lang=en

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sosofficial.uk/

SoundCloud:

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INTERVIEW: Happy Abandon

INTERVIEW:

Happy Abandon

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THE boys of Happy Abandon set time aside to talk about…

their new music. Justin and Peter talk about the latest single, Heavy Lines, and their superb album, Facepaint. Jake - their drummer when they perform live - tells me how he came to be part of the fold. I find out about the inspiration and stories that drove them; how studies in North Carolina played an important role in the formation of Happy Abandon; the artists of the current-day they recommend – and the classic albums/acts they hold dear.

The duo/trio talk Christmas plans and the music scene where they are; challenges they faced when making their album; what touring dates they have approaching – what advice they would offer new songwriters, too.

________

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

Peter: My week has been a mixture of feelings: re-acclimatising to default life, spending time with my girlfriend; catching up with friends - but mostly trying to recharge after being on the road for about two months. It’s always an odd feeling coming home after a tour - but this time, it has been exceptionally jarring.

Jake: I feel like I’ve finally recovered after about ten days of being home – I’m getting back into a semblance of a routine. I made it to Brett’s surprise birthday-party and saw a lot of great local singers take turns doing celebratory karaoke.

It’s great to be back and see familiar faces and places...

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

Justin: Happy Abandon is what I like to call an Orchestral-Indie-Rock band. In a live setting, that manifests as a power-trio along with our drummer Jake Waits; with three-part vocal harmonies and various effects pedals, vocal processors - and various percussion flavors to help make the sound more textured. On our recordings; we have a close collaborator named Alex Thompson who provides keyboards, piano and string arrangements; which allows us to incorporate violins, cello; timpani, loads of orchestral percussion - and loads of vocals. 

What makes us different, I think, is that, though we all have studied music in some capacity - and most of us have been in choirs, marching bands; orchestras and other Rock bands over the years - the shared experience that all four of us have is theater.  I think this background helps with our work ethic when it comes to rehearsals and getting to the gigs but also in the way we value performance, dynamics and the audience’s role in a show. 

We’ve all lived in Chapel Hill, N.C. since we met as students here in 2010.

‘Happy Abandon’ strikes me as an interesting name for the band. What is the derivation of that choice?

Peter: To me, the name ‘Happy Abandon' is a very good representation of what music, and art in general, can do to people. A state of ‘happy abandon' is somewhat, literally, blissfully disassociated; or at least that’s how I think of it. A well-written song that strikes me emotionally can take me out of my surroundings and into a place I associate with that song. Whether that emotion is positive, negative - or anything in-between - it is a choice we make every time we put on a song.

So; the choice to name the band ‘Happy Abandon’ seemed very appropriate. 

How did you guys meet in the first place? Did you all bond easily and naturally?

The three of us were students at the University of North Carolina (at Chapel Hill) at one point. We all contributed to the college music scene as well as the scene that expanded into the more major cities that surrounded our college town. The chemistry between me and Jake was unquestionable from the first time we played through, what would become, a Happy Abandon song. I respected Jake’s drumming from a band we had both previously been members of - and I was curious to see what he could do with the music I was writing at the time.

Justin was not the first bassist for the band – but, at a certain point in the band’s career, we knew we needed a committed member. Jake and I knew Justin from U.N.C. as well. I knew him as one of the most hardworking and committed musicians in the area. He seemed like the right fit.

Jake: I was inspired by Peter’s work in Morning Brigade and, from the very beginning of Happy Abandon, I was excited to work alongside him. He had all these ideas pouring out: ideas for ways the percussion might fit into the guitar parts. It became a conversation of developing these ideas until they grew other parts and sort of had lives of their own - that was within the first year or so. When Justin joined, it was like something existential clicked into place (along with his sweet bass-lines) and I feel like the band, all of a sudden, was ready to plan tours and hit the road.

Heavy Lines is the latest single from you guys. What is the story behind it?

Peter: Heavy Lines was one of the first songs Jake and I started working on. I wrote that song before Happy Abandon was even an idea. I was writing it during a time when the relationship I was in at the time was coming to its inevitable end. The thought came to me during the scenario I describe in the song - as well as the scenario I describe in Severed Seams.

I think of those two songs as sibling songs.

Facepaint is your album. It has received a lot of praise and support. What was it like hearing it gain so much kudos?

It feels great...

I think anyone getting praise for their work would be happy about it. It’s very encouraging in this unforgiving field. I’m extremely proud of the album; each song coming from a place of significance. When I hear that others are affected by the music in a positive way, it’s very affirming.

Was it an emotionally challenging and difficult album to put together? Did you face hurdles along the way?

The songwriting process was definitely emotionally challenging - but that’s expected.

These are songs that I’ve been working on for years: each one representing an event in my life that took some sort of emotional toll on me. Working on the album was actually an extremely pleasant experience. It was smooth, fun and eye-opening. Hearing the songs develop, instrumentally, was very trippy for me - because I had been playing these songs a certain simple way for so long; with just the ideas of other instruments.

 But, actually hearing the strings and timpani and whatnot completely changed the game. 

There are soundscapes and lush arrangements in the record. Is Facepaint, to you, part of a single narrative - or a collection of stories that represent different stages of your lives/experiences?

I had no intention of creating an album as fluid as Facepaint.

The songs we chose for the record all came from different stages of my life - but there is still a uniformity between them all. I didn’t realize this entirely until the album was finished. I found that each song was about loss and how loss can manifest itself in so many different ways.

I was happy to find a natural flow to the album.

Who are the musicians you are all inspired by?

My number-one is Sufjan Stevens.

I love his ability to bridge an individual unique sound with accessibility. His lyrics are brilliant and his compositions are very engaging. He doesn’t stick to one model. I’ve also been inspired by Sigur Rós, Andrew Bird; Belle and Sebastian, Gregory Alan Isakov; Björk, Joanna Newsom (and so many more).

Justin: As a bass player; my favorite musicians are John Entwistle of The Who and Ira Wolf Tuton of Yeasayer.  As far as bands that inspire me; I absolutely adore Radiohead, R.E.M.; St. Vincent, Grizzly Bear; Local Natives, Alt-j…I could go on forever.

What comes next for the band? Do you have more material in mind? How are plans for 2018 going?

After touring three of the last four months, basically, non-stop; we’re taking time to be home with family and friends for the holidays - and working our survival jobs. We’ll be playing a pair of shows in Washington D.C. and New York City next month before Christmas. Then, we’ll be flying out to Holland in mid-January for a string of dates supporting Bettie Serveert - and a few other shows scattered around Western Europe. We have started messing around with some new songs and ideas - and will probably spend some more time refining and fine-tuning them. 

We have no immediate plans following our return from Holland.

IN THIS PHOTO: And the Kids/PHOTO CREDIT: Courtney Chavanell 

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

Peter: Hop Along; And the Kids, Adult Jazz; Big Thief, Bully; Diet Cig, Half Waif; Petal, Mothers; Alex G, Weaves and Alvvays.

IN THIS PHOTO: Half Waif/PHOTO CREDIT: Tonje Thilesen

Justin: Japanese Breakfast, Sunjacket; Pinegrove - the new Perfume Genius album - Birds of Avalon and Jenny Besetzt. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Birds of Avalon

Those last two aren’t particularly new but they are bands from our neck of the woods that just put out new records - and they are so good.

If you each had to select the album that means the most to you; which would they be and why?

Honestly, the most important record to me might very well be Live at Leeds by The Who

It’s certainly not my favorite album - and as a live record, I don’t think it really ‘counts’ for the purposes of this question - but that’s the record that changed everything for me.  Prior to hearing this album, I was learning how to play bass and I liked listening to loads of music; but I didn’t think of it as something I could pursue beyond a hobby. 

But, hearing three instruments and three voices filling up all that space live - in the moment, warts-and-all - totally gave me a new perspective on what a band was. I probably played along to that record every day after school for two months - and I almost never go on a road trip without it.

Jake: (The untitled album by) Sigur Rós - ()

I’m fascinated by the percussion. The compositional, dynamic and emotional range of it inspire me. It is slow-moving; filled with some magic resonance or power - and the second-half, towards the end of the record, gets HUGE. It’s a masterwork in my opinion. I always find some new instrumental or vocal line that fixates me in a way that hadn’t before.

T.L.D.R.: I just sink into it. Nothing can follow me in….

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Peter: Be kind, be you; don’t put on a front, ask questions about others - rather than constantly waiting for an excuse to talk about yourself - and your achievements. Be open to opportunities, suggestions; don’t get defensive - but don’t let people push you around.

Justin: Play with people who make you feel like you can always be a better musician and person. Don’t take any opportunities for granted and always listen to your body - especially when you’re traveling for months at a time.

Jake: Be confident, stubborn and polite (not necessarily in that order).

Where can we see you play this year? Any plans regarding coming to the U.K.?

Justin: We have upcoming shows booked in Washington D.C., New York City; Raleigh, North Carolina. Then; we’re playing shows in Oss, Goes; Ensched, Amsterdam and Arnhem - all in the Netherlands.

We are hoping to figure out a show or two in the U.K. between dates in Holland - but having ‘just’ played a couple of shows in London and Milton Keynes this past July: returning to the U.K. might be in the cards for later. We’ll see!

Christmas is not too far away. Do you all have plans already - or will you be busy working?

Peter: My girlfriend and I are going up to D.C. to spend Christmas with my family - and I’m too excited.

Justin: It’s looking like I’ll be staying in N.Y.C. for a few days after our show spending time with my brother; then travel back to North Carolina with him for Christmas at our parents’.  I’ll probably work a bunch between Boxing Day and New Year’s.

Jake: Time to see all my family! I am fortunate to have a big extended family that gathers around the holidays. There’s always good conversation, goofing-around and love. I do have a N.Y.E. gig and, even though it’s work; there’s no way I’d rather bring in the New Year!

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Peter: No Below by Speedy Ortiz

Justin: Slip Away by Perfume Genius

_________

Follow Happy Abandon

Official:

http://www.happyabandonmusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/HappyAbandon/?ref=br_rs

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HappyAbandon

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/happyabandonmusic/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL4-O2HQ5drhT2bTj8fIxjg

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/happyabandon

INTERVIEW: NADINE

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: CK Goldiing

NADINE

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SHE was born in Switzerland but…

resides in London. I have been talking to NADINE about her new track, Rise - and working on the eye-catching video with Gareth Kay. She tells me about her move from Switzerland and working with producer Dave Holden. Rise, the E.P., will follow and is something NADINE is excited to share with the world. I ask about her upbringing and whether she was raised in a musical household; how her third E.P. (Rise) differs from her previous offerings – and whether recording the new material has been a personal experience.

NADINE offers me a window into her music and the inspiration behind it; what she has planned for Christmas; recommends a few new artists worth our consideration – and why this week has been pretty non-stop.

________

Hi, NADINE. How are you? How has your week been?

Hi, Sam! I’m good, thanks.

My week has been pretty full-on - but in a good way. Lots of preparing for the E.P. launch; my first radio interview and, amongst all that celebrating, my birthday!

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

Yes. I’m an independent singer-songwriter, originally from Switzerland; I moved to London six years ago - and have been working on my music since.

It’s great to have found a network of creatives in London!

Rise is your new single. What is the story behind the song?

It took me a long time to write it…

I was inspired by many different events and I kept working on it during the course of almost two years. The story around this song is quite hard to put in words as it has got lots of layers to it. It’s about the vulnerable feeling in the hope of new love. It’s about having found something incredible that requires letting go of what I was used to. It’s about my experience of faith and how it challenges me beyond anything else.

I first thought it might be too personal or too mysterious but, the more badass and empowering it became, the more I wanted to share it with people!

Its video sees you working with Gareth Kay. What was it like shooting the video?

It was great.

I’m so glad I found out about Gareth’s videos online. I knew he was the right person to work with when I told him about my crazy plan of putting a trampoline in a church - and he thought it was a great idea. When on the trampoline, I thought to myself: ‘Wow. This is actually happening. It’s so much fun!’. Gareth was so kind and hilarious - and also made sure we didn’t compromise on quality amongst the madness.

The E.P., Rise, is out on 23rd November. Has it been quite a personal experience putting it together? Which songs stand out to you – and have particular meaning and impact?

The process of writing my own songs is usually a highly personal one.

It’s often interesting to then start collaborating with a producer and other musicians: that’s when it feels like a personal thing becomes a (more) common-good - which is sometimes scary, but rewarding. The opening song of the E.P. is called Pocahontas; it’s a song that means a lot to me - because the true story of Pocahontas has always inspired me (from) when I was a kid.

I’m looking forward to sharing it with people.

PHOTO CREDIT: CK Goldiing

Dave Holden assists in production. You have worked together before. What is it about him that brings the music to life?

I always enjoy working with Dave because, next to being incredibly talented and professional, he’s also (just) one of the nicest humans to talk to - and to be creative with. His compositions are cinematic, gritty and powerful…which had a transformative effect on my ballads.

Dave also encouraged me to worry less about perfection when it comes to vocal performance - which I found empowering.

This will be your third E.P. Have you grown in confidence and ability, would you say, since your debut?

Yes, absolutely!

It’s a continuous learning-process - and I wouldn’t want to go back.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rodycloud Photography

You are based in the U.K. Switzerland is where you hail from. What was the reason for locating to the U.K.? Are there big differences between the music scenes?

I always had an interest in the international music scene and London felt like the perfect place to connect and grow my English - and my craft as a songwriter. I love the creative atmosphere in London: it’s very inspiring and it feels more natural to be a professional songwriter here than in Switzerland...

Yet; I always love performing in Switzerland because artists are treated very nicely and there’s less a feeling of being part of an oversaturated market.

PHOTO CREDIT: CK Goldiing

Did you grow up in a musical household? How influential were your parent regarding your music?

Yes. My parents both enjoy playing music.

My mum used to write songs and perform in a band - that’s why it always felt natural for me to want to be a performing artist. My parents have always been incredibly supportive of my endeavours - which I’m very grateful for.

Which artists are most inspiring to you? Who were the names you loved when you were younger?

I used to listen to classic 1980s/1990s Pop; for example, Whitney Houston, NSYNC and Destiny’s Child. Nowadays, I enjoy songs with lots of lyrical depth; for example, that of (the maybe lesser-known) Josh Garrels or Sleeping at Last.

IN THIS PHOTO: Polly Money/PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Louise Bennett - Photographer

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

I’ve got an almost endless list for you - but there are some highly skilled songwriters out there…

For example: Polly Money, Beth Keeping; Shane Beales and Jules Rendell…

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

It’s quite hard to pick whole albums nowadays: so I’m gonna have to go back in time a bit!

Brooke Fraser – Flags

The album I listened to while I started writing songs more regularly (before I moved to London).

Kye Kye – Fantasize

This album heavily inspired the sound of my second E.P. when I was working with producer JJ Mitchell.

Stromae – Racine Carrée

I hope adding an album in French is allowed? (Indeed – Sam).

I can’t even begin to say how much I admire Stromae as an artist. There’s something (incredibly) unique about him - and he writes with such skill and integrity (and his music videos are incredible!).

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

I think I’m probably the one needing advice, to be honest.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

I’m going to visit my family in Switzerland.

I’m also going to play a gig on 31st and am going to bring a few of my British friends with me…which should be fun!

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

Sleeping at Last – Anger

Ryan O’Neal writes the most gorgeous lyrics and releases singles on a very regular basis. This is one of his Atlas: Emotion-series releases!

I hope you enjoy it too (smiles).

_________

Follow NADINE

PHOTO CREDIT: CK Goldiin 

Official:

https://www.nadinemusic.org/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/nadinemusicofficial

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Nadinemusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/nadine_music/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPgcAiuITk3U3r9LCDk78kQ

INTERVIEW: K Anderson

INTERVIEW:

K Anderson

________

ALTHOUGH he is battling through a cold right now…

K Anderson was keen to talk to me about his latest single, Cluttered. He discusses the complexities of love and why casual ‘dating’ is something he is not on-board with. I ask the Australian-raised, London-based songwriter about his plans for future music; which albums/artists have made the biggest impression on his heart – if there is a new artist we should all go looking for.

Anderson reveals why Cluttered departs, in terms of sound, from Bitter Wind and 14 Year Old Me; how the end of this year will be spent; what advice he would give to new songwriters – and why Cluttered was quite tough to pull together.

________

Hi, K. How are you? How has your week been?

I’ve come down with the same cold the rest of London seems to be afflicted with!

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

Sure. Although, bear with me, as I’m notoriously bad at this kind of thing! I am a Scotland-born, Australia-raised; London-based, singer-songwriter - and I lean on the side of oversharing and melodrama…

What can you tell us about the new single, Cluttered? What is the story behind it?

I’m never very good at casual dating…

I don’t understand how people can be fuc*-buddies and not develop complicated and weird feelings for each other. Cluttered is a song about this: about being certain that you don’t want to be with someone at the same time as obsessively checking their Instagram feed - and wondering how your two surnames would sound together if you decided to go double-barrelled (not that I’ve ever done that, obviously).

You have described the song as falling between Michael Stipe and Toni Basil. That sounds like quite a brew! How did you arrive at the song’s sound and dynamic?

This one took a while to come together and there are actually a few different versions I tried before starting on this path. I knew that I wanted it to be brash and a little frantic and, for me, the bass is so important in this song. Getting that sound right really helped it come together.

The song looks at messy relationships and a brief fling turning into something more substantial. How much of the song’s core stems from your own experiences of love?

I used to fall into relationships all the time. I mean, not all the time, but I was always so shocked if someone fancied me that I didn’t want to risk losing my chance! I think, as the years have gone on, I’ve made a concerted effort to cultivate this cynical old-man vibe - which makes me far warier (and also means fewer songs about the first stages of lust!).

Cluttered is a departure from Bitter Wind and 14 Year Old Me. Was that a conscious decision – tackling new ground?

No. It never is…

I don’t want to sound cliché, but I love so many different types of music - and don’t like to limit myself to how I think other people think I should sound. For me, it’s most important to serve the song and this is the sound that Cluttered wanted to take - so, I just followed it along that path.

