BUZZ Playlists - 'Summer Lovin''

The sun has been totally inspiring me lately; it's blown away the cobwebs and given me some much needed get-up-and-go in regards to life in general, and has proven slightly distracting in regards to getting my uni work done - I would much rather be hanging outside in the sun with my friends and boyfriend!

I find that there are some bands and artists that I can only listen to in summertime, bands whose music just encapsulates the essence of the season. In winter, I tend to listen to loud electronic or rock music - though I must say that Tame Impala's psychedelia seems to work just as well in snowy climes as it does in this heat! However, in summer, I just want to dance, sing and chill (and eat BBQ food!), and for that I need happy music; and this is where this playlist comes in! 'Summer Lovin' takes us through transitions of psychedelia, low-fi, electronic, ska and more and is pretty much what has been making the (slightly sluggish) cogs of my brain turn this week. The playlist includes bands such as Tame Impala, Best Coast, No Doubt, Grimes, Peace, Blondie, Queens of the Stone Age and Haim plus loads more, so if you're ready to embrace summer with your clammy mitts - check it out and tell me what you think!

Do you like the 'Summer Lovin' playlist? What music makes you think of summer? Would you like to see more features like this in future?

April BUZZ

Out with the old and in with the new as they say, and seeing as April is now behind us, I'd like to welcome you to the the first installment of my new feature - MONTHLY BUZZ!

In this feature I'll be highlighting some of the very best music that I've come across this month, amongst other things. So, to get the ball rolling.......

Peace @ The Kasbah, Coventry

I finally caught Peace live, and let me tell you they were brilliant - literally flawless! Whilst Superfood dropped out last minute, the support band JAWS were also very good and, as a whole, I have never seen a crowd so euphorically happy to be dancing and singing to their favourite band's songs! May the world be converted by the cult of Peace!

Swim Deep - 'She Changes The Weather'

This time, one month ago, I found myself pleasantly shocked by the first new song to be revealed to the world from their forthcoming debut album, Where The Heaven Are We. Even listening to it now, the song it still beautifully arranged and is easily their most mature effort; if you've missed it, it's a must listen!

No Doubt - 'Just A Girl'

You'll be seeing more of this further on in the week because, as I'm sure we're all aware, there are only a certain amount of Fridays (and therefore Flashback's) in each month. But yes, it's that time of year when the sun finally shows its face and certain genres of music become absolutely essential - in this case, ska and  No Doubt, and whilst I've mainly been listening to Rock Steady - the album from the 'Hey Baby' era - 'Just A Girl' is a classic song which encapsulates what the band is about.

Charli XCX - 'True Romance'
Charli XCX finally dropped her debut album, 'True Romance', and whilst it may have felt somewhat overly familiar to certain fans who lap up every single snippet that she drops (ie. me), it was a really strong effort, replicating that seamless feel of a mixtape and is jam-packed with high quality alt.pop choons. 'Cloud Aura' feat. Brooke Candy is a grower!


Daft Punk - 'Get Lucky'

Need I say more? It's the song that blew up April and threw everything else out of the water because, despite the retro disco makeover, Daft Punk are back and are back and milking the hype machine for everything that it is worth, they're going to be bigger than ever. 2013 is already their year.

            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So there it is, the first MONTHLY BUZZ installment!

What do you think about April BUZZ? Do you like the installment? Do you think what I've posted above is BUZZworthy? What are your picks from April?

New Waves.. Superfood - 'Superfood'

It was one of those situations. You know the one, when you initially come across something for the first time, and upon listening/watching/experiencing you are hit by an immediate stab of dislike, irritation or plain old apathy. Well, when I first listened to this song, my initial response was 'meh', however since then it has been absorbed by my subconscious, and has revolved around my brain to the extent that I now actually...

Love. This. Song.

It's one of those songs that - for me anyway - gradually grew addictive, like the sugary contents of E-numbers that you have hidden in your draw (I know you do...). It brings to mind Weezer, quite groovy on the verses, and the rather grungy chorus of 'YOU'RE ALWAYS HUNGRY!' that begs to be sang/shouted/screeched along to at some drunken indie disco or, if you don't get out much, your shower will have to do.

But, yeah... I'm always hungry.

You can download the track for freeeee here and you can currently catch them on tour in the UK (along with JAWS) supporting Peace (already got my tickets, go get yours)!

So, what are your thoughts on Superfood? Are you aching for more? 

https://www.facebook.com/superfoodjunk
https://soundcloud.com/superfood
https://twitter.com/superfoodjunk

Rapid Review.. Peace - 'In Love (Deluxe Edition)'

So, any self-respecting Peace fan has most definitely heard the album by now, after it was streamed in its entirety via NME.com. I could have reviewed it then, like every other music blogger/vlogger/journo-nut did, HOWEVER I abstained, and waited resolutely for my signed deluxe copy to drop through the post.

This was not helped however, by this God awful weather that has swooped upon the nation. We are 5 days from April. NO APRIL NEEDS SNOW! Whilst it may look pretty, the novelty dies rather rapidly (aka. as soon as you step outside) and this as had the unsavoury repercussion of keeping my local postie from my fine looking door. But today - finally (OK, OK, 1 day after release date is not bad, though I was hoping for it to arrive in advance) - Peace's album finally found its way into my eager mitts.

The debut album by the Birmingham four-piece, In Love, speaks of, well, love. It's music has a rosy tinted glow, it's warm and inviting, and would definitely be the perfect soundtrack to a chilled out summer evening, similar to fellow "B-Town" name-makers, Swim Deep. As we well know, every single/EP song that has preceded has so far exceeded the last - 'Bloodshake', 'California Daze', 'Wraith', 'Follow Baby' (see what I had to say about the new re-recorded version) - and such a high standard resulted in my overly high expectations for this album. Were they met? Well, the more I listen to In Love, the more I think so.

