CIRCULATION VOLUME 6 // ISSUE 2 // 2016 // FREE
THE TEMPER TRAP We catch up with Melbourne’s finest at Dot to Dot Festival...
RADIOHEAD // THE L AST SH ADOW PUPPETS // DM A’S
Volume 6 / Issue 1 / february 2016 / free
BEYONCE // MODERN BASEBALL // JAMES BL AKE //
EDITORS' NOTE Well here we are, hello! Nice to meet you. If you’re an avid Circulation reader, you’ll notice
CONTACT
the theme has changed. “No way?” I hear you cry. “How rad?”. The critics talk. But the tradition has emerged that a new Circulation committee calls for a new spin on the Circulation look. And this is ours. We hope you like it! We are a fresh bunch. With a committee predominantly made up of freshers, we’re very new to all of this editing and production business, so we apologise in advance for any slip-ups.
Want to get involved with Circulation? If you’re interested in contributing to any part of the magazine, you can get in touch by: Email: circulationmagazine@yusu.org
Anyway, this edition is packed full to the brim of a diverse range of material. We have a festival review, enough album analysis to fill your boots, opinionated comment pieces and a whole host of great interviews, including Aussie cover stars The Temper Trap, Boxer Rebellion, Wichita Recordings success story Oscar and DMA’s. So get excited people.
Website: circulation-mag.com Facebook: facebook.com/circulationmag
We hope you enjoy our first attempt at making a music magazine…
Much love from your brand new Editors-in-Chief, Lucy and Tom x
THE TEAM EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
COMMENT EDITOR
DESIGN AND PRINT
Tom Cadman Lucy McLaughlin
Arun Kakar
Kolorco
DEPUTY EDITOR
EVENT ORGANISERS
PHOTO CREDITS
Rachel Moore
Jessie Adams Ellie Cawte
MANAGING DIRECTOR
WEB EDITOR
Nelson Autefault
James Rudge
HEAD OF PRODUCTION VISUAL DESIGNER Christine Tan
Eleanor Sutherland
ALBUMS EDITOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Adaobi Nezianya
LIVE EDITOR Jowan Mead
FEATURES EDITOR Maja Hjelm
one
Yasmin Asif Sophie Church Sophie Goodall Max Haydon Alex Ighalo Liam Smith Will Strickson Martha Wright
Yasmin Asif Tom Cadman Ellie Cawte Max Haydon Isobel Howe
CONTENTS LIVE
ALBUMS
3 - GIG GUIDE
9 - BEYONCE - LEMONADE
3 - THE BOXER REBELLION
10 - BABYMETAL - METAL
4 - BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH
RESISTANCE
5 - MODERN BASEBALL
11 - THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS -
7 - THE 1975
EVERYTHING YOU’VE COME TO
8 - DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL
EXPECT 11 - AURORA - ALL OF MY
FEATURES
DEMONS GREETING ME AS A FRIEND
15 - OSCAR
12 - RADIOHEAD - A MOON SHAPED
17 - THE TEMPER TRAP
POOL
19 - THE BOXER REBELLION
13 - BROKEN BEAK - SOME NERVE
20 - DMA’S
14 - JAMES BLAKE - THE COLOUR IN ANYTHING
THE MAGAZINE MIXTAPE THE BOXER REBELLION - BIG IDEAS BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH - ATLAS HANDS THE TEMPER TRAP - SO MUCH SKY BROKEN BEAK - SAINT
COMMENT 21 - WHO NEEDS GENRES? 22 - WHAT HAPPENED TO INDIE?
JAMES BLAKE - POINTS DMA’S - LAY DOWN RADIOHEAD - BURN THE WITCH THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS - DRACULA TEETH THE 1975 - THE SOUND BLAENAVON - PRAGUE
TWO
LIVE
GIG GUIDE 10.06.16
THE BOXER REBELLION THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER 01.05.16
KING NO-ONE - FIBBERS, YORK
12.06.16
COASTS - BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS
14.06.16
WILD NOTHING - BELGRAVE MUSIC HALL, LEEDS
17.06.16
PARQUET COURTS - THE WARDROBE, LEEDS
18.06.16
BRITISH SEA POWER - FIBBERS, YORK
25.06.16
LAKE KOMO - FIBBERS, YORK
26.06.16
PAWS - FULFORD ARMS, YORK
02.07.16
CARNABELLS - BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS
12.07.16
JAMES BAY - OPEN AIR THEATRE, SCARBOROUGH
13.07.16
AUGUSTINES - FIBBERS, YORK
22.07.16
KAISER CHIEFS - YORK BARBICAN
22.07.16
THE CRIBS - MILLENNIUM SQUARE, LEEDS
26.07.16, 27.07.16
WILD BEASTS - BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS
3.08.16. 4.08.16
DON BROCO - THE KEY CLUB, LEEDS
THREE
hard to see why, and, as a colourful but inescapably retro step into the future, it’s well deserving of its early release as one of the album’s new singles. Equally, their performance of ‘Big Ideas’ is superb, although it also benefits from its release in March which means that many of the audience members are able to recognise it. It is less subdued than some of the band’s older songs and yet it doesn’t suffer for this at all; it’s a potent reminder of the band’s talent, and the contrast between this and ‘Spitting Fire’, as well as ‘Semi-Automatic’ (both They open with ‘Keep Me Close’, more aggressive performances), and their music instantly sur- reminds the audience of how far rounds the audience, filling the The Boxer Rebellion have come. venue with the gloriously ethereal sound of the sombre back- As they move, almost impercepground contrasted with Nathan tibly, into ‘The Gospel of Goro Nicholson’s falsetto. Moving on Adachi’ to finish, they fit togethfrom their new songs, they return er seamlessly, like they have all to old favourites, all of which are night; there’s no question that well-received - much like the en- even with the departure of fortirety of their set, such as ‘Always’, mer guitarist Todd Howe, The ‘Diamonds’ and ‘New York’. ‘Al- Boxer Rebellion are still as uniways’ is still wonderfully energet- fied as before — and if we’re lucky, ic, and ‘New York’, which creates they will continue to go from a passionate response from the strength to strength in the future. simplest refrain, is also sublime. YASMIN ASIF Another highlight of the evening is ‘Weapon’, the song to which Nicholson attributes the shaping the sound of Ocean by Ocean; it’s not The Boxer Rebellion’s performance at The Deaf Institute in Manchester almost immediately follows the release of their new album, Ocean by Ocean, and this gig gives their audience the chance to experience their new songs in what is, most likely, the best way possible. The album cover alone, far brighter than the darker images on their previous albums, hints at the direction that Ocean by Ocean has taken the band in, and their newer material electrifies the performance.
LIVE
BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH THE CRESCENT, YORK 01.05.16 Whispers and echoes - that’s the way to describe that first night of May. The audience made their way to the surprisingly large expanse of the Crescent’s back room, awaiting the York-born talents of the night. As exams loomed and stress was building, a night of immersive folk was needed. From what I’d listened to of Benjamin Francis Leftwich, I was hoping to let these worries of work dissolve until the next day. In my mind, obviously there was no way he could produce the melancholic tone of his album... surely. But then he started singing, leaving the audience hanging like the bunting which draped the Crescent’s ceiling. This was after casually walking on stage and starting the melodic single ‘Tilikum’ from his upcoming album After The Rain, foreshadowing what was to come – a persevering element of nonchalance and simplicity. The York-born songwriter created a stunned and subdued mood as soon as his haunting tales began. After
calling the audience “legends” for their meditative silence, he stepped away from the mic to perform one song without the aid of a PA system. “Just ridiculous”, someone said in awe over the babble of soft voices surrounding me. The 26 year old’s whispering tune resulted in the reflected whispering of praise. What also must be noted is the talent of York’s own Sam Griffiths, who opened the night with a charismatic flair. His smooth and rich tone (apologies for sounding like I’m describing coffee) oozed confidence and was heightened by his effortless range. The accompanying double bassist also added an extra dimension to the refined, hearty performance. Sam dragged the audience away from the bar and corralled them to the stage with his distinctive voice, and so it was of no surprise that Leftwich called the songwriter his “brother”. Echoes - I promised echoes. Leftwich treated the audience to their favourites. His acclaimed hits ‘Atlas Hands’ and ‘Shine’
were performed as two more completely acoustic renditions as the mirroring of lyrics swept the crowd. As the first chord of ‘Atlas Hands’ struck, the audience transformed from stagnant spectators to a chorus of barely audible echoes; heightening the haunting sound. I told you whispers and echoes. Leftwich against Sam Griffiths seemed so different and yet so similar. Whispers against the full bodied, pensiveness against power. Yet what were the similarities? These were two York-bred lads who left the audience awestruck, seemingly by surprise. In a preview for the show, I expected a night of chilled vibes. Consider that box ticked.
