#and the first time we hear the anthem with a guitar again is over the doomsday crater

[calamitydaze]

BELLA i can't stop thinking about your tv show post im losing it YOUR MIND. the framing the THEMES the cq flower motifs im obsessed i love it so freaking much omg

THANK YOU!!!! you get credit for the original flower idea though all i did was ramble in the tags BUT YES i just love thinking about what it Could be if you ignore the laundry list of reasons it wouldn’t work in real life

#ogh the themes the THEMES #the costumes you could make… imagine each country actually having a distinct style of dress #how gorgeously someone could light it to mimic shaders #the editing effects to make george’s dreams feel so unsettling and just to the left of reality #the way the score would soar in the disc finale and the gentle bench theme when clingy sit on it again #<- wait regarding my costume tag #imagine cwilb coming back and no one is wearing lman.burg uniforms anymore. he looks so out of place #imagine if original lm is characterized by guitar and nlm by trumpets #and the first time we hear the anthem with a guitar again is over the doomsday crater #bella answers #soap tag

[slavghoul]

Full article from Metal Hammer 12/2022 that I posted an excerpt from in the previous post. BTW, Impera landed #1 on Metal Hammer’s list of best albums of 2022!

--

It was January 2022, and we found ourselves sitting in the empty lobby of a snug Seattle hotel, overlooking the sunset over Puget Sound while soft rock wafted through the PA system. Across from us was Ghost frontman and mastermind Tobias Forge, and we spent nearly two hours talking about music, family, dogs and the steady ascension of Ghost from spooky Swedish underground band to arena filling titans. But mostly we were there to talk about Impera – their fifth album, then still two months away from release.

In the run-up to an album coming out – particularly one with a highly acclaimed predecessor, like 2018’s Prequelle – artists tend to convey palpable anxiety as they prepare to relinquish control of their work to the world. Not so with Tobias, who radiated ease and comfort. Impera had not yet seen the light of day, but he had already moved on. Looking back at that period today, he explains, “As soon as I am done making a record, I’m pretty much fed up with it. I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to know about it, I just want to forget about it. Once it hits the ears of people, depending on how it’s being received, that’s where you start from scratch again.”

Following Ghost’s North American tour with Volbeat and Twin Temple, Impera was released on March 11. It seamlessly blended pop-savvy songwriting with elaborate arrangements and steady torrents of anthemic pop metal riffage that created a wormhole back to the lighter-raising, arena-rock majesty of the 80s. From the glass-shattering scream that opened Kaisarion to the synth-rock squall of Watcher In The Sky, it delivered one guitar-powered banger after another.

It was enough to land Ghost their first No.1 position on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart – their fourth Top 10 overall. Even bigger, in terms of vinyl and CD sales, Impera scored 2022’s biggest first-week sales for any album, of any genre. With more than 62,000 copies sold in the US alone, it easily bested The Weeknd’s February CD release of Dawn FM. In fact, Impera claimed the biggest first sales week for hard rock vinyl since Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy in 1994.

Critics united in swift and lusty praise. It might have felt heretical at the time, but many early reviews rated Impera as besting Prequelle on all fronts. Our very own Dave Everley wrote: ‘Impera wins on bolshiness, bravado and skyscraping songs alone. Ghost have turned in a modern metal classic with an arena rock heart. It turns out the Devil doesn’t have all the best tunes. Tobias Forge does.’ It’s safe to say any plans of “starting from scratch” were shoved to the back burner.

Ghost’s official Imperatour headlining run took them back across North America and then to Europe. Despite the lingering ravages of Covid across the live music industry, they thrived. “I am very happy that we managed to orchestrate a somewhat functioning but very successful album launch”, says Tobias. “We managed to nail 70 shows with just one cancellation. I think in this day and age in this year, that’s fucking great!”

Across the globe, stages were filling up with shows that had been booked many years prior. “We had to cut and paste a little with our touring schedule, because this past summer was basically filled with 2020’s line-ups,” says Tobias. “That made our scheduling a little… I wouldn’t say sparse, but we had breaks that were longer than normal. There are so many bands that are doing these weird dances. The last year of releasing an album into the void, with no touring and cancelling here and there and everywhere, and people having to rethink their lives, basically… We’ve been blessed not to have done too much of that.”

Logistics aside, somewhere along the line, that cultish little band from Sweden – the one with the creepy frontman singing about Satan and plagues and empires – went mainstream. Propelled by Impera’s momentum, the band tapped into new levels of cultural saturation thanks to appearances on mainstays such as Jimmy Kimmel Live.

“TV always brings you in front of new people”, says Tobias. “We did [The Late Show With Stephen] Colbert a few years ago, and every time you do something like that, you obviously expose yourself to a new scene of viewers. And that’s always great, unless you completely shit the bed on the air. Ha ha ha! I think we did do a few things this year that brought in a whole slew of new people into our fanbase.”

But ever the realist, he adds, “You might have a spike of people checking you out… but you don’t really notice if things like that had any effect. It’s not like the day after, all of your shows are now sold out and there’s a double night booked into every show you’re doing. It’s such a slow process that you don’t notice until a half year later when new fans come in and say, ‘I saw you on Kimmel’ or ‘I saw you with my dad.’ I wouldn’t say that being on Kimmel changed everything. It’s been slow, step-by-step, but it builds new branches onto the same tree and you keep growing higher.”

And higher they grew. In July, Mary On A Cross – originally released on the 2019 EP, Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic – was used in a Tiktok tribute to the show Stranger Things. The ripple effect was staggering. The song landed in the Top 10 of Spotify’s Viral 50 Global chart. As of this issue, the hashtag #Maryonacross has notched up well over one billion views. Ghost eventually released an official, slowed-down version of the song and the two versions combined now claim more than 180 million Spotify streams and counting. “For us, the Tiktok thing was or is just a giant bonus”, he explains. “That was never something that we planned.”

Surely the unplanned waves of publicity will ferry over legions of new fans, for whom an embarrassment of riches awaits. “One thing that I felt proud over, was the fact that we’ve been around for 12 years,” says Tobias. “We’ve made five records, a bunch of EPS, and I am glad that there seems to be a song that has a way to suck people in. And if they go into our world and like it, there is plenty to find. If you like Mary On A Cross, you can just jump on the train and go where we already are heading.”

It’s been an uncommonly good year for heavy music, but for Ghost it’s been more than a success – it’s been a coronation. Despite their demoniacal appearance and transgressive lyrical themes, they have negotiated the near-impossible task of attracting mainstream audiences while holding fast to the diehards in metal who have been there from the start. It creates the enviable problem of facing a new year with new pressures and heightened expectations. But Tobias has a plan.

“We’re doing a lot of touring again”, he explains. “On previous album cycles we’ve done four legs in America and two or three in Europe and repeated. We’re going to go into every territory next year, but there’s going to be one European tour, one American tour. We are going to do a little bit of everywhere. There’ll be a little bit of something up in upper Asia, on the far end there – a very well-established country with a lot of pop cultural fascination, and the home of videogames. And there’s going to be something in the Oceania world, and there might be something south of Panama, and there might be something slightly north of Panama. It feels pretty solid.”

He cryptically adds, “We’re going to come out with a little bit of change before that – good change. We’re not going to go silent. Some things are public, other things not in public view, but there are a lot of things brewing.”

We are journalistically bound to inquire about the next album and, unsurprisingly, Tobias remains mum. In January, he told us, “Everything I’m doing now is for the next record. I have a vague idea what that will be like and a vague idea of the title and the colour scheme.”

For now, that will have to do, but rest assured that as we all continue to enjoy the masterpiece that is Impera, Tobias is already hard at work, figuring out dramatic new ways to blow our minds. But he still allows himself the odd moment to stop and take it all in.

“To be able to make all of the shows that we’ve done, and to have a record that did fairly well, I think the sum of it is pretty fucking awesome,” he smiles. “I’m very thankful. It was a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck.”

#the band ghost #tobias forge #interview

[tiredstressedemotionalmess]

top five concerts you've been to?

(just top concerts if you havent been to five)

GREAT QUESTION!! i have a lot to say abt all of these so sorry for my ramblings in advance but in no particular order we have:

1. MCR Boston2 - its hard for me to pick my favorite of my MCR shows but the setlist for this one juuuust pushes it over my first show i think. got to gear sooo many of my faves that night- SCARECROW and Deathwish and Summertime and Boy Division and Best Day Ever and Cancer!!!!! they played a lot of danger days song which obviously i fucking LOVED and idk something abt Famous Las Words really got to me that night. maybe its bc even tho our seats were kinda shitty that meant i could see basically the whole crowd as well as the stage and i just remember feeling so at home like "oh yeah. you all understand too huh?". i was also dressed as party poison that night so a lot of cool people came up to talk to me lmao

2. Set It Off at the Palladium for the Dopamine Tour - my most recent time seeing the boys AND MY FIRST TIME MEETING THEM!!!! they were all so sweet and they played an acoustic version of Bleak December which had me Felling Things. AND THEN THE SETLIST FOR THE SHOW ITSELF WAS INCREDIBLE AND THEY FUCKING PLAYED MISS MYSTERIOUS WHICH US LIKE MY FAVORITE SONG EVER OF ALL TIME AND ID RATHER DROWN WHICH IS ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVES AND FUCKING ILL SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD WHICH WAS MY ANTHEM IN MIDDLE SCHOOL- and also Scene Queen opened and she was fucking spectacular and im really glad i lost my dad in the crowd before her set bc i lost my shit screaming along with her sings and he Did Not need to hear that 💀

3. Fall Out Boy at Darien Center - first time seeing fob the seats were so fucking good and i met so many cool people AND HEARD HEADFIRST SLIDE AND YOURE CRASHING AND 27 AND GET BUSY LIVIN AND- also i was at the park connected to the venue and i fucking left before the rest of my family to get some rest before the show. and literally as soon as i get to the fucking hotel my dad texts me a picture of PETE FUCKING WENTZ. IF I HAD JUST WAITED LIKE TEN MINUTES I COULDVE MET PETE WENTZ BUT NOOOO I WANTED TO REST SO J WOULDNT GET A HEADACHE IM STILL NOT OVER THIS MY DAD WHI DOESNT LIKE FOB SAW PETE WENTZ AFTER I HAD BEEN JOKING ABT JT ALL DAY GOD HATES ME BUT ITS FINE BC AT LEAST I GOT TO LOSE MY SHIT TO HEADFIRST SLIDE ONLY SONG EVER OF ALL TIME

