Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color - Review

Firstly, just to get it off my chest. I can spell Colour. The Americans can't. Anyway...

Alabama Shakes first got my attention back in 2012 when I first heard 'Hold On'. A refreshing track, which featured beautifully stripped back contemporary blues and soul to compliment the husky vocals of Brittany Howard. It was a single which promised so much for the rest of the album, especially as the album opener. However, the proceeding tracks never reached the same heights, leaving all in all a disappointing effort. Still, a breath of fresh air I felt. Modern day blues/soul/country usually leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth, accompanied with scratching of the head and ultimately blocking of the ears.

An unwritten formula for modern day music features a number of artists who release a decent first album, but struggle to keep up the momentum in the 2nd. Alabama Shakes have done the rare opposite. 'Sound & Color' is bold, stylistic and at times surprisingly hard hitting. Unlike its predecessor, it maintains a strong and self-assured feel. This is a band sure of what they want, and do it with a confidence which only enhances their sound. The ideas are flowing here, with the songwriting in particular improving immensely.

'Don't Wanna Fight' is as good a single as 'Hold On'. It's gritty, catchy and the vocals are sublime. Brittany Howard is the cornerstone of everything for Alabama Shakes. This might sound obvious, but without her they wouldn't exist. She couldn't be replaced.

'Gimme all your love' demonstrates this perfectly. Again, the vocal delivery is what crowns the track, yet it is so much more than that. A contender for song of the year so far. It soars, soothes and then soars again with some incredibly clever instrumentation in between. A track I didn't think they were capable of if I am being honest. Truly brilliant.

The charm of the album continues throughout with the energy exploding and settling several times. It's this change of tempo and musical innovation which separates this album from the debut. The very serene and tranquil tones of 'Guess Who' is followed up with the fast paced, guitar and drum jam of 'The Greatest'. Closer 'Over My Head' boasts the soulful core of the band, just adding another string to their ever growing bow.

It is this wide stylistic spectrum that makes Alabama Shakes niche . A contemporary, yet old fashioned sounding mix of soul, rock and roll and blues. It is a rare combination these days, especially when you consider each genre taken on it's own has effectively had it's heyday.

Alabama Shakes have written better songs, experimented musically and are bellowing out their lyrics louder. A winning formula.

8/10

Here is the single 'Don't Wanna Fight':

Drenge - 'Undertow' Review

Drenge... the post-punk, grungy duo who insist their music is played loudly. Their first album was raw, gritty and a metaphorical two fingers to keyboard indie. Guitar music was officially not dead.

'Undertow' is much more thought-over album and the production is smoother, with the majority of the album having a darker feel to it than its predecessor. The first four tracks get the album off to a flyer with 'Running Wild' being a highlight of the entire record. The deeper sound is noticeable straight away and for some time it works a treat. 'Never Awake' follows, with another stellar drum beat and head bopping guitar hook. The vocal delivery is more refined too, but you never feel like Eoin Loveless is holding back.

"How about twisting the knife, after you stick it in"

On the lead single and 4th track 'We can do what we want', the band let loose a little. A libertines-esque intro leads into a track which defines Drenge. The drums are hit hard, the vocals are belted out and the guitar is loud. The theory comes to life here...the louder you play this song, the better it sounds. Laptop speakers are not an option according to the band! The added bass (yes, they are actually a trio now) gives the catchy riff a bit more bite, as it does throughout.

Unfortunately though, the album can't quite keep up the quality for the next couple. 'Favourite Son' and 'The Snake' aren't necessarily bad songs, but they don't have the same punch as the openers... Nor the lyrical conviction. The Nirvana influence is strong here, to the point that it sounds like they wrote and recorded it directly after listening to 'Nevermind'. Some would say an influence, some would say it's a rip off. Much like Muse - United States of Eurasia with Queen.

The rolling bass of 'Side by Side' is another 'nice', so-so track. But I'm not sure Drenge would appreciate that half compliment. At the same point in their debut, 'Face Like a Skull' appears. I think most Drenge fans would prefer the rawness of the latter, than the relative calmness on 'Side by Side'. Again, it isn't bad, but it's a little middle of the road for me. 'The Woods' however, breaks the trend of smooth production. but no 'tune' to tie it with. The second half of the song boasting a pleasing guitar, bass groove out (is that a phrase?!) before the chorus kicks back in with a clever little harmony.

"Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil"

The title instrumental 'Undertow' is next, which is as uneventful a Drenge song as you could imagine. I don't have a problem with it other than it doesn't grab my attention, which for Drenge is a strange concept. 'Standing in the cold' is another dark, hard hitting, howling song with desperate vocals and a roaring guitar solo mid way through. The formula works again here before it falls down again with 'Have you forgotten my name', which rather lets the album peter out.

It is in those closing moments you doubt Drenge's obvious conscious decision to refine, polish and focus their sound. However, for most part I think it pays off, developing and improving them as a band. Their debut was a breath of fresh air, but I don't think that style is sustainable long term without becoming stale quite quickly.

Drenge have been bold and that is exciting. They are on the verge of brilliance.

8/10

Other album scores:

Sufjan Stevens: 8.5/10 - I may do a small post on this at some point! Amazing piece of music.
Waxahatchee: 7.5/10
Say Lou Lou: 4/10

Here is the band on David Letterman performing 'We Can Do What We Want':

Is "Psycho" - Muse the worst song they have ever made?

"If you do not do what you're told to do when you're told to do it, you will be punished. Do you understand?
(Aye, sir)"

As the drill sergeant and corporal wail back and forth to one another, it's hard to comprehend what has happened to a band who in the mid 2000's had the crown of best British rock band cemented for what seemed, years to come. 

Muse are obsessed with being grand. But it has now gone to the point of stupidity. Lyrically they have never been exceptional but the instrumentation was always what carried them. The last two albums have sucked that prowess away dramatically leaving wishy washy pop-rock ballads and electronic pop to contend with. So, Muse fans might have been excited when it was made clear the riff-heavy style was returning for their new album 'Drones.' 

"Psycho" has a guitar riff that defines "cock rock" if their ever was such a thing. Unoriginal and cringe worthy. The drumming is tight as always, but very, very familiar (Uprising?). The bass, well... this is supposed to be Chris Wolstenholme, yet I'm pretty sure I could write and play the part. 

I struggle to understand how a trio who conceived 'Citizen Erased' & 'Hysteria' have stooped to this level. The more desperate the music and ridiculous the lyrics, the more Muse's political messages & metaphors become less credible. You used to buy in to Matt Bellamy's ideologies and theories, probably because he was the like-able geek. Now, his falsetto at the end of this track is the musical equivalent of raking your nails along a chalkboard until death. That's unless you haven't drowned in your own vomit and tears first.

When the musical invention of Muse involves guitars and you label it uninspiring and predictable, you know something has gone terribly wrong. Muse have out done themselves. 

"Your ass belongs to me now"

No, it doesn't.

Courtney Barnett - 'Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit' Review

'Put me on a pedestal and I'll only disappoint you'. A modest metaphor perhaps for Courtney Barnett's new found stardom, and claims from some quarters that she is one of the best young song writers around. One thing is for certain, she doesn't disappoint!

One of my favourite albums from last year was Sun Kil Moon - 'Benji'. Mark Kozelek has an incredible story telling ability, with his work creating beautiful imagery. I found that album to be like nothing I had heard before. Like reading a book... where the words you read create a constant flow of images in your imagination. Of course, Mark Kozelek is a lovely guitar player too, with his melodies complimenting the stories he told so perfectly.

Courtney Barnett musically is a million miles away from Sun Kil Moon, yet she shares the deadpan, self-conversational style. 'Pedestrian at best' represents this best, with Courtney Barnett ranting in what is essentially a passionate monologue of dis contempt of the life of a female twenty-something.

'I like you, despise you, admire you, what are we gonna do when everything all falls through?
 I must confess, I've made a mess of what should be a small success, but I digress, at least I've tried my very best I guess'.

Courtney Barnett talks, sings, bellows, shouts her way through the record.

This style of songwriting does require a subtlety. We seem to be in an age where spoken word, or even open-mic style singing and performance is more popular. However, I find the majority hugely cringy. Partly my reason for not liking popular artists like Ed Sheeran, who even takes it one step further and raps *vomits*

'You should never cut your hair, because I love the way you flick it off your shoulder'

'And I know you love Shrek, cause we've watched it twelve times'.

