Author: honestopinions19

Week 12: U2- Songs of Surrender

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I must confess that I was fucking terrified of how to approach this review. I wondered if it would be a written paragraph review, track-by-track, or short track-by-track. I mean, U2 are the most fucking iconic band ever, and I wanted to do them justice with a review of this. 

The band started in Dublin during the mid-70s when Larry Mullen Jr requested band members wanted on the school notice board. He would get five responses, which included Bono, the Edge, Edge’s brother, and Adam Clayton. Before the lads settled on U2, Larry thought he would be in charge of the band until it appeared 10 minutes into the formation that Paul Hewson, aka Bono, had other ideas. Dik Evans (Edge’s brother, who has gone on to have a successful music career) would be phased out a year after the formation of Feedback, then the Hype. Ivan McCormick lasted a mere two weeks before being dropped. He would go on to become a composer.

Since then, the rest of history. The band has several iconic albums packed with political issues, bombastic choruses, and stadium anthems. The band was very punky, to begin with, before working with Brain Eno, which proved highly challenging for the band, who fell out on several occasions with Brian during recording sessions. In a documentary, the band admitted that they hated those sessions because he wanted to bring his production watermark to the album. Bono would constantly push back. However, “the Joshua Tree”, which the band confessed, until they did the anniversary in 2017 and 2019, supported by the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, they were not particularly fond of, but now have found some love for it. Many people are fond of “the Joshua Tree”, where the hits and stadium anthems started to roll in. There is no doubt that Brian’s second time working with the band changed their sound forever and made them more versatile from that moment on.

The band have been together for over four decades, and despite the squabbling during the recording sessions for “the Joshua Tree”, they haven’t got close to breaking up since. How did it get to this? Well, last year, Bono released a book called ‘Surrender’, an autobiography ranging from anecdotes about his time in U2 to meeting the Pope with bonus content in the audiobook. Bono would do acoustic versions of their iconic hits when he did a reading tour., which brought the “Songs of Surrender” to life.

From there, the band had this concept of doing stripped-back versions of all their hits (That’s a staggering 40.)over four discs titled after each member. The Album is over three hours of listening time in total. Anyway, I have opted for a brief track-by-track review, so here goes:

Disc 1: the Edge

One: 

Piano ballad, a gentle cymbal at the end of the chorus, soft vocals throughout, and the last chorus builds up with ghostly backing vocals and marching drums on the outro.

Where the Streets Have No Name: 

Cello intro, haunting synth verse, the piano joins on the chorus, synth rings out on outro.

Stories for Boys: 

Piano intro leading into verse, backing vocals on the verse, piano break, vocals over piano riff on the chorus, short piano riff outro.

11 O Clock Tick-Tock: 

Drums and acoustic intro, acoustic plucking and piano in verse 1, bass riff and Bono falsetto in chorus, harmonic vocal break, backing harmonies with piano in verse 2, acoustic solo joined by plucked acoustic, gentle electric guitar on outro

Out of Control: 

Acoustic solo intro, pulsating acoustic on the verse, reverb vocals over rhythmic acoustic on chorus 1, backing vocals on chorus 2, rhythmic acoustic on the bridge, acoustic solo break, bass on chorus 3, acoustic rings out on outro.

Beautiful Day: 

Piano ballad with pulsating acoustic with scratching and backing vocals, pulsating piano in chorus, harmonic vocals leading into verse 3, choral bridge, pulsating drums in chorus 2, and choral outro.

Bad: 

Acoustic intro over tambourine leading into verse, piano and strings join on verse 2, marching drums with an acoustic riff on the chorus, marching drums build before the harmonic outro.

Every Breaking Wave: 

Haunting piano riff intro is repeated in verses, with backing vocals on the bridge, light strings in chorus 1, reverb vocals in verse 2, synth joins in chorus 2, piano break, and piano riff outro with sustained high vocals.

Walk on (Ukraine): 

Plucked acoustic intro, backing vocals and bass join verse 2 with plucked acoustic, rhythmic acoustic on chorus 1, piano on chorus 2 with a light cymbal crash, pulsating piano on outro with riff.

Pride (in the Name of Love): 

Rhythmic acoustic with bass intro, backing vocals on the chorus, piano with an acoustic riff on break, electric guitar solo break with full band outro before fade out.

Disc 2: Larry

Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses: 

Pulsating acoustic, cello and piano in verses, a rhythmic acoustic riff in the chorus,  bass joins from verse 2, backing vocals from Edge in chorus 2, and synth rings out on the outro.

Get Out of Your Own Way: 

Drums, acoustic and backing vocals on the intro, bass joins in the verse, harmonic backing vocals with an acoustic riff on the chorus, and instrumental outro.

Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out of: 

Acoustic intro leads into verse, backing vocals from Edge, bass joins on the chorus, bongos on verse 2, piano joins on the outro, and acoustic rings out.

