Category Archives: Uncategorized

BANKS.

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“Don’t tell me listen to your song because it isn’t the same.”

 

There are some singers that when you hear them, you can’t really believe someone can sound so perfect. Alright so “perfect” doesn’t exist, but you know what I mean. There are singers that just hit you in the gut wth how pure their voice is and how honest their words are. Some singers just have this gift of sounding so ethereal effortlessly. Examples of this are Sade, Aaliyah and Jessie Ware. From Sade we got Aaliyah and since Aaliyah died no female singer has really come close to what she did aside from Jessie Ware. They all have this delicate voice that just makes everything alright, even if their songs can be heartbreaking.

This leads me onto Banks. In an ideal world I would have written about her last year, but it didn’t feel right because I had no idea what I wanted to say. I didn’t know what I could say. After listening to Beggin’ For A Thread non-stop over the past two days, I think I have some understanding of what it is I want to say. Well, type if you’re going to be like that.

I’ve seen people call her the female version of The Weeknd. That’s just lazy. Using a person’s gender to describe them/what they do is pretty shit isn’t it? There’s more to a person than to what they have between their legs. In the grand scheme of things, gender is irrelevant. Be who you want. I’m ranting. Sorry. Anyway, Banks isn’t the female version of whoever. She’s a brilliant singer who hasn’t released her debut record yet, and when it comes out it will probably blow our minds. I’m expecting it to, fully. I never expect anything, but I firmly believe it is going to be a brilliant record. It’s out in September, and she’s touring the UK in October (I think.) I’m all for someone taking me to see her. We don’t have to stand next to each other, I’m alright with that.

The thing with Banks is that she can pretty much sum up every feeling you’ve had when you’ve come out of a relationship, when you’re leaning towards one and when you’re in one. Basically, she’s like Dear Deirdre but with a lot more sense and class. Her vocals on Brain are dark and brilliant- think a more R&B version of a Zola Jesus song, she’s got this haunting feel to her music that just keeps you coming back for more. I think as soon as you hear one song by Banks, you become addicted. Like pizza. Pizza is all I have, sorry. I’m Italian. Her voice is so smooth and flawless, like the skin complexion we strive to have. I really don’t know why all of this sounds so weird. I don’t know what’s happened. Let’s blame the heat.

Her song, Change is the perfect song for those who are in a fucked up relationship. Banks calls the person out on their “Daddy issues” which is wonderfully done. Her sarcasm in this song is brilliant. If anyone else did it, it would sound a bit bitchy and trashy. But Banks has this superb and classy way of calling you out on your faults, just listen to Goddess, a prime example of it. She doesn’t need to be awfully over the top or pretentious with her words. She gets to the point in a real and raw way. Her lyrics aren’t all “woe is me” they are brilliant “fuck you’s” at times, and you can’t help but fall totally and madly in love with her. Before I Ever Met You will really hit you in the gut, for reasons up to you. There is something about it that will just leave you in awe. It is likely to be her honesty and the way she sings certain parts in the song- it is almost as if she is stood in front of you, and calling you out on all of the times you’ve messed up. Basically, Banks won’t stand for your shit.

Banks has this way of effortlessly (sorry for repeating the word) portraying hurt in a way that makes you BELIEVE it is all going to be alright. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had your heart ripped out, because the person that did it was a twat anyway. She’s got a real refreshing attitude in her music that makes her believable. To be believable is to be honest, and her lyrics are brutal and to the core.

I’ve not read too much about Banks, and I’m not one for caring about what “Music Journalists” say about bands/singers, everyone has an opinion but I’m glad that so many are believing in Banks and see just how talented she is. She’s got something about her that is gracious, raw and pure. She’s everything that music needs, she’s not afraid to be honest with her lyrics, and she portrays the feelings we try to cover. She exposes the feelings that we try to cover or the feelings of someone we know is hiding. She’s got something about her that goes beyond words, and singers like this don’t come around often.

I’ve mentioned artists like Deptford Goth and Burial as being ones I can only listen to when it’s dark out, because it just feels like they were created for the nighttime. In some respects, I really feel that way about Banks but to be honest, I can listen to her anytime, any place.  I don’t care. She’s just a real, raw talent that is just going to blow everyone away when her record comes out in September.

