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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Mahalia 

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

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THE weather this week is a bit changeable…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Skott

but we can rely on wonderful music to give it a lift and a bit of heat! In this week’s female-led playlist, there is a nice array of genres and sounds. From some fiery Pop to something a bit more chilled and cool, there should be something in there for everyone! I am always amazed at the sheer breadth and weight of music this year - and leading the way is women. That might sound controversial but I feel women in music are digging deeper and producing more interesting work. Whatever your viewpoint, have a listen to my playlist and I know you will find much to love. It is another compelling week and one that sports many gems. Get this playlist locked and loaded and give your weekend…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Carmody

A fantastic soundtrack.

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

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Griff – Didn’t Break It Enough

PHOTO CREDIT: Rory James

IDER – Slide

Micra – Fuzz Captain

MUNA – Pink Light

Geowulf – Lonely

Delacey – Actress

King Princess – Ain’t Together

Kiiara – Bipolar

PHOTO CREDIT: Pose Mag

Skott – Bloodhound

Cashmere Cat – FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Kelsea Ballerini – homecoming queen?

IN THIS PHOTO: Gemini Rising

Gemini Rising, Tensnake, Fiora - After the Rain

Abbie Ozard – On a Low

Gia Ford – GOD, CAMERAS, EVERYONE

Baby Taylah – Reclaim

PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE Magazine (US)

Camila Cabello - Shameless

Tiwa Savage – 49-99

Mahalia – What Am I?

Carmody – Catching Blue

Charlotte Lawrence, Klingande – Why Do You Love Me

Sienna Hamilton – Grey

IN THIS PHOTO: Amelia Monét

Amelia Monet (ft. Br3nya) – Bumper

Maddie & Tae – Bathroom Floor

Anna of the North – Dream Girl

PHOTO CREDIT: Horizons / Gorwelion

I See Rivers – Collide

Orla Gartland - Did It to Myself

Rico Nasty – Fashion Week

FEATURE: The September Playlist: Vol. 1: Violence and Good Girls Going to Hell

FEATURE:

 

The September Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Grimes/PHOTO CREDIT: Eli Russell Linnetz 

Vol. 1: Violence and Good Girls Going to Hell

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EVEN though I keep pointing out…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Eilish

how we get quiet weeks and then big ones…you can’t fail to ignore the fact that there are some pretty mighty tracks out this week! Not only are there releases from Bat for Lashes and Billie Eilish, but there are tracks from Grimes, Sam Fender and Mystery Jets! Sampa the Great has also released a new song and, all combined, it makes for a dizzying and explosive rundown. Have a listen to the terrific tracks and you’ll be hooked by the blends on offer. It is a really fascinating week and, without further ado, it is probably best I let you get into the tracks! Have a good listen and I know these songs will get your weekend off…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sam Fender/PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Louise Bennett

TO the perfect start!  

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

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PHOTO CREDIT: Eli Russell Linnetz 

Grimes & i_o – Violence

PHOTO CREDIT: Logan White

Bat for Lashes – Desert Man

PHOTO CREDIT: Yvan Fabing

Billie Eilish - all the good girls go to hell

Iggy Pop – Page 

Mystery Jets - History Has Its Eyes on You 

Hot Chip - Bath Full of Ecstasy

PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Whitton

Elbow – Empires

Sam Fender – The Borders

Bombay Bicycle Club - Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)

PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Almeida

girl in red – bad idea!

PHOTO CREDIT: Ying Ang

Sampa the Great (ft. Whosane) - Heaven

Mahalia (ft. Ella Mai) – What You Did 

Stormzy – Sounds of the Skeng

Miles Kane - Blame It on the Summertime

PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Bailey-Gates

King Princess – Ain’t Together

PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Vierig/Getty Images

Camila Cabello – Shameless

Belle & Sebastian – This Letter

PHOTO CREDIT: David Harrison

Professor Green (ft. Alice Chater) - Got It All  

Bleached – Daydream

Greta Van Fleet - Always There

Skott – Bloodhound

Mallrat – Drive Me Round

Oh Wonder – Hallelujah

John Mayer – Carry Me Away

Sofi Tukker – Purple Hat

grandson – Oh No!!!

blink-182 – I Really Wish I Hated You

TRACK REVIEW: Iggy Pop - Dirty Sanchez

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Iggy Pop

PHOTO CREDIT: Andreas Neumann 

Dirty Sanchez

9.3/10

The track, Dirty Sanchez, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PABH33BqZrc

GENRES:

Proto-Punk/Art-Rock/Jazz

ORIGIN:

Michigan, U.S.A.

The album, Free, is available here:

https://iggypopofficial.lnk.to/FreeWE/officialartiststore

RELEASE DATE:

6th September, 2019

LABEL:

Thousand Mile Inc.

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I want to cover a number of things…

when it comes to this review. I have been thinking a lot about artists for whom music is their real outlet; the reason they are here and what drives them. That is definitely true when we consider the legendary Iggy Pop. I also want to address stamina and artists like Pop who have been in the industry for years; those who show no signs of slowing and are making some of their most interesting work now. I also will allude to artists changing sounds and keeping things fresh; music that has a hugely powerful effect on us and is so different to what is around at the moment – I will end by suggesting what is next for Iggy Pop and where the master might step next. We all take a little while to figure out what we should be doing and where we need to be in life. For me, I was sort of switching back and forth between various careers and options. After university, it took me a little while to move into music journalism but, looking back, it seems like it was the only route. Radio and production/presenting is where I want to be but, as I get older, I wonder how realistic that option will be. In any case, music is the place where I feel safest and happiest and, for that reason, I have spent years trying to give back to the industry. Iggy Pop’s awakening and realisation came from a fairly young age. I guess, when you have a voice like his – those bourbon-rich and deep tones that sound utterly compelling –, you have options what you can do. I could imagine Iggy Pop leading the U.S. or working in film; maybe he could have been anything. When you apply his voice and passion to music then you have that perfect fit. He has been in the game for decades and one cannot see the man calling it time until mortality says so.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Third Man Books

In this fascinating BBC interview, Pop talked about his start and getting into music:

"You know, I finally got the voice that I was supposed to have in some senses. When I was 21, I was in love with a girl from Cleveland and we actually got married for a couple of weeks," he explains.

"I had just put out the first Stooges album and I met her dad, he was a big shot in business. He said, 'Well, meeting and listening to you talk I guess you probably sing like Neil Diamond right?'

"I've since learned a lot of respect for Neil but at that time, you don't tell Iggy Pop that he sounds like Neil Diamond. But on the other hand, a part of me was thinking, 'Damn, if I sang like Neil Diamond, I'd have a lot more money you know'".

Iggy Pop dropped into BBC Radio 6 Music earlier this week and, whilst promoting his new album, Free, he talked about his career and path. There is such gravitas in his voice; a command and reputation that means people are spellbound and hooked. I can imagine the young Iggy Pop rifling through records and discovering all these neat and different artists. Maybe the music of The Stooges is more intense and inflamed than what he is putting out now but, look back at the sheer range and diversity of his work and you have an artist who is among the very finest ever. You see artists come through now and you can see they want to make it and have that spark but you wonder how deep that commitment is. Are they really looking decades ahead and have a plan? It is hard to navigate and survive in a competitive industry but, for Iggy Pop, there is nothing else for him. Music is what drives him and swims in his blood. I have been following his work with The Stooges and his time working with David Bowie. Whatever he does and no matter where he goes, Pop is intoxicated by music’s emotions, possibilities and pleasures. You can hear his love, soul and curiosity run riot through Free: an album that is as assured and memorable as any he has ever made. I mentioned how, sound-wise, Pop is a little calmer than he was back in the 1970s. I feel the Iggy Pop we have now is a more interesting and deep artist than we had back then – controversial, perhaps, but Pop is an artist who, like wine, improves with age!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Rob Baker Ashton

I have discussed Iggy Pop’s start and the fact that he was born to conquer the music world. I was recently writing about icons like Pop and that they are of a ‘certain age’. It is not meant to be insulting but plainly stating fact: artists like Pop and Paul McCartney have been around for a long time and we have to accept the fact that, one day, these people will be gone. That does sound grim but there seems to be this band of brilliant artists who are still around and have been playing and plugging for decades. What also amazes me about these decades-serving artists is their stamina and commitment. I see artists today who are around for a couple of years and then call it quits. It is, perhaps, harder to succeed and get recognised now than it has ever been and, because of that, I wonder whether we will see artists endure for long and whether the notion of an ‘icon’ is a thing of the past? Iggy Pop is definitely providing inspiration to those who want to keep playing and affecting people for years. Look at the man and, sure, he is in great shape, but he also is strong of voice. He is not weary and looking to the end: instead, he is passionate about everything and excited to see what the future holds. Maybe this has something to do with a change of lifestyle – I will get to that in a bit – and how his career has shifted. The older Iggy Pop is as energetic, pumped and wonderful as always. In this interview with The Times, Pop talks about his life now and actually raises an interesting point about Rock music today:

“Instead he’s still making records, still on the road, doing five-hour exercise routines to get through his famously febrile live performances. A concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2016, when he all but attacked the audience with a ferocity belying his 69 years, has gone down as one of the greatest shows in rock history. But the gigs are getting fewer and farther between. It makes you wonder how much longer he can keep going — and how many more years there are in rock’n’roll itself.

“Rock music can only carry on now in the context of other, related cultural activities. Women have come forward now and some of the rock girls are getting support from the big fashion houses,” he says, thinking of the frontwomen of the punk bands Amyl and the Sniffers and Surfbort modelling for Gucci. “But it won’t ever again reach the ridiculous pinnacle of big lights! Big stadium! Big music! For rock, that’s gone. All that is for the hippety-hops. It is their time now”.

There are a few really great interviews out there right now with Iggy Pop so, when it came to selecting passages to quote, it was tricky to decide which to highlight. I would urge people to read these interviews in-full because they are illuminating and fascinating. I think Iggy Pop is going to be making music for a very long time because he has calmed down a bit. Once was this wild artists who lived to excess and enjoyed all the benefits of fame and focus. Now, one can hear someone who has seen and experienced a lot but is more focused on the purity and beauty of music than blowing the roof off of venues and creating a scene. Pop is still a thrilling live performer but his music now is so reflective, thoughtful and, yes, cheeky! There are a select group of artists who have been around as long as Pop and actually seem to get better with time: we can all learn something from this musical titan. According to this feature from The New Yorker, Pop is a man focused on health and happiness:

“Pop wakes up early these days—by 6 a.m. or so—and his only significant indulgence is a few glasses of wine in the evening, usually with dinner. If he is touring, his preshow ritual takes eight or nine hours. “I wake up, cup of coffee, stay in bed, clear my mind, don’t think about the show,” he said. “I’m not going to talk to anybody about anything. Three hours before, I lie down on the floor and do something called wu chi breathing, where I breathe very deep into my gut for almost a half hour. I’m a little high, but not dizzy, and my voice has widened.

He is not currently considering retirement: “I always wonder, if I stopped doing music, would I really start drinking tea instead of coffee, and, you know, brush my teeth more, and all that? Or would I become, like, an alcoholic depressive?” Though his recent work might suggest that he is entering a more contemplative period, he is confident that whatever wildness exists inside him is intact. “Don’t tell me that I can’t strip off my shirt and go make a big primitive noise,” he said”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan McGinley for The New York Times

Look at early albums from The Stooges such as Fun House (1970) and Raw Power (1973) and solo albums such as The Idiot (1977) and Lust for Life (1977) and mark them against Post Pop Depression (2016) and Free. Post Pop Depression talked about sex and death and, whilst that is not new to the Pop cannon, the angle is. If a younger man talks about death as this far-off thing and challenge, almost, then Pop now is looking at mortality in a different way. Every Iggy Pop album is about him and his soul. Even if he is playing with other artists (Josh Homme joined him on Post Pop Depression) then you still gravitate towards Pop. It would be insulting and stereotypical to suggest older artists are more concerned with comfort and safer subjects than stirring the pot and ruffling feathers. Pop is still a truly electric live performer but I think his work now is, as I suggested, deeper and more interesting than his classic albums. On Free, there are meditations and ponderings that get under the skin and move you. I think Free is one of the most organic and natural albums Pop has ever released. The songs sound completely engrossing and there is an interesting thing Pop said about Free: that it was a record where he let others speak for him. I have talked about Iggy Pop and how he dominates every album but, perhaps, between Post Pop Depression and Free, there was this sense of change and transition that created some uncertainty and anxiety. Here, in this feature from DIY, Pop went into more detail:

“This is an album in which other artists speak for me, but I lend my voice…” Iggy explains. “By the end of the tours following ‘Post Pop Depression’, I felt sure that I had rid myself of the problem of chronic insecurity that had dogged my life and career for too long. But I also felt drained. And I felt like I wanted to put on shades, turn my back, and walk away. I wanted to be free. I know that’s an illusion, and that freedom is only something you feel, but I have lived my life thus far in the belief that that feeling is all that is worth pursuing; all that you need – not happiness or love necessarily, but the feeling of being free. So this album just kind of happened to me, and I let it happen”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Andreas Neumann

Iggy Pop is always going to be in the spotlight because he keeps changing and moving forward. There are a lot of artists who tend to stick with the same formula and do not stretch themselves. I can understand why popular artists keep that formula intact but the most interesting and enduring are those who are changeable and adapt. Iggy Pop could well continue his Stooges sound and repeat what came before but Free is the sign of a man who sounds completely inspired and fascinated by what is happening around him. Maybe it is because the world is divided and we are all feeling a bit isolated that Pop has picked up on this and combatted these feelings with an album that takes you somewhere special. I can understand why modern artists want to address politics and modern life with a sense of anger and outrage but, against this arsenal of rage, we need music that keeps is safe and gives us a sense of nourishment. I am selling Free short but you need to listen to all the tracks and the sheer variation on offer. I have selected Dirty Sanchez for consideration because I have not seen anyone review it but, to be fair, every album on Free is magnificent. I love how deep Free digs and the sense of beauty on display. It is almost too difficult to put things into words (clearly!) but Free is the sound of Iggy Pop at a new peak. You listen to the album and it stays in your head. I have heard a lot of great albums in 2019 but there are still too many (albums) that are too slight and brief. You might spin it once or twice and that is it: after the songs have settled, they go out of the head and that is that! With Pop, his latest album is as nuanced and long-lasting as anything around. One can feel the sheer meaning and importance of every song. It is an amazing work and one that is gaining a lot of great reviews – although some have been rather short-sighted and dismissive. I shall end things here because I am keen to talk about Dirty Sanchez and a song that, like everything on Free, has its own skin, feel and personality.

 PHOTO CREDIT: GUZMAN

The opening to Dirty Sanchez, in a way, makes me think of Miles Davis and his album, Sketches of Spain. It is certainly an epic opener and one many people are not expecting! If you had to describe Iggy Pop’s music then Jazz and Hispanic influence might not be high up the list! The introduction broods and brews; it swoons and glides and has this deeply romantic edge to it. Before anything is said and you get a chance to hear Pop, you dive into the music and everything it suggests. Such is the wonder and tenderness of the horns; the rumble you get from the bass and the scenes projected…you are sort of carried away and hypnotised. It is a fantastic start to the track and sort of shows what I mean regarding Pop’s changing template and how he keeps moving forward. A lot of the album reflects on the weariness of post-tour life and how the energy levels are sapped. In a way, the introduction gives the impression of calm and settling after a turbulent time. You picture Pop taking in the environment and watching the sun set. It is a gorgeous and sweeping sound that gets into the head and calms the spirits. When words do arrive, they contrast the elegance and passion of the introduction – things are sharper and more spiked than before. The lyrics definitely intrigue me. “Don’t tell me I’m the benefit (Don’t tell me I’m the benefit” start things off and couple with “Of being a conscious idiot (Of being a conscious idiot)”. One wonders where that thought stemmed from and whether there is a political aspect. Pop talks about there being more slaves today than there were yesterday; him shooting himself in the knee and there being this feeling of exasperation and despair. There is a call-and-response aspect to the song (I am not sure who sings the other part of whether it is Pop singing to himself) that gives Dirty Sanchez gravitas and a really interesting angle.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Rob Baker Ashton

I have not heard Pop sing quite like this before and I was really involved with the song from the off. The title is a sort of red herring but I wonder whether it refers to the prank outfit, Dirty Sanchez – maybe the feeling modern politics is a joke and someone is winding us up! One feels there is this fatigue and annoyance that Pop cannot ignore. I have seen some reviews for Free and Dirty Sanchez is one of the more divisive tracks. I have talked a lot about Free being a more mature and immersive album than previous works: Dirty Sanchez sounds closer to Pop’s earlier work than anything else. Compare a song like this to something like James Bond and you can hear a very different tone and feel – Pop showing he is a man of many different roles. After that beguiling and Davis-esque introduction, the song becomes a lot more firm and, well, explicit. This is a moment where Pop keeps a sense of Punk and rude awakening alive; a track that proves how diverse and eclectic his music is. He talks about someone grabbing their whip like they grab their heels; online porn and sexual preferences. I chose this song to review because, rather than it being an overt and unsubtle talk about sex, it is a commentary on commercialism and capitalism. It has political connotations and draws us back to Pop’s past world. I think a lot of Free is Iggy Pop pondering on the nature of existence and embracing something more philosophical and spiritual. Here, on one of the most memorable tracks, Pop turns the wick up! Drums roll and there is this heavy sound that is a world away from a lot of Free’s most beautiful moments. Whilst Dirty Sanchez is not my favourite track on Free (I think Sonali is the finest), I wanted to highlight it to show just how Pop works now. He is not, as I have said, someone who stands still and repeats himself. Free has so many different colours and tales; one needs to give the album several spins before everything starts to sink in and unfurl. Dirty Sanchez is the old master keeping his tongue firmly in cheek but conveying an important message in the process. Whilst the song will not get a lot of airplay (not during the day at least!), it is a moment that seems to reflect where we are now and how the world is being run. It is rude and crude; it has beauty and passion and it shows that Pop is as engaging and focus-worthy as he has ever been. I would recommend people explore everything on Free but I wanted to highlight Dirty Sanchez. It is a strange beast of a track and that is why I love it. Whereas other songs on the album are more straight and accessible, this has a bit of edge and spit. From that beautiful opening to the image of Iggy Pop talking about sex as a metaphor for modern politics and greed, you have to take your hat off to him! It goes to show that, this far down the line, this icon cannot be slowed or predicted.

 IMAGE CREDIT: Fubiz Media

There are too many dates coming up at the moment for Pop…but one suspect that, with a huge album out, there will be more added. You can keep abreast of all the happenings for Iggy Pop on the links below and, looking ahead, where is he going to go? I know there will be more tour dates and one can get the chance to see Pop do his thing! In fact, the Godfather of Punk is going to be playing a special set at London’s legendary Maida Vale Studios. You can see here how to take part but that will be something special! I feel Pop is at a stage of life where he is very settled and optimistic. He has as much energy and commitment as he did back at the start and one hopes there are many more albums coming from him. I shall end things soon but, if you are fairly new to Iggy Pop’s music, I suggest you go right back and check out the stuff he did with The Stooges. Listening to those albums now is exhilarating but imagine how people must have felt when they heard that eponymous album back in 1969! Since then, we have seen this amazing figure give the world some of the most acclaimed and incredible music ever. Even in his seventies, Pop shows no signs that he wants to quit and rest up. Music is as important to him, one suspect, as anything else and gives him a sense of meaning. He has inspired artists for generations and who knows how many musicians have Pop to thank for getting them into the industry?! It is amazing to think how just how far Pop’s influence and command reaches. Listen to Free and experience an album that is hugely immersive and stunning. It is one of my favourite albums of 2019 and I am so pleased people are connecting with Free. Let’s wrap things up now because, as you can see, I have gone on for a bit! There are a lot of music icons still with us but, to me, there is…

NOBODY quite like Iggy Pop!

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Follow Iggy Pop

Official:

http://iggypop.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/iggypop/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/IggyPop

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/iggypopofficial/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRkrwxsHkK5pY8es61J5oGg

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/33EUXrFKGjpUSGacqEHhU4?si=ISlb3feyQ8WzSSB1mbbzcQ

ALL UNCREDITED PHOTOS:

Getty Images/Iggy Pop

FEATURE: Boiling Point: The Mercury Prize 2019: The United State of British Music

FEATURE:

 

Boiling Point: The Mercury Prize 2019

IN THIS PHOTO: Little Simz is nominated for a Mercury Prize for her album, GREY Area/PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Parsons 

The United State of British Music

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ON Tuesday…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Rapper Dave scooped two awards at the AIM Independent Music Awards on 3rd September, 2019 (and is Mercury-nominated for his debut album, PSYCHODRAMA)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

it was the AIM Independent Music Awards. Presented by Lauren Laverne, it was a chance to celebrate great independent music and some cutting-edge British acts. There were a lot of great artists on the bill but, as this reflection article reports, it was a healthy, diverse and magic night:

“South London rapper Dave has scooped the two biggest prizes of the night at the AIM Independent Music Awards.

The grime artist, real name David Orobosa Omoregie, secured Best Independent Album for his debut Psychodrama and Best Independent Track for his number one hit, Funky Friday ft Fredo.

It follows a stand-out year for the 21-year-old, who won over a legion of fans at Glastonbury and is due to star in the third series of gritty crime drama Top Boy.

Political punk rockers Idles were also honoured with the Best (Difficult) Second Album prize for their sophomore record Joy As An Act of Resistance.

The Bristol band’s label, Partisan Records, took home the award for Best Independent Label thanks to the success of its roster, which includes Cigarettes After Sex and John Grant.

West London rapper AJ Tracey also performed during the ceremony.

The chief executive of AIM, Paul Pacifico, said: “The list of winners tonight reflects the boldness of the independent community – artists and labels who are unafraid to push the boundaries and take risks to produce some of the UK’s most cutting-edge cultural output.

“As we celebrate AIM’s twentieth year championing independence, it’s amazing to see that creative spirit celebrated in this way at a venue like the Roundhouse”.

On a great evening for British talent (and international artists such as Debbie Harry), it made me think about the approaching Mercury Prize ceremony and the fact that, over the past year or so, British music has really come to the fore! I know British music has always burned bright but, at a point in history when we are all rather worried and distracted by the machinations in political circles, our very finest have stepped up to provide us power, guidance and relief. The debate about this year’s Mercury Prize, luckily, isn’t about the pedigree of the nominees – past years have been derided for a lack of inclusiveness and poor quality. This year not only has a great range of artists included – although genres like Metal are, once more, missing -, but there is discussion as to who will win. Before I come to that, let’s look at the shortlist. What one notices, at first, is a relative lack of Scottish and Irish inclusions. This has been a problem before but, with Dublin’s Fontaines D.C. nominated for their debut, Dogrel, it is a positive step forward. In fact, there is a rare inclusion for a Welsh artist: Cate Le Bon’s Reward is a much-deserved inclusion. Both are strikingly different albums but it goes to show that the best of British is not exclusively reserved to London – past years have seen a major focus on South London acts.