Red Hill Mining Town:

Haunting synth and acoustic on intro leading into verse with drums, bass and Trombone Shorty, chorus 2 with harmonic backing vocals, sustained trombone on the outro.

Ordinary Love:

Acoustic riff intro leading into verse, synth, bass and backing vocals on the chorus, acoustic riff break between verses, acoustic rings out on outro.

Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own:

Piano intro leading intro verse, falsetto backing vocals on bridge, electric guitar riff, marching drums, tubular bells on verse 4 and final chorus, piano and bass drum outro.

Invisible:

Acoustic riff, piano, bass and drums intro leading into verse, the song builds on the chorus with backing vocals leading into the instrumental break, full band outro before Bono and backing vocals acapella.

Dirty Day:

Cello intro leads into verse, Bono whispered vocals in verse, the electric guitar riff in chorus, the violin joins in verse 2, Bono’s vocals slightly louder in verse 3, backing vocals in chorus 3, sustained violin, Bono’s sustained vocals, and acoustic rings out on outro.

the Miracle (of Joey Ramone):

Acoustic lead and full band intro leading into verse, backing vocals on chorus, piano, acoustic and Bono harmonies on break, backing harmonies on verse 2, short acoustic break, harmonic vocals with an acoustic outro.

City of Blinding Lights:

Piano and bass intro, piano and Bono on verse 1, backing vocals on bridge, backing vocals and acoustic on chorus 1, electric guitar joins on chorus 2, haunting harmonic vocals break, piano rings out on outro.

Disc 3: Adam

Vertigo:

Violin and rhythmic acoustic intro, rhythmic acoustic verse, violin and acoustic on chorus and post-chorus, violin and acoustic break, cello outro.

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For: 

Acoustic riff and tambourine intro lead into verse, Bono with mid-volume vocals, Edge backing vocals, and bass join on verse 2, electric guitar on break, piano and full drums join on verse 3, ghostly outro.

Electrical Storm:

Piano and electric guitar intro, piano in verse 1, rhythmic acoustic joins in verse 3, reverb vocals on the chorus, verse 4 same as verse 1, full band in verse 6, tambourine joins on the final chorus, light cymbal crash to end.

the Fly:

Bongos, full drums, bass and electric guitar on intro leading into verse, haunting backing vocals on the chorus, piano post-chorus, backbeat break before the verse, piano break, reverb falsetto vocals followed by an acoustic solo, then reverb vocal outro.

if God Will Send His Angels:

Piano intro, whispered vocals over the piano in verse, chorus with backing falsetto vocals before piano rings out, piano solo post-chorus, falsetto vocals to end verse 2, distant reverb vocals post-chorus 2, piano outro.

Desire:

Electric guitar intro, falsetto vocals, handclaps and keyboard reverb effect on the verse, fiddle solo on bridge, yoddling with backing vocals on bridge 2, keyboard reverb effect outro.

Until the End of the World:

Rhythmic acoustic intro, piano and acoustic on the verse, backing vocals on the chorus, acoustic break, acoustic solo after chorus 2, falsetto vocals on verse 3, light harmonic vocals with backing harmonic vocals outro.

Song for Someone:

Pulsating acoustic with piano intro leading into verse, backing vocals join on the bridge, piano solo with vocals on the chorus, piano solo with acoustic and bass, acoustic rings out on outro.

All I Want is You:

Panpipe effect with bass and drum intro leading into verse, acoustic lead on the chorus, rhythmic acoustic break with the full band, bongos and falsetto vocals on final chorus, bass and bongos outro.

Peace on Earth:

Acoustic intro, empty church ambience vocals, the choir joins acoustic on chorus, full band joins choir and acoustic on chorus 2.

Disc 4: Bono

With or Without You:

Acoustic bass and synth intro leading into verse, building post-chorus, vocals build on the bridge, full band on the final chorus, electric guitar solo with brief Bono harmonic vocal outro.

Stay(Faraway, So Close!):

Backing vocals over piano intro leading into verse, electric guitar and full band on verse 2, falsetto with falsetto backing vocals on chorus, piano and Bono vocals on verse 3, verse 4 as verse 2, brief instrumental break before the chorus, harmonic vocals with backing harmonic vocals break partially spoken word on outro with electric guitar ringing out.

Sunday Bloody Sunday:

Acoustic riff with harmonic vocals, rhythmic acoustic on the verse, Edge backing vocals on chorus with change in rhythm, acoustic break, bass joins on chorus 2, acoustic solo, three-string pluck outro.

Light of Home:

Acoustic riff with synth intro, backing vocals in verse, full band in the chorus, ghostly vocals in post-chorus, full band in verse 2, backing vocals on bridge, acoustic solo, sustained vocals before a change in tempo with backing vocals outro.

Cedarwood Road:

Rhythmic acoustic intro leading into verse, change of acoustic tempo with backing vocals on the chorus, reverb vocal effect on verse 2, change of rhythm with the full band on verse 3, reverb effect outro.

