It's been a busy few weeks of new music, not all of which I can cover. Likewise, I saw a number of bands at End of the Road festival (which I highly recommend to all Dorset residents!) which I could write individually about... as well as Wolf Alice at Brixton academy on the 26th September. Let's see how much I can cover.
So, I'll start with an album I wasn't really waiting on, or indeed expecting to like very much. Lana Del Rey's music has always interested me. Intense, dark, yet accessible pop music with a real sad and bitter atmosphere. A pretty unique combination these days. All these elements are rife on 'Honeymoon', creating a beautifully sombre album, drenched in misery. 'Terrence Loves You' is a really gorgeous track, with some of my favourite vocals by anyone I have heard this year. Lizzie Grant doesn't follow pop music's trends and she hasn't here. This is a captivating piece of music and one to really immerse yourself in.
8/10
I've been a fan of Chvrches since the early EP days, prior to their brilliant debut - "The Bones of What You Believe". That album was a great collection of synth pop tracks, paving the way for a number of new and existing artists to follow suit. I don't think Chvrches got enough credit for starting that mini-wave of music off 3 years ago, but in my mind they most certainly did. The question was; could Chvrches create something refreshingly new without taking away their strong identity. The answer simply, is yes! This is a great album, and for me confirms Chvrches as one of the best British bands around. We are in a time where British bands are dwindling in quality and indeed in numbers. The singles released prior to album release date were a delight. 'Leave a Trace' and 'Never Ending Circles' do ultimately continue directly where the debut left off. 'Clearest Blue' was Chvrches sounding, but dabbled in the art of the electronic music 'drop'. They pull it off pretty well, with another infectious track. Something Chvrches continue to do with tracks such as 'Keep you on my Side' and 'Empty Threat', with the latter focusing on Lauren Mayberry's bold fight against misogyny, predominately on the internet. A real highlight for me however is 'High Enough to Carry You Over'. A criticism of the debut could be that Martin's vocals weren't that great. Here, he delivers some sharpened vocals which provide a nice contrast to Lauren Mayberry's youthful tones. I think Chvrches have a bright future, let's hope they can continue this quality for a while yet.
8/10
End of the Road was great fun. A pretty small festival, that is really well thought out and designed. I thought there was a real eye for detail around the site which added to the already wonderful setting. I really couldn't fault it. It has it's own character and atmosphere, which all good festivals have. My favourite acts from the weekend were:
5.Girlpool
4. Tame Impala
3.Django Django
2.The War on Drugs
1. Mac DeMarco
Mac DeMarco really did steal it for me on the last day (even if The War on Drugs set was more headline worthy and grand). I think Mac DeMarco is a the musical equivalent of marmite. Firstly his music is of a particular style that would certainly royally piss off the more classic rock audience that End of the Road did have (hence the younger crowd for this set). However, if you're a fan of his music, then his charm and wit really add something to live performances. Especially when the rest of his band are as goofy as him. Also, the sound levels were on point for both him and The War on Drugs which couldn't be said for everyone. The joys of a festival... The War on Drugs were pretty faultless on the last night and Adam Granduciel was astonishing.
Tame Impala were good to see at last, but overall the sound levels let them down. Kevin Parker's vocals were pretty quiet and the bass guitar seemed to be the loudest thing on stage. Django Django were the surprise of the weekend, with a great 45 minutes of essentially the same beat. But, hey it was fun! Girlpool played to a pretty small crowd but were one of my favourites.
Overall, a great weekend in my home county. The War on Drugs, Tame Impala and Mac DeMarco in Dorset?! Never thought I'd say that! P.s Fat White Family are dicks.
Finally, without waffling on too much more. Wolf Alice played the Brixton o2 Academy last weekend. Drenge supported and were on top form as usual. Despite Eoin Loveless' vocals being a bit half hearted at times. Wolf Alice had sound issues from the start, with the live rendition of 'Freazy' being a real mess. Eventually the sound techies pulled their finger out and the sound was greatly improved towards the end. 'You're a Germ' and 'Giant Peach' were examples of the better side of Wolf Alice. They were definitely up for it... Homecoming gig, to their biggest audience yet. For me, they were a bit sloppy for the majority and that was intensified with some pretty abysmal sound levels for the first half. The crowd towards the back where I was standing were pretty much static for an hour. Their second album will be a test. We shall wait and see.
Drenge 7/10
Wolf Alice 6/10
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