This year, as you’d expect, reflects the rise and continued growth of Hip-Hop and Rap coming from the capital: Little Simz is nominated for GREY Area and Dave’s exceptional debut, PSYCHODRAMA, is included. Just look at those albums I have included and it shows what a strong field we have. I have always preferred Hip-Hop from the U.S. but, with Little Simz and Dave releasing albums that are as accessible as they are urgent, we are seeing a new breeds of Rap artists emerging that are able to compete with the best of America. Given the fact there are so many problems in Britain right now, I am not shocked we have seen such strong and resonant albums from two immense British talents. Not only is Dave’s explosive debut nominated but another debut is on the list: Slowthai’s Nothing Great About Britain is another political and socially-aware record that picked up huge reviews when it was released back in May. I think he is an outside shot and, whilst it is not one of my favourite albums of the year, it just goes to show British Rap is in rude and healthy state! I think there is a three-way split (regarding possible winners) between the Rap elite and the rest…oh, and IDLES! They have their own category because, not only did they win big at this year’s AIM Independent Music Awards but their album, Joy as an Act of Resistant is being tipped as a favourite.

I will predict my winner but, if you want an example of what British artists are producing right now, IDLES’ incredible sophomore release needs to be in your thoughts. This is how NME assessed the album:

“Everything about ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance’ is just so perfectly realised. The band began to write the album immediately after they finished work on ‘Brutalism’ – and it shows. The songs feel lived in, the record’s overarching message – that of the necessity of unity, positivity and loving yourself – so empowering that it almost amounts to an entire worldview. It’s even more powerful for the fact that Talbot worked on the album in the midst of massive personal trauma. This is a proper classic punk album, one that people will turn to in times of need, one whose authors are unembarrassed about still believing that art can manifest positive change. As Talbot roars on ‘I’m Scum’: “This snowflake’s an avalanche”.

I will end this feature by squaring the two artists I feel are the likeliest to win this year’s Mercury Prize: IDLES and Anna Calvi (for her third album – and third Mercury nod -, Hunter). Just look at the sheer variety of the remaining albums! Black Midi are a divisive band (I am not a fan but I can see why some like them) and Schlagenheim is one of the most indelible and original records I have heard! They are, as I say, divisive but the acclaim they have warranted reflects a desire for a band who not follow the normal; who are not boring and, importantly, have a unique voice.

IN THIS PHOTO: Black Midi/PHOTO CREDIT: Matilda Hill-Jenkins for Loud and Quiet

When speaking with Loud and Quiet recently, the writer highlighted how, even in conversation, the band are a special brand:

“…This, it turns out, is how they set about writing their complex, restless music, as Kelvin explains.

“We’ll record everything, then listen back to that for things we really like and take it from there. Latch onto a single bit at a time, then take other bits, and mash them together.”

“There’s a lot of scaling down,” says Simpson. “We’ll listen to the recordings individually, and different people will like different bits, which makes it kind of cool.”

Simpson expands. “It basically just came from one article. We never set out to be hard to find. I guess the whole mystery thing is the lack of activity on social media, but that’s not a lack of anything – we’re posting what people wanna see, just the information that’s needed.” It’s true: look at their social media presence, and it is fairly sparse, but they do share all their live dates and link to where their music is available online. They’re not hiding anything.

“But yeah, that NME article, saying we’re mysterious, was one of the first things that was written about us, so it set the tone for what followed,” says Simpson. “But it’s just made up.”

Picton laughs wearily. “That article was funny as well, cos they were like, ‘the band have no recorded music whatsoever, you can’t hear them anywhere’, and then at the bottom it linked to the NTS session, which then linked to three other tracks that you could’ve listened to at the time. They were all studio quality too – it was a live recording, but it was in a proper recording studio”.

Even though they are outside punts for the Mercury, one cannot exclude Foals, SEED Ensemble and Nao. Foals’ Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 is one of this year’s biggest Rock albums and, as I mused yesterday, at a time when Rock is not as potent and memorable as it was in the past, Foals are keeping the flame alive. I think they are going to be on the scene for many more years and, at a time when Rock and Alternative music is taking a back seat to other genres, we still have some great bands like Foals flying the flag. Every Mercury year has artists included considered ‘outsiders’ or, more offensively, ‘token’. Nao’s Saturn is a fantastic album and, in any other year, it would be higher up the bookies’ table regarding favourites. The album is a beautiful blend of Soul, R&B and other sounds sprinkled in. It is sweet and soulful; it is driving and raw at times. I think, even though it is unlikely to win, everyone should check it out as it is one of 2018 best albums (Saturn was released last year). SEED Ensemble’s Driftglass is another top album but, again, it is outsider. I have lauded British Rap and Post-Punk but, listen to all the great Jazz swirling around, and it is clear so many different genres are flourishing. I think, compared with the U.S., we are succeeding and innovating across so many different genres. American artist are great but I think we dig deeper, go broader and the results are bigger!

Whilst Pop – mainstream Pop at least – never usually makes the Mercury shortlist (the fact Ed Sheeran was nominated a couple of years back stirred up some controversy!), The 1975 blend Pop into their brew. Their acclaimed album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, was released late last year and the band are preparing to release Notes on a Conditional Form next year. Mixing political and social commentary with accessible choruses and uplifting sounds, The 1975 are one of the hottest groups in the world right now. One cannot overlook them and I would not be shocked if they won the Mercury Prize. I think the race will be between the aforementioned IDLES and Anna Calvi. This is the third time Calvi has been nominated for a Mercury - and the fact she has had every one of her records nominated is pretty impressive! Hunter is a terrific album and is such a powerful listen! Calvi discusses sexism and gender; she is intoxicating and passionate throughout and has, I think, released her most rounded and complete album so far. In this review,The Line of Best Fit had their say:

“Although she operates more than comfortably in rock (see "Indies or Paradise" for a brilliantly trashy update of Rid Of Me-era PJ Harvey), it’s in the subtler and more nuanced moments that Hunter really comes into its own. "Swimming Pool"'s mixture of sweeping strings and a rare moment of vulnerability from Calvi provides a captivating nod to The Wicker Man, whereas she strips everything back on "Away" to just guitar and synth, vocals close to the ear and cracking with resignation. It’s a moment of staggering simplicity which proves to be deeply affecting.

IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Calvi is nominated for her album, Hunter/PHOTO CREDIT: Eva Pentel for DIY

Three excellent albums in, Calvi has produced her most complex work to date. As "Chain" attests (“I’ll be the boy you’ll be the girl / I’ll be the girl you’ll be the boy I’ll be the girl”), she exists on the periphery of many things: indie, rock, art rock, cinematic pop, being a boy, being a girl. On Hunter she refuses to clarify anything, proving to be both all of these things, and none of them”.

It is, as I said at the start, a really strong year. One can have few complaints regarding the standard of nominated albums/artists and, despite some genres not being included, the best of British is in the pack. One can quibble there are notable omissions – Self Esteem’s Compliments Please would have been a popular choice - but the dozen selected artists show that British music is not only wonderfully rich and memorable but there are so many different sounds and shades. From the more angular and odder Black Midi to the more commercial The 1975; the frontrunners Anna Calvi and IDLES to the blaze of Dave and Little Simz. I feel Anna Calvi and IDLES will be the ones to beat – although, as past years have shown, one can never predict! -  and many are rooting for Calvi to (finally) scoop the prize. I do go back and forth regarding those two names…but I do think IDLES will win the prize. I think 2018-2019 has been such a fantastic period for British music and, whether it is bands like IDLES tearing it up in venues or artists like Anna Calvi and Dave making us come together and think about modern life/society, it is a golden time! On Thursday, 19th September, we will see who walks away with the 2019 Mercury Prize. Whether it is Foals, Fontaines D.C. or Cate Le Bon, we can agree that the music from Britain over the past year or so has been wonderful. In a sense, everyone who has been shortlisted for a Mercury Prize…

IS a winner!

FEATURE: My Generation: What Is the Future of the Rock Icon?

FEATURE:

 

My Generation

IN THIS PHOTO: Robert Plant/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

What Is the Future of the Rock Icon?

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I was reading a feature the other day…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @dgraci/Unsplash

which revealed something quite sobering: nearly every big Rock artist alive today will be gone a decade from now. You can read the piece here…but, aside from the fact quite a few might live into their nineties and beyond, we might well be saying goodbye to the icons we have in our midst – including Patti Smith, Robert Plant and Paul McCartney. You can extend Rock to other genres and think about the likes of Joni Mitchell and James Taylor: other legends who, one feels, may not be around over a decade from now. The article talks about the icons past and how the last wave of pioneers might not be with us a whole lot longer:

“But there's another sense in which rock is very nearly dead: Just about every rock legend you can think of is going to die within the next decade or so.

Yes, we've lost some already. On top of the icons who died horribly young decades ago — Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley, John Lennon — there's the litany of legends felled by illness, drugs, and just plain old age in more recent years: George Harrison, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty.

Those losses have been painful. But it's nothing compared with the tidal wave of obituaries to come. The grief and nostalgia will wash over us all. Yes, the Boomers left alive will take it hardest — these were their heroes and generational compatriots. But rock remained the biggest game in town through the 1990s, which implicates GenXers like myself, no less than plenty of millennials.

All of which means there's going to be an awful lot of mourning going on.

Behold the killing fields that lie before us: Bob Dylan (78 years old); Paul McCartney (77); Paul Simon (77) and Art Garfunkel (77); Carole King (77); Brian Wilson (77); Mick Jagger (76) and Keith Richards (75); Joni Mitchell (75); Jimmy Page (75) and Robert Plant (71); Ray Davies (75); Roger Daltrey (75) and Pete Townshend (74); Roger Waters (75) and David Gilmour (73); Rod Stewart (74); Eric Clapton (74); Debbie Harry (74); Neil Young (73); Van Morrison (73); Bryan Ferry (73); Elton John (72); Don Henley (72); James Taylor (71); Jackson Browne (70); Billy Joel (70); and Bruce Springsteen (69, but turning 70 next month).

It was all a lie, but it was a beautiful one. The rock stars' days are numbered. They are going to die, as will we all. No one gets out alive. When we mourn the passing of the legends and the tragic greatness of what they've left behind for us to enjoy in the time we have left, we will also be mourning for ourselves”.

It will be, of course, heartbreaking and gutting to say goodbye to these stars. We have already lost David Bowie and Prince in the last few years and look at some of the names above – how can we ever get our heads around the fact Bob Dylan and Carole King might not be around this time in 2029.

It is a bit of a bummer that mortality cannot be avoided but, in a way, we are fortunate we have so many of the greats around – given the fact the likes of Michael Jackson to David Bowie died prematurely. Two things occur when one must drink in the facts. I have speculated before…but I think, in some way, we need to ensure the memory and brilliance of the old guard is preserved and pushed to future generations. In a more important sense, it makes me wonder what the future of Rock is. Looking at some of those names before and there are some that are not Rock artists in terms of the genre – Carole King, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell are iconic but are not Rock artists in the same way Robert Plant and Mick Jagger are. At this time, are we breeding new Rock idols? One can argue the likes of Dave Grohl and Josh Homme count; maybe Karen O and IDLES. I think a lot of today’s most exciting and primal sounds are coming from other genres. There is a big rise in Post-Punk with bands such as Fontaines D.C., IDLES and The Murder Capital emerging. Throw in Amyl and The Sniffers and there are plenty of great bands who will be remembered in years to come – not that many possibly-iconic solo artists, perhaps? I think this year has been a bit more productive and progressive than last year – as this feature explains from last year:

“This year, rock and roll seems bored with itself. The most successful acts of the past few years have been bands bristling at the boundaries of the guitar, bass, and drums setup. The genre’s best-selling album of 2018 was Las Vegas electro-rockers Imagine Dragons’ summer 2017 full-length Evolve, a work that prefers humming synths and suspenseful atmospherics to the growl of a six-string.

Nostalgia’s a powerful force in rock and roll, especially now, as a new generation of bands, and by extension, their fans, are entering classic-rock radio rotation. (New York’s classic-rock station Q104.3 has been creaming the rap stations Hot 97 and Power 105.1 in overall ratings for months, in spite of Hot and Power’s year of attention-grabbing interviews and Nielsen analysts’ declaration that hip-hop has eclipsed rock as the nation’s favorite genre of music.) The success of Anthem for the Peaceful Army, the debut album by the Michigan band Greta Van Fleet, is a symptom of a rock scene haunted by its own Ghost of Christmas Past. Singer Josh Kiszka’s sharp, fey vocal is a tribute to warbling mystics like Geddy Lee from Rush and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. Anthem found Greta twisting Zeppelin’s trademark hard-rock stomp into new forms with the same balance of recklessness and devotion as fan fiction. Anthem is spirited but almost inexcusably unoriginal”.

There have been some development since last year but Rock is in a bit of a quandary. Aside from a few great Post-Punk bands and what is happening in the underground, there are not many at the forefront keeping that old spirit alive. Maybe we cannot go back to a time when The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin and Led Zeppelin ruled but, looking around, are there any artists keeping that Rock spirit alive? There is the odd flicker here and there but nothing like there used to be.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Greta Van Fleet/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

One might have to travel as far back as the 1990s, when bands like Oasis used to rule, to get the last real taste of Rock electricity. Not only does it seem like Rock music is stalling or mutating in other directions; there are some in the industry who think Rock isn’t worth saving. Nick Cave is someone who has his doubts regarding Rock and its fertility. Here, in this Far Out article from earlier in the year, more light is shed:

“Rock music has lurched and shuddered its way through its varied and tumultuous history and somehow managed to survive,” he began in the opener of his response. “It is within the very nature of rock ‘n’ roll to mutate and to transform – to die so it can live again. This churning is what keeps the whole thing moving forward. As musicians we are always in danger of becoming obsolete and superseded by the next generation’s efforts, or by the world itself and its big ideas,” he continued.

Cave was quick to point out that the major focus of rock bands has changed, no longer is the “big idea” freedom of expression: “It looks like the new big idea is moralism. Will rock music survive this one? We shall see,” he said.

He continued: “My feeling is that modern rock music, as we know it, has anyway been ailing for some time now. It has become afflicted with a kind of tiredness and confusion and faint-heartedness, and no longer has the stamina to fight the great battles that rock music has always fought. It seems to me there is little new or authentic, as it becomes safer, more nostalgic, more cautious and more corporate”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Calvi is one of the finest Rock performers in the world today/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The fact more women are picking up guitars means we are, fortunately, moving away from the old-school ideal of Rock stars. Maybe a lot of the biggest bands from the past relied on sex, drugs and Rock and Roll and, in these times, that aesthetic is outdated and controversial. When we are cracking down on artists stepping out of line, maybe there is not a chance to rebel and succumb to excess. It is clear the biggest Rock bands/artists now have a slightly cleaner look - and there is nobody out there who you feel will be considered an icon decades from now. One can debate whether Rock music is dead or not – it is not dead but definitely flagging –, but what is the modern-day equivalent of Patti Smith or Mick Jagger? We have a raft of wonderful bands who can bring the heat and grit but, in terms of Rock as we know it, I think it is in trouble. Certainly, there are very few out there who have the same potential sustainability as the legends of the past. This is not to say music is weaker without icons and leaders: in fact, music is as broad and eclectic as it has ever been. We have seen some tremendous albums released in 2019 but very few of them have been made by Rock artists – maybe Foals and Fontaines D.C. are exceptions. Tastes have changed and these characterful, controversial artists are a thing of the past.

There is more of a focus on solo artists at the moment and, for the most part, their songs are introspective and personal. Wonderful artists like Sharon Van Etten are rare exceptions but, largely, the Rock scene has lost a lot of edge and personality! Whilst 2019 has seen some interesting Rock records, you look around and struggle to see anyone who has legs and sticks in the mind. Big festivals like Reading and Leeds are supposed to highlight the best Rock and Alternative artists around but, as you can tell from this year’s line-up, Rock was not exactly well-represented and strong. We shall see what the future holds but, looking at music now and we do not have the same scenes and legends as we used to. The market is wide open and, as some genres are strengthening, I think Rock has given way to Post-Punk in terms of preference and public popularity. Perhaps we have reached a point where Rock has withered: maybe there will be a big wave of new acts soon that will kick-start a revival. In any case, I do look back at the article at the top and feel a bit sad that, yes, in a decade or so, we will have lost many of the great among us. Rather than feel sad at the fact we have to say goodbye to so many giants but, when Rock music especially needs a kick and revolution, we can learn a lot from them. Even after these hugely influential and popular artists have gone, they will still…   

CONTINUE to teach us.

FEATURE: The Beatles’ Abbey Road at Fifty: Inside the Iconic Studios

FEATURE:

 

The Beatles’ Abbey Road at Fifty

PHOTO CREDIT: Abbey Road Studios 

Inside the Iconic Studios

__________

THIS month is a pretty exciting one…

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles and George Martin at Abbey Road Studios/PHOTO CREDIT: Abbey Road Studios 

if you are a fan of The Beatles. To be fair, most people are fans of The Beatles (or should be) but their final-recorded album, Abbey Road, turns fifty on 26th September. It is an iconic album that remains one of their very best and, from that memorable cover shot of the band walking across a zebra crossing to the brilliant songs on the album, it is a masterpiece. I think this will be the last big anniversary of a Beatles album where the two surviving members, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, are with us – seventy-five will be the next one and when their debut album, Please Please Me, hit that milestone, both will be in their nineties, I think (it could happen but it seems unlikely!). I cannot wait to see what celebrations are being held to mark fifty years of a truly wonderful album! It will nice to see McCartney and Starr tweet about it and fans will come together around the world. Whilst we celebrate the best band ever and a staggering album, let us think about where it was recorded. Abbey Road Studios is a hugely sought-after space where a lot of modern musicians record in – they are always bowled over when they enter the hallowed building! I have never been myself but, obviously, I have seen plenty of artists jam from the studio. I can only imagine how intimidating and thrilling it is standing on the steps outside of the studio and waiting to go in.

Of course, The Beatles are not the only legendary band/artist who have played there. Before I continue, I want to grab a little biography from the Abbey Road Studios’ website:

 “Abbey Road Studios is the most famous recording studio in the world and a global music icon. Originally a nine-bedroom house built in 1829, it was purchased by the Gramophone Company in 1928 who went on to build the world’s first purpose-built recording studio. The St John’s Wood address was chosen for its large garden and ideal location – close enough to the performance spaces of the time, but away from the noise and vibrations of the traffic and trains.

The grand opening ceremony on 12 November 1931 included a performance of Land of Hope & Glory in Studio One conducted by Sir Edward Elgar. The Gramophone Company merged with Columbia Graphophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries (EMI) in 1931, and the studios later became known as EMI Recording Studios. Since EMI engineer Alan Blumlein patented stereo at Abbey Road in 1931, the studios have been famed for innovation in recording technology, largely developed by the Record Engineering Development Department (REDD) who were responding to the needs of the artists and producers using the rooms. Their innovations include the REDD and TG desks, as well as studio techniques such as Artificial Double Tracking (ADT), created by studio technician Ken Townsend, who went on to become the studios’ MD, as well as Vice President of EMI Studios Group.

While initially a venue for classical recordings, the studios’ repertoire soon embraced jazz and big bands, too, as well as the first British rock & roll records of the 1950s, including Sir Cliff Richard’s first single Move It. Abbey Road is of course synonymous with the legendary work of The Beatles, who worked with EMI producer Sir George Martin and recorded 190 of their 210 songs at the studios. But Abbey Road’s unparalleled history spans the wild experiments of Pink Floyd to iconic recordings from Shirley Bassey, Aretha Franklin, The Hollies and many more.

Since those exceptional years, artists from Kate Bush, Radiohead, Oasis, Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, Kylie and Muse to Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, Ed Sheeran, Frank Ocean, Lady Gaga and Adele have made Abbey Road their creative home, producing countless landmark recordings.

As the demand for classical recording spaces declined, Ken Townsend found a new role for the big rooms – movie scores, with the first major film score being Raiders of The Lost Ark in 1980. Since then, Abbey Road has developed into one of the world’s premier destinations for movie scoring. Blockbuster films such as The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, Skyfall, the Harry Potter series and the Oscar-winning Gravity feature scores recorded here, while recent projects include Black Panther, Solo: A Star Wars Story and the multi award winning The Shape of Water.

The studios house a number of state-of-the-art mastering suites, with engineering expertise spanning direct to vinyl and half-speed mastering. Recent projects mastered or re-mastered by Abbey Road’s award-winning engineers include music from The Beatles, Sam Smith, Sade, Abba, Krept & Konan, Graham Coxon, Novelist, Johnny Marr, Roxy Music and The Rolling Stones.

IN THIS PHOTO: The late Amy Winehouse looking focused at Abbey Road Studios/PHOTO CREDIT: Abbey Road Studios  

In Spring 2017, in the biggest transformation since first opening, two new contemporary studios were launched - The Gatehouse and The Front Room - making the magic of Abbey Road accessible to a whole new generation of recording artist. They have already hosted artists from James Bay, Jess Glynne, George Ezra and Skrillex to legends like Nile Rodgers plus grime MCs Novelist and Jammer BBK”.

Not only is Studio 2 famous for its sheer size but the artists who have laid down tracks there is amazing! Films are scored there and Abbey Road Studios also does post-production mastering. It truly is a space where artists can create and be inspired. One of my ambitions is to walk around the studios and get a feel for what artists do; the sheer amazement being in that space! Since bands like The Beatles started pushing the possibilities of the studio from the 1960s, some amazing acts have pushed boundaries and made discoveries in Abbey Road Studios. To celebrate fifty years since Abbey Road came into the world, BBC Radio 2 are celebrating with a four-day pop-up DAB station. You can find more details here and get involved. One might say these celebrations are excessive considering we are marking one album but, when you consider The Beatles define the studios and have encouraged countless artists to record there, one can forgive a little excess and pomp.