4. Set It Off at Toad's Place for the Welcome to Elsewhere Tour - yes of course they're on here twice idc if theres other vands i could mention THEYRE THEM. this show was incredible, i managed to push my way almost to barricade by the end of the show AND i caught one of zach's guitar picks!! the openers were both killer too, but Cherie Amour in particular stood out to me so obviously i bought a CD after their set (which was SIGNED and i got to meet/take a photo with Trey and Brendan and they were both so nice it was awesome)

5. The Used & Pierce the Veil (i forget where this was and im too lazy to look it up rn 💀) - VICS VOICE LIVE HELLO????? HOW DOES HE SOUND LIKE THAT IM IN LOVE WITH HIM RAAAAGH- and look even tho i love ptv im much more of a casual fan when it comes to them so it was nice bc i had fun during their set but still had so much energy left over for THE MOTHERFUCKING USED. YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW LOUD I WAS SCREAMING WHEN BERT CAME ON STAGE MAN AND GE WAS HOLDING A TRANS FLAG WHEN HE WALKED OUT AND THAT ALONE NEARLY MADE ME CRY THEY WERE SO AMAZING IM VERY INCOHERENT ABT THIS SHOW BC I LOVE THEM SM IT WAS SO FUN AND I CANT WAIT TO (HOPEFULLY) SEE THEM AGAIN NEXT MONTH

#asks #ask game #SORRY THIS GOT SO LONG I TRIED TO KEEP IT SHORT SO I LEFT A LOT OUT BUT MAN I LOVE CONCERTS #AND I WILL USE EVERY POSSIBLE EXCUSE TO YELL ABT THEM #HONORABLE MENTION IS MCR UNCASVILLE BC THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME SEEING THEM AND THOSE WERE THE BEST SEATS OUT OF ALL THREE TIMES #AND I BRUISED MY PALM WITH HOT HARD I KEPT HITTING/GRIPPING ONTO THE GAURDRAIL #the used #mcr #ptv #set it off #fob

[dollarbin]

Sandy Saturdays #10:

Blues Run the Game

When I was a kid there were two required initial steps to take if you wanted to one day rock: first, you had to learn how to play Stairway to Heaven. Then it was time to learn Blackbird.

I did neither; rather I borrowed my buddy Eric's spare acoustic and taught myself how to stumble through Knocking on Heaven's Door (G-D-C; G-D-C).

My approach is not recommended: my famous brother and my other, almost-as-famous, brother are both surely shredding on their six strings as we speak, their families gathered about them, rapt with awe, as they sing about the lady who's sure that all that glitters is gold and the poor blackbird's sunken eyes. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here, writing this.

(But I did recently witness a big deal version of Blackbird: the eighth grade at my school sang it with horrific, tuneless assembly requirement while their music teacher showed off his seventh grade level guitar licks, but at their center stood a committed, fearless/oblivious young woman who, I kid you not, busted out a whistled, note-perfect and full, blackbird warble at the song's end; surely that warble on The White Album is a field recording, not Paul whistling, right? But this was no field recording: the kid was on tweeting fire. I read this morning that some 14 year American boy just got a professional soccer contract for millions of dollars in England; Paul McCartney ought to offer the young woman at my school a similar contract, pronto.)

Well, anyway, neither Plant/Page's overblown, but still kinda killer (the drums!), epic or McCartney lovely yet paternalistic race anthem existed in 1965 when Sandy Denny, Nick Drake and Paul Simon were teaching themselves to be, well, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake and Paul Simon.

It's really too bad. Imagine Sandy singing Stairway to Heaven. Someway, somehow, she'd make it not sound cliche. While we're at it, imagine Sandy's perfect phrasing, volume, tempo and sense of self taking over altogether for Plant's shirtless, hollering ego.

(Don't panic, I enjoy a little Zeppelin now and again as much as the next white guy who writes a blog about his record collection, and we'll get to Plant and Denny's famous, dense and soaring, shared track on some upcoming Sandy Sunday).

And Nick Drake's version of Stairway to Heaven would be a joyful romp, no? In his hands we'd worry about the Piper rather than be warned against him.

Paul Simon, meanwhile, would revamp the entire chord structure, have 16 tracks on the demo and make Artie stand around, waiting for his turn to do something, anything, only on the last, trembling and drawn out phrase over cymbals, kettle drums and fifes: "and she's buying a stairway.... to heav......en."

But, since that song was yet to be written (Plant must have been about 7 in 65/66) there was a clear stand-in apprentice track for aspiring mid-60's Brits to work at: Blues Run the Game, Jackson C. Frank's lick heavy paean to room service gin. Simon, Denny and Drake all put their stamp on the song, Denny and Drake through home recordings and Simon through an early studio track.

We'll start with the original on this fine Saturday. Simon was there for the song's birthing; he's the producer here, which mostly seems to mean that he said "roll 'em" then looked away while the terrified Frank laid the song down live.

Frank's biography is ready for the Sophocles treatment; he and Oedipus could compare mournful notes, competing to see who had it worse from the gods.

Frank: "Look, Oedipus, I hear you about your mom and all, but did you survive a childhood fire that killed bunches of your peers? No? And was your precocious initial development followed by failed relationships, failed marriages, a terminally ill newborn son and decades of homelessness? No again? Quit trying to interrupt Oedipus; no one cares about your dad. Finally, were you blinded in one eye by errant, random fire from a teenager wielding a pellet gun? No? Well then, quit moping, and shrug it off dude!"

Poor Frank spent a lot of the seventies charging around Woodstock, NY, in his birthday suit, occasionally complimented by a sword and/or cape, his schizophrenic delusions overcoming him. All kidding aside, you gotta feel for the dude.

His tragic life makes his sad song, and his raw performance of it, all that much sadder. The full success of his leisurely, mournful pace also explains why Simon wisely shelved his own comparatively cheerful effort with Garfunkel:

Drake's performance, in turn, is studious and personal; he is trying to prove to himself that he's worthy to join the ranks of not just the quickly lost American, Frank, but also the full gamut of British performers who had the jump start on him, from the boy band ranks (Donovan, Cat Stevens, The Zombies) to the hersute bohemian ne'er do wells (John Renbourn, Richard Thompson, John Martyn) to the guys already living solidly on the astral plane (Heron/Williamson).

Clearly, the elegant Drake belonged in their club; indeed, once he took a deep breath and stuck out his comely head, he was everyone's better.

I don't know that Denny's take competes with Drake's or the original. But it's still damn good and it solidly serves its purpose: Denny sings this boy song boldly as a woman, and she presents it with her soon to be signature balance of power and grace.

Sandy dated Frank at the same point she privately laid down this track and Frank's other stone cold classic, Milk and Honey (a song that is worthy of its own future post). It seems as though Denny's dating decisions were not equal to her musical chops: she soon took a pass on the soon to be naked all the time Frank and shacked up with the world's tallest, most red-headed, dullard, Trevor Lucas.

Lucas, so far as we know, never donned a cape and charged around naked, so score one for Trevor. But he never wrote Sandy a good song, and Frank gave Denny two of them. What's more, Frank helped convince Sandy, during their time together, to quit nursing school and focus full time on music.

Good shot Jackson.

#sandy denny #sandy saturdays #paul simon #nick drake #jackson c. frank

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

Ok hi Im back to talk about this bc I love to - how do u think todays performance was? I loved it even more than the late late version I think he sounds so good w an acoustic chorus. His voice sounded equally beautiful during that chorus. But also- is it just me or did he look like he couldn’t hear himself in the beginning. He was like messing w the earpiece

Hi! Sorry this is late!

First of all, for GMA’s smaller space, Louis planned for a softer, more acoustic arrangement. Isaac’s and Michael’s guitars are acoustic-electric hybrids, I think? Steve Durham only has a snare and a bass drum instead of the full drum set. Zak is playing on a xylophone! The overall effect of this arrangement is to showcase Louis’ voice and bring it forward.

The GMA mic sounds a lot “dryer” than on the Late Late show. The voice doesn’t reverb or “echo,” but stops in front of the air as quickly as it’s sung. Therefore, any “roundness” or softness has to comes from Louis’ mouth and throat. This also means that the mic will amplify every single sound around it.

For example, as soon as Louis starts singing, it’s clear that his voice is raspier than on LLS (probably from a lack of voice rest, smoking and alcohol at night… his bad habits 🫢). I hear more vocal jitter— the wobbliness around a pitch. A softer voice requires better breath control, and Louis’ voice was too stressed that early in the morning. Singers try to warm up before performances, and early morning performances are the hardest! Vocal cords are muscles!

The instrumental arrangement of the second verse is very, very pretty. The strings provide a warm wash of sound over which the xylophone is a bright ornament. The contrast between the warm strings, the deep/ round bass, the clear, clean xylophone, and Louis’ raspy, smoky voice is really what music in small spaces is all about, a study in beautifully blended textures.

(An aside: Bigger Than Me’s chorus is too big, too anthemic to play acoustically in a small space. The harmonizing vocals are too much.)

By the time we get to the bridge, Louis’ voice has warmed up and his control is much better. In fact, the segue (the two bigger than me’s) leading to the bridge are already much more controlled, steadier, the tone fuller, more luxuriant and supported, the throat looser and more relaxed (but the smoky vocal cords … still raspy! Bad boy, Tommo! Go to bed earlier!).

Louis sings the bridge with full command of his beautiful voice. Sometimes in a performance, it takes a bit of time for a singer to adjust the vocal volume to the ensemble (especially with in-ears in a foreign setting), but by the bridge, Louis has found the perfect balance. The harmonizing vocals have also been brought into line.

I think singing Bigger Than Me in different venues is a great learning experience for Louis. He smashed it at the Z 100 End of Summer Bash, but the Elvis Duran performance— in a tight space again— was rockier. It was also part of a very hectic schedule. In my opinion, nothing beats the Milan performance though. The world premiere of Bigger Than Me— the graphics, the lights, the pyro, the emotions in the air— it was all heartstoppingly poignant. I will never forget it.

