Archive for the ‘Indie’ Category

RE:SESSION


08 Jul

This band of brothers are not only fantastic friends, a great night out and musically talented in their roles, RE:SESSION are an Indie Pop-Rock Act with chemistry on the stage emitting an energy which is felt by all in any venue they perform in. Smiles cross over the faces of every watcher because you can empathise their own love for what it is they are doing.

Their main number is Get Away. A slightly progressive Indie style tune which is sweet with such an uplifting feel sprinkled with rock dust and an injection of rap. It’s a big crowd pleaser and definitely a sign for bigger stages to come after their London gig @ The O2 Arena. It’s a HUGE task for a new and unsigned group and very much a priviledge as well as being a sign of potentially being an extremely successful act. Check out Get Away – see below – and two others from their site.

As a live act, they tick all the right boxes. Take a quick look.


RE:SESSION – Come Together / Nothin’ Ever Happens (Anymore)

Neil Davison is the main driver of this journey from the middle of nowhere. An accomplished guitarist with good head for sound and structure, his playing abilities are that of the greats such as Satriani and Vai. With other influences akin to Coldplay and Radiohead the songs he writes are melodic, meaningful and they can also really rock. The guitars in this outfit are definitely not seconded by Nean Maskery. He’ll play anything and nail it well. Born to play in front of a crowd as his casual manner is a sign of great confidence and experience. His fluid rhythmic skills supporting Davison, play a solid structure to the tunes they perform.

The flowing bassline is brought to us by a very versatile gentleman. Drummer/singer/rythym guitarist, Andy Biff. He takes his playing very seriously and the fluent hummings in the background occasionally bounce out and fill out the songs even further.

With not one but two singers to the dextrous group, Chris George has progressed fantastically after taking the frontman role from near nothingness to a band heading for glory. He can certainly hit a note and bellow out a harmonious scream between his gravelly yet sultry tone. Their version of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing is a fine example. A well received rendition. His advances from the early gigging days to the recent recordings show awesome potential in the great scheme of things to come. Young Warren Stanford is by no means a newcomer. The Other Singer alike to the Pyramid and Other Stages of the Glastonbury festival, he is by no means any less to the main. A swinger and crooner sound with a softer voice provides a subtle warmth to tracks such as Big Gun.

The time-keeper of the band has overcome the initial battle with confidence to play the drums due to the fact that you would not normally ask him to do a drum roll. Jonny Stumpster Eames is the one armed drummer with an electronic/acoustic hybrid kit. To “keep time” or provide a steady tempo and rhythmic foundation takes a certain skill. That is Jonny’s.

RE:SESSION are proud to have gone through the Regional Final and the Area Final rounds of the Live & Unsigned Battle Of The Bands competition. They now need your help and support to help win at the National Grand Final. Unfortunately tickets for the event which is on July 10th at indigO2 at the O2 Arena, London are now sold out. But please vote for RE:SESSION to win via text message, just send the word ‘unsigned11′ to 84222 and become a part of RE:SESSION history. I’ve just done it.

Good luck and best wishes.

The Black Keys


11 May

I will never say to other people that I know a lot about music. It is impossible to hear about everything that goes on in the World around us. So many times there are bands that don’t get the break that they need to be able to unleash the terrific tunes that they conceive. Sometimes they manage to do it but they don’t get heard by everyone in their targeted demographic. The record company’s sometimes fail on the Artists behalf.

I am just wondering how an awesome band such as The Black Keys have totally deserted my radar though.

I’ve never heard of them up until yesterday. I am entirely overwhelmed by the glorious psychedelic, Bluesy-Rock sound which could put many a 60′s Woodstock band to utter shame. This is superb!

BROTHERS is their 8th studio album – 9th if you count their collaborating work on Blackroc released last year – and I swear it is the most excellent piece of production I’ve heard quite possibly ever.

Having a sound that is so reminiscent to the likes of – Better still in fact – MUMFORD & SONS meeting THE DOORS on a comedown Sunday afternoon after a LED ZEPPELIN and ROLLING STONES joint venture.

Lyrically, every song tells a story. Musically this album is Harmonious Blues with a moody Rock and Indie style that sweetly hums along as an autobiographical moment to whatever stage of your life you’re currently in.

There is a song for everyone. I’m not going to go through all of them because quite honestly, it should only take one or two of them.

I am gong backwards for a change, checking out their previous material. I believe this is a great piece of songwriting. Awards will be magnetised to this record without doubt. And if I’m wrong, that means those who decide where the awards go to, are seriously very wrong indeed.