Abbey Road Studios’ Isabel Garvey is one of the most influential and creative people in the music world and she is definitely taking the studios into the future. There have been threats in the past of closure and, when you read the reasons, it would have been a travesty if we saw the end of such an historic building. Garvey is bringing AI to Abbey Road Studios and her incredible team continues to welcome in the best establishes and rising artists. That is the beauty of the place: the fact that a relatively unknown artist might walk in a record and bump into a legend on their way out! I do wonder whether, as part of Abbey Road turning fifty, the public will be allowed access into the studios. Certainly, thousands flock to the famous zebra crossing outside the studios (although I believe it is not the exact same one The Beatles used for the Abbey Road cover) and it would be a dream for many to take a tour of this iconic place. 26th September is when Abbey Road turns fifty but, to all music fans, do some digging and get to know Abbey Road Studios. If you are near Abbey Road Studios at 3 Abbey Rd, St John's Wood, London NW8 9AY then take a trip across the famous zebra crossing; see their graffiti wall and just take in the atmosphere! This month, the revered and sensational studios will be…

FIRMLY in the spotlight.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Hannah Cohen

FEATURE:

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Hannah Cohen 

Hannah Cohen

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I must confess that I am...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Hannah Cohen 

relatively new to the music of Hannah Cohen. I am aware of her since her 2012 debut album, Child Bride. Listening back to the record now and it shows so much promise but, as an artist, Cohen would grow in ability and confidence. It is an interesting album that boasts many gorgeous songs. Perhaps it is not as strong as the material on her current album, Welcome Home, but it was clear in 2012 that Cohen was a name to watch closely. The Line of Best Fit investigated Child Bride for a feature in 2012:

 “As debut albums go, Hannah Cohen’s is a beautiful introduction. Child Bride is urban folk at its finest – Cohen’s deeply evocative vocal infuses empirically elegant melodies, allowing her emotional world to tumble out over its ten songs.

And Hannah Cohen has some heritage. The granddaughter of British poet Bertie Rodgers (who was BFF with Dylan Thomas), and the daughter of a British mother and an American jazz-drumming father, Cohen’s childhood was illuminated by touring musicians and her parents’ hippy ideology. After high-school, she became a fashion model, before defecting to the other side of the lens (she recently released her first book of photography entitled Fotografias Brasil).

Cohen’s music career is still in its relative infancy, but what she lacks in experience she can make up in with friends. Child Bride was produced by Thomas Bartlett (of Doveman fame), while the album includes contributions from Sam Amidon, Rob Moose and Mauro Refosco who have worked with acts ranging from Bon Iver to Thom Yorke. As you would expect, Child Bride is deliciously executed”.

“So, when did you begin to make music?

About four years ago, I was on vacation with my then boyfriend – who was a musician – and he left the room and I went to pick up his guitar. I’ve always had a lot of musician friends and have travelled around to watch their music. I just started playing and from there I got my own little guitar. I’d play all day and then started singing out melodies and began writing from there. I feel like I have a good ear and that helps me.

How did you get from there to the point of having songs which could potentially become an album?

I started sharing my songs with friends and they were all saying ‘wow, they’re good, keep going’. I met Thomas Bartlett about two-and-a-half years ago and I sang him ‘Don’t Say’ and he was like ‘Oh my god, I totally want to produce a record for you and I now exactly what I would want to do’. So, I wrote about 25 songs and got rid of a few really bad ones. But, this first record has a lot to do with Thomas because he really saw something in my songs”.

I will talk more about Cohen’s latest album but, even at the start of her career, there was plenty of originality and intrigue. I have just heard (1st September) her give an interview to Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie on BBC Radio 6 Music. Throughout the interview, she was engaging, warm and fascinating. In a sea of artists, Cohen definitely stands out.

There is an unmistakable beauty and sense of belonging on Welcome Home. When speaking about her album with Radcliffe and Maconie, Cohen revealed that she felt like this is her first proper album. Maybe Child Bride and Pleasure Boy (2015) were not as complete and fulfilling as she hoped; maybe it has taken her a while to get to where she needs to be but, in terms of quality and memorability, I feel her third album is her best. It seems like the California-born artist is where she needs to be:

“Hannah Cohen has arrived home. From the title of her new album to the depth and beauty of the music, the Woodstock, NY-based singer-songwriter’s third album, Welcome Home, displays a new level of confidence and comfort with the many creative tools at her disposal. Cohen’s remarkably evocative voice is surrounded by dreamy, swooning incantations, from the rippling ‘This Is Your Life’ and the slow-burning, forthright statement of ‘All I Want,’ to the soul swagger of ‘Get in Line’ and dramatic vocal leaps of ‘Wasting My Time.’

With Welcome Home, “I don’t feel I have to cover up anything, or not be able to share,”Cohen says. “There’s less to interpret, I’m more visible. And as to reflecting on the past when things didn’t go well, I’ve left that behind. It was all worth it, to make my way to this point.”

Produced by Cohen’s partner Sam Owens, the producer/writer who performs as Sam Evian, the artist began developing the material that became Welcome Home in 2017. Taking her time with the songs, she wrapped herself in the fulfilling quiet of a new home, and a new creative partnership that supported finding a clarity in her writing and vocals. Many of the songs were written on an old, nylon-string guitar painted with Hawaiian scenes of beaches and palm trees (which can be heard on ‘This Is Your Life’), that, no matter the final arrangement, gives the songs a lighter touch, a warming glow that suffuses the whole album. Listeners may find echoes of folk and R&B, radiating with vocal-powered pop production, electronic accents, and bursts of pulsing guitar/bass/drums energy. Irresistible echoes of soul enchanters such as Carrie Cleveland (an early touchstone for Cohen and Evian), Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and their friend and sometime collaborator Nick Hakim blend with the reflective shadings of singer/writer forebears such as Carole King and Harry Nilsson”.

I will bring in a couple more articles before rounding things off but it seems like a lot of love is going the way of Cohen. She has played in London and Birkenhead the past couple of days and is heading to Brighton later today. I am not sure whether there are more dates in the U.K. but, when she does pop back here, make sure you go and see her play.

HERE ARE SOME DATES FOR SEPTEMBER ! UK&EUROPE 🤩COME SAY HI ! 🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️🧚‍♀️
SEPT. 1 BIRKENHEAD
SEPT. 2 LONDON
SEPT. 3 BRIGHTON
SEPT. 4 MANCHESTER
SEPT. 5 PARIS
SEPT. 6 BRUSSELS
SEPT. 8 AMSTERDAM pic.twitter.com/3xLO3SnOSJ

— Hannah Cohen (@MissHannahCohen) August 30, 2019

Hannah Cohen is a very open, relatable and accessible artist who, when interviewed, sounds incredibly charming, friendly and warm. I am not saying other artists are not but you instantly bond with Cohen the moment you hear her talk. In a busy year for music, perhaps Welcome Home will not challenge the biggest releases – from the likes of Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey – but it is an album that promises sunshine and contentment. Loud and Quiet, in this feature, drill to the heart of Welcome Home:

“It then feels natural that her third album – the aptly titled Welcome Home – captures the uplifting experience of finally finding a new haven, and the 10 tracks here radiate a sense of freedom and ease that comes with feeling at home somewhere. Things start off with the blissful ‘This Is Your Life’, with its melody gently dancing like a mirage, lyrically showing where Cohen’s mental state is at, and her desire to stop the mundanity of life disrupting her happiness. Elsewhere, the bittersweet ‘Old Bruiser’ and ‘Build Me Up’ offer a nostalgic quality, and are some of the strongest moments on the album.

There’s a fluidity and lightness in Cohen’s songs, as her acoustic guitar and angelic, floaty voice are quilted in an oceanic dream-pop aesthetic, bringing to mind acts such as Kacey Johansing and Japanese Breakfast. Those searching for something more immediate might be left unsatisfied (it does all get a bit airy and overly delicate at times), but overall it captures a positive new transition, like waking up on a sunny Saturday morning”.

Cohen has toured internationally in the past but it seems, after Welcome Home gains more traction, she will get a lot more dates. It is great she has played in the U.K. and it seems like there is a very warm and welcoming bond. Here, in this Pop Matters feature, they explore the notion that, whilst Cohen seems to be referring to others in her songs, her music is much more personal – she is referring to herself:

“Despite using non-identifying pronouns such as "you", it's obvious Cohen is speaking to herself in the third person: "And I'll tell you what it is / The moment you see it, you want it, take the risk / You're out of your mind and that's alright". Here Cohen taps onto the psychological effect of "I" versus "you" statements. Using "you" instead of "I" when uttering self-affirmations has proven to yield greater results for the individual. Without question, Cohen opens her album with the literal and figurative declaration of change and agency.

In Welcome Home's press release, Cohen explained "a lot of the album is about checking in with reality and taking the wheel, being honest with myself and my intentions. Being transparent as much as possible. They're about exploring why I'm here." With that sentiment in mind, "Holding On" takes an unadulterated approach to understanding herself while "What's This All About" addresses the impact of her location on her self-worth. She's critical of the City's role in her creative process as she ponders "What about this city do you still love? / 'Cause it's making me crazy / I can't get a new job / Gotta make it work / Or we can move to the country".

Welcome Home is a portrait of an artist amidst transition. As Cohen grapples with physical location, she creates a musical space where an exploration of identity is conducted with intimacy and vulnerability”.

Cohen’s first two albums are well worth seeking out but I do feel like Welcome Home is a new beginning. With just ten albums and no song exceeding five minutes, she is pretty skilled when it comes to creating economical and tight music. That is not to say Welcome Home lacks exploration, depth and ambitious: songs like All I Wanted and Return Room are compelling, immersive and engrossing. Welcome Home is one of these albums that beckon you in but keep you coming back – not like so many modern albums which lack depth and nuance. It seems like the future is very much open and up for grabs. With each album, Cohen takes another step: Welcome Home is her greatest work and, in my view, one of the strongest albums of the year. She is still in the U.K. and will return to the U.S. shortly. I shall leave things here but I would prompt people to follow Hannah Cohen and go and grab a copy of Welcome Home. It is a wonderful record that everyone should listen to. Maybe the past few years have been about personal exploration and discovery; her first two albums have been stepping stones, perhaps. It is clear that, on her third album, Hannah Cohen has definitely…

FOUND her home.

____________

Follow Hannah Cohen

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Hannah Cohen  

Official:

https://www.hannahcohenmusic.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/HannahCohenMusic/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MissHannahCohen

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/misshannahcohen/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ovXNdlB2DNSC16TbKgros?si=7fqBqfezTU-RKCO6XcT3jQ

FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: Deee-Lite – World Clique

FEATURE:

 

Vinyl Corner

IMAGES/PHOTOS: Getty Images

Deee-Lite – World Clique

__________

PERHAPS it was a move from the blitz and fun…

of World Clique to the more serious and outward-looking on 1992’s Infinity Within that contributed to a decline in critical attention. That much-anticipated follow-up gained some positive reviews but, compared to the iconic and stunning debut, there was something lacking. Deee-Lite naturally progressed but, as they grew and got a bit more outspoken – talking about safe-sex and environmental protection -, perhaps that took some of the attention away. Definitely, Infinity Within is an important and timely album. Even now, it sounds relevant and daring but, after such a heady and acclaimed debut, perhaps people were expecting a similar follow-up. I will talk about the biblical World Clique in a minute but, before then, a little about the delightful Deee-Lite. The band started out in 1986 as a duo in New York City. Their colourful and stunning lead, Lady Miss Kier handled vocals whilst Supa DJ Dimitry was the D.J. They expanded to a trio when Jungle DJ Towa Tei joined the ranks. One can only picture the scene in the mid/late-1980s and Deee-Lite gigging in New York. Before Deee-Lite took shape, Kier and Dimitry played in some downtown clubs and cut their teeth. It was a modest beginning but life changed when Kier procured an Akai sampler. The band was very much D.I.Y. and, with Kier designing their posters and the group playing in gay and straight clubs, it was not long before they were thinking about an album.

Tei, Kier and Dimitry bonded over a mutual appreciation of Funk and Techno. I am not sure whether there were many other artists of the time fusing these sounds but, as the members of Deee-Lite came from the U.S. (Kier), Ukraine (Dimitry) and Japan (Tei), it was only natural their blend would be richer, more original and varied than a lot of music at the time. By 1988, the new three-piece was cemented and things were rolling. Rather than using a lot of instruments and having a natural sound, Deee-Lite employed samples and wonderful sounds on World Clique. They were all avid record collectors and, when it came to giving their debut new layers and different moves, they dipped into their vinyl collection. Lady Miss Kier took care of the lyrics and melodies whereas Supa DJ Dimitry handled guitar, keyboard and bass; Towa Tei was responsible for collating samples and fills. I would encourage people to get World Clique on vinyl because it sounds incredible on that format. One can imagine the sort of records Deee-Lite were pouring over when making World Clique so, to have all those sounds mixed onto a record is a wonderful thing. Included on World Clique are Bootsy Collins, Q-Tip; Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker. Recorded between January and May 1990, the group were literally capturing what was happening right at the start of an incredible decade. A lot of powerful and moving albums arrived in 1990 – including Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet – but there was this intoxicating spirit happening.

Artists were mixing genres and splicing sounds. House music was emerging and becoming more prominent and there were influences from all around the world. Listen to some of the music at the time – including Soul II Soul’s Back to Life and Madonna’s Vogue – and you can find plenty of music that united people and lifted the spirits – it would be good to see more of that today; whether that is even possible, I don’t know! World Clique is not only one of the best albums of the 1990s but it is one of the best debut releases ever. It is such a kaleidoscopic, wild and liberating album that drags you in and brings you into this neon, colourful world where you feel better and safe. Hip-Hop was still prevalent but, as an alternative to an angrier and more political style of music, artists like Deee-Lite provided a wonderful alternative. More in common with peace and love of the 1960s than messages of civil rights and political concerns of the day, maybe that explains why Deee-Lite become more activated and conscientious on their sophomore release – feeling they needed to tackle big issues and get more serious. Unsurprisingly, World Clique was a huge success and received incredible reviews. The faultless Groove Is in the Heart was a top-five smash in the U.S. and U.K. whereas Power of Love/Build That Bridge and Good Beat were also very popular.

In this retrospective review, AllMusic discuss the beauty and potency of World Clique:

“Its reputation may rest on only one hit single -- but what a hit. "Groove Is in the Heart" defined the summer of 1990 on radio and MTV with its delicious combination of funk, modern dance sheen, and Lady Miss Kier's smart, sharp diva ways. Add in guest vocals and bass from Bootsy Collins (a pity his hilarious video cameo wasn't represented here), brass from the original Horny Horns duo of Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker, and a smooth mid-song rap from A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip, and the results sounded good then and now. The rest of World Clique offers variations on the song's theme, with Kier's sweet, light vocals and DJs Dimitri and Towa Tei making it work in various ways. It's still a bit surprising that Kier didn't go on to greater fame on her own, because she definitely has not merely the pipes but the personality to carry something on her own -- compared to the dog-whistle vocal calisthenics of someone like Mariah Carey, there's no contest. Check out her work on songs like "Good Beat" and the amusing sass of such numbers as "Try Me on, I'm Very You." The two musicians come up with a seamless, adept flow throughout, merrily raiding whatever they so choose in the past for their own purposes. Disco is the heart of it all, with everything from hip-hop breaks to bubble-salsa piano -- even early Depeche Mode! -- taking a bow; hints of the future genre-mashing Towa Tei would make his own trademark are already plentiful. Bootsy and the Horny Horns crop up at other points as well, adding just enough classic funk to blend with the crisper electronic pulses and arrangements”.

NME had this to say where the album was released:

“Whatever the lyrical content - love, smiling DJ/dancefloor ESP, more love, more positivity - the music is always so up, it's away. Disco with soul, erotic Electro and even those big Italian piano riffs sound refreshed and invigorating under their guidance. It all sounds so easy, but you know that behind it is three years in clubs gaining contacts that resulted in work with The Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest and even a Sinead O'Connor remix. A Deee-Lite clique which resulted in JB's Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip and Bootsy all putting their two-penneth into this album.

The result is one of the most varied and inspirational club crossover records ever. It doesn't matter that the ingredients aren't original, it's what they've done with them, that makes this album such a dream. On the other hand you could argue that, if you walked round on platform shoes with heels as high as Miss Lady Keir's your head would never come out of the clouds either.

It's the best place for it”.

I was seven when World Clique came out and was completely blown away by it. The albums still sounds utterly sensational and fresh but, at the time, it was a revelation. I love all the tracks on the album but one cannot escape the majesty and addictiveness of Groove Is in the Heart. It is a song that puts you on another plain. It is completely entrancing and otherworldly. You get lost in the samples and myriad grooves; the insatiable energy and fun of a song that is still massively played today. I will end this feature in a bit but I want to bring in an interview Music Radar conducted with Lady Miss Kier back in 2016. She discussed her experiences of World Clique and shared her memories of its incredible tracks:

"It was my first and only time doing it," says Lady Miss Kier, gingerly. "I'd never even sang before, but we tripped out and wrote three songs. Deee-Lite was formed that night." After coming down, a yearlong writing session took place, amassing them over 30 tracks that they would road test at packed hip-hop and dance clubs around the city. Kier handled mic duties, and dreamt up the kaleidoscopic image for the group, while classically trained pianist Dmitry brought the music. Record digger and DJ Towa would later join the ranks, providing many of the choicest samples.

"We were really into that funky stuff, which wasn't that popular at the time in New York," says Kier. "We started incorporating that with some Kraftwerk - I used to call that 'holographic techno-soul'. The main thing was that we didn't want to fit into one category. For me, the best bands fuse at least three different genres."

Try Me On… I'm Very You

"This has [P-Funk legend] Bootsy Collins on. He laid down some bass. I think originally we'd used a JBs sample, and he came in and replayed some really sweet overdubs. I'm pretty sure he played guitar on this as well. We didn't sit down and write with him. He just turned up and made everything… better, you know? He knew the songs from a demo tape I sent him, and he'd throw in bits and pieces over the top.

"He introduced us to a lot of the P-Funk players who'd left that scene and were hungry to work with other artists. So, Fred [Wesley] and Maceo [Parker] are on the horns here. That was the great thing about working with Bootsy. When he came, he was like, 'You need any horn players? I know a coupla guys.' Only these two legends! He introduced us to guys like Bernie Worrell, who ended up working with us later, too. I never felt worthy. These were my heroes. We ended up with a full, nine-piece live show with these guys, as well."

Groove Is In The Heart

"Q-Tip does a great verse on this. This was before Tribe blew up. He was hanging with the Jungle Brothers. We opened up for them one time at a club called Hotel Amazon, which is where I would have met Tip. We were playing that song live and he asked if he could do 16 bars on it.

"I remember he came to the studio with a note pad and just started writing it as we were laying down Bootsy's part. It was a one-take, write on the spot, thing.

“Bootsy wrote a whole rap, too, which made it on one of the alternative mixes. People keep asking if Tina Turner did some tambourine on this. She didn't. I don't know where that rumour came from [laughs]. Maybe she was in the bits we sampled? As for the samples. I think Dmitry found the bass from the Herbie Hancock record, Bring Down the Birds, and Towa found the drums and whistle from the Vernon Burch record, Get Up".

World Clique turned nineteen last month and it is amazing to think how different Deee-Lite sound to anyone around today. That might be obvious but I wonder whether artists should be looking back and taking to heart what Deee-Lite put into the world back in 1990. It is a wonderful album that sounds perfect no matter what format you hear it on – although, for the purposes of this feature, vinyl is the way to go! Grab a copy and trip into this extraordinary world. I wonder whether, as the album is twenty next year, it will get remastered and we will see anniversary editions come out. It would be good to see how the songs started life and whether there are any demos in the vaults. That is in the future but, in a moment when we could do with more fun in music, World Clique has a lot to offer in terms of inspiration. Even if artists are not able to reproduce the wonder and vivacity of World Clique, the fact that we have this album out makes the world…

A brighter and better place.

FEATURE: Irreplaceable: Beyoncé: A Modern-Day Music Powerhouse

FEATURE:

 

Irreplaceable

PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images 

Beyoncé: A Modern-Day Music Powerhouse

__________

THERE are a few reasons why I...

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

am putting this feature out. I was scheduled to write a new Female Icons feature about Nina Simone but that is going to have to wait for a few days. Beyoncé turns thirty-eight Wednesday and many around the world will be marking her birthday. Naturally, when it comes to any big star, they are never too far from the news. At the moment, alas, there is more negativity and controversy than anything productive rumbling in the press but, as this is a slow time for music news, people need something to talk about. I know every artist has a birthday but, when it comes to modern artists, how many true icons are there? I celebrated Beyoncé in a recent Female Icons feature and it made me think about modern artists and whether truly have icons in our midst. Of course, there are some incredibly popular artists but how does one determine what constitutes an icon or merely a star? I think you need to have more about you than the music alone. In an age of streaming, we are counting streaming figures and assigning numbers as a mark of success. Reviews are great and we can get a lot from that but I think an icon needs to be someone who goes further; someone who is a role model and inspires others. In terms of modern artists, I guess you can call Taylor Swift an icon. She does a lot for charity and is a supporter of L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ rights. She is getting more involved in politics and is influencing a lot of people.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Paolo Kudacki for TIME

It is hard to mix music with the wider world but, if you can balance both, then that is something special. Also, the musical quality needs to be great: if you are a mainstream artists who has a lot of fans but the music does not translate to other demographics then, arguably, will you remain years from now? I am not bagging on modern artists but it is difficult creating music that crosses borders and then matching that with a persona that is inspiring. Look at some of the iconic women who have gone before: Madonna, Kate Bush; Etta James, Nina Simone, Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell among them. They have all given the world so much incredible music but each of them is groundbreaking; they have paved the way for other artists and remained hugely popular today. I guess you could say artists like Lady Gaga, Dave Grohl and others are icons and will go down in history but, for my money, the last of the true music powerhouses is Beyoncé. Maybe it is a subjective matter and opinion but, from her days with Destiny’s Child in the late-1990s to now, she continues to push forward and influence others. Since Destiny’s Child’s eponymous debut in 1998, we have seen this strong and independent artist blossom and strike. On The Writing’s on the Wall (1999) and Survivor (2001), Beyoncé grew in confidence and marked herself out as a solo artist to watch. Given the fact there are rumours Destiny’s Child are reforming and will tour, it makes me wonder whether there will be a new album from them next year.

I think we are living in a time when modern Pop and R&B is not that strong. There are some interesting artists around but, in terms of music that cuts to the core and stays in the mind, there are not many artists that cut the mustard. So many artists either appeal to a specific demographic or their songs are too commercial and lightweight. Aside from one or two artists/bands, I think we have lost the days of the icon. In many way, Beyoncé is one of the most recent and relevant powerhouses in music. There is no doubt that, when it comes to Beyoncé, there are contradictions and paradoxes that defines her iconic status. She has natural beauty and sex appeal but works tirelessly to succeed; she has riches and wealth but is a source of inspiration for young women coming through. Of course, she has a lot of people around her making the music come together but at the centre of everything is Beyoncé and her vision. Of course, many will say Beyoncé has had money her whole life and has been raised by marketing teams – whereas other artists have come from less and had fewer people in the mix. The legendary Dionne Warwick recently stated how much she admires Beyoncé and her fight but states that, in order to become an icon, many more years need to go by.