#bigger than me live #bigger than me GMA #good morning america 2022 #gma 2022 #louis tomlinson

[bubblesandgutz]

Every Record I Own - Day 764: Liz Phair Girly Sound to Guyville

I was 15-years-old when Exile in Guyville came out. At that age, I was in a phase where I was fixated on loud, angry punk music and didn’t have much of an appreciation for contemporary singer-songwriters. Furthermore, my knowledge of indie rock was limited to the late ‘80s SST roster. So while I was aware of Liz Phair and her debut album, it didn’t seem pertinent to my interests. And somehow, I managed to go nearly 27 years without ever hearing a note of it. 

And then in the spring of 2020, a younger friend of mine posted something about it online and I found myself thinking “shit, if the younger generation is latching onto it, then I gotta get caught up.” So I pulled up Exile in Guyville on my phone while I was puttering around in my backyard and sure enough... I fell for its charms almost instantly. I think I’d always assumed it was more of a conventional pop record... a solo artist backed by hired gun studio musicians. The cover looked like a cross between a fashion ad and Madonna’s “Justify My Love” video. I knew it was a very “sexual” record, which only reinforced my assumption that it was targeted towards a mainstream audience.

But what I heard in 2020 was a scrappy young musician singing these unadulterated, unflinching, and resilient songs about being a woman in a male-dominated scene. Yes, it was an unapologetically sexual album. And yes, Phair had an eye for visual art, understood the allure of fashion photography, and shaped the aesthetics of her debut album to tap into that enticement. But this wasn’t Madonna. As one critic noted, Liz Phair had the appeal of a friend’s cool older sister---the one that smoked cigarettes, dated older guys, went to shows with a fake ID, played guitar, and let you rifle through her record collection.

The lore surrounding the album is too much to tackle here, but certainly a part of its appeal---the modeling of the track listing off of Exile on Main Street, the signing to Matador off the strength of her bedroom four-track Girly-Sounds tapes, the connections to the thriving early ‘90s Chicago scene, etc. The thing is, it’s a fantastic record even without that context. Songs like “Help Me Mary” and “Never Said” are just bangin’ ‘90s alt-rock pop anthems, even as they tackle the more localized issue of shit-talking and misogyny in the Chicago music community. Phair was obviously an untrained singer and musician, her vocal style being very matter-of-fact and the mechanics of her guitar playing being fairly simple. But when you hear a song like “Soap Star Joe” or “Explain It to Me,” those qualities elevate the power of the music. Like so many great folk songs, the simplicity of song structure and the relatability of the singer give the music its emotional weight. 

Ultimately, there has been no shortage of great writing on Exile in Guyville, and whatever I type out here will in no way match... say... what Gina Arnold accomplished with her entry in the 33 1/3 book series. But even if it’s a fun album to run through the lens of critical analysis or to examine as a reflection of a specific time and place, to me it will always be a great album that I immediately fell in love with in my backyard on an unseasonably warm spring day during an otherwise bleak time. 

It became my soundtrack to the happier moments of the lockdown era of COVID. I listened to it while I basked in the sun in my backyard. I listened to it while I grilled on my barbecue. I listened to it over and over again on two long road trips out to my grandparent’s cabin in western Colorado. It’s an album that feels like a beam of positivity projected out of the darkness, and it consequently felt like a perfect salve during those uncertain days of Spring 2020. It was an intimate, diaristic window into another person’s life at a time when we were cut off from other humans. It’s brash, fun, catchy, brutally honest, and timeless, and as the Northwest has gotten its first few sun breaks suggesting the upcoming arrival of Spring, it’s an album I’ve found creeping back into rotation in anticipation of warmer days.

#liz phair #everyrecordiown

[maocin]

Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?, 1997, Harvey Danger

Harvey Danger is not a hall-of-fame band. They are not special, they produced no classics, they left very little imprint on our larger culture musically. But with Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? they wrote a pretty much perfect album. Aside from two minutes of dead air at the end, this record rocks from start to finish. I want to talk about why this is one of my favorite albums of all time.

Starting Off Strong

Okay, so you've heard "Flagpole Sitta". Good song! A nice summer-y bop to get heads turning when it comes on over the radio. Something everybody can sing along to when the chorus hits. Maybe, if you knew who Harvey Danger were off the top of your head, you've heard "Carlotta Valdez", the frankly electrifying album opener that makes an equal case for most listenable on the album. This strong one-two will get you moving, get you hyped. Plenty of albums from genuinely talented artists go by without having even one song that you feel like really fucking screaming along to. And yet, from the first chorus of Carlotta to the very last four-count in Flagpole Sitta, if I'm not in public, I'm probably losing my voice. Maybe even if I am in public.

The guitars sound like what I want guitars to sound like, sometimes twinkly and bright with an undercurrent of grungy distorted rhythm, sometimes driving fully into the territory of punk with a warbling angry lead and a forceful drive on crunchy power chords. The drums keep things moving -- there's no laying into the groove here, no snapping on two and four. This is for moving your whole body to the inexorable pull of a fucking awesome downbeat. The vocals are distinct but still speak the language of late 90's pop-grunge with some typical growls, a sarcastic, cynical delivery, and the obligatory megaphone-sounding bridge every now and again.

Oh, and holy shit, that bass. Paul McCartney is crying tears of happiness somewhere.

These first two songs are perfect pop-punk anthems. When I finish "Carlotta Valdez" I want to scream YES! along with the guys in the studio. Flagpole Sitta makes me want to go drive a car too fast, strut around Main Street with the crew, unapologetically enjoy my world with awareness of the enlightened hipster perspective and rejection of its caustic holier-than-thou attitude. In short: Go, white boy, go.

2. Changing the Game

It's extremely important what happens between "Wooly Muffler", "Private Helicopter", and the three songs that follow. And now I want to talk about lyrics, because yeah, those matter too. Wooly Muffler opens with a strikingly evocative image given what you're used to hearing after the first two songs: Flagpole Sitta's "Only stupid people are breeding/The cretins cloning and feeding/And I don't even own a TV" seems like it comes from some Green Day song* but the vulnerability of "All I ever wanted to be was a wooly muffler on your naked neck" belongs on Pinkerton. Neither of these are necessarily good or bad -- they're just well-executed in equal measure, and the range should be acknowledged. Wooly Muffler is not the first hint that this album might be much more than another dumb pop-punk effort, but it is the most obvious. Unless you're a Hitchcock fan. For everyone else, when the guitars kick back in heavy on Wooly Muffler, we know for sure it's real. "If you've got greatness in you/Would you do us all a favor/And keep it to yourself" is one of my favorite lines in anything I've ever read, seen, or heard. These guys are the real deal, another Nirvana, capable of capturing the energy without succumbing to the bullshit. *(although it's actually quite delightfully ironic and clever and if we're being charitable "Longview" is too, and everyone everywhere should really give artists more credit because being authentic in ways that everyone agrees with is comically hard)

And then "Private Helicopter" comes on. You just can't help but recognize everything awful about the genre in the way Sean Nelson delivers "favorite ex-girlfriend." I almost turned the album off right here the first time I listened to it. There's no use lying; I totally did, and I had to go back later to finish the rest. I am here to promise you: it's not blink-182. You are not hearing the beginning of a boyish album about sex drugs and rock'n'roll. It's one miss for one verse, if it's that. Yes, it's scary to hear a record that sounds like it's headed in the right direction almost veer into the wrong one, but I solemnly swear that this song gets personal, it gets angry, it is not a bit piece. And that's why getting through the first half is so important, because it's not their fault that "What's My Age Again" and later Offspring albums are cringey to listen to now. This song suffers for sins that are not (!) its own. So you might be upset heading into the middle of the album. Fortunately --

3. Holy shit these next two songs are really fucking good I mean wow

"Here's a fact you cannot rise above/We'll have problems, yeah/Then we'll have bigger ones."

As a writer or listener for a vast amount of music all told, I am not uniquely qualified to say this but I am qualified enough. When Sean Nelson says he doesn't know what the line "From damage to damn control" means, he is not admitting defeat. The best writers in the world will tell you a good song is a gift and a good line is pure dumb luck. Sometimes, it's just stringing words together and singing them in a way that means something to someone. If you don't feel anything when you listen to "Problems and Bigger Ones", there's something fundamentally wrong with you as a human person.

Jack The Lion is deeply personal and deeply sad. I watched my father lose his father to Alzheimer's; I read the 23rd Psalm at Papu's funeral. I was too young to understand why Dad cried at "Cat's Cradle," call it self-centeredness. "When you coming home dad?/I don't know when" just didn't hit as hard at eight, because my father had been home for me. It's not nostalgia talking when I say I fucking love this band. It's "Jack The Lion." Watching my father deteriorate would break me. This song is really, really good.

4. Now that we're all sold on this being phenomenal, lets listen to some songs about love and hate and all that good stuff

I don't have much to say about "Old Hat." It's one of those love songs that you have to squint at to realize it's astoundingly true. There's not much conventional beauty in that. However, it works out to be exactly what it's meant to be. What a commendable thing to aspire to. To ape one of my favorite people on the internet, the brevity of Old Hat has a lot to teach about the craft of writing. I learned, of course, absolutely nothing.

"Old Hat" is about love. So is "Terminal Annex," but a different kind: the inverse, really. "Dreaming of the fistfight I never got into/Thinking of the mean shit I wish I'd said to you" is one of those lines that means a lot to those born into boyhood in America. I hope I've sold you on the idea that these fine gentlemen are self-aware; it's my firm belief that the song isn't actually about how much he hates this girl, rather it's about the ways that kind of hatred can influence a life. In any case, it means something, and that's another check mark.

5. Taking it home

The last two songs have to mean something too. We're this close to a more-or-less perfect album, just bring it home.

And oh brother, does "Wrecking Ball" almost fuck it up or what. Maybe you're into this sort of thing, but I was enjoying my album free of hackneyed metaphors, with its depth coming from reflection and self-awareness and trust in the artist. Creating a metaphorical house is... a little much for my taste. But it's got that profound sound, and just because it has the T.S. Eliot accent isn't enough reason to hate it.

