FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: Janet Jackson – The Velvet Rope

FEATURE:

 

Vinyl Corner

IMAGE CREDIT: Spotify 

Janet Jackson – The Velvet Rope

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THIS is the opportunity where I get to put a record...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Janet Jackson/PHOTO CREDIT: Vibe

into the corner and give it special appreciating. As Janet Jackson has been confirmed for Glastonbury, it seemed only right I would focus on one of her albums. I am of all of her work but I have a special love for The Velvet Rope. I was a teenager when it arrived and it instantly took me aback. Jackson signed a contract with Virgin Records for $80 million; the largest recording contract in history at that point. With that sort of money behind it, it was clear her future work had to live up that sort of belief. She was no stranger to hit albums and singles but she was entering the peak of her career and a lot of eyes were on her. Around the time of the album (1997), Jackson experienced an emotional breakdown and was going through a rough time. A lot of the turmoil stemmed from childhood problems and traumas and, rather than sublimate the fear and unhappiness, she used it in a sort of concept album that would tackle these feelings. The title, The Velvet Rope, refers to that need to feel wanted and popular: it also has that sort of feeling that there is a hidden world away from those who are not V.I.P. Jackson put her heart and soul into the album and, whereas there were inner-scars and personal burdens in the songs, The Velvet Rope was a much broader album that looked at things such as same-sex relationships and domestic violence.

By the time of The Velvet Rope, Jackson was seen as one of the greatest and most seductive vocalists of the 1990s. Helped in part by a lot of the album’s charged and passionate songs, Jackson’s status rose and she proved she was far ahead of most of her Pop peers. The inclusion of same-sex marriages and homophobia on The Velvet Rope turned Jackson into a bona fide gay icon and she received huge kudos. The Velvet Rope is a twenty-two-song bonanza that has a running time of over an-hour-and-a-quarter. Many artists embarking on a project of that ambition would be derided and critics would be all over them. Jackson was going through a lot of change and struggle so it is only fair she would be granted the chance to let everything out. Co-writing with her then-husband René Elizondo Jr., Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, there were contributions from the likes of Vanessa-Mae, Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell (even if it is more of a sample). Not many artists can boast that sort of eclectic line-up and that was mirrored in the variety of genres on The Velvet Rope. Alongside Pop and R&B was Trip-Hop, Folk and Jazz – a myriad of sounds and expressions. It was clear that Janet Jackson was struggling away from the microphone and she was starting to question her career path. Feeling the pressures of the industry and the demands of fame, The Velvet Rope is a cathartic thing from an artist trying to make sense of everything and see where her future lay.

Although The Velvet Rope received bans and judgements in some nations (including Singapore) because of its look at homosexuality and support of same-sex marriage, it struck a huge chord with critics. In fact, a lot of the criticism was coming from a few corners but it seems strange that, in 1997, singing about homosexuality and sexuality in general would provoke outcry. On various numbers, Jackson addressed AIDs and bisexuality; personal scars and fears as well as a more conventional mixture of topics. Jackson herself saw no issues as, aside from having a lot of gay and bisexual friends, this was her being natural and a true artist. She was pushing boundaries and opening up the conversation and, when the album arrived on 7th October, 1997, it seemed like nothing else. I wonder whether we have seen many albums as bold and eye-opening in the near-twenty-two years since! Listen to the song, What About, and how Jackson discusses domestic abuse. She was unflinching and raw and, alongside some of the other songs on the album, The Velvet Rope could be seen as starling and hard to swallow. Consider the fact that, in 1989, Madonna was addressing similar themes on Like a Prayer - including AIDs, domestic abuse and freedom of expression. In this article udiscovermusic talks about The Velvet Rope being this risk-taking album that saw the growth of this Pop rebel:

“By the time The Velvet Rope came along in 1997, the girl from Gary, Indiana, had morphed into a confident young woman whose two follow-up albums to Control – 1989’s Rhythm Nation 1814 and 1993’s Janet, both co-produced by the singer with the dependable Jam & Lewis – made her the most famous woman in the world at that point...

The whole album was an access-all-areas invitation into Janet Jackson’s internal private world – a world usually cordoned off by a velvet rope. Explaining the album’s title and concept, Jackson said, “We’ve all driven by premieres or nightclubs, and seen the rope separating those who can enter and those who can’t. Well, there’s also a velvet rope we have inside us, keeping others from knowing our feelings. In The Velvet Rope, I’m trying to expose and explore those feelings. I’m inviting you inside my velvet rope.”

Despite the controversy it engendered, The Velvet Rope topped the album charts around the world on its release in the autumn of 1997 and reaffirmed Janet Jackson’s position as the pre-eminent top-selling female recording artist of her generation. But Jackson’s main goal was more about personal development and exorcising her demons than selling records. Above all else, her honesty on The Velvet Rope was genuine and sincere. “I think it’s important to be true to yourself in your music,” she said. “I think that’s the only way I can actually write music”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Away from the (unnecessary and overactive) controversy, The Velvet Rope remains this hugely inspiring and different album. It is, as The Guardian explains, a hugely eclectic and challenging album:

“There are also the various shades and moods that go with a 22-track album, showcasing what lifelong fan How to Dress Well, AKA Tom Krell, refers to as the album’s “recklessness with genre conventions and restrictions”. For pop star MNEK it covers “the full human condition. The whole thing bares a sadness but still a joy.” Not many albums utilise a Tubular Bells sample next to a solo from violinist-turned-Olympic skier Vanessa Mae...

At its core, too, is the enduring relevancy of its subject matter. Written following a severe bout of depression – “I’ve been burying pain my whole life,” she told Ebony at the time – the songs are therapy-esque monuments to self-discovery (very 2017), bookended by sensual self-exploration (Rope Burn) and, on the cover of Rod Stewart’s Tonight’s the Night, the suggestion of bisexuality. The jazz-tinged Free Xone, meanwhile, tackles homophobia. “It felt incredibly personal, like I was diving into someone’s creative process,” says lo-fi pop practitioner Shura of the first time she heard the album. “I love the idea that a fearless record like The Velvet Rope has inspired artists and albums that are so vastly different”.

In terms of its influence, The Velvet Rope has inspired so many artists since. Janet Jackson helped make the dark and riskier album seem part of the fabric. Before then, there were not many artists talking about such weighty topics as domestic abuse on their albums. Jackson was also mixing genres like never before and combining Jazz, Folk and Techno shades to create this bright, unique and stunning soundscape. Artists who followed her could see what could come from fusing strange bedfellows and taking greater risks regarding subject matter. The Velvet Rope was a rarity regarding mainstream releases and was creating all these wonderful angles and digressions. Jackson was this liberal and explosive songwriter who was sexually free and showing that this was okay – that was a big revelation in 1997! In terms of its nakedness and boldness, artists like Rihanna and Fiona Apple have been inspired. The list, in fact, is long and one can link a lot of songs/albums back to Velvet Rope. In this time, we do not see many albums like The Velvet Rope and I wonder whether artists need to take note. The 1990s did see bolder and expressive artists put out these incredible albums and, in many ways, things have become softer, safer and less risky. I do think music needs to learn from artists such as Janet Jackson and ask why we are more reserved and less brave regarding what is put out there.

Some were unsure about The Velvet Rope when it came out but a lot of retrospective reviews have seen the album in a more positive light. There is a lot to enjoy about it. In this review from SLANT, they look at the sexual themes expressed and how her honesty and emotional openness was the finest quality of all:

“For a sex album that also seems to aim at giving fans an unparalleled glance behind the fetish mask (literally, in the concert tour performance of “You”), Janet’s probably never been more cagey.

But behind the sex is something even more compelling, because it gradually dawns on you that Janet’s use of sexuality is an evasive tactic. That it’s easier for her to sing about cybersex (on the galvanizing drum n’ bass “Empty,” one of Jam and Lewis’s very finest moments, maybe even their last excepting Jordan Knight’s “Give It to You”) and to fret about her coochie falling apart than it is to admit that it’s her psyche and soul that are in greater danger of fracturing. Soul sister to Madonna’s Erotica (which, in turn, was her most daring performance), The Velvet Rope is a richly dark masterwork that illustrates that, amid the whips and chains, there is nothing sexier than emotional nakedness”.

Following the announcement Janet Jackson will play at Glastonbury, it is a good time to look back at her catalogue and gems like The Velvet Rope. Although it is quite tricky tracking the album down on vinyl, there are second-hand copies and chances to pick it up. After all this time, it still sounds completely forward-thinking, revolutionary and raw. It will be exciting seeing whether any of the songs (from the album) make their way to the Glastonbury stage and how the crowd react to them. Maybe Janet Jackson released more critically-acclaimed albums than The Velvet Rope but, to me, she never released...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

ANYTHING more accomplished.

FEATURE: Glastonbury 2019: Has It Moved Forward at All?

FEATURE:

 

Glastonbury 2019

IMAGE CREDIT: @GlastoFest  

Has It Moved Forward at All?

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THE list of artists who will play this year’s Glastonbury...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Christine and the Queens/PHOTO CREDIT: Eva Pentel for DIY

have been announced and, whilst there are more names coming, we have the idea regarding the sort of sounds that will define the festival, it is interesting to see how things have changed through the years. It is definitely a packed and varied festival with plenty of great talent in the pack. Here, as The Guardian writes, there is an eclectic spirit running through the line-up:

“The Killers and the Cure have been announced as the final headliners of the 2019 Glastonbury festival. Brandon Flowers’ Vegas band will headline on the Saturday, and Robert Smith and co on the Sunday. They join the previously announced headliner Stormzy, who will close the Pyramid stage on Friday night.

It is the Cure’s fourth time headlining Glastonbury, following slots in 1986, 1990 and 1995. They join Coldplay as the only groups to have headlined the festival four times.

Down the bill, there are first-time Glastonbury appearances from Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill and Miley Cyrus, among others. Liam Gallagher will follow his packed Other stage show at Glastonbury 2017, and Christine and the Queens returns for her second Glastonbury, having provided a flash of European optimism with her debut at the 2016 festival, the day after the UK voted to leave the EU.

There is a strong showing for the crop of young, game-changing pop stars: the goth-pop icon-in-the-making Billie Eilish joins the hip-hop and flute polymath Lizzo. The Spanish flamenco trap musician Rosalía, Norwegian power-popper Sigrid, British producer Shura and Fiona Apple-endorsed King Princess also perform...

IN THIS PHOTO: Kamasi Washington/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The UK rap scene is well represented with Stefflon Don, Little Simz, Kate Tempest, Loyle Carner, Slowthai and Bugzy Malone, as is the burgeoning international jazz community with Kamasi Washington and Britain’s Sons of Kemet and the Comet is Coming. Britain and Ireland’s male singer-songwriter set is represented by George Ezra, Hozier, Rex Orange County and the socially conscious guitarist Sam Fender”.

I do like the fact Glastonbury have mixed in new Pop artists and the best when it comes to British Rap. It is hard to include every genre together but the fact Glastonbury is not all about Pop and Rock is rewarding. Stormzy is a good headline shout because it breaks away from the usual Rock bands and provides a platform for British Grime and Rap. I will come to the headliners soon but I do like the look of the artists under the headliners. More names are coming through but some of my recent favourites, like IDLES and Jorja Smith, have a chance to capitalise on successful 2018s and get their music to a new audience. Similarly, it is good that newer artists like Anne-Marie get to sit alongside established names such as Sheryl Crow. Glastonbury has always been good regarding its blend of the older and new and this year is no exception. This means that revellers of all ages will come along and there will be this great community.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kacey Musgraves (omitted from this year’s Glastonbury line-up)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Look down at the line-up and one can have few reservations regarding the mix of genres. There has been criticism that some genres have been left out. I wonder whether Country artists like Kacey Musgraves got a call and whether Country as a whole was considered. I do feel like there is a place for greater variety. The same can be said of Metal. Maybe adding a big Country name like Kacey Musgraves alongside a legendary Metal band or newer name would make Glastonbury even broader. I know there are specialist festivals for Metal but many would like to see it play a part at the country’s biggest event – it has been missing for a very long time now. More names will be revealed so we cannot say we have seen everything yet. It is the powerful female showing of Janelle Monáe, Christine and the Queens and Janet Jackson that excites me. Many, myself included, are thrilled to see Janet Jackson included on the bill. Many of us know her biggest hits but she will have chance to play a career-spanning set to a delighted crowd. I am about to feature her album, The Velvet Rope, later today so I will be in Jackson territory for the rest of the day! It would be good to see more bands in general because, largely, this year’s line-up is solo-heavy.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Janet Jackson/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I am glad obvious names like Foo Fighters and Muse are excluded but there are a lot of great bands emerging that would benefit from a spot. Look at the best albums from 2018 and it is a little odd not seeing some of their creators included. Cardi B (Invasion of Privacy) and Ariana Grande (Sweetener) could sit alongside The 1975 (A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships) and Robyn (Honey). There is no inclusion of Arctic Monkeys and I do hope some of these names get included later. It is wonderful Lauryn Hill and Liam Gallagher are involved but I do wonder why names such as George Ezra keep getting appearing so high! He is headlining and dominating festivals at the moment and I cannot figure out why! He has a bland sort of Pop charm but it is not something that needs to appear at so many big festivals. Kylie Minogue has been confirmed already to play in the ‘legends’ slot and I do wonder whether we will see more like her, who can bring genuine fun, coming along. I was a little shocked to see artists such as Hot Chip and Pond appear on the bill when there is an absence of bigger acts. I guess you need to balance the established with the rising so, in many ways, it is hard to please everyone. There is a nice balance of British and American artists but not that many from outside these two countries – except for a bit of Swedish and French shine.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Stormzy/PHOTO CREDIT: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage

To me, the biggest benefits and standouts from the names already announced is the variety of sounds. It is one of the most multifarious rundowns and many new punters will come to Worthy Farm in Somerset. I do feel like, in future years, a few extra steps can be taken regarding ignored genres but we have Rap, Grime; Jazz, Pop and everything else thrown into the blender! A major festival should not be just about big names and those who have enjoyed long careers. Stormzy’s headline set is a rare chance for a new artist – only one album in – to have their say. Including icons like Janet Jackson, Kylie Minogue and Lauryn Hill in the mix gives Glastonbury a strong backbone and that sense that, regardless of the weather, people will flock to see them! Although organisers Michael and Emily Eavis tried to get a fifty-fifty gender balance, about 42% of the names are women. I am curious how one tries and fails to get a fifty-fifty split. Surely it is simple arithmetic and you just invite a few more women?! One doubts they’d refuse and so, next year, there is no excuse for needlessly having a male majority...however small it appears. Artists like Kacey Musgraves, St. Vincent and Dream Wife would have been terrific and, if it meant bumping a few lesser-known male names then so be it! It is strange hearing excuses and wondering why, when the most exciting music made right now is by women, there is still that male majority.

 IN THIS PHOTO: A guaranteed crowd-pleaser, Lizzo/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

It is good to see Sharon Van Etten on the bill and also Little Simz. They have both turned in terrific albums this year – Remind Me Tomorrow and GREY Area respectively – but where is Julia Jacklin? She has been consistently great and, with Crushing, provided us one of the best albums so far this year. Despite my gripes, the bill is pretty solid and a lot of effort has gone in. Seeing the names most likely to provoke excitement and dance and, again, they are women. Look at Janet Jackson, Christine and the Queens and Kylie Minogue; Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Sigrid; Miley Cyrus is in there too – an unusual booking but a pretty good shout. There is a lot of energy in there and, when compared to some of the boys on the bill, I think the greatest power and pull will come from the women! I understand that Janelle Monáe is headlining a stage and Kylie Minogue is the big name in the legend slot but when it comes to the Pyramid Stage and, effectively, the major headliners it is another case of men ruling. I could forgive, maybe, male-heavy headliners if the rest of the bill was dominated by women. As it stands, we have an imbalance further down the bill and 100& men as the headliners. Excluding names I have already mentioned, I could rattle off a dozen-plus women who could replace any of the headliners.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Cure’s Robert Smith/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I knew The Cure were headlining because they have been odds-on for weeks now and nobody is shocked. You need a legendary act as a headliner and The Cure’s inclusion is good. I was wondering whether Sir Paul McCartney would get the call but The Cure have a huge fanbase and their headline slot is welcomed. They have headlined before but I know they will be adding new songs and elements to their set this time around. Stormzy’s headline nod was always going to divide people but, as we have a new male artist and an iconic male group already confirmed then why add a third?! The Killers have their own qualities but they are not really adding anything truly exciting or new to Glastonbury. You need a female voice at the top of the bill and, looking at this year’s headliners, it seems like we are traveling back in time. Glastonbury’s bill shows progression but the headliners seem to have frozen us about a decade or two back! The headliners are the big selling-point and a big reason to come to Glastonbury. I am annoyed, if not surprised, there is an all-male look – cast your eye back to the last decade of Glastonbury and you can pretty much count the female headliners on two hands and have fingers left! – but it is general quality that frustrates me. I do think that, looking forward, the Eavis’ need to think more about gender balance and providing a more exhilarating headline look.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Killers/PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Weiss

2017 saw Ed Sheeran included alongside Foo Fighters (turning in the same old set) and it has been a long time since we have seen a truly standout, history-making set. Regardless of the predictable gender imbalance and that beige headline booking, the rest of the bill should sort of set an example as to what we want the headliners to be about. The fact Janet Jackson is getting more positive buzz than The Killers makes me wonder why she could not have been booked as a headliner. There is definite forward-movement regarding genre diversity and bringing more to the party. I do feel like that reach need to stretch a bit more for 2020 but it is a pleasing mix of newer and big names on the poster. Even if the weather does not hold up, there is plenty of strut and electricity to get people jumping and united. That is what we need, I guess. We are in a very testing and struggling time so music can fill that gap. I am not quite enticed enough to go to Glastonbury – the headliners need to be a bit stronger – but it is wonderful seeing so many promising newcomers get their shot. To mark a busy and eclectic Glastonbury – with more names still to come – I have put together a playlist of songs from the artists already booked. As the playlist shows, the sheer assortment of sounds...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kylie Minogue/PHOTO CREDIT: Kylie Minogue/Getty Images

IS amazing.

INTERVIEW: Crooked Weather

INTERVIEW:

Crooked Weather

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I have been talking with Crooked Weather...

about their latest track, Easy. Holly and Will discuss the track and the music that moves them; what we can expect from their album, Are We Lost, and whether it is true they have a 1979 campervan – they select some rising artists worth watching.

I ask if there are tour dates coming and whether they each have an album that is special to them; who they would support on tour if they had the chance and what they would say to artists coming through right now – they select some great tracks to end the interview with.

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

Hello! Life has treated us well, most of this week.

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

We (Will and Holly) make up the core of the band with a mutual taste in strange old Folk music. The stripped back duo expands with Beth Nicholson (Yorkshire Orchestra stalwart) on cello; Tom Skelly (gardener and songwriter, currently residing in Scotland) on bass and Dave Tomlinson (vegan-machine and equipment-collector).

