Back from a while out, but it's the same old drill:
Nirvana - All Apologies
Been majorly getting into Kurt Cobain recently and this ranks among his best - melodic, touching and tortured, it's classic Nirvana. The Unplugged version is out of this world.
Pulp - Disco 2000
One of the bands to see since their reformation and what a triumphant return it has been, this epicly joyous tune the best of their brilliant back catalogue
Foo Fighters - Rope
They have cemented their place at the peak of modern rock and this is why; soaring guitars, powerful vocals and a robust production from Grohl and Co.
The Subways - It's A Party
A taster of their up-coming third album and it's a continuation of their fantastic LA-punk output, fiesty and fun-loving from start to finish
Kings Of Leon - Taper Jean Girl
An oldie from the southern rockers, this happy-go-lucky tune sums up the free-flowing magnificence of album 'Aha Shake Heartbreak'.
The latest single from Beady Eye and the first real development in the Gallagher battle, here's my take on things:
Now Noel Gallagher has come out from his eighteen-month hibernation and a debut solo album is just a few months from release, the spotlight is no longer solely on Beady Eye. Liam has enjoyed sole coverage for the majority of 2011 so far, but now Big Brother is back in town, the competition really begins.
It’s a good move then that new single ‘The Beat Goes On’ was released when it was. When we are all reminded of the talents of Gallagher Senior, it’s a timely reminder of the melodic side of Beady Eye’s debut album ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’ with one of the highlights from the record. But the real success of the single is the B-side.
‘The Beat Goes On’ is an uplifting, Lennon-style ballad, with a beautiful melody, soaring chorus and plush production. It also contains some of Gallagher’s best lyrics, such as the reassuring ‘It’s not the end of the world, oh no/It’s not even the end of the day’. Add into that the heavenly imagery and the cry of ‘I’m the last of a dying breed’, it’s a great song. Then comes along ‘In The Bubble With a Bullet’.
As it’s the first time we’re hearing anything of this track, we can only assume it’s a new one – and that’s a great thing. Acoustic and wistful, there is a beauty woven into the sentimental tones that is not unlike fellow B-side ‘World Outside My Room’. Touched up by whining electric guitar and a late entry of the harmonica aside cries of ‘we do what we want’, it’s a high-class track.
With Noel back on the scene, early signs are that Liam has no intention of rolling over for his former bandmate. ‘The Beat Goes On’ shows the best of their fine debut effort, but ‘In The Bubble With A Bullet’ shows signs of an improvement from that. Better musically and lyrically, it’s good evidence of a developing Beady Eye – just in time for the competition to really kick off. Like Noel said, let battle commence.
As a side project from one of my favourite bands, The Killers, I had to have a look at Big Talk's eponymous debut album and here's what I thought:
When The Killers went on hiatus and frontman Brandon Flowers announced a solo project that promptly went on to be brilliant, it was easy to assign the main creative force in the band to the ‘Flamingo’ man. But, hold on, now drummer Ronnie Vanucci Jr. has teamed up with long-time friend Taylor Milne for solo project Big Talk and the duo have set about changing that assumption. And they may have just done it.
‘Big Talk’ is a bold and dazzling effort from Vanucci; energetic, driven, bright and fun from start to finish. Brandon Flowers seemed to show he was the main man with solo release ‘Flamingo’ last year, but Big Talk calls for a recount on that matter. Vanucci’s solid vocals even sound like Flowers, or is that sentimental thinking on my part?
‘Katzenjammer’ opens up a strong start, with a soft intro blossoming into soaring guitars, a rising chorus and a powerfully happy tune. From the first line ‘It’s not too early for whiskey/It’s not too early to smoke’ and the fact that ‘katzenjammer’ means ‘disagreeable aftereffects from the use of alcohol’, it’s clear this album is about having a good time and that’s exactly what it achieves.
