In my biased and honest opinion, Dum Dum Girls make excellent music videos. Their videos are quite trippy (Bedroom Eyes) haunting (Coming Down) and fun (Jail La La.) When you combine all of this, you get the video to Too True To Be Good which was directed by Nathaniel Brown and the creative direction was taken care of by Dee Dee’s pal and fellow ethereal musical gem, Tamaryn.
Too True To Be Good is taken from Dum Dum Girls new record, Too True which has been out a little under a month and is undoubtedly the best record of the year. No other record is going to shake up your bones like this or cleanse your soul in such a gorgeous manner.
All too often bands/singers make music videos that overcompensate for the song so you lose interest in the song and its meaning. However, we thankfully we have artists like Dum Dum Girls and Tamaryn who make videos that give their songs more meaning. They heighten your emotions when you watch their videos, and you take more meaning from the song. What I love about the new DDG video is the pure beauty that is in it. The images of roses to the way Dee Dee’s reflection is like it is in a ripple of water is just stunning. The video to Too True To Be Good is under 3 minutes of sheer beauty and is easily a work of art.
“I’ve got a friend with a melody that will kill. She will eat you alive.”
Everything I’ll ever write about Warpaint will just be a poor attempt at saying something I haven’t said before. Even that sentence is weak. To me, I think they are everything a band should be. On record they send you to a different world. When you see them live it is like you’re in a dream- the reality after all of this is of course, pretty shit. But Warpaint have this beautiful way of making you feel something truly precious as you watch them sing the songs that make you shut your eyes, sway and dream. See on record I suppose it is quite easy to do but to able to do it live, must take some work right? Not if you’re Warpaint. They make it look so easy, and if you’re like me and musically untalented- you will leave a Warpaint show wishing you could play something.
Before I get into the magical world that Warpaint led the crowd into last night, I must mention that their support act All We Are are bloody brilliant. As I was listening to them I immediately thought of Baltimore’s finest, Beach House. Last time I saw Warpaint the brilliant PINS supported them. Their ferocious and sinister music was the opposite of what Warpaint offer, but I loved it. Then again, I just really love PINS and would happily watch them live over and over again. All We Are have this gorgeous ethereal sound, and I truly hope that the crowd left as fans if they weren’t already. They too, like Warpaint make you shut your eyes and sway to their delicate sounds.
Warpaint’s setlist is a wonderful mix of new and old tracks. Their new record is stunning live. Disco/Very live is one of the best things I have ever seen. Warpaint aren’t really a band you can dance to; they are a band to dream to but Disco/Very is a song that just makes you jolt your body about in whatever way you want. I just LOVE the lyric, “Only in the sound of the voices I scream.” If anything, Warpaint stand for freedom. They make you feel entirely free as you watch them. I don’t think I’ve ever watched a band and had a constant smile on my face, until last night. There is something special about Koko that just made it perfect for Warpaint to play here. I saw them play Brixton Academy and I honestly think their show at Koko had a lot more soul to it. I don’t know what it was to do with, all I know is that it was a pleasure to watch and be part of.
For some reason I decided to have a little cry when they played Undertow. I wasn’t expecting it, but it just happened. There is a lot of sentimental value to that song for me, but I have no idea why I had to bloody cry! They played Billie Holiday which was like being guided through a dream and into the unknown. I just want to go back to Disco/Very because I REALLY love Jenny’s voice on this. All of their voices together sound like haunting chants; as of they are calling you towards something quite eerie but you go alone with it because it feels right. Drive is powerful to witness live; the lyrics are beautiful to this one and I think it is the way that Emily sings this song that makes it feel quite sacred. Apparently Baby was down as part of the encore, but it didn’t happen. I wish it did but they closed the set with Elephants which is pretty much one of the best moments of musical history….EVER. The song on record is a forceful thing, but to see it live is something else.
Watching Warpaint live is like watching a band play in their rehearsal space. It feels very personal but not intrusive. Once you see them live, you simply don’t stop. I feel as if I am missing something with knowing I won’t see them again until they come back down here. Warpaint live is a salvation for the soul. It is escapism and discovery. They are everything a band should be. They way they perform together is such a joy to watch, you sort of can’t imagine music without them. What did we do before them? The band formed on Valentine’s Day 10 years ago and are evidently one of the strongest bands around. My record collection would have been lonely without Warpaint.
I found myself listening intensely to them last night with my eyes shut, but when I looked around I saw a lot of people were having the same reaction as myself. There was one guy in the crowd who had enviable dance moves. If anyone knows him, he was the guy with a white t-shirt near the middle with a beard and tied up hair- if he’s your pal, I do hope you go out dancing with him and you learn from him because he’s amazing!