BROTHERS is released on the 18th May. For goodness sake, please your heart, soul and mind and get it. Pre-order it here. You won’t mind selling your soul to this. And yeah, you’ve got to watch the video’s below to meet Frank the Funkasaurus Rex.

Many thanks to npr.com/music for indirectly allowing me to do this review. To hear the album in it’s entirety before release, CLICK HERE! And pre-order it by clicking the iTunes link below.

The Black Keys

We Have Band


03 Apr

EXPERIMENTAL would be an appropriate word used in some opinions regarding the sound of We Have Band but this is has quite a familiar feel. Just with the 21st Century twist. Take the Human League and collaborating them with Morrissey, remixed by The Whip.

The electronics are not strong enough nor as prominent to be classed as Electro. The instruments are not hard enough to be classed as Rock, so we have a subtle crossover and a delicate blend between the two.

WHB, their debut album introduces you with Piano. A minimal track which has an uplifting brightness as if the sun is breaking through, beginning to shine for the first time on a cloudy morning. The individual talents of the entire three members shows of more so the production skills rather than the playing of instruments as a minimal almost throughout alike to The xx except with more warmth.

Hear It In The Cans for me is one of the smarter numbers as the structure of the track is varied with levels but combined well resulting in almost an intricate track, but so sweet and passive is really delivered quite cleverly. Their single release Divisive is brilliant, 80′s synth disco style. Then with You Came Out (below) with the random Punk-esque vocals and the Indie harmony supporting. It’s so crazy it seems to work.

The songs are diverse yet simple, complex but effortless. It is creative, discerning and profound.

WHB by We Have Band is out now.

We Have Band - WHB (Bonus Track Version)

>

Audio Bullys


25 Mar

AUDIO BULLYS have returned with their vogue of the ever increasing in populartity, electro-punk. Are they still managing to produce some bombing tunes?

With the release of their single Only Man with remixes left, right and centre from all of the colours of the dance music spectrum we do in did, have an absolutely brilliant record.

Plenty of vocals are cascaded across the head-nodding beats kindred to Mike Skinner of The Streets which of course, to us Brits, is not a bad thing whatsoever. Dynamite and London Dreamer reflect that.

The album lifts up on Feel Alright with some passive-aggressive bassline strokes, haunting synth riffs and the slurring vocals have a unique honesty as if – when singing the track he is in fact – not alright. I’d say this to be my favourite for sure due to the moody nature of it. Definitely very me.

All the songs have a classic ska aura surrounding them which I envisage being a great travelling album when heading off to many a festival over the coming summer with everyone crammed into the motor singing along to Twist Me Up.

More Than the Eiffel has such intricate production work I feel breathless thinking about the hours of work that has gone tirelessly into the creation of it.

I could go in-depth and tell you what I think of every track but then this would be a long album review being as the LP consists of a very healthy 15 tracks with one remix of Only Man included by Rok.

It’s full of possibilities for various remixers to have a fiddle as every track, yes, every track has great foundations of absolute belters. Most of the originals are excellently done but Drums (On With The Story) the only exception. That should’ve been ditched. Other than that, exceptional work.

Album is out!

Audio Bullys - Higher Than the Eiffel

Frightened Rabbit


17 Mar

RECENTLY with band such as Mumford & Sons, Fleet Foxes and here Frightened Rabbit we are blessed to have a great country brimming with talent. More so, Scotland.

Glasgow is the home of these boys that bring a stew of wondrous sounds of big, cylindrical drums, piano’s and great harmonies of an orchestral, uplifting feel with the soothing, rawness of the Strathclyde dialect.

Shrouded in warmth, salubrious with a sense of personal completion are received in the songs. Caressed with the “everything-is-going-to-be-alright” feeling is greeted by myself quite fondly. The stresses in and of life are temporarily forgotten or at least, dusted under the rug for now.

Essences of Elbow and Biffy Clyro are sweetly knitted to bring an emotional semblance that will make grown Men become children and Ladies weep with joy.

I find it quite gratifying being of Scottish descent that this is music which I feel is traditional to me. I feel I have to like it and fortunately, I certainly do. I even want to drink, be merry and relish in the sympathetic outcry. Skip The Youth for example has this haunting ambience on the intro followed with vocals wishing you to join in and rejoice.

The Winter Of Mixed Drinks is more than welcome no matter the level of sobriety.

Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks

White Lies


08 Feb

Every now and then, a song comes on the radio by a band or artist that you’ve never heard of, it stops you in your tracks, you’re captured by this sound, it has a hold on you and you just need to hear it again.

Death by White Lies sounds just brilliant.

