FEATURE: Marching Against the Meanies: The Underrated Gem: The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine Soundtrack at Fifty

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Marching Against the Meanies

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IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images/Spotify 

The Underrated Gem: The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine Soundtrack at Fifty

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ONE of the hardest things to do in music...

is to decide which of The Beatles’ albums is the worst. It seems odd and outrageous to think that such a band could have a poor record but, like every artist, there are those albums that do not shine as brightly. I guess, if we had to have a bottom-two then you’d put Let It Be (1970) and Yellow Submarine (1969) in there. Both albums have terrific tracks on them but, considering the tension in the group around the time Let It Be was recorded, you can understand why the songs are not as strong and memorable as earlier records. That was the last album The Beatles released but their penultimate recording – 1969’s Abbey Road was their last recording as a band and it was a welcome return to form! That album celebrates fifty years in September and I cannot wait to re-investigate it. I feel Yellow Submarine gets a bit of a hard deal when it comes to The Beatles’ cannon. The film came out in July of 1968 (November in the U.S.) and actually did rather well. The Beatles’ films do range in quality but Yellow Submarine is right up there with the very best. The band themselves did not provide their voices to the animated film and, despite a lack of Beatles, the public and critics reacted well. The band, in 1968, were at a peak and it would be a little while before cracks started to form.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles during their ‘Mad Day Out’ shoot in 1968/PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Murray

They would release their eponymous album in November (1968) and it was a productive and successful time in the camp. My favourite film from the band is A Hard Day’s Night but they did not have a great deal of acclaim after that. There were some promising films but nothing really matched that early brilliance. Maybe people were not expecting much from Yellow Submarine considering the rather so-so success they had with their films before that. Critics and the public raved and loved the trippy and mind-blowing animation. The Beatles themselves did appear in the final scene but apart from that it was down to other actors and people. The film’s soundtrack came out in the U.S. on 13th January and four days later in the U.K. The original 1969 version is split into two distinct halves – a 1999 version was released that is purely songs from the band and does not contain George Martin compositions. It is safe to say the film’s soundtrack does not get the same positivity as the film itself. I feel any Beatles albums is worth celebrating and the fact we are about to mark fifty years of Yellow Submarine is a big deal. The reason I love the soundtrack is because it has those two halves. The opening part is a collection of more traditional Beatles tunes.

Of the six tracks from the band, four were previously unreleased. We all know the film’s eponymous track was released as a single in August 1966 and appeared on their Revolver album. All You Need Is Love was included on their Magical Mystery Tour album but was released as a single in July 1967. I think the new songs are very interesting. George Harrison’s Only a Northern Song was rejected for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band but I prefer it to Within You Without You – a Harrison song that did make it onto the album. Harrison reflected his annoyance at being merely a contracted songwriter to The Beatles’ publishing company, Northern Songs. The group performed overdubs on the track and it contains trumpet, glockenspiel and spoken voices. It is a nice track and one of the stronger efforts from Harrison at the time – there would be weaker songs from him on The Beatles. All Together Now matches the jaunty nature of the film and it was recorded in a single session back in May of 1967. 1967 was a very prolific and productive time for the band and, considering Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour were released that year, it is amazing to think they had any energy and music left in them! Paul McCartney has described the song as throwaway but it stands up in its own right. Maybe not the finest from the band; it is remains a fun and child-like track that perfectly fits into the film.

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IN THIS IMAGE: A still from the 1968 film/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Another George Harrison song, It’s All Too Much, was recorded later in 1967 and looks back at the Summer of Love and its excess. It is about Harrison experimenting with LSD and that time period. I think the track, again, is one of Harrison’s stronger efforts and makes excellent use of guitar feedback. We get a trumpet passage from Jeremiah Clarke’s Prince of Denmark March and a lyrics from Sorrow – a 1966 hit from The Merseys. If McCartney felt his effort on Yellow Submarine was a bit slight, there is no arguing against the power and quality of Hey Bulldog. This was recorded in February 1968 and it was specifically recorded for the film soundtrack. Lennon, in his dismissive fashion, felt the track talked about nothing but he liked its sound and did not dismiss it as a piece of work. I love the song because it is catchy and you find yourself singing along to it. It has a definite bite to it and the guitar work is fantastic – some properly good and meaty riffs from The Beatles! There seems to be that divide, between critics and fans, between the band’s composed songs and the instrumentals from George Martin in the second half. I love The Beatles’ efforts and think their new material would have made a strong E.P. It is the more psychedelic and varied compositions that follow that drew praise.

Here, we get the symphonic film score that Martin specifically composed for the album. He used a forty-one-piece orchestra to create the sounds and everything came together over two three-hour sessions on 22nd and 23rd October, 1968. It was edited down to length to fit on the L.P. and some of the compositions nod back to previous Beatles songs. Sea of Time references George Harrison’s Within You Without You; Yellow Submarine in Pepperland reprises the film’s eponymous cut. Sea of Monsters is my favourite passage and, alongside an inclusion of Bach’s Air on the G String (the beginning to it), it is the most fantastical and imaginative. There are other Classical nods but it is the sheer breadth of the music and its imagination that strikes me. Many critics have argued a four-track E.P. would have been a stronger release but I love the mixture of Beatles songs – whether you like them or not – and the seven songs Martin composed. It leads to this complete work and, whilst All Together Now gets a bit of stick, it is a part of the album and has value. I like the fact that the soundtrack is seen as inessential – perhaps the first time The Beatles has experienced a rather muted reaction to an album. Magical Mystery Tour did not get universal acclaim but there were plenty of impassioned reviews. The film was hugely praised but when the soundtrack came out, a lot of people shrugged.

I think Yellow Submarine has grown in stature and importance this far down the line. The George Martin score is fantastic and I love the way you can hear it as a free-standing thing and do not need to know about the film. I would urge people to catch the film itself as it is one of the rare Beatles films that ticks all the boxes and truly shines. The original songs, I think, are worth more than casual listening and the soundtrack is a fantastic thing. Any Beatles album that turns fifty warrants celebration and reflection. This retrospective review from AllMusic seems to reflect the general indifference to the soundtrack:

“And then there was the jewel of the new songs, "It's All Too Much." Coming from the second half of 1967, the song -- resplendent in swirling Mellotron, larger-than-life percussion, and tidal waves of feedback guitar -- was a virtuoso excursion into otherwise hazy psychedelia, and was actually superior in some respects to "Blue Jay Way," Harrison's songwriting contribution to The Magical Mystery Tour; the song also later rated a dazzling cover by Steve Hillage in the middle of the following decade. The very fact that George Harrison was afforded two song slots and a relatively uncompetitive canvas for his music shows how little the project meant to Lennon and McCartney -- as did the cutting of the "Hey Bulldog" sequence from the movie, apparently with no resistance from Lennon, who had other, more important artistic fish to fry in 1968...

 

What is here, however, is a good enough reason for owning the record, though nothing rates it as anything near a high-priority purchase. The album would have been far better value if it had been released as a four-song EP (an idea the Beatles even considered at one point, with the addition of a bonus track in "Across the Universe" but ultimately discarded)”.

If you are not a fan of the singalong All Together Now and prefer the Harrison offerings; you cannot deny the fact the George Martin compositions are quality. The fact Yellow Submarine and All You Need Is Love are Beatles classics means that at least eleven of the thirteen songs are either good or brilliant. The fact most modern artists cannot produce the same quality and consistency shows what expectations were placed on The Beatles’ shoulders. They had won critics over with their eponymous album in November 1968 so maybe it was an issue of timing. Perhaps there was expectation that the soundtrack would be stronger but, having heard the music in the film the year before, people knew what they were in for. Yellow Submarine’s soundtrack remains, to some, a curiosity and one of the few inessential Beatles recordings. To me, it is a vital documentation of a busy time in the band’s life and a rare fusion of band originals and George Martin compositions.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1968/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Usual Beatles soundtracks would contain original songs but I like the fact we have that blend of familiar and fantastical. I do not agree the band were preoccupied or too focused on recording The Beatles to put much effort into the soundtrack. I like the original songs and the fact that they have their place; most people compliment the Martin score and, whether you think everything stands up or not, we need to give the soundtrack more respect. It turns fifty later this month and I think it is well worth getting hold of and spinning. The band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be, would gain contrasting reviews – Yellow Submarine, in some ways, prefaced what would happen during the Let It Be sessions. I think every Beatles album deserves praise and feature and, fifty years after its release, the Yellow Submarine soundtrack remains a giddy, fascinating and occasionally flawed...

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 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

DELIGHT for the senses.

FEATURE: BBC Radio 6 Music’s New Evolution: Shaun Keaveny in the Afternoon

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BBC Radio 6 Music’s New Evolution

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IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny successfully delivered his first afternoon show on BBC Radio 6 Music/PHOTO CREDIT: @BBC6Music 

Shaun Keaveny in the Afternoon

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I popped outside to get some air after...

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Lauren Laverne presented her first (excellent) breakfast show on BBC Radio 6 Music today/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

reviewing Lauren Laverne’s debut breakfast show – the position Shaun Keaveny used to hold at BBC Radio 6 Music. I was deeply impressed by Laverne’s first outing and other have shared my positive vibes. In fact, there was a load of love for her on Twitter and people were impressed with her great selection of music and a casual yet immediate delivery that made us feel upbeat and spirited by had a calming effect. It is what you want from a Monday and, alongside the great music, there was a couple of new features. One, Cloudbusting, is a Monday Motivator equivalent. People got to choose some ace tunes to lift the nation and, on this first outing, we had Stevie Wonder and Florence + the Machine in the pack. The three hours seems to zoom by and I finished listening at 10:30 A.M. with loads of memories, highlights and smiles. It was a great first show and I am excited to follow Laverne as she rides the breakfast show horse. I got to see the last-ever Shaun Keaveny breakfast show at Maida Vale in December and, whilst it was sad he was moving on, he was going to a better place – I’m making him sound like a smelly family dog that is taking his final trip to the vet! What I mean is the renewed and refreshed Keaveny gets a lie-in and gets to tackle a new time slot.

I was listening to the last embers of Mary Anne Hobbs’ show – she ended her first mid-morning show with PJ Harvey’s Man-Size – and was readying myself for the new, awake Shaun Keaveny. He kicked things off with some Arctic Monkeys and, after asking an obvious question with an easy answer – “Have you missed me?” – he was off to the races. There was talk that he would open the show with a song by a quartet...I assumed it would be a Beatles classic. Lauren Laverne kicked off her breakfast tenure with Prince and, in all its creaminess and smoothness, it was a great way to open the morning. I knew Keaveny would go for guitars and a rawer take: a good idea to open with The View from the Afternoon. A lot of the Arctic Monkeys stuff I have been listening to on BBC Radio 6 Music has been their new album. It is good to hear something from back in the day; a good slice of northern wit to get the show kicking – joined, soon enough, by some norther wit from the host himself. It wouldn’t be a Shaun Keaveny show without some sound effects and a quick change of pace. After some monkey chatter we had some Lover Chanting from Little Dragon. From the all-male quartet offering grit and slam to a female artist with a cooler and more calming song, it was certainly quite a change of pace. That is what you want from a new show: a bit of unpredictable air but a lot of the same elements that you know and trust.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny proudly sporting a fan-sent gift/PHOTO CREDIT: @shaunkeaveny

I think the first ten minutes or so are crucial when it comes to getting people in, landing those punches and getting back into the ears. It has been a few weeks since we last heard from Shaun Keaveny and, yes, we have missed him. Like Lauren Laverne, he has had a couple of test runs of his new show (that were not broadcast) and he has been experimenting. When he came to the microphone and did his introduction, I was half-expected his usual beds and show. It took me a little while to realise he was not on breakfast anymore and this was Keaveny 2.0. After making his first mistake early on (naturally...) he was back with, dare I say it, a smile! Getting used to his new afternoon digs, it was great to hear this new show unfold. Keaveny’s introduction showed a mixture of professionalism (welcoming us in and being all calm) and some general chaos. Matt Everitt’s return was announced – Georgie Rogers has been filling in on the music news whilst the usual anchor has been tending to his family. Steve Mason was announced on the show; a live session after 3 P.M. and, whilst we were still drinking that in, the first banger of the show: Ain’t No Love by Sub Sub (ft. Melanie Williams) was a classic slice of 1994 gold and got me in the mood! I loved listening to Lauren Laverne and Mary Anne Hobbs but the absence of old-school club bangers left me pining!

Quite a dizzying and diverse first fifteen minutes of the new show! What I learned from the first few songs was that it was very much business as usual. One of the things I loved about Shaun Keaveny’s breakfast show was the eclectic selection of music and the fact there was this jump. After getting his head around an in-studio twenty-four hour clock, we had the first whiff of his beds. He had left a few behind and he asked whether we had any suggestions. It was comforting to hear a catastrophic error from Keaveny early on! He did a couple of pilot episodes, as we know, and the whole show was rehearsed. They were supposed to start the show differently and Keaveny managed to make a slip. For those who thought a more sleep-refreshed Keaveny would be slick, a plate-spinning genius were instantly slapped down and humbled. It was actually a great start and, whereas Laverne read praise and we saw this positivity, Keaveny was reading approbation and complaints – all done with a light heart and a grin. Just when you though the tuneage couldn’t get any better, again, another 1990s classic: Cornflake Girl by Tori Amos. One thing Keaveny and team does very well (among many others) is giving us those blissful tracks. After only twenty minutes, I was lifted and filled with energy. Maybe a few pre-planned decisions and additions were forgotten – poor Phil Smith! – but, hey, this is what we know and love from the man.

In the way Lauren Laverne transplanted her mid-morning show to breakfast with a few additions; Keaveny easily replicated his sonic mixture but, as it is a later slot, he has made some amendments. It was strange not hearing his usual routines and beds – what would the general public make of this reinvented and slightly changed D.J.? I was tracking Twitter right from the start of the show and, as you’d expect, there was genuine praise and all the love you’d want. Missives started to come in and it was good to hear from the public. They were full of praise and fear and, once again, we had a twist: Small Claims Court survived! I did not think that would survive the move but it sure did! On the line was a caller, Adam, who gave the studio a scare by not being on the line! It was almost fated: how could we have anything else but a misfire?! It was hard not to laugh after the build-up and as new Specials played – a cracking tune from them – I guess there was a panic, trying to get Adam back or whipping another Small Claims Court caller into action. The news came to relieve the fleet at 1:30 P.M. and, with only a couple of hiccups, it was a great start. It is a shame the caller dropped and there were a few niggles but that is always going to happen on radio – Keaveny is masterful when it comes to regaining control and keeping things steady.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny and team broadcasting their last breakfast show from Maida Vale Studios on 16th December, 2018 (check out the handsome dude at the back of the shot with his hands in his pockets!)/PHOTO CREDIT: @shaunkeavny/@BBC6Music

It is clear to see there is a definite voice of each of the shows – Lauren Laverne, Mary Anne Hobbs and Shaun Keaveny. Laverne was playing a mixture of Electro, Soul and R&B mostly (softer but with plenty of uplift) and Mary Anne was playing her usual blend of Rock, Electro...and pretty much every other genre around (a supremely varied and wide-ranging mix). To get us into the afternoon with a jolt, we’d need a playlist with some guitars and definite volume. Like his breakfast show, Shaun Keaveny brought out the bands, the bangers and the noise – a gutsy and high-quality selection that definitely got us standing to attention! Arcade Fire’s Normal Person was an unexpected song choice – but a great one – and that was followed by a nice jingle. Again, a little blip: Keaveny ‘mixing’ the jingle to the next song! It didn’t 100% come off and, with some laughter in the background, we had Stealing Sheep to the rescue! I couldn’t help smile thinking about the boo-boos and the slips: it is classic Keaveny and, even though he is getting more kip, it seems like the tanker will run into the rocks once in a while! After fluffing a song announcement (confusing Stealing Sheep with Red Blood Shoes) we heard some laughter from Matt Everitt. It was good to hear Everitt’s voice after a gap and back in his usual seat.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Matt Everitt and Shaun Keaveny sharing a joke/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC

I am glad the music news came across to the new show because it would not be the same without Keaveny and Everitt together! Instead of the older, brief music news sting we got a longer one. It was done in the style of a news broadcast and was a good introduction. After introducing the new Blood Red Shoes single – cue some argument and crossover in the studio after Keaveny’s slip – we heard Eye to Eye (a pretty great track!). Before long, we had the dynamic duo chatting and Matt Everitt delivered his music news. We heard about a certain U.S. female being booked for Glastonbury and all the other developments/goings on. We heard about other Glastonbury tips. Everitt talked about the odds for headline acts on the Pyramid Stage – The Cure are favourites to take one of the slots (where ARE all the female acts?!). The Queen film, Bohemian Rhapsody, was mentioned as it did well at The Golden Globes and was an unexpected winner. Just before 2 P.M. we had seen the end of the music news and one essential continuation of the old breakfast show. When I was reviewing Lauren Laverne’s show, I was looking at the music selected and what sort of sounds she was favouring. We got funkiness and soulfulness but there were some unexpected choices and it was a nice assortment.

With Shaun Keaveny, the diversity is even greater. By the end of the first hour we had moved through Rock and Alternative; had some new cuts and seen a couple of classics on the block – heading into the second hour with Bess Atwell’s Grace (a great new artist who is one of my tips for 2019!). Maxïmo Park’s Our Velocity was the first tune of the show I was not hot on – never been a fan of the band – but its energy and alacrity was perfectly in keeping with the show’s momentum and sound. I like the fact that, like Steve Lamacq, a certain rush and grunginess defined Shaun Keaveny’s show. I am trying to cast my mind back to his breakfast broadcasts but I can sense more Rock and Indie on afternoons. Maybe it is a way of keeping the momentum going until 4 P.M. but I noticed a lot more guitar-based songs in the first hour-and-a-bit of his new show; more than his breakfast show at least. That was fine by me because it provided that much-needed early-afternoon boost and some great tunes to boot! It seems like well-oiled chairs were left back in the van when setting up Shaun Keaveny’s studio because, lo and behold, there was some squeaking and creaking soon enough (get some WD-40 on that!). After reading out some texts/emails – one person asked whether Keaveny could use Radcliffe and Maconie’s Tea Time Theme Time on his slot – we heard a talent about some D.I.Y. drama.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson alongside Matt Everitt at Rough Trade Nottingham back in November/PHOTO CREDIT: @matteveritt/@RoughTrade

I saw a picture on Keaveny’s Twitter feed where he successfully built a wardrobe after many hours of patience and swearing! I was missing the off-kilter humour from the hirsute Shaun W. Keaveny so it was nice to have one of his anecdotes come into play before he spun some Self Esteem (Rollout). Like Lauren Laverne’s show, I glanced away from the time and looked back and noticed how quickly things had gone by! We were almost an hour and a half through the first show and, again, it was a very comfortable routine and very easy to slot into the new show. The most pleasing thing I observed regarding Laverne and Keaveny’s shows is that there was not a lot of change. Both had regular features that have not travelled with them but the general tone and the music was largely untouched. I really enjoyed hearing emails and texts read out and the great tangents Keaveny provided. It was like an old friend being back on the radio and picking up where he left off! Black Science Orchestra’s New Jersey Deep provided a nice surprise and took us away from guitars and back to more club-based, classic-cut territory. I was assuming the playlist would be quite bloke-heavy but there was a nice balance regarding gender. I guess the men did shade it but, by 2:30 P.M., we had already heard great tunes from Courtney Barnett, Bess Atwell and Self Esteem.

Some epic Thomas Dolby (White City) took us up to the news and provided another welcome shift. A nice cut from 1984 sat seamlessly against the newer songs. By the time we got to 2:30 P.M., we were half of the way through and, giving my half-time assessment: pretty damn good, all in all! We expected some fluffs and the odd error; we had Matt Everitt back and there was the traditional blend of humour, great music and the occasional sound of a man on fire running around the studio. Anyone expecting a few hours extra in bed would dull Shaun Keaveny’s unique blend of skills were pleasantly corrected. The humour kept coming after the news and it involved newsreader Niki Cardwell – Keaveny getting a bit confused who was on news and admitting, with great lies, that this was his only mistake so far. Again, if we saw a refreshed and super-slick Shaun Keaveny in the chair I think we’d mutiny. As we headed towards 3 P.M. it was confirmation that the same boy we’d always known was just where we left him! Following some classic Smiths (Bigmouth Strikes Again) it was on with the show! After a bit of Mozza crooning we were ‘treated’ to a rather creepy children’s song that just said “good afternoon” over and over – almost like a government agency tormenting their captor into confessing extra-quick! It was an unexpectedly quirky and unique jingle that led into some Maribou State.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny doing some last-minute show inspections/PHOTO CREDIT: @BBC6Music

I liked the way the music kept nimble and darted between years but I wonder, like I did when reviewing Lauren Laverne’s show, whether there was another female input. I am not sure what the breakdown was up until this point but I yearned to hear someone like Madonna or PJ Harvey interject between the male majority. It is not a big thing with any station/show but I hope BBC Radio 6 Music gives a more equal split regarding gender ratio moving forward. That is a small quibble but not one that dampened my love of the show in any real way. We soon got some new missives and, among the listener gripes and requests, Matt Everitt was back! We learned that Gary Oldman and David Bowie have joined forces. There was an interactive exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum (in London) that proved hugely popular. On 8th January, an augmented mobile app is out and allows you to interact with the original exhibit. It mirrors the museum and you can move along in virtual-reality. Gary Oldman is narrating and one can get inside David Bowie’s wonderful and peerless world. It is good to hear the music news back on BBC Radio 6 Music and extra-special having some David Bowie news. We not only mourn three years since he died this Thursday but tomorrow would have been his seventy-second birthday...and three years since he released his final album, Blackstar.

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IN THIS PHOTO: Our new afternoon presenter is all smiles for the camera/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC

Following a rare David Bowie live clip, it was into the jaws of The Prodigy and Timebomb Zone. Nobody could accuse the afternoon show of lacking spark and explosion. Another banger to add to the list and, for those struggling to stay awake at work, a shot of adrenaline that is more potent than a syringe of coffee to the eyeballs! Cassius’ Feeling for You provided some much-needed female tones and a perfect way to head into the final hour. With the promise of Steve Mason on the horizon, I looked back at the first two hours and how quickly it sped by. It is a better start than I thought and I can tell, despite some self-deprecating shots, that the rehearsals and dry-runs have paid off. I actually think the rigid and precise beds that were on the breakfast show took away some spontaneity and I found myself missing them less than I thought. I like the slightly looser feel of the afternoon show and the fact the energy levels, from Keaveny and the music alike, is definitely different.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny celebrates the completion of a tricky wardrobe build/PHOTO CREDIT: @shaunkeaveny

Boxed In’s Jist was a good start to the final hour and, whilst another geezer-led song, its dance and catchiness provided a fruity and warming blast of uplift. A lot of D.J.s would take a while to bed a new show in and spend too much time reiterating their coda and explaining the format etc. Instead, Keaveny was keen to include everyone but there was not a desperate sense of recruitment or the need to walk people through the afternoon show – we are all on board now and happy he is back in our ears. Keaveny was then moving into the live room and introducing Steve Mason. There were not that many people in the room so the band essentially had to applaud themselves after the introduction. Although it was the first live session for Shaun Keaveny, he had a natural bond with Mason and proved himself a natural in that environment. There is one live session a month on the show and I am looking forward to seeing who else is coming up! It is rare to hear a live performance at 3 P.M. on BBC Radio 6 Music – as Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie didn’t really do that sort of thing much – and it provided a real treat. The first track was Walking Away from Love and it is from the forthcoming album, About the Light. The band was tight throughout and the song was performed incredibly.