Easy is your new single. How did the song come to pass?

Easy was one of those songs that just wrote itself and it’s hard to say where this kind of a song comes from. It had been fermenting away in the background for a while and ideas would come now and again when outside cutting the grass and things like that. Then one afternoon, it pretty much came out fully-formed.

It’s probably best not spending too long thinking about where it came from.  

The album, Are We Lost, is out on 12th April. Are there particular themes and inspirations that go into the songs?

They are mainly songs that have been born out of the ups and downs of spending a lot of life on the road. Sometimes, everything just makes sense and you can’t understand how things could be anything but beautiful; yet, at other times, the bottom falls out, desperation takes hold and all seems lost.

Is there a track from the album you would select as personal favourites?

Will: Too hard to call!

Holly: Easy has a special place in my heart. It’s been a trouble-causer for some time, so it feels good to have finally it there, have it finished!

What sort of music are you compelled by? Did you both grow up around the same sort of music?

We both have varying tastes but they evolve around the transatlantic sounds of the '60s and '70s. Some favourites of Will’s include Bob Dylan, Roy Harper and Nick Cave; whereas Holly could bore you to death talking about Bert Jansch, Pentangle and obscure Psych-Folk.

Is it true a 1979 campervan holds a very special place in your lives?!

Yes! We have lived in and toured in our beautiful 1979 Sherpa campervan. She often needs a good bit of T.L.C. to keep her on the road but that's the way with old machines. We’ve just had a new radiator made but now the fuel gauge has stopped working!

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

That’s a tough one. SoL festival springs to mind; a strange festival ran by Deadheads in Kent. We got to play with some of our musical heroes as well as hearing stories of Woodstock, Monterey and what it’s like hanging out with Joni Mitchell and Mama Cass. We like being on the road, though - especially in the sunshine, meeting people from all different walks of life.

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

Holly: There can’t possibly be one album. There are too many I’m thankful for! Harvest by Neil Young is probably the first music I listened to as a kid and thought it was magic.

Will: Agree with Holly – “There can’t possibly be one album”. But, to carry on the same idea, Folkjokeopus by Roy Harper was an album I had on-repeat for weeks when I was a youngster.

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

Neil Young & Crazy Horse. The rider would have to include being able to play on stage to maybe Down by the River, Cowgirl in the Sand or one of those good jams!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Always stay true to the love and passion that led you to first practice an instrument.

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

Bournemouth, Cellar Bar - 12/04

Hyde Tavern, Winchester - 13/04

Square and Compass, Worth Matravers - 19/04

Cafe INDIE, Scunthorpe - 24/04

Sheffield, Hallamshire House - 27/04

The Basement, York - 28/04

Evron Center, Filey Folk Festival, Filey - 05/05

Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate - 11/05

The Lamb, Surbiton - 12/05

The New Adelphi Club, Hull - 17/05

Vestry Hall, Cranbrook - 18/06

Green Note, London - 19/06

If we came to one of your live shows, what might we expect?

An intimate evening of Alternative-Folk. Melodies, harmonies; happy and sad and a little story-telling.

 IN THIS PHOTO: This Is the Kit

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Karl Culley, This Is the Kit and Copper Viper.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Cooper Viper/PHOTO CREDIT: Anna Orhanen Photography

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

Music is all-encompassing, but only because we enjoy it!

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

Holly: I’ve been enjoying Easy Ride by Relatively Clean Rivers recently!

Will: Friend of the Devil - Jerry Garcia (live at Oregon State Penitentiary). Love it.

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Follow Crooked Weather

Twitter:

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FEATURE: The March Playlist: Vol. 3: Our English Rose

FEATURE:

 

The March Playlist

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

Vol. 3: Our English Rose

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IT is a bit of a slender week…

PHOTO CREDIT: Arcade Fire

regarding big new releases. Aside from new tunes from Lucy Rose, Billie Marten; Arcade Fire, Solange and Shura, there is a bit of a mixed bag. It goes in cycles so you can never tell when we will get a really hot week or whether it will be a bit quiet. In this case, things are a little on the quiet side but there are still some great songs to be found. There is enough in there to keep you energised as you go through the weekend and, if anything, a chance to look at the lesser-known artists breaking through at the moment. As the weather is still a bit rough, let’s settle down with this week’s new music and let the assortment of sounds…

IN THIS PHOTO: Shura

DO their work.  

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

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Lucy Rose – Treat Me Like a Woman

Billie Marten – Betsy

Shura - BKLYNLDN

PHOTO CREDIT: Mary Ellen Matthews

Arcade Fire – Baby Mine

Wallows - Sidelines

PHOTO CREDIT: Eliot Lee Hazel

Karen O & Danger Mouse – Turn the Light

Jade Bird – My Motto

PHOTO CREDIT: Elias Tahan

Solange – Binz

PHOTO CREDIT: Pennie Smith

The Good, The Bad & The Queen – The Truce of Twilight

Foals – White Onions

Kara Marni – Lose My Love

Twin Shadow – Truly

IN THIS PHOTO: Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend (ft. Steve Lacy) - Sunflower

Jenny Lewis – Wasted Youth

Julia Michaels – Apple

Khalid - Talk

PHOTO CREDIT: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Power 105.1

Juice WRLD –Hear Me Calling

PHOTO CREDIT: Israel Ramos

Anderson .Paak - King James

Emeli Sandé – Sparrow

IN THIS PHOTO: Etta Bond

Etta Bond (ft. Kojey Radical, Shaé Universe) – If I Fall

Iggy Azalea – Sally Walker

Lennon Stella – BITCH (takes one to know one)

Rachel Platten – Wonder (from Wonder Park)

Tierra Whack - Wasteland

Una Healy - Strangers

IN THIS PHOTO: Cheat Codes

Cheat Codes, Daniel Blume – Who’s Got Your Love

PHOTO CREDIT: WDZIEKONSKI

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Fishing for FishIes

Joy Williams – When Does a Heart Move On

Hands Off Gretel – It’s My Fault

Laleh – Knock Knock

Sophie Zelmani - Sunrise

Natalie McCool – Woman’s World

TRACK REVIEW: Billie Marten - Betsy

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Billie Marten

PHOTO CREDIT: Katie  Silvester

Betsy

9.5/10

IMAGE CREDIT: Spotify 

The track, Betsy, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o19nhh4ophs

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

GENRES:

Folk/Singer-Songwriter

RELEASE DATE:

13th March, 2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Katie  Silvester

The album, Feeding Seahorses by Hand, is available from 26th April, 2019.

PRE-ORDER:

https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/music/billie-marten-feeding-seahorses-by-hand

LABELS:

Sony/Chess Club Records

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I do not need much of an excuse to review...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Adam

Billie Marten - but it always helps when she continues to bring out such great music. In a way, I have been following her career for a few years and sort of seen this maturation and blossoming. She has turned from this newcomer teen who was writing about her life and feelings and now, on her second album, there is a more outward perspective. I will start off with that and then, in a bit, look at female artists vs. male artists in 2019; Folk and why it is a genre that is burning hard; changing your life and absorbing new experiences/influences; recording processes and how the best albums can come down pretty quickly – a bit about Marten and where she is heading. It is quite wonderful seeing this songwriter go from strength-to-strength and, as I say, I have known about her music since she was sixteen. Her debut album, Writing of Blues and Yellows, arrived in 2016 and I instantly fell in love with it. In a year where we had albums from Beyoncé and David Bowie, Marten’s debut remains my favourite. It is a gorgeous and spine-tingling collection of songs that address her life but also a definite ambition. I still adore the record and play it often; listening to that unique voice and how she can paint these incredible scenes. Songs such as Emily and Heavy Weather are incredible and instant – you cannot believe you are listening to someone so young! It will take a big effort to shift that album from my mind and when her second album, Feeding Seahorses by Hand, comes out next month, maybe it will not be as instant. The reason I say that is because Writing of Blues and Yellows has stayed in my heart and I can identify with the young woman writing. Marten was making sense of anxiety and her life but doing so in a very original and spectacular way. It is only natural that, a few years later, Marten would change and her dynamic would be a little different.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I will talk about her new life situation but, on her sophomore release, there is a greater need to look at the outside world and absorb what is happening right now. Betsy is the lead-off single from Feeding Seahorses by Hand – a bit confusing as she has already released two tracks from the album – maybe this is the first ‘official’ single – and Betsy is a great blend of what we know of Marten already (in terms of her style and voice) but the lyrics are definitely fresh. I know there will be Writing of Blues and Yellows-like songs on her new album but there is a lot more of the world-observing young woman who needs to put it onto paper. It is a trend that is defining this year and, as I will show in a bit, it is mainly female songwriters doing this. Maybe it is me being soppy and sentimental but I was not quite willing to let go of the Yorkshire-based artist at her family home; the teen who was quirky and comfortable surrounded by beautiful geography and recording music at home. In many ways, one felt like they were at Billie Marten’s home in 2016 and could picture the scenes. Because of that, Writing of Blues and Yellows had this real sense of the physical and evocative. Even though a lot of the songs had a downbeat nature, Marten mixed that with songs of light; she was looking to other lands and seeing where her life might head in a few years. Three years after her debut album, a lot has changed for Marten. The Yorkshire-born artist is no longer there and, when looking at her publicity photos, there is something a bit different and changed. This is natural but, as I said, I have a fondness for the debut-album Marten and how that album makes me feel. I have noticed something interesting about female artists and how they differ from the men in 2019.

I am going to write about it in more detail this weekend but there is a definite split between the male and female perceptive in modern music. Some critics have noticed how the men of music are more boring and writing about their personal lives. Aside from more exciting options like Sam Fender, we have something rather tepid from the largely bearded and acoustic guitar-strumming alternatives. I will name no names but there is a feeling that male artists in 2019 are more concerned with following acts like Ed Sheeran and creating something more commercial and far less challenging. It is not the case that every single male artist is quite dull and lacks ambition but I do feel like there is this divide. Listen to the male crop and there is so much of the same thing bubbling around. Not a lot of it resonates and says anything important. Female artists, on the other hand, are producing something more interesting. This is even the case when we talk about the Pop mainstream. Listen to other artists, though, like Julia Jacklin, Lucy Rose; Billie Marten, Sharon Van Etten and Self Esteem and they are reflecting the world beyond their bedroom. It is no coincidence that albums but Van Etten, Jacklin and Little Simz are seen as some of the best from this year so far – because of what they are talking about and how important their words are! I am not sure whether all of Feeding Seahorses by Hand is all going to be political and impersonal but you know there will be that charm and Marten touch. Songs we have already heard – Mice and Blue Sea, Red Sea – are more about personal struggles and what is going on in her life. Betsy is, as she explained, more about a political feeling and something rotten in the country. This CLASH feature included a quote from Marten regarding the song:

“It was the first time I’d tried jamming with someone and had the pressure of writing instant, spontaneous lyrics. They poured out actually, it’s about confronting a politician, no one in particular, but sort of ridiculing them. I liked the idea of using number 9 instead of 10. I didn’t want the big political stance, and I didn’t want to single out a specific human, it’s representing parliament as a whole institution really.”

“The song turns the wise old politician into a child, infantilising them takes away their power. I think most people feel a bit unsafe with it all, because it’s impossible relate to these characters. No one shows any personal weakness or empathy, and if they do, they’ve already cracked”.

It is amazing seeing how the sixteen-year-old Marten who was writing about the need to break from where she was and discussing stresses in her life and changed her lyrical perspective and is now tackling politicians and the way they run this nation. Alongside Rich Cooper, Betsy is a track that definitely has something to say and seems to be following closely to the best female artists of today. I am not sure why there is this split regarding themes and musical depth but maybe there is this feeling that male solo artists cannot write politically or need to be more commercial. Artists like Sam Fender are the exception but maybe the words are more potent and intelligent coming from female artists. Whatever the reasons, I am seeing this contrast and I feel 2019 is going to be defined by the female voice. Since Billie Marten released her debut album, a few other singer-songwriters of similar voice – nobody is quite as mesmeric as her – have come along. Lucy Rose is the closest example and it will be interesting to see how Marten’s forthcoming album compares to Lucy Rose’s No Words Left. It is clear Marten is more comfortable jamming and writing lyrics on the spot now. Before, she would often write in her room and craft lyrics in quiet. In many ways I prefer that vision and young woman but I realise people change and, if it leads to terrific music, then one must let go of that romantic vision. The slightly older Marten is still the same but city life has changed her perspective and process. I am glad she has a new album out and I was worried whether we might have to wait until later in the year to hear anything. I do think it is these fantastic young women who are shaping music this year and delivering the biggest records. I must move onto Folk and Singer-Songwriter genres and cover them a little bit.

Before I mention that, I must nod to Billie Marten’s song titles and how they grip you before you even hear them. I am still hearing so many artists who write boring titles and they seem very samey. On Writing of Blues and Yellows, songs like Heavy Weather, Teeth and La Lune stood out and sort of gave you an impression before you heard the songs. On Feeding Seahorses by Hand, we have songs like Cartoon People, Blood Is Blue; Vanilla Baby and Boxes. In some ways, Marten is more an author creating chapters and mini-stories than a traditional songwriter. On her debut, I sort of felt this narrative but each song inhabited its own world and skin. Now, in 2019, it seems like there is a similar thing happening on her sophomore release. Maybe it is me but I think genres like Folk allow artists a bit more expression and sense of the literary. Pop, to me, seems about creating these bangers and tracks that will get in the head and make an instant impact. Even if Pop artists are being more personal, there is this more processed and soulless sound that doesn’t have the sort of depth and nuance you’d like. Other genres can create depth but I feel like Folk and Singer-Songwriter are the perfect choices. Here, artists can take the momentum down a bit and relax the energy. Billie Marten has always been great when it comes to letting listeners into her world and creating these amazingly rich and wondrous songs. Her peers such as Laura Marling and Lucy Rose do this too but I think Marten is a step above. One of my biggest fears when I knew Marten had moved to London and was growing a bit was that she would go electric or maybe add more Pop into her music. I would forgive her and many would have done that. Happily, she has not radically altered her debut sound and we still have the gorgeous voice at the centre and a similar vibe. If anything, she has become bolder as a composer and there is more electric guitar and other instruments in the mix – her debut largely revolved around acoustic guitar with percussion and piano (and some strings on a few songs).

 PHOTO CREDIT: Liz Seabrook

Things have definitely changed for Marten and I do think that the music has evolved in a natural way. Rather than succumb to the temptation to go commercial or collaborate with a line of different singers, her core is solid and it means those who love her debut album (such as me) do not have to adapt too much. I do like the fact that the production sound is a little different to Writing of Blues and Yellows. It is a bit less intimate and a bit bolder. There is more electricity in the songs and, thematically, Marten is documenting the world about her and not quite as enclosed and homely as she once was. It is this maturation and sense of this young woman stepping out into the world. I am pleased to see there is a natural change between albums because repeating her debut album exactly would have been an unwise move. I did mention how this year will be about women in music and maybe it the way they look at life that leads me to believe this. I know bands like IDLES and Sleaford Mods have a political mind but you do not hear a lot of it from solo artists. It is hard to explain but I do feel a lot of male solo artists are more interested in commercial success and talking about matters of the heart. Whether they feel ill-equipped to pen songs about politics or they feel they need to follow the mainstream best, it is down to some great female artists to say something more relevant and important. Billie Marten sees what is happening in the country and is motivated to have her say and address her anger through songs. Even on her 2016 debut, she was conscious about the bigger picture and not beholden to being too personal and limited. It is the move to the capital that has compelled a lot of her new expressions and directions. She has said that, on her new album, she is unlearning a lot of what she learned on her debut.

Some of the best moments from Writing of Blues and Yellows were when you got the feeling you were at home with Marten. On It’s a Fine Day, the closing number, we could hear her dad mowing the lawn. It seemed like, on Teeth, we were in her living room and there was definitely an intimacy and feeling we were right inside Billie Marten’s life. Now that she has relocated, her process is different and her objectives have changed. Her lyrical talent remains but she has had to sort of write in a different manner – no longer in a cosy room in Yorkshire, the city-based Marten now has to get used to the different pace and feeling around her. I am not sure exactly why she moved to London but I get there was a feeling that she needed to be closer to the action and the commute to and from Yorkshire was a bit of a drag. If one looks at her Twitter and Instagram feeds, there is still the same quirky and charming Marten we are used to – especially when it comes to things like trying new food (I wonder if she is still fascinated by alpacas?!) – but there is a stronger, bolder and more resolute musician in her place. Marten packed her bags after finishing school and, rather than continue in higher education, she left the beauty and grace of Yorkshire to come to the more rushed and packed London. Working in a bar, she was able to observe the world passing by and, crucially, she found her feet before too long. Able to observe a greater demographic and more people, this inspired her music and outlook. A few songs on Feeding Seahorses by Hand look at political figures and how ridiculous they are but there is also the feeling that this young woman still feels a bit squashed by the city. Marten knows she is more aware of society than she was at fifteen – the then-Marten more engrossed in records and books – but she has retained that sense of intimacy and warmth that defined her debut.

Moving to London has also provided greater opportunity when it comes to personal and spaces. I  believe she resides in East London but, in terms of producers and studios, there are greater options compared to somewhere like Ripon (where she used to live). Although a lot of the lyrics and music was written in London, Marten actually recorded a lot of the album in Ethan John’s Bath house. She recorded over this intense two-week period and worked in a way that was very different to her debut. In many ways, I sort of see Marten as a Kate Bush-like figure. Bush, on The Kick Inside, wrote the songs at home on her piano – some were written when she was as young as thirteen! There is this personal feel to the album and Bush allowed herself time to get the tracks write and make sure she had them all right when she headed to the studio. By her second album – or later in her career – she was writing more in the studio and recording in a very different way. In fact, when Bush was Marten’s age, she had just brought out The Kick Inside but already looking to work in a different manner. There is less need to have this perfect and polished sound: instead, Marten has created music that is honest, urgent and broader than what we are used to. Betsy has only been out a couple of days but is already delighting people and making an impact. I should move on and get to the song itself – as I have talked quite a bit. I hope, too, there will be some new photos uploaded to her social media because there is a split between the sixteen-year-old debut-look and how she appears now. She can still create striking art and images but there are different tones this time around – Writing of Blues and Yellow’s album and singles had actual painted images as their covers; a more homebound and intimate feel, as I say. Besty is the new song from Feeding Seahorses by Hand – or the ‘lead-off single’ as many have said – and it is a cracker.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Victor De Jesus

Whereas a lot of songs from Writing of Blues and Yellows began with a gradual rise or some acoustic passage, Billie Marten is bringing percussion and force more to the fore. Maybe this reflects the album’s tonal shifts but I feel she is becoming bolder with her compositions. Betsy opens with this crackle from the drums and unexpected rush. Many might have been expecting a bit of guitar lick and piano tenderness but, no, there is this nice little spark that gets things going! In a way, there is this Country feel to the song. It is a soothing and languid in equal measures. There is this nice woozy electric guitar in the background that creates this sort of ripple and mood. Marten’s voice has a tired-but-seductive quality and it is almost whispered. This creates this wonderful mix of emotions and sounds that makes the song an instant winner. We know that Betsy is about an unnamed politician and a reflection of how, in some ways, the country is being torn by those in power. “Heard you got the job/Hope it serves you well” suggests a sort of sarcasm where politicians are in government for their own ends; a way of serving themselves and not the people. In this “coffee-ticket town”, it is only natural these people in power are not really concerned with the bigger picture: their voters and those who they are meant to be looking out for. Marten, as narrator, calls in at number nine and there is the feeling she will not get any truths. I mentioned how there is a sense of sarcasm but maybe cynicism is a better term. When we get to the chorus, there is this percussion rise but it is more the odd bit of cymbal and a more paced delivery. Rather than popping in big drum solos and packed sounds, there is this breezy and dreamy sound from the drums that gives this mixture of keen kick and lumbering vibe. “Take a generational bow” are words in the chorus and it makes me wonder where that came from.

