FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?” Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: Janice 

Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part II)

___________

THE remaining two parts of this feature…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kirbanu/PHOTO CREDIT: Ulli Kiefner

will bring more artists in from Europe and Australia – and concentrate on other parts of the U.K. (aside from London). Today, as I look deeper into the music world and fantastic female talent out there; I am amazed finding such a rich vein of variation and quality. It is sad there are so few being given the same oxygen as men: I guess features like this are small steps in the right direction...

Let’s hope next year is defined by greater exposure and attention (for women). I have been scouring the annals and archives to bring you a collection of female artists, I think, will make some big movements in 2018...

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SIIGHTS

Location: London, U.K. 

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.siightsofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/siights/

Latasha Alcindor

Location: Brooklyn, U.S.A.

Genres: Hip-Hop; Fusion

Official: https://www.latashaalcindor.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/ucancallmela/

Phoebe Ryan

Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.phoeberyanofficial.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/PhoebeRyanMusic/

Emma McGann

Location: Coventry, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.emmamcgann.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaMcGannMusic/

Jessica Rotter

PHOTO CREDIT: @reiten

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Country; Folk; Pop

Official: http://jessicarotter.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRotter/

Lots Holloway

Location: Cornwall, U.K.

Genre: Alternative

Official: https://www.musicglue.com/lots-holloway

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/lotshollowayofficial/

Kirbanu

Location: Heidelberg, Germany

Genre: Alternative

Official: http://kirbanumusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/kirbanu/

FiFi Rong

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Hybrid-Electronica

Official: http://fifirong.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/fifirongmusic/

Mïrändä

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Art-Pop; Electronica; Dream-Pop; Experimental-Pop

Official: http://www.whoismiranda.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/MirandasMusicPage/

Bella McKendree

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative Pop/Soul/Folk

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/bellamckendree/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bellamckendree

Facing West

Location: Denver, U.S.A.

Genres: Pop; Indie; Singer-Songwriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/facingwestmusic

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/FacingWestMusic/

Macy Todd

Location: Atlanta, U.S.A.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: https://www.macytodd.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/macytoddmusic/

Michelle O Faith

PHOTO CREDIT: Alex Lord-Walker

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelleofaith1

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/michelleofaithofficial/

NATHASSIA

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Electronic; Alternative-Pop

Official: http://www.nathassia.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/NathassiaDevine/

Frida Sundemo

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.fridasundemo.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/fridasundemo/

Jena Rose

Location: Plano, U.S.A.

Genre: Indie-Pop

Official: https://jenarosemusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JenaRoseMusic/

Robyn Cage

Location: Salt Lake City, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/robyncagemusic/

Official: http://www.robyncage.com/

Bee Bakare

Location: Bath, U.K.

Genres: Soul; Singer-Songwriter; R&B

Official: https://www.beebakare.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Beebakaremusic/

Peaness

Location: Chester, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeanessBand

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/peanessband/

Emmi

 PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Connor 

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://emmi.world/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/emmimusic/

Janice

PHOTO CREDIT: Nicolina Knapp

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Genres: R&B; Soul

Official: http://www.janicethis.com/home/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JaniceThis/

Gabriella Cohen

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jared O'Sullivan 

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Pop

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gabriellacohen

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/gabriellacohenmusic/

FEATURE: Propogandaland: Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

FEATURE:

  

Propogandaland:

IMAGE CREDIT: Bolshoye Gore Malenkoi Zhenshchiny by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1929/Collection Susan Pack  

 Is Modernity and Technology the Way Forward for Music?!

________

MANY might irk at the proliferation of this…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

topic on my pages! The clash between modern-thinking and progressive creation/traditional and analogue recordings is something I have seen coming to the fore a lot lately.  This is the second consecutive article that brings in Kate Bush – can you tell I am trying to secure an interview with her?! I will talk about nostalgia and musical past; bring some academic studies into the fray – that argue for and against the digitisation of music – but I want to bring Bush into the argument (I shall leave her be in the coming weeks!). To me, like Björk and Kate Bush symbolise what music should be. Björk is someone who has pushed boundaries and embraced technologies but at her core is the tradition and foundations of music. She is an artist who embraces digital means but does not rely on. It may seem like Björk symbolises the Internet culture and those enamoured of music’s digital growth. I feel the opposite when thinking of her: there is something of the older-day and nostalgic when one thinks of her. Maybe it is the way her music creates nostalgia and memories; the physicality and beauty projected from the speakers. If she modifies technology and is keen to explore the limits of the modern day – her music still reminds me of a time when artists were not reliant on big studios and gadgets. Many modern artists are recording in a D.I.Y. way. They have iPads and other tablets where they can create a song and stream it to the world. That is not, necessarily, a way to bypass the studio – cost and economy have forced them to take a more self-sufficient route. I mentioned Kate Bush (again) because, as recently as 2011, she was expounding the virtues of tape and analogue sounds. She, like most out there, cannot eke out a living relying solely on tape and older technologies – in a hyper-digital and computerised industry; she would not be able to get her records out to people. We are told music needs to be shared on social media and streaming is the way forward.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Whilst I agree social media and these services are invaluable promoting music; I argue recording in a digital and modern way is the way we should be going. I am seeing a lot of artists, aside from Bush, expound the benefits and purity of tape. We see modern stars and shots from the studio; these glossy and fulsome sounds coming from our laptops. There is a double-link of intangibility right there. We rarely sit alone and listen to a record player or stereo: most of us are connected to phones and have their minds strapped to laptops. As I write this, I am on a laptop and listening to music through headphones. I wonder whether we are connected to music the same way we were, say, a decade ago?! Before I expand on my argument; I want to bring an article from 2009 - that reacted to the rise of technology and the Internet in music – claiming digitisation was not the worst thing that could happen to music:

“Chart-topping artists and superstars rarely sell more than half a million CDs in large markets such as the UK and Germany. To return to generating a good level of sales from each piece of music and to take account of the changed pattern of media use by consumers, developing additional revenue streams is vital to success. No record label can afford the luxury of passing up contributions to sales from Apple's iTunes, Nokia’s Comes with Music or Amazon’s MP3 Shop. “The major music labels have largely ignored the internet trend and are now having to hand over parts of the value-added chain to the new players if they are to succeed in still cutting themselves a slice of the digital cake,” said Peterson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

For more than a decade the industry has needed the structural preconditions for more fragmented music marketing (in the form of downloads, live concert streaming, ringtones, video game music or merchandising) to be put in place. The changes required were new business models for subscription services and licences to internet portals, new contracts with artists to cover the full scope of the digital value-added chain, and—not least—innovations by new market players.

Price war on music downloads leading to erosion of margins

The new sources of revenue are likely to lead to an upward trend in music market sales

after 2010 for the first time since the mid-1990s, although the traditional market players will have to share a significant part of those sales with the new download platforms.

Despite the positive prospects, the change process in the music industry is far from being completed. Necessary innovations in how it approaches its customers, continued and increasing fragmentation, and new market players will maintain the pressure on business models and prices. There are still open questions during this experimentation phase – for example, whether the trend towards even cheaper music will continue, or if charges for hits from well-known artists will increase in future. At present, new players are forcing themselves into the market, using combative pricing to position themselves as price leaders and secure significant market share as quickly as possible. If this strategy wins, margins will melt away for all market players.

IMAGE CREDIT: Pinterest

Media industry still faced with digital turnaround

The print media are currently undergoing a similar structural change, as are TV providers and the cinema sector. “The example of the music industry shows that critical competitive advantage can only be achieved with consistent alignment to the new needs in relation to media use, together with intimate knowledge of customers and rapid positioning of new ideas on the market,” said Peterson. “Just as the music industry served for a long time as a warning of how a media sector can be steamrollered by digitalisation, now it is demonstrating that digital turnaround with fresh growth in sales is possible.”

The strategic principles determining whether and how traditional media groups can profit from this digital change process are being set down right now. The music industry demonstrates that only groups with structures capable of adapting can make a profit from the dynamism of the internet”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I am a hypocrite in the sense most of my musical tastes and time comes from the Internet. I stream artists and look at videos on YouTube. When one looks at a YouTube video they are invariable witness to a parade of grating and obnoxious adverts that are hard to shift – often promoting technology and the latest piece of must-have kit. I wonder whether there is too much influence coming from technology companies and streaming sites. There are benefits to the streaming sites – which I shall look at – but I wonder whether we are being told digitisation is the way music can progress. The headline for this article – and the photos that score it – seems like I am accusing the music industry of being Soviet and communist. They are not, as I know to be true, forcing anyone to put their music out a certain way. We do not have Stalin-like figureheads banning warm and traditional forms of music. The industry is an open and receptacle one that welcomes innovation as much as heritage and legacy. Combining the two would seem the idea solution, right?!

PHOTO CREDIT: Eternity in an Instant via Getty

One cannot write and release in 2017 and negate the Internet and technology. That, in itself, might compel ethical conundrums and issues but there are plenty of advantages available to musicians. They can release music quicker and get it to a bigger audience. No longer do they need to rely on the record companies to get their music on the radio – that was the way it happened before the Internet. Unlike previous decades; unsigned artists have the same chances and exposure as some of the mainstream’s best. That parity and equal platform is exciting and inspiring. I do wonder whether the listener is losing out the more electronic music becomes. I revert back to Kate Bush who, in an interview with a Canadian radio station, said she prefers the warmth of tape and analogue. She has said it many times and had another point: one does not get the same listening experience listening through a laptop. When we used to rely on record players and tapes/analogue; you got a real feel and sense of connection to the artist.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Now, this far down the line, are we sacrificing the potential of music? Its humanity and physicality is being switched with instant appeal and gratification. We are a consumer society that wants takeaway food, fast; we desire our good delivered in a one-day window; we crave the limitless T.V. channels and the expedience of technology. How many of us, in reality, sit down and think about what we are buying/watching?! Often, things go in one ear and swiftly exist the other. We absorb and experience things at the rate a hummingbird flaps their wings – losing out on the true nature and potential of music. I can listen to a song from, say, Madonna from the 1980s, through a C.D., and match that against a song off of Spotify, fed through my laptop. Even if the songs have equal quality and appeal – the effect I get from the former is much stronger and resonant than the latter. Whilst music can only develop and survive through technology – given the exponential growth and population explosion – I wonder whether the need to provide and sustain is compromising quality and nuance. How many of us hear a song now and feel we’ll cherish it decades down the line? The artists might have the promise of durability but is it the way we are digesting their sounds resulting in scepticism? Certainty, I am someone who hears a lot of music and there are few that remain in the brain that long.

PHOTO CREDIT: Spotify

It is not their fault: the saturation and wave of music we are exposed to is challenging. Are we being forced to listen to music in a manner that means we are always looking for something new? That might sound cynical but many of us jump to the next artist and rarely stick with something. In a sense; we are always looking for something shiny and fresh – streaming sites are creating a market where attention spans are short and the imagination is curtailed. I will continue my point but want to bring in an article from this year - that examines the connection between digitisation and capitalism: how music’s economy and D.N.A. is being directed by the rise of technology. There are some interesting thoughts that captured my attention:

“One striking feature of culture in modern capitalist societies is that the main ways in which people gain access to cultural experiences are subject to frequent, radical and disorienting shifts. This has been very apparent in recent changes in musical consumption. Over the last 20 years, there has been a marked change in dominant ways of experiencing recorded music. In the mid-1990s, most music consumers in wealthier parts of the planet would buy CDs or cassettes from specialist or general record shops, and play them back via electronic devices in the home and car, and in some cases via mobile devices such as the Sony Discman or Walkman; radio and television provided important further exposure for musical recordings. There was a shift in the early twenty-first century to the personal computer and mobile digital playback devices such as Apple’s iPod as the prevalent ways of consuming music. More recently there has been a further change. A new ecology of musical consumption is emerging, based on subscription audio streaming services and Internet-connected mobile phones. While only a minority of music consumers currently consume music in this way, even in the relatively wealthy Global North, this configuration is slowly reviving the ailing music industries, and looks set to be the future of recorded musical consumption in many places – until the next transformation comes along”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush (who has said she prefers the warmth of analogue tapes)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Is the obsessional we have with technology and easy access denigrating music’s fabric and the way it affects us I feel people are yearning for nostalgia and older music is not, necessarily, to do with quality and a lack of real depth. We are implicitly and worryingly being fed this notion streaming and modern ways is where music is stronger. By that; the consumer is not able to bond with a musician the same way they once were. Maybe that is invariable and unavoidable. The study examines the see-change since the turn of the millennium; how music has altered radically given the impact of digital methods:

“The digitalisation of music after 2000 seems to have pushed more and more academics to turn their attention to the question of change in the music industries. Copyright and intellectual property have rightly been treated as major issues, with some addressing music as part of broader accounts of problems concerning copyright in the digital era (e.g., Vaidhyanathan, 2001Vaidhyanathan, S. (2001). Copyrights and copywrongs: The rise of intellectual property and how it threatens creativity. New York, NY: New York University Press. [Google Scholar]), and some devoting their attention to the particular struggles that have taken place concerning copyright in the wake of digitalisation of music (David, 2010David, M. (2010). Peer to peer and the music industry: The criminalization of sharing. London: Sage. [Google Scholar]; Hesmondhalgh, 2009Hesmondhalgh, D. (2009). The digitalisation of music. In A. C. Pratt& P. Jeffcut (Eds.), Creativity, innovation and the cultural economy(pp. 57–73). London: Routledge. [Google Scholar])”.

Is it a coincidence I am more drawn and comforted by older music than the new breed? Maybe there are too many artists out there – meaning any long-term relationship is unlikely – but I feel there is an intrinsic relation between digital means and the way music makes us feel. Nowadays; modern artists have one eye on streaming figures and getting those viewing-figures at their peak. Are they thinking about the way people see their sounds and take them to heart?! If our mainstream best are more concern with popularity and numbers: do they have any realisation in regards the short-term nature of their impact and (the fact) their songs will dissipate before long?! It is so hard for modern artists to remain in the consciousness given the way music is ‘evolving’? What have been the biggest changes we have seen this century?

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

“In the twenty-first century, consumers remain subject to regular and radical changes in the prevalent ways in how music is experienced, but new technologies have untethered listening from the home. Today, instead of CE corporations, it is mainly IT companies and to some extent telecoms companies that shape musical experience. The power of these companies derives from, and in turn contributes to, an interlinked set of economic, social and cultural changes in modern capitalist societies. Seeking new markets, businesses have moved the key frontier of commodification and consumption beyond the homes and cars of the era analysed by Williams (though of course these continue to be key markets), via his concept of ‘mobile privatisation’, to what we might call networked mobile personalisation. By reducing the pooling of resources and sharing of products among families and communities, this encourages greater purchasing and stronger individual affiliation. It permits burgeoning networked interactions between individuals that can potentially take place anytime, anywhere, and be monitored. No doubt this shift answers to desires for personalisation, mobility and connection, deriving from a new sense of individualism and even atomisation in modern societies. It is deeply shaped by advertising, marketing and the promotional industries. And it is a source of disorientation, expense and huge social waste.

What is more, these changes in how music is consumed may be having negative effects on the role that music plays in people’s lives (see essays by Marshall and Toynbee in Marshall & Laing, 2014Marshall, L. & Laing, D. (Eds.). (2014). Popular music matters: Essays in honour of Simon Frith. Aldershot: Ashgate. [Google Scholar]). Many music fans report a sense of loss regarding music’s power. Some would say this is merely nostalgia, but the ubiquity of music, its constant presence as background, heard in a rather distracted way, seems to be connected to a loss of its cultural and emotional force. It is hard to say how much this derives from sociocultural and political changes as they affect what musicians produce, and how much from the new formation of musical experience itself, including which music comes to be circulated widely. It may well be both”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The study I have quoted raises valid concerns/points but there is a band of artists keen to take music back to its truer times. It is no coincidence so many artists are recording to tape and ignoring the ultra-hyper-new shine of the studio. I will write a separate piece on the 1980s but I am discovering so many new acts reverting to that sound and incorporating the decade into their music. I feel the reason for this is not to push music forward but hint at the past and how good it used to be. Again; that is not an indication regarding quality and the short-term impact of modern music: it is a way of bringing in the simplicity and analogue joys and fusing them with the new and exciting digital times.

I feel a lot of modern artists are investigating past music – and sampling older songs – because the mere mention and suggestion of them take their memories and minds back. I listen to older music because it hits me in a different way. Algorithms and statistics are defining the business attitude of modern music. I yearn for a time when music concerned the way it made you feel and what you would take from it. Listening to music on a cassettes/vinyl was like stepping into the song and embracing every aspect and component of it. I worry we are only getting a limited sense of connection and quality from modern music. The fact we have opened the floodgates, and offered this unguarded market where everyone can make music, means the battle between quality and quantity is always hard. I think the real issue lies with the dependence and need to embrace the advancements of the modern day. The rebellious and disassociated artists – who feel their music is being led by business and popularity rather than longevity  - are reverting to older means of recording and methods like tape. I feel something as simple as recording to analogue makes a huge impression.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

I could listen to a modern song recorded on analogue and hear it on C.D. Compare that to the same song recorded in a modern studio – and heard through a laptop – and there is a marked difference. Something as simple as that could be the difference between a song remaining in the mind for years – or is racing out of the brain minutes after it has ended. My greatest hope – sticking with my themes of revolution and propaganda - is seeing a clan of musicians go against convention and not putting their music on streaming services. That might seem suicidal but what would be the result if artists stuck with physical forms and recorded their music on analogue? They could perform modern genres/sounds but would rely on older technologies/formats to get their music out there. I am worried that is the only way new music will have the same durability and meaning as that which has gone before. There are things that need tackling but I feel we are too far down the rabbit-hole to really go back. Generations to come will experience music in a very quick and damaging way. They will be bombarded with artists on Spotify/YouTube and abandon listening to music through hardware. With that will go artwork and all the components that made classic music what is was. If artists are not worried about art-work and getting the sound right; taking time to craft something memorable and inspiring – will the artists we hear today be remembered and celebrated in decades to come?! Maybe musicians from the 1960s and 1970s will still be more popular than current favourites.

IMAGE CREDIT: Prodanny Appetit by Georgii & Vladimir Stenberg, 1928 (USSR, Russia, Nikolai Okhlopkov, 1927)/Collection Susan Pack

Maybe the reverse will be true: we will forget about the better days and rely entirely on streamed and digital music. This is a debate with two sides and no easy answers. I feel the business aspect of music is detrimental and corrosive. There is too much focus on cracking markets, breaking records and producing something quickly – rather than a piece of work that will compel listeners years from now. Comrades of the music world! The way we will match the brilliance and memorability of our pasts then we need to ignore the mindset that suggests all that is digital is gold! Too many musicians rely on it and are producing music to satisfy marketing minds – rather than amaze the listeners. This needs to change because, if we carry on down this road, music will lose its magic and potential. I am not sure whether there is a way to make quick and effective changes but making small steps is the way to cure the issue. I miss the days of cassettes and find analogue a much richer and warmer sound – the likes of Kate Bush are not wrong! We can still hear analogue music – and those classic artists – but, when they take up more of our time than modern artists; does that signal real issues for the music industry?! I would like to see a greater promotion of traditional recording/release and a relinquishing of this eternal and hardcore grip of the digital. The quality is there (and artists have that promise) but living in this digital-focused and technology-obsessed world means…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

PEOPLE like me will always prefer the music of the past.

FEATURE: “Who Runs the World…?" Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part I)

FEATURE:

 

“Who Runs the World…?”

IN THIS PHOTO: Liv Dawson 

 Incredible Female Artists to Watch in 2018 (Part I)

___________

I guess, if you are a Beyoncé fan, the question…

IN THIS PHOTO: ADI/PHOTO CREDIT: Kristin DeLeo Chalmers 

posed in the headline would be rather obvious – and complete with an exclamatory chorus. The past few weeks have seen a lot of female figures (from the world of entertainment) come forward and document their experience of harassment and assault. That might sound like a depressing way to launch a feature of female artists but I find there are issues in music that will rear their ugly heads – an industry that is no less safe and dependable as acting/T.V. What worries me is how, already, female artists are being overlooked and passed by.

This might not be new to many people’s ears but it is something we need to challenge and rectify. I am always keen to support female artists because, to me, they are more interesting, deep and original. I will do the second part of this feature - and a coupel more - but I have seen a few great artists, I feel, will be big propositions in 2018.

