FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: The Great Escape-Inspired Tracks

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The Lockdown Playlist

The Great Escape-Inspired Tracks

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FOR this Lockdown Playlist…

I am putting together tracks that relate to escape, breaking free and cutting loose. This is because Blur have released a twenty-fifth anniversary edition of their phenomenal album, The Great Escape. This article from NME provides more details:

“Blur have announced that they will release a limited edition split vinyl of ‘The Great Escape’ to mark the 25th anniversary of the seminal album.

The band’s fourth record arrived in September 1995 to widespread acclaim, featuring tracks such as ‘The Universal’, ‘Charmless Man’ and ‘Country House’.

Announcing the new vinyl release on Twitter today (November 26), the band shared a video of the coloured blue and white vinyl alongside the classic back cover – which sees the band posing as suited city workers.

You can buy your copy here”.

Because the legendary band are bringing this album to vinyl and providing this wonderful treat, these tracks are united by a theme of getting away, escape and freedom. Have a listen to these tracks and I hope that they…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Blur

BRING you energy.

FEATURE: From the Starman to Steely Dan: The Artists Who Have Influenced Kate Bush

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From the Starman to Steely Dan

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Claude Vanheye 

The Artists Who Have Influenced Kate Bush

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NO artist is a blank slate…

IN THIS PHOTO: David Bowie has been cited by Kate Bush as a hugely influential artist

when it comes to their music and influence. I mean, every musician who has recorded anything draws influence from another or some other sphere. Even the most original and hard-to-categorise artists have taken some form of guidance from others. When it comes to those artists that are in a league of their own, many people will think about Kate Bush. Whilst she did not particular draw too much inspiration from female artists through her career – she did not want to be too guided in that sense – there are some terrific artists who, in a way, ran through Bush’s veins. Prince is someone she worked with a couple of times (including on her 1993 album, The Red Shoes) and she was a huge fan of his. I think their working relationship was really affectionate and, though they were of a very similar age, I do think that Bush was inspired by Prince’s sense of ambition and reinvention – he, in turn, would have provided an admiring nod to Bush. I think two artists who have particularly resonated with Bush are David Bowie and Elton John. The latter is a good friend of Bush’s, and she has named-checked John in interviews through her career. Both artists are synonymous with the piano and, whilst their music is quite different, Bush cleared loved Elton John from a very young age! I am going to spend more time on both of these artists as their sense of image, eclectic musicianship and sheer gravitas was incredibly power to Bush.

I first want to bring in a recent article from Far Our Magazine - they talked about the role Bowie and John have played in Bush’s life:

“It was a point of reference that nobody thought possible for a girl of such a young age. But the truth was, as well as having a literary and musical upbringing, Bush had been inspired by one of the most adventurous lyricists the world has ever known — David Bowie.

The Starman can be rightly attributed with inspiring countless artists that followed him on to the stage. As well as his expert performances, which prompted Bush to connect with his movement instructor Kindsay Kemp, Bowie’s songwriting captivated Bush and showed her that songs did not have to follow any real structure if she didn’t want them to. As well as lyrically encouraging Bush to pen her thoughts as wildly as they arrived at her, Bowie’s costuming was also a key piece of inspiration.

“David Bowie had everything,” Bush recalled upon the news of his death in 2016. “He was intelligent, imaginative, brave, charismatic, cool, sexy and truly inspirational both visually and musically. He created such staggeringly brilliant work, yes, but so much of it and it was so good. There are great people who make great work but who else has left a mark like his? No one like him.” Bush was known to have been a fan of Bowie during his heady Ziggy days and so the art of performance ranked as high for her as the songs themselves.

Bush wouldn’t be as prolific a performer as Bowie, in fact, she has only ever toured twice. But the reason she stopped performing is that she felt if she couldn’t maintain the vision she had for the show and her songs then there was no point in doing it at all. It’s the kind of uncompromising artistry that was resolutely taught in the school of Bowie.

Another huge influence on the career of Kate Bush is from another bespangled and glittered genius songwriter from the seventies. While David Bowie was able to show Bush how to follow her creative drive and artistic nuances, one star showed her how to apply it to pop music, that person was Elton John. Bernie Taupin may have been the man behind Elton John’s lyrics, however, the glittering performance from Elton absolutely enraptured a young Bush.

“I couldn’t stop playing it — I loved it so much,” said Bush when speaking to NME about the recently unearthed video of her cover of ‘Rocketman’. “Most artists in the mid-seventies played guitar but Elton played piano and I dreamed of being able to play like him.” Of course, Bush would get the chance to play a little like him and include Elton’s song ‘Rocketman’ as one of the very few covers she has ever produced.

Bush later asked Elton to be a part of her own record, something the star was more than happy to be a part of. “I did a duet with Kate Bush on this track for her last album,” Elton recalled in 2013. “That session with her was hard, because she doesn’t write easy songs. She’s a complex songwriter and this is a weird song, but I love it so much. I’m so proud to be on a Kate Bush record; she’s always marched to the beat of her own drum. She was groundbreaking — a bit like a female equivalent of Freddie Mercury.”

Utterly unique and completely one of a kind, Kate Bush has become a piece of British culture that is resolutely celebrated across the globe. Her style and guile has seen her become one of the most adored singers on the planet and it is down to the values instilled in her during her formative years by two of the greatest showmen to have graced the stage. Simply put, without David Bowie and Elton John we wouldn’t have got Kate Bush”.

I do love how these iconic artists helped to shape Kate Bush and how, so many years down the line, Bush and Elton John are friends! I want to quote one more article regarding Bush’s love of Bowie, but the relationship between Bush and one of her idols, Elton John, is interesting. Not only was Bush inspired by his live performances – she cites 17-11-70 as one of her favourite albums -, but his aura and incredibly powerful personality could not have helped but to stir and motivate her; not only as a recording artist but a live performer. Bush duetted with John on her 2011 album, 50 Words for Snow, and she also covered two of his songs: Candle in the Wind, and Rocket Man (she recorded a cover version of Candle in the Wind for the B-side of her 1991 single, Rocket Man). Let’s hope there is more collaboration between Bush and John before both of their careers are through.

I think the Bowie influence is particularly clear. For someone who grew up in an artistic and vibrant household - but one that was, at the same time, quite mannered too-, the sheer passion and allure of David Bowie and his multiple personas must have been hugely fascinating for Bush! In an article in MOJO in 2007, Kate Bush described her love for David Bowie's music, the concert she attended - the final live performance by Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars on 3rd July, 1973 - and the first occasion when she met the star. One can hear little Bowie nods and inflections in some of her work – listen to many of the songs on The Dreaming -, and I think she was channelling Bowie. Seeing Bowie in concert and delivering such an astonishing, theatrical and original live performance, I feel, was instrumental when it came to Bush conceiving her The Tour of Life of 1979. I will move on to another selection of artists soon, but I want to quote from an article on the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia which finds Bush discussing her first taste of Bowie:

“I was sitting in my bath, submerged in bubbles, listening to Radio Luxembourg when I heard David Bowie for the first time. "There's a starman waiting in the sky." I thought it was such an interesting song and that he had a really unusual voice. Soon I was to hear that track everywhere, and Bowie's music became a part of my life.

Was it Bo-Wie, Bowie or B'wee? Everything about him was intriguing. When I saw him on Top Of The Pops he was almost insect-like, his clothing was theatrical and bizarre; was that a dress? No one was sure, but my conclusion was that he was quite beautiful. His picture found itself on my bedroom wall next to the scared space reserved solely for my greatest love - Elton John.

A fantastic songwriter with a voice to match, Bowie had everything. He was just the right amount of weird, obviously intelligent and, of course, very sexy. Ziggy played guitar. And I was there to see his last show as Ziggy Stardust with The Spiders From Mars. The atmosphere was just so charged that at the end, when he cried, we all cried with him.

Working at Abbey Road studios some years later, I popped in to see a friend on another session....I was stopped in my tracks. Standing elegantly poised behind the console was David Bowie. He was lit from above and smoking a cigarette. He said, "Hello Kate." I froze on the spot and said, "Er...Hello," and then left the room, caught my breath outside the door and didn't dare to go back in again. We've met many times since then and I don't have to leave the room any more....or do I?

He's made all the right moves, each album exploring a new sound, a new way of looking at things, experimental and brave. Starring in The Man Who Fell To Earth made him a successful actor as well. His introduction to The Snowman animation, although brief, made the film more poignant, as if the whole thing somehow belonged to him. I just loved his hilarious Extras cameo, and the quirky Tesla in The Prestige. He is the quintessential artist, always different and ever surprising, an inspiration for us all. (Kate Bush, Foreword, Mojo Classic: 60 years of Bowie, 2007)”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush at Tyne Tees studios in 1981

The influence of Elton John and David Bowie is one that runs through her work, but there are other great artists that one might not expect Bush to be influenced by. In her household, she was listening to a lot of Irish and English folk; her brothers were introducing her to different sounds and sides of the art world…so it isn’t a shock that Bush embraced a whole range of artists and genres. This interesting article provides a list of Bush’s favourite-ten albums of 1980. Just looking at the list, and you can see the way various artists influenced albums like Never for Ever and her first two of 1978,The Kick Inside, and Lionheart:

“As Told to Smash Hits Magazine for the November 27 - December 10, 1980 issue via Like Punk Never Happened

Kate made this list a few months after her third album Never For Ever was released.

1.Frank Zappa: Overnite Sensation -"Montana" was the first Zappa track I ever heard and it's stuck as a firm favourite.

2. A.L. Lloyd and Eran MacColl : Blow Boys Blow - I was brought up with this album.

3. The Eagles: One of These Nights - I played it to death when studying with Lindsay Kemp and it reminds me of him.

4. David Bowie Young Americans - It reminds me of 1976, the drought summer and open windows.

5. The Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Because it's an album of excellent songs.

6. Eberhard Weber Fluid Rustle - It's like having your brain massaged.

7. Captain Beefheart Blue Jeans and Moonbeams - This is the Beefheart album where he writes love songs like nobody else.

8. Stevie Wonder The Secret Life of Plants - Because it's a modern symphony with a  high emotional content.

9. Pink Floyd The Wall - Because it reminds me of last Christmas and open fires and I wish I'd written it.

10. The TV National Iranian Chamber Orchestra Treasures of the Baroque Era - Because it allows my mind to sit down and go "aah". I listen to it when doing paperwork. In fact while writing this list!”.

I will discuss The Beatles and Pink Floyd later (alongside Steely Dan and others), but it is illuminating seeing her name-check Frank Zappa, and Captain Beefheart! The unconventional nature of both of these artists – not just how they tackled love, but their sonic essence -, was starting to work into Bush’s work at this point (one can sense a bit of both in Hammer Horror, and Full House from Lionheart; maybe elements of Breathing, and Violin (from Never for Ever) vibe from these artists). Albums like Eberhard Weber’s Fluid Rustle, I feel, were in Bush’s mind when she wrote some of the more ethereal and heavenly tracks from Never for Ever. It is fascinating considering an artist as unique as Bush and her favourite artists/albums.

The Beatles are probably not much of a surprise when it comes to inspiration. Bush, in some ways, can be compared to them in the way her work evolved and she went from this slightly lighter and softer sound to bigger, bolder and more experimental. Bush’s real change occurred on 1982’s The Dreaming and, for that reason, I am not surprised to see her name-check Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Bush actually covered The Beatles on more than one occasion. She performed She's Leaving Home (from that album), The Long and Winding Road, and Let It Be (both from Let It Be) during a promotional visit to Japan; she also performed Come Together (from Abbey Road) when she played with the KT Bush Band in 1977. The fact that The Beatles pushed the boundaries of the studio and had stopped being a touring band resonated with Bush. She would not play live in a huge way after 1979 and before 2014 - and she was embracing new technology and sounds on every album. On The Dreaming, she fully embraced the studio and its possibilities; experimenting a lot more and, in a way, channelling The Beatles. Steely Dan could not have passed Bush by. Although they were not big in the U.K. through the 1970s, I can imagine Bush discovering their debut, Can’t Buy a Thrill, in 1972 and being intrigued.

IN THIS PHOTO: Walter Becker (right) and Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan) captured while making their album, The Royal Scam, at The Village Recorder studio on 23rd November, 1975 in Los Angeles, California/PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Caraeff

Perhaps it is their albums Katy Lied (1975), The Royal Scam (1976), and Aja (1977) that made a big mark when it came to the musical complexity and melodic accessibility. Steely Dan’s combination of the perfectionist and simple can be applied to Bush; in the way she sought the ‘right sound’ as a producer and how her songs matched the lush and melodic with the sophisticated and unconventional. This article quotes a couple of times where Bush mentioned Steely Dan:

“I think they're very underestimated. They're the most incredible musicians. This is it. They are here -- a musician's band. I mean, all the musicians in this country just rave about them technically, and as songwriters. But you know, they're not really played on the radio, but they're just incredible. (Paul Gambaccini, BBC Radio 1, 31 December 1980)

For me, each album got better, and I wish they hadn't split up. (Kate Bush Club, issue 16)”.

Not only was Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour important in Kate Bush’s life – he put up money so she could record professionally and helped to get her music to the masses -, but the band themselves can be heard in Bush’s music. From The Saxophone Song on The Kick Inside and its spacey, jazzy outro through to so many elements and sounds of Hounds of Love, one can also envisage Bush growing up a lot with Pink Floyd’s music and taken some guidance from their music. There have been a lot of articles regarding Bush’s impact on other artists and how she has helped transform music, but I was curious to look at the other end of the spectrum and some of the albums and artists who have inspired Bush. Perhaps, without them, we would not have Kate Bush as a musician or, at the very least, her own music would be very different! From David Bowie, Elton John, The Beatles, Captain Beefheart, and Steely Dan, a range of incredible artists have compelled and influenced Kate Bush. This all being said – and has been said many times – she herself remains…

A unique genius.

FEATURE: The Sound of the Crowd: How Rapid Testing Could See a Return for Festivals and Live Music Soon

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The Sound of the Crowd

PHOTO CREDIT: @kristsll/Unsplash 

How Rapid Testing Could See a Return for Festivals and Live Music Soon

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IT was not long ago…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @tonyphamvn/Unsplash

that I wrote an article about the pandemic and how festivals are going to return. It is a very strange time when we see light at the end of the tunnel but cannot resume normal activities for months. The fact that mass testing is smoother and becoming more prevalent has boosted hopes that festivals will return fairly soon. This article from NME explains more:

“The future of music festivals has been given a boost after the first rapid testing programme was officially announced.

Designed specifically for the events industry in conjunction with Swallow Events, the rapid 15-minute turn around test is the first to be approved by Public Health England.

Oli Thomas, founder and managing director of Swallow Events said: “The events industry has been forgotten and devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very proud to announce we are the first events company in the UK to offer an on-site rapid testing service for COVID-19 in as little as 15 minutes, which, we believe, is a complete game-changer.

“Our rapid testing kits – a market leader (which meets MHRA target product profile with sensitivity: 96,52% & specificity: 99,68%) used in conjunction with track and trace data-collection and other Covid secure protocols such as touch point and temperature checks will help event organisers in all sectors from large scale festivals, concerts, stadia, business conferences and trade shows through to agricultural shows and small boutique festivals.

“It will kick start a £39.1 billion contributing sector to the UK’s economy whilst helping to protect over 570,000 full-time jobs which are rapidly disappearing.”

PHOTO CREDIT: @aaronpaulos/Unsplash

It comes after Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis previously said that “massive testing arrangements” could be put in place at next year’s Glastonbury Festival.

Eavis’ comments on mass testing echoed those made recently by Reading & Leeds boss Melvin Benn, who told NME that he was confident that, in regards to R&L 2021, “we don’t need a vaccination because we can work through the problem with a really good testing regime”.

