The Music Blog that skips past all the generic, manufactured chart toppers and brings you the real music that is overlooked or up and coming. To subscribe just enter your email address below (you will only be emailed to inform you of a new post, no spam from me or anyone else).
So, it's Christmas - or Xmas if you're not Christian - and there's more than a little bit of chill in the air, in fact, as Frank Loesser so rightly noticed, Baby, It's Cold Outside. And with that seamless link out of the way it's time to talk about that very song - with a modern twist. Ed Drewett and the name reverting Katie Sutherland (formerly Pearl and the Puppets) recorded this modern classic last year but waited until last month to share it with the world. This song has had a lot of versions but this is easily my favourite; it's one of the few songs that I'm absolutely desperate to sing along to - something which isn't true for any of the other versions - and it really gets me into the festive spirit (although someone should probably tell Katie that doesn't mean mulled wine). If you're looking for something upbeat to play whilst waiting the eternity for your Christmas dinner, or even enduring the eternity of making it!, this is definitely the song for you, and with Katie releasing her debut album next year you may want to check out her pledge campaign in which you can pre-order the album or even bag yourself some once in a lifetime opportunities while helping the CHAS charity at the same time!
From romantic duet to romanceless duet, Oh My! sing about nearly spending Christmas alone The Waitresses style. With a few changes to the lyrics, this winter wonder-song embodies the girls' personalities brilliantly, leaving you with a massive grin on your face and then slightly disappointed that it's all over so quickly. However, short and so very, very sweet - and I'm talking about the song too, not just Jade - is exactly what you get from Oh My! and it's very possible that any more and it might just lose it's charm. I was slightly confused though, by how they managed to forget their stuffing? Is it possible that The Waitresses mistake was at the forefront of their minds as they were doing their Christmas shop or did they just not bother with the cranberries whatsoever?! We'll never know, but one thing we know for sure, with this pair giving out so much brilliant music for free, you'd be mad not to check them out before they go huge and you miss your chance. I especially recommend signing up to their mailer to make sure you don't miss a thing - it's genuinely the best mailer I'm signed up to (not half because of all the free tunes, some of which are exclusive to mailees).
(In tune to Dirty Dancer) Oh, My! What decade was your hair done, and how'd you make it look so slick?
If you were looking for something more emotional, My Tiger My Timing may be the answer. As is the way with all of their music, this song will send you into a trance and the three minutes will literally feel like a matter of seconds and although I'd hate to sound like I'm exaggerating, this band are a few thousand fathoms further ahead than anyone of a similar sound. Even the Written In Red remixes take priority over all non-vital functions, I'd even go so far as to suggest that they make it a double disk album as so to include some of the truly sensational remixes on it. This band could be taking turns punching me in the face and I couldn't care less nor feel a thing so long as their music was playing. I was a bit reluctant to jump the gun but after listening to their last couple of songs I am absolutely certain that their debut album will be one of the best of the decade and even of the century so far. But this is supposed to be about Christmas so I'll simply leave you by saying that it'll be a very merry one indeed with the Tigers on your playlist.
Many 'less rational' people believe that at 11:11am on the 21st of December 2012 (GMT) the world is going to end - damn, I was really looking forward to next Christmas too... - for a range of different reasons, some as simple as the Mayan calendar ending (wait, so it ending in 2007 was just a practice run?). To be honest, it really must be the end of the world if some mathematician can't be bothered plotting the dates for a time that is thousands of years away and also thousands of years after their world, as well as all of their kind's, ended anyway. Imagine someone having the intelligence to do all the things they did back then but not having the common sense to not waste their time on pointless things. Anyway, should you believe that the universe is going to spontaneously cease to exist because it says so in your horoscope, there are a few artists to put on your list of 'hear before my local Mayan calendar store closes down'.
In the modern music industry it's becoming increasingly hard to break through, regardless of talent, and even harder to predict these sporadic breakthrough artists. There is one thing, however, that you can be almost certainly sure of and that's that you'll probably definitely, most likely can put your mortgage on... maybe... the fact that you'll hear more of the following artists in the year to end all years.