Here is the first instalment of names worth following in the coming year…

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Wyvern Lingo

PHOTO CREDIT: Ruthless Imagery

Location: Bray, E.I.R.E

Genres: Alternative/RnB/Pop

Official Website: http://www.wyvernlingo.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/wyvernlingo/

Stefflon Don

Location: London, U.K.

Genres:  Rap; Alternative; Hip-Hop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stefflondon?lang=en

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/stefflondon.official/

ADI

Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

Genres: Futurebeats

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/adiulmansky

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/AdiUlmanskyOfficial/

Lola Coca

Location: London, U.K.

Genres:  Hip-Hop; Pop

Official: https://www.lolacoca.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Lolacocamusic/

Snoh Aalegra

Location: Stockholm, Sweden; Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Soul; Cinematic-Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/snohaalegra

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Snohofficial/

Avante Black

Location: U.K.

Genre: Alternative-Pop

Official: https://www.musicglue.com/avante-black/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/avanteblackband/

Miya Follick

 PHOTO CREDIT: Maya Fuh

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/miyafolick

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/MiyaFolickMusic/

Koko Clay

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Future-Soul

Twitter: https://twitter.com/darealkokoclay?lang=en

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Kokoclaymusic/

Billie Eilish

Location: Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Official: http://www.billieeilish.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/billieeilish/

Harper

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Alternative

Official: http://www.harpertheartist.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/HarperTheArtist/

 

Elena Ramona

Location: Surrey, U.K.

Genres: Pop; Soul; Alternative; Dance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elenaramonamusic/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmVSlZvqOYKf3qp0bA8b8Bw

Tash Sultana

PHOTO CREDIT: @samgehrkephotography

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Alternative

Official: https://www.tashsultana.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/tashsultanamusic/

Liv Dawson

Location: London, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Official: http://www.livdawson.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/LivDawsonMusic/

Princess Nokia

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genres: Hip-Hop; Alternative

Official: http://www.princessnokia.org/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/princessnokia92/

Emma Blackery

Location: Essex, U.K.

Genre: Pop

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmablackery

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaBlackery/

Jorja Smith

Location: Walsall, U.K.

Genres: Singer-Songwriter; Alternative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jorjasmith

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/jorjasmithmusic/

Cardi B

Location: New York, U.S.A.

Genre: Hip-Hop

Official: http://iamcardib.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/IamCardiB/

Rews

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Rock; Alternative

Official: https://www.rewsmusic.com/

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/wearerewsmusic/

FEATURE: We’re in Fashion! The Role of Image and Fashion in Music

FEATURE:

 

We’re in Fashion!

 PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest 

The Role of Image and Fashion in Music

___________

PERHAPS it is less prevalent now but, traditionally, there…

has always been a link between fashion and music. Yesterday, on BBC Radio 6 Music, it was their ‘T-Shirt Day’. The point behind it was to celebrate the noble and community-driven spirit of the band T-shirt. Of course, it is not all about bands: plenty of solo artists find their faces/images embossed onto a T-shirt. I wonder whether we still associate music and fashion the same way as we did years ago. Most artists have merchandise and, if they are savvy, will print out T-shirts/clothing for fans and gig-goers. It is a great way for artists to accrue revenue and subsidise their expenses. I know a few acts who have their own look: whether that is a clothing choice or make-up; a brand that is unique to them. I was fascinated by T-Shirt Day as it meant listeners came forward; sharing their snaps of all (band) T-shirts and memories attached to it – a song from that artist was played in return. I have an old Jeff Buckley T-shirt and, although it is faded beyond recognition, it is a treasured item. I have a Queens of the Stone Age T-shirt that I plan on wearing for their gig at the O2 in a couple of weeks. I will come back to the idea of a band/artist T-shirt but, for now, a look back at previous decades and how fashion has evolved. With every important movement comes a new brand and look. I am fascinated by artists like Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley who had a very particular style and aesthetic.

In the 1950s and 1960s; Greasers and Teddy Boys could be found perambulating the streets. Early Rock and Roll pioneers, like Presley, inspired young listeners to adopt the same looks and mannerisms as their hero. Whilst legends like Holly and Presley did not, as such, spearhead a fashion revolt in these decades – they were incredibly influential musicians whose looks and styles resonated with those who sought a new identity and persona. I wonder whether, those who are adopted into clothing/image clans and tribes, feel outsiders and isolated?!

IN THIS PHOTO: Teddy Boys

Certainty, there was a popularity and wave that drew people in: becoming part of a sub-culture that strayed from the conventional and normal. The American, hip-swivelling cool was appropriated by slick-haired guys and impeccably turned-out girls – frequenting milkshake bars and diners. That might seem like a cliché image of the 1950s but one can draw a line between the blare of jukeboxes and diners and the musical stars of the time. By the 1960s, when U.S. Rock and Roll took hold; tastes and fashions assimilated the music – more and more people mimicking the same kind of styles prevalent in the music industry. Teddy Boys were a distinctly British phenomenon. It was typified by young men dressed like Edwardian dandies – decked in Saville Row garments that were almost re-introduced after the Second World War. It was a rebellious statement and iconic look that was inspired by the American Rock and Roll of the 1950s.

IN THIS PHOTO: Teddy Girls

Teddy Girls wore drape jackets and pencil skirts; long plaits and straw boater hats – there were other configurations and options, but that gives an impression of what to expect. One can trace Teddy Girls/Boys to the early-1950s, in London, which spread across the U.K. Maybe that epoch of British/world music was seen as a little vintage and bygone – quite ‘square’ and unhip – but it showed how inspirational music was. To create a fashion culture from music seems like a straightforward concept. If an artist/genre captures the imagination, then the fashions one associates with the artists would, in turn, feed into the consciousness. As the 1960s progressed; phenomena like Psychedelic music and the Summer of Love changed tastes. Peace, pacification and togetherness saw the striped jackets, innocence and gelled hair (in boys) replaced with something a little less organised and uniform. I associate the 1950s/early-1960s with a sense of order and smartness. Although some of the music was rebellious and raucous; the fashions had a dignity and suave that evolved into something less tactful in the space of a few years. Music during the early-1960s saw bands like The Beatles – their initial period of music carried on U.S. Rock and Roll and was less experimental – influence fashions. Their mop-top hair and fashion compelled a generation being brought to life by their extraordinary sounds.

IN THIS PHOTO: Getty

Many had not heard music as striking and original at that time. The guys were pushing Rock and Pop to new heights, and so, seeing the band rise to prominence meant many were copying the fashion and looks of The Fab Four. It wasn’t long until flower-power and psychedelia played a much more dominant role in fashion choices. As The Beatles moved into their more experimental phase – from 1966’s Revolver onwards – and artists like Jimi Hendrix brought a sense of acid and trip to music; eyes were opened to the bright colours, flowers in hair and looser morals. Maybe that shift in innocence was the most prominent trait of the 1950s-1960s transition. From the prim and neat fashion of the 1950s/early-1960s, by the middle of the decade; the popular music at the time was, as you’d expect, guiding fashion decisions. I am a fan of the Flower Power boom and the rather uncouth, unwashed look. The flowers-in-the-hair seems ludicrously juxtaposed against today’s climate but, back then, the world was facing the same sort of issues we have now. Artists reflected the need for peace and calm with songs that embraced togetherness and nature; the beauty of the world and togetherness. Perhaps the Antifolk movement that followed was a reaction to the somewhat tame sentiments coming from music. The biggest change in fashion can be seen between the 1960s psychedelia and colours to the rebellious and intense look of Punk.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Whether you trace the explosion in fashion/a look to The Clash, Sex Pistols or Ramones: Punk of the early-1970s fostered a generation who were keen to mimic and idolise their heroes. It is interesting seeing certain genres propel their own fashion. You get a certain style with Soul and Disco but, when it comes to Punk, there is a very definite projection. From the ringed noses and lips to the spiked hair (often coloured) and leathers. This get-up can be seen as a natural extension of the Rockers – who clashed with the Mods in the 1960s and 1970s. By 1964; clashes between them intensified and, by the early-1970s, the movements had quietened. The groups were seen as troublemakers but, aside from the conflicts, the two tribes had their own look and fashions. The Rockers were greased and rode motorcycles; influenced by icons like Marlon Brando – a tough aesthetic that reflected the Rock sounds of the time. Mods rode scooters and were clean-cut and suited – inspired by Blues, Soul and Beat music (bands like The Who and Small Faces were their leaders). Punk eradicated the suaveness and prim fashion of Mods and upped the Rockers rawness. Bands like Sex Pistols acted as rebels and dissatisfied youths who were rallying against the nation and Government. If the Mods preferred the 1960s fineness; the Rockers, the classic Rock and Roll a decade before – Punk was in the moment and reacting to the divisions in the country.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Many see it as a purely British movement but Punk transcended around the globe. Perhaps less troublesome than Rockers and Mods before them: Punks still mirrored the unruliness and rabble of the music they lionised. Frontmen like Johnny Rotten and Joe Strummer articulated the inner-pains and angers of their generation. It was unsurprising such a powerful and vital movement should see its acolytes adopt its garb and colours. Punk clothing and elements are still popular in some areas. There are plenty of modern Punk bands but many dress in a ‘Punk style’ as part of their everyday attire. That cannot be said of Disco and Mods – although, the latter has been modernised and streamlined, to an extent. It is interesting looking at the connectivity between music and fashion. Whilst Mod-influenced music has continued; there are 1950s-influenced artists – fashions from that period have not survived to the present time. Music that has endured – Punk and Rock – have found their modern-day fans/artists updated trends and keeping the spirit alive. Not that we have such a wave of Punk bands and the eye-catching fashions of the time – but there are those who still look up to Sex Pistols and the finest Punk pioneers when it comes to forging their identity and personality. It is not about fads and fitting in: musicians in each genre vocalise stress and misunderstandings many of their fans stigmatise. If a Punk artist talks about dissatisfaction or pain; if they verbalise something few feel confident addressing – that is much more powerful than fitting in with the fashions and tastes of the time. I think that is why the Punk look has survived. It represents non-conformity and being outside the circle – at a time like today; many feel isolated and alone.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

We can skip over some of the 1980s fashions – quite tragic in a lot of ways. Although the music of the 1980s was terrific: the bright clothing, huge hair and Primark-lite clothing has, luckily, become extinct. I am planning a piece on the 1980s and how the sounds of the time are proving popular with a lot of new artists. It is possible to return to the decade without degrading that by dressing like a 1980s star. That said; many young listeners looked at artists from Madonna and Spandau Ballet and were captivated by how they looked. The New Romantic era saw acts like Duran Duran and ABC – maybe outside the nucleus but still playing a similar style – proffer their version of Goth, perhaps. There was a more romantic – and less moody – sense but, in the big coats and outrageous hair; one can draw a line between Goth styles and the New Romantic wave. Maybe it was a little too dandy and wimpy. One cannot imagine someone dressing like Spandau Ballet and surviving a trip through the London Underground! Although those styles/fashions were a reaction to the limits of the period – the music endured but the fashion did not – it showed how influenced people were by musicians. Into the 1990s and, I guess, the biggest fashion asset was Grunge. Britpop did have its own look but not as defined and popular as Grunge. That is, to me, one of the last and great coming-togethers. You can talk about Acid House, Rave and Alternative Rock genres as having their own D.N.A.: Grunge was a different beast. Like Punk and its ragged clothing and attitude-laden swagger: Grunge was a more introverted, though no less angered, form of music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Duan Duran/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

The artists during the late 1980s-early-1990s had intensity and vitriol but it seemed, in terms of lyrics, they were more introverted and depressed. Punk was about uprising and protest: Grunge was more concerned with alienation and youthful disenfranchisement. Baggier trousers and fewer tattoos; leaders like Kurt Cobain spread-heading a look that was taken to heart by legions of teenage fans. One can argue whether the fashion of Grunge was as important as the music but the two went hand-in-hand. There are few Grunge fans who would have detached from the perceived fashions of the time. Longer hair and looser clothing; maybe hair dyed black and band T-shirts adorned. There would have been variations but one knows the sort of look a Grunge fan would have sported. That movement lasted until, I guess, the mid-1990s and I wonder whether any movement has taken its place. I started by looking at T-Shirt Day on BBC Radio 6 Music because most of the inclusions were from older acts. Merchandise is important now but one wonders whether it is a commercial endeavour rather than part of a genre’s tapestry. Many artists make more money from T-shirts/clothing than they do albums: others are the other way around. I have a few band T-shirts and would proudly wear them. In the arenas, small venues and concerts; these T-shirts are a symbol of belonging and unity. How far they spread outside the venues is debatable. There are so many genres and styles out there: none really have that universal appeal that leads to its own look and movement.

IN THIS PHOTO: Nirvana/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Sure; we still have Punk bands and Metal gods; Rave artists and 1980s Pop bands – those compelled by the decade. Looking back at band/music T-shirts is remembering times when fashion was as woven into music as anything; when a genre’s completeness and membership was about the music AND fashion. That does not really happen now. I guess merchandise is as close as we get to fashion in music nowadays. Ever since the 1940s and 1950s; music-lovers have followed their idols and dressed the same way – stunned and hooked by the power of the genre. Maybe there are too many sounds out there and no real way of focusing on a single movement. That lack of tribalism and community is a problem in music. I am not saying something as common and simple as a T-shirt/look but we associate Punk and Psychedelia with clothing as much as the music itself. Nostalgia can be found celebrating bands/artists and the T-shirts we proudly sported back then. There is something bittersweet about dusting those T-shirts off but allows one to reflect on the past – when certain genres had their uniform and created a sense of belonging and safety. I feel music would be a lot stronger and compelling if we could revert to decades past and rediscover that spark. I love how fashion and music interconnect and play off one another. Character and personality help preserve music and ensure its fabrics and spirit remains for future generations. If we were able to find a way of igniting that spark; crystallising a genre’s brilliance with its own look; starting a revolution of looks and sound, then, hey…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

WHO knows what could happen?!

FEATURE: The Last of the Great Northern Lovers: Why There Needs to Be a Revolution in Music

FEATURE:

 

The Last of the Great Northern Lovers:

 IMAGE CREDIT: @lightupgoldII

Why There Needs to Be a Revolution in Music

________

THERE are a lot of different issues and areas of discussion…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kevin Spacey/PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage

popping up right now. We cannot help but see the ongoing stories concerning the likes of Kevin Spacey – high-profile actors/creatives who have been accused of sexual assault. More names are being singled out and it seems, following the Harvey Weinstein furore; there are people finding the courage to come forward and tell their stories. I have written about music and why there needs to be an explosion of change and progression. I am not saying we need to have people policing the industry and cleansing it: I see a lot of murkiness and poison in other areas of entertainment and it seems music needs to react and show it is can learn from those lessons. Although film and T.V. are not being tarnished too heavily by these accusations and unfoldings; one wonders what will happen going forward. Music is not a space that should be canonised and assumes clean and beyond reproach. It is the same as any other sector of entertainment: people will be committing crimes and abusing trust. I worry there is an institutionalised sense of ignorance whereby eyes are turned blind and people feel the need to bury their experiences under the rug – through fear they’d be marginalised and ignored. All of this is a background that fuels a desire; that kick-starts a need to make a positive change. I have bandied around ideas surrounding a music charity: a universal cause and commitment that will draw together people from music – and other areas of the arts – and send a positive message to the people. The charity – I have dabbled and toyed with names – would join everyone together in a creative and productive cause. I feel music is not being utilised and substantiated in an effective and progressive way. By that; there are few large-scale charities that represent a number of different causes and people. Mental-health is a big concern in music: I am seeing so many scarred and affected by its daily jab and haunt. There are those struggling, financially, who come from poorer backgrounds; musicians and creatives with disabilities and illnesses. It is not only those within music that could benefit and profit from an umbrella charity.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

There would be a social media component whereby a site would exist that would house all the charity but provide other options and access. There would be helplines for those who suffer abuse and discriminations; forums that raise issues around sexism and racism – not only in music but general society – and other ills. The hub would be a website that would have a few different sides. I have talked about creating a music website whereby one would have their music needs all in one place. You would be able to converse and connect with musicians around the world. There would be the option to listen to all digital stations available; get all your music needs in one space. I worry sites like YouTube and Spotify have a lot of great music but never organise it in an effective way. I often stumble on songs I had forgotten about or struggle to locate the song I want. This site – as I said; name to be confirmed – would make that easy and draw everything together. That is one of the most important points of any music site: housing what has come before and is around of the moment; making it simple for people to access to. In addition; one can learn how to play instruments and get software/programmes that simulate instruments. There would be links to music educational facilities and chances to collaborate with producers/artists online; a special site where you can bond with fellow music lovers and attend gigs together – share tips and find the best new acts around. A ‘music map’ would compartmentalise all the bands/artists from every town in the world. You can find artists quicker and break it down by town/city; country or genre. It would save a lot of time and make searching a lot easier. Many might be familiar with this kind of thing: I have raised this prospect before and want to make a site that goes a lot further than what is out there.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay/Unsplash

This is not for business reasons or financial gain: there is a lot of confusion, separation and anger right now. I know music will continue as normal and the actual business of recording and releasing is most important. I am worried problems, issues and concerns are going unnoticed; those who want to discover great new music – and preserve that which has come before – are not having their voices listened to. So much of today’s music is driven by business and commercialism: maybe that was always the case but, the larger the industry comes, the greater the need for regulation and order. I am split between the need to provide an ethical platform and open pulpit – where subjects like sexual abuse, mental ill health and discrimination can be tackled – and organise music of the past (so the full spectrum can be discovered and enjoyed) and present (so underground acts and the mainstream can be organised into one site; easier to find those hidden gems, too) into a single place. Social media is great when it comes to sharing bands/artists; albums/songs and news without much thought and effort. I worry music is one side of social media but there is nothing that specifically distinguished and highlights music away from everything else – Twitter and Facebook are open platforms where anyone, anywhere can put what they want on there. Sounds Like Friday Night is a new, live music show that collates performances, comedy and chat into one show. It is presented by Greg James and Dotty (BBC radio) and has been met with mixed reviews. The idea is admirable but I wonder whether it is a natural replacement for shows like Top of the Pops. There are not many music shows on T.V. – Jools Holland’s long-running series is quite niche – so it was as admiral effort to put down.

IN THIS PHOTO: Greg James and Dotty

Whilst its chemistry and construct might not be the breakthrough many had hoped: it is a sign people are lusting after a music show and a return to older days. I am caught in a blizzard of nostalgia at the moment and have been rediscovering sounds that soundtracked by childhood. It is great revisiting the past and it makes me realise the importance of bringing these artists to the new generation. How this site would take shape I am not too sure – what it will be called, and how large it would be, has yet to be seen. I worry we are spending too much time on the Internet but I guess that is the way things are going. The point of my initiative is to get people more involved with other aspects of music – not only the songs/artists themselves but engage in worthy causes and charities; proactively get out into the world and help those less fortunate. I guess the site/idea is a reaction to the problems swirling and how many I see suffering – my social media feeds are filled with updates of emotional stress and loss. Music has the power to make real change and impact the world in a very potent and transformative way. More than anything; I want to utilise what is already out there in the world and put it in a separate environment for those interested. Social media is great when it comes to sharing music but I feel, from a personal perspective, it can be quite destructive and isolating. Music is a sacred and inspirational side of the arts that has created some of the finest work the world has ever seen. I worry – as I have speculated in other pieces – there will be controversy and accusations levelled at some of its stars and figures. We are in a very dark and turbulent time right now so it is vital we find a way of providing love and positivity – tackling any issues and ensuring we learn from it.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

I guess ‘love’ is the biggest message from all of this. I feel music is doing what it should do: providing entertainment and pleasure to the people. If we leave it at that then we are ignoring the depths and potential of music. It has the power and strength to change lives and make real changes in the world. I am discussing ideas with web developers and hope to have something formulated but I have been troubled by news coming from the acting world – wondering if it will hit music and, if so, how hard. I am concerned the music business today is too focused on business and streaming figures: that is getting in the way with the joys of music and all it can do in the world. Maybe that is a natural side-effect of a modern and technological world. I am seeing so many problems form and divisions remain. Whether that is sexism or sex; racism and discrimination – there is a lot of work to be done and practices that need reversing. The rise of mental-health issues and struggles is causing much concern. I am troubled by young people’s lack of understanding when it comes to the past. It is not the case with everyone (of a certain age) but I am troubled by the notion certain acts and albums will be forgotten in time. Feeding music and letting its fine and powerful animal do damage through the world is demanded and necessary. Maybe I am a dreamer – and the practicality and pragmatism of the notion will overwhelm the desire – but I feel this is the time we need to put our hearts and minds together and create a distinct movement – whether it is physical or electronic. Oh…and when it comes to the first part of this feature’s title – and whether it has any deeper meaning – I can reveal…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

IT just sounded like a bit of fun (and a possible album title)!