Venues will be especially cheered by the good news, and I think it would be easy enough to apply mass testing so that smaller venues can open. At the moment many are looking to reopen in the spring and they will want to assure gig-goers that their venues are safe and there is little chance of catching COVID-19. I see no reason why mass testing cannot be done the day of a gig or the day before - if there is a fifteen-minute turnaround, that would be wonderful (though it has yet to be implemented). Maybe patrons would have to provide a negative test when they arrive at the venue and I think that could be workable. Festivals provide greater challenges due to the sheer number of people who attend! It seems daunting to go from where we are now to the sort of scenes that we saw at music festivals last year! There is this hope that festivals can resume next year and there will be no further delays. Organisers will want to put out their line-ups early next year, and this safety net of mass testing will give them cheer.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @paullywooten/Unsplash

I am not sure how expensive and viable it would be to have a system whereby people turn up to Glastonbury and they are tested before they enter the field. They then have to wait until a test comes back negative and, if everyone is fine, then the festival can go ahead. The trouble arises with the reliability of the testing system and how just a few false-negatives can result in massive infections! Nobody really wants to take anything for granted, so the Government needs to ensure that their testing system is adequate and can accommodate the demands of the live scene. Of course, there is a hope that vaccines can be rolled out in the next month or so, which might mean that infection numbers are very low come March and April. If most of the U.K. population was to be immunised, that would ease a lot of the stress for festivals and venues. It is a nervy time where we hope a vaccine can get us back to normal by the spring and we do not have to miss too much live music! I am hopeful that we will be in a much better place in a few months or so because, after such a dark and quiet year, the demand for live music is greater than ever. Many feared festivals might not happen in 2021 but, with news of mass testing and a possible way back, hopefully many will be getting together and enjoying live music very soon. I think mass testing and a vaccine will come just in time to ensure that many festivals and venues…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @covertnine/Unsplash

SURVIVE and can continue.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: One-Shot Videos

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The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Feist

One-Shot Videos

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FOR this Lockdown Playlist…

IN THIS PHOTO: OK Go/PHOTO CREDIT: Art Streiber

I am featuring songs whose videos were one-take. In other words, there were no edits or cut and what we see on screen is a single take! It is amazing thing and, as you listen to the songs, go to see the videos too as it is a phenomenon I am really interested in – the patience and skill needed to pull those videos off! As with all my playlists, there might be some songs that are greyed out in the display below, but if you search Spotify for ‘The Lockdown Playlist: One-Shot Videos’, then you should get all the songs with no issues. This has been a fun one to put together so, for this Lockdown Playlist, here are songs whose videos were all completed…

IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift/PHOTO CREDIT: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

IN a single, continuous take.

FEATURE: One for the Record Collection! Essential December Releases

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One for the Record Collection!

IN THIS PHOTO: Paul McCartney/PHOTO CREDIT: Mary McCartney 

Essential December Releases

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ALTHOUGH there are fewer big albums out in December…

IN THIS PHOTO: Yungblud/PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Pallant

there are a few coming out just before Christmas that would make for great gifts! There is one particular that has been delayed a week but, arriving just in time to order and arrive for Christmas, it is one of this year’s most-anticipated releases. There are some great albums due on 4th December. I was not aware until recently that Arctic Monkeys had a live album in the vault but, with Arctic Monkeys – Live at the Royal Albert Hall, here is an album you will definitely want to order. If you are not aware of the Sheffield band’s performance, here is some more information:

“Arctic Monkeys and War Child UK are proud to announce the release of ‘Arctic Monkeys - Live At The Royal Albert Hall’ on December 4th 2020.   All proceeds from the album will go to War Child UK to help fill what could be up to a £2 million deficit they are facing in 2021, caused by the devastating impact of Covid-19 on their fundraising.  These funds are urgently needed to support those who are worst hit by the virus.

“On June 7, 2018 we played a very special show at London’s Royal Albert Hall.  All the proceeds from that memorable night were donated to War Child UK in support of the vital work they do protecting, educating and rehabilitating children who have experienced the trauma of conflict and the horror of war. The situation that was bad in 2018 is now desperate and those children and their families need our help more than ever. To enable War Child UK to reduce their funding deficit and continue their valuable work, we are happy to be able to release a live album, recorded that evening at The Royal Albert Hall. All proceeds will go direct to the charity. We thank all our fans in advance for their support of this release and in turn for their support of War Child UK” - Arctic Monkeys.

Recorded at the start of the band’s ‘Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino’ tour, ‘Arctic Monkeys -Live At The Royal Albert Hall’, features 20 of the band’s finest moments to date”.

That is an album that is going to be fascinating to hear and own. The second of four albums from 4th December that you will want to grab is Sigur Rós’ Odin's Raven Magic. The Icelandic band always create very original and beautiful music – their forthcoming album is no exception! You can pre-order it here, but it is a very interesting album with a pretty cool background. Sigur Rós’ Bandcamp page gives us some more information:

“Composed in the 14th or 15th century Odin’s Raven Magic is an Icelandic poem in the ancient Edda tradition (Edda - a term that describes two Icelandic manuscripts which together are the main sources of Norse mythology and Skáldic poetry) its anonymous author clearly had an intimate knowledge of the Edda literature and mythology which alludes to a number of pagan motifs which are now lost. The poem recounts a great banquet held by the gods in Valhalla while they were absorbed in their feasting, ominous signs appeared that could foretell the end of the worlds of the gods and men.

The album 'Odin’s Raven Magic' is an orchestral collaboration between Sigur Rós, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Steindór Andersen and Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir which premiered 18 years ago at the Barbican Centre in London and is now finally almost two decades later being released. The performance honours the poem, dramatic and beautiful, classical and contemporary. A stone marimba was built especially for the performance by Páll Guðmundsson.

Odin’s Raven Magic - the poem - had been relegated from mainstream ancient literature ever since 1867, when Norwegian scholar Sophus Bugge claimed it was a 17th century fabrication. This theory has since been toppled with literary and linguistic arguments and new research has concluded that Odin’s Raven Magic was indeed authentic and has finally been reintroduced to the Edda”.

Yungblud’s Weird! is available to pre-order. It follows his 2018 debut album, 21st Century Liability. This new album is shaping up to be a more complete, ambitious and accomplished work from one of the music’s world’s brightest rising artists. Rough Trade provide us with some information:

“Weird! is Yungblud’s most emotionally complex body of work to date. He recorded it at studios in London and Los Angeles with Cervini, Greatti and another frequent collaborator, Matt Schwartz (Cold War Kids, Bullet For My Valentine, Massive Attack). True to Yungblud’s fierce refusal to box himself in, Weird! embodies a wildly eclectic collage of sound: Queen-inspired harmonies, Beatles-esque chord progressions, elements of dance-punk and glam-rock and hip-hop and metal. Weird! is like an episode of Skins in album form”.

I guess, to an extent, people might have preconceptions about Yungblud from hearing his interviews or seeing publicity photos. I think his songwriting has really come on in the past couple of years and he is able to mix these very confident and electric songs with gentler moments.

Weird! is shaping up to be one of this year’s better releases. I want to bring in a recent interview from The Guardian - where we learn about his hard upbringing and how it has inspired one of the album’s songs:

“Growing up in Doncaster was both “great and fucking awful”. He was bullied remorselessly, even by his teachers who would single him out for his sartorial choices in front of the class. “I had a lot of friends but in a room full of people I would feel totally alone,” he says. “I had my first suicidal thoughts at 13.” His family – whom he describes as “The Waltons meets Peaky Blinders” – were supportive. “My mum used to dye my hair when I was five and my dad was a guitar dealer so he’d seen it all.” It was a household full of music; his grandad (“a fucking nutcase”) performed with T Rex in the 60s, while his maternal grandmother loved Rod Stewart so much she told Harrison he was her boyfriend. “I was kind of in that sensibility of rock’n’roll my whole life,” he smiles.

One of Weird!’s prettier moments, Love Song, touches on the domestic violence he witnessed growing up. “My parents used to fight a lot and it was dark,” he says slowly. “They’d fight and then be friends an hour later. So my idea of love was so skewed.” Escape came via a primal urge to perform. “It was, like, if I don’t belong in this real world I’m going to build a world to belong in. Because I found Gaga, I found [Marilyn] Manson, I found Oasis. That’s all I wanted. I wanted a culture to belong in. I would watch Vivienne Westwood and I would watch the [Sex] Pistols and I would watch fucking Kate Moss, and I would be, like: ‘I need to go to London.’ I needed to get out”.

I will move on to the last album you will want to own on 4th December. I have seen a few U.K. sites say that they will not get this album in stock until 12th February. The album is The White Stripes’ Greatest Hits. You can get it from the Third Man Records store from 4th December, and there are options to ship internationally. With shipping, the vinyl comes in at $50 (£37). You may want to wait until February until it is in stock in the U.K. but, if you are a huge fan like me, you’ll pay a little extra for a real treat! The Third Man site provides some information about the iconic duo’s first greatest hits release:

“In 1997 a brother and sister climbed into the third floor attic of their Southwest Detroit family homestead and bashed out a primitive cover of David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream.” In an alternate reality, it’s all they ever do musically. The brother leads a spartan life as a dutiful upholsterer and the sister finishes culinary school and continues to make heartwarming food.

But that doesn’t happen. Something sparks in both of them. They take their simple guitar-drums-voice approach to a local open mic night on Bastille Day. The performance was just good enough to keep them going. In what feels like a whirlwind, they record and release two 7-inch singles for a local indie label. A not-so-local indie offers to put out a full length album.

They start touring. Another album. More touring. Another album. Folks REALLY start to pay attention. CRAZY touring. More albums, accolades, wildest dream after wildest dream coming true. “World-renowned” becomes an appropriate descriptor as does “long-building overnight sensation.”

It is with extreme reverence that we present to you The White Stripes Greatest Hits.

The first-ever official anthology of recordings from the iconic rock duo, Jack and Meg White, is an essential career-spanning collection highlighting 26 previously released songs. From late Nineties flashes of brilliance through early 2000s underground anthems, masterful MTV Moon Man moments, Grammy-grabbing greatness, and worldwide stadium chants, the songs here are as wide-ranging as you can imagine. In an era of streaming where the idea of a “Greatest Hits” album may seem irrelevant – that an act’s most streamed songs are considered their de facto “hits” – we wholeheartedly believe that great bands deserve “Greatest Hits” and that a large part of Third Man Records’ and The White Stripes’ successes have been built on zigging when the rest of the music business is zagging. Thus, for a great band with great fans, a greatest hits compilation for The White Stripes is not only appropriate, but absolutely necessary”.

That sort of takes care of the albums available from 4th December. It is a bit of a quiet week and, whilst there are a few albums available after 11th December, this is the last week of 2020 where there are quite a few big releases. There are three that I want to recommend people investigate.

Belle and Sebastian’s What to Look for in Summer is available to pre-order - and it is a release that intrigues me:

“Belle and Sebastian present twenty-two live performances featuring songs from across their 25 year career. The recordings showcase the Scottish septet at the height of their power during their 2019 tour, including tracks performed on the band's own Mediterranean cruise, The Boaty Weekender”.

I guess, what with it being the end of the year, we are going to get more live albums and compilations - as there are going to be few studio albums recorded. Actually, I will add in another compilation following on from The White Stirpes’. It is interesting that The White Stripes’ Jack White and The Kills’ Alison Mosshart are bandmates in The Dead Weather; they are both putting out compilation albums in the same month! Unlike The White Stripes’ compilation, one can buy Little Bastards from a U.K. site from 11th December. If you want a bit more detail, Domino have you covered:

“The Kills have compiled an extraordinary career-spanning B-sides and rarities album titled Little Bastards, to be released on Domino on December 11, 2020. The songs date back from the band’s first 7-inch singles in 2002 through to 2009. All of the material has been newly remastered for release on 2 x LP, CD, and digital—marking the first ever vinyl pressing for some of these tracks.

The compilation includes the unreleased and never-before-heard demo “Raise Me” from the 2008-2009 Midnight Boom era. Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince produced and directed a striking new video for the recently excavated song.

Often raw, intimate and zero-budget spontaneous, the album’s title is a wry comment on these excellent recordings’ neglectful fate: in many cases birthed on the fly to fill bonus-track space on CD singles, they’d effectively vanished together with the release format that necessitated their creation. Also: Little Bastard was the affectionate nickname that the pair gave to the drum machine which enabled their initial existence as a band of only two members for the first half of their career. “It was a Roland 880,” says Jamie, “which isn’t strictly a drum machine – it's a sequencer, and an eight-track recorder, with its own drum machine built in, and that’s what we’d record all our beats on.”

Little Bastards is available digitally, and on CD and LP. The deluxe double LP comes on neon yellow vinyl and is housed in a gatefold jacket with printed inner sleeves. Pre-order the album below.

Other LP highlights include “I Call It Art” from the Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited covers compilation, the brilliant Midnight Boom digital bonus track “Night Train,” a blistering performance of “Love Is A Deserter” from an XFM radio session and a handful of classic American roots songs performed with the kind of bruising delivery they’re famous for: Howlin’ Wolfs’ “Forty Four,” Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell on You” and Dock Boggs’ “Sugar Baby”.

The penultimate album I will highlight is The Avalanches’ We Will Always Love You. The Australian group took sixteen years to follow their phenomenal debut, Since I Left You, with Wildflower in 2016. Their productivity has gone up as, on 11th December, they release their third album! Do make sure you pre-order the album as The Avalanches are always tremendous! The twenty-five track looks set to be a real bonanza that everyone needs to pick up! Rough Trade give us some background to the album:

“Building on the sample-based approach of their classic albums Since I Left You and Wildflower, but stepping boldly into new terrain, We Will Always Love You is the new full length masterpiece from The Avalanches.

Sampling remains at the core of The Avalanches sound, but alongside all of the sample ghosts, We Will Always Love You features an array of living guests who contribute vocals and lyrics: Blood Orange, Rivers Cuomo, Pink Siifu, Jamie xx, CLYPSO, Denzel Curry, Tricky, Neneh Cherry, Sampa the Great, Sananda Maitreya and Vashti Bunyan and more. The Avalanches’s music has always dripped with melody, but because of this expanded role for guest singers and writers, We Will Always Love You is their most song-oriented album yet.

Take Care In Your Dreaming featuring alt-rapper Denzel Curry, Tricky and Melbourne based Zambian rapper-singer Sampa The Great is a song about unrealised dreams and navigating unexpected journeys through life. “The song is a ‘careful what you wish for’ kind of thing.”

Music Makes Me High is truly an up tempo number, this disco-funk tune has a golden glow that simultaneously casts back to tunes like The Whispers’s And The Beat Goes On and to the filter- house echoes of that era such as Stardust Music Feels Better With You and Gusto’s Disco’s Revenge. “There’s a gospel choir on there, but very softly in the mix, singing over the ‘music makes me high’ sample.”

Sparkling with the treble frequencies that made Since I Left You such a dizzy thrill, We Will Always Love You is dedicated to probing “the vibrational relationship between light, sound and spirit.” But the goal now is elevation rather than intoxication”.

The last album that I want to recommend was due on 11th December but, just recently, it was pushed back to 18th December. Paul McCartney’s McCartney III can be pre-ordered - and I think it is going to be one of this year’s best-received albums! It is going to be a tremendous release and, forty years after McCartney II, the former Beatle completes the tribology! I will finish with an interview from Paul McCartney but, with no single released from the album (as of 25th November), there is a lot of mystery and speculation as to what we might get! Rough Trade provide us with some background:

“A follow-up to his 1970 self-titled solo debut and 1980's McCartney II, the new album features the McCartney playing all the instruments; he wrote and recorded every song.

50 years following the release of his self-titled first solo album McCartney, featuring Paul playing every instrument and writing and recording every song, Paul McCartney will release McCartney III on December 11th. Paul hadn’t planned to release an album in 2020, but in the isolation of Rockdown, he soon found himself fleshing out some existing musical sketches and creating even more new ones. Before long an eclectic collection of spontaneous songs would become McCartney III: a stripped-back, self-produced and, quite literally, solo work marking the opening of a new decade, in the tradition of 1970’s McCartney and 1980’s McCartney II.

Recorded earlier this year in Sussex (UK), McCartney III is mostly built from live takes of Paul on vocals and guitar or piano, overdubbing his bass playing, drumming, etc. atop that foundation. McCartney III spans a vast and intimate range of modes and moods, from soul-searching to wistful, from playful to raucous and all points between — captured with some of the same gear from Paul’s Rude Studio used as far back as 1971 Wings sessions. And Paul's array of vintage instruments he played on the new album have an even more storied history, including Bill Black of Elvis Presley's original trio's double bass alongside Paul's own iconic Hofner violin bass, and a mellotron from Abbey Road Studios used on Beatles recordings, to name but a few. Just as McCartney’s 1970 release marked Paul’s return to basics in the wake of the biggest band break-up in musical history, and the 1980 avant-garde masterpiece McCartney II rose from the ashes of Wings, McCartney III finds Paul back on his own, turning unexpected circumstances into a personal snapshot of a timeless artist at a unique point in history”.

