MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Next Best Thing 2014 Predictions

Our Next Best Thing section has had another exciting year highlighting some of the most dynamic and interesting emerging acts, including Pawws, Candy Says, and the spectacular Lorde, amongst others.

But what about the burgeoning year that is about to be 2014? Here are some of our predictions for artists we will all be talking about soon.

FKA Twigs

This much talked about lady creates utterly bizarre yet wonderful trip-hop that is enticing and challenging in equal measure. Her curious videos have been knocking around the blogosphere for months now, with her video for the single “Water Me” chalking up an impressive 1.2 million hits on YouTube. Good for fans of Grimes, or any one likes music that’s a little bit interesting.

https://soundcloud.com/fka-twigs/intro

In The Valley Below

Creating ballsy pop-rock with hints of country, duo Angela Gail and Jeffery Jacob create sexy, dirty music that could only herald from the US of A. With a lot of early support from Radio 1, this gorgeous LA dream team sound like Fleetwood Mac meets Haim – what’s not to like?

https://soundcloud.com/inthevalleybelow/peaches

Say Lou Lou

This cool, dark, pop duo from Sweden are made up of twin sisters Miranda and Elektra Kilbey. Vaguely resembling ABBA in looks and vibe, these girls make sweeping, rich dream pop, shimmering with electro beauty. They are currently recording their long-awaited debut in LA and London.

https://soundcloud.com/sayloulou/sets/better-in-the-dark-ep

Fake Club

This frantic all-girl punk band from London offer plenty of fun and charm alongside their classic grrrl rock style. Taking influence from the likes of the Runaways and – ahem – the Spice Girls, these ladies rock hard. Look out for their debut early in 2014.

https://soundcloud.com/fakeclubband/beauty-queen

Foxes

This little lady has been everywhere the past few months, and with her charismatic sky-scraping, melancholic tunes, her popularity is sure to flourish further in 2014. Name-checked as one to watch by the great Katy Perry herself, Foxes has garnered a lot of interest across the pond, and she has also appeared in a recent track with Rudimental. Pre-order the album now.

https://soundcloud.com/iamfoxes/warrior-1

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/next-best-thing-2014-predictions/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC: Festival Review - Gathering 2013

Gathering is a one-day festival featuring over 30 bands at six venues across the Cowley Road area of Oxford. Offering the cream of the indie music scene’s crop, this event provides punters with the opportunity to explore key Oxford venues such as the Bullingdon and the O2 (Zodiak), along with a variety of key emerging artists.

The line-up includes a wide mixture of bands and genres, but the trend that ties most acts together is that they are young, talented and up-and-coming. Bigger acts such as Local Natives and Temples are obviously notable, but it must be said that every band that I personally caught was full of interesting and accomplished musicians, and I enjoyed every performance.

Particularly notable acts included a late night set from the gorgeous Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs, who rounded off the night at about 2am, and Local Natives, who offered a charismatic performance full of polite charm, accompanied by passionate harmonies, vibrant percussion and garishly patterned shirts. The key band of the night though was clearly London Grammar, who are so, like, so hot right now. Huge queues built up in anticipation of the performance, and they were certainly the name on everybody’s lips. Much hype has been building this entire year regarding the band, and they certainly did not disappoint. Lead singer Hannah Reid really captures the attention of the audience, quietly and eerily transfixing the room with her idiosyncratic vocal style. This is accompanied by complex, swirling synth sounds, to create angst-filled anthems riddled with tales of early 20-something uncertainty, which was clearly popular with the crowd.

As with many of these multi-venue festivals, there is however a slight fear of missing out. You cannot get to all the bands you would like to see, and certain stages are running faster than others are, so you might find yourself arriving at the tail end of a set you really wanted to see. The festival also seemed to be severely over-subscribed – queues at the O2 were long, with many punters being denied entry to London Grammar. Even late in the evening, watching The Reun Brothers at 11:30pm, we were crushed into the community centre hall, cheek to jowl with sweaty armpits and drunk festival goers.

This is my second year at Gathering, and I must say that while I have consistently looked forward to this event and am always impressed with the line-up, the event has once again had a number of organisational problems. That the event has been over-subscribed is a significant issue in itself, but this problem has also been badly managed – one-in-one out policies are never good and neither are venues so crowded you are standing far outside the door, trying to get a peek at the act on stage. This type of thing happened at every performance we watched, which was very frustrating. Another problematic element which must be mentioned is the presumption on behalf of the organiser that this is (to paraphrase the League of Gentlemen) a local festival for local people. There was no information on the festival website regarding maps or venue information, or the actual whereabouts of the wristband exchange, and the program map was beyond basic. On a personal level, I may know where all the live venues are, but I certainly do not know where all the churches are, and of course they are never on Apple Maps. Gathering Festival has so much promise, but the organisation of the event seems to continually let it down, and really must be worked on for everyone’s unimpeded future enjoyment of the festival.

