Well, there’s no need to do a brief introduction on this Californian band. I have already reviewed their previous two albums, which I immensely enjoyed. However, their third record since 2017 has left me somewhat cold. It is in the same vein as “Sam’s Town”. It’s less of an album and more of a short story set to music. What exactly do I mean? It’s on novels by Steinbeck and Sherwood Anderson (If you know your books, they will sound familiar to you. However, I only read autobiographies as fiction bores me.) The record celebrates working-class America in the small towns and their fight against capitalism that is destroying their resources piece by piece.
It’s weird when the band is from a big city on the West Coast riddled with celebrity and materialism. The lyrics detail America’s small towns soberly against a backdrop of country music. Indeed, it’s not a typical record by the band. When you think of the Killers, your go-to is synths and guitars. In some ways, the band must be applauded for calling out the capitalists for how they are killing the small towns. Seeing music ready to call out those who deserve to be named and shamed is always refreshing. I love the arts because they were built onanti-establishmentarianism and give a voice to the oppressed.
Am I contradicting myself? Maybe a little bit. I wasn’t a fan of the slow tempo and melancholic melodies you would associate with Brandon’s heroes,the Smiths, but the lyrics are lovely and thought-provoking. It isn’t always about the music. Sometimes, it’s about the topics, lyrical content or a combination of all three factors.
“Pressure Machine” will probably not be well received by the casual listener of the band like myself. Still, I can imagine the hardcore element will find this newish approach just another side of the Killers. It’s not an album that willbe “trendy”. Fair play to them for going in-depth on the plight of the working class in America and feeling passionately enough to go against the grain and make music with it.
When you listen to the lyrics, they don’t jump at you in the form of a song, but more like you were reading poetry. I have heard some describe “Pressure Machine” as quite “catchy”, but honestly, I didn’t sense what the Killers are known for. No hooks and no catchy choruses. To be brutally blunt, I found myself drifting off when listening. It certainly isn’t going to increase their fan base, but what it lacks sonically, it makes up for with the lyrics and the topic. I struggled with song recommendations, but fear not; I did manage to compile the usual three.
Song recommendations: ‘West Hills’, ‘Runaway Horses’, ‘Pressure Machine’
Will Young was first discovered after appearing on ITV’s music talent show, Pop Idol, in 2002(2001?),where he came up head-to-head with the red-hot favourite Gareth Gates. Both performed versions of ‘Evergreen’, which the lucky winner would have released as their debut single. Surprisingly, Will won, and one newspaper did a mock story of how his life would pan out. They said he would have many children with Katie Price…well, he came out as gay not long after winning the show to squash any chance of a rumour circulating. In 2016, he performed at Victorious Festival in Portsmouth, where I happened to be, but Keano and I decided to explore other stages and food stalls before returning to the main stage, so I have yet to see him live in person. Will has had a more successful career than anyone off of those talent shows from these shores. Not only does Will perform his own songs, but he has written for others. Indeed, Will disappeared from the limelight for four yearsbut still worked away in the background writing for others.
So, the premise for this latest album was to cover well-knownsongs but make them more radio-friendly. I am saying something other than the majority already are not, but Will, as proven on the record, would do precisely that.
Another unique twist on doing the covers is that every song is by a female artist or a band fronted by a female. This is a nice touch by Will when you consider only 19 per cent of females featured in the UK album charts last year. His songsare the artists/bands’ most popular and highest charted. However, the songs still needed to reach the acme of their respective singles charts. Can Will Young’s versions glean a top spot? Possibly.
I loved the opening track because I was a big fan of the song by Bat for Lashes called ‘Daniel’. I didn’t know that the album was full of covers, so the opening track took me by surprise, but I loved his gentler version of ‘Daniel’ with its acoustic guitar and soft vocals—nothing like Natasha Khan’s more indie-based original. The next track I will praise is ‘Losing You’,originally by Solange Knowles, the sister of the infamous former Destiny’s Child member and now successful solo artist Beyoncé. I have always preferred Solange and feel she is often overlooked due to her sibling.
Will’s is more mellow and departs from the original R&B version. The final track singled out for praise is ‘Strong’. Again, Will brings originality to his version and is more piano-based than London Grammar’s. Of course, there are 13 other covers on the record, with an Annie Lennox-esque touch on MUNA’s, ‘Crying on the Bathroom Floor’, and a harmonic and piano hook to Everything but the Girl’s, ‘Missing’. These are, for the main, the standout tracks on the album.
This record was beautiful when I had to endure Billie Eilish’s lack of imagination album last week. Will has done justice to the original versions. Some might sayhe has bettered them, but that’s going a bit too far because the originals have stood the test of time and are anthems in their own right. Will’s versions are far more reflective and emotional, and as I said, it was wonderful to listen to this album. And Will deserves all the plaudits coming his way for it.