Again, it seems like Marten is calling politicians out and getting them to bow to those they have let down – sort of mocking their lack of accomplishment and wondering what they are for. In that slightly breezy-cum-breathy sound, one can draw a line between Julia Jacklin and Billie Marten but there is something distinct about Marten’s words and how she delivers her songs. Even when Marten – as she does in the second verse – is talking about politicians corrupting and talking about death, there is this upward lilt in her voice and half-smile that keeps things being too heavy and haunted. The words are powerful and the second verse talks of leaders messing with heads and the church. These are deep ideas and expressions and Marten projects her words beautifully. There is no huge anger nor is there this sense of detachment. Instead, we have this artist who seems angered but has a weariness and sense of defeat. Whereas a lot of writers repeat choruses and have this very rigid approach to songwriting, Marten is different and ensures that her songs have movement and flow. “It’s wavy, man” she explains; the way she chooses her language is incredible! “Are you ruined by the shake of a hand?” is another line and, again, Marten showing she is so much more interesting than most songwriters. This mixture of oblique and tangible means the song strikes upon the first spin but you’ll want to go back and hear it again to see if the words paint new images. As percussion waves and clashes, Marten talks about the world and how it is no man’s toy. Things have changed and the glory days – perhaps as old as the 1990s – are behind us. Where are we heading and how far have we really come?! Billie Marten knows we are doing things wrong and is trying to make sense of it all. Rather than yell and be aggressive on the record, there is this sense she is tired by the machinations and lying; not having the strength to get worked up but she knows how bad things are and we need to do something. Betsy captivates from the start to the end and, in the outro, Marten sings “All feel better/This all feels better/So much better” and it has this mantra-like quality. The words are hypnotic and wave-like and take the song to a beautiful end. Betsy is a complex song and has layers but there is a definite truth. If Feeding Seahorses by Hand contains more songs like Betsy then critics will be drooling and it will be among the best albums of 2019 – something Billie Marten is fully capable of doing!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Katie  Silvester 

We have heard three songs that will appear on Feeding Seahorses by Hand. There is more political and social awareness on the nineteen-year-old’s new album but Marten is still tackling self-doubt and anxieties – Blue Sea, Red Sea and Mice are prime examples of this. I cannot wait to hear the rest of the album and, as I say, the rest of the songs sound great. I love how she can create this anticipation with titles alone. If Writing of Blues and Yellows was about this teen in Yorkshire who was making sense of the world and seemed to be vibing from her record collection – a lot of classic Joni Mitchell and Jeff Buckley in her songs – the slightly older Marten is in a fresh setting and reflecting what is happening in London. She has been inspired, good or bad, by the mix of people and the pace of life (one feels getting crushed on the Underground will never inspire anything positive). It is amazing seeing how she has grown and how far she has come. Betsy is a song that shows how, in many ways, she has kept her true and distinct sound but really changed as a lyricist. Marten will tour the U.S. in May and returns to the U.K. to headline – beginning on 5th June in Birmingham before concluding on 13th June at London’s Islington Assembly. Check her social medic channels and official website for ticket details as, from 22nd March, they go on sale. Also make sure you pre-order Feeding Seahorses by Hand and get it on a cool, orange vinyl! I still maintain Billie Marten is the finest young songwriter we have right now and, despite new artists coming through since her 2016 debut, nobody has the same jewellery box as Marten. That brilliant voice and all the colours and gems she has at her disposal; the way she expresses her lyrics and that nuanced and multi-layered voice! I feel that the female voice will guide 2019 so would  not be shocked if Feeding Seahorses by Hand cracks many top-ten lists come the end of this year. In many ways, critics omitted Writing of Blues and Yellows from their end-of-year lists and, given the fact the album picked up a slew of four-star reviews, it was a travesty! Let’s hope, when Feeding Seahorses by Hand arrives, the critics, come December, will not be...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Katie  Silvester

MAKING the same mistake again!

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Follow Billie Marten

 PHOTO CREDIT: Katie  Silvester

Official:

https://www.billiemarten.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/BillieMarten

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/billiemarten/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/02YLJJnWC7YQVixkjEBRn7?si=qbtVYQoSS1677UcpIN3wQA

YouTube:

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

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/billiemarten/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/billie-marten

PHOTOS (those uncredited):

Billie Marten/Getty Images

FEATURE: We Stand Together: The New Zealand Playlist

FEATURE:

 

We Stand Together

IN THIS PHOTO: Christchurch, New Zealand/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

The New Zealand Playlist

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IT has been an horrific day for the people of Christchurch...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Christchurch, New Zealand/PHOTO CREDIT: @edwardmanson

in New Zealand. A terrorist attack has left forty-nine dead and many wounded in a senseless and insane attack. People around the world are sending their sympathies and best wishes but one wonders how it happened and what provoked anyone to carry out so a violent attack. The BBC reported the news here:

“Forty-nine people have been killed and at least 20 wounded in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the incident as a terrorist attack and one of New Zealand's "darkest days". It is the nation's deadliest attack.

A gunman identifying himself as an Australian live-streamed the rampage at Al Noor mosque to Facebook.

A man in his late 20s has been arrested and charged with murder. Two other men and one woman were also detained.

Firearms and explosive devices were recovered, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said. One of those detained was later released.

The gunman live-streaming the attack from a head-mounted camera said he was a 28-year-old Australian called Brenton Tarrant. The footage showed him firing indiscriminately at men, women and children from close range inside the Al Noor mosque.

Police called on the public not to share the "extremely distressing" footage online. Facebook said it had removed the gunman's Facebook and Instagram accounts and was working to remove any copies of the footage”.

New Zealand is known for its peaceful people and safety and this comes as a huge blow – a moment of evil that has shocked a nation! Although there is nothing that can make things better, I wanted to bring together some New Zealand-born/based artists and celebrate the music of the country. There will be a lot of questions following the terror attack and we hope the death toll does not raise. New Zealand is a fine nation and, as you can tell from the playlist below, it is a country that has produced...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lake Tekapo, New Zealand/PHOTO CREDIT: @tokeller/Unsplash

SOME truly wonderful music.

FEATURE: Violently Happy in This Post-Utopia: Björk’s Studios Albums on Cassette: Her Five Essential Releases to Own

FEATURE:

 

Violently Happy in This Post-Utopia: Björk’s Studios Albums on Cassette

 IMAGE CREDIT: @bjork  

Her Five Essential Releases to Own

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GOOD news for Björk fans because...

 IMAGE CREDIT: @bjork

she has announced her studio albums will be released on tape! It is not only great for her fans – such as myself – but it will capture the imagination of other artists. Some might say it is a bit of nostalgia and who really owns a cassette player in this time? I must admit it is quite tricky getting hold of a stereo tape deck but I think it is great we get to see these multi-coloured Björk albums available in a nice bundle. You can order your favourite albums or you can get hold of the lot. Here, as Tiny Mix Tapes explain, 26th April is an exciting date to put in your diaries!

 “Here’s what you can get: Debut, Post, Homogenic, Vespertine, Medúlla, Volta, Biophilia, Vulnicura, and Utopia (R.I.P. Selmasongs) individually or in a bundle as stunning colored cassettes. They’ll look incredible on your shelves! (Or, more realistically, the Discogs Marketplace.)

For fans who love Björk as much as they love inconvenience, lack of durability, and low fidelity, you can pre-order one or all of the cassettes here, with an official release date of April 26. Individual tapes cost £8.99, while the bundle will run you £69.99, which Google tells me is currently equivalent to 92.91 United States Dollars (or 10,972.77 Icelandic Króna!), which is honestly a steal”.

I do think that, following Björk’s announcement, more artists need to get involved with cassettes. I will definitely be buying Post and Debut on cassette and I would love to see other bands and artists do the same.

… we have another surprise for you …
we are very happy to release a line of limited edition cassette tapes
pre-order: https://t.co/9id3fTtlNU pic.twitter.com/IZ7P8v9WXo

— björk (@bjork) March 14, 2019

It is not mere nostalgia and a way to accrue new interest in her back catalogue. Instead, we get to see her work in a new light and, against digital onslaught, this is a way we can truly cherish her albums. I think I still have a cassette player somewhere but, at any rate, I can see a new interest in tapes. Vinyl is healthy and we are still crazy about that but, with the decline in cassette sales, many of us are either buying records or going digital. There is the problem with cassettes and the plastic: if an alternative material could replace plastic then I can see more people buying them. I would love to see The Beatles’ catalogue back on cassette and a limited edition run of tapes from someone like Joni Mitchell. There are endless possibilities and artist options and I think Björk will definitely start a bit of a wave. It has been twenty-six years since her Debut release and, since then, she has released some of the most arresting records ever. It might be a bit pricey buying all her albums but, if you want an affordable bundle of five, I have picked the ones you need. Every Björk album is full of life and interest but, with so many cool and colourful cassettes about to come out, here are the five...

 IMAGE CREDIT: @bjork

THAT you’ll want to snap up.

ALBUM COVERS: Spotify/Getty Images

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Debut

Release Date: 5th July, 1993

Labels: One Little Indian/Elektra

Producers: Nellee Hooper/Björk 

Key Cuts: Venus as a Boy/Big Time Sensuality/Violently Happy

Review:

“Björk's playful energy ignites the dance-pop-like "Big Time Sensuality" and turns the genre on its head with "There's More to Life Than This." Recorded live at the Milk Bar Toilets, it captures the dancefloor's sweaty, claustrophobic groove, but her impish voice gives it an almost alien feel. But the album's romantic moments may be its most striking; "Venus as a Boy" fairly swoons with twinkly vibes and lush strings, and Björk's vocals and lyrics -- "His wicked sense of humor/Suggests exciting sex" -- are sweet and just the slightest bit naughty. With harpist Corky Hale, she completely reinvents "Like Someone in Love," making it one of her own ballads. Possibly her prettiest work, Björk's horizons expanded on her other releases, but the album still sounds fresh, which is even more impressive considering electronic music's whiplash-speed innovations. Debut not only announced Björk's remarkable talent; it suggested she had even more to offer” – AllMusic

Standout Track: Human Behaviour

Post

Release Date: 13th June, 1995

Labels: One Little Indian/Elektra

Producers: Nellee Hooper/Björk/Graham Massey/Tricky/Howie B

Key Cuts: Hyperballad/It’s Oh So Quiet/Isobel

Review:

“On Björk second solo album, Post, the ex-Sugarcube finds a bizarre and irresistible connecting point between industrial-disco, ambient-trance, and catchy synth pop. She even shoehorns in a big-band number, though few will confuse the Icelandic pixie — with her otherworldly lyrics and supernatural pipes — with Peggy Lee. Luckily, there’s a conviction to Björk’s delivery and an assurance to her hooks that make her most surreal passages as relatable as moon-June standards. Ultimately, she reinvents that tradition, constructing standards for the cyber age” – Entertainment Weekly

Standout Track: Army of Me

Homogenic

Release Date: 22nd September, 1997

Labels: One Little Indian/Elektra

Producers: Mark Bell/Björk/Guy Sigsworth/Markus Dravs/Howie B

Key Cuts: Hunter/Bachelorette/Alarm Call

Review:

“Björk’s voice is, without question, the life force of this music. You can hear her finding a new confidence on “Unravel”: The edge of her voice is as jagged as the lid of a tin can, her held tones as slick as black ice. A diligent student could try to transcribe her vocals the way jazz obsessives used to notate Charlie Parker’s solos, and you’d still come up short; the physical heft and malleability of her voice outstrips language” – Pitchfork  

Standout Track: All Is Full of Love

Vulnicura

Release Date: 20th January, 2015

Labels: One Little Indian/Megaforce/Sony

Producers: Björk/Arca/The Haxan Cloak

Key Cuts: Lionsong/Black Lake/Mouth Mantra

Review:

“On History of Touches, a nostalgic litany of old intimacies is backed by a series of weirdly muted electronic explosions; Mouth Mantra, a song about escaping the numbness of a relationship’s end and finding your voice again sounds like a sudden gushing of pent-up sounds, exploding from a waltz into sonic chaos.

The album ends with Quicksand, a song on which a relatively positive, life-must-go-on sentiment – “Hackle this darkness/ Up to the light … When we’re broken we are whole” – feels undermined by its nervous rhythm. It sounds like a breakbeat with some essential workings missing: it moves forward, but refuses to swing in the way it should. This is a fitting conclusion to an album that begins, on Stonemilker, with Björk’s frank admission: “I better document this.” You could say there’s something gimlet-eyed about a woman who realises her relationship is collapsing and automatically thinks: still, great material. But it’s nothing if not honest. And besides, on the evidence of Vulnicura, she has a point” – The Guardian

Standout Track: All Is Full of Love

Utopia

Release Date: 24th November, 2017

Label: One Little Indian

Producers: Björk/Arca/Rabit

Key Cuts: Blissing Me/Utopia/Tabula Rasa

Review:

“The electrifying Tabula Rasa is even more specific, speaking of Björk’s “deepest wish”. “We are swollen from hiding his affairs,” Björk mourns as flutes sigh. She wants to wipe the slate clean. “Tabula rasa for my children/ Not repeating the fuck-ups of the fathers/ For us women to rise and not just take it lying down.” Later, the discussion widens out, away from the personal. “Embarrassed to pass this mess on to you,” Björk aches. Eventually, rain falls.

Traditionalists might still wonder where all the nice steady beats have gone, why so little music here is anchored. The dominant message, though, is of limitlessness, of hope and, on Future Forever, of “a matriarchal dome” with “musical scaffolding” – The Guardian

Standout Track: The Gate

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Shura 

An All-Female, Spring-Ready Playlist (Vol. III)

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ALTHOUGH things have been a bit...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lady Leshurr/PHOTO CREDIT: Zoe McConnell

stormy regarding the weather, there are hopes that it will calm down and brighten in the next few days! I am excited to experience so proper spring weather and get rid of the gusts. Even if things are a bit rubbish outside, there is plenty of great music out there. I have been looking for female-led sounds that should get the energy levels up and everyone in a better mood. It is a great time when it comes to new talent and there are some wonderfully rich and diverse artists around right now. Many overlook female artists and assume they are not capable of offering much in the way of surprise, strength and range. That is not true and, as I show here, they are bringing a lot of spirit, energy and pop. We need some sounds that fight against the weather and all make us feel a little better. Take a listen to the songs here and I am sure you will find something...

IN THIS PHOTO: Rachel Wammack/PHOTO CREDIT: Joseph Llanes (edits by Matthew Berinato)‬

THAT suits your tastes.

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

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Nasty Cherry – Win

PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Dream

Art School Girlfriend – Come Back to Me

PHOTO CREDIT: Anne-Line Nygaard

Moyka – Colder

PHOTO CREDIT: James Rushton

MEI (ft. Sans Soucis, Toya Delazy) - Homebound

girl in red – i need to be alone

Holly Herndon – Eternal

Chelsea Cutler – Out of Focus (Recorded at Spotify Studios N.Y.C.)

Grace VanderWaal – Hideaway (from Wonder Park) 

Rachel Wammack – Damage

PHOTO CREDIT: Kaine Crowhurst Imagery

Sarah Saint James – Bittersweet

Sara Diamond – Ride

Kira Isabella - Handcuffs

PHOTO CREDIT: Flore Diamant

Tusks – Peachy Keen

PHOTO CREDIT: @vitelleschi

So Below – Bone

Emeli Sandé – Sparrow

RuthAnne – Love Again

Sofia Reyes (ft. Rita Ora, Anitta) – R.I.P.

Ruthie – Spirit Now Moves

Clara Mae – Lost

PHOTO CREDIT: Patrice Brylla

La Fleur - Aphelion

Lady Leshurr – Horrid

Poppy Ajudha – Devil’s Juice

Hannah Grace – The Bed You Made

Violeta Skya – I Need You

Lauren Jenkins – Running Out of Road

Clara Sanabras - Helium Horses

Foundlings – Busan

Shura – BKLYNLDN

INTERVIEW: Malory

INTERVIEW:

Malory

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THE superb Malory has been talking with me...

about her new album, Cornucopia, and whether there are a lot of personal stories defining the music; if she has a personal favourite from the record and whether there might be some tour dates coming later in the year.

Malory reveals a few rising artists to watch; what sort of music she grew up around and how important London is as a city regarding inspiration and drive – she picks a pretty good song to end the interview with.

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

Great, actually! The album launch was a massive success and I’ve been so excited to hear all the positive response to the record. I’m actually visiting Australia for a bit right now…

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

My style is a combo of classic songwriting with alternative, quirky production. I love to create music with tons of vocal layering and strange percussion but, at the core, I hope to write a good song that stands the test of time. 

Cornucopia is your new album. What was your reaction when hearing it back for the first time?

A lot of times, when you’re working on a special batch of songs, it’s easy to get lost in the minutia of each track. It’s tricky to hear the thing as a whole and it wasn’t until very close to release that I was really able to take a step back and hear it as one cohesive idea. And, when I did, a lot of little insecurities I had about small details faded away and I just felt very proud of what we accomplished.

Are there personal experiences and particular moments that inspire the songs?

All sorts. A lot is taken from personal relationships; most of the album was inspired by my long-distance relationship with my boyfriend. Also, travelling: I love going to new places and trying to immerse myself in culture as much as possible (I called it my inspiration sponge-time) and then, often, I’ll get back and write quite a few songs in succession. 

Do you have a favourite cut from the record that means the most?

As an artist, you always want to believe all of your songs mean as much as another - but then you get on stage to perform and sometimes one just blindsides you with emotion as it comes out. I’d say the album closer, Cornucopia, has always managed to swell up a whole range of feelings when I sing it out loud.

How do you think your new music differs from your earliest work in terms of scope and ambition?

I’d say the scope and ambition has remained the same - they’re just becoming more effectively realised! I was lucky enough to work with Nick Kingsley and Danny George on Cornucopia and we all really clicked in terms of what kind of sonic vision we had for the tracks.