Can we expect any new material in 2018?

In a word: yes.

I’m working on something at the moment that I think is very exciting - but I want to keep it a secret a little bit longer, so…you’ll have to make do with a simple ‘yes’ for now.

Which artists did you grow up listening? What kind of sounds were you experiencing when young?

My family aren’t musical, so I mostly listened to whatever was on the radio growing up (which was a lot of Easy Listening!).

When I started to listen to music ‘seriously’ (I kind of hate this term, because I always took music seriously - even when it was supposedly throw-away Pop), I was really taken by strong female singer-songwriters (and it’s only been, very recently, that I’ve enjoyed listening to men) - think Ani DiFranco, Jill Sobule and Joni Mitchell.

I am interesting finding out how songs come to you. Do you have an idea of a track or do they arrive in a flash? How long would a track lie Cluttered take to get right and fully-formed?

There’s no one way…

Sometimes, a song is very quick to form and other times…not so much…

The general thing tends to be lots of re-writing; lots of time away to view it with fresh eyes - and additions of bridges and pre-choruses six-months after I thought the thing was finished!

You have had a busy career already and must be thinking ahead. Do you have any dreams/ambitions you hope to fulfil in 2018?

You’re trying to get this secret out of me, aren’t you?

IN THIS PHOTO: Hanne Hukkelberg

Which new artists do you recommend we check out?

Not a new artist - but I’m really enjoying the new Hanne Hukkelberg album at the moment.

Are there any tour dates coming up? Where can we see you play?

Yes! I’m doing a short acoustic set at The Reverse’s single-launch party on 25 November in London town.

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Oh, hell! That’s a tough one and depends entirely on the day you ask me….how about:

Living in Clip - Ani DiFranco

People told me about how amazing Ani was for ages - but I could never properly get into her music. Then I heard this record, which is a live album, and it all suddenly made sense. Her ease and charm come through on this record so clearly.

Blue - Joni Mitchell

I know that people criticise this one as being too Pop and straightforward, but I don’t care. Give me this every day!

Spice – The Spice Girls

So many memories and weird feelings wrapped up in this one!

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Hustle. Create and share often.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

No plans yet. I tend to ignore Christmas until I have no other choice – so, I figure I’ve still got a good month before I need to panic!

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

Since I’ve already mentioned her:

Hanne Hukkelberg (ft. Emilie Nicolas) - Embroidery

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Follow K Anderson

Official:

https://www.kandersonmusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/kandersonmusic

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/kandersonmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kandersonmusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/kandersonmusic

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2hemxJSBMzRDDHNL6eBVXj

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYlU2Ureb2d4PJiaQ9Kew6A

INTERVIEW: Galaxians

INTERVIEW:

 Galaxians

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THEIR name might provoke images of outer-space…

or classic arcade games but, as is explained; the name has a different origin. Matt, from Galaxians, discusses the new album, Let the Rhythm In, and the colours and genres they include in their music – among them, lashes of Pop and Funk. He tells me how they met their newest recruit, Em, and the great music coming out of Leeds.

I find out about Ghost Town Recording Studio in Leeds and performing there; the themes that go into the album; the artists the band/Matt was raised on – and some valuable advice for new musicians of the minute.

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Hi, Matt/guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Matt: Hi, I am/we are A-OKAY, I think! Last week was one of extreme post-tour blues, but we had a rehearsal tonight - so it's nice to get back on it.

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

We are Galaxians; a trio from Leeds (U.K.) comprised of Emma Mason (Voice), Jed Skinner (Synthesisers and Programming) and Matt Woodward (Drums and Programming).

The band started in 2012 - and Em joined us in 2016.

Can you tell me where that name, ‘Galaxians’, comes from? Is there a tale behind it?

We chose it just because it had a ring to it we both liked...

There's a common misconception that we are named after a computer-game - but neither of us has ever been into them; so we didn't know there was one (it’s called ‘Galaxian’, I believe).

It was just among a bunch of names we suggested - and was the one we both liked at the time.

How did you all get together in the first place - and what was it about one another that led to the formation of the band?

Jed and I met in Leeds as a result of an email that Jed sent to my old band, Cissy.

Our synth player had recently left the band and Jed was interested in joining - but we'd actually already decided to form a new band (Azores) and didn't want a synth player as such. But, during the email exchange, I suggested Jed and I meet up and maybe jam - which we did and it was fun. I think the thing that really dawned on both of us was that we shared a common love for music - that none of our other friends were into.

From my point-of-view, I was just really into the way Jed played, too. I'd never been in a band with a synth player who played so funky - so it was a fresh and exciting thing - I was looking for a new way to approach the drums, too. A different angle. I wanted to learn a new discipline. 

Em joined us in 2016, but we've lived on the same street and known each other for over ten years. After we initially decided to collaborate on some ideas for the album; it just became obvious once we got into the studio and started working together that Em should be a permanent member of the band. 

Let the Rhythm In is your new record. What was the biggest inspiration-point in terms of themes and subject matter? 

There isn't ever a single or central inspiration-point for us, really, because we have a lot of different ideas - born out of both musical and non-musical influences and experiences.

The record didn't really stem from a singular concept or idea, but some of the themes we touch on in the lyrics are – for Emma and me particularly - a reflection of where we live and how the urban environment makes us feel.

There are classic Disco/Boogie/1980s/R&B themes in there - romance, money; city-living, nightlife etc - but my feeling is that it's not always rooted in some of the more aspirational themes of Disco…but more along the lines of ‘ye; it's hard living in a dirty, sometimes scary, noisy city - but it's also inspiring’. In terms of creating art in a city environment; there is always inspiration amongst the decay and the noise. It's not pretty but the urban degradation, close proximity to others and the harsh realities of inner-city life can produce a certain rawness in music (that we really like).

I think that's one of the reasons I've always had an obsession with 1970s/1980s New York. 

In terms of musical influences, there are many: Leroy Burgess, Gwen Guthrie; Jocelyn Brown, West End Records etc. It’s fair to say that we love the N.Y.C. sound, in particular, but not just the players. The way we composed and arranged the album version of How Do U Feel? was heavily influenced by John Morales and his original M&M session remixes. We really love his arrangements.

He’s one of those people whose remixes sometimes improve on the originals. His version of Lay It on the Line by Logg is a prime example. The original is great but John’s version is just something else..pun-intended (there’s also a Logg song called Something Else).

It was recorded at Ghost Town Recording Studio (Leeds) with Ross Halden. How much fun was it?! Was it pretty cool working with Halden?!

Ross is great to work with.

He doesn't have as high a profile as some other Leeds producers but, for us, he's the only person we want to work with here; partly because he understands where our sound comes from. He knows something of the history of the sound and the instruments used and gets as excited as us about reflecting on how, why and where some obscure; lo-fi, early-1980s Boogie-Funk record was made.

That's the kind of nerdiness and attention-to-detail we like… 

A big part of working with Ross is that he's very flexible, eager to experiment; happy to try new things, encouraging and easy-going. What we've found is that as our working relationship with Ross has developed: he's taken on that fourth band member role, sometimes, and really helped us get the best out of everything - ourselves, the instruments and the songs. We feel that he actually digs what we’re doing and cares about it...

He puts up with our bullsh*t and weirdness pretty well, too.

Leeds is your hometown. How much of the honesty and diversity of the people/landscape goes into your music?

It's a definite influence and a constant inspiration for us.

We’re all northerners - and I think it’s fair to say that northerners tend to be viewed as no-nonsense, no-bullsh*t people. There’s definitely some truth in that and I hope our music does come across as both honest and representative of where we live. I do love Leeds, but I’m not territorial about it because I love the North in general. North Yorkshire is where I grew up.

I really like West Yorkshire in general, too - and South Yorkshire is also good. In recent times I’ve grown to love places like Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool more and more.

 

There is great diversity in the North of England. I think that diverse, multi-cultural communities are beneficial to everyone and only enrich our lives - and the cultural landscape in general. Leeds is definitely good for that. The community I live in is great. Obviously, it has its problems like any other inner-city area but, on the whole, everybody gets along well - which is all the more positive when you see how tightly the streets are packed in; how small the houses are - and how close people live to each other. 

Do you think that area of the country gets as much focus as it deserves?

No...but Leeds gets a lot more focus than some of the other towns and cities around it (Bradford, for example). Leeds is a popular, young city and it’s a consumer mecca in the North - so it does okay. Plus, it’s always had a huge student population. There's a much wider debate on the distribution of wealth and resources in England - and how it affects parts of the country that are a long way from London. Successive governments and institutions have repeatedly shown an open sense of contempt for people in the North, too. Spend a week or two visiting deprived areas of the North East and you’ll see what I mean. People from working-class communities - in the North - do feel ignored and like they don't have a voice.

It's been like that for generations…

Referring directly to the arts; Leeds doesn’t receive as much focus as, say, Manchester or Liverpool - because its musical heritage isn’t as well known or highly trumpeted by the media. I guess one of the things I’ve always liked about Leeds is that there are really great bands (a huge number of them since pioneers like Gang of Four and Delta 5) that have always existed underground or on the fringes. It’s always had a really prolific, varied; high-quality D.I.Y. music community and a great club culture, too…but people just like it underground here!

I sometimes wonder if new bands from cities, that have a more famous music culture, find it hard to break off the shackles of that heritage - or get tired of people in the press referencing it or comparing them to it.

 

I get a sense classic Disco is quite a draw for you guys. What music did you all grow up listening to?

Classic Disco is definitely a huge passion for us, but, equally, the post-Disco, pre-House era perhaps more so, actually. I think it’s the combination of live instrumentation – acoustic drums, bass guitars etc. – blended with the early synthesisers and drum-machines that really produced some incredible music - and a lot of experimentation. (All those sub-genres that appeared – Boogie, Garage; Proto-House etc.).

Growing up; the first records I heard were albums my parents had: Changes by David Bowie; Revolver by The Beatles - stuff like that. I first heard Kraftwerk when I was in my early-teens and that made a big impression on me; as did Hip-Hop and Electro acts from N.Y.C. like Rock Steady Crew and Break Machine. I was also really into 2 Tone Records, The Jam; early U2, The Damned; X-Ray Spex, Kate Bush; Blondie, Prince....but, by the time I started playing drums, I was into Rockabilly; The Smiths and U.K. Indie stuff - and then, Hardcore stuff. My first few bands were Hardcore or Punk bands. I was exposed to lots of really amazing music at college - because the community there was really diverse and everyone liked music a lot. 

I didn’t really get into Disco and Dance music until much later on. The really exciting thing for me was that, when I did discover Dance music, a huge world opened up. I really got into it. It was a feeling and a vibe that spoke to me and I got it. I felt at home there and started going to Techno raves and parties - and meeting a lot of different people who really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I loved it then and still do. It speaks to the hedonist in me, for sure; but it’s the sense of community and a shared feeling or moment that you really feel.

It’s about liberation, discovery and giving in to the music.    

Are there any tour dates coming up? Where can we see you play? 

We’ve actually just completed a U.K. and European tour off the back of the album release: playing in Leeds, Bristol; Amsterdam, Jeumont; Cologne, Brussels; Lille, and London. I had a great time and met so many ace people. The hospitality you receive once you get across the English Channel, sometimes, puts us to shame. Our next gigs should be fun. We’re playing with The Moonlandingz at Church in Leeds on 19th November; then a party in The Old Angel in Nottingham on 2nd December, hosted by Pete Woosh - who is/was a member of the legendary DiY Sound System collective, there. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Kelela

Who are the new artists you recommend we investigate?

That depends on how you define ‘new’...

I can list a few records I’m listening to right now - but they’re not new artists, as such. I’ve been listening to Kelela a lot recently and the Golden Teacher (Glasgow) album which just came out; plus, stuff by Jessy Lanza, Silver Linings (Melbourne); AMOR (Glasgow) and Talamanca System - amongst other things. My girlfriend, Reb, recently played me the new Jane Weaver record and an album by Kate Tempest; both of which I really liked. I buy tons of music regularly - but more older stuff than new...

IN THIS PHOTO: Golden Teacher

I go through periods where I feel a little out-of-touch with new stuff. I don't tend to follow trends or focus on hyped bands that much. I still find out about a lot of music by going to gigs, but that also depends on how busy I am and how much money I have. I don’t use streaming sites or listen to a lot of stuff online; so, it sometimes takes me longer to discover stuff everyone else is already into. I like records and don’t like listening to music through a laptop - even through my hi-fi. It still sounds crappy to me…so, I’d rather listen to vinyl.

I like music on a tactile format - and vinyl is the only format for me.  

IN THIS IMAGE: Jane Weaver/IMAGE CREDIT: Ethem Onur Bilgiç/Bant Mag

If you had to select the one album that means the most to you; which would it be and why?

I couldn’t: it’s just impossible.

The music is the meaning - and my love for it is ongoing. There are too many albums I love and music itself is too vast to pick a single album. Different albums produce different feelings connected to different things - and you can’t always compare them. It’s an art-form; so there’s subjectivity and relativity inherent in it, too. Our tastes often change throughout our lives don’t they? I still love some of the bands and artists I loved as a teenager - but there’s always music to discover now and in the future and, as I get older, my musical palette widens - and I become more open to stuff I might have hated ten years ago. 

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now? 

I’m not really a person who should be giving advice…but here goes (not in order of importance, by the way!):

1) Do what comes naturally

2) Enjoy the process as much as the finished result

3) Don’t be a dick (like I’ve been at times)

4) Be humble (arrogance is unattractive)...

5) Show support and solidarity with people who might be in a less privileged position than yourself

6) Speak out about things that matter

7) Don’t get too sucked in by bullsh*t. Worrying about how many likes you have on Twitter is a slippery slope

8) Respect people

9) Manage yourselves - maintain control over what you do...

10) Go on tour and visit other countries as often as possible.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

I'm going to visit my mum by the sea...

It's beautiful there and I always enjoy Christmas with my mum. We're not religious, by any means, so we don't go mad for Christmas...but I'll take any excuse to feast on my mother's home-cooking.

I'm back at work on the 27th December for a few days. 

Are there any plans for next year? What goals do you hope to fulfil in the coming year?

Well. We're always thinking about new songs and the next record. Ideally, we'll have enough material for album two towards the end of next year. We're always playing shows; so that never really stops - unless one of us goes on holiday or whatever...

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

Confess to U by Omar S (ft. Nite Jewel)

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Follow Galaxians

Official:

http://supergalaxians.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/galaxiansband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/GLXNS

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/glxnz/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/galaxians

BandCamp:

https://galaxians.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: Luke Elliot

INTERVIEW:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Thaddeus Rombauer

Luke Elliot

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A lot of attention has been paid the way…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Thaddeus Rombauer

of U.S. singer-songwriter Luke Elliot. I speak to him about his acclaimed album, Dressed for the Occasion, and the stories that go into it. I ask what it was like to work with producer John Agnello and how he came to meet Christa Shaub – former manager of the Pop superstar, Rihanna. Elliot talks about his plans for the coming months and the artists who have inspired him.

He also speaks about the music scene in New Jersey and what it was like taking on a whirlwind tour of Europe; what the music industry was like when he started out; a new artist that is worthy of more focus – and how his Christmas plans are panning out.

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Hi, Luke. How are you? How has your week been?

I'm ok. I've been in a studio (in Harlem) working on new material all week.  

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

My name is Luke Elliot. I'm from New Jersey and just finished a U.S. tour - after playing extensively in Europe for two-and-a-half years. Go buy Dressed for the Occasion.

Dressed for the Occasion is your current album. What kind of themes and stories go into the album?

It's made up of a lot of personal experiences - and a lot of other people's, too. I tend to take on characters here a lot more than I expected to. 

It just kind of happened organically.

Is there a particular song that strikes a chord with you? A personal favourite that stands aside?

Well. I have a feeling about all of them in one way or another...but I think People Like You really stands out. 

It hits a visceral part of me that the others don't.

 

Tell me more about Get ‘Em While They’re Hot and the inspiration behind that…

It has a lot to do with superstition...

I've always been a rather obsessive person and I think this song has something to do with trying to differentiate between an obsession and what's actually happening. 

It can get rather confusing.

What was it like working with producer John Agnello on the L.P.?

John is a force in the studio. He gets things done I couldn't have imagined. He has an unnatural way of taking my ideas and turning them into something that stretched far beyond their original horizon. 

(He's a good kisser, too). 

You signed with former Rihanna manager Christa Shaub and had a chance meeting with a European journalist – that seemed to set your career on the right path. Tell me more about that series of events…

I practically stalked Christa until she started managing me. 

We met through a mutual friend, years back, and I knew right away I needed someone like her to help me further my career. I called her until she picked up and when she wouldn't, I wrote her emails and messages on social media. I sent her new material and then would follow up a few hours later to ask her (her) thoughts. I was very pro-active. 

She finally took me on and we continued working the N.Y. circuit. Randomly, we met a Norwegian journalist who happened to write on me in the latest newspaper in the country. We got asked over for a tour - and things took off from there in Europe.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Thaddeus Rombauer

Can you tell me how you got into music and what the early days were like? Was it hard starting out in the industry?

This industry sucks.

It’s a nightmare. People are awful to young musicians trying new things - at least in the United States. ‘Professionals’ won't speak to you; club owners make you grovel for your money - and sound engineers are ill-equip and hate their jobs. Once you find a fanbase, though, it changes. All of a sudden, there are people coming to your shows. If you keep working, it just happens. 

But the industry, as a whole, is an unguarded snake-pit.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Thaddeus Rombauer

Which artists are most influential with regards your sound would you say?

Lots...

A lot of directors and authors have influenced me as well. It really ranges. There are too many to list.

I believe, before you embarked on a whirlwind tour of Europe, you never owned a passport or left the U.S.! What was it like stepping into a new world and embracing new countries?

It was a relief. I couldn't wait to travel. I think that excitement really translated to the people there. 

New Jersey is where you are based. What is it like there for a young and ambitious musician? 

