TRACK REVIEW: Michael Kiwanuka - You Ain’t the Problem

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Michael Kiwanuka

You Ain’t the Problem

9.5/10

 

 

The track, You Ain’t the Problem, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yEeF65NnyI

GENRE:

Indie-Rock

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

13th August, 2019

The album, Kiwanuka, is available from 25th October. Pre-order here:

https://michaelkiwanuka.lnk.to/KiwanukaPreOrderWE

LABEL:

Polydor Limited

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THIS year has been a pretty…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @jodie_canwell

eclectic and wonderful one for music. I have loved the sheer scope and brilliance of what has come and, with a few months to go until the end of 2019, there is plenty more on the horizon! Before I look at Michael Kiwanuka’s new track, You Ain’t the Problem, I want to talk about the artist as someone who has developed and evolved since the start; soulful and powerful voices that get into the soul and can summon huge emotion; inspiring figures who are sending out great messages that make you think; albums of 2019 and why Kiwanuka will be in the running; shifting the focus back on London and the music coming out of here – I will end with a bit on Kiwanuka and where he might be heading. Every artist goes through development and change but, for Michael Kiwanuka, there has been this definite shift. I love his debut album, Home Again, from 2012 and it is an album that gives his wonderful and rich voice a lot to get its teeth into. The songs, I guess, nodded to 1970s Soul music and it is a very pleasant and warm album. One of the things that critics picked up on was the lack of urgency in the music. I guess there was this feeling (in the songs) that the mood was quite calm and the album as a whole was a personal thing. By that, I mean Kiwanuka was writing from the heart but there was not the same sort of awareness and urgency he would display on his follow-up album, Love & Hate. Actually, the change between albums is similar when we look at Leon Bridges. Like Kiwanuka, the American artist showed promise on his 2015 debut, Coming Home, but it was seen (by critics and some) as a bit underwhelming in places and lacking that real spark. He stepped up for last year’s Good Thing and Kiwanuka created this wonderful step forward on Love & Hate. Unlike his debut album, Kiwanuka was writing with more energy and though-provoking sentiments.

Four years from his debut, Kiwanuka was writing about his own life but doing so in a more socially conscious way. Songs like Cold Little Heart are stunning and it runs at over ten minutes in length – what a way to start an album! Black Man in a White World is the hero looking at himself as a black man in a world that seems strange and lonely. A lot of critics responded to the improved and bolder Kiwanuka and, in the space of a single album, he really came into his own! His music is becoming more strident and striking with every release. His debut has personal touches and strong songs but I think it was Kiwanuka taking from his influences and the music he grew up around. Now, he is reflecting the wider world and stepping away from pure Soul and splicing Indie-Rock and other genres to create a much more exciting, passionate and memorable sound. I know every artist changes and goes through these dips and rises through a career; Kiwanuka has vastly grown and strengthened and is still purging forward. Kiwanuka (or KIWANUKA) is released on 25th October and shows signs of being a real contender for album of 2019. You Ain’t the Problem shows Kiwanuka is one of the strongest songwriters in the country and someone whose can make an huge impact with his voice alone. I think it is amazing to see how far Michael Kiwanuka has come and just what he can achieve. He is only on album three so it is amazing to think where he can go from here! I shall allude to that in the conclusion but, before doing so, I need to cover a few more subjects. It is still wonderful looking at Kiwanuka and this determined young man who wants his music to touch lives and inspire people. He is definitely doing that and is someone who has a lot of years ahead of him. I do think a lot of artists have great songs but, perhaps, their voice lacks the sort of prowess and nuance you desire.

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When it comes to Kiwanuka, there are no such problems! I guess it all comes back to his influences and some of the classic Soul heroes. I am not sure exactly what sort of artists Kiwanuka grew up around but you can hear embers of the legends; a soulfulness that gets into the bones and Gospel touches that take you somewhere special. As his latest track, Money (a collaboration with Tom Misch) showed, he can also do a bit of Disco. Kiwanuka is a stunning singer who can make his words come alive and stay in the memory. I am trying to think of another vocalist who has the same sort of palette and range as Kiwanuka. I do think a lot of today’s more urgent music relies on lyrical meaning and force and, whilst this is great, I am not as captivated by the voice as I used to be. A lot of my favourite albums and songs are defined by incredible vocal performances and there are not quite the same singers as you had in the past. There are some fantastic singers coming through on the scene right now – Anna Calvi is a particular favourite – but very few that leave such a lasting impression. Michael Kiwanuka is an artist who can buckle the knees and leave you wanting more. His voice was rich and enticing on Home Again but, as some noted, he was holding back a bit. Listen back to that album and you sense this beauty and immense promise but it was not until Love & Hate when everything sort of came to the fore. Maybe it was the fact there was a gap between albums and Kiwanuka had time to hone his voice. He toured a lot off of the back of the debut and it all shows on the sophomore release. Love & Hate is a tremendous album and one that displays the full extent of Kiwanuka’s voice.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Ian Laidlaw

I am not sure how many of today’s artists Kiwanuka is influenced by but I get the sense older artists are more important. What affects me most about Kiwanuka is the fact he can mix the classic Soul sounds but has this real edge and fire. When he is digging deep and talking about his place in the world, you are sort of startled and moved by the passion coming from him. It is a revelation listening to this singer sort of unburden himself and call out. I will not go as far to say it is a prayer but you sort of get this spiritual element from his work. Kiwanuka is an always-growing artist who is adding layers and qualities to his voice. Not to say his lyrics and music lack but, when it comes to Kiwanuka, it is the voice that really gets to me! I can hear one of his songs and keep coming back because the vocal performance has that balance of complexity and directness. That is a blend you do not often hear and I do think, if you have not discovered Michael Kiwanuka, you need to get behind his music. He is an amazing artist and I feel like he has many more albums under his belt. Today, there are very few singers who you feel could be considered future legends. That is not a shot at them but, when we think of the best voices ever, we often cast our minds back quite a few years. I feel Michael Kiwanuka, in years to come, will inspire other generations and have his voice studied. You get so much emotion and different colours when you hear him sing. I can listen to a track such as One More Night (from Love & Hate) and get all these feelings; a sort of effect that you do not get from other singers. Kiwanuka puts his all into everything and that really tells. I feel Kiwanuka’s work has become more conscious of the world around us and important things we need to consider.

His debut was quite a personal work but I feel it could have been a bit more stirring and outward-looking in places. As I said, this was rectified by Love & Hate and it seems like his upcoming album is going to be another triumph. It is a bit early to call the best albums of 2019 but, when Kiwanuka is unveiled to the world, I feel it will be in the chasing pack. Before moving on, I actually want to bring in an interview Kiwanuka conducted with NME very recently where he talks about subjects like social media and how it can be toxic – NME looked at the eponymous third album and what it is going to say:

 “Michael Kiwanuka self-titling his upcoming third album is more of a statement than most make when releasing an eponymous record. His is a name that was constantly mispronounced at school in North London’s Muswell Hill. Then, when his music career was kicking off, people asked him what name he was going to release the songs under. From the man whose first big hit came in the form of a song called ‘Black Man In A White World’, it’s something that’s coloured his entire career. Stepping out, then, with the follow-up to a chart-topping, Mercury-nominated second album, and naming it after his ‘difficult’ surname, means a lot. He’s even written it in all-caps, too, as if to hammer the point home even further. ‘KIWANUKA’.
To outsiders, it would seem like this big step should’ve arrived years ago for the celebrated songwriter, but the lack of acceptance he received (and then consequently gave himself) from childhood means it’s a significantly longer road to this kind of revelation. As such, ‘KIWANUKA’ is a record that feels like a vivid, proud exhale, created with the energy of an artist who can finally be himself, with nothing filtered out.
“Comparison is really dangerous,” he says, reflecting on the process of learning to celebrate and accentuate his flaws rather than cut them out and head towards a more homogenised version of himself. “I think we’ve underestimated it, and because of the internet and the resources we have, it’s really prevalent. With things like anxiety and depression – things that are becoming epidemics, especially within young people – a lot of it is coming from filters and Instagram posts, and the idea of ‘living your best life’.

“It’s fun, and it’s part of the world, but I think we need to find a way to balance it, and know that what you see on the internet is such a small fraction of the story. We need to learn to take care of ourselves a bit more. That’s not to become narcissistic,” he continues, “but to realise that we’re made how we’re made, and it’s amazing. Humans are really great things, and we’re all different and made in different shapes and sizes, and that’s something to be celebrated, not filtered out and diluted”.

The fact that KIWANUKA (although I am going to use lower-case as one can write it both ways) is going to be in bold lettering – a lot of artists are doing this and I guess it is meant to convey passion and power – shows Kiwanuka himself is keen to get out some big songs. He is still going to be reflecting his own life and feelings but, like Love & Hate, he is looking at the world around and asking some questions. Looking at some of the interview above and, when Kiwanuka talks about the difference between social media and real life, it does inspire. There are artists speaking out against social media’s damaging effects and how it can cause depression and anxiety. I like the fact Kiwanuka is raising awareness and knows how the modern world can give a false impression. Many of us live through social media and rely on filters and misleading perceptions. Kiwanuka is sort of saying the Internet can be good but there is a danger of being sucked into a rather dangerous space. The world itself has a lot to offer and I think we all need to get out there more and explore. I am not sure how much of modern culture and social media will be dissected on his upcoming album but it is clear Kiwanuka is concerned out topics like this and wants us to rethink. I will be interesting seeing how all his passion and inspirations manifest themselves on this third album.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @jodie_canwell

I did say how it is early regarding album predication and what defines this year but there has been nothing like Michael Kiwanuka in music recently. A lot of this year’s best albums are from women; many are from popular young bands but there is a definite gap for Michael Kiwanuka. Maybe it all comes back to his voice and what it can do but I feel like there is an opportunity for the London-born songwriter to strike hard. He has been away from a few years in terms of albums but Kiwanuka has been honing and building his voice; he has been looking at the world around him and bringing this all the fore. I love You Ain’t the Problem and what is suggests. Kiwanuka has brought in new lyrical and compositional touches and it is fascinating seeing this brilliant young songwriter explore and evolve. Although there is a couple of months left before we get Kiwanuka’s third album, I feel like there will be more material out; a chance to see what direction he is moving in and what we might get. With a definite sense of purpose and passion (sorry to keep using that word) in his heart, I think Kiwanuka is going to release this huge, year-defining album. I think Love & Hate is a magnificent record but Kiwanuka will be even bigger and better. That is a bold proclamation but I do sense this tremor coming. Before we get to the album, there is this great song out. I have been a fan of Kiwanuka since the start and this review gives me a chance to talk about a London artist. Hailing from Muswell Hill, Kiwanuka is London through and through. I have sort of tried to distance myself from the capital in terms of reviews because I think a lot of media spotlight comes the way of London – so many other areas do not get a look in. Whilst there is terrific music coming from Manchester, Brighton and Glasgow, one cannot ignore the brilliance emanating from London.

From artists like Kiwanuka to poetical forces such as Kate Tempest, it is clear London is vital and the centre of British music. With the nation so divided and things being pretty strained right now, I do think London music has a very big role to play. Kiwanuka lives in a city that is changing and going through some tough times. There is a lot violence and division and, whilst there are a lot of positives, one cannot help but notice a change in the air. That is not to say Kiwanuka’s forthcoming album will be political but he is an artist who takes from what is around him and reflects the lives of people he sees. He will walk the streets and notice a different vibe to the one he grew up around. London is still proud and strong but I myself sense a slight fear and sadness in places that is hard to stomach. Rather than become downbeat and rejected, Kiwanuka is actually writing some of the most uplifting and inspiring music of his career. Even when he is in reflective mood, Kiwanuka is capable of stirring the soul and summoning something deep-down. I wonder how London will change in the next few years and whether Brexit will damage the diverse ecosystem and climate. It will be interesting to see but I am finding so many fantastic artists from the capital reflecting this shift and the feeling that is lingering. I shall move on to You Ain’t the Problem in a second but, before then, I want to get people to think about Kiwanuka as a future legend. If you have not heard a lot of his music then rectify that. I think he is very special and is a unique wonder that we need to treasure. Having heard interviews with him, Kiwanuka is very grounded and personable; he is very warm and someone that is as accessible as he is inspiring. It is about time I get to focus and work my way through Kiwanuka’s amazing new song, You Ain’t the Problem.

The build-up on You Ain’t the Problem is fascinating. Rather than go straight in there or have the vocal swoop, there are background sounds and percussive groove. It is almost like you are listening to a big conversation through a door; maybe the distant sounds of the street or something else. It is hard to describe but there are lower-volume voices and a sense of chatter that gives the track a busy and evocative start. There are percussive patters and beats that has this sense of cool and groove and, together with the voices, it is such an interesting start. Kiwanuka is a master of the intriguing introductions and allows songs to breathe and inspire. You get this real sense of scenery and life before a single word is uttered from the hero. Before you immerse yourself in the soft voices and a sense of calm, this vibrating and electric-shock blast comes through that definitely bucks you up and takes you by surprise. Having moved from this street-level sound to a lightning blast, you are starting to wonder where the song might head next! The composition is thrilling indeed and has a real energy that is hard to ignore! There are backing vocals and raw guitar which gives the song a huge weight and punch. It is a fantastic blend and sound that really does blow you away. There is so much life in the music that you are filled with a sense of strength and awe. When Kiwanuka comes to the microphone, his words are delivered with definite meaning and speed. He is asking who he believes in and posing these big questions. It is interesting seeing the combination of oblique and direct lyrics. Early on, Kiwanuka living in the trouble and someone not believing him. I get the sense that he is referring to a personal pain or, maybe, a relationship that has ended. With all of Kiwanuka’s songs, there might be this reference to the wider world and how he is seen. Kiwanuka talks about time healing the pain and this person not being the problem.

 PHOTO CREDIT: yardmanflo

Whether, again, it is a sweetheart or a larger figure, I am not too sure. With every song, Kiwanuka’s voice holds this incredible power and stir that really does affect you. When he sings about not needing to die and not needing to play himself, you get this feeling and emotion from the delivery that other singers would not be able to project. Kiwanuka is someone who can change from the direct and clear to the more oblique and, here, we get someone who is sort of twisting words and phrases. You get a directness but actually there is room for interpretation; some of the lines leave a mystery and every listener will have their own conclusions. After delivering these curious and interesting words, we get another blast of horns, electronics and voices that punctuates the song beautifully. In some ways, Kiwanuka is combining some of this debut album with Love & Hate. The chorus bursts have elements of 1970s Soul but the lyrics are definitely more familiar to what we heard on Love & Hate. You Ain’t the Problem is a wonderful song that reveals more and more the more you listen. It seems this person – whether a lover, friend or a larger entity – is the one doing all the talking whilst the hero is trying to fix things. He points the gun and ‘they’ shoot for fun – one wonders who that refers to; some very striking images come to mind. You need a few listens to get inside the lyrics and immerse yourself in the flow. Later, Kiwanuka talks about how he used to hate himself and how someone has the key. Maybe he referring to his very early life or earlier in his career but there is this breakthrough and realisation. Kiwanuka definitely has some pains and weight on his heart but it seems like things are improving. I do wonder who is referring to through the song and where the lyrics stem from. Many of us will be able to relate to what he is saying but there is this room for guessing and interpretation. You Ain’t the Problem is a mighty song that proves Kiwanuka will be a very interesting album. I have listened to the song a few times and it grows more interesting and illuminating. I do sense Kiwanuka is tackling relationship issues but there is this essence of a man speaking out and looking at the world as a whole. In any case, make sure you check out this class song and pre-order the Kiwanuka album.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @jodie_canwell

The next few months are going to be very busy for Michael Kiwanuka. He is preparing himself for a new album and there will be the usual promotional duties. If you want to catch him perform live, then check out where he is heading. I suggest you go and see him if you can because Kiwanuka is a fantastic force and someone who can seduce and overpower from the stage. He is one of the best live acts we have in the U.K. and it will be exciting seeing some of his new material come to life on the stage. Kiwanuka comes out in October and many will wonder how he has changed and developed since Love & Hate. In terms of subject matter, I do think there is going to be that same blend of the personal and universal. Kiwanuka will address his place in the world and the realities of that; some of the problems we all face and, as the NME interview suggested, there will be mentions of social media lifestyles and how many of us live through machines. The fact his album is (semi)eponymous means there is a lot of the personal and meaningful. I wonder whether relationships and matters of the heart will feature. There is definite anticipation and excitement growing because, as I have mentioned, there is a void in the industry that only Kiwanuka can fill. He is one of the best artists around and always brings something golden and memorable. You Ain’t the Problem is a fantastic song that gets right into the mind and does not shift. Looking ahead and it seems there is no stopping the tremendous Michael Kiwanuka. He has so much determination and passion in his heart and I feel like he will continue to search and move forward. I shall end things there but I want to point people the way of Kiwanuka and his tremendous music. Make sure you grab a copy of Kiwanuka and let the sensational music do its thing. There are some simply staggering artists around but none that have the ingredients of Michael Kiwanuka. His music is motivating, illuminating and, at a tough and divided time…

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VERY valuable indeed.

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Follow Michael Kiwanuka

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FEATURE: Spotlight: The Murder Capital

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

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PHOTO CREDIT: CLASH/Getty Images 

The Murder Capital

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ALTHOUGH one should not lump bands together…

 IMAGE CREDIT: The Murder Capital

into a particular ‘scene’, it is clear the city of Dublin is producing some of music’s most interesting and appealing bands. It is thrilling seeing these fantastic artists emerge from a part of the world that is not always at the forefront of the media ‘a gaze. With an album, When I Have Fears, out today (make sure you grab a copy), it is the perfect time to throw some light on The Murder Capital. I am not the first (by any means!) to notice these Dublin boys: they have been lauded all over the place and I discovered them whilst listening to Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 6 Music. The band’s new album is terrific and, loathed as I am to match them to city-mates, I do think The Murder Capital and Fontaines D.C. are the finest new bands of the moment. Whilst one wants to distinguish Dublin bands on their own merits, there are some common patches: an honesty and distinct accent that gives the music edge and authenticity; an awareness of their changing city and important issues; a distinct drive and determination that is pleasing indeed. The Murder Capital are aware of how Dublin is shaping up and the fact a lot of older spaces are being replaced by new buildings and hotels. Whilst this does not form the core of their lyrical bent, the band are conscious of the changing skyline and how it is not always a good move – rather than evolution, perhaps it is more about money and attracting as many people to the city as possible.

In essence, I think The Murder Capital are fearful a beautiful city is losing some of its face, distinction and history. Before I continue, I want to bring in a few features about the band; those tipping them for big things. This article in The Guardian from a few months back goers into detail regarding The Murder Capital’s sound and dynamic:      

 “The band’s mix of businesslike dress and improvised choreography on stage is echoed in their music. Visually and sonically, it’s a thug’s pantomime, delivered with delicacy. It’s never just pure punk noise. Some songs reach back to Joy Division’s drum tattoos, interlocking with surging, wave-break bass. Pixies’ quiet-loud-quiet trick is in there, as are Shame and Savages, while PJ Harvey and the Bad Seeds infest tracks such as Green and Blue. But these are just reference points on a map of their own making. Mostly they thrust forward into the darkness”.

DIY spoke with the bad in the spring and noted how, here, we have a band who want to stick around for a long time to come:

 “Despite their fast trajectory, longevity is undoubtedly at the heart of The Murder Capital’s plan. “We knew [‘More Is Less’] was our opening statement, so we did think about what we wanted to say first,” James adds, “but if you’re doing it for any other reason than because you love it, and you’re trying to say something [forced] and connect with people in a certain kind of way, you’ll only get so far.”

Sharing a practice space with Fontaines DC and also taking encouragement from neighbours Girl Band, it’d be easy to lump The Murder Capital into a Dublin ‘scene’. But rather than producing a factory line of carbon copies, the city is instead fostering an inclusive, supportive network that’s spawning fantastic new bands from every corner of the guitar music spectrum. “I remember when Fontaines signed to Partisan,” states James. “I remember feeling a sense of pride for them, and then also it made [the idea of success] so close to home, and a realistic prospect. That’s what the scene is: it’s watching and pushing each other, with a fire under our arse at all times.”

“It’s trying to reach that fucked-up 15 year-old kid at home, alone, and change their perspective on something,” Damien sums up. Bolstered by grit, determination and passion, The Murder Capital’s reach to affect such change is growing by the minute”.

If you can catch them touring later in the year then make sure you grab a ticket as they are a hefty and memorable live proposition. There are a lot of real and gritty bands out at the moment who can match urgency with reflectiveness and tenderness. Maybe it is too early to call the best albums of 2019 but, with every week, something new rocks up that changes my rankings – it is quite a nightmare having to predict but maybe one needs to wait until the end of the year and take it all in.

Reviews are coming in for When I Have Fears. Back Seat Mafia were one of the first to review The Murder Capital’s album and had this to say:

 “This album is a deeply emotional expression of hurt and pain: sometimes delivered through an anarchic punk blast such as opening track ‘For Everything’, and sometimes through a layered slowly burning fuse of a track such as ‘On Twisted Ground’. The Murder Capital are as fresh and as creative as any of their peers, up there with fellow compatriots, the stupendous Fontaines DC. Perhaps both bands would get annoyed at constantly being mentioned in the same breath, but the beauty for the audience is that two such talented bands can co-exist at the same time from the same city and ignite the global music scene.

And when the band dials it down, such as on ‘On Twisted Ground’, it shows quite clearly it can dial it down. This is a gorgeous reflective song resting on a chorded bass and the hint of synths and back-tracked guitars and achingly beautiful vocals.

This album is ferocious and beautiful: it has the passion and the energy of classic post punk rock, yet is leavened by a poetic and delicate beauty. Guitars with the architectural build of a city skyscape, a spine of pure thunder and the emotional strength of the vocals that spits out veracity and passion. There is detectable an authenticity that very few bands can muster. The band recounts that the lyrics and even the band’s very name reference the suicide of a close friend: every single one of those lyrics relates back in some way to his death”.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Murder Capital with BBC Radio 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq/PHOTO CREDIT: @BBC6Music 

I am seeing so many interesting bands come through now. The scene has been heavy with solo artists the past few years and I think the band market is transforming. Once was the time when there were a lot of generic Indie and Rock bands that sounded alike but, now, we have a much more eclectic and inspiring wave; those who have some real messages (rather than generic hooks and lines) and a real sense of future-potential. The Murder Capital are making a great sound and look set to have a very long and busy career. Given the fact there are so many interesting bands emerging – and quite a fair few from Dublin – how does one sort the wheat from the chaff? The Murder Capital are brimming with personality and wisdom; they are funny and straight-talking and have the tunes to back up the hype. I will end with an interview they gave to Fred Perry where they were asked some very interesting questions:

“Describe your style in three words?

Hungover Cillian Murphy.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?

Francesca Woodman. Her photography has been of great inspiration to both us as individuals and to our writing.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?

Brudenell Social Club, Leeds - The decor felt like it had been the same since before Italia ’90. We didn’t know whether the lads in the games room were gonna hug us or cave our heads in with a pool cue.
The Workman’s Club, Dublin - It’s where we cut our teeth. Where discussions and ideas are formed. Where we go to dance to LCD”.

If you have not followed The Murder Capital then do so (links are at the bottom). Here are a Dublin clan who are going to be around for a while and, if you want to discover a band who are striking all the right notes right now, throw your weight behind…

THESE top chaps.

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Follow The Murder Capital

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FEATURE: The Beatles’ Abbey Road at Fifty: Cuttings from the Studio Archives: The Beauty of the Anniversary Releases

FEATURE:

 

The Beatles’ Abbey Road at Fifty

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 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles crossing Abbey Road during the iconic photoshoot for their 1969 album/PHOTO CREDIT: Ian Macmillan 

Cuttings from the Studio Archives: The Beauty of the Anniversary Releases

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WHILST this feature is mostly looking ahead...

