She's Lost Control...

Bloc Party - One More Chance

2009-08-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

What a massive tunnnnneeee! We all know the Bloc Party guys can deliver absolutely rocking indie/dance beats, ideal for getting things started (i.e. “Banquet”, “Prayer”, “Hunting for Witches”), but boy have they excelled themselves here! Blasting this one out at their summer festival appearances, ever since, there’s been a swarming demand for a single release, and here it is after much mass hysteria.
Starting off with an all-too-familiar, and infectious 90’s dance beat, the “Give me one more chance, give me one chance, give me one more chance to love you” intro, is just as contagious, getting into your head, your feet and right into your veins. A band just couldn’t wish for a better summer release, and the storming (yet ironic) chorus “This time things will be different”, sees them play out their rock edge, which doesn’t sound out of place whatsoever, but somewhat goes towards complimenting the underlying dance beat which makes it so damn good!
Anyone without an even remote interest in music couldn’t help but be drawn in by the massive magnet of musical magnitude. It’s one for the club scene: foot tapping, rave-tastic and highly addictive. It’s as if they’ve remixed a classic from say 1994, and brought it right up to date with phenomenal effect; an exemplary piece of music experimentation. In 15 years from now I’d go as far to say it’ll be just as head-turning, what with the effect of drugs pulsing throughout your body, and taking you on such a musical high. Electro, indie, feel-good vibes and Kele Okereke, what more could you need towards this true summer anthem of 2009? It is quite delicious, and I just need one more chance…to hear it…on repeat

Noah and the Whale - Blue Skies

2009-08-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

Firstly, thank the Lord for Zane Lowe’s podcasts and for introducing me to this track. In fact, for introducing me to the best track I’ve heard in a long, long time. It’s actually the best indie song, the best folk song, and above all the best love song I’ve heard in a long, long time.
To listen to it makes you feel like you’ve discovered sound and music for the very first time; it’s like choirs of angels combined with a heavenly and dreamlike quality, to produce a synergy which immediately hits you in the heart.
Not 100% convinced with “Peaceful the World Lays Me Down”, liking the odd song here and there, “First Days of Spring” looks like it’s set up to be where the band will truly find their feet, especially due to this stunning and epic first single.
A song for the broken-hearted, a song for everyone to relate to whether in love, out of love, been-there-done-that, or as the opening line resounds: “This is a song for anyone…” leaves it open for mass appeal. The faith, the hope, the light the conviction, and the positivity that lies within the chanting “Blue skies are calling”, truly makes you believe that you can “do anything to be happy”, even though it’s “hard”, and that times will get better. The struggle and beauty bind together through both notes and words, in order to create this spell-binding effect.
An enchanting lullaby to some, or even a strengthening comfort, “Blue Skies” is astounding and will prove to be timeless. I only hope that it will be as highly regarded as a classic as I consider it to be, and just as cherished.

Withnail - Let me Finish EP

2009-07-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Withnail - Let me Finish EP
Withnail. Know of them? No? Nor did I, but, by the end of this you’ll want to…

Receiving their 5 track acoustic EP: “Let me Finish”, this ..Stoke-on-Trent.. threesome opens up a new wave of sound available on our very own doorstep.

“TV with the Sound Off” is a fantastic opener and a firm favourite off the EP. It echoes the familiar, with similar sounding riffs to what would be found on Incubus’s Morning View album, and would fit perfectly on XFM’s radio playlist. This track in particular could be easily sub-genred into 90’s sounding rock, like those fine British and American alternative tunes, which are still cherished today (e.g. Smashing Pumpkins). Lyrics: “I’ll be obliged to please tomorrow” and “Everything is beautiful” hits on the key points of what they’re evidently trying to achieve: a scenic and gratifying sound. Listen more closely, and you’ll hear the brilliance that lies within the words; a consistent element throughout the EP, and yes they’re abstract, and yes you can say that about a lot of bands and their songs, but they open your mind and just seem to be heavenly placed, (a rare talent for a band to possess who’ve been established for less than a year.)

From discovering the band from my previous work with Hollywood Tease, I was expecting something similar, and sorry to be clichéd (but who cares?), I was surprised, and I was blown away. Their standard is high and their instrumentals which fuse with explosions of words are infectious.

“The Lust of a Misanthrope” allows them to show off more of their alternative aura, they’re not raw, and boisterous and in your face, they’re somewhere in the middle of gentle rock, but are still able to make their own mark and statements. For this reason, there’s no doubt that they’re a great live band and that you could absorb their talent, whether an electric set or acoustic. There’s an identifiable place for them in the industry, whilst still being quite distinguishable to our local scene. Their upsurges of guitar to vocals are reminiscent of the Manic’s “....Australia....”, whilst some of the riffs are as worldly as Biffy Clyro’s “Questions and Answers”. These effects allow you to get lifted into a musical crescendo in the midst of an epic journey.

“For Him” holds a more dark aspect, full of angst and waves of emotion, more definitive guitar ending and even the mention of a “peroxide tangerine tan” for an artful motion, which leads nicely into “Mark Collett”. This brings out the best in northern vocals; as airy as that of the Happy Mondays/The Stone Roses in the early 1990’s. Speaking of “fascist fantasies” and wishing: “If only I wasn’t so allergic to progression”, it’s unclear whether this refers to their music beliefs or ways of life, but their prog rock rocks.

The finale: “Let me Finish” has an intro, hauntingly like the King of Leon’s “Arizona”, with the potential of being every ounce as good, what with it’s lulling tones and loving sentiments which reels from the acoustic notes, to the lyrical genius of singer Richy and it’s richness in intricacy. “Fingers caress” and “hands overlook” help to picture the singer working his magic on the mic stand, making the whole thing come alive. Even the pronunciation of “droplets” makes the track gentile and picturesque.

Thought provoking and different, they are one to see live to capture their feel and to see a whole band contribution, even though their acoustic EP is highly compelling. They describe themselves as alt rock and that’s probably the closest thing to it. It all works, and you just want to hear and see more of the finished article. They’ll put their own mark on the local music map (as seen by the quoted envelope the EP arrived in), as they’re definitely unique, and hopefully that’ll be their key to success to taking it further. So be part of it, see them live or request your 5 track EP today.

Model Radio

2009-06-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

Model Radio @ The Underground, Hanley 12th June 2009

Review by Sian Eardley

Photo by Gig Junkie

To sum up tonight, I’d have to quote Alex Turner and say: “Get on your dancing shoes!” With a fully charged set and no signs of flagging, (did someone give these guys a Redbull?) Model Radio were the perfect Friday night act for firing it up.

With a huge electro intro and an “Orate?” from the band, the crowd were instantly involved in the bouncy, upbeat, and swarming energy that is Model Radio. Drums were on form as well as guitars that soared through the pounding electro beats, whilst almost having the speed, intricacy and electricity of Chris Urbanowicz (Editors), to boot with great backing vocals from the bassist and keyboard fella’, showing they all have a part to play in achieving their sound.

The singer describes the night with lyrics: “Feel like everything’s gonna be alright”, “Something’s going on”, and “You’re not alone”, with the last statement being especially true. There are definitely fans about, and from front to back people know the tunes and the cool kids are doing their thing.

Throughout the set, there are a fusion of sounds; indie pop, sounding somewhat like One Night Only’s “Just for Tonight” (great for airplay), grittier rock, reminiscent of Pendulum, and then a more space-age feel, well suited by the line: “Welcome to the new dimension”, all to make an interesting contrast of sounds. Model Radio do pull out some “massive” tunes and have clarity and a clean sound, but the great thing about this band is that they’re not offensive in any way, and you could get into them from the hypnotic beats alone. It’s certainly music to turn your head and drag you in, as seen by tonight’s audience with a spectrum from 16 – 30+ years.

Tonight was about the music and feel good times, the party was started down by the stage with an array of jumpers, and the singer gave off a Happy Mondays/Stone Roses vibe, whereby you could almost envision Bez up there dancing with him.

To end on a high, drum and bass madness was unleashed, echoing the best of 90’s dance, which was fitting as they then leaped into a thrashing cover of Prodigy’s “No Good/Start the Dance”. With practically a full house, everyone was pumping it up, and it’s that sort of scene which is phenomenal to see. It was absolutely fantastic for starting the weekend and unsurprisingly ended in a deafening roar from the crowd. If you want to see a gig where you won’t be disappointed then go and catch Model Radio.

Elephant

2009-05-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

Elephant; another little gem that I’ve managed to come across thanks to the wondrous, and technological joys of MySpace (yes, that old chestnut), is an Italian foursome comprising of two pairs of brothers who come together with the lyrical and musical know-how, to produce a cascade of sound of their own.

Influenced by British and American alt/rock/indie bands, Elephant manage to take their own inspirations and create something new. Long gone are the days when any British band strummed out anything as well constructed as these riffs and fine picking, you’d have to go back to the alternative glory days of the early-mid 1990’s. Now, everything is mixed with electro, or produced to be too polished to make it radio-worthy, and it all ends up sounding “samey”, but not Elephant. These guys have somewhat of a diverse quality about them and that’s what I really like.

