January 17, 2012

Frank Turner – The Second Three Years (album review)

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Frank Turner singing liveIt takes a pretty prolific songwriter to turn out four albums in six years and still have enough left in the tank to record two twenty-track compilations. But not only has Frank Turner managed this, he has done so with style and aplomb, especially on this, his second collection of live tracks, b-sides, covers and rarities.

‘The Second Three Years’ crams together the non-album tracks from his 2010 ‘Rock n Roll’ EP, the special edition bonus tracks from last year’s ‘England Keep My Bones’ LP, as well as a broad selection of punk, folk and pop covers; from Wham to Nirvana, and from NOFX to Take That.

This compilation is an essential purchase for any serious Frank fan, but it also works suitably well as a far-reaching introduction to one of England’s greatest songwriting talents. Right from the opening acapella verse of ‘Sailor’s Boots’, Turner’s voice is enthralling; by turns gentle and powerful, intimate and abrasive.

There’s also plenty of evidence of how his music has developed and matured…

To read the rest of this review on Virgin Red Room, click here.

 

January 1, 2012

Top five bands to look out for in 2012

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With 2011 proving to be such a fantastic year for new music, you may be thinking that  2012 can’t possibly top that? Well you’d be wrong! There are plenty of exciting records on the horizon, so I thought I’d run you through a handful of decent prospects to whet your appetite:

1.) Freeze The Atlantic

If, like me, your early 2000s were defined by Hundred Reasons and Reuben, then you should be chomping at the bit to finally hear the debut album from Freeze The Atlantic. Featuring the mercurial drumming talents of Guy Davis (Reuben) and the solid guitar work of Andy Gilmour (bassist for HR), this five-piece looks very promising indeed, especially given they have recruited a front man with a rather fantastic voice, by the name of Chris Knott. If this sounds like an intruiging combo, then check out the video for their upoming single Volcanoes:

 

2.) Baddies

One of the big success stories of 2009, Baddies are back with a bang in 2012. The Southend quartet have a highly distinctive sound, which is robotic, angular and very catchy – think The Futureheads with some beefier riffs and better outfits. New music guru Zane Lowe has been lauding their latest single Bronto and you can download it here for free.

3.) Fighting With Wire

This Northern Irish trio were possibly the most underrated band of 2008, as their debut album Man Vs Monster was packed full of top choruses and fantastic riffs. Put simply, they play rock and roll just like it should be done. They have promised big things for 2012, including a stint supporting US alt-metal legends Helmet on their UK tour in March and April. What’s more, FWW album number two is shaping up nicely, with the first track Waiting On A Way To Believe already committed to record. Have a listen, you won’t regret it!

4.) James Cleaver Quintet

If you haven’t heard anything by the JCQ yet, then they could well be your surprise package of 2012. Their debut album That Was Then, This Is Now was a complete shock to the system when I stumbled across it recently, blending together a wide range of styles from hardcore to swing and from ska to punk. I can only imagine how good they would be at a summer festival…

5.) Brand New

New Jersey’s most famous gloom merchants are going happy in 2012. After three fantastic records in five years, 2009′s Daisy was a distinctly sour note for a band that sounded like they had run out of ideas. However, with an upcoming UK tour and a new album planned, all this is about the change. The band recently said they are “tired of bumming you guys out. We’re trying to write something happy.” I’m intrigued…

 

December 23, 2011

Smashing Pumpkins – Gish and Siamese Dream Remastered (album review)

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Smashing Pumpkins original line-up

Ahh, those were the days...

Disappointed by the latest Smashing Pumpkins reunion? Don’t waste your time trying to get into their new concept album ‘Teargarden by Kaleidyscope’ – just take a trip down memory lane with these expansive new box sets.

Released just in time for Christmas, this may seem like a cynical marketing ploy from their label, but at just £17 for two discs and a live DVD, it’s certainly great value. The rationale behind this release is that it’s 20 years since the Pumpkins’ debut album ‘Gish’ was released.

When that record came out it marked Billy Corgan and co’s arrival on the emerging grunge scene, but two years later ‘Siamese Dream’ took things to a whole new level with enduring alt-rock classics such as ‘Today’, ‘Disarm’ and ‘Cherub Rock’.

