“You stood out like a sore thumb, the most beautiful sore thumb I’d ever seen”. Immediately, from the effortlessly quirky lyrics that lace the album, it is clear that The Maccabees are not just another band to be pigeon holed.
The band’s debut album ‘Colour it in’ invites you to step into the world of The Maccabees. Their words dance around your ears as they take you around the Brighton Lanes. They show you where they grew up, tell you of heartaches and reveal to you the musical equivalent of the childhood photos your mum would unveil for every guest that should feign some sort of interest.
Songs with personal perspectives like ‘Latchmere’, describe the band’s local swimming pool add to its originality and success. Lines such as ‘Speedos speed by’ convey the band’s wit and prove that anyone who doubted the talents of this skinny jean toting four piece, were hugely mistaken. Similarly, ‘OAVIP’ relates to the death of a grandparent and portrays the band’s endearing and trademark Indie sensitivity.
‘Colour it in’ describes first loves, lost loves and requited love. Beautifully simple ‘First Love’ shows a welcomed bit of anti-conformist satire with ‘Let’s get married and tick the boxes’. Vocals from Orlando Weeks such as “She’s the flutter in my heart, the spring in my step” in upbeat ‘X-Ray’ make it close to impossible not to fall for the band. At the same time, ‘My empty h-h-h-eart’ accompanied by equally staggered beats, make impulsive and sporadic Foals ‘Hummer’-esque dancing an unavoidable necessity.
A tranquil final track on the album ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ contains typically likeable lyrics like “I’ll win your heart with a ‘woot woo’”, accompanied by an aptly timed wolf whistle. It is reminiscent of something Jack Penate would have released had he of been raised by Jack Johnson and is the single that makes the annoying girl who has been semi-moshing energetically throughout the set and spilling her drink all over you in the process, finally stand still and just listen.
‘Colour it in’ is the story of four talented individuals growing up. It is the album that pulls you by both hands onto the sticky dance floor of a local Indie club. It is the album that provides the tissues for you to dry your eyes with. It is The Maccabees and it is, in fact, brilliant.
Thursday 13 December 2007
Wednesday 12 December 2007
My top artist for 2008 - Adele - Acryllic Tom Tom
If by some weird twist of fate, Jill Scott and Jamie T produced a love child…Adele would have been the result. This is hardly a surprise when considering her proud South London roots and Jill Scott’s huge poetic and lyrical influence on her work. Yet at only nineteen years old, Adele’s mature and heart-stopping lyrics combined with a voice at its purest, hits you in a way that tells you Adele is not to be ignored.
With her debut album ‘19’ due to be released late January, Adele’s distinctive London vocal tones and quirkiness place her in a league on par with her young and successful peers; Kate Nash and Jack Penate. But it is the infusion of soul that I feel makes Adele so show stopping and her music so intoxicating.
‘Hometown Glory’ is a three-minute homage to London over her spine-chilling, and in many ways, beautiful piano playing. The single reveals Adele’s passion for where she grew up and its borderline patriotic lyrics give a contagious sense of British pride.
Other songs such ‘Melt my Heart to Stone’ and new single ‘Chasing Pavements’, released 21st January 2008, detail feelings of love, heartache and despair that, at nineteen, are rawer, more emotive and more touching than ever. Through this, Adele’s music smoothly enters your ears whilst her impressive vocals soothe all thoughts for a guaranteed period of escapism.
I feel Adele’s indisputable future success is due to her ability to convey her down-to-earth nature and create music that is entirely relatable whilst producing lyrics that are undeniably striking and mature. This built in paradox sets her apart from the music scene of 2007 - making 2008 a year for originality, a year for heart-melting lyrics, a year for soul and of course, a year for Adele.
With her debut album ‘19’ due to be released late January, Adele’s distinctive London vocal tones and quirkiness place her in a league on par with her young and successful peers; Kate Nash and Jack Penate. But it is the infusion of soul that I feel makes Adele so show stopping and her music so intoxicating.
‘Hometown Glory’ is a three-minute homage to London over her spine-chilling, and in many ways, beautiful piano playing. The single reveals Adele’s passion for where she grew up and its borderline patriotic lyrics give a contagious sense of British pride.
Other songs such ‘Melt my Heart to Stone’ and new single ‘Chasing Pavements’, released 21st January 2008, detail feelings of love, heartache and despair that, at nineteen, are rawer, more emotive and more touching than ever. Through this, Adele’s music smoothly enters your ears whilst her impressive vocals soothe all thoughts for a guaranteed period of escapism.
