Records on Repeat

Jessie Ware - Tough Love


Her 2012 album Devotion was one of my favourite releases that year and now she's back and sounding possibly even better:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okC1XE0jX2U


Alt-J - Hunger of the pine


When you've won a Mercury prize expectations are gonna be pretty high, this newbie does not disappoint. It also samples Miley Cyrus, Yep, Miley...


https://m.soundcloud.com/alt-j/hunger-of-the-pine


Fyfe - For you


I loved his previous single 'Solace' and this is a good 2nd release:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCto5tBw37Y

Gig Review: Mutual Benefit, Deaf Institute - Manchester

I discovered Mutual Benefit on the Pitchfork website... trendy.

When I heard their song 'Advanced Falconry' I was kinda blown away. It is one of the most beautiful songs, ever, literally, ever.

Their EP Loves Crushing Diamond is well worth a listen. Especially for Advanced Falconry and Golden Wake.

I went to see them at the Deaf Institute in Manchester in May, a really quaint intimate venue it was ideal for a band like them.

Not only is their sound gentle and endearing so are the band themselves. Saying things like "we're much cooler over in the UK, in the US we just play house parties" and "can we film you booing us, we thought it would be funny".

It's a long time since I sat at a gig, but sitting, watching them, in awe of the beauty of their sound made for the perfect evening. It's a mixture of folk, classical and alternative -

YOU MUST LISTEN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws5euaAoCag

Gig Review: Embrace, Manchester Academy

10 years ago, I was stood at the front of the Channel 4 stage at V festival patiently waiting to watch Jet. Unfortunately, Jet did not arrive on stage and were last minute replaced by Embrace. I was gutted. I'd never heard of Embrace before.

Watching them that day though made me an instant fan. At 16 I loved anything "indie" sounding and witnessing them perform some sound indie was perfect for me. This was just as they were about to release what turned out to be their comeback album, "Out of Nothing".

After that I saw them at V, I saw them a few times all in one year, I couldn't get enough.

But since then, I'll admit I've neglected them a little. But, they themselves had been away from the music world for a good while too...

A few months ago I read they were touring again about to release a new album for 2014, so I was straight in there buying a ticket (any chance to hold onto those teenage years) for the Manchester Academy show.

It was a brilliant gig. Classic tunes like "Save Me", "Come back to what you know" and "Ashes" were the stand out moments, but the latest stuff sounded strong too. Danny was milking the whole come back thing a bit much "we promise we will never leave you again for 8 years"

Shut up Danny and sing Gravity.

I still love him and his slightly out of tune voice though.

For nostalgia reasons it was one of the best gigs I've been to. I was jumping about like an irritating 16 year old again cider in hand.

And, like they say.. come back to what you know, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDjOdcvXr5Q

Records on Repeat

Happy Monday:

Mansion Air - Hold me down
https://soundcloud.com/mansions-2/hold-me-down-revier

Sharon Van Etten - Your love is killing me 
https://soundcloud.com/jagjaguwar/sharon-van-etten-your-love-is-killing-me

AND

La Roux - Let me down gently 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOTEx7p-IkM

X

Records on Repeat

Roysksopp/Robyn - Do it again 

Catchy electro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIG7PVa8SS8#t=18


Tearjerker - You can

If you like the likes of Explosions in the Sky, this will probably bring a smile to your face

https://soundcloud.com/sqemusic/you-can


De Lux - It works all the time

80s disco vibes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATcxZYqE50E

Records on Repeat

hey hey, summer feels like it's on it's way:

Chet Faker - Talk is cheap

Soulful voice and dance beats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP_-P_BS6KY&feature=youtu.be

Ought - Habit

Sounding a bit VO - grungey and melancholy

https://soundcloud.com/constellation-records/ought-habit

and I love this cover of The Lemonheads

Courtney Barnett - Bein' around
https://soundcloud.com/courtney-barnett-milk/bein-around

Gig: Wild Beasts, The Albert Hall, 26th March

I like Manchester, I like live music, so a gig in that city worked out pretty well.

