WHEN THE
GRAMOPHONE RINGS ISSUE 6
THE MACCABEES, WILLY MASON, BASTILLE, FOALS, NIGHT BEDS, THE WEEKND
A WARM WELCOME... to our sixth issue.
Greetings, and thankyou for taking the time to have a look through this, our sixth issue. It’s taken a little while longer to get this edition finished, mainly due to the fact that there was so much bloody content. Interviews with Willy Mason, Bastille and our cover stars The 1975; our Top 10 albums of the year; reviews of the most important albums of the last eight weeks as well as a look to the future with acts such as George Ezra, Frida Sundemo and The Weeknd. It’s all here, waiting to be devoured. The reason for so much more content? Well i’m delighted to say that we are growing quite rapidly, with a team of almost 20 regular contributors now. New faces include Tom Bowen, who taps at his Parisian keyboard while eating baguettes and doing some online beret shopping (not really, he just lives in Paris) and Michael Ventimiglia, who spends all his time in a little place called Central Perk slurping on coffee and hanging around with people who surely couldn’t actually afford apartments that nice in real life (again, not really, but he
is from New York. Can you tell I get most of my travel references from not actually travelling?) Both of them are thoroughly nice chaps and we welcome them aboard. Our highlight of the last few weeks was having the pleasure to stop in on The 1975 on the penultimate day of recording their debut album. We encoutered a band with a bright future ahead of them, brimming with confidence at what they are creating and in absolute control of every detail of their output. Elsewhere, we caught up with hero of ours Willy Mason while on tour of the UK supporting Ben Howard. A humble, wonderful man, you can see why, at the moment, he’s “just trying to remind people who I am right now”. All in all, we’re very proud of this issue. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed listening to all the great bands that are featured. I hope you have a fantastic Christmas and New Year, and thanks again for all the support. Andrew, Editor.
CONTENTS What’s Inside.
TRACKS
REVIEWS
page 4 & 5
page 13, 18, 19, 42 - 60
Frida Sundemo Foals The 1975 Night Beds Among Brothers Wu Lyf Local Natives
Kanye West, Ellie Goulding, The 1975, Matt Corby, Lord Huron, Cemeteries, Kendrick Lamar, The Lighthouse & The Whaler, The Staves, Chad Valley, Jake Bugg, Taylor Swift, Dog Is Dead, Freelance Whales, LucyRose
interviews
top 10 of 2012
page 8 - 11, 14 - 17, 20 - 23
page 30 - 41
The 1975
Bastille
Jack White, Jessie Ware, Django Django, Tame Impala, Grizzly Bear, How To Dress Well, Alt-J, Frank Ocean, The xx, The Maccabees
Live
news
page 24 - 29
page 6 & 7
Willy Mason
Gathering Festival Report
Alt-J The Killers
INTRODUCING...
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THE BEST NEW MUSIC. THE UNMISSABLE TRACKS.
FRIDA SUNDEMO INDIGO
A Swedish popstar who’s big in Japan. Who’d have thought it? Frida Sundemo, a 26-year-old from Gothenburg, has been producing pint-sized electro-pop for a little while now. This is her first ‘wow’ moment. Wrapped around a delicious disco beat and dripping in melody, it’s a pop song in the truest form and echoes the best releases from Kylie and Girls Aloud. The damn thing isn’t out til next year, so for now just come here and let it wash over you. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
THE 1975 SEX
It hasn’t been long since The 1975 dropped their breathtaking debut EP, Facedown. We were rather charmed by its emotive, reverb-soaked anthems. They don’t much around these boys, as they stand on the verge of releasing their Sex EP in November, quickly followed by their debut full length. Preceeding all this however is the EP’s title track. The tempo is quicker than we’ve heard from them before, with an added emo tinge to the vocals and some beautifully chiming guitar work. It points to the Sex EP progressing their sound further. We’re in for a thrilling ride. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
NIGHT BEDS
EVEN IF WE TRY When the people at the Dead Oceans label stumbled across an email from Winston Yellen they surely couldn’t have expected THAT voice to come pouring out of the links they clicked. In terms of a debut single this Night Beds – the name that Yellen records under – track is a genuine jawdropper. Just a piano, strings and this twenty-three year-old’s gorgeous croon, ‘Even If We Try’ is the first glimpse of an upcoming debut album due early next year. Night Beds travel to London at the end of the year to play a number of small shows.
foals
INHALER Foals’ upcoming third album, Holy Fire, is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated records of 2013. Having blossomed on 2010′s Total Life Forever, its follow up is scheduled for release in February of next year. ‘Inhaler’, given its premiere on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show this evening, is our first glimpse of a record that many are waiting on with baited breath. And you can see why. ‘Inhaler’ is emphatic in its return. It’s utterly huge. Crescendoing again and again. Chiming guitars. Slippery groove. Chunky riffs. Epic melodies. They’re all there. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
l o c a l n at i v e s BREAKERS
It’s been a three long years since Local Natives’ debut album got its UK release. In that time the band have toured the world and lost a member (the group parted ways with bassist Andy Hamm in 2011). We’re therefore very excited that it’s follow up will be coming in January, entitled Hummingbird. Today, Radio 1′s Zane Lowe gave its first single, ‘Breakers’ a spin. Noticably less rhythmic at first, with lush production and their trademark harmonies it marks a shift into what the band themselves have described as “a littler darker”. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
a m o n g b rot h e r s I AM CERTAIN
Among Brothers, the Cardiff based sextet, have been creating quite a buzz in the last year or so, having garnered serious support by BBC Introducing after their 2011 EP Homes. Now comes a brand spanking new double a-side single through Too Pure Single Club. ‘I Am Certain’ – one half of the release – is a jerky, topsyturvy stab of indie-pop. With comparisons to both Grizzly Bear and Sufjan Stevens proving to be pretty apt. Guitars needle away, drums are helter-skelter and vocals yelp. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTON
W U LY F TRIUMPH
Last year WU LYF released one of our favourite records of the year, their debut Go Tell Fire To The Mountain. This year they’ve, er, split up. Or seem to. The deletion of their Facebook page would add strength to the idea that the other members won’t continue with WU LFY, however the group have left us with a new song, ‘Triumph’.
NEWS
A LT - J
SCOOP MERCURY PRIZE
Alt-J have been named winners of this year’s prestigious Barclaycard Mercury Prize, with their debut album An Awesome Wave. An early favourite with bookmakers, the band’s album beat rapper Plan B, The Maccabees, Richard Hawley, Django Django, Jessie Ware and Field Music. BBC Sound of 2012 winner Michael Kiwanuka, Ben Howard, Lianne La Havas, Roller Trio and Sam Lee also lost out. Alt-J thanked their parents for helping them to win the £20,000 prize. “We might just thank everyone in team Alt-J who has ever made a difference to us. And our parents... thanks for not making us get jobs!” said the band as they accepted their award.
The four-piece, who met at university in Leeds in 2007 but are now based in Cambridge, said the award would probably give them “a level of security”. Alt-J: “This is more of an album not just a collection of songs thrown together. The Mercury Awards puts us in the hall of fame for sure, because it’s such a well respected award,” said frontman Joe Newman backstage. Each of the 12 nominated acts performed live at this year’s ceremony, in its new home, the Roundhouse in north London, while BBC 6 Music presenter Lauren Laverne replaced longtime host Jools Holland as coverage of the event moved from BBC Two to Channel 4. Source: BBC
THE K I L L E R S release Christmas single
The Killers are no strangers to releasing Christmas singles, having delivered one in the name of charity for the last six years. Recorded during some downtime during their recent UK tour, ‘I Feel It In My Bones’ once again sees the group backing the (RED) campaign. Serving as a sequel to 2007′s ‘Don’t
Shoot Me, Santa’ it’s actually bloody fantastic, bobbing along on a ‘Bille Jean-esque’ bassline and featuring the overblown vocals of Ryan Pardey battling with Flowers’ croon. Plus, there’s a proper big chorus in there too.We’re going to go as far as to say it’s more enjoyable than a handful of Battleborn’s weaker cuts.
NEWS
I’
INTERVIEW
“ m just trying to remind people who I am right now...”
welcome back...
WILLY MASON
words by Elliot Mitchell
INTERVIEW
WIL
MAS
““There’s a lot of subject matter on ‘Carry On’ wouldn’t have been able to articulate on previous r
W
ith the nu-folk movement conquering the mainstream in recent years with acts like Mumford and Sons or Laura Marling on top, it’s easy to forget the artists that formed the genre’s identity in the first place. Willy Mason first saw prominence back in 2004 with his seminal debut album “Where The Humans Eat”, exciting the masses with a signature complex sound formed from simple instru-
ments, an ethos that carried through his critically acclaimed 2007 follow up. Mason’s ability to apply emotional undertones in an approachable manner has given him a relatable façade that still resonates in an alternative context, with his recent more developed sounding tracks sitting comfortably alongside the advert-perfect tones of breakthrough single “Oxygen”. After a five-year hiatus Mason has returned and is still as relevant as ever, with his third studio album “Carry On” due out December 3rd
through Fiction Records. Currently from on tour with Ben Howard, we caught gettin up with him on the phone somewhere between Dublin and Belfast. men ford So you’re touring with Ben ard Howard at the moment, a m have you found your work this has resonated with his fans? genr Yeah for the most part, the last cou- I don ple of shows have been really good peop actually. It took me a couple of days in m to connect to with them, but that was the r probably because I just flew back to re
LLY
SON
’ that I records...”
m Australia so was jetlagged and ng used to the time difference Folk is huge at the mont, and artists like Mumd and Sons and Ben Howare arguably bringing it to much wider audience. Has increased interest in the re had any effect on you? n’t know really, I hope so and if ple are taking more of an interest my music that’s great. I’ve been off road for so long that I’m just trying emind people who I am right now.
Well hopefully you should do that with “Carry On” when it comes out in December. Tell me about the album, did you approach it any differently to the previous records? In terms of songwriting I took the same approach, and the recording process was similar to the first album in the way it was spontaneous and without much forethought. The main difference with this album is the fact I’m five years older when I’m recording it, so there’s a lot of subject matter that I wouldn’t have been able to articulate on previous records. So essentially your mindset has changed then? I don’t think there’s a single song that I don’t agree with anymore, it’s just that I’ve gone into new directions with the thought process. A lot of my lyrics are driven by philosophy, and this one is driven by a personal philosophy of getting to the point in your life where you have already taken a couple of turns. We haven’t really heard much from the album yet, but the tracks that have come out present a multitude of ideas. Would you say the album is that varied? I’d say after those tracks there’s still a couple of surprises. “I Got Gold”, “Restless Fugitive” and “Carry On” represent three tent posts, and there’s a fourth which you’ll hear when it comes out. You’ve recently moved to Fiction Records, how has that transition been thus far? It’s been great so far; to be honest it’s nice to have a team behind me. I started touring again two years ago, but I was just on my own with no management or label. Having a team allows me to focus on the art a bit more rather than the business, and I’ve got high hopes for the next couple of albums I’ll be doing with them. You recently worked with Lianne La Havas on “No Room For Doubt” which appeared on her Mercury nominated album. How did that collaboration come about? I met Lianne whilst I was recording the album in Streatham, and she happened to get on the same train as us. She came to talk as she knew my producer, and then she came out at one of my shows. When she came to New York to write some
songs I went to help her, and No Room For Doubt is what came from that really. I understand New York is a very important place for you, as “Where The Humans Eat” was recorded there and it was where you started out. With huge events like Hurricane Sandy and the election over the last week, have you felt somewhat distanced? It’s been a hard time to be away that’s for sure, but I’ve kept in close contact with my family and friends back home, and at least I get to go on stage and sing about things that are relevant every night. That’s what this tour is about really, the anxiety that has been brewing with everything back home, and I’ve been putting it into the shows. Luckily my family and friends are safe, and that’s all you can hope for.
“The anxiety has been brewing with everything back home, and I’ve been putting it into the shows...”
Did you get a chance to vote, and were you pleased with the result? I tried but it just didn’t happen, my ballot got posted but I was touring so I left before it arrived. I got it forwarded on a few times to where we were headed, but it would always get there a day late, and then election day came so I missed it. I was pleased with the result for the most part yes; a lot of good things came of the election I hope. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, and I believe it’s on us really. I think we’ve got some allies in government now, and it’s given me a burst of optimism. Can expect to see you at a lot of the UK festivals next summer? I’m sure I’ll play some festivals next year, and I look forward to it. Carry On Is Out December 3rd.