Song recommendations: ‘Daniel’, ‘Losing You’, ‘Strong’
This has been the female vocalist of the moment since 2017 (I think), and she has a cracking middle name with Pirate (I am not even joking! Look it up!). I first heard of Billie through Twitter but gave her a listen after some festival I happened to be watching. Two years later, she released her debut, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”. Of course, a lot has happened since then. Billie is almost 20, and she is coming to terms with people body-shaming her, being chatted up by musicians old enough to be her father, and coming to terms with her public status. It is evident in her sophomorealbum. Whereas her debut had more rebellion, “Happier than Ever” is reflective and downtempo.
Now, I am going to be honest with you. Her brother Finneas is more talented and has written some great songs with his sister and as a solo artist. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, which always scores high with me regardingtalent and songwriting. I spent most of my time zoning out when listening to this (I don’t fucking care if her pathetic little army comes after me for this. Fuck you, you little fucking idiots.), and her vocals aren’t that unique. She is a cross between Lorde and Lana Del Rey. When I first heard her after all the hyperbole, I thought, “Where have I heard that voice before?”. Granted, her genre choices differ from the other two, but you can hear them coming through. Every song fell into the next one, and I don’t mean regarding a theme. They all sounded the same. I didn’t hear much diversity in the delivery. Even on the rockier song (I thinkit was ‘Male Fantasy’? I can’t recall. I listened to the record two weeks ago and tried to figure out how to describe what I heard.). Do I have any song recommendations? Surprisingly, yes, but my God…the album just underwhelmed me. It only got to the top spot because of who she is. Here’s hoping her third record will be an improvement.
4/10
Song recommendations: ‘Male Fantasy’, ‘I Didn’t Change My Number’, ‘Therefore I am.’
The best thing about doing this track-by-track review of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ fourth consecutive No. 1 album is to recycle bits of the old reviews I have done on High Flying Birds’ previous records. Of course, my views on ‘We’re on Our Way Now’, ‘Black Star Dancing’, ‘A Dream is All I Need to Get by, ‘This is the Place’, ‘Blue Moon Rising’ and ‘Flying on the Ground’ will be my thoughts inspired by others and from Noel, himself. I found myself agreeing quite a lot with what Noel had to say on some of the aforementioned tracks, as you will find out along the way:
Everybody’s on the Run:
Well, from the outset, you know the album will take you on a journey narrated by Noel Gallagher as different swathes of emotion wash over you. The introduction for ‘Everybody’s on the Run’ begins with a snare complete with the angelic singing of the Crouch End Festival Chorus and Wired Strings, with the guitars being played at a sweeping pace to add to the dramatic beginning. Before his vocals kick in, the song starts dropping to a nice, slow and steady pace. Noel delivers the music with a passionate yet desperate tone as he tells the listeners that this song is about holding onto love in the most testing times. The arrangement shows grandeur yet remains true throughout. The bridgereminds the listener that Noel is still very much in touch with rock n roll as it has this element, complete with the Wired Strings playing at an intense tempo. The acoustic guitars amazingly overtake the electric guitars and lead into the final chorus, where Noel delivers his message with pure emotion: a good way and a brilliant start to the album.
the Death of You and Me:
The biggest noticeable thing is that Noel uses trumpets( Actually, it’s him imitating trumpets. However, they are used live.), but it adds a grandiose sound to his credit. Many would be forgiven for thinking he wouldn’t use this method under Oasis as it is not very rock n roll. Well, you’re very much wrong about this song and the albums that followed. Noel remains true to rock n roll, and there are still elements of the Oasis wall of sound alive, and a bouncy tempo seems to put the acoustic guitars into mere significance on this track. It resembles more of a broader version of ‘She’s Electric. Unlike ‘She’s Electric’, this track is sung with mature vocals, bringing new charm and vulnerability, which shows Noel has changed his perspective on life now he is married with children ( No pun intended.), which adds to the track. The middle section is dreamy and catchy as Noel cleverly implants the harmonies of “La, La, La”, which is always a surefire winner as it is uplifting and infectious to the listener’s ear. The end section is dominated by the creeping brass, reminiscent of the jazz you hear from New Orleans as the song jauntily continues to flourish. As Noel added the infectious sing-a-long harmonies, the track would go down well when he took it out on the road, and rays of lights from phones and cigarette lighters get held aloft in unison when the introduction begins. Hopefully, we will see those moments again when High Flying Birds next go on tour.
