Manchester Psych Fest III is happening in about 2 weeks. If you’re not going, you’re going to be missing out on a night of fun and brilliant sounds. Crocodiles and The Lucid Dream are just some of the bands playing. One band in particular are making their live debut at the show.
Freakout Honey will be kicking the festival off. All I have to go on is a little demo they sent me the other day. It is dreamy and has the backbone of Shoegaze in it. Shoegaze mixed with something completely weird and wonderful. When you hear something new for the first time, you just know within seconds if you’re going to be a committed fan or not. Freakout Honey are wonderfully named and they sound beautiful. I want more than the demo I currently have, but I can wait. I’m super excited to see them play- especially as it is their live debut. I have every faith that they will be a talking point of the show, and a band that become one to watch.
They formed early this year in Manchester and the band members are from all over the place from Bradford to Greece. These guys and girls have got a distinctive sound and I wish them nothing but the best for their debut show and beyond. I think the demo I have is called Surf. It feels like you are riding the waves without a care in the world. Perfect to dream to, to do nothing to, to fall asleep to, to go on a path of self-discovery to. They’re just instantly brilliant. I feel like a 5 year old wishing for their birthday to come around waiting for more music by Freakout Honey.
There are six of them in the band. They’re the Wu Tang Clan of psych/shoegaze/whatever you want to call them. Each member brings something vital to the band, and I’m pretty sure they’re going to exceed any expectations at their debut live show.
I’m pretty sure this is one of the shortest pieces I’ve written, but I’ll report back around the 14th June with more thoughts on the band. For now, you can wait like the rest of us!
If you’re in Manchester, then head down to Night & Day on the 13th June and come to the Psych Fest. Let Freakout Honey be your new favourite band.
I have no idea who came up with the concept that the second record for a musician is difficult. Maybe it was another lazy music “critic” but it’s total bollocks. A band can put a good or bad record out at any time in their career. Fortunately there are bands that breeze over this lame idea of the second record being a difficult task.
On Monday PINS will be releasing their second record, Wild Nights via the ever reliably brilliant Bella Union. The record consists of 11 tracks that make you think you’re listening to a band well into their career. Their second record surpasses their debut, Girls Like Us. It is different and shows that they aren’t this dark, mean and moody band many were assuming they would end up being. Sure their debut was dark and eerie, and yes there are dark moments on Wild Nights. Wild Nights was recorded in America but they didn’t let the States rule their sound. The record sounds like a strong Manchester record. And if you’ve got your wits about you, you’ll know that Manchester is the home/hub of great music. I was going to do this as a track-by-track thing but I always get distracted and will end up going way off track.
I’m going to mention Oh Lord first because it is the one I’ve been playing constantly over the past few days. Oh Lord is one of the key moments on the record. It has this haunting bass-line which is one of the highlights of the record. Oh Lord sounds like Joy Division’s She’s Lost Control in some parts. I was never a big fan of Joy Division, but as I’ve got older my interest has grown. They say your tastes change as you get older. I just hope I don’t start liking dubstep any time soon. The last minute and a half of the song has this explosion of greatness and boldness to it that really justifies why PINS are basically one of the best bands around.
House Of Love is a song that was floating around in their live sets before we knew anything about Wild Nights. House Of Love is a cult anthem in the making. It’s a massive highlight in their live shows and yet again another vital moment on the record. I’m not going to make any cheap comparisons to their debut, but House Of Love could easily have sounded equally as perfect on that as it does on Wild Nights. No song on this record sounds out of place, no song is a filler. Every song is an extension of what PINS are capable of.
Dazed By You is a love song for modern lovers who don’t care for conventional. The lyrics are poetically gorgeous and beautifully written. The innocence of being in awe of someone on Dazed By You is stunning. In a way it reminds me slightly of Bedroom Eyes by Dum Dum Girls. It’s just got that innocence and purity of devotion flowing through it. Seeing this one live is also a standout moment in their live set, especially for the little jam at the end. It become uncontrollable and if you’ve seen it live, you’ve probably been left with this burning desire to start a band. Go for it.