I Will Follow:

Acoustic riff with strings intro, piano and bass join on the verse, acoustic riff break, full band on verse 2, backing vocals on the chorus, brief acoustic solo, sudden stop to end.

Two Hearts Beat as One:

Piano, bass, beatboxing, funky intro. Pulsating drums with the full band on the verse, backing vocals on the bridge, funky break with electric guitar, and piano break before the outro.

Miracle Drug:

Drum intro leading into verse, the piano joins on the verse, backing vocals on the chorus, acoustic rings out, acoustic with Bono on verse 2, full band on verse 3, brief acoustic break before the bridge, brief silence before the final chorus, rhythmic drum outro.

the Little Things that Give You Away:

Acoustic and bass intro, keyboards join on the verse, full band on verse 2, acoustic break before verse 3, backing vocals with reverb on chorus 2, acoustic, keyboards and bass on verse 4, the song builds on the bridge before the brief acoustic solo break, acoustic rings out on outro.

40:

Haunting piano with electric guitar intro leading into verse, bass joins on the verse, backing vocals on the chorus, piano break.

Even if you are not a fan of U2, you will be after hearing this. Upon listening, you will soon realise every track has a unique originality to its original version. It is a monumental effort to reimagine songs; looking at what I’ve written, you might consider it tedious, but far from it.

Song recommendations: ‘Two Hearts Beat as One’, ‘Beautiful Day’, ‘Vertigo’

9/10

Week 11: Miley Cyrus- Endless Summer Vacation

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I do not know how I first came to hear of Miley. I just knew she was the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, who had the early 90s country pop smash shit ‘Achey, Breaky Heart’. I also knew she played a character called Hannah Montana on some children’s television channel, and I believe she was also part of the infamous Disney Kids Club. I remember her appearing as Jake’s fling on Two and a Half Men. Now, as you can imagine, the music I have heard of hers is all that awful pop chart shite. But I have enjoyed her collaborations with DJs, and her country songs, which her vocals are better suited for. I also enjoyed her cover of ‘Nothing Else Matters’, which I reviewed on someone’s album. The name of the artist who collaborated with Miley to cover the popular Metallica songs escapes me now. I have so far avoided her cover of ‘Slideaway’ by Oasis. I have heard it’s good, but nothing beats the original or better.

So, “Endless Summer Vacation” certainly wasn’t the usual kind that Miley churns out; far from it. This album is not pretentious in any way. Miley reveals every detail about her marriage, divorce, embarking on a relationship, and other topics, with minimal swearing, which is a surprise.

I need clarification on why the opener “Flowers’ gets a raw deal. It is by far the best song on the record in both guises (The closer is a stripped-back demo version.). Again, I wasn’t expecting her to do a melancholic song over a disco stomper, which also throws in a strings section that deems this track a comparison to Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’. I like how the song is directed at Liam Hemsworth, but with the disco vibe, you are carried away by the uplifting instrumentation.

‘Jaded’ is the second track, and…wow! Fucking shoegaze? I never thought I’d hear Miley channel the War on Drugs or Slowdive. So, you got that floaty instrumentation over a synthesiser and Miley’s best vocals on the record. The topic concerns being in a dysfunctional relationship and how she is often at home waiting for her boyfriend (Now an ex, in this case.)to return from the bar after heading out in his car. However, he does not try to notify her of when he will return, so she is unaware. She is exhausted by his coping mechanism. Hence, why the chorus says, “You Leave me feeling jaded”.

The next song is ‘Rose Colored Lenses’, another shoegaze moment. ‘Thousand Miles’ follows, which features Brandi Carlile on co-vocals and acoustic guitar. This Americana track is about keeping your shit together when the head is all over the place. ”Handstand’ is a spoken word song with a synth and springs to life after the halfway point turning into electropop. Only then will the song have a lot going on.

‘Muddy Feet’ features Sia on both the song and the writing credits and sees Miley aim at a cheating ex. The delivery is raspy until she steps it up by telling him to “fuck off”.

‘Wildcard’ sees Miley explaining her imbalance in a relationship, saying that she wants it all and is fully committed, but she cannot guarantee that it will remain that intense. 

‘Island’ is a double-sided coin. It can mean feeling euphoric about finding someone, and then it can also mean feeling alone after breaking up with someone and longing for those moments.

On the outro, Miley has shown maturity on this album and discusses things she might have shied away from before. It certainly is an eye-opener to the honest Miley and not the one portrayed in the media.

Song recommendations: ‘Flowers’, ‘Flowers(Demo)”, ‘Jaded’

7/10

Week 10: the Lathums- From Nothing to a Little Bit More

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After the success of their debut album, it was always going to be a complex task to make the second record just as good or better than the debut. So many have yet to live up to the expectations of their debut because they gave everything to ensure they would spark instant attention, so they appear to fall short either through sheer panic or loss of creativity. Unfortunately, if the second album is a miss, the attention seems to dwindle, and you fall down the pecking order on the festival bill. After “How Beautiful Life Can Be”, could “From Nothing to a Little Bit More” live up to the expectations the fans and listeners demanded?