It’s clear to see how much Vanucci puts into The Killers and how much he has got from it; first single ‘Getaways’ is a melodic and anthemic electro-pop hit, ‘Under Water’ has the same rich rock-driven style and ‘Replica’ is an amped synth-pop anthem that could fit onto any Killers album. The best moment comes with the more acoustic and softer ‘The Next One Living’ – a more touching feel, more a slow-arm-waving anthem and the gentle sense accompanied with the lyric ‘Well cry baby, do it every day/There is no cure without it’.
The strong start is carried on by the sparse country-bluesy ‘No Whiskey’, with the alcoholic’s pledge ‘I don’t need no whiskey/Don’t need no rum and coke/’Cos if I get that whiskey/You know I ain’t coming home’. Coupled with summery toe-tapper ‘Girls At Sunrise’, it’s a fine effort from Big Talk. The quality does however drop slightly for the next few tracks, all pleasant but not grabbing; the synth-led ‘White Doves’, samey ‘Living In Pictures’ and forgettable ‘Hunting Season’ slinking by without much of an impact.
Luckily it picks up for a proud farewell; the more purposeful and anthemic message of spite for a lover ‘A Fine Time To Need Me’ and the empty bluesy-marauding rock of closer ‘Big Eye’ (which mentions whiskey, again) making it an all-round memorable debut from Vanucci.
Big Talk reminds us Vanucci is responsible for some of The Killers’ best hits and their driving rhythm from the back of the stage with a melodic, bright and energetic album. Slightly rockier than his band’s exploits, it shows that there is more than one talented frontman within the vastly talented four-piece from Nevada.
Very good album, and here's my favourite song 'The Next One Living'.
So, we're half way through 2011 already and it's been a great year for music. Guitar bands have made their comeback in force, new bands are making their impact and some titans in the music world have exploded back onto the scene. So, here's my favourite twelve songs of 2011 so far:
1. Bridges Burning - Foo Fighters
The only way that this could possibly open is with this raucous rocker from Dave Grohl, and the opener for album 'Wasting Light'. The perfect way to signal in possibly their finest effort; robust, masculine, bold and driven rock from the five-piece, with guitars wailing and careering throughout and a fine vocal as well.
FIND ON: 'Wasting Light' - Foo Fighters
2. The Ballad of Mona Lisa - Panic! At The Disco
The return of Panic! At The Disco was made phenomenal by this track, classic Panic stylings with a amped buzz and a jubilantly swelling chorus. Bringing back memories of the mid-2000 emo boom, this is the best track on their solid comeback record.
FIND ON: 'Vices and Virtues' - Panic! At The Disco
3. Under Cover of Darkness - The Strokes
Squealing guitars, a bouncing drumbeat and an electric performance show that The Strokes were well and truly back on form for their infectious fourth album 'Angles'. They may have made it in troublesome times but the end product speaks for itself; ten tracks of the highest quality and this breezy indie-rock gem sets the standard.
FIND ON: 'Angles' - The Strokes
4. If You Wanna - The Vaccines
The first of a bout of promising new bands comes in the form of the saviours of rock 'n' roll, The Vaccines. Their fantastic debut album has led a revitalised rock scene, and 'If You Wanna' is the heralding track. Honest lyrics, a fast pace and hooking chorus see the newbies take the hottest new band title for 2011.
FIND ON: 'What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?' - The Vaccines
5. A Heavy Abacus - The Joy Formidable
An early album from the Welsh rockers but one that still stands out as one of the best, with 'A Heavy Abacus' being the highlight from their brilliant debut record. Heavy and innovative at the same time, this track sees their punkish side burst through and Ritzy Brian's floating vocals power through.
FIND ON: 'The Big Roar' - The Joy Formidable
6. I Just Had Sex - The Lonely Island (feat. Akon)
The undisputed kings of musical comedy proved they weren't a flash-in-the-pan with this infectiously brilliant number. 'Incredibad' set the standard and new album 'Turtleneck & Chain' has furthered it with this the calling card - jubilant, better R'n'B than most 'R'n'B' stars and the performance of Akon's entire career.
FIND ON: 'Turtleneck & Chain' - The Lonely Island
7. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People
Another new band to make an impact this year are Foster The People with their MGMT-brand of synth-happy pop, and 'Pumped Up Kicks' is one of the tracks of the year so far. It may be about a high-school shooting but it's happy, hooking and infectious from first listen and a perfect taster of a good album.
