MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Lucy Rose

Lucy Rose is a young singer-songwriter creating pleasant, consummate music that hovers on the boundary between pop and folk. She has had some significant interest bubbling away since she emerged as a performer in 2009. After a swift move to London from a particularly rural area of the Midlands when she was 19, Rose attracted the attention of the likes of Edith Bowman after a highly praised performance at the Union Chapel, and a demo video of her track Night Bus has accumulated over 300,000 views on YouTube, with little overt promotion. She has also developed a continuing friendship with alt-indie lads Bombay Bicycle Club, and has support them and even appeared as a guest vocalist on their track Flaws.

Unsurprisingly, as Rose is a singer-songwriter, her voice is the key focus in her music. She has a very sweet sound that is soft and feminine, fine and smooth with a dainty quality that subtly grabs your attention. Her vocal style is very similar to the likes of Ellie Goulding and Laura Marling, with great lyrics about both the simple and the profound, delicately executed with insight and sincerity. The musical accompaniment is interesting too though. Rose includes in her music a wealth of instruments including electric guitars, tuned percussion, violins, cello and piano. This all collects together to create an enjoyable and diverse folk-pop experience that is very worthy of your ears.

Lucy Rose has a number of festival dates lined-up for the summer, and she is also in the process of putting the finishing touches on her debut single, which is due for release soon.

See this at MTTM at http://bit.ly/iTrAAP

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST (LIVE REVIEW): BRAIDS – Jericho Tavern, Oxford

It’s Friday night, it’s the end of term, and the Oxford Jericho is utterly rammed with celebrating students full of joie de vive and cider. Whilst some of the crowd clearly have a certain degree of obsolesce towards the band, pretentiously sitting at the back observing in cold judgement, as BRAIDS appear the stage area quickly becomes saturated with people, so much so that the band are barely even visible ten feet back.

BRAIDS are a long way from home tonight; originally from Alberta, Canada, they are currently promoting their debut album Native Speaker. The group are young, with all the correct cerebral, art rock, shoe-gaze credentials, and there is certainly an aura of intrigue and knowing curiosity amongst the audience – who seem to have been drip fed information on how exciting BRAIDS are, and are now here to confirm any suspicions.

The performance starts unassumingly as BRAIDS slowly develop their rich tapestry of sound. The music builds to a veritable wall of reverb heavy music, with vocals, drums, guitars and synth merging together and washing over you in a thick deluge of sound. This droning, ambient quality continues throughout the performance as a constant presence – a throbbing, rotating, pulsating and convulsing aural wave. The intensity of the sound peaks and troughs, sometimes being limited to one or two instruments, sometimes loud and bordering on unintelligible, but there is always constant, almost oppressive, consistent music present in some form. Even in the short interludes of conversation with the audience the music continues in some way. Songs emerge from this drone; odd hooks from familiar tracks such as Plath Heart and Lemonade become audible, and them submerge themselves once again, like creatures returning to the sea.

Each individual composite instrument of this general sound is audible however, and are interesting and accomplished. The drums in particular have a great tone that is rich, deep and multi-dimensional; from lacerating cymbal whips to the simple, anchoring bass drum. Synths are present, but the music is not synth heavy and the timbres are not too overbearing. They more work as an enriching addition, supplementing the sound with a refined complexity. The lead vocals are typically soft and delicate, often with a girlishly angelic quality. There are occasional sections where more dynamic vocal efforts occur, but they are not particularly reactionary or emotive. The whole vocal performance of lead singer Raphaelle Standell is instead very considered and measured – the pressure and pronunciation of each word is intelligible, precise and intended. They are beautiful though; Standell has a fantastic range and smooth grain through the octaves. She uses her voice very much as an instrument, correlating it perfectly with all the other ambient additions.

Tonight, then BRAIDS have successfully delivered a smoothly executed and considered show. Their collage of sounds have collected together in a dynamic and uplifting fashion, which was close at times to perfection. A wonderful experience.

See this at MTTM at http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/gig-reviews/27052011-braids-jericho-tavern-oxford/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Introducing The Pierces

The Pierces are sisters Catherine and Allison Pierce,  originally from Birmingham, Alabama, now based in New York City. The siblings have actually been active musicians for 11 years, releasing three albums in the process: their debut eponymous album in 2000, their sophomore album Light of the Moon in 2005 and most recently the album Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge in 2007. The girls have flirted with the majors throughout their career, and were at certain points signed to Epic and Universal. However, due to numerous problems with apathetic labels, the band’s success with their previous releases was limited, and their albums were barely available outside of the US. Due to such complications, their new label Polydor has chosen to promote them as new artists.