FEATURE: New York’s Finest: The Best Artists from the Empire State

FEATURE:

 

New York’s Finest:

PHOTO CREDIT: W magazine

The Best Artists from the Empire State

________

THE state of New York was dealt a blow…

after the terrorist attacks claimed lives and rocked the people. It was a scar for a proud and strong part of the world: they will not be cowed and are rebuilding and carrying on as normal. I have always had an affection of the musicians of New York so, as we head into the final days of this year, I have been looking at the New York-based artists, I feel, will be making a big mark in 2018.

It is always hard to say which musicians will fail and which will rise – music is an ever-changing and unpredictable mistress. I am confident, mind, these artists will make a case for New York; show what the city (and state) is all about – and show what a variety of stunning musicians there are there.

________

Eddi Front

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EDDIFRONTOFFICIAL/

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/eddifront

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQM0EApz2Q6AZLegouK3Dg

Eartheater

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Official: http://www.eartheater.solar/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexdrewchin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eartheater-106267762383/

Zuli

BandCamp: https://zuli.bandcamp.com/releases

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zuli_jr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zulidude/

Ex Reyes

PHOTO CREDIT: Leslye Davis

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC76I2Yigv4IjFkd-jdV5vWw

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EX_REYES?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExReyesAlways/

Baby Shakes

BandCamp: https://babyshakesny.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebabyshakes

Official: http://baby-shakes.squarespace.com/

Breanna Barbara

BandCamp: https://breannabarbara.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Breanna_Barbara

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breannabarbaramusic

>

Josh Michaels

Official: http://www.joshmichaelsmusic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialJoshMichaels/

Casey Hopkins

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/caseyhopkinsduo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCaseyHopkinsTrio/

Vagabon

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Official: https://vagabonvagabon.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vagabonvagabon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vagabonjour/

Patio

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/patio-681033922

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pati0band?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patioband/

WALL

 PHOTO CREDIT: Brooklyn

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1wwIWCS55JD5X6PlR9aBMT

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wearewall?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearewall/

 

Dakota Jones

BandCamp: https://dakotajonesband.bandcamp.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dakotajonesband?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DakotaJonesBand/

FEATURE: The Best Singles of 2017 (So Far)

FEATURE:

 IN THIS PHOTO: Morrissey 

The Best Singles of 2017 (So Far)

________

I brought together my favourite albums of this year…

IN THIS PHOTO: Camila Cabello/PHOTO CREDIT: Cibelle Levi for L’Oréal Paris

in a piece yesterday afternoon. Today; I could not help reflect on the singles that have stayed in my head the longest – those that have made the biggest impression. In this collection are songs from Lorde, Baxter Dury and The Hempolics: an eclectic and genre-hopping rundown that forms the soundtrack of my 2017. This year has been a huge one for music. It has provided more unexpected treats than any I can remember; always capturing the imagination and senses – out of it all has been a river of marvellous music that has thrilled and struck music lovers.

Here is my list of the best tracks of this year (so far)…

________

Beth Ditto – Savior Faire

Album: Fake Sugar

I was not a fan of the song to start with but, over time, it has wormed its way into my consciousness. Fake Sugar is an album that departs from The Gossip’s material and sees Ditto establish her own sound. Glittering, lush guitar strings and a striking vocal lead makes it one of the biggest songs of the year.

The Hempolics – Boss Clock Me Style

Album: Kiss, Cuddle & Torture Volume 1

This is unlikely to shift from the position of My Favourite Single of 2017 because its infectiousness and sweet-leaf soothe get into the bones with alacrity. The chorus is a classic slice of gold: Reggae vibes with some seriously captivating vocals. It is Urban Reggae with a dash of Soul: just what we need after such a hard year.

Baxter Dury – Miami

Album: Prince of Tears

Any child of Ian Dury would have a weight on their shoulders: Baxter is not a man who would allow that pressure to guide his career. Miami is a perfect example of where his music is at. The established songwriter created a slithering, street-ready strut that provided the first glimpse of the album, Prince of Tears. Its lyrics mix weird and humorous; the vocals constantly shaping and curious – the overall effect is a perfect track for those who prefer their music raw, cheeky and utterly brilliant.

Robert Plant – Bones of Saints

Album: Carry Fire

No Robert Plant single is ever going to disappoint: Carry Fire’s hottest track is a classic slice from the former Led Zeppelin lead. It rumbles and gravels as the hero provides an assortment of mystical and mystical visions. The song takes us to otherworldly realms and clean bones – battles waged and spirits lifted to the skies.

Jordan Rakei – Goodbyes

Album: Wallflower

It is those harmonies that do it for me! The chorus is impossibly gorgeous, swooning and chocolate-smooth. It is like being trapped in a cobweb of the angels: fighting against the layers and weaves of vocal Heaven and sumptuous allure. Jordan Rakei’s Goodbyes shows he is among the finest young songwriters of the moment. Similar beautiful moments can be found on Wallflowers: none that scale the same dizzying heights as Goodbyes.

Wolf Alice – Beautifully Unconventional

Album: Visions of a Life

Visions of a Life will challenge the contenders for the best albums of this year. Among the eclectic and electric songs are some insane and menacing slams; more contemplative and emotive numbers – Beautifully Unconventional strays between the two camps. The London band has created one of this year’s best albums for sure. Their energy and kinetic charge; the incredible songwriting and diversity – all of this funnelled into the exceptional single, Beautifully Unconventional.

Morrissey – Spent the Day in Bed

Album: Low in High School

The album is not out yet but Low in High School’s lead-off single is classical Morrissey! Its lyrics look at the hero wiling the hours in bed as the workers slave and battle the public transport network. It may not be as literal as that: more, a survey of self-care and the need to disassociate and detach from propaganda, fear and the sheep-herd. It is a huge song whose chorus will remain in the head for weeks. It remains to be seen whether Low in High School will equal Morrissey’s best albums. On the evidence of its introductory single; it seems dedicated fans might have a new favourite.

Amp Fiddler (ft. J. Dilla, T3 and Neco Redd) – Return of the Ghetto Fly

I am not normally a fan of collaborations – where a song gets multiple names stuffed into it. I can make an exception for something as smooth, seductive and fabulous as Return of the Ghetto Fly. Amp Fiddler and his cohorts craft one of the year’s finest tracks. I am not sure the exact origins of the lyrics but, on a base level, can connect with its themes, tones and timbre. A hugely memorable song that should soundtrack everyone’s 2017.

Album: Single Release

Lorde – Green Light

Album: Melodrama

There were some nerves around the release of Melodrama: an album that followed 2013’s Pure Heroine. The New Zealand-born artist defied odds and expectations with Green Light. It is a song that – as Lorde told Pitchfork when probed – “…is really about those moments kind of immediately after your life changes and about all the silly little things that you gravitate towards. I say, 'She thinks you love the beach, you're such a liar.' What the fuck, she thinks you like the beach?! You don't like the beach! It's those little stupid things”. Whatever the origins: it is a sensational and endlessly impressive cut from an artist growing stronger and more peerless by the album.

Camila Cabello (ft. Young Thug) – Havana

Album: The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving

This might, traditionally, prove more popular with those who prefer their music mainstream and commercial. To me; it is a song that has accessibility and cross-boundary appeal. It is a song I have bonded with and can appreciate. Its themes of romance and yearning are never common and predictable: always stemming from a unique hard documenting a very particular origin and passion. I expect big things from Cabello as she makes her stamp on modern music.

Princess Nokia – G.O.A.T.

Album: Single Release  

Despite her name and contradictory nature: there is nothing outdated and regal about Princess Nokia! She is a modern artist who is as fresh and of-the-moment as they come. Although there are no pretences and graces with her: the music does have a lot of depth – more than one might expect from a new star on the R&B/Rap scene. Her compelling mixture of sounds and vocal nuances make a song like G.O.A.T. more than an acronym. It is a confident, brain-troubling song that, by the second listen, will have you singing along.

Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights

Julien Baker’s Turn Out the Lights is one of the most impressive albums of this year. It documents everything from sexuality to mental illness. It is a frank and open work from a songwriter who has tackled prejudice and anxieties through the years. Above it all is a one-of-a-kind songwriter who pours her life and soul onto the page. Her latest album’s title-track has candour and emotional elements but never pushes the listener away. It is a typically assured and stirring track from Baker.

Album: Turn Out the Lights

FEATURE: The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far)

FEATURE:

IN THIS PHOTO: Robert Plant/PHOTO CREDIT: The Guardian

The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far) 

________

IT is almost the end of the year - so it is a good time…

IN THIS PHOTO: Lucy Rose/PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Lewis Photography

to look at the albums that have come before. Everyone has their opinions regarding the biggest and best of 2017. I have brought together my choices and the albums, I feel, have defined this year. There is a mixture of male/female; various genres and nationalities thrown in – from mainstream Pop queens to poetic Indie; through Punk blasts and Hip-Hop.

It is a compelling and interesting blend that, I hope, people will agree with. It is evident this year has been very productive and assured – producing some incredible records from musicians at the top of their game!

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Benjamin Clementine – I Tell a Fly

“But what’s particularly impressive is that it’s not a theme addressed simply in the lyrics, but evoked by a constantly shifting, discomfiting musical backdrop, in which polite piano and harpsichord motifs are disrupted by jarring bursts of throbbing, whining synthesiser and layers of Clementine’s own bizarrely operatic background vocal keening and muttering” - Independent

Release Date: 15th September  

Label: Universal Music Publ. K.K

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/user/indebanvan/playlist/0AbX0DppkiQHUPAlPmp9Tz

Wolf Alice – Visions of a Life

Release Date: 29th September

Label: Dirty Hit

“In some ways, Wolf Alice’s second album is an extension of their 2015 debut, ‘My Love Is Cool’. That excellent record was restless, too, flitting from hypnotic, electronic folk to teeth-baring rock” – NME

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4igFAe5sMPXBZRHj66tP8c

 

Lucy Rose – Something’s Changing

Release Date: 7th July

Label: COMMUNION

“Something’s Changing is a culmination of much-welcomed growth for Rose. She has the ability to make listeners feel: when she’s struggling to find comfort in her own skin, finding joy in life and questioning her path. Her most recent body of work shows Rose finding her sense of self, but makes it relatable to listeners. It’s that connection that solidifies Rose’s career on the folk world” – Paste Music

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1W9INKEeQf3OjBnSJSvSS3

Robert Plant – Carry Fire

Release Date: 13th October

Labels: Nonesuch Records/Warners

“Lyrically, Plant, like the best artists of his generation, takes a meditative position throughout, wistfully looking back as aging and mortality haunt the back of his mind. "And now the carnival is over," he sings on "Dance With You Tonight." "Someone turned out the light." It's a recurring theme on Carry Fire, even if Plant doesn't explicitly state it. The haunting loops that drift through many of the songs serve as a reminder of life's cyclical nature. "The seasons turn, and once again our world will change," he sings on "A Way With Words," driving home the point.

Plant occasionally carries his deep growl into higher registers here, but his "Whole Lotta Love" days are behind him. And he seems just fine with that. Carry Fire takes the same musical foundations Zeppelin leaned on all those years ago, mainly blues and the Eastern flavors heard on "Kashmir," and positions them into more natural and seasoned settings. Plant, in turn, sounds right at home” - Ultimate Classic Rock

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4f7U9Rycl2d3KMLoiEZtve

Baxter Dury – Prince of Tears

Release Date: 27th October

Label: Heavenly Recordings

“It all adds up to a short, sharp blast of an album. Pretty much every punch lands. Dury is alternately very funny, oddly disturbing and genuinely touching, which is a lot of ground to cover in under half an hour. The shadow of his father still lurks around, but then, anyone who choses to deliver beautifully observed vignettes in a London-accented sprechgesang voice is going to find themselves working in Ian Dury’s shade, regardless of who their dad was. And on Prince of Tears, the songs are so good, the author’s parentage scarcely seems to matter” – The Guardian

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/3qb5B25qWfVjvWzFVmci0f

St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION

Release Date: 13th October

Label: Loma Vista Recordings

“The sense with MASSEDUCTION is that Annie Clark puts all of herself into her creations. It was easy before to associate this with a face. It was enough that a video clip of her telling whoever watching that she loves them could go viral. But slowly we’ve associated St. Vincent with all of the complexity that is Annie Clark, turning her into one of the most complex, challenging, and fascinating figures in contemporary music. It’s not her goal to show that she’s worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as the great masters. But it’s her willingness to follow whims, to push herself, and to take her audiences along for the ride that does it for her” – Consequence of Sound

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4RoOGpdrgfiIUyv0kLaC4e

Queens of the Stone Age – Villains

Release Date: 25th August

Label: Matador

“Yet there's no lack of crushing guitars. The single "The Evil Has Landed" squalls over brutally clipped beats, suggesting latter-day Led Zep if they'd wrapped their head around New Wave. "Head Like a Haunted House" goes further, a galloping assault pitched between Devo and the Buzzcocks, with theremin sounds wailing like a supercomputer meltdown in a trashy '50s sci-fi film. Headbangers may be put off that QOTSA is now targeting feet and asses; too bad for them” – Rolling Stone

Steam: https://open.spotify.com/album/6JdX9MGiEMypqYLMKyIE8a

Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Release Date: 14th April

Label: Top Dawg Entertainment

“He bobs in and out of this perspective, but the repeated pledges to loyalty and martyrdom evoke the life and mind of a young gang member who carries his neighborhood flag because no one’s proved to him that he shouldn’t. These choices, Lamar suggests, aren’t pre-determined or innate, but in constant dialogue with and in reaction to their surrounding circumstances. They aren’t above or beneath anyone who can hear his voice. Success and failure choose their subjects at their whim; we’re as grateful as Kendrick for his fate” – Pitchfork

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4eLPsYPBmXABThSJ821sqY

Laura Marling – Semper Femina

Release Date: 10th March

Label: Kobalt Music Group

“Ms. Marling doesn’t cast herself as heroine or victim, angel or avenger. She does something trickier, and perhaps braver. Cleareyed, calmly determined and invitingly tuneful, she captures each situation in all its ambiguity” - NY Times

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/25vCo942umSnfQJl6MIOnn

Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps

Release Date: 14th September

Label: Dead Oceans

“That’s not to say that she throws the proverbial sink at the record, though. The strings on the quietly devastating ‘Funeral’ roll away subtly in the background, just as they do on standout ‘Scott Street’. ‘Motion Sickness’ and ‘Chelsea’ are both nuanced and intelligent in their use of electric guitar, and when she experiments a little - see the downtempo electronic flourishes on ‘Georgia’, as well as its programmed percussion track - it tends to come off. ‘Stranger in the Alps’ is as accomplished a solo debut as you’ll hear all year - a quietly devastating listen worthy of Phoebe Bridgers’ obvious influences” – DIY

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0AkAmg94XyiHODJaiGHh9O

Sampha – Process

Release Date: 3rd February  

Label: Young Turks

“The samples on Reverse Faults are melded into an insistent, slightly groggy pulse that’s both compelling and unsettling. Nothing feels in thrall to current trends in R&B, either sonically or emotionally: Sisay may have been a constant, quiet presence on other people’s records last year, but Process doesn’t sound much like any of them. Instead, it’s a weighty, powerful album with an identity entirely of its own. And while clearly not constructed with commercial ambition at the forefront of its mind, it’s certainly good enough to make an unlikely star of the man behind it” – The Guardian

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2gUSWVHCOerKhJHZRwhVtN

Lorde – Melodrama

Release Date: 16th June

Labels: Lava; Republic

“It’s a rudely excellent album, introspective without ever being indulgent, OTT in all the right ways, honest and brave, full of brilliant songs with lyrics to chew over for months. The message might be that Lorde considers herself wild and flawed and bruised (“I’ll love you till you call the cops on me,” she sings, on the deliciously bitter ‘Writer In The Dark’), but we all do sometimes. That’s the neatest trick the album pulls off – universal connection, in spite of the squad and the praise and the superstardom and the pressure. Humanity intact. Artistry assured. Brilliance confirmed”- NME

Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2B87zXm9bOWvAJdkJBTpzF

FEATURE: Albums to Watch Out for in November

FEATURE:

 IN THIS PHOTO: Sam Smith 

Albums to Watch Out for in November

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OCTOBER has been a really productive and…

IN THIS PHOTO: Grace VanderWaal

top-notch month for new music! Great albums from the likes of Baxter Dury and St. Vincent have amazed critics and stunned listeners. We are in the final throes of October but, before we head into November, it is worth looking back and remembering all the sturdy and awesome albums we have been lucky enough to witness.

Now, as November is moving into view; there are so many fascinating L.P.s arriving in the coming four weeks. Morrissey’s Low in High School must be the most-anticipated record of the year; Stereophonics, Sam Smith and Taylor Swift release new material – some of the mainstream’s biggest rubbing shoulders with Moz. In addition; Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Kid Rock are unleashing their latest albums – what more could you ask for?!

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Stereophonics – Scream Above the Sounds

Release Date: 3rd

Labels: Stylus Records/Parlophone

Follow: https://twitter.com/stereophonics

Grace VanderWaal – Just the Beginning

Release Date: 3rd

Labels: Columbia/Syco

Follow: https://twitter.com/GraceVanderWaal

Sam Smith – The Thrill of It All

Release Date: 3rd

Label: Capitol Records

Follow: https://twitter.com/samsmithworld

Kid Rock – Sweet Southern Sugar

Release Date: 3rd   

Labels: Top Dog Records, Inc./BMG Rights Management (US) LLC

Follow: https://twitter.com/KidRock

Evanescence – Synthesis

Release Date: 10th

Label: Sony Music

Follow: https://twitter.com/evanescence

Taylor Swift – Reputation

Release Date: 10th

Label: Big Machine

Follow: https://twitter.com/taylorswift13

Sleigh Bells – Kid Kruschev

Release Date: 10th

Label: Lucky Number

Follow: https://twitter.com/sleighbells

Barenaked Ladies – Fake Nudes

Release Date: 17th

Label: Universal Music LLC

Follow: https://twitter.com/barenakedladies

Mavis Staples – If All I Was Was Black

Release Date: 17th

Label: Anti-Records

Follow: https://twitter.com/mavisstaples

Charlotte Gainsbourg – Rest

Release Date: 17th

Label: Because Music

Follow: https://twitter.com/cgainsbourg

Morrissey – Low in High School

Release Date: 17th

Label: BGM Rights Management

Follow: https://twitter.com/officialmoz

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Who Built the Moon?

Release Date: 24th

Label: Caroline International

Follow: https://twitter.com/NoelGallagher

Simeon Walker – Mono

Release Date: 24th

Label: (Self-released)

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/simeonwalkermusic

FEATURE: Music Musings and Such at Six: The 10,000-Hour Rule: Burnout, Progress and Ambition

FEATURE:

 

Music Musings and Such at Six:

PHOTO CREDIT: Burst 

 The 10,000-Hour Rule: Burnout, Progress and Ambition

________

MAYBE that order of words is wrong but I wonder…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

at a time when artists have to work so much harder (than ever) to prove themselves – are we putting too much pressure on their shoulders?! For me, I wanted to raise this subject for two reasons. For one; the sixth anniversary of my blog is upcoming: it is something I have dedicated a lot of my free time to and am constantly searching for rewards and new chances. Another reason involves the lengths musicians have to go to achieve their dreams – and whether innate talent and dexterity is more important than work ethic and commitment when it comes to achieving goals. Before I come onto my own experiences; a quick question: Where does that 10,000-hour rule from? It is from Malcolm Gladwell’s popular book, Outliners, and states, in order to perfect a craft/object; one must expend that many hours. I was interested in a BBC article - that went into more depth:

“But Ericsson (Anders) was not pleased. He wrote a rebuttal paper in 2012, called The Danger of Delegating Education to Journalists.

"The 10,000-hour rule was invented by Malcolm Gladwell who stated that, 'Researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: 10,000 hours.' Gladwell cited our research on expert musicians as a stimulus for his provocative generalisation to a magical number," Ericsson writes.

Ericsson then pointed out that 10,000 was an average, and that many of the best musicians in his study had accumulated "substantially fewer" hours of practice. He underlined, also, that the quality of the practice was important.