Wake Me Up - Ed Sheeran.

Courtney Barnett has these moments of somewhat mundane thoughts spiraling out of her mouth and I guess you could aim the same criticism at her. I suppose I feel her lyrics are more witty, or if not witty then clever, building imagery or reflecting on something wider. Perhaps like early Arctic Monkeys and Alex Turner. But it is fair to say, it is a fine line.

"Jen insists that we buy organic vegetables, and I must admit I was a little skeptical at first. A little pesticide can't hurt"  - Dead Fox, Courtney Barnett

My favourite moment of this album is the deeply sentimental 'Depreston'. A story of house hunting in the suburbs, in a place she doesn't want to be. A tale of growing up, flying the nest and financial strain. She picks out the details of a bungalow she is viewing, perhaps mocking materialistic obsession and petty characteristics that she questions the importance of.

"I can't think of floorboards anymore, whether the front room faces south or north."

Musically like Real Estate and lyrically like Conor Obest, I have read elsewhere. I couldn't put it better myself...

There is some musical prowess on the album too. Seven minute long, reverb guitar solo heavy 'Small Poppies' is a post break up self examination with Courtney Barnett bellowing out "I used to hate myself, but now I think I'm alright". Other catchy hooks appear on 'An Illustration of Loneliness (Sleepless in New York)' & 'Dead Fox', but I do feel it's the lyrical content which offers the most pleasure.

A pyramid stage slot at Glastonbury will expose Courtney Barnett to the UK later this year and I believe she'll be far more known come July.

8/10

Here is the the punchy single 'Pedestrian at Best':

Father John Misty - 'I Love you, Honeybear' Review

'Father John Misty'. The name is possibly the worst thing that Josh Tillman has created. Everything else is gold...

Josh Tillman, the ex drummer of Fleet Foxes, created Father John Misty back in 2012 after an array of solo releases in his own name. A folk-inspired singer songwriter, from Maryland, USA. His music is as bold as his lyrics are witty and at times, hysterical. They say the best works of art evoke a variety of emotions and this album does just that.

'I love You, Honeybear' the album's opener, is a stunning track that sums up the strength of the vocals throughout. Tillman's voice is layered with his own harmonies, with on-point 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' complimenting the warm melody.

The lyrics are where this album comes to life the most, however. He sounds bitter, angry and self-loathing throughout, with any positive outlook on life or compliment of another smothered in satire,sarcasm or humour to balance it up. At times, the lyrics come across as a stream of thoughts just passing their way through his head, with no process of filtering out the stuff you think, but don't say.

"I've brought my mother's depression
You've got your father's scorn and a wayward aunt's schizophrenia"

His lyrics have the habit of making you smile or think deeply before making you chuckle. A hard skill; as most attempts to be funny yet respected as a musician go horribly wrong, or just cannot be taken seriously at all. 

"The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apt." & "Nothing Good Ever Happens At The Goddamn Thirsty Crow" take one night stands and relationships and give comical, but relatable lyrics. The former begins with three lines of admiration and appreciation for his temporary lover, before the inevitable guilt and resentment kicks in with cutting, harsh jibes at the woman he spent the night with. Suddenly, he can't stand everything about her.

"And now every insufferable convo
Features her patiently explaining the cosmos"

"Strange Encounter"touches on these ideas too, with desperate, passionate vocals of self-hatred and self-despair, bellowing: " I swore I would change". "The Ideal Husband" follows with yet more admissions of mistakes and regrets.

"Bored in the USA" is sad, honest, thought provoking and beautifully sung.

"Now I've got a lifetime to consider all the ways
I've grown more disappointing to you
As my beauty warps and fades
I suspect you feel the same"

Every song here has a sentiment to dwell on, whether you laugh, cry or both. It delivers the honest and bitter self- realisation of life's disappointments, worries and fears but also things that just really grind your gears in 21st century America. It's from this, Josh Tillman brings the laughs and jokes and metaphorically shrugs his shoulders through life with a smirk on his face.

Josh Tillman has made an album which is as impressive as his beard and that takes some serious patience and ultimately, talent and skill.