A romping, stomping and awesome performance; it was a great kick-off for the live sessions and a perfect way to keep the energy high and the mood funky. Mason and Keaveny chatted and we got some interesting anecdotes. Mason stated, when The Beta Band were signed, they took five-grand in cash out each and walked down Oxford Street. Mason handed fifty quid to every homeless person he saw and, when he looked back, he saw them running delighted. We learned more about his and the band’s process and how the music comes together – better when there is someone at the driving seat but allows for democracy and everyone pitching in. Stars Around My Heart was, incorrectly, announced as the next song up and that sent the band into a panic. It was another classic boner but one that was styled out by Keaveny and Mason. Instead, we had something else but I missed the title and Google was no help when I put the lyrics in! Anyway, it was a great performance and delivered with complete conviction and charm by Mason and the band. Taking us up to the news was Stars Around My Heart and the ship was sailing in the right direction. When Lauren Laverne was doing live sessions on her show, there was a slight break between tracks and it allowed the artists the time to chill a bit and come back. I like the fact this was a more rapid and punchy set; getting three songs out fairly quickly so that the final half an hour could be dedicated to more music and wrapping things up.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Steve Mason limbering up before performing for Shaun Keaveny/PHOTO CREDIT: @BBC6Music

After the final news report of the show ended, I was priming myself for the last half an hour and what tunes would take the show down to land. I was relieved to hear Utah Saints’ Something Good. Not only because it is a stone-cold banger and classic but it has a female voice at the front (two if you include the Kate Bush sample from Cloudbusting). I like the fact the team threw in these great cuts from the past (mainly the 1990s) that took you back to when these songs ruled the roost. If the show was all guitar-based or similar then its charms would wear thing. We had plenty of chunky and thrilling gems to get the blood racing; perfectly sitting with the more modern and conventional tracks. The charm and success of BBC Radio 6 Music is giving the audience what it wants but throwing in the odd surprise. Utah Saints is definitely a firm favourite and I couldn’t have been the only one raving like a demon! The final twenty minutes provided a good mixture of songs and the second appearance of John Grant’s Preppy Boy on the playlist (I think it was played by Lauren Laverne or Mary Anne Hobbs earlier in the day). Keaveny put out an appeal for new show beds and stuff to give the show a new lick of paint.

A welcome return of Jeremy Vine on the show – his ‘cats in gangs’ bit – was a lovely little injection and then another plea: any new or old tracks that the public want to hear, get in touch. Keaveny mentioned accosting Huw Stephens outside Wogan House and asking for tune recommendation. Calva Louise were recommended and we got to hear Tug of War on the show. I am familiar with the band and they have a nice mix of 1980s Pop-Punk and modern-day Indie. It is a great shout and will open many listeners’ eyes to this great new band. I do like the fact BBC Radio 6 Music can mix in the embryonic and newborn with the legends of music. It means there are no divides regarding demographic and the shows appeal to a wide spectrum. I like the idea for the new feature, Liked and Shared, that means listeners can let people know which old or new track they are vibing to. Bit by bit, we are getting to know the new features and how afternoons will sound. The Light by Common was another welcomed addition. I have not heard the song for ages and, like Lauren Laverne’s breakfast show, wild eclecticism and range is top of the agenda here. Any reservations about diversity and parity were dispelled by the final two tracks.

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IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny looking focused/confused/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC

A gorgeous Adrianne Lenker tune, Blue and Red Horses, was new to me but instantly got into my brain. As Steve Lamacq sat outside the studio waiting to get in, we heard the final song: Getting Away with It by Electronic. Once more, we had a banger before us and a beautiful, uplifting way to end the first Shaun Keaveny afternoon show. Despite some expected rough edges, it was a fantastic opening show and good to hear him back on the radio. I am interested to see how the afternoon show develops and what features come and stay. I loved the mixture of music and the Steve Mason live set; the good mishaps and the great chat/interaction between Matt Everitt and our bearded leader. I will tune in tomorrow to see what happens next but, on the evidence of the first afternoon show, Shaun Keaveny will get some new fans. Many feared the changes and rotations would damage the station and create disharmony but, as Lauren Laverne, Mary Anne Hobbs and Shaun Keaveny have shown, these little alterations have resulted in...

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 IN THIS PHOTO: A sign of things to come?/PHOTO CREDIT: @shaunkeaveny

A big impact.

FEATURE: BBC Radio 6 Music’s New Evolution: The Lauren Laverne Breakfast Show

FEATURE:

 

 

BBC Radio 6 Music’s New Evolution

IN THIS PHOTO: BBC Radio 6 Music’s new breakfast show host Lauren Laverne started her reign off with a bang/PHOTO CREDIT: Phil Sharp 

The Lauren Laverne Breakfast Show

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MANY were a little worried and unsure when BBC Radio 6 Music...

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Former BBC Radio 6 Music breakfast show host Shaun Keaveny is now on from 1 P.M. during the week/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/BBC

announced their new line-up. It did not involve any new presenters taking slots; more the existing line-up being moved to new time periods. Shaun Keaveny’s reign as breakfast host ended after eleven years and he is now on at 1 P.M. Mary Anne Hobbs comes in from 10:30 in the morning and, in the new breakfast slot, Lauren Laverne now takes to the throne. It has not been a big shift but there are many who have been used to a certain sound and way of working had things to say. For most of us, this move has been an evolution and something that needed to happen. I have been checking Twitter for the past few days and both Laverne and Keaveny have been doing ‘dummy shows’. They did not air but, essentially, they were in the studio in Wogan House and doing a mock-up of the final product! To make sure they are fresh and confident today they have done a couple of test shows to get the feel and format down. I love the fact Chris Hawkins has an extra half an hour and we get to hear more of him in the morning. The loyalty and faith he has shown the station is incredible and he is always ready to step in and cover a show if needed – someone who never seems to stop working and is always ready for action. After ending his extended show (5:00 to 7:30 A.M.) with the Beastie Boys’ Shake Your Rump, it was over to the new breakfast show – after the news report, naturally.

The new show started with a fresh bed – a bit more active and peppy than Keaveny’s – and, after an alarm sound, we opened with Prince. Starfish and Coffee got things off to the races perfectly. The first song choice is always a difficult one: it announces a new era and sort of sets the tone. Anything too rousing and fast would probably be a bit too much; get it too slow and it is a rather damp start to the morning. Instead, we got a smooth, silky and uplifting Prince number that, whilst not in his top-ten provided a nice surprise and a great way to start things off. I can only imagine how much planning and thought went into that opening track. Laverne came to the microphone and, after a brief introduction, it was on to more music. Again, like the opening track, getting the next number spot-on was crucial. From a 1987 Prince classic it was to a bit of more-modern Thundercat with BADBADNOTGOOD and Flying Lotus – King of the Hill continued the smooth, seductive and physical opening that meant, just after 7:40 A.M., we were all awake, ready and eager! I was a little surprised by an all-male one-two regarding music but, knowing the balance and how Laverne usually sets out her stall, there would be female-led songs very soon. One would not notice the fact that this was her first breakfast show and she was in a fresh time slot.

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 IMAGE CREDIT: BBC

Asking the listener how long they have been with the show and welcoming in new followers, it was a warm and welcoming opening that was as slick and professional as you’d expect. Those expecting the same mix as Keaveny provided – the regular beds and his style of delivery – would have been disappointed but, after eleven years, it is great hearing a new voice in the breakfast slot. Next week sees Zoe Ball take to the BBC Radio 2 breakfast slot – it is a female-heavy charge at Wogan House in the breakfast slots! In many ways, 2019 already seems like an evolution and move towards equality regarding gender. Mark Goodier is doing the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show this week – Ball was joking in the press that she asked for several alarm clocks for Christmas to make sure she was up in time! Back to BBC Radio 6 Music and, in many ways, it was kind of like the normal Lauren Laverne show moved to breakfast. The same caramel and familiar tones led the show but there were some new features and touches in the show – more on that later. I think the music choices and the opening few tracks were the most surprising aspect of the opening hour. I loved the Prince opening and there was a definite tone to the opening segment. Very few big guitars or anything to suggest this would be an Indie-Rock breakfast show. One of the criticisms levied at BBC Radio 6 Music through the years is that they seem to be catering too heavily to guitar music – maybe that was the case to start with but they have become much broader and diverse through the years.

I was surprised by the male-heavy start and half-expected some classic Motown, Disco or 1980s Pop to make an appearance early. Looking back at it, it was not such a big thing. As the show wore on, as I shall state, there was plenty of female-fronted sounds and I actually like the fact we were given this quite calming yet playful musical opening. If it was guitar-heavy and we were jolted awake then it would have seemed jarring and a bit too similar to other shows on the station. This was, right from the off, a very different breakfast show: BBC Radio 6 Music evolving and encouraging a reinvention rather than a new presenter fronting the exact same show! It has been a pretty non-eventful and rough year (2018) for me – a rather fruitless and money-draining move to London has left me a bit worried how things will pan out and, indeed, whether it is possible to get a job in this city. Against all this financial cat-and-mouse and fear comes the safety and comforting hug of BBC Radio 6 Music. It has been with me through all the good and bad so, if there were any unwelcomed changes, it would seem odd and strange. Luckily, Laverne was in the new breakfast show to provide that familiar comfort and there was no need for worry. With Julia Holter taking providing a nice tonal shift and an extra ounce of morning energy, it was almost the end of the first half hour. Having kicked things off with a Prince stunner; the show was comfortably into the groove and any doubts as to whether Lauren Laverne could add her stamp to breakfast was gone – she sounded, even that early, like her whole broadcasting life has been leading to this.

I was a bit sad she moved from the mid-morning slot because I love her regular features such as Biorhythms, Desert Island Disco and Memory Tapes. Her interviews and live sessions were always a staple and I was eager to see whether there would be any listener-focused threads or whether it would be a bit early for her usual punters to offer their musical choices. Before the 8 A.M. news it was back to more gentle and soothing territory – the sleepy and dreamy 3WW by alt-j (again, keeping the male voices high but, in fact, the opening half an hour was perfect in terms of balance and sonic textures). A great slice of M.I.A. – I won’t name-check EVERY song, don’t worry! – got the next half hour off to a great start and, again, you can tell how much effort and thought had gone into the music. Given the time of year and the fact it was a new show meant there was not a lot of brand new music in the early portions – it is January and it will take a while for artists to bring out some new tunes. One could have forgiven the show for putting together a collection of overly-familiar and crowd-pleasing songs to ensure everyone was satisfied but we got a more original, thoughtful and diverse set of songs. In many ways, the music of the new breakfast was similar to that of the old mid-morning show: business as usual for Laverne fans but a change of gear for those new to breakfast show.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/@laurenlaverne

Monday is a bit of a sh*t day for everyone and we were all looking for something/someone who could wake us up, give us that boost and, as it is the first day back at work for many after Christmas, that extra kick in the bottom! I was excited by the tease that Emily Eavis would be on the show after 9 – providing some Glastonbury tease and news (would we hear some pleasing new regarding a female headliner or a legend like Sir Paul McCartney making an appearance?!). After a burst of hot-off-of-the-press Lizzo – her new jam, Juice – I was familiar with the new breakfast show and, yeah, it is an instant success. I will continue this review, of course, but by 8:12 A.M. I was smiling and could tell that this new breakfast show was rock-solid and something that could last for another eleven years – if Laverne would be in it for that long I think we could all truly get behind that ambition! Any grumbles or drawbacks after the first hour of the show? Not this way! I was a bit ho-hum about the male-heavy balance of music but it was a masterstroke. As Marvin Gaye helped sail us towards the end of the first hour, I looked back and everything sort of clicked. I guess the absence of Shaun Keaveny clattering, getting insulted and thrashing against the world, in an odd way, was hard to take but a new dawn has broken – it was clear all the rehearsal, meetings and endless graft had paid off and we were hearing a very natural and pleasing breakfast show.

One of the big themes of the opening show was to welcome listeners in and ask how long they have been with the station. Rather than the usual Monday Motivators or Earworms, Laverne was keen to open her show like a new school year – setting out her stall and making sure the transition was as personable and interactive as possible. The music got better and better as we headed towards the news and another masterful tune was laid in: Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads. That song was a fond memory of my middle-school years (the song came out ten years before I started middle-school) and here was this blast of nostalgia and remembrance. As I grinned like a lunatic through Talking Heads and realised that the first hour of Lauren Laverne’s breakfast show had gone by REALLY quickly...I was already excited to see what the final couple of hours offered in terms of features, surprises and big tunes! I think the biggest challenge anyone would have when it comes to replacing a long-running breakfast host is ensuring you do not repeat things but making sure the new format does not alienate. I was delighted to hear that, indeed, there would be a segment dedicated to listener requests after 9 A.M. Cloudbusting is a new section that is designed to ask for songs that banish the clouds and bring some cheer. The fact that it is Kate Bush-themed ticked lots of boxes with me and it is a really simple and good idea – we will have to wait a little longer until we get there.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

Any suggestions of fatigue and slowly adapting to her early slot didn’t show – she is a mother-of-two so is used to human alarm clocks waking her every morning, I guess – and one could feel the change. Less conversational and format-based than Keaveny’s show – he had his beds and segments; very structured in form but open to mishap and fun -; Laverne was offering a looser show and was like a mate taking us for a coffee and a chat...perfect stuff. Looking at the tweets that were coming in for Lauren Laverne’s show early on, it seemed like people were loving her in the new role and definitely behind her music choices! A new feature, 6 Music Musings, talks to some well-known names and asks them for some words of wisdom; they pick a song and we get a nice slice of tuneage and some very sage words to boot! After some terrific Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, I checked back on Twitter and the love kept coming. Not only did the former breakfast show’s Shaun Keaveny and Matt Everitt offer their praise and hugs; people far and wide were giving an emphatic Paul McCartney double-thumbs-up - I could see no criticisms, grumbles or high-raised eyebrows anywhere on the Internet! Enjoying some spiky and beefy Smashing Pumpkins before the news, I was half-tempted to suggest Steely Dan’s My Old School for the inaugural Cloudbusting but I figured demand would be high and there may be some Dan in the show a bit later. Again, by the mid-way point we were seeing something fresh with its own personality – no jitters; pure gold and confidence right the way through. If anything, the post-9 A.M. run provided more content and a better look at what the new breakfast show would encompass – the introductions were over and, yes, congratulatory tweets were flooding in all over the shop!

There is a simple brilliance regarding Cloudbusting. I might be bias when it comes to the title – ANYTHING that nods to Kate Bush is alright by me! – and what it does. It is listeners suggesting their favourite songs and, on the worst day of the week, twenty minutes of fried gold is just the kind of tonic to make the Gods of Misery scratch their beards with a perplexed gaze. I think the mark of any great and natural breakfast show is one where you adopt it to heart right away. You are not nervous regarding what comes next and you do not anxiously sweat and wondering how long it will take to get that same joy you had before. I loved Keaveny’s show but found myself chilled and completely seduced by Lauren Laverne by 9 A.M. How would the first Cloudbusting work out? Well, with Stevie Wonder covering The Beatles’ We Can Work It Out...a pretty emphatic and memorable one! Having started the show with some stone-cold Prince bliss; a dose of underrated Stevie Wonder provided a lovely treat. Cloudbusting lived up to its names and brought more sunshine with some Lady Marmalade/Labelle swagger – get those hips moving, people! After a few other choice cuts, including Florence + the Machine’s Dog Days Are Over, I had to take a breath and drink it all in – it is clear this new breakfast incarnation is designed to provide as much soul, energy and warmth as possible.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Boden Diaries

I love how the show’s sonic tones changed between the hours. The opening hour was very much a similar path to Lauren Laverne’s usual morning show but other genres came to play soon enough. Just before 9:30 A.M. it was almost like Craig Charles was spinning the platters – lots of Funk, Soul and heavenly tunes that kicked a rather grey Monday into the heavens. That kind of gear-shift might catch some off of their guard but it was another natural evolution and, like every aspect of the show, carefully planned and beautifully considered. I was almost sad when I realised the final hour of the first show was upon us. The first show is a biggie and a litmus test: the second show, in many ways, is the biggest test. Can the momentum remain and will we get a sense of the new audience figures and reaction? Playing Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run into the 9:30 A.M. news almost seemed like a the answer to that question: this show was running on gas and had found its feet on its debut outing (how many shows sound that solid and complete right from the very start?!). I think the biggest change to the breakfast show was the lack of change. I heard – through interviews Laverne gave – they were toying with features (including one called House Music; details a little sketchy on its pitch) but the reason the first Lauren Laverne breakfast show got off to a flyer was because it was about the music.

 PHOTO CREDIT: BookTrust/Getty Images

If there were gimmicks, phone-ins and too many new features then it would seem too crowded, experimental and busy. As it was, we were getting what we hoped for: a brilliant and much-loved D.J. playing brilliant tunes, welcoming in her new flock and making sure BBC Radio 6 Music 2.0 was a smooth and assured one. If the first few songs of the new breakfast show were male-heavy; it was very much about the women as we entered the final hour. Solange’s Losing You was followed by Róisín Murphy and The Rumble (a new cut from her). I was thinking back on the records played so far and I had no heard a downbeat or slow song. The first Lauren Laverne breakfast show was very much about getting people up and making sure the serotonin levels were at full chat! Laverne’s chat with Emily Eavis was great and, although it was a pre-recorded telephone chat, the sound quality was good (a lot of phone interviews can be crackly and inaudible) and some juicy deets was revealed. I have never been to Glastonbury – always wanted to – and it was great hearing Eavis announce new areas, stages and bits for this year’s festival. Janelle Monáe was revealed as a headliner for the West Holts stage. We already have Stormzy confirmed as a headliner on the Pyramid Stage and Kylie Minogue will perform in the legends slot.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

It is good to hear there are going to be some big female names taking to Glastonbury this year and I hope that is mirrored on the Pyramid Stage. Although brief, the chat with Emily Eavis definitely provided some good news and temptations for those wondering whether how Glastonbury would return after a fallow year. Personal music tastes often find their way into broadcasts – especially new shows and debuts – and I did wonder whether we’d hear some Beastie Boys or Steely Dan before the end. So far, it seems like Laverne’s personal collection was being left for later shows (we did hear some Beastie Boys earlier so can’t complain on that front I guess). As the final half an hour came onto the horizon I asked, truly, whether anything could be improved and what one would hope for shows going forward. I think a lack of features (bar the excellent Cloudbusting) gave the first show a music-heavy feel and I am interested to see whether there will be equivalents of Desert Island Disco and Biorhythms down the line. One of Laverne’s skills is her rapport with her listeners and it is always good hearing a listener’s selection. Again, that might be all to come so the first show, in many ways, was about providing an accessible and uncluttered show that would please the core fanbase and bring in some new followers. Although Golden Globes reactions was dominating Twitter’s trends and most-discussed; I was seeing a lot of love and support for Lauren Laverne in this new time.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Lauren Laverne with Alan Carr on Desert Island Discs/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC

I guess it is not a radical shift in terms of time but the breakfast show is the biggest on radio and carries with it a lot of expectation, pressure and reputation. As I ponder before the final half hour, I wonder how the new earlier start will impact Laverne’s role as Desert Island Discs host. I am not sure when Kirsty Young is back but I hope she (Laverne) can balance both roles because, right now, there is no more powerful woman in British radio (I think) than Lauren Laverne. A bit of funky Steve Mason took us into the news at 10 (a little after, to be fair) and I was sort of sad to realise there wasn’t long left in the first show. I think so many people have been building it up and wondering whether the new line-up/evolution at BBC Radio 6 Music would be a good one. Although I could not stick around for Mary Anne Hobbs’ first weekday morning show – have to get out of the house for a couple of hours at least! – I was readying my mind to review Shaun Keaveny’s new afternoon show; delighted by Lauren Laverne’s new breakfast show and almost sad to think that, when I get a job, I might miss out on her...unless I can find a way to covertly listen whilst at work!

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  PHOTO CREDIT: Boden Diaries

The final half hour ensured the energy was kept high and listeners were primed to make their way through a hard morning back at work! Tuff City Kids’ (ft. Joe Goddard) Reach Out Your Hands (Erol Alkan Rework) gave us a great boost and one of the most body-moving tracks of the morning. One can be pedantic and picky when it comes to music but I did not feel like there was a misstep or missed opportunity at any stage. Every piece of the jigsaw fit and it coalesced to provide a familiar yet new show. For those who are used to Lauren Laverne’s regular show and missed that would have been relieved to hear her make few radical changes for her breakfast move. I guess time will tell whether there will be big plans, changes and additions. I have been fascinated by the handover from Shaun Keaveny to Lauren Laverne but I love the connection between Laverne and Mary Anne Hobbs. Hobbs was on the line to have a brief chat before her 10:30 show and talked about a new feature, All Queens – a mix of female artists that would be a fixture of every Monday show. It is a shame I have to miss it but will make sure I get onto the BBC Sounds page and listen back to the show this evening! We were into the final ten minutes by the time DJ Shadow, Q-Tip and Lateef the Truth Speaker had given us Enuff.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Chris McAndrew/The Times

The last ten minutes gave me time to reflect, give some impressions and have a think about Lauren Laverne’s first breakfast show. I genuinely can’t think of any negatives and constructive criticisms – it is hardly my place to do that! – and I think it was as varied, personal and terrific as we all hoped. I think many look for new features right off the bat but we had a couple in the first show. The mix of music was great and it wasn’t just classics: there were a couple of fresher cuts and a great balance in terms of genre and tempo. It is hard to get the Monday mix right but that is what we got. The show woke us up, made us smile and, most importantly, demonstrated that there is nothing to worry about: this New Year’s evolution on BBC Radio 6 Music is a good thing and all your favourite D.J.s are still here, in a different slot. As she bade farewell after her maiden voyage on the breakfast waves, the praise was still coming in without abatement. I am looking forward to tomorrow’s show and whether we will get any new bits and revelations. The doubters can rest easy and the loyal faithful can sit calm and satisfied. Many people say that all change is a bad thing but, as proved in the first show of BBC Radio 6 Music’s new line-up; it is very clear that the new breakfast show is...

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny, Steve Lamacq; Mary Anne Hobbs and Lauren Laverne are spearheading BBC Radio 6 Music’s new line-up/changes/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC

IN very good hands!

FEATURE: Against Consensus: Underrated Albums That Outshine the Critical Favourite: Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic

FEATURE:

 

 

Against Consensus: Underrated Albums That Outshine the Critical Favourite

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IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic

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IN this second part of this feature...

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker in 1972/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

I look at a band (or a ‘phenomenon’…as I should explain) who have produced some sensational albums - and there is that one that stands out to the critics. I shall come to that in a bit but it is hard really to label Steely Dan and describe what they are. One of their founders, Walter Becker, died last year and its remaining founder, Donald Fagen, is still touring the Steely Dan name. It started life as Becker and Fagen and they assembled musicians around them. I guess Steely Dan is a collective that has the core element of Becker and Fagen. I am not sure if there is a name for that – perhaps there should be one! However you want to class Steely Dan, you can definitely feel the moment they transitioned from a loose collective looking for an identity to a solid unit where Becker and Fagen called the shots. I guess there is a bit of a three-way between the albums considered their very best. I am torn between Can’t Buy a Thrill (their 1972 debut) and Pretzel Logic (their third album of 1974) but, as you can see from the title of this piece, have put Pretzel Logic ahead. Their debut has a stunning mixture of sounds and, although there are simple moments like Reelin’ in the Years, there is richness and complexity through the album.