TALENT
this month...
gEt to know: GEORGE EZRA
We first came across George Ezra at this year’s Dot To Dot down in his native Bristol. We heared his soundcheck, planning to go elsewhere. After hearing 30 seconds – you don’t get long soundchecks at mid-afternoon of a festival – of that voice, we weren’t budging. In the weeks following a mesmeric set, we waited for songs. Actual songs. Not just the grainy Youtube footage we had to make do on. Finally, finally, they came. ‘It’s Just My Skin’ - a wonderfully dark little nugget from a man with a big future ahead of him - and ‘Over The Creek’ - a bluesy, fingerpicked folk number that highlights Ezra’s husky vocal - do not dissapoint. The sixteen year-old has been busy of late playing a slew of impressive support slots for acts such as Ben Kweller and Rae Morris and has been championed by XFM’s Marriane Hobbs. Give him your time, and prepare to fall in love.
LANA DEL REY
RELEASES BORN TO DIE: PARADISE EDITION Rather than a transitory trending topic, compelling in her revamped image (those lips!), Lana Del Rey has emerged as an artist within her own right. As The Paradise Edition – a re-release of her debut aired alongside of smattering of newer songs – sees the light of day 11 months on from her debut, it is not her transformation from Lizzie to Lana that is garnering attention, but her work. A year of prolific producing and touring passed, Del Rey has seemingly made a place for herself in the industry. However, Del Rey’s successes this year do not necessarily translate into making her music any more appealing to those who shy from its slow, luscious sound. The new material is so similar lyrically that it will most likely further alienate those opposed and further enrapture those already bewitched. Yet, good music – real music – should create something, mean something. Perhaps Paradise doesn’t offer a new or different sound than Born to Die, but in its evocation of a powerfully divergent sense of the world it offers a form of escapism. Calling upon Americana idealism, the beauty amidst the darkness, in Paradise, Del Rey continues to create rich images that work to arouse similarly potent emotions. Opening with what Del Rey admits is the song she can most relate to, ‘Bel Air’ is delicate and lullaby-like. Soft and sad (yet aren’t most of Del Rey’s songs melancholy?) ‘Bel Aire’ is probably the most disparate track on the relatively short second disc. ‘Gods & Monsters,’ also dark, is a tough and sexy sound that paradoxically manages to be elegant, emerging
as a haunting highlight amidst the other tracks present. Yet, considering the limited number of new songs on show, nearly every other track manages to distinguish itself – and not just through raunchy claims about a certain taste of a certain area of Del Rey’s body. And on that note, ‘Cola’ really does deserve recognition that goes deeper than that that now infamous opening lyric, for the mix of the commanding beats with Del Rey’s whispery voice is enticing. Yet it might be ‘Ride’ that is the most striking track, for the doleful, melodic sound coalesces with the optimism of the lyrics to complete the album. While there’s no denying that Paradise is, at its heart, more of the same from Lana Del Rey. However, no one makes a trailer park sexier. Makenzi Hogan
REVIEW
BASTILLE STORMING
I T.
words by Elliot Mitchell
INTERVIEW
“ Yo u h a v e t o b e m o r e e x p e r i m e n t a l a n d force yourself into different things…”
B
astille’s approachable, harmonious pop electronica made them one of the bands of the summer, and has justifiably placed them on the brink of transcendence into the mainstream. Their amalgamation of raw emotional energy with polished production forms an honest take on pop music that’s ready to invade the charts and has already gained them a loyal following. “Bad Blood”, the single that put them on the radar with it’s visceral vocals and bassy undertones has recently topped one million views on Youtube, whilst the re-issue of current single ‘Flaws’ has made it onto the Radio One daytime playlist. Needless to say the south London four piece are set for big things. WTGR caught up with frontman Dan Smith before the penultimate show of their tour in Brighton. Your guys’ summer must have been pretty hectic with the countless festival appearances and whatnot, what were the highlights? There were so many highlights, Reading was amazing for us because a lot more people came than we expected, and we didn’t get showered in piss which was great. We had our first live TV appearance there as we right after the gig, which was quite stressful. That was the BBC Treehouse right? That opened you up to a lot of people. Yeah the exposure that TV gets is huge and for some people it was interesting to see “Bad Blood” stripped back, as they perhaps would of only heard it on record and disregarded it in the past. Bastille as a concept started as a solo project, but has since evolved into a full band experience. Would you say your writing style has changed as you brought in new members? Not really, I’ve always found that I write best by myself by piecing together ideas. The limitations I have when piecing songs together on my own with a piano though are perhaps why I drafted in the guys, and jamming a song with them will push a song into different territory, which is working well at the moment. This opens your sound up to bigger things then? Yeah exactly. I think you have to be more experimental and make little compromises to force yourself into different things, and it’s really satisfying to work on songs with the guys. Over the last year you’ve steadily gained more popularity, which has perhaps snowballed in the last two months with regular play on Radio 1. Has the sudden increase in attention on you been overwhelming? From our perspective, you don’t get a sense of what’s going on outside of the band. It doesn’t seem like anything’s really changing. I guess we’re so inside the whole thing,
and this tour sold out before we started getting rotation on Radio 1 anyway. So you just don’t take any notice of it then? Not in a sort of self-involved way, it’s just that tangibly nothing has really changed for us. We’ve had such a busy summer that we still feel like we were just as busy as we used to be. Things like Radio 1 expose you to so many more people, and very occasionally you do get recognized which is very weird and always will be. You started on Young and Lost Club Records before recently moving to Virgin. Would you say much has changed after moving from an independent to a major label? Before it was very much just the four of us and our manager, and we did everything ourselves with the help of friends. When moving to a major label there’s a person for every single job, which has it’s advantages but there are some minor drawbacks. Has there been any added pressure from the label? We’re really lucky with our label, and from the horror stories you hear we’ve seen a very nice side of it, and been given a lot of freedom. As we get towards the album being released I’m sure there will be more pressure though. The album’s just been given a release date of March next year, why is there such a wait, where are you at with it? There’s a lot of boring reasons, but I think that if we put it out now there wouldn’t be enough people that would want to hear it, but there’s a part of me that has made the album and wants to get it out there. The label has been deliberately letting it build as well. I’m obsessed with new music, and I can imagine that if I was a fan of our band I would be getting frustrated that our album isn’t out yet, especially when you hear a few of the tracks live. Flaws is out Monday. Is it strange re-releasing a single and having to go through the motions of plugging it again? It is weird, but when we released it the first time it was the first introduction to our band, because no one knew who we were and it was just 300 vinyl copies. This time it’s different, as we’ve released a couple more songs already. When we play it live people like the track as well, and have gravitated towards it. If all goes to plan we will be releasing six or seven singles with the album so it’s just a steppingstone I guess. That’s quite a lot of singles to release with an album. Are you worried about leaving little surprise for the fans by the time the album actually comes out? I’m really worried about that yeah. The album’s gone up for pre-order and I fought quite hard to not put the tracklisting up because we play a lot of the songs live. I think that when you buy a debut album from a band you’ve heard a few songs from, the most exciting thing is hearing new material, and that bothers me, but there’s nothing we can do.
'I'M Really WORRIED THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISES left when the album actually comes out...'
INTERVIEW
For the large part of The Weeknd fans reading this, you will
already have all of his songs safely stored on your iPod. Yet, for those who are blissfully unaware of Abel Tesfaye’s The Weeknd, Trilogy – made up of three remastered mix tape and released under Universal Republic and his own label XO – is the best musical introduction of an r’n’b artist that you will get. Having started off with a modest internet presence – no photos and no real artist-to-fan contact accompanying the release of his first mixtape House of Balloons in March 2011 – Tesfaye immediately set himself up with a fan base full of intrigue. Undeniably, the music and voice spoke for itself. Since the release of two further mix tapes, Tesfaye’s songs are still making a name for themselves and the ability to grasp even a moment in time where the music positively lacks the image-focused attention that seems to drown out every other artist, is something short of a miracle. Singing of dark moments and over-indulgent nights, this strays away from the massproduced lyrics we are used to. Do we honestly want the future of r’n’ b to be focused on the Ushers and Chris Browns of the moment? It’s clear that with the likes of Frank Ocean and now the first ‘proper’ release from The Weeknd joining the charts, relief can be felt as r’n’b will no longer be lost on strenuous dance moves and continuous thumping beats. Despite the Weeknd’s relative anonymity, after selfreleasing House of Balloons the mix tape was nominated for the Canadian Polaris Music Prize in 2011, which in hindsight is unsurprising as the content is astoundingly mature for someone of the age of 21. It goes on to kick off Trilogy’s disc one, focusing on dark lyrics and well-crafted hooks beginning with ‘High for This’ – quiet and subtle with Tesfaye’s soft yet gripping vocals emerging onto the track with “You don’t know what’s in store, but you know what you’re here for”. When you reach the end of the track you realise that you are already becoming attracted to Tesfaye’s sinful world of casual sex, drugs and alcohol, moving through his nocturnal version of reality as a form of escapism from the norm that we are used to. ‘House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls’, a track based on the lead hook of “Happy House” by Siouxsie and the Banshees, continues to push the lyrical boundaries, undoubtedly one of the standout tracks and one which could play out as the soundtrack for the third or fourth after party of the morning afrer. The quality of the musical backdrop is maintained on ‘Wicked Games’ amidst the daring lyrical content continuing “Bring the drugs baby, I can bring the pain….so tell me you love me, only for tonight” with the sexual intensity of the song increasing with every note.
