Life can be a form of torture, life can be a piece of heaven. God days, bad days. One second can make you hopeless or hopeful. One person can become your world. One person can ruin your world. Lean on music, and you’ll be fine. Personal opinion. I can be wrong, I can be right. There’s freedom, you just have to find it. I don’t know how you go about this; maybe it just hits you. You can be free whilst sitting alone. You can be free just wandering along the beach. Don’t sacrifice yourself for something that may not last. Sin and do not apologise. Do bad things; do good things. Be the shit on someone’s shoe. Be an angel to the one you love. Listen to Tropic Of Cancer.
Tropic Of Cancer make robotic and eerie sounds for those who aren’t afraid to be scared and feel emotions that are regarded as “dark.” You should never shy away from ugly feelings because when they return; they return with a sick vengeance. It’s better to face something daunting straight away than letting it consume you. But, it depends on the person you are. Some can deal, some card. There’s no right or wrong.
LA has done it again with giving us something truly incredible. Tropic Of Cancer are ethereal with a slight hint of menace to the music. It is everything I love about music. I love music that scares me in some ways, I’m strange like that. I’ll never be able to explain it. I never want to try. It can all be summed up in the music.
I want to write more than this about Tropic Of Cancer because everything about them is what music needs. You don’t always get what you want, and you sometimes ignore what you need. But you need Tropic Of Cancer in your life, so don’t ignore it. It wouldn’t be right.
A moody atmosphere takes over as you listen to Tropic Of Cancer, it’s probably why I love them so much. The fact that it is just one person making this astounding music is also mind-blowing. Camella is a genius. She truly, truly is. If you are wanting music that is created from the depths of the soul and touches every part of you like some kind of outer-body experience then Tropic Of Cancer are for you. Make them yours.
“I don’t think your ability to fight has anything to do with how big you are. It’s to do with how much anger is in you.”
Time drags. Time goes fast. Sometimes you have to remove yourself from everything and everyone to make sense of even the tiniest of events. Events that mean nothing, events that can possibly mean the world. Change your world. Destroy your world. Your heart breaks from one event. An event that many may think “oh it was bound to happen.” Whereas those with heart know it never should’ve happened. I don’t want to write this. I feel the same as I did the day it happened. It will never feel right, it will never be justified. Personally, it still doesn’t feel true.
I’m writing this listening to Amy’s voice..the first time in a year. If I listen to anything else, the words won’t come out. I don’t want the words to come out, this isn’t fucking right. There’s nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said at all. Hearing what had happened..I remember everything. I remember where I was, and who I was with. I was crossing a road with my best friend. We we’re going back to my house before we went to a gig, for his birthday. You just don’t forget. We must never forget.
The whole “27 Club” pisses me off. You cannot glorify death. You cannot glorify tragedy. Glorify the talent.
We’ll never ever have another singer like Amy, that’s pretty obvious. I don’t mean just vocally but personality wise too.
I don’t know why I’m even writing this. It won’t bring her back, it doesn’t make the missing any easier. I used to play her music all the time. Frank is easily one of the greatest debut records of all time. Back To Black is one of the most vulnerable and pure records ever made. I cannot listen to them in the same way..not right now.
I’ll leave it here. There’s nothing I can say, it’s all been done.
“Disembody my voice, let the rivers fly up to the stars. I’ll never look back, and i’ll never look down.”
Last year, I developed a healthy music based obsession with a Canadian singer called Clara Engel. I loved everything her music did to me. It made me feel like I was in some kind of horror movie being metaphorically chased by demons and ghouls. Everything scared me, but at the same time made me feel like I had found a singer that I needed to have amongst my collection. A singer that speaks so much truth in every single song. A singer that I will always back and be constantly frustrated that isn’t signed. A singer that deserves all the hype these manufactured idiots get, and she gets virtually none. If I had my way, I’d have my own label and all those I love (and aren’t signed) would be signed, and would basically take over the world. However, I am familiar with “you don’t get what you want.” SO true, so very true.
Clara’s words are as sinister, romantic and as honest as my favourite writer of all time- Edgar Allan Poe. Her lyrics read like an Edgar Allan Poe story. The Lovebird’s Throat is such a gorgeous EP that I wish everyone could hear. For anyone that somehow sees this- please get a copy of it. Everything you have ever heard before will not mean as much as her new EP does. Everything you have ever heard before may seem shallow in comparison to the depths in her music.
