If you’ve ever seen Warpaint live, then what I’m about to write will probably be old news to you. If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written about Warpaint, that too will also be old news. But it doesn’t matter. My point with this is to just tell anyone who reads this how amazing the band are. On record it is obvious they are brilliant, but live? Well, that’s a different level altogether.
My love for Warpaint started when I first heard the Exquisite Corpse many many moons ago. I felt like I had found the band that I needed my whole life. Warpaint just make eveyrything better. They fill you with joy, love and hope. Their laid-back sound is utterly transformed in a live setting and it’s pretty much life-changing.
They open with Stars; which is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The song soothes the soul. It calms you and makes you feel like all is okay. I can’t describe how euphoric this song is live, but to be honest with you- the whole set is sheer euphoria. The way Stars goes gently into Champion is too much! It should be a crime to be this good. There are so many moments during the set that just leave you in awe. I had to stop myself from crying many times. I felt complete happiness at this show, and I’ve not felt that way in a hell of a long time. But let’s not get too personal now. I think part of the joy I felt was down to how long I’ve waited to see them live again. The set was divine. I mean of course I’d be happy if they sang the alphabet for 5 hours straight but this set was just all I wanted and more. There was a strong mix of old and new songs.
My absolute favourite moment of the show was New Song going into Disco//Very. Those two songs makes me SO stupidly happy and to get them back to back in this way was like winning the lottery but way better. I was sat at the top (it was the VIP section and I felt so awkward sitting there but being able to watch the crowd move and sing their hearts out was so beautiful. The most beautiful crowd I’d ever seen!) Those two songs are wat heaven must sound like. You cannot help but watch the stage with such love and admiration. I adore how much they love each other, and this comes across every single time. The moment that really shows this is when all four of them stand at the front of the stage and sing Melting together. I’m pretty sure that’s how angels sing you know. As much as I love rowdy Punk shows, the balance I get from bands like Warpaint ease the mind. They are such a gentle band and without sounding like a cliched fool- they have never sounded better! The confidence is stunning. Emily’s vocals sound stronger than ever- this is evident on Hard To Tell You. She hits the high notes (I’m getting goose bumps writing about it!) and my god it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard before. Pretty apt that they played an old church, right? This band have serious healing powers. Hard To Tell You is probably my favourite off the new record, and seeing it live was something else. I thought this would have been the one that made me proper bawl, but all I could do was soak up the moment and be in awe of Emily’s vocals.
At various parts of the show, you find yourself focusing on certain band members. Love Is To Die- you find yourself being in awe of Theresa’s vocals and presence. Like I mentioned already, Hard To Tell You leaves you fully engrossed with Emily’s voice. Jenny during Elephants and Beetles just blows your mind. Stella’s drumming on Disco//Very is just mind-blowing. These are just a couple of examples, but to be honest- the whole show just blew my mind. If I could live in a moment where I am constantly at a Warpaint show- I’d take it. I’m not sure how I’ve focused at work today because in my mind, body and soul- I’m at the show.
Something I’ve always admired about the band is how close they are. There’s this unity they have that makes you wish you were part of the band. I can’t really put into words what it’s like, but if you’ve seen them live- you’ll know exactly what I mean. Melting really summed this up. The way they stood round Emily as she played her iconic guitar, and they all created a different side to this song. I loved watching Jenny sway during every song. Her eyes closed as she sways to the music. There’s something about the sound like her bass makes that makes you instantly move just like her. Close your eyes and sway. The unbreakable bond they have is so beautiful to watch and you cannot help but smile like a total idiot whilst watching them.
Until next time, I’ll be keeping this show very close to my heart.
The day before Warpaint released their debut record The Fool around 11 years ago, I interviewed them at The Deaf Institute here in Manchester. I was petrified! I was about to interview a band I had loved for some time, and I was finally able to sit next to them and interview them. That feeling, that moment will never leave me. Since then, I’ve pretty much obsessed over any and everything they’ve released. I wear my Warpaint tattoo with utter pride. I adore this band. I love everything about them but the main thing is the bond they all have with each other. You can tell they love the bones of each other and love making music together and this shines through in all they do.
