This year hasn’t been all too bad for music, that’s if you can let your rage go towards manufactured shite and reality “stars” being played everywhere. If you can get past that, and listen to something with substance- you’ll have realised that this year, some amazing debut albums were released. Such as Cults, Dirty Beaches, Anna Calvi and Washed Out. Now it’s the turn of one of my favourite duos and new bands of this year to release their album.
Big Deal don’t use drums. As someone who is consantly in awe of anyone who can play the drums and this euphoric, big sound they create- how could I possibly love Big Deal? Quite easily really. I remember hearing Locked Up lasy year, and I was so enthralled by what I was hearing. I loved how their voices flowed, it was juts perfect. A few months later I heard Talk and it was so stunning and so heartbreaking. The way they sing, “All I wanna do is talk, but seeing you fucks me up.” It’s so simple, but I know that so many can relate to it. Although the band aren’t a couple, you can’t help but think they mean it about each other. They have that chemistry in their lyrics, it’s quite overpowering- just like The Kills.
Big Deal’s sound is simple, it’s just them and their guitars. However lyrically, it’s so much more than that. There is such depth and twinges of hurt in their lyrics that really comes across in their vocals, which at times sound so haunting and vulnerable. With a lot of bands, they can sing the sad songs but with no feeling. There is so much feeling in Big Deal’s music, I can’t possibly pick out which songs evoke the most feeling- they all do. The opener, Distant Neighborhood is probably one of my favourites. With first listen I can safely say that this is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard this year. In a way, they remind me of The Moldy Peaches- mainly because of how their voices go together. It’s just beautiful.
As far as debut albums go, this one is gorgeous. It oozes such fragility from start to finish, if you cannot find something to love in that- then I guess you don’t have a heart.
As I was on the train, followed by the bus full of drunken wankers yesterday- I was listening to one of my favourite bands ever- The Organ. The split up a year after I got into their music. It broke my heart, I don’t talk about it. It’s like when The Long Blondes split up- the wound is still open and it hurts a lot to mention it. They are two bands that never should’ve split up. Purely selfish reasons as I adored their music and just wanted so much more. However, there’s solo projects and past releases to ease the pain.
The Organ was in a way, the female version of The Smiths. How so? Listen to the lyrics. Katie Sketch, aside from having one of the most distinctive and gorgeous voices ever- was and still is a bloody brilliant lyricist.
Their music in some parts is sheer loneliness and desperation; I suppose that’s what can make them appealing to some. Even the vulnerable need something to lean on even if they don’t wish to admit it. I love The Organ because they came at a time where there was nothing like them. They came at a time where the Riot Grrrl movement was starting to fade out (I firmly believe it exists, it’s just underground) and something else was needed. However, after The Organ called it quits in 2006 nothing else really emerged. I suppose now you can say that Warpaint are the band to inspire females to get into music and start a band. Of course there are other female bands, but Warpaint are the ones doing it RIGHT at the moment.
The Organ had some amazing lyrics and their songs were divine and highly heartbreaking.
I suppose I adored The Organ so much because of the lyrics. Love, Love, Love is probably one of my favourites. I have no idea what Katie Sketch intended with it, but my take on it is- wanting to find love, find love and your/their stupidity causes it to be destroyed. It’s an easy song to relate to-like all of their songs. That’s the beauty of music; you can create your own meaning. Make it your own.
My favourite lyric penned by Katie Sketch has to be, “Our hearts didn’t come together, but I saw the two collide.” I’m not entirely sure what it is about this specific line, but it just captured my heart the very first time I heard it. Grab That Gun is such a glorious album; there are no bad songs on it at all. I believe it should be included in those lists of albums you need in your life that various publications like to annually create. It was the only full length album the band ever released, and it’s such a shame because it was just a blueprint of what the band could’ve truly become.
As they only released one album, it is so easy to want more from them. That’s what happens when you become emotionally attached to a band that then split up. Yes, I am also aiming that at The Long Blondes.
The Organ, I feel, will always be the underdogs- so highly underrated; it’s just ever so unfair that a band with such talent was just overlooked.
Steven Smith is a song that I adore, and probably because it is a tribute to the genius that is- Morrissey. Certain lines in the song, if you’re a Morrissey fan make you grin slightly because you feel it too. I really love the last part of the song, “When everything is quiet, the ringing in our ears will be awfully violent. And then there will be silence.” It is quite a sullen line, but I just love the feel I get from hearing it. You can imagine driving around with just the city lights bouncing off the pavements, it just creates a desolate feeling- but that isn’t always a bad thing. As they give off such feelings of loneliness in their songs, it makes the actual feeling less painful and daunting.
The Organ could’ve been as big as The Smiths- who knows. All I know is that they are one of the most important bands to have ever existed.
I didn’t want to touch on this specific fact due to it not being anything to do with the music. However, with the amount of “out” lesbians in music being close to scarce, bands like The Organ just made it slightly easier. Of course homophobia exists in music as does sexism- but put The Organ against any band regardless of gender and sexual orientation- and they are just as good, probably better. They had something, they had this spark in their music that just got to you in ways that you thought were unknown and thought you couldn’t feel.
