tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28255349970847109842024-03-18T08:06:50.648-07:00Music Related Junk “A collection of profound and epic album reviews and musical articles by former astronaut and brain surgeon, Alasdair Kennedy. Reaching levels of poetry that rival Keats and Blake, the following reviews affirm Alasdair to be a prodigy, a genius and a god whose opinion is always objectively right. He is also without a doubt the most modest man in the universe.” - Alasdair Kennedy
Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.comBlogger795125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-11518523227136192512024-03-18T08:06:00.000-07:002024-03-18T08:06:16.858-07:00Review of 'Blue Lips' by Schoolboy Q<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IjX5uXapr6PuM2y30WDb5eyAxwZzKj-hPNjlPvxlfs0FCnopznAYojcI3KdQDFB6crB8QPk7n8Eu_7MzYxr6XQPfSP1bqsYMJ-arO2goqfjWT2mzuQotej1dsPr34AWwK_mIGniHS14mKoUV8BF9AOamAT0U4KS3XMR5L85wqz1MsuRPhp-5DZQ1ioU/s300/Blue%20lips.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IjX5uXapr6PuM2y30WDb5eyAxwZzKj-hPNjlPvxlfs0FCnopznAYojcI3KdQDFB6crB8QPk7n8Eu_7MzYxr6XQPfSP1bqsYMJ-arO2goqfjWT2mzuQotej1dsPr34AWwK_mIGniHS14mKoUV8BF9AOamAT0U4KS3XMR5L85wqz1MsuRPhp-5DZQ1ioU/s1600/Blue%20lips.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Despite
pushing 40, Q still has incredible energy to give, and arguably the best ear
for beats in the game.<span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">10 years ago,
I reviewed <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2014/03/review-of-oxymoron-by-schoolboy-q.html">Oxymoron</a></i>, and concluded that it was fun, but a little too
dumb for my taste. Fast-forward to the present day, and Schoolboy Q’s music sounds
sophisticated – if not borderline high brow - compared to the shit being
churned out by upcoming rappers today. Just take a listen to the string of recent Carti singles and then listen to <i>Blue Lips</i>, and you’ll instantly
see what I mean.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Sure, Q’s
lyrics are still very dirty, and sometimes outrageous (the line ‘<i>around nine,
I was tryna have sex (I did)</i>’ is absolutely insane). ‘Pop’ also has way too
many aggressively yelled n-words for a white guy like me to feel comfortable
listening to. But when it comes to Q’s flow, it is so tight and varied and energised
that it makes him such a breath of fresh air in todays’ hip hop scene. He does
also briefly dip into introspective topics on tracks like ‘Blueslides’ and the
end of ‘First’, that shows he has the ability to get deep if he wanted to.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Of course, Q
is able to bridge the gap between old and new hip hop listeners a lot better
than artists like J Cole and Kendrick, because he’s able to flex his talents
while still putting the focus on making his music fun. He’s always had a good
ear for beats, and here the production is constantly thrilling. I particularly dig
tracks like ‘oHio’ in which there are multiple sharp beat changes – cycling
through g-funk, trap and jazzy pianos. Although very diverse, the production
does seem to lean more towards a jazzier sound than on previous albums. In
fact, I was convinced Tyler the Creator produced some of these tracks (he has
produced for Q before), but he isn’t credited.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Personally, I’d
rank this album on par with <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2016/09/double-review-blank-face-by-schoolboy-q.html">Blank Face</a> </i>right now, but time will tell if
I return to it as much. I’m not sure it has the hooks to rival <i>Blank Face</i>.
The flows and the beats certainly slap though.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span face="arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">TRACK TASTER:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y7NR-q23d5I?si=9_rAuJiXpCvQk4Fx" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-47760358044804477022024-03-08T07:45:00.000-08:002024-03-08T07:45:36.419-08:00BEST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 08/03/2024: Twenty One Pilots, Justice, St Vincent and more...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-ww3PruWN0CXjwV44UMinYiBd36CFgWbbeEvcEG4O_VTxVQkKHCs9R6JzuDAdWBY5PR6_eJJKP13d8mQKfGJJ5UXC-yo11TrKxYkOcv7TnL1T0l7X0z3rbWB8-jeCV0IqOBhh4X12q6bsP7DtOK97YLEEX9Ly3Q9OR7mrMJhbYHiznxej3FXp0ZzUxE/s2000/twenty-one-pilots-Clancy-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="2000" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-ww3PruWN0CXjwV44UMinYiBd36CFgWbbeEvcEG4O_VTxVQkKHCs9R6JzuDAdWBY5PR6_eJJKP13d8mQKfGJJ5UXC-yo11TrKxYkOcv7TnL1T0l7X0z3rbWB8-jeCV0IqOBhh4X12q6bsP7DtOK97YLEEX9Ly3Q9OR7mrMJhbYHiznxej3FXp0ZzUxE/s320/twenty-one-pilots-Clancy-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">No ‘worst’
tracks section this week. The last 7 days has been an endless barrage of bops. The
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwZ1L_0QLjw">new Charli XCX track</a> didn’t even get a look in, despite being pretty good. Even
Twenty One Pilots are on their A game. Other artists featured this week include
Justice, St Vincent, Machinedrum, Walter the Producer and Sadistik.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Overcompensate’
– Twenty One Pilots<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/53tgVlXBZVg?si=hFGjZK2G9iF4xLgj" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Twenty One
Pilots are one of the most frustrating musical duos around. After rising to
fame with a series of wishy-washy pop reggae tunes, they then surprised
listeners with a bunch of exciting genre-bending bangers on 2018’s <i>Trench</i>
– and then went back to dropping bland pop three years later on <i>Scaled and
Icy</i>. ‘Overcompensate’ seems to thankfully be a return to their experimental
side. The lyrics are full of obscure references and foreign vocabulary, and I feel
I don’t know enough <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/twentyonepilots/comments/18nj865/an_updated_and_detailed_explanation_of_the_lore/">TOP lore</a> to decipher them. But even I can’t make head of
tail of most of what he’s singing/rapping, I’m absolutely loving the musical journey
that this song takes you on with it’s breakbeat opening, sudden tempo change,
catchy soaring chorus and passionate rap verse. Bring on <i><a href="https://www.kerrang.com/twenty-one-pilots-announce-new-album-clancy-overcompensate">Clancy</a></i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Incognito’
– Justice<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mBuHO8p0wS0?si=R6AgNxYtC6AMHLAB" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">There’s a lot
of fun stuff going on in this new Justice track. It hits you straight away with
some soulful chords and epic drum fills, and then abruptly dives into a cold
steely electro beat. Funky old-skool samples keep trying to break through, but
the electro synths keep cutting straight back in like a terminator shooting up
a disco. <i><a href="https://etjusticepourtous.bandcamp.com/album/hyperdrama">Hyperdrama</a></i>, the new Justice album, is dropping next month. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Broken
Man’ – St Vincent<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RYJxPg6quL4?si=HHW6vAAYrSlawgT2" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Every St
Vincent album is a stylistic reinvention. If ‘Broken Man’ is anything to go by,
the singer/guitarist’s seventh album is likely to be an industrial rock record.
The song opens with sparse mechanical percussion and ends with some heavy
RATM-style guitar, while Annie’s vocals get more manic. I’m definitely
intrigued. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Zoom’ –
Machinedrum ft. Tinashe<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JlV8zVUgdLM?si=zHqrRUgjPIBKHp7a" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Electronic
producer Machinedrum has teamed up with r&b vocalist Tinashe to serve up
this tasty drum and bass tune, ‘Zoom’. The chords are absolutely heavenly and
Tinashe’s sensual vocals make it sound all the better. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s set to appear on a new record titled <i><a href="https://machinedrum.bandcamp.com/album/3for82">3FOR82</a></i>.
The guest credits on the Bandcamp tracklist, which include Duckwrth and Mick
Jenkins, already have me excited as to what’s to come. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Pamplemousse’
– Walter The Producer<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e_CYTxyztTo?si=vO7sHA1VHGFSENqx" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">No, it’s not
an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9gcHsFkiek">FKA Twigs cover</a>. ‘Pamplemousse’ is a psychedelic indie track from
Massachusetts artist Walter The Producer (it turns out his real name isn’t Walter
but Reid, however you’ll be satisfied to know that he does produce his own
music). The hazy guitars and vocal harmonies have a nostalgic quality that
remind me of Empire of the Sun or Foster The People. TikTok, blow this man up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Pigs
Blood’ – Sadistik ft. Father<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FqEpRNTzYWY?si=Rjl5337j0RISqCcg" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This is one
grimy beat, which is exactly what I was hoping for with a track called ‘Pigs Blood’.
The beat is the work of <a href="https://first-avenue.com/performer/maulskull/">‘pirate hip hop’</a> producer Maulskull. Alternative rappers
Sadistik and Father take turns to drop verses over the top. I’m digging the
Carrie-inspired wordplay: ‘<i>open carry towards a cop/pig's blood on your prom
dress</i>’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-130004131908077072024-03-06T06:01:00.000-08:002024-03-06T06:01:09.840-08:00Review of 'Tangk' by Idles<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgHSG9iOD079xrZUnjn0zcEjc6wH448wi3Ls_NdgKxfeYy4U8j3DoHJmTLyu8DdaXT184PNAZzYewsMRkucLwUW9Ojn_xQl06iBAqMFi9BRXtGTcFDW8HDf0qtuYLN79ErXxL9Va_Vj0T3lAqWFC5vzidiGW3GVukccF4ZlHeYkpe3g7YC7s6N5_4WKg/s474/tangk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgHSG9iOD079xrZUnjn0zcEjc6wH448wi3Ls_NdgKxfeYy4U8j3DoHJmTLyu8DdaXT184PNAZzYewsMRkucLwUW9Ojn_xQl06iBAqMFi9BRXtGTcFDW8HDf0qtuYLN79ErXxL9Va_Vj0T3lAqWFC5vzidiGW3GVukccF4ZlHeYkpe3g7YC7s6N5_4WKg/w320-h320/tangk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Idles swap
angry punky protest songs for mellow experimental love songs.<span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b> <o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">All rock
bands eventually go through their ‘mellow out’ phase. This is often the point
when I lose interest in them. For example, I completely rejected The Arctic
Monkeys once they turned into a lounge music act. U2’s pop rock phase in the
90s similarly bores me. However, every now and again, a band like Radiohead proves
that you can mellow out in an interesting way simply by getting experimental
and weird. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Thankfully, Idles
have taken the Radiohead approach to mellowing out. Quite literally, it seems –
they’ve hired <a href="https://www.loudersound.com/features/idles-on-working-with-radioheads-producer"><i>Kid A</i> producer Nigel Godrich</a> to engineer their latest
album, <i>Tangk</i>. The album opens with some speedy twinkling piano arpeggios
and stuttering guitar tremolo effects on ‘IDEA 1’ and it ends with spacey synth
pulses and a sax solo on ‘Monolith’. In between are plenty of other weird and
wonderful ideas that I’d never imagined I’d ever hear on an Idles album. Some
of it’s not as developed as it could be, but it’s excitingly unpredictable. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">It's worth
noting that Kenny Beats co-produces the album. The hip hop producer also helped
produce the <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2021/11/review-of-crawler-by-idles.html">band’s last album <i>Crawler</i></a>, which was the start of the band’s
transformation into a mellower band, and here his presence can be felt even
more – the bass and percussion feel really punchy on more aggressive tracks ‘Gift
Horse’ and ‘Gratitude, and I love the looped sounds all over this album.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Another
notable change is less shouting and more singing. Other UK post punk bands like
Shame and Squid have been recently going in this direction too. I didn’t think Joe
Talbot had it in him to pull off almost a whole album of melodic singing. But
his voice sounds alarmingly pretty on some of these tracks (particularly ‘A
Gospel’). In fact, it’s the moments where he reverts back to barking like a
rottweiler than can end up feeling inappropriate as on ‘Dancer’. Although that
could just be the fact that ‘dancing cheek to cheek’ is a goofy lyric.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This leads
onto my biggest complaint with this album: the lyrics. Idles veered away from
sociopolitical subject matter on their last album <i>Crawler</i> in exchange more
personal lyrics. This was a welcome change-up after the on-the-nose repetitive clunky
hooks of <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2020/10/review-of-ultra-mono-by-idles.html">Ultra Mono</a></i>. However, on <i>Tangk,</i> Talbot has decided to write a bunch of poetic love songs. It may be partly due
to the softer delivery or the fact that much of the lines are quite abstract, but there aren’t really any memorable lines here. This
feels pretty unusual for an Idles album and does make it feel like there’s
something missing. I’m glad he refrained from shouting more dumb lines like ‘DANCING
CHEEK TO CHEEK’, but I feel there could have been some more hooks. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">As it
stands, the music and his vocal delivery do all the talking. I would like to see Idles continue in this more artsy and melodic direction. With some stronger lyrics I feel like it could be perfected. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">TRACK TASTER:</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gnd4jIBRfHE?si=ZMwHm4QwYzWeWUYz" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-22877200855293836742024-03-01T02:23:00.000-08:002024-03-01T13:21:47.267-08:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 01/03/2024: A.G. Cook, Schoolboy Q, Kings of Leon and more...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31K9xLkLuniVhT1rJBSHyTk-JWPgxyPDQrll5wz81n1CmYAK6tMv7RH0etxgqt-6SyNUCAHcdUHAoMXHvKVB-iWYC9FUzgHG1nfbF1tPt3bfoSc3Io8vBnaNPHGUI_xE7Txv-OcQF1UQa8r9tLYJeVj4c9ZoHRe12NjxJUps2gv8pNnFJR0WCv80_peQ/s640/SCHOOLBOY%20Q.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31K9xLkLuniVhT1rJBSHyTk-JWPgxyPDQrll5wz81n1CmYAK6tMv7RH0etxgqt-6SyNUCAHcdUHAoMXHvKVB-iWYC9FUzgHG1nfbF1tPt3bfoSc3Io8vBnaNPHGUI_xE7Txv-OcQF1UQa8r9tLYJeVj4c9ZoHRe12NjxJUps2gv8pNnFJR0WCv80_peQ/w400-h225/SCHOOLBOY%20Q.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">The last two
weeks has been wild. Almost everything I’ve listened to has been pretty decent.
Even that unexpected <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt0i6nuqNEo">Weeknd/Madonna/Carti collab</a> was surprisingly good. But not
good enough to make my track roundup. Artists that did make the cut include English
Teacher, A.G. Cook, Schoolboy Q, Kings of Leon, Marzia, Rollo Doherty, Set Feux
and The Voidz.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">THE BEST:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘R&B’
– English Teacher<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5I7zefEoqGE?si=cV4qmBT7Y6KnKKJ-" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">First off, ‘R&B’
is not an r&b song. It’s a post-punk song about choosing not to sing
r&b despite people’s expectations. Secondly, the song is three years old. Fans
of English Teacher (the band – not English teachers in general) may have heard
it already. So why am I featuring it here? Well, the band have re-recorded and
re-released it for their <a href="https://www.englishteacherband.com/">new album</a>. Which is fantastic because now I have a
reason to share this gem with the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Britpop’
– A.G. Cook ft. Charli XCX<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kmhvFpsjLi8?si=2uK_ACwTmwc7im2Y" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">So it turns
out ‘Britpop’ isn’t a britpop song either. It’s an EDM/hyperpop song that features
vocals from Charli XCX. But don’t get too excited, Angels (I've just learnt that's what Charli XCX fans are called) – it’s literally a chopped-up sample of her saying
‘<i>Brit, Brit, Brit, Brit, like Britpop</i>’ over and over again. I’d usually get annoyed by such
a repetitive sample if the accompanying production wasn’t so insanely fun. PC Music label
owner A.G. Cook treats listeners to some of his shiniest and bubbliest
electronica. Listening to it makes me feel like I'm zooming around a candy coloured video game racetrack. It comes off
the producer’s upcoming album <i><a href="https://pitchfork.com/news/a-g-cook-announces-new-album-britpop-enlists-charli-xcx-for-new-song-listen/">Britpop</a></i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Yeern
101’ – Schoolboy Q<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gG1UFrnGsE?si=BxWii6A2bASBMHAJ" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This is the
type of hip hop that’s been missing from my life. Rapid-fire rhythmically tight
rapping over energetic fun beats. It’s that much needed middle ground between Carti
and Cole that’s technically proficient but still gets the party going. His new album <i><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/107WsrBqn5xVPgystkziry">Blue Lips</a></i> is out today (I haven’t listened to it yet!).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Mustang’
– Kings of Leon<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wMJyD23nKrk?si=CIRtDxLjnSoJbKnI" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">I can’t
remember the last time I listened to a new Kings of Leon track. With a title
like ‘Mustang’, I was totally expecting more ‘Sex-on-Fire’-style radio rock. But
that’s thankfully not the case. The riffs are weird and wiry, and Caleb’s
vocals turn vaguely Bowie-esque at the end. It’s genuinely exciting rock music.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘She Is
Her’ – Marzia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JYi-gwF1IFk?si=KzCmRC7U4Si4SZEy" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">It’s not easy
to make a captivating song without a chorus. But this r&b slowjam from Filipino-Canadian
singer Marzia achieves it with its hypnotic vocal performance and equally
hypnotic trap/soul beat. Lyrically, it’s a song about valuing one’s partner,
coming out as a plea to a man (or indeed all men) to recognise their partner’s
worth. At the same time, it also feels like a reminder to women to recognise
their own worth in a relationship. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Say It
Again’ – Set Feux<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f4IzLomT63E?si=uR9Qp6Y2azSouLu_" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Contrastingly,
here’s a song where the chorus is everything. The breathy delivery of ‘say it
again’, the piano chords, the harmonised sax and the shuffling drums all fuse
beautifully in this spellbinding song from Toronto musician Diana Planche (aka
Set Feux). What’s equally great about this single is that it doesn’t quite
sound like any other artist out there. She’s got a pretty distinct voice, and I
the instrumentation is pretty unique too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘It’s All
Beautiful Rain’ – Rollo Doherty (ft. DJ Yoda)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tOjFGvx_p8Q?si=ZG2L0eqdVs1TLl0r" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This is the
first single from London artist Rollo Doherty, and what a cracking debut it is!