AKA…What a Life!:
The song pays homage to Noel’s days at the Hacienda, enjoying the vibes as Acid House shook the building to the core. Noel uses a piano riff throughout, which is also a trait of a great house track that embeds itself in your memory bank and never leaves you. Noel has a matter-of-fact nature with an evil twist that’s switched onto the world air about him. As he heads into the chorus, he sings with a raised voice and at the top of his lungs, emphasising the word “life”, making it sound elongated to “liiiife”, which is the very last word of the chorus. An ear-piercing guitar solo finds its way in after the chorus, acting as a link before the verse. The guitar solo sends shivers down your spine. It’s not exactly something you would expect on a Dance-esque track. The song ends on a soft “woo-hoo” repeatedly as the music doesn’t end in a flurry, but rather a gentle come down as if you were back at the Hacienda as the last acid track is played and faded out to end proceedings.
if I Had a Gun…:
This was the biggest eagerly-awaited track from the debut album. There were guitar tutorials and even remixes since the track was leaked online during an Oasis soundcheck from their ill-fated final tour. The soundcheck may have sounded sketchy, and remember, the song was stripped back then, but now the song has lived up to expectations. Actually, no, it HAS exceeded the expectations it was burdened with. A piano and an acoustic guitar accompany Noel’s vocals as he sings in a fragile yet moody and restless tone, “If I had a gun/I’d shoot a hole into the sun/And love would burn this city down for me (or you. Depending on where you are in the song.).” A song that sounds in the same vein as ‘Wonderwall’ is complete with a slightly different chord change and melody. Haunting backing vocals add to the whole structure of the song. Electric guitars also lead us into the first chorus, where he delivers the line “Scuse me if I spoke too soon( Again, depending on where you are in the song.)/ My eyes have always/ Followed you around the room/ Cause you’re the only/ God that I will ever need/ I’m holding on/ and waiting for the moment to find me” with pure conviction, which is apparent throughout. It is also an ode to his wife, Sara. The lyrics will undoubtedly ensure the song stands the test of time (It has so far.)and remains a timeless classic long after we have all departed. Even when the instruments start to catch up with Noel and surround his vocals, he maintains his delivery and doesn’t succumb to arrogance as the song goes on. That reason alone shows that Noel deserves all those accolades and his place in music history. It also shows his maturity as he maintains his delivery from start to finish. In that sense, it might be a departure from Oasis, but it still has the sound of Oasis but is more grown-up. This song will(and has proved to be.)a hit with people who didn’t even like Oasis; it appeals to everyone across the music spectrum. It has also proven to be a crowd favourite, with the crowd singing along.
in the Heat of the Moment:
Once again, the house piano riff is back but veers away entirely from a house track once it kicks in. The chorus is very punchy as Noel sings it from the top of his lungs.
Riverman:
The opening track from the 2015 album “Chasing Yesterday” involves a count-in before surprising the listener with a space jazz guitar riff. In Noel’s own words, the song was inspired by a night out with Morrissey when he heard Brian Protheroe’s ‘Pinball’ for the first time despite growing up when the song was out. Initially, The song would be something different until he heard ‘Pinball’, and this track is undoubtedly a nod to Brian.
Lock All the Doors:
It was a song that had yet to be completed to Noel’s liking since it was first written in 1992 and featured on an Oasis demo tape with the bootleg freely available online. Noel was never delighted with the introduction, verse, or bridge that surrounded the chorus, and like ‘Stop the Clocks’ and ‘(I Wanna Live in a Dream in My)Record Machine’, he has returned to it and turned into a song that he feels is now worthy of featuring on an album and be played live. The song sounds like typical Oasis choc-full of attitude, and the guitars turned up loud. The arrogance in the song is much more reminiscent of ‘My Big Mouth’ from the 1997 album “Be Here Now”. This was one of the few songs that Noel wanted Oasis to play after that tour. This is the closest Noel has got to the Oasis sound since he embarked on his solo journey.
the Dying of the Light:
It’s in the same vein as a Smith’s song with its melancholic sounds despite the lyrics fusing melancholy and love. It was the ‘If I Had a Gun’ moment of “Chasing Yesterday” and, indeed, an ode to his wife. It is also a chill-out moment as the listener cools off after going mental to ‘Lock All the Doors’. Whereas that song is fast, this slows down drastically, with Noel playing the chords steadily.
Ballad of the Mighty I:
The ‘AKA…What a Life!’ track of “Chasing Yesterday” in a sense, although it does have differences. The chorus is incredibly catchy. Something that Noel mastered during his time with Oasis. Noel sounds younger than his years on that album, especially on this track. Despite all the drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol, the time has been kind to him and still given him a voice (If not more robust.) that he can use today, unlike his younger brother, whose voice started to decline after 2003. Johnny Marr also perfectly features a guitar solo on this song, which completes the song. A further note on the chorus: you will find yourself humming or singing to it.