Here you get the original albums digitally remastered on Disc One, meaning Darcy Wretzy’s basslines sound stronger and James Iha’s guitar solos sound clearer, all without losing the grungey essence that made this band a serious contender to Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

To read the rest of this review on Virgin Red Room, click here.

 

December 17, 2011

Top 20 Albums of the Year, 2011

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For the fifth year running, here are my top 20 Albums of the Year. Follow the links to listen to each one for free on Grooveshark, Spotify or YouTube.

 

1.) Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys!

With quite a considerable weight of expectation on their shoulders after 2008′s The Seldom Seen Kid scooped the Mercury Music Prize, to start their follow-up album with an eight-minute epic should win Elbow album of the year on sheer audacity alone. Of course it helps that The Birds is a gently brooding masterpiece, complete with intricate synth riffs and a glorious orchestral crescendo.

Build A Rocket Boys! is the sound of a band finding their groove and loving every minute of it. From the joyous stomp of Neat Little Rows to the tender nostalgia of Lippy Kids, this record sees the Manchester quintet on top form. As if that wasn’t enough, they can pull it off with aplomb on the biggest of stages (see above).

2.) Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

A triumphant return from Grohl and co, which only narrowly misses out on the top spot, Wasting Light is possibly the band’s most consistent record since 2001′s There is Nothing Left to Lose. The minute the video for White Limo was released on YouTube, Foos fans knew they were in for an old-school treat. The album more than lives up to this promise; with the tortured I Should Have Known and the anthemic Walk providing a fantastic finale.

3.) Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones

The most prolific man in folk turned out another exceptional album this year, as his career continues scaling ever higher peaks. Frank is due to headline Wembley Arena next year and that would seem mildly ludicrous were it not for this collection of colossal songs. With a beefed up full band sound on If Ever I Stray and a few nods to his hardcore past on One Foot Before The Other, the Wessex troubadour is turning into a force to be reckoned with.

4.) Dive Dive – Potential

Better known as the Sleeping Souls (Frank Turner’s backing band) plus singer Jamie Stuart, Dive Dive deserve high acclaim for their long-awaited third album. From the alarm-clock riff to Mr 10% through to the bravely optimistic title track closer, this is an album full of ideas, emotion and unflinching honesty.

5.) Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know

It’s hard to believe that Ms Marling is still only 21 years old. Her third record is one of world-weary wisdom, mythology and magic. The expansive soundscape of I Was Just A Card and the brooding lustfulness of The Beast offer plenty of variety. And to top it all off, Sophia is probably the single of the year.

6.) Rival Schools – Pedals

Ten years is a long time to wait for a sophomore record, but thankfully Walter Schreifels et al have rewarded their loyal fans’ patience. Drawing on influences as diverse as Weezer and The Temper Trap, this record is packed full of tunes. My main criticism would be that at just 34 minutes long, it’s too short.

7.) Danananaykroyd – There Is A Way

One of the casualties of 2011, it’s a real shame to lose the Scottish noise punks so soon after releasing their finest album. With producer Ross Robinson at the helm, this was a much more refined effort than their debut and the upbeat swagger of Muscle Memory is well worth a listen.

8.) Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math

On the first listen through, I thought this was shaping up to be the album of the year, but then it all goes horribly wrong. The first four tracks of this record are absolutely flawless, with the joyous singalong of Pensacola the standout, but from then onwards the only track worth mentioning is the spectacular title track.

9.) Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto

My guilty pleasure of the year sneaks into the top ten. This may be one of the most heavily produced records of the year, but it’s hard to resist the charm of this fantastically well-written album.