Teasing listeners with only 3 songs up on their profile, they still show glimpses of big potential and an exclusive sound. “Will to Breathe” has strength in its layered (musically) intro, and does remind me somewhat of the VLA, and then the vocals meet with the sound to push the whole thing forward, and to give force and integrity to the elements of the track. The instrumental parts are very inspiring and encouraging, especially when hearing soft and tender interludes to draw you in. I may keep going on about the guitar aspect, but it really is a highlight of their whole package. They’re a really great and consistent rock/alt band who appear to deliver. Towards the end of “Will to Breathe”, distant, phased vocals sound similar to that of Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek”, and the band also draw on (the very cool) blonde redhead, however, this is not to say they exactly copy them. In fact, (and also another plus point) Elephant cannot be assigned to one fixed genre, they just happen to be whatever you feel at the point of listening to them.

“Borderline” is another guitar-picking stunner, featuring mid-verse Biddy-esque riffs (impressive). “You just can’t think that you’re borderline” front man Erik sings, well Elephant aren’t borderline. They’re great. The rockier, grungier chorus also gives more impact and drive to their well-established composition. They combine elements to make something new and definitely interesting, and from the quality, I expect they make a very entertaining live band.

Luckily, the band have their own studio in which they’re free to roam and experiment, and I think that this pays off as they’re unique and distinct, rocky and engaging. Now let’s hear more please!

Hollywood Tease

2009-05-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Tease.

22^nd May 2009 @ The Underground.

Friday night, the weekend has begun, and Hollywood Tease are headlining at The Underground. You can feel it, it’s gonna be huge. Even members of the band are milling about in the crowd before their set, mingling and creating suspense. Even the progression of the poor, and if generous, mediocre support bands, could not tarnish the monster performance that was in store from Hollywood Tease (HT) tonight.

You can almost smell the hairspray in the room from the glam-rock members of HT, but kudos to their attire, what with “Back to the Future” t-shirts, ripped leggings and various items of leather-wear, we see that 80’s rock is where their love lies, and where they draw inspiration from and make it their own. “You’ve been teased” fans are filling the place sporting tops and such like, indicating that the band already has an avid and steady following.

A curtain hides the stage (a first I’ve seen at The Underground, let alone for a local act, thus highlighting their supremacy), ready for the unveiling of the extravaganza known as HT. Queue in circus-like music and the theatrics, this is the show, and may the musical mayhem commence. “Let Go” is the opener, featuring soaring guitar riffs and pounding drum rolls, along with a screaming: “Yeeeeeaahhhhhh!” from lead singer Ashe. If you close your eyes, you could almost swear it was Axl Rose on stage, and they do look the part too; bare chested and thrusting, complete with a “raw, loud and aggressive presence”.

Balloons start flying around the place with various obscenities written on them to emphasise their rock ‘n’ roll image, and more and more people begin to edge forward. The sexy women in the house also begin to swarm, swooning and surrounding the stage; going gaga for rockstars. There are even women in the crowd wearing latex HT pants! Come to think of it, HT should have their own personal female entourage, yet, this is their effect, they ooze sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, even from the amps.

As I’ve said about this band before, they’re not distinct to Stoke. You wouldn’t guess that they’re a local band, and that, I believe, is where part of their magic lies. And, (whilst the crowd ruckus gets louder) as I’ve also said before, someone please get these guys a slot on the Download stage! From record to live performance, the translation is superb, and once more, for a local band they certainly exceed expectations.

There’s twin guitarring from Scotti and Tim, and their side-by-side action really portrays that guys really believe in and love what they’re doing, even if the giant crowd before them wasn’t there. The band synchronicity really does it for me. The vocals are astounding, and looking around, everyone is engaged, what with: solos, windmilling and mic swinging, HT have got their stage act to perfection as well as their sound. “See me on the stage…bring me to the top” has never been more poignant.

As they play on, it does actually make you feel guilty. You come to think: “Did I really just pay £4 to see this band, when they ought to be playing sell-out tours at stadiums here, there and everywhere?” At the risk of sounding snobby, they’re far too good for Stoke. The guys also stop to take time to ask how the crowd are, thank the support acts, and of course to sweet talk the women, showing that they even have their swagger down to a fine art.

“Dirty Days” has one of the finest guitar intros; sounding finely tuned and having sweeping notes (none of this muffle rubbish that usually comes from similar bands trying to achieve the same thing), therefore showing that they are masters of their craft. You can hear every component working perfectly in harmony together to create their distinctive sound, and it’s mind-blowing.

Ashe continually caresses the mic stand, after all, making love is making music and that is their gospel. They even go on to play a cover of “Wild Side” paying homage to Motley Cru, for being a strong influence in what they do, and it’s a rampaging hit with the crowd, creating headbang central. In response to this, solos are carried out on the shoulders of the bassist and singer; becoming one (that one being a musical love machine), met with a deafening cheer.

The gig-goers were lapping it up, especially when encouraged to sing along: “Yeahhhhhh!” and “Hollywoooood!” at the top of their lungs, seeing HT live out their rock ‘n’ roll dreams. Other standout lyrics “Turn it up…crank up the radio!” have never been more welcomed by the audience, whilst band members stop to pose for a number of cameras like the rockstars they are. Almost Rock-Gods.

Unsurprisingly, there was an encore as the crowd still wanted their fix of HT. They stormed back onto the stage with “Good Times” (one of their best), seeing more showers of sweat and confetti, but the whole feel was sexy. Fans piled onto the stage also (yes…female fans…) and the whole vibe in the place was alive and electric. The singer climbed onto the amp to give it his all (note to support bands: this is how it should be done), and then made it into the crowd to do his thing for the finale.

Hollywood Tease are definitely one of a kind. They are kind of a big deal. It may sound over-glorifying but it’s true. And I know you can only say “they’re so rock ‘n’ roll” so many times before it gets old, but these guys are rock ‘n’ roll personified.

So, if you’re looking to be highly entertained, aspired, entranced, amazed and enthralled and want to get your kicks to some pretty damn good rock tunes, DO NOT miss your next chance to see HT live.

PT Walkley

2009-04-22T07:29:00.001-07:00

PT Walkley? A random add on Twitter who I stumbled across. He dropped me a line and BAM! I’ve discovered a true hidden gem.
Referring me to his musical homepage in songbook format, he suggested that I listen to a track called “Why”. On the page, the lyrics are also listed and I thought I’d have a quick glance before a listen and wow!
“Why am I so frightened by the little things, the bed bugs, the wedding rings” and “The water cooler’s echoing” are just some of the great, great lines to this song. These words aren’t dressed up or fancy. They’re real. It’s a song to relate to. It’s human; in feeling and thought. And so just from this, I knew before I even hit the play button that I’d be impressed.
The sound is chilled back, and has that sunny summer vibe, as given off by Devendra Banhart and Mr. Jack Johnson. It’s kinda “sweet”, whilst at the same time being one of those funky songs you’d expect to hear on an ad for mobile phones; the kind that everyone flocks to download the song (like Jose Gonzalez with “Heartbeats”).
After hearing the intriguing “Why”, I was compelled to scan the rest of the songbook and found that the songs were produced in NYC (I personally feel NYC is becoming the homeland of all great music, as it never fails to produce or promote great artists, as evidenced here).
The whole feel of the songs uploaded is that it’s soft and gentle, not aggressive or offensive; you can just get lost in it and get carried away. “Audrey Macy” is a bouncy upbeat, to get your feet goin’ to; sounding much like “The Coral”, and once more it’s rather cool, what with the injections of energy being supplied by the electric guitar. Again, summery, and by the time the “la la la’s” kick in you’ll already be singing along.
“No one Needs to Know” opens with a sincere and a collaborative (musically) intro, and it’s absolute antithesis, it’s hushing and melancholy, but there still remains a consistent and underlying uplifting tone.
He certainly is an artist. It’s as though he has a blank canvas and then all of a sudden, there’s a swash of colour and music, as he paints emotions and images in word and song; all good for the soul.
From further listening, I hear glimpses of Ryan Adams and then queue “Daydreaming”. The fiddle is truly impressive in terms of being epic, picturesque and endearing. This is my highlight of the bunch, having never heard anything quite like it before. It’s a truly great love song, seeming to translate all thought and feeling onto record.
By this point I’m thinking just why haven’t I heard of him before (outrage!), and just where can I get hold of an album! His lyrics are just outstanding’ they’re tales, they’re fitting, they’re moving, they’re descriptive and wonderful and you’ll be in awe of them.
With bags of talent and maximum potential, other resemblances which come across are that of Jeff Buckley (on track “Run”), BRMC, and Wilco, whilst still managing to have his own concept and sounds.
“Calvin” is somewhat of a theatrical piece; it’s a story and full of energy and piano notes, until getting softer as the sentimental part of the song comes into play, and now sounding similar to “The Thrills”, and “Albert Hammond Jr.” which is ironic as Walkley sings in Mediocre: “The Strokes wrote a decent love song, I wish I could too”. Oh but you do! His songs are nothing but heartwarming! And then we hear a more ballsy track in “Punch Drunk” and vocals which sound like a young Johnny Cash, it’s country and rock and sounds mighty fine.
I think this songbook idea is excellent, and he should definitely keep it going, updating it and so forth, so that others like me can make the amazing discovery of his music which they can enjoy in their full entirety. I’ve really never came across anything quite like his music and ideas, and it’s to be applauded. Check PT Walkley out at: http://ptwalkley.com/song-book.

Scorching Hot!