The power in Katie Sketch’s lyrics still overwhelm me, even though I’ve listened to them so many times- I still get that same feeling. Their song, Brother has such a euphoric build-up in it, it just takes you over. You have to just shut your eyes and allow yourself to feel so vulnerable and weightless to truly feel the real essence of the song.
Bands such as The Organ made me feel slightly more comfortable with who I am. I’ll always have a twinge of uncertainty with regard to who I am, but it keeps me going- as does music by the likes of The Organ.
I love bands that play with everything they have. I adore it when you can tell a band is doing it for the music and not to seek approval of others. Every word sung and every note played is done with such importance- it is as if their life depends on it. The connection band members have on stage is one of the greatest things you can witness. To see a band just bounce off each other’s vibe is incredible. You can sense their love for each other and the music they play.
One band in particular that do all this, and so much more are The Kills. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to see them live knows exactly what I mean. Alison and Jamie do not even have to interact with the crowd much, how they are with each other is more than enough.
I saw them live just after Midnight Boom was released, I had an (un)healthy obsession with them as soon as I heard the album Keep On Your Mean Side, and to see them live was like watching something you shouldn’t be watching. They have this connection on stage that I have never ever seen before. I have never seen two people have that bond before- whether famous or not, it is so rare. I think in our lives, you do find someone like that. You will probably argue with them and want to throttle them- but at the same time, if anyone ever hurts them- you feel it too. It is the most important relationship you have (not in a coupley/sexual way). It’s your lifeline. That’s just my take on it.
You can easily see how much they adore each other. From the way Jamie grins at Alison during certain songs to how Alison just looks at him in awe when he pretty much goes mental on the guitar. The look of love and understanding they have for each other is so precious and so beautiful.
I can’t remember exactly where I was when I first heard The Kills; all I know is what just after Keep On Your Mean Side was released. I fell in complete love with what I was hearing. I wanted to know everything about their sound. How it was created and what influenced them. They kick-started my obsession with The Velvet Underground and the blues all over again. I was just so happy that a band combined everything I loved about music and made their own sound. It was so different, it still is. There is no band around that are doing what The Kills do, and have done. They make this harsh, brutal music that just constantly has you in a chokehold and you don’t want it to ever let you go. If it does, what are you left with?
When I listen to The Kills I feel like nothing can touch me. It becomes like a protective shield. I urge anyone to go for a walk listening to Fried My Little Brains or Cat Claw and not feel fucking invincible. Songs such as Kissy Kissy just ooze vengeance and rage, I love it. That’s why I love The Kills so much. All this frustration just pours out of their songs, but they do not do it in a self-pitying way. None of their songs are self-pitying, that’s why I love them. Yes they touch on heartbreaking subjects (see Black Balloon, The Last Goodbye) but none of it is “woe is me” at all. They do it in a way that just breaks your heart yet you feel fine because Alison is singing the things you wish your heart could channel your mouth to say. I guess, this just proves other people’s words can mean more than your own at times. Or maybe, you trick yourself into believing that because you cannot find the words to say. Call it whatever you want, it’s just beautiful.
In their interviews the intelligence and passion they have is so breathtaking and so calming but as soon as they hit the stage, it is totally different. Alison stalks the stage like a lioness and Jamie is in his own world- with Alison. You can truly see that they live for music and playing live is everything to them. That’s why you can easily believe in everything that The Kills are.
Each of their albums instantly threw me. Although each albums sound different from the last, they have always maintained that raw, unapologetic, aggressive sound. They are one of the few (or possibly the only bands) contemporary bands to carry the true Punk ethic in their music. It is so inspiring.
A lot of bands, to create a sound so distinctive need layers and layers to their music. They need to have certain producers to have a specific sound or they need a gimmick. The Kills quite simply, don’t. They are two best friends making music that is beyond. It is beyond words, beyond emotions. Sometimes it is hard to get your head around the fact that it is just two people making this sound. Something I find highly inspirational about the band is that Alison just left everything in America to come to London to start The Kills with Jamie. There is something so utterly inspiring about this, it makes you want to leave everything and achieve your goals.
From a personal perspective- this is why The Kills mean so much to me. They sacrificed so much and invested so much to be where they are now. There is no doubt that they are one of hardest working bands around. They give you hope that if you cast everything aside in order to get what you want- you can get it.
An image that is constantly evoked for me when I listen to The Kills is two outlaws on the run, on a neglected, dusty road in America. The fierce sound just conjures up some fantastic images in your find. The words they sing just blow me away. Lines such as “Elevator straight into my skull. An escalator rises as it falls.” from Black Balloon and “She covers one eye ‘cause she can see into your mind, and she no longer wants to.” from Gypsy Death & You are lines that just always always leave me in awe.
When I heard Blood Pressures, I was just taken aback with what I was hearing. The waltz feel on The Last Goodbye really hits you in the gut, and I firmly standby “How can I rely on my heart if I break it, with my own two hands.” being the best line I have heard in a song this year, it’s quite painful how much I can relate to it- but it gets you through the day doesn’t it.