"In contrast, Gladwell does not even mention the concept of deliberate practice," Ericsson writes.

Gladwell counters that Ericsson doesn't really think that talent exists.

 "When he disagrees with the way I interpreted his work, it's because I disagree with him," he says.

"I think that being very, very good at something requires a big healthy dose of natural talent. And when I talk about the Beatles - they had masses of natural talent. They were born geniuses. Ericsson wouldn't say that”.

I have a concern modern musicians/music personnel are getting caught in a trap between talent and expectation. That 10,000-hour figure seems arbitrary and random but is there truth that, regardless of your level of expertise/proficiency, you can master anything in that time? Modern music requires total focus and balancing so many different aspects. The industry is so competitive so I wonder, regardless of the number of hours expended, are the hardest working and most dedicated likely to get the same amount of success as those who ride and skate through life? In music, I see so many artists who have big labels behind them and get into music to get money and easy fame. Other have joined the business relatively late and, by being in the ‘right place at the right time’, they are granted golden tickets and fabulous rewards. There are many more who toil and endless work, only to see their fastidiousness and dedication go unnoticed. One of the reasons people like me get into journalism is to support new artists who create fantastic music – only to find very few people who will offer them exposure. Small venues and spaces are willing to put artists up but there are fewer people turning up to see performances. If a band/act struggles to draw people in; will talent and potential all count for anything?! It is hard organising and policing music so we can get people into spaces and ensure the best and brightest artists get their just rewards. The comparative lack of gig-goers is another area to explore but I wonder whether natural ability is as important as grafting and intent study.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

It is clear the most respectable artists in the world did not get where they are by hard work alone. One needs talent and ability in the first place but it is important to supplement that with constant effort and attack. There are so many great artists emerging and putting their all into things but I am concerned, regardless of whether they obtain ‘expertise’ and a sense of perfection that will be enough. There is an inverse relationship between hours spent and success rate. If certain artists are getting to the precipice on looks and a certain personality; does that send a negative message to other artists – who, in turn, will quit and think they are not going to get anywhere?! I would say we need to do two things in order to sustain the quality and profligacy of music and ensure our best do not burn out. I think we need to re-nurture and subsidise small venues so those starting out are provided proper promotion and chance. If a lot of small venues are struggling to get people in; we need to look there. I have seen a lot of bands call time because punters are not coming out and seeing them. If the likes of Oasis and Primal Scream, back in the day, had been in the same position then they could have enjoyed very short careers. Regardless of the number of hours you put into music; are there structural and foundation issues that need to be addressed? I feel, in a digital age, hard work and talent need to accompany a savviness and market-minded brain that recognises the way modern music is going. It is all very well having awesome music and crafting endlessly. If you do not understand the intricacies, mechanisms and motives of Spotify – and other streaming services – then you are risky falling at the first hurdle.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

One needs to assess a lot of different sides to the argument to get a clearer picture. Another article, that contradicts the rigidity of K. Anders Ericsson’s assumption, argued it is better to focus on quality rather than quantifiable hours:

“In deliberate practice, you need to be fully tuned in to learning the skill you are working on, and minimize distractions as much as possible (put away your phone). Because focusing intently takes so much energy, you can really only sustain that level of practice for 60 to 90 minutes at a time, perhaps two hours at most.

Putting in too much time might mean you're not making good use of it. If that's the case, you're more likely to burn out. Instead, try to focus harder for a defined period of time, then take a rest.

Even when doing deliberate practice, reaching the top levels in a field is long road. Photographer Dan McLaughlin tried to develop the skills to become a PGA tour golfer with 10,000 hours of deliberate practice, despite having little experience with the sport. His mission stalled out just past 6,000 hours, when his body stopped cooperating and the demands of life made it hard for him to continue.

However, deliberate practice is still your best bet for mastering a skill to the extent your personal ability allows. So the next time you're trying to learn a new skill, worry more about the quality of your focus than the hours you log”.

As I come to my sixth anniversary of Music Musings and Such – in a couple of weeks – it is interesting looking at that magical number and whether expertise (whether that is possible) is the same as happiness and fulfilled? If one was to master an instrument or profession; does that make them more rounded and better suited to the industry?! In terms of music; maybe a more targeted approach to work is the best way to go about things? It may sound illogical but is it possible to put fewer hours in and produce something of a higher quality – that, in turn, is a more economical way of doing things?! There is always a part of my mind concerned musicians feel they need to push themselves to the point of breakdown in order to get further ahead.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

There is no evidence to suggest a certain number of hours and effort will guarantee success. Music can be arbitrary and unpredictable: there is no golden rule as to what the industry will favour and what will strike the collective heart. One of my main problems is the burnout possibility and putting too much out there. If the article above suggests focus and logic is more important than irrational exhaustion and quantity – it gives me much to ponder as I continue to write and search. My goals is to monetise what I do and be in the position where I have influence and can mix it with the big guns – whether that is at a big radio station or newspaper, I am not sure. Are we in the music predisposed to expend an insane amount of time and effort simply to exist and remain stable? Maybe that is an issue in the wider working world but it is hard breaking away from an intuitive (if irrational) way of life and embracing something new. I am excited as I head into my seventh year (writing the blog) but am determined to reverse my current status and adopt a healthier approach to writing. Doing fewer pieces/interviews means I can concentrate on documentaries and single articles. It might not seem the best way to do things – fewer pieces means I there are fewer shares/retweets and people seeing my work – but people can see when someone is under pressure.

IN THIS PHOTO: Stefflon Don (an artist I am tipping for big success in 2018)

There is no point doing anything when you feel it necessary to push yourself to breaking-point. I feel the best way for myself, and people in the music industry, to get where they need to be is to preserve their health and look after themselves. One cannot function and work if they push their minds and bodies to the limit. Stepping back and allowing oneself to relax and recharge every now and then is a better long-term strategy. Sure; one needs to put the hours in but it is no good thinking you will master music and be a major success if you put in a five-figure slog. I am not near the 10,000-hour figure but feel, even if I do reach it, my success and potential will not be down to that milestone. Success and happiness will come, in time, but we need to – whether it seems impossible or not – stop chasing the eternal carrot and assuming failure will come if we do not constantly work. If it is deemed we all need to bust a gut and sacrifice so much of our self pursuing our dreams; the only way to confront this ill is to put ourselves first. I will take this approach because, for all of us, wellbeing is…

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty

MUCH more important than popularity.

FEATURE: ‘The J-Word’: Why Jazz Remains a Misunderstood Genre

FEATURE:

 

‘The J-Word’:

IN THIS PHOTO: The Comet Is Coming/PHOTO CREDIT: Fabrice Bourgelle   

Why Jazz Remains a Misunderstood Genre

________

IT seems the mere mention of the word 'Jazz'…

IMAGE CREDIT: Jazzradio.com

is like uttering some kind of curse. There are certain genres that have struggled to assimilate into the mainstream through the decades. Like the spectacled child standing shivering and exposed in the playground – waiting to be picked for the football five-a-side – the poor old genre of Jazz often gets selected as a forced consolation. I am a fan of Jazz but worry it is still seen as a rather boring and ignored style of music. It is maligned and snobbishly overlooked by those who feel they have a grasp on music. If one looks at the critics’ favourite albums of any year and how many Jazz albums make it into the list?! It is hard to say why many feel the genre lacks appeal. For me, I think the fact it has not burgeoned and gained mainstream passage is the fact reputation and assumption goes before patience and endeavour.

IN THIS PHOTO: Laura Jurd's band, DinosaurPHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Many assume they hate Jazz and it will offer no surprises. I bring this up because I am seeing a lot of prejudice come through for certain genres. There are certain age groups and demographics who refuse any taste of Jazz because, in some way, it repulses them. I am not a huge devotee of the genre but I cannot understand the attitude afforded Jazz music. In recent years, bands like Here Comes the Comet and Dinosaur have been nominated for the Mercury Prize. Those two bands, one can argue, take a rather ‘interesting’ approach to Jazz. Rather than a more conventional and streamlined take on the style - think John Coltrane and Miles Davis – they bring more acidic hallucination and a psychedelic angle. I call Miles Davis ‘streamlined’ (more on him a bit later) but I mean his Kind of Blue material. Dinosaur’s prize-nominated, Together, As One, is an eight-track release of various-lengthened songs. Each composition is immerse and transportative. One listens to the record and can close their eyes and drift – imagining the scenes and projecting your own interpretations.

IMAGE CREDIT: Jazzradio.com

The same can be said of Here Comes the Comet’s Channel the Spirits. When defining the album, - speaking with M last year - band member Betamax Killer spoke in these terms:

“Channel The Spirits was meant to be a soundtrack to planet Earth’s doom. To stare death in the face and explore a symphony of human emotions. Panic, hope, defiance, fear, brotherhood and a release from cultural restrictions. We hoped to discover the underlying human power beneath the mundane day-to-day routines of modern life. Through the process of making the record we have been on a journey together through the distant realms of our collective mind. It feels like we have become creative space explorers”.

Modern Jazz is not that far departed from the older, more traditional forms we are all familiar with. Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die is a perfect integration of styles from the Long Island trumpeter. One gets a hit of Noise-Rock and Psychedelia; Jazz and Hip-Hop all in one. It is an extraordinary record that is the definition of what modern Jazz is all about: the assimilation and unification of various themes and genres against a backbone of conventional Jazz.  

Loneliness Road is the latest album from Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte. It sees Iggy Pop collaborate and is an inter-band conversation where the members show their mastery of their respective instruments. Falling between the seduce and sophistication of Bill Evans and the urgent rush of Alice Coltrane – one of the strongest Jazz albums of this year. Diana Krall’s Turn Up the Quiet and Linda May Han Oh’s Walk Against the Wind are respectable and standout records from the year. The latter, especially, boasts huge fluidity and poetic expression – the sound of a woman’s path through life and development. The performances are uniformly exceptional and add so much colour, candid energy and emotion to the music.  Whether one likes to admit it or not: all of us have an attachment to at least one Jazz piece.

IN THIS PHOTO: Louis Armstrong/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

Take someone like Louis Armstrong, for example. He remains one of the most influential trumpeters and composers from the world of Jazz. What a Wonderful World is one of the most popular and requested songs in the world. It seems to resonate in so many people and is an accessible, touching and universal number that cuts to the heart. People might be a little wary of lionising Miles Davis, John Coltrane; Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk. Their music seems to define what Jazz is and, if you don’t like it (or get it), you cannot say you appreciate Jazz. Maybe that is an over-simplification but one need not know every passage and album (from those artists) to approve and understand what they are about. I am a fan of Miles Davis but would say Kind of Blue, Birth of the Cool and Sketches of Spain are his finest – In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew are essential works.

I think one of the big problems when it comes to Jazz is the critics who are charged with proffering the genre. Many, when looking at the list of best Jazz albums of this year, seem to reduce their assessments into tropes and diminishing sentences. A few albums I have seen on a list have been labelled as records to listen to when having a cup of tea – perfect background music that you can enjoy when doing other things. I think this reductive and dismissive attitude, whilst unintentionally diminutive and patronising, seems to mirror the views of many out there. Jazz, like all great music, is not meant to linger in the back of the mind and prohibited from focal attention. I agree some Jazz albums are not palatable and popular enough to convert those uninitiated and hesitant. The best Jazz records are those that keep the ethos and roots firm but update and evolve the form. I have mentioned modern artists like Here Comes the Comet who, in a way, have more in common with bands like The Stone Roses and The Beatles – as they do Mile Davis and Louis Armstrong.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

If one feels they ‘hate’ Jazz then one would hope they have had enough exposure to make that determination. It seems the popular go-to decisions for many: I have not given it a chance and, therefore, it sucks. I think a lot of us get into the presumption all Jazz sounds like a single artist/album then, yeah, you are going to fall into that mindset. The fact is no genre, even Jazz, is limited in scope and appeal. A lot of the modern equivalent is far-reaching, progressive and exciting. Those who claim Jazz is a boring genre would do well to properly investigate what is happening right now. There are two sides to Jazz that need to be defined and distinguished. There is the more romantic and reflective side and the cross-referencing, cross-pollinating brand. Maybe those who favour the former are of a certain age and taste: those who chase the more modern and experimental alternative slightly younger and more hip. That would be an over-simplification but Jazz is at its broadest and most accessible right now. If one listens to the finest Hip-Hop artist around and you’ll see how influential and important Jazz is to them.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kendrick Lamar/PHOTO CREDIT: Alan Gwizdowski

This has been the case for decades. Whether samples into De La Soul’s incredible L.P., 3 Feet High and Rising, or Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly – Jazz has been invigorating and connecting artists in all corners. It is not a coincidence some of the best albums ever – whether Jazz is used as a sample or an original thought – take so much from Jazz. It has never been a genre limited to certain tastes and rigid in its sound. This is definitely true today. The reason it is still fighting against resistance is the fact the mainstream still refuses to fully embrace it. In a way, when integrated into Hip-Hop and Rap, it is almost like an ingredient in a dish – rather than the main meal itself. Jazz warrants fonder and worthy study as it is not a dirty word…not anymore. I don’t think it ever was but we have to stop labelling genres and thinking we know everything about them. Jazz is misunderstood and underappreciated. I am not saying everyone should obsess over Jazz and go right through the ages but reappropriation is required. If the average listener gives it a chance they will find, without having to dig too far, there…

IN THIS PHOTO: John ColtranePHOTO CREDIT: Getty

 IS much to love.

FEATURE: Love Me Do: The Birth of The Beatles

FEATURE:

 

Love Me Do:

The Birth of The Beatles

________

HISTORIANS and aficionados of The Beatles…

have their own interpretations surrounding the band becoming 'The Fab Four'. I guess a moniker is the way one can determine when an artist has truly arrived in music. Whether one assumes it was literally the first Beatles record that defined and announced their birth; their finest earliest album; the moment they cracked America – there are subjective and different viewpoints regarding the canonisation of the world’s greatest band. To me – and why I wanted to kick this piece into the wider world – was the vital landmark that is Love Me Do. On 5th October, 1962, the song was one of Paul McCartney’s earliest songs – written whilst he was cutting class from the Liverpool Institute back in 1958. I will quote from Ian MacDonald’s definitive and sacrosanct Beatles manuscript, Revolution in the Head. Here, like all their other songs, he charts the course and genesis of the track – where it stemmed from; which take we hear on record; how it fared in the public; his impressions of the song. From pages fifty-eight through to sixty; MacDonald charts the progress of the song’s creation and the place it plays in The Beatles’ cannon. To me, those opening few seconds, not only beckon and proclamation the greatest force of nature the music world has ever seen – it runs to a deeper, more personal level. To me, it is the tributary of the river that is my love of The Beatles. That harmonica blast (John Lennon playing that one) causes shivers, memories and fond reminiscence. I remember encountering the album Please Please Me (I shall come onto that) and being blown away by the sheer simplicity, live sound and class dripping from every song. In my estimation; Love Me Do is the first landmark release from the band – the time they transcending from promising boys (playing covers) to a truly original band who could change the world. Love Me Do employs two chords (G and C). Most Pop numbers of the time revolved around three common chords: the fact Love Me Do had two made it, in its reverse-evolution and base appeal, a more progressive and evolved thing.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles recording at Abbey Road on 4th September, 1962

Breaking a trend by making music more simplistic might seem counterintuitive and risky. The boys knew they could not repeat what was out there and expect to gain the recognition they warranted. The song was started by McCartney during his educational day but, struggling to finish it off, showed it to Lennon – who added the middle eight and helped ensure it saw the light of day. Back in September 1962; Love Me Do was one of half-a-dozen songs being rehearsed by a band who were a bit nervous about releasing singles. The record label (Parlophone) preferred the inferior How Do You Do? as a single for The Beatles. The Mitch Murray-penned song was more commercial and toe-tapping but The Beatles disassociated themselves with the song – not wanting anything to do with it and thinking it did not represent what they wanted to say. Tackling and confronting the decision-making bosses is a bold decision for a band who were, in 1962, not a known commodity. It would be a few more months before the public took them to heart so that decision to rebuff the single suggestion showed the Liverpool foursome were determined to have their say and take their career where they wanted it to go. The “vernacular title” (as MacDonald sums it up) and dockside harmonica impressed producer George Martin. He knew there was something unconventional and original emanating from Love Me Do. Pop music of the early-1960s was more concerned with guitars, big choruses and fitting into the packs. The Beatles came along with a song that imbued the nature of early Blues recordings and 1950s sounds – the band were inspired by artists like Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley; not desperate to remain rigidly in the 1960s and jettisoning their tastes. There were a few issues surrounding the recording of Love Me Do. Legend has it – although interpretation has been interrogated and questioned – McCartney was dissatisfied with Ringo Starr’s drumming: he was hurrying into the chorus and failing to lock-in the bass-drum with the bass guitar.

McCartney, playing bass, felt there was an arrhythmic and undisciplined approach from Starr. Martin shared these concerns and felt, against a loose-swinging expressionist like Starr, a more conventional and studied drummer would give the performance more professionalism and reliability. A week after the fraught rehearsals; the band sojourned to Abbey Road Studios (Studio 2) and laid down the track. Andy White, a session drummer at the time, ‘sat in’ on drums whilst Starr reinforced percussion with rudimentary tambourine smashes. Two versions of Love Me Do were issued: the first (mixed bottom-light to distort and hide Starr’s bass-drum) went out as the A-side to The Beatles’ debut single; the second found its way onto the band’s debut album, Please Please Me, and opened its second-side. What amazes me about the song is how it contrasts what the band would go on to create and how distinct it was juxtaposed against the colour and excitement of the time. Love Me Do is a primitive and raw song that is a balustrade against a rainbow sky: a black-and-white rug in the kitsch and Art Deco kitchens of the suburban cool. Sales figures were cautious when the song arrived: many unsure how to approach it and what to expect. The “modal gauntness” seemed extraordinary against a Pop scene that demanded songs get to the mind quickly and traditionally. Some claimed the arrangement has been tampered with (by Martin) and the lead vocal had been given to McCartney rather than Lennon – hardly a surprise considering it was McCartney’s baby. Beatles fans, in retrospect, realise the song didn’t capture the live energy of their shows and seems awarded slow and contemplative. The easy hook (‘Ple-e-e-ease’) and untraditional chorus phrasing from McCartney; the passionate harmonica from Lennon; the raised-brown solo clash from Starr that followed Lennon’s performance. It seemed George Harrison was the only player who remained anonymous and lacking character. That would change but was understandable considering the eventfulness surrounding Starr and his technique; the fact Lennon and McCartney were the main songwriters and leaders.

Even if the open-fifth vocal harmonies were drowned in reverb; the production was cracker-dry and lacked the sheen, sparkle and timbre one would encounter on records at the time. The song, as Macdonald notes in his book, was a blast of autumnal air against the homogenised smog of the 1960s Pop scene. There was a hangover and awkward transition from the late-1950s and masters like Presley and Holly. So much of Love Me Do separated The Beatles and spotlighted a band that was going to make a huge impact. The harmonica wailing from Lennon contained no bent notes – the sort one might hear on U.S. blues recordings; the sort Dylan employed in his music – and has more in common with the working-class Blues and Folk of British artists from the North. That was a revelation from a public who were used to – when they heard harmonica – to something more jazzed, syncopated and florid. Lennon’s erstwhile and singular performance defined him on that record. McCartney’s lyrics might seem rather generic and unspectacular when you consider what the band went on to be. In any case; it was his story and song that lit the fuse – one that started the fire and showed these four lads from Liverpool were not going to stamp out covers and be like every other group of the day. Love Me Do was, in MacDonald’s terms, “awed by nothing” and signified the move from the elder-respecting stuffiness of modern culture – overthrown and besieged by the youth generation and a tipping towards a more energetic and reckless style of song. One might see a song like Love Me Do and balk at how basic it sounds when compared to Beatles songs such as Strawberry Fields Forever and A Day in the Life – songs that arrived only five years after Love Me Do. The band, even by 1963, was starting to experiment and grow their sound. That 1962 introduction single was never going to be the studio-pushing, genre-defying track that defined Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; the head-bender conclusion to Revolver or the majestic L.S.D. melts one could find on The Beatles (‘The White Album’) – or should that be marijuana?! In any case; Love Me Do is an epochal song because it changed the face of music.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles captured in Liverpool (1962)

I think of Love Me Do in terms of the album, Please Please Me: the former the creator and mother of the progeny. Love Me Do appeared on The Beatles’ debut album – although, as we know, a different version to the single – and was part of a musical revolution. The album is a stark polemic of the complex and pioneering works such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Although there were some flaws and rough edges on the record – a couple of the covers missed the mark; Harrison’s singing on Do You Want to Know a Secret a little flat; A Taste of Honey lacking the quality it could have – it is an extraordinary record that still inspires musicians today. The brief was simple: record an album in a single day that would, essentially, replicate the live energy and spontaneity of The Beatles’ shows. It was recorded far less expensively than albums of the times (£400 at the time; about £7,500 these days). Following the success of Love Me Do and its flip-side, P.S. I Love You, there was a need to get an album out to capitalise the spirit captured on those songs - the band's second single, Please Please Me, became the album's title-track. P.S. I Love You distilled McCartney’s gift for melody was balanced against Lennon’s comparative laziness – singing and projecting the minimal intervals of everyday speech (another MacDonald thought). Although a naïve song that adds a little to the ‘letter’ sub-genre of music; its expressive chorus and verses elevated the song to the consciousness of the masses. Those songs formed the bedrock of Please Please Me. George Martin needed ten further songs to accompany the band’s two singles. It was intended, at first, to be a morning and afternoon session – the evening session was added later – and captured at EMI in Abbey Road Studios, essentially, as a long-drawn band live performance. The band started at 10 A.M. Monday, 11th February, 1963: finishing at 10:45 P.M. the same day – with breaks and breath; a thirteen-hour (more-or-less) sessions that got the L.P. recorded and captured.

