Tag Archives: Sacred Bones

SEXTILE: Push.

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On Friday Sextile will be releasing their new record PUSH via Sacred Bones Records. That label is home to some amazing bands and singers. Some of my favourite records have come from that label, and I’m so happy that they’ve picked up the new Sextile record.

I’ve written about the band a handful of times including the last time they played here in Manchester (they will return to the same venue in December which I’m so excited for!) Their live shows are something else, and when you listen to PUSH, you cannot help but feel it’s a record to be witnessed live. It’s a pure Sextile record from start to finish. Every song is in the right place. It starts with No Fun that goes right into the trance like Contortion. Imagine this live. When you get your hands on this record, this song will change everything you thought you knew about the band. This song is way out there- Sextile are just on another planet with this record, and especially with this song. They just take you somewhere else that no other band has, or maybe ever will.

I really love that this record still has a familiar Sextile sound but at the same time, it throws you into this underground trance world. Early 90s House music is the feel of this record mixed with everything that Punk is. That’s the band all over really, and it sounds SO good. When a band really push their limits and go beyond what even they expect from themselves, that’s when you know you’ve found something to really hold on to. It’s a joyful record that’ll put your mind right. I mean some songs may give your older relatives a headache, but maybe it isn’t for them. This record isn’t for those who love the gentle and quiet. It’s for those of us who want something a bit louder, and something we’ve not really heard before. The loudness will smack you in the chops and the intensity of this record is just heavenly.

Lost Myself Again sounds like dread kicking in that leads into some form of hangover. Whether it be an emotional one or otherwise; it really does something to the soul. All the dread you feel is released by the time you’ve finished listening to this song. I love how the whole record is beautifully chaotic. It’s a record to dance to- to really dance to, and I don’t think they’ve done this on previous records. Sure, you can move to their sounds, but this record offers something else. And it is that “something else” that has you hooked. It’s not a record that you play once and forget about it. That’s not how it works with Sextile- far from it. They’re a band that you go back to every time. I think with this record, it’ll be the one you go to when you want something that you cannot get from any other record.

For me, Crash shows just how talented the band is. This is one of the gentler moments on the record. It’s a real soothing part of the record. You can play this late at night, look out the window or go for a walk and just play this. Whatever you feel when you play it, just go with it. It’s magical in every way. Friend of the band Izzy Glaudini lends her vocals on this one, and it just sounds like an angel harmonising. It’s such a gorgeous song, and does fit in with the rowdiness of the record.

As far as Electro records go, this one is up there as being entirely different; if aliens exist- then I hope whoever meets them, plays this record to them because I reckon, they too, would embrace the weirdness and beauty on this record. You cannot help but adore songs like Basically Crazy, Crassy Mel and LA DJ. It’s just a feel-good record. You can dance your little heart out to this one. Play it whilst you’re at the gym, play it whilst you clean your apartment, play it at a queer house party. Play it wherever you can and as loud as you can.

If you’re looking for a record that oozes soul and passion, then all you need to do is get this record on Friday. It’ll get you to where you need to go.

ZOLA JESUS: Lost

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That feeling when one of the singers you adore so much comes back with new music; there’s truly nothing quite like it. The first time I heard Zola Jesus, was actually the song she did as Nika + Rory. The song was I’m Not Going Anywhere. I played it almost religiously. I then heard Nika’s work as Zola Jesus when brought out The Spoils, and that was it. My obsession was blooming and I didn’t want it any other way.

There are a few bands/singers that just stick with you, and the any announcement of new music from them just immediately hits you right in the heart and you feel alive again. Since 2009 I’ve had this admiration and love for Nika and all she creates. I cannot think of anyone else who does what she does, who makes the sounds she does, who has a mind like hers. She’s the only one, and let’s be honest- there won’t ever be anyone else like her ever again. Her voice is so haunting and so comforting. I’m not ashamed to say I’ve bawled my eyes out to some of her songs, but my god there are songs that just give you this euphoric feeling and nothing can come close to it.

Lost is the new single, and is taken from Nika’s new record Arkhon which is out 20th May via one of the best labels ever- Sacred Bones. If you’re a fan of Nika/Zola Jesus, you know exactly what to expect but at the same time you are ready to be thrown into the deep unknown. Lost is such a beautiful and open song, and so easy to connect with. We all feel lost. Some of us feel it more than others, some of us are just constantly lost. For some, it may be all we know. But it’s a feeling that so many can connect with; and the way Nika writes about it here is just divine and right to the core.