I'm fortunate that I grew up near major metropolitan cities. I was always able to get away from the suburbs and see what else was going on. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Shilpa Ray

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

I really like Shilpa Ray. She's great.

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

I couldn't pick just three: I'm not great at answering 'all-time-favorites' questions. Right now, I've been listening to a lot of Kurt Weill.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Do what you want to do, not what other people tell you. 

Pay attention to trusted sources and new ideas - but stick with your gut. Develop and always be willing to change - but learn the difference between compromising and losing yourself. At the end of the day, your ideas are what started the whole thing.   

Where can we see you play this year? Any plans regarding coming to the U.K.?

We are looking forward to coming back to the U.K. soon but no dates have been set yet. Right now, we are setting up tours for Greece, Turkey; Sweden, Australia and the U.S., of course.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you all have plans already - or will you be busy working?

I don't know yet. My schedule changes at the drop of a hat. I hope I'll get to see my family for a bit.

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

Groom Still Waiting at the Altar - Bob Dylan 

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Follow Luke Elliot

 PHOTO CREDIT: Thaddeus Rombauer 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lukeelliotmusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/lukeelliot

YouTube:

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

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/lukeelliotmusic/?hl=en

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7t6cXssTAtfc6F316tvLv7

INTERVIEW: Chris Pellnat

INTERVIEW:

Chris Pellnat

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THIS is not the first time the name ‘Pellnat’…

has made its way onto my blog! I reviewed Erin Pellnat last year: right now, I have been speaking with her father, Chris. I learn more about his path into music and how he got started; details about his awesome album, Honey Venom Wings – some of the choice cuts and stories that go into the record.

Chris Pellnat talks about his favourite sounds and the music scene around Hudson, N.Y.; why the area is so special to him; whether there is more to come; if we can expect arrival in the U.K. anytime soon – and whether he feels he has grown as a songwriter (whilst recording his latest album).

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Hi, Chris. How are you? How has your week been?

I’m doing pretty great. Life can be hard - but life is beautiful, too.

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

I am a singer-songwriter from just outside of Hudson, New York (U.S.A.). I have played in numerous bands - and am currently the electric guitar player in the (Poughkeepsie) New York-based band, The Warp/The Weft.

I have done the solo singer-songwriter thing - as well as collaborations with other musicians.

Honey Venom Wings is your new album. What sort of ideas do you investigate on the record? What is the history of that title?

Honey Venom Wings is the album title and also the name of one of the songs. I named the album after this song because I felt this song best encapsulates the essence of the album - which is to say I was striving for a certain ‘elevated’ feeling that I think I came closest to achieving in the song, Honey Venom Wings.

There are several very light, fun songs on this record – even a silly novelty song called Vegetarian Blues (I am a vegetarian).

But, Honey Venom Wings is rather dark. It’s about being in a fever in a hospital and perhaps (being) near-death. But, it’s also strangely uplifting in some kind of subtle way - I think because it’s very spiritual.

The first song on the album is On the Ground, which is a dulcimer-driven Folk spiritual - it’s all about rising up to become more than we are.

Has it been a fun and illuminating process – recording and constructing the songs? Do you think you have grown a lot as a songwriter whilst making the L.P.?

Yes. I have done several recording with bands and with other singers and have dabbled a bit in recording - but this album is really the first time I focused solely on bringing some of my songs to life in a recorded form. It is very much a learning experience.

The final form/structure of a song, sometimes, isn’t worked out until it comes time to make decisions about how it’s going to come together in a recording. The recording process and tools influence the way you perceive your own songs - and the possibilities for what directions you can take them in.

It’s liberating in some ways: limiting in others.

The record veers in directions and embraces different sounds! Is that consistent with your music tastes and upbringing? Which artists did you grow up listening to?

I grew up listening to every possible thing I could...

I went through the obligatory Beatles, The Rolling Stones; Bob Dylan, and Bowie phases; then, Talking Heads and a lengthy Indie-Rock/Alt.-Folk phase; a Jazz phase (John Coltrane!); a Classical music phase (Beethoven, Mozart especially) - as well as being really into old Country music for a while (Hank Williams, Johnny Cash etc.)...but, the truth is, I’ve never really escaped from any of those phases: I still love it all and it lives within me. But, I don’t live in the past. 

My ears are always open to new sounds.

Do you know what is coming next year? Are you working on any new material?

I am always writing and working on new ideas.

About 80% of it ends up in the garbage almost immediately: the other 20% are songs that I keep alive – to shape and fine-tune. Some of these will end up discarded, too, as my thoughts about them evolve. 

So...maybe 10% end up being songs I perform and record.

Hudson is where you are based. What is that area of New York like for music?

The entire Hudson Valley has a very vibrant music scene.

All of the cities (such as Kingston, Hudson and Poughkeepsie) are home to amazing musicians - and there are a good number of venues that welcome original music.

In addition to your own music; you collaborate with others – and perform with different musicians. Is it hard balancing those projects? Do you take a little from each area and incorporate that into your music?

I love collaborating...

My work with singers has been especially helpful to me. I do not think my voice is anything special - I am more of a songwriter than singer. But, when a super-talented vocalist sings my songs, my music really comes to life in a wonderful way. It’s magical.

I’ve also done some production for singers doing their own music – also a great learning experience in terms of internalizing and striving to really understand their work on a deep level…and act on that to hopefully convey their musical essence.

All of that influences what I do with my own music.

Does the rise of Donald Trump impact your music? Is he someone who ‘inspires’ creativity in you?!

Politics is not a major focus for me but this presidency really has made non-political people like me focus on what is going on. I think the importance of creative pursuits and the arts is paramount now; when the nation is so divided and angry on both sides. Not that art can fix conflict - but it can show us something higher and more universal that transcends politics and goes to the heart of human existence.

We need that perspective to keep from being dragged into the partisan battles and division. That said; I did do one overtly political song. Shortly after the election of Donald Trump; Mercy Weiss and I made an anti-Trump music video for a song I previously wrote called Evil Baby.

The song didn’t start off being about Trump but, since he became President, we both saw that the song could easily be about him. Mercy sings the song and appears in the video.

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

Aside from Mercy Weiss, whom I just mentioned, of course, I would recommend The Warp/The Weft (the band I play in).

IN THIS IMAGE: Mercy Weiss

Another Hudson Valley band I really like a lot is The Sweet Clementines.

At the risk of nepotism; I would strongly recommend the Brooklyn band Caretaker - fronted by my daughter, Erin. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Caretaker/PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Joseph

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

(This is an impossible question - I could name one-hundred such albums!  But, if you insist; here are three that are very special..):

Transition - John Coltrane

Especially on this album; Coltrane shows any musician with open ears and an open mind how to navigate music and make it do your bidding. In his case, it was incredible, imaginative; visionary improvisational music - but that same kind of exploratory curiosity and intelligence are needed to move one’s music forward, regardless of the genre.

Talking Heads: 77 – Talking Heads

Forty years later; this record still sounds bizarre, brilliant - and unlike any other Rock album before or since.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles

Yes, I know this is too obvious a choice to make - but I make it anyway. An uneven, in some places, muddled - but overall brilliant - record that changed everything.

Can we see you perform anywhere soon? Where can we catch you play?

I plan to do some more gigs in early-2018 (in the Hudson Valley).

Will you be coming to the U.K.? What do you think of the music over here?

No immediate plans -  but I would jump at the opportunity, should it arise!

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Be yourself - or be who you want to be - or be an elaborate persona you invent. Whatever…just don’t be what you think others want you to be.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

No immediate plans – just looking forward to hanging out with family. I get a couple days off from work.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive - Hank Williams

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Follow Chris Pellnat

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherPellnat/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/musicianchris1

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/pretentiousmusic

BandCamp:

https://chrispellnat.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: Jennings Couch

INTERVIEW:

Jennings Couch

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IN the raging and jam-packed sea of musicians…

few manage to cling to the critical liferaft and make it to the tropical island of popular acclaim. It seems Jennings Couch has a fighting chance of safety and success! I speak with him about the new single, Serotonin, and a unique approach to relationships. There is a love of science and antiques in the bones of Jennings Couch – an angle I was keen to explore. He discusses his love of the sciences and some of his quirkiest possessions; the musicians who fuel his passions – and when new material is coming.

He divulges information about influence and the creative process; what he has in store regarding gigs; moving from the U.S. to the U.K. – and a new artist we should all be familiar with.

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Hi, Jennings. How are you? How has your week been?

I’ve been well, thanks!

This week has been quite busy preparing for a couple gigs next week and future single releases. I’ve got music videos, photo-shoots and rehearsals to do - and not enough me!

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

I was born in New York  City, in 1995, and moved to London when I was nine-years-old. I think the move really influenced the music I listened to growing up and, thus, influenced my songwriting.

I would say I’ve developed a strange mix of Alternative, Indie-Rock and Pop.

Serotonin is your new single. What can you reveal about its background and concept?

I’ve always loved philosophy and science - and I’ve always been interested in trying to take an abstract concept and turning it into a relatable song.

Serotonin is the neurotransmitter responsible for moods, particularly happiness, and I thought it would be really cool to create a love song using serotonin as the main idea; hence the chorus-line: “You’re playing havoc with my serotonin”.       

It seems you have had quite an itinerant life so far. What was the reason for moving from New York to England? Do you get a chance to go back to the U.S.?    

I came to England with my parents for their work. I would say my formative years were spent in the U.K and that’s why I adapted to this culture so well; so much so that I don’t feel American anymore and, whenever I go back to the U.S - which is only about twice a  year - it feels like I’m just a visitor...                 

Who are the artists you grew up listening to and were inspired by?       

I grew up listening to a wide range of music - from Heavy Metal to Folk.

Through every phase I went through, I believe I took any things that I enjoyed about each genre and put them into my own songwriting. For instance, I love a good Heavy Metal breakdown but I also love a beautiful Folk guitar riff. Finding a balance between what inspires me and what I am influenced by is a tricky (but satisfying) thing to do in songwriting.                

You have spent time in bustling cities and the rural quiet. Do you source from your surroundings when it comes to music? 

I would say I don’t source ideas directly from my surroundings - but being in a new environment is always creatively stimulating for me. I actually find it quite difficult to write at home.

I often end up having my best ideas when I’m in a new place or on holiday.                        

A chance meeting with Kevin Malpass started you on the path you are on. How important was that meeting? Tell me more about it…               

Kevin and I clicked straight away…

We both enjoyed each other’s writing style and could really relate, musically. It was so important for me to meet someone who understands what I am trying to convey in my music - and he did it perfectly through his production of my tracks.                  

A new L.P. is coming soon. What themes and stories do you tackle on the record?         

The tracks that are going on the new L.P. are quite varied in their themes.

I cover subjects such as human equality and the future of our society. Again; I’m always interested in taking big ideas and consolidating them into a song or two.                  

I know a lot of scientific and philosophical subjects will be included. Do you consider yourself a bit of a science geek?! What is it about science and the world around us that compels you?    

I suppose I am a bit of a geek when it comes to science and philosophy! I’m just so interested in how the world works and how we form the reality in which we live in. I think it’s so important to question everything and remain open-minded.

There is no such thing as too much knowledge.                  

One imagines there are collectables and rare items in your household! What are your prized possessions? What is the most unusual thing you own?           

I’ve got a real passion for antiques!

It’s just one of those strange hobbies I’ve developed over the years. My favourite era is the Victorian period; so I tend to collect items dating from 1830 to 1900. My most-prized possession is a silver Victorian pocket-watch from 1886.

It still works and I often wear it on a gold chain on my waistcoat.

        IN THIS PHOTO: grandson       

Which new artists do you recommend we check out?  

Recently, I’ve been listening to an artist called grandson. He’s got such a unique sound that I’ve not heard before!

Definitely worth a listen.             

Are there any tour dates coming up?    

I’ve got some gigs coming up in Bristol, Cheshire and London - but I’ve also got a small tour in China the first week of December!      

I’m so excited and really hoping they like my sound over there!  

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

In my teens, I listened to a band called Lydia from Arizona in the U.S. They had an album called Illuminate - which captivated me and very much inspired the way I write today.                  

Another album that I love is Absolutes by Barcelona

It’s beautifully ethereal and always reminds me of hazy summers spent in the U.S when I was a kid.

Thirdly; I would say Parachutes by Coldplay

I love Chris Martin’s writing style and his use of big, complex chords both on the guitar and piano. Even to this day, I love every song on that album.                          

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?                           

I was given a great piece of advice a while ago...

It was to (just) put your blinders on; keep your head down and keep doing what you’re doing - there will be a million NOs before there is one YES. There is also no ‘right’ way to be successful in music...

As long as you are prepared to have all the bases covered (i.e. social media, radio; T.V., sync,     writing for commission etc.) and you are patient; I believe it will work out.       

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already or will you be busy working? 

For Christmas, I will be visiting my relatives in my parent’s home-state of Indiana (in the U.S.).

It’s tradition that we do every year. However, before I can relax I’ve got a lot to do! From shooting music videos, rehearsing; getting ready for China - as well as preparing for the new releases in the New Year!               

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

In that case, as I mentioned before; I’m really enjoying grandson at the moment.

His song, Best Friends, is wicked and should be heard! I’d love to know what people think about it

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Follow Jennings Couch

Official:

https://www.jenningscouch.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jenningscouch/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/jenningscouch

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jenningscouchmusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/43RClIsYeah1rNFfJq25b6

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClm0V99gu8lMwYOoBJajiTw

INTERVIEW: Radio Coma

INTERVIEW:

 Radio Coma

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MAYBE this is the first time I have featured…

a New Zealand-based artist/band this year! That might sound reasonable but, as I discover, there is a wealth of great talent coming from the country! I talk to Radio Coma about the scene there and their hot new track, Too Young to Die. I know Jo Kelsey (the band's lead) and have featured her music before. It was good to catch up with her and the guys and ask what they will be doing next; how the Radio Coma came together; whether they are writing anything new – and if a U.K. visit is in order.

I discover the members’ musical tastes and why they gel so well; why more eyes need to point in the direction of New Zealand – and a few new acts we should investigate.

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

Hey! We’re good - just recovering from our last few shows and planning next moves; lots of exciting stuff is happening this summer!

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

Radio Coma is a Rock ‘n’ Roll band based in Auckland, New Zealand. We’re Johann (Bass), LJ (Drums); Ozan (Guitars) and Jo (Vocals).

Can I ask where the name ‘Radio Coma’ comes from? Is there a personal origin or story behind it?

Ozan: I had this mixed, mainly Chinese-speaking radio-noise coming from my guitar amp during a recording session - where I was using some vintage fuzz pedals. I kept it rolling because I thought it fit that dark song nicely - and we kept it in the mix. At the beginning, it became the name of that song but that was an earlier, never-released work - when the four of us weren’t even together.

Later on, when we were struggling with a band name, we also discovered that ‘Coma’ also means the nebulous envelope around the nucleus of a comet; formed when the comet passes close to the Sun -  which gives the comet a ‘fuzzy’ appearance when viewed by a telescope - distinguishes it from stars.

It all clicked together. We all loved both ideas and kept the name...

Jo. I know you are from the U.K. How did you all find one another in New Zealand?!

Jo: I got tired of London and the concrete jungle and was feeling totally uninspired. One day, I’d had enough so went out and bought myself a plane ticket to India; sold all of my stuff and ended up travelling the world and having some amazing adventures for a year or two. Eventually, I started (wanting to) settling down and found myself in New Zealand - which seemed like the perfect combination of sunshine, nature and city life.

Ozan had moved from Istanbul and Johann from France to work here. LJ had moved from South Africa for similar reasons to me. I’d been struggling to find musicians - and found Ozan and Johann while looking through endless ‘musician wanted’ ads. We had a few jams, started writing together; were joined soon after by LJ and haven’t looked back!

Too Young to Die is the new track. Can you reveal how the song came together and what lit the spark?

Ozan: The main guitar riff was there when I was trying to form the band and working with a drummer friend. We kind of put the basic riff together - but didn’t know what to do with it. Then Jo took it and came up with the melody and the lyrics. We kept jamming on it when LJ joined the band. That was actually the first-ever song we played all together. I looked Jo in the eye at the first chorus and we knew LJ was the one (one groovy man!). LJ and Johann both had their own take on the groove...

It was there, in a couple of jam sessions, with the full lyrics  - it became our first song.

Is there going to be a music video for the song? Any plans for future singles?

No music video plans yet!

Right now; we’re gigging as much as we can and getting our live performances better and better - whilst gaining exposure (as we’re a fairly new band). We have an E.P./album in-the-works for next year, too.

New Zealand is where you are based. I do not encounter a lot of artists from there! Is there quite an active music scene in the country?

New Zealand has a very small but a very active scene.

Currently, there are some great bands we admire and some great bands/musicians came out from New Zealand in the past - especially in the early-1980s, when there was this famous 'Dunedin' sound: an Indie/Pop formation which can be traced back to the emergence of Punk-Rock as a musical influence (in the country) in the late-1970s.

Some great bands active now (who we love) are The Datsuns, His Master’s Voice and Skinny Hobos - you guys should definitely have a listen...

What is it like in terms of venues and labels? Do you feel the band will grow and be able to flourish in the country?

We feel like we’re growing with every gig.

Starting with our first release (in May this year); we’ve been playing shows consistently and we feel like people really appreciate and see the hard work behind every tune and every groove. We’d like to tour New Zealand soon, too. It’s the same as being in any country: I think it’s natural to want to grow and venture out internationally when the time is right.

We haven’t had much experience as a band with the N.Z. labels yet. What we did, so far, was completely independent and our own work - including recording and mixing. However, we are looking for help in order to concentrate more on songwriting and be on the (more) creative side - rather than dealing with all the technicalities.  

There is a bit of a venue crisis, to be honest. There are also some good old ones we really love. Auckland and Wellington have a few really active places with great, supportive communities and owners around them. It’s all about the battle between the arts and property developments - pretty similar to what’s been happening in London over the last few years, sadly. Our hometown, Auckland, has been accepted into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Music, very recently. We hope this will improve the scene, add more festivals and venues to the table - where they are needed more than ever...

