“No fun to hang around Feelin’ that same old way No fun to hang around Freaked out for another day.”
The Stooges are evidently one of the most important bands of all time, regardless of the kind of music you’re into. They were fearless and ahead of everyone else.
Iggy is probably the greatest frontman of all time. But next to him were two of the greatest musicians to have ever lived, brothers Ron and Scott Asheton.
Sadly, Scott passed away this weekend. There’s not much you can say when this happens. Just a few hours ago I was listening to Iggy’s show on the radio, and from it I gained more insight to The Stooges and what they were about. They were loud, all over the place and just amazing. A band I’ve really loved listening to for so long. Raw Power is easily one of the best records of all time, and I just don’t think music sounds as raw as anything that The Stooges created.
I don’t want to write too much, the music just speaks for itself.
Scott was one of the best drummers in music, wherever he is now- he’ll be with his brother Ron making a lot of noise.
Today is my mum’s birthday, and with only £30 in my bank account I am pretty much sulking (and sad) that I’ve not seen her as it costs a lot more to fly home to see her . I’m probably turning into some recluse, but for now I don’t really care. I’ve got things to keep me occupied, and with my neighbour being an obnoxious tool again- I’m resorting to playing my music loud enough to drown out his awful dance remixes of Lana Del Rey and fuck knows what else. I wish it would stop.
So, much to my neighbour’s annoyance and my own pleasure, I am currently listening to a band called The Vacant Lots. Yes, they are a duo. What of it? As if you expected anything else from me. The Vacant Lots sound like The Jesus And Mary Chain with hints of Rimbaud in their lyrics. They also remind me of Spiritualized, so basically I’ve just found my dream band. High And Low is my current favourite. The come down in this song is beautiful. As someone who feels low (but not to the point where it is up for discussion with anyone) this is the kind of music that makes it all a little less daunting. Hope can abandon you, and when it does its evil counterpart comes to take over. I thought this only happened in books. Fuck.
The Vacant Lots are a band I am really excited to hear more from, their debut record is set to finally come out this year, and I think they’ve released some stuff via the ever wonderful, Mexican Summer label.
You listen to their music and you’re thrown back into a time where music was pleasantly dark and grimy. The kind of music people were scared to listen to. I always wish I was old enough to have seen The Jesus And Mary Chain live at the start where fights would erupt at the end of the shows; I’m pretty sure if The Vacant Lots were a band back then people would be beating the shit out of each other to their music. However, violence is wrong and disgusting. So you should just listen to them and zone out. Nod your head furiously, as if it might just snap off your body. Let loose and all that jazz.
6AM is dark. A real gnarly song that isn’t for those who are afraid of the dark. The kind of song that makes you feel as if you’re being followed. I’m playing it pretty loudly, and I think it is the way to go. As I listen to The Vacant Lots, I immediately get that feeling I got when I first heard Pop.1280- as if I’m listening to something really menacing. Sacred Bones Records should sign up this duo because they would fit right at home on their label. Any label would be lucky enough to have these guys. They make me wish I had my own label, because this is the kind of stuff I would put out.
Jared and Brian started the band in 2010 I think, and as I’ve gone through what I can find of their music- I can safely say they are on something else. A lot of bands I listen to are quite loud and sinister, but The Vacant Lots take it somewhere else. They pretty much take you where other bands may want to shy away from. I always though Seventeen Seconds by The Cure was one of the most haunting records I ever heard- but as I listen to The Vacant Lots, I’m fairly sure I’ve found a solid competitor. This the kind of music that gives you a high like no other. I’ve never touched drugs (I flinch at having to take paracetamol for my frequent headaches) but I’m positive you can experience a high from other things. From a really good book to music that really shakes you up. The Vacant Lots are that kind of high. I just want them on repeat. The perfect band to listen to as darkness falls.
The hints of reverb in their music is something a lot of bands want to replicate and sound real desperate when they do it. The Vacant Lots do it, and it sounds natural. This is a band with a sure-fire sound. A real solid groove that will probably make most turn their nose up at because they don’t get it. But I get it, and I love it. This is the kind of music I play on a daily basis, and it just does something to me. It is a fearless sound for someone who is sometimes a bit of a coward.