See this is at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/review-gathering-festival-2013/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Stornoway Interview

We recently caught up with Jon from beauty-folk purveyors Stornoway to discuss creative influences and processes, hopes for the future, bird song and the apocalypse.

The band are based in Oxford, yet you are named after a town in the Scottish Hebrides; both are beautiful places, but where would you rather be? Inside the creative, intellectual hub that is Oxford, or amongst the beauty and peace of a Scottish Island?

It’s difficult for me to speak for all of us as in fact only half of us are now living in Oxford! If it were a choice between an intellectual hub and a remote island, I am fairly certain that Brian would prefer to be in the wilds (he is currently ensconced in the Gower Peninsula). Oli is enjoying London life, where the streets are paved with gold. Meanwhile Rob and I are still feeling intellectually inadequate in Oxford. We’re all meeting up pretty regularly at the moment, though, as we are working on new musical bits and bobs.

Nature is a continual theme throughout your work, from album art to lyrics. What is it about natural science that you find so appealing, and how do you best like to transfer this to your music?

Yes, I suppose references to the natural world are pretty prevalent in Stornoway lyrics and titles! More often than not they are there in metaphorical form to mirror something going on beneath the surface in the internal world of the protagonist, but on a couple of occasions we’ve referred to the natural world more transparently as a subject in its own right. On the first album there’s a song called We are the Battery Human which is really a song about spending too much time staring at plasma screens (which I’m doing right now as it happens), instead of going outside, connecting with nature and living a life unfettered by technology. On our new mini-album You Don’t Know Anything, there is a song called The Sixth Wave about mass extinction and drawing a connection with the way we live now and the resources we are using. On a more subliminal level, we’ve often used bird song several times in our recordings. Oli mimics a South African birdsong in a looped section in his bass part to The Sixth Wave, and after spending weeks in a windowless garage, we ended our recording sessions with the track Tumbling Bay by using sampled sounds outside. You can hear the breeze in the trees and a bit of bird song – wrens, nuthatches and possibly robins… as well as a bit of traffic!

Many of your tracks have nostalgic, heart-wrenchingly accurate themes – for me most evocatively in the track Fuel Up. With reference to that track in particular, which do you feel is the best age to be, 9, 18 or 27? Or are they all perfect and painful in different ways?

I’m glad you like it! I think it is among Brian’s better bits of lyric-writing, in that he explores a single metaphor pretty thoroughly, and it’s also very accessible as an idea which can strike a chord with people. I particularly like the line “there’s no rewind, so you might as well play” when we’re doing it live. In terms of your question, I think 9 is a probably the best age, as that’s when we are at our most imaginative, and instinctively know how to pretend and play. When I was that age I was into making tapes of short, pompously titled ‘compositions’ and imagining I was making real albums, and obsessively watching and re-watching a video I had called The Complete Beatles. Nothing’s really changed that much so far as I’m concerned!

Focusing further on rites of passage, your new album covers the vast expanse of everyday life’s joys and disappointments, with perhaps as much shadow as there is light. Does adulthood/ageing cause you concern, or does is it more of a conductor for the band’s creativity and emotional resonance?

I’m not sure I would draw a distinction between the creative act and the experience of ‘adulthood’ or ‘life’, as self-evidently we don’t create in a vacuum or in a dispassionate way. I think all of our music contains a substantial amount of autobiography, from which you can draw your own conclusions!

You tour a lot, yet you reportedly spent two whole winters recording your second album, Tales From Terra Firma. Do you enjoy both performing and recording equally, or does one ultimately take precedence? And which form gives the audience the truest version of your music?

We sometimes think that in playing entirely acoustically we can give our audiences the purest version of our songs. That said, speaking for myself, on balance I probably slightly prefer the adventure involved in recording music, because I’ve always been attracted to the magic in layering things. One of my favourite records when I was young was Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, which as many will know was just one-man-in-a-studio-multi-tracking in excelsis. I like to think of the studio version of our music as a form of imaginative aspiration. But as we all know, there is that raw element of spontaneity and immediacy to playing live which cannot be equalled, nor that instantaneous, living bond you form with fellow musicians and the crowd on any given night. And of course there is a stirring hint of danger that everything could disintegrate at any minute! In any case, we would never seek to merely emulate a recording for the benefit of an audience, as they deserve something special.
I think in the past the studio and the live gig used to be entirely different beasts, but we now live in an era when they are more blurred, so perhaps there is no such thing as a “true” version. Studio recordings no longer exist as definitive versions of any given song as you can always find a recorded live version online, and a lot of performers use pre-recorded backing live as well (for the record, we haven’t ever done this…yet!).