There are no dull moments on this record, just songs that you want to play over and over. Much like their debut, this record has the sheer potential to influence kids to pick up an instrument and make their own noise. It’s a dreamy record that is perfect to play as the sun sinks down. Girls Like Us was a cold winters day. Wild Nights is the walk home as he sun rises after a night out on a warm summer morning.
If Only is lyrically my top song on the record. I adore the vulnerability and honesty in the lyrics. Anyone who can’t relate to it is lying to themselves. It is so open and so pure, it is just so poignant. Songs like this show us what PINS are made of. They don’t just make songs for you to dream to, they make songs for you to actually FEEL something. What you feel when you hear this song is your own doing but it is such an important song. I hope it becomes a world wide hit so everyone can appreciate the beauty in the lyrics.
I have thousands of words and thoughts about the record, but I can simplify it by saying that it is the bet record to come out this year by a band from the UK. It just reinforces the idea that Manchester is the home to some of the best bands around.
There’s a tour in September so from Monday when the record comes out, it gives you plenty of times to learn the lyrics and make up a dance routine to some of the songs if you want.
Everyone has a handful of bands they don’t ever get tired of listening to or seeing live. I’ve probably got more than a person should, but there are worse things I could spend my money on.
Prior to seeing PINS on Wednesday night, my pal and I were stood outside the venue whilst he had a cigarette. A man comes up to him and asks if he can buy a cigarette off him. I catch a glimpse of him and on his shoulder he has a pet rat. A white thing with horrible pinky/red eyes. He sees us look at his pet, and he plants a kiss on it. He walks off happily with his pet and cigarette. Not much can shock you I suppose when you’re constantly in a busy city. But this? It was just weird. If it gets him through the day, then so be it. Also, I had a really good photo of the band on stage to use, but guess who dropped their phone down the toilet at work yesterday. Yes, this idiot writing this.
PINS are fascinating to see live. You see there are some bands who seem almost scared or probably too uptight to look like they’re enjoying themselves on stage, but with PINS you can tell that they really love playing live. Faith sings in the crowd, Sophie beats the shit out of the drums, Anna makes you wish you could play bass in a band like PINS and Lois likes to wander off a bit on stage. She got behind something on the stage at The Lexington and every so often you saw her glorious blonde hair peer over the side.
The show on Wednesday was a launch for the new record (Wild Nights) which is out on Monday. Some copies were being sold afterwards and of course, it is one of the best records to come out this year. As I’ve called Crocodiles as having the record of the year, I’ll say that PINS have put out the best record in the country. I’ll write about why I love the record this evening.
I’ve seen PINS either 5 or 6 times now and I probably should have run out of things to say about them, or I’m likely to repeat myself. They’re a band you just don’t ever get tired of seeing. The only thing that annoys me are the creeps right at the front who really need to stop taking photos of the body parts of the band (everyone can see you zoom in on the bums and such, just stop.) Other than that, those who go to see PINS are those who really get what the band are about and aren’t there just to hear one song. Everyone still goes nuts to LUVU4LYF and Girls Like Us. But new songs such as House Of Love and Too Little Too Late are starting to get the same reaction as old favourites.
From seeing them a few times, it is just bloody brilliant to see a band develop into something truly wonderful. Their shows aren’t as dark and as moody as their records, but there is something sinister that flows through songs like Oh Lord that come alive when you witness it live. Watching them live is like being at decent house party and your mates band come along to play some songs. There probably are words to describe their live shows, but it isn’t good enough. You’ve just got to see it. They drag people on stage for their take on Hybrid Moments by the Misfits. Girls Like Us is mashed with Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. You just want them to play forever and go a bit louder each time. They go mental at the end of Dazed By You which is amazing to witness. They can do the slowest of songs and they can go off the rails on another. They’re showing everyone what they are made of, not just live but on the new record.
I’ve seen them support bands I love and I’ve seen them headline their own shows. Ain’t no party like a PINS party. I wish it was home time so I could unleash my thoughts on their new record.