We’re on Our Way Now:
An exclusive made for the record at Noel’s brand new Lone Star Studio, King’s Cross, London. The track is produced alongsideex-High Flying Birds Jeremy Stacey’s twin, Paul ‘Strangeboy’ Stacey. Noel has stated the song is about leaving unsaid things when you don’t get to say goodbye to someone. The song has a breakdown section reminiscent of Andreas Johnson’s 2000 track hit ‘Glorious’. It’s a folk song but done in a Noel way, with its melancholic theme and an upbeat tempo as the track goes on. It also reminded me of ‘AKA…Broken Arrow’ off the 2011 self-titled debut album. I was surprised to hear Noel return to something similar to that record. I enjoyed the strings on this and the female harmonising by Jess, Charlotte, and YSÉE. I don’t care what anyone says; those ladies make the High Flying Birds richer in sound.
Black Star Dancing:
I have heard some extremely cutting reviews of this track, but I like disco funk and enjoyed it. I will also add that it is highly elementary to play on the guitar. Nile Rodgers happened to be at the same studio when High Flying Birds recorded this, and if Nile says it’s brilliant, it is fucking brilliant. The man is the king of disco funk. Noel said the title is inspired by the late David Bowie’s final album “Black Star”. He also said that he was watching Top of the Pops 2 on BBC 4 on a Friday night, and ‘Let’s Dance’ by David Bowie came on, which inspired him to write this. Noel also said he was humming the bassline on a trip to Tesco Metro of what would become this track that has angered many hardcore Oasis fans who can’t accept that High Flying Birds are making music that is far more than stadium rock. Once again, I loved the female members’ vocals and how they sounded like they were from the era when disco-funk was at its peak.
Holy Mountain:
So, just like what was featured on “Riverman” from the sophomore record, “Chasing Yesterday” from 2015 (Yes, I said, “Sophomore”. So fucking what? I’m writing this, not you.) We hear a horn section featuring. This was also the lead single to promote “Who Built the Moon?”. It’s a bit bubble gum pop but is exceptionally catchy. You will get the chorus stuck into your head.
A Dream is All I Need to Get by:
I remember hearing this when I acquired it for DJing, and I was taken aback by how different it was to ‘This is the Place’ the EP from where it is from. You can hear twinkling castanets accompanied by Noel’s acoustic guitar and haunting vocals; the song grows and gets grander as you enter the chorus. Of course, the track is inspired by the Smiths and particularly by Noel’s good friend Johnny Marr. The song is chilled out and dreamy. It also sounded great live when High Flying Birds recently performed at the Duke of York Theatre, London.
This is the Place:
The track name came when he looked at fellow Mancunian Tony Walsh’s poetry book ‘This is the Place’. Noel asked him if it was okay to use the title, and Paul felt honoured. The song is the leading track off the EP with the same title and the second part of the “Wait and Return” EP series. You can tell that Noel has followed on from his experience working with David Holmes by making music he likes to listen to and turning more experimental as he goes on the journey with High Flying Birds. Any songs like this wouldn’t have been welcomed in Oasis by a specific member and the narrow-minded fans who only expected a particular type of sound. This track is hugely psychedelic with spacey synths, bongos, piano, a guitar lick that gets in your head, superb female vocals (Especially by YSÉE.), and something that former Creation Records label mates Primal Scream would have put on an album in the early 1990s. You could say it was inspired by Noel’s nights at the Hacienda.
It’s a Beautiful World:
It’s incredible what effects you can use in the studio. Because of the way sound effects are used to make his voice sound muffled, complete with reverb (Is that the word I’m looking for?), I haven’t heard on the live version, in the warm-up concerts, or on Later…with Jools Holland in 2018. Nonetheless, it still worked live. This track could be described as both cosmic pop and psychedelic. You have a breakdown section before the solo where the touring member, Charlotte, speaks in French (Noel said it was too late to change the spoken word when Charlotte said she mentions the end of the world. Noel did not like that and would have preferred “It is not the end of the world” to tie in with the feel-good vibes of the record.) It is also worth noting she plays the scissors on this track (Yes, that’s correct. The scissors. Fucking mental!).
Blue Moon Rising:
No, it’s not a track about Manchester City. Yes, it does have ‘Blue Moon’ in the title (Obviously.). It is another disco track inspired by Noel’s viewing of Top of the Pops 2. His vocals accompany synths and relaxed guitars. The lyrics are not up to much, but Noel has a knack for taking your attention away from that with the production (Yes, sometimes Noel can write simplistic or minimal lyrics, but hold your attention with the music.). The track is relaxed and leaves the listener open to their interpretation of the meaning behind the lyrics during the verse. Still, in the chorus, Noel shows his outstanding vocal ability as he bellows it at the top of his lungs. You can see this live as theveins bulge out of his neck. His voice has got stronger as he gets older. The way he sings at the top of his voice has yet to cause noticeable damage.
