Indie/Alternative Rock

Week 22: Liam Gallagher- C’mon You Know

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I remember when Liam promised us all a “Rock out with your chin out” album in reply to the mocking of his middle brother’s High Flying Birds albums (Or Low Flying Turds as he pathetically calls them), branding them “Songs you stroke your chin at”. Funnily enough, Liam has never delivered a “Rock out with your chin out” record, and he still hasn’t. This album is the same as the rest. They are like more sitting in the front room, stroking the cat on the sofa. It’s hard to believe that Liam used the “sore throat” excuse to get out of the MTV Unplugged with Oasis in the mid-90s. I wish I could find the quote from the book I read about that night when Noel took over vocal duties for the first time for an entire set (The second time would be in Dublin in 1997).

Unfortunately, I cannot locate the book at the moment, but it was known that Liam hated performing acoustic songs at the time. It’s quite funny when most of his songs like ‘Songbird’, ‘Pass Me Down the Wine’ and ‘Guess God Thinks I’m Abel’ are all acoustic songs written by Liam.

It’s pretty sad to see Liam letting his songwriting ability go to waste yet again when you consider that he has written songs like’ like ‘the Meaning of Soul’, ‘I’m Outta Time’, and ‘Ain’t Got Nothin’. He wrote these great songs in Oasis, so the ability is there. He doesn’t know how to use it. For “C’mon You Know”, he has once again employed Greg Kurstin, the Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, and Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig. You would think the latter two would improve this record, but no. Dave and Ezra’s talents have been wasted. Yes, this has elements of Oasis, but also a sound more akin to the late Bo Diddley, but overall, it is lacking. The lyrical content is once again cringeworthy. I mean, it is a nursery rhyme level. When I heard some of the lyrics, I shuddered.

‘World’s in Need’ reminded me of the late Bo Diddley’s songs, but it doesn’t do his songs justice. The album has some good moments, like the Dave Grohl penned ‘Everything’s Electric’. However, Dave’s song is ruined by Liam’s nursery rhymes. Many complain about this album because Liam dares to experiment, but I welcome it. It is just a shame about the rest of it. 

Considering it was made in the studio, I found it surprising how ropey his vocals were. Usually, with the software available in the studio, you can make a person who cannot sing a note sound polished, so I was surprised to hear him sounding so ropey. Some won’t like this review, but I don’t care. The best thing about the record is if Liam wasn’t on it.

Ropey vocals and poor lyrics. However, the production is quite good. I would enjoy an instrumental version of this.

As for seeing him live? I would opt for Stop the Clocks if I wanted to see an Oasis tribute act. I am not interested in hearing Oasis songs (Mainly his brother’s, who he slags off at every turn)when I was there in the moment. That moment has passed. Would anyone go to see him if he didn’t perform Oasis songs? Let’s face it; his solo material is nothing to write home about. You might like “C’mon You Know” if you are a Liam fan. It certainly isn’t for you if you are not or casually listening.

Song recommendations: ‘Everything’s Electric’, ‘World’s in Need’

5/10

Week 21: Harry Styles- Harry’s House

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I expect this to be a short review, but we will see where the mood takes me. I reviewed his first album in 2017 and said it surprised me. He seemed to shun everything One Direction and head into Indie and Rock for his second record. On the same level as Niall Horan? Well, that’s hard to say. Niall is naturally a fan of the Indie scene. His third offering, “Harry’s House”, is a bit of a mixed bag of Indie, funk, and folk to show he is quite capable of being a versatile artist.

I found it quite funny that the opener and teaser were named after a Liam Gallagher documentary about his “As You Were”tour. The single happens to be called ‘As it Was’; honestly, it isn’t great. The song’s premise, according to Harry, was how the pandemic has changed the world and how we are not the same individuals that we were before. 

This can be found in the lyrics, so what it lacks instrumentally makes up for lyrically.

Upon the end of One Direction (For now.), Harry could have continued to make that kind of music, but he opted to draw on his influences across a vast array of genres, and as mentioned earlier, “Harry’s House” focuses on funk, folk, and a little indie.

