Author Archives: Olivia

THE LONG WIVES-The Hollow Fin.

Posted on by

brandy-st-john

“Tender words unspoken, turn so cruel on their vine.”

Brandy St.John is probably one of my favourite singers ever. She isn’t as big as most, but she has the same captivating and gentle power that is found in the adored Patti Smith. Brandy St.John’s lyrics expose the darkness that everyone seems to run from. I don’t just listen to her music; I study her words. I study her words as if I am reading poetry. Her lyrics are sheer poetry. In poetry you get Poe. Hidden messages in everything isn’t there. Sometimes. It’s not hidden for I’ve just written it down, and you can see it (if you read this.)

This morning before I went to the gym, I saw that Brandy had put up a new song. She’s a machine. A music making machine that I hope never ever stops. So, I put in my headphones and listened delicately to The Hollow Fin. I stopped what I was doing, and gazed outside as I listened to her beautiful voice. I wish there was a word that was more powerful than the word “beautiful” to describe her voice. Her voice is so hypnotic. I gazed outside and watched the snow fall (I say snow.but it’s trying. Lord knows is it trying.) Every flake that fell to the ground fell with purpose but no destination in particular. The flakes may have wanted to fall straight down, but the swayed with the cold breeze and just flurried about. My thoughts remained fixed.

I took in everything I heard whilst listening to The Hollow Fin. I glanced at the lyrics from time to time, and I thought of every fuck up I have ever done. Every wrong I’ve ever done. I struggled to think of the good. It is so easy to beat ourselves up over things we have no control over. I don’t want to control others, and my self-control is alright. I listened to The Hollow Fin, and my head was at a place calm. My heart however, knew I was stuck. A constant battle that is just eased by musicians like this. Musicians that are not afraid to go so deep and dark. My notebooks are full of poetry like this (with the occasional cheerful poem) but I’d rather point someone in the direction of The Long Wives or whoever than let anyone read what I write down in my tattered notebooks. Spare yourself.

All that The Hollow Fin is, is just Brandy and a guitar. To me it is obviously much more. As her music is so stripped, you become a bit obsessed with her voice and lyrics. I will always be massively in love with her song, Judas Hex and I do believe that The Hollow Fin is going to head the same way. I play Judas Hex a few times a day. I don’t think I could really define why, it’s just something I simply must do. The Hollow Fin has hints of regret and wonder. I’m not familiar with regrets. If I allowed myself to regret I’d be a mess. You have to just let things and people go at times. We’ve all caused hurt and we’ve all been hurt. There are musicians out there that can nurse our hurt and soothe our souls.

My favourite line from the song has to be this: “But love is vicious when it dies.” Anyone who has lost a love may know just how true this is. It doesn’t have to be a romantic kind of love. It can be friendship too. Like I said before, you just have to let some things in life go. You can cling, but you cannot have a firm grip forever.

I do hope The Long Wives comes to the UK soon, I really do. These are songs that you need to see on dimly lit stage. A purely intimate setting.

You can listen to The Hollow Fin here:https://soundcloud.com/#thelongwives/the-hollow-fin-the-long-wives

Let her gentle voice and honest words claim a piece of your heart.

TROUMACA.

Posted on by

Any band that has “BRING US GOLD, WOMEN AND WINE.” written on their bio section is going to be pretty incredible. I’d probably change whisky for wine though. Or probably fruit tea. I need to stop being a chubby person, so basically swap everything in life for fruit tea. And 2 hours at the gym every day. Throw in a nap too. Not at the gym, that wouldn’t be fun. No thanks.

Troumaca are from Birmingham. They’re not on a Swim Deep or Peace bandwagon. Far from it. They sound nothing like them, which is good because we have one Swim Deep and one Peace. I don’t mean this in a bad way at all, I bloody love Swim Deep. Troumaca are on something else. They also used to be called Scarlet Harlots and were on Channel 4’s Orange Unsigned back in 2008. Whilst at Uni, I used to spend my Saturday mornings watching this show. I developed an obsession with the band then. But then they split and are now reborn as Troumaca.

They have a tropical/calypso feel to their music. I guess if you didn’t know any better, you’d probably think “But how can a band from the grey Midlands create something so colourful?” Quite easily. Troumaca have this brilliant gift to glide in and out of your eardrums in the most sensual way possible. They just make everything alright. In a way, they remind me slightly of Foals but with more focus on the sounds. Obviously only a fool would deny how great Foals are, and Troumaca too. Imagine seeing them both live? You’d leave completely relaxed and in the most blissed-out state possible.

