Rock

Week 22: Olivia Rodrigo- SOUR

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Olivia Rodrigo caused a storm recently when one of her songs went to number one and outsold anything Oasis had released when they were at the peak of their powers. I was late to the party, but I could see that diehard Oasis fans were not happy about this and openly mocked the singer with “Who the fuck is she?”. They were my thoughts exactly, and I wondered whether she would be around as long as Oasis or remembered like them. I didn’t particularly like the track, and streaming probably generates more than physical sales these days. I mean, I will not buy a physical copy of an album unless I believe in the artist/band or have been following them for several years. I wasn’t particularly enamoured with her displacing the Modfather at the summit of the album chart. Still, as I review all the number one albums throughout the year, I was obligated to listen. I was impressed by the end, much to my surprise.

I believe the song that caused quite a stir and pissed off Oasis fans was called ‘Drivers License’. That song aside, “SOUR” is a full-on album with plenty of aggression and passion. Olivia talks about what it is like to be 17, broken-hearted, pissed off with society, and full of teenage angst. It’s not all that surprising when you discover that her idol happens to be none other than Taylor Swift. She even wishes her ex well on ‘Happier’ but also points out that she doesn’t want him to be happier with her successor. I would compare her angst and raw emotion with Alanis Morrissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” era. There are songs on the record akin to songs like “You Oughta Know” or “One Hand in My Pocket”.

Olivia doesn’t hold back and goes after an ex on ‘Traitor’ because he got over her far too quickly. Olivia felt that his love for her was fake, and he didn’t care that much to move on so rapidly. My favourite two tracks have to be ‘Brutal’ and ‘Good 4 U’. To quote Liam Gallagher, these tracks are “Rock out with your chin out”. The sheer driven tempo and heavy guitars and drums add to Oliva’s delivery’s raw emotion and anger. I must confess, I was expecting a generic Disney pop record, but this album is energised and full of attitude. Those two tracks alone are a testament to that. There is also plenty of colourful language.

From opening with the attitude of ‘Brutal,’ the album closes with a much calmer ‘Hope Ur OK’ and a heartfelt song showing another side of her. She isn’t all about angst, anger, and brutal honesty. Listening to the record shows that Olivia wants to be taken seriously as a songwriter. I mean, she even got involved in co-producing “SOUR”. I have no idea where she came from, but if she were part of the Disney Kids Club, she would want to distance herself from that now. What you hear on the album is just fucking amazing. There’s stuff on there that would make many songwriters hear with envy, knowing they didn’t have that much ability so young. She’s old and wise before her time, which reminds me of the great Tupac Shakur when he was a teenager. Intelligent and eyes open wide to the world. 

Olivia has a long future as an artist and a songwriter. However, it’ll be difficult to follow “SOUR” after this incredible debut effort where she combines every emotion under the sun. A marvellous and solid debut.

Song recommendations: ‘Brutal’, ‘Good 4 U’, ‘Hope Ur OK’

8/10

Week 21: Paul Weller- Fat Pop (Volume 1)

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I have waited ages to listen to and review another Paul Weller album. I was delighted to have found out that he worked on it during the original lockdown. Paul told Charlatan’s Tim Burgess that he was bored and needed something to do. He also told Tim this might be his final album (let us hope not.). It’s great that some artists took the opportunity to be productive while isolated last year. Funnily enough, just as he started work on this one, his previous record, “on Sunset,” was not far from being released. The album begins with ‘Cosmic Fringes’ which sounds like electro-pop straight out of the 80s. You know, bands like Roxy Music, Heaven 17, or the Human League would have done. The end catches you by surprise because it stops without any warning. That sudden ending would last until the third track. From then on, the tracks would fade out.

‘Glad Times’ was like Paul went into a time machine and returned to the studio with the Style Council, and ‘Testify’ is a blues and gospel track with flutes. ‘Cobweb Connections’ is a sublime acoustic song, and ‘Moving Canvas’ is like hearing Paul playing songs from the “Stanley Road” era. I didn’t find much Jam-inspired music in there, though.