MAX HAYDON
Benjamin Francis Leftwich’s sophomore album After The Rain will be released on 19th August.
FOUR
LIVE
Modern Baseball THE Venue, Derby 28.04.16
An hour before I see Modern Baseball play the last show of a sold out UK tour in the outskirts of Derby city centre, dozens of kids are queued outside in the torrential rain as they wait for the doors to open. Modern Baseball, or MOBO as they’ve dubbed themselves, have always elicited this kind of devotion from fans – from their very first acoustic shows performed to family and friends when the band was comprised of just songwriters Jacob Ewald and Brendan Lukens, MOBO have won hearts with their honest and hook-driven flavour of indie rock. As expected, in the weeks leading up to their third (and arguably finest) album Holy Ghost, MOBO are as energetic in the face of exhaustion as they’ve ever been. I get a chance to say hello to Jake before the show, and he’s all too happy to tell me how tired he is in a chipper voice. It’s unsurprising – just before their stint in the UK, the band brought their tour to Australia.
FIVE
At some point it must be hard to keep track of the timezones, but it’s a testament to how hard this band works to keep on growing. The headliners bring only the finest tourmates with them; the filling venue is broken in by Philly four-piece Three Man Cannon (whose vocalist and guitarist Matt Schimelfenig mixed Mobo's last release The Perfect Cast EP), swinging effortlessly into slow rock jams such as ‘Pushing People’. An end refrain of “what’s it take to be what you want?” offers introspection that MOBO will later mirror in their set, carried by a noodling piano line and vocals curiously similar to The New Radicals’ Gregg Alexander. Toronto’s PUP are the next to take the stage, provoking an unprecedented energy from the crowd – highlight tracks ‘DVP’ and ‘Reservoir’ pack as much punch as the circle pits that ensue during their 9 song set. Considering that only
last December the band dropped off the end of a tour due to led singer Stefan Babcock’s haemorrhaging vocal cords, PUP’s tenacity is incredible, and well deserving of the packed halls. PUP aren’t the only band playing that have endured hardships as of late. Towards the end of summer 2015, MOBO called off an Australian headline tour and slots at Reading and Leeds festivals in the wake of Lukens’ struggle with bipolar disorder. After months of drug/alcohol abuse and self-harm, things came to a head; Lukens admitted himself into an outpatient treatment centre for the better part of 5 weeks, coming out in time to record Holy Ghost with no new songs ready. He wrote all of the 5 tracks on his side of the album in the last days of recording – and admirably, they’re among the best he’s ever written. What’s really admirable, though, is how open Lukens has been about his struggle. Like fellow Philly band and close friends
Sorority Noise, Modern Baseball have been doing their best to raise awareness of mental health in a scene that often keeps mum about it. It shows a much-needed changing attitude towards mental wellbeing in punk rock – as more and more organisations arise like Punk Talks, a pro-bono organisation dedicated to providing therapy and mental health services to music industry workers, hopefully the stigma towards it in a demographic where it seems all too important to talk about will fade away. Modern Baseball take the stage around 9:30pm. The crowd start singing even before then, though – but the off-key howling of fuckthe-future anthem ‘Fine, Great’ soon gives way to the real thing, the band effortlessly ripping through that and a couple more fan favourites (‘Broken Cash Machine’, ‘Tears Over Beers’) before turning things skywards with the interestingly titled ‘Alpha Kappa Fall of Troy the Movie part Deux’ from 2015’s Perfect Cast EP. Ewald yelps through spiderweb metaphors in full Weakerthans fash-
ion, following it up with big hitter ‘Apartment’ before passing the torch to Lukens for ‘Rock Bottom’. Pandemonium ensues; the crowd can barely contain itself as Ewald and bassist Ian Farmer drop to their knees and crouch face-to-face in an act of tonguein-cheek theatrics. This is a band having pure fun on stage, completely authentic and honest in who they are – and that’s what’s earned them the label of being “relatable” from so many different publications. It’s impossible not to have a good time here. As Ewald is about to begin ‘Two Good Things’, he admits apprehension; having messed up the intro guitar line on the last night of their previous UK tour, he’s been concerned about doing the same every show since. But tonight, the curse is (thankfully) broken. The track and the rest of the set goes off without a hitch, with the true highlights being the two singles from Holy Ghost, ‘Everyday’ and ‘Apple Cider, I Don’t Mind’. ‘Apple Cider’ is the best performance of the night, with Lukens belting out in-
LIVE
trospection after introspection on a relationship past over Killers-esque chorus riffs. It’s fitting, then, that they close out their set with a medley of 2012’s ‘The Weekend’ and the Las Vegas superstars’ ‘All These Things That I Have Done’ - “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” never sounded sweeter.
As a musician, I sometimes find it difficult to establish a good rapport with the audience; truly engaging with the people listening to you without being poisonously sincere is a tough balance to achieve, and one that Modern Baseball teeter casually on top of without ever falling off. They're unafraid to ask what everybody had for breakfast before launching into spinning narratives about the exhaustion brought about by honesty, and still have the crowd hanging on every word. Enthusiastic, unapologetic, and ecstatic to be there; Modern Baseball are getting stronger every day.
JOWAN MEAD
SIX
LIVE
the 1975
o2 apollo, manchester 14.03.16 If you haven’t heard of The 1975, crawl right on out from under that rock you’ve been living under, find yourself any form of device that plays music and give your ears a musical education. The 1975 are a band no one has been able to escape from ever since they graciously crashed onto the alt rock scene in 2012. Almost four years on, the four have settled more than comfortably as the orbital centre of their genre. Their new album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, hones in on the organised mess of their self-titled debut, yet with a new maturity; each song is refined to give an exhilarating, chaotic cohesion. After debuting at number one on both sides of the pond, the band have embarked on their largest world tour to date. Attending one of the four Manchester dates, the band’s hometown, felt like being invited to the biggest party of the year. The new-wave lead single from their sophomore effort, ‘Love Me’, opens the show, captivating the crowd with its intentionally-conceited confidence. Following it arrives ‘UGH!’, frontman Matt Healy’s ostentatious nod to cocaine addiction, digested by the audience with delight as “I’m not giving it up again!” echoes around the arena. Aside from some verging on incoherent mumbling from Healy through a glass of red wine, the band stay focused on the set. The flamboyant frontman gyrates around a stage of neon pinks and charcoal greys, as the band effortlessly fight their way through an astounding twenty-one songs. The setlist is a seamless journey through their newest tracks with sporadic classics from their debut, such as ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Menswear’.
SEVEN
The central segment of the show becomes a surprisingly intimate affair. ‘Somebody Else’, a favourite from the new album, is met with waving-lighters and smartphone torches. Moving back up the pace, in every sense of the word, the crashing rapturous finale of the effervescent ‘Girls’ adds an instant lift for the ever faithful crowd; not one of whom are fooled by the subsequent exit of the band, erupting chants of “we want ‘Sex’, we want ‘Sex’’’. ‘If I Believe You’ brings everything back down to earth, starting the four song encore as the soothing muffled trumpet and live choir add a new air of sophistication. The announcement of ‘The Sound’, the band’s most commercially successful single to date, sends the crowd into pandemonium. Moments like this make it clear that the self-professed “sycophantic, socratic, pathetic junkie wannabe” in Healy has his fandom at his fingertips. They hang on every word he says. The rush of adrenaline for ‘Sex’ surges through every last person in the room, the pinnacle being Healy drinking in the energy centre stage, perfectly wailing each lyric in harmony with their meaning. The mesmerizing strobe light show mirrors the swell of energy. A perfectly chaotic ending to the most perfectly, paradoxically chaotic and consistent gig, as every member of the crowd leaves with the same rush of adrenaline as the show started with. LIAM SMITH & ELLIE CAWTE
DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL
LIVE
NOTTINGHAM 29.05.16 It’s a totally unique experience; you arrive in Nottingham, and there are families wandering around enjoying their May Bank Holiday, business partners sitting outside restaurants, shoppers enjoying the sales on a Sunday - and then a number of people wearing blue wristbands, meandering around Talbot Street with a can of Red Stripe. That’s right, Dot to Dot had hit Nottingham for the final day of its nationwide city-based festival. Not only does this style of festival allow you to enjoy a day out in a great city, drifting from venue to venue; you also inevitably bump into the artists you’ve come to see. We sat outside Rock City to eat some lunch. During the thirty minutes we were sat there, three quarters of the Temper Trap strolled by, Sundara Karma grabbed a bite to eat and York’s own King No-One came out for a mosey around. Festivals are always a great place to get up close to the artists you love, but Dot to Dot seemed to really provide an effective platform to meet your favourites. With 19 venues on offer, some may worry how the festival manages to find enough great acts to fill them all. However, it seems that this was no problem for a festival that’s all about providing the crowds with new and upcoming bands. Attendees were able to witness hotly tipped acts for the upcoming year, such as hotly tipped Laura Aquilina and alt-pop Hampshire trio Blaenavon - as well as Belfast’s own Pleasure Beach. The festival has proven time and time again since its start in 2005 that it’s more than able to provide Nottingham, its home stomping ground, and now both Bristol and Manchester with a whole host of fantastic small and upcoming artists; and it’s clear this year was no different.