What are your favourite musical elements to use and why? Loop stations, effect units, certain time signatures or instruments/timbres…?

For me it’s the search for setting a song and helping it fulfill its potential, as it were. Personally, I find looping stations a bit of a yawn – especially in a live context, unless someone’s doing something truly creative with it… Time signatures and changes are something that need to feel natural in order to work, rather than a mathematical point of reference – I’ve always enjoyed Field Music’s work in that respect, as the cerebral aspects of their music don’t feel laboured or showy to me. Trying out new sounds, instruments, textures and so on are pretty much the thing that I’m most excited by, even if those things are ultimately slightly peripheral to the general sound of Stornoway. Quite often you don’t get it right first time – it’s a bit like feeling your way in the dark, and you can end up with something implausible that still suits the song for whatever reason.

What is next for Stornoway? Are you already looking towards album number three, and if so, what could it cover musically, lyrically and conceptually?

It’s almost certainly too early to comment on this in depth too much, but yes, we are scratching around with some new demo ideas and beating them into shape. Musically, we are hoping it will sound like the aural equivalent of mid-winter oregano on a fresh bed of rocket, with a hint of crepuscular basil, orange peel and bonfires, at dawn on Blackpool harbour.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/stornoway-qa-october-2013/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Lorde

Lorde is a new artist you want know about, like right now. She is a super-talented 16 year old from Auckland, who signed a development deal with Universal when she was just 13, and is on the cusp of releasing her debut full-length album here in the UK next month. She has experienced a wealth of interest across the globe over the past year, especially in the US and in her native New Zealand, which seems only set to grow further.

Lorde’s work is interesting, developed, current and complete. She draws from a wide range of influences (always a good sign), including Etta James, SBTRKT, Burial and Nicki Minaj. These elements are all clearly present in Lorde’s music, but her stripped back, sparse, minimalist sound is most clearly influenced by James Blake, perhaps her closest musical contemporary. Like Blake, vocals are often the focus, with gorgeous harmonies filling each soundscape, professing a curious mixture of teenage subjects and universal issues, delivered with subtly, aplomb, and a charismatic lack of self-absorption.

This music is dark, deep, and with a vague degree of the macabre, and interestingly seems to perfectly capture the current zeitgeist. The world it seems has latched on to Lorde and her way of representing and encapsulating everything exciting and new in music 2013.

This is music that is dynamic and exiting, with foundations full of coherence and intelligence. Lorde’s debut album Pure Heroine is released here in the UK on 28^th October, or if you just cannot wait, you can download her debut EP The Love Club now.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/new-music-lorde/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC REVIEW: Au Revoir Simone - Move In Spectrums

Move In Spectrums is Au Revoir Simone’s fourth album, and their first release in over fours years. The girls have followed a variety of personal paths during the group’s hiatus, including finishing biology degrees, solo albums and various exciting musical collaborations. They have also spent time developing a new collection of vintage keyboards in preparation for their work on this highly anticipated new record.

The new release follows on from the critical and commercial success that was Still Night, Still Light, and indeed, Move In Spectrums does feel like a natural follow-up to that previous body of work. It is perhaps closest in feel, approach and instrumentation to 2009’s work than any of the trio’s other albums, although it must be said that the classic Au Revoir Simone vibe is apparent from track one.
There is however a fair degree of music progression and experimentation on the new record, with the girls trying out some new timbres, as well as revisiting some Au Revoir Simone classics. These ladies love a saw-tooth wave and faux-accordion sounds, but they have also thrown exciting new instruments into the mix, adding intrigue with phasers, eerie pads and fat synth bass lines. Boiling Point in particular exhibits these exciting experimentations nicely, rich as it is with swirls of dark, pressurised synth.

Like previous works, this album is filled with tales of love and loss, personal self-exploration, metaphors and natural themes. These are expressed through the same vocal style the girls are famous for – clipped, crisp enunciation that is steady and measured, lifting to ethereal chorus vocals comprising of three collected harmonies in complete synchronisation. Each track on Move In Spectrumsalso maintains subtly catchy vocal hooks, which fill choruses and heads for days.
This classic Au Revoir Simone vocal style, combined with the girl’s dreamiest of dream-pop music create an auditory tapestry of perfect femininity – beautiful, soft, other-worldly yet earthly and organic. The girls themselves of course represent this, but what is most interesting is that the music is the best representation of this ideal offering a complete and pure representation of that type of feminine.