The album is just a mix of several genres; you never know which way Paul will take you with it, which will keep your ears entertained. It’s great when a record is made that way. You don’t want a predictable album; you want something that will surprise and differ from the track you just heard to keep your interest. The cover and the name certainly had me fooled. I was expecting an album full of cosmic pop or psychedelic. Even the title “Fat Pop (Volume 1)” screams that the record will be focused on those two genres. It’s more like a trip down memory lane with influences from the Style Council, the Paul Weller Movement, and everything after 1992. As I said earlier, I didn’t notice anything the Jam might have done. It also has Volume 1 at the end of the title. I would like to know what volume 2 will be like.

Now, as I said earlier, the album is spontaneous and will keep your ear, but at the same time, if you do not find that concept interesting, you might lose interest as it might start to annoy you. Personally, that’s on you because it didn’t annoy me in the slightest. I loved the way the record was spontaneous. If you enjoy dipping your fries into your Strawberry milkshake (Thanks, Siân. Watch this space on her. She might well be presenting a radio show soon, and trust me. Her taste in music is eclectic.), then you will enjoy how this album works. Many may argue that the tracks on “Fat Pop (Volume 1)” simply do not work without structure due to its spontaneous nature. Well…I liked it, and it’s entirely different from a Paul Weller LP.

Despite how the album is structured, either to your satisfaction or not, there is no denying that Paul still has that fire burning to be creative after a 44-year career. One minute, Paul is in the 60s playing with the Rolling Stones, and the next, he’s back in the Style Council with songs like ‘Glad Times’. That is how Paul approached every session with spontaneous songwriting. It certainly makes for an exciting experience when you listen all the way through for the first time. You cannot knock it because Paul Weller is far from finished with business despite what he told Tim. How many albums are there left in him creatively? Who fucking knows. Going by this, he still has plenty more on the way. The only thing stopping Paul is if he decides to retire of his own accord.

Song recommendations: ‘Glad Times’, ‘Cosmic Fringes’, ‘Testify’

8/10

Week 20: Rag n Bone Man- Life by Misadventure

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I was astonished to find out it is four years since his debut “Human” was released. You would have expected another record by then, but no. Since then, there has been a lot of touring (Before the obvious) and collaborations. Let’s do a pretty short and sweet summary of the album:

Breath in Me: A song about heartbreak and how he would be happy, dead or alive if his former lover were free and happy.

Fall in Love Again: We have all been here for sure—a track about being afraid to fall in love again after being bitten once. 

Anywhere Away from Here: There are two versions on this record. Ultimately, he does his one, but we will focus on the one with P!NK. A tear-evoking love song and feeling insecure about being in a relationship: their strong vocals work well.

All You Ever Wanted: I first heard this on Later…with Jools Holland a few months ago and didn’t think much of it. I was impressed, as always, with his vocal performance, which has stayed the same since I have listened to the record. However, I can now see its worth on “Life by Misadventure” as it is a departure from the rest of the album as it is more uplifting and rock-sounding.

Even though the album starts brightly with a new sense of direction, it starts to peter out after the halfway point, and he tries too hard to keep that momentum. He may have felt the heat of trying to emulate his debut.

Song recommendations: ‘Fall in Love Again, ‘Anywhere Away from Here’, ‘Breath in Me’

7/10

Week 19: Royal Blood- Typhoons

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Many of the purists of the duo may have been concerned when they opted to change direction and sound like a combination of Franz 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 maintains that 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 they head 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’

8/10

Week 15: the Snuts- W.L.

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This band from Scotland (West Lothian, to be precise)was first brought to my attention by several of my followers talking about them, but only since 2017, even though the band formed two years before that. The more I kept hearing about them and seeing them appear in regular new talent polls on Twitter, the more I got curious. I eventually gave them a listen and was highly impressed with their rock sound. 