First up, a girl who works and plays to apocalyptic proportions (metaphorically of course...), Spark. With top quality live performances and the ability to produce an impressive range of variation between every song, it's impossible not to fall in love, with sheer admiration of her. And when you inevitably do so, she can break your heart with her arsenal of weapons, including but not limited to, beautiful and emotional piano/vocal combinations or an invasion of attitude sure to eradicate your previous perspective on modern pop music and replace it with this potential viral epidemic. But as with everything, Spark needs the correct conditions to gain her maximum rate of growth and so in future it would be nice if this remix friendly - and just friendly in general - philanthropist could get the same promotional treatment from 679 Artists that it appears is given to all their other female phenomenons.
And Speaking of remix friendly 679 female phenomenons, next it's Oh My! With more buzz than a hive of bees, these girls' music careers are going uphill like they've perfected personal anti-gravity. Increasingly chart promising tracks and a slot supporting The Saturdays sounds like a match made in heaven but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I didn't say anything negative, so I won't. No really, I won't... Oh go on then... As can be expected with such newcomers to the world of music they've not had all that much practice performing live which when you're on before The Saturdays will only be exasperated. And from my experience (old and low quality mobile footage) there was definitely room for improvement, though it should be noted they have had a lot of practice since then. If you're one of Oh My!'s dedicated fans you may want to follow the fan base below for some relevant tweets about Oh My!
Next up is Vela, who is surging through the music scene and with the best of her work still to come, has the potential to go very far. Next year is when it's all expected to blow up (her music, not the world) and with her modern, perhaps even futuristic pop sound, she will be very highly anticipated.
Having just won Best Newcomers at the 2011 NIMA there's not much doubt that Wonder Villains will be on the rise in 2012. The real question is will it just be Ireland or can their forthcoming success travel as well another NIMA winner and one of my 'Watch out for in 2011' picks Two Door Cinema Club. Their fun and unique take on songwriting will be very popular among certain groups of people which could create a cult following and also makes them my best bet for writing a light-hearted take on the whole end of the world business. Should you be so lucky as to have this lot performing near you, it's definitely not an opportunity to miss!
Now for a backtrack to all things almost certain: an album from Pearl and the Puppets in 2012 (I know, deep breaths). A contender for most talented naturally vs Spark, Pearl is definitely one to listen to if you like beautiful vocals accompanied by incredibly well written acoustic instruments. She plans on releasing a free download titled "With Her Or Not" on the 1st of December 2011 so make sure to look out for the review of that here in the coming weeks. Pearl also has a fan base should you wantsome related updates her recent activities.
Speaking of nearly completed albums, there's a lot of them. One of the albums you can expect to see emerge in 2012 is from the third installation of 679's 'female phenomenon' range, Little Boots. I know that, in my opinion at least, Little Boots has already broke through, but she will returning in 2012 to break through to Earth shattering proportions - like an Earthquake Stuck On Repeat - making her first breakthrough look like she was New In Town (sorry, if you leave an opportunity to globally publish writing in these Hands I’m bound to Meddle (sorry again...)). Keeping her cards fairly close to her chest, until recently she's made it fairly difficult to provide any evidence that it'll be the epic sell out tour providing sequel to 'Hands' that we all know it will be. She has also made a passing comment about a Christmas song so if she has any plans to share it with us it might be a good idea to do so this year, just in case... But the real proof in the Christmas pudding is her new song "Shake" which was released on the 13th of November and will be reviewed very shortly so make sure to keep updated to avoid missing out.
Another returning artist is Marina and the Diamonds who is number four on the list of female artists signed to 679 that I’ve mentioned so far, you'd think I work for their publicity/marketing/whatever team but I don't, honestly (however, if they're willing to pay...). Marina may be the first to get her album out there as it's expected to be released in the opening months of next year though based her sales history, I’d suggest she releases a 'song of the year' contender quality song beforehand if we are to expect the album to dominate the charts like the level of artist she'd like to assert herself as. As far as I’m concerned there is no compare to Marina in terms of natural ability and the beauty of her music when she's sat at a piano performing an acoustic version of this or that but - and the same goes for Little Boots - she's already broken through and so is not eligible for the aforementioned most naturally talented title. And as is a semi-recurring theme; Marina has a fansite, well, many fansites really, one of which you can visit via the link below and follow on Twitter should you wish to do so.