The percussion, the sound of breathing (at the start- I think) it’s got this reassuring feel to it. The start sounds like a panic attack coming on (something I know far too well) but then everything calms down, and you are centred. Everything is okay, and you feel reassured again. There’s something about that chaotic feeling of being lost that allows you to just go at your own pace and eventually find what you need. I think that’s something we probably need to cling on to more than we care to admit.

The video for Lost is stunning. It will leave you breathless and just in awe of this magnificent creation. It sums up the feel of the song so well, and it is shot in the most gorgeous way imaginable. I don’t want to write too much about the video; I want you to take some time out of your day to watch the video. Maybe a couple of times in a row, and just take it all in. The song is a masterpiece and if the whole record has this feel to it, then I think we may have found the most beautifully put together record of the year.

SPELLLING.

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One of my favourite record labels are releasing a record in February which I am pretty sure is going to be one of the year’s greatest records.

Spellling is an extremely talented musician from the California. She makes music to zone out to, she makes music that gives you a better world and makes you feel like you’re floating. There is something so soothing and so pure in her music, and her voice is out of this world. If you’re a fan of Zola Jesus or Banks- then you’ll love Spellling. Her sound is wonderfully off the wall and beautifully strange.

Mazy Fly will be her second release, and for Sacred Bones to pick this is up is just incredible. That label is home to most of the bands I love, and they’ve never ever put a bad record out. Sacred Bones are so great at finding musicians that have this way to just hit you in the soul, and take you some place truly magical. And sometimes strange.

Pantheon of Me came out late 2017, and it’s one of those records that just freak you out. Not in a bad way, but in a way that leaves you wondering how you made it this far without hearing something so incredible, and just absolutely perfect. I’m fairly sure she does everything herself. This record was produced by her, and she’s just everything you want from a musician. She isn’t afraid to take a sound and completely tear it apart, and create something so different and so wild. Check the song, Choke Cherry Horse- it’s got this riff in it that is so heavy, but her vocals are so gentle and soft. It’s a captivating contridiction and it’s what just leaves you constantly hooked.

She’s got the genius in her that resembles Dorothy Ashby. She has this effortlessly cool sound that’s in the likes of Erykah Badu and Banks. There is something so interesting about her sound, and the way she just makes her vocals do some amazing things. Vocally and musically, there is no denying how brilliant she is. I’ll call her a genius, and I’ll stick to that. Hopefully you will to come February when her second record comes out.

I love music that completely and utterly goes beyond what you’ve expected or does something to your imagination. I love how Spellling just has this calming sound, but at the same time freaks you out with the things her vocals can do. The production on her records are incredible. If I had any musical talented, she’d be someone I’d want to produce my music and work with all the time. The calming sound in her music is so beautiful, and it just eases the brain. Sometimes you just need that.

Bolt From The Blue is my favourite song by Spellling so far. I love the heaviness. I love how she has this big sound which is eased with her gentle voice. The song makes you feel like you’re underwater, and everything is just still and relaxing. Her voice is nothing short of perfect. I love the sheer soul in her voice, and I love how utterly fearless she is. I cannot wait to hear the new record in February, and I’m just super sure that it’s going to be one of the best things I’ll hear. I’ve already put it in my Top 3 (if I was going to make a list.)

Higher Ground is also a song worth becoming infatuated with- there’s so much going on in this song,  but it doesn’t overwhelm you. It just leaves you in awe. Every single song leaves you in awe. Spellling has this beautiful way of creating something truly remarkable with her words, vocals and music.

Wherever she may take you when you listen, you’re sure as hell aren’t going to want to come back from it for a while. Her music is gentle, brave and comforting. Her sound is unlike anything else, and I really cannot wait to hear more from this beautiful soul.