Home-schooled by hippie parents – their mother was a painter and their father a guitarist – the girls musical influences, perhaps unsurprisingly, have traditional 60s origins, with the group stating The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as key. Whilst these bands are clearly audible within the girls’ style of dark folk pop, The Pierces actually sound much closer to the strongly American sounds of surf, country and MOR. Female lead acts from the 1960s and 1970s, including Mama Cass, Nancy Sinatra, Stevie Nicks and especially The Mamas and the Papas sound particularly similar, with their close, folk inspired harmonies in bittersweet minor keys, finished with flourishes of an almost goose-pimpling beauty and sadness.

Vocals are key in The Pierces work, with both sisters in possession of endearingly delicate, ethereal voices. Backing instrumentation is fairly traditional, with lots of guitars and hand percussion. Their music has additionally had an audibly lavish production laid on it, with rich, luscious timbres and a strong depth of sound.

Now the girls finally have good label support their music is dispersing everywhere. There has been numerous support for the singles ‘You’ll Be Mine’ and ‘Glorious’ from BBC Radio 2, and their music has also appeared on the Topshop radio playlist and in publications from The Word to Music Week. With beautiful faces, beautiful melodies, a hint of artistic quirkiness mixed with MOR accessibility, The Pierces are surely guaranteed to do well this time around.

See this piece at TGA at: http://t.co/tuTrcKu

HERE COMES EVERYONE POST: Singles of the Week

We at HCE have decided to take a new approach to the Singles of the Week from now on. As the angle of the site has shifted somewhat to covering more independent, new and unsung acts, we have decided to also take this approach with Singles of the Week, to give the whole site a more cohesive, unified feel. Instead of focusing on single releases that are good and bad from the mainstream charts, we will be focusing on more low-key, independent releases, new artists and acts that we generally think deserve more attention than the usual chart offerings. Singles to us are still really relevant, and in the age of downloads and one-click music purchases, they are a vital medium for small and large acts alike. So here is our selection of the best new releases this week, the ones you might of missed, or only vaguely heard of.

Pony Pony Run Run – “Hey You”
Pony Pony Run Run are a French electro pop trio signed to 3ème Bureau. They have had a lot of attention throughout their career on the continent, but have had sporadic success here, hence the re-release of their 2009 track “Hey You”. This track exhibits their version of electro power pop similar to the likes of Friendly Fires et al., with catchy hooks, quirky synths and breathy male vocals. As with most synth pop, the variety of their synth timbre choices is where most of their appeal lies, but still, they create expertly executed synth pop that is certainly better than many of their contemporaries, and deserves a bit more UK attention.


<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ykSZMaZl2fY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Good Natured – “Skeleton”
The Good Natured is the monkier of a very young keyboard lady called Sarah. At only 18, The Good Natured has built up her musical career quickly over the past two years, self-releasing her first EP last year, being signed to Parlophone earlier this year, and now releasing her new EP, of which “Skeleton” is the lead single. In my opinion her earlier work had a more interesting, unpolished vibe, but this track is still good, with very nice, subtly furious vocals and good quality pop-alt-indie instrumentation.


<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hd90W09MuVU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


City Reign - Daybreak
City Reign are a new alt indie band set to release their debut on car Boot Records in the autumn. They have a refreshing guitar-lead sound, void of the usual pretentions often present in guitar music. Interesting and alternative without resorting to synth trickery, City Reign have released an enjoyable record with sober vocals and quietly impressive music.


<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9JOYF2XxQxA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
See this at HCE at http://t.co/ACyk4ve

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST(Album Review): We Are Enfant Terrible – Explicit Pictures

Explicit Pictures is the debut album from Parisian trio We Are Enfant Terrible. Made up of two guys and one girl, WAET create synth-pop laden with numerous sounds from a re-programmed Gameboy. Whilst their music could be described as similar to the likes of LCD Soundsystem and Friendly Fires, the huge amount of 8-bit samples (as opposed to synth timbres) used in their work really places their initial album within the chiptune genre. At present, chiptune seems to be a rather European musical enterprise, with little interest or development of the genre within the UK. To me this lack of interest in chiptune is rather strange; considering the resurgence of analogue synth usage in electro-indie in the past five years, chiptune, with its lo-fi, rudimentary timbres seems the logical conclusion to the development of the genre.


