Summer Like It's Hot

Lets be realistic we’ve not had much of a summer this year. Despite a few sunny intervals its been a case of torrential downpours with some thunder and lightening. As summer ebbs away and the colder autumn nights draw in,at least there’s one thing that you can depend that is the music which is enough to give you a sunny disposition turning that frown upside down.

Here are three recent tracks that provide enough reason to keep those spirits up :)


KINDNESS - That's Alright

If you passed Adam Bainbridge in the street you might choose to ignore him with his shaggy haired appearance and sombre demeanour but when it comes to music he does more than enough to convince you that taking a punt on his music would be well worth it. Kindness released an album in March this year which didn’t really arrive with too much fanfare and although it was a mixed batch of 80s influenced R&B grooves/sophisticated pop(even including the Anita Dobson Eastenders forgettable single 'anyone can fall in love') less said about that the better,it was an intriguing mix.
Just in time for summers end Kindness has opted to release ‘Thats Alright’ which is from his album 'World,You Need a Change of Mind' from its jazzy intro to its 80s style groove becomes 4 minutes of unadulterated pop goodness and should have you reaching for the play button again.

Check out the audio for ‘That's Alright’ below

DAN CROLL - From Nowhere

If ever there was a true symbol of a workaholic Dan Croll would be that person. Not content with leading Liverpool Math Rockers Dire Wolfe, he is now releasing music on his own terms aided by the very able assistance of Joe Wills. If the name sounds familiar that would may be because I highlighted Dan as 'one to watch' at the beginning of the year see http://j-u-i-c-e-d.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/5-reasons-to-be-cheerful.html but as a songwriter he seems to have grown and this is particularly evident on recent track ‘From Nowhere’ which cleverly combines a mixture of old and new instrumentation with the use of acoustic guitars and electronics to become a summer jam worth talking about. What is great about Dan is he is now getting the deserved acclaim from the bigwigs in the industry with radio airplay and even topping the Hype Music chart which is no mean feat. His full UK tour can't come soon enough.

You can check out the video of From Nowhere below and the track is available for download via the link http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/from-nowhere-remixes-ep/id562480455

Theme Park- Jamaica

If there was one team that ran a close second to the most thrilling to watch it was Jamaica with the likes of Bolt and Blake powering down the home straight.

This new track from Theme park perfectly sums up this feeling with its sunny guitar and electronic beats and laidback vocals its easy to be transported back to the heady days of the summer olympics and might just make you want to think about taking a vacation.All in all a perfect example of a summery tune from a top band even if its the end of the summer.

check out the video below,'Jamaica' is out now, see their facebook page for more info

GRIMES @ MANCHESTER RITZ 30/08/12

I first discovered Grimes whilst looking through an ‘Underachievers please try harder’ set list a few months ago. I very rarely listen to electronic music, and this club night very rarely plays it. Yet two weeks after listening to her for the first time I was buying the tickets to see her perform live.  This incredibly talented and likeable girl from Vancouver has produced a very special kind of music that I think a lot more people will start listening to over the coming months. Dreamy, lively and poetic sounds are combined beautifully in her latest album ‘Visions’, released earlier this year. This is the album that featured most prominently in her live set.

The gig was moved to The Ritz from Sound Control due to higher than expected demand for tickets, as I say this is someone who is rapidly being discovered by many people as one of the most exciting artists around today. I’m not sure she’d ever make the mainstream, because, well, she’s too good. It seems to me for a new artist to break through to being well-known these days; they’ve got to conform to a very narrow and unoriginal formula. It’s always been like this to an extent, but it’s definitely got worse as times gone on.

Grimes finally came on stage at 10; I heard they had to delay it once again due to higher than expected numbers on the night. As soon as she introduced herself it became obvious that her natural voice is as innocently high pitched as her singing. She moved through her first few numbers just with her one member of her backing on stage with her Each of them were operating mixing desks. She quickly switched between dials, buttons and decks to play her songs, also checking the levels on headphones and finding time to lose herself in the music which was a joy to watch. It was all very impressive, and that doesn’t even cover the range of her vocals. To be so busy managing all the components of her greatly varied and changeable songs – and still be able to sing in her incredible voice on top of that was amazing to see.