The artwork for the record sums up the feel of it. It is calming, you’ll feel like you’re floating and for that moment you listen to the record- you’ll feel alright. When the record came out on Friday- I just couldn’t wait to play it. I played it whilst getting ready for work and whilst on my way to work- I had it blasting in my headphones. The best way to listen to Warpaint is through headphones so you can really soak up everything that is going on. There’ll be times where Emily’s voice will make you cry because of the sheer gentleness. Jenny’s bass will make you move without a care in the world. Theresa will hypnotise you with the way she annihilates the guitar. The we have Stella who is just the best drummer around. The record opens with Champion, and this song perfectly guides us gently into the new record. Champion has everything you could possibly want from Warpaint. They’ll make you feel like you are gazing out to the ocean with the sun providing comfort on your back.
Radiate Like This is their first record in 6 years, and it honestly feels like you are listening to a brand new band. It is such an ethereal record and for me, this is so evident on Hard To Tell You which I think just may be one of my favourite Warpaint songs ever. The lyrics are heartbreaking, and everything else surrounding it is so light. Vocally, Emily will break you. There’s this beautiful fragility to her voice here, and the way Stella, T and Jenny accompany the dreamy vocals is just out of this world. I just want to spend the day doing nothing and listen to this song on repeat. I feel like I could write an essay on how perfect it is. It’s one of those songs that when you listen to it just once, it immediately takes over. Everything about this song is just divine. Maybe it’s Emily’s gentle voice, maybe it’s the lyrics. Maybe it’s everything I love about Warpaint in 5 minutes. I think that’s it.
What I adore about Warpaint and this record is how fearless they are. I love how they absolutely blow your mind with every single song. The way songs like Trouble, Proof and Stevie (Jenny’s bass on this sounds so heavenly. If angels played bass, this is what it would sound like!) sound like they are from another planet. It just blows my mind. Proof is definitely up there with one of the most exciting songs on the record, and the energy it has just makes you wish you could start a band like this! There will only ever be one Warpaint. I love how Proof gets quite heavy musically, and together vocally it feels like they are putting a spell on you. I think Warpaint put a spell on us all those years ago when they first started.
When you listen to Warpaint, you immediately forget everything that’s going on in your head. You’re quickly taken to their world; and their world is so tranquil and soothing. Warpaint have this heavenly sound that only they can create. I’m pretty sure they could make a Death Metal record and it would still sound gentle and soothing. Warpaint are that security blanket you need when everything seems pretty tough, and what they’ve done on Radiate Like This is just like they have done on their previous records. They make you fall back in love with music all over again. I don’t mean to fixate on it, but Champion has something about it that just makes you feel like you can take on anything. It makes you feel hella tough- even when you are the complete opposite. I cannot wait to see them do this live; there’s something about this that is just meant to be witnessed live.
If you’re looking for a song to really get you moving- you need to play Like Sweetness. This one has that slick Warpaint sound. That groove that makes you pull an ugly face and you just feel every beat, every note, every word. It just moves you. For me, Warpaint have always been that band I listen to when I can’t sleep or when I need my mind to quiet down a bit. Radiate Like This is made up of songs that will calm your mind, and Like Sweetness may just be the most gentle song on the record lyrically. When I paid attention to the lyrics the other day, I just cried. Not just because it’s beautiful, but because of how open the band are with their words. If you want to feel a sense of freedom or just sheer happiness, then go the nearest lake or body of water, put your headphones in and play Trouble on repeat for a little while. Honestly, that song is something else.
I could spend hours, days even giving you reasons as to why this is the most gorgeous record you’ll hear all year. But if you’re a Warpaint fan already, then you know this. I know I love music that is loud and such, but Warpaint are the band that are just good for the soul. This record is made up of songs that could calm any soul, that could tame any mind. This is their 4th full length record, and they are a band that keep on getting better and better. They have a distinctive sound/style, but they always change it up. They play around with all genres, and make their own. There’s no band quite like them. There never will be again. It’s obvious how much I love this band, and I’m SO excited to see them on Thursday.
Radiate Like This is a masterpiece. It is a glowing work of art that you just won’t be able to live without.
Over the past couple of days I’ve probably listened to the new Warpaint song more than anything else. That distinctive Warpaint sound is right there. That sound that makes you feel like you are floating in the crystal clear sea with nothing going on around you, and your mind is as clear as the sea.
For me, Warpaint are that band that just allow you to breathe. They have something so calming and comforting about them; I remember when I interviewed them in 2010 just before The Fool came out- I was anything but calm! It’s obvious how much I adore this band, and every single time they release something new, I feel like my metaphorical prayers have been answered.