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IMAGE CREDIT: The Beatles/Apple

to the special releases of The Beatles’ Abbey Road on 27th September, it is a chance to look at albums and those classics where we get to uncover and discover some rare gems, outtakes and demos. I think I have written about this before…but I do wonder why more artists are holding material back. Whether you bought the anniversary editions of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Beatles or not, one cannot deny the thrill of getting all this fresh material. Not only were these releases a treasure trove for Beatles fans but it showed how an album can sound different when we have these new offerings. By that, you listen to the Esher Demos from The Beatles and we get to witness these classic songs in their early stages. It is wonderful hearing the bare bones and sketches taking shape. Not only do we get to see the evolution and growth of songs but, on some recordings, you can hear intimate conversations between the band members and the spontaneity of the recording process. Before carrying on, here is what’s planned to mark Abbey Road’s fiftieth anniversary:

“The Beatles Abbey Road gets the expected 50th anniversary treatment on September 27th UMe announced today, which coincidentally is the 50th anniversary of the famous walk across the street photo shoot that became the iconic album cover.

There will be new stereo, 5.1 Surround and Dolby Atmos mixes presented on multiple formats including a "Super Deluxe" 4-disc box set, 3LP box set and 1LP picture disc. 17 tracks have been newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell, accompanied by 23 session recordings and demos, most of them previously unreleased. These are presented on the Super Deluxe and Deluxe vinyl box sets in chronological order of their first recording dates. The three-track ‘Something’ EP, featuring the 2019 Stereo Mix, the Studio Demo and Take 39 – Instrumental – Strings Only, can be streamed here now.

From the press release: "The Super Deluxe box set of Abbey Road contains 40 tracks —including “’The Long One’ Trial Edit & Mix for the epic medley on side two — on three CDs (stereo) and one Blu-ray disc (Dolby Atmos, 96kHz/24 bit high resolution stereo, and 96 kHz/24 bit DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1). The four discs are housed in a slip-sleeved 12” x 12” 100-page hardbound book. Elements include McCartney’s foreword, Martin’s introduction and in-depth insights by Beatles historian, author and radio producer Kevin Howlett.

"These cover the months preceding The Beatles’ Abbey Road sessions, track-by-track details and session notes, the cover art and photo shoot, and the album’s reception upon its release. The hardbound book also has an essay by music journalist and author David Hepworth, examining the album’s influence over 50 years. The volume is illustrated with rare and previously unpublished photographs, including many by Linda McCartney; never before published images of handwritten lyrics, sketches, and a score by George Martin; Beatles correspondence, recording sheets, and tape boxes; and reproduced original print ads. The Super Deluxe digital audio collection presents all 40 tracks for download purchase and streaming in standard and MFiT formats, and in high resolution audio (96kHz/24 bit) for download.

"The limited edition Deluxe vinyl box set features all 40 tracks from the Super Deluxe collection on three 180-gram vinyl LPs. The new stereo mix LP is packaged in a faithfully-replicated sleeve, with the two Sessions LPs paired in their own jacket, presented with a four-page insert in a lift-top box. The Deluxe 2CD set pairs the new stereo mix with versions from the session takes and demo recordings of its 17 songs. These are sequenced to match the album’s running order. "These two discs are presented in a digipak with a 40-page booklet, abridged from the Super Deluxe book…

The new stereo mix of Abbey Road is also available in 1CD and 180-gram 1LP vinyl packages, for digital download in standard and MFiT audio, and on a limited edition picture disc vinyl LP illustrated by the album’s front and back cover art images. "Martin and Ozell worked on the new Abbey Road mixes with Abbey Road’s expert team of engineers and audio restoration specialists. All of the editions feature the new stereo album mix, sourced from the original eight-track session tapes. Giles Martin used the original stereo mix by his father George Martin as his guide. "Says Giles Martin in his written introduction: “The magic comes from the hands playing the instruments, the blend of The Beatles’ voices, the beauty of the arrangements. Our quest is simply to ensure everything sounds as fresh and hits you as hard as it would have on the day it was recorded”.

I do wonder whether Giles Martin (the son of The Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin) has plans to remaster and release new editions of albums like Rubber Soul and Please Please Me. I know there is a remastered version of Rubber Soul but not one that has extensive extras and alternate studio versions of songs. I am excited to see what we will get from the Abbey Road releases and how the various takes will sound. There are a few versions of Something online but there is so much more coming. There will be a different vinyl and C.D. release but the C.D. version provides an extensive book/booklets with unseen photos and information.

Thinking about The Beatles’ albums getting special releases makes me wonder whether other albums will get the same treatment. Jeff Buckley’s Grace turns twenty-five in a few weeks and this is the sort of album where fans would love to hear some of the early takes and see some unpublished photos. In fact, most of us will have a top-ten of iconic albums where anniversary releases would be the cherry on top. There are a lot of Kate Bush albums where I would welcome some expanded editions and I would also love to hear albums such as Rumours (Fleetwood Mac) and Bringing It All Back Home (Bob Dylan) get new releases where the archives are mined and we get to hear all this new stuff.

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Some might say this is a bit excessive and exploitative but I do think, as I said, these great albums can be seen in a new light if we are treated to demos and alternate takes. Given the fact huge albums from Oasis (Definitely Maybe, twenty-five on 29th August) and The Clash (London Calling, forty on 14th December) have anniversaries approaching, I do wonder if there are plans for expanded anniversary editions. Not only would it gives fans a chance to see their favourite albums in a new light but I also think it would draw others in – maybe some who feel the final studio versions lack a certain magic. Some feel the extra money needed to buy these albums is a bit steep given the fact that the originals have already been bought – and is it worth shelling out so much for a little bit extra?! I have Abbey Road on vinyl and C.D. but I will be buying the new C.D. release and, even though it is almost ninety-pounds, I cannot wait to hear the various different takes and extras. When one considers the excitement around these classic albums’ anniversary releases, it makes me curious whether new artists will offer similar releases for their fans. I know we are in a digital age and many artists are unwilling to give too much away for nothing but I think, for vinyl releases and C.D. editions, it would be really interesting hearing embryonic versions of tracks. Maybe there are compelling arguments as to why this would be impractical and unpopular but I am a big fan of the anniversary releases. I cannot wait for Abbey Road’s new C.D. and vinyl releases because, not only is it a great way to mark fifty years of a truly iconic album but fans and new generations get to hear new material – such a joy and rare treat for music fans! Whilst I am many others have our wishlists of albums we’d like to see get new, expanded editions (you just know Kate Bush has a lot in the vaults!) go and pre-order The Beatles’ Abbey Road anniversary editions because they are truly…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1969/PHOTO CREDIT: Everett Collection

ESSENTIAL purchases.

FEATURE: A Brighter Future… The Desire for Balance and the Extraordinary Women Who Have Paved the Way

FEATURE:

 

 

A Brighter Future…

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IN THIS PHOTO: BBC Radio 1 D.J. Annie Mac is a huge advocate for gender equality in music/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Desire for Balance and the Extraordinary Women Who Have Paved the Way

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THIS feature is not prompted by one event…

  IN THIS PHOTO: Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs/PHOTO CREDIT: @BBCRadio4

but is more a culmination of concerns and situations. I guess everything comes back to gender parity and the fact that, whilst there are steps being made and things are happening, I am still seeing too many holdbacks, cheap shots and problems. I wanted to start with an article that definitely inflamed social media and received a lot of backlash. There has been a lot of talk regarding an article that appeared on The Spectator’s website that needlessly attacked Desert Island Discs presenter Lauren Laverne. It was obviously written from a very snobbish and privilege viewpoint and was incredibly short-sighted and offensive. Here is one particular extract that caught my eye: 

“There’s no getting away from it: Lauren is lightweight and uncerebral. Her capacity to come up with the forgettable phrase is quite something. When I asked a former radio critic what he thought of her he answered instantly: ‘Awful. I heard her with [poet] John Cooper Clarke and it was sucking up to PC idiocy and brandished plebbiness. But that’s what the programme is for now… Guests can be nearly anonymous provided they are vibrant and diverse.’ A BBC journalist observed: ‘The latest run of programmes have been really flat — is that her or is that the selection of guests? Nobody chooses anything or says anything that is surprising — perhaps her lack of big interview experience tells’”.

The condemnation and wave of love towards Laverne was swift. I watched her social media feed as she posted a brave message thanking people for being in her corner.

It was an ugly affair, but I think one that spoke volumes about how women in music are treated. I will look at gender parity in a wider sense. Not only was The Spectator’s article offensive regarding Laverne’s origins and northern background but it had this sort of noxious attitude that is hard to shift. In truth, women like Laverne are inspiration to many and paving the way for others coming through. Rather than degrade and put down brilliant women in music, we should elevate them. Look across the music landscape and it is true some progress is happening. Primavera Sound easily achieved gender parity on its bill this year and 42% of the acts on Glastonbury’s line-up this year was female. I shall get to festivals soon but, regarding radio and gender, how long until we get a fifty-fifty balance? The Stylist wrote this in response to the hatchet piece The Spectator wrote about Lauren Laverne:

“It’s true that the BBC has pledged that gender parity on-air will reach 50/50 across its radio stations by 2020. Just last week, we reported how the reaction to Zoe Ball’s recent ratings drop spoke volumes about the sexism against female radio DJs. But we only need to look at huge talents such as Annie Mac, Sara Cox and Annie Nightingale to understand the power of female voices on radio. And Laverne is no exception, as the strong support she has received proves”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Pioneering D.J. Annie Nightingale in the 1970s/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Not only do we need to eradicate sexism against D.J.s like Zoe Ball – the drop in her ratings does not reflect a lack of popularity: a lot of Chris Evans’ listeners (Ball replaced Evans as BBC Radio 2 breakfast host) followed him and Ball will see her listener figures increase soon) – but we need to encourage more women in radio. I have covered this subject before but I do feel that there are so many media outlets that have this sexist approach. I do hope there is a fifty-fifty split very soon because there are some brilliant female broadcasters coming through. Look at pioneers like Annie Nightingale and how they paved the way for change. Nightingale was the first female D.J. on BBC Radio 1 – she started on 8th February, 1970 – and is their longest-serving D.J. Although Nightingale is not especially keen on a fifty-fifty split – she is more in favour of being judged on talent and not quotas – she recognises that there is still sexism and there are amazing women who are not getting the respect they warrant. In this article from 2017, Nightingale revealed how shocked she was by the lack of progress and how few women followed her into radio:

“I was staggered that it took twelve years before Radio 1 had another female DJ when Janice Long came along. I asked myself ‘do women just not want to do this’? The women getting attention at that time were the newsreaders.”

Inspired by pirate station Radio Caroline, Nightingale was determined to make her mark on the new, legal, nationwide pop service.

She finally wore down the BBC’s male hierarchy, who granted her a Sunday evening show.

“I said ‘Let me have a go. If I’m no good I will go away forever.’ It takes three years to change anything at the BBC. I don’t think they really wanted Radio 1 at the time.”

“They didn’t like the term ‘DJ’. They hadn’t caught up with the changing world of working women”.

Maybe a blind fifty-fifty divide on radio could be seen as quota-filling but I feel a lot of the finest broadcasters are women and they are not getting their dues; there are many rising talents that are being overlooked in favour of men.  Not only is there an issue regarding radio and the respect we show to female broadcasters but, still, we must talk about festivals and inequality. To wrap up this article, I will discuss women in other areas of music - but we are still living in a time when festivals are struggling to react to the immense quality of female artists. This year has been dominated by women in all areas of music and, apart from one or two festivals, not enough is being done to represent them at festivals. Think back to this year’s Glastonbury and commanding performances from Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Kylie Minogue and Christine and the Queens (among many others) and you would think that, given this, next year’s festivals will react – seeing why we need more women on bills. Whilst we are (slowly) moving towards equality at festivals, Hear Her is a new event that is all-female. This article explains more:  

“Amid controversy over male-dominated line-ups, an all-female music festival has been announced.

HearHer, which is set to take place from October 11-13 in Poole, Dorset, will feature a programme comprised entirely of either female solo artists or women-fronted bands, with all behind-the-scenes production organised by women, too.

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IN THIS PHOTO: SOAK/PHOTO CREDIT: Joey Wharton 

Organisers claim that 70 per cent of UK festival line-ups in 2018 were all-male bands, and added that HearHer will be the only festival in this country “to boast a 100 per cent female bill”.

KT Tunstall will curate the Friday line-up, headlined by British pop artist Shura. The Saturday bill will be led by Northern Irish musician SOAK.

Elsewhere, there will be performances from the likes of Bang Bang Romeo, Cat Burns and Hannah Trigwell, spread across three stages.

The event, which trialled last year as the majority-female Diva Music Festival, will be supported by Keychange, a foundation which encourages festivals to deliver gender-balanced line-ups, and has named domestic abuse charity Refuge as its charity partner.

Various high-profile musicians, including Lily Allen and Annie Mac, have bemoaned the lack of female performers at festivals both in the UK and abroad.

HearHer festival 2019 line-up

·         Shura

·         Soak

·         Ariana and the Rose

·         Bang Bang Romeo

·         Betty

·         Caitlyn Scarlett

·         Cat Burns

·         Charlotte

·         Carpenter

·         Grace Savage

·         Hannah Trigwell

·         Heather Peace

·         Kal Lavelle

·         Katey Brooks

·         Laky

·         Lanta

·         Lots Holloway

·         Lucy Whittaker

·         Saara Aalto

·         Toya Delazy

·         The Coaltown Daisies

·         Xylaroo”.

Articles like this highlight the fact that, although some of the biggest acts of today are women, that is not being reflected in festival line-ups. Perhaps, as Vox discussed in the article, the fact there has been such slow progress is the fact that, in the backrooms, a lot of men are calling the shots:

“You can only create diversity onstage or on the screen if there is diversity behind the stage and behind the screen as well,” Andreea Magdalina of SheSaid.so, an international organization that advocates for women in music, told me. “If you have a bunch of men in the boardroom deciding who gets booked for what, of course they’re not going to be mindful of representation diversity and inclusion.”

Keychange’s Partridge echoed this sentiment. “It’s really important for everyone to recognize we have a responsibility — we all have a responsibility — to make sure this is an inclusive industry. ... It’s down to us each individually to look at our fields of information and see who we work with, who we hire, and really examine if we are being equal in these things.”

Both SheSaid.so and Keychange were founded to support female musicians. SheSaid.so offers professional mentoring and networking events for women in the music industry; Keychange encourages international festival promoters to sign its pledge to have a 50-50 gender split between male and female musicians by the year 2022. Today, Keychange has more than 165 festivals on board to work toward gender parity — more than three times the number it had when it launched just one year ago, in February 2018”.

From iconic broadcasters like Annie Nightingale to the new wave of powerful female artists, it is clear more still needs to be done in order to achieve equality. Festivals and radio stations have pledged parity by 2022 but I wonder if we need to start in the studios and boardrooms. Male producers and songwriters still dominate - and inequality is a big issue. I can see change happening in all areas of music and I do feel the future looks a lot brighter now than it did, say, a few years back.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @akeenster/Unsplash

One of the biggest problems is the fact so many festival organisers, radio bosses and figures in the boardrooms are men. I know there are so many fantastic female producers and engineers; brilliant businesswomen and radio chiefs who are in the minority. With so much control in the hands of men, it is small wonder we still have not seen true equality. I do feel more needs to be done to overturn the dominance of men in these areas and ensure there is activism occurring. It is all well and good asking for gender parity at festivals and on the radio…but we also need to look at areas that are male-heavy and aim to create diversity. With so many inspiring, ambitious and passionate women ready to lead, guide and formulate change, I do hope something is done to redress the imbalance we have right now. Maybe it all comes back to The Spectator and their article about Lauren Laverne; how there is sexism and disrespect in so many places. I hope there will be some big changes but, as we are seeing so many  incredible women striking hard in music, studios and at festivals, we cannot ignore the need for equality. Festivals will get to fifty-fifty soon, but one wonders why most have not already; radio stations, in terms of their playlists and personnel, still have some work to do – and there are glaring gulfs when it comes to the number of male and female producers/engineers. With such a wave of wonderfully talented women in all corners of the music industry, let’s hope those with the power recognise this and it…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Award-winning producer Catherine Marks is one of the best in the industry/PHOTO CREDIT: Catherine Marks

LEADS to growth and balance.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Flohio

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

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PHOTO CREDIT: Hanna Moon 

Flohio

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ALTHOUGH she is not brand-new on the block…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Lol Pani

there is a lot of talk regarding Flohio right now. I have been watching her moves this year and it is clear that the South London artist is primed for big things. If you haven’t heard her perform How Long’s It Been with The Streets from Abbey Road Studios then make sure you do – it is quite a moment, I can tell you! With the incredible single, Hell Bent, out in the ether, it seems Flohio is gearing up for a new E.P. or album. Hell Bent has the same sort of intrigue and exciting undertones of Dizzee Rascal’s debut album, Boy in da Corner, but it is distinctly the work of Flohio. The sheer confidence and rawness of the track is incredible and, whilst it is hard to put the song on a lot of radio playlists (owing to the explicit language), it is a fantastic song that deserves to be heard. Ever since last year’s Wild Yout EP last year, there has been a lot of talk and focus put the way of Flohio. Publications such as The Guardian have already tipped her as one to watch:

“There is an urgent yet seemingly effortless vitality to south London MC Flohio’s output. The 25-year-old rapper, AKA Funmi Ohiosumah, is attracting attention with her exquisitely fiery, fast-paced delivery, intelligent lyricism and tantalising choice of genre-blending production: thumping industrial techno meets metallic grime with the occasional trill of more traditional, clubby hip-hop. 

Bands, the first single from the British-Nigerian artist’s forthcoming second EP, quakes and squelches with experimental beats (courtesy of producer HLMNSRA), while she spits lines such as: “Grenfell Tower couldn’t burn me out/ and I send mad love to who’s mourning now”.

Speaking poetic, emotional truths is something that is key to Flohio’s sound – her appearance on production duo God Colony’s My World in 2016, for example, saw her addressing a close friend who had passed away: “And then hope we never have to bury our friends”.

It is a great time for British Rap and, whilst most people think it is male-dominated, that is not the case. Artists like Flohio and Little Simz are truly electric and thrilling and mark changes in Rap. I am not saying that the genre will be truly gender-balanced in the next couple of years but there are powerful and inspiring artists like Flohio who are tipping the tables and providing incredible firepower. The punch and rawness coming from SE16’s Flohio is turning heads and paving the way for a wave of new female artists. She is one of the smartest and most original lyricists around and is pairing her incredible words with epic spit and flow! I am not sure what comes next for Flohio but think about where she has come from and the incredible songs she has created. There is a determination and focus that is deeply impressive. It has not been an easy path for Flohio.

In this interview with CRACK we learn about Flohio’s (Funmi Ohio) early life and when music came into her life:

“Her childhood memories are of her family settling in Bermondsey, south east London, after migrating from Nigeria. With her pilot father rarely around, her mother always working and her older sister in boarding school, the then nine-year-old Flohio was left to her own devices. She developed a passion for watching music videos from the golden era of Channel U and her idol, Lil Wayne. “When I came here I was in the background adjusting, and I just wanted to fit in,” she reflects. “So, it was a phase of me trying to figure out what my life was at the time, when I was 10-12.”

Music was the perfect escape from the daily toils of this transition period, and she began writing lyrics at the age of 13. Until recently, she had a job as a graphic designer at record label Ninja Tune, which she left last year. “I just wanted to be happy making music, it allows me to be so free,” she says. “Plus, I hate waking up early; after performing abroad one night, I can’t be going back to work the next morning!”

Having found her happiness through her music, Flohio is ready for what the future holds, with clear definitions of what the word ‘achievement’ means to her. “I want my music to take me all around the world – end of,” she concludes. “I want to get paid to make people happy and love each other. I want to be a promoter of peace and love, that’s the only thing we can give, man. I don’t want my nephew to grow up in a messed-up world where it’s all hate. I get a big buzz off making people happy and giving. That’s the shit I live for”.

 

Before rapping things up, I want to bring in an interview Flohio gave to The Guardian earlier in the year. It is an illuminating piece that charts her progression from a promising MC to where she is now; the fact that she had to balance music and an office job and, happily, is earning enough money so she can fully dedicate herself to music:

“Heavy, bleak electronics form the foundations of her brutalist sound, which is confrontational in a way that female MCs rarely dare to be. Last year’s Wealth highlights her doomy bars, as she spits: “Put my life on the line ’cos I told myself I’ma do this shit ’til I’m dead,” over glitchy beats provided by Berlin’s Modeselektor.

“Rap isn’t meant to be too happy; there’s meant to be grit in there,” she explains. “It’s not about weed and lipstick. You’ve got to have that punk in there. It’s got to be radical. You’re here to make a statement.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Lillie Eiger for CRACK

As driven as she is skilled, all that Flohio has achieved so far has been under her own steam, including releasing everything on her own label, Alpha. “My friend says this thing: ‘DIY or DIE,’” Flo says of her work philosophy. “There’s so much joy in getting your hands dirty, messing up and then succeeding. You gain knowledge that way.” Her reasons for not signing to a major label (yet) are wrapped up in this idea. “What I have is quite delicate. I can’t just place it in random hands because I don’t know how they’ll handle it. It scares me. I’m standing firm until I have all my foundations set, then they can come back and have that conversation.” 

It’s a sensible decision, especially considering how the majors have treated British female rappers in the past. Take Birmingham MC Lady Leshurr, who revealed one offered her $250,000 to start a spurious beef with Nicki Minaj. Or Stefflon Don, whose first big single, Hurtin’ Me, made more of her singing than it did her furious wordplay. Likewise, Flo is still having to define and explain her sound. She is regularly – and wrongly – pigeonholed with grime artists whom she respects but certainly doesn’t consider herself one of. “I got frustrated with it – but you know what it is, I hear it, I’m influenced by it a lot,” she says, genially”.

This year has been dominated by female artists and I am excited to see how that translates next year in terms of festival bookings. This year’s Glastonbury saw strong artists like Little Simz and Lizzo rule and slay the crowds! I think Flohio has the same sort of energy and panache as contemporaries such as Little Simz and Stefflon Don but I think Flohio digs deeper and is even rawer – taking Rap to new levels and places; showing what variety there is in the genre. In a year when many people are gravitating towards urgent sounds and socially aware songs, Flohio has a vital role to play. As she says in her track, Bands: “Realistic goals/Man I hate that word!/No limit I...mastered it/Smash glass ceilings and I'll take my cut”. Flohio is riding high and I do think there are big things coming very soon. Many people will be hankering for a mixtape or album and, with some great tracks already out there, her fans will wait with baited breath. There are a lot of promising Rap and Hip-Hop artists coming through in the U.K. right now but, when it comes to the immense Flohio, she is very much…

 

A cut above. 

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Follow Flohio

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FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: Portishead - Dummy

FEATURE:

 

 

Vinyl Corner

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Portishead - Dummy

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THERE are many reasons to love…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Portishead/PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Whitton/NME

the fantastic Dummy by Portishead. The album turns twenty-five later in the month and it is a perfect opportunity to revisit this masterpiece – or discover it for the first time if you are new to Portishead. The songs on the record are brilliant and, depending on which you favour, you cannot deny the entire body of work is sublime. I would urge people to buy Dummy on vinyl because it sounds so good on that format. The album is the debut from Bristol’s Portishead and followed from their E.P., Numb. Many might trace the roots of Trip-Hop to other parts of the world but, by 1994, it was clear that the epicentre and focus of Trip-Hop was in Bristol. Portishead were well-known and building a local reputation before they unveiled their debut album but few could have predicted the sheer brilliance and invention of Dummy. From the opening of Mysterons, you are in this other world. The beats scuffle and shift whilst Beth Gibbons’ voice creates this intoxicating allure. There are theremin-like notes and a beguiling mood that draws you in. Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons and Adrian Utley have only released three albums as Portishead but, to many, their golden moment happened right at the start. To be fair, each of their three albums are world-class but I would agree with that sentiment. Maybe it’s because 1994 was such a busy, productive and eclectic year; perhaps there was something in the air back then!