She was joined on stage later by two dancers, with at least one of whom had a ‘gothic’ look to them. I think the whole gothic theme is a bit silly to be honest, I don’t see how it actually fits in with Grimes as a person or her music – but then maybe it was more relevant to her earlier albums that I’m not as familiar with. The cover of her latest album looks like some kind of death metal creation, but her music couldn’t be further from that in reality.

Her thrilling set was an hour in total, maybe a little short but it was a great performance. I left with a real feeling of affection for her, she’s very talented but she’s not arrogant about it like too many others in the music industry are. I’d recommend her music to anyone, you won’t have heard anything like it before, and it’s hard not to be uplifted by its great blend of danceable rhythms, classical melodies and liberating vocals.

Words by Chris Ashworth

BRITAIN - SHOW US YOUR HITS!

A Closing Ceremony of Epic Musical Proportions

So after 17 days of more highs than lows for team GB it was time to sign off in style and if anyone doubted how mad as a box of frogs Britain was that point was surely made clear in the lavish opening ceremony.

The closing ceremony gave Britain a chance to show that British music and culture is and has always been in fine fettle and for a large part this was displayed. Although following some kind of narrative prior to all the major stars entering the British flag motif styled stage showing the return to a bustling London scene from a sporting setting courtesy of the rhythmic ensemble Stomp who were raucous and brilliant.

The music proceeded to move through the decades taking in the Beatles, Rolling Stones and David Bowie, Madness- inspired, through to today with George Michael and Pet Shop Boys who were good but as glamorous and camp as ever, Blur, One Direction? and Take That which was an obvious inclusion as the creative director masterminded ‘The Circus’ although it was nice to see Mr Barlow getting on with his day job despite his recent tragedy.

Too many highlights to pick from with Bowie singing Fashion in the background whilst supermodels were carted around – brilliant. You couldn’t help but be moved by a deaf rendition of Imagine complete with sculpture of John Lennon.

The much heralded return of the Spice Girls wasn’t actually too bad arriving in London cabs – somehow their songs actually sounded good and their performance was not without its laughs with Victoria hanging on for dear life – the poor dear!

At times in the show I turned to members of the older generation who looked a little puzzled as to who some of the new acts were but this was a show that had something for everyone.

The problem was it was sometimes the non-linear style that disrupted the spectacle.

Was there any point in having award ceremonies between the acts, best to do that at the end or at the beginning surely.

Was there any requirement for below average Leeds band to do an gawd-awful cover of The Who’s pinball wizard - when they were quite capable of doing it themselves, Who even cares about Kaisers now?

One Direction was as predictable as they come with their squeaky voices and didn’t really make sense in the whole scheme of things-just provided another example of Syco's hold on the industry.

I spotted early on a drum kit with Beady Eye and wondered why they were performing surely brother Noel’s band are the most popular and then came a half hearted version of Wonderwall which despite being shoddy united the spectators in song – no denying what an anthem it is but Liam G didn’t really look like he was bothered – it’s the Olympics closing ceremony for goodness sake – enjoy yourself!

Sounds of the Sex pistols was great complete with bouncing punks – shame they didn’t play God Save the Queen – would love to have seen her majesty’s face – oh wait she wasn’t even there!

 Probably still skydiving with James Bond.

Russell Brand might not be everyone’s favourite but he contributed well to his Beatles section even throwing in a Mobot - everyone loves one of them.

Fatboy Slim and the octopus showed what a DJ supremo and total Legend the man is.

Whatever people may say Jessie J wasn’t really so great, yes she can relate to an audience and one can understand why price tag does the trick with its message of love and unity blah blah but just makes you wish another Jessie (Ware) was there and then dueting with Queen throwing air guitar shapes – shameful- just became karaoke.

Tiao Cruz was safe but Tinie Tempah looked a little star-struck.

There were rumours that members of Pink Floyd were going to collaborate with Ed Sheeran and I hope that this wasn’t the case but there he was attempting to sing ‘Wish You Were Here’ the best part of the song was the Prism and the burning man – Genius

Positioning rock superstars Muse before Queen was brilliant and showed how indebted they were to Queen for their style.