Unsurprisingly, synth samples are the dominant aspect of Explicit Pictures. WAET have selected numerous interesting synths and sound effects with a very Nindendo feel. Aficionados of 1980s’ video games will probably recognise the idiosyncratic, cute, popping sounds from on the likes of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. The album does additionally feature traditional band instrumentation though, most interestingly the use of live acoustic drums with little sampled percussion. This is not typical of chiptune, and gives the music more of an indie-pop vibe. It also contains a subtle but continuous guitar presence. Not initially obvious due to the prominent nature of the synth timbres, the guitars are vital and interesting, adding a subtle transcending vibe that makes Explicit Pictures valid music and not just gimmickry. Male and female vocals are also present throughout the album, displaying humorous lyrics and some catchy choruses. For me the female vocals work is better, containing a soft, seductive and very French enigmatic quality which is entrancing and not unlike the style of Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadie.


This is an interesting album – enjoyable in a quirky, pre-digital fashion. There are plenty of catchy tunes (Wild Child and Filthy Love are particularly good in this respect), and WAET are clearly accomplished, sensitive musicians and arrangers. However, I cannot help but feel that their music is placed within a developmental cul-de-sac. Whilst I very much enjoyed Explicit Pictures, and like the chiptune genre generally, I do not see how it can develop further and progress with new offerings. As the key aspect of this music is archaic samples that have a definite place in history, chiptune feels like a dead genre. WAET will need to be very resourceful if they are to continue the development of their work with future releases.


Find this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/album-reviews/we-are-enfant-terrible-%E2%80%93-explicit-pictures/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST (LIVE REVIEW): EMA - The Macbeth, London.

Early May sees in the arrival of Erika M. Anderson AKA EMA into the depths of the East End, slap-bang in the middle of her mini world tour in promotion of the debut album Past Life Martyred Saints. EMA hold court for the night at The Macbeth; a glorious venue snuggled into the heart of Hoxton. The Macbeth, a haggard old pub that has been host to some of the most exciting new artists, DJs and club nights in town is a fitting venue for EMA, whose idiosyncratic noise-grunge has been making heavy waves in the hipper quarters of the indie since her emergence at the beginning of 2011.

EMA first found her musical feet in the cult group Gowns, a band renowned for their unusual, complex and exacting live performances. EMA has now carried this vibe forwards with her solo work, delivering a varied and changeable performance, shifting from eerie, subdued dirges to lavish cacophonies of sound, often within single songs. Her work transfers well to a live setting – with a small backing band to help there are nuanced flourishes and decorations of support in quiet moments, growing to a unified din of heavy crashes, bangs, feedback and dissonance in more punchy sections.

With EMA’s performance being essentially a one-woman show, guitar and vocals become the key focal point for the audience. Her guitar playing is often repetitive, but accomplished and interesting, with clear musical origins in both grunge and goth music cultures. It is however EMA’s voice which is most compelling, curious, changeable and fantastic. In the quieter sections of her performance, EMA’s voice appears fragile – it crackles and dips in an almost heartbroken way. Pitched high, thin and feminine, but inflected with a hint of subtle attitude, there is a richness and realism reminiscent of the styles of Bjork. Heavier sections however find EMA’s voice become almost demented, with bizarre inflections and a near distressing quality of angst and tension, similar to the work of Diamanda Galas and PJ Harvey – beautiful and yet terrible in equal measure.

Watching EMA perform is not unlike witnessing a music therapy session of a manic-depressive. Constantly swerving through emotions, there is a cathartic, organic quality to her performance. It is not a mess of expression, however, EMA is simply a lover of sound, and considers fidelity and feedback as relevant a part of her performance as bass and drums. There is a clear, constructed intent evident within her music, with a rich complexity full of innovation and raw emotion that is interesting, challenging and captivating. In her own nonchalant, slightly moody manner she has a large degree of stage presence and charisma, one that perfectly matches her music to say the least. An enchanting performance then, filled with palpable electricity from a formidable and innovative musical mind.

See this at MTTM at http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/gig-reviews/11052011-ema-the-macbeth-london/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Common Tongues

Common Tongues are an indie-folk five-piece currently residing in Brighton, UK. The group emerged in early 2010, and quickly found themselves high profile dates at festivals including The Great Escape and Secret Garden Party. 2011 is already shaping up quite nicely for the band, who have another string of festival dates set up for the summer, and most importantly they have their debut single set for release on 23rd May through Something Nothing Records.