Warpaint fans know just how special this band truly are. Their music is treasured and adored for all the right reasons. It is pure and uplifting. It is everything music should be. The way Jenny and Stella laugh with each other on stage, the way Theresa carries herself on stage and the way Emily seems to lose herself the most in the music is what makes them a sacred. Of course they all lose themselves in the music, and that’s how it should be. They just make you want to go home and learn to play an instrument. There is no doubt that they are the best at what they do. And I’m always left in awe of the way Stella plays the drums and sings at the same time. Same with Sandy from Dum Dum Girls and Sophie from PINS. Maybe if my name began with an S I’d be able to do the same.
There are many bands that everyone should see live, but I urge you to see Warpaint wherever and whenever you can. I just wish I was a billionaire so I could pay Warpaint to sing to me everyday. There was something about last night’s show that just left you without words to describe it. You just left in awe knowing you had seen something remarkable.
If I really wanted to get back at my neighbour right now I’d be playing something truly awful like Cradle Of Filth super loud, or I could treat the inconsiderate swine to something like The Creeping Ivies. Instead I am being thoughtful and selfless and playing them through headphones. See sometimes, I can be alright.
As you know I’m big on duos. Two people can change their own world and influence those around them. Don’t change the world, change your own. Duos to me are just perfect. They hit the drums harder, they scream a little louder, they turn their guitar amps a bit more, the bass-line makes you move a bit more. There’s something about duos that make you feel as if you are part of something.
A duo that I absolutely adore are The Creeping Ivies. I’ve written about them so many times, and even if they stopped making music (I don’t want to think about that) I’d probably still write about them. Their sound is everything I love about music. It is a mixture of bands I’ve grown up listening to and with something else I can’t really define. Becca and Duncan are stylish folks who play with the passion that a lot lack.
Love Kills is taken from their new record Ghost World which is out this year. Becca’s vocals are egged on by Duncan’s ferocious drum thumping. They’ve made a sound that is found in no one else around, which is why I truly adore them. Most fawn over shitty folk bands crying into their banjos (sounds worse written down) but why buy into something so trivial when bands like The Creeping Ivies exist. Sure they may not be to everyone’s taste (cut those people out of your life, they probably wear crocs or chinos) but they are keeping alive one of if not THE most important genre of music of all time- Punk. They’ve got the attitude of Patti and the Ramones mixed with the raw sound of say, The Cramps. Basically, they sound like everything I love which is why of course, I am a fan.
They sound like the band I’ve been waiting for. That’s the only way I can describe them. They are what you’ve been waiting for.
With the tube strikes being cancelled I was able to go see a band last night that I’ve been waiting to see for far too long. It seems of late I have fortunately been able to see bands/singers that really mean something to me after waiting for so long. My ability to plan and do things is sometimes questionable. However, if it is music related I am more than likely to be motivated to do something about it. Everything else can wait.
Of course when you are in the seated area of a venue you have the dilemma of “Do I stand or sit? Oh..they’re standing..I can’t see. I’m now standing. Oh we’re back to sitting, alright then!” A bit of light exercise for this fatty, right?
I like bands that are duos because there is something magical about them, but when a band has more than 5 members then I’m not sure what happens to my interest in them. Of course you have the likes of Wu Tang Clan who have a lot of members and they’re one of the greatest groups ever. And if I’m honest I really don’t care for Folk like bands. Over the PA Mumford & that lot was playing, and I felt a bit queasy. I can’t stand them or any band/singer like them, so why do I like Edward Sharpe? That’s easy- because their songs have a lot of meaning, they make you feel alive and make you forget all the bad you have done and all the bad that has been done to you. I can’t say the same for the band I mentioned above (not Wu Tang, obviously!) With Edward Sharpe you get something else. You get the feeling that you are part of something. My girlfriend did turn to me a few times during and questioned if they were a cult. I think she was convinced we were going to leave the show and now be part of some cult. There are worse things to happen. If you’re going to end up in a cult, it might as well be with the love of your life by your side, right?
