FEATURE: Spotlight: Madonnatron

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

Madonnatron

_________

THIS year is a busy one for albums…

and it still seems that the solo artist is taking the biggest chunk of the pie. By that, I mean they are more prevalent and it seems, when it comes to variation, they are leading. I think women are producing the finest albums of 2019 and, in the case of Madonnatron…that is definitely true. I do love the fact that there are some terrific young bands emerging that are adding something exciting and fresh to the scene. I am a big fan of bands like Amyl and The Sniffers (from Australia) and there is something wonderful happening with Brighton’s YONAKA – both bands are female-fronted but they are very different in terms of style and intention. I do think the days of male bands ruling have disappeared and I doubt we will ever see that rise again. The past few years have shown some evolution and change and, in terms of who you need to watch out for, I would recommend Madonnatron. They come from humble backgrounds but, with determination and a finger raised to convention, they are a bright and explosive force. They can switch from the funny and cutting but then go in with something unexpected and hugely forceful. Their emotional palette is varied and vast and their performances, live and on record, are tight and wonderful. The band are heading around the country and bring their new album to the people.

Check out their website and social media channels for details but, trust me, you will want to see them lay down their songs from the stage. I will come to their latest album later but, for a bit, let’s take it back a couple of years back. Madonnatron have been on the scene for a few years now and, through grit and a unique style, they have seen their fanbase grow. Back in 2017, they unleashed their eponymous debut album. The South London four-piece impressed critics and, as this review from The Quietus shows, they make one hell of a lovely racket:

“Madonnatron have been going for a couple of years, after forming apparently quite haphazardly at venues and nights including Hank Dog's Easycome in Peckham and (of course) The Windmill in Brixton. When Liam May at Trashmouth first talked about making an album, they told him, “We only have five songs and we can't really play.” Lias Saoudi from Fat White Family has described their early gigs as “like listening to a kitchen falling apart in an earthquake,” and when I saw them last year they were still pleasingly shonky. They haven't become polished professionals since then, thank god. They are winging it. It is great, almost a rock & roll cliche joy, to have a bunch of chancers making music as good as this, especially when it's a gang of women who are clearly having a brilliant time.

All of a piece, the songs on this album belong together. Madonnatron are in the right place, too, signed to Trashmouth and produced by Liam May (who also worked on the submerged-unconscious vocals of Fat White Family's Songs For Our Mothers), and based in south London, part of a sprawling gang that includes Fat White Family, The Moonlandingz, No Friendz and Meatraffle. Like a lot of that gang, they are funny and deadly serious, chaotic and fully focussed, and making ace records”.

The fact Madonnatron had been around for a few years and had managed to hone their songs resulted in this incredible debut. The band’s live flair and sense of the unpredictable came through in their debut and the fact they managed to balance the professional with live-sounding gained them legions of fresh fans. In terms of who makes them buzz and which artists are important to them, one might think the likes of The Slits, Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney are at the top of the list but, as that might be stereotyping and being narrow, there are some unexpected idols in their collections. In this interview from 2018, We Are Raw Meat probed them about their influences:

 “We ask everyone what their favourite tracks or artists/ bands are from the past, the present, and who they think we should be listening out for in the future - I’d love to know each of yours.

Charlotte: Kate Bush is religious in status to me. I love the Broken English album by Marianne Faithfull. I'm a massive disco person and have an unabashed addiction to eighties pop. I think the eighties was a very interesting and experimental time with the advent of gadgetry and the trial and error factor when using all the new synths and ting.

Joanie: Love a bit of Throbbing Gristle, especially Hot on the Heels of Love. 
Stef: All sorts - Bongwater, La Femme, Delta blues, Italo disco. 
Beth: Also all sorts of things, Stooges, Can, a bit of Bronski Beat, Funkadelic, basically anything with soul and groove and/ or menace. 
Current bands we dig include Sex Cells, Warmduscher, Deep Tan, Melt Dunes, Pink Eye Club, Jack Medley’s Secure Men, Black Midi and Amyl & The Sniffers”.

That is quite an eclectic blend of sounds! It would be a bit lazy to compare Madonnatron too readily to others but, when you listen close, they have their own style and sound. They are a vastly exciting young band who are going from strength to strength and are getting some great focus. They have appeared in session for Marc Riley on BBC Radio 6 Music a few times and always give such incredible performances! Their new album, Musica Alla Puttanesca, was released a couple of week ago and, aside from its kick-ass cover art, the music takes their talent to new levels. In terms of describing it, this is what Rough Trade say:

“Having moved forwards emotionally from the wilds of dystopian stalking and associated hobbies, Madonnatron have instead been found frolicking through the green pastures of gangsta pimps, Hindu God wars, Cyber Men invasion, loveless nightclub hook-ups, modern Italian Nabokov, and revered screen goddess Elizabeth Taylor. Think of them as post-punk lab rats in the Secrets Of Nimh, feasting dubiously on back-dated episodes of Top Of The Pops. With notorious roaring guitars, chanting vocals and rabid drums they audibly glow in the dark, are strong-armed, and will probably bite you. Like their debut, which was released to much acclaim in July 2017, Musica Alla Puttanesca was produced by Liam D. May at Trashmouth Studios. Their atmospheric, raw, and confrontational live shows carry a sonic force that by turns will make you weep, cross yourselves, and weep again”.

More confident and daring than their earliest work, there is also more variety in terms of the lyrics and compositions; a sense of boldness than has come from a string of gigs and a lot of critical applause. I am struggling to take in all the great albums from this year and, as I say, women are leading the pack. Musica Alla Puttanesca is a terrific and has been gathering a lot of love. This is what Backseat Mafia had to say:

 “Moving away from the tales of dystopian stalking and associated hobbies, on Musica Alla Puttanesca the band tackle subjects including (but not limited to) gangsta pimps, Hindu God wars, Cyber Men invasion, loveless nightclub hook-ups, modern Italian Nabokov, as well as, well, Elizabeth Taylor. They wrap everything up in a wry humour, focusing on their skewed version of the world as if it were the norm, which by the end of the album, it seems to be.

But there’s more to Madonnatron than quirkiness. The music has this fearlessness about it – daring to make a post punk record and put string and brass into it (the sci-Fi thriller of NightRes in Silver being prime culprit) and a nod to X-Ray Spex with the added Sacophone on the brilliantly Super Hands.

From the opener, the fun-filled frothy Bone Dumb Grunt, right through to the mantra like theatric seems fun Venus & Rahu, Madonnatron  toy with the listener, contrasting the light of Sweet Serena, with the dark, almost suffocating Flesh Pond, with the taught anger of Super Hands, all wrapped up in melodies and chorus’ to hand on for dear life to. And in the glow in the dark Liminal Madonnatron have written something which shows everything great about them, and pop music.

Long live Madonnatron”.

That last line is a sentiment I can get behind. The fact Madonnatron have a sort of 1980s quirk to them with a bit of Pop mixed with some snarl and edge makes them an irresistible proposition. I have covered them a few times on my site and I genuinely think they are going to be huge. I do think bands are making a comeback and there is that change from the all-male Indie/Rock groups to a much more interesting group of new bands that are mixing genres together and, yeah, are lot of the very best are all-female or female-led. If you can see Madonnatron on the road then you will be in for a funny, sweaty and memorable experience! They are a band that have many more albums in them and I do wonder where they will go from here. The band have not put out too many interviews recently but I do wonder whether touring and recording is keeping them busy. It would be good to hear what they have to say and get a whole new press wave going. They are definitely on my list of artists to watch and I hope to catch up with them very soon! Madonnatron are definitely excited right now and, in addition to getting some big radio attention and love, they have a full calendar. People up and down the country will flock to see them and experience this dynamic and essential band do their thing. I can well see them getting gigs in the U.S. and further afield and, as word spreads, you wouldn’t bet against them embarking on a world-wide tour. Maybe that is getting ambitious but Madonnatron have the sort of music in their arsenal that transcends borders and translates around the world. Snap up their albums, go see them live and give them a follow online. Madonnatron are definitely growing in stature and making a name for themselves. Few bands deserve the acclaim more and, for that reason, I salute…

THE mighty Madonnatron.

______________

Follow Madonnatron:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Madonnatronband/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MadonnatronBand

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/madonnatron/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5296LoeRErq9LMXgcFw3yX?si=m6Ogp3WTThmZXCTKZjJRUQ

PHOTO/IMAGE CREDITS:

Getty Images/Madonnatron

FEATURE: Steal My Sunshine: Why We Need to Keep Hold of Escapism in Music

FEATURE:

 

 

Steal My Sunshine

PHOTO CREDIT: @gohrhyyan/Unsplash 

Why We Need to Keep Hold of Escapism in Music

_________

I do think that music has the power to transform…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Hot Chip/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

and enrich lives around the world. There is no doubt that, on a daily basis, people are lifted and guided by music and its unique power. There are great artists out there who are making sure we are in a better mood and made to feel touched and protected. One such band is the always-reliable Hot Chip. The band has just played All Points East and their album, A Bath Full of Ecstasy, is out on 21st June. I am pleased they are about because the band is one of the very best out there. I saw an interview they conducted with The Guardian and there was something that struck me. Alexis Taylor, their lead, was talking about their music and what they want to achieve:

“I wrote the [new] songs for people to bathe in, or be lost in an active way,” Taylor explains, as we order an Uber afterwards. “To have a deep listening experience with it, without any distractions, if they can.” Both have railed before about how they dislike mindless escapism in pop. “And escapism is the opposite of what we should be doing in our lives, for political and ecological reasons.”

They find the world around them frightening: Goddard regularly retweets anti-Trump and climate change messages. But Taylor would never write direct protest songs. “Rather than just saying, ‘Oh, there’s Brexit and there’s Trump in power’, instead we’ll write songs like Positive, which is about looking for positivity – asking people to support those around them suffering from mental health problems or facing difficulty with poverty or homelessness. I’m thinking in songs instead, to try and figure out an answer.” Mindful escapism, perhaps?”

I do understand where Taylor is coming from regarding escapism and avoiding big issues. We are living in a time where the planet’s future survival is unsure and there is a lot of heavy sh*t around. Hot Chip are a band who look at environmental issues, mental-health and other subjects that we can all relate to. Rather than make these subjects quite severe and gloomy, they have a more comforting approach; putting their arms around people and making sure there is positivity among the hard-hitting words. ‘Escapism’ is a word that is pretty broad and I think, more and more, we need it in our lives. I can appreciate Taylor saying a more mindful escapism is good but, even when you add a positive and hopeful spin to ecological problems and mental illness, is that providing an actual distraction from the severity of the world?! I have complained about artists not addressing serious issues and being too mainstream and, whilst so many are stepping up and reacting, is there too much weight and not enough relief? How often does one hear a song that simply embraces life or is fun for the sake of it? I do feel there is a lot of Pop that is vacant and hollow but, in a music landscape that is becoming less and less fun, should we be advising artists to reject mere escapism – instead, put something with a deeper message out there?

 PHOTO CREDIT: @wildlittlethingsphoto/Unsplash

I think, so long as much has a bit of depth and nuance, it is great to give the people something a bit fluffy and simplistic. Hot Chip are an example of a band who can address what is important but put a slightly lighter spin on things. I do feel that Pop that is vacuous and aimless should be rejected but I think, reading that interview quote, there is a feeling that all music, if it is escapist, needs to come with a message. I reject the idea all music needs a purpose and we all need to address serious subjects. I know musicians have an important role and, the more they talk about environmental issues and get us to think what we are doing to the planet, the better that is. That is fine, yeah, but all of this can create quite a suffocating and one-dimensional vibe. We are all aware of the severity of big issues and many of us have to cope with an awful lot. The realities and pressures of modern life are shoved in our face all of the time. From the fatigue of the morning commute to the constant stream of bad news and dire warnings, it is hard to ignore the situation we are in. I genuinely think the average person is trying to do their best and we are all worried. I applaud artists who are using music to try and change things and open minds. It is important we all work together to make things better but music, for me at least, is a way of getting away from the world and finding some peace. I think one of the reason people look back and listen to a lot of classic sounds is because there is that guaranteed hit of pleasure and delight. I am not saying we all need to escape from serious music but, as we are all more stressed and divided, there is that desire to embrace something escapist.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @vespir/Unsplash

For me, I love a bit of classic House and Dance; songs that are about the pleasure of life and getting together. There is some great Pop from the 1980s and 1990s that did not necessarily hold a lot of seriousness and depth but, hey, it does make you feel a lot better! I do feel we all need this kind of music and we are not ignoring the world completely by mixing things up! I think there is a real lack of simple fun and uplift in music; something that does not have to be about anything other than having fun. Many might think there is a pretty healthy Pop scene that does that already…but I disagree. I think Alexis Taylor’s statement about vacuous Pop is right. What I want is for there to be more music out there that makes us all feel calmer and brighter; that sort of Summer of Love sound that can act as a contrast to everything else. The world has been in a pretty dire state in other periods and, even then, there was a balance of music. Look back at economic recessions and terrible governments. We were all strained then but, I feel, there was more in the way of relief and optimism.  Of course, we all do need to take note of what is happening to the world but rejecting non-mindful escapism is a bad thing. Why must all music be about the troubles we face?

 PHOTO CREDIT: @hannynaibaho/Unsplash

Does every artist need to be more responsible and use their voice to raise awareness?! I do not think so - and it would be an awfully bleak industry if this was the case! I think, as more artists tackle big subjects like mental-health, something fundamental is escaping from the industry: songs that make us feel better and let us forget about our problems. A few singles from this year have provided a good kick - but there is not a whole lot of hope around. I think more people are getting nostalgic because they want to bond with music that made them feel good and comforted. As the world is in a pretty unsure situation, I think escapism (small doses of it) is necessary. It means we can find that little retreat and area where we can switch off and recharge. If music is merely concerned with the big questions and issues then it does get to you and can be draining. I love artists like Hot Chip and their more optimistic spin on things. There are too many artists shoving reality in our faces and, if we can still hear songs that dig deep but have a smile, then that seems like a good balance. As I said, the planet has been in a worse state than it is now and, through warfare and political evil, artists have given us songs that we can wrap ourselves in and dive into; a pure escape that does a lot of good for our mental well-being.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @rosssneddon/Unsplash

This article was written in 2016 and talks about how good, fun music can provide heal and redemptive spirit:

“Music is a barrier and also fuel. Losing oneself in a song is as much a ward against exterior misery as it is a reminder to keep going, to start somewhat fresh and anew. To dismiss lightweight music as an opiate de-legitimises the work of talented creators. While the Weeknd's Abel Tesfaye is a vocal supporter of Black Lives Matter and of awareness for Toronto's Ethiopian diaspora, he's also the "Starboy" who rode through 2016 in a variety of expensive cars without a care and scored the second-largest debut week of the year. The number one song in the U.S. is "Black Beatles," a song that defies any analysis deeper than it being fun as hell.

Music is a wonderful escape and there's nothing wrong with that," says Dr. Mel Borins, a professor of community medicine at the University of Toronto and practicing family doctor. Borins is a songwriter and performing musician who writes comedic tunes about pap smears and colonoscopies and he believes that music – any and all music – is a legitimate medicine of sorts that can help with depression and anxiety, along with laughter and other forces of joy. "What we have difficulty with as human beings is change, and any loss is a change," he says. "I don't have anything against distraction… escapism is a good thing, and on the other hand, music has a way of uniting people."

PHOTO CREDIT: @erik_lucatero/Unsplash 

In her New Yorker essay "The Worst Year Ever, Until Next Year," writer Jia Tolentino felt the great flaw of the social media era in times of turmoil is how overwhelming the information intake is, that "there is no limit to the amount of misfortune a person can take in via the Internet… no guidebook for how to expand your heart to accommodate these simultaneous scales of human experience." It's a continuous sensory overload of doom-and-gloom for those who follow the news. Borins defines burnout as "when you have nothing left, physically, emotionally and spiritually… you get discouraged about things, you think negatively," and while he's hesitant to apply the condition to the current climate, it doesn't seem too far off.

It bears reminding that the liberty of musical nourishment, to even forget about troubles, is in itself a privilege. Those who managed to escape the fate of the many thousands dead in Aleppo won't find slipping on earbuds to listen to Bruno Mars as easy a solution as those of us in Toronto, and the same holds true for the non-white families in the U.S. and Europe who worry about the fact they may no longer fit a suddenly narrower definition of their own country's cultural identity. Again, the larger scale of human suffering threatens to extinguish hope. And you know what? All of this does suck, but it shouldn't have to do so in an all-consuming manner. Pop music may not have the answers but it might just be one more thing that keeps humanity going, just as long as someone's listening”.

Our planet and country is going through some hard times right now and we do all need to work together to make things better. If musicians can raise awareness and send important messages out to people; get us all motivated and thinking, then that is brilliant. We definitely need music to play its role in that sense but I feel, with all this crap flying around us, there is a big place for escapism; good music that does not need to protest and summon – something we can listen to and instantly feel better in ourselves. If we ignore the power and important of non-mindful escapism then it is depriving people of a much-needed release. This is something, I for one, would hate…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @hannahbusing/Unsplash

TO see happen.

INTERVIEW: Moodbay

INTERVIEW:

Moodbay

___________

IN one of my last interviews...

I have been talking with Moodbay about their new single, Listen Up, and how it came together. They tell me how they got together and how songs come together for them; the sort of music they listen to and which approaching artists we need to check out.

I ask if they get time to relax away from music, whether there are tour dates coming up and which albums Anna and Alfie love – they end the interview by selecting a couple of pretty cool and epic tracks.

____________

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

Hey. Good, thanks! And, yeah, it was great. We’ve been filming in London for one of our singles which was pretty fun. Hard work, though. Our director was so keen to capture as much as possible that we ended up shooting in her hotel room till 3 a.m. Her partner ended up having to sleep out in the corridor on the hard floor.

Poor guy...

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

We’re an Electronic girl/boy duo who met in BIMM Manchester. We both play piano; Anna sings and Alfie produces.

How did Moodbay get together? Was it an instant connection?

No. At first, we thought we were both lame-os and avoided each other. Then, later, we realised that we both had a passion for Electronic music, synths and melody. That’s when we formed Moodbay.

Do you both share similar tastes in music – or is there a sense of difference and individual spirit that makes your own music so strong?

Alfie: We share similar tastes in music t.b.f. Personally, I think that musicians with totally different tastes end up fighting for different vibes - which can lead to actual fighting because there’s nothing more personal and insulting than someone saying your riff is s*it.

You have a new track out. What can you tell me about it and how it came together?

Anna: This is our first single. It was originally called Wrong Wave, which refers to not being on the same wavelength as someone – “You’re riding on the wrong wave” and “Hiding on the wrong page”. I’m saying: ‘Look, I’ve had enough of you; we’re too different to be compatible’.

The melodies came to me in the shower and I ran downstairs, sung them to Alfie and he started making a beat on the spot to match. We were listening to future bass at the time so it has a bit of that vibe going on.

How do songs come together for you? Do you have a set process or does it change between releases?

We don’t have a set process, but this one came about through a common process of Anna writing verses at the piano and then bringing it to Alfie, who then thinks of chorus melodies and riffs and stuff. Sometimes, Alfie will produce the track without melodies and then we both work on the melodies afterwards. Sometimes, Anna has the whole thing and we just add a beat.

In terms of the stuff you listen to away from your own stuff, what sort of thing might we find in your collections?

Everyone from EST (Jazz triplet) to Justin Bieber (say what you want about him but he has an insanely good recording voice!).

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

Yeah. When we played at the O2 Ritz in Manchester, we only had a day to practice for the gig and it was a full room, but it turned out to be our best performance yet.

Which albums from all of music mean the most to you guys (and why)?

Alfie: For me, it’s a toss-up between Abbey Road (The Beatles) and The Bends (Radiohead). There’s nothing Electronic in those albums but they both contain some of the most striking melodies ever made and, for me, that’s what music is all about.

Anne: Gorillaz - Demon Days. Because every song is as good as the next. The album has such a strong identity you can almost taste it.

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

Alfie: There are so many acts that I would love to support but, again, I’d have to say my childhood heroes Radiohead. I’d ask for watermelons neatly sliced, not too thin. Seedless jam on toast with plenty of margarine; hand warmers and three grams of your strongest beta blockers to calm my nerves.

For Anna, it would be Chvrches (Alfie’s second choice). The best coffee money can buy. Dark chocolate, coconut oil and a super-reliable phone charger.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Quit your job.

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

Alfie: Not yet. We will be performing live after the album has been released as we have a lot of writing and producing still to do for various projects. Gone are the days of performing to five people in a pub with s*it acoustics and a clinically depressed mix engineer - I just can’t hack it anymore.

What is a typical gig like for you guys? What might we expect if we come and see you perform?

Alfie: When we perform, you can expect a lot of swapping of instruments DURING songs, a lot of synths; some extended choruses for improv solos and plenty of awkward silences after one of us says something. We were thinking of hiring out tumbleweed.ltd to help us add character to these moments but, after doing extensive data analysis, we arrived at the conclusion that they were not cost-effective enough.

And piano-only versions of songs to show off Anna’s voice.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Litany/PHOTO CREDIT: Marieke Macklon Photography

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Litany, Anelog and Pink Palace.

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

We went to France for a week recently. But, other than that, we don’t chill because we have so much we feel we need to do - and we love it so much and we have no money.

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).

Anna: Georgia - Started Out

Alfie: Y Môr - Anelog

___________

Follow Moodbay

Official:

https://www.moodbay.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/moodbay

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/moodbay

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/moodbaymusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1P1cU0pEn5m662FzVtNwbx?si=cz8sV4bVSZqn7furAVnDYw

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/c/Moodbay

FEATURE: Director’s Cut: Is Now the Perfect Time for Another, Definitive, Kate Bush Documentary?