I’m aware I write too personally, and it means hardly anyone reads what I write. So if you’ve skipped over what I’ve written, I get it. But do me one favour, and just click this link and listen to The Vacant Lots because they are one of the best bands around: http://thevacantlots.bandcamp.com
I have no idea when their record is out, but I’m pretty hopeful it’ll be one of the best releases of the year for sure.
“If I could make the world as pure And strange as what I see I’d put you in a mirror I’d put in front of me.”
There are some records that, regardless of how many years pass since it was first release will always sound new every single time you play them. The records that do this are the ones that will tower above anything else you expose your ears to. They are the records that have a significant part in your life and are etched upon your heart like nothing else. They are the records that have led you down a road to self discovery and aided with your self-loathing ways. One of the records that I regard this highly is 45 years old. I think it was yesterday or today that 45 years ago that The Velvet Underground released their third record, and in my mind it is the best thing the band ever did.
The record opens with the heartbreaking and relatable Candy Says (about Candy Darling.) Candy Says is one of those songs that truly delves into self-disgust and being really uncomfortable in your own skin. Regardless of age, it is something anyone can relate to. What I’ve always loved about Lou Reed’s lyrics is the way he crafts his words in an old-fashioned, romantic poetic way. There will never ever be anyone else like him. As I listen to the songs on this record, I cannot help but miss him. I know I never knew him, and maybe this makes me stupidly weird, but not much has felt right since he died. I can’t explain what it is, but maybe someone else who loves Lou/Velvet Underground as much as I do will understand. Maybe they have the words to describe it, because I really don’t. Hand on heart, I firmly believe “What do you think I’d see, if I could walk away from me”to be one of the most beautiful lyrics of all time. It is fragile and hits you right in the sacred part of your heart. It’s the kind of lyric you’d want to have tattooed on you, as a reminder.
Whenever I mention The Velvet Underground I always end up talking about Pale Blue Eyes. There is just something about that song that rips your heart out. It can make you ache and can break you; but it is so beautiful. It’s a song that once did that to me, but I learnt very quickly to stop associating people with songs I love. I remember once speaking to someone I still hold quite dear to me about this song, and they got it. I’ve never met anyone else who understood how I felt about that song. You treasure those moments. Pale Blue Eyes has been covered quite a few times, but I think the only ones who have ever covered this song and really conveyed the meaning of it fully (and any song by The Velvet Underground) has to be The Kills, who are obviously influenced by them but not in a ripping off kind of way. Of course, you’ve got to mention how brilliantly messed up The Murder Mystery is. I never know what’s going on in that song, but when I listen to it through headphones it is like something is taking over. It’s mighty strange and fits perfectly on this record.
Sure their debut record was one of the best things to have ever happened to music, and let’s be honest no one is ever going to do for music what Lou Reed did; but their third record is one of the finer things in life. If this was their debut record, they probably would have caused more of a scene than they already did. This record is a just a body of dark poetry; words you wish you could write. Words you wish you had written.
The Velvet Underground’s third record is my favourite record because of how delicate it is lyrically. With their debut record, some of the sound is quite harsh but the one thing that has always been constant (and in his solo work) is that tone in Lou Reed’s voice. He has this way of singing about horrifically dark topics (if you listen to Heroin and you don’t feel the need to cry, then something is up with you) but at the same time really soothing your soul with his voice. His voice was one of a kind, and of course so was he. It’s really tough writing about him in past tense. It still doesn’t feel right.
I went through a phase some time ago of listening to Heroin followed by I’m Set Free. I just felt like those two songs had to played one after another. I have no idea what my mind was up to and why I decided to do it, but I did it. I guess it made me appreciate the songs more and in a different way. The way Lou’s lyrics really touch you are truly evident in those two songs. Play them one after each other, hopefully you’ll get what I mean.