Coming from London - where the music industry is so saturated - it’s awesome to be in a place where it feels like people really listen to your music; appreciate and fight hard to keep the scene alive.

We’re excited to see what we can do here...

Tell me about the artists you all grew up on. What kind of albums did you all experience and fall for in the family household?!

This is a very interesting question for us to answer - as we all grew up in different parts of the world and were exposed to different kinds of traditional music; as well as western music. The answer would be very long!

Jo: I grew up as a Classical singer in Birmingham (U.K.), the hometown of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, so had a strange amalgamation of days spent singing Italian arias; nights in Rock bars - and parents who loved The Beatles. I remember dancing around the house to everything from Sgt. Pepper’s to Aretha Franklin and Etta James.

Ozan has some Turkish influence. Raised in a musical family; he grew up listening to both Eastern/Western Folk music a lot; fell in love with Blues - when he picked up a guitar as a kid and found himself listening to all the Classic Rock, Blues and Funk greats - from the 1960s/1970s - every day.  

LJ grew up in church and played (mostly) Gospel and contemporary Christian music - until he started working as a session drummer in his twenties and he had exposure to various other styles and genres…he has no specific musical preference but has strong musical roots in Soul, Gospel and Rock - and can appreciate most genres: from Classical and Jazz to Metal.

Johann (mostly) grew up with French and Spanish music influence until he moved to U.K. - when he was twenty - where he was more exposed to Rock ‘n’ Roll and joined his first local band.

I guess our common ground is Blues and Soul and, of course, we all have  Rock ‘n’ Roll in our blood! Sol putting all these influences together and playing them louder and dirtier is kind of what we do really. We just get into our studio, start jamming - and it comes out!

Which new artists do you recommend we check out?

There are some great Kiwi bands playing right now - check out His Master’s Voice and Skinny Hobos...

Of course; we also love bands like Rival Sons and The Delta Saints!

IN THIS PHOTO: Rival Sons

Are there any tour dates coming up? Where can we see you play?

We’re really excited to put on a show with His Master’s Voice on 2nd December at Backbeat, Auckland - and have a few more planned early next year (check out www.radiocomaband.com for more dates). We’re also currently in the finals of the national NZ Battle of the Bands competition - which has given us a lot of shows recently. The final show is in late-December - so more shows and big plans will be announced after that!

Are there any plans regarding playing in the U.K.?

Right now, we’re working hard on N.Z. shows, an album and festivals for next year. As we’re a band of ¾ Europeans, we will definitely be there in the not-too-distant future!

If you each had to select the one album that means the most to you; which would they be and why?

Ozan: I can never answer this with one album. On the classic side: it’s definitely Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti

That album means a lot to me. The story, the production; the lyrics, the Blues; the Hard-Rock, the instrumentation in it - there is a hurdy-gurdy in it!  

More recently, in terms of sonic structure and the whole Rock ‘n’ Roll spirit, Rival Sons’ Great Western Valkyrie has had a big impact on me.   

Jo: That’s hard! Whatever’s happening in life; I always come back to Led Zeppelin IV

Every single day and state of mind: there’s a song that just makes sense. I’ve also been carrying around this amazing Janis Joplin 1972 live album (In Concert) for years and years. Her energy on stage blows me away. It just seems so raw and real - and I think that kind of honesty is missing from a lot of music these days.

LJ: Mate! That’s like asking me to choose between my mom and dad! Haha. That changes, based on my moods and my musical journey at that time…this last while it had been Them Crooked Vultures (Them Crooked Vultures) on-repeat.

Johann: I am not a big fan of picking favourites but, since Zeppelin is taken, my first thought would be Black Sabbath – Paranoid

Not only because of Geezer’s killer bass lines and tone - but it is also a milestone in the story of Rock albums: so many classics packed into eight songs. I hope we can be as efficient!

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Ozan: Make friends….and then make more friends. Keep doing what you love and what you believe in - no matter what. People on the street, at a bar: they hear the honesty in the music...so be yourself and be authentic.

Jo: Make something you believe in and will put your heart and soul into: a project you’re not fully committed to will fall apart pretty quickly. There is a lot of soul missing from the music industry recently - let’s bring it back!

Also; remember that it’s called the ‘music business’ for a reason - you have to be prepared to treat it that way for a sustainable career doing what you love.  

Christmas is not too far away. Do you all have plans already - or will you be busy working?

We’ll probably take some downtime to see family and friends. We’re all ready to start writing more - so lots of time for jamming too, hopefully.

The best thing about New Zealand is Christmas at the beach!

Are there any plans for next year? What goals do you hope to fulfil in the coming year?

We’re working now on an E.P./album that we hope to release next year - and have a few other things in the pipeline. (Just) more gigs, festivals and tours; some more writing - and making as much noise as we can!

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Ozan: Yavuz Çetin - Oyuncak Dünya

Johann: Platero y tu – Cigarrito

LJ: Them Crooked Vultures – Elephants

Jo: Where I’ve Been - Rival Sons

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Follow Radio Coma

 Official:

https://www.radiocomaband.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/radiocoma.band

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/radiocomaband

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/radiocomaband/

BandCamp:

https://radiocoma.bandcamp.com/

INTERVIEW: Rothwell

INTERVIEW: 

Rothwell

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DUE out on 8th December through Bright Star Records (via Universal)…

Freedom will be emancipated and available to the world! It will be accompanied by an arty and memorable video – one I ask Rothwell about. The bright young songwriter explains the story behind the song - and how it feels gaining kudos from the likes of Annie Mac and Justin Bieber. Rothwell has already provided guest vocals for Metrik (on the track, We Got It) and has cut her teeth at some big festivals.

Next year will see the Bristol singer-songwriter embark on new challenges and goals. I ask what she has planned and how she got into music; the musicians and sounds that have taken her this far; what it feels like gaining respect from big names – and how the remainder of this year will be spent.

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Hi, Rothwell. How are you? How has your week been?               

I’m very well, thanks. My week has been busy, but fabulous!      

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

Hi. I’m Rothwell. I’m singer-songwriter from Bristol. I’ve written with the likes of Metrik - and I’m now releasing my own Alt-Pop-Feel music.

Freedom is your upcoming single. Can you tell me more about it?

Freedom is a track I wrote with my friend, Kideko, about the destruction of youth and self-helplessness.

It’s a new direction for my music - and I can’t wait for everybody to hear it.

The video (coming soon) is quite arty and seductive. How did you feel seeing it back for the first time? What does the visual represent to you?

When I first watched it back; I was very excited as it fits perfectly with the artwork and the new sound. The ideas behind the visual are the juxtaposition between the beautiful colours – clashed against the subtle destruction of smoking.

Do you think, being so young, there are responsibilities and pressures that make you panic? Are too many people seek gratification from the wrong places?!

I absolutely agree and, sadly, I feel that our generation has been exposed to and brought up in an era of judgement within social media and social stereotypes.

Is there going to be more music coming down the line?

Absolutely. I am working on two more singles which will be with you all soon. I’m writing my debut album...

So; there is loads more coming!

Justin Bieber and Annie Mac are two – of several big names – who have picked up on your music. How does that make you feel?!

I’m always so happy when anyone listens to my music...

It’s something I work really hard at - and getting recognition is amazing! When Annie played the track I danced around my living room like a kid on Christmas morning!

Many might recognise you as a guest vocalist on the Metrik track, We Got It. Was it hard transitioning from the background – now stepping into the light?

I really enjoyed the whole process with Metrik.

It actually started as a piano ballad I wrote with our friend Alex and then Metrik took it from that into his world - so I kind of feel like it was our joint musical baby! I loved performing with him at Reading Festival this year and he always lets me do my thing - so I am very, very excited releasing my own work.

You have had a busy year playing big dates and supporting some notable stars – including Bieber. What have been your fondest times of 2017?

Playing at British Summer Time was definitely a highlight - and travelling across Europe supporting Ryan Adams was amazing!

How did you get into music? Were there particular artists you adored growing up?

I have always been into music and have studied it since I remember. I grew up listening to the likes of Julie London, Paul Simon; Nina Simone and Eagle-Eye Cherry.

 IN THIS PHOTO: CuckooLander

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

Billie Eilish, Sigrid; Grace Mitchell; Elli Ingram and CuckooLander. These are the artists I’m listening to at the moment - and I’m absolutely obsessed!

There seems to be a real ‘Girl Power’ theme running through!

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Graceland – Paul Simon

Because it’s my all-time favourite. I actually have tattoos of his lyrics!    

For Emma, Forever Ago – Bon Iver

Because it reminds me of discovering my own passions in music as a teenager.

Stripped – Christina Aguilera

I listened to this album from start-to-finish growing up - and can definitely recite every word!

Can we see you perform anywhere soon? Where can we catch you play?

I’ll be performing at the Gibson Rooms in November. I’ll be supporting Louise at Scala in the New Year.  

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Keep going, be true to yourself: things take time and if this was easy, everybody would do it!

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

Find me in Bristol with a litre of Baileys surrounded by my family! But, yes; knowing my calendar, I will probably be in the studio on Christmas Eve or something!

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes – Paul Simon

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Follow Rothwell

 Official:

http://www.officialrothwell.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialRothwellMusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/rothwellmusicuk

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/officialrothwell/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/rothwellmusicuk

YouTube:

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

INTERVIEW: Shenna

INTERVIEW:

 Shenna

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TAKE a glance at Shenna and one will experience…

smiles, colour and fascination! I have been speaking with the New York-based songwriter about her new song, MAGENTA - and how it differs from her previous offering, Made of Gold. I find out about Shenna’s favourite music and how of New York’s (five) boroughs differ, music-wise; whether we can expect to see her in the U.K. – the new artist that stands above the rest.

I discover what Shenna is doing this Christmas; how she came into music; what it was like working with Austin Bello; if an L.P. is forthcoming – and the musicians that compelled her step into music.

________

Hi, Shenna. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey! It’s been cool - just been organizing some shows to end out the year!

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

Hey guys!

My name is Shenna (Shay-nuh) and I am an Indie-Pop artist from Virginia - but currently live in N.Y.C. I am a singer-songwriter and am known for my quirky fashion, red hair - and writing songs about life experiences others can relate to.

I’m all about embracing individuality!

MAGENTA is fresh from you. What does the song represent and what influenced its creation?

MAGENTA is definitely a different vibe compared with some of my past music!

The song represents feeling sexy, confident and having all eyes on you in that moment. I picked the color ‘magenta’ as the feeling because it is such a unique color. Seriously; when you Google ‘magenta’ a lot of different colors of pink and purple tints pop up - and it’s vibrant. I was honestly influenced by Bruno Mars’ last album - and wanted to create a female type of track (in that same feel).

Austin Bello is a name I recognise! What was it like working with him?

Yes! Austin is a member of an awesome band, Forever the Sickest Kids. Austin is one of the best writers and producers I have ever met. He is very passionate about music and honest with me when working together. We go through tons of ideas and he’s like: “That’s not it, let’s think bigger: let’s get weird on this track!” (laughs).

I totally love working with him I am such a stronger writer now studying and working with him.

MAGENTA is your first material since the album, Made of Gold. Do you think you have developed a lot in that short time? What have you learnt from your time in music so far?

I feel I have developed, for sure!

Most artists want to create music that is relevant for the radio and trending in the moment - but may be afraid of losing who they are. I feel I have learned to make music that is for today but is still true to me! I have a lot of new tunes that are so much different and some that have a similar vibe to Made of Gold. I have learned that not everyone is going to like everything you do, release; write etc. but, at the end of the day, if you put something out you have to own it - and rock it to the fullest!

It’s just like an outfit. It is all about perception and how you own it and embrace your brand.

Is a new L.P. part of your 2018 plans?

I am working on a collection of songs and, who knows…maybe an L.P. will come of it!

Tell me about the artists who inspired you to get into music…

O.M.G.…

I love Corinne Bailey Rae and Sia because of their songwriting; Rihanna, because she is a brand - from makeup to fashion to her music; Bruno Mars...because he is the ultimate performer!

If you put all these artists into one...the world would not be ready! 

From Woodbridge, VA; you moved to New York City. How important is the city and its people regarding your music and drive?

Being in New York; there is always something to do, somewhere to go network; some show to play, etc. I lived in a suburb area in Virginia which I do miss - because it really was a great space to clear my head, write and create. Sometimes, I go back to visit for a few days and write some of my best songs - like So Low and MAGENTA.

Each of the boroughs must have a different flavour and music scene. What is your favourite part of New York State?

Yes! Each borough has its own cool vibe and scene!

Harlem is very Jazz-oriented; the Bronx is more Rap-based; Brooklyn is actually very open to a lot of genres - but is the home for some of the greatest unsigned and signed Rap acts. Manhattan is, of course, very hip and mainstream! My favorite part has to be Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The music scene there is so cool - and a lot of people look like they belong NYLON magazine!

Your music has amassed a lot of love and support! How important are the fans and the loyalty they offer?

Without support, my career would still be ground-level.

I honestly see my support system as my team because they spread the word; purchase merchandise and keep me motivated! No matter how many releases I may have, it is always nerve-racking putting out my art to the public - and, seeing I have my dreamers to back me up and support, means the world to me, honestly.

Do you have a favourite album and/or song from 2017? What have you been vibing with this year?

Hmm…that is a tough one.

I really like SZA. I have been vibing to Love Galore. I also really love I Feel It Coming by The Weeknd and Daft Punk - they are an amazing collab. Oh; I also love (basically) anything Chainsmokers-related.

I saw them live and, ever since, I have been hooked!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa/PHOTO CREDIT: Luc Coiffait

Which new artists do you recommend we check out?

Dua Lipa has a crazy following - but she is a newer artist. I suggest anyone reading this blast her on Spotify or Apple Music right now!

Are there any tour dates coming up? Will you be coming to the U.K.?

Yes! I actually just came back from London, which was amazing - but I plan to come back to the U.K. again very soon maybe (in the spring-time!).

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

That is tough!

I would have to say Off the Wall - Michael Jackson; The Emancipation of Mimi - Mariah Carey and last, but certainly not least, Corinne Bailey Rae  - Corinne Bailey Rae

Each of these albums I grew up with as a kid and played for hours; days, months – and up until this day. They made me feel the emotion behind every song - that I would lock myself in my room for hours and just listen…

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

My advice would be: there are very high moments in a rising artist's career - and, also, some very low. Despite what happens, keep your faith alive; make sure you focus on your priorities because there is always someone else outworking you - so you may have to sacrifice some of your free time.

At the end of the day; never quit on something you can’t go a day without thinking about it.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already  - or will you be busy working?

Yes! I actually am planning on releasing Christmas covers and, for the holiday, I am partnering with a huge brand for a toy drive. I am very excited for that. (As for) vacation-wise; I am going to go home to see my family and friends in Virginia for a little.

I am so excited to see everyone.

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

Raury - Mama

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Follow Shenna

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INTERVIEW: The Coolness

INTERVIEW: 

PHOTO CREDIT: @aldeperez 

The Coolness

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WITH a name like ‘The Coolness’; I could not…

PHOTO CREDIT: @aldeperez

let it slip without asking just HOW cool the guys are! They talk to me about arranging and shooting the video for Chicken Leg Girl – and the fascinating story behind it! I learn more about the band’s formation and what the future holds; why this week has been a bit of a hazy one – and how important London is to The Coolness.

I hear more about gentrification and fried chicken; the music that inspires the band; working with Gsus Lopez – and some words of advice for new songwriters.

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

We have been touring Wetherspoon pubs: not in a musical sense, but sampling the new menu (two desserts for £5). We went to see B.R.M.C. (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) at Brixton and drank a few overpriced ales from plastic cups - so we are recovering from a slight hangover!

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

We live in London. We’ve been doing this for a while (making records) - so we should be fairly good at it. We haven’t put out an album yet; however, we do have ten E.P.s and you can download them for free HERE…

We certainly don’t fit into one specific genre of modern music. The Coolness is a well-balanced mix of Electronic-Pop, Dance; Rock and Funk. Most of the songs start out in GarageBand once we have the riff, basic chords or melody - we will then we finish them off in Logic or Pro Tools. On Chicken Leg Girl; Chaz wrote the synth bass line and sings; Dave plays the oriental-sounding lead-line (on a £20 Casio keyboard) and Eddie plays the drums. We used electronic drum-pads: that’s why it doesn’t sound entirely like a band playing in a room.

Although; we did record it live. No guitars or bass guitar on this track!

PHOTO CREDIT: @aldeperez  

I want to know more about Chicken Leg Girl. What was the reasoning for focusing on the fast-food culture of today?

The lyrics and musical idea originally came from a vague description of a fine young lady our singer was trying (and failing) to date. The lady in question is of a physical stature that some might consider slim.  She could, however, eat more food than the entire band put together.

We put this unique feat down to good genetics...

Are you all partial to a bit of fried chicken? Do you think we have become too dependent on the fast and greasy?

‘The Fast and Greasy?’ That sounds like the best movie Robert Rodriguez never made!

We actually filmed the video for our track Semen in his studio in Texas, U.S.A. Anyway; enough with name-dropping! I put the rise in the popularity of fried chicken (in London at least) down to economic disparity and ongoing gentrification. Fried chicken shops are not really so different in calories or taste to the current wave of (rip-off) £14 gastro burger chains (Dirty Burger et al).

The difference is; the burger places are marketed to the suit the tastes of careerists: the kind of people that have moved to London to focus on a job or tourists. Fried chicken shops are basically catering for indigenous Londoners, the poor - or those who simply don’t care about trends or fashion. 

PHOTO CREDIT: @aldeperez  

However, there is also a new ‘chicken trend’: places such as Strut & Cluck, Chic ‘n’ Sours; Wingman, Bird; Temple of Seitan and Chicken Town. This, basically, is fried chicken marketed to more middle-class types (at three-times the cost). It’s probably just as unhealthy! We are all originally from the island, Portsmouth - where it’s all about fish and chips. The only independent chains of fast-food we had growing up was Ken’s Kebabs and Uncle Sam’s - chicken was a rarity.

