I need to control my excitement right now. First Ladyhawke, and now Jack! 2012- you aren’t appearing to be bad at all!
This video was done in one take. Shot in black and white- it really does capture the vulnerability and purity in Jack’s voice. Again proving, some thing’s are worth waiting for. Even if it is a few years!
Ladyhawke-Black,White & Blue.
They do say that good things come to those who waited. I (and others) have been waiting a LONG time for some new material from Ladyhawke. Her debut album is one I hold very dear to me, reminding me off my time at University. Thinking about it, I now feel very old. But that’s the past and it doesn’t need thinking about right now because we FINALLY have some brand new Ladyhawke music.
Her new single Black, White & Blue- in my humble and biased opinion is incredible. I’m directing all my love right now towards this song. I’m a huge huge fan of Ladyhawke, and I knew her new stuff was going to be amazing. If the whole album sounds like this, then I’m sure we have a contender for Album of the Year. Easily.
Birdeatsbaby.
I love music that just has this feel about it that is different to anything you’ve ever heard before. You know what it’s like when you hear something so powerful and raw for the first time? It just stays with you. You compare it to anything and everything, because you want to feel that way again. You want that sense of, “My god what is this? What am I feeling!?” It’s like some kind of outer-body experience. I’ve felt this with a few bands. More recently, I felt it when I had the honour of listening to Birdeatsbaby. Before I even listened to them, I knew I would love them because of the name. If you’re one of these people who judges bands based on their name- listen to Birdeatsbaby. Their insane name matches their insane sound.
If you love bands that have a stunning frontwoman that hypnotises you and makes you want more, and more. You know like Garbage, No Doubt, Doll And The Kicks (why did they have to split..I’m still hurting over this)- then you again, will love Birdeatsbaby. If you’re a fan of Dredsen Dolls, you will also love this band.
They come from the best place in England- Brighton. Okay, maybe Manchester is, but still- both are amazing cities. Which, as you know, Doll And The Kicks were pretty much from Brighton. I’m trying my best to not mention DATK but, I’m not over the split at all.
Frontwoman, Mishkin is stunning. I’m only going by the music videos that I seem to have ritualistically watched over the past 24 hours, but she is so stunning. Her voice is strange, but in a good way. I don’t mean that she warbles like a cat being stood on. Oh no, far from it. She has such a powerful voice that you just want to hear again and again. Which is why, I’ve been listening to their music non-stop.
They have an album that is out next month, that obviously I am going to advise you all to purchase. I reckon they’d be amazing to see live. I’m sick and tired of seeing bands that have so much talent being forced to call it quits because Society is so fucked up- they buy into gimmicks such as the X-Factor. Bands that work hard are overlooked just so some twat can have a Number 1 single then go back to being a cleaner. It’s not fair nor is it right. It needs to be stopped. Hopefully, and maybe Birdeatsbaby are one of the many bands that could change this. I don’t have much faith in people anymore, but I do have faith that music can be saved. Especially when bands like Birdeatsbaby exist.
It’s dark, twisted, creepy and just strange; and I love it. I absolutley love them. Everything I look for in a band is what I have found in Birdeatsbaby.
Warpaint-Beetles.
Any proper Warpaint fan I’ve spoken to (I mean the ones that have heard Exquisite Corpse, and own it) has always said that Beetles is one of their favourite songs by the band. It is one of those songs you have to listen to when you feel a bit pissed off or just so disheartend about something, or someone. If you’re feeling constantly trapped by something, this song will help. It’s why I have it on repeat at the moment.
Theresa takes the lead on the vocals with this song. Her voice lures you in and just keeps you in a trance throughout the duration of the song. You can feel her frustrations and fury in this song, you feel it to. She makes you want to sing every single word with her- as you should.
“I am not prepared, I just gotta gotta get there,
Where am I, why can’t I just get it together?
Fuck it, where’s my shit?
Oh my God I’m mad at it.
Oh my God I’m mad at it.
Oh my God I’m mad at it.
I wanna throw it out the window.”
Sounds lke pretty basic songwriting, right? Sure but the way in which it is presented just makes it so passionate. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. The rage in which Theresa is feeling in this song, fuck man, you feel it too. Think of the one thing that’s really pissing you off right now. Think of it, play this song- then just let it go. You’ve got to let it go. I should probably listen to what I’m saying to you. Or, I should just keep on listening to Warpaint. That’ll sort it all out.
