The 1975- A Collection From Their EPs

Hey Folks,

The 1975 are an up-and-coming band who originated in Manchester, you may have heard their single 'Chocolate' but they are so much more than a one hit wonder. They've had 4 EPs from 2012-2013, and all the EPs are available to buy from itunes for £2.49 and it is definitely worth buying all of them. Here are my highlighted favourites:

Chocolate- Music For Cars 

This song is not about chocolate, surprisingly, but seems to me about addiction, specifically drug abuse "Hey now call it a split 'cause you know that you will" and the lyrics "No we're never gunna' quit it, no we're never gunna' quit it no" are clearly talking about the drug use but the song has over layers aside from that. For instance the song talks about being young, getting into trouble and just not caring. I think thats a message that will definitely resonate with a lot of people, through aspiration or applying to the actual situation. My favourite part of the song is by far the "Gotta get it, gotta get it, gotta get it, gotta get it, go! And play it cool" because Healy's way of singing, with his accent,  creates an edge to their songs. 

Fallingforyou- IV

This song really demonstrates Healy's wide vocal range as the song moves from high to low and on and on. Its a soft song, really beautiful, especially the "I think I'm falling, I'm falling for you" with the backing vocals and the almost intake of breath after the chorus, it's one of my favourite compositions. The vocals fall and rise, like breathing. The song stays calm but constantly changing, for example the drums during "I don't wanna be your friend, I wanna kiss you".

The City- Facedown/IV

This is my favourite songs. It's loud, it has a heavy drum beat and it has amazing lyrics. From the words "Yeah you wanna find love and you know where the city is" to the softer "Oh and she said it's your birthday are you feeling alright". Its a really fun song, perfect for lip-synching like a crazy person in the middle of the night or playing at parties. Its odd how my favourite song is the one I have the least to say about, but its probably because I spend more time enjoying it than analysing it. 

Me- Music For Cars

This is another slower song, I especially love the "don't you mind?"s throughout the song. It's a sad song, but sometimes its nice to wallow in despair and this is a great song for wallowing. The song has huge instrumental stretches without lyrics and it's peaceful and relaxing. The added effect of the saxophone adds something to the song, which the rest don't have. It's a long song though and I find it could be a bit shorter, but sparing that tiny, insignificant detail, it is brilliant and tragic. 

'Me' and 'Fallingforyou' don't have music videos so by clicking the names there you should be linked to fan-made lyric videos of the songs but I recommend buying the songs because this band is going to very big, very soon. Also feel free to comment and recommend me blogs to follow, I'd love the feedback! 

Top 5- Covers

Hey Folks, 

I am a huge fan of covers, even though they can sometimes go terribly wrong (see The Fray's hilarious cover of hips don't lie) but when they do work they create a perfect, two worlds colliding, piece of music. Below is my top five covers of all time, in no particular order:

1) 30 Seconds To Mars- Stronger
This is an amazing mix of two worlds with 'Kanye West' and '30 Seconds To Mars', not to mention 'Daft Punk'. The slow pace gives the song more strength and let's be honest it makes it better although, it does go on for a while, but then again so did the original. I particularly like the echo effect used in the song, and Leto almost drawls the verse which gives it such an innovative edge. Quite a relaxing and uplifting song, even drawing me to check out the 'Kanye West' version which is definitely also worth a listen. Before I heard this song on the 'Radio One Live Lounge' cd I hadn't listened to much '30 Seconds To Mars' or Kanye, and that hasn't changed since so I know this song can be enjoyed even if you're not a fan of either of their music. I couldn't find a proper video of '30 Seconds To Mars' singing the song so instead below is just a lyric video:

2) Bastille- No Angels 
This cover is brand new and when I hear it I get goosebumps; it's just amazing. A mixture of 'Angels' by 'The XX', 'No Scrub' by 'TLC' and even some 'Rihanna' thrown in there, not mention 'Bastille's own unique twist on it. It's an amazing clash of three worlds and a thoroughly enjoyable listen. I love it and just want to share it with everyone. The slow beginning which really puts me off 'The XX' I'm sorry to say, is changed to a building of tension as all the instruments slowly join in. 

