Tag Archives: New Music 2015

KINGSLEY CHAPMAN AND THE MURDER- Olympians.

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Things take time. For great things, you sure have to wait. It’s okay to wait because you know you’ll end up being exposed to something wonderful.

Kingsley used to be in a band called The Chapman Family, a band that were astounding in their time. If you ever saw them live, you would have seen just how captivating and terrifying they were. There is something quite disturbing about being in awe of a person tying a mic cord around their neck and belting out such glorious songs. You cling onto the words more.

The Chapman Family were loud in a brutal way, in a way that could probably divide a room with bottles flying and blood everywhere. The music he is now making is still loud, but in a way that demands you to listen and you cannot walk away from it. It’s every part Nick Cave, Scott Walker with the sentiment of Morrissey. There is so much heart and power in their debut song, Olympian. For those idiots who claim nothing moves them anymore or that new music isn’t too great- turn off commercial radio, seek and you shall find. You don’t need an overpaid twat to tell you if something is good or shit.

http://soundcloud.com/kingsleychapman/olympians

Olympian is a 5 minute ballad. A murderous ballad with so much going on, in the most gorgeous way. The sax adds something really euphoric to the song. The keys on the piano are hit in a “you better fucking love me and listen” kind of way. If you want conventional, step away. This is a beautiful and unconventional love song. Those are the best kind. Kingsley’s voice on this song is enough to make any sane person regard him as one of the best vocalists around, and he’s a fantastic lyricist. He’s studied the greats and in returned has created nothing short of a masterpiece. Kingsley is the only person to sing a Morrissey song just as well as Morrissey (TCF covered Everyday Is Like Sunday.)

Blood, sweat and tears ooze out of this 5 minute euphoric delight. It isn’t typical and it isn’t a song you play once, and carry on with the rest of your day. I’ve been listening to it for the past 20 minutes or so, and I’m not sure if I’m ready to listen to anything else now. Olympian is a song of comfort for those who aren’t attracted to feelings that seem “normal” but still seek the security of things that seem “normal” to others.

He’s done it. He’s made something bloody fantastic and I’m proud of him. If you’re getting married (be careful) then have this as your first dance. Or just play it in the company of nobody else, hold yourself and sway. You’ve got options.

You can find more information about the band here: https://www.facebook.com/kingsleychapman1 and here: http://www.kingsleychapman.com/

CROCODILES-Crybaby Demon.

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The most handsome men in music are back. Crocodiles, the loveliest guys you’ll ever meet are back with a new record called Boys out in a few months, but first, to get you ready for this stunning record (I’ve heard it and no other record is going to be as important as Boys this year) they have just put out the video to Crybaby Demon.

Crybaby Demon is a trashy and smutty number. If any band can make you feel violated and dirty in the best way possible, then it is easily Crocodiles. With Charlie’s unapologetic sneering guitar sounds and Brandon’s smouldering vocals, Crybaby Demon is the perfect Crocodiles song to lose your mind to. Sure we can call start mini riots to I Wanna Kill, but Crybaby Demon is the year’s most trashiest anthem. Gloriously perverse and weird.

The video to Crybaby Demon is directed by Tito Echevarria (Young Boys/SISU) and it feels like one of those obscure films that are on TV at 3am when you’re too wired to sleep. It feels like every lucid dream you’ve ever had. A real sleazy and utterly charming video that brings the song to life, a perfect fit.

It is fairly obvious that I could write about Crocodiles until I ran out of words or something equally dramatic. There is something massively relatable about their lyrics and something freeing within their music. They take you out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. I just bloody love these guys and cannot wait for everyone to hear Boys and for the tour to start.

Crocodiles are one of the few bands that have that real Punk feel to their music and how they do it. Their DIY ethic is evident in all they do, and that alone demands respect. If you’ve never seen them live, GO. Their shows are wild and carefree. The London crowd that go see them are the least dickish London crowds around (I’ve been to enough shows in London to be tired of seeing people just stand still when exposed to brilliant live music.) It’s just like one big party and the love the fans have for Crocodiles is just bloody lovely. Hopefully I’ve sold it to you!

Boys is out via Zoo Music on 11th May. Outcasts, deviants and rebels rejoice because this record is for YOU.

SPECTRES.

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The best kind of music is the kind that terrifies you. You play it before you go to sleep and before you know it, you are having the most painful and obscure dreams possible.  It terrifies you, but you don’t jolt yourself awake. You want to see where it takes you and how long you can stomach it for.