What about that guitar solo from Guitar Virtuoso Brian May that was quite something.

Eric Idle(that’s Monty Python for the young ones) – was brilliant with his ‘Always Look on Bright Side of Life’ combined with Bollywood dancers and didn’t even take over the comedic value of Rowan Atkinson at the opening ceremony.

Brazil showed us what to expect with a colourful mix of samba and song expect something spectacular in 2016 from them.

Standout performer was Emilie Sande who with her raw talent really showed what she was capable of and of course The Who were pretty good as the final act.

There was undeniably a fantastic array of talent on display and this was obviously Britain’s opportunity to show off the quality of their music and that they know how to put on a show with a bit of a dance from Boris- you've gotta love him. The problem was it was overlong and whilst there were some star performers there were some obvious inclusions and some who didn’t really care too much for the occasion they just wanted the harmless self-promotion that the ceremony gave them.

On a sombre note having been cynical about the Olympics prior to the events thinking probably like others that it was a complete waste of money and time. I will miss the games.I found myself captivated by the many triumphs and tears and it was easy to forget all the negatives and focus on what makes Britain great.

What did you think, Was it the best Olympics ever? Did Britain do itself proud?

With 65 medals (29 Gold) a Bolt and a Mobot the Olympics really delivered and Team GB did us proud so roll on Rio!

Check out some of the photos of the show below:-

              

Girls Do It Better

Over the past few months there’s been quite a few new releases from male artists and groups. Whilst there have been some good efforts from the likes of Odd Futures's Frank Ocean, Richard Hawley and Plan B, there hasn't been too much happening on the female front.

That’s about to change though with a number of female artists and bands that are coming to the fore and are proving that Girl Power is still very much alive and well and that Girls do it better.. Rock that is!

Here are a few British and American artists/bands set to make their mark.

Enjoy J

1  Savages

They have been compared to Joy Division and Siouxie and the Banshees so they already have a high bar to reach but this post punk all girl band from London more than justify the hype with their riotous mix of punk and visceral rock. Their sound is a ‘take no prisoners’ noise that only really needs be heard to be believed.

Signature track ‘Husbands’ rides on frenetic rhythms and throbbing bass as Siouxie like-vocals ring out over some slashing guitar noises building to a climax of epic proportions over screams that leaves you breathless. ‘Flying to Berlin’ is a more poppy number but no less brilliant with its sky-scraping guitar and quivering vocals.

 The fact that they sold out Manchester’s Deaf Institute recently shows how much Savages are acclaimed. They are set for bigger things and the best thing about is its a band of Brits, chalk up another for Team GB in the talent stakes.

Check out their website/Facebook for more info.

Husbands and Flying to Berlin are available below.

http://soundcloud.com/pop-noire-radio/savages-husbands

http://soundcloud.com/pop-noire-radio/flying-to-berlin

2   Jessie Ware

 While one Jessie sheds her Indie credibility and reverts to type joining the likes of Guetta and TV fodder,The Voice, another is staking a strong claim for her Indie crown.

She has been referred to as the Sade of UK bass which gives you an idea of how well she is regarded in the blogosphere. Having cut her musical chops as a backing singer with South London Producer SBTRKT  the south London singer songwriter like Katy B came from London underground dubstep and grime station Rinse FM.

Jessie Ware follows Katy B towards the limelight. Unlike Katy B she has a more lo-fi feel and soul vocal with more of a lavish production. Key track 110% beautifully showcases her stunning vocals along with a sparse but brilliant dubstep production. ’Running’ her previous single is sultry and breathtaking with the full extent of her flexible vocal and songwriting on show and one listen to new track ‘Wildest Moments’ its clear why she is Britain’s next great female hope.

Her album ‘Devotion’ is out later this month and she is due to tour the UK in November the year. She will be hitting Manchester’s Sound Control on Nov 8^th so be sure to check her out then.