Let’s talk about ‘Matilda’, an acoustic song where the subject matter is a male. This is based on an experience of Harry’s, who is begging his girlfriend to leave her family life because she is being mistreated. The girlfriend is Matilda. He showcases his poetry prowess on ‘Satellite’ and ‘Cinema’. 

What I like about “Harry’s House”, although it tends to get boring after the halfway mark, is that he doesn’t appear to give a shit about making chart-friendly songs. This album showcases his versatility, and it seems more of a deep conversation with Harry than generic pop for the sake of it. 

As I said, this would be a short(ish)review, and I have nothing more to say save that the best part of the record is before the halfway mark. 

After that, the album loses its power and your interest.

Song recommendations: ‘Music for a Sushi Restaurant’, ‘Little Freak’, ‘Matilda’

6/10

Week 18: Blossoms- Ribbon Around the Bomb

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The title of their fourth album is based on the character “the Writer”, created by the late artist Frida Kahlo, so you might say that Coldplay has inspired the band as they used a title inspired by her. 


As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, this is the band’s fourth album, but over six years, showing that the band is eager to release albums regularly. As you may recall, I reviewed their previous record, ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’, in 2020 (I think). They put out shoegaze music that somehow sounds in the now. Remember that they managed to sell out small venues before they were signed, which is some achievement. Unlike most shoegaze bands, they sound entirely different from Slowdive and Ride.


As usual, the band sticks to what they know. Why would they take risks with the following they have garnered and the sound being so booming? They are still selling out venues on tour. I am sure they will eventually, but it doesn’t matter because no one is bored of their sound. “Ribbon Around the Bomb” starts and ends with short instrumentals, which, as you know, are a waste of time. My favourite has to be ‘the Sulking Poet’, especially the piano version on the bonus disc. There’s something beautiful about hearing it stripped back with Tom’s delicate vocals and the catchy hook: ‘Ooh la la, ooh la la, ooh la la Juliet’. You think, “What the fuck?” but it sucks you in, and trust me, it doesn’t leave your head for quite a while after. 


It is Tom’s vocals that make the album. Most of the album is layered with strings, guitar over synths, and Tom’s delicate vocals. I cannot recall when he used any form of aggression, which makes the record a blissful listen.

Unlike their previous three records, one noticeable thing is that the standouts are not found in the singles. For example, ‘Born Wild’ and ‘Cinerama Holy Days’ are songs you would find on a single’s b-side, and they might be in the future. They are light and dreamy. ‘Everything About You’ is clearly about Tom’s girlfriend, who I believe is the sister of one of his fellow band members. I remember seeing a documentary recently about them playing at Stockport County’s ground, which was mentioned. ‘Visions’ is the longest track on the album, seven minutes long, where Tom talks about how he has changed from a youngster with a devil-may-care attitude into a mature husband. It makes the previous sentence redundant now.


If you are a fan of Blossoms like I have been since I heard ‘Charlemagne’ and happen to see them support the Stone Roses at EE Wembley, then the way this record sounds makes no difference, nor do I feel the band wanted your perception of them to alter. It is a quintessential Blossoms album. However, I preferred the bonus disc, ten songs stripped back with Tom’s delicate vocals accompanying the piano.


Song recommendations: ‘the Sulking Poet’, ‘Cinerama Holy Days’, ‘Visions’


7/10

Week 17: Fontaines D.C.- Skinty Fia

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As you might recall, I wrote a review of their second album, “A Hero’s Death”, by accident. As you know, I write a review for the number one album each week or whenever a new one is on the top spot. Well, this particular week back in 2020, the Irish band were on course for the top spot, but the previous number one held them off. However, I wrote a review on “A Hero’s Death” because it was more or less certain on the back of this information. I listened to the record, wrote my review a day later, and uploaded it the following day. It’s nice to know I will not need to do a bit of background to introduce you to the lads from Dublin. I will, though, do something I have yet to do so far.