The last nearly completed album I'm going to talk about is one from The Good Natured. If you remember at the beginning of this short novel, I mentioned Spark's unforgettable live performances and The Good Natured make theirs equally memorable so when you get the two together you're sure to experience a once in a lifetime gig that would take a lethal amount of alcohol just to make your recollection of the night a little hazy. Although you're unlikely to catch the two together soon, The Good Natured are about to start touring with Oh Land which is definitely something worth checking out.
Obviously I can't mention everyone I'd like to and definitely can't go into any great detail about anyone at all (unfortunately) but there are a few others that I'd just like to namedrop so you can do your own research and they are Sunday Girl, My Tiger My Timing and Queen of Hearts. Should you desire a more detailed write-up of any of the artists mentioned or even want to request someone I've overlooked - of which there are many - then please do so in the comments below. To give a vague idea of the likelihood and extent of the breakthrough success of each of the artists mentioned I've also provided some odds which are purposefully harsh to underline the fact that it's not a sure thing for any of them and they are very unlikely to be the next Jessie J.
Sunday Girl's Twitter
Sunday Girl's Facebook
My Tiger My Timing's Twitter
My Tiger My Timing's Facebook
Queen of Hearts' Twitter
Queen of Hearts' Facebook
Evens --- Someone not mentioned (as in from the 'Others' category below)
5/1 --- Little Boots
7/1 --- Marina and the Diamonds
9/1 --- Oh My!
14/1 --- Vela
18/1 --- Sunday Girl
18/1 --- The Good Natured
25/1 --- Wonder Villains
25/1 --- Spark
30/1 --- Pearl and the Puppets
30/1 --- My Tiger My Timing
40/1 --- Queen of Hearts
100/1 --- Others
Most likely to follow its predecessors and hit playlists on popular TV programs as well as clubs and very likely, the trendier clothing shops as well, Warrior brings one very clear message: Vela's here, prepare for the big things to come. With its unique familiarity Warrior will have no problem making itself at home in most people's music collection and it is for this reason that it earns a well-deserved 91%. You can stream Warrior and watch the video as well as share your opinions below but due to excessive demand you'll have to follow
this link to download Warrior.
As if being signed to 679 Artists - of which several other female pop sensations such as Little Boots and Marina and the Diamonds are also signed to - wasn't enough of an omen to success, these girls also have strong support in the form of Example. Then you just have to add the plentiful supply of media exposure and a supporting slot on The Saturdays upcoming tour and you're on to a winner without even mentioning the music!
With each track released sounding more polished than the last it was inevitable that sooner or later a song was going to come up with the potential to climb the charts. With lyrics that are harder to forget than remember and a beat that has its own VIP pass onto any clubs playlist these two girls are rising to fame faster than Louie Spence on a 80's themed club night. Their vocals are improving leaps and bounds with every song and compliment each other perfectly on this track, no longer sounding like two friends at karaoke (in a good way, not like some of those X Factor auditions) and more like a professional pop duo. Scrufizzer also makes a welcome appearance which adds a whole new level to a song that already has a lot going for it. However, one thing that certainly isn't going in its favour is the timing, being released on the 14th of November they are still relative newcomers and this song would definitely perform a lot better if they were to release it as more established artists.
With more dance moves and costume changes than... Louie Spence... there's something of a less in your face Louie Spence about the accompanying video which also features many inflatable props and even a chameleon! This song, which gets stuck firmly in your head (as well as anything you associate it with), is likely to find its way onto repeat and therefore earns itself a rating of 89%. Should you, after watching the video, disagree or have something to add, feel free to do so below.