Although 1994 did bring us so many iconic albums, Portishead sort of stood on their own. It was playing away from the Britpop scene and, to me, was a lot cooler than what was being produced by Oasis and Blur. It is amazing looking back at that year and realising just how many phenomenal records were released! Whilst other British Trip-Hop pioneers like Tricky would go on to release staggering albums – 1995’s Maxinquaye is one of the best of the decade – Portishead sort of led the way. It is the stunning vocals of Gibbons and the incredible sounds/invention from Utley and Barrow that makes the musical blend so arresting and wondrous. Numb, Sour Times and Glory Box were released as singles and each of them sounds completely overwhelming and unique today! It is hard to say just how influential Dummy is but I can hear strands in a lot of music today. It is clear Portishead have been influential but Dummy was such an earthquake. I listen to it now and am still taken aback when I hear the songs. Of course, reviews for Dummy in 1994 were positive but there has been a lot of retrospective passion. In this Pitchfork review, they talked about the originality of Dummy and how the combination of cinematic sounds and Beth Gibbons’ voice led to this rich and astonishing album:  

“But Dummy is too idiosyncratic to feel like a calculated response to its predecessors. Its obsessions are too specific, and too doggedly pursued: the spy-movie twang of the guitars, the ripple of the Hammond organs and Leslie cabinets—if anything, its vintage signifiers feel out of step with that era’s rush of pre-millennium tension. Bristol’s junglists were carving new routes to the future in every chopped-up breakbeat, while Portishead were drizzling on muted trumpet solos like so much curdled milk. Where most of the decade’s cutting-edge electronic music was zealous about its agenda, Dummy pledged allegiance only to a mood”.

“They favor sounds imprinted with a host of associations, many of them filmic. Utley’s riffs come straight from John Barry’s James Bond theme; the woozy sine waves of “Mysterons” echo sci-fi soundtracks like The Day the Earth Stood Still; and “Sour Times” loops an extended sample of Lalo Schifrin’s music for Mission: Impossible. Their cinematic inclinations are borne out in the fact that they made an actual short film, To Kill a Dead Man, before the album itself. The 10-minute, black-and-white film is not particularly consequential, but it is notable for the way it visually remixes many of the same influences that make the album feel so instantly familiar. Fortunately, they proved to be far more adept at translating those moods and devices into music.

This air was the medium through which Gibbons’ voice soared. Would Portishead have been one-tenth the band they turned out to be had Barrow and Utley contented themselves with instrumentals, or hired session singers to lend a soulful patina at freelance rates? Not on your life. Gibbons’ voice is the center of the music; she elevates the recordings from tracks to songs, from mere head-nodders to forlorn lullabies”.

This BBC review was also full of praise for Dummy and talked about how similar-sounding acts (to Portishead) came and went but none could match the band’s template:

“Imitators have come and gone, but no act has reproduced the disquieting magnificence conjured here except Portishead themselves. The band’s next album, an eponymous effort of 1997, distanced them from the coffee tables that (wholly unexpectedly) had made room for Dummy; to some it’s a superior listen, though a lot colder and harder than its predecessor. And their overdue comeback of 2008, Third, embraced krautrock motifs to take an established sound into a new dimension. But to many, Dummy is the group’s defining work – and even if you disagree with that, what can’t be doubted is that this is one of the greatest debuts of the 1990s”.

There are some really great articles that talk about the influence of Dummy but, from some of the new Electronic acts to artists like Kanye West, it is obvious Portishead’s debut has resonated. Whilst new Electronic genres have formed and artists are mixing all sorts of sounds, there is nothing in the world right now like Dummy. Third arrived in 2008 and I wonder whether we will get a fourth album from the group. I definitely think there is a gap and so many people would welcome their return. I do think the world needs the magic only Portishead can provide. Some ask whether Portishead’s popularity killed Trip-Hop or took it in strange directions. It is clear that Portishead transformed the scene and brought Trip-Hop the masses. They were so much more than that. Listen to Dummy closely and it bursts with life and visions. It sounds so accomplished and detailed yet there is a sense of freedom and openness. Maybe that is just my interpretation but, unlike some albums from 1994, Dummy is not necessarily reserved to a particular time and place. If you need more convincing regarding Dummy’s genius and legacy, this AllMusic review states how Portishead managed to crack into America – uniting audiences and breaking barriers:

“The chilling atmospheres conjured by Adrian Utley's excellent guitar work and Barrow's turntables and keyboards prove the perfect foil for Gibbons, who balances sultriness and melancholia in equal measure. Occasionally reminiscent of a torchier version of Sade, Gibbons provides a clear focus for these songs, with Barrow and company behind her laying down one of the best full-length productions ever heard in the dance world.

Where previous acts like Massive Attack had attracted dance heads in the main, Portishead crossed over to an American, alternative audience, connecting with the legion of angst-ridden indie fans as well. Better than any album before it, Dummy merged the pinpoint-precise productions of the dance world with pop hallmarks like great songwriting and excellent vocal performances”.

When Dummy turns twenty-five on 22nd August, I think a lot of new people will discover this gem. I mentioned how Dummy still sounds fresh but, also, it reveals new layers and things that you might have missed. It is a true masterpiece and one of the finest albums of the 1990s. If you can get a copy on vinyl then do because it sounds utterly incredible and immersive. It may be twenty-five years old but, from the very first note to the last, Dummy sounds alive, timeless and…  

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PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

UTTERLY wonderful.

FEATURE: Female Icons: Part Fourteen: PJ Harvey

FEATURE:

 

 

Female Icons

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IN THIS PHOTO: PJ Harvey in 2015/PHOTO CREDIT: Maria Mochnacz 

Part Fourteen: PJ Harvey

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THERE are many reasons why…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

an artist can be considered iconic or influential. In this feature, I have covered a whole range of inspiring female artists who have helped shift music and left a huge mark – and continue to compel generations of new artists. When thinking of the most important female artists of the past couple of decades PJ Harvey springs to mind. It is hard to bring too much personal input from Harvey into this feature because she gives very few interviews. It is not that she is opposed to the press and talking about herself but she is not one of these artists who gives multiple interviews with every release. As such, some of the quotes and exerts I am going to put into this piece are from a few years ago. That will come soon but, for now, we need to go right back to the beginnings. Unlike a lot of the female icons I have included in this feature – from Aretha Franklin to Kate Bush –, I was alive and conscious of music when PJ Harvey arrived. In a way, she is more of a modern icon rather than a classic legend – that will change in years to come but, trust me, PJ Harvey is a colossus! Not only does every album seem to reveal a new persona or character but she is an artist who is not guided by labels and the pack: she is someone who lets the music speak and is keen not to reveal too much.

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 ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Megan Ferguson-Smyth

Actually, before I continue, I have discovered a fascinating article that talks about the ‘lessons’ PJ Harvey has taught us all:

“Harvey is a fearless experimenter and frequent collaborator – in addition to old friend John Parish, with whom she has co-written two albums, she has worked with Nick Cave (their relationship is believed to have inspired a clutch of songs on his lush record The Boatman's Call), Marianne Faithfull, Tricky, and the producers Flood and Steve Albini, to name a few. But right from the beginning, she has kept control of her output, hollowing out her own niche within the recording industry, and working only with the people who inspire her. Her first ever contract was reportedly written to allow her full artistic control and her fiercely individual discography proves that she has maintained it ever since.

Almost every article about PJ Harvey, even the rare interviews, mentions her reticence and lack of interest in the fame game. After suffering some form of breakdown early on in her career, Harvey took herself home to Dorset to recuperate and her interviews from then on have been guarded affairs. But she has always seemed an old soul, never one to bare all, even when appearing on the front cover of the NME topless with her back to the camera, or recording her last album publicly as part of an installation at Somerset House. "I want to give, but I have to remember that I must keep what's private to me intact," she once said. She lets the work speak, and the rest of us fall about trying to decipher it.

Just as she knows when to retire from the media, she has a keen sense of when and how to speak about issues which matter to her, without coming across as preachy. As Britain reeled from the Brexit result, she punctuated her Glastonbury set by reading aloud John Donne's poem No Man Is An Island. When she guest-edited the Today Programme in 2014, her curation spoke volumes – guests included an unedited Julian Assange, and featured a poem by ex-Guantanamo detainee Shaker Aamer. Her work is a collage of voices, invented and real, that burrow away in the mind – protest songs without any posturing, and more powerful for it”.

Born in Bridport, Dorset in 1969, the young PJ Harvey was exposed to all kinds of music by her parents. Included was Blues music, artists such as Captain Beefheart and Bob Dylan – artists who would influence her own work. Everybody’s parents inspire their children’s musical tastes but Harvey’s parents regularly attended gigs; there was this definite artistic spirit and sense of discovery. It is unsurprising Harvey was a curious and eclectic music-lover from a young. Having learned the saxophone as a teenager, Harvey joined an instrumental group, Bologne, who were based out of Dorset. By 1991, Harvey formed her own band with Rob Ellis and Ian Oliver. Like many legendary artists, the earliest gigs were not exactly successful. The trio – Oliver left and was replaced by Steve Vaughan – had a disastrous debut gig at a skittle alley (like you do!) in April 1991 and it was not long until the group relocated to London – perhaps sensing there was more opportunity and bigger venues.

Harvey was studying at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design (at this moment, Pulp’s Common People spring to mind!) and things started to happen. The new band recorded some demos and they started to turn the heads of industry influencers and tastemakers. The debut single, Dress, proved hugely popular and caught the ear of a certain John Peel – who said the track was admirable if not always enjoyable. Harvey has released some truly sensational works but you can hear her everything in Dry – the 1992 debut that stunned critics and announced a very exciting talent. Harvey felt that her debut might be her only record so, as such, she put her all into it. Dry is quite an extreme album but there is no a wasted moment! The eleven-track debut is crammed with wonderful moments but it is the two singles, Dress and Sheela-Na-Gig, that drew the most attention. The latter’s title comes from the Sheela na gig statues; carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva which were found throughout Britain and Ireland. In terms of the lyrics scope, bravery and originality, I am reminded of the debut albums from Kate Bush and Tori Amos: The Kick Inside (1978) and Little Earthquakes (1992). Unsurprisingly, the reviews for Dry are hugely positive. Here, in this retrospective review from AllMusic, the raw and powerful delivery from Harvey is highlighted:

“Her voice makes each song sound like it was an exposed nerve, but her lyrics aren't quite that simple. Shaded with metaphors and the occasional biblical allusion, Dry is essentially an assault on feminine conventions and expectations, and while there are layers of dark humor, they aren't particularly evident, since Harvey's singing is shockingly raw.

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Her vocals are perfectly complemented by the trio's ferocious pounding, which makes even the slow ballads sound like exercises in controlled fury. And that's the key to Dry: the songs, which are often surprisingly catchy -- "Dress" and "Sheela-Na-Gig" both have strong hooks -- are as muscular and forceful as the band's delivery, making the album a vibrant and fully realized debut”.

A lot of artists who release huge and unexpected debuts take a few years to regroup and plan their next move. Another reason why I feel PJ Harvey is iconic and inspiring is the fact she was back in 1993 with her sophomore album, Rid of Me. After Dry’s release, the band toured widely and played Reading Festival in 1992. Although Harvey’s music was reaching new ears and lands, her place at Central Saint Martins College was not kept open. She was suffering from exhaustion due to extensive touring, poor eating habits and stress. Because of this, Harvey moved back to Dorset. Whilst settling back to a quieter life in Dorset, the songs on Rid of Me took shape. Many have interpreted the album as feminist in nature. Harvey denied the album was overly-feminist and stated that, when writing songs, she did not consider gender – she just wrote what came naturally. Some of the songs were inspired by personal heartache (especially the title track) and the introduction of Steve Albini as producer gave Harvey’s music a new diversity. There are quiet breaks and feedback; a greater depth that, whilst pleasing to Harvey, did divide some critics.

Some felt Rid of Me was a bit too heavy and uncomfortable to listen to considering the rawness of the lyrics and the production style. Songs like Rid of Me and 50ft Queenie, again, showed what an extraordinary and unique songwriter PJ Harvey was. If the record was a tougher and more challenging listen than Dry, it is a more nuanced work – you are taken aback at first but then keep coming back to experience this sensational and completely engrossing voice. I will not look at all of her albums chronologically, but there are a few that I want to pay special attention to. 1995’s To Bring You My Love was another huge success and was a little less raw than her previous work. Biblical imagery is employed more and the influence of Captain Beefheart is clear. The first big album that I want to draw attention to is Harvey’s 2000 wonderwork, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.  Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea earned Harvey a Mercury Prize nomination and was certified Platinum in the U.K. and Australia. Unlike her earlier work, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea is a more direct record. It is more melodic and rounder; more sophisticated, according to Harvey, with more colour and variation. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea is a beautiful and warmer album against the darker and more intense sounds of her first few albums.

Critics fell for Harvey from her 1992 debut and that love was not letting off. This is what NME had to say:

“More pertinently, ‘Stories…’ is PJ Harvey’s best album since 1991’s ‘Dry’, a return to the feral intensity of that remarkable debut. For while it’s a cliché any frank woman singer-songwriter is ‘disturbed’ in some way, there’s no avoiding the fact Harvey’s last album, ‘Is This Desire?’, was unhappy; painfully-constructed third-person narratives buffeted by electro-industrial static.

‘Stories…’, however, is suffused with vitality. The clarity of the electric guitars played by Harvey, Rob Ellis and Mick Harvey is enough to make you fall in love with elemental rock all over again. When Thom Yorke adds his blustery yowl to ‘This Mess We’re In’, you wonder if it was the realisation he’d never write something as stark that prompted the itchy ambience of ‘Kid A’”.

Whilst I love This Is Love and Good Fortune, I especially love the duet with Thom Yorke, This Mess We’re In. There is something about these two incredible singers – Radiohead released Kid A in 2000 – that makes it such a compelling and unforgettable track. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea is a staggering album and is a natural evolution from her darker and more challenging works. Harvey showed she could alter and progress her sound without losing her golden touch.

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If 2004’s Uh Huh Her was not overly-successful and well-received – compared to her best work – Harvey was back in peak form for 2007’s White Chalk. Maybe Uh Huh Her was a dark and raw album: White Chalk is gothic and quieter album; one where she put aside the guitar/bass/drum sound and recorded songs for piano. Not only did she tackle the piano (which was fairly new to her) but she sang in a higher register. Again, this was Harvey moving forward and seeing where she could push her music. The second album that I want to pay special attention to is, perhaps, her finest achievement: 2011’s Let England Shake. Not only did the album win the Mercury Prize in 2011 (her second win; 2011 was her first win) but it garnered some truly huge reviews. Recorded during a five-week period in a Dorset church, you get this improvisational, live-sounding album that is another departure; a restless and hungry artist unwilling to settle and repeat herself. PJ Harvey began writing the album’s lyrics before pairing the words to music. Poets such as Harold Pinter and T.S. Eliot were influences as well as bands such as The Doors and The Pogues. Let England Shake is a remarkable album and one of the finest of the last decade. There was plenty of passion and praise for Harvey’s eighth album!

This is how The Guardian viewed Let England Shake:

“Scrupulously avoiding the usual cliches that arise with self-consciously English music – Kinksy music-hall observations, eerie pagan folkisms, or shades of Vaughan Williams – the central sound is guitars, wreathed in echo that makes them seem as if they're playing somewhere in the middle distance. Around them are scattered muzzy electric piano, smears of brass, off-kilter samples and musical quotations: a reference to Eddie Cochran's Summertime Blues somehow works its way into The Words That Maketh Murder, while an incessant trumpet reveille sounds during The Glorious Land, out of tune and time with the rest of the song.

You're left with a richly inventive album that's unlike anything else in Harvey's back catalogue. That, she told Marr last year, is the point: "My biggest fear would be to replicate something I've done before." Let England Shake sounds suspiciously like the work of a woman at her creative peak. Where she goes from here is, as ever, anyone's guess”.

Pitchfork praised Harvey’s thought-provoking and moving lyrics:

“On Let England Shake, Harvey is not often upfront or forceful; her lyrics, though, are as disturbing as ever. Here, she paints vivid portraits of war, and her sharp focus on the up-close, hand-to-hand devastation of World War I-- depicting "soldiers falling like lumps of meat"-- provides a fitting setting for today's battlegrounds. From the Zombies to the Pogues, artists have often gravitated to the confused, massive loss of life of the Great War. If it doesn't resonate as much in America as it does in Europe-- and it doesn't-- that's more our fortune than our shame.

The Great War remains a rich and resonant subject for art because it briefly caused the world to step back, aghast and afraid to look at what it had done. The collective trauma of World War I did indeed shake England, specifically, out of the end of its imperialistic Victorian stupor”.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Before rounding things up and bringing them up to date, I want to bring in a rare interview gave to The Guardian. She talked about Let England Shake and her influences:

“…Even though Harvey has never written about such issues before, she says she has always been politically engaged, and music was crucial to her education. Her parents, a quarryman and a stonemason, were friends with Rolling Stone Ian Stewart and their remote Dorset farmhouse (she has said that even a day trip into town would make her dizzy) was often home to visiting musicians. The songs they played were windows on the world beyond. "Certain Neil Young songs like 'Southern Man' or 'Ohio', I'd go looking for the meaning behind them. A lot of Dylan's work, especially the early 60s. Beefheart's 'Dachau Blues'.

"I'm probably much more influenced by film-makers and painters than I am by other songwriters or poets," she says. "With songs I almost see the images, see the action, and then all I have to do is describe it. It's almost like watching a scene from a film, and that's what I go about trying to catch in a song."

Songwriters tend to be notoriously bad at describing the creative process, and loth to mention the perspiration behind the inspiration, but Harvey is visibly energised by talking about it. "I certainly feel like I'm getting somewhere that I wanted to get to as a writer of words. I wanted to get better, I wanted to be more coherent, I wanted there to be a greater strength and depth emotionally, and all these things require work – to hone something, to get rid of any superfluous language”.

Harvey’s most-recent album, The Hope Six Demolition Project, was another success and critical favourite. Harvey wrote most of the songs for the album during her travels to Kosovo, Afghanistan and Washington D.C. with filmmaker/photographer, Seamus Murphy, between 2011 and 2016. Although many were impressed with the power of the lyrics and the quality of the songwriting, there were some reservations and criticisms. This review from Laura Snapes asks some interesting questions:

“Harking back to Let England Shake, maybe her dispassionate storytelling is making a point about how we easily condemn past atrocities while failing to recognize history repeating itself before us. Questions of perspective, and how we bear witness, feel central to The Hope Six Demolition Project. We were voyeurs, watching her make a record about being a voyeur. Is it a deconstruction of the protest record? By pointing out the problems in these three communities, but proposing no solutions, is she just as responsible for their desertion as the global powers that came before her? You sense that the record is part of an ongoing inquiry, not a destination. Fortunately, the music often feels like salvation itself”.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Lex van Rossen

Although 2016 was the last time Harvey released a studio solo album, she has been busy on other projects since then. Once more diversifying her stock and stepping into new territory, she has been composing for the stage and screen. Here (from an article in NME from a couple of months ago), we get details of Harvey’s incredible recent work:

“PJ Harvey has released six new songs as part of her work on The Virtues soundtrack. You can stream the songs below.

Created by Shane Meadows, The Virtues told the story of Joseph – played by Stephen Graham – a man coming to terms with his identity after he uncovers a repressed memory and ultimately seeks revenge.

Speaking of her contribution to the series, Harvey said: “I am so happy to have provided the original music for this extraordinary and powerful new drama by a director I have admired and followed all my life.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Seamus Murphy

“Shane has a unique directness and sensibility to his work which I am drawn to and aspire to in my own work, so our collaboration was open and trusting. I sent Shane ideas as demos for him to try out as he edited and let him choose what he used and where to greatest effect.

Earlier this year (April 12), Harvey shared her complete score for the stage play of All About Eve. The play, directed by Ivo Van Hove and starring Lily James and Gillian Anderson, is currently running at London’s Noël Coward Theatre.

Speaking about the score, PJ Harvey said: “I have always loved stories, and so to compose music to support and enhance a story being told is a challenge I enjoy. I also love the freedom that working instrumentally can give me without the constraints of song form.”

She continued: “For All About Eve I chose to work with my long-time collaborator James Johnston as he has a soulfulness and sensitivity to his playing that inspires me. I also worked with Kenrick Rowe who has a versatility to his drumming I knew I could experiment with until I found what was right”.

It is amazing to see how much Harvey has achieved since her 1992 debut. Although that was twenty-seven years ago, her music today sounds as extraordinary and fresh! She is always pushing boundaries and inspiring people as she goes. I know there are a lot of modern artists who are compelled by Harvey’s incredibly raw lyrics and amazing instinct; the way she shifts between albums and how she has grown through the years. Harvey is a true icon and one of music’s most special artists. I look forward to seeing where she heads next and what her music will possess. You can never predict Harvey’s path and what she will include; she is one of those artists that is always moving and never looking back. If you are new to PJ Harvey or have not listened to her work in a while, have a listen to the playlist below and go and buy her albums. (It would be good to see more of her albums on vinyl because, for some reason, one struggles to buy her albums I this form). You can stream her work and witness the brilliance. PJ Harvey is a fearless, vital and inspirational artist whose music will stand and influence…

FOR generations to come.

TRACK REVIEW: Slipknot - Red Flag

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Slipknot

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Red Flag

 

9.7/10

 

 

The track, Red Flag, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7WRH5TN4Jk

GENRES:

Metal/Nu-Metal

ORIGIN:

Iowa, U.S.A.

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The album, We Are Not Your Kind, is available here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/754RY5WpZ2LTUZsk8kDBju?si=TMGqgwVwQ1yTKCmWQm3ftw

RELEASE DATE:

9th August, 2019

LABEL:

Roadrunner Records, Inc.

__________

ONE might notice a bit of a shift…

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from yesterday’s review to the one today! One cannot say there is a lot in common between Slipknot and Lana Del Rey but, to me, both artists are equally worthy. Before I review a song from Slipknot’s latest album, We Are Not Your Kind, I wanted to talk about the band from a number of different angles. I want to look at Metal and how it gets a bad reputation; the fact the genre is pretty broad and its fans are among some of the very nicest. I also want to explore the endurance of Slipknot and why their music remains relevant and urgent; a bit about taking gambles in music and getting out of that comfort zone; music that provides a release and can actually calm the senses, despite being pretty intense; a look at why Slipknot can continue to endure and what the future holds for them. I do think that people look at Slipknot and think that their music is going to be offensive, disturbing and a complete racket. There have been some controversies in the Slipknot camp over the years and some tragedies. One of their beloved members, Paul Gray, died in 2010 and there have been accusations Slipknot’s lyrics have provoked violence and killings. So many artists have to answer questions around their music and whether it is safe. It seems absurd but many media sources attack bands like Slipknot because they feel they are encouraging violence and sending messages to their fans. Rap artists like Eminem used to cut the same flack and many hear Metal bands and feel they are a force for evil. I have been following Slipknot since the late-1990s when they released their debut album and they have remains hugely important and intriguing. There are some genres of Metal that rely on screaming and noise and, whilst that is okay for some, that is not what Slipknot are about. Even since their eponymous debut in 1999, the group have provided actual songs and structure; a lot of nuance and depth.