What sort of music did you grow up around as a child?

A lot of Dylan; a lot of Folk music in general. Growing up, I loved Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple - all the greats! 

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

You go through a lot of musically-transformative experiences as you develop as an artist, so it’s hard to say! A couple highlights would be supporting George Ezra - a very cool experience - and also recently getting onto Spotify New Music Friday. I, admittedly, shed a little tear of joy! 

You are based in London. How important is the city regarding your music and inspiration? 

It’s definitely an amazing city to have grown up in. The amount of venues and cool people to work with is insane. But, it’s also a fast-paced place to be so I think it’s probably helped most with giving me a good work ethic and acknowledging within myself that you can make a career out of music. 

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

I’ve always been a sacrilegiously-bad album listener; I’ve definitely gotten better but I hardly listened to albums just mostly singles! However, some of my faves:

Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope

She’s always been a huge inspiration for me and I totally fell in love with this album when I heard it. Definitely had it on-repeat one too many times…

Josie Field - Mercury

My cousin Josie’s first album was incredibly influential for me. She’s an incredible South African songwriter/artist and this album blew my mind as a twelve-year-old girl. Her writing and vocal strength always motivated me to be better.  

Ry Cooder - Into the Purple Valley

He’s just the absolute coolest guy. Such an accomplished musician and experimentalist. I’m a sucker for Country, Blues and Americana stuff and this album just makes me really happy, it’s weird and groovy. 

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

Oooo, this would be cool…

Probably Rostam. He’s my current biggest inspiration. My rider would honestly not entail that much. Booze/food for my wonderful band and just an unlimited supply of hot water with honey for me. Haha… 

Might we see you on tour in 2019?

I’m definitely going to be gigging with prospects of some cool opportunities across the pond - so definitely stay tuned world! 

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

I guess, neither! I prefer the initial writing process to both of those. I definitely love them all but the winner is just the pure transcendent moment of giving birth to a new song. 

 IMAGE CREDIT: sky kids

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

shy kids, VIBES; Feng Suave & Still Woozy.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Feng Suave

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

I love illustration so I do that in my spare time (you can find me on Instagram as @lickablesquid). Also, just hanging out with my wonderful group of friends and occasionally playing tennis when I can. Also movies...lots and lots of movies. 

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).

shy kids - I Was in New York

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Follow Malory

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/maloryofficial

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/maloryofficial/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7lvI3xLIepHdLT85UbGWmi

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZZsrK19ss3bCTVnN3iuo1Q

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/maloryofficial/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/malory-official

PHOTOS:

NICEWAY media

FEATURE: Bricks Turning to Faux Wood: The Social, London: Another Iconic Venue Facing Closure

FEATURE:

 

Bricks Turning to Faux Wood

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

The Social, London: Another Iconic Venue Facing Closure

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ONE is always fearful and cold when...

a great music venue is threatened with closure! Although there are some thriving and safe sites, there is no real security regarding the fate of most of the great venues around the country. A lot of venues outside of cities struggle because there is not the same choice regarding music - and it can be hard attracting big names. Cities are not immune and, if anything, high rent prices and competition for spaces means, often, venues are muscled aside and replaced by those able to stump up the rent. I will come to look at London’s changing skyline and why it is ridiculous to see wine bars and hipster joints taking the place of some of the most-established and best venues around. London’s The Social is the latest venue facing an uncertain fate. NME have covered the news:

 “They have just two weeks to raise £95,000

Legendary London venue The Social needs to raise £95,000 in just two weeks or face threat of closure.

Following a long-running and successful club night by Heavenly Records in the ’90s, the label opened The Social on Little Portland Street in West London in 1999. Since then, they’ve played host to the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Florence & The Machine, Beck, Jack White, Vampire Weekend, The Horrors, Doves, Lily Allen, Aphex Twin, Super Furry Animals, Shame and many, many more.

As the venue’s 20th anniversary approaches, they’ve now launched a crowdfunding campaign to urgently raise money to prevent redevelopment...

“Rising rents and an offer to the building’s leaseholder from a cocktail and wine bar chain have put The Social under very serious threat,” the venue said in a statement. “The bar’s founders need to raise money to buy a controlling share in the venue from the leaseholder in order to keep The Social open.

“Unless new investment is found in the next two weeks then the iconic venue will be forced to close its doors. We’re asking you for help.”

The venue added: “We need to raise £95,000 ASAP as a down payment to get the venue off the market, save it from turning into just another bar and then kick start a second round of private investment so we can take full control of The Social lease and secure its long-term future.”

If saved, the venue promise to offer the ‘biggest small festival in the world’ in celebration of their 20th anniversary, as well working to put on more club nights and artists, help to promote independent breweries, and open more venues across the UK.

IN THIS PHOTO: wych elm (So Young Magazine presents the E.P. release party for the Bristol band on 22nd March)/PHOTO CREDIT: wych elm

“If The Social is saved we would quickly look to set up further venues and take the kind of music and arts culture clash we’ve promoted in Little Portland Street to the rest of London and beyond,” they said.

“Basically, wherever anyone wants us, we’ll be there.”

One would think a venue in the city would be safe! Some new venues are being built but, largely, it is the venues we have here already that have this established core of supporters; they are coming through the door and putting money behind the bar. Artists are still flocking to The Social but, more and more, extortionist rent prices are proving too high for spaces like this. In the case of The Social, it seems a wine bar/bistro will take its place – if money cannot be raised to keep the bricks standing. In 5 Little Portland Street – just near Oxford Street; a great spot and perfect location – one would expect to see rather fancy and unnecessary wine bars festooning the view. I often pass by the venue and it offers character and richness to the area. Look around The Social’s boundaries and you see plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars – another is not needed at all! It is great to see a gig there and you are spoiled for choice when it comes to pre/post-gig options. If we get rid of such a reputable music venue then the area becomes less sociable and exciting. In many cases, noise pollution and drug problems can threaten a venue – this is not the case here.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @scottiewarman/Unsplash

The Social is not the only venue that has been threatened lately. As the NME article continues, venues around the U.K. are struggling to meet demands and high rent charges:

“This comes after beloved Oxford venue The Cellar announced this week that they too would be closing down following a rent battle.

Last year, a number of leading artists and industry figures led the Agent Of Change campaign to stop the closure of independent live music venues across the UK.

“Without the grassroots clubs, pubs and music venues my career could have been very different,” said Sir Paul McCartney of the campaign. “If we don’t support music at this level, then the future of music in general is in danger”.

London’s ‘Night Czar’, Amy Lamé, has come under fire given the news. She is committed to preserving venues around the capital and ensuring London’s place as an essential music hub is preserved. She is working with the city’s Culture at Risk Office – a resource to support cultural spaces and venues at risk – and discussions are happening. One cannot blame any single person but it seems sad that, in so many cases, venues are closing because of rent issues and an inane and faceless bar taking its spot. Gentrification is needed but, if we are replacing these loved and popular venues for something soulless and high-priced then you are going to drive people away and deprive artists.

 IN THIS PHOTO: London’s Night Czar, Amy Lamé/PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Writtle

London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has helped keep venues alive – alongside his Culture at Risk Office and Night Czar, Amy Lamé – but there are many others that have a rather shaky future. There are great articles promoting terrific venues around London and one wonders, in years to come, whether they will still be standing. There are few good reasons to replace a popular and terrific venue with any other business but the fact we might see a wine bar in the place of The Social is horrifying. In an area already stuffed with bars and options for every human, what rationale is there for making things more exclusive and stuffy?! The Social cannot be accused of being controversial or adding a sour tone to the area: it is a trouble-free part of London that offers great music and nightlife to punters. London is at its strongest when it balances great entertainment and its nightlife. If we start replacing music venues with cafes, bars and bistros then where do artists play and what is the future of London’s music stature going to be?! It is hard to compete with other cities in the world – such as New York, Los Angeles and others – if we keep letting venues shut their doors. It is hard for everyone but I do fear the increased rents and rich businesses angling in compromises a lot of our best and brightest venues.

Why is The Social such a respected and go-to venue?! Not only is its twentieth anniversary coming up – it would be a hard pill to swallow if they were not able to see that! – but so many great artists, big and upcoming, have played there. The Social themselves tell the tale:

“The Social opened in the summer of 1999 as part of a thriving musical landscape in the capital. One of the first public buildings designed by hugely respected architects David Adjaye OBE and Will Russell, The Social joined a list of central London music venues such the Astoria, the LA2, the End, Turnmills, Plastic People, The Falcon, the Metro and Madame JoJos (to name a few). Now, it’s one of just a couple of places left to see bands or DJs in the West End.

The Social evolved out of the legendary Heavenly Sunday Social club nights that ran in various venues between ’94 and ’99 and helped push the career of the Chemical Brothers (nee Dust Brothers). Rather than act as a bricks and mortar extension of those nights, The Social quickly developed a reputation as a free-thinking, boundary-pushing destination for open minded drinkers from all over the capitol.

Since it first opened its doors, The Social has played host to everyone from the Chemical Brothers to Edna O’Brien (twice), Wolf Alice, Adele, Caitlin Moran, Horace Andy, Bon Iver, Florence and the Machine, Young Fathers, DJ Yoda, Fatboy Slim (who sorted his records in the toilets before playing), Kate Tempest, Alt-J, Arctic Monkeys, Al Murray, MGMT, Tim Westwood, Rudimental, Jarvis Cocker, Four Tet, Cold War Steve (his first public exhibition anywhere in the world), Jack White, Irvine Welsh, Saint Etienne, Black Midi, Shame, Hip Hop Karaoke (the legendary club’s longterm home) Jeremy Deller...

IN THIS PHOTO: Florence and the Machine is just one in a long list of big acts who have played at The Social (photo is not from her gig at The Social) since its birth/PHOTO CREDIT: Lillie Eiger  

Fat White Family, Doves, Laura Marling, James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers), Beck, the Avalanches (first UK DJ gig), Michael Kiwanuka, Artwork, Boy Azooga, Super Furry Animals, Baxter Dury, Goat Girl, Sleaford Mods, Hot Chip, The Horrors, Trojan Records, Vampire Weekend, Huw Stephens (who’s hosted a monthly night for the last thirteen years), Nabihah Iqbal, the Charlatans, Frank Turner, Aphex Twin (Italo Disco set) and Lily Allen to name a few.
As well as gigs and club nights, The Social has held regular literary salons with friends from Faber & Faber and Caught by the River and art and photography exhibitions from established names and new talent alike. As far as we can tell, there isn’t another venue in London – possibly even Britain – that’s staged such a diverse and inspirational list of performers.

IN THIS PHOTO: Another popular artist who has played at The Social, Michael Kiwanuka

Go to their website and contribute to the crowdfunding campaign. They have raised a lot of money so far – they are just over one-third of the way to their ninety-five-grand target – but there is not much time to get your money in! The fact The Social is coming up for twenty is a great thing we all want to see:

If the Crowdfunder campaign is successful, The Social would organise twentieth birthday celebrations at Little Portland Street. Key to these will be the ‘biggest small festival in the world’ – a month of gigs, DJ sets, talks and discussions and exhibitions from a handpicked selection of friends of The Social who’ve performed there over the years. These intimate shows will be captured for a film documenting the rebirth of the bar at twenty years. Following the birthday parties, we have plans to considerably freshen up promotions in The Social. This will see a host of new nights, a series of streamed gigs and the return of some old classic nights rebooted for 2019.

Alongside promotions in the downstairs area, we would aim to donate a minimum of a day a month to charity. This would involve giving over either (or both) floor to a rotating list of charities to hold events and asking drinks partners to offer up charity kegs to maximise donations.

A key aim in moving forward is to increase the variety of draught beer on sale by installing new lines and pushing independent beers/breweries alongside those we already work closely with. In an ideal world, The Social would become something like a permanent beer festival attached to the best spirits bar in the world.

And finally, if The Social is saved we would quickly look to set up further venues and take the kind of music and arts culture clash we’ve promoted in Little Portland Street to the rest of London and beyond.

Basically, wherever anyone wants us, we’ll be there”.

It is never the case there are too many venues and many are expendable - every venue has its place! Rising artists are coming through all the time and they need spaces in which to play. As The Social proves, huge names like Beck are happy to come through their doors! We definitely do not need more places to drink and eat because, as a city, I think London already has it covered! Music venues, on the other hand, are a different matter! The Social is much more than a music venue. It hosts poetry and arts events; it is this eclectic space where you can chill in a friendly environment and catch great music and art with like-minded people!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @felipegraphy/Unsplash

If we keep replacing the proud bricks and mortar of our music spaces and replacing them with fake wood and artistic flourishes, then we are making the city more elitist and making our music scene much weaker. It is always sad to hear of a venue being challenged but The Social is looking forward to twenty years and to spoil the party with threats of closure is awfully sad. I am hopeful The Social can be rescued and the wine bar – or whatever crap was going to occupy 5 Little Portland Street! – will have to look elsewhere. Contribute a few quid in order to save The Social and I hope, if it can be saved, measures are taken to ensure its survival and success – we would all like to see it turn fifty in thirty years to come.

It is hard ensuring all venues are safe and funded but there needs to be more of a kitty reserved for our music landscape. There seems to be endless capital for ridiculous bars and businesses: when it comes to music venues, where is that security net?! Let us ensure that the musicians coming through right now can find ample spaces in London and, for those who love a great gig, their local is not marginalised. There are twelves more days to save The Social and they need another sixty-three grand to survive. I feel they can do it but I am worried what will be in the next few years. Can this sum of money lead to a more secure future or is it a stall to keep the wolves at bay?! The Government needs to do more and we cannot keep reading news of great venues going under. If you love music and want to see the capital’s best spaces flourish then head here and ensure The Social gets to celebrate...

ITS twentieth anniversary in style!

FEATURE: Albums of the Decade: Part III: 2016-2018

FEATURE:

 

Albums of the Decade

IN THIS PHOTO: IDLES/PHOTO CREDIT: Pooneh Ghana for DIY 

Part III: 2016-2018

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THERE are not many months left in the decade...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar/PHOTO CREDIT: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

and I am pretty sure there will not be many contenders that will challenge this list. Speculated albums from Madonna and The 1975 might be in with a shout of being the albums of the decade but I am carrying on the rundown with a look at the best albums from the three-year period that covered 2016 to 2018 (inclusive). Every decade boasts terrific records but this decade has been really strong and seen some truly unexpected revelations. Here are the fifteen albums that made the years 2016 through to 2018 wonderful. Future parts will bring us right up-to-date but here, in this third part, we can see albums that helped make this decade...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lorde/PHOTO CREDIT: Dean Chalkley/NME

SUCH a winner.

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Spotify/Getty Images

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2016:

David Bowie - Blackstar

Release Date: 8th January, 2016

Labels: ISO/RCA/Columbia/Sony

Producers: David Bowie/Tony Visconti

Key Cuts: Blackstar/Girl Loves Me/I Can’t Give Everything Away

Standout Track: Lazarus

Review:

“Only seven tracks and 42 minutes long, Blackstar is impressively hard to place in his back catalogue and feels completely self-contained. It has some of the off-kilter character of his late Seventies Berlin trilogy (Low, Heroes and Lodger) but little of their electronic flavour.

It is shot through with a late-life melancholy that sits intriguingly with the jazzy modulations. Beneath the swooning cinematic rush of Dollar Days beats a gorgeous, bittersweet piano ballad on which Bowie proclaims himself “dying to... fool them all again and again” but the phrase breaks apart until he sounds like he might be singing “I’m dying too” – The Daily Telegraph

Beyoncé - Lemonade

Release Date: 23rd April, 2016

Labels: Parkwood/Columbia

Producers: Various

Key Cuts: Hold Up/Don’t Hurt Yourself/Freedom

Standout Track: Formation

Review:

“Her voice though, in its rawness of emotion and tear duct-filling emotion, pushes at the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. Likewise, 6 Inch where her voice starts to crack and falter, sounding oddly vulnerable.

In a week where we have has to come to terms with the loss of one more explosive and unpredictable and talented and genius pop star, it is so reassuring to know that Beyoncé is still among us – and from the sounds of this – has still yet to reach her peak. Both Prince and Nina Simone (whose voice also features here) passed away on April 21. Sometimes it feels like Beyoncé is determined to pick up the mantles of both” – The Independent

Buy Album (Lemonade is not available on Spotify): https://www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/songs/

Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

Release Date: 8th May, 2016

Labels: XL/LLLP/LLP

Producer: Nigel Godrich

Key Cuts: Daydreaming/Decks Dark/Ful Stop

Standout Track: Burn the Witch

Review:

“And then there’s “True Love Waits.” It’s an old song, one that has been around in various forms for over two decades, but unlike “Burn the Witch” or the other teased sketches and scraps that Radiohead diehards pick apart on forums, it’s long been a part of their canon. It appeared on the 2001 live album I Might Be Wrong and, dragged into 2016, feels like a relic from a different geological era. “I’ll drown my beliefs,” Yorke sings, “just don’t leave.” It is the message they leave us with, this very open-hearted song that has always felt like an open wound in their discography, a geyser of feeling erupting out of scorched earth. Its very inclusion is a striking moment of transparency” – Pitchfork   

Solange – A Seat at the Table

Release Date: 30th September, 2016

Labels: Saint/Columbia

Producers: Various

Key Cuts: Rise/Don’t Touch My Hair/Scales

Standout Track: Cranes in the Sky

Review:

“In "Borderline," a chugging machine beat and a lilting piano line form the backdrop of a scene where Knowles and her partner tune out the world for the sake of their sanity. Then, after Nia Andrews and Kelly Rowland's half minute of proud harmonic affirmation, along comes "Junie," a squiggling jam on which André 3000 makes like the track's namesake (Ohio Players and Parliament legend Junie Morrison), where Knowles delivers a sharp metaphorical smackdown of a cultural interloper like it's merely an improvised postscript. All of the guests, from Lil Wayne to Kelela, make necessary appearances. The same goes for Knowles' parents and Master P, who are present in the form of short interludes in which they discuss segregation, self-reliance, cultural theft, and black pride. These segues shrewdly fasten a cathartic yet poised album, one that weighs a ton and levitates” – AllMusic   

A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service

Release Date: 11th November, 2016

Label: Epic

Producers: A Tribe Called Quest/Q-Tip/Blair Wells

Key Cuts: Solid Wall of Sound/Dis Generation/The Killing Season

Standout Track: We the People....

Review:

“Q-Tip, the group’s leader and politically conscious straight man to Phife’s ribald sports fan, takes on subjects from gentrification to the mis-sold dreams of African American youth. He calls out to those he sees as his heirs – from Kendrick Lamar to Earl Sweatshirt – to keep the Tribe flame alive. The album closes on The Donald, a tribute to Phife (not the new president), and there is a real sense of this being the group’s final testament. At times the album can seem tired and mid-paced, and some of the collaborators (Andre 3000, Anderson Paak) are more effective than others (Talib Kweli, Jack White). But for those who value Tribe’s contribution to music, this is a record to be grateful for” – The Guardian    

2017:

Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Release Date: 14th April, 2017

Labels: Aftermath/Interscope/Top Dawg

Producers: Various

Key Cuts: DNA./LOYALTY./GOD.