Troumaca have a wonderful hidden tribal feel to their sound. They have big drums but everything else surrounding it (including vocals) is so sensitive in comparison. The echoing chants on Sanctify are unreal. You know, everyone has their opinions on who is going to be massive this year. I guess that’s alright, but everyone is falling for the same bands over and over. It’s pointless because it means you’re missing out on the good stuff. When you buy into what everyone tells you to enjoy, you forget what you actually like. There is so much good music out there, you really cannot limit yourself to what certain publications and the like tell you to enjoy. Obviously what I say is good doesn’t mean someone else is going to enjoy it. I’m never right about music, I know this. Doesn’t mean I’m going to stop seeking out new music and not ranting about it. Troumaca deserve to be praised and shouted about it. I know I’m not the only one to love them as much as this.

In short, end all hype and like what you want to like. Whilst you’re at it, go listen to Troumaca : https://soundcloud.com/#troumaca

Their EP, Virgin Island is out 25th February. Probably the most exciting band to emerge this year for sure.

KINDNESS.

Posted on by

 

When a piece of music puts you in a trance so you can forget everything around you; that’s when you know you’ve found something that’s going to be a crutch for a long time because nothing ever lasts. No matter how good you think something is or how wonderful it may be, it never really lasts. After a few minutes, your favourite song will end. In time, your favourite band will split up. Life is full of disappointments and glorious moments. It’s just sometimes, the bad ones really fucking stick out. And it aches and you no longer sleep. And nothing makes any sense, and trying just seems pointless.

So with this deathly weight upon your shoulders, something must work eventually. I don’t have the answers, I never will have. I know nothing, and all that I do know is nothing worth repeating. I’m honestly someone you shouldn’t listen to. I’m pretty late on this, but I think you should listen to KINDNESS. Kindness is a guy from Hackney called Adam. He makes music that makes life a little less grim, and I know how hard that must be. You listen to his music (remixes he’s done included) and whatever bad vibes you’re carrying around, they just disappear. I do listen to some music that could drive someone to the edge, but then there’s other stuff I listen to that just…there are no words. You know when you truly love a piece of music, and words escape you? It’s like, when you love someone more than anything in the world and you know that “I LOVE YOU” is not enough, because they are worth more than 3 words that are flung about all too often? For the first time, I can relate to that. Not just with music, but with a person. That’s enough.

So, what Kindness does is ease you in. Sure enough you may want to dance when you listen to his relaxed grooves but you can also be really content with doing nothing but listening to it. I’m probably the worst person to listen to music with. I hate it when people talk through films (I’m not really a fan of films, but the annoyance is there) and when I try to play someone a song and they talk through it? No. It’s not happening. I’ll know it is a wasted effort. You can try to make someone excited over the way a word is sung or certain lyrics; but if it isn’t there, then it isn’t there. As awful and painful as it is. Just listen to it on your own, at least you know you’ll enjoy it.

Kindness for me is like what Burial is to me. The perfect person to listen to when it’s dark out. This is Night Bus vibes all over. Zoning out through headphones; losing yourself in what you hear. Probably missing your stop and having to walk an extra half hour with the streetlights overruling the stars, guiding you home. And it’ll be the best lost half hour you will ever spend.

Listen to Kindness. I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want it. It was just a suggestion…but you should. Really. Please?!

LONDON GRAMMAR.

Posted on by

 

Writing about a band that have only one song out is quite tough, but if they create something beautiful then it makes life a little bit easier. And more enjoyable. The last time I did this was when I heard Saint Lou Lou last year and everything changed from then on. How I listened to music after hearing Maybe You was different. I paid more attention to the hidden beauty in the music, and how at times vocals can be made to more vulnerable than the words.

London Grammar are three extremely talented souls from London who make you think, “If Imogen Heap did something with Youth Lagoon, then this is how it would sound.” I adore Imogen Heap and Youth Lagoon so this is pretty much going to be an obsession I have zero control over, not that I mind; far from it.

They have one song (so far) called Hey Now which from the very first note feels like the sun creeping out on a dull day. The vocals ease you, like something warm on a Winter’s day. Why go out and play in the snow when you can stay indoors and feel the beauty and heat from music like this. I’d be utterly content with not hearing anything else but Hey Now for a while. This is the kind of song you play when you are making a long, painful journey to somewhere you hate (mine is London to the Isle of Man because I don’t think anyone gets how much I hate coming back to this piss-stain of an Island.) I can imagine playing this song over and over until my rage towards returning is replaced with, “You can leave again soon.”

