You know when you see a person so beautiful, and all you want to do is just look at them? By look at them, I mean take in their beauty; not gawp at them in a mental way. If people found that endearing, I’m pretty sure most of us would no longer get slapped and called a weirdo. This hasn’t happened to me….yet. I tend not to look, just because I don’t like being hit. Think of that person you regard as the most beautiful person in the world (I’ll do the same) and imagine them in the form of music.
How I feel about Beach House is how one would feel about a beautiful person. I just want to sit and listen to Beach House; just like someone would want to stare at a beautiful person. I know it’s a weird analogy, but it’s just how it is.
It’s one song in particluar by Beach House that makes me feel this way. Norway is such a stunning song. The harmonies at the start are just simply breathtaking. Victoria has THE most distinctive vocals around, there’s nobody else like her. The song feels like a train approaching. It has a haunting quality about it. A lot of their songs do have that feel about it, but at the same time; so comforting. I’ve fallen asleep listening to Beach House so many times. Norway is the one though. It’s the one I always seem to have on repeat.
Her vocals are always atmospheric and so tranquil. You can easily fall into a dream whilst listening to Beach House; you can fall in love whilst listening to Beach House. Norway just evokes such wonderful feelings inside of you. It could be pissing down with rain as you go for a walk listening to this song; but you’d still feel the sun on your back.
Beach House are three albums into their career and each album is just a perfect work of art. As far as duos go, Alex and Victoria are one of the best.
There are so many layers in their songs, especially in Norway. It has that dream pop feel that although many attempt to shy away from; Beach House do it well.
For the past few months I have been looking all over the internet to find some tracks by TOY so I can link them on here and write about them. There’d be no point in me writing about a band and not having a piece of music to show you. Thankfully, TOY have uploaded a couple of tracks onto Soundcloud which you can listen to HERE.
If you love bands such as The Jesus And Mary Chain and Echo & The Bunnymen, you should love TOY. Yes they sound similar to The Horrors. Clock Chime sounds like something you would hear on Skying. Basically, TOY deserve to be your new favourite band. They have tracks that last over 5 minutes (this is one my favourite things about them) and they have hypnotising melodies that will stick with you all day, every day.
Tom’s vocals are haunting and just beautiful. His voice wraps around you, you feel yourself collapse into some kind of trance. This is what makes them great. This is what makes any band great; their ability to carry you of somewhere else. Left Myself Behind has a more relaxed sound of The Jesus And Mary Chain. That feeling I first got when I heard Psychocandy has come back alive and kicking thanks to TOY.
You can download Left Myself Behind for free from HERE.
They’ve supported the likes of The Pretty Things (a band everyone needs in their collection) and The Horrors (who they are currently on tour with.)
If you like your music to take you on some kind of trip and the vocals to send chills down your spine; then TOY are the band for you.
The harp. One of the most beautiful instruments to exist. Watch anyone play the harp and they just look so peaceful and content.
Dorothy Ashby is one of the greatest musicians to have ever existed, there’s no doubt about it. Listen to her records and you will realise that this magnificent woman was way ahead of her time. She created a sound that is STILL being sampled in today’s Hip Hop records. Many associate the harp with Classical and the like. Not Dorothy, not at all. She brought an element of Soul, Funk and Jazz to it.
Her 1968 album, Afro Harping is just wonderful. My personal favourite is Life Has Its Trials, it sounds like something you would hear in a film during some outrageous shoot out (think Pam Grier in Foxy Brown.) Her music is so stunning, and I really don’t understand how her name isn’t mentioned in lists of great musicians.
Just listening to this, it is easy to see that Dorothy should be regarded as one of the ones responsible for the start of Hip Hop. She’s the Godmother of Hip Hop, there’s no doubt about that. Her music back then was way ahead of its time, nobody was making music like this. Nobody is making music as moving as this right now.
My favourite record by Dorothy Ashby is The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby. It has a less soulful feel to it than say, Afro Harping but her musicianship on this record is out of this world. Her music was essentially Jazz but she merged so many different genres together, you’d be a fool to label it with just one genre.
