If Soul music collided with chill-wave, would it work? Would it sound horrendous or would it just be the most stunning and relaxing thing you’ve ever exposed your ears too? Well, I’ve found something that combines the two and it works. You’re obviously free to make your own mind up, but trust me- if you combine the two it goes extremely well together.
Ariel Pink (aka Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti) isn’t really chill-wave to be honest. His sound is part psychedelic, part dream-pop with a hint of folk. It’s chilled out music at its best. I know that summer has been and gone. Well let’s be honest, did it ever really arrive? It depends where you live. In England, as ever, it passed us all by. There was this weekend in July though….
Anyway, I’m not a weather reporter. I’m just some fool who adores who music, so I’ll carry on with that.
Last year’s release, Before Today was so underrated. I know a lot of spectacular albums came out last year. Yes, I am going to mention it- Warpaint’s album was THE album of last year. Thing is, there is a link with Warpaint, well Emily Kokal and Ariel Pink.
This afternoon I was looking for a Warpaint interview, and I found an interview Emily did with Ariel. I’m not jus saying this because I absolutely love Warpaint with all I have, but it was truly one of the best interviews I have ever read. I think to have been in the same room as Emily and Ariel as the interview was being conducted, it just would’ve been a glorious experience. It went beyond music; it was just a brilliant read.
Before Today is such a floaty kind of album. It makes you feel weightless and that nothing matters- just like Warpaint’s album. It must be that beautiful LA feel, right?
It’s just the perfect summer sound, and I suppose with the dark evenings looming in- a sound like this is needed more than ever.
Can’t Feel My Eyes is my favourite off the album. I’m guilty of not giving this album the attention that it well and truly deserves. I think it’s because I was so into a certain band’s album that came out in October I just ignored everything (see, didn’t mention their name this time!) But it is a wonderful piece of art.
It’s an album to sit and watch the wave’s crash to, maybe hug someone whilst sitting on the beach. Or just sit on your own with your thoughts- either option works.
I know I say it a lot, but I firmly believe that music is about escapism. If a piece of music can get you to escape reality and place you in a different frame of mind, and to even put you in a better place- then you’re onto something truly remarkable. I listen to a lot of music that makes me feel this way, it’s sometimes an issue when I’m listening to a piece of music and I’m about to cross a road- I look both ways, but I take nothing but the music in. I guess I am well and truly obsessed with music. There are worse things I could care this much about.
Ariel Pink makes you feel so fucking alive. I’m not sorry for swearing, but it’s needed for once. It just does something to your soul. His voice and sound are euphorically soulful. That’s the only way to describe it. I’d love it if he collaborated with Adam Green, it’d be the strangest sound EVER. It’d work though. I’ve never done drugs, nor do I want to- but if they did a song together I imagine it’d feel like some spacey acid trip? Who knows?
Ariel Pink posses a sound that I’ve not heard before yet at the same time has that LA vibe to it. So many may dismiss it and wish to part themselves from it. I fully understand. However with Ariel Pink, you hope he doesn’t leave it behind because he’s taken a familiar sound and made it his own. There’s not many that can do that and do it well. He’s a true artist, in ever sense of the word.
There’s always a band that you can just go back to for anything. You can use them as an emotional crutch or you can just play them when life decides to go your way. The singer’s voice is so angelic; you cannot believe such a voice exists. When you saw them live, you remember how mental the guitarist went and you could see the sheer passion in each band member’s faces as they were on stage. They’re not just a band, they are more than that. They say everything others won’t say, they make music others are scared to play. They are quite possibly still the underdog, but the singer once said, “Even the underdog gets to have its day.” You cling onto her saying that because you can relate to it. You’re still waiting to have that day, but as each day passes and you get older- you realise something. You realise that this band have been a huge part of your life. You’ve adored them since the very start. You’re proud to call yourself a fan. When you saw them live, it was at such a shut part of your life- but their show slowly but surely dragged you out of the rut you were stuck in. You’re still not sure what the cause was, you can’t go back for answers. Move forward and move to your favourite band. That’s exactly what you did. You screamed every single word back. Am I boring you? I probably am. It’s 1.30am and I’m rambling before I start again.
Everything above is how I feel about Metric.
What Metric are to me is hard to put into words, and with that lengthy introduction I have metaphorically shot myself in the foot. What I dislike is that I can pour all these feelings into describing my love for a band; I can do that- no problem. Yet I struggle a stupid amount to tell someone how I feel about anything. Not in a “woe is me” kind of way. I guess I just get nervous and frustrated when I have to talk about myself, I guess with writing like this I can do it in a different way. I can be me when I write about a band. I guess it’s my way of saying to certain people, “You got me wrong, I’m not a twat.” But hey, their loss is my gain. It just allows me to write like this. Maybe it is personal, but I want whoever reads what I write to feel it the way I do. I want them to think about the band they love when I write this way. I cannot write without putting my feelings into it. Maybe it makes me a bad writer, maybe it makes me sound like some obsessive fool. Maybe I am. I just love music; it’s the only thing that can make me feel like this. It makes me feel alive when nothing else does. It’s my life.