It features pensively-delivered smooth vocals, accompanied by a gorgeous
trip-hop beat that opens with beautiful strings and closes with warm piano
chords. The fact that it’s raining outside my window as I listen to this makes
it all the more atmospheric. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">THE WORST:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘All The
Same’ – The Voidz<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kp-1zpDl1AA?si=wqDQW9Vc7WY4yFPc" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">The Voidz’
last single, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jt4XggHzA8">‘The Flexorcist’</a>, was a bop. This one is sadly a mess. The
auto-tuned vocals are utterly meandering and are mixed way too low. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-51507457093748817832024-02-16T04:29:00.000-08:002024-02-16T04:29:25.863-08:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 16/02/2024: Idles, Goat Girl, Mutes and more…<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHn7gTHd0Qx3V3bvWpVJNaN8Xn6Sb05YpXfcy9NyufrJRtlufQ6xtQUfyawuwANC09lsTqNpCYfTH8lALf6Wf2zuDbWGx2qgL5y3KKPFXn8jagsIobKzTQMGNpMv9jgNRGFJgSglmyE_wP0EoVx_5Z77XJv6ItERtKYVzblDeIGZ9F_F7g1hK-vdGcNY/s282/idles%20singer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="282" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHn7gTHd0Qx3V3bvWpVJNaN8Xn6Sb05YpXfcy9NyufrJRtlufQ6xtQUfyawuwANC09lsTqNpCYfTH8lALf6Wf2zuDbWGx2qgL5y3KKPFXn8jagsIobKzTQMGNpMv9jgNRGFJgSglmyE_wP0EoVx_5Z77XJv6ItERtKYVzblDeIGZ9F_F7g1hK-vdGcNY/w320-h203/idles%20singer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Wash out you ears out after listening to that new Kanye album with these new tunes. It's mostly British post-punk this week. If you don't like British post-punk, I'm sorry. Artists
featured this week include Idles, Goat Girl, Mutes, Bound by Endogamy, Aloysius
Bell and BEAR1BOSS.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">THE BEST:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Grace’ –
Idles<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gnd4jIBRfHE?si=2ipqBh9Rf4E69VQ6" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This is the
best song Coldplay have released in years. They totally sound like a more
melodic version of Idles. It’s almost like Idles deepfaked footage from a
Coldplay music video and put their music over it. Anyway, the new Coldplay album, <i><a href="https://shop.idlesband.com/">Tangk</a></i>, is out today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Ride
Around’ – Goat Girl<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kLVTnYXdXoY?si=6w4ZQr0DuCzUOMDR" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Goat Girl are
back with their first single since 2020’s <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2021/03/review-of-on-all-fours-by-goat-girl.html">On All Fours</a></i>. It’s got some
pretty wacky guitarwork in it <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– I love
the skronky opening riff and the fluttering arpeggios that the come in slightly
later. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rising and falling guitar harmonies
towards the end are also pretty fun (they vaguely remind me of that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZPzZ_NEwEQ">‘Hanging Tree’</a> song from The Hunger Games, which I’ve always thought was a banger). The
London post punk band are planning to drop a new album titled <i><a href="https://goatgirl.bandcamp.com/album/below-the-waste">Below The Waste</a></i> this year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Televangelist’
-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mutes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G3ApwwhImWY?si=mlovGrBs7eaDefyh" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This energetic
song from Birmingham post-punk band Mutes ends way too soon. Those slow rising
notes throughout are so hypnotic and eerie. I can’t make out any of the lyrics,
but the press release tells me it’s themed around Catholic guilt, which seem
pretty novel. It’s set to appear on the band’s upcoming fourth album.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Cog’ - Bound
by Endogamy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TMPNirSEh_A?si=3ngslw3fi4HhkqoV" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This Swiss
synth-punk band make nihilistic songs about the modern day digital dystopia we
live in accompanied by harsh rave synths and industrial percussion. ‘Cog’ might
be one of the tamest songs off their new album, but makes up for it with some really
cool progression, featuring cyclical lyrics over an everchanging backdrop of sinister
analog noises. If you want to take it up a gear, check out their track <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJVfV184wNk">‘Nothing’</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Wreckage’
– Aloysius Bell<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OD2tjPUNdP8?si=GiMAdDHQ4pGEXXlg" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">After cudgelling
my ears with the cold electronica of Bound by Endogamy, I was in desperate need
of some warmth. And this track of Canadian singer-songwriter Aloysius Bell’s
new EP, <i><a href="https://aloysiusbell.bandcamp.com/album/warm-thing">Warm Thing</a></i>, did just the trick. This soulful instrumental is
gorgeous and the vocals are subtle but oozing with emotion. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">THE WORST<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Conscious’
– BEAR1BOSS + SOFAYGO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xq600B7QjgQ?si=JUHgArDu1-4MSN4H" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Production this
good is wasted on these types of rappers. This dude’s so off-beat it’s like
he’s trying to rap over a completely different track.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-82613586085812572642024-02-15T09:15:00.000-08:002024-03-06T06:04:29.279-08:00Review of 'Vultures 1' by ¥$ (Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZIuWVeEJsdR9_NVZY86kiXjqwhiYlskeLd19NAOpucL8SjOzYk1uw1KG5wKhJoBbryulcvIzWU8QfV2Y7AXNB8i-YdrFkdqI8qwsb5nzBEMbga5yX4_cB1zzy1aHwSCoEriRp2xPnJqg0GA3DbZhCf0fMcp1W6X6G5F1_wOf7ufO13UzGcF7vGeM1SA/s300/Kanye_West_and_Ty_Dolla_Sign_(%C2%A5$)_%E2%80%93_Vultures.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZIuWVeEJsdR9_NVZY86kiXjqwhiYlskeLd19NAOpucL8SjOzYk1uw1KG5wKhJoBbryulcvIzWU8QfV2Y7AXNB8i-YdrFkdqI8qwsb5nzBEMbga5yX4_cB1zzy1aHwSCoEriRp2xPnJqg0GA3DbZhCf0fMcp1W6X6G5F1_wOf7ufO13UzGcF7vGeM1SA/s1600/Kanye_West_and_Ty_Dolla_Sign_(%C2%A5$)_%E2%80%93_Vultures.png" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Ye’s shaky
singing and trashy bars make this a rough listen.<span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">There aren’t
many musicians that could utter the words <a href="https://ew.com/music/kanye-west-declares-i-like-hitler-alex-jones-interview/">‘<i>I like Hitler</i>’</a> and not get
cancelled forever. It feels like at this stage Kanye could bomb an orphanage and
still have fans riding his dick into battle to defend him. For the rest of us
casual Kanye listeners, I feel like this was the last chance for him to redeem
himself. Naively, I held out some hope. After all, the rapper/singer/producer managed
to redeem himself in the past on 2018’s <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2018/06/review-of-ye-by-kanye-west.html">Ye</a></i> – after outrageously claiming
<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/01/entertainment/kanye-west-slavery-choice-trnd/index.html">slavery was a choice</a>, Kanye bravely admitted that he had mental health
issues, showing a humbler side and inspiring other rappers to also open up. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Sadly though,
this is no <i>Ye</i>. There is no redemption arc this time around. If anything,
Kanye has embraced his villain arc. This was clear on the lead single and title
track, <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2023/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2023.html">‘Vultures’</a>, in which he offered this apology to the Jewish community: ‘<i>how
I’m antisemitic? I just fucked a jewish bitch</i>’. I wish that was the only distasteful
bar on this album. But alas, <i>Vultures</i> is pure lyrical carrion – a feast
of rotten bars. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">In further
response to the antisemitism, Kanye throws out lines like ‘<i>I’m not racist,
it’s a preference</i>’ and ‘<i>crazy, bipolar, antisemite/ and I’m still the
king</i>’. He also throws out two unnecessary references to Columbine. He
proudly compares himself to R Kelly and Bill Cosby. And he delivers this uncomfortable line
about his younger wife: ‘<i>when I was fifteen, my soulmate wasn’t born yet</i>’. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">A lot of the
lyrics aren’t just outright distasteful <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- they’re also plain shit. ‘<i>In a Benzy with
Gen-Z getting gentle’</i> is one of the worst attempts at wordplay I’ve heard. And there
was no need to spend nearly half of ‘Back To Me’ repeating the line ‘<i>beautiful
big titty butt naked women don’t just fall out the sky, you know?</i>’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">It should be
noted that this album is a collaborative album with singer Ty Dolla Sign. I don’t
think Ty’s vocals have ever really stood out to me before on previous songs I’ve
heard from him, but here his contributions are a breath of fresh air. They’re
mostly devoid of trashy lyrics, plus he’s got a fantastic singing voice. His
singing does unfortunately highlight another issue with this record: Kanye’s
singing sounds so shaky in comparison. Has Ye always sounded this shaky or is
he just struggling on this album? I was going to say that it would have been better
if Kanye stuck to rapping on this record, but as these songs show, maybe not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">There are a
few guests on this album, and most of them are also controversial characters
(although there’s no Marylin Manson this time around). They largely refrain from
saying controversial things, up until the 13<sup>th</sup> track when we get
wifebeater Chris Brown telling us to beg for forgiveness. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Frustratingly,
the beats on this album slap. ‘Paid’ is a groovy dance number that’s impossible
not to move to. ‘Beg Forgiveness’ features a grippingly menacing chanted
backdrop at the end. And ‘Talking’ features some unique sampling at the beginning
followed by some cool pounding descending bass notes (in fact, it’s probably my
favourite track here, largely because it also features the least amount of
vocals from Kanye).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Ty’s singing
and the fun beats sadly aren’t enough to distract from the trainwreck that is Kanye.
I don’t think I’ll be returning to this album any time soon, and unless I get
definitive proof that Kanye has changed, I’ll be giving <i>Vultures 2</i> a miss. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">TRACK TASTER:</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tqlw87XV4kU?si=oiSIc9QpIdUnxxQF" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-73392957449306645622024-02-09T06:28:00.000-08:002024-02-09T06:28:56.624-08:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 09/02/2024: Justice, Nicki Minaj, Pissed Jeans and more…<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkebWBivJkiiIiz9hs5x1SrBxBCXHaQ9GpVu-xH3ckFoXCdcgBiN3UUYAoL-YoONf4mVJoC_cOHEX2QWbeOVV1-9xq4c19sz1HqgU0PaVewpJ6yhel2zZUDc7lzRRzV9a_tdYxYVM0uA_f768ajHIhFPrBbdKcV12TWLUYZrdLil4vP2p0lojp3roG_CA/s876/nicki%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="876" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkebWBivJkiiIiz9hs5x1SrBxBCXHaQ9GpVu-xH3ckFoXCdcgBiN3UUYAoL-YoONf4mVJoC_cOHEX2QWbeOVV1-9xq4c19sz1HqgU0PaVewpJ6yhel2zZUDc7lzRRzV9a_tdYxYVM0uA_f768ajHIhFPrBbdKcV12TWLUYZrdLil4vP2p0lojp3roG_CA/w400-h225/nicki%202024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">They forgot to invite me to the Grammys yet again. I’ve spent the last week moping about it. While I was moping, I listened to these tracks. Artists featured this week include Justice, Ghost Funk Orchestra, Pissed Jeans, Heems, Dolium and Nicki Minaj.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">THE BEST:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘One Night/All
Night’ – Justice ft. Tame Impala<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3V6rjyL_63U?si=GYMySoikwwPnxMDO" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Why did
no-one tell me Justice had new music out??? This track has been out of for two
weeks and I only discovered it because I heard it on the radio. THE FUCKING
RADIO. That’s how boomers discover their music. I may as well end the blog now,
because I am so out of touch. Anyhow - this track is a banger. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Again’ –
Ghost Funk Orchestra<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Uv4D1gAuRdY?si=zaV17lGaFuUnko95" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This song blindsided me by just how good it is. Ghost Funk Orchestra is the New York brainchild
of composer/multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum and their latest single ‘Again’
is ghostly, funky and orchestral in that order. It opens with ethereal reverb-soaked
singing over delicate arpeggiated guitar, teases you with some groovy bass and vibraphone,
and then ambushes you with some James Bond horns and intense powerhouse vocals.
At this point in time, it only has 3.8k views, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the
track blew up. An upcoming album <i><a href="https://ghostfunkorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/a-trip-to-the-moon">A Trip To The Moon</a></i> on the 23<sup>rd</sup>
February. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Sixty Two
Thousand Dollars In Debt’ – Pissed Jeans<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ta0RR6cOb44?si=stMPNwaYI-ZEKG3g" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Pissed Jeans,
eh? Sounds like something <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2017/04/26/nordstrom-selling-425-jeans-covered-fake-mud-mike-rowe-calls-them-out/100921914/">Nordstrom</a> would come out with. Unsurprisingly, they’re
a punk band. And their new single ‘Sixty Two Thousand Dollars In Debt’ is all about
being sixty two thousand dollars in debt. Their guitar tone is fittingly filthy
and there’s a nice fucked-up guitar solo in the middle. And the song’s lyrics
about escaping the spiral of debt are hilariously bleak, ending with the protagonist
jubilantly declaring ‘<i>I’ll pay it down every day! I’ll pay it down! So
someday I’ll be $61,000 dollars in debt! That’ll be the day I’ll never forget!</i>’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Sri Lanka’
– Heems ft. Your Old Droog<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BLwVzEEuPuQ?si=o5Mdo7K9HxKR5rzR" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Das Racist member
Heems and Brooklyn rapper Your Old Droog team up to deliver some seriously
playful rhymes like ‘<i>Shorty think she could do better than me? She on dust/
I turn that bird to an ex like Elon Musk</i>’ and ‘<i>I’m like Hugh Jackman/ I’m
huge jacked man</i>’ all in the first minute. Droog’s flow is ridiculous, while
Heems’ lexical density is unmatched. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Bald Doll’
– Dolium<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HNSQaKRxsWM?si=ihB2oO4XuuL1CmqV" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">To mark the 20<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of Sister 9 Recordings, lo-fi scuzz-rock band Dolium have released
two singles ‘Bald Doll’ and ‘Veronica Ann’. With it’s blown-out guitar and
spidery bassline, this track is my personal favourite of the two. But ‘Veronica
Ann’ is equally nuts and worth a gander. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">THE WORST:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">‘Big Foot’
– Nicki Minaj<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vKkoBUPav3s?si=z2RvamLh0-E8XOD5" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">This diss
track aimed at <a href="https://www.vox.com/2024/2/1/24058108/megan-thee-stallion-nicki-minaj-fight-big-foot-hiss">Megan Thee Stallion</a> may well be the most bizarre diss track I’ve
ever heard. Opening with ‘<i>Your flow is such a bore</i>’, she then proceeds to
deliver the entire track in the most clownishly wacky delivery possible. The
sound quality is awful and she spends half of it whispering. It sounds like she
recorded it on her phone with her kid asleep in the next room. Never has a diss
track tried to do too much and too little at the same time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-31882428212752474612024-02-01T05:26:00.000-08:002024-02-01T13:22:47.171-08:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE MONTH 01/02/2024: Hiatus Kaiyote, Idles, Ben Shapiro and more...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNU_hx9fOzhyrh-7rAo1DUUYk-eFbbToVeHR8HEDtpwd9pP8AqLVMUQw3Z4UCvN0uBYUxlIfSqt83ar6JvHaqQ6_rEh6skd-pvE2BKQhGYCVZk9koXBopPqUNl7Z91pW9xljpPcsimkMtwxO_I-QScuLUo-Zg0ei5do_cakMh7duddEd2TJ4gLT3QJGo/s474/ben%20shapiro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="474" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNU_hx9fOzhyrh-7rAo1DUUYk-eFbbToVeHR8HEDtpwd9pP8AqLVMUQw3Z4UCvN0uBYUxlIfSqt83ar6JvHaqQ6_rEh6skd-pvE2BKQhGYCVZk9koXBopPqUNl7Z91pW9xljpPcsimkMtwxO_I-QScuLUo-Zg0ei5do_cakMh7duddEd2TJ4gLT3QJGo/w400-h196/ben%20shapiro.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>2024 is already shaping up to be an interesting year for music. Lil Nas X has been angering the hardcore Christians with his portrayal of gay Jesus, while Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion seem to be engaged in a vicious beef - none of which I'm going to cover in this post. In fact, I've got far better (and worse) tracks to discuss. Artists featured in my January roundup include Hiatus Kaiyote, Idles, Lola Young, Les Ailes, Polevaulter, All The Bees, Craig Wedrens, Tom Macdonald/Ben Shapiro and Playboi Carti. <span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE BEST:</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Everything’s Beautiful’ – Hiatus Kaiyote<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fd1dZoIuNQY?si=VsoE-7HyNZ_OlNTz" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">January is always a pretty bleak month, so an uplifting
track about the beauty of existence is always welcome. And who better to bring
some Southern hemisphere sunshine than Aussie neo-soul outfit Hiatus Kaiyote. The
track sees frontwoman Nai Palm showing off her dynamic voice and playing some
jazzy guitar over a groovy bassline and shuffling drums (plus some other
instruments are peppered in there too). It’s feelgood lyrically and sonically,
and has me excited for whatever they’ll put out next. Their 2021 album <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2021/08/review-of-mood-valiant-by-hiatus-kaiyote.html">Mood Valiant</a></i> came after a 6 year ‘hiatus’, but it looks like we won’t have to
wait that long this time as they’ve already confirmed a new album will be
dropping some time soon. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Gift Horse’ – Idles<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_HQrM5L9T1g?si=ehKFql-1RUI6tnt_" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Idles continue to deliver their signature brand of minimal
scuzzy post-punk. This single is much more up my street than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3ZZj5y6Qt4">‘Dancer’</a>. Its
growling bass combined with lyrics like ‘<i>somebody call up the undertaker</i>’
give it a much more satisfyingly ominous vibe. The guitar riff in the second
half is particularly sinister. Here’s hoping for more songs like this on their
upcoming album <i><a href="https://idlesband.bandcamp.com/album/tangk">Tangk</a></i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Wish You Were Dead’ – Lola Young<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TtqETmD-kEU?si=uFpenqn9wYBxMKSO" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">‘Wish You Were Dead’ sounds like if Adele fronted the Arctic
Monkeys and wasn’t afraid to swear in her music (as opposed to her live performances
in which Adele still remains the queen of swearing). The chorus is very catchy
(although the c-bomb in it means I can’t play it in the car with my kids) and I’m
loving the chiming guitar harmonics in the verse. I’m almost tempted to say I
love it more than ‘Conceited’, which made my <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2023/12/my-top-20-favourite-tracks-of-2023.html">favourite tracks of 2023</a>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘comedown’ – Les Ailes<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ld9FNtF8_tQ?si=thuM0Tjhfp3BpkgS" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="https://lesailes.bandcamp.com/album/how-to-greet-a-praying-mantis">How to greet a praying mantis</a></i> is the bizarre title of
this Portland indie folk singer’s new EP. This track ‘comedown’ is my favourite
song off the record, featuring some beautifully intimate dejected vocals and
dreamy plodding instrumentation. It’s as comforting as listening to rain on a
window while curled up in bed. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Violently Ill’ – Polevaulter<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rbBI4I2chOw?si=MLzHO99UqPIZshzx" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">This track is bonkers. It consists of manic yelling over a
blown-out ascending bassline, which is layered with disorienting trippy
sampling. The result sounds like if Idles went electronic, or if The Prodigy were
forced to make music after being locked in a dungeon for a year. It’s ‘violently
ill’ in the most cathartic way possible. The self-labelled ‘dance punk’ duo have
a new debut album out titled <i><a href="https://polevaulter.bandcamp.com/album/hang-wave">Hang Wave</a></i>, which I will definitely be checking out. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘May Tide’ – All The Bees<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EYSUS8yh3Dw?si=5gybakJ1YygW16q7" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">This beautiful alt-folk lullaby from Kirsty McGee and Gitika
Partington (All the Bees) is quite the contrast from the track above. Those
long extended vocal notes combined with the soothing percussionless
instrumentation really capture the peacefulness of drifting on a calm sea. The feeling
of letting all of one’s worries float away. The boat footage certainly helps.
But even without it, it’s an impressively tranquil track. The track comes off their new self titled album <i><a href="https://allthebees.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-bees">All The Bees</a></i>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Pronouns’ – Craig Wedrens<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GygDLB12h-k?si=ldQbxLqYe-oVUWlB" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Former frontman of 90s post-hardcore band Shudder To
Think has been dropped this new genre-bending and gender-bending single, ‘Pronouns’.
It sees him delivering lyrics like ‘<i>bleed like a woman, go pee like a woman</i>’
over a multi-textured instrumental made up of wobbling synths, punchy rock
guitar and quirky percussion. Apparently, there’s no deep meaning to it, so no
need to read to deeply into the title – it’s just a man singing about doing things
like a woman.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE WORST:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Facts’ – Tom MacDonald ft. Ben Shapiro<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5kGpohEpuTE?si=6vI0-CeBlabIOBZO" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Political commentator Ben Shapiro is now a rapper – which is
pretty odd considering he claimed <a href="https://www.complex.com/music/a/fnr-tigg/political-commentator-ben-shapiro-saying-rap-isnt-music">‘<i>rap isn’t real music</i>’</a> a few years ago.
He’s teamed up with conservative edgelord rapper Tom MacDonald for his hip hop
debut, in which the duo spit lines like ‘<i>where the American flags at?</i>’ (which
is also pretty odd because Tom MacDonald is Canadian). I don’t really agree
with any of the ‘facts’ being presented here and musically it sounds like bad
Eminem. The ‘<i>dawg, it’s a yarmulke, homie, no cap’ </i>line is quite clever,
I’ll give them that. But otherwise I never want to hear Ben Shapiro (or Tom
MacDonald for that matter) rap again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>All the recent Playboi Carti singles...</b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ftaXMKV3ffE?si=95mKZAk7L68Bz57h" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YG3EhWlBaoI?si=2ckUi87s_4vvPZC7" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LWEpqhgUEpg?si=2tB2RAZwr9tfKZLW" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 225.65pt;">After releasing nothing
for almost two years, Carti has decided to ambush us with a barrage of new
singles each accompanied with a moody lo-fi video. I’ve listened to all the
singles and I personally think they all suck. I mean, I’ve never really understood
Carti’s music, but at least the beats on <i>Die Lit </i>were fun. Since then, the
beats have just been getting progressively worse, and Carti’s rapping has been
getting increasingly garbled. The fans seem to enjoying this new material, but
I’ve never felt more lost. <o:p></o:p></p></div>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-49906338259388571962024-01-23T06:07:00.000-08:002024-01-23T06:07:00.458-08:00Albums I Never Got Round To Reviewing In 2023: Andre 3000, Drake, Foo Fighters and more…<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuw_bLri8SpOGDsLPoAsQpZgwz3ienTT-6sVg3PqaFJP7TfCE0pzpWLXEcY2H5ONBAvc_LXC_L6tCBkpjW8vnRNLBEQXL4KLeu3w1rmv2L7IV6OzrdurE_ss8bp654oJLQ-0atSKwvi_gobLUW05lzhXP67tlVFKPa9owIarHxnRdua0-Yf_4z9Ywbm0/s587/albums%20i%20never%20got%20round%20to%20reviewing%20in%202023.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="587" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuw_bLri8SpOGDsLPoAsQpZgwz3ienTT-6sVg3PqaFJP7TfCE0pzpWLXEcY2H5ONBAvc_LXC_L6tCBkpjW8vnRNLBEQXL4KLeu3w1rmv2L7IV6OzrdurE_ss8bp654oJLQ-0atSKwvi_gobLUW05lzhXP67tlVFKPa9owIarHxnRdua0-Yf_4z9Ywbm0/s320/albums%20i%20never%20got%20round%20to%20reviewing%20in%202023.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>I catch up on albums from Andre 3000, Avenged Sevenfold, Caroline Polachek, Drake, Foo Fighters, PinkPantheress, Sampha, Squid, Sufjan Stevens, Thantifaxath, Tomb Mold and Wednesday.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>I didn't review a whole lot of albums in 2023. In fact, it's the least amount of albums I've reviewed in a year since this blog began. However, I did listen to a lot of albums in 2023, and I thought I ought to discuss my thoughts on a few of them here on the blog. So, as always, here are the albums I didn't review...</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>New Blue Sun </i>- Andre 3000<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5FyYqvA13Ge_UE02YqcIF2Rknr2kIi-UJT04EHNp4VhEwNKevAzLc_BnMqFqCcDtmyr7-I4goxPsIOjBJAQ4A8Nm2VfBGAsw4fH5AwJtCJJPPcX_7XcoDfSrIH2FCjLNRMhX3JED8VMkysnXLj-moqb0TLy6wQ_Bc8cafNRpx_mUy6nx3Sb73Zs-Gbs/s474/new%20blue%20sun%20andre%203000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5FyYqvA13Ge_UE02YqcIF2Rknr2kIi-UJT04EHNp4VhEwNKevAzLc_BnMqFqCcDtmyr7-I4goxPsIOjBJAQ4A8Nm2VfBGAsw4fH5AwJtCJJPPcX_7XcoDfSrIH2FCjLNRMhX3JED8VMkysnXLj-moqb0TLy6wQ_Bc8cafNRpx_mUy6nx3Sb73Zs-Gbs/w200-h200/new%20blue%20sun%20andre%203000.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If an unknown artist had dropped this 90 minute instrumental
flute album, I wouldn’t have listened to it. And you can bet your bottom dollar
Pitchfork wouldn’t have touched it, let alone given it <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/andre-3000-new-blue-sun/">Best New Music</a>. But this
is Andre 3000 and all us hip hop heads have been gagging for a new album from
him for what feels like forever. So of course we all gave this a listen,
despite having no previous interest in listening to 90 minutes of flute soloing,
secretly hoping he might sneak in a cheeky rap verse. Sadly, there are no
cheeky rap verses. Instead, we get a selection of very long ambient jazz/new
age tracks with very long titles. There are some cool textures on this album (I
particularly like the synths) and some playful flute effects. But each track is
pretty stagnant in terms of progression, so I found myself zoning out a lot. I’m
simply not patient enough for this type of music. I can see the appeal though. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Life Is But A Dream…</i> - Avenged Sevenfold<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG9kG3kzAgI868TcdEcgLurh0CteZE7SwkyR4_mclue15M_Ntzr_2716b7hsFCb5gJaYQMeTS2x6WVGlEt8CPFHzD5fKuaw8keRXG1B89IyglnfSgGevS5jCat0W9TVVpR2v1xjcjb3frigOPktVsedP8INTAntFsXf0DBkrhefFTR7FKT_mWZf-AHG0/s474/life%20is%20but%20a%20dream%20a7x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG9kG3kzAgI868TcdEcgLurh0CteZE7SwkyR4_mclue15M_Ntzr_2716b7hsFCb5gJaYQMeTS2x6WVGlEt8CPFHzD5fKuaw8keRXG1B89IyglnfSgGevS5jCat0W9TVVpR2v1xjcjb3frigOPktVsedP8INTAntFsXf0DBkrhefFTR7FKT_mWZf-AHG0/w200-h200/life%20is%20but%20a%20dream%20a7x.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Avenged Sevenfold were my gateway drug to metal as a
teenager. My blast-beat-and-death-growl-damaged brain now finds them too tame. However,
I was excited by the news that they were moving in a new experimental direction.
