Month: March 2020

Week Twelve: Niall Horan- Heartbreak Weather

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Of course, the lad from An Muileann gCearr (Mullingar) found fame after appearing on the X-Factor in 2010, where the band One Direction was put together (they finished third in that series.) and rapidly rose to be a world-renowned boy band. The band is no more at the moment, but that is a very grey area as the members are embarking on solo careers. Niall has remained grounded by all the success One Direction had and would prefer playing Oasis songs on his acoustic guitar and playing golf when taking a break from recording and touring.

If we are all being honest (Well, the Directioners, anyway.), no one was making any fuss about Niall’s solo career. The focus seemed to be on Harry Styles and initially Zayn Malik as well, but through this lack of expectation, Niall has been free from having a monkey on his back, and it seems to have worked as he is having a better solo career than the rest of his band mates. His debut album “Flicker” in 2017 went to the summit in three countries, including his native Ireland. 

As I listened to the opening track, which happens to be the album track, I was unsure if I could endure the ensuing forty-three minutes. It reminded me of the 1975, and if you know me well, I cannot stand that band. Despite the opener, you do have a range of tracks. “Black and White” sounds like One Direction, “Dear Patience,” and the closer “Still” are like ballads over acoustic guitars. “Arms of a Stranger” feels like a Lewis Capaldi piano ballad, and funnily enough, Lewis will be one of the support acts when the “Heartbreak Weather” tour begins in October (Well, maybe. With what’s going on in the world

at the moment, who knows?).

“Cross Your Mind” is a blend of the old with the new. I say this because the acoustic guitar reminds me of something Johnny Marr would have played in the Smiths. It probably is a sample of a Smiths song or a Johnny Marr song. When I heard it, it did sound very familiar. I was very excited to listen to the track after hearing that Johnny-esque intro, but then it went all modern and sounded like a typical pop song of late. It’s an utter shame, really, because a Johnny Marr-style song is what this record needed. Yes, Niall was trying to appeal to the Directioners as much as possible, but this lad is an indie rock fan. “Nice to Meet Ya” is where Niall chose to go all indie rock, though. Sounds very much like Arctic Monkeys infused with Kasabian. However, I think Niall is going to go down the synth route. 

I would like him to release something more to his taste as it’s risky and shows that he is not afraid to cause shock waves. The loudest ones in One Direction have had moderate solo success, but as they say, the quiet ones are to be watched. Even though Niall was quiet in the band, his actions speak louder than his words. I don’t mind listening to a whole One Direction album, but once a day is enough. The same goes for this record. If I was young enough to be in that generation, I might have got it more and be listening to it more than once a day. That being said, I like Niall and wish him every success. Why? Because he isn’t a dickhead and is more talented than the rest of the band. 7/10

Week Eleven: Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott- Manchester Calling

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Although their band, the Beautiful South, broke up in 2007 and they got together as a duo in 2014, there are still signs that they have kept alive the spirit of the band, and that is very evident in this latest record. You have those typical Beautiful South-sounding songs. Although you may be familiar with the wall of sound in this fourth album, it is also their most original record.

Paul Heaton, as we know, is very set in his ways and doesn’t care for adapting his style for the modern world, but on this album, he gave most of the control to Johnny Lexus and his musicians to give the record a more modern feel blended with Paul’s timelessness.

From the opening bell, you are greeted with the in-your-face rock n roll track “the Only Exercise I Get is You”. Now, after just the first track, I am already paying full attention as an album that usually starts with a bang suggests it will keep improving. Then you have tracks like “All of My Friends” and “Big News in a Little World”, which follow in the same vein, but Johnny has added sprinkles of modern computerised technology in there with loops, electronic strings and samples over this 16-track record. It also works whether he has used ProTools, Cubase or Logic. Fair play to Paul for letting go and putting faith in his regular collaborator, Johnny, to give this album a different feel.

“MCR Calling”, however, is a darker sound, which fits in with the lyrics. Paul and Jacqui lament how the city has changed recently, has lost its originality, and is falling victim to the falseness we see infecting almost every city. I wonder if Gary Neville will enjoy the song’s last verse, which mentions his head being on a spike.

Regardless of the originality of this record, it is still quintessentially Paul Heaton with its timeless lyrics and catchy songs. There’s nothing artificial about it, and it focuses on Paul’s knowledge of life lessons, stories of real issues across the spectrum, embracing the losers and littered with comedy. A prime example would be “Somebody’s Superhero” and “If You Could See Your Faults”.