10.) The Retrospective Soundtrack Players – Cool Hand Luke

By far the best record of the year to be based on a 1960s prison movie. The execution of this ambitious idea is ropey at times, but the glorious crescendo of Three Escapes and Plastic Jesus 2 bring about a very satisfying finale. Definitely ones to watch in 2012…

11.) City And Colour – Little Hell
12.) I Am The Avalanche – Avalanche United
13.) Funeral For A Friend – Welcome Home Armageddon
14.) Swellers – Good For Me
15.) Incubus – If Not Now, When?
16.) Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
17.) The Horrible Crowes – Elsie
18.) Thrice – Major/Minor
19.) Taking Back Sunday – Taking Back Sunday
20.) Explosions In The Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

 
All in all, 2011 was a brilliant year for new albums, far better than 2010. The respectable efforts from Arctic Monkeys, Blink 182, Twin Atlantic and Sam Duckworth all missed out on the Top 20, although the less said about the fourth Art Brut album, the better… As always, any recommendations and tips for 2012 are most welcome, but for now I’ll leave you with this year’s best video:
 

 

November 28, 2011

Why learning, playing and enjoying music is about more than memory

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A musician's hand on a piano

“What happens when you lose everything? You just start again, you start all over again.”

In 1985, British conductor and musician Clive Wearing lost his memory. Instead of blanking out his childhood or erasing a few years, this incredibly severe case of amnesia (one of the worst on record) wiped out all but his short-term memory of the last ten seconds of his life. Yet he could still remember how to play the piano and even conduct an orchestra.

The BBC picked up on this story the other week and I thought it was worth sharing here as it shows how deeply engrained the music we play and listen to can be. It not only colours our memories; it sinks deeper into our subconscious and becomes an integral part of who we are.

Dr Clare Ramsden, a neuro-psychologist with Britain’s Brain Injuries Rehabilitation Trust, said: “It isn’t just knowledge. It’s something you do.”

Musical memory is distinct from other types of memory and different aspects of playing music involve different parts of the brain, she added.

On a more prosaic level, this can mean humming a tune without even realising it (damn you, Go Compare jingle!)  or having an abnormally detailed memory of gigs and festivals. Part of this obviously comes from repetition, hearing the same handful of songs on a weekly or even daily basis, to the extent that you can remember vast swathes of lyrics.

For example, I spent three years studying English Literature at Durham and yet I can easily recite far  more song lyrics than I can lines of poetry. Indeed, this is partly why I feel so sad when people tell me they just “don’t get music” or aren’t “that bothered” by it, as they are clearly missing out on so much.

But going back to Clive’s story, it’s clear that music can make deep last connections between people that are hard to break. As his wife Deborah puts it: “Music is a place where we can be together normally because while the music’s going he’s totally himself. He’s totally normal.”

To read  more about Clive’s remarkable story, you can buy a copy of his wife’s book Forever Today on Amazon or visit his Wikipedia page.

 

October 3, 2011

Ever wanted to cut your first vinyl record? Now you can!

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rapper, vinyl

This guy will not be allowed to record

Hipsters of London, rejoice! All your trendiest fantasies have come true – you can now feature on the world’s most exclusive run of vinyl.

Never Records are spending a month on the Southbank as part of Merge Festival to offer a unique opportunity to up-and-coming artists.

All you have to do is e-mail the label and explain why you’re so amazingly en-vogue and they will let you record one of your songs and press it into a timeless vinyl disc.

What’s more, the cutting will be limited to just two, one for you and one for the store to sell, so the scene points to be won from this are pretty much infinite.

In all seriousness, this seems like a really cool idea and a great way to preserve a song for posterity’s sake. The New York Times described this project as “a love letter to the dying concept of the record store” and I’m inclined to agree with them.

Admittedly I was a little slow in blogging about this project (it started two weeks ago!), but there’s still time to get involved, as the project runs five days a week until October 9th. Even if you don’t want to record, it’s still worth a look to browse through some unique vinyl records, all of which will be on sale to the public.

 

September 1, 2011

Setlist fm or Songkick? The dilemma for music fanatics

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Given that I have now dedicated this blog entirely to music, it may not surprise you to learn that I am quite the music fan. Scratch that, I am a music obsessive. I have a CD collection over 200 discs strong (carefully alphabetised, natch), I own more band t-shirts than any other type of clothing, and I have been to more gigs than any sane person should be able to remember – only I can, because I have a creepy OCD document for that.

Muse at Reading Festival 2011

Muse at Reading 2011 - Rock yeah!