As you know, I have done track-by-track reviews, summary track-by-track reviews, and plain old, elongated reviews. I will do essential track reviews on the tracks I enjoyed this time. The album consists of ten tracks. I will write a review, long or short, on the highlights of “Skinty Fia”:

In ár gCroíthe go deo: 

This track opens the album and translates as “In Our Hearts Forever”. It’s nice to see some Gaeilge used by a band, particularly from Ireland. It has been a while since I’ve seen Gaeilge used by Irish bands, unless it is Clannad or the like. This song is steeped in Irish history—the song protests against the English who invaded Ireland 800 or more years ago. The band’s instrumentalists provide backing vocals, repeating the track title repeatedly as Grian enters over a glum and sinister bassline. The song is based on the event of Maggie Keane, who wanted a Celtic cross with the track name inscribed on the headstone. However, the occupying British Army brought the Church of England over, which denied Maggie’s request. Their reason is that the message was written in the native language, which would lead to political connotations. Despite this, the Irish courts ruled in favour of Maggie’s family. The band felt the song epitomises how the natives still need to fight for their identity. From the outset, the band have decided to go political. If that makes some of you uncomfortable because they want to talk about the occupation of Ireland, then stop reading this review and give the album a miss. 


Big Shot:


As you may well know, the Dubliners have moved across the sea to London, and this song reflects that. Whereas Dublin still has opportunities to expand, the band’s move to London has opened up more avenues than were on offer back in their native Dublin. The band can pursue their dream of being the best by moving across the sea. For example, look at some of these lyrics: “I travelled to Space”, found the moon too small, and home is a pin, rusting through a map, I go there to pray, do my resting at mass”. What Grian is saying, from what I can decipher, is that they have travelled around Ireland, but it isn’t enough to achieve their dream. Despite being a big city, Dublin is nothing compared to the other cities they have played in worldwide. They only return to Dublin when there is a break during touring (Or the tour has ended.) and attend mass. The last line, I believe to be they only have time to reflect and relax away from music when they go to mass (I am also Catholic like the lads, and you feel far from relaxed at mass. It feels like you are in the dock listening to a judge telling you how guilty you are.)


Jackie Down the Line: 


Another political track. I will explain why briefly, but this song is the opposite of ‘Big Shot’. The band talks about why they are proud to be from Dublin (In the title sense, at least.). The song has an Indie 90s feel to it. “Jackie” is a variation of “Jackeen”. This is a derogatory term used by people outwith of Dublin. A Jackeen is someone who has become an “Irish Brit”. They have embraced the British culture and have become flag-wavers of the Union Jack. I first heard this track on the Late Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. It featured a steady drumbeat, acoustic guitar, and a reverb effect on Conor Curley’s electric guitar—a method used by his counterpart Edge from U2. The song talks about a woman named Sally, a toxic male killed. I haven’t looked into the case, but it highlights that there is still this problem of men attacking women in Ireland. Indeed, Grian’s vocals are melancholic. You can hear his soul slide away during the verses as he foretells the fable.


I Love You: 


So far, I haven’t heard anything like the punk-infused songs I had heard on their previous albums, and this track was no different. This time, the band took influences from Joy Division, New Order, and the Cure. It reminded me of a darker version of ‘Blue Monday’. Why? It wasn’t quite a dance track but had that Peter Hook bassline. I am sure I have seen Deego sporting a t-shirt of all the bands before now. So, it is no surprise he has added Peter Hook and Simon Gallup basslines. The subject revolves around the Irish youth, how they are shackled by capitalism and religion, how the lockdown has affected their well-being and the sinking feeling of what the future holds. At the same time, while trapped in this current situation. Grian’s delivery is spot-on for the subject. He delivers the vocals with ferocious anger as he addresses the issues and describes how he felt growing up in that situation.


Bloomsday: 


It leads off from ‘I Love You’ because it, too, is dark. This time, however, it goes even more profound and sinister. Again, over this gloomy instrumentation, Grian’s delivery is perfect. His lyrics sound like a man talking with a soft and melancholic tone. Again, Grian highlights the lack of hope for the youth in Ireland, particularly in his native Dublin.


Skinty Fia:


 As you can tell by the name, this is the title track. Does it move away from the previous two songs about Dublin? The answer is no. The song can be described as darkwave over a low bassline as Grian talks about Dublin’s shortcomings.