Let's talk about "Radio Silence" now. Assume for a moment the last three minutes of the song don't exist. What a fucking song. In 1997, before Twitter collapsed all nuance, before Facebook bore our personal information into the gaping maw of every aggregating advertiser, before the hyper-modern fractionalization of every group of people, we have "Radio Silence". The lament of a man who just so desperately wants to be left alone. And by way of that lament, his caricature. And by way of that caricature, some form of commentary. Sure -- it winds up meaning what you want it to mean. Absolutely it's true that you could overanalyze this album to death, it has the accent of profundity and enough words to feed a freshman lit class for weeks, months if they can bring in other works to compare it all to. Obviously this much is true.

But in 2023 when you listen to this fucking song and you hear "All hail to another confession" how can it not make you feel at least something. Some people walk around living thinking a friend who asks for favors is no friend at all, some people believe their public profile is a great place to drop all the trauma of their childhood. Is it so much to ask to maintain a little radio silence? If you choose to read it as a plea for normalcy, it might look a little something like that. But it's all yours to interpret and that's the best any artist anywhere can offer.

All that said, here's my two cents. The ending refrain of the song sounds fucking beautiful. By that point I've already decided what I want to believe for the day -- a song's not going to change my mind about what should and shouldn't be acceptable in polite conversation with strangers. Whatever I'm feeling or thinking, when that refrain comes in, I get chills.

6. Go forth!

If you lived through the nineties you might remember Flagpole Sitta, or if you were on Vimeo in 2007 (google flagpole sitta lipsync), or if you listen to your local alt-rock radio station. But it's not even the best song on this album. I prefer Carlotta Valdez and Jack The Lion. Furthermore, Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? isn't even their best whole work -- that probably goes to King James Version, although Little By Little was also well recieved.

Harvey Danger is self-aware and self-important, deeply involved with the culture that birthed it and equally parts mocking of its origins. They are fine lyricists, fine musicians, they put the music first and produce songs that you can enjoy listening to. And most importantly, if your friend who likes good music asks you how the album is, you can play Flagpole Sitta -- but if you have a friend who thinks Nirvana were industry plants, well, you can just as easily play them Radio Silence, and get a less frigid reception than if you had confessed to liking Dave Matthews. They created an almost-perfect album. Had Sean Nelson taken a better tone at the beginning of "Private Helicopter" and the record label decided to lop off the last three minutes of nothingness with noise, this album would be impossible to find fault with. Not a 10 by any means -- it's no great work of art -- but something even rarer: a perfect seven.

7. Postscript

Reasons you might not like this album:

It's not very musical and the vocal performances range from 'nothing special' to 'straight-up grating if you don't like pop punk'.

Mired in mediocrity, it doesn't strive for or achieve anything beyond the grounds it covers. No innovative sound or meaningful lyrical accomplishment; it never captured a movement or spoke to a generation the way a classic album does.

The lyrics aren't much! If you're used to something like Springsteen's grit, or Penelope Scott's wittiness, or the complexity and sincerity of Kendrick Lamar, you're going to be disappointed. Hell, even if you're more of a Taylor Swift fan you might find "So casually cruel in the name of being honest" to be more pithy and striking than most of Harvey Danger's offerings. Although if you think "All Too Well" inarguably clears everything on this album, even after listening, then I'll be very sad.

By calling this a perfect album I don't mean to say that it's full of perfect songs, or to argue that it's a classic, or even to say that it's particularly good for your tastes. If you look for greatness in your music, you will not find it here. But what they try to achieve, they achieve, and they do so entirely without fault. This album left a sincere impression on me and I hope you didn't read this far because what the fuck are you doing you're wasting your time go listen to it!!!

#harvey danger #music #where have all the merrymakers gone? #music review #music recs #song recs #90s music #pop punk #alt rock #90's alternative

[newmusickarl]

Top 50 Albums of 2022

10. How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me? By The Amazons

Here we are then at my Top 10 Albums of 2022 and what better way to start than with the record that I played more than any other this year.

Those that know me will already be aware that The Amazons are a very special band for me, having followed them from playing to rooms of just five or so people, right up to seeing them play one of their first arena shows earlier this year whilst supporting Royal Blood. From the moment I heard the demo of their first ever single, I knew they had that something special that any band needs to make it to the big time. Over the years since, it's been incredible to watch their rise and witness more and more people connect with their music through each new project. I truly believe they are one of the best rock bands on the planet right now and they reaffirmed this feeling back in September when they released their anthem-filled third album, How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me?

Taking the angst, frustration and heartache of lockdown and spinning it into this hopeful, joyous collection of country-and-folk infused rock, they crafted the perfect album for this celebratory post-lockdown year. Hearing the songs from this album in their intended live setting and seeing the jubilant reaction from the audiences was unlike anything else in 2022, with The Amazons' euphoric live shows now also close to being completely unrivalled. From being a part of the album's release week, to winning the very Mandolin that the acoustic versions of the album's tracks were written on, this is probably the most personal entry on this Top 50 list and one record that was always going to land right near the top of the pile.

Here is what I said about the album in my original review for Gigwise back in September:

“Where their previous two albums were built out of studio jams, the COVID-pandemic altered the course usually taken by the quartet for finding their creative spark. This time around, the songs were born from frontman Matt Thomson’s odes to his long-distance girlfriend, written on his acoustic guitar for her during prolonged absences from one another over lockdown. These rough demos were then built up by the band in separate studios, steadily pieced together until they eventually became the stirring 11 tracks found on How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me?

The result is an album that is so incredibly joyous you can’t help but beam from ear-to-ear whilst listening to it. A complete contrast to the darkness of previous album Future Dust, on How Will I Know… the band discover brighter and more profound sonic territory. The loud heavy riffs mostly take a back seat this time around, replaced instead with a greater focus on the songcraft and some noticeable country/Americana influences. Fans of their previous work may be worried reading this, but have no fear: this is still distinctly The Amazons you know and love.

Overall, this is an utterly blissful and hugely uplifting record that will leave you resplendent with a full heart and a reinvigorated lust for life. The anthems are still here for current fans, but The Amazons also tap into deeper, more impactful lyricism to sound better and more widely appealing than ever before. How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me? Well, I think it just has.”

Read the full review for Gigwise here

Read my interview with frontman Matt Thomson on the making of the record here

Best tracks: Northern Star, Say It Again, Bloodrush

Listen here

#new music #best new music #albums of the year #album recommendation #album of the year #best of 2022 #best of the year #aoty #aoty 2022 #best albums of 2022 #the amazons #how will i know? #how will I know if heaven will find me? #bloodrush #Youtube

[fantastickkay]

Album Review of the Week: Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (2010; reissued 2012)

In 2010, Katy Perry entered the new decade ready to prove to the world that she was here to stay with the absolute opposite of a sophomore slump. Teenage Dream was a cultural reset, becoming one of the few albums in history to spawn multiple chart-topping hits.

The album's title track, opener, and one of those smash hits - Teenage Dream - almost sounds boring more than 10 years on but that is only because it set the standard for pop hits to come. It is one of those pop songs that sound simple but in that simplicity it becomes easy for more people to relate and enjoy, the recipe for a huge hit! I really enjoy the background electric guitars. They provide a really great base for all of the instrumentals going on and propels the track forward through its melodies in a satisfying way. It is also very easy for almost anyone to sing along with!

Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) allows Katy to bring out her quirky side with silly concepts and lyrics. This track has a scratchy synth all throughout the chorus that is really fun to listen closely in order to keep track of its travels. This is a great party song, very bouncy and fun to move along to!

California Gurls is my favorite song on the album! I remember when this came out, I had it loaded onto my blue iPod Nano and listened to it when walking into school every day that spring. I love how it is energetic without being in your face. The beats are there but there is still a summer chill about it. I don't listen to Snoop Dogg's discography, but I love when he is featured with my pop girlies! His voice pairs with a pop beat very well. This song always makes me think of the purple Polly Pocket Jeep that I had back in 2000. A fantastic lead single!

Out of all the smash singles, Firework is probably the most iconic. Name a better opening line than "do you ever feel like a plastic bag?" This one reminds me of driving to college when I freshly bought it off of iTunes. That's the thing about this album, it was so significant that I remember where I was when I first heard each single! Every pop superstar needs that signature anthem and Katy definitely found it in this song - it is so much fun to sing along to and even if the lyrics are extremely cheesy, it will still pump you up!

After a jam packed start, we get some non-single tracks. Peacock is quite the curious choice to follow Firework, but here we are! For some reason, this one always makes me think of Chat Roulette - I never used it enough to get any saucy surprises but you hear stories. I am not a huge fan of the lyrics, but it has fantastic energy regardless! If the tables turned and a man released a similar song, it would not go over so well and I don't think this would even fly for a woman to release today.

Circle the Drain is my favorite non-single track. It is such a departure from the sound we have had so far - much more dark. Not a subject you hear too much in mainstream pop music, which is always something that interests me. It is also well written, quite poetic yet blunt at the same time.

The One That Got Away is sonically and lyrically the sequel to Teenage Dream. It has that (now) standard pop melody again. I really enjoy this song, even though it is on the sadder side, it has a great sound and singability.

E.T. has some crazy lyrics, but I love the hard hitting beats and addictive melody! Her vocals have been amazing this entire album but they are especially fantastic here. Her vocal delivery (and effects) are absolutely perfect for this tune! Even though I am nowhere near a Kanye West fan, I do prefer the remix version featuring a rap from him. It does well to mix up the vibe.

Who Am I Living For? is the most forgettable song on the album for me. A lot of oversinging happening for my taste and not a lot of texture otherwise so it is quite boring to listen to in my opinion.

Pearl is another one that doesn't stick with me. It took me an embarrassing amount of years to actually listen to this album in full so maybe that is the problem with these later deep cuts! This one is much better than the last track but still quite boring.

Hummingbird Heartbeat wakes me up with an energetic, assertive intro (I suppose "You make me feel like I am losing my virginity" squares up to Firework when it comes to odd opening lines!). We get back to some natural instruments in this one which is really quite nice after many electronic tracks beforehand. Now, I am back to wanting to run around the room so all is right with the world.

Not Like the Movies closes out the standard tracklist with a snoozefest ballad.

I believe Teenage Dream is one of the last great eras in pop music. Nowadays, we are lucky to get more than one single leading up to the album then one single on album release date and the artist dips and all promo falls off a cliff. I miss when eras would have a slow burn for a couple of years! 2 years after its release, we get Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection with 7 more tracks - 3 of which are completely brand new! Extending this explosive era, giving it a proper send off and cementing Katy Perry as pop royalty.