A large chunk of the records I own have become important to me because of the artwork. The front cover can sometimes define the mood of a record, and Dying by Spectres full backs this idea up, but the beauty is that you must take it your own way. When you stare at the front cover, a load of ideas run through your mind as to what is going on. Is he killing himself in the bath? Is he being killed? How is he feeling? There is terror and mystery. Two things which can sum up Spectres sound.

Dying is a great record. No. It is a phenomenal record. I can’t tell you the ideal situation to listen to it, but you MUST zone everything out and ignore everyone around you when you listen to it.

Ideally this would have been some kind of review of their record, but I must tell you all I possibly can about how they make the listener feel, or maybe just me. Who knows. Last night they played The Lexington. I had every desire to go to the show after work, but I was off sick again with another migraine. Pretty sure they would have cured it.

Spectres are loud, brutal, dark, sinister, cold and creepy. It is everything I want from a band. This Bristol based band remind me of bands I adore such as Sleep and Noothgrush. There’s some kind of doom/sludge thing happening here with distorted sounds a la My Bloody Valentine. Heavy guitars, menacing drums and haunting vocals. Massively sinister, think a slightly calmer version of Pop.1280. They’re my favourite new band, make them yours too.

Their songs feel like really twisted and proper evil horror films. The kind of films that won’t be shown in chain cinemas. Spectres have this brilliant way of demanding your attention without being pricks. A lot of bands want all of your attention, and it comes across quite needy and irritating. Spectres know you’ll turn onto them eventually so they don’t need to plead you. This is the kind of band I love.

I love when you find a band that make you feel as if you’ve gone too far or you’re damaging your ears by listening to them. I don’t want arty farty love songs that mean nothing to me. I want brutally charged songs that would raise a concern with anyone who claims to know me. I want terror to fill my brain as soon as I hit play. They take you away from the horrors (and dullness) of every day life. They take you to some forbidden place, an unconventional meeting place for those who do not wish to be part of what they are constantly sold.

I wish I could have seen them last night as I probably would have more to say, I would have seen first hand what the atmosphere is like. But, I guess a strong band can maintain that tension regardless, I’m 100% sure Spectres can do that, and DO do that.

Everything about Spectres is mesmerising, I cannot pin point one thing that stands out. I’m in love with the artwork, the guitars, the noise, the vocals, the loudness, how a sound like this cannot be tamed. They’ve magically and majestically created the sound to your nightmares, and being “shit your pants” terrified has never sounded so good.

Their record is easily going to be one of the highlights of the year, and a sound like this just doesn’t go away. It gets bigger and louder.

BEST COAST- California Nights.

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There are some songs that when you listen to, nothing can touch you. Every sad and horrible feeling you are carrying around fades away. A song that just becomes a part of you, a very important part of you. It doesn’t matter who sings it, just as long as you feel it.

Songs that take you away, I feel, are the best ones. Real life is dull and repetitive. How do you escape it? Through headphones. You take a song that whisks you away to some place so calming and your own piece of perfection. You can find it anywhere. You might already have that song, if you do then remember you can always have more.

For me, the song that sums up everything surrounding escapism and daydreaming is California Nights by Best Coast. It is 5 minutes of sheer bliss. I urge you to take 5 minutes out of your day to zone out and listen to this gorgeous song. I’ve been a fan of Best Coast for years, and I say with confidence that this is their greatest song to date. Their debut record holds a lot of sentimental value to me, but I am willing to move on from it and cling onto California Nights with all I have. It sounds nothing like their previous songs/records, but still holds firmly onto that beach/dream-esque atmosphere. Best Coast are a band you listen to when on the beach on a hot day with nothing else to do. Pretty hard to do that when it’s freezing cold out, so you play it on repeat and allow it warm your bones in the comfort of your own home.

Listen to it on the journey to/from work to imagine you are anywhere you want to me, place it at work, on your lunch break, before you go to bed. It doesn’t matter, all that matters is you allowing yourself to be taken on this ethereal trip that you don’t want to come back from.

I wanted to write a massive essay on how this song makes me feel and such, but my words will not and cannot do the song justice. I heard it last week and it’s all I’ve been listening to. It’s all I want to listen to. Some songs win you over instantly and become a huge and vital part of you, that’s exactly what California Nights has gone and done. It is one of those songs that reinforces your love for a band, for music.

Have it on repeat, and go somewhere nobody can disturb you.

PINS- Too Little Too Late.