Dead in the Water(Live Rté 2FM Studios, Dublin 2015):
Well, those who yearn for Oasis love this. This track was recorded off the cuff on-air at Rté 2FM Studios in 2015 during an interview and short performance during the “Chasing Yesterday” tour. Is it completely improvised? As Noel says at the end of the track, as the presenter asks him. Well, I don’t believe him. It was far too polished to have been made up there and then, especially when you hear the keyboard solo by Mike Rowe. There’s no way Mike could have done that without getting a feel for the track. This song talks about Noel looking to hold onto a love that seems hard to recover. Apart from the whole chorus, the standout line is where he talks about having no money while looking at a photograph. Now, who can this be about? Because he had plenty of money when he met Sara. Is this Noel reaching out to someone in the past? Was it written for Louise in his Oasis days, and has been given new life? Whoever it is about, it is compelling lyrically and reminds me of the sort of song by the Smiths that would have inspired him to write this. This is classic Noel, though. He is singing with a tint of melancholy in his voice and laying his soul bare.
Flying on the Ground:
Noel best described this and took the words out of my mouth when he said this track is a nod to Burt Bacharach with a Motown twist. Because it is. We know Noel has given nods to Burt in the past, but not yet with High Flying Birds until this exclusive track. A member of Noel’s team told him to put this out as he always plays it in the Sour Mash office. Thank God, whoever that person is, because I loved how Noel fused Motown and his love of the great songwriter Burt Bacharach. Again, the female members stand out, and it is refreshing to see Noel letting them showcase their vocals alongside him—a feel-good way to end this latest record by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
Song Recommendations: This was extremely tough as they are all strong tracks, but after much consideration, ‘A Dream is All I Need to Get by’, ‘Flying on the Ground’, ‘Dead in the Water’
My introduction to Wolf Alice was either in 2013 or 2014 on Later…with Jools Holland, and their punk attitude with a hardrock sound caught my ear. My favourite track of theirs at the time was ‘Moaning Lisa Smile’ (It still is funnily enough. I love the energy oozing out of it.)I can’t recall if they played that one on Later or if I heard it live at a festival, which made me fall in love with that track. Then, in 2018, they released “Visions of a Life”, which featured such tracks as ‘Beautifully Unconventional'(My favourite off of that record) and ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’. They would receive a Hyundai Mercury Prize nomination in a strong field that featured the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 2017 and third album “Who Built the Moon?”. The judges who voted chose “Visions of a Life” as their Hyundai Mercury Prize winner in 2018.
Ellie sang beautifully that Sunday night as they performed ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’. Could Wolf Alice follow up on their Hyundai Mercury Prize-winning album? Some have failed, like the Klaxons and Gomez. The band had their work cut out this time to meet expectations.
However, Wolf Alice accepted the challenge of bettering “Visions of a Life” by employing the services of Markus Dravs, the man responsible for helping Arcade Fire redevelop their sonic outputs as well as Florence and the Machine. Many called this a bold move by Wolf Alice and a surefire signal of their intent; it proved just how brave they were to take a risk on this album and take them another step closer to more accolades.
What is brilliant about this album, and with such a great producer as Markus Dravs on board, is that the album becomes eclectic. If you are trying to understand what that means (Of course, the connoisseurs can sit this part out.), the album in question doesn’t just stick to one or two particular genres but visits a multitude of genres. Some might argue that this is a dangerous precedent; for example, Paul Weller’s “Fat Pop Volume 1” was released last month. Somehave criticised that record for being too schizophrenic with how it utilises several genres, but that makes a great album to me. Yes, of course, it is also lovelyto listen to a record locked on one or two genres, but the beauty of an eclectic album is your ear doesn’t know what to expect next (Well, on the first listen, at least.),so I applaud Wolf Alice for going in this direction. In the next paragraph, I will describe the various bands/artists I heard within the record.
Funnily enough, I contacted Ellie Rowsell on Twitter as I got to the final track and gave her my thoughts on “Blue Weekend”. I told her I found it dreamy and could hear the XX, My Morning Jacket, Lana Del Rey, Amyl and the Sniffers, Keane and the Temper Trap. That’s how vast sonically the album is. You have tracks such as ‘Play the Greatest Hits’, full-on punk, and you can hear Amyl and the Sniffers there. I mean, literally. If someone listened to this on a blank CD or sent you an untitled file, you would think it was an Amyl and the Sniffers track. ‘How Can I Make it OK’ is a rock ballad, then ‘No Hard Feelings’ is out of the Keane catalogue with its melchanolic sound, lyrics, and keys that TimRice-Oxley is synonymous with. The opening track,’the Beach’, is very dreamy and something the XX would do. The track makesyou visualise being on a beach as the waves crash gently upon the shore.
‘Delicious Things’ has to be one of the standout momentsbecause it is autobiographical to Ellie Rowsell’s life. In this, she addresses suffering social anxiety and being homesick while in Los Angeles, sleeping with a shady character who only seems attracted to her because of her status as the bandleader and taking drugs when others around her in Tinseltown are. Ellie describes the LA experience to the last detail with utter accuracy.