Well, although the album is more in-your-face this time. There is still that formula the band used from the debut. The biggest shock, despite being signed to his label, is the band hasn’t brought in the Coral’s James Kelly on production and opted for Jim Abiss, who produced the Artic Monkeys record “Whatever People Say I am, That’s What I’m Not” and of course “19” and “21” by Adele. As you can see from the albums mentioned that Jim has a good track record of producing brilliant records. The opener ‘the Struggle’ further proves Jim’s pedigree.

The song is about a relationship split, where once again, just like he did on the reflective tracks on the debut, Alex Moore bares his soul. It may be a slow song, but the tempo goes up in the chorus fit for the arenas and festivals they will be playing in shortly. A few fans think this is when Alex is at his best.

Four teasers were released before the album, and the consensus appears that the former is the best. However, I beg to differ. ‘Sad Face Baby’ sounds similar to the Stereophonics and a bombastic chorus where Alex belts it out. The same goes for ‘Say My Name’. Yes, reflective songs are good from time to time, but it is the energetic ones that get the crowd going, like the two mentioned above. 

You would have noticed upon listening that the album is packed with attitude and full-on rock. Still, as with any record and during live performances, the tempo inevitably drops to settle everyone down. ‘I Know Pt 1’ is a slow-tempo track with a plodding soft electric guitar, which reminded me of 50 rock or ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Brothers. It surprised me because I wasn’t expecting a band full of 20-somethings to use that concept. Many would struggle to know who Buddy Holly is, yet alone be able to know the kind of melodies adopted in that era. Then another slow one is ‘Lucky Bean’, and I could hear ‘Rotterdam’ by the Beautiful South.

Their albums are pretty balanced in their career so far. The attitude and reflective tracks share them. I do not see any issue with this, but some out there would rather have a record packed with energy and less reflective moments. It could be what the band is known for when they go into the studio. As long as it makes a live performance flow, who cares? 

It was a surprise when fan favourite ‘Crying Out’ didn’t make it on the debut, and it is even more of a surprise that the band included it on this album when the four-year-old song was not considered good enough before. The track in question is part acoustic, part electric. The song begins with Alex singing softly over an acoustic guitar before the song explodes, with Alex screaming out the vocals to match the tempo. Because the fans class it as their favourite, and it was well received on the ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’ tour, I imagine the band only felt it was right to include it on their second record.

Alex’s songwriting has improved since the debut, evident on the closer ‘Undeserving’, their ‘Champagne Supernova’ moment. The song is eight minutes. I prefer this to the debut. The songwriting is better, and the overall production will be brilliant when they promote on the road.

9/10

Song recommendations: ‘Sad Face Baby, ‘Lucky Bean’, ‘Crying out’

Week 9: Gorillaz- Cracker Island

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In 1998, just as Blur were heading towards a decade of “splitting up” (Of course, they reformed in 2009), their frontman Damon Albarn got together with Jamie Hewlett to come up with the concept of a virtual reality band complete with their little realm, which contains cartoon stories within their website, and videos. After a lengthy period in Japan designing the characters, et cetera, they would name the band Gorillaz consisting of 2-D on vocals and keyboards, Murdoc Niccals on bass, Noodle on guitar, keyboards and vocals and Russel Hobbs on drums (Pretty sure the drummers is named after an electrical appliance company) The band would hail from England, except for Russel who is American.

The original voice for Russel is now the band’s producer. Musicians and comedians also voice the characters. Damon and Jamie, the only human members in the band, started with the cartoons taking centre stage during the live shows, with screens blocking the human musicians. In 2005, the humans would become visible, albeit in the guise of a silhouette. Eventually, in 2010, Damon and Jamie would come out from behind the screens and bring the human musicians to the fore. Gorillaz has remained that way ever since, with the cartoons beaming on the backdrop screens.

It might prove a little tricky for Damon to tour “Cracker Island” as he is due to go on tour with his original Blur this year, where they will play a mammoth show at EE Stadium, Wembley, and several festivals across Europe. It’s a good job his other band, the Good, the Bad and the Queen, are on a hiatus, or he would never get some rest.

Gorillaz has had past members Paula Cracker, Cyborg Noodle, and Ace among the original and present members. They may not be everyone’s cup of green tea. Still, there is no disputing they have fans across the board, from the likes of Noel Gallagher, who has collaborated with them from the generation where blur and Oasis were popular, to Billie Eilish, who is the new generation who probably know very little about Blur’s prime. Billie invited Damon onstage at Coachella last year, where she confessed she is a fan of Gorillaz and performed ‘Feel Good Inc’ with the Gorillaz co-creator.

