ALBUM REVIEW: AlunaGeorge – Body Music – 6.5/10

[Can also check this out on The Chronic’s website: http://thechronic.co.uk/2013/08/04/aluna-george-body-music-album-review/]

AlunaGeorge gained their public platform on Disclosure’s ‘White Noise’ creating a synth storm on Radio 1, echoing across the UK population. Since then, further releases ‘Attracting Flies’ and ‘Lost and Found’ have caused AlunaGeorge animation amongst fans awaiting the arrival of their debut album Body Music. Disclosure left pretty big shoes to fill with their musical masterpiece “Settle” which exceeded critical expectations, and with 90s garage making a comeback and house music continuing its reign this year, similar sounds were anticipated from the techy-twosome.

Even though the duo are clearly trying to present all their abilities on one musical platter, some songs fall flat. ‘You Know You Like It’ exudes bass-pounding promise, however, ‘Kaleidoscope Love’ and ‘Best Be Believing’ drop off the radar. George Reid carefully crafts catchy hooks:Your drums, we’re drumming, your drums, or long-lasting lyrics, All you wanted was a lost and found, should’ve got me on the rebound, should’ve got me on the rebound, which stay with you even after one listen. ‘Superstar’ and ‘Your Drums, Your Love’ start punchy and hint potential, however, the rest of the song fails to create much of an impact as the verses and choruses seem disjointed.

 ‘Outlines,’ however, starts us off with light beats, sultry tones and vocals; all the ingredients for a modern-day RnB ballad. I might even say AlunaGeorge’s down-tempo tracks are the better selection from the track list. ‘Diver’ and ‘Friends to Lovers’ continue this theme later in the album, showcasing Aluna Francis’ sweet-sounding symphonies, complemented by the mellow musical accompaniment from George Reid.

It’s incredibly difficult for an artist to produce a record in and amongst so much hype, especially with comparisons left, right and centre. So, I’m not sure whether the album is a “grower” or if AlunaGeorge are still growing … I’m yet to find out. 

Top Three Tracks: You Know You Like It, Friends to Lovers, Outlines.

REVIEW: The Vaccines - Melody Calling

My review of The Vaccine’s new E.P, also can be found on The Chronic’s website! (see link below)

THE VACCINES – “MELODY CALLING EP” (AUDIO)

There has been an uncontrollable, yet understandable, buzz  this month regarding the highly-anticipated release of The Vaccine’s E.P ‘Melody Calling,’ which will be available to get your ears and hands around next month.  It seems the floppy-haired foursome have decided to take a leap down another musical route.  They appear to be hanging out their garishly loud guitar riffs to dry out on the line this summer, for something a little more musically measured.

If the recent releases are anything to go by, this E.P will suspend those fired-up fans, pouring pints of lager over themselves and everyone else at gigs from previous records, and transform them into a swaying, cider sipping swarm. ‘Everybody’s Gonna Let You Down,’ showcases a gritty, great riff and, cool and controlled vocals from the lead singer, Justin Young.

Recording their forthcoming E.P in L.A shows the band’s musical growth, especially being unafraid to try something new and refusing to make the same record twice.

I don’t think The Vaccines will be letting anyone down with this new record.

http://thechronic.co.uk/2013/07/25/the-vaccines-melody-calling-ep-audio/

TOP THREE TRACKS OF THE WEEK

Disclosure ft. London Grammar - Help Me Lose My Mind

When I come across a Disclosure track, I can guarantee the following: 1) I’m going to love it, 2) It’s going to sound different to their previous release, maybe even better 3) It will take me back to the 90s garage scene, where I was too young to appreciate it first-hand before and 4) If its showing “featuring,” it will introduce a new band/artist on the rise. ‘Help me Lose my Mind’ epitomizes all of the above. So, in regards to number 4, who is London Grammar? The London- based tranquilizing trio are unsurprisingly set for worldwide stardom, with Hannah Reid’s intoxicating, intangible vocals and having also been described as “the new sound of The XX.” They are the band on every music critic’s lips and earphones this summer and what a better way to kick-start their career by collaborating with the dynamic duo Disclosure?! The combination of the two in my eyes (and ears) is perfection. It’s like strawberry jam and clotted cream; fresh, sweet and tastefully tuneful. In other words, if valium had a “sound,” this would be it.