Champion has the same energy as songs like Burgundy, Warpaint and Undertow. I think it could well be Jenny’s bass that does this. There is something about her specific sound that makes you just float on into somewhere only Warpaint could ever create. You feel as if you’re gently floating towards a sunset, and nothing nor no one can get to you. The band define inner peace and clarity.
It is such a gentle song, and this gentleness is what makes you keep playing this over and over. Stella’s drumming on this is a reminder of why you love this band so much. Then you’ve got Emily and Theresa’s vocals combining together. The drum is the heartbeat of this song (check from 2 minutes onwards) the bass is the part that moves you. The guitar is what keeps you steady. The whole song is just a gorgeous piece of art- it should be prescribed as medication.
The last 40 seconds or so of the song is just instrumental bliss. When you listen to this song, it’s so important that you just close your eyes whilst listening to Champion. Switch the world off and play this song on repeat for a little while; it’ll make you feel better.
The new record by Warpaint, Radiate Like This will be released on 6th May. You know already that it is going to be perfect. Just look at the artwork!
Are we over the “New year, new me” bullshit yet? Are we all aware that you can change whenever you want, you don’t need to wait for midnight on the 1st January to do so? And the gym is open beyond January… Alright, I’ll go back to the past 12 months.
Everybody likes to inflict their “ALBUMS OF *insert year*” upon anyone towards the end of the year. Some mention records that nobody probably listened to just to seem “cool” or they slag off good ones just because they did well. It’s all a bit daft, and the only person’s view of a record that really does matter is probably the fans who love the band. I could be wrong, I most likely am but I’m not someone who aims to ever be right. I don’t care enough, so with that..I decided to put together my list of lyrics of the past year. Lyrics that I listen to intensely and cause me to play the same song about 20 times in a short amount of time and not wanting to listen to anything else for a while. They could be lyrics that someone else thinks is shit, but what does that matter? It’s obvious who I’m going to write about because it is those who have put out records last year that I will probably still play all the time. I judge a year by the music not what happens in my life, I’ve again, probably got it all wrong but it’s things like that,that sort of stop me from getting on a plane and fucking off without saying a word. Oh and I’ve not got much ££££ to do so anyway. Maybe one day I’ll grow a backbone. Until then….
D’Angelo- The Charade. Towards the end of the year, the King of Soul FINALLY, after 14 years, put a record out. Black Messiah was not just one of the best records of the year but it was the most important. The whole message behind it stood for something bigger than those who were patiently waiting for a new D’Angelo record could imagine. Everywhere went nuts when it came out, and it is was beautiful. There are so many wonderful lyrics on Black Messiah, but this one from The Charade is one that really hit me. It sums up the brutality that was happening (and still is) in America. “Degradation so loud that you can’t hear the sound of our cries.” If anything can sum up the events and injustice, it is probably that one. You can tell from any D’Angelo song that he’s someone who watches and takes note of human behavior in all its ways. Black Messiah was full of hope and pain. It brought a sense of unity and a bit of peace that was much needed. Again proving that Music is one of the most powerful tools there is.
Morrissey- Earth Is The Loneliest Place. I probably would have gone for Kick The Bride Down The Aisle or Staircase At The University, but there is something about Earth Is The Loneliest Place that I couldn’t ignore. For those that hate Morrissey, there’s a load more of us that love him. Love conquers all, right? Morrissey’s lyrics are a huge part of my life and a load of others. The way he writes is something else, he gets to the very core of you and you feel as if he’s writing the songs about you. Is he saving your life or is he just able to put it all across better than you could? Personally, I think it is both. For me it is the line, “And humans are not really very humane. And earth is the loneliest planet of all.” Some lyrics just speak for themselves really. We have all seen how cruel humans can be, and we have all felt lonely. You can feel lonely anywhere, and our planet earth is a prime example of that. But if you are feeling lonely, go to a record store. Just like Penny Lane says in Almost Famous.
Band Practice-Magic! Last year one of the finest duos around and New York’s finest, Band Practice released their debut record. Make Nice is full of songs that make you feel like you’re part Tina Belcher/part Patti Smith. All music should aspire to that, the world would be a better place for sure. My favourite song off the record is Band Practice Theme Song, but this lyric from Magic! is my favourite : “When I walk inside my door , the world seems safe and it offers more.” We all know daily life can be a drag, a real pain in the behind and sometimes as soon as you step outside, you wish you hadn’t. If you’ve never experienced that, then you’ve never taken three tubes to work and had several items and body parts shoved in your face. It’s not even 8am and you’ve had enough. Songs like this a real comfort and stop you from punching yourself in the face out of sheer despair, or you know..punching someone else because all they are doing is glaring at their phone gormlessley and not watching where they are going.
