Tag Archives: Jeremy Warmsley

Summer Camp-Welcome To Condale.

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Welcome To Condale? More like…WELCOME TO THE BEST ALBUM OF 2011. Seriously, I wasn’t going to allow myself to love analbum this year as much as The Horrors, The Kills or Florence- but I’ve decided that I have far too much love to go around to limit myself to one record. What I mean is- I lied. All those times I claimed to have found the best record of the year-I lied. Until RIGHT NOW. I can safely say not only have Summer Camp put out the best album of the year but it is also the best debut album of the year.

If you’ve been daft enough to read anything I’ve written or if you know me (I’m sorry) you will have probably had me tell you that I Want You by Summer Camp is the best thing to have happened this year. Since February I have played it every day. It’s taken over my life. Well, not as dramatic as that but I do love the song a hell of a lot. It’s about how love should be. Is it a stalker song? I don’t think it is, but I can see why someone would think that. Personally, I think it is the best song to have come out this year. I’ve spent most of this year listening to a lot of records. Some have made me nauseas, some have made me happy, some have made me weep- but NO song apart from I Want You has made me feel so stupidly happy. I have no idea what it is. It’s the music, Elizabeth’s voice, the lyrics, the production- EVERYTHING. I love when the drums kick in and the synths just blow your mind. I’ve written about this song so many times and I can sense I’m going to go off on one if I don’t move onto a different song.

The album opens with their last single, Better Off Without You. It’s my favourite “fuck you, you’re a massive wanker” song of this year. I like songs that tell someone to sod off in a roundabout way. Probably because I’m too much of a coward to do it myself. Not that I need to right now, but you know what I mean. I love how the intro sounds like something from an awful 80s film. I’m not dissing the song. You know those awful 80s films that you have to watch because they are so bad- they are good? That’s what I mean. I’m giving a compliment, I’m just making a massive mess out of it. In short, Better Off Without You sounds very 80s and is bloody brilliant. I probably should’ve said that in the first place.

I want to draw your attention to Jeremy’s vocals on Brian Krakow. They are amazing! I love love LOVE this song. Basically, how I feel about I Want You- every song on this album makes me feel. It is that AMAZING. I cannot praise this record enough, I really can’t. During my last two years of Uni I was a huge fan of Jeremy’s music. I thought it was so heartfelt and passionate. A fantastic musican with a lot of heart and talent for him to be part of my favourite band of 2011 (and part of 2010) is just mind-blowing. I think it is safe to say that Elizabeth and Jeremy are the best duo around (this doesn’t include The Kills because I’m mentally married to Alison.) Their voices work so bloody well together, it’s just perfect. Perfection does exist, you can find it on this record.

Oh look, I seem to have gone back a few tracks and I’m listening to I Want You again. It’d be rude to skip this song.

This album was funded from the Pledge Music site. Jeremy and Elizabeth made stuff, sold the stuff to then make this album. Everything from demos to brownies to a gig in your home was part of the pledge. Is this the future of how all records are going to be made? Possibly. It’s a bloody good way of doing it. It means the artists get full creative control and can make the music that they want and not have some chubby boss in an ill-fitting suit telling them what to do.

I have been looking forward to this record for so long. I don’t get excited about much. Well, music wise I suppose I do. More than one should I guess, but I’m not sorry. I don’t know what I was expecting from this record. I knew it was going to be a solid record, but I honestly didn’t expect every single track to make me feel so fucking happy and just want to hug someone. I do like a good cuddle, but you know what I mean. The drums, the guitars, synthy things- it is all perfect. There are some sad songs on this record but the music just makes you ignore that. The lyrics are ridiculously brilliant. They don’t need to write pretentious bull-turd to make a point or to make you feel what they are singing. “This house isn’t big enough for the both of us.” such a beautiful line, taken from Losing My Mind. Another favourite. Their vocals sound so beautiful together on this record.

I love Summer Camp (the track) and the intro has a wonderful “YOU CRAZY BITCH!” sample from a film on the intro. This is another reason as to why I love the duo. They use brilliant film samples in their music. It makes you feel really part of the record. Sometimes artists create amazing music, but you cannot feel part of it. Summer Camp don’t do that. You feel like you are living in Condale in this record. You feel like you know Brian Krakow. We probably know someone like him don’t we. A brilliant name too. Very 80s German porn star-ish. I’m joking….or am I?! 😉 When a band have a song named after the band, it is always amazing. My only reference to this are Summer Camp and Warpaint. Oh look, two of my favourite bands. I’m biased, don’t judge.

Nobody Knows You is wonderful. I honestly feel like a massive wanker picking apart the songs and telling you about them. Can’t you just go out and buy the record on Monday? Go on. Do it. Go to your local record shop and buy this wonderful work of art. It is truly a masterpiece.

It is hard to believe that this is their debut full length album because it sounds like something a band well into their career would make. I’m not just saying this because I love the band I lot. If I thought the record was toss- I wouldn’t write over a thousands words telling you about why it is amazing. Welcome To Condale makes you feel like you are living in the 80s. Hopefully not wearing neon legging and a shellsuit/tracksuit jacket. Actually, I hear wearing that whilst listening to this record gives it a different vibe. Go try it. I won’t tell anyone. Don’t send me a photo.

Their new single, Down is UHHHHHHmazing. Have you seen the video? Do you want to? Of course you do. It’s directed by Chris Boyle and it’s probably the best video if the year.