Perhaps, then, we need to shift the argument away from discussing Beyoncé as an icon – even though she is – and framing her as a modern powerhouse and leader. Back in 2015 – prior to the release of Beyoncé’s latest studio album, Lemonade - a BBC article argued why Beyoncé speaks for a generation:

“Beyoncé is a true Renaissance woman: a musician, a business mogul, a feminist, a mother, and a brand whose cultural gravity seems to emanate not from any one of these talents but from all of them in concert.

In an American corporate world disproportionately governed by men, Beyoncé distinguishes herself as the founder and CEO of her own record label and production company, Parkwood Entertainment. According to Forbes, her personal earnings more than double those of her husband. He is a shrewd entrepreneur in his own right who famously declared himself “not a businessman but a business, man.” Beyoncé’s self-titled album sold a staggering 617,000 copies in three days following its release, doing Kanye West the poetic justice of swiping an iTunes Store sales week record from Taylor Swift.

In 2014 Forbes declared Beyoncé to be the world’s most powerful celebrity, and she has leveraged her global brand in support of gender equality through her influential charity, the #BeyGood Project. Her hit single Flawless samples from a TEDx Talk called We Should All Be Feminists by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Beyoncé belts the anthem’s first verse and then cedes the floor to Adichie, who relays the definition of a ‘feminist’ as “the person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

One can debate whether some of Beyoncé’s popularity and success is earned and how much of her image is genuine – and how much has been manufactured. It is clear that, between her charity work, speeches and motherhood, she is inspiring so many people around the world. Artists such as Lady Gaga, Adele; Rihanna and Britney Spears have been influenced by Beyoncé and, unlike so many modern artists, Beyoncé’s music has extended across the age, gender and taste boundaries. Her fanbase is so diverse and extensive and, when you hear her music, you can tell why. Beyoncé has received numerous awards. As a solo artist she has sold over seventeen million albums in the U.S., and over one –hundred million records worldwide (a further sixty million additionally with Destiny's Child), making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) listed Beyoncé as the top-certified artist of the 2000s decade, with a total of sixty-four certifications. Her songs Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Halo and Irreplaceable are some of the best-selling singles of all time worldwide. Some have critiqued Beyoncé’s brand of feminism and its authenticity. There is no doubt she has compelled generations with her powerful messages and music. She has a successful marriage – one that has weathered a few storms – and balances music with business and motherhood.

For me, it is the strength and memorability of the songs that really stands out. I am thinking, as I type this, of her career-defining performance of Coachella last year. Her Homecoming documentary still feels so relevant and, if you have not seen it then make sure you do. The album is scintillating and it shows just how hard-working Beyoncé is! The set she performed must rank alongside the finest of this generation: a performance that will go down in history and will not be equaled. I will end with a Beyoncé playlist but, in terms of her six studio albums, they range from the promising (I Am… Sasha Fierce and Dangerously in Love) to phenomenal (Beyoncé and Lemonade). With Jay-Z, Beyoncé formed The Carters and they released Everything Is Love last year. A lot of popular and commercial artists release a couple of great songs per album and they can put out four or five decent albums in their career. Not only did Beyoncé have a string of huge hits with Destiny’s Child – including Survivor and Bills, Bills, Bills – but every one of her solo albums has at least three or four true gems. From 2003’s Dangerously in Love there is Crazy in Love (with Jay-Z); Naughty Girl, Baby Boy and Me, Myself and I. From B’Day there is Déjà Vu, Get Me Bodied; Ring the Alarm, Green Light and Irreplaceable.

Look at I Am… Sasha Fierce and there is If I Were a Boy, Halo; Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) and Diva. 4 has I Care and Party (ft. André 3000); there is also Love on Top and Run the World (Girls). Beyoncé boasts Pretty Hurts and Drunk in Love; Partition; XO and Heaven. It seems that, with every album, Beyoncé grows stronger and more compelling. Beyoncé was the strongest album of her career in 2013 but, three years later, Lemonade took that to a new level – songs such as Hold Up, Don’t Hurt Yourself (ft. Jack White); Daddy Lessons, Freedom; All Night and Formation rank alongside the best songs she has ever created. One can see big leaps from her earliest days with Destiny’s Child but, even though she has worked with talented writers and producers, one cannot exclude the sheer passion and talent from Beyoncé. The songs and albums I have just mentioned are packed with hugely impressive songs that will endure for years to come. As I said, Beyoncé’s music and popularity goes way beyond Pop confines and a young audience. I do hope there is more music from her next year because, at a tense and divided time, who knows what she can unleash! Whether that album is with Destiny’s Child or solo, I do not know. She has put out some music recently, but there is a lot of anticipation as to what comes next. I wanted to write this feature to mark Beyoncé’s thirty-eight birthday but, more than that, nod to an icon (or not, as some see it!) that grows in stature and importance as time goes on. She is a businesswoman and proud mother; a spokeswoman and feminist leader; a voice for young, black women and, above all else, one of the strongest artists…

PHOTO CREDIT: Beyoncé

IN the world.

TRACK REVIEW: The Futureheads - Good Night Out

TRACK REVIEW:

 

The Futureheads

PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Alexander Knox

Good Night Out

9.7/10

The track, Good Night Out, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIwAgSug09Y

GENRES:

Indie-Rock/Alternative

ORIGIN:

Sunderland, U.K.

LABEL:

The Futureheads t/a Nul Records

The album, Powers, is available here:

https://orcd.co/thefutureheadspowers

RELEASE DATE:

30th August, 2019

__________

I have quite a bit to cover now…

but I will get to The Futureheads’ track, Good Night Out, in a minute. Their new album, Powers, is their first since 2012 and it has been picking up some big reviews. I want to talk about great bands that we need right now and keeping them focused; independent venues and why we need to keep them alive; music from the North East and why we need to have people look beyond London; records like Powers and the honesty behind them; I will talk a little about The Futureheads and where they might step next. I am going to quote from a few interviews as I go along – and will do so in a bit – but, when thinking about bands we need in our midst at the moment, The Futureheads come to mind. I have been following them for a few years but their debut, The Futureheads, arrived in 2004 and is, to me, one of the best albums from that decade. Not only did that album introduce us to their version of Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love – always risky when someone covers Kate Bush but they succeeded -, but there were so many gems. Since then, they have forged a career that has seen them inspire other artists and release simply amazing music. Maybe their earlier albums were more angular and complex: subsequent released have been more primed towards fun, big choruses and something a little more free. Things have not always been smooth in The Futureheads’ camp and getting them together for their sixth album has been a challenge. I want to bring in an interview they have with NE Volume where they discussed their latest record and how hard it has been to get everyone together:

 “You’ve been tucked away recording your sixth album. How has it felt to be back in the studio doing what you do best?

Recording our sixth album has been an invigorating experience. Making every album has been different: the challenges for this record have been getting everyone together in the same room for more than ninety seconds which has been quite the feat. But the energy when we are all together has been quite something and we can’t wait for people to hear the fruits of our labour.

PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Benge 

Can you tell me a little bit about the creative process behind the record?

Barry came to this album with a lot of instrumentals sketched out in demo form: guitar parts, riffs and drum beats. With Ross, I traduced his riffs and tunes a little later. The rest was thrashed out over a period of four or five months in First Avenue Studios in Heaton. Once the instrumentals were down, we set about writing lyrics and harmonies. We’ve not really done it like that before where we have 12 fully-recorded instruments before any vocal ideas are down.

There are some great bands on the scene right now – including Metronomy, Foals; IDLES and Stealing Sheep but, if you think about the best albums released this year, the majority are from solo artists. I am not sure – as I have said many times – whether this imbalance is because of trends or the fact solo artists can achieve more and create more diverse sounds. Whatever the reason, bands have taken a bit of a back seat the past few years. I feel one of the problems is the fact bands were sort of sounding the same and the music was not resonating the same way as it did from solo artists. The Futureheads have always stood separate and done things differently; a gang who can whip up unusual and brilliant songs that are both cool and geeky, fun and serious – every song from the band is packed with original thought and life. Bands are in resurgence and I think, at a time when the world is split and strained, we do need the beauty and colours only The Futureheads can provide. Their invisible touch is potent and I hope the guys continue to make music for many years to come. It has been a fight getting them together and focusing for the new album – I will talk about this more soon – but it seems like The Futureheads are entering a new phase; there are gigs coming up and I hope to catch them if they come down to my local venue (Alexandra Palace).

I will return to that interview I just quoted because there was another point/question that caught my eye: that regarding the decline of independent venues and the effect that has on artists. I am one of these people who feels like there should be more attention paid to venues. So many artists are plugging and playing these spaces and are not getting spotted. They might only get noticed when they have progressed to radio stations or are being signed. I think there is so much music happening in venues and, when they close, it can cut short the run of a great artist. I do think we are less social and, if we go out, we are not necessarily going to gigs. Venues are the lifeblood of towns and cities and, if we do not support them, not only will they close but it means so many promising artists have to call it quits – or try to find an audience online and other methods. The Futureheads talked about ways we can stop the decline of industries – they also mentioned a venue in the North East that they particularly love:

What do you think we can do to stop the decline in independent music venues?

If people want to see shows, they need to get out and support bands – it’s as simple as that. Don’t wait until bands are playing Academies before you show an interest.

Do you have a favourite North East venue you enjoy playing the most or that’s shown the band particular support over the years?

Well, The Cluny has always been a good one for us but I’m not sure we will ever top the days of playing the function room upstairs in the royalty in Sunderland – it was DIY fun at its best.

Bigger spaces can remain open because of the capacity and the fact they can attract huge artists to come and play. Even a space like Alexandra Palace, one feels, would feel threatened were it in Central London and was subject to higher rent prices and faced a lot of competition from surrounding bars.

I think a lot of successful venues flourish because of where they are located. Living in London, I know how many fantastic musicians are playing and primed for future success. Even though we have streaming platforms, people need to see them perform because that is how you get noticed. Artists cannot solely survive on the Internet and they need to cut their teeth at venues – that is how they get good and ensure their material is decent. I think many have this romantic vision of bands playing in garages and playing down a local bar; being spotted by a scout or label and then playing venues around the world. Maybe that has happened for a few but the reality of making it in the industry is far more pragmatic and tough. Artists have it harder now than they ever did and we need to ensure that venues are subsidised and protected. If we allow them to fall victim to unreasonable rent prices, noise complaints or a lack of interest then that has a hugely detrimental effect on the future of music. Bands such as The Futureheads would have honed their craft in places around the North East. The Sunderland-raised band have come a long way but would not be where they are now were it not for venues. I am not sure whether there are more or fewer live venues in Sunderland now compared to a couple of decades back but, with venues like The Cluny and Independent, there are great venues there or nearby. Sunderland is a cultural hub and an area seeing improvement and resurgence all of the time. I do wonder how artists there are faring and whether they are looking at a success story like The Futureheads and wondering if they can make it as big. I think, with some great artists coming from the North East, we need to make sure there are adequate venues for them to play – save them having to play in the North West or come down to London.

Cities like Sunderland have given us bands such as The Futureheads, Kenickie and Field Music and, from Newcastle, The Animals and Maximo Park. I know we tend to focus more on areas like London when it comes to new artists but one cannot ignore the brilliance and promise of artists from the North. The Futureheads succeeded because of their hard graft, fantastic sound and wonderful live performances but, as I mentioned, are artists coming through now able to succeed – or will the closing of venues mean we will see gradual growth rather than explosion? I think there is something different in the North that you do not get in great areas like London and Brighton. Maybe it is the culture and people but there is something more thrilling, illuminating and nuanced, I think. Maybe that is a generalisation but I have always found myself drawn to music from northern artists. Whereas the North is not as subject to exorbitant rent prices and so many bijou, snotty wine bars replacing them, they do have to fight harder for media attention. We still look too closely at London and, as most of the biggest radio stations and venues are based down here, it means the North has an unfair disadvantage. That said, there are some terrific stations in the North championing the best new acts coming through. I know for a fact there are artists inspired by The Futureheads and following in their footsteps. It would be good to see more features appearing in the press and online that shines a light on northern acts and venues. As it stands, so many artists are moving to London because they feel they are being ignored where they are. It is a sad state of affairs and I do hope things change in years to come. I shall move on to another topic because, with The Futureheads back in force, it is worth looking back at the last few years.

Rant arrived in 2012 and, whilst there have been bits and bobs since then, Powers is the first thing we have heard from the band in terms of albums. The band sort of called it quits back in 2013 but, unlike other bands, there was no carnival and fuss: the band sort of just slipped away and that was it. They have been reborn and revived, luckily, but they have had to face obstacles and personal problems. When speaking with DIY, the band spoke about the period between 2013 and now and what has been happening:

 “Nowadays, when bands decide to call it a day, the decision comes loaded with a fresh schedule: farewell shows, final festival performances, just that one last chance for fans to catch a glimpse before they disappear (for a while, at least). But when Sunderland’s finest The Futureheads threw in the towel back in 2013, the quartet did so quietly, with no real final hurrah.

The Futureheads in 2019 is a different prospect to where they left off. “I think we’ve got the best of both worlds at this point,” Barry ponders. “Sometimes I wonder what it would’ve been like if, during our career as The Futureheads, we had maintained some kind of foot in the door of reality. Actually, I find I’m far better at writing songs when I’m a genuine part of society, rather than a bohemian think freak, who’s playing jazz guitar late at night.

And those five years have thrown up all sorts of inspiration. From the challenges of dealing with mental illness – a struggle Barry himself has been very open about – to the quiet contentment of beginning a family, ‘Powers’ is a record which seers with personal honesty. It’s via the charged march of ‘Across The Border’, though, that the North Eastern band find themselves facing politics square in the eye, with the issue of their town’s relationship with Brexit becoming the main focus. “I know that very little is understood about what Brexit really is,” Barry sighs. “You can’t ignore it,” adds Ross. “It’s no longer an elephant in the room and for us, the fact that Sunderland became this sort of flagship city that seems to embody ignorance, it’s really disappointing, because it’s just not the reality”.

It is interesting picking up on a few points raised in the interview. The fact that Sunderland’s residents will have a different view regarding Brexit and our Government varies to, say, somewhere like London. When it comes to artists from the North such as The Futureheads and Sam Fender, they share common threads with others but, in terms of politics and local observations, their perspective differs. Every artist is aware of Brexit and the ongoing chaos but, in an area like Sunderland, Brexit is affecting people differently. I am not sure whether the looming departure will affect the prosperity of the cultural scene in Sunderland and how it will affect jobs. Although Sunderland is a little more homogenised than it was years ago, there are still a lot of residents working in manufacturing and other industries like that. You can check out a breakdown of the employment figures and realise that, when it comes to leaving the E.U., Sunderland voters had their reasons for wanting to leave. Maybe some of that was based out of fear and media propaganda but, if people feel like they would be richer and more stable out of the E.U., it is small wonder they would vote to leave – where a more cosmopolitan and wealthier city like London would want to remain and keep its economic structure. The Futureheads have reflected politics and changing Britain in Powers but, more than that, they have been looking at their personal lives and situation. In fact, on one song, they do deliver this thought: “Wouldn’t it be nice to go on holiday somewhere in Italy/How about a beer in Germany?”. It is clear Brexit is keen on their radar but I like the fact The Futureheads have mixed modern politics with emotional honesty and talk about mental-health – something that is becoming far more common and discussed in music. It is great to have The Futureheads back with us and, judging by the reviews that have come in for Powers, they are on stunning form. Maybe it is the electricity in the air and the chat in Sunderland; perhaps they are rejuvenated and have a renewed bond. Whatever the reason, the band are entering phase 2.0 and looking to the future. I have selected a song from Powers to review but, before I come to that, it is worth returning to that point about The Futureheads’ sound and how it stands out.

A lot of bands are original but, when it comes to sticking out and staying in the head, there is nobody like Sunderland’s The Futureheads. Again, it might be because of a natural northern intuition but I have always loved what the band put out. They are accessible and memorable but they do not follow the herd and replicate what is already out there. Sometimes they go a bit bonkers but it just sounds wonderful. I will move on in a bit but, right now, I want to bring in a snippet of an interview they gave with Louder than War, where the nature of their sound was discussed:

“There was always something wonderfully off-kilter about The Futureheads. In a period where guitar bands were ubiquitous, the Mackem four-piece belied their post-punk bluster with songs replete with four-part harmonies, manic segues and inspired covers (‘Hounds of Love’ remains a staple of every Saturday night indie dancefloor). Their demise was just as different – last seen around 2016, the band were used in an advert promoting Bupa healthcare.

“We got a fair bit of stick for that,” laugh The Futureheads today, fittingly looking in good health and in even better spirits. “But I dare anyone who feels inclined to make criticisms to try and survive, for just one month, as a professional artist and see if they can turn work down.” Indeed, in The Futureheads’ fallow years, two of the band have drifted into education (bassist Jaff Craig is “the tallest primary school teacher in the North East”), guitarist Ross Millard does graphic design and drummer Dave Hyde tinkers with plastering.

Formed in 2000, The Futureheads became part of the burgeoning scene that boasted the floor-filling indie of Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight. Choppy, irresistible but cerebral, the likes of Decent Days and Nights, Meantime and Area showed their considerable songwriting chops. Skip to the End, The Beginning of the Twist and Heartbeat Song were later entries to a strong canon, but after Rant, the group went their separate ways, singer Barry Hyde allegedly retreating to the desert and becoming some sort of new age savant”.

Like the very best Futureheads tunes, Good Night Out wastes no time with flirtation and teasing: it rips off the clothing, jumps on top of you and breaks you in half. That vivid (and rather explicit) description might suggest the band is throwing volume and rawness into the mix but, rather, it is sheer energy and strut that opens the song. The band paint beautiful images as they talk about the summertime and the people on the street. Maybe the visions are not as romantic as you’d get from a Lana Del Rey song – the vistas and streets of Sunderland are, perhaps, less glamorous than that of L.A. or Malibu – but you get this physicality and beauty. The realness and honesty of the song has its own charms but The Futureheads manage to make something potentially humdrum and ordinary sound utterly beguiling. Visions of older gentlemen letting their guts dangle on the beach – you need to see the video to get what I mean – and dogs making hay whilst the sun shines might not seem gleeful and perfect but, when it comes to this band, they are making it sound so. If the opening verse sounds like a representation of the beaches, streets and alleys of the local scene, Good Night Out is more a tale of modern mores and politics. The band mention pay and, if you earn less, perhaps, then you are not included. I get the sense the band is drawing a line between their community in Sunderland and Westminster; the fact there are privately-educated politicians making decisions that benefit them and not working-class areas like Sunderland. In a wider sense, the band knows that politicians are thinking about themselves. When the chorus talks of swapping all of this for a good night out, I wonder whether the group are talking about how going on the lash is escapism from the pain and division around us or whether they had other ideas. It is an intriguing line of thought and, as you’d expect, there is little room for gloom and minor keys. The band ensure the song remains vibrant and fulsome.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Benge

As the song goes along, the video gets more colourful and interesting – cigarette butts in the sand and baked potatoes on weighing scales seems to be more about political commentary and symbolism than it does for comic effect – and you start to get more involved in the song. The band discuss boys looking like zombies; they are dazed and in a dream (whether fatigued by the rush around them or self-destructing) and are “caught selling off our history in a black-market pact”. You get a sense of the divisions that are not only happening in Sunderland and the North East but all around the U.K. Voters are making decisions that seem right to them but will have huge consequences. There seems to be a divide between age groups and generations; between those in working-class jobs and the more well-off; between those who have a voice and those who do not. A lot food can be found in the video for Good Night Out – including ice-creams and tomato sauce being drizzled on a piece of fish – and it sort of reminds me of the videos of the past. I think there is a dependence on fast cuts and soulless visions, especially in mainstream videos. In a way, The Futureheads are throwing it back to the past and have released a visual that is very eye-catching and curious – maybe that was the intention: talking about a pre-divided Britain and what we are all facing in 2019. The chorus is one of the most evocative and uplifting of this year and, whilst the lyrics are pretty serious and political, you cannot help sing along and get involved. I wonder whether the line “Talk to the river at the end of a good night out” relates to someone vomiting after a pretty heavy night or, sadly, taking their own life – maybe there is something more spiritual and less literal but one cannot resist imagining. Not only are The Futureheads discussing the changing landscape and how Britain is shifting but there is this need for escapism. To get away from the endless Brexit talk and stress, maybe a good night out is the best remedy. That said, one gets a sense that the band might be talking to the less affected and politically-motivated young. Perhaps they are more concerned with getting buzzed than making their cross on the ballot paper felt. Perhaps there is apathy and less vocal outrage from the young compared to the older, more political voters. It is interesting to see and, the more you play Good Night Out, the more you discover. It is a triumphant song from The Futureheads and a triumphant jewel in the crown that is Powers.

The Futureheads are at Rough Trade Nottingham today before heading to HMV Manchester tomorrow. You can keep on top of their gig plans - and I will try and catch them when they are down in London at Electric Ballroom on 6th December. The Sunderland natives play the city’s Bonded Warehouse on 4th September and it will a homecoming of sorts, I guess. It is wonderful to have the band back and, with Powers out and striking all the right chords, doubtless there will be other demands and gigs coming. Make sure you follow The Futureheads on social media (links are at the bottom of this review) and check out what they are doing. They are such a captivating and real band who can mix politics and something serious with sheer giddiness and fun. That is a hard balance to strike and, even though they have seen a lot of division in their local community, the band have not abandoned their whimsy, quirkiness and thrills. Instead, we have a modern record that documents what we are living through and subjects like mental-health but they make us feel uplifted and better whilst doing so – something a lot of overly-serious artists can learn from. The band are getting a lot of love right now and seem to enjoy being back on the road. I have been listening back to The Futureheads’ earliest material and marveling. They are this terrific force of nature who have been responsible for some of the best songs of the past couple of decades. I do hope they remain strong and together for the foreseeable future as it would be a shame to see them call it quits. I shall leave things here but, if you have not grabbed a copy of Powers, make sure you do that right now. I wanted to concentrate on the Good Night Out single because it is my favourite song from Powers – and it has a pretty cool video! The canny Mackem band is our Marra (I’ll stop trying to use Sunderland terminology) and they have won their way into the nation’s hearts. I hope they have many more golden years and release more material. Here’s to The Futureheads and a potent musical force that are continuing to inspire and amazing. Let’s hope these guys keep on playing and amazing for years to come because we all…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Alexander Knox

LOVE them dearly.