The Kills own a large chunk of my heart. Their lyrics, the way they are on stage and in interviews, the chemistry they have with each other, their music- everything about them. It just means more than the world to me. They just blow my mind every single time I listen to them. Every time I play their music it is like I am discovering them for the first time. They are timeless and influential. If a band can make you feel like this with every listen, then hold onto them. Something tells me The Kills are a band that won’t let go. The fight and drive in them is inspiring. It’s important to find something to fight for and believe in, music is mine- especially with bands such as The Kills. They also prove that all you need is two people to make some of the greatest music ever, and sometimes all you need is just the one person to believe in you- and to see the good in you when no one else does.
After 3 attempts write this, this is my last go. Trying to sum up the importance of a debut album isn’t easy, nor is it easy trying to think of the best debut albums ever. There have been so many phenomenal debut albums, some people just overlook and others are regarded as highly influential.
Over the past 3 years there have been some amazing debut albums released such as Lungs by Florence And The Machine to Cults self titled debut which was released this year.
The hardest thing about putting out such a great first album is following it up. How many bands have managed to set such a high calibre with their first album and pull it off with every release? Of course The Smiths managed to do it, and in my biased opinion, more recently The Horrors have evidently done it. More on Strange House later. I always have strong affection towards debut albums as you can truly feel and understand what an artist is trying to do. It’s always good to listen back to a debut album when a band has released 3 or 4 albums into their career. You can really hear how an artist has grown and changed their sound.
My personal favourite debut album of all time has to be Psychocandy by The Jesus And Mary Chain. I love the reverb sound, the intense subject matter and of course Jim Reid’s stunning vocals. I adore the production on the album, it has influenced so many bands that I love such as The Horrors. There has never been a debut album as gripping and as brutal as Psychocandy. Although the band have released some fantastic albums, this is the one that stands out for me- it is timeless and just everything an album should be. It’s dark, it is passionate and honest. If more music was to this standard, well, the music industry would be in a better place I suppose. The Jesus And Mary Chain is a band that inspires me in ways no other band ever has, and probably ever will. Of course The Smiths are the band that owns my heart, but I feel The Jesus And Mary Chain own a part of my mind. The heart is greater, that I know. I just love the feeling I get from listening to Psychocandy, it just feels like the first time I am listening to it every time I do. It’s just a perfect debut album from start to finish. I don’t think any album has single-handedly started its own genre in a way Psychocandy did. It’s just everything, and anything after it has just lurked in its shadows.
Last year two debut albums came out that just instantly blew me away. I felt like I was in a different time whilst listening to it- personally, that’s what makes a remarkable album. Regardless if it is a debut album or an artists fifth album.
The two albums are Best Coast’s debut self titled release and of course, The Fool by Warpaint.
Best Coast’s debut was the soundtrack to summer 2010, there’s no denying it. The album instantly became a piece of art that I treasured so much, I still play it every single day. There is not one song that bores me. I don’t really hold any personal situations to the album, give it time I guess. It’s just an album that makes me feel like I am sitting on a beach, staring out to sea and forgetting everything. It’s the perfect form of escapism. I love Bethany’s vocals especially on Our Deal. There’s something so heartbreaking about that song, but you just can’t stop listening to it. Oh her cat, Snacks is quite possibly the cutest animal ever.
Where do I start when talking about The Fool by Warpaint? Anyone who knows me a tiny bit will know that album is one of the most important albums in my life, ever. Of all the albums I own, this one is one I hold very highly. I love how every song makes me feel like I am floating on water towards something better. There’s always something better. Warpaint’s music makes a hopeless person like myself quite hopeful.
Songs such as Lissie’s Heart Murmur and Shadows are so important to me. The way Emily sings on Lissie’s Heart Murmur just moves me in a way I didn’t think could happen. I adore Theresa’s vocals on Shadows, so much frustration in the line,” I feel like the shadows, I don’t even bother for any more than that.” It’s an album to lose yourself in, and probably find parts of yourself too.
I remember seeing a copy of an album with five men wearing high-heels and make-up on the cover and just being in awe of the cover. I found the album in the drawer in the living room at my mum’s house when I was around 15/16. I took the album to my room and just played it. I didn’t move. I was entirely transfixed with the sounds that were coming out of my temperamental CD player.
New York Dolls are quite possibly one of the most important bands ever. They’ve influenced so many artists that I adore with every fibre of my being. Yes, I mean Morrissey. Their debut album has one song on it that just means the universe to me, Subway Train. I adore everything about the song, especially the lyrics. Frustration with a twinge of angst- mixed with longing. They are the best kinds of songs and Subway Train is one of them.
The album is the blueprint of what would later emerge from New York City.
Although Live It Out is my favourite album by them, Metric’s debut release, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? is such a fantastic piece of art. The album starts with IOU, and right from the start you fall in love with Metric’s sound. They have a specific sound that I have never ever heard in any band. Whether it be in a band I love or a band I dislike, their sound is something that has never been replicated- thankfully. I highly doubt anyone could. Songs such as Wet Blanket, Combat Baby, Dead Disco and The List are just stunning. I’ve been fortunate to see them live, and the energy they have on record is just the same live. Just with a bit more sweat. The production is just stunning. I’ve been a fan of Metric since they started out and their sound is so distinctive. What I love about their debut is the Punk and Riot Grrrl feel it has- two genres that mean a lot to me, and for a band such as Metric to combine those two genres to create Old World Underground was just brilliant.