POP.1280-Paradise

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About two weeks or so ago Willis Earl Beal wrote something so important regarding music writers and how certain publications rating systems and the like are fucked, how they force feed readers to like what they like and expect them to hate them when they turn their back on them. What I’ve noticed is too many music writers are passionate about hating a band rather than praising one they love. It made me think about review records and if there’s really any point. I don’t review something in the hopes someone agrees with me, I do it because I hope someone goes and buys the record regardless of what I write. I could never ever write about a band or singer I didn’t like. I’ve been told by some place I was going to write for- they told me they never gave full marks for a review so I wasn’t allowed to praise something I loved too much. I pride myself on having better morals than being a semi-decent writer. Needless to say, I didn’t write for them. Which is probably why I’ll never make a living out of this. You accept it after nearly 10 years. So, with all of this said I’m going to write about why Pop.1280 have yet again released another mind-bending and mind-blowing record. I know of one other person who digs this band as much as I do(my uncle.)

Pop.1280 make music that is hard to stomach at times. When I first heard them I had this feeling that they would become something of an obsession. I loved how loud and frightening their sound was- and still is. Decades ago, kids used Punk to piss off their folks. I sincerely hope some kid is out there blasting out these guys to piss theirs off, and their neighbours. The thing that I love the most about Pop.1280 is that with every release, they get a little more terrifying. This is the kind of music you play when you want to scare someone shitless. Personally, I’d be tempted to use their music to try use it in a more romantic setting. Their music sounds like falling in love anyway- tormenting and chaotic. Have I been doing it wrong? No. My mind and god knows what else is wired differently. Paradise sounds like a nightmare, probably, to those who’ve never delved into this murky world that Pop.1280 have been building for years. It’s a world that makes you shudder, ache and think. Paradise just reinforces my love for them and if anything, has got me pretty excited for their London show in a few weeks.

9 songs in 39 minutes. 9 songs that are set to fry your brain, make your eyes go funny and make you question your surroundings. Something I’ve admired for some time about Pop.1280 is their ability to make you feel as if you’re trapped. Trapped in the hell of your own mind, in the midst of others- anywhere. They create this atmosphere that makes you feel as if you’re the last person left on Earth and everyone else has disappeared. It’s creepy. Really fucking creepy, and it isn’t for people who dream of sunshine and rainbows. I don’t know what kind of person latches onto a band like this. I have, and I guess you can draw up your own conclusion about it. I initially started writing about this record last week, but I stopped myself from writing because I realised quite quickly that this isn’t a record you casually listen to. I’ve taken it in. Or maybe this record has taken me in, chewed me up and spat me out. Do what you want, Pop.1280. This sinister feel to the record (and like their previous ones) has got me ready to see them live in a few weeks. I’ve never seen them before, and I’m really hoping it sounds equally terrifying live.

Phantom Freighter is the second track on the record, and in some ways it sounds like someone losing their mind. In general, Pop.1280 seem to capture the sound of madness really well. Phantom Freighter is a tension-filled track that makes your heart beat quicker than it probably should. It keeps you on edge, and I think that’s pretty much a solid for Pop.1280’s music overall.

Paradise will make you delve into some dark and lonesome emotions, and that’s perfectly fine. You shouldn’t always feel comfortable or secure when listening to music. Nobody should want predictable. For me, the fact that a band like Pop.1280 exist and can still make people feel a little uneasy like The Birthday Party did gives me hope. Not sure what kind of hope, mind. I’m pretty sure Paradise justifies why Pop.1280 are one of the best bands on Sacred Bones (pretty much all bands/musicians on that label are great) but it also shows why they are one of the best bands around. They’ve still got that raw and unpredictable sound that was on The Horror and Imps Of Perversion, and I think it is something that they will always be able to really put into their sound.

Sometimes you don’t need the news or a horror film to scare you shitless- just listen to Pop.1280 if you want some kind of kick.

 

 

 

 

DESTRUCTION UNIT

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I have a theory that, if it isn’t loud or makes me feel like I’ve been punched in the face, then I probably won’t be too keen on it. This is only with music. But sometimes I just want to listen to something gentle and relaxing. That said, I find Sleep to be one of the most relaxing bands I’ve ever heard. Chaos is fine by me, as is noise.

Destruction Unit, as tacky as it sounds, live up to their name. Their sound is a mixture of chaos, destruction and terror. Their music will freak you out and make you feel like you’ve taken something you maybe shouldn’t have. Their songs are loud and full of fury. They spoil the listener with their undeniable talent and ability to make you feel like you’ve cracked your head open. It’s a whirlwind, and you can’t help but feel you’ve been knocked out cold for days and you’re only just coming round.