It is a shame the album has been held back but, with only a week’s delay, we can still own a huge album before Christmas! I am impressed that nothing has been leaked and there is a lot of secrecy almost regarding the tone of McCartney III. McCartney has been doing quite a few interviews to promote the album but I want to source from Loud and Quiet, where he was asked about what we can expect from McCartney III:

“At what point did you realise that what you were doing was making McCartney III?

Right at the end of it, I’d just been stockpiling tracks, and I thought, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do with all of this – I guess I’ll hang onto it,’ and then I thought, ‘Wait a minute, this is a McCartney record,’ because I’d played everything and done it in the same manner as McCartney I and II. That was a little light bulb going off, and I thought, ‘Well, at least that makes a point of explaining what I’ve been doing, unbeknownst to me.’

It’s been 40 years since McCartney II – has there ever been a point between then and now that you’ve intended to make number III before?

No. Actually, not at all. I did McCartney right after The Beatles in 1970, McCartney II in 1980, and I did other similar projects, like The Firemen, working with Youth – that was a little bit similar because we’d go in the studio and Youth or I would just have a little bit of an idea, and it was a kind of homemade product, but it never occurred to me to do another McCartney album.

As you say, McCartney I and II followed such seismic shifts in your life and career – in that sense, how does the timing of this new record compare?

The common denominator is that I had a lot of time suddenly. After The Beatles broke up, I suddenly had a lot of time and no particular plan in mind. And then when Wings broke up it was a similar thing. And with me, when I’ve got a lot of time, my go-to situation is, ‘Well, write and record, then – that’s something to do when you’ve got some spare time.’ So this was similar, but it was the pandemic that stopped things. We were due to go on a European tour this year, but very early on Italy got the virus, and gradually all of the other gigs, including Glastonbury, which was going to be the culmination of it, got knocked out. So then it was, ‘Ok, well what am I going to do?’ And that’s my fall-back situation – to write and record.

These are the December-due albums that you will want to own, and it will not be long until many people start listing the albums due next year that are worth your pennies. I am not sure whether any really big albums have been announced for next year, but we will start to hear more over the coming weeks/months. If you are in need of a few Christmas gift ideas in the form of albums, then I hope that the suggestions above…

IN THIS PHOTO: The Kills

WILL help out.

FEATURE: A Crushed Lily in My Soul: Kate Bush’s Moving

FEATURE:

 

 

A Crushed Lily in My Soul

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankowitz 

Kate Bush’s Moving

___________

I am peppering in…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Moorhouse/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

a few song-specific bits when it comes to Kate Bush, as there are some really great songs of hers that do not really get played or talked about much. It is a return to my favourite album, The Kick Inside, and the extraordinary opening track, Moving. There are a number of reasons why I want to spotlight this one track – I have checked on features I have done before and I do not think I have dedicated one to Moving. A lot of people’s first exposure to Kate Bush in 1978 would have been her debut single, Wuthering Heights, which was released a month before The Kick Inside. I think the success of that song – it got to number-one and remains one of her most-loved tracks -, perhaps, took a little momentum away from the rest of the album. By that, I mean Wuthering Heights was still very much in vogue and being played when The Kick Inside arrived on 17th February. I guess many people would have bought the album purely on the strength of the single and Bush’s performances of the song. Whereas Wuthering Heights is the final song on the first side, the first track people would hear on Bush’s debut album is Moving. Many may not have known about Wuthering Heights prior to buying The Kick Inside so, for them, the beautiful Moving was their introduction. I have talked about how Bush was masterful when it came to opening and closing tracks.

The Kick Inside ends with the title track: a song about incest, suicide and familial tragedy and, whilst that sounds bleak, it is a song beautifully performed and ends the album with a pause and slightly tragic note. Conversely, Moving opens the album up with one of the most positive tracks. There was some critical derision regarding Kate Bush’s image and personality; many felt she was quite hippy-like and not nearly as substantial as many of the artists around in 1978. I think the fact her debut album opens with whale song did little to redress their perceptions! I have discussed the fantastic way The Kick Inside opens and the fact that we get this stunning whale song at the start! The Kate Bush Encyclopaedia provide some background regarding Moving’s background:

“The song is a tribute to Lindsay Kemp, who was her mime teacher in the mid-Seventies. She explained in an interview, "He needed a song written to him. He opened up my eyes to the meanings of movement. He makes you feel so good. If you've got two left feet it's 'you dance like an angel darling.' He fills people up, you're an empty glass and glug, glug, glug, he's filled you with champagne".

Kemp sadly died in 2018, but his impact on Kate Bush is very clear. I will look at the lyrics to Moving soon, but the words I use in the title refer to a line in the song: “You crush the lily in my soul”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankowitz

That is a reference to Kemp and how he managed to bring out a more confident side to her. That imagery is very beautiful and, when you think about the sort of boldness and brilliance that we hear through The Kick Inside, I think Kemp was quite instrumental regarding shaping Bush as a vocalist – I think her dance and movement training directly affected the way she sang and delivered her songs. I think Moving is the perfect way to open The Kick Inside, as we get this soft-yet-powerful song with some beautiful backing vocals. I love the physicality and dance Bush projects through her vocals and, on an album full of wonderful lyrics, Moving contains some of her best. “Moving liquid/Yes, you are just as water/You flow around all that comes in your way/Don't think it over/It always takes you over/And sets your spirit dancing” is a gorgeous piece of writing that swims in the mind and gets into the heart. Although my favourite two songs on The Kick Inside are Wuthering Heights, and Them Heavy People, Moving would be right up there! Going back to the article from the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia, and they provide information regarding Bush’s performances of Moving:

“Soon after the release of The Kick Inside, Bush performed 'Moving' alongside with 'Them Heavy People' on 25 February 1978 on the BBC TV show Saturday Nights at the Mill. On 12 May, she took part in a Dutch special TV show dedicated to the opening of the Haunted Castle, the new attraction of the amusement park Efteling.

She performed six songs in six videos filmed near the castle and across the park. At the beginning of the video for 'Moving', the camera shows a tombstone covered with leaves. Then, the wind blows the leaves and lets appear the name of Kate Bush. She performs the song in front of the castle's door. In June 1978, Bush sang "Moving" at Nippon Budokan during the Tokyo Music Festival. The performance was retransmitted on the Japanese television on 21 June and was followed by a 35 million audience. She won the silver prize alongside with the American R&B band The Emotions. In 1979, Bush included 'Moving' on her first tour, The Tour of Life. Her performance can be seen on the video Live at Hammersmith Odeon”.

Bush did actually release Moving as a single in Japan (with Wuthering Heights as the B-side), and I would have loved to have seen it released in the U.K. I guess she and EMI did not want to put out too many singles but, as only two U.K. singles were released – Wuthering Heights, and The Man with the Child in His Eyes -, there would have been room for Moving. It must have been quite daunting being faced with so many T.V. interviews and performances right at the start of her career. I feel a lot of critics defined her on the strength of Wuthering Heights and its sound. I really love her T.V. appearances, and I really think she stood out from every other songwriter in 1978. Moving is a gem of a song and one of the finest Bush ever recorded. If you have not bought The Kick Inside on vinyl then go and do so, as it is a wonderful album with so many exceptional songs! Opening with the sublime Moving, we are treated to this evocative and immersive song that makes you shiver with its beauty. I will do other song-specific features through the weeks, but I was keen to explore my favourite album’s…

SIMPLY amazing opening track.

TRACK REVIEW: Miley Cyrus - WTF Do I Know

TRACK REVIEW:

 

 

Miley Cyrus

WTF Do I Know

9.2/10

The track, WTF Do I Know, is available from:

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

 The album, Plastic Hearts, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0BCjAmbM8ryCM9gxy5yW7h?si=XD3XYOrTRjmWn7zHNmrZDw

RELEASE DATE:

27th November, 2020

GENRES:

Rock/Pop

ORIGIN:

Tennessee, U.S.A.

LABEL:

RCA

PRODUCERS:

Louis Bell/The Monsters & Strangerz/Happy Perez/Mark Ronson/Andrew Watt/Andrew Wyatt

TRACKLISTING:

WTF Do I Know

Plastic Hearts

Angels like You

Prisoner (ft. Dua Lipa)

Gimme What I Want

Night Crawling (ft. Billy Idol)

Midnight Sky

High

Hate Me

Bad Karma (ft. Joan Jett)

Never Be Me

Golden G String

__________

I have been keen to review Miley Cyrus…

because I have been following her music for a while. She just released her seventh studio album, Plastic Hearts, and she has collaborated with a number of great musicians on it. Not only has she joined forces with Dua Lipa on the incredible Prisoner, but Billy Idol is in the frame on Night Crawling, whilst Joan Jett & The Blackhearts make an appearance on Bad Karma. I like the fact that Cyrus has only brought in a few guests - and they add something extra to the album. All too often, artists load in others and it can weigh down songs and make them seem like exercises in boosting those people’s streaming numbers. I think artists like Miley Cyrus have a genuine appreciation of the artists she collaborates with, so that means that the listener gets to hear something meaningful and thought-out. I am not going to review any of the tracks I just mentioned but I thought it warranted a nod. I am going to briefly talk about Miley Cyrus stepping into a more Rock-based territory; she has been known as a Pop artist for a long time. Whilst she has not completely entered the domain of Joan Jett or Billy Idol, there has been this crossover and blend. Plastic Hearts has a balance of more emotional and sensitive Pop numbers with tracks that are bolder and have more of a kick to them! Before I dive into the song I want to review, I thought I should mention a few relevant subjects. I want to bring in an interview Cyrus conducted with TIME in 2015 concerning gender and sexual fluidity. Last year, Miley Cyrus was in the news due to her comments that received backlash from the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community. I think it was misjudged what she said (read the article), but I think that Cyrus is an artist who is gender-fluid and has a lot of affection for the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community. The TIME interview reveals a little more:

“Cyrus counts herself among the people who don’t feel they fit in the traditional boxes, saying she doesn’t like the labels boy or girl or even gender fluid, though she’s settled on the latter for now. “I’m just equal. I’m just even. It has nothing to do with any parts of me or how I dress or how I look. It’s literally just how I feel,” Cyrus says during a break from taking pictures for Happy Hippie Presents #InstaPride in Los Angeles last month. The campaign is a collaboration between Happy Hippie—her non-profit dedicated to helping homeless and LGBT youth—and Instagram, aimed at spreading positive images of gender-nonconforming people and the families who love them.

 Cyrus, wearing a yellow jumpsuit that hugs no curves and shows little skin, is talking about how she’s been sexually open for years and felt androgynous long before she heard the phrase gender fluid. She says she was the person other sexually curious teenage girls came to in Nashville: “They all wanted to experiment. I was always the one.” Now, when she does arrive somewhere wearing little but pasties and butterfly wings, she knows there will be critics who shame her for having her “tits out,” as she puts it. But she says she keeps doing it to challenge people: “I’m using it as a power stance,” she says. “It’s funny to see people try to look me in the eye.”

Like a college student exploring gender and sexuality in a very public seminar, Cyrus is combing back over the experiences of her youth in search of new kinds of understanding. Many of the people she’s photographing at the #InstaPride shoot have been on long journeys to find themselves, too. Greta Martela came out as a transgender woman late in life while living as a 44-year-old single dad. Tyler Ford, a close friend of Ariana Grande who grew up with the star in Boca Raton, came out as a transgender man before they (Ford’s preferred pronoun) stopped taking testosterone and started identifying as agender—meaning they feel they have no gender at all”

She traces her fluid feelings about relationships and gender back to her own parents, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and producer Tish Cyrus. “I don’t associate men and protection necessarily,” Cyrus says. “I think that’s what’s given me the openness of sexuality. Not that my dad wasn’t an awesome protector, but I trust my mom to save me. She’s the prince. I never had that fairy tale.” She recalls crying before dates as a teenager, stressed about people noticing flaws like a pimple. Now she says she’s much less concerned with the superficial stuff. “F—ing is easy. You can find someone to f— in five seconds,” she says. “We want to find someone we can talk to. And be ourselves with. That’s fairly slim pickings”.

Not to read too much into Plastic Hearts, but I guess one cannot avoid the fact that Cyrus had her divorce with Liam Hemsworth finalised earlier this year. I do think that this permeates songs on the album. I will bring in an article where Cyrus discussed her divorce but, first, an interview in ELLE from last year - where Cyrus talked about bodily autonomy and how people reacted to the fact she was married:

“ELLE: It sounds like you’ve been thinking a lot about women’s bodily autonomy.

Miley Cyrus: Yeah, too much. I’m such an over-thinker. But at this time of my life, I feel the most powerful I’ve ever felt. I like the way being sexual makes me feel, but I’m never performing for men. They shouldn’t compliment themselves to think that the decisions I’m making in my career would have anything to do with them getting pleasure. I don’t think that because some guy thinks I’m hot he’s going to buy my record. It doesn’t help me.

And then there’s the idea that if you’re a woman, your life is over when you get married.

I think it’s very confusing to people that I’m married. But my relationship is unique. And I don’t know that I would ever publicly allow people in there because it’s so complex, and modern, and new that I don’t think we’re in a place where people would get it. I mean, do people really think that I’m at home in a fucking apron cooking dinner? I’m in a hetero relationship, but I still am very sexually attracted to women. People become vegetarian for health reasons, but bacon is still fucking good, and I know that. I made a partner decision. This is the person I feel has my back the most. I definitely don’t fit into a stereotypical wife role. I don’t even like that word”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: ELLE

It is sad that her marriage broke down, and I do not want to speculate why it did. It must have been hard living in the public eye and not only having people obsesses over the relationship when it was healthy, but to speculate and judge when it broke down! It is hard to look at an album like Plastic Hearts without, in some way, thinking about the split and how it affected Cyrus. One has to feel huge sympathy, as it is hard enough making any marriage work, let alone one that is so in the public sphere! Recently, she spoke with COMPLEX and talked about her divorce:

"I recently just went through a very public divorce that fucking sucked," she said. "What really sucked about it wasn't the fact that me and someone that I loved realized that we don't love each other the way that we used to anymore. That's OK. I can accept that. I can't accept the villainizing and the, just, all those stories. It's just amazing to me that the public kind of thinks that there's no gap of time that they didn't see that could possibly be what led to this. Like, it's not 'One day you were happy on the [red] carpet and the next day you were making out with your friend in Italy, what the fuck?' There was a lot of time in between that that you didn't see."

"It can happen with things like love," she said. "I've even felt that too. When it's, like, been the most stressful times in my life, I can't reach for drugs anymore, I don't want to reach for bad food. Alright, I'm gonna reach for someone to love me." Cyrus added that, when people are in love, "you do feel like you're high on drugs" during those early months. "It's the same drip," she said.

From there, Cyrus got more specific when noting the hangover-like effects of finding yourself in that situation.

"Actually, [the one] I called the love of mine who I was with and we got divorced, it was almost like a pacifier," she told Rogan. "It was that thing that I just needed. Not because we were in love anymore but because of the comfort and because my brain said 'Oh, this feels better, this is comforting.' But actually, knowing that I was giving in to an addiction made me feel way worse. I had the hangover. … It felt like a relapse every time I'd go back".

Just a little bit of a detour for a second but, as Cyrus appeared in an episode of Black Mirror called Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too, I wanted to mention that. Some criticised the episode. The plot follows Ashley O (Miley Cyrus), a Pop star who is creatively restricted by her management team, and Rachel (Angourie Rice) and Jack Goggins (Madison Davenport), teenage sisters who struggle with the recent loss of their mother. Many felt it was overcooked but I think that Cyrus’ performance was terrific. Many do not know her as an actor (she is famous as Hannah Montana), but she did put in a great turn in Black Mirror. She spoke with The Guardian last year about the series:  

“Were you a fan of Black Mirror before?

Huge. Seen every episode of every season.

What was your favourite episode?

Nosedive.

What drew you to the script?