The Lovebird’s Throat takes you on a devilish trip to the underworld. If you want to come back from it, you’re not listening to it right. If it makes you want to slip further into the dark-side, then you have connected. Her music will drag you from hell and into a world where such feelings aren’t only just felt by you. The atmosphere she creates is nothing short of perfect. The tension and fury in her voice leaves you in awe. She’s a much-needed force, there is no denying that at all. She’s a singer I cannot praise enough. The Lovebird’s Throat is an EP I equally cannot praise enough, you may as well call it as one of the best EPs to come out this year.
Music doesn’t have to be hyped up to high heaven or over-produced in order for it to be nothing short of amazing. It doesn’t have to have so much going on that you lose sight of its meaning. Sometimes when it is so simple and stripped back, you truly see and hear how beautiful something is. You can apply this to anything in life. People, books, places- it doesn’t have to be covered in nonsense in order for it to be the most chilling and haunting thing you have ever heard.
I love voices that are the strongest part of a band. Voices that really lure you in. Voices that make you stay with the band for as long as they are around. When they create a sound that is like nothing else, you find yourself being utterly enthralled by it all. It doesn’t have to posses strange effects in order for it to be the most ethereal thing you have ever heard.
The Long Wives is just one person. One beautiful person who makes music that is glued to your heart. It owns your heart, it is YOUR heart. The Long Wives is Brandy St.John. The Long Wives are one of my favourite acts to come from Los Angeles.
Brandy’s voice is haunting. Her bio says her music is, “Songs about death and love, and the death of love.” Just reading this is enough for me to know I’m going to love her music. As I play her music writing this, I cannot help but wish all music was as bare and as courageous as this. Why isn’t all music as exposed and vulnerable as this? You shouldn’t be scared to cast yourself wide open. Then again, from personal experience I have learnt that being honest about your feelings is never a good thing. Ever.
Then we have artists such as Brandy who make it okay. She sings songs that are about things people constantly fear. Death and love. If anything, the way she writes makes you feel comfortable with these two things. They are the things in life that you cannot avoid. Like it or not, you’re going to die. Like it or not, you’ll fall in love. Not sure how many times or when it will happen, but it will. Sometimes you just have to kick fear in the face. Or walk away. Make the best decision you can for yourself.
Judas Hex is my favourite track by The Long Wives. She writes like Patti Smith. By this I mean, her words are pure poetry. The music is simple and the lyrics are captivating. Everything she does is just a piece of heaven. Every song I have listened to oozes truth. It oozes so much honesty. It is like an exorcism for the soul. With all my heart I’d love to turn my friends onto her music, but as I listen to her I feel like I do when I listen to Warpaint. This is such a private and sacred experience. To share this with anyone may strip away all her music is starting to mean to me.
I know what I want to say. God..I have so much I want to say about this music. It makes me want to put some clothes in a bag, and start my life in LA. I’m giving myself to 30 to make this happen. I’ve got just under 4 years to do this. If anyone wants to help, FEEL FREE. Her music makes me feel like something is going on that..is beyond my understanding. I hope you feel the same way too when you listen to her. You cannot help but feel as if she has got inside your thoughts and turned them into something beautiful; no matter how ugly it may leave you feeling.
Hand on heart, she has a voice that I can say is one of the most stunning and perfect voices I have ever EVER heard. I know I fall instantly in love with bands on what seems a daily basis, but this right here is something I will be still clinging onto in years to come. In an ideal world this would be the kind of music you hear everywhere. But you don’t. Maybe it is a good thing because those who are fortunate to find music as deep and as soothing as this will love it for life.
There’s beauty in the darkness and there is beauty in the feelings that can sometimes petrify us. To allow us to see it sometimes means we have to turn to others to rip it out from us. The Long Wives does exactly this. This is what has left me in awe with The Long Wives. Not just that one person does all of this, but how they do it. I know people throw the word “perfect” about without even meaning it- but I truly do here. Her music is just perfect, and what’s more- you can tell it comes from the heart. A place some of us shy away from and ignore.