You can check out her brilliant smash ‘110%’ below.

http://soundcloud.com/jessieware/jessie-ware-110-1

For more info check out her Facebook/website

3  Charli XCX

'We need to reboot British girl power but with edge' is what 19 year old, Charlotte Aitchison AKA CharliXCX is quoted as saying on her Facebook page which could be seen as a bit of a pretentious statement from a teenager who may have once like others been a fan of girl bands but having released a debut album at 14 and become a hit on the hackney rave scene with her gothy electro sounds she might just be the one to inject the music scene with some attitude.

At times she may sound a little like Ladyhawke and Marina but that is not a criticism as she has a boundless energy and talent in spades and her carefreeness easily wins out against the latter.

Just take a listen to her mixtape ‘Heartbreaks and Earthquakes’ complete with Kill Bill audioclips which is available if you sign up for her mailing list (hint hint) and prepare to be astounded by her musical nous. 

Her vibrant energetic industrial pop is dark and infectious but her new single ‘You’re the One’ could easily be the best track with its towering glammy backing, infectious melody and energetic vocal.

Girl Power is on the rise again headed by CharliXCX she will be packing out those stadiums soon but she’s doing it all her way.

Check out her website for tour info and for a free download of the brilliant mixtape

You’re the One is out Aug but you can check out the ace video below

4  Haim

Haim is comprised of three sisters from sunny California who with their unusual but infectious mix of R&B and folk rock are making waves over the Atlantic. Shut your eyes and one listen to the upbeat dancey ‘Forever’ and your back at the school disco throwing shapes, the chorus sounds a little like the 90s melody from Donna Lewis’s "I love you always forever". Remember Her? This isn’t such a bad thing as it’s the sweet vocals and harmonies and slashes of guitar that make the song unique as well as the gritty lyrics.

The other two songs on their Forever EP show that the girls aren’t one trick ponies as they show off the full extent with ‘Better Off’ starting off with accapella and close harmonies followed by an irresistible hip hop beat.’Go Slow’ is a more mellow type of tune whilst maybe not too radio friendly with its coarse language but its no less interesting with its folky vocals and electronic beats.

It might have you go digging for those Wilson Philips and Fleetwood Mac albums but Haim are breathing new life into the folk genre and are set to be huge

You can see their video for 'Forever' below

For more info check out their Facebook page 

5 Jezzy & the Belles

Last but not least, here is yet another reason, why New York is still a hotbed for talent. Brooklyn born Singer Songwriter Jessica Eisenberg has been quietly crafting lush electronic folk in the vein of fellow New Yorkers. Blonde Redhead and our very own Massive Attack but the understated dreamy production provided by her band ‘the Belles’ perfectly compliments her sweet vocals. ‘By Proxy’ draws you in with its gentle strumming and delicate vocals which gradually builds to an arresting listen. ‘Confess Child’ changes tack with its trip hop production and sombre brass accompaniment along with wistful vocals which makes for a captivating listen.

With such musical talent and this many ideas it’s extremely hard to resist her charms.

No plans for a UK tour yet but she is touring America and has released an album recently in the States ‘Compasses & Maps’ is available to download from the website below and on Soundcloud

 http://jezzyandthebelles.bandcamp.com/album/jezzy-the-belles

You can check out the dazzling video for recent single 'Confess Child' below

Little Voice Makes Big Impact

Lianne La Havas

What is it with all these female singer-songwriters and their posh names.We’ve had the dark romanticism of Lana del Rey and the gothic folk of Kyla La Grange and now we have another new act who is about to buck that trend.

Enter Londoner Lianne la havas who has been championed by Paloma Faith and has even rubbed shoulders with rock royalty – Prince.


Lianne has toured with the likes of Bon Iver and Bombay Bicycle Club but is now ready to make a splash all on her own.

Le havas has one of the most original soul vocals since Adele but doesn’t stay within a particular genre as she incorporates elements of folk,indie and jazz into her music and has a refreshingly honest and restrained take on music.

In these times where it is the big female voices that rule its easy for the weak to be left out in the cold but one listen to the gorgeous ‘Lost and Found’ could melt even the most skeptic of hearts whilst ‘Forget’ straddles folk and soul brilliantly without even trying to sound epic.


It’s the delicate vocals and ornate instrumentation that makes Le Havas such a striking talent and one to while away sunny afternoons to.

