Tag Archives: Music

WARPAINT. Brixton Academy. 30th October 2013.

Posted on by

 

For the past few years I had been waiting to write this. It’s pretty obvious how much Warpaint mean to me. I wouldn’t just have any band’s logo tattooed on me!

The bands/singer supporting Warpaint last night were incredible. Martina Topley-Bird set the tone for what was a night that felt like one massive escapism of the mind. Her vocal skills (with questionable sounding from the soundmen) are excellent. Her songs are short, but feel like you are wavering in and out of a fairytale; like you’ve reached the dark side. She’s brilliant, of course she is though. She was on Tricky’s debut record.

Secondly, Manchester’s finest, PINS are on (I’m ignoring the DJs because I don’t think you can really review a DJ set and I wasn’t really paying attention.) PINS are fucking AMAZING. Girls Like Us is a ritualistic listen for me. I play it most days as I make the delightful Met Line journey into work. Faith is one of the best front-women around, she stalks the stage and glares like a panther, and sings with real purpose. I’d been waiting for some time to see PINS live, and to see them supporting Warpaint was an honour.  I was pretty happy to have seen LUVU4LYF live. I bloody adore that song. It fueled my love for them last year. They played as if they were headlining Brixton Academy. I’m pretty sure by the Summer of next year they will be. Anna, Lois, Sophie and Faith all play with this intensity that is missing in a lot of bands. On record you can hear hints of certain eras in music, but when you see them live all of these lame comparisons that (lazy) music journalists lob about just fade away immediately.

You cannot compare PINS to anyone else. When you see them live it is like they are the soundtrack to a reoccuring nightmare that you really don’t mind having; there’s some form of security in Faith’s delicate voice. As I was watching PINS, I started to hate the fact that I have NO musical talent. Oh and let it be known that the best drummers’ names begin with an S; Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) Sandy Vu (Dum Dum Girls) and Sophie from PINS. There are some bands you could quite happily watch live over and over, PINS are easily one of them. I cannot wait to see them with Dum Dum Girls in December.

I must add that before Martina Topley-Bird came on stage, over the PA they were playing Velvet Underground’s debut record. Without that record, a lot of bands that we love never would have formed. Martina dedicated a song to Lou. He lives on in those that love, respect and admire him. Music can never die.

Warpaint walk on to the stage. I feel as if I’m going to throw up. I’ve waited years for this moment. I’m right at the front. It’s happening.

They open with new song, Keep It Healthy. They play some new songs from their second record, which is self-titled. Love Is To Die sounds divine live. Theresa’s vocals live sound stronger than they do on record, and the way she and Emily merge their vocals is just stunning. There is a bond between all of them that makes you want to start your own band. They make you want to ignore the world you are forced to live in, and to go create something else. They create this magical and mysterious world with their music. Of course it is Undertow which sees the crowd make a loud and questionable sound. The jam at the end just reinforces your love for them and your desire to go start your own band.

On record, Warpaint have been the band I’ve used when I cannot sleep or when I’m on the train and all I can see outside is streetlights. They are comfort and they are hope. Witnessing it all live was just as perfect as I hoped it would be. I closed my eyes, I swayed, I sang, I felt like a human being again. I felt as if no one else was in the room. My love for Warpaint has grown, and I’m really not sure how it could. It’s not just their music that makes you love them, it’s the way they are on stage with each other. Jenny and Stella are at the back like two disruptive kids in school. One look from either can make the other erupt into a fit of giggles. This is chemistry at its best. This is how a band should be. Warpaint make you wish you were in their band.

Warpaint aren’t a band that you just listen to in the background or go see live once. They become everything because their music just frees you in the most gentle way possible. They guide you delicately into a world where nothing matters apart from the moments their music creates. Certain parts in songs just set you off, and everything you feel is heightened. Watching them play Majesty live was beautiful. I remember interviewing Theresa three years ago, and I spoke to her about that song. There was something about that song, at that point that just meant a lot. Seeing it live fortunately brought nothing back. If anything, I just appreciated the song even more. Elephants was a riot in the mind. It felt like a catharsis in the purest form seeing it live. But for me, my highlight was Emily coming back on stage on her own to sing Baby. For the most part, their songs feel as if you are floating on water in a dream, a daze. But there is something about Baby that doesn’t distant you from real life. It feels like it is really happening, and the connection is different. It’s a very open and vulnerable song, and that’s probably why I love it. She also sang a bit of Patti Smith/Bruce Springsteen’s Because The Night during it.