BANKS- Fuck ‘Em Only We Know. Goddess was one of the best debut records to come out last year, and Banks I feel, is the only R&B singer that comes close to Aaliyah. When Aaliyah died, she left a huge void and she’s irreplaceable. Most are, and we dispose of singers so easily, but Aaliyah was so rare. Bans has that gentle feel to her music that Aaliyah created. Fuck ’em reminds me of a song that would have sounded amazing on Aaliyah’s last record, there’s something about this song. Something really special. Banks, like all great songwriters is someone you can tell watches others. Whether it be strangers or people she knows, she takes their story and turns it into a work of art. I adore this lyric: “Even addicted to your grumpy face. I know exactly just how many kisses fit between your eyes.” It’s such an observant and adoring lyric. If you’ve felt like that, then you’ve experienced real love.
Julian Casablancas & The Voidz- Human Sadness. I love the way Julian sings in that tired, fed-up and frustrated way. He makes you really feel what he is saying. Sure on the Tyranny record it’s hard to make out what he’s singing, but when you read the lyrics, you see another person who is massively observant and is paying close attention to how people behave. Human Sadness is an intense song, and many would say that this is one of the best songs Julian has ever done, and they’re not wrong and is evident in the lyric: “Understanding is more important than love. If not money will always trump justice.” If you’ve seen how corrupt the world can be, you’ll have seen that those with money will always outweigh most things, Julian’s picks up on how unfair it is yet it is something that may possibly never change.
Warpaint-Disco//Very. Warpaint are an easy band to write about. I don’t know what it is about them, but they are one of the few bands that when I listen to them, I just want to write down every thought and feeling that they bring to life. When music is this magical, you really cannot let it go. Disco//Very is unlike most of their songs. You know that drop during Undertow? Well, all of Disco//Very is that moment for about 3 minutes. It’s bloody euphoric, and I adore this lyric : “Only in the sound of the voices I scream.” That line is a kick to the soul, it smacks you and you just feel..as sickeningly clichéd as it sounds, it just makes you feel alive. If you’ve seen them perform this live, you will see that nobody stands still. It’s got that wonderful mystical Warpaint feel surrounding it, and you can’t help but play it over and over. It’s delightfully infectious.
Nadine Shah-Stealing Cars. If her voice doesn’t move you, then go see someone about that. Her voice is bold and gloriously powerful. I remember hearing Runaway and just being in awe of this stunning voice, Nadine is something else. What I love about Nadine is the strength in her voice, the only other singer who is as strong as her has to be Anna Calvi. Both singers can break your heart and terrify you in the next breath. That’s what makes them powerful and bloody brilliant. “Check your pulse when I speak.” Take that line how you want, but when you listen and I mean really listen to Nadine sing it, you feel as if she’s talking right to you. Nadine is such a brilliant songwriter and I firmly believe her new record is going to be one of the best ones to come out this year.
Dum Dum Girls- Too True To Be Good. Dee Dee is an underrated songwriter. She’s as powerful as Patti, and she sings in such a clear way and with such purpose. Much like Patti. Too True was in my Top 3 records of 2014, and again is one I’ve not grown tired of. You never grow tired of your favourite bands do you. Too True To Be Good is lyrically my favourite off the record, and I love Dee Dee’s voice throughout the song. When I first heard it, I became hooked on the lyric: “It’s hard to outrun a devil from behind.” Dee Dee’s lyrics are outbursts of truths and sources of comfort, you can hear it in all its glory in songs like Coming Down. She just knows how to phrase something in a way that hits you in the gut. There’s nobody else like her.
2:54- South. When 2:54 FINALLY released The Other I, it felt like my birthday and Christmas had come at once. The Other I was released 2 days before my birthday so I wasn’t far off. I immediately fell in love with the record and I was so proud of the sound they had created on the record. It was still eerie like their debut, but it had something else. Something I’m still trying to find the words to describe, but I’m yet to get there. My favourite song off The Other I changes by the day. I seem to flirt between South and Pyro. Pyro’s got this brilliant attitude to it, but South has this lyric : “Got nowhere to, nowhere to put misshapen love.” It’s obvious how much I adore this band (I’m using my work holiday to go see them on tour) and this lyric just made me adore them even more. You know how sometimes a band you really love, and you don’t think they can amaze you anymore? Turns out they always can….