Part of Me is another classic hit, I absolutely loved this track when it came out and jammed to it all the time! It is a great, energetic, empowering, perfectly pop song!

Wide Awake was considered a farewell to this era. "Falling from cloud nine" illustrates the bittersweet sentiment as well as many other lyrics. I think this was a great send off, it keeps true to the album's overall production while reaching out into the dark for what may come in the future.

Dressin' Up takes that darker production and twists it into something mysterious and intriguing with its slower intro which then blasts into massive beats for the chorus. This song definitely has the feel of a cold, foggy dance floor with thin strobes shooting in all directions.

While there are some skips, there is no denying that Teenage Dream is one of the most important pop albums of our time. This album alone scored five number one hits!!! That is a truly amazing achievement and she was the first woman to do so.

#album review #katy perry #2010s #2010 #2012 #cd collection #vinyl collection

[dancing-to-architecture]

41 - Otis Redding - Otis Blue

Welp, all I know of Otis Redding is "(Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay" and that he wrote Respect before Aretha covered it and effectively made it hers.

Wikipedia says this is (paraphrased) mostly a cover album. Otherwise, I'm going in blind on this one.

•Ole Man Trouble-

It's ostensibly a blues album, and this is an amazing first track; a blues song about getting stuck in the dumps again and again and again. Fuck Ole Man Trouble.

All my homies hate Ole Man Trouble.

Those horns are hot, though! Hoping for a lot more of that coming up.

•Respect-

Okay, I was expecting this, but this version is just WEIRD. The pieces are there, but it's subtly wrong. Lukewarm take: Aretha did it WAY better. This song works so much better as a feminist anthem than it does like this, it's very 'better have my dinner ready when I walk in the door'.

•A Change Is Gonna Come-

Hearing this man's beaten-down and bedraggled optimism about how things have to get better for the black community despite living though a particularly dark part of America's history gave me a bit of hope that, yeah, things have got to get better.

Then, I think about my racist, fascist governor and I can't stop myself from thinking: "well, not fuckin yet, I guess."

Then, I lose myself in thinking about pushing Ronathan Desantis into the industrial crushing machine from the end of 30 Days of Night, and I get just a bit happier.

It's legitimately soul-destroying to think that it's been so long since this song was written and we've gotten to "no no, you see, slavery was good actually because it taught them valuable skills!" and that kinda makes me want to slit my fucking wrists

This country sucks shit.

•Down in the Valley-

As if he knew the last song was gonna be A Bummer, this one is basically "oh yeah, shit SUCKS, but those motherfuckers can't stop us from dancing, even if it's just to spite them."

That said, I really like it. A breath of fresh air.

•I've Been Loving You Too Long-

My man, she's gone. She's checked the fuck out.

She wants out, you said as much. Let her go.

I get that you feel like you can't let go, but you're being the Crab in the goddamn Bucket right now.

(For real, it sucks to be in a one-sided relationship but let them go if they want to leave, and you'll both be happier eventually for it.)

•Shake-

This song has some SERIOUS energy to it. Funky as hell, and the horns are working overtime. If this doesn't make you want to move, you're broken.

I bet this one was a killer at a live set.

•My Girl-

I was initially going to say that this sounds wrong without the Temptation's back-up singers, but the horns actually work pretty well in their place.

Also, god DAMN, the man could sing.

A beautiful cover. I almost like it more than the original, tbh.

•Wonderful World-

Was expecting trees of green and red roses, too, aaaaaaaand now all I can think about is Animal House, a now deeply problematic fave from my younger years. (But still not nearly as problematic as Revenge of the Nerds.)

(For those who aren't familiar, this was a featured song in that film, iirc the last song of the movie that plays over the epilogues.)

I definitely relate to this song though, as I also don't remember much about the French i took, either.

Possibly the most upbeat song so far.

•Rock Me Baby-

2001. Junior year history class taught by one of my all-time favorite teachers: Mr. Bradish.

This song was the given example of how creative people could get around the strict censorship laws in the mid-century like the Hayes code.

"Well, we can't say 'i want you to screw me all night long', but these dipshit honky record executives don't exactly understand what we mean by the word 'rock', they're just snapping their fingers, so we're good."

I simply cannot divorce this song from that moment in time.

That said, A SERIOUS blues guitar solo, hot damn.

•(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction-

To be totally on the level, I was always more of a Beatles fan than a Stones fan.

That said, this cover FUCKING SLAPS!

In a perfect world, this song would be known as an Otis Redding song.

•You Don't Miss Your Water-

The inverse of I've Been Loving You Too Long, and the return of: "Aww, man I've been such a gigantic cheating prick it's been so great, wait, why is my girl leaving me? [Surprised_pikachu.jpg]"

I seriously CAN'T believe how common a subject that has been during this project.

Well, that was an interesting album, all in all. Otis Redding had one hell of a voice, and it's on full display here.

Definitely worth checking out, especially since it's a quick one at like 35 minutes long.

Favorite Track: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. It's amazing how much better this song can seem when it's not being sneered at you by a quasi-noncey British multi-millionaire. It comes off much less like the diatribe of a jaded douche when it comes from Otis.

Least Favorite Track: You Don't Miss Your Water.

Yeah, maybe I'm a dyed in the wool wife-guy, but I will never, ever be a fan of the nigh-omnipresent "I'm an asshole, I'm a cheater, wait a minute, why doesn't my partner like me anymore?" song.

#1001 albums #dancing to architecture #Otis Redding #Otis Blue

[existentialmagazine]

Review: Love Ghost and SKOLD collaborate for new gritty single ‘Payback’, a harsh mix of hard-rock and emo pop-punk

The self-proclaimed misfits Love Ghost are once again returning with a new single ‘Payback’, the first snippet from a forthcoming full length album collaborating with SKOLD. After already offering 2023 a handful of singles, a full-length album and an EP, it’s truly crazy the amount of work Love Ghost pour into their craft, continually releasing music that hits hard without ever seeming to take a break.

Led in with eerie synth-whirs and a dark electronic guitar riff that sees every note ring out, ‘Payback’ immediately sets up a grungey, punk sound right at its core, teetering on the edge of a great undoing. Slowly building up with metallic cymbal taps and steady striking beats, the sense of unease only continues to gradually build as you progress further in. Love Ghost’s unique vocals mould with the sound perfectly, carrying the track’s more emotionally void delivery into every spoken-sung line, at times becoming distorted in a way that makes you feel just as out-of-it as their narrative’s protagonist appears to be. The pre-chorus sees the vocals taking a subdued backseat, overshadowed by pulsating drum beats and continued fuzzy guitar soaked into the background. Hitting a gritty wall of sound for the choruses’ unleashing, ‘Payback’ sees the shredding of electric guitar, thunderous drums and SKOLD’s hard-rock toned vocals complementing Love Ghost’s more pop-punk spoken-sung lines. As Love Ghost’s modern emo sound merges with SKOLD’s harsh rock approach, the track sonically combines styles in a way that’s scarcely been done, creating an almost industrial feeling sound you can’t tear yourself away from.

With its dominant, down-to-the-bone sound, it’s no surprise that ‘Payback’ has a lyrical message that’s just as infused with searing angst, unravelling a narrative that surrounds a determined protagonist seeking revenge and redemption at their own hands. As the chorus hook repeats ‘you see in my eyes I want nothing more than payback’, the track doesn’t sugarcoat its desire to come a little unhinged, ruthlessly seeking karmatic justice. Revealing hints of what’s pushed them to come undone, lines like ‘everything you say is a lie’ allow us into a slice of the toxic relationship that clearly spiralled downwards, no longer allowing themselves to be walked over. The track’s ferocity only continues to shine in lyrics like ‘ashes, ashes, we all fall down’, as their protagonist eagerly wishes to destroy everyone and everything in their path of attempting to right wrongs. In a fit of destruction, they sing ‘everything that I kept will be all you have left’ , tearing apart not just their target but their lives too. Frankly, ‘Payback’ feels like an unfiltered journey through the darker parts of people’s minds, looking for vengeance and taking it in whatever way they can, regardless of the brutality. It hits hard and paints quite the vivid picture, an overall unforgettable murky anthem of falling into bad habits and dark paths.

Check out ‘Payback’ here to hear just the start of what’s sure to be an immense upcoming album!

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

#music #singlereview #loveghost

[heartsleevemag]

Friday Five

by Vi McDonald

It's time for another installment of Heartsleeve's Friday Five playlist update! This week, we're really in our feelings. From queer covers of iconic songs to lamenting the horrors of coming-of-age, here are five new (or new-to-us) tracks that get our blood pumping.

1. "Teenage Dirtbag" – Tiiva

Wheatus' original "Teenage Dirtbag," released in 2000, chronicles feeling unseen by someone while you admire them from afar. And that feeling of pining, and of being misunderstood, is something artist and producer Tiiva wanted to infuse into the very soul of this track. They call the original "an anthem, celebrating how to just be yourself and enjoy it," but they put a dreamy spin on their version. "I wanted to cover something that I could sing about and be like, yeah that’s me, that’s how I feel. The lyrics feel hyper real, my first crush on a girl, feeling invisible in my queerness and wanting to be accepted, to be cool," they say of the track. And using playful, excited synths, grunge drum samples, and a layered, harmonic vocal, they offer their take on a classic that everyone can sing along to, but might be a little cathartic too.

2. "try again" – Cam Kahin

Photo by Fabiana Moreira

From the moment I heard Cam Kahin's "try again," I knew he was going to be one of my favorite artists of 2023. From his forthcoming debut ep, WHEN IT'S ALL OVER, we described this track as an "anthemic rollercoaster." Read more about it here.

3. "Smalltown Boy" – Orville Peck

For the first Orville Peck song I've ever heard, I have to say, this was a great choice. Bronski Beat's 1984 hit, "Smalltown Boy," grew to become one of the most classic gay anthems of the 80s, describing the deep loneliness of a boy who feels so misunderstood and ignored in his environment that he wishes he could just run away. Orville Peck's country-crooned version, recorded for his Spotify Singles in 2020, abandons the poppy synths for a guitar-and-vocal driven sound. Orville doesn't shy away from layered harmonies and adlibs, giving a new depth and desperation to the track, while still being danceable and very, very addictive.