I love the variety of sounds and the sophistication of the songwriting. Although one can see genius right from the off, a reason why many critics prefer other Steely Dan efforts is the lack of leadership and focus. David Palmer, an English singer, did not fit in with the Steely Dan sound: a sarcastic, caustic and witty sound that was more real and edgy than the soulful and oversung tones of Palmer. I like his performance on Dirty Work but can see the difference a Fagen vocal would have made. Steely Dan dispensed with Palmer by the second album, Countdown to Ecstasy, and they were starting to find their momentum. What remained was the experimentation, perfectionism and incredible songwriting. Their 1973 sophomore effort is a leaner record with fewer tracks (eight compared to their debut’s ten) and there are fewer loose ends. Although Countdown to Ecstasy is an improvement on the debut in many ways – much truer to the Steely Dan that would remain – they were still finding their feet. The record contains two genuine standouts, Show Biz Kids and My Old School, the rest of the record is not quite up to the same standard. Things would even out and solidify a year after Countdown to Ecstasy. It is amazing to think a band as perfectionist and fastidious as Steely Dan could release a record every year (at this stage) – few modern, less-fine bands cannot manage that now!

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 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

With Gary Katz on production duties; Steely Dan would create their masterpiece with Pretzel Logic. I will mention the album that gains the biggest critical weight: Aja. It is a close call between the two but there is that leaning to Aja when it comes to impact and quality. The reason why I feel Pretzel Logic is a better record is because it announced the completed and fully formed Steely Dan. The debut was promising and the second album corrected some kinks. Pretzel Logic saw all the pieces slot together and, seeing as they only released their debut album two years earlier, it makes Pretzel Logic all the more impressive. There was a bit of disappointment regarding Countdown to Ecstasy and how it performed. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number was a return to form for Steely Dan and showed what was missing from their previous album: a radio hit that could get them chart attention. Pretzel Logic has shorter songs and greater memorability. There are more Jazz elements in Pretzel Logic and greater use of harmonies. Whilst there are still one or two less-than-genius moments on the record – Through with Buzz and With a Gun are inessential – there is more than enough wonder to satisfy the senses. Whereas their first couple of albums are a little uneven regarding pacing and where the best songs lie – either top or bottom-heavy – Pretzel Logic is more balanced.

Most of the best moments are in the first half of the album but there is a lot of quality further down. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number is a perfect opener. It has a lot of mystery but Donald Fagen has stated in interviews that the ‘Number’ in the title is a reference to marijuana; the woman mentioned in the song is someone he had a crush on in college. The track is full of brilliance: from the rousing and catchy chorus to the unique, image-provoking verses...it is a masterful and perfect work. Night by Night follows the track and is one of the most underrated songs in the Steely Dan cannon. The rushing horns and the insatiable groove gets your body moving and remains long in the mind. Any Major Dude Will Tell You is a rare moment of reflection and sensitivity from the band. It talks of worlds dividing and cracks forming. Fagen is talking to a friend going through hard times and lending a shoulder. It does not minimise sorry or give any sort of cheap shots the way of the affected – showing Steely Dan could do heart and tenderness alongside the acidic and funny. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo is an unusual inclusion but shows Steely Dan’s passion for Jazz. It was originally written by Duke Ellington and Bubber Miley but given a cool and groovy spin by Steely Dan. It provides a great balance and contrast to the rest of the material on Pretzel Logic’s first side and end things perfectly.

The second side features the remarkable title cut that sees Fagen travelling through time and imagining Napoleon and minstrel shows. It is one of the more conventional tracks on the album but, in terms of its lyrics, it is anything but. The variety of emotions and themes explored through Pretzel Logic is amazing. The musicianship and compositions would become fuller-fat and more complex on later albums but Pretzel Logic was the moment when the problems and hesitations were rectified. Even late tracks on Pretzel Logic, such as Charlie Freak and Monkey in Your Soul, shine and have their own charming personalities. Maybe Can’t Buy a Thrill has more commercial appeal and range; Countdown to Ecstasy is a fascinating passage – Pretzel Logic is the moment when the true Steely Dan comes to shine. When it came to reviews for Pretzel Logic, there was plenty of praise. AllMusic, in 2013, had this to say:

“Instead of relying on easy hooks, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen assembled their most complex and cynical set of songs to date. Dense with harmonics, countermelodies, and bop phrasing, Pretzel Logic is vibrant with unpredictable musical juxtapositions and snide, but very funny, wordplay. Listen to how the album's hit single, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," opens with a syncopated piano line that evolves into a graceful pop melody, or how the title track winds from a blues to a jazzy chorus -- Becker and Fagen's craft has become seamless while remaining idiosyncratic and thrillingly accessible. Since the songs are now paramount, it makes sense that Pretzel Logic is less of a band-oriented album than Countdown to Ecstasy, yet it is the richest album in their catalog, one where the backhanded Dylan tribute "Barrytown" can sit comfortably next to the gorgeous "Any Major Dude Will Tell You." Steely Dan made more accomplished albums than Pretzel Logic, but they never made a better one”.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

If we think about the Steely Dan that gets most critical praise then you have to go to Aja. Released in 1977, it was the second-to-last album they would release before a hiatus. The album is regarded so highly because its musicianship and detail is impeccable. The perfectionist Becker and Fagen reach the peak during Aja. Numerous musicians were drilled and auditions were held so that they could get the right sound for each song. Although Deacon Blues is my favourite song ever (and the diamond from the album), I find myself drawn more to Pretzel Logic. Aja’s title offering gets highlighted but I find it a bit long and never really bond with it. Lesser-mentioned songs like Home at Last intrigue me more and I can take or leave Black Cow. Peg is a fantastic song heightened by a Michael McDonald vocal; Josie is a great way to end and displays the lyrics wit and intelligence Steely Dan displayed throughout their career. I like the fact there are only seven tracks but I cannot get past Deacon Blues. It carries such weight and genius I find myself listening to nothing else. I am not suggesting the remainder of Aja is inferior but Deacon Blues is such a huge statement. I think the title-track goes on a bit and never really pops. I wonder if there were another couple of songs in the locker that could have been included.

The last album Becker and Fagen would release before a break, 1980’s Gaucho, has some breezier moments that would have lent Aja greater flexibility. I do love Aja and adore the musicianship that runs throughout. The fact that so much effort was put in and the musicians used were honed to the ground shows how much the album meant to Steely Dan. You can see the attention to detail and the perfectionism drip from every note. There are more reviews – and more five-star reviews – available for Aja compared to Pretzel Logic. Rolling Stone, in 1977, talked about Aja in these terms:

“The last album, The Royal Scam. was the closest thing to a “concept” album Steely Dan has done, an attempt to return musically to New York City, with both a raunchier production quality and a fascination with grim social realism. The farthest Aja strays from the minor joys and tribulations of the good life in L.A. are the dreamy title cut and “Josie,” which hints ominously about a friendly welcome-home gang-bang. The melodramatic “Black Cow” is about love replaced by repulsion for a woman who starts getting too strung out on downers and messing around with other men. “Deacon Blues” (a thematic continuation of “Fire in the Hole” and “Any World”) exemplifies this album’s mood: resignation to the L.A. musician’s lifestyle, in which one must “crawl like a viper through these suburban streets” yet “make it my home sweet home.”

 

The title and first lines of “Home at Last” (presumably a clever interpretation of Homer’s Odyssey — I don’t get it) put it right up front: “I know this superhighway This bright familiar sun I guess that I’m the lucky one.”

More than any of Steely Dan’s previous albums (with the possible exception of Katy Lied), Aja exhibits a carefully manipulated isolation from its audience, with no pretense of embracing it. What underlies Steely Dan’s music — and may, with this album, be showing its limitations — is its extreme intellectual self-consciousness, both in music and lyrics. Given the nature of these times, this may be precisely the quality that makes Walter Becker and Donald Fagen the perfect musical antiheroes for the Seventies”.

I guess it depends what version of Steely Dan you prefer and whether you prefer the looser and punchier Pretzel Logic or the more expansive and rich Aja. I love both albums but find myself gravitating towards Pretzel Logic. It is the album that saw the promising unit become this more focused and assured prospect. Gone were the guest singers (for the most part) and there was greater concern regarding a more streamlined and accessible sound. Many might say Steely Dan are at their best when overloading songs with texture but I think songs like Rikki Don’t Lose That Number are timeless because they sound effortless and can connect with everyone – even if the actual music and recording process was quite intense. Many critics love the Steely Dan who created Aja in 1977 but to me, when it comes to their defining moment, you cannot get better...

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

THAN the peerless Pretzel Logic.

FEATURE: T.V. Eye: Are Talent Shows the Modern Alternative to Music Television?

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T.V. Eye

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IMAGE CREDIT: Pinterest

Are Talent Shows the Modern Alternative to Music Television?

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THERE was a time when music played a big role on our screens...

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 IMAGE CREDIT: MTV/Getty Images

and it was a pivotal form of exposure for artists. It wasn’t that long ago when I used to turn on the T.V. and could see the latest music videos and news. It was a way for the big artists of the day to get their latest hit to the people and was a big deal. I guess the introduction of streaming services and the Internet means the role of music television has shifted. It seems odd that we do not have a big music T.V. scene given the fact the industry is busier and bigger than ever. Unlike times past, there is a whole new world of artists coming through. I have talked about this before but I wonder why there has been such an absence regarding music on T.V. MTV, once the staple when it came to music on the screens, has become a network for reality shows and inane broadcast. It seems that music videos, live performances and documentaries have taken a back seat. Last night’s T.V. was a perfect example of why we need to revise the schedules and get proper music back on the screens. The Greatest Dancer is the BBC’s latest dance-related show. I do wonder why we need ANOTHER dance show on the screen! We have just seen the end of Strictly Come Dancing – the latest series at least – and other networks have had their say. I do not see any point having dance shows on the T.V.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: A promotional image for the BBC show, The Greatest Dancer/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC

Strictly Come Dancing has some value but why are we invested in unknowns competing to get a contract or win a prize?! We are not going to see them perform after the show is over and why do we need to see the same formulaic and pointless shows time and time again?! It is cheap and unimaginative and shows how hopelessly unimaginative and derivative networks are. We will, very soon, see All Together Now come back to the screen. Again, it is another stupid and predictable singing contest that claims to have a ‘niche’ – a unique selling point that differs from everything else. At the end of the day, we are still seeing a bunch of wannabes singing covers – without playing instruments – and being subjected to a vote. It is designed to appeal to those who do not want to find the best new musicians: it is a shallow and inane talent show that, yet again, displays a huge lack of imagination. We still have ‘talent shows’ like The Voice and X Factor and they have not changed their format. I can confidently say I have never discovered or stuck with any artist who has ever appeared on any talent show ever. Every sound and act I listen to have come through music the honest way and not subjected us to the same warbling, pathetic stories and hackneyed routines.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @strompictures/Unsplash

It is the same story every single year. I guess it is the public’s fault that these shows exist. Whether it is a singing or dancing contest; it seems the only way we get to see music on T.V. is through these shows. There is brief commercial appeal to be found with these artists but the fact they are so manufactured, Pop-based and samey means there is no point continuing. It seems genuine music and entertainment has been replaced by a chase for ratings and commercialism. I miss the days of MTV and shows like Top of the Pops. I am not suggesting we should limit everything to genuine and real shows but can we just cap things at one singing show and one dance show? Why do we need so many options that do the same thing? I do wonder whether British T.V. has got to a point where it is so short of ideas and talent that it goes for the lowest common denominator. Music is always growing and there are so many great acts out. Where do they get to shine and get their music seen by the nation? Jools Holland’s long-running late-night show has its format and core but it has not changed since its inception. That show has been on for decades and does go for the cooler side of the dial. It is good the show has survived but I do think there needs to be alternatives. We do not have a T.V. show for underground artists and there is only so far Jools Holland can go.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Jools Holland/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I feel there could be more time spent interviewing artists and other options are out there. What about music documentaries and special shows? We do not have shows that feature classic albums or documentaries on great bands and time for music. I think generations are missing out on classic albums and past masters. How are we ever going to ensure the music of the past is remembered and finds new audience if we only rely on the Internet? I do worry that is assumed music survives solely on the Internet and live gigs. The scene is struggling and I think we need to revise the lost art of music T.V. It would be great to have a channel that was dedicated to new music shows and non-talent shows; maybe a few new shows that regularly featured live acts, documentaries and music news. I do despair at the dominance of talent shows and the fact this is where music T.V. has got to. It is sad seeing this decline and stagnation; real shame that broadcasters forget why music T.V. of the past was so popular and remains iconic. There are so many, myself included, who do not want to see dance and singing contests plague the screens. We have seen it all before and nobody they foster is going to remain and match the best artists around.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @dmjdenise/Unsplash

I have this fear that, in years to come, all we will see on T.V. are talent shows. Variations on a theme that each have their own angle and all say the same thing. We need to stop assuming music, real music, has no place on T.V. and realise that there is a desire for genuine quality. Not only do upcoming artists need that platform but there are so many established artists that do not make it onto Jools Holland’s show. We also have decades of music that can inspire the new generation; so much gold that can be revealed and put onto the screen. We have this immense medium that can generate millions of viewers and there is practically no room for music. Talent shows take up so much real estate and garner so much criticism and mockery. How many artists do we listen to and hold close to the chest that have appeared on these talent shows?! Do we really get more involved with dance when we have seen dance shows?! It is a sorry state of affairs and it needs to change. I think there is an appetite out there and we cannot assume that the Internet will take care of everything. Given the fact so many venues are closing, having a T.V. show to play live on would be invaluable to artists and show just how good and needed live gigs are. I am not a fan of making resolutions each year but I think, if our T.V. broadcasters and stations do one thing, we need to give...

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @othentikisra/Unsplash

A lot more time to real music.

TRACK REVIEW: allusinlove - All Good People

TRACK REVIEW:

 

allusinlove

All Good People

 

9.5/10

 

The track, All Good People, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCiTQCVImg

ORIGIN:

Leeds, U.K.

GENRE:

Alternative

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The E.P., allusinlove, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4q7aSxhn8fl5qvabivScyH?si=IIVJWtxyTgSMlbthcbthTw

RELEASE DATE:

30th November, 2018

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AS I bring in some new rules for my blog...

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it is already proving quite tricky. I am turning away those with no/small Twitter following and those who I have already featured before. In a big to get more traffic and take things more seriously, I am looking at bigger artists and trying to get noticed by bigger publications/radio stations. I figure, after seven years, if you are doing the same thing you did a few years ago then you are not really taking leaps or improving. Every music creative and journalist should grow and become more ambitious as time goes on. It may sound like a diversion but it leads me to a band whose previous incarnation, allusondrugs, I am familiar with. They have dropped the third syllable and replaced it: they are now called allusinlove. It is a more mellow and positive name and one that translates to stronger music. I am excited to feature the band because they had a big and successful end to 2018. I have been following the members for a few years and charting their progression. I will talk about their sound and connection and also mention Leeds; I will recommend allusinlove as a band to watch out for in 2019 and talk about those acts that seem to ooze star quality and something sensational. I wanted to review allusinlove because of their rather accelerated and raw sound. I have been looking out at the music landscape and not seeing that many bands emerging. Maybe it is the way things are going now but there is not a lot of room for bands. Look at the mainstream now and it is dominated by solo artists. Check out the best albums from 2018 and most of them were made by bands. The story is a different one in the underground. I am seeing some great groups limbering up and providing some incredible music. What is missing a lot from these new bands is something physical and electric. So many artists are doing Electro and Pop – what has happened to all the great Rock and Alternative bands?!

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I feel, once upon a time, there were a lot of great bands who got under the skin and made the blood boil. It was a long time ago now and things have changed quite a bit. Maybe that seems a bit daunting when it comes to allusinlove but they are providing something sensational and fresh. They are one of a few bands who are offering the sort of sound I grew up around. It is not quite Grunge and it is not quite Rock. I suppose you can call it ‘Alternative’ but, whatever you call it, it is an incredible brew. I feel more bands are coming through in the underground but not as many as I’d like. How long ago was it when we had the mainstream filled with great groups who provided anthems and meaty gems? It has been a long time and I would like to see a return to that state. Allusinlove make me hopeful because they have a tight connection and they have reinvented themselves since the early days. I am not suggesting we overhaul the scene so solo artists are replaced by bands but I think it is imbalanced at the moment. I do feel bands such as allusinlove have the promise to transcend into the mainstream and create some waves. I shall move on in a second but I have been wondering why bands have taken less influence over the past few years. Maybe it is the way music is going but there is something you get from bands like allusinlove that you cannot get from solo artists. The sheer presence, drama and connection you get it fantastic and thrilling. There is so much going on in the allusinlove camp and it looks like they will have a very successful 2019. I think their chemistry and friendship is a reason why their music pops and explodes.

Think about the greatest bands out there and how they make an impact. You love their songs because they have quality and addictiveness but it is the bond between the members that makes the music as solid and nuanced. I have heard a lot of groups that seem connected on paper but there is something lacking when you listen to the music. I know how tough it is being in a band and the commitment needed to make things last is huge. The greatest new bands in the underground have been performing a while and they have that sense of trust. For bands to succeed and last they need to have that mutual respect and that love within the ranks. I know allusinlove have been through a lot and have endured; they have a real connection and understanding and you know they all want to be together. I can tell how close they are when I listen to the music. A lesser band would sound a bit sloppy and be going through the motions. It may seem like an odd subject to mention but I think a reason why bands are less popular than they were years ago is because it is tough to maintain that bond. Maybe people feel more connected to solo artists and think their music is more personal and revealing. I think it is unfair bands are given less consideration because, as you can hear from allusinlove, they open up and provide real truth in their music. I am hopeful, this year, things will change and we will get more of a balance. I am glad allusinlove are making music and it is good to have the Yorkshire clan showing how it should be done. I am glad I get to focus on a group outside of London and feature a different part of the world in this segment.

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I have been featuring a lot of London acts because, let’s be fair, most of the bigger names emerging are from the capital. I am trying to change things this year and feature other areas of the world as much as I can. The reason why I love allusinlove is because they are a Leeds-based band and proud to be from there. They will get plenty of demand from London and have a chance to perform here but they are in no rush to move along and relocate. I have been feeling the scene has been lacking diversity and too many eyes have been the way of London. I have always loved cities like Leeds because there is a great range of sounds coming from there and a different way of working. The ethos and philosophy of Leeds is to encourage those artists who bring something genuinely new to the plate. Through the years, I have been looking at what Leeds has to offer and been amazed. From Electro-Swing and Pop to Folk and Grime; I have discovered so much wonder and eclectic spirit from Leeds. I have stated how it is hard to categorise allusinlove and they do not seem to easily fit into slots. That is good because I feel so many bands are too easy to peg and give too much away. Although the boys are honest and revealing through their songs; they never tip their hat too much and there is some mystery in the music. I will talk about their music videos in a bit but every single angle is covered by the band. They have this real desire and passion and I am tipping them for big things. I feel the fact they are in Yorkshire and have less stress at their feet means they are able to breathe and create the music they want. One might suggest, in order to succeed and last, they need to fit in with what London requires and expects.

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I think the bands that are turning heads right now are doing their own thing and not necessarily conforming to what London needs. I still think there are too many bands who are playing Pop and Electro so it is good to foster allusinlove. A few years ago, we had albums from Foo Fighters and Royal Blood out but there has been a void since then. I feel a reason why we are not encouraging like-minded bands is because a rather basic sound and lack of intelligence. That is not the case with allusinlove. The boys can sprinkle in something softer and more brooding but, when they create that explosion, they have a depth and smart sound that few possess. Again, that might be as a result of the Leeds education and the way musicians do things up there. I do feel like the Yorkshire city has a different way of working and is creating future stars. It is always tricky predicting whether an act can go all the way but you sense allusinlove are in this for the long haul. I do feel like the boys will need to come to London quite a bit and perform and maybe divide their time between here and Leeds. I am not sure whether they are all based in the city – or they are scattered a bit – but it is clear the influence of Yorkshire is key. It is great seeing this solid and innovative band continue to grow and do great things. They seem happier now than ever and their E.P., which I shall mention at the end, has got a lot of great press. This year has only just begun but I feel allusinlove have their sights set and will have a lot of gigs up their sleeves. I shall move on to a different topic but I feel Leeds and Yorkshire are producing some of the most interesting and original artists around. I think more media eyes should look the way of Yorkshire.

I have been looking around for the artists that can make a splash this year and which ones will remain and inspire. I think allusinlove will continue to impress and compel because they seem to have been reborn and reinvigorated. Their long-standing friendships and experience means they know what the music industry requires and how to navigate it. They have a committed fanbase but are drawing in new fans and followers. I think this year is going to be more accommodating and open to bands. Last year was very much about solo artists and encouraging what was happening in the mainstream. I think the underground will take more of a stand and greater influence. It is humbling seeing so many great artists come through and show they have the potential to sustain. What strikes me is how much more varied and promising the underground is compared to the mainstream. I think allusinlove are a band who have a few similar-sounding peers but nobody has quite the same magic as them. I do think we will see some changes come through regarding tastes and who gets focus. 2018 was very much about solo artists and a confessional style of music. A lot of the biggest albums looked at the world around us and what was happening – quite truthful and raw when you think about it. I think 2019 will be more about a sense of escape and putting energy back into the mix. I feel truth and observation will still play its part but people want music that makes them feel better; a way of being able to distract their mind whilst discovering great new talent at the same time. Allusinlove have the components to succeed and seem to be primed for longevity. I am a big fan of theirs and feel the music they are putting out right now is the strongest so far. One can expect the Yorkshire band to get stronger and keep releasing music in 2019.

I have talked about star quality and the sort of sounds that will flourish this year. Another reason why I feel allusinlove will be a success is because of their connection and style. They are a photogenic and captivating band – their lead, Jason, has long been compared to Kurt Cobain in terms of looks and, whilst it is a bit annoying, it does him favours – that seem already primed for success. Not that image is the main thing but the band knows that cool photos and fascinating images will catch the eye and keep people invested. I think a lot of artists ignore the need for good images and projecting personality. You do not need to listen to a note of allusinlove’s music to know they will appeal and pull you in. I look at their photos and there is cheekiness and humour. They have a love of the camera and they can certainly catch the eye. I love the way they can catch the eye and have this great visual spread. I have tried to include as many great photos as I can in this review and there will surely be more this year. The more artists that come into the scene, the more people need to be aware of what it takes to endure and impress. It is important having a great sound that stays in the mind but you need to think about image, online attention and nuance. If you can tick all of these off of the list then you are making a big leap. I feel a lot of artists ignore fundamental considerations and it makes it hard to remember them. No such danger with allusinlove as they have been in the business long enough to know what the people need. This year will be an interesting one for music and I feel we will see a lot of changes. I am predicting some big things and I feel like bands, as mentioned, will take more of a stand. There is a definite place for allusinlove at the top of the scene and I think they will take some big steps.

All Good People is the opening track from the allusinlove E.P. and gets things off to a flyer! The guitars wind and strike and spar with percussion. It is almost like a fighter winding their arm up and delivering a punch; an elastic band winding and snapping. It is an interesting beginning as I was expecting the band to strike and come out of the traps with teeth showing. Instead of doing that, they take their time and concentrate more on emotion and pace. Lesser acts would needlessly strike and produce something frantic and aimless. Instead, the band snake and wind like professionals. You are subverted and your mind is not ready for what they bring forward. There is scorching riffing and a chunky coda that sounds classic and familiar. Although the band has come up with something fresh, you get elements of Classic Rock and some of the best sounds from the past. Again, they focus on melody and mood and create something sensational. You are nodding the head and the body is primed for something exceptional. It is hard to get over the riffs and how catchy the song is. It has a simplicity and foot-stomping charm – watch the video to get a real sense of how the band look when strutting their stuff – that instantly gets into the head and makes you smile. The fact All Good People is so catchy and instant means you will come back time and time again. The band is not just interested in riffs and leaving the lyrics alone. When the hero comes to the microphone, he talks about a girl’s body and how it makes him feel happy. Alongside the simple and effective riff, we have these lyrics that appear quite basic on the surface. To start with, there is this simplicity but things grow and spread. If you thought sophistication and Bob Dylan-like words were going to come through then you will be a bit disappointed. The allusinlove boys are talking about the pleasure and electricity of passion and sex.