Metalheads were comparing them to Mr Bungle and I love Mr Bungle. So, I checked
this album out. And this shit is indeed thrillingly loco and erratic. There are
theatrical thrash jams, funk songs with vocoders, a Sinatra-esque swing ballad
and a classical piano instrumental as a closer. Not all of it works. ‘Beautiful
Morning’ sounds a little bit too much like Alice in Chains’ ‘Them Bones’. ‘(O)rdinary’
sounds a little too much like Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’. And ‘(D)eath’... well, this track just sounds like crap. But other moments like ‘Game Over’ and ‘We Love You’ are genuinely quite
fun. And the piano closer is absolutely beautiful. </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Desire, I Want To Turn Into You</i> - Caroline
Polachek<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoT_ooBufd25dhflf2h7TS8goLRueqzSFkASpDKAKCcIa6TzO2ewCD9DqoQBYcvuL-FA7FDRRBkWv-Elq6mOxDZ8FBD0Si9ytW1Drhy6eInDKu55HUY39QtqFmshDxSwfdH6cw9ok5F31LvXzNmKC1D2O_xlK20wSs9Xe3jBhmvMUHuJeQ8DSxxki5U1A/s220/Caroline_Polachek_-_Desire,_I_Want_to_Turn_Into_You.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoT_ooBufd25dhflf2h7TS8goLRueqzSFkASpDKAKCcIa6TzO2ewCD9DqoQBYcvuL-FA7FDRRBkWv-Elq6mOxDZ8FBD0Si9ytW1Drhy6eInDKu55HUY39QtqFmshDxSwfdH6cw9ok5F31LvXzNmKC1D2O_xlK20wSs9Xe3jBhmvMUHuJeQ8DSxxki5U1A/w200-h200/Caroline_Polachek_-_Desire,_I_Want_to_Turn_Into_You.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Caroline Polachek’s octave-traversing voice (which is like a
mix of Annie Lennox and Dido – the latter of whom appears as a guest on this
album) combined with her seductively cryptic lyrics make her such a captivating
vocalist. It helps that her production is so colourful too, throwing in
everything from Balearic guitars to bagpipes. Sporting catchy melodies and
simple song structures, this is undoubtedly pop music. But it’s also so much
richer and more dynamic than what’s dominating the charts. With its reggaeton-flavoured
beat and Drake-inspired delivery, ‘Bunny Is A Rider’ is the closest she gets to
attempting a commercial sound, and it’s probably my last favourite song here
because of that. The rest of the album feels much more adventurous, particularly
‘Billions’ which is such a unique song on all fronts (my <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2022/12/my-top-20-favourite-tracks-of-2022.html">track of the year from 2022</a>). <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>For All The Dogs</i> – Drake<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkF9RDwFPm4aGXFJN9h3jN-l9IvAsCTzXoywdixiVP2EH3ckGoCieGWy3A8B1kiOY6tv550bJ6pVeXCwL6S15n5QDpZo5SsymbGwwMH_v0nCowq8zzd-kr9nkP5RMvjkRtqwwMtBLaqT_I7PSkvUaPXImM5E6Q3GTT6jypFfetoN0-_4Zw9STrdKEHqs/s474/drake%20for%20all%20the%20dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkF9RDwFPm4aGXFJN9h3jN-l9IvAsCTzXoywdixiVP2EH3ckGoCieGWy3A8B1kiOY6tv550bJ6pVeXCwL6S15n5QDpZo5SsymbGwwMH_v0nCowq8zzd-kr9nkP5RMvjkRtqwwMtBLaqT_I7PSkvUaPXImM5E6Q3GTT6jypFfetoN0-_4Zw9STrdKEHqs/w200-h200/drake%20for%20all%20the%20dogs.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The longer Drake remains a bachelor, the more jaded his attitude
towards of women becomes. In fact, a good chunk of <i>For All The Dogs</i> is Drake
blethering on about how fed up of women he is. That’s about as close as the singer/rapper’s
8<sup>th</sup> studio album comes to a running theme across its outrageous 23
track runtime. As always, his new record feels like a messy jumble sale of various
commercial sounds infused into songs that could have been <a href="https://variety.com/2023/music/news/ai-generated-drake-the-weeknd-song-submitted-for-grammys-1235714805/">written by AI</a>. And
yet, once again, what’s so frustrating is that there are some fun and enjoyable
moments peppered throughout (largely when he’s not moaning about women). For
example, the part where he cycles through all the months of the year on ‘Slime
You Out’ is very cool. And he shows some playfulness in his ability to rhyme ‘Griffindor’,
‘kitchen drawer’ and ‘Singapore’ on ‘Drew A Picasso’. I even think the rap
verse from Adonis is cute. I just wish he’d consolidate all these fun moments
into a leaner record.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>But Here We Are</i> - Foo Fighters<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IYDdKAhqeIltTncunZ0xFH_tU9UOStAa1TCYVPd5wL44a7Tg-xeGMK0Yi5J6BrUfDGj0cd3skytZe5mXoIJEKxBjN5_6Mmn160stKPdYnJZJ6J3ZJbsDWLkrp61lRgNkEOeExH1HuRoDM_wWFZ6-CbQDfIM_r8gyQI5fnyJJ0eYqH5zdHRTgWrfUxTU/s220/Foo_Fighters_-_But_Here_We_Are.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IYDdKAhqeIltTncunZ0xFH_tU9UOStAa1TCYVPd5wL44a7Tg-xeGMK0Yi5J6BrUfDGj0cd3skytZe5mXoIJEKxBjN5_6Mmn160stKPdYnJZJ6J3ZJbsDWLkrp61lRgNkEOeExH1HuRoDM_wWFZ6-CbQDfIM_r8gyQI5fnyJJ0eYqH5zdHRTgWrfUxTU/w200-h200/Foo_Fighters_-_But_Here_We_Are.png" width="200" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tragedy sadly brings out some of the best material in
musicians. This is clearly the case with <i>But Here We Are</i>, which feels
like the Foos’ most accomplished album since 2011’s <i>Wasting Light</i> (if
not better). Fuelled by the death of his mother and <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-hawkins-foo-fighters-tribute-1347073/">his bandmate Taylor Hawkins</a>, Grohl has laid to rest the cliché-ridden lyrics of previous albums in
favour of a raw exploration of loss and moving forward that comes straight from
the heart. I never thought I’d almost cry while listening to a Foo Fighters
record, but here we are. Musically, most of the songs do stick to a familiar
alt rock sound. However, we do get a surprise dreampop song with some beautiful
and moving vocals from Grohl’s daughter, Violet. And 10 minute track, 'The
Teacher', has an almost proggy feel, while also delivering the biggest
emotional gut punch.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Heaven Knows</i> – PinkPantheress<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3-Enk6k9vtlDrNjY1hscXT1A8QT2RkGtfmWG92VnypA8bbBo2GMr4eO_8aw-SOSd2Utng3E3FMhzWe4VzO2aiKA6yju_raJRyV7cpvFdPOJtfPXB3fek1rbOdQa9j0MNK4Pc9wj6sBjHf08T6jt-dpFN_iaJ7wUcKnn6u1JJQZKHM_HojGz6ydAcpOg/s220/pinkpantheress%20heaven%20knows.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3-Enk6k9vtlDrNjY1hscXT1A8QT2RkGtfmWG92VnypA8bbBo2GMr4eO_8aw-SOSd2Utng3E3FMhzWe4VzO2aiKA6yju_raJRyV7cpvFdPOJtfPXB3fek1rbOdQa9j0MNK4Pc9wj6sBjHf08T6jt-dpFN_iaJ7wUcKnn6u1JJQZKHM_HojGz6ydAcpOg/w200-h200/pinkpantheress%20heaven%20knows.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It feels wrong to put PinkPantheress in the same category as
other TikTok stars, because while her songs do share the shortness, they have a
genuinely unique sound and don’t feel like a deliberate attempt to follow a
quick-hit formula. Her British-accented mousey voice may have similarities to
Hannah Diamond and Aluna George, but it also feel distinctive in its shy speedy
delivery. And no other big pop artists are jumping on chirpy garage beats like
this (or certainly throwing in MIDI guitar solos). Maybe her sound does lack a
bit of dynamics at points. However, the sticky hooks do all seem to stand out
from one another and have kept me coming back. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Lahai</i> – Sampha<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEie05guQKbn1zsTPzvlLEPJ6yLN0YiQGwpNJIa-Qj8RwsMvEh0UDPGz6Xz-pZGoZF_h8dUvmBztN-ioieAWnki99cC0gIbNCLJHRGIfg-Tte_pgCXPFdVwqeFqabrCAKFSE6PnEvBtIyOk9wDqgFHzhF4OkEKd2tz4Y-T4O4KJUEDRj535OcM8iAHbw/s225/lahai%20sampha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEie05guQKbn1zsTPzvlLEPJ6yLN0YiQGwpNJIa-Qj8RwsMvEh0UDPGz6Xz-pZGoZF_h8dUvmBztN-ioieAWnki99cC0gIbNCLJHRGIfg-Tte_pgCXPFdVwqeFqabrCAKFSE6PnEvBtIyOk9wDqgFHzhF4OkEKd2tz4Y-T4O4KJUEDRj535OcM8iAHbw/w200-h200/lahai%20sampha.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Every time I’ve heard Sampha as a guest vocalist, I’ve
adored his unique buttery whimper. However, I’ve never really checked out any
of his solo material beyond a few live performances. I assumed he wrote fairly
conventional piano ballads in the style of John Legend. Therefore, I was
pleasantly surprised by the selection of left-field tunes here on <i>Lahai</i>.
There are pianos all over this album, but they’re not your usual four chord
arrangements, instead arranged into frenetic arrangements with equally frenetic
percussion on top. Sampha’s soulful voice glides over the top, encapsulating
the album’s running theme of flying which is portrayed through references to
Jonathan Livingston Seagull and track titles like ‘Suspended’. It feels like an
album conceived while flying around the world, filled with small cosmopolitan
touches like the pronunciation of ‘Mexico’ as ‘Mehico’ or the brief bit of
French in ‘Can’t Go Back’, beckoning you to explore the world and make the most
of it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>O Monolith</i> – Squid</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6h-Sk1-avezTbCVgpj2wGjtZA9QDeaaVrtn9PsTNbpCTo8Rl7ycKrvsT2d9aMe8MQxsZ6GCcrZf3BTTOzN_rAYm1QtzwB5mGHozSMKR9cJv7D9nGPVAtvnYbTn9-e6Q5dIOOfIMrlClD2cg09R-Z7nMjurjTObycTdwzNBgA0z61ByJuYmKcMGq6jIA/s220/Squid_-_O_Monolith.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6h-Sk1-avezTbCVgpj2wGjtZA9QDeaaVrtn9PsTNbpCTo8Rl7ycKrvsT2d9aMe8MQxsZ6GCcrZf3BTTOzN_rAYm1QtzwB5mGHozSMKR9cJv7D9nGPVAtvnYbTn9-e6Q5dIOOfIMrlClD2cg09R-Z7nMjurjTObycTdwzNBgA0z61ByJuYmKcMGq6jIA/w200-h200/Squid_-_O_Monolith.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At this point, Squid have truly outgrown their post-punk
label and mutated into something else. They’re more like a Pink Floyd/Radiohead
hybrid at this point, while also sounding noisier and more unhinged than either
of those bands. Their songs are intricately composed, building and building towards
unpredictable climaxes. Vocalist/drummer Ollie Judge’s vocals meanwhile are
much more subdued and dynamic this time around (as much as I like his loopy yelping,
it prefer it in small doses as is the case here). I wish there was a song I
adored here as much as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__zmVSREvxY">‘Narrator’</a> on <i>Bright Green Field</i>. But all the songs do
have their exciting moments. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Javelin</i> - Sufjan Stevens<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqDS8sKTDIgk_xN-_qGQHKYRUDi29-y_8Bu8EYLfQIa3hNJjISfKNmSC4mpVgwXZ4fwEcnZ_ewYGXUC0b2cQlQHh_7OmUmPUXjeGsvEIPwJ2lzKbXExsJxwrtT385jgbn1WIUsUhWsD78BwGRZ0noeB8YefbojEkY4DsDMsIOYlz95xf7wFrH667-r48/s474/javelin%20sufjan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqDS8sKTDIgk_xN-_qGQHKYRUDi29-y_8Bu8EYLfQIa3hNJjISfKNmSC4mpVgwXZ4fwEcnZ_ewYGXUC0b2cQlQHh_7OmUmPUXjeGsvEIPwJ2lzKbXExsJxwrtT385jgbn1WIUsUhWsD78BwGRZ0noeB8YefbojEkY4DsDMsIOYlz95xf7wFrH667-r48/w200-h200/javelin%20sufjan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2020/11/review-of-ascension-by-sufjan-stevens.html">The Ascension</a></i> was the grandiose opus I wanted from Sufjan,
but I can see a lot of fans preferring this return to his folksy roots. Some of
the instrumentals are personally a little too stripped back and dainty for my
taste. But there are still many vibrant louder moments like the crescendo of
‘Goodbye Evergreen’. And of course Sufjan is still able to get up in listeners’
feels. ‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me’ might be the most heartbreaking song Sufjan
has written, and is one of several songs in which a sense of defeat is the
theme. But there’s also a sense that Sufjan is making peace with it
(particularly in the closing track), which wasn’t the case on <i>The Ascension</i>.
<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Hive Mind Narcosis</i> – Thantifaxath<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2gjQqWSTxsMMnt8coYCX5w9mqZmDQEhyphenhyphenQBLZj1Y6WTFIVR8FFVmeV1VEZ8_42Bt2lll48HWz8jU2IstIbPiE5a3ZIPuIJyRsp5PPX8sMFtuQgVgeZeRhaijZ35Tasl3ijBvuGxzRIMx7ceF26oQTny284dwf8CUnQOpqMs_4khQU86Oi7mXG30-BkFw/s700/hive%20mind%20narcosis%20thantifaxath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2gjQqWSTxsMMnt8coYCX5w9mqZmDQEhyphenhyphenQBLZj1Y6WTFIVR8FFVmeV1VEZ8_42Bt2lll48HWz8jU2IstIbPiE5a3ZIPuIJyRsp5PPX8sMFtuQgVgeZeRhaijZ35Tasl3ijBvuGxzRIMx7ceF26oQTny284dwf8CUnQOpqMs_4khQU86Oi7mXG30-BkFw/w200-h200/hive%20mind%20narcosis%20thantifaxath.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I find a lot of black metal to be too muddy or repetitive. Canadian
metal band Thantifaxath bring a cleanness and complexity to their sound, while still
sounding utterly evil. They’ve been fairly quiet since their <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2014/05/review-of-sacred-white-noise-by.html">2014 debut</a> and I
assumed that maybe they’d disbanded or sacrificed themselves to Satan. But no,
they’re still going, and they’ve revved up the dissonance and progginess on <i>Hive
Mind Narcosis</i>. From the stumbling percussion rhythms of ‘Solar Witch’ to
the woozy pitch-bending tremolo guitars of ‘Mind of the Sun’, the album seems
determined to be a more challenging listen. And yet the songs still flow very
well and offer enough melody (albeit a very sinister kind of melody) to make it
enjoyable. Unless you’re not a metal fan, in which case this’ll be intolerable.
<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>The Enduring Spirit</i> - Tomb Mold<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LulD_YHRv5vLVaJKaJblSfNM5xl435rfoNe0UNj-0EzWLsQ4aM_4lXBYsYtByiWM-BK4nOVgXBny64ggEpiTUo2oZP-PC2nJ2b9PR6iAwVqlZ5SUbJf0zXK9AKy4oaoubUEMSdcab73s7hlmVC25B3peEmRv5UEnaScxNeyGmS0jlMCoGCdKok26x0o/s474/tomb%20mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LulD_YHRv5vLVaJKaJblSfNM5xl435rfoNe0UNj-0EzWLsQ4aM_4lXBYsYtByiWM-BK4nOVgXBny64ggEpiTUo2oZP-PC2nJ2b9PR6iAwVqlZ5SUbJf0zXK9AKy4oaoubUEMSdcab73s7hlmVC25B3peEmRv5UEnaScxNeyGmS0jlMCoGCdKok26x0o/w200-h200/tomb%20mold.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tomb Mold are another crazy Canadian metal band. On their fourth
studio album, <i>The Enduring Spirit</i>, they weave an intricate tapestry of addictive
proggy riffs and chaotic everychanging drum patterns. A lot of it’s pretty dissonant
and restless. But the band also know when to throw in pockets of groove as on ‘Flesh
as Armour’ or melodic Death-flavoured harmonised guitars as on ‘Servants of
Possibility’. The vocals are the only area where the music lacks dynamics. ‘Will
of Whispers’ for example could have probably benefitted from some clean vocals
to match the clean guitars. But I guess out-of-place growls are better than out-of-tune
singing. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Rat Saw God</i> – Wednesday<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNDGGUzIgOq7qDei7vb6NJd8zHOgVZIZXhC3DiZ-qkIrcXc1qCGttmpmGRqmbgJRW9jjH1KoHTSzygd2AnqAz4Bi-0zipNn1ndoxKM-2kmATf3DkRWuMS5XoJ7lAfwsuDd8zL-mWouK9vT65wBuig_zOR2vElJmxdMB9GAe3cf1gXp9-qSPnXmKDhEQ8/s600/wednesday%20rat%20saw%20god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNDGGUzIgOq7qDei7vb6NJd8zHOgVZIZXhC3DiZ-qkIrcXc1qCGttmpmGRqmbgJRW9jjH1KoHTSzygd2AnqAz4Bi-0zipNn1ndoxKM-2kmATf3DkRWuMS5XoJ7lAfwsuDd8zL-mWouK9vT65wBuig_zOR2vElJmxdMB9GAe3cf1gXp9-qSPnXmKDhEQ8/w200-h200/wednesday%20rat%20saw%20god.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There’s a lot more country on this album than I was
expecting. But when Wednesday rock out they do so in spectacular fashion. Not
only do the Asheville band know how to write a satisfying grungy riff, but
they’re able to develop songs in unique and volatile ways – gradually speeding,
slowing down or dissipating into noisy chaos as on ‘Bull Believer’. Karly
Hatzman’s distinctive wail sets her apart from other rock vocalists, and I love
her dingy descriptions of suburban life. And for the record, this band has nothing
to do with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wednesday_Addams">the Addams Family character</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-16829493284064988622024-01-15T07:57:00.000-08:002024-01-18T02:20:04.587-08:00My Top 20 Favourite Albums of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbS25uy5vdObywR8xYXBYkOnV1gUQyHQp2ZcK7Lk9balSfJfHPWQR1Kk5JFw8VqhkZsLVBUPpjuV5idWBFxRP1Ln9Vv4aDnSF_JyklG5o3jMEHkdU19BhRAkLT87gxj7R-CUk2otllY3c7tj1yJpdVOqHKpbe0UIxeDWRC73WJQ99mxC0f0D-tfCIDiRA/s587/best%20albums%202023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="587" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbS25uy5vdObywR8xYXBYkOnV1gUQyHQp2ZcK7Lk9balSfJfHPWQR1Kk5JFw8VqhkZsLVBUPpjuV5idWBFxRP1Ln9Vv4aDnSF_JyklG5o3jMEHkdU19BhRAkLT87gxj7R-CUk2otllY3c7tj1yJpdVOqHKpbe0UIxeDWRC73WJQ99mxC0f0D-tfCIDiRA/s320/best%20albums%202023.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>It’s time for my favourite albums of 2023. Which records
made the cut?<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This year saw me gravitating away from rap and listening to
more rock. In fact, there’s only two hip hop albums on this list. Wait, no, the
Lil Yachty record was rock too! One hip hop album.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There’s some pop and soul sprinkled in there too. But it’s
mostly distorted guitars and angst. Rock is clearly not dead. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you like lists, please check out my <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2023/12/my-top-20-favourite-tracks-of-2023.html">top tracks of the year</a>. You can also check out my <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2023/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2023.html">worst songs of 2023 list here</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;">20 - 10</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>20. strongboi</i> – strongboi</b><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsjWHRRdLYpxzmnnHA2-dwrSwL9gd_dClqdlwawmeIPOR81VB08RzX8cLltLaj31GieO2xh8krwI964UxNxolT3lcmcHwAAdQp1qpwZ16wPQT5U6BcC8bwPSHVoQVbz3YI4EfI6NmbNexMKjdUNZGgk34exHJm_o8i59E9WwIVQJAinwmXsE9b-UArT8/s640/strongboi%20album%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsjWHRRdLYpxzmnnHA2-dwrSwL9gd_dClqdlwawmeIPOR81VB08RzX8cLltLaj31GieO2xh8krwI964UxNxolT3lcmcHwAAdQp1qpwZ16wPQT5U6BcC8bwPSHVoQVbz3YI4EfI6NmbNexMKjdUNZGgk34exHJm_o8i59E9WwIVQJAinwmXsE9b-UArT8/w200-h200/strongboi%20album%20cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">In this strong debut from strongboi, South African
singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou teams up with producer Ziv Yamin to deliver
7 smooth tracks of silky vocals and jazzy Casio keyboards. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqp9SigTwqc">‘fool around’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vj0hgMCFTY">‘flame’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>19. <i>PEACH</i> – PEACH</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyVJIAMVwaQ8ZIKQHe81HkF0YCJ374VmA8hWOD66ZnUahiMDVZ9-zeJO3dfwNkCvX-zTqrwU-uCXZOotZMreauLidi1Ug21VsQoCgHBuJXrXAr5wK2ykl9gfpT6pmAwCWj-YxhftoIhLwV4y-wCNUIsZHtX5qfjreFHya6r91X6Vjm1-B0WGtfium8yY/s700/peach2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyVJIAMVwaQ8ZIKQHe81HkF0YCJ374VmA8hWOD66ZnUahiMDVZ9-zeJO3dfwNkCvX-zTqrwU-uCXZOotZMreauLidi1Ug21VsQoCgHBuJXrXAr5wK2ykl9gfpT6pmAwCWj-YxhftoIhLwV4y-wCNUIsZHtX5qfjreFHya6r91X6Vjm1-B0WGtfium8yY/w200-h200/peach2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This Bristol post-punk band’s debut album is a satisfyingly
raw slab of hissing cymbals, rumbling baritone guitars and chaotic vocals.