Standout Track: HUMBLE.

Review:

“Lamar’s gift is not just that he can say why he’s the best (“I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA”), but also that he articulate how this responsibility feels (“I feel like the whole world want me to pray for ’em/But who the fuck prayin’ for me?”). He can paint pride and agony with the same brush, and it’s that ability that makes “Fear” probably the most emotionally rich song in his entire discography. Like Sigmund Freud meets Scarface, Lamar connects the dots from the seven-year-old terrified of catching a beating from his mother to the 17-year-old terrified of being murdered by police to the 27-year-old terrified of fame. “I practiced runnin’ from fear, guess I had some good luck,” he raps with ease. “At 27 years old, my biggest fear was bein’ judged.”

Much like the recent A Tribe Called Quest record, Damn. is a brilliant combination of the timeless and the modern, the old school and the next-level. The most gifted rapper of a generation stomps into the Nineties and continues to blaze a trail forward. Don’t be confused if he can’t stay humble” – Rolling Stone

Lorde – Melodrama

Release Date: 16th June, 2017

Labels: Universal/Lava/Republic

Producers: Various

Key Cuts: The Louvre/Liability/Writer in the Dark

Standout Track: Green Light

Review:

“It’s a rudely excellent album, introspective without ever being indulgent, OTT in all the right ways, honest and brave, full of brilliant songs with lyrics to chew over for months. The message might be that Lorde considers herself wild and flawed and bruised (“I’ll love you till you call the cops on me,” she sings, on the deliciously bitter ‘Writer In The Dark’), but we all do sometimes. That’s the neatest trick the album pulls off – universal connection, in spite of the squad and the praise and the superstardom and the pressure. Humanity intact. Artistry assured. Brilliance confirmed” – NME

St. Vincent – MASSEDUCTION

Release Date: 13th October, 2017

Label: Loma Vista

Producers: Jack Antonoff/St. Vincent/Lars Stalfors/John Congleton  

Key Cuts: Sugarboy/Slow Disco/Smoking Section

Standout Track: Pills

Review:

“Clark recently told Buzzfeed that Masseduction asks, “What does power look like, who wields it, how do they wield it—emotionally, sexually, financially?” Exploring those balances of power gives Masseduction its inherent tension and anxiety. But it also doesn’t let instability win. The final song, “Smoking Section,” talks about going to the edge, nearly giving in to violent and dark tendencies, then deliberately taking a step back. “It’s not the end,” Clark repeats, in a weary and increasingly faded-sounding voice, as ghostly pedal steel smoke rings curl up around her.

Defeated as she sounds, it’s an unmistakable declaration of power—an emotional cliffhanger that leaves the door cracked for new beginnings. Masseduction is a manual on how to go through hell and back, then emerge stronger than ever. It’s a record that wrests control from turmoil and believes that a different, better future is possible. It’s the best encapsulation of her vision to date, here fully under her control” – The AV Club

Thundercat – Drunk

Release Date: 24th February, 2017

Label: Brainfeed

Producers: Flying Lotus/Sounwave/Thundercat  

Key Cuts: Show You the Way/Day & Night/Walk on By

Standout Track: Friend Zone

Review:

“The presence of yacht rock kingpins McDonald and Loggins may indicate at first glance that Bruner is taking the current vogue for cheesy soft rock to new heights. Yet there’s considerable merit to how the supple and hugely earwormy Show You the Way works in relation of the rest of the Thundercat universe.

Changes shares a title with a Buddy Miller album and a sample from the Isley Brothers’ Footsteps In the Dark as its enticing R&B pounce and prowl builds and develops with added elevation from a slippery Washington sax line. The Turn Down has Pharrell showing he can do art-pop as well as pop-pop, while Friend Zone is a Valentine’s Day card for all the jilted would-be lovers pining for those who just want to be friends.

The only soundtrack you’ll need for the year of the ’Cat” – The Irish Times

Laura Marling – Semper Femina

Release Date: 10th March, 2017

Label: More Alarming Records

Producer: Blake Mills  

Key Cuts: Wild Fire/Don’t Pass Me By/Nouel

Standout Track: Soothing

Review:

“Some things have changed, though. Marling has a new producer in Blake Mills (Conor Oberst, Sky Ferreira) and together they create a motley set of textures. ‘Always This Way’ delivers its rueful tale with a muted acoustic thrum; ‘Don’t Pass Me By’ ripples with glum reverberation; ‘Next Time’ hints at inner conflict with some somersaulting fretwork straight out of a bizarro Joanna Newsom composition. It all adds up to the most serene, stylistically varied album Marling has ever created – and that’s surely the point. “Fickle and changeable are you,” she smiles to a dear girlfriend on ‘Nouel’, “and long may that continue”. Hear that, Virgil?” – NME

2018: 

Christine and the Queens – Chris

Release Date: 21st September, 2018

Label: Because

Producers: Christine and the Queens/Cole M.G.N.

Key Cuts: Doesn’t matter/5 dollars/Feel so good

Standout Track: Girlfriend

Review:

“Crucially, Chris' purposeful sound doesn't come at the cost of Christine's vulnerability -- in fact, her newfound strength lets her dig deeper and reveal more. On "Whats-Her-Face," she brilliantly captures how teenage bullying can still feel like it happened yesterday. "The Walker" is an unbowed ballad that compares bruises to violets and wears them like badges of honor, while "Doesn't Matter" is a crisis of faith that's impossible not to dance to; even though she questions everything, Christine urges her listeners to find a ray of hope and run with it. As she examines what masculinity, femininity, strength, and vulnerability mean to her, Christine has never sounded more exposed -- or in control. A triumph, Chris reaffirms just how masterfully she engages minds, hearts, and bodies” – AllMusic  

Mitski – Be the Cowboy

Release Date: 17th August, 2018

Label: Dead Oceans

Producer: Patrick Hyland

Key Cuts: Geyser/A Pearl/A Horse Named Cold Air

Standout Track: Nobody

Review:

“Right from the overshot volume on the album's opening organ attack, abrasive sounds also put cracks in the surface. Stomping, clapping, and relentless keyboard bleeps permeate the brutal, danceable "Washing Machine Heart," evoking the appliance as well as the wife's frustration ("I'm not wearing my usual lipstick/I thought maybe we would kiss tonight"). Elsewhere, "Me and My Husband" opens unambiguously with a heavy sigh. After passing moments of more raucous rock, atmospheric synths, dance rhythms, irregular percussion, melodic sweetness, and dissonance, Be the Cowboy closes on the tender "Two Slow Dancers," the album longest track at four minutes. Wistful, string-like keyboard tones accompany sentimental lyrics that conclude that the couple has grown apart. In the end, rather than being a disappointment, Be the Cowboy's point of view provides a brilliant twist, one that channels all the unease, unpredictability, and intuitiveness of Mitski's previous work -- even for those who don't take in the lyrics” – AllMusic   

Noname – 25

Release Date: 14th September, 2018

Producers: Phoelix/Noname

Key Cuts: Window/Regal/Part of Me

Standout Track: Blaxploitation

Review:

“Once again favouring the live instrumentation that intricately underpins her languorous delivery, the glacial elegance of ‘Regal’ and infectious funk strut of ‘Part Of Me’ finds Warner effortlessly flitting between two changes of pace, the latter buoyed by turns from Benjamin Earl Turner and collaborator Phoelix.

Even if the delivery is often delicate, the record’s deft lyricism is arresting and unflinching, exploring themes of police brutality on ‘Prayer Song’ and terminal illness on the impeccable ‘Don’t Forget About Me’, while firing the haters a stinging retort on ‘Self’: “Y’all still thought a bitch couldn’t rap, huh?”

‘Room 25’ should find few protesting” – CLASH

IDLES – Joy as an Act of Resistance

Release Date: 31st August, 2018

Label: Partisan

Producers: Space/Adam Greenspan/Nick Launay

Key Cuts: Colossus/Danny Nedelko/Television

Standout Track: Samaritans

Review:

“But he can also be laugh-out-loud funny. “You look like a walking thyroid / You’re not a man you’re a gland,” he sings at the small-town bully in Never Fight a Man With a Perm: “a Topshop tyrant / Even your haircut’s violent.” Conversely, June addresses the death of Talbot’s daughter at birth, with a version of the poignant, six-word poem often attributed to Ernest Hemingway: “Baby’s shoes. For sale. Never worn.” The band tackle everything from I’m Scum’s Fall rockabilly to soul classic Cry to Me, previously recorded by Solomon Burke and the Rolling Stones. Idles won’t be for everybody: this isn’t good-time, aspirational, radio-friendly pop. But for anyone in need of music that articulates their concerns or helps them to work through their troubles – or anyone who simply appreciates blistering, intelligent punk – they might just be Britain’s most necessary band” – The Guardian    

Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

Release Date: 11th May, 2018

Label: Domino

Producers: James Ford/Alex Turner

Key Cuts: American Sports/Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino/Science Fiction

Standout Track: Four Out of Five

Review:

“Perhaps the great mystery of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is not its knotty themes or cryptic lyrics but what’s motivating Turner. With the keys to the most lucrative and well-oiled indie-rock band around, he’s regenerated Arctic Monkeys in service of a delirious and artful satire directed at the foundations of modern society. This is not an act of protest: Implicated in its sprawl are gentrification, consumerism, and media consumption, but rather than address these meaty topics, he strafes around them, admiring their transformation in the laboratory of his word tricks. In the end, his helpless struggle for meaning is what makes him relatable. For all this record’s hubris, the long-touted “generational voice” that is Alex Turner has never sounded more real, or more himself” – Pitchfork     

FEATURE: Spotlight: Stella Donnelly

FEATURE:

 

Spotlight

IN THIS PHOTO: Stella Donnelly/PHOTO CREDIT: Pooneh Ghana

Stella Donnelly

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THERE are a lot of great artists out there at the...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Emily Mackay

moment but I am struck by Stella Donnelly. I am not hearing a lot of great Australian music being promoted in the mainstream but with Julia Jacklin, Confidence Man and Perth’s Stella Donnelly, there is definitely a case to be made for featuring more Australian music. Whereas Confidence Man have a distinct Pop and their lyrics are more concerned with something a bit lighter, Jacklin and Donnelly are songwriters who deal more with the serious – not that this is a bad thing. If Jacklin’s latest album, Crushing, looks at repairing after a relationship, Stella Donnelly is looking to the outside world and tackling some big themes that she feels compelled by. The young songwriter released her debut E.P., Thrush Metal, in 2017 and her debut album, Beware of the Dogs, came out last Friday. She is being covered quite impressively in the media here and it is all justified. Her music has a sense of breeziness and the light and, whilst some numbers do concern big themes, there is plenty of personal hope and relief. It is a nice balance of emotions and themes and the abiding sense (when listening to Beware of the Dogs) is one of fulfilment. Her voice has a potency and calm; there is a nice mixture of textures but we have this very beautiful and nuanced sound that makes all the songs come to life.

 IMAGE CREDIT: Spotify

On the albums best moments, there are glorious backing vocals and a Pop sound that takes one back to the 1960s; this rushing mood and sensation that takes you away. As she told NME earlier in the year, her debut album does address some pretty provocative and controversial themes:

““No story is ever a simple story in itself. Now, I guess that ‘My Old Man, for example, is a reflection on the taste in everyone’s mouths post-#MeToo and how we’re dealing with it now, and whether enough has happened,” she says. “For example, Harvey Weinstein has only just been charged and on trial. There are people out there who are still suffering and particularly in Australia, as our defamation laws are very strict. So it is really hard for any victim to speak out in the way that those living in the US have done”.

She spoke about Australia and nationalism; the accusations of sexual assault made against Geoffrey Rush and how it was a turning point for her. It is rare to hear an album from an Australian artist that references their country specifically – maybe I have not been listening hard enough. It almost reminds me of Midnight Oil’s Diesel and Dust and how they talked about aborigines being displaced and the way their government operate (this was back in the 1980s).

“When I was writing the album, there was a conversation about nationalism, and the pride that we, as Australians, have at the expense of other people’s freedom and rights,” she says. “We break a lot of Human Rights laws in terms of how we treat our First Nations people. At the time, I was writing about the fact that I’ve got a lot of friends who have suffered at the hands of the Catholic protocol system that we have in our country. I say ‘harmless’ with inverted commas here, but there’s a lot of ‘harmless racism’ that happens in Australia”

One of the most important things to Donnelly is being able to join the conversations and talk about harder subjects through her music. She was born in Wales and moved to Australia when she was eleven. She spent her teenage years busking and joined various bands; she performed various gigs and her confidence gradually grew. There are many reasons why you need to seek out Stella Donnelly but, as I hinted, she can balance the personal and universal. She is not one who walks away from meaty topics: her songs are keen to uncover those who do wrong and put them in the spotlight. Beware of the Dogs can be quite a hard listen but it is often funny and brilliantly sharp. I think, in 2019, it is important to reflect the harder truths and talk about subjects beyond mere heartache and personal doubts. Another thing Donnelly addresses is marriage equality. Here, when speaking with The Guardian, she talks about marriage equality and abortion repeal in the Republic of Ireland:

“Donnelly was relieved when marriage equality passed in 2017, particularly since the referendum followed Brexit and Trump’s election, “so I had no idea what was gonna happen”. She was equally overjoyed to play in Dublin on the night of the abortion referendum and still has her “Tá!” (yes) badge on her guitar. It made her investigate Australian abortion laws (“Ours are based on state, which I didn’t realise, and very unprogressive in many ways”) and prompted another idea: the uneasy lounge pop of Watching Telly is a characteristically conversational song that frames her abortion at 21 in the context of society’s control over women’s bodies. “It’s not an easy thing to get, and it is tough and it hurts and you have to sit there bleeding for two weeks, and it’s fucked,” she says. “But at the same time, it’s our choice. We’ve fucking chosen to do that”.

Stella Donnelly can write from the heart about herself but it is the way she can make slightly edgier aspects of societal ill seem accessible and educational. Never preaching and too angered, the way she integrates natural tones and humour does not detract from the seriousness of everything – instead, it makes for a more rounded and memorable experience. She is, as she continues in the interview, keen to change perspectives and minds:

“Too sharp to have written an album of blunt-edged protest songs, Donnelly knows that such conversational, unexpected approaches have a stronger impact than lectures. She recalls her dad collecting an award for Boys Will Be Boys on her behalf. “He said something like, ‘I hope this song helps to change the attitudes we have, even if it’s one dickhead at a time.’ Having my dad – a 50-year-old, privileged white man – do that probably made more difference than me getting up and saying it.” She has “blind confidence” that society has to change. “I know it’s gonna go there because everyone’s voice is too loud for it to stop.” She stops, laughs and mocks her utopian ideals: “I just want world peace!”

With her giant eyes and gregarious attitude, Donnelly is charismatic enough to carry the sentiment. Plus, she knows first-hand how transformative the relationship between art and the public can be. “When my dad first heard Boys Will Be Boys, he told me, ‘It won’t be yours any more and that’s OK.’ It allowed me to let go. My friend who it was about had the same attitude. That’s how I dealt with it,” she says. “Letting it be everybody else’s song”.

These are still early days for Stella Donnelly but she has progressed as an artist and, as debut albums go, Beware of the Dogs is one of the best you’ll hear all year! Indeed, she has a busy time ahead so keep an eye on her socials regarding tour dates and general movements. Her album is getting a lot of love and, in this review from The Student Playlist, they drill down to its heart:

“Many aspects of Beware Of The Dogs are autobiographical, but Stella Donnelly also acts and sings like a vessel for the hurt and rage of others. Time and again, she observes on behalf of friends who have experienced abuse and unfairness. There’s rarely any hint of optimism about proceedings, but the manner in which she delivers her messages makes the whole package positive and graceful. And, just to show the breadth of her talent, Donnelly is also capable of turning the microscope on herself – on the slow, sparse ‘Mosquito’, she compares her lust to a blood-sucking parasite, and the forlorn ‘Allergies’ is played with a much straighter bat with none of the hint of irony of the rest of the album.

Truly, Beware Of The Dogs is a remarkable and deeply affecting album, memorable on all possible measurements of how anyone would rate a debut LP, and Stella Donnelly is a ferocious, funny and highly empathetic songwriter whose future is incredibly bright”.

It may take a while for her music to affect changes and truly open eyes but, as she says, she is content to open...

 IMAGE CREDIT: Stella Donnelly

ONE eye at a time.

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Follow Stella Donnelly:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Pooneh Ghana

Official:

https://www.stelladonnelly.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/stellamusicband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/stelladonnelly

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/stelladonnelly/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2mHjhKyKCLh6MZELuCe1Es?si=eelK8727RK-Y0koWHy94fQ

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-zarOGIlfLqxsRc21Aj-gw

INTERVIEW: Munky

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Zak Milofsky 

Munky

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THE lads of Munky...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Gary Morrisroe

have been talking about their new track, One in Five, and what it is all concerned with. I ask them what the scene is like where they are in Dublin; how they all found one another and if there is more material coming along later in the year.

They reveal their favourite albums and musicians; which rising act we should keep our eyes out for; if we can see them perform soon; how they chill away from music – they choose a couple of great tracks to end things with.

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

Sam: We're all good; how are you? It's been a good week getting everything ready for the new release (smiles).

Conor: Not so bad. Been working my other life: a peddler of leprechaun memorabilia. But I'm def keeping well.

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

Sam: Hello, newcomers! Lovely to make your acquaintance. We are Zach, Conor; Niall and Sam and our music is kind of like the core of a pineapple when you throw it off a ten-storey building. It's raw, gritty; funky explosions and full of 100 M.P.H. punky drive with pieces of weird sweetness filling the space around impact. Easily describable, right?

One in Five is your new single. Can you talk about its background and story?

Zac: It was written in response to some highly-covered sexual assault cases in Ireland last year, and the messages sent out by the verdicts of those cases. I saw the effect that those messages had on the women close to me in my life; one of “don’t seek justice because no one will believe you, and it will be dragged out for too long and you’ll be ripped apart for all to see”.

The song is meant to challenge victim-blaming by showing how ridiculous it is to blame the victim when there are so many victims. Statistically speaking, you’re most likely to know someone who has been sexually assaulted.

Might there be more material from Munky?

Zac: Oh, hell yea. Alongside our debut E.P. - out on 12th April -, we’re working on an eight-minute ode to Bootsy Collins; a song about a refrigerator and an emotional investigation into the struggles of trying to live up to the high expectations a parent can have on you. These are all real songs: you can have the premiere for Refrigerator if you like

How did the band find one another?

Sam: Zac tracked us down with the marauders map after he solemnly swore that he was up to no good. 

Is there a good scene in Dublin right now in terms of music?