The Velvet Underground made music that has influenced so many bands. Lou Reed’s solo work has obviously done the same. Anyone who loves both has probably tried to write something similar to them. I have, and I’m not ashamed to admit that. Of course nothing I’ve written has come close to it, not even a fraction. If anything, Lou Reed (and others) told me to write from the heart. It is easy to write all this down about his music and his words. I can take my time with it. But I probably would struggle to physically talk about the music because it just does something that is beyond expression.
In another 45 years I hope I am still listening to this record and feeling this way. Some bands, some records just stay with you throughout your life. They don’t go, they become something you really cannot do without. The Velvet Underground are a band I have taken walks by myself to, just to figure shit out. I’ll never figure anything out, and I’m okay with that. I’ll probably always feel a little uncomfortable in my skin, but I’m okay with that. The darker and things that are classed weird by others will always appeal to me, Lou Reed taught me that that’s okay. It’s really fucking okay to not be like everyone else. It’s okay to feel a little awkward in yourself and to want to shut off for a while. Lose yourself in a book, in a record. When it’s over, you’ll find whatever it is you were looking for.
Lou Reed taught me more than any teacher could. The things they don’t tell you about or prepare you for, he taught me it all. Music heals, music teaches. Just listen to this record. Play I’m Set Free so loud and with your eyes closed. If you want to cry, then cry. Just cry. It doesn’t matter. The record oozes freedom from others and from your mind. You won’t always be trapped.
Duos have a bond that isn’t found in bands that have say, 5 members. But when that duo is made up of two brothers, you know the bond will be deeper and may cause the sound to be a bit more intense. And also, their sound will probably be a bit more feral and fearless.
There’s a duo called Cassels who make fearless and brutal music. They are brothers Jim and Loz, and they are based in West London. See, East London isn’t necessarily where it is at. You’re just told to think it is. West London has a lot to offer. Give it a chance, give it a visit (just don’t go to that bloody shopping centre on a Saturday afternoon!)
Cassels (named after the psychiatric institution) music is bold and fuzzy. No bullshit guitar music that sticks one up to those who think guitar music is dead. But before I get into their music, I want to mention how inspiring these young guys are. Jim is 20 and Loz is 16. Jim ignored advice of his elders and moved to London after his A-Levels to do what he needed to do for Cassels. I’m all for people leaving their lives behind so they can achieve their dreams. I read this about them before I listened to their music, and I instantly became a fan. I hit play and this brilliant noise erupted. A glorious sound that is believable. Jim has a minimum wage job to fund the band. Let that sink in. Most bands like this HAVE to do this. They will one day be heard by all, I’m doing my bit because I believe in this band and I think they’re bloody excellent.
Their songs go deeper than a young mind should go, but when you hear their lyrics and start to see the world in their way again, this is what makes them believable and so so easy to be a fan. They’ve got the bite of Garage Rock which makes you want to play this so loud and they are unlike any band I’m currently listening to. They aren’t just a band that are “noisy” they are a two-piece riot who will soon be holding all your attention. What I love about the duos that I fawn over is that none of them sound alike. They are all different, and all justify why duos are the best. Something I really love about Cassels is how you can tell how much music means to them in just their two songs they have up. They left a quite place in Oxfordshire to make unapologetic noise in London. I can truly relate to being from somewhere quite and boring, and wanting more. You have to leave what you know behind and launch yourself into the unknown. Follow your heart, always.
At the moment there are only two songs up on their soundcloud page which you can listen to here: https://soundcloud.com/cassels-official and you can also grab a free download of Our Faces On A Screen from the page. Do it, play it loud and get others turned on to this band.
Cassels have already supported exciting bands such as Best Friends and The Savage Nomads, and their fan-base in the capital is steadily growing. This year is going to be delightfully noisy thanks to these guys.
Their next gig is on 9th April at 93 Feet East. Go see them and let your face be melted.
“In my own sick way, I’ll always stay true to you.”
I realised a long time ago that there is a Morrissey song to fit every life situation. Of course you get fools who would regard this as a depressing thing, but as if I would listen to them. Today more than ever, I have found slight comfort in Morrissey’s songs. His lyrics are beyond everything to me.
