INTERVIEW: SVRCINA

INTERVIEW:

SVRCINA

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MY only interview of the weekend is with SVRCINA...

who has been telling me about her new single, Insecure, and filming its amazing video. I ask whether there might be more material coming along and what it was like finding Insecure on Spotify playlists; what Nashville is like as a base and which rising artists we need to watch out for.

SVRCINA discusses her musical process and upbringing; how she unwinds away from music and the albums that mean the most to her – she selects a pretty cool song to end the interview and provides some treasured memories from her career.

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

Oh my heavens, hello! Thank you so much for asking! I’m doing well and my week has been wonderful so far. The weather in Nashville has been a bit cold and rainy but I’ve been cosy working from my apartment, drinking endless amounts of coffee and tackling more administrative aspects. BUT, starting tomorrow, I’ll get to be creative and have writing sessions the rest of the week! I hope your week is off to a spectacular start also!

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

Yes! My name is SVRCINA and I’m an independent, Alternative-Pop artist based in Nashville, TN. Originally from Dearborn, MI, I moved to Nashville in 2010 with my parents at fourteen after signing my first publishing deal. Living and working in Nashville has been a slow and steady journey and the artist I am now is not the artist I thought I would be when I moved...but I’m so grateful for the refining process.

A study abroad trip to China in 2016 really sparked something in me and it led me to start expanding and exploring what collaboration looked/sounded like with creatives in other major music cities around the world, like London and Berlin. The process of traveling and meeting so many new people and experiencing different cultures has really inspired and shaped the music I’ve been creating. It’s been an adventure experimenting with blending Pop and light/ethereal elements with global flavors, merging Nashville with the international music community. 

Insecure is your new single. Is it based on personal experiences? 

So. I confess the song wasn’t initially inspired by a specific experience but, on many occasions, I have related to the overarching themes of being willing to recognize when you’re in an extremely unhealthy relationship and regaining a sense of freedom and independence by establishing personal boundaries. It’s an important song for me because, even as a little girl, I can remember so many instances of wrestling with severe insecurity; trying to please everyone around me to the point of simply not being truthful and feeling totally paralyzed in fear. I found that trying to play the field of ‘people pleasing’ accomplished quite the opposite every single time and, whatever situation I was facing, it always escalated in the wrong direction with all parties involved.  

The confidence expressed in the song isn’t embracing being arrogant but rather advocates being both loving and honest. I don’t think I really grasped that it was possible to be both at the same time but, as I’m learning that it is, I’m also learning that, when necessary, it’s really okay to draw healthy boundaries.

The video looks pretty cool. Was it cool working on that?

It was such an awesome experience! I am in total awe and admiration of Bree Marie Fish and her crew for her amazing creativity for this video. We had a brainstorming session with Bree and my manager and team at Resin8 Music, Wendy Duffy and Emma Smith. We really dove in and talked through the core message of the song and what would aesthetically feel authentic. Bree’s concept sparked from the themes of recognizing when a relationship is unhealthy and exercising the freedom to establish personal boundaries. We also talked through the project as a whole and certain goals we are trying to accomplish visually, combining ethereal and sophisticated elements with a global feel wherever possible.

Creating a music video is new territory for me, so it was majorly helpful to process everything together and really stretch myself to think outside the box in how a universal concept could be expressed in a different, artful way. After our round table discussion, Bree created the video concept and sent our team a treatment and there was no question in our minds that this direction was a super creative way to go. 

What was it like seeing the song promoted by Spotify and featuring on their playlists?

I just went in waves of crying! Haha. I’m definitely a sentimental person and was constantly overwhelmed - knowing how many people are involved - and worked so hard to bring the song to life. As an independent team, everyone was so generous with their creativity and have been relentless advocates. So, to catch a glimmer of Spotify’s support and see it start to immediately resonate felt like the biggest high-five and hug for our entire team. 

Might we see more material coming soon?

Yes! We’re releasing a project, single-by-single, and have some collaborations sprinkled in between! Our next release is a collaboration set for March 1st with Enhanced artist Man Cub. I wrote the topline with a dear friend and collaborator, Michael McEachern, and am super-excited about it. The next single from my project is set for March 29! 

Which artists were important to you growing up? Who do you rank as idols?

Growing up, Christian and Praise and Worship music were foundational for me and I gradually started expanding and fell in love with Country music and then Adult Contemporary and other genres (you could say that I’m an old soul). I would come home from school and practice different songs from artists like Natalie Grant, Brooke Fraser; Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill; Reba, Patsy Cline and Céline Dion. It’s a bit all over the map but, once I moved to Nashville and started working, that’s when my perspective started to shift and even more so in the Pop/Electronic space starting in 2014. I have always been drawn to singers that are super-emotional.

Nashville is where you are from. Is it a great city to get inspired by and find opportunities?

Although I wasn’t born in Nashville, it has truly become my home. The journey of living and working in Nashville has been completely transformative and I can’t overstate how much I’ve learned here and how grateful I am for the community. The city is growing and evolving just as much as the people and it’s been so exciting to have a front row seat to the changes, to watch up and coming artists/producers/writers of all genres succeed and play a role in being creative.

There are so many that I’m completely inspired by and, on the whole, I’ve found the community to be extremely supportive of one-another and openhearted to collaboration!

Do you have a standout memory from your time in music so far?

That’s so tough. I have so many.

But, if I can combine a set of memories, early last year I took a giant leap of faith and spent three months living and working in Berlin, Germany. In that season, my publisher was an arm of Kobalt Music and the Kobalt Berlin team was extremely gracious to pair me with many producers and writers in the local community. I fell so in love with the city, the people and the creative community there.

Everything about that season was so far outside my comfort but it was a pivotal and most refreshing time of creative and personal discovery. And, in that time, the lightbulb went on in so many ways for me and my team and helped us set the course for the artistic direction visually/sonically with all these new releases!

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

Definitely a pretty eclectic mix here but here we go:

Rascal Flatts - Feels Like Today

I confess the song God Bless the Broken Road was the original spark that inspired me to want to be a singer. At eight, I essentially heard the song and saw the music video and somehow determined that singing was something I wanted to do in some form or fashion for the rest of my life. I would come home from school and run down to the basement in our house, turn on the album and practice singing to all the songs for hours. I love the storytelling aspect of Country music and this was my first introduction to the genre. 

Brooke Fraser – Albertine

I don’t even remember who introduced me to this project but I remember buying it when I was twelve (probs my mom buying it; thanks mom!), and it was the first artist I was exposed to that wrote all her own songs. I would listen to the album from top to bottom, over and over again; reading every word in the C.D. lining and enthralled by how beautifully poetic the lyrics were. And, even in my limited understanding of the meaning to most of the songs, I was inspired by the idea of using music as a vehicle to say something meaningful.

Ellie Goulding - Halcyon Days

I have one older brother, Dallas, who’s four-and-a-half years older than me. After he left for college and started working, my mom would always encourage us to not lose touch with each other...but for us to do everything we can to build/strengthen our relationship no matter what direction our lives took. My brother is a true music lover and has such a great ear. He started sending me artists he was discovering and sharing new music became a way we started building a genuine friendship.

I remember this album was one of the first that he shared and I completely fell in love with every single song and even more with the idea that we’d found something to relate to each other. Right around that time, I was also just beginning to explore pop music artistically so this album became a significant reference point. 

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

Great question. There are so many artists I would honestly fall over to support. I feel like I’d probably say someone different in different seasons but a dream would definitely be to support an artist like Clean Bandit. I love their creative approach, infusing global elements and the way they collaborate with other artists. They’re super-inspiring to me and supporting them would be a total slice of heaven.

And, ideally, I’d keep the rider vibe super-low-key but I confess coffee would always be embraced with an open heart (and is very essential to my creative process and overall existence).

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I’m learning so much every day and I’ve barely scratched the surface but maybe the first thing that comes to mind is to embrace the slow and steady process of creative exploration, enduring rejection; doing a deeper search for the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ and seeking true wisdom from those you trust. I learned there are no shortcuts around the process of refinement and, while it can feel excruciatingly slow and painful, growth upon a solid foundation is crucial for longevity. 

I also believe it’s super-important to not allow your heart to be hardened/jaded by disappointment and rejection. Both are part of the process and it will wonders for your level of joy, if you can allow them to build within you character and perseverance and embrace an element of flexibility for your journey to go in maybe a different direction than you thought.

Do you think there are going to any tour dates coming up?

I believe so, yes! We’re planning for an L.P. release show in Nashville sometime mid-May and looking at possibly some potential tour dates in the late May/June realm!

How important is performing? Do you prefer it to life in the studio?

In this season of being an artist, performing is a definitely a newer element to incorporate - but a hugely significant one for me. My manager, Wendy Duffy, and I and our growing team have been spending the last five years really digging into the artist development process and everyone has been so patient and gracious. But now that my project is coming together, I’m so ready to start sharing it in the live setting.

As for preference, I don’t think I have one. I love the creative process. Being able to dig for the best performance in the studio and creating melodies never gets old but then, once it all gets put together, being able to express a song live is totally fulfilling in a different way!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Daniella Mason

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

There are so many incredible artists in the Nashville area that are slaying and super-inspiring. To name just a few: Super Duper, Daniella Mason; Sam Tinnesz, Fleurie; SOLARSUNS, Sarah Reeves; Stela Cole, Brigetta and Jon Santana. 

IN THIS PHOTO: Sarah Reeves

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

I do love music so much, so working is definitely not something I dread. But it is important to step away and refresh! I'm a fervent advocate of a quality dinner party. Haha. Probably one of my favorite things in the whole world is wrapping up the day and just sitting at the kitchen table, or sharing a cup of coffee with my mom or family or friends and having quality/deep conversations about life.

Sometimes, I feel like a granny but I really do love sharing stories; hearing/learning about other people’s lives and just chatting - maybe playing a card game or some antique shopping or something delightful like that. And, if it’s super-low-key (as in, I’m by myself), deep cleaning/re-organizing is an extremely relaxing/satisfying option. 

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).

Human - Daniella Mason

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Follow SVRCINA

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/SvrcinaSongs

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SvrcinaSongs/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/svrcinasongs/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wRt3iJpZDOg73CTUkfv5C?si=_gINyo06QOW3eHxmrSZHfA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2FzKHsiUpqoWWTOT8sT_vQ

TRACK REVIEW: Leah Nobel - This Pain Will Be Useful

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Leah Nobel

This Pain Will Be Useful

9.4/10

The track, This Pain Will Be Useful, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KGZBUOtfM0

ORIGIN:

Nashville, U.S.A.

GENRE:

Folk

The album, Running in Borrowed Shoes, is available via: https://open.spotify.com/album/5Nc565BIGtWxkjs2nUCr3M?si=9NbfOXvmTSCFARe1RyAPZg

RELEASE DATE:

8th February, 2019

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MAYBE it is a bit mistimed on my part...

but I am heading to Nashville twice within the same weekend! Whilst I cannot cover the same ground I did with Country artist Maren Morris, I can provide a new spin regarding Leah Nobel. I wanted to talk about the city in general and its variation; bending styles and how her new music is among the most interesting about; concepts for albums and why hers is especially arresting; artists who progress and build from small foundations; diverse talent who can step into different realms and make it work – I will end by seeing where Nobel might head this year. It is rare I get to talk about Nashville so it is not too bad I am back there again. It is a part of the world that is producing some incredible music and we associate it heavily with Country. Whereas Detroit used to be the centre of American music once upon a time I think, more and more, Nashville is shaping up to take its crown. New York and Los Angeles are huge but I think there is something special happening in Nashville. There is a lot of great Country music there but, as with Leah Nobel, there are Folk blends to be found. I have never been to the city – as I explained yesterday – but I am attracted by the richness of the music there and the quality coming through. I always love discovering fresh sounds and Nashville is a lot broader than one would think. Many of its Country artists splice genres together – Nobel is someone who is keen to experiment and not stand still. What strikes me about Nashville is the sense of togetherness and community in Nashville. I associate bigger areas like New York with a certain facelessness and lack of spirit. There are small communities that work together but I see (New York) as daunting and a little disconnected. Is it easy for an artist there to find like-minded people and a group that will support them? Maybe so but it seems like Nashville is a lot more stocked with a warm bunch of people who will support musicians.

I think environment and background can really influence music and dictate what an artist sounds like. If you live in a very busy and packed place then you are going to feel that strain and stress. Maybe the music might have a bit of light but I tend to find there is a correlation between the nature of your backdrop and what you will produce. Nashville is a busy city but there is a lot of beauty and space to be discovered. I do think there is more attention given to New York and Los Angeles and we often overlook Nashville. It is a wonderful climate for music and, as we can hear with Leah Nobel, you cannot define Nashville by a single sound. I will move onto a new subject soon but I wanted to recommend people check out Nashville and the music coming from there at the moment. I do think there is a case to be made for Nashville becoming the centre of American music. I feel the Country music scene is growing and there is this raft of great artists who are mixing genres together and standing out from their peers. In years to come, I envisage the city will continue to recruit musicians and more people will move there. Nashville has some great venues already but more will come through and the most popular there already will survive and grow. I feel Country music needs to address its gender inequality but there are some powerful female artists striking hard. Leah Nobel is someone to keep an eye out for and follow. She has adopted a lot of the elements of Nashville but brings her own shades and personality to the music. I feel she can make a real impact on the city and inspire a new generation coming through. It is exciting discovering these keen artists that have a fresh and wonderful sound at their disposal. It is the way Nobel bends sounds together that thrills me the most.

I will talk about her album, Running in Borrowed Shoes, in a bit but, right now, I wanted to talk about her music and what it contains. There are Folk tinges and suggestions but it is hard to define her in terms of a single genre. Her distinct voice shines through and does not change that much but the music around her changes up and adapts. This is a great balance because we get a singularity but this altering climate. Nobel can put together Folk and Pop together with little bits of Country. It is a heady brew and blend that definitely stays with you. I love all the different elements of the music and how rich it is. This is, as I will explain, apt because Nobel is telling different stories and inhabiting different personas. What amazes me is how accomplished and natural everything sounds. There are too many artists who produce the same thing and they tend to repeat themselves all of the time. Those that offer us something more varied and interesting definitely stand out. Nobel has always worked this way but her latest album is her most expansive and interesting work yet. I love how the instrumentation is not second to the voice. There is a great balance between the voice and composition and one experiences something filmic and gripping in each song. I feel artists do tend to hone their sound too much and you listen to albums and often feel uninvolved. Maybe the songs are too similar and that creates a weariness and predictability. Going forward, I feel Nobel will keep on pressing and bringing new sounds into what she does. I am a fan of the way she works and, in a busy sea of female songwriters, her voice and talent is essential. Is it easy to blend sounds together and make things work? Can it be a risk if you are quite ambitious and varied?

There is something said to being safer and not throwing too much into the mix. I have seen artists who have taken things too far or lost focus. If you do that then it can be hard to come back. Similarly, there are dangers regarding having too narrow a sound and that can create its own problems. I think ambition is great in music but it needs to be teamed with focus and a sense of balance. Nobel manages to put her heart and soul into everything she does but the songs never seem too cluttered or random. Everything has that personality and Nobel sound but there are so many colours and contours that take you by surprise. I mentioned how Nashville is known for its Country music but there is a mentality in the city that wants artists to push things forward and be who they are. Maybe Berlin is the only other city that comes to mind when it comes to that approach. Maybe the German country is bolder regarding sound but both Berlin and Nashville cater to the open-minded and provide music of all different tastes and angles. I do think artists such as Leah Nobel will help bring more people to Nashville and urge new artists to be ambitious with their music. Running in Borrowed Shoes has to be eclectic but it would have been easy for Nobel to lose herself or fail. It is a big and impressive album but she holds everything together wonderfully. Many might be new to genres like Folk and be unsure whether to investigate Leah Nobel. I would say she is one of the more accessible artists and provides these songs that take in so much and appeal to everyone. It is her warm voice and distinct lyrical style that elevates the tones and compositions to dizzying heights. There are not that many artists who have the same skillset as her so, for that reason, I urge people to have a listen and explore her new record fully.

There is something wonderful about Running in Borrowed Shoes. One looks at the title and assumes it relates to a sense of empathy and having to identify with someone else. Rather than walking a mile in someone’s shoes, Nobel has conducted over one-hundred interviews and brought them to her music. I think this is a really great idea. The idea of a ‘concept’ album can make people shudder and recoil but, in many cases, the concept is quite loose or very interesting. I agree concept albums can be a nightmare but Nobel’s endeavour relates to real human beings and their stories. Nobody can object to that and we get these wonderful songs that are more real than anything out there. I do feel a lot of songwriters write about themselves a lot and that can actually drive people away. You tend to find the material is rather focused on love and heartbreak. Not only is this quite depressive but you never get a true sense of who an artist is. A life is about more than relationships and getting your heart broken. We get a fraction of a life represented in music; a side that is very deep and quite revealing. Maybe many feel talking about their upbringing or a specific event is quite limiting and tough but there is not enough variety and challenge in music. I want to listen to a young Pop artist who is tackling something unique or talking about a specific time in their life. Right now, we have this scene that is saturated with the same sort of sounds and themes. I am getting tired hearing the same songs that discuss love or cheating. It is meant to relate to a young demographic but, again, teens are not all about love and relations. They have rich lives and their stories are not being told right now. Leah Nobel’s album subjects might be a bit older, in general, than teenagers but she has drawn tales from all walks of life.

What Running in Borrowed Shoes does is act like this empathetic and open interview series that is translated into music. The singing is from Nobel but she manages to transform these tales into something that is her own. It is hard to turn personal stories into something that resonates musically but she has managed to do it. I do love the range of people she talked to and what come through. It is for that reason you cannot only listen to the one song and leave it at that. I wanted to look at This Pain Will Be Useful as there is a video out and it seems quite fresh. There are ten interesting stories on the album and every one of them has its own gravity and appeal. You might think an album that deals with human experiences and different people might seem to be a bit depressive or lack any sense of connection. Maybe it is hard to empathise with people you do not know and it might be challenging to understand their plight. It is strange to hear an album that is not about the songwriter’s own life but I think this approach will lead others to do something new. I will move on in a bit but I think Leah Nobel has created something that is inspiring and fascinating. These people we do not know get their tales heard and, given the fact she conducted so many interviews, one wonders whether another edition will come out. How often do real and normal people get their voices heard in modern music? There is so much attention around what music should be and how songwriters should compose. The mainstream might still be geared towards the commercial side of things – the same songs that address love and heartache – but there is room for manoeuvre on the outskirts. Leah Nobel is on an upward arc right now but, looking back, she started on modest foundations.

She is signed to Big Yellow Dog Music now but, looking back, she was raised in Arizona. Growing up in Phoenix, she would play open mic nights and acoustic shows in colleges. It seems extraordinary she has grown from this ambitious and keen songwriter to someone who is turning heads in Nashville. Every artist has to start with a slightly less-exciting life and career but Nobel has taken some big steps in a few years. I guess all of those open mic nights and smaller gigs helped when it came to songwriting and her career. You can hear the confidence in her material and, as a live performer, she has grown a lot. She is one of the most striking performers around and her written material and live sets blend. You can tell she picks up a lot from the road and sprinkles it into her songs. Since 2016, Nobel has come a long way. She had a diverse year in 2016. She created an Alt-Pop alter ego, HAEL, as a way to experiment with a beat-centric sound. That persona was featured in adverts and she had numerous T.V. placements – including Grey’s Anatomy. It was around the same time she began working on Running in Borrowed Shoes. I do like the fact Nobel was balancing this more Pop-themed act that was being heard in adverts and T.V. shows and working on an album that was very different. She has always been very busy but I do prefer the sound and flavour we get with the album. I do like Pop music but I think Running in Borrowed Shoes is a more interesting and promising project and one that will captivate so many people. Maybe she will be the first to admit she has achieved an awful lot since the earliest days. Not many artists take such a leap and create so much success for themselves. That is because Leah Nobel is one of those people that takes music by the horns and does not rest.

She is always looking to be different and create something that is unlike anything around. Maybe this is Nashville and the way it urges its artists to be more interesting but it is a blend of her upbringing, her morals and the sounds of Nashville. There are a lot of great female artists around that are not getting the credit they deserve. I am not sure whether Nobel has faced the same issue as Country singers on the radio there: being overlooked in favour of men and seen as a less appealing option. There are issues that need to be corrected but, in general, Nashville has this spirit and flair that inspires musicians to be better and reach further. From the bright-eyed singer from Arizona to the on-the-cusp-of-the-mainstream star right now, it has been a productive and fascinating last few years. I do wonder where she will head from here and what will come next – I shall cover that in the conclusion. I wanted to review Leah Nobel because it affords me the chance to step away from London but also look at an album that takes the listener somewhere special. I like this approach where a songwriter can talk to others and interview them; bring these stories into the music and create something available to all. You do wonder what happened to the people we hear about and what the actual interviews were like. I would be interested to know whether Nobel kept the recordings and they are available to hear. It is fascinating wondering how these conversations went down and why they inspired music. I have not had the time to review the entire album – as I do not review albums – but I have selected one of the ten tracks; the one I liked the most and is a great starting point. Make sure you investigate all the tracks and take the time to digest everything being delivered. Running in Borrowed Shoes is a rich and rewarding album that is very different to anything around. You will be hooked after one listen and it makes me wonder whether there are more stories as-yet-untold from Leah Nobel.

