FEATURE: Do You Remember the First Time…? Digging Deeper into the Music and Memories Behind the Musician

FEATURE:

 

 

Do You Remember the First Time…?

IN THIS IMAGE: An exert from Matt Everitt’s book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Tim Marrs/BOOK PUBLISHER: Laurence King Publishing

Digging Deeper into the Music and Memories Behind the Musician

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IF you are not familiar with Matt Everitt’s…

IN THIS IMAGE: The cover for Matt Everitt’s book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons/ILLUSTRATION(S) CREDIT: Tim Marrs

new book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons, then you need to get some pennies out and buy it! If you can; it might be worth going to a local bookshop as, I think, the Amazon price is a bit less than the retail one…I am not sure – we want as many pennies as possible to go Everitt’s way! The point of this feature is to have a look at the book and why it will strike a chord with any music-loving human. Brought out through Laurence King Publishing and with fantastic illustrations by Tim Marrs; The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons is a labour of love that looks gorgeous and is well worth spending some time with. I have not seen a review of the book myself – maybe it will be a few more days yet – but have had a flick through the book and am blown away by the sheer colour, detail and revelations you get! I will probably do a proper review when I have finished but, looking through, you get these beautifully illustrated and written interviews with figures such as Yoko Ono and Damon Albarn. Covering genres, ages and periods of musical history; each artist has their own section and you get fantastic illustrations of them. There are lists of their first gigs and records and memories. What I love about the book is it is written by someone who has been interviewing huge artists for years and has that passion to learn more about them and reveal stuff other interviewers do not…

IN THIS IMAGE: An exert from Matt Everitt’s book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Tim Marrs/BOOK PUBLISHER: Laurence King Publishing

The book is based off of the radio series Matt Everitt conducts and he has selected a mass of interviews from his years and brought them together in a wonderful collection. I love how you get illustrations and a unique portrait of the artist – it is a more artistic approach and means we do not have to see the same stock images of them – and you get a standout quote at the top of the first page (regarding that artist and their interview). We learn about their first gigs and records and all these important moments. I am a big fan of musicians like Sir Elton John and Florence Welch and it is good to sit in a café and flick through these pages and learn about their musical upbringing. The book requires some patience and study – it is a thorough and spellbinding collection of artists and a deep dive into their history – and it is written beautifully. I believe it took Everitt about three years to bring together – it would have taken me about a decade! – and you can feel the love and passion go into every page. It is a beautiful thing and if you can wait until Christmas; I suggest it would be a perfect stocking filler (you might need to reinforce the stocking as the book is a pretty chunky ol’ thing!).

 IN THIS IMAGE: An exert from Matt Everitt’s book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons (depicting the Blur and The Good, the Bad & the Queen mercurial frontman, Damon Albarn)/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Tim Marrs/BOOK PUBLISHER: Laurence King Publishing

Fewer young music fans are reading and Everitt’s radio broadcasts are probably the most accessible way of listening to The First Time with… My favourite instalment of his show was with Thom Yorke and, as I shall explore later, it is rare to see a lot of famous musicians speak. You get these magazine interviews but the questions can be generic and brief. One gets interviews on radio stations but, again, you always feel like someone is in the corner tapping their watch and doing the ‘wind it up’ symbol. They are then ferried across town and embark on this rotation of brief interviews. One reason why I love Everitt’s radio show (on BBC Radio 6 Music) is that there is time to swim and vacillate; a bit of a moment to muse and stroke the chin; time to crack wise and have a gone old chinwag! Not only does it (the show) make the artist comfortable and not rushed but it is a rare opportunity to look back on their past and how they got into music. Everitt is a masterful interviewer who has that ready wit and can get the best from an artist. The book brings all that to light and no details are skimped. One of my music dreams is to do the music news for BBC Radio 6 Music – as narrow and ambitious as that is – and it is wonderful to learn from their top dog (or horse as breakfast host Shaun Keaveny calls him!).

 IN THIS PHOTO: Matt Everitt (left) with Shaun Keaveny (right) in a promotional photo for their interview to celebrate The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons’ launch where Keaveny turned the tables on Everitt and ‘grilled’ him about the book and its creation (the event took place on Monday, 5th November, 2018 at 107 Charing Cross Road)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Foyles

In any case; Matt Everitt is (rightly!) getting huge acclaim and love from those who have already got the book. Props to Tim Marrs’ trippy, vivacious and oft-sensational pen for bringing to life some of our best-loved artists with such fire and variegated seduction! The pairing is great and I wonder if the duo will work together. I am not sure what the next project would be but, as Matt Everitt was a member of the bands Menswear and The Montrose Avenue; maybe a semi-autobiographical tale/memoir about those 1990s heydays and the transition into music journalism? I am not sure but there will definitely be demand and appetite for another book. A reason why I am so involved with the book and love it is because of the angle it takes with these big names. I interview hundreds of upcoming artists each year and the main concentration is on whatever song/E.P./album they are promoting. I ask questions about their favourite albums/songs/artists and always feel like that is a minor part. P.R. companies and artists need their current release promoted and covered as thoroughly as a fat man being slathered in jam – get THAT image out of your head! –; it is all about that momentum and focusing on the here and now. So many sites are pressed for words and times so tend to repeat a press release and do a pithy interview. You get bigger magazines and papers like The Guardian, MOJO and newer publications like DORK and The Line of Best Fit doing some bigger pieces but they are few and far between.

 IN THIS PHOTO: IDLES/PHOTO CREDIT: Pooneh Ghana for DIY (Edition: August 2018)

I have drooled over brilliant bright and illustrative interviews with the likes of IDLES – I read a great one they gave for DIY – and you get these brilliant photos, wonderful questions and searing quotes. A lot of the focus is on the new and what is happening in their camp. I guess rising artists need to talk about what they are selling and where they are headed but so few interviews/interviewers pick under the skin and get inside the head, Michel Gondry-like, and uncover all the memories; interacting with one another in a nostalgia snow-globe. Matt Everitt has taken these artists – some newer ones like Florence Welch and icons like Sir Elton John – and has asked them to discuss those first-time memories. Where was your first gig? Which band did you go and see first? Can you recall the first record you bought?! There are all these pivotal moments uncovered and it allows one to see where the artist came from. I think it is crucial finding out where a musician is heading and what they are promoting now but I see few interviews that look back and get into the musical D.N.A. Consider these rising acts like IDLES and Nadine Shah; fascinating figures like St. Vincent and Jon Hopkins and, while we marvel at their current output; which artists inspired them and when did their musical ‘journey’ – I hate to use that word as it makes me want to barf blood but, hey… - begin and which was the record that came into their life first.

IN THIS IMAGE: The poster for the first ‘proper’ gig I attended (on 8th November, 2005, aged twenty-two)/IMAGE CREDIT: Rob Jones

I know my first gig was seeing The White Stripes at Alexander Palace in 2005 (rather late in life it was (as I am thirty-five now); they turned up late and I only got to see the support acts!); the first song I recall is Tears for Fears’ Everybody Rules the World (my first memory of life, in fact around about 1985!) and the first album I bought was Now That’s What I Call Music! 24 (I got it on double-cassette and it had bangers from k.d. lang, The Bluebells and Paul McCartney, among others!). I can remember getting my first vinyl and tape cassette; the first time I saw a music video (The Bangles’ Eternal Flame on VH1) and I think all of these memories are a part of who we are. Some might saw that sort of reminiscing is nostalgia and what is happening now is more important. I am not suggesting every music interview spends a lot of time asking questions about the first album a band bought or which artist was the first Let’s Eat Grandma saw live but it would be a benefit. I fear music is becoming disposable and we are only after that quick hit! We want everything in a couple of lines and do not linger long. They say the album as a format is dying but I would disagree. I think more and more people are falling for a complete work and we have not lost that ability to stand still and listen. Fewer of us might be picking up a magazine or paper and reading about a musician – compared to the 1990s, let’s say – but music journalism itself is as broad and varied as ever.

 IN THIS IMAGE: An exert from Matt Everitt’s book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons (in a section where he was interviewing R.E.M.’s lead, Michael Stipe)/BOOK PUBLISHER: Laurence King Publishing

For us to be truly connected with an artist and to understand what makes them tick; I think discovering how they got into music and the moments that define them (explored) is a great thing! We gain an understanding of where their own music stems from and get to know more about the human. I try and pitch questions to new artists regarding the albums that inspire them and what sort of sounds they grew up around. I love great artists like Jack White, Joni Mitchell and De La Soul and know their work intimately. I can pour over interviews and, online and in print, you can get a sense of where they come from. Most of the interviews I find, however, still tend to lean too heavily on their newer work and do not always dip into the past. One cannot get a true understanding and estimate of a musician without discovering where the ‘egg’ came from (or should it be ‘chicken’?!). If we talk about the modern and now then it denies that revelation and true knowledge; we are limiting our minds and there is a whole world unexplored. Matt Everitt’s The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons is a timely reminder that there are these stories to be told and memories to be evoked. I love Pete Townshend and The Who but I feel like I know their back catalogue very well. Where did The Who’s guitarist/songwriter start and which moments define who he is?!

Not only is it good to discover the early lives of the musical icons but the new breed have a lot to tell us. Every artist is inspired by others and we all have those first gig memories and the life-altering times that affect what we do now and the sort of music we gravitate towards. I hope, down the line, there is another volume in Everitt: in any case; he has given impetus to many and I can see eyes and mind opening, compelled by the depth and discoveries throughout the book. One big reason why I want to interview bigger artists is to discover the music that they are inspired by and how they started in the industry. Only when you learn all of that can you get a real insight and understanding into the music they (the artist in question) are putting out. How often do we see a titanic music figure interviewed without there being a new record out? Can’t we just sit Sir Paul McCartney or Patti Smith down and ask them about their ‘firsts’?! I would love to see/hear that and I feel artists always have to be on-point and brief – talk about what you are promoting and not too much else. I sense it when I am interviewing and feel I need to be in 2018 and not look too far back. Matt Everitt has interviewed everyone from Robert Plant and Paul Weller to Shirley Manson (Garbage) and I love discovering which gigs and records define these hugely important people.

  IN THIS IMAGE: An exert from Matt Everitt’s book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Tim Marrs/BOOK PUBLISHER: Laurence King Publishing

I am not saying it is boring talking about their new work and what they think about Brexit and all of that but I love to look back; to get into the memory centre and see these vivid and past images flash through! One way for the new generation to get a better understanding of the artist they follow and the icons their parents grew up around is to see/hear these interviews where they talk about their paths into music and who inspired them. Finding out about the ‘muses’ behind the musicians is a great angle and something I’d like to see more in modern journalism. Some of the bigger, more popular sites do this but it does not happen as much as it should. Maybe this will change in years to come. I think my ‘first’ memories is a good way of defining and revealing my soul and reason for living music and, in turn, would be a great reason to ask the same from big artists. I hope I have done Matt Everitt’s The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons justice – or have rambled for a while! –; but it is a gorgeous work that has taught me so much about artists I feel I know pretty well.

PHOTO CREDIT: @florenciaviadana/Unsplash

Not only have I been awakened to this new side of them but I look at the records they bought and the artists who influenced them and, as a result, have checked them out. You can get that sense of lineage and inspiration and, again, that makes me much more connected to the artist than ever. Perhaps my path to the BBC Radio 6 Music stable – either pumping out a daily dose of music news or keeping the coffee machine working and stocked! – is a long way away but I have changed my style and improved as a journalist because of the likes of Matt Everitt and how they approach subjects. Think about your ‘first times’ and those soul-awakening gigs and records. Music is not the only way to discover what makes an artist tick and, when many icons write in an oblique and distant way; interviews are the only way we can truly get into their souls, memories and minds. Reading about these musical colossuses and the charming memories that are dear to them is truly wonderful and incredibly revealing. Celebrities and musical figures have already given The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons a hearty thumbs-up and I’d give it a classic Paul McCartney double-thumbs-up of approval! The here and now and current time is vital for all artists and they are keenest for people to discovery what they are putting into the world and where they are heading. If we take a moment and ask them to talk about where they came from and how music struck them in a very primal way; I feel we can learn things about the artist that…

  IN THIS IMAGE: An exert from Matt Everitt’s book, The First Time: Stories & Songs from Music Icons (depicting The Beach Boys’ mega-genius leader, Brian Wilson)/ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Tim Marrs/BOOK PUBLISHER: Laurence King Publishing

WILL blow the mind.

INTERVIEW: Simon D James

INTERVIEW:

Simon D James

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I have been talking with Simon D James…

about his new single, My Everything, and what it is all about. He discusses what is coming up next and what sort of music he responds to; which three albums mean the most to him and what it was like recording at Leeds’ Greenmount Studios.

James recommends some rising artists to watch and tells me what his gig schedule is looking like; how he chills away from music and why he spent time in Mexico City selling coffee – the songwriter provides some useful advice for artists coming through.

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

Hi, Sam. I’m good, thank you. Hiding out in Brighton from the cold; rehearsing for some upcoming gigs and focusing on promotion for the new single.

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

I’m a Brighton-based singer-songwriter who likes to spend time in studios turning Folk songs into Indie tunes.

My Everything is your new song. Is there a tale behind it?

When you get that feeling that you are repeating similar situations in your life because you didn't quite get the lesson the first time; like the universe is a maths teacher and asking you to take resists. That, coupled with realising that all I am is good enough…

Is it true you spent time in Mexico City selling coffee?! What was the reason behind that?

I had an aversion to the dampness of the UK in my twenties, so I tried many scams and angles to make money in clement environments. Selling Coffee in DF was not my most profitable venture, but I did love my time in that city and it is where My Everything was first written.

What was it like recording in Leeds’ Greenmount Studios. Was there a reason for choosing that location?

I’m lucky to have come from a very musical family. Greenmount was a connection from my uncle, who runs a theatre in Leeds. He had worked with Jamie and Lee before and managed to get me a day with them. As far as I'm concerned, it was love at first site with Jamie and Lee and I quickly went back and recorded a bunch more songs that we are releasing at the moment.

Might we see more material next year do you think?

During the summer, I released an E.P., Songs from a Dream Long Forgotten, and now we have the single, My Everything, out on 5th November. My Everything will be on a four-track E.P. that I hope to have released in January and, in Feb, I'm back at Greenmount to record more.

Was your early life filled with music? Which artists did you follow when growing up?

The first band that changed my life was Nirvana. I got into them at about thirteen; from there my musical tastes grew and encompasses almost every genre.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

Release and record music - and we are currently booking gigs and festivals for the summer.

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

My favourite moments in music are when I’m jamming with my friends; when everyone is rocking out. There is also something really special about being in a recording studio.

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

As a teenager, my friends and I would smoke pot and listen to Abbey Road on-repeat. The entire album sometimes comes on in my mind and I can hear all the arrangements from start to finish whilst I’m going about my day.

Tom Waits’ Swordfishtrombones takes me to Art College and most days at some point a track from Off the Wall comes on and I have a little moonwalk around the kitchen.

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

I guess I would most like to Radiohead - and I'm not fussy; I'm happy with most things.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Persevere.

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

I have a show in London at the Underbelly on 7th November and check us out on social media to find out about all our other shows.

 IN THIS PHOTO: MY BABY

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m listening to MY BABY and The Lemon Twigs on-repeat at the moment.

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

Not enough. Chill time is kind of the carrot on the end of the stick. What’s that saying...? ‘I'll rest when I'm dead’.

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

Michael Jackson – Get on the Floor

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Follow Simon D James

Official:

https://simondjames.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MrSimonDJames

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SimonDJamesMusic

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2jCqedwOGGT8j5iGE7iRcd?si=_wXBqIUiT92dCykA2N9VZw

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/simondjamesmusic/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/simondjames

INTERVIEW: OVVLS

INTERVIEW:

OVVLS

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THE guys of OVVLS…

have been speaking about the new single, Black Butterflies, and why the inspiration behind it is. I ask how the duo got together and whether they have plans for 2019 – and whether there are any goals to tick off the list before the end of this year.

Stephannie and Lee reveal their favourite albums and what plans they have coming up; whether they have a favourite memory from music so far; which artist they support if they had the chance – they recommend a rising artist we need to get behind.

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

Great! Not long returned from playing BRUCSTOCK Art & Music Festival in Barcelona so just getting back to reality after that. Amazing experience and our first show in Spain!

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

We’re an Alternative duo from Liverpool fighting back against global trends and challenging genre ideals through art and music.

When did OVVLS get together? Were you bonded by similar music tastes?

OVVLS was launched in 2016. We come from very contradictory musical backgrounds: Lee from Punk/Metal scenes and me from a more commercial Pop/Rock background. Both of these influences can be heard in our music but at the same time fuse to create something new.

Black Butterflies is your latest single. Is there a tale behind it?

The lyrics denote persevering through times of change, which is depicted through the life cycle of a butterfly. 

Might we see more material coming next year?

Yes. We will have another release coming in February next year which will be accompanied by an exciting new physical format. More to be unveiled on this in the coming weeks…

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

After the release of Black Butterflies, we are taking a couple of months to write new material. By the end of the year, we hope to have new and exciting music ready for touring in the New Year.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

Yes. As mentioned; we have a new release dropping in February, which will be accompanied by a brand new physical format and run of shows around U.K./Europe.

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

The response to our first single, Pain Is Beauty, and hearing it aired on BBC Introducing for the first time. After so long hibernating and curating our sound, we weren’t sure how our music would be received and were so humbled that people wanted to listen!

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

Stephannie: Amy Winehouse – Back to Black

From start to finish, this album is perfect poetry. Catchy songs that are beautifully woven with honest, gut-wrenching emotion. I love how at times Amy’s lyrics are so simple yet speak with such impact. A true songstress that we lost too soon.

Lee: The Prodigy – Music for the Jilted Generation

This is the very first album I got (for my eleventh birthday!) and a crossroads into more Alternative music. Still a great album and I’ll be seeing some of these songs live this Thursday at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.

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

‘Alive today’ narrows down our options…although Portishead would be cool!

As for the rider; we’d like thirteen bottles of red wine, a bowl full of 666 purple Skittles and…only joking! As long as we have a place to say, drinks and food (vegan for Stephannie) we’re easily pleased. It’s more about the show for us.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Work hard, stay positive; challenge your artistry and don’t always follow the norm.

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

We can’t reveal as of yet but keep an eye on our social profiles over the coming weeks.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Hermetic Delight

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Hermetic Delight. We played a show in Cologne with them last month; really cool vibe.

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

We don’t get much time to chill away from the music at the moment as we’ve had a busy few months. But, when we do get the chance we like to get outdoors and explore nature. In fact, in a few weeks time we’re going to Iceland to explore and draw inspiration for our winter writing.

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

Chelsea Wolfe – Carrion Flowers

Massive Attack - Teardrop 

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Follow OVVLS

PHOTO CREDIT: @part__time__artist  

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/WeAreOVVLS/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/WeAreOVVLS

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/3dcFjszsXEeqJD4ys2cXJI

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/weareovvls

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/weareovvls/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/WeAreOVVLS

INTERVIEW: Streets of Roya

INTERVIEW:

Streets of Roya

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THANKS to Streets of Roya…

for telling me about his new single, Sleepwalking, and what we can expect from the upcoming E.P.; whether the music has developed since the start and what Streets of Roya hopes to achieve before the end of the year – he recommends some rising artists to watch.

I ask which album is important to him and whether he gets time to chill away from music; if there are any gigs coming up and which artist he’d support on tour if he was given that opportunity – Streets of Roya chooses a song to end the gig with.

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Hi, Streets of Roya. How are you? How has your week been?

It’s going great, thanks. We've released our latest single, Sleepwalking, about a week ago and there's always something really exciting and scary about a release. Getting reviews and feedback about my songs is something I'm not used to. But it does feel great.

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

Streets of Roya is my (Michael) solo project that I started late-2017. I wrote and produced a bunch of songs and wanted to start something that's bigger than me. Over the last few months, I got more focused and serious about Streets of Roya. It's still a very young project but I'm super-thrilled about it. We got some great stuff coming up.

Sleepwalking is your new track. Is there a story behind it?

It's part of our debut E.P. that we will release early-2019. Sleepwalking was the last song I wrote for the E.P. There is something about the desperation and restlessness of Sleepwalking that made it a perfect first single.

I understand an E.P. is coming next year. What can you reveal about the themes and songs?

The E.P. is the first attempt to write a few songs with a concept in mind. It's been all about capturing the emotion and feeling of restlessness for me and less about a storyline - rather than just about the way the songs and sounds make you feel and where they'll take you. It is a restless and desperate E.P., both lyrically and musically.

How did Streets of Roya get together? Do you all share tastes in the same sort of music?

Streets of Roya is still a solo project at the moment. I do have musicians joining me for our live shows though and maybe they're going to be a part of future productions in the studio. We'll have to see.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cristina Morena

You have released a few singles already. How do you feel you’ve developed since the beginning?

There is something quite honest about releasing music a song at a time because you can't hide. With each song, you get an immediate response. And I love that. It helps to grow and develop as an artist. With Streets of Roya, everything is moving and changing as we go.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

We just played our first live shows. That's been a huge deal for me. And it's been great. I hope we play one or two more shows this year.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

I want to perform live. That's what it's all about: connecting with our audience. I hope we get to play as much as possible. The stage is still my absolute favorite place.  

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

Last year, I had the opportunity to play a house concert for Syrian refugees in East Germany. It was touching to hear their stories about leaving Syria, the war and being separated from their families and loved ones. To perform some of my songs for them is something I won't forget.

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

I'd have to say Jeff Buckley's Grace. Everything about that record is perfect. The songs, performances and production. One of my all-time favorite albums.

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

It would have to be Pink Floyd.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I think you can get lost in the whole 'making it' thing. So, I'd say just try and enjoy writing and creating. In the end that's why we do what we do. It's easy to share music nowadays. I love that.

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

We don't have any shows confirmed yet. But, we do post all our tour dates on our social medias/website.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Leif Vollebekk/PHOTO CREDIT: @tom.dunphy_creative

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Leif Vollebekk, Stereo Honey; Bipolar Sunshine, Palace and Moby Rich.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Stereo Honey

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

I try to. To relax, I usually go for a hike, read a good book or watch a movie.

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

Leif Vollebekk - Elegy

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Follow Streets of Roya

Official:

http://streetsofroya.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/streetsofroya/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0LxtJsQ85Mn74eUPVf19JI

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/streetsofroya/

FEATURE: STOP the Music! The Artists Speaking Out Against Politicians Using Their Songs Without Permission

FEATURE:

 

 

STOP the Music!