I feel Adele’s indisputable future success is due to her ability to convey her down-to-earth nature and create music that is entirely relatable whilst producing lyrics that are undeniably striking and mature. This built in paradox sets her apart from the music scene of 2007 - making 2008 a year for originality, a year for heart-melting lyrics, a year for soul and of course, a year for Adele.
Sunday 9 December 2007
Album Review - The Raveonettes 'Lust Lust Lust' - Noize Makes Enemies
“I fell out of Heaven to be with you in Hell” is an example of the dark, rather sinister lyrics that The Raveonettes provide on their third album “Lust Lust Lust”. When sung by the beautiful and soft vocals from Sune Rose Wagner and Sharen Foo, a fierce and effective juxtaposition leers from below the murky waters where the music lies.
The Raveonettes’ effortless musical style reminds of Metric in their approach to music but not in a way that it appears copied or unoriginal; instead it is a signature style that is to be loved or to be hated with each song covered in a film of white noise.
The juxtaposing aspect of the music production extends into the songs on the album. Whilst opening track ‘Aly, Walk with Me’ is mellow and dark and foreboding enough to be a nineties Garbage production, Wagner and Foo manage to use this same formula to conjure love songs that have an upbeat approach that create other songs that have a perhaps surprising toe-tapping quality. ‘You Want the Candy’ is something perhaps a darker version of The Pipettes would have written if they had of spent their school years disliking their parents and purchasing Emily the Strange merchandise. Likewise, ‘The Beat Dies’ reveals “I’m in love” to provide a softness to the already varied album.
Each song is barely over three minutes and whilst certain songs such as “Lust Lust Lust”, the band’s first release from the album, leave you feeling that you could have continued listening, others, such as the murky and unsatisfied ‘Expelled from Love’ find you relieved that the CD has moved on.
Yet, The Raveonettes “Lust Lust Lust’ is an album that’s schizophrenic nature makes it almost beautiful. Maybe it is the soft Emily Haines-esque vocals of the band or the blurred and confused sound that acts as a paradox to this but the combination create an almost three-dimensional sounding album that it is impossible not to submerge yourself within.
The Raveonettes’ effortless musical style reminds of Metric in their approach to music but not in a way that it appears copied or unoriginal; instead it is a signature style that is to be loved or to be hated with each song covered in a film of white noise.
The juxtaposing aspect of the music production extends into the songs on the album. Whilst opening track ‘Aly, Walk with Me’ is mellow and dark and foreboding enough to be a nineties Garbage production, Wagner and Foo manage to use this same formula to conjure love songs that have an upbeat approach that create other songs that have a perhaps surprising toe-tapping quality. ‘You Want the Candy’ is something perhaps a darker version of The Pipettes would have written if they had of spent their school years disliking their parents and purchasing Emily the Strange merchandise. Likewise, ‘The Beat Dies’ reveals “I’m in love” to provide a softness to the already varied album.
Each song is barely over three minutes and whilst certain songs such as “Lust Lust Lust”, the band’s first release from the album, leave you feeling that you could have continued listening, others, such as the murky and unsatisfied ‘Expelled from Love’ find you relieved that the CD has moved on.
Yet, The Raveonettes “Lust Lust Lust’ is an album that’s schizophrenic nature makes it almost beautiful. Maybe it is the soft Emily Haines-esque vocals of the band or the blurred and confused sound that acts as a paradox to this but the combination create an almost three-dimensional sounding album that it is impossible not to submerge yourself within.
Single Review - Jesse Malin 'Tomorrow Tonight' - Noize Makes Enemies
In many ways, Jesse Malin’s second release from ‘Glitter in the Gutter’ could be seen as just another single fitting for The OC soundtrack as it summons images of Marissa Cooper driving down the wide open Californian roads having just fallen out with her mother for the eight time in just as many episodes.
Yet Malin’s vocals, not unlike those of Alex Band (of the Calling), over guitar chords played by Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Hommes, would imply there may be more to this track than meets the ear.
Malin’s country and traditional rock influences including Motorhead, The Ramones and Steve Earle reveal themselves through the style of his music and ‘Tomorrow Tonight’ is no exception. It is three minutes of music rebellion that could have been produced by the Counting Crows have they of favoured heavy guitar backings.
The single makes a refreshing change from music created by the layering of sounds onto a twenty-something’s laptop, of which many often resemble mobile phone ring-tones, as through ‘Tomorrow Tonight’, Jesse Malin reminds us of what ‘real’ and raw music sounds like.
