The Jezabels - Synthia FA

February Album

Another month gone, another day and another dollar and things are carrying on the same as can be expected. Many great releases from Yuck, Bob Woodruff, DMA's, Deep Sea Diver, Lissie and more but my favourite has been The Jezabels - Synthia. Perhaps not my usual pick in style of music but that is just another thing that makes this record exciting to me. I may not be the biggest fan of music that relies on electronic synths and the like for a large slice of the music pie but The Jezabels have used each instrument just the right amount to have an impact without overpowering my ears and turning the songs into metaphorical white noise. My favourite track is 'My Love Is My Disease', an epic building song with vocals that remind me greatly of Robyn if she were to front a late 00's emo band, dark, heartfelt and definitely passionate lyrics that are backed with complimenting rolling drums and just enough guitar. I cant wait for a beautiful video to be released for it. For now enjoy another great track with a video from the album 'Come Alive' Below!

Skaters - Head On To Nowhere YTV

01/03/16 YouTube Video

This week I have chosen the latest track released by one of my favourite bands the NYC homies Skaters. Their first LP Manhattan was easily one of my favourite records of 2014 so boy am I glad they are back with new music. After hearing that they have left Warner Music to do their own solo thing (I presume) I was interested to hear what the new songs off of the next album will be like. Head On To Nowhere is a track that definitely didn't disappoint. Sharing the same scuzzy pop punk sound from their earlier release, this song wouldn't sound out of place in amongst their first album but it can easily be a brilliant lead track for what is to come. It is clear that leaving a major label hasn't affected them in terms of music quality, they are still as great as I remember. Enjoy!

Brit Awards 2016 Results

Well the Brit Awards are now over again for another year, prizes have been handed out, songs have been performed and acceptance speeches have been dryly extracted from grateful winners. And I hope you readers remember in mid January I tried to make predictions of who will will and who I would want to win. Even giving myself 2 chances on each category I ended up with a dismal score of 3 out of 10. I am the most surprised at how Justin Bieber beat Kendrick and even Drake to win International Male Solo Artist when their work quality has been so widely known for brilliance. Perhaps I should quit my dreams of being a great psychic but I don't want to leave on a downbeat note so here is a classic British track to end on in honour to the Brits. Enjoy!

Shawn Colvin - Tougher Than The Rest YTV

23/02/16 YouTube Video

The long and arduous of logging my playlists is continuing and I am currently processing the year 2001 which includes great releases from the likes of Ashley Stove, Weezer and yes you guessed it Shawn Colvin. I am a new listener to this lovely lady and am surprised that I haven't heard of her before now. Having released 10 albums and been around for well over a decade, she is quite the big and hard-working talent. Which is one of many reasons why I have chosen this cover she did of the classic Springsteen track that I found on her YouTube. It takes the romance and emotion of the original and elevates it to another level and really transports me to imagine so vividly the love story the song epitomises. In a lot of ways I think it is a better version than the original, (vocals, instrumentation and all) and I am a big Springsteen fan (his great version below) so it would take a lot to beat the boss. Enjoy!

The Story Of Milk Records SCS

SoundCloud Song

This week is a bit of a different hit. Not a musical track so much as a short episode posted by Double J Radio about the independent record label that is Milk Records. I extremely enjoyed this feature and how it delved a bit deeper into the Milk Records history, learning more about how the company was initially founded by Courtney Barnett and how it grew larger with getting more artists onto the label. It was also nice to here chat from Fraser and Jen (alongside Courtney Barnett) artists that are on the label. Even though they are currently not greatly large, they are one of a few labels that I hold in high reputation and am behind everything they produce. Now I am just waiting for the TV special and official hardback biography to find out even more. Enjoy!

Allison Weiss - Who We Are YTV

16/02/16 YouTube Video

Tonight I am going to be working the bar at an Allison Weiss gig in Manchester and am really excited. Since I found out I was going to be in on her show, I listened to her latest release in 2015 called New Love which the track below (Who We Are) was taken from. The song is one of my favourites from the LP, with building pop choruses, simple yet catchy lyrics and great guitar sounds. It may not be ground-breaking but it sure is awesome. I hope it sounds as good live as it is recorded tonight. Enjoy!