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Follow The Futureheads

PHOTO CREDIT: Paradigm Talent Agency 

Official:

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FEATURE: Any Major Dude Will Tell You: The Cool King of Queens: Remembering Walter Becker

FEATURE:

 

Any Major Dude Will Tell You

IN THIS PHOTO: Walter Becker (who died on 3rd September, 2017)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

The Cool King of Queens: Remembering Walter Becker

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IF you had to ask me which artist/band...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s Steely Dan were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001/PHOTO CREDIT: Rock Hall Library and Archive

is seriously underrated and deserves bigger appreciation, I would not hesitate when it came to giving a name: Steely Dan. I will talk about their music more in a minute but, when I think about them, I sort of grin. Steely Dan had various members through the years but, in essence, it was the moniker and child of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. The musicians were known perfectionists…and I can imagine the New Jersey-born Donald Fagen and the New York-born Walter Becker sort of sitting in the control room auditioning a roster of musicians. In terms of personality, Fagen seems slightly stricter and sterner whereas Becker is more lighthearted but equally passionate. They complimented each other fantastically and, when it came to laying down these incredible songs, the duo put their heart, soul and minds into everything. It is amazing to consider that such hard-working and exacting musicians released an album a year for a time – it was only after 1977’s masterpiece, Aja, that Steely Dan took a little while to release Gaucho (1980) – they then split and it was many more years until we heard some new Steely Dan jams. I remember hearing the news of Walter Becker’s death on 3rd September, 2017 and being shattered! I did not even know he was ill and, having fallen in love with Steely Dan as early as about seven or eight years of age, it was a huge loss. The stoic and strong Fagen is still playing as Steely Dan but one can only imagine the emotions he felt when Becker’s death was announced.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The two were practically brothers and had been playing together for decades – Becker’s death ended any possibility of new Steely Dan work (a travesty and hugely sad realisation). Walter Becker was born in 1950 in Queens, New York and met Donald Fagen when the two were students in Bard College. They started life in New York but, soon, relocated to Los Angeles. Like Beastie Boys, I always associate New York with Steely Dan, yet a lot of their music took shape on the West Coast. Maybe it is a sense of cynicism and cutting humour that makes me think of New York when listening to Steely Dan. That said, many see their music as Yacht-Rock and, when listening to songs like Reelin’ in the Years and Peg, you get a definite blast of sea, sun and scintillation. I digress, naturally. Walter Becker did move to Hawaii when Steely Dan split – and continued to work as a musician – but the group did get back together in 1993; releasing Two Against Nature in 2000 and putting out their final album, Everything Must Go, in 2003. It is a shame there was not a further Steely Dan album between 2003-2017 (or before Becker was diagnosed with cancer) because it would have been fascinating to see where they were heading. Becker himself put out two solo albums: the underrated and excellent 11 Tracks of Whack (1994) and Circus Money (2008).

I shall talk about my love of Steely Dan and why we should all mark two years since Becker’s passing on 3rd September but, before then, let us head back. Although Becker’s parents separated when he was young, it is clear music was a big part of his life. Becker’s mother, who was English, returned to Britain and the young Becker was raised in Queens and Scarsdale by his dad and grandmother. After graduating university in 1967, Becker learned guitar after starting out playing the saxophone. It was clear music resonated and spoke to Becker and, coming from a rather turbulent and disruptive home, maybe music was a language and calling; an outlet where Becker could immerse himself and find answers. The story goes Donald Fagen heard Becker playing guitar at their campus café back at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York – listen to Steely Dan’s My Old School (Countdown to Ecstasy) and they name-check Annandale. Fagen was clearly impressed by the professionalism and chops of Becker. One can only imagine the tentative cooing and seduction between these kindred spirits. I can imagine these two very cool-yet-studious dudes of the 1960s playing Jazz and Blues whereas their peers would have been immersed in the music of the times. By the end of the 1960s, Becker and Fagen moved to Brooklyn and played as much as they could. Whilst they did not release any albums during this time, they gained some valuable experience and were keen to expand their horizons.

In 1971, they moved to Los Angeles and formed Steely Dan with guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter. Alongside Jim Hodder and singer David Palmer, the line-up was complete – Palmer was sacked after the band’s debut, Can’t Buy a Thrill, and Fagen assumed greater vocal responsibilities. In the earliest days, Fagen did some vocals but was mainly at the back. He and Becker wrote and, with the peerless and wonderful Walter Becker adding his bass genius to the Dan pot, here was this unique and utterly beguiling outfit. I will end by talking about a new Steely Dan tour but, for the most part, the band was a studio outfit. They toured a bit until 1974 but, by that point, they stopped it altogether – that was the year they released Pretzel Logic and reached new heights of genius. By 1974, Becker moved to guitar and felt less need to bring his bass everywhere – with an expanding crew of musicians and Wilton Felder and Chuck Rainey handling bass duties, Becker was moving in new directions. I will cover Steely Dan’s music in a second but, by 1977, Becker was experiencing personal problems. Maybe it was the growing success of Steely Dan or the pressures of their perfectionism. Becker formed an addiction to narcotics after 1977 and his girlfriend, Karen Roberta Stanley, overdosed in 1978. Soon after, Becker was hit by a minicab in Manhattan and was forced to use crutches.

This accounts for the three-year gap after Aja in 1977 – 1978 was the first year Becker and Fagen did not release a Steely Dan album since their formation – and the pressure on their shoulders preceding 1980’s Gaucho. Aja is seen by many as Steely Dan’s crowning achievement – I think Pretzel Logic bumps it into second – and there was mighty expectation following that album. Gaucho has some wonderful moments – Babylon Sisters and Hey Nineteen are two blissful cuts – but there are too many fillers and aimless songs. The experimentation and ambition that makes Aja so wonderful was sort of lost by the time Gaucho rolled around. Strains between Fagen and Becker could be held responsible and, by 1981, the two had suspended their partnership. Although there was a little stress and bad blood between them at this time, the two were brothers and it was a relief when they resumed their narrative in 1993. In 2017, few of us were expecting any bombshells regarding Walter Becker and his health. He died of esophageal cancer in Manhattan and, according to his widow, Delia Becker, the legendary musicians struggled with the disease; he was noble and strong until the very end. It is heartbreaking to think of Becker being rocked by the diagnosis and having to endure a painful decline. I am not sure whether there are any unreleased Steely Dan songs in the vault but, the fact there have not been any albums since Everything Must Go suggests we have heard everything recorded from Walter Becker and Donald Fagen – or at least everything Fagen deems worthy of release!

IN THIS PHOTO: The original Steely Dan line-up with Walter Becker (right)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

There seems to be a new music biopic released every week and, whilst it is great to see popular artists portrayed on the screen, it is a bit hit-and-miss regarding quality, authenticity and accuracy (Renée Zellweger’s portrayal of Judy Garland in Judy has received some mixed reactions). It would be great to see a young and aspiring Walter Becker portrayed on screen as he and Donald Fagen start their careers. Not only would that bring Steely Dan’s music to new listeners but it would be an illuminating and incredible film. Maybe there is not enough scandal in Becker’s past; some might find a Steely Dan story a bit boring but, with their music remaining incredibly powerful, nuanced and compelling, I feel there is space for a new project – maybe a documentary or a tribute to Becker. He was an essential part of the Steely Dan machine and is, in my view, one of the most accomplished musicians ever. He and Donald Fagen did not give many interviews but, as you can see from this documentary about Aja, Becker is a passionate and hugely intelligent artist. I will end this feature by including some brilliant Walter Becker tracks – both solo and from Steely Dan – but, rather than make this a dry and factual feature, I wanted to bring in some personal recollections. Steely Dan fans are not like fans of other bands. We do not just love the wonderful choruses and hits: Steely Dan’s music is so rich and layered that one can become obsessed by the musicianship and interplay.

As I mentioned earlier, Steely Dan came into my life when I was very young (luckily, I did not learn about the origin of their name until I was a lot older!). I do not remember the act time but I know Can’t Buy a Thrill was the first album of Steely Dan I encountered. It was in my family home and, I think, remains there still. It is one of those records that is so varied and has so much going on. From the striking riffs of Reelin’ in the Years to the underrated Kings and Midnite Cruiser; the opening one-two of Do It Again and Dirty Work to the hypnotic Change of the Guard. Maybe reviews at the time (1972) were not universally hot for Can’t Buy a Thrill - but it is rightly seen as a classic now. Annoyingly, it is a right bugger tracking down Steely Dan albums on vinyl. I don’t think one can find a new (not second-hand) copy of the album in this country. I have a used copy of Pretzel Logic…and it is only really Aja that is freely and easily available – let’s hope Donald Fagen remasters and re-releases all Steely Dan albums onto vinyl; the format where they belong! Although Can’t Buy a Thrill is not my favourite Dan album (it is second), I was captured by this incredible group that sounded like nothing else I was listening to! When Steely Dan first came into my life, it would have been the early-1990s and I was hearing a lot of Dance and Pop music: Steely Dan were a revelation where musical depth and intellect were higher up the list than banging beats and commercial choruses. I have shared my memories before but, as it is relevant to this feature, I will briefly recall them again.

Not only was Can’t Buy a Thrill a key part of my childhood but, with my aunt also being a big Steely Dan fan, I got to hear a lot of their music when visiting her. She lived in Chesham, Buckinghamshire (we lived in Surrey) so visits to her house were not as common as we’d have liked. I recall hearing tracks from Countdown to Ecstasy (1973) whilst we are driving with her. The underrated Katy Lied (1975) and The Royal Scam (1976) were part of the rotation – songs like Chain Lightning and Haitian Divorce were delighting and educating my budding and tender ears! Which songs most stand out from my visits? To be fair, a lot of Aja and Gaucho were being played. Hey Nineteen particularly stands in mind and, whilst it is my mum’s favourite Steely Dan song (I find the song wanders a bit at the end), it was one particular song from Aja that sort of changed everything – I shall end with that. A lot of the later Steely Dan stuff was played at that time but I think most of my memories revolve around Can’t Buy a Thrill and the epic Pretzel Logic. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number and Night By Night (Pretzel Logic) stunned my senses; Dirty Work and Midnite Cruiser (Can’t Buy a Thrill) are gems that still bounce around my head now. It is because of my family that I became hooked on Steely Dan and listen to them passionately today.

Whilst the catchiness of the songs and the incredible variety resonated with me when I was a child, now it is the musicianship and sophisticated songwriting that speaks louder. Walter Becker was a key part of the legendary and notorious Steely Dan machine. Yes, the songwriters were perfectionists and often rehearsed and drilled musicians to extreme lengths. After the looser feel of Can’t Buy a Thrill, Steely Dan became more inspired and potent afterwards. More musicians were added to the fold and the songwriting got stronger. Whilst, for a time, there was a focused core of musicians (including Jeff Baxter), each album sounded different and unique because of the session musicians they brought in. You’d often hear new drummers between albums; several drummers on an album and riffs and licks from different guitarists. Now, bands often do not employ beyond their own camp and I feel even genres like Jazz are not as ambitious and expansive as Steely Dan were. Consider a popular group now using so many different musicians and bringing so many different strands to an album. It is staggering Steely Dan crafted an album a year because of the sheer detail and work that went into every outing! Walter Becker penned a couple of solo albums but we did not hear him take on a lead vocal until Everything Must Go’s Slang of Ages in 2003 – maybe I am wrong, but I think that his sole Steely Dan lead vocal.

Becker’s brilliance was not only reserved to songwriting and bass work: he played guitar and other instruments but it is his passion, aura and leadership that helped bring these incredible songs to life. Not too much is known about the writing process Becker and Fagen employed. One assumes that they’d be attentively locked in a room, scribbling notes, musical notes and technical details for hours and hours; screwing up the pages and starting again until they got a perfect song – not exerting too much emotion when the song was complete; maybe a wry smile or witty line here and there. I am sure the reality is very different but, when it comes to iconic songwriters and musicians, not too many people speak of Walter Becker. Maybe it is because Steely Dan hold such an important place in my heart but the world is much poorer because Becker is no longer in it. One of my lifelong campaigns is to get more people invested in Steely Dan. Even now, forty-seven years after Can’t Buy a Thrill’s release, Steely Dan fans are not as visible and widespread as you’d imagine. I’d like to think only a certain person can truly appreciate Steely Dan but I think a relatively lack of radioplay contributes to this issue. I hope, as the years go by, more radio stations spin Steely Dan and ensure these phenomenal songs survive the generations. Whilst Becker is not looking over us – once you are gone you are gone – I know he got to see a lot of people enjoy Steely Dan’s work; his work touched so many people and he brought joy to the adoring masses – two years after his death, we remember this giant and genius songwriter. I know there are bands and artists inspired by Steely Dan but there is something peerless and accomplished about Steely Dan’s music that means it is hard to equal and replicate.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ebet Roberts/Redferns

Before finishing this article, I want to talk about my favourite song ever: Aja’s centrepiece, Deacon Blues. Walter Becker plays bass on the track and I’d love to hear the isolated bass part as it is so majestic, flowing and characterful; filled with emotion, feel and heart. I can rhapsodise about the song for ages – but will not do so now just to keep things fairly focused – but listen to all the different strands and players on the song. From Larry Carlton’s guitar brilliance to Pete Christlieb’s gorgeous tenor saxophone; Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie’s amazing drums (listen to the introduction and the fact he starts off playing off the cymbals before teeing up the song with some sweet beats!); Venetta Fields, Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews adding sumptuous backing vocals and Donald Fagen adding some stunning syths – it is a bittersweet symphony; the song of a hopeful loser that knows not where he goes or what the night will hold. The protagonist of the song is an ingénue Jazz player who ‘works’ the saxophone rather than plays it. He is a night-dwelling crawler who seduced women and has these hopeless dreams that never seem to materialise. Everything about the song is flawless and Deacon Blues is my favourite track. One of my favourite lyrical snippets from the song, “I cried when I wrote this song/Sue me if I play too long” actually inspired a 1982 song by Prince, 1999 (in that song, we hear the lines: “I was dreaming when I wrote this, so sue me if it goes too fast”).

Steely Dan’s 1978-released masterpiece was written at Donald Fagen’s house in Malibu and was prompted by an observation that the University of Alabama’s college football team was called ‘The Crimson Tide’. He and Walter Becker noted how that was a grandiose name for something as insignificant and modest as a college football side. If so-called winners could have a name as ridiculous as that, surely the losers in the world could have one: “Call me Deacon Blues” was the response. The songwriters were inspired by this random story and, before they knew it, they had this gem on their hands. They claim it is, perhaps, the most autobiographical song. Hailing from New York and moving to L.A. to chase success and pursue their dreams, surely the timbre and autobiography of Deacon Blues rang bells; it was an extension of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen’s past. The only football player the duo knew as Deacon Jones: that translated to the anti-hero of Deacon Blues.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Danny Clinch

I want to end by bringing in an interview Walter Becker gave to Time Out New York in 2008 to promote his solo album, Circus Money. Becker was also rehearsing for a Steely Dan – it was a perfect opportunity to talk to this masterful musician:

Can you give a nutshell breakdown of the division of labor in Steely Dan? It’s hard for an outsider to know who’s responsible for what.

Yeah, I think that with most partnerships that run for a certain amount of time—and ours has run for a pretty long time—the division of labor is very ad hoc. So whatever needs to be done, sometimes I’ve got something to start with, sometimes Donald’s got something to start with. Sometimes we really work very closely, collaboratively on every little silly millimeter on the writing of the song and certainly of the records, and sometimes less so. And so over the course of the partnership, I think we’ve done all sorts of different things different ways, and probably that still is changing in a way, because if I can speculate on Donald’s behalf, I think there is a level of perfection, polish, sophistication, and abundance of detail and structural stuff that he wants to hear in his music that I sort of ran out of patience to do. My attention span is not that good anymore, and I sort of believe—and maybe the lyrics somewhere say this—that the perfect is the enemy of the good. And one of the real dangers of doing the kind of thing that we do, where people let you do whatever you want and you have money, is burnout. You go too far; there’s no one there to stop you; you keep going; you keep working on things. So I have to learn, and even sort of create artificial boundaries so that doesn’t happen.

So I’m pretty positive you guys are familiar with this whole Yacht Rock thing…

Yeah! [Laughs].

I wanted to ask you about it because I think it’s kind of strange and interesting that you guys are involved with that. There’s this whole idea of smooth music, with the Doobie Brothers and Kenny Loggins and people like that. What is your feeling about being lumped in with that, and do you feel it’s accurate?

That’s just basically a gag, and I see why we would be lumped in with it. There are a lot of reasons why we would be lumped in with it, and yet there are a lot of—I mean, for example, to take someone who’s probably the furthest from where we are, like Christopher Cross, okay, who’s just doing these very simple songs; he was doing them I’m sure with some of the same musicians that we used, in some of the same studios with some of the same sonic goals in mind: a very smooth or shall we say polished product. And we ended up doing that—or maybe I should say we started out doing that, because it was our perception that if you were going to use jazz harmonies, it had to sound tight, professional; nothing sounds worse than sloppy—than kids playing jazz, you know what I mean? And so we sort of felt obliged to do that because of the kind of music we were doing. And so I think it’s great. I think it’s very amusing, the idea that all of these people knew each other, and I suppose, you know, we certainly knew Mike [McDonald], we worked with Mike, and we knew the Eagles, not as well, and the idea that we were sort of battling with each other in various types of feuds and situations, I think it’s pretty funny. I think it’s great.

Do you think that we can pretty much expect a yearly Steely Dan show and maybe another album?

I don’t know about yearly tours. I don’t take it for granted that the business of touring in this way is going to continue. And this is the third year in a row for us, we’re in uncharted territory, so I don’t know about that. But there’s so many other things to do: I mean, you just get into a little club or place in town and play periodically. We have a very stable band that’s mostly New Yorkers, which I think was an important thing to try for because it makes it easier for us to do things. And we can jump up and—for the first time last year, I think it was—the winter before last, we did a few gigs, just like four or five gigs in a row. So there’s lots of different ways we can do it. I’m certainly not counting on it becoming a summer routine. I don’t think it’s gonna work that way.

I will end with a heart-aching question that we know the answer to - eleven years after Walter Becker was interviewed:

“But is there another album in the works?

Not right now, but it could always be. I don’t know what Donald is working on, and he spends more time working than I do. I spend more time goofing off and listening to reggae records”.

Sadly, there would not be another Steely Dan album. One can only guess whether there were plans for new songs or dates when Becker died in 2017 but, now, Donald Fagen is taking a slightly reframed Steely Dan on the road. The new Sweet tour has been announced and the setlist has been revealed. A lot of the classics are being covered and, whilst Deacon Blues is not in the show, I do hope Steely Dan come to the U.K. I would love to see a show just so I can see if Donald Fagen talks about Walter Becker; how these songs he wrote with his late friend sound in 2019. There might be the odd nod to Becker two years after his death but I hope there is more attention; a few of his greatest tracks (with Steely Dan and as a solo artist) are covered. It is so sad he is no longer with us but, forever, this cool king of Queens will inspire, affect and resonate. I will play as much Steely Dan music as I can on Tuesday and, when thinking of the great Walter Becker, I will lift…

A glass in his name.

FEATURE: The King of the Tastemakers: Remembering John Peel at Eighty

FEATURE:

 

The King of the Tastemakers

IN THIS PHOTO: John Peel/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Remembering John Peel at Eighty

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YESTERDAY was the birthday of…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

the late, great John Peel and, when thinking about him, there are several things I wanted to cover. It is heartbreaking to think he is not with us – Peel died of a heart attack in 2005 at the age of sixty-five. I wonder why John Peel was never knighted. Maybe he would have considered it wrong or that it lacked cool but, posthumously, it would have been a suitable and much-deserved honour. I do feel like people overlook the legacy and importance of John Peel. Those of us, like me, who have found countless artists and songs thanks to him owe him a huge debt. There is a new generation that is not quite aware of what Peel was about and why he is the greatest tastemaker ever; one of the finest broadcasters we have ever seen. The world was rocked when Peel died but, in many ways, he lives on. Great broadcasters such as Mary Anne Hobbs – and all those at stations like BBC Radio 6 Music – are carrying on his great work. She is someone always scouring for great new artists and passionate when it comes to bringing the listener the best and most original music. To me, even though there are wonderful broadcasters such as Hobbs, I think Peel was unique. You can listen to John Peel’s Desert Island Discs and hear the man talk about the songs that mean the most to him.

I think, in a time when streaming services are curating playlists and guiding our tastes, we need to remember great men like Peel. Prior to Spotify and YouTube, he was bringing us all these great artists; having them in session and making music come alive. Not only were his Peel Sessions the stuff of legends, but the eclectic nature of Peel’s shows was astounding! I discovered The White Stripes through Peel – a duo I came to lionise and saw in concert back in 2005. One can imagine Peel walking into work and finding a stack of records and demos from artists who were hoping for a spin. I have heard tales of artists dropping stuff off to the BBC and Peel playing them on his show. Of course, the process is a little more business-like these days but there is something romantic about an artist dropping a new single off at reception and it finding its way to someone like Peel. Maybe I am being nostalgic, but I do miss his shows and the gravitas he brought. Warm and funny, plain-speaking and hugely popular, we will never see anyone like him again. Following his death in 2005, a lot of journalists, broadcasters and writers published articles about Peel; how he changed their life and why his legacy will remain forever. This article from broadcaster Adam Walton from 2011 mirrors what so many people think when we remember Peel:

“…But I miss him now more than ever, because I think that an authoritative, knowledgeable, passionate and prominent voice has never been needed more. Every time The X Factor dupes some poor kid into thinking that talent and expression is all about further watering down the bum gruel of a claustrophobically narrow pop market, I wish John was here to show them another way.

I miss most the natural, enthusiastic eclecticism he brought to music. It was all music to John. I don't imagine he thought in terms of genres. I don't know for sure. I'm just extrapolating on the basis of the variety in his shows. It's an inspirational template - well, more accurately, lack of a template - that influences me every day of my working life.

I think of John every single Sunday. I think of him as I do my absolute best to listen to every track that has been sent my way. The stories I have read and heard of him falling asleep at his desk, a carrier bag of demos at his side, as he sought another moment of wonder or surprise for his audience, keeps me going. That appeared to be the common courtesy he extended to any band good enough to send him music. I try to do the same.

But I feel a little uncomfortable writing about me in terms of him. He is my broadcasting god, of that there is no doubt. However I know I'm not fit to lick his boots. It won't stop me trying.

Of course, John's legacy spreads much further and wider than the dark corner of Radio Wales that I love to inhabit. There are stages at festivals named after him. His name is invoked whenever someone wants to bring attention to new music. I'm not sure what a man who adored the complex opaqueness of The Fall or Captain Beefheart would have made of the easy listening, haircut indie that is positioned in the glow of his kudos. Yes, very rich from a man who is, in essence, doing the same in print form. This is, after all, one long missive screaming: think of ME in the same terms as the late, great John Peel.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The White Stripes were championed by John Peel; he helped make their name in the U.K./PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

That isn't my motivation.

He was my motivation.

I think the finest evocation of his legacy is 6 Music. Okay, it's more sanitised and 'branded' than Peel ever was. Don't get me wrong: I love 6 Music. I'd eat one of my own limbs in a moment for a gig on that station (right leg, if you were wondering). I also love Huw Stephens' Radio 1 show. And I love Rob Da Bank. But I'm rarely surprised listening to music radio now, in the way that I was at least once in every Peel show. Happy hardcore bouncing into Bolt Thrower into gypsy folk into, of course, The Fall (or Datblygu, Melys, Yr Anhrefn et al). You cannot program that random excellence”.