2:54-Blindfold. The drumming on this just proves why Alex Robins is one of the best around, and the video to this is beautifully shot. It captures London in all its beauty. I saw them play this at Union Chapel and they made a powerful anthem sound like a haunting chant. It was just beautiful. None of this has really been written in order, but my favourite lyric of 2014 has to be “Everybody says I’ve got to say what’s on my mind. But how do I say, that am I really losing my way. Every day.” If you pick apart 2:54’s lyrics, they read like chilling poetry that would cause Poe to freak out slightly. Colette is a brilliant songwriter absolutely brilliant and the way in which Hannah writes the music just goes so well with Colette’s words. It’s got to be a sister thing because nobody else comes close. There are so many reasons as to why I regard 2:54 so highly. Partly because they are genuine and lovely people, partly because their music takes you some place else and partly because they’re unlike anyone else. Their music is spooky but euphoric. It’s not too late to get a ticket for their tour next month….
“I’ve got a friend with a melody that will kill. She will eat you alive.”
Everything I’ll ever write about Warpaint will just be a poor attempt at saying something I haven’t said before. Even that sentence is weak. To me, I think they are everything a band should be. On record they send you to a different world. When you see them live it is like you’re in a dream- the reality after all of this is of course, pretty shit. But Warpaint have this beautiful way of making you feel something truly precious as you watch them sing the songs that make you shut your eyes, sway and dream. See on record I suppose it is quite easy to do but to able to do it live, must take some work right? Not if you’re Warpaint. They make it look so easy, and if you’re like me and musically untalented- you will leave a Warpaint show wishing you could play something.
Before I get into the magical world that Warpaint led the crowd into last night, I must mention that their support act All We Are are bloody brilliant. As I was listening to them I immediately thought of Baltimore’s finest, Beach House. Last time I saw Warpaint the brilliant PINS supported them. Their ferocious and sinister music was the opposite of what Warpaint offer, but I loved it. Then again, I just really love PINS and would happily watch them live over and over again. All We Are have this gorgeous ethereal sound, and I truly hope that the crowd left as fans if they weren’t already. They too, like Warpaint make you shut your eyes and sway to their delicate sounds.
Warpaint’s setlist is a wonderful mix of new and old tracks. Their new record is stunning live. Disco/Very live is one of the best things I have ever seen. Warpaint aren’t really a band you can dance to; they are a band to dream to but Disco/Very is a song that just makes you jolt your body about in whatever way you want. I just LOVE the lyric, “Only in the sound of the voices I scream.” If anything, Warpaint stand for freedom. They make you feel entirely free as you watch them. I don’t think I’ve ever watched a band and had a constant smile on my face, until last night. There is something special about Koko that just made it perfect for Warpaint to play here. I saw them play Brixton Academy and I honestly think their show at Koko had a lot more soul to it. I don’t know what it was to do with, all I know is that it was a pleasure to watch and be part of.
For some reason I decided to have a little cry when they played Undertow. I wasn’t expecting it, but it just happened. There is a lot of sentimental value to that song for me, but I have no idea why I had to bloody cry! They played Billie Holiday which was like being guided through a dream and into the unknown. I just want to go back to Disco/Very because I REALLY love Jenny’s voice on this. All of their voices together sound like haunting chants; as of they are calling you towards something quite eerie but you go alone with it because it feels right. Drive is powerful to witness live; the lyrics are beautiful to this one and I think it is the way that Emily sings this song that makes it feel quite sacred. Apparently Baby was down as part of the encore, but it didn’t happen. I wish it did but they closed the set with Elephants which is pretty much one of the best moments of musical history….EVER. The song on record is a forceful thing, but to see it live is something else.
Watching Warpaint live is like watching a band play in their rehearsal space. It feels very personal but not intrusive. Once you see them live, you simply don’t stop. I feel as if I am missing something with knowing I won’t see them again until they come back down here. Warpaint live is a salvation for the soul. It is escapism and discovery. They are everything a band should be. They way they perform together is such a joy to watch, you sort of can’t imagine music without them. What did we do before them? The band formed on Valentine’s Day 10 years ago and are evidently one of the strongest bands around. My record collection would have been lonely without Warpaint.
I found myself listening intensely to them last night with my eyes shut, but when I looked around I saw a lot of people were having the same reaction as myself. There was one guy in the crowd who had enviable dance moves. If anyone knows him, he was the guy with a white t-shirt near the middle with a beard and tied up hair- if he’s your pal, I do hope you go out dancing with him and you learn from him because he’s amazing!