I think it’s an important story that needs to be told, such a realistic take on what it’s like working in the music industry. It really portrays the overt exploitation of artists and that numbers usually eclipse the creative most of the time.

How much did you contribute to the formation of the character? Did you suggests things that weren’t in the script?

It was a great collaboration, but there is a part of Ashley O that is not a character. I worked closely with Anne, the director and the show creators to share some of my personal experiences and help craft the episode.

Was the world of pop it portrayed familiar to you?

Eerily so … yes. You can see it playing out in the media right now. There’s huge similarities with what we see in pop music today”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: WSJ. MAGAZINE

Not to focus too much on darker and more serious aspects but, not only is it important to talk about Miley Cyrus’ divorce but, also, her sobriety. Addiction is something that affects a lot of musicians and I do think that it is commendable that she has, it seems, won her battle with alcohol. I can only envisage the pressure huge Pop stars are put under - and it is all too easy to slip into excessive drinking or drug-taking. I think that Cyrus is a model and inspiration for others that are battling addiction! She was asked about her sobriety in an interview with Variety this year:

“You mentioned living a sober life. Are you sober sober?

“I’ve been sober sober for the past six months. At the beginning, it was just about this vocal surgery. … But I had been thinking a lot about my mother. My mom was adopted, and I inherited some of the feelings she had, the abandonment feelings and wanting to prove that you’re wanted and valuable. My dad’s parents divorced when he was 3, so my dad raised himself. I did a lot of family history, which has a lot of addiction and mental health challenges. So just going through that and asking, “Why am I the way that I am?” By understanding the past, we understand the present and the future much more clearly. I think therapy is great.

That’s great. I’m celebrating my sober birthday on July 7. It will be seven years.

Congratulations. It’s really hard because especially being young, there’s that stigma of “you’re no fun.” It’s like, “honey, you can call me a lot of things, but I know that I’m fun.” The thing that I love about it is waking up 100%, 100% of the time. I don’t want to wake up feeling groggy. I want to wake up feeling ready”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Apple Music

One great fact about Miley Cyrus is that Dolly Parton played her godmother in Hannah Montana! I have recently featured Dolly Parton on my site, and I think she is an artist who has impacted so many. Really, she is someone who deserves to live forever because, more and more, she is revealing herself to be superhuman! I can understand the positive effect she has had on Miley Cyrus. In this interview, we learn how Cyrus has followed Parton’s wisdom:

“Long-term fans of Cyrus will recall that Parton actually played Cyrus’ godmother in her hit Disney Channel show, Hannah Montana. The “Jolene” singer guest-starred numerous times in the show as herself and offered Cyrus’ character, Miley Stewart, tons of advice on how to navigate fame, the music industry, and romantic relationships with boys. But Parton’s advice wasn’t limited to Hannah Montana. Cyrus has been very candid about how influential Parton has been in her life.

Miley Cyrus has learned a lot from her godmother, Dolly Parton

In an interview with NPR, Cyrus got candid about how much she’s learned from her godmother. Citing, that the 9 to 5 star had shared many lessons with her over the years, Cyrus revealed one of the most important lessons that Parton taught her. “The best thing that she does is she’s not afraid to laugh at herself,” Cyrus shared about her godmother.

The ‘Midnight Sky’ singer has applied Parton’s advice to her career

Cyrus, like Parton, has certainly managed to push boundaries of her own. However, it seems that Cyrus isn’t fixated on doing things for shock value. Instead, she’s learned from her godmother to just do things with honesty and authenticity. “And to remember that you want to make music for the people that love your music for your honesty, and for your fans,” Cyrus shared about what she’s learned from Parton. “Otherwise, just have fun and make the music that you love”.

I am going to end on a Rock tip and discuss Billy Idol and how Miley Cyrus’ music has changed over the past couple of years. Before that, I want to bring in something that caught my eye. Again, it is a little random, but I think that it warrants highlighting. Many musicians have spoken about the pandemic and how it has affected society and, recently, Madonna said that the pandemic was a great equaliser. In a sense, we are all in the same position and going through the same thing, but we are also divided and, to be honest, the situation is different for everyone! An article in Billboard highlighted how Cyrus responded to Madonna’s comment:

“Miley Cyrus appeared on a Scandinavian talk show on Monday (Nov. 2) to promote her upcoming album and speak out about how the coronavirus pandemic has made life anything but a party in the U.S.A. during 2020.

The topic came up when the host of the Oslo, Norway-based chat show Skavlan asked the pop star if she agreed with Madonna's controversial comments earlier this year that the global health crisis was the "great equalizer."

"I don’t agree with that,” Cyrus told Fredrik Skavlan. “I think that we’ve seen more divide recently than I have in my lifetime, just because we are really understanding the division between race and wealth, and that wealth and health can actually be the same thing. And I think that’s unfathomably wrong and that is why our election is so important. So no, I don’t believe COVID has been an equalizer in any way".

  PHOTO CREDIT: WSJ. MAGAZINE

I am going to end the pre-review section with a talk about Rock. As I said at the start, Cyrus is viewed more of a Pop artist, but I like the fact that she has moved more to Rock. She is a big fan of heavier music but, maybe, there has been pressure to produce more Pop-oriented songs. The fact she has Billy Idol and Joan Jett on Plastic Hearts means there is respect for her from them but, in turn, she has a true love of their music! It would be good to see Cyrus embrace Rock more, as she has a really powerful voice - and it will be interesting hearing her in that mould. In an article from Rolling Stone, we learn about Cyrus discussing Billy Idol (whilst she was being interviewed by Zane Lowe):

“Miley Cyrus talked collaborating with Billy Idol — who features on the track “Night Crawling” from Cyrus’ new Eighties-inspired album Plastic Hearts — during an upcoming interview with Apple Music 1 host Zane Lowe.

“Me and Billy have known each other, I think the first time I ever did anything for Billy Idol was in like 2013,” Cyrus says. That year, the Cyrus performed “Rebel Yell” at the VH1 Divas concert; three years later, Cyrus and Idol performed the song together during an iHeartRadio concert.

“His music… the way that he married rebellion but also his music where he had incredible hooks. And he showed me that I could have balance, that I could make music that I and other people love. And sometimes I’ve lost that and I’ve found that again where it’s like, ‘I want to make music for me.'”

Cyrus added that, before working on Plastic Hearts, the Idol hit “Eyes Without a Face” “actually followed me around for like a year”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Harry Durrant

Just before I get to reviewing, I want to talk about Cyrus sort of transitioning from a pure Pop artist to someone with a bit more grit. Of course, there has not been a complete transformation, but one can hear a slight shift. Maybe this has been influenced by her divorce or battle against addiction, but I feel it is more Cyrus evolving and embracing new sounds. I think Rock is an evolving and broad genre, but one only needs to listen to Cyrus’ recent Rock covers to know that she is has this whole other side to her! This article explains more:

“As of late, Miley Cyrus has been dropping rock covers, such as “Heart of Glass” by Blondie and “Zombie” by The Cranberries. For Cyrus, this is nothing new. She's been doing covers for many years now, considering her versatility in the music industry.

Cyrus’s music career propelled since her debut in "Hannah Montana" on Disney Channel, but there’s more depth to her origins. She grew up in a musical environment right outside of Nashville, Tennessee, known for its diverse music scene.

Her family life offered an even more musical upbringing for Cyrus — her dad is Billy Ray Cyrus, a well-known country artist most known for his song “Achy Breaky Heart.” To add to her extensive music background, Cyrus's godmother is Dolly Parton, another very well-known country star, with bops like “9 to 5” and “Jolene.”

Cyrus's rock covers have been blowing up all over the internet, with fans remarking on how versatile she is and how amazing she sounds no matter what genre she decides to sing.

More specifically, her rock covers have become largely popularized from the use of her audio on TikTok. Many users are utilizing Cyrus's cover of “Heart of Glass” to empower themselves and feel confident for being who they are. After all, Cyrus is the type of person who promotes being carefree and embracing one’s self. It can be seen through the way she dresses and presents herself”.

I guess one only needed to see her performance at Glastonbury last year to realise she is a powerful performer! It will be interesting to hear what her next album sounds like.

Opening with some funky bass, WTF Do I Know is one of the more intense and electric tracks on Plastic Hearts. I like the brief introduction because there is this looseness and tightness all at once from the bass. Cyrus’ voice is really cool on the track! There is a sort of moodiness and heaviness, but one feels a lot of strength and potency in her voice. I am hearing elements of inspirations such as Joan Jett - and WTF Do I Know is a real highlight from Plastic Hearts. The first verse definitely summons images and impressions:  “I'm not tryna have another conversation/Probably not gon' wanna play me on your station/Pourin' out a bottle full of my frustration/Here to tell you somethin' that you don't know/I'm the type to drive a pickup through your mansion/I'm completely naked but I'm makin' it fashion/Maybe gettin' married just to cause a distraction/Here to tell you somethin' that you don't know”. Listening to that verse, and one can hear some of the frustrations that have come from media attention and, perhaps, her split with Liam Hemsworth. Also, I know she uses the words ‘pouring out’ as a metaphor, but one cannot help but to think of alcohol and perhaps the sort of wild-child response to a stressful situation! Soon enough a catchy drum beat hooks onto the bass and the song goes up another gear. For those who dismiss Miley Cyrus as Pop fluff or someone who is quite effete need to listen to this track. Plastic Hearts has other songs like WTF Do I Know, but I think this song is a sign of where she might head on future albums. Her voice is fantastic when it is has a combination of sexiness and cockiness! The speed and catchiness of the song gets the feet beating, and one cannot help but be enticed by the song! When we get to the pre-chorus, you imagine impressions of Cyrus’ marriage disconnection: “Am I wrong that I moved on and I/And I don't even miss you?/Thought that it'd be you until I die/But I let go”.

The pre-chorus sees the intensity build and, by the time we get to the chorus, the band kick in; Cyrus’ voice is at its most exhilarating and emotional. Her anger is clear and, whilst she never really hits her raw best, there are definitely signs of her Rock best! Such a versatile singer, one gets so many emotions in a very naked and honest chorus: “What the fuck do I know? I'm alone/'Cause I couldnt be somebody's hero/You want an apology? Not from me/Had to leave you in your own misery/So tell me, baby, am I wrong that I moved on?/And I, and I don't even miss you/Thought that it'd be you until I die/But I let go, what the fuck do I know? (Oh)”. Maybe this song relates to someone else but, really, it has to concern her split. Some are nervous about being so personal in songs - and feel it best to keep private - but, as music is a way of being able to express and reveal personal experiences, I do feel that there is catharsis in the song! There is a great sonic blend of Rock from the 1970s and Pop-Punk from the early-2000s. One does not hear a lot of it in modern music, and it is a really pleasing blend! The second verse really interests me: “Tryin' to see the stars through the new pollution/Think that I'm the problem? Honey, I'm the solution/Maybe all the chaos is for your amusement/Here to tell you somethin' that you don't know/Put you on a pedestal, you're cravin' the spotlight/Desperate for attention, nose is bloody, it's daylight/Wakin' up with people that we met for the first time/Loved it, then I hated it, and I let you go”. Those lyrics are really intriguing; a blend of the direct and slightly more oblique means that one will play the song a few times to get to the truth. With some cool riffs and standout electric guitar sections, there is definite intensity and explosion in WTF Do I Know. For those who feel Plastic Hearts is a little too plastic and not quite as Rock-y as it could be really need to listen to WTF Do I Know. I do admit that not all of the songs on the album hit the mark, but this is a definite winner! With a broad and interesting composition and Miley Cyrus at full throttle, WTF Do I Know certainly braces you - and, with its affecting and direct lyrics, it is one of Cyrus’ most personal songs on Plastic Hearts!

There are a couple of things I want to raise before ending the review. I will come to a fascinating project Cyrus is working on at the moment but, as I mentioned addiction and being thrust into the limelight at the start, I want to, now, talk about the touring life of a huge Pop artist. In an interview in INTERVIEW Magazine, Cyrus and Rick Owens (a fashion designer) raised the subject of touring and the effect it can have:

“OWENS: When you’re on tour, are you in your own personal space? Are you on a tour bus or flying private?

CYRUS: They always get hotel rooms and I never stay in them. I always stay on my bus. I make it my zone and do a lot of drawing and painting. I started working on sculpture, which is hilarious to do in a moving vehicle.

OWENS: You ended up customizing your environment inside the bus?

CYRUS: Yeah. The thing that I liked about sculpture was making art out of things that didn’t mean anything to anyone else, things that were considered trash. I think that came from my mom. She was adopted and, in a sense, given away, and she didn’t feel a lot of value. But I totally worship her.

OWENS: That’s a really tender creative expression. But when you perform, it’s more of a powerful blast. Your songs are tender, but your performances are strong.

CYRUS: I usually feel pretty bottled-up, and performing is the only time I get to be myself in my fullest form. It’s a fucking addiction, because when I’m not doing it, I just wish that I was”.

Just before closing, I want to highlight how Cyrus is working on a Metallica covers album. This has been rumoured for a bit, but considering Cyrus has done a few covers this year, I am not shocked that Metallica are next up! I am looking forward to the album and discovering how she interprets the work of Rock/Metal gods! This article from SPIN explains more:

“Leave it to Miley Cyrus to seamlessly become this year’s cover queen. The pop star revealed that she’s in the process of creating an album of Metallica covers.

“We’ve been working on a Metallica cover album and I’m here working on that,” Cyrus told with California-based fashion designer Rick Owens in a chat in Interview magazine. She also revealed that’s why she wasn’t at home; she was somewhere working on the record.

“We’re so lucky to be able to continue to work on our art during all of this. At first, it felt uninspiring and now I’ve been totally ignited,” she told the magazine.

Cyrus has already covered Metallica in the past, performing a faithful version of the band’s 1991 hit, “Nothing Else Matters” at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival. Listen to that below”.

I would urge people to check out Plastic Hearts as it is one of Miley Cyrus’ best albums and, if like me, you are a fan but not a massive convert, then this album offers new sounds and different sounds to her. I think she will continue to develop as an artist - and the best is definitely yet to come. Considering the career that she has already, and the fact Miley Cyrus is only twenty-eight, it is…

PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

PRETTY amazing!

___________

Follow Miley Cyrus

PHOTO CREDIT: Mick Rock 

Official:

https://www.mileycyrusplastichearts.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MileyCyrus

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MileyCyrus/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mileycyrus/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5YGY8feqx7naU7z4HrwZM6?si=cjh0-zKQR1-DygY6YL3N4g

YouTube:

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

ALL UNCREDITED PHOTOS:

Miley Cyrus

FEATURE: A Buyer’s Guide: Part Thirty-One: Tegan and Sara

FEATURE:

 

 

A Buyer’s Guide

 PHOTO CREDIT: Pamela Littky

Part Thirty-One: Tegan and Sara

___________

FOR this outing of A Buyer’s Guide…

I am featuring Tegan and Sara. They are a fantastic Canadian indie pop band formed in 1998, comprised of identical twin sisters, Tegan Rain and Sara Keirsten Quin. The pair have released nine studio albums and numerous E.P.s. I really love their music, so I wanted to highlight it here. Each album is different and interesting so, if you have not heard of them or need a guide to their back catalogue, then I have recommended the four essential albums, an underrated one, their latest studio effort, and an accompanying book. Have a look and listen to the suggestions below because, if you are not familiar and steeped in Tegan and Sara’s music, then I really feel that…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Scott Gries/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

YOU ought to be.

_______________

The Four Essential Album

 

If It Was You

Release Date: 20th August, 2002

Labels: Vapor/Sanctuary

Producers: John Collins/David Carswell

Standout Tracks: Monday Monday Monday/I Hear Noises/Living Room

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Tegan-and-Sara-If-It-Was-You/release/2031242

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/03KYia16AlAgoGNUneay0J

Review:

“Three songs on If It Was You stand above the rest, the best examples of the duo's growing songwriting talents and the best combinations of their folk influences and their new, louder direction. The Britpoppy "Want to Be Bad", with its combination of a shuffling drum beat, acoustic guitars, and ethereal electric guitar solo licks with an excellent vocal performance by Tegan (at least, I think it's Tegan . . . they sound so much alike). According to their bio, "Under Water" was inspired by Sara's attempt at writing a children's book, and it possesses a real sing-song quality along with some more 12-string guitar (think The La's), with its very pretty chorus of "All I need is time / Time to love you" and the odd facetious aside ("Your silly love songs / A bird's chorus and such"). Tegan's fun, bluegrass stomp of a song "Living Room" is the album's catchiest tune, as she describes the view through a neighbor's uncomfortably close window and the voyeuristic desire to keep staring: "My windows look into your bathroom / I spend the evening watching you get yourself clean / I wonder why it is they left this bathroom so unclean / So unlike me."