What I love about them is that they can only be played loud. I’m fairly sure their live shows will leave you deaf for days. Making your body feel broken in all the right places. Have I ever heard anything as brutal as this before? Of course, but that doesn’t mean Destruction Uni are toss. Far from it. I’ve heard louder but I’ve not heard anything quite like it. They’re not deathly terrifying but you could probably freak your neighbours out with their music. It’s the kind of noise for those who take things a little too far, or it’s an outlet for us shy fuckers (like myself.)

I guess they’ve been described a fair few times as a “psych” band, and that description keeps getting thrown about that it becomes hard to find the good stuff. I don’t mind looking for it, but sometimes labels are a hindrance and not a help.

Negative Feedback Resistor comes out on Friday. I’ve heard nothing from it, but I’m fairly confident it is going to be one of those records where the greatness of it just smacks you in the face. Sometimes it’s okay to find one where the sheer genius of it creeps up on you, usually at times where you’re pleasantly caught off guard but I have every feeling that this release will just hit the listener between the eyes and be nothing short of a masterpiece.

Their glorious psych sound is heavier than typical psych bands. It’s like they are egging other bands on to p;lay a little louder, a little faster and to put the frighteners in the listener. They push themselves and the listener with their music, and I personally think that’s what makes them one of the best bands around and on Sacred Bones.

You want to throw your body around in a questionable fashion when you listen to them, you play them a bit louder than the last time and you fall into this sort of depraved world they have created with their menacing sound. The guitars sound like a mad man on the run. This feral sound is what keeps modern music alive. There’s nothing overproduced and nothing is compromised. It’s a solid sound that deserves to be treasured and respected. They make the kind of noise I wish I could, but as always, I just write about it.

Their Europe/UK tour starts this week, including Liverpool Psych Fest.

Horrid Red.

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If something doesn’t make sense to me, I am drawn to it. I try to figure it out. I rage inside because I’m frustrated that I an’t work something out. I guess I just want to take as much as I can in. Sometimes, you can figure stuff out but you cannot understand it. That’s pretty much how my life has turned out to be. I guess this is why I was up at stupid o’clock this morning watching X-men cartoons. I identified with Wolverine once again. This needs to stop. But I’m not prepared to do anything about it just yet. I guess this is why I suddenly felt some kind of connection to this German/LA synth with Punk twinges band I started listening to.

Horrid Red. Sacred Bones. They done did it AGAIN. I feel as if I should head out to New York, sleep outside their office and beg for a job. I’d brag about being English. Not that it is something to brag about. It’s cool. I won’t do any of this. I’ll just stay here (for now) and write about the bands I love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTbzDKDvkn0&feature=related

Here we go.

Okay, so if you take the heartbreaking and dark sounds of the 80s and mix it with something current, like that whole relaxed vibe- then you get Horrid Red. But do you really GET Horrid Red? They sing in German, and I wish I could understand. It’s a language I’ve always wanted to learn, mainly because I want to live in Berlin for a bit. But hey, got to keep those childish dreams alive somehow.

I’ve got many reasons as to why I love Horrid Red. I think the main thing is that they give me that same feeling I get when I listen to The Cure. I really have no idea what is being said in the songs, but the music long makes you feel like you are in  whirlwind of despair trying to claw your way out of it. I guess for some, that’s what life is to them. Trying to claw your wa out but stay focused. It can be hard, but you do what you have to do. If not, well- choose your outcome.

Horrid Red have that prolific sound that stays with you. It is highly distinctive, and honestly? It is like The Fall went all German on us. It is utterly perfect. I have so much love and respect for The Fall, and Horrid Red have something about them that remind me slightly of The Fall. I suppose you can never go wrong with 80s Manchester based bands, who are still going. Mark E Smith is a leader, and I will always follow. Horrid Red make me feel like I am in some kind of pleasurable nightmare. I guess you have to find some kind of pleasure in anything bad that happens. Please do not ask me how, it just depends I suppose.