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There is, sure, anger and aggression but that is never aimless and a means of brainwashing listeners. Before I continue on, I want to bring in an interview Slipknot’s lead Corey Taylor gave to The Independent where he discusses misconceptions around the band:

 “Music is an easy target because [people in authority] don’t understand it,” Taylor says. “There’s a complete lack of effort to try to understand it, and a lack of willingness to take any portion of the blame for these events.

“If you’re looking for a certain kind of rhetoric, whether it’s hating black people or gay people or whatever, there are thousands of sites with people posting about it,” he continues. “We’re seeing the repercussions of a failure to address that.

One of the biggest misconceptions about heavy metal – particularly a band like Slipknot, with their terrifying masks and relentless, thundering sound – is that they’re scary people. Speaking with them proves otherwise: Taylor and Clown are friendly – dare I say cheerful – over the phone; Taylor laughs uproariously when I refer to his self-confessed “horrible” attempt at an English voice on new single “Solway Firth” as “Cockney screamo”. Their attitude towards the band is one of a family that extends to the fans, fondly known as “Maggots”, where no one is judged for their gender, skin colour or sexuality. And they appear to share a brotherly affection for one another – as Taylor’s interview reaches its end, he instructs me to tell Clown that he’s a “s**thead”, with all the childish glee of a younger sibling.

The Slipknot guys are actually pretty nice and personable and they get written off as bad influences. Slipknot’s music has brought so much meaning to young people and direction; the band have managed to influence a lot of other groups and, whilst they will always court negative press and face questions, I do think there is a lot of misunderstanding around them.

Maybe this all ties into the Metal genre in general. You cannot label any genre easily and assume that it is going to be the same. Look at Country music and how that has evolved; the way Hip-Hop has developed through the decades. The same is true of Metal. The genre has grown and expanded since its inception and earliest days. There are so many sub-genres and options for fans. Those who think Metal is all about intensity and chaos need to do some investigation and discover there is a lot more than meets the eye. In the case of its fans, there is a wide spectrum to be found. Again, like bands such as Slipknot, the fans get a pretty short shrift. People will assume Metal fans are hard to like or they will be angry; maybe they are going to unpleasant and not the sort of human you want around. In fact, polls have shown that Metal fans are among some of the nicest out there. I am not saying that a Slipknot gig is a love-in and everyone is hugging throughout – there is going to be moshing and sweat flying, that is for sure! – but one gets wrong impressions when they consider Metal fans. I know quite a fair few myself and, whilst there is an image that comes with the genre, the focus is on the music. When I listen to Metal, I want that sense of release but I also want to be moved by the force of the music. I know a lot of Metal fans who feel angered or misunderstood and, when listening to bands such as Slipknot, they feel like someone gets them; they have this source of defiance and anger that speaks for them. Again, this is not about Metal bands inciting violence: conversely, bands like Slipknot are peace-loving but they know their music will stir up controversy and debate all of the time.

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Metal fans and bands will often have to face prejudice and judgement but I feel we need to reassess our outlook. In fact, not only are bands like Slipknot a lifeline for many fans but they are in touch with what is happening in the world. Slipknot’s new album, We Are Not Your Kind, might not be explicitly political and about what is happening in America but, as Corey Taylor explained in the interview with The Independent, he realises things are in bad shape:

“While there are no explicit references to the state of the world on this new album, Taylor pays plenty of attention to politics in the US and the UK, claiming he “f**king called it” before Trump was put in office.

“I caught so much hell for that,” he says, “because people thought I was trying to stir up s**t. I was like, ‘this is gonna get way worse before it gets better. Next year I’m going to vote like everybody else, and hopefully we won’t have another four years of that f**king douchenozzle.”

He compares the way Trump uses rhetoric to Boris Johnson, and finds similarities in the way they were written about in the months before they came to power.

“Boris Johnson is very much your Trump,” he says. “I’ve watched Boris for 15 years, and he has never been someone that people have taken seriously – even when he was mayor of London.” He heaves a sigh. “And now he’s the f**king prime minister”.

I would suggest that, if you are one of these people who snubs Metal and thinks it will all sound the same, do some digging and you will be pleasantly surprised. I would suggest you start from Slipknot’s 1999 debut and then work your way forward. You will see the way the band have evolved and strengthened through the years. I shall come to the new album in a bit but, to many, the band have created their most intense yet gentle album yet – they have the aggression and speed notched up but there are moments of genuine calm in places.

A lot of Metal bands flail and fall by the wayside because they either repeat themselves and fail to ignite or they follow a commercial path. I remember the dreaded rise of Nu-Metal back in the early-2000s and how groups like Limp Bizkit ruled. I am not sure whether they are still going but, to me, Nu-Metal is not as interesting and quality-laden as other areas. It is hard to categorise Slipknot because they are not pure Metal or Hardcore. They have stepped into Speed Metal and they have moments where Groove Metal can be applied to them. I think it is the eclectic nature of Slipknot that means they keep attracting new fans and remain relevant. Back in 1999, the scene was changing in music and there was this new burst of Metal and Nu-Metal. Artists like Eminem were rising and bands such as Rage Against the Machine were producing immense work. It is clear that a definite sense of physicality and release was demanded and, rocking along, Slipknot provided something familiar yet new. Fellow bands such as Opeth and Neurosis were adding to the Metal cannon in 1999 but Slipknot topped them all. For a start, the fact that they are masked and had that mystery around them – since then, most members of the band have been snapped without their masks on – was interesting and I was taken about at the sheer rush of the music. Whilst the band came in hard on their debut, there was definite structure and layers to their music – rather than it being about shock-and-awe. Some fans did not like the fact that, after the 1999 debut, the band sort of moved away from their roots and tried new sounds. Again, it was not like Slipknot were going Reggae and aiming for a slot on Top of the Pops but they were employing darker elements and, after 2001’s Iowa, there were new shades and complex rhythms in the mix. What has remained key and essential since the debut is the sheer physicality of the music.

Slipknot have always been more than a band intent on screaming as loud as possible and making their guitars crunch harder than anyone else’s. I do think Slipknot have stayed popular and hyped because each album offers something fresh. Fans can relate to them but, with each album, you notice little touches and angles that beckon you in. I do think that the dynamic in the band now is stronger and more engaging than it has ever been. Look at some of the reviews for We Are Not Your Kind and this might be the most celebrated and highly-reviewed album of their career. It is getting five-star reviews all over the place and many have noted how the band is articulating an anger that many people feel. There is a feeling that songs are attacking President Trump and the hatred he is stirring. There is personal disconnection and aggression in addition to, yet again, new sonic twists and turns. Like I said, the anger always remains and the fire seems as intense now as it did back in 1999. There are a number of reasons why Slipknot remain compelling and popular. They are a band who has a close-knot relationship and you can tell how much they mean to each other. I think the band will continue to make music for years to come and, unlike so many Metal bands, Slipknot continue to push forward and find new avenues. I do think there are Metal groups that rely on a single sound and think that one-dimensional anger will sustain them. Slipknot have always been more intelligent than that. One only needs to listen to We Are Not Your Kind and discover so many different stories, contours and possibilities. It is an album that will relate to their faithful but it is one any non-fan can appreciate. I especially love how there is this energy and creative gold flowing. The band rejected quite a lot of songs for the album and it is clear they are in inspired form.

I will move on to a song from We Are Not Your Kind that I wanted to focus on but, right now, I want to get back that idea that Metal bands like Slipknot are here to encourage violence and disruption. Oddly, I think the music of Slipknot can calm the senses and actually release a lot of burden. Good Metal can get you fired-up and pumped but it goes much deeper and can actually be medicinal. I am not suggesting Slipknot are a form of therapy but there is a lot to be said for their music and how it can make you feel. The anger they articulate is something many of us want to express. We all want to scream and rage at the moment and hearing it through the prism of Slipknot can be cathartic and a big relief. There are so many different sides to Slipknot’s music and they manage to evoke so many emotions from the listener. I do feel people get stuck with this stereotype of Metal and the feeling that it is basic. Listen to the music and lyrics on any Slipknot record and there is a lot of musicianship and skill. Even when they are thrashing and pulverising, you can detect a lot of different elements working away in the music. It is a fascinating blend and one that compels you to listen again and again. I am not sure how many of their peers have survived since 1999 but I do think Slipknot have endured longer than most. Now that they have released one of their best albums, who is to say how long they have left. The once-fresh-faced band might be a bit older but I think they have grown wiser and more extraordinary as the years have gone on. Some might still be wary of Slipknot but I would encourage people to get out of their comfort zones and explore the band.

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I am one of these people who can be a bit reserved when it comes to certain genres and unwilling to take a plunge. I am not a huge fan of genres like Drill and Trap but, having dipped my toes into the water recently, I have discovered artists and tracks that have started to change my mind – although I am not a convert, it is clear one cannot judge and write off entire genres. There has always been this battle in Metal between misconceptions and reality. Fair enough, if you are not a fan of harder and accelerated music then Slipknot might not be able to hook you in. If you do like your music with firepower but plenty of depth, do listen to Slipknot and absorb as much as you can. We all get a bit lazy with our tastes and fall back on the same sounds. Maybe it is time to move on to reviewing a track but, in regards to the We Are Not Your Kind album, there is this great mix of the personal and political. I do like the fact that (the album) has the traditional and reliable Slipknot ingredients but there are new stories and sounds that have sent critics into overdrive. The band always knows how to surprise and push forward. I love what they are doing and one can only imagine how their music translates onto the stage! I have never been to one of their gigs but, as you can probably figure, it is quite a memorable and vivid experience! The mix of sounds and effects on We Are Not Your Kind are spellbinding. Slipknot build sound collages and there is this blend of the more mechanical and experimental. The band turns universal disgust and anger into something genuinely hopeful and meaningful. They have turned their own heartache and loss into something constructive and, in the process, are connecting with so many different people.

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It does not take long for Red Flag to spark into life. Whereas some Metal bands would throw as much volume into the mix as possible, there is a satisfying grumble and groove working underneath the noise. The band make sure there is enough force and charge right from the off but you get this nice little grumbling groove that has rumble and grit. The combination is exceptional and the lyrics provide plenty of curiosity. “Past just saving, this is like escaping/Running wild in the middle of weeds” is an interesting opening and you wonder what the words relate to. “Eyes can’t see me” declares our hero and, when that is uttered, you get an intensity and sense of conviction that takes you back. One could attribute the words to be about personal dislocation and a relationship burning out but, in a wider sense, maybe there is a feeling of being adrift in a world that is spinning out of control. The pace, rhythm and structure of the song is fantastic. It is never too intense and loud but there is this determined anger throughout. The band is exceptionally tight and potent and, as you’d expect from Slipknot, their music and lyrics dig deep. I would suggest people listen to Red Flag a few times because there is so much going on. The composition is a perfect cocktail but I was drawn to the lyrics and possible meaning. There are words about suffering and, if you want a reason to suffer, there are plenty around. Again, I was thinking about this possibility that it might be personal; relating to love and a relationship that has hit the skids. There is redemption and hope as the hero suggests that, if you want to live to be better then you can be. This sense of motivation and positivity against the torrent is inspiring. Of course, it is the frantic heartbeat and feeling of anger that makes Red Flag one of the most urgent and powerful songs on the We Are Not Your Kind album.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: REX

There are electronic glitches and the avalanche mixing together in the chorus as Slipknot talk about people – whether the governments or someone else – getting you alone so they can steal you; smothering you and eating you alive. The imagery is quite stark and explicit but, actually, I was wondering whether this was a nod to politics and the state of the world. Into the second verse and there is a line that stands out: “I won’t allow this to happen”. This straight and powerful line arrives in the middle of a verse that looks at cattle and vultures; a feeling that we are being cheated and displaced. The imagery throughout Red Flag is eye-opening and vivid and Slipknot show that they are incredible skillful when it comes to words. You can tell how much the power of language means to them and I like the fact Red Flag is not easy to unpick and predict. As the song progresses, the words become more appealing and intriguing. In the bridge, there is a lot to unpack and interpret: “Don't believe the riddle that confuses you/Bitch, so manic/I can see the light that exposes you/So dramatic, now I'm so empathetic/Means the bigger the mouth that I can eat you with/Force of habit/God, you reek of your havoc/But consider the sources you've been tampering with”. I was wondering whether these lines referred to the pain of a break up and the complexity of emotions or a view of modern America and how it is being led down a dark alley. You might need a few runs of the song to get to its core because it is pretty deep and complicated. One can never accuse Slipknot of being basic and uninspired because, here, they massage the mind but project these very striking and stirring images. There are some truly standout moments in regards the composition. From some squalling solos to a deep-down growl, the band sound completely thrilling and enflamed throughout. Red Flag is a jewel in an album that is stuffed with treasures and treats. I am not suggesting Slipknot are at their most accessible here but I do think people who have been unsure of their music before should check out Red Flag and the We Are Not Your Kind album.

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Slipknot are coming to the U.K. next year and they are going to be pretty busy in the meantime. With a new album out, they have even more material to bring to the stage and it will be intersecting to see how their new songs mix with the classics! Right now, they have American dates to get through and I am sure their faithful will flock to see them. It is amazing how much devotion Slipknot inspires and how they have remained so popular since their earliest days. Many wrote them off on their debut as being a novelty of designed simply to shock. The band proved everyone wrong and, not only have their remained to this day, but they seem more essential and fantastic than ever. I do think We Are Not Your Kind is one of the year’s best albums and it seems, as I said earlier, to react to the anger felt around the world. So many artists go purely for the personal when it comes to writing tracks but Slipknot have a more universal and wide-ranging vision. There is so much to enjoy on their new album. In terms of sound and compositions, they can range from the truly epic to shorter bursts. What’s Next runs at under a minute whilst Critical Darling is over six minutes; there are songs that build to a fury and others that start the explosion right from the off. Long may the brilliance of Slipknot continue and I do suggest that people listen to their latest album. Many have impressions of Metal and it will take a lot of convincing to get them to change their minds. Maybe it is this feeling that bands like Slipknot are there to upset people and promote violence. That has never been their way and I think some press sources have distorted what Slipknot are about and what their music concerns. Listen to what they are doing and you will find yourself intoxicated and hypnotised.

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We are living through times that are strange and stressful and I feel Slipknot are much-needed. Whether you want to release some anger or feel like you need some direction, We Are Not Your Kind can offer that. I wanted to focus on Red Flag because it is getting a lot of positive press and it is one of the most immediate tracks on the album. Appearing at the middle of the album, Red Flag is a perfect distillation of all Slipknot’s elements. It is raw and unleashed but there is plenty of depth and nuance. That might sound strange when talking about a Metal band but, as I keep saying, one should not assume and judge. I shall leaver things there but I would encourage people to get behind Slipknot and their latest album. I have so much respect for them and have always loved what they put out into the world. I hope they carry on making music for years to come because there are so many people who rely on their music. I shall end it here but, after listening to Lana Del Rey yesterday for reviewing purposes, it has been quite a shift today! The joy and sheer variety of music is what makes things so interesting and, with Slipknot, you never truly know what you are going to get. Twenty years after their debut arrived in the world, this Iowa-formed band remain one of the most interesting, enduring and compelling… 

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IN all of music.

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Follow Slipknot

FEATURE: Always in Vogue: The Record-Breaking Music Videos of Madonna

FEATURE:

 

 

Always in Vogue

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IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna in 1990/PHOTO CREDIT: Jean-Baptiste Mondino for Harpers Bazaar 

The Record-Breaking Music Videos of Madonna

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SEEING as so many news reports posted about Madonna…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna as ‘Madame X’ in 2019/PHOTO CREDIT: @Madonna

are negative or have some sort of bitter edge, it was a relief seeing the news that she has broken a music record! Madonna is no stranger to breaking records and, as the most-successful female recording artist ever, she has definitely achieved a hell of a lot. The video for her iconic 1990 hit, Vogue, passed one-hundred million views on YouTube recently and that set a new record: she is the only female artist who has passed one-hundred million views on YouTube for videos covering four decades. Her 1990s’ achievement was long-overdue because, to me, there are no finer Madonna videos than Vogue. Tone Deaf have reported the news:

“Madonna, the iconic pop star of almost every decade since she began music, has officially become the first female artist to reach 100 million views on music videos from 4 different decades.

In case you’re wondering what exactly those videos are, we will be breaking down all four videos, which reached pinnacles of success in their time.

The videos are:

80s: ‘La Isla Bonita’

90s: ‘Vogue’

00s: ‘Hung Up’

10s: ‘Bitch I’m Madonna’

That’s 40 years of hits, not even including songs such as ‘Like a Virgin’, ‘Into the Groove’ or ‘Ray of Light’, which were all extremely successful for their time”.

It is hard to explain why these particular videos reached one-hundred million views whereas some of her other hits – including Material Girl and Frozen – have not garnered more.

It is true, Bitch I’m Madonna (from 2015’s Rebel Heart) is not one of her strongest songs but it is a fantastic video that shows Madonna in strong and defiant mood! Featuring Nicki Minaj, the track is lifted by an incredible video that is full of colour and strut. Vogue, which I shall get to in a bit, is her defining moment in terms of visuals; Hung Up (from 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor) is another brash and eye-catching video where the newly-revived Disco queen – Madonna suffered some critical loss and disappointment with her 2003 album, American Life – caught the imagination and drew people in. Not only do these huge videos like La Isla Bonito show Madonna has kept her fans and her videos prove popular to this day but she has also recruited new generations. A lot of modern artists have a very tight demographic or appeal to a certain core. Look at a lot of the biggest artists and you can appreciate one or two of their songs but you feel the music is marketed to a particular age group and taste. With Madonna, she never imposed limits. I am in my thirties but have followed her music from the start – well, I was born in 1983 but I discovered her debut album when I was in school. Her eponymous debut is a great Pop record that sounds completely effortless and absorbing today.

La Isla Bonita is from 1986’s True Blue and, to me, that album remains underrated. It preceded 1989’s Like a Prayer but, on True Blue, Madonna proved she was a fearless and pioneering artist who was pushing boundaries and making epic music to match! Papa Don’t Preach might be a more recognisable single from True Blue but there is something undeniably seductive and beautiful when one watches La Isla Bonita. It is clear a new generation are falling for videos like La Isla Bonita because, not only do the visuals capture the mind and compel repeated viewings, but the music is indelible, universal and instantly accessible. I asked whether there was a link between her four one-hundred-million-topping videos and whether all those views came from those of the same generation. Unlike, as I said, so many new stars, Madonna’s fans span the spectrum in terms of age and nationality. I think all four of the songs that have reached this milestone and very different and, perhaps, that is why they have proved popular. If the ‘newer’ videos, Bitch I’m Madonna and Hung Up, maybe speak to younger audiences, perhaps La Isla Bonita and Vogue are for people like me: those who have charted Madonna career for years and gravitate towards those classic videos. The evocativeness of La Isla Bonita and black-and-white brilliance of Vogue are very different when matched against the neon Bitch I’m Madonna and the dancefloor call of Hung Up.

A lot of Madonna’s videos have racked up millions of views and I think the reason her videos remain essential and span the generations is because of the imagery. Madonna does not restrict herself when it comes to plots, visuals and pace. Some of her videos have employed a lot of energy and colour whereas Vogue relies on something simpler and classic. I guess the changing and eclectic videos match the music: Madonna has never stood still and always offers a new side of her with every album. With her latest album, Madame X, out in the ether, who is to say one of the videos release from that album cannot reach one-hundred million views in years to come? I want to end with the video from the group of four which will break all records. Vogue is the video that seems to epitomise Madonna’s legacy and brilliance. Vogue was shot in black-and-white and remains one of the most memorable music videos ever. Rather than describe the video myself, here is the Wikipedia article on Vogue’s video:

“The black-and-white video, set in Art Deco-themed 1920s and 1930s surroundings, starts off showing different sculptures, works of art, as well as Madonna's dancers posing. Along with this are images of a maid and a butler cleaning up inside what seems to be a grand house. When the dance section of the song starts, Madonna turns around, and, similarly to the lyrics, strikes a pose. The video progresses, and images of men with fedoras, Madonna wearing the controversial sheer lace dress and other outfits, follow.

As the chorus begins, Madonna and her dancers start to perform a vogue dance routine, where she sings the chorus as her dancers mime the backing vocals. After this, other scenes of Madonna in different outfits and imitations of golden-era Hollywood stars progresses, after which there is a scene with Madonna's dancers voguing. Finally, after this scene, Madonna can be seen wearing her iconic "cone bra", after which she also performs a dance routine with a fellow dancer. As the rap section begins, different clips of Madonna posing in the style of famous photographs or portraits of Hollywood stars, begins, ultimately followed by a choreographed scene with her dancers and backup singers.

MTV placed the video at second on their list of "100 Greatest Music Videos Ever Made" in 1999.[48] In 1993, Rolling Stone magazine listed the video as the twenty-eighth best music video of all-time. Also, the same magazine listed "Vogue" as the #2 music video of all time in 1999 second only to Michael Jackson's Thriller.[49] It was also ranked at number five on "The Top 100 Videos That Broke The Rules", issued by MTV on the channel's 25th anniversary in August 2006.[50] It was the third time Fincher and Madonna collaborated on a video (the first being 1989's "Express Yourself" and the second being 1989's "Oh Father"). About.com listed as the best Madonna video.[49]

With the release of the song, Madonna brought the underground "vogueing" into mainstream culture.[22][73] Before Madonna popularized the dance, vogue was performed mostly in bars and disco of New York City on the underground gay scene.[74] Steven Canals, the co-creator of TV series Pose stated "If we're looking at the history of ballroom and specifically that moment in time, what Madonna did was bring ballroom to the mainstream.

She introduced the world to this community who, up until that point in time, had been a subculture."[75] Vogueing has since become a prominent dance form practised worldwide, and many performers have followed Madonna's footsteps, with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Azealia Banks all adopting the dance style and incorporating it into their music videos and performances.[75]

However, some critique stems from the possible exploitation of an underground Queer Culture for commercial gain, as feminist writer Nicole Akoukou Thompson notes for the Latin Post, Madonna had "taken a very specifically queer, transgender, Latino and African-American phenomenon and totally erased that context with her lyrics." [76]

The song is also noted for bringing house music into mainstream popular music,[77][78] as well as for reviving disco music after a decade of its commercial death. Erick Henderson of Slant Magazine explained that the song "was instrumental in allowing disco revivalism to emerge, allowing the denigrated gay genre to soar once again within the context of house music, the genre disco became in its second life."[79] Sal Cinquemani of the same publication wrote that the song was "making its impact all the more impressive (it would go on to inspire a glut of pop-house copycats) and begging the question: If disco died a decade earlier, what the fuck was this big, gay, fuscia drag-queen boa of a dance song sitting on top of the charts for a month for?"[21]”.

Vogue was the last of the four videos to top one-hundred millions views and, whilst I am surprised it was the fourth one to reach this milestone, it shows that Madonna’s iconic videos and generation-spanning work never go out of fashion. The indefatigable and iconic Queen of Pop can move, strike a pose and create truly incredible videos…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna in her Vogue video (which was directed by David Fincher)

LIKE no-one else.

FEATURE: The Divided State of America: Can Music Help Bring About Much-Needed Gun Law Progressiveness? 

FEATURE:

 

 

The Divided State of America

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ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Rick Calzi/Dying Breed 

Can Music Help Bring About Much-Needed Gun Law Progressiveness? 