IN THIS PHOTO: Rihanna (whose song, Don’t Stop the Music, has been played by U.S. President Donald Trump (at his rallies) against her wishes)/PHOTO CREDIT: Craig McDean for The New York Times Style Magazine

The Artists Speaking Out Against Politicians Using Their Songs Without Permission

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THERE are loopholes and sneaky avenues…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @fentybeauty/@rihanna 

politicians can embark down in order to get certain songs played at their speeches - or they can blatantly nick them without regard for any morals or artist rights! We all know the scene, don’t we?! Whether it is here or the U.S., some politician will stride towards a podium with a recognisable song playing loudly. A lot of times, the song’s title fits in with their mandate and, for the most part, is some really awful pun or corny message that makes you cringe. The songs themselves are good but politicians select songs whose title/chorus ‘speaks’ for them and says what they are all about. Leaders, especially, are culpable of taking liberties regarding artists’ songs and using them without permission. I will talk about Donald Trump and why he is in the news  again but, right now, look at the recent ‘dance’ Prime Minister Theresa May performed that used an ABBA song. This piece explains how ABBA do not want their music used in this context and how, on more than one occasion, our P.M. has defied their ruling:

 “The 2010 quote has resurfaced on social media after Prime Minister Theresa May danced on stage to Dancing Queen at the Conservative Party conference yesterday.

Although the Swedish pop icons have not commented on the anthem being used, some on Twitter have rediscovered some sharp words of warning Andersson issued to the Danish People’s Party when they used Mamma Mia at their rallies.

The two situations are, of course, different: the DF, a far-right group, had changed the lyrics of Mamma Mia to Mamma Pia in tribute to their then-leader Pia Kjaersgaard…

IN THIS PHOTO: ABBA’s Benny Andersson/PHOTO CREDIT: Knut Koivisto  

“ABBA never allows its music to be used in a political context,” he said at the time, according to BBC News.

“This is something that we have pointed out to the Danish People's Party."

He had also chastised them for changing the lyrics, saying: “"Firstly, you cannot just rewrite songs as you like and secondly we want them to understand that we have absolutely no interest in supporting their party.”

Musicians are often speaking out against their songs being used in politics: Foo Fighters did the same in 2008 during the US presidential campaign when John McCain and Sarah Palin used their track at a rally.

And more recently, Donald Trump reportedly used Adele’s Rolling In The Deep at a campaign rally and her people shot back: "Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning”.

You can see Donald Trump’s name appearing in that piece and it seems to be the case that a disliked and unpopular leader will choose quite a cool or popular track to make themselves seem hip and ‘with-it’. The fact artists like ABBA and Foo Fighters stand against the politicians who use their music; nobody came to them to inform them they would be using their music. Essentially, they have got a song off Spotify and played it and that is it. The artists, hearing this, have spoken out and distanced themselves from that politician.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Foo Fighters/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images/Press

Not only does using a song without an artist’s permission create legal issues but it looks bad on them. Imagine being Foo Fighters and hearing a Republican politician using one of your songs. The Foo Fighter boys are Democrats and would not want their fans to assume they support Republican ideologies. The same goes for ABBA. They do not want to be seen as big supporters of Theresa May and have rightly taking umbrage. I am not sure how much political leaders know about the musical world but, as this article explored – when talking about Theresa May’s appearance on Desert Island Discs – some have incredibly awful taste:

“Theresa May will be the least hip prime minister since John Major. Political journalists contemplating the forthcoming premiership of Britain’s new leader may not currently be focussing on May’s taste in music but as a pop critic, I am duty bound to consider whether the contents of a politician’s Spotify playlist offer any handy insights to their style of leadership.

Since the Britpop boom of the Nineties, we’ve endured the reigns of guitar slinging amateur rocker Tony Blair and indie rock acolyte David Cameron, who regularly annoyed rebellious rock stars by proclaiming how much they liked their music. Even Gordon Brown pretended to like the Arctic Monkeys in a dismal effort to seem au fait with popular taste…

Does it even matter what music our leaders listen to? Obviously, it’s not the first thing you look for on their CV. As May goes into those delicate Brexit negotiations, I don’t think anyone’s going to be wondering if she geed herself up in the morning with a dose of Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up, or entered the boardroom to the strains of Europe’s The Final Countdown.

The younger generation, however, who voted overwhelmingly to Remain, might be concerned to be represented by someone whose idea of pop culture seems to have atrophied before most of them were even born. Dancing Queen was released in 1976. Since then we’ve had punk rock, hip hop, Britpop, techno and grime”.

Whilst it may not be important that a politician has naff taste in music; when it comes to using songs to soundtrack conference entrances or using them at rallies; that is a different matter and goes behind an artist’s back. I love it when artists attack politicians because they name-check them and say they like their music! The fact their reputation is being dented because of that association is enough to get them taking to social media and the press! The cases of political figures using music without permission goes back a long way.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Former British Prime Minister David Cameron/PHOTO CREDIT: PA Wire/PA Images

I am reminded of a case in 2010 when The Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr came out against David Cameron (the then-Prime Minster) ‘forebade’ him from saying he liked the band’s music:

 “It has become something of a tradition for British prime ministers to name-drop a rock star or two in the hope that a bit of cool will rub off by association, only to be publicly and embarrassingly rebuffed.

Who can forget Gordon Brown's Arctic Monkeys debacle in a men's magazine, when he was unable to name a single track? Or Tony Blair's admission that he was a fan of Oasis – only for lead singer Noel Gallagher to announce that he was fed up with taking "flak" for it?

David Cameron, stop saying that you like The Smiths, no you don't. I forbid you to like it.

— Johnny Marr (@Johnny_Marr) 2 December 2010

Now David Cameron has become the latest to run the gauntlet of the uneasy and usually unrequited relationship between politician and musical muse.

Johnny Marr, a founding member and the lead guitarist of The Smiths, yesterday called on the prime minister to stop saying that he liked the band.

While Marr hasn't explained why he was so incensed at being to Cameron's taste, perhaps Margaret on the Guillotine, Morrissey's song that imagined the execution of Mrs Thatcher, from his 1988 debut album Viva Hate, might have been a clue as to what the band think of the Conservative party.

Marr is not the first musician to take exception to Cameron. Radiohead's frontman, Thom Yorke, came forward to dispute a claim made by Cameron during his appearance on Desert Island Discs that Yorke had performed the song Fake Plastic Trees, his favourite, at a show following a request by the prime minister”.

 

There is a difference between taste and unpopular association and those who use music without prior consent. This article shows the cases where politicians have been named and blasted for using music without the consent of the artist/band. A few examples stood out to me – one involving the music-mentioned and maligned Donald J. Trump:

“7. Bon Jovi

Song: "Who Says You Can't Go Home"
Politician: John McCain
Outcome: While Bon Jovi issued a disapproving statement about the McCain camp's use of their song, no legal action was taken and usage continued unabated.

9. Bruce Springsteen

Song: "Born in the U.S.A."
Politician: Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole, Pat Buchanan
Outcome: An adviser to Reagan asked The Boss if he could use "Born in the U.S.A." during his re-election campaign in 1984. Springsteen turned him down. This episode is seen as the start of Springsteen's progressive awakening, and since then, he has become an outspoken liberal. In later years, Dole and Buchanan were similarly turned down.

12. Elton John

Song: "Rocket Man," "Tiny Dancer"
Politician: Donald Trump
Outcome: Trump admires Elton John. He even referenced one of the British singer's songs by disparagingly calling North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "Rocket Man." John has known the president for decades, but he turned down Trump's invitation to perform at his inauguration. John also had asked that his songs not be used during the 2016 presidential campaign but Trump continues to use songs such as "Tiny Dancer" at political rallies”.

 

There is a long list of musicians attacking politicians for using their music without their prior knowledge. Is it, then, a legal issue if a song is used?! This article explains the law and drills down to the real reason artists do not want politicians using their songs: they do not agree with their politics:

“Do you remember the time Donald Trump played “It’s The End of the World as We Know It” at a campaign rally and REM told him not to use their music "for your moronic charade of a campaign?" Or that time John McCain used “Running on Empty” in a TV ad bashing Obama and Jackson Browne sued him? Or that time Rand Paul used “Tom Sawyer” during his Senate run and Rush said that it was obvious Paul “hates women and brown people?"* It seems like every time there’s an election, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a band upset at a politician for using its music. And with a year left before the general election, it’ll happen a few more times at least.

Most of the time it's just a blip on the news, something fun to chat about on a slow work day. But for some reason this election cycle it’s become a THING, launching a thousand and one think pieces like this one over the copyright issues inherent in this particular type of controversy.

Let’s clear this up first: using a copyrighted song without a license is infringement, even if it’s for a non-commercial/political reason. Songs generally have many copyright owners (the writers, musicians, record label, licensing houses, publishers, etc.) and that means you need several licenses, not just one. The RIAA has a useful primer illustrating a campaign’s legal responsibility when licensing music. Here are some highlights:

"When music is played in public, such as at a campaign event, it is typically necessary to obtain a license for the musical composition (words and music). It is not necessary to obtain a license from the owner of the sound recording (usually a record label).”

"A campaign must obtain permission from the owner of the musical composition (usually a music publisher [such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC]). This is known as a 'synch license.’”

“[I]f a campaign wants to use a specific recording of the song (e.g., Survivor’s recording of 'Eye of the Tiger'), then the campaign must obtain permission from the owner of the sound recording (usually the record label). This is known as a 'master license.'”

ASCAP has its own primer, stating:

“[I]f the campaign wants to use a song as its theme, they should contact the management for the artists and/or songwriters of the song in question and obtain their permission.”

So you need permission. And fair use, an oft-claimed but little understood doctrine, won’t give you relief either. As this Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review article points out, using a song without permission for a political campaign typically won't qualify for fair use protection because:

1.       The use of the music is rarely transformative - despite the fact that political campaigns are not commercial, the song’s meaning is rarely altered, commented upon, or otherwise changed enough to differentiate itself from the initial use;

2.       The use of the music, often to bolster a candidate’s standing in the eyes of supporters and/or to bash other candidates, does not serve the public interest and is therefore not worthy of free usage; and

3.       If the music is used repeatedly, it could create a financial harm to the artist who would have otherwise been paid if the music had been properly licensed.

But let’s not kid ourselves; this is not a copyright issue. Copyright is merely the mechanism by which a musician can get the candidate to stop and/or pay damages. This is about politics”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

“Artists, especially established ones, rightly view their reputation as a business asset. If people like the brand, they buy the product. If the brand offends them, they don’t buy the product. A good brand gives you not only money, but influence. That’s how Taylor Swift is able to force Apple to change its policy with a single blog post. So when artists perceive their brand to be under attack, they understandably lash out. Trademark law can give them the tools to do that.

Under the Lanham Act (the law governing trademarks), trademark infringement can occur if the use of a song by a politician is likely to create confusion** in the marketplace that the musician endorses the politician, especially if this association harms the musician’s reputation (referred to as “dilution by tarnishment”). But meeting this bar isn’t so easy. To determine whether a likelihood of confusion exists, the federal courts have developed an eight-factor test (called “the Sleekcraft factors” after the landmark 1979 Ninth Circuit case, AMF, Inc. v. Sleekcraft Boats). Those factors are:

1.       The strength of the mark;

2.       The proximity or relatedness of the goods;

3.       The similarity of the marks;

4.       Any evidence of actual confusion;

5.       The marketing channels used;

6.       The degree of care customers are likely to exercise in purchasing the goods;

7.       The defendant's intent in selecting the mark; and

8.       The likelihood of expansion into other markets”.

Although there is clarity regarding the law and distinctions; why do politicians keep using particular songs and gaining such fevered backlash? In the case of someone like Theresa May drunkenly stumbling on stage to ABBA; one assumes it was a very misinformed decision by the Conservatives who felt it would make her seem accessible, cool and a bit ‘down with the kids’. If she wanted to do that then she could have played some Skepta or Dizzee Rascal but it would have been tragic to see her come on to some Grime tune and pretend she had any idea of what the music is about! The fact she looked like a demented aunt who had just sat on a drawing pin and was looking for the nearest toilet not only reflected bad on ABBA but took her cool-o-meter right into the minuses! Rolling Stone shed more light onto the reasons why politicians use songs from particular artists for their campaigns and speeches:

 “Nine times out of 10, it’s a young advance person who thinks it’s a cool song to play when the guy’s walking in and the candidate hasn’t a clue what was playing,” he says. “In this case, Donald Trump could have walked in that room: ‘I want that Neil Young song, and it better be playing loud.’ But I don’t know.” (Reps for Trump, as well as Walker, Mitt Romney and Senator Marco Rubio, who have run into this problem repeatedly throughout recent election cycles, did not respond to requests for comment.)

Either way, the impact of such unauthorized use can be devastating for a songwriter. “The artist gets drawn into the question of whether or not to take any action, and run the risk of giving the politicians some additional publicity, or [allowing] the public for one second to think that someone like Neil Young was endorsing Donald Trump,” says Jon Landau, Springsteen’s longtime manager. “It’s kind of a reverse endorsement trap – Ronald Reagan declares Bruce as one of his own, and then Bruce has to either let it stand or actively disassociate. When the confusion gets big enough, most artists will, one way or the other, step in”…

IN THIS PHOTO: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton addresses a joint session of Congress on 17th February, 1993/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Of course, the opposite effect can happen. Mick Fleetwood recently said Bill Clinton’s campaign never requested permission for what became his iconic 1992 campaign anthem, “Don’t Stop,” but the band generally voted Democratic and didn’t object to the exposure. On a smaller scale, Gym Class Heroes’ “The Fighter” recently wound up on Hillary Clinton’s publicly released Spotify playlist (after her presidential campaign received permission from the band). “If it wasn’t Hillary, and I didn’t necessarily agree with their stance, it’d definitely be an awkward position,” says the band’s Travie McCoy, who sang and co-wrote the song. “When you’re in a position of being super-impressionable on people, you’ve got to be careful how you step.” Several artists who’ve had conflicts with politicians in recent years on this issue, including Dropkick Murphys, Axwell and Ingrosso, Heart, Tom Petty, Don Henley and Van Halen, turned down interview requests for this story.

“Why does it keep happening? I would say arrogance. Or because [candidates] want to use music in order to associate [with] fans of the artists whose music they’re using, and they think they can’t get permission,” Iser says. “What’s that expression? ‘It’s better to beg forgiveness than to ask [only] to get turned down'”.

I think a lot of the unhappy association is to do with politics and cool. Not many artists would have objected to former President Barack Obama using their music or, I feel, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn doing the same! The more popular politicians will not face such umbrage and anger because they are speaking for the people and have that more human image – the music, as such, is being used in a positive way.

 IN THIS PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Bojangles' Coliseum on Friday, 26th October, 2018 in Charlotte, N.C./PHOTO CREDIT: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

This all takes us to the latest case of unhappy musician-politician partnership: Rihanna being informed Donald Trump was using her music as part of his rallies.

“Less than 24 hours after endorsing Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for Florida governor, Rihanna has revealed she plans to ensure President Trump stops playing her music at his rallies.

The singer tweeted about this after the Washington Post's White House Bureau Chief tweeted: "It’s been said a million times, but here’s a million and one — Trump’s rallies are unlike anything else in politics. Currently, Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” is blaring in Chattanooga as aides toss free Trump T-shirts into the crowd, like a ball game. Everyone’s loving it."

Rihanna responded "Not for much longer...me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up philip!"

Not for much longer...me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies,  so thanks for the heads up philip! https://t.co/dRgRi06GrJ

— Rihanna (@rihanna) November 5, 2018

 

“Rihanna’s comments followed remarks by Axl Rose, who this weekend accused the Trump campaign of “using loopholes in the various venues’ blanket performance licenses … without the songwriters’ consent” after learning that Guns N’ Roses’ 1988 song Sweet Child O’ Mine was being played at the president’s rallies.”

Axl Rose also said that Guns N’ Roses had “formally requested r music not b used at Trump rallies or Trump associated events”.

Unfortunately the Trump campaign is using loopholes in the various venues’ blanket performance licenses which were not intended for such craven political purposes, without the songwriters’ consent.

Can u say “shitbags?!”💩

— Axl Rose (@axlrose) November 4, 2018

I guess it is pretty obvious why Trump has used a song from Rihanna. He hears something in the title or the chorus that he thinks he is about – a positivity and sense of optimism that he hopes his supporters can take to heart and be buoyed before. There will be fans of Rihanna and Guns N’ Roses who are Republicans but it is good to see artists taking a stand and, in doing so, showing the colour of their political skin (blue in this case; red in the case of British musicians).

Trump will always take liberties and drag artists down his road to perdition. I guess Kanye West is the only artist who would like his music played by the U.S. President and here, I wonder how many would feel pride when their music is used to support Theresa May. No names spring to mind and it is a sticky business. I can understand politicians need music to soundtrack their entrances or be their ‘anthems’ but artists who object to their politics shouldn’t be made to hear that indignity. Using Rihanna’s music will send a message to her fans that she is a Trump supporter when, clearly, this is not the case! The same can be said of Axl Rose. There are very few prominent musicians who are Republicans and, as such, most of Trump’s musical choices will be met with anger. Look at the Conservatives and how many modern artists are behind them?! I can’t think of any artist who is a Tory supporter and, again, it does somewhat limit options. Whilst there are no legal ramifications using music without consent; there is that political and ethical issue (and copyright) that needs to be considered. The unauthorised use will not stop but I think there is something tragic and pathetic about these politicians, the unpopular ones, using popular music because they think that makes them bigger or cooler. Rihanna wants President Trump to quit using her song, Don’t Stop the Music, for his rallies. There is a lyric in the song that goes “You’re makin’ staying over here impossible” and, if politicians like Trump keep using artists’ music without their permission we might see a lot of them…

EMIGRATING and escaping the country they love!

FEATURE: 5 Become 4: Can the Spice Girls Create the Same Magic Without a ‘Posh’ Icon?

FEATURE:

 

 

5 Become 4

IN THIS PHOTO: The Spice Girls (BACK: Geri Horner (née Horner, ‘Ginger Spice’) and Emma Bunton (‘Baby Spice’)/FRONT: Melanie Brown (‘Scary Spice’); Melanie Chisholm (‘Sporty Spice’); Victoria Beckham (née Adams, ‘Posh Spice’)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Can the Spice Girls Create the Same Magic Without a ‘Posh’ Icon?

__________

WHETHER you are a big Spice Girls fan or not…

you cannot deny that, back in the day, they made an impact on music. I will look at the legacy and music they left us but, imminently, they will be announcing tour dates and locations. It is a rare opportunity for fans to catch the Spice Girls on the stage – 2000’s Forever was their last album as a group and did not feature Geri. There has been talk of a reunion and, in the years since they split, there have been attempts to get them all on the same stage. Apart from an ill-fated Spice Girls musical and some one-off singles/appearances; it has been a quiet time for the band this century. Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) spilled the beans and gave Jamie Theakston the rundown on their Heart radio show regarding the Spice Girls reunion and what we might expect. Check the video out below but there is a lot of excitement brewing and people are excited to see four-fifths of the band on the stage and going around the world – one suspects there will be a lot of international dates and it will be a busy next year for the girls. I am not sure what provoked the decision but there have been rumours for years and there must have been a moment when they all got together and decided the time was now.

The moment we've all been waiting for... @EmmaBunton aka #babyspice discusses the #SpiceGirls reunion!😱 pic.twitter.com/uEDnRobNxy

— Heart (@thisisheart) November 5, 2018

I believe the announcement will be made at 3 P.M. and the reunion tour will not include Posh Spice – Victoria Beckham is not part of the plans but the full reason has not been given. Vogue published a piece earlier today that gave a bit of background:

“The Spice Girls last performed together in 2012 during the Olympics closing ceremony, but they have not toured as a band since 2008. Over the years, Bunton, Beckham, Geri Horner, Melanie C and Melanie B have posted photographs of the fivesome together on social leading fans to predict a sequel to Spice World and new music. Beckham, however, has always vehemently denied plans to reunite. “I’m not going on tour. The girls aren’t going on tour,” she stated during a preview of her autumn/winter 2018 collection. As her former band mates prepare for the demands of stadium life once more, it is assumed that Beckham will concentrate on her burgeoning fashion brand”.

One can look at that explanation of omission – Victoria Beckham concentrating on fashion – but one would assume she could do the both, surely?! Melanie B (Scary Spice) recently sported a Halowe’en outfit of her in a mask of Posh Spice and a bit of a jibe against her decision. Maybe it was playful but one senses there is a bit of animosity and disagreement in the camp that has led to Beckham not being included.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

There are some who feel her omission is a relief. In terms of the band’s best singers, she would be at the bottom of the pile, alas. I am not sure whether the Spice Girls will adopt their nicknames and dress as they did back in the 1990s. One suspects the stage attire will be a bit more refined and 2018 – one cannot imagine Geri Horner in a Union flag dress or Emma Bunton as Baby Spice. I guess, if they are cranking out the old hits, then there needs to be some authenticity and purity. There is a school of thought that suggests a depleted Spice Girls is a bit of a charade. If you have always wanted to see the group get on the stage and perform like they did in their heyday then would a four-piece satisfy you?! Although most of the lead vocals were taken by Melanie C (Sporty Spice) and Melanie B; each member had their place and were all part of the mix. I suppose Baby Spice and Ginger Spice (Geri Horner) did a lot more of the vocal lifting than Posh Spice but that image and iconic line-up is what people want to see! Tickets will be snapped up within a few minutes and many of them will be flogged on resale sites for exorbitant and eye-watering prices.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The newest publicity photo of the reunited Spice Girls/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

I do not buy the fact Victoria Beckham is not going to be involved because of commitments and the fact she is too busy. The reason the group have not reunited since they split is because it has been hard getting all five of them on the same page. Look at the 2000 album from Spice Girls and one notices Ginger Spice missing. Many felt that reality was the beginning of the end and, whilst songs like Let Love Lead the Way and Goodbye were good tracks; Forever was a bit of a damp squib and got a critical bashing. It is good Geri Horner is back in and committed to a reunion and there is a sense of excitement in the camp. All of the members have gone on to enjoy varying degrees of success since the Spice Girls called time. Emma Bunton is a D.J. and T.V. personality whilst Melanie C and Geri Horner have enjoyed some solo success; both are very much in the public eye but not as active as they were in the years following the group’s split. Melanie C, too, had some success but a lot of the column inches dedicated to her have revolved around relationship issues and controversies. Geri Horner has not released an album since 2005’s Passion but she has been on our screens and has enjoyed a more domestic and settled life.

 IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I am not here to rake over the leaves of split and tension but it is a shame there will not be the classic line-up on the stage. Many might say why, so many years down the line, are the Spice Girls getting back together?! Can they really create an impact and thrill people like they did when they were on top of the world?! Times have changed and one barely sees girl groups in the mainstream. The golden days when you had the Spice Girls, En Vogue and Destiny’s Child doing their thing and promoting messages of empowerment and strength; now, there is much less of it and it seems that area of music is dying. I am not sure why there is little cultivation of girl groups but one feels a Spice Girls reunion will stoke some interest and revival. I wonder whether a reunion will go as far as new material. Many might scowl and be fearful of that question but look at En Vogue and All Saints. The latter, especially, have enjoyed success lately and, whilst they were not officially split, they have managed to transition from their success in the 1990s/2000s and sustained public interest. All Saints are not releasing the same vibe as they did when they started out and, instead, are producing a more mature sound but one that has ample punch and intent. If an album did arrive from the Spice Girls then you have to feel their sound would go down the same road.