9/10

Other album reviews:

Will Butler - Policy: 7.5/10

Here is the album opener:

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - 'Chasing Yesterday' Review

With Beady Eye gone, Noel is the last Gallagher standing to fly the flag. Despite being his 'High Flying Birds' with various random but cherry picked musicians (The Zuton's bassist?!), this project is mainly a solo one with the luxury of being able to sing every tune he writes. You get the feeling he relishes the fact he is in complete control of the entire record making process nowadays. The self titled first effort in 2011 was a fabulous album and one that further cemented himself as an iconic songwriter. His live performance of that album was effortless, recalling a memorable night at the o2 arena, London.

So three and a bit years on, after an EP/Record Store day release here and there, he is back with the second High Flying Bird's album. It's a fair comment to say you know what you are going to get with a Noel album. Above all, a solid one. One that has a number of 'proper' tunes, with proper lyrics and a proper melody. That might sound basic, but that automatically puts him ahead of a large proportion of new artists who lack the skill to combine those elements. Wishy-washy indie rock is a thriving genre. Royal Blood's Mike Kerr can play the bass guitar damn well and damn hard, but
"Hey little monster, you know it's all ok
I'm gonna love you, no matter what you say" - Little Monster - Royal Blood

is a classic example of having one element (tune/melody) but not the other (lyrics). With Royal Blood's success, maybe you don't need to tie them all together anymore. Perhaps that's why mainstream rock music is in decline. Noel very rarely (if at all), fails to fuse his skills as a songwriter and a musician together so elegantly.

I like the production of everything he creates. His music feels loved, and it sounds uplifting and melancholy at the time with an effortless feel . 'The Dying of The Light', 'Riverman' & 'Ballad of The Might I' all reflect this and are highlights of mine.

Some might say (sorry, had to!) his music is a tad 'samey'. Chord heavy, rolling bass, verse-chorus-verse. 'We know we can't go back' might be guilty of this, yet it is listenable. My theory would be if you don't like that style, you probably don't like his music, nor Oasis'. An album being 'samey' is a dangerous criticism. True, some 'samey' albums can sound dreadful, but some can go on to be masterpieces. 'It This It' - The Strokes has a consistent sound through its entirety and is one of the best albums of the 21st century. The Beatles also receive the same treatment from some parts, yet their music is still played 50 years on. 

'Listenable' is a odd adjective to describe music on face value, but I think Noel personifies that trait. It's not setting the musical world alight stylistically and it has its moments of routineness but it's an enjoyable listen and one that his fans will immerse themselves in.

In a music world of blending genre's and stylistic innovation being necessary to get recognition, Noel has laughed in its face and done what he always has. 

7/10

Other album scores:

Ghost Culture - Ghost Culture: 7/10

Here is an acoustic version of  'The Dying of The Light' which is a song Noel has had knocking about for a few years before appearing on this album:

Rae Morris - 'Unguarded' Review.

32 days have now passed in 2015 and up until day 26 of 2015, I was scratching around for some good new music. Thank you Rae Morris!

I first heard Rae Morris about a year or so ago when she performed guest vocals on the latest Bombay Bicycle Club album, in the track 'Luna'. A decent track, with a glimpse of her vocal ability. Glastonbury came along and she joined the band on stage and perhaps got a glimpse of the festival scene she challenges to be a big part of this year. Then she appeared on the sound of 2015 list. Everything led up to the release of this debut, which was 5 years in the making.

A singer songwriter who writes pop songs. Not my usual thing, but her songs have a vulnerable, dark feel to them which compliments her voice especially when it's just her and her piano. 'Don't Go' and 'For You' show this off  and are probably my favourite two on the album. The singles 'Under the Shadows' and 'Unguarded' offer a more classic pop feel with stomping choruses. 'Closer' is another highlight and very Lorde-eque.

The album maybe fades off a little towards the end and at times is a little over produced (like most pop music). But it's a pop album which doesn't try too hard. It's an album that feels personal to Rae Morris and its full of rawness lyrically. It feels like she hasn't had to or been forced to compromise her music to sell records or top charts which is refreshing. 

A year or so ago, Bombay Bicycle Club released what was a highly enjoyable record that I returned to on and off for the whole year. I expect to do the same with their mate, Rae Morris' debut.

7/10

Here's the album opener 'Skin', which gives you a good feel of her musical style :)