REVIEW
THE WEEKND DELIVER TRILOGY
Producers of House of Balloons, Don McKinney and Carlo “Illangelo” Montagnese, were once again drafted in to work on the second mixtape Thursday which forms the second disc Trilogy. Channeling more rock/pop beats and trying out new production techniques, the producers actually start to experiment with fewer hooks, yet remain devoted to keeping Tesfaye’s vocals in the spotlight. On first listen grittier sounds can be heard, with rock based guitars particularly noted on ‘Life Of the Party’, ‘The Birds Pt. 1′ and with sensual acoustic guitars being used at the start and finish of ‘Rolling Stone’ absorbing us into the moment then letting us go at the end. Although the music spoke for itself, at the time of the House of Balloons release Tesfaye’s increasing fame was partly credited to fellow Canadian Drake who quoted lyrics from ‘Wicked Games’ onto his twitter account. Going on to prove his admiration for the singer, he went onto feature on ‘The Zone’, an echoey track of drunken pain “I’ll be making love to her through you, so let me keep my eyes closed” and athough additional singers were not needed to fulfill an excellent second disc, Drake suitably gives this extended track an ending with edge. Disc three – which comprises the ‘Echoes of Silence’ mix tape dropped back at the end of 2011 – feels more up-to-date with Tesfaye as an artist, documenting the highs and lows of his growing success. Musically it remains faithful to his House of Balloons roots, yet it is somewhat slicker and has increased depth than previous tracks. Welcoming tributes to his country in the track ‘Montreal’ and Michael Jakcson’s Dirty Diana with ‘D.D’, Tesfaye’s vocals do not disappoint, reminding us of the range he can achieve with his upper register staying as strong as ever and leaving listeners with hauntingly similar tones to the King of Pop himself. The streamlined songwriting progresses in ‘XO/The Host’, with an anthemic chorus of encouragement to the female in question to indulge in drink/drugs – XO being the street name for ecstasy or perhaps the reference to the alcoholic drink Patron so “If you wanna go again, you can always call me”. Although an astounding album for someone so young, if pushed for a flaw, it would be that there are only three new tracks on ‘Trilogy’. ‘Twenty Eight’ a powerful piano-driven number, ‘Valerie’ a slow burning confessional song and ‘Till Dawn (Here Comes the Sun)’ depicting a secret relationship with a woman who already has a partner “…my denial keeps me on the edge of the chance, that you’ll stay through the night”. Given that his last mixtape was released just under a year ago, a few more additional songs would have been warmly welcomed by his ever-growing group of fans. Let’s put it this way, looking forward to an artist’s new album only to find it’s full of songs you already have is a bit of an anti-climax. Having said that, the attraction with the Weeknd is that he is relatively unknown and although it is difficult to face the fact that after the release of Trilogy he might lose somewhat of his edge by becoming hugely commercial – in the talent pool there are very few equals – it would be sinful to suggest nothing else other than to buy this album. His ability to provoke a longing to gravitate to every beat yet leave you lingering on every note sung is profoundly incomprehensible and the quality of each song so raw that you become disorientated from such intimate moments you feel you share with Tesfaye and him alone. Lyrically he goes to places which might not have been suggested by a large-scale record label for a relatively new artist but Tesfaye has built a reputation for his, if somewhat uncomfortable, depiction of moments spent with women, drugs and alcohol and it is understood that every word he sings is sung with genuine authenticity. With the lyrics used, and notes sung, he uses his music to take you to another place and is one of the only artists who can actually get you there – so there’s nothing else to do but to keep it on repeat and never come back. Rosy Sennett
1975 THE
INTERVIEW
“
We’re never going to have another year like the next one. It’s gonna be awesome…” *************************************************************
ON THE
VERGE OF A
NEW ERA *************************************************************
A
midst the terraced houses of an affluent South Liverpool suburb lies The Motor Museum, the studio where Arctic Monkeys and Oasis recorded their first singles, Foals crafted both their critically acclaimed albums, and an unmentionably long list of acts put their signature sounds to record, all at the hands of Mike Crossey. Needless to say it is a bonafide (albeit anonymous) piece of musical history, which over the last six weeks has been home to The 1975 as they record their debut album. A regular reader of the site will know that we are predicting big things for the Manchester four piece, and with the blogosphere in a frenzy and attention from Radio 1, it’s clear we’re not the only ones that are hedging our bets on their success. Their amalgamation of the visceral and the prolific is what makes them unique, combining surging indie-rock with atmospheric allure to great effect, learning from the mistakes of predecessors in their field (The Big Pink spring to mind). We caught up with singer Matt Healy in Liverpool on a tense penultimate day of album sessions, with the group also readying the release of their second EP, Sex.... words by Elliot Mitchell
“THE ALBUM IS A SOUNDTRACK TO OUR FORMATIVE YEARS. WE WANT PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH IT…”
Y
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ou’ve gone by many names in the past, but your first EP “Facedown” was the first taste people got of “The 1975” as a finished product, how long was it in the making? It was a very important time for us when we came to making it. “The City” and “Antichrist” go back quite far, and the blueprints of those songs were there long before Facedown. George and I wrote the other two tracks specifically for the EP, and that was a relatively quick process, because we knew exactly what we wanted. Mike Crossey has produced some seminal albums in the past, how was it working with him? We spoke to a few producers before making the album, and as we had produced “Facedown” ourselves and with the help of people like “Little Comets”, our main concern was that we wanted to produce our own album. However we weren’t naïve in the fact that there are people who have sold millions of records and are much better at doing it than us, so Mike approached us on a co-production level. He’s really shown us the ropes, but because of the way our band works a lot of the material was already there anyway. So was your approach to the album more formulated than your EP’s as you had a producer on board? Yeah it was a totally different approach, and although the majority of the songs have been finished as “The 1975” this album has been five years in the making, formed through the many different incarnations of the band. I think the best albums are
ones where every track could be a potential single. Both our EP’s center around a lead track whilst showcasing a wider body of work, whereas we feel the album is lead track after lead track, with all the alternative moments captured in an accessible way. You mentioned your EP’s showcasing a wide body of work, which in a way has opened you up to criticism; with some claiming you are yet to find your own niche. Do you feel the album refutes those claims? The fact of the matter is that I don’t really stick to one genre when I listen to music, so I’ve always found it difficult to write music in that way. We write this music for ourselves, and the fact that it’s being accepted is really humbling. I think that this album is drenched in our identity and it’s everything that we are. It does span a lot of genres and depth, but it’s still a coherent piece of work and everything that makes our band our band, personally I would say it’s an ambitious debut record. Has the album turned out differently to how you thought it would sound before going into the studio? Yeah but it always does. One of the best things about the recording process is the natural way a track changes and running with that to turn it into something fresh. This recording process has been really fun, as we’ve had a lot of these songs for a while, and to record them in a completely different mindset with a completely different outlook has been really interesting. So do you still find the old songs relevant to where you are now? I think if you’ve got a song then you’ve got a song, and if you cant
dress it up in a relevant form then you’re not a very good songwriter. In a way that’s what is good about producing your own record, as you can take a standard song which has a good melody, and use it as a foundation to build a new sound around it. You mentioned the album contains a lot of old tracks, how much of the album is new material? There album isn’t a haberdashery of past singles and old stuff, it has been focused down into a collective piece of work. There’s tracks on there that people would have heard live, and older tracks that we’ve reworked. This album is a soundtrack to our formative years, so it would be dishonest to not put songs on there that we wrote when we were 21, as we want people to connect to it in the same way that we do. In a debut you have got to provide a context of sorts and show where you’ve come from before you show where you’re going… That’s a good point, and I think that’s evident with the opening track, which is a nod to facedown in this beautiful atmospheric part that George wrote. I would say the album definitely starts quite heavy before it lightens up as well. Do you get annoyed with the constant comparisons to other bands? We don’t really sound like anybody else, and that’s not me being facetious. To be honest I would like it if we did sound like another band, as I used to find it difficult to describe our sound to other people. We’ve never been able to fit into a genre, which is perhaps why we can’t write in one. I would say that’s a good thing though, as once you get confined to a genre you are immediately limited in your writing style. Yeah, and that will never happen to us, as
this album is mental. Sonically it’s pretty experimental, and goes from glitchy R&B to big 80’s powerpop to mid 90’s soul, but it’s done in our way obviously. There’s no denying there’s a lot of attention on you at the moment, but with the album not getting released until at least spring next year are you worried that the hype may die down by the time it actually comes out? I stop myself from reading any blogs or reviews of our music as you can go mental from constantly caring what people think. We’ve got another EP and single out early next year before the album as well so hopefully the hype shouldn’t die down too much. We’ve got a lot of stuff in the pipeline next year as well with
festivals and some American dates. With a total of three EP’s out before the album, are you worried about leaving little surprise due to leaks and whatnot? I’d like there to be an element of surprise. I want the album to have the same impact that albums used to have on me. I’m only 23 so I’m hardly “old school”, but I remember going to HMV and buying a CD and not being able to get it online. I cant control the way people consume music nowadays, but I hope our album doesn’t leak. You mentioned heading over to America to play next year, are you nervous about making an impact over there? I’m looking forward to it as I just turn into Oliver Twist over there and be-
come unnecessarily English. Everyone has this idea that America is a completely different place, but if you play good music in a room in Southampton or New York City people will respond to it in the same way, and I cant wait. So the next year is going to be huge for you, would you say are you prepared? (If you can prepare for such a thing) Well we’ve got a headline tour coming up in the winter with some of the dates sold out, and considering we’ve never actually headlined a gig that’s mental. The next year is definitely going to be intense, and we’re never going to have another year like it which I’m really looking forward to, it’s gonna be awesome. The Sex EP is out now.
INTERVIEW
REVIEW
A LOVELY LITTLE...
GATHERING ... LIVE REPORT
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f t h e c a n c e l l a t i o n s a n d t i c ke t
sale struggles of some of the major festivals in recent years is in no small part down to too similar (and familiar) line ups, rising t i c ke t p r i c e s a n d b i b l i c a l w e a t h e r , the rise of the popular mini-festival h a s t o a l s o b e t h o u g h t o f a s a ke y p e r p e t ra t o r . . .
words by Andrew Evans
REVIEW
“AN
There is a clear niche here, playing to the strengths of this new-comer to the autumn festival calendar. Focussing on upcoming British talent, there are no big money names and the vast majority of the acts of display are yet to release more than one album, if any at all. It’s a wise decision, and adds up to a surprisingly strong line up including more established acts – and we use this term relatively – such as Dry The River, Lucy Rose, Spector and Clock Opera as well as a handful of genuinely exciting youngsters, including George Ezra, Peace, The Staves, Bastille and Seasfire. It is in fact Seasfire that get things underway, with an early five o’clock set in the exactly-as-you’d-expect-it Oxford Community Centre. While more accustomed to cake sales and book
UNDOUBTED SUCC YOUNG BRITIS
clubs, it makes for a delightfully intimate venue. And a loud one too. While on record Seasfire enjoy creating space for Josh Thorn’s emotive vocals to roam free in, live they are far beefier proposition – drums pound, guitars screech, choruses are supersized. When their studio work is replicated more literally, as on the wonderfully stripped back ‘Falling’ it gives Thorn’s voice a deserved time to shine. It’s the closing ‘Never Let You Go’ that shines brightest however; an epic, pummelling concoction that swells into a wave of hard, driving beats and sweet, falsetto vocals. At the Methodist Church, with a lack of a bar providing a hushed, cosy atmosphere, Karima Francis delivers 30 minutes of acoustic soul-pop far more endearing that her com-
paratively drabber recorded output. Proving to be an endearing mix of nerves and anachronistic references to “that Twitter thing”, the intimate setting highlights an utterly beautiful singing voice. She is directly followed by George Ezra, who first came into WTGR’s view playing a very early set at the similar Dot To Dot festival in his home of Bristol. With a face yet to meet a razor his voice still comes as a shock. Wise, world-weary and weather-beaten, his delicately plucked acoustic folk songs are given a bluesy edge by his emotive rasp. The recently released ‘Just My Skin’ shines across the pin-drop-quiet crowd that are asked to huddle closer together due to the queues forming to get into the venue. It is ‘Speak So Lightly’ that acts as the gem into crown of a mesmeric
CES S AT SHOWCASING S H T A L E N T. . . ”
REVIEW
set. Perhaps the surest melody in his quiver so far, it’s a delicate acoustic lament that you’d expect to be coming out of someone double his 16 years. With the largest venue, the O2 Academy, not opening until later in the evening there is a long, snaking queue around the block in anticipation for the night’s better known acts. Clock Opera deliver half an hour of glitchy mini-epics that somehow don’t manage to make you feel as huge as music this huge should. The penultimate ‘Belongings’ is the obvious exception, building to an unequivocally grand close as all the group chant along to the rousing outro. Bastille crank the atmosphere up another notch, proving in the mp3/ soundcloud/spotify era just how connected a fanbase can be to an artist that is still six months away from releasing
an LP. Understandably it is the singles – ‘Overjoyed’, ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Flaws’ – that demand the biggest screams, but their covers of City High’s ‘What Would You Do’ and Corona’s ‘Rhythm of the Night’ certainly give them a run for their money, getting the crowd bouncing almost as much as frontman Dan Smith’s novelty Jedward hairdo. Dry The River have, in their own understated way, had a phenomenal 2012. Since their debut album, Shallow Bed, was released back in March, they’ve been playing sold out shows on both sides of the Atlantic ever since. It is therefore quite a compliment then that, as they do tonight, the group declare this tipsy Oxford crowd ‘the rowdiest we’ve ever played to’, an observation confirmed by the group again on Twitter a few hours after the show.
What makes Dry The River such an appealing group is the juxtaposition between the pastoral and the visceral, and this is highlighted tenfold in a barnstorming hour-long headlining set. Anthems such as ‘No Ceremony’ and ‘No Rest’ are torn into with the vigour of an emo, or even hardcore band. Their harmonies are tighter than a camel’s ass in a sandstorm and sung with an emotional resonance that makes Mumford et al sound like a barbershop quartet. The only sticky patch comes in the form of an accapella intro to the sublime ‘Weights and Measures’ that doesn’t quite work, but does serve to highlight the song’s instrumental oomph when the full group kick back in half-way through. Otherwise, it’s an absolute lesson in how to headline a festival of any size.