Sierra Hull - Weighted Mind JA

January Album

It is a week over due but my album of the month that is January is Sierra Hulls Weighted Mind. The 4th release from this Tennessean talented lady truly showcases her delicate and powerful voice but even more than that, it is clear to tell how great of a musician she is and how she has became a mastor of her instrument. Her playing of the mandolin and other instruments on the album is so fine tuned and each note played with pinpoint accuracy it seems almost supernatural and angelic. It is also a testament to how the record has been produced that you can hear every string twang and finger slide as if she is standing in the room right in front of you. You literally do not miss a beat.

Other notable albums from this month came from The Crookes, Hinds, Milk Teeth, Suede and more but nothing hit me like this record did. Enjoy one of the tracks below!

Dori Freeman - Ain't Nobody YTV

09/02/16 YouTube Video

A bit of a gem from back in 2014 is my choice this week. Dori Freemans début release this last week included the track Ain't Nobody, a bare to the bone country ditty that you can imagine coal miners singing whilst working to keep morale up. It is a beautiful thing that shows the songs brilliance that from this video a couple of years ago to the final recorded track there is little to no difference. Just the voice and simple hand claps is all you need. Enjoy!

The Joy Formidable - The Last Thing On My Mind SCS

SoundCloud Song

Yet another single from a highly anticipated album. This seems to be the time for great new releases. On this occasion it is from the rockers The Joy Formidable (or FormidaaBleh however you want to say it). The Last Thing On My Mind which is from their March release titled 'Hitch' is 6 minutes of magic. The psychedelia tinged guitar coupled with the basic complimentary rocksteady drums are a winning formula to work with the intense but beautiful vocals from Rhiannon Bryan. Other similar length tracks in this genre have at times seemed forced, dragged out and leaving me losing the will to live but this track does a brilliant job fighting my stereotype and making the longer track something to be excited in again. Enjoy!

Bleached - Keep On Keeping On YTV

02/02/16 YouTube Video

The Bleached girls are back with an absolute banger! Keep On Keeping On is the first release from their upcoming album Welcome The Worms which is out on April the 1st. I love the darker tones that this song has over their previous releases. The obsessive, creepy stalkerish nature of the video does a great job at giving you an unsettled feeling during the whole length of the track but with a romantic hint it makes sure you stay glued to the screen. Classic vocals and lyrics as always. Enjoy!

Fender Artisan Series 2016 DOTM

Design Of The Month

Well winter NAMM (guitar convention) has been and gone with 4 days of magic in Anaheim CA going by in more like 4 seconds. Not that I went to the show or anything but I have been eagerly awaiting the new goodies and news from the guitar world over in England.There are loads of different new makes and models that are things of beauty this year but the first thing that caught my eye (shown in the video below) is the Fender Custom Shop Artisan Series. Using the top notch exotic hardwood's, teamed with beautifully complimenting golden hardware, the guys at the custom shop have used the existing style of classic Fender guitars and given them yet another new lease of life. My personal singular favourite design is the spalted maple Telecaster pictured right at the bottom, nothing too fancy but still something special that I would happily show off.

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell - The Traveling Kind YTV

26/01/16 YouTube Video

This video really showcases what two talented musicians can do. Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell teamed up in 2015 to produce The Traveling Kind album with the track below being one of the lead singles off of it. Their voices work together and compliment each other with a gentle ease that seems totally effortless. I am also greatly blown away at how well they have both grown as artists and still produce tracks of this quality and beauty, compared to other artists who have been around for decades that time hasn't treated nearly as well. Enjoy!

Spookyland - God's Eyes SCS

SoundCloud Song

New release from these Sydney boys Spookyland, God's Eyes brings the downbeat stadium ready rock music to the listeners. The lyrics emphasise how even the most perfect people make mistakes every now and then, and at the end of the day it is all just part of being human. I honestly hear an Oasis like epicness to the track and can picture the crowd at a sell out show singing the verses and choruses back to the band on a beautiful summer evening. I need to make sure I get a ticket. Enjoy!

Bleeding Rainbow - So You Know YTV

19/01/16 YouTube Video

I have recently started logging my Google Music playlists on paper to keep a more secure version of them in case anything happens to the GM platform (god forbid). And I thought what better place to start than at Jan 2013. It seemed like a good a place as any and it had enough releases per month to give me something to get stuck in with. I made my way through the year and into early 2014 when I remembered this forgotten gem of an album by Bleeding Rainbow called Interrupt. So You Know is one of the singles off of the album and it is wonderfully dark. Grungy without being incoherent, this band has made a track with a great balance of heavy instrumentation to the softer female vocal. The video is also really creative and interesting to watch. Enjoy!