Again, it would probably not feature Victoria Beckham and it would be a similar case to Forever – four unified and happy members but a noticeable gap. Who knows what will occur between now and the days following the tour announcement. There will be a public demand for new material and I think that will follow when they are off the road. The gigs, I envisage, will be the classic hits and a real retrospective. It is great in terms of nostalgia but that need for fresh offerings will force them into the studio. I will update this article when more details come to life and the news spreads but there has been some divisions regarding the reunion. Some say that it is best to leave the Spice Girls in the past and they can never recapture that spirit of Girl Power and what they stood for. Back in the 1990s, you could not avoid Spice Girl-related merchandise and girls mimicking them. Singles like Wannabe, 2 Become 1 and Who Do You Think You Are became radio staples and catapulted them into the public conciseness. Spice (1996) was a big debut that got a lot of people talking and why the songs lacked the same great and authority as some of their peers’ music – the likes of En Vogue and Destiny’s Child – there was something anthemic and catchy about their material.

Teen-Pop, as a result, was brought back into the mainstream and the doors were opened for other artists to step up. The wave of obsession that followed that release is akin to Beatlemania in the 1960s. That album peaked at number-one in seventeen countries and was a gigantic success. 1997’s Spiceworld was another big success and capitalised on the group’s popularity and demand. They were touring the world and bringing their unique live set to the hungry masses. The catchiness of songs like Spice Up Your Life, Stop and Too Much won new hearts and the group were involved with the writing process – it was a juggernaut that was taking over the world. Critics always were and always have been split by the validity and appeal of the music. One can argue there is a lot of cotton candy and sweetness that hides any real maturity and depth whilst others contest the hooks, big choruses and sense of fun are proof enough. However divided the press were; the nation as a whole was involved in this brief and brilliant burst of Girl Power that seemed to provide something new and needed into music. There were not a lot of British Pop artists augmenting sisterhood, this notion of Girl Power and a defiance that marked them as, albeit cheeky and commercial, rebels and role models for teenagers and children around the world.

There was sadness when they split but many have suggested they did what they did well and it is best left in the past. Others feel this reunion is about money and trying to recapture long-lost success and fame. I agree new material will be very different to what they have produced and you cannot go back in time and expect them to create the same effect and sensation they did in the 1990s. Music has changed beyond recognition and modern Pop has shifted to the solo artists; the quality and nature of mainstream music has altered and it would be inorganic and strange for a revival of the sounds we heard on Spice. Between the four touring members, there are children, husbands and new careers; they are not as young as they once were and their creative intent is changed. Maybe we will see a revival of the Girl Power mantra but I feel they have passed that phase. In any case; although I am not a mega-fan of their work; I feel their return is a good thing and who knows where it could lead?! All Saints have managed to find popularity and acclaim a couple of decades after their first incarnation and one feels, if Destiny’s Child reformed, then they could create something sensational. It would be interesting to hear Geri Horner, Melanie Brown; Melanie Chisholm and Emma Bunton work on something new and you wonder, if it got to the studio, whether Victoria Beckham (née Adams) would be persuaded to return.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Victoria Beckham/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Keep your eyes peeled for the 3 P.M. announcement but, of course, I think it is exciting music gets to focus on something positive and speculate what could be. I agree it will be impossible to replicate that excitement and sound of the 1990s and nobody expects them to. Even if there is nothing more than touring and a single album; there are so few female bands around at the moment. There are a lot of female solo artists and duos but, when it comes to band; female bands tend not to be Pop-based. Certainly, there are far fewer of the traditional girl bands and I feel the return of the Spice Girls could inspire a new generation. Hearing those hits in stadiums will certainly bring back memories but I wonder whether a lack of Posh Spice on the rack will take away an essential ingredient. Even if the vocal prowess of Victoria Beckham is not the reason to be sad; her place in music history is confirmed and many want that complete group. There is a bit of obfuscation and disguise regarding the official reason – why they are a four-piece and not a quintet – but I hope they can find some common ground. I do not think the Spice Girls can have a long-term recording career as a foursome and most will need the original five back together.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Spice Girls photoed in Paris in September 1996 PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Roney/Getty Images

They can certainly tour and sell tickets by the shed-load but is that Posh Spice-shaped hole going to be too strange?! Will someone take her place and how will the songs differ regarding vocal arrangements and dance routines?! The biggest takeaway from the reunion is how it will affect the new generation and the impact those songs will have. We want the return of those girl groups who could make that instant impact with their chemistry and hooks; those songs that survive the years and, whether you admit it or not, you kind of like! The huge absence of any girl groups might be a sign of the times – that term seems sexist and outdated; Pop is a more personal and solo endeavour – but I feel it would be easy to revive that scene and get some great modern options to the plate. Whatever happens and however it all unfolds; this is news few expected to come and it means 2019 will be one where, believe it or not, four out of the five Spice Girls will share the stage together. It is good to have them back and I hope, in time, Victoria Beckham comes into the group and there is that complete unit. Keep your eyes on the clock for 3 P.M. and, regardless of how they move next year and what plans are afoot; I am pleased to see the Spice Girls…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

BACK in the music world.  

INTERVIEW: Al Moses

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Francis Brown 

Al Moses

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THANKS to Al Moses…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Lewys Mann

for talking about their new single, I Want More (officially released on 30th November), and the story behind it. I ask how they all found one another and whether there is a favourite memory from their careers so far; which album means the most to each of them and whether there are some approaching artists we need to seek out.

I was keen to know if there are gigs coming up and more material; what they have planned for the year ahead and which artist they’d support if they were given the chance – each member picks a song to end the interview with.

__________

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

Hello. We’re doing good. We’ve just come off the back of a great few of weeks as a band, actually. Every day, we keep hearing more good things so we can’t complain. 

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

We’re Al Moses; a four-piece Rock ‘n’ Roll band from South Wales. We’ve been together since 2017 although Jack and Daf, our two frontmen, had been knocking about, trying to get a band going for a little while before then.

We play a raw, audacious brand of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jack’s lyrics can vary between social commentaries on British drug culture, to the occasional bit of soul-searching. We like to sing about anything that carries a weight.

I Want More is your debut single. Is there a story behind it?

It’s our oldest song as a band. Jack must have just turned seventeen when he wrote it and I think that post-education disillusionment is looming over the entire song. 

It’s ultimately us using the band as a distraction and an excuse to avoid all the inevitable things in life that are laid out in front of us. It’s a basic enough concept but it needed to be said. People have seemed to really get on board with it and we hope it continues to be a bit of an anthem for the young and reckless. 

Do you know how you’ll follow it? Are you planning that far ahead?

We’ll be releasing another single sometime early-2019 but we aren’t too concerned about that at the moment. There won’t be an E.P. or an album yet though - there wouldn’t be much point. We do have some really great songs in our arsenal though.

PHOTO CREDIT: Francis Brown 

What sort of music/styles is the band inspired by? Are you all bonded by similar tastes?

We’re all fans of the bands we’re strongly influenced by: Libs, Manics and Arctic Monkeys, for example. Raychi, our bassist, is really into bands like Animal Collective and Panda Bear; in contrast to Jack and Daf who are big fans of bands like Mary Chain and Scream. 

We do bond as a band over the music we despise, more than any other we know. It comes in handy knowing what we want to avoid when writing. 

Do you recall when Al Moses came together? What is the inspiration behind the name?

Daf and Jack’s said their love for The Jesus and Mary Chain had brought them to go and see them in Cardiff.

We were really struggling for a name at the time and, even though Jack felt pretty let down by Jim and William Reid’s lacklustre performance, he suggested using a religious figure in our name like the two Scottish brothers had done so. 

‘Moses’ on its own sounded a bit drab so we stuck the ‘Al’ in front of it and just loved the sound of it. It doesn’t mean anything but it feels like a brave name and that was enough for us. It’s a really good name to shout. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

We’re only doing our third ever headline gig on 29th November but we’ve got it in the upstairs room of Clwb Ifor Bach which is a three-hundred-capacity venue. 

We never thought at the start of the year we would be playing to a crowd that big - considering we had only done two gigs as a band prior to January. If we can sell that out like we have done on our previous two headlines then that would be the ideal way to round off an unreal year for us boys.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

We’ve been having some class stuff come in since the release of I Want More. We can’t say too much yet but we’re gonna be playing outside of Cardiff a lot more and possibly getting some bigger support slots…anything could happen. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Francis Brown 

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

Hearing our song on Radio 1 is always a bit moment for any band; it always sounds different somehow. To actually say we have a fanbase full of nut jobs from round South Wales is something that gives us all a buzz. 

Jack and Raychi got off the train from Cardiff to Newport for a gig in September and spotted four or five people wearing Al Moses T-shirts on the walk to the venue. Then, the following Saturday, we went up to Merthyr and had the same. Seeing people genuinely love your band is unbeatable. 

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

Raychi says ‘The White Album’ would be his, just ahead of Revolver. He said it’s a nostalgic album for him having listened to it a lot as a kid. 

Daf claims Ziggy Stardust (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) to be his, for Soul Love alone.

George has gone for the Definitely Maybe because he loves playing it in his car.

The Holy Bible by The Manics means the most the Jack because their twentieth anniversary gig in Cardiff Castle was the first gig he ever went too - and it contains some of the greatest lyrics ever written.

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

We’d support Fatboy Slim at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena on Jack’s birthday. With a rider consisting of caterpillar cake and a Cardiff City third shirt signed by Callum Patterson.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Be harsh on yourself and be interesting.

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

We are playing at the TramShed in Cardiff for Shimmer Sounds festival alongside some top bands. And then it’s all about our headline gig in Clwb Ifor Bach on 29th November. We’ll be announcing some new dates very soon though.

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Blinders

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

We’re all into The Blinders’ debut album; it’s class. There’s a great band from Cardiff called Laundrette who have really raised the bar in terms of making a gig ‘an experience’, if you’re into all that. Raychi rates Slipknot’s new stuff, weirdly. 

 IN THIS PHOTO: Laundrette

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

We’ve all been mates for years and years and always struggled for finding things to do so band has helped loads with that. We’re all either working full-time or doing some kind of education for the most part. Whenever we do get time it’s all about Al Moses and then we obviously have to drink together and go out too much and meet people to tell them about Al Moses. 

Jack is a big Cardiff City fan so he has a season ticket, while Raychi works on his own Ambient music locked away in his room. We try to make everything about the band though because it’s the best part of who we all are believe it or not.

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

Daf: Les Cactus - The Last Shadow Puppets

Raychi: Bassline Junkie - Dizzee Rascal

Jack: Salty Dog - Procol Harum 

George: Il mondo - Jimmy Fontana

___________

Follow Al Moses

PHOTO CREDIT: Francis Brown 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AlMosesBand/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4q8X4ARR10BEfQdh51rPW8?si=_DYAJKyWSdOzeDpKhIPzTQ

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/almosesband/

INTERVIEW: Zoe Konez

INTERVIEW:

Zoe Konez

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THIS week starts off by me…

speaking with Zoe Konez about her latest track, The Sweetest Thing Is Love, and what inspired its creation. She discusses her musical influences and setting up Stop Look Listen (a regular gig night promoting and showcasing grassroots artists) and what she has planned for next year.

Konez selects a few albums that mean a lot to her and what advice she’d offer artists coming through; emerging musiciasns we need to get involved with and where we can catch her perform – Konez tells me what she hopes to achieve before the end of the year.

__________

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

I’m great, thanks! My week has been a little hectic. I’m moving my home studio to a new room so lots of sorting out where things go. I’m also rehearsing for my gig at Stop Look Listen in London on Tuesday (6th November) and trying to finish off recording my next single which will be out in the new year.

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

I’m a singer, songwriter and guitarist and I live in South London. I play live with my drummer Will and we run a monthly music night together in North London called Stop Look Listen.

The Sweetest Thing Is Love is your latest release. Can you talk about it and how it came together?

The Sweetest Thing Is Love is my first single since my E.P., Between Darkness and Day, released in 2016. That E.P. was produced three-quarters by the wonderful Rhiannon Mair and I produced one song. Since then, I got a real taste for exploring production techniques and The Sweetest Thing Is Love is the sound of me exploring being not only a songwriter and musician but also a producer. I wrote the song on piano and electric guitar and started to build the song in my home studio, then recorded the live instruments in a beautiful barn studio in Sussex; then developed the sound further back in London.

Lyrically, it’s documenting that amazing warm feeling when you just adore your special person and you can only see good things ahead. Really optimistic and passionate - something I was genuinely feeling when I wrote it, which helps of course!

Do you think there will be more material coming next year?

Yes. I’ve been recording more songs. I have a collaboration which will come out in the New Year and more songs to follow in 2019!

You are involved with Stop Look Listen. What was the reason for starting that up?

I moved to London eight years ago and the selection of gigs to play is great but they are extremely hit and miss in terms of how well you are treated and whether your music will be listened to or talked loudly over. Will and I decided that we would host our own night and do our best to ensure primarily that the setting is cosy and atmospheric; the audience is trained to listen (yes, audiences need training!) and that we as hosts treat the acts well, introduce them and just have an enjoyable evening together.

We run it on the first Tuesday of the month at The Finsbury in Manor House and, in the summer months, we host music on our local park bandstand on Sunday afternoons. It’s super-enjoyable and we’ve met and listened to some amazing musicians over the years.

How important is it providing that support at grassroots level? How does it feel to know an artist you have backed and featured is getting their music supported more?

I think it’s really easy as a musician to get dampened by the steep climb (it can feel) to get a buzz going about your music. There’s only so much you can do yourself, so it’s great to create networks of musicians; to keep talking to each other and support each other.

It’s exciting to watch musicians blossom and build on their momentum. Having a great gig with real music fans coming to see you and buy your merch can be the boost that gets you back writing and recording the next day. So, if we can be a small part of that special journey, then that’s amazing!

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

I’m so happy to have got this single released and to have had a great response (I was a little nervous considering I haven’t released music in a little while). I have a new single coming out with my other project CATBEAR later this month which I’m super-excited about – it’s more of a band/electronic style.  

A couple of Stop Look Listen shows to host on 6th November and 4th December and other than that I’m finishing off tracks ready for release next year.

Do you already have plans for 2019?

More music-making for sure! Hopefully, some more live dates. Will and I have played four tours of Europe, including Germany, Belgium; Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. They are wonderful countries to visit and play so perhaps we’ll return…but actually we haven’t toured our home country recently, so I don’t know if we should concentrate on that?!

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

My last launch show for the single, Bones; playing to a sold-out crowd and hearing them singing along to my songs. I invited three friends to write a song each with me in the run-up to the show and we performed them that night together. Collaborating with friends and connecting with a lovely audience…bliss!

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

Wow, big question! So difficult to pick only three!

Most recent album I adore is MUNA – About U

It’s so emotional - the vocals, the lyrics; the sounds, I just think it’s amazing.

Definitely Maybe by Oasis

It was the album I learnt to play guitar to, so though I can’t say it’s an album I’d put on, I could probably play all the songs from memory! I bought the album and the guitar tab book and learnt it cover to cover which gave me a great grounding before I headed off into my Emo/Metal-loving teenage years!

Now, Now – Threads

This is just an album I can put on anytime. I was lucky enough to support them a few years ago and was already in love with their album so that was amazing.

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

Let’s say PJ Harvey as she’s a bit of a legend.

As for a rider; anything that isn’t beige is always nice! It’s nice to be fed, though pre-gig food is often a bit stodgy. So, some veggies, fruit and a cheeky JD and coke, please!

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Come at it with enthusiasm and determination; an open and strong heart. Work with other people, absorb influences and experiences but don’t let others change you from the personality and musical integrity true to yourself.

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

Stop Look Listen on 6th November at The Finsbury. Will and I usually host and play a couple of songs at the start but this month we’re playing a full set alongside awesome acts Rookes, Tiger Mimic and Anna Aarons.

We’re going to have a very intimate Christmas show in an unusual location in December - look out for details announced soon!

 IN THIS PHOTO: Jessie Reid

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

How about a selection of acts who have played Stop Look Listen in the past year or two…

Megan D, RUEN; Jessie Reid, Anna Pancaldi; Simran Ahira, DIDI; Sarah Walk, Bryde; Hannah Brown, Xylaroo and Russell Swallow.

 IN THIS IMAGE: DIDI

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

Not really! I like to spend time by the sea, in London; go to the river or just walk around the city with a friend with no agenda.

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

Thanks! How about we collaborate on this and you pick one from my list of recommended new artists above (smiles).

___________

Follow Zoe Konez

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/zoekonez

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/zoekonezmusic

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/56zdMqayB3Ja8iwUmdKumu?si=SsTc3cGVQJqh5pvinDpH6g

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/zoekonez/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/zoekonez

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/zoekonez

Bandcamp:

https://zoekonez.bandcamp.com/

FEATURE: Ending the Decade in Style: Part II/V: The Finest Albums of 2009

FEATURE:

 

 

Ending the Decade in Style

PHOTO CREDIT: @julemergener_/Unsplash 

Part II/V: The Finest Albums of 2009

__________

THE reason I have put together a new feature…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @priscilladupreez/Unsplash

is to shine a light on the albums that ended a decade with a huge bang. I feel it is hard to define what a decade is about and how it evolves but the first and last years are crucial. Entering a decade with a big album is a great way to stand out and, similarly, ending it with something stunning is vital. It can be hard leaving a brilliant and bountiful decade of music but I wanted to shine a light on the artists who brought out albums that did justice; gave hope the next decade would be full, exciting and brilliant. I will do a five-part series about albums that opened a decade with panache but, right now, the second in a five-part feature that collates the best decade-enders from the 1960s, 1970s; 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s. I am focusing on 2009 and the best ten records from the year. The 2000s started off brilliantly but hardly relaxed and phoned it by the very end! In fact, some truly terrific records arrived that got us all set for 2010 and what that would offer. As we came to the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century; music was evolving and hitting new heights. Here is ten album that prove we ended the decade…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @florenciaviadana/Unsplash

WITH a real explosion!

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images

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Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Release Date: 26th May, 2009

Label: Warp

Review:

“Distressed electric piano, disembodied choirs, and the instantly discernible strings of Nico Muhly color the album’s meditations on distance, as seen in the bitter retreat of the galloping opener “Southern Point” (“You’ll never find me now”) and the hushed, heartbreaking refrain of “All We Ask.” (“I can’t get out of what I’m into with you.”) But for all Veckatimest’s talk of space, its brilliance lies in subtle, interlocking moments such as the backward guitar disrupting the lockstep girl-group groove of “Cheerleader,” the way the watery ballad “Dory” shifts seamlessly from genteel to creepy, or the cinemascope cacophony that ends “I Live With You.” As with Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion (a record it seems likely to vie with for album of the year), Veckatimest offers more than just an inventive exercise in collage: It’s like hearing the past few centuries of music playing in symphony, which sounds—thrillingly and reassuringly—like the future” – AV Music

Standout Track: Two Weeks

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

Release Date: 6th March, 2009

Labels: Dress Up; DGC; Interscope

Review:

“Elsewhere, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and producers David Sitek and Nick Launay find other ways to shake things up, from the disco kiss chase of "Dragon Queen," which features Sitek's fellow TV on the Radio member Tunde Adebimpe on backing vocals, to "Shame and Fortune," which pares down the band's tough, sexy rock to its most vital essence and provides Chase and Zinner with a showcase not found anywhere else on the album.

However, It's Blitz!'s bold moments are a bit misleading: the album's heart is often soft and searching, offering some of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' quietest work yet. This approach doesn't always work, as on the too-long "Runaway," but when it connects, the results are gorgeous. "Skeletons" is luminous with an oddly Celtic-tinged synth part; "Hysteric," a love song about being happy with someone rather than trying to make him or her stay, feels like the mirror twin of "Maps." The serenity in It's Blitz!'s ballads feels worlds apart from Show Your Bones in a much less obvious way than the album's outbursts. But between the violently happy songs and the softer ones, this is some of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' most balanced and cohesive music” - AllMusic

Standout Track: Skeletons

The xx – xx

Release Date: 14th August, 2009

Label: Young Turks

Review:

“On paper, it's a mongrel mix. As the languorous swirl of Intro fades in, however, you immediately sense you're listening to something seductively special. When Croft and Sim start singing, on VCR, they come across as being in an advanced state of fatigue. Standout tracks such as Crystalised, with its off-key riff, possess a very modern sense of anxious turmoil, while Shelter mixes spare, dolorous guitar lines with a restless chorus. It's an album to play when you're wallowing in a comedown and slow-paced melancholy offers a strange comfort.

There is a lightness of touch at play that gives the XX a sophistication beyond their years. It probably means that their dream pop will become the ubiquitous dinner party album du jour. But really, their panicky atmospherics are too strange for that. This is uneasy listening to soundtrack the gentle gnashing of teeth” – The Observer

Standout Track: Islands                               

Wild Beasts – Two Dancers

Release Date: 3rd August, 2009

Label: Domino

Review:

“The band display little appetite for radical change on their second album, but those who like their pop arch, odd and romantically heightened will find Two Dancers a treasure trove. The guitars say Orange Juice, Talking Heads and early Aztec Camera; the voice says Billy Mackenzie, Sparks and Antony Hegarty; and the words say plenty, much of it frankly filthy. Whether it's "his dancing cock" or "my boot up your asshole", sex is never more than a hot breath away. Like Franz Ferdinand's Tonight, Two Dancers reeks of well-read, middle-class lads gone bad, out on the lash and on the pull.