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ONE can hardly ignore the terrible…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: A woman touches a cross at a makeshift memorial for victims outside Walmart, near the scene of a mass shooting on 3rd August, 2019 which left twenty-two people dead in El Paso, Texas/PHOTO CREDIT: Press/Getty Images

events that happened in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. Another two mass shootings in America has horrified the world but, in a nation where this sort of tragedy happens on a fairly regular basis, it seems like change and evolution is going to be a struggle. The sense of stubbornness regarding gun laws in the U.S. is compounded by an ignorant President Trump who, one feels, could not care less about the lives lost in Texas and Ohio; someone whom will never act to ensure we see far fewer deaths of this kind in the future. Will we see an end to gun violence in America? It is hard to see anything moving forward when we have Trump in The White House. Trump’s explanation (regarding the massacres) is that the gunmen had mental-health issues. The fact that the vast majority of gun massacres – and knife crime in the U.K. – are perpetrated by men sort of dismisses such a statement – why would women be able to control their mental-health issues a lot better than men?! I do think that the more logical explanation regards a white supremacy mindset, fuelled and fostered by Trump’s own beliefs regarding minorities. The fact one can relatively easily obtain a gun in the U.S. makes it so easy for radicalists to kill at will. It is sobering and heartbreaking seeing news stories coming through where innocent lives have been lost for no reason – what exactly do massacres achieve regarding certain minorities living in America and ‘learning’ a lesson?

The sheer insanity and barbarism we have all seen on the news over the past week should open eyes in America and compel the Government to make resolutions and amend legislation. We all know that will not happen in a nation where a written constitution gives people the ‘right’ to bear arms – although the Second Amendment concerns protection and the military rather than giving license to unhinged humans to spread chaos and hate. Something needs to change, radically, that is for sure! Whether through song or online anger, musicians have a lot of power and influence. I shall come to Lana Del Rey shortly but, in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, artists took to social media and were keen to register their distress and sympathy. This article from Vanity Fair explains more:

 “After the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend, musicians were among the most vocal celebrities demanding action. Rihanna implored Donald Trump to use the word “terrorism.” Jason Isbell accidentally sparked a Twitter meme about feral hogs (really) after tweeting, “If you’re on here arguing the definition of ‘assault weapon’ today you are part of the problem. You know what an assault weapon is, and you know you don’t need one.”) Kacey Musgraves tweeted, responded to a follower who told her to “stick to the singing,” and urged a Lollapalooza crowd to yell “somebody fucking do something!”

IN THIS PHOTO: Lana Del Rey/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Lana Del Rey, meanwhile, headed more or less straight to the studio to record her response with Jack Antonoff. On Monday, she posted it to Instagram: a new song called “Looking for America.” “I’m still looking for my own version of America,” she sings. “One without the gun, where the flag can freely fly.” It’s a rough, in-studio video recording that conveys its immediacy. “Now I know I’m not a politician and I’m not trying to be so excuse me for having an opinion,” she wrote in the caption. “But in light of all of the mass shootings and the back to back shootings in the last couple of days which really affected me on a cellular level I just wanted to post this video that our engineer Laura took 20 minutes ago”.

Looking for America is an excellent song and one that stands out in its own right but also makes one think. One sees visions of Lana Del Rey enjoying an America with drive-ins and care-free times; where the flag can fly free and people can walk the streets safely – as safely as one can in any nation. I have listened to the song a lot and it is stirring hearing these messages come out. I think it is great an artist like Lana Del Rey was motivated to head into the studio and record something as raw and emotional as Looking for America. There are political artists out there and, around the world, we are discovering songs that tackle inequality, poverty and gender equality.

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PHOTO CREDIT: @yohannlibot/Unsplash

I do wonder, at a time when America is troubled and unwilling the budge regarding gun laws, whether artists need to put some pressure on the Government – not just in the form of songs but also concerts and speeches. It is difficult to compromise possible record deals and fan opinion by having a say but who could possibly object to anger and passion from artists who want to see change in America?! In the U.K., there is a worrying rise in knife crime and we have a few artists documenting this trouble and worrying situation. I do think, however, only artists from certain genres are talking about knife crime and it means there are swathes of the industry that are not doing their part. Even if you do not live in areas affected by knife violence, you cannot help but feel a sense of compassion and fear – feeling heartbroken but also concerned not enough is being done to limit deaths. The same must be true in America. I know so many artists feel disgusted and angry that very little is happening to sure the nation’s citizens are protected against the threat of guns. Although there is a lot of online protest, this is not translating into musical expression. Although Lana Del Rey’s Looking for America is not an explicit and inflamed track that calls out President Trump – it is more a yearning for a past America; one where one felt safer -, it was written in reaction to the recent shootings.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Bob Dylan/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

You cannot help but feel struck and affected when hearing the song. As I keep saying…there is a commercial risk if you mix politics into the blend but I do think there is a yearning for progression and a ban on gun sales. I have to cast my mind back to the protest songs of Bob Dylan in the 1960s to think of a time when a huge artist made such an impression with political music. Maybe I am over-exaggerating but it is a very long time since an artist has reacted to the chaos around them in such a profound and striking way. I do not think musicians alone can take America from where it is now to where it needs to be but, yes, I do think that massive movement and a united front can reach political minds. It is not only music that can affect political motivation: film and T.V. has the potential and power to open eyes and affect minds. I think a lot of the problems in America stem from figures like Donald Trump and a very poisonous mindset. A lot of people buy into his feelings regarding immigration and keeping America pure. If politicians in America are making the possibility of change impossible, I do feel musicians can take charge. Maybe we will not see a total ban on the sale of assault weapons and handguns but conversations can be broached and, with a wave of musicians incentivised and together, there is a chance progression can happen.  I have been thinking a lot about Lana Del Rey watching the T.V. and being hit hard by the casualties; the awful and senseless violence that compelled her to write Looking for America. Who knows how many other artists – from all genres – have been affected and changed by so many tragedies in the U.S. I do think now is the time for some of music’s biggest names to rise up against an ever-corrupt and troubled Government who are helping to fuel hatred. I am not putting all the blame on them but, really, how many more massacres will it take before they realise things cannot carry on this way?! Artists would not be spreading propaganda or pushing any ideals: instead, they are discussing what is obvious and terrible. It may take a lot of consensus and focus from artists to get the wheels rolling but, as Lana Del Rey looks for an America that is safe, united and accepting, it seems that there is…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @kj2018/Unsplash

AN awful long way to go.

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Big Moon/PHOTO CREDIT: Pooneh Ghana 

An All-Female, Summer-Ready Playlist (Vol. VIII)

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MAYBE it seems inappropriate for me…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Mary J. Blige/PHOTO CREDIT: Gavin Bond/The Observer

to put out a playlist that is summer-ready given what the weather is doing right now! The wind is pretty wild and the rain is not too far so, as much as anything, these songs act as a distraction; maybe a way of summoning the sun and trying to get the wind to slow down! However you listen to the tracks, get involved and discover some of the best new tracks from some fantastic female artists. Every week, so many golden moments are arriving from women in music; in every genre and across the broad. It is terrific discovering these artists you just know will be a big deal. I have collected the latest assortment and I hope there is something in here that tickles your fancy. As the weather is not too great today, spends some time with music that will surely…

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IN THIS PHOTO: Lola Coca

LIFT your mood.

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

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Mallrat – Charlie

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Dominic Sen – Hear Me

The Regrettes – Stop and Go

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Tori Kelly – 2 Places

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Mary J. Blige – Know

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Skylar Grey – New Kind of Love

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Grace VanderWaal – Waste My Time

Nasty Cherry – Live Forever

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cupcakKe – Whoregasm

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PHOTO CREDIT: Pooneh Ghana 

The Big Moon – It’s Easy Then

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Anna Ash – Apologies

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PHOTO CREDIT: Jonas Risvig

Soleima – Cheers for the Tears

Gia Ford – TURBO DREAMS

Clara Bond – Pink Wine

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Kara Marni (ft. Champion) – All Night, Pt. 1

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Cashmere Cat – EMOTIONS

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Tori Forsyth – Be Here

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Lara Andallo - Confidential

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Marika Hackman – send my love

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Lola Coca – De Nada

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Kate Bollinger – Talk About It (B-Side)

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Megan Davies - New Eyes

Jess Thristan – Your Turn

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Hana Vu – At the Party

FEATURE: The August Playlist: Vol. 2: Catfishes, Small Talk and a Quest for a Better America

FEATURE:

 

The August Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Pixies’ Black Francis 

Vol. 2: Catfishes, Small Talk and a Quest for a Better America

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THIS time on the weekly Playlist…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Katy Perry

there are so many great artists to get involved with. Not only are there new songs from Lana Del Rey, Pixies and Katy Perry but there are cuts from Bon Iver, Tool and Slipknot. It is a pretty varied week and one that spans genres and tastes. I like what is on offer and I hope you do too. I can never predict what each week will produce in terms of sounds so it is always a nice surprise to see what comes along. Take a good listen to what is included and I know there will be something in there you like. From some big-name selections to some underground songs, it is a nice balance. If you need some kick to get your weekend off to a good start, I think these artists are ready…

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PHOTO CREDIT: Slipknot

TO oblige.  

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

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PHOTO CREDIT: Travis Shinn

Pixies – Catfish Kate

Lana Del Rey – Looking for America

Katy Perry – Small Talk

The Big Moon – It’s Easy Then

BROCKHAMPTON – If You Pray Right

Tool – Fear Inoculum

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Goo Goo Dolls – Indestructible

Bon Iver – Faith

Jake Miller – Nervous

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RuthAnne – Unrequited

The Regrettes – Fog

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Marika Hackman – hand solo

Slipknot – A Liar’s Funeral

Caroline Polachek - Ocean of Tears

PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Duffin

King Princess – Prophet

PHOTO CREDIT: Hugo Yanguela

Spector – Half Life

James Blake – Can’t Believe the Way We Flow

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PHOTO CREDIT: Howard Wise

Moon Duo – Lost Heads

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Gold Panda – Transactional Relationship

Temples – You’re Either on Something

Tori Kelly - Coffee

The Amazons – 25

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Miranda Lambert – Mess with My Head 

Mary J. Blige – Know

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Mike Posner (ft. Wiz Khalifa) – Prince Akeem 

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AJ Mitchell, Ava Max – Slow Dance

YEBBA – Where Do You Go

Lady Antebellum – Pictures

Mystery Jets – Screwdriver

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Snoop Dogg – Let Bygones Be Bygones

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Ella Eyre, Banx & Ranx (ft. Kiana Ledé) - Mama

Alessia Cara – Rooting for You

TRACK REVIEW: Lana Del Rey - Looking for America

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Lana Del Rey

Looking for America

 

9.6/10

 

The track, Looking for America, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/track/31FBEeTXpaeCncCbCmS7ax?si=hKldPHZmQfqe1fx6wcbCVA

GENRES:

Baroque-Pop/Dream-Pop

ORIGIN:

Los Angeles, U.S.A.

RELEASE DATE:

9th August, 2019

LABELS:

Universal Music Operations/Polydor Records

The album, Norman Fucking Rockwell, is available from 30th August. Pre-order here:

https://shoplanadelrey.com/products/norman-fucking-rockwell-lime-green-lp-digital-album

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WHEN thinking of my review subject…

for today, there are a few subjects that spring to mind. I will talk about Lana Del Rey’s new song in a minute but, for now, I want to discuss dreaminess and mixing urgency into the pot; the state of America and why it is great a mainstream star is tackling gun violence; expectation and the sense of wonder that comes with Del Rey’s music; why this year’s music is beyond all expectations, especially when it comes to female artists – I want to end by talking about Lana Del Rey’s future and why I think she can get even bigger and more popular. I will bring in a couple of interview snippets that show different sides to Del Rey and ask interesting questions. When I hear Lana Del Rey’s new track, Looking for America, there is this beguiling mix of breathy and raw. It is almost too hard to put into words but one need only listen to Del Rey’s past work to see what I mean. Even from 2012’s Born to Die, one could tell here was an artist that was different to everyone around. There are artists who can do the seductive and pack some punch behind that but Lana Del Rey almost seems like a singer from the past. I am reminded of voices like Julie London and a rather classic and sophisticated tone that one does not really hear now – given the fact a lot of Pop artists pine for processed vocals and a load of energy. I do really love that mixture of the 1950s and the modern-day. Lana Del Rey captivates you with her voice. It is a sound that is romantic and open but there is a lot of grace, power and potency behind her words. Rather than be a Lounge artist who discusses love in a very ordinary way; an easy and uncomplicated sound for any listener, Lana Del Rey has all these different nuances and colours stirring and colliding.

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Nicole Nodland/Shore Fire

She has this wonderful voice that can drop the knees with its tenderness and beauty but she is a really interesting writer. I do think artists either provide something important and urgent without providing any sort of balance and softness or they are pretty gentle and gorgeous but there is nothing in the way of importance and any real depth. Of course, a few artists are exceptions. Lana Del Rey is a striking and inspiring artist who can project these images of highways and classic America but she has this raw and edgy side that I really like. There is a lot more to her music and success than that but I have seen Del Rey mature and evolve as a singer. I will, as I say, bring in a few interview passages but I want to nod to an interview Del Rey conducted with Harper’s Bazaar earlier this year. She was asked about her incredible album, Born to Die, which came out in 2012 and was a critical success:

“HB: BORN TO DIE JUST TURNED SEVEN YEARS OLD. HOW DO YOU THINK YOU'VE EVOLVED SINCE THEN?

LDR: I feel pretty lucky that I'm still making music and that people are still listening. I was singing and making records maybe six, seven years before that, and when that record even became visible and people were buying it, I was definitely in disbelief because I knew my sensibility was a little eclectic and different. When something hits, you just can't believe it. Everyone always said it was so weird when I was doing my first meeting when I was 21, 22.

For people to still be listening and to have gone on different tours was not something I thought I would be doing into my thirties. That is really awesome for me. Also to meet new collaborators, I definitely wasn't expecting to make a whole new record with somebody like Jack Antonoff. I think the recording process has been very dreamy and very easygoing. I always try to keep [my record releases] as quiet as possible and barely promote my stuff, just because that's the way I like it [laughs]”.

Lana Del Rey has evolved through the years and albums such as Born to Die sound different to later work such as Honeymoon (2015). Maybe darker threads have come into her work or she has become braver as a writer. Here is an artist who is not beholden to commercial needs and being told what sort of album to write by a label. I get the feeling Del Rey is this curious writer who is always absorbing what is around her but also dipping into film, fantasy and her imagination to concoct the most stirring album possible.

I will introduce another question from that quoted interview in a bit because, when we consider Looking for America, we need to reflect on the mass shootings that occurred in the U.S. recently – including Dayton, Ohio where ten people were killed and many more injured. Sadly, it seems there is this regularity of tragedy in the nation. We listen to the news and, whether it is at a high-school or outside a bar, how long do we have to endure massive tragedies and senseless killings like this? President Trump seems resolved to do nothing and I cannot imagine anyone will actually create discussion and look for change. There is this divide between those who feel gun massacres are the results of men with mental-health issues taking it out on people – therefore we need to look at background checks and, as Trump ineloquently stated, not give guns to loose cannons and crazy people (not exactly his words but it was not far off the mark). In reality, one cannot blame mental-health issues – there are thousands who have mental-health problems but do not shoot people! – or television and film. One can blame Trump and the fact he promotes this white supremacist rhetoric; an ideology that suggests pure, white America is best and everyone else should go home. People are hearing these words, looking around their neighbourhoods and deciding the best way to limit those foreign faces is to eliminate them. There is no other explanation and reason. Lana Del Rey was moved and affected by the shootings in her nation and, rather than taking to social media or sitting quietly, she hurried to the studio and penned a new song. All the proceeds from Looking for America are going to charity. In previous songs, Del Rey has talked about harsh love, dark subjects and some really tough things. I do feel Looking for America is one of her most affecting and challenging tracks. There is so much emotion running throughout and, as she says, a need to see a better America; one where the flag can fly free and people can feel safe.

Before moving on, I will bring in another exert from that interview where Del Rey is asked what provides her with hope at a rather changing and difficult period:

“HB: ON THE TOPIC OF HOPE, WHAT IS GIVING YOU HOPE AT THIS TIME?

LDR: Knowing that it's okay for the culture to be in a bit of disruption, and that if we can just lean into that and try to find a uniting factor in it, that's the big takeaway. Things have been confusing for a long time, whether it's politically, culturally, personally. Down the ages, everyone's had their own trials and tribulations. So any time I get stressed, I just remind myself it's kind of supposed to be stressful. Life is stressful.

I am writing a feature later on today relating to gun violence and whether artists should be more involved. I do think it is tough for bigger artists to weigh in and write songs like Lana Del Rey did because of their fans and the labels. There is an expectation and image artists project and will that be broken? Will fans feel upset or different if their favourite artist talks about gun violence and politics? It is a hard line to walk but I do feel artists have a duty to get involved and speak out. Taylor Swift has just recently started talking more about politics and that side of things: before, she was a little hesitant and maybe there was a feeling her fans would speak out and she would not look good. I don’t know. It seems like a lot of artists are scared by commercial pressures and what their labels think. Del Rey went to the studio, recorded this great song and, in a heartbeat, has reacted to the senseless shootings we have seen. Not only has Lana Del Rey produced this thought-provoking and brilliant song but, as her album, Norman Fucking Rockwell is arriving later this month, there is a lot of talk around.

There are artists where you get a lot build-up and excitement when they announce albums. In the case of Lana Del Rey, people never really know what to expect. Her albums are always different but I do think the impact of her voice and music hits harder than so many others. Maybe it is the dreaminess and beauty of her voice or the fact Del Rey seems to be more than a mere artist – she has this film-star quality and inspires so many people. I am not sure what the rest of Norman Fucking Rockwell will contain but it does seem like we will get a usual blend of strings and classic images and this ever-evolving artist letting us into her heart and mind. Lana Del Rey’s sixth studio album is one of the most anticipated of the year and I do think it will go down as one of the year’s best. Maybe it is the fact there are very few artists like her but Lana Del Rey fills a gap and provides something others cannot. Lust for Life (2017) was her last album and one that was applauded. I do think Lana Del Rey gets stronger with every release and grows in confidence. Many reviewers – when reflecting on Lust for Life – stated how Del Rey is an antidote against the banal and flavourless songs that permeate the charts. I would agree with that because, when it comes to subject matter, Del Rey steps way beyond the commercial and dull. In this recent interview with Vanity Fair she was asked about her upcoming album and what inspired it:

“Vanity Fair: The title of your new album brings to mind a certain classic vision of America. What was your headspace like for this record?

Lana Del Rey: It was weird how that actual title came to me. I was riffing over a couple of chords that Jack [Antonoff] was playing for the title track, which ended up being called “Norman Fucking Rockwell.” It was kind of an exclamation mark: so this is the American dream, right now. This is where we’re at—Norman fucking Rockwell. We’re going to go to Mars, and [Donald] Trump is president, all right. Me and Jack, we just joke around constantly about all the random headlines we might see that week, so it’s a slight cultural reference. But it’s not a cynical thing, really. To me, it’s hopeful, to see everything as a little bit funnier. The chaos of the culture is interesting, and I’m hopeful that there’s room for there to be some movement and excitement within it”.

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I will move on and talk about Lana Del Rey’s latest track in a bit but I wanted to discuss the year in music and why it is such a big one. I do feel like social issues and politics have compelled a lot of the best records of the moment. Maybe artists are seeing their nations divide and splinter and feel a bit helpless. Whilst I can detect a lot of anger and anxiety in music, there is this motivation to see change; the open people’s eyes and get things happening. I am one of those people who feel music has the power to incentivise change and discussion. Not only have we seen some really important and bold works but there has been a crop of albums that rank alongside the best of the decade. One cannot deny the fact 2019 has been especially strong and artist from various genres and corners have stepped up. It is hard to define 2019 in terms of sound and direction because, actually, there is such a wide array of music out there. I know I keep coming back to the subject of women dominating 2019 but, with every passing week, that is proved. Marika Hackman has just released her Any Human Friend album and it is gaining big reviews. Lana Del Rey brings her album out in a few weeks and Sleater-Kinney have an album out this month. Of course, I love what male artists are giving the world but I feel it is female artists who are making the biggest impression this year. I am not sure why – as I have mused before – but I do feel the industry sort of needs to recognise that. Lana Del Rey is, as I said, someone who comes with this aura of wonder and excitement. People are fascinated by what she does and how her music makes you feel. You cannot help but drift and slip into her music and let your mind take you away. One cannot deny Lana Del Rey is a very attractive singer, in terms of her sound and lyrical prowess, but has this accessibility and openness that you do not get with everyone. In many ways, she is a role model and, no doubt, has inspired so many other artists.

Looking for America is under three minutes but I think that is great because it never overstretches and lives past its natural welcome. Instead, the listener is left wanting a bit more but, over the course of the track, a lot is packed in. I do feel Looking for America is a bit if a red herring when it comes to Norman Fucking Rockwell’s themes. Maybe there will not be too many political songs but I feel Del Rey, as usual, will be looking back and to a time when things were simpler and more evocative. Rather than go into a song attacking those who allow killings to happen, Looking for America is more a reflection on simple scenes and purity. By that, Looking for America is a reaction to what is happening right now but it does not overtly mention attacks and call for gun control – instead, Del Rey projects these scenes of friends driving and embracing the road. There are no complications and burdens and, as they all pile into the car, they cannot decide which direction they are heading in. This scenic route is quite a trip and one instantly sees these young faces smiling; cool threads and maybe a cigarette or two as they pile into a classic car as the sun beats down. Del Rey’s voice is smoky and hazy as she opens up this scene of the open road and children playing in the park. Del Rey says how we only used to worry about children after dark but, at these dark times, the daylight poses as much threat and insecurity. The heroine is looking for her own vision and version of America. Maybe Del Rey has a romantic notion of America but one cannot fault her longing for something better than what we have; a nation that is together and can feel optimism. The chorus is a gorgeous thing that swoons, sways and melts. Del Rey dreams of a sky with fireworks; where there are no bombs and, when she and her lover/friend collide, there is that bliss and sense of freedom – rather than a feeling that America is a hostile and violent place.

 PHOTO CREDIT: i-D

The delivery is sumptuous and, with very little accompaniment and compositional intrusion, her voice really does cut to the core. Del Rey talks about this dream that she had in mind; this rather far-fetched ideal that wants to bring America back to a golden age. She flies back to New York and goes past all these sights that seem unfamiliar and tarnished somehow. Maybe her mind wanders but the reality of the present scored against the bliss of the past jars and moves her. It is hard not to feel a sense of emotion as you hear this woman unable to recognise her country and feeling like things are slipping away. Looking for America could have ramped up the drama with strings and percussions but, instead, Del Rey’s voice is the main focus and instrument. The emotion she manages to summon is more powerful and personal than instruments and I really like the sparseness of the song. There are backing vocals (Del Rey’s voice is tracked) and a little suggestion of percussion here and there but, apart from that, here is a naked and raw song where you can feel that urgency and sense of the personal. Rather than adorn the song with melodrama and too much force, Del Rey is caught in this dream where she sees better times but is unable to reconcile what is happening now. It is difficult to listen to Looking for America and feel unmoved. One can hear the song and think about those who have lost their lives recently; a real fear in the air which is hard to see. Looking for America is a song you will listen to time and time again as it has this dreamy quality that gets under the skin. The lyrics are both stirring and evocative and you picture these hopeful young people revelling in a past America. Maybe I am taking the words too literally. When Del Rey was discussing road trips and detours, maybe that was a metaphor for modern America and the fact that the road to safety and familiarity is not straight and quick – or I might be reading too much into that! Looking for America will not feature on Norman Fucking Rockwell but one feels special editions of the album might include the track. In any case, it is a fantastic offering from one of the most intriguing and brilliant artists we have. If you are new to Lana Del Rey then make sure you investigate her music and acquaint yourself with an amazing human. Grab a copy of Norman Fucking Rockwell and spin it good because I think, when the end-of-year lists are announced regarding the best albums, Lana Del Rey is going to be in there.