Today I was spoken to as if I was dirt more than twice when I took that self-loathing trip to the job centre TWICE. Oh yes, twice. I turned up at 9am for my 9.15 appointment, only to be told to go back at 2.40pm. However, nobody needs to hear about how I’ve been today. This is about the 20th anniversary of Morrissey’s exceptional record, Vauxhall And I. A record that I hold so very dear to me, as if it a part of me. There is something about this record that almost defines why I love Morrissey as much as I do.
Ask any Morrissey fan why they love him, and they will all give you different reasons but the one reason that they will always mention is his gorgeous and careful way with words. For me, I would be lost without his comforting words and the way he expresses ugly feelings to make me feel less ashamed of having them, you know? Vauxhall And I isn’t the only Morrissey record I feel such a strong connection to, but with it being 20 years old I figured it was the one to write about.
You can’t mention this record and not touch on the brilliant The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get. Purely for the line, “Beware. I bear more grudges than lonely high court judges.”Simply brilliant and to the point. He articulates niggling feelings in a way that see no need for being sugarcoated. The opening riff to this song is one that just stays in your head. I had this song as a ringtone for sometime. The perfect song to listen to after this is All You Need Is Me. Oh Morrissey, you minx you!
I was only 7 years old when the record came out, so I can’t claim to have been listening to it for 20 years. It was at least 6/7 years later when I was hitting puberty and I was uncomfortable in my skin. To an extent, I still am but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Vauxhall And I is a record that I have turned to for many reasons. Reasons that anyone who has played this record will understand.
The record touches on sensitive topics such as disappointment and betrayal which if written with negligence, will just sound awful. Morrissey digs deep into these feelings (and more) in a way that makes you want to pick up a pen and write down your ugly and exposed feelings. The way he really gets into the core of being used and calling someone out on it on the song Hold On To Your Friends makes you think of those who have done wrong to you. But in the long run, they really do not matter.
Of all the songs on Vauxhall And I, and probably all Morrissey songs- it is Speedway that truly owns my heart. I could happily write you a thousand plus words on this song (maybe I have already) on how much this song means to me and why it means so much to me. The older I get, the more it means to me. When I last saw him live he played Speedway and being able to see your favourite singer play your favourite song by them live is an overwhelming thing. I sang the words back to Morrissey (even though he evidently couldn’t see me) as if it was only him and I in the room. I sang Speedway as if it was written for me. When I listen to Speedway, I am convinced he wrote it for me. That feeling will never go away, and that’s why Morrissey is so important to me. If any line from a song was apt today, it was this one: “And when you try to break my spirit, it won’t work. Because there’s nothing left to break anymore.”
Vauxhall And I is probably the Morrissey record that I could happily have on repeat closely followed by Viva Hate. It is the kind of record that offers guidance and a source of comfort when you feel as if you have nothing. As if everything around is escaping you and you’re left with no hope. Many are quick to dismiss Morrissey as some miserable sod, but he’s saved many lives with his comforting words and ability to make those on the outside feel part of something. What that something is, I can’t really define. When something is dear to your heart, you just know. And words simply don’t do it justice.
Vauxhall And I will be reissued via Parlophone on 2nd June and will include unseen photographs.
“Don’t rake up my mistakes I know exactly what they are And what do YOU do? Well, you just sit there. I’ve been stabbed in the back So many many times I don’t have any skin. But that’s just the way it goes.”
I first wrote about Say Lou Lou in the middle of 2012. I had heard Maybe You (when they were called Saint Lou Lou.) I found it by accident; I probably couldn’t sleep one night and just became obsessed with the song. I had the song on repeat for days. Their music does that to you. Every single time they put a new song out, I play it on repeat for days.
I saw them live at Concrete in London this year, and I remember them doing Everything We Touch. It instantly felt like a “Summer hit.” There is something about their sound which is just breathtakingly beautiful. As people, they are utterly striking- so is their sound. They have this stunning ability to leave you in awe with every song they have put out. After heard Maybe You, I became obsessed with the Sweetness Alive song they did with Good Night Keaton.
Everything We Touch was made for the Summer. I’m pretty sure Say Lou Lou were put here to give us songs like this, to make us feel this way regardless of the season. Their music is like dusk approaching on a warm evening. Your shadow fades and everything around you becomes hazy. It’s the best part of the day; it’s my favourite part of the day. Everything We Touch truly captivates dusk hitting. This song requires your best carefree dance moves.