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Middle fingers and glitter. Sometimes you just have to tell someone to fuck off. As satisfying as it is to have a sweary rant in your head (all of the time), sometimes you have to just let it all out. Don’t ever feel bad about it.

PINS are back, and their new song Too Little Too Late is a different sound to what Girls Like Us sounds like. Both equally sublime, but wonderfully different.

Their new record, Wild Nights is out 8th June via Bella Union and going by their show last week, it’ll probably be in my Top 3 records of the year (number 1 has already been claimed by Crocodiles) They are supporting Sleater-Kinney in March and Drenge in April. They will also be playing a show at The Lexington on 27th May.

The track listing for Wild Nights is as follows:

Baby Bhangs
Young Girls
Curse These Dreams
Oh Lord
Dazed By You
Got It Bad
Too Little Too Late
House of Love
If Only
Molly
Everyone Says

Too Little Too Late will be released 30th March.

PINS- Sebright Arms 26th February 2015.

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When you become a fan of a band, it is usually their live shows that explain why you love them. Most bands I’m a fan of sound a billion times better live than on record. For the interaction and to see their faces as they play certain songs. It feels like it’s just you and them.

PINS are a band that HAVE to be seen live. On record they are exceptional, live they are perfect. Their show last night consisted of them playing their new record in full. If you’ve heard their debut, Girls Like Us you will know of a certain sound they have. A little dark, a little sinister and mixed with songs to chant along to. Their new record is nothing like Girls Like Us. If this becomes a problem for whoever listens to it, then they probably need their head checking.

I’ve no clue what the titles of the songs are, but I can tell you they are brilliant. With their first record they became a band to pay attention to, with their second they have become a band that will kick the behinds of those wanting to start a band, motivating them to make their own noise. They’ve truly found their own sound here on the new record, it isn’t too heavy and it’s utterly divine.

As I was listening to the songs last night, one band in particular came to my mind. A band that I hold as high as my mother. A band from the home of music, Manchester. PINS new songs have wonderful dreamy elements that are found in songs by The Stone Roses. I looked on feeling like a proud parent. This is a band that have done something really special, and I can only hope more people pay attention to them. I remember hearing Say To Me/Luvu4lyf and being amazed at what I was hearing. This was heavy and creepy stuff, it was incredible. The same feeling hit me again last night as I watched them rip through their glorious second record. There is something about live music that moves you, and last night was a proper example of that.

The new songs are powerful and inspirational. There is wisdom in the lyrics and fury in the drums. If Sophie doesn’t make you leave wanting to be a drummer, then you’ve probably been watching with yours eyes closed the whole time. A truly magnificent show, and I can honestly say (and I say it a lot) the best time I’ve seen them.

They end their set with Girls Like Us which ends with Faith bringing some fans on stage (one being Robert from Crocodiles!) to join in with the jumping about. The song is mixed with number 1 party jam, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. A brilliant end to the show. The show last night was a showcase of things to come from PINS, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear this new record.

The only crap thing about going to a PINS show is the amount of creepy old guys standing near the front and taking photos of the bands legs. Come on now. If you’re looking to get off on something, I’m fairly sure you can find a porno for free online. But anyway, if you ignore that then you can just appreciate how bloody great the band are. Faith’s voice is a lot stronger, Lois is a delight to watch because she bops up and down on the stage like a kid who’s downed a lot of cherryade and had a sherbet based sweet as her main meal. They are going to easily become an influential band in no time, they’re on the right path to doing so. Oh and before I forget the other thing that wasn’t great about last night was that Anna wasn’t there. Get well soon! PINS are quite frankly one of the most exciting bands around, on record and live they take you some place truly magical. Nothing really feels the same afterwards.

THE LIVING EYES- Living Large.

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I’ve had my copy of Living Large for a while, but sometimes I’m stupidly lazy. Then it all comes in spurts.

Living Eyes are a brilliant Garage Rock kind of band. They are pleasantly loud and foolishly underrated. They’ve got hints of Ty Segall and Wavves flowing through their music, but their record Living Large sort of feels like something by The Vagrants mixed with the Beach Boys. Kick a can hopelessly on the beach until everything becomes clear. That’s what you get from this record.

Boredom. It hits us all. Saying we’re bored because we’re not bored, we just don’t know. It’s a state of mind and it’s an unflattering way of life. But the thing is, The Living Eyes make this sloppy way of living feel alright. They make you want to waste your days away doing nothing. If this is the soundtrack to it, then please sign me up now. The Living Eyes are one of the most exciting bands to come from Australia in a while, but don’t let that make you think that they don’t have a decent music scene there, because they do. There’s a lot of great bands there who will hopefully soon get the exposure that they deserve.