4. "Parcel" – Grace Gardner

Photo by cassidyophotos

Grace Gardner describes herself as a "folk pop singer/songwriter," but Parcel seems to be a departure from her normal sound. Starting with a muted, almost despondent tonality before expanding into a deeply personal account of wanting someone who can't be fully there, the track feels bitter, yet still reflective, aware of how complicated romance can be. "This song was the tied bow on the closure box," Gardner wrote on an Instagram post sharing more details about the song. "I hope it's giving you some catharsis." It's part of a larger narrative on Gardner's EP, Peach, releasing today. I can't wait to get the rest of the story.

5. "LSE to LAX" – Carlie Hanson

A songwriter deeply in touch with her feelings, Carlie Hanson first caught my ear in 2019 with her single, "Back In My Arms." It was unapologetic in its yearning and its queerness, and as I delved into her discography I realized this was something Carlie does well, consistently. Her 2022 debut, Tough Boy, was described by Ones To Watch as "an album built around self-discovery in real-time." And, as she embarks on her first North American headline tour and prepares for the release of her second album, Wisconsin, just a week from now, Carlie is taking accountability. In her new release, “LSE to LAX,” she discusses how her character shapes her, and tries to apologize for the mistakes she makes in her relationship. With lines like, “Cant bring my walls down, built a fortress, that’s a sad life / I promise everything then take it back the same night,” she’s letting listeners in, trying to help her loved one understand her fear and insecurity. Wisconsin is Hanson’s home state, so I’m expecting similar themes of honesty throughout the album, and I’m excited to hear what else is in store.

Listen to these and catch up on the last Friday Five on our Spotify, and don't forget to follow us so you don't miss the next one!

#tiiva #teenage dirtbag #cam kahin #try again #orville peck #smalltown boy #grace gardner #parcel #carlie hanson #lse to lax #spotify #music #music publication #playlist #friday five #playlists #by vi mcdonald #by%20jude%20mcdonald

[smartphonetrust]

Foreigner album covers

And if this album’s ballads slipped Cain’s mind, it’s hardly surprising. As keyboard player Jonathan Cain said: “If people want to hear ballads, they can certainly find them on other records.”īut aside from the opening track, the mighty anthem City Of Hope, there is nothing on this album with the melodic power of a classic Journey banger like Separate Ways (Worlds Apart). Eclipse was by design a heavy, guitar-focused album. Journey got off to a strong start with Arnel Pineda on 2008’s million-selling Revelation, but the follow-up was an outright flop. Despite the album’s title, the sound is stuck in the 60s. The other tracks run like a loose jam session, veering from prog to psychedelia, jazz to heavy rock. Tellingly, the catchiest number on Look Into The Future, the band’s second album, is a cover of The Beatles’ It’s All Too Much. In the credits to Journey’s 1979 album Evolution, the band stated, gratefully: “Columbia Records stands alone in the field of developing new artists.” The company’s ‘tough love’ approach certainly worked for Journey, who couldn’t buy a hit record until Columbia ordered them to find a proper singer and write some tunes. Journey: Look Into The Future (Columbia, 1976) And when he quit again two years later, he was gone for good.ġ8. But the pressures of fame led Perry to quit the band in 1987, leaving Journey on hiatus until his return in 1995. Perry also had a huge hit in 1984 with his first solo album, Street Talk. In the 80s, Journey became one of the biggest bands in America, with the Holy Trinity of AOR albums: Escape, Frontiers and Raised On Radio. The album promptly went platinum, and from there, the only way was up. His first album with the band, 1978’s Infinity, reinvented Journey as a mainstream rock act. With a richly expressive voice, Perry could hit high notes that other singers could only dream of. Guitarist Neal Schon and vocalist/keyboard player Gregg Rolie had previously played in Santana, but Journey’s early music, mixing Santana-style jazz fusion and progressive rock, was a hard sell, and Rolie’s voice wasn’t the strongest.Įverything changed when Steve Perry joined the band after they’d tried out another singer, Robert Fleischman. And what would Duran Duran’s 1982 Rio album be without Nagel’s cover art (below, bottom right)? Not all sophisticated ladies of the ’80s were cartoons.At that time, the San Francisco-based band had made three albums for Columbia Records, and all three had stiffed. Perhaps the artwork for the Motels’ 1982 album All Four One (below, left) was foreshadowing Robert Palmer’s later videos… We think it’s “simply irresistible!” And speaking of Robert Palmer, many compared his slick-haired video mavens to the paintings of artist Patrick Nagel. It was the ’80s, people! Big hair, even bigger jewelry, and plenty of bold lipstick combined to create the look of the high-fashion woman, a gal that graced many an album cover in all of her sophisticated glory. I’d frame these and hang them on my wall!. With examples from the cover art for both albums and hit singles of the 1980s, we give you three visual styles that continue to hold up over time. Oh how we love ’80s cover art! In honor of Album Cover Week, Mirror80 takes a look at three trends that put their stamp on the decade’s canvas. '80s album covers by New Order and The Motels

#Foreigner album covers

[musicblogwales]

[INTERVIEW] Heddlu Releases ‘Cantref’ Debut Album Via ‘Zawn Records’ 

We caught up with Rhodri Daniel aka ‘Heddlu’ who’s debut album ‘Cantref’ is released this week! ‘Cantref’ is a surging collection of electronic indie anthems that were influenced by Hearing loss, Welsh Coastline Pilgrimages and Welsh Tales and Folklore. 

Hello Heddlu / Rhodri how are you today?

7/10. Which is pretty good overall? Feel glad I’m finally releasing the debut album for Heddlu this week, not sure what the hell this record is, but to release music, is a ‘release’ in itself in a way isn’t it? I can let go of it now and move on to write something new, you can’t take it back and change/edit it, unless you’re Kanye West.

Your debut album ‘Cantref’ drops at the end of July, can you tell us what was the main ethos of the album is?

It’s a concept album of sorts about a young man washed out to sea and trapped in a sunken underwater mythological city called;Cantref Gwaelod;. Based on an old Celtic mythological tale that we all learnt in West Wales as children, it basically chronicles my ongoing battle with sever hearing problems after touring for years in loud rock bands through my 20s. SO DEEP.

How did you go about recording the ‘Cantref’ album, explain some of the processes. 

I wrote the album in my head whilst walking the entirety of the Wales coastal path, inspired by the places I visited. I still had no idea how to record the songs, until by chance I met an old retired engineer outside an abandoned recording studio in west Wales, he lent me some synths and drum machines and I went to recording it. Then the obsession and catastrophizing ensued.

What do you miss most about playing live?

Being in a room playing music with friends, an audience is a plus (if they’re into it), but ultimately there’s nothing that beats connecting with good people over good music. I hope my hearing will cover in time so that I get to do it again �

Are there any songs off your album ‘Cantref’ that stand out as personal favorites, and why? 

The instrumental ones, where I don’t sing and there aren’t any drums. This is mostly because I don’t love my own voice, and despite Adam Thomas of ‘Exit International’ and ‘Estrons’, doing an A+ job in the drums - mixing drums is quite hard and I tried my best OK.

How have you evolved as a songwriter over the last few years?

Given I can’t play live or in a room with other people at the moment due to my hearing, I’ve been recording and writing a lot on machines and in the computer. This has allowed me expand my songwriting capabilities, and an enhance understanding of production and engineering was opened my horizons in what is possible. Trying to scream louder than blaring cymbals and guitars tends to limit your songwriting palate compared to endless possibilities with computers, much as I hate them.

Are there any bands/artists that you rate / appreciate recently?

Since getting into electronic music due to my hearing being so bad that even playing acoustic guitars or unplugged electric guitars was too loud and painful, I had to learn how to use synthesizers. I’ve really gotten into ambient and atmospheric soundsmiths like Burial, Boards of Canada, Caribou as well as pioneering Welsh electronic artists like R Seiliog, Accu and Kelly Lee Owens.

Which music venue would you consider as Home and why?

The Cooper Arms, Coops, Aberystwyth. A classic West-Wales right of passage for all musicians. I can still smell the room where my first live gig ever happened. I’ve had some incredible gigs in there, as well

as absolute shockers that I’m glad no-one was there to see.

What is the kindest thing you’ve witnessed whilst being in Heddlu?

My beautiful and understanding partner Megan, putting up with me spending way too much time in my dungeon obsessively worrying about things like the mixing on the drums, I did my best OK.

Stream ‘Cantref’ Album Here:  https://orcd.co/cantref

#HEDDLU #Cantref #ZawnRecords

[fandomlit]

proximity concert (corpse husband x reader)

requested by @greenie-of-shield “reader is friends with like James Charles and is really good at guitar or ukulele and singing and one day they are all streaming together and like they hear reader playing in the background of someone’s mic and ask who it it’s like James is like “ooh yeah this is my friend (y/n)” they all say hi and corpse compliments her voice and like they ask her to play among us with them and when she dies in among us she plays music for her stream or her friends in proximity chat and stuff. She and corpse get close cause of music and it spirals into like a friends to lovers or something”

summary you’re hanging in the background as your dear friend james charles records an among us video with some youtuber friends (pewdiepie and his usual gang). you decide to entertain james with some ukulele and singing, and end up gaining the welcome attention of youtube’s beloved horror narrator.

warning swearing, sexual reference

gif cred belongs to @datchidatchi​

“let’s go!” james cheered when his screen displayed a bright blue crewmate label. you cheered behind him, your voice distant and the sight of you blurry on his camera as you raised your ukulele to cheer with him. he laughed. “oh wait, im not supposed to be muted, we’re using proximity..” you laughed as he unmuted himself and went to do his tasks.

james groaned as he began to download in weapons, slumping against his desk. “this is the most boring task for no reason,” he complained. then he turned to you suddenly and you gave him a surprised look. “y/n, queen, can you sing me a song to pass time?”

you laughed but nodded at your best friend, beginning to strum your ukulele into an upbeat tune. james cheered at the familiar tune. before you could sing the first line out, he waved you over. you paused your strumming to question, “what?”