‘Smile’ is just Ellie telling you what she thinks of your views if you don’t like hers, and she does as she pleases. ‘Play the Greatest Hits’ will sound great live, too, with its full-on punk energy. This one will be great for the tour whenever permitted to commence.
‘No Hard Feelings’ brings the energy levels down on this break-up song with Ellie’s soft vocals, which has an excellent reference to the late Amy Winehouse by including her song title within the lyrics.
‘the Last Man on Earth’ is where the production of Markus Dravs starts to pay off. The track builds slowly from what appears to be a piano ballad but then builds to a grander sound as it progresses. It’s another track that will sound great when the album istaken out on the road.
“Blue Weekend” is a brilliant record with several genres packed into just over 40 minutes of listening. It’s the kind of album you won’t just listen to once or twice but the kind you will want to hear repeatedly. It may be a departure from previous material, but this is their best art to date. As the record ends on the dreamy ‘the Beach II’,your mind starts to wonder whether they will once again receive a Hyundai Mercury Prize nomination because this album is up there with “Visions of a Life”, if not even better. However, the record aims higher than just a Hyundai Mercury Prize. Look out for “Blue Weekend” at several highly regarded music award ceremonies within the following year.
Song recommendations: ‘Delicious Things’, ‘No Hard Feelings’, ‘Play the Greatest Hits’
Many of the purists of the duo may have been concerned when they opted to change direction and sound like a combination ofFranz Ferdinand with their disco-punk and Tame Impala with their psychedelia. Still, they didn’t have much to fear because it hadn’t affected Royal Blood all that much sonically. You can still hear their fundamentals shining through and their spirit. There is something for everyone on this latest album, four years on from “How Did We Get So Dark?” For example, ‘Boilmaker’ sounds like your typical Royal Blood song.
‘All We Have is Now’ is a piano ballad that closes out the record, ‘Either You Want It’ is a track right out of the Tame Impala psychedelia manual, and ‘Million and One’ is a moody love song that is uplifted by the disco akin to Franz Ferdinand with synths included to the mix to give the track flesh.
Mike Kerr was inspired to experiment with this album after quitting alcohol and talking to Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age about what sort of new elements he and Ben could do on the next Royal Blood record. Through this newfound confidence since becoming teetotal and the advice given by Josh, Mike removed the direction from the second album. Once again, the lyrical content is strong across all subjects, ranging from self-reflection love, despair, and hope.
I preferred the final track, ‘All We Have is Now,’ as my favourite, with its sense of calm and melancholy. It is a piano ballad and the only one on the record. As the album starts with ‘Trouble’s Coming’ and maintainsthat energy level consistently, although some psychedelia might be chucked in, it is apt to end on a soft and calm note. I would like to see this added to the encore’s final song on the forthcoming tour (Whenever that is) to temper the fans before theyhead home. As for the direction? It hasn’t soured their identity, and nor will I think the purists will be pissed off with it. You can still tell it’s Royal Blood.
Song recommendations: ‘All We Have is Now’, ‘Either You Want it’, ‘Million and One’
Ben was among my first followers when I joined Twitter in 2009 (THE first, if I remember correctly.). I remember seeing this long(ish)brown-haired fellow with a guitar…of course, I instantly followed when I saw he was in the arts, and I can’t remember if he inboxed me, but I remember a link to his latest song was involved and he asked me to give it a listen. Little did I know, he was on television the previous year, but I didn’t watch the programme about showcasing up-and-coming talent. It was now some defunct channel on Sky under the music package (Entertainment package?), which introduced me to plenty of up-and-coming talent like Chip, who was then known as Chipmunk and was still a teenager. The channel in question was either called Muzik or FlashTV. The show Ben would have been on was filmed weekly from the Old Oak in North-West London. After hearing the song in question, I became a follower of his music as I was very impressed with his melancholic vocals, guitar playing, and songwriting ability. Unfortunately, he has flown under the mainstream radar because he isn’t known as much as someone like Ed Sheeran. Ben is more on the same commercial level as Ed’s mate, Passenger.
However, Ben is highly talented. It seems unfair that he has largely gone by in the commercial market.
Unlike Ed, Ben likes to stay with familiarity, which has probably seen him less prominent. However, the RichmondSongwriter’s debut album “Every Kingdom” in 2011 did have platinum sales.
Ben is about to get more adventurous as this record is more like swimming with sharks outside a protected cage rather than having the security of being inside one. The album reminded me of the late John Martyn’s work with its roots in soft Jazz. Aaron Dressner,who plays the guitar for the National, has encouraged Ben to take a leaf out of their book. Indeed, the National is known for loops and many guitar effects, which can be heard on this record. So, it was the correct decision to get Aaron on board to push Ben artistically.