Sometimes a band does something to you that makes you feel like you have felt the most wonderful feeling ever in life. When you hear this band or a specific song, everything you feel is heightened. You cannot control what your limbs do and all that floats around your head. You fall out of yourself and you find something else to sink so deep into. It’s like being in love, but without the nagging. It is a sense of freedom and feeling utterly content with your surroundings. I first felt this way when I first heard A Forest by The Cure. How that song makes me feel, I compare to most bands/singers. If I don’t feel this way when I listen to something, I won’t be a fan. However, sometimes my affections are delayed. It all depends. How I feel about Warpaint, well, you know how I feel about them. Everything they make me feel is EXACTLY how I felt the first time I heard A Forest. Every single time I play Warpaint my whole frame of mind changes. It is almost like meditating in a way. I don’t know what the exact word is for how I feel; but it truly is like being in a euphoric state. Warpaint have had this reign over me since 2009, I know it won’t go away. Yet, could I ever feel this way about a band again? YES. In short, YES. Late 2010 I heard a song called Creeping. I didn’t pay much attention to it, but every so often I’d listen to it and just feel something I couldn’t put into words. Then I delved deeper into the band, and it became much like how I feel about Warpaint. By “much like” I mean EXACTLY the same.
2:54 make me sway, shut my eyes and go some place where another could never take me. I’ve been waiting for their debut record for SO long. I think this proves just how patient I am. My love for my favourite musical siblings (best siblings in music) goes beyond. To even try put into words how much I love their debut record is going to mentally exhaust me. It’s cool because I’ve had hardly any sleep, and when that happens I have an outburst. I have no idea how I function most of the time. I’ll try to write this in a way that makes sense. It won’t though.
Their debut record sounds like something a band that have been going decades would create. The production is so bloody perfect. Everything. The bass, the drums, the guitar, the vocals. All of it. It is just like a chunk of Heave echoing in your ears, making your bones tremble and shake. You find yourself slipping into some strange trance as you listen to this album. Part of you wants to stay still, the other part of you seems to think jolting your body is the best way to go about this. Do what you want.
This record will make you happy. It’ll make you aroused. Your body will move, your will nod your head in a way that may cause a headache afterwards. You will feel every beat in every song. You just cannot sit still. There is something extremely special about this record. It has a haunting feel to it that just sounds so powerful and beautiful. For every nightmare you have, there is a dream waiting to come out from it. From every demon you have to chase away, something good will eventually happen after the fight, This record is like a symbol of this. It’s something so truly special, I really cannot express it enough. I’m going to call it as DEBUT record of the year. There’s no other way of putting it. It’s on a different level to everything out now, which is probably why it’ll be overlooked. Dear Sod’s Law, kindly piss off.
2:54 have this way of making you feel as if you are leaving your body as you listen to them. When the record ends, the only way to deal with the harsh reality is to keep playing the record. I spent most of today travelling from Birmingham back to my mum’s (Isle of Man, sadly.) I had the album on repeat. Everything just felt better. I’m trying my hardest to write this in a way that isn’t personal, but I can sense I am about to fuck up soon. Although I am trying to do this, I hold a lot of sentimental value to the album. Easy Undercover is lyrically my favourite, probably because it sums up how I feel right now. “If you go, you will never know.”I am terribly good at leaving something and never finding out. I just adore the album.
When you wait for so long, you sometimes become a bit dubious and wonder if it’ll be worth waiting for. The impression a debut record leaves will always be greater than any other. A false start can fuck it up forever. Obviously 2:54 have gone beyond all expectations. Every song has creepy riffs and haunting vocals that are enough to make you want to start your own band. (I really want to start a Garage rock tribute band of the Backstreet Boys and call ourselves Alleyway Whores..anyone?!)
They have a hold on you that you are fully okay with. To let go or to even turn a blind eye to 2:54 would be utterly foolish. They really do deserve to be bloody huge. I have a feeling it is going to be how I listen to Warpaint- an utterly sacred experience.
I could easily have summed all of this up by saying it is brilliant, but when you know a band have put their all into something- then you must do the same in return. This is an extremely atmospheric record that will cover you in goose-bumps, and for every part of you that you feel is lost- you will find it in this record. Their debut record has the darkness of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the eerie feel that is found in Seventeen Seconds by The Cure and the power of sending you deep into another universe much like Warpaint. Put that all together and you have something truly remarkable and something you must treasure. Colette’s vocals remind me of Siouxsie Sioux. The way she lingers on every word, and sings with such passion really does place a firm hold around your heart.
If you buy this record, your collection will look a billion times sexier.
“You’ll see I’ll make it easy for you. Just one blink and I’ll help you to break through.”
I fell asleep in the garden earlier whilst listening to Warpaint. Pretty sure the heat went to my head, so anything I type as per, will make no sense. At least I have a decent excuse this time. I don’t have one for anything before. So you can be right to assume I’m just a twerp really.