Roman Holiday: 


Unlike, let’s call it the Doomed Dublin trilogy, this song is more upbeat and has a message of hope. Once again, the guitar effect Edge uses is utilised by Curley over a stark bassline and fragmented percussion. The song is quite apt with the current war in Eastern Europe. It is about a couple moving to Dublin who can be welcomed and make it their home, which Ukrainian refugees have been doing in Dublin and all over Europe. Even though you are not from Ireland, you can still embrace it and have an Irish heart. I first heard this at Alexandra Palace on the current tour.


the Couple Across the Way: 


In one of the quieter moments on the record, Grian sings alone, accompanied by an accordion and piano. Grian tells the story of looking out of his window and narrating a typical day in the life of his neighbours adjacent. He has never spoken to them to find out their names or interests. He observes them argue, make up, and repeat the cycle daily. He opts to assume the role of one half of the couple as the song nears the end and the story becomes more straightforward.


Nabokov: 

The album closer has a Verve air about it. Like the Verve, the track is melancholic, but Fontaines DC adds a fast tempo, whereas the Verve would opt for a plodding one. For those of you who are learned readers, you would have probably detected the song title is by a novelist, and just like in one of Nabokov’s books, the character in the track depicts that of Lolita—a lady who no longer feels optimistic and is fed up with being downtrodden. The only way out of the situation to end the pain is to take her own life. That sentiment is expressed in the lyrics “I did you a favour, I bled myself dry, ” as Grian delivers it, seemingly depicting the character screaming angrily. Some might say it is a dark and sinister way to close out, but the band have never been one to abide by the laws. They have always gone against the grain and diced with danger, which has worked since they started playing. Unlike “Dogrel” and “A Hero’s Death”, “Skinty Fia” has been sobering to listen to, and the subjects on offer invoke all the emotions we feel. The record also goes deep into our imaginations.


Song recommendations: ‘Jackie Down the Line’, ‘the Couple Across the Way’, ‘Roman Holiday’


9/10

Week 11: Rex Orange County- WHO CARES?

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I first came across Alex O’Connor, or Rex Orange County, while playing FIFA 18 and his song ‘Never Enough’. I liked it, but I was invested in setting up the squad, tactics, formation, and playing the game rather than paying attention to the songs. The next time I came across him on Later…with Jools Holland in autumn 2019. I only knew who he was once I heard his vocals. Why? Because on FIFA 18, I avoid looking at who the songs are by. If they sound good, I keep them, and if they sound shit, well… they go. I was impressed by his live performances of the songs and then sought out his live performances via YouTube. I was further impressed and added him to my gargantuan list of artists/bands I like. Apparently, in the 21st century, he is like Paul McCartney to the kids. It is a stretch, but there is no doubt that Rex is talented.




The first thing that struck me about Rex’s fourth album, “Who Cares?” was how short it was. Before listening, I saw that the total time was under 35 minutes. I have heard records this long, so songs can be uploaded for teasing videos to Tik-Tok, and therefore, get those watching to buy and download the stream. It is a clever marketing strategy, but an album should be an album to me. From what I witnessed, those who use TikTok usually have a short attention span. 


An album was designed to be a long play and hold your concentration. My highlight was ‘OPEN A WINDOW’ with Tyler the Creator.




The album is happy-go-lucky, as usual. Something Rex is known for. Of course, there are moments of swearing and some songs about his recent split, but overall, Rex remains. It isn’t necessarily bad, but maybe Rex needs to face adversity to bring out the all-rounder we know that is hidden within him.




Song recommendations: ‘OPEN A WINDOW’, ‘ONE IN A MILLION’, ‘THE SHADE’

Week 10: Stereophonics- Oochya!