When we moved to London, it is was like ‘WHOAH’!

The video looked like it was ‘interesting’! Dressed as women, accompanied by a human in a chicken suit, did you get a few odd looks?! What was it like shooting the video?

We filmed the video on ‘Murder Mile’: Chatsworth Road, Hackney. A chicken shop on a corner-street called Chicken Lickin’ gave us a great deal to film one sunny Sunday. We are very grateful to them and they also do lovely pizza. No-one was harmed or abused during the video. A few young kids on BMXs gave us funny looks - but that is expected when filming on-location.

Again; Clapton is a part of London that has been heavily gentrified. Ten years ago, this road had little or no cafes, restaurants; organic shops or craft beer bars (all with black shop-fronts). That’s all changed now. Chicken Lickin’ suddenly feels like a hidden gem within a sea of pop-up, conformist; organic homogenisation.

Crystal Fighters also filmed the music video for their biggest-ever hit, Follow, on Chatsworth Road. Unfortunately, we do not think Chicken Leg Girl will sell as many records as that song - but we can only hope! L.o.L.

Gsus Lopez directed. He is in no short supply of talent! What was it like joining forces?

We have always respected Gsus’ work. We think it’s very challenging.

Anyone young and old can identify with it - and you don’t have to come from a queer or L.G.B.T. disposition or stand-point to understand its full message. We met at a Club Cool warehouse party and we were speaking about the idea for filming a video for more than one year. Originally, we were meant to have a female playing the part of the Chicken Leg Girl - but that didn’t happen last-minute. If Chaz didn’t drag up, then the video would have never of been made. Gsus and his team were a joy to work with - and we will collaborate with them in the future.

Chicken Leg Girl was Gsus’ first attempt at a music video…we hope other great artists hit him up!

Is there more material coming in 2018?

Yes. We have at least ten great songs that we need to finish recording.

You guys are ‘The Coolness’. On a scale of Theresa May (0) to The Fonz (11) – how cool are you?! Have you any proof to back up any claims?!

While none of us identifies with her politics; in comparison to the political leaders of the past, Theresa May’s dress sense is half-decent. She has some mad jewellry and eye-shadow - it’s almost Rocky Horror Show. I could imagine The Coolness rocking a Theresa May look onstage one day! In fact; at our last few gigs, we have worn the left-over outfits from the Chicken Leg Girl video. Aprons and visors etc.

So, for now, we’d actually have to score ourselves in the minuses.

It seems your songs – and memorable song-titles – have a sense of fun and tongue-in-cheek wink. Do you think music lacks a certain humour?

Unless you have a marketable brand - or you can sell an idea - then there’s very little money left to be made from doing music these days. It’s as simple as that.

The knock-on-effect of this scenario is that, nowadays, every new or young artist is trying to write a song or develop a sound that will get played by F.M. radio or have some social media coverage. This is the only way they will ever get heard; so that cuts out swearing, nudity; drug references, radical political beliefs and profanity - all of the elements that used to make artists of interest develop a following back in the day. I guess we are just lucky and/or old enough to remember the glory days - or we simply care little about being an industry-friendly band.

Saying that...there’s still great new music out there: the only difference is people nowadays would rather meet on a dating app than at a local or new band gig. Many gig environments these days can be quite asexual places - which is a great thing, but also different from how it generally used to be in the past!

IMAGE CREDIT: Caio Locke

It has been said you are solely responsible for finding Charli XCX! Did you guys really launch her – or did you discover her wandering the street in need of a lift after a late-night out?!

She was only fifteen at the time, so no, we did not ‘find her’ on the streets on a night out! We came across her page on Myspace. We listened and instantly we, undoubtedly, thought she was going to be the next Madonna or Kate Bush. So, obviously, we immeditely sent her a message; her dad called me up to discuss business and she played her first ten-plus shows supporting us.

It took her a while (about two years) to get signed - and all the time she was playing these crazy guerrilla gigs and warehouse raves with us...

Crazy, considering her parents had to accompany her to these semi-legal places full of sex, drugs and ear-splitting sound-systems.

You play on keyboards discovered in junk shops. What has been your finest find? What is the reason for this budget-priced musicianship?

The keyboards never differ too much in price or attributes. The best one we found is the Yamaha PSS 470. I got it from a second-hand shop, ran by Lou Winwood and Pete Voss, in 2008 called I Dream of Wires. You can edit the sounds and waveforms individually - which is rare. Funnily enough, Saul from Fat White Family uses this very keyboard for his new project, Insecure Men (including his main press photo).

Is Tropical used it a fair bit on their first album, too. It’s nice to know the trend is catching on: it’s an original sound to be able to achieve in this day and age of Ableton, perfection and soft synths.

Call it lo-fi for the 2010s…

PHOTO CREDIT: Nadia Lee

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

Geneva Jacuzzi. Chloe Black. INSECURE MEN. KYLYPSO. Creeping Sharia.

IN THIS PHOTO: KYLYPSO

If you had to select the album that means the most to you; which would it be and why?

We would probably all choose Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses

It’s an obvious choice but it’s a great balance of songwriting, craftsmanship and performance captured onto tape. Add this to the fact that the band had a sleazy story behind them, combined with arguably the perfect amount of production and overdubbing that a record needs.

There’s a reason they are the highest-earning touring entity of 2017 - it probably boils down to honesty, humility and notoriety.

Can we see you perform anywhere soon? Where can we catch you play?

We are currently working on some new music videos ideas and recordings. We are not one to rush: we are called The Coolness for a reason.

We will make an announcement about shows before the New Year via social media.

London is a city you seem suited to be, surely, a band this cool cannot be satisfied by London alone. Any plans on touring internationally? Anywhere you have always wanted to perform?

It’s true!

The London night-life and music scene is full of 1990s' sportswear, poseurs and bowl haircuts. We have toured abroad in the past and this is our next objective after releasing a few new singles. South America seems to have the best crowds and fans. Also, East Asia seems up-and-coming. We have a part-time member called Geki who hails from Japan. We seemed to do well in Eastern Europe in the past.

We would also love to go back there.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Image is everything. Treat your fans well. Put on your own shows. Get a good producer. Concentrate on the tools you already have - even if it’s only a Casio. Write and produce songs standing up; don’t labour behind a computer screen.

You only need one good song to get noticed.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you all have plans already - or will you be busy working?

We have written a Christmas song in the past called Cool Christmas. We might write another.

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

Deadly Valentine by Charlotte Gainsbourg. Solely for the sound of the backwards piano...

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Follow The Coolness

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/tenderlovingcoolness

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/thecoolness

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tenderlovingcoolness/

FEATURE: The Dutch Auction and the Icelandic Queen: Why Björk’s Utopia Will Define 2017

FEATURE:

 

The Dutch Auction and the Icelandic Queen:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Why Björk’s Utopia Will Define 2017

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THIS year’s music, so far, has produced some great albums…

IN THIS PHOTO: The sleeve for Björk's album, Utopia/PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda/One Little Indian

but few explosions and surprises. Thank f*ck Björk Guðmundsdótti is here to provide a sensual dose of magic, mystery and quality – the legend will release her new album, Utopia, on 24th November. The title of this piece – the ‘Dutch auction’ part might miff – refers to the way we celebrate and adore an artist like Björk and throw our hand up as soon as something from her comes out; hoping to get ahead of the crowd and win a prize – a Dutch auction starts at a high price and, the first bidder who puts their hand up wins the prize. It might be tenuous but I was pleased with my wordplay! Of the fourteen tracks that will appear on Utopia: eight of them see the Icelandic star conjoin with other writers. Aside from Saint; the remainder are penned alongside Arca. This might sound like the artist being more collaborative but it is, in truth, how she has always done things – bringing other voices to help lift her music and add a new perspective. Björk’s ninth album is hotly-tipped and ALREADY gaining nominations for ‘album of the year’ – without hearing it; I have a feeling it will be my first choice come the end of the year. As the weather gets colder and grottier; we are going to be afforded an album of immense warmth and colour.

The Gate, the lead-off single, has turned heads and proved, since 2015’s Vulnicura, Björk has lost none of her ability to surprise and amaze. The quality up to its usual standard but the song is a more love-filled and simple track – relying on the purity of the vocal and lyrical expression: less to do with compositional and technological pioneering. I will talk about, among other things, her recent interview with Mary Anne Hobbs and the way Björk pushes technology – but I wanted to look forward to Utopia, if I may. If Utopia seems like a long wait for an album – it is only two years! – let it be known Björk started work on it straight after her previous record. If Vulnicura, in the creator’s mind, was a hell-like divorce: Utopia, as the title suggests, is the reverse. This new record is about love and finding new joy after a painful break-up. Someone who has undergone a rancorous and stressful split would naturally take time to reflect and rest. That is not the case with the intrepid Björk: she picked up the pen (or some electronic equivalent) and poured those hot and frightening emotions onto the screen/page. Rather than wallow in the depths of recrimination and accusation; what we find is a woman moving on and keen to explore the limits of new love.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

It is very Björk to announce the release of an album with a hand-written note. That is the way the world knew about Utopia. She posted the missive on social media and, just like that, mouths were salivating. The fourteen-track record is the longest of Björk’s career and signifies someone unwilling to distil her fraught and evolving status – brevity and accessibility can wait for the next album! When speaking with Dazed earlier in the year; the subject of Iceland and geographic surroundings were brought into play:

“For Björk, who grew up amid Iceland’s gnarly volcanic terrain, it’s perhaps unsurprising that her own vision of utopia is one that puts humanity in harmony with nature. “I’ve been talking about environmentalism for the last 20 years, about green energy and solar power and how technology is what’s going to help us collaborate with nature in a non-violent, amicable, collaborative way,” she says. “I talk about it a lot with my friend Anohni – she started the Future Feminism group. There’s this old argument that civilisation treats nature the same as man treats women – you have to oppress it and dominate in order to progress. I just don’t agree with that. There is another way…Emphasising these links to the natural world are the tranquil sounds of birdsong that appear between tracks.

  PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

While some of these are field recordings made by Björk herself, others were collected by musician David Toop on the 1980 release Hekura. It’s a subtle way of linking Björk’s past to her present: she describes Toop’s recordings as one of her favourite albums, while the nature of the sounds – captured in Venezuela in the 1970s – connects to her co-producer Arca’s home country”.

It was a revealing and eye-catching shoot – I have stolen/credited shots from that interview here – that laid out the objectives and facts regarding the album:

“Björk may be searching for utopia in an unstable world, but at the same time, it seems like she’s having more fun than she ever has right now. I’m not surprised when she describes her new record as a ‘dating album’. “It’s like my Tinder album,” she says slyly. “It is definitely about that search – and about being in love. Spending time with a person you enjoy on every level is obviously utopia, you know? I mean, it’s real. It’s when the dream becomes real.”

On the subject of love, one moment on the album sticks out. While Björk says her lyrics shouldn’t be read as 100 per cent biographical, one song, “Features Creatures”, describes the feeling of seeing someone with the same beard and the same accent as a lover. Is she talking about anyone specific? “Yeah,” she says sheepishly, holding back a smile that’s creeping across her face. She doesn’t want to say any more. “I mean, I’ve thought about what I would say here – I set myself up with the last album being a heartbreak album, so everyone’s gonna be like, ‘Are you married?’ with this one. But… it’s too fragile still. I think, if I could, I’d just say this is my dating album. Let’s just leave it there.”

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Björk has been on the block long enough to know how to transition from the perils of unpredictable love and create an album that vibrates and amazes – whereas so many songwriters are keen to turn the knife into the stomach and see their sacrificial blood seep all over the microphone. The ghastly imagery is something music listeners do not need for a steady meal. Björk has had her heart kicked in the nuts but that does not mean she is ready to scratch the eyes from kittens and start huffing paint. Instead, she has rallied her soul and channelled it into, what could be, her defining album. Björk does not make bad albums – Hell; she doesn’t even make average ones! – so one can imagine the critical reaction and assessments. It is the promotion and publicity surrounding Utopia that has amazed me. Gone are the days one would see our Björk don a swan outfit and court a storm of publicity and controversy. What was always fascinating and enduring about Björk was her intelligence, perspective and outlook on the world. I will bring in a recent interview where she is in rude and fantastic form – joking and providing an illuminating insight into her creative process.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jesse Kanda (for Dazed) 

Utopia is going to stand out from the rest, not only because of the nebulous talent of Björk, but the timelessness. We require a record that brings some light and amazement to an intrudingly black and unsure world; one that reaches into the ventricles and pulls our veins in directions akin to a puppet show – letting the blood flow happily and the head spin in all sort of directions! Arca’s input is an interesting one but, as Björk said, quite natural. In Acra; Björk discovered a huge musician and kindred soul: someone who was on the same page and did not need too much direction. Utopia is non-narrative and the embrace of love and rediscovery: it is not about hatred and feeling burned. I shall not quote and source the entire interview (Björk conducted) with The Guardian - lest I be accused of creative impotency – but there were periods and paragraphs that stood out. Conducted in a Reykjavík hotel – where Björk turned up feeling a little scruffy and grungy – it saw the heroine reveal the background, process and D.N.A. of the album. Early on; she reflects on the period between Vulnicura and the seeds of Utopia:

“We did the final gigs for Vulnicura in Carnegie Hall,” she remembers, “and they were so tragic. Everybody who ever had a broken heart ever was there, and they were all telling me their stories. It was really sweet and, genuine, you know? And with the performances, I was like: ‘This has to be discreet, and treated with grace.’ But after the first one, I almost felt guilty. Because the whole room was crying and I was not. Me and Alejandro [Ghersi, AKA electronic artist Arca, who worked on Vulnicura] were guiltily drinking champagne in the back going: ‘Next time we’re going to have fun, OK?’ I wanted this album to go towards the light. You indulge in the grief to a certain point, but then you have to be a little bit Pollyanna.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

That sense of numbness and guilt is not what one would expect from a musician who was at the core and foundation of the turbulence. Speaking of the frightening times we live in – and juxtaposing that with a frame of positivity – Björk explained the need to inject hope into her new music:

“Another idea of utopia came about because, in these scary Trumpian times, she wanted to show that optimism is a choice. “He got elected when I was two years into the album,” she says, “and I felt like, OK, it’s really important now to be intentional. If you feel this world is not heading the right way, you have to be DIY and make a little fortress, over here to the left.”

Björk talked about talked about the way she connects inner-emotions and notations; how her love life has been and whether she has been active in the dating scene. On the first point, she revealed this:

“I don’t know that I got all this from one listen, though the sense of wildlife, physical space and bliss was very strong. My notes say things like “epic, full of nature”, “rattle (monkey sounds)”, “flutes gorgeous, beats tough, transcendent”. I did get the idea of a new place, of women supporting women, of rejecting old systems (in Tabula Rasa, she sings: “break the chains of the fuck-ups of our fathers”). There’s also – excitingly – strong hints of a new lover (Blissing Me: “I fall in love with his song”). And the feeling of the end of a difficult relationship, of moving forward (Sue Me). Though I may well be being too literal. Björk laughs when I quote lyrics at her, and ask her about her love life”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

When it came to the posing of love and prolificacy in the dating scene:

“Oh for me, that word is so ridiculous!” she says. “In Iceland, especially in my teenage years, we didn’t date. You just went out and you got plastered and you woke up the next morning with someone and… And you married them! I definitely don’t date, like go to a restaurant all dressed up..In a recent interview, Björk called Utopia “my Tinder album”. “Yes, because I thought that was hilarious, but obviously I would never be able to be on Tinder.” What she’s talking about, really, is fresh experiences with new people: the excitement and sexiness and clumsiness of those encounters. “People trying things out, and rejection, both ways. We all have chapters, and then when you start new chapters, it’s like: ‘I’m walking down the same streets I’m always walking down, I’m wearing the same clothes, but it feels like I’m on Mars.’ In the best possible sense, but also in a scary sense. I missed being this emotional explorer, I enjoy it.”

The reason I have so eloquently – and semi-legally – cribbed from these interviews is because they show how prolific, captivating and compelling Björk is – and the fact I will never get a chance to interview her! I would urge people to investigate the interview conducted between Björk and Mary Anne Hobbs - that clearly shows mutual affection and trust. It is a candid and imaginative discussion that reveals a lot of things we did not know about Björk.

IN THIS PHOTO: Mary Anne Hobbs/PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Lewis

That should – if you read the full interviews; the others conducted around this time; the one she gave to Hobbs on BBC Radio 6 Music – all the information and revelation you require! So, then; why is Utopia going to be the album to rule 2017?! It might seem flippant saying “Because Björk made it, dumb-ass!” so, if you need further rationale; you need only look/listen to how she discusses the record to know how much it means. Few artists afford the media adequate time and attention, Maybe that is because they do not possess the cachet of Björk – and people don’t want to waste a lot of time with someone not worth it – but it is the fact few have anything that interesting to say. Every Björk interview is a transformative experience: it seems Utopia is an aptly-named album that finds the middle-aged artist entering a new phase of life and embrace a positive aesthetic. So many of her peers either bury the bones of disabled love or pen an album filled with acid, toxicity and regret. That is not the case with Björk. Utopia will offer guidance to a flaccid scene that finds love-related records take a negative spin. I mentioned how Björk has reinvented the wheel and pushed boundaries regarding recording and promotion. For Utopia; she is allowing purchasers the chance to pay via ‘cryptocurrency’ – a novel and modern way of buying material – but, looking back; she has always been an innovator.