There’s a live clip of this song that lasts around 15 minutes. The jam at the end of the song just shows, for me, why Warpaint are THE best band around. Even if these so called critics were to attempt to demolish their second album when it comes out- I will still love them. My love for Warpaint is not just for the music. It’s what they stand for. You can tell they love each other and just love music. They really LOVE it, and for me, that’s what makes them easy to connect with. If you can connect with a band like that, you know you’re going to be a fan for life. I sure as Hell know I’m going to be a Warpaint fan for life.
Back to that sense of feeling trapped. This song feels like a huge release, you can just lay there and let all those angst ridden feelings pour out of you. You’re never too old to feel sheer angst. Or, you can listen to it and lose your mind to it. Trash your room, tear shit to shreds. Just go absolutely crazy. Just be totally free.
“Let’s get naked and rip down the wall that makes me crazy.
Tell me how.
Someone hold my hand and give me lessons ‘cos I wanna,
Melt the knot inside of it.”
Staring at four walls constantly is enough to drive the most stable person to the brink of insanity. You just want to rip things up, tear pictures from the wall, drive fast (not too fast, stay safe.) Just basically, this song makes you want to lose your shit. The scattered drumming (I mean that in a good way, don’t worry) makes you flail your limbs about and shake your head until you are about to pass out from making yourself dizzy. It just allows you to be so free and rid yourself of all these horrific bad vibes you have right now.
There’s a come down in the song where Emily’s vocals enter. What I love about Warpaint, from a vocal perspective is how well Theresa and Emily’s voices work with each other. Emily’s voice is a bit more delicate than Theresa’s, and this is truly shown on this song.
Everything about this song just makes you want to feel free and release your mind, body and soul from anything negative you are feeling. I’ve never seen Warpaint live (I’m still waiting) but I know that seeing this live would probably be one of the most electrifying and stunning things my eyes will ever see.
Just watch this. If you want, ignore everything I’ve written- but watch this clip. It is 15 minutes well worth investing in.
Beck Goldsmith-Hollows For Sorrows.
I planned on having a nice nap (or a 5 hour sleep, it depends on how you look at it) when I came home from the gym this morning. Instead, I’ve played Beck Goldsmith’s album on repeating. Constantly getting lost in this beautiful piece of art.
I know it’s only January and not many records have come out- but on 5th March, Beck’s amazing album Hollows For Sorrows comes out. You know how Anna Calvi’s record was one of the best records of 2011, and many stupidly didn’t give it the credit it deserved? This will probably happen with Beck Goldsmith. This isn’t a bad thing. It’s not all bad because this record is perfect. It doesn’t need to be pulled apart by these pretentious music “experts” and up for pointless awards. It is perfect in every single way. I honestly cannot praise this record enough.
As someone who likes music that is noisy and would probably scare people half to death sometimes (I like to play Bring Me The Horizon every morning to piss off my neighbour because her dog never ever shuts up. The dog is cute but after a while it annoys you with its noise!) I’ve also grown to dislike what people call Folk now. I don’t care for a certain blonde singer who stands frail on a stage with just a guitar, you know who I mean. The one who everyone thinks is the saviour of Folk. Folk never needed saving, they ruined it. Awful. Thing is, I wouldn’t call Beck’s music Folk. I honestly wouldn’t know what to call it, so I won’t. I don’t like it when music is ruled by its genre. It’s pointless.
Hollows For Sorrows is eerie, dark, creepy, powerful and beautiful. This is why I love it. I love music that can scare you with its powerful imagery in the lyrics. I love music that makes you feel like you are being chased in a forest with no chance of getting out. If it is dark and twisted, chances are I will probably love it.
The lyrics to this album read like poetry. Think..Ted Hughes mixed with a bit of Edgar Allan Poe (two of the greatest writers EVER.) It is so pure and heartfelt. All you can do whilst listening to this record, is just that. You sit and listen. Take in every single word sung, every single chord played. Let it consume your heart and soul. This is an album that just oozes so much heart, passion, darkness- so many feelings emerge whilst listening to this record.
