Most of you may know her from her amazing 90s dress sense and her hit single Fancy with rapper Iggy Azalea, but Charli XCX A.K.A. Charlotte Aichison is a brilliant artist in her own right. Having experimented with synthesizers from the age of 16, she has made a name for herself on the pop scene (although she's more synthpop). She's gained even more recognition for her single Boom Clap for the film The Fault in our Stars, but we don't recommend this song as it's not even her best work. We love her 2013 single, SuperLove - it's got everything a good song needs, catchy beat and a stellar sing-along hook. The only thing I would say about this song is that the lyrics are a bit generic ('You're the bullet and you're making me draw/please save me') but nonetheless, it's a addictive song. Check the song on the right and tell us what you think!
My goodness, I LOVE this woman! Thanks to the handy last.fm app (follow xAnthonyKiedis if you've got it), I've broadened my musical horizons and listened to some new music. Last.fm recommended St. Vincent for me, and after buying her most recent self-titled album (released this February) I have to admit, I'm instantly hooked. Her music can only be described as a creative pop rock/synth explosion. I first fell in love while listening to Rattlesnake because the intro is so goddamn catchy and her guitar solo, is quite frankly groundbreaking. Anyway, enough praise from me, listen to her yourself!
Keep checking this page as I'll be adding more songs throughout summer!
Weezer released the official audio for their single Back to the Shack from the upcoming album Everything Will Be Alright in the End (releasing 30 September 2014)! The band said in Entertainment Weekly that the 'record sounds like it’s going to have the tight structure of the Blue Album with a little bit more abandon like Pinkerton', which sounds great considering Raditude was pretty shoddy for a Weezer album....
Check it out and tell us what you think! What do you guys think? Yay or nay?!
Finally Music Bloggery is back, and we're kicking it off with our song of the week! This week we've chosen the single Mecca, taken from Wild Beasts' recent album release, Present Tense. The band originally formed in 2002, under the name Fauve (which means 'wild beast' in French - classy lads!). Eventually they were signed on Domino Records which was timed perfectly because following this, they achieved commercial success with their 2011 album Smother. Present Tense is their 2014 follow-up album, also received with acclaim (NME giving them 9/10 and Line of Best Fit 10/10!).
Mecca is a personal favourite - the untamed falsetto of front-man Hayden Thorpe, the timely drums and balanced sounds of the synthesiser work together in harmony to create a truly ethereal track that is genuinely a pleasure to hear. I have no idea whether this was the intention, but I like to think of the progression of the song as symbolic of the journey to Mecca. The chorus provides a culmination of emotion, while the sedate, dulcet tones of the bridge act as a representation of the end of the journey, almost if a feeling of enlightenment is reached (yes, we're mixing religions here).
The only problem with this song is that it takes a while to get used to. By this I mean that the chorus is catchy but the music is so sedate throughout, that might be hard for someone used to alternative rock to get into. Alongside this single, the band released the music video which is too weird for my liking. The psychedelic video is way out of line with the song itself - I just feel as if it is the music video for another song, not this one. Do you agree? Comment below! Check out the song below and share your thoughts, we'll tweet the best one at @musicbloggery.
Sorry, this review is about a week or two late! Anyway, my friends and I had a chance to see the Birmingham indie rockers Swim Deep on the last day of their tour in London. Getting there at half four in the afternoon, we were surprised to see we were the first in the queue! (bearing in mind the doors opened at 7pm) After waiting almost three hours to see this band (and stopping off for some KFC while we waited), the doors had finally opened right in-front of us and we ran to the front of the barriers. After being delayed for a few seconds because the venue didn't let me take in my own water (so you have to buy their overpriced water instead), I ran, and ended up right at the front!
So after waiting an hour, at 8pm the first warm-up band came on. Sundara Karma was their name, and drinking a can of Fosters in-between songs was their game. If you like bands like The Drums, you'll love this band. Having a hint of Kings of Leon in them, they rocked the stage for the first hour. The crowd was jumping, the beats were thumping (wow, that sounded really bad). Although almost no-one from the audience had a clue who they were, they performed quite well, playing songs like 'Freshbloom', one of their most popular recent releases.