Despite this, it would seem that the single’s lack of relevance in the modern rock genre means that it is in fact perhaps best suited to the Summer and Seth Cohen’s break-up play list.
Yet Malin’s vocals, not unlike those of Alex Band (of the Calling), over guitar chords played by Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Hommes, would imply there may be more to this track than meets the ear.
Malin’s country and traditional rock influences including Motorhead, The Ramones and Steve Earle reveal themselves through the style of his music and ‘Tomorrow Tonight’ is no exception. It is three minutes of music rebellion that could have been produced by the Counting Crows have they of favoured heavy guitar backings.
The single makes a refreshing change from music created by the layering of sounds onto a twenty-something’s laptop, of which many often resemble mobile phone ring-tones, as through ‘Tomorrow Tonight’, Jesse Malin reminds us of what ‘real’ and raw music sounds like.
Despite this, it would seem that the single’s lack of relevance in the modern rock genre means that it is in fact perhaps best suited to the Summer and Seth Cohen’s break-up play list.
Single Review - Chromeo 'Bonafied Lovin' - Noize Makes Enemies
Two best friends forming a band is perhaps not the most original starting point to begin a musical crusade but for Chromeo, the result was something far from imitated.
As with many Electro Pop bands, although Chromeo released their debut album ‘She’s in Control’ in 2004, their silky injections of funk have yet to receive the acknowledgement seemingly deserved. Yet perhaps this is not such a negative factor within a genre that’s demographic often rejects bands that become catapulted into the mainstream.
‘Bonafied Lovin’ is the second single to be released from album ‘Fancy Footwork’ (2007) and is a fusion of smooth electro that enters your body grasping hold in a way that refuses to allow any dancing refrain.
Dave 1’s cocky vocals: “..This comes as no surprise, what you need is an older guy” and electronic guitar solos conjure a combination that is reminiscent of Protocol’s Electro Pop teamed with Orson inspired hooks. That is, if Orson had had more credibility.
‘Bonafied Lovin’ has all the arrogant self-assurance of hip hop which when mixed with electro beats creates a single that is more contagious than Facebook stalking.
As with many Electro Pop bands, although Chromeo released their debut album ‘She’s in Control’ in 2004, their silky injections of funk have yet to receive the acknowledgement seemingly deserved. Yet perhaps this is not such a negative factor within a genre that’s demographic often rejects bands that become catapulted into the mainstream.
‘Bonafied Lovin’ is the second single to be released from album ‘Fancy Footwork’ (2007) and is a fusion of smooth electro that enters your body grasping hold in a way that refuses to allow any dancing refrain.
Dave 1’s cocky vocals: “..This comes as no surprise, what you need is an older guy” and electronic guitar solos conjure a combination that is reminiscent of Protocol’s Electro Pop teamed with Orson inspired hooks. That is, if Orson had had more credibility.
‘Bonafied Lovin’ has all the arrogant self-assurance of hip hop which when mixed with electro beats creates a single that is more contagious than Facebook stalking.
Sunday 2 December 2007
Single Review - The Clik Clik 'My Dunks' - Acryllic Tom Tom
The Clik Clik – My Dunks
Stefan Abingdon and Maya Yianni are The Clik Clik. With influences ranging from MIA to Lauryn Hill and Elvis Costello, the perhaps surprising result is Hadouken!-esque beats under vocals that resemble a duet between ‘Ch-ch-Check it out’ Beastie Boys and an electro Kate Nash.
‘My Dunks’ is the Fulham-based band’s debut single and is an intoxicating anecdote of a man’s love for his white Nike Dunks. Maya’s vocals spell out his girlfriend’s frustration and having undoubtedly met this type before, promotes listeners’ empathy. We all know them. They’re the people who buy the latest K-Swiss trainers and spend the next six months cleaning them with Colgate and tiptoeing through potentially muddy areas to save their cherished trainers from damage. This relatable quality is what makes the frivolous single amusing and in turn, rather addictive.
An innovative infusion of Indie Pop that has not come a minute too soon, the duet aspect of The Clik Clik is undoubtedly its major U.S.P. and almost gives rise to the impression of a modern, electro-loving Sandy and Danny.
‘My Dunks’ pulls you back to late-nineties rap whilst pushing you forward into a hybrid genre that is guaranteed to result not only in an influx in Nike sales but also in The Clik Clik’s fan base numbers.
Stefan Abingdon and Maya Yianni are The Clik Clik. With influences ranging from MIA to Lauryn Hill and Elvis Costello, the perhaps surprising result is Hadouken!-esque beats under vocals that resemble a duet between ‘Ch-ch-Check it out’ Beastie Boys and an electro Kate Nash.