My main concern is, how on Earth is Beck’s not a huge star? Why isn’t she being hailed as the best singer in this country right now? Why are certain “pop stars” being glorified for prancing about half-naked in videos, with no talent? Yet people such as Beck Goldsmith are overlooked? Dear music industry, please sort yourself out.
The record was recorded in bedrooms and backrooms in England, Scotland and France. Maybe you wanted to know that, maybe you didn’t. Wherever this was recorded, it is still so bloody beautiful.
Stella’s Telescope has some amazing lyrics :
“Dig a hollow for your sorrows. Bury all you’ve lost. What’s forgiven is forgotten , now the stars have crossed.”
It’s just a beautiful line, so comforting.
My favourite track off the record has to be Shards. I love the lyrics. Lyrics are a huge thing for me, and Shards is just full of gorgeous lyrics. They go beyond being songs. They’re just a body of art, a masterpiece. You want it with you all the time. Like I said earlier, I really really cannot praise Hollows For Sorrows enough.
I’ve clearly rambled on too much as usual. I’m going to be even more annoying briefly and say, if you are a fan of Bat For Lashes and/or Beth Gibbons (Portishead) then you will love this record. If you don’t like them (what is wrong with you?!) then you will still love this record. Basically, just go buy the album when it comes out on the 5th March. If you don’t, you’ll be another fool who has overlooked one of the year’s best record.
“You can keep it pure on the inside. And you know what you believe to be right.”
Have you ever been made to feel so small and worthless due to a comment someone made? Maybe they called you “fat.” Or maybe they called you “stupid.” Or they insulted you because of the colour of your skin or religion. You feel ashamed of who you are don’t you? You want to fight back, but that bit of fight you have in you just goes. It fails you because you have no idea what just happened.
Yesterday afternoon, I was waiting in line with my mum. In front of us were two young lads. Probably a few years younger than me, I’m 25 so they weren’t that young I suppose. Anyway, they weren’t exactly using the most eloquent language. I think they were probably part of that disgusting generation who think it is okay to use the word “gay” to describe something awful. So they were talking, and one of them looked at me. He then turned to his friend and said, “I fucking hate gay people. They’re all disgusting.” I didn’t say a word. I just felt any ounce of pride I had of being gay just die. It totally died. My mum’s face was filled with rage. I had to stop her from saying something, because if she started- she wouldn’t stop. Sometimes, I think she is more proud of me being gay than I am. I guess right now that isn’t hard. Thing is, I have walked around cities in England with friends (that are gay) and never once have any of us had shit said to us. Cities tend to be more open minded. Nobody really pays any attention to you. I currently (and hatefully) live on the Isle of Man- if anyone wants to take me away from here, please do. I’ll be forever in debt to you- I’ll pay you back with hugs, cups of tea and my friendship for as long as you want. I’ve been back here since the end of November. I’ve never felt so uncomfortable walking down the street- day or night. Headphones in, look at the ground as I walk. I’m 25 years old- I shouldn’t have to go back to hating who I am again.
So, what has this got to do with music? Well, I’m going to give you some songs that since yesterday have made me feel less shit about this. It hurts, of course it does. I wish I could shrug it off, like I usually do. You see, I can handle being called ugly or whatever- I won’t ever argue with that. But to call someone disgusting just because they happen to like people of the same sex in a romantic way? FUCK YOU. Seriously. What’s disgusting is your small minded minds. What’s disgusting is how you judge people. Never ever judge a person, ever. You do not know what they are going through. If that person is a “twat” maybe they have a reason for being like that. But seriously, to hate someone based on colour, religion, sexuality- ANYTHING. It is just vile.
I once thought Society was moving forward, but it is apparent that it is going backwards. It is going backwards quicker than anyone of us could imagine. There is no sense of unity and help anymore. More and more young people are taking their lives because they cannot deal with being gay or they bullied for being gay. I didn’t come out whilst at school because I know my life at school would’ve been worse than it was with bullying. I would’ve ended up being another statistic. We need to protect and provide comfort for those that are struggling. Being gay is NOT a bad thing. Do NOT disown your kids for being gay, do NOT taunt a kid because they are gay, and STOP making it okay to use the word gay to describe things that are bad. There are other words that you could use, by using the word gay- it just shows how uneducated and small minded you are. It has to end.