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In terms of vocal sounds, you get a whiff of Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl’s tones. That is no bad thing as it adds a masculine and raw quality to the song. Our man is in a good place and, whether he is seducing or in the grip of passion, he is loving the situation. The girl’s body makes him feel good and our hero is keen to express his fondness. The man wants to get down and dirty and not leaving anything to the imagination. I have been listening to a lot of artists who are talking about politics and the state of nation so it is good to see a bit of a change. Allusinlove are keeping it close to the bone and not leaving much to the imagination. Whilst the band perform their riffs and let the beats roll; our hero is laying down his rap and telling the girl what he wants. I have mentioned how there is something classical about the band and the way they put you in mind of the giants of Rock. It is rare to hear a band like allusinlove that can create these great riffs and pen songs that instantly get into the head. The chemistry and connection between the members shows and you have this intense and tight song. I doubt there is much mystery behind the song but it is not made clear regarding the identity of the heroine. What I love is how there is this simple charm and you do not have to think too much. The band, crucially, has written a fun song and make sure the listener is put in a better mood. The chorus is a series of chants – of the song’s title – that finds the lead letting his voice scream in celebration. Through every stage, All Good People keeps the spirits high and the pecker even higher.

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This is the type of track that would do very well live and can translate from smaller stages to festivals. I know it is a track that will serve the band well and go down a storm with the crowds. There is a bit of Grunge in what they do but it is more Alternative in tone. I am reminded of some 1990s giants and the titans who pushed the scene forward. What strikes me hardest about All Good People is its confidence and memorability. It can take years longer for bands to get to the same stage as allusinlove. Their new name seems to embody their approach to music. They want peace, love and sex to reign and do not want negativity in their world. This is quite a rare approach from an artist and I would like to see more of in 2019. Whether you are a new fan of allusinlove or not; make sure you get behind them and check out their work. I would urge people to check out their eponymous E.P. but, if you need a great starting place, investigate All Good People. It seems to be their mantra and messages that define them. It may seem like there is a crudeness and juvenile attitude in their minds but, in reality, they are promoting simplicity, sexual freedom and fun. It is great to see this from a band and, as long as it is not too cheap and vulgar, then I say let it blossom. The sheer fun and kinetic energy you get from the track stays in the brain and it is impossible to forget about those catchy riffs and the incredible lead performance. All the aspects and sides blend together marvellously and lead to a fine song. I just know allusinlove will be a huge name and they will continue to grow. You owe yourself to get behind the boys and show them some love. They are an exciting band who, I feel, will make a lot of headway this year. If you do not believe me then sit down with All Good People and let it get inside the head. It is a fantastic song I will definitely getting to know a lot better today.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Haris Nukem

I have looked at All Good People and really love its video. The allusinlove boys have produced a cracking song and showing what they are made of. I have experienced few bands like them and I feel their original angle will serve them well. Their new E.P., allusinlove, is four tracks of raw energy and goodness that gets into the head and bangs around the brain. I love the E.P. and feel like it is one of the best from 2018. The guys will be keen to play as much as possible and promote their latest work. I am not sure what 2019 looks like for them but I know there will be dates around Yorkshire and their favourite haunts. I expect London will come calling and would not be shocked to see them playing some of the best joints in London. There are venues that would love to see them perform and I know the capital will get right behind the band. The Leeds clan have been playing together long enough to know what the scene wants and they are responding emphatically. I will end things soon but urge people to listen to their eponymous E.P. It is the time of year when we start to look around for the artists who will remain and compel. You can add allusinlove to the list of artists who are going to go a long way. The chemistry within the band is incredible and they have a lot of love for one another. This sense of brotherhood and understanding makes the music so strong and fascinating. You know they want to keep making music together for years and that faith is what brings people in. I hope I have covered the band well and presented them in their best light. Where do they go from here?

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I have suggested there will be gigs around the country but I feel like international dates could come their way. Look at bands like IDLES and how well they are doing right now. I know they are in the mainstream but I feel the reason why people want to see the band play is because of the energy they project and how well they translate on the stage. I know allusinlove have a similar rawness and spellbinding show. I think they would be a popular option around the world and do very well. Let’s look even further and see where the band might be in a few years. I have seen their sound change and things get stronger. I think the boys will be in the mainstream in a few years and can rub shoulders with groups like IDLES. I shall not get too ahead of myself but I am excited by allusinlove and what they are throwing out into the world right now. Let’s end things here now but make sure you get involved with their new work and follow them on social media. They are armed for success and durability and can make people genuinely excited about bands again. I am not suggesting we are out of love with bands but there is this dominance of solo artists. I do hope things shift and there is more equality in 2019. Ensure you have allusinlove in your regular rotation and follow them closely. I am predicting some great things for them and know they have the ammunition to flourish. Have a look at this incredible band and immerse yourself in their world. I understand there are some great bands emerging but not have the same energy and passion...

THAT allusinlove provides.    

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Follow allusinlove

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FEATURE: The Departed Icon at Seventy-Two: Ten Essential David Bowie Albums

FEATURE:

 

 

The Departed Icon at Seventy-Two

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IN THIS PHOTO: David Bowie captured whilst filming The Man Who Fell to Earth/PHOTO CREDIT: Steven Schapiro 

Ten Essential David Bowie Albums

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DAVID Bowie turns seventy-two on Tuesday...

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

and, on Thursday, it will have been three years since we lost him. It is still strange to think he is no longer with us and it has been a whole three years. I remember the day the news came through and that sense of surprise. Few knew he was ill and it was amazing to think that his final album, Blackstar, was released on his birthday. Many were unaware of what was to come and we just thought it was Bowie releasing another classic record – a great birthday treat for him and the world. I remember listening to Bowie’s final album the day it came out and having heard nothing like it before. I had been a fan of his since the 1990s – when I was aware of his music – but I love all of his work. Maybe it took a few years before his career took off and we got to know the chameleon David Bowie. He went through alter egos and phases; new looks and sounds that meant he was impossible to predict and pin down. It is hard to hone down his vast array of work into the very finest albums but there are those records from David Bowie that you cannot be without. I hope people celebrate his birthday and, when we mark his passing, his best work is played far and wide. 2016 was a terrible year regarding losing musicians – Prince and George Michael died in the same year – but Bowie’s death hit extra-hard. To celebrate the master and present his very best work; I have collated his ten finest albums – those that new fans and die-hards should have in their collection! There will be nobody like David Bowie but his influence will last forever. Whilst it is strange he is not in the world and producing music, we have his incredible catalogue to pick from and take heart. Here are ten golden David Bowie albums that...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

DISPLAY his genius in full bloom.

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images

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Hunky Dory (1971)

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Release Date: 17th December, 1971

Label: RCA Records

Producers: Ken Scott/David Bowie

Review:

“The theme of shifting sexual identity became the core of Bowie's next album, 1971's scattered but splendid Hunky Dory: "Gotta make way for the Homo Superior," he squeals on the gay-bar singalong "Oh! You Pretty Things", simultaneously nodding to Nietzsche and to X-Men. He'd also made huge leaps as a songwriter, and his new songs demonstrated the breadth of his power: the epic Jacques Brel-gone-Dada torch song "Life on Mars?" is immediately followed by "Kooks", an adorable lullaby for his infant son. The band (with Trevor Bolder replacing Visconti on bass) mostly keeps its power in check—"Changes" is effectively Bowie explaining his aesthetic to fans of the Carpenters. Still, they cut loose on the album's most brilliant jewel, "Queen Bitch", a furiously rocking theatrical miniature (Bowie-the-character-actor has rarely chewed the scenery harder) that out-Velvet Undergrounds the Velvet Underground” – Pitchfork

Standout Tracks: Changes/Oh! You Pretty Things/Kooks

Key Cut: Life on Mars?

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)

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Release Date: 6th June, 1972

Label: RCA Records

Producers: Ken Scott/David Bowie

Review:

“Constructed as a loose concept album about an androgynous alien rock star named Ziggy Stardust, the story falls apart quickly, yet Bowie's fractured, paranoid lyrics are evocative of a decadent, decaying future, and the music echoes an apocalyptic, nuclear dread. Fleshing out the off-kilter metallic mix with fatter guitars, genuine pop songs, string sections, keyboards, and a cinematic flourish, Ziggy Stardust is a glitzy array of riffs, hooks, melodrama, and style and the logical culmination of glam. Mick Ronson plays with a maverick flair that invigorates rockers like "Suffragette City," "Moonage Daydream," and "Hang Onto Yourself," while "Lady Stardust," "Five Years," and "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" have a grand sense of staged drama previously unheard of in rock & roll. And that self-conscious sense of theater is part of the reason why Ziggy Stardust sounds so foreign. Bowie succeeds not in spite of his pretensions but because of them, and Ziggy Stardust -- familiar in structure, but alien in performance -- is the first time his vision and execution met in such a grand, sweeping fashion” – AllMusic

Standout Tracks: Five Years/Moonage Daydream/Suffragette City

Key Cut: Starman

Aladdin Sane (1973)

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Release Date: 13th April, 1973

Label: RCA Records

Producers: Ken Scott/David Bowie

Review:

“Bowie abandons his futuristic obsessions to concentrate on the detached cool of New York and London hipsters, as on the compressed rockers "Watch That Man," "Cracked Actor," and "The Jean Genie." Bowie follows the hard stuff with the jazzy, dissonant sprawls of "Lady Grinning Soul," "Aladdin Sane," and "Time," all of which manage to be both campy and avant-garde simultaneously, while the sweepingly cinematic "Drive-In Saturday" is a soaring fusion of sci-fi doo wop and melodramatic teenage glam. He lets his paranoia slip through in the clenched rhythms of "Panic in Detroit," as well as on his oddly clueless cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together." For all the pleasures on Aladdin Sane, there's no distinctive sound or theme to make the album cohesive; it's Bowie riding the wake of Ziggy Stardust, which means there's a wealth of classic material here, but not enough focus to make the album itself a classic” – AllMusic  

Standout Tracks: Aladdin Sane/Panic in Detroit/Cracked Actor

Key Cut: The Jean Genie

Diamond Dogs (1974)

Release Date: 24th May, 1974

Label: RCA Records

Producer: David Bowie

Review:

“All this hopelessness and annihilation would be suffocating if it weren’t for Bowie’s exuberance. He throws himself into Orwell’s draconian hell as if strutting around in Kansai Yamamoto’s Aladdin Sane-era bodysuit; it fits his skeletal contours. Determined to reaffirm his relevance in spite of his setbacks, the singer sparkled so brightly that he offset the darkness of his material. Just as Watergate was coming to a boil, singer-songwriters and prog-rockers were glutting the charts, and '60s resistance was morphing into '70s complacency, this sweet rebel (rebel) made revolution strangely sexy again. Glaring at you from Dogs’ cover with canine hindquarters and emaciated features like the circus sideshow Freaks he footnotes in the title cut, he served notice that rock’s outsiders remained more compelling than the softies who increasingly occupied its center, even as his ever-growing popularity chipped away at it” – Pitchfork   

Standout Tracks: Diamond Dogs/Sweet Thing/1984

Key Cut: Rebel Rebel

Young Americans (1975)

Release Date: 7th March, 1975

Label: RCA Records

Producers: Tony Visconti/Harry Maslin/David Bowie

Review:

“Surrounding himself with first-rate sessionmen, Bowie comes up with a set of songs that approximate the sound of Philly soul and disco, yet remain detached from their inspirations; even at his most passionate, Bowie sounds like a commentator, as if the entire album was a genre exercise. Nevertheless, the distance doesn't hurt the album -- it gives the record its own distinctive flavor, and its plastic, robotic soul helped inform generations of synthetic British soul. What does hurt the record is a lack of strong songwriting. "Young Americans" is a masterpiece, and "Fame" has a beat funky enough that James Brown ripped it off, but only a handful of cuts ("Win," "Fascination," "Somebody Up There Likes Me") comes close to matching their quality. As a result, Young Americans is more enjoyable as a stylistic adventure than as a substantive record” – AllMusic    

Standout Tracks: Fascination/Someone Up There Likes Me/Fame

Key Cut: Young Americans

Station to Station (1976)

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Release Date: 23rd January, 1976

Label: RCA Records

Producers: Harry Maslin/David Bowie

Review:

“Taking the detached plastic soul of Young Americans to an elegant, robotic extreme, Station to Station is a transitional album that creates its own distinctive style. Abandoning any pretense of being a soulman, yet keeping rhythmic elements of soul, David Bowie positions himself as a cold, clinical crooner and explores a variety of styles. Everything from epic ballads and disco to synthesized avant pop is present on Station to Station, but what ties it together is Bowie's cocaine-induced paranoia and detached musical persona. At its heart, Station to Station is an avant-garde art-rock album, most explicitly on "TVC 15" and the epic sprawl of the title track, but also on the cool crooning of "Wild Is the Wind" and "Word on a Wing," as well as the disco stylings of "Golden Years." It's not an easy album to warm to, but its epic structure and clinical sound were an impressive, individualistic achievement, as well as a style that would prove enormously influential on post-punk” – AllMusic     

Standout Tracks: Station to Station/Word on a Wing/Stay

Key Cut: Golden Years

Low (1977)

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Release Date: 14th January, 1977

Label: RCA Records

Producers: Tony Visconti/David Bowie

Review:

“The ensuing 'Low' advocates the merging of man and machine, and then depicts the resulting sense of loss. Drawing inspiration from JG Ballard on 'Always Crashing In The Same Car' and evoking an almost unbearable sadness with symphonic electronics on 'Warszawa', half of the songs were instrumentals that mined a deep seam of alienation” – NME      

Standout Tracks: Breaking Glass/Warszawa/Art Decade

Key Cut: Sound and Vision

“Heroes” (1977)

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Release Date: 14th October, 1977

Label: RCA Records

Producers: Tony Visconti/David Bowie

Review:

“In the late ’70s, following apocalyptic science fiction and a sojourn in soul, David Bowie set his sights on art-rock. Working with former Roxy Musician Brian Eno, he made three groundbreaking albums Low, ”Heroes,” and Lodger) that have now been reissued with illuminating bonus tracks. Refining Low‘s achievements, ”Heroes” balances cinematic instrumentals, steeped in a chilly European techno-style, with thickly layered songs that subtly reflect the rise of punk’s existential angst” – Entertainment Weekly       

Standout Tracks: Beauty and the Beast/Blackout/Sense of Doubt

Key Cut: “Heroes”

Let’s Dance (1983)

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Release Date: 14th April, 1983

Label: EMI

Producers: Nile Rodgers/David Bowie

Review:

“After summing up his maverick tendencies on Scary Monsters, David Bowie aimed for the mainstream with Let's Dance. Hiring Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers as a co-producer, Bowie created a stylish, synthesized post-disco dance music that was equally informed by classic soul and the emerging new romantic subgenre of new wave, which was ironically heavily inspired by Bowie himself. Let's Dance comes tearing out of the gate, propulsed by the skittering "Modern Love," the seductively menacing "China Girl," and the brittle funk of the title track. All three songs became international hits, and for good reason -- they're catchy, accessible pop songs that have just enough of an alien edge to make them distinctive” – AllMusic

Standout Tracks: Modern Love/China Girl/Without You

Key Cut: Let’s Dance                               

Blackstar (2016)

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Release Date: 8th January, 2016

Labels: ISO/RCA/Columbia/Sony

Producers: Tony Visconti/David Bowie

Review:

“What can it all mean? The man himself gives no interviews and apparently remains firm in his insistence that he will not tour again. Looking for clues in his music, we are confronted with inscrutability. A new Bowie co-scripted musical, Lazarus, opened off-Broadway last week, and is reportedly as impenetrable as it is lovely to look at.

Baffling is a word that comes up a lot in reviews. But Bowie is a rare act who is at his best when he is at his least accessible.

Lazarus is currently the hottest theatre ticket in New York. How wonderful if all of this actually represents an entirely new phase in Bowie’s extraordinary career. How fantastic to have an album as rich and strange as Blackstar that refuses to yield in a few listens.

It suggests that, like a modern day Lazarus of pop, Bowie is well and truly back from beyond” – The Telegraph

Standout Tracks: Blackstar/’Tis Pity She’s a Whore/Dollar Days

Key Cut: Lazarus                                       

FEATURE: The January Playlist: Vol. 1: Is It Shameful If I Want People to Like Me?

FEATURE:

 

The January Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Robbie Williams 

Vol. 1: Is It Shameful If I Want People to Like Me?

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I did not think there would be many big releases…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Lizzo

for another week or so but, against expectation, there has been a slew of great new gems. Not only are there new singles from Sir Paul McCartney, D’Angelo and Lizzo; we have fresh offerings from Robbie Williams, Noname and Claire Richards. It is a varied week and one that perfectly kicks off 2019. Make sure you have a look at this latest Playlist because, whilst there are fewer tracks than usual, there is a lot of quality in there! I am thrilled big artists are not waiting to get music out there and are ensuring they make an early stamp. I am excited to see what comes next week and whether we get another set of songs as good as the ones we have here. If this it the way 2019 is going to go then it is clear we are going to have another…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Sir Paul McCartney

BUMPER year for music.

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

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Claire Richards – Shame on You

Robbie Williams – I Just Want People to Like Me

Lizzo – Juice 

D’Angelo – Unshaken

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Paul McCartney – Get Enough

Ian Brown – From Chaos to Harmony

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Dermot Kennedy – For Island Fires and Family

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Bring Me the Horizon – medicine

Chaka Khan – Hello Happiness

Sting – Brand New Day (2019 Version)

Fleur East – Favourite Thing

Wild Youth – Making Me Dance

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PHOTO CREDIT: @adamdegross

Post Malone – Wow.

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Lil Xan – Watch Me Fall

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PHOTO CREDIT: Jess Gleeson

Cub Sport – Summer Love

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Noname – Song 31

Bad Kids – Pensive

Russ – Nobody Knows

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Backstreet Boys – No Place      

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Mike Posner – Move On

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Lily & Madeleine – Just Do It

Emily Brimlow - Hope

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ROZES – Halfway There

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Future – Crushed Up

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Rhys Lewis – Better Than Today 

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Andy Ferro – Behind the Glass

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The Regrettes – Don’t Stop Me Now

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Christina Perri – a thousand years (lullaby)

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Old Sea Brigade – Cigarette

TRACK REVIEW: Kelli-Leigh - Nothing More

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Kelli-Leigh

Nothing More

 

9.6/10

 

 

The track, Nothing More, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32USGv4YZLA&feature=youtu.be

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

13th December, 2018

GENRES:

Electronic/R&B

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I am looking around for new artists to look at this year...

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and I am seeing what will define 2019. Before I come to look at Kelli-Leigh and what she is doing right now; I want to look at those who are stars in the making and have a definite confidence about them; sounds that have the soulfulness and R&B styles of the past days with some modern threads; getting to know the person behind the music (through social media); which way music can go this year – I will end by talking about Kelli-Leigh and what she can achieve. I have been searching for artists who have legs and those that can go a long way. Last year was pretty good in terms of new music but I still left it feeling there were fewer long-lasting artists in my mind. Maybe it is the lack of energy in the music or something missing but I was hoping 2019 would start with a bang. Although the Kelli-Leigh song I am going to feature is from later last year, I feel the songwriter is one of those names that can go a very long way. There are a few different aspects and elements that mark her out for longevity. I think music in 2019 needs to show more spirit, physicality and durability than it did in 2018. A lot of artists managed this but so many were quite slow, inward-looking and dour. I was left a little cold at times and searching for something deeper. Kelli-Leigh has her moments where she turns the light inward but you get a lot of confidence and physicality that stays in the mind. I am excited about her and feel she has a lot more to say. You get an artist who can project something extraordinary and nuanced and is not chasing the commercial dollar. She has a fantastic sense of her own self and how to bring that to the page. As opposed some artists out there, Kelli-Leigh is a bold and catchy artist who can pen these instant and original songs.

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I will move on to another subject soon but I want to stay here for a bit. Kelli-Leigh has already worked with the likes of Duke Dumont and Jax Jones and has been able to fuse her voice with some great artists. It is early days for her but I have every hope she will go a long way. There is a lot of great material in her locker but I think Kelli-Leigh stands out because she has that confidence and attachment to the material. She pops from the speakers and you buy everything she is putting out. I love her ability to sparkle and to pop; to get out of the traps fast but showcase so many emotional strands. Her music might sound simple on the surface but there is a lot working away. Many songwriters come across simple and have only a limited amount of imagination and ammunition. When you listen to Kelli-Leigh, one feels this complete artist who can step into different moulds and areas and shine. At the moment, the music she is putting out mixes Electronic and R&B sounds but I know she can succeed in other genres. It would be great to think an E.P. is on its way and we get all these different sides coming out. It is complex explaining what makes a star and how one remains but I can feel it when listening to Kelli-Leigh. The fact she has such affinity for what she is singing and writing in a different way to her peers means you get an original and unique artist. I can see the songwriter carrying down the same lines as she is now but building in other genres and sounds into her mix. If you are looking for someone who can get into the blood and bounces around the memory then Kelli-Leigh is an artist you need to get behind. It may be near the start for her but there are good days ahead.

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Kelli-Leigh has that star quality and confidence working well and she has a focused style that has plenty of potential. It is hard to properly define the styles Kelli-Leigh plays but you can hear some classic R&B and Soul alongside more modern Electronic. I am not a huge fan of Electronic music in general and heard a lot of it in 2018. It is nothing against the genre but I feel so many modern artists are leaning on it and it seems to be all anyone can say. Kelli-Leigh only uses brief elements and suggestions of Electronic: her main arsenal is reserved for something smoother, more dynamic and spirited. I can hear R&B from the 1990s and, when listening to her, one gets snatches of the strongest girl groups and female songwriters of the decade. I am a big fan of the 1990s and the best that came out there and Kelli-Leigh seems to evoke the best of the time. There are a lot of great female solo artists around but very few that are doing what Kelli-Leigh is. I love how, on Nothing More, she brings together the sassiest and most spirited elements of R&B and a smoother Soul; some Pop crackle and undertones of Electro. I think the mixture of new and old is a reason why she succeeds. The lyrics and themes are important and get into the head but the sonic blends really make you move. One can get a real blast of nostalgia and something classic but it all hangs around a current and fresh outer-shell. I feel, in 2019, I will move away from a lot of what I reviewed last year and embrace something fresh. Kelli-Leigh represents the best of the new breed emerging right now. She has her own identity and way of working but you can hear little bits of her influences alongside that. Another thing that captures my imagination is how she can bring people into the songs and make them feel like they are part of it.

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I have been thinking about 2019 and which artists will make an impression. Last year saw a lot of great new Pop artists emerge and there was a lot happening. I look back and, when thinking about the sounds and very best, there was something missing. I feel it is hard to please everyone in music but there has been a bit of an R&B/Soul gap that I am keen to fill. Maybe others will come through but I love what Kelli-Leigh is doing and will follow her very closely. I should move on now but am impressed by what she is doing and how her music makes you feel. I can listen to a song of hers and the blood bubbles; the head spins and the imagination goes into overdrive. She can put so much into a song and leave you wanting more. That is rare to find in an artist and something that should be encouraged. Kelli-Leigh has moved out of the shadows and working with other artists to work on her own and shine. She has picked up a lot and learned from them; bringing those experiences into what she does and letting her voice reign. I can see how fully-formed she is and how hungry she is. There is something in her music that seems destined to rule the airwaves and last for a very long time. It is hard, as I say, to put a finger on it but I am very excited. The year has only just begun but I feel there are going to be some artists who shine from the outset and define what the year is about. Kelli-Leigh has high hopes and is an ambitious songwriter. What do we require from artists and what makes them last in the memory? Do we want someone who fits in with the crowd or those who stand aside? Everyone has their own mind and tastes but I think those who make a big impression in 2019 will do their own thing and not copy what is already around.