There’s a lot of things I love about life. Tea, books and cute animals. I also have a lot of love reserved for anything that is Punk/stemmed from that genre and strong women. Today is the birthday of a woman is not only a strong force but, also emerged from the Punk scene. I’d never call Siouxsie a Punk, but I know many would. It all depends I suppose. I’d just call her an icon to be honest. So, with this I’ll just attempt to delve into the reasons as to why I love her, and why she is still so bloody important.
For the most part, the music industry has been dominated by large men in ill-fitting suites who just see currency signs when looking at a person. That’s nice and all, but let’s be real here- that shit is a bit worthless. You can sell millions with one record, and nobody will care for you after that. You’ll probably be found sleeping behind a bin down near Charing Cross begging for change whilst scratching at yourself. What I’m trying to say is, people will leave you rotting at rock bottom when they cannot see any worth in you. Thing is, you don’t have to be famous for this to happen. Ever been abandoned by a group of people? Get in line kid, I’ll let you stand next to me. We’ll talk about it.
With an artist such as Siouxsie, it really didn’t matter if she told 8 million or 8 records. What mattered was that she was so different to anything and everything around. She was so unique. She dressed in a way you wish you could. If you dolled yourself up like her now, you’d probably be looked at like you have 12 heads. But forget what people say you know? Go out there and dress like her if you want. I’ll probably think you look fabulous.
The first time I saw Siouxsie’s face I just knew I wanted to be part of that world. It was around the time my stepdad put me onto The Cure properly. He told me about the history between Robert Smith and when he played with Siouxsie. I was so amazed and obsessed with this. I was fascinated, and I resented my age because I wish I could’ve witnessed this myself, just like he and so many others did. I was born in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’ll never believe I was meant for this time, but hey- make do of what you are, and all you have. I know that.
It is hard to put into words how much you borderline idolise a person. It wasn’t just her voice and music that made me look up to her, it was the way she carried herself. When you can see how strong a person is, mixed with a hint of fragility in their eyes once in a while- you truly connect with that. Maybe that’s just me, but that is always what I look for. Her lyrics, I must say are utterly powerful and quite heartbreaking. If you can tear yourself away from the hypnotising sounds, you will hear just how powerful and borderline political her lyrics are. It will always piss me off when people call them Goth. I think it annoys me when anyone tries to label Siouxsie & The Banshees to be honest. Siouxsie’s voice is one that you can hear in so many. From Shirley Manson to PJ Harvey. I live in hope that some singers that are emerging now are still influenced by her. Her voice holds so much. It is delicate but it also has a lot of fight in it. You can hear the fury in her voice as she unleashes words of poison. Yet it doesn’t harm you, oh no. It makes you feel like you are part of this movement that The Banshees created. Siouxsie went beyond being a singer. Her gender played no part, but it sure as hell helped so many female singers at the time find their own voice, and follow their dreams.
There is so much a person could say about Siouxsie. I mean, everything about her is just so remarkable and bloody inspiring. She makes you want to vocalise all that plagues you, and start a riot of your own. I used to look at her photo and wish I was as tough as her. I still do. It happens when I look at her, Patti Smith and Shirley Manson. They are three incredible females that deserve a lot, a hell of a lot more respect and recognition for what they have done, and still continue to do. I may not be a famous musician who can speak up about how they inspire me, I just do it in my own little way. Maybe it is when I wear one of my Siouxsie shirts, and I feel a sense of pride and maybe a little bit of strength be embedded in me. Small things. It all takes time. I’m not one for going fast, so I’m okay with it all.
I have sung my heart out in my room and danced like I was having a seizure to her music. That will never change. Once someone touches your heart in a deep and raw way- they never truly leave. You can associate that to lovers if you want, but I wouldn’t. Aside from singing with Morrissey, I just…man I don’t even know. She is a truly flawless human being who maybe isn’t aware of what she means to so many. I sure as hell hope she does.
We need more strong women like Siouxsie around now. Especially now. There is empowerment in the words that roll off the tip of your tongue and what you think; not in the clothes you wear. I’m far too old-fashioned at times, but that’s how I am. I learnt how to hold a view on something and not let it go (without being disrespectful of course) from the likes of Siouxsie.
She finally received the Inspiration Award at the Ivor Novello Awards this year, it should’ve happened years before. But hey, better late than never right?
“Split me open, with devotion. You put your hands in, and rip my heart out. Eat the music.”