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I know Lana Del Rey is busy getting Norman Fucking Rockwell ready for the world and she will be promoting that pretty heavily. When the album comes out and we get a chance to experience the songs, we will get a sense of how Del Rey has changed since 2017 and what is on her mind. I do think politics and the state of America weighs heavy. With such madness happening right now, she is trying to make sense of it and, as Looking for America outlines, she wants to return to this better time when people could feel secure. Maybe this all feeds back into this older-days element and vintage sound that Del Rey produces – perhaps her world vision is decades ago and the modern world is not as romantic, balanced and safe as it should be. It is that clash between the past and present that makes Del Rey’s music so deep and interesting. You can catch her touring next year and I would urge people to go and see her. Here is an artist who has been providing sensational music for years and she does not show any signs of slowing anytime soon. Some might say that Lana Del Rey’s style of music might grow weary and familiar over time but I actually think there are nuances and contours that mean one can never get bored. Every record brings new themes to the surface and I do love the way Del Rey keep changing and moving in new directions. You get more than music when it comes to her. Her album covers are great and there is almost the sense of this film unfolding before your eyes. Del Rey is masterful when it comes to delivering these mini epics that range from tales of lost love to the state of the nation. One cannot help but become part of the songs and surrender to Del Rey’s command, beauty and sumptuous voice. I will end things here soon but I want to round off by urging other artists to get more involved in politics.

That might sound vague and unwise but, by that, I mean not being blind to what is happening. I do think so many are afraid to speak out because they think that will damage their popularity and there will be a backlash. We are all living through a time where there is massive violence and corruption; where powerful nations are being ruled by idiots and, whilst some might say this has always been the way of the world, things have gotten a lot worse and we have a lot to figure out. From climate change to gun violence, music has a role to play regarding awareness and change.  So many people fear for the next generation and the sort of world they will be growing up in. That is a fair concern and I do think we all need to act. Lana Del Rey is one of these artists that watches the news and sees what is happening but, rather than remaining passive and silent, she is motivated to put her feelings into song. Looking for America is a really powerful song but one that makes you feel emotional and lost. Lana Del Rey wants her country to return to a time when there were fewer cases of gun violence and there was a degree of sanity. Right now, America is suffering and it does not look like there will be any sort of improvement at all. Music has the power to open eyes and I do feel Lana Del Rey can help bring about discussion and evolution. She is an amazing artist who hits all the senses and stays in the mind. I would not consider myself to be a huge fan but I respect her music and know there are a lot of people who look up to her. Let us end things here but, before going, I want people to listen to Looking for America and close their eyes. Really experience the song and feel every line. It is a really powerful song that, once heard, will be in the head for a very long time. Lana Del Rey has produced a fantastic song that bodes well for her album. I think, as I mentioned, Norman Fucking Rockwell will be among the best of 2019 and another leap for her. Until we get the record, cherish this wonderful song: one that calls for action and discussion in order to restore America to its previous best. Maybe perfection and a dream-like nation is not possible but, with Lana Del Rey stirring the soul and inspiring the heart…

ANYTHING is possible.

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Follow Lana Del Rey

FEATURE: Saintly and Supreme: Whatever Happened to Girl Groups?

FEATURE:

 

 

Saintly and Supreme

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IN THIS PHOTO: The Supremes/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Whatever Happened to Girl Groups?

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THIS is another subject I have covered…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: All Saints/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

before but, like any good journalist (if I can call myself that), some things are worth revisiting when the time calls! Tomorrow, I am going to talk about Lana Del Rey and her latest track – one that imagines an America without guns and chaos. It is an arresting thing and it makes me wonder whether musicians need to get more involved when it comes to raising awareness about what is happening in the U.S. Now, although some of the girl groups from my childhood are still around in some form, it seems strange that this scene died away. The Spice Girls have reunited and are performing but one wonders whether they will record new music – will it be as anthemic and spirited as their earliest stuff? One suspects now. Also, All Saints are around but, again, a more mature sound presents itself in their newest work; nothing quite like their regency back in the day. Apart from that, there are few remnants of the finest of the 1990s and earliest part of the last decade – I think En Vogue are still together but are hardly being talked about. Maybe there is something inherently un-PC about the term ‘girl group’: at a time when sexism and gender is being discussed and, in music, always present, is it demeaning and wrong to label like this?! I think ‘girl group’ is an old term that has been resigned but, in any case, what about the music that was being made? This feature from earlier in the year tells us where the girl groups of the past are.

I raise this subject for a couple of reasons – I shall get to the second in a bit. I grew up around a lot of music, but it was the music of classic 1960s girl groups that really caught my ear. Maybe it was the harmonies or the connection between the members; something magical that resonated and lingered between the notes. I recall hearing The Ronettes, The Shangri Las; The Supremes and The Shirelles for the first time and noticing how different they were to anything around. Maybe I am a sucker for the romance portrayed in the song but, really, it is the timelessness of the music that hit me – the fact it was passed from my parents to me and, in 2019, the music still sounds fresh and unique. This illuminating article dissects and revels in the extraordinary girl groups of the 1960s:

“Girl groups of the 1960s were responsible for some of the catchiest hits of the day. Songs like "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" by The Shirelles, and "Where Did Our Love Go?" by the Supremes are pop-music diamonds, short and catchy with passionate lead vocals and sophisticated harmonies. The earlier wave of '60s girl groups included The Shirelles, The Crystals, The Blossoms, Shangri-Las, The Chiffons, the Dixie Cups, the Ronettes and The Cookies. Then later came the Motown sound with The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas and The Supremes.

The Supremes were one of few girl groups that was able to sustain their success through the tsunami that hit American shores in the form of the Beatles and the British Invasion. It's conventional wisdom among some music experts that the Brits more or less "killed" the girl group phenomenon, or at least hastened the end of the golden age of girl groups. But let's be real -- it's pop music, considered a fairly disposable form of entertainment at the time, and nothing lasts forever. It's also worth noting that girl group never went away, it just changed with the music -- up through the Pointer Sisters to TLC to the Spice Girls.

One of the most famous of the girl groups that emerged out of Detroit’s Motown music scene in the mid 60’s, at the same time the Beatles and the British invasion were coming on strong in the U.S. and would go toe-to-toe with those groups on the music charts, was The Supremes. Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard recorded “Where Did Our Love Go” in the summer of 1964, that particular song had been rejected earlier on by the Marvelettes. It went to #1 and sold over 2 million copies, so The Supremes were on their way to make music history! They quickly followed this with two more #1 hits: “Baby Love” and “Come See About Me”. The hits kept coming for The Supremes in 1965, 1966 and 1967. Between 1964 and 1967, The Supremes had one of the best all-time female track records in pop music history: they released 15 singles and all but one made the Top 10. Additionally, 10 of those songs were #1 hits!”

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 IN THIS PHOTO: The Bangles/PHOTO CREDIT: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty

I will bring in another article that examines the girl groups of the 1990s and early part of the last decade. It seems strange that bands of the 1960s such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles were so much more massive than girl groups like The Supremes, but I think the classic girl groups helped influenced generations of artists and, as I say, the music sounds so sumptuous, passionate and evocative today. Whilst so many modern Pop artists discuss love in negative terms of, when being positive, are quite trite and predictable, there is something inherently jaw-dropping and seductive when you hear the 1960s’ best girl groups. Of course, not all girl group-produced music was about love and loss: there were anthems of defiance and the subject matter was quite broad. I am going to briefly mention the 1980s because we cannot ignore bands like The Bangles and Salt-N-Pepa. In a way, the classics crafted by these groups were on the same sort of level as the 1960s’ best. Maybe the subject matter was broader and we got some slightly harder-edged bands but, essentially, the template was the same: an incredible tight band performing these incredible catchy and memorable song. I like The Bangles because they were one of the few girl groups who played and rocked hard – maybe girl groups never caught on as much as Indie and Rock bands because of the lack of guitars and riffs; The Bangles were a bit of an anomaly.

When I think of the second wave of girl groups and the ones who I still listen to, it is the 1990s that comes to mind. Groups like All Saints and Destiny’s Child continued into the next decade, but I think the 1990s was this decade where girl groups held as much sway as boy bands. If the 1960s was defined by ‘boy bands’ like The Beatles courting more fevered and vocal fanbases than girl groups, there was a time when girl groups were on a level par with the men. What I like most about the 1990s’ girl groups was the fact that there were these different camps. If you wanted something a bit more commercial and sweeter, you had the Spice Girls and Sugarbabes. If you wanted something sassier that possessed a bit more clout then Destiny’s Child, TLC and En Vogue were on hand. Depending on your age will dictate whether the strongest girl groups were the legends of the 1960s or their grandchildren of the 1990s. I will end by asking where the girl groups have gone but I am not surprised the 1990s was such a fertile period for them. Even though genres came and movements evolved – we had Grunge and Britpop; U.S. alternative and all sorts at that time – girl groups seemed to be a constant that were unaffected by tastes, markets and trends. Some say girl groups aren’t prevalent today because the music is not enduring and seems uncool. I disagree. Listen to the very best girl group music of the 1990s – including All Saints and Destiny’s Child – and there are plenty of indelible tracks that added something bright and brilliant to the scene.

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 IN THIS PHOTO: TLC/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

In America, you had these independent, pioneering and strong girl groups like TLC, Destiny’s Child and En Vogue who, to me, were about projecting these messages of strength against suppression; encouraging girls and young women to stand tall and believe in themselves. In a sense, the 1960s’ girl groups, whilst talking about love and heartache, were promoting the same thing: the new breed of the 1990s were updating those messages and giving them a bit more kick and swagger. Personally, I was a bigger fan of the U.S. best compared with our version: the Spice Girls, All Saints and Eternal were great but not quite as intriguing and nuanced as their U.S. sisters. Just as I write this, I am seeing a report that suggests Destiny’s Child might reform and tour together. They sort of came together for Beyoncé’s epic headline set at Coachella last year – few can forget that incredible performance. It was great to see the group back together and storming it like they did back in the 1990s and early-2000s. I digress. I think, though, there is an appetite for revival that extends past nostalgia and rehashing the past. Today’s music lacks potent girl groups and a sense of swagger, punch and pop. Think back to the 1990s and some of the anthems that came out. Destiny’s Child provided (from the 1990s to the next decade) Bills, Bills, Bills and Say My Name; the brilliant Lose My Breath and Jumpin’ Jumpin’. The Spice Girls had their fair share of brilliant tracks: Wannabe, Who Do You Think You Are and Say You’ll Be There among them.

Look at the En Vogue camp and some of their biggest numbers. Who can ignore the prowess and charge of Free Your Mind and My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)?! I really loved a lot of All Saints’ music and feel they are underrated. There was something about girl groups’ music that resonated more than simple Pop. Maybe it was the harmonies or, perhaps, the subject matter was more interesting. I was never into the branding; I never had a favourite member of the groups and, whilst I have great affection for the TLCs and Destiny’s Childs of the world, my love was purely musical – whereas a lot of fans identified with the imagery and messages being projected. I could definitely appreciate the lyrics but I understand male listeners might get something different to girls and young women. Certainly, one cannot refute the addictiveness of the music and the fact so many of the songs from the 1990s and early-2000s are revered and played today – that is the case with girl groups’ music of the 1960s, 1970s and 1990s, too. So, then…why have girl groups sort of faded away?! The Fader discussed the subject last year and stated that, whilst there are modern boy bands like BTS, girl groups are barely visible:

“BTS, with their distinguishing nicknames, hairstyles, and personalities, model a dynamic homosociality in the same mold set by The Beatles over fifty years ago. Like the now-hibernating U.K. group One Direction, they present an array of types from which young fans can choose a favorite member. When a straight or bi teen girl undergoes the process of finding out what kind of boy she finds most attractive — a clean-cut beach blond like Niall Horan or a tattooed enigma like Zayn — she also begins to construct her own personality. Boy band fandom has served as an easily accessible identity-building exercise among teen girls for decades.

At the turn of the millennium, girl groups and boy bands had nearly equal sway over American culture. Singles from the Spice Girls, TLC, and Destiny's Child brushed up against hits by Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and NSYNC on the radio. With bubblegum tracks about female friendship in a world that prioritized men, '90s girl groups preached a newly accessible pop feminism. "Girl power" resonated among pre-teen and teenage girls, and it succeeded largely due to the social dynamics on display in girl groups.

Whether there is room for the girl group in the contemporary neoliberal imagination remains to be seen. Non-male bands command attention in more niche genres such as indie rock, where groups like Camp Cope and Cayetana challenge the patriarchal vision of the rock stage as a male domain. The sound of female camaraderie remains a powerful one for certain audiences, yet it remains a challenge for groups of women to attain mainstream sway. If girl groups are to see a resurgence, they’ll have to prove to the market what we already know to be true: female friendship is worth looking at”.

I do think it is changes in scenery and tastes that have seen girl groups’ numbers reduce rather than them being of a particular time. There are a lot of great female artists out there now and so many of them are in very innovative and stunning bands. We still have close-knit female groups but, rather than it being displayed through R&B/Pop with melodies and harmonies, things are more varied; perhaps the commercial demand is not there just yet and, with so many of the established girl groups either disbanded or less active than before, maybe we will see another wave in years to come. I do like the fact groups like the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child have reformed and are/will play together again. Maybe it, as the article above claims, time for the industry to recognise female power and talent out there. Whereas we had a fair few great girl groups in the 1990s and last decade, things sort of petered out. With Pop evolving and the mainstream shifting, maybe the new breed of girl groups will be an entirely different proposition to the ones who have come and gone. I am buoyed by the news Destiny’s Child might record more material and, with one of the iconic girl groups gearing up for their next phase, does this mean that other girl groups, new and established, follow in their wake? At a time when music lacks a distinct energy and fun, I think girl groups’ music has…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: The Shirelles/PHOTO CREDIT: CSU Archives/Everett/Alamy

A vital role to play.

FEATURE: Back in My Day… Is Modern Music More About Sound Collages and Mood Rather Than Hooks and Melodies?

FEATURE:

 

 

Back in My Day…

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PHOTO CREDIT: @melodyjacob1/Unsplash 

Is Modern Music More About Sound Collages and Mood Rather Than Hooks and Melodies?

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MAYBE this is a generational thing…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: @v_well/Unsplash

but I have just posted online an article that concerns Inner City’s hit, Good Life. It is an interesting piece in The Guardian that speaks with those involved in the song’s creation. A couple of months ago, the same site did a similar feature of Sub Sub’s Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use) featuring Melanie Williams. Both of those songs are from a period (the late-1980s/early-mid-1990s) when there was a big emphasis on hooks, big choruses and something quite exciting. For those who did not live through the Dance and Trance explosion; the beauty of House and the fantastic Pop that was around in the 1980s and 1990s, it was a heady time for music. It was not just the catchiness and quality of the hooks but there were great melodies and timeless sentiments that we are still spinning today. One can say we still have tracks like that today and, indeed, there have been bangers and addictive songs for decades – listen back to the best of the 1960s and you have ample examples of tracks that get into the head and stay there forever. I am not suggesting artists today are devoid of fun and excitement – as I have alluded to several times – but I think there are fewer modern examples of big songs with big hearts. I am not necessarily referring to House tracks but look back at the girl groups of the 1990s and early part of the last decade; some of the big club tunes that were around at the end of the 1990s and a few of the finest cuts from this year – the likes of Lizzo, Hot Chip and Sigrid have brought bags of hooks and bright moments.

Look at the best albums of the past couple of years and it seems, at least, there is greater attention paid to urgency in a more personal and political form. Maybe, too, artists are thinking more about using sound as a collage or tapestry; a mores sophisticated and less commercial sound. I do admit that a lot of the Pop mainstream and newcomers rely on the same sound: the plastic vocals and robotic lyrics; a template that is utterly lacking in charm, interest and originality. I love albums from Cate Le Bon (Reward), Weyes Blood (Titanic Rising) and Billie Eilish (When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?) but I do feel the strength of those records lies away from hooks and something instantly gratifying. Some might say their sounds are more mature than a lot of the music I have just described but is modern music more about building layers and mood rather than something free, unleashed and hook-laden? There is enough evidence to suggest that, over the past decade, music has sort of lacked real variety. I do think a lot of the best modern artist are trying to buck this trend by writing really interesting, rich and detailed songs but, in order to avoid being seen as meaningless or samey, are artists avoiding songs with hooks, bright choruses and sumptuous melodies? I do feel like artists such as Lizzo are a rarity in the modern scene.

I have a lot of time for most music but I do sort of miss the fun times; songs that got us moving because of their common codas, pure messages and the way they made us feel. A lot of modern music interests me and engages my imagination but very little sticks around and compels me to sing along or move. Maybe natural evolution and changes in scenes means music as it is now is the new explosion: as important and meaningful as the beats of the past but different in tone. At a time when we are strained and divided, does music need to reflect reality more? Is escapism something we should avoid? I want to bring in that article from The Guardian regarding Good Life and read producer Kevin Saunderson’s recollections:

“Thirty years later, Good Life still instantly gets people dancing and feeling good. It’s funny, because there’s not much to it: a TR-909 drum machine for the beat and a TR-707 for percussion, Casio and Korg keyboards and a sampler. I started with the main riff, imitated it with the bassline, put some strings on it and sent it to Paris. After she added her lyrics, I did a mix and a friend of mine played more keyboards. I wasn’t a trained musician, but I heard notes in my head and found a way of getting them out”.

We are being told music is getting louder, more receptive and over-familiar and I can appreciate how hard it is to stand out and remain relevant at a time when anyone, anywhere can release a track.

 

Gone are the slinky days when groups like TLC, Destiny’s Child and En Vogue could get you popping with an audacious chorus; the halcyon times when songs had quality and depth but they also boasted hooks and an explosive energy. I do think there is a desire for fun, boisterous and captivating songs that, whilst fairly simple, do make you feel better. As I say, I think modern music is great and one cannot say the quality has declined lately – in fact, I think the sheer variety and standard is staggering. In order to create structure, original expression and something personal, the universality of music has declined. By that, I mean a lot of the great tracks of the past were about coming together and feeling good. Even if they talked about love, artists were able to speak from the heart but speak to the masses and ensure there was a smile on the face. This interesting article explains how larger Pop writing teams takes away uniqueness; perhaps artists are taking fewer risks. I don’t know but I do think we have crossed from a time when there were a lot of artists penning these emphatic and instantly memorable tracks that one could relate to, but there was this need to capture the mood and move the soul. As I say, I love modern music and think it is a lot more varied and progressive than it has been for many years. Whilst genres are being fused and artists are creating these interesting tracks, I do miss harmonies and melodies; classic tracks with indelible choruses and the sense of release truly great music can provide. At this difficult and divisive time, I think the industry needs these kind of tracks…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @joewthompson/Unsplash

MORE than ever.

FEATURE: Spotlight: allusinlove

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

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PHOTO CREDIT: Haris Nukem 

allusinlove

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THERE are a lot of rising artists…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: allusinlove

I want to highlight over the coming weeks but, as they are a bit of a roll now, I am putting the incredible allusinlove under the spotlight. This is not the first time I have featured the band: I have reviewed and followed them under their previous moniker, allusondrugs. If the once-drug-naming band have transformed into a more loving and wholesome-named clan, the music still has a certain sense of lick, sweat and excitement. The Yorkshire band’s new album, It’s Okay to Talk, had the terrific Catherine Marks on production duties (she is the go-to producer if you are a pretty thrilling and meaty band!), and I recommend people buy the album and check it out. The record has been picking up some promising and encouraging reviews. Here, Discovered Magazine had their say:

“‘It’s Okay To Talk’ is grounded in alternative indie but has many offshoots to keep the listener guessing and interested in what is to come, heavy distorted guitars keeps the energy up while the shoegaze aspect creates a spacey atmosphere. Not to mention a very memorable performance from lead vocalist, Jason Moules, adapting to each song to match the feeling from the intimate songs to distorted and soaring choruses. The track listing does include all four songs from the latest EP released late 2018 while two songs make a return from the allusondrugs days with a fresh sound and production that lifts and improves the songs tenfold. The producers give a good indication of what to expect from the record: Catherine Marks (Foals, The Killers, Wolf Alice) and Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, Queens Of The Stone Age).

As a hard reset for the band, this is an incredibly well thought out and executed record. The band have harked back to their roots while improving on it, concisely setting out what they wanted to achieve in their production. The mix of styles and genres has certainly kept things open for what is to come from the Leeds outfit which is no bad thing but rather an intriguing prospect. While relying heavily on already recorded and released material is not ideal, the band have decided that this will be the jump off point for allusinlove”.

I love the band because they sort of mix modern Indie/Alternative with something a bit older. Yes, some of their songs cut to the bone and are lustful and cocky but the band are never that crude and vulgar: instead, they remind me of bands like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin and can talk about love/sex without being disparaging. With incredible chemistry between the members and riffs-aplenty, it is no wonder allusinlove are proving to be a very popular live act. There are a couple of dates coming up, but keep an eye on their social media channels (links are at the bottom of this feature) as the band might add some new ones and stuff pops up. The fact that their album is out at the moment means there will be a lot of excitement and demand. Here, the band talk about each of the tracks and I have selected a couple of interviews from a little while back – where they talk about recording their material and how they started out.

When speaking with Sound Arts, they were asked about their formation and what it was like working with producer Catherine Marks:

“How did you meet and how were allusinlove (allusondrugs) formed in the first place?

We all met around the Leeds area as everyone in the band was already playing music in different projects. We had known of each other from previous gigs and nights out so we started hanging out as new friends. One evening, after a hazy conversation outside a pub, the first version of the band was born. We all connected extremely well musically because of a very similar taste in bands. The idea of forming a new band between us seemed exciting and we wanted to go for it.

“All Good People” is the first taste of your forthcoming EP, produced by the legendary Catherine Marks and Alan Moulder. How was your collaboration with them?

It was an amazing experience. Catherine was excellent to work with and she really had everything under control in the studio. She understood straight away what kind of band we wanted to be and she had some amazing ideas. There were some truly magic moments shared with both Catherine and Alan during the recording and mixing of the album. Thanks to them both we have been able to achieve a sound that we are very proud of.

Which is your favorite song from you latest EP and why?

Bad Girls is probably our favorite because it is the most experimental song we’ve done. The whole progression of the guitar riff is based around a constant loop that never actually changes it’s structure. The song loops through various different sections and the lyricism focuses on insecurities within a darker relationship between two broken souls. There’s also a hippie drum circle we recorded over the middle 8 which gives the song a real tribal feel”.

Of course, we know the E.P. became an album and the band have been showcasing songs on the road. I want to bring in another interview and, although it is pre-album, it does reveal something interesting – including who allusinlove would like to collaborate with. They explain more:

“Tsvetelina: You released your EP last year and it’s so diverse and interesting. What was your main inspiration musically and lyrically for it?

Jason: It’s longing mostly, like a lot of confusion. About life and just people – how you feel about them and stuff. And sex. Just stuff, I think, everybody goes through, mostly. It’s hard to talk about, I haven’t thought much about it. Other than actual subjects, it’s feelings, as well. Live musicians, they can create a feeling that’s not something you can describe but it can take you somewhere. I like stuff I can listen to. If I make a song and I can listen to it after, we’ve won. Sometimes you can make music and be like ‘I don’t actually like that. Why have I done that?’

Tsvetelina: There are a lot of new artists and bands but who would you like to collaborate with the most?