Kelli-Leigh, as I said, seems to evoke some of the best of the past but she manages to stir her own potion and do her own thing. It is not only her original sounds and mind that stands out but it is the way she connects with fans on social media. It may not seem like an important factor but I think artists need to create brilliant songs and be active on social media. So many acts from last year left me a bit cold because they were inactive on social media and were not as busy as you’d hope. I am not suggesting everyone post something every day but one wants to build a relationship with the musician. You get a bit of their personality in the music but I look to platforms like Twitter and get another sense of who the artist is. Kelli-Leigh keeps her fans updated and posts regularly. You get her latest news and what is happening with her music but you also get a sense of the woman behind the music. I feel artists are becoming less and less tangible and harder to pin down. Kelli-Leigh amazes me with her vitality, personality and charm. You get a real sense of the complete artist when you look at her social media. There is a lot more to learn about Kelli-Leigh and that will come from more music. One of the reasons I mention social media is because building that relationship with the artist is key. I felt, last year, I was less connected to musicians than I was previously. Many whose sounds I loved didn’t have much of an online presence and that left me a bit odd. Those who had a better presence left something out of the music and there were very few that seems to have both worlds working well. We have this great platform available and I feel many artists are not utilising it the way we should.

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I will come to the final subject in a bit but I want to stay with social media and uniting that with the music. I am turning away a lot of requests for reviews and interviews because the artist is not on Twitter or they do not have much of an online look. I think, in order to recruit fans and resonate, one must consider the Internet and building that bond. Kelli-Leigh keeps her fans abreast and lets you into her world. You get personal details and posts; updates regarding her work and a real sense of who the artist is. Maybe the Kelli-Leigh of the music is different to that on social media but I feel like I am a lot closer to her because of her updates and information. Many accuse social media of lacking soul and relevance but, in musical terms, it is invaluable and should be considered more highly. I will end this segment but would recommend other artists take more care regarding social media and understand how important curating that relationship is. The musicians I have recalled and remembered from 2018 are those who amazed me with their music and how they took to social media. Maybe it is a personal thing but, with the raft of artists out there, the ones who stand and endure are those who can get into the heart and connect with you. I want to be won over and sold when I listen to the music but, when I seek that artist out on social media, I want to get to know the artist and see where they are headed. So many ignore the importance of keeping active on social media and being as visible as they can. Kelli-Leigh is a different artist and one who combines sensational and fresh music together with a great and fascinating online portfolio. I should move onto Nothing More and what Kelli-Leigh is all about.  

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The opening to Nothing More syncopates and punctuates words. We get a fresh and heavy beat that acts like a solid heartbeat. The heroine sings about this feeling being intoxicating. Rather than rush her words and present them with little thought we get this breathy and passionate delivery that takes care to pronounce every syllable. It is an arresting start that instantly hooks you in and make you think. I caught elements of Aaliyah and Toni Braxton in her voice. That is not meant to lazily compare but you get the same sort of soulfulness and sexuality that these singers projected. Both were renowned for their power and amazing tones and one gets this with Kelli-Leigh. Despite the fact she is a British artist, one hears an American influence in her music. The Electronic genre has been over-used and many artists do not utilise its full force. Kelli-Leigh uses the beats to give that heartbeat and lust and some electronic sounds to project electricity and colour. So many lazily throw together beats but the heroine is using them to highlight a song that is about surrendering to a feeling. It seems like both parties are hesitating and denying this clear feeling that is in the air. Maybe there is a reason behind the hesitation but the time for denial is over. One gets a real sense of sweat and desire. The heroine knows the man thinks about it and wants her. They have been apart and spent time alone; maybe they have found other people or been spending time reflecting. I like the way the words are delivered with punch but there is time and consideration. The pace starts to shift and you get this snaking and erotic charge. Kelli-Leigh has been spending her time in the shadows but she is ready for a change. It seems like the reality of the bond is different to the dream.

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The hero feels them being together would be a mistake and the fantasy is what they are holding onto. Maybe they have tried to be a couple but they have rushed in. Maybe their personalities and desires are different and they are on separate pages. I get the feeling Kelli-Leigh is more invested and wants something longer-term. The hero might be in it for the chase and physical side; perhaps the two of them need time to cool. I have heard a lot of songs about desire and trying to overcome obstacles but none the same as this. Nothing More seems to resonate right away and its title takes on its own meaning. Perhaps all they can ever be is a concept and an apparition. The chorus sees the heroine slink and smoothly wind with the beats. When it comes to delivering her mantra, we get that syncopated and punchy delivery. It is great hearing this sweaty and alluring tongue make the words stick and resound. It is clear she wants something more than is being given and knows the man wants it to. His identity is never revealed but one feels there is a history between them. It is not revealed why they cannot be together but I think both want different things. It is said that the two of them together would be onto a loser and they would not survive. Again, there is mystery as to why they would fail and not gel. There is a clear sexual attraction but one feels the two sweethearts are on different plains. It is interesting hearing the story unfold and listening to the heroine campaign. It is quite rare to find a female artist who knows that things might be a failure but presses ahead regardless. I feel Kelli-Leigh knows there is more to this feeling than sex. She has been in the wilderness for a bit and wants to rectify this.

Maybe she is supposed to be this fantasy and comply with this unrealistic notion. I get breaths of Beyoncé when she sighs and you get the wordless vocals. I also hear bits of Kelly Rowland and, whilst it might be remiss of me to compare her to others I mean it in positive spirit. She takes aspects of classic and iconic singers but shines with her own voice. I like that blend of the original and familiar and it makes the song explode. It is an addictive and instantly memorable cut that you will be singing and remembering for a long time. The beats draw you in and, whilst they are of a similar ilk and one-dimensional, they manage to make their mark and bring the song to life. I love the composition and how you get that balance of electronic smoothness and stiff beats. Our heroine has had her say and I do wonder whether the two will ever get together. I feel they have had this connection in the past but it seems like their divisions are playing a part. They might come from different lives and it is impossible for them to be a couple. I get the sense the hero is playing hard to get a little a bit and might not believe his own words. In any case; we have this song that lays out its story and ambitions. Our heroine feels a little exhausted and wonders what she is supposed to do. You do feel sorry for her and wonder why things cannot work out. The sense I get is of this frustrated woman who knows there is potential but there is this roadblock. Nothing More is an original and fascinating take on frustrated love and trying to overcome differences. I selected this song to review because its video is out and shows a different side to the track. I urge you to watch it and see the star quality Kelli-Leigh has. I feel she will go a very long way and 2019 will be a big year for her. She has not been producing her own music for too long but is already confidence and has her own style. We do not get many artists who have the same voice, textures and magic as Kelli-Leigh. Make sure you follow her and look at what comes next. Here is an artist who seems complete already but has the potential to grow and improve. Nothing More is a fantastic and sultry offering that will get into the head and seduce the senses. Not many artists can accomplish that.

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I think 2019 will be a very busy one for Kelli-Leigh. She shines with star quality and how so much working for her. Not only is she a confidence and passionate artist but the material she is producing has its own skin and energy. Nothing More is a song that has been out a little bit but you only need look at the video to see Kelli-Leigh is a star. There is something about her that gets into the brain and makes you smile. It is hard to describe her sound and what it is but there is that mixture of R&B with Electro. You get a fiery and intense sense of confidence and drive but there are soulful touches and whispers that mix alongside that. The sheer weight, physicality and emotion one gets from her music is overwhelming. I would like to see more material in 2019 and I know Kelli-Leigh will produce some incredible stuff. Maybe it will sound like the stuff she has already put out but Kelli-Leigh is always evolving and developing. I am thrilled to see where she goes from here and what she can come up with. I love what she does because it is original and hard to compare with others but you get a sense of something familiar. That might sound contradictory but it is a satisfying combination that remains in the mind. I think artists this year need to think about social media and music and making sure they are as active as possible. So many songs from 2018 walked alongside the darker and moodier side of the coin and I was left feeling somewhat empty and cold. I can understand the need to project the sense of self and truth but we need music to be more positive and lift the listener. I want to listen to artists who can get into the head and make me feel better. Kelli-Leigh can be introverted and talk about heartache but she specialises in the more seductive, passionate and uplifting side of things.

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Maybe I have laboured long on this subject but I am hopeful this year will be a great one. If artists can take something from Kelli-Leigh and do their own version then I think it will be a richer and more interesting scene. It is early days so it is hard to predict which sounds will define 2019. I feel there will be a move away from straighter Pop and more depressing sounds and a more developed, colourful and physical style of music come to the fore. I will wrap things up but I am impressed by how far Kelli-Leigh has come and what she is about. There is so much that catches the eye and tongue and I am tipping her for big things. That may sound premature but there is a lot working in Kelli-Leigh’s favour. Her fanbase is rising and she has that dedicated support. The music has an instant quality and brilliance and you find yourself repeating her songs. Make sure you follow what she is doing and keeping an eye out. I feel she has an E.P. in her and there are some big gigs ahead. Organisers and promoters will be looking around for artists to fit the bill and play and I feel Kelli-Leigh has that star quality. She might not be headline-ready quite yet but this will not be the case in years to come. I have been following her for a little while and can see how she has grown and matured. I am taken back to a better time when I hear her music and it fills my senses with pleasure. I shall leave things now and round it all up. Kelli-Leigh ended 2018 with a bang and she is getting stronger with each release. Nothing More is a terrific song that has so much life and nuance. You find fresh revelation every time you play it and get a sense of who the artist is. She has the ambition to go a long way and make a big success of herself. That is only a matter of time and, if she keeps on putting material out like this, her name will be…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @aidantobias 

SYNONYMOUS to all.    

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Follow Kelli-Leigh

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FEATURE: Godfathers of the Metamorphosis: Led Zeppelin’s Mighty Debut at Fifty

FEATURE:

 

 

Godfathers of the Metamorphosis

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IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Led Zeppelin’s Mighty Debut at Fifty

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WHENEVER a pivotal album turns fifty...

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Led Zeppelin at Chateau Marmont  in 1969/PHOTO CREDIT: Jay Thompson

it is cause for celebration and reflection. Over the last couple of years, we have marked The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967/2017) and their eponymous record (1968/2018). Not only do we get to mark that album but track its influence and legacy. For Led Zeppelin, their start in music was quite modest. They would go on to release better records than their debut but few more important. If critics were not all on the same page when it was released – more on that later – one can hear Led Zeppelin in so many of today’s artists. Released on 12th January, 1969; the band’s mighty debut release contained originals and some well-chosen and rehearsed covers. Mixing Blues and Hard-Rock together, Led Zeppelin recorded the album in thirty-six hours and completed it before they had a record deal signed. The skeleton of Led Zeppelin came together when The Yardbirds disbanded. Jimmy Page with the rights to the band’s name and set about forming a new group. He approached the respected arranger and session musician John Paul Jones to join the new band as a bass player. He was keen to Terry Reid as a singer but Reid suggested Robert Plant – who was booked when Page realised there was clear chemistry between the two of them. John Bonham was the last name brought into the fold and the new line-up rehearsed together in September of 1968 before a tour of Scandinavia.

Dubbing themselves ‘The New Yardbirds’; the band performed songs that would appear on their debut album – including Communication Breakdown and Babe I’m Gonna Leave You. The band’s name was changed to Led Zeppelin and the group convened to Olympic Studios at 11 P.M. on 25th September, 1968 to record their debut. Led Zeppelin was produced by Jimmy Page and engineered by Glyn Johns. It seems strange now but a lot of debuts by major acts were recorded in only a day or two. The Beatles’ Please Please Me was finished during an all-day recording session; Led Zeppelin spent only thirty-six hours in the studio and the sound one gets is a mix of slick professionalism and raw, live-sounding cuts. The fact it all came together this fast was because the band rehearsed the songs well on tour and were prepared when they headed into Olympic Studios. Page, as producer, used natural room ambience during recording and did not do what most producers did – placing microphones in front of amps and drums. Instead, he placed an extra microphone some way from the amplifier and recorded the balance between the two. The time-lag that was created (from one end of the room to the other) led to the band’s famed and true ‘ambient sound’. The songs on Led Zeppelin vary in tone and theme. Good Times Bad Times leads the record and is one of the most commercial-sounding cut. It was seldom performed live by the band but became a hit for them – showcasing a catchy chorus and the group’s inimitable and heavy style.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Although composed by Anne Brendon; Babe I’m Gonna Leave You was masterfully rearranged by Page and Zeppelin added their stamp to it. You Shook Me, another cover, took the Willie Dixon Blues number and added in Hammond organ, harmonica and guitar. Dazed and Confused - one of the most iconic songs from the album - was originally written by Jake Holmes in 1967. Page credited it to himself which led to an out-of-court settlement in 2010. Regardless of its origins, it showcases the unity, layers and colours of Led Zeppelin. It is one of the standouts from their debut and, with amended lyrics and a reworked arrangement (Jones and Bonham adapting the song to fit their style) it impressed critics at the time. Favourites like Communication Breakdown and How Many More Times would appear in their live sets and were loved by the band. Although there are only nine tracks on the album, there are some epics – Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, You Shook Me and Dazed and Confused – that are over six minutes and sharper gems that are under three minutes (including Good Times Bad Times). If the material on Led Zeppelin took a while for all critics to warm up to, the cover of the album struck a chord right away. Chosen by Page, it is a black-and-white image of the burning Hindenburg airship, photographed by Sam Shere in May 1937. (The name of the band came about through a joke after The Who’s Keith Moon and John Entwistle, alongside Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, talked about forming a band. Moon joked that it would go over like a lead balloon...to which Entwistle replied “a lead zeppelin!”).

The true impact and legacy of Led Zeppelin has been debated through the years. Many have compared Led Zeppelin to Cream and Jimi Hendrix and wonder whether there is much originality at play. In many ways, Led Zeppelin introduced a heavier style to the mainstream and a thrilling, harder style of music. Other bands had released Hard-Rock albums to the market but few combined the same elements as Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin took Hard-Rock and as a bedroom and laced in Blues undertones and softer elements. Many can argue that while the album itself is not the first Heavy Metal offering; Communication Breakdown’s machine gun riffing could be called the first Metal song. There were some positive reviews when the album came out in 1969 but retrospective acclaim has painted a fairer picture. AllMusic see Led Zeppelin in these terms:

“As Led Zeppelin proves, the group was capable of such multi-layered music from the start. Although the extended psychedelic blues of "Dazed and Confused," "You Shook Me," and "I Can't Quit You Baby" often gather the most attention, the remainder of the album is a better indication of what would come later. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" shifts from folky verses to pummeling choruses; "Good Times Bad Times" and "How Many More Times" have groovy, bluesy shuffles; "Your Time Is Gonna Come" is an anthemic hard rocker; "Black Mountain Side" is pure English folk; and "Communication Breakdown" is a frenzied rocker with a nearly punkish attack. Although the album isn't as varied as some of their later efforts, it nevertheless marked a significant turning point in the evolution of hard rock and heavy metal”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Consequence of Sound, when reviewing the 2014 reissue of Led Zeppelin, had this to say:

“Led Zeppelin I is a masterfully constructed debut LP that plays like the recordings of a savvy veteran band. It is Led Zeppelin’s ode to rock’s progressive metamorphosis. Its arrangements are often daring and sometimes semi-improvisational. Its orchestration delves adventurously through hard rock and heavy metal with bluesy undertones that often cause the chords to weep poignantly as if struck with malice. It’s both powerful and precise. No stanza feels out of place. Everything has a purpose. Each moment plays a role in building an ambitious sonic tapestry that is a grand sum of its parts. There is careful consideration put into each note, each phrase, each perfectly placed crescendo; the attention to detail shapes its aesthetics. The musicianship glows in an electric blue hue that radiates vibrantly even now. Whether it’s the wagon wheel feel of the stringy acoustic guitar lick in “Black Mountain Side”, the warm, slow-strumming coda in “Baby I’m Gonna Leave You”, or the wheezing, psychedelic melancholy in “Dazed and Confused”’s tumbling riffs, every majestic shift further erects this rock epic as an obelisk of the era”.

I think every album that turns fifty warrants celebration and focus. The fact we still talk about them and play them shows just how strong they are. The Beatles, of course, will always endure and inspire and I think Led Zeppelin and pivotal in the development of Metal and Hard-Rock in music during the 1960s and 1970s. They would create better-received and grander records – such as Led Zeppelin IV and Physical Graffiti – but the importance of their debut cannot be understated.

At a time when there are few genuinely decent Rock albums; I feel many artists can take a leaf from Led Zeppelin’s 1969 debut and learn from it. So many are inspired by it but I long to hear a concentrated, swaggering and raw record like this now. I feel genuine Rock bands are becoming rare and people are hankering after something that gets to the core like Led Zeppelin. Despite the fact so much of the material on their debut is influenced by older Blues styles, there is no sign of ageing when you spin Led Zeppelin. It is a wonderfully rich, deep and hard-hitting record that sound brilliant after fifty years. If you can get it on vinyl then do so but, if not, make sure you celebrate the fiftieth anniversary (on 12th) and see why Led Zeppelin’s immense debut has resounded through the decades. As endless speculation regarding a Led Zeppelin reunion continues – they are always tipped to play Glastonbury – put that out of your mind and hear where their recording life began. I do not think they will ever play live together but I think, in years to come, we will see a lot of new heroes emerge that take on the mantle of Led Zeppelin. I personally prefer Led Zeppelin II when it comes to big tunes and nuance but you cannot ignore the seismic and crucial debut. Even though it has been out for fifty years, Led Zeppelin sounds as fresh and alive as...

  IN THIS PHOTO: Led Zeppelin at Chateau Marmont  in 1969/PHOTO CREDIT: Jay Thompson

THE day it was released.

FEATURE: Snowflake: Why 2019 Is the Perfect Year for the Unique Brilliance of Kate Bush

FEATURE:

 

 

Snowflake

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IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush photoed by her brother John Carder Bush in 2011 

Why 2019 Is the Perfect Year for the Unique Brilliance of Kate Bush

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SNOWFLAKE is the opening track from...

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 ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images

Kate Bush’s last album, 50 Words for Snow. I am not sure whether ‘last’ is the right word: ‘current’ or ‘latest’ might seem more appropriate and less final! Whatever terminology you want to dust into the conversation, it seems the song’s title is the most apt description of Kate Bush. They say every snowflake is unique – I am not sure whether that is a myth – but I was excited when 50 Words for Snow arrived back in 2011! Having released Director’s Cut – a series of reworkings of songs that appeared on The Sensual World (1989) and The Red Shoes (1993) – it was a shock to get a second Kate Bush album in a year! Gaps between releases have become a more regular part of Kate Bush’s work since 1982’s The Dreaming. She took three years to follow that album (Hounds of Love appeared in 1985) and there was another four years until The Sensual World. Then it was four years until The Red Shoes and there was that larger gap...twelve more years until Aerial arrived from the sky. There was pressure in Bush’s life right from the debut. After The Kick Inside’s success and unexpected beauty in 1978; EMI were keen for a quick follow-up. Given time constraints and a rushed feel; Lionheart was released in 1978 and did not fare that well. That need for greater care, personal control and time enforced increased gaps between albums.

It was not just about being able to make albums at her own pace. If there is a new album every year or two then the sound will be very similar and it would not allow great depth, exploration and originality. It was not a shock to see a four or five year gap between records given the pressure that was on Kate Bush’s shoulders and the fact she needed to make music in her own way. Many were not expecting her to be off the radar so long after 1993’s The Red Shoes but new family commitments, personal priorities and a new creative phase came to the fore. Aerial’s 2005 arrival was a shock but you could see the twelve-year wait was worth it. The textures and sheer effort in the music; the influence of her new son, Bertie, and a feeling of ease and personal happiness made the (double) album a huge success. If it were released in the 1990s or sooner than she’d hoped then that would have affected the purity and quality. Bush slaved hard and needed the material to ferment. She never felt the album would be released and had her fears – it must have been joyous seeing Aerial on the shelves! It was a relief to only wait another six years before we got some new material. Director’s Cut and 50 Words for Snow marked the most productive recording year of her life since 1978.

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I can understand why she wanted to re-record some of the tracks from The Sensual World and The Red Shoes and that creative and interpretative burst led to original thought and a fresh concept. As with every Kate Bush album; nobody could have predicted what it would be about and how it would make you feel. Ever since Hounds of Love, people have always wanted the next version of that. No matter what you produce after your masterpiece, everyone wants a similar version of what they love most – rather than a natural evolution and something out of that. Kate Bush created something very different to her 1985 benchmark with 50 Words for Snow. With featured vocalists such as Sir Elton John and the legendary Steve Gadd on percussive duties; it was another big leap and revelation from an artist in her fifties. We were never going to see the same songwriter we did in the 1970s and 1980s but I doubt many were expecting 50 Words for Snow. It is hard to put your finger on but maybe it is the change of sound – more Jazz influences than we have heard from her – or the length of track (only seven tracks overall but most of them are over eight minutes). There are a select few artists who subvert expectations and produce something totally fresh every single time – Kate Bush must be at the very top of that list.

When she was interviewing and promoting the album – she gave a smattering of interviews for Aerial but really went all-out for 50 Words for Snow – she talked about its themes and tones; explaining how it has been a creative period for her and the shock of putting two albums out in a year! Talk, in interviews, invariably turned to touring and whether Bush would embark on her second-ever tour (her first, The Tour of Life, started in 1979 and promoted the songs from The Kick Inside and Lionheart). Bush explained how she lived touring and its energy – noting how it was like a circus (in a good way) – but turned into a record artist and had been busy in the ensuing years. We did not have to wait too long until those tour-related prayers were heeded. Some thirty-five years after she began her last tour, Before the Dawn took to the Hammersmith Apollo stage. The 2014 tour was a huge hit and was a massive sell-out. Critics raved and many were noting it favourably to her first tour – in terms of the theatrics, scope and sheer ambition of the sets/concepts. The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis, in his review of 26th August, 2014, was filled with praise:

“The staging might look excessive on paper, but onstage it works to astonishing effect, bolstering rather than overwhelming the emotional impact of the songs. The Ninth Wave is disturbing, funny and so immersive that the crowd temporarily forget to applaud everything Bush does. As each scene bleeds into another, they seem genuinely rapt: at the show's interval, people look a little stunned. A Sky of Honey is less obviously dramatic – nothing much happens over the course of its nine tracks – but the live performance underlines how beautiful the actual music is...

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IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional image that captures her at the Hammersmith Apollo for her Before the Dawn show/PHOTO CREDIT: Kate Bush/Getty Images 

Already widely acclaimed as the most influential and respected British female artist of the past 40 years, shrouded in the kind of endlessly intriguing mystique that is almost impossible to conjure in an internet age, Bush theoretically had a lot to lose by returning to the stage. Clearly, given how tightly she has controlled her own career since the early 80s, she would only have bothered because she felt she had something spectacular to offer. She was right: Before The Dawn is another remarkable achievement”.