Say Lou Lou are the band you listen to you when you’re driving around with your loved one (maybe don’t play Fool Of Me or Beloved to them; they might get the wrong idea!) Their music just heightens your emotions and makes you forget all of your troubles. As I listen to Everything We Touch, I sort of don’t feel entirely shit and worthless for not having a job.
With a handful of gorgeous songs already been put out there, I’m fairly sure I am now not the only one who is desperate to hear their debut record.
Last year I wrote about the magnificent LA band, Roses. I probably said they were the best band around right now from the West Coast. A year later (ish) and I still feel the same. Their EP, It’s Over pretty much backs my theory that these three handsome gentlemen make beautiful music together.
My favourite track off the EP is, We Hate Our Friends. It’s a fast and frenzied number that causes you to zone out to Juan Velasquez’s hypnotic and soulful grooves. This is a band that have managed to sound like they’ve been doing it for decades in just one EP. They’ve perfected a haunting 80s Goth sound with dreamy drumming beats. I know people are using “Goth” as a way to sound cool or whatever. No one is cool. The only person who was ever cool was Lou Reed. We can talk about that another time if you want.
Of course with every EP, you hate the fact that it doesn’t last as long as you want. Always hit repeat. But with an EP, you get a nice taste of what a band can offer. Roses have a lot to offer and why they aren’t taking over the airwaves and making seductive music videos, I just have no idea. Roses are easily a band that should tour the UK and dazzle the crowds with their talent and charm. I’m getting all of this from just an EP. I hope others do too.
It’s Over is a relaxed EP to just zone out too. If the outdoor heat is too much for you, then you can get your Summertime feeling by staying indoors and blasting out this EP. Unhinged is the one to really forget everything to. It’s got this gorgeous hazy feel to it. I think it is the perfect EP to play quite loudly at 10.15am. I’m not ready for anything too noisy just yet.
When I wrote about Roses last year, I said that they remind me of The Fall somehow. There is something about Marc’s voice that reminds me of Mark E Smith. Roses have an 80s/90s Manchester feel to their music, and this is probably why I adore them a lot. They sound like they’ve taken influence from it but not blatantly ripped anyone off. It is so easy to make music that has been done before, thankfully Roses haven’t done that.
I’m on my third listen of the Roses EP now, and with every listen there is just something else to love about it. The production is perfect. I’m pretty sure these guys are going to be lethal when they put a full length record out. We Hate Our Friends was the first song I heard by Roses last year, and to hear it on this EP is a delight. It fits in perfectly. It is an untamed number that will hopefully lure people in and to become fans of this remarkable LA band.
I’ve not got anything going on today, so I’ll probably just play It’s Over as the day passes me by.
You can listen to it and purchase it now from their bandcamp page: https://rosesla.bandcamp.com/ Be reckless this Thursday and buy it. The EP is out on Big Joy Records.
Last week I wrote about a fine duo called Brown Brogues. I sent them what I had written, and now I get to write about their new EP because they are gentlemen. I’m unsure if I can write anything to truly do this EP justice, but I’m taking a break from what I should be doing (job hunting) and giving it a damn good go.
Zoloto is the name of the EP and it is out on 19th April. Yes that it on Record Store Day; the greatest day of the year for sure. The first 100 copies of Zoloto will come with a 7″ reissue of their first EP, Nobody Dies In Paris. It is honestly worth waking up incredibly early to queue up for it. You’ll have nothing else to do anyway. Most important day of the year, remember that. The word “Zoloto” means “gold” in Russian. It is also an acronym for “Remember, one day people will leave you alone” in prison tattoos.
Getting Caned In The Face With An Ashtray is my favourite track off the EP. If you listen to it carefully, it should remind you slightly of that other duo I adore- The Kills. Some parts of it just remind me of some songs off their last record, Blood Pressures. I guess I’m just in awe of duos and how much delightful noise they can make. You know I said that Brown Brogues were decadently brilliant? Well, Zoloto truly shows that decadent sound as brutal and as brave as ever. If you listen to this EP and you aren’t wanting to break stuff and tear down the walls, then you’ve probably got shit stuck in your ears.