After Sundara Karma played their set, we were expected to wait even more for the SECOND warm-up band to come on which frankly was a little annoying. This was the much loved Wolf Alice, a more well-known band amongst the audience. This was when some considerate geniuses in the audience decided to try and crush everyone who was standing in order to try and push to the front. Not today, matey! Anyway, after high expectations, I was kind of let down because while the acoustics were good, the lead singer's (Ellie Rowsell) vocals were weak sounding. So weak that I could barely tell what she was saying. Her voice is quite calm and sedated and it was just being overpowered by the sound of the instruments. Nevertheless, the band had a cool sound and played songs such as 'She' and 'Fluffy' which are crowd favourites to those who have heard them. When I first listened to the band's music it reminded me of The XX, so if you like that kinda sound, give this indie band a listen to!
To make it even better, good 'ol Fred Macpherson (lead singer of Spector) was there supporting his mates at the show, and some of us even got a cheeky selfie with the lad. All in all, it was a great night! Would definitely recommend giving this band a listen!
So I'm finally writing again as you have so smartly noticed! Quite a few albums as well as singles, have been released by a few of my favourite bands so I thought I would share them with you guys!
Okay, so first up is Swim Deep's 'Where the Heaven Are We?' released 5th August 2013. This album is rapidly becoming my top summer album simply because of the sedating tunes and Nirvana-esque appeal of the band. The Birmingham based indie band, having first formed in 2011 and releasing their first single 'King City', went on to perform with up-and-coming band from London who go by the name of Spector (we love 'em) and are now performing in festivals all across the UK. The album features sombre tones such as 'Soul Tripping', which is a perfect song to lie on a sandy beach and just click repeat. Swim Deep are great, but if you were like me a year ago and hadn't heard of them before, I would recommend listening to 'Honey', simply because it's a fun, bouncy tune to have a bit of a jive to. (I apologise for the use of the word 'jive') Their debut album is already set for a top 10 album in the Official Albums Chart. Bearing in mind, this is risky territory with the likes of Miley Cyrus and other mainstream artists. If this band reaches an influx in popularity, their old fans could drift away.
Music Bloggery Recommends: 'King City', 'Honey', 'Soul Trippin'
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Next up, it's another British band, White Lies and their third studio album, 'Big TV', releasing just today in the UK! (12th August 2013) This band is one of my favourites and has been since the release of their first single 'To Lose My Life' (if you haven't listened to it, do so now!). White Lies have always reminded me of Joy Division, as they've got that depressing, eerie mood about them. After releasing their first single from the album via SoundCloud for a free download ('Getting Even), they released short clips of various songs being played by different members of the band on YouTube in order to promote the album. We can only wait and see if this will be as successful as the last. So far it has received mixed reviews. Ben Beaumont-Thomas says 'First Time Caller' uses 'overwrought metaphors' and that 'dumb lyrics can be mitigated by robust anthems' If you're interested in the band, have a listen to the album and tell us what you think!
Music Bloggery Recommends: 'Big TV', 'First Time Caller', 'There Goes Our Love Again' (if you want to listen to their older stuff, we recommend listening to 'To Lose My Life' and 'Farewell to the Fairground')
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Next up is Panic! At
The Disco! This quirky band led by frontman Brendon Urie is back with a
fierce single called 'Miss Jackson'. I don't know if this is the same
Miss Jackson as Outcast sing about, but it's pretty good nonetheless.
When I first heard this track I was a bit confused as to what style the
band is now as they raked in the fans with their unique style but now they're becoming a little generic. If you have a look at most of the comments on their new videos (their newest release being 'This Is Gospel'), you'll see most people agree that they're sounding more like Fall Out Boy, and I'm afraid I have to agree. For me, Miss Jackson lacks the witty lyricism and fun style that I've come to love of the band.I think the fact that the other two band members left, they've become a little different. We've posted the video below, have a look and tell us what you think!