Not only does Dot to Dot provide the small artists an established festival to play at: it’s also become known for offering fans old favourites of the indie-alternative scene. This year was no exception. Headlining the Rock City venue was the excellent Mystery Jets, who recently released their latest album Curve of the Earth. Their set was filled with nostalgia as they played classics from their older albums such as ‘Half in Love with Elizabeth’ and ‘Two Doors Down’, whilst neatly balancing it with some of their more recent tracks. Meanwhile, over in Nottingham Trent Student Union, The Temper Trap were playing the sweet sound of world famous ‘Sweet Disposition’, as well as a few tracks off their brand new album Thick as Thieves. It seemed the only fault in the festival was having so many great acts on in so many venues: you were forced to pick between your favourites. A personal highlight of the festival was a short but mighty thirty-minute set from social media breakthrough act The Hunna. Despite having only announced publicly that they were a band in October 2015, their fan base has grown exponentially - even to the extent that with two songs left in their set, the audience were already chanting the lyrics to their single ‘Bonfire’. When we grabbed a quick word with the boys afterwards, they seemed truly overwhelmed and wanted to thank both the crazy fans and Dot to Dot for providing such a fantastic event. Here’s to seeing where these small bands go on to achieve over the course of the year, hey Dot to Dot? And we’ll all look forward to seeing who you’ll pull out of the woodwork for next year. TOM CADMAN
EIGHT
RECENTLY RELEASED
Lemonade begins with a single broken chain hanging from a structure in an uninhabited New Orleans field. The first time we see Beyoncé, she is kneeling on a theatre stage dwarfed by the magnitude of her environment which could be a metaphor for her superstar career. The opening lyric “You can taste the dishonesty/ it’s all over your breath” sets the tone and the context. Beyoncé will sing about cheating and lying, not for the first time, but here it’s different. The simplicity of the piano and strings ballad ‘Pray You catch me’ coupled with the vulnerability portrayed in the visuals highlights a side to Beyoncé we haven’t seen before. The adapted poems of poet Warsan Shire act as effortless interludes between songs as Beyoncé’s first song transitions into the second track ‘Hold Up’. One of the stand-outs of the album, it combines a light reggae beat and hypnotic chorus with lyrics many women can relate to- the ‘crazy girlfriend’ trope. Here Beyoncé owns the fact she may very well be crazy. She attacks cars and cameras, resplendent in a ruffled yellow gown channelling the African goddess Oshun, the Yoruba deity of love. With ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’, Beyoncé once again gives us a different side to her personality. She is arrogant and fearless. She knows her worth and exactly how she deserves to be treated. If Jay-Z fails to treat her in the way that she deserves he will “lose his wife”. Jack White’s vocal distortion provides rugged edge to Beyoncé’s voice. As with ‘Hold Up’, it’s about empowerment, owning who you are and not tolerating any man who fails to appreciate you. This theme continues in the synth jam ‘Sorry’ featuring an appearance by Serena Williams. ‘6 Inch’ is a celebration of hard working women around the world “stacking money”. Here Beyoncé departs from her own hurt, focusing on the struggles and strength of women around the world. In the visual Beyoncé travels across a city in luxury, dances in 6 inch heels and burns down a bedroom. Considering the role of women who were historically chained to their home and seen only as baby manufacturers, this is particularly symbolic. Moreover, in the context of the previous songs the bedroom is the source of lust, love, and infidelity.
NINE
BEYONCE
LEMONADE If Jay-Z was the man who orchestrated Beyoncé’s pain, ‘Daddy Lessons’ teaches us that her father instilled in her the strength to overcome anything men did to her. The heavy country influence doesn’t fit with the previous tracks, however the snappy song is a gentle break to softly transition into ‘Love Drought’ and ‘Sandcastles’ which both stress the power of love to rebuild relationships. Beyoncé employs the metaphor of sandcastles- in the same way tides can erode a sandcastle, cheating can erode trust in a relationship. But in both instances the foundations still remain. Here Beyoncé reminds us that it’s possible to rebuild what’s lost in order for move “Forward”. ‘Freedom’ departs from Beyonce’s story, returning to the themes she began addressing with lead single ‘Formation’. The recurrent drums provide a military feel to the track, an anthem unequivocally dedicated to black women that touches on police brutality, #BlackLivesMatter, slavery and institutional racism. To some degree, the whole album is dedicated to black women. Beyoncé’s uses a predominantly black female cast and relies on contributions from black artists without the need for inference. Visually the song opens with the word “Hope”, featuring the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner with photos of their deceased. Throughout the song, Beyoncé alludes to herself as the woman who can empower other black women to break the chains society places upon them.
Beyoncé is reminding black women that they can navigate and overcome everything society throws at them in order to flourish as they have done for hundreds of years. The lyrics link back to the opening scene of the chain dangling lifelessly from a forgotten building. Now, finally the audience can appreciate that the chain was once Beyoncé’s. Now she feels free and with a duty to inspire other black women. ‘All Night’ is an upbeat, uplifting song produced by Diplo which concludes Beyoncé’s personal story. She begins on a journey of redemption to rediscover her true self and the love in her relationship. Her torturer became her remedy. The shots of Blue Ivy and Jay-Z show that for Beyoncé, the journey was worth it. The album closes with ‘Formation’ the minimalist punchy song which led to hundreds of think-pieces and criticism for its unashamed celebration of blackness and attack on society mirroring the themes of ‘Freedom’. Lemonade is not merely an album about cheating. Nor is the message exclusively targeted at black women (although they are the focus). It’s about the revolutionary power of love especially when that love is inward, at one’s self. Beyoncé bared her soul by sharing her journey from denial to redemption, in return asking that we do the same. She implores us to let go of our hurt and allow ourselves the time and room to heal.
ALEX IGHALO
RECENTLY RELEASED
BABYMETAL “But whatever their future destiny, it is clear that for now, resistance may be futile.”