Jason: Perfume Genius. He’s a chap from America, I think he’s from Seattle. He makes really amazing music. There’s a girl called Anna Calvi. Let’s not say a girl, she’s a woman, she’s older than me. She’s from the UK. She’s amazing. We were really lucky with the people we made the album with, the EP. We’re a four-piece band but I would say in the studio we were a seven-piece band because of our producers and our engineers. They were helping us and creating with us, so just to work with them again would actually be really nice. Hopefully, the second record, we’re gonna do it with all the same people because they were just incredible. They’ve some of our favourite records, everyone between from Smashing Pumpkins to My Bloody Valentine and Warpaint. That’s all the music that I enjoy listening to and then the people who made that music are making music with us now. I just want to collaborate again with them, I guess. Because why not? The formula is good”.

I need to catch up with the band because I would love to know what they have planned for the remainder of this year. I know there will be more gigs but, in terms of material, perhaps nothing else until next year. I recall discovering them as allusondrugs and marvelling at a band who sounded so complete and assured right from the off. They have grown even stronger and more ambitious – in no small part due to gigs and great exposure – and I think they are one of these bands who could become IDLES-big. Maybe they are not as political and charged as IDLES but this new wave of guitar music with heart and nuance is very popular and something we have been missing for a while – there has always been guitar music but there is a definite rise right now. I shall wrap things up here but, how would one describe allusinlove?! They are brotherly and have a great bond with their fans. They are riff-tastic but have plenty of heart; they are underground yet primed for big success and, in a world where we have guitar groups like John, Foals; IDLES, Slaves and countless others, there is something different about allusinlove. Have a listen to their incredible music and I know you will become a fan soon enough. Sit back, turn up (the album) It’s Okay to Talk and allow the majestic and memorable songs…

 PHOTO CREDIT: allusinlove

TO lodge themselves in the brain.

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Follow allusinlove

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FEATURE: It All Started with Lily... Kate Bush’s Before the Dawn at Five

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FEATURE:

 

 

It All Started with Lily…

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Kate Bush’s Before the Dawn at Five

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MAYBE I should ration my Kate Bush-related features…

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 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush performing on stage (in 2014) in Before the Dawn/PHOTO CREDIT: Ken McKay/Rex Features

to single figures next year but, when it comes to anniversaries and talking about important events, one just has to get involved. I will write one more feature – marking thirty years of The Sensual World in October – this year but I cannot believe it has been five years since Kate Bush brought the world Before the Dawn. I recall when tickets went on sale on 21st March, 2014. In fact, those were for fans who had signed up to her website: the general public had to wait until 28th March. I was not signed up to her website but, as I had to work the day tickets were available, I missed out. Tickets sold out in fifteen minutes! It is amazing to think that a concert run could sell out that quickly but, as it was thirty-five years since Bush hit the stage in such a fashion, one could understand the fever! The Hammersmith Apollo is a venue Bush has always had affection for. Not only does it have proscenium arches – it was formerly a cinema – but it is close to where she lives; she performed a few dates to end her The Tour of Life in 1979.  The Hammersmith Apollo is a great space and one Bush clearly feels at home in. I will discuss her legendary tour soon but, in 2014, few were expecting Bush to return to the stage. Since 1979, she had played a few times but they were one-offs or rare appearances.

There had been nothing on the scale of The Tour of Life since 1979. That tour took Bush through the U.K. and around the world. In 2014, there was no way Bush was going to repeat that process. She loved the original experience but was fatigued by touring and the fact that, in many ways, it was like a touring circus: she would pack up the stage and props from one location and then they would be moved to the next – this was quite rigorous and, as she was not keen on travelling, this time around it has to be the one location. It meant there were no stresses regarding moving around and she could remain in a venue she knew and was familiar in. That said, as she discussed with Matt Everitt in 2016, she was terrified each night; the fear of remembering her lines and getting everything right did not elude her until the final performance! I will also talk about the live recording of Before the Dawn that was released in 2016 but for those who were lucky enough to be at one of the twenty-two shows in 2014 witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime thrill. You can find more information concerning The Tour of Life and the sheer effort that went into it. Bush has joked in interviews, as I said, that it was like a circus act. Such was the scale and grandeur of the tour that is left critics’ jaws dropped.

After releasing two albums in the space of a year in 1978 – her debut, The Kick Inside and Lionheart – there was a desire for Bush to control something; to have a big input into something this big. She felt her first two albums were okay but she did not have enough say and, maybe, they were not as good as they could have been. The preparations and rehearsals were rigorous. Unlike standard concerts of the time, The Tour of Life was replete with set changes, incredible choreography and a mix of mime, dance; the fantastical and poetic. Bush did not say much during the shows because it was a very planned and constructed set. If there was a lack of audience interaction, the performances could not be faulted. This was a spectacle that had not been seen perform; an extravaganza that took her work to new levels and broke new ground. The very nature of what a gig could be changed. Bush’s grand visions and groundbreaking nature – she was the first to use a wireless/head mic – inspired other artists and has gone down in musical history. There were a number of reasons why Bush did not take to the stage sooner. Her song, Albert, sort of changed her mind and gave her the courage to get back on the stage. Consider the effort and work required to realise The Tour of Life. The energy-draining sets were spectacular to watch but sapped Bush; she wanted to concentrate on making music and other stuff got in the way. There are other reasons why she did not tour again but something clicked prior to 2014.

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Having been immersed in recording prior to Before the Dawn – she released Director’s Cut and 50 Words for Snow in 2011 – she was keen to try something new and move on. Whereas The Tour of Life took material from her first two albums (and the odd new song), the bulk of the material for Before the Dawn was taken from 1985’s Hounds of Love and 2005’s Aerial: two albums with concepts/suites that she could link and explore on the stage. There were similarities between The Tour of Life and Before the Dawn. With multi-media effects and a mix of shadows, dancers and puppets, it was another chocked and evocative set that also brought in filmed sequences – Bush spent three days in a flotation tank for filmed scenes played during the performance (she got ill as a result and got a ticking-off from her doctor!). Also featuring dialogue written by author David Mitchell, it was a typically bold and spellbinding Bush show. There were some flaws – some of the scripted, filmed scenes fell flat; not all of the set/props choices worked – but one cannot argue with the reviews. The Guardian had two tastes and, in both reviews, could not fail to be impressed by Bush. Kitty Empire’s review was full of praise:

“Other than the woofers and what sound like a few more tweeters in Aerial's birdsong passages, there has been precious little messing with Bush's music at all. Her energies have gone into staging the visuals that tell the stories of two song-suites, The Ninth Wave (about a woman lost at sea, and the horror of being parted from loved ones), from the 1985 album The Hounds of Love, and A Sky of Honey, the second half of 2005's Aerial (about the play of light in midsummer). At one point there are 20-odd people on stage. Subtle rearrangements can suit a voice that's lost its elasticity. That stage management is not needed here. At the end of three hours of untrammelled theatricality punctuated by skits (written by novelist David Mitchell), what is truly thrilling about Kate Bush's comeback is how little her voice – or her essence – have changed.

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

This is an emphatically rehearsed production which draws heavily on moving scenery, startling stagecraft – a “helicopter” strafes the crowd in a botched rescue attempt during The Ninth Wave – and surprisingly scary costumes. Fish People is the handle of Bush’s website and record label, and the fish skeletons that populate the drowning dream sequences of The Ninth Wave are the stuff of gothic nightmares. Media are mixed. Infamously, Bush was filmed earlier at Pinewood Studios singing in a tank of water, buoyed by a blinking life vest, for this act. On the video she looks less like Ophelia, and colder and wearier than you might expect”.

Alexis Petridis was similarly blown away:

 “For someone who's spent the vast majority of her career shunning the stage, she's a hugely engaging live performer, confident enough to shun the hits that made her famous in the first place: she plays nothing from her first four albums.

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

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

I am a bit gutted not to have been in the audience for one of the Before the Dawn dates. Like me, go and buy the live album and you are treated to a pretty memorable experience. I love the excitement in Bush’s voice and the impassionate roar from the audience. The performances are tight, stunning and will stay with you for a very long time. Like the show itself, the Before the Dawn album received cracking reviews. Consequence of Sound had this to say:

“While it’s tempting to look at this as an endpoint — a final and well-deserved victory lap — Bush has described this album as “a rather big comma.” This isn’t the end, apparently, and nor should it be. If anything, Before the Dawn is living, breathing proof that Bush still has the creative prowess and unique sensibilities that made her a superstar in the first place.

Like most live albums, this is not essential listening for new or casual fans. However, for dedicated fans, both those who could and could not attend the run of shows, it is a reminder of the still very potent lust for life that Bush has always exhibited in her music, art, and personality. It’s a reminder that fear can be conquered in the most ambitious and uplifting way, that fear does not define who we are”.

Celebrating and remembering the incredible Before the Dawn makes happy because it was great to see Bush back on the stage. Many asked why she did not return sooner but there are reasons for it – including the fact she started a family and The Tour of Life was quite an exhausting experience. Whilst it is unlikely Bush will take to the stage again like she did in 2014, maybe there will be a gig in the future. Who knows? You can never rule anything out with Kate Bush but, whilst we wait to see where she heads next, let us remember the magical moment Kate Bush took to the stage…

IN 2014.

FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: Television – Marquee Moon

FEATURE:

 

 

Vinyl Corner

IMAGE CREDIT: Tony Lane and Robert Mapplethorpe

Television – Marquee Moon

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IT is a surprise…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Television/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

because I should have included Television’s Marquee Moon in Vinyl Corner a long time ago! You should snap up the album on vinyl because, since its release in February 1977, the album has influenced scores of artists and delighted fans. I am fairly new to the album as a whole but have heard various songs played on the radio since childhood. I guess we need to get a bit of background together regarding Television and Marquee Moon. Before stepping into the studio to record their debut album – yes, they were THAT good out of the blocks! –, they were a prominent and respected act in the New York music scene. I am not sure how many of their shows included tracks from Marquee Moon or, in fact, how close to the record they would have sounded. I listen to Marquee Moon and it sounds so expansive, otherworldly and wild: I imagine the New York scene in the 1970s and consider something rawer and more Punk-based. Produced by the band’s lead, Tom Verlaine and Andy Johns, Television sort of went against the grain of the time. One could have expected a Punk/guitar-driven record but, instead, we got this more Jazz-inspired record. There is so much to dissect when we think of Marquee Moon but, whereas Punk was concerned with direct vocals and lyrics and music that was close to the bone, Television combined counter-melodies with poetic and sometimes-surreal lyrics.

Verlaine’s lyrics are interesting. I know he was experimenting with psychotropic drugs around the time the album was recorded but, whilst one can detect a certain sense of trip and fantasy in places, the literary and more intellectual qualities of the songs resonates harder and deeper. There is wordplay and puns alongside oblique threads and fantastic flights of the imagination. Tom Verlaine was determined to make the album in his own vision and not, as Elektra Records suggested, produce with a well-known name. Working alongside Andy Johns, one wonders what Marquee Moon would sound like if there was a big-name producer calling the shots. Television rehearsed for six hours a day, six-seven days a week to make sure the music was ready and tight. I know a lot of artists now rehearse endlessly but how many spend so many hours a week in the studio? One can see all the effort and preparation in Marquee Moon and I can only imagine the rehearsals and these great songs coming together. One might imagine songs like Friction, Venus and Guiding Light were all written early on – before the album was recorded – but a lot of material was thrown out when the band entered the studio. Verlaine had a clear plan regarding the structure of Marquee Moon so, in terms of switching tracks and adding new numbers, there was not a lot of experimentation and flexibility.

Marquee Moon arrived in a year when Steely Dan released Aja and David Bowie released Low. Alongside that, the Sex Pistols released their album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols and The Clash released their eponymous debut. Many argue 1977 is the finest year for music and the sheer scope is amazing. Marquee Moon is definitely one of the best albums of the year but think of the other albums released that year and it is mind-boggling. Punk was definitely coming through but there was more experimental and interesting music nestling alongside. There are Punk elements in Marquee Moon but, rather than the album being a raw and intense experience, the energy comes in fits and starts. For a start, a lot of the songs on Marquee Moon are over four minutes and the first three tracks – See No Evil, Friction and Venus – are not exactly the sort of short tracks the likes of the Ramones and Sex Pistols were putting out! The performances and compositions are far more developed and progressive as a lot of Punk stuff; the vocals are not as snarled and, whereas there are some focused songs, a lot of the best numbers expand and move at their own pace. It is hard to say where Marquee Moon emanates from but this article suggests records that might have influenced Tom Verlaine. Billy Ficca – drums; Richard Lloyd – guitar (solo on See No Evil, Marquee Moon; Elevation and Guiding Light), vocals and Fred Smith – bass guitar, vocals created this masterpiece that still sounds completely awesome and fresh today.

Many critics have named Marquee Moon as one of the best albums of the Punk Rock movement and many also consider it the cornerstone of the Alternative-Rock scene. So many Indie and Post-Punk artists have used Marquee Moon as a starting point; the sophistication and style of Marquee Moon was a revelation in 1977 and it is impossible to count just how many artists have been inspired by this remarkable work. In terms of the reviews of 1977, there was plenty of love around. More contemporary reviews have been incredibly positive and, as you can tell from this AllMusic review, there is so much to unpick when we evaluate Television’s masterful debut:

“Marquee Moon is a revolutionary album, but it's a subtle, understated revolution. Without question, it is a guitar rock album -- it's astonishing to hear the interplay between Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd -- but it is a guitar rock album unlike any other. Where their predecessors in the New York punk scene, most notably the Velvet Underground, had fused blues structures with avant-garde flourishes, Television completely strip away any sense of swing or groove, even when they are playing standard three-chord changes. Marquee Moon is comprised entirely of tense garage rockers that spiral into heady intellectual territory, which is achieved through the group's long, interweaving instrumental sections, not through Verlaine's words. That alone made Marquee Moon a trailblazing album -- it's impossible to imagine post-punk soundscapes without it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Of course, it wouldn't have had such an impact if Verlaine hadn't written an excellent set of songs that conveyed a fractured urban mythology unlike any of his contemporaries. From the nervy opener, "See No Evil," to the majestic title track, there is simply not a bad song on the entire record. And what has kept Marquee Moon fresh over the years is how Television flesh out Verlaine's poetry into sweeping sonic epics”.

Pitchfork had this to say when they reviewed Marquee Moon:

“With all that context, the most interesting thing about picking up Television's Marquee Moon-- today, for us folks who weren't old enough to buy the first edition vinyl-- is how ahistorical it sounds. If you listen to their original Brian Eno-produced demos, you hear a scragglier, faster band that's less confident and more... punk? If nothing else, the band at least sounded closer to the sometimes-sloppy Bowery clubrats Eno must have taken them for on those early tapes. Their sound on Marquee Moon, though, is clean, raw and simple. The band never breaks for a squall of energy, yet the whole record crackles with it, and they never rely on atmosphere to make their case. Billy Ficca's drums and Fred Smith's bass are extra lean and crisp, and the band's so tight that even the "Did you feel low?" call-and-response on "Venus de Milo" sounds amusingly rehearsed. The only rough edge is Tom Verlaine's striking warble, a somewhat choked-off tenor influenced either by Patti Smith or by someone kicking him in the throat… 

But the things that make the record so classic, that pump your blood like a breath of clean air, are the guitars. This whole record's a mash note to them. The contrast between these two essential leads is stunning: Richard Lloyd chisels notes out hard while Verlaine works with a subtle twang and a trace of space-gazing delirium. They play lines that are stately and chiming, rutting and torrential, the riff, the solo, the rare power chord, and most of all, the power note: the second pang on the riff to "Venus de Milo" lands like a barbell; the opening bars of "See No Evil" show one axe rutting the firmament while the other spirals razorwire around it”.

One can examine where Television came from and what was inspiring them in the 1970s. You can theorise and speculate all you like but Marquee Moon sounds like nothing else on Earth! When looking at the album forty years from its release (in 2017), Consequence of Sound remarked the following:

“On its face, Marquee Moon sounds like an unparalleled work picked cleanly out of thin air. In many ways, it was and still is, but it arguably couldn’t have originated anywhere other than in the band’s home base of New York City. From a musical standpoint, New York City in the mid to late 1970s represented a wide-open frontier, a boundless play area where new ideas and experimenting were not only allowed, but encouraged. The New York Dolls, Suicide, The Modern Lovers, and The Velvet Underground before them were each creating something distinctly New York in sound and style — that is to say, something intelligent, cool, and edgy with a healthy dose of street smarts.

Marquee Moon is pure music gumbo, a staggering combination of contrasting aesthetics that slashes with punk rock grit, dazzles with jazzy guitar virtuosity, and moves to its own particular muse. It’s smart but tough, technical but accessible. Verlaine and Lloyd make a devastating guitar pair, especially on tracks like album opener “See No Evil”, the sprawling title track, and the more classic-sounding “Prove It”.

If you have not discovered this innovative, brilliant and timeless album then make sure you snap up a copy of Television’s Marquee Moon. You do not have to be a fan of Post-Punk or Jazz to appreciate the album: you simply need to put the needle down, let the songs sink into the mind and…

GET carried away.

FEATURE: Female Icons: Part Thirteen: Tina Turner

FEATURE:

 

 

Female Icons

IN THIS PHOTO: Tina Turner in 1993/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Part Thirteen: Tina Turner

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THERE are a number of reasons…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

why I am including Tina Turner in my Female Icons section. In terms of icons and superstars, how many of us think of Tina Tuner?! There are plaudits levied the way of Madonna, Joni Mitchell and Aretha Franklin – who I have all covered – but one cannot discount the impact and importance of Tina Turner. TINA: The Tina Turner Musical is a jukebox musical featuring the music of Tina Turner and depicting her life from her youth in Nutbush, Tennessee, through her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner and comeback as a Rock 'n’ Roll star in her '40s. If you are a fan of Turner, you can go catch the musical and learn about her fascinating (and often struggling) background. The musical is described thus:

“From humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, to her transformation into the global Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Tina Turner didn’t just break the rules, she rewrote them. This new stage musical reveals the untold story of a woman who dared to defy the bounds of her age, gender and race.

One of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner has won 12 Grammy Awards and her live shows have been seen by millions, with more concert tickets sold than any other solo performer in music history.

Featuring her much loved songs, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is written by Olivier Award-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd.

Presented in association with Tina Turner”.

I guess a lot of the icons and legends of music had humble and hard backgrounds – that is what spurs a determinism and that desire to succeed. Looking at Tina Turner’s life and she has endured a lot of struggle, hurdles and pain to get where she is. The idea of the music, according to Turner, was to inspire audiences and show that you can turn poison into gold; pain and struggle need not define you and you can overcome it. This inspiring message has amazed audiences and the musical runs in London until next year. Time Out caught the show last year and had this to say:

“Where ‘Tina’ undoubtedly succeeds is in the casting of its lead. Broadway performer Adrienne Warren is virtually unknown over here, but it’s instantly apparent why she was tapped up for this. She doesn’t so much imitate Turner as channel her: her technically dazzling but achingly world-weary gale of a voice feels like it should be coming out of a woman decades, if not centuries, older. And while Warren doesn’t really look anything like Turner, she perfectly captures that leggy, rangy, in-charge physicality. From a musical standpoint, she virtually carries the show, singing nigh-on every song and even giving us an encore at the end.

Almost as good is heavyweight Brit actor Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who brings a demonic charisma to the role of Ike Turner. Tina’s abusive bandleader and husband is monstrous in his self-pitying, manipulative rage, but it’s not hard to see the appeal of his raw wit and powerful sense of certainty. It is a deadly serious performance.

But the talented creative team of director Lloyd and writer Katori Hall never really crack the correct way to use their leads”.

Although the review points at some downsides – mixing spousal abuse with a collection of greatest hits is an odd blend; the euphoria and scene-stealing end sort of tarnishes a sense of queasiness -, it is a magnificent show that does not shy away from the realities of Tuna Turner’s upbringing, peak and success. Music struck Turner as a girl. As a child (Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock), she performed in the church choir at Nutbush’s Spring Hill Baptist Church. Turner’s mother ran off when she was eleven – to escape from an abusive relationship – and, as a teenager, Turner (Bullock) worked as a domestic worker. There was a lot of tribulation and upheaval in Turner’s early life and she and her sister eventually were sent to live with their grandmother Georgeanna in Tennessee. The pain and scar of domestic abuse would revisit Turner in later life but it is safe to say things were far from smooth early in her life. Displaced and unsure where she would end up, one can only imagine the sort of unhappiness and fear Turner faced. Music, in a way, provided an escape and release from a less-than-stable upbringing. She began her singing career in 1958 as part of Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm and she was captivated by Ike Turner instantly.

It was not until the 1960s when she adopted the stage name of Tina Turner – she was ‘Little Ann’ when recording with Ike Turner in the early days – and Ike and Tina Turner enjoyed a long and fruitful recording career. In terms of Turner’s music, we can split it between her work with Ike Turner and her solo material. As a duo, they enjoyed success with hits like River Deep–Mountain High in 1966 and Nutbush City Limits in 1973. I want to focus more on Turner as a solo artist but, sadly, her split with Ike Turner in 1976 (they divorced in 1978) was a result of domestic abuse and mistreatment. The Tina Turner musical reveals this on the stage and it is an eye-opening experience. Having seen her parents divide and split with a background of domestic abuse, Turner had to experience so much hurt and abuse. There were many who thought Turner’s career could not survive without her partner. By 1983, she had released the incredible single, Let’s Stay Together, and that was followed by the 1984 album, Private Dancer – a huge success and one of the best albums of the mid-1980s. If some of Tina Turner’s earliest experiences of music were more Gospel-flavoured, she had matured into a captivating Rock singer by the 1980s – and was shaping up to be an icon when performing with Ike Turner.

Turner enjoyed success through the 1980s and 1990s but her ‘golden period’ is the 1980s, in my view. The 1993 film, What’s Love Got to Do with It?, is a sort of early version of the Tina Turner musical and looks at her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner. I will bring in a couple of articles that highlight the huge importance of Tina Turner’s work and how she has changed music. It is hard to select specific highlights but 1960’s A Fool in Love was a huge chart hit; the charted cover of Otis Redding’s I’ve Been Loving You Too Long is extraordinary, as is Turner’s solo rendition of Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together. Maybe her greatest year was in 1985 when she won a total of four Grammys – including Record of the Year for What’s Love Got to Do with It. She was touring her Private Dancer album at this time and was appearing in films and was pretty much unrivaled at that time. Consider other powerful female artists like Madonna and Kate Bush were peaking in 1985 and, to me, Turner topped the lots. Her incredible voice and power blew people away and, like so many recordings from the 1980s, Turner’s work does not sound dated or of a particular moment. Although Turner has not released a studio album since 1999’s Twenty Four Seven, there are many golden records in the collection.

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1975’s Acid Queen is a covers album (with a few song by Ike Turner) but features versions of The Rolling Stones’ Let’s Spend the Night Together and The Who’s I Can See for Miles. 1984’s Private Dancer remains a seminal work and a hugely influential album. AllMusic, in their review, were full of praise:

“In 1984, a 45-year-old Tina Turner made one of the most amazing comebacks in the history of American popular music. A few years earlier, it was hard to imagine the veteran soul/rock belter reinventing herself and returning to the top of the pop charts, but she did exactly that with the outstanding Private Dancer. And Turner did so without sacrificing her musical integrity. To be sure, this pop/rock/R&B pearl is decidedly slicker than such raw, earthy, hard-edged Ike & Tina classics as "Proud Mary," "Sexy Ida," and "I Wanna Take You Higher." But she still has a tough, throaty, passionate delivery that serves her beautifully on everything from the melancholy, reggae-influenced "What's Love Got to Do With It" to the gutsy "Better Be Good to Me" to heartfelt remakes of the Beatles' "Help," Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," and David Bowie's "1984." A reflection on the emptiness of a stripper's life, the dusky title song is as poignant as it is depressing. Without question, this was Turner's finest hour as a solo artist”.

