Candy's contribution isn't stunning, but it serves its purpose, name-dropping couple comparisons such as Bonnie and Clyde, Jay - Z and Beyonce, and - annoyingly - a pro Chris Brown reference, that would irk any sane individual with its presence, whether he can claim hit chart dance tunes or not.
Charli's own verse reminds me of Tinie Tempah in its delivery, and as always, the chorus is undeniably catchy. It's not one of the strongest songs that she's given us so far, but it seems to hint at a bit of musical experimentation and genre blending which is always interesting. The track sounds more electro hip hip that Charli's perceived industrial goth poppiness. It is also frustratingly short, but seeing as it's practically a teaser from her upcoming mixtape SUPER ULTRA, which is due next week.
And now, a bit of LIGHTS to perk up these dark days!
For some reason, this video isn't listed on a YouTube search and can only be found with a direct link (CONFUSED!), but it's on LIGHTS' own YouTube channel, so it must be official.
You may be unaware, but I adore LIGHTS, she's a talented and cute soul! The next single, taken from her second album, Siberia, is 'Timing Is Everything', lyrically concerning how unpredictable life and love can be. She is probably also the only artist that I've come across who has managed to put the phrase 'different trajectories' successfullyinto a song (There I was, none the wiser/ Both of us/ Different trajectories).
The video itself is pretty weird; lots of gym exercising, dancing and shiny spandex, which I suppose is meant to highlight the song's theme's of love springing from unexpected places. My favourite LIGHTS video will most likely always be the one for 'Second Go', the attack of Coloured Paint VS. White House! You could tell it was a one take job, they would have been totally screwed if it had gone wrong!
In case you've been living under a rock as of late, you may not have been subject to the symptoms of Bond Fever. The sensation (or illness, depending on your viewpoint!) has been clamping its jaws around Britain and in due course, the rest of the world. Humming Adele, hallucinations of spy adventures, and rabid foaming at the mouth of the sight of Daniel Craig in swim shorts.
OK, OK, I'll stop it now, but recently it has been everywhere, with whole shows dedicated to it (Graham Norton, I'm looking at you!). No doubt I'll be infected with Bond Fever when I go to see the latest film, Skyfall, on Sunday - according to my Bond fanatic friend, it's absolutely amazing!
With the Adele's Bond theme, 'Skyfall', gaining momentum on airwaves, it seems fitting to dedicate this Flashback Friday (Saturday!) to perhaps one of the more unusual Bond songs (aside from Jack White and Alicia Key'spretty awful 'Another Way to Die'). Garbage seem a quite an odd and unexpected candidate for the prestiege of singing a Bond theme song, but take a moment to listen to the video above and remind yourself. It's a classy song, reminiscent of the typical 'Bond theme', sexy and foreboding, and as a Bond theme song, it immortalised Garbage, who were never one of those huge bands, as part of a national institution forevermore. For many, it is considered an honour and a career highlight.
Again, not so rapid! Apologies, apologies! It's my own fault, recently I've just been trying to keep on top of reading and seeing family and friends and the boyf and generally pondering the point of my own existence to really commit to on here, or writing and drawing or anything of purpose in general.
I know, I know, by my own admission, my excuses are getting old, and now I appear to be rambling, but a combination of all of these little things led me to not keeping up to date with music in general, procrastination for the nation!
(Deeeeep breath!) To la review!
Ellie Goulding's woken up!
Her second album, Halcyon, far surpasses both her début and extended editions (Lights and Bright Lights - old old review!) which, similarly to Marina and the Diamonds' The Family Jewels and Electra Heart, slips into an unsatisfying mid-tempo slumber a third in. Halcyon, however, is slathered in synths, and as much as Goulding denies boyfriend, Skrillex's influence on her work, it can't be denied, as this is an oddly workable combination of folk-pop and commercial dubstep.
Luckily, there are many songs superior to the aggravatingly repetitive 'Anything Can Happen', and why she chose that as the lead single, I'll never know. 'Figure 8' for example, is far superior and immediate and would sound huge live. That said, this entire album is far more upbeat and memorable; the gems are surprisingly again hidden on the deluxe release, namely 'Ritual', 'In My City' and 'Without Your Love' all being brilliant additions.
A few collaborations are snuck in here too, the Calvin Harris song 'I Believe Your Love', as well as the teaser track that Goulding released a few months back, 'Hanging On' (feat. Tinie Tempah (review here!), is also on here, as well as an alternate, albeit un-extended version of the track minus his cliché rap efforts.
Forgetting those, it is worth a second to state that Halcyon appears a far more mature and experimental effort than the first; at times it is dark and haunting in sound ('Don't Say A Word'), whilst lyrically it seems less naive, but always always with pop sentiments close at heart. It's say to say that Halcyon was the surprise of my week; a die hard fan of Goulding's first album, I doubted that it's successor would live up to the recent hype surrounding Goulding, but it did, and for that I'm glad!