The way a song can make you feel 10 feet tall but then just break your heart has always fascinated me. How a song can just describe your life in one short sentence is mind-blowing beyond belief. How a certain key change can cause this spark to light up inside you throws you into a whirlwind. Again, this is how I feel about Metric.
Dead Disco was the first song I ever heard by Metric, “Everything has been done.” That line just stuck with me instantly, it still does. Years have passed since I first heard Metric, and that line is still relevant- possibly more now than ever. Old World Underground, Where Are You Now has so much going on. The aggressive riffs, the harsh drums, the raw bass and the angelic vocals. All of this is what makes Metric so appealing to me. Emily Haines is quite frankly highly underrated as a front-woman. She can hold a crowd just as well as anyone else- male or female. She goes wild on stage, she just grips you. I remember when I saw them live, and she held my hand for like 2 seconds, it was just amazing. I also had the honour of doing a phone interview with Jimmy and Emily in 2009.
What I loved about the interview is how personal it was. I didn’t feel like I was talking to members of my favourite band, I felt like I was just talking to two people I sort of knew about music. It was such a relaxed vibe; it was one of the best interviews I’ve ever done. As it was personal, I’ve never wanted to type up the interview. It was just before Fantasies was released and I had a promo copy. I talked to Emily about a song off the album that at that point in my life, just described it. To be able to tell the person who created a song that means the world to you what it means to you is such a euphoric feeling. It is truly remarkable, it always stays with you.
Even if you’ve never seen Metric live, you can easily sense how much they love the music they create on record. The passion just oozes out, it’s just bloody marvellous.
Live It Out is easily my favourite record by the band. I love every single song on the album, especially the title track. The lyrics are, well they just mean a lot. The whole album is just perfect from beginning to end. The album starts with Empty; the build-up in this song just makes you stop still. You cannot do a thing, “There is no way out, the only way out is to give in.” The way Emily sings this is stunning, then the guitar, drums and bass kick in and smack you pleasurably in the face- followed by Emily’s voice echoing, “Shake your head it’s empty.” This live is just out of this world, for 10 minutes they played so brutally. I’ll always hold this gig so dear to me. I’d waited years to see them, and I was front row amongst around 300 people. It was pure bliss.
Poster Of Girl is perfect. Emily singing in French, how could you not lose your mind to it?! Too Little Too Late is probably my favourite off the album, as soon as I publish this entry I may have switched it to Handshakes or something.
Metric’s music just means the world to me, it owns my heart. When I can’t sleep, I usually play some of Emily Haines solo work. It’s just gorgeous. Her delicate voice over a piano is so comforting; it just sends you off into a dream-world.
Acoustic Metric is stunning too, as is their cover of The Strokes song, The End Has No End. Everything about Metric just appeals to me. They posses the Punk ethic and hints of Riot Grrrl- I think it’s because they came out just as the Riot Grrrl movement was fast falling into the unknown, of course it still exists- but it’s underground, I guess that’s what makes it still highly important.
In over a thousand words I have tried to convey my love for Metric into words, instead I think I’ve just ranted like a tired idiot. I am tired; I’ll go to sleep as soon as I’ve posted this.
I just love Metric and I firmly believe they do not get the credit that they are rightfully owned. However, part of me loves this because they feel like “my” band. Nobody really knows of my unconditional love for this band and all they mean to me. I hold them as highly as Morrissey and Bob Dylan (they’ve also covered Dylan brilliantly.) They just mean everything to me, nothing in life is perfect- but I think Metric are close to it.
They are what true musicianship should be. They’ve never changed their sound to fit in, they’ve never stopped doing what they love to adapt to certain trends. They have always been honest and true to themselves.
When I listen to them, they just reignite this fire in me that is all too often being put out, when a band can do that to you- it’s fair to say that they are your life/a huge part of it.
“There’s no glitter in the gutter. There’s no twilight galaxy.”
I’m constantly drawn towards music and things that can be seen as “odd” to others. However, like Morrissey once sang; “There is no such in life as normal.” So I guess the stuff that I am into, isn’t really odd. It’s all personal taste. I’m not into calling myself things such as a freak, weirdo or odd to define myself. Nor do I like things that are strange to be different from anyone else. I like what I like, there’s no need to justify it. If you have to justify it, then it doesn’t move you. I believe if you have to explain why you love something or someone- you don’t mean it. The things that mean the most just can’t be explained. That’s why they are beautiful and important to you.
This does lead me onto something, trust me. I just like to ramble a bit before I make my point. You’ve probably clicked onto a different site now, but still- I’ll continue on.
I’ve always admired female singers with strong voices. The kind of voice that causes your jaw to drop, cover you in goose-bumps and just leave you in awe. Singers such as Billie Holiday, Grace Jones, Patti Smith, Grace Slick, Edith Piaf, Anna Calvi, Amy Winehouse, Florence Welch. The power in their voices is just inspiring.
However, there’s one person whose voice is stronger than all of these put together. This person isn’t female, but his song was covered by one of the greats, Nina Simone.
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is one of the best male singers ever. He had one of the strongest voices I have ever heard from a male singer, such power- such strength. Although he was famous for one song (I Put A Spell On You.) His live shows and the way he performed have easily influenced those who are drawn to the more dramatic and flamboyant way of performing. It’s just a shame they do not mention him to give the man the credit he is long overdue.
