Most everyone should have heard of Incbus. A lot of people probably don't realise that they know their music, though you may surprise yourself by secretly knowing all the words to 'Drive', 'Pardon Me', 'Megalomanic' or 'Are You In'.
All of those songs pre-date this one, as 'Black Heart Inertia' was only released in 2009 as part of their Best of.. compilation Monuments and Melodies.
'Black Heart Inertia' is not one of the most immediate Incubus songs; the first few times that I heard it, I found it rather nondescript and almost mediocre from a band that I expected more of. However, somewhere along the way, something just clicked, and I got it, and boy, am I glad that it did!
If I ever feel like listening to Incubus, this is the song that I turn to first, it really is amazing. Once you finally get caught by the chorus, you begin to notice how brilliant the parts are that you missed before; the flow of the verses, the lyrics and metaphor, even - simply! - the music itself!
The video is perhaps the most un-Incubus video I've ever seen, and I doubt that it's intended to be taken that seriously.
If you've never listened to Incubus, listen to the live version of 'Pardon Me' below, or click the links to the aforementioned songs above. Hopefully, you'll see how diverse they are and find yourself becoming a new fan!
Their newest album If Not Now, When? is available now.
Gwen Stefani joined Ska band, No Doubt in 1986 as their vocalist, and the band signed to Interscope Records in 1991. Their sound was initially unsuccessful due to the early '90's grunge boom. In contrast to contemporaries at the time, such as Courtney Love, Stefani was influenced by Blondie singer, Debbie Harry, stating that Harry's combination of power and sex appeal contributed to her stage persona.
1995's Tragic Kingdom, which held their breakthrough single 'Don't Speak', as well as 'Just a Girl' and 'Spiderwebs', gained the band much exposure worldwide, and the intense touring schedule cause Stefani to take a gap year from her university course, to which she would not return due to two and a half years on the road supporting the album. 'Don't Speak' itself, was concerned with the break up of Stefani and bassist Tony Kanal's relationship.
Follow up, Return of Saturn, released in 2000, was more New Wave influenced than its ska predecessor, whilst 2001's Rock Steady incorporated dancehall and reggae sounds.
Stefani used to make all or most of her stage outfits for No Doubt, and this led her to create the L.A.M.B clothing line in 2004, being inspired by Harajuku fashion and Guatemalan and Caribbean style. She created a cheaper Harajuku Lovers line in 2005. Between 2004 and 2006, Stefani embarked on a solo musical career, releasing Love. Angel. Music. Baby and The Sweet Escape, both of which enjoyed commercial success (approx. $20 million in combined sales) and exposed her to a wider and younger audience.
As previously mentioned, I love Stefani's uniqueness! In her school days she was reportedly bullied at school, but this goes to show that it is better to be unique and yourself than to succumb to bullies, just look at how successful she has been! I also love how fearless she is in regards to fashion; some of her outfits I wouldn't dare to attempt to pull off. Her work ethic is also inspirational, she always seems to have her hands stuck into one project or another, and seems to be just a genuinely creative person.Also, Stefani and ex-Bush frontman, Gavin Rossdale, have two children, although their births did not prevent Stefani from continuing to work on her various projects, perhaps proving that you can, indeed have it all!
No Doubt are soon to make a comeback later in 2012.
Their sixth album, Push and Shove, is set to be released 25th September!
First single off the album, 'Settle Down' is released 16th July!
Kate Nash dropped this song unexpectedly earlier this week. Apparantly it was written, recorded and had a video made in just over 24 hours on Wednesday 13th.
'Under-estimate the Girl' is very unlike the conventional Nash that we're used to on, witty indie pop songs such as 'Foundations', 'Pumpkin Soup' and 'Do-Wah-Doo'. 'Under-estimate the Girl' is unexpectedly aggressive sounding, channelling New Wave influences such as Blondie but with riot grrrl-esque vocals, which don't really work when sung by Nash. Her growl and screech is no where near a 'Kathleen Hanna'.
However, the actual music in the song is right up my alley! I was surprised, I admit; it's been a while since I've actually enjoyed Kate Nash, for me her vocal style has been somewhat annoying, especially on her earlier songs. If her upcoming third album sounds like this, albeit, minus the dodgy vocal style, I'll be rather interested indeed!