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I have been a fan of the Phonics since their first appearance on CD: UK(Countdown United Kingdom) in 1998 (I think.)Performing ‘the Bartender and the Thief’. The first thing that struck me was the guitar of the frontman and chief songwriter, Kelly Jones. A red Gibson SG. The only other person around the latter end of this Indie mad era I can recall using one was Paul Weller. That was the only reason I watched the performance on that early Saturday afternoon in the first place. At that time, plenty were in circulation due to Oasis making it ‘cool’ again. However, Kelly’s raspy vocals stood out; I found them different from the bands around then. Most of the newer bands tried to be Oasis, but the Phonics with Kelly’s vocals were pathing their own way to notoriety. 




Amazingly, they have amassed twelve albums from their debut, “Performances and Cocktails”. Their debut produced hits such as ‘Just Looking’., ‘Hurry up and Wait’, ‘the Bartender and the Thief’, ‘Pick a Part that’s New'(My favourite.), and ‘I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio’. Anyway, that’s off track. Let’s talk about their current record, “Oochya!”. The cover is the first thing that caught my attention, and it resembles Green Day’s 1994 album “Dookie”. The opener is ‘Hanging on Your Hinges’, which sounds like it was recorded live in the studio. What do I mean by this? Well, bands like the Phonics back in the 90s and years before used to record a performance rather than the method used today of stopping and starting to edit out mistakes. Everything was recorded in analogue back then, which would be a pain in the arse to edit because you would have to cut segments of the tape. This is why bands and musicians from the analogue decades are masters. They mastered the ability to record performances with minimal mistakes. Indeed, it made them sharper and tighter when performing on tour. 


Apart from that, I noticed that the band didn’t resemble their usual sound. Almost immediately, I noticed a rather LCD Soundsystem song. I enjoyed it, but it left me intrigued about where the album would go next. I was expecting a grand Phonics-esque entrance.




However, over the remaining 14 tracks, the record trends common ground. So far, it is one of the longest albums I have heard this year, clocking in at 64 minutes and 12 seconds. The band are back to what you heard on “Performances and Cocktails”. Some have said it is a bit long, but I enjoyed that the Phonics returned to their electric guitar-laden roots. The records of late have been full of ballads and have been on a more reflective side. Although most of Kelly’s songs are quite cynical, the bombastic instrumentation gives it an upbeat feeling. 


Kelly’s good friend Noel Gallagher is also a master of pulling that off. Something they both would have learned from Johnny Marr.




Of course, the album has some slower-paced tracks like ‘Right Place Right Time’ and ‘When You See it’. The latter is better for its resemblance to ‘Have a Nice Day’ with Kelly’s raspy vocals, the carefree yet melodic strumming of the acoustic guitar, and the steady drums to give the song flesh around the bones. 




Like every band trying to capture past glories, “Oochya!” doesn’t quite get there. We associate Kelly’s vocals with raspy and rough, but on this, he does change tact, like on ‘Running Round My Brain’, where he changes up to Blues. It almost sounds like a song associated with the likes of Cody Johnson (A country star for those unfamiliar.)After all, it is challenging to find that winning formula you started with.




Again, even though recorded live, ‘Don’t Know What Ya Got’ stays on that Country path, remaining chilled out and with a Stereophonics originality, which lies solely with Kelly’s vocals. 


The band probably sounded like any band then, but Kelly’s vocals stood out. 




Apart from that LCD Soundsystem moment, the band are trying to re-capture what they had on their debut rather than moving forward. Now, this is good and bad because the good is there are no shit songs or songs that much out of place, and the bad. After all, they have yet to try to flirt with new concepts. I love the Phonics, so this is fine with me. I know they have experimented before, so as the Embrace song title says, “Come Back to What You Know”. 




Song recommendations: ‘Close Enough to Drive Home’, ‘When You See it’, ‘Hanging on Your Hinges’




7/10

Week 6: Bastille- Give Me the Future

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This is a band I heard initially without even knowing who they were. I only knew once I saw them appear on Later…withJools Holland back in 2013 (I think.). Before then, I didn’t know much about them, and the songs I had heard without knowing who they were neither excited nor annoyed me. I remember Noel Gallagher said, “If Bastille had been around in the 90s, they would have been finished.”…now, I like Noel Gallagher, as regular readers know, but although it probably would have been true with the music around back then, I quite like Bastille. My opinion of Dan Smith and company changed after seeing them at Glastonbury, reading about them, and watching a few concerts on YouTube. Dan knows how to work with the audience, and they put on a great show. ‘Pompeii’ used to drive me around the bend, but that grew on me. I am often caught whistling or singing the chorus when I hear it.