FEATURE:

 

 

Director’s Cut

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush (circa 1978)/PHOTO CREDIT: Mirrorpix

Is Now the Perfect Time for Another, Definitive, Kate Bush Documentary?

_________

ON Friday…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush at her family's home in East Wickham, London on 26th September, 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Moorhouse/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Kate Bush fans were able to see a documentary that first went out in 2014. Broadcast on BBC Four on Friday, the original capitalised on the news that Bush was returning to the stage for a residency – her Before the Dawn show was a raging success and her first properly extensive performance since 1979. I am a huge fan of Kate Bush – if you hadn’t already guessed!  - and I sort of regret not being able to see her perform in Hammersmith in 2014. Those gigs must have been something sensational and the reviews spoke for themselves. Everyone was raving, and so it was not a surprise that the BBC would want to make a documentary about her. The documentary, The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill, brought together celebrity fans (including St. Vincent and Tricky) and paired them with people who have worked with Kate Bush – including Del Palmer, David Gilmour and Sir Elton John. It was a huge boon getting all of these people together who paid tribute to Bush and shared their experiences. Lots of people tuned in and there were some healthy reviews for the documentary. The Guardian reviewed The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill and expressed their praise:

“Guests, contributors and soon even formerly ignorant viewers like me were in awe of the talent displayed and then intelligently discussed and dissected by John, Kemp and other respected experts, such as David Gilmour, Peter Gabriel, John Lydon, Tori Amos and Del Palmer, Bush's bandmate and partner from the 1970s to 1990s. Neil Gaiman was on hand to hymn her fearlessly literary inspirations and lyrics, from – of course – Wuthering Heights (from which she derived her first single, in March 1978) to Molly Bloom's soliloquy from Ulysses in the title track of her 1989 album, The Sensual World.

Bush herself appeared only in old interview footage – so young, so fragile, so shy, but full of the sureness and certainty that only talent brings – but what emerged was a wonderful, detailed portrait of that talent. Although it gave her precocity its full due (she had written The Man With the Child in His Eyes by the time Gilmour came to listen to her when she was 14), it also gave proper weight to her evolution and her later, less commercial, still astonishing work. Why it chose to close on a stupid jarring joke by Steve Coogan, I do not know. But the rest of it succeeded in making Bush and her work less of a mystery but no less beautiful for that”.

There is a lot to recommend about the documentary and it did get some things right. The raft of big names that were collected together is its biggest bonus. Having Del Palmer there – who has been with Bush since the start and still works with her – was a big asset and having everyone from Tori Amos and Stephen Fry sitting alongside David Gilmour and Lindsay Kemp (her former dance teacher) was terrific. Instead of it being purely celeb-driven, there were people in the mix who worked on Bush’s material and had that personal connection. I do like the fact that quite a bit of her work was featured and we got a nice span of interview archives.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The fact that any documentary got made at all was an advantage and, rather than try to ride on the bandwagon in 2014, there was genuine intent and passion. For me, there were too many downsides and missed opportunities. The review above highlights how the documentary ended on a stupid joke. That seems to underline the documentary and some big mistakes. Why Steve Coogan was included so much baffles me and, fan through he is, he is hardly a big part of Kate Bush’s story. A lot of his ‘insights’ and words were not that revealing and fresh and he could have been omitted without too many people complaining. There were a couple of celebrity inclusions that provided little depth. St. Vincent and Tricky offered some good comments from a musician’s viewpoint and, whereas Bat for Lashes’ Natasha Khan was good value, the fact she said ‘The Hounds of Love’ rather than ‘Hounds of Love’ and was not sure about the name of a particular Bush song (it was the one with donkey braying, Get Out of My House) was a bit annoying – if you are a big fan then you get simple stuff like that right, you’d think. Guests shared their opinions on Kate Bush’s best songs and, rather than the songs being played in studios through speakers, they all whipped out their Smartphones and played these very tinny-sounding versions. It seems odd that this decision was made.

Bush is strict and passionate regarding sound quality and ensuring her music is as crisp and natural as possible. Having her rich and beautiful music bleached and distorted through technology was another poor decision. A couple more things got to me. The documentary was too linear and it did not deviate too much from the predictable and straight. At an hour-long, some albums were pretty much passed over; there were not enough interview and video inclusions and, considering The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill, was made off of the back of Bush returning to the stage, there was very little footage from her first live shows for the Tour of Life back in 1979. That groundbreaking live tour was a revelation and blew away critics back then. There is documentary and live footage of the shows and it is a shame that more was not included in The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill. With the BBC having direct access to the archives and their own material, why was so much omitted? The fact is that, at sixty minutes, you can just about skim the surface. I have tried to pitch a longer, multi-part Bush documentary to radio and T.V. producers but, each time, it is met with a bit of resistance. Many claim that, without Bush’s input, there is little attraction from them. That is near-impossible as Bush likes her privacy and there is no need to have her directly involved. Others say that the BBC documentary is conclusive and complete.

IN THIS PHOTO: A twenty-year-old Kate Bush/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

That might be true if you only know a bit about Bush’s work but, if you are a true fan, that statement is completely false: the documentary could have been much longer and there were some serious gaps! It sounds like I am dissing the BBC and reducing their efforts and, whilst The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill, is by no means long and deep enough, at least there is something out there in the world. Hearing musicians talk about Bush in such fevered and loving tones is heartening. There are a lot of pluses regarding The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill but, as five years have passed since it was broadcast, there is a lot of new ground to cover. Not only has Bush completed her Before the Dawn residency but she has also remastered and re-released her back catalogue and released a book of lyrics. This sense of retrospection and correction (Bush wanting all her albums to be out there and have this great sound) is understandable and it is sure to have attracted new listeners and pleased her existing fanbase. A lot has happened since 2014 regarding Bush’s live pursuits and her existing material. There will be many, myself included, curious to see where she goes next. This sort of begs the question whether now is the perfect time to mount another documentary. I think, if it expanded on what the BBC did and retained some of its better points (the quality of contributors) and redressed some omissions (made it much longer and scrubbed away its mistakes) then something properly authoritative could come about.

Many would have noticed The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill lacked a real in-depth look at her albums, videos and wonderful interviews. The Tour of Life coverage and footage is great and, rather than going chronologically and being too narrow, there is room for mixing things up and not being beholden to convention. A three-part documentary would be best and, in addition to bringing back the best guests of The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill (David Gilmour, Del Palmer and St. Vincent among them), there is a chance to bring new faces into the mix – including artists inspired by Bush (Florence Welch among them) and people who have worked with her since the start (family members, older engineers and producers would be great). There are these new projects and released (the book of lyrics and her back catalogue available on vinyl) and one imagines there are new stirrings and plans. Given the fact that, by the time the new documentary is out, there might be new material makes me thing now is the perfect time to strike. I have a bit of a sixth sense regarding artists releasing albums and I feel like a new Kate Bush album will arrive this or next year. It has been nearly eight year since her last album, 50 Words for Snow, so it cannot be too long until another release comes out way.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush takes a friend for a walk/PHOTO CREDIT: Claude Vanheye  

With new additions and some improvements to be made, I think there is the potential to make a genuine striking, fulsome and complete Kate Bush documentary. I do like a lot of The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill but, for an artist who has been releasing music since 1978, there is a lot of ground to cover. I do feel like it is impossible to distil all of her magic and individuality into a single hour. For Bush, you need a few different parts that explore her songs, videos and live performances. Not only is it a great time for a new Kate Bush documentary to come about but I think there is always room for more than one study. I think there is this feeling that one (documentary) is enough but the likes of David Bowie have had several documentaries made about them exploring different aspects. Bush is no less intriguing and varied so I do feel like there is this desire and scope. It seems like, very soon, something new could come about and that will naturally lead to a wave of interest and huge buzz. There are few that want to interview Kate Bush more than I and I have read (several times) biographies about her. I feel like I have a pretty deep understanding about where she came from and what motivates her. The more you read about her, the more you realise there is so much to cover and endless scope.

Bush loves dance and film; some of her albums have not been properly explored and there are many different aspects of her music and personality that have not been brought to the screen. The excitement about Kate Bush never goes away and I do know that there are new fans coming through and others that have not experienced her music. People can seek out her records but I do think that an everything-under-one-roof approach would help bridge the gap. Lesser artists than Kate Bush have had more airtime dedicated to them and had more than a couple of documentaries made. I think that now is a great time to launch another project and, whilst Bush herself might not get involved, there are plenty around her that would lend their time. Until all of this happens – and I do hope that someone, somewhere gets the wheels going -, go look at Bush’s previous work and all the great interviews online. Her interviews alone are fantastic and always intoxicating. There is this whole world to explore and, the more you dig, the more in love you fall. I love everything she does and cannot wait to see what comes next. You can never tell what will happen with Kate Bush and that is what makes her unique and so captivating. There are numerous sides, angles and colours that have not been shown on the screen and, the sooner that happens, the better. I do recommend people look at the BBC’s The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill documentary but, as quite a bit of time has passed, it is now time to see Kate Bush’s story on the screen…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush shot in 2005/PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton/National Portrait Gallery, London

ONCE more.

FEATURE: Female Icons: Part Six: Joni Mitchell

FEATURE:

 

 

Female Icons

PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images  

Part Six: Joni Mitchell

_________

ONE can hardly do a feature about female icons…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Joni Mitchell in New York in November 1968/PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Robinson/Getty Images

and ignore the wondrous Joni Mitchell. To be honest, there are going to be gaps because, limited for time as I am, I am not able to span her entire career right now! Instead, I want to share my experiences of Mitchell; bring in a couple of interviews/features about her and, to end, present a (what I feel is a…) definitive playlist. To my mind, there is nobody finer than Joni Mitchell when it comes to penning ageless and unique lyrics. She articulates thoughts about politics and love more fervently and raw than anyone else. She can perfectly explain the twists and trials of relationships and the impact that has. Many might argue there are plenty of songwriters who can do that just as well but, for me, Mitchell is supreme. I have been listening a lot to Matthews’ Southern Comfort and their version of Woodstock – from Mitchell’s 1970 album, Ladies of the Canyon. That version of the classic song is sublime and they manage to take Mitchell’s words to new plains. The more I think about it, the more the lyrics stand out. Maybe Mitchell’s voice is her most divisive quality but the reason her songs are covered and stand the test of time is the linguistic power. Consider a song like Woodstock and its visions of an army of half a million-strong; bombers in the sky tuning into butterflies and this blend of the political, passionate and communitive. It is a staggering song that Mitchell wrote whilst watching Woodstock unfold on T.V. – in a way, the fact she was not in the thick of it meant she could detach and employ some imagination and license.

I love that song and the fact I have started with this is because Ladies of the Canyon is one of her underrated gems. It was only a year after the release of this masterwork that she released Blue – considered to be her finest hour. Mitchell’s work pre-1970 is wonderful and I do really love 1969’s Clouds. It is not one of her best-loved works but songs like Chelsea Morning and Both Sides, Now are instant classics. Again, it is the language and the way her voice wraps around the words that brings these visions to life. Look at Ladies of the Canyon and what was happening on that album. I think this is the moment her writing truly stretched itself and gave us a view of what was to come. Her range expanded and the themes explored – including celebrity and the complexities of love – were told in a very new and exciting way. I think, because Mitchell was becoming more successful, themes of isolation were particularly bold and present. The fact that her life was changing and relationships were, perhaps, a bit more challenging did feed into her work. Although a lot of the songs (on the album) are quite sparse, Mitchell’s association and friendship with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young did influence her own work. Listen to the dense harmonies and arrangements on tracks like Woodstock – its chorus is one of the most potent in Mitchell’s chest.

I love how Ladies of the Canyon mixes the ups and downs of love; the romance of tender scenes and the urgency of departing conversation with something heavier: the Woodstock generation having to face ecological degradation, warfare (the album was released when the Vietnam War was occurring) and tension. Out of all the turmoil and confusion around Mitchell, she was able to summon this beautiful music that was as evocative and thought-provoking as it was sensuous and graceful. It was 1971’s Blue that took these promising seeds from the canyon and turned them into something biblical and evergreen. Perhaps Blue contains less of the spritz and lightness of Ladies of the Canyon (in terms of the fact there are some positive moments); the songs are heavier and one gets the feeling this is the album where Mitchell is at her rawest and most open. I can’t remember where she said it and when but there is a quote from Mitchell where she compared herself to the wrapping you get on packets of cigarettes. In a way, that image provokes isolation, vulnerability and, in a sense, the thin layer that protects something toxic and dangerous – Mitchell feeling exposed and less comfortable in her skin. Blue sounds like a bleak record on the surface but it is not. It has harsh and emotional moments but there is so much tenderness and affection running through the record.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

I mentioned how few songwriters can write about love as strongly and interestingly as Joni Mitchell and, during the writing of Blue, Mitchell was inspired by relationships. From 1968-1970 she dated Graham Nash. Songs such as River are influenced by that time and, just as Blue was taking shape, their bond was frail and not long for the world. Her relationship with James Taylor (it pretty much followed on from her relationship with Nash) clearly had a big impact. This Flight Tonight and All I Want directly reference Mitchell’s bond with Taylor and it is clear the love they had for one another was intense and pure. The relationship did break and end but, when they were together, Mitchell had someone she could confide in and trust. The rush of new-found love and the ghosts of lovers past coarse through Blue and there are so many reasons why it is considered a classic. So many people can relate to what Mitchell was experiencing: the capriciousness of love and how, when you have it, there is nothing as elevating and spiritual. Also, Blue was very different to a lot of the male-driven Folk at the time. This was a distinctly female expression of love and pain; a different beast to what was coming out in 1971. Mitchell had hit her stride by this time and there were few that could deny her brilliance. I also think Blue is an album that can produce and summon as much release as it does introspection.

You listen to the songs and can relate but you also feel paternal towards Mitchell; protective and worried about her. Because of that, there are nuances and layers that unfurl through time. It would be unfair to focus too much time on Blue but, as career highs go, it is pretty stupendous! Pitchfork, when writing about Mitchell’s catalogue for an article, seemed to sum up Blue perfectly:

“…About that follow-up: 1971's Blue is possibly the most gutting break-up album ever made. After Mitchell's relationship with Nash dissolved, she headed to Europe to lose the tether of her fame, eventually taking exile in a cave on the Greek island Crete. The trip would inspire the how-Joni-got-her-groove-back ditties "Carey" and "California". The album is suffused with melancholy for all that is missing: her daughter ("Little Green"), innocence ("The Last Time I Saw Richard"), and connection ("All I Want"). Mitchell bleeds diffidence and highlights it with spare notes plucked out on her Appalachian dulcimer. While her pals Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Laura Nyro were also pushing the singer-songwriter genre forward, none of them managed to stride the distance that Mitchell did here in a single album.

"Will you take me as I am/ Strung out on another man?" Mitchell pleads on "California". She was (in)famously strung out on other talents that were as mercurial as hers, fueling constant speculation as to whether this song was about Leonard Cohen, or that one about James Taylor or Nash or that puerile heartbreaker Jackson Browne.

The year Mitchell issued Blue, an album that would be a landmark in any artist's career, Rolling Stone named her "Old Lady of the Year," a dismissal effectively saying her import was as a girlfriend or muse to the men around her more than as an artist in her own right. Worse still, they called her "Queen of El Lay," and offered a diagram of her supposed affairs and conquests. She'd made the best album of her career and in exchange she got slut-shamed in the biggest music magazine in America”.

Mitchell’s albums post-Blue took a different tone but she continued this incredible run of releases. Between 1969 and 1976, she produced some of the finest albums around and barely put a foot wrong! For the Roses is not as lively as Blue but, like that album, there were relationship burdens and troubles. 1972’s For the Roses is one of her most underrated albums and, the fact it came right after Blue might mean people are reluctant to move on or compare the two. 1974’s Court and Spark contains some of Mitchell’s most imaginative and spellbinding songs. Help Me and Free Man in Paris are so rich with imagery and expressions. I cannot even put into words what those songs do to me – as you can see! – but you listen to them and are transported. The sheer beauty and intelligence of the lyrics, combined with effectively bold compositions and stunning vocals create this heady brew and strange magic.

1975’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns, again, is an underrated classic but does contain some truly incredible moments. I want to single this album out for special consideration because, as this retrospective review from AllMusic shows, Mitchell was on a truly hot streak:

“Joni Mitchell evolved from the smooth jazz-pop of Court and Spark to the radical Hissing of Summer Lawns, an adventurous work that remains among her most difficult records. After opening with the graceful "In France They Kiss on Main Street," the album veers sharply into "The Jungle Line," an odd, Moog-driven piece backed by the rhythms of the warrior drums of Burundi -- a move into multiculturalism that beat the likes of Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, and Sting to the punch by a decade. While not as prescient, songs like "Edith and the Kingpin" and "Harry's House -- Centerpiece" are no less complex or idiosyncratic, employing minor-key melodies and richly detailed lyrics to arrive at a strange and beautiful fusion of jazz and shimmering avant pop”.

By 1976’s Hejira, things had changed in Mitchell’s world. She relying a lot on cocaine and she embarked on several trips across the U.S. The third involved her embarking on a trek with friends from Los Angeles to Maine; she then went to California alone and would travel without a driving license. She would drive during the daylight and don a wig and sunglasses during these trips, as not to be recognised.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

This disguise did not always work but, reading these words, Mitchell seemed like a fugitive. Whether she was escaping her own life or needed the danger, that time did inspire some of her best songs. It is amazing to think that with such change and turbulence in her life, she was able to create such cohesive and original work – few artists would manage to do so! By the time Don Juan's Reckless Daughter arrived in 1977, Mitchell was experimenting more with the Jazz fusions she had introduced in Hejira. The music was more expansive and not quite as tight as her previous work. She was evolving and moving forward but it meant that, naturally, critical acclaim was not readily by her side. Many were wondering whether Mitchell had lost her touch and whether things were getting too much. Perhaps she had left her golden period and was embarking on a new phase that, whilst not as stunning as her best albums, was still ripe with innovation and imagination. The Canadian’s last album, 2007’s Shine, was well-received and was a decided return to form. Mitchell left the music business in 2002 and few were expecting her to make another album. The seventy-five-year-old icon might not make another album because she has suffered some severe health setbacks. In 2015, Mitchell had a brain aneurysm. It was a devastating thing to happen and she required physical therapy and dedication. Although she did return to the public eye by 2016, her appearances since then have been quite sparse.

I do wonder whether we will see any music from Mitchell again because, as she still suffers from poor health, maybe she has had enough. Many can forgive this. She has given so much to music and enjoyed a successful career; inspired countless other artists and transformed the Folk scene. There are many growing up today that might not be aware of Joni Mitchell or fully appreciate her music. I will finish with a few snippets of an interview she gave but, back in 2014, The Guardian revisited a golden period in her career where, between 1971’s Blue and 1976’s Hejira, she released five classic albums. The writer Sean O’Hagan investigated further:

“The sophistication of her songwriting and, in particular, her musical arrangements is the essential element that sets Joni Mitchell apart from her contemporaries and her peers, whether the troubadours of the early 70s Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter scene or lyrical heavyweights such as Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and even Bob Dylan. And yet in the music industry, Mitchell has never really been afforded the kind of respect heaped on her male counterparts. Rolling Stone magazine once listed her at No 62 in its 100 greatest artists of all time, just below Metallica. She was belatedly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, but did not attend the ceremony. At 70, she remains a defiant outsider and recluse, who has often expressed her disgust at the music business. And who can blame her?

IN THIS PHOTO: Joni Mitchell in 2015/PHOTO CREDIT: Norma Jean Ray 

Mitchell came up though the American trad-folk circuit of the mid-60s and was for her first two albums marketed as a fey, fragile hippy folk singer. She had already survived several setbacks. Her childhood in small-town Saskatchewan was fractured when she contacted polio, aged eight, in 1951. In 1964, she had fallen pregnant and, struggling financially, gave her newborn daughter up for adoption the following year. (The song, Little Green, from Blue, is an ode to her lost daughter and, on Chinese Cafe, a song released in 1982, she sang: “My child’s a stranger / I bore her / But I could not raise her.” She was reunited with her daughter, Kilauren Gibb, in 1997.) A brief, unhappy marriage to her fleeting musical partner Chuck Mitchell followed, before she set out on her own to be a folk singer.

After the richness of Hissing, the mood poems of Hejira seemed to me for a long time to be a muted coda to Mitchell’s golden period. Over time, though, the best of these often slow and brooding songs – Hejira, Amelia, Blue Motel Room – have kept calling me back despite my slight aversion to Jaco Pastorius’s relentlessly virtuoso bass playing. If Blue Motel Room is a study in longing and languorous sensuality – Prince has been known to cover it live – Amelia, an ode to the pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart, sees Mitchell in reflective mood, her confessional honesty now even more nakedly self-searing than before. “Maybe I’ve never really loved, I guess that is the truth”, she sings in the penultimate verse, “I’ve spent my whole life in clouds at icy altitudes…”.