Already having made the transition from cult hit to a household name, Marina has now decided to make the same switch with her sound. While still keeping the powerful and clever lyrics and vocals that all her fans have undoubtedly come to love, she's taken a step into a more electronic realm and has done so with great success, surging straight up the charts from release. With the kind of sound that will always get a good reaction on the dance floor as well as plenty of airtime from some of the biggest radio stations, such as BBC Radio 1, it's no understatement that this could well be my track of the year from one of indie music's current biggest names.
Not forgetting what got her to where she is though, Marina also recorded an acoustic version of the song to share with her loyal fans, which she has in great abundance. By removing the upbeat electro-euphoria Marina does something in such a manner only she is capable of in producing an intensely emotional journey with just the aid of a piano.
If this song is anything to go by and with her ability to produce enough dedicated diamonds to comfortably put Orapa to shame, her next album could well see a prolonged stay in the charts and is certain to create a lot of buzz. To me this song is absolute pop perfection in one form and an intensely emotional epidemic of beauty in the other and as such i'd rate it at the otherwise unattainable 99%. If for some reason you don't agree or much more likely, if you do, share your opinions below and if you haven't heard both versions yet, they're both below too.
Should this have left you wanting more or even converted you into a die-hard diamond, I recommend you check out websites such as http://marina-diamandis.net which has almost everything any diamond could hope for and http://marinaandthediamondslive.com providing the rest.
With more high profile events behind them than some artists in the charts, My Tiger My Timing are definitely popular among the bigwigs and could well be on their way to becoming a cult hit. Written In Red is the latest addition to a rapidly evolving sound and an impressive portfolio that would make even a few of the established artists in the indie scene a little jealous (though I doubt they'd admit it). With it's laid-back back feel and truly beautiful sound it's the kind of song you could put on in the background while you relax and lose hours of the day with a distant smile on your face. In fact, I strongly recommend a cautious attitude if listening to this on public transport, or you will end up in the middle of nowhere. Released on the 14th of November 2011, I can see this song getting plenty of airtime on BBC Radio 6, as well as many other stations, as this is a perfect radio tune. A song of this caliber is worthy of no less than 90% in my books but you can listen to Written In Red and tell me what you think below.
With school behind them, Wonder Villains can concentrate on music more fully and they weren't planning on taking their time, already releasing their first proper EP on No Dancing Records, which is out on the 17th of October 2011 and Touring with General Fiasco (dates below) is their latest addition to the list which includes New Young Pony Club and The Undertones as well as their performances at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend, Glasgowbury and T-vital.
The title track Zola is an incredibly catchy, somewhat humorous pop tune with so much going so much going for it and such rave reviews that the only thing stopping Wonder Villains from growing an intergalactic ego is that they've heard it all before. If Gianfranco Zola ever hears this song you'd have to assume he'd be pretty pleased as not only is it a brilliant song, it's lyrics state pretty clearly that he was a brilliant player.
In 33 the instruments take a small step back, in order for you to really concentrate on the lyrics which is especially useful as all Wonder Villains song are perfect for singing along to and with their upbeat pop feel it's impossible not to feel good listening to this EP. Not to be forgotten about though, the small step back doesn't mean the instrumental side to this track is any less great and it, in fact, it has a keyboard you could listen to all day long (which makes it a shame that the song's only 2:37 long).
Then comes Running In Circles, written a good three years ago it was bound to be a little different to their more recent work, but definitely not in a bad way! With a little faster paced vocals it might not be as easy to sing along to but that doesn't stop you trying but if you're looking for a song that's a little less pop and has much more guitar while keeping the Wonder Villains catchy style, you've found it.
If you were looking for something to complain about, however, it might not have been so fruitful. You'll probably have noticed that all three songs are quite short, averaging at 2:30 but you'll also have noticed that each song is so good you're just gonna stick it on repeat anyway. And when you do that, you'll realize these songs get better each time and that's something which can back up the BBC when they describe it as "An all conquering hit." and said "it really is pop gold." If you can't tell already, I agree and that's why i'm giving the EP an all out 95% but I've given you two of the three to listen to (Running In Circles below) and 33 can be found here, along with the other two... so feel free to make your own mind up and post what you think below, in the comments section.