As the evening came to a close, I started to think about everything Warpaint mean to me. I had finally seen the band live, after waiting for so long. The wait was made up of frustration and the need to just see them live because live music can give you something that just sitting and listening through headphones can’t.

This was a massive struggle to write because I feel as if I should have written more, or gone into more detail. All I know is that this was one of the best shows I’ve been to. There’s a private feeling that cannot be put into words when describing what seeing Warpaint live is like. I think those who have seen them live and TRULY feel their music will know exactly what I mean.

WARPAINT- Love Is To Die.

Posted on by

 

 

With a wealth of sadness covering those who adored, admired, loved and treasured Lou Reed, to find anything good right now in the state of music is difficult. It is obvious who has been influenced by him, and as I go through the musicians I love it is fair to say that most of them would not have existed if it wasn’t for Lou Reed. For some reason now, listening to any music I am starting to pick up on Velvet Underground/Lou Reed influences in their music. His music is going to live on in those who truly loved him.

This leads me onto a band I’ve adored for many years now. I had the honour to interview them three years ago, the day before their debut record, The Fool was released. I’ve never sensed that level of passion of music before from a band. The way they spoke about how they make music to how they are with each other was truly inspiring. To finally hear something new by them, given what has happened in the past 24 hours has truly eased the loss of a man who was nothing short of a poetic genius.

Love Is To Die is yet again, an ethereal gem from Warpaint. It is melancholic but utterly tranquil. Much like songs such as Lissie’s Heart Murmur and Stars, Love Is To Die is a song to escape to. What I immediately noticed about Love Is To Die is that it STILL has that floating on water feel that is found on all of The Fool. You always feel as if you are dreaming when you listen to Warpaint. Theresa’s vocals on Love Is To Die sound so divine and vulnerable. The way she trembles as she sings just makes you really really excited for the new record. I guess you start trembling too.

Warpaint are a band feel very comfortable writing about because they have this brilliant ability of transporting you elsewhere, and it makes you feel free. When you feel free you can unleash everything you feel. Sure it may not be coherent at times, but you still manage to get it out.

On Wednesday I’m FINALLY seeing Warpaint live, PINS are supporting too which makes me even more excited. I’m pretty confident that every feeling I’ve had from listening to Warpaint on record is going to be heightened when I see them live. Love Is To Die is probably going to be one of those songs that just make you close your eyes and sway your cares away. It’s so easy to do it in the comfort of a room with no one present. But to do it in front of the band who set every part of you free, well of course it is going to be intense yet liberating.

Everything is so clear on Love Is To Die. The way Stella drums is perfectly merged with Jenny’s haunting bass playing. Theresa’s vocals flow in and out of you as you sway to Emily’s captivating guitar melodies. I’ve only been home a few hours, but I’ve not really listened to anything else.  Love Is To Die is like a dreamy gaze into the unknown. Pure and gentle. As I listen to Love Is To Die I find myself being reminded of that feeling that hit me when I first heard Warpaint, when I heard Elephants. Elephants is more chaotic than Love Is To Die, but I knew I was hearing something truly special. I wear my Warpaint tattoo with love, pride and respect.

I’ve exhausted every feeling imaginable in past writings about Warpaint, and I know I’ll never get tired of expressing my admiration for them.

 

R.I.P LOU REED: “Skip a life completely. Stuff it in a cup…”

Posted on by

 

“If I could be anything
in the world that flew
I would be a bat and come
swooping after you.”

 

There are a few bands and singers who I frequently write about who cemented their mark in music before I was born. They are my heroes and reasons as to why I love music; why I cannot live without music. You never really seem to think of life without them no longer here, you just wonder how it would have been if you never found or them, or if they never found you. It is easy to look up to those who are no longer with us because we never have to face losing them. Today is a sad day for music, and to think of anything to say about Lou Reed that hasn’t already been said is causing a part of my brain to just turn to mush.

I’ll try anyway.

My blog, Gypsy Death And You is taken from Run Run Run by the Velvet Underground and the header photo is of the band. There was no other band I wanted to have named my blog after, it just wouldn’t be right. Lou Reed was more than just a singer; he was a poet who painted the world in a way that, as soon as you first heard his music- that is how you saw the world. Andy’s Chest opened me up to a world that was better than anything I’d ever known. Pale Blue Eyes made me feel a sense of heartache I’d never felt before. It even got me through some form of a breakup. Although, I don’t think there was anything worth breaking at that point. The song became something I couldn’t listen to for a while, but then it became all I could ever listen to.