Of course, Ben hasn’t strayed that far from his subject matters of conscious stories either of his own life or what he has heard during conversations, from individuals, places he has been, or simply by watching television or reading, and of course,based upon his imagination. The stories range from a conversation with a friend who found a dead body in a suitcase floating down the Thames, the death of a sailor and Anna Sorokin, the Russian fraudster. So, a lot has stayed the same regarding the type of songs he writes and the lyrics.As you can see, Ben is still on heavy and gloomy subjects.
Despite new ideas dreamed up with Aaron, Ben does go back to what he knows with “What a Day”, which draws familiarity with tracks off “Every Kingdom”, his debut record. Even though Ben has taken a new direction, he has managed to make the simplicity of his songs come to life on this album, which shows on “Metaphysical Cantations” or “Sage that She was Burning”. “Buzzard” is quite intriguing. By far the shortest track on the record, weighing in at just 56 seconds. I like how Aaron and Ben have got the guitar to ape what the bird sounds like. Could it have been longer? I can’t see why it couldn’t have been at least another minute or so.
“Follies Fixture” is my favourite track and surprised me with its soft Jazz and melancholic lyrics. Like I said earlier, most of the album had a John Martyn feel,and I noticed this track opens the record. I may have said “Buzzard” closes the album, but on the deluxe version, there are edited versions of “What a Day” and “Sorry Kid”. I want Ben to pick up the electric and release his inner rock star on his next album. I hope that by working with Aaron and conjuring up original ideas to make the songs stand out more sonically, Ben can get the recognition in the mainstream, which he deserves because he is more than easily a match for the other acoustic-wielding songwriters and musicians.
Song recommendations: “Follies Fixture”, “Sorry Kid”, “What a Day”
I might put this in the bio somewhere because this is getting to be something of a soundbite on my reviews (Albeitit is utterly authentic.), but once again, it was through Later…with Jools Holland that I discovered Celeste. I remember she performed “Lately” and “Strange” with just her incredible vocals and the piano to accompany her (I’m pretty sure that Jools joined her on one of the tracks.). At the same time, the likes of Liam Gallagher looked on, on that October night in 2019 at the original home of the Later series. From there, Celeste would go on to more extraordinary things. In the year just past, she won BBC Sounds Artist of the Year, joining the likes of Adele, Ellie Goulding, and Michael Kiwanuka, and that’s an excellent accolade to claim to look at the success it has brought for the artists. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Celeste followed their path. Since her debut, she has featured on Later twice to discuss the music she likes and what inspires her in the lockdown editionof the last series and the socially distanced 2021 Hootenanny on New Year’s Eve.
Of course, this long-awaited album has seen her popularity soar, and you hear her songs everywhere, from the supermarket to the radioto the television. If anyone complains about that, I don’t know why; she has such a fantastic voice and reminds me of a rising star back in 2006 called Corinne Bailey Rae, who was heading to the top until a setback put her career on hold. She is now steady in her career and will soon release an album that attracts mainstream listeners. My point is that Celeste sounds like her, and I will also throw in Lianne La Havas. I hear that when Celeste sings a mixture of Corinne Bailey Rae and Lianne La Havas, respectively. It’s not a bad combination if I say so myself.
When I was referring to Celeste’s tracks being pretty much everywhere, here are two examples I mean: You have “Stop ThisFlame”,a track with a piano riff that, when I heard it, felt very familiar to Rhythm is Rhythm’s “Strings of Life”, which in turn inspired Noel Gallagher to write “AKA…What a Life!”, so, yeah, the track sounds like those two combined. It is also very commercial, and one mightbe categorised under pop. It is also very different from the kind of music Celeste has sung or put out in the past. The uplifting tempo and optimistic lyrics encouraged Sky Sports to use it to open their Super Sunday programme since the start of the 2020/2021 football season. Of course, an advert was released in October last year to promote the Christmas period. The advert in question was for John Lewis/Waitrose, and the company chose Celeste’s “A Little Love”. You can certainly hear Lianne La Havas coming through in that one. The fantastic thing about Celeste is even if you are unaware of her, I guarantee you have listened to her wherever you have been, heard on the radio, or watched on the television. You might have bought a magazine, and there’s been an interview, article, or even an advert promoting her music. She is very much like her fellow winners of BBC Sounds because she can cause an earthquake with her vocals, be tender with almost a whisper, and sound fragile whiledelivering a song about heartbreak. For example, “Stop This Flame” shows off her ability to sing with passion and loud, “A Little Love” to sing very quietly and softly, and “Strange” where she can sing with a fragile voice and appear broken-hearted to match the song’s subject.