FIND ON: 'Torches' - Foster The People
8. Lippy Kids - Elbow
The melancholies from Manchester may well have written many people's album of the year with their sombre and sorrowful effort, of which 'Lippy Kids' was the best on show. An ode to the chavs on your street corner, Guy Garvey's dulcet tones are the perfect tonic to any sore head and make for a gently soothing epic.
FIND ON: 'Build A Rocket, Boys!' - Elbow
9. Atlas Hands - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
In the over-saturated field of the acoustic singer-songwriter, Benjamin Francis Leftwich ticks all the boxes for perfection - soft guitar, heartfelt vocals and touchingly personal lyrics, and all put together it makes for a brilliant album. 'Atlas Hands' is the best of a good bunch.
FIND ON: 'Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm' - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
10. The Morning Son - Beady Eye
The surprising element of Liam Gallagher's new guise was the touching melodies of some of Beady Eye's songs, with mellow effort 'The Morning Son' the best. Acting as his band's 'Champagne Supernova', the chilled feel and acoustic strums show to everyone that there was more than one talented songwriter called Gallagher in Oasis.
FIND ON: 'Different Gear, Still Speeding' - Beady Eye
11. Time Machine - Viva Brother
The most talked-about new band, alongside The Vaccines, with their infectious and hooking brand of Britpop-esque guitar pop. There are numerous candidates for their best song, 'Darling Buds Of May' runs it close but the immense release of the chorus just about takes the prize for 'Time Machine'. Look out for the up-coming album.
FIND ON: 'Famous First Words' - Viva Brother (due August 1st)
12. That's Where You're Wrong - Arctic Monkeys
There's no other way this collection could end without mentioning the all-conquering return of Britain's finest - Alex Turner and Co. did it again and showed everyone how it is done. Melodic, bright, ranging from raucous sing-a-longs to delicate pleas to lovers, lyrically extraordinary and musically outstanding, it's all in a days work for Arctic Monkeys. And album ender 'That's Where You're Wrong' is the perfect way to end this set.
FIND ON: 'Suck It And See' - Arctic Monkeys
There you go, and we've still got six months to go. That will include records from Kasabian, Noel Gallagher, Viva Brother, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay and others to come. Boom. And to leave you, here's a little nibble of what's to come - Kasabian with 'Switchblade Smiles'. Tasty.
Another up-and-coming band with a burgeoning reputation are Dry The River and here's latest single 'No Rest' and my thoughts:
Another addition to the ever-growing folk-rock genre that holds the likes of Mumford and Sons, Fleet Foxes and James Vincent McMorrow are new boys on the block Dry The River. The East London five-piece are picking up their fair share of attention in recent weeks, building up a reputation as being the latest folk-rock prodigy to come from these shores. So, does new single ‘No Rest’ live up to the hype?
Well, it starts shakily. Odd lyrics, a lonely voice, soft ambience and a weird-looking bunch of lads laying in what looks like sacrificial pits. But ‘No Rest’ builds, the sweet voices of singer Pete Liddle growing as the song becomes pacier, semi-acoustic and bigger. And then it hits, the swelling folk-rock builds into a liberating release, with the heartfelt cry for forgiveness ‘I loved you in the best way possible’. It’s a fantastic song, one that has justified the attention Dry The River have got.
A quick listen to the rest of their catalogue will show ‘No Rest’ doesn’t stand alone, the more folky ‘New Ceremony’ and ‘Family Tree’ showing that they already have the knack of infectious swelling semi-acoustic songwriting that has propelled the Mumford boys to their current stardom.
Dry The River are entering a saturated playing field that has been inundated with the folk revival of the past couple of years, but they stand tall amongst their peers. An album from these guys will be hugely anticipated.