Horrid Red make me feel like I am trapped somewhere, and I’m unsure if I have it in my to escape. Is my sub-conscious playing with me again? More than likely. The bastard. Their music, even if you cannot understand German, is powerful because it still creates these wild images in your head. The day a piece of music tames you, seek for something like Horrid Red. They’ll send you crazy in no time.

If you’re looking for something to lose your mind to, but also find a part of yourself- listen to Horrid Red. Their record, Celestial Joy is just divine. If I’m right, it is their debut. Are debut records meant to be this good? I think so, it just proves they’ll be making memorable music for a long time. I’m not one for begging, but please- go listen. Alright, so it may not change your life but maybe you’ll learn some German in the process. That’s always useful. If you loved how The Cure’s record Seventeen Seconds made you feel, and still does; then you will probably get the same feeling again when you listen to Horrid Red. I may be going by personal opinion on this but hey..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WY7DZbvkkk

Their debut record is released on Terrible Records.

Naked On The Vague.

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Thankfully, Naked On The Vague are no longer a two-piece, as I probably would’ve had to tame my love for The Kills in order to love them as much. They’ve added two more members, so I can go back to loving them with all I have. Which, I guess is a lot. More than I should? I don’t care. Some people just do not get what it is to love a band with all you have. It is almost as if your heart beats in time with their drums, and your soul sings and comes alive to the singer’s voice. There’s always a hint of romanticism in what I write, I like to try make it subtle but some bands just make you drag it all out. Naked On The Vague are clearly having a positive effect on my ears.

Punk, they say is DEAD! It’s okay because some things..and some people who are dead are better than what is alive. For instance, Tupac is the greatest rapper, and nobody alive is better. Punk is the best genre to have ever existed, nothing after it has ever meant much. You see? Good. Maybe Punk is dead. You know what I hate? People that call Blink 182 and bands like that Punk. Joey Ramone would be spinning in his grave. There is fuck all Punk about bands like that, but twits like to ruin what was good don’t they. Anyway, with that outburst I’m over it. I’ve got Naked On The Vague to make up for it.

Call it Punk if you want to, call it whatever you want- just do not use any negative words. Maybe I’ll hunt you down if you do. I jest, I don’t have it in me to do such a thing. Unless you’re Alison Mosshart..then I’ll hunt you down, and just ask for you to love me. I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t see how beautiful she is. Where am I going with this? I have no idea. Back to the music.

Naked On The Vague have that amazing early sound of The Cure and Siouxsie to their music, so I guess they’re not really Punk..they’re just fucking amazing. Why bother with genres when you can just say..”I like it” or “I don’t like it.” To Hell with labels! Denounce them and use them no more! But, you probably will. They’re as noisy as fellow Australians, Chicks Who Love Guns, but are tamer on the ears. However both are equally loved by me..and it’s a lot of love, you know that.

Naked On The Vague have supported the likes of Zola Jesus and Thee Oh Sees, and yes two acts I happen to love ever so much. It’s not like I’m trying to inflict my own personal opinion upon you, I just want you to listen to Naked On The Vague. That’s all 😉

Another thing that caused me to fall in love with them is that in some tracks, they have that dark, haunting feel that is found in Bauhaus (yes, another favourite of mine.) They’re dark, raw and noisy- so basically everything I love really.

Case Studies.

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My ability to be distracted from what I should be doing is just fucking awful, but I like to think I compensate for it by doing something I enjoy. What I mean is, right now I should be writing for a job but I’ve opted to write about Case Studies because I feel it is more beneficial for anyone/everyone if I do that. I have no idea how or why this works, I’m just going to go with it. I’m better at writing than I am with applying for jobs, obviously. If only I could make a living from this…clinging onto the dream with all I have by the day.

I’ll tell you why I love Case Studies as best I can. I’m not sorry if I stop making sense and ramble. I never am. One of my favourite singers of all time (apart from Morrissey) is Townes Van Zandt. I love the pain that came through in Townes’ music. I loved how he was so open with his songs, even the covers- he still made them is own. I loved his endearing drawl in his voice. I just loved all he was, no singer has ever really mastered that kind of tone. Until now.