The music, too, has a seductive fluidity, with echoes of the Acorn's Glory Hope Mountain on standout track All the King's Men, where the Afrobeat guitar lines ring crisp and clear over a lascivious lyric about "girls from Hounslow, girls from Whitby". The heart of Two Dancers lies in these seemingly jarring juxtapositions. The individual ingredients may be a decidedly mixed bag, but the final product is both coherent and very satisfying” - The Observer

Standout Track: We Still Got the Taste Dancin’ on Our Tongues

Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

Release Date: 9th June, 2009

Label: Domino

Review:

“…With its nodding R&B beat and Amber Coffman’s melismatic vocals, that breakout waiting to happen is but one “all the single ladies” shout-out away from being a Hot 97 jam. Over nine indispensable tracks, Bitte Orca forges a more perfect union between eccentricity and accessibility: The pop crescendos of “Temecula Sunrise” filter through what feels like 10 different time signatures; the warped electro pulse of “Useful Chamber” dissolves into finger-picked introspection before exploding in noise-rock abandon; restless guitar skitters, and esoteric Nico references add anxiety to the heart-stilling balladry of “No Intention” and “Two Doves,” respectively. Much ink will likely be spilled on 2009 being the year that Brooklyn’s experimental class finally went “pop,” and—with apologies to Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear—it’d be hard to find a better thesis statement” – AV Music

Standout Track: The Bride                    

Anthony and the Johnsons – The Crying Light

Release Date: 19th January, 2009

Label: Secretly Canadian

Review:

“Elsewhere, on the gorgeous chamber pop of "Epilepsy Is Dancing," terror, power, and beauty are wrapped as one entity: "Epilepsy is dancing/She's the Christ now departing/And I'm finding my rhythm/As I twist in the snow...Cut me in quadrants/Leave me in the corner/Oh now it's passing/Oh now I'm dancing." Curse and blessing, sacrament and damnation. Other standouts, including the utterly gorgeous, elliptical "One Dove" and the single "Another World," reflect similar themes, though always from the projection of the most hidden flicker that seeks union with a larger illumination. Certainly this is spiritual, but it is not limited to that because it also exists in the physical world. Death is the constant undercurrent, but it's not so much morbid as another shade of the verdant universe. "Kiss My Name" is the hinge track, in waltz time with lovely reeds and violins, skittering with a drum kit -- it is both an anthem of love to life itself and a self-penned epitaph in advance. Whatever hopes you held in the aftermath of I Am a Bird Now, they have been exponentially exceeded in poetry, music, and honesty here” – AllMusic

Standout Track: Another World

Florence + the Machine – Lungs

Release Date: 3rd July, 2009

Label: Island

Review:

“An intense young woman who read a lot of Edgar Allan Poe as a child, Florence specialises in dark, gothic imagery - werewolves, wedding dresses, bleeding hearts and coffins - and quirky tunes that start quietly and build into big, soaring climaxes. The songs are generally angry, with an undercurrent of violence and/or animal passion, and a nagging hook to keep you there. When this girl falls in love, you gather, she really falls. When it's over, the only recourse is pain, rage and vast quantities of alcohol. The current single Rabbit Heart was written after her label asked her for something more upbeat, but ended up with a typically jaunty chorus about sacrifice: "This is the gift/ It comes with a price/ Who is the lamb/And who is the knife?".

Sometimes the rough edges have been over-smoothed: there are all kinds of strange, cheap synthesised noises buried under the layers of polish that I'd like to hear more clearly. But this is a minor gripe, for despite its dark heart, there's a real joy about this debut. It's the sound of someone who has found their voice and is keen to use it - as loudly and freely as possible” – The Observer

Standout Track: Dog Days Are Over

Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

Release Date: 6th January, 2009

Label: Domino

Review:

“There’s a beaty bent through the whole album, although this is dance music hammered together from the weirdest of materials; ‘Lion In A Coma’ fashions a funky shuffle from a medieval rhythm and a didgeridoo. ‘In The Flowers’ starts with a long, oscillating Eno-esque intro before it’s engulfed in a wall of radiating ambient noise and a motorik beat, as Avey Tare fashions a new futurist folklore of kinetic energy, imagining “A dancer high in a field from her movement… I couldn’t stop that spinning force I felt in me”. 
There are moments when they still trip off into self-indulgence: ‘Also Frightened’ is dreamy, a tribal, woozy waltzing that recalls CocoRosie via Björk, but stretches out just that little too long. ‘Bluish’ edges 
a tiptoe too far into Fleet Foxes territory, but these are tiny moments in an album that’s overwhelmingly rich in invention and imagination.
‘Brothersport’ rounds it off perfectly, a resplendent orgy of Afrobeat pop with touches of hard house, like Orbital double-dropping with Fela Kuti or Vampire Weekend in space. It ends in radiant, My Morning Jacket-style harmonies and leaves you wondering what happened to your mind and ears.Put the album on again. Listen hard. Focus on each sound, analyse it, pin it down, pull it apart. It’ll just shift under your gaze and run off laughing. Or you could just run with it” – NME

Standout Track: Keep on Movin’

The Horrors - Primary Colours

Release Date: 21st April, 2009

Labels: XL

Review:

“The album ends with the song that first signified The Horrors’ reinvention, ‘Sea Within A Sea’. Here it works as ‘I Am The Resurrection’ does on ‘The Stone Roses’, allowing the acid house elements to come to the fore in a bravado demonstration of what the band are capable of. 

For us listeners, it’s a relief to hear a band growing so impressively at a time when most others have neither the talent nor the opportunity to do so. Time will tell how ‘Primary Colours’ stands up to the likes of ‘Loveless’ or ‘Psychocandy’, but right now, this feels like the British art-rock album we’ve all been waiting for” – NME

Standout Track: Primary Colours           

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Release Date: 25th May, 2009

Labels: V2; Loyauté; Glassnote

Review:

“At another point in Lisztomania, Roger Daltrey's entire body is sucked into a devilish princess' underthings. (Seriously.) Before that happens, though, the cigar-chomping heiress quotes Oscar Wilde while explaining her unladylike smoking habit, "It's the perfect form of pleasure, it's exquisite and leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one ask?" Phoenix seem to understand this line of thinking-- and not just because they look like a group of guys who know their Gauloises. They're pleasure-pushers, filling tunes with riffs, phrases, and beats a five-year-old could love. But, on Wolfgang, those same songs are unfulfilled-- and this band wouldn't have it any other way. There's beauty in a sunset. Phoenix are wringing it out” – Pitchfork

Standout Track: 1901     

FEATURE: Sonic Boon: Why BBC Sounds Is Long-Overdue and Could Provide Guidance for YouTube and Spotify

FEATURE:

 

 

Sonic Boon

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images 

Why BBC Sounds Is Long-Overdue and Could Provide Guidance for YouTube and Spotify

__________

IF you are a regular listener to BBC Radio…

you would have been aware of the idents/promotionals for their new BBC Sounds site/app. If you are not a listener of BBC Radio then you might have seen the advert playing on T.V. and YouTube. In it, we start out with Rita Ora and then are led through a ‘BBC universe’: scenes are cut close together in a device I am not fond of: someone starts a sentence and then someone else jumps in and there are those fast cuts (it is a bit overdone and can be a bit grating but, in the context of a radio app/site, it seems an appropriate device). I normally object to that overlap/cut style of filming but it perfect illustrates the radio dial and the variety one can get across the BBC. Although there are some objectionable parts of the clip (starting with Rita Ora and her music, even in a self-deprecating way is very commercial and not the artist I would promote in terms of recommendation; Idris Elba taking about The Dark Side of the Moon (not a man I would  imagine loving the record, genuinely; he also says ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ when there is a ‘The’ at the start; Louis Theroux is under-used massively) but it is a nice and sharp way of assessing the new initiative and getting people interested.

 IMAGE CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images 

I am pleased there is that awareness of gender and race – not just men and male figures; there could have been more minority faces – and we get a nice spread of all sides of the BBC dial. If you needed a hook and a bait to get into BBC Sounds then you have it all there – you can never create something punchy and wide-ranging that will appeal to everyone so we can forgive a few blips. I will talk about the sides of BBC Sounds but it is timely this endeavour – not sure what to call it?! – because, to be fair, the BBC Music site was dreadful. There is still the issue when it comes to BBC stations, especially BBC Radio 6 Music. It is quite a simple design but so hard to navigate and find information; not user-friendly in any way and need a complete overhaul and redesign. I am not sure whether that will happen but I have often found it frustrating finding music news, features and music-related information and it is a baffling experience. How long it will take for all the sites to be redesigned and made better for the public I am not sure but BBC Sounds is a way of organising all the different angles, shows and contours so one does not have to navigate all of the day!

 IN THIS PHOTO: IDLES (a more unifying face of the BBC Sounds project?!)/PHOTO CREDIT: Dan Kendall

Apart from a few overlooked elements to their T.V. spot – IDLES would have made a more popular, current and funny option than the musicians featured – the site/app is actually really good. As time progresses, it will go through phases and strengthen. Public suggestions will come in and, hopefully, more money will be set aside so BBC can bring more elements into play. Consider video and the type of features that can be built in. I know there is a lot of audio content in there but utilising video – visual podcasts and live performances for the BBC – gives BBC Sounds a more interactive and diverse outlook. In any case; it is a great new move that is overdue, I feel. Before, the website for Music was a bit disorganised and, even now, there are big flaws regarding their individual station pages – still too fiddly and not informative enough! Before I come to the nub of my argument; here is an article from The Guardian that spoke about the launch of BBC Sounds and what it would entail:

 “The BBC’s director of radio is worried. Younger audiences are listening to more audio then ever before. They understand the captive quality of spoken-word stories. They’re more likely to listen to challenging, interesting podcasts on their commute to work or while in the car. They want to hear new music, tailored to their interests. The problem is they don’t necessarily need to go to the BBC to get what they want…

PHOTO CREDIT: @thefakebhogra/Unsplash 

“If we don’t do anything over the next 10 years you’ll have a two-speed BBC radio audience,” says James Purnell, the man tasked with turning this around. “People who’d grown up with it and people who didn’t.”

On the face of it, BBC Radio is in rude health. It has half the national market, with dozens of stations reaching more than 34 million people a week. Radio 2 alone reaches 15 million listeners a week and for all the criticism of the Today programme (“editorially I think it’s in brilliant shape,” says Purnell), one in nine Britons still tune in to hear John Humphrys and his co-presenters harangue politicians every week.

“BBC Radio is still incredibly successful, but I don’t think it’s ever faced such competition,” says Bob Shennan, a lifelong BBC employee who oversees all its radio and music output, pointing towards the likes of Spotify and Apple’s podcast libraries. “People are listening to things the whole time but the competition for their ears is with a whole host of organisations beyond the commercial radio sector.”

Relying on pensioners to provide the audience is not sustainable for an organisation that relies on convincing the vast majority of the public to pay for its services. Although millions of young Britons continue to tune in to traditional BBC radio stations, Purnell says just 3% of under-35s use the iPlayer catch-up radio app, which will soon be axed.

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images  

The man tasked with making this work is Jason Phipps, a former Guardian employee who joined as the corporation’s first commissioning editor for podcasts earlier this year. He says there is a need to reconsider the entire tone of how the BBC tells stories, shifting away from rigid formality if it wants to attract the precious under-35 audience: “It has to be a warmer, more story-led journey. You need to report the very personal experience of it.

“The very best stories are fundamentally anchored around the personal experience. You’re trying to find the human in the machine. Journalists have a process but younger audiences can find that very cold and want to access the actual response of human beings. They really want to understand the heart of the story.”

One of the UK’s most popular podcasts, My Dad Wrote a Porno, “wouldn’t have been commissioned anywhere in the past” because it is “too outlandish”, Phipps argues.

“We need more brash, funny, intelligent podcasts,” he says, saying the format’s intimacy is the reason why podcasts about “sex, relationships and erotic imaginations” have done so well. “It’s a perfect place to have uncomfortable conversations”

There is a lot of positivity and ambition in the BBC camp and not only will it benefit BBC listeners/viewers but will bring more people in. One of the reasons why I am interested in BBC Sounds is the choice and organisation you get. I have an idea – that is outstanding (in the sense it has yet to be realised) – that would work like YouTube and Spotify but be a lot more compartmentalised and organised.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @maltewingen/Unsplash

The issue we have with sites as hefty and busy as YouTube is how hard it is to find order. Look on there now and you will have songs recommended for you and there will be videos trending – there are very few menus and other options. Before long, you have these videos recommend that you keep watching over and over, unable to break out of that cycle! You have a search option but, unless you know what you’re looking for, then it is limited. A lot of new songs pass you by and there are not menus/sub-menus so you can search songs by year, genre and other factors. There is so much material on the site and you need ways so you can discover more; a broader spectrum and something a lot slicker. The same problem comes with Spotify. Whilst there is more music on the site; there are playlists and mixes but it is still very hard when you want suggestions, rediscovering older sounds and finding the best and hottest new suggestions. I know there are a lot of great podcasts out there but it is so hard to find. The market is busy and competitive but I feel BBC have already taken a big step when it comes to organising material and making it easier to come across fresh discovery.

 PHOTO CREDIT: @brunocervera/Unsplash

I have not got to grips with the app yet – I am going off the BBC Sounds website – but the design is great and modern and everything is in one place. There are things that can be added and menus that can be incorporated but I think it is in the easy stages and all of that will come. Regular music news, podcasts and features (incorporate the existing Music website into BBC Sounds) would be a good idea and the lack of dropdown menus is limiting at the moment. At some stage, there will need to be categories and sub-menus so more can be accessed and there is an opportunity for a lot more historic archive and music. I know the site is BBC-specific so it could not well incorporate all music and videos but who is to say there is legislation that limits that sort of endeavour? Although BBC Sounds is about promoting their own shows and stations; I think there is a way of broadening music-wise and not compromising their ideals. I am glad there is a way for new and existing BBC fans to experience all the work being put out there right now. Radio and the BBC stations are at the top but you get great podcasts and mixes. This is an area we might not be aware of.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Rita Ora/PHOTO CREDIT: Rex Features

Most of the time, when we listen to BBC podcasts and documentaries; these are part of existing shows on radio and we often do not hear about them unless we go to that station’s website. Now, there is this central hub that makes it easier to see and hear what you want. In terms of the mixes; there are great female-led playlists and chats/documentaries with Rita Ora and Little Mix. One of my concerns is around the prominence of BBC Radio 1-themed mixes and the commercial nature of the artists. A lot of the cooler, less mainstream artists you might hear on BBC Radio 6 Music are not as high up the pecking order and there tends to be a distinct demographic/audience in that sense – for me, I want to discover something else and, when it comes to appealing to the BBC listener spectrum, more thought needs to be given to the range and diversity of the mixes. What is up there is good but, in time, more parity needs to come in that equally represents the stations across the BBC. In any case; I am pleased by what is there and I have discovered some great mixes. The podcasts are great and entertaining but, again, there seems to be a numerical bias regarding the ‘Hot Podcasts’.

 IMAGE CREDIT: BBC/Getty Images 

The ‘Categories’ is the biggest advantage and something I think YouTube and Spotify could learn from. You can subscribe to hear the latest shows but I wonder if there is an option to make your own BBC Sounds profile? By that, you can collect together all your favourite podcasts and videos together with mixes and news. The categorisation of sounds and genres is great and one can search more easily for the type of show/podcast that means the most to them. Maybe going further and expanding the search tool and menus could lend a bit more speed and efficiency. I feel the market is going through a lot of changes. YouTube is having to deal with Article 13 and its repercussions whilst Spotify is introducing new features and initiative – even though their share price has fallen and a slight dent has come in. BBC inhabits its own ground but is aware it needs to compete with the new and expanding market; able to provide something appealing and interesting to its audience and recruit new ears in. Make sure you investigate what is happening on BBC Sounds and make sure it is part of your travels; listen to it whilst at the laptop and dive in. Above all this great news and boon; I keep coming back to that promotional advert and wonder whether Idris Elba would ever stick Pink Floyd on…

 IN THIS IMAGE: The cover for Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon/IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

AND chill to The Dark Side of the Moon!?

FEATURE: Following a Rebel Heart… Madonna: Where Next for the Iconic Reinventor?

FEATURE:

 

 

Following a Rebel Heart…

IN THIS IMAGE: The cover for Madonna’s 2015 album, Rebel Heart/ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images 

Madonna: Where Next for the Iconic Reinventor?

__________

I was going to write a piece about plastic waste…

Sometimes I never leave my bathroom 🚽🚰🚿🛁 😂 #weekend 👑 pic.twitter.com/wROvEIoxOE

— Madonna (@Madonna) November 2, 2018

and how music can play a role (concerning reducing the cost) but I will have a more ‘serious’ day of writing tomorrow and bring that together with a few other pieces. Before looking ahead and seeing where Madonna might head next; I want to look back and talk about why I am returning to her feet. I do not need much of an excuse to talk about icons of music and explore them from different angles but this year has been a special one for Madonna. Back on 16th August, we all came together to celebrate her sixtieth birthday and look back at her incredible back catalogue. Madonna herself got into the spirit – so many artists why shy away from marking their sixtieth and feel reserved – and she posted images of herself on Twitter/Instagram embracing the passing of another year of life; being revered by fans and embracing her status as the Queen of Pop. You might think continuing that appreciation and fascination seems a bit pointless – will her next record match the heights of her best work and do we even know when it is coming out?! One of the reasons I put out a few Madonna-related articles around her birthday was because of her multiple sides; the fashion icon status and the evolutions; the varied albums and how she spoke (and continues to do) out against sexism and homophobia.

There was something bittersweet regarding a retrospective. On the one hand, we can marvel at her legacy and how she has changed music but one wonders whether we will ever see her like again – I do not think that is even possible. The sense of drama, theatre and the spectacular one gets with Madonna keeps her in the mind and will always tug at the heart. It was great to rank her albums and songs and chart her fashion changes and career shifts. Each album is worth marking when it has an anniversary and, just under two weeks ago, the twenty-fourth anniversary of Bedtime Stories. Look at the albums around that release. Erotica was released in 1992 and it was an album that garnered a lot of attention and controversy. Madonna’s Sex book was released around the time and the Pop queen was determined to push boundaries and express herself. Since Like a Prayer (1989); there was always suggestion she would evolve sexually and bring that into her work more. Erotica used an alter ego, Mistress Dita, and songs talked about sex, romance and something more intimate. An artist who was once being led by the record label and recording songs in a very commercial and safe way was striking out on her own and not answering to anyone. The result of that was a lot of press talk and many turned their noses up at the provocative and challenging album. If you listen closely then it is not all about sex: there is a range of emotions and stories playing out but there is that definite edge.

Bedtime Stories arrived in 1994 and, in one of music’s greatest years, stood out. It was a more refined, mature and emotional album that, in a way, was a sort-of-apology from Madonna. A tighter and much shorter album that Erotica; Bedtime Stories was a move to come away from the edges more and into the core of the mainstream. Without compromising and producing something formulaic; Madonna worked with the likes of Babyface and Dallas Austin to, again, produce another shift. It is remarkable to think Bedtime Stories is twenty-four as I remember it clearly and it is one of the first of hers that stuck in the mind. Ever since her eponymous debut; Madonna was eager to change and grow between albums and not repeat herself. Singles such as Secret and Take a Bow showed a more graceful, settled and less provocative Madonna who was able to talk about the complexities of relations and lust without being explicit. Following some backlash from Erotica; the saucy Mistress Dita was replaced with a more natural Madonna. Look at the costumes for videos like Take a Bow and Secret and there is a more classical, elegant and classy Madonna. Human Nature documented the reaction to Erotica – cheekily asking whether she can talk about sex and the fact it is natural – but the new producers/writers incorporated more R&B influences and, with it, a new Madonna. It would be another four years before Madonna produced another studio album and, on Ray of Light, another incredible transformation.

Consider the six years between Erotica and Ray of Light and what Madonna did. She started with this sexually-charged and controlling persona and then channelled into this more mature and less controversial artists in 1994 – although her grasp of the sexual and challenging never went away. By 1996; she starred in Evita and, again, a new side of her was brought through. You can see some of the influences from Bedtime Stories in terms of fashion and look but, two years after Evita, nobody expected Ray of Light. An album that brings in Electronic and Dance and, for the first time, brilliantly united Dance and Pop and puts it into the mainstream. It would have been easy to stall and settle after Ray of Light but, being Madonna, she was moving and thinking about a new look. Music (2000) kept the harder sound and electronics but swapped some of the more orchestral sways for something edgier. In fact, Music is a varied album that keeps the party girl of Ray of Light and brings in something maternal – Madonna had just had a baby and was in a very spiritual frame. There is Future-Folk and Dance that comes together in another triumphant album – Madonna co-wrote all of the ten tracks and critics were keen to lend their praise!

One can argue that, although there was reinvention and change by 2003’s American Life; the critics were not as hot and, maybe, the material not as sharp. Madonna has moved from a cowgirl to a more rebellious and politically-minded figure. Reviews at the time were mixed – some found the record confusing – but they have been kinder and fairer down the line; many noting the consistency of the material and the risks being taken. Songs like Hollywood and Love Profusion are among the best of her more-recent work and the tour that accompanied American Life upped the game, budget and set; amazing critics and thrilling fans. There was this big transformation that continued into Confessions on a Dance Floor. Again, after only a short period; 2005-Madonna had ditched the beret and mood of American Life and was embracing the disco and something a bit more specific. Maybe a New York club or 1970s Disco; it was a mix of Club music from the 1970s, 1980s and modern-day scene. The songs were structured like a D.J.’s set and blended so that they play continuously without any gaps. Samples and references to ABBA, Donna Summer and Bee Gees meant there was a distinct mood and flavour. The forty-seven-year-old was not beholden to what artists of her ‘age’ should be doing and what was seen as ‘appropriate’. Confessions on a Dance Floor turns thirteen on Friday and it is another chance to celebrate an album of Madonna’s – strange to think of the vast differences between Bedtime Stories and Confessions on a Dance Floor (in many ways, one would think Confessions on a Dance Floor’s tones and energies would come before Bedtime Stories’ more grown-up and sensual mood).

Whereas Confessions on a Dance Floor was another bold move and reinvention; it was a return to the critical good books and, in fact, gained the sort of acclaim Music did in 2000 – maybe even more praise and good reviews. One could argue the reinventions since 2005 have been bold and drastic but the quality has been a little lower than one would expect. Hard Candy, in a way, seemed to update the look and provocative edge of Erotica and Like a Prayer; albeit a more modern version. Madonna stated the songs on the album were autobiographical, in an unconscious way, and she was not in any mood to calm down and project a more wrapped up and safe artist. Age has never been an issue with Madonna and she writes and performs as she feels fit; she is not answering to anyone or doing what her peers do. 2012’s MDNA was a relatively smooth and productive recording that saw subjects live separation, revenge and heartbreak coming into the music. This album was the first she released under a three-year deal with Interscope (in 2012) and there was a new phase in her career. Again, the image and look changed and musical subjects changed. Some saw the music as a little regressive and unmemorable but, regardless of critical impression, it showed Madonna was always looking out for new inspiration and look. 2015’s Rebel Heart is the last album from her and one that, as you’d expect, adopts its own skin and landscape.

There was a sense, with Rebel Heart, Madonna was progressing and new genres like House, Trap and Reggae were making their way in. Many icons would struggle to succeed after so much time and be able to inhibit new genres naturally. Rather than try n updated Pop version of Madonna or Like a Virgin; Madonna was changing with the times and keen to work with the best upcoming and established talent. After working with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake on Hard Candy; she featured guests such as Nicki Minaj and Nas on Rebel Heart and worked with Kanye West. Critics felt Rebel Heart was one of her best effort in a decade and, unlike some of her fairly recent albums, there were a lot more writers and producers in the mix – far less singular and streamlined than we would have seen on albums like Ray of Light and Bedtime Stories. In any case; the 2015 release marked another step and evolution from the always-changing Madonna. The Queen of Pop was not going to surrender her crown to anyone and, even though Nicki Minaj featured on Rebel Heart; she is decades away from reaching the summit of Madonna’s powers. The last few years have seen her embrace her sixtieth birthday and moving away from London. I think she is based in Portugal now and seems to be happy in Lisbon.

I am not sure whether she will move back to New York or London in years to come but, as a single woman whose children are quite grown up; there are not the ties and need to be in a big and music-orientated city. I figure there is new material coming quite soon and you will know when it comes. Madonna is not someone who will drop an album without warning and it will be released into the world like an unshackled beast. There are teams of people planning every move and, before the first single comes, we will have teasers, videos and cryptic posts that get the appetite whetted. Madonna is on Twitter most days posting images and videos from home. She is proud to look back on her older albums but does not want to repeat them and bathe everyone in nostalgia! Rather than repeat herself and try and capture bygone standards; she is looking ahead and finding new ground to conquer. That is the mark of a truly brave, established and innovative artist! Sketches and suggestions have been made regarding Madonna’s new album and what it could be about. This article suggests there could be a move towards Rap:

“Perhaps the Queen of Pop has her sights set on another genre.

Madonna is currently hard at work on a new studio album. A previous report claimed she plans on combining Portuguese and African rhythms with pop, however if we take a look at Madonna’s comment replying to a fan on Instagram at face value, maybe she’s changed her mind and wants to drop a rap record instead. Kinda here for it.

“I want Madonna to release a full on rap album called Grillz and the lead single to be called Derma Roller featuring Quavo, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B just to annoy the demanding fans!!!!,” a fan wrote”.

You never know what you will get from Madonna but I would expect some sounds of Africa – where she has spent time recently and always had a connection to – and tones coming out of Portugal. She will not go fully into World music territory and abandon Pop but look at the sort of look/fashion she posts on her latest Twitter pieces and that could give you an indication into the album cover’s vibe and what she will explore. There was rumour the album would be released this year but it seems, as this article explores, we will need to wait until 2019:

“It was initially believed that the Queen of Pop would be unveiling her fourteenth studio album in 2018, but she’s now confirmed it will hit shelves at some stage in 2019.

The 60-year-old told WWD: “I’m finishing my record, which I’m going to release next year.

“Yep, in between rose mist spray and serums, I’m actually making music. Can’t quit my day job.”

She is also believed to be plotting a tour to accompany the record”.

Will, as this article from July suggested, there be more Fado and Portuguese influences on her fourteenth studio album?

“Portuguese music will be a huge source of inspiration for Madonna's new album, it has been revealed.

The legendary popstar is the cover star of Vogue Italia's August edition to celebrate her 60th birthday on August 16. Pictured in Lisbon, Portugal where Madonna is currently based, the icon of music and fashion is seen striking a pose (pun intended) across two collectable covers in all-black Saint Laurent.

Vogue Italia's creative director Giovanni Bianco - who is also a close friend of Madonna's - discussed the shoot for trade journal Women's Wear Daily, explaining the influences Madonna is soaking up during her tenure in Portugal…

“She is an incredibly hard worker, I have learned so much from her intensity and dedication,” said Giovanni, before the interview explains that Madonna often visits her favourite bar in the Tejo region "where she regularly goes to listen to Portuguese and African music."

Giovanni elaborates: "She knows the musicians there, it’s like a laboratory, there’s music from Cabo Verde and she loves fado [a Lisbon-based music genre],” a style that "will infuse her work".

Beautiful Game is expected to be the lead single from Madonna's upcoming fourteenth studio album. She performed the song at the 2018 Met Gala in new York, and then teased the song as "coming soon" on social media.

Madonna worked with the French producer Mirwais on the song, whom she previously worked with on her Music and American Life albums”.

In terms of sound and genres, we will have to wait to see if any absolute truths emerge. It is a shame we have to wait until 2019 but I feel the new record will arrive early in the year. I can sense something in shaping up and Madonna will be keen to make some sort of statement before this year is through. I think, sound-wise, it will be a combination of Hip-Hop and Fado. There might be some African inspirations and I feel it will break away from the Electronic and Dance sounds she owned and explored between 1998 and 2005.

Inspiration for my new Record all started here in Lisbon at Tejo bar! 🎼🎸💃🏾 with #dinodsantiago #vaniaduarte #fado #morna #funana #magic #music 🇵🇹 #mertalas pic.twitter.com/vfQfBFJPSG

— Madonna (@Madonna) October 25, 2018

I think many are pining for a new Madonna album as it has been a few years and a lot has happened since then. Rebel Heart saw a return of sorts of more critical praise than previous records; a fresh perspective and a persona/look/sound that seemed to be a very natural fit. I think, with Trump and his workings; the sexism and scandal we have seen and how American culture has changed, that is going to come into her mind but so too will her settling in Portugal and a new form of spirituality. Madonna has always been in-tune with religious and different cultures but I think she will l embrace this on her new album as she did through Ray of Light (Shanti/Ashtangi showcase this direction). There has to be some of the spit and observations we saw on American Life and earlier albums and it would be good to see a sort of return to Confessions on a Dance Floor – inject something vibrant and danceable; maybe a more African version of that?! I think there have been some good albums since 2015 and Pop has some artists who could turn into something special in time but nothing like Madonna. Even at sixty; she is reluctant to calm things and return and her voice is as important as they come. Maybe there will not be the same revelations and media-courting releases as Erotica but she has not lost the ability to shock and lead. There is a great opportunity to document the changes in the world and all the crap flying around but do so in her own way – whether there is anger and accusation or a more peace-and-love approach, I am not sure. It is exciting to see what she can come up with and what the next incarnation will be. Maybe we have to wait a bit longer to see what Madonna comes up with but you can bet your bottom dollar her next album will be…

 IN THIS IMAGE: The promotional image for the film, Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour

SOMETHING fresh and sensational.

INTERVIEW: Daniel & Mikael Tjernberg

INTERVIEW:

Daniel & Mikael Tjernberg

___________

I have been chatting with Daniel & Mikael Tjernberg…

about their new E.P., Flight of the Raven, and what themes/ideas inspired it. The brother discuss how they got started in music and which artists/genres inspire them; whether they have plans for the year ahead and which albums are important.

I ask if they will tour at all and come to the U.K. and what the music scene is like in Sweden; whether they unwind away from music and the advice they would give artists emerging – they each choose a song to end the interview with.

__________

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

Daniel Tjernberg: Hi! Very well, thank you. The week has flown by pretty quick.

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

Mikael Tjernberg: We're two brothers from Sweden creating eclectic music, moving between different genres and styles such as Classical, Jazz and Popular music. Our music is primarily instrumental.

Daniel: Yes. We like to blend the tone language and instruments of Classical-Romantic music with contemporary and modern ones of popular music genres.

Daniel and Mikael; you are brothers. When did you start making music together and decide to get into recording?

Daniel: Very early, I'd say; pretty much as early as memory goes. Music has always been a natural form of expression for us; a way to express things that we otherwise would struggle or be outright unable to communicate…

Mikael: …And to record what you create became a natural thing; soon, there were no thinking about it but it just happened as soon as new ideas came to life. There was no deciding process behind that whatsoever. At that time, we would use an old tape recorder for recording.

Give me an impression regarding the artists you grew up around. Was it quite a varied upbringing?

Mikael: We grew up in the 1980s and 1990s in a home full of all kinds of music. Classical and the orchestral masters, Jazz; Pop, Rock; Folk, Herbie Hancock; Joe Sample, Quincy Jones; Jan Johansson, Miles Davis; Grover Washington Jr., Pink Floyd; Dylan, Black Sabbath; Bee Gees, Genesis; Fleetwood Mac, Beatles; Ray Charles, James Brown; Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder; Michael Jackson, Motown…you name it.

Daniel: Yes. And our parents engaged and supported us a lot when we showed interest in music.

Mikael: Our late grandpa Sven meant a great deal to us. Not just as an inspiration, but it was also in his home we started up our first rehearsal room and recording studio.

Flight of the Raven is your new album. Are there particular themes that inspired the record?

Daniel: Yes, absolutely. Flight of the Raven is the first of two in a suite of Norse-inspired music where every track is drawn from Norse mythology. Making this E.P. has been an enjoyable journey, during which we've also had the pleasure to collaborate with some very gifted and talented musicians.

Mikael: And, as a matter of fact, the follow-up is already in production. It'll act as a natural continuation of the just-released E.P., building on the same themes. Expect some interesting tracks on that one, as well as a few yet to be revealed collaborations.

Do you each have a favourite cut from the collection?

Daniel: All songs made it to end up on the album – therefore, we like them all very much and it's very hard to choose a favorite. But, if I had to pick only one, I'm particularly attached to the title track.

Mikael: Agreed. That song’s dedicated to my late cat, Svarv. Written in honor of his spirit - and with the Norse myth inspiration where the bird of the Monocular God is sent out to surveil over the living and the dead.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Mikael: We hope that we have finished an album entitled Atlantis. That will come out via the Italian label Blue Spiral Records. We’ve worked on this one on and off for a couple of years now. It's inspired by Greek mythology; musically, it's Neo-Classical with a lot piano based material.

Daniel: For Atlantis, we've collaborated with Swedish string ensemble Malva Quartet as well as harpist Jonathan Grönlund.

You are based out of the centre of Sweden. Is there a good music scene there at the moment?

Daniel: Sweden is a huge exporter of music and the music scene is very much alive, I'd say.

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

Mikael: Not a one and specific moment, but those sessions me and Daniel would have in our early teens where we would pop a cassette into the tape recorder, hit record and then just jam away for hours on end. We'd stay up 'til the witching hours just coming up with and refining musical ideas – a very special kind of magic!

Daniel: I have a lot of fun memories from when we played in the band (Metal Fusion). One that jumps out is that one time when we were playing in Enköping and the electricity went out and then at the same time the fire alarm went off. But, we just kept going unplugged, fumbling in the dark and synchronizing the finale with the fire alarm pulses. In the end, it turned out to be a rather theatrical and welcome touch to the show - albeit undoubtedly comically so!

Mikael: I also mustn't forget to mention the various concerts me and my brother have given at all of these beautiful churches in central Sweden. The atmosphere and acoustics in a medieval stone church are something to behold, I'm telling you.

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

Mikael: I have to confess, I'm not an 'album guy': I like to mix it up quite wildly. But…Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon; Stevie Wonder’s Journey through “The Secret Life of Plants” but also his later works. Isaac Hayes has many great albums.

Daniel: Vangelis, Björn J:son Lindh and George Duke; not a specific album, rather...the sum of their production...

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

Mikael: George Benson with Stevie Wonder as rider.

Can we see you on the road this year at all?

Daniel: Probably not. We're a duo constellation and, as such, we do almost everything ourselves. To put together the manpower required to play most of our music wouldn't be financially viable, at least not for the time being. And then there's practical implications, given that our music varies quite wildly from one work to another. You'd have to assemble a likewise wildly varied circus of musicians to perform it.

Mikael: We've given concerts before, but those always were quite small in scale and centered around Chamber Music specifically composed for piano and recorder. I think, going forward, we have so many more avenues that we'd like to explore musically.

Daniel: Somewhere along the line, you might see us somehow somewhere; albeit in a different setting. Together with our baby brother Gabriel, we're bringing Jazz-Fusion band Tjernberg Brothers to life - and who knows where that'll end up.

Mikael: Also; we always keep the door open for orchestras and ensembles to perform our music, so there's that.

Might we see you in the U.K. very soon?

Mikael: Based on the reasons given: no. However, the United Kingdom holds a very special place in our hearts with its rich culture and heritage, so I'd say it would be one of the very first places we would go, should the opportunity arise.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Tjernberg Brothers; the upcoming project involving all three brothers

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Mikael: It truly is a jungle out there and it can be disheartening to face backlash after backlash. It's a tough industry, for sure. But, I believe that as long as you have stories longing to be told; feelings to communicate, then there is an audience for your art. Trying to appeal to each and everyone is a path that'll ultimately and inevitably fail.

Same goes for money: if you find yourself thinking about art in terms of if it will be financially beneficial and therefore worth it; then I'd say you should take a step back and reconsider whether art is the thing that you should be doing. Art is bigger than all of that. That's something I would say is a crucial understanding for making worthwhile art.

Daniel: And the music you're making should first and foremost be for you. It's therapy, man! If it's genuine and sincere, it's just a bonus if it can be appreciated by others.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Daniel: Not really. To be honest; we've been too busy with work to check out new stuff. But, we try to catch up by following interesting labels and zines.

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

Mikael: Well, naturally, music is unwinding. Being out on the countryside is a big one, though, for the both of us.

Daniel: Mikael is even is what you'd call a nerd; completely obsessed with beetles.

Mikael: Being out in nature, where you get to observe how everything interacts; see all these cogs in this massive cog wheel called life…that's the greatest kind of inspiration you could ask for.

Daniel: Being a creative kind of person; I've also always been into drawing and illustrating. And, when drawing, I often find myself exploring the same kind of themes and moods that I've recently used musically. I find it an interesting combination; using these forms of artistry to express the same kind of mood or to use them in conjunction with each other so that the sum of it tells a story that would be difficult to get across otherwise.

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

Daniel: Put on the title-track from Björn J:Son Lindh's Atlantis album. Björn was one of the most talented and interesting musicians that Sweden ever had, in my humble opinion, but his recognition – even is his home country! – is criminally low

Mikael: Another one deserving far more recognition is the late Swedish pianist Jan Johansson. The guy had an absolutely unprecedented emotion behind every stroke of the keyboard.
But, for today, I'm gonna go with George Duke's Anticipation as my contribution to the playlist. You're sorely missed, George

___________

Follow Daniel & Mikael Tjernberg

 IN THIS PHOTO: Daniel and little brother Gabriel 

Official:

http://www.tjernbergmusic.com/wordpress/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/tjernbergmusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/danielandmikaeltjernberg/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7n22jRjW3P056u24FFZq0v?si=ofjkwoFZRUmcJnCgahOtiQ

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tjernbergmusic/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP7ld-sWg6s0m30dqGwPyYA

INTERVIEW: Shields

INTERVIEW:

PHOTO CREDIT: Rhiannon Banks Photography  

Shields

___________

THANKS to Shields…

for chatting with me about their new E.P., Etemenanki, and what inspired it; if they have a favourite cut from the collection and what their plans are regarding next year – I ask if there are tour dates and we can see them on the road anytime soon.

The guys talk about their musical influences and albums that are important; which rising acts we need to get behind and whether they have special memories from their careers so far – they end the interview by each selecting a track.

__________

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

Really, really good, thanks! We had our E.P. launch and it was absolutely class! Amazing crowd, sell-out gig. So, yeah, pretty good!

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

We are Shields. There are five us in the band (Luke, Rich; Dave, Tom and John).

How did Shields form? When did the magic start?

Shields came together in 2012. The band really started as a three-piece. We went to Blank Studios in Newcastle to record some demos which is where we met John - he was the engineer. John’s creative input as producer became so integral that we asked him to join the band. It then got to the point that the music we were recording required an extra member in order to perform it live. I (Luke) was in another band at the time with Dave so asked him if he’d like to join Shields. We quickly found we could all write and produce together and it went from there.

Etemenanki is your new E.P. What sort of ideas and stories inspired the music? Do you each have a favourite song?

I (Rich) usually write musical ideas before coming up with an idea or story to accompany it. That allows me to draw inspiration from the feeling I get when listening to the idea. Babel, for example, sounded exotic and had a carnival feel to it. The story of the Tower of Babel seemed to fit really well with that feeling but it also provided a lot of inspiration, lyrically. That’s one of my favourite songs on the E.P.

What sort of music/styles is the band inspired by? Are you all bonded by similar tastes?

We really are inspired by all kinds of music, which I think shows in our set. It’s a bit all over the place but, hopefully, in a good way. There are certain bands which we all love such as Radiohead.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

Having just released our first music in a couple of years, we are super-keen not to leave it so long this time. We are heading into the studio in November and plan to get another batch of music recorded before the end of the year. We also have a few gigs lined up. Check the website for details. 

Do you already have plans for 2019?

Assuming the rest of this year goes to plan then we’ll be releasing new music in early-2019. We’d love to get out to play some festivals throughout the year and maybe head over to Europe again if the opportunity presents itself.

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

For me (Luke), it has to be Glastonbury. I’d never been before and I always said to myself that I’d wait until I could go as an artist. It was totally worth the wait! A close second is Melt Festival in Germany, but there are so many brilliant memories.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rhiannon Banks Photography  

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

Luke: Sound of Silver By LCD Soundsystem is one that I will always come back to. I remember hearing in a record shop in Newcastle and I fell in love with it straight away. It was massively refreshing to me. It became the sound track of my uni days

Tom: De-Loused in The Comatorium by The Mars Volta. John Theodore shows that it is possible to have energy, virtuosity and musicality in equal measure in the drums and inspired me to approach my performances and creative processes in the same way. The songwriting and arrangements are incredible and left me listening on repeat for over six months. Even now, when I need a reminder of how exciting an album can be, I go back to it.

Rich: That’s a really hard question! I can’t pick one album that means the most to me but I’ll never forget the profound effect Bitte Orca by Dirty Projectors had on me. I remember Luke gave me a C.D. of it and I was just blown away with how inventive the composition and instrumentation was. Everything from the drums to the guitar work…but especially the vocals.

Dave: Radiohead - Kid A: I first heard snippets of Kid A while being an insomniac listener to a late-night MTV2 programme called 120 Minutes while at college. The album was a perfect soundtrack to that state of mind and it felt time to progress from the boring sounds and albums Oasis were releasing. I'd never heard songs or an album approached like this before; that have purposefully inaudible lyrics, guitars that sounded nothing like guitars and had no singles from it...yet, it was their number-one in America. The opening lyric of the album also gave the band Everything Everything their name and have obviously been a huge influence on those guys as well.

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

That’s too hard to choose! Either Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem or Arcade Fire. I know you said choose one but I can’t. If you’d asked me a few years ago it would have been Bowie, without a doubt.

We’re pretty easy to please when it comes to riders. We are happy with some nice booze, humus and carrot sticks.

Given the band’s name; if you could design your own shield, what would it be made of?

Are we allowed fictional materials? If so, then that stuff that Captain America’s shield is made of. It would be one of those tall ones that covers you head to foot and it could double up as a sledge.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

To stick to your guns, creatively. Don’t try to second-guess what you think other people are looking for in your music. As cliché as it is; be yourself.

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

The next gig is at The Finsbury in London on 17th November.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Callum Pitt/PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Stark

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Defiantly check out Callum Pitt, Grace Gillespie; Fever Days, The Pale White; Martha Hill, The Old Pink House and Penguin.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Grace Gillespie/PHOTO CREDIT: Poppy Marriott

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

We don’t really stop. We’re doing something music-related most days, whether it’s recording, mixing; writing or working with other artists. It’s pretty addictive. I have made time for Daredevil on Netflix over the past few days though.

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

What’s Your Problem? – FEVER DAYS

Away From the Rousing Parades - Callum Pitt

Wisdom Tooth - The Pale White

Martha Hill - Wallflower

Restoration - Grace Gillespie

___________

Follow Shields

Official:

https://www.behindshields.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/behindshields

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/behindshields/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ehIq6O7lHbD0aQOe0w83R?si=BZWQCpadRtGNchblTOUgdg

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/behindshields/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRUGkHETosZwvT-Ignv98tUPA7sikJD0u

TRACK REVIEW: Mark Harrison - House Full of Children

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Mark Harrison

House Full of Children

9.4/10

The track, House Full of Children, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/track/5wZGhzk6PjTEi0FdQufg15?si=1OswB_2xQ1OI5B1jAONBXw

GENRES:

Folk; Blues; Roots

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

The album, The Panoramic View, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/7rByyiwKQNsWdP3WTzuNTQ?si=RdUPBF2rSa6zdmYkoLs0jQ

RELEASE DATE:

7th September, 2018

_________

THIS time around…

I get to step away from Pop and Electronic music and investigate an artist who has been gathering a lot of acclaim. Mark Harrison is gaining huge applause - and has been for a long time - and makes me consider whether more songwriters need to take from his lead. I want to discuss Blues and Folk combinations and why more people need to give it focus; storytelling and those who can take the ordinary and transform it into something amazing; albums that are packed with great tales and huge adventure; festival appearances and getting a lot of respect from big stations; how older, more experienced artists need more respect and investigation – I will end by speaking about Mark Harrison and where he might head. I spend a lot of time looking at Pop and Electronic artists and you get into a sort of rut. I have been listening to very familiar music for a long time now and it can be a bit samey. It has been great studying them and seeing what is on offer but it is nice to step away from that and look at an artist whose sound is completely different. Harrison is one of the most-respected artists in the U.K. and his music has drawn huge plaudits. Whether he is with a band or playing solo; he is seen as one of the best songwriters around.  I want to talk about his music and why it shines but I am drawn to the genres of Folk and Blues. I guess Harrison is a Blues artist strictly but there is that Folk element. There are great Blues artists who are electric and can summon some passion but Mark Harrison is mostly acoustic-based. His sounds have a gentleness to them but there is plenty of passion and intrigue. I feel most of us assume Blues and Folk will be quite calm and not really register in the mind. We all get into that mindset and do not really venture too far.

I feel Blues gets that tag more than Folk. Listen back to the classic Blues artists of the 1930s and 1940s and we sort of feel that is what is around today. That is not the case. From Cedric Burnside, who I recently interviewed, who is on the more electric side of the spectrum to artists like Mark Harrison; the genre is flourishing and bright. You have that variation and, at its heart, are fascinating stories and stunning rhythms. I love Blues but feel it does not get the exposure it warrants. There is that dominance of Pop and I wonder whether Blues will ever get the focus it warrants. What is amazing about Harrison is the way he can unite the history and roots of Blues and provide an updated Folk/Blues blend. He reminds one of the classics from decades past but there is a modernity and freshness that brings things right up to date. Maybe it will take a while before Blues music gets into the mainstream but I think we all need to be a bit more open and expressive. If we are too reliant on certain genres and do not expand our horizons then we will miss out on so much. One of the reasons why I think Blues should be given more love is because of the variety available in the genre and the way artists tell stories. I feel Pop is too inward-looking and personal and with Folk/Blues artists like Harrison; you get something amazing and candid. He is a songwriter who can paint pictures and combine vivid imaginations with some incredible sounds. I guess, in a way, we assume Blues might be quite downbeat and too narrow and go elsewhere. Maybe that was the case at one point but the modern breed is unifying all types of emotions and ideas into their music. I shall move on to another theme but would recommend people get involved with the Blues and artists like Mark Harrison.