In true Joni Mitchell spirit, she can never be beaten and she will never truly retire. The woman has been active in music since the 1960s and her legacy will last forever. I urge people who are unfamiliar with her work to go back and investigate. If you want to narrow down your purchases then I would suggest going for the golden period that was just alluded to – from 1971’s Blue onward. I think all of her albums hold merit but, for me, Ladies of the Canyon is hard to top! Mitchell’s storytelling, poetry and performances are so captivating and personal that you fall in love with her and are helpless to resist. I think John Lennon remarked at one time that some of her work was the result of over-education. Maybe that was a class difference but I think one can misconstrue over-education with a poetic intellect. Mitchell was an is involved in art and literature but her finest words have always come from her heart and soul; which is as a result of love and the experiences we all share. The true beauty in Mitchell’s work concerns how she can sound elevated and grand but, in reality, everyone can understand her work and feel listened to. She never alienated the listener or shoved her intelligence in their faces. I want to end by bringing in an interview from 2014, where Mitchell was asked about the new generation and the music industry:

“Q: You’ve voiced concern over what you call the “push-button generation of today.” What is impairing us the most?

A: Everything is about channel changing. It has ruined attention spans. I spaced out in school but I didn’t develop attention-deficit issues because I placed attention on my imagination and ignored the curriculum. I didn’t have a million newsfeeds to contend with. It is just like when I have people over to my house to watch a film—it’s like living in a Robert Altman movie! They are always talking over each other. We are all losing the plot. It’s an addiction to phones and too much information.

PHOTO CREDIT: Norma Jean Ray  

Q: What repercussions do you think future generations will feel now that everyone is on their phone during concerts, etc.?

A: Here’s an example. My grandson and I were sailing on a boat and he said, “It’s boring.” I asked, “How can you say it’s boring? The sun is shining, we’re going across the water so fast . . . ” And he said, “Not fast enough.” Technology has given him this appetite.

Q: You’ve stated in your liner notes that the Grammys look like a porn convention. Many people consider Beyoncé to be subversive.

A: I once found the whole pimp-ho underbelly very interesting too. I’m not afraid or critical of that scene—I find it very colourful. But when it rises to the top and you find a five-year-old saying, “Plant it here, bitch,” we’ve got a problem. America loves to glorify its criminals. It’s not good for children.

Q: Sinead O’Connor wrote an open letter to Miley Cyrus pleading she not allow the music industry to make a prostitute out of her.

A: Right on. That’s what it’s become: “show us your tits!” I also got buried at Geffen Records because of it. Girls were being harassed and [executives] told me, “Your music doesn’t make me feel young and happy.” Whitesnake was their lead act and when the company got sold for the fourth time, I called the owner and said, “My name is Joni Mitchell, I am an artist on your label, did you know that?” He said, “No.” I said, “Of course you didn’t because you haven’t made a dime so the people buying from you don’t know either, so give me back my masters.” Well, he wouldn’t”.

Joni Mitchell is a true icon and someone who has inspired so many other artists. I think lyrical genius and Joni Mitchell are synonymous and her brilliance will never fade. I hear her songs on the radio now and they never get old and too familiar. One always picks up something new from her and discovers fresh revelation. I am so glad she her health is improving and that nothing will ever stop her. Even though we might not see another album from Mitchell, I do hope that everything is okay with her. She has given music so much. In a way, I wish we could preserve and protect Mitchell forever and have her around all of the time. That is impossible but, so long as we have her music, she will never die. I will leave things there but, once more, make sure you listen to as much Joni Mitchell as you can. It is impossible to define her work and I feel too many people use reductive terms of try to suggest that only a few of her albums are worth studying – where, in actual fact, there are scores of her albums that are absolutely wonderful. She is this rainbow and army of butterflies; she is green and blue and a rebel; she is a poet and tender lover; a sensitive soul and warrior that has embarked on strange trips, giddy relationships and horrible lows. Whether putting this into her music or keeping it private, Mitchell has lived quite a life! It is not a life that should be kept secret, and so, with her peerless music out there, we can all share Joni Mitchell’s experiences. A true icon and innovator of music; the adoring public will cherish her work…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Norma Jean Ray 

FOR the rest of time!

FEATURE: Good Vibrations: Sending Love and Support to the Wonderful Brian Wilson

FEATURE:

 

 

Good Vibrations

IN THIS PHOTO: Brian Wilson/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images  

Sending Love and Support to the Wonderful Brian Wilson

_________

EVERY one of us loves The Beach Boys…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

and it is impossible to ignore the brilliance of Brian Wilson. I mean, everyone should love The Beach Boys because they have been responsible for some of the greatest music of the past fifty years. There are few bands as varied and extraordinary as them and, yet, we sort of forget just how influential they are. From their Surf period where they talked about Californian sun and girls through to the iconic Pet Sounds – here is a band that has an enormous mark on the music scene. I followed them from my childhood and was hooked by their harmonies and insatiable choruses. When Pet Sounds came along, it was like being taken into another world. Although the band are not really performing at the moment – it is more Brian Wilson on his own now – we can look back at the incredible music left behind and how many artists have been inspired by The Beach Boys – including The Beatles, to boot! The leader of the group, Brian Wilson, has never had an easy ride. This curious genius has had to live with mental-health problems since he was young but the pressures of touring and music have taken their toll. There are sad reports that suggest Wilson is not in a good place right now and has had to step away from touring. Here, in this article, The Guardian give some details:

“Brian Wilson has postponed a US tour scheduled to begin on Friday due to feeling “mentally insecure”.

In a statement, Wilson said he had “been living with mental illness for many decades. There were times when it was unbearable but with doctors and medications I have been able to live a wonderful, healthy and productive life.” He said that following surgery on his back, “I started feeling strange and it’s been pretty scary for a while. I was not feeling like myself. Mentally insecure, is how I’d describe it.

“I’ve been struggling with stuff in my head and saying things I don’t mean and I don’t know why. Its something I’ve never dealt with before and we can’t quite figure it out just yet.”

Wilson has been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder for some time. He once described his symptoms: “For the past 40 years I’ve had auditory hallucinations in my head, all day every day, and I can’t get them out. Every few minutes the voices say something derogatory to me, which discourages me a little bit, but I have to be strong enough to say to them, ‘Hey, would you quit stalking me? Fuck off! Don’t talk to me – leave me alone!’ I have to say these types of things all day long. It’s like a fight.” He has partially attributed his mental health struggles to LSD use.

Wilson has maintained a robust touring schedule in recent years, playing shows across the US and Europe alongside former Beach Boy Al Jardine”.

It is heartbreaking hearing news like this and everyone in the music community sends the very best to Brian Wilson at this time. I guess we all assume our favourite musicians will be okay but we do not realise that they, like us, have these struggles and bad times. Maybe it was excessive LSD use but I think a combination of events have contributed to Wilson’s poor mental-health through the years.

It is staggering to see how long Wilson has been playing and the music he has put out since the 1960s. Here is a man who is always working hard to reach audiences and touch the people. The Beach Boys’ music has impacted us all hugely and I don’t know if there is another songwriter like Brian Wilson on this planet. His gifts are rare and huge and we all owe him a huge debt of gratitude. I think this will be a minor setback because I’d hate to see him stop touring and struggle so hard. Maybe this is a particularly bad turn but there are people worried about him and whether we will see him record/tour again. Everyone wishes the very best for him and hope that we see him very soon. Although there are more complex reasons as to why Wilson has pulled out of touring commitments, I think the general pressure and expectation on all artists is huge. Those who know Wilson and have interviewed him know how much he lives and breathes music. The interviewer from this Uproxx feature (in 2018) spoke with Wilson and tried to get to the heart of what keeps him going:

“On one hand, he’s an in-demand musical titan, revered by millions for helping to shape the sound and aesthetic of pop music for every single generation that came after him. As such, he gamely schleps around the world, and with the aid of his large backing band that includes fellow Beach Boy Al Jardine as well as Blondie Chaplin, he performs his oversized collection of classic hits – “California Girls” is his favorite — to audiences totally willing to see past any and all faults and flaws in presentation and performance, merely grateful to share the same oxygen as the man himself. On the other hand, he’s a tired, 76-year old man who just wants to have a comfy place to sit and be left alone.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Burnell 

“What keeps you going?” I asked.
“Well, it’s inspiration to meet people of all ages inspire me to write music,” he responded.
“Are you currently writing new music?” I wondered.
“I haven’t written anything for a while,” he replied.
“I heard you were thinking about doing a rock and roll covers album called Sensitive Music for Sensitive People. What’s kind of the status on that?
“You know, I don’t know. I don’t really know.”
“Do you still love to play for people?”
“Yeah, yeah, I do.”

Despite the allure of that comfy recliner, despite the fact that he’s got a wife and five kids set up in a pretty nice home in Beverly Hills where he goes for regular walks through a nice, nearby park and frequents a favorite deli for lunch, despite the fact that he once had a nervous breakdown on an airplane at the very height of The Beach Boys’ success in the ‘60s that caused him to swear of touring forever, he just can’t get out of the business of being Brian Wilson: Musical Genius. Having seen him live myself, it doesn’t outwardly appear he gets much personal joy from the adulation of the fans, and while I’m sure the money is nice, he can’t really need it at this point”.

I don’t think Brian Wilson will quit music for a very long time but it is important he rests and takes some time out to recharge.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

There are few details regarding the reason behind Wilson’s sabbatical but it seems that he needs to address something personal. Although we know he will be back in the music world, there are a lot of concerned fans that wonder what this means. I do think Wilson will be okay but it is always alarming seeing someone so revered and legendary suffer like this. Whilst we all send love and support his way, take some time to acquaint yourself with the wonderful music of Brian Wilson. He is this truly sensational and enigmatic artist who continues to bring joy to our lives. As an interviewee, he is warm but somewhat distant (understandable given his psychological health issues) but he always leaves a mark on everyone who encounters him. We all do wish him the best and look forward to seeing him back on the road very soon. After hearing the news of Wilson’s health problems, I have been reacquainting myself with his music and genius. Whatever mood you are in, The Beach Boys’ magic is there to comfort, lift and amaze. At the centre of everything is the incredible Brian Wilson. I, as I said, have been following him since childhood and I feel this personal attachment to him. His music has inspired my life and soundtracked some of my happiest days. Lots of love and warm thoughts to the legendary Brian Wilson and I, and everyone in music, wishes him…

THE best of health.

TRACK REVIEW: The Divine Comedy - Infernal Machines

TRACK REVIEW:

 

The Divine Comedy

Infernal Machines

9.6/10

The track, Infernal Machines, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95B31Xpd88Y

GENRE:

Chamber-Pop

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

The album, Office Politics, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4pnX8RkztAQj5EgyKKPHyL?si=Rp5Sa4bNRlGpy_2UG8CYAQ

RELEASE DATE:

7th June, 2019

LABEL:

Divine Comedy Records

__________

EVERY time I think about The Divine Comedy...

I get into this sort of warm headspace full of charming characters and wit. Neil Hannon’s band, in a sense, represents a type of music that doesn’t really exist anymore. Before looking at a great song from The Divine Comedy’s new album, Office Politics, I want to discuss humour and wit in music; characters and building stories away from love; concept albums and how there has always been a bad impression of them; Neil Hannon as a figure we should all look up to and adore; a little on the world around us and why we could do with more of The Divine Comedy – I shall end the review by seeing where Neil Hannon is heading this year. I will start off by talking about music and why, right now, there is not a lot to smile about. That sounds rather dismissive and harsh but I think we can all see that music is pretty serious and does not provide the catharsis we need. I do not want musicians to forget about what is important and stray away from serious subjects but, as we all need something to smile about, music does not really offer that. It is nice to have music that gets to the root of things and can make you think but, if one wants a bit of humour or something lighter, where do they go? That is not to say that Office Politics lacks seriousness and any sort of clout: there is a lot of depth and teeth when required. What I mean is Neil Hannon has always been able to write these songs that make you grin and have this comical edge. Often, he deals with characters that are quite mundane and have the common touch. In this recent interview, he explained how, actually, he does not have the common touch – there is something distinctly him when it comes to songwriting:

“I don’t have the common touch, as everything I do is for me,” he confesses. “I never take the general public into account at all, which is half the reason I’m still here. If people like my stuff, they really like my stuff… [which] is sort of idiosyncratic or idiotic. It does mean that I’ll never be a world-beating person, because I just don’t please enough people.”

It seemed to free him up lyrically, allowing his wild imagination free rein.
“Part of the reason for making this a double album is to keep some of the weirdness,” he says. “Quite often with structured, 12-song albums, you end up weeding out the stuff that is not quite honed and in recent years I’ve been trying to keep more of the oddball stuff, because I think it’s equally useful.”

“Contemporary pop music is in a bit of a state,” he adds. “There is an awful lot of music that seems completely surplus to requirements. There’s the caveat that we said that about 80s pop music as well, and some of that was really good. It was very tribal at the time – ‘Well, the girls like Wham! so we can’t possibly’ – but I really like some Wham! and Duran Duran as well…”

I shall come to the double album and why it is a brave move from Hannon but, I guess, he is one of those writers that loves to let his imagination go and does things his own way. As he states in that interview, the modern Pop scene is not too sharp and there does seem to be a lot of repetition. There are very few writers that have a distinct personality and capture you. Right from the earliest days of The Divine Comedy, Neil Hannon has written these wonderful songs that switch from the mundane and routine to the fantastical. The reason I love his music so much is because, even when he is writing about something quite straight, there is a little wink and bit of cheekiness that can balance things out. I do think that modern music could do with a bit of a shake-up and rethink. The fact that Hannon made that comment regarding expendability leads me to believe there are few modern Pop artists that have their own skin and voice. Not only does Hannon bring in something witty and imaginative into his music but he has a great grasp of characters and real people.

I love the fact that Neil Hannon can write music that has an absurd edge but there is this realness at the heart. A recent single, Norman and Norma, Hannon addressed this couple that grew older together and, just as you think their lives were going to head into tragedy, they were given this reprise; Hannon had this reinactment of the Battle of Hastings and a rather whimsical turn. He can talk about these real-life characters but add that special twist. Maybe I am getting a bit carried away but I do think that Neil Hannon is a rare writer who many should be looking up to. In another interview, Hannon talked about why he uses humour in his songs – but there is more to his music that gags and witticisms:

 “Hannon has gained a reputation for inflecting humour into his songs over the course of his career and it's fair to label him one of the wittiest songwriters of his generation; something songs like Something For The Weekend, Becoming More Like Alfie and the joyous National Express will attest to.

When I ask about the comic streak in his songs, he says: “I have that reputation because that’s the kind of song I like to write. I can’t really change that.

“I think my songs have a range, but even the ones that are about rather dark, serious subjects have moronic flippancy. I think that’s just my way to dealing with those subjects,” he continues.

Speaking about his approach, Hannon went on to say: “I don’t there are gags in a lot of songs, but there are maybe witticisms and turns of phrase. They’re all designed to try and point you in the direction of what I’m trying to say. They’re not there just for a laugh".

From the mixed variations and relatable characters on the hit, The National Express, through to the people he dissects on Office Politics, The Divine Comedy’s work has always captured the eye and the mind. So many songwriters discuss themselves or write about people you cannot relate to. Hannon is masterful when it comes to these average-yet-extraordinary people. It means the songs connect more easily and they stay with you longer. I will talk more about his characterisation and skill but, right now, I wanted to look at why Office Politics excites me.

There is still this reliance when it comes to love and personal relationships. Most artists put their own lives onto the page and concentrate on relationships. That is not too bad but I feel, when you hear it so much, you want something a bit different. I look out at music now and there is very little that interests me in terms of subject matter. I do feel it is important to document personal issues and something deeper but, when you want that leap of imagination or something that has original edge, you are a bit stuck for choice. Love is this over-used commodity that tends to get a bit boring after a while. Hannon puts in a few relationship-type songs on Office Politics but there is an emphasis on the workaday lives and focusing on other subjects. Through this concept – which I shall talk about very soon – we get these vivid and tangible characters talking about things you and me think about. One of the problems with an over-reliance on love is the fact that is can be pretty personal and it does not always mean people can relate and understand what is being said; a little separate to the conversation that is happening. With an album like Office Politics, the frustrations, tests and ordinariness of everyday life is uncovered and presented in this very colourful, fascinating and human way. To some degree, we have all interacted with the images on the album and the types of situations played out. I do feel that music lacks a certain reality and relevance at the moment. There are a lot of artists talking about deep and challenging issues but one yearns for something a bit more run-of-the-mill. That might sound strange but I do think songwriters are afraid of revealing the routine and normal because they feel it is, maybe, a bit boring or hard to make interesting at the very least. Neil Hannon shows just how interesting and eye-opening music can be when you actually look at the people around you and put that onto the page. Songwriters used to do it a lot more years ago but we have lost a lot of those acts. I am glad we have Neil Hannon in the world; a man who puts the ‘extra’ in ‘ordinary’.

PHOTO CREDIT: Martyn Goodacre

Office Politics is an album that is built around a concept. A lot of the songs, as you can imagine, are based on office politics, machines and technology; the commute and the stresses we all go through. The double album is not beholden too strictly to the ins and outs of the office day but there is this arc that takes us through the traverses and tribulations we all face; a bit about general politics and other songs that deal with relationships and interesting people. I guess, rather than a strict concept regarding office politics, it is a representation of a working week and the experiences we all go through. Hannon takes us into different office and through different windows. He leads us into stern scenarios and then backs us out with something quite ribald and unexpected. One might look at the words ‘concept album’ and get the wrong impression. I think I have covered this before but many of us think about the concept album as a rather pretentious and long-winded thing. I think this all harks back to the Prog-Rock bands that would bring out these concept albums that were quite ridiculous and interminable. We would listen as there were endless guitar solos and songs about the most insane thing. It is hard to write a great concept album because the music is built around a theme and has to have that focused narrative. It is hard to write a concept and keep the listener’s attention I think. I do think, with short attention spans, maybe people will get a bit bored or want something different. I love concept albums because it tells a story and you get something cinematic and theatrical unfolding. There is this sniffiness because of the older days; where bands would take forever to reach their point and it would be quite ponderous. Through recent years, there have been some great concept albums. From The Streets’ A Grand Don’t Come for Free – about Mike Skinner losing a grand and then it (the money) bring found at the end – through to Green Day’s political album, American Idiot.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Alain Bibal

There have not been that many over the past decade but I do feel like The Divine Comedy can inspire others. Journalists will turn their noses up at concept albums but I do feel that, if the balance is right and you strike the right tone, they can be fantastic. In this case, Neil Hannon is looking at the machinations of office politics and the challenges of daily life. Although there are deviations and some left turns here and there, there is this abiding theme and concept. I do think the world is pretty strained and divided at the moment so we all need something that offers a bit of relief and fascination. Modern music has its moments but there is something wonderful about Office Politics that lifts the imagination and makes you smile. Does this mean that other artists will follow The Divine Comedy and write a concept album? I do think that, soon enough, we will see more artists stray from the conventional and write in a slightly different way. There is this sort of saturation point where we have pretty much heard everything about love and, when looking at artists like The Divine Comedy, there is this wonderful alternative. I shall move on to a different theme in a second but I think we all need to put aside our reservations and impressions regarding the concept album. We get a bit hung up on what it will sound like and the sort of thing we will get. Modern artists – such as The Streets and The Divine Comedy – have that common aspect (even though Hannon argues against this) where they can bring the routine and familiar into the light; do so in a very exciting and unique way. I have been listening to recent interviews Neil Hannon has given and, more and more, he strikes me as one of these people we should all be looking up to. That combination of wit and accessibility makes him this very inspiring and wonderful figure.

 PHOTO CREDIT: David Conachy

I love listening to Neil Hannon speak because he has this warm and wonderful tone that he projects. You get great anecdotes and insights form a man who can really speak with people. By that, he comes across as very grounded and ordinary. So many artists have this aura of being quite distant and hard to relate to. Maybe it is a perception of who they should be and how they should act but I do feel like a lot of artists are difficult to appreciate and understand. With Neil Hannon, you feel this like-minded soul that is writing about us and for us. His music has this quality where you can appreciate every word and know exactly where he is coming from. Hannon’s humour and way with words is legendary and he strikes me as a songwriter that does not get the credit he fully deserves. There are very few out there like him and, at a time when there are so many lookalikes and artists that follow the pack, we need to use the likes of Hannon as examples of what could be. Lots of people know about The Divine Comedy and what they have produced and it would be great to think that, in a few decades from now, the music is still being played and examined. I do think a lot of the modern day ‘best’ will fade because it does not really stand out. It does not have a lot to say and, largely, we will pass it by. Neil Hannon is a writer who wants to make the music last and you see and hear every ounce of his being in the music. That is a rare quality to find and I think, because of that, The Divine Comedy will endure and influence other artists. I shall stop prattling on now because there is a song, Infernal Machines, that I must get around to. It is a brilliant number and a prime example of the quality that can be found throughout Office Politics.

  PHOTO CREDIT: Alain Bibal

Infernal Machines opens with some crackle and far-off noise. It sounds like machinery or rubbish being dispensed. It is hard to identity the exact sound but there is something rumbling in the distance. Just then, we get a bugle playing that seems to summon the upcoming army; a mood change that does hit rather unexpectedly. One thing I was not expecting was a rumble from the drums and some epic riffs. In a way, it is almost like The Divine Comedy sounding a bit like Kasabian! That is no bad thing and, in fact, it takes you completely unprepared. I guess I am used to hearing something more calmed and composed and, when you hear this rawness and Rock, it takes a while to settle. There is no predicting what The Divine Comedy will do and you are always kept on your toes. I guess, considering the song is about machines taking over, you need something a bit gritty and intense. Hannon comes in and talks about machines asking us to do this and that; us being ordered around and being led by technology. Instantly, I was thinking about computers and the work routine; the way we are reliant on machines and their orders. There is a nice groove to the vocals as, backed by the guttural guitar, Hannon lists all the things that machines can do. They are in our schools and shops and can do the things we cannot. They can make our lives better and easier but they also dominate and distract. Listening to the song, you are caught in this hypnotic pull that sort of drags you in to another world. I do love the fact that the sound of Infernal Machines is a mile away from a song like Norman and Norma. In the space of a few songs, Hannon has changed directions radically. It makes for a much more varied listen and it is staggering to see the sheer range and boldness on display. Infernal Machines is this wonderful song that has a rude beat that gets you swaggering - and you are helpless to resist.