Check out my interview with them here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPCzMaNSYp0">‘Already There’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psaqKwCOV0M">‘Settle Down’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>18. <i>Alchemy</i> – Disclosure</b><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MPJ5r8s7osx1jqOuulIWRUO8zW-DqnYAgQN5YGl1CfI8u1pcAOT9dl206ZV20fhtZ4QqDe_KOJuicnZu1870epu2_8DvUxGEDwf1ndzaLSiqxGAiAVfnVJD0iuNUnFVCb31TN5ZFtmU97nXsW76aFbrqammTKIv_iBQY5TjDcLldv9jGqR__Bg7fQ5I/s474/disclosure%20album.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MPJ5r8s7osx1jqOuulIWRUO8zW-DqnYAgQN5YGl1CfI8u1pcAOT9dl206ZV20fhtZ4QqDe_KOJuicnZu1870epu2_8DvUxGEDwf1ndzaLSiqxGAiAVfnVJD0iuNUnFVCb31TN5ZFtmU97nXsW76aFbrqammTKIv_iBQY5TjDcLldv9jGqR__Bg7fQ5I/w200-h200/disclosure%20album.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Disclosure’s new album sees the EDM duo trading big pop
singer guests for surprisingly decent DIY vocals and some of their most playful
beats in over a decade.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QJRerRoRgQ">‘We Were In Love’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQD2ux5iqac">‘Talk On The Phone’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>17. <i>Javelin</i> – Sufjan Stevens</b><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PFxxK0lS1qbyrhYhYk5VF-FmeGDDQtXZOcAs9eEQ_Q-9np0vlNgF_S4Jl8V1u1KCKqE8eFFaSMDdBzAsy9g7qPbeL659hABxcifNtLR_kerVXBFZgLBLjBkImlnU1rmxAWr6ff_2-bHh93laefhcjMUWm4f4MR5NtdD6_CT4x9Hd_NinA5l_GOZQMds/s474/javelin%20sufjan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PFxxK0lS1qbyrhYhYk5VF-FmeGDDQtXZOcAs9eEQ_Q-9np0vlNgF_S4Jl8V1u1KCKqE8eFFaSMDdBzAsy9g7qPbeL659hABxcifNtLR_kerVXBFZgLBLjBkImlnU1rmxAWr6ff_2-bHh93laefhcjMUWm4f4MR5NtdD6_CT4x9Hd_NinA5l_GOZQMds/w200-h200/javelin%20sufjan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sufjan strips things back to his intimate indie folk roots
while simultaneously drawing on influences from the rest of his discography. And
for the first time in a while, he sounds (relatively) optimistic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q6EHqYM2Zw">‘Goodbye Evergreen’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLeCIRC4taY">‘Will Anybody Ever Love Me?’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>16. <i>The Enduring Spirit</i> – Tomb Mold</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTNvCTX6r4F42PCgn7zQ_sPTjknOQr4foHkuXPM2_CTM4Pw4RE4xCeJXGEZSavzOknpLXxdBfgtp-NlHcaQb42h2ZL-VipKBZG6pG_lmEM8EyiayT9bu7dPKl60moFf5i2DrtjVFdGmDZNy3G9ny3BgSvK_z-9xG0crVHn7H9csanPjOaj35kIQFPK9Y/s474/tomb%20mold.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTNvCTX6r4F42PCgn7zQ_sPTjknOQr4foHkuXPM2_CTM4Pw4RE4xCeJXGEZSavzOknpLXxdBfgtp-NlHcaQb42h2ZL-VipKBZG6pG_lmEM8EyiayT9bu7dPKl60moFf5i2DrtjVFdGmDZNy3G9ny3BgSvK_z-9xG0crVHn7H9csanPjOaj35kIQFPK9Y/w200-h200/tomb%20mold.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Canadian death metal band Tomb Mold construct a dizzying
labyrinth of surprisingly catchy riffs and acrobatic drumming that is a joy to
get lost in (providing you’re into extreme metal). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQxtiarVok4">‘The Perfect Memory (Phantasm of Aura)’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAeaKVEPsN8">‘Servants of Possibility’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>15. <i>But Here We Are</i> – Foo Fighters</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1XqoRwyOm6A5jXOl5oUaOVQHcbBhZRfITvL1-VcaCDW7jhusWVSee2WdKyYgQAP7oSu0JOIKO4nuAf9DQZl9_zdLncUUl8oLI7cvK4IkNlNEOxFpr2qxI_ZUOCI4V2DU2teO-QIGYMQ1dO9csMtbH6e2b-GVcF50V8RXOjMlalGn5kqNvqBXTPMFq98/s220/Foo_Fighters_-_But_Here_We_Are.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1XqoRwyOm6A5jXOl5oUaOVQHcbBhZRfITvL1-VcaCDW7jhusWVSee2WdKyYgQAP7oSu0JOIKO4nuAf9DQZl9_zdLncUUl8oLI7cvK4IkNlNEOxFpr2qxI_ZUOCI4V2DU2teO-QIGYMQ1dO9csMtbH6e2b-GVcF50V8RXOjMlalGn5kqNvqBXTPMFq98/w200-h200/Foo_Fighters_-_But_Here_We_Are.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fuelled by his mother’s death and the death of bandmate Taylor
Hawkins, Grohl delivers some of the alt rock band’s most heartfelt songs to
date. And the songwriting is at times some of their most ambitious too.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idib1kDvPyM">‘Show Me How’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MF6trC529M">‘The Teacher’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>14. <i>Gigi’s Recovery</i> – The Murder Capital</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8zHGZDzCKu8Nb0xY5XllUDCjoriO-V1Rjbg9WRmD84dB02A4kc02yBumv0THfyFNrbecGgq61HpoecQqzKEEolLQWRSRHPcaPGBA8X1HhGDxs446cknDg2OjOTptYYFcc_gSyBhvXpSDFoO3QcbCEcRLOBUkRhdTBCz95c2djFXpXk3RvfWMXlyf_ZE/s474/murder%20capital%20gigis%20recovery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8zHGZDzCKu8Nb0xY5XllUDCjoriO-V1Rjbg9WRmD84dB02A4kc02yBumv0THfyFNrbecGgq61HpoecQqzKEEolLQWRSRHPcaPGBA8X1HhGDxs446cknDg2OjOTptYYFcc_gSyBhvXpSDFoO3QcbCEcRLOBUkRhdTBCz95c2djFXpXk3RvfWMXlyf_ZE/w200-h200/murder%20capital%20gigis%20recovery.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dublin post-punk band The Murder Capital combine playful
guitar effects and emotive crooning to create some uniquely morose rock songs. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKjK4WlFxwQ">‘The Stars Will Leave Their Stage’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um7cseEPzPc">‘Only Good Things’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>13. <i>Let’s Start Here</i> – Lil Yachty </b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzxb6rKObkAtPYhA0ZSY9AwWRdJ5jSQzqLu5NPtLhkmFmvi3AlwDtgZQyPQPhKVE4QxfrCTLutU5M0M8h1mVrKnj_X1RdQ2VOL-CYaYjQKtNe1MgGb76XBrFPSplm79Io1N2ecHLXTNJ50kqgd6qQkSSbSJiNbbEO7qGDLxp23iPG_42SS2Y8WPI-fYo/s1024/letsstarthere.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzxb6rKObkAtPYhA0ZSY9AwWRdJ5jSQzqLu5NPtLhkmFmvi3AlwDtgZQyPQPhKVE4QxfrCTLutU5M0M8h1mVrKnj_X1RdQ2VOL-CYaYjQKtNe1MgGb76XBrFPSplm79Io1N2ecHLXTNJ50kqgd6qQkSSbSJiNbbEO7qGDLxp23iPG_42SS2Y8WPI-fYo/w200-h200/letsstarthere.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A psychedelic rock album from Lil Yachty was not on the
cards going into 2023. Even more shocking is the fact that it’s actually quite
good – Yachty’s weird vocal effects work well with the psychedelic backdrops.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8l2kS4U8EE">‘the BLACK seminole’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw77sKsHvT0">‘THE zone’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>12. <i>Rat Saw God</i> – Wednesday</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_TjAz1Y2dJ5z1n3eugx_t3QZLAsAHC3yGqjn017VgQ1X61SL9Kve0fndjVf6LFq6SoSqdo3jRr78EzNf8UO35K44eONw_ikb9gi-cEH9Kcc0EpCn0FGGu8iyDFmBsOS36NSqGxbr_rqd9sUJf2MLpXrFHJBnXrLJ73u1ygdR19nJWqQSfoar9W09Ufo/s600/wednesday%20rat%20saw%20god.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_TjAz1Y2dJ5z1n3eugx_t3QZLAsAHC3yGqjn017VgQ1X61SL9Kve0fndjVf6LFq6SoSqdo3jRr78EzNf8UO35K44eONw_ikb9gi-cEH9Kcc0EpCn0FGGu8iyDFmBsOS36NSqGxbr_rqd9sUJf2MLpXrFHJBnXrLJ73u1ygdR19nJWqQSfoar9W09Ufo/w200-h200/wednesday%20rat%20saw%20god.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Asheville alt rock band Wednesday paint a gritty picture of
suburbia delivered in a volatile wailing vocal tone over a unique mix of
country and grunge. And no, they have nothing to do with the Netflix show. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MawIv5pDFE">‘Bull Believer’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G1QmweBiVQ">‘Bath County’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>11. <i>O Monolith</i> – Squid</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2vClHiAvTWvUWSrjJ0gBQboZux0NP-3MKQ16ncCTTU77inZm9037qyfXmvzcg30JyubIZNcyUG6Gq9vttStC1dwlgT3l0pScthXH84rcv4YtxpxGJUcF4QGahFckkxlAfqQuJ63tZFzzKcGT6afMph6agFZMS84j4ImTJVFTL29NVjz_kGDH2TacBqI/s220/Squid_-_O_Monolith.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2vClHiAvTWvUWSrjJ0gBQboZux0NP-3MKQ16ncCTTU77inZm9037qyfXmvzcg30JyubIZNcyUG6Gq9vttStC1dwlgT3l0pScthXH84rcv4YtxpxGJUcF4QGahFckkxlAfqQuJ63tZFzzKcGT6afMph6agFZMS84j4ImTJVFTL29NVjz_kGDH2TacBqI/w200-h200/Squid_-_O_Monolith.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Brighton rock band Squid take their distinctive wacky post-punk
sound in a more complex and proggy direction, continuing to build songs up to
thrillingly noisy climaxes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n3d1Rm752o">‘The Blades’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOiBbiTY4Nc">‘Green Light’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>1 - 10</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>10. <i>Desire, I Want To Turn Into You </i>– Caroline
Polachek</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvL_rDnfGswPlpM2gfCJ2GiSG97jay84XrVlw6c3atLhs_zR-RG8BXxZyR2CIKCHTCS4zZRhYY-yma8GHLSxfzVlh8zsmz5EufnrJB70OVa5Z6V56ZBjlC63wPgkTjXwh22Ianv2cUT27M26ePQlF01-sU-cKFL6PYC0b47P1u9jNyUgRSwyDNwDsh-A/s220/Caroline_Polachek_-_Desire,_I_Want_to_Turn_Into_You.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvL_rDnfGswPlpM2gfCJ2GiSG97jay84XrVlw6c3atLhs_zR-RG8BXxZyR2CIKCHTCS4zZRhYY-yma8GHLSxfzVlh8zsmz5EufnrJB70OVa5Z6V56ZBjlC63wPgkTjXwh22Ianv2cUT27M26ePQlF01-sU-cKFL6PYC0b47P1u9jNyUgRSwyDNwDsh-A/w200-h200/Caroline_Polachek_-_Desire,_I_Want_to_Turn_Into_You.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Caroline Polachek’s new colourful pop album just makes into
my top 10 with its mix of hypnotic vocals, cryptic lyrics and eccentric
production that throws in everything from bagpipes to Balearic guitars. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxgcz_6GKX0">‘Welcome To My Island’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L4N0e5ikSk">‘Butterfly Net’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zEQJrggKgk">‘Billions’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>9. <i>Heaven Knows</i> – PinkPantheress</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64eLL2jx6bkTIUQ6Cy-hHTOqdrRA9eq_8tv1X-9A_Sya0ZX3P3kSNhqQ6a0u0C4-8l38qTepxa1LJvgQXRXHuHeI9-9mhuHB2IksXb5Aa-l_yOLn6cR0jqnvHCdC_zbUskWdiseuC0mjJgYQf8q4p-p2_qfUCm9QmlI_d2yiZHuKPs4CVkZFuV17I4D8/s220/pinkpantheress%20heaven%20knows.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64eLL2jx6bkTIUQ6Cy-hHTOqdrRA9eq_8tv1X-9A_Sya0ZX3P3kSNhqQ6a0u0C4-8l38qTepxa1LJvgQXRXHuHeI9-9mhuHB2IksXb5Aa-l_yOLn6cR0jqnvHCdC_zbUskWdiseuC0mjJgYQf8q4p-p2_qfUCm9QmlI_d2yiZHuKPs4CVkZFuV17I4D8/w200-h200/pinkpantheress%20heaven%20knows.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">PinkPantheress proves that she has the most distinctive
sound in pop right now, continuing to deliver cute mousey British-accented
vocals and bubbly garage beats – but with more fleshed-out songs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmyTi8JebD4">‘Another Life’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ztwSTu5B8A">‘Mosquito’</a>, ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd6tyv8GowY">Capable of Love’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>8. <i>Hive Mind Narcosis</i> – Thantifaxath</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdStJbgDSojSQ4g_v5uGI3qQzJglKiLEPtKq9CSHu0J2mzheCYbhGqc5cdOMqnfySPNZtbdHNWAJeSFFOMGVcS472rR1WNJwlwmTa8bYsK7aRDKNAk73O_PCOKQiLdPuo57t0ZRphMgclt13GfdSvuoWTb7unV9-DAFloY4v-7S1a1jkXdPN3n1gjfoE/s700/hive%20mind%20narcosis%20thantifaxath.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdStJbgDSojSQ4g_v5uGI3qQzJglKiLEPtKq9CSHu0J2mzheCYbhGqc5cdOMqnfySPNZtbdHNWAJeSFFOMGVcS472rR1WNJwlwmTa8bYsK7aRDKNAk73O_PCOKQiLdPuo57t0ZRphMgclt13GfdSvuoWTb7unV9-DAFloY4v-7S1a1jkXdPN3n1gjfoE/w200-h200/hive%20mind%20narcosis%20thantifaxath.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Canadian black metal band Thantifaxath return after a decade
with another selection of seriously sinister songs, keeping the production crisp
while ramping up the disorienting progginess and dissonant melodies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNwRRmXnqrk">‘Solar Witch’</a>, ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB9i5dwHwGk">The Lost Kingdom Of Wolves’</a>,
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8LiZkOVN54">‘Sub Lilith Tunnels’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>7. <i>10,000 Gecs</i> – 100 Gecs</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnWS3dvnq7OydJzRo5k0VOLUIqZc7np3mtS4qiBLlFKdo0zXK-KfPFF69XUzpuzUbXdzDtgDeijegeJqT0Hl-sDVf-6TX0N-DYIIO-Fy7Ekqop0l2ucO9x3RivIcM3QbrWhChXBOk6qcA5D2mYCURh3dcf1EGIPtLt9S7nZgySnu5P3j_ILRkLko3eeU/s474/10000GECS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnWS3dvnq7OydJzRo5k0VOLUIqZc7np3mtS4qiBLlFKdo0zXK-KfPFF69XUzpuzUbXdzDtgDeijegeJqT0Hl-sDVf-6TX0N-DYIIO-Fy7Ekqop0l2ucO9x3RivIcM3QbrWhChXBOk6qcA5D2mYCURh3dcf1EGIPtLt9S7nZgySnu5P3j_ILRkLko3eeU/w200-h200/10000GECS.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Armed with 9,000 more gecs that last time, experimental duo 100
Gecs swap hyperpop for hyperrock. It’s very catchy and very bonkers. You’ll
either love it or loathe it. </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXrbMDww9ss">‘Dumbest Girl Alive’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWMiy4RysI">‘Doritos &
Fritos’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0dg53Ibl8U">‘One Million Dollars’</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>6. Scaring The Hoes – </i>JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsd9n2rfuRWq7lerizC2ZZ-tCdTyShH1ZmY1MdPUquWLSrC72NeMxzwLY45whpBvbF0RUabbIGE_Beyo8-UGuTZSacBGkJsBWASw_KQvxtOAAeiIEkkenBLQN-Wp3FVxTVXDtFYh6qUVJJZcDmT037DSTBsZygdARb2Dt3e5PDmVpnDrpNBX7fVX32fw/s640/scaringthehoes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsd9n2rfuRWq7lerizC2ZZ-tCdTyShH1ZmY1MdPUquWLSrC72NeMxzwLY45whpBvbF0RUabbIGE_Beyo8-UGuTZSacBGkJsBWASw_KQvxtOAAeiIEkkenBLQN-Wp3FVxTVXDtFYh6qUVJJZcDmT037DSTBsZygdARb2Dt3e5PDmVpnDrpNBX7fVX32fw/w200-h200/scaringthehoes.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Left-field rappers JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown come together
to celebrate their weirdness, delivering their signature confrontational/comical
bars over unhinged noisy beats. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbquzLiC5sc">Steppa Pig’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnHA9LyF6IA">‘Garbage Pale Kids’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75SP4CKdEEg">‘Kingdom Hearts Key’</a><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>5. Playing Robots Into Heaven – </i>James Blake</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpplhTgtYNJYqYbdwilNuNNkEAQ-Qaqb1DyxZQZyAXHsi6chyphenhyphenwYEm5nGasfZeW6R8BCgdT92CztOm2C5mCFQXBh6HGINWtdAjiW3d8X8OppHDMxKNpypPNzbAyBew0fL3dNPqLRK_yJzii9_BppOQvgd6Et-p8UQFd9fwfChdo3PMFfZmYQeICOGrQHs0/s474/playingrobotsintoheaven.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpplhTgtYNJYqYbdwilNuNNkEAQ-Qaqb1DyxZQZyAXHsi6chyphenhyphenwYEm5nGasfZeW6R8BCgdT92CztOm2C5mCFQXBh6HGINWtdAjiW3d8X8OppHDMxKNpypPNzbAyBew0fL3dNPqLRK_yJzii9_BppOQvgd6Et-p8UQFd9fwfChdo3PMFfZmYQeICOGrQHs0/w200-h200/playingrobotsintoheaven.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a decade of ethereal ballads, James Blake returns to
his experimental EDM roots with a selection of quirky and hypnotic tracks that
show off the full scope of his talents. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGirq8ggWlE">‘Asking To Break’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=615pYYcd2AE">‘I Want You To Know’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0TNukH_RvU">‘Night Sky’</a><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>4. Post-American – </i>MSPAINT</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_sHx4eKj0wcmt6zBMr2IQsPKAg3rXcNlqk_iN8Ikf3eSufnMJ1OPI9HaltNe-AXfOSp9z4CvHR98AshyVzU4IRdAH-5GVLyfCLEgZFgeTMGZPVhjcoA38lLxcBrs5M9is9Zuh4u63xMbUyteBTgkMhHif6ypV2vWnQRUc_48q39FaeORrbfPPkVp1tE/s474/mspaint.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_sHx4eKj0wcmt6zBMr2IQsPKAg3rXcNlqk_iN8Ikf3eSufnMJ1OPI9HaltNe-AXfOSp9z4CvHR98AshyVzU4IRdAH-5GVLyfCLEgZFgeTMGZPVhjcoA38lLxcBrs5M9is9Zuh4u63xMbUyteBTgkMhHif6ypV2vWnQRUc_48q39FaeORrbfPPkVp1tE/w200-h200/mspaint.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mississippi band MSPAINT concoct an excitingly unique sound
on their debut album – a hip-hop infused hardcore sound that uses harsh video-game-flavoured
synths instead of guitars. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzIHJcGsmUw">‘Acid’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWmhUknF2po">‘Hardwired’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWPqPzBHR5w">‘Delete It’</a><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>3. Lahai – </i>Sampha</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1WFJGaOYmu_thPIrDd_15uaXpwBLAp0VfVIDRTgLSge_e9AZMDgigUztE9a0LmL-NMg1iTdpGfMA7zH5dLO5Da_lLDpSepIkj8bef6TOd8FB9XCEHhF4MjKIBZ4XwNJHn3oPGXBC0DODK82gZkzfKRF3pJjtCnTvNU_DndsQaD8QsB2iBZtkZ6BBtKg/s225/lahai%20sampha.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1WFJGaOYmu_thPIrDd_15uaXpwBLAp0VfVIDRTgLSge_e9AZMDgigUztE9a0LmL-NMg1iTdpGfMA7zH5dLO5Da_lLDpSepIkj8bef6TOd8FB9XCEHhF4MjKIBZ4XwNJHn3oPGXBC0DODK82gZkzfKRF3pJjtCnTvNU_DndsQaD8QsB2iBZtkZ6BBtKg/w320-h320/lahai%20sampha.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">Sampha made us wait 6 years for a new album, but it’s
definitely worth the wait. The South London soul singer’s distinctive emotional
vocal inflection and dreamy exotic imagery are enough to rival Frank Ocean, and
the sparse-but-intricately-placed piano-heavy instrumentation is so interesting.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr4CnXFxxDo">‘Stereo Colour Clouds (Shaman’s Dream)'</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhE5io7Nyk4">‘Dancing Circles’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlvAyvmEE8">‘Suspended’</a><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>2. Food For Worms – </i>Shame</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnZDNB8KAVZvJQNQk6BHTe4Bf56j0BqNa-owP7NBxEJFGIRBE9_lBZXT3xYjDhfDfY1IoNF9Igc_i6utStgofpmrdqjbgNsksDxFTL5sCPr6SeXhAzXAy-iG1ZtfvD8kI7zGuCaTVCnmmkSDc13TFl96P-NqHQnSW0kWWm8_0Uzmk86bXWiL8547DdKU/s600/shame%20food%20for%20worms.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnZDNB8KAVZvJQNQk6BHTe4Bf56j0BqNa-owP7NBxEJFGIRBE9_lBZXT3xYjDhfDfY1IoNF9Igc_i6utStgofpmrdqjbgNsksDxFTL5sCPr6SeXhAzXAy-iG1ZtfvD8kI7zGuCaTVCnmmkSDc13TFl96P-NqHQnSW0kWWm8_0Uzmk86bXWiL8547DdKU/w320-h320/shame%20food%20for%20worms.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of all the kooky UK post-punk bands around right now, Shame
still continue to be my favourite. The vocals are catchier and more dynamic on
this album, while the production is rawer. And although the songs are overall
slower, they still continue to be dense tapestries peppered with twist and
turns.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WquSaLZt91c">‘Six-pack’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZz4JnHjiC8">‘Adderall’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBttpyp7bas">‘The Fall of Paul’</a><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>1. Knower Forever – </i>Knower</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9ripmStwEHmgFFiYZbdhEIdTpq5NH5lJt3A1DQ5j2BCSfeJazKGxY9wKgOBqu2iFiVHSBNcbu2OiAUSLu1Qc52ZRN-08seGc4nghDG23Cd5Y10hTTLwmJKyDF0b-GHMnU-4W3CjzqTcztgkBkP6XwtCxQldvcLNvb0EoczEIAVEIs6BH619JUfSNLlQ/s474/knower.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9ripmStwEHmgFFiYZbdhEIdTpq5NH5lJt3A1DQ5j2BCSfeJazKGxY9wKgOBqu2iFiVHSBNcbu2OiAUSLu1Qc52ZRN-08seGc4nghDG23Cd5Y10hTTLwmJKyDF0b-GHMnU-4W3CjzqTcztgkBkP6XwtCxQldvcLNvb0EoczEIAVEIs6BH619JUfSNLlQ/w320-h320/knower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">This criminally underrated album (perhaps due to it being a paid
Bandcamp exclusive) sees US duo Knower delivering a selection of kooky
jazz-funk songs, which all appear to be recorded live (if the videos are
anything to go by). The album ticks all the boxes for me – it’s got incredible musicianship,
infectious hooks/riffs, goofy humour and so many playful ideas. Plus, you can
just tell they had a blast making it.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Favourite tracks: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuhe1CpHRxY">‘I’m The President’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls17vqcH-Xw">‘Real Nice Moment’</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ois3gfcwKSA">‘Do Hot Girls Like Chords’</a><o:p></o:p></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-65874601302462549942023-12-21T01:07:00.000-08:002023-12-21T01:07:42.874-08:00My Top 20 Favourite Tracks of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMfwI9vgvQAKzoqKpoD-0eU9RGa6-eBXrhnRcbiJVryomNueFCoESN34uesnxp4pI8yInesmc3hhcYL73o2-TqPAp7ketCtsOHtKohoohbl1Iej_eMn0YZ2m-z6J6V74Us8fMnWgmdRjOaR5pdQrgKiPJrSvEzWHBOQ8DM-UYCAldESbLrw4pPjfvsdM/s1280/knower%20i'm%20the%20president.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMfwI9vgvQAKzoqKpoD-0eU9RGa6-eBXrhnRcbiJVryomNueFCoESN34uesnxp4pI8yInesmc3hhcYL73o2-TqPAp7ketCtsOHtKohoohbl1Iej_eMn0YZ2m-z6J6V74Us8fMnWgmdRjOaR5pdQrgKiPJrSvEzWHBOQ8DM-UYCAldESbLrw4pPjfvsdM/w400-h225/knower%20i'm%20the%20president.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>2023 seemed like a pretty mediocre year for music on the surface. But looking back, it actually had its fair share of bops.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>This year brought us <a href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/how-barbenheimer-ruled-the-box-office/">Barbenheimer</a>, <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tech/x-twitter-logo-rebrand-why-elon-musk-b1096363.html">X</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-and-its-ai-chatbot-cousins-ruled-2023-4-essential-reads-that-puncture-the-hype-220035">the rise of <strike>Skynet</strike> ChatGPT</a>. The music industry felt pretty overshadowed for the most part. But despite its lack of big moments, there were still many great tracks being released. Below are some of my personal favourites.</p><p>Don't forget to also check out my <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2023/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2023.html">worst tracks of the year</a>. As always, I'll be doing a list of favourite albums too, but don't expect that to be published any time before January. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">20. ‘Conceited’ – Lola Young<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cvo80gbCYwE?si=wcYVp5peDww5yYvE" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I can’t get enough of these vocals. As one YouTube
commenter noted, they’re like a mix of Adele, Amy Winehouse and Alex Turner from
the Arctic Monkeys. The beat is also pretty eccentric and I love the noisy rock
passage towards the end. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">19. ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’ – English Teacher<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YNkbgumvYyA?si=1s13TyLWmYtypocB" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">As much as I like the spoken word approach of post-punk
acts like Dry Cleaning, it’s great to hear a UK post-punk song with a euphoric soaring
chorus like this. The moody start-stop guitar riff in this track is also
addictive. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">18. ‘High Relief’ – Void Comp<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-nPv2MurI64?si=Kajd6p1xFxUouRhF" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This indie/electronic track from Canadian artist Void
Comp (who I interviewed <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2023/09/introducing-void-comp.html">earlier this year</a>) won me over with its frosty layered synths
and faraway sighed-out vocals. The way the synths swoop from speaker to speaker
is hypnotic. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt; tab-stops: 194.25pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">17. ‘Top Dog’ – Magdalena Bay<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ekxNdBZizNQ?si=R4AmBiAIG50gz-ws" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Top Dog’ is the type of cute and catchy pop song that
ought to be getting radio play. I guess the contrast of masculine tough-talking