This new release is a strong album – all the tracks are interesting, dynamic and enjoyable. Some tracks are more instrument heavy than others, offering washes of sonic colour, and the single tracks Crazy and Somebody Who are perhaps the most commercial on the album, but these differences are nuanced and subtle. Essentially, through this album these girls have once again proven themselves consummate, consistent performers and creators, and this is another fine body of work to enjoy.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/au-revoir-simone-move-spectrums/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: In The Woods 2013

Now in its eighth year, the taciturn and notable In The Woods is back, housed once again in a secret location known only to festival goers, completely hidden away from the outside world.

We enter the festival via an intriguing path that leads us into the woods, lit subtly by evocative strings of lights. Every now and then art installations reveal themselves from the trees, including ready-made flower gardens, multi-coloured glades filled with string art, and a giant chalk and board. The reverberating natural amphitheatre that is the quarry stage emerges to the left, with the smaller Laurel Lounge a little way off. Further on, through more interactive artworks and flowers is a clearing, complete with cinema tent, silent disco, and an array of food, including sumptuous hog roast, freshly blended alci-smoothies and locally produced cider.

Getting stuck right into the music, nu-soul artist Kwabs offered some intriguing melodies and vocal styles under a canopy of leaves, while Drenge provide solid garage-punk, inciting a teenage boy riot in the mosh pit. Sivu made his second In The Woods appearance, this time on the main-stage, offering a consummate, confident and intriguing performance, and special surprise guest Ghostpoet gave a dynamic headline show. The act that really stole the entire festival however were Young Fathers – an amazing Scottish trio who provided In The Woods with a composed yet frantic, stoic, compelling and above all utterly engrossing performance, full of charisma that was almost too good for words. Their music was very interesting too – a fusion of hip-hop and grime with hints of 2-tone, soul and punk – thundering, heavy and unstoppable, with fat basslines and fast rhymes.

In The Woods 2013 has continued with their true small festival ethos, with a complete lack of commerciality or bureaucracy typical in larger music festival. There are no shops or merch stands – the only thing you have to pay for is food and drink. Camping and parking is free, and if you want to bring your own booze, that’s OK. This approach by the organisers is reflected by the punters and the artists alike, to the point where there is a decidedly mellow, happy vibe to the place. There are plenty of teenagers and students, yes, but there are also families with babies, retired couples, and even a few dogs dotted about.

One element that has altered from previous years however is the head count, going up from 750 to 1000 tickets in 2013. While this is still a fairly small number, in actual fact the number of punters has effectively gone up by a third, and that is not including artists, press, plus ones et al. This additional 300 has notably changed the vibe of the festival. It is busier, with longer queues, more disorganisation, and less of a feeling of calm and solitude than previous years. There is also far too much chatting and selfie taking going on directly around the performance areas which is selfish and disrespectful to both the artist and the people who want to listen to them. It is not necessarily the festival organiser’s fault that this occurred regularly throughout the day, however, when the headcount has been lower, a vibe of mutual respect between artist and audience was definitely more apparent than now.

That said however, once again, In The Woods have provided a beautiful, considered, and mellow festival, and they have offered their audience with a host of well curated, quality artists that are clearly destined for great things. Indeed, every act we witnessed offered consummate, talented performances throughout. An even wider range of styles than last year have been offered to us, but the key thread tying each performance together is that every act here is creating clever, interesting, dynamic and accomplished music.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/review-woods-2013/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Daughter - "Youth" (Single Review)

New from beautifully melancholic indie-folk band Daughter is ‘Youth’, the third single released from the bands critically acclaimed debut, If You Leave.

The track opens with a gracefully arresting, highly on-trend guitar part, with delicate, quietly reverberating timbres placed over elegant, beguiling chord progressions. This simple yet expressive beginning is complimented by front woman, Elena Tonra’s prepossessing vocal style. Her soft, contained, yet very closely mic’d vocals captivate completely and utterly when combined with their already piercingly eloquent and insightful lyrics which, in typical Daughter style, are as painful and dramatic as they are resonant.

As the track develops, a confident, expansive sound emerges. Perfectly layered in waves that rise and fall, the track varies from full bodied and rich sections with more sweeping soundscapes filled with especially well-placed percussion, to recurrent interludes of fragility and quiet. Throughout, lyrics and music mirror each other perfectly in ambiance and purpose to create a track that is slick, fully formed and impressive – almost captivatingly so.

‘Youth’ is available from next week to download. Daughter are just coming to the end of their stint supporting The National on their US tour, and are set to play at various festivals throughout the UK and Europe in August and September.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2013/08/06/review-daughter-4/

MORE THANTHE MUSIC POST: East End Live Festival Review

Organised as a cross venture between the East London Film Festival and Old Spitalfields Independent Labels Market, East End Live is a new one-day festival featuring over 60 bands at 12 venues across the East End of town. Offering the cream of the East London music scene’s crop, this well-honed event provides punters with the opportunity to explore ionic East London venues such as Red Galley, Cargo and the Old Blue Last, along with a variety of off-centre and independent artists.