The opening notes of This Pain Will Be Useful are stern acoustic guitar strums that seem to represent a sense of hurt and urgency. Certainly, one feels this tangible force and drive that might be a lost memory or a current pain. I saw the song title and was instantly drawn to ideas around illness and a definite ache. Nobel has said how this pain can be useful; how a seed can grow from a dying tree and blossom into something. We do not hear who the character is – in terms of the inspiration – but it seems like there is tis rather inspiring message. The pain might be emotional or physical but there is never this sense that things are lost and it is useless. Instead, Nobel sings about pain being something constructive that can lead to be better things. We hear of the subject/Nobel liking a song in their lungs and you start to picture this distinct scene. I feel like we are hearing about a woman and someone who might be slightly older. Maybe I am off the mark but that is the sense I got listening to the lyrics. This Pain Will Be Useful keeps a steady pace in terms of the composition and vocal but that means it is easier to capture everything and understand what is being said. That striking guitar sound keeps a certain physicality and heart alive whilst Nobel sings in a very passionate yet soft way. I do wonder who inspired the song and whether their pain was a serious one or something they could recover from. In any case, the message is one of hope and not being defeated by something dark. It seems, whoever we are hearing about, they have been written off and not given a fair chance. They are defiant and determined to make something of themselves. They will rise and take something from that doubt and cynicism. The way Nobel sings it gives the story this very stirring yet compelling tone. She sounds completely committed to the song and like she is singing about herself.

Maybe things have been bad in the past but there is this renewed spirit and direction. Nobel lets her voice swoon and fly and you get a lovely sense of classic singers and a past era. The fact there is little compositional intrusion allows the vocal to shine and tell the story. I do like the pace of the song and the sense of swoon and sway. It gets into the blood and mind and relaxes you. It makes me wonder which person compelled thing song and where they are now. It is clear they have had to tackle a lack of respect and faith and have been maligned. Now, for some reason, there is a sense of inspiration and this new lease of life. This Pain Will Be Useful is a song that will resonate with many people and seem familiar. Many people will have gone through the same experiences and been written off. Instead of letting that pressure get to them, they would have taken a stride and proved people wrong. I get the impression of this older person who has struggled a lot but, at this later stage, managed to make something of themselves. The idea of pain being edifying and useful is one that is not offered explored through song. In terms of tone, there is a little bit of First Aid Kit and Lana Del Rey fused together: a dreaminess and softer voice that has so much grace and allure. We hear about bird singing and brighter skies coming through. I am not sure what has compelled this transformation and betterment but Nobel delivers her words with such conviction, it is almost like she is talking about herself. Nobel sings of songs being sung in cars and parking lots; men making house and all sorts of things. You project these images and scenes and, as I said, there is this cinematic aspect. By the end of the song, you do wonder who this is about and what became of them. I know Leah Nobel has explained some of the songs on Running in Borrowed Shoes and it would be good to know who the subject of This Pain Will Be Useful is. I had to listen back and get another perspective. On the second listen, I was focusing on certain words and trying to piece things together. It is hard to get a clear view of who the person in the song is but Leah Nobel inhabits it herself and makes us curious. Songs that make you dig deeper and wonder about their origins should be celebrated as it is very rare in the modern time. The album is full of these wonderful and interesting songs that all come from interviews and personal tales. I think a lot of modern artists should take this approach to creativity and actually go out and chat with different people. Leah Nobel has shown how deep and intriguing the finished results can be.

Knowing that she conducted so many interviews and met myriad people suggests there might be more to come from her in regards personal stories. Running in Borrowed Shoes is terrific and the fact there is just ten tracks means it is quite tight and focused. You get different blends and angles from each song and a chance to connect with real people – even if we do not know them personally. There has been a lot of love for the album and so many people have related to it. I feel you can only get so much from a record that talks of love and the perspective of a songwriter. It all starts to blend together and is not that different to anything else. Modern music is in danger of becoming this mass of similar-sounding songs that offer nothing new. I love the fact Leah Nobel has done something new and spent time collating interviews with people. It was a time-consuming project and one that would have involved a lot of passion and commitment. I think that is what puts off a lot of artists: the fact they might have to spend time working on something and it would not be instant. I like musicians who can take a different approach and know there is more to music than relationships and personal woes. By turning the lens outwards and bringing other people to the music, Nobel has crafted something that has this unique D.N.A. In years to come, when the subjects are not around, their stories will be preserved for generations to come. That must be rewarding and should inspire other songwriters to do something similar. I wonder whether Leah Nobel is touring soon and will bring these songs to the U.K. It might be expensive to come over here but I am sure there are loads of people who want to hear the songs live and find out more about her. She is a popular artist in the U.S. and I know there is huge demand there. This is good to know and I like the fact that this very special artist has produced something wonderfully original and interesting. Let’s hope this rubs off on other artists and they take guidance from Leah Nobel and...

TAKE the breath away.

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Follow Leah Nobel

Official:

https://www.leahnobel.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LeahNobel

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/leahnobelmusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5WHKBKrvTBMPoQX3v3Bq8J?si=xaPF-XtxSfudVY9Jv9FHGw

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/leahNator21

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/leahnobel/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/leahnobelmusic

PHOTOS:

Kelsey Cherry Photography

FEATURE: De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising at Thirty: Why Its Anniversary on 3rd March Will Be a Bittersweet Thing

FEATURE:

 

 

De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising at Thirty

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Why Its Anniversary on 3rd March Will Be a Bittersweet Thing

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MAYBE I am getting a bit ahead of myself...

 IN THIS PHOTO: De La Soul/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

but there is only eight days until we get to mark De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising’s thirtieth anniversary. I think this year is a big one because we get to celebrate albums like 3 Feet High and Rising: those that came along and made such an impact upon release. I wanted to focus on the album because I remember it when I was a child. I was only five at the time of its introduction but I was amazed by the sheer energy and inventiveness through the album. It is played like a concept album built around a fictional game-show that rolls through the album. There are skits and interjections that take you by surprise; shorter numbers and slightly longer ones. The standout song, The Magic Number, is an instant classic and has a chorus that lodges in the head right away. There are twenty-four songs on the album and it does act like this sort of narrative. There is the general theme of a game-show and this great blend of humour and great rhymes. The album was the introduction from De La Soul and stunned critics. In 1989, Hip-Hop was still defined by a sense of anger and protest. Black Americans were being overlooked and pushed aside and Hip-Hop groups were keen to address this through music. Albums like It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Public Enemy, 1988) and N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton (1988) were fuelled by anger and the need for change.

1988’s Hip-Hop best was defined by artists addressing subjects such as police corruption and social injustice but, rather than being heavy-handed, the music was sophisticated and detailed. There was this central heat and passion but the compositions themselves were being elevated by an array of samples. It is hard to think of any other genre aside from Hip-Hop (Rap) that uses samples in such a way. A few Pop albums have and Electronic acts like DJ Shadow have done it but, when it comes to sampling and opening the vinyl crate, Hip-Hop has always led the charge. We get to mark Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique later in the year – another album overloaded with samples and incredible sounds. De La Soul were not to be outdone when it came to sonic ambition and, when 3 Feet High and Rising came out, people were picking out the samples – there were around two-hundred on the record. The reason (or one of them) why De La Soul’s debut resonated was because of the tones and attitude. Against the grain of a more aggressive and charged style of Hip-Hop, De La Soul arrived with this ‘Daisy Age’ sound that looked for peace, humour and a sense of mischief. Many Hip-Hop faithful attacked De La Soul and felt they betrayed the core.

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

One of the reasons why the thirtieth anniversary of 3 Feet High and Rising should be marked is because of its style and approach. De La Soul could have followed their peers and produced a work that sounded like Straight Outta Compton or Eric B. & Rakim’s Paid in Full (1987). How many Hip-Hop records today have the same wonder and energy as De La Soul’s debut?! It is a masterpiece of texture, quality and ambition. Skits talked about funny smells (A Little Bit of Soap), sex (De La Orgee) and Potholes in My Lawn. Even if the band did face attacks and protest when they embarked on a national tour, the critical reception was warmer and less judgmental. Contemporaries were kind but retrospective acclaim has been just as warm. AllMusic assessed the album in these terms:

“...Thinly disguised under a layer of humor, their lyrical themes ranged from true love ("Eye Know") to the destructive power of drugs ("Say No Go") to Daisy Age philosophy ("Tread Water") to sex ("Buddy"). Prince Paul (from Stetsasonic) and DJ Pasemaster Mase led the way on the production end, with dozens of samples from all sorts of left-field artists -- including Johnny Cash, the Mad Lads, Steely Dan, Public Enemy, Hall & Oates, and the Turtles. The pair didn't just use those samples as hooks or drumbreaks -- like most hip-hop producers had in the past -- but as split-second fills and in-jokes that made some tracks sound more like DJ records. Even "Potholes on My Lawn," which samples a mouth harp and yodeling (for the chorus, no less), became a big R&B hit. If it was easy to believe the revolution was here from listening to the rapping and production on Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, with De La Soul the Daisy Age seemed to promise a new era of positivity in hip-hop”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: De La Soul circa 1990/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

The sheer genius and originality of De La Soul’s 1989 breakthrough should be given a lot of love as it turns thirty. It should act as a guidance to new artists who want to break away from familiar and tired sounds and embrace a much more experimental and colourful palette. One of the reasons why I think there is a slightly sad reason we mark thirty years of 3 Feet High and Rising is the samples used throughout. A great Pitchfork piece examined the album last year and spoke about De La Soul’s minds being opened to samples:

“What they all heard in it was an unprecedented assemblage of sound. Four years before, Marley Marl had accidentally unlocked the power of the sampler—a technology that allowed time to be captured and manipulated. The sampler vaulted hip-hop out of its inferiority complex. Now it too could meet the sonic ambitions of rock, funk, jazz, and soul. Like their peers, Prince Paul and De La Soul set about using it to build a world.

Along with their Native Tongues peers, they were as generative as sunshine, spawning fertile new scenes around the world, including LA’s True School, the Bay Area’s indie underground, Atlanta’s Dungeon Family, Detroit’s network of Dilla and his acolytes, and subsequent generations of self-identified indie rappers, including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Common. More broadly, 3 Feet High and Rising helped secure a new alignment of hardcore street heads with an emerging global audience of fans, the foundation of the soon-to-be-named “hip-hop nation.” Thirty years later, it remains one most influential records of the storied class of 1988-89”.

There are videos and articles dedicated to the samples used on the album’s tracks. It is mind-blowing seeing all these wonderful and disparate sounds being mixed together to create something genuinely fresh and unique. I feel Hip-Hop records of the mid/late-1980s were so revered and acclaimed is because of the way they mixed samples in. I am not saying the albums would lack popularity were it not for the samples but it was a big consideration. Although there are multiple reasons why 3 Feet High and Rising is such a treasure and wonderful work but it also sounds like a relic of the past. De La Soul found themselves in legal trouble as they had not cleared all the samples used on the album – a reason why one cannot find 3 Feet High and Rising on Spotify is because of contract stipulations and a fear of legal reprisals. I have written about sampling in music a few times but I feel we can never return to that golden age of Hip-Hop (1986-1991-ish) where artists could create these musical conversations. Look at all the greatest Hip-Hop albums and you can detect these great snatches and samples adding to the songs. If De La Soul struggled to get clearance back in 1989 and were in trouble for not checking everything off, today there would be this impossible mountain to climb! I love 3 Feet High and Rising because it is stuffed with so many unconnected sounds that, when in the same song, sound right and wonderful.

 IN THIS PHOTO: De La Soul on Long Island in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Janette Beckman

I do feel we could make an album like this today but the rules regarding copyright and samples is so tough and uncompromising. If you use samples in music then you are able to have artists conversing and mixing together. New listeners will be intrigued and seek out the original records. At a time when playlists on Spotify dominate and the market is primed at the new and cool, how easy is it for young listeners to discover older sound and riffle through vinyl boxes?! Records like 3 Feet High and Rising introduced me to songs/artists I had never heard before and I was blown away by the notion a single song could be so packed and layered. The Pitchfork article talks about today’s sampling morals:

“Today’s debate over sampling is mostly mind-numbingly narrow, shaped largely by big-money concerns that are ahistorical, anti-cultural, and anti-creative. The current regime rewards the least creative class—lawyers and capitalists—while destroying cultural practices of passing on. Post-hip-hop intellectual property law rests on racialized ideas of originality, and preserves the vampire profits of publishing outfits like Bridgeport Music, that sue sampling producers while preventing artists like George Clinton from sharing their music with next-generation musicians, and large corporations like Warner Brothers that continue to disenfranchise Black genius.

By contrast, the processes of sampling and layering on 3 Feet High and Rising and other hip-hop classics of that era demonstrate the opposite: expansively, giddily democratic—Delacratic, even—values”.

It is clear politicians steal speeches from others and there is a lot of recycling. Why does music have to be so strict and relentless strict when celebrities and politicians can get away with a lack of originality?! There has always been a culture in music of passing down sounds through the ages. A lot of Rock artists of the 1970s – such as Led Zeppelin – took from the Blues and brought them to new generations. Today, we have Pop artists revisiting the 1980s and 1990s and, throughout time, you can hear this family tree being unfurled and blossoming. Musicians can mimic older sounds and genres but things are much trickier when it comes to using original music – getting permission to use another artist’s work. Maybe it was the fact The Turtles sued De La Soul after 3 Feet High and Rising was released – they used four bars of their song, You Showed Me – that led to tougher restrictions and accessibility. I feel it would be near-impossible for a Hip-Hop group or artist to make their own version of 3 Feet High and Rising. De La Soul wanted to challenge people and open their minds; they wanted to create something astonishing and take Hip-Hop in a new direction. Today, one would struggle to get a vinyl copy of the album – it is available expensively but not common your high-street record shops – and you will not get it on Spotify. It is a shame we have this dazzling record that changed Hip-Hop and, if you want to emulate it, it wouldn’t be possible.

Music should be aware of people using samples without permission but we have got to a stage when it is so expensive and hard to use a sample many people are not bothering to even try. Against all the sadness and regret of the past thirty years, we must take away the positives from De La Soul’s debut album. It was a change of direction for Hip-Hop and De La Soul would face violence and offence when they took their music on the road. Critics knew something special had been created and, thirty years later, no other act has produced a debut as staggering and accomplished as 3 Feet High and Rising. I think we should all mark its anniversary and radio stations should play these incredible songs. The fact we cannot get it on streaming sites and it is hard to buy the vinyl should not deter investigation and curiosity. De La Soul changed the Hip-Hop world and brought a rare vein of positivity through. A madcap-yet-hugely-controlled album created comedy and skits; it brought so many different samples together and blew away listeners in 1989. I do hope that, before too long, the music industry looks at the way samples are protected and makes it easier for artists to get permission. If we can see another album like 3 Feet High and Rising arrive then who knows where...

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

MUSIC can head.

FEATURE: A Lone Voice? Why Are Men in Music Not Following The 1975’s Matty Healy in Speaking Out Against Gender Inequality and Misogyny?

FEATURE:

 

 

A Lone Voice?

IN THIS PHOTO: The 1975’s Matty Healy photographed by Louise Haywood-Schiefer  in 2016 for The Big Issue 

Why Are Men in Music Not Following The 1975’s Matty Healy in Speaking Out Against Gender Inequality and Misogyny?

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IT is hard to believe that we are in 2019...

and the conversation regarding women in music has not shifted much. This year’s BRIT Awards was not really as controversial as past events. Where were all the drunken antics and cool speeches? Instead, probably artists fearing their popularity and status, they are a lot safer and more mannered when it comes to their acceptance speeches. I was hoping for something a bit intense and memorable but, alas, that was not to be! There were some good live performances and unexpected winners – who the hell is Tom Walker?! – but the speeches were pretty boring. That all changed when The 1975’s Matty Healy took to the stage. The band won awards on the night but you feel it was more important for Healy to have his say and deliver something important. Rolling Stone reported what occurred:

“The 1975 scored two 2019 Brit Awards, British Group and the highest honor of Album of the Year for A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, on Wednesday. Singer Matty Healy said they were “humbled” when winning the latter, but it was during their acceptance speech for British Group where he addressed a current music hot topic in the wake of the Ryan Adams sexual misconduct allegations.

After giving thanks for the award, he quoted The Guardian‘s Laura Snapes, who wrote a riveting essay that addressed pervasive misogyny in the music industry. “I just want you to listen to me for one sec. Just a couple of sentences that a friend of ours, Laura Snapes said this, and I thought that we should all really, really think about it,” Healy said before quoting Snapes as she described her written response after a misogynistic remark was made about her by Mark Kozelek. “She said that in music, male misogynists acts are examined for nuance and defended as traits of difficult artists. Whilst women and those that call them out are treated as hysterics who don’t understand art”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Matty Healy captured by GQ in 2015/PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Martin

On Friday, Laura Snapes of The Guardian published an article that was a transcript of her, Matt Healy; D.J. Matt Wilkinson and Christine and the Queens talking about misogyny and sexism in the industry. It is well worth reading the whole article but, in the discussion, Healy was asked about the speech and why he took to the BRITs stage to say what he said:

“Matty Healy: [Wednesday] morning I’d read it. It was such an amazing piece. So then, I suppose I was like, what do I say? I’m not doing anything like that to be a woke king, or to earn brownie points, it’s just that it was the best thing that I’d read. It didn’t read to me as an opinion, it read to me as a truth. It was all I was thinking about that day, so I just thought that everybody else should think about it. Laura had said it better than I think I ever could, and I think it’s important that we hear a woman’s voice over a man’s voice. It felt like the right thing to do. So thank you so much for the words”.

It is clear Snapes’ original essay/article made an impression on Matty Healy and one hopes the conversation continues. It is interesting the discussion happened and allowed Laura Snapes and Matty Healy to be in the same room since the BRIT Awards. There was a lot of interesting points raised and Christine and the Queens’ Héloïse Letissier discussed her experiences and how there needs to be changes.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Journalist Laura Snapes has shared her experiences of misogyny and wrote an article about it in 2015 that inspired Matty Healy to speak out at this year’s BRIT Awards/PHOTO CREDIT: Eye Magazine

Look at what has happened over the past few weeks and we can see there is a problem. In regards how women are treated by big stars, we have seen R. Kelly charged with various sexual assaults; Michael Jackson has been tarred in a new documentary, Leaving Neverland, and Ryan Adams has been accused of inappropriate behaviour and sexual misconduct by several women. The music industry has always had a problem with men and how they see themselves. It is a decades-old issue that has not really improved a great deal. Gone are the days of big Rock artists having groupies and showing incredible disrespect to women. Maybe the culture has shifted since the 1960s and 1970s but there is still something rotten in the marrow of music. The recent allegations and high-profile incidences of male artists being accused and seen in a different light should give everyone pause for thought. Laura Snapes has said that, whilst there are small improvements coming through – festivals pledging a gender-balance by 2022 – there is still a hell of a long way to go. There is no guarantee festivals will book more women to headline and one need only look in studios and boardrooms and the gender balance has not really changed. Most of the big bosses in music are men and this means decisions regarding gender equality are not really being made. I do wonder, in terms of inequality, there has been a shift. Maybe certain corners have become more equal but, in the larger sense, I think there is a huge gap.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @melanie_sophie/Unsplash

Not only is there huge gender inequality still but one needs to look at how female artists are viewed and why male artists are allowed to slide. I think one of Laura Snapes’ points was that men in power can go off the rails and act however they want and women are seen as divas. It seems there is this acceptance of men being crudely and arrogantly and being seen as gods and icons. Women who have worked tirelessly and created countless brilliant moments are not being given the same respect and seen as special. Think about all the fantastic female artists through time and how they are paired against the male icons. Do we hear anyone talk as passionately about Joni Mitchell as we do, say, someone like Liam Gallagher?! That was a random comparison but the former is one of the greatest songwriters ever and does not get the same sort of praise as Gallagher – someone who has caused controversy and been excused a lot during his career. There are endless examples of great female artists seen as minor and meagre and the men boosted, idolised and seen as legends. It takes me back to the root of the Matty Healy speech and this piece: the 2015 article from Laura Snapes where she shared a shocking experience:

“You think you’re the only person who wants to get a face-to-face interview with me? Get in line. I’m the best person you never met and one day, if you ever meet me, you’ll probably want to have my baby.”

IN THIS PHOTO: Mark Kozelek/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

That’s Mark Kozelek, via email, which is the way he chooses to conduct his interviews (“So I don’t get quoted with words like ‘dunno’,” he told Uncut last year, explaining his refusal to meet interviewers in person). He was – via his PR – replying to my questions about Universal Themes, his new album under the name Sun Kil Moon. Three weeks ago, I had tried to arrange a face-to-face meeting for this piece. As expected, the answer was a polite no: “He’s too scattered and distracted on tour to conduct an in-person interview and he will have to pass, but he said to tell you thank you for asking.”

Last Monday (1 June), Sun Kil Moon played at the Barbican in London. During the encore, Kozelek introduced a snippet of a new song he had apparently been writing. I wasn’t there, but a friend/colleague was, and phoned me after the gig. I’ve since heard the audio and it made me feel sick. “There’s this girl named Laura Snapes, she’s a journalist. She’s out to do a story on me, has been contacting a lot of people that know me,” he told the sold-out, 1,900-capacity room. Then he started repeating the line: “Laura Snapes totally wants to fuck me / get in line, bitch … Laura Snapes totally wants to have my babies.” The audience clapped and cheered. He played another song, then said he’d only been kidding around before: I was “cute”, “sweet”, “a good kid”. “She’s written some nice things about me.” Then he sang it a few more times before chiding himself. “Better stop before I make Pitchfork headlines for myself again”.