THE 10 BEST ALBUMS OF
2012
JACK WHITE Blunderbuss
Jack White has never been straightforward. While his previous projects like The White Stripes and The Raconteurs managed accessibility and abstraction, White’s first solo release, Blunderbuss, fully embraces the strange. To be blunt, White’s first solo offering may be his strangest release to date; however, his abstraction doesn’t prove fully problematic. With an inherent schizophrenia woven through each track, White presents a departure from the musical landscape listeners are famil-
iar with. In lieu of familiarity, White puts forth some of the most bizarre and ambiguous songs to date. White’s incorporation of everything from 70’s arena rock to experimental progressive rock make for a truly broad whole. Aside from instrumentation, White’s vocals are top notch. By rooting some of the more unusual musical concepts with adept vocal melody, White is able to weigh down some of the album’s weirdness. But wherevocal melody helps to ground the album, White’s
lyricism truly explores the vast unknown. Though it may seem to be a challenging record, Blunderbluss is exactly what a solo record should be, a deviation. White offers new sounds and dabbles in the weird instead of rehashing previous stylings. There are no White Stripes B-sides, or anything of the sort. Here, there are only fully engaging, sometimes challenging, and often charming songs that will keep listener’s coming back. Michael Ventimiglia
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9 Jessie ware Devotion
W
ith the comparisons to Sade on her appearances with artists like SBTRKT, and a distinct lack of solo work, Jessie Ware could of easily had slipped under the radar at the beginning of the year, dismissed as another backing singer with spotlight aspirations. It was when the Julio Bashmore produced “Running” dropped in February that people rightly started to take note, a smooth mix of R&B and electronica with lustrous guitar, enabling Ware to display both the nonaggressive and powerhouse shades of her vocal ability, throwing the hype machine into a frenzy (helped along by a remix by Disclosure becoming the underground anthem of the year). It is Ware’s fusion of restraint and vocal assertion that makes Devotion such a remarkable record. She clearly has an incredible voice, but flaunts its full power modestly, her sultry ease dominating tracks like “Swan Song” or title track “Devotion” which emphasizes the rich emotional outpour on previous singles “Wildest Moments” and “Night Light”. The touching undertones add a tender, authentic nuance as she articulates the tragedies of love with potency, perhaps most evident in the impassioned “Taking In Water”: “Holding on forever to keep you, to keep you from slipping too deep”. The instrumentation harks back to her electronic roots, yet incorporates a full band ambience, forming an authoritative sound that doesn’t outclass the signature vocals. Overall, Devotion changes the rules for how a pop record should sound, and Ware has crafted an empowered album that transcends others in its field. The most promising female vocalist of the year? Quite possibly. Elliot Mitchell
The self-titled debut LP from Django Django demonstrates a positively offkilter flow, daytime radio-friendly while also being interesting, but mostly and crucially, a catchy beast indeed. Well, for the most part at least. The beats come and go at curious times, kicking around in almost uncontrollable fashion; bleeps and keyboard squiggles appear and disappear at various times, background vocals chant and jostle for position; and the drums give off a folksy, round-thecampfire beat and rhythm as opposed to crash and bang. During long spells of the album it’s hard to even pick out the sound of a guitar, but when it does arrive it’s stroked and strummed intermittently, only to be used to blend into everything else rather than
become too strong a personality itself. In fact it’s like democracy at work regarding the way the various instruments and vocals are used.They all have their equal place, equal use and role to play. The record’s playful, supremely bouncy chucking-lots-atthe-musical-dartboard-of-cleverness can be almost too rich if one was looking for reasons not to love the record. Like a rich pudding that can after a while make you feel ever so progressively sickly in fact. Django Django the band have the assured, bizarre psychedelic folk craft of the Beta Band (‘Hail Bop’), the too clever by half quirkiness of Super Furry Animals (‘Default’), and the leftfield pop danceability of Hot Chip (‘Zumm Zumm’). Throw in
some Beach Boys-like harmonies and you have a well put together record that is always going to go down well with quite a lot of people. Ireland’s BarryGruff blog said the album is an “inspired and wholly irresistible debut”. Django Django is in some ways an album not to be studied too deeply, but to be enjoyed when in the mood. Like that sickly rich pudding, one does not need to take it all in one sitting, yet it’s ripe for dipping into on occasion. You are also bound to have some of the tunes on here getting inside of your head on only the first listen, in turn becoming almost impossible to dislodge. Which is nice. Phillip Neeson
Django django Django Django
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7 TAME IMPALA Lonerism
By channeling their inner-Beatles and bringing psychedelic rock back into the vogue, Tame Impala has done more than any other band for their particular genre of music in 2012. Lonerism, their excellent follow up to 2010’s Innerspeaker showcases the band’s immense development over the course of only a few years. By mastering their command of complex lyrics to go with the swirling melodies, frontman Kevin Parker and co. have created one of the best records of 2012. Upon the release of Lonerism,
comparisons between Parker and Lennon ran rampant, and on songs like ‘Apocalypse Dreams’ and ‘Mind Mischief’, it’s readily apparent why. Combining deep guitar riffs with dream-like lyrics, it hearkens back to the Yellow Submarine Days of the Beatles. A little further in the album, ‘Feels Like We Can Only Go Backwards’ stands out as one of the best tracks of not only this album, but the year. The whole track is a true testament to the production capabilities of Parker and producer Dave Fridmann (MGMT, The Cribs), who time and
time again delicately manage to create order out of chaos. Currently playing sold out shows in their native Australia, these industrious individuals seem to rarely take a break. If the group is able to continue to successfully juggle their numerous side projects (Pond, Melody’s Echo Chamber) this group will undoubtedly be on many more “Best of” lists in the years to come. Christopher Gray
There is an unshaking confidence that rings throughout Grizzly Bear’s fourth studio release, Shields. While their last effort, 2009’s Veckatimest, earned them widespread acclaim and exposure, the Brooklyn quartet’s latest release showcases a more collective and personal approach to songwriting. The result? A well crafted album that engages its listeners while exploring new territories. Shields harbors a collective approach to songwriting, and in turn offers up ten tracks that fully explore a tonal spectrum, as well as fit nicely within a unified
whole. Though songs range in dynamic and tonality, the band’s identity is never lost. Instead, it is refined and further developed. Tracks such as “Sleeping Ute” and “The Hunt” dabble in structure and arrangement, where “What’s Wrong” and “Half Gate” present a more stripped down, slow burn approach. In turn, the pop-infused indie rock, which the quartet is known for, is laden with personality that lends sincerity. Though Grizzly Bear hinge their work on interconnectivity, its important to note that each track is easily able to stand
on its own. Aside from connection, Grizzly Bear place their knack for harmony and instrumentation at the forefront; however, here it seems less showy as it better serves the emotional center Shields is built around. Being as the album was written more holistically, the quartet’s exploration feels more progressive than forced. Though Veckatimest may have greater notoriety, Shields is undoubtedly the band’s most encompassing and ambiguous record to date. Mike Ventimiglia
GRIZZLY BEAR Shields
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HOW TO DRESS WELL
O
Total Loss
f all the records which earned a spot on the WTGR top 10 of 2012 How to Dress Well’s “Total Loss” is probably the biggest surprise, and the one people are the least likely to have come across casually. An intensely personal album, a roadmap of the agonies and ecstasies of the life of Tom Krell, the man behind the name. Much like previous output this record sits awkwardly at the crossroads between a number traditionally incompatible genres. It is beautifully realized slice of dreamy electronica which just sits this side of the experimental border which melodically owes a huge debt to overwrought histrionics of mainstream R&B. While Total Loss could be described as a difficult listen (The low profile it has kept this year despite a throng of positive reviews could be seen as a testament to this opinion) it is a rewarding one. Each listen peels back another layer from this wonderfully fresh, slightly off kilter and sophisticated piece of work. There are rich veins to mined here if one will simply give it a chance.
Exceptional pop songs such as “How Many” and “& It Was U” will give your feet something to tap to, “Cold Nites”, “Struggle” and “Talking to you” are ballads at heart but musically bring something truly refreshing to the table in terms of style and the arrangement which gives them a punch other artists could only hope to emulate. At the heart of the album is the breathtaking “Set It Right”, a love song/apology to all those too far way or left behind in life set on a bed of unrelenting looped wails and simple beats. The only respite comes as Krell tunefully whispers the names of those he longs for and misses in a delicate falsetto before crashing back into life for the crescendo. Total Loss is a beautiful record which strikes a charming balance, poppy and catchy without sacrificing any depth, intense and sometimes brooding without seeming gloomy, but ultimately it is neither particularly radio friendly nor designed to fill a dancefloor, it’s just…a very good little album. Do yourself and Tom Krell a favour and don’t let this little gem slip under your radar. Stuart Fletcher
ALT-J
An Awesome Wave If they’re not the biggest breakthrough group of the year, Alt-J certainly deserve to be included in the debate. With their fantastically dreamy alt-pop, Alt-J blasted into the consciousness of the public, earning massive critical praise that culminated in them taking home the 2012 Mercury Prize. By combining incredibly complex songwriting with instrumentals that bridge a variety of genres ranging from folk to pop to alt rock, Alt-J has paved the way for more future success.
One of the things that makes An Awesome Wave so special is the fact that it bridges so many genres that it can’t really be pinned down. One can find R&B style sonics at the beginning of ‘Breezeblocks’, synth and guitar in ‘Tessalate’, and a gritty bass line on ‘Fitzpleasure’. Despite this myriad of sounds, the album ties together nicely. Instead of being disjointed, the absent-minded nature of the album makes it stand out even more, in a way that other bands will be hard pressed to replicate.
What’s even more impressive is that Alt-J haven’t slowed down at all. After the release of the album, Alt-J hit the festival scene hard, heading to over 10 in the past year, and ‘Buffalo’, their contribution to the ‘Silver Lining Playbook’ film, will help them to reach an even broader audience. So, while the conversation may continue regarding who is the biggest breakthrough artist of 2012, Alt-J’s talent is one thing that is certainly not up for debate. Christopher Gray
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frank ocean Channel Orange
The buzz around Frank Ocean before Channel Orange was unhurried and casual, with a sense of expectancy in the wake of his debut LP “Nostalgia Ultra”, though he was essentially still only known as the emotional grounding in the “Odd Future” Collective. It was “that” Tumblr post that changed everything, as Ocean’s divulgence of sexuality two weeks before release automatically placed the record under the spotlight; it’s interpretable lyrics becoming one of the many aspects that make this record unmatched by it’s peers, innovative in a previously lyrically restrictive genre. Channel Orange is a much more grown up affair than Nostalgia Orange (not a Hotel California instrumental in sight) yet Ocean still incorporates an exuberant ethos, “trolling the music industry” (his words) with nine minute single “Pyramids”. Much like other tracks on the record it is a mini opera in itself, dealing with a multitude of styles with the menacing synths and cavernous beats that become typical of the album, with the glossy vocals acting as a seamless segue between territories. Ocean effectively lets imperious emotion take over in tracks like “Bad Religion” and “Thinkin’ About You” whilst offering seemingly playful intermezzos on the likes of “Super Rich Kids”. However on future listen one finds that every track has a profound undercurrent, and whether it’s about unrequited love or drug addiction each track acts as a puzzle piece, which together forms a detailed depiction of Ocean’s tragic uncertainty and vulnerability. This journey of personal discovery is perhaps also represented through his collaboration choices. Odd Future colleague Earl Sweatshirt’s verse on “Super Rich Kids” is restrained and calculated, allowing his mathematic flow to resonate without overpowering. However it is Andre 3000’s appearance on “Pink Matter” that bounces best off Ocean’s galvanized vocals. Arguably the guest verse of the year, his effortlessly smooth spoken word style counteracts Ocean’s most intense vocal performance of the record in a celebration of two acts that have changed the hip hop/r&b landscape. Channel Orange is a perfectly formed, understated record that gives hope in a time where artists are constantly trying to outdo each other through their grandiosity. Ocean has taken it back to basics, yet his incorporation of styles and remarkably open subject matter is evidence of how a modern R&B record should be made. Artists, take note. Elliot Mitchell