Living day to day is a challenge for most of us, we don’t need to be made to feel so worthless and ashamed for who we are by people who are evidently projecting. You cannot catch homosexuality. Stop being afraid. People are people. Be kind, and be gentle. We all go on about accepting ourselves and one another- but how can we when in the same breath, others are being out down by being true to who they are?
My mum told me, after I came out to her : “Always be true to yourself, and always be happy. Do not live a lie, because if you do that- then you’re not living.”
I don’t care if you are gay,straight, black,purple, orange, yellow, green, Muslism, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Atheist, Sikh, Hindu- whatever. I do not care. If you’re a good person and true to yourself- then that is all that matters.
So, these are songs by artists that just mean a lot. Especially right now.
Finally, to quote Shirley Manson :
“I would say I’m pretty well at ease with my sexuality, but I’m an individual before I am a female.”
Happy Birthday Aaliyah.
No matter how may times I have done this, it never feels right writing it in past tense. By rights, Aaliyah should still be here making groundbreaking music. You cannot deny that her second album, One In A Million just changed R&B music. It gave the contempary side of this genre the kick up the arse it rightly needed. Who do we have now? Nobody really.Well, we’ve got The Weeknd. He’s no Aaliyah, obviously but he has that futeristic style that Aaliyah had. That style we all loved and adored her for.
She was the first singer I remember being left in awe by. I remember seeing the video to Back & Forth on MTV in 1995. I was 9 years old. This, and Garbage fuelled my obsession with music. I’d study the video to Back & Forth religiously. She made me feel okay with being a tomboy. I loved how secure she was with herself, at such a young age. She just seemed like a beautiful person- not just on the outside, but inside too. This is a rare quality, and Aaliyah Dana Haughton sure had it.
She would’ve been 33 years old today. I recently had an Aaliyah tattoo done, designed by my very best friend/sister. We became friends over the passing of Aaliyah. I guess this proved that through every negative, there is a positive. Again, she has that same rare quality Aaliyah had- beautiful both inside and out.
Aaliyah’s music means so much to me, I cannot explain. It doesn’t seem right that she is gone, it never will. But we have the music. I wear my tattoo with utter pride, and I listen to her music thankful that such a person existed and taught me so much in such a short space of time.
Happy Birthday Aaliyah xxx
~/.\~
Garbage-Bleed Like Me.
I haven’t missed out beautifulgarbage, I wrote about that a few months ago. I decided to go through all of Garbage’s album because they’re easily one of the most important bands to me. Probably THE most important band to me. For so many reasons. Reasons which I probably won’t ever be able to put into words, because I am utterly useless with words. Anyway.
I remember the day so clearly when I went to buy Bleed Like Me in April 2005. I was in College, and I decided I’d go to my morning lessons but come lunchtime-I would leave for the afternoon. The week before I had saved my lunch money up in order to buy this album. This album was much needed at that point in my life. I had to decide if I wanted to go to Uni or not (I did, thankfully) and what I was going to do with my life. I was approaching adulthood, dragging and digging my heels into the ground. I didn’t want this; but at the same time, I didn’t want to feel how I was feeling anymore. That year and a few before I was so unhappy. I’ll never know why (maybe I do, I don’t know) but it was awful. However, the torment was worth it. It builds you up and gives you a certain kind of strength that no other could ever give you. A sense of accomplishment. Like, “If I can live through this, I can live through anything.” It’s something I cling onto when I feel the need. Most of the time, I just let it sway and carry on.
So, that Monday lunchtime I took the bus from College to town. I went straight to the G section (I was going to say spot but thought better of it) of the records, and I picked it up. I picked up Bleed Like Me. I looked at it with longing, wanting eyes. I felt as if I was buying something so sacred. Something that would change something inside of me. It did. I paid for it, and hurried to the bus stop so I could get home and listen to the record. However, with such great things comes a setback. The bus stop before my house- my mum gets on. Panic takes over me, and I start to think of an excuse. I knew that if I spoke, word vomit would just occur. So I told her the truth. I told her I skipped my afternoon lessons because I had to buy the Garbage record, and I wanted to just spend the rest of the day listening to it. Her reply? She smiled, gave me a hug and said “That’s my girl.” I was never so proud to have been so honest with anyone. My mum understands how vital music is to me. It’s on a par with oxygen. Without it; I’m dead. I’m nothing.