PHOTO CREDIT: @simonlittle

As the song goes on, there are yet more and more uses for machinery. Not all of them are good but, as time elapses, we understand just how many different types of technology are used and how we sort of lean on machines. There are machines up and above; machines making love and making toast. One can say that a song like Infernal Machines would have been relevant decades ago considering how omnipresent they have been but, in recent years, they are completely taking over. Technology in general is more rampant than ever and we cannot discount the fact that, for every demand and possibility, there is a machine that can do the job. In a way, Hannon is talking about the technological takeover and how it is impacting our jobs. People are losing their jobs because they are being replaced by machines. We think less and are being spoiled with machines that are doing things that human beings should be doing. There are machines – as the list continues – that know right from wrong and have all these different sounds. Infernal Machines precedes a track called You’ll Never Work in This Town Again and it sort of explores the way people are outsourced and made less essential by technology. I have not really heard The Divine Comedy use guitars and drums in such a way. Infernal Machines is never too intense: instead, it has a funkiness and odd wiggle that has a catchiness and coolness. You listen to the song again and again just because of the composition and its physicality. We get some piano and other sounds but it is the central force that gives the song an appropriate menace and chug. The track changes direction and, after the propulsive and grumbling centre, we get a little bit of piano and deviation. We are told there are machines that will take over the world and machines for boys and girls.

You hear Hannon recite all the different types of machines but there is a deeper meaning. It is not merely an idle list of machines but there are deeper meanings. He talks about gender and jobs being lost; the fixation we have with technology and how companies are exploiting people. As the song comes to its end, the instrumentation rides out and we get some cogs, bubbles and noises that reminds me of The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine. It is impossible to forget the riff of Internal Machines and the incredible vocal from Hannon. You might need a few listens to take in all the different images and use of machines Hannon brings in. I was not expecting anything like Infernal Machines to come from The Divine Comedy but, with Office Politics, this is them/Hannon broadening their scope. It is a fantastic song and one I was very keen to review. Make sure you check out the whole album because it is a masterful work and, in my view, one of the best albums of this year. Infernal Machines has serious messages but there is a lot of fun to be found. With The Divine Comedy, there is always this cheeky grin and wit that keeps things fresh and light. I do hope we never lose the magic and mystique of Neil Hannon from music.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @BBC6Music

Office Politics is receiving rave reviews right now and I think it is one of the best-received albums from The Divine Comedy in quite a while. Maybe it is the nature of the songs and the fact there is this concept that has resonated. We can all relate to what is being said through the album and we it is easy to dive into the songs and appreciate their messages. The Divine Comedy always produce sensational music but I think Neil Hannon has really struck a chord here. There are tour dates coming up and The Divine Comedy will be busy through the rest of the year. There are dates around the U.K. and Europe and it will be exciting seeing the music reach new people. With another big album under the belt, make sure you go and catch them play and see this incredible central figure, Neil Hannon, seduce and amaze. I do think there will be changes in music regarding themes artists explore and what is discussed. I am getting a little bored with hearing the same thing and I think Office Politics should act as a hand guide to others. Every now and then, we need to explore something different and stretch the imagination a bit. Neil Hannon has always done this and it would be good to see more artists follow from him. I am not sure whether there is more material bubbling away but I suspect we will see another album come through in the next couple of years. Right now, Hannon and crew are busy with promotion and preparing for some big tour dates. If you are new to The Divine Comedy, Office Politics is a great place to start but I suggest you trek back and investigate all the albums. I am not sure whether, on a future album, Hannon will do something similar to Office Politics - but you never know with him! He is this masterful and unpredictable songwriter who has a voice we should all cherish. I do not think there is another songwriter out there like him; one who can make us smile and think in quite the same way! Long may he continue to put out music of the highest order because, right now, the world needs him. I will leave things here but I encourage people to check out Office Politics and let it swim in the blood. I chose Infernal Machines for consideration but, in truth, the (double) album is packed with gems. At a time of consternation, uncertainty and fear, we definitely need to embrace the wonderful music of The Divine Comedy. It does not shy away from the realities of the modern world but there is humour, ordinariness and wonder to be found. Step into the world of The Divine Comedy and everything seems more settled and better. If more artists could do what Neil Hannon is doing right now and I think it would be a much more interesting and happy…

MUSIC industry.

___________

Follow The Divine Comedy

Official:

https://thedivinecomedy.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/divinecomedyhq

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/divinecomedyhq/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/divinecomedyhq/

YouTube:

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

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EV6jW6dotBdvsHj6xPixi?si=zv0wPnAsSVSEDom1EScdLA

ALL UNCREDITED PHOTOS:

Getty Images/The Divine Comedy

FEATURE: Pride After a Fall: Music’s Ability to Change Attitudes and Bring Deeper Understanding

FEATURE:

 

 

Pride After a Fall

PHOTO CREDIT: @julfe/Unsplash 

Music’s Ability to Change Attitudes and Bring Deeper Understanding

_________

AWAY from ongoing dramas in British politics…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Melania Geymonat and her girlfriend Chris were attacked in London earlier this week/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

something else has been making the news. It is Pride Month; a time when the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community should feel safe, respected and included. Rather than talk about celebration and togetherness, gay rights and inclusivity has made the news for the wrong reasons. If you did not hear the news; a gay couple, Melania Geymonat and her girlfriend Chris were attacked by youths in London for not kissing. A group of young men wanted them to kiss and, after they refused and tried to keep to themselves, they were set upon. The photo of them post-attack, bloodied and shocked, has appalled the nation and raised huge backlash:

“Melania Geymonat, 28, said the attack on her and partner Chris happened on the top deck of a London night bus.

A group of young men began harassing them when they discovered the women were a couple, asking them to kiss while making sexual gestures.

Four other males aged between 15 and 18 remain in custody, the Met said.

They are being questioned on suspicion of robbery and aggravated grievous bodily harm.

Speaking about the attack, which happened in the early hours of 30 May, Ms Geymonat told BBC Radio 4's World at One she had previously experienced "a lot of verbal violence".

But she said she had never before been physically attacked because of her sexuality.

Asked whether the attack left her less willing to show affection in public, Chris, who lives in north London but is originally from the US, said: "I am not scared about being visibly queer.

"If anything, you should do it more."

Ms Geymonat, who is a doctor but currently works for Ryanair as a stewardess, said she agreed.

Chris said: "I was and still am angry. It was scary, but this is not a novel situation."

Over the five years to 2018, reported homophobic hate crimes across London have increased from 1,488 in 2014 to 2,308 in 2018, according to the Met Police's crime dashboard”.

It is good that there have been arrests and, let’s hope, those culpable are imprisoned and it sends a message to those who want to commit similar attacks. It is 2019 and we still live in a nation where there are such horrific incidences; where people are attacked because of their sexuality. One can say that the case above is an isolated incident that is not widespread in Britain. Whilst there are not waves of brutal attacks against gay men and women, there are plenty of cases where their sexuality has been degraded and mocked; where they have been made to feel inferior and wrong. I know a few L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. musicians and they have struggled to get the same rights and exposure as their straight peers. Although the music industry is, largely, a place of love and support, it is still hard for many gay/bi-sexual/transgender artists to get a break and the same platform as everybody else.

I do think that music, where politics fails, has a role to play and can help bring about greater visibility and awareness. I have written about Pride and L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. matters a number of times but, as we see images of hate in the news, it does make me wonder whether enough is being done to discuss the LG.B.T.Q.I.A. community and show that any prejudice is ridiculous and misguided. I am not sure what was going through the heads of the young men who attacked those innocent women in London but one suspects an ignorance and juvenile stupidity was their motivational force. Another case that has shocked and appalled people concerns protests that have been happening outside a primary school in Birmingham:

“Protests against LGBT teaching at a Birmingham primary school are "homophobic" and must "stop now", the West Midlands mayor has said.

Andy Street said he was in "disbelief" at material distributed by protesters outside Anderton Park Primary.

The mayor, who is gay, told the BBC he had thought homophobia was a "non-issue in our city".

A High Court injunction is in place banning protests, which have been going on for months, outside the school.

Parents started to gather at the gates over concerns children were "too young" to learn about LGBT relationships. They also said the lessons contradicted Islam.

In an exclusive interview, Mr Street said the protests do not reflect the "modern, tolerant, inclusive place that Birmingham is".

He has also said the Department for Education (DfE) needs to strengthen its guidance around equalities teaching.

Anderton Park head teacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson previously spoke of receiving threatening emails and phone calls and Mr Street said the government was letting head teachers down by not taking a clearer stand in favour of the teaching.

The Conservative mayor has now called on the DfE to "stand actively behind the guidance it has given" around teaching about equalities”.

Of course, these are just two incidents of protest and anger against the LG.B.T.Q.I.A. community. From animalistic youths attacking two young women to parents and a community protesting against a school teaching children lessons about L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. issues. Maybe there is confusion as to what the children are being taught but, from the wave of protests that have been taking place, there is little confusion from those responsible. It is a blatant case of homophobia and, in a modern world where the sexual spectrum is broadening, does anyone have the right to interfere with sex education and lessons in this way?! It is not good enough for parents to say their children should not be subjected to L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. lessons and what they consider abnormal. I think it is abhorrent and reckless to protest against schools and send any threatening communications to teachers.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @charbutch/Unsplash

There is a lot of hate and anger in the U.K. right now and, at a time when we are unsure as to our status in the E.U., attacks against the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community are just adding to the intensity and division. Of course, there are many more cases across the nation where L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. and non-binary people are subjected to judgment and discrimination. There are shocking incidents where certain people are attacking Gay Pride Month and comparing it to a dictatorship. There are some Pride events happening across the country but it seems like there is a lot of hatred and vileness circulating. One does not need to be a member of the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community (I am not) to know that we are all the same and, in 2019, why do we have to see such vile cases of people attacking others based on their sexuality?! I do think we need to come a long way and there has been slow progress regarding understanding. No matter your sexual preference, I do not see why there is such ignorance and intolerance. Running alongside a couple of nasty occurrences around the U.K., there is a lot of shame and desperation across the world – the so-called ‘Straight Pride’ movement is, as you can guess, is straight people celebrating their sexuality. I have seen so many people celebrating Straight Pride and asking why there is a Pride Month that recognises the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community – where is the special month for heterosexual peoples?!

In the U.S., ugliness has reared its head, and you only need look on social media to see the number of idiots who have been challenging Pride Month with their own entitled and offensive equivalent. I am not surprised there is a lot of negative reaction to a month/event that celebrates and highlights L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. people. We live in a world where someone, somewhere will attack and undermine something good and positive. It is unnerving seeing so many people show their ignorance and selfish motives but, as I said, you half-expect this kind of thing. I know there are great organisations and bodies that spread the positive messages of the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community and I am always encouyraged to see the sort of unity and passion coming from social media and people out there – a lot of positivity and connection from all corners! The hatred that I am talking about is from a minority but, as you can imagine, any form of hatred and attack against L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. people is shocking. I have mentioned how the music industry is not excluded from hatred and ignorance. I have heard from artists who feel like they have to distil who they are in order to get acclaim and attention. It seems a shame that we have made leaps in some areas of society but there is still a lot of misunderstanding. Look at the mainstream and we do not hear a lot of messages regarding L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. matters – suggesting a lot of the artist who do talk about it are doing so away from the limelight.

 IN THIS PHOTO: L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artist Perfume Genius/PHOTO CREDIT: Hedi Slimane

I know there are a lot of great Pride songs and L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists around but you do not hear many of them in the mainstream. The scene now, as it has been for decades, is so heteronormative and one wonders whether, in a way, we have gone backwards. We are living in a time when Pride Month is bringing people together but there is still a lot of judgement and attack. Whilst music is much more loving and tolerant than other areas of society, I think there is this huge platform that would not only allow L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists to get their voice heard; it would also allow a thread to run through music that is being supressed from a lot of mainstream education. One might think that, if we did hear more about the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community through music, there might be the same backlash as we have seen in the Midlands – and there might be more provocation on social media. I do think that there is this impression that heterosexuality is the desired normal and anything other than that should be marginalised and kept private. I am not suggesting music changes its colour and look but there is still this vast majority of straight artists ruling – fewer messages and songs concerning any other form of sexuality. The sexual spectrum is wide and complex and I think music has the responsibility to be more open and increase channels of communication.

So many great L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists and anthems are inspiring in the underground but there are many who feel fearful about letting their songs run free; fearing there would be less attention and some discomfort. It is obvious we have a long way to go before artists of all sexualities are given equal opportunities and focus but, right now, there is this fetid and unappetising scent of ignorance, homophobia and misogyny. Whether it is protests at primary schools or random attacks on buses, I am shocked that we have to witness such things. Music is an immensely powerful tool and, whereas some might think using music to talk about Pride and the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. spectrum is a form of propaganda, those with a more logical and loving mind, surely, can see the benefits. I do look out at the mainstream and you see the same thing: straight artist talking about heterosexual love. I also not saying we need to make allowances and write new rules so that a percentage of songs out there are non-heterosexual; that might not work in practice but, instead, labels and music bosses need to make the scene more open and balanced. I do think that musicians, L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. and straight, can help bridge gaps and bring about greater acceptance. Maybe that sounds undermining to those who are working tirelessly to create balance and tolerance but I mean to say music is immensely powerful and influential.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @clemono2/Unsplash

Artists are out there talking about division in the country and political strife; they are discussing mental-health problems and suicide but, when it comes to L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. rights and subjects, are we hearing enough of it? L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists are doing their bit but, away from them, there is a general silence. Anything that can reduce attacks and mindless ignorance is a good thing and I do feel music has a lot of sway. Whether it is L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists being given more time and airplay or mainstream artists bringing the sexual spectrum more directly into their music…I think that can help redress some of the hatred out there. I mean, there is more positivity out there than negativity regarding Pride Month but I do worry that there are so many people who are tarnishing its good name and intent with their own agenda and misunderstanding. I do feel music is turning into this alternative government where big subjects are being tackled and there is this important platform. It is great seeing mental illness being included into songs but, away from traditional love songs and heterosexual subjects, what of the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community and Pride Month? I shall wrap things up but I, like so many out there, have been left stunned and upset by seeing cases of assault against L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. people; an intolerance and vileness that is hard to expunge from the memory.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @janasabeth/Unsplash

These perpetrators might be the minority but I think, in a wider sense, there is a lot of discomfort and misunderstanding regarding Pride Month and L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists. Music is this channel and community of love and equality and, as we are seeing people actively push against L.B.T.Q.I.A. teaching, can music help readdress the problem and lead to change? I am concerned that there is still a long way to go before there is true equality and understanding – but there is a big voice out there and people getting involved. It is distressing seeing people ignored and attacked because of their sexuality and it really needs to stop. It is not a simple solution and plan of attack when it comes to music. True liberation and acceptance does not happen overnight but I do feel like music can play a vital role. There has been some shocking hatred out there but, when you look at social media love and lots of positive outpouring, it is clear the majority want to bring L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. discussions to the forefront. If we can help lessen the ruthless and mindless attacks, educate those who are attacking L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. teachings and ensure there is better understanding, that would be something. There are some terrific L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. artists spreading the word and, if the mainstream can open its doors and ensure there is a greater balance, sexuality-wise, at the top, that is a potent and powerful way of bringing the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. community and voice…

TO the front.

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: ROZES 

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

__________

THIS weekend offers little…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Japanese Breakfast

in the way of consistency and stability when it comes to the weather but, with summer just around the corner, I think we can say that, soon, the conditions will be a lot fairer and more conducive to happiness. In the meantime, I have been looking around at the best female-led songs around. These are the brand-new – with some slightly older tracks – tunes that you need to get behind. From Pop and Country through to Soul, there are some belters in the collective. I am always excited and blown away by the sheer range and passion that is out there; provided by some incredible women. Take a listen to the songs below and I just know there is something in there that will…

IN THIS PHOTO: Friedberg

LIFT the spirits.

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

____________

Kat Saul – Compromise

Julia Church – Square 1

PHOTO CREDIT: Donna Lamarr McKeown

Grace Acladna – Brain Crush

Amber Mark – What If

WILDES – True Love

Kiiara – Open My Mouth

Chlöe Howl – In the Middle (Sad Banger)

Sabrina Carpenter – In My Bed

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Vu

Yohuna – So Free

Sarah Darling – A Boy Like You

QUEEVA – Young, Wild, and Free

Kalsey Kulyk – Bad Liar

PHOTO CREDIT: Max Parovsky

Friedberg – Go Wild

PHOTO CREDIT: Amber Carpenter

Kate Bollinger – Candy

PHOTO CREDIT: Salim Garcia

Crumb – Fall Down

Stef Chura – Jumpin’ Jack

Japanese Breakfast – Head Over Heels

Tanya Tucker – The Wheels of Laredo

Pip Blom – Bedhead

Kiana Ledé – If You Hate Me

Carlie Hanson - Hazel

Nicole Easy – I’m Leaving

ROZES – Call Me

Middle Kids – Real Thing

Sophia Messa – offyourface

Gia Woods – Feel It

Mabel – Mad Love

Hanne Leland – Weak for You

INTERVIEW: Olympia

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Pierre Toussaint  

Olympia

___________

I have had fun talking with Olympia...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Cybele Malinowski

who has been telling me about her new single, Hounds, and what we can expect from her upcoming album, Flamingo; what sort of music inspires her and which albums mean the most – she recommends some rising talent to look out.

I ask the Australian artist if there are tour dates coming and how she spends time away from music; whether there is any advice she’d give to artists emerging and who she’d support on the road if she had the choice  - Olympia selects a pretty cool song to end things with.

____________

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

Hello. Great, thank you!

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

I’m an Australian-based artist performing under the moniker ‘Olympia’.

Hounds is your new single. Is there a story behind the song?

The whole album is a bit of a throwback to my love of albums having a narrative arc (or rather just albums in general). The album has high points and more fragile ones – Hounds is one of the Friday nights in the world of the album.

It means something as part of the whole and, on its own, it is about observing someone who is being a bit of a dickhead. Someone who performs tricks for others ‘cut in half’; to appease and someone who could ‘drown in the sun’.

It is from the album, Flamingo. What kind of things can we expect from the album in terms of themes and songs?

I’d set out to make something different to Self Talk with this record. I really wanted to challenge myself as an artist and try to break through to something that surprised me - something new.

When Self Talk came out, I often got labelled as a Synth artist - which was quite funny to me (less so to my friends who actually are Synth artists). But, there is always this tendency to pigeonhole with blanket terms like ‘Pop’, ‘Rock’ or ‘Synth artist’ - it’s limiting (for both the artist and also stymies the curiosity of the audience). I’ve always felt that what we were making was bigger than any one thing and that it would take another record to demonstrate that. And here it is!

Flamingo is an emotional force. It’s different to Self Talk from the get-go; how I wrote the album, instrumentation and production choices. Everything was about creating something urgent, confronting and modern; an atmosphere you step into from start to finish.

It’s a love record. More visceral than Self Talk – lyrically, it is speaking from within an experience, rather than from afar. I’ve heard writers/artists often discuss moving to New York to be close to the place where things happen and, on this record, I’ve tried create an environment so that the whole record is speaking from this emotional place and is informed by this energy. You’ll hear this in the choices of language: to strip out metaphor that you hear on Self Talk to, instead, try and tap into the unfiltered, uncensored self. Sonically, it’s probably more urgent. It is certainly not a passive record. There are no take-backs and no apologies; guitars are up front, vocals are sung hard and we drove the studio gear to distortion.

When growing up, what sort of music were you exposed to?

Everything - it was a very eclectic household. I have really strong memories of listening to artists as diverse as Patsy Cline; The Andrew Sisters; Bob Marley; Nirvana; Chicago; Tower of Power; The Ronettes, etc.

We didn’t grow up in a large city and weren’t necessarily exposed to a culture of icons/stars, so instead my discovery of music was (and still is) very organic. It also meant my approach to music was a little more egalitarian. It just felt like anyone could pick up an instrument and have a go – I didn’t grow up with a sense of ego about music. One of my all-time favourite things was to tape music off the radio. This exposed me to a broader range of music including a lot of world-music artists such as Sheila Chandra.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cybele Malinowski

What plans do you have for the rest of 2019?

We are releasing the record in exactly one month today, which is pretty huge. Following that, we’re lucky enough to be touring this record to the U.K. for Latitude Festival and Europe in September; Australia in October.

How important is music to you, emotionally and psychologically?

Music is how I’ve come to know myself and my place within the world.

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

Probably having Midnight Oil use Smoke Signals as their walk-on song all around the world.

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

I will instantly change my mind as soon as this discussion is over. But, first off my head:

Transformer - Lou Reed

There’s everything to love about this record - it’s perfect. Transformer is probably one of the strongest anchor points of the new album. The mix of melancholy and levity, dark humour (and subject matter); B.V. lines.

Pink Flag - Wire

This record has had a massive influence on me as an artist and is my go-to record whenever I’m feeling a bit stuck. It’s endlessly refreshing.

Portishead - Portishead

This is a painfully perfect record. It’s an incredible listening experience.

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

Alan Vega with a rider of a masseuse.