Her music just has this beautiful depth and soul to it that just stuns you. When a singer or a band can leave you speechless like that, you know you’ve found something that is really going to last.  The eerie atmosphere in her music completes it all, and is part of the reason why she is easy to get hooked onto. I really can’t praise her enough at all.

 

ROSES-It’s Over (video.)

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Roses are red

Violets are blue

The video to It’s Over is going to hypnotise you.

 

Weak mini poem out of the way, LA’s dreamboats Roses have just put out their FIRST music video. I’ve had a mild obsession with them since late last year, and this video pretty much justifies my love for them.

Roses are a perfect summertime band who will just make you feel GOOD from the inside out. The kind of band you listen to and you just start to smile. The video was directed by the super talented Cassandra Hamilton. Go watch it and go frolic in a field afterwards.

If you’re lucky enough to live in LA/New York you can catch Roses on the following dates:

22/07/14 – Los Angeles – The Echo with Cymbals
1/08/14 – New York – Death By Audio with Future Punx, Darlings
02/08/14 – New York – Cakeshop with Outside World, Yin Yangs
03/0814 – New York- Silent Barn with Grand Resort, Chimes, Bueno

Roses will be releasing their EP Dreamlover (please let it be a little tribute to Mariah Carey!) on 5th August and you can pre-order it here :

http://www.grouptightener.com/store/best-coast/roses-dreamlover-ep-t-shirt-bundle-pre-order/ The t-shirt is amazing. I need that t-shirt.

Roses are evidently one of the finest bands on the West Coast.

ROWLAND S HOWARD.

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“You wore the smell of success,
I wore the taste of sin.”

 

Everyone has their own idea as to what makes a brilliant songwriter. It can be the way they make you laugh with their words or the way they just “get” you with their words. It can be many reasons, it doesn’t just have to be one. The songwriter that makes you laugh can also be the one who makes you feel tough, weak and alright. All at once or eventually. They get you to where you are going with their words. You hear their words and it just makes you want to write something equally moving. Their words can instill a form of fear and passion inside of you, and you are not someone who is easily moved.

I always talk about Morrissey or Patti or Lou Reed when I mention really great songwriters. I mention them because their music has been around me since I was a baby. I grew up with their words and managed to shake my teen angst off to their tunes. There is one other person who I can firmly place next to them as being one of the greatest songwriters of all time; Rowland S Howard.

His soul shone through with his words. He got to your gut with his words; he made you feel things deeply and brought you into another world with his words. A dark, tormented world with hints of beauty piercing through. If you read the lyrics to Undone you will be thrown into a world of sheer heartbreak, the real pureness and torment of it with a chunk of disdain thrown in. It’s an ultimate “fuck you” with bouts of “how dare you.” If you’ve ever had your heart ripped out, just listen to this song and you’ll forget the one(s) who have wronged you. The secrecy you share with another (friend or lover) is no longer of any worth, and this song just portrays it perfectly. It is one of those songs you wish you had written. His dry and gnarly way with words made Rowland S Howard stand out from so many. The guy was a genius, and nobody else comes close.

Personally, I can’t get my head around songs that are full of positive energy. I like the songs that take me to some place where others daren’t go. I want the weird, I want the tormented, I want the dark lyrics. I want the songs that make me think and take me deep into some underworld that cannot be described. His way with words is addictive, to the point where you try to find someone else who has a similar take on words like Rowland did, but nobody else comes close at all. When I listen to his music or just read his words, I can’t help but wish more would delve into the world he created but at the same time glad nobody else has ever come close. Some may wish to compare Rowland to his buddy and ex-bandmate Nick Cave, but there was something different with Rowland. There was something in his innocent gaze and tormented lyrics that made you feel something unexplainable. Something you’ll spend days trying to figure out. His words at times wonderfully mocked whoever he was writing about in such a romantic way. A way that makes you instantly think of someone you’ve hurt with your words, you probably want their forgiveness but you’d rather fuck around for a bit before you launch an apology. As you taunt them, you taunt yourself. Some would say it is sadistic, but anyone with half a brain cell would know it is just human nature in all its ugly glory.