So if you are like me, or even a little bit like me, you will like love Setlist fm. Maybe you’re already familiar with it?

This site chronicles every gig played by every band ever. Or at least every gig that someone has uploaded a setlist for, and that’s quite a few.

Great aspects of this site include the stats (oh, the stats!) and the geeky annotations (did you know that Muse’s headline set at Reading included a Sweet Child of Mine outro for Hysteria?!).

What’s more, I was particularly interested to find out the other day that you can track particular bands that you are super-obsessed with. So now, I will get e-mail alerts everytime someone uploads a new Frank Turner setlist.

However, whilst perusing the BBC’s excellent footage of Reading and Leeds, I stumbled across what appeared to be a competitor. You see, the BBC’s festival setlists are ‘powered by Songkick‘.

This site offers something that Setlist fm does not: a personalised feed of all the local shows being played over the coming months by bands you like. Almost immediately, my girlfriend warned me that this was the perfect way for me to spend all of my monies, and more, on gig tickets, and indeed using this site requires a bit of willpower to resist going on a spending spree.

You can also sync up Songkick with your iTunes library, Last.fm or Pandora account and it will import all your favourite bands, then show you when and where they are playing next – and how much it will set you back. This is powerful stuff, kids!

setlistfm/songkick logosOther big plus points include the ability to share which gigs you’re going to, or even just thinking of going to, in one click. I did this on Facebook and immediately found out one of my friends happened to be going to the same gig as me later this month.

Also, there’s an iPhone app, if that’s your thing, and you can track individual venues as well as bands, although I’m not entirely sure why you’d want to…

To answer the question at the top of this post, the answer is: use both. The actual setlist aspect of Songkick seems more like an afterthought as they aren’t that easy to reference quickly, so Setlist fm will continue to take priority there.

Setlist fm is great for looking back over the gigs you’ve been to and Songkick is exciting and inspiring for finding out about gigs that are coming up. I wholeheartedly recommend signing up to them both.

 

July 31, 2011

Red Hot Chili Peppers try to tackle ticket tout problem

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This weekend saw quite a significant first in ticket sales for live music in the UK as the Red Hot Chili Peppers introduced ID restrictions for their November tour.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Adventures of Raindance Maggie artwork

Put simply, all fans buying tickets to the shows will have to bring the card they used to purchase the tickets with when they enter the venue and everyone who they bought tickets for will have to enter the venue with them at the same time.

This has one obvious advantage of effectively ruling out touting, which is something to be applauded, especially as it is not in the immediate interests of the promoters Kilimanjaro Live (a subsidiary of AEG).

However, as Dave Ball rather brilliantly explains in this extensive article, the potential downsides for fans are much more numerous.

One of the highly likely scenarios that could befall ticket holders is when one member of your group is delayed and you face the dilemma: go in without them and leave them in the cold, or wait and risk missing part of the set.

Despite the several drawbacks, the Chilis tickets have sold out in a matter of days, so it seems that fans have not been deterred. I very much doubt that this system will catch on, however.

A much simpler solution that I could suggest would be to have each individual’s name printed on each ticket (like they do for Glastonbury), so that people could arrive separately, but they would still need ID in order to gain entry, thus thwarting the touts.

There are still plenty of obvious drawbacks to this system, but the fact that Kilimanjaro Live and the Chilis have taken this first step, is very encouraging indeed.

Red Hot Chili Peppers will be touring the UK in November (see below for dates) in support of their new album I’m With You (due out August 30th), which will feature the single The Adventures of Raindance Maggie – Listen now.

Mon November 7th 2011 – The O2, London
Wed November 9th 2011 – The O2, London
Thu November 10th 2011 – The O2, London
Sat November 12th 2011 – SECC, Glasgow
Mon November 14th 2011 – Manchester Evening News Arena
Tue November 15th 2011 – Manchester Evening News Arena
Thu November 17th 2011 – Motorpoint Arena Sheffield
Sat November 19th 2011 – Birmingham NEC
Sun November 20th 2011 – Birmingham NEC


 

June 20, 2011

iTunes Festival 2011: What have Apple got left to gain?