There's been a lot of good things written about this one and this band, so here's my thoughts on The Horrors new album 'Skying':
The Horrors have always been a bit of a strange band. It hits you from the first look; the ghoulish appearance of lead man Faris Badwan and his black-laden bandmates, and their musical transitions have been slightly odd also. From the gothic punk-fuelled debut album ‘Strange House’, which evolved into the more polished sound of Mercury Prize-nominated ‘Primary Colours’. And now we have the latest development in third album ‘Skying’.
Well, make sure you give it ten listens instead of two. On first exposure, ‘Skying’ washes over in a drab and dreary over-synthesised wave, leaving little to no impact whatsoever with an overuse of the shoegazing aesthetic. Take the track ‘Wild Eyed’ for example. A lazy beat, an over-polished feel, swishing vocals and random moments of melody popping in and out make for an instantly forgettable track.
Throw in ‘Endless Blue’ and ‘You Said’ to this category. Endlessly floating on the periphery, there is nothing really to grab your attention as they heavily put the ‘effects’ switches to use on these, the occasional lyric leaping out but mostly a monotonous experience. On top of this, ‘Moving Further Away’, in an odd 80’s-esque style, labours some more – for over eight minutes.
But then you give ‘Skying’ some time. Give it that couple of listens, and the good moments begin to seep through the synth-drenched tapestry. Opener ‘Changing The Rain’ is pleasant enough, interesting from the off and the first example of some brilliant Badwan vocals spouting the spiritual moral ‘Open your eyes’. ‘I Can See Through You’ bounces along with a bit more purpose and hooking intent, while ‘Monica Gems’ sees The Horror’s return to that guitar sound, if at a slower pace.
Then suddenly, moments of beauty ooze through the thickly layered ‘Skying’. ‘Dive In’ is an almost Britpop-esque catchy number, and where for once they get the ambience right and the outcome is finally a memorable instant, and lead single ‘Still Life’ is a good indie anthem that shows the progression of this band. But undoubtedly the finest moment comes in album closer ‘Oceans Burning’. Long but for the first time worthwhile, it touches a sombre and poignant nerve, mellow but touching, and Badwan’s soothing voice comes in and out, heralding ‘It’s a joy to know you’re waiting there’ as ‘Skying’ finally connects properly.
On the whole, ‘Skying’ does make for an atmospheric and intellectual album with good moments, but it mostly makes little impact. It gets better as you listen more but there are too many synths and odd noises to really connect and leave its mark, with – barring a couple of brilliant moments – would be left to gather dust on the shelf. The Horrors are progressing to something better, their stranger beginnings have tried to become more accessible, but this isn’t their best yet.
Not really seeing what the fuss is about, but definitely loved 'Oceans Burning'. However, there is nothing on YouTube, Soundcloud or the rest of the internet with this song on, so instead here's lead single 'Still Life'. Brilliant (but only if you get my sarcasm there).
Also heard a bit of buzz about this lot, so I thought I'd see if it was justified:
Yess, guitar music is making that promised comeback to our lives. Anyone who keeps up with this blog or keeps a keen eye on music outside of that infected Top 40 Official Charts will now that rock and indie are making an eagerly-anticipated return to our ears, and what’s even more pleasing is the influx of new bands to this. Viva Brother herald this alongside The Vaccines, while The Joy Formidable and The Naked and Famous are prominent names on that list. And it may soon be time to start talking about All The Young aswell.
‘Welcome Home’ bursts out like a statement of intent; instantaneous industrial indie-rock, guitar heavy and crashing drums. With a confident riff and a chorus that makes you want to shout out, the Stoke lads are clearly on a mission. It’s got power, swagger and pace; lead singer Ryan Dooley leading the charge with silky yet full-forced vocals. And it gets better and better; lyrics like ‘This future’s ours for the taking/Our time has come’ and ‘A chance is all that I ask for/To change the world’, and then just as you think it’s winding down, it kicks in again with a brilliant guitar solo outro. It’s phenomenal.
Couple this with the even more anthemic ‘The First Time’, and this band start to stand out a bit. Others have clearly thought so aswell; the four-piece have been touring the sweaty venues in between supporting the likes of Viva Brother, Pete Doherty, The Courteeners and Morrissey. But it’s still early days – no debut album is yet announced and the band don’t even have a Wikipedia page for goodness sake.