Aside from his way with words, Rowland was a ferocious guitar player who easily added the “dangerous” style to The Birthday Party. If it was anyone else playing the guitar in that band, they really would not have sounded the same, they would not have been as brutal as they were. He had this charm about him that just made you want to be into everything he did. I’ve watched the live clips of The Birthday Party, and the way he was on stage complimented Nick’s vocals (and occasional wails) perfectly. They had this bond on stage that is found now in the likes of The Kills to Crocodiles. If you’ve seen those bands live, you’ll know exactly what I mean. His look on stage was completed with a cigarette daringly yet casually hanging from his lips.

Rowland S Howard was rare. People like him don’t happen often, and that’s why he will always be missed. Although he only died 5 years ago, the gap is still there. There is nobody as daring and as rebellious as he was. He kept that streak upon him even when The Birthday Party was done. His solo work goes perfectly next to what he did with The Birthday Party, nobody could ever deny just how magnetic and sometimes delicate he was. On stage he moved like a madman, but you go into his lyrics and you’ll pick up on vulnerable aspects that surrounds us humans. He made it easy and alright to be a little weird and to just let go when you found something you loved.

He was brave; not just with his battle with cancer, but with the way he made music. He was someone who should still be around now scaring the life out of everyone with his words, his stage presence and his ability to play the guitar like no other. He should still be here to show us all how it is done, but as always, we have the music. We will always have the music.

The Birthday Party opened my ears up to a different world, I went into a different world with Rowland S Howard. A world to feel part of, a world to escape into. A world to no longer be afraid of. His music reminds us to be brave, be daring and to just do what feels right. He moved on stage like a beast possessed. Possessed with something bigger than the person containing it. The recognition of his genius came late in life, maybe too late. But those that knew, will always know just how amazing he truly was. Not many can leave you in awe like he did, not many ever will.

He unleashed a monster on stage; one that wasn’t feared, but one that was adored and treasured. It still is. His vulnerable gaze on the cover of Pop Crimes is always one of the first things that come to mind when I think about him, then the music plays and it all makes sense.

SEX PISTOLS: I got there….eventually.

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“I got no reason it’s all too much,
You’ll always find us out to lunch.”

 

When I mention my love for Punk, I forget a band that I probably should mention. The thing is, I never really listened to them. I thought the singer was just another loud gobshite with nothing for me to care about. I was wrong. I’ve been wrong for years, and I feel stupid for it. I was told for years by my uncle to listen to the Sex Pistols, and when I was younger (pre-teens) I had a brief encounter with the song Pretty Vacant. I saw the video on Top Of The Pops back in ’92 when it was reissued. I went through a stage of using the hoover as a mic stand, pretending to be in whatever band I loved at the time. I forced the hoover back and forth as I tried to mouth the words and shouting “We’re so pretty oh so pretty…” in a way only a 6-year-old could. I wasn’t aware of the Sex Pistols, I didn’t know how important they were. I was blind to all of this for many many years, and I am so sorry.

Recently all I’ve been listening to is the Sex Pistols. I have become infatuated with Johnny Rotten’s boyish and rebellious voice, the way he pronounces certain words. As if he is (rightfully) mocking the establishment and authority in every line he sings. Sex Pistols stood for things that at the time was deemed as “dangerous.” It’s alright to call the Royal Family out on how corrupt they are, it’s perfectly fine to have no trust in the political system and to speak out about it. It was relevent in the 70s, and it is bloody relevant now. Times have changed, but certain problems are still there. The same things are still corrupt, and we can go back to the Sex Pistols music to point out the shit that is still going on.

I’ve been adamant that Punk is purely New York, and that’s it. To a degree I still stand by that. Give me the Ramones over The Clash any day (I do like The Clash, it’s not a dig.) I guess I just didn’t want to hear Cockney accents over a raucous. Again, I was wrong. I have no problems with admitting I’m wrong.

I can understand why many would have shunned the Sex Pistols. They were obnoxious, they were loud and they didn’t care what YOU thought about them. The thing is, these are the things I have ended up loving about their music. I love that they had a brilliant obnoxious sound that wasn’t accessible to all. They were and still are an acquired taste. They aren’t for those who see no wrong in the world. You can be an angry teen or a displaced adult, you will still find some connection in their songs.

