Beach House-Wild.

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“And in a while,
You start a smile.
The earth is wild,
We’ve got no time.”

When something happens, I am fortunate enough to be one of those people who just let it go. My teenage years were made up of nagging thoughts that I was sure would haunt me forever; they thankfully leave in time. Those nagging thoughts were replaced with something else. They were replaced with just attempting to take it easy on myself. I have good days and bad days. My own worst critic. It’s alright. But something happened exactly two weeks ago at about 9pm. Something happened that just will not leave me alone. You know who is to blame? Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand. Beach House.

I’ve already written about seeing them two weeks ago in London. I can’t read it because I’ll want to add more and more. This is post-gig something or other. I need a word for it, but it isn’t happening. At first I thought it was just the gig in general that did something to me. Turns out it is one song in particular. One song which I didn’t expect to do anything to me. I was wrong, again. So bloody wrong.

I honestly thought Take Care or Myth would be the songs that would ruin me after the gig (during the gig, we don’t talk about it. They played them after each other. It was like they knew!!) Beach House opened with Wild. I’ve had a soft spot for this song, but over the past few weeks I have learnt that it is more important to me than any other song right now. I wish I knew why, but I think I need to let that go. I have to, because I will just sit and play it over and over trying to work it out. I’m pretty much doing that now as I type. Maybe I’ll get some answers after I’ve written this. Or the obvious will happen; I’ll stay frustrated with this thought and resign myself to the fact that Wild is a gorgeous song.

Victoria’s voice live is as perfect as it is on record. Her voice is equally as delicate and so perfect. People say perfection doesn’t exist, but I think you can make exceptions. Victoria’s voice is an exception. My girlfriend, who came with me to the gig, wasn’t really a Beach House fan- now she is. THANK YOU BEACH HOUSE! Anyway. Victoria’s voice on Wild for some reason holds something different to her voice on other songs. As she sings “Wild in our ways, go on pretending” towards the end of the song, it sounds like a plea. A plea to just cling onto youth and dreams. To cling onto whatever keeps you safe in your thoughts. The drums on this live were stunning. The felt like a gentle rumble within the soul and the way Alex plays the guitar just feels like you are watching the sun rise. Everything about this song is pure. It truly comes to life when you witness it live. I think two weeks ago I had some kind of epiphany but I really cannot work out what it was.

I remember when I bought Bloom when it came out last year. I just played New Year constantly. It was the song I really became obsessed with. Then I started to just playing the whole record over and over. I realised that every Beach House song has always summed up feelings that have no names. Maybe they do have names, but the way in which Beach House project it is much more beautiful. Part of me thought, maybe this feeling happened whilst witnessing Wild live was because I had the one I completely and utterly love next to me. Would I have felt this way if I went with a friend? Probably, because I did feel like it was just me and the band in the room. Sure I was aware that others were there, but that gig was one moment I wish I could relive for the rest of time.

Wild just evokes so much. I was walking home from the gym last night just playing it over and over. The sun was going down, and I was walking down this road that seemed to go on forever. When the drums kicked in, a car went past quite fast with its lights on full beam. It fitted perfectly with the song. Obviously the driver didn’t know I was listening to this song and probably didn’t even see me there. But when you wander around (I do this a lot) listening to music, you create scenes in your head. It didn’t feel like real life, and we all know that real life can be a drag at times. I felt like I was in a daze but at the same time- the full beam lights did something. As did the song.

I’ve not written this for any reason. I don’t think there’s a reason to it. You don’t need to justify everything. However, I am none the wiser as to what Wild did to me 2 weeks ago and what it is still doing to me. Maybe it has given me some hope. I need it. Maybe it has given me some secret form of strength. I don’t know if I need that. Wants and needs are so very different, but sometimes they are exactly the same. Maybe the song is saying its okay to be a bit careless at times and to just carry on. We grow up in our own ways. We don’t need to say “Well, I am *insert age* and know it all.” You know nothing, that’s why you’re alive because you are learning as you go. Make all the mistakes you can and learn. You don’t need to broadcast to all what you have learnt. Keep it to yourself. I advise you to listen to Wild. If it makes you feel like it has made me feel, please let me know. Maybe you have a word for it. Or maybe you just “get it.” I don’t know.

I think Wild is just going to be one of those songs that I will treasure for the rest of my life, and when I hear it everything will be perfect and pure in my mind and soul.