Warpaint fans know just how special this band truly are. Their music is treasured and adored for all the right reasons. It is pure and uplifting. It is everything music should be. The way Jenny and Stella laugh with each other on stage, the way Theresa carries herself on stage and the way Emily seems to lose herself the most in the music is what makes them a sacred. Of course they all lose themselves in the music, and that’s how it should be. They just make you want to go home and learn to play an instrument. There is no doubt that they are the best at what they do. And I’m always left in awe of the way Stella plays the drums and sings at the same time. Same with Sandy from Dum Dum Girls and Sophie from PINS. Maybe if my name began with an S I’d be able to do the same.
There are many bands that everyone should see live, but I urge you to see Warpaint wherever and whenever you can. I just wish I was a billionaire so I could pay Warpaint to sing to me everyday. There was something about last night’s show that just left you without words to describe it. You just left in awe knowing you had seen something remarkable.
Lazy hipsters are wetting themselves over the new Warpaint record; how could they not. One of the most exciting bands to have come out in a long time, so if you’ll lacking excitement for their new record then well…you can’t please everyone can you? That’s why I love Warpaint. They don’t make music for everyone to be pleased about, they make music for themselves THEIR own way. The Fool was a brilliant debut that of course reduced me to tears when I heard it. Their EP beforehand, Exquisite Corpse composed over several ethereal gems that could melt the coldest of hearts. Burgundy and Stars are my go to songs. What do I go to them for? That’s easy. For what I can’t get out of anything else. But I don’t seek much.
How can they top The Fool? I mean that was one of the best things to happen in 2010. I can’t recall much from 2010, but I know that Warpaint played a huge part in it not being spectacularly shit. They make a lot of things less shit, easily. An interview with them 4 years ago, they day before their record came out was one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’ve not done many great things in my life, I’ve not made a difference in others lives but why should it ever be about that? You cannot live through other people trying to please them as you slowly feel the life being sucked out of you.
This is meant to be a review isn’t it? Thing is, you’ll have read all of them by now about this record and you’ll all have seen that everyone pretty much loves it. People are fawning over it like a cute puppy. I don’t blame them. I listened to it yesterday at work whilst trying to concentrate. As I listen to it now, I have no hints of being focused about me. Warpaint do that to me. Everyone has one (or maybe more..I’ve got more) band that just makes them lose their shit. Music is freedom. Warpaint’s second record is like a declaration of that.
The Fool consisted of hypnotic grooves and chants (does anyone else still struggle to work out what is said at the start of Composure?!) Their second release has a cult feel about it. You’d imagine outcasts (don’t waste your time trying to fit in) in forests huddled round singing these songs in unison grateful to be alive. Of course you can just experience this by going to a Warpaint show. I finally saw them live last year and I felt like something had been lifted out of my body. I have no idea. It was out of this world and beyond words. You need bands to have a tight grip on you to make you aware of all you feel, but you don’t need to questions why you feel it.
The best way to listen to this record is how you should have hopefully have listened to their previous releases; with your eyes shut in the dark swaying your body in a gentle fashion and truly feeling certain parts of certain songs. If the bass-line to Biggy doesn’t make you want to just flail your limbs about in a carefree fashion then I have no idea what you are listening to.
When listening to the record it is so important you don’t go with the intent of finding this record’s version of Lissie’s Heart Murmur or Shadows etc. There’s no point because it is obvious that Warpaint are a band that do not have set sound. Why would they want to make the same record again? Bands that do that are bands that do not last. Bands that don’t do that make you feel something that words can never justify. It doesn’t matter what kind of music it is at all, when a band can get you really excited for what they are going to do next, that’s when you know something good is happening. It doesn’t matter if it was the likes of My Chemical Romance giving hope to hopeless kids or pre-pubescent kids getting psyched for a One Direction record. Music should make you excited and glad to be alive.
For me I feel Warpaint’s second release is a lot more gentle (who knew!?) in some ways. Take the song Teese; it’s just like some kind of mantra for the soul. But then you have the likes of Disco/Very which makes you want to dance. I’d get up and dance now if I wasn’t so tired. I adore both songs, I can’t pick a favourite. I can’t even try to pick a favourite off this record. I’d be foolish to even try. I’m fully aware that this is a ramble about nothing but I hate writing conventional reviews. If you want that, go read something like Pitchfork. I have no idea. Warpaint just make words spew out of me and the words just make no sense.