“come to the mic!” he exclaimed. “let the people hear your beautiful voice!”

you laughed again and went over to his mic. “hi,” you spoke closely into his mic, looking into his camera. he laughed as you leaned back and began to strum the tune again. “sittin’ all alone, mouth full of gum in the driveway..”

james was too busy dancing and you were too busy singing to notice his download had finished and many people had come and go through weapons during the entire scene.

“my friends aren’t far, in the back of my car lay their bodies,” you sang smoothly. “where’s my mind? where’s my mind?” you grinned. “they’ll be there pretty soon, lookin’ through my room-” you cut yourself off as an emergency meeting was called. you clapped a hand over your mouth and pressed a quick kiss to james’s cheek before sneaking back into the background.

james gaped at the perfect lipstick mark you had left on his cheek as toast spoke, “okay, does anyone else hear the ukulele playing or am i going crazy?”

“i was actually just about to ask about that,” corpse spoke. james’s camera zoomed in on your shocked face at his voice.

‘is that corpse?’ you mouthed. james nodded, leaning to mute himself.

“crazy, right?” he laughed. you nodded frantically as he turned back to the game.

“so who is it..?”

“it’s me, guys, sorry,” james spoke. “well, not me, but it’s coming from my room.”

“.. what?”

“my friend y/n is here entertaining me,” james laughed as he explained. “but im honored you’d think my voice is as angelic as hers.”

“i will kiss you!” you exclaimed, loud enough that the mic could pick up your voice. they all burst into laughter.

“sorry,” james said again.

“no, it’s okay, i was just making sure people were doing their tasks,” toast chuckled. “cause i don’t think you can play the ukulele and among us at the same time..”

“not as good as y/n did, anyway,” corpse backed up.

“yeah.”

“your voice is very pretty,” corpse complimented. you placed a hand to your heart as james grinned at you teasingly.

“thank you!” you called over. they laughed simply at the distance and abruptness of your voice. “i think your voice is pretty, too! just like the deep part.” james burst into hysterical laughter.

“thank you,” corpse chuckled. “we, uh, we can skip now.”

“you made him flustered,” james said, turning to you after everyone had dispersed to finish their tasks.

“here, wait, find him,” you spoke, scooting your chair up next to james’s mic. 

“you got it, sis.”

james found corpse alone in electrical. corpse turned away from his task to stare down james. “are you here to kill me?”

“no,” james laughed.

“we’re here to sing!” you spoke into the mic.

“oh, great,” corpse chuckled.

“any requests?” you asked, picking at your strings to make sure they were tuned.

“uh.. something with cuss words.”

james let out a loud laugh as you giggled. “okay, i can do that.” you thought for a moment before looking down to your strings, “fuck you, and you, and you. i hate your friends and they hate me, too. im through, im through, im through. this that hot girl bummer anthem turn it up and throw a tantrum.

“this that got girl bummer anthem turn it up and throw a tantrum, this that throw up in your birkin bag, hook up with someone random. this that social awkward suicide that-” a body was reported and you cut yourself off again as corpse groaned.

“guys, i was getting a concert,” corpse complained as you and james laughed.

“okay, well, sykkuno is dead, so i think that trumps your concert,” pj sassed.

“where was his body?”

..

after that round, and much more entertainment of your uke playing, the crewmates managed to beat out the imposters; toast and felix.

“y/n, you should join,” corpse spoke as you all loaded back into the lobby.

“yeah!” rae agreed, many others piping up to encourage you in.

“shit, i don’t know where my laptop is,” you laughed.

“go find it!” james exclaimed. “corpse wants you to play!”

“oh my god, hold up,” you said, handing james your uke and running out of the room.

“so, corpse,” james spoke, strumming your uke as best as he could with his long nails. “what are your intentions with my girl, y/n?” everyone burst into laughter, including the now red-faced faceless youtuber.

..

you were the first to die. gasped at your screen, you grabbed your ukulele. you had gone into a separate room from james to be able to play fairly, but you weren’t very good at the game in the first place.

“james!” you yelled out.

“yeah?”

“request?”

there was a pause. “something sad!”

“got it!” you sighed as you turned back to your laptop screen, considering. you had begun streaming to your youtube when they asked you to join, and now your chat was blowing up with sad song requests. “oh, that’s a good one. thanks..” you let out a laugh. “corpselover3340. i got you, hun.”

you started to strum the song, but as you were playing, corpse’s ghost appeared by yours. “hello, y/n.” you stopped your playing, sitting up straight.

“oh, hi, corpse!” you exclaimed. “request?”

“cuss words, please.”

you laughed. “i got you, i got you..” you considered before beginning to play, “a few weeks ago, i could only do ten pushups. six months ago, i thought you were my girl. but now things have changed, and im so tired. i thought that i was your world. but now you’ve got new friends, and you have all beginnings, well i’ve got ends.. that i didn’t want.

“and yeah, you fucked some other dude.. i guess he loves u more than i do.”

“there it is.”

“what?” you asked, looking up from your uke with a laugh.

“oh, i was just waiting for the cuss word. continue.” 

you let out a laugh, but just before you could start playing again, a dead body was reported.

“sean’s body was electrical..”

..

the round was long. after you serenaded corpse a few times, you both talked about music and how you both got into it. eventually, it was just james, felix, rae, and sykkuno left.

“well, there’s only one imposter left..,” sykkuno sighed after calling the meeting. 

“i think it’s felix.”

as they all started pointing fingers at each other, james was mostly quiet, to your absolute surprise. then, interrupting a yelling match between rae and felix, james spoke, “do you think y/n and corpse are fucking in ghost chat?”

before anyone could react, corpse unmuted himself to confirm, “yes.” everyone exploded into laughter, you included. as innocently as he could, corpse spoke, “oh, was i unmuted? my bad..” and he muted himself again.

after that round and everyone had gotten their aggressions out on each other, sean reminded everyone with a laugh, “fucking in the ghost chat.. i can’t.”

you all laughed at the reminder.

“oh, y/n, we should go,” james sighed. “we gotta get that video edited before midnight.”

you sighed with him. “yeah, that’s gotta get done.. thank you all for letting me play, it was a lot of fun.”

“bye, y/n!”

“feel free to join again!”

“oh and corpse,” you called out.

“yeah?”

“that was not fucking,” you clarified, making everyone laugh and ‘ohhh’. 

“no?” he prodded.

“nah, that purely foreplay, baby,” you confirmed. “see you all!” and you left the call just as they all exploded again.

james walked into the room you were in before you turned off your live. he placed his hands on his hips. “young lady, we need to have a talk.” you laughed and turned off signed off.

#youtubers x reader #corpse husband x reader #corpse husband fanfic #youtubers fanfic

[newmusickarl]

5-9’s Album of the Month Podcast – Episode 2 out now!

The February edition of the 5-9 Album of the Month Podcast is now live, in which myself, 5-9 Editor Andrew Belt, Check This Out’s Kiley Larsen and Blinded by The Floodlights’ Matthew McLister review five high profile album releases from February, and ultimately name one as our Album of the Month at the end of the discussion.

This month, the five albums we cover are:

Desire, I Want to Turn Into You by Caroline Polachek

Lonely Hearts Killers by Nile Marr

This Is Why by Paramore

Food For Worms by Shame

Heavy Heavy by Young Fathers

If you want to listen to the new episode simply follow the link below, but also be sure to follow 5-9 Blog on Instagram and Twitter for more news and polls relating to the podcast, along with other great content like film reviews, sports articles and more.

Listen to the February 2023 episode here

Album & EP Recommendations

UGLY by Slowthai

The evolution of Tyron Frampton, aka Slowthai, in such a short space of time, has been nothing short of fascinating to witness.

First came his 2019 Mercury Prize-nominated debut Nothing Great About Britain, which was rough and raw at times but also full of this visceral energy that captivated audiences and helped to make him an immediate grime/punk crossover star. However, his career was almost derailed as soon as it had taken off, as a much-publicised interaction with Katherine Ryan at the 2020 NME Awards, in which he made sexualised comments towards her, brought about some very intense but also well-earned backlash for his actions. After making his public apologies and doing some much needed soul searching, he returned in 2021 with his excellent sophomore outing TYRON – an impressive 35-minute double album that showed greater artistic, as well as personal, maturity.

So here we are then just four years on from his big breakout moment and Slowthai has already had what feels like an entire career’s worth of ups and downs. The result of that is that you feel like the pressure cooker has been removed from around Slowthai’s work, making this third album without a doubt his best and most artistically liberated to date.

Opener Yum straps the listener in to the hot seat straight away, with ‘Thai repeating the words “I’ve been lacking motivation, I need an intervention” over an increasingly menacing and anxiety inducing beat. He then starts to describe conversations with his therapist and his drug-fuelled coping mechanisms, as the swirling electronics, distorted vocals and heavy breathing transport you directly into the melting pot of his erratic, troubled psyche. The production from Dan Carey is absolutely mind-blowing, as it ends with ‘Thai repeating the words “Excuse me while I self-destruct, ‘cause I don’t give a fuck” over sharp, harsh synths. It’s an absolutely phenomenal opener, with the intensity and experimental production drawing shades to Yeezus-era Kanye, Igor-era Tyler and Atrocity Exhibition-era Danny Brown all at the same time.

This almost suffocating production continues on recent single Selfish, which remains one of ‘Thai’s strongest tracks to date. Again, the combination of Carey and ‘Thai is awe-inspiring to hear, with a vortex of synths, drums and guitars surrounding Thai as he sings “And we got what we deserve, somehow we never learn – wastin’ lives out on the curb, while we all search for somethin’” It’s simply brilliant.

The high points just keep coming from there with the fantastic Jamie T-inspired tracks Sooner and single Feel Good, before the rhythmic blues of urban love story Never Again. The middle section of the album then brings the album’s two centrepieces, with HAPPY in particular an absolute tour de force. Riding a melancholic central guitar line, ‘Thai confronts his depression head on and sings of how he “would give everything for a smile.” The production is once again stellar, with the song erupting into a full-blown anthem towards the back end as the guitars take flight. Title track UGLY then follows, which is a glorious symphony of grunge as ‘Thai talks about the hideous nature of humanity and today’s world. Again, it’s just a staggering work.