FOALS. Royal Albert Hall. 28th March 2013. Matinée Show.

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I’ve loved Foals from the very start. I’ve wanted to see them live from the first day I ever heard of them. No one I knew ever liked them enough to go with me to see them. Fortunately, I have a brilliant girlfriend who understands my love for them. So after waiting what seemed an eternity, this afternoon I finally got to see them. I didn’t think I could deal with the excitement after seeing Beach House on Tuesday because since then everything has been a blur, and I think it still is. I think this is the only way to solider on through life in general. Stay in a daze.

They came on stage. One by one. First Jimmy, then lastly Yannis. It was kind of hard to see Yannis as he’s only a few inches taller than me. I’m not exactly tall, but you learn to embrace being short. I suppose.

The set list is incredible. Who cares that Afterglow or Cassius or Balloons wasn’t played. They ended on Two Steps, Twice. Nothing can beat that. NOTHING. Oh maybe except for Yannis going into the crowd a few times. No big deal (it really was.) Mid-set he had sailed through the seating area with his guitar then into the standing. Greeted by roaring cheers. Fans anxious to touch and take a photo of their modern-day hero.

I want to talk about the venue briefly before I go on about how incredible this afternoon was. I’ve never been to the Royal Albert Hall, but I’ve always wanted to see something special. Even from the outside, you know you are about to walk into something truly spectacular. When I walked in, I was in awe of how many people were there. Everything from the stage set-up to the general architecture of the building was truly breath-taking. Then Foals came on and just blew my mind. The way they play is just so bloody tight, and with so much love. Jimmy jangles about the stage; his towering frame is difficult to tear your eyes away from. Jack’s drumming is just out of this world. Walter is the smoothest bassist around. Edwin is in another world on the keys. Yannis is probably one of the best frontmen around. He doesn’t need to engage in pointless talk to keep you hooked. The way he sings every single word- especially off their latest record, Holy Fire seems like some kind of much needed release.

I never thought, for some reason they would play Bad Habit live. But they did, and I really don’t think I can fully explain how badly I wanted to hear it.  Holy Fire is a beautiful record, and lets face it; it is the best record of 2013 so far. On record it is just so stunning. How can it sound equally as beautiful live? Quite easily. When they played Moon it was honestly one of the best moments I have ever EVER seen at a gig. You don’t need me to tell you how gorgeous Spanish Sahara was too. You know that euphoric point in the song? Just after the intense build-up? If you’ve never witnessed it live, then you may not have experienced perfection.

I thought I couldn’t take anymore strobe lighting after Beach House on Tuesday, turns out everyone loves a strobe! The lighting at the Royal Albert Hall was just phenomenal. A lot of time and effort, and so much thought and care has evidently gone into playing their two shows today at the Royal Albert Hall. I’m not really sure if anyone else could pull off something so brilliant. The crowd was jumping up and grabbing the lights and just generally having the best time. For that hour and a half, nothing in the world seemed to matter. Nothing does matter when you’re in the company of one of your favourite bands really. How could you possibly have a care in the world when stood in front of one of the best bands this country has?! What was also lovely about the crowd was the diversity. There wasn’t a generic kind of person there. Foals fans love music, you can tell just by watching how they react to seeing them live.

What I really loved was looking around this gorgeous venue and just seeing everyone going a bit mental to certain songs. Songs such as My Number and Total Life Forever. Looking around and see everyone glow in the midst of everything was just gorgeous. I don’t have a strong memory, but this afternoon’s gig is something that is going to be permanently cemented in my brain for a very long time. You try your best to cling onto certain moments in life to get you through, I think this will be one of them.

From Jack stepping out from the drums to get the crowd to clap to Yannis’ vocals on Late Night, everything about this afternoon was excellent. More bands should do matinée shows because when you leave you feel you are in a dream world. Maybe you are. It’s hard to believe a band like Foals are real. I always knew they put on a brilliant live show from reviews I’ve read and clips I have seen, but to finally see it for myself is something else. Something that just makes you want to keep on seeing it. It may be the first time I’ve seen them, but I know it sure as hell will not be the last.

Like with Beach House earlier in the week, this show just proved that waiting is not really an issue, especially if it is for something as special and as magnificent as this. Not only did Foals reinforce my love for them this afternoon, but also for my love for music in general. It’s easy to just like a band or music out of habit, but this was out of this world. The way the lighting looked like ripples in water during Spanish Sahara to the ending of Inhaler, this show was just made up of special moments that I will always hold very dear to me.