Zac: Dear lord, yes. There are so many incredible bands and musicians in the city right now. Bicurious, Pillow Queens; Kojaque, Brass Phantoms; Thumper, Murder Capital and, of course, the Fontaines D.C. boys to name just a few

Conor: Dublin is hopping at the moment, in no small part thanks to BIMM. There was a real lull in the scene for a few years but things have really come back with a vengeance. And what I find amazing is the amount of variety that we have genre-wise at the moment in the city.

What sort of music did you all grow up on?

Zac: Started on Robbie Williams and Eminem. Then I listened to AC/DC for two years straight when I was nine, emerging as an Emo on the other side. Now it’s mostly Psychedelic-Rock, Funk/Soul and Hip-Hop

Conor: Well. I grew up listening to Blues artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan thanks to my dad but also Deep Purple and Pink Floyd But, thanks to my mam, I listen to ABBA and Disco music - my true love in music. 

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

Sam: I won £20 in the Stena Line ferry arcade. Like, that just never happens. 

Conor: Probably getting to sell out Whelan's two nights in a row. I will never forget that first night. That room was hopping and I was blown away with the response that we got. 

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

Conor: For me, it’s The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. When I started in BIMM, that album was just on-repeat. I dunno. I just really connected with it at the time but I do think it is a bit timeless, thematically as, no matter what era you grow up in, people will always experience an Us and Them environment at some stage.

Zac: I mean, I don’t know that it’s my favourite album but the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance will forever mean a lot to me. It deals with themes of death and illness and it came out like two weeks before my father died of heart failure. I still remember, clear as day, the first time I saw the video of the title track. It was on the first day I was home after he died.

Sam: I don't overly connect with any particular album but Wasting Light (Foo Fighters) if I had to choose. If ever I need a small mental retreat or an inspiration boost, I usually go back to that album because it reminds of when I knew that I wanted to pursue music as a career. It brings me back to the mindset I had back then and that is comforting at times. 

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

Zac: Hozier and a bowl full of his toe nail clippings. Not in a creepy stalker way but in a ‘We’re soulmates but you don’t know it yet’-sorta way. But, in all seriousness, I adore Hozier’s music. He’s a massive influence in my songwriting.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Sam: 1. You have to like the people you play and, more importantly, what you play otherwise nothing will get done. 2. Be able to take what you deal regarding criticism and suggestions. 3. Don't quit your job because pursuing music is very expensive. 4. Persistence, Persistence, Persistence. 5 Persistence, Persistence, Persistence, Persistence, Persistence... 

Conor: Not to get discouraged if things don't work out at first: we have all played in loads of bands and sometimes they don't work out. But, if you keep at it, you will definitely find some sort of success. 

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

We’ve got some dates in Ireland. Warrenpoint on 30th March with our brothers, New Valley Wolves; Belfast on 4th April with ROE and our E.P. launch in the Grand Social on 12th April. Also, Waterford on 29th June. We’ll be playing a good few U.K. shows (and some other spots) but they haven’t been announced yet.

We may have already said too much...

If we came to one of your live shows, what might we expect?

Zac: Painted nails, dancing; moshing, kissing and music to justify all these social expressions

Conor: Mega guitar face...10% melt.

As your new single is One in Five, which member of a famous five (either a band or fictional) would you choose to take on a roadtrip?

Zac: Iggy Pop. Hands-down. Man seems like craic incarnate. Although, I don’t know if The Stooges were ever a five-piece, so I guess I’ll go with Harry Styles from One Direction. He seems lovely.

Conor: Probably Louis Theroux...who wouldn't want him to document their tour.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Zac: Post Punk Podge & the Techno Hippies are these lads based in Limerick who kinda do an array of styles and proudly sing in a lovely, thick Limerick accent. They we’re one of my favourite experiences at KnockanStockan last year.

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

Sam: Honestly, we don't deserve chill time away from music just yet. After a tour, we might take two weeks of no rehearsal and chat. But, as we are up-and-coming, there is nothing but work to do. 

Conor: I either chill with my mates/girlfriend or play video games. I love video games. For me, there is nothing better than escaping in to a fantastical world fill with whimsy (smiles).

Zac: I love fantasy novels. And the cooking show, Chopped, which you can easily find full episodes of on YouTube.

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

Khruangabin - White Gloves. It’s the self-care you need, Sam.

Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman. Purse your lips and move your hips. 

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Follow Munky

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MUNKYtheBAND

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MUNKYTHEBAND/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Gmo0NmOzN8lpazlHL3qdA?si=8in8jcz8Q5-Yg5JzGEtBXQ

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD_7z-dlggpKuj0JZwiGq5w

FEATURE: On the Flip Side: Kate Bush: The Other Sides

FEATURE:

 

On the Flip Side

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images/Fish People 

Kate Bush: The Other Sides

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HOW often do we get to hear unreleased...

Kate Bush material at all?! She has been remastering her back catalogue recently and, last year, committed everything to these box-sets of vinyl. I am a massive fan of hers and have already got quite a few of her records. You check the details out from the Fish People website but there is this treasure chest of Bush material that is essential for any music lover! It is worth investing in as many box-sets as possible because they are sought-after and I feel like these sets are really valuable. Among the collection were these B-sides and rarities; remixes and unheard songs that have not been released so far – now they are out into the world. You can buy is swiftly here - and there is a bounty of these rare tracks. Videos have been coming out and the most-recent one is Kate Bush performing The Man I Love – originally by George Gershwin. It features Larry Adler and is a sumptuous, charged and gorgeous performance that shows some of her non-album tracks are as powerful as those that are standalone. A few of the covers we find are not that essential. There are takes of Elton John’s Rocket Man and Candle in the Wind and, whilst she does not quite hit the right notes on the latter, the former is interesting if inessential.

The first disc/quarter of the collection are remixes of existing songs. We get to hear a Meteorological Mix of The Big Sky (from Hounds of Love) and an extended mix of Experiment IV – a non-album track that was included on her sort-of-greatest-hits, The Whole Story, in 1986. It is interesting hearing this already-extraordinary songs being given these new elements and seeing them take on new forms. I am not always a fan of remixes and find they can be a little bit weary and hit-and-miss. In this case, I would recommend any Kate Bush fans to seek them out and have a listen. Lesser-heard songs like Walk Straight Down the Middle (included as an extra track on some releases of The Red Shoes) and Lyra are beautiful and, whilst not her strongest songs, it is fantastic to hear them together. I already mentioned Experiment IV and it is almost like The Beatles releasing Strawberry Fields or Penny Lane: not tracks you find on any studio albums of their but just as mighty as their best work. The track (with the video directed by Bush herself) has this sort of chilling sound but it is one of her most complete and nuanced tracks. I keep listening to and trying to unravel its secrets! Under the Ivy (a B-side of Hounds of Love’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) is often cited as one of her best tracks; worthy of album inclusion and a truly remarkable piece. It is indeed and deserves to be heard in full.

Be Kind to My Mistakes and Un Baiser D’Enfant are great tracks but not as strong as a lot of stuff on The Other Sides. I have already mentioned the cover versions – comprising the final disc/quarter – and there is a mixed-bag regarding interpretation and quality. The Elton John songs mean a lot to her but I think Candle in the Wind better suites John’s voice. One would not expect a song famed by Marvin Gaye, Sexual Healing, would sound as sweaty and electric coming out of Kate Bush but it does indeed! Some have given her version a bit of a bashing but I really like it and she brings a new perspective to the song. As you’d expect from Kate Bush, the choice of cover versions are not obvious and there is not a lot of mainstream stuff in there. This is good because it allows listeners the chance almost to discover these songs fresh. Mná na hÉireann is an Irish poem written by Peadar Ó Doirnín  - Kate Bush is half-Irish – and it sound perfect and natural coming out of her mouth. In terms of other slightly odd choices, My Lagan Love and The Handsome Cabin Boy can be discovered. It is a beautiful mix of the lesser-known and some bigger songs. She brings her own voice and spirit to them all and, for many, these recordings are fresh. It is the third disc/quarter of the collection that is really interesting.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush/PHOTO CREDIT: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy

Included are some Christmas numbers. Home for Christmas and December Will Be Magic Again are wonderfully evocative and delightful and there is the feeling you can play these songs at any time of the year and they would work. Elsewhere, there is a remix of Wuthering Heights and the incredible Passing Through Air (a B-side on Army Dreamers). Ran Tan Waltz (a B-side on her single, Babooshka) is, perhaps, not an essential inclusion but still a curious track. I love the fact that artists like Kate Bush can bring out B-sides and, given the quality of her A-sides, you know there are some treats in there. The Other Sides is a fabulous collection of rarer cuts and some remixes that should be in everyone’s collections. There have been some hearty reviews but Rolling Stone, here, drill down to the essence of the multi-disc album:

“There’s plenty more to (re-) discover. The French version of Never For Ever’s “The Infant Kiss” (“Un Baiser D’Enfant”), based on the 1961 film The Innocents, and the French original “Ne T’Enfuis Pas,” make a diptych suggesting Bush might’ve had a nifty collaboration with Serge Gainsbourg. With its hollered declaration “it’s you and me babe, against the world!,” “Burning Bridge” is one of her most dizzying vocals; at point she sounds like she’s making herself seasick. “You Want Alchemy” is a fairly jaw-dropping Prince channeling with strings, r&b brass, feral orgasmic squealing and gospel-infused backing vocals...

The 12” versions, more extensions than reinventions, include the unhinged “meterological mix” of the Hounds Of Love single “Big Sky,” pumped up with machine-gun handclaps and didgeridoo drones. Completists will notice some omissions, like the 1979 live EP On Stage, which documents the only tour of her career, and her sole live shows before the Hammersmith Apollo residency 35 years later (check the glam-tastically proggy, partly shrieked 6-minute version of “James & The Cold Gun”).

Nevertheless, the motherlode is here. Bush’s oeuvre is singular, and has stood alone for decades. But lately its brilliance feels especially prescient, reflected variously in the sound and approach of (among others) Robyn, Florence Welch, and Annie St. Vincent Clark, whose confession of tipsy karaoke-ing “Wuthering Heights” is one of the highlights of that delicious 2014 Bush documentary. So the timing of this deep-cuts set couldn’t be better. Most of the tracks feel as contemporary as they ever did; maybe more so”.

Kate Bush still inspires artists around the world, over forty years on from her debut album, The Kick inside (1978). Even though nobody can match her incredible heights, you can aspects of various songs in some of the artists we hear at the moment. I advise everyone to get hold of the latest release from Kate Bush: a wonderful combination of her lesser-exposed material through the years shows how varied her music was and how special she is. I would keep writing but I need to play Bush’s version of The Man I Love...

ONE more time.

FEATURE: The Big Sky: A New Music Platform Where Everything Is in One Place

FEATURE:

 

The Big Sky

PHOTO CREDIT: @dchuck/Unsplash 

A New Music Platform Where Everything Is in One Place

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THIS morning, I wrote about...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @johnschno/Unsplash

the thirtieth anniversary of the World Wide Web and whether we have used it for good or bad. There are many great aspects of the Internet and social media. In terms of music, we are all able to connect with each other and discover the hottest new releases without searching too much. It is great we can follow artists and be part of their world. I do wonder whether, on a daily basis, social media is providing the content we want to see. I know there are filters and ways of cutting out stuff we do not want to see but, of a day, so much stuff comes through and I wonder what the cumulative effect is. I do like to follow a few celebrities and news sites but, largely, I am on social media for music and music-related news. Look away from social media and what we all look at regularly and is it easy to get a handle on everything?! I look at music news sites and blogs; I also check a range of different sites as well as streaming services. It is hard to get a grip on it and I feel there should be a way of having everything in one place. The Big Sky is a preliminary name for the site but, as a massive Kate Bush fan, I think she symbolises what I want to see from the site.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I have written pieces before regarding similar websites but I think it is feasible to deliver a site that has imagination and not too complex. The home page would be this entrance into a studio. There would be drop-down menus and where you could go to any part of the site. There would be rolling animation and features where we would see musical figures, past and present, interacting and moving around the screen. When one goes in, there would be this cutting-edge and cool design where you can sort of navigate around a studio setting and various different locations. At each point there would be options to click and it would provide a more interactive option than social media. The main aspect is the features and they would be the reason to join. Many might say that adding a new sites would make people spend more time on social media but, for those who love their music, it would allow people to get all they need under one roof. There would be options to see rolling music news and find a list of online sites and blogs that fit your tastes; all the latest happenings in the world of music and links regarding journalism and how to get started. In this section, say, you would have everything you could need regarding music journalism and how to get involved; archives and bespoke articles to your personal site – so you do not have to wade through a lot of stuff you do not need.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @rani33/Getty Images

There would be a similar tact when it comes to archived music and bringing streaming services together. We have Spotify and YouTube but I wonder how easy it is to look for songs from the past and have that organisation. I know where to look but there are songs and artists I stumble upon that I sort of find by luck. You can have an integrated sort of platform that brings together Spotify, YouTube and existing sites and adds a special engine/feature. You can easily search for music from a particular period/genre and it would be easy to discover fantastic old music and the best new release suitable for you. This would also involve bringing in existing apps that make it easy to find the songs you love but broaden the mind. As I say, there is a lot of bringing existing sites and apps together but making everything tied together and united. I am keen to do a lot with the music/streaming side of things so that a lot of newer artists are not overlooked but we allow listeners an equal amount of time to look back and listen to music they might have forgotten or are not aware of. There would be a social side to things but, in terms of social media, one need know have another option. It would, instead, incorporate and customise your view so you can bring in all your usual feeds but personalise it so you do not get stuff you do not want to see – including people’s retweets and random stuff.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @rani33/Unsplash

There would also be another option where you can integrate music news feeds into social media so you only get music stuff and do not have to keep scanning all your usual sites! Not only am I keen to get streaming sorted and make sure everyone is as rounded as possible, there is that archive aspect where you can see documentaries, look at album covers and take a tour of musical history from the one page. This, again, would bring in existing sites like YouTube but there would be special reference libraries and articles; a look back at music from specific years and, indeed, everything you could possible want to know. The website, The Big Sky, would offer an album of the day suggestion; there would be options to loom at music venues and spaces in any town/city; a way of searching for something specific. Say you wanted to find all new Rock bands from Austin, Texas, there would be search functions where you could hone down; taking you to their websites and social media feeds. Education and awareness would be big aspects so there would be chances for contributors – musicians and people in the industry – to post videos covering anything from gender-inequality to the history of Hip-Hop. There would be a special side of the site and would include a discussion board, articles and way for people to communicate with one another and create this safe forum. The user would have access to libraries of archives and information and they would be able to have their mind opened regarding various aspects of music – from education and charity through to burning issues.

PHOTO CREDIT: @priscilladupreez/Getty Images

One would be able to access any International radio station so, essentially, it is this site where you can personalise and ensure you do not need to hunt too much. If one is curious regarding music attraction and museums then that is in there; you can learn how to set up your own record label or venue. There would be this whole site for managers and bookers and, again, bring in existing platforms to make it a more interactive and complete experience. I am also interested in having areas that discuss things like mental-health and sexual abuse. This is not often promoted by social media platforms and I feel it is vital to include. If a musician or anyone in the industry (or a listener) needed help or wanted to discuss their problems there is a list of all numbers, videos and ways we can interact and support one another. The same goes for anyone in the industry who has been the victim of abuse and assault. Nobody should be made to feel alone and, not only can one share their stories on social media, there will be this huge resource of support and interaction. Another thing that intrigues me – and I have not seen a lot of – is being able to pitch music video ideas and collaborate. There are websites where you can see video treatments but I want to make that more interactive and have programmes where you can submit a rough pitch or part of the video; links where one could learn how to become a director and anyone can submit a treatment and, if an artist thinks it fits their song, get in touch.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles/PHOTO CREDIT: David McEnery/Rex/Shutterstock

I like the idea of one being able to collaborate online; whether it is a remix or a sampling album. I want a part of the site where artists pitch to have their track remixed and there are opportunities for creators to communicate more easily. If one wanted to create a samples album – very hard these days – there are links and information where you could find out about a song and who owns it and get in touch. You could then piece together your own album and see it come to life. In the same spirit, tools where you can design an album cover and then send that to photographers and see if they can realise it – there will be links to different photographers in various areas near you. I am very eager for there to be lots of creative options; from learning to play an instrument or starting your own band – where one could post old-school ads to recruit people. I have just touched the tip of the iceberg but there would be so many different corners of the site/interactive studio that would be everything anyone could need. I am always open to suggestions but I want to invent tools where musicians can get their music heard by more people and earn more money; people who want to get into various aspects of music find adverts, chances and sites where they can further those ambitions.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @mbgrfk/Unsplash

From the cool homepage – where one can customise things – to the album suggestions and endless options, there is this mix of unique and specially-designed sites/tools and bringing the best of the web together. I want to make sure The Big Sky is a safe space and there is no abuse and trolling. You can customise your social media feeds but there would be tough penalties for anyone sharing anything offensive on discussion boards or discussion sides. Making sure everything is fair, equitable and peaceful is vital; providing so many different resources and options to those who adore music and connecting people in a very quick and stress-free way is paramount. I have always wanted to launch this idea but have been told it is too ambitious or expensive. On the money side, I think there could be crowd-funding where pledgers would get rewards and gifts for their donations. I want to bring big labels, tech companies and organisations in to help with the technical side and donate and, in exchange, allow them to advertise. Another aim is to get a contract from tech companies where they would be a fairly big sum each year but get extra revenue and business from the site – no annoying adverts but bespoke and tailored adverts for people. I want that money to go into investment and making this as good as possible.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @mbgrfk/Getty Images

Feedback is important and I would like people to have their say regarding new elements and improving other ones. I get frustrated by how vast the Internet is and how it is hard to find everything you want. So many people like me lose a lot of music information and great new sounds because it is hard to get a handle on it all. There is also this feeling that there are things missing and not enough resources out there. Regardless, The Big Sky would not entail any extra time online and, instead, it would be more economical for those interested in music. I feel social media does not have enough filters and you get a lot of stuff in front of you that is irrelevant or asinine. This would be a way of combating common issues but discovering so much more. It might take a long time to get it going but I feel, if there is a consensus it is a good idea, then that is a start. As more and more artists coming onto the market, it can be mind-boggling and exhausting keeping up! I am excited and do feel that, if something can be designed that is this one-stop area for everyone who is interested in music then this is a really good thing. I definitely would like to see it and I know there are many out there...

PHOTO CREDIT: @aaronpaulos/Unsplash

WHO feel the same way.