This page will be frequently updated throughout the summer to give you more updates so as much as I hate saying it, watch this space!
The alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers released the official music video for their new single 'Brendan's Death Song'. The band, having earlier this year being entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after a second try, released this fifth single from the album. The song itself was about a close friend of the band, Brendan Mullen passing away recently, and the song is a homage to him and I think it's just discussing the general idea of death, considering the band have come so far and they're all getting older with children.
The music video sees the band leading the funeral procession with the loved ones and friends following them. It then shows the band performing in front of these people, with the words 'Death Song' written in fire in the background, which looks quite cool. This song overall is very sombre and peaceful, and at times quite profound, I believe. I'll leave you all to take a look, and comment your thoughts!
That's right, earlier today, the legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers released their long awaited music video for their great track from the new album, 'Look Around'. This song is a fast paced uplifting song, which is quite synonymous of the band. The song is a typical concert song. By that, I mean that it's a great song to get the audience pumped up - the clapping in the chorus really proves this.
In terms of the video, it's a really cool, artsy style video that really outlines each band member's individual personality. The video features each band member in their own room. For example, there's Flea doing his signature crazy dance moves with an equally crazy lady, in one room, Anthony with his actual son, Everly Bear in another, Chad drumming and boxing away in a different room, and finally, Josh, the latest addition to the band, simply sitting in a darkly lit room, reading with a lamp. I love how they've brought all of their personalities together, by Anthony running through each room (2:30).
If you didn't know already, I'm a hardcore RHCP fan, or as I call it, THE RHCP fan! Although I agree it's no 'By The Way', the video itself is very interesting and inspiring in it's own right and I definitely recommend giving it a watch. If you're really interested in how it was made, make sure you check out the official making of video below the official music video.
Thought I'd add a new segment for the blog. This segment simply discusses various rock artists and their seclusion from the music industry. Hence the title - 'Where'd They Go?!'. The idea for this segment came to me while I was thinking of the New Zealand born indie musician, Ladyhawke. I was introduced to her quirky, odd style of music when I first began listening to rock music. Made famous by her hit song, 'My Delirium.' and other acclaimed songs such as 'Paris Is Burning', 'Dusk 'Till Dawn' and 'Magic', this Kiwi girl is just getting started.
Ladyhawke's been away from the music scene from quite some time. Ever since she released her debut 2008 album, she's been out of the limelight for a while. It got me to wondering where she went to, and don't you worry music fans, Ladyhawke's planning on making her comeback this year! That's right, Ladyhawke's is planning on releasing her follow-up album on the 19th of March, and us fans can't wait!
If you've been living in a cave all of your life and don't know who Ladyhawke is, you should start by listening to her self-titled, 2008 debut album. Every song on the album is a new burst of synthesiser quirkiness. Check out the video for 'My Delirium' below. A real female equivalent to MGMT, I would say.
The video for today's song, I find hilarious. The video is like 'All The Small Things' part two, seriously. Today's song is 'First Date', from the 2001 release 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket' and it features a parody-style video with the three band members.
It's got an awesome guitar hook which makes the song completely memorable. Once again, it's a song completely synonymous of Blink-182, and I believe it works so well. I personally like the contrast between the meaning of the song and the video itself. The song is quite a sweet song talking about new love. 'When you smile, I just can't wait, to take you out on our very first date.', yet the video is completely the opposite, and it's a nonsense video really, which is expected of this fun band. The video itself is hilarious and I love how the band just have fun without the need to make money. Anyhow, I won't bore you any longer, it's a great song, so listen to it! (That's an order, not a request!)
This is the third instalment of our '7 Days of Blink-182' segment and we've already featured one massive hit - time for another one! Today's song is one of the band's biggest hits, selling more singles than 'All The Small Things'. Although 'All The Small Things' gained more radio play, this song had more sells through singles. The song was a top ten hit single in the UK, peaking at number eight in the charts in 2004.