Common Tongues’ debut single Jumping Ships sees the band example their perfectly formed vibe of southern Americana meets British folk revival. Critics have described the group’s sound as a cross between Arcade Fire and Bon Iver, but in truth their music for me exhibits a more similar sound to Stornoway; instead of sombre and contemplative, Common Tongues music contains a buoyant, positive, and ultimately heart-warming feel that is subtly uplifting.

Common Tongues’ instrumentation is a fairly traditional folk set up, with lots of beautifully rounded and soft acoustic guitars, piano and simple percussion alongside interesting violin techniques. The violin is indeed a particular highlight of Common Tongues’ work – sometimes it is very grounded in trad-folk techniques, sometimes it sounds more eastern European, and at times the violin even has hints of cinematic classical music.

With their clever lyrics and subtly fantastic instrumentation, Common Tongues are the most interesting and promising new folk band I have heard this year, and I highly anticipate their next single release.

See this at http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/5395/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Interview with Hanson

On the cusp of their new single release we caught up with Isaac from Hanson, direct from New York, to discuss influences, changes in the music industry, and the group’s relationship with the UK.

MTTM: You guys have a new single out called Give a Little, which like much of your work has a really positive, upbeat vibe. Is the sunny disposition of your music a reflection of your attitude, personalities and outlook on life in general?
Hanson: (Laughs) Well, by and large people do perceive us as a positive, upbeat kind of band, and for the most part our music does tend to go in that direction. However our upbeat nature could unfortunately be misconstrued as vapidity, which is probably unfair. For example, with Give a Little, it does have an important message – it is basically encouraging the protagonist of the song to seize the day, to make a move on the girl you like and give it all you’ve got. Within our entire career of making music I don’t think we have ever released a single like it… in fact most of our singles haven’t actually been love songs, and Give a Little is not even an obvious love song.

MTTM: And what about Shout it Out – what would you say the vibe was on your new album?
Hanson: Shout it Out definitely has an upbeat, motivated vibe. Indeed, the title Shout it Out certainly suggests that it is probably a fairly upbeat record. However there are some ballads too; the song Me, Myself and I, for example, which is the last track on the record definitely has some bluesy and gospel inspired moments, with some very broken down instrumentation, just keyboard and vocals – that type of thing. The album does run the gamut a little bit, but is essentially a soulful-pop type of affair.

MTTM: Your most famous track, MMMbop, was nominated for numerous awards, and could certainly be included in a list of the most memorable pop songs of all time. How does it feel to forever have a place in pop music history?
Hanson: MMMbop is the kind of song every band in the world hopes to have – a song that is enormously successful and empowers them to keep going for years to come. It was an enormous advance for Hanson as a group, but it was particularly special for us because we were also very young, and the songwriters too.

MTTM: As a band, over here in England, Hanson have often been labelled as a one hit wonder. Is it frustrating that your new material is often considered to be a comeback, especially when you have been releasing albums and touring pretty consistently in the US for the past 15 years?
Hanson: Unfortunately because we haven’t lived, breathed and toured in the UK every single year like we have in the US, some fans in the UK have not be able to fully appreciate the subtleties of Hanson’s evolution. However, whilst many artists, especially those that started off young like we did could think of it as a weight around their necks we never have. With us being the songwriters first and foremost has allowed us to be 100 percent satisfied, confident and proud with everything that we have done and been able to do. I do not necessarily think that MMMbop is everything Hanson was or is though. If you listen to the album that contained MMMbop, Middle of Nowhere, people would still be really surprised by the diversity, rawness and intensity of a lot of the album. But MMMbop is a part of who we are, much like the new single is a part of who we are. These lead singles might be more upbeat than other tracks on the record, but that does not mean they are not a good way of getting audiences attention.

MTTM: On your website, you guys have stated that we are “standing at the crossroads of the analogue and digital worlds”. Is that past verses future concept quite a good metaphor for Hanson generally – that you are often determined by your earlier work, but also continue to push the band and your music forward?
Hanson: Certainly we are a band who in many ways have found ourselves at a weird crossroads in music. As far as our generation is concerned, our first record was being made on reel-to-reel analogue tape whereas our second record was made entirely on a computer. We have experienced the old school processes of record making right through to new technologies that are now involved. And with the emergence of social networking recently how we market ourselves has changed dramatically – for example many new bands these days do not have destination sites that are as evolved as ours is. Our website is the focal point of our presence online, where as Facebook and Twitter are more vital for new bands. We emerged in a world where you needed to have a website that was good enough for people to surf it and enjoy it and stay there for more than five seconds. We have continued this approach because it is important to interact with our fan base and the website is such a productive way of doing that.