Social media can be a potent tool in the music world these days. The Snuts were getting talked about ages before this debut album was in the offing. They were getting a reputation for their gigs and the demos they released. Bizarrely, thanks to that reputation, they were already playing out at significant festivals like TRNSMT, Reading and Leeds, and SXSW. They have also supported the Libertines, among others. Last year, they released their EP “the Matador”, which gained them a top 20 spot in the album charts—already encouraging signs from the Lads from Whitburn to fare well when the record finally did drop.

The producer used on “W.L.” has a good reputation working with the likes of the legendary Beck and the French band Phoenix( Do you remember ‘1901’? Well, you should because it was played to death at every student union bar or Indie night). 

Tony Hoffer travelled to the Firepit in London to work with the band and refurbished their back catalogue to give those songs a more professional finish. There’s no disputing they were not good before, but they could turn those songs into something else with Tony on board. Jack Cochrane’s vocals are wonderfully showcased over the acoustic ‘Top Deck’, which opens the album. The band’s versatility is displayed as we go from indie to blues to hip-hop. Not forgetting rock n roll and punk.

‘No Place I’d Rather Go’ is a track with a swift change in direction from an acoustic ballad; it then turns into an uptempo track that sounds like the Beatles if they had the chance to use modern equipment. Because it was my introduction to the band, my personal favourite is ‘All Your Friends’. I love the punk attitude and Jack’s venomous vocals, which sound like Alex Turner and John Power combined. Indeed, the track itself is something Arctic Monkeys and Cast would do. It’s also magnificent when performed live.

I was very impressed with Tony’s reworking of ‘Glasgow’; it sounds a lot beefier than the original while not overpowering Jack’s emotional vocals. Tony still respects the original by not going overboard on the production. Boardwalk’ was another highlight for me on the record because I loved the songwriting with the melody flourishing into all-out rock. Of course, the album’s standard edition closes with their now-iconic encore closer, ‘Sing for Your Supper’. Again, I love the energy in this song, and I always have, but maybe because I’ve heard it countless times, I have become immune to it and don’t get all that excited when I listen to it now. However, I like a good story in my songs, and this one is no exception.

Not only is this album full of several genres inspired by who the band members listen to, but it’s like an audio version of an autobiography depicting life growing up as working-class kids in West Lothian(Forgive me, my Scottish friends, but I don’t know whether West Lothian is working class. I have read bits and pieces, but it’s all somewhat blurred)and having hopes and dreams of making it big with their music. It’s a fucking brilliant debut album, and with their arsenal of songs already in their possession, the second record will hopefully live up to expectations.

 It is great to see that all this stuff about guitar music is dead(Including you, Mr Weller)is a load of bollocks. The Snuts have proved that it still kicks like a drum and that the working-class lads and ladettes can still find their way through. Indeed, I can give you many examples of that. Fontaines DC, the Lathums, Riviera, Citylightz, the Crooks, Tom Smith, and Rianne Downey. I predict they will do an Oasis and have as much success with their second album. Trust me, the working class is fighting back, not just through grime or drill, as Weller said. Kids with guitars, indie rock, and punk persuasion are banging the doors down.

Song recommendations: “All Your Friends”, “Boardwalk”, “Glasgow”

9/10

Week 11: Kings of Leon- When You See Yourself

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My first introduction to the band from America was in 2009 when “Sex on Fire” was heard in pretty much every nightlife establishment you went into. Indeed, my friends and I sang it at the top of our voices and even changed the words to go with an ex-Newcastle United footballer. I’m sure others sang it that way before us. The old “Yourrrr Temuri Ketsbaia”. Now, Kings of Leon are very much like Bush. Why? Because they are popular everywhere else except in their native land. Bush is from London, but their Grunge sound never stood a chance when Oasis and all the other Indie bands came along. Because people over here were not so much into listening to Soundgarden and Nirvana at that point, the same could be said of Kings of Leon. When they came along, America wasn’t interested in listening to a band whose sound was more attractive to the European market. Unlike the Killers, whose sound was very much inspired by Oasis and the Smiths when they first started to make inroads and gradually started to win over fans from their homeland, America never took to Kings of Leon, and as far as I know, that is still the case. I am in the minority regarding the band in Europe because I am not a fan. I liked “Sex on Fire”, but that’s it for me. 