PHOTO CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/One Little Indian

Pro Tools have been a backbone of her material and popularised long ago – other artists have followed suit - but Björk was one of the first proponents. Sibelius, a piece of software, was used around the recording of Vespertine. It was used for creating string arrangement and allowed Björk to have an orchestra contained within her laptop. Melodyne is the ruination of Pop records but, for Björk, it was used for pitch-correlation and adjustment – used to enhance and alter a piece of music to spectacular effect. Virtual reality was embraced when promoting Biophillia – although Björk’s dream of a series of 3-D videos came to nothing; it was an idea that intrigued many. I am not sure what techniques and technology-pushing feats we will see in Utopia but, the fact the announcement of the album was done via a primate hand-written note; perhaps Björk is returning to a more rustic and simplistic format – in a way, against the tide of digital suffocating, producing another masterful left-turn! I cannot wait to see the arrival of Utopia because it will be one of the most talked-about albums of recent years. The fact Björk has undergone such an emotional change has seen the timid caterpillar emerge the luminous and radiating butterfly! All of this – the heartache, redemption; the new lease and inspiration – will formulate and conspire on 24th of this month. The quality will be sky-high but it is the story and history of the record that will tip it over the edge. No other album this year has the same flesh and fingerprints as Utopia. I am pumped and prepared for the earthquake-orgasm that is about to befall the world. Not only will the sonic and lyrical elements cause floods and storms: the emotions and infusions from Björk will take her career to new heights. I truly believe, when Utopia hits, it has the potential, its own and real way, to change…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

THE fabric of modern music.

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?” Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: Janice 

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

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THE remaining two parts of this feature…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kirbanu/PHOTO CREDIT: Ulli Kiefner

will bring more artists in from Europe and Australia – and concentrate on other parts of the U.K. (aside from London). Today, as I look deeper into the music world and fantastic female talent out there; I am amazed finding such a rich vein of variation and quality. It is sad there are so few being given the same oxygen as men: I guess features like this are small steps in the right direction...

Let’s hope next year is defined by greater exposure and attention (for women). I have been scouring the annals and archives to bring you a collection of female artists, I think, will make some big movements in 2018...

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SIIGHTS

Location: London, U.K. 

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.siightsofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/siights/

Latasha Alcindor

Location: Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Genres: Hip-Hop; Fusion

Official: https://www.latashaalcindor.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ucancallmela/

Phoebe Ryan

Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.phoeberyanofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/PhoebeRyanMusic/

Emma McGann

Location: Coventry, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.emmamcgann.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaMcGannMusic/

Jessica Rotter

PHOTO CREDIT: @reiten

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Country; Folk; Pop

Official: http://jessicarotter.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRotter/

Lots Holloway

Location: Cornwall, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

Official: https://www.musicglue.com/lots-holloway

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/lotshollowayofficial/

Kirbanu

Location: Heidelberg, Germany

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://kirbanumusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/kirbanu/

FiFi Rong

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Hybrid-Electronica

Official: http://fifirong.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/fifirongmusic/

Mïrändä

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Art-Pop; Electronica; Dream-Pop; Experimental-Pop

Official: http://www.whoismiranda.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/MirandasMusicPage/

Bella McKendree

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative Pop/Soul/Folk

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/bellamckendree/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bellamckendree

Facing West

Location: Denver, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Indie; Singer-Songwriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/facingwestmusic

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/FacingWestMusic/

Macy Todd

Location: Atlanta, U.S.A.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.macytodd.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/macytoddmusic/

Michelle O Faith

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Lord-Walker

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelleofaith1

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/michelleofaithofficial/

NATHASSIA

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electronic; Alternative-Pop

Official: http://www.nathassia.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/NathassiaDevine/

Frida Sundemo

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.fridasundemo.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/fridasundemo/

Jena Rose

Location: Plano, U.S.A.

Genre: Indie-Pop

Official: https://jenarosemusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JenaRoseMusic/

Robyn Cage

Location: Salt Lake City, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/robyncagemusic/

Official: http://www.robyncage.com/

Bee Bakare

Location: Bath, U.K.

Genres: Soul; Singer-Songwriter; R&B

Official: https://www.beebakare.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Beebakaremusic/

Peaness

Location: Chester, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeanessBand

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/peanessband/

Emmi

 PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Connor 

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://emmi.world/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/emmimusic/

Janice

PHOTO CREDIT: Nicolina Knapp

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Genres: R&B; Soul

Official: http://www.janicethis.com/home/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JaniceThis/

Gabriella Cohen

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jared O'Sullivan 

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Pop

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gabriellacohen

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/gabriellacohenmusic/

INTERVIEW: Bree Taylor

INTERVIEW:

Bree Taylor

________

I have been a fan of Bree Taylor’s music…

since her debut single. I was keen to catch up and see how she was doing. Taylor reveals the story behind her latest track, What You’re Looking For, and the influences that go into her music. I ask how anxiety/depression and music connect with her – whether the former is helped by the latter. She tells me about the artists that have inspired her sound and what comes next.

I ask Taylor about the music scene in Canada (where she is based) and why there is such a proliferation of great acts from there; whether there are plans regards a U.K. jaunt – and how she will be spending this Christmas.

PHOTOS: Devyn Hill

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Hi, Bree. How are you? How has your week been?

It’s been great!

I’ve just been working my day-job and promoting the new single and music video for What You’re Looking For.

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

My name is Bree Taylor and I am a singer-songwriter from Toronto, Ontario (in Canada). I have been writing since I was a little girl and have always had a passion for music. What You’re Looking For is my third single that I have released - and I am so excited that everyone is loving it. I also love acting, reading; spending time with my friends/family and dog; working out/yoga.

I also post weekly YouTube videos.

What You’re Looking For is your new single. Can you tell me the origins behind it?

Well. This song is based off a specific experience with a guy that I have a history with…

We had an intense connection from the moment we met but the timing was never on our side. However, this song has become about so much more than that experience. It is about how so many guys, nowadays, don’t know what they want when it comes to a relationship or dating - and end up wasting great girl’s time playing games.

With all the dating apps. now; guys find it so easy to meet girls and are so often just looking for a quick ‘hook-up’ - and want to use girls for their bodies instead of spending time getting to know them and letting things just happen. Unfortunately, I have encountered many of these guys in my years dating and have so many friends who have had similar experiences and struggles in the dating scene.

This song is about having the self-respect to walk away from a situation that does not serve you (or fulfil you). We all deserve to feel loved and wanted and to be someone's number-one - and that’s what I want people to take away from the song.

It seems to carry personal weight and relevance. Would you say love – and the conflicts and complexities of love – form a basis for your creative drive?

Yes. I have always been a hopeless romantic and relationships - and love/dating have been huge influences on my songwriting.

I find writing, especially songwriting, to be so therapeutic and a lot of my emotional struggles flow through into my songs. A lot of what fuels me creatively are things myself or my friends go through - and love/dating tend to be a large part of our lives and struggles. I am a storyteller and I write about anything that my heart needs to say so, whatever topic that may be...I let it flow out of me.

For now; my heart seems to want to write about love…

I know you have an impressive body of work under your belt. Will this translate into an E.P. or album soon?

Thank you (smiles) and, yes - I will have an E.P out in the spring.

I am also working on writing new music - so lots of exciting new things in the future.

It seems, from the video of your latest single, you have a natural flair in front of the camera. Do you think you will do more acting – and continue with music – as we head into 2018?

THANK YOU! That means a lot to me - and I have actually been pursuing acting as well for the past year. I do love being in front of the camera and have found a passion for acting in recent years.

Acting is something I have had a secret passion for growing up - but was always too scared to pursue as a kid. However, over the past few years, I have been training here and there and decided to really start pursuing it after filming my first music video for Broken Dreams (a little over a year ago). I have really been working on my acting this past year - and am so glad you noticed the work I have been putting in through this new video.

I definitely have plans to continue with acting into 2018...

It seems you were born to be in music. Is it right music was in your life as early as your delivery? Do you have an entertainment/musical background and family?

It was!

I was delivered to a mix-tape my dad made for my mom when she was pregnant with me. There isn’t a lot of musical background in my family, actually. My papa, on my mom’s side, plays violin; my grandma, on my dad’s side, can sing and had been in choirs - but that is about it for musical talent in my family history. In terms of entertainment, though; my grandpa, John Badham, had an amazing career in sports radio broadcast here in Canada.

However; I am really the first person to pursue a career in music/acting in my family. 

Can you remember the artists you grew up with?

I grew up listening to so many amazing artists.

I listened to EVERYTHING growing up...from Country, Punk; Pop - even Metal. Some bands/artists are: Blink-182, Sum 41, Avril Lavigne; ABBA, Shania Twain; Amanda Marshall, Michelle Branch; Elton John; the Eagles, AC/DC; Red Jumpsuit Apparatus; Christina Aguilera…the list goes on and on…

Some write music to normalise and rationalise anxieties and deeper feelings. What does music mean to you - and how important is it regards your happiness and spirit?

Music saved me...

I am the exact same, in that music and writing is therapy for me and, 100%, helps me deal with my anxieties and emotions. Music and creating/writing is so essential to my very existence and happiness that I can’t see myself doing anything else.

Music was there for me when I had no one; when I was struggling; when I have been at my highs – and, especially, my lows - when my faith was wavering and I want to create music that does the same for someone else. When I am singing or writing or performing, I feel like I am doing what I was meant to do and I am my happiest, best self. I thrive when I create and there is nothing better than seeing something you created come to life and people connecting with it.

Music is SO essential to my spirit and every fibre of my being.

Canada is a breeding ground for great music. What is it about the country that leads to such excellent sounds?

I have no idea!

I think we just have incredible talent here. I know myself and many artists I know from Canada have been through a lot in our lives and have a lot to say - so that might have something to do with it. Lots of passion comes through in our music. Canada does have so much incredible talent and I think that isn’t necessarily credited to where we are from - but how we are brought up; how music has influenced and shaped us as artists - and the experiences we have to share through our music.

Are there any tour dates coming up? Where can we see you play?

Well. I am performing at a corporate Christmas party in a couple weeks - but that is a private show. I will be booking a lot more shows/festivals in the New Year; though, so be sure to check my website for show dates.

Will you be heading to the U.K. next year, do you think?

I might be!

No solid plans yet - but I would love to come out to the U.K. at some point.

IN THIS PHOTO: Meghan Patrick

Who are the new artists you recommend we investigate?

I highly recommend my good friend Nicole Rayy. She is an incredibly talented songwriter and performer!

I also am in love with Meghan Patrick’s music. She is a Canadian Country singer who is killing it right now.

I also LOVE Phoebe Ryan. She has such a unique voice and sound.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Phoebe Ryan

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Such a tough question! There are so many!

Shania Twain - Up!

Because I grew up a huge fan of Shania’s music - and that was one of my favourite albums of hers. It really helped me get through a lot as a kid. It holds a special place in my heart - and pretty much any Shania song brings back wonderful and happy memories for me.

Paramore - Riot!

Because it represents my Punk-Rock phase - in my teen years - that really helped influence me musically - and helped me through a lot of tough times battling depression/anxiety and dealing with being bullied in school. I listened to a lot of Punk-Rock and Metal at that time. Paramore are one of my favourite bands. There isn’t a single song on this album I don’t love and it just takes me back.

Misery Business and Crushcrushcrush are two of my all-time-favourite Paramore songs.

Taylor Swift – 1989

Because there isn’t a single song on that album that I don’t love - and I can listen to it over and over again. Lyrically, all her music just speaks to me - but there is a song for every mood on that album.

It is just such a well-produced and well-written album.

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Surround yourself with a great team of people who can help you make your dream come true. It is a lot of work and effort to make it in this industry and every bit of wisdom and assistance helps.

Keep your circle small and filled with positive and supportive people - and be aware of negative people who will drain you of your energy or try to take advantage of your and any success you start to have.

Also...family is everything!

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

I don’t have any plans yet - probably will spend a lot of time with friends and family and catching up on some of my favourite shows (that I don’t get to watch often with my busy schedule).

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

I am OBSESSED with Taylor Swift’s new song, Gorgeous

It is so FUN and catchy; fresh and flirty - I love it! I think it is a song that all girls can relate to when they are crushing on someone. She just slays with lyrics

_________

Follow Bree Taylor

Official:

http://www.breetaylor.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/BreeTaylorOfficial/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/breetaylor

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/breetaylorofficial/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/bree-taylor-4

YouTube:

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

INTERVIEW: LAMIA

INTERVIEW:

LAMIA

________

TODAY is dedicated to female artists…

and the finest in music today. I have been speaking with LAMIA - who is a Berlin-based artist impressing fans and striking curiosity. Her latest single, Falling Apart, is around and I wanted to know more about it. I query whether there is more material afoot and what the coming months hold; what the Berlin music scene is like – and whether its fabric and environment is why so many are locating to the German city.

LAMIA tells me about her past and musical tastes; some new artists she would recommend to us; how her touring plans are shaping up – and whether she will be in the U.K. anytime soon.

________

Hi, LAMIA. How are you? How has your week been?

Hey! Yeah, I’m good, thank you. My week’s been very busy.

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

I am a twenty-two-year-old female producer and vocalist from London - based in Berlin.

Falling Apart is your new single. Can you tell me the story behind it…?

Falling Apart is about creating illusions to hide weaknesses and living in two minds.

It’s about the separation of your inner-thoughts from what you present to others. I wrote the track when I was on a really intense creative high: staying up until 7 A.M. writing, gigging; going into university; being signed to a label and going out a lot. It was really thrilling, but I knew that it was slightly out of control.

I got really good at separating my thoughts and feelings to keep up appearances - so, all the stress came out in my music.

It is mixed by James Kenosha. What is it like working with him?

James is an absolute wizard at mixing and producing...

Working with him is very inspiring because he is very efficient - but also relaxed and patient.

There are Hip-Hop, Pop and Jazz elements in the song, Is it fair to say you grew up on a range of different sounds/artists?

I’ve always listened to a broad range of different genres and styles.

My opinion is that, as a creative person, the only way you can really tap into your gift is by being open and allowing small moments of inspiration to accumulate into big ideas…but, in order to do this, you must keep open-minded - listening and digesting everything in equal stature.   

I like the Jazz aspects of Falling Apart. Is it a genre, in your view, that does not get the respect it warrants?

Jazz as a genre is really interesting because I find the culture surrounding it has strong connotations with ‘high-culture’ - and is generally perceived, by people within that field, as a style that is above Pop music in terms of its authenticity and technicality.

Having gone to a conservatoire; I’ve spent time with Jazz musicians and really respect their values of achieving an exceptionally high standard of musicianship - but think that - at the same, this can stifle the appreciation of styles that are, perhaps, not as complex (but still highly creative). 

In addition to songwriting; you are a skilled producer. What was the reason for getting into production?

I initially started producing my own music as an act of defiance - after being told that, as a vocalist and songwriter, production was not my role - and should be left to a formal producer. Following this, I single-mindedly taught myself. When everyone went home for summer at music college; I stayed in the empty flat working during the day - and producing six-eight hours at night. I did this for around four months and, six months later, I was signed to a label.

I found it completely fascinating and thrilling because it opened up a new world of opportunity: I could make any sound that I heard in my head and didn’t have to wait for anyone to help me.

Is it important for you to have that control of your music?

Yes.

I believe that, if you can’t control your music, you can’t control your own path. I am a very ambitious person - so this is very important to me.

Do you remember when music came into your life? Who were the first artists who took your heart?

I think my first musical experiences started when my mum used to play C.D.s in the car. We had loads of them because we used to drive to London to see my dad - and buy them from the bargain buckets at petrol stations.

I would always sing along to the C.D.s - especially Billie Holliday and The Carpenters. 

Berlin is where you are based. You were raised in London. What was the reason for reallocating? What are the differences between the music in both nations, would you say?

Berlin is a very exciting place because it has an atmosphere of optimism and interest in anything that pushes boundaries and tries new things. Berlin attracted me because I think this openness allows really exciting things to develop.

I wanted to be inspired by the music scene here - and implement the sounds into my own production.

Your music has gained attention and love from the likes of BBC Radio 1's Huw Stephens and CLASH. How does that make you feel?

It makes me feel great.

My music is very personal and is an outlet for my thoughts - and it really excites me when people connect with what I’m doing.

Can we expect any new material in 2018?

Yes. There are lots of very exciting things in the pipeline.

IN THIS PHOTO: Smerz

Which new artists do you recommend we check out?

I think Smerz are fantastic. They are a new two-piece Techno/Pop duo from Copenhagen and have just signed to XL Recordings. They are just themselves - and I really respect that.

Also; A/T/O/S - although they are not so new - always blow my mind. They are signed to Deep Medi and combine really cool bass music-influenced beats with R&B vocals.

IN THIS PHOTO: A/T/O/S

Are there any tour dates coming up? Is the U.K. going to be part of your future plans regarding gigs?

I would love to perform in the U.K.; although my focus right now is moving forwards within the Berlin music scene. I am looking for management at the moment, as I think it’s key to work with someone that can speak German.

I am planning on doing a string of shows next year following the E.P. release.

If you had to select the three albums that mean the most to you; which would they be and why?

Tame Impala - Currents

It is probably going to be the soundtrack of my early-twenties. Somehow; I always go back to (listening to) it - even when I think I’m sick of it.

Burial - Untrue

It changed my perception of production - and got me into Future-Garage.

Life of Pablo - Kanye West

This opened my mind to erraticism and the idea of going against the listener’s expectations. 

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

Get enough sleep and exercise…

Christmas is not too far away. Do you have plans already - or will you be busy working?

Christmas is nice because it gives you downtime to reflect.

I usually write a lot of music around that time, because it allows me to process the year that’s past; where I am now - and where I want to be in the future.