Some of his stage props could easily be seen as a shock tactic- he performed with a smoking skull named Henry. Some say it was to do with voodoo, others said he was just messing around. Art is art, the freedom to express oneself however they wish. You can call that art, but singers now have to yell out for attention by wearing next to nothing or a meat dress. That’s not going to make me take you seriously. Having a voice like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, will.
His bluesy and soulful voice is like no other. I Put A Spell On You just changed everything about music and how it was performed. He had guts and he had heart. The way he sings that song is how it should be sung. If you read the lyrics it mixes vengeance with pure longing. Some that have covered this song sing it so delicately, so you do not get the full effect of the song. I’m not saying this because I adore the band more than anything, but because they are the only ones to have covered the song and just conveyed everything Screamin’ Jay Hawkins did. Of course I’m on about The Kills. Jamie’s aggressive guitar with Alison’s angry and extremely passionate voice takes you to the same place as the original version of the song. I know with covers the whole point is to make it your own, but with songs such as I Put A Spell On You, to take anything away from it and make it different is just sacrilege. It has to stay mean, powerful, frustrated and obsessive. The sheer passion in the song has to stay, that is why I feel The Kills are the only ones to have truly captured this in the song (aside from SJH of course.)
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins was a raw performer, everything about the way he sang and moved on stage just gripped you. There was no way on Earth you could possibly tear yourself from listening to and watching him. Some singers just have that “thing.” You cannot describe it; you just know what it is. It’s an understanding of what they are about. You dig it and you understand it. Something so deep yet so simple. You get it, but it’s too much to put into words.
During the early 1990s, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins toured with two great acts- Nick Cave and The Clash. See, the early 90s wasn’t all about dodgy dance music and acid house! He had also opened for acts such as The Rolling Stones and Fats Domino.
His whole demeanour has evidently influenced those such as The Cramps, Screaming Lord Sutch and more recently, The Horrors. The way he carried himself on stage was how a true performer should be. Such raw and aggressive vibes, but such a powerful voice.
Hard to believe that someone with such a gritty and gnarly voice studied classical piano and wanted to be an opera singer, right? Well, that’ll teach you to judge won’t it dear reader.
I remember first hearing Let’s Go Surfing by The Drums in 2009, and I think I felt how anyone must have felt when they first heard The Beach Boys for the very first time. I love The Drums because the mix the sounds of two bands that I adore in their music- The Beach Boys and The Smiths. They have a surfer feel to their music mixed with desperate, lonely, vulnerable and loving lyrics. They are one of the few bands that have perfected the art of misery and joy- sad lyrics, happy sounds. There are not many that can do this.
I saw The Drums live when they supported Florence And The Machine in May 2010, and I was just mesmerised by Jonny’s stage presence. He moved like Ian Curtis and Morrissey. I also remember my eyes wandering around the stage and I saw Florence watching the band from the side of the stage. Suddenly my attention just was lost; I didn’t know where to look. I was captivated by The Drums and Florence, it was a beautiful gig.
The Drums first album was a fantastic debut. As someone who highly adores the first album and was a bit pissed/upset with them losing a band member, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to the band. Would they call it quits? Would they take a different direction and just sound awful? Or would they carry on and sound stronger than ever? Of course, the latter is what happened. Portamento has instantly blown my mind. With first listen I am utterly captivated by the sounds and Jonny’s angelic voice.
What I love about The Drums is they constantly have this summer vibe to their music. I’ll be listening to this album in the cold, cruel British winter and I know it will feel like I am on a beach watching the sun set. If you’ve never felt lonely (admit it, you have- you’re human after all) or never had your heartbroken, you will feel like you have when you listen to Portamento. There’s more hurt and betrayal on this album compared to the debut. Maybe it’s to do with Adam leaving the band, maybe it isn’t. Whatever it is that makes Jonny write these gorgeous words down and sing them with such fragility, well there are no words.
I love that they didn’t take their time with releasing a second album, a lot of bands take a few years between the debut and “dreaded second album.” The Drums took a year- and in that year they’ve done so much and been through so much.
Portamento has synths- for someone who really isn’t a massive fan of synths. I think this is because for the past 2 years or so most bands have seemed to have OD on using synths and neglected raw sounds. At first I wasn’t so sure if a band such as The Drums could pull off using synths- but seeing as they are a true band and are technical with how they create music, they use synths in a brilliant way. They don’t overuse them nor do they let them overrule The Drums sound that their fans adore.
I’m not one for picking fault in music, I don’t enjoy writing anything negative about an artist’s work- mainly because I’m in no place to do so. This is why I love The Drums; they create music that is instantly easy to love. They make it so easy to praise them and just enjoy the music they have created.
Book Of Revelation is beautiful, “And I believe that when we die- we die.” As someone who questions the existence of anything and everything, I find this song to be extremely intriguing. I could probably just listen to this over and over, just to get answers to all I question. Maybe I’m of that age where I just doubt and question anything/everything. To be honest though, I’ve done it my whole life and more than likely- always will.