 

You can do your own research around misogyny in the music industry and there will be a lot of case studies, interviews and examples of women being abused, discriminated against or treated the same way as Laura Snapes was. It is hard to say just how deep the problem goes and how many women have not yet shared their experiences. The reason Matty Healy was commended was the fact very few men in the music industry are speaking out and raising awareness. Men should not be patted on the backs and congratulated for highlighting what is happening: their motives should be pure and honest: to ensure there is a conversation and a change occurs. Some might say it has taken a long time for anyone to come to the stage and make a big step but the fact that it has happened makes me wonder whether this will be the end. The more cases of misogyny and discrimination we see in the industry, the more it makes me wonder whether women are fighting on their own. Maybe male artists and figures feel they need to have experienced misogyny to understand what is happening and make a genuine case. One does not need to have gone through anything awful to know how bad things are in music and we do need to take some action. Snapes penned her story but she knows there is something rotten happening in music.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @ricardomancia_/Unsplash

It would be disingenuous if artists spoke out because they had seen the lead of The 1975 call out men and ask for change. It would be good to hear more voices emerging but it needs to happen for the right reasons. It is all well and good wanting to support Healy and the women who have had to face such horror from men in music but there needs to be a very real and substantial improvement. I wonder why other men at the BRIT Awards did not make reference to what has been happening lately regarding artists such as R. Kelly and Ryan Adams; the general sense of unease and the fact women are not as respect and regarded as men. The fact was that this year’s BRITs was a case of minor evolution with no real improvement. There were women nominated (and winning) but the majority share still went to the men. If I were an artist on the night, I would have been on the stage and would have called for togetherness and a dialogue to open up. The fact is men are not coming together and speaking about misogyny and sexism in music. Those guilty of overlooking women and, in a sense, asking them to calm down and stay quiet are not talking and being addressed. The lack of male artists speaking about misogyny in music makes me worried a bit. There is not no opportunities arrive and it is very hard to say anything.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @bobby_hendry/Unsplash

There are award ceremonies and interviews; there are songs and multiple avenues where men in music can have their voice heard. I understand there is a slight fear of a record label or fans not getting behind them but that would be ridiculous. If a male artist was to attack a female artist and slag them off in the press then that would be a different matter. It is commendable to spotlight what is going on and how we keep seeing examples of women in music having to suffer. Women who call out misogynists are seen as hysterical and over-reacting but men, when accused, defend themselves as difficult and troubled artists. There is no excuse to ignore women and write them off; there is no reason to defend men and give them an excuse. I think there is this fear (from men) that they do not need to speak out because they are not being attacked and subjected to misogyny. It might be the same as addressing and tackling sexism: men are not subjected to it so why bother speaking out?! There is a lot of apathy and ignorance and Healy’s BRITs speech has, I hope, opened a door and inspired other artists to do something. I am not holding my breath but I would like to see a lot more men taking responsibility and challenging their peers who make the news for the wrong reason.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @jorgeflores/Unsplash

 I am glad Matty Healy took a rare opportunity to broadcast words of inspiration to a big audience – inspired and motivated by the article from Laura Snapes. The longer things go on, the more we are seeing male musicians accused of sexual assault and inappropriateness. They are often defended and their behaviour seen as part of being a complex artist. A lot of the women who accuse them are either not believed or discredited. Women in music are helping to change things but there needs to be a lot more involvement from men. The misogyny I am talking about is confined to a small number of musicians and people in the industry but that does not mean only women should do something about it. There is a long way to go before misogyny is eliminated and there is gender equality. If articles from Laura Snapes, speeches from Matty Healy and cases of popular male artists being shames are not enough for people to be worried and want to do something about things then I am not sure what will! Even is a male musician is not guilty of being a misogynist then that does not mean they should remain silent and passive. This problem is a burden we all have and, the more voices that come together and the louder we shout, the quicker we will see genuine change. At the end of the day, my biggest hope is that, when male artists have a chance to make a speech or are given time to say something, they use the opportunity to say...

IMAGE CREDIT: Independent Women's Forum

SOMETHING important.

FEATURE: The March Prelude: Terrific Albums You Need to Own Next Month

FEATURE:

 

The March Prelude

IN THIS PHOTO: Lucy Rose/PHOTO CREDIT: Harry Wade/Press   

Terrific Albums You Need to Own Next Month

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THIS year has already produced…

IN THIS PHOTO: Dido/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

some sensational albums and, right now, I do not see this rate of excellence slowing down. I am keen to explore what is coming up next month and what is worth owning. Everyone has their own tastes and opinions but I think this assorted list represents the very best from March. Make sure you give them an investigation and, if you have a bit of money aside, shell out on these terrific albums. From some exciting Pop records to something more contemplative and different, there is plenty to choose from! As the weather hots up and the days improve, more and more people will be looking for music to soundtrack their days. I am seeking some pearl albums for March and feel that this rundown should give you…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Gang of Four/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

PLENTY of motivation.  

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images/Spotify/PHOTOS: Getty Images/Artists

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Little Simz – Grey Area

Release Date: 1st March, 2019

Label: AGE 101

Buy: https://www.normanrecords.com/records/174530-little-simz-grey-area

Follow: https://twitter.com/LittleSimz

Choice Tracks: Offence/Selfish/Offence

Standout Cut: Boss

Self Esteem – Compliments Please

Release Date: 1st March, 2019

Label: Fiction

Buy: https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/music/self-esteem-compliments-please

Follow: https://twitter.com/SELFESTEEM___

Review:

“Brewing a concoction of high octane, R&B infused pop, tracks such as "Monster" and "Actors" bring an essence of unrestrained glee in both their compositions and Taylor’s soaring and emotive vocal. That aforementioned love of hip hop - most specifically Kanyé West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and inflections of autotune - is entirely palpable on "In Time", pounding beats reinforcing a chanted mantra of assurance amidst gospel euphoria.

In her first outing as a solo artist, Taylor surmises an important lesson for us all: that of prioritising your own path and growth in spite of others trying to pull you astray. “Only now am I feeling like it's alright to be ambitious or have ideas. It's blowing my mind,” she stated recently. “I was so girly, so submissive. And it's time to just be true. No one's gonna fuck with me now” - The Line of Best Fit

Choice Tracks: The Best/Girl Crush/Wrestling

Standout Cut: Rollout

The Japanese House – Good at Falling

Release Date: 1st March, 2019

Label: Dirty Hit

Buy: https://driftrecords.com/products/the-japanese-house-good-at-falling

Follow: https://twitter.com/Japanesehouse

Review:

““Good At Falling” is an excellent debut – Bain has an ability to create labyrinth melodies with lush dream pop and brooding electronica. She may have gone through a tumultuous journey with the making of this album but the process has strengthened her songwriting talent and the result is an album that draws from Bain’s life more than ever before – its honest, personal, vulnerable and absolutely gorgeous. As Bain stated in a recent interview with DIY magazine: “I guess I hope they feel how I felt when I was writing those songs in some way. I hope that people feel connected, that’s what I hope most. I think that’s as much as I can hope for” – XS Noise

Choice Tracks: Maybe You’re the Reason/Follow My Girl/Worms

Standout Cut: Lilo

Sigrid – Sucker Punch

Release Date: 8th March, 2019

Label: Universal Island Records

Buy: https://store.thisissigrid.com/*/Music/Sucker-Punch-Album-Signed-CD-Cassette-Bundle/60L50LEQ000

Follow: https://twitter.com/thisissigrid

Review:

“When the forecasted demise eventually occurs, you won’t find her bleary-eyed and gorging on pizza. Instead, there’s an optimistic spin on heartache – “Wallowing in it would be such a waste,” she declares through a wry smile on the marvellously upbeat break-up anthem, Don’t Feel Like Crying.

Aside from matters of the heart, Sigrid’s infectious positive attitude is front and centre. Lead single Don’t Kill My Vibe is a biting address that will have you rooting for her from the offset. “You speak to me like a child,” she sings over staggered piano chords before vehemently asserting; “I wanted you to know that you don’t belong here”.

Sucker Punch solidifies Sigrid’s status as today’s most exciting and relatable artist. Her ascent to superstardom seems guaranteed” – The Irish Times

Choice Tracks: Basic/Strangers/Sight of You

Standout Cut: Sucker Punch

Amanda Palmer – There Will Be No Intermission

Release Date: 8th March, 2019

Label: Cooking Vinyl Limited

Buy: https://nointermission.amandapalmer.net/

Follow: https://twitter.com/amandapalmer

Choice Tracks: The Ride/There Will Be No Intermission/Voicemail for Jill

Standout Cut: Drowning in the Sound

Dido – Still on My Mind

Release Date: 8th March, 2019

Label: BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd

Buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Still-My-Mind-Dido/dp/B07K2PC7HG

Follow: https://twitter.com/didoofficial

Choice Tracks: Give You Up/Some Kind of Love/Friends

Standout Cut: Hurricanes

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Gratitude

Release Date: 15th March, 2019

Label: Dirty Hit

Buy: http://www.benjaminfrancisleftwich.com/

Follow: https://twitter.com/BenLeftwich

Choice Tracks: Sometimes/Miracle Sister/The Mess We Make

Standout Cut: Gratitude

Jenny Lewis – On the Line

Release Date: 22nd March, 2019

Label: Warner Bros. Records

Buy: https://shop.jennylewis.com/

Follow: https://twitter.com/jennylewis

Choice Tracks: Heads Gonna Roll/Hollywood Lawn/On the Lawn

Standout Cut: Red Bull & Hennessy

Lucy Rose – No Words Left

Release Date: 22nd March, 2019

Label: Arts & Crafts

Buy: https://www.lucyrosemusic.com/products/no-words-left-cd-signed-2

Follow: https://twitter.com/lucyrosemusic

Choice Tracks: Treat Me Like a Woman/Just a Moment/Save Me From Your Kindness

Standout Cut: Conversation

Billie Eilish – when we fall asleep, where do we go?

Release Date: 29th March, 2019

Labels: Darkroom/Interscope

Buy: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/when-we-all-fall-asleep-where-do-we-go/1450695723

Follow: https://twitter.com/billieeilish

Choice Tracks: bad guy/when the party’s over/bury a friend

Standout Cut: you should see me in a crown

Gang of Four – Happy Now

Release Date: 29th March, 2019

Label: PLEDGEMUSIC

Buy: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/gang-of-four-happy-now

Follow: https://twitter.com/gangof4official

Choice Tracks: Alpha/Ivanka – My Name’s on It/White Lies

Standout Cut: Paper Thin

White Denim – Side Effects

Release Date: 29th March, 2019

Label: City Slang

Buy: https://cityslang.com/releases/white-denim-side-effects

Follow: https://twitter.com/whitedenimmusic

Choice Tracks: NY Money/Out of Doors/So Emotional

Standout Cut: Shanalala

FEATURE: The February Playlist: Vol. 4: Diviner and the Rocket Man

FEATURE:

 

The February Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Hayden Thorpe/PHOTO CREDIT: Phil Sharp 

Vol. 4: Diviner and the Rocket Man

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IT is not often…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush/PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton

I get to assemble a playlist that has new stuff from Hayden Thorpe AND Kate Bush. To be fair, the Kate Bush track is a cover of Elton John’s Rocket Man – its video has been sort of hidden until now. Dido, Dave and Vampire Weekend are in the collection that, as you can see, promises to be pretty eclectic. I am excited to see what sort of sounds are coming through but, until then, you have to admit that this week has been a bit busy! Cat Burns, Robyn and Mike & the Mechanics are also included and there is guaranteed to be something in the playlist to get you moving and involved! Take a good look at the assembled songs and I hope you will find enough to…

IN THIS PHOTO: Cat Burns

PUT a smile on your face.  

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

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Oliver Chanarin

Hayden Thorpe – Diviner

PHOTO CREDIT: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy

Kate Bush – Rocket Man

Dido – Give You Up

Dave – Black

Chromatics – Time Rider

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – The Mess We Make

Cat Burns – Cheater

Robyn – Send to Robyn Immediately

Ellie Goulding – Do You Remember

Weezer – High as a Kite

Stephen Malkmus - Rushing the Acid Frat

P!nk – Walk Me Home

Wallows – Scrawny

Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hall 

IN THIS PHOTO: Perrie of Little Mix

Little Mix (ft. Ty Dolla $ign) - Think About Us 

Maren Morris – The Bones

PHOTO CREDIT: Shayan Asgharnia

Adam Lambert – Feel Something

Circa Waves – Time Won’t Change Me

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Reside

John Mayer – I Guess I Just Feel Like

IN THIS PHOTO: Cadet

Rapman - Letter to Cadet (Cadet Tribute)

Lady Shaynah – Confusion

Marla Saint – Bad Habits

Mike & the Mechanics – Out of the Blue

Tom Walker – Not Giving In

Rob Thomas – One Less Day (Dying Young)

Anna Clendening – Bend & Break

Rhys Lewis – Hold on to Happiness

Blithe – Don’t Blink

Kehlani – Feels

TRACK REVIEW: Maren Morris - The Bones

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Maren Morris

PHOTO CREDIT: Jamie Nelson/Courtesy of Sony Music Nashville

The Bones

9.5/10

The track, The Bones, is available via:

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

ORIGIN:

Nashville, U.S.A.

GENRE:

Country

RELEASE DATE:

22nd February, 2019

The album, Girl, is released on 8th March, 2019. Pre-order here

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THE advantage of doing a review of someone...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @papermagazine

who is pretty well-known is that you have a lot of information to go off of! I will speak about Maren Morris and her music in a bit but, before then, I wanted to address Country music and why we do not hear it so much here; why there is a gender imbalance in the U.S. and how radio is to blame; why Morris is someone who is capable of bringing Country to the masses; how we are all a bit reserved about music and not as adventurous as we should be; bringing a bit more kick and excitement into music – I will end by looking at Maren Morris and how she will develop this year. Many of us tend to avoid Country music because we feel it is quite cheesy and does not hold a lot of weight. Maybe we have the impression of artists like Billy Ray Cyrus and those sorts of acts. Even if you do not like performers such as Dolly Parton, you have to admit that she – and peers like Tammy Wynette – transformed the scene and have made a huge mark. Modern artists are not quite as limited as Country stars of the past. I do not overly-love what came before and feel there was a tendency towards the bleeding heart and twanging guitars. I like Country music that is more energised and optimistic and, as such, you have to tread carefully through the archives. There are, I admit, a lot of cheesy older artists who one might be wise to avoid but today there is a new breed adding something new to Country. I have a lot of respect for the Country legends but I think the genre is more accessible today. Artists such as Maren Morris are splicing together Pop and Country and creating these polished and memorable songs. Look at success stories like Kacey Musgraves – who recently scored big at the Grammys – and we cannot deny Country music today is a different affair. Despite the fact it is popular in the U.S., we do not have the same scene here.

There are Country acts in the U.K. but nothing like you get in America. Whereas U.S. Country fuses genres and is quite ambitious, I tend to find we are more limited here and our brand is not as potent. We think of Country and Nashville, Tennessee comes to mind. It is the Mecca of Country and provides so much history and inspiration. The city is teeming with great venues, players and beautiful visions and, as such, artists feel completely relaxed and influenced there. This supportive network of Country artists means the genre is growing and attracting new musicians by the day. The fact Country is more varied and accessible now is enticing some from Pop and, if anything, showing how much stronger Country is. I feel artists such as Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris are able to create sharper, more nuanced songs that do not rely on processed vocals, the same beats and tired lyrical suggestions. In this country, we are inspired by Country for sure but I could not really name many successful Country artists. We do not have anywhere like Nashville here and it seems rather tragic in comparison. I could not even think what our equivalent would be and we do not have the same venues and labels that can support artists. Our Country scene is more underground and, whilst it has some interesting acts, is nothing like the U.S. I do wonder why and I think we still have this misconception about the genre. Many have impressions of cowboys and line dancing; something really awful and a type of music that is reserved to true fans. Maybe we need to embrace U.S. sounds and encourage more of our new musicians to embrace Country. We do Pop music very well but Country is still pushed to the outskirts. Many claim we have a great Country culture here but I would disagree. I do think we have a long way and need to change opinions regarding the genre. Maren Morris and her peers are showing what can come from Country and how good it can really be.

Although there is some great Country music in the U.S., there is a big problem regarding radio and playing female artists. The problem is that many Country stations do not play female artists back to back as they feel listeners would rebel and complain. The explanation is that male artists are more appealing and popular with the listenership. There have been calls to change this policy and play more female artists on Country stations. Last year, Rolling Stone provided some alarming stats:

“In radio’s top 50 for the week of Oct. 1, as compiled by industry newsletter Country Aircheck, only six songs are from women. Were it not for Maren Morris’ slow-rising “Rich” finally edging up to No. 9, the top 10 would be devoid of female artists entirely. Elsewhere Carly Pearce comes in at No. 13, followed by Sugarland (17), Kelsea Ballerini (28), Danielle Bradbery (a duet with Thomas Rhett at No. 46) and a just-released Carrie Underwood single (47)”.

Morris is one of the artists making up for a shortfall - but consider how musicians such as Kacey Musgraves and Carrie Underwood are succeeding and their tales are not being told. It is alarming seeing how ignorant Country stations are in the U.S. and why they constantly ignore female artists. There is no shortage of talent out there so one wonders why women are being overlooked. In the Rolling Stone article, more information came to light:

“RJ Curtis, longtime board member of Nashville’s Country Radio Broadcasters, counters, “It’s an easy thing to say, that women only want to hear hot-looking guys and not other women, but research people I’ve talked to say there’s no data that supports that.” He agrees that most stations won’t play two female artists in a row, but in his view, the reason is that they’re so scarce, programmers are forced to spread them around. “I know women would hate being referred to as inventory, but we don’t have enough female artist inventory coming down the pipeline, and I don’t think country radio is responsible for that,” Curtis says, defending radio against its bad rap in the ongoing controversy. He estimates that 20% to 25% of the adds at radio in a given week are women performers, “and if you go look at the artist rosters at country labels, it’s very proportionate.”

 PHOTO CREDIT: @papermagazine 

There is this vicious cycle where many labels are not signing women because they feel they will not get played. I feel like radio is the most influential source and is creating this issue. Many listeners prefer male artists and feel like females do not have much to say. Maybe this is born from an age-old sense of discrimination and narrowness. There have been some iconic Country female artists but the story is different today. There is talent to be found, for sure, but they are not being given a platform and a voice. The chart positions, as the article continues, is quite worrying:

But the percentage of women achieving half-decent chart positions is well below 20% — and Curtis faults some programmers for allowing records by female stars to stall out, like Ballerini’s underperforming “I Hate Love Songs,” which he was sure would be a smash. He thinks Morris also merits more play. “Maren had one of the biggest records of the year. Unfortunately, it was on Top 40 [‘The Middle,’ with Zedd and Grey]. Maren has had to struggle getting traction, and other formats are taking our artists. Now you have Kelsea making a [pop] record with the Chainsmokers, and I feel like country radio should take a look at that and go, wait a minute”.

We do need to change things because, as it stands, radio bosses and labels are stubborn and refusing to budge. There is an outcry and call for change but these calls are not being heeded at the moment. I wonder whether it is even possible to break the cycle and appeal to the bosses and D.J.s who continue to play men above women. Even the major success of artists like Maren Morris has not turned the tide. She, along with her great peers, is helping strike a conversation and raise more awareness. It seems the only way we will get change is if artists like Morris continue to grow and, before long, there will be no choice but to feature them more.

The article above mentioned Morris and how she is one of the most successful artists in Country. Her chart success and great music is striking a chord and bringing Country music to more people. In this interview Morris claimed she is not really a Pop star and is more Country. The fact is that Morris is fusing Pop with Country and maybe that is a reason why she is able to resonate and succeed. I am not suggesting the Country scene, at its purest, is for the die-hards and true fans but a lot of the more successful artists of the moment are uniting genres together. I do feel like Maren Morris has this determination and knowledge of the scene. She is savvy and smart; she has duetted with Alicia Keys and knows the business inside out. In fact, when Morris moved to Nashville and started writing songs for others, she got a note sent back – from a label or promoter – saying that the song was uniquely her. It was hard, maybe, for Morris to write for someone else because she had this singular talent and sense of who she was. Morris was listening to the radio and hearing male-focused songs talking about love in a very staid and cliché way. She was going to address love in its reality: concentrating on the ugly moments and the heartaches. Artists such as Taylor Swift moved from Country to mainstream Pop – one feels that might be a reaction to the radio stations not playing many Country women. Morris is comfortable playing Country and, whilst she does inject Pop into the brew, she looks up to her female peers and the icons of the past. She wants to change attitudes and the culture and I feel she can create a genuine revolution.