All I know is that their live shows are just going to get more and more intense and glorious with songs like this. I really hope they play Disco/Very when I see them next month in London. I just think it’d be the strangest yet brilliant moments in their set. I know I said you shouldn’t compare their records but I must say this- The Fool was the monster rising out of the water. Their second record is the monster mellowing out. That’s the only way I can put it. As I head into a thousand words, I realise that what I just wrote may have just been enough. I’ve had this build-up for this record for so long; all Warpaint fans have. Now it is time, you sort of can’t believe something as beautiful as this record has been released. I know when records come out at the start of the year they seem to have been forgotten about before the summer hits. The thing is, this one is probably going to top all lists in November/December. The same will go for Dum Dum Girls record, Too True when it comes out at the end of the month. I have more sentimental value attached to Dum Dum Girls, but Warpaint have easily put out a record that others aren’t going to stop playing. I still listen to Exquisite Corpse and The Fool; it doesn’t feel right if I don’t listen to them.
If you’re looking to alter your mind state or to have lucid dreams, buy this record. If you need a reason to start your own band, buy this record. Just buy this record. I know I’ve missed out certain things ranging from how Stella KILLS the drums on Feeling Alright to how angelic Theresa’s voice sounds to how Jenny makes me wish I could play the bass because the way she plays is as if she is taking me on some weird trip and how haunting Emily’s voice is- but these are the things I already know. They are the reasons as to why I love them and why I wear my Warpaint tattoo with complete and utter respect and love for them. If anything, their second record just reinforces my love for them.
Warpaint are the band you want to sing you to sleep and to wake you gently in the morning when your eyes sting from the sun’s rays creeping through the curtains.
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.
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.
“On the edge of the water where the ships pass by, And the sound of your laughter in the endless sky. Tips my head back, full of swimming thoughts. Beneath deep breathing.”
I wrote about Lissie’s Heart Murmur last year, or maybe the year before. I have no idea, I just really love Warpaint and I love writing about them. So anyway, I was walking (or hobbling) home from the gym this morning. It was really hot and I listened to Warpaint on the walk home; I played Lissie’s Heart Murmur a few times and noticed some things that I wanted to write down. I have no idea if any of it is going to make sense. I’m not for making sense, ever. That could be something else altogether though, but anyway..
I think it’s obvious one should play Warpaint through headphones. You pick up small details that make you fall even more in love with Warpaint; especially this song. When I listen to them I always find certain parts by each band member to fixate on, over and over. For the most part it is Emily’s delicate voice that just hypnotises me. I’m fully aware that when I see them in October I’m going to be left in a trance for days. I hope I never snap out of it.
The keys on Lissie’s Heart Murmur are so frail. The way they are played during the first few seconds of the song lures you, but at the same time you immediately imagine someone stood staring out to see with all their worries surrounding them. The keys are the worries falling out; then Emily’s voice comes in and you are soothed straight away. Are these things I have said before? More than likely. I don’t know if I could have a physical conversation with anyone about Warpaint because I’d just waffle on. Pretty much like I am here, but no one is telling me to shut up. But I’m writing this for those who are as in love with the band as I am. The ones who truly get it. Not the ones who just like one song and that’s it. The ones who have fallen asleep listening to Stars and it gave them the best sleep ever.
As the keys get lower; so does Emily’s voice. Then Jenny comes in with her stunning bass playing which merges so perfectly with Stella’s drumming. The drums sound like gentle crashes against the waves, and it is like the bass line is the life jacket to stop you getting out of your depth. In short, this song saves. Split yourself in two, and go with the part that is unsure. There’s a part in the song, I think it’s from 4.30 for 30 seconds where the song goes as wild as it can. It feels like a current in the water taking you over, then it becomes calm again towards the end and everything is alright. It is so beautiful.
Lyrically it is my favourite Warpaint song. The thing I love about their lyrics is that you have no way of being certain on what they are about. Of course you have the likes of say, Lou Reed and Morrissey for where the most part it is obvious about what they are on about. They go beyond being poets; but with Warpaint, they truly have lyrics where you can just make them into whatever you want. I know you can do that with Morrissey and Lou Reed, of course I do. Yet with Warpaint, maybe it is because of the trance they place you in with their music, you are gently carried into another world and the words are yours to take your own way. I’ve read the lyrics over and over, and you get the same feel as you do when you hear the song. It makes you feel as if you are floating on water- Warpaint are delicately pulling you along, who knows where you will end up. However, I’ve also realised that all Warpaint songs make me feel this way. They make you feel as if you are carelessly bobbing along, sometimes go under but when you go under it isn’t so bad. They’re there to get you above water again. You can call them a safety net.