What I love about PINS is that they evidently have something in them that’s going to fuel younger generations to pick up an instrument and make their own noise. PINS are quite simply one of the best bands from Manchester, and there are loads of them. PINS have got this thing about them that make you want to sack off your 9 to 5 and start a band. To hell with it, you might as well do it. Their sound could intimidate some, but once you’ve met them you’ll realise that they’re just proper lovely people who make the kind of music you wish you could. I’m sort of holding back a little because I’m reserving it all for my thoughts on Wild Nights.
They’ve just announced a tour for September and you can get tickets here: https://www.songkick.com/search?page=1&per_page=10&query=PINS+UK&type=upcoming
It’s pretty tempting to go see them in Manchester. Pretty sure a home crowd is as good as it gets. The record is out Monday and you can buy tickets to their new tour now. You know what to do.
There are many ridiculously good bands from Manchester. Bands that make you want to leave where you live in order to throw yourself into what Manchester has to offer. I’m sure other cities have a decent music scene, but there’s something about Manchester that makes it tower above the rest. Some London crowds are too precious to get murky with their sound, but us Northerners aren’t afraid in the slightest and it shows in so many bands.
Peace And Love Barbershop Muhammad Ali are a super group in every sense. From the merge of bands coming together to the fact that they’re bloody brilliant. Drums to send you off into a head spin, guitars that make you feel as if you’ve gone several rounds with Ali, keys to make you feel like you’ve dropped acid and bass to send you off into some kind of heavenly trance. Dreamers and body thrashers shall unite under the sounds of this phenomenal band. With the summer sun luring outside trying to tempt me out on my lunch break, I’ve decided to stay indoors and spend my time wisely by writing about YOUR new favourite band. They’re mine too, but I think that’s a given.
The rule of being in the band is simple and to the point: “The only rule for the band members is they must own at least one leather, any more is a bonus.” Get yourself a leather jacket (or maybe some chaps if you’re feeling liberated) and get yourself to one of their shows. They played London recently, well, Kingston. That’s the wrong side of the river for me (I’d need a holiday to recover from the journey) so I missed out. But you lucky sods in the North can see them real soon here:
7th June – Brudenell Social Club Leeds with The Bohicas
8th June – Soup Kitchen Manchester with The Bohicas
Their sound is that of a proper garage rock band who know exactly what they are doing and how they want to sound. It is loud in all the right places with beautiful smack in the face moments. They are for those who want their music to be a noisy, a bit fuzzy and unlike anything else you’ve heard before. When you listen to them, it’s like “Fuck….I’ve been waiting ages for a band like this!” Basically it’s like, going through a series of shite relationships and dates and finding someone who isn’t a total twat. It does happen!
Get your lugholes round these delights for now:
I’ve already made my mind up about my favourite record of the year, but when we get into EPs I always find there is more to offer. More bands seem to be going down this route and although it can be frustrating at times- PALBMA have got it right. 6 songs that whisk you off into a solid groove that although they leave you wanting more, you are still satisfied. You’re okay with waiting for me. I don’t know when the EP will be out, but it is by far one of the finest things I’ve heard all year. There’s nothing typical about their sound. They’re making noise for ruffians to go nuts to. Seriously, the EP is just a brief showcase into how brilliant they are.
If you’ve done your homework, you’ll know who’s in the band. If you’re lazy, then I’m not going to tell you. But basically, it is the finest Manchester based musicians coming together and creating this excellent dream band.
If you want to treat yourself, you can buy some music and a t-shirt here: http://palbma.bigcartel.com/
Play loud (Hollow Bones is the one to play extra loud.)
“I don’t really mind All of this wasted time Just wish that I had something to show for it.”
Best Coast are one of those bands that magically take you to a place that you possibly can’t ever afford to go. In my case, I’m far too broke and too much of a coward to go on a plane for longer than 50 minutes. Best Coast take you by the hand and take you to a Californian beach. With their past records they have taken us on some ethereal journeys to the West Coast, their latest and probably best release, California Nights is no exception.