Think about the scene right now and there are so many interesting Country songs/albums around. I feel the women are producing more interesting and realistic music. Morris is one who likes to talk about love and relationships in a very personal and real way: many of her male peers are not being as honest or seem to following some rather dull rulebook. Not only is Morris’ determination and talent going to help make a difference but she knows the realities of the current scene. When speaking with Laura Snapes of The Guardian in 2017, Morris discussed the male-heavy ratio and how there is this bias:

“Country remains fairly dude-centric. In 2015, “bro country” reached its peak in a critical mass of male artists for whom a hot date entailed fishing and drinking “Bud” with a girl in tiny denim shorts, romancing her in the aisle of a convenience store, then adjourning to the back of his sweet truck. That summer, prominent radio consultant Keith Hill used a bizarre analogy when he advised stations to avoid playing female artists if they wanted to get ratings. Female artists were “just not the lettuce in our salad”, he said. “The lettuce is Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, Keith Urban… The tomatoes of our salad are the females.” Inevitably labelled saladgate, “it threw a brighter spotlight on the fact that there are far more limited spots for women than men on country radio playlists,” says leading country critic Jewly Hight. “There’s only room for one woman artist of each ‘type’.”

It’s a dispiriting revelation, but Morris sees a silver lining. “As a woman in country, you’re sort of this rare diamond,” she mocks. Her boyfriend is also a writer-artist. “He’s starting out, and I think it might be harder for guys now because there’s so many of them. You listen to the radio and there’s 10 dudes and they all sound the same, but when the girl comes on, you probably know who it is because it’s so distinct. There are guy artists that instantly get No 1s because someone heard it on the radio and thought it was a bigger artist because they sound so alike”.

Morris is definitely someone who is bringing excitement and personality into music. I feel Nashville and Country music allows more freedom and sense of expression. So much mainstream Pop is guided by labels and market demand. I do wonder how much flexibility artists have and what they can write about. Listen to the way Maren Morris writes and you know she is doing it for herself. She is a success already so can command a sense of independence and trust. I am excited because, unlike so many modern artists, there is a real pop and memorability to be found in her music. One can listen to a track like The Bones and remember it instantly. Every track has a different skin but they are sound distinctly like Maren Morris. I think Pop has a real problem right now regarding its appeal and longevity. How many mainstream Pop songs stand in the mind and sound as good as they did in years past? I do not think there is the sense of ambition and originality there once was and many people are embracing other genres. One of the big problems is a rather processed and downbeat feel to Pop. Morris does write about love in a very earnest way and takes her voice down low but there is this sense of naturalness. She never sound overly-processed and can always bring something positive and exciting to the fold! I do hope Country stations understand that artists like Maren Morris are not going anywhere and they represent the future. Maybe Morris will move more into Pop territory in years to come but I think, right now, she is providing a huge voice to female artists here. Nashville is in her soul and a tattoo she is unwilling to move. She embraces her surroundings and has a definite goal for the future. If you have not heard Morris – and are a bit wary about Country music – then I would encourage you to seek her out and chart her rise.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Alec Kugler

Whether you spell the album Girl in upper-case or not (some do, some do not), there is no debating the sense of boldness and exclamation you can hear throughout. Morris has said how this album is lighter and less angry than her debut. Maybe she was working through transition and relationship pains then but, now, she is embracing something more hopeful. Despite there being a lot of excitement on her album, I wanted to focus on a song that starts off a bit calmer and more emotional. The heroine talks about being in the “home stretch” of a bad run and she can see the end. The song starts with a delicate fleck of electric guitar; a riparian trickle that beckons images of home, the calm scenery and something quite tender. Morris delivers her words with syncopation and takes breaths between each line. She portrays a sense of passion and emotion that makes the song sound instantly real and pure. The chorus is undeniably the work of a modern Country artist like Morris. Maybe not as electric as something from Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour; The Bones’ chorus has that hook, kick and instantly sense of memorability. If the bones are good then nothing else matters. Things can go wrong – including, as she sings, “the glass could shatter” – but it does not matter. There is this motif as the heart being a home. Morris sings about the paint peeling and glass breaking. So long as the ‘bones’ – maybe the structure or foundations – are strong then she can withstand anything. One gets the impression these images reflect hard times and outside forces – the paint peeling maybe acting as a metaphor for there being arguments and harder nights. Morris sings with such passion and skill that every word and line stands out and settles in the mind. Morris is an artist with her own spirit but she makes sure her lyrics are accessible and can be translated easily. The idea of using weather as a metaphor is nothing that new.

Look back through music’s past and we hear of storms acting like break-ups; the rain being tears and the winds blowing like changing fate and circumstance. Morris, here, knows she and her man can tackle any storm and the house will not topple over against the wind and the storm – so long as the bones are good. Morris is backed by simple beats and the main focus is her voice. Many artists crowd music with electronics and too much production. Here, we get something that is fairly polished but has a sense of space and flexibility. Morris is free to interpret and stretch her emotional range; take her voice where the song goes and change her dynamic when the mood calls for it. There is a sense of structure and stability about the song that makes it such an instant and familiar thing. The Bones is one of the tracks on Girl that might not get the attention it warrants but I felt it needed some focus. What I love about it is the sense of calm and control in Morris’ tones matched against lyrics that promulgate strong weather and a couple who have messed things up. This relationship has swayed and been threatened but they are still standing. Written with Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, Morris packs a lot of big imagery into the song. After the storms threatening their house, wolves have been at the door baying for blood. Whether a threat from other lovers or outside climates challenging this love, there has been this strength that has vanquished the mightiest of foes. There are moments of sensuality and we get some multi-tracked vocals; the chorus strikes and keeps coming back up – this indelible pleasure that is the mainstay and mandate of the song. Morris and her companion are tackling every negative and obstacle and are keen to survive. It is rare to see a love song that has that positive stride and happier façade. Not as bright as some other songs that will appear on Girl, The Bones is a more rich and mature track that does not wag its figure or call another girl out: instead, the anonymous pains and problems are tossed away and there is this steely focus from Morris. I am not sure who her sweetheart is – and whether she is talking about a sexual situation or a friendship – but you get the sense these two have seen a lot and faced some bad times. Whatever happens, so long as their heart and determination (the bones) are strong then nothing else can defeat them. This is a theme that runs through her album: determination and strength against challenging waters. Whether that is sexism or personal pressures, Morris is always open, honest and brave with her music. In a very mixed and divided time, this is just what we need to embrace!

Her album, Girl, is out on 8th March and it is the second album from the Texas-born star. She has progressed since her 2016 debut, Hero, and added new elements to her music. The title of her album, in a way, comes from the observation that a lot of Country songs have the word ‘girl’ in them. In many cases, it is a man talking about a woman and doing so in a very ordinary way. Morris noticed this and wanted to buck the trend. She is a girl – or woman – and wanted to write about girls. There is so much of this spirit and sense of progression in the album. She is currently touring right now and it is a busy time for Morris. When journalists were reviewing her debut, Hero, they noticed how canny and strong the songs were. Regardless of genre, there was fun and hooks to spare; a sense of boldness and an artist who had already found her feet. I have no doubt Girl will get the same sort of love and, judging songs like The Bones, it is going to be a spectacular thing. The record has fourteen tracks and there are some interesting titles in the fold – Gold Love and To Hell & Back stand out! The success of Morris and award s nods to artists like Kacey Musgraves should tell people Country music is really strong right now and women have a crucial role. Listen to the fusions and incredible songs from Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves and these are two women taking music by the scruff of the neck. There are many more women in Country right now – such as Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood – who are, in my opinion, stronger than their male peers. I feel the tide can turn but those who are responsible for making changes are holding back.

Radio stations in the U.S. are still favouring men and we do not really have a solid enough Country scene here to offer some support and needed backup. Maybe it will take longer for equality to occur and it is artists such as Maren Morris who will make this a reality. Ensure you get a copy of Girl when it is released soon as it is not what you’d expect from a typical Country album. Many of us still have cliché impressions and think Country is a rather corny genre. There is so much variation and brilliance to be found and, if you are not a big fan of mainstream Pop but like Pop in general, then new Country music is for you! In a recent interview with Billboard, she was asked about the new album and writing with Greg Kurstin (who has worked for the likes of Beck):

“This album is really about self-acceptance and partner acceptance. The first half of the album is very self-reflective, and it's more about me. Then the second half of the record transitions into me being the counterpart to somebody else. I didn’t have any love songs on Hero, so there are a lot more on this one, and I think that’s been a really beautiful side to being a touring musician: You never see the person, you miss them all the time, and he’s a musician as well, so we’re constantly writing with each other or about each other. A lot of these songs reflect that. He actually wrote a couple of songs on this album with me. I feel like I’ve grown up more in the years since I released that album. And this is the timestamp of that”.

As timestamps go, Girl is a pretty impressive one and I would not be surprised if the album was placed quite high in the albums of the year lists come December. We need to be more aware of Country music and the great female artists who are doing something genuinely exciting and different. Maren Morris is leading her peers and sending out a message to Country music stations: there is nowhere to hide; recognise us now! I hope these calls are heeded and, rather late, women in Country get the respect and attention...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Austin Hargrave

THAT should have come years ago!

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Follow Maren Morris

 PHOTO CREDIT: @papermagazine

Official:

https://www.marenmorris.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/marenmorris

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/marenmorris/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6WY7D3jk8zTrHtmkqqo5GI?si=AjB0-qyfTwSCU-tj4yBqog

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw6bxq6sJOBxcexivmmObA

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/marenmorris/

INTERVIEW: Bellah

INTERVIEW:

Bellah

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THIS is definitely the final interview of the week...

and I have been speaking with Bellah about her music and the new track, Never Loved. She reveals its story and discusses the upcoming E.P., Last Train Home. I was curious to know which albums have made the biggest impact on her and whether she prefers the stage or the studio.

Bellah talks about future plans and highlights some rising artists to watch; whether there will be any tour dates and what advice she would provide musicians emerging – she selects a cool song to end the interview with.

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

Hey! I’m great, thank you. My week’s been good too.

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

My name is Bellah. I’m twenty-two, London-born Nigerian; originally from North London but now I reside in Essex. I grew up doing musical theatre and so I developed a love for music and the arts from there. I started writing and creating my own music when I was seventeen and I’ve been working on me and my music since then.

Never Loved is your new single. Is there a story behind it?

I had a weird and frustrating end to a previous relationship and I was looking to him for closure but he wasn’t willing to give me that. So, I had a bunch of unanswered questions and it was infuriating. They say you should write down your feelings apparently and so I started writing diary entries and that did not help one bit. Haha!

So, I guess the song was the closure I needed.

It is from the upcoming E.P. Last Train Home. What sort of themes and experiences do you bring to the tracks?

Last Train Home is literally my thoughts recorded. Every song is different but fits perfectly on the E.P. (It’s actually quite weird). They’re not all love songs - which I thought was needed because I wanted it to be as me as possible - and I don’t think I’m at a stage in life where I can write those and actually mean it.

Which artists were important to you growing up? Who do you rank as idols?

Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill; Destiny’s Child, Luther Vandross; Usher, Justin Timberlake; Ne-Yo…the list goes on really.

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

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill; So Far Gone (mixtape) – Drake (I know it’s not an album but O.M.G.) and Off the Wall - Michael Jackson

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is self-explanatory: I mean, to me, they all are but that album really showed me what it was to be an open book. That album was incredible.

The So Far Gone mixtape is actually a masterpiece. I was thirteen, singing about things I had no business singing about and I loved every minute of it. Lust for Life, Sooner than Later; Houstatlantavegas - absolutely amazing.

Off the Wall has my favourite song of all time on it - Rock with You. Michael is a genius and this whole album just makes me feel warm.

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

I would love to support H.E.R., Kehlani or Ariana Grande.

And my rider would just be excessive amounts of Chinese/Japanese food, Fiji Water; strawberries, raspberries; grapefruits, mangos; strawberry lemonade and a humidifier.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Study and work on your craft until you become undeniable; never stop learning and listen to the people around you that you consider more advanced or more credible to you.

Do you think there are going to any tour dates coming up?

I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to (haha), but hopefully.

How important is performing? Do you prefer it to life in the studio?

If you asked this question a year ago I would have told you I preferred performing but spending time creating and writing holds a special place in my heart now so I love performing and life in the studio equally.

What is your favourite career memory so far?

A stand out moment for me in music was when I performed at a local festival in 2014. It was held outside in a tent and for the whole day before I performed it was clear skies and then, ten minutes before I performed, it started pouring down with rain. This forced everyone - whether they where attending the show or not - to huddle into the tent. So, I got a much bigger crowd than I expected and fate just so had it that my now managers were in the audience. I had dancers and backing vocalists; it really felt like my concert!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Summer Walker

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’ve been obsessed with Summer Walker. She’s really cool.

What do you think of the modern scene and the sounds coming out?

I think music is evolving as it does and as it should. I’m happy that music has more influences from around the world now as well. I’m here for the fusion of genres and creating new sounds. I also love that R&B is making a comeback!

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

I don’t really but, when I do have time to myself, I love travelling and eating. Food is amazing. Haha!

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).

needy - Ariana Grande

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Follow Bellah

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/IbeBellah

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ibebellah/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ibebellah/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6UZk0TOb0uZ1JWa3BW81FQ?si=2RZA9m5KRk6s-zTlk7Lahg

FEATURE: Sisters in Arms: An All-Female, Winter-Ready Playlist (Vol. XI)

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: IAMDDB 

An All-Female, Winter-Ready Playlist (Vol. XI)

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I am not content to produce only one edition of...

IN THIS PHOTO: Ingrid Andress

my playlist that features some of the finest new female artists around. I felt a second instalment was needed and, on this occasion, there are even more genres and sounds thrown into the mix. I am excited by the immense promise and talent coming from music but, in particular, it is the women of music who are making the biggest strides and moves. The music industry is always changing and altering but I think one thing that needs to change quickly is how many people view female artists. Many are still seen as inferior and not given the same platform as men! Maybe this will change soon but, as you can see by my playlists, there is so much eclectic spirit and quality that deserves fonder focus. Take a listen to the latest rundown and make sure your weekend energy levels are...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lil Halima/PHOTO CREDIT: Sara Saeidi

KEPT high.

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

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LUCIA – Blueheart

IN THIS PHOTO: Sarah de Warren

Z&Z, Sarah de Warren – Do It to U

PHOTO CREDIT: Andreea Otilia Şuiu

MONELISE – Wild Roses

Glowie – Body (Redlight Remix)

FLETCHER – Undrunk

Tierra Whack – Only Child

Y La Bamba – Perder

Anna Clendening - Drowning

Ingrid Andress – Lady Like

Grace VanderWaal - Stray

RaeLynn – Rowdy

PHOTO CREDIT: Samantha Vessios

Cassie Dasilva – Still in Love

Jess Cornelius – No Difference

PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Vivaas Kise

Lil Halima – Fire Doves

Rose Dive – U&i

Mollie Collins, Leah Guest – Lost & Found 

Ora the Molecule – Samurai

Uffie – Sharpie

Honeyblood – The Third Degree

CHARLOTTE – I Tell Lies

IAMDDB – Sweg

Suzi Wu – Error 404

Priests – The Seduction of Kansas 

Ok Sweetheart – Simple

Sit Down – Teeth

The Elephant Trees – 4100

Kat Deal – Three

FEATURE: Sisters in Arms: An All-Female, Winter-Ready Playlist (Vol. X)

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Rico Nasty

An All-Female, Winter-Ready Playlist (Vol. X)

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THIS feature allows me to uncover the best new female artists...

PHOTO CREDIT: Yola

around and shine a light. In this playlist is a mixture of new tracks and those that have been out for a little bit. I wanted to bring together an eclectic selection of musicians who have this spectrum of sound at their hands. Included are Pop bangers and some slightly moodier pieces. These contrasts are about winter and the different weather we are experiencing at the moment. I hope you find something in the pack that tickles your fancy and gets into the head. It looks like we are moving into spring and it will not be long until we have warm days and it gets light really early. Until then, I have been thinking about some winter-ready, female-led sounds that are perfect to get you into the right mood. Have a check of these songs and I am sure there will be some sounds in here that...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kinck

MAKE you feel better.

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

____________

PHOTO CREDIT: @avine_

Scarlet Sails – My Love

Kinck – Hunger Pains

PHOTO CREDIT: Declan Creffield

Becky Bowe – You and Your World

Adryelle - Weird

Sharkmuffin – Serpentina

Alex Hepburn – Take Home to Mama

PHOTO CREDIT: Diego Indraccolo

HEZEN – Bring Your Alibi

Paige Bea – Feel Me

PHOTO CREDIT: @william_ruben_helms

Yola – It Ain’t Easier

Beth McCarthy – Wildfire

PHOTO CREDIT: @jeffandersenjnr

Olympia – Shoot to Forget

Callaghan Belle – Paranoia

PHOTO CREDIT: @stefanoboski

Fifi Rong – Sin City

Lights (ft. Felix Cartal) – Love Me

TIAAN – Ruin It

PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Cresswell

Mesadorm – The Joy It Joins Us Up

PHOTO CREDIT: Scott Chalmers Photography

Hana Piranha – Naked Flame

Jetty Bones – Bringing It Up

PHOTO CREDIT: Helen Moga

Tacocat – Grains of Salt

PHOTO CREDIT: Tonje Thileson

Sir Babygirl – Cheerleader

Kara Connolly – Other People

Mathilda Homer – Probably Sorry

Saachi – I Need Real Love

Amanda Palmer – Voicemail for Jill

Rico Nasty – Roof

Madonnatron – Sucker Punch

Friedberg – BOOM

INTERVIEW: Matthew Gordon Price

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Taylor Harford

Matthew Gordon Price

___________

THIS time around...

I get to speak with Matthew Gordon Price about his new single, Grow Old Together, and how that came to life. I ask what sort of music compels him and what he has in store going forward; some approaching artists we need to check out and how he unwinds away from music.

Price discusses his tour plans and gives advice to upcoming artists; how his music has evolved since his earliest days and which artist(s) he’d support on tour if he had the chance – he picks a cool song to end the interview with.

____________

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

It’s been a bit hectic and we’ve had lots of practice for a few live sessions which are coming up but, apart from that, just focusing on the new releases

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

I was born in Somerset, originally, and now live in Devon. I’m in a few projects currently but my main focus is my original material which currently showcases an Indie-Folk vibe but I’m always writing different types of tracks – Classical, Indie; Rock-y-Folk stuff so, in the future, there might be a surprise or two.

When did music arrive in your life? Did you discover it young?

Ever since I was young, I’d always be found creating mix tapes or listening to my parent’s collection of music which ranged from Bob Marley to Queen.

Are there any musicians you consider to be idols and big influences for you?

My Favourite band is and always will be Queen (maybe The Kinks. Haha) but my main influences are Damien Rice, Noah Gundersen and Keaton Henson.

Can you talk about your new single, Grow Old Together, and what it concerns?

It has a different pace to what I usually write but I really wanted to get my more upbeat Folk tunes out this year and I feel this track will have a few people saying “this is different”…hopefully. The song itself is about how sometimes you feel you’ve found the one you’re meant to spend the rest of your life with but end up being wrong…and then you fall into something new but you’re wrong again (haha) until finally you actually get it right.

Do you feel like there might be even more material coming later in the year?

I have a few more tracks lined up which will probably appear on an E.P. together. They will be Arrows and Everything I Could.

How do you feel your music has changed and evolved since the early days?

I’ll be honest: in the early days I couldn’t really sing, couldn’t really play a guitar very well or write very well. Haha. So, I’ll say that, hopefully, it keeps changing and I keep experimenting with sounds to really craft songs that I am proud of and that people enjoy.

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

I wouldn’t say a fave memory but I’ll say that sometimes when you have a gig or even live session where you almost lose yourself in the moment and you’re really gone. Hard to explain but I’ve had it a few times and nothing comes close to that…well, currently, anyway…

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

Keaton Henson - Romantic Works

A Classical album by one of my fave musicians – it’s perfect.

Damien Rice – O

This is, by far, my fave album and it’s because Damien Rice. Simple

Queen - Greatest Hits

It got me through my whole childhood and it’s still up there as one of my faves.

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

I’d love to support Mumford & Sons, Matt Corby or Damien Rice. My rider would have to include bottle of Honey Jack Daniel’s; Papa John’s pizza and probably some Dreemys from Aldi.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Practice a lot. Write a lot. And email every venue at least three times (if they don’t reply to you the first two times - persistence is key).

Do you think there are going to any tour dates coming up?

We have a few for 2019 and festivals but we can’t announce anything yet I’m afraid. More info on www.matthewgordonprice.com.

How important is it being on stage and performing to the people?

It’s funny as I started music because I wanted to entertain, then I learned how to play and write and then became much more involved with writing for myself and thought I’ll play what I want etc. But now I’m in the middle and realise you got to please the crowd but also you have to write for yourself.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Noah Gundersen/PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Tra

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Allen Stone; Noah Gundersen; Jamie Yost; Drakes Island.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jamie Yost/PHOTO CREDIT: Richie Bolgiani

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

I usually get Monday to Thursdays off from singing but usually we are doing some sort of admin and sometimes we do have to practice.

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).

Drakes Island – Only Passing Through

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Follow Matthew Gordon Price

PHOTO CREDIT: Taylor Harford 

Official:

http://www.matthewgordonprice.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MattGordonPrice

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MatthewGordonPrice

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/matthewgordonprice/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ohf9VcNzWAKLRPkIbaFMq?si=1cukREAqRoC7eqIH982s2Q

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/matthewgordonprice

FEATURE: Dulwich That Needs Scratching: The Twelve Finest Records of the Year So Far

FEATURE:

 

 

Dulwich That Needs Scratching

IN THIS PHOTO: Sleaford Mods/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Twelve Finest Records of the Year So Far

__________

EVEN though we are not even in March...