I was originally going to make this a 'New Waves' feature but, seeing that even though it was only officially released this week, it has already been played everywhere like an incredibly loose prostitute, I thought I'd slam this in the 'Rapid Reviews' section instead.
You can most likely tell, due to the tone of my writing, that there's something that I've been burning to tell you.
I don't like 'Payphone'.
In fact, I decided to make this post just to tell you exactly how much I dislike it.
At least with Maroon 5's previous single, the incredulously over-hyped 'Moves Like Jagger', made up for its lack of substance with an undeniably catchy chorus that you could boogey away to to your heart's content when drunk (I know from much experience :D), but alas, with 'Payphone' there is none of this.
Perhaps what's most disappointing about this song is that, despite Adam Levine's signiature vocal, Maroon 5 just sound incredibly generic and borderline modern R'n'B. The chorus is substandard, and the song is just not exciting!
To detriment this song even more, rapper Wiz Khalifa makes a pointless contribution during the bridge, making a previously unremarkable song just bad in my opinion.
It's almost as if Maroon 5 are getting worse with increased age and commerciality. Their 2002 debut album, Song's About Jane, will forever be the pinnacle of their career it seems; there was not a single bad track on that album, and one cannot help but wonder what sort of music Maroon 5 would have made had they continued in their original pop rock with funk undertones.
'Payphone' is out 17th June. Maroon 5's 4th album Overexposed is released on 26th June 2012.
Sky Ferreira's new song 'Red Lips' is a far more rockier affair than her previous efforts such as 2010's 'One' and 'Obsessions' from her As If EP, which channeled electro synthpop,
The first single from her debut album Wild At Heart, 'Red Lips' marks a distinct - and intentional, it seems - change in sound, working with Garbage frontwoman, Shirley Manson, amongst others, to write her album. Manson's influence is all over this track; catchy yet grungy pop which just about swerves generic in this instance, which will no doubt expose Ferreira to a different more alternative audience.
Currently, there are no release dates for either the 'Red Lips' single or Wild At Heart album.
Yes ladies and gents, you heard correctly - a new weekly feature!
Every Friday, I'll be posting some of my favourite songs from yesteryear, be it decades ago or or just a few years!
This week's Friday Flashback comes in the form of indie rock band, We Are Scientists - the track being 'Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt'.
Occasionally, I go through a phase of being bored of all the music on my iPod. One of my go to records for satisfaction is Ladyhawke's eponymous 2008 debut, but having tired somewhat of that, I turned to 'With Love and Squalor'.
We Are Scientists' 2006 sophomore album is fantastic! There is, genuinely, not a bad song on it; it is one of those few albums that I want to listen to beginning to end, as every track is a catchy gem.
The opening track, and one of the album's singles, 'Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt' is easily one of the standout tracks.
If you've never listened to 'With Love and Squalor' I highly suggest you do!
A fair few years ago now, circa 2006/7, in my early to mid teens and observing a wave of electronic music dubbed by the press as 'Nu Rave', was when I first encountered Hadouken!.
Finding themselves lumped in a fickle sub-genre with fellow bands such as CSS, MGMT and Klaxons - all of which, may I add, have incredibly little in common, and reinforcing the irrelevant desire of music press to needlessly generalise music for hype - Hadouken! appealed to my juvenile ears.
In hindsight, back then, Hadouken! were a somewhat artless band, subsisting on whoops, beeps and videogame noises, overlaid with sarcastic, often witty yet often - dare I say it - juvenile raps, and subsequently celebrated by teens in neon brandishing glo-sticks.
Flashforward to the present and you will find that Hadouken! have matured. Their second album, For the Masses, was an awkward blip between Music for an Accelerated Culture and their as yet unannounced forthcoming album, which will hopefully be a more streamlined affair.
Following singles 'Mecha Love', 'Oxygen' and 'Parasite', 'Bad Signal' samples classic Supremes' track, 'You Keep Me Hanging On', layering it over Nero-esque dubstep and frontman, James Smith's raps about a tricky relationship, surprisingly complimenting in a way that doesn't sound too good on paper.