Of course, John Peel has a stage named after him at Glastonbury - and it provides a crucial platform for rising artists to perform to one of the most passionate group of music lovers in the country. Peel’s radio career spanned decades, so we all have different memories and reasons to thank Peel. From championed artists such as David Bowie and The White Stripes to playing the hottest underground tunes of the day, John Peel is a titan. I am going to wrap things up soon but, before I do, I want to bring in another article.

In 2015, David Cavanagh wrote a wonderfully personal, illuminating and deep article about Peel and how he touched his life…and that of so many others:

“Oldfield. Led Zep. John Lydon. High Contrast. All four had been championed early in their careers by John Peel. Drum’n’bass DJ High Contrast, who assembled the soundtrack to the athletes’ parade, had appeared on The John Peel Show with his very first single, released on a small south London label in 2001. As for Oldfield, his multimillion-selling Tubular Bells franchise might have died at birth, had it not been for Peel’s enthusiastic support in 1973. He called it the best album he’d heard since Sgt Pepper and the ball started rolling.

The list continued. Happy Mondays. The Specials. Pink Floyd. New Order. The common factor was Peel. Pink Floyd were virtually the house band on his progressive rock show, Top Gear, in the late 1960s. New Order, emerging hesitantly from the ashes of Joy Division, have admitted they owe their existence to Peel. David Bowie. Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. All brought to Radio 1 – and to public attention – by Peel. For Bowie, this meant valuable airplay on Top Gear in 1967–68 at a time when all he had to show for his efforts was a flop single about gnomes. For Frankie Goes to Hollywood, it meant an invitation to perform onstage – in their bondage gear and G-strings – when Peel’s travelling DJ roadshow entertained students at North Cheshire College in Warrington on a December night in 1982. “Relax” was still a year away.

Peel’s influence on those generations of listeners – students, workers, dropouts, benefit claimants, even criminals detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure – is incalculable. Talk to them today and they would probably say he represented an alternative to the bland confections dominating the commercial world. He did more than anyone in the British media, I would argue, to get a nation of young minds interested in the idea of mistrusting the mainstream and investigating the unfamiliar. While Radio 1’s daytime DJs focused on around 3% of the annual recorded output – a frothy blend of Top 40 hits and oldies – Peel’s domain was the other 97%. It was a daunting remit, and much of his research was unseen and unpaid”.

There is no way of telling just how many people have been inspired by Peel, but you can hear his spirit and passion right across music today. From journalists like me to D.J.s and label owners; curators and writers around the world, we all have John Peel to thank for bringing scores of artists our way! Yesterday would have been his eightieth birthday and, if he were still with us, I can imagine he’d still be rocking Glastonbury and would still have his own show. Maybe he would not be working with the BBC, but I can picture an elder Peel working from home, still working from vinyl and old-school formats. Although he is departed, his legacy remains and so many people have got into radio because of him. I have been enriched and educated by John Peel and, because of that, I am sending…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

A salute his way.

FEATURE: One for the Record Collection! Essential September Releases

FEATURE:

 

One for the Record Collection!

IN THIS PHOTO: Metronomy/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images 

Essential September Releases

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THE next few months will be busy with...

artists releasing albums. That is axiomatic but, towards the end of the year, you always get some interesting stuff coming out! Maybe it is an effort to make the ‘best of the year’ lists; maybe autumn and winter are good months to release music. Whatever the reasons, do not assume we have seen the best of the year so far! There are some great records coming along before 2020 and, next month, we have some real treats in store. Lost Girls is the upcoming fifth studio album from Bat for Lashes. It is set to be released on 6th September through AWAL and follows her incredible 2016 album, The Bride. Like a lot of modern albums, we have already heard a few of the singles from Lost Girls. Kids in the Dark suggests a 1980s mood but, on Feel for You, The Hunger and Jasmine, there are other suggestions – the feeling is of the 1980s but there is a lot of variation in the music. This is an album you will want to order, and I am predicting it will be among the year’s finest albums. New York’s Frankie Cosmos release Close It Quietly on 6th September, so make sure you grab a copy. The music on offer is breezy and sunny but, as with all great albums, there is so much depth and variation.

This is how the record is described:

“Close It Quietly is a continual reframing of the known. It’s like giving yourself a haircut or rearranging your room. You know your hair. You know your room. Here’s the same hair, the same room, seen again as something new. Close It Quietly takes the trademark Frankie Cosmos micro-universe and upends it, spilling outwards into a swirl of referentiality that’s a marked departure from earlier releases, imagining and reimagining motifs and sounds throughout the album. The band’s fourth studio release is a manifestation of their collaborative spirit: Greta Kline and longtime bandmates Lauren Martin (synth), Luke Pyenson (drums), and Alex Bailey (bass) luxuriated in studio time with Gabe Wax, who engineered and co-produced the record with the band. Recording close to home— at Brooklyn’s Figure 8 Studios— grounded the band, and their process was enriched by working closely with Wax, whose intuition and attention to detail made the familiar unfamiliar and allowed the band to reshape their own contexts”.

In terms of big releases, Iggy Pop’s Free is coming soon; it is going to be another accomplished and intriguing release from the master. It is Iggy Pop’s eighteenth solo studio album and the current single, James Bond, is as cool and quality-rich as anything he has released in the last few years. In fact, Sonali has also been released and it is another quality cut. It seems like Iggy Pop is in splendid form and I cannot wait to see what he offers on Free.

On 13th September (Sandy) Alex G’s House of Sugar arrives. If you have not heard tracks like Hope and Southern Sky then make sure you do. House of Sugar is, according to Domino, an album you will not want to miss. It is going to be fantastic:

“House of Sugar - (Sandy) Alex G’s ninth overall album and his third for Domino - is a highly meticulous, cohesive album: a statement of artistic purpose, showing off his ear for both persistent earworms and sonic adventurism”.

From its evocative cover to its string of popular singles, Charli XCX’s Charli is primed to be one of this year’s biggest releases. The album will be supported by a world tour, beginning in Atlanta on 20th September, 2019. Charli was preceded by the singles 1999 (with Troye Sivan), Blame It on Your Love (featuring Lizzo); Gone (with Christine and the Queens), Cross You Out (featuring Sky Ferreira) and Warm (featuring HAIM). Go and order a copy of the album and you can get one of the most anticipated Pop albums of 2019. I am not a big Charli XCX fan but some of her new singles are pretty good. I think she has developed a lot since 2013’s True Romance and it will be interesting to see how her new album is perceived.

A couple of albums you’ll want to investigate as Chelsea Wolfe’s Birth of Violence and Devendra Banhart’s Ma. Both are very different but you will want to snap them up (you can pre-order Wolfe’s album here. I have heard The Mother Road and American Darkness from Birth of Violence and they are fantastic tracks. This article explains more about the album and its themes:

“Years of incessant recording and touring led goth empress Chelsea Wolfe to this—the album she calls her "awakening."

"I think this record is its own journey," Wolfe says about her forthcoming release, Birth of Violence, "but it's also a reflection of my personal awakening and personal journey of opening up and breaking into a new era for myself as a human being and as an artist."

The circuitous path to Birth of Violence (out September 13) spun Wolfe around the globe touring in support of the six albums she's made since 2010. The exhaustive odyssey eventually demanded a palliative hiatus in the confines of her remote Northern California home, where she recorded her latest with collaborator Ben Chisholm and the sonic respiration of the surrounding wilderness.

Restoring herself at home, but still feverishly writing and recording with (as a famous friend called it) "Mercury in [her] hands," Wolfe's new offering is a spare, acoustic stream of meditations whose scrutiny contracts and expands from personal to global along the way”.

Go and get Ma, because Banhart is always interesting and, for his tenth album, it seems like we are going to get something special:

“Devendra Banhart's new album, Ma, is due September 13, 2019, on Nonesuch Records. This is Banhart's first album since 2016's Ape in Pink Marble. Ma, bursting with tender, autobiographical vignettes, displays a shift from the sonic experimentation of his previous albums to an intricate, captivating story-telling and emotional intimacy. Banhart favors organic sounds to accompany his voice and guitar, the arrangements bolstered by strings, woodwinds, brass, and keyboards.

The simply titled Ma is Devendra Banhart's third album for Nonesuch, one that addresses—often in a beguilingly oblique way—the unconditional nature of maternal love, the desire to nurture, the passing down of wisdom, the longing to establish the relationship of mother to child, and the consequences of that bond being broken. Banhart doesn't approach the album's maternal theme in a literal way; rather, by contemplating it, alluding to it, regarding the concept of motherhood from different angles, he has fashioned an album of multiple, intertwining narratives. Its concerns are both personal and global, with subtly autobiographical looks at life and death and ruminations about the precarious state of the world. The many lighthearted moments of Ma are balanced by deeply melancholic, even somber ones. Three tracks are in Spanish, the language that is as much Banhart's native tongue as English, and one in Portuguese”.

There are six more releases I would recommend. The first one is Jenny Hval’s The Practice of Love. Ashes to Ashes, from the album, is one of my favourite songs of the year and I urge people to pre-order the album. It is out on 13th September and this article explains more:

“Jenny Hval is back with a new album. The Practice Of Love was inspired by Valie Export’s 1985 film of the same name and sees the Norwegian artist exploring the concept of love as a poetic and artistic process.

“Love, and the practice of love, has been deeply tied to the feeling of otherness”, explains Hval. “In the last few years I have wanted to take a closer look at the practice of otherness, this fragile performance, and how it can express love, intimacy, empathy and desire”.

One of the bubbliest and brightest releases of this year comes in the form of Metronomy’s Metronomy Forever. Salted Caramel Ice Cream is one of the most infectious singles of the year and there are going to be plenty of other treats on the album. This Pitchfork article sheds more light:

“Frontman Joseph Mount discussed the new album in a statement:

What happens is when you’re making music and you enter a world where you have achieved some sort of celebrity no matter how large or small you start to think about yourself in terms of legacy and what you're going to leave behind and then you realise that’s limited to the interest people have in you. In the end I feel completely comfortable with it. The less importance you place in any art the more interesting it can become in a way...I’m making music, I’m going to do some concerts, I need to feed my children”.

You can pre-order Metronomy Forever here; I would recommend grabbing it on vinyl. The British group are fantastic and Metronomy Forever follows from the exceptional Summer 08 of 2016.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Brittany Howard/PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Horton/WireImage

For fans of Alabama Shakes and those who simply love great music, Brittany Howard’s Jaime is an album you will want to get. You can buy the album here - and her recent single, Get High, is simply magnificent. I will not include quotes/snippets about all the remaining albums but, here, we learn more about Jaime and its inspiration:

“Brittany gave Jaime the same name of her sister, who passed away when both were teenagers. “The title is in memoriam, and she definitely did shape me as a human being,” said Brittany Howard. “But, the record is not about her. It’s about me. I’m pretty candid about myself and who I am and what I believe. Which is why I needed to do it on my own.”

Brittany assembled a band that included Alabama Shakes bassist Zac Cockrell, jazz keyboardist Robert Glasper and Grammy-nominated drummer Nate Smith to work on material she brought into engineer Shawn Everett’s Los Angeles studio. She came out with an 11-track effort, the first under her own name. The inspiration came from a reflective drive from Nashville to California. “I turned 30 and I was like, ‘What do I want the rest of my life to look like?'” Howard added. “Do I want to play the same songs until I’m 50 and then retire, or do I do something that’s scarier for me? Do I want people to understand me and know me, do I want to tell them my story? I’m very private, but my favorite work is when people are being honest and really doing themselves”.

The remaining three albums you need this year come later in the month. Liam Gallagher’s much-anticipated Why Me? Why Not is out on 20th September and is a record you will want to get involved with. I bought his debut album, As You Were, back in 2017 and it was a mixed experience. I liked some of the songs but felt there was something lacking; a need for more swagger and bigger tunes. On the one hand, he was as direct and up for it as usual, but I felt there was something missing from the blend. From what I have heard of Why Me? Why Not, it looks like it will be a stronger effort. Nobody is expecting Gallagher to replicate his work with Oasis, but I feel his sophomore album is going to be a more rounded, solid and memorable affair. I will keep my eyes out for that but, also, Girl Band are releasing The Talkies on 27th September. If you have not read the interview they gave with Loud and Quiet recently then check it out. The band have had a bit of a tough past few years but it seems, on their new album, they have channeled all of this – and a lot more – into the best music of their careers. You can pre-order the album, but the band are definitely ready and keen for people to hear:

“‘The Talkies’ is Girl Band’s follow-up album to their ground breaking 2015 debut ‘Holding Hands with Jamie’. It was recorded in November 2018 at Ballintubbert House, Ireland, “a few pay grades above what we're used to!”, the alien construction of Ballintubbert and its corridors help to navigate Girl Band’s cataclysmic sound within a world of its own.

“In many ways the idea behind the album was to make an audio representation of the house.“ And this enigmatic manor becomes Girl Band’s sonic playground. The Talkies is living, breathing, in a continual state of metamorphosis. It encompasses everything there is to love about Girl Band while simultaneously causing an exciting level of discomfort. The moaning and sawing guitars, atonal blankets of sound, abstractive lyrical repetition, chugging snare and ascending/descending snakes and ladders noise-rock guitar deliver something that is so distinctively Girl Band”.

Tegan and Sara’s, Hey, I'm Just Like You is also out on 27th September, and it is surely going to be another album that troubles those year-end lists. This year has been dominated by women, and with new albums from the likes of Lana Del Rey and Sleater-Kinney, Tegan and Sara are adding to the rich and growing group. Check out the duo’s official website for details but, as they say, it has been a particularly interesting creative/recording process:

“Last year while writing our new memoir, we came across two cassette tapes with dozens of songs we wrote in high school. Defiant and melodramatic, the songs captured the exultation and grief of first loves, first losses, ecstatic kiss-offs, and psychedelic tributes to the friendships we had as teenagers. It had been over twenty years since we had heard the songs and quite honestly, we both expected to listen once, cringe, and bury them for another couple decades. But they were good. Like, really good.

They were raw, and in some cases the lyrics were hard to decipher. But the melodies, the honesty in the words, and the joy listening to them after all these years was undeniable. We decided immediately that those songs were the demos we’d use to build the new Tegan and Sara record. Hey, I’m Just Like You has twelve songs, but in making those twelve songs we pulled sections from nearly twenty of those lost high school demos.

We kept the original lyrics where we could, and we only wrote four new sections. In some cases, Sara sings songs I wrote, and in other cases I sing songs she wrote. For the first time ever, we share vocal duties on a handful of songs making them the first truly “Tegan AND Sara” songs. Alex Hope produced the record in Vancouver, where we recorded this past April and May. It is also the FIRST Tegan and Sara album produced, performed, engineered, mixed, and mastered by a team of all women”.

The fact that Hey, I'm Just Like You was made by women makes it pretty special. This is their ninth studio album and twenty years after their debut, Under Feet Like Ours, they continue to progress and delight. I love their music and feel Hey, I'm Just Like You will stack up again the year’s best – quite a way to end next month. I have selected a pile of the albums out next month and, whilst each individual cannot buy all of them, stream them if you can. It is a busy and eclectic month that promises some pretty epic music. I am excited to hear these great albums out, that is for sure! Check out my recommendations and, if you have some spare pennies, go and buy a couple of your favourites. Whilst this year has been sensational for music, the upcoming releases for September proves that there is plenty more…

GOLD to come!

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

FEATURE:

 

 

Sisters in Arms

IN THIS PHOTO: Polartropica 

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

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THIS is a big week for new music…

and I have packed the playlist with as many great songs as possible! This is a blazing time for female artists and, as you can see from the assembled tracks below, there is so much variation and quality. This year has been defined by female artists and, still, some feel the music made by women is a genre: in fact, as you know, that is not the case. The summer is still in full swing and the sun is shining. Whilst the temperature is still high and the weather is good, enjoy this collection of amazing songs. I shall be back with another playlist this time next week but, in such a huge and busy week, there are plenty of cuts to…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sudan Archives

KEEP you occupied.

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

____________

Lauren Tate – What About the Kids

PHOTO CREDIT: DontMeanMaybe

Polartropica – Can’t Hold Us Back

Girl Wilde – WeT

G Flip – Morning

SASAMI – Take Care

PHOTO CREDIT: @jfsuave

Daniela Andrade – Wet Dreams

Lindsey Stirling – Artemis

H.E.R. – 21

Sudan Archives - Confessions

Tate McRae – tear myself apart

Justine Skye – When You’re Ready

Black Belt Eagle Scout – Going to the Beach with Haley

Lana Del Rey – California

Natasha Bedingfield – Where We Going Now  

Sheryl Crow (ft. Stevie Nicks and Maren Morris) – Prove You Wrong

Miranda Joan – Happy to Have You

Mariah the Scientist – 7am

Astrid S – The First One

Trisha Yearwood – Every Girl in This Town

BigKlit – Duh

Ashley McBryde – One Night Standards

Remi Wolf - Rufufus

Celeste - She’s My Sunshine

Deb Never – Swimming 

Madison McFerrin - TRY

Camden Cox – Somebody Else

Lily Moore (ft. Maverick Sabre) – In-between

Kara Marni – All Night, Pt. II

sophie meiers – x-ray vision

Jade Monet – Pineapple

She Drew the Gun – Trouble Every Day

FEATURE: The August Playlist: Vol. 5: Ms. Del Rey and a Certain Mr. Rockwell

FEATURE:

 

The August Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Lana Del Rey 

Vol. 5: Ms. Del Rey and a Certain Mr. Rockwell

___________

THIS is a week where…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Liam Gallagher

there are a few big releases and a lot of interesting songs – a lot from slightly smaller artists. Not only is Lana Del Rey here with a new album, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, but Liam Gallagher’s track, One of Us, is a blinder. There is new music from Tegan and Sara, Iggy Pop and TOOL – quite a busy and explosive week for tunes! Away from that, there is a raft of excellent music that covers so many different genres. Make sure you dig deep and enjoy the very finest songs from this week. We all need to get our weekends kicking and strutting and, with this selection, you will definitely be energised and moved! Load up, take this music with you and let the sounds get inside the brain. It is, as I say, a week dominated by a few huge artists but, also, there are so many other tremendous artists…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Tegan and Sara

GETTING in on the act.  

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

_________

Lana Del Rey – Cinnamon Girl

PHOTO CREDIT: Lindsey Byrnes

Tegan and Sara – I’ll Be Back Someday

Liam Gallagher - One of Us

PHOTO CREDIT: Rob Baker Ashton

Iggy Pop – Sonali

PHOTO CREDIT: Travis Keller

Mark Lanegan Band - Night Flight to Kabul

Twin Shadow – Crushed

Bombay Bicycle Club – Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)

Tool – Invincible

Cigarettes After Sex – Heavenly

King Nun – Black Tree

Sheryl Crow (ft. James Taylor) – Flying Blind

Whitney – Friend of Mine

PHOTO CREDIT: Phoebe Fox

Mystery Jets – History Has Its Eyes on You

PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Vivaas Kise

Sløtface – Stuff

Jack Peñate – Prayer

Sam Fender - Will We Talk?

Ferris & Sylvester – I Dare You

Tom Tripp – Ring

Floating Points – Last Bloom

PHOTO CREDIT: Guillaume Kayacan

Napoleon Gold (ft. Haiva Ru) - Love Don't Cut Me Down

Circa Waves – Something More

Ezra Furman – Thermometer

Bugzy Malone - The North's Face

Kano – Teardrops

Callum Beattie – Easter Road

DZ Deathrays – A Lot to Lose

G Flip – Lover

Lindsey Stirling – Artemis

H.E.R. – Can’t Help Me

Black Futures – Riches

Daniela Andrade – Wet Dreams

The Sherlocks – Waiting

Duckwrth – Crush

TRACK REVIEW: Tegan and Sara - I’ll Be Back Someday

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Tegan and Sara

PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Brady Photography 

I’ll Be Back Someday

9.6/10

The track, I’ll Be Back Someday, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PRtBDpm6zY

GENRES:

Indie-Pop/Pop-Punk

ORIGIN:

Calgary, Canada

LABEL:

Sire Records

RELEASE DATE:

25th July, 2019

The album, Hey, I’m Just Like You, is available from 27th September, 2019. Pre-order here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hey-Just-Like-You-Explicit/dp/B07TYSM5CP

__________

BEFORE talking about their latest track…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

I want to discuss Tegan and Sara from a number of different angles. To begin, I want to chat about longevity and artists who manage to navigate the years and evolve as time goes on. I also will nod to the duo as pioneers when it comes to queer women in music and how they set a precedence; a relationship that is fraught at times but a connection and compassion that has remained for years; Pop music with more depth and credibility than a lot of what is in the mainstream; returning to your roots yet adding something new to the pot. I will start with that last point. Hey, I’m Just Like You was recorded in Vancouver in April and May and, in many ways, it is Tegan and Sara returning to their Rock and Punk roots. I will talk about their work in Pop terms later; a fact that there is energy and something that extends beyond the boundaries of Rock and Punk. Tegan and Sara have revisited some songs that they wrote as teenagers for their new album. I want to explore Tegan and Sara’s longevity and survival but it is interesting to see, on their new record, they are looking back at some older songs and giving them a new lease. The duo has been looking back in the archives and they have a memoir, High School, coming out on 24th September. When they were looking at the annals and digging back into their past, they found a lot of older songs and have brought them to life. Some might say it is nostalgia but I think, in a larger sense, it shows that artists do not always have to write and record what is new and current. For years, artists have included older songs on their albums and I like the fact there are some of these years-old tracks on Hey, I’m Just Like You. I urge people to get a hold of the upcoming album because, I think, it is shaping up to be one of their very best.

For this record, Tegan and Sara are working exclusively with female personnel. The credits include drummer Carla Azar, bassist Catherine Hiltz; producer Alex Hope, engineer Rachael Findlen and assistant engineer Annie Kennedy - while Beatriz Artola mixed the record and Emily Lazar mastered it. Some might say that this is a ploy to grab headlines and get attention but, actually, we are living in a time when women are not that visible and respected when it comes to the studio. By that, I mean there are some fantastic female producers and engineers out there but they do not get the credit they deserve. Also, in terms of sheer numbers, men still outweigh women and it is an unbalanced scene in that respect. I do think there are small steps being made but, as the years go by, can we say we have moved as fast as possible regarding equality? I do not think so. With Tegan and Sara having an all-female team, it will not only raise awareness regarding women in the studio but encourage other artists to do the same. I think it is important we get away from the notion that the studio is for men and it is their playground. There are so many talented women crafting today’s music and we still have to see imbalance and exclusion. Not only are festivals and other areas of music dominated by men still but, in terms of production credits for albums, most are filled by men. It is great to see a big name like Tegan and Sara taking this step and making a record with so many female voices in the mix. I wonder if they will continue to use this team on the next album because, when you listen to some of the tracks on Hey, I’m Just Like You, there are qualities and nuances I have not heard on their other records. It seems like there is a real understanding and connection between Tegan and Sara and their crew and it seems like the duo are entering a new phase. It makes me think about how long Tegan and Sara have been on the scene.