3) Ed Sheeran- Swim Good
A homage to the original Sheeran does an excellent job of a creating a more melancholy and acoustic version of 'Frank Ocean's song 'Swim Good'. He adds an twist to the song and makes the words more powerful by making the song just him and his guitar. And, no offence to Frank Ocean but I much prefer Ed Sheeran's cover. 

4) Marina and the Diamonds- Starstrukk
Marina slows down the song and makes it more fun to listen to with her impressive vocal range and unique style. The instrument change also changes the song a lot, giving it a different angle than the '3OH!3' version.

5) Daughter- Get Lucky
I don't know what it is about Daughter's soft tones but they change the song and make it so much better. This is still that kind of element of tragedy as is present in all Daughter's songs, even when singing such an upbeat song as this. But this 'tragedy'-like style only improves the song and making the repetitive and annoying words stronger and more powerful. This is one of my favourite covers because I really couldn't stand the original by 'Daft Punk', yet I've listened to this repeatedly for the past few weeks!

Thank you for reading, please comment with your own favourite covers and I'll give them a listen. Also you can now follow me on twitter and I'll be making a 8tracks mix of all the covers listed above, and maybe even some more, so check out my 8tracks account too.

xxBeth

The Lumineers- The Lumineers

Hey Folks,

'The Lumineers' is an American band who became popular through their single 'Ho Hey'. I love this song and despite how many times I listen to it still feels me with this kind of happy zeal. I love songs with repeated "Hey"s and this song is full of them, even the title tells you that. The lyrics also are uplifting, talking about true love and destiny, etc; makes an awesome 'summer track'. In fact the whole album is summery although some of the songs aren't as uplifting that doesn't mean that they're not brilliant, for instance 'Slow It Down' is a soft and sad song but no matter how many times I listen to it I just don't get bored of it. However, my favourite songs on the album are the ones with this almost celebratory vibe, the ones that make you want dance with around with your friends and make you feel the urge take risks and compel you to sing them aloud.

This 'celebratory vibe' is supported by the talking heard in the background of 'Classy Girls'. This band would be great to hear live because the band evolved while playing in bars and you can tell in their music. I think even the clapping they use, and maybe even the afore mentioned "Hey"s, was a device to rally their audience, it's certainly won over the music scene now because the band has been nominated for several awards. I just hope the fame lasts and their next album is just as successful.

My second favourite track on their album is by far 'Stubborn Love' and I know I've said it so many times already but it is uplifting. The repetition of "Keep your head up, keep your love", the quick then smooth dynamics of the cello playing and the "ooh"s and "aah"s in the second verse really make this band one of the best folk bands in a while. I also love the slow and calm beginning to the song which then builds and builds only to go calm again at the end as they sing "Head up, love". 

I could go on for ages picking out all the little bits and pieces which I like in this album, I could even comb through every song picking out each adored instrument use(the tambourine beat in "Flowers In Your Hair) or every single cherished lyrics ("Don’t ask for cigarettes, she ain’t got nothin left for you" in 'Slow It Down') but I think The Lumineers is one of those CDs, one of those bands even, where everyone will like a different element of the songs so listen on spotify or invest in the CD because I highly doubt you'll regret it. 

Also, side note if anyone has any blog recommendations or CDs they want me to review next don't hesitate to comment and tell me what you think. Thank you!
 xxBeth

Alt-J (∆)- An Awesome Wave

Hey folks

Alt-J has a new unique voice and it's unlike any band I've heard before; a perfect balance of great lyrics and sounds. Plus they have some great harmonies hidden among the effects. I don't have the deluxe version (yet!) but I am loving the version I do have. I've always liked artists with intros and interludes and this album is packed full of them. In my opinion to get the full effect you really have to listen to the album in order but there are some awesome stand-alone songs too. For example 'Breezeblocks':

The lyrics and video suggest its about a murder but it could also be a dramatic break-up. The "Hey"s are an awesome addition within the song and always make songs more enjoyable. The song starts slow and then builds like a kinda crescendo but then falls again, and dare I say it, but it's almost like a wave. Although the repetition does get a little dull after a while the song instantly changes to something different. Some of my favourite lyrics are:
1) "Never kisses, all do you ever send are full stops"