Living Large is not just a Garage Rock record. They’re not just a Garage Rock band. There is something else there, something that’s dying to come out and of course it will. Living Large lures you in, and once it has its grip on you, you won’t want these 4 guys to let you go. They’ll put you in a sweaty choke-hold and you’ll want more. Living Large may end up being quiet, but come the summer months it will get played constantly. It’s exactly what it was made for. Living Large wasn’t made for the pissing rain. It was made for the blistering heat and the desire for shade to protect you from the rays.

Some bands you fall in love with instantly when you hear them, and if you’ve never listened to The Living Eyes before, this record will make you sway, swoon and fall in love. If you’ve felt hopeless, bored and lifeless then this is the record for you. It was designed to make you feel a little better. Buy it, stick it on, learn the words, wear it out and make The Living Eyes your favourite band.

Living Large is gloriously frantic, chaotic drumming, beastly guitar riffs and all in between. This is what you need if you’re in need of a kick up the arse or a punch to the eyes. The Living Eyes are unapologetically loud and brutal. Their song, Bad Example justifies fully why this band demand your attention and you know you better give them it.

I’ve never seen them live, but I’m fairly sure it’ll be a lively sweat-fest and massively brutal. Just how it should be. They say perfection doesn’t really exist, but they’ve never listened to these guys have they.

I’ve kept this brief as my piece on them a few months ago explains why I love them, and I won’t shut up otherwise. Just go buy the record. It’s out now, go to your local record store and treat yourself.

AUTUMNS -Blonde (EP)

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The best musicians are the ones that are fearless. The ones that play a little louder than most, the ones who play until a part of them bleeds, the ones that MAKE you believe in what they are saying. The ones that feel like an old pair of boots that you placed aside when you were forced into buying new ones. The best ones make you feel uncomfortable too, like a new pair of boots.

Autumns are a mighty fine Derry band. If you’ve listened to them prior to the Blonde EP you’ll have been familiar with Christian’s distorted sound. A sound that me love his music instantly. It felt like you were creeping into a secluded world. You daren’t tell anyone anything. Keeping up with this sacred feel, the Blonde EP is clearer and bloody hell he’s got a strong voice. Think along the lines of Orange Juice meets Dead Boys meets something completely else that none of us have heard before.

These four tracks smack you so wonderfully between the eyes, they shake you and wake you up. Every song shows the potential that Christian has, and I am so so proud of what he has done with Autumns. I’ve said this every time I write about him, but he does remind me of Alex Zhang Hungtai (Dirty Beaches/Last Lizard.) One person making a load of noise that just HAS to be heard because it is phenomenal.

I Can See Them Looking At Me feels like it should be featured in some sadistic black and white film. It’s brilliantly creepy and sinister, everything you should want from music. Bands like Autumns are exactly why I want to write about music. I don’t care for doing anything else. They heighten something inside, and things like that do not happen often. Today in London it is damp, dreary and dull; the perfect soundtrack for this is the Autumns EP. Escape somewhere else or stay where you are. Play it so loud the neighbours ask you for a copy. Through your body around to the jangly guitars and furious drums. It’ll start making sense.

Blonde leaves you wanting more from Autumns. Not in a sense of wanting more and more songs, but in a way of just wanting to hear what’s going to happen next. Knowing how the sound has changed and more clarity with Christian’s vocals (which is a very good thing) you can’t help but know that this band are definitely something special. I did one of Christian’s first interviews last year/the year before, and it was so obvious that he’s not making music that should be ignored. He’s making music that feels like a punch to the gut and a jolt to the body. An electric shock making its way through you and when it gets to the crucial point, that is when you know.

You can stream and buy the Blonde EP here: https://cf-records.bandcamp.com/

Also if you’re in Derry/nearby then go this show on the 27th February; https://www.facebook.com/events/517218015083138/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

BY STARLIGHT

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Bands usually go through changes. Sometimes for the best, sometimes it doesn’t make any difference. Then there are some that go through hell and have to have a new lineup. There is something about experiencing emotional pain and suffering that can make a person tougher. There is something about it that can be a kick up the arse. Suffering or not, we all need that at times.

By Starlight are a London based trio who make the kind of music that would probably silence Courtney Love. When you listen to bassist/vocalist Sara you hear all the powerful singers that came before her in her voice. There’s a hint of PJ, Shirley Manson, Patti and Courtney in her voice and it is bloody excellent.