Harrison is a fresh and respected songwriter who can tell great tales and amazing stories. One of the reasons his music has managed to spread and gather critical lust is the way he can open up the mind and take us somewhere special. I feel one reason why I am becoming a little cold regarding Pop and Indie artists is because of their subject matter. So many are not getting past their own lives and walls and expanding their songwriting. You want the personal touch and something meaningful but that is not all one looks for. The lyrics have to be broader and, if you stick too closely with your own life; that is going to exclude quite a few. I wonder whether a lot of music has become too depressive and anxious. Rather than present something inward and depressed; Mark Harrison is a bright and resolute talent who can give immense detail and tell tales like nobody else. Even if he is addressing something relatively mundane and domestic; he can add a new spin and do something amazing. I feel one of the reasons why music endures and is passed through time is the words and how they impact us. I worry most of what is being put out now will make a connection in years down the line – so much of it is disposable and can be readily forgotten. Blues artists like Harrison need more of a platform because the music being put out is so much more vivid, inspiring and deep. You can listen to one of his songs and all these visions come to life. That is testament to him as a writer but the vocals are incredible too. One gets the complete package and can hear a songwriter at the top of his game. One can class his music as Blues or Folk but you can call it Roots as well.

However you see it and whichever genre it fits in; nobody can deny its power and appeal. I have this concern there are genres that will always struggle because of the stubbornness and unyielding rigidity of the mainstream. Consider what is riding high in the charts and on the biggest radio stations and you can see a pattern emerge. The sounds might be quite big and easy to digest but the whole experience can be a little cold and hollow. Are we manufacturing music to appeal to those who want something quick and uncomplicated?! I am seeing artists like Harrison covering genres and making amazing music and they are restricted to relatively narrow artists. He has a big fanbase, for sure, but it one feels that could be even larger were there more tolerance and knowledge of genres like Blues and Roots. It is quite maddening when you contemplate the realities and how the industry is structured. In any instance; listening to a Mark Harrison song is an experience one will not forget. I love how he can weave lines together and the vocabulary employed. There are annunciations and slight accents; words combined one would not think of and a real grasp for story and characterisation. The Panoramic View, his new album, is stuffed full of brilliant tales and seems like a collection of short stories more than anything. The fifteen songs on the record make you smile, think and wonder. There are some great musicians who appear on the album – including Charles Benfield on double bass and Paddy Milner on piano – and one gets this engrossing and arresting creation. The title, I guess, suggests something filmic and story-like but there is that aspect of a wider view – someone not confined and only considering what pains emanate from the heart. One does get some more emotional moments (on the album) but there is a real air of positivity and hopefulness. These commodities are becoming rarer in music and it is nice they are being preserved through the lens of Mark Harrison.

It would be unfair to say Harrison is a master of transforming the ordinary into the spectacular. The stories he tells are, in fact, quite interesting and there are some wonderful characters to be found. I guess there is a sense of the rooted and traditional in the music. You get these studies and people who one might find in their local village, for instance. He is someone who can tackle the smaller world and expand it into the horizons. Rather than plainly and flatly talk about domestic strife and routine interactions with little thought; like songwriters such as Paul Heaton (The Housemartins, The Beautiful South); he adds wit, heart and intelligence into everything. I look around for those songwriters who can inject humour and fascination into music and, by and large, they are of a certain age. This might sound like I am describing a beloved family dog that is getting a bit odorous and needs a final trip to the vets – I do not mean to sound disrespectful or blunt. What I mean is that the established and mature songwriters are the ones who have grown up around more music, different music, and are at that stage in life where they are not talking about cheap love and the anxieties of youth. Okay; maybe that does sound a bit cavalier and cheap but I have the utmost respect for songwriters who wander off the safe and structured grid of convention and treat their songwriting to something a lot more vivacious and fulsome. One gets history, grandeur; intimacy, charm and routine with Harrison. There are myriad emotions, scenes and voices that play out over the course of fifteen tracks. Having that amount of tracks might be a gamble for an artist but, as he proves, Harrison can keep you invested from the first notes of One Small Suitcase (the opening track) until the close of Hooker’s Song (the closing song – I will let you listen so you can hear whether it is a rugby player, ‘lady of the night’ or something else!).

Songs like What Son House Said and Don’t Die Till You’re Dead beckon you in because of the intrigue behind the title. Join the Chinaman is interesting and what, exactly, is that about? It is not a surprise Harrison is respected and has gained respected reviews and play from the likes of BBC Radio 2. He is someone who knows how to get into the heart and make his music strike. I will talk about age, respectfully, in a bit but listen to an album like The Panoramic View and you have these diverse tales that all hang together. The broadness of the scope and geography – he is taking us all around the world and to different lands – is amazing but there is something safe and comforting in every movement. You never feel exposed to the elements of left to face the harsh winds – Harrison takes you everywhere and keeps you warm; he makes sure you are directed but are allowed time to play and explore. That is the mark of a songwriter who prides emotion and resonance over catchiness and commercialism. These qualities should be promoted and augmented so that other songwriters can learn. I am not saying the mainstream needs a complete overhaul but it can benefit from a little refreshment and renovation. Right now, I am seeing too many of the same themes and artists gain gaudy popularity; people flocking to them for no real reason or nothing that suggest real originality and durability. I said how I have struggled to categorise the music of Mark Harrison. Some commentators have called it Folk and others Blues; some say it is Roots music. I feel it is a blend of the three and it would be remiss of me to label it so easily. If you have not investigated all the great songs that are on The Panoramic View than get involved and see what Mark Harrison is all about!

Things are definitely getting better and bigger and, with every release, Harrison is gaining more ground. I said how I’d allude to the subject of age and why that is important. It seems, when you get to a certain age, only particular radio stations will play your stuff. I have raised this a few times before but you can definitely sense a certain cut-off-point where musicians are only destined for BBC Radio 1 if they are in their teens or twenties; BBC Radio 2 if they are over forty, let’s say, and maybe there will be some leeway here and there. Because of that, there is this division and compartmentalisation that is threatening music. I feel Harrison should be played on as many stations as possible and his music heard by younger audiences. I know he has younger fans but there is nothing in his music that is age-specific and restrictive. Legendary artists such as Kylie Minogue and Madonna have come out and attacked those who are ageist and feel like they should not be played if they are getting older. The sheer experience, wisdom and intelligence one gets from an artist like Mark Harrison means people NEED to hear what he is saying. He has that life experience and, with the touring he has done, the skills and chops to be able to make his music as sharp and tight as possible. Image and ‘coolness’ seem to be more important yardsticks than quality and songwriting ability and nuance. Look at Harrison and you know the man has travelled a lot and gone through some fascinating times. He has met countless people and can translate all of this into music that is startling and bold. Maybe we judge before listening or assume artists are only relevant if they are under-forty (or younger). I gravitate towards those with a few more years on the clock because they have been in the industry a long time and know what people want.

They can write in a more interesting way and their motives are different. New artists coming through are looking at streaming figures and reaching certain targets. They might be pitching to radio stations and they have numbers/markets on their mind. Harrison, one feels, is a traditional songwriter who want has a solid fanbase and knows he has a great body of work. He still has to think about streaming sites but wants people to take away his album and listen to it in full. Rather than look at the Spotify figures and worry about that; he is concerned with the quality of his material and how it makes people feel. Because of this, the reviews that have come his way – not just for The Panoramic View but his previous work – are amazing. He is seen as one of the biggest and best songwriters in the country and has a great reputation. The festivals he has appeared at – including Bearded Theory and Lakefest – means he has had the opportunity to hone his material and get that direct feedback. Harrison is all about people and tales and is not someone you will hear writing in a formulaic or commercial way. This means his audience will be narrower and less than a big Popstar but the respect he warrants means more. It is all well looking to these big artists who court millions of views on YouTube but how much of the popularity and appeal is down to the quality of the music?! That, when all is said and done, is the thing that matters and is the foundation of the artist. Celebrity, cool and image are nothing to do with that is being put out there and what music is about. I mentioned Madonna earlier and could dismiss her legacy if all people cared about was what she looked like. She courted scandal and tabloids all her career (and still does) but she could back up this obsession with her wardrobe and sex life with fantastic and legendary tracks. Now, you feel there is that compensation. Maybe we all see a genre and assume it will not be for us but we never really go further than that. Listen to these esteemed and established artists like Mark Harrison and you will be surprised and convinced without much cajoling.

When the opening notes come springing from the speakers like a gleeful train departing the station; you are instantly involved and hooked in the song. That rush and sense of curiosity matches the song’s title and you can physically detect and imagine the children running around. Maybe one should not take it literally but there is that sense something energetic and chaotic is about to come in. Brassy, swaggering and elephantic horns mix with riparian, delicate strings to create this sense of rambunctiousness and rush. The hero comes to the microphone and, unexplained at this point, has a house full of children. They are running around everywhere and, whilst the music seems to score the sounds and visions around him; the central performance is fairly ordered and he is making sense of it all. There are, as it is said, some grown-up children who think the hero is a fool; smaller ones who do not share that opinion – it seems like there are all ages in this house, mingling and conspiring. Great songs should bring you in and involve you with the story but not necessarily dictate what you imagine. The Blues man cannot sing the Blues because of this house full of children (if we are going with genre-based puns then his ‘Roots’ have been laid because of these sweet ‘Folk’ – or I’ll stop there…) and the joy being provided. That sense of pride and content might seem corny to some but it is a brash antidote to the miasma and unhappiness one can hear in many songs. The composition blends those spirited and rushing acoustic strings with punctuation marks of horns. His second wife is better than his first one – the first one has a long face and is out of the way – and you get that smile as the songwriter brushes aside a rather moody and dour former wife. Things might have been a bit tense and unhappy once before but now they are more settled and positive.

The simplicity of the song hides the nuances of the composition and the visions one detects. You hear about a man in a house surrounded by children, of various ages, and how his life has taken a turn. I wonder whether there is that desire to go somewhere a little quieter. He is happy the children are around but it seems like the hero wants to get away with his wife and go somewhere a little more reflective. He is telling us about his life at the moment and what he has achieved. It has been an eventful and contrasting life but one he would not trade for anything. The players back Harrison with this composition that seems to summon all the emotions and sounds one would associate with the house. The passion and sway of the guitars mix with the energy and vibrations of the horns; there are little notes and details that summon pattering feet, moody sulks and gleeful abandon. This sort of rich cuisine could only come from a songwriter who has that experience, intuitive ear and confidence. As the song winds down, you can still feel that brightness and contemplation. The songwriter would not change a anything but one feels, as time goes on, he would like to have a bit of a quieter house! I love the little dashes of humour – bigger kids not giving him respect and the miserable ex-wife – and how that balances against pure content and thanks. It is hard to compare Mark Harrison to any other songwriter. There are few who have the same skillset and can write a song that makes the same impression. Whilst it seems rather simple a song; House Full of Children has so much energy, (many) layers and a playfulness that some might overlook. The lyrics are hugely effecting and tell the story brilliantly; the composition adds new layers and visions whilst the vocal takes you in all sort of direction. By the end, I was keen to have another spin and see what new ideas came to mind. The Panoramic View is a busy and eclectic album and you need to listen to all of the songs. I chose House Full of Children because it is a perfect taste and introduction of a songwriter who is able to involve the listener in a song and make them feel better about themselves. That is not a quality to be balked at and, as such, we should all spend some time around Mark Harrison and the fantastic music he is putting out. I hope many will reassess their views regarding genres like Blues, Folk and Roots and become broader consumers.

I have talked about Mark Harrison and his various aspects and I haven’t had time to review the whole album. There is a general theme to The Panoramic View – in so much as it is a view of the world as a whole – but there are so many different stories and figures that are represented through fifteen tracks! Songs like High John and Mess Everywhere make you smile and think but, to be fair, all of the songs make an impact and do something! I chose House Full of Children because it got into my head quickest and is one of those songs where you keep playing out visions and notes long after it has finished. Keep abreast of Harrison’s social media channels for tour dates and news and do not miss out. He is a musician who keeps his fans informed and is always keen to bring his music to new faces. I hope, in time, we start to break walls down in music and give overlooked genres like Blues, Folk and Roots a proper airing. Same goes for Jazz, too, and I worry we exclude certain styles of music because we have these wrong and ignorant impressions. It is fair enough if you do not like a genre after giving it a good going-over but how many of us do that?! I can write off Thrash-Metal because I have heard a lot of it and have done so for years. I do not listen to one song from one band and turn my nose up like a posh dowager who has been offered a biscuit from Tesco – insolently throwing it across the room with an imperious scowl because it is cheap and nasty! If you appreciate true songwriting, deep thoughts and fun then you need to get behind Mark Harrison. There is that wit and humour that reminds me of songwriters like Paul Heaton and Paddy McAloon (Prefab Sprout). Ensure you listen to the whole of The Panoramic View and go through it song-by-song. It is an album that rewards patience and that complete experience. You will find yourself closing your eyes and drifting into the world Harrison has crafted and painted. The warmth and gravitas of his voice couples with lyrics that are as evocative as they are charming; music that is rich and sumptuous and songs that, once you hear them, will stay in the head for ages. The author has taken a wide and open-minded view of the world. If only the music world in which he reliant on…

CAN take the same approach!  

___________

Follow Mark Harrison

Official:

http://www.markharrisonrootsmusic.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/mharrisonmusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/markharrisonmusic

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/14CtALWVNL2IsuvjO27qBd?si=bgkgoveNTPSMXSGtsNC4vQ

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/markharrisonrootsmusic/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/MarkAHarrison1

FEATURE: Ending the Decade in Style! Part I/V: The Finest Albums of 1989

FEATURE:

 

 

Ending the Decade in Style!

PHOTO CREDIT: @divandor/Unsplash 

Part I/V: The Finest Albums of 1989

__________

THE reason I want to put together a new feature…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @akshayspaceship/Unsplash

is to shine a light on the albums that end a decade with a huge bang. I feel it is hard to define what a decade is about and how it evolves but the first and last years are crucial. Entering a decade with a big album is a great way to stand out and, similarly, ending it with something stunning is vital. It can be hard leaving a brilliant and bountiful decade of music but I wanted to shine a light on the artists who brought out albums that did justice; gave hope the next decade would be full, exciting and brilliant. I will do a five-part series about albums that opened a decade with panache but, right now, the first in a five-part feature that collates the best decade-enders from the 1960s, 1970s; 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s. I am starting with 1989 and the best ten records from the year. The 1980s get a reputation as being a bit naff and dodgy but I would contest this. The 1990s is a wondrous and fabulous time and bridging that gap was a hard task. The 1980s had some iffy years – 1986 and 1983 produced few genuine standouts – but it was an incredible decade that provided some world-class records. A lot of them came in 1989 and, as I show, prove the decade had its share of innovation, brilliance and promise. Have a look at the essential ten 1989-released records and recall – if you were alive then… – a year that bade farewell to a brilliant decade…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @mero_dnt/Unsplash

IN style!

ALL ALBUM COVERS: Getty Images

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The Cure – Disintegration

Release Date: 2nd May, 1989

Label: Fiction

Review:

“Expanding the latent arena rock sensibilities that peppered Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me by slowing them down and stretching them to the breaking point, the Cure reached the peak of their popularity with the crawling, darkly seductive Disintegration. It's a hypnotic, mesmerizing record, comprised almost entirely of epics like the soaring, icy "Pictures of You." The handful of pop songs, like the concise and utterly charming "Love Song," don't alleviate the doom-laden atmosphere. The Cure's gloomy soundscapes have rarely sounded so alluring, however, and the songs -- from the pulsating, ominous "Fascination Street" to the eerie, string-laced "Lullaby" -- have rarely been so well-constructed and memorable. It's fitting that Disintegration was their commercial breakthrough, since, in many ways, the album is the culmination of all the musical directions the Cure were pursuing over the course of the '80s” – AllMusic

Standout Track: Pictures of You

Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique

Release Date: 25th July, 1989

Label: Capitol

Review:

“While each member has their spotlight moments—MCA’s pedal-down tour de force fast-rap exhibition in “Year and a Day,” Mike D having too much to drink at the Red Lobster on “Mike on the Mic,” and Ad-Rock’s charmingly venomous tirade against coke-snorting Hollywood faux-ingénues in “3-Minute Rule”—Paul's Boutique is where their back-and-forth patter really reached its peak. At the start of their career, they built off the tag-team style popularized by Run-DMC, but by ’89 they'd developed it to such an extent and to such manic, screwball ends that they might as well have been drawing off the Marx Brothers as well. It’s impossible to hear the vast majority of this album as anything other than a locked-tight group effort, with its overlapping lyrics and shouted three-man one-liners, and it’s maybe best displayed in the classic single “Shadrach.” After years of post-Def Jam limbo and attempts to escape out from under the weight of a fratboy parody that got out of hand, they put together a defiant, iconographic statement of purpose that combined giddy braggadocio with weeded-out soul-searching. It’s the tightest highlight on an album full of them, a quick-volleying, line-swapping 100-yard dash capped off with the most confident possible delivery of the line “They tell us what to do? Hell no!” – Pitchfork

Standout Track: Shake Your Rump

Pixies – Doolittle

Release Date: 17th April, 1989 (U.K.)/18th April, 1989 (U.S.)

Labels: AD; Elektra (initial U.S. distribution)

Review:

“Wouldn't it be wild if quirky alternative rockers like Pere Ubu and the Swans (each now on major labels) turned out to be in 1989 what sensitive folkie types were in 1988? If that happens, the Pixies' second album should reach the top of the charts.

Unlikely. But, if it did, it would probably start with the Boston quartet's song "Here Comes Your Man," a sweet 'n' summery cross of the Tremeloes' '67 pop hit "Here Comes My Baby," Them's "Here Comes the Night" and the Velvet Underground's "Waiting for the Man." Way cool, indeed, but no less so than the flip of the coin that follows immediately, the fractured horror-flick tune "Dead," a yowling hunka anti-pop. The neat thing is that this major bit of, um, Pixilation doesn't come off as coy or arch, but dovetails to form a serious/curious dichotomy not unlike that of the Sugarcubes.

The hands-down highlight, however, is the cello-mellowed "Monkey Gone to Heaven." Here, singer-guitarist Black Francis (ne Charles Thompson) suspends himself halfway between his winking and wicked extremes for a majestic yet dry elegy to humanity's follies, with bassist Kim Deal's indifferent reading of the title phrase bold-facing Francis' understated confusion and anger. The prototype for thoughtful, creative and bracing pop in the '90s? We can only hope” – Los Angeles Times

Standout Track: Debaser

New Order – Technique

Release Date: 30th January, 1989

Label: Factory

Review:

“Technique was the group's most striking production job, with the single "Fine Time" proving a close runner-up to "Blue Monday" as the most extroverted dance track in the band's catalog. Opening the record, it was a portrait of a group unrecognizable from its origins, delivering lascivious and extroverted come-ons amid pounding beats. It appeared that dance had fully taken over from rock, with the guitars and bass only brought in for a quick solo or bridge. But while pure dance was the case for the singles "Fine Time" and "Round & Round," elsewhere New Order were still delivering some of the best alternative pop around, plaintive and affecting songs like "Run" (the third single), "Love Less," and "Dream Attack." Placed in the perfect position to deliver the definitive alternative take on house music, the band produced another classic record” – AllMusic    

Standout Track: Run

Kate Bush – The Sensual World

Release Date: 16th October, 1989

Labels: EMI; Columbia (U.S.)

Review:

“Goddess or gooney bird? Even some of this English progressive popstress' loyalists sometimes have to wonder. Though on 1985's "Hounds of Love" Bush stripped away many of the quirks of youthful exuberance that had marred her unique approach, some will always find her attention-getting vocals precious and her quasi-cosmic outlook and naked emotionalism off-putting. But this, her first album since "Hounds," is even more mature and accomplished. As Bush herself sings in "The Fog," "You see, I'm all grown up now."

The glorious Trio Bulgarka sings on three songs, further expanding Bush's already thoroughly developed world vision--perhaps only Peter Gabriel melds so many cultural elements with such seamless flair. But it's the how , not the what , that distinguishes her accomplishments.

Listen to the mournful Balkan wail that punctuates "Deeper Understanding's" look at loneliness in the computer age. No Post-Modern irony or juxtaposition here; rather, the combination transforms the song into a wide-eyed-wonderful essay on the human condition, with all the sensuality promised in the album title. It's enough to make you go, well, gooney” – Los Angeles Times

Standout Track: This Woman’s Work

The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses

Release Date: 2nd May, 1989

Label: Silvertone

Review:

“Compared to the dark, macho Mancunians who came swaggering in their wake, the beauty of this mythological debut twenty years later is its light, almost feminine beauty.

The album’s second reissue – coming in enough formats to appeal to everyone from casual converts to old fanatics – polishes up the gang’s ultraconfident blend of sun-drenched, jangly psychedelia and whip-smart, dance floor rhythms, while still conjuring the giddy excitement of acid-house: “Kiss me where the sun don’t shine/ The past was yours but the future’s mine” – The Daily Telegraph

Standout Track: I Am the Resurrection

Janet Jackson – Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814

Release Date: 19th September, 1989

Label: A&M

Review:

“In 1989, protest songs were common in rap but rare in R&B -- Janet Jackson, following rap's lead, dares to address social and political topics on "The Knowledge," the disturbing "State of the World," and the poignant ballad "Living in a World" (which decries the reality of children being exposed to violence). Jackson's voice is wafer-thin, and she doesn't have much of a range -- but she definitely has lots of soul and spirit and uses it to maximum advantage on those gems as well as nonpolitical pieces ranging from the Prince-influenced funk/pop of "Miss You Much" and "Alright" to the caressing, silky ballads "Someday Is Tonight," "Alone," and "Come Back to Me" to the pop/rock smoker "Black Cat." For those purchasing their first Janet Jackson release, Rhythm Nation would be an even wiser investment than Control -- and that's saying a lot” – AllMusic  

Standout Track: Rhythm Nation

Neneh Cherry – Raw Like Sushi

Release Date: 5th June, 1989

Label: Virgin

Review:

“Produced by a shifting team of young musicians, the most established of whom is Tim Simenon of Bomb the Bass, Raw Like Sushi never runs out of tricky beats. Whether incorporating Latin freestyle ("Kisses on the Wind") or go-go percussion ("Inna City Mamma"), the production ensemble eschews the easier option of sampling for its own catchy thump and consistently matches Cherry's bravado with episodic surprises. During the last several years, many musicians have built retirement funds by imitating the musical and sexual paths of Prince and Madonna. Neneh Cherry may be the first newcomer inspired by them who also poses a threat to their preeminence” – Rolling Stone  

Standout Track: Buffalo Stance

Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol. One

Release Date: 10th April, 1989

Label: Virgin

Review:

“Twisting voluptuous female soul vocals (Caron Wheeler, Rose Windross, the late Do'Reen Waddell) with rare groove-styled dance beats gave Soul II Soul a niche that would see them win a broad array of fans worldwide. Back To Life (However Do You Want Me), their best-recognised hit, is a classic example of this musical melting pot.