Six of the fourteen songs featured on the album are cover versions: of the original cuts; the majority had Lennon singing the lead vocal – the same was true of the covers. Each band member got a vocal lead (Ringo Starr taking the helm on Boys) whilst the lead-off track, I Saw Her Standing There, gained its own life and gravity. Its unconventional phrasing and lexicon (“She was just seventeen/You know what I mean”) – the original pitch saw the second line “Never been a beauty queen” – replaced with something less cloying and predictable – amazed fans and its explosive tone set the scene for the record. Mixing more tender and calm numbers against thrilling cuts: Please Please Me ended with the now-legendary and logic-defying version of Twist and Shout. By the time the guys had completed the definitive take of There’s a Place (the penultimate track), they knew what was left: the spectacular finale of Twist and Shout. The fact the session run until late at night was because of Lennon and poor health. Suffering a cold and sore throat; he spent breaks gargling milk and soothing his throat with honey and medicinal substance – whilst the rest of the band supped coffee. The 585-minute recording session would never have a better moment than the opening notes to Twist and Shout.  The fact they had recorded all day means recording a fireworks-take of Twist and Shout would have been hard: throw in an ailing Lennon and it made the job that much more difficult. As it was, somehow, he stepped up the microphone and nailed it in one take. It has to be done in a single take because that performance blew his voice beyond recovery – he has nothing left after that. George Martin wanted a new take but Lennon’s voice was shredded – the version you hear could not be topped, in my mind. The jubilant and relieved whoop from McCartney as the track ends shows what excitement and deflation there was in the room – the fact they had done it and managed to record the song that day. Apparently, when the take was completed, there was cheering and jubilation in the studio.

The engineers, staff and band were enthralled and buzzing from the energy that has been projected during that take (I imagine Lennon would have needed a week or so off after that song!). Love Me Do is the first blush of The Beatles and their debut cut – in my view, the most important offering from the band’s chest. Please Please Me responded to the building heat and popularity the band were accruing. If 1966 – 1967 was the peak of their creative powers: 1962 – 1963 was the start of things and the shaping of the biggest band on the planet. Match and contextualise Love Me Do in Please Please Me and you discover a group who were genuinely making music history. It all started with that John Lennon harmonica clarion of Love Me Do – the first notes of the Paul McCartney song that traces its lineage as far back as 1958. The song seems inexplicably forward-thinking and staggering today. That is a fifty year period (from its release) and still acts as a guide to musicians who want to add spice and difference to the Pop market. The Beatles went on to make better songs but few had quite the same impact and effect as Love Me Do. It stunned a complacent public and shook the charts up. Labels and bosses had not experienced a band like The Beatles – there has been nobody quite like them ever since! Put the song on and let it take you somewhere special. I can only imagine the sights, smells and sounds that came from the studio when John Lennon, Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr and George Harrison – ably assisted by George Martin – captured that moment of history. Fifty years since its release; Love Me Do still wields immense power and  (is a song) that…

HELPED define the music of the 1960s.

FEATURE: It’s That Time of the Year! The Hallowe’en Playlist

FEATURE:

 

It’s That Time of the Year!

 The Hallowe’en Playlist

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WHETHER you convincingly immerse yourself…

in the costumes, fun and theatre of Hallowe’en – or take a rather laid-back and detached attitude to the celebrations – the final day of October has an effect, one way or the other. One cannot avoid the build-up and the peculiar fascination, adults and children alike, have for Hallowe’en. Few are concerned with its origins and history – I shall not bore you with it, now – but I am worried there is little of the dark arts working through music. Gothic-Rock was a style of music that emerged in the wake of the Post-Punk era of the late-1970s. Growing from the ties of English Punk-Rock; Proto-Gothic bands enjoyed great influence and importance in the late-1970s/early-1980s. Joy Division, The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees were early proponents and made music defined by a certain fashion, sound and identity. It is fascinating watching these artists follow from a time of great rebellion and anger.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Cure

The Punk movement, by this time, had all but trickled down to a whimper: a new sensation was beginning to take shape. If Goth-Rock did not quite dominate music, it gained a lot of followers and compelled musicians – who were a little more peculiar and 'outsider' than most – to step into the spotlight. It seems rather crude and immature assuming this style of music is ghoulish and Hallowe’en-y. The reason for bringing this subject up is to show how music and Hallowe’en relate. Sure, other genres of music have created moments of witchcraft, the spooky and dark – it is not exclusive to a particular time and place. What I find interesting is how Gothic music was less a genre and more a movement. Bands and artists helped launch a distinct literature, fashion and community. If bands such as The Cure saw their popularity wane towards the end of the 1980s; the impact they made helped influence new musicians – mutating and preserving Gothic-Rock into the 1990s (and beyond). Today, bands such as The Horrors preserve aspects of legends like Joy Division and The Cure but it seems (Gothic music) is less prevalent and popular than once was.

IN THIS PHOTO: Chelsea Wolfe

Tastes and times have changed but I feel music needs that new burst of colour and light – not as black and dark as many would assume. This year, Gary Numan and The Horrors have released terrific Gothic-Rock/Electronic albums – the former more dystopian and bleak than the latter, it must be said. Numan’s Savage (Songs from a Broken World) looks at fractured elements of the modern world – a desertified, post-apocalyptic landscape as a result of global warming. The Horrors’ latest, V, is more widescreen and varied: a less bleak and shadowy creation than their earliest work. Throw in other acts such as Chelsea Wolfe, Zola Jesus and The Tiger Lillies and there are enough musicians keeping the more haunted and intense side of music intact. It would be unfair to suggest these artists/this music are depressive and suppressive. That is unfair but it is clear they occupy a singular segment of the musical map. To me; there is a link between Hallowe’en’s history, dynamics and identity and music. Over the years, there have been some terrific songs produced by artists who channel something ghostly, spectral and twilight. To end this piece; I have collated an essential mix of Hallowe’en-ready tracks that span the decades. A rich and varied collection of songs that will provide any Hallowe’en night…

THE perfect kick and spice.

FEATURE: Anarchy, EMI and the Monarchy: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols at Forty

FEATURE:

 

Anarchy, EMI and the Monarchy:

 Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols at Forty

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FEW bands record a single album…

and go down in music history! There are fewer who could only release one record and remain in the memory for (over) forty years. Perhaps the Sex Pistols struck a particular vein at a perfect point in time. I will bring in a Rolling Stone article a bit later but, it seems, Never Mind the Bollocks… was the ultimate and most intense way of articulating the stresses and divisions apparent in 1977. The Punk band formed in 1975 and, despite four singles and one album, were instrumental in spearheading a new wave of Punk bands. There are those who say the group were overrated and arrived in music a little too late – albums by The Clash faring better and predating their sole album. If one looks at Never Mind the Bollocks… then you will see, years before, bigger and bolder Punk artists has already set the flame alight. The Clash released their eponymous debut in April (1977); the Ramones unleashed their eponymous debut the year before – there were already markers and leaders in the market before the Sex Pistols.

To get a bigger picture of the Sex Pistols’ only album and one has to look at the country at the time and John Lydon’s arrival in the band. In 1975, Bernard Rhodes – a good friend of Malcolm McLaren – spotted a nineteen-year-old John Lydon, a Kings Road habitué, at a gig wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt – with the image's eyes gouged out; a message, ‘I Hate’, scrawled above the band’s name. It attracted Rhodes’ attention – he asked Lydon to meet with fellow musicians Steve Jones and Paul Cook. Unbeknownst to them; the green-haired rebel that entered their midst was going to be their leader. Lydon, at the start, improvised singing and would do some unique renditions of popular songs – to the amusement of his band-mates. His unconventional and untutored mannerisms – coupled with the fact he was seen as a bit grating and loud by the guys – meant there was a natural and instant bond. It would be two years before the band settled and recorded their landmark album.

IN THIS PHOTO: Sid Vicious in 1978/PHOTO CREDIT: Bob Gruen

At this stage – before the album was released – Glen Matlock was on bass. He was replaced by Sid Vicious (who had never played bass before joining the band) and, with McLaren managing the Sex Pistols, the legend was cemented. It was hardly a shock, given their non-conformist mind-set and anarchic disregard, they would prove unpopular with the press at the time. The Clash were, at the time, the biggest British Punk group: American had the Ramones and, at a time when there was the desire for social change and re-engineering; Sex Pistols seemed like a breath of (much-needed) fresh air. That yearning for pandemonium and moral retaliation – against the crown and state – meant the Sex Pistols were granted a free pass by the music public. If the press felt they were too uncouth and ragged to appeal to the shiny, white-teeth-polite-words requirements for the mainstream – those who preferred their artists real and original bonded with the London band. In the spring of 1977, the three senior members – excluding Sid Vicious – went to the studio to record the album. The band were not keen for Vicious to be around them at the time – fortunately, as they see it, Vicious had hepatitis. Matlock came and recorded with the guys as a session musician:

PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock/Richard Young

Vicious’ incompetence and behaviour meant he was barred from the studio. Jones played most of the bass parts on the record with Matlock having to audition, in a way, to play with the band – a process, many say, he felt demeaned having to do. The only element of Sid Vicious on Never Mind the Bollocks… is a pared-down, near-mute bass part recorded for Bodies. There was an appropriate amount of disarray and disorganisation when it came to recording the album. Members being switched and there was very little structure at the time. Many would say that is what one requires from a genuine Punk band: if they were methodical and well-behaved; that would take away from their ethos and music. Luckily, the band did actually make an album – what was captured remains one of the most explosive and important albums of the 1970s. Critics at the time had their opinions, for sure.

IN THIS PHOTO: Johnny Rotten

Some saw the record as too controversial for the sake of it; songs like Bodies contained profanity and, naturally, was not a favourite for radio stations – Never Mind the Bollocks… was censored because of its testicular reference. Politicians – often the go-to when it comes to music opinions and reflecting the opinions of the masses – felt the record reflected the downward turn society was taking. These bratty and explicit boys were not what Britain wanted or needed at that time. In 1977, Star Wars was breaking box office records; Elvis died; Red Rum won the Grand National for the third time – it was a weird and wonderful year. The fact our Queen was celebrating her Silver Jubilee. Around August, there were strikes against The National Front and it seemed there were contrasts in the U.K. in 1977. Even if you were not a royalist; you would have been captured in the spirit and celebration that unfolded then – a fact the Sex Pistols did not let slip.

The fact there was far-right fascism and a disenfranchised youth rallying sat with strikes, economic problems and regal celebrations meant a Punk movement of Pistols proportions was inevitable. Johnny Rotten and his crew recorded an incendiary record that verbalised an anger many felt. To commemorate the album; Johnny Rotten and Glen Matlock conducted an interview with Rolling Stone - and looked back on the record with mixed feelings:

"Bollocks was such a solid piece of work, yet when we were recording it, it felt anything but," says Johnny Rotten, looking back on the watershed 1977 LP Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. By his account, the group was working with a producer who was "deaf in one ear and tone deaf in the other," and he and his bandmates had to cram a lot into their time in the studio”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Dennis Morris

Their annoyance with production and sound mars the fact Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols sounds just right. If the singles/standouts – God Save the Queen and Anarchy in the U.K. among them – were highlighted by critics (and seen as the ‘hits’ among filler) then it only takes a few minutes to get stuck into the remaining tracks. Many overlook tracks like Liar and Seventeen: essential cuts that provide fuel, cohesion and story. They are an essential part of an album and songs that have their place. It was not until 20th September that the tracklist was finalised for the album. There were debates and problems along the way – the band were dropped by their label and signed with Virgin – and the record took a long time to get down. Holidays in the Sun – with Satellite as its flips-side – was the fourth single from the band and proved less successful as previous singles like Pretty Vacant. If the songs’ content and themes provoked controversy: the album’s title/cover – but was originally called God Save Sex Pistols – would see store leave blank spaces on shelves; remove copies from circulation or censor the cover. It caused a furore and did what Sex Pistols needed it to do: get people talking and cause controversy. Rolling Stone, in their recent article, assessed the magic and purpose of the record:

“Ultimately, the Sex Pistols created the defining clarion call for punk mayhem. The record was a little less than 40 minutes of seething rock & roll frustration aimed at anyone within gobbing distance, and their home country, in particular. And around the time Never Mind the Bollocks came out on October 28th, 1977, the band caused chaos as much as it inspired anarchy”.

God Save the Queen attacked the deference of the Crown and coruscated the country’s regalism; other subjects broached looked at the music industry, consumerism and apathy – violence, the Holocaust and abortion. Johnny Rotten, when speaking with the magazine, talked about songs like Bodies (“The song is about abortion, and yes, it is a woman's right [to choose] absolutely because she has to bear the child and all the issues thereinafter. Is it wise to bring an unwanted child into the world? No, I don't think it is, but again that is just my opinion, because I always would leave it to the woman”.) and Liar (“But the song isn't totally about Malcolm. I think we always knew that about him, and in an odd way, it was one of his most adorable features. Do you know when you really know someone, you kind of accept those kinds of things because you take everything with a pinch of salt?”).

Glen Matlock talked about Anarchy in the U.K. (“Around the summertime, we were rehearsing and once again I said, "Does anybody got any ideas?" And I had a go at Steve, 'cause I felt I was pushing the band along a bit, but that time he had something, which wasn't much. And he said, "Why don't you come up with something?" And I had half an idea for a big overture, and I just started playing that descending chord progression and everybody picked up on it and said, "Where's it go next?") and Pretty Vacant (“Malcolm McLaren had been going back and forth to the States to be involved in the rag trade and buy old Fifties clothes because he had a Teddy Boy shop, and I knew he ran into Sylvain Sylvain from the New York Dolls and went backstage. Malcolm came back with fliers for the shows and he brought back set lists, but none of these bands had made records at that stage. One said "Blank Generation," and that got me thinking about how there was nothing going on in London, and there was a real air of despondency and desperation, so I came out with the idea of "Pretty Vacant.”).

IN THIS PHOTO: Glen Matlock (2017)/PHOTO CREDIT: David Mallows

It is clear the biggest songs struck a chord with Rotten (Lydon) and Matlock. They have a fond spot for Seventeen, New York and Sub-Mission but their ‘anthems’ are the songs that have endured and resonated hardest. It is fascinating seeing two Sex Pistols dissecting and discussing their music forty years down the line. It is clear, regardless of whether you see the album as underrated or too pumped, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols remains a wonderful work. It is as synonymous with its background and changes as it was the music itself. By January 1978 – when the band completed a chaotic tour of the U.S. – Johnny Rotten announced the band’s split. There was no chance or time to release another album: that was the end of the Sex Pistols! The remaining members of the band have embarked on reunion tours – Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose in 1979 – but it was merely a chance to rekindle some of the magic they created in 1977. Nothing or nobody can diminish the effect the Sex Pistols’ only album had on music. Maybe it caused conflict – among the government, record labels and distributors – at the time but it compelled and ignited the public.

It was unlike anything else out there and a true reflection of the simmering dismay in the 1970s. Times are tough now - so it seems an album like Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols has a relevance and purpose. Noel Gallagher claims it is his favourite album; Kurt Cobain listed it among his favourite albums, too – it has made a huge impact on generations of musicians. One need only look at the current musical landscape and realise Sex Pistols are encoded in the D.N.A. of our rawest and most primal acts. From IDLES and Sleaford Mods through to Honeyblood and Drenge: bands who all, consciously or not, have taken something from Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.

I feel today, more than 1977, we need another band to spark the same kind of passion the Sex Pistols did then. If 1997 was defined by Radiohead’s OK Computer; 1967 by The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (The Joshua Tree in 1987, perhaps?!) then 1977 belonged to Sex Pistols. Against strong competition from fellow Punk luminaries, The Clash; a ramshackle group of guys came together to make something sensational. They may, on the surface, have seemed unprofessional and unfocused but the Sex Pistols were tremendous musicians and vital voice of their generation. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols has its detractors but, look at the musicians it has compelled, and one cannot ignore its importance. At a time where we are as fragmented and troubled as then (back in 1977), the relevance and wisdom of the Sex Pistols’ majestic album is…

PHOTO CREDIT: Dennis Morris

AT its absolute peak!

FEATURE: Unlocking the Music Box: Music’s Role in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

FEATURE:

 

Unlocking the Music Box:

IMAGE CREDIT: Denise Cole  

Music’s Role in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

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THIS is not the first time I have explored…

PHOTO CREDIT: Pinterest

music and memory in the past couple of weeks. Last week, in fact, I looked at the connection between music and memory; how certain songs bring back fond recollections and put us in a safer space. I argued, when looking at my musical tastes, how I always pine for the teenage years. The years before then, I’d say, was the last time I was truly content and happy. Remembering the music from that time brings those times flooding back – all the adventures and happenings from around that time. I wonder whether there is a part of the brain where we store certain songs: connect them to memories from the past so they do not get lost with all the trivial nonsense we filter on a daily basis. There is a lot to be said on the subject and more exploration to do. In my mind, music is the most powerful form of communication we, as humans, have. It is harrowing when one reads the statistic around Alzheimer’s. Before going on; the statistics on Alzheimer’s – from Alzheimer’s Society:

What is dementia

Dementia describes different brain disorders that trigger a loss of brain function. These conditions are all usually progressive and eventually severe.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting 62 per cent of those diagnosed.

Other types of dementia include; vascular dementia affecting 17 per cent of those diagnosed, mixed dementia affecting 10 per cent of those diagnosed.

Symptoms of dementia include memory loss, confusion and problems with speech and understanding. Dementia is a terminal condition.

Who is affected?

There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2025. This will soar to 2 million by 2051.

225,000 will develop dementia this year, that’s one every three minutes.

1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have dementia.

70 per cent of people in care homes have dementia or severe memory problems.

There are over 40,000 people under 65 with dementia in the UK.

More than 25,000 people from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in the UK are affected.

How much does it cost?

Two thirds of the cost of dementia is paid by people with dementia and their families.

Unpaid carers supporting someone with dementia save the economy £11 billion a year.

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life, ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. As a country we spend much less on dementia than on these other conditions.

How does the UK compare to other countries?

There are an estimated 46.8 million people living with dementia and the numbers affected will double every 20 years, rising to 115.4 million in 2050.

Another 7.7 million people will develop dementia around the world every year.

What about treatments and research?

There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease or any other type of dementia. Delaying the onset of dementia by five years would halve the number of deaths from the condition, saving 30,000 lives a year.

Dementia research is desperately underfunded. For every person living with dementia, the annual cost to the UK economy is over £30,000 and yet only £90 is spent on dementia research each year.

There are not enough researchers and clinicians joining the fight against dementia. Five times fewer researchers choose to work on dementia than on cancer.

Alzheimer's Society is committed to spending at least £150 million over the next decade on dementia research to improve care for people today and find a cure for tomorrow. This includes £50 million to develop the UK’s first dedicated Dementia Research Institute

Those are shocking statistics and the fact so many of will be vulnerable to the disease should compel the government to generate more investment into finding a cure. I am sure there will be a cure one day but, until then, it is sad seeing how the disease takes hold. Alzheimer’s is no longer a disease that affects the elderly: more middle-aged and younger people are being affected by it. Alzheimer’s leads to nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain. It leads to, over time, a shrinking of the brain and a complete attack of all its functions.