T
he release of ardently anticipated Coexist in the albeit fading shadow of xx, the xx’s second album, garnered doubt as to whether the duo turned trio could produce an album to even contend with the critically acclaimed and almost universally popular debut album. Perhaps the departure from darker sounds should’ve been expected, but the characteristic style of the xx prevails and shines in its hauntingly, almost transcendental beauty. The lighter, ethereal marriage of melodies in Coexist not only manages to appeal to fans of the more arcane xx, but also intimate the artistic range and talent of the xx. Despite their youth, Romy Madley-Croft, Oliver Sim, and Jamie Smith display an impressive command of their artistic image and a true devotion to the power their music manages to possess. In fact, the soft, minimalistic sound feels like an alternate experience, with the carefully orchestrated culmination of drums, piano, and bass (that sound unlike any other drums, piano, and bass) melding together to create a dreamlike world. It’s easy to get lost in tracks like ‘Angels’ and ‘Reunion.’ And while the xx may assert that the album was influenced by club music, Coexist is still comfortably slow, leisurely, comfortable. The way the music envelopes the listener, as the tracks of Coexist do, is a characteristic of true, quality music: the stuff that doesn’t just happen overnight, the mark of the lasting, definitely not transient acts in the music industry. Coexist is a deep album, full bodied, and quietly complex – quite simply, a must listen of 2012. Makenzi Hogan
the xx Coexist
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ALBUM OF THE YEAR
the maccabees Given To The Wild
T
he Maccabees debut, 2007′s Colour It In, was an interesting beast and one that hinted at rather than rammed home their powers. Yes, it contained its fair share of indie-disco staples yet it failed to offer much of a personality of its own. 2009′s Wall of Arms then, was an important record and one on which they faced a very real possibility – release a dud and forever roam the underground tunnels of the indie landfill. Fortunately for the London five-piece they aced it by achieving the actually-quitesimple feat of getting better, and more interesting, with each
release, highlight use of space, supp beefy, muscular m What becom clear on Given To that you’re dealin shift in emphasis not larger, than t Colour It In to W Throughout this phere often takes urgency, groove s the pounding a b are thoughtfully c layers of sound ra urge to get to the of shrieking guita Ayla, a rolling uber-ballad and p most beautiful so feature both a pia
ted a new-found plemented by melodies. mes immediately o The Wild is ng with a seismic s as large, if the one from Wall of Arms. record atmoss the place of steps in to give break and songs constructed via ather than an e end in a flurry ar. ng, electro-tinged perhaps the ong ever to ano and such
concrete-heavy slabs of guitar, sees Orlando Weeks singing “the wait is over…” and you can’t help feel that he’s right. It could well be the high-point of their career to date, that is, until Grew Up At Midnight enters the fray. The following Glimmer does exactly that, it’s shimmering guitars overlay another slow, pared-down groove on a song that neatly highlights the key word here, already mentioned: ATMOSPHERE. It’s a spectacular record and one that deserves you putting the time in to discover its indisputable beauty, its burning ambition and its career-making brilliance. Andrew Evans
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REVIEW
S U F J A N s t e v e n s S
Silver & Gold
a charming little accompanying note that the new songs written are free for anyone to listen to, sing, record or ignore as they so please as it is, after all, ufjan Stevens is an odd presence in the a Christmas present - s sticky sweet gesture which contemporary American music scene. Charactermatches the joy embedded into these songs. ized by his exceptionally complex and layered Throughout the tone is almost too bright, too arrangements in a wide variety of styles, from the shrill at times to be taken seriously outside the lush almost orchestral arrangements of ‘llinois’ to context of Christmas. Some do hold a little more apthe beat driven faux electronica of The Age of Adz. peal though. ‘Lumberjack Christmas / No One Can He is widely regarded as one of the more thoughtSave You Christmases Past’ offers something more, ful and gifted songwriters in the current musical something otherworldly that might be missed the landscape with an eclectic (if sometimes patchy) other eleven months of the year. But then quite a back catalogue. few Christmas songs don’t earn that privilege either. In 2006 ‘Song’s for Christmas, Vols. 1-5’ was The traditional fare is capably managed, some released in the fuzzy afterglow of ‘Illinois’. It was clever turns stand out but just as often an idea generally fondly viewed as a quirky, considered, falls flat (sometimes with disastrous results). The tasteful, if excessively sprawling soundtrack for Christmas and was mostly forgotten. As this previ- approaches adopted are curious and it’s nice to see some original approaches to songs that have ous outing was so comprehensive (41 songs all in) become almost invisible today, but often the way to hear that ‘Silver and Gold: Songs for Christmas, they sound is too alien to strike the right chord Vols. 6-10 was to be released came as a small surfor Christmas. As a whole it’s not quite interesting prise but not entirely out of character. Weighing in at almost fifty seven songs on a five enough to sound as jarring as it does on a Christmas album. disc collection, Silver & Gold is made up of Gloria, Not quite a success in its entirety the whole I am Santa’s Helper, Christmas Infinity Voyage, Let collection does cobble together one pretty good It Snow and Christmas Unicorn, offering a more Christmas album if you cherry-picked, but Silver & than generous mixture of rearranged traditional Gold doesn’t stand up as a complete work. If there is and modern-era Christmas stalwarts and original songs for the season. Much the same format as that at least something for everyone I would be amazed but for most people finding it would probably take adopted in the previous release; the tone of the too long. The quality on ‘Silver and Gold: Songs for whole work switching haphazardly from deadpan interpretations of traditional hymns to goofy home- Christmas, Vols. 6-1’ is just a little too thin on the ground throughout. It’s enthusiasm and occasional spun silliness. innovate are worthy but it’s just doesn’t quite pull If the original songs weren’t so earnestly comit all off. Which is a shame. Stevens writes capably mitted to – and therefore just manage to make about the subject but if he were to self edit more you feel Christmassy - they would be unbearably twee. The earnest love behind the craft of the these selectively he could deliver something potentially far more enduring than he has produced to date. songs shines through and reins said twee in to just this side of tolerable. Stevens is obviously enjoying There will almost certainly be a next time based on himself in the songs he penned personally, which is previous form so we shall have to wait and see. Stuart Fletcher something he wants to share, highlighted through
REVIEW
KANYE WEST Cruel Summer
“The lingering feeling is that for Kanye, when it comes to collaboration, it appears that less is definitely more…”
K
anye West is without doubt one of the most famous hip-hop artists of modern day history, but even creating Cruel Summer must have taken some organisation on his part. You see, this isn’t just Kanye’s album, this is an album created by a Kanye-formed hip hop supergroup entitled G.O.O.D. If anyone thought Kanye had a slight God complex creating such a group (see the spelling link with G.O.O.D?) then they might be right, but having the stepping stone of past success and fame to get his music instantaneously publicised across the globe upon its release ultimately brings a higher pressure to deliver on whatever next project he creates. As a consequence, will this album ultimately recognise Kanye’s talent to merge such collaborators to create something musically explosive enough to ignite the hype he has previously experienced, or will it keep him firmly in his place of solo artist? Interestingly, having been out of the industry for quite a while, the album kicks off with ‘To The World’ featuring the highly recognisable voice of R. Kelly, one of the true r’n’b singers of the past twenty to thirty years, indeed having been in the business longer than Kanye himself. As the first track the song unsurprisingly holds a large streak of Kanye’s most defining feature; ego – citing ‘let me see you put your middle fingers to the world’. ‘Clique’ follows in the same vein, boasting a big beat courtesy of Hit ‘Niggas In Paris’ Boy
and a jaw-dropping roster. Arguably the most powerful of the power rangers are used here with Kanye, Jay-Z and Big Sean, and as Jay-Z perfectly illustrates ‘Its the Dream Team, meets the Supreme Team’. Although only two tracks in and despite the overall repertoire of artists, when Jay comes onto the track there is almost a desire for the album to be another pure Kanye and Jay collaboration. However, the album’s first single ‘Mercy’ with Big Sean, Pusha T & 2-Chainz then provides fans with plenty of swagger. With verses starting with Big Sean and ending with 2 Chainz, it starts off relatively commercial, progressing through to the highlight of Kanye’s section where he raps how he steps ‘in Def Jam building like I’m the shit, tell ‘em give me fifty million or I’mma quit’ over a crescendo background. If you weren’t sure yet, The Ego has now certainly landed. A subtle musical shift emerges with ‘The Morning’ which posseses a chilled Jamaican/Moby-esque introduction before dropping to a somewhat old-school beat, and despite the extremely Fisher Price notes, a highly effective, wonderfully laid-back chorus. The similarly horizontal ‘Higher’ – which is immediately unique and likeable – again embraces the more relaxing side of modern hip-hop. It’s in the latter third of the record that Cruel Summer takes an ever so slight detour. ‘Sin City’ – featuring Cyhi The Prynce, John Legend, Malik Yusef, Teyana Taylor & Travi$ Scott – builds to
the chorus of Teyana Taylor with floaty multiple vocals providing a real highlight, and for the first time on the album you hear the work of a female. Taylor is present again during standout track ‘Bliss’, alongside John Legend. With an introduction typical of a Legend solo number it once more showcases the voice of Teyana Taylor and how the two singers blend beautifully well together; indeed suitably picked for such a song. Unsuprisingly, looking at Cruel Summer as an album doesn’t quite work. This is an piece of work that should be viewed, or in fact listened to as what it is: a mix tape. This is an album made up of multiple rappers, singers and producers which is a tough feat to achieve as successfully as the past solo efforts of Kanye himself – indeed this lacks perhaps the substance and emotion of his earlier work. Collaboration itself isn’t the problem – illustrated clearly in the huge success of Watch The Throne – however, the fact that this is such an epic collaboration on which many different musical paths are trodden no doubt means that piecing them all together to form a classic, streamlined piece of work would have been damn near impossible. Thus, viewed as a sideline project this is a solid album which, to give it recognition certainly improves over time. Sadly though, the lingering is that for Kanye, when it comes to collaboration, it appears that less is definitely more. Rosy Sennett
ELLIE GOULDING Halcyon E
llie Goulding has been in the public eye since her early releases in 2009 and picking up the BBC Sound of 2010 award. She topped the UK album charts with her debut album Lights, has collaborated with, or written songs for, a whole host of other acts and artists tipped for bigger and better things. She’s toured the world and played at almost any festival of note you could care to mention as well as the Whitehouse and Buckingham Palace. She’s even bagged herself a celebrity beau in the form of Sonny John Moore, better known by his stage name Skillirex. And yet somehow she still doesn’t seem to have stepped up into the superstar bracket. Perhaps it’s because her interviews are clean as a whistle, the focus tending to gravitate to her songwriting and her love of/obsession with running. Celebrity gossip columns find the pickings fairly slim; she once said something a bit mean about her poor relationship with her Dad but that’s about it. I suspect most people wouldn’t recognize her if they walked past her in the street. Not an ideal position to be in as you come to release your second album and plan to live up to the hype you have been burdened with from the very start, but this is the hand Miss Goulding has been dealt and – a year later than originally planned – Halcyon has finally been released. The 25 year old has gone on the record more than once during production stating that Halcyon would be a step in a new direction, moving away from the folktronica/electropop tag so often attached with her output, making a conscious effort to make a more poppy record tinged with something a little darker. The first few listens would indicate by her own standard she doesn’t seem to have succeeded, that’s not to say she hasn’t moved forward but this is still basically standard singer songwriter fare married with synth driven pop, a little slicker and more polished but basically a very similar animal. Goulding – who penned all but one of the songs on offer – is a capable if unspectacular songwriter. As on Lights before it, the writing on Halcyon lyrically and melodically does occasionally manage to pull off a very sharp little bit of phrasing or weave in an neat little hook which can lift a song up from the mire, but is for the most part passable at best. By contrast, occasionally a trick or turn of phrase won’t quite work which can make some songs feel awkward and a tad jarring.