The setlist was beautiful. Alex asked the crowd what they wanted to hear and we got the delights of Jade, Life Is Hard and Up From Below. Their cover of Nina Simone’s Ain’t Got No was exceptional. It was a real highlight of the show and really made you glad to be alive. During one of the songs (I’m writing this 2 days after, my memory isn’t too great) Alex handed the mic to a girl in the crowd who had this voice that was unworldly. If I was in the band, I’d have asked her to join. Her brief solo caused the whole place to just be taken back and give her the greatest reception I’ve seen in a long time from a crowd. I hope someone tracks her down and gives her a record deal. If any of her pals see this, or if she does- let it be known she has a gorgeous voice that needs to be heard. Jade and Alex’s vocals are on a different planet. Jade has this way of making you think “Where the hell did that voice come from??!!” and Alex just grips you with the power he has in his voice. They chase each other around the stage in a playful and adoring manner. Alex ends up in the crowd during the middle of their first song. This isn’t just a band; they are truly a family unit.
I could write thousands of words about how Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros are pretty much one of the best bands around and the most exciting bands to see live, but I think it is obvious they are. You really don’t need someone like me telling you that. I can only hope the crowd at their show last night at Shepherd’s Bush got the same feeling. When you listen to their music you immediately feel as if someone is giving you a great big hug. When you see them live, you just feel as if everything shit in the world no longer matters. It shouldn’t matter, but at times it does. Live music is a healer. Trust no one who doesn’t believe in the power of music.
I’m going to try rounding this up by attempting to sum up the feelings this show gave me. As I was watching the band, I was just in awe of how extremely talented they all are. Of course I knew this as I’m a fan, but to see it live is just something else. Their music is that constant feeling of falling in love over and over. You feel as if you could die and it wouldn’t matter because you’d be listening to this beautiful music that just soothes you. On the other hand, their music makes you feel really REALLY alive and you feel as if nothing in this world can touch you. They make you feel part of something truly special, and that goes beyond words. Sure I like music that is the polar opposite of me- aggressive, loud and bold but sometimes I just want to hear something like Edward Sharpe and feel something I haven’t felt before. And what I felt will stay with me for as long as my memory will allow.
Walking with clenched fists and gritting my teeth.
I want to be set free, I’m in search of Candy.
The angel took me to their hell and showed me how to make it a peaceful state of heaven.
A piece of me, a piece of him.
I turned a blind eye to my sins.
Slowly and softly his words carry me through.
I drag my feet across unfamiliar ground,
And I welcome the ugly feelings that I should ignore.
I wait for the unknown.
His words circle my mind going deep into my soul.
I’d go back in time to find a cure.
For all the souls that didn’t quite get there.
In love and courage, you’re standing in your leather and shades.
I’ll linger on.
I wrote this a few hours after hearing Lou Reed had died last year. I know you should never publicise your private thoughts, but I suppose some things just have to be let out. I don’t enjoy showing anyone my poor attempt at poetry, I’ve only ever shown not even a handful. I have no idea why I’m doing this but maybe it doesn’t need a reason. Not everything does.
The loss of someone like Lou is beyond words, and it leaves a gap. But at least someone like him existed and gave us a legacy of music that will forever inspire.
Typing pretty much hurts; I’ve invested in a kettle bell that weighs a lot. I was feeling pretty optimistic when I bought it this week, now I don’t have that level of optimism anymore. It’s alright, feeling that good is bad for my health. I’ve not dropped it on the floor or on my face (yet) so I must be doing something right. Also, if you’re wondering what Lee from that awful pop band Steps is doing now- he’s on the free poster you get with the purchase of a kettle bell demonstrating how you are meant to use this…thing. I’m standing a good distance away from the TV, windows, anything else that I can break whilst I use it. But like I said, I’m not feeling too optimistic. But if my stomach muscles and biceps are hurting, am I doing it right? I can manage going for a run in the rain without falling over so I like to think I’m developing into a worthwhile member of society. Possibly.
So I wrote about Brooklyn wonder-kids Total Slacker about two years ago. They’re putting out their new record, Slip Away next week and it’s also Valentine’s Day next week..I think Total Slacker knew exactly what they were doing when they thought of a release date. The deviants! So aside from being a typical fan of a band, it is pretty easy to get excited over the new Total Slacker record because it is really bloody good. It’s got a Garage Rock feel to it mixed with something hypnotic (think The Stone Roses’ debut record) flowing all the way through. It’s not a record to get angry to, it’s a record to dream to- closing eyes is optional.
Would If I Could is a song to give chase to. It makes you want to walk/run faster; the fury that oozes out of this song is striking. It pretty much makes you want to give up your mundane life in order to make music like this. Out Of Body Experience pretty much speaks for itself. It’s a haunting record, it’ll creep you out in some parts but for the most part you’ll just feel like you’ve taken something strange. I personally wouldn’t know, but Total Slacker make me feel like I have.