I remember listening to it, and just feeling so much. The intro to Bad Boyfriend caused my head to spin. The guitar thrashed my skull. I felt every pounding of the drum in my heart. My attention was then drawn onto Run Baby Run and Right Between The Eyes. Those two songs were a lifeline for a long time when this album came out. They still are now. The words to both songs are something I hold so very dear to me. The way Shirl sings, “Stay alive, my love.” It just made me feel as if she was singing it to me. That I had to just stay alive, because it wasn’t going to be this dark and awful forever. This record wasn’t as vulnerable and painful as the previous three. This record felt like a healing process. As if someone was coming to terms with life, and starting to live. That’s how I felt then about the record, and it’s how I feel about it now still. It just feels like a weight being lifted off one’s shoulders listening to this record. It gives you a sense of strength. It pulls you through.
Bleed Like Me was probably the hardest song for me to listen to. When you can identify to some of the characters that Shirl sings about, it is quite hard to take in. You see yourself differently, and you become quite cautious of how others may see you. You felt alone before with how you felt about what you did/do- then you hear this song, and it makes you see that you are not alone. There’s others out there that are bleeding the same way as you. It makes you feel less ashamed living with it because someone else is your voice. Someone else, who has lived through it, has come through and is your beacon of hope. They have given you the strength that you never thought you had. You owe it to yourself to pull through, because others will let go of your hand when it gets rocky. “Try to comprehend, that which you’ll never comprehend.” No one else gets it, no matter how hard you try to explain- they just don’t get it. They label you all kinds of things. Things that aren’t true. But Garbage know the truth; they’re speaking it for you.
Happy Home breaks my heart. It feels like a huge realisation of something. You’re going to have to decide for yourself what this is though. I love the massive instrumental euphoric build-up within the last few minutes of the song. It makes you feel so alive, and close to something. Again, you’ll have to decide what exactly. This is another favourite of mine, especially lyrically.
It’s All Over But The Crying is probably my favourite off the record. It is so heartbreaking, and you will weep your heart out to it. When Shirl sings, “Everything you think you know, baby, is wrong.” Just instantly reaches you to the very core. Lyrically, it’s one of my favourite Garbage songs. The first verse contains a lyric, that I can hand on heart say, it is the lyric I identify so much with- especially from a Garbage song. It just made me, I have no idea. I guess it saved me. This record fucking saved me : “Certain things turn ugly when you think too hard. And nagging little thoughts change into things you can’t turn off.” It is so true. It was apt in 2005, and I think it always will be. I use this line to make sure I don’t dwell on certain things. I don’t want nagging thoughts ruling my mind anymore. I use this line as a reminder. I feel as if I am in eternal debt to Shirl for this song. This record.
Metal Heart just oozes vulnerabilty, “I wish I was half as good as you think I am.” I challenge anyone to have never felt this way. I feel like it a lot of the time. I’m not afraid to admit it. Does that show strength? What does it make me? I have no idea. Maybe I have the answers buried deep down inside of me. I’m 25, I don’t need to know just yet. All I have to do is learn.
Sex Is Not The Enemy, Boys Wanna Fight, Why Don’t You Come Over are massive anthems for this record. They pour out a sense of FUCK YOU. I’VE GOT MY FREEDOM. You can’t take that from a person. You can trap their body all you want; but their mind is the thing you cannot tame or take from them. I adore every single record by Garbage, but this album for me, is like a huge release of everything negative. The healing and self acceptance started for me with this record. This record gave me the courage to go to Uni and do something for me. It gave me the chance to heal, be free and happy. I’d have been a confined mess if it wasn’t for this record. There are two lines from Right Between The Eyes that I always seem to have floating around my head :
“Why do you like to give them what they want, they like to watch you as you fall apart.” and “People kill to build you up, and they’ll stab you in the back like that.”
They’re just to simple lines that mean so much to me.
I cannot discuss this album without mentioning the lead single, Why Do You Love Me? The intro, the damn riff, the drums, the lyrics- EVERYTHING about this song made me so excited about their return in 2005. I was so so happy. This song is so fragile, and typically Garbage. The music and the lyrics are aggressive, frail and to the point. I love that Shirl has never sugarcoated her words. She hits you right in the gut. The first verse has some brilliant lyrics, ones that I have always found comforting and can stil relate to, and will probably always relate to: “I’ve done ugly things and I have made mistakes. And I am not as pretty as those girls in magazines. I am rotten to my core if they’re to be believed.” There will never come a time where I don’t feel a connection to those lyrics.