If it wasn’t for the Sex Pistols, would Punk have made it to the UK? How would the UK have created their own Punk scene if it wasn’t for the Sex Pistols? They made it sound more pissed off, agitated  and dangerous. For those who didn’t “get” Punk (I feel bad for them) the Sex Pistols were just a bunch of angry kids kicking up a fuss. Read their lyrics and see what was happening in the UK at the time, and it is easy to see why they spoke to an almost blank generation. They were relevant then, and looking at the state of the world now- they still are relevant. The youth are shunned; this causes boredom and the thought of not amounting to much. When your generation is constantly put down and being told there is nothing for them, how on earth do you expect them to react? If they don’t do anything, they are deemed lazy. If they cause a fuss due to the state of things, they are labelled as god knows what. We’ve seen it happen haven’t we. With their callings of “No future” ringing in our ears, it’s fair to say that the Sex Pistols music still holds valuable truth. Seventeen sounded like a self-fulfilling prophecy for many then and now.

I’ve tried to work out why it took me so long to get to this point. To the point of realising just how great the Sex Pistols were, but most things are delayed with me. An immediate reaction isn’t always something I can muster, even if it is to do with music. If it wasn’t for the Sex Pistols a lot of bands would not have formed, you’ve heard the stories. People were there at THAT gig. Some genuinely were, some weren’t. But we all wish we were there. We wish something like this could just happen again. Something that just fucks things up for a while, something to make others think and to DO something. You wish someone could play as furiously as Paul Cook, you wish there was a front-man as bold as Johnny- will it ever happen again? Maybe. Maybe some kid somewhere is listening to Bodies and thinking “I can do that.” Maybe they’ll come and save us all. Do we need saving? Probably not. I’m just being overdramatic.

They turned their noses up at and shunned the things we are “supposed” to love, admire and even respect. They saw the faults and pointed them out in black and white. They pointed out all that was (and probably is) wrong. With just one record they gave the music industry a swift kick up the arse, they woke up lazy teens and pissed off parents. What else could you want from a band?!

 

 

TOMMY RAMONE

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Punk hasn’t and will not ever die. There will never ever be a style of Music that is as influential and as great as Punk. There will never ever be a band as great and as influential as the Ramones. You can keep your Beatles, and your Led Zeppelins. I’m aware it means something to others, but to me they meant nothing. Their songs and sounds didn’t speak to me. Ramones however, they did more than just speak to me. They were the backbone to a genre of Music that I simply can’t do without, and could never imagine not listening to.

Sure you get people who claim that Punk is just noise. But they probably listened to one song and that was it. Until recently  I pretty much turned my nose up at the Sex Pistols. I thought I didn’t get it, but I sat and listened to them for a view hours and loved how obnoxious young Johnny Rotten sounded. In my heart of hearts though, it is New York that is the REAL home of Punk and I fail to see how anyone could question that.

At only 62 years old, Tommy Ramone, the last original member of the Ramones has died. He was probably the finest drummer my ears have ever been exposed to. He kept up the fast and furious pace of the signature Ramones sound. He made it look so effortless, he made you want to pick up some drumsticks and drum your itty bitty heart out.

I’ve got a copy of Leave Home on vinyl, and when I play it when I visit my family I find myself staring at the cover. Taking in their poses and how all they did was done with purpose. No doubt it was done with a lot of blood, sweat and arguments but nothing good comes easy. If you aren’t willing to struggle, then just give up. Ramones taught me to not give up. I’ve read Mickey Leigh’s book about his brother Joey (I Slept With Joey Ramone) many times to know that for me, Joey is my hero. Tommy added something to the Ramones that the others didn’t, and they knew it. He added a form of stability that kept them together. When he left the band in 78, he went on to produce a few more of their records so the real sound of the Ramones was always there. He was a brilliant drummer and producer.

If it wasn’t for the Ramones, most of the bands that I listen to and love wouldn’t have formed. They wouldn’t have wanted to make their own scene, their own noise. Ramones made it easier for me to feel alright in the skin I’m in. It’s perfectly fine to not think like others, it’s alright to have your own interests and to hang out by yourself. It’s normal to get angry at what you see happening in the world. It’s alright to just be how you are. The minute you change for someone, you stop being yourself.

62 is no age, and cancer is a bastard.