I hate that I write personally, but this is the song I go to when everything seems a bit shit. I think it is mainly because Emily’s voice is so gentle on this song. I know it is delicate on songs such as Baby, but Lissie’s Heart Murmur has something else. It makes you feel like everything just might be okay; maybe not soon, but it will be. For the most part it really is, but the song is full of such reassurance and care; it is such a comforting song. When I was listening to it earlier I realised that this song, although it seems quite simple- there is so much going on. Like I mentioned above, you have to listen through headphones to really pick up on this. You pick up on the way the keys float through your ears so freely, and when the cymbal crashes it is like waves hitting the rocks. The way the bass is introduced after about 45 seconds is so beautiful. The bass resembles stones being cast into water; and the ripples that occur are like Emily’s voice. This could be the only song I ever hear for the rest of my life and I’d be completely happy with that; and I’d notice different parts to love. This song is like looking at the person you are in love with and noticing more things you love about them.
Warpaint are one of the very few bands I feel okay with taking their songs apart to talk (well, write) about certain parts in the song; certain moments that come to mean everything to the fan, the person listening to the song. The way in which Emily sings the word “sinks” is so clear and beautiful. Small moments like this are just beautiful. And the way “I’m in two”is sung and the drums kick in. Tiny moments that make the song. I’m fairly sure that Lissie’s Heart Murmur is my most played Warpaint song, and probably one of the most played songs I own in general. There is something about it that just makes you know that this is a song you’ll play in 10 years time and you’ll be taken back to when you first heard it, and how you will feel at that point will be exactly how you felt when you first heard it. I could have just summed this up by saying this is one of the most gorgeous songs of all time, I think that’s obvious. You just bask so freely in the tranquil atmosphere that they create, over and over again.
Bad luck happens to us all. It happens to some more than most. Some attract bad vibes, bad people and bad luck. Thing is, what you class as bad luck may seem like something trivial to someone else. This is why you should never measure yourself against other people’s woes. When you do that you start to carry more dislike for yourself because you feel pathetic for feeling a bit silly. It happens, you are human. It’d be much easier if you were an animal wouldn’t it. Or you know, didn’t have any feelings.
Bad luck will catch up to the luckiest of people. Call it what you want, it always does. I think I was pretty shit in my past life because of certain step. One step forward is about 50 backwards. The further backwards you go, the more careful you are when making your next move. So really, it isn’t all so bad. The older I get, the less I find what I am good at. The things I am good at are utterly useful. My brain is like a jukebox, and my limbs are too short. My body fat is decreasing because I basically live at the gym. I don’t think anyone understands how happy I am that I’ve gone down a size or two, and that I can zip up my favourite hoodie..AND THERE IS ROOM. I’m good at losing my body fat; can’t make a living from that can I?! No, I can’t. Me? Do a fitness video? Never. I don’t understand them. Go outside and do stuff.
I had a nap earlier and woke up with hair that resembles Nick Cave when he was in The Birthday Party. Wild. Truly wild. It’s the only thing about me that is. But it’s alright. Some want to conform, I just want to catch up on some sleep. Bad luck.
Bad luck is happening to us all. Some of us ignore the bad and appreciate the good. That’s how it should be. Even with fuck-ups and set-backs. You see people thrive off being utterly miserable. I have my grumpy moments. I have them more than I wish, but it’s only when I am here. When I am with her, everything is just fine. Not grumpy at all. But, it’s just something I must deal with for now. It isn’t bad luck, it’s just a crappy situation. I could be further, but thankfully I’m not.
Bad luck doesn’t define you. Everything shit that happens to you doesn’t rule you. Just because one person cannot stand you doesn’t mean you are awful. Just because someone feels the need to be awful about you doesn’t mean you have a problem. They’re the ones with the problem. But, we live in a world it seems where having an opinion is a bit lethal. Like you’re not allowed to speak up. If you see someone doing something wrong or harming someone, then fucking speak up because you’d want someone to save you.
Just because you’re carrying around some bad luck doesn’t mean you’ve got to share your negativity with anyone. Explain your troubles, but don’t act like you are the only one with them. I’d write a book but not even I would read the rubbish I write.
Maybe I should just go find a new band to fall for and write about.
Beat In My Bones. 