Last year I found a copy of Transformer for £2 on vinyl. I felt this heightening pounding in my chest; the kind of feeling you get as you are about to see your favourite band on stage for the first or fifteenth time- the feeling is still there. I was so excited to FINALLY have this record in my hands. I went home, after work, and played it for hours. I got ready for work listening to it, I fell asleep listening to it. Transformer is easily one of the greatest records of all time.

Lou Reed’s guided the misfits and outcasts into a world that was dark; but it was pure and passionately bold. It was a world I’ll never want to leave. He may no longer be with us, but the music is ALWAYS going to be there. His legacy is more memorable than those of the false generation. The generation made up of manufactured pop-stars who have the personality of a dead cat. Lou Reed conveyed ugly feelings in a way that made you feel alright with carrying them about. Candy Says is one of the most harrowing yet gorgeous songs ever written. Heroin may be about drug use, but it is written in such a romantic way. You shut your eyes, and you are heading right to the kingdom with Lou.

Listening to Lou Reed’s music gives you a sense of feeling untouchable. Much like when I listen to New York Dolls, Patti, Ramones; he has this ability to make you feel protected and as if you can take on the world even if the world is taking on you. His music embodies everything I love about music. Writing about him in past tense is not only uncomfortable, but it is heartbreaking. One thing I’ve seen is the amount of musicians I follow on Twitter who have paid tribute to him; he influenced so many people from all over. It doesn’t matter that most will just say “Oh Perfect Day is my favourite Lou Reed song.” At least they’ve heard of him. Besides, Perfect Day is a gorgeous love song.

Last Christmas my uncle and I were discussing how important Lou’s music is. And just this Friday passed, my manager and I (yeah I’ve got a job now!) were talking about Lou Reed. She saw him back in the 70s, and to hear these stories about him was just brilliant. All we have are memories now. He’s someone you remember where you were when you first heard him. He made wearing all black seem appealing; it isn’t a phase just for me, I don’t feel comfortable wearing colour. He had this way of remaining a constant mystery, but when you played his music it felt like you were hanging out with your best friend. Music is the only reliable friend you may ever have.

His vocals weren’t flamboyant or over the top; he sang in a way that made him relatable. He made it easy for you to sing like him in the shower. And when his vocals go real low when he sings, “Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side” is easy to do, and when you sing it- you feel empowered. The word “cool” is thrown around all the time, and I guess it is a redundant word to use, but Lou Reed was cool. He was everything those who listened to him wanted to be. He had this way of making you feel like you were sat on a stoop in New York watching the world go by as you listened to his music, you felt as if he was sat next to you telling these crazy stories that are in his music.

Everything about Lou Reed was iconic, it always will be. There are so many things I would love to write, but the words in my head aren’t reaching my fingers- I can’t type them out. I’ve played his music and gazed out the window on long tube/train journeys and felt like I was somewhere other than where I was or where I was headed. I felt like I was going somewhere where nobody else knew. I think anyone who REALLY listens to Lou’s music gets that feeling straight away. It’s a rare feeling, but we all know just how rare Lou was. Sure he may have been difficult in interviews, but it was probably because most music journalists are dull and ask the same shit over and over. His music defined a generation and is still inspiring so many. In the light and in the dark, his music offered peace and self-discovery. The ability to turn my back on conventional and traditional means, the strength came from his music. With love and heartache, I have written this. With respect and gratitude, I’ve written this; for Lou.

All that’s left to be said is; bless your soul Lou and thank you for the music. In life, love and desperation- you were always there. Thank you x.

Sunday Mourning.

JOHN PEEL.

Posted on by

 

There are some people we can hold accountable for the way we are; for the most part they are usually negative traits. They may not be to you, but others may assume they are. Never listen to what anyone says, because you’ll forget about yourself- and that’s what other people will do. Sometimes there are certain people who just immediately have an influence on you in a way that nothing else ever really has.