IN THIS PHOTO: Sharon Van Etten/PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Pfluger

there have already been some big albums released this year and March is promising some terrific releases – as I shall cover over the weekend. I have looked at the albums released so far this year and honed down to twelve. I feel we can all agree this year has started brightly and positively - and let’s hope this continues without interruption. You might have your own ideas regarding the best releases of 2019 (so far) and that is pretty cool – music is a broad spectrum and everyone will have their views. This month is not yet over and, as I will show, I am including a few albums that are out then. The next few weeks will see tremendous albums come out so it is hard to keep a handle on it but, as I say, this year is a pretty exciting one. Have a look at these albums – and buy them if you can – and I am sure you will have opinions regarding additions to the list. If you need to add to your album collection and want some fresh sounds in the mix then you cannot go...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Ariana Grande

FAR wrong here.

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Spotify/Getty Images

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Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive

Release Date: 22nd February, 2019

Label: Extreme Eating Records

Order/Listen: https://cargorecordsdirect.co.uk/products/sleaford-mods-eton-alive

Review:

“Fearn’s arrangements are more sophisticated than ever before, the bassy groove of ‘Big Burt’ (“Shelling out 1500 pound to see an ‘asbeen who can’t even do three gigs in one go – what’s that?)sounding like an actual song. And ‘Top It Up’, with an ominous synth line, veers into art-pop territory. This indicates the polish that success has afforded Sleaford Mods (on ‘OBCT’ Williamson admits he lives “in a house three times the size of my old one” and drives past “Oliver Bonas in the Chelsea tractor”). But they’ve not changed. They’re still taking the piss.
Sometimes a joke starts wearing thin, but goes on so long that it comes back around. And ‘Eton Alive’ is a pretty great punchline. Not everything has to be escapist or explicitly political – sometimes you just want to hear people make gags about a world that you recognise. It’s cathartic, it’s entertaining. It says: you exist. ‘Eton Alive’ makes Sleaford Mods funny again” – NME

Standout Cut: Kebab Spider

Download/Stream: O.B.C.T/Top It Up/Firewall

Ariana Grande – thank u, next

Release Date: 8th February, 2019

Label: Republic

Producers: Various

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fYhqwDWXjbpjaIJPEfKFw?si=r9hTuFKbRMKunF1q0tgNxA

Review:

“The calls to self-love only ring as radical so long as they exist in tandem with the loss before. Ghosts are just fantasies in reverse (“He just comes to visit me/ When I’m dreaming every now and then”) and an ex-anything is just proof of the impact our self and voice has made. Ex- implies its opposite: next.

I hope you find love next. Love, like pop songs, is an improper rendering of a set of untranslateable data; tattoo your mistranslations and imbalances to your body and wave them in the air. Only in something like love, something near next, can we learn to empathize with others, to empathize with ourselves. thank u, next sees our ghosts, feels our echoes, and motions toward a future. Whitney called it “the greatest love of all”; Ari hiccups and hums: “thank you, next” – Tiny Mix Tapes

Standout Cut: fake smile                              

Download/Stream: NASA/bad idea/7 rings

Drenge – Strange Creatures

Release Date: 22nd February, 2019

Label: Infectious Music

Order/Listen: https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/music/drenge-strange-creatures

Review:

“Observations such as “your eyes were like two Catherine wheels/ Just spinning, spinning, spinning” capture a manic intensity echoed by the unhinged drums and psychedelic feedback. It sets the eerie tone of unease that permeates the 10 cinematic tracks, from the ghostly late-1970s synths of “This Dance” to the doom-laden “No Flesh Road” and the deep chants over closing song “When I Look Into Your Eyes”. There’s tender introspection here, too, in the reverb-heavy “Avalanches”.

The title track is an intoxicating mix of stately Paul Banks-esque post-punk vocals, synths, electronic flute, and a searing guitar riff. It’s a riff fit for stadiums, by a band who have the ferocity to be there” – The Independent

Standout Cut: Bonfire of the City Boys    

Download/Stream: Autonomy/Strange Creatures/Avalanches

Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow

Release Date: 18th January, 2019

Label: Jagjaguwar

Producer: John Congleton

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/2dvXk4nacVRmDSnbKniwrS?si=SMAH21u9RwmlDKp87l_YXw

Review:

“It mixes despair for her poor decisions, nostalgia for that headstrong girl, and anxiety over what she would make of her now. “I know what you’re gonna be,” Van Etten taunts at full vocal power: “You’ll crumple it up just to see/Afraid that you’ll be just like me!” She gives no indication of who is right: the teenager disgusted at the thought of growing up and joining the straight world, or herself now, wanting to protect that girl who had no idea what difficulties were to come. What do you attempt to hold onto and let go of?

“I don’t know how it ends,” Van Etten sings dreamily on “Stay,” a reverie of rippling piano and bass that addresses the need for reciprocal support and independence between a mother and her child. It sounds like a resolution, or at least her making peace with how to develop trust when everything can slip away so easily, but the arrangement is still anesthetized, unresolved. Having more to live for, hence more to lose, is rarely soothing. But it’s worth the mess” – Pitchfork

Standout Cut: Seventeen                              

Download/Stream: I Told You Everything/Comeback Kid/Malibu

James Blake – Assume Form

Release Date: 18th January, 2019

Label: Polydor Records

Producers: Various

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/23dKNZpiadggKHrQgHLi3L?si=9yrkN1YoTcKzOXGqeycUwg

Review:

“Though the features add texture and variation to a record that’s constantly shapeshifting, it’s James’ solo songs that define the album. ‘Where’s The Catch’ is followed by the gorgeous ‘I’ll Come Too’. A lovestruck ballad, the song glides upon an instantly memorable vocal line via which he reaches more personal epiphanies. “I’m gonna say what I need, if it’s the last thing I do,” he begins emphatically. “I’ll throw my hat in the ring / I’ve got nothing to lose.”

‘Power On’, which follows the track, is an even more forceful exorcism of past demons and the album’s stunning centrepiece. “I thought I might be better dead but I was wrong,” he begins, reflecting on former mistakes from a new vantage point. As the song draws to a triumphant close, he turns these personal revelations outwards, miles away from the shrouded, shy figure we met nearly a decade ago. “If it feels like a home, power on,” he repeats, encouraging others to grasp any opportunity to move forwards and onwards, completely changing his placing as an artist in the process. Where James Blake can go now is limitless” – DIY

Standout Cut: Can’t Believe the Way We Flow    

Download/Stream: Assume Form/Are You in Love?/Don’t Miss It

Steve Mason – About the Light

Release Date: 18th January, 2019

Label: Double Six Records

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/1IOnfFfswEAQzFbfUI68XE?si=hkKs9TguSFmIINx5N_NHbw

Review:

“The most immediate thing about ‘About the Light’ is that all the songs have massive choruses - nothing new considering Mason’s back catalogue - but it’s the level of catchiness that’s the surprising, and surpassing, thing.

Standout track ‘No Clue’ is classic Mason with swirling guitars and massive hooks. There is a playful bounce to it, meaning this should go off when played live.

‘About the Light’ separates Mason from that current glut of nostalgia acts trying to cash in on their past. Mason has always followed his own path, and we’re better for it” – CLASH

Standout Cut: Walking Away from Love

Download/Stream: America Is Your Boyfriend/About the Light/Stars Around My Heart

Blood Red Shoes – Get Tragic

Release Date: 25th January, 2019

Label: Jazz Like

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/04Z8mAFmRcsijATnu4t5DM?si=_2t_-_CLT4OGo6C3OtRsww

Review:

“Honourable mentions - ‘Anxiety’, which comes after an Interlude in which the subject matter of the album moves away from the LA scene – that manages to both educate and encapsulate the feeling of being anxious whilst being a fuckin’ banger (“Honestly/I could take a chance but it terrifies me”). ‘Howl’ – “I’ll be waiting on my own, I’ll be waiting dog and bone”. ‘Elijah’ - “I heard you fucked up again Elijah/one day you’re up then you’re down/in this old town” – we all know a fucking Elijah. FUCKING ELIJAH.

In short – someone very dear to me once told me that artists are artists because they can convey in words what others can’t; and that that’s what makes them beloved, and beautiful. It would have been so easy for Blood Red Shoes to part ways as enemies, to never speak again, to start solo careers and guest on documentaries about band rivalries and sure, they would have been okay – but instead, they flourished. They gravitated back together. They healed, they argued, they made music about it and to use an LA phrase - ain’t we lucky they did so” – Drowned in Sound

Standout Cut: Eye to Eye                              

Download/Stream: Mexican Dress/Howl/Anxiety

Julia Jacklin – Crushing

Release Date: 22nd February, 2019

Label: Liberation Records

Order/Listen: https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/music/julia-jacklin

Review:

“Fragile, acoustic solo songs like "When the Family Flies In" and "Convention" are contrasted by full-band arrangements, including the defiant, alt-country-tinged "You Were Right" and the rollicking but highly stressed "Pressure to Party." The final song, "Comfort," is a solo acoustic guitar tune that has Jacklin's quivering voice delivering a stream of affirmations beginning with "You'll be okay/You'll be all right/You'll get well soon/Sleep through the night…" before she reassures herself that her ex will be okay, too. It's this type of devastating emotional honesty -- one that admits both strength and weakness -- that, along with the performances, sets this record apart from others in its heavy-hearted category” – AllMusic

Standout Cut: Pressure to Party                

Download/Stream: Head Alone/Convention/Comfort

Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center

Release Date: 24th January, 2019

Label: Dead Oceans

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/5622zSt4RLqNSPShdqmWpj?si=0WzvV7zmRT2asna-WwmQEQ

Review:

“Bridgers has a knack for cultivating vocal collaborations. On Stranger In The Alps, John Doe added harmony on her calling card, “Killer,” and Oberst pitched in on “Would You Rather,” a haunting song about Bridgers and her little brother. More recently, she enlisted Jackson Browne on her cover of McCarthy Trenching’s “Christmas Song.” With boygenius, she’s found a harmony that’s more than the sum of its formidable parts.

As social media leaves us paradoxically more isolated than ever, the sound of voices literally finding strength together is a potent metaphor. “Big Black Hearts” locates a vaguely Bonnie-and-Clyde-ish communion in joyously ugly guitar noise, while “Dominos,” a song staggering into the thin light after an all-night bender, looks towards something less than hope, but preferable to numbness. “I’m car-pooling to kingdom come/Into the wild purgatory,” the pair sing in the wake of a gushing Nick Zinner guitar solo, clearly glad to have the company for the ride” – Rolling Stone

Standout Cut: Dylan Thomas

  

Download/Stream: Sleepwalkin’/Exception to the Rule/Big Black Heart

The Specials – Encore

Release Date: 1st February, 2019

Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/2K7Z8kR4tsXDIkS0jWLkwZ?si=AyAJSlAwSVCpzswXceOjow

Review:

“And don’t go thinking the Tories get a free pass. ‘Vote For Me’ is a slinky ska takedown of the rule-makers protecting their own interests while “tearing our families apart”, and Fun Boy Three’s ‘The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)’ is resurrected from 1982, a song whose time couldn’t get more now. The mildly unhinged circus spin of ‘Breaking Point’ even manages to capture our current, social media-driven sense of desperation, confusion and frustration as we hurtle inexorably towards riot and revolution: “with the help of God and a few Marines we’ll blow this place to smithereens”, Hall sings, presumably with one ear to the door of May’s no-deal planning committee.

The album ends on a similarly optimistic, but far more realistic, note than it began. “Looked all around the world, could be a beautiful place,” Hall decides on deserted ballroom ballad ‘We Sell Hope’, but acknowledges that the best we can do on a planet run by madmen is to be the sanity you want to see in the world: “do what you need to do without making others suffer”. We need right-thinking rebel records like ‘Encore’ now more than ever” – NME

Standout Cut: Vote for Me                          

   

Download/Stream: The Lunatics/10 Commandments/We Sell Hope

Boy Harsher – Careful

Release Date: 1st February, 2019

Label: Nude Club

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/6G1kayusfMD3mcRXtPty2k?si=LcJer8fATpa_9bIbR1pwkw

Review:

“On ‘Come Closer’ there is no space to hide anymore, as Matthews’ repeated urge for proximity intensifies alongside the pounding drums. Between instrumentals tracks with Lynchian flairs, ‘Tears’’s lived-in lyrics project this inner-sense of brokenness, now ready to be danced to as a way of reflection and acceptance.

Their innocence might be gone, and their sound might be polished, but Boy Harsher have kept the foundations and the loyalty to each other to push through the storm. With Careful, they are no longer the best-kept secret among the dingier crowds, but their music, passion and on-going commitment have placed them close to a league of their own, hopefully lasting throughout the years to come” – The 405

Standout Cut: Come Closer                          

        

Download/Stream: Face the Fire/LA/Crush

The Twilight Sad – It Won/t Be Like This All the Time

Release Date: 18th January, 2019

Producer: Andy Macfarlane

Order/Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/6yeitgWpug7poDRRMPRb2i?si=KI44aVPkT32mTM_opF88bg

Review:

“Newly-minted full members Brendan Smith and Johnny Docherty contributed to the writing process, adding new depth along the way. The decision to sparingly nibble at the vocal parts with digital manipulation feels vital, re-integrating singer and backdrop. ‘Keep It All To Myself’ finds them totally in sync, Graham sitting in the pocket of a big Novoselic bassline and rising with his bandmates as the music builds. Final track ‘Videograms’ pulls the opposite trick and thrives on tension without resolution, imperceptibly coiling itself around you with its beautiful Joy Division shiver.

This is a muscular collection, informed by Sad cheerleaders The Cure and Mogwai but also edging closer to Forget the Night Ahead and No One Can Ever Know; an avalanche of ideas and excitement built to carry multiple tours. The overriding sense is that this is how the band was always meant to sound. It’s a determined, seductive experience, brimming with belief and completely torching everything they’ve done before. As of now, The Twilight Sad are basically untouchable” – Drowned in Sound

Standout Cut: VTr

  

Download/Stream: Shooting Dennis Hopper Shooting/Keep It All to Myself/Videograms

INTERVIEW: Callaghan Belle

INTERVIEW:

Callaghan Belle

___________

THANKS to the terrific Callaghan Belle...

for telling me about her recent single, Dear Detroit, and what it is about. I ask her about her base of Detroit and how she views the music of the present and the icons of the past; whether there are particular records that have inspired her and whether there is more material coming along.

The young songwriter discusses artists she counts as idols; who she’d support on tour if she had the chance; whether there is any advice she’d give to rising artists – she picks an excellent song to end things on.

____________

Hi, Callaghan Belle. How are you? How has your week been?

Thank you so much for having me! My week has been chaotic and exciting. I’ve been waiting to release music for a long time.

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

Yes, of course. I’m a songwriter and musician from Detroit but I currently live in Los Angeles. I’ve been working behind the scenes as a songwriter for a few years - but now I’m finally releasing material as an artist.

When did music arrive in your life? Did you discover it young?

It’s funny...I can’t remember a time before music and I don’t know why it started. When I was really young, I’d write a couple songs every day. At some point, my mom realized I had about ten notebooks full of lyrics. From there, my parents were supportive. I didn’t realize there was anything unusual about a little kid writing music: I thought everyone was doing it.

Which artists do you count as role models and inspirations?

So many. My current list includes The Beatles, Lana Del Rey; Kelly Clarkson, JoJo; The Pretty Reckless, Troye Sivan; Dolly Parton, Led Zeppelin; Aly & AJ…I could go on.

Dear Detroit is your new single. Can you reveal the story behind it?

I wrote Dear Detroit after a meeting at The Beverly Hills Hotel where I’d been told that my music needed to be “more about guns” and conflict. It was ignorant advice coming from people in such a privileged environment. But it inspired me to write about the internal battle that takes place when you move away from home. This is a song about feeling homesick for a sense of belonging, whether that stems from a person, a place; an emotion etc.

Thinking about Detroit, do you have any thoughts regarding the changing sound of the city and your favourite Detroit icons?

Wow, great question. My fascination with Detroit icons started very young - Anita Baker is actually my godmother. So, I grew up around one of the most soulful voices in history. I think it’s incredible that Motown, Bob Seger; Eminem etc. all come from the same city. To me, that says so much about Detroit and its depth.

What is Detroit like for a young songwriter? Is its slight inner-city regeneration a positive sign?

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for almost three years now so I’m kind of ‘the outsider’ who shouldn’t comment on the state of the city. But, when I was growing up, I was pretty isolated as a songwriter. Right before I moved, some friends of mine bought a church in Corktown and turned it into a recording studio. The goal was to create a collaborative place for musicians to meet and work. Now it’s this full community of artists and songwriters and it’s absolutely beautiful. Progress like that contributes so much to positive regeneration. 

Do you feel like there might be even more material coming later in the year?

Yes! It’s crazy to admit this but my first album has actually been done for two years now. People kept telling me to wait to release it and I listened for some reason. Now, people are asking why I still want to release it. You just can’t win. (Laughs). But, Sovereign is my baby. So, it’ll be out later this year. I’m also releasing a song called Paranoia on February 22.

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

My favourite memory is probably working with JoJo. It was one of those moments where I had to be professional but my inner ten-year-old was absolutely freaking out. She’s the reason I started singing, so working with her and listening to her sing my lyrics was just surreal.

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

In no particular order:

Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson

I learned to sing from this album! When I was eight-years-old, I would sing along to Since U Been Gone at the top of my lungs during every car ride with my mom. Kelly has been my vocal inspiration for as long as I can remember.

Born to Die - Lana Del Rey

This album changed my entire approach to songwriting. Lana sings poetry. Her music showed me that you can paint a story and create an entire persona through your lyrics.

Beatles for Sale - The Beatles

This album just brings me back to my childhood. I was raised on The Beatles.

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

I’d love to tour with any powerhouse female artist. Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande; Kelsea Ballerini -I’ll go any genre. That’s the goal. Are we talking dressing room rider? I’m pretty low-maintenance. I’d probably ask for a piano and a jar of peanut butter. (Laughs).

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Ugh. I’m a new artist coming through! (Laughs). I don’t feel entitled enough to give advice yet. But, I guess I’d say just do your thing. You will get so much unsolicited advice about your sound, your look and your choices. At some point, it will overwhelm you. Take it all with a grain of salt and follow your instincts. You don’t want to launch a career on a song you only half believe in. Do your thing.

Do you think there are going to any tour dates coming up?

I’ve wanted to tour since I was a little girl. So, yes, hopefully sooner rather than later.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sasha Sloan

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Some new artists I’ve been listening to lately are Sasha Sloan, Alec Benjamin; Bahari, Lennon Stella… I could go on.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lennon Stella

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

I actually go to school in my free time: I’m majoring in political science. So, after a day in the studio, I come home and read about political theories. (Laughs). It definitely doesn’t help me unwind. But, I think the key to not burning out is achieving balance. So, on an ideal chill day, I’m completely unplanned. I’ll spend time with my friends. I love road trips. I love traveling. Going to the beach, hiking; playing the piano. Being spontaneous and creative is key.

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).

There’s a song called Janey by Foy Vance. It’s a few years old but it’s helped me repeatedly pull through heartbreak and grief. I’m sharing just in case anybody needs to hear it right now

___________

Follow Callaghan Belle

Official:

http://callaghanbelle.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/CallaghanBelle

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/CallaghanBelle

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/CallaghanBelle/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2n3zopAHI1JkSajulq9u2D?si=owNPPAdETBuI5E4TCCCzzw

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/CallaghanBelle

INTERVIEW: Shayfer James

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Acid Test Photography  

Shayfer James

___________

WITH an E.P. out in the world...

I have been speaking with Shayfer James about Hope and a Hand Grenade and the latest track, Mercy Down. James talks about music arriving in his life and which three albums are most important to him – he recommends some rising artists to check out.

I ask what his home of New Jersey is like in terms of music and whether there will be tour dates; whether he feels it is important to put spirit and uplift into his music – the musician picks a great live track to end the interview with.

____________

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

Been a damn fine week, thank you. In fact, the highest-streaming week on Spotify I’ve ever had, so that’s exciting news!

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

Certainly. I’m a singer-songwriter, performer and film composer from New Jersey, U.S.A.

Hope and a Hand Grenade is your new E.P. Can you reveal what sort of themes inspired the songs?

The general theme was that hope really cannot exist without hopelessness; that we can’t expect things to be good or positive all the time. Life is an endless, beautiful; wonderful and perpetually more fascinating cycle of creation and destruction.

Mercy Down is the latest video released. What was the reason for the concept behind the video? Do you get much say regarding direction etc.?

I came up with the concept and directed it myself - though the D.P. Christopher M. Elassad had a huge hand in bringing the shot footage concept to life. I couldn’t have done it without him. The editor, Chris Wronka, was super-patient with me as I found more and more stock footage to help get my point across. I’ll leave the reason for it up to the watcher to decide (smiles).

Even though there are some dark tones in your music, you like to create a sense of uplift. Do you feel it is important to challenge the listener?

I think, even in everyday conversation, we either overthink or don’t think enough about how our ethics inform our social performance. I don’t know if it is important to challenge listeners but I do think it’s important to balance truth and rhetoric to tell a story in a way that is truthful but also entertaining.

PHOTO CREDIT: Luz Maxine Nienow Castelazo

When did music arrive in your life? Did you discover it young?