She comes to Manchester in October so be sure to check her out then.      

Is your Love Big Enough? is out now on Warner Music

For more info check out her soundcloud,facebook or website 
www.liannelahavas.com

http://soundcloud.com/liannelahavas/

Check out the stunning video for 'Lost and Found' below 

DOT TO DOT MANCHESTER 2012 REVIEW

DOT TO DOT MANCHESTER - 4/6/12




There might have been a change to the usual date due to her Majesty’s jubilee celebrations but the annual new music festival still boasts one of the best lineups around with a mix of the old and the new. And the best thing is there isn’t too far too travel to see them all, no campsites or fields to tread just the best musical talent around. Bristol and Nottingham have had their turn and now its time to hand Manchester the baton to host this music marathon.

The focus this year is on city centre hotspots unlike previous years which included the Academy Venues only the Deaf Institute still features along with Sound Control, Joshua Brooks, Zoo and the newly refurbished HMV Ritz which will be the headliner’s venue. Monday sees the likes of London synth rock maestros Clock Opera, along with Nottingham’s Indie Folkers Dog is Dead, regular contributor to Bombay Bicycle Club and fantastic talent in her own right, Lucy Rose, Leeds’ raucous Pulled Apart By Horses, Kyla La Grange, Nottingham’s, the Dylanesque Jake Bugg, Bastille, dream poppers Sunless 97 and Scotland’s premier indie-folk collective Admiral Fallow.

The transatlantic contingent this year features a heralded return for literate singer-songwriter Willy Mason, New York’s stadium synth-rockers, Hooray For Earth, who look set to be the MGMT/Naked and Famous of 2012, an exclusive performance from chillwave artist Neon Indian who is burning the midnight oil at Sound Control, Ohio’s Cloud Nothings, slacker popper Wavves and lo-fi girl duo 2:54 and Doldrums with a host of other international acts on show.

With this being Dot to Dot there’s a whole range of artists across the music spectrum with not just indie artists but urban talent including Kwes and fresh from his blinding Jools Holland appearance Chicago’s soulster Willis Earl Beal.
There are quite a few Manchester bands on show this year with the Shinies, Patterns, Milk Maid and Young British Artists play their hometown.

So quite a lot to check out in the space of a day and its all topped off with a hugely anticipated headline set from indie royalty The Drums so off we go with no time to lose, but first a quick pint.
First its off to the Ritz where Leeds band This Many Boyfriends are taking the stage, with a band having been through so many lineup changes they still don’t really have any originality about them, their Cribs aping indie pop is something that’s been heard before and frankly have heard enough of, not a particularly great start then. Fortunately there’s a good old Manchester band to redeem our ears with their swirling electronics and guitar reverb. Patterns could be Manchester’s response to My Bloody Valentine but they may have been on too early in the day to actually make their mark.

It’s off to Sound Control where Broken Hands are playing, the strange thing is with all their bluesy riffs one would think they were American but they are actually Kent-based, it seems they were brought up on a diet of Kyuss and Fugazi. The only issue with this is while they are talented musicians their music becomes a little samey and you just want them to mix it up a bit maybe with a slower groove. They are still the best so far though.

It’s a short walk to Joshua Brooks where Danish group The Rumour Said Fire is playing or are they? Having been looking forward to their whimsical indie folk, their soundcheck takes forever so by the time the band starts playing the crowd are unsure if the band have actually started their set or they are still listening to a backing track and when they do, however much they try, the music is lost in translation. It seems their music should be enjoyed in a larger capacity venue than the small surrounds of Joshua Brooks.

This acoustics problem seems to be an ongoing issue for the smaller venues in the festival as if not for Clock Opera’s adeptness at performing at Sound Control they would struggle to make an impact. As singer Guy points out Sound Control is like a second home to them having performed there quite a few times during the last year and are set to again when they tour with Maximo Park later in the week. Their twinkling synths and surging rock anthems are greeted with adoration by the present crowd. ’Once after All’ sounds heartbreakingly epic whilst ‘Belongings’ becomes an emotionally charged number live.