The line-up includes a wide mixture of bands and genres, but the trend that ties most acts together is that they are young, talented and up-and-coming. Bigger acts such as Toy and Pere Ubu are obviously notable, but it must be said that every band that I personally caught was full of interesting and accomplished musicians, and I enjoyed every performance, even if it was not necessarily the type of music I would make a point of actively seeking out for my own listening pleasure.

East End Live has provided the opportunity to discover some new favourites, such as Scott and Charlene’s Wedding, who I had heard of but not yet heard. It was additionally great to see many female musicians on stage, particularly as so many major music festivals this year (and let’s face it – most years) have shunned female artists from the fore. Indeed, at East End Live, the first two acts I saw were the all-female Skinny Girl Diet, and the nearly all-female Shopping, both rocking hard at the Zigfrid Von Underbelly.

There are literally bands playing all night 5 p.m. until 5 a.m., and while some venues start to wrap up at the traditional 11 p.m. stage, others continue right through this hot summer night. This adds to the sense of occasion, and lends a more traditional festival vibe to this indoor affair.

As the evening progresses, the popularity and success of this event becomes clear. Everywhere you go, people are touting their monochrome venue map, making the event like a curious indie music treasure trail. Students, hipsters and music fans mill around the streets of Hoxton and Shoreditch in search of their next musical hit. Every venue is packed, and the vibe is excellent – everyone seems happy and enthusiastic, with a whole-hearted enjoyment apparent, minus the snobbery and pretention you might except from a trendy East London festival.

This mellow atmosphere is no doubt helped along by the fantastic weather, but the event has also been very well organised – the lack of which could have turned it into a complete disaster. Most venues are close to each other and within walking distance, and the free map and timetable is useful, making navigation simple if you are familiar with the area (although I can imagine if you were an East London virgin you may find the logistics of the event a little hard work). There is also a good degree of light security at all venues, and the festival wristband allows you to queue-jump, which is a godsend at some of the bigger venues.

As with many of these multi-venue festivals, there is however a slight fear of missing out. You cannot get to all the bands you would like to see, and certain stages are running faster than others are, so you might find yourself arriving at the tail end of a set you really wanted to see. On a personal level, it was also a disappointment to miss headline act Pere Ubu’s live soundtrack to cult 60s’ horror film Carnival of Souls at St John’s Church on Bethnal Green. This venue, while only a short tube ride away was just too far to venture when there was so much going on so close by.

On whole though this was a fabulous, exciting festival, pulled off with apparent ease. It was clearly a popular and well-received event, and I am sure I’m not the only one already looking forward to next year’s event.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/review-east-end-live/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: East End Live Preview

Organised as a cross venture between the East London Film Festival and Old Spitalfields Independent Labels Market, East End Live is a new one-day festival coming this July. Featuring over 60 bands at 12 venues across Shoreditch and Bethnal Green, this multi-venue event is set to play host the cream of the East London music scene, along with a good dollop of happening international bands thrown in for good measure.

The talented and achingly cool line-up includes the likes of Toy, LOOM, Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs, The Monochrome Set, Wet Nuns and Sauna Youth, along with a host of up-and-coming acts and DJs including Heavenly Juxebox. Most exciting of all perhaps however is headline act Pere Ubu, who will perform their very own live soundtrack to cult 60s’ horror film Carnival of Souls – fusing both the music and film events together perfectly.

East End Live is scheduled for Saturday 13th July. Early bird ticket are sold out, but you can still purchase advanced tickets for £15, or £20 on the door. The wristband exchange will be at the Griffin Pub on Leonard Street, with many of the festival’s venues within walking distance of the exchange. Bands will be on from five, with DJs continuing the tunes until 5am.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/preview-east-end-live/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs - Clarietta

Clarietta is the first full-length release from east-London darlings Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs, out now on Heavenly. This debut effort from the all-male five-piece features lashings of sexy, dirty rock ‘n’ roll delivered with plenty of dapper charisma. Title track Clarietta follows on from the album’s lead single Be Glamorous, released on May 20th, along with an additional couple of singles released in late 2012.

Clarietta could easily be accused of being highly derivative – what with its clear channelling of all things seventies. From NYC art punk to glam rock – influences are palpable even to the untrained ear. There are more than subtle hints of Television, T-Rex, Sparks and the New York Dolls throughout this release, and within the group’s style in general. Certainly, with their direct and almost simplistic style of rock, Charlie and the gang are not forging paths into anything particularly new or innovative.

Ultimately though this album’s strong influences, combined with its simplicity, and strength of purpose, are the root to its charm. The group’s clear influences solidify their message – they are all about charming, primitive rock ‘n ‘roll with a wealth of blues and glam thrown in for good measure. This is music with crunchy bass lines, distorted guitars, heavily set phasers and punched up effects units – plain and simple.