Sara started the band a few years ago after she left Australia. Australia isn’t known for its music scene I suppose (Silverchair will always be one of my favourite bands and Natalie Imbruglia once had a nice hairstyle didn’t she.) As someone who was once shy and hadn’t really sung before, it is fair to say that she has found her voice. A voice so strong and so passionate; enough to make you want to start a band too. These are the kind of bands and singers we need.

By Starlight have a raw, gnarly 90s sound. So Desperate could easily pass as a song off Garbage’s debut record. It is brutal and heavy, it is everything I want from a song and a band. They have a real moody sound flowing beautifully in and out of their songs. Listen to So Desperate just once, and it will stay with you. No And Forever sounds like it would sit wonderfully on Hole’s Celebrity Skin record. I know it may sound like lame comparisons, but honestly they just sound like one of the great Rock bands, you know? You can’t ignore that

There’s determination in this band, and of course it is something to admire. Last year, drummer (and best friend of Sara) Pete was sadly killed in a car accident. I wish I had written about them prior because his drumming was brilliant. Some drummers just have you hooked instantly, and he was definitely one of them. I’m just glad Sara didn’t call it quits because By Starlight aren’t a band anyone should ignore.

After only meeting Dan (guitar) and Thierry (drums) a few months ago, it is pretty obvious that this band aren’t one that should be stopped. What started with the desire to move to London has now become something truly wonderful, even in the light of something beyond awful. By Starlight have a real Rock sound to them. Their sound is heavy in all the right places and is mixed with moody and seductive vocals.

I’ve happily been playing their 3 tracks on their soundcloud page for the past hour or so. So Desperate is a proper little earworm that will stay with you. You can listen to their tracks right here:

Their next show is on 27th February at The Dublin Castle (in Camden.) I’ve not seen them live, but I’m pretty sure it will be gloriously loud and rowdy.

If mean (they’re sweethearts really, but you know what I’m getting at) and moody melodies are what you desire, then turn yourself onto By Starlight. An absolute pleasure to listen to and I’m pretty damn proud to call myself a fan. Besides, any band that name themselves after a Smashing Pumpkins song is alright with me! This won’t be the last I write about By Starlight.

BAD GRAMMAR- Clown.

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“Sweetheart, your make up is terrible”.

 

When I was at Uni, I went to pretty much every Gossip gig I could manage on a student budget. Turns out, it was a lot. Thankfully it wasn’t a phase and is something I still do. Last year I think Bad Grammar could have possibly been the band I saw the most, closely followed by Crocodiles. This year, who knows who it could be. Probably more of the same to be honest, that’s perfectly alright with me.

If your daily life is a pain in your behind and other areas, if you are bored with the repetitive strain of daily life then Bad Grammar are your saviors. This Manchester based duo are the most ferocious and probably loudest band I’ve seen in a long time. The Jesus And Mary Chain were loud when I saw them, but it was mainly feedback wasn’t it. Bad Grammar play like two feral kids being let loose in a school music room and they don’t really care for who hears them. Their new single, Clown pretty much showcases this in all its brutal glory.

If you’ve seen Lucy and Ben live, you’ll probably be left feeling as if you should start a band or something as brave. I’ll be honest, when I’ve seen them live I’ve pretty much stared in awe at them rather than pay attention to the songs. Every time I see them, I feel it is the best time I’ve seen them. There is something about watching them that is truly brilliant. I love the way Ben flails about on the stage, jumping around like a kid that’s drank a load of Cherryade and snorted some Party Rings. Lucy beats the shit out the drum, and is easily one of the best drummers you’ll see (and hear.) They’re one of the hardest working bands around and don’t ever seem to not be playing a show, so you’ve really got no excuse!

Produced by Ryan Pinson (who worked recently with the equally awesome God Damn) Clown is a loud number that will make you want to throw your body about until you feel it is about to snap. Clown b/w Who’s Yer Mate? will be out in the Spring on Flatpack Records. They’ve managed to capture the energy from their live shows into a song, that will leave you wanting to follow them up and down the country to attend their shows (don’t stalk them, creep.)

Have some dates for your diary:

Saturday 24th January – The Boileroom, Guildford
Sunday 25th January – The Louisiana, Bristol
Friday 13th February – Lomax, Liverpool
Saturday 21st February – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, London (Free Entry)
Friday 27th February – Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, Brighton
Monday 2nd March – The Flapper, Birmingham
Friday 27th March – The Castle Hotel, Manchester (Single Launch)

You can stream the track here: