Joywave – How Do You Feel Now? ★★★★★

How Do You Feel Now? kicks off with a brilliantly sassy fuzzed up riff, backed by an appropriately punchy beat on opening track Somebody New. A very strong start and an encouraging welcome. My first thought? If Kasabian had developed the gritty electronic influences they broke out with rather than turn in to just another generic indie/Brit-pop band then maybe they could have sounded as good as this. Where that band were afraid to tread though, Joywave gladly venture out barefoot to dance on the graves of other’s missed chances.

You know what, it’s not a word I use to describe music often, but I’ll say it again. This is sassy as hell! How Do You Feel Now? oozes confidence, turning what are quite often pretty simple ideas on the surface in to mighty pop-rock anthems.

Parade is another perfect example of this sass, this attitude….if music could smile, Joywave would be sporting a knowing smirk and would more than likely wink at you. Possibly followed by a gentle caress of the leg. You would be powerless to resist.

It’s great to see a band with this level of accessibility doing something a little different. It may not be totally new ground, but it’s certainly a lot more exciting and different to the samey generic chart hunters clogging up the radio, while still being mainstream enough to ensure they don’t lose out on those listeners. Edgy pop-rock. Rocky synth-pop. Grunge pop? Whatever this is, it’s awesome!

★★★★★

FYI: This review was written by me for www.bourne2goout.co.uk. Head over there for more news, reviews and interviews!

Leftfield – Alternative Light Source ★★★★★

Leftfield has returned after a daunting 16 years away, and now with only one half of the legendary duo (Neil Barnes) carrying the torch…with a little help from some friends taking guest appearances. Alternative Light Source deals with a more chilled out brand of electronic music. The hard beats are still there, but this isn’t really music to bounce around like a loon to. Basically, this is electronic music that’s tailored for the listener rather than the dancer and that’s all good in my book! Think Salem gone pop.

This drop in speed combined with the pulsating beats and distant throbbing bass lines give it a numb, almost dreamy sound. Almost as if you’re only semi-conscious, floating through a cloud of fluffy sound (that’s a thing) and struggling to really focus on anything tangible. Occasionally, Alternative Light Source injects a bit of volume and power to bring you out of your hypnotic trance, but soon sucks you back in to it’s own blurry dimension.

When an album can take your mind away from you like this, to have you totally zone out of the real world and spend some quality time with the music, you know you’ve hit jackpot.

Leftfield has created a work of synthetic beauty, one to truly get lost in. Simply stunning!

★★★★★

FYI: This review was written by me for www.bourne2goout.co.uk. Head over there for more news, reviews and interviews!

Cosm – The Aptatude Test ★★★★★

Bournemouth’s home grown hero Cosm is back, he’s not brought producer buddy Cheebo with him this time though. After two top quality releases together he’s decided he needs to break free and see other people….though hopefully it’s more open relationship than full on break up. For this outing Cosm has teamed up with the equally as awesome Aptatude, hence the title reference.

It’s not really a massive departure from his work with Cheebo, there’s still the laid back boom-bap style and lazy vibe. Aptatude seems to favour the simplistic approach to beat making; piano and drums for the most part. This is no bad thing, it suits Cosm’s carefree lyrical style and delivery perfectly. It helps to keep things chilled out….these aren’t club bangers, these are clever, more thoughtful pieces of fine hip-hop. Made for the real hip-hop heads, not necessarily the people getting down to Lil John in the clubs. It’s humble with a real world level of attitude, none of the puffed out chest bravado prevalent in the genres more mainstream offerings.

Cosm is keeping it old school, real….and he knows how to pick the right producers to compliment his style. A true hidden gem that needs to find its way in to every self respecting hip-hop fan’s collection. And this is free! Can’t go wrong!

★★★★★

FYI: This review was written by me for www.bourne2goout.co.uk. Head over there for more news, reviews and interviews!

Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool ★★★★★

My Love Is Cool is a wonderfully dreamy collection of spaced out indie pop songs. Pop songs with the occasional slab of snarling, grungy rock and roll attitude. Think Queen Adreena meets Explosions In The Sky…is that possible? Wolf Alice seem to have done it!

One minute they’re floating through the music amid haunting vocals and chilled out guitars, then their dark side shows itself and all out riffage smacks you in the face. It’s a great combination that brings variety without sounding disjointed and random. Wolf Alice have a serious knack for trying everything and having it flow seamlessly throughout, experimental done properly.

This is an album you could really get lost in, it’s begging for repeat listens! There’s so many different layers here I want to re-visit, there’s just too much to take in and fully appreciate on the first time….My Love Is Cool is an album that just expands every time you listen to it, getting better and better with every play through. My Love Is Cool is a fine wine, only getting better with age. Wine doesn’t go off, right?