‘My Dunks’ is the Fulham-based band’s debut single and is an intoxicating anecdote of a man’s love for his white Nike Dunks. Maya’s vocals spell out his girlfriend’s frustration and having undoubtedly met this type before, promotes listeners’ empathy. We all know them. They’re the people who buy the latest K-Swiss trainers and spend the next six months cleaning them with Colgate and tiptoeing through potentially muddy areas to save their cherished trainers from damage. This relatable quality is what makes the frivolous single amusing and in turn, rather addictive.
An innovative infusion of Indie Pop that has not come a minute too soon, the duet aspect of The Clik Clik is undoubtedly its major U.S.P. and almost gives rise to the impression of a modern, electro-loving Sandy and Danny.
‘My Dunks’ pulls you back to late-nineties rap whilst pushing you forward into a hybrid genre that is guaranteed to result not only in an influx in Nike sales but also in The Clik Clik’s fan base numbers.
Tuesday 20 November 2007
Single Review - LR Rockets 'Personality' - Acryllic Tom Tom
LR Rockets - Personality
LR Rockets’ “Personality” incorporates all the chaos of early Klaxons stuff; i.e. before they released ‘Golden Skans’ leading your nine year old brother to buy their top forty album, wrongly imitating lyrics like ‘its not over, it’s not over yeahhh..’. The four-piece team these experimental sounds with an intro very similar to that of The Automatic’s ‘Monster’ and blunt lyrics that when shouted over leg jolt inducing beats make LR Rockets comparable to The Young Knives or The Hives; should they have also been struck by the Indie-Electro epidemic.
“Personality” is a playful mishmash of schizophrenic but compulsive lyrics detailing the vocalist’s self diagnosed split personality disorder that sends him between being “such a nice boy” and the boy who “broke your heart…you mean nothing to me.” Lines you’ll find yourself repeating in your head minutes after hearing the single.
Undeniably catchy and whilst it is likely to excite many a drunken scenester on a Friday night at a local rundown Indie venue, it is nothing wholly innovative, rather a collective selection of existing musicians that it is hard not to draw compare LR Rockets to.
Yet perhaps LR Rocket’s injection of light-heartedness is what these similar artists lack. Within a genre that is full of artists notorious for taking themselves too seriously; “Personality” may not be anything new but it is three minutes of body thrashing Electro escapism nonetheless and this is never a bad thing.
LR Rockets’ “Personality” incorporates all the chaos of early Klaxons stuff; i.e. before they released ‘Golden Skans’ leading your nine year old brother to buy their top forty album, wrongly imitating lyrics like ‘its not over, it’s not over yeahhh..’. The four-piece team these experimental sounds with an intro very similar to that of The Automatic’s ‘Monster’ and blunt lyrics that when shouted over leg jolt inducing beats make LR Rockets comparable to The Young Knives or The Hives; should they have also been struck by the Indie-Electro epidemic.
“Personality” is a playful mishmash of schizophrenic but compulsive lyrics detailing the vocalist’s self diagnosed split personality disorder that sends him between being “such a nice boy” and the boy who “broke your heart…you mean nothing to me.” Lines you’ll find yourself repeating in your head minutes after hearing the single.
Undeniably catchy and whilst it is likely to excite many a drunken scenester on a Friday night at a local rundown Indie venue, it is nothing wholly innovative, rather a collective selection of existing musicians that it is hard not to draw compare LR Rockets to.
Yet perhaps LR Rocket’s injection of light-heartedness is what these similar artists lack. Within a genre that is full of artists notorious for taking themselves too seriously; “Personality” may not be anything new but it is three minutes of body thrashing Electro escapism nonetheless and this is never a bad thing.
Sunday 28 October 2007
Single Review - Laura Marling 'New Romantic' - Acryllic Tom Tom
Laura Marling – New Romantic
If Kate Nash had a more mature sister, I believe she would be something similar to Laura Marling. The singer-songwriter from Reading encapsulates Nash’s effortless style, relatable lyrics and colloquial vocals. “New Romantic” is taken from Marling’s soon-to-be released debut EP and echoes a tale of a woman’s decision to give up on unfulfilling relationships. Yet lines such as “a guy that I just couldn’t get, cause his girlfriend was pretty fit” inject a light heartedness into the single that makes a potentially rather saddening song, quirky and likeable. It would be easy to dismiss Laura Marling for lacking in innovation as her acoustic folk sound places her in the niche of KT Tunstall, Beth Orton and Kate Nash, but there is something about Marling that enchants. Whether it’s her haunting vocals or pixie-like features; on listening, ‘New Romantic’ hits many nerves whilst pulling gently on your heart strings in a way that is difficult to ignore. In a genre that is populated by predictably similar bands, perhaps Laura Marling is what is needed, and indeed, more like her.