I am going to quote my friend Tommy about Kings of Leon. I told him I listened to the new album and told him to listen because he would be surprised by some of the songs. He told me he would make a conscious effort to listen to it because the band are no longer kids anymore and is more mature. Now, I concur. When you listen to the lyrics, you can hear their maturity. They’re no longer singing about getting drunk and living that wild life.

The opening track is the title track, but the title is slightly different from the name of the record. It’s called “When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away.” immediately upon listening, the track got my attention because of the Jaws-like sound to it (Jaws the band, by the way.), you can also hear an electric guitar plucked throughout, which sits nicely rhythmically, and a xylophone, which I would never have associated with the band using. I then highlighted “100,000 People” to Tommy because it’s a slow plodder with a dreamy chorus that sounded Indie, and then a synthesiser that you would associate with the Killers, so you can imagine Brandon Flowers being all over it. Then, there is the “Golden Restless Age” because it sounds like the War on Drugs. Apart from that, the rest of the album sounds like Kings of Leon with more grown-up subjects. However, those three tracks I mentioned to Tommy caught my attention, and for those fleeting moments, I enjoyed listening to the band.

Because of those three tracks and the departure from talking about sex and whiskey all the time, there is something to look forward to in the future from the band. They have shown that they are ready to tackle more sobering issues and are willing to dabble with the sound. If the band makes something entirely out of the ordinary next time, they show they aim to be around for another decade. Who knows, they might get America on board and remove the stigma of “They’re a band for the Europeans with their Indie Rock.

Song recommendations: “Golden Restless Age”, “When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away”, “100,000 People”

8/10

Week 10: Architects- For Those that Wish to Exist

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I have to concede that when I heard Architects were number one, I was expecting the Garage collective who released the iconic Garage club classic “Body Groove” back in 2000 featuring vocals by Nana (Nay-Nay is how it is pronounced, by the way.) However, I ended up listening to a band that sounds very much like their fellow English counterparts, Bring Me the Horizon, and vocalist Sam Carter sounds precisely like Oli Sykes. Well, this is the Brighton outfit’s ninth album and the second since their founder and leader, Tom Searle, tragically passed away in 2016. 

I’m not going to say from what because I hate the disease in question. Tom Middleton was his replacement, and they pushed on to release “Holy Hell” in 2018. It got a warm reception, considering the absence of Tom Searle. Some say they shouldn’t have continued, but they did, and on this record, it is shown why that was the correct decision. The album is full of rage, anger, passion, and emotion. The record contains many issues, including politics, lasting under an hour. The tracks range from “An Ordinary Extinction” on climate change to “Discourse is Dead” on politics, songs that address the band’s departure from the pre-Holy Hell days and their new standing in the music sphere by playing out at arenas.

There is also room to show their new standing with collaborations from Mike Kerr of another Brighton act, Royal Blood, and Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro. Just like Oli Sykes, Sam Carter has remained steadfast with his vocals, except this time, Sam is doing it on tracks ready to ring out across the arena air and become anthems, which I am sure they will be.

The band is not afraid to do a bit of noodling on the record, and that can be found on “Dead Butterflies” for a better example of them being experimental. I enjoyed “Dying is Absolutely Safe” above all of them because it has two sides to a coin. The song talks about how our world is such a chaotic state, but when strings come in, there is a sense of a brighter day to come out of the ashes of the chaos.

 It’s also quite apt for the band at present because they have been in turmoil since losing their original leader, but from that adversity, the band has stayed together and got stronger as the journey continues. Tom Searle will be admiring that character from wherever he may be. However, from a purist’s point of view, this album is a disappointment because the band has lost their edge and sounds too generic now. That’s the impression I got when conversing with a fan of theirs. I recommend it if you have not heard of them or Bring Me the Horizon. You’ll discover new music and a band you may well like.