These guys don’t play it safe here, they take risks, and these risks have paid off big time! It’s these surprises and strange directions that have made this album the masterpiece it is. Too many bands are afraid to try different things, to step out of their comfort zone. They know what’s safe and they stick to that. Those bands get boring after 5 minutes, My Love Is Cool may have what it takes to become timeless….I certainly can’t see it getting old right now.

★★★★★

FYI: This review was written by me for www.bourne2goout.co.uk. Head over there for more news, reviews and interviews!

Griever – Rebirthing ★★★★☆

Once you get past the cheesy horror flick sounds that introduce this EP, Griever have actually created a solid collection of satisfyingly chunky Metalcore. It would have been nice had the intro actually built up in to the first proper track…but instead it just ends. Bit of an anti-climax to be honest.

The real songs here though are very well put together, if a bit short on individual ideas. They sound great, with some real head banging riffs and relentless screaming, bringing to mind genre heavyweights Parkway Drive and Killswitch Engage.

These tracks are built to get people moving and sweaty, I can’t help but nod away just listening on my own. The urge to jump around in a live setting would be hard to resist, Griever certainly know their way around a decent breakdown! There are moments of respite to be found, most notably as Smoke & Mirrors takes a moment to chill before leading in to final track My Captain, My King. In fact, this calm before the storm is actually one of the highlights for me. As I mentioned, there does seem to be a shortage of ideas here, with several sections sounding more and more familiar as you make your way through the 5 songs on display (not including the intro). Too many times I heard the same blast beat lead verse and the same extended scream intro. So it was refreshing to hear something that hadn’t yet made it in to one of the other tracks. Special mention should also go to the almost haunting solo at the end of My Captain, My King. A very pleasant surprise amidst the endless brutality.

It always feels like a bit of a cop out to me, having the chorus repeat until the song fades out as seen at the end of this EP. But none the less, Griever have mastered the Metalcore formula and I’m definitely excited to see what they follow this up with! It may have been done before, but these boys do it as good as any of them. So if their aforementioned peers float your boat, I highly recommend you check out Rebirthing and keep an eye out for the big G. You can find them on Facebook HERE!

★★★★☆

FYI: This review was written by me for www.bourne2goout.co.uk. Head over there for more news, reviews and interviews!

Marilyn Manson – The Pale Emperor ★★★★★

So, Marilyn Manson has shed his band members, some as iconic as the man himself (Twiggy Ramirez anyone? John 5?). Is this as scary as it sounds? Actually, no.

As a HUGE long time Marilyn Manson fan, I was ecstatic when I heard Twiggy was returning for The High End Of Low. But let’s be honest, his reappearance didn’t really have the impact everyone thought it would. In the three albums since The Golden Age Of Grotesque there’s been something lacking in the Manson sound. It’s not that they were bad albums as such, just not the quality we’d come to expect. Some very good songs and a lot of filler. Almost as if the band were just going through the motions and not really feeling what they were doing anymore.

Now Marilyn Manson has returned, with just himself and producer/composer Tyler Bates, a name that hasn’t previously featured in the band’s line up. But you know what, thank fuck for Tyler Bates. Whether Manson has just finally found his groove again, or Master Bates (sorry) has truly reignited the flame, something wonderful has happened. This is the first album since 2003(!) where I can honestly say there is not one track worth skipping. This album has soul. No plodding along, just making music so people don’t forget about him, this is Marilyn Manson doing what Marilyn Manson does.

To fans it should come as no surprise that he’s changed direction yet again, but that’s when he’s at his best. You could argue that the three albums before this one could easily have made one decent release by just cutting out the filler and putting the best tracks together, they were that similar. In his prime, Manson was releasing album after album of new directions, experiments and mind fucks. Finally, he’s back to doing the unexpected.

The Pale Emperor is a toned down, bluesy affair, but with the dark undertones that keep Manson fans coming back for more. There’s subtle moments that take me back to Holy Wood, Mechanical Animals or even Antichrist Superstar. And this is a very good thing, without trying to recreate those albums. In fact, don’t get me wrong, this sounds absolutely nothing like those albums…but the same genius is intact.

I’m so glad that this is the review I’m writing. When I first heard Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge, I was in awe. Then Deep Six was revealed, and although the video was a bit pants, I had hope. This hope was not misplaced, I’m happy to say that this is the Marilyn Manson album I’ve been waiting for.

Hail to the king, baby!

★★★★★

Hard Target – Everything You’re Not ★★★★☆

Like your hip-hop with flannel shirts and a Southern twang? Then Hard Target is the best thing you may never have heard of!