I always knew that music was going to be my biggest and most lasting love when I first heard John Peel on the radio. Before I was born he had already introduced many to the likes of The Fall, The Smiths and The Jesus And Mary Chain. I entered the world in 1986; I had already missed out on all that’s good in the world. However, he did introduce me to the likes of The Kills and Cat Power. Both of which have performed memorable sessions for his show. He championed the underdog and showcased what  many probably would not have gone near. He made talking about music seem like the ideal job; I think it probably is. I learnt more from listening to his radio shows than any teacher could ever teach me. One of the best things I’ve ever been given is a copy of the Festive Fifty from 1986. The number one was of course, The Smiths. Thanks mum!

For the past 9 years, 25th October is always met with dread. It just reinforces the fact that he’s no longer here. As I write this, I’m listening to his son (Tom Ravenscroft) on 6Music. I do this every week, and when I listen to him..I’m just glad we still have someone who champions music that most would probably turn their nose up at. He has the same passion as John in his voice when he talks about music.

I used to listen to John Peel when I should have been asleep. Waking up the morning after for school was painful, but worth it because I created my own little piece of heaven when I was listening to him. The duvet over my head and my radio close to my ear. I’d sometimes rest with my head on the radio drifting off into another world imagining what it would be like to have his job. Of course, I’ll never know. John Peel was always someone I wanted to meet; just to thank him for the music. The same goes for Lester Bangs, but he died a few years before I was born. Both are the reason as to why I HAVE to write about music.

I always have his beautiful quote, “I just want to hear something I haven’t heard before” floating around my head. It’s become like some kind of mantra. When I walk into a record shop, I have that thought going round and round; I know I always will.

A life without music would be a life full of misery. For all the weird, wonderful, haunting and loud music I love- it was more than likely down to John Peel’s doing. Sometimes I listen to a band and think, “Imagine if they did a Peel session.” But I suppose, wherever John is..he’s aware of them anyway.

THE CREEPING IVIES-What Would Joey Ramone Do?/Ramona Wolf.

Posted on by

 

 

The Creeping Ivies have been a band I have cherished for some time. I remember when I first heard them I immediately wished I was slightly musically gifted because they made the kind of music I wish I could make. If I was in a band, this is EXACTLY how I’d want them to sound. I’d probably be slightly more aggressive just to be obnoxious for the hell of it. Why not! Music is freedom and is also a way of putting on an act. Maybe it wouldn’t be an act.

I love Becca and Duncan because they are two of the best musicians I’ve heard in quite some time. Becca is a stunning guitar player who has this control in her vocals that is found in the likes of Patti Smith. Then you have Duncan who reminds me of a young Bobby Gillespie in The Jesus And Mary Chain; playing with fury and the desire to make your body move in the most outrageous way possible. The Creeping Ivies make you want to turn your back on everything society expects from you, everything your family, friends, lovers, peers and the like too. They make you turn into the person you want to be by creating such freedom in their music.

The Creeping Ivies have a new double A-side single out very soon, What Would Joey Ramone Do?/Ramona Wolf.

What Would Joey Ramone Do? Is probably one of the things I say to myself when something baffles me. Sometimes I substitute Joey Ramone for Morrissey. What Would Joey Ramone Do? is The Creeping Ivies at their creepy best. It reminds me ever so slightly of their song, Ghost Train. Mainly for the brilliant trembling you can hear in Becca’s voice, she seriously has one of the most distinctive voices I’ve heard in a very long time. When I listen to The Creeping Ivies, it just makes me wish they were playing London some time soon. Stupid commitments got in the way last time. Always the way. What Would Joey Ramone Do? is an excellent punch in the gut kind of song. It makes you want to leap about the way Joey used to do whilst wearing your battered leather (fake leather for me) jacket until every ounce of frustration falls out of you.

 

 

Ramona Wolf sounds like the soundtrack to the most pleasurable nightmare you’ll ever have. You can imagine being hunted down in a desolate and murky forest by the most stunning vixen; you run and run, but you don’t care if she catches up with you because you are in awe of her beauty. You probably start caring once she rips you to shreds though, always the way isn’t it. Ramona Wolf sends chills down your spine, as you immediately feel as if you are trapped in the woods with no way out. The feral beast called Ramona will get you, you might as well let her.

The Creeping Ivies are one of the very very few bands who take their influence of Punk and Garage rock and use it in a way that doesn’t seem like a blatant rip-off. What they have done is, taken bits of both and created something that I do hope in years to come will be influencing other bands to make this kind of music. If you cannot scare the shit out of those listening at least once, you’re probably doing something wrong.