JOE INNES & THE CAVALCADE- Fables.

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I dislike a certain kind of Folk music. The kind where they stand on stage looking helpless slanting to one side telling pointless stories. I don’t need mention names because it isn’t nice.

It’s a good job Joe Innes actually has something to offer you in comparison to most. I fell in love with his music last year. He is nothing short of incredible and has supported the likes of She Keeps Bees and Sea Of Bees. Joe is the boss of the Anti-Folk scene, you may have thought it was dead, but you weren’t paying enough attention. It was being wasted on others. Oh how foolish.

His charm and wit truly shone on The Frighteners, and Fables is the first new release since last year’s record. Worth the wait? Yes, because there are mentions of dinosaurs and the killing of Jesse James. Fables is beautifully boisterous and just as charming as anything from The Frighteners. In his email to me, he said it is their best recording to date. Everyone says that don’t they. I listened to some of The Frighteners again just to see if he was right. You should always trust in the music, and that I did. Fables is nothing like previous releases and yes, it is the best he has done to date.

I’ve had Fables on repeat, and there is no way anyone could ever fault Joe’s songwriting skills. He tells tales in a way that you’ve probably been longing for. Fables makes you feel as if you are in some kind of Western, Joe’s the one that’s going to rescue you with his heroic lyrics full of wisdom and wit. There’s probably nothing else you really need. He is honestly one of London’s finest.

Fables is out on the 13th May, and you can listen to the brilliant track right here: https://soundcloud.com/joeinnesandthecavalcade/joe-innes-and-the-cavalcade-fables

 

MISHKIN FITZGERALD-Present Company.

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Last year I wrote about an amazing band from Brighton called Birdeatsbaby. They had this brilliant cabaret feel to their music, something which I’d never really enjoyed before until then. More than likely because they had a dark vibe going on. It basically felt like Nick Cave at the circus, it was amazing. Now their lead singer has a solo record out, and it’s a lot darker and I think my ability to not be able to sleep means I’m going to ramble on more than usual. You take the good where you can.

Let’s just firstly appreciate that She Makes War feature on the song Raise The Bar. The guitar kicks in with haunting vocals and nothing else really seems to matter; it’s enough to melt your brain but you cannot help but listen to it intensely. It’s an intense song with a few dramatic build-ups and quiet moments that may spook you. It is bloody excellent.

The title track, Present Company is the perfect opener and just shows how strong her voice is. It also shows how deeply influenced by classical music Mishkin is. Her voice sounds so vulnerable over the piano, think Nick Cave singing Into My Arms. That kind of vulnerable. Then the drums kick in and she develops this attitude that is found in my idol, Patti Smith. A song that sounds so simple is made up of so much. I’ve had it on repeat, I should move onto the rest of the record. The drumming on this song is so furious, it is perfect.

My Body, A Bridge is incredibly chilling. It sounds so eerie and is just so beautifully sad. Some of the best songs ever written are sad. There are no other words to describe them, sad is the only word you can use. I’d probably cry if I wasn’t too tired (and I’m pretty sure I cried enough at Beach House on Tuesday to last a while!) Again, it is so simply composed but you know there is so so much more to it.

The constant vibe surrounding this record is dark. It is probably why I like it. I’m not really one for enjoying songs that are about sunshine and flowers. That isn’t for me. I want poetic words over haunting music. You pretty much get all that and more from Mishkin’s record. She sounds so fearless and in control of every element of this record. How many artists can you sense that from? Not many. She has that raw energy that is found in the likes of Shirley Manson and Courtney Love.

I love how cryptic most of the songs sound, especially on I Want This. Cryptic and slightly menacing, but you don’t really pay too much attention to that because of how strong yet delicate her voice sounds. And also, her piano playing skills are simply gorgeous. This is a person who truly believes in music, more importantly THEIR music, which is how it should be. It is nothing like Birdeatsbaby which is a good thing. Her solo record is a different side to her, but just as divine as the music she makes in Birdeatsbaby.

There can sometimes be beauty in heartache, Present Company demonstrates that in such a careful way with utter truth. Stitches is going to be the song that hits you right in the gut. It is phenomenal.

Present Company is out on the 1st May on Dead Round Eyes Records.

BEACH HOUSE. Shepherd’s Bush. 26th March 2013.