If Kate Nash had a more mature sister, I believe she would be something similar to Laura Marling. The singer-songwriter from Reading encapsulates Nash’s effortless style, relatable lyrics and colloquial vocals. “New Romantic” is taken from Marling’s soon-to-be released debut EP and echoes a tale of a woman’s decision to give up on unfulfilling relationships. Yet lines such as “a guy that I just couldn’t get, cause his girlfriend was pretty fit” inject a light heartedness into the single that makes a potentially rather saddening song, quirky and likeable. It would be easy to dismiss Laura Marling for lacking in innovation as her acoustic folk sound places her in the niche of KT Tunstall, Beth Orton and Kate Nash, but there is something about Marling that enchants. Whether it’s her haunting vocals or pixie-like features; on listening, ‘New Romantic’ hits many nerves whilst pulling gently on your heart strings in a way that is difficult to ignore. In a genre that is populated by predictably similar bands, perhaps Laura Marling is what is needed, and indeed, more like her.
Single Review - The Maccabees 'Toothpaste Kisses' - Acryllic Tom Tom
Brighton based band, The Maccabees, have finally released that single. It’s the single that you hear live that makes the hairs on your forearms stand on end. It’s the single that makes the annoying girl who has been semi-moshing energetically throughout the set and spilling her drink all over you in the process, finally stand still and just listen. It’s the single that proves The Maccabees are not a band to be ignored or forced into a pigeon hole. And most importantly, ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ is the single that proves that anyone who doubted the talents of this skinny jean toting four piece, that they were hugely mistaken. With a sound much more tranquil than what we’ve previously heard from the band and typically likeable lyrics like “I’ll win your heart with a ‘woot woo’”, accompanied by an aptly timed wolf whistle; it is hard not to fall in love with the single.
The fourth release from the band’s debut album and teamed with an animated music video as impressive as its predecessors; ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ is reminiscent of something Jack Penate would have released had he of been raised by Jack Johnson, and it is in fact, brilliant.
Monday 22 October 2007
Single Review - Hard Fi 'Suburban Knights' - Acryllic Tom Tom
Hard Fi – Suburban Knights
Single Review
“Work til you die, that’s what they teach you at school” Sound familiar? Yes, that’s because Hard Fi are clearly not any more content with their lives than they were living for the weekend back in 2005. Although Hard-Fi left behind their West London minimum wage roots long ago they have disappointingly chosen to play it safe for the new single with lyrics guaranteed to appeal to their proletariat demographic and Kaiser Chief inspired ‘ayyyyy’s and ‘ooohhhs’. Where once narratives of Richard Archer’s Staines hardships were endearing and relatable for countless 9-5 sales assistants, the unsatisfied lyrics have become reminiscent of a grandparent who insists on responding to all questions with a vague reference to World War Two regardless of its relevance. Forgive me for my seemingly apathetic attitude but with debut albums from other self appointed ‘working class heroes’ like The Twang and the Enemy, it would seem yet another bandwagon is sweeping through the alternative music scene.
Single Review- Thirteen 'Pony' - Acryllic Tom Tom
Teenager –‘Pony’- Taken from album ‘Thirteen’With lyrics like ‘what you want when you drop your knickers to the floor’, dark electronica beats teamed with a somewhat shouty chorus; you would be forgiven for thinking Australian band ‘Teenager’ were the less rebellious lovechild of Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand and Peaches. You would, however, be wrong.
The alternative music scene is ridden with bands keen to jump on the political/ indie/ electronica/ new rave bandwagon and so at a glance, Teenager is not unlike anything you’ve heard before. Whether it’s lacking the believable sexual promiscuity of Peaches or the consistency of similar indie/ electronica bands, it would seem there is once again something missing; innovation.
Yet ‘Pony’ is undeniably one of the songs on the band’s debut album that stands out most with its catchy chorus and Nick Littlemore’s deep vocals. It combines a fundamental darkness with sexually charged lyrics injected with a toe-tapping playfulness. Team this with a music video so dark and arty its reminiscent of those of Tool and it would seem undeniable that Teenager’s hybrid style is a hip and refreshing new addition to alternative music.
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