FEATURE: The World Wide Web at Thirty: Creating a More Positive Internet and Social Media for Musicians…and the Entire World

FEATURE:

 

The World Wide Web at Thirty

PHOTO CREDIT: @brookelark/Unsplash 

Creating a More Positive Internet and Social Media for Musicians…and the Entire World

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IT seems amazing that the World Wide Web...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web/PHOTO CREDIT: Olef Blecker

is a mighty thirty. There is a difference between the World Wide Web and Internet but, as we are sort of celebrating this big technological breakthrough, it is worth looking back to 1989 and a very special time. I was in primary school then and still can recall having these enormous discs we put in primitive computers; playing this – as they appear now – ancient and very basic video games. They thrilled us and anything as radical as being able to connect with people around the world by computer seemed such a strange and impossible thing. Look at where we are now and anyone, anywhere can pretty much find out anything they want; they can look at God knows what and there is this entire universe available from the comfort of home. Yesterday, to mark thirty years of the World Wide Web, the BBC published this article that charts the beginnings and what we experienced in the earliest days:

“Thirty years ago today, Sir Tim Berners-Lee submitted his proposal for the world wide web. To celebrate its anniversary, tech firms, early web users and retired politicians are flooding #Web30 on Twitter with nostalgic posts remembering their first interactions with the world wide web.

The earliest computing technology was conceptualised in the mid-19th century by British mathematician Charles Babbage. The first computer wasn't built, however, until 1939. Soon after, the first computer company was founded...

In the 1960s, two MIT Graduate students theorised and then created a technology that was able to transfer small packets of information from one computer to another. This interconnectivity, first called the Arpanet, marked the first traces of the internet.

PHOTO CREDIT: @kylejglenn/Unsplash 

The technology was primarily used for US defence strategy throughout the Cold War. This was until two decades later when Tim Berners-Lee sought to streamline a connection between a larger network of computers. Thus, the internet browser and the world wide web was created.

Today, we think of the internet as millions of links networked on a variety of browser options like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer. We can thank Berners-Lee for it because a "browser" was first coined in his 1989 information management proposal.

The first ever web address that started it all was http://info.cern.ch/ and it still exists today”.

Look at that report and one can see some of the earliest websites. By today’s standards they look almost alien and we can all remember the experience of connecting to the Internet: that screeching dial-up tone that would last forever and you’d have to wait until something cranked up. Photos and information would almost form on screen as though somebody was designing it on-the-fly and it was a very slow, yet exciting, experience. We have come a long way but it seems like, in every aspect, there is dangerous and anti-social behaviour. The fact that yesterday’s Brexit vote was rejected means that many of us are unsure what happens next. It is worth alluding to Brexit and the issues musicians will face but I wanted to see whether the Internet as we know it is a good force for artists.

It is definitely handy being able to connect with anyone and get your music out there. For everyone in the industry, it is quick and seamless when you need to communicate and share some news. The flow of information means that we can all keep informed and educated but, in many ways, the ease in which we can all have our opinions read is a negative. Before speculating as to how we can change the Internet and make it a safer space, this article from The Guardian celebrated the World Wide Web at thirty and spoke with Tim Berners-Lee:

 “It’s understandable that many people feel afraid and unsure if the web is really a force for good. But given how much the web has changed in the past 30 years, it would be defeatist and unimaginative to assume that the web as we know it can’t be changed for the better in the next 30. If we give up on building a better web now, then the web will not have failed us. We will have failed the web.”

Berners-Lee breaks down the problems the web now faces into three categories. The first is what occupies most of the column inches in the press, but is the least intrinsic to the technology itself: “deliberate, malicious intent, such as state-sponsored hacking and attacks, criminal behaviour and online harassment”.

He believes this makes the system fragile. “It’s amazing how clever people can be, but when you build a new system it is very, very hard to imagine the ways in which it can be attacked.”...

Berners-Lee’s solution is radical: a sort of refoundation of the web, creating a fresh set of rules, both legal and technical, to unite the world behind a process that can avoid some of the missteps of the past 30 years.

Calling it the “contract for the web”, he first suggested it last November at the Web Summit in Lisbon. “At pivotal moments,” he says, “generations before us have stepped up to work together for a better future. With the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, diverse groups of people have been able to agree on essential principles. With the Law of Sea and the Outer Space Treaty, we have preserved new frontiers for the common good. Now too, as the web reshapes our world, we have a responsibility to make sure it is recognised as a human right and built for the public good”.

I do love that musicians can get credit and praise when they put their songs online. There is this feeling that anyone can achieve anything and we can instantly hear some of the best new music within an instant. There are loads of positives but I think there are a lot of bad sides that are affecting musicians’ mental-health and well-being. The tensions we are all feeling right now seem to spill out into some rather negative communications and a sense of negativity.

Many people are venting and lashing out; I am hearing of so many people in music who are recipients of hatred and vile. From attacks on female musicians regarding weight and looks to racism and sexism, there is this platform where everyone can get away with what they like. I do feel there are benefits of the Internet - and how it has developed over the years – but I wonder whether we are using this technology for good and genuine positivity? Many of us are fearful regarding the future of the U.K. and we all must come together. Music is an industry that has its problems and, for many, it is not safe space. Rather than ban everyone who posts something hateful and toxic, I think there needs to be more education; channels that can allow artists and those in the music industry to talk about big issues and creating this dialogue. I feel the sheer size of the Internet and social media platforms makes it hard to control the volume of communications and a lot can get lost. Whether an artist is being body-shamed or there is something negative written about an album, all of this is having a big impact on people.  It is no coincidence that the rise and proliferation of the Internet can be linked to greater anxiety and depression. It is worth noting there are a lot of good people out there but there is too much negative energy and argument.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @clemhlrdt/Unsplash

I have been thinking about it for a while but I do wonder whether there should be a unique website for those in music. Rather than rely on the normal social media channels, having a website that is safe, monitored and can better control hatred would be a bonus. I think people can still use Twitter and Facebook but having this bespoke site that not only filters out negative comments and the worst elements but creates this educational and constructive forum would be great. It would be a one-stop space for the passionate music-lover and you’d have so much information and networks. It would not be overwhelming and, one hopes, addictive in a good way – more in terms of benefit and education rather than idly sitting at a screen for no reason. There are big threats regarding the Internet but I think ensuring there is less hate and angry interaction is vital. Making this secure website is important and there needs to be a more open-minded and positive area. It may sound utopian but I do think social media, as it is now, is this big and messy thing that is impossible to safeguard. Every day, I see so many tweets shared that propagate such awful notions. Many artists are talking about the comments they receive and how that makes them feel. The World Wide Web was created as this exciting and hopeful innovation and, to a certain point in history, it has been massively positive and a force for good.

PHOTO CREDIT: @infectedluna/Unsplash

I am not saying social media is the worst element of the modern-day Internet but I do think there are so many people feeling buried and unsafe. From women receiving disturbing images and messages through to hopeful bands being hammered and having their self-esteem destroyed, things can only get worse. I think Tim Berners-Lee is right when he prophesises this rather dystopian future and a world where there are scammers and we feel unsure about our privacy. I think a lot of people have too much choice and are spending too much time relying on the Internet; many people in music cannot get out of the lure of social media and others are revealing how they are having their details shared and being scammed for money. It is a big dream to revolutionise the Internet and the way we all feel. There is so much power and technology at our feet and I do think we can all come together, as Berners-Lee hopes, and make these changes. In a musical realm, either creating this website/social media platform that erases the worst of the current options and adds so much more; maybe looking at why there is so much tension and hatred and trying to incorporate new elements into Twitter and Facebook. Rather than penalise and ban those who offend and go too far, creating videos and links that create awareness and give them information.

I am not sure but I do have a feeling that, the more divided we are become, the more we see poison and anger replace anything genuinely warm and together. That is not a good thing to realise. Music is a wonderful medium and there are so many positive aspects that, I feel, are getting swamped under a lot of tension. Thirty years down the line, we can experience music like never before and have access to pretty much anything recorded. We can send messages to our favourite acts and the networking opportunities are incredible indeed. All of this is brilliant but I feel more time should be invested regarding repair and monitoring as opposed seeing how advanced and fancy the Internet can be. Social media channels are vital for people in music – and everyone in general – and most of what I see on a daily basis is either quite negative or inane. Making it constructive and purposeful is as important as creating a less hostile and depressive platform. If, looking at the next decade-or-so, we can help ease anxieties and fears and improve the Internet/social media as we know, that will lead to something truly remarkable. It is within our grasp and I think we can all get behind a dream where our lives are a lot richer and more secure when we go online.

PHOTO CREDIT: @akshar_dave/Unsplash

That is not to discredit all the good that we have seen over the decades and how the music industry has been transformed. I do not think any of us would be where we are without the Internet and we can all owe it to the modest and curious World Wide Web that arrived thirty years ago. It would have been unbelievable if someone had claimed in 1989 that, in only a few decades, there would be this incredible highway and world where we could all reach one another. It would have been scary to hear but also very heart-warming and wondrous. I think this rather ideal and inspiring desire is within reach but it down to those in power (regarding social media) to...

PHOTO CREDIT: @linkedinsalesnavigator/Unsplash

HELP make that change.

INTERVIEW: Austin Jenckes

INTERVIEW:

Austin Jenckes

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THANKS very much to Austin Jenckes...

for discussing his new track, Fat Kid (with Lori McKenna), and what it concerns; what he can reveal about his upcoming album, If You Grew Up Like I Did, and what sort of artists were important when growing up – he recommends a couple of approaching artists to look out for.

I ask him, being based in Nashville, what the scene is like there and what he thinks of modern Country; how he feels about coming to the U.K. to perform soon – Jenckes selects a cool song to end the interview with.

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

I am great; thank you so much for asking! It’s been a beautiful week. Weather-wise, not so much but musically and also just life at home has been awesome.

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

Hello, friends. My name is Austin Jenckes and I am from Duvall, Washington originally. I moved to Nashville to make music a few years ago. I love riding unicycles, flying kites and singing really loud.

Fat Kid is your new single. What inspired its creation?

My old roommate wrote this song when we were living together. He went on a writing trip to Boston to meet up with Lori Mckenna and Andrew Dorff. I was already a fan of all three of them. So, when Neil texted me the work tape, I immediately started listening and found so much of myself in every lyric. I started learning it in the living room that day and then played it at a handful of shows.

The first time I played it back home in Washington there was a moment at the end of the first chorus where people started hollering and clapping, almost like I was playing Eric Clapton or something…so that’s when I knew I had to record it (laughs).

If You Grew Up Like I Did, your album, is out in May. It sounds like it might be a very personal record. Would that be fair to say?

This album dives into my life in ways I can’t even explain. I used to use songwriting and performing like a crutch and now, being thirty-years-old, I am somehow confident enough to say I am standing on solid ground. The album talks about growing up in rural America; from drinking beer to the music that I loved and also the people that helped me become who I am.

These are songs for my wife and my daughter and my friends back home...and every person that has ever listened to a note I’ve sang. It’s inspired by my life story, but my hope is that everyone can find a part of themselves in it somewhere along the way.

Were there moments when recorded when you were affected by the songs and felt that emotion?

Emotions are a funny thing - and I think way too much about them every day. Haha. Over the course of creating this record, I found myself being overwhelmed by the smallest things such as guitar parts or vocal harmonies. Lyrically, the one song that I have felt most emotional about is called If You’d Been Around. I sang the demo about vocal at my house about twelve times in an hour before I could actually get through it.  

How good is it being based in Nashville?

Music City has been very good to me. As you probably have heard, there are some monster musicians here in all ways and shapes. I have learned more than I can probably ever comprehend but that challenge is what keeps me moving forward and, ultimately, I think better. All seriousness aside, it is also just a great place to live. My wife wouldn’t trade it (except for maybe a house by the ocean) which, with global warming, you never know...we might just be able to stay here forever.

What do you think of the modern Country scene? Do you feel it is stronger than it has ever been?

I have always dreaded these kinds of questions because I don’t feel like I am qualified to speak for everyone. Haha. But, I think the family of Country music is alive and well. I think the music drives the scene just as much as the business does. This is the beauty of the industry: it’s up to the artists and songwriters to decide what’s most important for the music and it’s up to the fans (whether they know it or not) to decide if they like it. I feel lucky to have made some friends that are better than me and, at the same time, have let me search for myself as an artist.

To me, that’s what the Country scene is all about.

Can you tell me what sort of music you grew up around as a child?

I grew up around Classic-Rock bands and songwriters. Tom Petty, Steve Miller; Lynyrd Skynyrd, Stephen Stills; Joe Walsh, the Eagles; Bob Seger, Pink Floyd; Led Zeppelin etc. I also listened to a lot of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam; Candle Box and pretty much every Rock band ever known to man. Haha. Layne Staley and Chris Cornell are probably a tie for my favorite singers.

BUT, I also grew up playing in a church band and trying to make everything sound like U2. SO, I would say this…I grew up listening to everything except Rap and Country music, except for Garth Brooks because he’s omnipotent.

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

This past November, I got to sing The Star-Spangled Banner at a Seattle Seahawks game. I would love to send you a video if you want to see it - just let me or Neil know and we would be glad to share. It was the craziest thing. They did a fly-by with a plane and I had to time it to exactly ninety seconds, which is kinda hard when 65,000 people are looking at you. Hahaha.

I have always dreamed of doing something like that and, honestly, it was nerve-racking and a bit of a blur because it went by so fast. I have only watched the video three times but I am sure one day my daughter get a kick out of it.

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

John Moreland - In the Throes

For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver

Foy Vance - Joy of Nothing

These three records have been religious listens for me and cathartic in ways that I will never fully realize. I love them because they make me feel new emotions every time I listen to them.

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

Foo Fighters - I would ask for nothing

You are coming to Britain to perform. What can you reveal about that?

May 29th! I am so excited. My wife is extremely jealous - and I plan on playing every song I know until people don’t want to listen anymore. I have always wanted to play in Britain. I can’t wait.

Might we see you on tour in other parts during 2019?

Yes! I will be at The Long Road Festival in September and we are working on some more dates in and around the U.K. during that time.

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

Performing is my favorite part of music. I love writing and woodshedding in the studio, but there is something about being in front of a crowd that I can’t ever seem to find elsewhere.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Zack Logan

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Zack Logan and Patrick Droney.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Patrick Droney

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

I don’t, honestly. But, whenever I am not thinking, doing or playing music I hang with my family. My daughter is two-and-a-half and she can be chill…sometimes not so chill, too. Haha. But, it’s the best. My wife and I like to drive around aimlessly and look at rich people’s houses. I also have started playing chess with my father-in-law and he has beat me thirty-two out of the thirty-four times we have played...but I am getting better!

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).

Black Queen - Stephen Stills

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Follow Austin Jenckes

Official:

https://www.austinjenckes.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/AustinJenckes

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/austin.jenckes

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/austinjenckes/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6kzm1s9Z0leq5UTGwouVTA?si=MvreaQGjRwmLrsrD2hlrfA

FEATURE: What Kind of Name Is That, Anyway?! The Storm Gareth Playlist

FEATURE:

 

What Kind of Name Is That, Anyway?!

PHOTO CREDIT: @falconart/Unsplash 

The Storm Gareth Playlist

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THERE is a storm brewing and the weather...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Mitya Ku/Flickr

has been pretty shocking the past day or so! We are going to get a lot of bad weather tonight and tomorrow and, by Thursday, things should start to calm down a little bit. The approaching Storm Gareth – stupid name…but there have been worse – will bring extreme gales to parts of the U.K. tonight and cause power cuts and structural damage. That is all pretty bad but, as we prepare for some pretty hellacious conditions, it is best to stay inside and wait for the worst of it to blow past. In honour (if that is the right word) of the upcoming Storm Gareth, is an appropriate playlist of wind, rain; storm and Gareth-related songs that will provide good distraction against the pretty crappy weather that is coming across the country right now. Take care in the storm and do not go out unless you absolutely have to. Keep safe and, instead of braving the outdoors, stay inside and...

PHOTO CREDIT: @elijahsad/Unsplash

LET these tunes distract you.

FEATURE: Role Models: The Artists Who Are Inspiring Change - and Why We All Need Their Voices in These Hard Times

FEATURE:

 

Role Models

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé and JAY-Z in 2018/PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of The Cut 

The Artists Who Are Inspiring Change - and Why We All Need Their Voices in These Hard Times

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I wanted to tie this in with a piece I am going to write...

 PHOTO CREDIT: @carlheyerdahl/Unsplash

concerning the thirtieth anniversary of the Internet. I will cover that tomorrow but, in that spirit, I wonder whether we have come forward or backwards when it comes to using the Internet for good. It is interesting to see all the developments: how we can all communication with one another and share the latest news at the click of a button. On the other side, there is the toxic side: people being inflammatory and attacking others; the swell and wave of abuse people suffer on a daily basis. It is a delicate balance but, more often than not, we are seeing negativity reign and something quite depressing emerge – the good-news stories are rare and where do we go when we want a positive blast?! Although it is not directly linked to the Internet, I am always gladdened when I hear about something positive in the music industry. I read this article that shone the spotlight on Beyoncé and Jay-Z: the pair are to be honoured because of their work supporting the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community:

“According to Deadline, GLAAD has announced that it will be presenting the Vanguard Award at the upcoming GLAAD Media Awards to certified vanguards Beyoncé and JAY-Z. Deadline says the award is for “allies who have made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people,” with previous winners including Britney Spears, Cher, Kerry Washington, Patricia Arquette, Janet Jackson, Charlize Theron, and Jennifer Aniston....

IN THIS PHOTO: Britney Spears (a previous winner of the Vanguard Award, presented by GLAAD)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

As for JAY-Z and Beyoncé, a statement from GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis notes that they’re “global icons and passionate defenders of human rights and acceptance for all people,” adding that “the world becomes inspired” when they speak and that their “voices of acceptance have been heard loud and clear” by the LGBTQ community.

Beyoncé has been a longtime advocate for LGBTQ issues, but this will actually be JAY-Z’s second year in a row getting award by the GLAAD Media Awards. Last year, he received a Special Recognition Award for the song “Smile” from his album 4:44, which was based around the revelation that his mother is a lesbian. The GLAAD Media Awards will be handed out a pair of ceremonies, starting on March 28 in Los Angeles and then May 4 in New York”.

It is no surprise that Beyoncé is being honoured and acknowledged. She has, through her career, always spoken for the L.G.B.T.Q.A.+ community and has been fierce when it comes to having her voice heard regarding politics, sexism and injustices. This is a piece of good news that, in a hard couple of weeks, provides a bit of relief and positivity. It has been a bit of a busy time for Jay-Z too. This Guardian article explains how Jay-Z has become this civil rights activist of note. A rather shocking case that has come up in America moved Jay-Z to take action:

“On an early Monday morning in February, 11-year-old Jabari Talbot, who is African American, decided not to stand for the pledge of allegiance in his classroom at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy. Another classmate, who is not African American, joined him, a civil rights complaint obtained by the Guardian claims, but the child was not questioned by the substitute teacher...

IN THIS PHOTO: Jay-Z and Meek Mill attend the launch of The Reform Alliance at John Jay College on 23rd January, 2019 in New York City/PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Reform Alliance 

“Equality in this country is not fair ... black people are not treated fairly,” he answered the teacher when asked why he would not stand, adding, “[and] police don’t treat black people fairly”.