Many believe the band lost their way until 2017, with “Humanz” being hailed as the album where they got their mojo back, and it was praised for its experimentation. Since the critical acclaim for “Humanz”, Damon and Jamie have stuck to that path of having records with versatility. You have to look at the vast array of featured artists to see this, from Noel Gallagher, Elton John, Beck, Tame Impala, Robert Smith, Georgia, Peter Hook, De La Soul, Thundercat, Sweetie Irie, and the list goes on.

After “Humanz”, they followed that up a year later with “the Now Now”, an album described as lo-fi pop. Their previous record in 2020 was “Song Machine: Series One”, which had some far-out videos that complimented the far-out music. Once the band got the chance to take it out on the road the past two years, it was warmly received by fans and festival goers.

Gorillaz has already established its name and can afford the luxury of making a record safe or risky. It is not as good as “Song Machine: Series One”, but it is a polished album of psychedelia, indie, hip-hop, shoegaze, and reggae sprinkled with the unique sound of Gorillaz. It isn’t trying to be groundbreaking or needs to be. The opener is the title track, featuring a fantastic bassist I have been a fan of since 2017, a lad called Thundercat, known for playing a six-string bass with a jazz and hip-hop-infused flavour. For the title track, Thundercat brings the funk and jazz on his six-string bass played with his fast fingers, which he is known for. I cannot wait for Damon to invite him onstage to play this. Honestly, seeing him play bass is a sight to behold.

The last paragraph got too elongated, so I am continuing with the tracks in this one. My favourite is the next one, ‘New Gold’, featuring Tame Impala. This is quite psychedelic, and Kevin Parker brings a catchy chorus while Damon sings the verses. My only complaint with the record is that it needs to be longer, with a runtime of just over 37 minutes, which limits the number of guests. I was surprised to see Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks feature, but in all honesty, should I be? Gorillaz is known for obscure guests. Her appearance on ‘Oil’ synchronises with Damon’s vocals.

There is a surprise along the way with an element of Latin music on ‘Tormenta’; even the title adopts that. The track features Bad Bunny, who raps along in Spanish about how complicated love can be. The album is neither here nor there regarding structure. It is spontaneous. All the band cared about was making a polished, enjoyable album for both them and the listener. After hearing their records, you can see why they pull in the crowds on tour and at festivals. The band have always had a following, but towards the beginning, quite a majority, be it listeners or their peers, saw the band as a joke and novelty act, but fast forward to 2010 onwards, and the listeners and their peers could see that Damon and Jamie were fucking serious and professional about the band. They have worked with gospel choirs, strings and many well-known artists. Some of them doubted them in the early days and dismissed their professionalism. 

I found it a pleasing listen, and in a way, I was surprised by the production because I was expecting an album in the same vein as “Song Machine: Series One”. Instead, you get an eclectic range, and most surprising was shoe gaze, synonymous with Ride and Slowdive. The record closes with ‘Possession Island’ with Damon on mellotron and the brilliant Beck singing tenderly. We don’t hear his falsetto, but you listen to him sing melancholy sublimely.

Song recommendations: ‘New Gold’, ‘Cracker Island’, ‘Possession Island’

8/10

Week 8: P!nk- Trustfall

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After the 2017 album, “Beautiful Trauma”, this one would always have to raise its standards. P!nk has not had much success with her critics, who have mostly given mixed reviews, saying that her records lack the Punk we were introduced to in the early 2000s. That happened quite rapidly, as the first time we heard her, she was doing RnB, which attracted a fair few Garage producers to remix her songs. She has also been criticised for having children over ten years ago, being told that would ruin her career; P!nk believes that having children has made her more tender as an individual and changed her music style somewhat. As some people within her circle told her, it certainly didn’t end her career. She said before she had children, she felt alone in an industry where you spend most of your time in your presence out with the studio and touring.

“Beautiful Trauma” was given a challenging ride by her critics for being too conscious, the production, and her all-round maturity. Her previous album, “Hurts 2B Human”, which wasn’t as good as “Beautiful Trauma, was also panned by the critics because she spoke about her life as a mother and lacked a new perspective regarding the subject matters and the wall of the sound. They felt it was a typical P!nk record back in 2019.

“Trustfall” removes the chance of the critics jumping all over it because it is pretty experimental, ranging from ballads to dance. The record is quite reflective of her life so far. The opener is a track called ‘When I Get There’, which is a piano ballad, and her reflecting on her late father. It is my personal favourite on the album. Yes, it may be melancholic, but the tender notes and her delicate vocals make this a beautifully tragic song. A term I often use to describe my favourite Smiths song, ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out’. P!nk released a teaser for the record called ‘Never Gonna Not Dance Again’, which takes us into the dance with an element of pop. The critics favour it, but for me, it shows a fun side to her. It’s Katy Perry-esque. The title track sounds like a club track that will fill the floor and get a pull-up. I recently heard Noel Gallagher talking about, as you get older within music, you have to try not to do “dialling it in”. He means it gets more difficult to do the kind of music you could do when you had nothing. P!nk hasn’t “dialled it in”, and you can tell she cared about this album and was dedicated to ensuring it was more than good enough to release.