lyrics and girly vocals is too odd for some listeners, but it’s this contrast
that I think makes this song so unique. The early-00s-internet-inspired video is awesome
too. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">16. ‘Younger & Dumber’ – Indigo De Souza<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DJq6BgrEivY?si=hYzqPqXgTsLCw_A0" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I’m usually not a fan of these types of sad country-flavoured
ballads. But the pain in De Souza’s vocals feels so raw that this track blew me
away. It’s a fantastic encapsulation of heartbreak and the lost feeling of no
longer being able to return to your life before. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">15. ‘Everybody’s Safe Until’ – Paris Texas<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/13tZ3ut-kL4?si=Cev4goefz1I2Ykn6" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2023 was the year that artists finally cracked the rap-rock
formula. The dark groaned hook, playful rap verses and moody driving guitars
all gel magnificently. Paris Texas (who are in fact from LA) are definitely a
duo to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">14. ‘Faster’ – Icona Pop<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lRdNcUVR968?si=9rYXFn8ptfChToQA" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">How many people have been caught speeding while playing
this track? From start to finish, this house banger from Swedish duo Icona Pop
doesn’t lose momentum, sounding like a fusion of Azealia Banks, Disclosure and early
Martin Garrix. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">13. ‘Don’t Be A Fascist’ – Tantrum Zentrum<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8PSnBP97USA?si=Ni40hbGiMu8oLITs" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Vaat Dafuq’s vocals may be some of the most entertainingly
unhinged that I’ve ever heard in a post-punk song (and I’ve featured A LOT of
unhinged post-punk bands on this blog). The title meanwhile offers some good
advice: don’t be a fascist. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">12. ‘No More Lies’ – Thundercat & Tame Impala<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QoguePcf9P4?si=dWeNvp8qFDrbjjvw" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘No More Lies’ is such a well-balanced blend of
Thundercat and Tame Impala’s respective sounds (<a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2017/12/my-top-20-favourite-tracks-of-2017.html">two</a> <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2019/12/my-top-20-favourite-tracks-of-2019.html">artists</a> who have both
previously had a SOTY on this blog). Their falsettos pair so well and the psychedelic
chords are gorgeous. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">11. ‘Time’ – Elizabeth Shepherd<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AZDPVM6VAY0?si=VnNgZ04XFeuKS9jX" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Inspired by lockdown, ‘Time’ is indeed a song about time
– specifically time passing by too fast. The way in which the bustling jazz instrumentation
builds up is so thrilling, and the eerie looping of the line <i>‘years may go
by</i>’ is a cool creative touch. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">10. ‘Dumbest Girl Alive’ – 100 Gecs<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oXrbMDww9ss?si=PaNsbM1AQBL7f2jw" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Featuring the THX deep note, Papa-Roach-esque guitar
riffs and lines like ‘<i>put emojis on my grave</i>’, ‘Dumbest Girl Alive’ will
either be one of the most stupid or stupendous songs you hear this year (and in
case you hadn’t figured, I’m in the latter camp).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">9. ‘Colorhead’ – Baba&Co<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1GYtSnq1WlA?si=nMz2b-tdUZuESMz3" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This five minute instrumental from Dehli-based musician
Abhiruk Patowary is a blast. It weaves in jazzy pianos and sax, Persian ouds
and kemences and even some prog metal distorted guitars towards the end.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">8. ‘Bad idea right’ – Olivia Rodrigo<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dj9qJsJTsjQ?si=0-dR9iMuE7AztW63" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I was reluctant at first to support another Disney
channel industry plant. But Rodrigo has proved she’s a cut above the rest with this
post-punk bop – the riffs are infectious and the vocals feel so energetic and
playful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">7. ‘Flexorcist’ – The Voidz<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-jt4XggHzA8?si=Wq2W1Fh-TNLXRRXU" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Julian Casablanca’s side project, The Voidz, wowed me
this year with this wonderfully weird synthpop epic featuring autotuned vocals and
a brief moment of guitar shredding towards the end. It’s like a strange hybrid
of The Human League, T-Pain and Van Halen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">6. ‘Kingdom Hearts Key’ – JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown
ft. Redveil<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/75SP4CKdEEg?si=qgQeEiHCCAb0BNFu" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Rappers JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown and Redveil each have
such distinctive voices and would make a great supertrio. It also helps that
the beat here is insane – the sampling is heavenly, and the purposefully
delayed way in which the drums kick in makes each verse hit hard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">5. ‘The Stars Will Leave Their Stage’ – The Murder Capital<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uKjK4WlFxwQ?si=w1LYNVrmnAarn4bL" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I love it when a riff is so warped with effects that you
can’t even tell if it’s a guitar or a synth (turns out it’s actually a guitar).
The Dublin post-punk band’s frontman, James McGovern, also has such a
commanding clear voice that really shines on this track. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">4. ‘Funkfest’ – grouptherapy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uTzzE_G4hu4?si=qW9mYJZWmyJSUTuh" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Funkfest’ is an amalgamation of a few different genres
(funk ironically not being one of them). In fact, it’s another prime example of
rap-rock finally being done right in 2023. The poppy chorus from Jadagrace spices
up the track nicely too, and the beat switch-up at the end adds another
exciting layer. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">3. ‘Hardwired’ – MSPAINT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dWmhUknF2po?si=8BIDS8VDARpYXLlp" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">MSPAINT make video-game-flavoured hardcore with guitars
swapped out for synths. They’ve got a knack for catchy songs, but ‘Hardwired’
may be the ultimate display of catchiness, sporting a hook that will literally
become ‘<i>hardwired to your brain</i>’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2. ‘Six Pack’ – Shame<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WquSaLZt91c?si=RMBBJ5EAPX6_4ySV" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">With its fast-paced psychedelic groovy riff and swaggering
post-punk vocals, ‘Six Pack’ is such an intense and exhilarating track <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– and proof that rock is far from dead in
2023. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The animated video featuring Napoleon working out rocks too. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">1. ‘I’m The President’ – Knower<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tuhe1CpHRxY?si=tzdmi4ryFpbRmIvJ" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s hard to know where to start with this song as there’s
so much fantastic stuff going on here. In fact, I think it’s better to just
listen/watch and take it in for yourself. The way the song is arranged, the
amount of talent poured into it and the amount of fun everyone is having makes
this such a riveting experience. Plus, this track gets extra points for the
hilarious editing in the video. For me, this is peak music. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-46120706543724980812023-12-18T05:08:00.000-08:002023-12-21T01:07:55.456-08:00The 10 Worst Songs of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6GqOtxj4UYxCd6_wAwPXxyg-Yb-if9NZX6CisFFpZQ7taGZumzNUGT6WkoAtPEd2DHfHU_pCyEAMYbJArn0yKob4VL_u5Xk97y4yfGk7X2XPmTnvRu7B1aM16lGHE0XuPcM-0oFTokOc-Fi91SzsMtFIj4I3QonX4zRe3d0lZ-0Q28ePzxUJK5iPiSU/s1024/cher%20christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1024" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6GqOtxj4UYxCd6_wAwPXxyg-Yb-if9NZX6CisFFpZQ7taGZumzNUGT6WkoAtPEd2DHfHU_pCyEAMYbJArn0yKob4VL_u5Xk97y4yfGk7X2XPmTnvRu7B1aM16lGHE0XuPcM-0oFTokOc-Fi91SzsMtFIj4I3QonX4zRe3d0lZ-0Q28ePzxUJK5iPiSU/s320/cher%20christmas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s time for my annual shitlist. Hold your nose as we
expose the biggest musical doodoos of 2023.<span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">After taking home first prize two years in a row, Kid
Rock has decided to sit this year’s list out. Resident guest Drake will also
not be making an appearance this year. So who actually made it onto my list? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Well, there’s still quite a few big names you may have
heard of. Not so many smaller names this time. I thought it was more
considerate to bully the A-listers. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">If you like these types of hateful listicles, don’t
forget to check out some of my <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2022/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2022.html">worst</a> <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2021/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2021.html">songs</a> <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2020/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2020.html">lists</a> <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2019/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2019.html">from</a> <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2018/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2018.html">previous</a> <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2017/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-2017.html">years</a>. As
always, I’m also planning to do a roundup of my favourite songs at some point,
so stay tuned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">10. ‘Vultures’ – Ye & Ty Dolla $ign ft. Bump J & Lil
Durk<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wKJZxT2TB3E?si=N3_1R7lLyrgzlSZ5" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">First, let’s welcome back Ye. The rapper has been fairly
quiet since his <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/09/kanye-west-ye-instagram-twitter-accounts-locked-antisemitic-posts">2022 jew-hating Twitter tirade</a>. But, a month ago, he returned
with this new song, which sees him delivering Columbine puns over a template trap
beat. He also offers this apology to the Jewish community: ‘<i>How I’m
antisemitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch</i>’. Thank you, Kanye. Very cool.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">9. ‘With or Without You’ – U2 (re-recorded)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B6dvvpKZYh8?si=u98PWJX6EDyqINlh" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">U2 released a <a href="https://www.u2.com/news/title/songs-of-surrender-out-now/">new album</a> this year, which they kindly
didn’t <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1071481/remember-when-apple-forced-a-u2-album-on-us-all">force upon all iTunes users</a>. Instead of containing new material however,
they decided to just re-release their classics, but as shittier versions
(basically, they pulled a Disney). The original <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujNeHIo7oTE">‘With or Without You’</a> is a
banger, but this version lacks all the suspense and Bono’s voice is flat. It’s
okay though, because I hear all the proceeds will be going to the upkeep of
<a href="https://www.therichest.com/rich-powerful/inside-cyan-the-multi-million-dollar-superyacht-of-bono/">Bono’s superyacht</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">8. ‘Praising You’ – Rita Ora<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Sz7fhThrS4?si=HA0xkK9pHF7GVZVz" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Last year, David Guetta and Bebe Rexha decided to ruin
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA52uNzx7Y4">Eiffel 65’s ‘Blue’</a> with their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90RLzVUuXe4">own unnecessary rendition</a>. This year, Rita Ora
decided it was her turn to ruin a 90s classic, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAi4VBoBSM">Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’</a>, with
her own pointless interpolation. The good news is I don’t think there are any
more 90s classics left to ruin at this point. The bad news is that this means
they’ll move onto ruining 00s songs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">7. ‘Pump Rock X Heavy Metal’ – Lil Pump<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jTaDk-HJLu4?si=zxd7qyjWbBOUDjyC" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘<i>Pump rock shit/slit my wrists/fuck that bitch</i>’. Lil
Pump is still no poet. And I’m not sure if he’s trying to sound angry or if
he’s just got a really bad case of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/xanax-side-effects">Xanny-induced constipation</a>. Nonetheless, a
Lil Pump metal song could come out a lot worse. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">6. ‘DJ Play A Christmas Song’ – Cher<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nPEJooq7kos?si=EsS62P8Vr3zook0H" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Besides sounding like a Temu version of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZXRV4MezEw">‘Believe’</a>, what
kinda sociopath releases a Christmas song in October? At least let me finish
carving my pumpkin, Cher! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">5. ‘Red Eye’ – Jockstrap & Taylor Skye ft. Ian Starr<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNMIFU1zogY?si=SVTcByBogXoRDE0D" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s weird that these new songs are being credited as
‘Jockstrap & Taylor Skye’, because Taylor Skye is a member of Jockstrap. That’s
like referring to Queen as ‘Queen and Freddie Mercury’, or Simon &
Garfunkel as ‘Simon & Garfunkel and Art Garfunkel’. Anyway, good grief, this
song is a monstrosity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">4. ‘Mother’ – Meghan Trainor<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9coyY-SPIXU?si=15JktvDevqU89LhH" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I thought Meghan Trainor had retired. But no, The Meg is
back, and she’s sounding more condescending and doo-woppy than ever before. Why
does this woman think she’s my mother? And what has she done to Mr Sandman? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">3. ‘Sh sh sh (hit that)’ – DVBBS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kKOAEg2T83U?si=Z6uPfaYiO62kDmGn" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Does anyone remember that rapper called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MWtwRZ3P8">Lanze</a> who did
that weird out-of-breath ad lib that made him sound like he was having an
asthma attack? Well, these guys remind me of them, except somehow more
annoying. It sounds like they’re trying to whistle, but don’t quite know how. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2. ‘Mind Your Business’ – Will.I.Am & Britney Spears<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QsFR0rxzFBo?si=nueUxKp1zs3UCXEn" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I can hear the Britney army yelling ‘leave Britney
alone!’. It’s okay, I blame Will.I.am for this. He’s got some anti-Midas touch
going on where everything he touches turns to shit instead of gold. This time
he’s got Britney doing some weird autotuned rapping, which ends up sounding
like a bad Gwen Stefani impression. And I don’t even know where to start with a
lyric like: ‘<i>too much looky-looky, I’m so sick of all these looky-loos</i>’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">1. ‘Toxic Gossip Train’ – Coleen Ballinger<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ceKMnyMYIMo?si=-u-FOLfakoHcJ0Or" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Having a sing-song with a ukelele is probably not the
best way to respond to <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/colleen-ballinger-grooming-miranda-sings-apology-song-b2367702.html">allegations of grooming</a>. In fact, having a sing-song
with a ukelele in general is rarely ever a good idea. But that’s exactly what
YouTuber Coleen Ballinger decided to do this year. The track is over 10 minutes
and she can’t seem to decide whether it’s a serious diatribe or a light-hearted
song. I still haven’t been able to make it through the whole thing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-77557604921627858102023-12-14T07:51:00.000-08:002023-12-21T01:08:10.732-08:00The 10 Worst Christmas Song Lyrics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6qnftN4ZvCOm0xzAQhHvz3gJ50VW1stHYj6lYXr9qgGYGd3SI6voW21FbzIUoe0NeFHSR6t_9EWm7pOCI0y54Sn6vuPeB4Tdca3YsZ_0UaOSiBdIzea1bsgjsSpSxRr9IAUyF22wbfVlm74HO3GuRhxhgZBX4UkEU4AvQ8QI2xrE1uP3cAkxLJ37JA0/s736/worst%20xmas%20lyrics.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6qnftN4ZvCOm0xzAQhHvz3gJ50VW1stHYj6lYXr9qgGYGd3SI6voW21FbzIUoe0NeFHSR6t_9EWm7pOCI0y54Sn6vuPeB4Tdca3YsZ_0UaOSiBdIzea1bsgjsSpSxRr9IAUyF22wbfVlm74HO3GuRhxhgZBX4UkEU4AvQ8QI2xrE1uP3cAkxLJ37JA0/s320/worst%20xmas%20lyrics.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Does anyone actually know what a 'jingle horse' is?<span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">We hear the same Christmas songs every year. But how
many of us actually listen closely to the lyrics? Not many of us. Because if we
did, we’d realise just how stupendously dumb and baffling some of the lyrics
are in these songs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Admittedly, not all Christmas songs have terrible
lyrics. Some are actually quite fun and heartwarming. But others don’t make
sense or are plain inappropriate. I’ve decided to round up a few of the latter
examples.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">10. ‘<i>When the snowman brings the snow</i>’ <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song: </span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJPc7esgvsA">‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’ by Wizzard</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Let’s start by settling this famous festive fallacy.<b> </b>The
snowman doesn’t bring the snow. He is built out of snow. If anything, it is the
snow that brings the snowman. And no, this is not some debatable chicken and
egg situation. Does the sandcastle bring the sand? No. Does the gargoyle bring
the stone? No. So why would the snowman bring the snow? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">9. ‘<i>The choir of children sing their song/ they
practiced all year long/ (choir) ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong...</i>’</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Ye-3C1FC8">‘Wonderful Christmastime’ – Paul McCartney</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Why is the choir singing ‘<i>ding dong, ding dong, ding dong</i>’? And why
did it take them <i>all year</i> to practice it??<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">8. ‘<i>Everyone dancing merrily in the new old-fashioned
way’</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFsZy9t-qDc">‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ – Brenda Lee</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">No, not the old fashioned way. The <i>new</i> old-fashioned
way. Which, being the dance style of 1958, is likely to be quite old fashioned
now. The old-fashioned new old-fashioned way. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">7. ‘<i>Giddy up Jingle horse, pick up your feet</i>’ <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=279VzBwpx1Q">‘Jingle Bell Rock’ – Bobby Helms</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The tone of this line is so unnecessarily condescending.
And what is a ‘jingle horse’ anyway? At first, I thought it was a derogatory
term for a reindeer. But I think a jingle horse may be a completely different
species altogether. A rare cursed Christmas cryptid with bells for eyes and broken
bauble shards for teeth. Maybe there’s a whole jingle farm with jingle pigs and
jingle cows too?<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">6. ‘<i>Santa buddy, hurry down the chimney tonight</i>’ <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnOLam2AwXY">‘Santa Baby’ – Michael Bublé</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">In this awkward cover of ‘Santa Baby’, Michael Bublé
tries to reduce any suggestion that he may have homoerotic feelings for Santa by
changing ‘baby’ to ‘buddy’. But in doing so, it feels like he’s trying too hard
to prove he’s straight. Which can only mean one thing: Michael Bublé is, in
fact, fucking Santa. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">5. ‘<i>The only water that flows is the bitter sting of
tears</i>’<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">
</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3fSknbR7Y4">‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ – Band Aid</a><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Alright, steady on.<b> </b>Combined with Bono accusingly
yelling ‘<i>well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you!</i>’,<b> </b>this
song always struck me as a bit too heavy handed.<b> </b>I’m glad that Christmas
charity singles are a bit jollier nowadays. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">4. ‘<i>Oh what a laugh it would have been/if daddy had
only seen/mommy kissing Santa Claus last night</i>’ <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">
</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O89sPooBhyE">‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ – The Jackson 5</a><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Unless dad’s a cuck, I’m pretty sure it won’t be a laugh.
<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">3. ‘<i>Bonga, bonga, bonga/ do the Christmas conga’</i> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhCTGkc-UCQ">‘Christmas Conga’ by Cyndi Lauper</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Don’t remember this song? It’s alright, nobody does. And
for good reason. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2.<i> ‘Funky, dope jam top on your Christmas/list, do
you dig this?’ <o:p></o:p></i></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song:</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH5tSrNi6Dk">‘Funky
Funky Xmas’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- New Kids On The Block</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I can see why this<b> </b>track has been largely forgotten
too.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">1. ‘<i>You scumbag, you maggot/you cheap lousy f*ggot</i>’<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Song: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8">‘Fairytale of New York’ – The Pogues</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Because nothing says Christmas like a <i>ho-ho-ho</i>mophobic
slur! I was going to refrain from putting this song in the top spot. After all,
Shane MacGowan has only just had his funeral (R.I.P.) and they have since
changed the lyrics in recent radio versions to ‘<i>cheap and you’re haggard</i>’.