2009-04-22T02:27:00.001-07:00

Bat for Lashes – Two Suns

The stunningly sexual, sensual, and one-of-a-kind sounding Natasha Kahn has returned almost 3 years later, with her second solo album: “Two Suns”, and as predicted, it’s been worth the wait.
However, always regarding her as a bit of a hidden gem, not being tarnished by being focused in the mainstream musical, and media spotlight, this time round, she has had much hype and acclaim, which may raise expectations at first, but you do have to take into account this IS a very different album from “Fur and Gold”, but superb nonetheless.

“Daniel”, the first release of the new album is probably her most “single”-like material to date. It’s got that 80’s smoky dance floor feel; hypnotic with pulsating rhythmic beats; it’s reminiscent of Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” in terms of the beat, whilst also similar to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”. It’s haunting and eloquent, from her husky voice, to that 80’s stereotypical sound we’re all familiar with.
“Glass” is another chilling track, truly hair-on-end- stuff. With an intriguing intro, the harmony offers a great and varied sound of strings, mixed with a deep and plugging bass line; carrying you away to your own distant and magical land which she always manages to convey.
The beauty in her voice makes as much of an impact as her music. Like a nightingale, her English diction in her song accentuates it in richness and complexity to make for a very textured and distinct sound. “Moon and Moon”, “the romantic one” of the album is strikingly similar to that of Fur and Gold’s “I Saw a Light”, with it’s beauty lying in the simplicity of a piano accompanying the vocal.
Throughout the record, her wistful wails are definitely inspired by those of Kate Bush, yet she makes it timeless, this could be an album of the 1980’s, or 2009, either way it fits. Yet, at the same time, this could be a soundtrack of the future, what with its tribal beats and chanting vocals (similar to the softness of “Clannad”), and as always, she draws on nature to illustrate her lyrics, which is ironic as her elegance lies in her raw and pure vocals.
“Pearl’s Dream” once more draws reference to the decade at hand, you can tell Kahn was born in 1979 and founded her future idols, as the layers of vocals here, resembles that of the Eurythmics and their trademark sound.
More wise wiles are found in her mature and romantic sounding of “Travelling Woman”. “Don’t fall in love with potential” she warns, whilst drawing on her experience of travelling as she showcases her music to the world. The end of the album, “Big Sleep”, is a bit of an epic in its own right; it’s dreamlike, classical and experimental.

This was always going to be a difficult second album in follow up to her Mercury Prize winning debut album. It may not be as rich in sound as “Fur and Gold”, but “Two Suns” has the edge on being more dark and sinister, and there isn’t any loss of touch. It is a different album, but it is a collective one all the same. There are new sounds, and she still manages to make you marvel at her own uniqueness, and talent for lavish sounds, as well as her beautiful harmonies which creates the whole vibe of escapism. It is pretty much faultless, but does lack somewhat of the energy and fire captured in “Fur and Gold”, however, it’s still full of splendor, charm, nature and the fabulous, all of which you can own on this very CD.

This Week's Number 1...

2009-04-21T12:47:00.001-07:00

Calvin Harris: “I’m Not Alone”.

The current comeback hit that is storming the nation, “I’m Not Alone”, is the entrancingly beautiful melodic tune, which highlights the young DJ’s promising voice, which crash collides with cosmic dance sounds, to make for THE summer anthem of 2009 which WILL blow you away. It’s an uplifting and a 100% feel-good song, which will be plaguing nightclubs and radio stations for a few good months yet.
Harris has always been ahead of his time and a true genius; perhaps he’s somewhat of an experimental lab technician in his field of electro/dance; always managing to get it bang on. “If I see a light flashing does it mean I’m coming home?” he ponders, with his “home” in the musical world being affirmed by his chart success at reaching the prestigious number one position; and thus showing he’s definitely “not alone”.
The record, reminiscent of past summer anthems goes by will be added to the legendary collection, and no doubt will be blasted out next year and the year after that, and the year after that.

A Blitz of Hitz!

2009-04-11T01:54:00.001-07:00

It’s 2009, and the return of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs! At first, you may ask where’s that usual drum pounding and guitar picking frenzy we all love ‘em for? Well, they’re back and trying out newer sounds, and you know what it doesn’t matter. YYYs have always been fashionable and THE trendsetters we’ve always loved them for, pioneering the way forward in music for all envious comrades.
“It’s Blitz!” highlights Miss Karen O as charismatic as ever, and single “Zero” is as indie disco as it gets, I’d go as far to say it defines it, but then again, YYYs have always delivered on those kind of tunes.

Just imagining “Zero” makes my hair stand on end, from the pulsating electro beat to the “Shake it” dance command, which is all you want to do by a mere 3 seconds of hearing this fine amalgamation of sounds. With the sexual “Get your leather on” from the lips of Miss O, her unfathomable voice carries the song highlighting the magic.
Sonically it’s HUGE, and won’t fail to get you moving “like a mad man on the run”, and there’s no better song to announce their comeback, being an instant hit and favourite with YYY fans. “Zero” is as explosive as “Date with the Night”, its sister song (as other comparisons can be made on their third album). The hypnotic electric bridge and “shell shock” of this unblemished perfection in sound and array of indie glitz and glamour, is purely astounding, giving off the energizing and feel-good factor; deserving to be one of the major anthems of the year.

Next up is “Heads will Roll”. From the circus fair intro you know this is an album of fun. With authoritive lines of “Off with the head” and “Dance, dance till you’re dead”, she is the commanding Queen of rock ‘n’ roll, the only Queen of rock ‘n’ roll., describing the “It’s Blitz!” dance floor scene as it’s unleashed and the people lose control. It’s a musical whirlwind of madness with tense lyrics which then contrasts to the hushing vocals “Shut your eyes” which is just beauty. Even by the end of song 2, it’s possible to assume that their third record is their best yet.

“Soft Shock” is a fine example of Miss O’s feminine wiles on record, to break up the sounds and to compliment the larger sounds of “Zero” and “Dull life”. Ultimately, this dreamy melody leads perfectly into the harmonious “Skeletons”.
Now this is special, this is THE new “Maps”. The NEW love song. “Skeletons” will tug on your heartstrings from the gentle sounds of love, care, emotion and want in O’s voice, from “Skeleton and me” and the lulling “fall asleep”. This is the perfect love story told in song; another major highlight of “It’s Blitz!”. The Bagpipe (esque) interlude washes a feeling of pride and unity over you as the elements combine. The musical manifest at the end is superbly and sensationally chilling, ready for the more heavy “Dull life”.

As you envisage the rocky highroad, “Dull life” would be the soundtrack. Pounding drums, and the first time in which we hear Nick’s raw guitar, the country rock ‘n’ roll sound is alive. This is the good old YYYs we know with these massive beats. True they’re trying out new styles but it still definitely all works, and is SO, SO catchy by the time the chorus kicks in.; floor tapping, heading banging, finger drumming and all. It may be a dull life, but not any longer with this album around. This track echoes sounds of the familiar with a dream like landscape from the penetrating music almost to the point of fantasy; it’s all too good to be true.
Again we see the more rocky side to the YYYs with “Shame and Fortune”. It’s raw, it’s bassy, and it’s sassy with bare vocals to boot. With louder drums, and louder guitars, “It’s Blitz!” has already taken us on a journey of indie dance to soft rock, to country, and to just pure edgy rock and roll. With resemblances to BRMC, “Shame and Fortune” is further proof that their new sounds work, with the addition of Karen O always bringing their uniqueness and shine. Here, she’s as sexy as ever, the line: “Lose, when I play your game” smolders over the listener accompanied by the raunchy and storming guitar.

“Runaway” is the most different sound for the group to date. It’s new and quirky, yet you can’t help but picture some club with a lonesome piano at which Karen O is sitting and lamenting of “feeling sad”. The build-up, of “Run, run, runaway”, and “Lost, lost, lost my mind” just keeps on getting stronger. From the heartrending key notes to the sinister violins to amplify the tension of their newly covered ground, then, queue in the drums and guitar to give more support to this broken heart we’re hearing. However, it’s far from depressing as we still embark on this musical tour of sounds.

Then, time for another change. “Dragon Queen” is where we’re back to majestic disco/electro rock, and is very 1970’s. It’s the kind of sound Ladyhawke aspires to, but let’s not forget who was first on the scene, and to track number 8, you can just lie back and enjoy the summer vibe.
In “Hysteric” once more, we hear the beautiful Miss O and the artistic imagery of “cinders, the cinders, light the path” along with her pristine pronunciation which keeps us holding on. More hazy, dreamy sounds surround this (not so as intense as “Skeletons”) love song, and suddenly you learn YYYs have got more grown up. Not that we don’t love Black tongue’s madness: “Boy you’re just a stupid b*tch and girl you’re just a no good d*ck”, but now they’re singing of heartbreaks and relationships; more new ground.
The finale of the album features “Little Shadow”, the softer sister track to “Skeletons”, as empathetic and focusing on companionship, it’s acoustic and mellow, an effect probably to make the bigger tracks, i.e. the electrifying “Zero” stand out, but it makes for a perfect end to a perfectly adventurous album..
It just leaves me to say what an absolute shame it is that the YYYs are only back to the UK for two London shows later this April. They must, must, must, come back for two dates so we can celebrate with them this fantastic piece of musical art. Yeah!