METAL RESISTANCE Su-Metal, Yuimetal and Moametal, Japan’s craziest teenagers - better known to the rest of the world as Babymetal – are back. You could say that in the follow-up to their ground-breaking debut album of 2014, they had a lot to prove – to metal fans, to the western world and to themselves. Could their unparalleled fusion of “kawaii” idol fantasy culture and thrash metal only ever be a novelty act, destined to a single moment in musical history? Well, whatever the future holds for Babymetal, their hotly anticipated second album, Metal Resistance, goes a long way to challenge this. For an album of largely indiscernible lyrics, Metal Resistance has ridiculously catchy hooks and an incredible variety of genres, flipping through degrees of metal, J-pop, rock, and finishing on more emotional ballads. Infectious opening singles ‘Road of Resistance’ and ‘Karate’ bring to mind similar tracks from Babymetal’s self-titled debut, particularly the anthemic ‘Gimme Chocolate!!’. However, this album marks a departure from Babymetal by offering some of the band’s most complex and experimental songs yet. ‘Tales of the Destinies’ and ‘GJ!’ stand out with clear influences from Metallica and Slipknot, whilst the catchy riffs in ‘Awadama Fe-
ver’ conjure up the infectious, crazy energy of South African rappers Die Antwoord, and the ephemeral vocals and thumping rhythms in ‘From Dusk Til Dawn’ sound as other-worldly and hypnotic as Grimes. Metal Resistance may not resonate with all British and American metal fans, and this is partly due the fact that despite the band’s experimentation with different types of metal, including the “black metal” track, ‘Sis. Anger’. It is an album which remains true to Japanese idol culture. There is a clear influence of J-pop, led by artists including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, whose almost unbearable brand of saccharine pop is evident on Metal Resistance, particularly on the stand-out ‘Amore’. However, although Babymetal emulate this “kawaii” element in their live performances – which really are out-ofthis-world, complete with matching tutus, pigtails and 90’s girl-band dance routines – on record, they have achieved a gimmicky sound that doesn’t merely resemble the Pokémon theme tune by blending modern-day Japanese pop with iconic metal. The self-confessed Limp Bizkit and Bring Me The Horizon fans clearly idolise western music, but the fact that their own music refuses to neglect their cultural roots is
what has made them so individual. The blurring of their off-stage/onstage personas add to the cryptic, overly-dramatic personality of the band – and explains why they have supported Lady Gaga on her 2015 tour. However, unlike the obvious commercialism of artists like Lady Gaga, Babymetal have a higher level of authenticity about them, which is testament to their Japanese culture. The fact that Babymetal believe their producer, Kobametal, is the only one who can communicate with the band’s guiding idol, known as the ‘Fox God’, would be a bizarre concept in the western music industry… yet in the case of Babymetal, this becomes just another charming aspect of their identity. Despite having made history on their world tour this April by becoming the first Japanese band to headline Wembley Arena, the question is whether Metal Resistance, and Babymetal themselves, will stand the test of time in years to come. “Only the Fox God knows!” would be the girls’ response, and honestly, I can’t predict how far Babymetal will go, or whether they will only have been a short-lived, mental experiment…but whatever their future destiny, it is clear that for now, resistance may be futile. JESSIE ADAMS
TEN
RECENTLY RELEASED
THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS EVERYTHING YOU'VE COME TO EXPECT a whole, so it only seemed fair to give Everything You’ve Come To Expect a chance. The opening track ‘Aviation’ did little to overly impress me, and neither did ‘Miracle Aligner’, the second offering of the album. ‘Dracula Teeth’, however, I love. There’s something about the way it flows and builds that’s beautiful. Whilst I normally find the histrionics that are so characteristic of The Last Shadow Puppets a point of grievance, it works wonderfully in this track. I find myself listening to Everything You’ve Come To Expect with some reservations. I’ve always met the music of The Last Shadow Puppets with some scepticism – sometimes it feels a little too theatrical for my liking, and sometimes repetitive. For me, the question of whether they would be so popular if they weren’t the brainchild of Alex Turner and Miles Kane always comes to mind whenever I hear them. That’s not to say I dislike them – I enjoyed some of their first album, but their music is something I don’t find myself listening to too regularly. However, I liked ‘Bad Habits’ when it was released a few months ago, and I’ve heard glowing reviews of the album as
Everything You’ve Come To Expect seems to feature Alex Turner’s vocals much more heavily than those of Miles Kane, especially when compared to their debut The Age of the Understatement. I can’t say I’m disappointed by this – whilst I’m a fan of both artists individually, Turner undoubtedly has my heart. As a whole, the album feels much more strongly influenced by Turner – lyrics such as ‘just let me know when you want your socks knocking off’ from ‘The Element of Surprise’ seem so incredibly him, along with the mention of Sheffield city centre – his hometown - in ‘The Dream Synopsis’.
‘The Dream Synopsis’ feels reminiscent of the soundtrack for the film Submarine, a solo venture by Turner, combined with ‘No. 1 Party Anthem’ from Arctic Monkeys’ AM. Again, the greater influence of Turner over Kane is evident here. That’s not to say that the whole album lacks Kane’s influence – tracks such as ‘Bad Habits’ are clearly evocative of his solo music. ‘The Dream Synopsis’ stands out from the rest of the album. It’s essentially the token acoustic track that features towards the end on many albums, but it’s a little more interesting than most of these songs. It still retains the unmistakable sound of The Last Shadow Puppets, but dilutes it a little to create a more relaxed, chilled track that’s arguably one of the best on the album. The resounding thought in my mind as I listened to this album for the first time was how aptly named it was. It sounded how I thought it would and it displayed the exact level of theatrics I had anticipated. I predicted that I’d like it but not be blown away by it, and this was the case. Everything You’ve Come To Expect was truly everything I had come to expect from The Last Shadow Puppets. LUCY MCLAUGHLIN
AURORA ALL MY DEMONS GREETING ME AS A FRIEND advert. Since then, her debut album, All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend has been released by the Norwegian teenager. The album makes a subtle entrance with murmurs that grow into the vocals: “I was listening to the ocean/ I saw a face in the sand.” with the addition of a single drum beat slowly developed throughout the track. While the message is powerful, the strength that is seen in other tracks is somewhat lacking in ‘Runaway’. However, it does act as a good showcase of her capabilities.
Never has being associated with a brand helped an artist so much. The fragile yet strong voice of AURORA was launched onto the screens of millions with her version of the Oasis track ‘Half the World Away’, which was featured as the soundtrack to the 2015 John Lewis Christmas television
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Tracks that do demonstrate this fragile yet strong tone of voice appropriately include ‘Warrior’ and ‘Conqueror.’ Both are faster in tempo and are aided by various rhythmic percussion. The lyrics present a streak of independence and robustness. “I am a-yeahyeah-yeah-yeah / Warrior, warrior of love...” in Warrior and “I feel alive” in Conqueror. Undoubtedly, AURORA’s voice is exceptional for someone so young.
In contrast, a high degree of vulnerability is shown in ‘Through the Eyes of a Child’. Soft, silky melodies are accompanied by limited, but effective piano. Chilling. It is tracks like this on the album that, personally, captivate. In addition, a real sense of AURORA’s Scandinavian roots is generated. She is one of the growing number of Scandinavian artists to be breaking into the British music scene, and she achieves this with relative success. All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend has received generally positive feedback from critics. I second this. As a debut album from a 19 year old it is impressive and well-constructed, but AURORA certainly has more to give, and this will be exciting to watch over the coming years. The vocals, lyrics and accompaniment are thoughtful and show a great deal of technical flexibility. Global success is certainly not ‘half the world away’… RACHEL MOORE
RECENTLY RELEASED
RADIOHEAD A MOON SHAPED POOL composed that it isn’t until after multiple listens that the album truly unfolds. It’s the summation of everything Radiohead have done up to this point; shades of every album can be felt here. It might
A Moon Shaped Pool might be the best album of the year yet. It’s already been an incredible one, with a strong first half that I actually almost forgot included Kanye and Kendrick Lamar amongst its releases. Poor old James Blake then, who had the unfortunate timing of releasing his new album over the same weekend that Radiohead decided to surprise us all by dropping this. Sending the internet into frenzy (again), Thom Yorke and the crew have once again shown us all not only how bloody gifted they are musically, but also why they’re so divisive in nature. To the fan, Radiohead is this century’s answer the Beatles. To the non-believer, they’re pretentious, boring, middle aged moaners. With all of that being said, it would be a dreadful mistake to take Yorke’s voice as anything but incredible here. It’s almost effortless, how he stretches out syllables over verses, holds a falsetto so comfortably, and yet still remains an element secondary to the true brilliance of this album. It might seem like a truism to say a Radiohead album is a reflection of the band in a microcosm, but it could not be more true than in A Moon Shaped Pool - an album that eschews with the technological indulgence of 2011’s King of Limbs in favour of a return to roots. In a sense, we’re getting a purified Radiohead, a band that is still acutely aware of their context both musically and thematically. The genius of messrs Greenwood, Greenwood, O’Brien and Selway is almost taken for granted here; it is so thoughtfully arranged and minutely
UPCOMING RELEASES 10.06.16
SPRING KING - Tell Me If You Like To
“so thoughtfully 17.06.16 arranged and RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS - The minutely composed Getaway MITSKI - Puberty 2 that it isn’t until after PAWS - No Grace multiple listens that 24.06.16 the album truly DROWNERS - On Desire unfolds” be too welcoming to assess it against the band’s canon, but it’s difficult to judge it in terms of something that it feels like a natural constituent of. Displacing A Moon Shaped Pool from it’s predecessors and judging it against say, 2006’s In Rainbows, does both albums an injustice. The first single ‘Burn the Witch’ opens the album with what would be a muscular pace if it wasn’t subdued and warped by a hefty set of strings, which guide a chorus that is both catchy and impossible to sing along to. What follows is a surprisingly diverse collection of tracks that astoundingly seem to capture a single tone across the 52 minute run time. There’s a constant tinge of metaphor in Yorke’s lyrics here, with songs like ‘Desert Island Disk’ being the epitome of a mutual understanding between each element of the band, working in tandem to not only build, but inhabit an atmosphere of subtle melancholy and wistfulness. Of course, many will argue that the almost overbearing influx of fandom, longform and think-pieces that will accompany this release isn’t warranted. However, it’s more a testament to the power of a band that can and still continues to produce music with the capability of splitting the press open. A Moon Shaped Pool is one of those albums that’s release veers into being an event of sorts…but boy, is it an event deserving of its acclaim.