Admiration goes to those who care for those with Alzheimer’s as it is tough dealing with someone who has the disease. It is hard to know what to say and one needs patience and compassion in that situation. If it is difficult for those charged with caring for Alzheimer’s: the toll it takes on their loved ones is staggering. Watching someone you love succumb to the disease and lose a lot of who they are is too emotional to put into words. Many – who see relatives go through it – feel helpless and unsure how to talk to the person. Alzheimer’s is not a binary disease and takes on many different forms. Everyone’s case is unique so it can be hard formulating a cover-all therapy and treatment for people who suffer from it. I wanted to look at Alzheimer’s because, as we are aware, new studies are coming to light...

According to a study that looked at translational neurodegeneration - there are scientists and medical professionals expounding the therapeutic and augmentative powers of music. I will quote from an article written early in the year – one that talks about musical therapy and results seen when used on patients:

“Increasing articles have demonstrated that MT can improve multiple domains of cognitions in AD patients, including attention, psychomotor speed, memory, orientation and executive functions [10, 23, 25, 26]. Bruer RA and other scientists found that listening to the music could increase the global cognition of AD [25, 34]. And Ozdemir L pointed out the effect of MT for AD could last for at least 3 weeks after intervention [26]. After 6-week intervention, Gómez Gallego M et al. found that listening to the music which patients like could significantly improve the memory and orientation of AD. At the same time, improvements were observed in depression and anxiety in AD patients. In addition, anxiety was reduced in mild ones, and delirium, hallucinations, agitation, irritability, and language disorders were reduced in moderate AD ones [22]. Kim HJ et al. demonstrated that multi-domain cognitive stimulation including music therapy could improve the word-list recognition and recall test scores”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty  

Maybe the results and transformative powers of music are not going to change the course of Alzheimer’s and cure the disease. Every brain is different but we do know people who do not suffer from the disease lock special music memories away. When we hear that piece of music; it brings images to mind and a lock that no other stimulus is capable of doing. It is profound watching how a mind can be opened and lit up when listening to music. I theorised how we unconsciously store music we love to a special part of the brain – attached with that is a collection of unique memories and times associated with that piece. Alzheimer’s is not something we are afflicted with from birth - so every patient would have accrued a bank of special music memories and kept them tight. It is hard to say how Alzheimer’s changes music perception and remembrance but it is clear those who suffer Alzheimer’s will not completely forget music and those sounds they connect with past times. I will continue but, when thinking about music and memory in Alzheimer’s patients; an article by Live Science spiked my thoughts:

“Music's ability to tap into procedural memory and pull on our emotional heartstrings may mean it can do more than simply allow dementia sufferers to access pristine memories from the past. In 2010, the researchers discovered that Alzheimer's patients had a much easier time recalling song lyrics after the words had been sung to them than they could after the words had been spoken. "It suggested that music might enhance new memory formation in patients," said Nicholas Simmons-Stern, also at Boston University and lead author of the study.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Haley Zapal

Since then, the researchers have been investigating whether patients can learn vital information, such as when to take their medication, through song. According to Simmons-Stern, as-yet unpublished results lend hope to the idea, suggesting music will be a powerful tool for the treatment and care of dementia patients in the future. However, to have the intended effect, the music must ring true: "The lyrics need to fit the music in a way that's natural and enhancing, and the process of fitting is extremely important," he said. Repetition of the lyrics is also crucial.

Despite this progress, the scientists still aren't sure whether music aids in patients' ability to form new memories by harnessing procedural memory, strengthening new knowledge by tying it emotions, or doing some combination of the two. It may not be surprising that they are only now getting a handle on music's influence on the minds of elderly people; they have barely studied its effects on the rest of us. "I think that music as a scientific area of study has not been thought to be legitimate or mainstream until very recently," Budson said.

Even in the firm hands of science, music is slippery: Like love, it is such a complex neural stimulus that scientists struggle to determine the interplay between lyrics and tune, sound and meaning. Simmons-Stern said what they know is this: "Every patient, and pretty much anyone, could benefit from having more music in their lives."

This research shows that, not only can Alzheimer’s patients remember stored musical memories and find comfort through it – music, in itself, can act as a diary and alarm clock; it helps with daily routines and can be a helpful pneumonic device. The battle as to whether music can help form new memories in Alzheimer’s suffers is raging on. With medication and traditional therapy; music therapy is an experimental tool that we are learning more about. The benefits have been shown and it is clear, through the years, more research is being carried out. The articles I have already source chart the years between 2012 and 2016. This year, new studies are coming to light. Bodies like Alzheimer’s Association are continuing to probe and bring new evidence to light. Alzheimer’s robs the sufferer of the ability to retain information short-term: that frustration that comes where the person repeats themselves and forgets the person in front of them. It is cruel and indiscriminate but it is the long-term memories that could be unlocked through music therapy. If a patient can recall a selection of long-term memories (some people who have the disease can) then can that ability, help improve short-term memory? Music is brilliant when it comes to unearthing those oft-forgotten times – potent enough to connect us to very specific locales and scenarios. So, then…are there other benefits when it comes to music aiding those with Alzheimer’s?!

A piece by The Arbor Company – who quote from the Alzheimer’s Association – talks about live music and how dancing (and exercising at these events) can provide further benefits:

“Researchers believe music stimulates many parts of the brain at the same time, such as those areas affecting language, mood and movement, along with the senses of hearing, sight, sound and touch. Research at the University of California at Davis pinpointed an area of the brain which stores memories by linking them to familiar songs and the emotions associated with those memories. The affect a song will have on someone can often be determined by a person’s past emotional experience with that song. If the song reminds someone of breaking up with an old boyfriend, their response could be less positive than a song associated with happier memories. Alzheimer’s patients might show distress in such a situation by acting agitated, tense or making grimacing facial expressions.

Music popular when a person was between the ages of 18 and 25 often promotes the most positive response. However, typical childhood songs or music that is unfamiliar may also be effective, often due to a lack of an emotional connection. Depending on the type of music, music therapy may help accomplish a variety of things. Stimulating music with a quick tempo and percussion songs can motivate patients to take action or stay awake. Sedating music might prove more soothing. This type of music works well with patients who feel agitated or overloaded by their environment. In later stages, the disease causes patients to stop showing affection to others, but through dance or swaying to the music they may move closer to others or make affectionate gestures.

Patients in early stages may benefit from going out dancing or to hear a concert. Respect their likes and dislikes, even about music they once liked. Brain changes may affect their perception of the music. Playing an instrument may be enjoyable for those who once played. Note and play favorite pieces, such as songs played at a wedding, which serve to spark happy memories. As the disease progresses, playing music may help improve balance while walking. Music can also be used boost the mood of a person suffering from Alzheimer’s, while more soothing music often helps with nighttime behavior issues. In later stages, the same favorite pieces might jog a person’s memory when discussing past events. Music often motivates advanced Alzheimer’s patients to participate in exercise. Relaxing music also soothes and provides comfort”.

We know music is invaluable to those going through anxiety disorders and depression. Not only can a variety of songs produce different emotions/reactions: a consistent and structured exposure to music – in a suitable environment – can help relax the sufferer and help with their recovery/treatment. Not only that but music is a sociable industry: getting out to gigs and picking up an instrument can be really helpful and pivotal when it comes to coping with mental illness. There is a lot more work to do but the rise of Alzheimer’s means action needs to be taken. There are great charities and bodies directly involving themselves with sufferers.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty  

Money is being spent and there is daily research carried out to help fight and cure the disease. Until the day comes everyone is free from it: what other forms of therapy and education are there?! Music’s role in the siege is growing and more is coming to light as to how it can not only help recover some memories – it has a physical component where the disease sufferer can, through attending gigs or listening to music, remain active and improve their mental health. The eradication of memories and the sense of self is one of the most disturbing and poignant sides to Alzheimer’s. Seeing some, who goes through Alzheimer’s, lose their nature and identity can take a lot away from loved ones and those who care for them. There are no easy answers and quick fixes but, year by year, we are learning more about Alzheimer’s. Medicine and therapy are developing and people are getting a better sense of what Alzheimer’s entails and its complexities. I feel music has a real place and importance to play. I have sourced articles where know what effect music has and how it is being utilised to help those who go through Alzheimer’s. I feel there is, even more, utility available from music: greater physical, emotional and cognitive benefits from the full spectrum of the art. I feel, with every breakthrough and discovery, those who have to live with the brutal reality of Alzheimer’s are being afforded…

IMAGE CREDIT: Denise Cole  

A small, but crucial, ray of light.

FEATURE: London Grammar: Capital Letters and Punctuation

FEATURE:

 

London Grammar:

 Capital Letters and Punctuation

________

YESTERDAY, I wrote a feature about King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard…

for a couple of reasons. The first (reason) is because they are an Australian band who deserve a much larger following – they are still under-the-radar here and seen as a quirky option. More than that; I wanted to examine the way the seven-piece band reinvent themselves on each album. Whether they are coming up with time-related concepts and acoustic patterns; microtuning and infinite loops – an album where the final track led straight to the opening one (thus, creating a never-ending record!). I hope more people do tune into King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizard’s wavelength and discover what they are all about. The second piece is concerned with London Grammar. They are a trio I have been following since their debut and noticed a change in them. I will look at both of the Nottingham-formed band’s albums and what impact they have made on music. I want to feature Hannah Reid’s voice which is a thing of rare beauty. The main reason for writing this piece is to highlight a group who were put in the spotlight from the off; the relentless touring meant the trio almost split; the critics were expecting a quick follow-up album – putting a strain on the ranks. Hannah Reid, the lead and alluring siren, is at the centre and the focal point of London Grammar.

For anyone who was unsure whether successful and ambitious artists felt strain the pressure of music – they could do well to the listen to the words of Hannah Reid. I will source a couple of interviews she has recently conducted that show what a transformation London Grammar underwent between albums. Back in August; Reid spoke with the Sydney Morning Herald about the band’s crisis-point. She spoke about touring Australia and Japan and the moment she decided things were getting too tough:

"We were going to Australia and Japan, and the trip was we had two days at home and we were meant to fly to Japan, go and do a show, turn around and get straight back on a plane and fly to Australia," she says. "And I was so exhausted by then, I didn't even turn up at the airport. I was like, 'I just can't. I can't. I actually cannot get out of bed.' "

The interview looked at the critical success of their first album, If You Wait, and how big the trio got. Asking Reid how they coped with that – and whether it was expected – she provided her opinions:

"You can't ever anticipate what's going to happen, but we were just so young at the time," Reid says. "I think it happens a lot: you're kids when you start out and you make something really special. It was amazing, but we did need a bit of time at home afterwards, for sure”.

That period (following the debut album) saw continuous touring and strain. It would be hard for established and experienced acts to cope with that demand but for London Grammar – new kids off the block – it was a real eye-opening experience:

"It took us about 18 months and it was really hard," Reid admits. "There was a lot of pressure – I think naturally there always is, for a lot of artists that have successful first albums and want to make a second. But it's probably another learning curve; by the end of it we realised, 'You know what? You can't think about it or you're not going to do your best work.' And I think that's another lesson to take forward!" she laughs.

"I think I both grew as a writer and also shrunk away. I think there are some amazing songs on the second album that I really love, but I view this second album as the stepping stone to our third one. We wanted to find a new sound and there is a new sound in it, but it has the potential to be really, really amazing but it's not quite there yet. That's how I view it."

The debut album was released in 2013 and, until this point, the trio had been airing the material and preparing the bones of their second album, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing. Not only can the physical demands put a strain on the personal relationships of the band but something more precious was compromised: Hannah Reid’s voice.

That might sound glib but Reid’s singing voice was there before she met Dot Major and Dan Rothman: it will be there after the trio, years down the line, go their separate ways. It is the beating heart of the music and leads everything. It is obvious so many gigs would compromise the structure and safety of the voice. For Reid, who was already suffering anxiety and fatigue, that physical weakness would add pressure to an overworked voice. London Grammar are a perfect example of a popular group pushed to the point of breaking, Reid, in the same interview, explained how the level of expectation meant she carried on singing without a thought – not wanting to disappoint the fans:

"I had really bad muscular problems – surviving through that was difficult, because I was really worried about the damage I was doing," she says. "And you don't want to let down fans and to have people who want to listen to your music and have bought tickets – you want to do it and you want to do it to the best of your ability. And that's the mistake we made ... You know Sam Smith, he haemorrhaged a vocal cord; it's happened to a lot of singers.

"It's difficult to be a good singer and also be on the road."

A few interviews surfaced around the time of the second album’s announcement/promotion. The trio were discussing how they had changed since the debut and the reason they had taken such a long time to complete their second album. Speaking with The Guardian; the guys talked about the strains and adventures when London Grammar were on the road:

“It was a whirlwind. You’re just holding on for dear life, really,” says Rothman, a chatty, trainer-addicted north Londoner, before recalling the time their tour bus broke down during a 12-hour journey from Toronto to New York to appear on the David Letterman show. A local taxi driver got them to the studio with seconds to spare: “She was like the Wolf in Pulp Fiction – she knew exactly when the traffic lights would change,” he laughs.

Hannah Reid talked about her stage fright and how the fatigue really got to her:

“The exhaustion really kicked in for me after a year,” says Reid, a friendly but unshowy frontwoman. Her battle with stage fright has been widely reported, but the effects of success were physical as well as mental. “I spent the second year pretty much just hanging by a thread – I didn’t really know what was wrong with me. Then I just got used to feeling that way and I was like: ‘I must have some kind of illness, I must have chronic fatigue syndrome.’ I got tested for a whole bunch of stuff, it got kind of weird. My liver wasn’t working properly even though I was completely teetotal.”

The idea of control and creative expression was discussed. The group looked at how much of a say they had when it came to touring; days off and the limits they go to in order to satisfy the fans:

“The thing about touring is that young artists don’t always have much say or control,” Reid says. “You’re quite naive. You say: ‘Yeah, I want to do everything.’ And you want to please everyone. You’re so grateful, but you get sick at some point because everyone does. You have to cancel stuff, and then that has to get rescheduled. It can very quickly go from being manageable to snowballing into the kind of schedule that can end up wrecking your voice. The worst thing about it is disappointing the fans,” she pauses. “We’re going to do things differently this time.”

It is understandable there was a great weight of expectation and love following London Grammar’s debut album. If You Wait sat in a music world, in 2013, when there was a need for dreamy Pop and soulful blends. Many noted, when the album arrived, the comparisons to The xx and Florence and The Machine. After the band signed with Ministry of Sounds and Big Life Management; the album’s first sessions began in 2012 with Cam Blackwood. Tim Bran and Roy Kerr replaced Blackwood and the trio, assessing the switch, felt it was a natural and ‘right’ unity.

Many sources saw If I Wait as a quarter-life-crisis album because Reid, in her early-twenties, was looking at failed relationships and assessing her lot. The idea of self-assessment and introspection is not a new thing: the power and extraordinary beauty in Reid’s voice elevated the songs into near-operatic and mesmeric things. It was interesting reading the composition/lyrics breakdown on the album. Reid wrote the lyrics for most of the songs: the trio collaborated on the music for most of the tracks (Reid tackled a few on her own; Rothman co-wrote the lyrics for Flickers; the trio brought in one or two others for some tracks). Crepuscular, after-the-bar-closes mystique and moodiness crackles with tense beats and haunting electronics.

Rothman and Major bring atmosphere and incredible scores: Reid provides husky, otherworldly vocals. It is hard to describe the potential, soul and limits of Reid’s voice. It seems mystical and goddess-like; it rises and swoons. It must have taken years to hone but on London Grammar’s debut, it was laid out on songs that talked of wasting youth and unsure love. Even when talking of love; London Grammar managed to bring to elevate it into something divine and spiritual. The album entered the U.K charts at number-two and made them an instant success. It was invariable touring and demands would follow a blockbuster of an album. Whether you see Reid’s voice as the star – or the combinations of all three – one could not deny the chemistry and friendship of the trio. That was almost broken (it was certainly tested) given the popularity following If You Wait.

Many, myself included, asked where London Grammar had gone after their debut. It took four years before they announced a new record. That is a hell of a long time for an act to follow up on a debut. Many could have gone elsewhere but it was what was happening behind the scenes that affected the timing scheduled. They were thinking of new material but were so busy touring their introductory album. Rooting for You was the first single from Truth Is a Beautiful Thing. Released in January; it charted but was not a big success. Big Picture followed a month later and was a minor success. Subsequent singles were unveiled but none reached a high position in the charts. London Grammar’s second album features ten producers in total and there are quite a few bodies in the mix.

Happily, the trio takes to writing the material themselves (aside from the odd co-write) and step away from the Pop of their debut and bring in new elements. Compare reviews of both albums from a common source, AllMusic:

“Once again, vocalist Hannah Reid takes center stage with her powerful, angelic instrument, which can stir the soul at the smokiest depths before jolting everything to the heavens in a fashion much like Florence Welch or Annie Lennox. Dan Rothman and Dominic Major provide lush accompaniment to Reid's voice, creating a gorgeous cinematic landscape that ranges from dreamlike wisps to fully enveloping grandeur. The first half of the album takes time to pick up, as Reid slowly eases listeners into "Wild Eyed," an expansive moment that recalls 2013's "Hey Now." The thumping heartbeat of "Oh Woman, Oh Man" gives the band equal time to shine. Other highlights include the throbbing "Non Believer," the uplifting Florence-esque "Bones of Ribbon," and the sweeping "Leave the War with Me." These tracks provide a much-needed jolt of energy to balance the album's other quieter moments, which tend to lull the listener into a dreamlike haze. While it's an overall relaxing experience, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing is never boring; it's a comforting and often heartbreaking listen that really gets under the skin, especially with Reid's emotive delivery”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mads Perch

That was the assessment of Truth Is a Beautiful Thing by Neil Z. Yeung. Look at Scott Kerr’s review of If You Wait - and some similarities come in:

“With obvious nods to the unfussy, reverbed guitar motifs of the xx, alongside Hannah Reid's beautiful, emotive vocal ability -- which rises and falls with an alarmingly disarming effect -- the album is a practice in refrain, where each song is pushed to the brink of an inevitable climax and achingly, no further. The percussive production, synths, and basslines provided by multi-instrumentalist Dot Major, build on this sense of drama and urgency and are displayed perfectly in one of the highlights of the record, "Wasting My Young Years."

Its throbbing chorus is chastened by the slow-burning synths and guitars that come together with stunning results when coupled with Reid's vocal delivery. The obvious confidence Reid has in her own voice belies the apparent vulnerability in the words she sings throughout, and the piano ballad "Strong" is testament to the loneliness and heartbreak that encapsulates the brooding feel of the album, which conflicts with the almost upbeat, danceable moments scattered amongst "Flickers" and "Stay Awake." They pay homage to their electronic influences mid-album with a rework of Kavinsky's "Nightcall" that unfolds gently into one of the most boisterous cuts on the record. It's no surprise that Reid's strong vocals are at the forefront of London Grammar's sound, and her voice dominates their music in much the same way as Florence Welch's does in Florence + the Machine”.

Consequence of Sound, when Zander Porter reviewed If You Wait, had this to say:

“Although The xx parallels are undeniably forthcoming, London Grammar’s innovative combinations of vocal and instrumentation are a unique, necessary progression. Though maturity may not be on the trio’s side, If You Wait argues that staying tuned is vital and that patience is a virtue, and one that seemingly will pay off for Reid and those anticipating what comes next from London Grammar”.

It was the sense of déjà vu and familiarity that crept into reviews of Truth Is a Beautiful Thing. Andy Gill, writing for the Independent, highlighted some concerns:

“Though by no means worthless, Truth Is A Beautiful Thing offers such negligible advances over London Grammar’s debut If You Wait that it’s hard to imagine what they’ve spent the intervening four years doing, besides shovelling cash into bulging accounts...

...They’re effectively the Sade of their day, mining a tightly-circumscribed format built around a distinctive, elegant vocal centre, to repeatedly similar effect. Despite the clarity of her contralto and the folksy elisions evoking echoes of Sandy Denny, Hannah Reid seems forever emotionally distant, even when keening and whooping through “Wild Eyed”; and the spartan arrangements created by her bandmates only occasionally develop persuasive emotional momentum, as on the string-laced anthem “Hell To The Liars”. Likewise, the lyrical themes of romantic regret and existential uncertainty – epitomised in the line “I’m scared of loneliness when I’m alone with you” – merely reprise the concerns of If You Wait. It’s pleasant enough, though listeners may experience a twinge or two of déjà vu”.