Tour Dates (with General Fiasco):
Sat 22nd Oct - Academy 2, Dublin
Sun 23rd Oct - Thekla, Bristol
Tues 25th Oct - King Tuts, Glasgow
Wed 26th Oct - Rainbow, Birmingham
Thurs 27th Oct - Islington academy 2, London
Sat 29th Oct - Deaf institute, Manchester
Sun 30th Oct - Queens, Belfast
We all know that The Subways can produce a great album, having already released two already, but what is it that makes Money and Celebrity better or worse than the rest? For me it's a lot more Celebrity than Money that gives it the edge, the two title tracks are very different with Celebrity's well sung, catchy lyrics and complimenting instrumentals, each instrument fully utilized to create a fantastic song, it's very hard not to make the perfectly adequate album track Money not sound a bit substandard. The truth is if the rest of the album wasn't so good Money could easily be the hit single whereas next to pretty much the whole rest of the album it does get drowned out and forgotten about. It should also be noted that Celebrity's intro sounds an awful lot like Bloc Party's Helicopter but who can blame them, it's a great riff.
We Don't Need Money To Have A Good Time is the latest single which is completely understandable as this upbeat rock song has a little bit of the previous two albums with that third new album feel all mixed into it. I Wanna Dance With You has an irresistible chorus with some enjoyable lyrics in between. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has a chorus capable of charting but as with several other songs on the album, parts of the rest of the song isn't quite on the same level. Down Our Street isn't really a contender for next single like the previous three though Charlotte's vocals during the chorus certainly add to what is still a great song.
Leave My Side isn't a song that I would expect to be the pinnacle of a live performance like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang or We Don't Need Money To Have A Good Time but is again a good song despite a an unfortunately low quantity of vocals from Charlotte. The same can't be said of Popdeath which has plenty of vocals from Charlotte and is all the better for it, though more somber to match the mood of the song, her vocals are at least on a par with her vocals in the chorus of Down Our Street.
Rumour has a strong rock feel to it compared to song of the others, which are definitely still great rock songs, but Rumour takes it's powerful guitar riffs and adds that secret ingredient of most the songs in the album, a catchy chorus to get you embarrassingly singing along to whilst on public transport. At first I thought that they had accidentally put At 1 AM on the new album by mistake but once I got past the intro of Like I Love You I encountered another another good chorus and more brilliant vocals from Charlotte. Both the highlight of the album and something i'd love to hear more of, Charlotte's vocals had a strong impact on my opinion of each song and greatly improves the album. Although there are many other aspects that shouldn't be overlooked, they are definitely the main thing that makes this album special to me.
I'd rate this album at 86% and definitely worth listening to several times as it gets better with every listen (I was originally going to give it about 78%). Below is celebrity (and a comment box in which you can share your opinions), I couldn't decide a favourite song as there are so many great ones in this album but this is definitely up there and since it's a title track, why not.
When Sunday Girl, Jade Williams, gets a break from her work in fashion, like designing her own range for Firetrap (worn by popular figures such as Fearne Cotton and Rihanna) or writing for music giants such as pop sensation Kylie Minogue or deadmau5, she doesn't lunge at the scarce opportunity for a brief moment of respite but decides to write and record some songs for herself (which are more than capable of holding their own in the leagues of artists such as Kylie). Her latest single Luv U More, despite it's frustratingly poor text-speak grammar, is nothing short of an Autumn anthem, being released on the 30th of October 2011 you're sure to hear it everywhere from the aforementioned Fearne Cotton's radio show or Firetrap's store playlist to the popular dance music hubs of the back of a bus and nearly every club. Though it should be noted that some may prefer Sunscreem's original, Sunday Girl definitely brings this classic tune into the modern age in what seems to be a never-ending stream of covers of songs being released for singles in their own right. I'd give it a solid 92% but feel free to form your own opinions and share them below.