“Give Me the Future” is their latest and fourth album, which has already amassed five singles. That is just below half of the record itself. Once again, Bastille plays it safe (Sort of.)with their usual songs, but there are some elements of new creativity. For example, the opening track ‘Distorted Light Beam’ takes some influences from the defunct French Houseoutfit Daft Punk, which is quite apt due to the band’s name. 

According to reports, Dan Smith began embarking on this album before the pandemic started and flirted with the idea of combining Bastille’s sound with elements of futuristic sounds. At the same time, you could argue that it takes something from the 80s. However, due to what has happened since 2020 or late 2019, Dan’s idea of this record has seen fact and fiction become convoluted, to say the least. Everything we believed to be fiction through music might be a reality now. At the moment, no one within any industry knows what is inevitable. We have seen the world shut down during these testing times despite it still spinning. Immense industries have seen companies and businesses suffer or fall, and music artists like Bastille suffered heavily because they could no longer go on tour worldwide. Some music artists signed just before the pandemic or after suffered even more. So, at the moment, it is no surprise a fair chunk of people look at the future with caution in mind. In “Give Me the Future”, Bastille takes all of that away and looks to embrace whatever happens in the future.

As usual, the band set the stall out with their dancefloor fillers to give the listener a chance to escape from what was happening and lose themselves as they mentally picture themselves enjoying life in the club again. We are gradually getting back tothose days and nights, but listening to music that propels us back to those feelings is excellent. Bastille have always beenknown for their hard-hitting subjects shrouded in upbeat instrumentation, and they have done just that yet again. The lyrics are pretty dark, but the instrumentation diverts your attention. For example, in the Daft Punk-Esque opener ‘Distorted Light Beam,’ Dan says, ‘It isn’t enough, if this is real life, I’ll stick to dreaming, come see what I see.’ That is powerful. No one can deny that that lyric reverberates the current feelings the majority of us have. I’d rather escape from the trappings of reality and stay in a dream just for my sanity. My standout has to be ‘Promises’, which is Spoken Word performed by Riz Ahmed over strings and other instrumentation. Why ‘Promises’? I am a spoken word artist, so for that reason alone. I love to hear what poets have to say. Of course, I like other tracks on the album, like ‘No Bad Days’, the title track, and ‘Future Holds’. The latter features Bim, who you will be familiar with if you attend Bastille concerts. Her rich vocals complement Dan’s on the uplifting closer with a message of hope about who cares about the future as long as we all have someone to love and care for us.


The album is also structured cleverly. The listener goes on an adventure where they will be lost but find themselves again. Now, this could be explained by Dan’s love of cinema. He wants the songs to be a cinematic experience rather than music-related. I only know a few bands or artists that use the method. Most tell a story, but not in this manner. I can only think of Clannad or London Grammar in recent times. “Give Me the Future” wasn’t made to pick out tracks and listen randomly, but to listen from start to finish due to the cinematic nature. 


Yes, you can listen to any tracks you like. I mean, that’s your choice, but it takes away the premise of the record. Is it their best? Well, it’s up there. Although, it is bloody short for a Long Play. The longest is the title track at 3:39. One thing I will say is, going back to “is it their best?” is that it is incredibly creative, and they have moved with that but have still kept that distinct sound we associate with the band. So, they have yet to complete 360 and lose their identity.


It’s pleasant to listen to an album that gives you hope about the future rather than being bogged down and depressed by the shit we are surrounded by. The record is uplifting and sends you off into a dream. 

The attitude adopted by Bastille is one of “Fuck it. Let’s have fun while the world is falling apart”.




Song recommendations: ‘Promises’, ‘Give Me the Future’, ‘Distorted Light Beam’




8/10

Week 3: the Wombats- Fix Yourself, Not the World

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I remember becoming a fan of their music after their mid-2000 songs ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ and ‘I’m Moving to New York’. I heard the latter during the Christmas months while working at a supermarket. 