Personally, I prefer the debut but find much to enjoy in the trio’s second album. I feel they have many albums ahead of them and will continue to evolve and grow as their careers continue. Maybe there has been too much pressure on them: following their debut; they were set on the road and were keen to please demands and do as much as they could. Whilst their second album is exciting; it does not quite have the same magic and potency of their debut. Reid’s voice is as majestic as ever but it deserves a wider range of material and room to manoeuvre. Maybe there is a commercial demand to have the trio repeat the debut and not stray too far from the path. I feel London Grammar will produce a career-best third album but I wanted to highlight them as an act that suffered from the brightness of the spotlight and the demands from the label.  

I will finish shortly but wanted to bring in an interview the group conducted with NME back in March. They were asked about touring and how the sounds differ on their latest album:

“Turning to the ‘sound’ of the new album, Dan says fans can expect it to be ‘less moody than the first record’. “It’s maybe less ‘samey’,” he admits. “We’ve tried to provide more variety.”

“We’ve expanded on the filmic, cinematic aspect,” says Dot. “That’s maybe something that’s consistent throughout the new album, but in terms of what’s going on in different songs it definitely varies a bit more.

 “The live experience should always feel slightly different to an album in general. The only thing that is different if that we’ve been informed by the experience of actually doing it. Sometimes it would feel so mad to have a section like that at the end of ‘Metal & Dust’, where we were worried that it might have been too far removed from what we actually are as a band. Having experienced that live, it slightly relaxes the band.”

I worry, given Reid’s vocal/muscular issues and stress/anxiety – not forgetting her stage fright – there is still too much pressure being put on the group. The trio’s friendship almost broke when they had to cancel gigs (owing to Reid’s fatigue) and the frontwoman has been put under immense strain since the debut. It seems like they are on a more solid footing and have less stress in their life – one hopes that will not reverse when they tour their current album internationally.

They have a huge following in Australia and, although that has created a huge fanbase and airplay, it means long flights are inevitable. I hope the trio manage to stabilise and in a calmer headspace; that things get on a level footing and they are able to produce and tour music on their own terms. The tale of their first album – and the madness and fracture that occurred afterwards – should act as a warning sign for any label/artist put in a similar position. It is still early days for London Grammar but, if they are able to find a perfect work-private life balance, then they could well be one of the most successful and inspiring acts…

WE have heard in years.

ALL PHOTOS: Press/Getty Images/London Grammar (unless stated otherwise)

FEATURE: Globetrotting (Part Four): Thirteen Artists to Watch

FEATURE:

 

Globetrotting (Part Four):

 IN THIS PHOTO: Miss June 

Thirteen Artists to Watch

________

THE penultimate edition of Globetrotting…

IN THIS PHOTO: Janie Bay

takes in talent from nations like Italy, South African and Israel. There are a couple of British acts and artists from the U.S., Canada and Australia; New Zealand, too – and fantastic act from Stockholm included in the mix! It is another packed edition and one that should give you food for thought. Among the sounds are tribal/African beats and fresh Pop; incredible Punk and some enticing Rap. It is a weird and wonderful blend but it shows the breadth and depth of talent around the world.

Let’s hope there is something you like and can get your teeth into…

________

Pikachunes

PHOTO CREDIT: Coco Campbel

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Genre: Pop

Essential Song: You Are

Follow: http://pikachunes.com/

Phoebe Hunt & The Gatherers

Location: Austin, U.S.A.

Genre: Country

Essential Song: New York

Follow: http://www.phoebehuntmusic.com/

Unbuttoned

 PHOTO CREDIT: @mashbit

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genre: Yaya

Essential Song: Bedroom Fall

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Unbuttoned/

Janie Bay

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Genres: Folk; Pop

Essential Song: The Way It Should Be

Follow: http://www.janiebay.com/

Jade Lathan

Location: Detroit, U.S.A.

Genres: R&B; Soul; Electronica; Pop

Essential Song: Guala

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/JadeLathan/

Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes

PHOTO CREDIT: Ola Lewitschnik

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Genres: Dream-Pop; Indie

Essential Song: Call Out

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/stevebuscemisdreamyeyes/

Jack River

Location: Forster, Australia

Genres: Folk; Pop; Electro

Essential Song: Fool’s Gold

Follow: http://www.jackrivermusic.com/

Monowhales

Location: Toronto, Canada

Genres: Indie; Pop

Essential Song: Take It Back

Follow: https://www.monowhales.com/

Liberty Ship

Location: Sheffield, U.K.

Genres: Rock and Roll; Alternative

Essential Song: Cast Away

Follow: http://www.libertyshipband.com/

Fabri Fibra

Location: Milan, Italy

Genres: Rap; Hip-Hop

Essential Song: Fenomeno

Follow: http://www.fabrifibra.it/

Quarter to Africa

PHOTO CREDIT: Amit Ofek, Boaz Samurai; Guy Trefler, Ariel Efron and Haim Yafim Barblat

Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

Genre: Afro-Arab Funk 

Essential Song: Connect

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/Quartertoafrica/

Miss June

Location: New Zealand

Genre: Punk

Essential Song: I Don’t Wanna Be Your Dog

Follow: https://www.facebook.com/missjunenz/

Desperate Journalist

Location: London, U.K.

Genres: Alternative; Pop

Essential Song: Be Kind

Follow: http://desperatejournalist.co.uk/

FEATURE: Natural Selection: Why Music from Our Childhood Stay with Us

FEATURE:

 

Natural Selection: 

PHOTO CREDIT: iStock 

Why Music from Our Childhood Stay with Us

________

I could have named this piece 'Teenage Kicks' but that…

IN THIS PHOTO: Cerys Matthews/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC Radio 6 Music

might have, either, made you think of The Undertones or masturbation – neither are what I am aiming for here! It is said – by psychologists and the consensus – that we cannot remember anything older than the age of two. My memory is shocking and, lumbered with depression, my recollections are near-senile-levels of uselessness. I can see a person walk into a room and, seconds after they leave, not remember the colour of the top they were wearing – or what they said and most of the conversation. Some people have extraordinary memories but most of us will be in a similar situation. We only recall brief details from interactions and none of us will have any clear memories when we were a toddler. My first-ever memory was musical – I will talk about that, soon – but, in terms of clear and vivid recollections; most of mine are from childhood/early-teens. Psychologists can recondition memories regarding those who suffer trauma or P.T.S.D. – adapts the harshest images and removes the negative kernel. You do not strip the reality but modify the apex of fear and disgust; so that it is less traumatic when thinking back. Social media has changed the way we think and remember. We have search engines and get our ‘facts’ from the Internet. It changes the way we remember our lives and means now, in an ultra-high-tech age, we do not really need to retain facts and figures – we have a handy knowledge bank that means we have no need for intellectual retention.

It is interesting and, as I type this, there is a fascinating show on BBC Radio 6 Music with Cerys Matthews. Check the website and you will hear her talk to guests and artists about music and memories. It is what compelled this spark and got me thinking about music’s power and endurance. Matthews’ show is in conjunction with a BBC Radio 3 who feature neuropsychologist Dr. Catherine Loveday; who explains the psychology that connects us with the music from the past – it is an experiment being tested at the University of Westminster and BBC Radio 3 listeners. In the piece, she provides some fascinating insights:

“The brain’s memory systems are at their most efficient during late adolescence and early adulthood. We also experience many things then for the first time, which makes them particularly memorable. But the key reason that we return to songs and anecdotes from this period of our lives is that they remind us who we are. It is during these formative years that we make many crucial life-changing decisions, initiate significant long-term relationships and establish the cultural and political beliefs which form our identity.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Dr. Catherine Loveday

When people are asked about music that is important to them, they often favour songs that are associated with influential times, places and people – maybe their first holiday away from parents, a pivotal encounter with their future spouse, or a moment of self-discovery. One music producer I know, for example, chose Two Tribes by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, citing it as the sole reason that he decided to become a sound engineer. Songs connected to weddings, births and funerals are also very common, as are cultural references.

One possible reason for the strength of the musical reminiscence bump is that people tend to listen to more music during this period of their lives. Music has an intrinsic capacity to regulate emotions: what better way to manage the emotional rollercoaster of puberty than to wallow in Leonard Cohen, dance to Michael Jackson or chill out to The Orb?

These songs naturally become embedded in our important memories, both positive and negative. In our experiments, people regularly choose songs that they have listened to during sad and difficult times, as well as those linked with better experiences. These tunes seem to offer an important reminder of the emotional light and shade that give life meaning.

Music also plays a fundamental bonding role in many adolescent relationships, whether with family, lovers or friends. In our analysis of Desert Island Discs, we found that one of the most frequent reasons for a guest’s record choice was that it reminded them of a specific person, often a parent or a partner.

It has even been suggested that there may be a “cascading reminiscence bump”. The music psychologist Carol Krumhansl has shown that teenagers have superior recognition for songs that come from their parents’ and grandparents’ reminiscence periods. So maybe my son’s love of The Beatles reflects my own fondness of the Fab Four, which in turn stems from my parents”.

Every one of us has different perspectives and recollections of music; how it affects us and why we retain certain memories. Does Classical music stay in the mind because it is more epic, fluid and grand?! There are no vocals – unless it is an Opera piece – and it is easier to bond with the elements and complexities. The fact the music has already survived hundreds of years means it has gravitas and potency. Is this why a lot of modern Pop escapes our mind – many design music that is instant but has no long-lasting effects? I feel too much of today’s music is concerned with a quick-fix and making that initial impression: many are not concerned with after-care and the longevity of what they create. Many of us remember what we choose to and dispense with everything else. I feel there is more to things that discarding the second-hand junk and treasuring the gold. I feel place and situation, mixed with quality, is responsible for the songs/artists that remain in the brain. I have written about this subject before – the music from my childhood more important than the music I hear now – and why memory and music are so intrinsic and complex. There is simplicity to be found: the best music and that which ties us to fonder times will always stay in the brain. I am listening to music (on BBC Radio 6 Music) and, whilst I am not a huge fan of the song itself, it instantly takes me to a particular time.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I have not heard Moondog’s Bird’s Lament for a long time but, when listening to it, I can visualise when I last heard it – the effect it has and all the sounds/smells present in that setting. As Matthews speaks from the Wellcome Collection; I am listening to the song that has just been played and how it has been translated and adapted through time. Moondog’s song was sampled by Mr. Scruff and has been sampled by others. The way new musicians preserve and evolve older recordings means classical favourites are making their way to younger generations – who will create their own memories of that song and, in a way, have a connection with the original. None of my musical memories centre on Classical music but it is a genre important to me. I am more drawn to the contemporary and modern sounds I grew up with and my musical memories start from about aged two. The main focus on this feature is the teenage years but my first recollection of music, and life, is hearing Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World. I was a toddler and heard the shimmering introduction and powerful chorus emanate from the family kitchen. I am not sure why it is that particular song that made its way into my memory first but there was something about the production and sound that made it impactful.

IN THIS PHOTO: Hannah Peel (who took part in the BBC Radio 3/BBC Radio 6 Music morning that looked at music and memory)

Other music memories formed but that was the beginning of it all. Childhood, in fact, was a pivotal time because of when I grew up. I was born in 1983 and lived in a very musical household – in the sense music was being played all the time. Being born in that year meant artists like Duran Duran and Michael Jackson would have been on the radio – although, I would not necessarily have remembered them that first time around. It was the exposure to my parents’ music that forged and started that love of recorded sound. I was brought up on The Beatles, T. Rex and Steely Dan – Kate Bush, The Bangles and The Rolling Stones were all in there. I think I can bond with the school of thought that suggests prolificacy and experiences cement certain times/sounds into the mind. I was exposed to so much music when I was growing up so it is only natural many of those artists remain in my mind – and that, in turn, compelled me to get more involved in music and listening. If the household were relatively mute then I do not think music would have played such a huge role this many years down the line – I would have moved to something else and might be a different person. When I was at school, those were the first real signs of independence and life. You do not have to take full responsibility for yourself but no longer are you the naïve toddler bumbling around without a care in the world.

PHOTO CREDIT: Semonegna

It is a stressful and strange time where you meet new people and face the challenges of the educational system. Music was vital because it helped those harder moments but, in my view, was much stronger. The quality of sounds coming out in the late-1980s and 1990s was extraordinary. Then, we were not in the Internet age and exposed to so much music all the time. My experience with music was through radio and playground chatter. We had cassette players and would share tapes: a very different time where music and remembrance was more communicative and sociable. Kate Bush, I think, was the first icon to really stick in the mind. It was her unique edge and quality that got into the brain; the oddity and beauty of her music. The expressions and potency imbued within her music resonated and many other artists (of the time) did. I feel the music I remember from childhood is the very best we have ever heard. I remember little of the lesser chart acts and insignificant albums: all of my memories are of great and inspiring sounds of the day. We all have ‘trigger tracks’ that takes us back to specific times. Songs like A Good Heart (Fergal Sharkey’s version) and Super Trouper remind me of my late aunt; the Dance music of the ealry-1990s of middle-school and friendships. I feel circumstance and situation are more powerful than quality – when it comes to the songs we remember. I had a relatively happy childhood and school was not especially traumatic. The lessons and curriculum have faded – in the sense I have assimilated those lessons into my head and they have surpassed their practicality – but the music has not evaded me.

IMAGE CREDIT: Getty Images

I can associate certain songs with very clear memories. One that comes to mind is a classmate getting on a chair (might have been 1992) and playing The Shamen’s Ebenezer Goode. It was a bold moment but one we all responded to with tribal dancing and chorus singalong. I have countless memories like that because it was a transformative and challenging time. Children have to take a lot in and it is a tough time: the first experience of stepping out of the household and interacting with other humans. There was, unfortunately, a lot of bullying in my early years. This is especially true of high school where I was subjected to physical and verbal torment. The perpetrators have all forgotten the times, I assume, but they are scorched in my mind. It was hard explaining and revealing the torture to my parents – the scars made dialogue inevitable – so music was a form of escape and comfort. The paternality and soothe of the music meant I could channel the fears, pain and upset of the bullying into music. I became more immersed and engrossed in music because it was a confession booth and silent friend. Many of us forget what we did this morning but can remember why we listened to The Beatles as a youngster. The longer-term memories migrate to a different part of the brain; musical memories are distinct and (evidentially) are kept in a part of the brain immune to the worst effects of ageing and dementia, let’s say. We discard the triviality of the ordinary day because most of what we experience is inane and insignificant. We remember the most harrowing and day-altering events but most of it is forgotten. Most of the music we grew up with gets lost but we instantly tie songs and artists to particular times.

IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles/PHOTO CREDIT: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

There is a plurality inherent in music whereby we tie particular songs to memories – rather than people and conversation. I want to finish up by talking about the teenage years and the period from high school to university. It is beguiling when we listen to single notes and why certain songs come to mind quicker. We can hear a single second of one song and it instantly springs to mind: others, it takes other songs longer before they are identifiable. There might be something in the sonic make-up or the popularity of that song. One could spend hours debating music robustness and whether certain genres and styles make a bigger imprint. To me, all of my musical passion and strongest memories come from the time when I was a teenager. This is the period in our life when we take a more active role in music and start discovering it on our own – not as beholden to our parents’ tastes and hand-downs. I guess school and going from one to another is more memorable than other periods of our lives. These are the times where we all experience dislocation and new challenges. Music is the constant that follows us and is that universal bonding tool. Because I was older – and knew about school and how difficult it is to adapt to a new setting – it was especially hard going to high school. Although it was a mile from where I lived; it felt like another world. It was much more grown up and I feel, the closer one gets to adulthood and job responsibility, the more pressure you have at school.

IN THIS PHOTO: My old high-school, Glebelands

My peers felt that pressure and, rather than sublimate it, we expressed that through discussion. Invariably, that turned to music and the best songs at the time. I entered high school in 1994 and right in the middle of the Britpop explosion. Acts like Blur and Oasis tussled for chart glory; Pulp were the intellectual outsiders – brilliant chart music at the time got into the mind, Dance and Electronic music meant the likes of The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers were synonymous. Throw in the last throes of Grunge and the rise of U.S. guitar music and it was a wonderful time. The fact the finest music of all time (in my mind) coincided with the most stressful period of my life means the sounds of the time have a larger portion of my memory and fondness. Maybe it is the fact so much of the 1990s music is played now – less so with the 1980s – that this period sticks in the mind. One can tie that to quality but, to me, the connections to the people I went to school with is much more enduring than the popularity of the music. The songs of the 1990s helped me through tough days and soundtracked some of the fondest memories from the period. Friendships were cemented, great achievements occurred and priceless times imprinted in the mind – all backed by some tremendous music. I listen to certain songs and can remember people and particular conversations. I feel music’s true power is when it connects one to their past and the way music guided and supported them. I survived high school and one of the reasons I was keen to continue studying was the power of music and the fact it was a constant companion. Of course; that love continues to this day and it is questionable whether I would write about music were it not for the role it played all those years back. Such a fascinating one that deserves more exposure but, for now, it has got me thinking about songs from childhood – a chance to revisit them now. Think about music and the role it plays in your life; why it is so important and the wonderful….

PHOTO CREDIT: Future Music Magazine/Future

MEMORIES it provokes.

FEATURE: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: The Music, Magic and Mind-Fu*k

FEATURE:

 

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard:

 The Music, Magic and Mind-Fu*k

________

IT is hard to think of a lazier band out there…

PHOTO CREDIT: Jamie Wdziekonski

than King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard! It is amazing to think that, this year, they will only release FIVE albums! I jest, naturally, but that is a thing that amazes me about the Australian band: they seem to have no facility for fatigue. There are bands/artists that take five years between albums: the fact the Melbourne seven-piece are planning five albums this year speaks volumes! I get annoyed when artists take time away and spend far too long formulating records. I shall not name anyone specific but one need only look around the music world and you can see the chasm acts leave before their next record...

I know every artist needs to tour but I am baffled it takes so many THAT long to bring out a new record! I wonder what they are up to in that time and whether they realise how much of a risk it can be – leaving a gap that long risks many finding other musicians who are more prolific. The thing about King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is their sheer zeal and inventiveness. Each album sounds different to the last and they are never keen to repeat themselves and stick to the same format. Whether they are talking about mystical beasts and overlords; the changes in the world or something less substantial – the boys never disappoint and always bring something weird and wonderful to the party.

Their current album – and third of this year, so far – is Sketches of Brunswick East and alludes to Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain and the Melbourne district of Brunswick East. The record explores Jazz more and is one of the more listenable and accessible records of the band’s career. It flows and melts together wonderfully – the record is a collaboration between the Melbourne crew and Mild High Club. Alex Brettin, the sole member of the band, stayed at Stu Mackenzie’s house (Mackenzie is the lead of King Gizzard') and the two came up with vague ideas for songs. They recorded drafts on iPhones and, in time, the music started to form and mutate.

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Berat Pekmezci

I listen to the album and it sounds unlike anything King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have ever created! The record explores Jazz and experimental avenues but is never restrained and limited. Critics have afforded the album passionate reception (it was only released on Friday) and noting the changes from Murder of the Universe and Flying Microtonal Banana – both released this year. The reason I wanted to feature King Gizzard' is because of their prolific and exhaustive work ethic; the way they change their dynamic each album – and the way they push music forward without many people noticing.

IN THIS PHOTO: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard with Mild High Club/PHOTO CREDIT: WDZIEKONSKI

Relatively few have heard of the band outside of Australia (there is building reputation but they are still under-the-radar) but that will all change. Whether it is working with unusual turnings or creating a Prog-Rock odyssey – the guys are among the most unusual and inspiring groups around. The record, Murder of the Universe, works in three different stages. According to Wikipedia – thanks to them for summarising – this is what it is all about:

“The first, The Tale of the Altered Beast explores themes of temptation, and tells a tale of a human who stumbles upon a mystical human/beast hybrid, dubbed the Altered Beast. The story starts from the perspective of the human being pursued, who slowly takes interest in the idea of being altered – as it is considered taboo in their society. The perspective then changes to the Altered Beast's itself, who is filled with murderous intent to kill. The human encountered by the beast slowly gives into temptation into becoming altered once the beast confronts them, as they crave power. Accepting of their fate, the beast and human merge, creating a newly altered beast, who now craves even more for flesh. However, the beast suffers greatly from absorbing another conscience – it loses track of its identity and eventually dies of insanity, decaying into the earth.