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You have to wait for things you want don’t you. Sometimes you have to wait a long time, sometimes it just hits you when you don’t expect it to. Or someone can be really kind and help you. Patience is important. Waiting is an art-form. Could be the other way round. Either way, it still stands.

I cannot tell you how many years I have waited to see Beach House. I had tickets to see them about 2 years ago, but reasons led to me having to sell the tickets and unable to go. At the time I was a bit upset, but looking back- I’m glad it happened. Why see them in Manchester when I could see them in one of the best venues in London!

They opened with Wild. Pretty sure tears came immediately. I knew it would happen. It is like every time I have seen Morrissey live. He walks on stage and tears just fall. Alex and Victoria are delicate performers, but play with all they have. Their drummer (who I cannot remember the name of) is incredible. Watching these three perform was an honour. What made it special was that it was the band’s 20th show in London.

I want to talk about seeing Take Care live. When Teen Dream came out, this was the song that I played over and over. All I seemed to want was to just see this song live. I didn’t care for much else, I just wanted to see this song. Two years ago when my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer (she’s fine now) I showed her this song. When Beach House played the intro to Take Care, I could feel my eyes getting heavier and I felt like no one else was in the room. I was back to two years ago in my mind and  I just cried. It didn’t help that they played Myth straight after. The thing is though, it felt like a healing process of sorts. Take Care broke my heart and Myth fixed it instantly.

The extreme strobe lighting kept the band in flickering darkness for the most part, and during certain songs the light resembled sunrise across Victoria’s face. he darkness made it all a bit more personal as you felt as if you were part of a world that no one else was aware of. I don’t think there is a better way to spend a (very) cold Tuesday evening to be honest.

Their set list was unreal. Even though Lover Of Mine wasn’t played, they played quite a bit of earlier songs including Heart Of Chambers. Quite early in their set they played an early track and within 5 seconds of the intro, a girl yelled “I LOVE THIS SONG!” The excitement in her voice was brilliant. I looked at the crowd a few times during songs, and all I saw were faces that looked really happy in that moment. Life can be dull and miserable, but for those 2 hours everyone in that room was in a perfect state of mind (if you excuse some of us crying during certain songs that is!) I could quite happily only ever watch Beach House for the rest of my life. Every feeling they evoked was nothing short of euphoria. Every song felt like some kind of spiritual healing and a lesson. It’s alright to be gentle, it’s okay to be unsure. The answer seems to be found in a Beach House song.

I would quite happily wait a few more years to see Beach House again (Victoria said tonight’s show was their last here for a while) because what you get out of it is the most gorgeous and blissed out feeling imaginable. I knew that seeing Beach House would be incredible, but I didn’t expect it to be this huge. I think it is beyond words how they make you feel when you see them. It’s one thing to fall in love with them on record, but to be in the company of them as they perform the songs that in a way saved you, honestly no words can do it justice.

Beach House fans aren’t dickheads (well, the ones here weren’t) and it was just a lovely environment to be in. They don’t speak to the crowd much, but that’s okay. Everything about this gig exceeded perfection. I developed more understanding and admiration for their song Real Love tonight. And seeing New Year live just blew my mind. Well bollocks to it, the whole thing blew my mind and it was one of the most perfect moments I can recall. They are a sacred band, and those that love them know just how sacred they are. They know just how important they are. I always thought Victoria had a strong voice on record, and that Alex was a brilliant guitarist. But after seeing them live, it’s hard to believe talent like that is real.

Beach House have lyrics for you to use as guidance, and when Victoria said she wished she could speak to us all, and then said “in a way we are” it all made sense. Their music isn’t just music, well, for me it isn’t. For me they are a lifeline and some kind of safety net. They’re not just a band, they are a massive source of comfort.

*Also, Matt Berry (The IT Crowd) was there..I just felt like mentioning that.

EVOL.

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As a Music Writer (I hate the term “Music Critic” or “Music Journalist”) it is always really nice when a band reach out to you. It’s even better when they make music that you really really love.

I believe you shouldn’t use age or any of those factors when talking about musicians. It doesn’t take anything away from their music, but Evol are pretty young. But they are also pretty damn amazing.

The singer, Kevin emailed me maybe an hour or so ago. He’s from Burlington. It’s in New Jersey. You may or may not have heard of it. When a band on the other side of the world reach out to you, well, it’s a nice feeling. It’s nice knowing someone is paying attention to you. So you must return the favour. I had to return the favour, I couldn’t ignore such a band at all. The music Kevin and his friend Luke make is brilliant. Two people making a LOT of noise. You know how I love duos who make noise. The Kills started all that a long time ago for me. It is something that has stuck, and I’m glad it has. I can’t imagine not having that as one of my music based habits.

