Introducing: The Family Rain

image: eventful.com

I was properly introduced to this band on a whim when I caught  their set at the Festival Republic stage at Leeds festival this year. Having heard only a minuscule amount of material of theirs, I was utterly impressed with their ability to get what seemed like a relatively unfamiliar crowd going.

The band of brothers boast a high-octane, primarily blues rock, sound comparable to the likes of Kings of Leon. However, their clear hip hop and R&B influences steer them away from being thrown into a stereotypical box.

Produced by Jim Abbiss, you are immediately forced to make that Kasabian comparison but the Family Rain provide such a fresh sound, it is difficult to fit them into any category. Tracks like 'Trust Me... I'm a Genius' affirm they're incredible rock 'n' roll sound whereas 'Feel Better (Frank)' and 'Carnival' present their more R&B inspired drum beats.

I am extremely excited to hear their upcoming album, set for release in February of next year and it comes with great sadness to me that despite being added to the guest list of their show at Ruby Lounge last night, I still could not make it. Oh well, there's always next time, this band aren't going anywhere any time soon.

Tribes Announce Split

Earlier today, Tribes announced their split. This came with great sadness to me as I have been a huge fan of their music for such a long time, I have also had the pleasure of seeing them live twice.

I have always been absolutely bewildered as to how they have not blown up big time as I believe they are pretty much the best new band of the past couple of years. They have graced us with two absolutely brilliant albums, 'Baby' and 'Wish to Scream,' along with a couple of stellar EPs which are all full to the brim with musical gems. For these reasons, I have decided to commemorate the loss of one of my favourite bands by giving you a run down of my top 10 favourite songs of theirs... Call it the bereavement process!

image: areasonablegoodear.com

10. Nightdriving

One of the slower paced tracks from 'Baby,' this song is near perfect. With its steady drums and effortless guitars, not to mention its honest and powerful lyrics of 'what use is God if you can't see him?' Which is something I have always loved about Tribes.

9. Walking in the Street

I love the opening drums to this track, it starts off so upbeat but like most Tribes tracks, builds up to a darker, more powerful chorus. For sure one of their most credible tracks.

8. Dancehall

This track was the second release of their second album, 'Wish To Scream.' Its delicate instrumentals, primarily piano, and beautiful lyrics combine to make one of the best tracks on the album. This record really does emphasise Johnny Lloyd's undeniable genius.

7. When My Day Comes

This is probably Tribes' most upbeat and fast paced track (as well as being the centre of the horrendous pun in the title of this post). It is definitely a stand out track when played live, especially at Leeds Festival earlier this year. Again, Lloyd's lyrics are on form and the poignant riffs are just exquisite!

6. How the Other Half Live

This track is just made to be played to massive crowds clapping along to the drums. 'How the Other Half Live' could easily be the work of a bigger, more established band.

5. Whenever

Another brilliant song to see live, this track is the opener to Tribes' debut album 'Baby,' and what a brilliant opener it is! With its distinctive bass, another fantastic feat for Johnny Lloyd's ridiculously good lyric writing skills.

4. Himalaya

One of their most beautiful tracks full stop. Cannot even explain my love for this song. So simple yet so amazing, its main asset has to be its undeniably beautiful lyrics.

3. Girlfriend

This song is ridiculously good. Its gritty and honest lyrics (we're seeing a pattern here) and infectious riffs are just impossible not to sing along to.

2. Sappho

I think this is the first Tribes song I ever listened to. It is an absolute anthem like the rest of them and It will always be one of my favourite songs. I love how it builds up into such a powerful track, something that Johnny Lloyd and the boys have affirmed themselves as absolute masters of.

1. Coming of Age

Despite my 'take it or leave it' attitude towards acoustic tracks, this song is definitely an exception. Containing some of Lloyd's most credible lyrics yet, the simplicity of the good old fashioned acoustic guitar seems to do them justice. This track definitely fills me with anticipation for the solo work Johnny has promised, even if we do have to lose such a great band for it.

Introducing: The Anecdotes

image: indieminded.com

This unsigned Mancunian quartet describe their sound as "dream indie/post-punk" which is an increasingly popular musical sub-genre of the past twelve months, however, this band have pleasantly surprised me and no, it is not because they are from Manchester.

Their fruit pop sound claims influences from the likes of Peace, Tame Impala and Wavves, which is definitely a good thing in my eyes! My favourite track of theirs, 'Kaleidoscope,' showcases the band's ability to produce an amazingly groovy track with Foals-reminiscent guitars and a bit of a Strokes feel, whereas tracks like 'Origami Waves' and 'Sepia Fields' affirm a heavier feel to their sound. I sense a big future ahead for these boys, and they're only seventeen!