I don’t think I’ve ever written this much about a record before, maybe it’s because I’ve never heard anything like this before. It is truly wonderful. I don’t care if you hate synths or anything that sounds a bit 80s- I’m like that. I’m not really a huge fan, but fuck it- Summer Camp do it in a way that deserves your attention. So, on Monday I want you (see what I did!) to go out and buy Welcome To Condale. Then I want you (I’m not sorry) to send the band a nice message on Twitter telling them you love the record and it is the best thing you’ve heard all year. Can you do that? Good. Oh and make sure you go see them on their UK tour in a few weeks.

Elizabeth, Jeremy; THANK YOU for this wonderful record. It is obvious how much love and hard-work has gone into this record. It is truly mind-blowing.

 

Summer Camp- Better Off Without You (Video.)

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My favourite duo have put out the video to their new single, Better Off Without You. As you know, I Want You has been my main obsession this year. I play it every single day, it’s just so perfect. Song of the year? No doubt.

The video has a lovely 70s feel to it, it’s shot so beautifully.

Oh and….Remember, remember the 31st October- their debut album comes out!

The single is out now, SUPPORT IT!

Summer Camp.

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There’s one song that I heard in February this year that I have to play at least five times a day. It’s like a ritual. I listen to this song and it’s like a wave of emotions take me over. Not in a “I need to cry because everything is toss” kind of way. No no, far from it. I listen to this song and everything about it just shoots through me. I feel like a child at Christmas. I feel my body being covered in goose-bumps when the synths and drum machine kick in. I honestly advise nobody to be around me when I hear this song. I’ve written about this song loads on here, I love it so much. With every listen, I find something else to love.

The song is of course, I Want You by Summer Camp.

I’m utterly in love with everything about this band. I love Jeremy Warmsley. I first heard of him in 2008 whilst I was at Uni. His solo stuff was just gorgeous. He’s now working with the beautiful Elizabeth Sankey- who make up the duo that is, Summer Camp. I love her delicate voice, although it posses great power. I just love them to pieces. I think if I ever witnessed I Want You live, I’d probably get taken away due to going a wee bit mental. The lyrics are just (pardon my awful language) FUCKING amazing. It’s what love and lust should be about. I seriously cannot put into words how much I love this song. I think I should mention some other songs because they have so many!

You’d think after a song such as I Want You, the duo would put something else out that follows suit right? WRONG. Better Off Without You is quite frankly AWESOME. It’s a wonderful “Piss off, you’re an annoying piece of doo-doo” kind of song. I advise anyone who’s been dumped or got rid of annoying twerps out of their lives to listen to this song. You’ll feel about 60 feet tall and you’ll feel so much better about everything. The wonderful electro feel is still there, and Elizabeth’s vocals are as distinctive as ever. You can really sense the disgust for whoever this is about. It’s bloody brilliant.

Recently they joined the PledgeMusic site to raise money to fund the release of their debut album. Things you could bid for ranged from a mix-CD to a batch of Elizabeth’s homemade brownies. Seriously, this is the future kids. This is how musicians need to fund their albums. Mix-CDs and baked goods. Make it happen, seriously. Their debut album, is out, I think on Halloween- the same day as Florence And The Machine. Something tells me I will be purchasing two of the best albums of the year on that day.

Summer Camp are a band that could sing about a heartbreaking subject, but the music disguises the pain in the lyrics. I just love that. Sort of what The Drums do. It’s all well and good listening to someone pour their heart out over a piano or an acoustic guitar. But some of us just want so much more. Thank goodness for Summer Camp. I’ve played an EP of theirs to death, I seriously cannot wait for their debut album.

Now, when a band has an electro sound- can they really evoke the same imagery and make you feel the same acoustically? Only the good ones can blow your mind both ways. Obviously Summer Camp can. There have been some amazing debut albums released this year, and I have every ounce of faith that Summer Camp are easily going to put out an astounding debut album that has been well and truly worth the wait.

Summer Camp- Better Off Without You.

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Summer Camp- Better Off Without You.

I first heard I Want You by my favourite duo, Summer Camp at the start of the year. I have played it every single day since the first time I heard it. I am, quite simply, addicted to it. It’s more than likely my favourite song of this year. It’s the way the bass kicks in and just goes through you in a way you cannot imagine another song doing. It’s the way Elizabeth sings, “You’re so smart, you break my heart” that just makes every single part of you tingle and your heart skip a beat. The song grips you and you cannot get enough of it. It’s intense, powerful and dark. Just like the perfect form of romance.

Better Off Without You is a delightful “FUCK YOU” and let’s face it- most of us have someone in our lives that we are a billion times better off without. I’d love to play this to them, but they are not worthy of such a wonderful song.

No one I know likes Summer Camp nor have they heard of them. I’m keeping them as my band. They’re the ones I don’t want to share with my friends. They are the ones I don’t want anyone else to take from me. Selfish? Of course, but I rarely do it.

Summer Camp are my band of the summer. I Want You is my favourite song of the year. Better Off Without You is the best FUCK YOU song I’ve heard in a while.In short, Summer Camp are basically my favourite new-ish band. They just do something to my body and mind when I hear their music. It takes over everything. As much as I’d like to keep them as my little secret, I want everyone to know how mindblowingly (that’s now a word) amazing they are.