I have two more debut albums to write about. Both have this brutal sound to it and contain such a force that just shakes your world and your whole being. I know that the albums I have mentioned and are about to mention are probably odd choices for some, but they are debut albums that just mean a lot to me, and to others I’m sure. I could mention the usual such as The Smiths debut album and Is This It by The Strokes, both albums of course are masterpieces and mean a lot to me. I have Is This It tattooed on me. Some may think it’s a morbid thing to have tattooed, it isn’t- it’s a declaration of love for such a phenomenal album.
Strange House by The Horrors is a frickin’ amazing take on Garage-Rock. I remember skipping a lecture at University to go out and buy the album. I did it a lot whilst at College and Uni. My priorities have always been based on music; it’s a good and bad thing. Good for me, and it probably pisses others off. They don’t get it, I don’t expect them to.
I feel Strange House has been overlooked by so many. Guaranteed it sounds nothing like Primary Colours and Skying- none of The Horrors albums sound like their last one at all. That’s why I love them. Their music means a lot to me, I cannot describe why. Strange House reminds me of my first year of Uni. Probably the happiest I have ever been. Everything was new to me and I was becoming the person I always wanted to be. The sound on Strange House just instantly took over me. From Faris’s screams to Rhys’ mental keyboard skills. I remember going back home during the holidays and my mum telling me she loved Count In Fives. I’ve played her all three albums by them, and she too is in awe of their sound. I’ve got a pretty cool family. My auntie and uncle both adore The Horrors.
The way The Horrors dressed during the Strange House era was just beautiful. If I was a guy, or hell, if I was skinny I’d probably dress like that. I know they will never create an album with the same sound as Strange House but each album still has that raw, brutal feel. A feel that is not evident in a lot of music right now. A lot of people are getting into The Horrors based on the single Still Life. However, I urge you new fans to please listen to Strange House. It’ll do you a world of good if you do.
The last album that I am going to bore you with, if you are still with me is, Keep On Your Mean Side by The Kills. The title alone is bloody great. The album defines the whole sound of The Kills. Unapologetic brutal, dark, intense, raw and powerful sounds. Everything about this album is sheer perfection. From start to finish the album has you in a chokehold. The Kills music feels like a pleasurable punch to the face. It hits you over and over- you don’t care if it hurts, it is the best feeling ever. The music has this hold over you. Alison’s beautiful and vengeful voice twinned with Jamie’s genius guitar playing steals your heart away. It takes you to a place that is dark, poetic and sublime. I love how they have captured the same feeling people must have got when they first heard The Velvet Underground when they started. They are my generation’s take on The Velvet Underground. The dark lyrics with harsh guitar sounds, it’s just everything that music should be.
I adore Alison’s vocals on Wait and Gypsy Death & You. It is so pure, just enthralling. I love the aggression in their music- songs such as Cat Claw, Fried My Little Brains and Kissy Kissy just pour out such aggression that overwhelms you and leaves you thinking and feeling “The hell have I just exposed my ears and soul to?!” It is hands down, one of the most brutal debut albums I have ever heard and probably will hear. It’s brutal in an Iggy Pop sense, true Punk ethic. The Kills are a band that I look up to; I love the connection Alison and Jamie have with each other. I love that just two people have created a sound that so many need so many others around them to create and just cannot get it right- The Kills just need each other to make that sound. I admire them so much; I’d say they are quite possibly the hardest working musicians around. I cannot praise them enough nor can I express my love for their music in good enough words. Each album they put out has the same level of intensity and frustration in it- with no apologise or explanation. It just is. And what it is, is truly beautiful.
I know there are so many albums I could have written about such as The Long Blondes debut album, Scott Matthews debut solo album, Richard Hawley, Ramones- the list is endless. I just wrote about the ones that mean something to me.
Recently my mum posted me a Morrissey book and Scott Matthews debut album. She knows of my love for The Walker Brothers and I was familiar with Scott’s solo work. It’s a beautiful debut album. As are debuts from others such as Zola Jesus, The xx, Aaliyah, Jay-Z. Honestly, the list is endless and the more I mention the more I want to write about these albums. It just shows how vital the debut album really is, and a lot of the time- inspires others to pick up an instrument and start their own movement. I’ve written over 2000, I think I’ve bored you enough now haven’t I?!
I think my new favourite artist is Ellie Herring. Without sounding like a raging feminist, it’s bloody lovely to have a GOOD female electro musician/producer. I’m not going to tell you who she sounds like or who her production skills replicate. She’s, as hard as it is to believe with music right now, unique.
Her debut EP, Flailing In Attraction (awesome title) was released this year and her full length LP, Until It Feels Foreign is out this winter. I absolutely adore her track, Died To Meet You. It’s so atmospheric and so perfect. She creates music that you can just close your eyes and forget everything to. The best musicians makes music like that. Her music is beautiful, she’s beautiful. Maybe here in England we’ll catch on to her amazing talent, I really do hope so.