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

A/T/O/S - Variations

_________

Follow LAMIA

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lamiamusicuk

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/lamiamusicuk

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/lamiamusicuk/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/lamiamusicuk

FEATURE: Propogandaland: Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

FEATURE:

  

Propogandaland:

IMAGE CREDIT: Bolshoye Gore Malenkoi Zhenshchiny by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1929/Collection Susan Pack  

 Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

________

MANY might irk at the proliferation of this…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

topic on my pages! The clash between modern-thinking and progressive creation/traditional and analogue recordings is something I have seen coming to the fore a lot lately.  This is the second consecutive article that brings in Kate Bush – can you tell I am trying to secure an interview with her?! I will talk about nostalgia and musical past; bring some academic studies into the fray – that argue for and against the digitisation of music – but I want to bring Bush into the argument (I shall leave her be in the coming weeks!). To me, like Björk and Kate Bush symbolise what music should be. Björk is someone who has pushed boundaries and embraced technologies but at her core is the tradition and foundations of music. She is an artist who embraces digital means but does not rely on. It may seem like Björk symbolises the Internet culture and those enamoured of music’s digital growth. I feel the opposite when thinking of her: there is something of the older-day and nostalgic when one thinks of her. Maybe it is the way her music creates nostalgia and memories; the physicality and beauty projected from the speakers. If she modifies technology and is keen to explore the limits of the modern day – her music still reminds me of a time when artists were not reliant on big studios and gadgets. Many modern artists are recording in a D.I.Y. way. They have iPads and other tablets where they can create a song and stream it to the world. That is not, necessarily, a way to bypass the studio – cost and economy have forced them to take a more self-sufficient route. I mentioned Kate Bush (again) because, as recently as 2011, she was expounding the virtues of tape and analogue sounds. She, like most out there, cannot eke out a living relying solely on tape and older technologies – in a hyper-digital and computerised industry; she would not be able to get her records out to people. We are told music needs to be shared on social media and streaming is the way forward.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Whilst I agree social media and these services are invaluable promoting music; I argue recording in a digital and modern way is the way we should be going. I am seeing a lot of artists, aside from Bush, expound the benefits and purity of tape. We see modern stars and shots from the studio; these glossy and fulsome sounds coming from our laptops. There is a double-link of intangibility right there. We rarely sit alone and listen to a record player or stereo: most of us are connected to phones and have their minds strapped to laptops. As I write this, I am on a laptop and listening to music through headphones. I wonder whether we are connected to music the same way we were, say, a decade ago?! Before I expand on my argument; I want to bring an article from 2009 - that reacted to the rise of technology and the Internet in music – claiming digitisation was not the worst thing that could happen to music:

“Chart-topping artists and superstars rarely sell more than half a million CDs in large markets such as the UK and Germany. To return to generating a good level of sales from each piece of music and to take account of the changed pattern of media use by consumers, developing additional revenue streams is vital to success. No record label can afford the luxury of passing up contributions to sales from Apple's iTunes, Nokia’s Comes with Music or Amazon’s MP3 Shop. “The major music labels have largely ignored the internet trend and are now having to hand over parts of the value-added chain to the new players if they are to succeed in still cutting themselves a slice of the digital cake,” said Peterson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

For more than a decade the industry has needed the structural preconditions for more fragmented music marketing (in the form of downloads, live concert streaming, ringtones, video game music or merchandising) to be put in place. The changes required were new business models for subscription services and licences to internet portals, new contracts with artists to cover the full scope of the digital value-added chain, and—not least—innovations by new market players.

Price war on music downloads leading to erosion of margins

The new sources of revenue are likely to lead to an upward trend in music market sales

after 2010 for the first time since the mid-1990s, although the traditional market players will have to share a significant part of those sales with the new download platforms.

Despite the positive prospects, the change process in the music industry is far from being completed. Necessary innovations in how it approaches its customers, continued and increasing fragmentation, and new market players will maintain the pressure on business models and prices. There are still open questions during this experimentation phase – for example, whether the trend towards even cheaper music will continue, or if charges for hits from well-known artists will increase in future. At present, new players are forcing themselves into the market, using combative pricing to position themselves as price leaders and secure significant market share as quickly as possible. If this strategy wins, margins will melt away for all market players.

IMAGE CREDIT: Pinterest

Media industry still faced with digital turnaround

The print media are currently undergoing a similar structural change, as are TV providers and the cinema sector. “The example of the music industry shows that critical competitive advantage can only be achieved with consistent alignment to the new needs in relation to media use, together with intimate knowledge of customers and rapid positioning of new ideas on the market,” said Peterson. “Just as the music industry served for a long time as a warning of how a media sector can be steamrollered by digitalisation, now it is demonstrating that digital turnaround with fresh growth in sales is possible.”

The strategic principles determining whether and how traditional media groups can profit from this digital change process are being set down right now. The music industry demonstrates that only groups with structures capable of adapting can make a profit from the dynamism of the internet”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I am a hypocrite in the sense most of my musical tastes and time comes from the Internet. I stream artists and look at videos on YouTube. When one looks at a YouTube video they are invariable witness to a parade of grating and obnoxious adverts that are hard to shift – often promoting technology and the latest piece of must-have kit. I wonder whether there is too much influence coming from technology companies and streaming sites. There are benefits to the streaming sites – which I shall look at – but I wonder whether we are being told digitisation is the way music can progress. The headline for this article – and the photos that score it – seems like I am accusing the music industry of being Soviet and communist. They are not, as I know to be true, forcing anyone to put their music out a certain way. We do not have Stalin-like figureheads banning warm and traditional forms of music. The industry is an open and receptacle one that welcomes innovation as much as heritage and legacy. Combining the two would seem the idea solution, right?!

PHOTO CREDIT: Eternity in an Instant via Getty

One cannot write and release in 2017 and negate the Internet and technology. That, in itself, might compel ethical conundrums and issues but there are plenty of advantages available to musicians. They can release music quicker and get it to a bigger audience. No longer do they need to rely on the record companies to get their music on the radio – that was the way it happened before the Internet. Unlike previous decades; unsigned artists have the same chances and exposure as some of the mainstream’s best. That parity and equal platform is exciting and inspiring. I do wonder whether the listener is losing out the more electronic music becomes. I revert back to Kate Bush who, in an interview with a Canadian radio station, said she prefers the warmth of tape and analogue. She has said it many times and had another point: one does not get the same listening experience listening through a laptop. When we used to rely on record players and tapes/analogue; you got a real feel and sense of connection to the artist.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Now, this far down the line, are we sacrificing the potential of music? Its humanity and physicality is being switched with instant appeal and gratification. We are a consumer society that wants takeaway food, fast; we desire our good delivered in a one-day window; we crave the limitless T.V. channels and the expedience of technology. How many of us, in reality, sit down and think about what we are buying/watching?! Often, things go in one ear and swiftly exist the other. We absorb and experience things at the rate a hummingbird flaps their wings – losing out on the true nature and potential of music. I can listen to a song from, say, Madonna from the 1980s, through a C.D., and match that against a song off of Spotify, fed through my laptop. Even if the songs have equal quality and appeal – the effect I get from the former is much stronger and resonant than the latter. Whilst music can only develop and survive through technology – given the exponential growth and population explosion – I wonder whether the need to provide and sustain is compromising quality and nuance. How many of us hear a song now and feel we’ll cherish it decades down the line? The artists might have the promise of durability but is it the way we are digesting their sounds resulting in scepticism? Certainty, I am someone who hears a lot of music and there are few that remain in the brain that long.

PHOTO CREDIT: Spotify

It is not their fault: the saturation and wave of music we are exposed to is challenging. Are we being forced to listen to music in a manner that means we are always looking for something new? That might sound cynical but many of us jump to the next artist and rarely stick with something. In a sense; we are always looking for something shiny and fresh – streaming sites are creating a market where attention spans are short and the imagination is curtailed. I will continue my point but want to bring in an article from this year - that examines the connection between digitisation and capitalism: how music’s economy and D.N.A. is being directed by the rise of technology. There are some interesting thoughts that captured my attention:

“One striking feature of culture in modern capitalist societies is that the main ways in which people gain access to cultural experiences are subject to frequent, radical and disorienting shifts. This has been very apparent in recent changes in musical consumption. Over the last 20 years, there has been a marked change in dominant ways of experiencing recorded music. In the mid-1990s, most music consumers in wealthier parts of the planet would buy CDs or cassettes from specialist or general record shops, and play them back via electronic devices in the home and car, and in some cases via mobile devices such as the Sony Discman or Walkman; radio and television provided important further exposure for musical recordings. There was a shift in the early twenty-first century to the personal computer and mobile digital playback devices such as Apple’s iPod as the prevalent ways of consuming music. More recently there has been a further change. A new ecology of musical consumption is emerging, based on subscription audio streaming services and Internet-connected mobile phones. While only a minority of music consumers currently consume music in this way, even in the relatively wealthy Global North, this configuration is slowly reviving the ailing music industries, and looks set to be the future of recorded musical consumption in many places – until the next transformation comes along”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush (who has said she prefers the warmth of analogue tapes)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Is the obsessional we have with technology and easy access denigrating music’s fabric and the way it affects us I feel people are yearning for nostalgia and older music is not, necessarily, to do with quality and a lack of real depth. We are implicitly and worryingly being fed this notion streaming and modern ways is where music is stronger. By that; the consumer is not able to bond with a musician the same way they once were. Maybe that is invariable and unavoidable. The study examines the see-change since the turn of the millennium; how music has altered radically given the impact of digital methods:

“The digitalisation of music after 2000 seems to have pushed more and more academics to turn their attention to the question of change in the music industries. Copyright and intellectual property have rightly been treated as major issues, with some addressing music as part of broader accounts of problems concerning copyright in the digital era (e.g., Vaidhyanathan, 2001Vaidhyanathan, S. (2001). Copyrights and copywrongs: The rise of intellectual property and how it threatens creativity. New York, NY: New York University Press. [Google Scholar]), and some devoting their attention to the particular struggles that have taken place concerning copyright in the wake of digitalisation of music (David, 2010David, M. (2010). Peer to peer and the music industry: The criminalization of sharing. London: Sage. [Google Scholar]; Hesmondhalgh, 2009Hesmondhalgh, D. (2009). The digitalisation of music. In A. C. Pratt& P. Jeffcut (Eds.), Creativity, innovation and the cultural economy(pp. 57–73). London: Routledge. [Google Scholar])”.

Is it a coincidence I am more drawn and comforted by older music than the new breed? Maybe there are too many artists out there – meaning any long-term relationship is unlikely – but I feel there is an intrinsic relation between digital means and the way music makes us feel. Nowadays; modern artists have one eye on streaming figures and getting those viewing-figures at their peak. Are they thinking about the way people see their sounds and take them to heart?! If our mainstream best are more concern with popularity and numbers: do they have any realisation in regards the short-term nature of their impact and (the fact) their songs will dissipate before long?! It is so hard for modern artists to remain in the consciousness given the way music is ‘evolving’? What have been the biggest changes we have seen this century?

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

“In the twenty-first century, consumers remain subject to regular and radical changes in the prevalent ways in how music is experienced, but new technologies have untethered listening from the home. Today, instead of CE corporations, it is mainly IT companies and to some extent telecoms companies that shape musical experience. The power of these companies derives from, and in turn contributes to, an interlinked set of economic, social and cultural changes in modern capitalist societies. Seeking new markets, businesses have moved the key frontier of commodification and consumption beyond the homes and cars of the era analysed by Williams (though of course these continue to be key markets), via his concept of ‘mobile privatisation’, to what we might call networked mobile personalisation. By reducing the pooling of resources and sharing of products among families and communities, this encourages greater purchasing and stronger individual affiliation. It permits burgeoning networked interactions between individuals that can potentially take place anytime, anywhere, and be monitored. No doubt this shift answers to desires for personalisation, mobility and connection, deriving from a new sense of individualism and even atomisation in modern societies. It is deeply shaped by advertising, marketing and the promotional industries. And it is a source of disorientation, expense and huge social waste.

What is more, these changes in how music is consumed may be having negative effects on the role that music plays in people’s lives (see essays by Marshall and Toynbee in Marshall & Laing, 2014Marshall, L. & Laing, D. (Eds.). (2014). Popular music matters: Essays in honour of Simon Frith. Aldershot: Ashgate. [Google Scholar]). Many music fans report a sense of loss regarding music’s power. Some would say this is merely nostalgia, but the ubiquity of music, its constant presence as background, heard in a rather distracted way, seems to be connected to a loss of its cultural and emotional force. It is hard to say how much this derives from sociocultural and political changes as they affect what musicians produce, and how much from the new formation of musical experience itself, including which music comes to be circulated widely. It may well be both”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The study I have quoted raises valid concerns/points but there is a band of artists keen to take music back to its truer times. It is no coincidence so many artists are recording to tape and ignoring the ultra-hyper-new shine of the studio. I will write a separate piece on the 1980s but I am discovering so many new acts reverting to that sound and incorporating the decade into their music. I feel the reason for this is not to push music forward but hint at the past and how good it used to be. Again; that is not an indication regarding quality and the short-term impact of modern music: it is a way of bringing in the simplicity and analogue joys and fusing them with the new and exciting digital times.

I feel a lot of modern artists are investigating past music – and sampling older songs – because the mere mention and suggestion of them take their memories and minds back. I listen to older music because it hits me in a different way. Algorithms and statistics are defining the business attitude of modern music. I yearn for a time when music concerned the way it made you feel and what you would take from it. Listening to music on a cassettes/vinyl was like stepping into the song and embracing every aspect and component of it. I worry we are only getting a limited sense of connection and quality from modern music. The fact we have opened the floodgates, and offered this unguarded market where everyone can make music, means the battle between quality and quantity is always hard. I think the real issue lies with the dependence and need to embrace the advancements of the modern day. The rebellious and disassociated artists – who feel their music is being led by business and popularity rather than longevity  - are reverting to older means of recording and methods like tape. I feel something as simple as recording to analogue makes a huge impression.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

I could listen to a modern song recorded on analogue and hear it on C.D. Compare that to the same song recorded in a modern studio – and heard through a laptop – and there is a marked difference. Something as simple as that could be the difference between a song remaining in the mind for years – or is racing out of the brain minutes after it has ended. My greatest hope – sticking with my themes of revolution and propaganda - is seeing a clan of musicians go against convention and not putting their music on streaming services. That might seem suicidal but what would be the result if artists stuck with physical forms and recorded their music on analogue? They could perform modern genres/sounds but would rely on older technologies/formats to get their music out there. I am worried that is the only way new music will have the same durability and meaning as that which has gone before. There are things that need tackling but I feel we are too far down the rabbit-hole to really go back. Generations to come will experience music in a very quick and damaging way. They will be bombarded with artists on Spotify/YouTube and abandon listening to music through hardware. With that will go artwork and all the components that made classic music what is was. If artists are not worried about art-work and getting the sound right; taking time to craft something memorable and inspiring – will the artists we hear today be remembered and celebrated in decades to come?! Maybe musicians from the 1960s and 1970s will still be more popular than current favourites.

IMAGE CREDIT: Prodanny Appetit by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1928 (USSR, Russia, Nikolai Okhlopkov, 1927)/Collection Susan Pack

Maybe the reverse will be true: we will forget about the better days and rely entirely on streamed and digital music. This is a debate with two sides and no easy answers. I feel the business aspect of music is detrimental and corrosive. There is too much focus on cracking markets, breaking records and producing something quickly – rather than a piece of work that will compel listeners years from now. Comrades of the music world! The way we will match the brilliance and memorability of our pasts then we need to ignore the mindset that suggests all that is digital is gold! Too many musicians rely on it and are producing music to satisfy marketing minds – rather than amaze the listeners. This needs to change because, if we carry on down this road, music will lose its magic and potential. I am not sure whether there is a way to make quick and effective changes but making small steps is the way to cure the issue. I miss the days of cassettes and find analogue a much richer and warmer sound – the likes of Kate Bush are not wrong! We can still hear analogue music – and those classic artists – but, when they take up more of our time than modern artists; does that signal real issues for the music industry?! I would like to see a greater promotion of traditional recording/release and a relinquishing of this eternal and hardcore grip of the digital. The quality is there (and artists have that promise) but living in this digital-focused and technology-obsessed world means…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

PEOPLE like me will always prefer the music of the past.

TRACK REVIEW: Beth McCarthy - Mr & Mrs Brown

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Beth McCarthy

Mr & Mrs Brown

9.4/10

Mr & Mrs Brown is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1A3mNrRZxNk2QagPffpOR5

GENRES:

Pop; Folk

ORIGIN:

York, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

20th October, 2017

__________

ONE of my drives this month is…

to get more female names on my blog. It is not a deliberate thing but, over the past few weeks, I have been inundated with requests – most of these coming from male artists. I cannot really refuse people on a count of their gender but I am aware there is an imbalance that needs talking about. There are so many great female artists out there and, I think, they are more intriguing and promising than their male counterparts. I will talk more about Beth McCarthy very soon but, before moving along, a chat about female artists and why they warrant more spotlight; York and the great music coming from the county (Yorkshire); moving from talent show auditions and forging a solo career; building a career and making important steps; those artists with character and personality; bringing to mind other names through music; making your mark in a busy market – eliciting personality and uplift through songs. I have talked a lot about female artists – many might tire of it – but it is with good reason. I feel there is a problem in music whereby too many male artists are getting attention; by that, they are being seen as superior and more marketable. It has always been the assumption bands and male acts are capable of pulling in big money; the ones people want to see – at the detriment of female artists. As we witness issues, surrounding sex and gender, in the media; I ask myself whether more needs to be done in regard invigilation and monitoring. There is no rational reason why male artists have the focus and have been getting more chances. I shall not labour the point too much but I am concerned it is seen as normal there is this gender imbalance. Maybe the festivals favour boys as headliners: we need to get out of this attitude and start embracing the fantastic female performers around. Why I wanted to start at this point is because there are some terrific (female) artists who are taking me by surprise. Beth McCarthy is someone dripping with charm and personality.