Indeed. A pretty terrible accident almost took two of my fingers when I was very young. My mother nursed my hand back to health on the piano, so I’d say it discovered me thanks to her.

New Jersey is where you are from. How inspiring is the music around you and the history of Jersey?

New Jersey has an amazing history in every way, including musically. I mean, Frank Sinatra, The Four Seasons; The Misfits, Sugarhill Gang and Bruce Springsteen? It wasn’t just because I was from N.J. that I listened to these artists: they were all iconic and a big part of the music I was raised on.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cyrience Creative Studios

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

I think my favorite memories are always built around letting go a bit more. Trusting the talents and decisions of other artists I work with. Micromanaging is fuc*ing exhausting and it’s amazing to be surrounded by talented people who make it totally unnecessary.

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

Nat King Cole - Nat King Cole at the Piano

My favorite singer of all time in his perfect element.

Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963

Raw, unchained genius. His energy is palatable. So amazing.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand

I love T. Bone Burnett’s production on this album and hearing these two legendary singers take on familiar songs in truly unique way makes me so happy. I love falling asleep to this album.

PHOTO CREDIT: Acid Test Photography/Joe Velez

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

That’s a tough one! I think I’d want to open for Elvis Costello, Fiona Apple or David Byrne - each for different but equally exciting reasons. My rider would be really simple: a bottle of Bluecoat Gin and some chocolate-covered pretzels with sea salt.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Keep going. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Acid Test Photography/Joe Velez

Do you think there are going to any tour dates coming up?

I’m trying to be really strategic with touring. I’m watching my Spotify numbers and, as listenership increases, I start looking for good clubs and fans that can help me promote in the area. Right now, I’ve got my eyes on Chicago, Seattle; San Antonio and Los Angeles. It isn’t really necessary to get in the van anymore. I go where I know I can make my fans, the promoters and myself happy.

Might you come to the U.K. and perform at some point?

Would absolutely love to perform in the U.K.! I monitor regional streaming closely and will certainly plan a trip when the demand is there.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Brian Lawlor

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I have the pleasure of occasionally playing music with a total genius named Brian Lawlor. He’s a level of composer and keyboard player that is just astounding and humbling to me; exists as comfortably inside the box as he does outside of it. He’s playing keys with me at the E.P. release show in N.Y.C. on March 8th (at Rockwood Music Hall).

Really excited about that! I also really dig Coyle Girelli’s Love Kills record. It’s great throwback songwriting with a more polished modern production vibe.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Coyle Girelli

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

I enjoy silence a lot of the time I’m not creating. Silence is where all the good sh*t happens. I’m also really enjoying my NES Classic.

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).

I’d love if you played Bring It on Home to Me from Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963

___________

Follow Shayfer James

PHOTO CREDIT: Luz Maxine Nienow Castelazo  

Official:

https://www.shayferjames.com/home

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/shayferjames

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/shayferjamesmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/Shayferjamesmusic

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0PftqT3Gvj1IszkeRLHK9G?si=XPWC8dmfQXekyIuXebZaGA

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ6E7o_x6PqtgwWS16kUUaQ

Bandcamp:

https://shayferjames.bandcamp.com/

FEATURE: Minor Evolution But No Huge Surprises: Why We Need an Alternative to the BRIT Awards’ Tired Look and Lack of Real Progress

FEATURE:

 

 

Minor Evolution But No Huge Surprises

IN THIS PHOTO: The Carters (Beyoncé and Jay-Z) won for Best International Group and, despite adding much-needed racial and gender equality to the BRIT Awards, they were an exception and not the rule/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

Why We Need an Alternative to the BRIT Awards’ Tired Look and Lack of Real Progress

__________

I do not normally watch the BRIT Awards...

but I did flick over to it and watched a few of the prizes being handed out. I still think music award ceremonies have potential and promise but, to me, we concentrate too wholly on the BRITs. Right from the red carpet, everyone was talking about who was wearing what and who was standing out. There was definitely glitz and glamour on display but, when the night truly began, it was a story of the same old thing. Presenter Jack Whitehall was back again – after presenting successfully last year – and, whilst he did deliver some good gags, there were some awkward moments and uneasy exchanges. He was pretty good but I did feel like his parts were more memorable than a lot of the speeches on the night. Little Mix performed Woman Like Me and were subjected to some inappropriate jokes from Whitehall – commenting on their attire and descending into crude, sexist territory. A few of Whitehall’s gags were mistimed and misjudged - and I felt he was a bit unnecessary regarding Little Mix. The group’s performance was highly energetic and well-choreographed but, as noted, it was mimed. I do wonder why the BRIT Awards allow miming on a night that is celebrating the best artists around. It would not have been too hard to sing and dance live so that was confusing. Jess Glynne performed alongside H.E.R. and delivered her (Glynne’s) hit, Thursday.

George Ezra was entertaining and popular on the night whereas Jorja Smith provided a sparkling and memorable performance. There were few genuine standout performances on the night and it seemed like a case of being very similar to previous years. Even though there was a lot of cheese and some stilted performances, P!nk’s medley/performance was noted. The Guardian provided this review:

“Starting in her dressing gown in her dressing room – very much part of her #relatable image – she kicks off with Walk Me Home and is swiftly hoisted into a costume that looks like Big Bird in the climactic scene of Carrie. Up she goes into the heavens, with the flamethrowers from Kanye’s 2015 performance earning back some of their value for Just Like Fire – a highlight of late-period Pink, thanks to its vocal leaps as vertiginous as her drop to the arena floor. Then it’s into Just Give Me A Reason, in some ways her most melodically satisfying song; Nate Ruess’s part is done (very capably) by Dan from Bastille in the most quintessentially Brit awards moment of this year’s Brit awards. The medley klaxon has been well and truly sounded.

Another recent Brits cliche – projection mapping – is deployed for an upbeat take on Try before a change into a newsprint-covered mac for What About Us. It remains an utterly shameless ripoff of Coldplay’s Sky Full of Stars, but remains just as cheesily satisfying. She and her dancers finish by holding lights in a gesture of solidarity for … what? Well, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes pop just needs to be uplifting”.

There were, I guess, a couple of good performances but nothing that will stick in the mind and be remembered! I wonder what happened to the days when there was a bit of fire and some controversy. Maybe it is indicative of the acts being nominated but it felt very safe and routine. Aside from a few great performances there was nothing on the night that was particularly great. I am not saying we need to see fights and explosions but there was a lack of guts and real punch. Look at all the performances on the night and the feel is still very much the Pop market. The 1975 performed too and, whilst they delivered a great acceptance speech when taking to the stage (more on that later), they are not a million miles from other performances. When it came to the actual awards itself, there was one already-decided winner: Sam Fender won the Critics’ Choice award and, when interviewed by Whitehall and others, he seemed chuffed if a little bored. I think Fender will go a long way and it would have been nice to see him take to the stage and perform more – deliver something a bit grittier and with greater edge. The performances, from Hugh Jackman’s opener to P!nk’s medley seemed rather safe and commercial. There were some shock winners last night but, largely, it was as expected. Tom Walker won the British Breakthrough Act which, granted, was not on the cards…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Tom Walker was the (unexpected) winner of the British Breakthrough award/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Nominees Jorja Smith and IDLES were tipped and, to be fair, many expected IDLES to win. Maybe the fact IDLES have produced two albums meant they are not instantly seen as new and ‘breakthrough’. In terms of quality and impact, IDLES have delivered more and were far worthier of the award. Walker is very BRITs-sounding and appropriate (husky George Ezra-like tones and a nice beard) but there is nothing about his music that is different or hugely impressive. Look down the list of the so-called best British singles and it is your usual Pop fare – from Jess Glynne and Anne-Marie through to George Ezra and Tom Walker. Dua Lipa won, as many predicted, for One Kiss (with Calvin Harris) but I did look at the nominees and ask whether it is as diverse and quality-filled as it could be. The Grammys, this year, was noted for putting more focus on genres like Hip-Hop and equalling the playing field regarding female nominees. The BRIT Awards have always been more Pop-leaning and many noted how this year was a bit different. Looking at the winners and not a lot changed at all. The Best British Album category sported a bit more artistic integrity and genuine quality – Florence + the Machine’s High as Hope and Jorja Smith’s Lost & Found were in there – but the Pop album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships won.

The 1975 were the big winners last night but I feel their latest album denied stronger records the prize. In my mind, the only category that truly got things right was Best Female Solo Artist: Jorja Smith walked away with it and she deserved it too! I feel she is a breath of fresh air so I am glad she was recognised. The mega-popular Ariana Grande won the International Female Solo Artist award and that did not shock me. Again, it went to an artist who is very Pop-orientated. Grande’s music is popular and has its market but fellow nominees Christine and the Queens and Cardi B, in my mind, are stronger and far more deserving. If the nominees were broader than years past then the winners definitely were not. Ed Sheeran won the Global Success award – a bit of a pointless honour – and The 1975 won British Group. Many were tipping Little Mix to win but, with Arctic Monkeys nominated, I was surprised it went the way of The 1975. I know the band is more than simple Pop but they are not breaking the mould. George Ezra won for British Male Solo Artist (beating the more diverse and interesting Giggs and Aphex Twin) and Drake won International Male Solo Artist – he was expected to win but his brand of Hip-Hop/Rap is a lot safer and more commercial than fellow nominee Eminem; the music not as dynamic and engaging as another nominee, Kamasi Washington.

Congratulations to the winner of Mastercard British Album of the Year 2019 – @the1975 for 'A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships' 👏 #BRITs #StartSomethingPriceless pic.twitter.com/O6dMj59jWI

— MastercardUK (@MastercardUK) February 20, 2019

I always think the BRIT Awards could afford one or two other categories as, compared to the Grammys, they are very short indeed. Maybe we do not need the same sort of depth but, looking at the winners, and one wonders where the diversity is. There was greater balance regarding gender if not race but, in terms of genre, it was a Pop triumph. The Grammys have specialist categories for genres like Hip-Hop and Country and, if one were to assess British music based on the BRITs then you’d think it was mostly top-forty Pop and the occasional credible slice of R&B! The Carters (Beyonce and Jay-Z) won the International Group award (not a strong line-up this year!) and I think it was a good call. In their acceptance speech, we saw a portrait of Meghan Markle dressed in a crown. There was social commentary and humour and, looking pretty cool, The Carters were the most diverse winners on the night. The 1975 talked about gender inequality and sexual abuse in music and, whilst some social media commentators were confused regarding the speech’s messages and cohesiveness, many congratulated The 1975’s Matt Healy. Very few winners had anything important to say and stuck with the same platitudes and generic thanks – what you might expect, I guess! In another year free from fireworks and any real memorability, The 1975 did provide some much-needed awareness.

It is rare to see a male artist/act calling out their peers and it was good to see an act use the time on the stage to deliver a speech genuinely stirring and important. There was some swagger and sway on the night – Sam Smith was especially diva-like and strutted on; a lot of the nominees looked great and turned heads – but 2019’s BRIT Awards will not go down in history. We were promised a bit more diversity and variation but, when the gongs were handed out, there was not a lot of change. I think the Grammys have some work to do – they snubbed Rap and artists such as Kendrick Lamar refused to attend – but there was a feeling that, this year, things were sort of moving forward. In any case, one can look at America’s biggest music awards and see some range and interesting inclusions. Here, we still have this mainstream fixation and not enough genuine music on display. A lot of the winners are either highly processed in the studio or they are what one would expect of a Pop act: singing other people’s words and singing, roughly, the same thing. If gender empowerment and equality was a theme then musical diversity and outstanding sounds was definitely not a huge consideration. Even though two-thirds of the winners were men, one feels there is a slow movement towards a more balanced playing field.

Calvin Harris won a producing award and many were surprised to hear him speak – assuming he was American and not realising he was Scottish! Maybe that is systematic of a certain naivety and thickness but maybe you can forgive the people. The biggest impression of this year’s BRITs was of a slightly dull and predictable night. There were few shock winners and, if you had to be honest, can we see much improvement and development over the past five years or so?! In fact, many felt Jack Whitehall’s compere duties saved the night from being a true write-off. The Telegraph had this to say on the subject:

“The pop industry’s 39th annual back-slapping session came live from the soulless aircraft hangar that is London’s O2 Arena, hosted for the second year running by comedian Jack Whitehall. An ideal fit for this gig, Whitehall struck the perfect balance between slick compering and caustic wit. He showed up Joanna Lumley’s BAFTAs turn for just how shoddy it was.

“Meanwhile, host Whitehall stole the show from under all the musicians’ noses. As ever, his plummy public school tones contrasted neatly with the near-the-knuckle nature of his material. His opening skit riffed on last year’s disastrous Fyre Festival, about which there have been two recent documentaries. It was a niche reference but one tailor-made for the pop demographic.

Whitehall later broadened his material to include us oldies with a pair of Brexit gags, including: “Westlife announced they were back in the studio. Suddenly a hard border with Ireland doesn’t sound so bad”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Let’s Eat Grandma would have added genuine alternative spirit to the BRIT Awards (and their 2018 album, I’m All Ears, would have been a worthy prize-winner)/PHOTO CREDIT: Jenn Five

I do think there is a place for music award shows and they are not, as many assume, pointless and outdated. I feel artists need recognition and (award shows) are a way of guiding people to music they might not be aware of or was not reported in the mainstream press. We have the Mercury Prize but, like so many awards, this has been accused of bias and being too restrictive. It is hard to get the balance right but I think the BRIT Awards is a rather mediocre and tired affair. Maybe we do need to be rid of it but we need to accept that British music is much more than Pop and men. The Grammys has its issues – too many categories and issues regarding race – but they are starting to make improvements and recognise multiple genres whereas our equivalent is still stuck in second gear. If we are to have a big annual music award show (which we should) then there needs to be consideration regarding what defines British music and how tastes are changing. For people like me – who listens to BBC Radio 6 Music and knows there is more to music than Pop – there is not a lot on the bill that speaks to me and defines British music. It is true a lot of last year’s best albums were from American acts but think about IDLES, Let’s Eat Grandma; Shame, Young Fathers and Sons of Kemit and you have some great and fascinating acts that did not get a nod.

It is difficult to please everyone but I look at the BRIT Awards and see a genuine lack of evolution and credibility. Aside from a few good winners – such as Jorja Smith – there was a surfeit of great artists winning; virtually no guitar music and a very white and Pop-based board. There are great British albums, songs and artists coming through every year and I do not think they are being represented fairly. Some artists, such as Christine and the Queens, stated how women were ruling this year and the tide was turning. Maybe there is a slight narrowing of the gap but we cannot say there is genuine equality and, again, more men walked away with awards than women – can we say women dominated this year when you consider the realities?! The same can be said of racial balance. Whilst there are more black nominees than previous years, there were still more white winners – even if black artists like Jorja Smith and The Carters helped shift the imbalance. I think there is the potential to create a balanced, fair and quality-laden music award show without dragging on endlessly and having the same issues as the BRITs and Grammys. For those who call music award shows pointless in a digital age, I wonder why they feel this. It is important we recognise outstanding work in music and it would be rather depressing if we just let people release music and leave it at that.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Anne-Marie was nominated for four BRIT awards (including Best Single for 2002) but walked away empty-handed/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

If we are to move forward and create a genuinely equal and proud ceremony (that highlights the true best of British) then we need to address the BRITs’ small steps and speed up change. Laura Snapes, writing in The Guardian, focused on the problems still inherent:

“These iconoclastic displays put the night’s other putatively political action in stark contrast: Jess Glynne’s earnest performance of her song Thursday – in which she along with 70 influencers and models removed their makeup on stage – felt try-hard. The presence of a branded microfibre makeup removal cloth, easily identifiable to many women, made the display about a woman’s worth not being tied to her appearance appear inextricable from the market forces that sell women the messages that sustain a culture of insecurity. (I give it a few hours before a press release for the cloth appears in my inbox.)

A BBC report published this week showed the decline of hit songs credited solely to female artists. Harris and Lipa encouragingly shared top billing and songwriting credit on their winning single One Kiss (though she thanked him for letting her appear), but many of the night’s nominated songs found female artists billed as featured artists to male producers – as well as primarily male production and songwriting teams...

IMAGE CREDIT: @BRITs  

“As women, we get moulded in to something that we don’t necessarily want to be,” singer Mabel told the BBC. And in the on-off 27-year history of the best producer prize, Kate Bush and Alison Goldfrapp are the only female nominees in an area where women remain dramatically underrepresented, illustrating the paucity of opportunity for women attempting to break in and of recognition for those who have done so. (Obviously, no woman has ever won this category.) Letting female talent flourish – and setting aside the “genius male producer” archetype – could be the first step to British pop breaking borders again”.

Change and improvement can happen but it requires action and awareness from the BRIT judges and organisers. If we can correct the gender and racial imbalance and ensure there is no such an insular reliance on Pop then I feel British music can really shine. We know how many great British albums and artists there and we need to show them off to the world! Maybe it is too hard to please everyone but I’d like to think that, with a little affirmative action and progress, we can turn the BRIT Awards into something genuinely...

IN THIS PHOTO: Critics’ Choice award-winner Sam Fender offers hope that future BRIT ceremonies might nod to more eclectic artists who stray from the Pop mainstream/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

WORTHY and diverse.

FEATURE: The Battle of the Budget Supermarkets: Are Fat White Family and Sleaford Mods’ Critiques of Their Rivals All That Smart?

FEATURE:

 

 

The Battle of the Budget Supermarkets

IN THIS PHOTO: Fat White Family/PHOTO CREDIT: Roger Sargent/NME 

Are Fat White Family and Sleaford Mods’ Critiques of Their Rivals All That Smart?

__________

I know the South London band Fat White Family...

are not the only ones to be culpable of some rash and unnecessary words but, as their criticism seems to be the most alarming and needless, I will start with them. I am pleased there are bands like them around right now. They have a desire to highlight change and expose the realities of British society. There are a lot of bands who are writing in a very aware and reactive way. The country is going through the doldrums and, away from the placid and safe Pop artists, it is good to discover something a lot more rewarding, deep and important. I think music should have an element of escapism but it needs to be truthful and carry some weight. I do think, for years, bands have strayed away from addressing politics and society – I do wonder why this is. We have a few bands that are tackling everything from depression and mental-health issues to political divisions and the struggles of the street. Fat White Family are not new when it comes to flapping their chins in the general direction of controversy and insult. Back in January 2017, the band got themselves ‘noticed’ because of comments made towards Slaves. NME covered the news at the time but, essentially,

“Fat White Family have questioned why Slaves have been given part of a £250,000 government music grant.

UK music industry trade association, the BPI has announced the recipients of this year’s Music Exports Growth Scheme grant. The annual grant is awarded to British artists to allow them to tour and promote their music overseas...

IN THIS PHOTO: Slaves/PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Hughes/NME

Responding to the news that Slaves will receive around £12k from the grant, Fat White Family took to Facebook to write: “Why does a band that has been on a major label (Virgin/EMI) for three years need a grant explicitly designed to support artists trying to break through on independent labels?”

In this case, Fat White Family got their facts wrong and it seemed like they were having a go without really knowing the truths and details. Too Many Blogs reacted to the news:

“A band who are reasonably well known for spouting their lots of opinions, unwanted or otherwise, is Fat White Family. You know, those loveable scumbags who openly do too many drugs and go fucking mental on a regular basis? They’re currently attempting to traverse a very wobbly tightrope between balancing their anti-establishment identity and their successful, industry-aligned current situation where they hang out with millionaires. The struggle eh? Must be pretty tough. Fat Whites did certainly struggle to maintain industry and fan interest in the three-year interval between their 2013 debut album Champagne Holocaust and 2016’s Songs For Our Mothers, and when that gained less than fruitful reviews, what was left for the Brixton boys but becoming official trolls of the music industry”.

“Already, Fat Whites have mislead their sheep in describing this “explicitly designed” grant as one to help acts “break through on independent labels”. When in reality its purpose was to help artists with “overseas promotional touring and marketing”....

 

I’d like to immediately point out how important this is as it almost totally invalidates the rest of their short but succinct rant. Why are they trying to rile everyone up in a frenzy about something so inaccurate? To put the spotlight on independent artists that are so often fucked over by the corporate machine and help out the little guy? Perhaps. Or was it simply to deflect the unjustness of this cruel, cruel industry that’s done their careers and bank accounts so well onto Slaves so that no-one will notice? Seems more likely to me”.

I feel attacking Slaves for receiving a grant – along with other artists – was a cheap blow and, given the fact both bands are fairly similar regarding their sound and musical intention, there should have been support rather than judgement and scold. Now, as NME report again, Fat White Family are not done slagging other acts off:

“Fat White Family have thrown their hat into the ring on an ongoing feud between Sleaford Mods and IDLES.

In a Facebook post promoting their upcoming UK and Europe tour, the band wrote that they are “100% with Jason Williamson [of Sleaford Mods] on that band Idles.”

Part of the message reads: “the last thing our increasingly puritanical culture needs right now is a bunch of self neutering middle class boobs telling us to be nice to immigrants; you might call that art, I call it sententious pedantry.”

But then the band took aim at Sleaford Mods, writing: “That being said how long are Sleaford Mods going to keep banging on about shit wages and kebabs? There’s only two of them and they have NO BACKLINE!$$$$$$$$$$$$$££!!!!”