The music she makes has a dark and mysterious feel to it. Most music I listen to is like this, which makes it so easy for me to love Ellie Herring’s music. Tracks such as Hunters Dreamboat and Touch Point evoke such wonderful imagery and feelings. I have no idea why she isn’t huge, talent like this should not be ignored at all. I just can’t stop listening to her music. It reminds me slightly of The XX mixed with James Blake and a hint of The Weeknd.
I remember when I first started listening to a band called Sensual Harassment, and I’ve got the same feeling I did when I listened to them when I listened to Ellie Herring. My words do not do her music/talent any justice. Check out the tracks on her Soundcloud.
I don’t want to write this, because although it has been ten years it feels entirely wrong. It will always feel wrong.
I remember being sat in front of the telly watching MTV I was about 8 or 9 years old, and I was just in awe of this beautiful person on the screen. I wanted to be just like her, she instantly became the most important musical force in my life. I carried my love for Aaliyah’s music from primary school onwards. I remember saving up enough money to buy her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number and just playing it every day. I probably ruined it, which explains why I have more than one copy of all 3 of her albums. There are only 2 or 3 artists I have more than one copy of their albums due my excessive play of their albums.
I was drawn to Aaliyah’s music the same way most are- her delicate voice. A voice that no other singer has ever mastered aside from her. Certain singers have evidently tried (and failed) to copy the whole vibe Aaliyah had, she truly truly was one in a million.
The more I write about this using past tense, the more wrong this just feels. She should still be here making music and making films. There is no way at all where anyone can justify this beyond awful loss.
If I had to list my favourite albums of all time, I would easily put her 3 albums in my Top 10. However her second album, One In A Million for me, just showed the world how amazing she really was. Her vocals on this album were so strong but with that gentle feel. Her smooth vocals were what she was best known for- again something which have attempted to copy but just cannot come close to it at all.
Aaliyah was just easy to love and relate to. The way she was in interviews and how she touched on so many subjects in her music just made it easy for you to fall in love with her music. Every once in a while a singer comes around that just leaves a mark- in your life and in music that nothing and no one will ever replicate. Nothing will ever replace it. It’s just like having that one person in your life that nothing and no one in the world is better than or will ever take the place of.
One of my favourite videos by Aaliyah was Hot Like Fire. I don’t know what it is, but I just loved the way it was shot and Missy popping up and doing her little dance was pretty cool too. I remember watching her at the VMAs, and she took her brother with her. I thought that was one of the coolest thing ever, but I think what shocked most was that she was wearing a dress. If you watch any of her music videos up to that point- she never wore a dress. She, as ever, looked stunning. She always did. She could wear ridiculously baggy clothes and still be the most beautiful person in the world. Her style was perfect, everything about her was.
Her last album had a sound to it that no other R&B artist has ever managed to come close to achieving. The sound on songs such as I Refuse, Those Were The Days and It’s Whatever- you just know it’s her. The aggression on What If is something that was never felt in any of her music before, but it worked. It just proved that Aaliyah could sing any genre and just own it. She wasn’t just an R&B singer, she was so much more- and that is what I and others will always remember her as.
She was one of the greatest entertainers of my generation. Not many artists are worth looking up to. But Aaliyah, well, she really was. She was the perfect all-round entertainer. Aaliyah was a fantastic dancer, singer and actress. There will never be anyone else quite like her. Since that first time I saw her on MTV I have always looked up to her and admired her, I just cannot put it into words. I’d constantly try and learn the dances in her music video. I think at one point I knew every move in the videos to Try Again and More Than A Woman. I probably made my own up too. My mum always promised me that she would take me to see Aaliyah is she ever toured the UK, sadly, it never happened. If I could’ve seen anyone live, it would’ve been her.
She was such a creative force and constantly ahead of her time from her style, to the hair over her eye to the music she created.
I’ve been told that with every negative there’s a positive, at the time I didn’t believe it- but a few months after her death I met someone who instantly became not only my best friend, but my sister too. She knows who she is, and through this tragic loss I gained someone who changed my life. She may now live on the other side of the world, but she will always be one of the most important and special person in my life. Without her, well…I have no idea really.
Writing about Aaliyah in past tense just doesn’t feel right, and I don’t believe I have done her any justice with what I have written, but as ever- it has come from the heart.
R.I.P. Aaliyah xxxx ~/.\~
“Everything is worth it. The hard work, the times when you’re tired, the times where you’re a bit sad . . . In the end, it’s all worth it because it really makes me happy. There’s nothing better than loving what you do.” ~Aaliyah Dana Haughton, 2001 (MTV Diary.)
When I first heard Anna Calvi’s music in 2008 I was instantly in awe of what I heard. She makes the kind of music that causes your head to jolt back and your jaw drop. I suppose it’s not the most attractive physical attribute to attain in public, which is why it’s safer to just listen at home with no one around.