Recently, it would transpire that Kate Nash is not the 'Kate Nash' of old, especially after the recent riot grrrl experimentations of 'Underestimate the Girl'. However, somewhat unexpectedly for me, I found myself liking this new track that FIDLAR (Fuck It Dog Life's A Risk) debuted this week, on which she guested.
It's catchy enough in a manner that plods a long, a lazy day summer song (wrong time of year!) and kind of reminds me of Presidents of the USA and Weezer, although the song itself is somewhat repetitive.
Nash's contribution is less brash than her vocal on 'Underestimate the Girl', talking in the verses and screeching in the chorus.
Last night I went on a night out to see some friends and, as per usual, we ended up in Planet - a rock/metal nightclub for those of you who don't have the (dis)pleasure of living in Wolves.
I remember three things.
My friend going to the toilet and mysteriously disappearing into the abyss of space and time.
The DJ playing a really strange alternate version of The Smiths 'This Charming Man', which I now can't find.
This song being played for the first time in an age and my re-realising of what a belter it is!
Maximo Park are one of those bands that are capable of producing some really fantastic songs, yet still manage to pass under the radar of being memorable. Especially, it seems, in recent years, as I can account for myself not investing time and effort into their music since their second album, 2007's Our Earthly Pleasures (I'm beaming 'Listen. Now' into your subconsciousness!), and their following albums, Quicken the Heart and The National Health passed me by completely (cue a task for later!), but odds are that, whether you realise it or not, you probably (really) know the ins and outs of at least one Maximo Park song.
Which, in regards to that, is most likely this one, seeing as 'Apply Some Pressure' is probably the most known of Maximo Park's songs back in their heyday, as it pretty much encapsulates all that puts Maximo Park in the higher tier of 00's popular indie bands. The song is catchy and punchy, the lyrics - witty and confessional, and it becomes apparent in some of Maximo Park's other songs that singer and lyricist, Paul Smith is an intelligent poet.
Maximo Park are currently on a European tour, to support The National Health, before coming back to the UK and then jetting off to Australia!
Crystal Castles' newest effort is as pounding, as you'd expect. The synths and beats are present, yet there's a slight whiff of trance about the place that would be almost suspicious if it were not for vocalst, Alice Glass' pitchy shrieks and wails to break the music from its respite.
Strangely, the single, 'Wrath of God' is good, but it just doesn't quite feel like enough, although it feels like on of those songs that, in a live setting, would blast the crowd into a frenzy and tear your organs apart. Some music, it seems, will always favour a live setting and movement and emotion of the moment, and electronic music epitomises that more so than most other genres.
Outside of the live setting, and in the context of the rest of the album, I may listen again and think more favourably, but for now I feel somewhat indifferent although it may be reconsidered an infamous 'grower'.
Apologies, cyber denizens, but this blog has taken a backseat these past two weeks! It's taken me a while to get back into the swing of things with some early days and late nights and prioritising my activities is becoming a must!
Last week, I started back at university for my second year on an English and Creative Writing course. We were told during our first year (practically a taster year for different subjects) that it didn't count towards our degree, and that our highest credits during out second and third years would give us our ratio, therefore I'm more determined this year to do all my required reading (which is a hell of a lot of reading!) and complete all of my assignments in good time!
I also plan on making the most of the opportunities that being a part of the university community throws my way, and intend to take part in the student magazine and even possibly join the student radio team. My department were also advertising for novice copywriters, so that may also be something that I'd like to try, with the possibility of being paid.
Apart from that, there's this blog, which I plan on upkeeping, and hopefully, when I feel that my writing is of a good enough quality, I'll start throwing reviews and the like at music websites and build up a little portfolio! I also plan on getting back into writing regularly, as is par for the (uni) course.
I'd also like to try my hand at customising denim jackets. I know, I know, I've mentioned the whole clothes thing in previous posts, but it feels rather large scale, and the denim customising is something that I can do easily on my own without having to rely on anyone else yet, and also without the expense of printing. I've found a lot of nice materials so Hobbycraft, here I come!
Anyway, my gift for the day/week/month! The Maccabees at this year's Reading Festival, I've been listening to them a lot all week :)
At last, I can post this! I first wrote it when Charli XCX's You're the One EP came out in the UK last month and contained the full version of 'So Far Away'. It's been on loop on my iPod since, and now it's got it's own video (after waiting a feed that I could link in this post'.
'So Far Away' made its debut on the Charli XCX mixtape, 'HEARTBREAKS AND EARTHQUAKES', and was easily one of the standout tracks for me! It's a moody lament to love and it ebbs and flows darkly. It was highly addictive and Charli's spoken word/semi-rapping segments have a greater outing here, taking up the verses - and it's a rather unique quality that I've not found under her contemporaries.
The track made a full length appearance on the You're the One EP, and judging from her posts on he Facebook profile, will be accompanied by a music video in the upcoming months!
Charli XCX is still on tour, currently with Coldplay (!) and will then undertake her first UK headline solo tour in November! Another outing I need to be at!