Becca and Duncan will be releasing their second record, Ghost World early next year via Dead Beat Records. I have every faith in them that they will create something equally as mind-blowing as their debut, Stay Wild. When I wear a t-shirt of The Creeping Ivies, it feels the same as wearing a (fake) leather jacket. It is like armor/protection. It makes me feel like nothing can touch me; their music has the same effect. Except, I don’t wear the shirt as much as I’d like because I’ve ripped it. Most of my clothes are ripped, but it’s okay. I’ll probably just get a new one.

Anyway.

The double A-side single is out 16th November (4 days after my birthday) on Holy Smoke Records. You can stream the single right here: http://thecreepingivies.bandcamp.com/

MORRISSEY-Autobiography.

Posted on by

 

There is something quite emotional about picking up a book that your hero has written about their life. Knowing you are about to read things about them that you never knew- will it change your view on them? Will it change how you feel about certain songs? Will you be shocked? One thing happened after I finished reading Morrissey’s autobiography today; my love for him became stronger and reinforced why he is my absolute hero. I know heroes are meant to be people who save lives and the like. But the thing is, Morrissey saved my life- that’s why he’s my hero. I’ll take it to my grave debating if it was a life worth saving or not, but he was there when I had nothing or no one. He always will be. His words mean more to me now, after reading his biography.

I’ve never written a book review before and I evidently cannot write music reviews. I suppose this won’t be a review because I won’t tell you what happens and what is said. He does touch on his personal life, and to an extent I do think he mentions things fellow Morrissey fans already knew. We know of the trouble he went through with THAT court case. However for me, there is one moment in the book that brought me to tears (happened a few times, but at this point I had to stop reading for a while.) The friendship he had with the wonderful Kirsty MacColl was beautiful. You can truly sense the love he had (and still has) for her when you see how fondly he writes about her. There’s a paragraph about her death (I won’t type it up) that just made me sob uncontrollably for a while. Maybe I wanted to just hug Morrissey and tell him it’s all okay. Maybe at that point I realised that my hero feels everything I feel and can word it in ways I’ll never be able to, but I already knew that. I don’t know what it was, I suppose it was the way he wrote it. He writes in that beautiful delicate yet honest way that us Morrissey fans love him for. He gets to the core of every human emotion regardless of how ugly it may be, and makes us feel less alone for carrying it around.

Yesterday I watched the news on Channel 4 and ITV, showing clips of Morrissey fans in Sweden finally meeting their hero. I’ve seen lovely photos on Facebook of the fans who were lucky to meet him. The whole atmosphere surrounding this book is something that I don’t think will be repeated, maybe again. Is anyone going to care about the winner of X-Factor’s life? No. Well, maybe if they read Heat magazine/if dull and mundane things interest them. Morrissey’s life has been painful at times, and to read about the losses he has experienced is heartbreaking. I knew that, from his lyrics alone, that this book would be written in that extremely personal way (it’s an autobiography afterall! I know) but to read it all in book form is completely different. At times you do feel as if he is sat next to you telling you everything about his life. All you can do is nod in agreement or cry at the moments that just break your heart.

His book is a work of art and shows him in a vulnerable yet beautiful way. That’s just Morrissey all over. He is someone who is baffled at his own success yet those who love him can see exactly why he is adored like this. Morrissey writes with utter tenderness and sheer humour when needed. He is everything I want in a hero. I remember when I read Patti Smith’s Just Kids, when I finished it I knew it would be a book that I would constantly go back to when I needed something to make me feel human and capable again. The same applies to Morrissey’s autobiography. Except with his book, it is reminder that things take time and you won’t always be the laughing-stock.

I sometimes think about what it must be like to meet him, and to somehow tell him what he means to me, but I’m no good with words. I’m no good with saying certain things, maybe I’d have to play him a song to sum it all up. I have no idea, maybe that day will never come. As the book came to a close I believed he is finally at place where he is happy and has all that he needs. He is by no means a materialistic man, and I think that’s part of why I love him. I don’t understand people who wish to purchase things of value to claim their worth as a person. Your worth is established in your heart.

Morrissey is the person who has dragged me kicking and screaming through life when I didn’t see a point. At times I still don’t see a point, but I play a Morrissey song and I hear hope. I hear hope that will carry me through. Of course, he is my light that will never go out. His charm and wit is an honour to be familiar with on a daily basis. Some may regard his autobiography as 457 pages of self-pitying. It really really isn’t. He is telling his life story, his way. There are stories that will make you cry, stories that will make you laugh- much like his songs. When asked a question at school, he replies with “I’m sorry, I’m not interested.” It was obvious that from a young age that this young boy was destined to be the voice of those who needed to be heard in a way that only Morrissey understood and could express.