With Best Coast, I always seem to hold some sentimental value to Bethany’s lyrics. Some that in time will eventually leave me be, the rest will probably irk me for a few more years. You adapt and can sometimes forget. Crazy For You had songs on it that were a constant reminder, The Only Place was easier to listen to and Fade Away made it easy to be an adult. Where does that leave California Nights? The escape route, easily.
The record consists of songs about leaving, growing up, being unsure and general growing pains. There are many bands that can write in a vulnerable manner but there is something about the way Bethany does it that makes you feel as if you’re the one she’s writing about. It is exactly as if she’s got in your head and wrote every nagging thought you had down and projected them for the world to hear.
Every band has that one record that defines their career and becomes their defining record.Combined with the growth in Bethany’s lyrics and Bobb’s ability to take you on some lucid trip with his ridiculous guitar skills, these are just some of the factors that make California Nights their defining record. They’ve gone from fast-paced sun-kissed tracks to hazy sunset and anthemic gems for the lost. Their sound has grown into a fully fledged adult still flailing in that awkward stage. Listening to California Nights is like falling in love, finding pieces of yourself and getting to grips with self-acceptance. Thing is, it doesn’t matter if others don’t like you or accept you. If you don’t accept yourself, then it can get difficult. I know. I know. Records like this make it so much easier to feel alright in your skin. Even if you dislike it.
It is fair to say that this record is one of the best this year. It just shows how strong a band Best Coast are. California Nights is the essence of looking into the sunset on your own, as the sun sinks into the sea with a cool yet calming breeze circling around you. It is the sound of the summer that you can feel all year, that’s the backbone of Best Coast and it is much stronger and a lot clearer in this record. The songs on this record can mend and fix a person all at once. The songs on California Nights are what daydreams are made of. Full of hope and courage at best. Songs like Jealousy see the wrong in how people behave, songs like In My Eyes make you think of the wrongs you are trying to correct even if nobody wants to know, songs like When Will I Change are like coming to terms with everything around you. The art of growing up is underlying in this gorgeous record. There is so much to say about this record; it’s the kind you sit down with someone and talk about how bloody brilliant it is. Or you could be a sad case like myself and write about it!
The vulnerability in the songs is what makes this record so damn honest and easy to connect with. I’ve read reviews about this record that say that every song sounds the same, they haven’t grown. The same old shit from those who like to be mean. Maybe it’s because I really do love this band a hell of a lot that I can’t see why anyone would slate it. Maybe I’ve got some sentiment clinging to this record that I daren’t let a bad word be said. Or maybe, just maybe I can hear a band that I’ve been a fan of for so long and who mean a lot to me, have become the band that they deserve to be. The lo-fi sound isn’t as prominent as it once was but the subtle angst peaks through and when you feel it, it’s something to really treasure.
Whether you’re a stroppy teen or an uncomfortable adult, guaranteed there are songs on this record that will make you feel as if it was written for you. Maybe it was because really, nobody likes feeling alone.
I’ll stand by the title track being the most euphoric on the record and is easily one of my favourite songs of the year, but I feel with this record that each song, with every listen they will become a favourite. There are no album fillers and there aren’t any dull moments on this record. It’s a record to take a long walk to, to listen to on your bed at 2am when you can’t sleep, to wander aimlessly up and down the beach to, to get lost and found to. Just let this record become your world, let it be the soundtrack to the summer and beyond. Records like this make you proud to be a fan of a band you quite simply adore.
I started to write this and managed to delete everything I had written. Maybe it was a sign. Or maybe I’m just clumsy with my fingers. Probably both. I’ll start it again. Unfortunately I have a really bad memory (sometimes it’s a good thing) so I can’t remember what I originally wrote. Hopefully I won’t mess up this time.