Hard To Love (“I would never leave you, but you’re hard to love.”) and I Don’t Know How To Love standout for me. I just love the way Jonny vocalises the desire to love and to do anything for love. The Drums are a highly charming band; I think that is why it is easy to see why they are influenced by The Smiths.
Although I love the band and I think that Portamento is such a stunning album (yes it’s one of my favourite of the year, easily) it I hard to put into words as to why it is so bloody good. Their sound is a lot tighter than their EP (Summertime) and debut album, but it still has that wonderful daydream feel to it. You can just listen to the album and fall into a daydream that is 12 songs long. It’s just beautiful. I know summer is well and truly over, did it ever start? But The Drums constantly keep it going with their music. They provide the warmth and comfort you should get from the summer. It’s just a wonderful album from start to finish. You can tell that they have experimented a lot more with this album, for some it doesn’t always work- but for Jonny, Connor and Jacob it well and truly does work.
This year hasn’t been all too bad for music, that’s if you can let your rage go towards manufactured shite and reality “stars” being played everywhere. If you can get past that, and listen to something with substance- you’ll have realised that this year, some amazing debut albums were released. Such as Cults, Dirty Beaches, Anna Calvi and Washed Out. Now it’s the turn of one of my favourite duos and new bands of this year to release their album.
Big Deal don’t use drums. As someone who is consantly in awe of anyone who can play the drums and this euphoric, big sound they create- how could I possibly love Big Deal? Quite easily really. I remember hearing Locked Up lasy year, and I was so enthralled by what I was hearing. I loved how their voices flowed, it was juts perfect. A few months later I heard Talk and it was so stunning and so heartbreaking. The way they sing, “All I wanna do is talk, but seeing you fucks me up.” It’s so simple, but I know that so many can relate to it. Although the band aren’t a couple, you can’t help but think they mean it about each other. They have that chemistry in their lyrics, it’s quite overpowering- just like The Kills.
Big Deal’s sound is simple, it’s just them and their guitars. However lyrically, it’s so much more than that. There is such depth and twinges of hurt in their lyrics that really comes across in their vocals, which at times sound so haunting and vulnerable. With a lot of bands, they can sing the sad songs but with no feeling. There is so much feeling in Big Deal’s music, I can’t possibly pick out which songs evoke the most feeling- they all do. The opener, Distant Neighborhood is probably one of my favourites. With first listen I can safely say that this is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard this year. In a way, they remind me of The Moldy Peaches- mainly because of how their voices go together. It’s just beautiful.
As far as debut albums go, this one is gorgeous. It oozes such fragility from start to finish, if you cannot find something to love in that- then I guess you don’t have a heart.
As I was on the train, followed by the bus full of drunken wankers yesterday- I was listening to one of my favourite bands ever- The Organ. The split up a year after I got into their music. It broke my heart, I don’t talk about it. It’s like when The Long Blondes split up- the wound is still open and it hurts a lot to mention it. They are two bands that never should’ve split up. Purely selfish reasons as I adored their music and just wanted so much more. However, there’s solo projects and past releases to ease the pain.
The Organ was in a way, the female version of The Smiths. How so? Listen to the lyrics. Katie Sketch, aside from having one of the most distinctive and gorgeous voices ever- was and still is a bloody brilliant lyricist.
Their music in some parts is sheer loneliness and desperation; I suppose that’s what can make them appealing to some. Even the vulnerable need something to lean on even if they don’t wish to admit it. I love The Organ because they came at a time where there was nothing like them. They came at a time where the Riot Grrrl movement was starting to fade out (I firmly believe it exists, it’s just underground) and something else was needed. However, after The Organ called it quits in 2006 nothing else really emerged. I suppose now you can say that Warpaint are the band to inspire females to get into music and start a band. Of course there are other female bands, but Warpaint are the ones doing it RIGHT at the moment.
The Organ had some amazing lyrics and their songs were divine and highly heartbreaking.
I suppose I adored The Organ so much because of the lyrics. Love, Love, Love is probably one of my favourites. I have no idea what Katie Sketch intended with it, but my take on it is- wanting to find love, find love and your/their stupidity causes it to be destroyed. It’s an easy song to relate to-like all of their songs. That’s the beauty of music; you can create your own meaning. Make it your own.
My favourite lyric penned by Katie Sketch has to be, “Our hearts didn’t come together, but I saw the two collide.” I’m not entirely sure what it is about this specific line, but it just captured my heart the very first time I heard it. Grab That Gun is such a glorious album; there are no bad songs on it at all. I believe it should be included in those lists of albums you need in your life that various publications like to annually create. It was the only full length album the band ever released, and it’s such a shame because it was just a blueprint of what the band could’ve truly become.
As they only released one album, it is so easy to want more from them. That’s what happens when you become emotionally attached to a band that then split up. Yes, I am also aiming that at The Long Blondes.
The Organ, I feel, will always be the underdogs- so highly underrated; it’s just ever so unfair that a band with such talent was just overlooked.
Steven Smith is a song that I adore, and probably because it is a tribute to the genius that is- Morrissey. Certain lines in the song, if you’re a Morrissey fan make you grin slightly because you feel it too. I really love the last part of the song, “When everything is quiet, the ringing in our ears will be awfully violent. And then there will be silence.” It is quite a sullen line, but I just love the feel I get from hearing it. You can imagine driving around with just the city lights bouncing off the pavements, it just creates a desolate feeling- but that isn’t always a bad thing. As they give off such feelings of loneliness in their songs, it makes the actual feeling less painful and daunting.