As Hadouken! progress, they may be losing what it was that originally made them fresh and exciting when they first burst onto the Nu Rave scene, however, if they continue to make brilliant, yet nameless and faceless club tracks such as these and the post For the Masses singles, I most certainly won't be complaining!
New song by up and coming UK pop starlet, Charli XCX!
I seriously love this girl! She writes catchy songs that veer between slightly moody ('Stay Away') to channeling young love in 'Valentine' and a retro '80's feel in 'Nuclear Seasons'.
'You're the One' contains elements of all of the aforementioned tracks; slightly throbbing, haunting yet still very catchy, you'll no doubt be humming it for days. This is sophisticated electro-pop and this girl has a talented way with words. I look forward to every song I hear from her!
Her US EP is released 12th June!
Unconfirmed release date for UK as of yet.
I've been listening to a lot of Robyn lately. Her music is so catchy and fun to listen to!
From 1997 until 2005, she was a well known Swedish pop star in her native country, with moderate successes in the US and UK with English song 'Show Me Love' charting well in in both countries.
Upon receiving a negative reaction from her label in Sweden upon showing them her song 'Who's That Girl?', Robyn decided to start her own record label, Konichiwa Records, allowing her to have full creative control of her music, which deviated to a more electro-pop sound. Her self-titled album was a success both in Sweden and in the US and UK, churning out hit songs such as 'With Every Heartbeat', and allowing her to support Madonna on tour in 2008.
In 2010, Robyn released the Body Talk series, releasing first Body Talk Pt. 1 in June, then Body Talk Pt. 2 in September, followed by Body Talk, acting as a compilation album of the previous two, as well as having five new songs.
The success of Body Talk led to opportunities supporting Katy Perry in 2011 and Coldplay in 2012, allowing her music to reach wider audiences.
To me, Robyn is the best of both mainstream and indie sentiments. Most people probably know a Robyn song or two, without actually knowing that it's Robyn. She maintains her own credibility as an artist, writing her own material and even performing without backing dancers whilst also being successful commercially worldwide. By starting Konichiwa Records, she regained control of her own career, and has also collaborated with renowned artists, singers and rappers such as Swedish electro duo, The Knife, Bassment Jaxx, Britney Spears and Snoop Dogg.
Yes, that's right, a sore throat that i had been nursing since Friday/Saturday decided to mutate into full blown flu by Sunday, and I felt so rotten that I really couldn't be bothered to try and write some of the things that I'd planned to do in the past week.
Talking of that past week, it had been nice and busy for a change! The Jubilee bank holidays meant that we had extra 'family time' and myself, my Mom and my step-dad decided to travel to the countryside for a day out, but that pretty much failed due to our having a useless sat-nav and our getting place names/post codes wrong!
I've been to the cinema a few times this week, first on Tuesday to see Prometheus (good, but not quite great!) and then again on Saturday to see Snow White and the Huntsmen, largely so me and my bestie, Di, could oggle Thor and his mighty arms, although Kristen Stewart's one facial expression annoyed me quite a bit; she did - just about - crack a smile at the end, but you could tell it was painful!
Wednesday, myself and a few friends trekked around some guitar shops in Birmingham. I didn't try any myself, I admit to feeling a tad intimidated by the place! It was here that we got drenched in a June (!) monsoon - I have not been so soaked in my entire life! No part of me escaped!
Thursday a few of us went around town, and Di met baby Alice for the first time - so cute!
Apart from that, I've been recuperating! Hopefully I'll be posting more regularly this week.
Apologies for the lack of posts in the past week! I'll catch up on the reviews I planned to do, namely the new Ladyhawke album, Anxiety.
Now, something a bit different now in the shape of South African rap duo, Die Antwoord (The Answer).
You may or may not encountered their naughty, tongue-in-cheek brand of hip hop before, but they are definitely some of the more unique in the genre, due to Yo-Landi Vi$$er's childishly high voice and their mixing their native Afrikaans with English lyrics.
'Baby's On Fire' sees the group, completed by vocalist, Ninja and ocassionally referenced DJ Hi-Tek sound slightly more dance orientated.
Their album Ten$ion, is available now.