Brit Awards 2016 Predictions

Well the nominees have been announced and below I will try to guess some of the catergories winners on the left and who I think should win on the right.

British Male Solo Artist: Aphex Twin, Calvin Harris, James Bay, Jamie XX, Mark Ronson

  

British Female Solo Artist: Adele, Amy Winehouse, Florence and Machine, Jess Glynne, Laura Marling

  

British Group: Blur, Coldplay, Foals, 1D, Years & Years

  

British Breakthrough Act: Catfish and Bottlemen, James Bay, Jess Glynne, Wolf Alice, Years & Years

British Single: Adele - Hello, Calvin Harris and Disciples - How Deep Is Your Love, Ed Sheeran + Rudimental - Bloodstream, Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do, James Bay - Hold Back The River, Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand, Little Mix - Black Magic, Olly Murs/Demi Lovato - Up, Phillip George - Wish You Were Mine, Years & Years - King

Mastercard British Album of Year: Adele - 25, Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams, Florence + The Machine - How Big How Blue How Beautiful, James Bay - Chaos and Calm, Jamie xx - In Colour

  

British Video of the Year: Adele - Hello, Calvin Harris and Disciples - How Deep Is Your Love, Ed Sheeran - Photograph, Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do, Jessie J - Flashlight, Little Mix - Black Magic, Naughty Boy ft Beyonce - Runnin’, 1D - Drag Me Down, Sam Smith - Writing’s On The Wall, Years & Years - King

  

International Male Solo Artist: Drake, Father John Misty, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd

  

International Female Solo Artist: Ariana Grande, Bjork, Courtney Barnett, Lana Del Rey, Meghan Trainor

  

International Group: Alabama Shakes, Eagles of Death Metal, Major Lazer, Tame Impala, U2

Tacocat - I Hate The Weekend SCS

SoundCloud Song

We are now well in to 2016 and what better way to banish those January blues than a song about hating the weekend. That's right, the latest track from Tacocat which comes off of their upcoming third album is about dislike for Saturday and Sunday. The reason being because they have to share it with all of the ghastly weekday workers who rain on Tacocats parade when the Friday clock out comes around. I like Tacocats charm, bouncyness and upliftingness that comes with this song and many of their other songs. I'm expecting great things from their new release in April. Enjoy!

Courtney Barnett - Three Packs A Day YTV

YouTube Video

Yes, yes, yes, new music from Courtney Barnett. Singing about instant noodles has never sounded so cool as it does in this 2 minute 50 second song of brilliance. It again showcases what she does best, sing catchy songs about everyday mundane life that everyone can relate to. I'm just waiting for the next track about struggling to find the perfect parking space. Another thing about this song that I love is the added harmonica solo which few songs wouldn't be improved by. Enjoy!

Cage The Elephant - Tell Me I'm Pretty DA

December Album

After an exceptionally slow December where not many stand out music was released, I am so glad for the great albums from Lizzo, Milk Lines, The Bootleg Honeys and more. But my favourite by far is Tell Me I'm Pretty by Cage The Elephant. The fourth release from the boys brings the same great southern blues rock and roll that they are known for producing. And this time with added help from the seemingly always on point Dan Auerbach. The thing that I really enjoy about the album is how they play with the speed of the songs, going from the quick and punchy, to more mellower notes then back to the fast paced songs which plays with your emotions over the course of the album but whilst keeping their distinctive, unique sound throughout. Enjoy!

The Crookes - The World Is Waiting YTV

05/01/16 YouTube Video

Ahead of their fourth album Lucky Ones, yesterday The Crookes released the video for The World Is Waiting. By the sounds of it, they have kept everything I loved about them from their previous albums: big building choruses, catchy guitar lines and a loveable charm that is embedded in the lyrics. Watch them below as they get their DIY Coldplay on and throw bright powder around in someone's back yard. Enjoy!

Happy 2016!

Happy new year to all of the readers! I hope that the new year will be even better than the last. 

Seeing as the holiday period has been pretty dead in terms of new music album releases, I have been down many a musical rabbit hole in search for interesting tunes and new bands that have passed me by and have found some great albums by a Chicagoan band called The Ponys. The track below is taken from their second album out of three as is really lo-fi, garagey pop loveliness.

In the future I am going to aim to post more content on this blog about a larger and more varied choice of subjects. I hope everybody will still enjoy everything I produce. Thank you.