The Organ could’ve been as big as The Smiths- who knows. All I know is that they are one of the most important bands to have ever existed.
I didn’t want to touch on this specific fact due to it not being anything to do with the music. However, with the amount of “out” lesbians in music being close to scarce, bands like The Organ just made it slightly easier. Of course homophobia exists in music as does sexism- but put The Organ against any band regardless of gender and sexual orientation- and they are just as good, probably better. They had something, they had this spark in their music that just got to you in ways that you thought were unknown and thought you couldn’t feel.
The power in Katie Sketch’s lyrics still overwhelm me, even though I’ve listened to them so many times- I still get that same feeling. Their song, Brother has such a euphoric build-up in it, it just takes you over. You have to just shut your eyes and allow yourself to feel so vulnerable and weightless to truly feel the real essence of the song.
Bands such as The Organ made me feel slightly more comfortable with who I am. I’ll always have a twinge of uncertainty with regard to who I am, but it keeps me going- as does music by the likes of The Organ.
I love bands that play with everything they have. I adore it when you can tell a band is doing it for the music and not to seek approval of others. Every word sung and every note played is done with such importance- it is as if their life depends on it. The connection band members have on stage is one of the greatest things you can witness. To see a band just bounce off each other’s vibe is incredible. You can sense their love for each other and the music they play.
One band in particular that do all this, and so much more are The Kills. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to see them live knows exactly what I mean. Alison and Jamie do not even have to interact with the crowd much, how they are with each other is more than enough.
I saw them live just after Midnight Boom was released, I had an (un)healthy obsession with them as soon as I heard the album Keep On Your Mean Side, and to see them live was like watching something you shouldn’t be watching. They have this connection on stage that I have never ever seen before. I have never seen two people have that bond before- whether famous or not, it is so rare. I think in our lives, you do find someone like that. You will probably argue with them and want to throttle them- but at the same time, if anyone ever hurts them- you feel it too. It is the most important relationship you have (not in a coupley/sexual way). It’s your lifeline. That’s just my take on it.
You can easily see how much they adore each other. From the way Jamie grins at Alison during certain songs to how Alison just looks at him in awe when he pretty much goes mental on the guitar. The look of love and understanding they have for each other is so precious and so beautiful.
I can’t remember exactly where I was when I first heard The Kills; all I know is what just after Keep On Your Mean Side was released. I fell in complete love with what I was hearing. I wanted to know everything about their sound. How it was created and what influenced them. They kick-started my obsession with The Velvet Underground and the blues all over again. I was just so happy that a band combined everything I loved about music and made their own sound. It was so different, it still is. There is no band around that are doing what The Kills do, and have done. They make this harsh, brutal music that just constantly has you in a chokehold and you don’t want it to ever let you go. If it does, what are you left with?
When I listen to The Kills I feel like nothing can touch me. It becomes like a protective shield. I urge anyone to go for a walk listening to Fried My Little Brains or Cat Claw and not feel fucking invincible. Songs such as Kissy Kissy just ooze vengeance and rage, I love it. That’s why I love The Kills so much. All this frustration just pours out of their songs, but they do not do it in a self-pitying way. None of their songs are self-pitying, that’s why I love them. Yes they touch on heartbreaking subjects (see Black Balloon, The Last Goodbye) but none of it is “woe is me” at all. They do it in a way that just breaks your heart yet you feel fine because Alison is singing the things you wish your heart could channel your mouth to say. I guess, this just proves other people’s words can mean more than your own at times. Or maybe, you trick yourself into believing that because you cannot find the words to say. Call it whatever you want, it’s just beautiful.
In their interviews the intelligence and passion they have is so breathtaking and so calming but as soon as they hit the stage, it is totally different. Alison stalks the stage like a lioness and Jamie is in his own world- with Alison. You can truly see that they live for music and playing live is everything to them. That’s why you can easily believe in everything that The Kills are.
Each of their albums instantly threw me. Although each albums sound different from the last, they have always maintained that raw, unapologetic, aggressive sound. They are one of the few (or possibly the only bands) contemporary bands to carry the true Punk ethic in their music. It is so inspiring.
A lot of bands, to create a sound so distinctive need layers and layers to their music. They need to have certain producers to have a specific sound or they need a gimmick. The Kills quite simply, don’t. They are two best friends making music that is beyond. It is beyond words, beyond emotions. Sometimes it is hard to get your head around the fact that it is just two people making this sound. Something I find highly inspirational about the band is that Alison just left everything in America to come to London to start The Kills with Jamie. There is something so utterly inspiring about this, it makes you want to leave everything and achieve your goals.
From a personal perspective- this is why The Kills mean so much to me. They sacrificed so much and invested so much to be where they are now. There is no doubt that they are one of hardest working bands around. They give you hope that if you cast everything aside in order to get what you want- you can get it.