Punk is alive and well in certain bands. It’s alive in most of the bands I listen to, other bands have basically pissed all over what Punk is and created something truly horrendous called “Pop-Punk.” Awful. Really awful. Punk had this bite to it that made you listen. It was, in all its glory obnoxious and brutal. It was snotty and portrayed angst in a way that caused parents in the 70s to wash their kids ears out at bedtime religiously in the hopes they wouldn’t go to the “dark side.” Punk is the one kind of music that really made me pay attention fully to what I was listening to. I was aware there was a message coming through, and the message was my own to decipher. Punk was for those and is for those who aren’t happy with how things are. Those who are bored and tired of routine. Those who know there is something more and would rather kick the door down than knock politely.
Dead Boys were fronted by one of the greatest frontmen of all time, Stiv Bators. Stiv and wiry body leaped and flailed across the stage in a way that would leave you thinking his body could snap at any moment. He got his point across by being snotty on stage. A proper obnoxious brat who when you listen to him, made you as pissed off as him. What or who rattled your cage? Doesn’t even matter. All that matters is letting it out.
What I absolutely adore about Dead Boys was their ability to really capture the essence of Punk and make it so brutal to the point of being sinister. Some songs like Ain’t It Fun and All This And More have something really terrifying about them. Bands like the Ramones portrayed the frustrations of daily life better than most but Dead Boys took it some place dark. Dead Boys weren’t and aren’t for the faint hearted I guess. Thing is, I can’t stand loud people at all but I love loud music. I don’t like obnoxious and arrogant people, but I love music that has that about it. I don’t know why, but it’s just something that holds my attention longer than most. Dead Boys were as bold as they came. Stiv sometimes tearing up his stomach with a mic stand- he was as outrageous as Iggy. Except I don’t think Stiv ever covered himself in peanut butter. His wiry frame and distinctive voice made him and Dead Boys stand out amongst the Punk scene. I believe they are one of the most underrated bands of all time. Cheetah is one of the finest guitar players ever. Him and Johnny Thunders just made you wish you could make noise like that. Trashy, loud and so perfect. It made you want to play as loud as them and without a care in the world.
At best their songs were sordid, depraved and smutty. All the best songs are. They took you to a world where conventional means wouldn’t. They unleashed this world upon on you with their close to creepy songs. No other band could get away with it, no other band could do it like Dead Boys. There was something so special and rare about these guys. They went beyond being “just another Punk band.” They started something that is still in the belly, burning in some of the bands I listen to.
Known for their lewd live shows, no other band has come close to how they were on stage. They aren’t a band that you can say “oh they could have been great.” Shit. They INSTANTLY became great the second people started paying attention. In all their obnoxious glory, they were one of the best bands ever. Their unconventional and so far from romantic songs about girls were brilliant. I guess now “feminists” would be all whiny about how they objectify women or whatever. As a female, I don’t really care. I love the music and the content. It’s a different world to what I know and I love it. They take you to some underground and unsafe place covered in darkness. You can’t help but play it loud and try to move around like Stiv.
Sadly Stiv died in 1990 after being hit by a car. If he was still around know he probably would be teaching us all how its done still. Dead Boys may be no more, but what they did for Punk and many who were against “typical” will never be forgotten or undone. They were before my time, but when I listen to them I feel like I am in the moment from when it all began. Timeless, forever influential and nothing short of greatness.
If a song scares you shitless, then you’ve probably found something you’ll cling onto for years to come. Whether you’re a proper “goff” or you lob your limbs about to Dead Boys and all in between, you will find a handful of songs that fill you with fear and the utmost pleasure when you subject your ears to them.
I wrote about Kingsley’s new band about a month ago. I banged on about how Olympians was one of the best unconventional love songs I’ve ever heard. I don’t want nauseating love songs that go on about how someone’s tummy is filled with butterflies when they see them. I want the brutality and the annoyance, because that’s pure, real and raw. And I fucking hate butterflies.