No idea where to start with a band like Noothgrush. They’ve been going since 1994 and have been making incredible, brutal music since.
The band currently consist of Russ Kent, Gary Niederhoff and Chiyo Nukaga. I love them for their vicious and unapologetic menacing sound. It isn’t for the faint hearted at all. There’s so much tension in Gary’s voice, it’s so fucking powerful. I don’t advise you to scream along though, you could harm yourself. Actually, fuck it; it’s worth it. Scream along. See if you can go louder than him. I bet you won’t.
Noothgrush are THE greatest band that are part of the Sludge genre. They just have everything you could possibly want in a band. Go listen to their records, you may learn something.
Everything I felt about music changed just before the summer of 2006. I heard something that just reignited my love for music that is perceived as dark and a bit creepy. I’ve always loved bands such as Bauhaus, The Jesus And Mary Chain and Count Five. I never thought I’d find a band to give me the same feeling those acts did. I never thought it would exist again. At the time it was so groundbreaking, so there was really no reason it could ever happen again. Or could it?
What drew me to The Horrors was not the same reason most were. I did not care for how they dressed or how big their hair was. I was drawn into Joshua’s guitar playing. How could someone so you make a sound like this? How could someone who was practically my age play like one of the greats? I will never know, but I will ALWAYS be in utter awe of it. Tom, Rhys, Joe and Faris are ALL extremely talented guys, you cannot deny that at all. In time, I will probably have written about each member. Trust me, it’s going to happen. With Josh, it’s something else. When you see them all play on stage you can see that they feel exactly what they are playing. Faris doesn’t move like a man possessed on stage anymore, instead he stalks the stage like a panther. He’s so majestic with his moves.
Then you have Josh. He moves around in the completely opposite way Faris does. He loses himself not just in mind; but in body. He flails around so wonderfully. You are transfixed on the way he holds the guitar and how his long hair sticks to his face and in his eyes. Anyone else would probably fall over and not be able to play. Josh, however, is one of a kind.
Josh is EASILY the most exciting guitar player around. He has a degree in Physics, and you can tell the way he plays the guitar comes from more than a musical place. There is so much science going on in the way he plays. Just look at his pedal board. It is fucking CRAZY. His approach to playing is unlike anything I have ever heard before, and I listen to some weird and wonderful music.
The way Josh plays sends you into a whirlwind. It throws you off completely. It isn’t safe for me to go for a walk and listen to The Horrors because I just lose myself and fall into a trance.
The guitar on Mirror’s Image sounds like a train approaching. When Josh plays guitar, it doesn’t sound like he’s playing the guitar. He turns it into something else, something that changes in every single song. Although he has a different sound on every single song, Josh still maintains an eerie feel to it; something which cements what is The Horrors sound.
What fascinated me about Primary Colours was that Josh BUILT the pedals himself, he actually made them. It’s fucking mind-blowing. He’s the mad scientist of music. If you listen to a lot of bands now, yes some are quite good but The Horrors have something else. That something else that they posses comes from their approach to the music.
The first thing I bought to do with The Horrors was their EP in 2006. I remember skipping my uni lecture (first year doesn’t count) and going to buy this EP. I sat in my room and played it extremely loud. I knew nobody was in. I played it and I just lost myself in what I was hearing. I did exactly the same thing when Strange House was released, skipped a lecture just to go buy a record. Personally, I feel it was worth it.
Their sound on Strange House is what I suppose you would call Garage Rock. I hate giving bands a label, I can’t do it. It’s just wrong, but it does give off a Garage Rock vibe. It smacks you in the face; the songs are short and fucking brutal.
Move forward to 2009 and we are again blessed with a new record. Primary Colours was immediately declared as that year’s best album. I agree, fully. The songs were longer, the sound was less aggressive but it still had that raw edge. It still had a sound that no other could do apart from The Horrors. The guitar still sounded vicious yet it sent you off into a trance. What I’m trying to say is, Josh’s guitar skills just hypnotise you. That’s what he does, you listen to him and you cannot do anything else. You become so enthralled in what he is doing. You watch him sway whilst he is on stage or you just drift off into another world as you lay on your bed listening to the guitar dominate your mind.