Hey Now is 3 and a half minutes of purity and ethereal vibes that could tame anyone, that could melt the coldest of hearts. I think the song has been out just over a month, I’m not entirely sure. I’ve only just heard it but I know it’s going to be one of th and gorgeous songs I will hear all year. Every year I seem to find one song during the first few months of the year, then compare everything else I hear over the year to it. I think I’ve found my song. Everything I hear now will be compared to how stunning this song is, and how will every listen to just hear something else to fall in love with. Completely and utterly. I know nothing about London Grammar, but I do know that they are 3 people who make music to just lose yourself in without a care in the world. Hey Now is like a gentle hand on the shoulder telling you it is all going to be alright, even if you feel otherwise. Maybe, just maybe….it will be.

DALLAS FRASCA.

Posted on by

 

I didn’t find Dallas Frasca on my own. No no, instead a good friend from the other side of the world just pointed them out to me (Mark, he’s in a band called Royal Chant and they’re the best people I have yet to meet but we are friends regardless.) I always listen to suggestions, and when I do I seem to take my time in writing about them because I can be quite lazy. Yet there are instances where I listen to something and I simply just HAVE to write about them.

Dallas Frasca are another wonderful band from Australia, but they sound like they are from the murky depths of Nashville. The kind of band Jack White would love to get his hands on, and make them collaborate with Seasick Steve. In my head, this is going to happen. It has to happen. I’ve got a bit excited over this. Dallas’ vocals are so powerful, even if you don’t have the volume turned up loud; her vocals will still blow your mind and tear your eardrums in the most beautiful way possible.

Their song, All My Love is the good side of catchy (doesn’t take a genius to work out the bad things that are catchy really does it.) Her vocals on this are so empowering and glorious. I cannot help but wonder how people go on about their daily lives without hearing such a band like this. There are hints of Blues and the true essence of Country in their music. It is like, Townes Van Zandt meets Muddy Waters. My kind of music.

I feel a bit silly writing about Dallas Frasca because they are a band that simply require no words. All you need to do is listen to them, maybe with someone next to you and you both nod in agreement (and in awe) of how fantastic they are. Nothing about them makes you feel like you are in this era; you feel as if you are in a past life where music was actually of worth and had some meaning. Of course there are bands around that give music some bloody meaning, but a lot just prance about for money. There’s no passion there. I’m going by record here, and I can truly hear the passion in the way Dallas, Samuel and Jeff play. There’s so much strength in their music that just makes you believe in them.

Loaded Silence is 5 minutes of making you feel like you are invincible. A feeling that I am not entirely familiar with; but will enjoy when felt. Burnt Toast is ridiculous. Dallas’ voice on this posses that delicate growl that’s only ever been heard in one other: Janis Joplin. Everything about Dallas Frasca just blows my mind. I don’t know if I could look at someone in the eye who didn’t fall even slightly in love with them.

I think most have heard people say that the true essence of Rock & Roll is dead, or that guitar music is bland. These are the people who probably buy into reality shows. Thing is, that’s not reality. It doesn’t take a modern-day Einstein to realise that those programmes are rigged to high heaven, utterly disgusting and disrespectful to those making music for the RIGHT  reasons. That’s a completely different subject, and will end up with me being called various names. I don’t fancy that right now. Dallas Frasca are pure Rock & Roll. They are on a different level to most things out there, and the thing that makes them so accessible and easy to love is that every word sung by Dallas is true.

The Blues influence here is something that immediately lured me in, and I doubt I’ll be crawling out anytime soon.

You can listen to their music here:https://soundcloud.com/#dallasfrasca

They are also playing some dates in London over the next week or so. Go see them, and have your mind blown.

K-HOLES.

Posted on by

 

I’m a huge wuss of life, and I always cry at anything to do with animals. I watched a programme about polar bears earlier and cried because they were asleep and made a cute snoring noise. Somewhere, somehow something went drastically went wrong with me. I was meant to be tough, but I went the opposite way. Which I guess is why I love music that is partially creepy and utterly dark. I’ve found a band that will become an obsession, like my love for Pop.1280 amongst others.

K-Holes are from New York. There aren’t many shit bands from New York. Obviously there could be, but I won’t tell you about them. I’ll give you the good ones. K-Holes make a lot of noise. They aren’t really for people who enjoy the quiet things in life. Although that seems daft because I like the quiet but I love loud bands. So I guess I just fucked myself over on that. Not a day goes by where I don’t make things difficult for myself. So, K-Holes.