Writing this is going to give me a headache. I know I get a headache most days, but this will probably cause me to want to lob the computer outside, and watch it smash into pieces. As I feel my face melt and my head pound. This isn’t the general feeling I get from listening to Kate Bush. I listen to her, and I feel okay. There’s just one song that, if you ever want to see me cry- play it. I will cry like a baby because over the past year and a half or so..it has summed up a lot. So I do my best to avoid it. I’m good at avoiding things. You see, I even put off writing this for some time because I’m not good enough a writer to even do this. I know my limits. I don’t need to be pushed into doing something, more like a bloody forceful shove. Unless whiskey is involved, then I’ll just do it anyway.
Where does a person start when writing about Kate Bush? It’s like trying to list the qualities you love about someone isn’t it? You just don’t know where to start so you just say “everything” because it is the truth. As you know, I don’t write in a way that removes myself from whatever it is I am writing about. I stupidly get personal about it all, leaving myself open and god knows what else to the person reading it. However, I am confident nobody will see this so I am okay with it. The other night when I wrote that open letter to Morrissey, what was I thinking!? Writing about Kate Bush is something I know I have needed to do for some time. Like anyone with good parents, I was raised on her music. I think I even made my mum dance like her so I’d go to sleep. I have never ever been able to sing the correct words to Babooshka. Never have, never will. I just sing whatever comes into my head. And for the most part, it is sheer nonsense. To be honest, what goes on in my head is mostly nonsense. Organised chaos.
I love voices that have a drawl to it. Voices that sound a bit rough, gnarly and raw. Voices that many would probably regard as “what in the fuckering is that?!” The stranger, the better. Kate’s voice is far from this. Sure it is strange, mainly because no other female singer has that power. Sure they may say they are influenced by her. Some go as far to just rip her off. I won’t name names, I’m not like that (and mainly because I’m still half asleep so I have no idea.) But you can see over time, who has basically just tried to be like her. Then again, you have some who are so wonderfully influenced by her. There’s a fine line between copying and being influenced isn’t there.
I’ll just declare it now shall I? The Kick Inside is probably THE greatest debut records of all time. Alright, one of the. I have a lot of emotional value held towards New York Dolls debut and a few others, but I’d put it in my top 5 for sure. I’ve always been obsessed with the artwork of this record. I have no idea why, I am always drawn to things I cannot explain. Her vocals on L’Amour Looks Something Like You si my favourite off the record, and in all honesty it is probably my favourite Kate Bush song. I love her vocals so much. I think I used to be terrified of Kate Bush for a while. Then I realised, “She’s bloody mental..look at her moves. I love her!” The fear didn’t last long at all. If I’m scared of something, I usually end up enjoying it after a while. I don’t question how my mind works anymore. It’s a sexy record isn’t it.
I keep thinking of things to write down, and just losing the ability to put it into a sentence. About that headache…
I think for me, personally, the reason as to why I just love her (its pure love) is because her songs are about subject matters singers around now wouldn’t dare touch on. It’s like now, if you have an opinion- keep it to yourself. Bullshit. So long as you’re not being a racist/homophobic cunt or being a twat towards those who have a disability-say something. If you’re going to be a judgemental prick basically, shut the frig up. Anything else, carry on kidda.
She’s written songs that touch on an incestuous pregnancy to a woman’s obsession with a young lad that could be seen as borderline, paedo-ish. As it is Kate, you don’t mind. She takes you far into a different world with her hypnotising voice, and moves- that the subject matter isn’t really a big deal. She just makes you escape in the purest way. You honestly cannot compare what she does to you to anything else.
This Christmas just passed, I was working at HMV (one of the best jobs ever, serious) and this man came up to me and said “Where will I find Kate Bush?” Obviously I thought, “Probably at home” was the best response, and I said it. He laughed. He laughed hard, so I couldn’t walk away. Not that I would. So I took him to the section, and he said “There’s two new ones aren’t there.” So I handed him 50 Words For Snow. I told him about it. I told him everything he should feel whilst listening to it. I told him that it makes the fact that she rarely releases anything now less painful because it is a truly beautiful record. I remember word for word what he said to me (see, I sometimes remember nice things people tell me) and he said, “From the passion in your voice and how your face just lights up-I am going to buy this record. I trust your judgement.” He came in a few days later and thanked me. I also held up a queue whilst serving (calm down) a girl who was buying some Kate Bush records by just talking about how wonderful she is. She stops time, and makes everything around you mean nothing. You feel weightless and comfortable with who you are when you listen to her.