But it’s still insane to me that this was once an acceptable line in a hit Christmas
song. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-78870215923787435842023-12-11T05:35:00.000-08:002023-12-11T05:37:48.637-08:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 11/12/2023: Kaytranada, English Teacher, Dutch Uncles and more...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn59YRuxr7gTgfV535GJzxaecyRdiSqiWjgJSKoylOuSWiDKBM7ZCGPxDg6nP0LNmz_KA9LyQHQOIhV6fPaYqsA6Lqs6UquPGaCERqTV-LeCqy8M-ka8V05wUJqtBxB4ZxWoI5DW8wFjmVcSxT6JSqyh3BuP1mkg-dqjBTkcTgZlmQyeIq_aG0FZCvu9w/s474/kaytranada.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="474" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn59YRuxr7gTgfV535GJzxaecyRdiSqiWjgJSKoylOuSWiDKBM7ZCGPxDg6nP0LNmz_KA9LyQHQOIhV6fPaYqsA6Lqs6UquPGaCERqTV-LeCqy8M-ka8V05wUJqtBxB4ZxWoI5DW8wFjmVcSxT6JSqyh3BuP1mkg-dqjBTkcTgZlmQyeIq_aG0FZCvu9w/s320/kaytranada.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>It's time to round up the best and worst tracks from the last fortnight (and a bit). This is probably going to be my last fornightly track roundup of the year, and then it's end-of-year list time. Keep sending me your music - but just be wary that I may not get around to featuring it until January! Artists featured this week include Kaytranada, English Teacher, Dutch Uncles, Mutes, Action Forever and Anna Indiana. <span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE BEST:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Lover/Friend’ – Kaytranada ft. Rochelle Jordan<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KEtfFJNc040?si=Ap9pLsBWQFlOo5zO" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">‘Lover/friend’ is a steamy track about wanting to become
more than friends. Canadian-based singer Rochelle Jordan’s breathy inflections
(especially the way she sings ‘lover’) are pretty addictive. Producer and
fellow Canadian, Kaytranada, meanwhile lays down a smooth beat featuring some
signature glossy synths. It totally sounds like something that could have
appeared on <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2016/05/review-of-999-by-kaytranada.html">99.9%</a> </i>(my favourite Kaytranada album). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Mastermind Specialism’ - English Teacher<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u0K4PLxOxNg?si=nusU4KiLdN08usm_" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">‘Mastermind Specialism’ is a song about not being able to
choose a specialism, which I assume is why the track suddenly ventures wildly
off-topic in the middle with its random references to Nosferatu and Doctor Who. Despite its wacky lyrics, it turns out to be quite a soothing track - and quite unlike anything else in the UK's busy post-punk scene.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘At The Wheel’ – Dutch Uncles<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3nzztbo1WQo?si=tOxWMXiABxdLtjiL" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">The band name seemed familiar and it seems like I did indeed
<a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2017/01/best-and-worst-new-tracks-of-week_20.html">feature this band back in 2017</a>. They’re still making pretty wacky indie pop. It’s
got a funky new wave sound to it, but with a eerie droning synth in the
background to give it a slightly unsettling edge. And I love how fragile the
falsettos feel. Dutch Uncles will be releasing a new tape soon, which is
something to look forward to if you’re a hipster that still listens to tapes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Mere Slaughter’ – Mutes<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sTe0fmylWbU?si=EZwSxG_Nv1dVU5WN" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">There’s nothing muted about this track. ‘Mere Slaughter’ is the
abrasive work of post-punk/noise rock band Mutes. It features intense vocals that
build up into psychotic screeching, mean guitars that briefly transform into
ray guns half-way though, and some tumultuous drums that seem to malfunction at
the end via a series of jarring drum fills. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Loveless Love’ – Action Forever<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mhvtXVAl9ic?si=VSfslEqYanXCeEph" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">This ‘love’ song about virtual sexual relationships is the
work of Ontario indie/funk band Action Forever. It’s got an intoxicatingly groovy
bass riff and some smooth vocals that really give off a sense of pained longing.
I’m also loving the dark descending synths at the end, which capture the songs’
theme of falling into a dark loveless void.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE WORST:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Betrayed By This Town’ – Anna Indiana<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3T175LTQFnw?si=k6YywhZP1QRDOc-W" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Anna Indiana is the first AI-generated pop star. This is her
debut single and apparently ‘<i>everything from the key, tempo change, chord
progression, melody notes, rhythm, lyrics, to (her) image and singing</i>’ was
created with AI. The internet’s reaction <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/world-reacts-to-fully-ai-generated-singer-songwriter-anna-indiana-3549724">hasn’t been very positive</a>. In fact,
the song has received so much criticism that Anna seems to have removed the original
video from her channel. Personally, I can see why people hate it – as impressive
as the technology is, this song itself is a clunky mess. I’m kinda happy that people
are rejecting it, because it means we’re not ready to replace human pop stars
with AI. At the same time, with a few tweaks, I could see a song like this easily
winning over a few people. The subject matter, which seems to be about betrayal
and wanting to ‘tear it all down’, also has concerning Skynet vibes. After all the Pentagon has recently been pushing for the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/pentagon-pushes-ai-research-toward-lethal-autonomous-weapons/">manufacture of AI lethal weapons</a>. Is Anna Indiana already rallying the troops? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-56550404338307090792023-12-05T05:37:00.000-08:002023-12-05T05:37:28.158-08:00INTRODUCING: PEACH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCS8Lg9jzVgwrfNeRoci8V5LYwDK4yzn89Ld-wrMjMP34OfIS31UbSRxH3oC-9WmfYH7JCwRv-57G0MPYXaypzhC7Ah64KWIKuCJ5Hrdc9j9seX8ECPOfG6qylCLFiNatkG6O4rMrsAbrwkusw5fDivRPfgi_ILA8SGItOQH24fDqS2EZ0dUB0vVnGlhA/s1200/peach.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="1200" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCS8Lg9jzVgwrfNeRoci8V5LYwDK4yzn89Ld-wrMjMP34OfIS31UbSRxH3oC-9WmfYH7JCwRv-57G0MPYXaypzhC7Ah64KWIKuCJ5Hrdc9j9seX8ECPOfG6qylCLFiNatkG6O4rMrsAbrwkusw5fDivRPfgi_ILA8SGItOQH24fDqS2EZ0dUB0vVnGlhA/s320/peach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Meet PEACH<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They’re a four-piece post-punk band from Bristol. As their
Bandcamp bio explains, their sound takes ‘<i>influence from desert rock, punk
and grunge. It’s noisy, it’s angry, it’s honest</i>’. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Their new self-titled album was recorded with minimal
overdubs at Middle Farm Studios in Dorset, and as a result it sounds raw AF. Raw as the ear that Mike Tyson bit off. Raw
as <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/11/the-hills-heidi-montag-casually-tucks-into-raw-meat-during-la-walk-16257740/">Heidi Montag's diet</a>. Raw as a <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/mr-beast-is-trying-to-sue-his-own-raw-revolting-and-inedible-burgers-out-of-existence/">MrBeast Burger</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most of the songs are loud and intense numbers made up of
hissing cymbals, rumbling baritone guitars and chaotic vocals. They’re also
very catchy – each sporting a driving riff and explosive chorus. There are no
breathers between tracks, which adds to the intensity of the album. The band do
however allow a couple softer moments on ‘Long Mover’ and ‘I’m Scared’, where
they play/sing as delicately as possible to create an extreme contrast. Most of
the songs are very direct, but ‘Settle Down’ does prove that the band can also
write a great slow-builder. Closer ‘Thousand Hands’ meanwhile offers a glimpse
of a more experimental and terrifying side. You can stream the album below.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1974210138/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 470px; width: 350px;"><a href="https://peachband.bandcamp.com/album/peach">PEACH by PEACH</a></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">I was fortunate enough to do a Q&A with the band. They kindly
educated me as to what a baritone guitar is and also informed me which toppings their band
would contain were it a pizza (spoiler: it doesn’t contain any peaches). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="im"><b><span><span style="color: #073763;">If PEACH was a
pizza what toppings would it have?</span></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Nduja, shoulders and hot grease.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><br />
<span class="im"><b><span style="color: #073763;">Your debut album is so excitingly raw! What was the
recording/producing process like for this album?</span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Exactly that, we recorded to tape with minimal overdubs. We had the bare
bones of the album recorded in the first four hours of being at the studio.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XPCzMaNSYp0?si=3AApN1A6PzuF9PDz" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span>
<span class="im" style="color: #073763;"><b>I absolutely love the vocals on this album. They feel so
volatile but controlled. Catchy but at times also completely unpredictable.
Ellie, who are your vocal inspirations?</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Joni Mitchel, Bjork, PJ Harvey and Britanny Howard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><br />
<span class="im"><b><span style="color: #073763;">This album contains baritone guitar – which I didn’t realise
was an instrument, despite having played guitar (poorly) for many years. How
does a baritone guitar compare to a regular guitar and bass guitar?</span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">So a baritone is in the octave range in between a guitar and a bass.
Think a deep sounding guitar or a high sounding bass, which Tim pairs with an
octave pedal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="im"><b><span style="color: #500050;"> </span></b></span><b><span><br />
<span class="im"><span style="color: #073763;">‘Settle Down’ is my favourite track on the album. It’s got such
an epic build-up and the trumpets were a cool surprise. Who played the trumpets
on this track?</span></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">That is our very good friend Simon Dobson, an incredibly talented
musician and composer. You can also hear Patrick James Pearson on piano and
hammond organ who plays in the wonderful band 'LYR' with the poet laureate
Simon Armitage. If you haven't heard their music I implore you to do so because
it's truly incredible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="im"><span style="color: #500050;"> </span></span><span><br />
<span class="im"><b><span style="color: #073763;">‘Thousand Hands’ is a pretty terrifying closer. It reminds me
of that scene in Labyrinth where Sarah falls into a pit full of hands. Was that an
inspiration for this track by any chance?</span><span style="color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o3aW-MsIc1I?si=ujg2Hzeixg8ve9up" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately not, but that's exactly what we are going to start telling
people.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="color: #073763;">
</span><span class="im"><b><span style="color: #073763;">I’m always discovering new exciting bands from Bristol. Who
are some of your favourite fellow Bristol bands right now?</span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Heavy Lungs, MOULD and Masca.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><br />
<span class="im"><b><span style="color: #073763;">What are PEACH gigs like? Any funny/weird gig stories?</span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">I would say quite intense. We aren't really into talking, we just want
to play our music.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><br />
<span class="im"><b><span style="color: #073763;">What does the future hold for PEACH?</span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">WORLD DOMINATION, and we are currently writing our second record.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Follow PEACH on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peachband__/">peachband_</a> and Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearepeachbanduk">wearepeachbanduk</a></i></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-22186538192703918312023-12-01T02:00:00.000-08:002023-12-01T02:00:00.145-08:00INTRODUCING: Ensemble 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="622" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxsxhmsmDLgjDtO4VNYSpDOkh4hOxh0QsixvphRHdWODbd_TjRdKRoWIGMYwyafR-pBTaTm2bxeagR187RKQA1fG6BvD_rD4ttc_GPxAHp8u_Fjn2jD6_ktLc80e_vX2lsDzmutmj0YhZiV6lzMU8NKAYM6kxVN55KpUyAMCK_xPVxtk06IbUTWryXVQ/w400-h234/ensemble%201.png" width="400" /></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Meet Ensemble 1.<span></span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">They’re a Brighton experimental duo consisting of Tom Way
and Joe Potts who specialise in crafting vast rolling instrumental soundscapes
out of guitar and drums.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Their new album <i>Delay Works</i> is made up only three
tracks. But you could hardly call it a lean album considering that the shortest
track is over 9 minutes and the longest is over 23 minutes. ‘Distorted Fades’, ‘Drums
& Delay Loops’ and ‘Submerged Harmonics’ are the three minimalist track titles
(at first, I thought I’d been sent an Ableton sample pack). These titles reflect
Ensemble 1’s minimalist approach to composing music - each track consisting of
short speedy cyclical guitar riffs repeated in a hypnotic fashion with machine-like
precision. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">As the title ‘Delay Works’ suggests, delay effects are used
throughout the entirety of their new album. These delay effects, combined with
the slow progression of each track, create a uniquely seamless flow. Despite
how gradually each track morphs, there remains a thrilling speed to the guitars
and drums that keeps each track captivating. It's like watching an epic domino run unfold.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Their new album was released via Halfmeltedbrain Records and is out today. You can stream it below. If you have the time, be sure to check out their debut album <i><a href="https://ensemble1.bandcamp.com/album/guitar-bass-drums">Guitar, Bass & Drums</a></i> too. </span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4277335479/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 470px; width: 350px;"><a href="https://ensemble1.bandcamp.com/album/delay-works">Delay Works by Ensemble 1</a></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tom and Joe of Ensemble
1 agreed to do a little interview with me in which they explained the writing process behind these crazy compositions. They also shared some of the music they've been listening to and helped me work out where to start with Steve Reich. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">If <span class="il">Ensemble</span> <span class="il">1</span> was a pizza, what
toppings would it have?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"> </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joe:</b> Pineapple and
ham (with bbq base) and diced fresh chillies. We're both annoying vegans, so
would probably be some sorta vegan cheese involved.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> I’m presuming
that’s substitute ham.<span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">The music on
both <i>Delay Works</i> and <i>Guitar, Bass & Drums</i> is
very unique. What drew you to this type of music?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"> </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joe: </b>Tom composes all the
music so probably best equipped to answer this. I personally enjoy this type of
minimalist music as it gives a very different listening experience to a lot of
music I am accustomed to. With less focus on distinct chord progressions/melodies/<wbr></wbr>cadences/emotional
narrative the ear is drawn to the rhythmic complexity of the music and the
unique textures and 'hidden melodies' resulting from counter rhythms/phase
shifting. I find it to be almost a dream-like experience. The material on
this album also presents a very unique and fun challenge to play live. As it
relies on precisely timed delay set to the same volume as the guitar and with a
very long feedback time, playing has to be extremely precise or it ends up
sounding like a massive mess ha. Overall playing sorta Steve Reich inspired
music in rock/metal band setup is very fun. <span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></b><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> I’ve been a
long-time fan of bands like King Crimson, Tool, Battles, Don Cab etc., and it
was discovering all the minimalist composition stuff from the 60s/70s a bit
later that gave me the nudge to try writing music where rhythm and process is
the main focus. <span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <span style="color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">How did you
compose the tracks on <i>Delay Works</i>? Were they the result of jam
sessions or intricately planned out? And did the process differ to <i>Guitar,
Bass & Drums</i>?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> All of it is
composed thoroughly for both albums, but one of the differences between the two
is that <i>Guitar, Bass & Drums</i> was mostly written in a
vacuum with the possibility of playing it live as an afterthought, and <i>Delay
Works</i> was written with both myself and Joe playing it live in mind.
The <i>Delay Works</i> stuff is (no surprise) based around using long
delay loops set to high feedback, one of the aims of which was to try and get
the sound of many guitarists playing at the same time to the point where it
doesn’t really sound like guitars anymore. This actually began on <i>Guitar,
Bass & Drums</i> with <i>GBD I Delay Loops</i>, which is a solo
guitar adaptation of the first track on that album. I also found that using
long delay loops kind of forced me to take a more rigorous and logical approach
to structure and process in the writing, whereas previously I’d taken a
slightly looser, more intuitive approach.<span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #44546a;">This music was written quite a
while ago (2017 – 2019). Is there a reason it’s only just seen the light of
day?</span></b><span style="color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #44546a;"> </span></b><span style="color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> It was only
really during lockdown in 2020 that I got to spend more time thinking seriously
about the recorded format of the music, as prior to this I wasn’t sure what
would be the best way to go about it, i.e., how the music should be grouped,
how much can be done DIY, whether we’d be able to do it to a standard that we
were happy with etc. It then at this point seemed to make sense that there were
two separate albums for the music written up to that point, and that DIY was
probably the way to go as it would give us more time and control over the
recording. Then there’s all the different logistical aspects of releasing an
album which I hadn’t dealt with before and had to learn from scratch. So, the
first album <i>Guitar, Bass & Drums </i>was released in 2021, and
we were then hoping to release <i>Delay Works </i>in 2022, but we got
busy with live shows and working on other new music, and we’ve just about
managed to fit the release in at the end of 2023 instead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <span style="color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">I haven’t
listened to much material from Steve Reich and I notice he’s a major influence
on your work. Where’s a good place to start with Steve Reich?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> Three of my
personal favourites are Eight Lines, Six Pianos and Sextet. Music for 18
Musicians is the big minimalist classic that he might be best known for, and
it’s great, but it’s about an hour long and quite a sizeable dollop of Reich to
begin with. <span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJgDuoMEzm-ASzGiy-4zeFqzeLdBqZv1l7sJMh6gYmkEyBVZbKpDRrL5nXLYyEtqrQ_SN0VAzaUkUyuEPDP_hPhp6afu_DvlvXYYQ7mZkF2tPCXp3dqKCijNHNfkm5dKngbPh6SiwTQb6jvOL1dKiGJ5JCbYWDMbjpTrNp1wcOSSlmShE_80aSOOqyZ4/s624/ensemble%201%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="624" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJgDuoMEzm-ASzGiy-4zeFqzeLdBqZv1l7sJMh6gYmkEyBVZbKpDRrL5nXLYyEtqrQ_SN0VAzaUkUyuEPDP_hPhp6afu_DvlvXYYQ7mZkF2tPCXp3dqKCijNHNfkm5dKngbPh6SiwTQb6jvOL1dKiGJ5JCbYWDMbjpTrNp1wcOSSlmShE_80aSOOqyZ4/s320/ensemble%201%20(2).png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">I saw on your
Facebook page that you’ve recently supported Liturgy! What was that like?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joe:</b> Really cool. I
have been following that band for a long time, they played an amazing set
and were happy to talk about their sound. Also really cool people who were
happy to watch and hang out with the supporting bands.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> Yeah, it was
great, and they’re all lovely people too. I only just discovered them fairly
recently, but I’ve been listening to them a lot since and look forward to
following their music and hearing what they come up with next.<span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">What’s your
favourite venue you’ve played?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #500050;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joe:</b> The Hope and
Ruin in Brighton is cool, the sound guys there are always on point and get a
great sound out of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> I’m pretty
happy playing any venue really, and I feel that each room has something unique
about it, and I enjoy playing our music in a variety of places.<span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">Which drummers
and guitarists do you look up to the most?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joe:</b> Tom Way for
both xo<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> My favourite
drummers are Danny Carey, John Stanier, Damon Che, Bill Bruford, Keith Carlock,
Christian Vander and Tim Alexander. For guitarists it’s Adam Jones, Wayne
Krantz, Ian Williams, Robert Fripp, and yes Joe Potts of course.<span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">What music
have you been listening to recently? Anything fans wouldn’t expect?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tom:</b> Recent
recurrent listens for me have been Morton Feldman, Jan Jelinek, Heilung, Yawn,
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Prefuse 73 and Amotik. Also, I can’t remember why,
but I was listening to early Eminem recently.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joe:</b> I've been
listening to loads of the Japanese shoe-gaze band Coalatar Of The Deepers and a
Math rock band I came across at arctangent called 'The Most'- they sound like a
sorta math rock Steely Dan. As far as newer music I've been enjoying the latest
album 'Variables' from contemporary jazz artist Alpha Mist and The New Gogo
Penguin 'everything is going to be okay'. Heavier music-wise I've also been
hooked on the new Zenith Passage album 'Datasylm'. Anything fans wouldn't
expect? I've been loving the new album by pop-punk/ska-punk artist Jeff
Rosenstock. Not really in a genre of music I keep up with but gave the album a
try after seeing a positive review online and got totally addicted, every song
is a banger.<span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;">What does the
future hold for <span class="il">Ensemble</span> <span class="il">1</span>?</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #44546a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joe: </b>Playing more shows,
reaching more people and connecting with more fans of experimental music! We
would love to get to play shows outside the UK and get onto the festival
circuit, particularly festivals like ArcTangent and Radar. We already have some
really cool shows lined up for 2024, hit us up on Instagram or Facebook to keep
updated. There is also a lot of music we have been playing live which has been
going down well and we will eventually get round to recording. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Tom:</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;"> Yep, we’ve
nearly got another album’s worth of music written, and it’s the stuff we’ve
been playing live for a while now (and is quite a big contrast to <i>Delay
Works</i>), and I’m hoping we can finish and release it sometime in the
not-too-distant future.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; margin: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Follow Ensemble 1 on Facebook at </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ensemble1music/">https://www.facebook.com/ensemble1music/</a>, on Instagram at </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ensemble1music/">Ensemble 1 Music</a> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial;">and on Twitter at </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ensemble1music" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial;">@Ensemble1music</a></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-66068422541140228332023-11-24T00:00:00.000-08:002023-11-24T00:00:00.135-08:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 24/11/2023: Dizzee Rascal, Danny Brown, Kanye West and more...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31HMyQHGmmWyNxS7Y8SQDl0Dyd8XEHy9duvb_1oyIcytZDEUQFa4D2mNVJQFjdxI1pNha7yy-BHxJpwiFW_CPZlT5BVfBzZe8s2lbvPLU9OiWzrMD9-mRQIDcA1nx8WmC1w7jps9-Javna-avb1YnJn6O-D8V-76O69LokF7L6Px2j0N57G3B3Umx1es/s474/dizzee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31HMyQHGmmWyNxS7Y8SQDl0Dyd8XEHy9duvb_1oyIcytZDEUQFa4D2mNVJQFjdxI1pNha7yy-BHxJpwiFW_CPZlT5BVfBzZe8s2lbvPLU9OiWzrMD9-mRQIDcA1nx8WmC1w7jps9-Javna-avb1YnJn6O-D8V-76O69LokF7L6Px2j0N57G3B3Umx1es/w400-h225/dizzee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This last fortnight has been full of musical surprises including a new Kanye track (the first since his antisemetic Twitter tirade) and a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/14/1212661071/andre-3000-album">new Andre 3000 album</a> consisting entirely of flute instrumentals. There have been a bunch of singles that I've loved this week - including some big names and some lesser known names. Artists featured this week include Dizzee Rascal, Danny Brown, Darryl Kissick, Humm and Dog Door. <span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">THE
BEST:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘How
Did I Get So Calm’ – Dizzee Rascal<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aSWLJUIQMvA?si=eyOP4WYlmtDKuRc8" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dizzee
Rascal’s raps used to be so angry. Now he’s dropping songs about staying calm
and settling down – and somehow, they’re still bangers. It helps that his flow
is still tight as a drum and that he’s still delivering filthy basslines. Props
to whoever produced this, because it's mental.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Jenn’s
Terrific Vacation’ – Danny Brown<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yd0Bwa15BQc?si=qbzlA1bSz0OYrupi" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Jenn’s
Terrific Vacation’ is themed around gentrification (I love how the title reads
like a gentrified version of the word ‘gentrification’). It’s set to a
deliberately disorientating beat with some intense drumming and uncomfortable
whispered ‘<i>what you gonna do</i>’s. The subject matter feels pretty serious
for Danny Brown, but it’s still got an unhinged energy that keeps it fun. Hopefully,
I’ll get round to reviewing his new album <i><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2aswMmRN4vXGalI39pDsMb">Quaranta</a></i> before the year is
up (I've got a lot of music to catch up on!). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Not
Myself’ – Darryl Kissick<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_GFVNEeqNjQ?si=oXf0e0lKKvIya1o2" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here’s
one from my email submissions. It’s the work of Saskatchewan singer-songwriter Darryl
Kissick and comes off a new supernatural-themed album titled <i><a href="https://darrylkissick.bandcamp.com/album/goodbye-patterns">Goodbye Patterns</a></i>,
which contains songs about werewolves, aliens, time loops and alternate
dimensions. I’ve got a hunch based off of the lyrics and the video that this
song is werewolf-themed. It features some unsettling piano chords and an oddly
soothing vocal delivery that gives the whole track a sense of uneasiness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Danced
Alone (Who I am when I’m in love) – Humm<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AgrYenaa4ZA?si=JrDrj5nF3gZTITTb" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This
beautiful breakup single comes from Bath-based folk duo Humm. The melancholy
guitars hooked me straight away. They’re paired with some enchanting vocals, which have a Joni Mitchell vibe to them with a slight hint of Kate Bush. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Cover Up Contest’ – Dog Door<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3vy_isy9MRQ?si=I7Odv0aczSQggKJD" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Cover Up Contest’ is the debut single from Dog Door, a transatlantic duo made up of Oakland-based
Oliver Girdler and London-based Jamie Cameron. It’s a psychedelic slacker rock song
with nostalgic guitars and keys, and soothing lo-fi weary vocals that - to quote
the song -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>keep ‘<i>cracking up/ not too
much, but enough</i>’. The trippy climax of the song is also pretty fun. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">THE
WORST:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘Vultures’
– Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign ft. Bump J & Lil Durk<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wKJZxT2TB3E?si=7cSjRG1gwQUltZep" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">‘<i>How
I’m anti-Semitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch</i>’. Oh, we’re pulling that
card, are we? There are too many questionable lines in this song for me (was the Columbine pun necessary?). The
beat gets quite pretty towards the end though. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-23891298233373473172023-11-16T06:24:00.000-08:002023-11-16T06:24:21.867-08:00Review of 'Playing Robots Into Heaven' by James Blake<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgDxP-VQozal1iasQI_bRs4JCL77sclv4aOqNYIcfaDoGI_Y5niDqA0s0YaSR4szhT8cC5XrFiIv-n5MiAZuhjgE1Vc1Otzr4OoOQdmmAGaytWnh2rKCtkqkadyoG63z1c1VAXkbOp5P132gcnJrntv9v1QYWAN4kp4V3AjyVM4-87UpUgNxDuG8tC3U/s474/playingrobotsintoheaven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgDxP-VQozal1iasQI_bRs4JCL77sclv4aOqNYIcfaDoGI_Y5niDqA0s0YaSR4szhT8cC5XrFiIv-n5MiAZuhjgE1Vc1Otzr4OoOQdmmAGaytWnh2rKCtkqkadyoG63z1c1VAXkbOp5P132gcnJrntv9v1QYWAN4kp4V3AjyVM4-87UpUgNxDuG8tC3U/s320/playingrobotsintoheaven.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>After a decade of ethereal ballads, James Blake returns
to his roots and delivers some exciting experimental EDM.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b> </b><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wasn’t this the guy who released ‘You’re Beautiful’? No,
that’s James Blunt. Oh, yes, that’s right, James Blake was the long-haired dude
with the fedora who wrote ‘Hold Back The River’, right? No, that’s James Bay! So,
who is James Blake??<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, he’s definitely the most interesting of all the James
Bs. Since his 2011 self-titled debut album, his music has consisted largely of
ballads sung in a haunting choirboy voice over ghostly backdrops of
electronica. There was a brief moment when he decided to get <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2019/02/review-of-assume-form-by-james-blake.html">cheerier and more commercial</a> - but thankfully it was short-lived, and his last album <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2022/01/albums-i-never-got-round-to-reviewing.html">Friends That Break Your Heart</a></i> returned to a weirder and bleaker sound. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What a lot of people don’t realise about James Blake is that
he had quite a different sound before his debut album. In fact, his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMqGrP5OBj0">initial EPs</a>
were made up of wacky post-dubstep tunes with digitally mangled vocals. <i>Playing
Robots Into Heaven</i> is a return to this experimental electronic sound – and
it feels much needed in 2023 (where has all the experimental electronica gone?