Poison Tongues is Kingsley Chapman And The Murder haunting your dreams and documenting your night out. Poison Tongues is based on an incident that Kingsley saw in Middlesbrough town centre. Blood, sweat and guts were flying everywhere. A bloody mess that is portrayed brutally and beautiful in Poison Tongues. The build-up in this captivating witness account is glorious. It is proper atmospheric, it feels like a bunch of mad school kids being unleashed in a school music room, and creating something that shocks them in a good way. Poison Tongues is a masterpiece. It is a grand (I mean big) and theatrical song that HAS to be played loud. I’ve got it on dead loud and it just sounds that much better when you feel like that walls are shaking.
Kingsley’s vocals portray the bitterness and rage so perfectly. He’s got the storytelling qualities of Lou Reed and the darkness of Nick Cave. From a personal point of view, Kingsley just brings everything I love about music together and creates these huge songs. As a friend, I am so proud of him. As a fan, I’m in awe of how bloody fantastic he is. Poison Tongues is massively sinister and if you want to creep yourself out, play it around 11pm and you’ll probably think there’s a Crimewatch segment in this song waiting to happen.
You can picture blokes being bundled out in a bloody mess out of a rough establishment, and as they spill out into the street you fear your own safety. You want to hurry off home but the way Kingsley tells this tale makes you want to stay and watch the outcome. Voyeuristic but bloody brilliant. You feel as if Kingsley’s is sat at the end of your bed at bedtime telling you this tale as you drift off to sleep. It’ll catch up with you in your dreams, leaving you in the morning turning to the first person you see, “You won’t believe what happened last night….”
For me I want a song to make me feel like I’m experiencing everything that’s being said- Poison Tongues is easily one of those songs. It is terrifying, honest and brutal. It’s got the bitterness of Stagger Lee. If only Kingsley yelled “motherfucker” at some point in the song, that would top it all off.
This four and a half-minute tale is an accurate portrayal of what happens in most clubs most weekends, so I guess if you want to see it with your own eyes go loiter around an Oceana at 3am and pull up a chair.
If you’re lucky enough to live in the North, you can catch Kingsley Chapman And The Murder on the following dates:
1st May – The Georgian Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees
16th May – Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough w/ Frankie & The Heartstrings
Personally, I love music that makes you feel like you are anywhere but where you are. Daily life can be a drag, a real chore. Doing the same things ever day, having the same dull and lifeless conversations constantly. Why do we put ourselves through such mundane monstrosities. You can change it. Change your job (never stay somewhere that makes you miserable), change your friends, move out, move on etc. All that stuff. Find a soundtrack. Make yourself a playlist and go. When you do this, I urge you to put one band in particular on this list.
Coke Weed are a band I had intended to write about some time ago, but my memory isn’t too great. I’ll make up for lost time.
Coke Weed have this gorgeous relaxed feel to their sound- think along the lines of Beach House, Wye Oak. They really take you to some place magical. Back To Soft was one of 2013’s most underrated records. It was overlooked and that’s borderline criminal. I was recently sent their demo version of their new record, and although it is a rough copy it is nothing short of perfect. They’ll hear things I don’t that need tweaking, but I’m no musician so maybe the obvious needs doing to the record. I have no idea, but I do know that it is a sublime record and it sounds nothing like previous releases. It’s got a real Roxy Music feel to it. Less dreamy, more dancing. There’s a strong disco feel to Dead Man Walking. So far, that’s my favourite. Their new record takes you on a journey through the ages whilst still sounding now, it takes guts to do that and Coke Weed do it so well.
There are many influences floating through the new record, ones that maybe skipped their previous records but they’ve dug up for their new one. It feels right on this record. Back To Soft was the daydream and their new record is the reality. As a massive fan of this band, I believe their new record explores and enhances the reasons as to why I really do love this band. Everything from the hazy guitars to Nina’s soothing vocals to the gentle crashing of the drums. You take in every single detail of all the songs and treasure them.
For me, I regard Coke Weed as highly as bands like the Raveonettes. The Raveonettes have a lot of sentimental value tied to them. Maybe I’ll cling or maybe I’ll let go, but with Coke Weed I just want to listen and be transported somewhere without a care in the world. It’s a magical experience that’s a pleasure to be part of.