I’m over a thousand words here. I think I could go all day. I’ll carry on a bit longer, then I’ll stop. I could write a book on this woman. I won’t though. Don’t worry.
What is it about Kate that has caused her to still be relevant? Why is she so important? Just what is it? I’ve always tried to work it out, but I never find an answer. I think it is different for everyone. Those that love her all have their own take on it. Maybe it is her lyric content. Maybe it is her voice. Or maybe, it is just her. Every so often a singer or band comes around, and they just blow your mind. Everything about them stuns you. You cannot being to even summarise what it is that you love about them. It is just pure, unconditional love. The kind of love you have for your pet. You just look at them, and it is with sheer love. Nothing more, nothing less.
With a career that has lasted well over 30 years now, I do believe it is fair to say that Kate Bush is probably THE most influential singer pretty much ever. She’s influenced so many from PJ Harvey to my personal favourite, Ariel Pink (please listen to his music, he is a LA based genius who deserves the world. True love for him.)
I could’ve picked apart songs and albums that I love, but I guess it didn’t feel right. Maybe I am totally wrong with what I have written down. Good job I’m not someone who desires to always be right then isn’t it!
In short, I suppose, Kate is just everything you want from a singer. She has a strong vocal range, her moves are insane (if you’ve never tried to dance like her, you’ve never lived) her words are just poetry. There’s darkness, there’s love, lust, rage, fury and utter power in all her songs. I’d say “don’t trust someone who isn’t a Kate Bush fan!” But to be honest, don’t trust anyone who only listens to just one song. You’ve got a back catalogue of perfection, do NOT ignore it. It’ll probably change your life. Then you’ll hate modern music because it isn’t as pure and as touching as this. To an extent.
We should make her a Dame shouldn’t we? Dame Kate Bush. Sounds alright…
When you love something or someone with everything you have, you notice different parts and features every single time you are faced with it. I guess it keeps the love and attraction going. There are different ways of being in love. When you’re in love with a band, it goes beyond that feeling of being in love with a person. A person that you may or may not be with. Then again, if the feeling isn’t reciprocated is it even real on your behalf? You don’t have to think about it. If I were you (and let’s be glad you are not me) I wouldn’t bother wasting your thoughts on it. Direct it all towards a different thing. Go read a book, go for a nap- shut off. When I feel like I just don’t want to be bothered, I just listen to music. I listen to one specific band. It doesn’t take a genius to know it is of course, Warpaint.
My love for Warpaint is one I will openly write about here. I don’t think anyone actually understands what it means to me when I get a comment or email about Warpaint and how I write about them. I’m told I manage to get out how I feel about the band in a way the person wishes they could. Thing is, Warpaint make me feel I can be totally honest and open. Since being a fan of theirs, it is like I have allowed myself to get rid of ugly feelings and replace them with something worthy of feeling. They give you this sense of openness that doesn’t make you ashamed of who you are. We all struggle at some point with who we are. You can be so together on the outside, but inside you’re a mess. Sometimes a band is all that can put you back together again. I probably wouldn’t be so laid back and calm if it wasn’t for Warpaint.
Warpaint teach you to let go. I mean really really let go. A piece of music that sounds like a battle cry for the soul, well- that’s sometimes all you need. That’s why I’m going to attempt to write about The Fool opener, Set Your Arms Down.
Setting your arms down can be seen as dropping your weapons. Giving up to your defenses and facing up to what you are, and who you are. Not to mention all you have done. I remember hearing this record and being in awe of every single build-up in every song. Even in songs like Baby,m there is a sense of intensity in that song that is overwhelming but quickly turns into one of the most vulnerable songs I have ever heard.
Set Your Arms Down is a perfect album opener. As they tell you to set your arms down, you feel it is an instruction for the listening process of the record. You must surrender to this band. You must give it up for Emily, Theresa, Jenny and Stella. They must have every single part of you as you listen to them. Thing is, Warpaint are not a band you just play in the background. They aren’t a band you tidy the house to or play for friends. They are a band you play if you want answers. They are a band you play when you want to find the part of you that has been missing for so long. They take you on a journey that you cannot ever imagine taking with anyone else. They become, with first listen, a part of you. They become a way of life.