I wonder whether, when she makes big strides in her career, she will have to work harder in order to get her music heard. I feel there has always been this cliché that women, due to their comparatively meagre stature (physical), would be incapable of shouldering the demands and physicalities of music. McCarthy is someone who shines from the page and takes the heart somewhere very special. She has a long career ahead of her and I am sure she will get to the big-leagues in years to come. Her route will not be as easy and smooth as one would hope. One of the reasons is because she is female. There is a stigma and curse in the industry where sexism is still rife and certain artists are being promoted for the wrong reasons. Sex and image still play a big part; that is quite hard to see and hear about. Whether we can reverse this ideology and achieve parity and a lack of discrimination. I fear we are going down a bad path whereby women are seen as inferior, physically and emotionally, and, therefore, they are not provided the same passage as their male counterparts. The fight will be ongoing but, in terms of artists like McCarthy, she is not inculpating or pointing the finger: she is showing what can happen when you provide music that differs from what is out there. Her originality and natural affinity will see her break down any prejudice and obstacle. I shall predict McCarthy’s progress – like a football pundit guessing the scores to the weekend’s games – but, right now, I am interested looking at where McCarthy is from and her surroundings.

As much as I love London: I always hope, if an artist is in a great area, they remain there. Always, we see London as that destination where dreams come true. It is the equivalent of that American Dream: arriving at the city and seeing all these chances unfold before you. I yearn to be there full-time because I recognise, commercially, this is where most of the jobs/chances are. It is hard building a career in music in provisional towns and non-descript locales. The city provides the buzz, personality and riches to get a career off the ground and inspire the mind. For Beth McCarthy; she is based out of York and I hope, in a real way, she does not succumb to the temptation to move to London. That might happen as she seeks bigger rewards and more regular gigs. At the moment, it seems her surroundings are doing her well. She has easy access to the North and is capable of travelling to London if she wants to perform. It seems, even if you are based in a great northern city, that desire and necessity to come to London overrule the heart. The ‘head’ has that power and pull when it comes to the major decisions. I have looked at some great Yorkshire talent the past few years. One that sticks in the mind – and is familiar to McCarthy’s mutual contact, Jason Odle – is Billie Marten. Odle is director of Ont’Sofa and has played with/written for Marten. I shall not bring her too firmly into the review – lest I divert from McCarthy and why we are – but Marten is someone based in Yorkshire. I know she has recently moved but there is never the temptation, for her, to come to London and release that surrounding of quiet and nature. I feel Yorkshire is that perfect county that provides the clash of countryside and city. York, where McCarthy is based, is a modern city but it is not too far from the epic scenery and panoramic views that can calm the soul and compel the mind.

I am not suggesting there is a distinct link between personality and surroundings but it is easy to craft an openness and happiness when one is in a more relaxed environment. York has bustle and charge but not on the same level as London. The capital is great when it comes to the big money and radio stations; the terrific venues and mixture of cultures. One of the downsides is there is little space to breathe and a difficulty establishing community and clan. This is not a new phenomenon but, as the city becomes busier, I wonder whether it will be able to foster and protect musicians coming through – the fear is they might be swallowed and overlooked as the numbers spiral out of control. The issue of mental-health, and protecting the psychology and emotions of musicians taking shape in a big city, is something that preys heavy on my mind. McCarthy seems to have a relaxed and effortless nature to her. Maybe it is the effect of Yorkshire but I feel she has a base that allows her to recharge and contemplate. The same was Billie Marten radiates a seduction, calm and tenderness: McCarthy has a comparative personality that has immense allure and appeal. Yorkshire is a wonderful county for the creative and somewhere more eyes should be trained. I know career desires and her bulging fanbase will dictate her living situation but I hope McCarthy strikes a balance between Yorkshire base and London convenience. If she is capable of doing that; I know her songwriting will be a lot more expressive and unique; she will be able to have the best of all worlds and gain success. I guess, when one is away from the capital, there is that assumption labels and venues will be myopic. They tend to gravitate towards people on their doorstep: this leads a lot of musicians to relocate in order to be seen and counted. McCarthy has that personality that oozes assurance but has a vulnerability to it.

It is hardly a shock to see, already, she has gained a special place in the national consciousness. I am always torn when it comes to assessing musicians who have spent any time on talent shows. I, personally, cannot stand them and feel they are a cheap and easy way to get into the industry – those who do not want to graft; they want to bypass the true way of making music and get fame as opposed to credibility. Beth McCarthy is not someone you will see stumbling out of a night-club and courting attention on the tabloids’ gossips pages. She has appeared on The Voice but, luckily, has not clung onto that and been defined by it. She appeared on the show at the age of sixteen and was part of Ricky Wilson’s team that year. Even though she was seen by millions of viewers; that experience was a small step in her career. She would, I feel, be in the same position were she not to have appeared on the show. The best thing about that experience was the expertise she would have been afforded and the industry professionals around her. My ambivalence surrounding talent show comes when artists pin all their hopes on it. Those who win these talent shows often have a very short career and produce music commercial and dull. They are not those with any real spark and imagination; labels and managers push their music to the realms of hyper-bland and unlistenable. I am glad McCarthy learnt a lot from that time but am more relieved she does not put it at the top of her C.V. She would have gained the fans and following she has already was it not for that exposure – if T.V. and talent shows are the way to get fans then it raises into question the point of a career in music and operating in a traditional sense. The best outcome from that time is the confidence she acquired and the feedback her music received.  The young songwriter is still making her way into music but, in the past year, she has made some enormous steps. I have mentioned how The Voice was a minor step but, thinking harder, it gave her the stride and impetus to keep dreaming.

Maybe that is the best reason to go on a talent show: it is a way of coping with pressure and what one might face further down the line. It gives the applicant a skillset one might not acquire if they were to go down the conventional route. McCarthy has taken that time to her soul and built her career in her own way. By that, she has played festivals like Latitude and supported Heaven 17; played alongside The Black Keys and HAIM. That is quite an impressive layout for someone who is still very young. Perhaps the time on The Voice has provided the chance to perform alongside these artists but I know the natural fortitude and talent of McCarthy has made the biggest impact. One of the reasons she is getting people talking is the hard work and relentless effort she puts into everything. I see a lot of artists spending too much time on their computers; trawling social media and relying on streaming services to get their music to the people. What I love about McCarthy is the fact she hits the road and is keen to connect with every Regular John/Jane out there. As part of her Outline tour – which she is in the middle of – there are dates around the country. She played in Ayton two days ago and prepares to hit Matlock’s The Lock on 18th (November). I have mentioned talent shows and that ‘starriness’ one associates with its participants. There is a perceived notion there is ego and a sense of delicateness about everyone who plays these shows – the endless sob-stories do not really help shift that perception. McCarthy is not someone you will see being carted between gigs and sheltered away like an arrogant star. She has, as recently as yesterday, been busking on the streets. She played the streets of York and, whilst freezing her fingers/other parts off, wowed those in the vicinity of High Ousegate. Armed with tickets to her homecoming gig – on 25th at The Crescent, York – she performed a selection of songs with her dog, Alfie.

It is great artists like McCarthy – who have had big gigs and experience – mix the larger performances with the roots of performance. She has hit the streets and is keen to bring her music to the honest people she meets. I am not sure how yesterday’s busking went but, aside from the cruel climate, she has allowed her new music the chance to breathe and find new audiences. Many might assume busking is arduous and torturous. Many artists need to do this in order to earn a few pennies. The quality can be quite variable but, when you discover someone like McCarthy, you wish her a lot of success and fortune. She has more traditional (and warmer) gigs approaching but, in the meantime, she is getting out there and braving the elements. I will talk about her latest single soon but, when thinking about her busking and how she approaches music, it is interesting undressing the dynamic and approach of McCarthy. She never refutes the honesty of getting out there and playing music to the people. Performance is in her blood and there is natural warmth coming from McCarthy that captivates and joys people. Marinating her songs with smile and personality means she is getting tongues wagging and interesting a range of sources. I am not sure how her 2018 is looking but I know there will be a lot more gigs. McCarthy is keen to get her career growing and moving – she is doing things the right way at the moment. I worry about new artists and how much they have to work to get their music out there. Are we putting too much pressure on people and risking burn-out?! Beth McCarthy, in a lot of ways, is a poster-girl for how things should be done. She is not tackling the streets of London every day and pushing herself to the point of breaking. Even though she wars with the cold and has to busk every now and then; that indomitable and indefatigable resolve and passion burns through. The hearth in her heart means every moment is tackled and embraced with commitment and excitement. We can learn a lot from her: a modern artist who will be familiar to many lips this time next year.

Beth McCarthy, as I said, has broken ground the past year-or-so. She performed a stripped-down version of Ralph McTell’s Streets of London that went on to be the official soundtrack for the film, 100 Streets. She went on to find success in the U.S. and performed on the cable show, JBTV – playing shows in Florida and Chicago. Bob Harris named her as one to watch and, at the start of this year, she gave the world the self-released single, Pretty Lies. It gained huge reviews and was followed by Lemonade – named as the promotional single for Worldwide Breast Cancer’s ‘Know Your Lemons’ campaign. These leaps and evolutions are promising indicators as we step into the coming year. McCarthy’s talent and commitment mean she has gained rewards and success very easily. It might not have been easy for her but it appears, to the outsider, people are falling at her feet. I suspect next year will find her music used on T.V. and more singles follow – I wonder whether an E.P. or album will come. When thinking about her progression and personality; I am reminded of certain artists. I keep mentioning Kate Bush – as I write this; I am listening to interviews Bush recorded back in 2011 – and how inspirational she is. I see a lot of Kate Bush in Beth McCarthy. There is the humour and the beauty; the way she can connect with people and affect the heart. Bush is an artist who has built from modest foundations and crafted a huge career. McCarthy’s approach to songwriting and performance reminds me of Kate Bush in a lot of ways. Even though their music differs; I feel there is a lot to compare. McCarthy’s innovation and songwriting put me in mind of Kate Bush back in 1978. I can envisage the Yorkshire songwriter sitting down and writing her songs without interference or technology. There is that smile that buckles the knees and the wit/humour that gets you hooked. The biggest links are when one thinks of the work ethic and route into music.

McCarthy crafts her music and spends her waking hours fantasising about music and what it can become. There is a real sense of belonging when one hears McCarthy’ music. It means everything to get and you know, against the grain of modernity and artists looking for huge streaming figures, it is the nuts-and-bolts that means more. One imagines the words and composition are a lot more appealing than Spotify figures and endorsements. McCarthy is a songwriter who seems counter-cultural and not what one would expect from 2017. One might find her busking in a Yorkshire street or playing an intimate gig here and there. She has played those bigger stages but McCarthy is in no rush to get into the limelight: satisfied getting her music out there and playing among the people. I am writing a piece later that explores the clash between modern ideals and the longevity of older technologies – whether artists of today are connecting with modern measures/means or keen to preserve older ways. I feel McCarthy is a traditional songwriter, in the sense she reminds you of better days and working methods more familiar with the pre-digitisation/Internet days. I have mentioned Kate Bush alongside Beth McCarthy because both have that incredible attraction and personality. I do not mean ‘attraction’ in the sense of beauty – although McCarthy is incredibly beauty – but the way they can bring listeners into their heart and world. One is consumed and helpless when listening to McCarthy and how she radiates from the stage. The cheekiness and accessible personality; the brilliant voice and fantastic songwriting – all of this differs from so many artists of the moment. I know Beth McCarthy has stresses and bad days but she rides above this and has a strength and steeliness that is impressive to see. All of her facets and personality sides are the armour and catalyst for a long and fruitful career.

I will come to look at her single, Mr & Mrs Brown, but, until then, a little about uplift and pleasure in music. It seems music is becoming more downbeat and introspective as time elapses. Maybe that is a reaction and mirroring to the way the world is unfolding at the minute. One cannot escape the black velvet and smoke that is enveloping the planet. The moody atmosphere cannot help but infuse the music we are hearing right now. A lot of new songwriters are failing to escape the shackles and burden that surrounds them. I listen to music for a number of reasons but one of them is to escape from the black days and find something happier. Although Beth McCarthy addresses love turmoil and splits; she does not do it in a suffocating and depressing way. Her latest offering has a definite optimism about it. Even though, in every song, she projects concerns and fears; there is never a feeling of doom and hopelessness. I am always struck by McCarthy’s dexterous and luscious voice that has a child-like innocence but a soulful and soothing underbelly that elicits finery, grace and comfort. There is that clash between the strident and assured woman and someone with a young heart and natural fears. This dichotomy comes through in the music and gets under my skin. Above all the questioning and revelation; we get an artist who puts you in a better frame of mind. I feel that is what we need at a time when there is confusion and sadness. Music should be that maternal spirit that offers protection and gives us guidance. The rhythms, pulse and energetic candour of a song like Mr & Mrs Brown give the heart something nourishing but gives the brain something to ponder. I, when hearing the song, feel the soul of a very bright and loving human emanate and ooze from every note. McCarthy does not hide behind technology and gimmicks: she is someone who is engrossed in what she is writing about and keen to involve the listener in every moment.

The opening notes of Mr & Mrs Brown have that soothing and entranced voice backed by subtle guitar. The song gets to life pretty quickly and there is something delicate and tender about the opening. It all started on a train (“with a smile”) and it appears there is a romance brewing. McCarthy’s voice, in that first phase, has a very modern key and sound to it. One can draw lines to other singers but it is her personality and unique combination of assets that provides the voice a more tremulous and nuanced dimension. The production allows a fullness and sense of drama to mix with a domesticity and intimacy. McCarthy’s phrasing and delivery mean there is a poetic and filmic approach to the performance. Lines trick and tease out of the mouth; you get involved with the scenery and setting of Mr & Mrs Brown. It seems there is something between the subjects but, given the surnames, one wonders whether – in that approach – there is a soon-to-be marriage or an extra-marital affair. My initial perception was the charting of a relationship from the seduction chariot to the settling and confirmation. There is helplessness to the coming-together and the train-set romance. McCarthy’s whispered and honeyed voice gives the song a gravitas and natural conviction few songwriters can achieve. I found myself stunned by the beauty and physicality that emanates from her words. You are part of the story and spectating as the narration unfolds. Instrumentation is kept sparse but the strings provide a rush and sense of excitement we can all imagine. The coquettish looks and furtive exchanges are fleshed-out and verbalise in the strings. It seems, from the heroine’s vantage; this man was the missing part of her. She never knew it but this human has kindled something deep-down and primal. Maybe the setting has progressed from the train but there is an instant affiliation and togetherness that one cannot overlook. The attraction is developing at a great speed and the maturation of passion reaches a palpable high. McCarthy’s voice is layered and produces a wordless chorus that adds shivers and sexuality to the song.

The first section of the song seems to be the realisation and resonance of this person. The puzzle is missing a piece and the fact it has come along is a huge relief. I notice the shift in tone as we go from the furtive and refined distance of the opening to the more imploring and bold suggestion of the centre. Things are right and there are no wrongs – being in love with the hero seems to have put everything in its right place. The song has the combination of commercial ability and individual expression. It is easy to bond with the song and, the fact it has gained a collective love, means people can understand and connect with Mr & Mrs Brown. There is that multifaceted approach that means the song could find fandom on stations like BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music; appeal to the young and middle-age; cross boundaries and genres – everyone will take something different from the song. The chorus has that spirit and sense of celebration that, to me, digs deep. I wonder whether there are pains and struggles that are not revealed in the lyrics. We know the heroine has found someone good but, given the title, is the song an observation of someone else – or is this Beth McCarthy casting herself in a fictional setting?! I sense a degree of past failure and the need to discover a solid love. We all get caught in the safety and revelations of this current bond but wonder how hard the past has been; whether this moment has come off the back of real struggle and introspection. The truth comes through when McCarthy talks about the wedding and the big moment. Taking care of “my sister” clarifies the interpretation and puts the listener into the picture with vitality. One can imagine McCarthy seeing this romance unfold and having concerns for her sister. She (sister) might have struggled to find a good heart and McCarthy wants her husband to treat her well and keep her safe. That protective air and relief mix together and it produces something strange in the listener. It is rare finding songwriters who talk about members of the family and their love – usually, songwriters come from their own lives and talk about their love. Beth McCarthy wants her sister to live “happy ever after” and have that security. It is a touching and commendable message in a song that, despite being deeply personal, will strike a chord with everyone.

I have mentioned, near the top, the gigs Beth McCarthy has been involved in. One can check out her schedule on Facebook and see where she is performing. The Yorkshire songwriter always updates her fans and ensures she keeps everyone informed. That is a rare quality when I feel songwriters are more concerned with figures and popularity than they are connection and humanity. This is not true of everyone but, in McCarthy’s case, she is always thinking of fans and making the bond with those who listen to her music. This year is nearing its end and we think ahead to what 2018 will provide. Given McCarthy’s evolution and success; I know there will be even more treasures and plaudits that will see her get to new audiences. I wonder whether McCarthy has plans touring internationally but I feel the time is now to strike. Her music is really resonating and people out there want to see her in the flesh. How her year will pan out is down to her but I know there are foreign audiences who yearn to see the songwriter up-close. Mr & Mrs Brown is a beautiful and intriguing offering from a songwriter who perfectly balances the familiar and unique. The song addresses relatable themes – we can all relate to an extent – but the way she projects and makes you feel is extraordinary. Kate Bush – back to her – said, in an interview with Jamie Cullum, said the assumption you have to be miserable to write something good is flawed – Ariel, her 2005 double-album, was recorded at a happy time and, as she sees it, one of her finest works. I feel McCarthy is someone who operates at her optimal level when the mood is positive and relaxed. Her latest cut reflects some concerns but I can imagine the creative process and concept was during a fertile and optimistic phase. One can sense a smile and hope when you hear the song. She is someone who puts the listener in a finer place and does something wonderful. I hope McCarthy remains in Yorkshire as it seems the people and evocativeness of the county infect her music. I have mentioned fellow young songwriters like Billie Marten who seems resolved to remain in Yorkshire – where she can step into the countryside and find inspiration in the openness and peace. As Beth McCarthy steps into the coming year – and plays some chilly gigs this month – let’s all hope success comes to her. I hope she gets the attention he music warrants and her live gigs are successful. I wish her luck, promise and plenty of warmth. This year has been an incredible one for McCarthy but I know 2018…

WILL be even finer.

_______

Follow Beth McCarthy

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/bethmccarthymusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/bethmaymccarthy

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bethmaymccarthy/?hl=en

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/bethmaymccarthy

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ba5BHaaNzyzG5ZEfKXIF2