Also, check their previous album, $O$
The other day, I said that I'd most likely write a review of the Japanese Voyuers' 'B-Sides and Rarities' limited CD that I purchased, however since then my computer pretty much exploded whilst it was ripping the CD to iTunes, so that prevented me from listening to it as much as I'd have liked, I've had to dig out my rather old portable CD player. I'm writing this on the family laptop. Anyway, here it is, along with some nice photographs of the content!
Japanese Voyeurs are a British grunge band, combining screechy schoolgirl vocals - courtesy of frontwoman, Romily Alice, with aggressively heavy guitars; quite a juxtaposition - but it works nicely. Unfortunately, the band, decided to split earlier this year, but have released a limited (250 copies) B-Sides and Rarities CD due to fan demand.
There are a few songs on the disc which stand out. The opening track, 'Godzilla', for example, is a short, angsty burst of energy and would have been at home on their 2011 debut album, 'Yolk' and is probably the best and most immediate track found here. It's successor, a demo version of 'The Heart is a First' is perhaps the best of the demos, made interesting due to it being quicker and livelier than the album version and I far prefer it to the original. These 2 songs - along with the cover of Nine Inch Nails classic, 'Closer', taking what Japanese Voyeurs does best and applying so well to the song that it sounds like it could be one of their own - are the CD's highlights.
The rest of the demos aren't quite as thrilling - 'Double Cheese (Demo)' is without vocals for example - and 'Milk Teeth' does not vary that much from its 'Yolk' album counterpart in anything but quality. The other B-Sides - 'Ah Ah Shame', 'Hand Me Down' and 'Scare Bear' are very enjoyable - though not quite as brilliant as 'Godzilla' in my opinion, though the 'Cry Baby (Remix)' is far too clumsily edited to be good and better off skipped. The album closes with further classic Voyeurs affair in the shape of 'Live Doom'.
For fans (yes, I'm quite the fan!) of the band, this album is well enough received simply for the desire to have more songs from the band. However, naturally, it's not quite a showcase of what the band can do.
If you've never listened to the band before, I suggest you check out the vids below and their debut album, 'Yolk'.
Welcome to my new weekly Sunday feature - Wonder Woman of the Week! As previously mentioned in my organisation post, this will be a weekly feature where I choose a woman who inspires me (or has been heavily featured for whatever reason in that week) and discuss them and say what exactly makes them so brill!
So who should my first woman be.... hmm... how about riot grrrl feminist, Kathleen Hanna!
Founder of riot grrrl band, Bikini Kill, and later electroclash outifit, Le Tigre, Hanna has been a poignant and outspoken feminist voice since the early 1990's.
She first became interested in feminism when her mother, a housewife, took her to a feminist rally where Gloria Steinham spoke when she was aged nine, which left a lasting impression. She later studied photography at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, also working as a stripper to support herself. Her exhibits at this time dealt with issues such as sexism and AIDS, although her work was taken down before public viewing by school administrators in the name of censorship, prompting her to create an independent feminist art gallery called Reko Muse. She also did spoken word sexism and domestic violence and volunteered for a domestic abuse organisation.
Bikini Kill was named after a fanzine that members Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, Tobi Vail and Billy Karren created as a response to sexism in the punk rock scene, with the band later writing songs involving such ideals. They released a cassette, EP, split LP with Huggy Bear and two albums - Pussy Whipped and Reject All American before splitting and creating side projects (eg. The Frumpies - minus Hanna, with the addition of Molly Neuman of Bratmobile).
Post Bikini Kill, Hanna started a solo project called Julie Ruin, experimenting with New Wave sounds before later starting political outfit, Le Tigre, who released three albums before becoming inactive.
As someone who is frequently aggravated by sexist comments for sexist comments sake (my guy friends will find themselves quickly shot down), as well as believing in equality, Hanna is certainly an inspiration for me, with herself and her contemporaries challenging a whole scene with their feminist ideals and championing a message that reached new generations across the world. Even now, it continues due to the accessibility of the internet.