After a long wait for new material after The Red Shoes, we had been treated to two original albums, a series of reworkings AND a new tour all within the space of nine years. That might sound like a long period of time but considering the quality put forward and the fact that at her commercial peak she was leaving three or four years between new albums means this new phase of her recording life was ripe, receptive and bountiful. Many were expecting a relatively quick response to 50 Words for Snow but there was no response. Although there has not been a studio album since 2011, the legendary songwriter has not been sitting idle! Her book of lyrics, How to Be Invisible, was released at the end of last year and Bush, in a great move, re-released and remastered her entire back catalogue.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush captured in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: Guido Harari

One of my biggest frustrations was never being able to pick up a vinyl Kate Bush at any record shop! One might see albums like Aerial here and there but you try and get a copy of Hounds of Love or The Kick Inside! Casual and committed fans want all of her work in its vinyl glory and that, before last year, involved rather expensive trips to Amazon or eBay! The fact we can now get every one of her studio albums on vinyl for a fairly good rate. She released a series of remastered boxsets, each representing a different period of her life. There are four different boxsets and I guess each vinyl costs about twenty quid. It varies between boxsets but you get a good deal for your cash. Not only can you own all her albums – you can buy each record separately if you want; about fifteen or sixteen quid for single-album studio efforts – but there is a final instalment that collates some covers, rarities and unusual gems. If you want, you can buy your favourite Kate Bush album remastered and available in rare vinyl form. If you want to dive in then I would urge people to invest in the boxset editions. Buying each set would prove a triple-figure expense but – and I would if I had the money – one that is worth a rather painful monthly bank statement!

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional shot for Director’s Cut/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush/Kate Bush

Like she did in 2011 – and in 1978 – Kate Bush brought out two projects in the same year! Although we were not treated to new material in 2018, it was more a year of retrospect, housekeeping and setting the record shape. We had not seen a book of lyrics from Bush until that point and, when you consider her lyrics are unique and very much her; having a book with a selection together was a long-overdue necessity. Getting all her albums re-released and having them available on vinyl was a vital move that meant people could increase their collection and new listeners could buy them – accompany them with the book of lyrics to boot! Cynics might have seen 2018 as a money-making bonanza for Bush and one where she could trade on her older material – the fact she had her own pop-up shop in London (raising money for the homeless charity, Crisis) meant, for the first time, there was this bespoke Bush shop where you could buy her new remasters and lyrics book and ensure profits from the sale went to a charity. It was a crazy and intense period for Bush (2018) and let’s consider the fact she only finished her tour in 2014. Getting all of that out in four years is an impressive feat! The most-recent audio interview we have from her is from 2016 – she spoke with BBC Radio 6’s Matt Everitt in 2016 to promote the release of Before the Dawn on C.D. and vinyl.

We are only just in 2019 now so one can forgive Bush the chance to work off some post-Christmas stress and spend some time getting her home in order! I know she will feel good having her back catalogue out and lyrics available in printed form. She silenced rumours about a tour and has been able to tick a lot off of the ‘rumours and to-do list’! Maybe we will get more live Kate Bush before retirement (if she ever does!) but I think the Hammersmith shows, in a way, were a swansong and a good way of bookmarking things. The only real question remains whether another studio album will come. She has released quite a fair deal since 2011’s 50 Words for Snow but I have heard interviews she did around that time where she says there are new ideas and concepts. It has nearly been eight years since that album and many will be hungry for another Kate Bush original. She took six years to follow up Aerial and one feels she will not want to let the clock tick into double-digits before another studio album. I think this year is a perfect one regarding new Kate Bush material. A lot has happened in the world since we saw a studio album from Kate Bush. There has been increased political turmoil and divisions in the U.K.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush

We have seen reports come out suggesting vinyl has stalled in sales (sales stalled for the first time last year after enjoying record sales before) and C.D.s are on the way out. We see reports about streaming booms but a bit of turmoil regarding music business. I feel, despite the streaming boom, there is uncertainty regarding parity and whether these big streaming numbers equate to fair revenue. Record shops are threatened and more and more live venues have closed down. We will never live to see a day when all venues and shops will close but I feel electronic claws are exerting more power and voice by the year. The landscape has shifted a lot since 2011 and I feel there is this great need for some sort of order, recovery and discussion. I feel 2018’s vinyl freeze will end in 2019 and sales will pick back up. There has been some uplift and joy in music the past few years but I think there is still a trend towards the dour, depressed and overly-personal. Female artists are shouting loud but I still think there is an imbalance and sexism – despite the fact most of the best albums from last year were recorded by female artists. This might sound like I am building up to a superhero fanfare but we need Super Kate to swing back in and start to kick butt!

I feel we are less concerned about physical forms and albums as a whole; more drawn to something insular and less magical. Her music, to me, seems to be the antidote. Even when she is discussing a wintery scene or a personal theme; magic, beauty and incredible joy seems to be sprinkled on every page! Her arresting voice and incredible musicianship puts you in a better frame and the fact her remastered albums garnered such interest shows how much of an ‘albums artist’ she is! You feel guilty and short-changed hand-picking songs from a Kate Bush album: her records need to be experienced in their full state and, as such, I think a new album from her could help fight the case for vinyl and C.D.s. Not only can she spur a fresh interest in the album as an artform but, for those who prefer to select a few tracks here and there, having a fresh Kate Bush album on Spotify means one can select a few fresh tracks and combine them with material from all her other albums – create their own Kate Bush mix and a special playlist. Although she (and I) would prefer people bought the album and listened to it without skipping; any time someone bonds with her music is a special and unique occasion. Kate Bush turned sixty last year and I think there is a real clambering for the iconic artist to enter her sixth decade of recording with something that reflects the past few years.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush

She has a grown-up son now and there have been no real seismic shifts in terms of the music landscape – no phenomenon like Britpop or Grunge that would mean a new Kate Bush album would stick out and be marginalised. Another sixty-year-old Pop icon, Madonna, will definitely release an album this year and it would be good to see Bush join her and bring out something new. One knows Bush works at her own rate and you can never predict what will come and when it will arrive. I am excited to see whether we will get a concept-type record or a new sonic shift (Kate Bush tackling Electro, perhaps?!). Knowing her work inside out; the compositions are likely to be fairly similar in tone to her previous couple of albums and not a return to her early style. I feel the fact she has remastered her albums and released a lyrics book means there is this phase complete and she is ready to enter the next one. I am not suggesting she will release an album this year but I think there is something in the water. It has been eight years since her last original and I can guarantee she has been working on songs since she completed work on 50 Words for Snow. Look at the ten albums (including Director’s Cut) she has released so far and one can see a trend emerge. The Kick Inside was released in February (1978) whereas Director’s Cut came out in May (2011). Aside from that, every single other album came out between September and November.

If we had to wait until September this year then that would be okay but I’d like to think Bush has a more The Kick Inside-like release plan. Of course, as soon as there is a new album out people will ask if there is another to come after that! I do get the sense Bush has been keen to tour, remaster her work and get the lyrics book out before thinking about something new. Now that this has been achieved, I wonder what we might get. There are more than just me yearning for a new Bush album and something that indicates where her creative mind is. It is clear the love of her work is fierce and people, of all ages, want to experience her unique genius. There have been some incredible albums unleashed to the world since 2011 but none that match Kate Bush in full flight. The fact we received treats last year means we should let that settle and be thankful but you know many are eager to experience something new. 50 Words for Snow is a fantastic album I keep listening to and am discovering nuance and revelation time and time again. Among the chill, snowmen and frozen tundra is this unique snowflake: the one and only Kate Bush. I am not sure how she will follow that 2011 work of brilliance but let’s hope this year sees her eleventh studio album arrive (tenth if you see Director’s Cut as re-workings rather than new songs). Although, as I said, where Kate Bush is concerned...

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  PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush

YOU can never predict what she’ll do next.

FEATURE: NO CD: Have We Lost a Love of Physical Music?

FEATURE:

 

 

NO CD

IMAGE CREDIT: Dribble

Have We Lost a Love of Physical Music?

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THERE is something sad about the decline...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @crew/Unsplash

of physical music and how seldom we are actually buying albums anymore. I have mentioned the rise and continuation of vinyl: here is a form of music that is not as popular as it was decades ago but is not in any real danger of disappearing. I guess, given the fact vinyl is doing okay and more music shops are stocking them; can we really say we are unwilling to buy music?! Vinyl has been growing over the past twenty-five years and I think last year was the only one where sales stagnated. That is not much of a worry because there has not been a decline as such – maybe we have come to a point in time when the ease and low cost of streaming means buying records is a bit of an extravagance. I am one of those people who will always go out and buy records and C.D.s but fewer of us are. We are being told unemployment figures are low and we do not necessarily have less money in our pockets than we did years ago. I guess, with chains like HMV being threatened, we have less visibility on the high-street and there are fewer outlets one can buy physical music. Sites like Amazon are always around so I feel that excuse does not hold much water. The reason I bring this up is as a reaction to a report that says C.D. sales are dropping.

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 IMAGE CREDIT: Nick Veasey/Getty Images

The BBC have presented the facts and figures:

“Sales of CDs plummeted by 23% last year, as consumers flocked to streaming services for their music.

Just 32 million CDs were sold in 2018 - almost 100 million fewer than in 2008; and a drop of 9.6 million year-on-year.

The growth of vinyl also began to plateau, with 4.2 million records sold, a rise of just 1.6%, said the BPI.

Shrinking shelf space in supermarkets contributed to the slowdown, but HMV's troubles suggest we are increasingly uninterested in owning our music.

The CDs that did sell in large quantities tended to appeal to older, non-traditional music buyers - with six of the year's top 10 albums either film soundtracks or Now compilations”.

It is interesting looking at these statistics. I do love the fact compilation albums are popular and the true way of listening to these is on C.D. I always gravitate towards the Now That’s What I Call Music! I have been buying that series since the 1990s and it is great to collect them and see how music has changed since the series started back in 1983. I can understand why older listeners would not want to abandon the C.D. and vinyl format. We have been raised on this form of listening and the sentimental and physical value cannot be replaced by streaming. I do feel a lot of younger, new listeners are instantly going online and prefer the more streamlined version of music.

 IN THIS IMAGE: Over seventy percent of those who own George Ezra’s new album either bought in on C.D. on vinyl (as opposed to streaming)/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I can understand why the physical side of music might appear a bit clunky and old-fashioned. Records are great and have that weight to them but they can take up a lot of space and time. Listening to vinyl is a time commitment and you cannot skip through tracks and listen on the go. The same is true of C.D.s. Now that portable players have been phased out and there is no real portable manner of experiencing these albums; many are constricted and either listen at home on a laptop or in the car. I do wonder whether C.D. sales would pick back up if we brought back into circulation C.D. players and ways to play away from a laptop – almost taking music back to the roots. I think we all so conditioned to use laptops and Smartphones now that the notion of detaching music from these devices seems foreign and counter-intuitive. The BBC article spoke to various figures about the slump of C.D. sales and what this meant. A segment caught my eye that we all need to remember:

“Jon Tolley, who runs the independent record shop Banquet Records argues that streaming can co-exist with vinyl and CDs.

"I don't buy it that physical music is necessarily competing with streams. We all access music and film on the internet, and that's fine and healthy and valid, but you wouldn't look at the Mona Lisa on your phone and think it's the same thing as going to see it in a gallery."

"The reason vinyl sales are at a 25-year high is because people are rejecting this part of modern society where everything is immediate and nothing means anything"

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IN THIS PHOTO: Jack White/PHOTO CREDIT: Rosalind O’Connor  

Jack White recently gave an interview with Rolling Stone and said that the C.D. was on its way out. He feels the new dynamic will be streaming music on the move and listening to vinyl when at home. That sounds like a good balance and fair compromise but it does leave the C.D. out of the party. I think a couple of issues come up when we think of C.D.s. The fact there is a lot of plastic in the casing means it seems jarring at a time when we are opening our eyes to the amount of plastic waste. Companies are being told to reduce the amount of plastic they use – so how will music react? You can use cardboard instead but one wonders how rigid and durable this sort of packing is. Another drawback is the lack of players and devices specifically for C.D.s. It is a lot easier to stream music and listen on a laptop. If we can do that then why unpack a C.D. and pop it in a tray (on a laptop) and do it that way? A lot of laptops do not have a drive for C.D.s so it is getting harder and harder to actually play them. Whereas records are large and you seem to get a lot of bang for your buck; C.D.s are smaller and there is less visual pleasure. I think the biggest gulf we see is what sort of albums people are streaming compared to downloading.

 IN THIS IMAGE: The cover of Anne-Marie’s 2018 album, Speak Your Mind/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

The BBC article shows how strong the streaming market is:

“A total of 91 billion songs were played on Spotify, Apple Music and their competitors last year - the equivalent of 1,300 songs per person in the UK - and streaming now accounts for nearly two thirds (63.6%) of all music consumption in the UK.

The popularity of on-demand music was enough to compensate for the slump in CD sales and downloads; giving the industry its fourth consecutive year of growth.

A total of 142.9 million albums were either streamed, purchased or downloaded, with an estimated retail value of £1.33 billion, said trade body the BPI.

However, it was a poor year for new talent. Anne-Marie's Speak Your Mind was the year's biggest-selling debut album, shifting 160,000 copies - but no other debut sold more than 60,000, the threshold for a silver disc”.

If streaming is a bit more balanced regarding the old and new; most of the top-ten vinyl records bought last year were from older acts. Aside from Arctic Monkeys, George Ezra and The Greatest Showman’s soundtrack; the remainder of the top-ten were albums from older artists. It makes me wonder whether this is the type of people buying vinyl. Do younger listeners, in general, have the money or appreciation of vinyl? It may seems troubling for new artists when they realise the most popular vinyl are the older ones but streaming is booming and they need not worry.

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 IN THIS IMAGE: Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours was the third-biggest-selling vinyl of 2018/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Image

I do not think physical sales will end anytime soon – even if vinyl sales have not risen in the last year – but it is concerning to see C.D.s tumbling in value. I, for one, love a C.D. and keep tonnes of them in my car. For me, they are a link to my childhood and I like the fact I am paying for music. How much of that cost goes to the artist is hard to say but I’d like to think it is more than if I streamed that album. It would be easy to discontinue C.D.s but there are many established artists who rely on the revenue; smaller labels and artists who need that merchandise pull and ensure their artists are visible. Streaming is great but it is easy to get buried and lost in the sea of digital options. The thrill of seeing your album on the shelves, in C.D. form, is huge and I would not like to see that go away. I do worry about the decline and think the lure of free music means people are not bothering to go out and buy albums. So many people say they do not pay to download music and that troubles me. The older generations and established listeners will always buy vinyl and C.D.s but, as their numbers dwindle and the dominance of streaming takes over...where does that leave us?

 PHOTO CREDIT: @florenciaviadana/Unsplash

We need to ensure music can be streamed online but the culture of buying albums and interacting with people needs to survive alongside it. This tricky relationship always makes the news and I do not want to live to see a day when all physical music has been replaced. I think vinyl is great but I love the portability of C.D.s and the fact I can easily play them in the car or on the laptop. It is vital we buy music and compensate artists but, with streaming allowing free passes it is making it harder to achieve a perfect state. Physical music is a way of seeing money go to the artist and I feel there should be a way of making everyone who uses sites like Spotify to pay a small fee each year. Maybe the slide is inevitable but I do not feel we will completely abandon the love of physical music. Whether it is the Now That’s What I Call Music! series or some older record, people somewhere will grab a C.D. or vinyl and prefer that method. Whatever way we look at the new figures; it signals a lacking affection for C.D.s and, for a brief spell at least, no addition love of vinyl. I do hope 2019 sees chains like HMV survive and vinyl sales pick up. Even if physical music is still alive and influential, it seems the days of people going out and buying C.D.s...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @usefulcollective/Unsplash

ARE numbered.

INTERVIEW: Rie fu

INTERVIEW:

Rie fu

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BEFORE I move on with my interviews...

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and assess a different type of artist; I have been speaking with Rie fu about her upcoming album and what we can expect from it; which artists have inspired and a few albums that are important to her – she recommends some rising musicians that we need to look out for.

I ask what is coming up this year and whether there are any gigs approaching; how she chills away from music and whether Rie fu has advice for songwriters coming through – she ends the interview by selecting a great track.

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

Cold but great.

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

Japanese singer/songwriter/painter based in the U.K. I’ve been releasing ten+ albums under the name Rie fu and a few E.P.s under the name Rié.

I believe you have an album due in March. What might we expect in terms of themes and song ideas?

The album is organic and in tune with nature, inspired by British daily rituals seen from the foreigner’s perspective. Emancipation and seclusion, connection and isolation; conformity and idiosyncrasy…mirrored images of the everyday-life, depicting ordinary British things. There’s even a song about my husband’s daily commute on the M25 (which, of course, sounds very frustrated!). 

What has it been like putting the album together?

For the past three years, I’ve tried electronic-leaning songs and worked with brilliant producers and released two E.P.s and two singles, which has been amazing. But, I realized my lifestyle is not electronic at all; I live in a beautiful countryside listening to birdsongs every morning, smelling the fresh air. Then I started to create this album with a brilliant producer Dan Cox (who has recorded Laura Marling, Lianne La Havas; Thurston Moore, etc) at Urchin Studios and was finally able to make the most true-to-life, honest album.

Which artists inspired you to get into music? Did you grow up around a lot of music?

I grew up wanting to sing like Karen Carpenter, also listening to Carole King; Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush and looked up to them as unique female songwriters.

Given your heritage and background; do you think your mixture of Western and Eastern influences is the reason your music stands out?

There’s definitely a mixed influence. The Japanese music market is like another planet and I’ve always thought I had a Western (music) style as opposed Japanese but after moving to the U.K., I realized I do have some of those twee and quirky Japanese traits which I’m proud of and embarrassed by at the same time!

Do you already have plans for this year?

It’s my fifteen year since I debuted in Japan, so I’m planning an anniversary tour in Japan.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?

Touring in China for the first time and discovering two-thousand fans I’d never knew.

Which three albums mean the most to you would you say (and why)?

Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder

Every song is pure magic and joy that never grows outdated. I’ve been listening to it all through my years.

The Spirit Room - Michelle Branch

I started songwriting because of this album. I was seventeen and all the songs in the album resonated with my thoughts at that time.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill

Around the same time, I was religiously listening to this album; even translating all the lyrics into Japanese.

If you could ask for a post-Christmas gift; what would you go for and why?

A beautifully decorated family home with no mortgage. (My husband and I have been moving countries every two-three years!).

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

St. Vincent and a sushi bar.

 What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Don’t go anywhere near a person who questions your talent or self-worth

Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?

5th Feb, 2019 at the Moonpig in Fitzrovia. A Japan tour announcement in the New Year.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Suzi Wu

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Suzi Wu, Charly Bliss.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Charly Bliss

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

I’ve been doing a lot of subtitling (English to Japanese) which is an insightful way to watch films and documentaries.

Finally, and for being a good sport; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).  

Ella Fitzgerald - It’s Only a Paper Moon

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Follow Rie fu

FEATURE: Going Deeper: Getting to Know Musicians Better in 2019

FEATURE:

 

 

Going Deeper

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PHOTO CREDIT: @othentikisra/Unsplash  

Getting to Know Musicians Better in 2019

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MODERN journalism is all about quick...

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @sammcghee/Unsplash

turnaround and smaller articles that are quite easy to read. We pitch articles and interviews that are digestible and do not really take up a lot of our times. There is a plethora of websites where you can find your musical fix and get all of the latest news. We do not need a lot of depth when it comes to news: just the essentials and make it as punchy as possible. A lot of album reviews tend to be fairly short and it can be difficult getting to grips based on the odd line here and there. I know there are music websites where contributors put the effort in and you do get a lot of depth but it is becoming rare as more and more music websites emerge. The consistent element I have discovered with music journalism is interviews that are pretty brief and sketchy. I am changing the way I interview and that I go after but, before now, my interviews have consisted quite a few questions that allow the musician(s) to go into detail and explore them from multiple angles. I have my standard questions and those easier ones but like to get to know the people behind the music. I have, until now, emailed interviews and it can even then be tricky discovering the real person. I did it that way for convenience and ease but it occurs to me there are not many people digging that deep and taking the time to explore musicians.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Ellie Goulding/PHOTO CREDIT: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

Maybe modern journalism means we want that bitesize and brief interview where there are a few questions and we do not have to read for that long. I talked about this last year but I do wonder whether a new approach needs to be taken to interviewing. My anger, this time, has been fuelled by a rather brief interview that has been published in The Guardian with Ellie Goulding. She has been away from music for a while and, instead of a detailed and big interviewed; there are a few questions and it is not the most riveting piece you’ll read. I guess it is nice to see her back and you learn a few things from the interview – is it a missed opportunity? One of the reasons I decided to email interviews is because it gives artists more time to explore their answers and put some effort in. I am hoping to move to verbal interviews because I think there are so many sites out there that ask a few questions and that is it. Whether you are a brand-new artist or established musician then you have to ask whether interviews are pressing and long enough? I do not concede we are all looking for short and unchallenging when it comes to music journalism. Too often, you open a website or read a magazine and you get the same interviews with the same questions asked.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @neilgodding/Unsplash

There may be something out there but I wonder whether there is a YouTube channel or video series that sits down with artists and takes time to give them a problem good grilling. That might sound intense but I mean asking them about their musical past and current movements; go deep and get behind the real person. Maybe this applies to mainstream and established acts but I would love to see longer interviews that not only talk about current material and musical favourites but mix in that artist’s/band’s favourite sounds. I am excited to start a new project but I think, at the moment, there is a gap. Even new artists want to talk more and give the public a greater sense of who they are and where they came from. Journalism seems to be about providing these relatively short interviews that you can read without too much trouble and get a brief flavour of that person. Even when I hear musicians on the radio; there is always that ticking clock and it is always hard for D.J.s to squeeze too much in given the time constraints. I am looking around but not seeing too many options where we get to take away all the barriers and really get to know the artist. I am thinking about a podcast – whether it happens this year or not – where a musician/figure in the music industry is sat down and opened up.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @jmvillejo/Unsplash

Current work would be dissected and discussed but it would go much further than that. By the end of the interview, I hope, you’d get to know so much you didn’t already know and a true impression of them. There is nothing wrong with short online interviews but I do often feel like there is a chance missed. For huge artists and those coming through; I think it would be good to see more interview series that take the time to probe and uncover. I am interested to learn what sounds musicians are influenced by and how their musical life started; if they have favourite records and what plans they have for the year ahead. I think we can go even further without testing patience and being too revealing. I am trying to rebel against rather brief journalism and pieces that are quite irreverent and do not really offer much new insight. Perhaps we have become use to a rather lazy style of journalism but I love interview series – usually involving filmmakers and actors – that take the time to get to know the subject. I think a new approach would make people more interested in music itself and mean we get to bond with that artist/band. As it is now, we flick through new releases and scroll through websites and do not really settle. Rather than go for the standard questions and these ‘tight’ articles; let’s sit down with the icons and best newcomers and really have a good chat. I think that could even translate into print and many would happily sit and read a more thorough interview if some great questions were asked. I think music journalists, in 2019, should resolve to take a different approach and sit back. It may like, on paper, musicians want a rather short and to-the-point interview but when you sit down with them and talk you’ll find they have an...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @skywarden/Unsplash

AWFUL lot more to say.