The 1975 Release 'Girls' Video

Earlier this week, The 1975 released the brand new video for their most recent release, 'Girls.' The song, which is also Zane Lowe's latest hottest record, depicts the idea of teenage angst and the typical yet black and white fact that girls constantly tend to go for men a few years they're senior. The video however, holds an entirely different discussion point.

The 1975 always seem to be quite particular about their sound and the aesthetic they like to create to accompany their music. They're old school R&B influences, everything from Otis Reading to Michael Jackson, combined with their alternative and edgy image comes as a somewhat refreshing break to the majority of bands that seem adamant on sticking to one specific genre and doing exactly what is expected from that genre aesthetically. This unconventional video for new release 'Girls' sees the band sticking two fingers up at the labels, only satisfied by drab, over-sexualised videos that dominate our TV screens by doing exactly that. Its a wonder they kept straight faces throughout the entire video.

A great video to accompany a great song and I am increasingly pleased that The 1975, a band that I have been a fan of through 4 (yes, 4) name changes, are finally gaining the recognition they deserve after 10 years of hard work on the band

Arctic Monkeys, Manchester Phones 4 U Arena [23.10.13]

photo: clashmusic.com

Last night, I was lucky enough to get the chance to see the Arctic Monkeys for the second time. Victoria station was full to the brim with overenthusiastic fans haggling ticket touts and grabbing their traditional pre-gig McDonald's. The biggest band of our generation were in our city for the first time since November 2011 and that was blatant, given the distinctive chill of excitement that hit every attendee as soon as they walked through the arena doors. This band have graced us with five albums of pure brilliance and here they were tonight, to serenade us with their newest pursuit, AM, along with the whole host of undeniable classics they have under their belts.

The support came from young talent, The Strypes, who delivered a short but sweet set of bluesy rock jams in the hope of getting the crowd moving. There is no doubt that this band are impressive for their tender ages, however, I am not sure they were up to the job of supporting the biggest band of our time. Nevertheless, they managed to maintain a head bobbing crowd which is always a good sign, even if not one droplet of sweat was shed throughout their entire set.

The pre-set music of everything from Biggie to The Beatles lowered in volume, before grinding to a tension building halt.The lights were faded to black. The roaring chants of 'Alex! Alex! Alex!' began, whilst the unanimous swarms of young girls started tearing up at the pure sight of suit-clad suave Alex Turner, in the flesh, making his way onto the brashly lit stage. There is no doubt about it, this band have established themselves over the years as one of the most influential bands in music history, but this was something else. It felt as if the stones had just walked on stage in '65. 

Helders starts us of with the boastful drums of 'Do I Wanna Know?' a song that has been stuck in our heads since the start of the summer, followed by that infectious riff we all know and love. The arms of the crowd to and fro in unison as Alex Turner, in an Elvis Presley stance, asks that burning question (does he want to know?) The swarm of goggle-eyed fan girls cling onto his every word and yet again the Arctic Monkeys have proved themselves. 

The set list continued to excite us, raking in early anthems like 'Brianstorm,' 'Dancing Shoes,' and 'Teddy Picker,' along with classics from Suck It and See and Humbug such as 'Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair' and 'Crying Lightening.' It is difficult to explain the extent to which the crowd were truly revelling in the moment and this was not altered when they played the third track on AM, 'One For The Road.' 

Covered in sweat (and piss) we kept on dancing as our favourite band threw tune after tune at us, 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?' was a particular highlight, as well as 'Arabella' and of course the 2005 hit 'I Bet You Look Good on The Dancefloor.'Turner's vocal was well and truly faultless as well as pristine guitar and bass from Cook and O'Malley, and of course energetic drums from Mr Matthew James III, as Turner likes to address him. This band have grown so much over the years, from their 2005 success to now. The huge force that they have become just goes to show how they will be remembered in years to come. Even seeing them play live in 2011 for their Suck It And See tour seems like worlds apart from the rock stars they are now. 

The flawless set list was topped off when they played 'No.1 Party Anthem' and 'I Wanna Be Yours,' two of their most admirable tracks from AM. 'I Wanna Be Yours,' Arctic Monkeys' adaptation of John Cooper Clarke's classic poem of the same title,culminating in clouds of glitter and smoke, suffocating the crowd. This truly was a spectacular moment to witness, one that will be impossible to indulge in again. 

They vacated the stage, leaving us emotional wrecks with nothing more to chant but "we want more!" before returning, more boastful than ever. The dynamic guitars of 'Snap Out Of It' kicked in, causing the crowd to endeavour in even more Alex Turner inspired snake hips. "I wanna grab both your shoulders and shake baby," the crowd shouted at the top of their lungs, before simmering down for a beautifully done acoustic version of 'Mardy Bum.' Arms waved from side to side in reflective appreciation, as it became apparent that this night was coming to a close. And all of a sudden, that famous 'R U Mine?' riff kicks in.The perfect conclusion to a perfect set, from an almost perfect band.