This song defines the new-found maturity of the band and it is the first of many heartfelt romantic Blink-182 songs to come. With a catchy chorus and beautifully simplistic lyrics which still manage to capture the raw yearning of love, this song is most definitely one of the band's most iconic songs and will be remembered for a very long time. If you hadn't guessed already, today's Blink-182 track is, 'I Miss You', and even if you think you haven't heard of it before, trust me, after listening to the chorus, you know that you've heard it before.
Okay, so to pay tribute to one of my favourite punk-rock bands who have been consistantly good throughout the years, we're feauring one outstanding song everyday this week by the wonderful, Blink-182! TNext week, who will it be, no-one (apart from me, really) knows! If you would like to request a band, feel free to comment below.
Today we're featuring the new Blink-182 track off the new 2011 release 'Neighborhoods', entitled 'After Midnight'. The reason this song is featured is because it's simple Blink-182 at it's best. The lyrics are similar to that of 'I Miss You'. Travis Barker (drummer) has actually stated how this song is his favourite of the new album and the band have agreed that it's like 'I Miss You' part 2. The song shows a much more mature Blink-182, as does the video. If you look at the band's older stuff, such as the video for 'Dammit', one of the band's first singles, you'll see the complete transformation from boys to men. The video features a boy and girl, both in a Youth Psychiatric Ward, both clearly have feelings for each other and they're just letting loose and having some fun, even if it is for a short while. It's quite sweet really. A very good song too, make sure you check it out in our first installment!
Orange Juice was a Scottish post-punk, new wave band, first formed in Glasgow, Scotland. Rip It Up is the second studio album by the band, and it was first released in November 1982. This album features the self-titled song Rip It Up, which was the first and only song to feature in the UK Top 40 (It featured at no. 8).
When you first listen to the album, you'll be confused yet intrigued as I was, simply because of the collaboration of odd, slightly dark vocals with upbeat synthesisers and extended saxophone solos. The modulated vocals of frontman Edwyn Collins work really well with the fast-paced guitar and rhythmic drums. Part of the reason I believe this album works really well, is because of the mash-up of upbeat, constantly changing melodies and almost unrealistic vocals with the poetry of the lyrics. The sound of the band is quite a nonsensical one, however, if you take a look at the lyrics, they are quite poetical in their own way. 'When I first saw you, Something stirred within me, You were standing sultry in the rain'. Yes, it's no Shelley or Poe, but they are beautifully simple in their own way.
The album is a giant boiling pot of completely different songs, yet they all go together perfectly. For example, songs such as Breakfast Time, (a perfect nostalgia song by-the-by) is incredibly slow paced, and literally on the next track, it's the polar opposite and the pace is much faster on I Can't Help Myself and Flesh of My Flesh.
'Rip It Up', is not a quintessentially indie album, so I came to discover. When listening to it fully, it reminded me of the African sounds of the modern American band, Fool's Gold. It seems to me there is some sort of African language being spoken on A Million Pleading Faces and Hokoyo (correct me if I'm wrong), which made the tracks much more interesting and I think it's great how the band are so in tune with other cultures.
In terms of themes, the album is very consistent. The title, derived from the self-titled first track on the album summarises the whole album and what it is inevitably all about, and the title for the track is taken from the lyric in the song 'Rip it up and start again'. Rip what up exactly, I don't know. It could be ripping up the time vortex to start again, or ripping up anything, really. It's all open for interpretation. (So make sure you share your interpretation in the comments section!). But initially, the album is about love and the loss of it. To be honest, I'm quite bored of the topic of love. I understand why people choose to write about it, because it is raw, human emotion, and because of various experiences, but to be honest, I'm tired of artists singing about love. It's a matter of opinion, but I'd like to see more artists talk about death and a completely opposite theme. It's very rare that music artists choose to do so, which is why it would be interesting to see.