The EP is only 15 minutes long, but you’ve got punchy tracks like Shit In Your Eye and My Birthday which are underground anthems in the making. These songs are going to make fans go nuts when they hear them live. My Birthday is a ferocious gem that I really cannot get enough of. Pretty sure if Joey Ramone was alive he’d be salivating over this track and wishing he wrote it. The EP is made up of 4 songs that have been created to melt your face, shatter your eardrums and to make your body move in an obscure fashion. If this EP is going to be the first thing many hear by Brown Brogues, then they will more than likely be losing their mind over it. I don’t understand how you couldn’t. How can 4 songs sound this GOOD? Never doubt Brown Brogues, ever. They are a band that are evidently going to be around for a long time making this kind of pleasant noise their own way.
Zoloto is pretty much one of the best things to have happened to music this year. To deny the talent that Ben and Mark have would be extremely foolish of you, so on Record Store Day- head down to your local record store and buy this EP. Go home and play it as loud as you like.
Zoloto will be released via Stolen Body Records.
Also, Brown Brogues will be supporting The Young Knives this month on tour. Brown Brogues will also being doing an EXTREMELY special show at the Soup Kitchen in Manchester on 3rd May with Murkage. Both bands will play their set followed by a set together. Tickets are £5 and you can buy them here: http://nowwave.skiddletickets.com/event.php?id=12126298
After spending the day convinced I was going to puke again, I think it is safe to say I’m alright now. Until next time, obviously. I’ve spent the day either sat listening to the radio or sleeping. How long is a nap meant to be because I took one for 3 hours, and I’m pretty sure that’s a good nap. Everyone has their own take on what is a nap and what isn’t. Don’t let anyone dictate to you how much sleep you should/shouldn’t have.
Brown Brogues are a band I mentioned briefly here last year. I know that I should have mentioned more because quite frankly, they make the music I wish I could make. I’m pretty sure if I played them loudly yesterday my migraine would have shifted. Music is a cure. Paracetamol is a mere placebo. Brown Brogues are a fine Mancunian band that sound like they have escaped from California and encountered trouble on the way. They are loud and their songs are pieces of wonder that make you flail your body around in a furiously passionate manner.
My uncle and I frequently exchange texts about bands to listen to. As soon as I’ve typed this up, I’ll be telling him about this bloody brilliant duo. He’s the only person I know that has heard of Pop. 1280- this is a huge thing for me because they are just a fine band with deviant sounds. But this is about a fine band from Manchester who deserve every ounce of success possible to come their way.
What I love and adore about Brown Brogues sound is exactly what caused me to fall in love with The Kills many many years ago. It is the passion in the sound. The sheer determination and fury that just ripples right through every single song just makes your body jolt to the beat. It’s something that I look for in music; I want it to move me the way the Ramones woke up the dead back in the 70s. Brown Brogues would have been the perfect band to melt the faces of crowds at CBGBs. Sure it is 2014, but this back sound like something from the 60s/70s with their Garage Rock flare and Psychedelic vibes.
Beef Teef ruins the brain. It really really does mess with your mind. If you’ve never heard of Brown Brogues before, start with this from their second record. Throw yourself in the deep end and embrace the chaos head on. I’m a calm person but I love the music I listen to to be quite loud and chaotic. Brown Brogues justify fully why I love music as much as I do and also why duos are pretty much the best.
It is easy to fall into a habit when listening to music, but I always want something to move me in a way that leaves me with the inability to put it into words. Beautiful things in life leave us speechless; you treasure them more because you spend the rest of your days searching for words. This is what music does to me. Sure I can sometimes find the words, other times I’m just jotting down bollocks in the hopes I make some sense to someone out there who reads this. I hope someone reads this and Brown Brogues become a band that they listen to religiously, obsessively because they want that feeling of elation that comes when you listen to something new for the first time.
Music should be exciting. Music should do things to you that a person can’t. You cannot be held by a record physically but emotionally and that’s what makes it so so powerful.