1.07.16
METRONOMY - Summer 08 BLINK-182 - California BAT FOR LASHES - The Bride
8.07.16 BIFFY CLYRO - Ellipsis
15.07.16
GOOD CHARLOTTE - Youth Authority
22.07.16 MSTRKRFT - Operator
29.07.16 BILLY TALENT - Afraid Of Heights
5.08.16 WILD BEASTS - Boy King
19.08.16
BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH After The Rain
26.08.16
DE LA SOUL - And The Anonymous Nobody
ARUN KAKAR
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UPCOMING RELEASE
BROKEN BEAK “Some Nerve makes full use of the space its given, riding on waves of distortion, snappy drumlines and cleverly placed feedback”
SOME NERVE Broken Beak have come far in a short amount of time. Initially the solo work of lead vocalist and songwriter Beau Brynes, the Philly group has only recently followed through from its past flirting with fully-fledged band recordings Some Nerve is their first full-length on Near Mint Records, and follows a couple of singles released last New Year’s Day. It expands on these past efforts, standing a full head or two above them – although these were fantastic releases, Some Nerve makes full use of the space it’s given, riding on waves of distortion, snappy drum lines and cleverly placed feedback to create a powerful indie rock record. Straight from the starting line, Broken Beak make their presence known – a brief acoustic intro in ‘Matches’ soon makes way for the energy of the band whilst Brynes really comes into his own vocally, delivering pained lake/hound metaphors with a kick. His voice brings comparisons to Mike Kinsella (as of late especially), but ultimately that’s a lazy one – Beau carries a restrained fury in his singing that wouldn’t be found in Kinsella, but still manages to convey softer moments with grace and warmth. As well as Brynes, the Broken Beak name is carried by Evan Clark Moorehead (bass), Jeff
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Malt (drums), and Brendan Lukens (guitar). They work in tandem with Brynes’ songwriting, bringing a sense of urgency to the recordings that fits as the missing piece of the Beak jigsaw. A lot of the time it’s difficult to tell what Brynes is actually conveying in his music. Outside of performing, Brynes is best known for his visual art under the moniker “Bad Museum”. His work is hazy, abstract and at times unnerving, a feeling also expressed in his poetry; there’s themes of fear, longing and addiction prevalent here, one particular line that sticks being a refrain of “the pain is not mine” in ‘Matches’. Beau changes his tune later on in pre-release single ‘Saint’, pulling away from the microphone to bark “some pain is mine” over a low feedback hum. Little themes of continuity like this make the record an evocative, balls-to-the-wall listen – the last line of ‘Stable’ being “I am a devil” leading straight into the punching drum introduction to ‘Saint’ seems like no small accident. The specific situations are difficult to discern, but whether he’s mulling over relationships (both familial and romantic), base attraction and self-esteem, or lyrical ground less walked on, Brynes builds himself a frame and fills the space in between with incredibly rich, frantic imagery.
Waxing lyrical aside, the album flows remarkably well from beginning to end. Jake Ewald’s production work is stellar, tying together intense and shamelessly riffing tracks such as ‘Humble’ to songs like ‘Venom Room’, which wouldn’t be out of place on an Orchid Tapes release – Brynes strums alone over a warm keyboard line that’s reminiscent of the refrain in Alex G’s ‘Cards’, harkening back to Broken Beak’s early releases. The ropes at work here are subtle, never fraying; they bring Brynes’ vocals to the foreground without overshadowing the rest of the band at work. ‘Deliver’ is a key example of this – an earlier recording released on Bandcamp was still brilliant, but muddier. This version wears the right gloves to the ring, delivering (wow) the song with the clear-cut punch it needs. Some Nerve is an album deserving of your attention. Boding great things for a band who are really just getting started at this game, it carries spit, grit and serious depth in one tightly bound package. JOWAN MEAD Some Nerve is due to be released on July 1st.
RECENTLY RELEASED
JAMES BLAKE “Blake’s vocal harmonies weave between and hover over the anthemic, striking piano chords”
THE COLOUR IN ANYTHING On May 6th, James Blake’s third album The Colour In Anything was released. With two top ten albums in the UK already under his belt, Blake’s new release was highly anticipated. To underestimate Blake’s popularity would be folly. Blake has built a steady fan base since his self-titled 2011 album was released. His material is so unique and transporting that everyone has the same idea in seeing him live; not so fun when it comes to tickets selling out, as they have for his most recent tour in just a matter of seconds. Blake’s relationship with Radio 1 gave him yet another push forward into the public eye and he has been highly commended by Nick Grimshaw and Zane Lowe. He now has his own residency on the station, where he previewed two of his own new singles, ‘Modern Soul’ and ‘Timeless’. ‘Modern Soul’ remains one of the best songs on the album and Blake was wise to release it as a single. Blake’s vocal harmonies weave between and hover over the anthemic, striking piano chords that give defining structure to the song. ‘Timeless’ is more eerie and enigmatic, with James repeating, “you know you slide out, when you slide in with graceful shadow”. These lyrics set the tone for the rest of the album, and there are times where his lyrics
and melodies are a little too inaccessible. That being said, it is refreshing to not always have a song’s meaning waved brashly in front of your face. In this way Blake makes a stark, restoring contrast to the Pitbull’s and Robin Thicke’s of the music world. The musical composition of this album is also a highlight; his childhood spent surrounded by musicians and his education at Goldsmith’s have resulted in intelligently pieced together tracks which create emotion subtly. There is something about Blake’s vocal delivery that feels like he is bearing his soul on every track. That something is what artists sometimes spend a lifetime searching for and that something is what keeps Blake’s listeners emotionally engaged and hungry for more every time. ‘Love Me In Whatever Way’ is perhaps the most transparent with regards to lyrical intention, and Blake’s anguish over love is tangible and heart rending. If emotional output was ever in question, Blake teams up with King of Sentiment, Bon Iver on ‘I Need A Forest Fire’. The track is really one of the strongest on the album and the pair’s arresting vocals compliment each other well. Blake’s use of layering and looping creates a dipping and swooning effect which parallels the interweaving vocals. A future collaboration for the two would
be interesting. ‘Always’ is another highlight which idealises a natural utopia as Blake sings, “It’s a sweet world, always”. The fact Blake manages to get this meaning through not only his lyrics, but through melody, is something yet again quite remarkable for contemporary music. ‘Always’ was co written with Frank Ocean and Blake appears on Beyoncé’s new album; Blake’s collaborations with artists of varying genres bring out his most creatively dense music yet. Although Blake’s music is clearly electronic, his ability to morph into different genres of music and incorporate styles from various areas means the musician is constantly evolving. The Colour In Anything does clock in at 76 minutes long, which for some can seem tiresome. However, Blake’s album seems more like a wave to wash over than a rock pool to examine. The album is immersive and hypnotising at points. If Quentin Blake designed the artwork for Blake’s album cover, then the content of The Colour In Anything similarly works as a masterpiece of musical art.