Evol make music that will gloriously melt your brain. They unleash a lot of fury, which is understandable. Kevin told me that where he lives, people are either into death metal or 2 Chainz. And I thought where I live was bad. We all face our own battles, right?! They are influenced by Sonic Youth. There aren’t many shit bands that are influenced by Sonic Youth. It is like Sonic Youth were put here to influence and bring out the best in budding musicians. I think, by judging Evol, they’ve filled their purpose and much more.

The thing that really sold me was that Kevin has only been playing guitar for just over a year. In such a short time he’s managed to create his own noise that you cannot help but want more and more from. There’s also one other thing that really touched me. Kevin is influenced by Punk Rock. The good stuff. The genre that taught a generation to speak up and take no shit from anybody. The genre that spoke to so many; and still does. It is not dead, a lot of band still carry that Punk Rock ethic with them. You don’t have to be in a band to do that, you can apply it to everyday life; to just keep on going. But, Kevin said something that I thought was truly beautiful about Punk Rock, and also makes me believe (and hope) that Evol go far with their music. He said this: “Punk Rock taught me that I don’t have to live up to African-American stereotypes.” It is sad that we live in a world where we have to live up to what is expected, but you know what? Thank goodness for Punk Rock to save our souls and teach us important lessons such as not giving in to those stereotypes.

You can listen to Kevin and Luke’s music here: https://soundcloud.com/#covert-bummer You should play it pretty loud. It’ll infect your brain in a good way. Always in a good way. They’ve done a brilliant cover of Sonic Youth’s  Silver Rocket. Oh and their own song Solitude is beautiful also. They don’t just stick to one style of music. They mix lo-fi with ambient vibes and hints of Krautrock. I love them. I just love them.

 

(Oh and Kevin agrees with me that The Jesus And Mary Chain are better than The Beatles. Not many hold this opinion, but it’s good to know that someone else shares it. It’s a shame we live in a world where disliking them is wrong. We can all have an opinion, remember that. Be nice.)

Garbage & Marissa Paternoster-Because The Night.

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Yes I dislike covers, but only when they are done in a mundane fashion. If you’re going to take someone elses work, then please do something to change it slightly. Add something to it. I don’t know what, but blow people’s minds. You have the power to do so, so you should.

So, with my dislike for covers those that are familiar with the best day of the year, RECORD STORE DAY will be aware of some of the releases that are coming out. I’ve got my eyes (and hopefully hands) on The Horrors/Toys split release. Looks good. However, there’s one in particular that got my attention more than others.

Patti Smith is my ultimate idol, closely followed by Shirley Manson. Basically, I have a thing for women who aren’t afraid to speak up and use their voices for the greater good. Oh, and they also make insanely beautiful music. No days have gone by where I haven’t listened to Garbage or Patti Smith. I just have to. That’s all there is to it.

Most are familiar with Patti’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Because The Night. Probably the best love song of all time? Oh go on then. Some have covered it and butchered it. There was a truly awful dance version of it some time ago. I wanted to do a Van Gogh; it was that bad. Then you have some who cover it and bring back the beauty and purity in it. They nail it. They bring it back to perfection.

Record Store Day sees the release of Garbage and Marissa Paternoster’s (Screaming Females. Listen to them. They are a brilliant rock band) cover of Because The Night. The live clips I have seen are out of this world. But my favourite has to be from Garbage’s show in New York at Terminal 5 from this Friday just gone.

Marissa is THE best guitarist around right now. No doubt about it. She has such a distinctive voice that goes so well with Shirley’s. You can see why both bands have come together to do this release. They just work so well together. One can only hope they do more.

When your hero covers a song by one of your heroes and makes it just as beautiful, it makes you proud. Makes you proud to not just a music lover, but proud to love both bands. Everything about their cover is all kinds of wonderful. The way Shirl and Marissa look at each whilst singing this is gorgeous. You can see how Shirl has taken Marissa under her wig, and in time will probably be just as empowering as her. She’s probably already there to be honest.

Anyway, go to your local record store on Record Store Day (20th April) and buy this. Buy some others too. Support your local record store, always.