REVIEW
Unfortunately even the small victories in the songwriting are not enough to pull this collection up by its bootstraps. The feel of the whole album is too lightweight, too generic and lyrically full of platitudes of love and loss you’ve heard a million times before, dragged tautly over well produced but musically subpar bed of ‘loud, quiet, loud’ synth laden bombast. It is pop music in the dullest sense; bland, inoffensive and utterly disposable. The formula followed is generally intricate and delicate instrumentation at one turn to match Miss Goulding’s breathy narratives of intimacy and desperation at some heartbreak or another, before being cranked up to an epic burst of activity as she howls with despair or adulation over a crescendo of synthpop beats, flirting with the idea of being anthemic, but her voice so often gets overpowered by the punch which is introduced to add impetus to these sequences. To her credit Ellie Goulding is willing to try to move forward and experiment rather than sit on her laurels and offer the same package with a new bow wrapped around it. Halcyon does sound more assured, more confident and ultimately a bit better and a bit different than her previous work, not enough perhaps but still a step in the right direction. No longer does this sound like a collection of songs written on an acoustic guitar stapled awkwardly to a synthpop base. Ellie Goulding is getting better and seems to be learning from her mistakes and getting to grips with the sound she wants to work with. The songs are melodically more akin to dance and pop now. Given time she could produce pop songs with a little more substance which will resonate past the release of the next album. Potentially very good pop songs at that. Most artists are afforded the luxury of figuring this stuff out in the privacy of not being famous. Few would decline the opportunity to trade places with her and she seems to determined to seize this opportunity. This album is far from a classic, but it’s also not album to hate. There simply isn’t enough substance to provoke that sort of reaction. It sounds like it would be excellent to run to but coming from someone who runs six miles a day this is hardly surprising. It will have its day in the sun and will be most likely forgotten fairly quickly. If Miss Goulding does live up to the weight of expectation and follow in Adele’s footsteps then this will be looked back upon as a vital stepping stone to world domination as she developed her craft. If she doesn’t quite reach the heights expected of her Halcyon will inevitably reside at the unfashionable end of the record collections of people who don’t appreciate the joys of taking a quick jog. Stuart Fletcher
REVIEW
closer ‘A Real Gust of Wind’ is actually a terrific song, it merely has the misfortune of existing so deep into the record that many listeners will give up before they hear it! For those dedicated enough to reach it (or those willing to skip right to it…) they will be rewarded with a dreamy, airy sound imbued with just enough bright points that break out of the otherwise gloomy demeanor, like a ray of sunshine through the clouds. The overall sombre tone of the album overshadows the immense potential of this young artist. If he is able to replicate his success in providing both hope and despair, darkness and light as he does in ‘A Real Gust of Wind’ or ‘The Wilderness’, one can certainly see Cemeteries growing in popularity. However, until that day, the gloominess of his music will prevent this unique sound from appealing to a wider audience. Tom Bowen
cemeteries
THE WILDERNESS Every so often, an artist manages to create a truly unique sound, something that simply hasn’t been heard before. With debut album The Wilderness, Cemeteries (New York native Kyle J. Reigle) has developed such a sound, best described as Beach Boys meets Real Estate. Unfortunately, while unique and interesting for a little while, the album quickly grows stale and tedious. The record certainly starts off with some potential though. ‘The Wilderness’ creates a lofty standard that much of the rest of the album sadly fails to live up to. One of the more upbeat tracks of the album, the combination of acoustic guitar and uptempo drums in the background give the sense that this is an album that is going somewhere. Bright and original in tone, it’s only the slowdown at the tail end of the song that is an omen of what’s to come. And what’s to come is not necessarily good. Follow-up ‘What Did You See’ goes nowhere. All the sense of urgency is gone faster than the speed of light. It’s like having the beauty of a scenic canoe trip replaced by a float down a mundane lazy river. Unfortunately, this continues further down the record, with the uninspired ‘Summer Smoke’. Without a ready source of some sort of caffeine, the listener is almost assured to fall asleep listening to this boring tune, which doesn’t alter its tone or add any sort of enthusiasm in any way. This same general overcast feel continues for much of the rest of the album, and it’s not until the very end of the album that there are enough hooks to draw the listener out of this funk. Despite these flaws, the album almost manages to right itself with the final few tracks. ‘Leland’ manages to change things up a bit with a bass line that actually manages to inject some life into the record. Even more encouraging, album
THE STAVES
DEAD & BORN & GROWN English sister trio The Staves mix wonderfully lonesome, melancholy, country style lyrics, reminiscent of artists such as Gillian Welch, with floating vocals and gently picked acoustic melodies that bring to mind artists such as First Aid Kit or Emmy The Great. Hailing from Watford, England, The Staves have followed up from last year’s EPs with their debut album Dead And Born And Grown a beautiful collection 12 of haunting folk songs. Despite the land of their birth The Staves have produce an album that, both lyrically and musically, brings to mind the modern American folk scene. The haunting, almost gospel style vocals that float largely unaccompanied across the opening track “Wisely And Slow” – with lines such as “sits in silent sorrow with a bottle in her hand” – conjure up the kind of imagery normally associated with artists such as the afformentioned Gillian Welch, or even,
to a lesser extent Sharon Van Etten. However this is not to say that The Staves are committing that most heinous of musical crimes and writing from a cross-Atlantic perspective of which they know nothing about. Rather, despite the echoes of American folk, Dead And Born And Grown appears to be an intensely personal album of love, loss and life’s disappoints, with lyrics such as “speak with words you’ve stolen from better men than you” from “Tongue Behind My Teeth” or “I never meant to tell you how to be or how to think” from “Winter Trees”. This personal feel of the album is amplified by the gentle, largely acoustic, background melodies that flow throughout the album While occasionally female led acoustic folk artists have a tendency to, wrongly, be thought of as wishy-washy or watered down it would be very erroneous to think this of The Staves. Dead And Born And Grown, despite its genre is as sharp and bitter as they come. The whole album is laced with a juxtaposition of youthful acknowledgement and an older wiser, melancholy and muted outrage at life’s disappointments, the second track on the album “Gone Tomorrow” with sample lyrics of “But I’m only 23, I’m waiting here all year” being a prime example of this. This undercurrent of muted outrage spills out, in a beautiful acoustic folk way, on “Pay Us No Mind”, one of the standout tracks from the album, where The Staves break character with the line “pick me up, wish me luck, fare-ye well, I don’t give a fuck anymore”. If fault where to found with the album it would perhaps be that without any crashing guitar work or rising choruses the soft acoustic picking of Dead And Born And Grown could lead to it being pushed into the black hole of “background” or “dinner party” music by those who are not really listening to the lyrics. Overall however, it is a beautifully melancholic album that mixes gentle acoustic melodies with razor sharp lyrics that suggest a world weariness well beyond the sisters’ relative youth and should be on heavy-rotation on any thinking music fan’s record player. Tom Bowen
LORD HURON
LONESOME DREAMS
L
ord Huron, led by the Michigan, now LA based, Ben Schneider, have more than an air of an rural-Americalong-since-gone about them. Picked acoustic guitars, rising choruses and lyrics tinged with dreams of travel, long standing loyalties and long distant or long lost love place their latest album Lonesome Dreams firmly and snuggly within the modern-provincial-American-music bracket. The album, Lord Huron’s debut, immediately brings to mind Fleet Foxes, a comparison from which there is no escaping, and creates a nagging sense of having heard it somewhere before; a marked departure from Lord Huron’s previous jangle of almost ADD energy on his 2010 EP Mighty. Tracks such as “She Lit a Fire” and “I Will Be Back One Day” in particular, construct nearly, but not quite, believable tales of honour, loves lost and images of an America long since gone. However they lack both the punch delivered by artists such as Fleet Foxes J Tillman’s Fear Fun, released under the moniker Father John Misty, or the grittier troubled wanderer vibe that pours off Josh T Pearson for example. While, with Lonesome Dreams, Lord Huron seemingly goes to great pains in attempting to create this imagined America of dusty highway towns, road-worn cowboy boots and old fashioned values he seems unsure as to what the point of this construct is and rarely appears to use it as an attempt to say anything meaningful. Tracks such as “Lullaby” for example with lyrics of, “there’s fire in your eyes and there’s blood on your hands” or “this kind of trouble won’t just go away” scratch the surface of dissatisfaction yet never really go any deeper, ultimately leading to a vague sense of frustration at something left incomplete. However, Lonesome Dreams’ hidden saving grace that could make even the most hardened Fleet Foxes or Band of Horses fan sit up and pay attention comes mid-way through track “Ghosts On The Shore”. Appearing towards the middle of the album with its haunting harmonica and keyboard lead in,it immediately creates a truly believable eerie and lonesome atmosphere that is at once deepened by Ben Schneider’s floating and echoing intro of “I’m just a man but I know that I’m dammed”. The track, easily the most memorable on the album, gives a glimpse at better things to come in the future. Despite the saving grace of “Ghost On The Shore” fans of the genre will be on very familiar ground with Lonesome Dreams, which, while a comfortable and pleasurable listen, is unlikely to produce any rave recommendations and, sadly, threatens to push Lord Huron into the decent-but-forgettable folder in the drawer of obscurity before they have even got going. Tom Bowen
B
eing flaunted by the media as the new face of West Coast Hip Hop is a lot of pressure for an underground artist, and Kendrick Lamar could of easily crumbled like the overhyped rappers that have come before him. As the buzz around the Compton native skyrocketed with every EP release, and news of collaborations hit the web (big names like Drake, Jay Rock and Dr. Dre) there was a lot riding on his debut album being different from the rest of the Aftermath pack. Luckily, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is an honest, 69-minute introduction to Kendrick Lamar both as an artist and a 25-yearold individual that offers a contrasting viewpoint to any of his Compton predecessors, yet still incorporates their influence with effortless flair. Kendrick is a storyteller in the truest sense of the word, and this is immediately apparent from the onset. Opener “Sherane” is a tale of high school love with lustful adolescent admissions “With nothing but pussy stuck on my mental, my motive was rather sinful”, which provides a candid preamble to his personality, bringing a sense of truth and sincerity that carries through the album. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is hardly a concept record, but it does follow an ongoing theme as Lemar looks back to his teenage past in the first person, and presents the conflicting views on the world that form through the naivety of youth. “The Art Of Peer Pressure” is nothing short of hip-hop theatre, as we hear Kendrick succumb to the indulgences of gang culture “I got the blunt in my mouth, usually I’m drug free” with a real sense of indignity over pride that resonates through his innocence and apparent yearning for simpler
KENDRICK LAMAER
GOOD KID, M.A.A.D. CITY
“Without a doubt one of the most influential hip hop records of the year…” times. The guileless journey that he takes us on is accentuated through the voicemail skits that act as a segue between the different production styles and offer comic relief to the arguably vulnerable subject matter. Every track has a sharp productive nuance (unsurprising considering Dr. Dre executive produced) and each beat is pristine and innovative, pitting imperious rhythm against misty synth, understated violins and twinkling piano. This combined with the back and forth between the visceral and the glossy in Kendrick’s flow gives the record a refreshing edge. The unpredictable savagery of “Backstreet Freestyle” and “M.A.A.D City” emphasise his capricious rasp, which is contrasted in the lustrous shine of house party classics like “Swimming Pools” and the Janet Jackson sampling “Poetic Justice (featuring Drake)”, which sees Drizzy showcase his relaxed flow that leaves the listener hanging onto every word. This refusal to stick to one style stops him from being pigeonholed, and although he may tackle different subject matter, there is the distinct underlying impression that he just wants to get out of his hometown. There are subtle nods to his cities’ finest throughout the album, with the N.W.A references and fleeting G-Funk instrumentals, but it is the blockbuster finale of “Compton” with heavyweight Dr. Dre that brings the record together completely in a celebration of the local, and perhaps proof that Kendrick is quite proud of his geographical heritage after all. Good Kid M.A.A.D City is autobiographical, yet manages to avoid the juvenile trappings that many rappers fall into when dealing with personal subject matter. Without a doubt one of the most influential hip hop records of the year, listeners will feel they know everything about Kendrick Lamar, and will be intrigued to find out where he’s going next. Elliot Mitchell
REVIEW
CHAD VALLEY YOUNG HUNGER
Hailing from picturesque city of Oxford, Hugo Manuel – better known as Chad Valley – is one of the leading proponents of the chillwave movement currently sweeping the music scene on both sides of the Atlantic. Cut from the same cloth as American artist Toro Y Moi, Manuel first set tongues wagging and ears twitching with the release of his self titled EP in June of this year. Not content to rest on his laurels, Manuel has collaborated with some of the most up-and-coming acts around, including Glasser, Totally Enourmous Extinct Dinosaurs and Twin Shadow, to release his first full length LP Young Hunger on the Cascine label. Young Hunger is an ethereal breakup/new relationship album for the cynical and love damaged twenty-somethings. With its laid back yet haunting melodies softening the often sad and self doubting lyrics, the first half of the album takes the listener on a journey through yet another heartbreak before transitioning, through instrumental track “Interlude”, to a journey of discovery and the rebuilding of trust. Though some argue that the chillwave movement, of which Chad Valley is a leading proponent, has outstayed its welcome, the dreamy keyboards, heavy synth use and drifting vocals of Young Hunger create a washed out bubble of sound that still seems so very spot on – a welcome burst of fresh energy in the genre’s continuing party. With soaring, often repetitive vocals drifting over the top of cascading laid back electronica, multi layered synths, samples and keyboard bursts Chad Valley conjures up an almost unearthly, hypnotic