The Boxer Rebellion: Union

2009-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

Union. The guys sure have come a Long Way(…) since their “Exits” days. It’s now 3/4 years later, and they’re back with a new perspective, evident in their more fresh, raw and edgy sound.
Back in January 2006, an 8-track album sampler was released for download on their website for fans, giving us an insight into what the second installment would hold. I knew it’d be good, but this good…?
The band have been on a grueling journey if you research into their history; medical mishaps, being dropped my labels etc, it’s so pleasing that they have “Union” to show for all their troubles. Journey is an essential aspect to The Boxer Rebellion (TBR), after what they’ve been through, and the places they take you to with their music, you can tell this yourself with their latest release. A lot of people, mainly the fans, including myself, who’ve stuck with them from the beginning, were worrying about just when we’d be able to get our hands on the second album, and if it would actually happen. But I’ve never been more pleased to see TBR come out on top. Last year their track “The Gospel of Goro Adachi” was featured in the BBC’s hit TV show: “Long Way Down”, and since this new release, TBR have become I-Tunes’ “Single of the Week: with “Evacuate” and have reached the Top 3 album positions on I-Tunes also, both in the UK and the US.
I may be bias, what with this being the fifth year of me knowing and relishing the band, and it’s not something I usually do as a writer/blogger, but to fully do the album justice, and to appreciate it’s entirety, I shall now go on to evaluate each track and vital element of “Union”.

Flashing Red Light Means Go.
This is a stonker of a song to open an album with. There’s massive, massive drum pounds which are as intense live as on record, and was originally recorded with female vocals from The Magic Numbers, and is an uplifting footnote to begin listeners on their own journey of The Rebellion’s musical offerings. It holds a truly, truly, magnificent chorus with Nathan’s wistful vocals as the track washes over you, whilst the middle break-up of the song, prepares you for the more fuller songs later on. Reeling guitars and unforgettable drum beats make a statement that they’re here to stay as a group, and they’ll stick to doing what they do best; making superb music.

Move On.
First heard on the ’06 sampler, it was always going to be interesting to hear how this one would turn out. This one I think could be a potential release with its welcoming strumming, firm lyrics and all round catchy feel. “Damage is done…Don’t stop” lead singer Nate Nicholson belts out, and that’s exactly what the band did when something stood in their way, they didn’t stop. It’s striking in its simplicity, and whilst not being as complex as “Semi Automatic” or “Gospel”, “Move On” is another poignant stand of themselves and exactly what they did, they faced their demons and moved on, seeing them make the extraordinary “Union”. The ending of the track remains resounding, impactful and tasteful.

Evacuate.
“Evacuate” was their latest single to be released before the unveiling of “Union”. The sound is HUGE, and for that reason and that reason alone, it’s one of my favourite tracks off the album, and in fact of TBR’s. The colossal crashing and gigantic opening guitar riff which penetrates the whole song, immediately pulls you in and it all becomes sexy. The yearning in Nathan’s voice: “You don’t have to lieeee….. Wait….there’s nothing left to waste”, makes it an enigmatic and addictive listening experience.
Deep, relating lyrics and a consuming sound, this song could not be better if they tried; it couldn’t be better produced, better performed or better re-written. This song IS perfection, especially the middle instrumental when all is quiet and Nathan lulls: “We see each other from the corners of the room” to lustfully pull you in, as the song unites with your heartbeat, when all of a sudden…BOOM! That massive amazing riff…

Soviets.
Acoustic. “Soviets” reminds me of the days when they were starting out, e.g. their earlier gigs when they’d perform tracks such as “The Opening” and “The Rescue”, with Nathan on acoustic guitar, and his trusty tambourine and keyboards would be nearby.
Again, “Soviets” is simple but carries a strong melody, especially by means of the lyrics, once more making reference to journeys…”Heading Westwards towards the sun…”, it’s a calming and neutral track letting the singer lead and then 2 minutes later there’s a collaboration from the rest of the band, as they all pull their instruments (as a Union) to become one and make that great impact they’re always capable of.

Spitting Fire.
Yet another one from 06’s glimpse into album 2. I was always really intrigued to see how this one in particular would turn out. It briefly made an appearance on the band’s MySpace page, but here, it’s the finished article and it is fan-tas-tic! The vocals alone do it for me, then there’s the flirty electric sounding bass along with the positive feel which gets your head nodding, and your feet a’tapping; another would-be release.
“I spit fire…on lovers and liars…you don’t believe me and I have found it easy” – this chorus accompanied by the background music is heaven and if you don’t believe me, listen to it for yourself. Hearing “Spitting Fire” is another live gem, just the conviction in the words, and the bass which is working overdrive gets you over and over again, until you just can’t help it.

Misplaced.
I think this is Union’s version of TBR’s: “We have this Place Surrounded”. Seeing this live, and having heard it before, it’s moved me to tears on more than one occasion because of its beauty. Its sweeping guitar intro, the hushing sound of the vocals, and the feeling of wanting, needing and loving is all there. If you’ve never been in love before, listen to this and you’ll know it. The feeling of heartache, conflict, and “make up” is sung of, pulling on the heartstrings at the chorus; you can’t listen to it without thinking of someone special.
“Slow…right…down”, i.e. stop your heart pounding as you’re hearing this magical sound, “Slow…right…down” as you’re thinking of your “lost love”. Basically, when it all goes wrong in the love department, this song would be the soundtrack to your days.
It’s graceful, haunting, and the true beauty conveyed here is that it’s a very “human” song, it’s human in the fact it deals with human emotions and feelings we can all relate to at some point or another.
The climax of “Misplaced” with “Slow…right…down” continuing on as the music intensifies, provides the effect of a collage/flashback of thoughts, emotions and wonder. For anyone who thought music couldn’t possibly be this engaging or thought-provoking, listen up.

The Gospel of Goro Adachi
The hit taken from the “Long Way Down” soundtrack. For me, this is the one that is the most outside of the box for TBR, sounding somewhat electronic, robotic, or a better word may be detached, which is ironic as Nathan sings:”found ourselves surrounded by things getting closer”. From the atmosphere and the sound of fading in Nate’s voice, you wonder where this is going to end up: “constant questions from the start”.
Embracing it, we then get layers of vocals which is all the more haunting when compiled together. It is different, but it’s a new concept to TBR, they’re showing their versatility and room for new ideas, this could be an insight into the future of the Rebellion, however, it’s proof that they’re far from dying out.

These Walls are Thin.
My God! It’s a golden oldie! An old B-Side brought back to have an honorary place on the album, and fans have welcomed it with wide, wide open arms, and new listeners are sure to love it too. There’s some amazing guitar picking and super feisty lyrics: “So here we are…”; yes here they are, and they’re sure to stay if they carry on with luscious music like this. It’s another catchy foot-tapper, “satisfaction forever guaranteed” is sexily played out and he’s damn right, whilst other lyrics: “Misguided casualty always more concerned with the TV”, may not necessarily be meaningful, but all the same it’s provocative and pleasing to the ear.

Forces.
Now this is unbelievable. It’s even unconceivable, it looked for a moment in Boxer history that “Forces” would be a long lost memory, but it is so much more. Forces was first played at a London gig back in 2005, and before playing it, the band announced that they had been dropped off their label, after just having released their debut album: “Exits”. At the time, the only way to listen to “Forces” was to watch a bad-quality mobile phone video which was uploaded to the band’s website, but it stood as a sign. A sign that they’d stick around regardless of being dropped. “Forces” was many times asked to be revived by the fans but over the past few years it became somewhat of an urban legend, so we were stuck with this video, but the intense sound was always recognizable. I think “Forces” for all the right reasons, has now replaced my former Boxer favourite: “We have this Place Surrounded”, as it’s so refreshing and satisfying to see this defiant track have a place on “Union”, (and for reference it’s a very good driving song!).
Strong riffs, huge sounds and then the roaring of the drums, with the “ahhh” of Nathan, opens up to the dark and lingering lyrics that are at hand. It is dark, it is haunting once more, and it definitely is sexy.
“FORCES! DARK FORCES ARE EVERYWHERE!!!” The chorus is as impressionistic as the first time I heard it, you won’t get it out of your head, or the band. It’s amazing to hear it in completion, it’s sexual and it’s dark and overwhelming, but “Forces” was always destined to make a statement.
After all this commotion, it softens halfway through, with lighter guitars from Todd Howe, and you’re told to “contain yourself”, then comes in the swinging tune, more bass plucking and furious drum beating. There’s no denying that this is a crafted masterpiece.

Semi Automatic.
More of what we like. Huge, stunning indie/alternative rock, and one of the older songs meant for album 2, the lyrics once more are harsh, a bit sinister, talking of “guilt”, “suffocating” until it all hits a sonic explosion, whereby 8 seconds of quiet leads to an orgasmic guitar solo, carrying the song and the listener far away into the world of The Rebellion.

Silent Movie.
The closing tracks on both Boxer albums have a tendency to be epic-esque and trangquil, possibly as a breather after the journey you’ve just embarked on with them. Light notes and light lyrics, it’s graceful and charming, the song does later progress, but still, and more importantly it remains a piece of art. A piece of art; a piece of music (as a whole) which you can forever marvel at.

In all, the three main concepts to come across from “Union” are: beauty, journey (for the fans and band), and accomplishment; they haven’t faded away. As for the third time round, they’ll hopefully be more commercially established so we can see the album on shelves, however, it must be remembered that they’re a fairly underground band and in that respect they’re close and loyal to the fans. With some London and European dates lined up, hopefully more of a UK tour will be in order ton celebrate their success and give them much more well-deserved praise.