What are your other plans regarding gigs/touring?

We have some big shows planned that will encompass more of the visual aspects of the album.

If we came to see one of your gigs, what might that involve? Do you love being on the stage?

The live show is high energy. We work hard at making it an immersive experience for the audience.

Is there any advice you’d give to upcoming artists?

Remember to have fun.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jade Imagine

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Jade Imagine, Merpire; Emerson Snowe and Jess Ribeiro.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Merpire

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

I stalk Adam Curtis online.

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).

Colour Television – Eddy Current Suppression Ring

___________

Follow Olympia

Official:

http://www.olympiamusic.com.au/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/olympiamusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/olympiamusic/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/olympiamusic/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4dxO8WyhmkXoF2gNAVgnay?si=-E0AG09QTq2gGAfeKUSYnw

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUEd9BxUAwQtcarIbH5Z8ow

FEATURE: The June Playlist: Vol. 2: A Bold Reinvention, Hesitant Lover and Shadowy Dance

FEATURE:

 

The June Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Bon Iver 

Vol. 2: A Bold Reinvention, Hesitant Lover and Shadowy Dance

___________

THIS is one of these weeks…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna

where there are some really big and popular releases and a lot of smaller tracks. That is no slight against this week’s music but, when you look at the split in the playlist below, you can see a real divide. I like the less prominent songs but, with material from Madonna, Róisín Murphy and Bon Iver around, we are guaranteed some pretty titanic moments. It is an interesting week at the very least and it is good to see that clash of the mainstream and the under-the-wire. Whatever music you are into, I think you will find something in the rundown that you will love. Take a listen to the great songs below and they are guaranteed to get you in the mood and make sure the weekend gets off with a kick. Despite the lack of humungous releases, there is enough gold to satisfy, that is for sure. Here is another excellent assortment of songs that will get you…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Róisín Murphy

ENERGISED and hot.  

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

__________

PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Bertrand/Shutterstock.com

Bon Iver – Hey, Ma

 PHOTO CREDIT: Nicole Nodland

Róisín Murphy – Incapable

Madonna – Dark Ballet

Liam Gallagher – Shockwave

PHOTO CREDIT: Travis Shinn

PIXIES – On Graveyard Hill

AURORA – Daydreamer

Jai Paul – Do You Love Her Now

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Knowles

Foals – Sunday

Bastille – Those Nights

Mabel – Mad Love

IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Marten

Sonny Santos and Billie Marten - swear 2 g-d

Avicii – Heaven

Sløtface - Telepathetic

Russ – Paranoid

Dinosaur Pile-Up – Backfoot

The Divine Comedy – Infernal Machines

Luke Combs – Even Though I’m Leaving

Whitney – Giving Up

Chase Rice – Lonely If You Are

Yoshi Flower – space

PHOTO CREDIT: Florencia Lucila

Younghusband – Sister

Black Eyed Peas (ft. Snoop Dogg) – Be Nice

Keane – The Way I Feel

PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Weiner

The Glorious Sons – Panic Attack

Yizzy – On a Low

Kiiara – Open My Mouth

Jamie Cullum – Mankind

Swimming Girls – I Don’t Wanna Get to Heaven

Gia Woods – Feel It

MUNA – Number One Fan

Olivia Reid - Norfolk Drive

GASHI – Roses

TRACK REVIEW: Róisín Murphy - Incapable

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Róisín Murphy

PHOTO CREDIT: Fraser Taylor 

Incapable

9.7/10

The track, Incapable, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-nI_z4ZHUY

GENRES:

Electro-Pop/Dance-Pop/Art-Pop

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

5th June, 2019

LABELS:

Mickey Murphy’s Daughter Limited/Loaded Records Limited

__________

IN this review...

I get to talk to someone who I have admired for a very long time and not reviewed for a long time. I think the last time I featured Róisín Murphy was when I featured her album, Take Her Up to Monto, for a publication I used to work for. I gave the album four stars and, on Twitter, she wondered what it would take to get a five-star review – given that I gave the album such a glowing and effusive review. To be fair, she had a point: I was honest and generous and it should have been full marks but, as instructed by my editor, five stars are given out for rare occasions. This time around, I have (to some degree) corrected that when assessing her latest single, Incapable. I want to talk about a few things before I get there. First, I will describe the new Murphy’s Law; the way the songwriter has this consistency and is showing other artists how to do things; the showstopper Murphy who, I feel, warrants some British headline attention; the reason we need Murphy to keep producing music; those with true personality in the industry and what comes next for her. The ‘normal’ Murphy’s Law states that, if something can go wrong, then it probably will. That seems to apply to everything our Government is doing right now. In terms of music, there is someone who is getting everything right. Róisín Murphy, I feel, has not dropped a step as a solo artist and always seems to hit these rare heights. I think that, when it comes to producing original and stunning material, there is nobody like Murphy around. She is this incredible creator who ensures everything that she puts out is of the highest standard. Although I have employed some wordplay and there is, so far as I know, no Róisín Murphy’s Law, I think there should be. She is one of the best artists around right now and I cannot think of anyone on her level.

The reason I brought up this subject is because, in music, you do not get this sort of consistency that often. There are some artists who have a good run but, in terms of pushing to new levels and stretching the imagination, Murphy is a rare example. I will move on in a second but look at her previous albums, Take Her Up to Monto (2016) and Hairless Toys (2015). Although I didn’t give the former the full respect it deserves, the album resonated with critics and was a big success. I do wonder whether there will be another album from Murphy coming very soon but one only needs to look at Murphy’s solo career and work with Moloko to see what a body of work she has produced. At a time when there are few big smashes and artists that capture the imagination, Murphy is this ball of fire that keeps releasing these staggering songs. I do think that we need something uplifting in music because, the more you think about it, the more it makes me wonder whether music has become too glum. Thankfully, there is Róisín Murphy who always gives the world these stone-cold smashes. Maybe it is me being dewy-eyed but I do really love what she is doing and it is amazing to see the leaps she takes. There are very few other artists around who can release a series of singles that all have their own personality and voice. That is worth noting when we look at Incapable. Right now, Murphy is putting out singles and, so far as I know, there is no album title revealed yet. One suspects there will be a release very soon but, rather than bow to convention and the usual cycle, we get these great singles from Murphy. There have been a few put out but, up until now, Jacuzzi Rollercoaster was my favourite. Now, with Incapable doing the rounds, I get to cherish another slice of gold.

I was mentioning how, between singles, Murphy changes sound and evolves – and this is highlighted on her latest track. Very few can draw a straight line from the likes of Jacuzzi Rollercoaster and get to Incapable. You know the songs are from the same artists but, in terms of themes and sounds, there is a bit of a leap. Not only that but you have these classics songs that stand in their own right and do not need to be part of an album. I do feel other artists need to look at Róisín Murphy because she is not someone who follows the pack and does what is expected. I was watching a Top of the Pops special yesterday night that took us back to 1988. I noticed a couple of things from the programme. Not only was the music – Pop/House and Rap – pretty fun and funky but there was this sense of unpredictability and energy. I do feel there are a few songs bubbling about that have a sense of fun but there are not that many. Also, one feels that singles and albums are laboured and there is little sense of mystery. If out Róisín Murphy’s Law dictates that, if things can go right and upbeat then they will; maybe we should also throw in another codification: She will not be prone to the weary promotional cycle and will be able to express herself in a unique way. By that, I mean the songs are not being teased endlessly on social media and they do not have that key ‘impact date’ – the ‘perfect’ moment a song is released so that it makes the biggest mark. No. Murphy seems to take us back to a time when singles were a very important part of the musical landscape and, indeed, there was an element of surprise and joy. Not that music has lost all of that but I do like the fact there are artists who just release singles and want to make these separate works – not necessarily leading to an album or part of some big campaign.

Perhaps this is just me showing my age but I am so glad we have pioneering voices like Murphy’s in the music business. Not only is Róisín Murphy a terrific songwriter who keeps producing these epic hits but, when you see her live, she sort of takes the breath. I have seen photos circulating of her killing Primavera Sound. This is a festival that is very important because of its diversity and sense of equality (more on that later). Murphy was part of this eclectic and wonderful line-up and was a definite standout. In fact, look at her profile page from the Primavera Sound webpage and it sort of describes what you get from her shows:

“Róisín Murphy is a painting. Róisín Murphy is a sculpture. Róisín Murphy is a loud outfit. Róisín is (of course) a song that surprises, disrupts and moves. Róisín is… Art. Pop art, of course. She could limit herself to filling studios with her voice, but she has always wanted to assault our senses in a three dimensional way. The control on all the aspects that makes music an audio-visual artefact has led her to being an icon dressed in cubist fashion, to rolling up her sleeves, and getting behind the camera to direct all her videos from Hairless Toys to the string of new models of disco music that she has released in single format during 2018”.

I am yet to see the great Murphy in the flesh of the live arena but I have seen video footage and read enough reviews to know Murphy is a very special performer. Not only does one get a range of outfits and fashion choices – Murphy does like her clothing and to explore the boundaries – and you always get this arresting visual aspect. Although there is a lot of drama, spritz and the theatrical, at the heart of things, Murphy wants to connect with the audience and get to their hearts. It is clear that she does this and, for that, we are all very thankful. I do feel that songs such as Incapable will sound great performed live – it might have already gotten an outing – and it will be cool seeing it paired with her Moloko work.

Let’s, before, I go on, add a third bullet-point to Róisín Murphy’s Law: we shall have f*ckinhg fun and everyone will join together. Maybe I should put these laws/rules in quotation marks (?) but I do think that, as a performer, Murphy places togetherness and interaction above all else. I have been following Murphy since the early days of Moloko and I have seen this artist grow and expand. I do wonder whether, with performers like her around, she will get that all-important headline slot. Think about all the great work Murphy has put out into the world and how great she is right now. I suspect there is an album coming along soon enough but there is ample material around to justify a Róisín Murphy headline slot. I have long-complained about the lack of women booked when it comes to headlining and, whilst I shall not repeat myself now, look at Murphy and what she has given the world. In a way, getting to a headline stage is like receiving an honour; an acknowledgment that you are at the top of your field. Although Róisín Murphy has yet to step onto the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in the prime slot, I do think that she has warranted that respect. Look at the songs she has under her belt and think about the electricity one gets from her shows. I am sure The Killers and The Cure will put on something pretty good at Glastonbury but I do wonder why she has not been asked to headline. Maybe it is just me getting all angry but I do worry we are ignoring great female artists in place of the same old, boring male acts. If you do get a chance to see Róisín Murphy play, make sure you do. I hold a lot of genuine affection for Murphy because she is one of the hardest-working and nicest people in music. Maybe it is her Irish roots but you get no bulls*it with her: just this open and bright woman who puts her heart on the page and gives the world this magnificent music.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @Annadaki

I want to quote from an interview she recently gave with London in Stereo where (the interviewer) mentioned the financial struggle in the industry years ago; how that affected the likes of Murphy and how she has adapted:

“Of course, the industry has changed since that initial release 12 years ago. Reflecting on what happened in the following years after Overpowered’s release, Roisin touches on the financial crash of 2007 and how it had an impact on the industry, as well as herself. “EMI actually fell apart straight away after we put the record out, the whole thing ended,” she says. “Now everything has become compartmentalised. For an artist like me, there’s more options in terms of staying independent, and being able to just sort of do deals for specific projects in mind. I’ve done that for a little while and that’s been quite good in a way. Certainly creatively very good because whatever I want to do, I just go ahead and do it.”

This artistic freedom and sheer drive that Roisin exudes is something that’s helped her stay on top form throughout the years. “I don’t think there’s a secret to longevity, but I think my secret is just the people I work with, the fact that I can just change everything on every project by changing who I collaborate with.” She says, “The music is always the beginning of everything, while I’m a very visual artist and I make the videos and concept the art, deep, deep, deep, the music remains the very centre of it all. It’s the seed of everything.”

Driven by her love of music, and constantly evolving through her collaborations, Roisin is a force within the industry, but her adaptability, endurance and humility make her a true icon. As we wrap up, she says, “I love making the music, love the visuals and I love performing. I’m delighted to be able to do this job, I’m so blessed it’s stupid”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Parsons

Adding a penultimate addition to the Róisín Murphy Law and I want to include this: “The personality and spark is not fake: this is the real deal, you see?!”. That sounds like an odd sentence construct – and it might not be proper English – but there is an awful lot of bullsh*t and fakery in music. That might be axiomatic but we still get these fake artists who seem to be all talk and, look under the skin and you get someone very different. Not only is Murphy a consummate and stunning performer and songwriter but she is someone who dazzles and seduces in interviews. I have yet to meet Murphy – I really do need to get out there! – but she is someone who is frank and honest. Instead of practiced answers and this sense of caution, you get an open and engaging artist who gets under the skin. I will leave things there – because I want to review Incapable – but I do recommend that everyone gets behind Róisín Murphy and follows her music. She is a wonderful artist who keeps on surprising and producing music of the highest quality. I expect this to continue for a long time but, before then, she has put out a single that is very different to everything that has come before. Maybe that shouldn’t come as a shock when we look at Murphy’s past but, the more you listen, the more this wonderful number gets into the head. There is so much to love and cherish about Róisín Murphy and I do think that Incapable ranks alongside the best she has put out there. I am not sure what the exact inspiration behind the track is – whether it is culled from real-life experiences – but Incapable is a song that will strike a chord with many people out there. On a very wet and overcast day, it is that burst of energy and sunshine that we could all do with!

I am reviewing the edited version of Incapable – check out the eight-plus-minute version – because, the way I write, you would need a few days spare to get through it all! The opening notes of Incapable gives us this smooth and tense beat with a combination of Disco and Pop. The beat pushes the song forward and there is a catchiness that gets right into the head. It is hard to describe the sensation one gets from the introduction but, as you bed-in, the music makes its way through the veins. Murphy talks about the weather being a bit crap and one senses it is more a metaphor. Maybe things were sunny and hopeful but, in this moment, the conditions have changed and the atmosphere has grown a little cold. It seems like there was this chance for unity and passion but it has been lost. I do think there is this balance of strength and vulnerability in the song. We have someone who knows that love was very close – she talks about this inevitability and natural connection that has somehow been denied – but there is this incapacity. Murphy seems confident on the surface and can tolerate the storm but she does wonder why love misses her shore. I am not sure how the man was who is in her mind (and whether it is fictionalised) but one feels like they are meant to be together. Murphy’s vocals start breathy and slow as she is backed by handclaps and this propulsive groove. Soon enough – by the time the pre-chorus arrives – the energy kicks up and there is this sense of denial. She might never have had a heart broken and been lost because, in some ways, she has never given her heart fully. I don’t know. If she is not involved that deeply and in love then does that mean her heart is protected and she will never feel this pain? Murphy wants to connect and give her heart; get over this blasé sense of detachment and actually give her all.

Whereas a lot of artists would talk about personal limitations and deep questions with dour resignation and moody music, Murphy manages to elicit a genuine sense of hope. She does ponder some big questions – whether she is incapable of loving someone – but there is this need to find answers rather than wallow in a sense of defeat. Backed by the always-present and ready composition behind her (that seems to get more intoxicating and influential as time goes on), Murphy is looking inside herself and probing. I am not certain whether this time around there was a near-miss and a few nights of passion but, when it comes to transitioning from lust to a full-blown commitment, there is something holding her back. Maybe we have all been there but, rather than move on and chalk it down to one of these things, Murphy sees a pattern emerging. Is she someone who does not want to be too open with another and feels unworthy? Maybe. I do think there is this final straw where she does not want to make the same mistakes or, at the very least, discover direction and a reason behind her lack of commitment. One of the most interesting lyrical clashes is where Murphy says how she has never had a broken heart but, at same time, never been available and committed. Is the fear of getting her heart broken the real reason she does not want to dedicate herself to a deep relationship? One can feel real gravity and meaning in the words (even though, I believe, Murphy is in a committed and happy relationship right now); a need to stop this cycle that is bringing her down. Murphy has balanced a very hard-hitting and personal foreground with a background that keeps the mood buoyant but never cheapens the seriousness of the words. Look at the cover art of Incapable and, aside from some truly awesome hair, I get the impression of a heroine from the 1980s who has been on the town and looking for connection.

She has this confidence and sass but, when it comes to connection and longevity, she runs away. Maybe Murphy has been hurt by love before so feels that things will go sour if she gives her heart. I t is easy to be swept away by the giddiness of the beats and claps; the rush of the electronics and the way Murphy’s voice opens and flies. If you listen carefully, you can detect so many different emotions working away in the song. I have listened to Incapable several times through and pick up fresh things every time. On the surface, one might think it is simply about being scared to love but I think Murphy has something deeper working away. True, she is not giving her heart truly but I do think there are many reasons why commitment is so difficult. Maybe there has been this hurt before and men letting her down. I think she wants to have a sense of freedom that a relationship doesn’t offer and there is that need for a bit of control and separation. Perhaps being too open and deep is scary and getting too heavy with someone threatens a degree of stability. One has their theories and reasons but I do feel Incapable is a song that means different things to different people. Not only are the lyrics engaging and fascinating but you cannot help move to the alluring and wonderful composition. It is this wonderfully rich and motivating thing that gets the body moving and will put a smile on the lips. The version I have been reviewing (the edited, radio version) is great but one gets fresh experiences with the longer edition. In any case, Incapable is another solid-gold offering from the always-wonderful Róisín Murphy. I am always in awe of her music and do not feel there is anyone out there who can compete. We definitely need to see and hear more from her – I do wonder whether an album is not too far away. The weather might be bad today but one blast of Incapable eradicates the clouds and raises the temperature. I do hope Murphy has received the answers she needs and has managed to find some happiness and peace.

I am not sure whether Róisín Murphy is releasing another single soon but, as we can add a final line to Róisín Murphy’s Law – you never know what you are going to get – I do think there will be a lot bubbling up. Incapable is the sound of a woman who is hitting a new peak and exploring fresh directions. Keep your eyes on her social media pages because I am sure there will be some movement very soon. I do really love what she does (if I haven’t said that enough?!) and it is great to have her in music. I do know that Murphy is busy with gigs and promotion right now and I wonder whether, when all this cools down, we will get a record. My eagerness is a reaction to what is out in the industry at the moment and how there is a Róisín Murphy-shaped hole. She has this balance of sounds that nobody else can provide; a sense of bang and spark that cannot fail to impress and a charm that is all hers alone. Let us end this review because, one suspects, I have gone on for a bit long. I do hope that I have covered as much ground as possible and, if you are new to Róisín Murphy, then you have a bit more information. When you have done listening to Incapable (again and again), make sure you dig back through the archives and unearth as much of Murphy’s gold as you can. From the earliest seeds of Moloko through to the alluring magic of Incapable, it is clear there is nobody like Róisín Murphy around. So many people have thrown love her way over the past couple of weeks because of her new track and the magic summoned at Primavera Sound. I do feel that a Róisín Murphy headline slot at Glastonbury is overdue and, if there are plans for an album, it will definitely be hotly-anticipated. Long may her reign continue because, in a changing and tense world, Murphy does give us something special and cathartic. She is this artist that does not follow templates and lets her own voice sing loud. I do hope she will forgive me for short-changing her regarding Take Her Up to Monto but, when it comes to Incapable, I think I have redressed the balance. If you want to hold dear a songwriter who can lift the mood, make you think and get in the bones then look no further than the epic Róisín Murphy. She is a truly amazing artist and someone, I hope, who will be around for many more years to come. As I close this review, Incapable is still bouncing around my head and, in fact, there is a longer version available online that I recommend people listen to as well. I am off to spin Incapable one more time but, as today is pretty crap in terms of the weather, why don’t you do yourself a favour and play a song that is guaranteed to…

PUT you in a better mood.

___________

Follow Róisín Murphy

Official:

https://www.roisinmurphyofficial.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/roisinmurphy

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/roisinmurphyofficial/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/roisinmurphy/

YouTube:

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

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3qwabfaWewpfli7hMNM3O8?si=coLTqAIxQkGnHlxvsCc2oQ

ALL UNCREDITED PHOTOS:

Getty Images/Róisín Murphy

FEATURE: Spotlight: Jamila Woods

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Bradley Murray 

Jamila Woods

_________

I understand I have been a bit full-on regarding…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Reviler.org

feminism and gender equality over the past few weeks but, as you can appreciate, this is something that is dear to my heart – and something that I need to get off of chest. I feel like, before long, the industry will wake up when it comes to parity and recognising the great women out there! I shall put aside my arguments for now but, when thinking about the best female talent right now, one is spoiled for choice. I think 2019 is a huge year when it comes to eye-opening artists who are talking about something important. If you are unaware of Jamila Woods then you need to make sure she is part of your life. I must confess that I am relatively new to her music before, as soon as I heard it, I was hit. Her album, LEGACY! LEGACY!, came out earlier this year and blew critics away. In terms of compositions, the sound is a cross between Neo-Soul and R&B I guess. There are other tones in there but one gets a mix of the sensual, physical and spiritual – a potent combination that augments the power and depth of Woods’ words. I love her vocal style but, to me, it is her words and the passion she puts into the songs’ messages that hooks and amazes. Reviews for LEGACY! LEGACY! Were impassioned and, as Pitchfork explained, the songs themselves are fascinating, original and challenging:

“On “Basquiat,” Woods explores how the behavior of an artist of color unfairly becomes fodder for public opinion. She draws inspiration not just from her own run-ins with the media, but chiefly from an interviewer who once asked the renowned artist “what makes him angry,” suggesting that the “rage” seen in his work could be summoned upon command: “These teeth are not employed/You can’t police my joy.”