 

I like artists who can stir a bit of trouble and make music more interesting but, in the case of Fat White Family, they are very petulant and smack of professional jealousy. IDLES are a much more popular and strong act and are resonating because they are talking about subjects people want to hear. I have never heard IDLES come out and say they are middle-class and there is nothing to suggest they are. Regardless of their social upbringing, why would that matter or lack authenticity?! Can you only be convincing and connected to lyrics regarding immigration and poverty if you are working-class?! IDLES possess more venom, determination and passion than any of their contemporaries and you know they mean every word they say. Fat White Family pride themselves on being honest and having a degree of reality. They are probably a bit more aware and familiar with the strains of unemployment and the ‘real people’ but each band are working from the same page and should not be undermining the other. It is like low-value supermarkets - you can include Sam Fender and Shame in the list - offering accessibility to the masses but, to get ahead, attacking the others in the press; going out your way to poison and undermine the competition. IDLES are popular for a reason and they are no less aware of what it is to struggle than anyone else. Frontman Joe Talbot has lot a child and experienced the death of a parent and, for such a young man, that sort of pain is a lot more harsh and potent than anything Fat White Family have encountered.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @melissaaskew/Unsplash

I have nothing against Fat White Family and, in actuality, I think bands like them and IDLES should be forming coalition and bringing their songs together – the former attacking the latter is rather desperate, needless and petty. Fat White Family turning their gun on Sleaford Mods, again, is asking for trouble and it seems, in some way, they are trying to be the modern-day Oasis: putting down Blur and other 1990s bands because they are inferior and a bit crap. Fat White Family are nowhere near Oasis in terms of quality and coolness and, the fact their tour schedule is less busy and ambitious as IDLES means their words are rather shallow. If IDLES are these middle-class posers then how come they scored immense reviews with their first two albums and have incredible demand all around the world?! The Bristol band have really fooled the world and I wonder how long before they get rumbled and called out?! Of course IDLES are genuine and Sleaford Mods’ kebabs-and-low-wages songwriting is immensely popular. They also add humour and variation and their music covers multiple avenues. Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson, as this article shows, is not a fan of IDLES either!

“Sleaford Mods‘ frontman Jason Williamson has discussed his dislike for IDLES, accusing them of “appropriating a working class voice”.

The Nottingham duo have often attacked IDLES on Twitter, and now Williamson has revealed why in a fan Q&A on The Guardian...

 

Asked about “the beef”, Williamson said that he was a fan of the band’s debut album – before taking issue with the lyrics to ‘Well Done’ and many of the causes that IDLES advocate when learning about their background.

“I quite liked ‘Brutalism’ when it came out. It wasn’t my kind of music but I liked some of it – it was catchy,” said Williamson. “And they were nice lads, polite online and stuff. But I thought they were kind of a street band, there were lines like ‘Tarquin’ that would insinuate that they were knocking the middle classes, but it turns out they’re not working class.”

“That offended me, because I then held the belief that they were appropriating, to a certain degree, a working class voice.”

“Music can’t solve political problems. And I think their take on it is cliched, patronising, insulting and mediocre. And that’s why I have a problem with them. I take music seriously, and I’ve come from a place where this music has been created. Without that, we wouldn’t be here”.

I do wonder how Williamson can call out IDLES betraying the working-class voice when he is giving a Q&A with The Guardian – not exactly aimed at the working-class, is it?! There is an irony seeing Williamson making such statements when there is no evidence to suggest his upbringing has been any harder than those of IDLES’! How does he know what they experience and why would he attack a band who are working in the same direction as them?!

 IMAGE CREDIT: Spotify

Does a band/artist have to experience what they are writing about to make it genuine and valid?! Do we only limit Punk music to the working-class?! Where is the proof IDLES are middle-class, as I say?! There is a lot of needless beef and pettiness coming from Fat White Family and Sleaford Mods. Slaves did not retaliate to Fat White Family a couple of years back and, now that IDLES have been scolded twice within a week but Sleaford Mods and Fat White Family, they are not taking to the press to slag off them – getting all crabby and undermining their music. I love Sleaford Mods and can believe they have experienced the daily reality of low wages and the sort of figures they write about. I am not convinced they are struggle as hard as many of their subjects because they (Sleaford Mods) are so popular and do have a bit of money. They are not living in council estates and having to subside on food banks. Fat White Family are not on the breadline and closer to the black than a lot of the people they write about. Maybe both bands have more humble backgrounds than IDLES but none of these bands can say they can truly emphasise with immigrants, the struggling and those who scrape by! In fact, when IDLES talked about toxic masculinity and mental-health issues – not subjects that have anything to do with class or earnings – they were coming from experience and were talking about it much more bravely than anyone else.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Roger Sargent for Rolling Stone

I find Sleaford Mods’ lyrics more limited and less powerful than IDLES. Fat White Family’s music is less explosive and memorable so it is a little rich for both acts to point a finger at their superior contemporaries. I am not a massive Slaves fan but they should not have to defend themselves and have to answer to Fat White Family. There are a lot more bands coming through that are talking about things important to a country that is divided and needs some guidance. Rather than snipe and throw shells at the others, all of these bands should do what they can to blame and highlight the politicians who are responsible for the mess. If you are concerned about the struggle of the working-class then is attacking a band the best way to solve the problem?! The point of the music from Fat White Family and Sleaford Mods is to open eyes, portray truth and keep things very real. Sniping at bands like IDLES is without provocation and does seem opportunistic. It is rather timely that Fat White Family have new music out now and Sleaford Mods’ fifth album, Eton Alive, is out on Friday. All of these criticisms seem like publicity-courting stunts and rather tacky. As much as Sleaford Mods and Fat White Family bite and chew, they will always be one step behind IDLES. I think Sleaford Mods are great and they have their own niche; they are very popular and loads of people love them.

What is the purpose and use of going after a successful and much-loved band like IDLES when they have done nothing to warrant that sort of thing?! IDLES are keeping dignified and, one suspects, do not really care whether bands like Fat White Family like them. As I say, IDLES are ruling the world and Joy as an Act of Resistance (2018) scored bigger reviews across the board than anything from Fat White Family and Sleaford Mods. Critics were not querying IDLES’ working-class ethics and whether they were posh posers looking to jump on a bandwagon! I have a lot of respect for bands/artists offering substance and value over something flash and commercial. The more we can get talking about subjects like unemployment and mental-health the better.

IN THIS PHOTO: IDLES/PHOTO CREDIT: Ebru Yildiz for Rolling Stone

The crassness and pointlessness of undermining those trying to do good is laughable and, when that criticism comes from a less-successful band then it has a whiff of jealousy! It would be good if bands like Fat White Family and Sleaford Mods corrected their heads and focused on their own paths. Fat White Family are no strangers to putting their foot in it and, the more they are in the press for attacking other bands the less respect they will get. They are, as I made clear, not Oasis – their music is not nearly strong enough to compensate for arrogance and bullish behaviour! As we all wonder where the U.K. is heading and want to make things better, let’s all work from the same hymn sheet and come together. I think these important bands – or the ‘budget supermarkets’ as I called them – are all doing great work and any derailing or side-swiping takes the focus from the music itself and leads to...

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

NEEDLESS negativity.

FEATURE: I Second That Emotion: Smokey Robinson at Seventy-Nine: The Essential Playlist

FEATURE:

 

 

I Second That Emotion

IN THIS PHOTO: Smokey Robinson/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Smokey Robinson at Seventy-Nine: The Essential Playlist

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THERE are few artists who are as iconic...

and tremendous as Smokey Robinson! In terms of songwriting, I cannot think of many who have penned so many great hits. Whether as a solo artist or part of The Miracles, the man is responsible for some of the most memorable songs ever. I first encountered Robinson as a child and tracks such as I Second That Emotion and The Tracks of My Tears (with The Miracles); Cruisin’ and Being with You (solo). It is hard to say which period of his life is the best in terms of material and power - but I would say his stuff with The Miracles just takes the edge. Maybe it is the combination of voices or the particular time period. In any case, Robinson has been crafting wonderful songs since 1955. It is amazing to think his work spans seven decades – let’s hope the man is not done singing and writing! It is incredible to think that a man who is so close to being eighty is still active in music. Robinson recently performed at the Grammys and, one suspects, will put out more material soon enough. It is those childhood memories and experiences that still resonate. I have fond memories of being driven to my aunt’s and hearing classic Smokey Robinson/Smokey Robinson & The Miracles tracks being played out. Yesterday was the man’s seventy-ninth birthday – I didn’t have time to publish anything then… – and many paid tribute to him.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles/PHOTO CREDIT: REX

I do wonder whether anyone has enjoyed such a vast and successful songwriting career – apart from legends like Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan – and made such an impact! This feature from uDiscoverMusic talks about Robinson as a pioneer; how there was a song in his cannon for pretty much anyone!

“Don’t worry, we’re not going to repeat the Bob Dylan quote about Smokey Robinson. We know you are sick of it being trotted out at every opportunity, and if you don’t know it, it’s not hard to find. Smokey doesn’t need another songwriter to confirm his greatness. His work speaks for itself: he’s got the write stuff. Our job here is to chart a course through some of the musical miracles he created for Motown, whether written to perform himself or with The Miracles, or for other artists blessed by the gift of his songs.

Smokey Robinson was a pioneer. Many statements have been made to the effect that Motown’s artists began to wrest control of their careers at the start of the 70s by writing their own material, but Smokey began doing it in the late 50s. Every word, every melody he dreams up has soul, and there’s a Smokey song for everyone. What follows will give you a taste of his greatness...”

The start of his career was not as hot and successful as one would have expected.

The man, even at a young age, was churning out songs but, as the article continues, there was one tough critic who was only willing to accept the best from Robinson…

“Miracle of creation…

It’s said that Smokey Robinson wrote 100 songs before Berry Gordy, Motown’s boss, declared one to be worth recording. Chances are it was more than that, as Smokey, who was born on 19 February 1940, composed a song for a school play when he was seven, and from an early age he bought Hit Parader, a magazine which printed the lyrics of chart songs, to study them closely and decipher how they worked. In this instance, practice made perfect. On the advice of Gordy, who had written several hits for R&B star Jackie Wilson, Smokey began to think more about the structure in his songs and to give their stories continuity. By 1960, after a couple of well-received singles with The Miracles, Smokey’s first major writing success arrived with ʻShop Around’, which took parental love advice to No.2 in the US pop charts....

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Things did change and, when he found that golden touch, the demand was overwhelming. Just like the biggest Motown artists of the time, Smokey Robinson was vastly popular and in no shortage of demand. He proved he was able to write in a variety of situations and convey a wide array of emotions:

“As was the way at Motown, Smokey Robinson found himself in great demand among the company’s other singers, all seeking a sprinkle of his songwriting stardust. Smokey returned to hard-headed love advice when writing ʻFirst I Look At The Purse’ for The Contours (1965). He was more romantic on ʻMy Guy’, a smash hit for Mary Wells (1964) and a song he answered himself with ʻMy Girl’ (1965), a mega-hit for both The Temptations and Otis Redding, and generously provided the Tempts with ʻThe Way You Do The Things You Do’, ʻIt’s Growing’, ʻGet Ready’ and an entire album’s worth of gems on The Temptations Sing Smokey.

Often considered masters of the ballad, thanks to the likes of the majestic ʻOoo Baby Baby’ (1965) and the heartbreaking ʻTracks Of My Tears’ (1965), The Miracles could also kick up a rumpus on tunes such as ʻGoing To A Go-Go’ (1965) and ʻThe Tears Of A Clown’ (1970). These songs are well remembered today, but Smokey and The Miracles’ brilliance still oozed from album tracks and B-sides. Songs which are heard far less today have remarkable depths. ʻSave Me’, the B-side of ʻGoing To A Go-Go’, opens like a twee ditty, with tidy piano and ticking bongo drums”.

 

The great Smokey Robinson is often considered – quite rightly – one of the greatest songwriters ever…but there were collaborators who helped bring these magical songs to life:

“Smokey did not usually write alone. Among his closest collaborators was Marv Tarplin, The Miracles’ guitarist, who broke a rare writing block for Smokey when the two wrote ʻCruisin’’ together. Additionally, various members of The Miracles contributed to many of the group’s hits, such as Pete Moore, Bobby Rogers and Ronald White. Motown house songwriter Al Cleveland co-created many late-60s wonders with Smokey, including the much-loved ʻI Second That Emotion’. ʻThe Tears Of A Clown’ was co-authored by another Motown giant, Stevie Wonder, with Wonder’s regular co-conspirator, Hank Cosby. And Motown boss Berry Gordy shaped and rewrote some of The Miracles’ earliest successes, including ʻShop Around’. Genius works with genius”.

 

A great feature on hotpress.com - published yesterday – revisited an interview Smokey Robinson conducted in 2007 (with the publication/website) where he talked about Motown and meeting The Beatles:

“But Smokey (William) Robinson will always be inextricably linked to Motown, arguably the greatest music label in the history of pop music. As songwriter, producer, performer, talent scout and later vice-president, he was at the very heart of the company that styled itself as “the sound of young America”. He was taken under the wing of Motown founder Berry Gordy and together they forged the unique sound that was Motown...

 PHOTO CREDIT: REX

“Man, I wish I’d known at the time we were making history, not just making music,” he laughs, down the phone line from LA. “We’d decided from very early on that we were not going to make black music, we were going to make music that everyone could enjoy. Time has proved that we did the right thing. It was quality music.”

He recalls his delight at hearing the early Beatles were big fans of Motown. “I had met them before they became popular and I liked them even then, so it was a joy to hear them do my song,” he says. “I still love that version and I’m glad I played some part in their careers”.

The dust has settled from the seventy-ninth birthday celebrations but the music will live on and, since the 1950s, the amazing Smokey Robinson has bewitched and inspired the world! I hope, genuinely, we get many more years of his gold – there will never be anyone like him in music. As I sign off and tip my hat to him, I think it is a good idea to end with the essential...

    

SMOKEY Robinson playlist.

INTERVIEW: SUMif

INTERVIEW:

SUMif

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THE fantastic SUMif has been telling me about...

her latest single, Obvious, and what its tale is. I wanted to discover which artists she grew up around and whether we might see more material coming along – SUMif reveals when music became her life and what life is like in San Francisco.

The U.S. songwriter chooses a few albums that are important to her; whether she will come to the U.K. and play; the artist she’d support given the chance and some rising musicians we need to follow – she chooses a cool track to end the interview with.

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

Fabulous! I just got back from a week skiing in Japan actually!

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

Sure thing. I’m SUMif. I’m based in San Francisco, California and I make Electro-Pop music. My main goal is to make you dance, or bob your head...or move at least a little. 

Obvious is your new track. What is the story behind the song?

Obvious is about the moment when I met someone who opened my eyes, who allowed me to see my truth clearly. At the time, I had been avoiding the reality of a certain situation but, all of a sudden, the answer was sitting in front of me in plain sight.  

Is there going to be more material coming along this year?

Always and forever will you be getting new material from me! But, yes, I have a little E.P. coming out very soon followed by many new singles and another E.P. 

Do you recall which artists you were listening to growing up?

Yes! Lots of The Beatles, Sheryl Crow and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Those are the distinct names I can remember my parents loving, so they were often plated at home or in the car. 

Was there a moment when you realised songwriting and music was your calling?

I wrote a song my senior year of high-school about a boy (lolz) I met who lived across the country. We met at a pre-college summer camp of sorts. I was crazy about him and wrote this poppy little song on my acoustic guitar and sang it for my school talent show.

Someway, somehow, my song ended up getting voted our class graduation song  the song they play when you throw your hats up in the air…in front of the three-thousand-plus people in the audience…usually a song like Green Day’s Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) or Vitamin C’s Graduation would win.

It was the first time in my life that others saw my art and especially my songwriting as something worth paying attention to. I used this song to audition to the music program at NYU and, when I got in, it further led me to believe in myself as a songwriter. 

You have become a San Francisco staple. How important is the area and the people?

S.F. is truly home. I could gush about the beauty of the Bay area for ages. I arrived in S.F. six years ago knowing essentially no one. I built a life there, one that I am so, so proud of. I am surrounded by the most fun brilliant excellent supportive people I could imagine there - they’re my family.

On top of that, I’ve able to build up my music project there and am a big fish in a little pond. In the Bay, they play me on the radio and I’m a go-to support act for smaller Pop acts that come through town. These are things that wouldn’t happen to me in L.A. where there are so many people trying to do exactly what I am.   

Do you have a standout memory from your time in music so far?

So, so many but, in this moment, I would say playing Pride on the main stage last summer. It was beyond my wildest hopes for the performance. The sun was shining; it was hot (very rare for S.F.) and there were somewhere between five-hundred and one-thousand people watching me but they weren’t just watching; they were jumping and singing and...it was everything. Playing at Pride and waving around a rainbow flag was really a true symbol of freedom for me and my journey with coming out and coming to terms with being gay. 

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

Odesza - In Return

Cinematic-Pop that makes me jump and pretend to bang on drums no matter where I am or what I’m doing. I’ve seen Odesza live over ten times – they truly embody my goal of making people want to move with my music. 

Tove Lo - Lady Wood

Tove Lo is an incredible songwriter, performer and artist. She is one of my biggest inspirations.   

Jack’s Mannequin - Everything in Transit

This album came out right around the time I got my first car, where it held a permanent position in the C.D. player. Each track was and still is Pop-Rock perfection in my book.     

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

Tove Lo. My rider would definitely have a ton of Harmless Harvest Coconut Water and RX bars. 

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be authentic, be unapologetically yourself and don’t give up when it gets frustrating or hard - because it will be frustrating or hard most of the time. 

Do you think there are going to any tour dates coming up?

I sure hope so. Right now, just S.F. on March 1st for Noise Pop Festival.

Might you come to the U.K. and play at some point?

Dying to! Help me make it happen?

 IN THIS PHOTO: Dagny/PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Vivaas Kise

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m a HUGE Scandinavian Pop fanatic…and my faves right now are Dagny, Sigrid; LÉON and ALMA.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sigrid

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

I travel quite a bit, so I essentially save up my ‘chill time’ and my spend time away from music while seeing new places. My greatest passion aside from music is exploring new places but, when I’m at home and living a normal week, I tell myself that, if I have time to watch T.V. or a movie, then I have time to work on music.

So, I try not to do many ‘wind down’ activates. I am working on reading more though! I am learning French and, while it’s not really unwinding, it is something completely different that I do enjoy. 

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).

Hmmm. SO hard to pick just one song. But, right now, let’s go with Flight Facilities – Clair de Lune. Thanks so much!

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Follow SUMif

Official:

https://www.sumifmusic.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/SUMIFMUSIC

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/sumifmusic

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sumifmusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o0KTphy4FM2GAJE3CxBmO?si=6DCNJDITSryZe4l4jLGGbA

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/sumifmusic

PHOTOS:

Kelly Mason

INTERVIEW: Rasha Jay

INTERVIEW:

Rasha Jay

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I am a little late putting this online...

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Tempro 

but I have been speaking with Rasha Jay about her new single, Red Coat. I ask what it concerns and what we can expect from her upcoming E.P., High Dive – Rasha Jay talks about breaking down boundaries and when music came into her life.

The songwriter discusses a few albums important to her; whether she has plans for this year and what it is like stepping into Blues – a genre dominated by men – and whether there are challenges – she picks a great song to end the interview with.

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Hi, Rasha Jay. How are you? How has your week been?

I am well, thank you. My week has been great!

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

I am Rasha Jay; a singer and songwriter from the U.S. in the Alternative/Blues genre, mostly. Blues, mainly, because of how my voice comes across, I suppose, and Alternative in how I write my songs.

Can you tell me when you got into music? Were there particular records or artists that inspired that passion?

My family tells me that I’ve been singing since I was two or three; a relative would teach me Gospel songs on the front porch. I don’t recall it but seems about right! I was deeply drawn to music early on, hearing melodies and singing all of the time. Prince’s Sign o’ the Times album sticks out for me - I think it was mainly a black cover. I recall opening the album and reading the lyrics and being fascinated with the grooves.  

 PHOTO CREDIT: @sayjor

You play in a Blues-Rock/Alt-Blues mould. It is traditionally populated by white men. Were there any hesitations stepping into that world?

No hesitations at all! It’s about storytelling and standing firm, singing your song. I have a song to sing and I rest on great shoulders; those unbridled voices I admire so much. I want to push it forward. I want to expand the story.

Do you think it is important that artists break down walls and barriers in order to bring about progression and evolution?

Yes, absolutely! I love the classic songs like everyone else but they’ve been done before. (And again and again as they should be). But, I’m more curious about what’s around the corner; what’s going to be a part of that lexicon that we can look back on in years to come? And, personally, am I pushing myself to seek new ways to convey my thoughts in song?

Red Coat is your new single. Is there a story behind it at all?

Red Coat is a song that I wrote, in part, years ago but it didn’t make my first E.P. It was something that always lingered around my mind, though. I sang the guitar riff all the time - it wouldn’t leave me. The song is about the murky, thick part of knowing yourself and how love can be abrasive. It’s also about how other’s behaviour can keep you from giving all that you have. To keep a part of yourself wrapped up is, I feel, perfectly fine and it happens within every relationship.

Can you reveal any details about your upcoming E.P., High Dive, and the sort of themes explored?