SOPHIE CHURCH
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OSCAR
features
He may be hard to search the internet for, (the second page of results after numerous Academy Award websites) but Oscar is on the rise. With the release of his debut album Cut and Paste on May 13th, supporting Bloc Party on their US tour and a tour of his own to follow in September and October in the UK before heading through Europe, 2016 is a huge year for this 23-year-old Londoner. It may be surprising to find out that Oscar does have a surname: Scheller, but much like many Brazilian football players, including a different Oscar, he just goes by his first name. Although, unlike the other Oscar, he “was always bad at sports”, a line preceded by “tell me who I should support/Red team, green team” in the song ‘Sometimes’. He hopes that one day he can reach the heights of other single-named artists like Elvis and Adele, and admits that he loves the “enigma” that surrounds just using one name as well as the aesthetics of it. My interview with him began with a major dose of fanboying on my part, but soon he was talking about his findings when googling himself: an old trip advisor review he wrote at when he was 15 was a highlight. He was obsessed with exotic beaches due to their paradisiacal qualities, and decided to write a review which he forgot about until it came up on Google. Although music is clearly an obsession now, it wasn’t always that way; he’d previously aspired to be an Egyptologist, a fashion designer, a perfume bottle designer and rollercoaster engineer
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before he finally arrived at musician. Art is clearly a big part of his life, as he has a degree in Fine Art from Central St Martins and attended an “arty school” prior to that. He also has a love for Andy Warhol, who he said would be his first choice if he could interview anybody, living or dead. He began writing songs when he moved house and felt low and isolated; song writing became an outlet for that, and thankfully he stuck by it. His songs tend to come from a melancholic place, but they don’t all begin that way as he usually writes the music before the lyrics come, with the melody being the key part for him - he even gets ideas for tunes from simple things like ringtones. However, he does have a desire to be more of a lyricist, which is evident in hiw writing: “We play these games so well you’d think we made them”, the opening line to recent single ‘Good Things’, is one of his favourite lyrics, although he says “I think it’s because I don’t try very hard” that his lyrics come easily and after the music. The years of work that went before Cut and Paste weren’t as hard to whittle down to the 10 track album as might be expected from his previous releases; with 5 of the tracks already let out into the world and a last minute addition in album-closer ‘Gone Forever’, his better creations stood out, making the choices simple. This coincides with the title of the album in lieu of the chopping and changing that it’s been through; he also confesses this has
features been a big part of his life with art and making music, literally copying and pasting in recording all the instruments himself and putting them together, something he’s delighted to say he’s got better at. In terms of recording the music, he began recording all the instruments himself; but as he’s become more successful and acquired a band, they play their own instruments on the recordings – though he still writes it all. Despite being influenced by greats like Elvis, Buddy Holly and Lionel Bart, his parents also have a huge impact on what he does. Being musicians themselves in the early 80s new wave band The Regents, growing up around their music and going to his mum (a “refreshingly honest” critic) for advice and opinions on his work has helped his progression a lot. His mum will tell him if she thinks he can do better, and won’t just say anything he does is wonderful. On his admiration for Lionel Bart, he told me a story; when Bart finished writing ‘Oliver!’ he went insane due to the mastery of the work he’d just created - something which appeals to Oscar. Not necessarily the insanity part, but in reaching that level of work and creating something that he could listen to himself and be that proud of. Not that he isn’t happy with the excellent start to his musical career and the recognition he’s getting, including having his music blasted out to him when he takes Ubers in America – the only time he actually listens to it aside from recording, and some-
thing he tries to avoid (the drivers still get a 5-star rating). Oscar gives warning of changes to his music and experiments in other genres, although not in the near future; he listens to all sorts of genres and confesses to a temptation to dabble in RnB, as well as having a history of rapping in school (an interesting prospect). If Jake Bugg can attempt to change genres and “rap” then I have no doubt Oscar could too; especially after hearing ‘Good Things’ with its reggae-like backbeat in the verses, which works perfectly with his smooth, low voice. One of the major things I took away from our 20-minute phone call was that he’s not just a talented musician, but also a funny, polite and delightful guy. On ‘Sometimes’ he sings “Just say it straight cause nothing ever lasts”. One thing can be said straight - I hope for all our sakes his music lasts. His future is definitely one to keep an ear on considering the quality of his present efforts, but for now we have the dulcet tones of Cut and Paste to enjoy and overplay. WILL STRICKSON Catch Oscar at Sheffield Harley on September 28th & Leeds Nation of Shopkeepers on September 29th.
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THe TEMPER TRAP 100 million plays on a single song on Spotify, warm-up to The Rolling Stones and playing to crowds of 30,000 plus. It’s fair to say Aussie boys The Temper Trap, have had a pretty awesome 11 years. Since the success of their previous records the band has evolved to release its latest album Thick As Thieves, which came out on the 10th June. We catch up with drummer Toby and guitarist Jonny backstage at Nottingham’s leg of Dot to Dot Festival to find out more about the album, which has taken over four years to produce, and to get some inside info on this band’s great career.
Jonny jumps in to tell me “there’s more of an intuition of the DNA of the band. You know what works, what’s going on and if it’s settling.”
Trap-style anthems that made the Melbourne boys famous, whilst adding some new sounds that can be seen to have come from these “outside” writers.
Although they’re taking things back to the sounds of their first album, Conditions, the boys are quick to tell me how they have taken help from outside writers. Notable help, they say, comes from French ex-punk band artist, Pascal Gabriel, as well as ‘Malay’ (James Ho), who helped put together Frank Ocean’s latest
Due to the seemingly diverse influences for the album, I’m keen to find out who the boys like listening to whilst writing and on the road. Was it the likes of Lana Del Rey? Was it more hip-hop? Or something totally different? Jonny takes an almost reflective sigh to say, “Now we’re getting older, I think we’re all getting a lot more cemented in the bands we do like from the past.” Toby interrupts him to say that there are some current artists he’s into such as, “Anderson .Paak, that’s tiding me over until the new Frank Ocean album.” But overall it seems more the older jams that the band is into. “I went record shopping yesterday and picked up some Rolling Stones, Nick Cave and Van Halen as well as Midnight Oil, a classic Australian band - which was pretty cool to find on a street stand in Bristol.” Interestingly though, The Temper Trap almost added a cover of one of their favourite current bands, Unknown
“We got to support The boys told me how the new The Rolling Stones in album has a different feel to it as they’ve created their own studio Hyde Park” in London near where they now live, and have also tried to focus on some of the styles similar to their early work. “There’s a constant evolution, but we feel this one has kinda gone back a bit to the first album. There’s more of a focus on the guitars. In the second album we got a bit side tracked by synthesizers.” Toby goes on, “It’s about bringing back some of that rawness.” Now
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album. “He’s like a hip-hop guy so that was quite different”. Finally, Justin Parker, who has worked with Lana Del Rey, made some contributions to some of the music off the latest album. Although an often criticised method of music production, it’s clear to see the benefit of their outside influences, as the new album provides a renewal of the early Temper
Mortal Orchestra, to their UK set list. It seems puzzling to me that a band who have won a number of awards for their albums to date wanted to play a cover as part of their set list. However, if you watch their performance of the cover for Triple J on YouTube, you’ll see why they like it so much.
Rolling Stones in Hyde Park.” No biggie I suppose guys, probably worth a mention. Now, I know that Thick As Thieves had taken some input from other people - I want to know whether or not they had dedicated it to anyone. Perhaps one of the writ-
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the actual songs that had come from other writers meant, but The Temper Trap have said a number of times in the past how it’s much more for the listener to interpret than for them to force feed the message to the fans. “I play in the band come on, tell me!” Jonny shrieks in despair, as Dougie Mandagi, lead singer and writer, won’t even tell the rest of the band what the songs are about.
“30,000 plus people were singing back the However, I was able to pry out lyrics to us and we were some meaning to the album, as Jonny had written some of like ‘whoa!’” the tracks. “’So Much Sky’, the
The Temper Trap have played for thousands upon thousands of people across the world since forming in 2005 at venues large and small, which has inevitably led to some pretty amazing scenes. Jonny and Toby both agree on one euphoric moment. “It was in the first album days; we played a show in Mexico City and we were told the album hadn’t even been released there, and then we went out and 30,000 plus people were singing back the lyrics to us and we were like ‘whoa!’” They take a brief moment to reflect on the crazy experiences of their career before almost glossing over one small moment. “ …and yeah we got to support the
ers who helped them? Or make it cliché and dedicate the album to the fans? The response is unexpected. “The album name is sort of... dedicated to us.” The boys laugh as they realise that didn’t come out quite how they intended it to. Jonny backtracks to redeem themselves by saying, “It’s about how we bonded together over the last four years. Toby suggested it and we all kinda gravitated towards it.” Not surprisingly, Toby and Jonny couldn’t tell me what
second track on the album. Jonny and Dougie went on a trip to Tanzania to see a well we had raised money for with our first album. That song is inspired by their experience of being out on the Savannah.” I’m struck by how down to earth these guys are. They have been so open with me during the interview. There can’t be many bands that would be so open about the influence of outside writers. Moreover, the fact they have taken inspiration for songs from charity work they have done almost seems to give rock’n’roll a new meaning. Their friendly and mellow aura is neatly summed up as the interview draws to a close; they get up to say goodbye and knock a couple of apples off the coffee table - “Whoa rock’n’roll man, now we’re throwing fruit at each other.” TOM CADMAN Pick up the new album, As Thick As Thieves, now.