Case Studies is truly like nothing I’ve ever heard before. I think I’m slowly accepting that America is pretty much the home to amazing music, and if anyone wants to help me out and get me there so I can experience it FULLY..I’d be forever grateful. I’d send you a postcard and a trinket. Case Studies creates music that is just so beautiful. Jesse Lortz is an INCREDIBLE musician that I firmly suggest you read up about if you’re not familiar with him. He’s just a fantastic artist..he is his art. He is so perfect. That voice, jesus christ.

I know I love music that most would just dismiss as “noise” and it does piss me off, because it has more substance than most stuff around but hey, it happens. I’ll keep it all in my heart and echoing in my ears. Case Studies is such a wonderful project. The lyrics on these songs are enough to tame a wild heart and break a strong person.

“Ask me how straight is the line that I walk,  like an arrow that’s flying straight to the sun.  Don’t ask me ’cause I’ll only lie yeah, don’t ask me ’cause I’ll only lie.  Well, I’d tell you the truth but you know in your heart it’ll only make you cry.”

Lies is one of my favourite tracks off the record (The World Is Just A Shape To Fill The Night.) I love how sleepy Jesse’s voice sounds. The lyrics are painfully honest- he’s an honest liar in this song. At least he knows his faults, you can’t hate on a person if they own if to their faults. Things like this make you believable. When you can be this real and honest in your lyrics (and life) you become a person that others will feel some connection with. Maybe they’ll want to change your ways, but don’t let them- because then you’ll be the worst kind of liar.

Most of the songs on this record were recorded in a cabin, which as daft as it may sound, makes you feel like you are there in the cabin with Jesse and all those involved in the record sat around a fire singing these songs. Sure there are some songs that may sound a bit dark and haunting. But overall, this record has such a homely and comforting feel to it. It feels like it is nursing you back to good health, and gives you strength. Not all of us are rocks, and most that act tough are sometimes the most weak. This record embraces all the qualities that make us human. There is no shame in being a mess, there is also no shame in being tough. There is shame however, in covering up all you are in order to impress. I think this is why I am single hah.

As a debut record as Case Studies, it is a body of perfection. To find any fault in it would make you foolish. Just like to not listen to this record would make you foolish. I know it is one I will keep going back to when I just need something I cannot get from a person or a book. It just offers you so much more than you thought a record could, and that..that is what makes an artist stand out from all the others.

Pop.1280

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More noise. Just as noisy and HARD as Sex Church. Possibly louder? I have no idea. My ears are going to hurt after I’ve written this. I’m still not convinced I’m playing this loud enough. I don’t feel like my ears are going to burst and bleed just yet. I’m waiting for that to kick in. I think if I carry on, I’ll have made myself deaf by the time I’m 30. If that happens, I doubt I’d have a point in living would I. Happy Monday to you ALL!

Pop.1280 are on Sacred Bones are affiliated with my favourites Sacred Bones so obviously I feel a lot of love towards them. This is the kind of music that makes you want to start a fight. I don’t condone such behaviour, but there’s always a few bands that give you this feeling. Don’t ever ignore it. Always go with it, but for fucks sake be partially safe? Listening to Thirteen Steps, it is kind of hard to not want to thump a person the chops right now. Maybe it’d be safer to start a Wall Of Death instead.

The band have this angsty feel to their music that can be found in early Nine Inch Nails records, which is probably why I have fallen hard for Pop.1280. I have no idea who or what influences them, so I will not be making assumptions. Just daft comparisons that may or may not make sense. They come from New York City. Home to most things I love and virtually nothing I hate. I guess I should just live there right? Someone help me live the dream. L.A. or New York- I am 100% with either. The name of the band does indeed come from that gritty novel by the awesome Jim Thompson. Dark and heavy stuff, would you want it any other way? No. Of course you wouldn’t because this is where the passionate kind of music resides.

Sure, if you want the whole “I sure love you baby” kind of thing- then you won’t dig this at all. There’d be more chance of you enjoying having the shits than liking Pop.1280 if you cannot handle the heavy stuff. Why take a boring love song over something so ruckus and grand? Maybe it’s because I am a quite person who loves noisy music. I don’t know. I’ll never know, somethings you need to leave unknown.