The Killers - Who Turned the Lights Off?

2008-12-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

Okay. I remember rave reviewing “Sam’s Town” in 2006, and being highly ecstatic at just conceiving the sounds, and influences behind their all-career important second album, and being even more thrilled that they’d cracked it. It’s hard to believe that it really is the same Nevada band two years down the line.
I must say that “Day and Age” was regarded by myself as looking to be one of the musical highlights of the year, for the end of 2008, and not only does it: shock, appall and utterly upset me to say it, but it truly is a poor attempt at keeping their indie rock ‘n’roll Americana dream alive.

And I wonder, is the reasoning behind it complacency? Or Arrogance? Who knows, but what is fact, is that it’s an absolute shame and disgrace to themselves, and I can’t help but feel sympathy and sorrow for them. The days were great when they were the Princes of Indie, and every Brit adopted them into their hearts as one of their own, they were our band, our saviours. But let’s focus on the tense there, that was then and this is now, and perhaps we should just pawn them back off to America. Harsh? Maybe…

Tracks such as “Joy Ride” and “I Can’t Stay” sound as if they belong to the Lion King OST, so Elton John may as well have sat down and put his feet up. “Day and Age” is as dull as dull gets, for saying that these were the masters that once opened up a whole world of twinkling lights, and provided us with the indie delights of “Bones” and “Somebody Told Me”. Just how did they lose their magic?
To hear this third installment in contrast to “Hot Fuss” and “Sam’s Town” is unbelievable, and absolutely soul-destroying for dedicated fans and that includes myself. I tried and tried, and tried to get into it but there was no give. I’ve only just got comfortable with listening to “Human”, but let’s not forget the whole controversy that the song’s lyrics sparked as well. The whole thing as a package just seems half-hearted. You can’t even call it background music.
Let’s also not forget that Razorlight and The Killers arrived on the scene at the same time, and have since released albums at coincidentally similar times, they both released superb first and second records, seeing Razorlight storm on with the third “Slipway Fires”, but what happened to Mr. Flowers? The only thing the album does for you is make your mind boggle as to what happened to this once epic four piece.

I’ll grant that perhaps they’re aspiring to be newer Bob Dylans, continuing to tell stories within the songs, but they’ve been there and done that, and they have proven they can do it right, i.e. “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”, but at least make some music to accompany it, which is what they’ve failed to do in this case. It also comes across that whatever their intentions, or desired effect was, is just lost in translation.
Having seen The Killers at V’07, just before they set off to make album 3, their show-stopping performance held so many promises and expectations as to what they were capable of next as they were banging out the hits, that at a glance, “Day and Age” makes them unrecognizable. I mean, “Spaceman”? Come on…!? It’s just not a patch on the early stuff.
Oh well…there’s always Razorlight, but Mr. Flowers et. al better redeem themselves 4th time round, and until then we need some serious reassurance that there are greater things ahead.

KIWI LOVIN'

2008-12-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

26 year old Pip Brown, AKA: Ladyhawke is BIG, and radical. If you haven’t heard of her by now, you soon will; exploding onto the scene just like her music. Just thinking of her whole concept, the sound, the dress, and the feel just makes me giddy. Brilliance is here!

Dubbed as a take on “Peaches”, and ironically also friends with her, take this on board along with a bit of Goldfrapp glamour, and the fresh sound of the YYY’s and you’re there. Her newly released self-titled album is 62 minutes of funk, and is so rock ‘n’ roll that even Noel Fielding may be quaking in his platinum platforms.
Undoubtedly being played in NME hot houses everywhere, she IS one of the cool kids, apparent both in sound and look. Full of spunk and freshness, Miss Ladyhawke even plays all instruments, especially noted on the rather synthed up, and exquisite “Back of the Van”. Here, her influences of Stevie Nicks also come to life, as the echoes of such former female rockstars are reminisced during the verses. And with musical family roots, it seems she was always destined to be superb, and that she sure is.

This album IS a must-buy, and not just for the fashionable look on your shelf, but for the dancing, the innovative sounds as heard on the likes of “Love don’t Live Here” and “Paris is Burning”, and the addictive factor. Even I’ve reached 219 plays according to the good old last.fm scrobbler.
Now residing in London, it’s awesome that we’ve got a claim on her, it’s almost as if an ET set down and unleashed this array of infectious and mighty rock’n’roll upon us, totally indoctrinating us all, just as her recent single “My Delirium” portrays. This song in particular, is an example of her stimulating and catchy cascades of music, which will wash all over you, and I’m not the only one to say so. Critics have suggested listening to her re-mixes just to keep it all alive, as they too keep putting her on replay.

So, she’s electro-pop, yes, electro-punk, yes, new-rave, yes and indie; all rolled into one glorious package. Reaching many genres and across many mediums, it appears that she may just be the new Queen of Rock we’ve been looking for, and as we reach the end of the year, it also looks as though it’ll be an intense and vastly promising 2009 for Pip Brown.

It's the Sex!

2008-09-14T06:55:00.001-07:00

There’s no doubt about it, Kings of Leon’s new amorous download single: “Sex on Fire” is the hottest thing to hit the musical airwaves of late. The band are huge in themselves, coming a long way since their major breakthrough in 2003, they’re now one of the biggest headliners you could wish to have on any festival line-up, and there’s no stopping them. Continuously touring and finding time to produce their fabulous fourth album: “Only by the Night” later this month, the world is definitely their oyster.
This super, sexy single is more than just about lust. It’s about more than sex; it’s actually about love as you will completely fall for this hit. In all honesty, according to last.fm, I’ve listened to :Sex on Fire” more than 60 times in one week, more or less looped and I’m still lusting to hear it again, more so than the first time. So it’s tried and tested than you can’t tire of it. From the screaming vocals of Caleb to the rhythmic heartbeat of the drums, and to the yearning guitars, it certainly gets right into your system. It is stylish, it is sexy and puts you in the mood for some serious flirting (if not just with the music), reminding you of the typical scenario of boy-meets-girl at a gig, with this little stunner playing in the background of course. This song makes you want to go out there and find this feeling; astonishing.
“Sex on Fire” is already highly popular, frequently appearing on MTV, Kerrang, and is a regular on Zane Lowe’s Radio One Show backed by his own rave reviews, and you just know it’s going to be played across all the major venues and clubs, and as for being played live, it’ll be HUGE what with those riffs! We really ought to take the time out to applaud KOL’s captivating genius on this one. It’s commanding, entrancing and beautiful and all of the elements and structure of the song are synched superbly, from “All the commotion” down to the simple, yet impressionistic “Your sex is on fire!” you can’t help but repeatedly listen to this 3.23 minutes of pure sex. The song is also reminiscent from the sexual undertones of the bass to the lyrics, of Joy Division’s “Transmission”: “make love to the beat of the song” which you envisage as you dance away. The lyrics are as passionate as the music, from the blunt, bold statement of the chorus to the alluring and tuneful “Yoooooooooouuuuuu!” belted from Followill, communicating directly with the listener and gaining their full attention.
The Followill clan have created yet another wonderful array of music and meaning to add to the collection of theirs, ready to leaving you craving more…music that is, not sex!

Set for HOLLYWOOD Stardom

2008-09-05T11:48:00.001-07:00

So, I was lent this 4-track demo CD of a local band called “Hollywood Tease” who I’d already heard of, but was slightly worried at the prospect of them being just another whiney Stoke band. But, taking it in good faith, I gave ‘em a whirl and was genuinely and pleasantly surprised.
Over the past two years, all of a sudden came this whole new cultural way of life, by means of “Emo”, which has certainly affected and somewhat tainted and tarnished the music industry, seeing everyone cashing in on it (Lord knows why), but luckily, “Hollywood Tease” aren’t following the herd. Our faith can be restored at last! This is a band with local talent giving us local hope.
The CD cover to their mini-EP resembles QOTSA’s “Songs for the Deaf” album artwork but this is no insight into the music, compared to Queens, they’re more clean and polished, but this is no bad thing. HT are quite glam rock; definitely in terms of their get-up, I think I’d go as far to say they’re our very own (Potteries) Darkness. The band very much adopts the good old rock way of life; believing in the sanctity of sex; drugs and rock ‘n’roll (of course!). Their ethos highlights possible inspirations such as KISS and G ‘n’R, also coming across in their music. It’s imperative nowadays for every band to have a MySpace site to establish themselves, and even their profile states that they’re all for: “SOCO, JD, glam metal, sex, porn, sleeping all day and partying all night”. Another great thing about this band is that they’re neither overly arrogant nor ambitious, they have just the right balance and are truly dedicated to their Stoke fan base, playing frequently in the area and have already repeatedly headlined at The Sugarmill. Hot stuff.
Their self-titled demo really is produced to the highest of standards and beyond, for the expectations of a local act. But that’s part of the shine to this five-some; they’re actually professional, aspiring to be bigger things; middle finger to the world of rock. They take it seriously, and it shows in the finished article.
From the first thirty seconds of “Sweet Dreams”, I was reminded of the band “Hundred Reasons” due to the well orchestrated guitar riffs, to the pronounced and powerful vocals. Then, you get this grittier, yet also melodic guitar playing to match the strength of singer Ashe, and thank God they’re not emo screamers for a change sounding like feedback. They’re refreshing and spunky.
Another wonderful thing about this 4 song sampler is that it has the head-nodding, feet tapping factor to it, which is only to be amplified when performing live shows. What with its raunchy bass, guitar clenching sounds and reeling drum pounds, and not forgetting the lyrics, they can’t help but be catchy whilst still having those balls of rock! However, the third track, “Dirty Days” featuring a similar intro to the classic “Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi, is more of a rock ballad which is backed up by some well composed solos to help you envisage these guys up on the big stadiums of rock, with cannons, fireworks and the most almighty of light displays.
Any of these handful of songs would be fitting for a soundtrack such as Terminator 2, sitting next to “You Could be Mine” by Guns ‘n’ Roses, or as background music in some American biker bar, just to reinforce their edge. Screaming “I’ve got a trick up my sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve!” is to be believed. They sure have whatever that trick is, and it continues to set them apart from any regular Joe/ run-of-the-mill local band.
These fella’s are superb. Fact. They demand publicity and BIG stages, they’d fit the bill at Download perfectly. I have no doubt that these guys could go on to make some serious dollars, with some more big gigs and a lucky break here and there, they could land themselves a great record deal, seeing them “teasing” us to shows from the major cities all the way to the US and back.

24 Hour Party People - Wish I'd Had an Invite!

2008-07-20T10:54:00.001-07:00

Only over the past 12 months have I become acquainted with the romantic image of the legends that were Joy Division; falling in love with the music, the film “Control” and their story. Of course I took a keen interest in all connections surrounding the band, of which Tony Wilson fell into that category; the main man behind it all.
I have to say, I’m glad I found this. Tony Wilson simply has to be one of my biggest inspirations. Journalist, music lover and embracer, finding music to simply be a way of life, and achieving his dream of opening his own music venue, the infamous “Haçienda”, I’m already singing off the same hymn sheet. I almost feel cheated that I wasn’t around for such inspiring, influential and invigorating times in music. Scrap that. I am cheated. So much so I feel sick with envy. But Tony Wilson was there building the dream, living the dream, as noted in this very book: 24 Hour Party People.
From reading this prestigious and captivating read, it leaves one question: “If he was still around what truly great things would he be up to now?” Wilson, truly changed the face of music and is in fact THE face of music, as illustrated by these fine words of his tale. Now the book is very blunt, very real, very “Manc” and I almost lost count of the times I saw “C*nt” printed before my eyes, but it’s no off-putter; it’s part of the Wilson charm. This book is all about the music and keeping it real, both of which go hand in hand. After all, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? The very beauty and essence of music is in its authenticity and truth.
The general message relayed in the book is that of: “Thank f*uck for the North” (to mimic the style of the text). These days of the late 70’s and early 80’s were THE DAYS of music; a new dawn, a new generation; new birth and hope of music for years to come and it was all going down in Manchester. Why can’t it be like that now; why have we lost such electrifying and innovative ways within our music scene? Not that I’m suggesting that there’s need for, or ever should be another Tony Wilson, because there never ever will be. But one thing is for sure; he wouldn’t stand for all this emo rubbish. Wilson was a voice of the music, and the fans, speaking out and forever leaving an imprint on music’s colourful and impacting history, and it’s his phenomenon that brought life to the city, producing projects such as The Hacienda, and nights of live music entertainment for the starved “kids” of Manchester.
Joy Division, New Order and The Happy Mondays live on because of him. Yes, the bands are fantastic, but it was the man with a vision, the man with a belief, who is the true genius behind such bands. That man being Tony Wilson. He wanted to put his beloved Manchester on the map and boy did he succeed, more so than he could have ever imagined, The Hacienda, knocked down and replaced by apartments still keeps the nightclub’s name in honour of him. The true patriot only continues to remain in our memories and the music from the drumbeats down to the synth of “Blue Monday”.
Even though “Control” was later released than the book, co-written by Debbie Curtis and Wilson; it’s the perfect back drop to 24 Hour Party People (despite its own film). Like me, you can completely fall in love with it all; the scene, the epic story, the music.
With absolute disregard for all the Stephen Kings and Tolkeins out there, no-one and I mean no-one, could write such a compelling, humorous, entertaining, picturesque, romantic, edgy, traumatic and astounding tale. Not enough words, (evidently) can do it justice, and it’s from the man himself, the man of dreams.
I guarantee you’ll be digging your copy of “Unknown Pleasures” out before you even turn the last page of this stunning account of his epic journey. Purely stunning.

And End Has a Start - A Year On...

2008-06-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

25th June 2007, possibly one of the most British and most innovative, transfixing and astounding albums of the 21st century hit the shelves. Yes, it was “An End Has a Start” by Midlands group, Editors. Their follow-up to debut album “The Back Room”, the second release is often regarded as making or breaking a band’s career, but there were no worries here.
The past year has been a true journey, for me and the band alike. The Band have now conquered the US and a good majority of Europe, topped the album chart and the top 40 chart, as well as seeing lead vocalist Tom Smith become a father to Rudy Brae, with long-term radio one presenter girlfriend, Edith Bowman; phenomenal. In comparison, the past 12 months for myself has seen me fall victim to temptation, love, loss, and the perils of a taste for the night life and city lights. You could say that innocent part of me has slipped away, much like “And End Has a Start”; with death, and passing being an integral part of the album’s focus and surrounding.
When it came out last summer, many criticized this theme of death as being too foreboding, and having smothering overtones within the music, but as with any piece of art, it’s always down to interpretation. From the first time I pressed play, I found “An End Has a Start” to not be depressing and centering on mortality, but in fact, I found it to be a true celebration of life, hearing life in the beat of the songs, and the charisma coming through Smith’s wistful words. Looking back now, it is quite ironic. The concept of death/life came to be after a personal loss of the band, and that end, saw a new start with the band progressing professionally and within their family lives.
For me, this record has been there through the romances, the break ups, making love, heartaches, the low times, the fights, and the day-to-day stress and confusion, that life holds. The album remains pristine, and never tarnished and represents life in its pure essence; what they successfully capture. “Look up, through the trees to feel as small as you can”, and other lyrics, “Can I start this again?” are all lyrical concepts that we can all relate to, making the band and their material so accessible and so genuine. For a long time, I think “An Has a Start” will remain a very exclusive and individual record for me, reminding me of summers, love and making me feel alive, amplified by Chris Urbanowicz’s unbelievable and breath-taking riffs.
I remember seeing them for the first time in 3 years last May, hearing previews of “The Racing Rats” and “Escape the Nest”, and being spell-bound, having it on CD only made it worse, being able to hear that power again and again for my own entertainment, and these tracks still remain as fresh as on that tour. This album, as well as the band as a whole, remains cutting edge, compelling and outstanding. I truly love it. With the risk of sounding cheesy, this band is a real favourite of mine and I owe a lot to them for the making of this album. Since its release, I’ve literally listened to it every day and I can guarantee it’ll remain a frequently played album within my music collection. 10, 20, 30 Years from now, it’ll mean just as much to me as it did then and now; still sounding utterly epic and remarkable. If you haven’t managed to even get a glimpse of “And End Has a Start” over the past 12 months, where have you been? Do it. Now!