PHOTO CREDIT: Katie Friedman 

The Canadian sisters of Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin came onto the scene with 1999’s Under Feet Like Ours. That album received a smattering of focus but, even then, they were separating themselves from the pack. Maybe the first couple of albums were more Folk-based and had Indie strands. By So Jealous in 2004, they started to move into Pop-Punk and were gathering more big reviews and praise-heavy snippets. That album is one of their most complete and satisfying and, after experimenting and finding their sound, it seems like they arrived then. There was darkness on 2007’s The Con, but it is a record that, again, saw the duo step up and reach new heights. I think Tegan and Sara have survived and flourished for so long because they each handle songwriting on their own terms. A lot of bands and duos have to write in a certain way and there are often arguments regarding credit and sonic direction. Rather than have disagreements about individual songs’ sound and what direction and album will take, Tegan and Sara can bring their own voices to the plate. Maybe Sara is a more mature and intriguing songwriting whilst Tegan is more direct and simple with her music. That is not to say there is a disparity: both sisters have their own sound and ideas and it is nice to see them contrasted. I do think Tegan and Sara will continue to record for many years to come because, on every album, they explore new avenues and sounds. They are not a unit beholden to a strict template and unwilling to deviate too much. Take, for example, an album like Heartthrob from 2013. The sisters had both passed thirty (as they are twins) and they thought they needed to take big leaps. The album is one of their most commercial but it is also one of their deepest and most eclectic.

I think bands and artists can get stuck on a samey path and are unwilling to deviate because they feel they will lose focus and acclaim. Rather than repeating what they did from years ago, Tegan and Sara moved forward and continue to do so. They have kept their identities intact and are not making radical moves. The fact that they have an all-female team on Hey, I’m Just Like You just shows that they are always moving and progressing. In fact, I feel Tegan and Sara are getting better and stronger with every release. Maybe it is a growth of confidence or a better relationship between the sisters but many are noticing how Tegan and Sara are hitting huge heights. Judging by the new material from their latest album, they are adding new layers and colours. From the somewhat tentative beginnings, Tegan and Sara have grown into one of the most captivating and inspiring acts in modern music. They are a lesson to any artists of the moment regarding sustainability and popularity. One looks to the future and wonders where they can go. I do think Tegan and Sara will bring new sounds to the fore but I feel they are on a level footing right now. I will talk about the sisters’ bond and relationship in a bit but it seems like there is harmony and agreement in the camp. There have been tough times but they have weathered the storms and continued to thrive. I will move on because there is a lot to discuss. It has been amazing looking back at Tegan and Sara’s career and seeing how they have moved. I think all the best and most enduring artists change between albums but keep their personalities and identity true. In modern music, I wonder whether we are conscious and accepting of great queer artists. I have recently reviewed Shura – another queer artist – but, in the wider field, are these artists being embraced and promoted?

 PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

Tegan and Sara openly identity as queer artists and have done from the start. It was a pretty brave and bold move discussing their sexuality at a time when there were not many queer women in music. In a way, they lead a bit of a breakthrough but I do wonder whether the mainstream has opened up and are shining a light on queer artists. We hear a lot of talk about LG.B.T.Q.I.A.+ rights and the discussion is moving forward. I do think that, in 2019, we are not as progressed as we should and so many L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ artists are undervalued, overlooked or side-lined. I am pleased Tegan and Sara have lasted for years and grown into this hugely popular act. The fact that they have managed to grow and discuss their sexuality so freely is because of their loyal and loving fanbase. I will move on but, before then, I want to bring in a feature from last year where gender fluidity was discussed and Tegan and Sara talked about a sense of isolation and misunderstanding:  

“As their career gained momentum, the pair also had to navigate the fraught gender and sexuality expectations they faced as queer women musicians without much modern precedent. In a poignant interview for The Con's tenth anniversary in 2017, Sara expressed regret she hadn't found a mentor earlier in her career. "I'm not blaming any one person," she said, "but I just feel like we were isolated from the queer scene, we were isolated from the indie-rock scene. We never really fit in for whatever reason." But in recent years, this dream of a support system and inclusive community has come true: After nearly two decades of honing their sound and pushing back against sexist and homophobic stereotypes, Tegan and Sara have amassed a fiercely loyal fanbase that celebrates the siblings' radical individuality.

This spark of singularity was present even early in Tegan and Sara's career. Signed to Neil Young's Vapor Records, the pair started off playing spunky folk-pop — their first widespread release, 2000's This Business Of Art, was a funky album with debts to hip-hop, Ani DiFranco and Alanis Morissette — which soon evolved into something musically undefinable.

PHOTO CREDIT: Lindsey Byrnes

On 2002's If It Was You, the swaggering "Time Running" benefits from churning guitars; the brisk "Monday Monday Monday" is a kicking-leaves-in-autumn acoustic pop tune with a bittersweet core. Later, on 2004's So Jealous, fizzy-candy keyboards pockmark the pogo-pop "Speak Slow."

Both Tegan and Sara openly identify as queer, and the latter wrote "I Was Married" about her then-common-law partner. Although the song represents one of the pair's first deliberate lyrical references to their sexuality, neither woman has ever hidden this fact; they both came out before the band blew up. Still, the sisters have never wanted to have their art pigeonholed by their sexuality, gender or even twin sisterhood, Tegan once told an interviewer — although she later admitted that they "accepted that we were going to be seen as a 'lesbian band'" once they found a niche in the alternative music world. "We were okay with that," she said”.

Things have changed for the better in terms of acceptance and inclusivity but I do feel there is a long way to regarding true balance and understanding. The duo have faced a sense of unease and isolation from the very start but I do think they have opened the way for so many other queer artists. I just mentioned Shura but there are so many more who have seen what Tegan and Sara have done – regarding their passionate music and the fact they openly speak about their sexuality – and have taken that to heart. I just want to crib from a 2016 article where, again, Tegan and Sara’s sexuality is covered:

“And the pair don’t mind talking about their sex lives. Sara has been in a relationship for six years; Tegan is seeing someone new. For eons, they feared their identification as queer women would trivialize their music, as the media didn’t used to have  such a capacity for intellectualizing sexuality and gender. Sara, in particular, was shy about her girl crushes. “I still am!” she clarifies.

“I still struggle with being out. When I say, ‘I’ve got a crush on Rihanna,’ there’s some part of me that thinks, Am I being gross?” As a heterosexual woman, I wouldn’t think twice about admitting such frivolities. That’s privilege”.

The fact of the matter is that, even when you are in a group with a sibling, that does not mean the bond will always be stronger and unbreakable. In fact, I think there is an extra pressure when you are playing with a brother or sister. Maybe it is the fact that you have grown up together and there is an extra weight and sense of expectation. From Oasis and The Bangles through to Arcade Fire and Kings of Leon, there are cases of siblings playing together successfully for years – although, when it comes to Oasis, that once-solid bond sort of broke and remains to this day! Tegan and Sara are together still and seem more assured and happy than they have ever been. Whereas non-related members might have walked away from each other when times were tough, Tegan and Sara have remained resolute and have worked through that strain. In this article from 2016, they talked about their new album but also discussed their relationship and how that has changed through the years:

“The follow-up, Love You to Death, picks up where Heartthrob left off – 10 sparkling songs that tackle topics ranging from gay marriage (BWU features the line: “Save your first and last dance for me/I don’t need a white wedding”) to their own volatile relationship, which is documented in brutal terms on White Knuckles: “Black and blue now/Breaking each other like/Knuckles in a fight.”

The twins’ tumultuous partnership is no secret, but it’s the first time they have dared put it so explicitly on record. It must have been weird for Tegan to hear certain songs by Sara and think: “Oh, that one’s about me punching her.” Or maybe not ...

“The truth,” Tegan says, “is that I listen to Sara’s songs as if she’s a band that I like. So, when my inbox has a new song from Sara in it, I get excited, as if Beyoncé just dropped a track. It wouldn’t occur to me to ask what it’s about, because I immediately make it about myself, like any fan would.”

On White Knuckles, they sing about making “excuses for the bruises we wear”, which refers to one scarring encounter. So, what were their excuses? Sara thinks for a second. “Probably just not acknowledging that there were any bruises. We would look at people as if to say: ‘What do you mean? What are you talking about?’”

Tegan agrees: “We were often out on our own. And the second Sara and I had conflict, everyone would leave. It was alienating and awful at times. We’d look around at [other bands] and think, ‘You’re having so much fun,’ ’cos they were friends. Whereas we were out there and it felt like some weird punishment or prison sentence. But we couldn’t acknowledge it to each other. I couldn’t say: ‘I hate this, I hate being onstage, I’m uncomfortable in my skin, I feel scared, alone, broke.’ Because [Sara] could have just been like: ‘Me too, let’s quit’”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

I feel like modern Pop music is quite diverse and open. There does seem to be a shift between the underground and rising artists and those in the mainstream. There are some terrific modern Pop artists around but I still find the most popular and covered are not as deep and interesting as the press makes out. Not to single out someone like Taylor Swift but she is getting a lot of hype and love right now. Her new album, Lover, has picked up some positive reviews but you listen to the music and a feeling of familiarity comes through. There does seem to be this sense we have heard this before; a modern formula that means the songs and production all sound the same. Maybe I am not her target demographic but it is a bit depressing seeing these big Pop artists release albums that have no nuance, sense of the original and chance of remembrance. How long are we going to listen to artists like Swift? She is popular now but, in decades to come, will people pull out her records and talk about them? I think so much of today’s music is light and transient; subject to entropy and quite dismissal. The real and most promising artists are those who can take genres like Pop and add something new. Tegan and Sara started out with more Folk and Indie sounds but then added in Punk and Pop threads. I think their blend and eclectic nature means that the music sticks and remains. You listen to the tracks and they are so much more alive and appealing than a lot of what is happening in the mainstream. Even when Tegan and Sara have been more commercial-looking, their music has always been far stronger and deeper than their peers’ efforts. I shall move on in a second but, with a new track out, there is a lot of talk. I’ll Be Back Someday is a fantastic cut and one I am keen to explore.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Brady Photography

There is something youthful and charmingly throwback when you hear I’ll Be Back Someday. That is not to say the song is light: it is one of the most engaging and wonderful of the year. I mean, one gets a blast of the early-2000s and some of the Pop-Punk that was around at the time. There is a nod to the past but, as always, Tegan and Sara keep things in the present. They always bring that combination of mystery and the direct when it comes to their lyrics. They talk about watching T.V. and whatever is on right now will make things better. The heroines want to dial someone up and ask how they are. There is something wonderfully spirited and optimistic about the words but one wonders whether there is some more pained backstory. I am not sure whether they are talking to a friend or lover but, maybe, there has been some friction and fracture. There is hesitancy regarding that call; a sense that the numbers cannot be dialled – what is causing that reluctance? The composition has a chug-and-charge that mixes the best of modern Pop-Punk with a sound of the 1990s and early part of the previous decade. The sisters’ bond and connection means the song leaps from the speakers and make the listener wonder. The chorus seems to contradict the early feeling that there is this friendship bond and need to connect with someone – “I run, run, run, run, run away/Get, get, get, get, get away/I run, run, run, run, run away/Get, get, get, get, get away/But I'll be back someday/I'll be back someday”. I love the fact that, in the video, there is a landline being used and referenced. In fact, when you hear the song, one gets these visions of a proper phone, perhaps corded, that is being used. Again, one gets visions of a past (better) time when we did used to communicate verbally. At a time when we are texting and technology is taking over, there is something brilliant rare hearing a phone being used in a song – one that is not packed with apps and distractions!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Nate Ryan/MPR

As the song progresses, the sound and energy levels raise. The chorus is huge and there is so much life and drive to be found. It is impossible to ignore the physicality and addictiveness of the chorus and how it sort of sweeps you off of your feet. Against the more wracked and troubled verses, the chorus provides this sunshine burst that, whilst documenting the heroine(s) running away, is much-needed. On the surface, it seems like Tegan and Sara are fleeing and they are abandoning someone. The fact that they will be back and have resolved to return means that, perhaps, they just need to get away and think. Lyrics talk about reading all night and doing so until they fall asleep; a cold feeling that is hard to shift – the song asks how to get rid of these troubling and hard feelings. When listening, I wondered whether this song was a message from the duo to a friend (or a single perspective) or it was a message between the two them. Certainly, the sisters have had their problems in the past but, rather than the track being a sort of veiled message between the two of them, I do think it is a single story aimed at someone who means a lot but has to accept the fact things have changed; the heroine needs to get away but will be back. It is not a shock to hear the 1990s make its presence known because, as with many songs on the upcoming album, this was an older song that has been re-recorded. I am not sure why it did not get a full release years ago but, in many ways, it sounds more relevant now than ever. There are a lot of modern Pop-Punk artists taking guidance from the 1990s so it is pleasing to hear something modern-yet-nostalgic come from Tegan and Sara. I’ll Be Back Someday is the first single from Hey, I'm Just Like You but I am sure there will be others before the album is released on 27th September. I love everything they do but I think, now, they are at their strongest. The songwriting is amazingly assured and I feel like there is this solid bond between the sisters. Where they go from now is uncertain but it seems like there are positive and productive juices flowing through the Tegan and Sara camp right now.

Tegan and Sara are pretty busy on the road right now and are gearing up for autumn and winter shows across North America. I am not sure whether they are coming to the U.K. at any point but there are a lot of people here who would love to see them. The sisters have been revisitng their past for their memoir and a lot of this upbringing and younger spirit comes through on Hey, I’m Just Like You. Released on 27th September through Sire, I think the record will be one of the most celebrated and well-received. There has always been a lot of love for Tegan and Sara but I think, as the sands shift and modern music changes, they will get even more credit and attention this time around. I do feel Pop-Punk is a huge thing right now and there are not many treats regarding the biggest names. Tegan and Sara are making music at a time when L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ artists are becoming more visible but have not received the support they deserve; wen Pop is evolving and we need something sunnier and more hopeful. This year has been an extraordinary one for women and I do think that, with the best albums coming from them, more needs to be done in order to accelerate gender equality and change. The scene is so rich right now and I do not think women are getting the opportunities they deserve. Think about festivals and airplay and things are still skewed towards men. I hope this does change but one cannot fail to ignore the sheer weight and wonder coming from women in music. I shall leave things now but I urge people to pre-order Hey, I’m Just Like You because it is shaping up to be one of 2019’s very best albums. The duo are constantly evolving and adding something new to their music but, in whatever they do, they are…

ALWAYS spectacular.

___________

Follow Tegan and Sara

Official:

https://teganandsara.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TeganandSara/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/teganandsara

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/teganandsara/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAHVrt4GYU5lmFwJun1iSDA

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5e1BZulIiYWPRm8yogwUYH?si=aZlZhwCQSi6-aTOAXtPsdQ

ALL UNCREDITED PHOTOS:

Getty Images/Tegan and Sara

FEATURE: Vinyl Corner: Madonna – Bedtime Stories

FEATURE:

 

Vinyl Corner

Madonna – Bedtime Stories

__________

ONE can debate which Madonna album...

 IN THIS PHOTO: Madonna in 1994/PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Earl

is the best but, when it comes to her most important, few can deny the role of Bedtime Stories. To me, it is the moment she cemented herself as the Queen of Pop and silenced a lot of critics. It is an album I have wanted to put into Vinyl Corner for a while and, as it turns twenty-five on 25th October, it seems like a good moment to look ahead and show why the album is still important today. In order to understand why Bedtime Stories is so pivotal, one must look back at Madonna’s output in 1992. After the success that came Madonna’s way after 1989’s Like a Prayer, she was on top of the world and slaying her peers. Madonna’s music was becoming more confident and daring; her songs were electrifying but she was mature as well as provocative. 1992’s Erotica is often seen as a cold album that talks about sex in a distant and emotionless way. It is an underrated album that gained a lot of unwarranted criticism. Throw into the mix the fact Madonna released her Sex book right as Erotica came out and, to be fair, a lot of eyes were opened! By today’s standards, Sex and Erotica are not especially explicit – Madonna definitely influenced artists of the future and opened doors. Many felt Madonna had gone too far and that her sexual nature was pushing things; her art was more about shocking people than creating great music. Of course, if a male band had acted like this and pushed boundaries they’d be celebrated and sell venues out: the fact Madonna was a woman meant she was being targeted and singled out.

1992 was a year where Madonna courted a lot of press – a lot of it was negative or critical. Few expected her to make another album; not least one that answered her critics and evolved her music to another level. There are some raw and teasing moments on Bedtime Stories – not least Human Nature; a song that jabs critics who slagged Madonna off for being ‘human’ – and the album has a more mature and balanced sound. Madonna needed to fan some of the flames – as such, songs like Take a Bow show real heart and soul. That song, to me, is the most important of her career. Listen to that and compare it with tracks such as Justify My Love and Erotica. Those tracks and incredible but, as Madonna attracted so much controversy when they were released, she needed to react and show there was more to her than met the eye. Madonna was never going to turn into a nun but, rather than push even further, Take a Bow is a gorgeous and hugely memorable hit that makes you root for this heartbroken heroine. Not only that but her songwriting ability is clear. Penned with Babyface (who provides backing vocals), it is a gorgeous, affecting song with pentatonic strings and one of Madonna’s finest vocals. I would urge people to buy Bedtime Stories on vinyl, because it was a real turning point for Madonna; an album that kept her career alive – and confirmed there was nobody like her in Pop.

Madonna knew that, during the period after Erotica, she had been misunderstood and misconstrued. She was not, as some assumed, advocating everyone go out and have sex with anyone. In an unwelcomed way, Madonna was seen as leading the charge for irresponsibly and crudeness. In actuality, she was talking about expression, freedom and being confident; as I say, she influenced so many artists. Alongside a raft of new producers – including Nellee Hooper – Bedtime Stories arrived in a year (1994) when Madonna was performing in a music scene radically different to the one she was familiar with on her eponymous 1983 debut. Grunge and Britpop were common and, in terms of her sound, she could easily have continued along the lines of Erotica and fitted in. That said, there was a need fort damage control. She might not have wanted to retreat so much but, with her reputation and her career on the line, compromises had to be made. Bedtime Stories has some seductive moments, but it is a warmer, broader album than Erotica – maybe it is not as acclaimed and progressive, but the importance of Bedtime Stories cannot be overlooked. Rather than sex, there is romance. Madonna took from R&B and the British club scene of that time; she was injecting more European influences into her sound. In terms of reviews, I feel retrospective examinations have been kinder.

At the time, there was positivity but a feeling Madonna had not taken a huge leap; there were not as many standout tracks on Bedtime Stories as on earlier records. AllMusic, in this retrospective review, assessed the album:

“Perhaps Madonna correctly guessed that the public overdosed on the raw carnality of her book Sex. Perhaps she wanted to offer a more optimistic take on sex than the distant Erotica. Either way, Bedtime Stories is a warm album, with deep, gently pulsating grooves; the album's title isn't totally tongue-in-cheek. The best songs on the album ("Secret," "Inside of Me," "Sanctuary," "Bedtime Story," "Take a Bow") slowly work their melodies into the subconscious as the bass pulses. In that sense, it does offer an antidote to Erotica, which was filled with deep but cold grooves. The entire production of Bedtime Stories suggests that she wants listeners to acknowledge that her music isn't one-dimensional. She has succeeded with that goal, since Bedtime Stories offers her most humane and open music; it's even seductive”.

I think a lot of the less-effusive reviews concern the lack of big hits rather than a decline in overall quality. Ironically, it is Madonna’s sexuality and boldness that helped score a lot of big reviews: something she felt she needed to tone down to remain popular makes Bedtime Stories seem like a strange compromise. I do like the fact there is an emotional balance on Bedtime Stories; more tenderness and maturity and, luckily, she retained her edge and sense of humour.

Despite a lot of negative press prior to Bedtime Stories, Madonna did regain traction in 1994. There are a lot of positive articles and retrospectives regarding Bedtime Stories. Here, we learn more about the creative process at the time and how Madonna was open to collaborative ideas:

“The inviting R&B sound of Bedtime Stories is due in part to co-producer Dallas Austin, who longtime Madonna backup singer Donna de Lory describes as "part of her tribe at that time." Also on board were co-producers Nellee Hooper, Dave "Jam" Hall (hot off Mary J. Blige's debut, What's the 411?) and, of course, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Demarchelier/Mario Testino 

Similar to Babyface, De Lory describes working with Madonna as a creative partnership, even if she was the one setting the tone. "Once she got her ideas out, she was open to your ideas. You didn't want to go in with her and right off the bat say, 'Well, I hear this,' because she was so specific and articulate. She already had the sound in her head. But after she'd spoken, we'd put our two cents in. We always had ideas, like, 'Can we answer this line with an extra "survival" [in the background]?'"

The result of that session is the perfect opener to the album -- a lush, beguiling anthem to resilience and statement of purpose. "I'll never be an angel, I'll never be a saint it's true/ I'm too busy surviving, whether it's heaven or hell/ I'm gonna be living to tell," Madonna sings, nodding to her critics while simultaneously brushing them off”.

Here, when marking the twentieth anniversary of Bedtime Stories, Vice discussed the furore Madonna attracted in 1992 and her response:

“For as long as Madonna has made music, she has endured relentless criticism for her sexuality. She’s been perhaps the most consistent target in the music industry, drawing critiques for more than three decades, and reviews of her work have served as a roadmap for how we scrutinize women at each stage in their music career. Whether it was public speculation on why she isn’t “like a virgin” or it was chastising her middle-aged body in a leotard, the shaming has had many iterations despite its one unwavering resolution: She goes too far.

Madonna asserted her lack of apology on the grounds that she had not said or did anything unusual; it was simply unusual for a woman to say it. In an interview with the LA Times, she defended Bedtime Stories by saying “I’m being punished for being a single female, for having power and being rich and saying the things I say, being a sexual creature—actually, not being any different from anyone else, but just talking about it. If I were a man, I wouldn't have had any of these problems. Nobody talks about Prince's sex life”.