Her music is highly catchy, and definitely worth a listen whether you agree with her message or not. 'Decaptacon' by Le Tigre, for example, could easily be the soundtrack to my life, because I am yet to get bored of it! Her image also influences me time and again, as she always looks very put together in with her retro updo's and red lipstick, and wearing prints, tartans. In her Bikini Kill days, she was known to dress as a school girl. Hanna also evidently influenced her friend, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, famously writing 'Kurt smells like teen spirit' on a wall and subsequently inspiring the name of the perhaps the most iconic Nirvana song!
Anyways, check some of the vids below, and I'm pretty sure we have a well deserving first Wonder Woman of the Week.
Now. I first happened upon this song on MTV Rocks on a mid-week 2.a.m where I was utterly tired and also utterly unwilling to move from my perch on the sofa and upstairs to my bed, despite it seducing me intently. When this first appeared on screen, it took more than a few seconds to realise that it was a post-Gallows Frank Carter practically crooning in a suit to throwback '80's and somewhat similar to The Darkness, minus the tongue in cheek element. Even the video itself is all cheesy kaleidoscopic camera effects. I don't think I blinked for 3 minutes, whilst I coordinated breathing and catching flies.
I think you see where I'm going with this.
Anyone familiar with Gallow's angsty hardcore punk such as 'In the Belly of a Shark' with Carter's rage and screeching will be similarly shocked by such a departure.
But I like it.
It's so radically different and unexpected that it will no doubt polarise audiences and lose him the more fickle half of his fanbase, that many would consider it career suicide. But all of a sudden, Frank Carter comes across as likable and somewhat accessable, stating his mission early on in the opening lines 'I'm so sick and tired of singing about hate/ It's never going to make a change. / It breaks me down bit by bit/ Keep me steadily feeling sick'. He is clearly aiming for something lighter than Gallows. Musically, the song feels familiar and nostalgic, as previously mentioned.
It was a risk that may still swing either may, but the song may be catchy enough to pull it off.
In their eponymous debut album, sisters, Colette and Hannah Thurlow have managed to create an piece of work that is consistently ethereal, managing to sound both eerie and somewhat gritty at the same time. Vocalist, Colette Thurlow possesses an often mystical and haunting voice that manages to permeate the throbbing music and resonate inside your brain long after the final seconds of the album sounds.
'Revolver' does not connect as immediately as the brilliant 'You're Early' does in its stead, the latter easily being a standout track and a good choice as the first single from the album. Colette Thurlow's voice lures you deep into the melody, yearning longingly in the simple chorus refrain of 'I just want to be close', tempting the listener throughout. Things get (slightly) more upbeat and immediate in 'Easy Undercover', though the desire for 'closeness' is a recurring theme. The rolling drums on 'A Salute' create tension before the lucid release of energy. Similarly, 'Scarlet', previously released on the 'Scarlet EP' tempts you in with relaxing guitars before suddenly getting more aggressive upon hitting the verse. The chorus - 'Lover, she said/ 'You put the beat in my bones/ It's all I hear in my head/ You make it easy to see/ If love.. if love.. if love..' - haunts the mind for a long time after, and is one of the best tracks. 'Circuitry' is louder and more unrelenting , though again Colette's voice holds order even as the guitars clash. Final song, 'Creeping', also a single, leaves the listener with an almost cinematic image in their minds as Colette sings 'You pause, I turn' towards the culmination of the song.
Shoegazing is apparent here, but it is done well. This music is emotive and intense. There are occasions were the lyrics are rather indistinguishable, but this tends to add to the overall effect, as if the singer were channeling such rapid and conflicting thoughts. When the Colette and HannahThurlow harmonise, it really is beautiful. This album sounds sleek even when the guitars jarring, and the Thurlow sisters have easily outdone themselves by means of a debut album.
Well, technically, 'old waves'; the band were formed in 1997. I ran across them on last.fm whilst on Le Tigre's band page. Looking at the Gore Gore Girls' stats, I chose to listen to a track called 'Voodoo', which was really great and which I totally reccommend, however, this wasn't on YouTube, so I'm going to link you to this instead!
The band supported psychobilly band, The Cramps in 2003 and 2004 and work along a similar garage-rock, albeit more poppy vein.
Check out their album 'Get the Gore' if you have Spotify.
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