DOWNLOAD '08

2008-06-25T13:52:00.001-07:00

The world-famous “Download” Festival was back for its fifth year at Donnington. Carrying on its intense reputation of it’s previous sister festival: “Monsters of Rock”, Download ’08 looked to pull out all the stops to make it memorable and fucking insane.
Knowing a fair bit about the festival, since following its growth from starting in 2003, and with its major commercialism associated with Kerrang!, yet not making it to Donnington until this year, I was eagerly anticipating the whole package, though only even going for the opening Friday. I’m relieved to say it didn’t disappoint.
Having prepared for the day with a Tesco supreme breakfast, and a battalion supply of drinks; mainly vodka, it was time to hit the road. Expecting never-ending queues on the motorway, it was plain sailing all the way at excessive speeds to the tune of S.O.A.D’s BYOB, or in our case; Bring Your Own Jägermeister. Nearly reaching the site, we tuned into Download.fm; slightly strange, even when pissed. Bonkers presenters (who had also obviously had a tipple) talking about shenanigans in tents and making bizarre animal noises in between belting out Disturbed tracks, got us geared up for the days festivities.
Despite an extortionate £15 to park the damn car, the Download destruction began. Having waited for an hour to enter the site and being fairly merry, and despite it being grey and grim, a whole world of wonder opened up. Stalls selling: staffs, posters, flags, shirts and the slightly more unusual vodka jellies, bongs and “safe” and “legal” drugs, amongst a variety of other goods, and numerous cuisine stalls and drink tents (Jäger!), stood alongside skateboard demonstrations, Guitar Hero challenges and a whole lot more within this rock community.
From experiencing other festivals such as V, in comparison, Download certainly outdoes them. It has a superb setting in the middle of rolling fields (which when you go past any field after this event, you can only think of the memories), and yes it may be more orientated around a specific music genre, but the whole festival is so well focused and organized that it has to be applauded.
Unfortunately missing Seether for wandering around the site in awe, things just continued to get better and better. From what seemed like an inevitably rainy and miserable day, as soon as Disturbed stepped on the stage, not only was there a sonic explosion, but an explosion of sun beamed down onto the crowd. Not good for those in the pit perhaps, but the whole thing was fucking glorious. “Liberate”, “Prayer”, and playing tracks from their latest album: “Indestructable” it was immense, but on a personal level, seeing Dave Draiman and co. perform “Down With the Sickness” was my Download highlight, as it was for pretty much everyone else. It was possibly a good thing that Kid Rock was a no-show (as he’d been admitted to Nottingham Hospital), as disappointed fans were treated to extra long sets from Chicago’s Disturbed and Judas Priest.
Up next, Motorhead. Legendary. Well…in context that that you can say you’ve seen Lemmy, but I think we could have all benefited from subtitles when he was talking to the audience, but hey it’s Lemmy, he was probably more in the festival spirits (quite literally) than anyone else. It was a bit of a samey set, but, needless to say and yes I’ll be damned for saying it; “Ace of Spades” was downright awesome.
Didn’t’ stick around for Judas Priest (heard them from afar); they seemed to lacking serious amounts of energy which was essential to get the masses ready for the night’s headliners: Kiss. So, it was off to the Gibson stage, which I had kept popping back to throughout the day, and apart from those you were desperate to see on the main stage, this is where it was at. Showcasing some very promising talent, there was more life in this tent than over on the other side of the filed at times, exciting stuff.
And then, it was time. Time to “Rock n Roll all Night” with Kiss! Again, not a mega fan, but there certainly were legions of dedicated fans of all ages who had waited a lifetime for this moment, to add up to an ultimately brilliant atmosphere. It has to be said that these guys really are the professionals of all rock mayhem. As a matter of fact, as I stood there with my fellow music comrades, it led me to think no-one does a rock show like the Americans. Think Metallica and their Summer Sanitarium, think Linkin Park, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Kiss is right up there with them if not pissing all over them and it’s marvellous to watch. Their set must have cost an absolute fortune (but I hadn’t forgotten that £15 car parking ticket-and the rest!), what with: pyrotechnics, fireworks and casting Paul Stanley out into the crowd on a harness, to play on his own podium of rock in the middle of the audience. It was insane! And oh yes, Gene Simmons, (THE) legend, sure did outdo seeing Lemmy earlier on in the day. They played a near-enough 2 hour long massive set; after all they did say “We’ll play for as long as we can” and they can only be saluted for their efforts, and was to their own and to their fan’s advantage. Everyone embraced the moment, and though not playing “Crazy Nights” which I had secretly waited for all day, seeing a performance of “Rock n Roll All Night” was as spectacular as the array of lights and fireworks which created a complete bonanza; awesome, awesome, awesome.
So…first Download. First taste of meaty rock in a field of the weird and wonderful. I’ll be at Donnington next Summer (but hopefully having less grief getting of the darn car park!).

The Boxer Rebellion. Liverpool Barfly. 20th January 2008

2008-05-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

So it’s been quiet on the Rebellion front for a while…
Having released their 8 track album sampler in January 2006, as follow up to “Exits”, two years on the fella’s are still here. Continuing their mission to grip you with their stunning presence and sound, rather than joining thousands of others who become victims of short-lived commercialism, TBR are more concerned with finding the right kind of record deals, and a good home/foundation for the second record.
Most importantly, this mini tour seeing stops at: London, Glasgow and of course Liverpool, is a beacon of light that the fight and the music has never been more alive; an important message for dedicated fans.
Being somewhat an underground band based in London, unfortunately most of The Rebellion’s gigs take place in that area; leaving places such as The Midlands deprived of seeing what potential and promise this epic quartet holds.
From a personal point of view, tonight’s performance was a journey of sonic sounds and emotion; having not been to one of their gigs in almost three years, since they last played at Stoke Sugarmill, having got a slot on the Jim Beam Tour in March 2005.
Having closely followed the band since the beginning and since the last time I had the privilege of seeing them, I must have dreamt of this moment a thousand times; envisaging their development, their aura and the beautiful sound waves. I was practically on the edge of my seat for the entire of the hour and a half coach trip there. A part of me was also scared. Scared that I’d forgotten what made this band so special and unique to me, only surviving on video footage and other fan’s photos from London and European dates, posted on their message board up until tonight. But all was not forgotten.
Despite it being a dark, murky and wet Liverpool, it did set the scene quite compellingly and romantically. The Barfly, tucked away in a corner of Liverpool was cunning in letting impatient fans wait outside just a little bit longer than promised, building up a huge, buzzing atmosphere. 20, Maybe 30 of us outside stood talking of them, their website, the “wicked like” debut album Exits, and the orientation of the band, (though one guy mistook Todd for Nathan when telling his mate about the band, I managed to refrain however from correcting him. Having no cigarette smoke to blow into the Mersey night air, I felt I would look too much of a fool and not rock ‘n’ roll enough to go over and elaborate on the details), I saved my excitement for inside. It was like a first date after all this time, yearning to see them, butterflies in the stomach…
The Barfly is a small and intimate venue, perfect for The Rebellion; they’re not destined for the Stadiums of the world, as their music has an embracing effect of hitting out at you at a personal level, something which would be lost if leaping to mega stardom. A nice amount of people were also in tonight which created an ambience to compliment their music.
Then here it was…after three years. A completely haunting and fascinating set and my God was it good! Big drum poundings from Piers, melodic guitars, and singer Nathan Nicholson’s caressing of sounds and the microphone was superb! Hitting off with (vinyl only) recently released single “Evacuate”, which sounds fucking massive on record alone; those rip-roaring riffs from Todd Howe just made the whole night.
Old gems from Exits were unleashed as well as surprising the audience with their old B-side “These Walls are Thin” and they charmingly dedicated “Soviets” to the fans in the house.
And that’s what it’s all about. You know they’re past proving their devotion and commitment, tonight proved that regardless of everything else, they’re in it for the fans. They have great juxtaposition of being graceful, yet enforcing in sound, drawing you in with their wistful, stomping, alternative rock, but to be honest you can never put you’re finger on just what their magical quality is. And that’s part of the mystery, the performance, The Rebellion. However, maybe it was just me, but it was a short set, approximately 40 minutes, not enough to satisfy my craving of 3 years!
Definitely check this band out. Even if their music isn’t your cup of tea, you HAVE to see this band purely for their aura. Their talent, ambition and sound are utterly unbelievable. That alone will leave you jaw dropped, despite the astounding fact that not enough fuss is made of them.
Their journey and history is intriguing enough, never mind their material, and tonight’s short set in some respects didn’t do them justice of showing how talented they are. We wanted more TBR. Before us tonight stood a true band that’s faced it all, and truth and defiance lies within their musical vendetta. So, being truly amazing and seeing them affirm their promise and delights in store with album two, there was only one last thing to remember…Don’t leave it three years until I get my next Boxer fix!

The Boxer Rebellion Main Music Article

2008-04-11T15:10:00.000-07:00

(The Main Article featuring in Skint Magazine's debut - 2007)

ROUND TWO: FIGHTING BACK WITH THEIR NEW ALBUM!
The Boxer Rebellion talk: tours, Editors, recording, labels, how to cut it in the music industry and Paris!

Two and a half years since The Boxer Rebellion’s debut album “Exits” and getting dropped by their label, the mighty foursome are back and ready to unveil their finest ever melodic rock. There really is no doubt about it; this compelling and breath-taking band is back on top form and ready to take on the world with their stellar music, and powerful, dreamy lyrics to electrify your senses. Back, and still playing for the love and passion of it – the pure rock ‘n’ roll dream, it’s about time that we salute these comeback heroes.

Forming in 2001, after inspiring Australian guitarist Todd Howe and talented American singer Nathan Nicholson collaborated to form acoustic duo: “Benson”, they soon attracted interest from exception drummer Piers Hewitt, and his creative friend Adam Harrison, who joined to become the bassist. Thus The Rebellion was born and based in London.
After funding and producing their very own 5 track, self-titled EP in 2003, they went on to bigger things; winning a competition on playlouder.com as “The Most Promising Act” after beating off nearly 500 artists. They shone at Glastonbury Music Festival in the same year, when playing at the New Bands Tent. Little did they know, Adam McGee (responsible for Oasis) and his Poptone label was out in force and soon signed them up; to which they had numbers 61 and 57 hit singles and embarked upon dazzling tours, supporting the likes of musical geniuses such as Lenny Kravitz. The guys soon got stuck in at the studio; writing, rehearsing and doing what made them tick; building on their epic, radiant sound. Yet a series, of events lay in store for The Rebellion that would make their music career not as easy going as they’d hoped.
Nathan, was struck down by a life-threatening stomach growth, leaving him out of band action and all band concerns up in the air as the rest of the band grew deeply concerned for his health. Nonetheless, he fortunately recovered and the band want on to release the beautiful “Exits”, seeing them tour all over Europe and as far as Japan with The Walkmen. However, fate was about to intercept their rocketing success once more, when they were dropped from “Mercury”.
It seemed as though everything was against them. They had the decision to pack it in or play on for the love of it and their adoring fans.
I spoke to a very upbeat Todd Howe who proclaimed “We’re back!” and he told me of their compelling journey on the road of set backs and success, and what the future holds for The Rebellion.