It is fairly obvious that The Horror is one of the year’s best releases, and so fucking typically industry schmucks are going to overlook it. This pisses me off. It pisses me off more than you or I could imagine. THIS IS INCREDIBLE, and what are you going to do about it? This is too good and loud and bold for you to ignore. It’s like a beautiful girl at a party, except you don’t want to stare at the girl, you want to listen to EVERYTHING she has to say. This record is THAT girl..if we’re going down that route, and I seem to have taken us down there. I should say sorry, right? No. I won’t apologise for this and how Pop.1280 make me feel. That’s like saying sorry for being honest. Never say sorry for that.

I love all that Pop.1280 make me feel. They have the same vibe that made me fall in love with Cold Cave in 2009. The dark, honest and menacing feel that makes you so fucking glad to be alive, and to savour every breath. And every listen. I’m always looking for something that can make me feel like this, always. And I’ve successfully found it in Pop.1280.

Pop.1280 have a sound that makes you want to head to a dark, cramped underground bar where those who think and feel the same as you do. Dressed in black in a worn out leather jacket and boots (this is me on a daily basis.) Losing yourself in the sounds, and finding that part if you that you thought had died. They’ve given you another a chance at life. Go with it.

 

Sex Church.

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Attempting to find anything out about Sex Church gave me websites I probably never need to know about. But there are some sick fucks out there. You probably knew that already. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a Daily Mail kind of entry. I’m not that kind of person. You won’t die if you hold hands with someone of the same gender nor will you go to hell. Hell is a state of mind, Heaven is a place you create in your heart. I have no idea where that came from, but I firmly stand by it. I doubt anyone else would agree.

So, Sex Church. I’m pretty much tempted to write about everyone involved with Sacred Bones because they put out the kind of music that I love. Music that is full of so much…fuck I don’t even know what the word is. All I know is that I love it. I’ll attempt to write something of worth, but Sex Church fucking deserve it.

As I listen to Sex Church I can hear twinges of two bands that have been a lifeline to me for as long as I can remember- The Fall and The Jesus And Mary Chain. The vocals are as clear as Mark E Smith’s and the sound is fuzzy, bold and distorted like The Jesus And Mary Chain. I cannot find any fault in this. I love them. I absolutely and utterly LOVE them. Maybe this is what I have been needing for so long. Maybe I’ve had this horrific gap in my life that can only be filled by a band that sounds like this. Warpaint ease the tension for me- but Sex Cult cause it to build. I love it. They say you cannot fall in love at first sight. I agree, but you can fall in love with first listen.

Growing Over, I’d say is my favourite. The bass is fucking ridiculous. It makes me wish I could play bass. It has that dark, creepy feel like Bauhaus. I know comparing bands is a terrible thing to do, but for a band like Sex Church- it is okay because they are just..mind-blowing. I feel like whatever is left of my mind has been blown by them. I don’t care for much else right now. This is some incredible shit, and I don’t want to listen to anything else for a long time. See, if anyone was to ask me what I was listening to- like, really into at the moment Sex Church would be THE band I’d inform them about. I guess it’s a good job nobody ever asks me for music tips because they’d just get weird stuff like this, and probably stop being my friend. Do I need some new friends? I don’t know. I have a couple close ones, I’m probably the bane of their life for the most part hah. Sorry and all that.

But fuck man. Sex Church do one thing that just causes me to fall into a frenzy. They have LONG songs. Over 5 minutes. If you do this, I will love you with all I have. And love them I bloody well do. They are so good, I just want to swear. It isn’t big nor is it clever but Sex Cult are so motherfucking perfect.

Their site says that they are influenced by: “depression, frustration, disappointment and other such inner turmoils that are the sources of great works of art.” See it really is no surprise that I love them is it. Nothing good came from being deliriously happy in an art sense. I don’t have a miserable disposition, far from it. I may look like it (if you judge someone because they wear black all the time, then you’ll probably think I’m a moody bugger. I’m not.) but I just love music that is dark and is a cry for help at times. If it sounds like it is created out of desperation and feels like life vs death; I will love it, and I will cherish it more than I can think about.

Songs like Waking Up and Dull Light are just so bloody astounding. I’m struggling to comprehend how this band make me feel, so I’m going to have to leave it here. I’m not sorry for this rant. They’re just everything I want, and recently- all I’ve been looking for. I reckon seeing them live would be like an outer body experience. It’d be almost as if you were facing your demons, and telling them to go fuck themselves. There’s no greater feeling than that.