MTTM: What with you guys being from Tulsa, your music has always had a classic Americana sound, but it also has a universal pop edge. What are your influences that have contributed to this sound?
Hanson: We have always found ourselves in an unusual circumstance musically – we were a band that grew up listening to music that belonged to an era that was older even than our parent’s generation. We were listening to a lot of 50s R&B and rock and roll – we have always had the roots of old school pop and old school R&B in what we do. That music was to us the essence of pop music, it was the archetypal two-minute song, and we used to listen to that stuff repeatedly. It was like the perfect lesson in pop music song writing.

MTTM: Finally, who are your favourite current artists? Have your influences changed, and are there any acts from the UK that have caught your eye?
Hanson: One of my personal favourite bands over the last ten years has been Travis, who have displayed absolutely amazing song writing. Their first two records especially were totally amazing. The music industry and pop music in general however is in a very unusual place at the moment, and it has developed into this strange new online space where you are exposed to new artists in obscure, fleeting ways. You think – “I know that artist, but I’m not exactly sure why”. But another particular favourite is Adele. She is absolutely enormous around the world right now – thank god – because she is really great, and I think her latest record is better than the first one. She is making great music and that is a really exciting thing. She is writing some great songs as well, and has a really expressive voice that is not being constantly altered by computers for the sake of an effect. It is nice to hear something fresh and real – there is a lot of artists such as Lady Gaga that are really controlled substances these days. There are songs in there, but a lot of what they are is a very synthesised, non-organic thing. With artists like Adele, and also Mumford and Sons, there is a kind of underground swell that ends up gaining a lot of momentum. Within the modern, social-networking world people can choose for themselves, and they appreciate honesty, which is what more stripped down, less produced artist such as these offer.
See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/interviews/hanson/

HERE COMES EVERYONE POST: Playlist of the Week - Girl Power!

After some recent research completed for a project on girl bands, Here Comes Everyone have decided to do a playlist focusing on some of the fantastic girl bands over the past 50 years. Please note: does not contain the Spice Girls.


1.    The Slits – “New Town”
With a punk attitude, a diverse post-punk palette of sounds and a sexy-cum-surly attitude, The Slits were one of our most interesting girl bands. They had a genuinely accomplished and innovative sound devoid of gimmicks, which is well represented in this track, filled with quirky, under-stated vocals and assorted guitar sounds and techniques.

  The Slits - New Town by MirandaM

2.    Azure Ray – “Fever”
American dream-pop duo Azure Ray have been releasing stuff on and off for the past ten years or so. In this song they display fully their beautiful collective vocal sound, which is soft, calm and quietly sad. Simply a beautiful, soothing track.

  Azure Ray - Fever by Voe

3.    The Pierces – “Glorious”
This is a new track that has had a lot of airplay recently on British radio. The Pierces are two sisters from the southern US, whose self-professed hippie upbringing is clearly reflected in this Haight-Ashbury, 60s vibe track. Very reminiscent of The Mamas and The Papas, “Glorious” has a haunting, prepossessing quality in its melody and within the girl’s combined harmonies.



4.    Dum Dum Girls – “He Gets Me High”
The quoted prodigy of The Bangles and The Cure, Dum Dum Girls have a gritty punk inspired sound inflected with the odd flourish of southern Californian brightness. This track is obviously guitar driven, but with melodious, layered vocals that are soft and accessible.

  Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High by The Wounded Jukebox

5.    Le Tigre – “Deceptacon”
Le Tigre developed from the ashes of prolific Riot Grrrl band Bikini Kill, and perhaps obviously, their work deals directly with feminist and socio-political issues. They wrote some pretty excellent tunes to accompany their message, such as the awesome “Deceptacon”, full of hip-hop/Kraftwek inspired synth vibes and punk inspired lyrics.



6.    The Shangri-Las – “I Can Never Go Home Anymore”
There may be a presumption that when first listening to this track The Shangri-Las were just another 60s girl-trio. This would be a huge mistake. The Shangri-Las were incredibly punk-ish and forward thinking with their subject matter, which, when tackling death, teenage sex and desperation in the early 1960s was incredibly innovative. This track is desperately sad and tender, but through tracks like this they have since influenced the likes of Riot Grrrl, Best Coast and numerous others.