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images/Jamila Woods

The song simmers along on a jazzy hip-hop groove for nearly seven minutes, peppered by a staccato call-and-response (“Are you mad?/Yes I’m mad”). Tellingly, the song never erupts, and when Woods sings “They wanna see me angry,” she’s sighing, not shouting. Her exhaustion is palpable, resigned to wear the mask that “grins and lies,” as poet Paul Laurence Dunbar once said—the mask that she must wear to quell the seething rage she feels when asked, once again, to explain herself.

In his landmark 1903 essay “The Talented Tenth,” W.E.B. DuBois argued that the liberation of all black people would come from cultivating a handful of exceptional blacks through higher education. Over a century later, black artists and activists, poets and politicians continue to thrive across a spectrum of different mediums. Almost every predecessor conjured in and in-between Woods’ lyrics balanced their craft alongside an unending fight for total equality, whether they wanted to or not: “All the women in me are tired” becomes a running motif throughout the album. With LEGACY! LEGACY!, Jamila Woods positions herself to join the battle, bridging the gap, once and for all, between our unresolved past and the promise that awaits us all on the horizon”.

That is just a sample review but, as you can see, Jamila Woods is providing the world with something hugely accomplished and necessary; music that transcends mere beats and hooks and confronts the listeners with real lessons. The album is never preachy but, instead, it is educational, inspiring and incredible immersive.

In regards to Woods herself, she is a twenty-nine-year-old from Chicago who is a graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep and Brown University. She is also the Associate Artistic Director of Young Chicago Authors and, through that, she aims to lift the youth voice through arts and education. Through YCA, she helps to organise Louder than a Bomb: the world’s largest youth poetry slam festival. She has this determination to make the world around her a better place and to improve lives; make aware the presence and important of black women and ancestor; the desire to promote self-love and acceptance. One could hear these seeds growing on her debut album, HEAVN. Released in 2016, it gained a lot of love and traction. This review from AllMusic shows that, right at the start of her career, Woods was raising the bar:

“On the title song, Woods floats over a rolling groove, quoting the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" and then twisting it a bit, beaming "I don't wanna run away with you/I wanna live our life right here." She later sings "I don't belong here" and "I'm an alien from inner space" in "Way Up," and dreams of leaving this planet in "Stellar," but Woods otherwise isn't one to promote escapism, not when she's sustained by friends, family, and fellow musicians -- including most of the above-mentioned -- who inspired and/or helped create this album.

Some moments regard an intimate relationship and independence, occasionally both at once, like when she affirms "Nobody completes me" in "Holy." A larger portion concerns communal matters like survival, resistance, sisterhood, and how to thrive in conditions designed to perpetuate oppression. The resolutely nurturing and buoyant qualities make it easy to miss out on some of the wisdom and stirring lines such as "Grandma loved granddaddy even after he forgot our names," related over Nico Segal's trumpet and the kaleidoscopic swirl of Stereolab's "The Flower Called Nowhere." Originally a digital-only release from Closed Sessions, HEAVN was expanded and reissued a year later by Jagjaguwar, made available on physical formats with a track list that added six interludes and a thick reprise of "Holy." The interludes, especially the one in which children recite an Assata Shakur quote -- inserted as a brilliant setup for "Blk Grl Soldier" -- are not extraneous”.

 IMAGE CREDIT: @jamilawoods

Right now, there is (rightfully) a lot of talk around Woods and what her music is doing. I think LEGACY! LEGACY! Is the best album of the year so far and, as I explained, manages to put something arresting and important on the page without making the listener feel exhausted or lectured. That might sound wrong but, by that, I mean the music easily sinks into the skin – because of the terrific melt of vocals and sounds – but you will come away with the lyrics ingrained in the mind. If one can feel soothed by the compositions but enlightened by the words, then that seems like a perfect combination. Woods has been busy promoting LEGACY! LEGACY! and, in this interview with The Guardian, Woods talked about her upbringing and the importance of ‘legacy’:

“Woods grew up in the quiet Chicago neighbourhood of Beverly Hills, an idyllic enclave in a city wracked with inequality. Her dad, a physician, and her mother, a spiritual healer, instilled in her the idea of working for the community; following private schooling and a degree from Brown University, Woods became associate artistic director of Young Chicago Authors, empowering kids to create their own narratives through hip-hop and poetry. She compares poetry to hip-hop’s tradition of sampling from across black musical history. “There’s a similar respect for lineage – you can say you’ve written a poem ‘after Maya Angelou’,” she says.

Woods describes a mentoring session where she had students draw lineage maps, using the people in their lives who had inspired them to find their own artistic voice. “It’s important for me to shout out those that came before, especially in a time where it’s about being individualistic or the first. That should be seen as a strength, because that’s what legacy is.”

So what is Woods aiming to achieve with her championing of legacy? She wants to break the cycle of silence in families, particularly between grandmothers, mothers and daughters. “When I got to a certain age, conversations with my mom and grandmother changed and there was more honesty. That’s part of breaking the cycle because if I hadn’t have known what they’d experienced with men in their relationships, I wouldn’t be able to recognise that there’s a legacy in those stories. It can’t be an individual decision – there has to be a culture shift and a communal conversation”.

Artists like Jamila Woods are filling gaps that should be occupied by political leaders: talking about what really matters and putting the people first. She has a deep connection to her ancestry but is acutely aware of the future and what will happen if changes are not made. This is not to suggest, for a moment, Woods is a political artist: in fact, her words are delivered in such a manner that she projects that right balance of urgency and delicacy. In many ways, Woods sings sermons; never too forceful but, inside it all, you can hear the passion bubble and fizz.

Woods is busy promoting LEGACY! LEGACY! and there is a lot of demand for her right now. In this interview she gave with London in Stereo very recently, she talked about her music and the intent behind it:

 “Each song on LEGACY! LEGACY! takes its name from pertinent, inspirational artists and activists within black history, including James Baldwin, Eartha Kitt, and Basquiat, to mention a few. With these tracks, Woods offers poetic, meditative testaments to the influence these figures have had on her, whilst weaving her own personal narratives into this. “The tracks are named after people but are very much autobiographical songs,” Woods emphasises. “I’m singing about my own experiences almost like self-portraits, through the lenses of the different people and what I’ve learnt from them.” Woods’ lyrics are poetic works in themselves, crafted with astute linguistic potency and precision. Melded with the glistening, soulful melodies that saunter through the record, this verbal and aural harmony is steeped in vivid, emotive poeticism

While the issues and ideas that Woods explores on this record feel vital and pertinent in the context of the current political climate, she states “I don’t really resonate with the idea that something is important now more than ever. It’s more just like I wanna feel free to follow where my inspirations lead me”.

Wood is performing in the U.S. at the moment but she heads to the U.K. later in the year. Take a look out and make sure, if you can, you go and see Woods live. She is a sensational talent who fuses Soul and Neo-Soul together with these inspiring songs; a voice that gets into the heart and a spirit that cannot help but intoxicate. Woods is definitely capturing a desire and wave right now and, if you get the time, settle down with LEGACY! LEGACY! and experience an artist who is…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

OUT of this world.

INTERVIEW: I SEE RIVERS

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Jodie Canwell  

I SEE RIVERS

___________

THE fantastic I SEE RIVERS...

have been discussing their latest track, Helios, and how it came together; whether there is going to be more material arriving and whether they share musical tastes – they recommend a rising act we need to have a look out for.

I wanted to know if there were any gigs approaching and which artist they would support on the road if they could; how they unwind away from music and how their own sound has evolved through the years – I SEE RIVERS select a few great tracks to end the interview with.

____________

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

ISR: Hello! We’re good, thank you! Our week has been very exciting, with the release of the first track from our upcoming album (Helios) - and the amount of lovely feedback has been a bit overwhelming…really!

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

We are Eline (keys, vocals); Gøril (guitar, percussion and vocals) and Lill (percussion, vocals) and, together, we’re I SEE RIVERS. We’ve dubbed our music ‘Float-Pop’, as it floats and meanders between bouncy Pop, jangly Indie and airy Folk.

Helios is your new track. What is the story behind it?

Helios is the Greek god of the sun and, according to the legend, he would appear in the sky each dawn, bringing the day as he rode his golden chariot across the clouds. In the context of this song Helios, or the sun, is meant to represent a person that you think the world of, someone that you see through rose-tinted glasses before coming to terms with the illusion and the cathartic feeling that follows that realisation.

I understand there is an album coming next year. Can you reveal anything regarding the songs and themes that will be addressed?

We are actually still writing for the album as we speak, so it’s a bit difficult to illuminate what the album will be about as a whole right now. What we do know is that, sonically-speaking, it will be a different vibe than our previous E.P.s – we strive to evolve and push ourselves as songwriters and musicians, but we also believe that the purpose of any recording isn’t ‘perfection’ or anything like that, but rather to capture where we are as humans and musicians at that particular moment.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jodie Canwell

How did I SEE RIVERS get together?

Even though we’re all from Norway (although from opposite sides), we didn’t meet until five years ago, when we all went to Liverpool to study. We quickly became good friends and formed the band halfway through our first year at uni.

It is hard to detect clear influences in your own music. What sort of music do you all like listening to? What music were you raised on?

We come from quite different musical backgrounds and our influences vary between the three of us but, collectively, we have a huge love for Sufjan Stevens, Frank Ocean and Fleet Foxes.

How do you think your sound has changed and evolved since the start?

When we first started out, our songs were very heavily based around an acoustic guitar and our vocal harmonies. But, since our first recording session with Owain Jenkins in StudiOwz back in 2016 - where we started to experiment with different sounds and instrumentation -, it has gradually progressed and evolved. It’s hard to say what exactly it has evolved into, but we’ve moved further away from the acoustic, folky sound as we find it exciting to be more bold and busy.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sian Adler/Horizons / Gorwelion

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

Because we’re very close friends and equally invested in the band, everything we experience together just get more exciting and fun as we get to share it with each other. We’ve been super-lucky as to experience a lot of ridiculously cool things together; but one of the most surreal things that’s stuck with us was when we played Belladrum Festival in Inverness three years ago. We’d hardly played in Scotland before, and didn’t expect many people to show up to see our set, but fifteen minutes before we even went on stage the entire tent was completely packed – by the end of our set thousands of people had showed up and we didn’t really know how that happened.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Which albums from all of music mean the most to the band (and why)?

As I said previously, our taste in music varies a lot between us. However, the album we’ve definitely played the most in our car on our way to gigs is Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ollie Couling

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

SUFJAN STEVENS.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I think every artist’s story and experience is different; but for us it was crucial to get out and play outside of the city limits. In addition to this, I think collaboration with other people is both SUPER-FUN and key to keeping things exciting and new.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jodie Canwell

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

We have put aside quite a bit of time this summer to write for our upcoming album, but we do have a few lovely gigs this month that we’re looking forward to:

14.06: OSLO, Kulturhuset (Norway)

15.06: BERGEN, Bergenfest (Norway)

21.06: SOLVA, Unearthed in a Field Festival

28.06: CARDIFF, Clwb Ifor Bach

What is a typical gig like for you guys? What might we expect if we come and see you perform?

We love playing live and as our sound is constantly evolving; so is our live set. At the moment, we all wish we had at least one more hand to use live as we’re trying to stay as busy as possible on stage with the new instrumentation. In addition to seeing us trying to imitate octopuses, I think you can expect a high-energy performance with a lot of bouncing and laughter.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Konradsen

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

At the moment, we’re all obsessing over Norwegian duo, Konradsen.

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

We knit! We mostly knit hats to sell as merch after our live shows, but it still definitely counts as relaxing.

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).

Lill: Running - Helado Negro

Gøril: Hundre runda rundt sola samles i ett sekund – Kråkesølv

Eline: Habit - Still Woozy

Thank you! – Eline, Gøril and Lill, I SEE RIVERS

___________

Follow I SEE RIVERS

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ollie Couling

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ISEERIVERS

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/iseerivers/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/iseerivers/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/50y0b4AuxvWpH2jlNqGMmg?si=oXXFSaoLQJquHvqRJ4Q7nA

FEATURE: Step Back in Time: Kylie Minogue’s Five Finest Albums

FEATURE:

 

 

Step Back in Time

IMAGE CREDIT: Kylie Minogue 

Kylie Minogue’s Five Finest Albums

_________

AS the legendary Kylie Minogue…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Kylie Minogue 

readies herself for a slot on the appropriately-named ‘legends’ stage at Glastonbury this year, it has got me thinking about her impressive back catalogue and the fact that, with each album, there is evolution. Minogue releases her definitive collection, Step Back in Time, on 28th June and it will give fans existing and new the chance to revel in the multiple sides of the Melbourne-born icon. This year is a big one for her because, not only does Minogue have that Glastonbury slot and is releasing her greatest hits; there will be many wondering what comes next; how she will follow 2018’s Country-tinged album, Golden. I think, as she is in her sixth decade of life, we will actually see more of a return to her Pop roots rather than a repeat of what she gave us last year. In any case, there are a lot of people excited by what is coming. Even though her definitive collection spans her entire career, if you want to narrow down to the finest Kylie Minogue albums, I have been investigating further. Here, in my view, are the five Kylie Minogue album every fan needs…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Audoin Desforges

IN their collections…

ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images/Kylie Minogue

________________

Rhythm of Love

Release Date: 12th November, 1990

Labels: Mushroom/PWL

Producers: Stock, Aitken, Waterman/Keith Cohen/Stephen Bray/Michael Jay/Rick James

Standout Cuts: Better the Devil You Know/What Do I Have to Do/Shocked

Key Cut: Step Back in Time

Review:

“Yes, it's still simple Stock-Aitken-Waterman dance-pop, but Rhythm of Love is leaps and bounds more mature than Kylie's first two releases. The songwriting is stronger, the production dynamic, and Kylie seems more confident vocally. And while Kylie and Enjoy Yourself were collections of songs to back up singles, this is a more complete album, with many of the tracks -- "Things Can Only Get Better" a prime example -- single worthy. Definitely her best work from the Stock-Aitken-Waterman era” - AllMusic

Kylie Minogue

Release Date: 19th September, 1994

Labels: Mushroom/Destruction

Producers: Steve Anderson/Dave Seaman/M People/Pete Heller/Terry Farley/Jimmy Harry

Standout Cuts: Surrender/Pure Yourself in My Place/Falling

Key Cut: Confide in Me

Review:

“Meant as a statement of her new direction, Kylie Minogue's fifth album no longer featured the Stock-Aitken-Waterman production gloss and found the diminutive singer working with hip dance producers like David Seaman. From the first notes of the opener "Confide in Me," you know this is not the teen pop queen of old. Kylie Minogue (also note the use of her last name on the cover) wanted to sound grown up, and she pulls it off with ease. While it is still dance-pop, there's atmosphere and style in the songs that wasn't there on Let's Get to It. Definitely the start of the second phase of her career” – AllMusic

Impossible Princess

Release Date: 22nd October, 1997

Labels: Mushroom/Destruction/BMG

Producers: Kylie Minogue (uncredited)/Dave BallJames/Dean Bradfield/Brothers in Rhythm/Jay Burnett/Rob Dougan/Dave Eringa/Ingo Vauk

Standout Cuts: Cowboy Style/Some Kind of Bliss/Did It Again

Key Cut: Breathe

Review:

“Impossible Princess runs the gamut of styles, but manages to remain cohesive and fresh, even six years later. The sleek trip-hop of “Jump” and the deliriously spacey “Say Hey” fit like puzzle pieces next to the Chemical Brothers-style techno/rock hybrid “Limbo” and the frenetic “I Don’t Need Anyone.” Minogue fiercely declares her independence, but admits to her innate vulnerability: “I don’t need anyone/Except for someone I’ve not found.” Co-produced by former Soft Cell synth-master Dave Ball, “Through the Years” evokes Björk’s “Venus As a Boy,” but creates its own smoky atmosphere with muted horns, experimental vocal tracks and elegiac lyrics: “Too many a twisted word was said/My body was porous/I savored every drop of you” – SLANT

Light Years

Release Date: 25th September, 2000

Label: Parlophone

Producers: Steve Anderson/Guy Chambers/Johnny Douglas/Julian Gallagher/Mark Picchiotti/Steve Power/Mike Spencer/Graham Stack/Richard Stannard/Mark Taylor

Standout Cuts: On a Night Like This/Your Disco Needs You/Kids (with Robbie Williams)

Key Cut: Spinning Around

Review:

“On a Night Like This and So Now Goodbye keep up the tempo and disco antics - you can feel the heat from the swirling multi-coloured lights as you listen to them - adding empowering notions of grabbing the best looking man in the club, then ditching him when you feel like it. But Minogue knows better than to think she can do it all alone. It was the less than subtle tweakings of Stock-Aitken- Waterman that gave her success and now she has turned to some more male musical heavyweights to get her back on track. Spice Girls collaborator Richard Stannard adds some polish to the flamenco flavoured Please Stay, while the songs co-written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers give Minogue the best lines.

There's the fantastic Kids, a duet with Williams also featured on his new album, and Loveboat, a homage to the 1970s TV show of the same name. The latter is a female response to Williams's Millennium - it sounds very similar but has a less cynical approach to love. The familiar references to martinis, bikinis and 007 are all there - Williams really should try joining a new video club - but so too are the verbal come-ons that'll either make you squirm or laugh out loud. "Rub on some lotion," Minogue pleads breathily, "the places I can't reach." More amusing still is Your Disco Needs You, a call to arms that the Village People would be proud of. Minogue has her tongue firmly in her cheek for this camp slice of epic disco that will doubtless become the obligatory soundtrack to every Christmas office party.

It's only when Minogue deviates from the fun that the album falters. Bittersweet Goodbye is an overblown ode to love that seems like an excuse for a video featuring satin sheets, while the title track is suitably spacey, though it still left me singing Brotherhood of Man's Angelo at the end. Ultimately, Minogue shines brightest in the blinding lights of a club and Light Years is an album that should be played as you force your boob-tube into place and drain the remnants of that can of hairspray before you go out. This time round Kylie's got it right” – The Guardian

Fever

Release Date: 1st October, 2001  

Label: Parlophone

Producers: Steve Anderson/Rob Davis/Cathy Dennis/Greg Fitzgerald/Pascal Gabriel/Julian Gallagher/Tom Nichols/Mark Picchiotti/Richard Stannard/Paul Statham/TommyD

Standout Cuts: Love at First Sight/Come Into My World/In Your Eyes

Key Cut: Can’t Get You Out of My Head

Review:

“By 1997, she moved on to working with writers outside the genre. While this may have translated into poor record sales, her motives were in the right place. With 2001's Fever, Minogue combines the disco-diva comeback of the previous year's Light Years with the trend of simple dance rhythms which was prevalent in the teen dance-pop craze of the years surrounding the album's release. While on the surface that might seem like an old dog trying to learn new tricks, Minogue pulls it off with surprising ease. The first single, "Cant Get You Out of My Head," is a sparse, mid-tempo dance number that pulses and grooves like no other she's recorded, and nothing on Light Years was as funky as the pure disco closer of "Burning Up."

And while it's hard not to notice her tipping her hat to the teen pop sound (in fact, on this record she works with Cathy Dennis, former dance-pop star and writer/producer for Brit-teen pop group S Club 7) on songs like "Give It to Me" and "Love at First Sight," her maturity helps transcend this limiting tag, making this a very stylish Euro-flavored dance-pop record that will appeal to all ages. Not one weak track, not one misplaced syrupy ballad to ruin the groove. The winning streak continues. (The U.S. version, released in early March of 2002, included the hidden tracks "Boy" and "Butterfly" -- a B-side and Light Years album track, respectively)” – AllMusic

FEATURE: Retuning the Bandwidth: Are Radio Playlists Varied and Balanced in Terms of Genre and Gender?

FEATURE:

 

 

Retuning the Bandwidth

PHOTO CREDIT: iStock 

Are Radio Playlists Varied and Balanced in Terms of Genre and Gender?

__________

I have been thinking about radio…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @joaosilas/Unsplash

a lot recently because I think, more and more, it is a hugely influential medium. Not only does radio provide a platform for rising artists and big names but it gives guidance to festivals when it comes to booking acts. Look back at your childhood and I think we can all agree radio was hugely powerful and exciting back then – whether it was listening to the charts or discovering a great new artist. I grew up listening to the charts and what was buzzing in the 1990s and have been a fan of radio ever since. One’s own tastes and habits might be a bit restrictive but, with radio, you get this spread and sense of diversity! That means we are all more open and educated regarding music; not sticking with the same thing and able to experience a lot more. There are stations I tune into all of the time but, more and more, I wonder whether radio playlists are as eclectic and bold as they should be. I keep mentioning (my favourite station) BBC Radio 6 Music because it is awash with great music and options. I have been listening hard lately and found that, like a lot of stations, there is that chance to go further. They are beholden – like most commercial options – to regular playlists which means, invariably, one will hear the same song repeated frequently through the day; this can often go on for weeks before a new playlist is introduced. That is fine if the song being rinsed is wonderful but, if not, that can start to grate…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @alicemoore/Unsplash

I will not name any songs - but you do start to hear the same things repeated and, yeah, it gets a bit annoying. I know why this is done: to make sure as many people hear that song; not everyone listens daily so it makes sense to repeat the songs quite a bit. Because the market is less singles-orientated and, I feel, the album needs more exposure, I wonder whether that radio strategy is wise. It is nice hearing the new releases played but I wonder, rather than a static, one-month playlist that plays these same numbers over and over, why not refresh it every week? I find that, too, stations tend to focus on the bigger artists. I know there are remits and guidelines but it would add more range and variation to playlists if rising artists were included. Getting back to that single vs. album argument, and you often get artists who have new album out and the same single from that album is featured in the playlist – why not include other tracks from the album? I do understand that there is a lot more to playlists than personal tastes and random pickings: there is a lot of maths, science and statistics included in the process. Not only are rigid playlists a bit of a downside regarding radio but, look at the big stations and the music they play, and can one say that the gender balance is right?!