I remember hearing Blackout and her cover of Jezebel in 2009; I was enthralled with the big drums and the romantic sound of her voice. What made me fall in love so quickly with her music was how dark, intense and dominant it was. I loved how her music made me feel I was wandering through a creepy and devilish film set, like a “film noir” or even something distinctly twisted such as a David Lynch film. For me, her music feels like a mini-movie, a dramatisation. Her music is so intense; it makes you feel on constant edge (in a good way) as you listen to it.
When you watch live clips of her or even actually see her live you are drawn to have passionately she performs on stage and her presence. She doesn’t have to say anything to the audience; you are just immediately captured by her music. That’s just how it should be.
As I listen to her album, I find it breathtaking and inspiring that something so grand can be someone’s debut album. This is why I regard it to be the best debut this year and quite possibly the only debut album to cause such emotions since Florence’s debut, Lungs back in 2009.
It is easy to compare the tow due to them both having powerful voices that hurl you into a different world. But that is the only comparison.
I love how there are slight twinges of vengeance in Anna’s voice, a monster of a feeling takes over as you listen to songs such as Desire. “It’s just the Devil taking my hand to the fire” I love the way she puts across the feelings that desire causes us to feel and the things it makes us do. Sometimes when you desire something or someone it just causes you to do daft things. However, I don’t need to feel this way to do daft things.
She’s toured with the likes of Interpol, Nick Cave and Kaki King- all this and she’s only one album into her career.
Her music has a ritualistic chant feel mixed with heavy drums, it’s a sound that many have tried to create and at times failed. They just get it wrong. They let certain parts take over and no talent comes out.
This doesn’t happen with Anna Calvi’s music. Maybe I am slightly biased due to her also having Italian genes. It’s the best gene to have I reckon, again- being biased but still. Anyway, her music. Her music is just perfect. She has a strong, big voice that just throws you. With a lot of female singers they seem to warble to show how strong their voice is, but when they do this they lose the power they could potentially posses. Anna doesn’t do this, it just sounds so effortlessly grand. When you listen to songs such a Suzanne and I, her voice is so, and I hate to bloody say it, but it’s so seductive. You could just sit playing her album with someone you are fond of- but to be honest; I’d just keep my attention on the music and not the other person. That’s just how I am, it explains a lot. I refuse to change though. Music is more constant than a person really.
First We Kiss is so poetic and dark. The album has quite an old fashioned feel to it. You could imagine music like this being played during the Victorian era when they had parties that were so decadent and never discussed to the outside world.
The build-up in First We Kiss is so gripping, the whole album is. It has a hold of you, but you don’t want to loosen the grip. You want to keep it as tight as possible until you gasp for air, but even then you want to keep hold onto it. It just takes over you- your body and soul. Her music just owns every part of you. It makes you feel you are in the scenarios she creates with her music.
Aside from having one of the best voices I have ever heard, Anna Calvi is a fantastic guitar player. When you watch her play she makes it seem so effortless. I cannot put into words just how beautiful the sound it. It sounds so viciously haunting. It really comes across on the track, The Devil.
What I love about her music is that you can tell that no specific genre or singer has influenced her music. Yes she has the dark lyrics and feel to her music with comparison to Nick Cave. However, she has this soul-gripping voice like Edith Piaf. I cannot and will not throw her music into any genre/sub-genre at all, it’d be impossible to do so, and that is exactly what makes an artist like Anna Calvi so good and much needed in music right now.
In an ideal world, music like this would take over. But an ideal world will never exist, that’s why you can lose yourself in music like this. Her music just moves you and inspires you in ways you didn’t think music could right now. Her voice is so much stronger and a billion times more soulful than what is being (unfortunately) played on certain radio stations. It’s why I don’t listen to them. In a few weeks the winner of the Mercury Music Prize will be announced. By rights, Anna Calvi should win. Not because I love her music but looking at the list (bar PJ Harvey of course) she is the only one that is doing something different. She is the only one creating music so dark and atmospheric right now, and it is something that needs to be recognised. Guaranteed if she was to win, she’d be one of the few that are actually remembered in years to come. But, awards aren’t everything nor are the important. All that matters is that singers like Anna Calvi exist.
Whatever I say about Rachel Zeffira’s voice does not do it justice. Personally, if someone cannot hear how stunning her voice is-then they’re just daft. She posses a voice most wish they could. It is so delicate and angelic. Her voice is like hearing an Angel sing.
Seeing how she has such a gentle voice, it’d be silly for her to sing a song by a band such as, say….My Bloody Valentine, right? I mean how can someone with such a pure voice take on a song by a band that have quite a raw and dark sound. Well, she’s done it. Rachel has covered one of my favourite songs by My Bloody Valentine, To Here Knows When as part of her solo project which is soon to be released.
Who thought a Soprano trained singer could take on a song by My Bloody Valentine. As most of you know, she is in Cat’s Eyes with Faris Badwan from The Horrors. The music Cat’s Eyes make is just wonderful. Think 60s girl group/Wall of Sound. It’s just perfect.
Rachel Zeffira has one of the most angelic voices I have ever heard. I’m not a massive fan of Opera, but I could quite happily listen to her music all day.