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What two things do Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Foo Fighters, Coldplay and My Chemical Romance all have in common?

Time’s up. The answer is, they are all headlining major UK music festivals this summer and they are all due to play the ridiculously star-studded iTunes Festival next month.

itunes festival 2011 logo

While the iTunes fest has hardly ever been a humble affair (Amy Winehouse and Paul McCartney played in its inaugural year), this year’s line-up is a who’s who of the most popular bands touring in 2011.

Adele, Paul Simon, Linkin Park – it’s like an arms race to outdo all the other festivals and, most ridiculously of all, the whole thing is free.

Not one fan will pay not one penny to see all 62 bands playing for a whole month.

It would be beyond churlish of me to suggest that this is a bad thing, although with the heightened profile of the festival (ITV2 coverage every week etc. etc.), and only 4,000 tickets available each night, it will surely become more and more unlikely to actually win any tickets.

At first, it was clear to see what was in it for Apple. They get their name out there in a massive way, they associate their brand with the biggest and best bands, and each punter is given a lanyard enticing them to download iTunes in exchange for 10 free tracks. But how much longer can they justify laying on such a lavish festival?

Is this year’s line-up a final hurrah? Or will they be back next year with Prince, U2, David Bowie and the Beatles (wouldn’t bet against it!)? Fair play to them for finding space for a few more obscure acts, like Raphael Saadiq, Lang Lang and Swedish House Mafia, but one thing’s for sure – festival organisers up and down the land will be grinding their teeth with envy at this year’s stellar line-up:

July 1st – Paul Simon

July 2nd - Seasick Steve

July 3rd - Manic Street Preachers + Dry the River

July 4th - Linkin Park + Neon Trees

July 5th - Beady Eye

July 6th - Arctic Monkeys + Miles Kane

July 7th - Adele

July 8th - Bruno Mars + Ed Sheeran

July 9th - My Chemical Romance

July 10th - Glasvegas

July 11th - Foo Fighters + Jimmy Eat World

July 12th - The Script + Loick Essien

July 13th - White Lies + The Naked and Famous + Alice Gold

July 15th - Friendly Fires + SBTRKT

July 16th - Jessie J

July 17th – Duran Duran + Ben L’Oncle Soul

July 18th - Raphael Saadiq

July 19th - Rumer + Caitlin Rose

July 20th - Katy B + Jamie Woon

July 21st - The Wanted

July 22nd - Swedish House Mafia

July 23rd - Coldplay

July 24th - Mogwai + Errors

July 25th - Noah & The Whale + Fixers

July 26th - Lang Lang + 2CELLOS

July 27th - Magnetic Man + Alex Clare

July 28th - Chase & Status + Nero

July 29th - Kasabian

July 30th - James Morrison

July 31st - Moby

To throw your hat in the ring for any of these gigs, just head over to the iTunes Festival website. I’ve entered for the past two years and each time I’ve won at least one pair of tickets. Not sure I fancy my chances this year though…

 

May 29, 2011

Jog.fm – for music lovers who run

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emergency exit signLike many people who crowd London’s parks, I’m a runner. I also like music quite a lot. So jog.fm is a great site for mixing the two.

Using the very simple idea of matching your running speed to a track’s bpm, it allows you to build up playlists that suit your average pace.

Scientists have actually proven that running to music makes you go faster and for longer, but running to music that is too fast-paced can cause injuries or strains.

Jog.fm seems to fill quite a useful gap in the market and if they could only expand their collection of tracks beyond the slightly limited range on there at the moment, it could become massively popular.

For the record, I find that Dance, Dance, Dance by 65daysofstatic and Race To The Heart Of The Sun by The Automatic are particularly good running songs for running an eight-minute mile.

free representation unit legal charityOn a related note, I am running the Bupa London 10k tomorrow on behalf of the Free Representation Unit. This legal charity provides representation for Brits who cannot afford it otherwise, including workers who have lost their jobs and are not entitled to legal aid. The vast majority of their staff are volunteers, yet they handle over 1,000 cases per year.

Please visit my Just Giving page and donate a few pounds, and you can be sure they will be put to good use.

 

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