Although there are no more original members of the Ramones around, we will always have the music. That will never go, and all they stood for is around in your favourite band. When your favourite singer towers over the mic stand, that’s Joey Ramone coming through. When your favourite drummer goes nuts and just blows your mind with how fast they play, that’s their Tommy Ramone inside of them. When you see your favourite bassist yelling out “1-2-3-4” and the music kicks in, that’s their Dee Dee Ramone coming out. And when your favourite guitarist stands playing with a wealth of fury yet looking effortlessly cool, that’s their inner Johnny Ramone shining.

Ramones placed something in their fans that they will always carry round with them, and that’s why Punk won’t ever die. It just goes some place else.

CANDY DARLING.

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Sometimes you hear something, and within seconds you know it is one of the greatest things you’ve exposed your ears to. It’s probably how most felt when they heard the likes of the Velvet Underground to Frank Zappa. If it slightly weird, there’s a good chance it’ll be bloody brilliant. Who wants to hear songs about how a person gives you butterflies anyway? No thanks.

Candy Darling (yes, named after one of Warhol’s supertars) are from Bristol. Candy Darling have that beautiful, filthy sound that is in the likes of Little Death Machine, Wax Idols with a hint of Lou Reed’s Transformer. Their sound is brilliantly weird and thankfully unlike anything you are forced to listen to. There’s a smutty fuzzy sound flowing through their debut single, Money.Which I guess fits the notion that those with a lot of money have a tendency to be corrupt and depraved. But aren’t we all to an extent. We just don’t show it.

Candy Darling have a fabulous trashy feel to their music; Money is the kind of song you’ll have stuck in your head for days, just itching to yell the chorus at someones face. You should do it, there’s nothing wrong with a public display of recklessness and lack of self-control. Don’t be shy about it. I’d imagine their live shows are dark, wild and deeply enthralling. You don’t need an acoustic guitar to grip a crowd. Be loud, be bold and be what your peers turn their noses up at. Candy Darling are a band I’d typically love, they’ve got something really magical about them that I love.

The b-side to Money is Temples. Temples shows just how strong and gorgeous Emily’s voice is. Temples has a proper 80s Goth-ish kind of thing going on. As you know The Jesus And Mary Chain are touring in November (some of us have spent £100 on tickets and feel mighty good about it!) and I think it is safe to say that Candy Darling would be an ideal opening act. Temples is like the Psychocandy record with synths; it’s just incredible and all I want from a band. Emily’s voice on Temples reminds me of Shirley Manson on Garbage’s Version 2.0 record. It is strong, moving and captivating.

With music seeming to be more and more throwaway, it’s bands like Candy Darling who kick some meaning and purpose into it at all. If you can move people, make them think, do anything other than stand still then you’ve created something worth treasuring- which is exactly what Candy Darling have done. With just one single (that’s not even out yet) they’ve become one of the best new bands of the year. The ideal band to hear in dark and cramped basement bar to just lose a bit of your mind to.

They only formed a yer ago, but everything about them just makes you think they’ve been together for decades. Quite simply, one of the best bands in this country.

You can order a copy of Money here: http://candydarlingmusic.bandcamp.com/releases it is out 1st September. Treat yourself to some pink vinyl.

And you can listen to Money/Temples here: https://soundcloud.com/candydarling1

MORRISSEY-World Peace Is None Of Your Business.

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“I turned silences and nights into words.

What was unutterable, I wrote down.

I made the whirling world stand still.” 

                        -Arthur Rimbaud

 

There is no greater feeling than your favourite singer releasing a record. You wait, you ache and you wait some more leading up to it. You tremble in the first listen knowing you are listening to something truly remarkable. It doesn’t matter who this singer/band is to you, it’s just a mutual feeling. Especially when that person is more than likely responsible for you still being alive….just. Sort of. Depends on the day.

Could I ever write an unbiased piece on Morrissey? No. Will I defend him? Yes, well..within reason. Do I think World Peace is his best work? Of course. Lord knows how long Morrissey fans have been waiting for this. And of course, the cynics will come out in their masses to find fault in it. They probably like Kings Of Leon or something equally dull.

World Peace Is None Of Your Business is flamboyantly clever, dry and accurate. It is everything I adore about Morrissey. I thought after reading his biography a handful of times I really understood my love and admiration for him, but I was wrong. But when am I ever right. I thought  understood my love for him, turns out I didn’t. Not quite.World Peace is lyrically a work of art, and I will gladly place it next to Vauxhall And I as his best work. He has this way of getting to the root of an emotion, churning it out and spitting it out for you to taste. And when you do, you understand. You understand whatever it is that is choking you.