Just under two years ago Total Slacker lost their drummer Terence in a fatal hit and run accident; any other band would probably quit after having to deal with something so painful but Total Slacker kept on, and Zoe (their new drummer) is equally as majestic and as wonderful as Terence was. A band like this just doesn’t quit.
Tucker has this way of sounding really down on life when he sings certain songs, and this is what makes him believable. There’s feeling in his voice, and this is what makes Total Slacker stand out from most bands. A lot of singers are afraid to inject any feeling into how their songs, but if you can’t expose yourself in one of the purest ways imaginable- then why on earth are you even doing it? Total Slacker are a band with a purpose.
With New York covered in snow and the UK being cast underwater, Total Slacker are bringing the laziness of Summer to us all early with Slip Away. If you’re fed up or going through a phase of self-doubt then play this record religiously and ritualistically. Shut the door and close the world off.
I’m sure Slip Away has been reviewed and weak comparisons have been mentioned, but I can’t think of a band to compare them to. I don’t have a reason to do so, and I think it’s disrespectful to the band you’re writing about when you do that. For those whinging about there being no new music and everything sounding the same, then give Total Slacker a listen. For me, Super Big Gulp is probably my favourite track so far off the record but I’ll change my mind. But when it kicks in on this track, it is truly magical. If I was wealthy, I’d pay for them to come to the UK but I’ll have to wait for now I suppose.
With songs about Kennedy’s assassination and fighting your babysitter’s boyfriend, and recorded by a someone (Daniel Schlett) who has worked with a band I really love, The Men- you just know Slip Away is going to be worthy of smacking that repeat button numerous of times.
As a fan rather than just another music writer, I’d like to say I’m really proud of Total Slacker and all they’ve done over the past few years. They’re like the noise around the heart. Play it loud and fall into a trance.
“Don’t know who I am, But I know that I would kill for love.”
One of the most noisiest and magnificent bands around have JUST put out the video to their new single, Kill For Love. Girl Tears are a band to slam your body into a wall to, or into another person. Maybe the latter is more “socially acceptable” so I guess you shouldn’t do it. Don’t do it. Never do it. Ever.
I can’t write hundreds of words about the video or song. I can do it about the band, and I’ve done it before. I’ll hold it for now. You can watch this minute video clip right here:
The cassette will be out this month on Lolipop Records. Again, Girl Tears are another fine band from the West Coast of America starting to make a glorious noise, a beautiful and rambunctious noise. The kind of band you know you just HAVE to see live.
I’m aware I could be using my time more wisely, but after this I’ll be going back to that awful chore of looking for a job. I did have a job, that is true. But my contract ended on Friday. I’m not just bored, I’m a whole bunch of things that I plan to ignore. I thought I’d channel my feelings of being useless into writing about a band that I really like because I can do that. Just about. Sort of. I don’t know. I went for a run this morning in the rain; certain songs just make you run faster. As if you have a point to prove. Thing is, it doesn’t matter.
Anyway.
There’s a relatively new band called Pink Mexico who are really good. Last year it was a band called Roses that really blew my mind with their sound. This year, I think Pink Mexico are going to do it. Well for me they will. It’s not about airplay or being on the cover of music magazines that will hold you up one minute and slag you off as soon as your record comes out. Pink Mexico released their debut record last year which you can listen to here: http://pinkmexico.bandcamp.com/
If you want something to make every ounce of fury seem worthwhile, then listen to them. I guess some would say they appeal to fans of Nirvana, but I’m not a fan of Nirvana (is this as bad as me saying I don’t like The Beatles? I know nothing about music anyway.) Pink Mexico don’t sound like Nirvana so dismiss any fool who says they do. Pink Mexico sound like a band you’ve been looking for. You don’t know what sound you’re searching for, but when you hear it you just know. It’s like when you’re looking for a new jacket and you have a rough idea but only until you see it do you know you want it. You understand, right?
Pink Mexico are a band that you need to play as loud as you can stand; I’m pretty sure their live shows will leave the crowd deaf for a while at the end, those are the best shows. They remind me a little bit of Virals, who I saw twice last year. Amazing live. Pink Mexico pretty much reinforce my idea that duos make the best music. I don’t know what it is, but they have something others may not have. They’ve got the rage to make you listen; their sound is incredibly powerful, and people still act like this surge of Folk is still a thing. No way. Guitars were made for music like this.