An image that is constantly evoked for me when I listen to The Kills is two outlaws on the run, on a neglected, dusty road in America. The fierce sound just conjures up some fantastic images in your find. The words they sing just blow me away. Lines such as “Elevator straight into my skull. An escalator rises as it falls.” from Black Balloon and “She covers one eye ‘cause she can see into your mind, and she no longer wants to.” from Gypsy Death & You are lines that just always always leave me in awe.
When I heard Blood Pressures, I was just taken aback with what I was hearing. The waltz feel on The Last Goodbye really hits you in the gut, and I firmly standby “How can I rely on my heart if I break it, with my own two hands.” being the best line I have heard in a song this year, it’s quite painful how much I can relate to it- but it gets you through the day doesn’t it.
The Kills own a large chunk of my heart. Their lyrics, the way they are on stage and in interviews, the chemistry they have with each other, their music- everything about them. It just means more than the world to me. They just blow my mind every single time I listen to them. Every time I play their music it is like I am discovering them for the first time. They are timeless and influential. If a band can make you feel like this with every listen, then hold onto them. Something tells me The Kills are a band that won’t let go. The fight and drive in them is inspiring. It’s important to find something to fight for and believe in, music is mine- especially with bands such as The Kills. They also prove that all you need is two people to make some of the greatest music ever, and sometimes all you need is just the one person to believe in you- and to see the good in you when no one else does.
After 3 attempts write this, this is my last go. Trying to sum up the importance of a debut album isn’t easy, nor is it easy trying to think of the best debut albums ever. There have been so many phenomenal debut albums, some people just overlook and others are regarded as highly influential.
Over the past 3 years there have been some amazing debut albums released such as Lungs by Florence And The Machine to Cults self titled debut which was released this year.
The hardest thing about putting out such a great first album is following it up. How many bands have managed to set such a high calibre with their first album and pull it off with every release? Of course The Smiths managed to do it, and in my biased opinion, more recently The Horrors have evidently done it. More on Strange House later. I always have strong affection towards debut albums as you can truly feel and understand what an artist is trying to do. It’s always good to listen back to a debut album when a band has released 3 or 4 albums into their career. You can really hear how an artist has grown and changed their sound.
My personal favourite debut album of all time has to be Psychocandy by The Jesus And Mary Chain. I love the reverb sound, the intense subject matter and of course Jim Reid’s stunning vocals. I adore the production on the album, it has influenced so many bands that I love such as The Horrors. There has never been a debut album as gripping and as brutal as Psychocandy. Although the band have released some fantastic albums, this is the one that stands out for me- it is timeless and just everything an album should be. It’s dark, it is passionate and honest. If more music was to this standard, well, the music industry would be in a better place I suppose. The Jesus And Mary Chain is a band that inspires me in ways no other band ever has, and probably ever will. Of course The Smiths are the band that owns my heart, but I feel The Jesus And Mary Chain own a part of my mind. The heart is greater, that I know. I just love the feeling I get from listening to Psychocandy, it just feels like the first time I am listening to it every time I do. It’s just a perfect debut album from start to finish. I don’t think any album has single-handedly started its own genre in a way Psychocandy did. It’s just everything, and anything after it has just lurked in its shadows.
Last year two debut albums came out that just instantly blew me away. I felt like I was in a different time whilst listening to it- personally, that’s what makes a remarkable album. Regardless if it is a debut album or an artists fifth album.
The two albums are Best Coast’s debut self titled release and of course, The Fool by Warpaint.
Best Coast’s debut was the soundtrack to summer 2010, there’s no denying it. The album instantly became a piece of art that I treasured so much, I still play it every single day. There is not one song that bores me. I don’t really hold any personal situations to the album, give it time I guess. It’s just an album that makes me feel like I am sitting on a beach, staring out to sea and forgetting everything. It’s the perfect form of escapism. I love Bethany’s vocals especially on Our Deal. There’s something so heartbreaking about that song, but you just can’t stop listening to it. Oh her cat, Snacks is quite possibly the cutest animal ever.
Where do I start when talking about The Fool by Warpaint? Anyone who knows me a tiny bit will know that album is one of the most important albums in my life, ever. Of all the albums I own, this one is one I hold very highly. I love how every song makes me feel like I am floating on water towards something better. There’s always something better. Warpaint’s music makes a hopeless person like myself quite hopeful.
Songs such as Lissie’s Heart Murmur and Shadows are so important to me. The way Emily sings on Lissie’s Heart Murmur just moves me in a way I didn’t think could happen. I adore Theresa’s vocals on Shadows, so much frustration in the line,” I feel like the shadows, I don’t even bother for any more than that.” It’s an album to lose yourself in, and probably find parts of yourself too.
I remember seeing a copy of an album with five men wearing high-heels and make-up on the cover and just being in awe of the cover. I found the album in the drawer in the living room at my mum’s house when I was around 15/16. I took the album to my room and just played it. I didn’t move. I was entirely transfixed with the sounds that were coming out of my temperamental CD player.
New York Dolls are quite possibly one of the most important bands ever. They’ve influenced so many artists that I adore with every fibre of my being. Yes, I mean Morrissey. Their debut album has one song on it that just means the universe to me, Subway Train. I adore everything about the song, especially the lyrics. Frustration with a twinge of angst- mixed with longing. They are the best kinds of songs and Subway Train is one of them.