FEATURE: Christmas Come Late: Great Albums to Snap Up in January

FEATURE:

 

 

Christmas Come Late

PHOTO CREDIT: @sethdoylee/Unsplash 

Great Albums to Snap Up in January

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WE have only just ticked into 2019...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @jan_strecha/Unsplash

but it is not long until the first albums of the year arrive. A lot of the bigger releases will not come until later in the year but that is not to say January will be dry and uninteresting! In fact…there are some pretty good records due for release this month. I have selected eleven essential albums that you need to put into your January collection. Many of us would have received money and record gift cards for Christmas and will be wondering which new albums we need to get behind. Others will want a taste of 2019 and what its early runners are all about. In honour of that, take a look at the selection and I am sure you will find something in the pack that tickles your fancy. 2018 was a great year for music and we saw some really fantastic L.P.s come out. It might be a little premature to make predictions but I feel next year can be an even...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @priscilladupreez/Unsplash

MORE exceptional and bold one for music.

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images

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Jack & Jack – A Good Friend Is Nice

Alice Merton – Mint

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Maggie Rogers – Heard It in a Past Life

Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?

Mike Posner – A Real Good Kid

Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow

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Bring Me the Horizon – Amo

Rival Sons – Feral Roots

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Blood Red Shoes – Get Tragic

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Rudimental – Toast to Our Differences

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RAT BOY – INTERNATIONALLY UNKNOWN

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INTERVIEW: From Carbon

INTERVIEW:

From Carbon

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MY final interview of the year...

is with From Carbon who have been talking about their single, Demons. I ask whether there is a new album being planned and what sort of music the band are inspired by – they recommend a rising act that we should get behind and follow.

I ask whether there are any plans for next year and if there will be touring dates; if they have favourite albums and what the reaction has been like to their 2014 debut album – they end the interview by selecting a great track.

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

We’re good, thanks. Keeping busy working on the new material.

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

We’re From Carbon. Were an Indie-Rock band from North Manchester. We play guitars, piano; violins and drums. We’ve been described by a radio station in Australia as “U2 and Black Sabbath’s lovechild!” Not sure that covers all our sound but maybe the heavier tracks we play. We do have a softer side, though.

How did From Carbon get together? When did you all start making music together?

We got together around four-five years ago from the ashes of various other bands we’d been in. We’d all seen each other play in other bands and thought why not form this supergroup of unknown, unsigned artists. We only agreed to do a few recordings together but things developed and were now about release album number-two.

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How important is Manchester and its music vibes to your own sound? Is it a good place for the band to play right now?

Manchester music has been a huge influence on us;; there is such a varied and esteemed heritage. We’ve been lucky enough to play with some of them. There is also a bit of scene developing again bands like Blossoms, Slow Readers Club and Catfish and the Bottlemen all seem to be getting to the next level, so hopefully people will seek out more Manchester bands as a result.

It’s hard to make an impact in this city as there is so much competition and, with venues closing down in the city centre, promoters are only interested in booking bands they know will shift a lot of tickets and that isn’t always the best bands. They also take a huge cut of the money, taking advantage of younger bands. We’ve started organising our on gigs as a result.

Tell me about the song, Demons. What is the story behind it?

Scott: Demons is one of the first songs I ever wrote. It came from a huge argument I had with my closest friend at the time and about the waves of anger it produced on both sides. The song acknowledges that we all have demons and complications and perhaps we shouldn’t always judge people so harshly. It’s still very relevant to us.

The song has been picked up for a movie soundtrack, Strangeways Here We Come. It was a proud moment to hear it blasting out in the cinema and at quite a crucial and delicate scene which depicts the morning after a drink and drug-fuelled party in Salford.

I believe your debut album came out in 2014. What has the band been getting up to since then? What has the reaction been like to the record?

Yes. Wealth came out four years ago and has sold over a thousand copies. We’ve had a couple of support opportunities which helped us get to a wider audience. We supported The ChameleonsVox at the Manchester Academy and a few of their hardcore fans started following us as well. Then we supported Heather Small (M People) on her U.K. theatre tour - which was the main reason we sold so many C.D.s and was a truly amazing experience.

We’ve played various small festivals and released a couple singles/videos this year and finished 2018 off by supported Toyah Wilcox in Manchester at the Ruby Lounge - which is another great venue which is sadly about to close down. However, in between all that, we’ve spent the last two years focusing on recording the difficult follow-up album.

Might there be another album coming along in the next year or so, perhaps?

Yes. We’ve named it Existence because it’s had to fight for its existence. It’s definitely been tougher this time. Not through anyone’s fault; our producer Chris Oliver has been on world tours with The ChameleonsVox and Midge Ure. So, pinning him down has been difficult. However, it’s finished now and currently being mixed hopefully in time for our album launch show which is at The Bread Shed in Manchester on Saturday, 30th March, 2019.

We’ve organised the event ourselves and it’s going to be magical. We’ve managed to persuade Joe Duddell and his Classical ensemble to play a set with us. Joe has done similar things with Elbow, James; The Charlatans, New Order and other great acts. We’re just super-excited to hear what he does with our songs and hearing his arrangements and interpretations. We’ve also got the wonderful Little Sparrow supporting us on the show. Katie has such a powerful and beautiful voice and really deserves to be a household name. We’re delighted to have them on the bill with us.

It seems like gigging is the most important thing for you guys. Is that where you hear the music truly come alive – and get the purest and most honest reaction?

We do love playing live and we are definitely one of those bands who sound better live. People are usually shocked at how good we are live when they see us for the first time. It helps with us having seven people on stage. I suppose there’s always something or someone to watch.

Which one album means the most to each of you (and why)? 

Scott: James - One Man Clapping. I bought this album retrospectively as I’d just discovered James around the Gold Mother (‘Madchester’) era, when I first played it (a second hand tape). I thought they’d accidentally mixed up the tapes in Vinyl Exchange as it sounded so different to Gold Mother, like a completely different band. I suppose they were in many ways. I do love a live album, though. This had so much raw energy and an element of crazy that I grew addicted to. Chain Mail, Sandman and Leaking blew me away with their improvisations. The lyrics of Really Hard and Burned certainly resonated with me. It gave you a glimpse of how good they were live and still are.

Gray: A present requested for my tenth birthday bought by my sister because I wanted the music from Tomorrow's World. I played it on a mono hand-held cassette player back to back for years. My first introduction to album music...turns out to be instrumental; not just in genre but in revealing that music was pure escapism. Probably the only album I have bought repeatedly in different formats over the years.

Adam: K by Kula Shaker. The best Rock/Blues mainstream album. It was my first gig at the Apollo. The guitar work was amazing and it was a little bit different from the usual Britpop dross of the time!

Nut: Rush - 2112. I was eighteen; working on a building site in Oldham and the foreman labourer said to me: “You play drums, don’t you?” I said: “I did but haven’t for a couple of years. I’ll bring you a cassette in tomorrow”.  He said: “Listen to the drums; they are amazing”. He brought the tape in and I played it when I got home. Within two weeks, I’d bought myself a kit and started playing again. There have been two people to make me pick my sticks back up. One is Neil Peart and the other is Scott Jeffries.

What do you hope to achieve in 2019?

We’re planning on releasing a couple of singles from Existence and hopefully it will lead to some more exciting gig opportunities, festival slots and we’d love to tour again. It was such an amazing experience and we do have the odd fan dotted about all over the U.K., so it would be good to be able to play live to them again. Fingers crossed.

Have you each got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Two favourite memories? The first has to be the first time the audience started singing and clapping along to our song, Demons, on the Heather Small tour. It was at the Lancaster Grand Theatre and we really weren’t expecting to go down well on the tour - as our music is very different to Heather’s - but each night we were blown away by the reaction we were getting and we grew in confidence. It was just a great feeling to see complete strangers enjoying our music.

The second is when Andy Diagram from the legendary band James joined us on stage to play trumpet on Demons. We hadn’t rehearsed it and it was such magical feeling to have one of your heroes playing along with you and improvising on a song you’d written fifteen years earlier. We followed it up with a cover of Laid. Again, we’d not rehearsed it with him so we were flying by the seat of our pants. I think we did it justice. I get tingles thinking about it.

If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?

Each one of us would have a different answer to that. For me, I would love to support either U2 or Arcade Fire. Not just because it would be a sell-out but I feel we’d have a lot of fun.

I think our rider would have a lot less alcohol than in previous years.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

My advice to young musicians is never wait for someone else to do things for you! If you want to record an album do it yourself and definitely plan things.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Eliza Shaddad/PHOTO CREDIT: Melanie Tjoeng photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Scott: My favourite new artist is Eliza Shaddad. I’ve seen her develop over the last five years and if you haven’t heard her E.P.s, Waters, Wars and the new album, Future, you haven’t lived.

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?

We never unwind. We don’t have time for that (smiles).

Finally, and for being good sports; you can choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).

Please play Eliza Shaddad - Make It Go Away (with headphones on and in a darkened room on a rainy day)

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Follow From Carbon

FEATURE: Music Sounds Better with You: Ones to Watch 2019: Part VI

FEATURE:

 

 

Music Sounds Better with You

IN THIS PHOTO: Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) 

Ones to Watch 2019: Part VI

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THIS might be the final recommendations rundown...

 IN THIS PHOTO: grandson

of the year – but there are some pretty good names on the list! I have been looking at the recommended music names from other areas of the music media and there seems to be some consensus. It has been a great year for music and I feel 2019 has a lot to offer. I am not sure what direction things will take regarding sounds and direction but I think we will see a lot of underground and near-the-mainstream acts get to the big leagues and exert some influence. Whatever happens; here is my last list of musicians you need to keep an eye out for and follow in 2019. Have a look and listen to these great artists and make sure you end the year with loads of...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Anna of the North

PROMISE and quality.

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

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Iyamah

Ailbhe Reddy

Emmy the Great

Hey Charlie

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Natalie McCool

grandson

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Catherine McGrath

YONAKA

The Aces

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Cautious Clay

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Pale Waves

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Kelsey Lu

Nilüfer Yanya

Saweetie

Self Esteem

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Pillow Queens

Loski

Nina Nesbitt

TRACK REVIEW: Elder Island - I Fold You

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Elder Island

PHOTO CREDIT: Ash Holdsworth 

I Fold You

 

9.3/10

 

 

The track, I Fold You, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/track/26lF5mVfDEctMHJFxbvPtc?si=VJLiWLK6SYibUQVqrzhAUQ

ORIGIN:

Bristol, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

28th December, 2018

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The album, The Omnitone Collection, is released on 8th February, 2019. Pre-order here:

https://ffm.to/omintonecollection

GENRES:

Dance/Electronic

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I am still in the...

rather uncomfortable grip of a cold right now - so I hope my words make sense. This is my final review of the year and with a band I am not overly-familiar with. I want to talk about Elder Island but I will chat about Bristol and its scene; artists that are new to me and I have discovered through social media; acts that can vary their aesthetic and have nimbleness for 2019; cross-pollination and how effective that can be. I will look at what 2019 will be like for Elder Island and how far they can go. We often get too obsessed with London and what is happening there and overlook Bristol. I think music has changed the last couple of years and so much of what we are looking and listening to is from outside the capital. I have been listening to a lot of London music the past few years but, more and more, I am discovering really cool stuff elsewhere. I think there is the assumption that London has all the great music and, when you consider all the labels and money here, it is not worth looking elsewhere. This is wrong because, as we can see with Elder Island, Bristol has ample ammunition. I have always loved what has come out of the city and it has always produced epic stuff. Consider all the Trip-Hop music that came from there and incredible bands like Portishead and Massive Attack. In fact, Bristol is responsible for the Trip-Hop movement and was offering something genuinely new to music. The genre is still existent today and evolving every year. We have Bristol and its innovation to thank for that. I think the city does not get the credit it deserves and we overlook all the great music there. IDLES are probably the most successful newish band from Bristol and show how diverse the culture is. I think things have changed from the 1990s and Bristol has become more varied and adaptable. There is still Trip-Hop coming from Bristol but I am discovering wonders from other genres and some great sub-genre work happening.

Maybe the strength of the live scene there means artists are able to flourish and survive. London is seeing a lot of venues close and other areas like Brighton are losing big venues. Bristol is susceptible to the same dangers but it seems the live venues there are safer. The Louisiana, Exchange; the Trinity Centre and The Old Duke are a few different venues that offer platforms to the next big things. I have not been to the city myself but know how much good music is coming from Bristol. It has been this way for decades but I think we often overlook what is emerging from there. If we keep focused on London and follow media guidance – there is still that preference for the capital – then we will not get anywhere. To be fair, things have gotten a little better regarding the imbalance and how the media perceives music’s epicenter. It was the case, not too long ago, when London ruled the roost and other areas did not get a look in. Now, there is still an unfair weight towards London but there is greater awareness of other parts. Elder Island are adding to the rich music scene in Bristol and actually tying together a range of sounds. One gets a little bit of Bristol history in the electronics, beats and experimentation but there are so many other elements to the music. I shall explore that later but I think being based in Bristol is good for them. They have so many talented peers and great venues around them. London can be great but I know hoe suffocating and isolating it can feel. There are more musicians here so it is a little hard discovering how to listen to and getting your voice heard. I can see the balance shifting and think Bristol has a lot to offer right now. Not only do we have great bands like Elder Island making moves but there are some great venues growing and remaining.

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I stated how Elder Island was new to me and I wanted to end this year by looking at a band who I think will do very well. A lot of my recommendations and reviews come from direct contact where artists will get in touch and I will go from there. It is an easy way of discovering music and getting something out there but I have not often stepped away from that and done my own searching. What I have missed is a bit of diversity and change. A lot of what I have featured is good but the sounds are not hugely different. Elder Island’s usual work is very different to their latest track, I Fold You, so this might be a bit of a red herring in terms of who they are. I came across Elder Island through social media and was intrigued to see what they are all about. I have listened to some of their other music and I can see how they have changed and how fresh they appear. Their current track is different to what we will get with their upcoming album, The Omnitone Collection, and that title might be a little ironic. This suggests we will get something very similar and basic in terms of sonic exploration. What the Bristol band will actually provide is a diverse and ever-changing sounds. They have their own sound and identity but songs burst with life and adventure. I will come back to that but I think social media and streaming sites are important when it comes to music discovery. Maybe radio still holds most of the sway and influence – I think so – but you cannot discount the role of social media. Twitter is a great platform for musicians and fans alike and I have found so much cool music there. Elder Island came to me when I was looking at another site’s ‘ones to watch’ list for 2019. Elder Island were included in that and I instantly got to grips with this great band.

Next year, more and more, I am concentrating on artists who are big or at least are making strides in the industry. It has been interesting looking at smaller acts but I think I need to start focusing on acts who are a little further ahead. I am not sure where you’d put Elder Island in the list but the band are definitely capturing the imagination and making some interesting stuff right now. I will come to their latest single in a bit but I am always stunned how much great music I am getting to hear through social media. It is a huge market and it can be really challenging filtering your own tastes and honing it down. I think you have to go in with energy and hear as much as you can; put aside what sounds great and discard the rest. Maybe radio is a more reliable way of getting the music you want into the ears but social media offers great variation and eclecticism. Elder Island instantly struck my ear and I think I will check them out as we head into 2019. I am not sure which other artists will come to mind before next year but I continuously look at social media and discover something exciting every week. This time of year is when many are recommending their tips for 2019 and, of course, that means plenty of possibilities will come through. I am taking note and observing the best new artists who will make impact in 2019 and it is great to hear other people’s viewpoints. I would like to see social media go a bit further a new music site fostered that can concentrate solely on sounds and make it easy for people like me to discover great artists. I do not think we have a site like that where it is all about music and nothing else. You can locate artists based on genre and location and get a news feed that recommends wonderful acts.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Will Pace

I have argued the case for social media but I do wonder whether there needs to be these bespoke sites that are dedicated to music, new and older, where we could go to find fantastic artists. Elder Island would benefit from that exposure and, whilst they have a great fanbase; I feel an extra boost would do them good. Maybe there would be a way of integrating social media and the way we find music there with something concentrated and specialist. It is interesting to ponder but, for now, I think social media is a fantastic method of getting to grips with all the best new music around. The sheer range of artists we discover through social media is staggering and it can be fun seeing all these wonderful acts sparkle. In do not think there will be a huge shift in terms of sounds next year but there will be some changes. I do think certain genres will make their voices heard and there will be greater experimentation at the forefront of music. If you consider the artists coming through and those being tipped for next year; you can get a sense of what the year will be about. Elder Island have a great name and there is so much about them to recommend. I hope I would have discovered Elder Island through radio or other forums but social media allowed me to find them a lot sooner. Considering a website and how useful it would be having a central port; consider all the music websites that deal with reviews and news and putting all that into a single site would make it easy for music lovers to focus. I am going to continue to use social media for music discovery in 2019 and am thankful they have given me another fantastic name in Elder Island. I do wonder, again, whether there is a way of having a site/area of channels like Twitter and Facebook that are dedicated to music and can make it simple to get behind the best of the old and new.

 PHOTO CREDIT: David Thomas Smith

One of the reasons why I was attracted to Elder Island is because of their eclectic spirit and the way they fuse sounds. Reviewers have noted how the band mix myriad keys, guitars and other instruments to create this rich and rousing brew. I am fans of artists who have a singular sound and can focus effectively but there is always greater promise and opportunity when you push things and are more open. Elder Island are a great band who can create identity and singularity in their own way. I do like artists who are less experimental but am interested in the bolder sort who bring different shades and colours to the party. One other reason why I like artists who take music in directions is because it gets the imagination enflamed and can be a lot more interesting. I think it is hard to keep people invested and arrested if you have just one level. That might seem harsh but it can also be difficult staying focused and appealing if you marry sounds. So many people go off the rails or seem quite uneducated. Elder Island have a great knowledge of the Bristol scene, past and present, and bring a little of that into what they do. The band look further than Bristol but there is a nice balance. It is hard to put into words how Elder Island go about things but I think they are keen to express as many emotions as possible through their sound. You get so many different colours listening to their songs and it is a fascinating experience. If you are not a fan of one particular sound or line then you are not disappointed for long. If an artist is limited or they have a sole sound then you are pretty much stuck with it. That might sound a bit dismissive but I have a lot of respect for those who tease genres and sounds.

Maybe I should move onto a new subject but I am interested in the musicians who are not willing to sit still and stick with one direction. Listen to a song like I Fold You and it is very different to everything else the band are about. They have that ability to rotate their dish and try something new with every cut. Maybe I Fold You has a calm and simpler aspect because it is Christmas they want to end the year with a softer moment. I know the band have an album coming up and one can expect to see a lot of different beats and notes fused. It is hard for any artist to keep things focused when they throw so much into the mix. Elder Island do not overdo things but they are a band who keep things busy and diverse. Look at the best artists from this year and I think the focus has been on lyrical integrity and portraying something deep. The best albums of 2018 have not been hot on sonic variety but the words and intention have rung true. I think next year will be more about sonic width and promoting artists that are broader when it comes to sounds. I think, as time elapses, it is harder to capture the mind with a singular or narrow texture. I don’t know. What I am sure about is how we need to encourage musicians to be bolder with their work and inspire the listener. That is why I am hooked on Elder Island. They definitely have an identity and their own skin but they can easily splice genres and different aspects to create this bursting and wonderful environment. I love what they are doing and, whilst there is clear chemistry and excellent songwriting; the guys strike and shine because of the way they create this interesting and fulsome brew. It might sound like Elder Island throw tonnes in and it is a head-spinning experience but that is not the case.

There is subtlety in what they do. It is not about tossing everything into the blender and seeing what tastes good. There is expertise and professionalism. You can tell the guys spend a lot of time on what they do and there is huge consideration. I am a big fan of musicians who tease genres and can create their own universe. I think, to stand out in 2019, you need to be nimble and have a sense of mobility. Rather than be rigid and not experiment; artists have to be aware of what the market needs and how things are changing. A lot of the best from this year have struck the critical mind because of their words and a powerful projection but this is not necessarily the case for underground acts. Instead, the ones we are tipping for 2019 have this keen mind for cross-pollination. I have run a series recommending artists for 2019 and feel many are taking sound and pushing it to the limits. I come back to Elder Island and what they are doing right now. I am excited for their approaching album and know it will grab some fantastic reviews. I keep thinking about what they do with tones and genres and how they can bring in their own vibe. Rather than replicate the sounds of Bristol Trip-Hop – like so many have in the past – the band briefly nod to it and bring in other influences. I am looking at next year and seeing which artists will reign. I have indicated diversity and cross-pollination will take a bigger role for new artists but it is not as easy as that. I think Elder Island will be among the best of 2019 and, the fact they are releasing an album in February means they’ll make an early impact. Let me move onto Elder Island’s latest song, I Fold You.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ash Holdsworth

I have heard a few other songs from Elder Island but cleared my mind as I prepared to review their latest song, I Fold You. Unlike a lot of what we will hear on the band’s album; there is a sadness and sense of lost on their new single. We open with moody organ and this rather funeral atmosphere. There is not a big distraction in the background and the song has this great live-sounding feel to it. Rather than being too polished and cluttered; the band has created this track that is earthy, floating and ghostly. Elder Island are known for their mixing of Techno and Dream-Pop but here they are definitely on the softer end of the scale. The heroine talks about being out in the open and there being this bridge. It may seem like she is close to the hero but she is far away. Maybe the heroine is this ghost figure or maybe the scene symboilises a broken relationship and being separated. I like the imagery and how the song is given conviction and chills through the organ. One half of the mind looks at a church and somewhere quite stately whereas the other half is out in the wilderness, following the song. The lovers measure distance in the darkness, as it is told, and there are a lot of smart and original lines in the song. The entire song is quite slow-moving but that is not to say it lacks physicality and soulfulness. Rather than be bombarded with noise or restless energy; you get this track that hits the soul and get into the bones. It is hard to create a song with so much atmosphere and emotion without it being draining but Elder Island manage to do it. They are never too heavy and create this great balance throughout the song. The vocals become more charged and intense as the song goes on.

Starting from a somewhat gentle and brooding start; now we step into this quite bristling and stormy scene where the full pains of emotional break and disconnection are laid bare. It is easy to see signs of artists such as London Grammar and Adele in the vocals and compositions but the lyrics are a lot smarter and the song richer and more sophisticated. Beats start to come through and create this racing heartbeat. I feel the instruments represents part of the body and emotions. The organ is the soul and consciousness that is calming and looking for answers. The beats symbolise the heart and seem to be overtaking logic. Maybe there was a bad reason for love going cold but it seems the heroine cannot stay away. Perhaps there is too much at stake and it is difficult walking away from something so special. I love how the vocals twist and turn to match the emotion of the song. There is a lot of power and conviction coming from Elder Island and you can tell how meaningful the song is to them. Following it through, you get a repetition of the song’s lead coda – measuring distance in the dark – and it provides the song with an unofficial chorus and gravity. Vocals start to layer but the most effective burst is when the voice bubbles, echoes and has this choral effect. The band are always mobile and changeable and do not rely on cliché structures to get the most from their song. Rather than stick to worn paths, they create this always-moving song that gets you thinking. I wonder whether there is a current relationship at play and whether there is any way back. The guys have been through a lot and this is all coming out on the page. We hear a lot of dignity and grace in I Fold You and that balances with the rawness that comes from the front. The song gets busier and more atmospheric as it ends. It started with the somewhat sparse and roomy opening but gets more busy and intense towards the ending. Beats get stiffer and there are strings in the mix; synths play a part and we get a great blend of genres and decades. I love the song and think it is a great way to end the year. The band have a busy 2019 already and I am excited for them. I Fold You’s title suggests origami and emotional manipulation but there is heart and tenderness to be found. It is a complex track but one that reveals new layers and revelations with each listen. In a way, it is like that game we played as children where you’d fold paper in a structure and open up individual flaps – they reveal a message or something you have to do. New listeners will really enjoy the song and bond with the band. Make sure you buy their album is February and experience what they are all about – you can pre-order it now. I have only listened to I Fold You a few times but will keep going back and I am sure there will be fresh things coming to light. It is another triumphant for a brilliant and original band who are on the rise.