It's good to see that Tegan And Sara know the difference between singing an emotional song well and just trying too hard to get the message across; most singers their age simply beat a song to death with their vocal histrionics, ripping off Alanis Morrissette, et al, but these wisecracking sisters possess a maturity and easygoing feel that's sorely lacking in the Young Female Singer/Songwriter subgenre. If It Was You doesn't break new musical ground, but that doesn't keep it from being one of the more pleasant surprises to surface in recent months” – Popmatters

Choice Cut: Time Running

The Con

Release Date: 24th July, 2007

Labels: Vapor/Sire/London

Producers: Tegan and Sara/Chris Walla

Standout Tracks: Are You Ten Years Ago/Burn Your Life Down/Floorplan

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Tegan-And-Sara-The-Con/master/58207

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4QjGIZZqvNrdkgw4LZKLZK?si=0lqdh8kGTXqX7gvQRXR-0g

Review:

“Although identical twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin first appeared in the music scene in the late '90s playing the kind of folk-rock and folk-punk more associated with other Lilith Fair (in which they participated) artists of the time, by the time 2007 rolled around they had moved into much poppier territory. It was a progression, to be sure, from This Business of Art to their fourth Vapor full-length -- one that can be heard in the time spent on production, the louder guitars -- but that still may not prepare listeners for The Con. Produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, the album is full of quirky, Aqueduct-like keyboards, punchy bass from Weezer's Matt Sharp and AFI's Hunter Burgan, and even some guitar help from Kaki King that stretch and shove their way into the spaces between Tegan and Sara's hook-driven melodies and clean harmonies, more complex than anything they've done before. Though each sister writes and sings lead on seven tracks, it is Sara especially who writes the more intricate pieces ("Relief Next to Me," "Like O, Like H"), showing a more adult songwriter, one who has matured since her first work came out, while Tegan draws more from simpler emo and pop-punk arrangements ("Nineteen," "Hop a Plane"), her songs more straightforward, both compositionally and lyrically, than her sister's. But this isn't to say that there's a kind of disparity or harsh contrast on The Con. Much like the duo's voices, which share a timbre, a clear relationship, even if their actual tonality differs, the songs on the album complement each other, play off the other's strengths, and make the record very much an entity instead of simply a collection of tracks, setting it off as an impressive step forward in their already commendable discography” – AllMusic

Choice Cut: The Con

Sainthood

Release Date: 26th October, 2009

Label: Sire

Producers: Chris Walla/Howard Redekopp

Standout Tracks: Hell/Red Belt/Paperback Head

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Tegan-And-Sara-Sainthood/master/203376

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/5WEzg0qwsaTxv798ACtVTH

Review:

“The danceable, buzzy, ’80s-influenced pop-rock of Tegan & Sara has become increasingly common of late, thanks in part to fellow travelers like The Gossip and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. That means the Quin sisters may not get the credit they deserve for the way they construct and deconstruct songs. More than just a throwback act, Tegan & Sara have a lot in common with Spoon in the way they tug at the edges of classic girl-group pop and R&B, emphasizing rhythmic punch while keeping their melodies clean and lyrics memorable. True, there’s something faintly robotic to the approach—more so than ever on the duo’s sixth LP, Sainthood, which is more or less a copy of 2007’s superb The Con—but the songs are so well-tooled that it’s hard to hold their precision against them.

Consider Sainthood’s “Arrow,” which puts a staccato beat under the repeated image of an arrow’s feathers brushing by; the lyrics offer a straightforward expression of unrequited love, contained within a song packed with restless energy. Throughout Sainthood, Tegan & Sara invest small, relatable subjects—the embarrassment of unconscious gestures, the loneliness of sexual yearning—with the urgency of a teenage love-note. And after wallowing in romantic martyrdom for roughly half an hour, the Quins end Sainthood with “Sentimental Tune” and “Someday,” a rousing one-two finale that aspires to real joy. It’s another inside-out move for Tegan & Sara; they’ve pulled apart self-doubt and found the self-regard that lines it” – The A.V. Club

Choice Cut: Alligator

Love You to Death

Release Date: 3rd June, 2016

Labels: Vapor/Warner Bros.

Producer: Greg Kurstin

Standout Tracks: That Girl/Dying to Know/White Knuckles

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Tegan-and-Sara-Love-You-To-Death/master/1009307

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0zqoBumDciJGNoOsvfTP5U

Review:

“Indeed, for all Tegan and Sara’s adoption by the queens of teen pop, Love You to Death feels like a distinctly grownup album, unafraid to explore nuanced, mature themes. There’s something unflinching about 100x’s description of a failed relationship, and there’s a disturbing darkness lurking around Dying to Know: if you were the ex addressed in the lyrics, you’d strongly consider applying for a restraining order, or at the very least changing your mobile number.

That Buzzfeed profile also found the duo – who once doubted that gay women could ever make it into the US pop charts at all – wondering how far their newfound success might go, whether they might end up headlining Madison Square Gardens or the O2. Maybe, maybe not; the pop world is pretty fickle, after all. But listening to Love You to Death, it’s certainly not impossible to imagine” – The Guardian

Choice Cut: Boyfriend

The Underrated Gem

 

So Jealous

Release Date: 14th September, 2004

Labels: Vapor/Sanctuary

Producers: Sara Quin/Tegan Quin/John Collins/David Carswell/Howard Redekopp

Standout Tracks: You Wouldn't Like Me/I Know I Know I Know/Fix You Up

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Tegan-and-Sara-So-Jealous/master/58198

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2yNhqBKfZPzrxRJqGMbSz9

Review:

“Tegan and Sara's third album, So Jealous, is by far their most ambitious and liveliest record, opening up their punk-folk sound with a heavy dose of new wave sensibility and pop hooks. They started moving in this direction on their previous album, but here they dive headfirst into slick, shiny surfaces, insistent synths, clean guitars, and bright, playful melodies that sound sunny even in minor keys. This musical revamp doesn't betray their nervy emotionalism. Instead, it focuses them, giving their music style and flair that focuses them while making the duo more accessible. And So Jealous is indeed the Tegan and Sara album that could play to a wider audience, but the group remains an acquired taste for one reason: their thin, squeaky voices and close harmonies can be grating to the uninitiated. Nevertheless, for those who have acquired that taste, So Jealous is the most satisfying album Tegan and Sara have yet made” – AllMusic

Choice Cut: Walking with a Ghost

The Latest Album

 

Hey, I'm Just Like You

Release Date: 27th September, 2019

Label: Sire

Producer: Alex Hope

Standout Tracks: Hey, I'm Just Like You/Don't Believe the Things They Tell You (They Lie)/We Don't Have Fun When We're Together Anymore

Buy: https://www.discogs.com/Tegan-and-Sara-Hey-Im-Just-Like-You/release/14185107

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4tnkPLLedgamtrRCDdpqwX

Review:

“When, on ‘Hello, I’m Free’, a souped-up version of the demo ‘Hello’, Sara Quinn sings a repurposed line such as, “Right now, I wish I was older”, her original snarled cry for connection strikes a slightly different tone. This time you sense that maybe she was singing about a vaguer and more elusive kind of experience, rather than age itself.

But set aside ‘Hey, I’m Just Like You’s nifty concept and you’ll see that the record stands up without novelty value. ‘Hold My Breath Until I Die’ is a slightly macabre slab of slinking heartbreak; ‘Keep Them Close Cause They Will Fuck You Too’ glimmers and claws; and on the title track they finally score their first ever explicit song rating. It only took them nine studio albums to drop the F-Bomb – and here, it’s spat with delicious relish.

Some will perhaps hail this record as a return to the duo’s rockier roots, though that’s not necessarily true. Over the course of two decades, it’s been impossible to pin Tegan and Sara to one specific record or sonic direction. Place their snappy 2016 release ‘Love You To Death’ next to the synth-pop curveball ‘Heartthrob’, the punchy indie of ‘The Con’ or the biting ‘If It Was You’, and you’ll see a band that loves shaking things up. Their only truly consistent quality is their ability to cut straight to the emotional core.

Presented as verbatim reproductions, the songs on ‘Hey, I’m Just Like You’ would function as a pile of dogeared artists sketchbooks  – but picked up again and turned into hefty indie-pop bangers, this serves as an honest, vulnerable, and occasionally brutal reminder of what Tegan and Sara have always been best at” – NME

Choice Cut: I'll Be Back Someday

The Tegan and Sara Book

 

High School

Authors: Tegan Quin/Sara Quin

Publication Date (paperback): 17/11/2020

Publishers: Little/Brown Book Group

Synopsis:

“From iconic musicians Tegan and Sara comes a nostalgic memoir about high school, detailing their first loves and first songs in a compelling look back at their origin story.

'Genius' Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors

'A gift' Ellen Page, actress

'Utterly charming' Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties

Before they became international musicians and LGBTQ+ icons, twin sisters Sara and Tegan Quin came of age in 90s Canada. They argued relentlessly, skipped school, dropped acid and fell in and out of love - sometimes with their best friends.

One day they found their stepdad's guitar and their lives changed course forever.

High School is a revelatory joint memoir. It captures two sisters wrestling with their sexual and artistic identities and those breathtaking years when the future seems wondrously possible” – Waterstones

Order: https://www.waterstones.com/book/high-school/tegan-quin/sara-quin/9780349011981

FEATURE: Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure: Jennifer Lopez – If You Had My Love

FEATURE:

 

 

Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure

Jennifer Lopez – If You Had My Love

___________

I did have another song earmarked…

for this feature for today. I was going to include Michael Jackson’s Earth Song but, as there is still wariness about people supporting Jackson’s music, I have kept it aside. I may include it at some point, but I was nervy about throwing it out there. Instead, I am thinking of Jennifer Lopez. She has just put out a single, In the Morning, and its cover is a naked shot of her. It is an amazing photo and, at fifty-one, she looks unbelievable! That shot shows the sort of passion and confidence on the song and, so long after her debut album, On the 6, Jennifer Lopez remains a fantastic and popular artist. Her latest album, A.K.A. of 2014, received mixed reviews, but I hope there is another album coming along as her latest track shows her in fine form! Apart from music, Lopez is also a renowned and skilled actor – her role in Hustlers (2019) gained aplomb and critical congratulations. I promise the next song in this feature will be non-1990s – I might include something from the last couple of decades -, but I was keen to focus on Lopez as I think she is one of those artists who splits people. Many people see her music as a bit of a guilty pleasure because it, perhaps, doesn’t contain as much depth as a lot of her peers’ work. Although Lopez’s albums have divided people through the years, I think her 1999 debut album is a fantastic work.

This is me going back to school days but, when On the 6 arrived on 1st June, many of my friends were aware of Lopez but they were not fans of her music. A Spanish edition of the album was released on 24th November, 1999 (it would have been nice to hear Lopez sing in Spanish more on the non-Spanish release). There are some great songs through On the 6. Lopez worked with producers like Rodney Jerkins, and Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs - so there was so much experience on board to help mould the songs! There was a transformation between Lopez’s 1999 debut and 2001’s J.Lo – that moniker coming into full force on an album that was less immediate and memorable as her debut. I will bring in a review for On the 6 soon, but I think one of its best songs, If You Had My Love, deserves new love. Again, it is a song that only gets played on certain songs and I think some would feel a bit wary of confessing a love of the track! I really like the tone of Lopez’s voice: sultry and warm with plenty of versatility and strength. A lot of R&B/Pop artists in 1999 were known for being a bit processed and generic, but I think you can hear something different and unique about Lopez. She displays plenty of passion and personality through the entire album; If You Had My Love is a gem and song that showcases Lopez’s skills as a vocalist and interpreter.

Many felt that Lopez’s voice was a bit thin, lacked punch and was not that rounded. If You Had My Love was the first single released from the album on 4th May, 1999. It is a slinky, sexy and catchy song that was written by Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, and Cory Rooney. The blend of R&B, Latin rhythms and Pop makes the song accessible, but it also sounds a lot broader and more nuanced than a lot of music from that time. If You Had My Love was a big hit for Lopez, and it reached number-one in many nations. Even if the rest of On the 6 did not get a hugely positive reaction from some, If You Had My Love has been highlighted as a standout. It is interesting learning a bit about the passage before her debut single and how Jennifer Lopez came into music. Working on Selena (1997), a biographical film about American singer-songwriter Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, that inspired her to launch a music career. Her decision to launch a musical career was seen as a risk as transitioning from film to music was not always smooth and successful. In a Wikipedia article on the song, we learn more about If You Had My Love:

“According to Cory Rooney, one of the song's co-writers, Lopez was almost finished recording On the 6 when Rooney and Jerkins played a CD playlist of songs for Michael Jackson, which included "If You Had My Love." Rooney believed the song was "perfect for Jennifer", and hoped that Jackson would not take it. Rooney recalled: "The music begins and Michael starts moving and shaking to it and he goes, 'Man, I like this one.' My heart sunk. Then he says, 'I don’t like it for me, but I like it. It's gonna be a hit for someone else.'"

 Rooney said that he and LaShawn Daniels wrote "If You Had My Love" later that day. Conversely, journalist Damien Shields stated in 2015 that Rooney had Lopez record the song in 1998, and that it had already been allocated to her when Jackson heard it. Jackson thought it had a "really great groove" and briefly considered recording it. Shields said: "Everyone's like, 'Shit, now we’re going to have to argue with the King of Pop because that's already going to be Jennifer's first song and it's already in motion and is going to radio in two months.' How do you possibly tell Michael Jackson no?" Jackson passed on the song, believing it was better suited for a female singer. "It was the only one of Rodney's songs that he gravitated towards, but he also had the intuition to know that a female should sing it for it realize its best potential," Shields noted.

Lyrically, the song resembles a conversation, in which Lopez confronts her admirer in an "insistent" manner with a number of ground rules before they can begin a relationship. MTV's James Dinh said Lopez "lets her insecurities get the best of her" on the track. Billboard writer Leslie Richin wrote that it "served as a cautionary tale for admirers who might one day have a chance with the budding starlet. Bottom line: liars and cheaters need not apply." In the song's opening lines, Lopez states: "Now if I gave you me, this is how it's got to be / First of all I won't take you cheatin' on me / Tell me who can I trust if I can't trust in you / And I refuse to let you play me for a fool.”

In the chorus, she poses the question: "If you had my love / And I gave you all my trust... / Would you lie to me / And call me baby?” Lopez explained in her book True Love (2014) that the lyrics refer to "the beginning of a new relationship and what I expect and what I want," saying that "there's a little bit of fear in there too, and a feeling of, what will you do if I give you my heart?" The verses consist of her "trying to lay down the rules", while the chorus expresses "all of the fear" that she feels. Jocelyn Vena of MTV News noted that "If You Had My Love" marked the beginning of Lopez exploring the topic of love, which she has continued throughout her career”.

If You Had My Love is a fantastic debut single and I am glad that this song was marked as the first from the album. Other singles from On the 6 such as Waiting for Tonight are great, but I have a very soft spot for If You Had My Love. I think there was snobbishness and dubiousness from many when people learned Lopez was an actor coming into music. I think some dismissed the album without really listening to it, but soon Lopez was this major star and appearing in huge films!