Within a month, the sixth-grader has had the help of not only his local legal counsel in Florida, the attorney Roderick Ford, but also the rapper Jay-Z; Team Roc, the philanthropic arm of Jay-Z’s organization Roc Nation; and one of his famed attorneys, Alex Spiro, who has worked on dozens of civil rights and social justice-related cases at the request of the hip-hop mogul.

“I do think there is a common thread to [Jay-Z’s] work and to ensure that all people are treated equally,” said Spiro, the 36-year-old New York-based attorney for a number of celebrities, who, at the request of Team Roc, stepped in to assist the sixth grader. “If we can get involved in a young person’s life early before someone is convicted, before they are sidetracked by the criminal justice system or detained, you have a better chance to affect change or create progress,” Spiro added.

Many of the cases Jay-Z has been involved with, with the help of Spiro, have mirrored the issues plaguing America in recent years: the debate around the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand for the pledge of allegiance – and as a result, no longer playing professionally; the absence of accountability for police actions; and the ever-expanding, albeit inherited, system of immigrant detention under the Trump administration...

IN THIS PHOTO: U.S. attorney Alex Spiro/PHOTO CREDIT: An Rong Xu  

“You always want to be on the right side of the issue,” Spiro explained, discussing why he has worked with Jay-Z on many of these cases in recent years. For example, right before Jay-Z rushed in to help Jabari, he was advocating for the release of the Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage after he was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) and threatened with deportation back to the UK on Super Bowl Sunday this year”.

I am always pleased when musicians make a stand and we see something good coming out. Jay-Z and Beyoncé are just examples of musicians backing a cause and not standing for injustice; making sure those without a voice have one and standing against intolerance. Jay-Z and Beyoncé are role models, not only for the black and L.G.B.T.Q.+ communities, but the world as a whole. You do not have to be a mega-famous musician to get people interested and make people take notice. I feel like, at a time when there is so much anxiety and negativity, it is hard to see a light and find those who are striking out. I have always said music and musicians have the power to change things and make the world better. Maybe it is not drastic in the case of Beyoncé and Jay-Z but it is news I wanted to share. I do feel that a lot of artists either do not have time to get involved with other organisations and areas outside of music or they are a bit nervous about commercial ramifications.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @andrewleu/Unsplash

What are the consequences of a big artist talking about something like race and the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community? What happens if they are political and take a stance? I feel it is important that artists, mainstream or not, are as active as possible fighting for causes and getting involved. There is a feeling that, gradually, artists are getting more involved with politics. A lot of Folk and Bluegrass acts are speaking up and putting politics into their music. Maybe it is easier to be a role model and inspiring when it comes to areas like sexism, racism and sexuality. Politics, in many ways, can be more divisive and it is hard to take a stand and keep all your fans happy. Taylor Swift is an example of a Pop artist who has spoken about politics before but, with such a huge fanbase and reputation, it can be damaging talking about politics – even if everything you are saying is right and morally-just. Now, with the 2020 elections in the U.S. not a million miles away, she has vowed to get more involved:

“Taylor Swift has vowed to become more active in politics ahead of the 2020 US presidential election, saying she feels it is her responsibility to speak out against “disgusting rhetoric”.

“Invoking racism and provoking fear through thinly veiled messaging is not what I want from our leaders, and I realized that it actually is my responsibility to use my influence against that disgusting rhetoric,” the pop singer wrote in an essay in Elle magazine in which she lays out 30 things she learned before turning 30 years old...

IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift photoed in 2016/PHOTO CREDIT: Danny Moloshok/Reuters  

“I’m going to do more to help. We have a big race coming up next year,” she added.

Swift broke a years-long silence on political issues in 2018, when she endorsed two Tennessee Democrats in November’s midterm elections. A spike in voter registrations followed her Instagram post encouraging fans to register”.

There are more musicians making their voices heard regarding politics and not be silenced. I mentioned how grassroots Folk bands of the moment are particularly keen. This article featured a few great examples and showed that how tackling difficult subjects, if done right, can be very powerful and effective. It is an illuminating piece but among the most vociferous of the Folk troupes taking on big issues is Lankum:

“That subject has particular resonance for Lankum, a band who weave politics subtly through their bible-black, poetic songs. An original song of theirs, The Granite Gaze, references the women who had to “sneak away across the foam” to Britain for terminations before the referendum in the Irish Republic last year; they played it at a protest when the pope visited Dublin in August 2018. They also did so outside the city’s last Magdalene Laundry, one of Ireland’s notorious houses of confinement for “fallen women”. “It only closed in 1996,” Peat points out, her eyes looking cold at the thought. “It felt very special singing it there. And after the referendum…” She smiles. “I love singing that line now.”...

Of all modern folk bands, Lankum are the most full-throttle, jaw-dropping bunch. Signed to indie titans Rough Trade in 2017, where they are the favourite band of label-mates Sleaford Mods, they mix stunning versions of traditional songs with modern originals about poverty and injustice – as well as more raucous jigs about drunkenness and strange old men.

I do feel like politicians are letting us down and, when it comes to doing good and making positive steps, I wonder whether they are doing as much as they should. There are artists all over the spectrum that are becoming active regarding the political debate and creating hugely moving and wonderful work. From Post-Punk bands to Folk groups; to Pop artists discussing racism and discrimination in the world through to those who have spent their careers championing those who get overlooked. I feel that, the more we become anxious and unsure of what is happening around us, the bigger opportunity music has to lead and heal. Not only can the music itself help balm and give us all guidance but those who use their voice and platform to affect change and discussion deserve praise. It can be risky taking political sides and changing your lyrical narrative. I do think more musicians should use what they perform to talk about big topics and, where possible, use their voice to help make the world better.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Lisa O’Neill (an Irish musician who tackles difficult subjects through her songs)PHOTO CREDIT: Katherine Anne Rose/The Observer

Maybe the examples I have shown are not radical in any sense but it shows that many artists are passionate about change. There are essays that suggests musicians should act as role models to our youth and, at a time when there is so much need for inspiration, I can agree with that. I understand that it might be harder for established acts to use their voice to help bring about movement because there is that commercial aspect and whether they risk offending or dividing their fans. It almost comes down to this battle as to whether you want to take that risk or remain quiet. I do think it is always worth taking a chance and, if you are passionate about a cause, not being afraid to do something – easy enough for me to say! I do truly believe musicians are more influential than politicians and they hold so much power. Whether they are inspiring, like many political acts, through their music or getting out into communities and using their platform to do good it is always wonderful to see. I think we can all do with some wins and good news so I was keen to share the report concerning Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s acknowledgement. They will surely compel others to follow in their lead and I know there are artists all around the world who are shaping up to be terrific role models. So many people look to artists for wisdom and inspiration and, if they can open our minds and hearts through their music or conversations then it can compel us all to...

PHOTO CREDIT: @nicholaskampouris/Unsplash

FIGHT for what we believe in.

FEATURE: Erasing History: Is Banning Michael Jackson’s Music from the Airwaves a Bad Decision?

FEATURE:

 

Erasing History

IMAGE CREDIT: Spotify 

Is Banning Michael Jackson’s Music from the Airwaves a Bad Decision?

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EVEN though there is not the same amount of talk...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Michael Jackson in 2005/PHOTO CREDIT: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

regarding Michael Jackson and the allegations made against him over the past day or two, there is still a lot of development and ‘progress’. By that, people seem to be on the side of Jackson’s accusers, Wade Robson and James Safechuck. In fact, by the day, it seems Jackson’s work is disappearing from the world. Drake has dropped a Michael Jackson song from his setlist amidst the controversy. Whilst there is a lot of talk regarding the Leaving Neverland documentary – where Robson and Safechuck have told their story – it is only these two guys who, nearly a decade after Jackson’s death, are now coming out. It makes me wonder whether their motive is money or justice. Certainty, even if there was concentrate proof regarding Jackson’s guilt, he could not be taken to task and imprisoned. This article looks at what was missing from the recent documentary:

“But while the documentary recounts both men’s damning claims against the singer, Leaving Neverland doesn’t include every aspect of the decades-long allegations against Jackson, who died in 2009 of a drug overdose.

Some parts, such as testimony from the singer’s staff and his own family, have been purposely omitted by director Dan Reed, who argued they needed to be left out in favour of focusing on the victims’ voices.

However, those omissions and others, like the long-running Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Jackson that never resulted in conviction, have been seized on by the singer’s supporters who have claimed the film is one-sided as a result...

Mr Robson and Mr Safechuck’s failed legal action against the late singer and previous claims they were never sexually abused by the singer have been highlighted again and again by Jackson “truthers” in the wake of Leaving Neverland’s release.

In 2004, the FBI again provided police with assistance in investigating claims against the singer, forensically analysing 16 computers from Jackson’s home and finding nothing of note, according to Billboard.

In September that year the FBI was asked to look at possible sex charges against the singer after the discovery of an unnamed alleged victim living in New York, CNNreports.

However, the case was closed after the alleged victim told the FBI he would “legally fight” any attempts to try and make him testify against Jackson”.

I would never make light of any situation like this but, as Michael Jackson has been accused of being a pederast, people have to take it seriously. No matter what side of the debate you are on, the man himself can never have his say or have his moment in court. All of those who accuse him are doing so based on no evidence and assumptions – because he has shared a bed with children does not automatically equate to abuse. It is clear the words of Jackson’s accusers are shocking but there are a lot of holes. They have changed their story a few times and one wonders why if – as it is claimed they were abused hundreds of times – they kept going to Jackson’s home.

Why would their parents allow that and why would the children, knowing it was not right what was happening, continue to go rather than staying at their homes? Maybe there is fear and the sense they want to be near their idol but there is a lot more to the case than meets the eye. The sheer complexity of this matter means that we might never know for sure what happened and whether there is truth in anything that has been said. At any rate, many people seem to have Michael Jackson pinned and figured. This BBC article explains the fallout:

“Paul Blanchard, founder of the PR company Right Angles, says it's too early to tell what lasting impact the revelations will have on Michael Jackson's legacy.

"This is the Brexit of pop music. People will be more divided than ever. The longer it goes on the more alienated and divided people are.

"As we've got nearer to Brexit people have become even more polarised and even more opposed to each other and not come together.

"I think this will happen with Jackson's legacy. For those who are starting to turn off him they will become more entrenched in that view.

"For those that think he's a victim of blackmail and these people are trying to get money out of him - they will continue to think that ever more strongly".

It is not only the fans that are divided – with some turning off – but one must wonder what affect this is having on Jackson’s family. These allegations affect them and his nearest and dearest, including his daughter Paris Jackson, will carry this with them forever:

“Michael Jackson's family has strongly denied the claims made against him and says the allegations are about getting money from the singer's estate.

His nephew Taj Jackson spoke to Newsbeat on Wednesday to defend his uncle and said the singer would be "crying" over the allegations.

But other high profile family members - such as his mother, and sister Janet Jackson - haven't addressed the claims.

His daughter Paris has kept a low profile since the documentary was shown and hasn't spoken about it directly.

But on Thursday she sent a tweet in which she told her followers to keep calm, saying: "Y'all take my life more seriously than I do".

Nobody wants to overlook what has been said in the Leaving Neverland documentary but it seems that a lot of the media’s perceptions and reactions have been one-sided: finding Jackson guilty and appalled at what has come out. I know that music is a personal thing so, if someone feels they cannot listen to Michael Jackson again, then that is up to them to decide. One of the most shocking decisions to come out of all of this is radio stations turning off Jackson’s music.

The BBC article explains what is happening so far:

“Some radio stations across the world - including in Australia, New Zealand and Canada - have stopped playing Michael Jackson's music.

Leon Wratt, the boss of MediaWorks - which owns nine radio stations across New Zealand - said the company is guided by the audience and wanted to "err on the side of caution".

But radio stations in the UK haven't taken such a public stand.

The BBC says it doesn't ban artists and Michael Jackson could be played on its radio stations.

A spokeswoman said: "We consider each piece of music on its merits, and decisions on what we play on different networks are always made with relevant audiences and context in mind."

While Global, which owns stations including Heart, Capital, Classic FM, Smooth and Capital XTRA, says it "never comments on editorial (playlist) decisions".

The fact that the stations not playing his music are doing this because they want to be cautious is ridiculous. How can you ever disprove what is being said about Jackson? Because there will never be an absolute truth, does this cautious approach means his music will be banned forever?! This statute of limitations might extend for decades and one wonders, if it is a temporary ban, then why bother at all. I can understand there might be some discomfort playing songs so close to the documentary coming out but, now that it is out in the world and there are two sides to the debate, why keep this ban in place?!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jackson and a young Wade Robson/PHOTO CREDIT: HBO

Radio is a medium for everyone and should not be dictated by station bosses. There are people in Australia and Canada who are Michael Jackson fans and I feel it is wrong to have this blanket-ban and deny those who want to hear him. Even though the U.K. has not taken such an extreme stance, I feel like they are holding back. Consider stations that, until a few weeks ago, played his music fairly regularly. Everyone from Heart to BBC Radio 6 Music played his material and I do not think I have heard a Michael Jackson song played on any station here since the controversy. Even if they have not banned his music then, by not playing it, they are effectively doing the same thing. I received comments on Twitter when I announced I was going to do a piece on Michael Jackson; I asked whether it was a bit unwise writing a piece about him given the news coming out. Some said that, because he was a bigger star than people like Rolf Harris (who has put music out there and is not as famous) then does that mean he should be given a pass? Do we overlook the nature of a crime if the music is really good and popular?

 IMAGE CREDIT: Spotify

In the case of artists who have been accused and arrested – including Rolf Harris and R. Kelly – the situations are different and, in both cases, the men are alive to face justice – Harris has already been to prison. It does bring up an interesting debate regarding the music and the man. I have talked about this before but, until anything conclusive is revealed and we know Jackson is guilty, everything is hearsay and up for scrutiny. Everything is hanging on this documentary and the words of two men – if it were dozens then we might have to take action regarding Jackson and his music. Even if more people do come through, how does banning his music get rid of the problem? The argument we should be having is how to protect young fans and women in the modern times. There is, fortunately, nobody like Jackson around today who invites children into his home but there are men in music who are abusing women. We need to look more at protection and avoiding any ghastly situation rather than scrapping back catalogues. If Michael Jackson were to be found guilty and there was concrete evidence, what would be the use in banning his music? Jackson cannot benefit from any sales and he is not alive to record anything new. People were still buying his music and stations were playing his music when allegations were made back in the 1990s and early part of this century. Why, then, has another revelation pushed some stations to the edge?!

I do hope the radio stations that have banned his music relent soon enough because, when the attention regarding Leaving Neverland dies away, what is going to happen? Listen to any Michael Jackson song and he is not referring to children being in his bed and having a thing for them. It would be commercial suicide if he did say that but his love songs all refer to women and are fairly safe. Even when Jackson is edgy and at his angriest, that is aimed at those doing him wrong. I do think anything in his catalogue has alluded to being in bed with young boys or anything to that affect. It is sad that we should tarnish an icon whose personality and music are different things. One can say the artist and man are one of the same thing but I disagree. Music is a personal choice and one can see why someone like Rolf Harris’ music would be maligned – the fact he actually sung a song called Two Little Boys would leave a sour taste in the mouths of many! Jackson has been dogged by accusations through his career and, whether there is substance in any of the allegations, why deny people his music? The weight of his legacy is shifting and many are seeing this iconic musician who transformed Pop and affected real change as a reviled and awful human.

In homes and in lives all around the world, the music of Michael Jackson will always exist. If the U.K. radio brands are being too cowardly to commit either way – they have not banned his music but are definitely not playing it like they did – then we can rest assured that Jackson will be played by his fans. Music is a personal choice and should not be dictated by radio stations and broadcasters. His music is available on Spotify and they have not committed; one can see his music videos on YouTube and there has not been this embargo. T.V. shows such as The Simpsons are not taking any chances – as the BBC article from before explains:

“An episode of The Simpsons featuring the voice of Michael Jackson is being pulled from streaming services and streaming channels.

The singer voiced a character called Leon Kompowsky, who meets Homer in a psychiatric hospital, in an episode which originally aired in 1991.

"It feels clearly the only choice to make," executive producer James L Brooks told The Wall Street Journal.

He added: "I'm against book burning of any kind. But this is our book, and we're allowed to take out a chapter".

We are already seeing fallout and damage that might never be repaired. By playing his music on radio, you are not sending out a message that says the man is brilliant as a human: you are promoting his music that, throughout the decades, has brought countless joy to millions – including the men who have accused him.

 IN THIS PHOTO: A shot from the West End Musical, Thriller Live/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

If Jackson stood to profit then there might be cause to suspend his music for a while but the man has been dead for almost a decade. There is a musical in the West End, Thriller Live that has been running since Jackson’s death and people are still queuing to see that. Maybe the musical will not attract those who are not already fans of Jackson but neither too have the doors been closed. A lot of Jackson’s family have been quiet regarding the situation and that, again, says more about Jackson as the man than the artist. It seems many cannot or will not distinguish between the two and have already made their decision. From a moral standpoint, Jackson was not completely clean and few can deny he was a rather unusual human. One will never know what happened at his Neverland ranch but where do we draw the line? Look back the Rock bands who would often bed under-age girls back in the 1960s and 1970s. Even if it was consensual then why should they be idolised and their music flourish? The situations are different but it is clear that, through the decades, musicians have broken the law and, yet, they are still popular and not being tarnished. I think an artist should be judged on what the law says and whether they are adjudged to be guilty or not. Whilst there is still a difference between the musician and the human, we need that absolute proof and conviction of wrongdoing – right now, a legendary artist is being tarnished based on people’s assumptions and perceptions.

I do not feel Jackson’s music should be banned on radio or played any less than it would have been years ago. It continues to delight many and, in these hard and tense times, his music provides joy and energy. He inspired multiple musicians and, to the best of my knowledge, none of them have been accused of being pederasts. What do people think will happen if the music is played on the radio? The artists who have been influenced by Jackson have taken his music to heart and the way he performed – not how he behaved as a human away from the spotlight. Many might not be able to separate the performer and man but, in musical terms, one cannot merely erase and overlook a legacy because they feel a little uncomfortable or icky. If someone does not like a Jackson song being played then that is their call. The size of his impact on music is larger than the hit from the Leaving Neverland documentary and it makes me wonder whether he will still have a brand in the future. We have never seen a Popstar as big as him have to go through this so I wonder, in a decade or so, will anyone play Jackson’s music at all?! It would be a shame to think the die has been cast and this is the sign of the future. The pacificity from the U.K., I feel, will continue and I do not think they will play Jackson a lot. The U.S., largely, is not banning him but neither are they playing him as frequently as they might otherwise do. The final nail seems to have been added by Wade Robson and James Safechuck and it makes me concerned two human beings can influence radio stations around the world. Michael Jackson’s music is phenomenal and could inspire generations to come but, if we continue to take such rash and unwise action based on no proof whatsoever, then that can have a hugely damaging effect on Pop music and the industry...             

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

FOR decades to come.