There was so much of it 10 years ago).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The album eases you in with melodic trip-hop opener ‘Asking
To Break’, which doesn’t sound too dissimilar to something you might hear on a
recent James Blake album. However, you can tell a weirder side of Blake is
loading on warped house cut ‘Loading’. Third track ‘Tell Me’, which sounds like
a mix of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6120QOlsfU">Darude’s ‘Sandstorm’</a> and the internet dial-up sound, fully embraces
this warped house music direction, which ‘Fall Back’ continues to hurtle down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Blake changes the pace and continues to get more bizarre on ‘He’s
Been Wonderful’ – a glitchy trap song with a with a polyrhythmic ‘one, two,
three’ sample accompanying its 4/4 beat to keep you off-balance. Following
track ‘Big Hammer’ is another trap banger with a more sinister <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRSijEW_cDM">Gesaffelstein vibe</a>
and no vocals from Blake whatsoever (I’m pretty sure that’s not him rapping in
patois). This is followed up by a moody garage track ‘I Want You To Know’,
after which the album truly ventures down the rabbit hole with woozy
genre-defying trip ‘Night Sky’.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fans who prefer Blake’s singer-songwriter side to his EDM
producer side are likely to abandon ship by this point in the album. However, it’s
at this exact point in the tracklist that Blake takes a break from experimental
electronica to deliver two actual songs, ‘Fire the Editor’ and ‘If You Can Hear
Me’. As much as I love the experimental electronic direction of this record, it’s
reassuring to hear that Blake hasn’t completely turned his back on his
singer-songwriter side. After all, he’s a talented singer and lyricist. ‘If You
Can Hear Me’ ends up being a particularly touching ballad (which I assumed was
a song to his dead father – but his dad is actually still alive) and it could
have been a moving way to finish the album. However, instead the record closes
with avant-garde self-titled instrumental ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’, choosing
to end on a weird note. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Is there an overarching theme to this album? I thought that given the title there might have been some AI uprising theme or something, but I don't think there is a theme - which is my one major complaint with this album given that Blake's last two albums both has such strong themes. Nonetheless, <i>Playing Robots Into Heaven</i> is still a blast. It shows off Blake's versatility, the tracks all flow well and it's one of the few electronic records this year that feels both deranged and danceable. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">TRACK TASTER:<o:p></o:p></p>
<iframe width="320" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R3pTSxw6qYk?si=qy6B_WBrf26EXJXK" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-581872334139920312023-11-10T01:00:00.003-08:002023-11-10T04:29:00.930-08:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 10/11/2023: The Voidz, Machinedrum, The Beatles and more…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglow9IgjgAYX7DeSMGS-TndgHKrI7AZcBr6iI289UHtksQpLDl38DlXRJvj_-yIDU82rcdXm6cKDHlcDVXYwYCYZe2BfD-JXcn5UbYLI7jqKIQS2HglcglX_p59rvuT1u4jWEviKYmO7Jk6bWh2fhMSNb3ITE5Qug6lml1x1buNDbbp1Fpx_UxFkBwH4E/s615/beatles.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="615" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglow9IgjgAYX7DeSMGS-TndgHKrI7AZcBr6iI289UHtksQpLDl38DlXRJvj_-yIDU82rcdXm6cKDHlcDVXYwYCYZe2BfD-JXcn5UbYLI7jqKIQS2HglcglX_p59rvuT1u4jWEviKYmO7Jk6bWh2fhMSNb3ITE5Qug6lml1x1buNDbbp1Fpx_UxFkBwH4E/w400-h266/beatles.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">This week has a pretty wild mix of tracks including a new
song from a little-known Liverpool group called The Beatles. Other artists featured
this week include The Voidz, Lawn Chair, Lisa Ramey, Machinedrum and Frances Willow…<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE BEST:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Flexorcist’ – The Voidz<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-jt4XggHzA8?si=uL5ISVVyWZKnA5n3" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Hot take: I thought <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2020/04/review-of-new-abnormal-by-strokes.html">The Strokes' last album</a> was boring. Julian
Casablancas’ side project, The Voidz, has been making much more exciting music
for the last few years, and ‘Flexorcist’ may just be their most fun track to
date. It features a unique mix of 80s synths, autotuned vocals and some brief
guitar shredding. Yes, we’re talking about a Human-League-meets-T-pain-meets-Van-Halen
hybrid here. It ought to be a bombastic mess, and yet the song’s patient pacing
and Casablanca’s signature subdued crooning keep the song grounded. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Lover and a Fighter’ – Lawn Chair<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wjjqH6DtHAg?si=KiVoMTnysSO8YsqV" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">More 80s synths! This time they’re accompanied by tasty chorus-effect-slathered post-punk guitars and some goofy DJ-Otzi-flavoured ‘<i>HOO! HA!</i>’s.
The band behind this amusing track is a German-American art-punk group called Lawn Chair. This is another case where the subdued vocals keep the track grounded. At the same time, the vocals manage to be surprisingly catchy – even with
the absence of a chorus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Vagabond’ – Lisa Ramey<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FbB5BzxpSws?si=wfvmSGaD6kXTgtnM" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">We’ve had some ‘HOO! HA!’s and now it’s time for some Edwin-Starr-flavoured
‘HUH!’ chants in this rambunctious soul track from New-York-based singer Lisa
Ramey. ‘Vagabond’ is a sassy anthem dedicated to a deadbeat ex, featuring plenty of
memorable lines: ‘<i>like when you told me you was living on your very own/ so why
you mama always picking up your phone</i>’. The production is a unique
mix of old and new, containing both old skool soul trumpets and rumbling
jungle-flavoured bass. All in all, it's very fun. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Capone’ – Machinedrum<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1055wC0FPJ8?si=4UDNhxzJLIKHr_Dw" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Machinedrum has recently dropped a new EP titled <i><a href="https://machinedrum.bandcamp.com/album/4-trax">4#TRAX</a></i>
– which logically contains 4 new tracks – and this single ‘Capone’ is one of
those tracks. It opens with some warm stuttering chords. For a moment I thought
we were witnessing a return to <i><a href="https://machinedrum.bandcamp.com/album/vapor-city">Vapor City</a></i> era Machinedrum. But then we’re
ambushed by a dirty drop that sounds like Optimus Prime falling down a flight
of stairs. It’s weird and abrasive, but I’m digging it. In fact, I almost get
SOPHIE vibes from it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Anna Banana’ – Frances Willow<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1587073127&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/franceswillow" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="frances willow">frances willow</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/franceswillow/anna-banana-1" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="anna banana">anna banana</a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I don’t know what I was expecting from a track called ‘Anna
Banana’, but it wasn’t this beautiful gem of a song. The track opens with
ambient swells and gradually accumulates layers of instrumentation until it
reaches a satisfying fuzzy-guitared alt-rock crescendo. The vocals become more
passionate as the track progresses, and there are some quirky robotic vocal harmonies
throughout that give it a modern edge. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>MEH:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Now and Then’ – The Beatles<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Opxhh9Oh3rg?si=qAz-nOKz7AYGHuI5" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk about a new
Beatles song. Not just any Beatles song, but also reportedly and most likely <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67285117">‘the last Beatles song’</a>. It features vocals from John Lennon that only now due to
recent technology have been possible to salvage and isolate, as well as guitar from
George Harrison that was recorded back in 1995. Remaining members Paul and
Ringo have worked together to complete the song. I can’t say that I love or
hate it, yet it’s clearly an important track – hence why this week’s roundup
has a new ‘meh’ category. It’s got some very touching lyrics and John’s vocals
sound pretty good. But it also feels so unfittingly overproduced. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lone piano or guitar would have been enough.
With its densely layered instrumentation and modern shiny recording quality, it
barely sounds like a Beatles song. ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0sBfXjudDM">Free As A Bird’</a> – a much more interesting
and authentic Beatles song – was a much better farewell piece. Nonetheless,
this does still feel like a respectful tribute, unlike <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2014/05/review-of-xscape-by-michael-jackson.html">some posthumous music</a> we’ve
heard in recent years. <o:p></o:p></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-15036087582158188112023-11-02T07:12:00.001-07:002023-11-02T07:12:39.032-07:00Review of 'Scarlet' by Doja Cat<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjz-mo-uow7r-MS-HLqpfN2PDeTJnDI-4o3sQUJ44m1VS46vz7oo6sxyfffmwbg_5sTap0mUJxbNATC2EtZ9YQfEldG49Yy2vxV3JrZorW-WLuu9ipplfwy41SYyszRHdOnWj0XcQ3o13JwsEjHdHaXOpwQEAzvLtwjaPvOeo7mxFP0BuWfWE5kWwiWTk/s1200/doja_cat_scarlet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjz-mo-uow7r-MS-HLqpfN2PDeTJnDI-4o3sQUJ44m1VS46vz7oo6sxyfffmwbg_5sTap0mUJxbNATC2EtZ9YQfEldG49Yy2vxV3JrZorW-WLuu9ipplfwy41SYyszRHdOnWj0XcQ3o13JwsEjHdHaXOpwQEAzvLtwjaPvOeo7mxFP0BuWfWE5kWwiWTk/s320/doja_cat_scarlet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Doja’s claws are out. Gone are the horny alien pop bops.
She’s now making angry demonic rap. And it’s both fun and frustrating to listen
to.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Despite its playful hooks and extraterrestrial visuals, Doja
Cat’s last album <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2021/07/review-of-planet-her-by-doja-cat.html">Planet Her</a></i> wasn’t strange or silly enough for me. Its predictable
midtempo trap-flavoured sex songs felt worlds away from Doja’s kooky origins as
a YouTube rapper <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXnJqYwebF8">rattling off bovine puns over a jazzy beat while dressed in cowprint</a>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, it turns out Doja wasn’t a fan of <i>Planet Her</i>
either. In one of several social media tirades this year that ought to have
been career suicide, the singer/rapper declared that her recent songs were <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/doja-cat-planet-her-hot-pink-cash-grabs-new-album-title-1235325828/">‘cash grabs’</a> before telling her fans to continue weeping for ‘mediocre pop’. It was
clear that Doja Cat was done selling out and was ready to reinvent herself –
even if it meant burning bridges with her pop fanbase.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And so Doja has decided to shave her head and reject her signature
pink fluffy aesthetic for satanic red imagery instead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, in response to critics who have
told her <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/doja-cat-thinks-shes-discredited-as-a-rapper-3391914">she can’t rap</a>, she’s decided to focus more on rapping and less on
singing, while jumping on a mix of old skool and alternative hip hop beats. As
for her lyrics, she’s largely scrapped the sex anthems and is now lashing out
at everyone – including her haters and her stans. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From the Diane-Warwick-sampling trap of ‘Paint The Town Red’
to the woozy soul of ‘Love Life’, the production is so much more fun and varied
than it was on <i>Planet Her</i>. Doja Cat meanwhile proves that she can indeed
rap – pouring as much skilful playfulness into her rap cadence as she does her
singing. ‘Demons’ really shows off her ability to warp her voice, contrasting a
screamed hook that’s aggressive enough to rival Rico Nasty with sweet
cartoonish verses that sound like a mixture of Baby Keem and the little green
men from Toy Story, before later adopting a unique stilted text-to-speech-like
delivery as she raps ‘<i>I’m the fastest growing bitch on all your apps now</i>’.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Doja’s ability to toy with different inflections compensates
for the lack of guests and also results in some uniquely catchy hooks. This is
something that the singer/rapper is aware of as she makes clear on ‘Balut’ when
she raps: ‘<i>is it coke? Is it crack? Is is meth? Is it?/what the fuck do she
put in them hits</i>’. Unfortunately, there are times when Doja oversteps the
line between catchy and annoying. G-funk song ‘97’ has a Snoop-flavoured hook
that would be fun if she didn’t repeat the same line ‘<i>looks like we don’t
give a shit</i>’ 10 times. Meanwhile, ‘Wet Vagina’ feels like some crude
attempt to create her own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tmSSWl-ZoA">‘WAP’</a> with a chorus that’s both repetitive and soaked
in autotune to the point of being unlistenable. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m undecided as to whether I love or hate the lyrics on
this album. I like that it’s a much more personal album. Doja also does throw
out some memorably mean bars, which she delivers with conviction, and the satanic theme running through the album is edgy in a fun way (and has already resulted in her being the latest in a long lineage of musicians to be <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/09/22/doja-cat-scarlett-album-lyrics-skull-bones-satan/">accused of devil worship</a>). At the same
time, there are some puns here that are just trash: ‘<i>move like a goat cos bitches
lion</i>’. Her insistence that she doesn’t give a shit also contradicts the
fact that she spends the whole album reacting to what people have said about
her. Granted, she does deal with a lot of hateful comments. But that’s what
happens when you sell out and then try to disown your new fanbase. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">TRACK TASTER:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m4_9TFeMfJE?si=D6-XMUcxDHJ0i5CD" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-28827398459746109142023-10-30T07:25:00.001-07:002023-10-31T08:13:38.450-07:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 30/10/2023: Lone, Ducks Ltd, Sampha and more...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCZSIkSADeMjNBkse5gCoH9C1yfmNS4Tb88qKM3YY4QZ0LjN4_fPMlcBkph7z5PnZ4O-MRVQV_RdV6nS_m8zq_3p5Iimq_Uk-No8GzSxUIzeozQiogWLCM7eHEk_w9WpgwGvtowcbuEXOp7ftGwqA9lCLxOtKzZVKCXkgHhdWrodNkovnNNGfAOGI9ks/s474/sampha.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCZSIkSADeMjNBkse5gCoH9C1yfmNS4Tb88qKM3YY4QZ0LjN4_fPMlcBkph7z5PnZ4O-MRVQV_RdV6nS_m8zq_3p5Iimq_Uk-No8GzSxUIzeozQiogWLCM7eHEk_w9WpgwGvtowcbuEXOp7ftGwqA9lCLxOtKzZVKCXkgHhdWrodNkovnNNGfAOGI9ks/w400-h225/sampha.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>We're fast approaching the end of the year. Here are some the most notable bops and flops I heard over the last two weeks. Artists featured include Lone, Ducks Ltd, Baby Jey, iskwé, Sampha and Idles.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE BEST:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Waterfall Reverse’ – Lone<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7iVnw0tvbLM?si=xgPElzVFyb3QhQjB" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">‘Waterfall Reverse’ is a smorgasbord of nostalgic rave
sounds ranging from jungle drums to piano stabs. What sets it apart from other retro
dance tracks is Lone’s signature spine-tinglingly shiny synths. No-one makes
synth porn as good as Matt Cutler (check out 2012’s <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snJXiDY1BfI&list=PLK5_UnXAc9t-gyUQ3yoa2PFlfH-gbZ2Wx">Galaxy Garden</a></i> for
proof). It’s also cool to hear him experimenting with choppy vocal editing in
his tracks. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘The Main Thing’ – Ducks Ltd<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_seIiJzD0wc?si=LZHkEBahq_K8rLXe" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">The band name is silly. And the music video is pretty lazy. But
Toronto indie rock band Ducks Ltd make up for it with a very cool sound. The
guitars are janglier than a janitor’s ring of keys. But whereas most jangle pop
is mid-tempo, Ducks Ltd opt for a much faster pace, throwing in lots of tremolo
picking and speedy snare rolls. The result sounds like The La’s on amphetamine.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘What’s The Point of Saying Sorry’ – Baby Jey<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5dXEjX24PCw?si=m-HLe0qCJVc_TEiA" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Off their upcoming album <i>Crop Circles</i>, Edmonton indie band
Baby Jey deliver this stomping synthpop-infused banger. The
syncopated groovy bass and synth vox slaps. And it’s got a pretty unique hook
about atoning by boning, which could or could not be interpreted as sarcastic
depending on whether you value verbal apologies or physical intimacy more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘End Of It All’ – iskw</b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YijV-71-3B0?si=24VqaBfGun3QKvkE" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">Inspired by her own personal breakup, Canadian
singer-songwriter iskw<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é delivers this single about trying one’s hardest to keep a
marriage alive only for it to inevitably come to an end. The blaring beat and hammering
vocal delivery make for a really catchy chorus</span>. It’s also refreshing to
get a breakup anthem that isn’t full of bitterness and hate for one’s ex. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Dancing Circles’ – Sampha<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UhE5io7Nyk4?si=UWHmOnVnHLVpu2lL" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">London singer-songwriter Sampha has just dropped a new album
titled <i><a href="https://sampha.ochre.store/release/410968-sampha-lahai">Lahai</a></i>. It’s got some pretty unique tracks on it and this is definitely
a personal highlight. That sharp pulsing piano is really suspenseful, and it
makes for a great contrast against Sampha’s smooth pillowy vocals. I wouldn’t
even know whether to call this song a ballad or not. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>THE WORST:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>‘Dancer’ - Idles (ft. James Murphy and Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem)<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A3ZZj5y6Qt4?si=8WKwA94UePHygcWf" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal">A goofy dance anthem was the last thing I wanted from Idles.