Well, I think I have written more than enough about this life changing and remarkable record. We all have that one record that means more than the world to us. This record made you feel alive when you felt so fucking dead and numb inside. The record that saved your life in ways nothing or no one else could ever come close to doing. This record (I want you to think about this record, and I want you to shut the world off- and go listen to it. In the dark, with headphones in.) This record is your life. It was the reason you kept going. It still is. This record gives you a sense of peace, and comforts you more than anything else ever has. You’d give anything to tell those who made the record what it means to you, but you may not have any way of doing so. That’s okay; just keep playing the record, and STAY ALIVE.
Garbage-Garbage.
You can always associate certain songs or albums with specific parts of your life. Good or bad; there is a song or album that you can associate with it.
For me, Garbage are the band that I can link to anything and everything in my life. It doesn’t matter what, I can probably find a Garbage song to tie in with however or whatever I am feeling at that time. Their ability as a band to just get to the very core of human nature and the feelings we feel has always amazed. The first song I heard by them was, I think, Vow. I know it was the first video I saw. This was then followed by Stupid Girl and Only Happy When It Rains. All three of these videos just cemented my immediate love and admiration for Shirley Manson. I’ve always (jokingly, to an extent) said she was the reason why I turned out to be gay. She was probably the first female I had an insane crush on. I was just in awe and in love with how strong she was. How she would word things, her mannerisms. Her accent. Just everything. I probably also wished to be as strong and fearless as her. I probably still do. She also made it okay to feel scared and vulnerable. All things that make us human, she made it okay for me to feel them and to feel that way. I was no longer afraid of what I was feeling. Any shame I felt faded in time as I took in every single word she sang.
Their debut album, at the time didn’t really have much meaning to me as I was only 9 years old. I didn’t know anything about anything. All I knew was that I loved music, Spiderman and football. I know my favourite artists at the time were Garbage, Aaliyah, The Cure and Kraftwerk. I was the only 9 year old at my school who could name all the members of The Cure and Garbage. I’m sure the rest of my class could’ve probably told you everything and anything about the Spice Girls…were they around in 95? I can’t remember. I wasn’t a fan, so I can’t tell you.
Only Happy When It Rains later became a song that I could highly relate to. I was only content when everything was shit, because it was the only way I could focus on anything. Thankfully, I grew out of that phase. I guess you can call that teenage angst with a large dose of frustration. I could tell you what I was frustrated towards; but let’s be honest here, you don’t need to know. Unless you’re a really really close friend or a potential partner- you don’t need to ever know. The song for me, just summed up how feeling so low about yourself and life can be the most challenging thing a person can go through. I’ve never had depression, just your standard self loathing. The way in which Shirley worded topics such as depression made you feel as if you were going through it. The best thing a song-writer can do is make the listener feel as if they are part of what they are singing. If you can feel as low as the singer, they have done their job. I adore the line, “You can keep me company as long as you don’t care.” When I hear this line, I always feel a smirk emerge across my face, I have no idea why. It just happens.
As Heaven Is Wide contains one of my favourite lyrics from the album, and quite possibly one of my favourite lyrics of all time : “If God’s my witness, then God must be blind.” What is it about this line that I obsessively dig? Well, I love how simple yet straight to the point it is. You see, I don’t really believe in God or any God. I’m more on the Spiritual side. So, how can God be your witness if He maybe, doesn’t exist? If He’s not there, He can’t see it. I’m not anit-Religion at all. We all need something to believe in. Music is my Religion. I just love the line. I regard Shirl as high as Patti Smith when it comes to her songwriting. Both has this haunting poetic ability with their words and phrases. It just leaves you in awe with how they word everything. You are sucked so deeply in their world because of what they say. You never want to leave at all. You’ve got songs such as Dog’s New Tricks which has one of the most honest and brutal lines I’ve ever heard, “You make me feel so worthless.” You know of someone who makes you feel that way, right?