'Higher Than The Sun' hits the ground running; if a Peace virgin were to hear this song, they would know exactly what they are letting themselves in for, it epitomises exactly what Peace are about - optimism, love and fun. Because Peace are a fun band, as evidenced by the second song 'Follow Baby' - so good they released it twice. As stated in one of my previous posts, the song manages to feel familiar (The Horrors, Nirvana) yet unique at the same time, though I do still prefer the scuzzier vocal of the original version. 'Lovesick' recalls The Cure's 'Friday, I'm In Love', whilst the ever indulgent 'Wraith' still retains its glow. Things slow down for the first time with 'Float Forever' - a song which sounds deceivingly like its fellow album inhabitant 'California Daze' which, in the boxing ring, still emerges as the superior song.

It is midway through the album that we encounter the first of the In Love (Deluxe) bonus tracks (they have been interspersed throughout). 'Drain' is a song that has managed to forge itself a very special place within my heart. After the singles which, whilst having not lost their sparkle, have lost that early addictive satisfaction that comes when first falling in love with a song, 'Drain' is the song that really hits home with me, so much so that I find it positively scandalous that it is not included in the standard version of In Love, as it feels like such a pivotal benchmark within the album. Whilst at times Peace can feel rather precise, there is a deconstructed segment that makes the listener do a double take - as does the deceivingly premature ending found a little later on, it is the gem that standard edition owners have been robbed of. For me at least, the rest of the album is certainly a 'post-Drain' affair. That said, 'Delicious', 'Waste Of Paint', 'Toxic' and 'Sugarstone' are all what we'd expect from Peace, with 'Waste Of Paint' being a particular '90's infused anthem with a killer chorus. Other bonus tracks 'Step A Little Closer', 'Scumbag' and the Peace song, 'Bloodshake' only enhance what it an already strong album. Songs that I'd earmark for future singles would be 'Lovesick' and 'Waste Of Paint'.

Have Peace changed the indie rock world? The long and short of it is 'no', but it is not something for which I care, as for all their influences worn on the cuffs of their gaudy vintage shirts, Peace embody everything good about the nostalgia wave and re-work it into something fresh and relevant - because Peace can write good songs! - and quite frankly, this is all that I care about! ;D

Standard CD(10 track), Deluxe CD(14 track) and vinyl and MP3 editions of In Love are out now.

http://peaceforeverever.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/peaceforeverever
https://soundcloud.com/p-e-a-c-e
https://twitter.com/PEACE4EVEREVER

New Waves.. Peace - 'Follow Baby'

Well, 'not-so-new' would be more appropriate, seeing as the band first released this song sometime last year, but with the run up to Peace's debut album, In Love (pre-order it guys, you know that it's gonna be great!) getting ever shorter, it seems somewhat apt to remind interweb denizens what sparked people's curiosity in the first place.

'Follow Baby' is being re-released almost a year from its original release date, having had a bit of a brush up - cleaner vocals are apparent - however, it doesn't really seem to warrant much of the altering that its been subject to at all. As before, there's some niggling facet of the song that makes you feel like you've heard it before (you have, but I'm not talking about last April!). The flow of the lyrics recalls 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', especially in the original version, whilst the music itself brings to mind The Horrors' 'Do You Remember' at certain points, however, I find myself in a total state of 'not caring!', as 'Follow Baby' is such a great song in its own right that having their influences so obviously displayed doesn't matter at all.

It is easily Peace's 'heaviest' song, with grungy guitars and a somewhat whiny vocal before the jubilant chorus swoops in with all its glittering glory, with lyrics so repetitively simple that they swirl around your cranium, Looney Tunes style. Personally, I still prefer the original version, but if this cleaner version gets Peace more mainstream recognition - which it no doubt will - they will blow up the year of 2013 in a more extravagant way than any music busybody could have predicted.

'Follow Baby' is released March 24th.

http://peaceforeverever.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/peaceforeverever
https://soundcloud.com/p-e-a-c-e

New Waves.. Peace - 'Wraith'

I know, I know, the latest Peace single has been floating around the blogosphere/cyberspace since approximately November, but it finally got its official release last Sunday, and having it ready for my repeatable disposal has left me suitably obsessed enough to write a review.

'Wraith' itself is a beaut of a tune. I admit, a had practically dismissed Peace after hearing the opening of 'Bloodshake' - I did not require a new Friendly Fires! - but upon seeing the accompanying video for 'Wraith', I turned back and scouted out all of their other songs.

It's official; I love them! The only downside to finding a new band to fawn over (I've been lacking a new favouritist band ever for what feels like, well, forever), is the lack of material to satisfy my appetite  but alas, an EP and 2 singles shall have to suffice til the album is out later this year, and Peace are in my opinion, unlike NME's chosen flavour of the year; Palma Violets, worth all the fuss.

Peace manage to straddle the pop vs. indie crossover fence perfectly, and 'Wraith' encapsulates this, and with a video odd enough to keep you watching til the end, albeitone that is totally and utterly sexist and objectifying (TWERK GALORE!- yes, you read right). I can't help but value the song 10,000x more than the video itself. Despite this, make sure that you check it out above, they're gonna be huge :)

'Wraith' and last  year's Delicious EP are both available now.

http://peaceforeverever.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/peaceforeverever
https://soundcloud.com/p-e-a-c-e