A lot of love and attention has been aimed the way of Elder Island. The Bristol band has not been around for ages but they have managed to establish themselves and released some fantastic singles. I am excited to see where they can and what they can achieve in 2019. I know their album, The Omnitone Collection, will be received well and it will contain the band’s knack of balancing sounds and genres with confidence. There is so much to recommend beyond the sonic element with Elder Island. Listen to the way they come together and how focused everything is. You can feel how tight they are and how much respect there is within the ranks. All of these elements fuse together to bring about this glorious and unique sound. I am fairly new to the band but will follow them into next year. I think they can influence a lot of other artists and are showing what can happen when you show some bravery. It is going to be interesting seeing what is favoured next year and which artists make an early break. I said early how there will be a split in expectation between the underground and mainstream and what is required. In terms of the new breed; many are looking for something interesting, more experimental and bold. Elder Island are just the band to get under the skin and stay in the memory. They are a brilliant force and get stronger with everything they release. When their album is released, we will get to see them on the road and bringing this material to the people. I am not sure what they have planned regarding locations but I hope they get to tour the U.K. quite extensively. I know they will play Bristol a lot and the local audiences will get to hear a growing band in their elements. Right now, as we head into 2019, I feel Elder Island will continue to progress and there will be fresh opportunities. I shall end things here but it has been great to discover this great band who already sound assured and focused. They know where they want to go but are open to new sounds and idea. There is a lot to love about Elder Island so make sure you get right behind them. They have had a great 2018 but next year will be…

  PHOTO CREDIT: Will Pace

EVEN bigger.    

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Follow Elder Island  

FEATURE: Against Consensus: Underrated Albums That Outshine the Critical Favourite: Nirvana - Bleach

FEATURE:

 

 

Against Consensus: Underrated Albums That Outshine the Critical Favourite

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IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Nirvana - Bleach

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MAYBE it is outrageous to suggest classic albums...

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IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images  

can be written off or are not as lofty as they appear. I am not suggesting that but feel there is this big critical weight that is paid to some albums. In the case of Nirvana, Nevermind is seen as their defining statement. That came out in 1991 and is considered one of the best albums of all time. Many people overlook Bleach and Nirvana’s start. The record came out in 1989 and is a very different beast to the polished and blockbuster Nevermind. It is amazing to think how the Washington-formed band changed between records. Nevermind is this titanic and all-conquering record that was not expected to be a success. Given the popularity of its lead single, Smells Like Teen Spirit, the album took off and became a smash. Look back to 1989 and a rather modest introduction. Although Bleach failed to chart upon its original release, it was received well by critics and announced the introduction of this unique and soon-to-be-world-dominating group. I think Bleach is a stronger record than Nevermind because it has that rawness and I love the ragged edges. Maybe the songs are not as polished and there are fewer huge smashes but it seems like a more thrilling and genuine record. I will come to look at highlights from the album but I listen to Bleach and it digs deeper and stays in my memory longer.

Their November 1988 debut single, Love Buzz, got people talking and, to many, it is the standout cut on Bleach. Nirvana rehearsed for two to three weeks in preparation for recording of Bleach and Sub Pop had only requested an E.P. (the band would release an E.P., Blew, between Bleach and Nevermind). The band headed to the studio with producer Jack Endino and it is Nirvana in the days before drummer Dave Grohl. On their debut, the band worked with Chad Channing (on the majority of songs) and Dale Crover (on Floyd the Barber, Paper Cuts and Downer). Many critics noted a slightly weaker percussion sound compared to subsequent albums from the band – the magic and meat of Dave Grohl was lacking. The album was recorded and laid down fairly quickly and inexpensively but there was to be a delay. Sub Pop head Bruce Pavitt wanted the album to be re-sequenced which caused a delay until the funds could be raised. I think, although Bleach is incredible, it is a little top-heavy so I wonder whether the original track sequence would have afforded a greater spread and balance. In any case; there was a feeling from Nirvana lead Kurt Cobain that the music conformed to the Grunge expectations at the time. Cobain felt Bleach was designed to fit into the Seattle sound and, as such, the lead felt quite angered at the time.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana (Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Chad Channing) in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

He claims most of the lyrics were written the night before recording – many were penned whilst driving to the studio – and had no real meaning. So long as they were not sexist then it did not really matter. It was clear, when listening to the songs, that there was truth and biography. Songs like School are a commentary on the Grunge scene and labels like Sub Pop; About a Girl is a Beatles-inspired gem that shows the balance of moods and tones on the album. Bleach is not only a stunning debut album but something that does not get the attention and acclaim it warrants. It is that anger from Cobain that propels the album and, alongside Krist Novoselic’s chunky and malleable bass, there is a goofiness and playfulness that sits alongside the aggression. Mr. Moustache was about masculinity and being macho; directing itself to Nirvana’s male fans. Negative Creep is about Cobain himself whilst About a Girl showcases the songwriter’s talents as a Pop crafter. Cobain was keen to hide his love of Pop – and affection for bands such as R.E.M. – because he did not want to alienate their Grunge core. He knew the risk of putting a jangly Pop song on a Grunge album but he need not of worried: About a Girl is considered one of the very finest in the Nirvana cannon.

In his earliest interviews, Cobain explains that the lyrics are among the least important considerations for him. He said he goes through two or three subjects in a song and the title can mean absolutely nothing at all. Maybe a few tracks on Bleach do not hit the heights of Love Buzz and About a Girl but the band’s debut is overloaded with quality. It is a dirty and rawer record than Nevermind and, whilst it does not get the same focus and acclaim as the 1991 gem; I feel Bleach is a more interesting, rounded and rewarding album. I love Nevermind and have endless respect for it but feel it is too polished has that commercial edge. The band’s final album, In Utero (1993), would see them return to a grungier and dirtier sound. If Cobain was sceptical about Bleach’s brilliance and legacy; reviews for the album have shown plenty of love. Pitchfork, writing in 2009, reviewed the twentieth anniversary edition of Bleach:

“But rather than unfairly compare it to the platinum sheen of sophomore release Nevermind, Bleach is best appreciated today as a snapshot of a specific time and place, of a Seattle scene bubbling up before it turned into a media adjective: In the Aero Zeppelin grind of "School" and the Mudhoney-quoting scum-bucket thrash of "Negative Creep", you have the perfect audio manifestation of the stark, exhilarating black-and-white Charles Peterson photos that captured late-80s Seattle like a series of strobe-light flickers (and which populate much of this reissue's 52-page photo booklet). Original producer Jack Endino's new remastering job gives Bleach a much-needed boost in fidelity, but there's an intrinsic, primordial murkiness to this album that can't be polished-- while Axl was welcoming the masses into the Sunset Strip jungle, Nirvana dragged the Sub Pop set into the bleak, chilly backwoods from which they came.

Though briskly paced, Bleach is a front-loaded record, the maniacal/melodic contrasts of its stellar first half-- anchored by the epochal anti-love song "About a Girl"-- ceding to the more period-typical grunge of its second”.

 

NME reviewed Bleach in 1989:

“This is the biggest, baddest sound that Sub Pop have so far managed to unearth. So primitive that they manage to make label mates Mudhoney sound like Genesis, Nirvana turn up the volume and spit and claw their way to the top of the musical garbage heap.

Included here (natch!) is their brilliant single 'Love Buzz', shorn of its original Looney Toon opening but still a magnificent couple of minutes.

Equally glorious is 'Negative Creep', a leash strainer of a song that eventually gets loose and goes on the rampage like a rabid Rottweiler. Fab!

'Bleach' could be accused of being a record that is slightly top heavy with too much filler (the overlong 'Shifting' being a prime example), but give it enough spins and even the silt rises to the top. Nirvana are undoubtedly at their best when they're playing short and punchy songs as opposed to drawn out experiments with sound…But what the hell! For a first LP this sounds pretty damn good to me”.

I don’t think there has been a debut album since with the same mixture of textures, moods and thrills. Most people who love Nirvana will edge to Nevermind and hold that dearest but I prefer Bleach. The grubbiness and anger is terrific but you do get melodic moments like About a Girl. The absence of Grohl does mean the percussion is not as pronounced and physical as it would be on Nevermind but that is a minor complaint.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Lavine

Almost thirty years after its release; Bleach remains, to some, a curiosity and promising start whereas others view it as a huge statement from a band who would soon take a gigantic step. I love their scrappy debut and even love ‘weaker’ songs such as Scoff and Swap Meet. Bleach is a record that will always be close to me and I feel many modern bands can take guidance and instruction from it. If you have not heard it then set some time aside and investigate the 1989 debut from the Grunge icons. Bleach is a wonderful album that is a lot stronger than many critics (and the band themselves) claim. It did not get the same big reviews as Nevermind but I feel reinvestigation is needed. As it turns thirty next year; let’s shine a new light on a brilliant debut from a sensational trio. Stocked with great songs and a restless energy throughout; I think a new generation needs to discover Bleach. I adore the album and think its real influence and impact is hard to describe. I will spin it now because, every time I play it, something new comes to light. A stunning record that holds up after all these years; the majestic and stunning Bleach deserves a bigger audience. Maybe Nevermind will always win out and get the biggest shout but I think there is an awful lot to be said for Nirvana’s...

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

AWESOME debut.

TRACK REVIEW: Gold Baby - Maggots

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Gold Baby

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PHOTO CREDIT: Keira-Anee Photography 

Maggots

 

9.4/10

 

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The track, Maggots, is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/goldbabyband/maggots-1

GENRES:

Punk-Pop/Rock

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

3rd December, 2018

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MAYBE this is going to be my last review...

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Keira-Anee Photography 

of the year - because there isn’t anything in mind that suggests itself for tomorrow. I shall do my best to do Gold Baby justice but I am a bit sore at the moment – I have a wicked cold and moving about is rather tricky! I do not need to be that mobile but I wanted to discuss the band in the context of a dance-worthy noise; a combination of Punk and Pop that we could do a lot more with and bands who get stronger between releases. I also want to look at song inspiration and doing something different in music; who I am tipping for 2019 and why I am making changes. It is hard to see which acts are worth recommendation and how the next year will progress. I think the artists who will go far and make changes are those who can produce something upbeat and energised but has some substance. I do think this year has been a good one but we need more acts that are capable of bringing some fun and depth. Gold Baby take the basis of Punk – its rawness and direct energy – but they can produce some excellent Pop and mix it together. What you get is a nice balance of spritz and colour and some great physicality. The band pride themselves in being able to bring something fantastic and ripe that gets you moving and stays in the mind. I have heard a few songs with this ideal in 2018 but it is good to see Gold Baby strike and promise something cool for 2019. It is all very well offering some spirit and catchiness but you need to be able to balance this with nuance and substance. I will bring these words up again but I have encountered acts that throw together aimless sounds and they have not stuck around. Gold Baby are masterful when it comes to getting you to the dancefloor and keeping your mind rattling; they are North London’s catchy troupe who can get you involved and stand aside from the competition.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Patmore

I will move to another subject in a bit but I am keen to look at songs that provide a catchy swing, some distinct swagger and a colorful brew. The title, Maggots, might not sound like a great song for those who want to dance and get together but you’d be wrong. I think next year needs to be synonymous with upbeat and alive songs. We have had so many lower-beat tracks that have done their work but how many rousing and colorful songs have we all witnessed? I think something has been missing so it is good to see Gold Baby come to the fore. Variegated and bold songs that get your feet moving is a rarity on the scene and many assume you cannot provide something uplifting and catchy without compromising. It is a hard balance to achieve but, if you are like Gold Baby, there is a natural intuition and guidance. The band manages to take the energy and edginess of Punk and marry that with the softer edge of Pop. Pop-Punk is a common genre today and one that is appealing to a lot of new artists. It is much more credible and varied than Pop and you can match an aspect of snarl and spit with a smiling and spirited vein of Pop. Gold Baby want people to take them seriously but they do not want to come across as overly-serious and po-faced. I have studied a lot of the artists emerging this year and there are none that have the same components as Gold Baby. They have a special energy and one that will continue into 2019. I shall move things on and talk more about Punk and Pop but I want to stay with the subject of noise and a sound that gets you uplifted. I will talk about it later but music has showed very little optimism and positive spirit through 2018. I think we need to start promoting acts who can make a great brew that gets you to the floor and stays in the brain for ages.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Keira-Anee Photography 

Let’s investigate Pop and Punk a bit more and what can be produced if they are united with great care. I am a fan of both genres and feel the unification is a natural and wonderful thing. Gold Baby sort of have the Pop glee and skip of some of the mainstream’s best but they fuse that with the sort of Punk you’d catch Kim Deal playing. These worlds might be difficult to cut together in lesser hands but Gold Baby manage to keep the glee and pop solid but sprinkle in the grime and authority of Punk. I do wonder whether Pop-Punk is going to take over next year and whether it will dominate. I have been a bit concerned with the lack of happiness and forward-thinking ethos in music this year so I think we need to embrace and expose Pop-Punk more in 2018. We need to show more hope in 2019 and I think Pop-Punk has a big role to play. If we are going to showcase bands that stick around and can influence us then the music needs to possess something cheery and smiling. That is not to suggest Gold Baby are exchanging credibility and coolness to write songs that are easily marketable and commercial. They manage to bring us the accessibility of Pop and sounds that can appeal to a certain demographic but there is the swagger and punch of Punk. It is the best of both worlds and here is a band that can please everyone without making any concessions. The music that comes from them is pure and well-constructed and there are bags of fun. I love how they can mingle Pop and Punk and not manage to repeat what is already out there. With Pop-Punk, you can get artists that sound the same and it is a little generic. Rather than repeat what is out there; Gold Baby provide their own brand that should be highlighted. I think Pop-Punk will replace Pop in terms of popularity because you have the best of both worlds. The Pop is not too sugary and commercial whilst the Punk side of things can be understood by everyone.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @Muldooon

Look at the influences one can find on a song like Maggots. The band has mentioned artists like Kim Deal and Courtney Barnett. One gets earnestness in the lyrics but you also get plenty of humour, determination and catchiness. It is a fantastic and complex cocktail that many will want to drink down for a long time. I am still hooked on the song and need to spend time investigating more. I will follow Gold Baby into 2019 and feel they have a lot more to say. This is their second single and I will talk more about the way they have developed and matured. I do think Pop has reached a bit of a limit at the moment and there is a lot of room for development. What we have now is quite inward-looking and does not possess the same positive energy and catchiness as times past. I am a bit worried that Pop is getting too serious and concerned with being personal and revealing. Some of the joy has been sacrificed and I do feel Pop-Punk is a good way of bringing it back. Maybe Gold Baby alone cannot revitallise the Pop industry but they are releasing music that definitely works its way into the mind and gets the body moving. I think Punk has the danger of becoming too intense and aimless but, if you are a band like IDLES or Shame; you can write something deep and inspiring without being too gloomy or aggressive. I do know there is some upbeat music around but, more and more, it is escaping and being replaced by something downbeat. It is sad to see but maybe we can reverse it in 2019. I do think artists need to remember why a lot of us listen to music. We want that escapism and release that we might not get anywhere else. I shall come to another topic as my bones are aching quite a bit right now!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @snapperchap

Maggots is the sound of Gold Baby stepping things up and writing their finest cut. The theme of the song is about missing the boat or being eaten alive by your own expectations. They have already released the single, What Party?, but Maggots is the band discussing expectations and being late to the party. This is a theme that is not often explored in music. I have listened to a load of songs this year and a great deal of them are personal and relate to relationships. I have experienced music that casts its view outside and takes a more general approach and I am always attracted more to these tracks. Music is full of the personal and sad and I think we need to encourage artists to be a bit more diverse and open their mindset. I love Maggots because it is a move up for Gold Baby but its subject matter is something we can all get behind. I think we will remember music and artists will get further in the industry is they write songs that step away from the love-based and take a different approach. I feel we can take greater heart and direction from songs that have a bold message and are uplifting. Rather than bemoan what is happening in love and put that onto the page; let’s step away from that and write songs that provide guidance, strength and general drive. That notion of missing out on things or putting too much pressure in yourself is something I would like to see explored in music more. How often do we see artists going away from love and being braver?! I think there are a few who are bold and do that but so many that are obsessed with their own love and heartache. It is sad to see the obsession with the self and relationships but bands like Gold Baby are making big steps. You can definitely relate to Maggots and bond with the messages.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Patmore

I shall come to look at my final topic in a bit but I want to stay on the idea of subject matter. Gold Baby have taken a big step forward from their debut and have found a new focus. What Party? was a great start and opening but I can feel the band upping it and opening up on Maggots. The title might not provoke joy and lovely images but it is apt regarding the subject matter. The notion of being consumed by expectations or missing out on the boat is an intriguing one and it marks a new creative leap for Gold Baby. I am curious what will come next from the London band and how they develop. I am curious to find out whether the band will release an E.P. or album or put another single into the world. Maggots is a great offering from a band on the rise and a track that has captured the imagination. I am always interested how artists approach a song and what compels them to write how they do. Maybe Maggots is based on their own experiences and struggle to get noticed. Maybe it is based on something else but I can hear personal experience and relevance in the song. I am not suggesting the band will always look away from love but I like how they approach music and they are not beholden to familiarity. 2019 is a big year for them and one that will see them get to a new audience and capture the public imagination. There are a lot of Pop-Punk bands around but Gold Panda seem to have that advantage. If we always have the same songs that talk about love then we are not going to make any progress and change the industry. Let’s move on from this subject and look at 2019 and what will come through.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Don Blanford

I am excited to see what is happening next for Gold Baby and where they take their music. 2018 has been a good year for them and they have ambitions afoot. In terms of sonic shift and what will come through; I feel Pop-Punk will take more of a stand. Other great bands like The Wild Things are brewing together Pop and Punk and writing in an original and electric way. I would like to see Pop continue in the mainstream but I do wonder whether it is too insular and focused on love. It can be dangerous carrying down that line and not pushing away from the personal. I am making changes in 2019 and making moves in another direction. One of the dangers of stepping away from the comfort zone and embracing something fresh is that it can be a gamble and risky. Look around music and what is happening right now. There has been a lot of negativity and insular expression and we need to start holding artists that are willing to look at the wider world and different themes. Post-Punk will continue to reign and I do feel like Pop will evolve and step in another direction. Maybe it will not be as joyous and catchy as it once was but it will not quite be as serious and moody. I do hope things change and we see some real development. Gold Baby are among the chasing pack who will be putting their music out into the world and trying to make an impact. They have not been a band for too long but they have already taken strides and achieved quite a bit. I will come to the song in a bit but feel Gold Baby will keep growing and adding their magic to music. After only two singles, they have shown diversity and grown as a unit. I feel 2019 will be a very big one for them and they will keep on recruiting fans and getting some pretty awesome gigs.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Keira-Anee Photography

There are softer strums and tender notes that open Maggots. You get something almost Country-like that beckons in Maggots. Whilst the Punk and harder edge is not as pronounced as the more gentle side to the song; one is drawn into this terrific song. The chorus tells of being covered in maggots and things getting on top. Maybe the song’s hero/heroine has been a bit late to the party and tried their hardest to make things happen. Maggots concerns always missing the boat – regardless of what time you get there – and letting things slip away. One feels the lead project from her heart and one wonders whether there is a bit of the personal in the song. You can definitely sense some emotion and longing in the performance and, backed by touching yet physical backing; the song perfectly balances the soft and pressing. In the first stages, we get hints of Sixpence None the Richer and The Cardigans. The singing is pure and beckoning but one experiences a determination and need for things to change. Maybe that will not come yet but, as you get settled in, the song kicks up a gear and things get cutting. The song changes course and goes from this rather delicate and gentle thing to something much more attacking and spiked. This brief explosion and bite gives us a very physical and evocative revelation. I am not sure whether the coda is designed to bring maggots and that sense of being eaten but it is a rather unexpected and thrilling little stab. It does not last long, as I say, and we get a return to the melodic and rhythmic line. I love the sound the band have created and how it sounds like Pop but not like anything that is around at the moment. I know what Maggots is about but unravelling the lyrics and we get new insight. The tones and lines we hear can be applied to the heroine but they can be taken to heart by everyone that listens to the song. If What Party? was about not having friends and being alone to the celebration then Maggots carries similar weight.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Patmore

The heroine says (to the subject) that they learnt things along the way and things would have been better. I love how the song seems direct and clear but there is an oblique nature. You can sort of guess where the words are coming from but there is mystery and room for interpretation. I was listening back to see if I could pick up on anything new and whether there was any fresh revelation. Maggots is a great song that boasts an incredible melody and tune that gets into the head and enlivens the senses. I do not think I have heard another band take this approach to song and show the same influences. In any case; Gold Baby are a fantastic band that stand aside from the pack and genuine show legs. I love Maggots and the way it makes you feel. Maybe the themes and messages have a sense of struggle in them but Gold Baby never drag you down and show any sort of negativity. Ensure you get into the mind and heart of the song and let it do its work. I think the band has hit on a rare and exciting vein and they should be congratulated. Everyone will take something different away from Maggots but the song’s sheer smile, sense of complexity and mystery will surely resonate. I have been excited to play it again and again and discover stuff that passed me by the first time. It is testament to a band that, while new and not as experienced as some out there, has that individual experience and combine their brilliance. The songwriting is astonishing the connection between the band members is tight and wonderful. There is so much colour through Maggots and do not be misled by the rather gruesome title. I think the London band have already come a long way but, if they keep producing songs like this, their road to success will be straight and golden.

Gold Baby started life early this year but the members have been part of the toilet scene for a long time. They have been around for a while and combine their knowledge into this incredible and solid band. Gold Baby is a great project built from strong foundations and an effortless spirit. The members have a love for one another and they are incredibly tight. I know they will have to rely on smaller gigs for a lot of 2019 but I think they will be able to attract bigger gigs later in the year. Maybe it will not be an instant transformation but, the more their music gets out and attracts, the larger the demands will get. I would like to see them play the larger venues because I think their music warrants that space and can definitely get the room buzzing. Perhaps Gold Baby will stick with smaller gigs for a time and cut their teeth - and you know there will be more material. I hope we get an E.P. but I am not putting pressure on the band. Maggots is a great track that announces its ambitions and colours very quickly and you’ll keep coming back time and time again. I shall end things here but it has been great getting to know the band more and seeing where they are headed. Despite my aching bones – it has been tricky! – I hope I have managed to assess the band well and got to the core. The Pop-Punk band has only been in circulation a little but I am excited to follow them and watch them strike. We need more bands like this around to offer original intent and upbeat expression in music. I might get together another review by 2019 – if I am still alive tomorrow – but it is good to end things with Gold Baby. They are a formidable force and have given the world some brilliant music.

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  PHOTO CREDIT: Keira-Anee Photography

I am hopeful the band will be among the biggest acts of 2019 and a lot of journalists get behind them. I have not even talked about the images and social media outlay for Gold Baby but that is a great weapon in their arsenal. There is a professionalism and sense of passion that goes beyond the music and feeds into social media. One gets some great shots of the band and can find them across all platforms. Many might assume this is a minor aspect but so many artists overlook stuff like photos and being across social media channels. You know Gold Baby have thought about everything and are a lot more prepared than most musicians around. I will end things now but recommend everyone seek out Gold Baby and check out their latest single, Maggots. They have so much passion and energy and their songwriting is a lot more engrossing and deep than most of what is out there. It is a great time for the North London collective and Maggots is a song that burrows under the skin and sticks around forever. Few bands come along that create such an impact but, in the final throes of 2018, we have a band that has the promise to go as far as they like. Make sure you get behind the incredible Gold Baby and step with them...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Keira-Anee Photography

INTO the coming year.    

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