Subsequent albums have seen her increase in confidence and explore new styles, but I think she was at her very best on her fantastic debut! I want to bring in a positive review from AllMusic before concluding with my feelings about If You Had My Love:

“Jennifer Lopez's debut album, On the 6, showcases the actress' sultry, versatile voice in a number of settings, including pop ballads, Latin pop, and R&B. Star producers like Sean "Puffy" Combs, Trackmasters, and Emilio Estefan, Jr. lend their talents to the album, making On the 6 a perfectly polished and varied album, which features a musical blend Lopez calls "Latin soul." Smooth ballads such as "Should've Never," "Too Late," "Could This Be Love," and "No Me Ames," a duet with Latin superstar Marc Anthony, dominate the album's first half; while these songs show off the gentler side of Lopez's vocal gifts, they tend to sound too similar. It's on the R&B and Latin-tinged tracks where Lopez really shines. Along with the insistent first single "If You Had My Love," cuts like "Feelin' So Good" and "Let's Get Loud" have a fiery, soulful sound more in keeping with Lopez's public persona. On the 6's second half capitalizes on this spicy, upbeat side, particularly on "Waiting for Tonight" and "Open off My Love," which draws inspiration from rap, R&B, and Latin styles with its sparse arrangement of horns, keyboards, and beats. The tropical remix of "No Me Ames" and "Una Noche Mas," the Spanish version of "Waiting for Tonight," emphasize Lopez's distinctive heritage, which elevates On the 6 from a star's vanity project to an individual but accessible work of pop songcraft by a widely talented performer”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jennifer Lopez at the 2000 GRAMMY Awards/PHOTO CREDIT: AP Images

Few would have predicted Jennifer Lopez would be recording music over twenty years after On the 6 came out in 1999, but it is down to her incredible pull and talent as a performer that she is still very popular and has this enormous fanbase! I think the fact she is a great actor feeds into her music and helps when it comes to her recordings and live performances. At fourteen tracks, there is a lot packed into On the 6 and there is a blend of English and Spanish songs. Maybe there are one or two songs that could have been removed, but I think the songwriting and production is amazing and the tracklisting is spot on. Opening the album with real panache and sultriness, If You Had My Love is a song that deserves more airtime and respect now. I know that some see Jennifer Lopez’s music as a guilty pleasure and many prefer her an actor rather than an artist. I have always had a lot of time for her music and, despite one or two weaker albums, she remains very underrated. On the 6 is a phenomenal album and you can see why If You Had My Love impressed critics! Despite the fact I first heard the song back in 1999 at school, the tremendous If You Had My Love is…

STILL in my head and thoughts.

FEATURE: Pull Out the Pin: Kate Bush, the Producer

FEATURE:

 

 

Pull Out the Pin

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush working hard in the studio in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush (from his book, KATE: Inside the Rainbow) 

Kate Bush, the Producer

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I was looking through all features I have…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Gered Mankkowitz

put out regarding Kate Bush, but I don’t think I have dedicated an entire one to her as a producer. Recently, BBC Radio 6 Music tweeted asking people who their favourite producer was. We can all name people like Sir George Martin, Quincy Jones, Tony Visconti or the well-known producers but, to me, Kate Bush must be seen as one of the greatest and most influential producers ever. I think many people associate her as being a singer and songwriter but, actually, I think her production work is as important as anything! Whilst Bush had a very limited production role on The Kick Inside, and Lionheart – none on the former and a slight role on the latter -, she began to become much more involved with production from her third album, Never for Ever, in 1980. Andrew Powell produced her first two albums wonderfully, but I think there was always a desire from Bush to be more involved putting songs together and calling the shots regarding the other musicians. As the artist, she would be able to give instructions to the musicians but, when it came to takes and getting things to sound like she wanted them then the majority of that would have been done by Powell. Bush has said in interviews how important it was for her to produce her own work and, so many years down the line, the thought or working with a producer would not have been welcomed - the fact that she might not have taken direction well.

I can see what she means regarding someone else moulding her music when, actually, she knows what she wants her songs to sound like – so it seems redundant having someone else leading her. 1979’s The Tour of Life was, in a sense, Bush’s biggest production role to that point, and I think the success and reception the tour received confirmed to her that she should produce - and one can feel her confidence and ambition growing! As I said before, it would not have been possible or reasonable for Bush to produce her debut album alone, as she was still very new to the music industry - and having more experienced hands putting the album together was something EMI would have been insistent about. I can see why Bush was eager to produce right from the start because, although she was in great hands, maybe the vision laid out on her first couple of albums was not as she saw it. From 1980, she was expanding her sound and producing these more experimental, layered and diverse songs. Maybe she was marketed and directed a certain way in the early days but, when she was allowed more reign, she transformed into a stunning producer! Bush did co-produce with Jon Kelly on Never for Ever, but I think a lot of the more original and unusual choices regarding sound and direction were hers. That is definitely true when she solo-produced 1982’s The Dreaming. The fact that the album is so rich and overflowing with texture is testament to her talent; in lesser hands, it could have been a disaster. With so many options and technology around her I think her production work on the album is amazing!

Even though Bush was working at different studios for that album and really did push herself to the physical and emotional limits, I think the fact so many did not know how to view and experience the album when it came out is testament to Bush’s endless fascination with the studio and how to use it o progress her work. Her production style is never too raw or polished and one does not get endless vocal layers and needless sound effects – that would happen a bit in The Red Shoes in 1993 but, for the most part, she strikes a great balance. I think the mark of a top producer is knowing when a track has had enough work done to and, in some cases, how little things can improve a song. I am not sure what the working procedure was like on Bush’s first two albums but, by all account, she was a delight to work with and would only need occasional prodding – a few occasions of Bush smoking weed and not being too focused have been revealed but, I think, that just adds to her coolness! She was definitely focused as a producer and, when working with musicians, she would do as many takes as required to get the sound right. If a particular musician did not give the right performance then she would change it. She was diplomatic and kind, but she was also uncompromising when it came to her vision! When reading about Bush and life in the studio, you get all these different sides.

Whereas a lot of producers would be quite hands-off with musicians and not interact too much, Bush was very communicative and hospitable. Whether it was getting tea and making sure people were fed or working through a song until everything clicked, it must have been a huge pleasure for musicians who got to work with her! Maybe at the start there was the impression from some of the musicians and people around her that she was slightly out of her water but, as she asked more questions and learned more about the process, Bush really stepped into her groove. 1985’s Hounds of Love saw her move from the city to the country and construct her own studio with modern equipment. There was resistance from EMI after The Dreaming’s relatively poor commercial performance - but Bush was determined to produce. The key that unlocked Hounds of Love’s success was changing her environment and really fulfilling a desire to unite home and work. Graeme Thomson notes in his biography, Under the Ivy: The Life & Work of Kate Bush, that, as early as Lionheart, Bush wanted to create a recording environment where she was less on the clock and she could have this homely environment where the comfort and lack of stress allowed her to excel as an artist and producer. I think, because things started to blossom from 1983, Bush could throw herself into work more without burning out.

Even though Bush’s musical path was less academic and more self-taught, she worked hard with musicians to explain what she wanted to hear; small kernels would blossom and there was this collaborative environment where magic happened. She added a further percussive layer to Jig of Life, and Charlie Morgan was handed a selection of Irish instruments. I love the fact that Bush was as accomplished and experimental a producer as anyone she worked with. Maybe inspired by her childhood and being surrounded by so much different music, she was using a range of instruments and creating music that was so bold, original and different to anything else! I think albums like Hounds of Love sounds so great is because Bush created this warm and inspiring atmosphere for her musicians and team – and that continued going forward. Even though, by the time of The Red Shoes in 1993, her sound was a little more compressed and not quite as warm as her earlier albums – due to changing technology and the more edgy sound of digital recording -, she was still creating these brilliant albums that sounded like nothing she released before.

Even though other musicians worked on her albums post-1993 she was working at home, and I think Bush was keen to have as few bodies in her studio and to keep things a bit simple. 2005’s Aerial is quite different in terms of the family/home dynamic – Bush became a mother in 1998 and would have to balance motherhood and music; she would record in bursts -; what resulted over the double album is immense. Her partner, Danny McIntosh, would pick up musicians and played guitar, whilst her trusty engineer, Del Palmer, was there setting up and organising the nuts and bolts. I think we underestimate and undervalue Bush’s legacy in terms of her production and how big a part of their success and legacy is down to her being behind the desk! It is amazing to think how much work she put into her albums from Never for Ever onwards in terms of writing, performing and producing! She is an amazingly likeable, intuitive, hard-working and inspirational producer who has influenced a legion of fans and fellow musicians. From her studio methods and eclectic approach to genre and various sounds through to her working methods in the studio, there is no domain where she is not queen! As a producer, I think that Kate Bush must rank as…

ONE of the best ever.

FEATURE: Second Spin: Dolly Parton - Better Day

FEATURE:

 

Second Spin

 Dolly Parton - Better Day

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ON 19th January, it will be…

the seventy-fifth birthday of the iconic Dolly Parton. Her latest album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, is her forty-seventh – and it received some positive reviews. It is amazing to think how successful and consistent Parton has been and how long her career has lasted. From Hello, I'm Dolly in 1967 through to now, she has released some truly terrific albums! One of her best, 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, turned forty earlier this month and, from working with Porter Wagoner through the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s to her solo work, there has been nobody like Dolly Parton. She has been in the news recently, as it was revealed she played an important role when it came to funding a successful COVID-19 vaccine:

“Country star Dolly Parton has said she feels "very honoured and proud" to have given money to research into one of the most promising Covid-19 vaccines.

In April she announced she was giving $1m (£750,000) to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

That was one of the trial sites for the Moderna vaccine, which is nearly 95% effective according to early data.

Speaking on BBC One's The One Show on Tuesday, Parton said she was "so excited" to hear the news.

"I'm sure many millions of dollars from many people went into that," she told co-presenters Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas.

"But I just felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that will hopefully grow into something great and help to heal this world".

From her music, through to her Imagination Library, there seems to be no end to Parton’s positive sides! Although she is an artist who has remained loved through her career, there has been a few albums that have gained mixed reception. 2011’s Better Day got some love from some, but there were others that were less keen on it. I would encourage people to listen to the album as it is underrated and contains some of her finest songs of the last decade. Better Day debuted at number fifty-one on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first week sales of 17,500. The album also debuted at number-eleven on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. In the U.K., the album was released on 29th August, 2011 and debuted at number-nine on the UK Album Charts - becoming Parton's highest-charting studio album here as well as becoming a number-one on the UK Country Albums Chart. It is clear that the fans love the album, but there have been some who were not so convinced! Parton said in interviews how the songs are thematically linked in terms of hopefulness and inspiration. From warfare and natural disasters to economic strife, Parton was looking around and felt an album with a sunnier heart was what we needed! In this interview with The National Post, she talked about her songwriting:

“I don’t write just to relieve my own anxieties, I write for the people who can’t express themselves,” says Parton, who was encouraged to pursue a career in music after a chance meeting at the Grand Ole Opry with Johnny Cash. “I can’t save the world, but I might be able to save someone today if I can put them in a better mood. The music’s designed to be like a ray of sunshine for all those folks in the dark.”

“I write a little something every day — half a song or a melody or else two or three songs — writing’s the easy part,” she says. “The only difficult part of the matter is seeing everything that you start all the way through. I take my music very seriously, but I’ve never looked at myself that way. I’m only out here to try and make people feel good”.

Better Day is very much a resistance against a lot of tension and strife that was in the world in 2011. I think, in an even tougher year, Better Day seems more appropriate! I want to bring in a couple of reviews soon – one is positive whilst the other is a bit more mixed – but, before then, I want to source from an interview in The Guardian from 2011. I was not too aware of Parton’s background until a few years ago; I did mnot realise what her early life was like. Maybe it is not linked directly to Better Day, but it makes for interesting reading:

“Speaking of those millions, a huge part of Parton's legend is her poverty-stricken backstory and she makes as many references to what she calls her "hillbilly ways" in conversation as she does in her songs. "I'm just a simple silly country girl!" she says more than once. It should perhaps be interjected here that this simple silly country girl owns 15 properties spread out between Tennessee and California. Her management takes great pains to tell me later that Parton prefers to travel by bus than plane when she tours, as though this proves her simplicity. But it transpires that shipping the Dolly buses to Australia for her upcoming tour will cost $1m each. As Parton has said of herself many times, it costs a lot to look that cheap.

Parton was born and raised in the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, the fourth of 11 surviving children. Her father, a sharecropper, couldn't afford to pay the doctor who delivered her and so gave him a sack of cornmeal, leading to Parton's oft-repeated joke about how she's been "making dough ever since". She began singing on the radio as a child and went to Nashville to start recording and singing songs as soon as she graduated from high school.

"Back in those days people said it was hard for women to get into the business but I always felt being a woman served me well. I had all these brothers and uncles so I understood the nature of men and I didn't go in there feeling all intimidated. I just went in there and said: 'Hey! I have a good product here and we can all make some money here if y'all wanna get involved with it”.

I think songs like Together You and I, and Just Leaving are really strong Parton cuts and there is plenty of gold to be mined across Better Day! It is an album I have been listening to a bit as, because of its optimism and desire to cheer, there is a lot to recommend. In their review of the album, Popmatters had this to offer:

“Musically, the album is more reminiscent of the pop sheen of her '80s albums crossed with the earnestness of her late '90s/early '00s bluegrass albums. The specificity and spunk of her last album, 2008's Backwoods Barbie, have been more or less forsaken for an attempt at intimacy, where the songs all resemble messages between people, whether it's from one lover to another, from one person to their god or from Dolly Parton to all of humankind. Often, a song could be all of these. They seldom seem to be about one specific person or set of events; they’re more purposefully generic, designed to resonate with the most people at once. Think of this as Dolly’s Life Lessons.

 The exceptions, in the general vs. specific balance, are the jokey “Country Is As Country Does”, where Parton (assisted by Mac Davis, in the album’s lone co-write) maintains that she’s inherently country, even when doing rich-people things like eating sushi in a mansion, and “Get Out and Stay Out”, the most devastating of the love songs. It’s devastating because it’s a tale of how love can turn into abuse, and because she sings it delicately, to reveal her character’s frailty, which is more powerful since the song becomes a forceful kiss-off and statement of self-determination. By the end, she’s built up to a fervor, one filled with joy at the expression of independence. On “I Just Might”, she sounds even more fragile, lost; again building with determination -- “I just might make it work / I just might make it after all” – though there’s uncertainty in that “just might” phrase.

These songs leave room for weakness, even as Parton often resembles a motivational speaker. “Shine Like the Sun” captures her essential message well: Don’t give up, we all hurt, but we all can heal and move forward, can always improve. Life is filled with lies and tears, but we should always keep pushing ahead. The same message is turned outward in “Let Love Grow”: Take a chance, be good to people, and great things can happen. “Hindsight’s always out to blind you / Look ahead and not behind you.” The song turns into a joyous singalong: “If I could, I’d ease your doubts for good,” she sings, always the maternal figure, watching out for us all”.

There are constructive points in that review but, to me, I think Better Day has very few flaws and (the album) hits all the right notes! I think Parton’s previous album, Backwoods Barbie, of 2008 was another strong album that deserved more acclaim – I think she was in fine form through these years. In a more positive review, AllMusic remarked the following:

“As she cruises into her mid-sixties, it’s comforting to know that Dolly Parton has lost none of her joy and vitality, and her 41st studio album, Better Day, released on her own Dolly Records imprint, is an energetic, spirited, and hopeful outing that rocks and soars with enough musical sunshine to light up even the grayest day. It simply crackles with joy and hope, and where in lesser hands such boundless good will might seem artificially forced and naïve, Parton pulls it off because, well, she’s Dolly Parton. Lost sometimes in her status as a pop and country icon is the fact that Parton has always written good songs, and she penned all 12 here, and her longtime guitar player Kent Wells, who produced things, has given her a big and bright contemporary country sound that should garner her a good deal of radio time in a fair and equitable world. There are several gems here, including the rocking and soaring opener, “In the Meantime,” the simply lovely “Somebody’s Missing You,” which features background vocals from Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss, and the clever title tune, “Better Day,” which starts off with a spoken intro from Parton before morphing into a blues, and it is easily the most positive and hopeful blues song anyone is ever likely to hear. Parton has stated that there’s enough trouble and bad news in the world these days and that she wanted to record the brightest and most hopeful album she could make, and she’s done that. Better Day has the feel and tone of gospel, the rock and punch of contemporary country-pop, and it stays steadfast in its mission to add something positive to the world. She may be a senior citizen as far as the IRS is concerned, but Parton has never sounded fresher or more spirited, and with “Somebody’s Missing You” in particular, she shows she still knows how to write a timeless song”.