‘Feel Something’ is another highlight of the album where she questions whether she was ever ready to be married and start a family and how all your demons don’t just disappear once you do. Another of my favourites features the Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit. The track is called ‘Kids in Love’. A country ballad where P!nk does the first verse, followed by Klara in the second, with sister Johanna providing backing vocals on the chorus. The song is quite reflective as she looks back on the innocence of youth and the naïvety of falling in love. There are a few more emotional moments from P!nk with ‘Our Song’ and the ill-tempered ‘Hate Me’. The latter is just a “fuck you. I don’t care what you think. This is who I am” track. Bringing it back to the days of ‘So What’.

I also enjoyed ‘Long Way to Go’ featuring the Lumineers. Quite an unusual song for the country band, as it is entirely out of their comfort zone, but the combination works. I have seen this record getting panned (No surprise there.), but I am in utter disagreement with the critics, because the album is incredibly diverse, and not your generic P!nk record. There is a lot of maturity on display, and she has proven she isn’t just the polar opposite of her rivals in the early 2000s. She leaves you pondering about life and issues based on reality.

Song recommendations: ‘When I Get There’, ‘Kids in Love’,  ‘Long Way to Go’

8/10

Week 7: Paramore- This is Why

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I first heard of Paramore entirely by accident. I was playing Saints the Row Third, and when you complete the game, their song ‘Misery Business’ features on the end credits, and I have been a fan of that song ever since. The next song I heard of theirs was ‘Ignorance’ while co-Djing in 2010 with a rock enthusiast. I also downloaded another song on Rocksmith to learn on lead, rhythm and bass guitar. It is called ‘Now’ off their self-titled record from 2013. 

So, there is a conflict about when the band formed. Some say it was 2002, whereas others have said 2004. Hayley Williams and Zac Farro formed the band, with Taylor York joining as the drummer in 2007. Taylor also attended the same school as Hayley and Zac. The weirdest thing about the band is Zac and Taylor and the past members were all signed to Fueled by Ramen, whereas front girl Hayley Williams has been signed to Atlantic since she was a teenager. So even though the band itself is signed to Fueled by Ramen, Hayley isn’t. Despite this, Hayley has been ever present., and featured on all the albums to date.

The last we heard from Paramore was last October when they co-headlined at When We Were Young in Las Vegas alongside My Chemical Romance. The band played a couple of songs post-2013, but most of the setlist were their usual emotional rock anthems.

So you would expect this album to be full of the usual emo material, but surprisingly, to my amazement, no. It appears that last October was nothing more than keeping their cards close to their chests to ensure no one knew what to expect from “This is Why”. The opener, which happens to be the title track, hits you by surprise. Although we have the vicious lyrics that Hayley was known for in the past, this time, it is over a quintessential indie instrumental. I was like, “Where the fuck has this come from?” I was taken aback that Paramore sounded more like an indie band from these shores. Hayley said the album is inspired by Bloc Party, who they are fans of, but I wasn’t expecting it. Some songs have an element of the kind of indie Franz Ferdinand is known for.

Does their aggressive songwriting fit in with this new direction in sound? Yes, yes it does. Indie is known as a rebellious genre. ‘Running Out of Time’ fits aptly with that whole Franz Ferdinand sound I was telling you about in the previous paragraph, and ‘C’est Comma Ça’ probably many won’t agree with me, but the intro riff has a touch of Hard-Fi’s ‘Hard to Beat’. Maybe, after reading that, you might go back, and hear what I mean. All I can hear is Hard-Fi on that. Again, ‘ Big Man’ is an indie track with riffs that the French band Phoenix likes to use. Yes, Phoenix might experiment with their sound, but they are known for indie. I liked ‘Big Man’ for going into that indie element because Phoenix is an exciting band. The indie songs on this album also have that typical Bloc Party riff by Russell Lissack.

The record is an exciting listen. Of course, there are the usual Paramore tracks, but they are fleeting. The lyrics are old school yet wiser, the subject matters are more political, and Hayley’s vocals show a lady who cannot be labelled as that sweet yet angry girl anymore. She has ditched that on “This is Why” and has delivered more of her soul.

Of course, the album ends in typical fashion with ‘Thick Skull’, your standard Paramore track. Overall, I am looking forward to where they head sonically, but I cannot wait to hear these songs performed live. Will it work alongside their current setlist? We are about to find out if they fit.

Song recommendations: ‘C’est Comme Ça’, ‘Big Man’, ‘This is Why’

8/10

Week 6: Shania Twain- Queen of Me

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This is a continuation of her 2017 album regarding the subject matter. However, this time, Shania is in a better place and with a new husband. That story is the ultimate in shithousery. As you may well know, Shania’s husband was stolen by her best friend (I imagine she’s an ex-best friend now?); well, Shania returned the favour and is now married to her best friend’s ex-husband. One would call this sweet, sweet revenge. We cannot help who we fall in love with, but sometimes, there is a line, and her friend crossed it first. Anyway, the record is called ‘Queen of Me’, and denied RAYE’s “21st Century Blues” from being number one. I haven’t seen the figures, but it was extremely tight until the last hour of who would get it. Any of those two deserved the top spot. I am delighted all the same for Shania.