In terms of Madonna’s discography, I would place Bedtime Stories fourth in my list of favourites – Ray of Light, Like a Prayer and Madonna would be above it – but, in terms of Madonna albums that move you and make a statement…are any as powerful and important as Bedtime Stories?! I don’t think so.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Demarchelier

Many artists in her position might have retreated and played it safe after such a backlash. There is no debate Madonna was the biggest Pop artists in the world in 1992 but, after facing some negativity following Erotica/Sex, she needed to consider her next move carefully. Bedtime Stories is, as I say, not as revered as other Madonna works. It is her most important album and, not only did it return her to favour and show great maturity, but it brought new layers to her work; again, establishing her position as Pop’s queen and setting her up for a long and varied future – her latest album, Madame X, was released earlier this year. I would recommend you check out Madonna’s albums on vinyl format as they sound incredible. With the needle dropped, how can one resist the grooves, moves and excellent cuts across Bedtime Stories?! There are a couple of weak-ish tracks in the pack but, with any Madonna album, even they are interesting and warrant investigation. Shy of twenty-five years in the world, the album has influenced artists and cemented Madonna as an icon. Rather than apologise for past ‘missteps’, she was unapologetic but dd not attack critics or exacerbate the issue by becoming even more exploit. The fact that Bedtime Stories came between her most controversial album (Erotica) and, debatably, her best (Ray of Light) means that it is overlooked and seen as a transition – that is unfair because, as songs like Take a Bow, Human Nature and Secret show, here was some of her most compelling and accomplished work to date. The edge remains but, rather than Bedtime Stories being a shot at critics and a move further into erotica, Madonna managed to create an album with plenty of heart and tenderness. It is an amazing record and I think Bedtime Stories is an overlooked jewel that warrants fresh ears – especially as it is twenty-five soon. If you cannot get hold of a vinyl copy, then stream the album and revel its beauty. It is an amazing response to a difficult period and one that solidified Madonna’s name as…

THE Queen of Pop.

FEATURE: National Album Day 2019: Which Is Your ‘Don’t Skip’ Album?

FEATURE:

 

 

National Album Day 2019

PHOTO CREDIT: @priscilladupreez/Unsplash 

Which Is Your ‘Don’t Skip’ Album?

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ALTHOUGH it is about six weeks away…

I am thinking about National Album Day and the question being posed this year: Which album is the one you listen to from top to bottom? The day is designed to celebrate the album and its importance – much like National Record Store Day did earlier in the year – and highlight the benefits of records. Before I go on, here is some information regarding this year’s events:

“Details of National Album Day 2019 have been announced, which takes place on Saturday, October 12.

The initiative launched in 2018 to champion the album format and was celebrated through a series of special events, including artist album playbacks and Q&As and an artwork exhibition in key train stations across the UK.

Lewis Capaldi, Mark Ronson, Elbow and Mahalia have been announced as 'album champions' for this year's big day. Lewis said: "Absolutely buzzing to be part of National Album Day! Unreal to have finally released my debut album this year & find out that not everyone hates it! 🎉 On the whole I’m very proud of it, although I won’t lie there’s probably a few stinkers on there, but I’m only human. Hope you don’t hate it but if you do don’t worry, it’s only my life’s work."

"The album has brought me pure joy since I was old enough to remember," Mark added. "I don’t think it will ever stop doing that."

The album is proving resilient in the ever-shifting music landscape. 143 million albums or their equivalent were either streamed, purchased or downloaded in the UK in 2018 – worth approximately £1.3 billion and representing a near 6% rise on the year before.

4.2 million of that figure were vinyl purchases a 2000% rise since their low point in 2007”.

Whilst the C.D. is dying out and cassette sales are fluctuating, it seems young and older listeners alike still hold a special place for vinyl. The benefit of vinyl is that it is harder to skip tracks: one is more prone to listen to a side the whole way through and not raise the needle! Of course, on National Album Day, we are marking all types of albums and why they bring us joy. It is a moment we can all come together and discuss the records that matter the most to us. At a time when we can easily stream albums, I wonder how many of us listen the entire way through without skipping. It has been a while since I listened to an album on Spotify without skipping; I usually listen to the best tracks and then listen to a bit of the lesser numbers; skipping here and there. It is a lot more tempting handpicking tracks but I find, when it comes to physical purchases, I tend to listen the whole way through. I have a large collection of C.D.s and vinyl and, when I put an album on, I usually make it through from start to finish – maybe the odd tracks gets skipped.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @joanna_nix/Unsplash

Maybe it has something to do with the tactile nature of a record: you sit there and have this experienced that you do not really get when listening on a phone or laptop. Even when it comes to these albums I grew up with and have listened to a lot, I might pass a few tracks by. In terms of newly-released albums, it has been a long time since I listened to the whole thing and did not pass a song by. Of course, an album has to be good and compelling for one to stay invested and attentive. If there are filler tracks, it makes it difficult to remain patient and give those songs focus. Each of us has those albums that we listen to without skipping any tracks. Kate Bush’s The Kick Inside is my favourite album; it is one I listen to a lot and adore beyond words. Whilst it will always be my favourite album, I think the one that I feel obliged to listen to every note of is Paul Simon’s Graceland. If someone asked me to recommend an album that anyone could listen to without having to know the artist’s catalogue, that genre or any history then it would be Graceland. I know National Album Day asks us to listen to all albums without skipping but each of us will have that one example of an album where we digest every track every time.

It tells us a lot about that person and what they look for in music. There are a few reasons why I cannot bear to skip any tracks on Graceland. As I said, it is an album that you do not have to be familiar with; one does not need to know how Paul Simon progressed and why Graceland was such an unexpected revelation. You do not even need to be aware of Apartheid and why Graceland was so provocative and brave. The album is so eclectic, deep and compelling. From the first notes of The Boy in the Bubble to the perfect Graceland; the haunting Homeless right through to its dying notes, Graceland is a masterpiece. Whether you are listening to it through headphones or lying on the floor and experiencing it on vinyl – as one should -, Graceland is a wonder to behold. Paul Simon caused controversy when the album came out: during Apartheid, artists were asked to boycott South Africa and, as Simon worked with South African artists and worked there, it was a very divisive move. Here, in this Pitchfork review, they discuss the political circumstances and why Graceland is pioneering:  

“So we get songs where the groove came first, and the lyrics long after. Simon considered writing political songs about apartheid but quickly concluded that he wasn't very good at it and owed it to the other musicians involved to stick to his strengths. Still, the album's opening song, "The Boy in the Bubble", is a thriller that ties together threads of technological progress, medicine, terrorism, surveillance, pop music, inequality, and superstition with little more than a series of sentence fragments, all tossed off in the same deadpan delivery. The song sets a monumental stage on which the small dramas and comedies of the other songs can play out, and it also establishes the record's unsettled tone-- out of all these songs, only "That Was Your Mother" is sung from a settled place, and even that one is a reminiscence about itinerant life.

Graceland was the first many of Simon's fans had heard of South Africa's black music. When I saw that this set included a two-hour documentary on the album, I wondered whether it would shy away from the issue of Simon's violation of the cultural boycott on South Africa, but to its credit, it doesn't. In fact, director Joe Berlinger uses a one-on-one conversation between Simon and Dali Tambo, the founder of Artists Against Apartheid and a one-time vocal critic of Simon, as a framing device for his story.

But more than Simon's single-minded devotion to his art and Tambo's ideological politics, the experience surrounding this album is best conveyed by the musicians who made it. They were violating the boycott, too, just by participating in a dialogue with non-South African musicians, and there's a moment where Ray Phiri describes a meeting he was called to in London with African National Congress officials while touring to support the album that speaks volumes. The ANC officials told Phiri that he was violating the boycott and had to go home, and his response was that he was already a victim of apartheid, and to force him to go home would make him a victim twice. In the end, Simon's assertion that Graceland helped put an emotional, human face on black South Africans for millions of people around the world doesn't seem off the mark”.

Here is an album that extends way beyond the songs themselves. It is such a fascinating, charged yet free album where Paul Simon reaches a new peak. This legendary songwriter was looking for a revival and new lease and, on Graceland, that is what he found. There are other albums I can listen to without skipping but Graceland is the one I always listen to from beginning to end every time. When National Album Day rolls around, I will have my copy of Graceland on vinyl and I will be spinning it without skipping a track. I am listening to the album now and, even though I have heard it countless times, I am still moved by the music and completely blown away! Maybe it is the fact I first heard the album when I was a child – I remember trips from the airport after family holidays; we’d listen to Graceland in the car -, but something seems embedded in me; a feeling that this album will be in my head until the day I die. I cannot get enough of it and, on 12th October, I will be listening to it again and re-appreciating it. Have a think about the albums that you love and have to hear in their entirety. I think National Album Day is important because, at a time when we stream songs and rarely spend time with whole albums, it is important to reconnect and remember why albums are so important. Not only are albums a complete story – singles and individual songs only tell part of the tale – but an artist wants the listener to hear all the music. The aim of this year’s National Album Day is to promote good mental-health and promote the benefits of albums. There are many albums that make me feel better but Graceland is an album that definitely…

PHOTO CREDIT: @nadineshaabana/Unsplash

LIFTS my spirits.

FEATURE: Popscene: Will We Remember the Best of the Mainstream Decades from Now?

FEATURE:

 

 

Popscene

IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift/PHOTO CREDIT: Valheria Rocha/TAS Rights Management 

Will We Remember the Best of the Mainstream Decades from Now?

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MAYBE this all circles back to what I have been saying…

regarding music and a lack of fun/joy but, at a time when music is less memorable and buoyant, this is something that keeps coming back to mind; a theme and question that seems complex. I am not going to pick on Taylor Swift but, as her new and acclaimed album, Lover, has arrived and is getting a wave of press focus, it is a good place to start. I will bring in a couple of reviews but, to start with, this is how Pitchfork judged Lover:

“Is it the prickly cotton-candy production or the lyrical detail or the vocal echo or just the event album-ness of it all that keeps Lover in the foreground, song after song? With the possible exception of the steel drums on music-box oddball “It’s Nice to Have a Friend,” the album never claims any new ground; some of its best moments are unavoidably familiar. Rihanna or Robyn might intend their new music to sound entirely fresh; Swift, our most conventional pop star, builds atop what has worked already. And with Antonoff behind so much of the sound of pop music in the latter half of the decade, the bold, ’80s-inspired style isn’t inherently more interesting or varied than any other. “I Think He Knows” sounds like Carly Rae Jepsen; “The Archer” sounds like Lorde’s “Supercut”; “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” actually a Joel Little joint, sounds like Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die”.

To be fair, Lover has gained largely positive reviews and there has been a lot of affection puts it way. A star like Taylor Swift is never far from the news and everything she releases will undergo scrutiny and deep investigation. People pull apart her songs and dissect her lyrics; so much of her life is laid out in the tabloids that mean there is little mystery left. I know music is a subjective thing and we all have our opinions but, even when an album like Lover is trying to be fun and uplifting, it suffers from a seemingly bland and overly-familiar Pop production. I have been listening to a lot of older music – from a couple of decades back – and seeing how it has changed through the years. Maybe time will be the real test but I have listened to Lover all the way through a couple of times and none of the songs stick in the mind. Yes, the songs are clever and there is emotional honesty; there is variation and ambition but, at the end of the day, it is likely only Swift’s fans will be remembering the songs and recommending them. You listen to a song like Cruel Summer and, whilst it sounds okay when you hear it, you don’t return to it; there is no big hook or nuance at all. I think Taylor Swift is an amazing person and role model and, if you read this recent interview, you will definitely find yourself falling for Swift.

She is a stunning artist but, in terms of memorability, the songs sound awfully familiar and repetitive. I know there have been some great reviews but I do think so many people are judging the album based on the standards of modern Pop. By that, I mean Swift very much ticks all the boxes of what is expected of a modern artist…is that the issue?! There is no denying contemporaries such as Ariana Grande are popular and influential Pop artists who have a lot of fans – her album, Thank U, Next, is one of 2019’s best-reviewed. I have listened to the album a few times and, whilst songs have a slightly different objective to the ones on Swift’s new album, one cannot help noticing that they are very similar. Although there are different writers and producers on the albums, it seems like there is a modern formula. You get the same sort of vocal tones/sounds; there is a repetitiveness that is hard to ignore. Whereas past artists – maybe there was a golden era – have been able to create timeless choruses, a sense of originality and addictiveness, so much of today’s seems to be rooted in formula. I admit that these big Pop artists have their own personalities and merits but you listen to the music and it sounds like so samey. Even more emotional songs lack any real depth and variation and, at the end of the day, you have this brand of music that will appeal to a certain demographic but can one say people will be chanting these songs decades from now – will they be seen as classics that people run to?

I know music is about personal preference and, if it pleases someone, then that is great…but I can’t help feeling so much of today’s music will be forgotten in years to come whereas we will still return to old favourites and certain years where we got so much variety and gold. Studies like this show that, indeed, Pop has gotten more repetitive and simpler. Whilst there are innovative Pop artists like Billie Eilish working away, she is still being overshadowed by more commercial acts; sounds that are less daring, perhaps, and seem to stick to a tried-and-tested formula. One can also claim Pop of the past sounded pretty similar but, even as recently as the turn of the century, there was a lot more width and memorability. I am not bagging on all modern Pop artists but it is alarming to discover so many songs/albums that sounds so similar; so lacking in any soul and heart – when you have finished listening, you sort of move on and struggle to recall what has just been played. I do like artists like Taylor Swift, Sigrid; Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and Maggie Rogers but you could comfortably play their albums alongside one another and get so many similar experiences and aspects. It is wonderful Taylor Swift’s new album is getting kudos but I cannot see how it is more radical and bold than any other Pop album from the last few years.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jack Savorreti/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Away from a style of Pop that tries to be fun and energised – but comes off sounding anodyne, formulaic and soulless –, there is a wave of sadder songwriters, largely male, who are putting their hearts on their sleeves and showing their sensitive side. From established acts like Ed Sheeran and Jack Savoretti to newer artists like Lewis Capaldi, you wonder how much of this music will survive the test of time and endure. I am not going to write off all popular music from this year because, with the likes of Billie Eilish, Jenny Lewis and Lizzo putting out some stunning music, one has to give props to the wonderful artists out there. I do not necessarily the finer artists will survive decades down the line but that has nothing to do with a lack of quality: I think certain periods of music will survive and endure longer than others; perhaps we all will rely on certain decades when it comes to the moments that stick in the brain. I do keep coming back to this subject of Pop and whether it has changed for the worse but, when you listen to these heartfelt male artists, you cannot help but feel bored and unmoved. You do not exactly race back to these tracks and I do not feel they will be talked about years from now. Maybe modern Pop is about the fame and personal lives/loves of the artists. It is easy to emphasise with them and feel involved with their lives but, in purely musical terms, how strong are these songs?

I can admire eclecticism and ambition but, as I said, these songs are not revelatory and any different to what is out there. I don’t know if there is this secret recipe for a Pop ‘hit’ because, time and time again, you listen to albums and they sound so similar and manufactured. I think we recall and rely on older songs because there was something deeper and more interesting working away. Few modern Pop artists employ real instruments in the mix: so much of what is around relies on electronics, machines and effects. I have a lot of respect for modern Pop artists and know they mean an awful lot to so many people. Quality is a subjective measure but think about what is around now and whether it will sustain. For every endeavouring and multi-layered artist like Billie Eilish, there is this rather flat and over-hyped alternative that gets most of the attention. Every time I need a Pop tune with bounce, big hooks and something epic, most of the time, I will go back to what I know. I am always ready to open my arms to the here and now but, even when I listen to albums a few times, it just does not stick. Is it me getting older and more stubborn or are we living in a time when the mainstream is less flexible and daring? My feature’s question regarding the longevity of Pop, obviously, requires time. I wonder whether, in 2030, people will be listening back to the most acclaimed Pop music of today like we do the gems from the 1980s and 1990s? There is a lot to look forward to as the year cracks on. Lana Del Rey is releasing her album, Norman Fucking Rockwell, on Friday (30th August) and there have been so many terrific albums put out this year. I keep thinking about the top of the music food chain and the sort of attention it receives. Whilst a lot of today’s Pop turns heads and gets a lot of buzz, I have the fear that a great majority of it will be…

GONE tomorrow.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Working Men’s Club

FEATURE:

 

Spotlight

PHOTO CREDIT: Lewis Johnson-Kellett 

Working Men’s Club

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I feel a lot of attention is still trained the...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Rosie Butcher

way of London when it comes to artists to watch. Maybe there is a tip towards other parts because, at time when there is so much varied music and incredible sounds, the capital no longer holds the same sway and dominance than it did years ago. Maybe Grime and Rap means eyes are always going to look to London for some hard-hitting truth and those street-level sounds but I think we should be consider the wider music scene and areas like Yorkshire. This county has always boasted great bands and, with acts like allusinlove and The Orielles rising and turning heads, it seems like there is a fire burning there. I think there is an honesty about Yorkshire that means the music speaks louder and flies freer. Among the great raft of acts rising at the moment are Working Men’s Club. Not only do they have one of the best names around – I can’t believe more bands haven’t snapped up that name – but they have some seriously great tunes to match. Whilst the band find themselves in the North West at the moment, you feel they have the potential to travel the world and play some mighty stages. It is evident Working Men’s Club are on the move but they very much have northern openness and roots. Some have compared the band to The Fall and, when you listen carefully, there is a lot more working under the surface than you’d imagine.

Yes, there is a touch of Mark E. Smith to the vocal tone but Working Men’s Club produce big synths, fascinating lines and a range of emotions that leads to this distinct and proprietary cocktail. They have recently added a new member and, as there are few photos online with their fresh recruit, one will forgive a few photos depicting them as a trio. I hope the band get some more photos done because it will help build their online base and a few of the ones on their social media pages are not that sharp in terms of clarity. That said, there are some great snaps but I assume more shoots will come as new music arrives. I will talk about their latest single in a bit but, before then, let me give you a bit of overview on Working Men’s Club (information taken from their Bandcamp page):

“Madding crowds may have found their bounce to the beat of ‘Bad Blood’s post-punk groove but Working Men’s Club will defy all expectation with their eagerly anticipated follow-up. Forcing backs off the wall and deeper onto the dancefloor, electric stomper ‘Teeth’ possesses enough bite to set pearly whites on edge and induce a wildly ecstatic feeling that’s anything but comfortable.

“It is a metaphor,” teases the band’s singer, guitarist and beat-maker, Sydney Minsky-Sargeant. “It could be about going insane or what you see, what you think you feel inside, a lot of things… put through a drum machine… basically we just want to confuse the fuck out of people, in a good way!”

PHOTO CREDIT: @brandontaylorphotog 

For Syd, alongside fellow Club members Giulia Bonometti, Jake Bogacki, and recently recruited bassist Liam Ogburn, the last 12 months has seen the 4-piece buckle up for a meteoric rise that’s been a hell of a ride. “Signing to Heavenly was a big deal for us,” offers Jake. “We’ve worshiped the label and its bands for a long time so it’s nice to be part of the family. It’s a culture; we’re all running in parallel.”

Shows with Fat White Family and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and a day of packed-out Great Escape appearance have paved the way for the band as they hone their rhythm ahead of Bluedot, Manchester Psychfest, Latitude and Manchester International Festival later this summer, before a tour with Bodega and their first headline tour though October and November.

After ‘Bad Blood’ received early support from Steve Lamacq, demand brought about a third repressing of their debut 7”, and it topped the vinyl charts; giving rise to a band subconsciously making us all slaves to the rave. “We do this because we love it.” says Syd. “But it’s not about us, we’re just faces. Working Men’s Club is about the music, the vibe, and that feeling, forcing you to move. Anyone can join”.

In terms of sound, I guess one can say they are a bit Post-Punk but there are other genres working away. One cannot deny there is a rawness and drive that gets into the blood; the band does not want to follow the pack and know there is a problem with guitar music at the moment. I will bring in an interview NME conducted with Working Men’s Club’s lead, Sydney Minsky-Sargeant in a second but, before then, take a listen to their new single, Teeth.

It takes quite a while for the song to sink in and fully strike. At first, it sounds a little grungy and groaned; it has potency and punch; there are all sorts of things happening that create this hypnotic mood. One can hear bits of others acts but, really, it is the distinct and uncompromisingly individual sound of Working Men’s Club that makes the music sound completely fresh and relevant. When talking with NME recently, Sydney Minsky-Sargeant definitely kept his tongue loose – just what you want from a young band that are on course to become legends of the future:

“The mercurial, teenaged frontman for Working Men’s Club is not one to mince words. We’re less than 10-minutes into our interview with Sydney Minsky-Sargeant and he has already made it quite clear that he’s got no enthusiasm for indie music circa 2019. “The reason there aren’t as many popular guitar bands right now is because they keep reproducing the same shit,” he tells us from his bedroom in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. “No one should be surprised it’s dying.”

There’s a certain irony here (not lost on Minsky-Sargeant) considering his band – rounded out by Jake Bogacki, Giulia Bonometti, and Liam Ogburn – has been hailed as leaders of a burgeoning post-punk renaissance. Breathless reviews greeted their debut 7”, and the blistering salvos of ‘Bad Blood’ and b-side ‘Suburban Heights’ earning them comparisons to Manchester royalty The Fall, and as well as contemporary acts like Brooklyn’s indie-rock kingpins Parquet Courts.

It remains remarkable how much they’ve achieved with so little. After all, he is still just 17, fronting a band that has been together scarcely more than a year. In addition to the avalanche of accolades it has received, the aforementioned 7” sold out a week prior to its street date thanks to pre-orders. And to top it off, there is a rumoured record deal allegedly in its final stages.

Heady days indeed, but Minsky-Sargeant would never let on if he’s feeling the heat. “For a lot of bands, their first single is meant as the overview of the first album, but I don’t think that is going to be true for us. There is much more to Working Men’s Club, and what’s to come is going to be even better than ‘Bad Blood.’” Clearly, he much prefers to fan the flames”.

The band has some live dates around the U.K. coming up and they are growing in stature and strength with each passing month. Although they have not put out too much music at the moment, there is a lot of momentum their way; stations like BBC Radio 6 Music have spun their tracks and it looks like next year will be very prosperous and busy for them. I love what they are doing and, maybe, some more information on social media would be good. I would like to know where they came from and the artists that compel them; a few more photos and tweets would not go a miss. They are bringing in new followers but I think they can increase their numbers more with a bit more self-promotion, images and push. Their live shows are speaking volumes and, with some terrific songs out there and their arsenal growing, it is only a matter of time before this northern army find themselves at some huge festivals. There are a lot of great and interesting bands coming through at the moment and, to be honest, a lot of them are quite limited or overly-familiar. Working Men’s Club have teeth and some bad blood in the veins but they are overflowing with nuance and depth. Their songs are incredible and, in 2020, a lot of doors will open for them. You might be new to the Yorkshire-formed band but, with such a sound concocted and flowing in the world, these guys will be huge…

BEFORE too long.

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Follow Working Men’s Club

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/WorkingMensClubb/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/workingmensclubhc/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/work1ngmensclub

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7cCi9XoRu8Y1SyJ9c94fhc

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdPdylkt5gYh4s4xqcM77bA

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Working Men’s Club