Go and spin Better Day if you can, as it is an album that ranks alongside the best of Parton’s more recent albums – if we look at how many albums she had put out! -; one that has some brilliant music and some incredible performances. This year has seen some positive and fun albums come out, but I feel there is a lot of anxiety and sadness right now. For that reason, an album like Dolly Parton’s Better Day…

MEANS quite a lot right now.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: MOBO Awards Nominees

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Tiana Major9 is nominated for three MOBO Awards (including the Best Female Act)

MOBO Awards Nominees

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THIS year’s MOBO Awards…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Nines/PHOTO CREDIT: Filmawi Efrem

takes place on 9th December, and the nominees were announced earlier this week. As you can see, Hip Hop king Nines leads the nominations. The North West London MC has picked up five nominations: Best Male Act, Best Hip Hop Act, Album of The Year for the critically-acclaimed Crabs in a Bucket, Video of The Year for Clout, and Best Album (2017-2019) for 2018’s Crop Circle. Like I did with the GRAMMY nominees a couple of days ago, this Lockdown Playlist is a collection of songs from many of those nominated for MOBOs. The award ceremony is always eclectic and packed with talent (if, as I say with all playlists that rely on Spotify, if you see any tracks greyed out, just search ‘The Lockdown Playlist: MOBO Award Nominees’ and it should take you there). As we can see from the list of nominations for 2020, the quality is as…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Stormzy

HIGH as ever.

FEATURE: The November Playlist: Vol. 4: Angels Like You Are So Lucid

FEATURE:

 

 

The November Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Rina Sawayama

Vol. 4: Angels Like You Are So Lucid

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THIS is a fulsome week…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Miley Cyrus/PHOTO CREDIT: Mick Rock

of new releases where some major artists have given us some treats! Among the new cuts this week include songs from Rina Sawayama, Miley Cyrus, Tori Amos, Liam Gallagher, Arlo Parks, The Smashing Pumpkins, Phoebe Bridgers, FLOHIO, Jennifer Lopez, King Princess, Taylor Swift (ft. Bon Iver), Billie Joe Armstrong, AJ Tracey (ft. slowthai), and Sam Fender. There is also music from NewDad, Maxïmo Park, Field Music, Cosha, and Maddy Storm. Have a listen to the terrific releases this week, as there is a reliably great mixture that will kick your weekend off in style! On a very cold day, I think that these songs can bring some…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Tori Amos

HEAT and comfort.

ALL PHOTOS/IMAGES (unless credited otherwise): Artists

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Rina Sawayama – LUCID

PHOTO CREDIT: Harry Durrant

Miley Cyrus – Angels Like You

PHOTO CREDIT: Des Willie courtesy of Atria Books

Tori Amos – Better Angels

PHOTO CREDIT: Charlie Cummings

Arlo Parks – Caroline

PHOTO CREDIT: Georgia Flynn

Liam Gallagher – All You’re Dreaming Of

FLOHIO – Roundtown

PHOTO CREDIT: Molly Matalon for FADER

Phoebe Bridgers – If We Make It Through December

The Smashing Pumpkins – Starrcraft

PHOTO CREDIT: Mert & Marcus

Jennifer Lopez – In the Morning

Cosha – Berlin Air

PHOTO CREDIT: Warner Records

Billie Joe Armstrong – Kids in America

PHOTO CREDIT: Mr King

Daniel Knox - Fall Apart

King Princess – PAIN

AJ Tracey (ft. slowthai) – Graveyard Shift

The Lottery Winners – An Open Letter to Creatives

Maddy Storm – The Art of Giving

Taylor Swift (ft. Bon Iver) – exile (the long pond studio sessions)

PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Martin

Field Music – Home for Christmas

Maxïmo Park – I Don’t Know What I’m Doing

Eli & Fur - Otherside

Anna Straker – Break Up Song

YUNGBLUD – mars

NewDad – I Don’t Recognise You

PHOTO CREDIT: Evelin van Rei

Low Island – In Your Arms

Sam Fender – Winter Song

Daisy Godfrey – Fade Away

Sabrina Claudio, The Weeknd – Christmas Blues

Call Me Loop – Rosé

Daniel Avery - Petrol Blue

Steps – To the Beat of My Heart

You Me at Six – SUCKAPUNCH

Zeplyn – Bad Love

Rosie Carney - Sulk

LAOISE – Movies

Julia Church – Cups and Balloons

Will Joseph Cook – Boundary Street

Jenn Grant – Winter Wonderland

Greta Isaac – Power

Julia Carlucci – Ocean Avenue

Nicole Millar – Boring!

PHOTO CREDIT: Lola Stephens

Mandrake Handshake – Gonkulator

Nice Swan Records · Mandrake Handshake - Gonkulator

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: BBC Radio 6 Music’s Top-Ten Albums of 2020

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS IMAGE: The cover for SAULT’s phenomenal album, UNTITLED (Black Is) - which BBC Radio 6 Music declared their favourite album of 2020 

BBC Radio 6 Music’s Top-Ten Albums of 2020

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ON Tuesday…

IMAGE CREDIT: @BBC6Music

BBC Radio 6 Music announced their favourite ten albums of this year. Lauren Laverne read out the list on her breakfast show; the winning album was UNTITLED (Black Is) by SAULT. The top-ten was quite interesting and, whilst there weren’t not too many female artists in the ten – two in total -, there was ample variation and solid music! You can see the nominated ten here - but this is what was said about SAULT’s 2020 masterpiece (one of two albums they put out this year!):

“There are few concrete details that we truly know about SAULT, the mysterious UK-based collective that span genre lines and keep their true identities firmly under wraps. What we do know, however, is that the music they’ve been steadily releasing since emerging seemingly out of nowhere in 2019 has been so breathtakingly singular that - unlike many similarly enigmatic acts - the autobiographical question marks that still surround those behind the project almost feels like an afterthought.

After a prolific 2019, which saw the release of two studio albums (‘5’ and ‘7’), SAULT upped the ante in 2020 with a dual offering of double albums: 'UNTITLED (Black Is)’ in July, followed by ‘UNTITLED (Rise)’ in September. Of the intent-signalling former of these releases (which features Michael Kiwanuka on a track), the band issued a statement that read: “We present our first ‘UNTITLED’ album to mark a moment in time where we as Black People, and of Black Origin are fighting for our lives… Change is happening… We are focused.”

 Aptly described by one critic as “a robust collection of funk, soul, meditative spoken-word and protest chants meant to score the full spectrum of Blackness”, it’s a record that delves into the past by reshaping inherited genres and sounds into something entirely modern and self-contained. Whoever SAULT may be, you’ll find few other artists this year creating music quite as urgent and revolutionary.

Gilles Peterson: “I’ve been following SAULT for a while now, and loved their two records in 2019. So when I heard that there was a new album coming this summer, amidst such a tumultuous year, I just had a feeling that would do something special, and they absolutely came through.

They sent it to me on the morning of my show, and I listened to it from beginning to end. And I was like, “I’m playing the whole thing!”. It’s that strong. It’s undoubtedly going to be my record of the year, I can’t imagine anyone is going to come close to it.

It was basically that sense that you got when you listened to a record like The Specials – ‘Ghost Town’, or Gil Scott-Heron, The Clash - those classic records that have just lasted forever, that have political energy, and are of the moment, which is so important in music. That’s what it’s all about - forget the decadence and the escapism - this was a real record; this was about how we can all make a difference through music”.

Because BBC Radio 6 Music have declared their chosen ten albums of 2020, this Lockdown Playlist (Run the Jewels’ RTJ4 tracks might not be available for some, so you will need to navigate from there; you can also search in Spotify under ‘The Lockdown Playlist BBC Radio 6 Music’s Top-Ten Albums of 2020’) takes two songs from each of the ten albums. You can see that this year has been…

 IMAGE CREDIT: @BBC6Music

AN incredibly strong one.

FEATURE: The Green on the Grey: Kate Bush’s Majestic Under the Ivy: The Single That Never Was

FEATURE:

 

The Green on the Grey

PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush 

Kate Bush’s Majestic Under the Ivy: The Single That Never Was

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I do not want to suggest that…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional image for Hounds of Love’s The Ninth Wave/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush 

Kate Bush’s Under the Ivy was ever pencilled in as a potential single but, on 1985’s Hounds of Love, she was in such rich form that, alas, Under the Ivy was included as a B-side to Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)! The song has said of taken on its life and, not only is it the title of Graeme Thomson’s much-referenced (on this site) Under the Ivy: The Life & Work of Kate Bush, but the track features high in poll’s of Bush’s best tracks – MOJO placed it at number-seventeen in their recent feature about Bush (remarking how it was bafflingly provided as a B-side and is, literally, “a hidden treasure”; LOUDER ranked it at sixteen in their list of her greatest songs. Given the fact that many consider Under the Ivy as one of Bush’s top-twenty tracks, it is surprising that the song was never included on Hounds of Love! I guess, when you consider the songs on the album, then it might not have fitted time-wise. That said, thematically, it could have worked on either side. It could have been on the first side and slotted after Mother Stands for Comfort (and before Cloudbusting) and maybe it would have slotted on The Ninth Wave as a possible dream-type song - maybe coming between Watching You Without Me, and Jig of Life. I am going to dissect the track in a bit more detail soon.

Before that, I wanted to bring in some details from the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia - where we learn more about Under the Ivy:

“'Under The Ivy' we did in our studio in just an afternoon. (Peter Swales, 'Kate Bush'. Musician, Fall 1985)

It's very much a song about someone who is sneaking away from a party to meet someone elusively, secretly, and to possibly make love with them, or just to communicate, but it's secret, and it's something they used to do and that they won't be able to do again. It's about a nostalgic, revisited moment. (...) I think it's sad because it's about someone who is recalling a moment when perhaps they used to do it when they were innocent and when they were children, and it's something that they're having to sneak away to do privately now as adults. (Doug Alan interview, 20 November 1985)

I needed a track to put on the B-Side of the single Running Up That Hill so I wrote this song really quickly. As it was just a simple piano/vocal, it was easy to record. I performed a version of the song that was filmed at Abbey Road Studios for a TV show which was popular at the time, called The Tube. It was hosted by Jools Holland and Paula Yates. I find Paula’s introduction to the song very touching.

It was filmed in Studio One at Abbey Rd. An enormous room used for recording large orchestras, choirs, film scores, etc. It has a vertiginously high ceiling and sometimes when I was working in Studio Two,  a technician, who was a good friend, would take me up above the ceiling of Studio One. We had to climb through a hatch onto the catwalk where we would then crawl across and watch the orchestras working away, completely unaware of the couple of devils hovering in the clouds, way above their heads!  I used to love doing this - the acoustics were heavenly at that scary height.  We used to toy with the idea of bungee jumping from the hatch. (KateBush.com, February 2019)”.

There has been speculation that the song could be about suicide but, to me, it is more about capturing an innocence and embracing passion under the ivy. Bush – or whether she is playing a protagonist -, asks the man to find her away from the party and in this secluded space; the first verse alone summons up so many gorgeous and evocative images and possibilities: “It wouldn't take me long/To tell you how to find it/To tell you where we'll meet/This little girl inside me/Is retreating to her favourite place”. I will talk about why Under the Ivy would have fitted as an album track but, consider the child-like imagery and the way Bush/the heroine is sort of regressing and trying to escape something quite hectic or sad, it seems, to me, it would have been a perfect vision summoned up during The Ninth Wave!

I love how Bush wrote the song quickly because there were songs on Hounds of Love that were quite a task to get together (especially The Big Sky). Although Bush views the song as a last gasp of innocence or this sort of wonderful bonding in a garden, one can interpret the song in other ways. It is such an interesting and deep song where one cannot help but immerse themselves in. Consider the lines: “I sit here in the thunder/The green on the grey/I feel it all around me/And it's not easy for me/To give away a secret/It's not safe”. There is definite emotion and tension in Bush’s heart, but I feel there is this desire and need to embrace someone and fulfil a desire inside her. I have seen some view Under the Ivy as Bush/the heroine submitting and disappearing but I don’t feel that way. There is a video of Bush performing the song, but I would have loved to have seen Under the Ivy visualised through an official music video. I could just imagine all the gorgeous colours and scenes that we would see in the video; maybe with Bush directing it, it would definitely be a stunning video! Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) reached number-three in the singles chart in the U.K. and, whilst that has a lot to do with the song itself, I think this remarkable B-side also contributed.

There can be no doubt that Under the Ivy is Kate Bush’s greatest B-side - and it is one of music’s greatest ‘what-ifs’. I have speculated where it could have fitted on Hounds of Love and, as I said, it would have been okay on either side. The Ninth Wave seems to be the best place for Under the Ivy; where we could have seen the heroine adrift at sea casting her mind to a party where she had this beautiful moment – possibly towards the end as there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sonically, it would have been perfect after Watching You Without Me and the more spirited Jig of Life. At 2:16, adding Under the Ivy would have taken the running time for The Ninth Wave to 28:28, which not only provide nice symmetry but it would have added even more body and wonder to a great suite! Maybe Bush would have felt The Ninth Wave a little bloated at eight tracks if Under the Ivy were included. Alternately, it could have fitted on the first side maybe, as I mentioned, after the dark and eerie Mother Stands for Comfort. I think it would have been a great accompaniment to another child-like song, The Big Sky, which appears before Mother Stands for Comfort; we would get this nice run of three songs were childhood, in some form, is examined.

Maybe, as Cloudbusting also nods to a child – in this case, Peter Reich, son of Wilhelm Reich, working on a cloudbusting device -, it would have been too samey. I reckon it could have worked alright. The running time for that first half would have been about twenty-three minutes and, as Under the Ivy is such a short song, I don’t think it would have overloaded the first half – and it would have meant that there was six tracks on the first half (it would have balanced out the two halves better). I guess Bush did need a B-side for Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) and, as it was the first single from Hounds of Love, she wanted to go in strong with an incredible B-side! I think Under the Ivy could have worked as part of a double A-side. Bush had other great B-sides that she released through the promotional campaign for Hounds of Love – including My Lagan Love (from Cloudbusting), and Burning Bridge (Hounds of Love) -, but there is something utterly wonderful and unmatched on Under the Ivy! I know Under the Ivy was released on a flexi-disc in Poland but, apart from that, there has not been a lot of attention for it as a standout track. It surely ranks as her greatest ‘lost’ track and, to me, it is in her top-twenty all-time best songs.

One can find Under the Ivy included on the album, The Other Sides, which was given a stand-alone release in 2019. Alongside Ran Tan Waltz, and You Want Alchemy, Under the Ivy is one of those lesser-known tracks that should be covered in greater depth – and get some more airplay on radio. It is a shame we never got to see an official video for the song, but the fact the song exists at all is a blessing. It just shows the sort of creative level Bush was during Hounds of Love that a song as majestic as Under the Ivy could be written so quickly and considered only as a B-side! Whilst it may seem personal to Kate Bush, I think many listeners can transport themselves inside the song and make the lyrics relevant to themselves. Listening to Bush perform Under the Ivy on The Tube in 1986 elicits shivers, and one can see that the song means a lot to her! It is such a remarkable moment in a career full of them and, if you have not heard the song, I would urge people to buy The Other Sides as it displays the variation and eclectic nature of Bush’s B-sides. Even though Under the Ivy was not given an outing on Hounds of Love I think, as a song, it is utterly engrossing.  It is a completely wonderful track and…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush 

AN evergreen treasure.

FEATURE: Brilliance Overload: Sugarbabes’ One Touch at Twenty

FEATURE:

 

 

Brilliance Overload

Sugarbabes’ One Touch at Twenty

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I wanted to do a quick feature…

on an album that turned twenty yesterday (27th November). It is amazing to think that Sugarbabes were dropped by their label after One Touch sold fewer copies than they hoped. The Pop market was pretty competitive in 2000, and it was a bit unfair that a new group had such expectations on their shoulders! Sugarbabes have gone through various iterations, but I think they were strongest on their debut. I remember the album coming out when I was in sixth form college, and I was hooked and really fascinated by the group. Prior to 2000, I think my experience with female Pop groups was the likes of All Saints and Spice Girls. To be fair, I think Sugarbabes were more eclectic than those groups from the start. I always felt Sugarbabes were far cooler and edgier than any other group there because they had this confidence and quality that was both accessible but unique. They could also put out more emotive songs, and I was really struck by that diversity and richness. Original member Siobhán Donaghy left the group in 2001. She initially stated that she wanted to pursue a fashion career, but she was eventually diagnosed with clinical depression amid reports of in-fighting between the Sugababes members. Only after one album, such a promising group were faced with split and disaster! Their second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces, was released in 2002 and is not nearly as successful and memorable as One Touch. It has been ten years since the group released their final album, Sweet 7, and there is a distinct Sugarbabes-sized hole in music!