There are many stories in his book that are just a pleasure to read, but there is one paragraph that spoke to me instantly and will remain etched upon my heart and brain:

“However heavy-hearted and impossible you might feel about yourself, you can still bestow love through recorded song-which just might even be the only place where you have the chance to show yourself as you really are since nothing in your disposed life gives you encouragement.”

Morrissey fans of the world, unite and take over.

 

ELLIE GOULDING. Hammersmith(Eventim) Apollo. 16th October 2013.

Posted on by

 

 

I woke up at 6am yesterday morning with a pain in my head that made me want to cry. However when I cry, I get a headache. I didn’t want to disturb my girlfriend from her slumber. I took some tablets and hoped the pain would go away. I went to the sofa and slept for an hour. A bout of nausea took over. Being sick terrifies me. A migraine has never made me throw up before; until yesterday morning. I immediately thought, “I’m not well enough to go see Ellie.”

Nothing gets in the way of me and music. I napped it off, saw a pal in town and I was alright. To Hammersmith we went!

I’ve seen Ellie go from playing to 200 people to now, venues like Hammersmith Apollo. To see someone who seemed so shy on stage around 3/4 years ago to a person in complete control of their performance and crowd is just beautiful to watch. In the crowd you can see her manager and brother look on with such pride. Imagine being that proud of your best friend/family member like that. It is just a magical thing to witness.

There is no denying that Ellie has a magnetic stage presence. The second she walks on stage this insane noise erupts. It sounds like a pack of hyenas being let loose. This noise happens quite a few times throughout the night. What is beautiful about the whole thing is that there is no “typical” fan here. Everyone is of various age, race, sexuality, everything. Music is freedom, and that is pretty much reinforced here.

I was pretty sad that Under The Sheets is no longer on the set list, but watching her sing Guns And Horses with just an acoustic guitar, and having the crowd sing every word back to her was a glorious thing to witness. Her voice is evidently the strongest it has ever been, and her distinctive vocals is exactly what makes her stand out. From songs like I Know You Care to Animal you really do pick up on how strong her voice is. When she sings I Know You Care (a song about her dad) I’m immediately reserved back to that early early morning in 1995 when I was told my dad had died. A wave of numbness hits me, and to an extent watching her sing this song is like a brief hit of healing.

The set list now predominantly consists of new songs. Lights was a tame record with delicate subjects, but Halcyon although does stay with similar subjects the songs are bigger and truly come to life when Ellie and her fantastic band perform live. They all perform with everything they have, and the crowd fully get that. What is so good about seeing Ellie live is that she is so happy to be on stage. It doesn’t seem like “just another show” to her, and that’s why I’ve probably seen her six times so far. Each time has shown how much she has grown as a performer, and you sort of feel like a proud parent looking on. The way she slays the guitar on Burn at the end, the way she dances on stage and how she drums like a woman possessed is incredible to watch. To see someone put their all into what they do is always a brilliant thing to watch.

As much as I love bands that are made for dark and creepy basement bars, there is something really special about seeing someone you’ve been a fan of from the start go from small venues to places like the Hammersmith Apollo. The atmosphere was magical, and every time I see Ellie live I claim that time as being the best show I’ve seen of her’s. This was the first time I’ve seen a London crowd actually move, all too often they seem afraid to move and sing along; this show was the complete opposite. Also, her backing singers unleashed some excellent moves last night and of course putting the Bassnectar remix in the middle of Lights is always going to be a highlight. The drop is amazing. Ellie Goulding is someone who everyone needs to see live..once or even six times!

EZRA FURMAN.

Posted on by

 

“I came up in the world with a pain in my back,
And I never could run with the wolves in the pack.”

There is something, I guess, quite voyeuristic in a way about enjoying hearing really personal lyrics. I’ve always been fascinated with the way Morrissey manages to make ugly feelings seem comforting or the way Shirley Manson managed to drag me through my teenage years kicking and screaming with her words of encouragement. Patti Smith taught me how to be tough. Lou Reed showed me how to find some comfort in who/what I am. Bob Dylan freed my mind. The Jesus And Mary Chain and Nick Cave defined love in ways no one else really ever has. There’s still this amount of honesty floating around in music. Finding it is tougher than it used to me. With those I mentioned it was always there. Nowadays it is quite hit and miss, but there are of course, exceptions. There’s one guy that’s been on my mind for quite some time now. I had to listen for a while to want to write something of worth. Whether or not it is, well..that’s up to whoever reads it. Numbers don’t mean much. That’s why I write as if I’m the only one reading.