However, that will not last long with tunes like ‘Welcome Home’ behind them. A powerhouse anthem, guitar-wielding indie rock, forward-thinking lyrics and a real Manchester feel, it’s a fine song from a gem of a new band. Watch this space.
I've heard good things about this guy, so I thought I'd give his album a listen and here's my view:
Bon Iver. Ryan Adams. Joshua Radin. Damien Rice. James Vincent McMorrow. Even Jack Johnson, Laura Marling and Rumer. Add Benjamin Francis Leftwich to that list. That well-worn genre of singer-songwriter sombre acoustic strums is abundant these days, and ‘Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm’ is no break from the norm. However, while Leftwich isn’t breaking the mould, he is getting near to perfecting that formula.
First track ‘Pictures’ is that slow finger-picking style of guitar play that brought success to Jose Gonzalez, singing in a soothing and dreamy tone that falls somewhere between Bon Iver and Ryan Adams, complete with the chorus ‘Take a picture of them’ relating to heartfelt personal memories seemingly one step away from a sun-drenched phone advert. It’s not ground-breaking and once you’ve heard the first track you’ve got them all really.
That repetitive sound continues throughout, and by the time you’re hitting the paceless ‘Snowship’ and the almost dreary title-track towards the end, it’s wearing a bit thin. In its most questionable places, it sounds like the O.C. soundtrack, especially with the beach acoustic feel of ‘Butterfly Culture’, and the brighter but schmaltzy ‘Shine’ – with just the line ‘I hope you find what you’re looking for/So your heart is warm, forever more’ having me reach for the bucket.
And there’s no hiding where this guy gets his influences from; the Ryan Adams - Bon Iver – Joshua Radin theme shines throughout, take note of ‘Stole You Away’ and the slightly mysterious finale ‘Bottle Baby’. Add in the promo shots of an indie-fied 20-something male, complete with the forlorn look in a corn-field, and it’s the classic acoustic singer-songwriter stereotype.
But for the times when it’s repetitive, one-paced and non-original, it’s equally bewitching and beautiful in places. ‘Don’t Go Slow’ lifts the latter end of the album with a mellow and summery ode to a lover, while ‘1904’ almost gets Arcade Fire-ish and is a delightful track. Then there are those couple of songs are quite stunning in their way.
‘Atlas Hands’ shows Leftwich still sewn to his guitar and with the same wishy-washy vocals that play throughout, but it’s a gorgeous song heralded with the chorus ‘I will remember your face/’Cause I am still in love with that place/When the stars are the only things we share/Will you be there?’. And tussling with it for the album highlight is ‘Box Of Stones’, equally slow but brilliant nonetheless, with ‘You said I’m young, but I’m yours/I am free, but I am flawed’.
‘Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm’ may at times go a bit close to an O.C. vibe, and look up any of the artists mentioned previously and you will find similar stuff, but Benjamin Francis Leftwich has crafted an album that is as good as any of his peers have. We made be being flooded out by singer-songwriters, but in terms of quality, few get as good as this.
A good album in its field, and on balance between my two favourite tracks, here's my top one 'Atlas Hands'.
The newly-crowned 'Viva Brother' are back with latest single 'New Year's Day' and here's what I thought of it:
The Viva Brother train seems to be losing that slightest bit of momentum. The Britpop revival was first heralded at the start of the year seems to be taking its time to get here, with the album being delayed by a month and the name change being extra obstacles as the Slough four-piece aren’t blitzing the music scene as some over-eager PR men said they would.
Don’t get me wrong, they still have some undeniably hooking tunes, their live show is epic and a must-see this year and they are finally trying to bring some guitar music back to the mainstream. Healthy turn-outs at both the Isle of Wight and Glastonbury festivals shows they have a good fan base, but new single ‘New Year’s Day’ has been strategically placed to keep their charge going.