Shania stated that the album is about female empowerment. Yes, I agree, as she takes out her ex-husband and best friend throughout, but I am not sure where precisely what she said the record is about coming into it. It is an album about her situation only.

There are a few tracks like ‘Not just a Girl’ where she touches on feminism, but it is all too brief, and the lyrics are somewhat nebulous. Even more, her track ‘Best Friend’ could be more precise. It is difficult to decipher if a said friend, who has stuck by her all these years, is male or female. Shania doesn’t specifically say which.

A jaunty country-pop record is something Taylor Swift would do. That’s what I compared it to when I finished listening to “Queen of Me”. ‘Giddy up!’ opens the record, laying the foundations for the rest of the album. My favourite will come as no surprise, as it happens to be the same as many other writers, and that is ‘Pretty Liar’ I like the passion in her delivery and the explicit chorus to back up her anger towards her ex-husband.

The title track is probably the most unambiguous indication of feminism on the record, as Shania calls out all the pet names we men use for women, and she states that she doesn’t need a king because she is a queen.

It is harsh to say this, but most of the listen is a bit arduous. For instance, you have to go through songs with a lot of filler involved or just repeated lyrics. An example of the latter would be ‘Got it Good’ where she repeats ‘I got it Good’ too many times to keep count. She does plenty of harmonising on other tracks to fill empty space.

I have to say, I was disappointed with “Queen of Me” and feel that her previous record “, Now”, had plenty more going for it both sonically and lyrically. ‘Last Days of Summer’ is my second favourite, and it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the album. It belongs on her previous five albums, but certainly not this. For a start, it has a catchy hook, which Shania is famous for. Something that is pretty much lacking elsewhere on “Queen of Me”. I imagine those who bought/streamed/downloaded Shania’s record are quite disappointed that RAYE didn’t get the top spot. In hindsight, RAYE should have been number one. Her album has more substance and versatility to it. Shania’s sixth record is highly disappointing and, as I mentioned earlier, is devoid of her usual great songwriting.

Song recommendations: ‘Pretty Liar’, ‘Last Days of Summer’, ‘Best Friend’

6/10

Week 5: Sam Smith- Gloria

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As everyone who reads my reviews knows, I reviewed Sam’s last two albums, which were less than complimentary. Straight up, brutally honest about how they sounded the same as his debut. He left his comfort zone twice on the last record, and every song sounded like the previous. However, this time, I am pleased to inform you he has left his comfort zone when tackling new genres. He has, on the main, stuck with his usual falsetto vocals.

Sam has also changed his perspective on life since becoming happy with who he is, which is evident in the album. Yes, once again, it is conscious, but there are uplifting lyrics this time. He also has a few collaborations on the album with Ed Sheeran and Koffee, among others.

The record starts with ‘Love Me More’ delving into Sam’s love for Gospel. The lyrics themselves are pretty dark. I will now go into why the album has shown Sam a bit more diverse sound this time. First, I already mentioned the opener ‘Love Me More’. He dives into RnB with ‘Perfect’ and then into the disco-infused ‘Perfect, where he discovers how he has learnt to accept himself as whole.

The one that did take me by surprise was ‘Unholy’. It has a Grime quality to it, and to be honest, the song’s theme fits the music. Sam foretells about a family man who indulges in unprotected sex.

There are plenty of more RnB tracks or his usual piano ballads. This isn’t the best for me, but the disco floor filler ‘I’m Not Here to Make Friends’ is a standout on the record, and you can go right when you get Calvin Harris to produce the track. The great Nile Rodgers would be proud of this one.

My favourite, however, is something I wasn’t expecting as I’m not too fond of extremely short tracks. The title track is fucking excellent; Sam is accompanied by a choir, as each lyric elevates and reverberates around the church the song is performed in. The album closes with ‘Who We Love’, a soft and gentle duet with Ed Sheehan where they talk about giving you into your heart because it knows who we love.

Sam surprised me this time. I was impressed he experimented with other genres, and it made the listen fly by rather than dragging on.

Song recommendations: ‘Gloria’, ‘I’m Not Here to Make Friends’, ‘Unholy’

7/10

Week 4: the Reytons- What’s Rock n Roll?

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I fucking think it is fucking brilliant what the band have achieved without any label behind them and how it has now changed the landscape of music. RAYE is also releasing her debut album, “21st Century Blues”, next week after leaving her label, which gave her nothing but grief, and releasing it independently after just over a decade of waiting. Funnily enough, the band’s motto is “No backing, no label, all Reytons”. Of course, off the back of the success of the record, through social media postings and gigging, they are now signed. 