I’m Not A Man is lyrically one of the strongest songs on the record as it dips into society’s skewed vision of what it is to be a man. A nod to Meat Is Murder of sorts is hinted in the line, “I’d never kill or eat an animal, and I never would destroy this planet I’m on.” Man destroys, and Morrissey’s sensitive and gentle disposition feels out of place on this planet. You don’t have to be a man to identify with this, you just have to human. Gentle and kind.

As I listen to the record, I start to make sense of my love for Morrissey. It’s his words and how he uses them. There’s always been comfort for me in his words. If I could communicate using his lyrics, I’d probably feel less awkward in my skin. Too much skin. He has this way of telling it like it is without being grand or pretentious, although some would argue that he is. If that’s the case then they’ve probably never paid any attention to his lyrics. His words are why he is a hero to so many.

I’ve read a few reviews where they comment on how tight his band sound, but I don’t know enough about Music to comment on that. Boz is there still, so I’m happy. As I listen to World Peace Is None Of Your Business, I am visualising these songs live. Kiss Me A Lot is one I hope he puts into his live shows- at his longing best, this song is glorious. Earth Is The Loneliest Planet has one simple line in it that just means everything, a simple line that holds so much; “But you’re in the wrong skin.”If I heard that line whilst a teenager teetering into adulthood, it would have been a touch easier. As an adult, well..I think it still does the same as it would.

Staircase At The University has the same kind of dark humour that is found in Girlfriend In A Coma. The pressures of a young girl excelling in her studies to which she finally packs it all in, and throws herself down some stairs. Splitting her head in three ways. I love the line, “And if it breaks your heart then don’t come running to me.” You can relate that to anyone, it doesn’t have to be someone who is constantly studying. We all know that one person….

Kick The Bride Down The Aisle is a stroke of genius for this alone; “You’re that stretch of the beach that the tide doesn’t reach. No meaning, no reason . The lonely season.” I can’t help but wonder where he comes up with these wonderful words, and how. And in Mountjoy we’ve got the gorgeous statement; “What those in power do to you reminds us at a glance, how humans hate each others guts. And show it given a chance.” If you want an understanding of how shitty the human race can be, just listen to Mountjoy.

There will be mixed views on this record, some will declare it as his best work to date. Some will yearn for past releases. It is his tenth solo record, you can’t possibly expect him to keep making the same one over and over again! He just excels himself with every record, and he will last longer than those who put him down. You won’t win.

I’ll end this with a section of lyrics that I feel are entirely true, and are a highlight for me. A selection of lyrics that I believe in and treasure. In all his delicate, honest and observant nature, he just says it all so beautifully:

“Slamming one shots, gentle pain
Someone calling out my name
Sex and love are not the same.”

World Peace Is None Of Your Business just reinforces my love, respect and admiration for Morrissey. I could have mentioned this, I could have mentioned that. Maybe I’ll re-read this and add more. But for now, I’ll stick with this being one of the best records of the year.

VIVA MOZ.

THE BEDROOM HOUR-Hinterland.

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It’s been a very strange week for me. I went for a job interview on Monday with a charity that are very dear to me, and also a charity I’ve been wanting to work for for some time. I think anyone who’s read anything I’ve written knows that since I graduated from University in 2009 knows that I’ve struggled with finding a job that lasts longer than a few months. I’ve signed on for Job Seekers Allowance more times than I wish to remember, and my fortnightly trips there taught me to never have any self-belief or pride. Going to the job centre made me able to handle rejection and to expect nothing. My luck changed on Tuesday. I didn’t get the job I went for, but they offered me a similar one as I am “too good to not employ.” So now I don’t have to worry about finding a job, and I’m not sure what people use the internet for now! I start in September, and it feels strange. A nice strange. It’s nice to know someone thinks I’m alright enough to do a job you know?

I do know what the internet is for, it’s for finding new music/being sent new music.

Next week a band I love are FINALLY putting out their debut record. The Bedroom Hour have that grand sound in their music that is found in the likes of Elbow. I wouldn’t throw that statement around for just anyone as I really love Elbow and I want Guy Garvey to adopt me.