Song recommendations: “Dying is Absolutely Safe”, “Discourse is Dead”, “Dead Butterflies”

7/10

Week 9: Mogwai- As the Love Continues

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Blimey, the number ones are coming thick and fast. I remember 2017 when I first started, which was about nine weeks (Thanks to Ed Sheeran). I didn’t have to write a review, but things have changed in the music world since then, and the average number one in the album chart lasts for about two weeks, with three being the maximum going by last year’s outlook. Well, this week, it’s the Scottish band Mogwai, who I’m still determining when I first heard them. Maybe it might have been through the Electronic Arts FIFA series in the last decade, but this is the band’s first number-one for TWENTY-FIVE YEARS! So, I probably heard them back in the 1990s during their time at the peak of the album chart. What I find pretty fascinating about them is their obscure song titles, such as “to Bin My Friend, Tonight We Vacate Earth”, which features on the album. It sounds more like an album title rather than one for a track.

The record is somewhat original, with only one track with an actual song structure, “Ritchie Sacramento”, which comes in about halfway through. The rest is centred around experimental instrumentation, which makes it quite challenging to review because those tracks tend to be boring without vocals. It’s okay to play on the guitar, drums, bass, piano, et cetera because you are playing it in a bubble, but when it comes to listening to pure instrumentation, it isn’t all that great to hold your attention. In effect, it becomes more ambience when you’re reading or busy doing something like writing a review, for example.

The only instrumental I saw with any variation from the chilled drums, the medium-tempo rock, was “Fuck Off Money”. It sounds like something the tremendous French band AIR would produce with their trademark robotic vocals into the usual Mogwai instrumentation heard throughout the album. That and “Ritchie Sacramento” have any structure, and the aforementioned isn’t structured, albeit with the robotic vocals that gradually fade into the instrumentation. They experiment with the usual instrumentation by chucking strings on “Midnight Flit”. My standout is “Ceiling Granny”, which initially brought me to this record’s attention because I had gone to an online DJ shop and found it under the picks. I loved the rock sound even though it lacked vocals. 

Compared to the usual material they produce for soundtracks, this is a lot heavier than that, psychedelic, and just entirely weird with the experimental sounds used. It doesn’t sound like any of their previous ten albums and is a vast departure from their debut.

I recommend trying not to wander off or get yourself distracted when listening to “As the Love Continues” because otherwise, you will not appreciate all the beauty that is contained in it and all the experimental sounds with all the beeps, strings, psychedelia, rock, the AIR-like robotic vocals and the chilled out drums. As I said, it is a very tough listen because of the need for vocals and structure within the tracks because, in the main, it is like just one big jam session. However, stick with it; if necessary, give it a few listens to dial your ears in.

Song recommendations: “Ceiling Granny”, “Fuck Off Money”, “Here We, Here We, Here We Go Forever”

7/10

Week 7: Foo Fighters- Medicine at Midnight

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Here is a track-by-track review of the band’s latest album:

Making a Fire:

Some might say it is a typical Foo Foos track, but not quite. Although you have the usual elements that make that up, I would also classify it as “cheesy pop”, including its hand-clapping and “Na na na” refrain. Despite the element of cheese infused with regular Foo Fighters, it is a very upbeat track.

Shame Shame:

The band recently played some of the material for some lockdown sessions, with this included, so the listener should be familiar with it. We go from a pop chart-friendly song into a full-on rock that will make the setlist when the record is toured, I’m sure of it. The track in question was also used to promote the album and has had an astronomical amount of airplay, which saw it rise to no.1 in the Rock chart in America in record speed.

Cloudspotter:

This one is not a track I associate with the band; I am struggling to think of a song where they have gone into something the likes of the Jimi Hendrix Experience or Led Zeppelin would have made. Yes, this song is inspired by the psychedelic rock of the 1970s. Greta van Fleet would put this on an album rather than the Foo Fighters. It is brilliant that the band has decided to experiment on the record and made a song ready for the floor. Now, I mention him quite a bit in every review, but has the band drawn inspiration from the likes of Noel Gallagher to step back into the 70s and make music with an upbeat vibe?