I disagree with the comparisons to Adele in terms of the vocals. I think elements of this album sound more like what the late Amy Winehouse would do (I should have mentioned her earlier in what this record sounds like. I felt it had Amy Winehouse-esque songs, sonically.), I can also imagine Mark Ronson teaming up with Celeste at some point and producing an album with her. Jamie Hartman is one of the producers on the album and has worked with the likes of Rag n Bone Man. The only comparison I can draw with Adele is how the record goes from pop to ballads with Celeste, just like Adele, singing with just an acoustic guitar to accompany her. Funnily enough, the album starts just like that. Celeste is singing “Ideal Woman” over just an acoustic guitar. Another comparison would be her ability to be melancholic and tracks of that nature. She doesn’t fake the delivery on the more sombre tracks. Just like an actor, she goes into character effortlessly.
Some have argued that this album is too safe and Celeste hasn’t taken any risks, but I beg to differ. I never expected her to try something like “Stop this Flame” or “Tonight Tonight”. I didn’t expect a Mark Ronson-inspired production with “Love is Back”. It was an outstanding effort by Celeste, and there are a few surprises along the way on the album. I listened to the deluxe edition, so the record ends on her rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, which is an unusual way to end an album, but it works. I recommend buying or listening to “Not Your Muse” because Celeste is an incredibly talented artist, and more is to come from her.
Song recommendations: “Stop This Flame”, “Ideal Woman”, “Strange”
Whatever you may think about the chief songwriter and band member in Take That, he knows how to write a fucking song. As far as I am aware, he’s also bizarrely a Liverpool fan from Manchester, which is quite a rarity. Although his solo career didn’t go too well after the break up of Take That (They reformed in 2005 and are still going strong to date.), he was still very successful behind the scenes, writing songs for various artists and some of the songs he wrote for them might surprise you because you thought he was the forgotten man. So, is this Gary’s second solo album? It’s called “Music Played by Humans”, released almost two decades after his debut.
“Who’s Driving This Thing?” opens the record, and Gary can be heard introducing the album to the band in the studio and sharing laughs and jokes with them. It sets the mood for the whole record, which is very big band and swing. I’m not sure if he writes for Michael Buble (Who, funnily enough, does feature.), but the delivery is very much the same as how Michael would do it.
“The Big Bass Drum” is one of the essential tracks on the album, and Gary selflessly lets the musicians and the band take the limelight and blends in by accompanying them. For once, he hasn’t taken centre stage.
Again, Gary shows his abilities as a songwriter by switching moods and subjects. In “This Is My Time”, he talks about dying from love. “Enough is Enough” featuring Beverley Knight might prove his ability to write songs on any subject, but this track is not as melancholic as the title suggests. Now, the next track I thought I would want to skip and hate with a passion is “the Kind of Friend I Need”. Why? Because James Corden is on it, but he can sing, and it works. You can hear them ribbing each other between their verses, and as the album closes, James proclaims that he’s the best singer on the track. Gary replies, “It’s my album, you know?” I found the whole track lighthearted and funny. If you like big band and swing, this album is for you. I also was surprised to find out this from Gary. This kind of record should be played at restaurants or lounge bars. Very easy on the ear, funny, and guaranteed to make you feel upbeat.
NB: I later discovered that this is (Incredibly.) It’s Gary’s fifth solo studio album.
Song recommendations: “the Kind of Friend I Need”, “the Big Bass Drum”, “This is My Time”
There we have it. We now know what the fourth instalment of the next Michael Ball & Alfie record Boe will be called. We should have known that they would do one around the Christmas theme to freshen up the “Together” series. This has also been adapted for the West End and will feature a limited but socially distanced audience during this god-awful worldwide virus currently circulating. I am unsurprised; the lads have again hit the acme of the album chart. The dynamic works well, and it is a joy to listen to them perform covers or traditional songs in their unique way. It has also been bought out as a Christmas present for our loved ones. It is accessible on the ear and lifts our spirits, which we need more than ever.
Of course, the songs have been covered as often as the stars in the sky, but it’s the way Ball & Boe, the orchestra, and that Disney-esque sound have done them.
The album can switch up the mood with tracks ranging from “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” to “Mistletoe & Wine”.
Just by listening, you can tell the duo had tremendous fun recording this in the studio, and I loved the track “My Christmas Will be Better Than Yours.” you can hear a cheeky and smug tone in Michael’s vocal. The song made me laugh just by hearing Michael’s delivery alone.
We then have the melancholic tones used for “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and the showcasing of why this duo works sublimely on “White Christmas”. The closer, “Once Upon a December”, is very dreamy, as I have mentioned about the album as a whole is Disney-esque. Another super record by the lads, the perfect present for the one you love. An album to fill our hearts with joy in one of the most fucked up Christmasses since the second world war.
Song recommendations: “My Christmas Will be Better Than Yours”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “White Christmas”.
Honest Opinions 