2) "Muscle to muscle and toe to toe
The fear has gripped me but here I go"

 

3) "She's morphine, queen of my vaccine

My love, my love, love, love, la, la, la"

Although 'Breezeblocks' is my favourite song there are plenty of other really good ones; like 'Intro', 'Something Good' or 'Taro'

Taro is another incredibly original song. It begins almost like a lullaby before the drums enter. Newman's quick lists of words makes the song especially enjoyable, but the most interesting part of the song is the almost Indian style. It sounds like a sitar is used and I've never heard any British song like it. There is no official music video for Taro but this fan-made video works very well with the song: 

I've said how I love when songs make references and perhaps my love for alt-j is really provoked by their constant references. Whether its to maths ("31415, alive no longer my amour"), using french ("Elle a besoin de toi, cela vient de Matilda"), even literary mentions (Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak) and thats to name but a few. Alt-J are a innovative new face of music and definitely worth listening to.

xxBeth

Foster The People- Torches

Hey folks,

Today I'm going to review the album by Foster The People called: "Torches". 
Foster The People's song 'Pumped Up Kicks' was the band's ride to fame, leading them to numerous awards for the band, the song and even the album.








My Favourites

1)Helena Beat
The lyrics in particular drew me towards this song.
"Sometimes life it takes you by the hair
It pulls you down before you know it
It’s gone and you’re dead again."

The first line kinda reminds you of the fragility of life and this adds to the point of the music video and also begins the kind of morose cheerfulness of the song. 

And, by morose cheerfulness I'm talking about the repeated "yeah yeah and its ok". The message of the song seems to be life is hard but we get on with it which is a common theme in their songs, and one I personally really enjoy. The best part about this song is the repeated chorus, with the background vocals making this impression that it's being sung by a whole party of people. Despite it's quite depressing meaning the song is actually uplifting and is especially fun to listen to with a whole group of people singing it together, almost united in the "ok"ness. 

2) Pumped Up Kicks

There is no hiding from the dark and upsetting inspiration behind this song as it hints at either a school shooting or at the least an abusive relationship. The verses sound almost submerged and add to the eery and threatening lyrics. I like the repeated "run" in the middle, before the whistling. The whistling itself is also a cool effect and a brilliant part of the song. I think it's part of the reason it became such a 'summer hit' in the first place and, though some argue it doesn't fit with the message of the song, I definitely think it does because it continues the kind of awesome eery atmosphere.

The repeated drum beat also really adds to the song. And I love the chorus, although this is a sinister song I think again Foster The People have created yet another 'morose cheerfulness' song, as the sound reminds you of summer but the lyrics actually have some meaning behind them. Love it!

3) Houdini

Unlike the others on the list, I didn't instantly warm to this one, in fact it took weeks of groaning as I realised the song was stuck in my head yet again before I finally accepted it and actually began to like it, and now its one of my faves (the music video definitely helped with that also though)!

The beginning of the song is almost reminiscent of Dizzee Rascal's 'Fix Up Look Sharp' but then it adds an almost video game-esque effect which introduces the song. These 'video-game' sounds continue throughout making the song more interesting. 

Lyrics are a key factor in a good song and this song has great lyrics:                      

"Got shackles on, my words are tied

Fear can make you compromise"

These are easily my favourite lines and the general essence of the song seems to be a kind of feel-good message as the words give you faith in your abilities. 

I also like the allusion to Houdini in the title of the song. I love it when songs allude to culturally relevant, or even irrelevant if I'm honest, people, places, stories, etc. 

Torches is a super album and I would definitely recommend it; a feel-good summer album with an edge.

xxBeth

Hello

Hey folks,

So today I start my new music blog, I think I'm going to start with a well-listened and loved album just to ease myself into this. I love music and writing so hopefully this blog will go well and I'll try to stay as far away from "cheesy" as I can. Any feedback or recommendations would be much appreciated!

xxBeth