Waiting on a War:

You think this track is purely acoustic, but as it swells, it turns into a full-on rock track that will shake the foundations of the arenas, especially with Dave Grohl’s in-your-face vocals.

Medicine at Midnight:

The title track is undoubtedly experimental, where the band dips into funk, acoustic, raw sound, and just like “Cloudspotter”, another song ready for the disco. I’m curious if the fans who know them for the natural rock sound will be impressed, but the band has shown how versatile they can be.

No Son of Mine:

They take it back to what the people have come to love them for with this punk-fuelled track sprinkled with Motorhead, whom they are highly inspired by. Indeed, the late Lemmy had joined them on stage as a guest. The message is also one that we can all relate to. I mean, who the fuck wants war?

Holding Poison:

Dave opts to use reverb for his vocals over choppy riffs and rhythms. It is not a great song on the record, but that’s purely academic when you consider even the shit ones on their strong albums are probably much better than what some of the other artists/bands churn out for most of their records.

Chasing Birds:

This is likely to be the second single and will probably fare better than “Shame Shame” because it is, in effect, the second instalment of their classic and my favourite song, “Everlong”. 

Love Dies Young:

The final song off the album, which so far is unbelievably short. All the songs have yet to be near the five-minute mark, which is the norm nowadays for tracks. The record clocked in at just over 36 minutes, a relatively short listen. Also, there are only nine tracks, which is unusual, especially for the Foos. Now, this track might be a typical FF track. Still, I could hear a bassline inspired by New Order or Peter Hook and the Light. It also reminded me of their acoustic ballad that builds into their usual rock style, “One of These Days”, so if you do feel underwhelmed by the shortness and tempo of the tracks, you can be won over at the end of the album, just as you were at the offset. If you buy the deluxe edition of the record, there is a listening party complete with commentary from the band after each track. Usually, this type of thing is saved for DVDs, but you have to admit, it is quite an interesting approach from the Foo Foos.

Song recommendations: “Love Dies Young”, “Making a Fire”, “Cloudspotter”

7/10

Week 4: You Me at Six- SUCKAPUNCH

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Wow, it has been 14 years since the debut album and seven records later, You Me at Six are very experimental on their albums. 

“SUCKAPUNCH” is no exception, although you can still hear a familiarity with the band’s wall of sound. The record contains personal fables and their desire to keep pushing the boundaries. Leading vocalist Josh Franceschi said they must push the boundaries to let the industry know they are still around. Indeed, the current shitstorm going on in the world inspired them to push those boundaries and do whatever they wanted sonically while bringing new ideas across various genres they have flirted with in the past and other experimental sounds they were venturing into on this.

Look at “Beautiful Way”; it is more Drum n Bass than the genre they are pigeonholed in. Then “SUCKAPUNCH” is what you would hear a disc jockey mixing in the nightclubs, with its roots firmly in Techno. The smatterings of Dubstep on the album make some tracks ideal for playing in clubs and raves when that day comes again. Of course, the band does return to their generic sound on tracks like “Kill the Mood”.

However, at the halfway point, the track “Glasgow” brings a brief lull on the uplifting and energetic album. “Adrenaline” soon sees an end to the break. “What It’s Like” takes you back to the familiarity of their sound and harks back to the days of “Lived a Lie”. 

The band has played it pretty safe even though it is obvious they have experimented (Maybe that’s why I found it all too familiar? Because they never stop being experimental.). Their guitarist, Max Heyler, said they have grown up with their music, which I concur with, but I need to find out where the sound has changed. I can still tell that I was listening to a You Me at Six album, but I found the club music element very welcoming. The majority still has some form of familiarity in it. However, I did draw parallels with them and their fellow English counterparts Hadouken when I heard the Dubstep tracks. Some might disagree with me calling it a “Safe” record, but they haven’t done anything I am surprised about. If they venture into country or classical, then I will be.

Song recommendations: “Beautiful Way”, “SUCKAPUNCH”, “What It’s Like”

7/10