Hinterland consists of euphoric gems that were created to soothe, to heal and to purify the soul. Hinterland is made up of songs that will at some point make you cry. Cry as you confront whatever it is you’re facing or from sheer joy. Hinterland will tug at your heartstrings in a gentle and reassuring manner, so whatever happens to you as you listen to it- just let it happen. Not everything in life needs to be controlled.

People like certain bands for certain reasons. Maybe something happened, and that band was there for them. Maybe they were searching for something and it led them to that band. Whatever the reasoning is, you cling to that band as a way of holding onto something sentimental. The Bedroom Hour are a sentimental band, they ooze nostalgia for something that hasn’t happened yet. You can drown your sorrows to a sorry-looking pint at your local with The Bedroom Hour playing in the background, you can sort your life out whilst listening to them or you can sit and do nothing with them playing in the background. They aren’t a band you listen to casually, you give them your full attention because for the most part, they are expressing all you would rather not say but must face. I guess if you’re feeling a little lost or confused, then they are the band to turn to. Music is comforting and The Bedroom Hour are a prime example of that.

Hinterland is a beautiful debut record that I sincerely hope they are proud of. It doesn’t matter what obnoxiously jumped up “Music Journalists” say about the record, they’ve got a solid and loyal fan base, and they’ve not released their debut record yet. Every track on Hinterland surpasses the last and has you anxiously waiting for the next one, knowing it is going to be an experience. For me, I’m going to say WW/Me is my favourite track off the record, for now. I will change my mind but now, it’s a solid favourite. It’s got a little Bloc Party feel to it. If Stuart’s voice doesn’t make you cry at least twice on this record, then go see a doctor.

If I was going through my dreadful teenage years again. The Bedroom Hour would be a band I would turn to. A band I would listen to late at night when I should be sleeping. But as a difficult and probably awkward 27-year-old, they just offer reassurance that things work out. Not always in the way you hoped, but they will. In time. Time shouldn’t always be used wisely, but if you want to be sensible, then use your time wisely and listen to The Bedroom Hour.

Music is something to truly believe in, and with bands like The Bedroom Hour it is fairly obvious why.

Hinterland is out 14th July 2014, and if you’re like me and have to face the “ALL STATIONS” route on the Met line, then this record will ease that painful journey. At least it has air-con!

 

PRAYERS.

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I keep getting emailed Christian Rap, I’m not sure why it keeps happening. I’m not even sure the good Lord himself (none of us know if he’s real so…) would enjoy it. Maybe he would tell them to just stop. I can’t, as that would be rude. For everything in life, there is the wonderful delights of the DELETE button. I suppose with the band I’m going to write about now may wake up some more religious rappers to come my way. I sincerely hope not.

Before I get into writing about Prayers, I just need to vent something. Yesterday I watched Fat White Family’s Glastonbury set on telly and was appalled that nobody watching them moved or lost their mind to them. You’ve got the saviors of the UK Rock & Roll scene up there and all you can do is look at your phone in the hopes your mum has text you to tell you that she loves you, just so you have something to reply to. It’s really sad. Fat Whites are evidently THE most exciting band around in this country. From their Punk-esque sounds to their dislike for clothes and stripping off mid-set is a breath of fresh air. I feel like I am in the 70s experiencing Punk for the first time. Fat Whites are what The Stooges were, easily.  They’ve got that real Punk attitude and feel to their music. And I guess if you didn’t like Punk (what is wrong with you?!) you probably aren’t going to see the appeal of Fat Whites which is a shame because they are the best band in this country. And don’t you dare say the nudity puts you off, the world doesn’t need any more prudes! Go listen to them.

So now I’ll talk about Prayers.

With the sky immediately turning to a questionable shade of grey outside and months of rain falling out of the sky, Prayers are pretty much  the most apt band I can listen to right now. I know NOTHING about the band, and I’m alright with that. We don’t need to know if the singer likes pizza or not, or his shoe size. All we need to know is just how good the music. So in short, Prayers are fucking awesome. But they deserve more than just a piddly sentence.