 PHOTO CREDIT: @vidarnm/Unsplash

There are some D.J.s that are keen to include as many women into the mix as possible but I feel there is this general ignorance. So many D.J.s play men back-to-back and throw the odd woman in there. It means that, across the broad, you get this male-heavy playlist. I can understand how hard it is to have a fifty-fifty split across the board but, look at new and older music, and you are spoiled for choice! I do worry producers and bosses are not making enough effort to ensure the gender breakdown of their playlists and schedules are even. I guess it is okay for shows to tip a bit in favour of the men but, on some shows, there is a huge gulf in terms of men and women. Not only does that create a homogenised and rather limited sound but it sends a bad message to female musicians who are trying to get their music heard – stations favouring men more might lead them to believe they do not stand a chance. I think it is important to be conscious of sexism issues in music and relate that to festivals. Festivals do take a lot of inspiration from radio stations regarding their bookings and, whilst one cannot blame stations for the gender disparity at festivals, I think a more gender-balanced outlook would help festivals achieve greater parity. Maybe these are small grumblings but it is not hard to retune the playlists and make them more exciting, varied and gender-balanced.

 PHOTO CREDIT: iStock

Not only do I feel there are limitations regarding gender and new tracks but I also think stations are not that bold regarding certain artists. It is great hearing the same big songs played by those familiar artists but it can be a bit samey. Think about legendary bands like The Beatles and, when it comes to their music being played, can one say stations are digging through the archives hard enough? Quite often, I hear the same six or seven Beatles songs played; some albums/songs rarely get an outing and it makes me a bit miffed. Familiarity is great but, when you open things up and play one of those lesser-heard songs, it is really exciting. David Bowie, Joni Mitchell; Pink Floyd and The Cure – do we tend to rely on the same songs from these artists when, it reality, there is a huge number of golden slices to select?! It is funny because, on some radio stations, they announce which band/artist is coming up and you can almost guess what song it is going to be before they play it! I think, if we want to inspire listeners and make them more aware about great artists’ full range, stations need to make more of an effort to be a bit more eclectic regarding song selections. This sense of boldness should also apply to the balance of mainstream/established artists and rising acts.

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

It is impossible to please everyone but I do feel like, with certain artists repeated and there being this rather samey outlook on some stations, there is a whole layer of music ignored. So many great approaching artists do not get played; some iconic acts miss out and, in terms of genre, stations are missing a tricky. I do realise stations have their demographics and guidelines but that does not mean they are as honed as their playlists suggests. So many stations are restricted when it comes to the length of a song, too. Some of the cooler brands take risks but there is still that rule regarding playing long songs: ensure most of the tracks run around three or four minutes. We are told that is the ideal length for a Pop classic and instant hit: this does mean that so many artists and genres are not getting the exposure they deserve. I do wonder whether stations are at the mercy of strict guidelines and old conventions. The music landscape has changed a lot and, whilst some radio stations are keeping their finger on the pulse, others seem to be languishing behind. Music tastes and demands are, I guess, subjective – so everyone will have their own ideals of what makes great radio and whether there needs to be improvement. I do think that there needs to be more done to tip the gender imbalance and, regarding fresh artists, maybe a bit more room in the schedules.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @schneidermann/Unsplash

It is hard to tick all the boxes and make sure everyone is represented. I used to see a lot of the classic albums getting a nod from stations. Again, one cannot include every big anniversary that comes along but I think it is important to celebrate these records to younger listeners and give them their due. I miss the classic album series that used to be on T.V. and, as many titanic albums get a mere nod from stations, could more time be set aside to give these iconic albums a proper celebration? I love radio right now so, regarding these critiques and recommendations, they are very small and not meant to give a false view. I think British radio is doing a great job regarding getting on top of it all; the great new music around and making sure the classics are not ignored. To me, a simple bit of expansion and malleability would give the gold an extra gleam. From ensuring there are more female artists on the playlist to being a bit more adventurous regarding the best-known acts; maybe thinking about the monthly playlists and their impact. I am not expert but, as a listener, I have heard from quite a few other people who share the same concerns. Radio is the most powerful tool in music regarding getting the word out about new songs; making sure we experience as much different music as possible. It is brilliant and I tip my hat to the D.J.s, producers and stations around the country. Maybe, with a few subtle tweaks and adjustments, British radio could become…

 PHOTO CREDIT: iStock

SIMPLY unbeatable.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Amyl and The Sniffers

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Amyl and The Sniffers 

Amyl and The Sniffers

__________

IT is not like Amyl and The Sniffers…

 IMAGE CREDIT: Amyl and The Sniffers

are new to the world but, for us in the U.K., maybe the Melbourne band are fairly fresh. The band released their eponymous album very recently and, whereas I shall come to that, they have been putting out music for several years now. This year has been a busy one for the gang and, with an album out, there are gigs demands and rounds of publicity. Before I come to any of that, here is a bit of biography about Amyl and The Sniffers which tracks from the start to 2017:

“Amyl and the Sniffers are a punk band possessed by the spirit of seventies Australian rock. Amy Taylor (vocals), Bryce Wilson (drums), Dec Martens (guitar) are former housemates who formed the band, wrote a handful of tunes and released their debut EP, Giddy Up, all in a span of twelve hours.

Completing their line up with Gus Romer on bass, the band take their cues from a diverse bunch of legends including AC/DC, Cosmic Psychos, Dolly Parton and Die Antwoord, setting out to have as much fun as possible.

Their 2nd EP, Big Attraction, was released in February 2017, kicking off a stellar year for these young punks. Growing buzz around their blistering live show made the band a hot tip at Bigsound in Brisbane, while the band was added to festival lineups including Meredith and CherryRock17. The band and were invited to join the Cosmic Psychos on their forthcoming November/December tour and capped off the year with a sellout NYE show at the legendary Tote in their home town of Melbourne”.

From the opening track of their eponymous album, Starfire 500, the band set fire to the speakers and create this special world. That song and the closer, Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled) are the longest on the record – most of the songs are tighter and deliver that swift, quick kick. I must admit that I am not new to the band but, with their album out, I have been making up for lost time and experiencing their unique cocktail. I know there are a few Pop/Post-Punk bands with a female voice at the front but, to me, Amyl and The Sniffers are in a really strong position. Amy Taylor is able to convey so many emotions and colours. Listen to the Amyl and The Sniffers album and every song is vividly brought to life by Taylor’s relentless energy. I would not be surprised if the Australian band’s album cracked a lot of critics’ top-ten lists come the end of this year. The reviews for the record have been largely positive. NME were full of praise:

 “Loud and aggressive, for sure, but it’s singer Amy Taylor’s insightful yet chant-worthy lyrics that make this more than just a ear-bleeding exercising. ‘Angel’ is a sweet love song caught up in a whirlwind of sound (“I’m shaking, I can’t take it, bent over back all day waiting for you”), while ‘Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled)’ is defiant and empowering, while retaining the stickiness of the rough carpets of the pubs they frequent.

It’s “pub-punk” for now, but there’s a good chance it’ll take them to much bigger stages sooner rather than later. It’s not big, it’s not clever, but it’s a bloody hoot”.

Pitchfork had a slightly different slant when they approached Amyl and The Sniffers’ album:

“By the very virtue of being released on a major label, Amyl and the Sniffers reverses that equation. While the group still tends to run lean—most of the album’s 11 songs clock in well under three minutes, with the whole thing rushing by in half an hour—all of the songs feel formed. Give some of the credit to producer Ross Orton. A veteran of the Sheffield scene—he played drums in Add N to (X) and floated through Pulp’s circles on his way to working on M.I.A.s’ Arular, gaining a noteworthy credit by producing Arctic Monkeys’ 2013 LP AM—Orton gives the band a beefier, bolder sound. This increased heft accentuates how Amyl and the Sniffers can sound like heirs to the sharpie rockers of Australia, a dirty underground movement of the ’70s that traded upon glam and nascent heavy metal—a sound that eventually wormed its way into the gnarly riffs of AC/DC and Rose Tattoo”.

Reviewers around the world have been bigging-up the Melbourne band since last year – in fact, the buzz has been building before then. The band are on fire right now and there has been a lot of anticipation surrounding their long-awaited album. The interviews have been thick and fast but, looking back last year, DIY caught up with the band as they set about recording their debut.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jenn Five for DIY

The band tried to define their sound and explained how their unique flavours were compelled by myriad sounds and decades:

“The point, says Amy, was to have something to bring to the table at the “house parties and shed shows” that the friends all used to frequent – raucous, DIY gigs with bands called things like Drunk Mums and Dumb Cunts all getting sweaty in pleasingly shitty small rooms. From that first EP (entitled ‘Giddy Up’) of scratchy, short’n’sharp garage rock – its four songs clocking in at just seven minutes in total – the band got their first gig. “There weren’t many people there and we fucked up heaps, but it was so fun and the best thing ever,” the singer enthuses. “We covered four songs because we had no songs to play and then the bartender [took the piss] because we only played for 15 minutes. But it’s nice when you start something new and you haven’t figured it out yet; the exciting part is learning and working out what you’re doing.”

Influenced by the garage rock scene they grew up around, as well as “bad Aussie rock’n’roll from the ’70s and ’80s: the classic Top 100 hits that your parents would listen to,” theirs are tracks that channel a different kind of punk to the influences touted around from their US and UK counterparts. Filled with a funny, unaffected bogan brattiness, Amyl might claim to sing about “everyday experiences”, but they do it in a way that seems more feckless and uninhibited than most. Take ‘I’m Not A Loser’’s claim of “My friends may think that I’m a cunt / But I pay the rent on time every month” by way of example. Led Zeppelin, it is not”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Ford for NME

There is a lot to love about the band. They are very honest and open and, when it comes to their conversation, they are often frank, funny and filthy! There is no ego where Amyl and The Sniffer are concerned – sometimes the bawdiness and crass edge can get a bit wary. The music is the thing that matters most and, when you immerse yourself in their magical blends, you are captivated and seduced. The band spoke with Gigwise earlier in the year and stated how, although they love recording, they are much more of a live band; one that has the world at their feet right now:

“Singer Amy Taylor, a diminutive presence in her own right, is quick to reaffirm this. “We’re definitely more of a live band. Even our first recordings. We only put them out because we wanted to get booked so bookers knew what we sounded like and bands too so we could play with them. It’s the best feeling ever! Even if there were only ten people watching us every night I’d still feel the same way.”

Now firmly at the forefront of Rough Trade’s glowing roster. Not only for 2019 but also well into the future. While signing to such a prestigious label would be a daunting prospect to some, Amyl and the Sniffers appear to have taken it all in their stride.

“There were a fair few labels talking to us at the time,” admits Romer. “Geoff (Travis) heard about us after The Great Escape then he saw us in Hamburg along with Jeannette (Lee) from the label. After that, Rough Trade was the only place we wanted to be. They’ve done some incredible releases and have an amazing history. They take super good care of us and everyone is lovely. It’s awesome.”

“We love working them now. We’ve become part of the family,” adds Taylor. “It’s a really strange thing for me. Coming from Australia, I didn’t know that much about overseas record labels so it was really exotic and foreign coming to meet them but I’m so glad we went with them because that’s what it’s like; being part of a family. They come to our gigs and we just hang out”.

The band are all over the place right now and keen to share their stories with the media. You need to keep an eye on their social media channels because, with some hot material in the world, the band is hot on the live circuit. You can buy gig tickets and discover where the band is heading next. Before wrapping things up, I want to bring in an interview the band gave with NME and, during the chat, they talk about their start and how they decided to get a band together:

“The group grew up all over Australia – Amy and Bryce are from tourist town Byron Bay, while Gus came from Tasmania and Declan from Perth. Bryce and Declan had been in bands before, and Gus would join the band a bit further down the line, but this was Amy’s first foray into music. The band met at a pub/venue called the Grace Darling in Melbourne’s Collingwood district. There was no fabled “moment” they say – Declan just recognised Bryce from a recent club night and introduced himself. A connection was made, and soon after, Declan had moved in with Amy and Bryce. No-nonsense, then.

PHOTO CREDIT: WDZIEKONSKI

The idea for the band came up at some “wasted kick-ons,” Declan says. Kick-ons means after parties, apparently. “We only made the first EP so we could get gigs” Amy says. The result, ‘Giddy Up’, was recorded in their shared house in 12 hours and runs for a grand total of five minutes. “The bookers never said we needed 15 minutes worth of music until we got off stage after eight,” Amy laughs. Following their instincts and making the EP as quickly as they could was the key to its magic. “The more you think about something, the less you know,” Amy says, gnomically”.

Make sure you get involved with Amyl and The Sniffers’ music and follow them on the road if you can. It is still early days for them but, from their previous songs and their new album, you can tell they have matured and are coming on leaps – even if they have kept the spit and attitude key to the core of their music. They are an exciting new band and I would not be shocked to see them appearing at big festivals in the U.K. next year. Right now, they have the world to tour and they are getting their debut record to the adoring masses. I am excited to see where Amyl and The Sniffers will head next and just how far they can go. Even though I am new to their music, I am making up for it and diving into their warm waters. The Australian band is in rude and brilliant health and it seems like they are not going…

AWAY anytime soon.

_____________

Follow Amy and The Sniffers:

PHOTO CREDIT: Amyl and The Sniffers 

Official:

https://www.amylandthesniffers.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/amylandthesniffers/

Bandcamp:

https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/amylandthesniffers/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3NqV2DJoAWsjl787bWaHW7?si=ReaJzttTSkSpmNWVSXA9jQ

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr7iv49zibCciRCzlFauotQ

FEATURE: Hymns from the Love Ghetto: Neneh Cherry’s Raw Like Sushi at Thirty

FEATURE:

 

 

Hymns from the Love Ghetto

ALBUM COVER PHOTO: Jean-Baptiste Mondino  

Neneh Cherry’s Raw Like Sushi at Thirty

__________

NOT that I am representing every major album…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Neneh Cherry circa 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Eichner/WireImage/Getty

that is celebrating in a feature but, as Wednesday marks thirty years since Neneh Cherry’s debut album, Raw Like Sushi, was released, I only felt it right to mark that! I was originally going to put it in my Vinyl Corner feature but, having looked online, I cannot find a good copy! I am not sure whether Cherry is going to put Raw Like Sushi on vinyl but it seems like an album that would sound perfect coming from a record player! I remember the album coming out on 5th June, 1989 and, whilst my memory as a six-year-old is spotty, it is a record that sounded pretty different to everything else that was out at the time. I have put Raw Like Sushi under the spotlight before but, now that it is thirty, I felt it warranted another spin. I will come to the modern output of Neneh Cherry in the final parts but, to start, it is worth looking at Raw Like Sushi and its impact in 1989. Whilst a few producers and musicians helped make Neneh Cherry’s debut a success – including her husband, Cameron McVey -, it is Cherry’s unique and incredible talent that shines from every note. In a year where some stunning Pop and Hip-Hop was thrilling people, there was some wonderful R&B working in the mix. It is amazing to think of all the epic albums that arrived in 1989 and how, in its way, Raw Like Sushi slipped right in.

Whereas Cherry was tackling big subjects like the inner-city and men who need to do some growing up, there was an accessibility and common touch that meant the songs connected with fans and critics alike. One reason why Raw Like Sushi impacted in 1989 and sounds fresh now is because of all the sound pollination and how genres are spliced together. Cherry brings together brass, guitars and myriad sounds to create this wonderful spritz and explosion. Cherry, even that young, was talking about her experiences of motherhood and her own upbringing. Not many artists have that sort of experience and background – giving Neneh Cherry more clout and depth when it came to her songs. It is clear that, whereas her contemporaries such as Madonna (her debut arrived in 1983) went in quite commercial and safe, Cherry was pushing boundaries and digging deep right off the bat. I guess there was something about the late-1980s that inspired artists to be bold and challenging. I mentioned how Hip-Hop was reaching heights in terms of scope; sampling was common and the lyrics being addressed by artists were a lot more eye-opening than what was happening in Pop. Cherry, whereas she might have been marketed more in a Pop vein, had more in common with the Alternative bands and Hip-Hop artists that ruled 1989. I have talked a lot about the album’s themes and strengths and, at the time, Raw Like Sushi resonated.

Critics in 1989 saw this bold and brilliant artist come through whose music was dizzying and electric. Contemporary reviews are ecstatic and it seems that, almost thirty years after its release, Raw Like Sushi is gold. AllMusic, in this review, had their opinions:

 “Those arguing that the most individualistic R&B and dance music of the late '80s and early to mid-'90s came out of Britain could point to Neneh Cherry's unconventional Raw Like Sushi as a shining example. An unorthodox and brilliantly daring blend of R&B, rap, pop, and dance music, Sushi enjoyed little exposure on America's conservative urban contemporary radio formats, but was a definite underground hit. Full of personality, the singer/rapper is as thought-provoking as she is witty and humorous when addressing relationships and taking aim at less-than-kosher behavior of males and females alike. Macho homeboys and Casanovas take a pounding on "So Here I Come" and the hit "Buffalo Stance," while women who are shallow, cold-hearted, or materialistic get lambasted on "Phoney Ladies," "Heart," and "Inna City Mamma." Cherry's idealism comes through loud and clear on "The Next Generation," a plea to take responsibility for one's sexual actions and give children the respect and attention they deserve”.

Pitchfork approached Raw Like Sushi from a slightly different perspective in their review:

 “Manchild,” the second track on the album, is probably the best example of Raw Like Sushi’s widescreen view; it reunites Cherry with Wild Bunch member Robert “3D” Del Naja, who by then had formed trip-hop collective Massive Attack. Anyone expecting something like “Buffalo Stance II” to be Sushi’s second single was probably surprised. Its shape-shifting, woozy synths, which floated in and out of keys, led and were led by Cherry’s soulful yet pointed vocal. She’s acting as the prodding yet sympathetic sage to a flailing other, rapping about “R-E-S-P-E and C-T” while chords quiver and hover.

Audacity was what made Raw Like Sushi such a thrilling album three decades ago, and it’s also a big part of why today it looms large, both as an example of musical possibility and as a totem of womanhood. The front of Raw Like Sushi shows Cherry in full-on Buffalo stance, her arms crossed, her gaze set, her pout square. Its back cover, however, shows Cherry in flight and lost in the music, her curls midair, her arms splayed—realizing the joy in pure possibility, and dancing along with it as fast as she can”.

It doesn’t get talked about much, but I do think a lot of Pop who arrived after Raw Like Sushi was released owe the album a lot. The way genres were mashed and that distinct Neneh Cherry quirkiness; I can hear that in artists today. Very few artists before Cherry were covering the sort of themes she was and I think her subsequent albums helped cement that quality and influence – 1992’s Homebrew and 1996’s Man were huge albums that saw Cherry grow and expand. I will finish with my own thoughts but, in this great retrospective from 2014, The Quietus dove into Raw Like Sushi:

“…Even today, Cherry remains one of the most disorientingly eclectic of artists. On her debut album, Raw Like Sushi (1989), most of the tracks are catchy yet confusingly dense, throwing us off with their mood changes and far-flung references. Her voice switches nationalities within a single breath; she can come across as a sage or a brat, sophisticated or cacklingly malicious. Her tough persona implies a straightforward approach to her craft, but what the music presents is harder to decipher.

When we get to the critique of the pimp and the girls, Cherry's voice is superior and strident; throughout the album, there tends to be a view of boys as dominated and unripe, while the girls are predatory, standing around "wearing padded bras, sucking beer through straws." Men may be limp, but these young women are even less sensual, with their lacquered lips pursed over a can. So this first part of the song is rather abject, with its hawking voice, and its allusions to gross female display.

Cherry and McVey's style is not the warm, full-bodied sound of R&B: it has a much more inorganic feel, favouring fizzy noise over the deep tones of funk or soul. 'Buffalo Stance' has a coiled, compressed sound; beats form little eddies and bubbles which correspond to the blooming digital shapes of the video. The synth is thin and airy, evoking something crude and mass-produced: that's what makes the track distinctive rather than generically tasteful. Audiences may expect great music to be rich and rootsy; Raw Like Sushi remains strange because its sound is exactly the opposite – bright, sharp and cold, a rejection of the past.

Although she clearly draws from a wealth of cultural influences, Neneh Cherry has never been anything so wholesome as a "world" artist. Released at a time when both hip-hop and sushi were considered alternative, this album still stuns with its unique take on rawness: not the fuzzy lo-fi kind, but a sound which is actually grating and alarming to the ear. Raw Like Sushi is proof that great albums don't have to take on heroic structures; the record's most distinguishing feature is its exploration of superficiality and tackiness on both sonic and verbal levels. Instead of a sense of grandeur or orchestration, transcendence is achieved through an accumulation of small detail: a sampled screech, the odd tinny note, an image of tiny-mouthed women sucking through straws. Soulful phrases are combined with synthetic textures, so that each sound retains its own idiosyncrasy, rather than being refined into a whole”.