Anyway, there’s something unique about this album. Only a few artists have done this, from what I recall. Queen, David Bowie, Eminem and Ed Sheeran. The ability to record while not in the same studio as other band members or collaborators. That is what the Wombats have achieved with this record. The band members are in three different countries. Usually, it is just the one, but no.

Wombats did it with band members in three! Which makes “Fix Yourself, Not the World” quite spectacular. The concept is quite good as well. I mean, the title rings true. Some things are beyond our control, for example, the shit state the world is in currently. I am from the British Isles, so I can see how shit it is now and probably foreseeable. However, even though we can’t fix the world, we can indeed fix ourselves. Primarily, that should be our top priority. As they say, don’t sweat the small stuff. If we can look after ourselves mentally, our well-being is better. So, an exciting title catches your attention and makes you wonder what the album’s premise will be. I heard many experimental sounds and the band trying to reinvent themselves from that “typical indie” with which they had been labelled and saw them stagnate somewhat. I’ve always liked their music, but they did get relatively comfortable staying in one direction.


Be patient with some tracks they have experimented with because they might appear dull or alien to what you usually expect from them. For example, the title track is weird. You cannot tell it is a title track because it seems like a regular track on the album. It doesn’t scream title track. I loved the lyrical content within and the harsh message it delivered. There are plenty that are ready for the upcoming tour. 


However, the title track was not supposed to stand out judging by the length. It acts more like an outro. Some tracks are gloomy, like ‘Everything I Love is Going to Die’, a Smiths-esque title with the content and melody to fit in. The front cover was attractive. Funnily enough, I was looking for Wally among the artwork. I wish I could write more, but after being quite excited to hear it, it was an anti-climax.


Song recommendations: ‘Ready for the High’, ‘People Don’t Change People, Times Does’, ‘Everything I Love is Going to Die’


5/10

Week 46: Taylor Swift- Red (Taylor’s Version)

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Unless you have been living under a rock, you will know that Taylor Swift was being held to ransom by Scooter Braun over her original masters for her past albums. To combat this, Taylor has decided to re-record the records, which are more enhanced versions of the original albums; over her years of experience as an artist, “Red (Taylor’s Version) is the second instalment of the re-worked records. Initially, the album was released in 2012.

Now, you would have thought that the interest from her fans or just generic listeners of hers wouldn’t bother listening to or buying an album they already have, but no, you would be wrong. I didn’t listen to the original record, but I did listen to a fair chunk of the songs through going shopping, listening to the radio, or watching television. The songs are far more enhanced now and better for it. Her vocals are more mature and softer. In the originals, Taylor sounds raw and angry. On these re-works so far, she has been far calmer. The production and the featured artists show that Taylor is savvier than she was as a youngster.

The immense excitement generated for this album’s release was the 10-minute version (That closes the record.) of ‘All too Well’. Her fans have known it, but the track was unreleased until this album came out. The song is about her brief relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, which led to a heartbreaking split in 2010. The record also opens with the original shorter version of the same song, albeit more enhanced.

Unlike the original, the extended version includes anecdotes about how the breakup ruined her 21st birthday, and she scathes at the age difference between them. Taylor asks Jake if the split also hurts as the track fades out with haunting layered vocals. The track didn’t make me cry, but that might not happen with you. It is quite a challenging listen, but as mentioned before, Taylor remains measured with her vocals rather than spitting venom.

Of course, an added incentive to buy these reworks is the “From the Vault” tracks. Of course, as mentioned in my review earlier in the year, these songs are album tracks from those sessions. These sessions would include ‘All too Well (Extended Version)’, ‘I Bet You Think About Me’, ‘Run’ featuring Ed Sheeran, ‘Nothing New’ with Phoebe Bridgers and many others.

I enjoyed the refined version of ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’. It sounded familiar, but yet an entirely different track from the original. The production is more sophisticated, so any distortion has been cancelled out. I remember hearing this soft Dubstep track with a tinge of distortion, or maybe that’s just me. There are even tracks such as ‘Stay Stay Stay’ and ‘the Last Time’ featuring Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody that tended to be overlooked and have been given a new lease of life on this version, with Taylor taking it back to her country roots.