Shake It is such a brilliant songs by Mark and Ben. The harmonies with the low droning (I mean this in a positive way, I just can’t describe sounds perfectly) of the guitar is brilliant. You can sense the longing in their voices, and in the drums and guitar. You pick up so many details in their music; the things you may miss when you listen to someone else. There’s honestly something so special about the music that Ben and Mark make, if anything they make you want to grab your best friend and make some noise.
Their song titles are something else, I Drove For Miles Just To Hear About The Book That You’re Reading (which is one of my favourite songs by them.) There is wit in their lyrics, there are romantic tones, there is everything you could possibly want from a band in their music.
Brown Brogues released their debut record last year. Born To Lose came out on Ultra Cool records and was recorded in 2 days in Graceland about two years ago now. In 2 days they made this massively underrated beast of a record. Sometimes you find with bands, when they finally do a full length record it sounds too polished or it leaves behind that raw sound they once had. Brown Brogues stick two fingers up to this theory. Born To Lose is a fine debut, and to be honest it sounds like a band who have been putting out records for the past 10 years. They remind me of The Gruesomes mixed with Wavves. They’ve got polite aggression in their sound. That’ll be the Mancunian charm. The record is just over half an hour-long, but that’s why we have the repeat button. Just keep on hitting it.
Their second record, Triflin’ is equally bold and pretty much reinforces my love for them. So if I’m right- does this mean they have released two records in one year?! They are beyond hard-working. Triflin’ is a beautiful and punchy record that smacks you passionately in the face. Decadently brilliant. Effortlessly wonderful.
I don’t know what Ben and Mark have planned for this year, but I’m pretty sure they will be melting the faces off the crowds they play to, collecting new fans along the way. If one band can add some bite to modern music, it is definitely Brown Brogues. I’d put money on that, but I’ve got about £100 in my account, and I need that.
With my neighbour playing his awful dance music awfully loud, I think I have found the band to cause his flat to shake should I feel the need to be as much of an arse as him. But until then, I’ll have Brown Brogues playing loudly in my ear.
“Sometimes my heart is pure Sometimes I know it’s not Sometimes it disappears Returns unlocked.”
Before I go into how breathtakingly beautiful the video to Are You Okay is, let’s start with something insanely good:
DUM DUM GIRLS AND CROCODILES ARE TOURING THE UK TOGETHER.
The dates are:
May 1 – London, UK – Scala
May 4 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
May 5 – Norwich, UK – Arts Centre
May 7 – Glasgow, UK – SWG3
May 8 – Belfast, UK – Black Box
May 9 – Galway, IE – Roisin Dubh
May 10 – Dublin, IE – Button Factory
This probably going to be the best tour that hits the UK this year. Well, for me it will be anyway. Of course it is a dream line-up for me. Two of the most exciting bands playing the UK is a pretty big deal you know. Maybe they’ll play some Haunted Hearts songs. A party for all. Get yourself a ticket. I’ll see you at the front on 1st May.
Let’s talk about the Are You Okay video now.
Are You Okay is a short film written by the great Bret Easton Ellis (read his books and let yourself be freaked out) The video was directed by Brewer, and if it doesn’t move you to tears slightly by how haunting it is- then you’ve probably been watching something else. Again the creative direction is taken care of by the equally stunning, Tamaryn. I think what we can take from this project is that Dee Dee and Tamaryn should just keep making videos together. The original score to the film is also by Tamaryn and Drew MacDowall.
I personally love this song because of the lines: “But what if it doesn’t go away, what if this feeling always plagues. I’m reckless at night, I’m sorry for days. I’m looking for you through lavender haze.”Dee Dee’s lyrics are truly heartfelt, and think anyone can relate to her gorgeous and vulnerable words.
The video is like a dream you once had. Possibly even a reoccurring dream. It feels like a nightmare; even in dreams you are being taunted- but there is something about this video that eases the tension within it. Everyone part of this short film is responsible for making something truly moving. A beautiful piece of art. It’s over 10 minutes long, so shut the world off and give it all your attention.
Beat In My Bones. 