 

“Walk through the fire,walk ’till it gets light. There is no hiding to save your life.”

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Bad luck happens to us all. It happens to some more than most. Some attract bad vibes, bad people and bad luck. Thing is, what you class as bad luck may seem like something trivial to someone else. This is why you should never measure yourself against other people’s woes. When you do that you start to carry more dislike for yourself because you feel pathetic for feeling a bit silly. It happens, you are human. It’d be much easier if you were an animal wouldn’t it. Or you know, didn’t have any feelings.

Bad luck will catch up to the luckiest of people. Call it what you want, it always does. I think I was pretty shit in my past life because of certain step. One step forward is about 50 backwards. The further backwards you go, the more careful you are when making your next move. So really, it isn’t all so bad. The older I get, the less I find what I am good at. The things I am good at are utterly useful. My brain is like a jukebox, and my limbs are too short. My body fat is decreasing because I basically live at the gym. I don’t think anyone understands how happy I am that I’ve gone down a size or two, and that I can zip up my favourite hoodie..AND THERE IS ROOM. I’m good at losing my body fat; can’t make a living from that can I?! No, I can’t. Me? Do a fitness video? Never. I don’t understand them. Go outside and do stuff.

I had a nap earlier and woke up with hair that resembles Nick Cave when he was in The Birthday Party. Wild. Truly wild. It’s the only thing about me that is. But it’s alright. Some want to conform, I just want to catch up on some sleep. Bad luck.

Bad luck is happening to us all. Some of us ignore the bad and appreciate the good. That’s how it should be. Even with fuck-ups and set-backs. You see people thrive off being utterly miserable. I have my grumpy moments. I have them more than I wish, but it’s only when I am here. When I am with her, everything is just fine. Not grumpy at all. But, it’s just something I must deal with for now. It isn’t bad luck, it’s just a crappy situation. I could be further,  but thankfully I’m not.

Bad luck doesn’t define you. Everything shit that happens to you doesn’t rule you. Just because one person cannot stand you doesn’t mean you are awful. Just because someone feels the need to be awful about you doesn’t mean you have a problem. They’re the ones with the problem. But, we live in a world it seems where having an opinion is a bit lethal. Like you’re not allowed to speak up. If you see someone doing something wrong or harming someone, then fucking speak up because you’d want someone to save you.

Just because you’re carrying around some bad luck doesn’t mean you’ve got to share your negativity with anyone. Explain your troubles, but don’t act like you are the only one with them. I’d write a book but not even I would read the rubbish I write.

Maybe I should just go find a new band to fall for and write about.

Bad luck..just shrug it off, kid.

NAS-Illmatic.

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“I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death.
Beyond the walls of intelligence, life is defined.
I think of crime when I’m in a New York state  of mind.”

April 19th 1994. One of the greatest hip hop records of all time came out. For a lot of rappers, this record has been their blueprint. I bought it a good few years after it came out. It was one of the first hip hop records I bought with my own money. I wasn’t listening to hip hop; it was sheer poetry. Poetry in the most unconventional way possible. I’ve played it more times than I’ve played anything I own by Bob Dylan or the Velvet Underground. I guess, even though I favour a lot of bands more than most, I think hip hop will always have my heart. I cannot explain why, and that’s why I know it is real love. When you are able to explain why you love something/someone you probably need to re-think your love for them, because you shouldn’t be able to pin-point it. It should just be a fact. Unconditional and forever.

Illmatic is ten tracks of the ugly truth. Listen to NY State Of Mind; it isn’t the New York television shows portray. Nas’ version, his ode (in a sense) to New York is the raw truth. That’s what I’ve always loved about Nas; he just gives you the truth. I always hated the Jay-Z/Nas thing. Much like I hated the Tupac/Biggie battle. They’re all different, but had the same story. They all overcame their own personal struggles to make something of themselves. Two of them did it in a shorter time but left a legacy that will outlive us all.

With his debut record, you cannot deny that Nas pretty much revived the Queensbridge hip hop scene. He’s QB’s finest, easily. The way he couples words together on Illmatic was enough to make you take pen to paper and write your own story in any way possible. One of (if not my favourite) sample Nas uses on Illmatic is on the track, Memory Lane. He uses Pickin’ Boogers by one of the most underrated rappers ever, Biz Markie. But then the sample of Come In Out Of The Rain by Parliament on Life’s A Bitch is incredible too. A heavily sampled record, but it’s still flawless. I don’t think any true hip hop fan doesn’t own this. Even if they don’t own anything else by Nas, they cannot deny just how inspirational and how powerful Illmatic is.