The fact that Josh built his own pedals caused The Horrors to create a sound that nobody had ever heard before. The production was big, grand and full (think Joe Meek and Phil Spector.) All three of their albums have an indescribable sound. Recently Josh stated that it was Sonic Youth that inspired him to pick up a guitar, I can only hope that the generation below me listen to The Horrors and feel inspired to pick up an instrument and create something that hasn’t been heard before. There’s so much reverb and distortion in his guitar. An obsession with a feedback sound is evident, and with a lot of guitarists it can sound quite desperate. With Josh it sounds so clear and brutal. Oh and a wee bit fuzzy.
It’s only right that I mention this year’s release, Skying. Skying was produced by the band, and what is so amazing about this is that you can feel the freedom in the album. They haven’t made an album that you or I are proud of- they have made an album that they, as a band, are proud of. As much as I adore the brutal sounds on Strange House, the sound that they have created on Skying is stunning. It’s just a shame that people who know fuck all keep comparing it to others. It does NOT sound like Simple Minds at all, the fuck you on? Skying is masterpiece, a work of art. Just like all their records. If they can create an album like this, 3 albums into their career, then it is fairly obvious that The Horrors are a bad will be the ones to constantly evolve in ways you could never imagine with every record. Josh’s guitar sound on this record is not as fuzzy as it was on Primary Colours, on Skying it has a more delicate feel; not as intense. It still grabs you in ways you never thought a record could, but not in an aggressive manner.
John Peel once said, “I just want to hear something I haven’t heard before.” Something tells me that if he was still alive, The Horrors would probably be his favourite band around.
Here we go, another contender for album of the year. I honestly didn’t think they could top Common Reaction. I didn’t want them to; I didn’t want to love this album as much as Common Reaction because when that came out it was basically my life. Now I have to feel this way about their new album. I’m joking, I honestly don’t mind. It’s a bloody brilliant album. The second album can be a bitch to make; a lot of bands just fall apart. Then they make a decent third album and call it quits after that. I doubt Uh Huh Her will do that. If they do, I’ll just write them an emotionally charged letter. I honestly never want to feel the way I did about The Long Blondes ever again. It was worse than being dumped, seriously. Fucking awful. The wound hasn’t healed; I just want them to get back together.
Right, I’ve gone off on one. Sorry, partially.
Nocturnes is fucking brilliant. I probably won’t be able to find anything else to say apart from that, but I will try. They use a lot of synths BUT, don’t let that put you off. You see, a lot of bands use synths to compensate for the fact that they are shite and have no talent. Its like, “Oh well….we can’t play an instrument so let’s faff about with some synths.” NO! Just NO. Camila and Leisha has genuine talent, they use synths with addition to other instruments. The synths don’t carry their sound at all. It doesn’t sound like a ridiculous 80s tacky pop record swimming in synths at all. This is the real deal dear reader. Nocturnes is a fantastic record, and yes it is just as brilliant as Common Reaction. I think I’m going to ramble whilst talking about this record.
What I love about Uh Huh Her is the way they compliment each other’s voice. You’ve got Leisha’s delicate voice and Camila’s powerful tone, its bloody amazing. One doesn’t overshadow the other at all. In duos, this sometimes happens. However, it isn’t the case here at all. They’ve got this beautiful chemistry in their music, and you can tell just how passionate about the music they really are. As you can really feel that passion, you are drawn further into the record.
I remember hearing Same High a while back (I sometimes exaggerate time because I have no concept of time. I hate knowing the time, the world would be better if we never had time. I am bursting to have a deep, philosophical talk about this.) Same High is a euphoric track. You’ll probably want to dance when you hear it. The whole album will make you want to dance. As someone who isn’t much of a dancer (I usually throw my limbs about and hit myself/others) to say that it makes me want to dance is a bit of a big deal. The whole record makes you want to pop it in your car CD player and just drive off. No destination in particular, just bugger off somewhere. It’s a good job I can’t drive, because the amount of songs that make me feel this way is ridiculous. I’d be constantly driving places and getting lost. That said, I can get lost on the bus or by foot anyway so.