Last week Ezra Furman’s new record came out, Day Of The Dog. It’s the definition of pure Rock & Roll. Some songs have a real 50s vibe to it (The Mall, a Paul Baribeau cover) yet others have a real ferocious feel to them (Tell ‘Em All To Go To Hell.) He portrays love, loss and everything that is involved in these two feelings in such a beautiful way. The Mall, even though it isn’t Ezra’s song,  is one of the most heartbreaking and honest songs I’ve heard in a long time. You can really pick up the sadness here, and the sadness is so pure. “I am broken, wide open. Bleeding everywhere.” Sounds like it should be in a Hawthorne Heights song, right? Ezra sings it in a desperate way that makes you listen and really feel it. If anyone else did it, you’d probably tell them to fuck off. He’s got that loveable quality that is in someone who I really admire, Adam Green. He’s not afraid to be brutally honest. He doesn’t need to create pretentious prose in order for you to listen and to connect. Both are just brilliant musicians and lyricists.

As I listen to Day Of The Dog, it makes me glad that I stumble upon most music by accident. If I’ve not been emailed a band/demo, I usually find something by accident. Sometimes accidents are a good thing. Ezra plays with a glorious fury, and I think it is really clear on the song And Maybe God Is A Train. He’s got a Punk style to his words and music; he unleashes the frustrations of daily life out in a way that I wish I could. Pissed off at the government, lack of opportunities, the way people are shit to each other, the dullness of modern life- he just sums it all up in a way that may seem plain, but it hits you hard. You don’t need to sugarcoat situations at all, a great songwriter knows that. I think Ezra knows that. Slacker/Adria is one of the best songs I’ve heard this year, from a brutally honest kind of way. I think it is fair to say that this is probably Day Of The Dog could be the best thing Ezra has done so far.

Ezra is the kind of singer/songwriter those who want to make music should be listening to. He’s got the heart of Punk kid and the soul of a 50s Rock & Roll fanatic. The purity in his music is just magnificent. I’ve not really read any reviews about his music because for the most part, I dislike Music Journalists. The ones who just set up a blog or whatever and slag bands off- piss off. I studied Music Journalism at Uni, and I guess the degree I have serves no purpose, but people like Ezra are the reason as to why I don’t just love music; I need to have music playing. I need to find the next new band/singer that’s going to blow my mind or find an old band that make me realise yet again I was born at the wrong time. I should have been born in ’66 not ’86. I believe if you’re going to write about someone’s music, you should be passionate about it. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to it. Don’t write vicious words just to seem cool. Share the bands you love, and do it with love. If a band or singer are going to put their all into their music; you, as a writer of music, should put your all into writing about them.

That’s why I respect and admire Ezra. He puts his all into his music and time and time again creates something beautiful. His voice, his music and his words are just perfect and unlike anything else around. Maybe Ezra is a hopeless romantic like the rest of us, but he words it all in a way that makes the pains of everyday life less daunting to carry around. I think Metric summed it up best on their song Front Row, “He’s not perfect, he’s my hero.”

THE WHARVES/THE ROSY CRUCIFIXION.

Posted on by

 

 

Soft Power Records have got a back catalogue that is on the same level as Sacred Bones to Art Fag. They have the weird and wonderful on their label. From Dirty Beaches split 7″ to Autumns, they are responsible (for the most part) for what I listen to on an almost daily basis. So it is with no surprise at all that they’ve sent me something else for me to fall hopelessly in love with.

This time, they’ve sent something they’ve never done before- a split LP. Knowing this is an entirely new thing made the whole listening process of the record much more exciting than most. This is a big deal for both bands and of course Soft Power Records.