Songs like A Head Full Of Slime were made for those clubs/bars that nobody wants to go to alone. Out of fear for what is in the depths of them, but they are the best ones by far. The walls know more than the person stood up against them wishes them to know. The sweat covers you- not just your sweat. Personal space is no longer a thing, it doesn’t exist but you don’t care.
The recording for their debut record was in Brooklyn, and Robert (Preston) played all the instruments on the record. It was only until after the release of the record they became a two-piece. John (Chambers) joined and I think they are now based in LA. Prior to Pink Mexico, Robert had been in a slew of bands but with Pink Mexico he’s hopefully found “it.” Whatever “it” may be. He’s an incredible musician, as is John. When you’ve got two brilliant musicians like this making music, they can do anything. They’ve got the guts and passion. I can’t wait to hear more from them. I always said if I was a millionaire, I’d fly out all the bands I love to the UK and get them shows. Pink Mexico are one of those bands that make me wish I was rich so I could do this, but I’ve got nothing. My jeans are starting to rip in unconventional places, but it’s alright.
Trial and error got Robert to where he is with Pink Mexico; they deserve every ounce of success.
Frank’s Daughter make music that fully justifies my idea that duos make the best music. Of course not all duos are any good; I’m sure we can all think of some that are quite crap. But it’s all down to personal taste and I’m not someone who ever thinks they are right. I’m usually wrong, but it’s no big deal. I think I’m right with my opinion on Frank’s Daughter. Their debut LP, The Sound Of A Heart Unravelling came out in July last year and the dark, haunting feel of the record was something I instantly fell in love with.
The record opens with We Were Waves Once, and towards the end of last year they were giving away a free MP3 of the Sjöar remix of the song. I’m not someone who goes out of their way to listen to remixes of songs, I guess I like to cling onto the original versions. Yet there are occasional remixes that stay true to the original. The remix and record version of We Were Waves Once both have a chilling feel to them; exposing just how vulnerable the vocals are. This is the kind of music to leave everything behind to, but I don’t know if you’re searching for anything. I guess we all are, deep down.
What I adore about Frank’s Daughter is their fragile sound that feels like a safety net. They sound as frail as you but something about them protects you. Maybe it’s the reassurance that someone else gets it, you know. Sometimes that’s the most comforting feeling, other times it is quite frightening.
For me, Frank’s Music make the kind of music that those like Burial, James Blake and Deptford Goth make- made for listening to in the dark. Whether you’re making your way home by foot or public transport or sat alone in the darkness. They are perfect for a state of solitude and clarity.
A book can make you feel like you’re in a hidden world that no one else can ever uncover. A song can make you wish you were somewhere else and by the time it is over, you’re there. Not all bands have the nous to do such a thing. Or sometimes they work too hard doing it, they sound nothing like they want to.
I wrote about Sons Of An Illustrious Father last year, and from that I was opened up to a scene in New York that is not like anything else I’ve heard before. Thankfully they are not part of a movement that make songs about how bored they are. Nor are they sickly love songs that make you want to gauge your eyes out. I can’t put Sons in a genre box for you; I don’t have the right to do that and people who listen to only one genre of music are quite dull. Never trust anyone who says they only listen to bands like Mumford & Sons. There’s a wealth of music out there and to only limit yourself to one kind is pretty daft. If I only listened to Punk I’d only be listening to dead musicians pretty much and I’d never go to shows. That would be quite boring. Through listening intensely to one, I subjected myself to other bands. From other bands telling me to do so or for accidentally finding them in the depths of certain websites I expose myself to as much music as I can. I don’t care if it is some unheard Howlin’ Wolf song or it is something brand new, made by some one person genius in their bedroom- I want to hear it. I have to. So where to Sons come into all of this?
They’re a band that make music that feels like a menacing fairytale. Their sound was made for bitterly cold weather. When you think because the sun is out it will be a little warmer. It isn’t. You become so cold you are numb but you have Sons music playing in your ears and a feeling of bliss takes over. Do you accept yourself yet? Sons make music to accept yourself to. Listen to their music whilst staring at your reflection for clarity and out of fear. Disdain, possibly.
No Mercy and Loveletting were recorded at the hub of all things euphoric and meaningful- Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen produced by the man who everyone should strive to be produced by, Oliver Ignatius. The combination of Sons and Oliver means your ears ar going to be subjected to some raw and passionate sounds. Sounds that unleash your fury and your doubt. A mirror isn’t the only thing that is your reflection; it’s in music too. A mirror may not lie but music picks up on the hidden things. The things that really count. Sons aren’t afraid to be open with their music and lyrics. Their open ways is what makes them accessible and believable.