With a style that is entirely his own, he has been creating something of a refreshingly different take on the genre over the years he has been making music. Lyrically, his heart is worn proudly on his sleeve, an approach that is mostly lacking with hip-hop these days. This makes for some touching moments amongst the hard beats and guitars. Most notably on album closer, Waiting, which just found it’s place on my list of most emotional songs ever! With it’s toned down, quieter delivery, it comes across as if he’s speaking directly to his daughter. Seriously, I had goosebumps. If you have kids, and you love them, you’ll relate. If you don’t have kids, you’ll want them a.s.a.p.

Hard Target looks like a Southern rocker, his vocals fit the same bill, and he’s found a way to make it work in a hip-hop casing. You have country, rock and rap all under the same roof here, and it works way better than it should! This is a man who could easily adapt himself to the same mould as the majority of rappers at the moment, but chooses not to. With a raised middle finger aimed directly at convention, Hard Target is doing his own thing with no hidden agenda. This is music made from love. It’s deep, it’s personal, and it asks for nothing in return but your ears.

With a mountain of mixtapes in his portfolio, and now this album, maybe it’s time people sat up and noticed this guy. Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit certainly has, which could provide him with the push he needs. Not that it’d make much difference, you get the impression that Hard Target doesn’t care much for fame. But it’d be nice to see such a talented artist rewarded in a world where anyone with the right connections and a bit of auto-tune can make it big.

If you haven’t heard any of his stuff before, you can get some of his old mixtapes for free on his website www.hardtargetmusic.com. But honestly, get this album too. It’s the only music where he’s asked for money, and it’s worth every penny. Support real music.

★★★★☆

Tegan & Sara – Heartthrob ★★★★★

Well, this is different.

When I first heard opening track and lead single Closer, I have to admit, I almost didn’t buy this album. It’s not that it was a terrible song, it just wasn’t the song I expected to hear from Tegan & Sara. As a long time fan I had grown accustomed to their quirky, acoustic and piano driven twist on insanely catchy pop music.

My love for these girls took over though, I caved in. I bought the album. Another listen to Closer and I was starting to nod my head. Unfortunately though, this sound is the way they have chosen to go for the whole of Heartthrob. And at first, I was disappointed….then something strange happened; I realised that actually, although this isn’t what I had hoped, they do this very well. It shouldn’t have been a surprise, after all, these girls have always known how to write a great song. Pop is what they’re best at and it’s what they’ve always done, just in a different way….

On Heartthrob, gone are the acoustic guitars, minimal are the pianos. Instead, our favourite twin sisters are dealing with synth lead, 80’s inspired pop. Nothing new anymore, but actually, they probably do it better than everyone else who’s tried. I hate to admit it, but I really like this album! Even as it reaches it’s end and I hit repeat, I find myself falling in love with Closer, that song that almost put me off buying it all together. It reveals itself as one of the catchiest songs I’ve ever heard!

If you’ve been a fan of Tegan & Sara’s older stuff, on the outside, this may not seem like something for you. But let yourself in and they could prove you wrong. Open your mind and forget how upset you are that they dropped the sound you fell in love with and you’ll have no choice but to admit you love where they’ve gone!

I’m not going to lie, I would be ecstatic if they decided they’d had enough of synth pop and picked up their guitars again. But until then, I’m happy dancing like a loon to this incredible noise. Stupid grin firmly plastered on my face.

God, I love these girls.

★★★★★

www.teganandsara.com

Cult Of Luna – Vertikal ★★★★★

Cult Of Luna, what can I say? Mindblowing.

From the off, this album is a masterpiece! Opening with The One is a stroke of genius, coming across like the epic soundtrack to the greatest sci-fi film ever made. Haunting and out there….Just beautiful, in an apocalyptic sort of way. But just as you think this is going to be a sort of chill out release from the 14 legged post-rock beast, in come the roars. They’re here.

This album is heavy in a whole new way….This isn’t just guitars and throat shredding noise. This has atmosphere that could crush and kill a man. Even when it’s quiet, you get the impression that something very bad is about to happen, that something very very big is lurking in the dark behind you. Getting closer as the drums build, the guitars sneaking in as this monster’s breath raises the hairs on the back of your neck. Then boom! You’re being ripped apart by the flesh eating beast, arms torn from your body. Head crushed like a grape beneath it’s colossal feet. This album is more than just music, it takes you somewhere and gets that big ol’ brain working.

Somehow, Cult Of Luna have yet again proven that post-rock has plenty more tricks up it’s sleeve. Even taking in hints of dubstep with the throbbing bass on Vicarious Redemption, showing there is always room for experimentation. But don’t let that put you off, this foray in to new sounds does nothing to lessen the integrity of this band. They’re not going Skrillex on you, it’s subtle and necessary to fully cement the dark scene they’re setting here. Believe me, it works.