Although 1989’s Foreign Affair is, perhaps, more commercial than Turner’s early work, it contains some of her best-known hits. The Best and Steamy Windows are classics whilst I Don’t Wanna Lose You is a more mature and controlled Turner.

One can look here to see Tina Turner’s accolades and honours but it is clear what she has done to music and how many artists she has inspired. The Tina Turner musical opens on Broadway in the autumn and there is a lot of new interest around the superstar. Turner is eighty later this year and, although she is not releasing any more material at the moment (and might never do), she still holds incredible power and influence. I will bring in an older interview and a feature that studies Turner from different sides. This 2018 article from The Guardian gave an affectionate account of Turner’s early life and how she became this Rock icon:

“Her singularity as an artist is undeniable. Turner merged sound and movement at a critical turning point in rock history, navigating and reflecting back the technological innovations of a new pop-music era in the 60s and 70s. She catapulted herself to the forefront of a musical revolution that had long marginalised and overlooked the pioneering contributions of African American women and then remade herself again at an age when most pop musicians were hitting the oldies circuit. Turner’s musical character has always been a charged combination of mystery as well as light, melancholy mixed with a ferocious vitality that often flirted with danger. Perfect, then, for a big-budget musical.

But it was Turner’s voice that spelled liberation even more potently than her moves, and similarly crystallised the era’s insurgent shifts in rock’n’roll singing. Whereas Little Richard squealed his queer pleasures and James Brown screamed of funk rebellion – and the Brits who idolised them followed suit, Turner turned her abrasive timbre and audacious delivery into singing that reverberated with the newly emboldened spirit of an evolving pop phenomenon.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

She generated her own rendition of sonic blackness and femininity while gigging in the 70s, finding a new home for her voice as “the acid queen” in the 1975 adaptation of rock opera Tommy. And she turned to a whole new set of covers – Under My Thumb, Let’s Spend the Night Together, I Can See for Miles, Whole Lotta Love – turning those masculine (and often misogynist) narratives of power, desire, independence and sexual prowess into the sound of brave and unbridled, sexually and socially assertive womanhood”.

I will discuss Turner’s legacy and influence a bit more in a bit but it is clear huge stars such as Beyoncé are the natural successors. You only need to turn on the radio now to know that Turner’s influence extends beyond Rock to multiple genres and various corners of the music world. The Guardian’s article continues:  

“The heir to Turner’s throne has long been Beyoncé, who paid homage to her foremother back in 2005 at the annual Kennedy Center Honors: “Every now and then, when I think of inspiration, I think of the two Tinas in my life – that’s my mother, Tina, and of course, the amazing Tina Turner …” Three years later, during the opening performance of the 2008 Grammys, the love-fest continued with Beyoncé celebrating the history of black women musicians and concluding her medley by introducing the “queen” (a line that Aretha Franklin would famously contest) to sway, “nice and easy”, right alongside her. The verse in Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Drunk in Love, in which the rapper references a scene from the biopic in which Ike abuses Tina – “eat the cake, Anna Mae!” – was a less apt tribute.

Beyond Beyoncé, Turner’s legacies remain rich and varied in the world of pop, ranging from the brooding neo-soul of Meshell Ndegocello (who recently released a pensive, darkly lilting rendition of Private Dancer) to the underrated white funk vocalist Nikka Costa (whose 2005 cover of the Ike and Tina barnburner Funkier Than a Mosquito’s Tweeter revived the duo’s brand of nasty, in-your-face battle funk, all sweat and confrontation).

We see her brash and glamorous strut every time Rihanna takes to the stage, and even rapper Cardi B, with her stalwart posturing and vibe of unpredictability, owe Turner a bit of a debt. In our #MeToo age and with pop’s women unapologetically reclaiming their time, Tina: The Musical is poised to remind us of the sister who, legs and all, kicked open the door for this moment”.

I will end by discussing Turner’s legacy but I found a very revealing and honest interview she gave to Rolling Stone in 1986. You would never get an interview as revealing nowadays but, as she was at her peak, Turner was asked about her life, including her time with Ike Turner, She was asked about her parents and being abandoned:

“Psychologically speaking, there really isn’t anything worse than being abandoned by your mother, is there?

I think not. But I was different, because I’ve always been a loner. It mattered that she’d left – but it also didn’t matter. What I simply missed was that she didn’t love me. And I knew the difference, because I used to watch her with my sister, Alline – how she was with her and then how she was with me. She loved Alline. But, strangely enough, I wasn’t sad about it. It was just a fact that my parents didn’t care that much for me. See, my mother didn’t want me in the first place. She had taken my father away from another girl – which is instant karma right there. She was in the process of leaving my father when she got pregnant with me.

IN THIS PHOTO: Ike and Tina Turner in 1972/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 

That, of course, began sixteen years of beatings. You were a battered wife, controlled by fear.

It was a thoroughly unhappy situation I was in, but I was too far gone. I was trapped into really caring about Ike. If I left him, what was he going to do? Go back to St. Louis? I didn’t want to let him down. As horrible as he treated me, I still felt responsible for letting him down. That was a mental problem I had at the time. And I was afraid to leave. I knew I had no place to hide, because he knew where my people were. My mother was actually living in Ike’s house in St. Louis. My sister was living in an apartment basically rented by Ike.

Are you surprised by the way your life has turned out?

No. I’m not surprised, because I’ve always wanted this. And I won’t stop until I get that respect. I may not ever get it completely, because my life has been too hard so far. But I’ve gotten a taste of what that respect is probably like, and I like it. I may not be able to get that class, because I didn’t act my life, I lived it. I am Tina Turner. I am raunchy. But I know I’m a lady and that deep inside of me there’s a craving for class. I know I’m accepted, but what I always wanted was the principal’s daughters’ world. And maybe that was my lesson in life . . . . Maybe I had to learn something from wanting that and then not being able to have it. Instead, in this lifetime, I came back, so to speak, a slave girl”.

There are plenty of articles that dub Turner an icon and talk about her legacy. Turner has survived so much and overcome all of this to become the hugely inspiring artist she is. Her story is being told on stage and will, no doubt, engage new fans. This article from Afropunk in 2017 drills down the core:

“Once described by the Rolling Stone as “the world’s greatest heartbreaker”, Tina Turner’s musical legacy remains to be unlike any other we’ve seen before or since. From the onset, Turner’s pioneering musicianship and unrelenting vocals bridged the mainstream (read: imaginary) gap between Rhythm and Blues and Rock-n-Roll. One of the greatest vocalists of all time, Turner’s presence on the stage challenged the conventional, “pretty” performances of Black female performers of the 1960s. With her legendary physicality and hypnotic showmanship, she brought to life the electricity and soul of rock music in ways that have paved the way for every single one of your favs.

A survivor of Biblical proportions, Turner survived and fought her way to freedom against an industry and an abuser that would have swallowed the strongest amongst us mortals whole”.

Tina Turner is a fighter and survivor. She is a Rock goddess and star. She is an idol for many and a fountain of strength for so many others. I am a big fan of her music and deeply respect and admire her work; the way she has come through some dark times and captivated the world. A peerless and stunning artist, when it comes to competing with the amazing Tina Turner, everyone else has to settle…

FOR second best.

TRACK REVIEW: HAIM - Summer Girl

TRACK REVIEW:

 

HAIM

Summer Girl

 

9.4/10

 

 

The track, Summer Girl, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjuA_o6Jzyo

GENRES:

Soft-Rock/Jazz

ORIGIN:

Los Angeles, U.S.A.

RELEASE DATE:

31st July, 2019

LABELS:

Universal Music Operations/Haim Productions Inc.

__________

THIS time out…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Elizabeth Weinberg for The New York Times

I get to talk about a band I have not covered before. I will get to HAIM’s new track, Summer Girl, very soon but, until then, I want to bring up a few themes. To start, I will discuss siblings in groups and the connection they have; summery songs and something more positive; the variety of Pop music out there at the moment and why HAIM are causing excitement; music videos and why this band are always interesting in that respect; sexism in the music industry and how HAIM have faced that; a bit on where they will head next. Este Haim (bass guitar and vocals), Danielle Haim (vocals and guitar) and Alana Haim are the stunning group and, since their 2013 debut, Days Are Gone, they have caught the critical ear. It is not always the case brothers and sisters in bands are better and more connected but I do think there is that understanding and connection that makes the music more interesting and tight-knit. There are some great bands around right now but I do find that there is something lacking. Maybe it is a lack of communication or the fact one or two members are in the background. Whatever it is, I think I tend to stick with solo artists and duos because they provide that emotional hit that I need. Maybe IDLES are an exception of a band who have that closeness and ingredient that sends their music over the top. Of course, there are siblings in bands who did not really get along (like the Gallaghers in Oasis) but, when it comes to HAIM, there is that simpatico and love between them. Before I continue on, here is an interview from NRP a couple of years back when the sisters talked about being in a band together:

“On the bond between sisters

“Este Haim: It's hard to keep secrets with these two. They can see it on my face — the second I get off a phone call, they're like, "What happened?" No matter how hard I try, or how much of a poker face I have. I could be in my house in the Valley and I can feel that Alana or Danielle is not having a good day, or they're having a great day and I'm like, "I need to call these two. What's going on? Something's off!"

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On being from a musical family

Este Haim: Some of my most vivid memories [are] coming home and my dad playing drums. And I don't remember a time in my life when I wasn't playing drums. It was the same thing as when I came to the realization that not everyone was in a family band. Because I was in a family band from the time I was in elementary school, I just assumed that's what families did. And then when I would talk to my friends about it, I'd be like, "So, when's your rehearsal?" And my friends would be like, "For what?" And I'd be like, "When does your band rehearse with your parents?" And they would be like, "I'm going to the mall this weekend, Este." [Laughs.]’.

Those two questions raised some interesting points. I love the fact that the Haim sisters would have been growing up around one another and in that musical household. It is possible for band members from different families to join one another and have a definitely spark; a similar taste in music that is instant and effective. When you grow up around one another, you already have that certainty and there is a sense of trust and closeness that, I think, makes the music stronger. One does not see too many siblings in bands these days and there is something charming about HAIM. I do really like the fact they are always on the same page and, when one of the sisters is having a bad time or needs that boost, she has the other two siblings there. Maybe that is what makes the HAIM brand so appealing but I just wanted to raise the point as it is great to see a familial link in groups. There are downsides relating to keeping it in the family – squabbles and the fact that, when there is an argument, it can be pretty big – but I think that sense of togetherness and understanding is key. You know HAIM will continue to make music for years to come.

HAIM’s music has changed since their debut. Their second album, Something to Tell You, was released in 2017 and, whilst less summer-ready than their debut, it was well-received. There are bands producing something warm and effusive at the moment but I do tend to feel that the air of positivity and light that we all crave right now is not being catered for. Consider all the bands out there and how many of them make you feel more positive and lifted. I can name, maybe four or five from the current scene, but it is hard to get past that. I do think we require a dose of optimism and hope in these strained times and that should not be taken for granted. HAIM’s upbringing surely had an impact on their material and you can hear mixes of Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles in their work. They mix styles and lace together sounds seamlessly and it is fantastic to witness. I think a lot of bands who mix Pop and Rock can strike that balance between sunny and hard-hitting. HAIM are definitely not all about surface with no depth: their music digs deep and, in the case of their latest track, it was inspired by a cancer diagnosis Danielle Haim’s boyfriend received. The song is a message of hope and, although there is darkness, it will be okay. One of the biggest issues with modern music is the lack of real energy and escape that we need. HAIM send out big messages and have a lot of layers but you can play their music and feel less heavy and stressed with things. As the sun is out and the weather is warm, they are the perfect group you need in your lives. I respect artists who talk about politics and modern-day concerns but there is so much aggression and blame that is can be a bit overwhelming and tense. One does look for something a bit more relaxed and breezy.

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I will move on to another subject but I think it is important to promote artists who make of smile and have a positive vibe. Sure, Summer Girl has a bit of a heartbreaking start but you listen to the song and are put in a better mood. I wonder whether this is all leading to a third album because HAIM have been pretty busy on their road since their last album came out. Some have said Something to Tell You was a weaker effort than Days Are Gone. Maybe it was the fatigue of touring but there were fewer hooks on Something to Tell You; a sense that the songs were a bit samey and it was a more straightforward album. For those looking for big explosions, brashness and a freewheelin’ lyrical touches might have been disappointed. I think their latest effort returns more to their debut in a way. There is always that pressure when it comes to the second album and, perhaps, HAIM felt a bit of expectation that meant the songs suffered a bit. I actually really like the album but it is not quite as bright and unexpected as their debut. With talk of a third album buzzing, I do feel like there will be more of Days Are Gone’s themes and sounds. We shall see what HAIM come up with but I think Summer Girl is a great track and one can find little fault with it. If some critics were a little critical of HAIM’s previous album, many agreed that the optimism and energy was pretty infectious. I do feel like simpler music can be more effecting. HAIM can pen these catchy choruses and beautiful vocals but, rather than forget about the song the first time you hear it, you’ll come back for another go. It seems like, as I will explain later, HAIM are using their debut as a springboard and sort of working off of that for their new work.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Vogue Russia

I have discussed some of the influences regarding HAIM’s music. I could picture the three sisters at home and listening to their parents’ records. You can detect California and the open road in the music of HAIM but I can also hear some 1980s stuff and Disco. I think HAIM started out life playing covers; their mum and dad enlisted them to play Motown tracks in the family band whilst they plated in the San Fernando Valley. Earlier HAIM songs had a mix of Rock and Roll guitars and 1990s R&B but they mutated into a more straightforward Pop group. Perhaps people assume that the family connection and the fact that the sisters have been playing together since they were children would lend some dysfunction to the ranks. Maybe there would be problems and cracks forming soon enough. The clear love and connection the sisters have means that there is this rock-solid foundation. In terms of their sound, HAIM can do polished and carefree but also ensure that their music stands out and they have their own voice. If some have been too ready to compare them to Fleetwood Mac and highlight the vocal harmonies, you only need to listen closely to HAIM and realise that they have their own course. Their debut album was lauded because it has a bit of polish but the songs stood up to repeated listens and scrutiny. The passion and energy in every song caught the imagination and built a huge fanbase. Look at some of the best and most engaging Pop of the moment and you will name artists like Christine and the Queens and Lizzo. These artists deal with big themes but, in terms of the music and vocals, you get something pretty intoxicating, inspiring and pumped. I do think there are a lot of great Pop artists but so many are either pretty dark or they are far too commercial – the same processed beats and production values leads to a lot of dull clones.

I think HAIM’s latest track actually takes them in a slightly different direction. Reviews of Summer Girl have compared them to Loud Reed and his track, Walk on the Wild Side. There is sparseness and cool that is less about the bright harmonies and production shine and more about something a little more developed and mature. That is not to say HAIM have lost that cheer and distinct sound but they have pared it down a little; maybe signalling where their third album might go and reacting to some critics who felt they lacked real promise and range on their sophomore album. I maintain a lot of critics were a bit harsh when it comes to Something to Tell You. Maybe some were looking too closely at the lyrics and felt they were a little generic. HAIM’s strong point has always been the vocals and music and, whereas they could turn phrases on their debt, maybe there was something missing the second time around. I do feel like there will be a leap on their third album and, whenever that arrives, we will see a group revitalised and repurposed. If the music has faced some backlash from certain quarters, I feel the videos make up for any shortcomings. There seems to be a common theme with HAIM videos. If some acts like to be in the studio when it comes to recording videos, HAIM are very much about getting outside. Summer Girl sees them casting off clothing and moving from the studio into the street. They have previously worked with Paul Thomas Anderson on Night So Long, Little of Your Love and Right Now and it is a great partnership. I think it was Anderson who directed Radiohead’s Daydreaming and, there, we saw Thom York being tracked as he moved through doorway and through various scenes. There is a sense of openness, movement and geography when we look at Anderson’s videos. I do feel a lot of music videos are too much about flashing lights, constant cuts and lazy storyboards.

 PHOTO CREDIT: London Evening Standard/eyevine/Redux

HAIM’s sunny and coast-seeking music, I guess, begs videos that find them striding and swaggering but one could easily make these boring videos that have no real purpose. Although HAIM’s videos don’t rely too much on plot and effects, I think their strong suit is that outdoor feel. That is a weird sentence but the camera walks with them down the street. The sisters are always moving and, even on a more emotional song like Summer Girl, you are soon brightened and smiling. I really love HAIM’s videos because you get that style and distinct touch but they are always different. Have a look at Summer Girl and another brilliant video from Paul Thomas Anderson. How often do we talk about music videos these days? MTV recently celebrated its thirty-eighth anniversary and it made me think about the classic days of music videos and how effecting they were; many remain with me now. That is not suggesting artists lack that magic now but I think there are fewer standout videos these days. Maybe there are too many around or we have too much technology and choice. What makes HAIM’s videos brilliant is that lack of technology and complication. They bring us into their world and lead us through the streets. They can captivate and entice easily and there is something about their videos that is utterly engaging and fresh. I shall leave this subject because, before I move onto the song review itself, there is s subject I want to broach.

Although reviews have not directly mentioned gender and used sexist terms, HAIM are a group who have had to face sexism for years. I will bring in an interview they gave in 2017 where they discussed their experiences. I do wonder whether woman in bands face sexism a lot. Definitely, when some people see women in bands, they get this impression and feel that they will be weaker and not as impressive as the men. Maybe, if they have instruments with them, they get withering and patronising looks. When they talked with NME a couple of years ago, HAIM tackled sexist attitudes:

 “That, and they’ve got more important things to talk about – such as rampant sexism in the music industry. Even now, they still suffer from its toxic effects. They’re still asked ‘Who writes the songs?’ and have been mistaken for girlfriends of bands at “every festival we’ve been to,” says Este. “I literally have to say, ‘We just played behind you’”.

“We still have to fight this s**t,” bristles Alana. “The other day, I was told at a radio station, ‘You don’t need headphones. I’m sure you don’t want to mess up your hair.’” She continues: “I feel like the one thing that’s happening is we’re all banding together and not letting that s**t get us down. Like f**k that s**t! I’m f**king over it! Like, no one is going to make me feel anything other than a powerful woman because I love playing music and I love being onstage and if these f**ks want to do that s**t, the only way that will change is if we don’t stop”.

It is a shame HAIM have had to face this kind of crap but it doesn’t surprise me. There is still a big problem with sexism in music and I hope we see attitudes change. The fact that HAIM are great songwriters and musicians, one feels, should silence sexist tongues but we are still seeing toxicity raise its head. It is such a shame.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP

Rather than rush in with layers, harmonies and big production notes, there is something a lot groovier and more interesting that greets Summer Girl. The drums trip Jazz-like and they have a definite swagger and punch. The bass is quite sparse but it guides the song forward and has this elasticity. Few would expect a HAIM song to start like this but, as with a lot of their previous work, they have that love of the 1970s. Comparisons to Lou Reed are fair enough but, rather than the song walking on the wild side, there is something more emotional at heart. “L.A. on my mind/I can’t breathe…” opens the track and gives proceedings a real sense of heart. Knowing the inspiration behind the song – Danielle’s boyfriend and his cancer diagnosis – one cannot help feel a sense of sadness and tenderness. The lyrics discuss him being there when she (the heroine) closes her eyes; a smile being forced but that being turned into tears. There is this rawness and loss; a feeling that things are strained but, when he closes his eyes, his summer girl will be there. The HAIM heroine is there for him and, whilst things are bad right now, she is a support and here to make things better. There is actually a bit of Tracey Thorn, oddly, in the vocals; something Massive Attack might have made in the 1990s because, as the song progresses, we hear some smooth saxophone and these nice little touches. Fans of HAIM might be expecting harmonies and sunniness from the off but the group build up and there is this beginning which is quite soft and evocative; a sense that someone is struggling and times are hard. Look at the video and the sisters are on the street; they are literally peeling the layers from one another and sort of turning the gloom into a less suffocating warmth. With a nice wordless chorus – and removing their jumpers in the video – HAIM ease the mood and let the hero know that things will get better.

One can look at Summer Girl and apply it to other scenarios. Although there is a personal story and something dear to HAIM, everyone can relate to the song and get something from it. I do love the smoothness of the song and the fact that it sounds different to other HAIM songs. There is definite optimism and sun in the song but, rather than this being projected through harmonies and big choruses, a general mood exists that makes you feel calmer and better. The nice little saxophone interjections give the song a definitely niche that not many Pop bands are incorporating into their work. If other HAIM work has put us in the 1970s, I do feel like, as I said, there is a bit of 1990s Trip-Hop and Jazz this time around. It is impossible to listen to Summer Girl and not look at that video. HAIM are no stranger to walking down Ventura Blvd. but, this time, I love the fact that they keep on removing layers. It seems like they have a never-ending supply of clothes and I know it is a metaphor. Removing the struggle and weight; creating something lighter that can breathe. It is a clever technique and message and I love the fact HAIM have a sort of standard video style. They can make strolling down the street look really fascinating and cool. The video gets pretty interesting – have a look to see what I mean – but I think one of the biggest steps HAIM have taken since their latest album is the lyrics. “From over my shoulder, I need you/I need you to understand/These are the earthquake drills that we ran/Under the freeway overpasses/The tears behind your dark sunglasses/The fears inside your heart as deep as gashes/You walk beside me, not behind me/Feel my unconditional love” are wonderful words and lines that get into the mind and projects images. I keep coming back to Summer Girl because the lead vocal is so smooth, cool and rich that it has this great nuance. The lyrics are deep and make you think and the composition is really great. More subtle and relaxed than previous HAIM offerings, some fans might need to readjust but I think it is a really great move from them. You can hear some distinct influences but, like all HAIM songs, they put their own stamp on things. I do hope there are more tracks coming along because I am really intrigued. It is a brilliant song and one that deserves a lot of airplay. If you are not familiar with HAIM and what they are about, I suggest you start with Summer Girl and then go and check out their two albums. A brilliant song that, actually, ranks alongside my favourite from the year so far. You will come back to Summer Girl again and again because it has that really alluring sound that is hard to resist.

It has been a busy last few years for HAIM. After album releases, there is that touring blitz and there is rarely time to stand still. At the moment, HAIM are busy promoting Summer Girl and the song has been getting really good press. It is a different sound to what they have come up with before and suggests, if there is another album brewing, they might strip back some of the layers and adopt more Jazz influences as opposed Pop and Rock. The sisters have played a few gigs recently and I hope they get a bit of a rest before they are back out again. One does feel like an album is coming soon enough and that will be interesting to see. Many will be excited to see what HAIM have up their sleeves and whether they change direction on their third album. I feel there will be the same blend of harmonies and polish but, as Summer Girl suggests, that optimism will be more stripped back and the sound is a bit different. If you can see HAIM live this year then do so as their shows are incredible. Their songs come to life on the stage and almost sound liberated and released compared to the album versions. That is not a slight but I think one can only do so much in the studio and it is hard to give that live feel to a song. HAIM are fantastic live performers and they are really crowd-pleasing. I know the rest of the year will be pretty busy but, as I say, I do think we are gearing up for another album soon enough. I do really like everything they have put out into the world and have followed them since their debut. Maybe Something to Tell You was not quite as strong as their debut but it did have some golden moments – Want You Back and Walking Away are definite highlights. Let us wind up in a minute but I suggest people check out Summer Girl and that amazing video. I have read a lot of reaction on social media and people are getting primed for more HAIM music. I cannot wait to see what they come up with but, when it comes to tight-knit groups who make infectious and bright music, there are few to rival HAIM. The group have had a successful and busy career so far but many of us are excited to…

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 PHOTO CREDIT: Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan (via Getty Images)

SEE where they go next.

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