The relaxed vibe of The World Is Yours makes you pretty much see how the film Scarface influenced a hell of a lot of hip hop artists (Jay-Z also sampled The World Is Yours on Dead Presidents.) It’s also one of the many highlights of Illmatic. I’ve listened to it so many times, and I don’t think I could ever find one song I love more than others. With every listen, I find another element to love. I notice more. As I listen to it with older ears, I find more to love. I can truly appreciate Nas’ way with words. I did when I bought it, but as I’ve matured (a bit) I can take more meaning from it, but one thing still remains; it is always going to a record a lot of rappers strive to make. They try to make their Illmatic.

Halftime is the one song I remember being hugely obsessed with when I bought Illmatic. I just played it over and over. My obsession was then turned onto One Love, pretty sure it was because Q-Tip was on it, and produced it. These were the two songs I remember fawning over. Then I just listened to Illmatic from start to finish on repeat. Over and over. But like I said, cannot pick a favourite but those two were the first I feel in love with. The way the words flow on Halftime is just ridiculous. It’s insane how someone so young could make music like that. He became one of the greatest immediately. That rarely happens.

I’ve stayed a loyal fan to Nas. I can’t imagine my record collection being without his music, it’d be senseless. Sure enough I cannot relate to a lot of his subject matters; but I know what it’s like to be frustrated with your situation and seeing no way out. Knowing you’re so far away from making something of yourself. But you find an escape. In words, music, anything. Creativity can cure some of it. The frustration in One Love, of hearing someone so young go through having friends killed to being in jail; no one should ever have to go through that. Regardless of age.

I learnt a lot from Nas. From how to make words flow as perfect as I can together (whether here or in my notebooks full of lyrics..no you cannot and will not see them) he just made it seem so effortless, but at times it can be a headache. Some of his records since have been hit or miss, but that depends on who you ask. I know a lot of Nas fans will regard the song One Mic (taken from Stillmatic) as one of the best hip hop songs ever made, and it truly is. Even if you were never a fan of Nas you really cannot deny how powerful that song is and how the dramatic build-up in the first few verses are. And also how the come down in the last verse just shudders your soul. Play it to anyone who says hip hop is pointless. They’re probably into the pointless stuff. Give them something they can feel.

It does make me sad, as a hip hop lover, that hip hop is no longer like this. It has lost some meaning in some respects- but hopefully someone will come along and be as great as artists such as Nas to Big L to Kurtis Blow. Illmatic was the soundtrack to New York in 1994 and it probably still is. Nas never has romanticised what he sees, that was obvious from the very start. Nothing ever needs to be covered up to look or sound nice- just let the truth out, but do it from the heart. That’s exactly what Illmatic did, and still does. Timeless and nothing short of a masterpiece.

LOOM-I Get A Taste.

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LOOM

Last year I wrote about my favourite new band. A band that are so exciting, they make you want to break stuff because they get you that excited. Or maybe I just want to break stuff so I can say I have done something outrageous. Whatever.

Loom are incredible. I love them. They were the highlight of last year because they brought something new. I got my cassette of Bleed On Me and I’ve played it only once. I don’t want to ruin it. I’ve pre-ordered their new one, I Get A Taste and I’m sure I’ll just play it once out of fear of ruining it.

I Get A Taste is just as ferocious as Bleed On Me. Thing is, even if they did some insane power ballad it would still sound brutal because thankfully, Tarik has a voice like no other. He’s got this fucking incredible and passionate gravely tone to his voice which makes you so bloody thankful that a band like this exist because I am sick of a lot of what I hear. Do you remember how exciting it was when you first heard The Kills? Spiritualized? Bands like that. Bands like The Jesus And Mary Chain or more recently The Men; they all had/have something so exciting about them. This excitement makes you glad you went out of your way to find something new.

I think seeing Loom live would leave you bruised and beaten. That’s how you know you’ve had a good time at a gig. They make music to thrash around to. Music that’s not like anything else around. Throw your body around and into the walls. Unleash all the fury. All of the fury inside. Let it all out, let it all go.

I don’t think there’s anything left to say except for, it isn’t too late for you to pre-order the 7″ which is out on Monday on Hate Hate Hate records : http://www.roughtrade.com/albums/70155