I will have to concede that this version of “Red” is far superior to the original because Taylor’s vocals are more refined and measured, plus the production is crispier. Taylor’s confidence has grown over the years of being an artist, and this re-work certainly shows it.

Song recommendations: ‘the Last Time’, ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’, ‘Everything Has Changed’

8/10

Week 39: the Lathums- How Beautiful Life Can Be

~ honestopinions19 ~ Leave a comment

I have heard of this four-piece band from Wigan (Yes, the same place as the Verve.)since 2016. So, I know an awful lot about them through followers on Twitter. They used to post videos of the band and do polls on the next up-and-coming talent. Indeed, I wasn’t unfamiliar with the Lathums when listening, but I was excited to hear what their album would be like. It was like I did with the Snuts I mentioned before; I also knew of them before their debut record was released. Frontman Alex Moore has also worked with someone else I knew through Twitter followers, and I have personally engaged with the highly talented Rianne Downey (Look out for her. She’s only just getting started in the mainstream.).

Unfortunately, the Lathums signed just before the pandemic hit, so instead of spending most of 2020 touring, they had to find other ways to get their music across. The band hadn’t been out on the road doing arenas and festivals before this year save for their 2019 appearance at Kendal Calling at the request of the Charlatans frontman, Tim Burgess. The band played in small venues like public houses before this year. The biggest being their local called the Crown.

One pro from the pandemic, and with everything locked down, was that the band could focus entirely on the writing and the sound without any distractions. The title has a hint of irony about it because the record is quite melancholic. Of course, that is alright because the likes of the Smiths and Oasis pulled it off well. They made the melancholy blend into relatively upbeat instrumentals. Alex has said that sadness encourages him to write because it is hard for him to write when he isn’t feeling sad. He believes that writing while feeling down in the early days gave him the ability to connect emotionally once turned into a song. It wouldn’t surprise me if Alex were a fan of the Smiths.

Coral’s frontman, James Skelly, is on production, and of course, James brings his band into the sound, but I can also hear the Smiths, the Libertines, and Space, who are from Skelly’s native Liverpool. Alex looks like Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson from of Monsters and Men, but they also sound vocally alike in some ways. However, Alex has his unique style and is more soulful than Raggi. You could also assume Alex sounds a bit like Marcus Mumford because Raggi does, too. 

The album opens with ‘Circles of Faith’, and despite its upbeat nature, my ear was immediately drawn to how much it sounded like the Smiths. Some might argue it is more like the Stone Roses, but I do not share that opinion. I also felt the same on ‘Fight on’ and several more on the record. The latter is full of heart-wrenching lyrics like, “There are tears in my eyes as I am forced to fight against an occupation. One greater than I”. This is a pop at the establishment, and many of us in the arts feel this way. I also found the band got political on ‘the Great Escape’ as well.

Things start to get calmer on ‘I’ll Get By’ as the acoustic guitar appears and the Lathums go more folk. As usual with that genre, the song reflects on mistakes made during a relationship and how you need your significant other to save you from feeling pain. ‘I Won’t Lie’ reminded me of the Libertines. Can I elaborate? I am not sure I can because the Libertines have always played at that tempo most of the time. It sounds like the kind of song associated with the Libertines. Then, ‘I See Your Ghost’…well, from a band from Wigan, it has its roots in Liverpool. It’s uncanny how much it sounds like them. As I mentioned earlier, there is an element of Space somewhere in the record, and this is it. 

Again, you have heard that adage, “Where is all the guitar music?” as mentioned in the Snuts review, it is here. It’s all here: the Lathums, the Snuts, Citylightz, Skylights, HoneyMotel, the Crooks, Rivieras. Even Rianne Downey is going to take the British folk scene by storm. Just open your ears, and you will find that guitar music isn’t dead.

Song recommendations: ‘the Great Escape’, ‘I Won’t Lie’, ‘I See Your Ghost’

9/10