I vaguely knew who the band from Yorkshire was before I found out they were heading for the top of the chart. I am switched on to Indie UK and Irish twitter. I have discovered artists/bands like Fontaines DC, the Lathums, the Great Leslie, Forgotten Door, Skylights, Citylightz, Rianne Downey, and the Reytons. I must confess that I had yet to listen to any of the band’s tracks before discovering their album on their YouTube account. What struck me almost immediately was how much frontman Jonny Yerrell sounds like a young Alex Turner. Their wall of sound reminded me of the Arctic Monkeys in their early days. A very raw and in-your-face sound. Nothing polished, clean or sounding like the last two records by the Arctics.

I remember watching a documentary asking, “is Guitar Music Dead?” featuring Noel Gallagher, among others. Noel said it was, as well as Paul Weller, but Jehnny Beth from the Savages strongly disagreed. The music that has hit the top of the album chart since 2020 proves that guitar music is still alive. When you think about it, many genres use the guitar in their production, so it will never fade out, far less die. 

The Reytons are proving again with their second album and bringing back the type of indie which made you jump around and belt out songs like a soul possessed. I found out, upon research, that their name is the Yorkshire dialect for “right ones”. As I mentioned earlier, Jonny sounds like a young Alex Turner and even had the sarcasm to boot. The rest of the band played at 100 miles an hour, which, apart from the Arctics, could be compared to the Libertines in their prime. You will certainly enjoy yourself at their gigs, which will be explosive and over before you get a chance to catch your breath. The choruses are from another world, too. Catchy and full of energy, which will see a crowd surge towards the front barrier.

I can honestly say I fucking loved this album. The energy, the swagger, the conscious lyrics, the grandiose choruses, and just like their gigs, it is an explosive record that is over before you have realised. A fucking superb record. Truly outstanding.

Song recommendations: ‘Avalanche’, ‘Little Bastards’, ‘Cash in Hand & Fake IDs’

8/10

Week 3: Courteeners- St Jude (Reworked)

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Wow, oh fucking wow! 15 years! FIFTEEN YEARS! Since the original release of the band’s debut album, they finally made it to the summit (in 2008, it came in at No.4)with their re-worked version, which frontman Liam Fray announced at a gig they would return to the studio in 2020 to reimagine. 

Funnily enough, I was followed by Liam on twitter, but I think we had an argument over whether Oasis should return. Anyway, I liked the Courteeners when I first heard “Not Nineteen Forever’, which was heavily featured on Sky Sports show Goals on Sunday back then. Some fucking idiot said that ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ wouldn’t be heard of after a decade, let alone “St Jude” finally hitting the top spot. Not only is that fucking idiot wrong about the song, but the band did a monumental show at Heaton Park in their beloved Manchester at the end of the last decade. 

The band have also announced another show to take place at the same venue, and once again, it is a sell-out. When you watch the footage of the Heaton Park gig, you can see the band are in form and is not going away anytime soon. “St Jude” is why the band and Liam perform regularly. The record is a shit-or-bust attempt to remain mainstays or fade away like many bands who came out of that era. The album set them on their way; they have never looked back, and thousands attended their gigs singing back their anthems.

The original version of “St Jude” was met with mixed reviews, and even more so with the “Re: Wired” version, all of the songs done acoustically by Liam in 2018. They were more known in 2008 for being brash bigheads from Manchester and were not particularly liked by the media. Of course, they have grown up, and Liam has mellowed somewhat. He isn’t as outspoken as Jon McClure from Reverend and the Makers put it that way.

One noticeable thing was that the band refused to play it safe, with 12 unique-sounding tracks on the record. Unlike many who would have preferred to recycle the same old four chords, Courteeners had none of that and wanted to make the album as exciting and surprising as possible to the listeners. Back then, it wouldn’t have mattered if they did play it safe because the fans of nu-wave indie would have lapped it up regardless.

As with the original, the opener is “Aftershow, ” the track they open with at their gigs and a firm fan favourite. This is followed by ‘Cavorting’, your quintessential nu-wave indie track. When Liam originally wrote this, he was mentioned in the same breath as fellow Mancunians Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr for his songwriting ability. Quite some statement and a compliment. ‘What Took You So Long’ showed Liam’s ability to tell a fable from a unique viewpoint. The only complaint one would have with the record, even on the reworked version, which is sharper than the original, is that it has a lot of acoustic tracks, which brings down the mood far too frequently.

The album then comes back with the band crashing in with ‘if it Wasn’t for Me’, a song that sounded like it belonged in that era. The original version of “St Jude” was too clean, which pissed a lot of people off at the time. This time, however, there is more of an edge to it, but it still sounds relatively clean. More mature sounding. Ergo, rendering the reimagined version much better than the original. Released all those years ago 

Song recommendations: ‘Not Nineteen Forever’, ‘Aftershow’, ‘Kimberley’

8/10