With summer approaching slowly, it is vital you find something to be your soundtrack. Coke Weed are a band to laze about to. Do nothing and let your mind go. I’m fairly sure that when you see these guys live you just shut your eyes for the duration and allow yourself to drift away with the music and into the unknown.
Coke Weed’s music is moments of joy, explosions of happiness in the midst of dreaming. They are an absolute pleasure to listen to and to get lost in, like the eyes of your lover. I would happily write a huge essay on my love this band, but I’m saving it for my review of the record.
As they approach the release of their fourth record, I can only hope it places these guys where they belong- in your hearts and in your record collection.
I feel as if I’ve been waiting decades to finally write about Say Lou Lou’s debut record. I’ve been a fan from when they were called Saint Lou Lou and I probably annoyed everyone to high heaven by banging on about their song Maybe You. I had no idea what their sound would turn into from hearing Maybe You and Julian. They have this wonderful way of being a pop band but with non conventional means. They are dark, atmospheric, open and easy to relate to. I’ve spent my time listening to Lucid Dreaming by making notes, I’ve never really done this before but they evoke so much it was hard to keep track. It’s a record you instantly fall in love with, and I’m happy that the world can finally hear what Elektra and Miranda have been creating, in full.
The record starts with Everything We Touch, the perfect way to starter. That song is a gentle dance tune that makes you feel good. Lucid Dreaming is a heartbreaker of a record, it is for those who have hurt, who will hurt (either get hurt or cause it) and are hurt. It’s painful but there are moments that are full of hope, love and free of pain. You cling to it all, in the hopes of it one day being your safety net.
Glitter feels like it should be a single, and to hear it live will be a truly magical part of the set. It’s got a camp 80s feel to it, sometimes I don’t want that but Say Lou Lou have made this glamorous and fabulous song that takes all the best elements of pop music, and make it their own. Can we start an online petition to make this a single? It’s got proper attitude to it, and would come alive at night-time in sordid night clubs as you make your way home on a damp and lonely Saturday night. Where Glitter sounds like an 80s pop tune, Games For Girls sounds like a 90s pop gem. It doesn’t sound like the others, it doesn’t have that dark feel to it but it fits so perfectly on the record.
When Julian appears it is like putting on your favourite item of clothing. It is safe and familiar, and I think for anyone just getting into the band this may be the song they latch onto. I still do and I’ve been a fan for some time. In some ways I’m glad Maybe You isn’t on here because I wouldn’t be able to let that song go and love the rest. But at the same time, I really miss the song. It should be on there, but that’s because I’ve got way too much sentimental value attached to it. And maybe I should learn to let it go. I’m learning.
Angels (Above Me) is one I’ll probably keep coming back to when it feels like something is missing from general life. It is the most “human” song on the record. I wish I could explain what I mean, but I really can’t. All I know is there is something really fragile about that song, Miranda and Elektra aren’t afraid to expose all those ugly yet passionate feelings we have. They do it in a way that makes you feel less ashamed and able to pull through whatever it may be. For me it is one of the most atmospheric songs on the record and their vocals truly shine on this song.
Peppermint and Beloved are THE most heartbreaking songs on the record, and they make you wish it never happens to you. Of course it will, you cannot escape that. Beloved posses one of the most honest lines I’ve heard, “Love is a facade for hate.” It just stays with you, it’ll haunt you and you’ll question yourself should you fall in love, or lust even. Peppermint is a break-up song that makes you wish the bad will pass. It’s that first stage of a break-up where you try to process it, and you will. Eventually. And when you do, you’ll find another song on Lucid Dreaming to connect with which I’ll mention shortly.
Hard For A Man is possibly my favourite. The whole record makes me thing of a time I’ve done well so far with ignoring/forgetting, and I can remember it all now with none of it touching me thankfully ha. Hard For A Man is so easy to relate to, and I don’t mean from the singer’s perspective. For me, I can relate to the person they are singing about. That kind of trouble stays with you but you can hide it so it doesn’t rub off on anyone else. We cling to the bad because we never expect good things to happen or last, but they do. They really really do, and it’s best thing when you stop being awkward about it. It is such a vulnerable song, and it encourages you to let go, to stop holding onto whatever it is that’s making you a monster or whatever is scaring you. I love the line, “I’ll be as gentle as I can.” It’s a real unconventional love song, and they are the best kind.