Wild Beasts are one of those bands that you hear the songs of and like but never really delve any deeper, well, that's how they've been for me. Over the last couple of albums I've listened to a couple of songs here and there and really liked them but for some reason never given the albums a chance in full. For this reason, I was kinda worried about going to the gig, I'm the gig goer that wants to be a mega fan and know the words to every song, the one who can feel a bit smug "yes I know every lyric", but instead I was thinking I was going to be one of those audience members miming along pretending to know (argh)

But it turns out I knew more songs than expected - PHEW - especially from their latest album: Present Tense.

If you haven't been to it before, the Albert Hall is an amazing venue, not only does it have a nice bit of character and charm that a lot of big modern venues seem to miss out on, but the stage is raised, meaning even when you get that 6ft 10 guy standing directly in front of you, you can still see the band, well at least some of them, which is a a nice little bonus.

I hadn't really gone to this gig with any expectations, I was looking forward to it, because there's nothing more I enjoy than live music, but I didn't think I would be as impressed or amazed as I ended up being. Wild Beasts were utterly incredible, not only musically and vocally, but the whole performance, from the lighting to the atmosphere.

Stand out songs included old faves like: all the kings men and lions share but also new faves like: mecca and pregnant pause. This band deserves more success and praise than they are yet to receive.

Here's some samples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5epi6woDTSg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFxN_DawtOw  - if they're good enough for Joolsy...!

I hope I see them live again soon.

Gig: Then Thickens

I've been to the Night and Day Cafe in Manchester before but only for a quick drink, not for a gig. It's a nice little venue, perfect for live music. I'm not a fan of massive venues, ones where you can't actually see the band at all and spend most of your time just staring at the screens instead, kinda wondering whether maybe it would have been better to save yourself the 50 quid ticket price and watch it on tele instead? Except with festivals of course, I love a festival.

Anyway, back to this gig: Then Thickens - a six piece band from Lancashire, Chorley to be precise were headlining the evening (13th March), the 1st band  Bete (https://soundcloud.com/beteband) on sounded a bit like what I imagine California feels like - the lead singer sounding almost identical to Caleb from Kings of Leon - and that's all a good thing - bringing a bit of sunshine to a foggy Manchester, the second band though, well they were pretty forgettable, there was nothing wrong with them but nothing that made you wanna listen either.

Then Thickens were a different level though, well rehearsed, smooth, great vocals. My favourite has to be 'Tiny Legs' which is their latest track, it's just one of those songs that instantly draws you in. Mega catchy. I'll be adding it to my playlist, popping it onto my Ipod and not even skipping it when it appears on shuffle. Plus it features Joe Gilgun (Woody off of This is England) in the video. So thumbs up.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ySalXvHEJc

RECORDS ON REPEAT

Time to get mellow...

Mac DeMarco - Brother
https://soundcloud.com/capturedtracks/brother

Lykke Li - Love Me Like I’m Not Made Of Stone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7iLERCEznI

and

Hundred Waters - Down from the rafters
https://soundcloud.com/hundredwaters/down-from-the-rafters

x

Old friends. New tunes.

Oasis's big announcement may have just been a re-issue and re-release of Definitely Maybe to celebrate it's 20th Birthday, but some of my other old favourites are releasing some new material which (as much as I am a long time mega fan girl of Oasis) is much more exciting..

I still believe that Coldplay were at their best with Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head, after those albums I kinda got a bit bored, some of the songs were pretty decent still, but their new release has me all a flutter again - it's called Midnight and it is so different from anything we have heard from them before, it comes from their latest album, which has been produced by Jon Hopkins and you can really hear his influence on this first beauty:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQeMxWjpr-Y

And then you've got some new stuff from an original brit-pop king, Mr Damon Alban; as he has some more solo stuff that he is sharing with us, it's fair to say there's no brit-pop sounds here, it's experimentally wonderful. Thank you Damon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9MMJgFKv24