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THE BOXER REBELLION After their show at The Deaf Institute in Manchester, our writer Yasmin caught up with Nathan Nicholson of The Boxer Rebellion for a chat about their new album Ocean by Ocean, songwriting and the changing music industry.
It’s been 3 years since you guys last released anything; obviously Todd [Howe, the lead guitarist] left, so when you got back in the studio did you find that much had changed? Well, he left because he got married to a girl in Arizona. He spent a lot of time out there and the three of us went in the studio; by the time he left, we were already writing. It was different having Andy come on board, in the sense of just having to learn someone else’s musical knowledge and interests.
Did Andy change the dynamic a lot? Yeah, he has a ton of ideas; he’s the kind of guy that’s never 100% satisfied with things,
least put it out there. I think before, it had to be a certain quality to get into shops — in
so he’s always searching. It worked really well, there was never any let up on creativity.
the US the biggest music retailer was probably Walmart; now it’s Apple or Amazon and no one’s restricted so you don’t have to be on a certain level.
What inspired you when you were writing Ocean by Ocean? We try to not think about it too much because when we do it’s just added pressure.
What’s your best concert experience?
What usually happens is that we’ll just hit on a track that informs the rest of the album
When we first played the Shepherd’s Bush Empire. That was a goal of ours and it was
and is the keystone track — for this album that was ‘Weapon’. It informed a certain
a little emotional. There have been a lot of other good ones, but for us, I think it’s when
aesthetic for the album, that’s why we went down that route of the colourful 80s’ vibe.
either a gig is surprisingly good and you’re not expecting it and it becomes a milestone.
Not everything sounds like that, but it was intentional once we found that style. What was your worst experience? When you’re recording do you find that the music you’re listening to changes the
We played a weird festival in Singapore. When they’re industry-orientated events they’re
style and tone of what you’re doing?
always a bit stale and not very fun, but I’m sure we’ve had worse. It’s usually when
I don’t listen to much music when we’re writing or recording; I listen to podcasts, just
equipment goes down on us, the stuff I have nightmares about. Before a big show or
because I like interviews. I think if I’m writing and I hear an amazing track, this com-
before we go on tour, I always dream that I’ve lost my equipment. Then, by the time
petition will start going, which I think is unhealthy and it’s nicer to just focus on what
I’ve got everything together everyone in the audience has left. But luckily that’s never
I’m trying to do. So I don’t really think about it, because we’re just in our little zone. But
happened.
once the record comes out it’s different. If you could describe Ocean by Ocean in one word, what would it be? What do you listen to?
I would say colourful. It’s got a lot of layers and parts to it.
Right now it’s DJ Shadow, Caveman, and Kendrick Lamar. If you could see any band in history live, whom would you choose? You were in the film ‘Going the Distance’ but if you could choose one film or director
It’d be cool to see Pink Floyd in their heyday, and it would be cool to have seen some
to use, what would you pick?
of the old blues guys like Howlin’ Wolf. Maybe The Beatles, but I think they never really
I don’t know! It would have to really fit. I like Kevin Smith; I’ve thought that maybe I
played any gigs where it wasn’t just pandemonium and loads of girls shouting. If they
could message him. Joe Swanberg too. I think our songs would work for them. We do
were playing right here right now, that’d be pretty sick.
write for movies occasionally, so it tends to work. For bands like us, it’s sometimes the way we can make ends meet.
What other instrument in the band do you want to play? I’d be hopeless at the drums, but I’d like to be able to play them. I can sing and play
What do you think of the digitization of the music industry?
guitar, or play piano and sing - but I can’t do two beats at once.
I think a lot of it’s good, but there are things I miss because I’m from the time of record shops and CD stores where you could thumb through everything. But I like it in a lot of
What are your plans for the future?
ways because it allows bands to instantly be available everywhere, so you can cut out
Our whole aim is just to be able to continue making records and to have enough
the middleman and go direct to whoever your fans are. It doesn’t mean people find it,
success to do that.
or will necessarily be able to listen to it, or it may not even be any good, but you can at YASMIN ASIF
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dma's It’s a common assumption that your sound is very much Britpop-esque. Is that something you were influenced by, or is it more that you were influenced by the artists that influenced the bands that you are compared to? Or, do you have alternative influences and it’s all coincidental? I first got into that kind of music when I was about 15. We had a group of mates at school and we loved Oasis, Blur, Stone Roses, Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, Jesus and the Mary Chain, the La’s. We all still play music now in other bands back home. I grew up listening to lots of Springsteen, country based music, lots of bluegrass music when I was a kid, like Doc Watson DMA’s are a band that a lot of people have been
wasn’t doing anything with my life, I didn’t even know
waiting for, and it shows at their sold out gig at Leeds
what I was gonna do. I was playing video games and
Belgrave music hall and canteen. Reminiscent of
then my friend’s brother called me up and asked me if
genres gone by and regenerative of a culture that was
I wanted to join and I didn’t really know Tom yet, I ac-
crying out for something new – DMA’s are a slight nod
tually remember when I first met him and I walked into
to the ethos of the 90’s with a British sound, assisted
this pub in Sydney and I got introduced to him and he
by a raw energy and an independence from the norm
was like; “Tommy this is Johnny he’s gonna be playing
that so many can relate to. This is combined with their
bass for us”, and he gave me the biggest hug. We never
slight reluctance to embrace the limelight, all for the
thought about playing music - we weren’t even that
good of the music. So being met by Johnny Took,
close friends, but then towards the end of that band
guitarist, who introduced himself warmly with a hand-
we became really close friends. Two of the guys in the
shake was pleasing. We sat down for an enthusiastic
band were having a bit of a falling out, and one time we
and down to earth pre-gig chat.
were away in the country writing music and they went to bed early, we just stayed up drinking whiskey and
Congratulations on the release of Hills End, you’ve
writing tunes. That night we wrote a song called Hills
done brilliantly to say it’s not been too long since you
End which isn’t on the album but is one of the reasons
started making music.
why we called the album that. There’s a place called Hill
We only released music in 2013, but Tommy Mason
End that’s a country town in NSW and it ended up being
and I were writing music together for nearly three years
in the lyrics, but to make all the phrasing right we added
prior to that, just because we were playing in other
an ‘S’ because it just made it better for the song.
bands and we wanted to get as many songs written
Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Junior for the guitar sounds in our tunes. It’s funny, Mason had never even EVER heard of Oasis until he joined our band; maybe heard Wonderwall or something on the radio, so now when we get constantly compared he’s like “what the fuck?!”
What were your approaches to writing, do you have a particular methodology? Every song is completely different, I couldn’t tell you. I wrote ‘Step Up The Morphine’ in about half an hour on the piano. And then songs like ‘Too Soon’ were an idea that Mason had and a melody that Tommy had and an idea that I had and we just put it all together. ‘Straight Dimensions’, Mason pretty much wrote the whole thing except for like the pre-chorus. We just try to write music that makes us happy and it resonates with us well and then it feels right for us. We aren’t trying to write music that doesn’t feel natural for us. Also, working with Tommy and Mason is one of the best relationships I’ve ever had, musically, where we can share ideas with
as possible before we started touring. I’ve seen bands
In the UK we have a big scene for bands like yours,
that get 12 really good songs and they can release a
what’s the music scene like in Sydney? Was it easy to
pretty decent album, because once you start touring
get a place in it?
so much you don’t have your normal studio set up, and
It was weird because the style of music that we were
it’s really hard to write and keep up that momentum -
playing definitely has that British sound to it, there
you’re writing when you’re on the road. It’s helped us
weren’t many bands in Australia when we first released
now, we probably could go and record a second album
‘Delete’ a few years ago, also we didn’t play gigs
if we wanted to, but that doesn’t need to happen for a
because the Sydney live music scene was dying pretty
year and a bit. It’s nice to know, it takes the pressure off
hard. Lots of these iconic rock venues that had been
when you’re touring.
open for 30 years were closing down, like The Andale hotel, The Hopeton and the lockout laws were being put
How did DMA’s form?
into place. We’d go out and party and be creative and it
I was playing in a band with Tommy, but he was a
was one of the reasons why we decided to stay in and
couple of years older than me, so I was like 18 when I
record and didn’t really wanna play live.
joined that band. It was like a ‘psychy’ band. I literally
and stuff like that, Joni Mitchel the band. Mason loves
each other. I might have an idea and show it to Mason, and he might have an idea, vice versa.