K-Holes are explosive and so insane. You listen to them and you think you have gone mad, or are about to go mad. That’s the best kind of music. Music that shows you a glimpse of insanity because if you dragged yourself to it, you’d never taste freedom again. But when music does it, it feels a little bit sinister. It feels right too. There’s something about K-Holes that lures you in with everything they have, but they make it seem so effortless. I guess what I’m trying to say is, you just want in. You want to be part of this eerie environment that the pleasantly smack you with. I’ve spent the past hour and a half listening to their music (and also looking at photos of cute dogs telling my girlfriend we need to get them all.) And I’m not sure if I’ve ever enjoyed being freaked out by a band so much in my life. I’m listening to them, and I can’t help but think how fucking incredible their live show must be.  Intimate venues, whisky being thrown around, bodies crashing into each other. You’d leave with some form of injury and the best stories to share in years to come. Oh come to England K-Holes. PLEASE?

Their music echoes like empty cries in a menacing chamber. Their music contains bloody screams, shattering drums and raging, thrashing guitars. Everything I want in a band, and more. This is purely selfish reasons. I’m not fussed if you dig them or not; I just love them and I have to unleash my praises for them. Well done New York, you’ve gone and done it again.

K-Holes are like that build up in a horror film (I mean a decent horror film) where you know something truly bad is going to happen, and as you try to avert your eyes; you still remain fixated on it all. Their music may terrify you, but no part of you wants to turn it off and listen to something more tranquil. As wonderful as it is to listen to ethereal gems, sometimes you just need something so brutal and dangerous. Just to coexist with the other part of you. The part of you that you don’t mind sharing, but the parts you hide? Well, that’s why bands like K-Holes are there. Just let it out, you don’t have to hide it. This is the kind of music to march around to at 1am when the streets are quite and you paint stories in your head to fit the music. I don’t do this, I usually sleep. But I guess some people do that. Whatever works.

You can listen to their sacred and dominating sounds here: http://k-holes.bandcamp.com/

VIRALS.

Posted on by

 

Shaun Hencher. Used to be in a band called Lovvers (they were good, go listen) now he’s on his own as VIRALS.

The EP, Strange Fruit will warm your bones and turn your brain to mush because of how gorgeous and how beautifully rambunctious it is. It is the right level of noisy. It is the right setting of rowdy. It’s the kind of EP you play when you feel hopeless and all sense of hopelessness slips from you as you listen to it. If you know nothing about Shaun’s musical background, you’d probably think “Oh he’s from LA.” So wrong you are. So very wrong. He’s from Worcester. You can make your own mind up if anything good has ever come from there. Personally I believe yes something good has come from there; Shaun Hencher of course.

The EP begins with the wonderful Strange Fruit but I think Summer Girls is the one that may take over hearts. And also thoughts. Although it is an EP, and yes you do want more (just hit repeat) you cannot help but be led straight into a warmer climate in dreams as you listen to this blissful piece of art. At times VIRALS remind you of a tame version of Wavves, but it’s just one person doing all this. One person is making this beautiful sound. I know my heart seems to reside with duos but I could easily reel off a list of solo artists that are just as powerful; VIRALS is one of them for sure.

https://soundcloud.com/#virals-music/summer-girls

A constant summer mood drifts throughout the EP, making you feel at ease with how the outdoors is quite dull and dark. VIRALS is another reason as to why I wish I had the money to go to SXSW this year, there will never come a time where I don’t hate myself for having no money and not being able to go. One day, one day. I don’t care if I’m 80 years old and I have to crawl to the plane; I will go.

You don’t really need me to tell you how brilliant this EP is, anyone who was a fan of Lovvers knows just how much of a genius Shaun is so of course VIRALS is going to be so close to perfection.

Strange Fruit is out now on Zoo Music (http://www.killzoomusic.com/)

Colleen Green.

Posted on by

 

I’m going into this knowing nothing about Colleen Green. All I know is that I love her music. That is more than enough isn’t it. Don’t expect too much, or anything from anyone because you’ll fall face first into disappointment.

Today I cleared out my bedroom. Gave away a guitar to someone as I never got round to learning. Threw out my decks because although I can DJ, it was something I never wanted to take further than my bedroom. I’ve placed a handful of filled notebooks on my desk; that’s my passion. Writing. I don’t do it well, but I do it anyway. I’ve written a song/poem a day since I was 13. I’m 26 now. I have boxes and suitcases and drawers full of notebooks and scrappy bits of paper with words on. You don’t need a lot to get by. This is where Colleen Green comes in.

It’s just her and her guitar. Her words. Her voice. And a drum machine.