The grunge continues on Falling, with ‘Thai proper flexing his vocal chops as his angsty, pained screams echo and reverberate amidst a spacey, atmospheric backdrop. After the punky Wotz Funny, beauty and ugliness then exquisitely collide on penultimate track Tourniquet, as ‘Thai’s stark vocals bruise the gentle piano and string-tinged instrumentation as he talks metaphorically of hacking away his broken pieces akin to Aaron Rolston in 127 Hours. Acoustic closer 25% Club then brings the album in for a safe landing, ending this rollercoaster journey with a song that is a polar contrast to the opener.

As you can probably tell I’m a huge fan of this record, with Slowthai really coming into his own thanks to a magical partnership with Dan Carey and a host of other great collaborators behind the scenes who help both amplify and finesse his vision. With inspiration from bands like Nirvana and Radiohead also coming through loud and clear too, this has very quickly become one of my favourite albums of the 2023 so far. A big step forward for Slowthai and an absolute must listen!

Listen here

UK Grim by Sleaford Mods

From grime/punk to post-punk now, as scene veterans Sleaford Mods have returned with their urgent new album, UK Grim. The duo of beat maestro Andrew Fearn and fire-spitting wordsmith Jason Williamson hit new heights on their previous outing Spare Ribs, which mixed first-class collaborations and some lockdown-inspired hot takes for arguably their sharpest and best collection of songs to date. Without reinventing the wheel, the duo build on that winning formula on UK Grim with another effort that ranks well within the top half of their stacked discography.  

The title track and lead single remains both immediate and infectious, with Jason Williamson taking no prisoners as he unleashes his sardonic fury on the current state of Tory Britain on this aggressive, electro-driven opener. DIwhy is then a spiritual sequel to Spare Ribs’ hit Nudge It, but this time around Williamson points his finger and razor-sharp tongue at posers within the post-punk scene itself, with quite frankly hilarious results. Force 10 From Navarone remains my favourite Fearn beat on the whole record, as the duo team up with Dry Cleaning’s Florence Shaw for a song that takes place within Jason Williamson’s own inner monologue. Battling feelings of cherophobia and questioning a passive UK public controlled by a corrupt government, it’s the Mods at their most urgent and brilliant best.

Whilst there may be a couple of moments where it feels like the pair are treading over well-trodden ground at this point, these are more than counteracted by some of the record’s highpoints. On The Ground for example may be their poppiest track ever and easily my favourite here, with a super catchy beat and instant refrain of “they’re on the ground and they’re gonna check you.” By contrast Smash Each Other Up sees Williamson look in complete despair at the current state of the country, as Andrew floats a minimalist and mournful electronic beat in the background. Jane Addiction’s own Peter Farrell then turns up for recent single and the album’s most pure punk moment, So Trendy, which comes over slightly irritating at first, but you’ll soon find yourself singing along.

Despite all these great moments, the duo still manage to save two of the album’s strongest moments for last. Tory Kong swings in on a vine made from a rumbling jungle beat, before closer Rhythms of Class marks one of the duo’s very best songs to date. A well-crafted but brutally bleak look at the reality that Britain now shares many of the same social and political problems of the countries the British public can often vilify, it’s a fittingly poignant end.

Overall this is another strong outing from Nottingham’s finest, with Andrew and Jason building on the groundwork they laid in Spare Ribs for another provocative, frequently incendiary yet occasionally funny and oddly catchy, dismantling of (Not So) Great Britain.

Listen here

Radical Romantics by Fever Ray

Elsewhere, Swedish electro pioneer Karin Dreijer aka Fever Ray released their third solo album and their first batch of new music in six years. Other than featuring the most strikingly bizarre album artwork of the year thus far, Radical Romantics is also quite a blissful and dreamy listen with Dreijer pulling together a frequently fascinating collection of synth-pop induced love songs. At just 10 tracks it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome either, with songs like What They Call Us, Shiver, Kandy and Carbon Dioxide as colourful and enjoyable as any they have made previously.

That said though, you might want to leave before final track Bottom of the Ocean, which sees Dreijer repeating various “oh, oh, oh” sounds for seven minutes over an ominous soundscape. One track that promises to go somewhere but just ends up sinking like the title suggests.

Listen here

Life In Miniature (Extended Edition) by Low Island

One of my Top 10 albums of 2022, the second album from Low Island was nothing short of majestic. As the name Life In Miniature suggests, it was a snapshot of the last two years in which frontman Carlos Posada seemed to encounter all of life’s blessings and curses during one quite intense period. From love and loss to happiness and grief, to sad endings and new beginnings, Low Island gifted listeners a beautiful tapestry of treasured memories that, although personal, impactfully resonate out of the audio through lyrical gut-punches and life-affirming sonic uplifts.

If you missed this gem of an album last year then there really hasn’t been a better time to listen, as now to coincide with the end of their recent UK tour, the band have released a new extended edition featuring three previously unreleased album offcuts. It Holds And It Holds is another soulfully cool slice of electropop, whilst Give Me Something To Love is a stunning bare bones acoustic track. My pick of the three however is Second Skin which captures perfectly what this band do best – danceable grooves with a palpable emotional heart.

Listen here

After Hours (Live At SoFi Stadium) by The Weeknd

There are few albums if any that I’ve played more than After Hours and Dawn FM by The Weeknd over the last couple of years. And for two years I held on to my Weeknd tickets for his London show, hoping I would eventually get to hear the songs live after the lockdowns finally came to an end. Although they did end, the bad news was that Abel’s star status had only grown in that time. This resulted in him cancelling his arena tour and upgrading to stadiums, with tickets going from the fairly reasonable £70 I paid initially to the £300 that Ticketmaster’s obscene surge pricing policy decided that’s what people should pay. As much as I love The Weeknd’s music and am desperate to catch his live show again, that is simply not a price I am willing to pay to see any single artist – maybe next time!

Thankfully to ease the blow somewhat, Abel has released this incredible new live album to accompany the HBO Special filmed at his recent stadium show in Los Angeles. Across the breathtaking (pun intended) 31 song setlist, Abel delivers hit after hit, as his vocal performances and superb live band production frequently get the hairs on your neck standing on end. Whilst it may be further evidence of just what a special popstar The Weeknd is, it’s also a shame that I can’t catch the show in person. The end of Live Nation’s monopoly and Ticketmaster’s ridiculous surge pricing really can’t come soon enough!

Listen here

From Nothing To A Little Bit More by The Lathums

“Before the pandemic The Lathums were on the road to nowhere. Then The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess heard a recording of early single ‘The Great Escape’ and invited them to play a set at Kendal Calling. The rest, as they say, is history. After a couple of years building a passionate fanbase, they’d play the first non-socially distanced post lockdown gig in Liverpool. Six months after that The Lathums struck gold with the small matter of a UK number one album.

So after being in the whirlwind of prosperity in 2021, the storm has settled. 18 months after their debut they’ve returned with From Nothing To A little Bit More: a less immediate effort but one worthy of the time and effort required to leave an impact.

From Nothing To A Little Bit More is a solid return from The Lathums: darker, rawer and more accomplished, albeit without the same high points of their debut. Alex Moore portrays himself as a sensitive soul and the empathy you feel towards him is the album’s main strength. Especially as, like before, the tunes are heart-warming and infectious - the boys from Wigan discover a darker route mixed with moments of light. This is all done without losing the everyman appeal which drew so many to them in the first place.”

Read Matt McLister’s full review here

Listen here

Also worth checking out: Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against The Wall EP by Nia Archives, The Valley of Vision EP by Manchester Orchestra, Brothers & Sisters by Steve Mason, Tear Me to Pieces by Story of the Year

Tracks of the Week

Lean Beef Patty by JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown

The rumours of a collaboration album between hip hop superstars JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown has seemingly been around for years now, but it seems like the long-anticipated release is finally nearing its arrival. Whilst still no release date has been announced yet, we do have the first single which is a sub 2-minute hurricane of hard electronic blasts and lyrical wizardry.

Listen here

Sole Obsession by Nation of Language

One of the best new bands to debut during the lockdown years, new wave duo Nation of Language have quickly earned themselves a cult following off the back of their incredible first two records, Introduction Presence and A Way Forward. Now it appears a new era is on the horizon, with their dazzling new single Sole Obsession a prime example of why people simply can’t get enough of this band.

Listen here

Cello Song by Fontaines D.C.

The legacy of renowned singer-songwriter Nick Drake continues to live on, with a new compilation album in the works featuring covers of his most favourite songs from an enticing artist list that includes Bombay Bicycle Club, Let’s Eat Grandma, Radiohead’s Philip Selway, Feist and more. The first cover from the album to be released though is this brilliant take from Fontaines D.C. of Drake’s iconic Cello Song, with that band managing to pay homage whilst also making it their own.

Listen here

Everytime by Cub Sport

And finally this week, one of my favourite films of all time (for reasons I can’t completely pinpoint myself) is Harmony Korine’s surreal, arthouse summer flick, Spring Breakers.

From the vibrancy of the cinematography to the intoxicating Cliff Martinez soundtrack, to just the sheer hallucinogenic hedonism of it all, I just love everything about it. One thing in particular it does so well is the contradictory marriage between beauty and the beast that lies at the heart of the film, which is captured in no better instance than one certain iconic scene. In this magical moment, James Franco’s Alien plays Britney Spears’ Everytime on the piano, whilst the four girls waltz around him wearing Neon Ski Masks and carrying their shotguns, as montage footage of their dangerous escapades are intertwined. Surreal, completely nuts, but also oddly beautiful.

Now I’m not sure if that scene entered the brains of Aussie synth-pop outfit Cub Sport when they decided to cover this Britney classic, but the vocoder vocals and dazed electronica of this dreamy version of the song took me right back to that cinematic masterpiece. Check out the cover, then check out the film if you’ve never seen it - but don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Listen here

Also worth checking out: Messed Up by Holy Holy featuring Kwame, Line In The Sand by Hot Chip, Brian Eno & Goddess, CooCool by Roisin Murphy, Bloodshot by Enter Shikari, Ache by The Xcerts featuring Sam Carter

REMINDER: If you use Apple Music, you can also keep up-to-date with all my favourite 2023 tracks through my Best of 2023 playlist. Constantly updated throughout the year with songs I enjoy, it is then finalised into a Top 100 Songs of the Year in December.

Add the playlist to your library here

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