I guess sometimes when I write about Warpaint it is like a catharsis. Like I am cleansing myself of something by listening to them and writing it down. A lot of the time, I just throw away how I feel or how certain things make me feel. Warpaint chase away all that fear. It begins on The Fool with Set Your Arms Down. The lyrics really really mean a lot to me. It is like they are telling you to give it all up and face everything. Keep trying, because it’ll be okay. It is basically like a swift kick up the arse. The intense vibe in this song is so powerful. The instrumental towards the end makes you feel as if everything you fear in life is coming towards you- and you are stood frozen. Without your defences, facing it all. The song ends, and it is totally up to you now how you deal with the outcome. Are you going to fight off all you fear? Or are you going to remain a coward?
My favourite lyric in this beautiful song has to be:
“Walk through the fire, walk ’till it gets light. There is no hiding to save your life.”
I just find it to be so important, and so true. You have to walk through hell in order to get to where you want to be. You can try to hide as much as you want, but you cannot escape all that bothers you, and at times consumes you. You just can’t That’s what I take from this song. I know I probably seem borderline mental with my love for Warpaint, but everyone has a band that give them a feeling of being able to do anything. Being able to face up to all they must. I guess what I’m trying to say, is that Warpaint give me courage. I don’t know how it is for any real Warpaint fan- but I know that there are some out there who feel this way. Warpaint don’t just sum up how you feel- they also make sense of it. Sometimes it isn’t in their lyrics, sometimes it is just the way their music flows through you.
I have played Set Your Arms Down on repeat so many times whilst going for walks. Walking to nowhere in particular. Sometimes you just need to get out and clear your heard. Warpaint do that. They cleanse you and clear your head in a way that no other band comes even remotely close to doing.
There’s a change on this song. Theresa does the drumming on this song, and she plays equally as strong as Stella. The guitars sound like water flowing through, whilst the bass-line feels like the part of you that is being held together. The song doesn’t lead you astray, it holds you together. Warpaint make you feel like you can do anything, even if you’re a shy and sensitive soul like myself; they kind of bring you out of your shell a bit. Although you cannot physically share what they have given you with anyone else, as it so sacred- you keep it in your heart, nobody can take that from you. Ever.
Let’s be honest, nothing good ever happens on a Monday night does it? I know you can have a good/bad time any day of the week. I think I have a point to make..but I’m tired and I have no idea. So I’ll just get to the point.
You know when you hear a voice and every part of you just falls hopelessly in love with what you are hearing? It takes a hell of a lot for me to do that, mainly because I’m probably far too cautious for my own good. I’d say I allowed myself to feel like this after seeing Miri last night because I drank a lot of wine beforehand. True I did drink wine, but it played no part. I was fully aware of what I was witnessing.
Lyrics are a big thing for me. If I can’t believe in what I am listening to, I won’t enjoy it. It is always about connecting with a singer on a personal level. When you feel like, “Oh shit..they are telling my life story” that’s when you know you’ve found something truly special. It’s a bit like falling in love really. You feel a bit sick because you feel something quite intense, but at the same time-it is something that makes so much sense. You’re not entirely sure if you can wrap your head around it all.
As I said, lyrics are huge for me. Miri’s lyrics are like someone has torn your heart out and written down all that has been engraved upon it. Some of the things, you wish to forget. Some of the things, just get you through the day. Take her song Blue Skies. Keep in mind that the gig was acoustic. It was heartbreaking. I honestly felt someone had gone into my head and written down everything that was floating around. It is such a beautiful song. If you have a constant feeling of longing and wanting burning inside you- this song will be everything to you. I cannot stop listening to it.
I should probably write about the actual gig, but I’m sure I spent most of it just staring in awe attempting to take it all in. It was a truly beautiful moment. She even made a really shit song by a really shit person good (she covered Cheryl Cole, but it’s okay. She did it really well so you forgot it was a cover.)
You know when you watch a person sing, and you can tell that it means everything to them? We need more artists like that. We need more honesty and passion in music. You think you’ll find the next best thing on a reality show? Hell NO. She was playing in Candy Bar last night, and you missed out if you weren’t there. Candy Bar was the perfect place to see her. An intimate setting that really allowed her to show off just how perfect her voice truly is.
I could honestly write a thousand more words about last night but it’d just seem like some kind of mental rant and I think I need to stop doing that.
Writing this on nearly no sleep means this will not make sense. There’s a good chance that this will read as some strange emotional outburst. I’d apologise, but I’m not sorry. I’ll save them for a time where I am actually sorry.