The second story, The Lord of Lightning Vs. Balrog is more focused on a big battle between two entities dubbed The Lord of Lightning and Balrog respectively, who represent the force of light vs darkness. The chapter starts with a foreword from the perspective of a storyteller, who recalls a battle between these two great forces. This story begins from "The Lord of Lightning", which is about the general destruction caused in a town by lightning fired from the entity's finger. He is perceived as evil and malevolent by the townfolk. However, he fires lightning at a corpse, who is somehow reanimated into the creature known as Balrog. This creature chooses to ignore the Lord of Lightning, and instead wreaks further havoc to the townspeople. However, the Lord chooses to fight the Balrog and confronts him – eventually the Balrog is left as a burning corpse. The Lord of Lightning then immediately leaves, choosing not to harm the townsfolk anymore.

The third and final story, Han-Tyumi & The Murder of the Universe, is about a cyborg in a digital world who gains consciousness and through confusion decides he strives only for what a cyborg cannot do – these being vomiting and death. He decides to create a creature dubbed the "Soy-Protein Munt Machine" whose only purpose is to vomit. As the creature rejects his love, Han-Tyumi decides to merge with the machine, which spirals the machine out of control. This machine then explodes and infinitely expels vomit, which eventually engulfs the entire universe, hence the title of the album”.

Mackenzie explained the album was the most narrative-driven thing they have created and its sheer scope/ambition could have sunk a lesser band. Flying Microtonal Banana, released in February, is where they played with microtonal tunings and bizarre aesthetic – altering instruments and sounds to give the album is alluring and unique sound. It is a different animal to Murder of the Universe. If that album is an apocalyptic and epic drama then Flying’ is a more restrained, if more complex, album. The band’s use of non-Western tunings and custom-made instruments showed how much they were dedicated to the project.

Each band member was armed with $200 and bought instruments from that cash – tuning and modifying them so they could bring something different to the album. Many assumed, when the album was released, they would not top it! The songs on Flying’ fuse East-meets-West with layered Psychedelia and Rock blasts. If that was the only thing they were releasing this year then they’d get huge kudos. Few artists can match the same intelligence and originality of the record; the quality is immense and it is a tight and stunning creation. I cannot resist the chants and addictiveness of Rattlesnake – it is a song I need to play on-repeat and amazes me with its irresistible chorus and incredible composition. You get chugging guitars and twanging bass; vision of hissing snakes and distorted vocals – a song that urges the listener to swing their head and move their feet (the sort of song best enjoyed when off your head or gripped by cannabis).

That is everything the band has released this year: I believe there are another two albums arriving but unsure what form they will take. Last year - and their finest album, perhaps - we saw Nonagan Infinity which is, essentially, an infinite loop. Every song flows into the next – that includes the opening and closing track...the record never ends and it sounds like you are listening to a single song...one that never stops! Director Edgar Wright has listed it among his favourite albums and critics responded in force. AllMusic assessed it in these terms:

“It's way more blown-out and weird than that, but you can hear a lot of late-'70s no-frills metal in the sound. The rest of the record is a little more varied, with moments of calm proggy respite, jazz-rock dreaminess, and blown-out psych-pop to balanced the frantic, sustained attack. The way the album is put together is an impressive feat, but almost beside the point since each song within the loop is worthy of standing alone. King Gizzard's inventive sound, giant hooks, and hard-as-titanium playing make Nonagon Infinity not only their best album yet, but maybe the best psych-metal-jazz-prog album ever.

2015’s Paper Mâché Dream Balloon was recorded using acoustic instruments and sounds foreign when compared to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s modern albums. It shows, when you listen to the album, the boys sound as assured and confident (as any other record they have laid down). It is another bold step and could have been a gamble – for a band who are known for their oddity and thrills. MusicOMH gave this opinion on the record:

“What you actually had there, however, was a bit of a gem. The seventh album in their relatively short career, Paper Mâché Dream Balloon sees these Melbourne-based neo-psychedelicists eschew the motorik churn of 2014’s I’m In Your Mind Fuzz or this year’s Quarters, trading fuzzed-out whorls for a more pastoral, mellow style – earlier explored (at length) on the jazzy The River, the first of Quarters’ four 10-minute sojourns.

Gone too is the deliberately thin, straight-to-tape sound of their previous output, perhaps despite – according to lead vocalist/guitarist and flautist Stu Mackenzie – the album having been recorded in an empty shipping container on his parents’ farm in Victoria.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jamie Wdziekonski

There was a strict no electric instruments rule in the sessions, but rather than woody strum, there’s plenty of colour and tone from the off, thanks to the variety of other instruments in the seven-piece’s armoury: Sense’s opening minor sevenths give way to serene, serpentine clarinet, while Bone and Dirt are buoyed by wheedling flute.

Rather like the excellent album-and-a-half recorded by XTC in their The Dukes Of Stratosphear guise (or perhaps The Young Ones tie-in Neil’s Heavy Concept Album), there’s a reverent irreverence to the pop-psych pastiches here. Our ardent crate-digger could happily while away the short running time collecting references: the whimsical title-track and Cold Cadaver let in hints of Traffic’s Hole In My Shoe and Paper Sun, there’s Canned Heat under The Bitter Boogie (with a brilliant slackening-string lead guitar) and a touch of the gleefully wrong intervals of Cardiacs on the circular Time Fate.

But the songs are a little more than insubstantial homages. Sense decries the senselessness of la vie moderne, while there’s a playful menace to Trapdoor’s roiling paranoia (“Everybody knows what’s under the door, And everybody goes to great lengths for sure, To hide themselves away”)”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Lee Vincent Grubb 

I shall not go into THAT much detail about their remaining albums but look at their back-catalogue and we can see the differences and inventions on each. Quarters! (2015) has four songs that each run for ten-minutes-ten-seconds – each is a quarter of the album. It draws upon Jazz-Fusion and is a more laid-back thing. It is something to get your head bobbing to - perhaps, not something you can see going down well in the mosh-pit. The band’s second album, Eyes Like the Sky, is a cult-Western-like-audio-experiment that is narrated and written by Broderick Smith – it tells stories of outlaws, child soldiers and the frontier. It embraces the old Western films and some evil guitars (that is what Stu Mackenzie reckoned, anyway!). 2012’s 12 Bar Bruise was the debut and was not a conventional introduction.

IN THIS PHOTO: The album cover for 12 Bar Bruise

It was self-recorded by the band and several tracks were subject to unconventional record methods. The title-track was recorded through four iPhones – placed around the room – whilst Mackenzie sang into one of them. The fact the band has released eleven albums in five years means they are one of the most reliable and hard-working in all of music. I cannot think of anyone else that has managed to bring that much music out in all that time. Each album they release is different and relies on a different theme/concept. They have played with tunings and track length; the nature of music itself and how they record the songs themselves.

IN THIS PHOTO: Stu Mackenzie/PHOTO CREDIT: Kimberley Ross

Before I end; I wanted to bring in a few snippets from an interview Stu Mackenzie conducted with New Noise Magazine. He was chatting about the album, Flying Microtonal Banana, and looking ahead at the albums to come:

“Flying Microtonal Banana features the modified electric guitars, basses, keyboards, and harmonica, as well as a Turkish horn called a zurna. “I think there was definitely a challenge,” Mackenzie says, “picking up the Flying Microtonal Banana for the first time and just being so gobsmacked and not knowing what to do. I’ve played guitar most of my life, and then, picking up this instrument and not knowing what to do with it—it was quite confusing.”

IN THIS PHOTO: The boys tear up The Crows Nest, Glastonbury

Initially, using the new instruments was a lot harder, which made the creative process move a lot slower, but once everyone got the hang of it, it really opened up the realm of possibility.

The band have already started playing some of these songs live, and the response has been good. “We’ve played a couple so far, and we plan to play all of them out on tour,” Mackenzie says. “We’re going to take all of the modified guitars out with us on the next few tours and maybe beyond. Maybe we’ll make more music with these guitars. I’m not sure.”

IN THIS PHOTO: A shot from Paradiso, Amsterdam 

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard kicked off their U.S. tour in March and are playing dates across the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast, capping off the tour at Coachella at the end of April. “We’re touring a lot this year as well, so we’ll see what we can do,” Mackenzie says about the prospect of three or more records this year. “We kind of have been making two records a year for a few years in a row. Last year, we just put out one, which just seemed a bit weird, so maybe we were overcompensating this year by saying we were going to do so many.”

Not a huge amount has changed in terms of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s bond and commitment to music. Stu Mackenzie has assumed the writing command – a few albums have co-writes but he is their creative lead – and each record tackles new ground and reveals fresh discovery. I wanted to feature the Melbourne band for a few reasons. They have managed to create a raft of exceptional record but, more importantly, showed bands you can break ground and push limits. Rather than take years to release some average album – there are a couple of big acts who have done that this year! – they have produced high-quality records quickly. Each L.P. has a niche and U.S.P. Maybe the fact they have seven members means they can bust through material and recording quicker but I think the sheer size of the band creates potential banana skins. It is quite clunky and, having that many voices, means disagreements can come up – getting all the players in the same room to record an album is a logistical nightmare. Maybe that will be their next record: a series of songs recorded via Skype?!

IN THIS PHOTO: The band on the William Green Stage, Glastonbury

The boys are in audacious form and there are no visible cracks in the band’s armour. Considering they have been performing together since 2010 means, if they had found flaws with one another, that would have happened by now! The guys are almost like brothers. They have an insane connection and seemingly endless possibilities! I cannot wait to see how their next two albums shape up – due this year, remember – and whether their insane work-rate continues into next year! Mackenzie stated the band are over-compensating a bit this year but they feel the need to put that much material out shows they are hungry and determined. Get into the mindset of (the tremendous) King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizard and you are stepping into a land…

WHERE rattlesnakes, The Lord of Lightning and a Flying Microtonal Banana lurks!

FEATURE: The Harvey Weinstein Controversy: Do We Need to Protect Our Female Musicians Better?

FEATURE:

 

The Harvey Weinstein Controversy:

IN THIS PHOTO: Harvey Weinstein/PHOTO CREDIT: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images  

Do We Need to Protect Our Female Musicians Better?

________

THE worst and most upsetting details have been revealed…

PHOTO CREDIT: Emily Berl/The New York Times

but we have not heard the end of Harvey Weinstein’s abuse and sordid goings-on. A number of high-profile female celebrities have come out claiming Weinstein sexually abused them – from stars of the screen to those in other areas of the entertainment industry. Musicians are coming forward, as are associates of Weinstein. Who knows how long it (the assaults/abuse) has been known about but it is a relief – if that is the right word?! – the truth is out there. His Weinstein Co. has fired him and his wife, Georgina Chapman, is leaving him. There are women who would stick by their husband and not believe the rumours. The fact she is leaving suggests she either knows what has been happening or has exposure to his true nature. All manner of reports are emanating from the press. There are articles abbot Weinstein’s sexual advances and how ‘bold’ he has been about it – supposedly propositioning women whilst his wife was in the next room. It is a brave move to leave your husband but she was in no doubt. Women are coming forward claiming Weinstein raped them and many others are detailing their encounters with Weinstein. I do wonder whether the details we are hearing tells the full story. One wonders why it has taken this long for women to speak out but there is a great sense of fear – thinking they will be judged and risk losing their careers.

IN THIS PHOTO: Weinstein and his wife, Georgina Chapman/PHOTO CREDIT: REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

There are men in prominent positions who feel, because they have wealth of influence, they can treat women any way they want. One wonders whether there are other studio bosses and Hollywood men who have perpetrated such horrendous acts. The ongoing revelations around Harvey Weinstein will, in the end, see the man brought to court and losing the life he has built. I was thinking about this controversy and the fact it is not an isolated event. I have suggested there are other men in the entertainment industry whose (similar) acts have not yet been exposed. It is impressive so many women have come forward – who have built a career and risk reprisals – but I know there are similar concerns in the music industry. The issue of sexual abuse and exposure is not something that affects men in music – not in the same way at least. When news broke about Weinstein’s incidents; many noted how famous actors – who knew about these attacks/abuse – did not come forward. Is there a society of secrecy where, unless things are brought to light, people keep things to themselves?! There is no excuse for not speaking out but do actors, like musicians, fear personal misfortune and loss if they go forward? One can quibble the ethics and logic behind that but I have been looking into music and the recent case with Dr. Luke and Kesha. The court case was brought whereby Kesha claimed Dr. Luke was guilty of sexual assault and battery; sexual harassment, gender violence; civil harassment, violation of California's unfair business laws; intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and negligent retention and supervision.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kesha/PHOTO CREDIT: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Kesha claimed Dr. Luke sexually, physically and verbally abused her throughout their professional relationship – it was said he raped her on two occasions and made threats to Kesha and her family. There are people on either side questioning the facts and what actually happened. Controversy and developments in the case – including Lady Gaga’s aborted resistance to a deposition – have made it one of the most talked-about music court cases in history. Some have suggested Kesha has intensified her accusations in promotion of her album, Rainbow. The record received huge applause and the revelations, feminism and emotional soul-baring throughout Rainbow stunned the press. One cannot rationally conclude Kesha fabricated anything and has been exaggerating for commercial gain – that would be hugely cynical and insulting. Whatever the eventual outcome; it shows music is not separate of controversy and abuse. Like Weinstein and the film industry: is music hiding secrets and harbouring sexual predators? Many think, because there is more money in the film business, there is going to be more cases like Weinstein’s. We do not often think of music and big bosses: it is usually about the artists and talent rather than the moguls and decision-makers. Hollywood is a bit different and we all know about the big studios and the fact they are (predominantly) run by men.

IN THIS PHOTO: Dr. Luke/PHOTO CREDIT: Allen Berezovsky/WireImage

Music is, for the most part, run by men – the biggest studios and labels are owned and managed by men. You cannot say Weinstein and Dr. Luke are extraordinary cases and we will never see anything like that again. I know there would have been threats levied against the women that Weinstein abuse (allegedly) and it would have been terrifying keeping what happened a secret. Musicians and the industry are no different and I wonder whether we need to introduce stricter measures and great vigilance. Before I come to conclusions and remedies; I want to bring in a couple of articles. Noisey wrote a piece that looked at the Kesha/Dr. Luke case and whether we should start believing women and not scrutinising their version of events. There have been journalists and figures in society that pour scorn on artists that claim they have been sexually assaulted. It was interesting reading Noisey’s thoughts and advice:

“We should be better than this by now; we should be working toward openly and vocally believing women. Kesha's case is a disheartening one to watch unfold because it's a real-time example of how hard it is to move in the music industry as a woman. Last year, then senior editor at Pitchfork and current editorial director of music at MTV Jessica Hopper compiled what is a book's worth of personal histories from women about how they cope with misogyny, abuse, and gaslighting in the industry. It was a much-needed catalyst and gave a large platform for necessary stories and experiences to be told. But with every instance of progress we see, there is a Piers Morgan to undermine it. Perhaps Kesha's case will become an example of the very precise and calculated ways men seek to control women, how they will protect their brands; Sony is in the interest of protecting itself and whatever the company's assets may be”.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Another piece, written by LA Weekly, featured the story of musician/author/journalist Jordannah Elizabeth – a rape survivor who was abused and victimised by different men:

“I remember standing in a circle of girls in our local mini-mall parking lot talking about R. Kelly’s sex tapes. A couple of girls knew some girls who had been with him. This was in Baltimore in 2002, when the tapes had been made public, and I was nearly 15 years old. At the time, I didn’t think it could have been me because I wasn’t his type. I wasn't thin and didn’t have the hint of innocent glamour that he apparently liked. Besides, being chosen by him at a concert was furthest from my mind. I was still a virgin and was concerned with other things, like hip-hop and Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers. At 15, I knew Kelly wasn’t my type, either.

When you’re a black girl or woman in towns like Chicago, Baltimore and Atlanta, the existence of R. Kelly makes you think seriously about sex, and what you’d do if you knew a girl who’d fallen for him. It makes me personally think of Aaliyah, and all the black girls who came into the industry around her age and the producers who put them on, and how it could have been me.

IN THIS PHOTO: Jordannah Elizabeth/PHOTO CREDIT: Breck Omar Brunson

Actually, it was me. I was sexually assaulted in Harlem by a man who was well-connected in the music industry and offered to “start me out as a model” to gain exposure for me while we began to develop my music. I’d seen him all over TV, so he seemed legit. I agreed to meet with him.

I was in my early 20s, dressed in a short dress and high heels. I took a car to Harlem and waited in a Dunkin Donuts until he picked me up and took me to his grandmother’s apartment a few blocks away. As we walked together, he seemed to know everyone in the eighbourhood. His friends looked as me as if I was familiar. I noticed their glances and I could intuit that I was seen as “another one.”

These are a couple of articles that have been published in the past couple of months but there are others that look at labels like Sony and whether they are hiding details of sexual assault and abuse – their top bods culpable of assaulting female talent through the years. Sexual assault and abuse is nothing new in the music industry. I feel there is more vocal outrage and support in the film industry – when the likes of Weinstein are sussed and exposed – than there is in the music industry.

IN THIS PHOTO: Lady Gaga (who has suffered sexual abuse during her time in music)

Women are being bastardised and reduced to meat; made to feel worthless and at the mercy of wandering hands and loose tongues. We know women in music who have been raped, assaulted and drugged. It is not a new sensational so why are these cases still coming to light?! I hope the Weinstein case gets people thinking about the music industry and entertaining the possibility something similar could be lurking in the seedy undergrowth – a prominent figure waiting to be called out and brought to justice. The fact the guilty parties tend to lose their livelihood and fortune is wonderful but it does not undo what they did and the types of acts they have performed on women. Amber Coffman, of Dirty Projectors, spoke to The Telegraph about her experiences:

“We have to open our eyes to how serious this problem is and how deep it runs. It is an epidemic,” says Amber Coffman, a 31-year-old musician who has worked with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Major Lazer and J. Cole. Last month, she tweeted about the sexually inappropriate behaviour she had been put through by a prominent music PR, Heathcliff Berru – and found numerous other women coming forward to share stories of how they too had been mistreated by him.

“The amount of women who came [out] privately with their own stories after Heathcliff's actions were exposed was staggering,” she says, particularly given that “the amount of stress induced in coming forward about one's experience with abuse, and the amount of risks involved in doing so are enough to keep most victims silent for their entire lives.”

 IN THIS PHOTO: Amber Coffman

Berru responded to the allegations by resigning as CEO of Life and Death PR and releasing a statement saying that he was “deeply sorry for those who I have offended by my actions and how I have made certain women feel," adding that he had been“fighting a losing battle” with drug and alcohol addiction, for which he would seek help. The company folded soon after.

Coffman, a singer and guitarist with band Dirty Projectors, knowsthat strength in numbers was imperative in getting resolve.

“Even if women are supported and believed, as it was with our case, it is a very heavy load.

“It's extremely taxing on victims emotionally and psychologically…so it's understandable that some don't feel they can take that on. Add that to a scenario where a woman also doesn't feel safe coming forward because she…fears losing her job or being ostracized and it's much, much harder”.

The articles and interviews I have sourced are a sprinkling and do not really tell the full story. I feel we need to put in measures whereby those suspected of abuse are provided harsher punishment and banned from the music industry. If the allegations are true then they should have no place in music! Female artists should be free to express themselves and revealed the truth – without getting a storm of crap on social media and being ignored...

PHOTO CREDIT: Reliawire

How many cases do we have to read about before something is done?! Women need to feel secure and safe coming forward and talking about their experiences. When these allegations are made; they need to be followed up and investigated properly. If it means a truncated court case, then so be it! If that is the cost we have to pay to see perverts and abusers prosecuted and asked to explain themselves then that is what needs to be done! We cannot overlook any reports and incidents when women tell their stories. Harvey Weinstein will be dealt with – and is already seeing his empire collapse – and Dr. Luke’s reputation has been given a severe beating. How many others are getting away with things and free to molest, abuse and attack with impunity?! It is alarming considering, on a daily basis, how many women are being assaulted. Whether it is a studio boss/record label owner raping a star or a fellow musician touching a woman without her permission – it all needs to stop and be brought into the light. If we have to see another case of a female artist abused and assaulted then it proves we have learned nothing and not protected women adequately. I hope something can be done before that occurs but I do fear the music industry is not protecting female artists and are…

MAKING making them vulnerable to abuse.