I love his wordplay and poetry on this album, and it is very much what Paul is known for. Although there have been severe and very personal issues on his tracks with the Beautiful South, as a solo artist or with Jacqui Abbott, it still has a very comedic feel despite the nature. For example, in “So in Love”, there is a verse that says “promise of wedlock” followed by “trapped in a permanent headlock”. That’s the kind of point I am trying to convey when I mentioned his songs laced with comedy, yet aggressive, too. This is a bit like the message conveyed in the Beautiful South song “Don’t Marry Her”, sung beautifully by Jacqui Abbott. It is hilarious, yet serious simultaneously with lines like “She’ll grab your sweaty bollocks, then slowly raise her knee, don’t marry her, fuck me”. Do you see? Funny and fucking violent.

On my coda (Most use the typical cliche of the final note.), it doesn’t matter what genre Paul might write for; he will always use his trademark lyrics and get the producer to get the music to compliment them. Although the Beautiful South have been disbanded for over thirteen years, they are kept alive in Paul’s music. When he and Jacqui get together, you feel like the band never went away. I have yet to say much about Jacqui in this review, which is not discrediting her contribution to the record, but Paul is the songwriter. I would be lying if I didn’t say Jacqui was as brilliant as she always is because she was. Her vocals still sound as fresh as when she took over from Briana Corrigan in 1994. The album hit a lull for me after the first four tracks but picked up after the halfway point, so all-in-all, it’s an outstanding, funny and sobering record. 8/10

Week Nine: Bangtan Boys aka Bangtan Sonyeondan aka BTS- Map of the Soul: 7

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I first heard about this Korean Republic boy band while going through security at an English airport, where I saw a plethora of young teenagers with various BTS merchandise from one of their London shows last year (Some torch seemed to be the favourite after the t-shirts.) and, being ever curious, I asked some of the ladies returning to their respective countries “Who are they?” and “Where has their popularity come from?”. I was told that they were a K-Pop boy band from the Korean Republic, and I should listen to some of their songs and see what the hyperbole was all about. 

So, eventually, at some point last year, I decided to give them a listen, and even though I wouldn’t go mad for them, I could understand the hype surrounding them and why they are so popular. What I found a bit odd upon discovering them via Spotify is that this “Map of the Soul” thing is both an album and a tour. There is also “Map of the Soul: Persona, ” a seven-song extended play featured on the album. What is good about the final instalment of “Map of the Soul” is that this one goes more in-depth about the members. Look at the “Interlude: Shadow”, about Min Yoon-gi’s (Suga) struggles with fame and popularity as a member of the Bangtan Boys. The whole record talks about their current conflict with music, and they question whether they are still in love and have the passion for it now that they have achieved world status. Now, other good examples of tracks that mention these perfectly on the record are “Black Swan” and “ON”, but unfortunately, due to the use of auto-tune, I am not a fan; I cannot stand the use of auto-tune. It just disguises that certain artists cannot sing to save their lives. 

That is not necessarily the case with BTS, so I am baffled by why they feel the need to use it. “00:00 Zero O’Clock” is a much softer song, but it pretty much has the same message; it also talks about optimism about getting out of this ill feeling you have in your life. You then have the trademark deliveries of all four members, which makes this song so unique; Kim Seok-Jin (Jin), the eldest member, brings a traditional Korean ballad, Jeon Jung-kook (Jungkook) brings a falsetto, Park Ji-Min (Jimin) brings warm and sensual. Kim Tae-Hyung (V) brings comfort that makes this song feel like you are at home, putting your feet up and getting warm by the fireplace. Not bad, considering dark elements are included in the track (Yes, I am Aware of Jung Ho-Seok, aka J-Hope, but he isn’t on this track in question.).

This record is very much a nod to their fans and that they are never far away from the members’ thoughts. Yes, it might be about their personal experiences, but as always, there is a deep connection with their fans in everything they do, whether through the songs, personal interaction via the official website, live streams or performing at concerts. Kim Seokjin even brings this into focus on “Moon”, which on the surface seems about falling in love with someone, but I think it goes deeper than that and is actually gratitude towards the BTS Army as they are known. The appreciation is expressed in the sleeve notes, but I listened via Spotify, so I wouldn’t know about that. 

I happen to engage with some Bangtan Boys fans within my circle. I honestly cannot remember what songs were my standouts because it has been almost two weeks since I listened, but I was impressed by them and only didn’t like “Black Swan” and “ON” for its use of auto-tune. I’m including the original version of “ON” and not the final track featuring Sia. The record deserves credit for touching on personal subjects but also for the production, which makes this more than just a typical pop album. It’s like talking to your inner demons. It’s the members addressing their fans and thanking them individually. It’s a record of optimism where there is hope from a position where you’re stuck in the same old hole. But above all, it can be interpreted as a record where someone, something, yourself or even the band members are here to grab your hand if you are about to fall from a great height.

8/10