Make no mistake, however, Boyer and the Voyeurs are no pastiche. The group offer music that is a little toned down, less excessive, more subtly exuding sex and glamour than their 70s counterparts. There is a notable fusion of genres at play too, with elements of proto-punk and the sloppiness of grunge and garage punk thrown into the mix to create a clever, well presented vision of sound.

When the ultimate message of Clarietta is so clear-cut, individual elements matter little. Melodies and chord progressions are simple. Vocals are a vaguely constructed, hansom drawl. What is important is what it ultimately offers – tasty, alluring and convincing rock, with clear 70s references familiar enough to appeal to a larger audience.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/charlie-boyer-and-the-voyeurs-clarietta/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Ms Mr - Secondhand Rapture (album review)

Secondhand Rapture is the first full-length release from the hot new duo of commercial glitch pop Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenew, AKA Ms Mr. There has been much anticipation circling around this debut LP, and indeed around the band itself, with the pair finding themselves originally shrouded in all forms of succulent, attention grabbing mystery, to now being heralded as the first superstars of chillwave.

It is therefore slightly disappointing (and poignantly apt, given the album’s title) that this album kicks off with not one, but three tracks that have all been released before on the duo’s debut EP,Candy Bar Creep Show. Indeed, lead album track ‘Hurricane’ has now been released three times all on its own – as the group’s debut single, on their debut EP, and now on their debut album. True, ‘Hurricane’ is an utterly fabulous track that arguably deserves as much coverage as possible, and yes, the moderately cynical ploy of major labels treating the EP as a “soft release” before the main album is becoming ever increasingly common, but for anyone who has loved this band from the very start, there is a slight feeling of grumbling dissention as the why there couldn’t be some more new stuff on this release.

Putting the politics aside, it must be said that Secondhand Rapture is a fine album, full of grand timbres, atmospheric soundscapes, and a dark vibe that is heavy, sombre and complex, yet retains a strong degree of commerciality. True, Ms Mr are heavily rooted in alternative New York scene, but the album has been sculpted in a highly professional and finely tuned fashion that will be palatable to a mass audience.

This album is not soulless or synthetic, however. Secondhand Rapture is awash with beautiful timbres cleverly layered, with coolly despondent melodies that tug on the heartstrings. This music is intelligent and dynamic, yet sits comfortably and whole-heartedly within its chosen niche of dark, melancholic alt-pop. The ultimate lynchpin for this dark wave of sound is perhaps rooted in Plapinger’s vocals. Her style of vocal dynamism is expressive yet effortless, with a little attitude and a vague element of surly sultriness that is highly reminiscent of Marina and the Diamonds, Florence and the Machine, and most potently of all, queen of Hollywood sadcore herself, Ms Lana Del Rey. Indeed, the dramatic yet refined vocal style of Ms Mr, combined with the discordant millpond of coldly prepossessing lyrical themes apparent throughout Secondhand Rapture are so perfectly delivered that Del Rey may have competition for that hallowed crown.

With this debut full-length release, all the potential Ms Mr have offered has come to fruition perfectly, even if some tracks are already fairly familiar. This could be one of the first great alternative pop albums of 2013.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2013/05/14/review-ms-mr-2/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Peace LIVE at SUB89, Reading

Peace practically emerged to critical acclaim back in early 2012, with the likes of The Guardian, The Fly and the NME immediately signalling them as a tour de force of new indie rock. This momentum has continued with the release of their debut EP EP Delicious in September 2012, and now the release of their debut full length In Love, for which this tour is supporting.

Being heralded as one of the most important bands of 2013 makes for some pretty big shoes to fill, but the sheer excitement and enthusiasm this very young, hip, and wide awake audience have for the band is palpable, and completely backs up the hype. Peace emerge to actual screams from the audience, indicative of both the audience’s age and their literal excitement at seeing this band. The crowd is further enlivened by the opening track, where the group’s 90s influenced afro-beat vibe induces dancing, hands in the air, whoops, cheers and even crowd surfing.

Visually, however, we are presented with little more than four scruffy, shaggy-looking young men, with greasy hair and a bit too much of The Stone Roses about them. They do not particularly put on a “show” either. While they are clearly perfectly competent musicians, and the music itself has plenty of energy, they are to a degree stagnant in their performance, which is punctuated only by vague mumbling addresses to the audience every third or fourth song.

Yet some how Peace really captivates this young audience, and clearly capture the zeitgeist of the current 16 – 24 year old market. The crowd are so palpably enraptured by the music, the lyrics, and generally what the band are about that there is a real, potent atmosphere created between the band and the audience that is something very special.