SE: So Todd, how’s it all going?
TH: It’s all going really well. We’re all really happy with everything. We’re all a little bit more certain of what we want and where we’re going. We’ve made some really hard decisions after we got dropped the first time. We all sat down and said “are we gonna do it again?” and we said “well yeah. Let’s just see where we can go from here.” I think we were really relieved more than anything when we were dropped ‘cause it wasn’t really the best situation that we were in. We were pretty much victims of circumstance. We got past the stage of being rejected a couple of months after getting dropped by Mercury. Ever since then and particularly since we started writing the album it’s all been really positive.
It’s easy to get the perception of “Oh God, we’ll never hear from them anymore” and “it must all be pretty bad” but that’s definitely not the case. We’ve got a really goof album that we’ve finished, and we’re actually a lot more positive than we ever were with the first album.
We ended up writing some songs at the start of 2006. We wrote (the unbelievably moving) “Misplaced” July/August 2005 – that was the first song that we wrote after we got dropped but then we wrote some songs at the end of 2005/early 2006, and thought “ah shit, we’ve got some really good stuff here.” So we just kept it going and then we got rid of our manager and got a new manager…who is absolutely doing a great job. It’s so refreshing to have someone who’s so really on it at the right level.

SE: So is there any big difference in image and sound of the second album compared to “Exits”
TH: Sonically, it’s still us. Guitars and vocals are blatantly still us. Song-wise the songs are just a lot stronger than “Exits”. It’s a completely different album. I can’t compare this to the first record, and I don’t think I’d want anyone else to compare it, mainly because it’s been so long between the two releases. It is a really good record, I’m really proud of it that’s for sure. Like the first record, there’s songs that I’ll listen to more than any others. There’s some songs that I’m really loving on the new album.

SE: You’ve put more into this album- what with time and money, so it must be much more fulfilling…?
TH: With “Exits” we just basically blew all the money, because we thought – as pretty much every band does – thinking “Oh yeah, this is gonna be really good, we’ve got a big label behind us, they’re gonna push it.” Then reality sets in and you haven’t got any money, but this one’s been a real struggle, just financially more than anything, but it’s definitely a lot more fulfilling. This record cost half as much as the first one and sounds twice as good. There’s something to take from that as well.
SE: You’ll be touring to promote the new album?
TH: We’ve got some UK tour dates (now lined up for January)…we’re really looking forward to getting back in there and getting into it.

SE: Will you be coming back to Stoke Sugarmill?
TH: Stoke Sugarmill has got to be a regular on any tour that we do. We’ve always had good gigs at Stoke Sugarmill. I mean the last (headline) gig we did was supporting Editors (10th September 2004). It was the first time we’d seen them; “Editors” play. They were called Snowfield before. I saw them do their soundcheck and I was like “Oh my God, they’re gonna be huge!”

SE: So you’re playing with Editors soon on the 10th (October at Brixton)?
TH: Yeah, and we’ve confirmed some Editors European dates between 28th October – 11th November…we are really good friends, but you just gotta face up to the fact that they’re absolutely huge.

SE: It’s a shame you’re not supporting Editors on any other UK tour dates…
TH: There ate bands with a much better opportunity and position to be on that tour. We wouldn’t want to blow an opportunity too early when we’re in a position to benefit from the tour. You’ve got a limited number of chances on support tours and you’ve gotta pick the right ones.

SE: Well you’ve got a strong, dedicated fan base behind you…
TH: It’s got bigger since we’ve been dropped which is weird; particularly in London. I mean the amount of people who come to our shows in London, do pretty much because they’re the only ones who can afford to…we’ve still got a huge fan base which is great. I think, hopefully, our fan base is gonna grow quite a lot now that we’ve got a new record hotting up. The most important thing for us this year is to make sure we get a really good home for the band and the record. We’ve got some really good opportunities as well. It’s just a matter of making sure we get that happening as soon as possible – before the end of this year, so next year we don’t have any trouble.

SE: I hear that you’re moving to Paris, is that going to affect the band?
TH: No, not at all. I’m actually going to get the train back as and when I need to. It’s good timing actually because I’ll be on tout pretty much the first half of next year, or quite a bit of next year, so it’s not really going to matter where I am. The good thing is, I get my hometown gig on the 11th (of November- when touring with Editors). I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve just been in London too long.

SE: It’s been two years. Where would you like (TBR) to be, or what do you want to have achieved in two years time, i.e. where do you see yourselves in two years time?
TH: I think this record for us- our expectations are a lot different…’cause we’ve had to do it completely independently. Personally, I’d like this record to get us to the point where we can do a third and do a third album properly. I would think this time in two years we’d be well on the way to finishing our third record, and being in a position where it can really be pushed properly, and have a really solid fan base; and just be able to make a living from it – where we can do it and dedicate ourselves to doing the next record 100%, whereas this one’s taken so long because of how strapped for cash we’ve been. So we’ve had to record this album and write this album between people working and earning money. It hasn’t solidly been two years worth of writing and recording. It’s been sort of here and there. We’ve been writing and then back into the studio and that sort of thing, but we’ve spent 40 days recording, so it didn’t take that long in the whole scheme of things, it’s just spread out over a long period of time. In two years, I’d definitely would love to be really cracking on and have made a name for ourselves to a point, not obviously be huge, but atleast solidify where it should be; or where we think we should be in the whole scheme of things – to be able to do a third album and be pushing it.

SE: Is being a musician and playing music something you’ve always wanted to do?
TH: Definitely

SE: Many of our student readers are in bands. From your own experiences do you have any advice for them on knock backs, making it in the industry etc?
TH: Truly believe in what you’re doing and keep doing it, because eventually, something will happen.

SE: What’s next for TBR?
TH: We’re releasing a single in November on a label called “Another Music = Another Kitchen”. The label is run by a couple of guys who work for a big record label. One is a press officer, and one is a radio plugger, and they run their own little label purely for single releases. They also run a club night at London Proud Galleries (where TBR played on July 26 2007), and it’s one of the biggest uni club nights in London every Thursday. They’re big fans of the boxers – they’re very well respected guys. We wanted to release something indie first on limited edition vinyl and download only. We’re releasing a single for more label interest in the album. We’ll probably release another single after that and then the album. Our manager has co-funded the recording and we’re all really excited. Our manager is trying to sort something out for a single release for Australia; hopefully getting something ready for the big day in January…as well as a showcase in Vancouver in December.

The Boxer Rebellion define what a band is all about. They take the rough times with the smooth, yet they never fail to remain ultimately remarkable; touching your heart from the bass line to the drum beat, and from the echoing guitars to the harmonious lullabies of Nathan’s voice. You can lose yourself very easily in this band as they capture you by their defiant approach, drive to play and luscious sound which surrounds and smothers the listener. Two and a half years!? It’s been too long. They never lost faith and haven’t lost their touch. 2008 looks highly promising for The Boxer Rebellion as they’re set to announce their UK tour dates very shortly. And as for the rest of the bands out there, put ‘em up ‘cause the boxer guys are back in town.

2008-04-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

Above: The Diary Article on The Boxer Rebellion, as written for Skint Magazine 2007

EDITORS: Live at Manchester Apollo 14th October 2007

2008-04-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

(Left: Article, as appearing in Skint Magazine, 2007)

My, oh my, what a night to remember! Having closely followed Editors over 2007 as a fan and as a reviewer, it’s been fantastic to see their progression and “well established” status.
As their last UK tour of 2007, a wave of awe and admiration from the fans engulfed the Midlands four-piece, as they played as if their lives depended on it, before embarking on their European Tour with The Boxer Rebellion (TBR).

Seeing Editors first play at Stoke Sugarmill on 10th September 2004 as support for TBR, they’ve undoubtedly come a long way. Also, seeing them three times in 2007, they’ve grown phenomenally, reeling in more and more crowds every single time.
People queued frantically outside for t’editors eagerly anticipating their appearance, and talked of their mind-blowing slot at this year’s V Festival.

Making a dramatic entrance on stage to the tremendously loud-sounding and catchy “And End Has A Start”, fans were immediately bowled over. The charming vocalist Tom Smith, was just so polite, complimenting the crowd with “You look lovely!”, as the rest of the members stood back in glee at the crowd reaction. The guys really did then kick into it.
Screaming “Hey! Hey!” at the life-bursting stages of their indie hits, it injected a whole new feel into their set. Having the world at their feet, they relished up the fan’s appreciation, with Tom going mad! Besides reaching out to the crowd with their music, he brought the group closer to the fans with him running crazily across the stage, circling the piano, standing on it and even spanking it! Well, their music certainly is sexual. Guitarist Chris Urbanowicz was also getting into “it”, thrusting his guitar and making mad love to the audience with their music; he received a mad array of cheers and applauds. Urbanowicz is undeniably an amazing guitarist, delivering those well crafted and well known crazy riffs.

Surprising crowds with a much more heavy side to their music collection, new B-Side “Banging Heads” was practically orgasmic, yet heavy, haunting and superb as Tom screamed: “Why do you keep a lock on the door?” It was definitely evident that this tour accomplished their second album achievement and celebrated the way in which it has been received; also seen by bassist Russell Leetch and drummer Ed Lay who played pure perfection with permanent grins on their faces.
The angelic and epic “Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors” led to a choir of fans singing “We’ve all been changed…; enough to move you to tears. This was contrasted to the bombastic “Fingers in the Factories” and “Munich” which led to a standing ovation upstairs, and ultimately rocked the house leaving us wanting more.
So go on! Go and see this sleek and professional foursome and let them blow you away. With Editors representing where it’s at for The Midlands their act will never go stale. Biased? Maybe. Brilliant? Understatement.