The first half of the record belongs to The Wharves, and it’s ridiculous. They’re from London. They have a creepy late night alleyway danger feel about them. It’s the kind of music you’d imagine Jack The Ripper stalking the streets of Whitechapel to. It is entirely eerie but nothing short of brilliant. They do have a Garage rock atmosphere that floats throughout, but the thing that really stands out for me is the vocals. The vocals on Thick Syrup is just stunning, a brilliant way to start this LP. The vocals are on a different level. I’m not even going to try find a comparison because it will not work. But if you’re fans of September Girls and The Black Belles, then you’ll probably love The Wharves. Unhand Me is something that should be on Halloween playlists. Again, the vocals are divine but on this one they are slightly chilling. There’s a cryptic  feel that flows throughout and I think that is what instantly draws you in. I probably couldn’t switch it off even if I wanted to. The Wharves make music that sounds like it should have been in a Vincent Price film. They stir up the beast inside of you and unleash a thousand furies. Bloody brilliant.

Scotland is the home to fine music. From my hero Shirley Manson to The Jesus And Mary Chain to The Creeping Ivies to The Rosy Crucifixion. Emily from the band was once described in an interview as Patsy Cline’s evil sister. To be described like that is awesome, more singers should aspire to that. Her vocals have an attitude that is found in the likes of Faith from PINS to Alison Mosshart from The Kills. There’s this infectious power there that just lures you in. I feel as if I should be wearing a cloak whilst listening to them (I’m actually wearing Superhero and a band t-shirt. The band? Loom.) They have a ghastly vibe; and I firmly believe that if music doesn’t scare you even a tiny bit, then there’s no point. Most of the bands I listen to have sinister sound. I think this makes up for the fact that I’m far too sensitive/gentle for my own good at times. Even if I’m not, music makes me feel tougher than I am. It’s like when you listen to the Ramones and you feel as if you can take on the world- you just don’t care. The Rosy Crucifixion and The Wharves have come together, and has led to something truly memorable and beautiful being created. I’ve heard a lot of new music this year, but to hear two of the most exciting bands around on one record like this just, as a music lover, well it feels like Christmas but better. Sinners has an enchanting voodoo feel about it. You can imagine Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (if he was alive obviously) just creeping up and yelling some crazy shit.

Both bands have made something that would sound perfect in a film from say, the 1920s. If I was 15 years old hearing this, it would sure make me go out and learn to play the guitar and create something as thrilling as this. This is what I want to hear. This is what I want on the airwaves and television sets. This split LP is something that sounds like it is from another time and planet. Play it loud and let everything around you just spiral out of control.

The LP is out 25th November 2013 on Soft Power Records.

Stream it here: http://softpowerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-wharves-the-rosy-crucifixion-split-vinyl-lp

LITTLE DEATH MACHINE-Velvet Skin.

Posted on by

1398380_628530100530435_2109924262_o

 

As someone who has a place reserved especially for music that is probably deemed as creepy or whatever, it is no surprise that Little Death Machine are one of my favourite new bands. They remind me of other bands I love such as Natural Assembly who make dark and beautiful music. There is tension in their music that is just fuelled by Clare’s destructive drumming and Daniel’s unapologetic thrashing on guitar. They make noise for those who aren’t afraid to play their music obnoxiously loud and flail about to it.

Velvet Skin is their new single, and is equally as rambunctious as Hit Me. Hit Me is aggressive to the core, but not to the point where you cannot listen to it. The complete opposite. You find yourself singing along with Daniel as he cries out “HIT ME!” Velvet Skin is a tantalising taste of what is to come from them. Little Death Machine have an undeniable talent that is sure to give them a cult like following, much like Cold Cave have.

Velvet Skin’s video is equally as eerie the song. The black and white video adds something quite sinister to the song. The drums are heavy on Velvet Skin, and the beautiful thudding sound is I think, what makes this song have that haunting feel to it. It does feel like something is creeping up on you. The drums sound like footsteps of something terrifying; it keeps you on edge. Little Death Machine make music that is exciting to listen to; there really aren’t that many bands that are doing this right now. Most are scared to be as dark like this, but LDM drag it out of you, and when it comes out- it feels good.

What I adore about Little Death Machine is that they have a brilliant raw sound. This makes you realise instantly that their music comes from a really special place. I think it why you just treasure them right away. I’ve yet to see them live, but I think I’ll be making my way to their Electrowerkz show in November (Met line permitting!) It’s 4 days after my birthday, so I may treat myself. On record, you can hear the fury and passion. I’d imagine live this just erupts into something wild and throws you into a state of delirium that you probably don’t want to come down from.

Like I’ve said before about LDM, there is nothing typical or conventional about them. They make rowdy music that is just good for the soul. Nothing should ever be typical or conventional. Stand for something, and go against what is wrong.