If you were able to, is there anyone that you would love to collaborate with musically? I’m happy with the guys I’m playing music with now. You could meet someone that could be an idol of yours and they could be a fucking arsehole. Or, you could just catch someone on the wrong day. You know who would be cool actually? Jono Ma from Jagwar Ma cause I like his production.
SOPHIE GOODALL
TWENTY
COMMENT
WHO NEEDS GENRES?
The thought of being into just one music genre seems odd. Attaching yourself to one kind of music in an effort to express your identity is a trend that appears to be dying out. In an age with countless other means to express yourself, clinging to a single music genre is no longer one of them. We listen to music because of what we’re doing, and what we want it to make us feel, regardless of genre. We have playlists for running, playlists for revision, playlists for parties, playlists for nights in, playlists for when we’re feeling nostalgic, playlists for pre-drinks, playlists for getting us out of bed in the morning. The list is endless. That question of “what sort of music are you into?” results in either a fumbled response of “oh y’know, lots of things really” before you forget every band you’ve ever listened to or even heard of, or you give the seemingly arrogant “I pretty much like everything” because music is no longer defined by genres, and that’s the best quick response you can give. Listeners transition between styles, which means the creators are doing it too. With musical influences getting broader and cultural impact ever increasing and becoming global, a release from one artist can cross a multitude of genres, within both an album and song. Is it not then redundant to group musicians according to genre if they’re flitting between so many?
“What d’they sound like?” you get asked after recommending a new artist to someone. “Oh y’know, a bit like that other nondescript band you like” because we don’t even know what features define a genre anymore. James Blake is known as the defining artist for post-dub, a relatively new genre, yet his latest album: The Colour in Anything is pretty much anything but. Featuring on Beyoncé’s latest studio album Lemonade was a surprising collaboration, throwing off anyone’s perceptions of what was expected of either of them. And it’s fantastic. Today’s postmodern society means music is full of samples and references to alternative and past cultures. Music is a platform to mash together styles from all over the world which wouldn’t have otherwise collaborated. Platforms such as the Radio 1 Live Lounge are pushing artists to cover current hits, often completely dissimilar to their own sound, resulting in unusual yet great mixes while quashing previous stigmas attached to some genres. Music has the ability to create new ideas through the exploration of both a personal history, and an entire culture. Genres that were unique to geographical locations are now being spread globally. Kanye West has always explicitly and openly been at the front of this. His track ‘Blood on the Leaves’ creates an emotional impact for his listeners by mixing the explicitly politically anti-racism song ‘Strange Fruit’, with lyrics of materialism, identity and drug culture.
"We no longer have to choose. We can have it all."
Lana Del Rey’s Wikipedia page has her listed as being baroque-pop, dream-pop, indie-pop, rock, trip-hop. With five separate genres (none of which concisely categorise her sound at all), they’d be better off putting “kind of sad, but in a good way. Perfect for summer evenings.” Most artists have to be quantified under multiple genres, and the newer the artist, the more genres and subgenres have been attached to them, which shows they don’t really fit under any. Genres have become so vague that they no longer really mean anything. Understandably, it’s natural to want to categorize musicians, but if they don’t have a list of genres under their name, they’ll create new ones that no one really understands. Artists like Diet Cig are describing themselves under the newly coined genre of ‘slop-pop’; a term that was thrown at them presumably because nothing else could accurately describe their fun yet tacky sound.
TWENTY ONE
There’s an ever-growing ease to accessing music (if we ignore Kanye’s exclusive initial release on Tidal). Spotify, YouTube, SoundCloud, Apple Music and all the other smaller sites mean we can listen to whatever we want, whenever we choose. We can decide whether we want music for ‘Sittin’ On The Back Porch’ (yes, that is an actual Spotify playlist) or we can filter and group our tunes ourselves. Everyone listens to a much broader spectrum of sounds. We no longer have to save up to buy the hardcopies of music just so we can listen to it. We no longer have to choose. We can have it all. Traditional music genres are ceasing to exist, because they’re no longer absolutes. They’ve all become one blurred spectrum in our post-genre world. MARTHA WRIGHT
COMMENT It’s on a wet, colder-than-it-should-be night that I find myself sat in the library, writing up notes for my final exam of the season, listening to Peace’s debut album, In Love, for the first time in at least six months. I’m here with all intentions of revising, but I suddenly find myself lamenting 2013, the year this record was released. A few moments later, I find myself putting down the pens and opening Word to begin writing the most pretentious piece I’ll ever write – here it is.
When did we lose indie?? 2012, 2013 and 2014 were really great years for indie music. In 2012, Peace released EP Delicious and people went crazy about that drop in ‘1998’. 2013 was the year that Arctic Monkeys dropped their most recent album AM, and everyone had an opinion on it. Whether said opinion was good or bad, people went in droves to see them play. Girls and guys alike were obsessed with Alex Turner’s face and they cringed at some of the things he did but they still loved him anyway (see: the infamous mic drop at the Brit Awards 2014). The line up for Reading and Leeds Festival in 2014 was dominated by indie music – including the aforementioned Arctic Monkeys and Peace, along with Bombay Bicycle Club, Foster The People, The 1975, Vampire Weekend and Palma Violets – just to name a few. The number of bands like this on the line up for a lynchpin festival has declined with every year since. So what’s happened to indie music since then?
at least ten people screeching, well, internet screeching about it. I’m not trying to say “there’s no decent indie music out there anymore”, because there definitely is, and I’m also not trying to say that there’s no buzz around indie music anymore either. I feel like some fans of The 1975 and/or Catfish and the Bottlemen and/or Rat Boy definitely exemplify the hysteria that can surround indie bands. However, a lot of the ‘popular indie bands’ around these days just don’t seem to incite the same frenzy anymore. Perhaps I’m just not as invested in it all as much anymore and everything is the same. I was at sixth form during this time period and I definitely had a lot more free time to look for new music than I do now I’m at university. It might just be the fact that I’ve grown up since then. I still got a bit emotional when I saw that Death Cab For Cutie announced their new tour last year. I even shed a tear when I did finally see them, but it just didn’t ignite the same level of excitement it would have done two years ago. That statement most likely applies to the other people who used to let all their emotions spill whenever a band did something new – we’ve all probably matured a bit since. Don’t conflate the concepts of immaturity and getting excited over new music – it’s not something that’s immature and I think to be so impassioned by something is wonderful. It’s just that being a little less visibly zealous appears to be a symptom of getting older and maturing.
"to be so impassioned by something is wonderful"
Perhaps it’s to do with the fact that a lot of these bands appear to be relatively inactive in recent times – Alex Turner has focused his time on The Last Shadow Puppets instead of Arctic Monkeys, Bombay Bicycle Club chose to take an ever-ominous ‘indefinite break’ and the founding member of Vampire Weekend Rostam Batmanglij quit this January. Some bands seem to have dropped off the face of the earth – think Foster The People, Friendly Fires or MGMT. It’s not to say that there’s no new indie music about or that it’s sub-standard compared to a few years ago – The 1975 dropped their new album (the title of which is too long to repeat) recently, Foals have toured the UK twice and released a new record in the last year and a plethora of other bands have released brilliant albums. I think that the main difference between now and a few years ago is that the level of excitement is completely different. The enthusiasm used to be palpable when a tour was announced or a new single was released. All you had to do was scroll down Twitter within moments of some news being broadcast in the indie universe and you’d see
Thinking back to the original setting where I began to consider about all of this in way more depth than it ever deserved or required, perhaps this in itself explains it. I’m bored, revising in the library, and life isn’t as a fun as it was back then (for now, anyway), so maybe I’m just reminiscing on a seemingly better time. I’m romanticising it, almost. My interpretation of the current state of indie music might be entirely wrong. Who knows? However, it’s worth noting that I’m not the only person who seems to feel this way – I’m aware of other people who’ve bemoaned how times have changed. It might just be that we all miss “the good old days”. Humans are notorious for that, after all. Regardless of how I feel about indie music right now, I’m still looking forward to seeing what happens in the future. LUCY MCLAUGHLIN
TWENTY TWO
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