Joe’s slovenly voice just doesn’t suit this type of track at all. But, oh well,
they seem to be enjoying themselves. <o:p></o:p></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-43348091475878554382023-10-16T04:06:00.001-07:002023-10-16T04:07:06.591-07:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 16/10/2023: Lola Young, Benjamin Earl Turner, Knower and more…<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2ZzyQLFhL5GVIZfV0Q6HjjBgJvAgsphacIcMPnCPG79R_SickDgKfZk9VAGWIBUNAPBAxbrTKJOtl80dVudP8-yhuSCe7Xa5j8g6F7QSlCvT379_CX9nhXGpNyxGglYn-1onb66kAltzzic8kpfsR3-6e3wDc-CQSNM0b2q8wfcJaJfB_7uSf02pfco/s1440/lola%20young.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1440" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2ZzyQLFhL5GVIZfV0Q6HjjBgJvAgsphacIcMPnCPG79R_SickDgKfZk9VAGWIBUNAPBAxbrTKJOtl80dVudP8-yhuSCe7Xa5j8g6F7QSlCvT379_CX9nhXGpNyxGglYn-1onb66kAltzzic8kpfsR3-6e3wDc-CQSNM0b2q8wfcJaJfB_7uSf02pfco/s320/lola%20young.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s actually been a bit more than a fortnight since I
did one of these, but hey ho – here’s the best (and worst) new music I’ve heard since the
last roundup I did. Artists featured this week include Lola Young, Benjamin
Earl Turner, Knower, Lil Yachty/J Cole, Olso and Cher.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">THE BEST:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Conceited’ – Lola Young<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cvo80gbCYwE?si=Tl7VMrzkzlYJ3Voj" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This South London singer and <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/holly-humberstone-bree-runway-and-lola-young-nominated-for-brits-rising-star-award-3107638">BRIT nominee</a> has an incredibly
unique voice. It’s got a soulful Shirley Bassey swagger to it, while also sporting
a raw indie rock vibe at times (especially when she lets her accent poke
through). I’m also loving the eccentric beat, which gets excitingly noisy towards
the end. I can definitely see this song blowing up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Headspace/Bent’ – Benjamin Earl Turner<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oYxohKbeMZw?si=69kbPGr9cZUrlx6g" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I was wondering how the hell an unknown rapper could produce
a music video this top notch (the costume design for that dino/rhino creature
is insaaane!!), but then I researched this dude and he has an <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12131901/">IMDB profile</a> with
a <i>Blindspotting</i> credit. In other words, the dude has connections to Hollywood
and Daveed Diggs, so it makes sense he was able to put out a video this good. And
he deserves these high quality visuals, considering just how high quality the
rapping is. This is Kendrick Lamar level stuff. In fact, he sounds just like Kendrick
in that ‘Bent’ latter section, albeit with a much more slurred delivery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Do Hot Girls Like Chords?’ – Knower<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ois3gfcwKSA?si=A2dEchowKX8rYXU2" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">One of my favourite tracks off of the genre-bending
duo’s new album <i>Knower Forever</i> (which <a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2023/09/review-of-knower-forever-by-knower.html">I’ve reviewed here</a>) has now been
released as a single along with a live (at least I think it’s live?) video. I’m
loving the proggy riffs, Artadi’s heavenly vocals, Cole’s intricate drumming
and the sweet jazzy guitar solo at the end. And, of course, those beautiful chords! Any
hot girl who doesn’t love those chords immediately goes from a 10 to a 1 in my
opinion. True hot girls have taste. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘The Secret Recipe’ – Lil Yachty & J Cole<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uvNGJsBzvfo?si=DnCv4wyYRI7SEamS" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I never expected to see Lil Yachty and J Cole on a track
together. Even more shocking is the fact that Yachty manages to hold his own against
Cole. Okay, maybe that’s going too far – Yachty can’t stay on beat to save his
life, and seems to be audibly running out of breath during his verse. But he is
spitting some surprisingly witty bars (I liked the checkers line). J Cole’s
verse is of course the true reason this in my weekly roundup. Just listen to
how he doesn’t just rap, but performs his verse. The way he signs off with ‘<i>signed,
the greatest yet</i>’. Could that be the secret recipe?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘The Same’ – OLSO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/74OYuBcEdxrqYo9Rx21czw?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Salt Lake City vocalist/producer OLSO delivers this
dance-pop song with a very playful beat. The choppy staccato sample grabbed
me straight away, and there are some cool pianos and synths in there too. We
even get a guitar solo at the end. Combined with the Matt-Healy-flavoured
vocals, it kinda sounds like if The 1975 were actually good. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>THE WORST:<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘DJ Play A Christmas Song’ – Cher<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nPEJooq7kos?si=VFGxYsSYEKp0ghXf" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s still October, Cher! <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-18497829904122120262023-10-09T06:11:00.001-07:002023-10-09T06:11:14.817-07:00Review of 'Guts' by Olivia Rodrigo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oyJB8eahFhBsm1BdV49DvL-2lPx4vGc2rNJhIls3OFAewcFz6qpNkAt5G_qRdLHjMkq7MrqItLWW5UIGVDJq2HO8Px-BuBZJe7nRdTEuA0caY1Kqh_GDMMCW28zkPslx08uBfXVECxuk8IDQXn04IfiMbwOEPCU7bQs-bQPQIjAhMj7PkSjPWXuKeFU/s440/olivia%20rodrigo%20guts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oyJB8eahFhBsm1BdV49DvL-2lPx4vGc2rNJhIls3OFAewcFz6qpNkAt5G_qRdLHjMkq7MrqItLWW5UIGVDJq2HO8Px-BuBZJe7nRdTEuA0caY1Kqh_GDMMCW28zkPslx08uBfXVECxuk8IDQXn04IfiMbwOEPCU7bQs-bQPQIjAhMj7PkSjPWXuKeFU/s320/olivia%20rodrigo%20guts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Olivia Rodrigo proves
on <i>Guts</i> that she’s one of the more exciting artists to come out of
Mickey Mouse’s pop star assembly line – especially when she leans more towards her rock
side.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b> <o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My initial impressions of Olivia Rodrigo were not good. In
fact, I was convinced that she represented everything wrong with this new
generation of pop musicians. It seemed unfair that another <a href="https://www.billboard.com/photos/musicians-got-their-start-disney-channel-1235109826/">ex-Disney-Channel star</a>
could swan into the music industry and start scoring hits, just because she was
already a household name among teens. After all, was there really anything
original about ‘driver’s license’? As many others have commented, it sounds
just like a Taylor Swift song. Meanwhile, ‘good 4 u’ sounded like a flagrant
attempt to imitate Paramore. She later <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/benhenry/olivia-rodrigo-paramore-good-4-u-taylor-swift-deja-vu">gave both artists songwriting credits</a>, but this only highlighted the fact that she didn't have her own sound. And lyrically, she seemed to be yet another Gen Z artist
resorting to I-hate-my-toxic-ex anthems. Thank God, she wasn’t <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/people-are-getting-tired-tiktok-music-formula-rcna29741">interpolating nursery rhymes</a>, but why did every song have to be so bitter? Where is the love???
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I decided not to listen to her debut album <i>Sour</i>, and
I had no desire to listen to her new album <i>Guts</i>. But then I started
to see lots of people hyping up this album on Twitter (No Elon, I’m not calling
it X), and I decided maybe I ought to give Rodrigo another chance. Maybe I’d
got her all wrong. Maybe she had evolved into a mature and innovative artist. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The title of the opening track ‘all-american bitch’ didn’t
fill me with much optimism. And it starts off as a fairly unassuming pop
ballad. But then it ambushes you with this big rock-flavoured belter of a
chorus, followed by an externalised ‘internal scream’ over a semi-dissonant
guitar solo. Not only was I pleasantly surprised by this detour into rock, but
how authentic it sounded. I've since discovered that <a href="https://variety.com/2021/music/news/olivia-rodrigo-drivers-license-sour-high-school-musical-1235038112/">Rodrigo grew up on alt rock</a>, and you can hear
this passion in her voice and the instrumentation. While fellow Disney alumni Miley Cyrus and
Demi Lovato may cosplay as rock chicks, Rodrigo is the
real deal. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is clear not just from the opening track, but from the various exciting
rock-infused songs on the first half of this album. Following track ‘bad idea right’ features
some genuinely thrilling Foo-Fighters-esque riffage, while ‘ballad of a
homeschooled girl’ turns out not to be a ballad at all but a grungy alt-pop banger with Nirvana energy. What separates
these songs from their influences is Rodrigo’s creatively playful delivery and
equally playful subject matter. From the abrupt stop after ‘<i>I know I should
stop</i>’ to the dismissive delivery of ‘<i>And I’m sure I’ve seen much hotter
men/ but I really can’t remember when</i>’, ‘bad idea right’ is packed with so
many fun inflections as she toys with the idea of going back home with her ex. ‘ballad
of a homeschooled girl’ is equally dynamic and creative with it’s semi-rapped
verse, shout-sung chorus and nostalgic ‘ahh-ahhs’, while also serving as a unique
anthem for homeschoolers who feel socially stunted (as opposed to another song
about social anxiety at high school). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I would have loved a whole album of Rodrigo in rock mode. In
fact, these are the best pop punk songs I’ve heard this decade. Unfortunately, the
second half of the album sees Rodrigo opting mostly for pop ballads that sound
like watered-down Lorde. Her USP – her playful vocal delivery – is cast aside
on tracks like ‘the grudge’ and ‘logical’ in favour of a more subdued vocal
performance. Combined with the stripped back instrumentation and generic bitter
breakup lyrics, I find these tracks to be pretty dull.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That isn’t to say that Rodrigo can’t write a decent pop ballad
though. ‘Vampire’ is an exceptional pop ballad, even if it is another I-hate-my-toxic-ex
anthem. It has a great build-up (complete with a bridge. You don’t get many of
those in pop anymore!) that leads to a soaring chorus that climaxes with the
lines ‘<i>bloodsucker, famefucker/ bleedin me dry like a Goddamn vampire</i>’.
Unlike the other ballads on this record, it makes full use of Rodrigo’s dynamic
vocal range, while also sounding genuinely pained instead of just bitter. If
all her ballads were this good, this would be an AOTY contender. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: orange; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.33px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">★</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cccccc; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">☆</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">TRACK TASTER:</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dj9qJsJTsjQ?si=eESt2PW-RHOjZq6g" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-47207927798667417052023-09-25T06:32:00.001-07:002023-09-25T06:32:15.235-07:00BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 25/09/2023: Blood Incantation, Denzel Curry, Jockstrap and more…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0OeASnOL1ktLc7TPjn1eJpYC-j4ioi7dmM7dVYqOdGziabVlLEHAKDwu7ue8ld4rVCDr8l2UWv8wZ3Ta8t5NIRo_U9FYSSVcy7d5dYPAZOLnJT1HNsPohM2grcteoh2s0o1dzO8cItPvovBGh-t-YMFoLqipQJD0Hbm4NIe_kTcOigyub-ytWSA4OrA/s474/denzel_curry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="474" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0OeASnOL1ktLc7TPjn1eJpYC-j4ioi7dmM7dVYqOdGziabVlLEHAKDwu7ue8ld4rVCDr8l2UWv8wZ3Ta8t5NIRo_U9FYSSVcy7d5dYPAZOLnJT1HNsPohM2grcteoh2s0o1dzO8cItPvovBGh-t-YMFoLqipQJD0Hbm4NIe_kTcOigyub-ytWSA4OrA/w400-h209/denzel_curry.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This week’s selection is pretty diverse. Artists
featured include Blood Incantation, Denzel Curry, Pastel Blank, Menajerie,
PEACH and Jockstrap & Taylor Skye ft. Ian Starr.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">THE BEST<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Luminescent Bridge’ – Blood Incantation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ekr9Ej1kL9k?si=-Dq-R1TsBhypITpt" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Blood Incantation’s 2019 album <i><a href="http://www.musicrelatedjunk.com/2020/01/albums-i-never-got-round-to-reviewing.html">Hidden History of The Human Race</a></i> was one of the best death metal albums I’d heard in a long time.
They followed this up in 2021 with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpSvqitt1x0&t=2116s">an ambient album</a> – which wasn’t my cup of
tea, but I appreciate the band’s insane versatility. Now the Denver musicians
are back with another project in the pipeline. The two singles they’ve released
from it seem to be a fusion of metal and ambient. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9WYceFbHw4">‘Obliquity of The Ecliptic’</a> provides
that much needed dose of death growls, blast beats and chugged riffs that I was
after, but surprisingly it’s their new Pink Floydy instrumental ‘Luminescent
Bridge’ that I prefer out of the two. The track has such an epic build-up, and although
I expected it to eventually explode into death metal, the fade into cavernous spacey
ambience is just as satisfying. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Sked’ – Denzel Curry<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OyLZ9wHz4xI?si=_5Hg01j-5DiBF1iG" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Hip hop singles keep getting shorter. I’d barely got my
headphones on and the track had already ended. Nonetheless, ‘Sked’ is 99
seconds of pure fire. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slimy bassline
is nasty and Denzel hasn’t sounded this threatening since, well, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnVI_x5g0I">‘Threatz’</a>.
Also, I just realised ‘sked’ means ‘scared’ and isn’t some obscure new slang
word. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Dopamine’ – Pastel Blank<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cx7HfkvZd1w?si=0-WFKL0rCRYL1hbU" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">10 years ago when I started this blog, finding new
exciting music to write about was easy. Nowadays, it feels like much more of a
mission to find stuff that’s truly fresh and exciting. Is the quality of music
getting worse? Or have I just numbed my dopamine receptors by consuming too
much music over the years? It was at this moment that I stumbled across this
track in my inbox, which is all about the chase for dopamine online that causes
us to scroll endlessly through social media. We’re all trying to look for that
next quick dopamine hit online, and it becomes harder the older you get. Needless
to say, this track stood out to me and gave me that dopamine hit I’d been
looking for. And not just because the message – the funky ever-evolving instrumentation
slaps too. The single comes off the Canadian indie band’s upcoming LP.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Holding Pattern’ – Menajerie<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sh2_wXh7utU?si=Ae-4szjdyycfKkUI" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Holding Pattern’ won me over in the first 20 seconds. Jazzy
guitars play out to a slow but sharp stomping beat, which then abruptly stops
dead to allow some smooth liquid vocals to trickle in. It’s this type of seductive
tension that I look for in a neo-soul song and this track is oozing with it. The
Meanjin/Brisbane-based neo-soul outfit (which is uniquely fronted by three
female vocalists) are releasing their debut EP <i><a href="https://puremzine.com/menajerie-announce-debut-ep-selective-deafness/">Selective Deafness</a></i> this
Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Already There’ – PEACH<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XPCzMaNSYp0?si=BbxpoBeyamtVcNbV" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This is just the type of noisy rock single I was craving
this week. The vocals are energetic and raw, mixed loud enough so that they cut
through the fuzzy riffs without overpowering them, and I love how absolutely tuneless
and fucked-up the guitar solo is at the end. ‘Already There’ will appear on the
band’s debut self-titled album <a href="https://www.clickrollboom.co.uk/news/peach-announce-self-titled-debut-studio-albumnbspout-301023">PEACH</a> out on the 30<sup>th</sup> September. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">THE WORST<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">‘Red Eye’ – Jockstrap & Taylor Skye ft. Ian Starr<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNMIFU1zogY?si=-yIocwNhwfTP7bV2" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This is Playboi-Carti-esque autotuned mumble rap pushed
to the very extreme. It’s so hostile on the ears that I can kinda understand
the thrill of it. At the same time, I never want to hear it again. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2825534997084710984.post-18906739049137643082023-09-19T06:17:00.001-07:002023-09-19T06:18:03.428-07:00INTRODUCING: Void Comp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTht0eFhlfyJ1J1r9nU0VmhhR8m6KoPjslgdxl3eYpH7nrmgZIWfHJ73QEYetW12ikZkrZuBnVPF230om_t3_RQXwGucBeETk62iDkoFEycGy6cLftAjzy0zhYTyPRjvcA5GhTTv2XYzf0FiAjiKIxonpYWdATKFzUSnhqJYC_H0KrfGCFWQvLFkoQZw/s2464/Press%20pic%204.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1454" data-original-width="2464" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTht0eFhlfyJ1J1r9nU0VmhhR8m6KoPjslgdxl3eYpH7nrmgZIWfHJ73QEYetW12ikZkrZuBnVPF230om_t3_RQXwGucBeETk62iDkoFEycGy6cLftAjzy0zhYTyPRjvcA5GhTTv2XYzf0FiAjiKIxonpYWdATKFzUSnhqJYC_H0KrfGCFWQvLFkoQZw/s320/Press%20pic%204.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 225.65pt;"><b>Meet Void Comp.<span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 225.65pt;">If you love the atmospheric indie-electronic
work of artists like James Blake and Thom Yorke, chances are you’ll love Void
Comp. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 225.65pt;">The Canadian
singer/producer/multi-instrumentalist (who goes by the real name of David Jul<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é) specialises
in creating hypnotic soundscapes out of frosty nocturnal synths and faraway
sighed-out vocals.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 225.65pt;">I first discovered the
artist back in 2021 when I heard his captivating single <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zMexT09xJk">‘Come My Way’</a>. I loved
the slow cruising pace of it combined with the late-night-drive lyrics like ‘<i>move
out the lane</i>’. It sounded both excitingly futuristic and nostalgically retro (particularly the synth solo!). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: center 225.65pt;">The musician’s latest EP <i>Metropol</i>
sees him to experiment with his moody hypnotic sound. This time there are
tracks like ‘Reflector’ with live drums and guitar for a more organic sense of
etherealism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, tracks like ‘Go
Slow’ continue to use the same cold heavy electronica while playing around with
some spine-tinglingly haunting chords and melodies. You can stream the EP below.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3470531460/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 470px; width: 350px;"><a href="https://void-comp.bandcamp.com/album/metropol">Metropol by Void Comp</a></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I am grateful to have been able to interview Dave - the man behind Void Comp. We discussed pizza, musical influences and sci-fi movies. You can check out the interview below. <br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">If Void
Comp was a pizza what toppings would it have?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>Pepperoni, ham,
cheese, black olives and pineapple (that's right)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">Your
EP <i>Metropol</i> is fantastic. I love the cold atmosphere created
by many of your synths. How do you make these synths sound so cold?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>I create a blank
patch and kind of just mess around until I find something that sounds cool. I
rarely use stock sounds; I always try to make it my own. I'm hugely inspired by
the synth sounds of Thom Yorke, James Blake and Rufus Du Sol, so I bought a
Prophet 08 a few years ago, which is the same synth that they use. Synths are
cool because you can make them sound unlike any other instrument. Some people
are put off by synths because they think it sounds too artificial or alien, but
I try to lean into those sounds. Sometimes I think of a material then try to
imagine if it was a sound, what would it sound like - like a sheet of metal or
bubble wrap. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">Favourite
synth riff of all time?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>It has to be <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUnXxh5U25Y">'Everything In Its Right Place’ by Radiohead</a>. That synth intro is timeless. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">Which
musical artists are you most inspired by?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>All the ones I
mentioned earlier - Radiohead and Thom Yorke's solo stuff, James Blake, Rufus
Du Sol, as well as Lorn, Men I Trust, Khruangbin and Led Zeppelin. I'm also
very inspired by solo musicians who write and record all the parts themselves,
like Mac DeMarco or Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, and have taken that same route
for my own music. I did have help from a local drummer Benn Kimmis for the
acoustic drum parts on 'Reflector'. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">A lot of
your lyrics seem to be influenced by challenges and difficulties in your
life. What draws you to this subject matter?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>I feel like I use
songwriting as a kind of self-soothing mechanism, and by writing down and
expressing some of the things I'm feeling I'm better able to acknowledge and
overcome them. Most of my lyrics are self-directed. To me music is a very
emotional experience and feels most potent when dealing with some of the more
negative or distressing aspects of life. Not that I don't ever feel happy or
anything, I just seem to feel like writing music a bit more when I'm not
feeling completely positive. </p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-nPv2MurI64?si=4g0mGMA1Dpq5gWSF" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">‘High Relief’ was
inspired by the isolation and anxiety you felt when moving to Edmonton. How are
you finding life in Edmonton now?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I'm liking it. It's not
quite the same artistic hub as Vancouver is (which is where I lived for over
four years and started my music career) but it's much more affordable and still
a big city. I need to live somewhere where I can afford to live on my own, so I
can work on music as much as I want without having to work around roommates or
family members. I like to work in solitude without anyone else around, which is
getting harder with the rising cost of living in Canada, but I'm able to make
it work here. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">What’s the
meaning of your name ‘Void Comp’? The only reference I could find online was
this <i>League of Legends</i> site, which I’m certain is not related… </span></b><span style="background: white; color: #500050; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.metasrc.com/tft/comp/void&source=gmail&ust=1694664314440000&usg=AOvVaw3bnylPI5uKcjOVCSNXcyA3" href="https://www.metasrc.com/tft/comp/void" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0563c1;">https://www.metasrc.<wbr></wbr>com/tft/comp/void</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>Haha no I've noticed
that myself, but it's actually a reference to the Voight-Kampff test from
<i>Blade Runner</i>. It's the test they use in the movie to determine if someone's a
replicant or human. Void Comp is easier to spell though, and it's the way I
heard it when Harrison Ford says it in the movie. I spent a long time trying to
decide which name to use. I didn't want to use my real name because I like the
idea of having a kind alter-ego to release music under, it can let you create a
whole new concept and world tied to your music. <o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9tbhf__b1-I?si=Plsusng1Z97ZhuW8" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">The video
for your song ‘Just Eyes’ uses footage from an obscure sci-fi movie
called <i>Quest</i> by Saul Bass, which I’m very intrigued by! How
did you stumble across this movie?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>I just stumbled
across it randomly on YouTube. I like going down rabbit holes searching for
obscure movies and visuals. I'm always looking for potential music video ideas,
and I had just found out about Saul Bass. He has such a strong visual style,
and I was immediately drawn to his cinematography. I also used clips from his
movie <i>Phase IV</i> as a music video for my song 'In Circles'.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i2Lp6vnxq38?si=UH8CgNediiwzNBAa" title="YouTube video player" width="320"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">On the
topic of sci-fi movies, what are your favourite sci-fi films?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>My dad loves sci-fi
and introduced me to some of the classics at a pretty young age. <i>Blade
Runner</i>, <i>Alien</i> and <i>The Terminator</i> all made a big impression on
me. The cold, late 70's - 80's sci-fi aesthetic is such a cool and unique
style. Those movies also have some of the best soundtracks. Vangelis' <i>Blade
Runner</i> score is a masterpiece, with my personal favourite being the song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg0cmhjdiLs">‘Memories of Green’</a>. The descending piano part just pulls on my heart. Also, the
melancholic terminator theme song immediately stuck with me and has never left
my brain. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">What music
have you been listening to recently?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>I'm always exploring
and trying to find new music. Today I listened to the new Kylie Minogue single <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-aEr4WRPYk">‘Tension’</a>
about 6 times. I've also recently just started listening to Aphex Twin - he's
one of those artists I'd always heard about but never really explored. I also
recommend BADBADNOTGOOD's newest album <i><a href="https://badbadnotgoodofficial.bandcamp.com/album/talk-memory">Talk Memory</a></i>, as well as the
songs <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tq5DGZ5UyA">‘Dropped In’</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r5XtUebgqo">‘Fountainhead’</a> by Peacewithghosts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">You can
only listen to five albums for the rest of your life. What are they?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>1. Led Zeppelin - <i>The
Song Remains the Same</i> live album<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">2. Radiohead - <i>A Moon
Shaped Pool</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">3. Massive Attack - <i>Mezzanine</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">4. Khruangbin - <i>Con Todo
El Mundo</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">5. J Dilla - <i>Donuts<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.75pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #203864; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #203864; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent1; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">What does
the future hold for Void Comp?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 11.75pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span>I'm working on an
album at the moment and plan to release it next year. I'd also like to do some
live shows. I haven't performed any of these songs live yet and am eager to see
how it transfers to a live setting. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><i>Follow Void Comp on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/voidcomp">https://www.facebook.com/voidcomp</a>,
Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/voidcomp_/">https://www.instagram.com/voidcomp_/</a>
and TikTok at <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@voidcomp">https://www.tiktok.com/@voidcomp</a>.
</i><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Alasdair Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08580837734551533253noreply@blogger.com0