What makes this performance stand out, despite the fact that Clock Opera are an assured live spectacle is that after having been on a 3 day marathon of gigs Guy’s quivering falsetto struggles to reach the high notes but this actually gives the music more emotional depth rather than decreasing the quality. Their set closes with the storming ‘Lesson No7’ and its clear we are witnessing a fantastic live band, why they were in such a tiny venue when their music demands a larger space beats me?

So it’s off to the Zoo, which is a new venue for this year, where Hooray For Earth are taking to the stage. It’s clear that their stadium psych-rock demands a bigger stage than Zoo and better acoustics. Although they have an abundance of tunes including the skyscraping synth epic ‘No Love’ at their disposal and do captivate the audience, their music belongs in a larger venue as their sound comes off a little tinny. Nevertheless they look poised to join the array of New York bands MGMT et al into the limelight and deservedly so.

Back to the Ritz where Nottingham’s Dog is Dead is playing, having checked them out at In the City couple of years ago one of the small venues, I felt they were a little like Mystery Jets but they were a little haphazard. With a bigger stage and some fantastic songs they have become a much tighter unit and are still like Mystery Jets but when they were actually were carefree. Crowd favourite ‘A Motel’ is a joyous upbeat number with its rebellious lyrics ‘we are young and we love it’ and jazzy accompaniment and even when they break mid-song to sing happy birthday to frontman Rob for which of course the crowd join in they easily manage to resume. If your looking for a band for the people then Dog is Dead are looking like that band and with a newfound confidence in their music they look set to achieve great things.

Next to come on the Ritz stage are Summer Camp however disappointingly we are informed that they have pulled out due to illness as have Neon Indian who was scheduled for later on, which means that I will have to go in search of another artist for night listening. In their place are Bastille and the Resident DJ’s but this doesn’t stop the crowd from disappearing.

They all seem to be coming to a packed Deaf Institute where new female singer songwriter Kyla La Grange is playing. Having already pointed her out as one to watch previously, it seems that whilst evidently having great songs in her arsenal she is captivating live. Her muscular backing and strong vocals belay her tiny frame. She is a great talent with the ability to switch from booming vocal for the epic dark number; ‘Been Better’ to sultry for the sinister tones of ‘Vampire Smile’ to sweet for ‘Heavy Stone’ which is heart-wrenchingly beautiful in which she almost becomes overcome by its emotional weight. She interjects throughout that she hasn’t played the Deaf Institute and shyly says she forgot to mention she has an album out. The strange thing is that she still doesn’t realise how good she is and she should in no time at all join the likes of Florence into major venues.

Proceeding Kyla is Admiral Fallow who are heading up the new Scotland brand of emotionally charged indie-folk. They have an assured live presence with songs that slowly build up into a more widescreen sound pouring with emotion. Whilst they could be compared to Mumford their brand of folk seems to have a more grounded feel rather than American, which gives it a rawer feel. Within a small venue their sound still translates live with the crowd as they encourage a mass sing-along. They possess the unique ability to start folky that gradually become all out swaggering rockabilly numbers but then to strip their songs back to sound emotionally honest. One of the best live bands of the festival hands down and should only go from strength to strength.

With the Ritz gradually reaching its full capacity, headliner The Drums are taking the stage. From initially being a lo-fi band their music has been fleshed out to a fuller sound, which doesn’t seem to stand out. It’s only when they return to the highs of classics ‘Lets Go Surfing’ and ‘Forever and Ever Amen’ that the original spark is ignited again and the crowd is only too willing to sing the lyrics back to the band. If they went back to their minimalist origins they might become a great band again.

Of course with this being an all-dayer there’s a few more acts to go, its back to Sound Control to enter the weird psychedelic and slightly disturbed mind of Canada’s Doldrums. Greeting the crowd with ‘Welcome to Canada Motherf***ers’ people are too out of their heads to resist his dizzying mix of chopped up beats and psychedelic rock .He jumps into the crowd while his bandmate swings from the ceiling, mentioning he’s been banned from America now, I wonder why? Doldrums is a cocky live presence but seems to have the crowd entranced leaving some of us with slightly sore heads in his wake.