There is a simplicity to Peace’s music, and particularly their lyrics, which perhaps appeals to this younger mind-set. Songs are based around pretty basic concepts – happiness, love, angst and just having a good time – and the lyrical constructs are often quite basic and repetitive, allowing the audience to easily pick them up and sing along. The music itself is less simple – fusing as it does a mass of styles, genres, techniques and eras. The 90s however is perhaps the most overriding influence, no so much that it sounds throwback or pastiche, but it is the strongest vibe that floats through the way the band both looks and sounds. Looking at the audience however, with their crop tops and blenched denim hot pants, the 90s are in, especially if you cannot remember that questionable decade the first time around.

From a personal perspective, Peace have tonight given a mixed performance, with competent musicianship but a slight lack of musical conviction. They are a young band however, only performing together for little over a year. And it must be said – some tracks (typically the group’s singles) have real charisma, intrigue, and perhaps vague hints of innovation. There are even flashes of brilliance towards the end, with their final track turning into an odyssey of dramatic guitars and dry ice. But it is ultimately the way the audience has connected with this band in such as whole-hearted and complete way that is the real thing to note with this band, and is perhaps the key to their current popularity.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/25042013-peace-sub-89-reading/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: CSS - Hangover (single)

‘Hangover’ is the upcoming single from Sao Paulo’s famous electro-indie darlings Cansei de Sur Sexy, aka CSS.

As a key element of the nu-rave scene through 2006-7, CSS were a beacon of energy and effervescence, offering listeners vibrant, exciting and unbridled music that was fast paced, humorous and sexy. Now, however, the group are in their tenth year together, are on the cusp of their forth album, and with the tumultuous exit of key member Adriano Cintra last year, the group find themselves as an all-woman outfit, with a decidedly more mellow, sultry musical vibe than before.

For those that are used to previous CSS efforts, ‘Hangover’ could be initially perceived of as a little lack lustre. The beat is tepid, the timbres are mellow, and Lovefoxxx’s vocal delivery is measured and heavy rather than manic and jubilant. This track is a slow burner, however, and through multiple listens ‘Hangover’ slowly hooks the audience in, presenting music that is as relaxed, pleasant and nonchalant as a balmy summer’s eve.

This tropical vibe is enhanced by charismatic brass hits, which are warm with rocksteady and dub influences. This new angle adds hints of the likes of Friends, Haim and No Doubt to the music, but ultimately this track is still 100% CSS. The electro vibe is perfectly evident, with plenty of gloriously diverse synth timbres splattered about in a disconnected and messy way that still totally works, and the vocals have strategically placed pep here and there, with under-developed yet charming lyrics and catchy chorus hooks.

‘Hangover’ is available from next week to download, and the new album entitled Planta, is available as a physical release and to download on SQE from 10 June 2013. CSS are due to play at All Tomorrow’s Parties, as well as a number of other UK tour dates in May.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2013/05/01/review-css-3/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: Introducing Echopark

Echopark is the exciting new project from Italian musician Antonio Elia Forte. Originally from Lecce in southern Italy, Forte is now finds himself based in Whitechapel, east London. As such, Echopark’s music is an interesting fusion of blissfully rich, summery vibes and cooler lo-fi synths; curiously and definitively a creature of both sonic worlds.

Echopark’s dreamy lo-fi electronica is now really starting to make waves in the indie music press, with The Line of Best Fit and Under the Radar recently heralding the solo artist’s debut track ‘Teleportation’. This upbeat, balmy track features quirky synths and a wash of rich, heavily layered vocals so vivid they might hopefully herald some much needed hints of spring to our shores. This lead track, along with Echopark’s forthcoming debut album has been created entirely in stolen moments on days or weekends off in a tiny room with just a handful of microphones, making the experience that extra bit more romantic for the informed listener.

‘Teleportation’ is available for free download now, and the debut album  ‘Trees’ is out on Enclaves on the 15^th April on physical release and to download. Echopark will soon also be making the transition from bedroom to live venue. The artist’s debut UK show is scheduled for The Monarch in Camden on 17^th April, and is set to include a full band.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/?p=16450&preview=true

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Ra Ra Riot - 'Beta Love' (Single Review)

Taken from the group’s recently released third album, ‘Beta Love’ is the new single from baroque-pop New Yorkers, Ra Ra Riot.

Like much of Ra Ra Riot’s work, this track is upbeat and defiantly positive. The single once again exhibits the band’s penchant for soft, facile and fun indie pop, just as commercial and accessible as contemporaries such as Vampire Weekend and The Vaccines. Indeed, this lighted hearted track would ideal for lightheaded, non-committal moments of summery ecstasy, drinking cider, dancing and laughing with friends.