Prayers have that dark synth sound that is found in my beloved Cold Cave. I think it’s obvious how much I love Cold Cave and how much I adore Wes’ way with words. Prayers are really really close to that. Their subject matters are menacing, the music is eerie and the general atmosphere in their music is tense. Really really tense. To the point where you think you’re on some questionable trip as you listen to them. This is the kind of stuff I love. There’s a time and a place for songs about falling in love and gazing at the sunset, and that place is not in my record collection. Prayers are a real gnarly band with the ability to shut anyone up who listens to them. They’re calling out for something, I’m not sure what but I can’t stop listening. In the UK we have a brilliant band called Natural Assembly, who have got a similar sound going on. It’s just a real pleasure to listen to. On repeat. Constantly. Rafael Reyes is your new savior kids.

Everyone is looking for that one song or one band that really move them, you know? You can easily find it in Prayers. There’s a deep, raw emotion lurking in their music that many struggle to pull out. Prayers do it so effortlessly. Prayers are the kind of band you go to see and just totally lose yourself in their songs. You chant the songs back to them as your sweat falls off your forehead onto the ground, other people’s drinks are mixed in with your sweat and you bump into other bodies as you sway in a trance-like fashion to the music. This band just wake you up, they do something to you. They truly do move you. I know they aren’t to everyone’s taste, but they are seriously good. They are made for sweaty basement bars at 1am when you are questioning yourself and everyone around you, but as the songs kick in like a morphine drip you stop caring and just fall into the brilliant sounds of Prayers.

If you’re at a loss or just want something to move you, then go listen to Prayers. Their SD Killwave release from last year was stupidly underrated, go repent your sins and invest in it now

WIFE- What’s Between.

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Sometimes you hear something that makes you glad you woke up this morning, sometimes you hear something that just smacks you right in the gut and you wonder how you went so long without hearing anything like it. Various factors justify how it all makes you feel. For me,Wife’s record is one of the few things I’ve heard recently that has made me want to write about it. For a while now I’ve not been caring about writing about what I’m listening to. I’d rather shut off than write something sloppy. If I can hear something that makes me want to stop what I’m doing (in this case, working) and to just offload everything great about what I’m listening to, then I will gladly take it. I never know how long it will last. Sometimes it stays for a few months, other times it just goes.

What’s Between by Wife is truly one of the most haunting yet ethereal records I’ve heard this year. You can find gentle music in any genre. Whether you want the swaying and dreamy guitar sounds that can be found in Warpaint or the blissed out thought-provoking tales of Deptford Goth- there is always something there. Wife’s record is possibly the most gorgeous records I’ve heard in a long time. I mean it in its truest form; there is something so vulnerable and accessible about the record that just makes you fel as if you’ve stepped into a world you try to fight yourself away from.

The gloriously intense build-up on (my favourite) the track Tongue is astounding. It’s the kind of song you play when you feel like everything is against you, and everyone is chiding you. It’s the perfect song to escape to; the whole record is like that. What’s Between just ooozes escapism a way that makes you feel like your comedown from it all might not be so bad. Of course everyone is going to pay attention to the fact that James used to be in a Metal band and is now making this kind of music, but it’s not really relevant. What is relevant is the fact that is shows just how great a musician he is.

I described his Stoic EP last year as being something of a sacred listen, and to just freak yourself out as you listen to it. The EP sounds nothing like What’s Between. What’s Between flows beautifully after the Stoic EP. In a way you can say it is less darker, but there are still slight insights to darkness on this record, but for the most part it’s just a bloody good record with the ability to be listed as one of this year’s best releases. However, that does depend on what you read and such things. It’s one of those records you play on that long and tiresome journey to/from work. Fruit Tree might be the song that gets those lazy dancers moving, if they aren’t feeling too precious about themselves.

As someone who likes “noisy and depressing shit” (not my words) I can safely say that Wife is unlike anything else I “usually” listen to. Quotes because I’d be even more boring if I only stuck to one style of music. The thing is, What ‘s Between is pretty much like the Stoic EP in the sense that it really is a sacred listen. You want peace and quiet when you listen to it; you want nobody or nothing getting in your way as you listen to this utterly captivating and soothing record. Sure you’ve got your menacing moments on the record, at times it feels like Massive Attack versus Pop.1280 (which for me is bloody wonderful.) Sometimes you listen to a record and you just know it is something remarkable, and must be treasured. That something that spurs you on, that makes you realise just how much you really really love music and without it, there wouldn’t be much point.

*(Note to whoever reads this, when it hits dusk- gaze out of your window or go sit in a park and listen to Living Joy..just do it. )