Human Nature is easily one of the standout tracks on the album, I say this but every single song is astounding. Literally in love with this record. I honestly don’t think I could be friends with someone if they didn’t love this band. See, I say Human Nature is my favourite- I’ve immediately changed my mind. It’s all about Disdain right now (Disdain is one of my favourite words you know; my biased opinion has drawn me into this song.) I’m not going to be able to pick a favourite and stick to it, but for arguments sake, I will stick with Disdain.
I’m going to leave it here, if I continue I will just ramble and sound more mental than I already probably do. I can still say at the end of writing this, Disdain is my favourite. As soon as I publish this, I may change my mind.
Go out and buy this bloody wonderful work of art. If you’re someone who buys records based on the artwork (I’ve done this a few times) then you need this record in your life. If you’re someone who loves music that gives you that flipping of the stomach, then you need this record. Look, you just need this record in your life. Trust me on this one.
Los Angeles, I think you’re slowly taking over my heart with all this wonderful music you are pouring out.
If it makes me feel like I am being punched in the face or if it scares me- I will more than likely fall in love with it. Only music based though, I think. I wouldn’t like to be punched in the face again. That shit hurts.
Fidlar are mind-blowing. If you like your music to sound brutal, then you need Fidlar in your life. They have a lo-fi mixed with Ramones feel to their music. It’s amazing. They’ve got the true essence of garage rock in their music. It’s something to believe in, something to just put your all in. Why? Because you can tell they put their all into their music. The utter passion in their music steals your heart away. I don’t care if you don’t want to have your heart stolen, sometimes it just happens. Don’t be a fucking coward.
Dear any bands I have declared my love for over the years, you are seriously going to have to compete for my affections starting….NOW! 2:54 are a band I’ve had a LOT of love and admiration for over the past year and a bit. Creeping blew my mind last, and they’ve gone and done it again with their new one Scarlet.
If you love The Cure (I want to be your friend), Beach House, Warpaint- then you SHOULD fall in love with 2:54. If you don’t, then hey- can’t like everything can we.
The video to Scarlet fits the song perfectly. It is dark, intense and creepy. I love anything that is dark, intense and creepy. I’ve never claimed to be normal, mainly because normal does not exist. If it seems a bit odd, I’ll probably enjoy it. 2:54 are EASILY the UK’s best band right now (along with some others. I know, I know.)
I can safely say that this is my favourite video of the year. It’s just brilliant. I love how it is shot, it’s just perfect.
Beautiful isn’t it? A hint of strange with a touch of sheer beauty.
I’ve not listened to enough of Skrillex to form a proper opinion of his music, but going by his collaboration with Korn- he’s not bad at all.
Is it actually Dubstep? That depends on who you ask. Everyone has an opinion on this genre. Some will say it is, some will say it isn’t. I guess it comes down to personal opinion. Do I think it is? I’m not entirely sure. I’m a stupidly HUGE fan of Korn, and I will never say a bad word about them at all. Ever. Would this track be shit if it wasn’t Korn? Ahh…well, that’s a completely different matter.
I know a lot of these folk/acoustic acts are mainly bland and a bit cack, but once in a while you find one that is actually decent.
I love music that has some kind of passion in it. Something that makes you feel something. Music that just conjures up weird and wonderful images in your mind. Music that goes beyond what it is, what it is meant to be. Allow me to introduce you to a lovely fellow named Ethan Ash.
His self-titled debut album was released last year, and since then he’s supported an artist I respect a hell of a lot; Seth Lakeman. He has also played a headline show at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This summer Ethan has played at festivals such as Secret Garden Party and Bestival.
His music tells wonderful stories, basically the guy is a poet. He’s more than just a typical singer/song-writer. He’s not typical. He’s got a wonderful way with words. As someone who is slowly starting to dislike all this acoustic stuff, I can safely say Ethan Ash is one artist worth giving your time and attention to. He offers something else, something grander. He’s been labelled as soul/folk, and you know what; it is a pretty damn good description.
You can grab a free download of his new single All I Need HERE.
Beat In My Bones. 