The single is however far more synth-lead than any of the band’s previous efforts, drawing its sound nearer to the likes of Passion Pit than their other indie-pop contemporaries. The strings take a backseat with (perhaps due to the departure of cellist and founding member Alexandra Lawn), but what is particular notable with ‘Beta Love’ is the lack of indie guitar posturing so prevalent in the band’s previous work. With this single, Ra Ra Riot draw away from the their pleasant and moderately unusual indie/orchestral combination towards the incredibly usual synth lead indie pop, with standard “diverse” instrumentation. This approach would have sounded innovative in 2009, and sure, its sounds fine now and is enjoyable enough, but the style of the track is not overtly inspired (unless your frame of reference is restricted to Top 40 chart escapades).

‘Beta Love’ is available now to download, and the new album, similarly entitled Beta Love, is available as a physical release and to download on Barsuk. Ra Ra Riot are on the cusp of a US tour, but have no dates planned for the UK at present.

See this at TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2013/03/28/review-ra-ra-riot/

THE GIRLS ARE POST: Rhosyn - Glass

Rhosyn, ‘Glass’, Blessing Force

‘Glass’ is the complex and resonant lead single from Rhosyn, taken from the artist’s debut EP, Elbow of Capture. ‘Glass’ is a spirited and dramatic new track, operating adeptly in the folk-cum-classical milieu.

Originating from Peckham but now based in Oxford, Rhosyn is the current moniker of composer and multi-dimensional artist Rose Dagul. Rhosyn creates intense, vocal-lead tracks typically accompanied by her handsome cello and an in-depth knowledge of a cappella musical composition, acquired through her studies at university. The result is a dynamic, rich, Pitchfork approved sound, equivalent to the fusion of Stealing Sheep, tUnEyArDs and Gaggle.

The aural focus of ‘Glass’ is clearly its cacophony of vocals, heavily layered and over-dubbed to intense, and at times almost disorientating heights. Dagul has a fully bodied, mellifluous voice, and supplies all vocal tracks throughout ‘Glass’, offering us her mature, seasoned vocal timbre. This is complemented by the aged, melancholic content of the track’s lyrics. Indeed, various ancient qualities are apparent throughout this track – including the a cappella style vocals and vaguely dissonant harmonic qualities evident in the musical make-up of the track, which work to evoke a slight medieval wash to the single.

There is little musical accompaniment to ‘Glass’ which works well – the track is limited to basic percussion, piano and cello. It would have been nice however to hear a little more of the mellow rasp of Dagul’s cello, however. It does complement the vocal style of this track magnificently, and as such, it could have been placed far higher in the final mix.

‘Glass’ is set for release on 4th February as part of the debut EP release. This will be available to download digitally, and will also be available to purchase on limited edition 12”, hand-numbered clear vinyl. The physical release is limited to a run of 250, and features sleeve art by Oxford screen print maestros Double Suns, who have previously created artwork for the likes of Foals and Jonquil.

See this on TGA at: http://www.thegirlsare.com/2013/01/22/review-rhosyn/

MORE THAN THE MUSIC POST: New Music Round-Up 2012

Once again, it has been a cracking year for new music, and the Next Best Thing has bought you dozens of tasty new bands over the past twelve months, especially for your ear-holes. Here’s a brief selection of some of the exciting new artists we have previewed in 2012 who have gone on great things this year.


Friends

We introduced Friends to you back in January, and since then this Brooklyn band have gone on to release a sparkling debut album to critical acclaim. Tracks for the group’s debut Manifest! can be heard on adverts all over the shop, and their third single ‘Mind Control’  was even declared “hottest record in the world” by BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens.

Lana Del Rey

Another artist we introduced in January, just as she was on the cusp of international super-stardom. Lana Del Rey appeared to come from nowhere, and she has had a bumpy rid along the way, with considerable criticisms from the music press and audiences alike. Be that is it may, however, Del Rey is a musical force to be reckoned with, and has been a key artist in 2012.

Jethro Fox

Jethro Fox’s music is slowly making waves this year, and the artist has been featured by Clash magazine and BBC Introducing online amongst others. Fox’s track ‘Echo’ has been listed in various “top tracks of 2012” and it was even played on Hollyoaks earlier in the year.

2:54

These girls are now pretty big on the indie scene, and their debut album received highly favorable reviews from the likes of The Guardian and the NME. They also toured in the US in 2012 with The XX and Wild Beasts.

Ms Mr


This band is making it big in the US, and are set to be big news here very soon too. We introduced these guys back in June, and now their videos are getting millions of hits on YouTube, and they have also supported Marina and the Diamonds on her recent US tour, and released their debut album in 2012.

See this at MTTM at: http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/the-next-best-thing/next-best-thing-2012-round-up/