She has a voice that makes you smile from the inside out. It’s just so beautiful, she leaves you in sheer awe.
There are some wankers (it’s the less offensive word I could think of) that seem to think Marina has “sold out” or become mainstream with her new single, Radioactive. They’re not real fans, they’re not Diamonds. So I think labelling them as wankers is okay, right? No? Good. Means I’ll call them wankers even more. Anyway, enough about them. More on Marina.
“I’m the one who left you, you’re not the one who left me” THAT is a fucking good line isn’t. I’m probably going to swear too much. I’m not even sorry, unless my mum reads this- then I am a bit sorry. I love Radioactive. The acoustic version, the original version- I don’t care, I just love the song. Her lyrics to every single song of hers just leave me speechless. I’m just in awe of how amazing she is. Most of the time I feel she is in my head writing down and saying all the things I don’t have the guts to say. She says the things I wish I could say, but if I did..I’d be called every name under the sun. The line, “I take one look at you and I grow cold” is just so damn beautiful and so bloody accurate. Everyone, I don’t care who they are, everyone has someone that they just look at and they feel so much bad feelings towards them. Their very existence just irks you. Seriously, when you hear that line- you will think of them. But then, you’ll stop thinking about them because they don’t deserve to be associated with such a song.
The acoustic version will, if you aren’t a heartles twerp, leave you covered in goose bumps. You’ll feel differently to the song. You’ll have more of an emotional attachment to it. There is something so gorgeous about Marina and just a piano. If you’ve ever seen her live, you will know exactly what I mean. Her live shows are euphoric. So liberating. This is why i love her music. It’s almost as if one can feel so bloody free from someone else’s words. When I hear certain songs by her, I just think and feel, “Fuck it…it’s okay to have these frustrations. It’s okay to dislike yourself. It’s okay to dislike others. It’s okay to be totally honest.” There’s just so much I take from her music, and Radioactive is just so enchanting. It just steals you away. “Now I’m heading for a meltdown” I challenge anyone to not relate to this lyric. You’re lying to yourself if you deny it.
There’s so many songs of Marina’s I just feel this connection with. At times it’s frustrating because I dislike having such feelings being brought up and such, but then again- who does. I remember when I first heard I Am Not A Robot and it was just so on point. I remember listening to The Family Jewels all the way through and just being in awe. Guilty is the song that at times I find impossible to listen to, just because it is so personal, it means so much to me. I was fortunate to meet her and tell her this. When you can tell the person who you admire so much what their music means to you, it’s one of the best feelings ever. She is truly one of the most loving and amazing human beings I have ever met. It was such an honour, she fucking loves her fans to pieces- and we feel the same back. The other week when she put out Fear And Loathing, there are no words to describe how it made me feel. It’s just perfect. Her music is perfect. I know perfect doesn’t exist- but sometimes, you can make an exception and with Marina I do.
I know it’s only August, but I feel I need to write this down now. Was 2011 awful? For music? No. For other things? More than likely. Yes this year was shit due to Gaga putting an album out, Amy Winehouse’s tragic death and ITV still allowing X-Factor to exist. Why it exists, I have no idea. But it is does, for those who don’t know any better.
I’m going to attempt to think of 10 reasons (in NO order because I will want to change my mind if I do that) as to why music this year was not shit. I may rant, I may not be able to think of 10 reasons.
-The Kills : Finally my favourite duo EVER released the flow-up to Midnight Boom. Blood Pressures is probably my favourite album of the year. However, come 7th November and I will say Florence’s album is. The Kills are a band that I will always love. They could (I know they won’t) make the most wankiest record ever, and I would still find something to love about it. Blood Pressures has a bluesy feel to it but still has the same raw vibe No Wow and Keep On Your Mean Side have. The Last Goodbye is the saddest song I’ve heard this year. If a song could break your heart, that would be it. The lyrics to Baby Says are stunning. I just ove how Jamie and Alison’s voices fit together. I think their bond is one of the greatest things ever. Everyone needs a friendship like that. “Send your love on a rampage, give her everything you’ve got. And when you come to hate her, show her more than just a spark” is one of the best lines off the album. However, not just from The Kills but my favourite line from a song that I have heard this year is easily, “How can I rely on my heart if I break it, with my own two hands.” The way Alison’s voice sounds on this is so beautiful but it just tears you up so much. I’m just happy to have another record by The Kills in my collection.
-The Horrors: I still want to slap people who dismiss The Horrors. Just like I want to slap those that think Skying sounds like Simple Minds. I think those that are saying these things are actually deaf. Or just extremely fucking stupid. Skying is the best album put out this year by an English group. I am still in love with the sound they had wth Strange House. But, I love how they have developed with each album. You cannot deny how much of a masterpiece Primary Colours was and still is. They’re just everything a band should be. They don’t justify what they do to anyone. They make music for them. That’s how it should be. They haven’t bought into a gimmick and gotten famous based on that. They are ALL fantastic musicians. Joshua is genius on that guitar. There aren’t enough words for me to describe my love for The Horrors.