Keep On Movin' –another key anthem- was the group’s first real mainstream success (Fairplay only made it to 63 in the UK charts) and came at a time when American artists saturated the R&B scene. Founder Jazzie B made his record label more than happy as the track hit number five in the UK and number one on the US R&B chart.

Much like Bristol's trip-hop supergroup, Massive Attack, Soul II Soul have had a huge and important effect on black British music. Like Massive Attack's Blue Lines, Club Classics Vol. 1 is one of those rare albums that make you want to listen to every single track, over and over, again and again. Something most musicians can but dream of” – BBC 

Standout Track: Keep on Movin’

Madonna – Like a Prayer

Release Date: 21st March, 1989

Label: Sire

Review:

“So maybe Madonna’s protests that Like a Prayer wasn’t autobiographical were a bit of a ruse—or just another way to keep the minds of America’s pop-watchers thinking about her music as she gave them an album where she was less afraid to show her flaws, more willing to try on new personas that had bits of her selves attached. After all, as she told The New York Times in 1989, “What I do is total commercialism, but it’s also art.” Like a Prayer straddles those two ideals with gusto, with even its less satisfying moments adding to the heat given off by the MTV era’s brightest star” – Pitchfork   

Standout Track: Like a Prayer

FEATURE: Killing in the Name: Rage Against the Machine’s Masterful Debut at Twenty-Six

FEATURE:

 

 

Killing in the Name

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images 

Rage Against the Machine’s Masterful Debut at Twenty-Six

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THERE are a lot of albums that warrant attention…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Rage Against the Machine in 1992/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

and are those that we all keep coming back to. They are those we shine a light on should be dissected and respected. One such album is the incendiary and splenetic Rage Against the Machine. The eponymous debut album from the American band launched into the world when George H. W. Bush was defeated by Bill Clinton in the presidential elections. In fact; the same day Rage Against the Machine - with that debut album on 3rd November, 1992 - announced their presence in the world was when Clinton came to power (he would not be inaugurated until January 1993). It was a narrow margin but it was a popular one. Consider what was happening in the world – from racial discrimination and violence to corruption and social inequality – and you can understand why this cocktail of an album came along. Although it would take a while for the new President to take his place in the White House and regain control of the ship; it is iconic to think this masterful album arrived the same day the United States welcomed a new leader. Every year seems to bring corruption and anger to the fore and there is always some form of unrest brewing. Stories of police brutality and despicable injustice was angering and igniting the American people but there were no bands around articulating that fury through music. Change was needed and many (in the U.S.) felt displaced and scared.

The reason why the anniversary of Rage Against the Machine should be talked about is because it is more relevant now than ever! It is somewhat sad and upsetting a record that rallies and rebels against evil should be more needed and reveals more light the further time goes on. One would think the messages from Rage Against the Machine would resonate and warn those to come. Presidents have varied in their competency and humanity and, although a Democrat in power was a good thing; there has been that building rage and sense of despondency. Now, twenty-six years from the release of that incredible debut and it seems like lessons have not been learned. There were plenty of hard-hitting and anthemic albums that arrived in the U.S. leading up to the introduction of Rage Against the Machine. In 1991, we saw Nirvana’s Nevermind come and Metallica’s eponymous release; there was Use Your Illusion I from Guns N’ Roses and Public Enemy’s Apocolypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Back. 1992 gave us Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted and Dr. Dre’s The Chronic; Manic Street Preachers’ Generation Terrorists and Alice in Chains’ Dirt. There were some great Rock and Rap efforts but none that managed to fuse the genres in the same way; few that had that political edge and anger. Maybe Public Enemy brought some of that sense of injustice and fire but Rage Against the Machine came out of nowhere, it seemed.

In a scene where Grunge and Rock bands were talking about their own pains, depressions and angers; here were a tight and focused group of renegades who were armed and very dangerous indeed! There was no posturing from Zack de la Rocha (vocals), Tom Morello (guitars); Brad Wilk (drum and percussion) and Tim Commerford (bass) and their debut album smacked of complete conviction and reality! Unlike some of their preening and commercial peers; this was a band that meant business and were laying down an album that contained none of the clichés and tropes that were coming out at the time. Against the rather introverted and gloomy nature of Grunge; Rage Against the Machine possessed the same anger and attack but it was directed and projected at those corrupting the country and getting away, in many cases, with murder. Rage Against the Machine would produce three more albums before they split – although, technically, they are together there has not been any new material since 2000 – but none burned as bright as their debut. 1992 was a year with a lot of music gold emerging but, in political terms, political corruption and injustices were not being ably met by artists. Even though Rage Against the Machine has ten tracks; most of them are over five minutes long and a lot of ground is covered.

In spite of the longer running times; every song is tight and focused but there is a sense we are hearing mandates being laid. The band were not sloganeering or spouting worn buzzwords: every song on Rage Against the Machine was led by Zack de la Rocha’s poetic and fierce lyrics and the world’s best musical support. Take the opener Bombtrack and you get a sense of what is to come. The introduction trips and teases like Earth, Wind & Fire’s Fantasy before bursting into life. The lead summons the band into action and they galvanise in a storm of killer riffs and potent beats. Tim Commerford (bass) composed the riffs and the rest of the band impressed. The title unites the Hip-Hop term for greatest ‘bomb’ so, in essence, they felt Bombtrack was the greatest track. The potent and intense opener talks about “landlords and power whores” as Take the Power Back and Settle for Nothing showcase what an exciting and unique band Rage Against the Machine are. A lot of bands put too much emphasis on the front or push the bass to the background: tracks on Rage Against the Machine unite all the members and there is no one lead. The bass is consistently inventive and leading whilst the percussion provides the fist of power and protest. Morello’s spectacular guitar fireworks add so much to the music and heighten everything around it.

Even when de la Rocha’s lyrics occasionally slip into the ordinary; Morello and co. are there to bring the magic and support. Bullet in Your Head and Know Your Enemy are in the middle of the pack and are among the most explosive and enthralling songs on the album. Never has a band sounded as primed and angered as they do when talking about those who deceive and screw you over. Whilst not perfect and on the same level as the world’s best lyricists; Zack de la Rocha was able to write in an intelligent and inspiring way that was a lot more accomplished and inspiring than a lot of his peers. Wake Up talks about racism in the American Government and the counter-intelligence programs of the FBI. Part of the song incorporate an FBI memo in which its director J. Edgar Hoover suggested suppressing the black nationalist movement. Rage Against the Machine, on the song, suggest black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated because of the Government – they arranged the killings and needed them silenced. Know Your Enemy rallies against the supposed American Dream and its irony in the modern time. The song’s composition is dizzying and busy and makes use of Tom Morello’s toggle switch; the track switches between a pickup that is turned off and one that is on – which creates a tremolo effect. Commerford, again, was responsible for the riffs and he wrote the primary and secondary ones on acoustic bass.

Freedom, the longest track on the album, ends things with a real bang and one of the most fired vocals from de la Rocha. Songs like Fistful of Steel show how the band could layer the sound and take the song from a whisper to a scream. Listen to the slightly muted and far-off riff that starts; backed by bass and then, when Wilk’s drum tees up de la Rocha and heralds the song in; the lead gives out a pointed “Hup!” and the song swaggers forward. Maybe the riffs and composition should have been a little faster but, in any case, you get this head-nodding, resilient diatribe that gets into the head and makes you think. Most of the attention, quite rightly, goes to the lead-off single from Rage Against the Machine, Killing in the Name. The song is a tirade against American ills and makes reference to racist police brutality; the irony of those charged with protecting citizens yet embroiled in hatred and racial violence. The song’s chorus has the famous line “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” and that word, ‘fuck’, is used seventeen times. The track nods to occasions when U.S. police officers have colluded with white supremacist groups and implicitly supported violence against the black population.

The song arrived only six months after the Los Angeles Riots – it saw four white officers acquitted of the beating of black motorist Rodney King. No surprise the song resonated with people and remains Rage Against the Machine’s most-popular song. Killing in the Name is a live favourite – or ‘was’ – and was a huge radio hit when it was released in 1992. Aside from a slip when BBC Radio 1 D.J. Bruno Brookes accidentally played the uncensored version and provoked a wave of complaints; people have always been drawn to it. A famous campaign in 2009 aimed to get Killing in the Name to number-one and defeat the inevitable campaign from the latest X Factor warbler. Although Killing in the Name only survived at the top spot for a week – it slumped out of the top-40 pretty quick – it did hold off the challenge of Joe McElderry and show that, even at Christmas, a song rallying against police racism and brutality was a more popular choice than something more traditional. Although the song has taken on a life of its own and exploded; it does not eclipse the other nine tracks on Rage Against the Machine. With no filler and a phenomenal amount of confidence; the 1992 debut from Rage Against the Machine scored huge critical acclaim – it got a lot of retrospective love as well.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

This review/retrospective, written by Pitchfork last year, paid passion tribute to the album and looked at the beginnings of the band and how Rage Against the Machine added their stamp to music:

“It was 1990, and Tom Morello was a struggling rock guitarist in Los Angeles, with a Harvard degree in social studies. He had a vision to funnel the unrest of the day—the Gulf War, the prospective end of apartheid, the collapse of the Soviet Union—and his galvanizing experiences as a Kenyan-American kid in suburban Illinois into a group that synthesized rock and rap into something inherently rebellious. Or, as he put it in a want ad, he required “a socialist frontman who likes Black Sabbath and Public Enemy.”

Within weeks of forming, Rage Against the Machine—a name lifted from an abandoned tune in de la Rocha’s last band—had recorded a 12-song demo of originals, pieced together largely from fragments in de la Rocha’s journals and song structures Morello had contemplated for years. By the end of 1991, they were navigating major-label offers. By the middle of 1992, they were recording their self-titled debut in a string of fancy Los Angeles studios. Seven of those first demos reappear on Rage Against the Machine in almost identical form, de la Rocha’s vocals simply sharpened by veteran engineer Garth Richardson…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

Rage Against the Machine became a better band on each subsequent album. Their landmark follow-up, 1996’s Evil Empire, is much more coiled and concise. Wilk and Commerford were perfectly heavy. Morello had found the fertile nexus between gargantuan riffs and idiosyncratic techniques that intrigued adolescent fans and Guitar Player obsessives alike. And on 1999’s The Battle of Los Angeles, their hard-nosed finale, de la Rocha is at the height of his polemical powers, rhyming in great hypertextual arcs of political pleas. Morello’s singular guitar style had developed to the point that Rolling Stone famously mistook his screeching “Guerrilla Radio” solo for a harmonica break.

Never again, though, would the quartet sound so casually confident, as if they actually had the gusto and naiveté to take on the world”.

You can claim Rage Against the Machine made a better album – although I would argue against it – but they never created anything as instant, unexpected and timely. The band have not ruled out a reunion but with three-quarters of the band (everyone except Zack de la Rocha) involved with the band Prophets of Rage – alongside members of Public Enemy and Cypress Hill – the band have gone their separate ways but there is no bad blood. It would be exciting to think that, in a time when Donald Trump scares the world and there is police brutality and racism; the band who brought this remarkable debut album could dust it off and take to the stage. You can apply inspirations from the 1990s and events happening then to 2018.

If anything; there is more fear and division in the world and America has a President who seems to causally overlook problems like racism and brutality. He stands for everything Rage Against the Machine oppose and, as such, we need to study Rage Against the Machine and learn from it. Whilst its creators might be reproduce it and follow it; I wonder whether any bands of the moment will take heed and create their own version. In many ways, Rage Against the Machine could only come from this one band who seemed to bright incredibly bright from the off. Although they did release Evil Empire (1996), The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) and Renegades (2000) – the latter was a covers album – I feel none touched the sheer brutality and brilliance of Rage Against the Machine. Few bands since have managed to create anything as jaw-dropping and potent. We need more political bands who can provide big statements and fire against the corrupt but it seems like other genres are taking care of that – solo artists from Grime and Hip-Hop are doing it instead. In this feature from last year; the band recall their beginnings and how the magic started:

“Twenty five years on from its original release, Rage Against the Machine remains chillingly relevant – current turbulent, geo-political times have ensured to that. The band’s firebrand rhetoric has also been given extra muscle by the arrival of Prophets of Rage, a rock-rap supergroup comprising the original band’s engine room of Wilk, Commerford and Morello….

IN THIS PHOTO: (L-R): Zack de la Rocha, Tim Commerford; Brad Wilk and Tom Morello/PHOTO CREDIT: Press Association

The seeds of Rage Against the Machine’s emergence can be traced to Libertyville, Illinois when Morello, a Joe Strummer-obsessed singer-songwriter and the “only black kid” in the all-white town, moved to LA in 1988 to join Hollywood rock band and Geffen Records incumbents, Lock Up. Having worked somewhat incongruously as both political secretary for Democrat politician Alan Cranston and an “exotic dancer” to pay the bills, Morello had his ambitions of fame dented when the band split up in 1990 after releasing just one album, 1989’s Something Bitchin’ This Way Comes.

When the band divided their final pay cheque of $1,000, Morello was only 26 years old, but the sudden career lane change proved inspiring. He was now free to make the heavier, angrier music he had held back from Lock Up’s recording sessions. Morello called in Wilk, who had previously auditioned for the band and, later, de la Rocha and Commerford.

“I was relieved that my music career was done," says Morello. "I thought, ‘Well, if I’ve missed my grab at the brass ring, then at least I’m going to play music that I believe in and love.’ Rage Against the Machine was formed with zero ambitions.” The band’s early writing sessions – a basic, punk rock set-up comprising guitars, drums and de la Rocha’s righteous rage – were soon imbued with a headier vibe.

Rage Against the Machine’s rock-rap musical gumbo soon delivered an album of demos that would make up their debut album. Early cassettes were delivered to record label influencers with a match taped to the box. Chuck D, impressed by the band’s lyrical MO would later take them on a powderkeg US tour where shows were patrolled with police helicopters and metal detectors were commonplace, the authorities fearing an outbreak of gang violence…

“Tom’s (guitar) was what-the-f---, out of this world,” says Chuck. “The bass was like [Motown bassist] James Jamerson. [Rage Against the Machine] had power.” On its release, Rage Against the Machine went triple-platinum in America and made the UK top 20, though its breakthrough moment undoubtedly arrived when firebrand single Killing In the Name was aired on Radio 1 in February 1993. In a headline-making blunder, DJ Bruno Brookes accidentally played the track’s uncensored mix, peppering the airwaves with the anthemic, but expletive-heavy chorus, “F--- you, I won’t do what you tell me.” Brookes was suspended and the LA four-piece’s notoriety was immediately assured’.

Last year saw Rage Against the Machine turn twenty-five and it seemed very apt that many would reconnect with it. A year on and we have seen even more outrage and corruption from Donald Trump; shootings happen and racism come back into the news; division in the U.K. and atrocities that gives Rage Against the Machine even more relevance and meaning. It is almost disturbing listening to a record that seems to predict what would happen in the future whilst brilliantly assessing the mess it was in (in) 1992. Few debuts have burned as hard and made such an impact and it is testament to a band that was tight, brotherly and, in their own way, uniquely talented. There was no minor member: each performer added incredible angles and D.N.A. to the album and ensured it was hugely well-received. Whilst the people of America pray for a new President and want to forget the disturbing reign of Donald Trump; it seems the chorus of Killing in the Name seems…

  PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

MORE relevant than ever.

INTERVIEW: CAEZAR

INTERVIEW:

 PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Alexander Harris

CAEZAR

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THE guys of CAEZAR…

have been telling me about their new track, Somewhere New, and what we can expect from their E.P., HAIL! I ask how the band met and what sort of music inspires them; if there is an approaching artist we need to get behind and whether they are heading on the road at all.

I discover which albums are important to them and what they have planned for next year; if there are any favourite musical memories and which artist they’d support given the chance – the band members each choose a song to end the interview with.

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

Hey! It’s been another busy week. It always surprises us just how busy it is when you’re deep in the middle of a campaign. With all the P.R. work, the travelling and the interviews – it’s relentless! We love it though.

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

Of course. We’re an Electro-Pop three-piece, originally from Cheltenham in the South West but now we spend most of our time in London. We’ve been a band for about four years, but previously performed under a different name (‘Quigley’). We then had a line-up change with two members leaving the band; this left just Chris, Zoe and Rich (C,Z,R) in the band. It seemed like the right time to close the chapter on Quigley and start something new. We’d started working with a new producer at the same time and the chemistry of it all just seemed to click. Eighteen months later and CAEZAR was born.

Somewhere New is your single. Can you explain the story behind the song?

This is actually one of the oldest tracks in our repertoire – although it’s changed a lot since when we first started performing it. We wanted to capture that feeling of restless excitement that you get when you discover a new place or a new adventure – and we think this song epitomises that. It’s a real anthemic track with a strong hook at its heart. It always gets a great reception when we perform it live.

The E.P., HAIL!, has been announced. What sort of themes motivated and inspired the songs?

It was really important for us to try and capture the many shades and sides to ourselves in this E.P. It would have been easy to have put four lighthearted, easy-listening tracks together. However, we wanted to showcase that – yes, we’re an Electro-Pop band – but there are so many emotions that inspire us and we love to explore in our music – whether it’s bittersweet, lighthearted; frisky… that’s what keeps us interested. We’re really proud of each single on the E.P. and feel that the tracks work either independently on their own but also as a collection.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Alexander Harris

In terms of sounds/artists; who are CAEZAR inspired by?

We have quite a diverse range of influences – Chris loves OneRepublic, Maroon 5 and Muse while Rich is more introverted and will spend hours digesting acts like Pink Floyd and Ben Howard. Zoe has Indie tastes, so loves acts like Nothing But Thieves and Amber Run.

How did you get together? Did you all meet in Cheltenham?

Chris and Rich first met on the rugby pitch. They played for the same rugby team and both got injured at the same time. As they couldn’t play rugby, they had to find another way to spend our time so they started the band! One thing led to another and now the music has completely taken over from the rugby (although they will try to get a game in when we can). Zoe came into the mix in 2015; first as a backing singer for the band but her voice and character were so strong she quickly established herself as a key member of the band.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Alexander Harris

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

The goals for this year is to complete the release of the E.P. (due 30th Nov) and to continue to nurture the CAEZAR following. We’ve been very fortunate to have an amazing reaction to the tracks so far with BBC Introducing featuring the E.P. as a main event; CLASH magazine premiering our singles and even getting some U.K. National T.V. broadcasting with Philip Schofield on ITV’s This Morning!

Do you already have plans for 2019?

We want to build on what we’ve started this year. It’s been amazing to release the songs to such a positive response; now we want to take the tracks on the road and showcase them to audiences across the U.K. – and beyond. We’re talking to festivals currently and hope to make some big announcements soon. After that, we will be looking to get back into the studio to start on our next project.

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

Our favourite memory so far has to be when we performed at Alt Fest in Belgium. It was our first international show and really opened our eyes to how far music could take us. We were treated like royalty; we got to meet loads of amazing acts, and also were able to hang out for a night in Bruges – which we’d highly recommend. It was an incredible adventure.

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

Chris: Muse - Origin of Symmetry

The first album I began to understand the power of melody regardless of genre.

Rich: Pink Floyd – The Wall

I grew up hating this album. My parents would play it on-repeat and it confused the hell out of me. Then, as I grew up, I reengaged with the narrative, the journey; the multifaceted moods and tones – and, of course, the guitar solos. I love it. Dave Gilmour is the man. Fact.

Zoe: Amber Run - 5am

I'd been in a dark place where I didn't even want to listen to music. This was the album that changed that. It marks a very poignant turning point in my life

 PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Alexander Harris

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

If we could support anyone performing right now, then I think someone like Raleigh Ritchie would be amazing. In terms of riders; we’re happy with a few beers! As long as it’s not fruit – we were once given a bowl of oranges as a rider and Chris is still angry about it today.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Creating and growing music that you love is not easy. It takes a lot of dedication and persistence to get your head above the water and even then expect a lot of rejection and disappointment. It’s the bands that believe in themselves and who can ride the waves of ups and downs that will make it. So many amazing acts never make it because they give up too early.

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

We will be announcing 2019 tour dates very soon. Head over to our Facebook page to ensure you get the updates when they are published.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Rex Orange County

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

Not really an ‘unknown’ but Rex Orange County is tearing it up right now – we love him!

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

Probably unsurprisingly we turn to rugby when we’re not in CAEZAR-land. We’re big supporters of Gloucester rugby, so will go to watch the Cherry and Whites when we can and, if not, we will strap on our boots for a game with our home club, Old Cryptians. Except for Zoe – she’s mega-creative so she will be painting or designing something stunning (like the band’s artwork).

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

Rich: Rex Orange County – Loving Is Easy

Chris: Navajo – Masego

Zoe: Theophillus London – Bebey

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Follow CAEZAR

Official:

https://www.hailcaezar.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HAILCAEZAR1

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/hailcaezar/

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6f2j70gzysK5Z83ZhbpaFo?si=Y6Nkx0WfTjWmKvfvKOSEhg

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hailcaezar/

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/hailcaezar

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDTTt6IlbDEOFtbbkiiWhTQ?view_as=subscriber 

INTERVIEW: Alichè

INTERVIEW:

Alichè

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THANKS to Alichè…

 PHOTO CREDIT: @bychrisreid

for talking with me about her latest song, B.B.I, and what it is all about. She reveals how her music has developed and which artists influenced her; a few albums that are very important and some rising names that we need to be aware of.

I ask whether there are gigs approaching and how important London is to her; which musical memory stands in the mind and how she unwinds away from music – Alichè chooses a great song to end the interview with.

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

Hey, hey! So good. It’s release week, so I've literally been counting down to the day!

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

I’m Alichè - pronounced ‘Ali-Chay’. I was born into music, literally born under a piano at home. Haha! I’d say I sit somewhere in a contemporary style of R&B/Hip Hop. I like to take influences from all different genres of music to form my own style and take. I embrace being from London and proudly sing with my accent. To be honest, couldn't drop it if I tried. 

B.B.I is your latest single. What is the story behind it?

B.B.I = Bad Boy Issues. It’s not about any specific being, but more a reflection of frustration. Anyone that knows me knows I have a big, big heart but I'm not a lovey-dovey relationship person. I do my own thing, work hard and put myself first a lot. But ‘bad boys’ are my kryptonite: I get pulled in by a certain type of presence and swagger; they always seem to end up being an issue.

How do you think it moves on from No Luv? Do you feel yourself bringing out more material next year?