High Dive is a short journey about exploring different emotions, those that are conflicting and those that are tough. And, purposely, the songs have questions posed within the songs. They are questions that people ask of you and you ask of yourself.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

Yes. I can’t wait to release this single and its video! I’m also going to give listeners an inside view about how Red Coat was made in the studio with my co-producer, Katmaz. I can’t wait to go home to Maryland and sing these new songs live for my hometown and I’m planning my E.P. release show.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Tempro 

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

My favorite time so far...that is tough!

But, I will say that playing live is my favorite thing to do and I am fortunate to know some talented musicians. One sticks out: my first show at The Twisted Elm in New Jersey a few years back. I’m playing with a new guitarist, Mike, and when my set was done they yelled “One more!” I was so shocked and humbled. Mike and I didn’t plan anything.

I looked to him and said “Plush by Stone Temple Pilots?” He nodded ‘yes’ and hit the chords. I had no idea if he knew it. I ended up doing two more encores that night. He knows every song. I keep him close to this day!

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

Michael Jackson - Thriller

For every reason imaginable; all the reasons. I used to close my eyes and wish that P.Y.T. was written for me. And, I was like, six-years-old! 

Anita Baker - Rapture

My aunt and grandmother had her poster on their walls! She was my earliest female representation of a Rock star. I hadn’t heard a voice like that and I watched everyone who heard her songs have so many different responses. Some would get quiet and sway, others would jump up and sing out. That is real power.

Janet Jackson - Control

I danced and danced to this album as a kid. I knew every move she did on the videos; I was Janet in my mind. I thought I wanted to be both dancer and singer. I still dance but it’s reduced itself to jumping around and hip-swaying.

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

The Arctic Monkeys! My rider would just be a huge fan and some water. The fan and water to help me not faint at the thought of opening for them.  

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Tempro

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I would say that whatever you are creating, know that everyone won’t be on board and you’ll have to ride alone. And that’s alright. Keep going.

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

I’m working on that, I promise! I played in the U.K. previously. Looking to head back there as well.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Katmaz

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

My producer, Katmaz. His music is brooding and bubbling all at once. He gets me and my dark style and Red Coat couldn’t have sounded the way it does without our sync.

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

I unwind by listening to more music - I don’t want to get away from it. Late at night, I’m always looking for shows such as Rick and Morty and The Great British Bake Off.

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).

In true encore fashion, Plush by Stone Temple Pilots

___________

Follow Rasha Jay

PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Tempro 

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RashaJay

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/RashaJayMusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rashajaymusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3DL86xcJUoJ2iv5tVvJ7Hn?si=VzYrScJFS6OcAjCtbAVF7g

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/rashajay

FEATURE: Edge of Seventeen: BBC Radio 6 Music: The Progression, the Power and Prime Cuts – and Why the Station Remains the Ultimate Ambition for Folk Like Me

FEATURE:

 

 

Edge of Seventeen

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC/@BBC6Music  

BBC Radio 6 Music: The Progression, the Power and Prime Cuts – and Why the Station Remains the Ultimate Ambition for Folk Like Me

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YOU’LL excuse (I hope) the long title...

but I have another cold – does anyone stay healthy living in London?! – and germs seem to be invading every crevice, crease and psychic corner of my mind, body and temperament. I am hoping it clears through but, as I battle the Game of Thrones-like violence of a dreaded cold, I have been thinking about a big anniversary that is coming up: the seventeenth birthday of BBC Radio 6 Music. 11th March marks the official seventeenth anniversary and I think it is a mighty big one! Apart from all the seventeen-named songs they could play (I have included Stevie Nicks’ finest at the very top), it is testament to the station’s brand, loyalty and quality that means it is still on the air. BBC Radio 6 Music is a digital station and, back in 2002, survival and popularity was not a guarantee. In July 2010, there were plans to close BBC Radio 6 Music to allow its commercial superiors the room to breathe and focus. Figures such as Lauren Laverne voiced their concern and, with vociferous and passionate campaign, the station was saved. It seems ludicrous to imagine the airwaves without such a big and alternative station. The figures show that, by 2018, BBC Radio 6 was the most-listened-to digital station around with over two-and-a-half-million listeners. I will talk more about the changes, movements and personal reasons why the station remains so close to my heart but, at its core, is this very loyal and dedicated group of people.

 IN THIS PHOTO: BBC Radio 6 Music’s new breakfast show host, Lauren Laverne/PHOTO CREDIT: Chris McAndrew for The Times

From the producers to social media guys; the small and big cogs that make BBC Radio 6 Music the must-listen-to option for those who want their music fresh, quality-huge and eclectic…they all deserve to, as Madonna said, take a bow. In terms of staff retention, BBC Radio 6 Music must rank as one of the most unchanged and impressive! I am not sure how many regular fixtures have moved since the launch but there has not been a great deal of movement through the years. Many argue there is a need for some new blood and changes – more women and black faces – but BBC Radio 6 Music, like its Wogan House-sharing colleagues at BBC Radio 2, have made some big steps. The fact Lauren Laverne hosts the breakfast show – she has naturally settled into the spot Shaun Keaveny used to fill – and we have Mary Anne Hobbs doing mornings means two of the station’s most-prominent and popular slots are occupied by women...women of the North, no less! There are, perhaps, fewer women at the station that one might hope but there is some great talent coming through. Katie Puckrik is a fabulous voice that many feel should be a permanent part of the station’s rotation; Cerys Matthew has her own show and Liz Kershaw is another big name at the station. Amy Lamé is also at BBC Radio 6 Music and there are quite a few female producers...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Amy Lamé/PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Writtle

I feel, as the station grows and more listeners flood in, there will be a remit and budget to transfer more talent in – maybe in the form of making temporary female D.J.s permanent or scouting Internet stations and local players like Soho Radio. Georgie Rogers is a voice I have been lobbying to hear more of as, not only has she got one of the most beautiful radio voice possible; she knows her stuff and is an energetic, popular and knowledgeable presenter. I am not sure whether the structure will remain the same but there are other presenters, such as the excellent Jon Hillcock, who deserves their own permanent show. Rogers has her own Sunday show on Soho Radio and I think she could create her niche at BBC Radio 6 Music with some late-evening vibes and some seriously big tunes. Hillcock is another fantastic presenter and I think a weekend evening show, every week, would be his sort of fit. Not to put words and suggestions in the box at the BBC Radio 6 Music door but there are voices on social media that are passionate about these people and would love to hear more from them. There is, naturally, finite room at the station and the intense loyalty from its long-serving riders mean job opportunities are hard to come by.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Miranda Sawyer/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I will look more closely at the station’s ethos and D.N.A. structure in a bit but, in a recent post, I was a little cold when it came to giving non-music peeps their own show. The excellent Miranda Sawyer has her Sound and Vision show that talks with popular figures from the screen and reveals their musical tastes. The Leisure Society with Gemma Cairney looks at the arts and steps outside a purely musical sphere. These incredible women present shows that are very different to anything else at BBC Radio 6 Music and it is good we get that cross-pollination of disciplines, fields of the arts and options. The fact Cillian Murphy has his own show is, yeah, a good thing (he is only stepping in temporarily but I think he might get his own long-term option)! Props to the man and I know he is already proving a popular selection – he takes over Guy Garvey’s Sunday show. I was a bit ambivalent regarding actors getting their own radio slots – bitter grapes overflowing in my wine glass! – but I think it is good. Murphy can bring his own perspective to the slot and I know he will be a very entertaining, informative and calming voice for those who want some quality tunes and relaxation on a Sunday. Aside from the need to get a few more women onto the station, it is great there are new features and shows cropping up. One cannot doubt BBC Radio 6 Music is moving and shaking in the right direction!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Actor Cillian Murphy is temporarily taking over Guy Garvey’s Sunday show as the Elbow frontman works on a new album/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I have mentioned a few of the presenters on the station but, at the moment, the weekday schedule has the reliable start from Chris Hawkins. He must be the hardest-working human on Earth and seems to be the go-to-guy when a show needs a substitute or there is some last-minute saving to be done! He is the King of Early Mornings and is responsible for waking us up with his patented blend of world-class musical knowledge, warmth and affection towards his listeners (we love him too)…and his smooth professionalism. Hawkins is one of those people you do not want to see leave the station and he keeps things warm until Lauren Laverne gets into the chair at Wogan House – Hawkins presents from MediaCity in the city of Salford. Laverne is a wonderful radio host and the fact she is also chairing (for the time being) Desert Island Discs means she is one of the most potent and powerful women on radio right now. I loved her mid-morning show but she has adapted to breakfast like a champ and has introduced some new features that have recruited fresh listeners. Hawkins has kept his core and continues to be a big pull for BBC Radio 6 Music. Laverne is one of the most knowledgeable names on the show and I always marvel how her and her production team manage to bring so many great sounds to us (is that a split infinitive?!).

 IN THIS PHOTO: Shaun Keaveny/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images

I love Laverne’s show and her features – including Monday’s Cloudbusting and her Desert Island Disco – are fantastic. She has brought her listener from mid-morning but I think she is also bringing in a new demographic to breakfast. Shaun Keaveny is on afternoons now and moved from breakfast. He is a fantastic D.J. (and person) and has, like Laverne, kept his followers and brought in some new people. His musical outlay is slightly different to Lauren Laverne’s show – each show has its own tattoos and flavour – and there are some different features. Keaveny seems more refreshed in the afternoons and is producing excellent shows. He is another name that is essential to the station’s survival and growth - and you always get that great mixture of humour, anything-could-go-wrong-at-any-moment and faux-moaning from the man. I was worried when he moved from his slot but Lauren Laverne is smashing the breakfast show and Keaveny is doing a wonderful job on afternoons. He is joined by Matt Everitt on music news and their bond is a key element to the afternoon show’s feel. Everitt – formerly of Menswear and The Montrose Avenue (drummer) – knows his beans and he brings us a daily dose of music news! I do like the interplay between Keaveny and Everitt and it is this sort of long-standing friendship and warmth that makes BBC Radio 6 Music feel so familial and wonderful.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Mary Anne Hobbs/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Mary Anne Hobbs – who was poorly last week with flu – is doing Laverne’s old slot and bringing her unique talents to the mid-morning gig! The soothing and warm voice of Hobbs is a perfect way to keep the momentum going and ensure the working week is as captivating and interesting as possible. Like Lauren Laverne, I am glad Hobbs was ‘promoted’ and, coming from MediaCity, there is this nice sandwich (albeit a four-layered one!) between the London-based and those in Salford. Hobbs’ sheer passion, experience and knowledge means she is bringing us rare treasures, unheard-of treats and some of the best artists around. She is as much a curator and discoverer as she is a D.J. Every show is eye-opening and you know how much music means to Hobbs – as it does every single human who works there! I like the different tones of the weekday shows and how someone like Mary Anne Hobbs can inhibit their own world. You never get two same-sounding shows and there is always something fascinating on BBC Radio 6 Music. Through weekdays and weekends, BBC Radio 6 Music boasts these incredible and highly addictive shows. Tom Robinson is one of those D.J.s who has a long history in the music industry and he brings his expertise and sheer verve to every broadcast. Don ‘The Rebel Dread’ Letts has his awesome style and show (check out his page on the BBC Radio 6 Music website) - and who can imagine weekdays without Steve Lamacq and Marc Riley?!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Marc Riley/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I love Gideon Coe’s show and what he provides; Tom Ravenscroft – another name that should be permanent on a daily basis (have his own show each day) – is someone who naturally seems at home on BBC Radio 6 Music (…and is the son of the late John Peel). Gilles Peterson, Nemone; Huey Morgan and Craig Charles are entertaining, hugely popular and essential ingredients in the BBC Radio 6 Music cuisine! Doing weekend breakfast is Stuart Maconie and Mark Radcliffe and I was a bit worried when they were taken from their weekday afternoons and moved to weekend breakfast! That said…they have made weekend breakfasts their own and they are doing wonderfully. I love the fact that these icons of radio remain together and that is what I mean regarding togetherness and loyalty – I could not imagine Radcliffe or Maconie being without on e other! Their morning show is fantastic and they have the let’s-hope-never-ending The Chain and Tea Time Theme Time. The presenters are fantastic and one mustn’t forget all the people behind the scenes that make it all run smoothly. There have been few big changes regarding personnel and shows through the years but I like the fact the D.J.s feel happy where they are and always bringing something new to their shows. BBC Radio 6 Music is never stale and predictable: every year, there are these revolutions, changes and new aspects.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Craig Charles/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Not only is the love the presenters have for the station the reason why BBC Radio 6 Music recruits new listeners – and existing ones are not upset when their favourite names leaves! – but you have these familiar and fabulous voices that seem like family. They follow us when we head to work in the dark and they keep us company, secretly, when we sneak a listen in the office. We get to hear them when we are commuting home and, when we need something electric, eclectic and  fun at the weekend, they are there to provide a box-full of cool vinyl, fresh cuts and engaging chat! I have written about the station multiple times – and will continue to do so – but there are multiple reasons why I am a die-hard fan. For a start, the music played is definitely a lot cooler and more ambitious than many stations. Tune the dial to any of the big and small names and you get varying quality. This might be subjective bias but BBC Radio 1 is too chart-based and, aside from people like Annie Mac…not many of the D.J.s are playing top-quality stuff as often as they should. BBC Radio 2 can stray into the slightly chart-cheese/calm realm and, whilst they play a lot of the classic hits, they are not so up regarding the newest underground acts. Each station around has its own remit and demographic but I worry whether there are these divides between stations like BBC Radio 1 and 2 – the former for the younger and the latter for those who prefer some softer chart music and the older tracks. I guess that is the way it needs be but I feel BBC Radio 6 Music is a natural peacemaker and can unite the classic and new without much effort.

Although they do not play a lot of BBC Radio 1’s worst moments (the processed Pop and inane Electronic music), there are some common threads between the stations. BBC Radio 6 Music will dip into the cauldron of BBC Radio 2 without playing a lot of the slightly sterile and faceless chart songs that favour those of a slightly more mature frame. In acting as an intersect on the Venn diagram, we have this divining rod that is wide-ranging and speaks to those who like their music without barriers, restrictions and guidelines! It is the freewheelin’ and unpredictable nature of the station that pricks the ears of the curious and keeps its loyal core happy and safe. One would not be shocked to hear BBC Radio 6 Music play something from Del Shannon alongside The Prodigy or Stevie Nicks! They do not tend to play much commercial chart stuff or certain genres but, with few limitations, the sky is open and theirs for the taking! That is the main reason BBC Radio 6 Music succeeds and appeals to the genuine music lover: the huge breadth of their playlist and how they can introduce us to great new acts and remind us of some of the legends and classics songs we forgot about! I do love the fact they give a home to unsigned and upcoming artists; so many I know have been given a boost by the station.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Matt Everitt with The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood (who he interviewed for his The First Time with… show)/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC/@matteveritt 

Not only is the variety of music played amazing but the features and shows we see on BBC Radio 6 Music is insane! There are one-off broadcasts that cover everything from album anniversaries through to women in music and, as they have been doing lately, Berlin has come under the spotlight. It is not the case, as you get with many stations, they are very rigid and do not deviate much from the format. I like the documentaries on the station and the regular features like Matt Everitt’s The First Time with... and The Leisure Society. The station marks albums’ anniversaries and they celebrate icons who have big birthdays. One of the hardest things they had to do was react when Prince and David Bowie died in 2016. Instead of panicking or ignoring the fact, they dedicated the station to them and seamlessly altered their playlists so that their music was played. The list of assets and wonderful facets (of BBC Radio 6 Music) is endless and BBC Radio 6 Music is always responding to its listeners and what they want. I guess the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival will be back this year - they didn’t run it in 2018 - and it will be interesting to see who they book for their stages. I predict Self Esteem (Rebecca LucyTaylor) will play a big role but there will be this great mix of established artists and the new breed.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @BBC6Music

I have talked a lot about a possible BBC Radio 6 Music awards – that would be better and more equal than the Grammys and BRIT Awards – and would cure some of the downfalls regarding the Mercury Prize and how it chooses its shortlist. The station has been going for nearly seventeen years and it has adapted to changes in music and technology. Looking at the BBC Radio 6 Music Twitter feed and there is this constant communication between the station and fans – getting the listeners involved and responding to their voices. I have only really scratched the surface of what makes BBC Radio 6 Music great but I know, when it hits seventeen, there will be much cheer and celebration.

The fact it was threatened with extinction only eight years into its run makes it extra-special the ship continues to sail and conquer new lands! I do wonder if there will be any personnel changes in 2019 – aside from Cillian Murphy’s appointment – but, if it ain’t broke, then why fix it?! Seventeen is quite a milestone and, rather than mark this stroppy and hormone-laden teenager, we will party tribute to this dignified and cool-as-hell student – if BBC Radio 2 is the parent that asks the kids to keep the volume down; BBC Radio 1 is the drink-laden revelers turning up the volume then BBC Radio 6 Music is the smiling teen that sits in an empty bath and listens to a Talking Heads record on a turntable and peruses a biography of Madonna!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @heftiba/Unsplash

One of the big reasons why people like me – music journalists and impassioned folk – love the station so is because it seems like our natural home! Whilst there is a long list of people who want their own show there, I hope I do live to see the day when I can hear my own show back – even if is only a one-off. I adore the fact there is this scope for one-offs and once a week slots; a chance for autonomy and something fresh. Cillian Murphy has his show coming up very soon but my desire has been to have this show– maybe once a week – that is a few hours long and I can mix in these new songs (those that might not be familiar with BBC Radio 6 Music) and the songs/artists who have moulded me. I would dedicate the second hour of each show to my own segments and ideas. Every week would feature a documentary that would focus on anything from albums celebrating anniversaries to sexism in the music industry; a look at movements like the birth of Hip-Hop or talk about sampling in music. There would also be a music interview with various figures – from D.J.s and actors through to celebrities – that would allow them, almost Desert Island Discs-like, the chance to pick songs important to them - and we could shoot the breeze along the way.

I am currently pitching a Kate Bush documentary idea to radio producers and feel like BBC Radio 6 Music would allow a D.J. to bring that to the station or something similar – I am also thinking about a Madonna documentary that would be pretty cool too. There are numerous reasons why musicians and ordinary folk alike see BBC Radio 6 Music as the best station around. Not only are there these amazing presenters and names that have such passion and love but there is this consistently great music! I have discovered so much new and older music through the station and continue to do so. I love how each show has its own skin and sound and there are these presenters who sound effortlessly assured and completely dedicated to what they do. BBC Radio 6 Music provides an alternative spirit - but it never alienates and excludes. Instead, it is a warm and welcoming inn for those who want to stray away from the samey and commercial-heavy streets and discover something evocative, memorable and hugely picturesque. The station is the natural haven for those who put quality of the music above ‘popularity’ and a rather flawed notion of what is cool and relevant. If you are unware of BBC Radio 6 Music then make sure you get it on your DAB radio or Smartphone (or laptop) and listen as much as you can.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @rawpixel/Unsplash

I listen during the week and weekends but you can dip in and out and discover all these great shows. It is almost like this incredible banquet filled with colours and varied scents: everyone will be able to find something that suites their tastes and come away fulfilled and happy. So many of us have been enriched and made better by BBC Radio 6 Music and given fresh perspective. I, personally, have been given this ambition to get there myself and present my own show. The station has made me more informed and ambitious as a music listener and journalist and I have this always-reliable and wonderful station full of friendly voices that can keep me protected against the vicissitudes of daily life and hard decisions. It would be folly to suggest the station can remain active for decades to come but I see no reason why not! The BBC chiefs realised, back in 2002, the station was a great idea and, when it was threatened with closure, they listened to those who felt aggrieved and angry. Now, as BBC Radio 6 Music grows each year and remains this titan, there is no way the ball will not keep rolling. There will be thousands of listeners out there whose lives have been changed – significantly or in a minor way- simply because of the station and what it does to us. I do not get the time to listen as much as I used to but I listen on BBC Sounds and ensure I catch up every day!

Who knows how much more growing the station can do and what BBC Radio 6 Music will look like in, say, a couple of years. I hope the established presenters are still there but I would like to see some new talent come in and get their own shows. The great and growing BBC Radio 6 Music has already asked its parents for presents and I am sure, like every seventeen-year-old, it will want a party with its mates! I hope the station does have a shindig on 11th March. I mentioned how BBC Radio 6 Music is the cool kid who shuns the noise and hangs out in the bathtub so, whilst there might be some Blur pounding on the living-room stereo, I’d like the think the seventeen-year-old station will keep its cool and sobriety and listen to Remain in Light (Talking Heads) with a smile on its face – although one would forgive it if a sneaky beer were to make its way in (even the most sensible teenagers let themselves go once in a while)! I have so much to thank BBC Radio 6 Music for and I have so much love and appreciation for all the remarkable people who make the station run. From the controllers and bosses to the producers, runners and presenters – all of them are essential and are the reason why, in 2019, BBC Radio 6 Music is the most-listened-to, digital-only station. Let’s hope the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is back in 2019 and I cannot wait to see what shows and broadcasts come. Some big albums turn thirty this year (including De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising on 3rd March and Madonna’s Like a Prayer on 21st March) and The Beatles’ Abbey Road is fifty in September. It is going to be a big year for BBC Radio 6 Music and, after switching their weekday line-up (four shows, at least), the station is growing and bringing in new ears. As BBC Radio 6 Music will mark its seventeenth birthday with a big cheer, I will be sure to slip a card and a cool vinyl...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Chris Hawkins (back, centre) with The Lottery Winners/PHOTO CREDIT: @ChrisHawkinsUK/BBC

THROUGH the post!