-Zola Jesus: Quite simply one of my favourite female musicians ever. Her voice is so haunting. It takes over you and before you know it, you have been thrown into a world that you never thought existed. I love how dark and eerie her music is. I have every faith that her new album, Conatus is going to be nothing short of amazing. I love that her music just blows me away with every listen. I listen to songs such as Trust Me and Run Me Out, and this wave of amazement just takes over me. She has this force within her music that I’ve never heard in anyone before, she’s only 21 years old! I love the build-up in all her songs. It’s like this intense and euphoric takeover. Why didn’t this year suck because of Nika? Well, just listen to Vessel.
-The Weeknd: Of all the artists I found at stupid o’clock in the morning due to not being able to sleep, The Weeknd is hands down, the best thing I have discovered this year on the internet. I love his voice so much. So soulful. I love that he’s sampled Aaliyah’s voice on one of his songs and he’s also sampled Siouxise & The Banshees too. His Mixtapes are utterly mind-blowing. Trust me, you need this guy in your life. Head over to his wesite and get his Mixtapes. You’ll here amazing songs such as THIS TRACK!
-Cults: Okay, so I heard about this duo last year but their debut album came out this year so it’s allowed. What I love about this duo is their 1960s feel they have to their music. Never Saw The Point means so much to me, “I never saw the point in trying, ’cause I would only let you down. And I just couldn’t take you down there with me, I couldn’t stand to see you drown.” It’s just such a gorgeous and fragile song, I suppose that is why I adore it so much. Since its release lat year, Best Coast’s debut album has been played every day- I’m clearly going to do the same with Cults. I love that it doesn’t sound like anything around now. A fantastic debut album.
-Seapony: Seapony make me want to leave everything and everyone behind and just go live on a beach. I can’t swim, so I guess it’d be boring after a day or so. However, there is nothing more peaceful than looking out to a strectch of water listening to your favourite music. I’d love to do that to Seapony. I love the summer vibe they feel. Is it chillwave? I don’t know, I reckon they fit under the dream-pop genre. They remind me of The Drums mixed with Beach House and a hint of The Raveonettes. I just adore the whole sound and the gentle vocals. Especially on ongs such as Dreaming and Late Summer.
-Blood Orange: This year Dev Hynes released the first album of his current project, Blood Orange. I love everything he does. Whether it’s for others (Solange Knowles), as Lightspeed Champion or Blood Orange. Coastal Grooves is a MUST-HAVE in your collection. It’s such a strong album. It feels like New York City must have felt in the 1980s. It has a brilliant feel to it. It’s music you can just relax to and walk round the park in the sun to. There is no denying the genius that Dev is. He kills the guitar, he’s got such a distinctive voice. I just love love love him. Anything he does is just perfect.
-Summer Camp: Another duo that have won my heart over this year. I love everything about their music, however it is one song in particular that since first hearing it in February this year I have played every day. Not a day has gone by where I haven’t played it since. The synths kick in during this song and it is is SO good. Elizabeth’s voice is stunning. The lyrics to I Want You are so dark, and slightly brutal. But hey, all comes with liking someone, right? I don’t know. I like to think I don’t know. “You’re so smart, you break my heart” if someone said that to me, I’d be so flattered. It’s probably my favourite song of this year. If I was a DJ I’d play this all the time, and if no one danced to it- I’d bar them from the club.
-Morrissey: I could write an essay on this man until my hands were numb from typing. I’ve probably done it before to be honest. This year on Janice Long’s show, she played three new songs by my god, Morrissey. Every single song was perfect. For me, I fell more in love with Action Is My Middle Name. The lyrics are typical Morrissey- witty and oh so bloody charming. People Are The Same Everywhere- well, the title speaks for itself really. So true. What I love about Moz is that he has always done what is real and honest to him, he’s never answered to anyone. It’s something I admire and love about him. It’s why I love him. We should ALWAYS do things for us, that makes us happy- because the day you let others rule you, you are no longer a person. I saw him twice this year- and yes as soon as he walked on stage, I bawled. I’ve seen him 4 times so far, and each time I have gone with my mum. She loves him as much as I do. I could never ever go to a Moz gig with anyone but my mum, it’d be wrong. I told her this, and she agrees. Hopefully he wil release his new album soon. “Biting my initials into your neck. You are my possession, you don’t realise yet. Am I moving too fast for you? Am I begining to confuse you?” Only Morrissey could say such a thing. Hero. Absolute hero.
-Florence & The Machine: I really couldn’t make this list without mentioning Florence could I. After hearing What The Water Gave Me (studio version) I cannot ait for 7th November. I just know that her second album will blow my mind. My last article on Florence just sums up my love for her, so I won’t bore you with another essay. Her album is out in time for my birthday (HI MUM!!!!) and I am hoping there’s a tour. The sound has a more soulful and gospel feel to it which I love so much. I’m beyond happy that the album is out this year, some said that it would be out the start of 2012, I guess it’s too good to make us wait. Besides, she’s worked with Paul Epworth on it- you just know it is going to be THE album of the year.
As I feel like I have missed so much out, here are some tracks by artists that have made 2011 less shittier than it was:
Beat In My Bones. 