When you have loved a band for so long, finally seeing them live gives you this feeling that, at best, you cannot describe. But at worst is the most frustrating thing in the world. That’s the thing about Music, you can have these frustrating feelings that sooner or later- will get the better of you. Going to a gig, you can just let it all out. You can justify your tears because certain songs make you feel less alone. Certain songs you feel were written for you. Certain songs give you the courage to do something that terrifies you. Sometimes, you’ve just got to face your fears. Or a band help you do so.
I first started listening to Uh Huh Her when Common Reaction came out. I was in a bad place. It was worse than bad, but you don’t need to know. Sometimes you’ve got to destroy who you were in order to become what you want to be. In the process, you let go and leave behind. The songs on this record made every change and fuck up I caused around me less daunting to face. I still can’t listen to Dreamer without wanting to cry like a baby, it’s just a really sad and longing song. Even the most emotionally stable could be reduced to tears after hearing this song. I’m totally fine now, but if I listened to it now, I’d still breakdown. Some songs are just that powerful. Their latest record, Nocturnes in my mind was probably one of the most underrated records of last year. The production on all they’ve ever done has always been something I have admired. Then came the live show.
Waiting to see the band that have meant the world to you for such a long time is intense and a long process, yet it is beyond worth it when the time comes around to see them.
Everything about Uh Huh Her justifies why I have so much love for duos (okay so live they’re not a duo but still..) They just have a better chemistry, and the stage presence is perfect. You can see this in the likes of Beach House, The Kills..and all the other duos I constantly declare my love for. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to keep it together when the PA system played The Horrors followed by The Kills, standard behaviour I guess.
If you’ve seen Cam and Leisha on this tour (or live in general) you’ll know it’s pretty much an amazing experience. You treasure it so much more because they do not tour the UK/Europe all that often, I guess that’s why their fans are pretty fucking loyal. And maybe a bit mental too (the good kind.)
I have no idea where I was when I was just stood there singing along. It still doesn’t feel like it has happened, it doesn’t feel real. I’ve had this feeling before. The first time I saw Morrissey I had this exact same feeling, and I got it last month when I saw The Horrors. When a band are such a huge part of your life, the very second they walk on stage it is like every feeling you have is fully justified. When you listen to their songs on a daily basis, you do truly connect but when you see it live, you pick up on certain lines lot more. It’s a bit like, “OH SHIT…NOW I GET IT!” Wait Another Day’s meaning to me just hit a new level last night, I’m pretty sure I felt part of me break and fix at the same time. Something clicked and I’m trying to work out if it’s a good or bad thing, maybe I’ll never know. Maybe I’m not meant to. But it did something. I’ve Had Enough is on the same level too. I’m also pretty sure I See Red acoustic is one of the most stunning things I have ever witnessed.
Throughout the gig I had a few mini outbursts (good ones, I don’t mean I hit anyone. I’m not like that.) The main one occured when Cam introduced Ladyhawke to come out and play Black And Blue with them. For that moment it wasn’t like you were at a gig. It was like you were watching a group of friends have fun at band practice. It was amazing that a venue this size could produce something so intimate. With music, especially live music you can allow yourself to forget everything for a while (with the occasional reminder.) For me, last night for that hour and a bit I could forget all I had on my mind. From worrying about my mum to other stuff, I allowed myself to let go for a while. Now, I’m back to clinging onto it and worrying again. But, I’m human and sadly I cannot switch off. Uh Huh Her’s music make it okay for you to cling onto certain feelings, maybe they are the ones that keep you going. Even if they could be the ones that are eating you up a bit.
Waiting this long to see Cam, Leisha (and Josh of course!) was something that was truly worth it. And I guess with life, sometimes you just have to wait for what you want. No matter how long it takes- it’ll happen, if it is meant to. I know that this is probably the worst thing I’ve written but I’m still in the process of taking the gig in. It was just perfect, if you were there-you know it was. If you’ve seen them on this tour, again, you’ll know how perfect it was. How they are. They deserve to be fucking huge. Their DIY approach to how they make music is so inspiring and much-needed. Another thing that needs pointing out is, at the end of their shows they truly make time for their fans by selling the merch and doing signings. There’s not many bands around that do this, and it is one of the many many reasons as to why Cam and Leisha are an asset to music and the industry.
Until next time…
*(But seriously, I am sorry for how all over the place this is. Lack of sleep and stuff does this to you. Sorrysorrysorrysorry! xx I also think the gig has left me wanting a hug. I may go buy a puppy or something.)
Beat In My Bones. 