Wilder Than The Wind is the one song that takes you to a time of year rather than a place or moment. It makes you feel as if you’re in the depths of winter. Cold and alone, and this song is your safety net. It fits in perfectly and easily with the underlying romantic tone of the record. It gives you the guts to escape all that’s making you miserable- whether it be a city, a job, a person, a situation. It just gives you that kick you need.
Nothing But A Heartbeat is the aftermath of Peppermint. It’s that realisation that you’ll be alright and you don’t need much, if anything to get by. You can have nothing left of your former self but you’ll rebuild what another destroyed with no problem at all. If you want to escape that “Why me?!” feeling, head straight for Nothing But A Heartbeat and you’ll be fine.
The record ends with Skylights. I’m fairly sure they played this when I saw them at Concrete in 2013 I think?! It’s the perfect song to end this gorgeous record on. The drums are big on this. So bold and loud, the song fills you with hope and the urge to just carry on. Because with all the fuck-ups we cause and fall into, you just have to. Some part of you that died comes back to life, and this is what Skylights does. It just has to be in their live set, and should be what they end on.
As Say Lou Lou are a band I’ve loved from the start, I am so so proud of the song they have created and so proud of what they’ve done on their debut. Lucid Dreaming feels like the soundtrack to a black and white foreign film. Foreign films have way more class and elegance about them, and in some parts Lucid Dreaming feels like the broken woman falling for the troubled man who is unattainable, and she realises this when he doesn’t walk her home after they go for dinner. No weekends away, just brief moments that aren’t long enough but are still meaningful.
Lucid Dreaming is the best pop record you’ll hear this year, and what makes it stand out is that it goes against that overproduced and too sweet pop you hear on the radio right now. They grab and squash the idea of what mainstream pop should sound like. Lucid Dreaming is dark, tormented, romantic and hopeful. The best people are and the best records are too.
Say Lou Lou are playing Heaven (London) on 8th April and Lucid Dreaming is out next Monday.
Some songs just need to be written about. They need to be played constantly. Loud enough so someone asks what you’re listening to. You play it to them, so they can hear it more clearly. You share a moment with this person, and you both agree that this song is the best thing you’ve heard in a long time. You both come from different tastes in music. One of you probably likes death metal, the other is a fan of Bach. Stick with the extremes and find common ground in this astounding song.
Jamie xx is a fantastic producer, everybody knows that. How is a solo record going to cut it? Will it sound familiar? Will it work? What’s going to happen?
THIS is what happens. If this doesn’t make you happy to the point of tears, or want to hug the shit (not actual shit) out of someone then you should probably either stop being an uptight fool or get yours ears checked. Or both. Possibly.
It is by far the best song you’ll hear all year (I could change my mind, but I’ll just keep adding to my list.) It is euphoric gem that you have you play constantly. There is something about it that, even though the lyrics could be seen as quite sad- it is quite frankly a gorgeous song. Nobody else but Romy could sing this song. Nobody else could make a song as stunning and dreamy as Jamie and Romy. It’s everything you want from a song. It’s got that tense build up that drives you nuts as you feel it approaching. Everything about this song screams “summer.” It’s the perfect song to listen to as you gaze at a sunset on some sunny beach or in the depths of East London as the sun peaks through high-rise flats, the light bounces off the windows and you squint but are still looking longingly and lovingly at the one you love.
Loud Places oozes devotion and uncertainty. Most things are built on this, you can adapt to it or let it ruin you, but that’s all on you. For now, please please spend the rest of your day playing this song religiously. I don’t care where it takes you, but just let it take you there. And stay there for a while. Drown everything and everyone out. Just for a little while (or until it’s home time.)