I love the fragility on the song Milk. For me, this shows Shirl at her most vulnerable. It’s so pure and heartbreaking. “But I’d be love and sweetness, if I had you.” Show me a line that is more open and vulnerable than that. Can you? Maybe you can. That’s okay. The whole album seems to possibly be their most open. Maybe it is because its their first LP. Milk has always meant a lot to me. I know a lot of their songs do, but this one. I don’t know. I remember first hearing it and just feeling like I was in a trance, much like how A Stroke Of Luck makes me feel. Both songs just send you into some kind of whirlwind of uncertainty and comfort. You don’t know what you are feeling exactly; but you are comforted by the fact that someone else feels the same way too.
I cannot write about this album without mentioning two songs. Queer and Stupid Girl. Where do I start. When I heard Queer, I was instantly hypnotised by the intro. As soon as Shirley started singing, I felt this wave of security take over. Like, it was okay to feel strange or be strange. It’s not a song that I can relate to as much as the others, but it has always been a favourite. “You learn to love the pain you feel.” That’s one of the many lyrics by the band that has always stayed with me from the very first listen. It’s true. People become so transfixed with how awful they feel; they learn to love feeling bad. I don’t understand, but I’ve seen it happen.
Stupid Girl, everyone loves this song. Just like everyone can relate this song to someone they know. Everyone knows someone who is so fucking attention seeking and vile with their ways to get attention. Whether it is parading around as if the world owes them or putting up the most self-centered status up on a social networking site. We all know someone who we would gladly slap due to their horrific ways. Yet, they probably know that you can see through their act. You know that their ways are so stupid; and so do they. They just want the attention because they cannot live without it. I don’t understand people who want attention at all. Why would you want people to constantly notice you? No thanks. I’ll just stay in the background and watch it all happen. Take it in and be glad I’m not the one who’s showing off like a stroppy kid at a birthday party. I loved the video to this. I loved how raw but basic it was. “You pretend you’re anything, just to be adored.” Such a bloody good line. The whole song is just perfect from start to finish.
This was the record that made me realise that music HAD to be my life. It made me realise that this band were going to be the ones responsible for getting me through Hell and back for the rest of my life. I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
Beck Goldsmith.
I love music that tells stories, strange tales that make you escape from mundane real life. This is probably why I love Beck Goldsmith’s work. If you’re a lazy sod, you’ll probably think “SHE SOUNDS LIKE LAURA MARLING!” I’m not a fan of Laura Marling, I’m probably the only person who isn’t. I had her first EP years ago, that was okay. But since then- I’ve not seen the appeal. However, I’m evidently wrong because everyone else seems to love her. Whatever.
Beck Goldsmith reminds me of someone, but I’m trying to work out who. It’s someone else I like dearly, but I’m really shit with names..so it has escaped me. It’s on the tip of my tongue. It’ll probably come to me as I review her record soon. None of this digital rubbish- hard CD copy, sounds better. Means more. Makes you feel part of the music too. But, I’m just an old fashioned music lover. I don’t have an i-Pod.
Her voice is so pure. I know who she reminds me of!!! It’s just come to me.. She reminds me ever so slightly of Holly Miranda, with a hint of Cat Power. She has the exact same powerr in her voice like Holly and Cat. Also like Rachael Cantu too. Basically, she sounds like the female singers I adore a hell of a lot. I’m not comparing, I’m just stating that her voice, for me personally, is as brilliant as those mentioned. Oh, and she also reminds me a bit of Beth Gibbons from Portishead. Just listen to her song The Watchers. The intro to the song is so wonderfully haunting. So far, it is my favourite song by Beck. It is also going to be featured in a Canadian Horror film sometime this year.
I love the slight ghoulish and devilish feel her music gives me. I love music that feels a bit dark and menacing. I don’t want to hear something cheery and upbeat. I don’t want to hear songs about how beautiful the sun and flowers are. I want something to scare me and make me feel like the Devil is right behind me, watching everything I do. I get this from Beck, and most artists I listen to. This is why I love Beck’s work. With first listen, from the very first note- I knew I was about to expose my ears to something truly stunning and mind-blowing. With a distorted but folky feel to her music, you cannot help but fall in love.
You can listen to some of her songs here : http://beckgoldsmith.bandcamp.com/
Her album, Hollows For Sorrows is out 5th March
Beat In My Bones. 