All the greats started on their own. By greats I mean Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Townes Van Zandt. The ones that tell the stories of your life. Sometimes in a way that goes above your head; but in a way that no other has done either way. I am not comparing Colleen to any of those mentioned. Comparing someone to someone else is never fair, even if you are being kind. She’s just got a brilliant way of telling stories, that make you think that she’s somehow got into your head. Maybe she has.

Her new song, Time In The World is a delicate ode to love. It isn’t overbearing with rhyming couplets and pretentious imagery. It’s the opposite of that, it’s simple. Simple in the best way possible and immediately makes you think of the one you love. It’s up to you if you want to play it to them, but if you want to here’s the link to it: http://soundcloud.com/adhocfm/colleen-green-time-in-the

She makes the kind of music that just makes you want to be entirely lazy and just shrugging everything/everyone off. One of her early releases, Milo Goes To Compton has the insane I Wanna Be Degraded and the Ramones fanatic in me instantly took a shine to this song. I just love her voice, that’s all there is to it really.

You’ve got solo artists like Dirty Beaches who just blow your mind with the way he uses samples and makes you think you are in a time no one really was aware of. Then you have ones like Colleen Green who bring you back to reality (possibly reluctantly) and her easy to relate to lyrics make you feel alright with how difficult/awkward you are at times.

If like me you are sick of everyone going on about the weather (there’s other things to talk about you know) and you want something that takes you away from what you see outside, then listen to Colleen Green. She’ll take you back to that part of your life that many try to distract you from. They try to distract you because they cannot get there themselves. Fools.

Anyway, you can listen to her sounds right here: http://colleengreen.bandcamp.com/releases

It is Los Angeles as its best. DIG.

Beat Mark.

Posted on by

 

I don’t know much about French music, but I did go through a stage of listening to nothing but French Hip Hop. I was 15 years old, and I’m not sorry. Even if you can’t understand French, their Hip Hop scene is pretty good. But if you want something else then maybe try Beat Mark.

Soft Power Records do not put out shit music. They’re like Art Fag Records, Sacred Bones Records and Zoo Music. They just put out music that MUST be heard. Music that is of worth, and by that I mean music that I love so this is obviously going to be biased. Thing is, I don’t write about what I don’t like because although I can be shit at times; I have my limits. Don’t slag someone off who is doing their job. Are you the one selling records and on stage singing your heart out? No. Then shush. I will sit down with you and tell you why certain “folk” singers/bands are toss though. I don’t have an issue with that. Anyway, Beat Mark.

Beat Mark are from Paris. They have captured the true feel of Shoegaze and have made something entirely dreamy. I don’t mean in a swoony kind of way. I mean that, Beat Mark make you feel like you are dreaming and judging by all the hate in the world, this is something that we all need. I can imagine living in a city to be quite exhausting at times (try living on the Isle Of Man, that’s a billion times worse) and possibly frustrating. Like a wild animal trapped; so you search for an outlet. Never judge a person’s way of unleashing how they feel, unless they punch you. Then maybe they need a cuddle. I’m convinced the world would be more gentle if we all hugged more. Anyway, tangent. Sorry. Beat Mark have a brilliant suave vibe to their music, and the female vocals that appear add a gorgeous delicate tone to their songs.

I think it is obvious that Beat Mark are my kind of band, and that’s why I’ve written about them. Purely selfish reasons, but it’s the only time I am so it’s okay. Beat Mark are the first new release of 2013 on Soft Power Records on the 15th February. Don’t buy into the Hallmark Holiday the day before, invest in Beat Mark’s EP, Move On instead. The release is limited to 100 copies on cassette, so be wise and purchase it ASAP.

You can listen to the EP here: http://softpowerrecords.bandcamp.com/ The title track is 6 minutes and 20 seconds of sheer bliss.

Youth Lagoon-Dropla.

Posted on by

I think those who are not familiar with Trevor Powers/Youth Lagoon are missing out. I remember the day I accidentally heard his music, it was like nothing even mattered in that moment. Of course things do not matter, but I’d rather shrug them off and listen to something like Youth Lagoon.

Quick to be lumped in the “Chillwave” category (has that died now or….?) Trevor Powers pretty much went against all of that. He didn’t (and doesn’t) sound like those he was compared to. His debut record was made in his bedroom, and when you listen to it you do get such a personal feel coming through. Hopefully this will happen again in his new record, Wondrous Bughouse which is set to be released on 5th March.

Until then, you can listen to the just short of 6 minutes ethereal gem that is Dropla here: https://soundcloud.com/#fatpossum/dropla

Dropla starts as a gentle daydream which then goes into a hazy nap and ends in you falling deep into a heavenly trance.