Maybe some soothing electronica can remedy this, so it’s the short trip upstairs to the Sound Control live lounge where London synth pop trio Sunless 97 are taking to the stage. Whilst they start with surging electro which again still has that tinny sound to it due to the acoustics they gradually move into swirling electronica complete with sweet boy girl vocals and jazzy flourishes and its soon clear why there is so much hype about them in the first place.

My final port of call is downstairs in Sound Control where the multi talented artist/producer Lewisham’s
Kwes is taking the stage. Having worked on albums with Roots Manuva and remixed the XX, Kwes has a downbeat electronic sound with soulful vocals not unlike Kele of Bloc Party.

He resembles more of like a Ghost Poet type of artist preferring to slowly build his electronic textures around his vocals and his new single ‘Bashful’ benefits from this minimalist backing, packing an emotional punch. He motions the crowd to come closer due to him having singing trouble, although its not clear why when he has an extremely talented musician. Kwes definitely proves tonight that he is an artist in his own right.

So that’s a wrap for Dot to Dot for 2012 in a year when there were acoustic problems overlong soundchecks and a couple of high profile cancellations there were still some outstanding performances that showed why the music scene is still producing a wealth of great new talent. See you in 2013 for more music mayhem!

 

 

First Aid Kit

Don’t you just hate Sweden not only did they produce arguably the best pop band of all time, have one of the best pop songwriters in Max Martin but they have introduced a wealth of talent including the likes of Robyn, Lykke Li, The Concretes. The list goes on..

Here is another band to add to that list of alumni. First Aid Kid are two sisters from Stockholm who specialise in pastoral folk melodies accompanied with close vocal harmonies which although have a hint of yesteryear about them still but with their witty lyrics and lovingly crafted songs manage to sound fresh and current.

Before you write them off as another twee band who are just a rehash of the old, just take a listen to single ‘Emmylou’ with its dreamy vocals and bewitching melodies and title track ‘The Lion’s Roar’ and brilliant cover of fellow Swede Fever Ray’s ‘When I Grow Up’ which gives the original a new emotional depth and just try to resist their charms.

Their not due to come back to the UK till June but they should be hot tips for the upcoming summer festivals.

Signed to top indie label ‘Wichita’, their album ‘The Lion’s Roar’ which was released on 23^rd January features more of their signature harmonies and carefully crafted melodies and shows why Sweden has gone and done it again.

Check out the ace music video for ‘Emmylou’ and ‘The Lion’s Roar’ below

For more info check out their soundcloud/facebook page

http://soundcloud.com/firstaidkit/the-lions-roar-1

5 Reasons To Be Cheerful :)

So..Christmas is over and its time to go back to work but the weather outside is cold wet and windy and everything is on a downer so why bother?

What the new year also brings though is a brand new year in music so to help banish those winter blues and warm your cockles here are 5 of the UK's freshest talents to kick off your 2012

Enjoy :)


1. Dry The River




If Mumford and Sons are a bit too twee for you with their smart dress and overplayed banjos and crass lyrics then this new London quintet could just be the antidote. They are a gospel folk band but although like Mumford they are masters of the quiet/loud dynamic are a darker proposition and their tatooed members look more like a punk band than a folk band.

Add this to their brand of music which like their previous release 'New Ceremony' indicated starts off with a carefully plucked acoustic and heartbreaking vocals and swelling strings whilst a bass lingers in the background morphs into a full on chest-thumper of a track which is more along the lines of what a band like the Killers would do rather than a folk band.

The same trick is repeated on their recent track 'No Rest' which starts low key with vocals that are more akin to the falsetto of Cumbrian band 'Wild Beasts' as more and more instruments join the fray the track turns into a rock gospel with frontman Liddle's impassioned vocal 'I loved you in the best way possible' permeating the chorus and its hard not to feel his pain.

Stirring and epic stuff from these new folk rock band hopefuls.

Be sure to check them out when they arrive in Manchester this month!

http://soundcloud.com/drytheriver/new-ceremony

http://soundcloud.com/drytheriver/dry-the-river-no-rest


2 Ren Harvieu



One listen to the sultry smooth vocals and jazzy backing of this new 21 year old female singer-songwriter and you feel instantly transported the days when dusty ruled the charts and soul music was the flavour. Its only when you look at her bio and see that this isn't just some other bog standard american singer who is trying to mimic the past but one that comes all the way from..Salford.