And it’s exactly what you would expect from Lee Newell and Co.; it’s instantly catchy, guitar-driven and it sounds like a mid-90’s Blur track. ‘New Year’s Day’ brings plenty of ‘woah, oh, oh’s’, a jangling riff and some questionable lyrics – ‘I’m feeling closer to hell/And it’s burning like a big space rocket’, ‘We fell asleep top and tails/On the carpet, it was so uncomfortable’ to name two – but then the chorus kicks in. There’s that euphoric release that is Brother’s – sorry, Viva Brother’s calling card, and it’s another fine track.
Now we have all been exposed to the instantaneous ‘Darling Buds of May’ and the swelling ‘Time Machine’, which along with others add up to almost half of up-coming debut release ‘Famous First Words’. It’s all been hooking and catchy stuff up until now, and again live the set sounds phenomenal, but there is just a sense from some quarters that this ‘mouthy bunch of lads’ are faltering slightly in their ambitions.
They have been heralded since the start of 2011, and still are one of the most eagerly anticipated new bands of the past few years, but August 1st just needs to come around a bit quicker.
And here to remind some of you of this band's talents, it's a live version of 'New Year's Day'. Viva Brother!
The Kaiser Chiefs have returned with an inventive if annoying way of selecting your own album, but have decided to give us an official release and here's what I thought of it:
I’m guessing that you will know by now that the Kaiser Chiefs have returned. Fresh from a three -year break, it seems Ricky Wilson and Co. are looking to make up for lost time. They’ve ‘revolutionised’ the music industry with a unique pay-for-the-songs-you-want-to-make-your-own-album system that they themselves developed, and have hit the festival circuit hard (Isle of Wight, Hard Rock Calling, Glastonbury and V in England alone). Now, they’re back with fourth album ‘The Future Is Medieval’. And it’s definitely the Kaiser Chiefs.
From the word go with sharp lead single ‘Little Shocks’, it’s that jaunty indie that we’ve grown to love from the Leeds quintet with very little in way of a new style. Many of the tracks could have been lifted from their previous efforts, but after the tepidly received ‘Off With Their Heads’, the stronger songs do represent somewhat of a return to form.
‘Coming Up For Air’ is possibly their finest hour since ‘Modern Way’; poignantly melodic, a swelling chorus and brilliant Wilson vocals make for a phenomenal modern ballad. ‘Child Of The Jago’, with the opening air of ‘I Predict A Riot’, is dark and brooding, while ‘Man on Mars’ sees drummer and chief songwriter Nick Hodgson take centre stage in an greatly pleasurable and dreamy guitar quest.
‘Long Way From Celebrating’ and ‘Dead Or In Serious Trouble’ remind of us of why this band became big back when ‘Employment’ was revealed; short, snappy and witty indie rock with that intangible yet moreish English feel, if not quite with the hooking brilliance of ‘Oh My God’ or ‘Na Na Na Na Naa’. ‘Out of Focus’ is a dazzling electronic meander, then the sombre acoustic and strings afterthought 'If You Will Have Me' and the David Bowie-esque ‘Things Change’ make for a pleasing if not ground-breaking record.
Unfortunately, there are a few tracks that kind of detract from the general satisfaction of the rest of ‘The Future Is Medieval’. ‘Starts With Nothing’ is a dull and repetitive bore, with the chanted mantra ‘You start with nothing/And you’ll end with nothing’ in reality as depressing as it looks on paper. ‘Heard It Break’ is the example of when the Kaiser’s quickfire Britrock goes wrong, and ‘When All Is Quiet’ is a failed attempt at a Beatles tribute song. It’s an effort that could have maybe done with the drum-driven ‘Cousin In The Bronx’, eerily resounding ‘Back In December’ or spontaneous flirter ‘Kinda Girl You Are’, but alas they fell prey to the album selection process.
But all in all, it’s Kaiser Chiefs-by-numbers. It ticks all the boxes; witty in places, endlessly jaunty and pokey indie pop and you just don’t mistake a Ricky Wilson vocal. And it reminds you of how much you miss that undeniably British Kaisers sound. It may not measure up to the instant catchiness of ‘Employment’ or ‘Yours Truly, Angry Mob’, but it’s good to have them back.
A good effort from the Leeds boys, and here's best song 'Coming Up For Air'.