effect laced with a musical complexity that pushes him head and shoulders beyond the relative, apparent, simplicity of peers such as How To Dress Well or Teen Daze. The album kicks off with ‘I Owe You This (feat. Twin Shadow)’, a cascade of electronic melodies overlaid with fragile lyrics such as “I don’t want to do this wrong” and the repetitive chorus “I’m the same as you, I’m the same as you”, before the sublime ‘Tell All Your Friends’ – with its frank honesty in the face of crumbling love and imminent loss, “Tell all your friends, tell everyone, all I can think about is you” – drags the listener ever deeper in. Post ‘Interlude’, the album takes a more upbeat turn and transforms the story arc of the album towards new love. This change in direction is born out with lyrics such as “I met a girl who could tell me anything”, from the title track “Young Hunger” and “I feel like I don’t know what you do to me” from “My Life Is Complete”, which features the fantastic Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. There is an anomol however. The only track that doesn’t seem to belong in the same category as the rest of the tracks on the album is “My Girl (Feat. Jack Goldstein)”. Both musically and lyrically the track lacks the subtlety of others present here and seems closer to an attempt to bludgeon a reaction out of the listener than slowly transport them to another plane in the manner of tracks such as the majestic “Fall 4 U (feat Glasser)”. Despite this minor hiccup Young Hunger is a refreshingly honest album that combines intelligent writing with addictive hooks and repetitive choruses that will have listeners reaching for the repeat button over and over again. If there is any justice Young Hunger should catapult Chad Valley straight into mainstream consciousness where he undoubtedly deserves to be. Tom Bowen
TAYLOR SWIFT RED
T
aylor Swift holds a unique position within the music industry in that she doesn’t do sultry dance routines and hasn’t ever drastically changed her image, thus for most, she is considered a squeaky-clean role model. This hasn’t changed in the two years since Speak Now. So, if we see no major personal changes to speak of are we going to see a difference within her music on Red, her fourth studio album? True, she is starting to merge subtly from the country world to that of pop, but once again Red has provided us with that the good old game of guess-the-celebrityex with another album-cum-diary of Swift’s confessional lyrics. Although a similar routine to past efforts, this certainly provides her strong fan base with words and circumstances they can relate to of heartbreak and young love and they have thus followed Swift in their masses – but for how long will this be able to last? With a mature sounding introduction with ‘State of Grace’ Swift’s vocals float onto a track which progresses to become something of a soft-rock strut, suiting her voice very well, perhaps a new musical direction already? Maybe not however, as the title track of the album ‘Red’ then starts to creep into what we would expect from the singer describing similarities of loving and losing a boyfriend, “Loving him is like trying to change your mind, Once you’re already flying through the free fall” with what some might find too repetitive and auto tuned of a chorus for the country loving Swift they know. As the album progresses it is clear there have been some filler neatly packed between the better hits on the disc. ‘Treachorous’, ‘The Lucky One’ and ‘I Almost Do’ possess words that many may be able to relate to but melodically come across as rather bland, nothing different or hard-hitting enough to really make you feel Swift’s emotion, which is disappointing as to give her credit she is one of the few singers who really does sing in detail about her life and how she feels. On a lighter note, the album production featured vocals being recorded in various locations using mega hit makers such as Shellback and Jeff Bhasker but undoubtedly the core tracks of the album have been produced by Max Martin in Sweden (think
Britney Spears’ hit maker). His contributions – the tracks ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ featuring a surprisingly good chorus chanting “trouble trouble trouble” and ’22′, a refreshingly youthful song, something you would expect of Swift’s peer group – are, even if a blatant pop assault, certainly lighthearted fan-pleasers that will undoubtedly be future hits. And Red has already produced one hell of a hit. Martin’s third track comes in the form of lead single ‘We Are Never Getting Back Together’, an infectiously catchy and pleasantly humorous song. The first of Swift’s songs to peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in America is one to remember with lyrics of “and you, would hide away and find your peace of mind, with some indie record that’s much cooler than mine” – well at least she can poke fun of herself. The gleeful melodies continue with ‘Stay, Stay, Stay’ with folky guitars creating a somewhat twangy country song full of girlish melodies contrasting with her lyrics of “Before you I only dated selfindulgent takers, who took all their problems out on me”. If people were worried about the pop factor of the country stars’ album however, it is quickly broken up with two duets ‘The Last Time’ and ‘Everything Has Changed’ featuring the very reputable Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol) and Ed Sheeran, who have certainly been added to provide Swift with a huge dose of credibility for older listeners. In particular ‘The Last Time’, a slow paced haunting love song, if released, could push her into new realms of the industry and in a more adultorientated direction. As the album draws to a close, Swift mentions her current squeeze of the Kennedy clan in ‘Starlight’ with “He was 17 and crazy, running wild, wild” and is lyrically reminiscent of her earlier work (think ‘Love Story’) – romantic, young and light hearted – a formula which certainly works and is welcomed. It’s unfortunate the album doesn’t end on this song, as the ending bars of the track would suit very well, but ‘Begin Again’ with a subtle country twang in the background is the simple finale song describing the feelings post-breakup and having a new crush, which lyrically could be seen as a ‘what will happen next?’ situation. There is no doubting Swift has put everything into her lyrics, heightening every sense in her body with feelings of extreme emotion, and yet this seems to be the maximum limit of her songs – five years down the line will her fans still be wanting to hear yet another album based entirely upon how in love or upset she is over a recent relationship? With the album itself being the length it is, it certainly cannot be digested in one listen, (some tracks could have easily been omitted) and with songs reaching for the most part 4-5 minutes it is a lengthy listening process rather than a short sweet collection of hits. Despite this, it will certainly please her fans who appreciate her lyrical honesty and will continue to carve a mark in the industry for her. However if she wants a music career of longevity, it might be time to mix up the recipe a little bit and create something somewhat more unusual, so maybe for her next album, she can ensure she loses the boyfriend and writes about something new. Rosy Sennett
THE LIGHTHOUSE & THE WHALER W
THIS IS AN ADVENTURE
ith their 2007 self-titled debut album, indie-pop group The Lighthouse and the Whaler had established themselves as a solid band. Now, after spending much of the past year in the studio working with producer Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Metric), the group has made a huge leap forward in quality. Follow-up This is An Adventure could be the album that will put them on the path to even greater things. It’s clear from this new album that The Lighthouse and the Whaler have progressed as a band. The exquisite vocals of lead singer Michael LoPresti are still there, as are the unique backing instrumentals of bandmates Matthew LoPresti, Mark Poro, and Steve Diaz. What’s gone is the folk heavy sound of their previous work, replaced by a sound more pop than folk. The combination of light and airy vocals with a plethora of
instruments (guitar, piano, violin, mandolin, glockenspiel, the list goes on…) makes the group stand out. The band make a statement right out of the gates with ‘Pioneers’, a song that really showcases their evolution as a band. Upbeat and light, with excellent vocals and lyrics that actually mean something, this song is a keeper. Followup ‘Chromatic’ contains even more of a pop sound, but The Lighthouse and the Whaler doesn’t forget their roots. Sprinkled into the track are elements of their former folk sound in the form of the glockenspiel and violin. Surprisingly, these accompaniments don’t feel like an add-on at all, they truly add a lot to the emotion of the song. In fact, the whole album is full of emotion, especially first single ‘Venice’. The listener gets absorbed into the lyrics, feeling the passion of a lost first love. One can’t help but be moved by lines like “Death is cold/Death is sure/Why don’t
we all fall in love?” Later in the album, ‘Iron Doors’ contains similar themes, with deep lyrics and a chorus that can only be described as epic. This type of songwriting is one of the things that can make a band great, and to have two songs with that level of performance can only point to more good things to come. This record doesn’t have a bad song, or even many inferior sections of songs. If the album has a fault, it’s the lack of a true “radio song”. While full of many good and very good tracks, there doesn’t seem to be one song that will really take off on the airwaves. There’s nothing to do for them what ‘Little Talks’ did for Of Monsters and Men. While not a true liability, it may be the only thing holding this group back right now after such progression in their sound. If the group can make a similar leap forward between albums two and three, they will assuredly be able to reach true indie stardom. Christopher Gray
REVIEW
REVIEW
FREELANCE WHALES DILUVIA
When Freelance Whales emerged in 2009, fresh from their subway and sidewalk guerrilla gigs with both guitar and glockenspiel tucked neatly under the arm, it was with their saccharine debut album Weathervanes. Stuffed to the brim with surefooted melodies and idiosyncratic indie-pop, it was an absolute delight and surely one of the most overlooked and underestimated albums of that year. That it’s taken 3 years for the follow up not only highlights the relentless touring the group undertook to eventually turn Weathervanes into something of a sleeper success (we’re reluctant to overplay things and use the word ‘hit’) but is also the first hint that what lurks underneath Diluvia’s surface is a sea change surrounding a collection of songs that have been mulled over and deliberated on far more than their sugar-rush predecessors. Melodies aren’t so eager to please; arrangements are cleverer. This general maturing (and we use that term carefully) is underlined by the fact that you have to wait to the record’s third track before you hear anything resembling a true chorus. That both songs manage
fully delicate chorus. But let’s not overegg this – Diluvia isn’t impenetrable, far from it in fact, and glorious melodies are abundant. The born-for-radio whimsy-pop of ‘Spitting Image’ is the nearest they get to keep your attention – in the case of to their debut album and lets the airy the opening ‘Aeolus’ it’s via a gorgeous vocals of bassist Dorris Cellar take verse melody sung by Judah Dadone and much deserved centre stage over an exin the latter ‘Land Features’ some lush, plosive four minutes. ‘Dig Into Waves’ swooning instrumentation filling in the is appropriately titled, with torrents of gaps between the burst of vocals – to form lush instrumentation crashing over and a woozy, hypnotic opening is testament to around another lighter-than-air Dadone the confidence this New York five-piece vocal. Drums jitter. Synths stutter. have not only in themselves but also their Guitars chime. It’s another notable high listener’s willingness to take this journey point on an album that rarely comes with them. down. ‘Locked Out’, the first snippet of the If Freelance Whales ever wanted to record released back in July, combines the break through into the indie-rock mainacoustic guitar, synthesiser and glockstream it’s safe to say they would have enspiel of their debut but again lacks a had more chance producing another chorus and builds instead to an extended Weathervanes. It is an unquestionably outro in which the group chant “we have more accessible record. If however, they the rations to go anywhere” repeatedly. are rightly more concerned with chartIt’s not the only occasion that Diluvia ing a path that shows all the hallmarks favours the slow burn over the immediate of the greats – growth, experimentapay off; it’s home to a fair few of these tion, assurance – then you have to say lengthy numbers. That it is a record that they are very much on course. that contains two fewer tracks than its Diluvia emphatically proves that they predecessor yet manages to clock in have the rations. They really could go nine minutes longer proves this, with anywhere. the gorgeous, spacey ‘Red Star’ perhaps Andrew Evans highlighting it best, taking 2 and a half minutes before breaking into its beauti-
“W
e are a mess, we are failures, and we love it”. The Dog is Dead mantra completely embodies their ethos; as they bring to the market a chaotic yet refined indie opulence from an unworldly teenage perspective. All Our Favourite Stories is the culmination of years of touring and single releases, which leaves little surprise in the tracklisting but is a testament to the Nottingham five pieces’ steadily increased confidence in their sound. The grungy bass heavy grooves of opener ‘Get Low’ are a far cry from optimistic classics such as ‘Glockenspiel Song’, yet fits in perfectly with their sound, adding another element to a once arguably one dimensional body of work. There is a formula of sorts to a Dog Is Dead song; with slow verses building into a cathartic release of harmonies and emotion draped over a huge chorus, a method they employ on the majority of their songs. Nevertheless, the album remains relevant throughout, and their willingness to apply their talents to all aspects of the indie spectrum makes for a refreshing listen. Even if the lyrical content is somewhat generic, All Our Favourite Stories ultimately plays to Dog Is Dead’s strengths. The constant trade off between intricate instrumentation and ardent breakdowns lays the foundation for pitch perfect harmonies and emotional outpour, giving the album both a stadium-sized
atmosphere, and moments of intimacy. This mentality is most prominently expressed in previous single ‘Two Devils’, as Robert Milton’s empowered but fragile vocals crack over swooning backing harmonies and subdued guitars. The other past singles, ‘Hands Down’ and ‘River Jordan’ stand well in comparison and by the end of the 41 minute journey you feel like you know the band inside out, where they have come from, and where they are going. On certain tracks one could argue that they are perhaps too bogged down in their influences for their originality to truly shine through. ‘Do The Right Thing’ seems like a journey through the history of The Strokes, with it’s Angles-like bass and Is This It era guitar, prompting the thought that we have perhaps seen this all before. When listening you also question whether this album would have been more groundbreaking if bands like The Maccabees or Bombay Bicycle Club had not come before them. Nonetheless, All Our Favourite stories is a much needed slice of indie grandeur, and evidence that Dog Is Dead have a bright future ahead of them. The fact that they embrace their influences isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however their signature moments are what make the album a joy to behold, and what they will need to encompass more in the future to become the band they have the potential to be. Elliot Mitchell
DOG IS DEAD
ALL OUR FAVOURITE STORIES
REVIEW
MATT CORBY
T
INTO THE FLAME EP