That's right our Ren was brought up in broughton and where she stands out in a pool full of industry pleasers is that she was not a brit school graduate,but honed her talent,trying out for contests which she was shunned out of because she was apparently not good enough.

She's also diced with death when she had an accident last summer and was told she may not be able to walk again.

So its fair to say she's had her fair share of knocks through to her finally making it and her new single 'Through the Night' showcases a stunning vocal turn and a swooning string backing which almost makes you forget how young she still is with such a confident track.

The mellow 'Forever in Blue' with its hauntingly beautiful vocals is a gorgeous slice of jazzy soul goodness

There's definitely more to come from this northern lass.

She is also supporting Dry the River on their Manchester date in February

So check her out

http://soundcloud.com/renharvieu/through-the-night

http://soundcloud.com/renharvieu/forever-in-blue-1


3. Dan Croll





In a world full of singer-songwriters who feel the only way they can connect with their audience is by cloaking their tracks in glossy production.Dan Croll is the master of the understatement as he chooses the minimalist approach as its mostly just man and guitar but he knows when is best to add more to the mix which is also credit to his producer and fellow band member Joe Wills who lets the songs breathe rather than be drowned out by heavy production which allows Dan to express himself.

This project is as far from his day job as frontman of Liverpool math rockers 'Dire Wolfe' (also worth a look) as this is Dan spreading his wings and showcasing his own talent as a singer-songwriter.

'Closer' entices the listener with its pared down approach as its melody slowly worms itself into your brain 'Its Always Like This' has a lovely low key country folkish warmth about it which draws the listener in and in 'Home' Dan might just have his signature track with its carefully strummed acoustic backing and melodic vocals together with carefully placed harmonies which then evolves into a chugging anthem of sorts and its clear that this is a special artist.

so simple yet blindingly brilliant

No news of any release date or Manchester date yet - watch this space

http://soundcloud.com/joewills/sets/dan-croll/

http://soundcloud.com/lipamusicshowcase/home

4. The Slow Show



 No doubt readers of this very blog will be familiar with 'The Slow Show' but for those who aren't here is a few words that might explain why 2012 might just be the year that they make their mark.

They are an Indie Folk band from Manchester who take their influences from American traditional folk and jazz but are able to mould this disparate genres into something fresh and timeless.Frontman  Rob has one of those world weary vocals that is akin to John Bramwell's of I am Kloot  which automatically captivates but its his band of able musicians that really make this a special outfit.

With their instrumental prowess they propel the songs forward which makes laments like 'God only knows' sound stunning and the jazzy folk of 'Mr Blue Tie' (link below) sound familiar and relevant.

Their Midnight Waltz EP is available to purchase from http://www.theslowshow.co.uk/

By right this band should be the next big Manchester band

Make sure you check them out when they come to Manchester next month

http://soundcloud.com/highvoltagemusic/the-slow-show-mr-blue-tie


5 Emeli Sande



Unless you've cut yourself off from the current music climate you will no doubt be aware of Emelie Sande the scottish singer songwriter who has dominated the charts.She has written songs for Susan Boyle (meh) and  Tinie Tempah and Alicia Keys to name but a few whilst also dueting with uk urban act Chipmunk and Eminem wannabe 'Professor Green' on the No.1 hit 'Read All About It'.

It was really when she released 'Heaven' last year which went to No.2 that I switched on to her sound with its massive attack like  production and booming soul vocals reminiscent of yesteryear this seemed to have everything american attached to it.

To find out that she was actually a UK singer songwriter who had a track that it was ok to like,to love even was a breath of fresh air. This was a credible artist who not only had a stunning vocal but also was a former medical student - talent and brains in equal measure.

She recently won the Critics choice award and a worthy winner unlike last years recipient.

With her peroxide blonde quiff she stands out from the pack and there is an assuredness about her which should see her go straight to the top.

Its her unmistakable vocal and confident persona that makes Emelie one of the sounds of 2012.

You can check out her smash hit single 'Heaven' below.

She comes to Manchester in April