However, I did get the feeling that the band were trying too hard to come across odd and quirky when they're not at all. Collins' vocals seemed too staged and slightly melodramatic to me. For example, on the track Turn Away, Collins' vocals sound completely different to his vocals on songs like Breakfast Time, and to be honest, I much prefer his vocals on Turn Away as they sound more natural.
So, for the reasons given, I am awarding 'Rip It Up, a 4/5 stars! Don't get me wrong, Although I did enjoy the album, there were a few negative things that stood out in my mind. The great thing about this album and the band in itself is that there's no one genre that you can define them as. The frequent use of synthesisers on Hokoyo would make you think 'electronica', yet the extended saxophone solos on songs like I Can't Help Myself make you think 'jazz'.
Share your views in the comment box below!
Music Bloggery Recommends: Rip It Up, A Million Pleading Faces, Turn Away, I Can't Help Myself and Hokoyo
We've introduced a new feature here at Music Bloggery, and it's our song of the week! A song that pushes all the boundaries and is outstanding in our minds will be featured on the blog every week! This week it is 'Pelican' by the British indie rock band, 'The Maccabees'. This song is the first single off the band's new January 2012 release 'Given To The Wild', which will be released this Monday (9th January)! (I will be getting my hands on their new album and will be reviewing it soon, so watch this space!)
Pelican is a great song, with such a quintessentially indie chorus that it will leave you singing for more. The video itself is pretty odd, but it is pretty cool, if you do ask me. The Maccabees are definately a band to watch out for in 2012, so make sure you check out this great indie song!
'Angles' was released earlier this year (March 2011). The fourth studio album to be released by American indie rock band, The Strokes, it is the first since their previous release 'First Impressions of Earth' in 2006. 'Angles' was the longest gap The Strokes have had in between albums. However, I believe 'Angles' was worth the wait. No doubt it is more of an experimental album in terms of instruments, but it's a positive cacophony of various beats and synthesisers which combine to make one great mixed up album. There are more overdubbed guitars and lead vocalist Julian Casablancas can be heard experimenting with various vocal layers which adds more of a depth and makes for an interesting sound. Casablancas said in relation to the new album: "Sonically, I feel it's the album which should have been made between 'Room on Fire' and 'First Impressions of Earth'" and I completely agree. The band have not necessarily developed a new, refined sound (although this album does sound quite refined), they've stuck to their roots and followed the style of their 2001 release, 'Is This It'.
When you first listen to the album, you'll be taken aback by the interesting guitar melodies, synthesisers and Farfisa keyboards broken up by a few sombre, melancholy songs such as 'Life Is Simple In The Moonlight' and 'Call Me Back', while maintaining a small element of rock.
The album cover as well as the album art suggests a element of perplexity. Personally, I think this concept is a little pretentious. I got the feeling it's a little attention seeking, almost as if they were trying to say 'Hey, look at us, we're weird and cool. Like us!'. While the theme itself is coming across quite odd and disjointed, the music in the album is quite the opposite. The structure of the songs is quite basic and has your basic rock elements which I found was quite contradictory to the album art and theme. (Comment if you disagree!)
One of my personal favourite songs on this album is 'Two Kinds of Happiness'. The introduction of those eerie harmonies sets a tingle down your spine and the calming yet sceptic vocals of Casablancas reassure the listener.
While I believe this album to be a great collaboration of experimenting with instruments while keeping it simple, I do have one little niggling criticism. Now if you don't know already, I cannot stand vocalists who don't pronounce words properly! I know it sounds stupid, and some would say this is the attraction to indie music in the first place, but if I can't hear the words of a song, I can't enjoy it as much and it just ruins most of the experience for me. Casablancas isn't too bad, however, on a few songs such as 'Games', I find the words just impossible to understand in parts. Yet, in other sections, I can hear the lyrics completely.
So, for the reasons provided, I've decided to rate 'Angles' a mid/high 4/5 stars! I love the whole sound of the album, but I do wish it didn't contradict with the album theme and I wish Casablancas would develop a new style of delivery, as I'm not too fond of his current one. If you're new to The Strokes, you should definitely listen to Under Cover of Darkness, their first single from the album.