wenty-two year-old Matt Corby has been a sensation in his native Australia for a few years now since finishing runner up in the Australian X Factor back in 2007. With his EPs going quadruple platinum down under, and with the lead single of his Into The Flame EP being named Radio 1’s Big Thing, Corby comes to the UK with a fair amount of expectation loaded on his young shoulders. Released a year ago back in his homeland, these songs are not new but
are a certain progression from the more languid tones of his beautiful Made of Stone EP. ‘Brother’ – the aforementioned ‘big thing’ single – is noticeably more aggressive than anything on its predecessor, with Corby falling in and out of a gorgeous falsetto as well as a visceral roar. Drums thump and clatter, guitars and piano stomp around. ‘Souls A’Fire’ is a woozy blues number built a distorted guitar riff and another fantastic Corby vocal that places him as a rawer, rough-round-the-edges, more believable John Mayer. But better
than that sounds. ‘Untitled’ is a gorgeous falsetto-led slow jam, while the closing ‘Big Eyes’ see Corby, an acoustic guitar, some atmospheric backing vocals and the beautiful voice of Bree Tranter combine to devastating effect. What is clear throughout both Into The Flame and Made of Stone is that Corby is a gifted songwriter. While his debut album – due next year – will be the ultimate test of Corby’s promise, what he’s delivered so far has been right out of the top drawer. Andrew Evans
THE ZOLAS
ANCIENT MARS Considering that bandmates Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski have been making music together since 2003, it is no surprise that their sound has become a well-defined thing. While this can cause some bands to fall into a rut, these two key members of The Zolas have seemingly avoided this pitfall in their recent release, Ancient Mars. In fact, this record is different enough from their solid but unremarkable previous efforts to be worth a listen for both fans of the group and of the indie pop genre as a whole. Each track contains a plethora of seemingly unconnected parts that meld together with ruthless efficiency. Opener ‘In Heaven’ combines an excellent scuzzy guitar lick with some fascinating background piano that all fits together seamlessly with top-notch pop vocals. ‘Knot In My Heart’ picks the tempo up by combining piano with a driving drum beat that gets one’s foot tapping right from the start. The whole song oozes pop, especially when the chorus kicks in, and somehow, despite the fundamental simplicity of the song, it doesn’t get tired with repeated listens. Previous single ‘Observatory’ is another superb amalgam of incongruent parts. The bass line comes to the fore and with the addition of some great piano and acoustic guitar, helps to build to a terrific chorus that will assuredly stand out in live performances. ‘Local Swan’ manages to add a dash of genuine feeling to an album that can contain some otherwise cheesy lyrics. A more up-tempo chorus contrasts beautifully with the slower verses, creating a unique feel to the song. Cheesy lyrics aside, album closer ‘Cold Moon’ is the one song that really seems to miss the mark. A very downtempo song, it contains none of the fluffyness of the rest of the album and seems quite at odd, almost out of place, on an otherwise poppy record. Despite this, the rest of the album fits together fairly well, even if it does sound more like a collection of pop songs rather than a cohesive album. However, Ancient Mars is truly remarkable for what it doesn’t have – the overproduced sound so prevalent in pop music today. The tracks are all scaled back and simple, but the music still manages to stand out. In spite of this complete departure from the general consensus of what makes a good pop record, almost every song on the album is catchy and warrants repeat listens. This willingness to fly in the face of conventional wisdom has allowed The Zolas to create a superior record that should attract attention far beyond their native Canada. Christopher Gray
The third album from Toronto’s highly charged, intensive synth-rock duo Crystal Castles comes along at a time when it seems almost half of the new bands arriving on the scene are using similar tools. While Crystal Castles were somewhat a breath of fresh air back in 2007-08, they no longer have the element of surprise, or even moderate innovation. And yet a good record, a catchy collection with just enough oddball twists and turns, crashes and bangs, is the least we could hope for. Unfortunately with III this isn’t what we’ve got. The album begins with ‘Plague’, which was a recent free download, and no doubt one you’re already familiar with. Though not exactly rubbish, the cold, cinematic rush, but generally low key, vibe has a mid-album-lull feel to it; and certainly not their most grabbing of tunes. The
fact that it begins this LP is not a good sign. Much, then, hangs on the following cut, ‘Kerosone’. This one has a lopsided; bit weird, bit mixed up vocal thing going on, as Alice Glass sings in restrained, almost whispering fashion. The distant-style, singing-in-the-mist is not the song’s weak link, it is more to do with the– how shall one put it?– non action; it seems to blow over without that crucial feeling of wanting to place the needle back to the beginning, so to speak. In fact too much on here feel thus. They have, with III, generally held back on the rough-hewn, and gone for a more meticulous approach. So although credit of a sort must be allowed for this slight change, unfortunately there does not seem to be enough standout moments to have it up their among their previous work. Phillip Neeson
CRYSTAL CASTLES III
LUCY ROSE
LIKE I USED TO L
ucy Rose first emerged on the scene after Jack Steadman, lead singer of Bombay Bicycle Club, invited her to tour and lend her dulcet tones to their previous two albums. She has now rose to fame in her own right and the back end of 2012 is her time to shine. Her new album Like I Used To recorded entirely at her parents home and in her local village hall is an instantly enjoyable folk-inspired album that shows a rising star with a huge amount of potential. Opener ‘Red Face‘ offers a melodic start and immediately evokes excitement that this is going to be something special. ‘Middle Of The Bed’ and ‘Lines’ are true highlights, showing off Rose’s sheer versatility and natural gift for songwriting, with the former possessing a stripped back feel complete with an inherent sense of melancholy and is surely set to be one of her defining songs. As it draws to a close, her vocals expose an endearing sense of hesistance
and insecurity that is enjoyed in so much of Bombay Bicycle Club’s albums. The vulnerability and subtleness of ‘Shiver’ sees Lucy experimenting with a folkier sound as she reflects longingly on a past lost love ‘’I shiver like I used to’’ while the poignant ‘Night Bus’ paints a picture of youthful innocence. Her winsome tones used in ‘Watch Over’ are similar to the shuffling rhythms heard with Bombay Bicylcle Club but with a powerful chorus supporting it it that makes for another album highlight. The recently released ‘Bikes’ is a refreshing blend of delicate and fragile tones that encourage repeat listens. Elsewhere, the closing duo ‘First’ and ‘Be Alright’ end with the strum of effortless, acoustic guitar that consumes the listener and allows the focus to center on nothing but Rose’s charming vocals. After several listens there is evolution here that brings out something that perhaps seemed to be hiding on first listen. With so many female singers making themselves known with delicate acoustic pop, Rose has proved she can bring something unique by pushing the boundaries without losing her warmth and intocixating beauty. Catherine Hawkes
“T
here’s a tower block overhead, all you’ve got’s your benefits and you’re barely scraping by,” struts Jake Bugg. Similarly to the Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner, his songs lend a poetic flavour to tales of drunken, fight-filled, pill-popping nights on the town and the trials and strife associated with being brought up on a council estate. It’s easy to see how Bugg’s anti-authority songs of hope and despair might be received as the perfect antidote to the callous, out-of-touch and austerity-infatuated coalition government by today’s army of underemployed young people. Looking barely old enough to sit his GCSEs, Bugg first sprang to nationwide attention with an outstanding three-song salvo on Jools Holland earlier this year. He nimbly finger-picked his way through reflective lament Country Song, then led his warmly boisterous, retro-sounding band through rollicking versions of Trouble Town and Lightning Bolt. All three are included on this self-titled debut. Given that he writes and sings songs and occasionally blows into a harmonica, Bugg has inevitably been tagged as a “new Dylan”. No doubt Bob is one of his formative influences, but the youngster confesses he’s only ever heard one of the great man’s records. He arguably draws more heavily on UK indie heritage. There are close parallels with the Merseybeat sound of The La’s and The Coral. The interesting question is why, when there are hundreds of young men impersonating Dylan, Neil Young, Nick Drake et al out there, it is this one’s star that has ascended so swiftly. Regardless of whether his success may partly owe to shrewd record company marketing, much of the answer surely lies in Bugg being one of those lucky souls whose voice, twinned with a guitar, packs enough emotional punch to transcend the genre’s restrictive conventions. Broadly speaking, there are two types of song here: upbeat, hook-laden pop songs (Lightning Bolt, Two Fingers) and gorgeous, heart-wrenching acoustic strums (Someone Told Me, Note to Self, Simple As This). What really grabs the listener’s attention, more than his songwriting knack, is Bugg’s plaintive, wistful and wisebeyond-his years voice. Lyrically he treads a very well-worn path deftly, pining rhythmically on Trouble Town for an escape from his native Nottingham and onto better things: “Stuck in speed bump city where the only thing that’s pretty is the thought of getting out”. Courtesy of his startlingly accomplished songs, Bugg has been able to make good his escape at breakneck speed. He’s already selling out 2,000-capacity venues and this 14-track LP has rocketed straight to number one in the UK. “It’s my job to keep that X Factor shit off the top of the charts,” was his reaction. He is by no means the finished article: one or two of the skiffle riffs feel a bit formulaic, and there’s the odd moment where Bugg even strays alarmingly close to sounding like Britpop luminaries Cast. Some of the lyrics are inevitably narrow in focus, too. On the whole, though, as a first instalment this will do just fine. Provided he continues to expand his horizons, there would appear to be few limits to what this precocious teenager can achieve.
JAKE BUGG JAKE BUGG
REVIEW
the 1975 Over the course of their debut release – the Facedown EP – The 1975 presented themselves as a band with a split personality. In the thumping lead single ‘The City’ they had a genuine pop moment, with propulsive beats and nagging hooks, yet across the EP’s three remaining tracks the young Manchester band appeared to be more interested in crafting a woozy M83-esque ambience. It was, if you will, three parts ‘interesting’ to one part ‘thrilling’. In many ways, much the same can be said of their new offering, the second in a trio of EPs scheduled to be released prior to their debut album in early 2013. This EP again flits between two opposing styles and again the group don’t appear to divulge which they prefer. There are however, two key differences. Firstly, while much of Facedown was given to atmospheric, dreamy guitarscapes it is in fact lashings of soulful RnB that turns them away from their piping hot slices of pop pie on this outing. Perhaps more importantly though they’ve tinkered with the ratio, resulting in the Sex EP contain-
SEX EP
ing two genuinely brilliant moments and making it a far more memorable listen. The EP’s title track – already picked up and played with much enthusiasm by Radio 1’s chief tastemakers Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens – is an almost straight down the line indie-rock song, featuring a squalling lead guitar line and Matt Healy’s fragile vocal. The track possesses just a single chorus and upon its arrival doffs its cap to numerous US emo/hardcore bands before nestling back into its snuggly indie jumper. The second standout moment follows directly after it in the form of ‘You’, which opens with a glitchy, unhinged guitar part before settling into a glorious groove and melting into a sugar-sweet chorus. As you may expect on an EP with such a name, singer Matt Healy isn’t afraid to open up about the contents of his little black book – ‘it’s not my fault, that I’ve fucked everybody here…’ he sings on ‘You’ and when confronted with some spare time on the title track he isn’t afraid to suggest ‘if we’re gonna do anything we might as well just fuck’.
Unsurprisingly the opening salvo of effects-laden RnB slow jams don’t work quite so well, but that’s not to say they are completely without merit. ‘Undo’, if it took another direction, could be an Usher song and plays with the minimalist formula so loved by The Weeknd et al at the moment. It’s not an unwelcome addition to the band’s palette, but does sound like it’s an aspect of the four-piece that hasn’t been developed as much as it needs to in order to hit the bullseye so cleanly. Across their two releases so far The 1975 have toyed with numerous styles and ideas. It’s high praise indeed that the one that they consistently nail is perhaps the hardest of all – bonafide radio belters. In an interview they did with this website, they spoke of their debut album as a record full of this kind of song – good news for the fans they’ve gained from Radio 1 – and that shows a band willing and happy to play to their strengths. While there is one more EP to come before then, we’re already getting very excited. Andrew Evans
There can be no debate about the recent glut of excellent bands from the Baltic States, and it appears that this trend may be continuing. Phrases To Break The Ice, the debut effort from Finnish four piece Satellite Stories has boosted their entry into the crowded indie-pop scene and foretells the potential of excellent things to come. After wrapping up their recent tour of Finland, it is certain that many are eagerly awaiting announcements of what the band’s future plans are. First single ‘Anti-Lover’ sets the tone for what you can expect throughout their fizzing debut – upbeat tunes that aim to do no more than make you get up and dance. The guitar sounds like it was lifted from Two Door Cinema Club or Walk the Moon, with poppy little riffs that get the blood pumping. The vocals of singer Esa
Mankinen seemingly crafted solely for this type of music, complementing the instrumentals perfectly. Further along, another single ‘Sirens’ continues along this same road. However, while clearly the standout track of the album, everything still doesn’t quite click. The lyrics attempt desperately to convey the frustration of a relationship gone sour, but one can’t feel anything other than the irrepressible urge to dance to the pop melodies and upbeat guitar phrases. This overall disconnection from the lyrics doesn’t tank the song, but definitely keeps it from ascending as high as it probably should. Unfortunately, most of the other songs on the album sound very similar; stabbing, needling guitar hooks try and distract from angular melodies. This
kind of repetitiveness is an unfortunate drag, holding it back from being a superb album. To the band’s credit, they attempt to break out of this funk with the slower ballad ‘Mt. Foreverest’. Sadly, they don’t manage to pull off the emotional resonance, making it clear that Satellite Stories are, at least at this point, a one-trick pony. Despite this, Phrases To Break The Ice remains a good album if one can look at it for what it is and temper expectations accordingly. Satellite Stories have done something that many bands never do, they’ve found “their” sound, but they still have room to grow. If they can add a bit of variation to their repertoire, they can be one of the better indie-pop bands out there. Christopher Gray
satellite stories
PHRASES TO BREAK THE ICE
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