To me, Raw Like Sushi represents the introduction of an artist who startled the music world and opened minds. We can talk about the standout hits like Manchild and Buffalo Stance but there are also the more challenging and evocative tracks such as The Next Generation and Love Ghetto. I was very young when Raw Like Sushi came out but, through the 1990s, I followed Cherry closely and Raw Like Sushi gained new light. It is an album that does not sound dated and, every time I play it, I pick up fresh revelation and glory. It is a truly wonderful debut and, although Cherry has released some fantastic albums since 1989 (her latest, 2018’s Broken Politics, is exceptional), I do not think she has created anything as staggering and ambitious as Raw Like Sushi. I can spin these brash and wonderful songs but, as you play the whole album through, these other gems emerge. Neneh Cherry plays this year’s Glastonbury - and it will be a great opportunity for songs from Raw Like Sushi to reach new ears. I do wonder why Cherry wasn’t selected as a headliner this year but, with such a fine body of work under her belt, she will delight and excite those who are lucky enough to see her. If you have not heard Raw Like Sushi, make sure you listen to it and experience this phenomenal album. On Wednesday, it turns thirty and I do think it warrants fresh inspection and praise. 1989 produced some world-class and iconic albums but, riding high in the pack, is Neneh Cherry’s…

 PHOTO CREDIT: David Burton

IMMENSE and timeless debut.

FEATURE: Female Icons: Part Five: Stevie Nicks

FEATURE:

 

 

Female Icons

 PHOTO CREDIT: Peggy Sirota

Part Five: Stevie Nicks

__________

I think there are fewer finer female artists…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Stevie Nicks is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time/PHOTO CREDIT: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

than Stevie Nicks but, as she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March, I am keen to spotlight her now. It seems that, decades after she came into music, Nicks’ career is going to new heights. She has the same confidence and passion she had back in the 1970s and there is no slowing this incredible artist. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was a monumental achievement because, as Ultimate Classic Rock reported, it was the first time a woman was inducted twice:

“Stevie Nicks became the first woman to ever be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice during an exciting and emotional ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn tonight.

The singer celebrated her remarkable achievement by performing several of her classic tracks to kick off the ceremony, including duets with surprise guest Don Henley ("Leather and Lace") and Harry Styles, the former One Direction member who inducted her ("Stop Draggin' My Heart Around)." "She is forever current, she is forever Stevie," Styles said. "On Halloween, one in seven people dress as Stevie Nicks."

Nicks was previously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 as a member of Fleetwood Mac. She becomes the 23rd person to be enshrined for a second time, but is the first woman to do so. By earning her second induction, this time for her solo work, Nicks hopes to have blazed a trail for future female honorees.

PHOTO CREDIT: Classic Rock Magazine/2011 Future Publishing/Getty Images  

"I'm opening the door for other women" to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a nervous-sounding Nicks said from the stage, after receiving a standing ovation. Her speech resembled her between-song banter at her solo gigs, bringing in charming anecdotes about her life.

She also talked about working with Fleetwood Mac -- "My amazing band is still together and very strong today" -- and reminisced on how Tom Petty gave her "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" for her debut solo LP Bella Donna after it was determined the record didn't have a single. "Problem solved!" she said of getting the future hit.

She wrapped up her speech by noting, “If you ever need a keynote speaker, somebody to talk to, somebody to talk to a group of people, I am your girl”.

There has been a lot of change and movement in the Fleetwood Mac camp the past few months. One of their leads, Lindsey Buckingham – and former lover of Nicks – was fired from the band. The official reason is not really clear or straight but it appears like Buckingham wanted to delay touring with Fleetwood Mac to work on his solo album. Maybe that clash of priorities led to Buckingham’s dismissal but it seems like there was this power struggle between Buckingham and Nicks – the two have been on different plains since Fleetwood Mac recorded Rumours in 1976.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Fleetwood Mac being interviewed in 1975/PHOTO CREDIT: Polaris

The ripples were in the water during that album but, to me, that record is the one where Stevie Nicks truly shone bright. She and Buckingham appeared in Fleetwood Mac on the band’s eponymous album of 1975 and, since then, the band was given a new lease. Not that this new incarnation improved the band but, before Nicks, there was a gap and need for this rare voice. Christine McVie was (and is to this day) a stunning singer with Fleetwood Mac but Nicks brought new dynamics and colours to the group. The fact there was another female artist in the band meant there was a chance to broaden the material and take the band in a new direction. I love what Nicks provided back in 1975 and how much of an impression she made on the music. Crystal and Landslide are brilliant songs for sure but, to me, the standout of Fleetwood Mac is the beautiful Rhiannon. It glides and grooves; it sways and breathes with beauty and grace. It is a stunning song and one that announced this truly wonderful and unique spirit. One pictures Nicks – especially in the 1970s – and gets this vision of a woman who was very free and alive; this very spiritual, sensual and physical woman who was like nobody else in the industry. It must have taken some adapting in Fleetwood Mac, I guess, but you only need listen to Rhiannon to know that Nicks was born to play with them.

I guess Buckingham inspired the band to create more depth and helped add Blues touches to their palette. If Buckingham helped give greater confidence to Nicks and McVie, it is obvious Nicks ran with that and showed how strong she was. She was given a boost by Buckingham but that talent was innate and ingrained: she was always sensational and, at last, here was her chance to run wild. Despite the fact her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham was on/off whilst recording Rumours, the two did find some peace and common ground when working on songs together. I get two different impressions when I think about Fleetwood Mac and the Rumours sessions. Many of the songs were written solo and the band members were spending a lot of time apart – one imagines after dark there was more ‘bonding’ and letting loose. Buckingham was taking care of a lot of the production and, because of that, one wonders how much he was listening to Nicks. Maybe there were moment of musical harmony but, personally, the two were in their own camps. To be fair, other relationships in the band were falling apart – Christine and John McVie were going through dislocation and Mick Fleetwood was going through some trouble too. Nicks, dedicated to writing and creating the best music possible, is responsible for some of Rumours’ best moments. I think Dreams is one of the finest pieces of music ever committed to tape.

One can analyse the song to death but, in terms of the themes addressed on Rumours, there is that split between optimism and personal breakups. Think about Buckingham’s Go Your Own Way (directed at Nicks) and Christine McVie’s Don’t Stop (a message of hope and resilience). Not only is Dreams one of Nicks’ best vocals and compositions but the lyrics demand attention and love. I sort of sense a slight defeat where she can feel the strains of the band and life getting on top of her but, against it all, one listens to the song and feels revived and strong. It is a wonderful song with hidden messages, moments that make you second-guess and a chorus that makes the senses hum. That is not the only slice of gold on Rumours from Nicks. She, along with the rest of the band, wrote The Chain but there are two songs on the second side that strike me: I Don’t Want to Know and Gold Dust Woman. The former is a bit of a strange story. Another song, Silver Springs, was going to be included on Rumours but it was replaced. There was rankle and Nicks was annoyed that she was going to have only a couple of songwriting credits on the album. In the end, she was okay because she liked her performance on I Don’t Want to Know – a song that predates the album and is one her and Buckingham and Nicks had in their bag when they were recording as a duo. Gold Dust Woman, as Nicks has claimed in interviews, was about cocaine – how everyone was doing it back in those days.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Herbert W. Worthington 

The take we hear on Rumours was, as reports go, recorded at 4 a.m. and followed many attempts to get the final take down – a long night in the studio where tensions were running a little high. There were some odd instruments used on the recording and it was said Nicks wore a black veil over her head when laying down her vocal. It was definitely a ‘memorable’ recording and one that sort of summed up the turbulence and magic of Rumours. I do wonder whether anyone will do a biopic about Fleetwood Mac during Rumours because it is one of the most fascinating from all of music. This band was pulling in different directions, personally, but there was this great unity when it came to the songs. Maybe Nicks was not too happy having so few of her songs on Rumours but I think her few contributions are among the strongest in the set. By 1979’s double-album, Tusk, the band had a huge weight of critical love behind them and, whilst their personal lives were still the subject of much scrutiny, they continued to make this amazing music. Nicks’ input on Tusk is incredible and, if she was still fighting (a bit) for more say, you have to admire the music that poured from her. I really love Sisters of the Moon and Storms but it is Sara – she loved the letter ‘s’ by the sounds of it! – that stands out from that album. Showcasing what a nimble and prolific talent Nicks was, this is another song that demands interpretation and close inspection.

There is some debate as to where the song comes from: Mick Fleetwood claims it might have been a reference to an affair he had with Nicks; some say it is a reference to Nicks having an abortion when she was with Don Henley (and the fact that she loved the name Sara for a girl). I will skip through a lot of the Fleetwood Mac back catalogue but, when it comes to the golden time, one must look at Rumours and Tusk. It is clear Stevie Nicks had to endure a lot of turmoil and strain during that time and things were not smooth for her. This enigmatic figure who was beautiful, graceful yet fierce, I do wonder what could have been if things were different in Fleetwood Mac – if she was given more say or there was less struggle between her and Buckingham. If Nicks helped create some of Fleetwood Mac’s best songs, her solo career allowed her greater autonomy and freedom. Take her debut of 1981, Bella Donna. Critically acclaimed and respected, songs like After the Glitter Fades and Edge of Seventeen are stone-cold classics – the latter had its riff sampled by Beyoncé to great effect! Nicks was recording these solo albums between Fleetwood Mac releases and tours. It is amazing she had the stamina and inspiration to keep recording but it seemed like her solo work provided this safer space and chance to try a slightly different sound.

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Some of Nicks’ solo work of the 1980s and 1990s did not fare too well with critics but I love 2011’s In Your Dreams. The reviews were largely positive and I am particularly struck by AllMusic’s interpretation:

“Perhaps it’s all down to Stevie Nicks being at peace with her legacy, perhaps she was coaxed back toward the ‘70s by producer David A. Stewart, perhaps it’s the presence of Lindsey Buckingham on “Soldier’s Angel,” or perhaps it’s the fact that she excavated a 1976 song called “Secret Love” for this album, but In Your Dreams is Stevie’s first solo album to embrace the sound of Fleetwood Mac at their prime. Nicks never exactly ran away from the Mac, but her ‘80s solo hits were tempered by a steely demeanor and her subsequent solo albums strove too hard to recapture the magic that In Your Dreamsconjures so easily. Despite the quite deliberate connections to her past, In Your Dreams never feels labored; the hippie folk drifts into the mystic pop, punctuated by some witchy rock that may be polished a bit too sharply by Stewart, yet he manages to keep everything warm despite its cleanliness. Stewart’s real coup is focus: he keeps everything tight and purposeful, letting each element snugly fit together so In Your Dreams winds up capturing the essence of Stevie Nicks, which -- as her previous three decades of solo albums prove -- is no easy feat”.

Her last solo album, 2014’s 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault, included new versions of demos that Nicks primarily recorded between 1969 and 1987 and was another successful recording.

I do wonder whether there is going to be more solo material from Nicks over the next year or two because she keeps evolving and proving why she is so loved. One of these songwriters who is never short of inspiration and energy, you can understand why she was inducted into the Rock &vRoll Hall of Fame twice! It seems like Stevie Nicks is the same woman she was when she first joined Fleetwood Mac. She looks no older but, maybe a bit wiser, let’s hope Nicks keeps touring and recording for many years to come. I want to end with an interview Nicks gave earlier in the year with Rolling Stone where she discussed her legacy, work and relentless energy. I want to bring in a few questions that captured me and the answers Nicks gave:

“Congratulations on the Hall of Fame. How is it different going in the second time?

It’s 22 to zero. It’s 22 guys that have gone in twice to zero women — Eric Clapton is probably in there 22 times already! So maybe this will open the doors for women to fight to make their own music.

You’re one of the few rock stars with both a band and a solo career.

My solo career is much more girlie. It’s still a hard rock band — but it’s much more girlie-girl than Fleetwood Mac is. I never wanted a solo career — I always wanted to be just in a band. But I just had so many songs! Because when you’re in a band with three prolific writers, you get two or three songs per album — maybe four. But I was writing all the time, so they just went into my Gothic trunk of lost songs.

Christine would walk by me — my totally sarcastic best friend. She’d say [imitation of Christine McVie’s English accent] “Soooo. Writing another song, are we?” To this day, I write all the time. I have a poem that I’ve written about Game of Thrones, and I have a really beautiful poem that I’m writing about Anthony Bourdain.

But you still never slow down. You’re in the middle of a Fleetwood Mac world tour.

At the ripe and totally young age of 70, my voice hasn’t changed. As long as I take care of myself, I am still going to be doing this when I’m 80. There’s so many things I want to do. I want to do another record. I want to make a mini-series. If the coven reforms, I want to go back to American Horror Story. I tell myself, “Do it now, because you’re spry, you’re in good shape, you can still do the splits, you can still dance onstage and wear a short skirt and high six-inch heels.”

It’s a time right now when women are changing the world and changing music. What was it like when you first joined a band?

Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, Grace Slick — that was the beginning. I met Lindsey in 1966. Two years later, I joined his band. That was it — that was San Francisco music, Janis, Jimi Hendrix, Buffalo Springfield. Our band, the band I was in with Lindsey, we opened for that huge-ass group Chicago, with Bill Graham standing on the side of the stage. That night was the only time in my life I was heckled—some guy out in the audience went, “Hey baby. What are you doing later? You want to come home with me?” Bill Graham walked out on the stage and screamed at this guy and told him to get the f-u-c-k out and never come back. Basically, “If I ever see you again, I will kill you.” I didn’t know Bill Graham. A good five years later, I reminded him of that night and he remembered. He said, “Yeah, I don’t let that happen.”

IN THIS PHOTO: Stevie Nicks performing in 1981/PHOTO CREDIT: Clayton Call/Redferns  

What’s it like to hear the new female pop stars who idolize you?

That makes me happy because I didn’t ever have children, but I feel like I have a lot of daughters. I love Vanessa Carlton. She’s like my younger, younger, younger sister — like if my dad had divorced my mother and married a really younger woman, then had Vanessa. I’m so much older than her, but yet there’s such a little silken thread between the two of us when it comes to music. I have that with Natalie Maines, LeAnn Rimes, Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum”.

There are some true female icons in music but there are few as big and respected as Stevie Nicks. She is a wonderful human who is hitting the road with Fleetwood Mac and will be busy this year – keep abreast of the Fleetwood Mac social media pages and see where she and the band are heading. I love the way she goes about life and how she has managed to inspire generations of artists. She is this super-cool person who is far deeper and more interesting than her peers and, when it comes to music, nobody has the same magic and oddity as she! Stevie Nicks is a treasure and heroine who has done so much to move music forward; so many great songs that we all know and love. Whereas some of her contemporaries look like slowing down and calling time, the immortal Stevie Nicks…

PHOTO CREDIT: Randee St Nicholas

WILL go on forever.

FEATURE: Dime Quarter Nickle Penny: Following News the Music Industry Is to Receive a Big Windfall, Is It an Opportunity for Growth and Artist Compensation?

FEATURE:

 

 

Dime Quarter Nickle Penny

PHOTO CREDIT: @agent_illustrateur/Unsplash

Following News the Music Industry Is to Receive a Big Windfall, Is It an Opportunity for Growth and Artist Compensation?

__________

FOR many years…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @sam_truong/Unsplash

we are being told that, when it comes to money in music, there is not a lot around. Maybe that is a simplification but, in terms of established and new artists, there is a divide. Maybe mainstream acts who accrue a lot of views and streams online can make a living from their music but it seems, for everyone else, the reality is quite bleak. I think, even if an artist does get a lot of love online, the amount of money that comes their way is pretty meagre. The artist is the one who does all of the work and it seems, more and more, it is the label that gets most of the money. In terms of where most artists get their money from, I think merchandise and touring is more lucrative than streaming. That said…there is news that music industry experts – whatever they are! – say there is a windfall arriving. Because of the booming business we are seeing on sites like Spotify; the way the industry is turning right now, there is a lot more money in the kitty. I was reading an article that appeared on Pitchfork that predicted this boom. As is highlighted in the piece, it seems that record labels might enjoy the lion’s share:

“In recent years, several financial institutions have predicted record labels will soon be celebrating annual revenues that begin to approach, if not surpass, their late-1990s peaks: What was an inflation-adjusted $25 billion-per-year business before the millennium could bring in more than $41 billion annually by 2030, according to Goldman Sachs. The biggest record label out there, Universal Music Group, which was bought by French conglomerate Vivendi for $32 billion in 2000, before the CD market crashed, is now speculated to be worth up to $50 billion.

PHOTO CREDIT: @gabrielgurrola/Unsplash

The market is America and the U.K. is quite similar and, when it comes to the amount of money a professional can make, the figures are quite shocking:

A recent survey by the on-profit Music Industry Research Association found that the median income for an American professional musician in 2017, when the industry was already rebounding, was around $35,000. Of that, only $21,300 came from activity related to music, including live gigs, streaming, and merch. For everyday professional musicians, live shows were the most common source of income in 2017; the median amount earned was just $5,427. Most survey respondents said they don’t earn enough from music to cover their living expenses.

That wage might sound pretty okay but you have to remember, when you tally that against living costs and everyday expenses, does that leave you a lot? So many artists are breaking their backs and working ridiculous hours. It is the physical side of the industry – the touring and promotion – that seems to reap the greatest reward: conversely, it can take the most out of that artist in terms of their physical and mental wellbeing. I urge people to read the article on Pitchfork’s website because it makes for very illuminating and detailed reading – they break down the revenue artists earn and where that comes from (touring, ringtones and that sort of thing). There is a lot to be said for earing revenue through streaming but one has to wonder whether too much of the pie is going to the labels.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @bahiapictures/Unsplash

Are we going to see a time when more of the revenue from streaming goes to the artist directly? Pitchfork found out and it seems, happily, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel:

According to the artists, managers, label executives, and industry observers I spoke with for this piece, streaming is transforming the music business in a way that should allow certain artists to keep a bigger share of the earnings from what they create. And yet, just as it’s been throughout the history of recorded music, most of the money will not go to artists

To that end, the Music Industry Research Association’s survey of working musicians suggests that streaming will have a long way to go before most artists can rely on it to pay the bills: Only 28 percent of the survey respondents indicated they made any money from streaming royalties in 2017, with the median amount totaling just $100. “If all of us just do this for free, these things will not exist,” says Katie Alice Greer, singer for rock trio Priests and co-founder of the indie label Sister Polygon. She tells me that although her imprint has tended to enjoy strong physical sales relative to its size, streaming revenue remains negligible”.

We are in an age where streaming seems to dominate and we see these ridiculous figures. A big artist might get several million streams for their latest hit and you’d think, with that sort of scope, they’d be in for some serious cash! It does seem that the physical product is more reliable when it comes to generate money – it makes me wonder whether streaming services need to think about the way they distribute revenue and whether everyone should be charged for using these services.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @fimpli/Unsplash

I do think the news regarding an upswing warrants some celebration. Billions of dollars’ worth of revenue is expected to go into the industry and, whereas the artists are the ones doing the heavy lifting, let’s hope that the labels and bosses do not get too much! So many people I know look at the realities of being in the industry and fear they cannot afford to play and live – the realities of balancing a career in music and living. Smaller artists do not have the luxury of big labels and have to invest a lot of their own money into their careers. I would like to see the projects billions not only going to the artists but I think, going forward, we need to evaluate streaming services and negotiate a fairer deal for musicians. I do think a lot more needs to be done, in the U.S. and U.K., to preserve venues to ensure artists have a place to perform. I also think that mental and physical health issues are impacting heavily on the industry. Ensuring there is some sort of organisation or body that monitors artists and provides a safe space is essential. There are great charities out there but I would like to see a much more hands-on approach to protect artists and not put too much burden on their shoulders. Essentially, as so much of the money is coming from artists’ brilliant work, more cash needs to get into their pockets. It is obvious that financial demands and stresses and putting a huge pressure on artists and that can have a devastating effect.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @austindistel/Unsplash

I am not suggesting the windfall the industry will receive can transform things and make artists, small and mainstream, wealthy and secure – I do not think that reality is possible. This predicted windfall, combined with a greater effort to ensure those who use streaming services pay for the music, can help create equity and a fairer deal for artists. Music is, of course, more than streaming and online popularity. There is the touring lifestyle and putting out physical products; getting into the studio and promoting the work. Given the fact (it is forecast) billions will be readied and waiting, maybe having a worldwide music body, one that designates money where it is needed, would be beneficial. It would be like the Red Cross for the music industry: having this central reserve and then disseminating portions of that money where it is needed would be great. I feel like the concerns around profitability in music is hampering the next generation. Many feel that there is no use recording music because you spend more than you earn. To be honest, money alone cannot ensure that every artist in the world is secure and safe: someone, somewhere is going to struggle and there are too many artists right now to make this utopia a reality. That, in itself, is depressing but you cannot throw money in every direction and expect everything to be solved.

More money comes from fan funding and live performance than it ever will from streaming – a platform where you can reach more people and get more exposure, ironically. Those who only have a small collection of fans are not privy to the benefits of streaming revenue. I think, with more money being injected, maybe making sure upcoming artists are at least slightly better off would be a good step. It is hard to make sure that the money generated goes to those most deserving. It is obvious that there is this big divide regarding which areas of money earn every artist the most (touring and fans) and how streaming revenue is distributed – too much to the labels and bosses and not enough to the humans who actually make the magic happen! I am pleased that there is a lot of good news regarding revenue and modern music. Wherever the finance goes, it shows that more people are experiencing music and there are plenty of options regarding strengthening and diversifying music – making sure there is a safety net for venues, artists and creatives. Not since the 1990s has there been this swell and sense of resurgence, it appears. I have every faith that those charged with sowing financial seeds in music’s wide and rich landscape will make the right decisions. Whilst we can rejoice regarding the financial forecast I implore those who have the power to remember the importance of the artist and ensure that enough money…

PHOTO CREDIT: @thisisramiro/Unsplash

GOES their way.