7.    Robots in Disguise – “Turn It Up”
Contemporary electro-punk group Robots in Disguise split their time between London and Berlin. They have a very punchy sound and attitude with plenty of modern twists amongst the mountains of analogue synth.

  Robots in Disguise - Turn It Up by iammilk

8.    Kleenex/LiLiput – “Nice”
Kleenex were a girl band from Switzerland who displayed the archetypal post-punk attitude – remnants of punk aggression mixed with a cool despondency and arresting nonchalance. They frequently sang lyrics in both English and German, which, although initially a bit alien and jarring, does work well within their post-punk context. This is a curiously catchy song, with a strongly quirky, upbeat quality.

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Introducing Oh My!

 

School friends Alex and Jade make up hip new indie-pop group Oh My!, recently signed to 679. The duo have already received a good amount of press from The NME and Bring the Noise amongst others, and have been rapidly building up a network of followers on Facebook and Twitter. They have even caught the attention of electro-pop maestro Example, who heard them during a recording session and has since written a number of catchy tracks for the duo.

Alex and Jade are currently doing a schools tour of the UK, which is a good indication of their key demographic. Due to Oh My!’s girlie pop edge, this marketing strategy makes a lot of sense, but the duo should by no means be dismissed as pop-by-numbers. Yes, they appeal to young girls and they do make pop music, but there is also a strong sense of originality, idiosyncrasy and genuine quality, both within the group’s music and the girls’ general disposition. They are bursting with an organic attitude and are clearly quirky and adventurous.

Oh My! hail from the UK, but they have a strong American pop vibe. With a name derived from derived from Tweet and Missy Elliott’s ‘Oops (Oh My)’, their old skool R&B influences are immediately apparent, and their music definitely has a similar, more jokey, vibe to the likes of Salt-n-Pepa and TLC especially. They are however English girls at heart, and have the look of east London trendsters, with Hipstamatic style press shots and everything.

Musically, the girls work also has clear origins in 80s pop. With thick bass lines, interesting synths, drum machines and upbeat, diverse melodies, there is a clear root from Oh My! to the likes of The GoGo’s and The Bangles. Whilst their lyrics reference current pop culture trend such as MSN, the humour and depth of influences present in Oh My!’s work will appeal to an older, more refined demographic. When this is combined with the girl’s pretty voices, English accents, laid back delivery and genuine vocal abilities, it is clear that Oh My! have an exciting and quirky style of pop that will hopefully boost the present lacklustre girl-band world.

The girl’s track ‘Run This Town’ is their preliminary single and available to download now, although their first official single release will be ‘Dirty Dancer’ later in the summer.

See this piece at TGA at http://wp.me/pKnSx-2tY

THE GIRLS ARE POST (Album Review): Jesca Hoop - Snowglobe

 
 

Snowglobe is the new EP from Jesca Hoop, which has had a limited pressing of 1000 CDs. Originally from California, Hoop has now settled in Manchester, and has received very positive coverage from British press such as The Guardian, Q and The Independent regarding her two previous full-length releases, 2010’s Hunting My Dress and 2007’s Kismet.

Haunting is perhaps an over-used term with modern music’s penchant for folk, dream-pop and minimalism, but Hoop’s work throughout Snowglobe is haunting in every sense of the word. There is a devilishly cool and detached aura to her work – a darkness and sobriety in the delivery of both the music and Hoop’s vocals – that sits alongside an intriguing ancient quality. Not just as a result of the lo-fi crackle overlaid on some tracks, but further within the subtle depth of expression and rootedness of her music. Stylistically, Snowglobe makes sense especially within the context of Hoop’s influences – she cites early folk, chamber music, old country and 20s jazz as key inspiration, as well as artists such as Tom Waits, PJ Harvey and Kate Bush.

The darkness of Hoop’s work is manifestly expressed through her lyrics, with topics ranging from the plight of the urban homeless within LA’s Skid Row to her own mother’s fight and subsequent consumption by cancer, topics which clearly hold a great deal of gravity and poignancy for the artist. These concepts are not lauded over however – they are presented delicately, with a beautiful degree of poetry and not a hint of the melodramatic.

Snowglobe is very much a thought-provoking and contemplative album, and is in essence sedate, subdued and sparse. With such a small amount of percussion used, and with little dynamics or instrumental versatility, this EP offers little corporeal stimulation, and is more cool and sombre than much of Hoop’s previous work. It is however still an enjoyable and pleasant listen, containing a large degree of beauty and intrigue within.

See this at TGA at http://thegirlsare.com/