'Angles' In One Sentence: An exuberant, odd cacophony of interesting riffs and memorable hooks.
Music Bloggery Recommends:Macchu Picchu, Under Cover of Darkness, Two Kinds of Happiness, Taken For a Fool, Gratisfaction and Life Is Simple In The Moonlight
Red Hot Chili Peppers are a psychedelic, funk rock band, first formed in 1983 in California, Los
Angeles when attending Fairfax High School. They were originally formed by Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Michael ‘Flea’ Bulzary (bass), Jack Irons (drummer), and Hillel Slovak (guitar), who was a close, long-term friend of Kiedis and Flea. He later died of Heroin overdose which sparked a new found sense of reformation in Kiedis. The band has had a lot of struggles in terms of battling drug addictions and fame, however, with the release of ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ (1991), the world had realised what they had been missing and finally wanted in on the world of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Over the years, guitarists have come and gone. One of the most memorable and most possibly influential guitarists who has recently left the band (it was made official in 2009), was John Frusciante. Recently made No. 72 in the Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarist list, it could be argued that he gave the Chili’s their definitive sound. However, although Frusciante left the band in previous years for negative reasons, this time, he left on a positive note of developing his solo career, and the band respected that. Frusciante’s replacement, Josh Klinghoffer was introduced to the public in January of 2010 when the band performed for the first time with the new line up at the MusiCares event in the same year. After taking a hiatus of about three years, the Chili’s finally announced their comeback to the world, and after hitting the studio and creating up to 70 songs (though most were just experimental and were not actually featured on the album), they released their brand new album – I’m With You in August 2011.
The album artwork for this album was created by Damien Hirst and as you can see to your right, the cover is of a fly on a pill saying ‘I’m With You’. The artwork itself can be interpreted in many ways, and I believe that the meaning of this artwork is that that pill, which symbolises the disgust of drugs and drug abuse, is highlighted by the fact that an insect that is considered disgusting (the fly) is sat on this pill. The work in general stresses the degrading nature of drugs; Kiedis himself stated that this album has more of a positive theme as opposed to their previous albums. Nonetheless, there is a slight ambiguity in the art as the title I'm With You, suggesting that narcotics offer a supportive nature and lead the audience to question whether the band have actually turned a new leaf.
The album marks a shift in the band's sound as is it the first to feature Klinghoffer, and it is when we see his true skills as a guitarist - songs such as Monarchy of Roses and Dance, Dance, Dance feature great guitar riffs, both memorable and catchy in their own way. Earlier this year, Flea studied music at University level, and developed his passion for the piano – this new found talent and passion can be heard immediately. Happiness Loves Company is an example of Flea’s great skills as a pianist and musician and it gives the Chili’s a style that they’ve never had before. Even Kiedis is on form in this album; his lyrics have a level of meaning and emotion that left me shocked how he had never wrote like this before. Police Station is a great example of Kiedis’ new lyricism and yes, I am saying this, but it just might be the new Under the Bridge. I personally love this album; it is full of great melodies and riffs that cannot instantly be identified as the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
They have proven to be on form once again, and with Klinghoffer, they have much more of a refined and somewhat mellow tone. Could it be that the Chili’s have toned down the funk? Maybe, but it could mean that their music is now better than ever? (Comment if you disagree!)
However, and there is one big however - The album seems to be lacking something; there’s some sort of void. Frusciante was the driving force that gave the Red Hot Chili Peppers their amazing sound and some of their biggest hits, and since that force is gone, it doesn’t really seem the same. There is no potential hit song in this album, they all seem to be songs that have potential, but are not quite there yet. As much as I love this album, I don’t believe that it was worth fans waiting almost five years for. For that reason, I am giving this album, 4/5 stars!
Music Bloggery Recommends: 'Factory of Faith', 'Dance Dance Dance', 'Happiness Loves Company', 'Annie Wants A Baby', 'Did I Let You Know?', 'Look Around', 'Police Station'