I forgot that the Sugbabes’ debut turned twenty yesterday, and I saw an article on CLASH – which I shall quote from soon – that highlighted it. I think the year 2000 was this very excited yet strange year where we said goodbye to the epic ‘90s and many were wondering how music would change and where it would head. There were some interesting and hugely popular girlbands still operating like Destiny’s Child, and All Saints, and Sugarbabes arrived with their own style and brand. I like the fact that the group - Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhán Donaghy – co-wrote many the songs on One Touch. Of course, Overload is probably the most notable and popular single from the album. It was released on 11th September, 2000 and reached number-six in the U.K. There are other clear highlights like Soul Sound, Run for Cover, and New Year - and it is a surprise that the album did not do huge business! I will source from one of many positive reviews in a second but, right now, I wanted to bring in some observations from CLASH. The following is taken from a very illuminating retrospective:

“One Touch' opens with 'Overload', perhaps the most definitive opening statement of any British girl group, give or take a 'Wannabe'. Its refrains of teenage preciousness - "Strange fear I ain't felt for years/The boy's coming and I'm close to tears" - are paired, counter-intuitively, with a forthright bassline, reverberating clatter, random whooshes and later, surf guitars. It is impossibly groovy but held together with some diffident insouciance; an unbothered ditty crooned by teenage girls filing their nails.

This was very much the template for the Sugababes’ entry onto the music scene; a bunch of teenage girls somehow above it all. Live performances of 'Overload' had the three girls half-heartedly performing a routine on barstools, only magnifying this effect. To a market saturated with bright-eyed and eagerly performed pop, it must have been some hook.

Vocally, it is even more accomplished. The murmured quietness that forms the ambiance of the album frequently breaks out into flourishes from all three vocalists. The fact that they were teenagers is a fault only in comparison to the vocal heights all three themselves would go on to scale. Buena, as one of the voices of her generation; Buchanan, as the rich, honeyed gel to multiple incarnations of Sugababes; and Donaghy, as a crystalline bell jar on her own.

But on this first, lone outing, there is a certain magic when those voices come together, with quiet intimacy and nervous chemistry, particularly in their seamless harmonies - gorgeous and stirring one second, and wispily fluttering away in the background the next.

These technical aspects are perfect complement to the album’s high point which is its lyrical substance. The three members co-wrote most of the songs here, and their ruminations on growing up and finding your way through love and life here, despite the markers of adolescence attached to them, seem universal in many ways.

The jittery nervousness of approaching a new crush ('Overload'); the confident reproach of an uncommitted lover ('One Foot In'); and the bold excitement of revelling in a new love (the title track) are, after all, hardly limited to teenagehood. In the best of girl group tradition, most of the album reads like hanging out with a close friend, full of confessions and building up esteem”.

It is wonderful that there was some love and good vibes for One Touch on social media yesterday; it is kind of sad that such a promising group faced struggles and record label disappointment. Maybe their label, London, launched Sugarbabes as rivals to the American girlgroups that were coming through or dominating in the 1990s. There are blends of American and British influences through One Touch, but I feel the trio managed to create their own identities and there is a nice mixture of sounds throughout their debut. Perhaps a comparative lack of feelgood tunes and big energy put some off. I still find it baffling, even when we bring in the standards back in 2000, that Sugarbabes were sort of written off right away! I want to bring in a review from a review in Drowned in Sound from 2000:

“However , just when you thought if you saw another girl-group you'd lock yourself in a cupboard and slowly starve yourself to death only wishing it was they that were suffering your fate , Sugababes come along smelling of authenticity , kneeing convention in the balls , breathing indie-cool and screaming "The NME like us. The f*ing NME !!!!"

It is , in contrast to the other non typical NME acts to have featured in the NME this year (Kelis anyone ?) , understandable why. For a group of 16-year olds they write remarkably mature and sophisticated songs that could theoretically attract admiration from George Micheal and Damon Albarn (Not Bono though , no "own instruments" just yet).

Whereas the Spice Girls are currently the botched genetic epression to meld Destiny’s Child , Artful Dodger , Mariah Carey and early-Madonna , the Sugababes are the genetic experiment to throw together the conglomerate worldly dance-funk of modern Madonna and the loved-up tearful ballad William-Orbit-ingrained-into-it’s-soul brilliance of the All Saints. This experiment was almost perfect and even though the album contains nothing quite as brilliant as the debut single ‘Overload’ , which Radio One has almost certainly burnt into your brain by now , but it is still the finest collection of pop-songs released this year by a new artist. An album that kicks the collective asses of both Girl Thing AND Coldplay.

Just admit it , you loved ‘Overload’ and admit that you were wrong in your preconception that anything resembling anything Svengali-cultivated was totally soulless. Just take a listen to forthcoming single ‘New Year’ (“Older than my years / Drowning in my tears “ )

They ARE better than 90% of the corporate indie scene and underline the falseness of mainstream contemporary sounds. That Limp Bizkit’s anger is just as compulsively phoney as any marketable facet embraced by the Spice Girls. Fred Durst’s “difficult” childhood no different to Mel C’s apparent clinical epression. (Have you ever wondered where Fungus got the inspiration for ‘A fanclub would be nice’ ? Now you know)

Motwon Junk this ain’t. Unlike Girl Thing , they aren’t “Another Invented Disease”. Sugababes are 4REAL and if they come head-to-head with the Manics next summer who’s your money on”.

Nostalgia can be quite a dangerous and misleading thing, but I think the Sugarbabes exciting debut is packed with some great tracks and really confident performances that stand up now and sounded great back in 2000. Unlike many girlgroups, I think there is so much vocal strength and individuality in Sugarbabes; despite some in-fighting, they have a connection on One Touch. Twenty years later, the album still pops and really produces some surprises! It makes me wonder whether we will ever see a fresh and cool girlgroup like Sugarbabes come along because, apart from Little Mix, there are not many options! In a rather difficult and challenging 2020, I would recommend people revisit…

A classic from the year 2000.

FEATURE: Inside the Pages of MARINAZINE: Reviving the Fanzine

FEATURE:

 

Inside the Pages of MARINAZINE

Reviving the Fanzine

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I discussed this a while back…

Fan art 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xbRyRivMoa

— Marina (@MarinaDiamandis) November 20, 2020

when I covered the Kate Bush fanzine, HomeGround, that ran for years and stopped when she released 50 Words for Snow in 2011. I wonder whether there are fanzines anymore because, when I was growing up, they were very much a thing. It was a way for fans to bond with artists and, at the end of it, we got this eclectic and interesting magazine-cum-newspaper that was made with a lot of love! There are articles that discuss the history of fanzines (or just zines) - and there is one artist who is releasing her own fanzine. MARINA (formerly Marina and the Diamonds), as this NME article explains, is putting out MARINAZINE.

 “The singer, whose last album ‘Love + Fear’ was released in two parts last year, is expected to return in the coming months with her fifth album (her second since she shed the ‘And The Diamonds’ part of her moniker).

Marina released her new single ‘Man’s World’ earlier this month, and now she’s announced a physical, limited edition zine entitled MARINAZINE.

MARAZINE will include essays, artwork, photography, poetry and more, according to Marina, who tweeted news of the zine on Saturday (November 21). She added that she wants fans to submit their work to feature in the first issue.

In August, the musician posted a series of photographs and videos from an idyllic writing session, writing: “GOOD ENERGY! Bursting with sun beams to tell you that I’m close to finishing writing my 5th album in a little corner of paradise.”

There is currently no album title nor release date publicised for Marina’s new record”.

MARINAZINE! https://t.co/zHMsy5TiPL

A beautiful physical zine that will accompany each single release. Submit your essays, artwork, photography, poetry or any other form of expression for the chance to be featured in the first issue, "Man's World". pic.twitter.com/c1LRAq9kQH

— Marina (@MarinaDiamandis) November 21, 2020

I wonder whether other artists will follow suit. There have been some great fanzines through the years, and I do think that there is too much reliance on the digital nowadays. One can connect with artists through social media, but it would be nice to bring back the physical in a way. We do not really have fan clubs anymore. There was the day when you could be part of a fan club and, when a band or artist went on tour, you could get discounted tickets and exclusive stuff. Maybe there is a bit of it still, but it has definitely diminished over the past couple of decades. I don’t think that artists nodding to the past is gimmicky or insincere. In fact, I think more and more artists are trying to involve their fans more with music and have a sort of physical connection. By producing fanzines that have artwork, letters and all sorts of other bits is not only a way for fans to join together but I think they act as interesting objects to own. I always prefer a physical record to digital and a real book to something online. Similarly, music journalism is always more rewarding in a physical form - and I guess the fanzine died out because of the Internet and the fact that we can now digitally interact. It will be interesting following MARINAZINE and, hopefully, we can see more fanzines come from various artists going forward! Beyond gigs, it can be hard having a relationship with fans beyond the tweets and digital updates. I will be interested to see if other artists…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @craftedbygc/Unsplash

COME out with their own fanzines.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: GRAMMY Nominees

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé received nine GRAMMY nominations - she remains the most-nominated female artist of all time/PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew D. Bernstein 

GRAMMY Nominees

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ON Tuesday…

IN THIS PHOTO: Post Malone/PHOTO CREDIT: Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Universal Music

the nominees for this year’s GRAMMYs was announced. There were some definite talking points and, whilst it is good that the Best Rock Performance Category is dominated by women, the Album of the Year category has some notable omissions – many felt Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters should have received a nod! On 31st January, we will find out who has won what and, to honour the announcements, this Lockdown Playlist collates some of those nominated. I have included an array of names and, whilst I could not cover all of the eighty-three categories, there is a healthy amount! As usual, there may be problems accessing some songs in the playlist below (you can access a link here) so, if that is the case, then you can search ‘The Lockdown Playlist: GRAMMY Nominees’ in Spotify and access it all there – it is just one of those annoying things about Spotify! Take a listen to the brilliant names who, on 31st January, will be competing at…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Fiona Apple

A hugely prestigious event.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: Jimi Hendrix Fire

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

PHOTO CREDIT: David Montgomery 

Jimi Hendrix Fire

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ON this day (27th November)…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Linda McCartney/National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian Institution

seventy-eight years ago, the genius Jimi Hendrix came into the world. Although we lost him at the age of twenty-seven in 1970, the music he left has inspired scores of guitarists. Recording with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and  Jimi Hendrix/Band of Gypsys, Hendrix’s vocabulary and dexterity on the guitar is immense! I wanted to put together a Lockdown Playlist on his birthday containing album tracks, live cuts, in addition to rarer tracks that many people might not have heard of. In his short life, Hendrix laid down so many staggering works and, to me, he was an underrated singer. His voice is so commanding, expressive and versatile and that, combined with his guitar and Noel Redding (bass), and Mitch Mitchell (percussion) – in The Jimi Hendrix Experience -, led to some truly wonderful music. To tip my cap to, perhaps, the greatest guitarist who has ever lived, here are some epic Hendrix licks, jams and guitar explosions that displays his…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Berkofsky

ENDLESS talent.

FEATURE: Let the Record Show: The Ongoing Boom of Vinyl Sales and How It Could Lead to a Growth on the High Street

FEATURE:

 

Let the Record Show

PHOTO CREDIT: @amartino20/Unsplash 

The Ongoing Boom of Vinyl Sales and How It Could Lead to a Growth on the High Street

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I am going to do a related Lockdown Playlist…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @amartino20/Unsplash

that combines songs from the forty best-selling vinyl albums of this year as, whilst other areas of the economic map are struggling and businesses are closing, things are looking rosy for vinyl and record shops. Whereas things are a bit fraught regarding venues and other sides of the music industry, it is clear that people have a huge appetite for vinyl. It is not just vinyl that is on the rise: cassette sales are also increasing and, in a year when streaming services are being criticised for not paying artists enough, more and more people are paying money for vinyl records. The Guardian reports some good news:

“UK sales of vinyl records are set to reach a three-decade high as fans unable to attend live music events during the pandemic channel their spare cash into building up their record collections.

Vinyl sales are up almost 10% this year, well on track to break the £100m mark by the end of 2020, making for the best year since 1990 when Sinead O’Connor and New Kids on the Block topped the charts. Sales by volume are also set to beat last year’s 4.3m.

It marks a remarkable bounce back given the market for physical music, from vinyl and CDs to cassettes and DVDs, plunged by almost half in April as the first lockdown shut high streets across the nation.

“We have seen 250% growth from the bottom of lockdown to where we are now,” said Drew Hill, managing director of Proper Music, the UK’s biggest independent distributor of vinyl and CDs. “I thought it could be catastrophic for the industry but during lockdown the kind of people buying records also probably went to a lot of gigs. They can’t do that so it seems fans are spending the money they used to on going to gigs each month on records.” Last week, Kylie Minogue wound back the years as Disco topped the vinyl album chart.

PHOTO CREDIT: @iampatrickpilz 

The pandemic has also fuelled the ongoing revival of cassettes, with sales up 85% so far this year, putting total sales on course to top £1m for the first time since renewed interest wound back the years for the format.

However, the picture is much less rosy for CDs, already facing inexorable decline at the hands of the streaming revolution, with sales down 30% in the year to date, according to the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA). If that trend continues in the final weeks of this year CD sales will reach about £150m, the worst year since 1987.

Natasha Youngs, co-owner of Brighton-based record store Resident, said that owners have worked hard to shift sales online but it has proven difficult given vinyl fans’ love of the in-store browsing experience.

“We’ve had to adapt our business to provide our customers with as close to a normal service as possible and customers have really responded,” said Youngs. “As a result our online sales are considerably up year on year. But this in no way compensates for the sales we have lost over the counter. We can’t provide the face-to-face service that we pride ourselves on – it is missing a vital element of what a record shop is all about”.

I was worried, when the pandemic started, that we would lose so many record shops and there would be this depletion on the high street. Instead, many have offered online deliveries - and this has kept them in business.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @rocinante_11/Unsplash

For many record shops, they have seen sales increase hugely and, thanks to Record Store Day being split over three different days, shops have seen huge queues and enormous demand! I think this popularity and craving for vinyl will continue into next year. As things improve and we start to see a return to normality, I think more and more people will come out and support their local record stores. Thinking about the report and how sales are rising, I wonder whether this will lead to a revival in the high street. At the moment, rent prices are forcing many record shops away - and that is still an issue they face. I am thinking about chains like HMV that have seen shops close, and I think that there could be this new demand that sees many reopen. Of course, vinyl sales alone cannot save and sustain chains like HMV, but it would be wonderful to see new independents open because, at the moment, I know it can be hard locating a nearby record shop. Look at central London and, maybe because of extortionate rent prices, it is really hard finding a record shop! That is the case with many cities but, because vinyl sales are exploding, there is a possibility that the revenue from sales could cover rent prices were there to be new shops opening. It is definitely heartening to see so many record stores survive and report great trading.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @rocinante_11/Unsplash

Few would have anticipated this during a pandemic but, rather than this being benevolence and people supporting shops through some sense of guilt, there is just this genuine love of vinyl and desire to support artists. Though the browsing experience is a little different this year, that has not put people going to their local record shop and inspecting the racks! I do think that digital music is great but, in terms of sound quality and the listening experience, nothing can replace vinyl. Alongside this, cassettes are seeing a resurgence…so it is strangely like going back in time! I do think it would be wise of the Government to think about the rental prices and how businesses are struggling. I am not the only one who would welcome new record shops on high streets. Online ordering is convenient, but the sensation and process of going to a record store and spending time selecting vinyl is unbeatable! Going forward, and I think there will be a further increase in vinyl sales as we head to Christmas. In a year of bad news and disappointment, having some good news and cheer is definitely inspiring. Let’s hope that the rise in vinyl sales continues into 2021. In the run-up to Christmas, be sure to support your local record shops(s) by picking up some great vinyl and…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @jamessutton_photography/Unsplash

PUTTING the needle down.