The album is the blueprint of what would later emerge from New York City.
Although Live It Out is my favourite album by them, Metric’s debut release, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? is such a fantastic piece of art. The album starts with IOU, and right from the start you fall in love with Metric’s sound. They have a specific sound that I have never ever heard in any band. Whether it be in a band I love or a band I dislike, their sound is something that has never been replicated- thankfully. I highly doubt anyone could. Songs such as Wet Blanket, Combat Baby, Dead Disco and The List are just stunning. I’ve been fortunate to see them live, and the energy they have on record is just the same live. Just with a bit more sweat. The production is just stunning. I’ve been a fan of Metric since they started out and their sound is so distinctive. What I love about their debut is the Punk and Riot Grrrl feel it has- two genres that mean a lot to me, and for a band such as Metric to combine those two genres to create Old World Underground was just brilliant.
I have two more debut albums to write about. Both have this brutal sound to it and contain such a force that just shakes your world and your whole being. I know that the albums I have mentioned and are about to mention are probably odd choices for some, but they are debut albums that just mean a lot to me, and to others I’m sure. I could mention the usual such as The Smiths debut album and Is This It by The Strokes, both albums of course are masterpieces and mean a lot to me. I have Is This It tattooed on me. Some may think it’s a morbid thing to have tattooed, it isn’t- it’s a declaration of love for such a phenomenal album.
Strange House by The Horrors is a frickin’ amazing take on Garage-Rock. I remember skipping a lecture at University to go out and buy the album. I did it a lot whilst at College and Uni. My priorities have always been based on music; it’s a good and bad thing. Good for me, and it probably pisses others off. They don’t get it, I don’t expect them to.
I feel Strange House has been overlooked by so many. Guaranteed it sounds nothing like Primary Colours and Skying- none of The Horrors albums sound like their last one at all. That’s why I love them. Their music means a lot to me, I cannot describe why. Strange House reminds me of my first year of Uni. Probably the happiest I have ever been. Everything was new to me and I was becoming the person I always wanted to be. The sound on Strange House just instantly took over me. From Faris’s screams to Rhys’ mental keyboard skills. I remember going back home during the holidays and my mum telling me she loved Count In Fives. I’ve played her all three albums by them, and she too is in awe of their sound. I’ve got a pretty cool family. My auntie and uncle both adore The Horrors.
The way The Horrors dressed during the Strange House era was just beautiful. If I was a guy, or hell, if I was skinny I’d probably dress like that. I know they will never create an album with the same sound as Strange House but each album still has that raw, brutal feel. A feel that is not evident in a lot of music right now. A lot of people are getting into The Horrors based on the single Still Life. However, I urge you new fans to please listen to Strange House. It’ll do you a world of good if you do.
The last album that I am going to bore you with, if you are still with me is, Keep On Your Mean Side by The Kills. The title alone is bloody great. The album defines the whole sound of The Kills. Unapologetic brutal, dark, intense, raw and powerful sounds. Everything about this album is sheer perfection. From start to finish the album has you in a chokehold. The Kills music feels like a pleasurable punch to the face. It hits you over and over- you don’t care if it hurts, it is the best feeling ever. The music has this hold over you. Alison’s beautiful and vengeful voice twinned with Jamie’s genius guitar playing steals your heart away. It takes you to a place that is dark, poetic and sublime. I love how they have captured the same feeling people must have got when they first heard The Velvet Underground when they started. They are my generation’s take on The Velvet Underground. The dark lyrics with harsh guitar sounds, it’s just everything that music should be.
I adore Alison’s vocals on Wait and Gypsy Death & You. It is so pure, just enthralling. I love the aggression in their music- songs such as Cat Claw, Fried My Little Brains and Kissy Kissy just pour out such aggression that overwhelms you and leaves you thinking and feeling “The hell have I just exposed my ears and soul to?!” It is hands down, one of the most brutal debut albums I have ever heard and probably will hear. It’s brutal in an Iggy Pop sense, true Punk ethic. The Kills are a band that I look up to; I love the connection Alison and Jamie have with each other. I love that just two people have created a sound that so many need so many others around them to create and just cannot get it right- The Kills just need each other to make that sound. I admire them so much; I’d say they are quite possibly the hardest working musicians around. I cannot praise them enough nor can I express my love for their music in good enough words. Each album they put out has the same level of intensity and frustration in it- with no apologise or explanation. It just is. And what it is, is truly beautiful.
I know there are so many albums I could have written about such as The Long Blondes debut album, Scott Matthews debut solo album, Richard Hawley, Ramones- the list is endless. I just wrote about the ones that mean something to me.
Recently my mum posted me a Morrissey book and Scott Matthews debut album. She knows of my love for The Walker Brothers and I was familiar with Scott’s solo work. It’s a beautiful debut album. As are debuts from others such as Zola Jesus, The xx, Aaliyah, Jay-Z. Honestly, the list is endless and the more I mention the more I want to write about these albums. It just shows how vital the debut album really is, and a lot of the time- inspires others to pick up an instrument and start their own movement. I’ve written over 2000, I think I’ve bored you enough now haven’t I?!