They are both tracks that represent me and I'm proud of. There’s a lot more to B.B.I; there’s a certain vibe to it that I was, like, ‘Cool; this has to be my first official release’. I’ve got a couple things lined up for next releases but, for now, I’m just eager to test the waters in the reception of B.B.I.

In terms of music; who do you count as idols? What sort of stuff did you grow up listening to?

My family play a big part in my musical influences. I grew up with a lot of Jazz, Funk and Soul music around me. There’s always good tunes playing in our house. We spent some time in Cuba when I was little - and my family did before I was born too -, so a lot of Cuban and Spanish music and culture was always about - whilst I also had an older brother drilling Hip-Hop and Grime into me from an early age. 

Erykah Badu, to me, is one the greatest human of all time. Q-Tip is also possibly one of my favourite Hip-Hop artists alongside the more modern-day sounds of King Kendrick. And, finally, I would not be the woman I am today without the existence of Amy Winehouse. 

Being based in London; how important is the area and the people regarding your music and creative mind?

So important. I bounce off London. It’s an exciting time for U.K. music as a whole. Defining sounds and pushing new limits. There’s a lot of love in this city but a lot of pain too. It inspires me every day. Even just watching the people I see on the Tube every day; they give me ideas or inspiration. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2018?

The most important thing for me right now is developing my presence and sound as an individual, so I’m keeping my head down and trying to stay consistent. 

Do you already have plans for 2019?

Of course. I’ve got so much I would like to do but, my team and I, we plan loosely. Things and plans can change so quickly. In 2019; I would love to support a British female artist on their tour or their home show.

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

It would have to be the headline show I did in September at The Spice of Life. I’ve been going to that Jazz club for London Jazz festival for years. It was also my first headline with a live band who, shout out to them, are the best musicians. Excited to see where we’ll be playing in the future.

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

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill and Baduizm by Erykah Badu shaped me as a human; they both got me through some tough times and boosted the good days. Then, Songs in A Minor by Alicia Keys is a timeless album to me; reminds me of just being young, blasting it out singing at the top of my lungs. My biggest worry was the flat upstairs banging to tell me to pack it in. 

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

If we’re talking worldwide, then Anderson .Paak. I think he is incredible. Ah…a rider. Well. If I was on tour I’d probably set up and run a fitness boot camp every day for the whole team and band. Blast some tunes and whip everyone into shape….

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

I’m still very new myself so I’m still learning but I think just trust your own process. You live and learn. Don't be afraid to try new things but also don't be afraid to stay true to what feels right to you.

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

I’ve got my biggest headline show yet lined up on Sunday, 11th November at the Camden Assembly. I live to be on stage so I literally cannot wait.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

I’m going to give you three AMAZING U.K./London-based artists…

Fred Fredas - who features on B.B.I. I was on one of his songs last year under a different name and fell in love with the richness of his voice. He's a QUALITY rapper and also a really good guy. Dotty. He is one of my favourite U.K. artists. His album, London X Living, is one of the most underrated projects. CHECK HIM OUT FOR SURE. Cleo Sol! Her song, Why Don’t You; it’s one of my most played songs. She has so much to her voice and lyrics; literally makes me melt.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Cleo Sol

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

To be honest; I’m one of those people that hardly sits still. Haha! Not a lot of ‘chill’ time on a regular day/week. I do weightlifting/powerlifting, which I find is my time to myself. But, putting on my favourite album or project and just zoning out when on public transport or travelling is probably the time I take to chill.

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

Kaiit - OG Luv Kush pt.2. Another perfect example of pure U.K. talent. Someone introduced me to her earlier in the year and I have been rinsing this track since

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Follow Alichè

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/itsaliche

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/itsaliche

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3GelDNbgiUcLa8au6ii9d6?si=S694Kac1TDa5E40dzfzb5Q

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/itsaliche/

FEATURE: The November Playlist: Vol. 1: What Lies Beneath the Masks

FEATURE:

 

The November Playlist

Vol. 1: What Lies Beneath the Masks

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THIS has got to be one of the…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Keith Flint of The Prodigy/PHOTO CREDIT: @Bart_heemskerk

most eclectic and eccentric Playlist collections for quite a while! Not only are there barking and intense offerings from Slipknot and The Prodigy but there are softer and more soulful tracks from Sheridan Smith and Marianne Faithful! It is a rather broad collection of new tracks that sprinkles in some Bill Ryder-Jones and Halsey; a bit of Chromatics and Sharon Van Etten. There should be more than enough to get your weekend kicking and every part of the brain moved! Once you have calmed from the violence and pummel; have a listen to the more accessible and chilled tracks that should bring you back down and provide some caress. It is a wild, weird and wonderful week of music that is as varied and wide-ranging as I have seen in quite a while!

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

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Slipknot – All Out Life

The Prodigy – Champions of London

Halsey – Without Me

Bill Ryder-Jones – Don’t Be Scared, I Love You

Carly Rae Jepsen – Party for One

Saint Raymond – Echo

Beirut – Corfu

PHOTO CREDIT: Ryan Pfluger

Sharon Van Etten – Comeback Kid

BODEGA – Name Escape

RAT BOY – CHIP ON MY SHOULDER

Chromatics – House of Dolls

Morrissey – Back on the Chain Gang

PHOTO CREDIT: Stella Asia Consonni

Anna of the North – Nothing Compares 2 U 

Anne-Marie – Perfect to Me

Carly Pearce – Closer to You

King Princess – Pussy Is God

Little Mix – Joan of Arc 

Skepta (ft. LD) – Neighbourhood Watch

Troye Sivan – Someone to Love

Zuzu – Dark Blue

Barbra Streisand – Lady Liberty

Jacob Banks – Slow Up

Liv Austen – A Moment of Your Time

PHOTO CREDIT: Yann Orhan

Marianne Faithfull – Don’t Go

Sheridan Smith – The One

Lil Peep - Runaway

Pistol Annies – Got My Name Changed Back

Mariah Carey – A No No

PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

Jade Bird – Love Has All Been Done Before

 

Charlotte Cardin – Double Shifts

PHOTO CREDIT: Scotify Studios

Slow Pulp – Steel Birds

PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Fielding and Sloane Morrison

Rival Sons – Back in the Woods

TRACK REVIEW: Louis Centioni - Here I Go Again

TRACK REVIEW:

 

Louis Centioni

Here I Go Again

9.3/10

The track, Here I Go Again, is available via:

https://soundcloud.com/louiscentioni/here-i-go-again

GENRE:

Electronic

ORIGIN:

London, U.K.

RELEASE DATE:

18th October, 2018

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MANY might say that there is…

a lot of variety and choice in modern music but, to me, I do not feel there is as much as there should be. I can accept there are a lot of genres and different artists working away but if you take a genre like Pop and Rock and, really, how much spread and difference does one encounter? Music is less about personalities and people than it is sound; because of that; it is about what is being put out. I feel like there are some standout artists but so much of what is coming out today is playing along the same lines. I think about Louis Centioni and there is something there to recommend. I will talk about variation and personality in musical terms and then move on to songs that have common themes but a distinct mind; Jazz and a genre that is being reinvented and inspiring new artists; nostalgia in terms of sounds and people and, to end, I will look at Centioni and where he might head. Maybe I am being hard on the new crop but I miss the days when you could encounter someone like the Beastie Boys or Nirvana and you’d have a completely different and fascinating proposition. In terms of what is about now; there are some mainstream artists that provoke that sort of intensity and intrigue as them but it is harder for the unsigned and underground. What with the sheer volume of artists and how difficult it is to stand out; I tend to find, on paper, many come across as very familiar and limited – you have heard it all before and it can be quite deflating. This will happen a lot and it is one of the worst things about what I do. I often wonder whether it is worth carry along this road and what fascination will come. Luckily, with Centioni; there is something in the locker that stands out in the mind.

Whilst I have not found a Beastie Boys or Nirvana in new music – and need to broaden my scope so I take in the likes of Rap, Hip-Hop; Jazz and other genres – I think the songwriter has a lot of potential and seems to embody promise. What appeals to me, in his case, is the blend of components and lines that go onto the page and how they translate into the music. I will talk about his latest track in a because, when it opens up; you really get a sense of an artist who wants to stand out and who does not follow the pack. I think South London and T.V., strangely, seem to come together in Here I Go Again. Maybe different inspirations infuse his other songs but, on his new cut, you can get a sense of what is happening in the capital and splice that with something dramatic. Again, like new artists; I am always wondering whether there is something samey about London and its sound. I live here but I feel the media pays far too much attention on it and one gets the sense that nobody can look past it – as though the centre of the universe is in the capital. Whilst, historically, London has pulled its weight; I think we all need to look to the North and realise the U.K. as a whole is as important as London. That being said; I think there are some artists that make me look at London from a different angle and dig deeper. The Mercury Prize, for two years, has been given to London artists and it seems, to me, South London is the most promising and appealing area. From Florence + the Machine and Loyle Carner through to Kate Tempest (although she was born in Westminster); there is that intensity, innovation and curious mindset emerging from artists here. Another thing that strikes me about South London and its artists is that curiosity regarding sound; some nostalgia but a lot of what comes from the streets.

Louis Centioni seems to be in the same sort of headspace as the likes of Loyle Carner – even if his own music has a different taste. I am interested, in the very least, at the different sides to London and how you get different music from each part. I have discussed artists who seem very samey and how the modern seen can be rather bland but, with Centioni, you have this songwriter who has half a mind in the present but is always looking back. You know he lives a very honest life and integrates sounds and memories from the streets on which he lives and walks into his blend. You get a real sense of authenticity and purity in the music and the story of his latest song, whilst common and not completely out of left-field seems to stem from something relatively unexplored and under-exposed. If you want to break away from the rather predictable and common sludge of underground music – how you can get the same thing from the same artists – then you need to investigate artists like Louis Centioni. I can get a real sense of where he walks and his daily life but you also get that combination of his favourite childhood music and sounds emerging from the modern-day scene. This is an interesting splicing and combination that makes the music weighty, impassioned and colourful. There is a lot to unpick and get involved with and you do not feel like Centioni is making music to fit into holes and follow anyone else. I mentioned how I would mention songs and there themes. I love what Centioni is putting out and would be quite hard on him if his music sounded like anyone else. One of the reason I have mentioned bands like Beastie Boys – and older artists – is because you got original stories, wit and a sense of fun in their music. Modern music has lost that adventure, smile and sense of diversity and it is one of the most depressing things.

Artists have become more insular and personal and, for the most part, songs seem to be about heartbreak and break-up. Not all artists focus on this but it seems the majority do – and we have very few innovators and acts that remind one of the classics and have any sort of fun. For a lot of artists, this is a bad thing and they can be rather lumpen and clichéd. I mention this topic because I understand why Centioni writes like this. I know his talent and innate drive can lead him to areas that project fun, incredible stories and something off the grid but he is reflecting what he is about and what he is experiencing. You can understand the need to write about what is meaningful and happening in life but I sense a mind that wants to break free and wander into other lyrical areas. In any case; you might look at Here I Go Again and what it is about – the break-up of a solid relationship and that sense that there is a pattern forming – and feel like nothing new or special will emerge. I would say the vast majority of modern artists are talking about love for the majority of the time and many of them repeat what is already out there. It sounds like I am preparing to boot Centioni’s bottom but, in fact, I am impressed he has written something accessible and relatable but brought it to life in a new and challenging way. Not only is the music a lot bolder and more eclectic than the modern palette – artists tending to match a rather dour mood with a similar compositional state – but the lyrics have a sense of personality and identity that does not make one feel like we have heard it all before! I feel other artists can learn from this and should take guidance as to how to break from routine. There are two distinct musical styles clashing in Louis Centioni’s current track.

Here I Go Again has a distinct Electronic vibe that seems to borrow from the London streets and has a distinct ambition. The sounds are intense and they shift course; there is a flavour of modern Electronica but you can hear Jazz elements coming through. Whilst many artists with a fondness for Jazz are a little hesitant about penning a classic Jazz standard – think of Miles Davis and John Coltrane – they are bringing the colours and ethics of the genre into their sounds. The backbone and blood of Louis Centioni’s current jam is Electronic and is primed for the mainstream but there is experimentation and shifts that can only come from a love of Jazz. The reason I want to mention the genre is because, through time, it has been maligned and overlooked. We always get this view Jazz is rather stuffy and serious and can be quite boring – endless trumpet solos or pondering songs that really do not say much. I think it is the lack of vocals that scare people and means you have to use a different part of your brain; you need to focus more and it can be hard transitioning. Modern Jazz-inspired artists like Thundercat and Kamasi Washington are hugely important and, in fact, there is a band of British Jazz artists who are taking the foundation of the genre and adding fire, intensity and something exciting to the party. Centioni took to the piano young but it was his grandfather’s collection if Jazz and Italian records, that he was exposed to at the age of four, that made the difference. That innate and tender connection with a passionate and strange world filtered into his blood and directed where his music would head. The songwriter has taken singing lessons and is inspired by Classical music. It is the Jazz love that gets to me. Listen to his latest track and you can tell there are different Jazz artists working away. You get the accomplishment and stature of early icons like Miles Davis but, with the electronic notes and intensity, there is an experimental aspect that reminds me of the modern-day Jazz players.

One gets world colliding and colours uniting through music that has a common and accessible heartbeat. Centioni attending the BRIT School and that created a sense of discipline and gravity. This combination of the Jazz romance and special world, blending with London and a musical school has led to this wonderful concoction. I feel a lot of modern artists look too closely to what is around them and you feel they are aiming to replicate and simulate a familiar sound. Rather than take from their personal lives and take risks; so much of what is out there today is dictated by commercial needs. Maybe that is a bit all-sweeping but I am discovering few songwriters who take gambles. Louis Centioni has an eye on the mainstream and knows what is needed to gain an ear but he is much more indebted to his grandfather and the music he grew up around. Mixing more modern influences together with that early exposure to Jazz; one gets a real hit and sensation. I am often wary of people who go to music schools and institutions that stamp out a particular artists. Whilst the likes of Amy Winehouse managed to stand alone and not do what is ‘expected’ – being overly commercial and following what is in the charts –; alumni like Adele – whilst her voice is powerful – lack any sort of flair, intrigue and real promise. So much of what is coming from these schools is dictated to by commercial gain and fitting into the charts; being too accessible and, let’s face it, a bit boring. Those who can take the good aspects from their teaching and not abandon their roots are to be commended. Centioni is someone who has learned a lot but does not want to compromise his passion and tastes in order to follow blindly. Away from the rather predictable storylines of heartbreak and disappointment; it is the ethics and background from Centioni that appeals the most. There is one danger that could have been exploited but, luckily, has been avoided.

I am one of those people who looks back on music and recalls the stuff I grew up around. The dreaded curse of nostalgia can make us all a bit restrictive and means we do not wholly accept modern music. Maybe we romanticise the past and feel like there is much quality now. Whilst I will always contest decades like the 1990s will destroy anything that is around now and ever will be; there are so many artists coming along that have the promise to remain and create for years to come. Louis Centioni could easily have replicated what he grew up around and not added anything new to the pot. I know he buzzes from the records he discovered at a young age and some influences are on his sleeves. One gets a distinct whiff or the classic and past in his music but, at all times, the man is looking forward and inspired by what is at his feet. Rather than dip back and try to repeat what has come before; he is looking forward and not falling into that trap. This is impressive to see and I know we will get a lot more from Centioni. It sounds like I have been a bit strict with my investigation and assessment but there are so many artists around that seem cloned, common and faceless. Maybe it is unavoidable but I do get weary and wonder, cruelly, whether limitations and standards should be set – only those most promising and profitable can cross borders and reside in modern music. In order for future generations to follow the music of now; there needs to be that sense of promise and longevity. As it is now; there is a lot out there and I wonder how much of it we can retain. I forget so much of what I listen to because there is something missing and it is not as sharp and dynamic as the music I was raised on. Artists like Centioni understand this and, as such, have taken care to make their music as bold and busy as possible.

Listen to a song like Here I Go Again and you have so much working away in there! I think, oddly, T.V. and drama has made that happen. It seems like a strange point to raise but many artists are not recognising the potential when it comes to film and T.V. By that; I mean bringing dramatic and comedic elements into the music. There has always been that bond between T.V. and music – songs being played as soundtrack – but few modern artists take a more dramatic and T.V.-minded approach to their songwriting. They might pen songs that can end up on dramas but do not take guidance from those shows and incorporate that into the fold. I know Louis Centioni is a fan of the Netflix series Stranger Things and you can hear that extraterrestrial theme coming through in his music. I have talked about his grandfather’s influence and one would think that rather charming and romantic vision would not fit alongside a darker and different world like that of Stranger Things. Rather than wrote a song that could appear on the show and be discovered by chance; the songwriter has been directly inspired by the strangeness, spacey elements and drama that the show puts out. As such; you get this song that starts from different foundations and takes a different course. Consider how most songs are written. Artists might get a melody or lyric in their mind but this is often compelled by music itself or what is happening around them. Few will sit down and think about a T.V. drama and write from that perspective. Maybe that is way of adding interest, fun and something much more memorable into music? As Centioni shows with his current single; there is a world of inspiration out there that is not being mined! I hope he continues to write like this and add something cinematic and dramatic into his music. I have talked long enough about the man behind the music so it is best I reverse that and discuss the music inside the man.

The hero begins Here I Go Again by talking about something he cannot reclaim and gather. Maybe he has been through the motions too often and knows full well this current situation is inhospitable. The words are not delivered in a rather average and straight way. Soulful and deep; there is a brief flow and then a pause; the true emotion is brought through and Centioni approaches delivery much like an actor would – speaking like a human going through pain as opposed a songwriter presenting their emotions. Because of this, the song makes an instant impact and you wonder whether the composition will rise and explode. The start is fairly calm and there is little intrusion from the background. You listen to the delivery of the words and it is the way they come through that get to you. Centioni stop-starts and you get this very physical and evocative sensation. I jumped into the song and followed the hero as he walked us along. Centioni has this way of singing almost like a Jazz musician would play. The background has this Electronic and modern force but the man at the centre is interpreting and telling his story like an icon. That might seem a strange conclusion but this is a resonance and element that comes from the voice that gets under the skin and hits you. It seems like the hero has been told of the dangers of giving his heart and it seems like those words have fallen on deaf ears. I guess everyone experiences bad love and heartache but they assume the same will not happen again. I suppose a new person promises different fortune but maybe people like Louis Centioni are attracted to a certain type and enter a bond with faith and promise. The chorus layers Centioni’s voice and there are percussive clicks; the composition broods and injects whilst there is a warmth that floods through the speakers.

You support the hero because he has given so much and, again, seems to have come out as the loser. Maybe there is a sense of mistrust or his sweetheart has let him down – that is not revealed at this point. I have mentioned Jazz and the influence on Centioni for a number of reasons. Not only does one sense a certain discipline and sound that reminds me of Jazz greats but the composition seems to have a certain vibe. It is hard to put into words but Centioni has managed to bring a lot of Jazz’s colours and elements into a largely Electronic background. When the chorus hits and you hear the vocals layer; there is that freedom, lust and atmosphere that you get from great Jazz songs. Our man has been bruised and seems accepting of his fate but keen to cure this miasma. Centioni drops his words in and allows them to hit like rain before moving on. You get, because of this, a more emphatic and impactful hit because you are allowed time to absorb the words and let them hit. Maybe there is blame on both sides and that mystique regarding the reason behind the breakdown makes me wonder. How have things gone wrong and why have the lovers been split?! The hero is not blaming anyone but it seems like people have predicted the end and given these warning messages. Rather than blame and create a depressive mood; Centioni is picking up from the rubble and looking inwards as to why this keeps happening time and again.

One gets rushes of legendary R&B and 1990s songs but there is that modern production and Jazz undertones that makes Here I Go Again spike and sparkle. Centioni is in this mire and seems to be unable to release himself. The sweetheart does not care about him and, backed by bold and exciting electronics, he is having his say. Maybe there is that emotional detachment but both have climbed high and there have been some good times. Above all of this; the heroine has only looked out for herself and seemed cruel to the touch of the hero. Centioni does not incorporate too many of the worst traits of modern Electronic music – processed and high-pitched vocals; although there is a bit of it – and allows his own voice to have the biggest say. His previous track, Unsure, is a very different beast to Here I Go Again and you can hear the changes and new confidence come out. I wonder whether more material is coming next year and whether Centioni will put together an E.P. that tells a story – it seems like his latest track, in a way, is a continuation of his previous offering. I love Here I Go Again and it could easily have fallen victim to the traits of some artists: being too depressive and introspective and not adding anything exciting or physical to the music. Instead; you get this rousing and passionate song that manages to talk about a breakup and let-down but does not let the angriness and sadness dictate – a rarity that should be followed by more artists!

Louis Centioni is an impressive performer that has honed his craft through the years. He has played at venues like Ronnie Scott’s and the 100 Club. Some of his current favourite artists include Billie Eilish and Alicia Keys; Khalid and Jon Hopkins but you sense a passion for artists like Nina Simone and Jazz icons. Working with accomplished producers such as O Mer (on his latest track) and playing at some stunning locations; he has learned a lot and brought that all into the music. He is currently playing as part of the Coffee House Sessions and will be doing that until 9th November. Centioni has a headline show at Ronnie Scott’s on 4th December and it seems like things are heading in the right direction! If you have not encountered the spirited and intrepid Centioni then I suggest you correct that and get behind it. I started the review by being slightly critical and giving a smackdown to the current scene. Whilst some of my words might have been hasty; I stand by the assertion that there is not enough wit, fun and surprise in music. You lose that smile, originality and durability in favour of something much more inward, common and personal – I wonder whether that reflects modern society and if artists feel they cannot break from that. Maybe this will have problems in years to come – people skipping a generation and still playing music from past years – but I feel there are artists trying to redress this curse and do something special. Centioni writes about breakup and heartache – I can forgive him that because it is truthful and means a lot to him – but here is someone you can imagine shifting from that common mountain and traversing somewhere much more colourful and bright. I envisage songs that tell stories and have an element of fantasy; those that take risks and remind one of the best music from the past. Given his love of dramas like Stranger Things; maybe a fantastical or darker edge might creep into his future material? Whatever he has planned; ensure you follow his social media and keep updated because here is someone who inhabits his own space and seems primed for big things. I love the tones and layers of Here I Go Again and it is a song that stands out in a climate that needs that kick and vibrancy. Maybe there are artists like Centioni who can provide something engaging and thrilling but, more and more, these kind of musicians…

ARE getting harder to find.  

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Follow Louis Centioni

Official:

http://www.louiscentioni.com/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/louiscentioni

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/louiscentioni

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/3IywoiISenAWCbL1OTRUSE?si=Ond1JUNWS9qE8OxcUKzXMQ

SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/louiscentioni

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https://www.instagram.com/louiscentioni/

YouTube:

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