If you want an album to listen to, to really listen to, to completely lose yourself in….not just background music, Vertikal is the best thing you can buy right now. I honestly can not praise this album enough.

It is incredible.

★★★★★

http://cultofluna.com/

Selling Out: The Myth

Ok, so when I started this blog, I had no intention of writing anything other than music reviews. But today I read something that made me re-think this policy. Today, I discovered that people are stupid. They’re either stupid, or they’re so far up their own anus they’ve forgotten what sunlight looks like.

Maybe that’s a bit harsh….Not ALL people are stupid, I mean, look at me, I’m not stupid. The people I’m referring to are those who seem to have a totally warped sense of what the term “selling out” means. In fact, to best illustrate the moment these stupid people pushed me over the edge, here is a short re-enactment.

“Trash Talk are sell outs”

What the fuck sort of planet are you on where a band like Trash Talk can be considered as sell outs!? It’s quite obvious what has lead this idiot to his/her conclusion, that being when the band signed to Odd Future Records. Now, Odd Future Records are an INDEPENDENT record label. Albeit an independent label with a bit more exposure thanks to it’s masterminds, Hip-Hop collective OFWGKTA, beginning to make a name for themselves. All I can think is that maybe this misinformed cretin is under the impression that all Hip-Hop is mainstream, therefore unable to be connected to the term independent. But I’m sorry, just listen to some Odd Future stuff….Seriously. I mean, I think they’re pretty cool. But mainstream, they ain’t.

Tyler, The Creator and his cohorts write songs that are hard to digest. Weird beats, disturbing lyrics with such parent friendly lyrical themes as drugs, rape and murder. All strewn with profanities. OFWGKTA are not mainstream. Odd Future Records in turn, is not mainstream. Trash Talk are sure as hell not mainstream. I mean, can you imagine this being played on prime time radio?

I can’t.

This accusation was just bizarre, but it is not uncommon. Bands are forever being labelled as sell outs, particularly punk bands. There are times I can see what may have triggered it, for example if a band makes a much catchier album than their previous output. But in the case of Trash Talk…..What are you on? The new album under the new label is no less aggressive than their old stuff. My parents will still hate it, I’m sure yours will too. Maybe it was the addition of Tyler, The Creator and Hodgy Beats for Blossom and Burn? But that’s no excuse, after all, punk and Hip-Hop are the same thing. Different strokes on the same painting.

“Oh no he didn’t!!” cried the pissy whiney purist punk kids.

Grow up. Both genres are products of the streets they grew up on. Both are aggressive in nature in their purest forms. Both have a lot to say. Lil Wayne doesn’t, but who can really take him seriously? It’s interesting actually, how I’ve generally found Hip-Hop fans to be far more accepting of alternative music. Why is it that the punk rockers, with all their preaching about freedom of expression and the like, can’t accept Hip-Hop as a valid music genre? I grew up on rock music, these days Hip-Hop is equally as important to me. There is so much to love!!

Anyway, maybe I’m focusing too much on the Trash Talk/Odd Future connection. Basically, what I’m trying to get at is that some people can be far too quick to label bands as sell outs for something that really has no relation to what it means to actually sell out. It’s just become the standard insult to throw at a band/artist for doing something on their album you didn’t like. That doesn’t mean they’ve sold out.

The act of selling out, by definition, is to accept large amounts of money/favours in return for changing your sound to suit the direction laid out by whoever is paying. Generally, this means making a less commercial act become more commercial. What gets me is how on earth these whiners know what affected a band’s new direction. Artists try new things all the time! Who’s to say they did it for the money? “Oh, well it’s blatently obvious they did.” Is it fuck! Unless they issued a statement, wrote you a letter or phoned you up to let you know that the reason they changed their sound was because of the huge amounts of cash they were being offered, you don’t know shit. So shut up, stop complaining and go listen to some underground band that no one’s heard of. That is, until they get signed and you accuse them of selling out because five more people know their name.

The fact is, no one knows if a band has actually sold out apart from those involved in the selling out itself. Lots of stupid people believe they know, but they don’t. Must be the lack of sunlight getting to their heads. Trash Talk are obviously open minded individuals, not afraid to show their love for Hip-Hop. If I was in a hardcore/punk band, I’d jump at the chance to do a song with a rapper or two! It’d be awesome!! I’d do it for free, no selling out. So why is the assumption that Trash Talk did it for the wrong reasons? Because you didn’t like it, probably.

Punk bands (or any other acts) should not be afraid of signing to a major label, playing bigger venues and making more money, just because some pale faced dick is going to accuse them of being sell outs, when actually they’re just getting paid more to do what they love. Lets be honest….If you got offered a promotion at work, with more money, would you say no? No. Well, what makes it ok for you?

Rant over. Nothing to see here.

Listen to rap music.