If there is anything I have learnt from last night, it is; 1. Alex Turner is THE hottest man on the planet. 2. The Arctic Monkeys' back catalogue is absolutely insane. only they could miss two of their biggest tracks ('When The Sun Goes Down' and '505') from their set and still have an absolute monster of a set list and 3. If you aren't the biggest fan of AM, wait till you hear some of the tracks live and it will be totally different story. They have definitely converted me!

Review: King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon

image: kingkrule.co.uk

It baffles me that this guy isn't massive. His obscure sound, loosely resonant of a Jamie T/James Blake love-child, with thrown in jazzy and bluesy instrumentals is like nothing the world has ever heard before but it works so well.

I stumbled upon King Krule a.k.a Archy Marshall 2 years ago when he was playing under the pseudonym  'Zoo Kid'. The first track I heard from him was 'Out Getting Ribs' and I was utterly mesmerised, I remember listening to it through my earphones on the way to school everyday for months. I was constantly on the look out for new material from him but he had disappeared into the woodwork for a good twelve months. However, 2011 saw his return with his 5 track self-titled EP, closely followed by the release of the amazing 'Rock Bottom,' and 'Octopus' released via Rinse in 2012.

My expectations for this album were exceedingly high based on Krule's previous work and if anything, the finished product is even better than I imagined. 'Easy Easy,' which is a song I have been besotted by in recent weeks, opens the album in a more dynamic style compared to other tracks on the album. The predominately guitar produced track combines down-to-earth lyrics about the consumerist nature of the 21st century with untamed riffs which can only be described as addictive.

King Krule claims that the album title '6 Feet Beneath the Moon' is a metaphor for the idea that we are always too far away from our dreams and that nature really is reflected in each track which loosely conveys the demeanour of a man with a chip on each shoulder. Tracks like 'Has This Hit?' and 'Neptune Estate' present a deeper and more personal side to the record whereas 'A Lizard State' builds on the rant infused, almost humorous tone of 'Easy Easy.' The best track on the album for me would have to be 'Ocean Bed,' purely because of its laid-back, bluesy rhythm and effortless riffs, embellished with stunning lyrics.

All in all, this album is an exceedingly good effort and I shall be looking forward to hearing what he has in store for us in the future, not to mention what is in store for him off the back of this album.

***

8/10

Review: Haim - Days Are Gone

image: haimtheband.com

I first caught sight of this Californian trio of sisters back in early 2012 upon the release of their 'Forever' EP. Their new-age folk pop sound combined with 90's R&B beats, astounded me as it was like nothing I had ever heard before. The closest comparison I can make to these girls would have to be Fleetwood Mac, loosely that is (and that is no way a bad thing.) Anyway, their 70's meets 90's with a bit of 80's thrown in sound was an instant hit with me, tracks like 'Don't Save Me' and 'Falling' had an immediate infectiousness to them the minute I heard them. It is safe to say I was extremely excited to hear their album and it is finally here!

Just as I suspected this album is full of summer infused melodies embellished with lyrics of rocky relationships and heartbreak. However, their R&B influences have definitely become more apparent on this record, especially on tracks like 'If I Could Change Your Mind' and 'My Song 5.' This really is refreshing as it is not everyday you get a girl band that include all the elements of an indie three piece yet manage to sustain fragments of so many different genres and make it work so well. It is as if every song on the album is inspired by a different genre, yet they are all brought together with that underlying indie sound that we heard on the EP. 'Honey & I' for example, combines a variety of conventions of folk music, but has been transformed into an exceedingly high standard pop song. Tracks like 'Don't Save Me' and 'Days Are Gone' maintain their famed upbeat and joyous sound with a slight R&B resonance, especially on the latter. Whereas 'Go Slow' present their melodic strengths, with angelic harmonising and laid back drums, this track has to be one of their most admirable works for sure. Two stand out tracks for me however have to be 'The Wire' and 'Running If You Call My Name.' Two very different tracks. 'The Wire' boasting mostly guitars and an addictive drum beat that is impossible not to click your fingers to, not to mention the catchy chorus. 'Running If You Call My Name' on the other hand, culminates the album in a poignant and memorable way. The powerful vocals and infectious beat establish Haim as a very capable band who know exactly what they are doing musically. 

It is extremely impressive how these sisters manage to combine such a huge array of musical elements and genres into each and every one of their beautifully crafted tracks, but whatever they are doing, they are doing it well.

***

9/10