Check it out here. 

City & Colour - Paradise

Featured on their latest album, ‘Paradise’has remained firmly on my music radar since its release this summer. Lately, the guitar has been over staged by synths and pitch-sifted vocals, with folks slippin’ back into their jelly shoes and varsity vests in the hope to rekindle their love of 90s garage. It’s so refreshing to see City and Colour haven’t surrendered. Dallas Green has maintained his symphonious sound, howlin’ out harmonies like he’s got festival crowds to please this year… Oh wait… Reading and Leeds you lucky sods! ‘Paradise’ has to be my favourite off the album, for the harmonies, melody, and the emotion Dallas brings when he sings out to those who are also looking for nirvana (not the band obviously…). You really believe in what he’s singing ya know? Like he’s been there before, passing on his chords of wisdom to us all.

Check it out here.

FYI – Other tracks from the album you need to wrap your ears around: ‘Take Care,’ ‘The Lonely Life,’ ‘The Hurry and the Harm.’

Sam Brookes - This is the Place

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELDpas5kZ0

In all honesty, I’ve only just discovered Sam Brookes. This discovery took place at an Emily and the Woods gig in Nottingham last Friday, situated in “Red Rooms” at Stealth/Rescue Rooms, where I’ve had many-a-drunken dance back in my Uni days. Coming back to Nottingham and not living there anymore was quite surreal, but seeing old friends and watching live music re-connected me. When you spend your pennies to see an artist you really admire, but are then moved by the support act, it’s like an added bonus thrown in for free. The whole of Sam Brookes’ performance was incredibly humble. Brookes held onto every note, accompanied by his guitar which emulated strums from Jeff Buckley’s Mojo Pin. Providing a video via my Blackberry of ‘This is the Place,’ wouldn’t have done it justice at all, so Luckily, I found another of the same song, just at a different venue (and better phone probably). Unfortunately, this track doesn’t appear on Brookes’ Spotify profile, but this tour has affirmed his current silence won’t be for too much longer. 

Check it out here.

Dornik - Something About You

Dornik - Something About You

I’ve been pretty quiet recently for a number of reasons, but this new track by DORNIK (read it, note it down, then listen; it’s gona be big) has completely washed out the remains of my prolonged writing block. It has literally blown it/me away. 

“All You Need Is Luck.”

[Would just like to point out The Beatles mis-quote is 100% intentional]

The Verve - Lucky Man

‘I think I’m having a mid-mid life crisis,’ is what I tell most friends and family now that I’ve graduated and, it seems, accepting adult life is all I have to look forward to. Yes, I’m aware that there is no such thing as a “mid-mid life crisis” but what else do you call it when a twenty-something year old is struggling to come to terms with life and finding a job which correlates with the reason you went to University in the first bloody place?

*… AND BREATHE*

My topic for discussion this week is Luck which Richard Ashcroft in The Vervediscusses so well in the above video. The lyrics are what inspired me for this piece:

But I’m a lucky man

With fire in my hands

It made me question a few things. For instance; who can honestly define themselves as lucky? I’ve never really considered myself to be a fortunate person, especially because I don’t know anyone who works in journalism, or even know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone… [see where I’m going with this?]

I applied to a BBC Radio 6 placement, poured my heart into an application I deemed worthy for the internship but alas, received a rejection email. My first big rejection email of this whole process and this wasn’t even for paid work. I took the news pretty well considering I didn’t really expect to be chosen but seeing the ‘NO’ in its computerised flesh via email, hit me pretty hard.

Deflated

At this current point in my life, I track parcels for a living, put aside £100 a week for a life in London, and pester music magazines and websites in the hope I get a chance to work for them. I’m often certain that this industry builds its workforce on who you know and those who’re in the right place at the right time…

Saying that… I didn’t find myself in the right place when I was given a chance. I was at work; on my lunch break, taking the plunge and emailing a local newspaper my blog along with my aspirations to become a journalist. After not hearing from anyone for more than a few weeks, I decided that instead of crumbling and accepting defeat, I should email them AGAIN and AGAIN until I did… And I can finally say…

IT WORKED.

Unfortunately this local paper’s budget doesn’t allow me to write for them with a freelance wage but the response was even better than I could’ve imagined:

The editor complimented my work = BONUS

She showed enthusiasm in me writing for them to expand my portfolio = WIN:WIN

They asked me to pitch some ideas for their ‘Lifestyle Section!’ 