I think my new favourite artist is Ellie Herring. Without sounding like a raging feminist, it’s bloody lovely to have a GOOD female electro musician/producer. I’m not going to tell you who she sounds like or who her production skills replicate. She’s, as hard as it is to believe with music right now, unique.
Her debut EP, Flailing In Attraction (awesome title) was released this year and her full length LP, Until It Feels Foreign is out this winter. I absolutely adore her track, Died To Meet You. It’s so atmospheric and so perfect. She creates music that you can just close your eyes and forget everything to. The best musicians makes music like that. Her music is beautiful, she’s beautiful. Maybe here in England we’ll catch on to her amazing talent, I really do hope so.
The music she makes has a dark and mysterious feel to it. Most music I listen to is like this, which makes it so easy for me to love Ellie Herring’s music. Tracks such as Hunters Dreamboat and Touch Point evoke such wonderful imagery and feelings. I have no idea why she isn’t huge, talent like this should not be ignored at all. I just can’t stop listening to her music. It reminds me slightly of The XX mixed with James Blake and a hint of The Weeknd.
I remember when I first started listening to a band called Sensual Harassment, and I’ve got the same feeling I did when I listened to them when I listened to Ellie Herring. My words do not do her music/talent any justice. Check out the tracks on her Soundcloud.
I don’t want to write this, because although it has been ten years it feels entirely wrong. It will always feel wrong.
I remember being sat in front of the telly watching MTV I was about 8 or 9 years old, and I was just in awe of this beautiful person on the screen. I wanted to be just like her, she instantly became the most important musical force in my life. I carried my love for Aaliyah’s music from primary school onwards. I remember saving up enough money to buy her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number and just playing it every day. I probably ruined it, which explains why I have more than one copy of all 3 of her albums. There are only 2 or 3 artists I have more than one copy of their albums due my excessive play of their albums.
I was drawn to Aaliyah’s music the same way most are- her delicate voice. A voice that no other singer has ever mastered aside from her. Certain singers have evidently tried (and failed) to copy the whole vibe Aaliyah had, she truly truly was one in a million.
The more I write about this using past tense, the more wrong this just feels. She should still be here making music and making films. There is no way at all where anyone can justify this beyond awful loss.
If I had to list my favourite albums of all time, I would easily put her 3 albums in my Top 10. However her second album, One In A Million for me, just showed the world how amazing she really was. Her vocals on this album were so strong but with that gentle feel. Her smooth vocals were what she was best known for- again something which have attempted to copy but just cannot come close to it at all.
Aaliyah was just easy to love and relate to. The way she was in interviews and how she touched on so many subjects in her music just made it easy for you to fall in love with her music. Every once in a while a singer comes around that just leaves a mark- in your life and in music that nothing and no one will ever replicate. Nothing will ever replace it. It’s just like having that one person in your life that nothing and no one in the world is better than or will ever take the place of.
One of my favourite videos by Aaliyah was Hot Like Fire. I don’t know what it is, but I just loved the way it was shot and Missy popping up and doing her little dance was pretty cool too. I remember watching her at the VMAs, and she took her brother with her. I thought that was one of the coolest thing ever, but I think what shocked most was that she was wearing a dress. If you watch any of her music videos up to that point- she never wore a dress. She, as ever, looked stunning. She always did. She could wear ridiculously baggy clothes and still be the most beautiful person in the world. Her style was perfect, everything about her was.
Her last album had a sound to it that no other R&B artist has ever managed to come close to achieving. The sound on songs such as I Refuse, Those Were The Days and It’s Whatever- you just know it’s her. The aggression on What If is something that was never felt in any of her music before, but it worked. It just proved that Aaliyah could sing any genre and just own it. She wasn’t just an R&B singer, she was so much more- and that is what I and others will always remember her as.
She was one of the greatest entertainers of my generation. Not many artists are worth looking up to. But Aaliyah, well, she really was. She was the perfect all-round entertainer. Aaliyah was a fantastic dancer, singer and actress. There will never be anyone else quite like her. Since that first time I saw her on MTV I have always looked up to her and admired her, I just cannot put it into words. I’d constantly try and learn the dances in her music video. I think at one point I knew every move in the videos to Try Again and More Than A Woman. I probably made my own up too. My mum always promised me that she would take me to see Aaliyah is she ever toured the UK, sadly, it never happened. If I could’ve seen anyone live, it would’ve been her.
She was such a creative force and constantly ahead of her time from her style, to the hair over her eye to the music she created.
I’ve been told that with every negative there’s a positive, at the time I didn’t believe it- but a few months after her death I met someone who instantly became not only my best friend, but my sister too. She knows who she is, and through this tragic loss I gained someone who changed my life. She may now live on the other side of the world, but she will always be one of the most important and special person in my life. Without her, well…I have no idea really.
Writing about Aaliyah in past tense just doesn’t feel right, and I don’t believe I have done her any justice with what I have written, but as ever- it has come from the heart.
R.I.P. Aaliyah xxxx ~/.\~
“Everything is worth it. The hard work, the times when you’re tired, the times where you’re a bit sad . . . In the end, it’s all worth it because it really makes me happy. There’s nothing better than loving what you do.” ~Aaliyah Dana Haughton, 2001 (MTV Diary.)
Beat In My Bones. 