The first track on their To Lose A Life album is something which is beautifully warm, soothing and will manage the crowd listening to it live, belt out any stress, worry or just simple negtivity that inhibits their lives. It is a true and theraputic record. The rest of the album isn’t too bad either you know.

There is a powerful essence of Morrissey except it doesn’t bore me to the point where I wish to take myself out to the nearest, sharp implement and introduce it to my jugula.

Fairwell To The Fairground is another lovely yet moody but still an upbeat number. After all of the festivals they attended last year, it’s a surprise to me if you’ve not yet heard of them.

The White Lies are a band I am looking forward to hearing again.

IAMX


08 Feb

IAMX.  Let’s open another window and we’ll go there as well so we can listen to that and read this at the same time.

Now. I like Iron & Wine which is poetic, rustic, American deepsouth folk. I like Nine Inch nails which is hard, industrial rock with very much explicit lyrics yet powerfully heartfelt. I like dark, filthy breakbeats which bang and bleep in all the right places. Depeche Mode with their indie/electronic sound, anthemic vocals and all the romanticism which surrounds. But what about an Artist which can combine all of those traits and come out with something truly masterful?

I am fortunate to have found that very artist in the former Sneaker Pimps co- founder Chris Corner’s alter-ego, IAMX.

The third album is a natural, creative and productive progression from the former two. Kiss & Swallow and The Alternative are fantastic pieces of recording and lyrically marvelous.  (I am very much a fan )This is much cleaner and more refined with regards to the overall sound. 

Brilliantly structured, timed to perfection, the highs are matched with the lows, the levels are bang-on as well as the poetry laid over the dark, melodic and harmonious beats, it is divine.

The introductory track to the album Nature Of Inviting hooks you in immediately with a rumbling, bouncy bassline along with near-operatic vocals.  Imogen Heap doing a delightful duet on My Secret Friend and I Am Terrified would just blow you away if you were in the front row of any live performance.

I genuinely love his work. All of it.

IAMX

Emily Breeze


08 Feb

Personally I do not believe there is anything much sexier than a woman with a soul singing some Blues music. Emily Breeze definitely possesses a soul.

After listening to a collaboration track along with Emily Breeze on Evil Nine’s album They Live! (which I am very fond of) I became overwhelmed after listening to Twist The Knife due to the electrical dynamism, sheer guts and all irritabilty vexed within three and a bit short minutes.

I listened to that track at least twenty times in one day when I first heard it. After finding Emily Breeze I become momentarily liberated.

This frontwoman of this heavy blues, country band from Bristol has got some strength in her vocal folds. The subtle tones of her voice stretch across the decibal spectrum with great dexterity. Being rather tenuous one moment then insidiously brash. A true talent. Perhaps resembling “The King” at times this lady could well become the new Queen?!

A genuine feel of American country blues exists, it is apparent. It does not sound too much like it has been a striking influence nor something copied. They feel the blues rather than emulating or mocking it. With a good handful of punk belligerence sprinkled in with the mash we have something with spice that certainly has a great kick to it.

Emily Breeze’s new tracks on her MySpace player are soothing one moment, uplifting the next and terrifically aggressive on another. Somebody sign this woman before my lottery win comes in, I set up a record label and make her millions and myself a few bucks in the process.

The Penny Arcade is out, so get it!

Emily Breeze - The Penny Arcade

Exit Calm


03 Dec

Quite possibly the shortest band review yet because for me, their music speaks for itself.

I envisage this band to be bigger than Kasabian and I would hope so too. I’m very much hooked into their sound after seeing them live as a support band. I ended up preferring them to the main band on the bill.

Just listen to the passionate, psychedelic warmth that wraps around you. Brilliant!

Exit Calm are definitely a band to investigate. I’d love to be one of those people that introduce to you, a new found love.

Exit Calm - Exit Calm

Porcupine Tree


21 Sep

When it comes to a chillout act, Porcupine Tree do exactly that. Chill you out good and proper.

Having an overall sound that resembles the best of Placebo, The Bluetones and on their track Drawing The Line I can also hear Duran Duran.

I do quite enjoy listening to work such as this but at the same time I am also feeling a slight emptiness as I think some of the tracks are not quite as full in sound as they could be. What I do like however is the fact that some tracks are quite ambient, relaxing and soothing and others have a dark, moody quality and depth. So really, we have a good mix.

The Incident is the seventh in the discography and you can check them out here.

thetruejoe90

Cryptic Blogger of Random Music & iTunes Affiliate


Copy Protected by Chetan's WP-CopyProtect.