So what did I pitch?

Music is what I want to write about, however, it’s important when trying to get a career in journalism to not overly specialise in one area straight away… So I chose fashion. Vintage Fashion specifically, and before I knew it I had arranged with the editor to write a piece on the vintage retailers in my local area, meet up with a photographer, so in the next few weeks it can become a feature.

 I will be in print again!

This is exactly the kind of opportunity I had been hoping for; yearning for; something to get my name further out there. I’m not saying that this one article is going to see my name in shining lights, but it’ll sure get itself in a frame at home and put me on a running, leaping start in the right direction, off of the crossroads and onto the career ladder. 

Who knows, this might mean I’m quite lucky after all…

Emily and the Woods

Emily and the Woods - It Was Right There

I love YouTube. Yes, it allows us to keep up to date with the latest internet sensation but what I love most is the sessions of aspiring, unsigned artists spilling out their musical desires to share their material with the world in the comfort of their own living room, a street, a park or woodland area. It’s sessions like these which have enabled me to discover a handful of my favourite singers/bands to date; The Villagers, Lucy Rose and Emily and the Woods, to name but a few.

I discovered ‘More Like Me’ last summer and it took me aback. It was the early hours and I was having one of my mad hunts for a track which gives you the same sensation of what I can only compare to a sugar rush; a dreamy haze of musical brilliance. Emily Wood may sing about heart break but she’ll be mending some with her candid chorus:

I wish I felt more, I wish I felt more like me.

Beautiful.

I stumbled across many of Emily Wood’s sessions, one in particular was ‘It Was Right There,’ where she sang by the River Thames, in her hometown for thewatchlistentell channel and the performance was almost angelic. (The video can be viewed above so you can see for yourself)

I can’t believe Emily and the Woods are still unsigned!   It astounds me; But with a few more tour dates to get excited about and the increase in ‘likes’ on their Facebook page, I can’t imagine it staying that way for too much longer. Supporting Ben Howard, Ed Sheeran and Lucy Rose in the past can only work in their favour too. If we look at the recent success of Lucy Rose with her debut album, I can only expect the same for Emily.

If only my current funds would allow for two gigs in one week… I’m already seeing Wolf Alice on the 22^nd of this month and just wish I could afford a trip to Brighton to see Emily and the Woods two days before in The Blind Tiger Club. I can’t stress enough how silly you would be to miss it! Yes, I know that makes me silly too (trust me; I’m beating myself up about it, not to mention my sorry state of a bank account) but if you can afford it, spend your pennies on something worthwhile.

My fingers are crossed for more tour dates this year and after their recent YouTube uploads of more mesmeric melodies such as ‘Lonely Handed’ and ‘Arrows’, I’m also hoping for another EP release…

Sometimes I struggle to understand with what reins the charts these days but artists like Emily and the Woods remind me originality does remain.

Watch. Listen And Tell everyone.

My musical prophecy of March 2013: WOLF ALICE

Forget about the Hounds of Love; it’s all about the Howls of Love as we welcome new North-London band Wolf Alice into our speakers and headphones.

I listened to the full 2mins and 58 seconds of ‘Fluffy’ and instantly needed more to fulfil the rapid growth of my Wolf Alice cravings. The four-piece prove that short bursts of guitar are not all they have to offer with ‘White Leather’ which lays out a stripped down 90’s grunge-esque melodic track alongside Ellie Roswell’s sultry vocals. In other words, its ace; Not what I expected to hear after ‘Fluffy,’ which shows the band are still at that early stage of experimenting, trying to figure out which musical route they want to go down. It shows their rawness and when you find a track in 2013 which sounds like it could’ve been from The Cure’s discography, you know you’ve hit the jackpot.

What I love even more about new and hidden bands are the prices; A ticket to see Wolf Alice at Camden’s KOKO this month just £5, but something makes me think I won’t be seeing them just the once.

If you haven’t already booked your tickets, I would now and fall in love with ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Leaving You’ as well as the previously mentioned tracks.

When an excitable buzz around follows a band and Radio 1 are finally waking up to their potential success this year, it is the prime time to see them,

Be that annoying person who says ‘Well I saw them first.’

You won’t be eating your words, I can assure you.