Not Another Music Blog.: August 2018

Thursday 16 August 2018

Track Review: Sam Fender - 'Dead Boys'

Newcastle singer/songwriter Sam Fender has returned with the fantastic new 'Dead Boys'. The 22 year-old has been making serious waves in the past year by playing shows up and down the country, smashing the festival circuit and making the BBC's 'Sounds of 2018' shortlist. Recently signed to Polydor, Fender's new tune was premiered on Annie Mac's Radio 1 show as the coveted Hottest Record.

Opening with fast-paced finger-picked guitar, 'Dead Boys' is atmospheric and instantly haunting. Fender's delicate vocals take center stage as he sings openly of male suicide, a rising problem currently facing the UK, especially in the music industry. Fender's vocal is haunting and beautifully delicate, delivering his powerful message perfectly.

The way the song builds musically is a real touch of genius. The addition of a heavily reverberated guitar part here or a long understated drone there ensures 'Dead Boys' is constantly dynamically interesting and intriguing. When the drums are introduced the groove becomes incredibly infectious with the track sharing musical similarities with The War on Drugs or early Ben Howard. The cascading guitar part before the second chorus adds a sense of grit as the song grows in intensity.

Sam Fender's songwriting has come on leaps and bounds in the past year and 'Dead Boys' is a real testament to his growth. Poignant lyrical themes, combined with fantastic instrumentation and stunning performances set Sam Fender way ahead of the pack leaving contemporaries like dull-as-dishwater James Bay and your Mum's favourite bore George Ezra behind. Time to get into Sam Fender, he'll be sticking around for quite a while.

'Dead Boys' is out now on all decent streaming sites or you can listen below.

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Monday 13 August 2018

Track Review: Ash - 'Naked'

Credit: Lauren Dunn

‘Naked’ is the second single from Hawaiian newcomer Ash (not to be confused with the Northern Irish alt-rock band of the same name), and it’s a fantastic slice of Latin-jazz-neo-soul-R&B. You’d think with a mixture of genres like that, this track would sound like an absolute cacophony of inharmonious sounds, and you’d be so, so wrong. ‘Naked’ takes the best parts of each genre; the jazzy bass, the Latin rhythms, the soulful singing, and combines them into an intensely expressive song.

The first thing that grabs you is Ash’s incredibly heartfelt vocals, being equal parts Portishead and Destiny’s Child. This combination enables Ash to display a masterclass in expressive vocal delivery as they transform from low, sultry dulcet tones in the verse to elated highs in the feel good, summery chorus. Featuring such lyrics as “I surrender to the moment now I know there’s no reason to be scared”, the composition emits pure positivity, nicely supported by the carefree rhythms and instrumentation.

Layers upon layers of percussion give this track an amazingly syncopated groove, underpinned by the wonderfully vibe-filled bass-line, forming a rock-solid foundation for a song that is undeniably dance-able. This is aided up by the light tinkling of a jazzy piano part, before the song crescendos with a fantastically vivid trumpet solo.

Essentially, everything in this song is filled with a sense of rhythmic passion, creating an atmosphere of optimistic fervour that is absolutely sure to brighten up your day.

‘Naked’ by Ash is available now on all platforms or you can listen below.

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Friday 10 August 2018

Track Review: The Post Romantics - 'Call It Off'

Liverpool natives The Post Romantics - consisting of brothers Connor, Cameron and Liam Cockbain and their childhood friend Samuel Barton - have released an intriguing new tune entitled "Call It Off". The band have spent a significant amount of time constructing this release, to ensure that it properly captures who they are as musical artists and it seems that, with the production assistance of Sugar House, they have achieved their goal.

Opening with what appears to be a fairly standard trap beat, the track demonstrates its eclectic approach when these are joined by atmospheric guitars and rich lead vocals. In just under three minutes, the listener is drawn in by a layered sound which is defined by emotive vocal delivery and enveloping instrumentation, judiciously layered.

Between delicate verses and charged choruses, the band present a narrative based on a relationship which is reaching an end before it has even had a beginning. Combined with the melancholic tone, the familiarity of the lyrics highlights the band's attempts to reach a generation who feel dejected and desperate for a distraction. At the same time, they have managed to craft a song which is charming and tuneful.

Despite the multitude of British indie rock artists who have broken through in recent years, The Post Romantics clearly bring something different to the table. If they can cultivate their experimental influences and continue to combine them with a gritty and authentic lyricism then the band have the potential to create music which amalgamates genre in a polished way.

Listen to 'Call It Off' below.

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Wednesday 8 August 2018

Track Review: Wes Allen - 'Ask Me Now'

‘Ask Me Now’ is the first single from Wes Allen’s debut EP, ‘Funny Thing’. It’s a very relaxing piece, conjuring up similar feelings found on ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ era Bon Iver with it’s sparse arrangement and lo-fi instrumentation.

Produced by Chester Hansen of BADBADNOTGOOD, the song heavily features a wonderfully comforting acoustic guitar progression, which somehow feels both familiar and unique at the same time. You can tell great care has been taken in capturing the performance of the instrument, as the volume of individual notes ebb and flow in the most charming way, helping keep a fantastic sense of groove throughout. This is all undercut by scattered vibraphone (an irresistibly delightful, if criminally underused, instrument), swelling routinely throughout the track at pivotal moments in the composition.

At the forefront of the track is Wes’ wonderfully reserved vocal performance, containing such haunting lyrics as, “ask me now if I’ve changed my mind, about leaving you behind”. The performance describes the painful process of breaking up with someone who wants to stay together, and in doing so brilliantly contrasts the messy unpleasantness of breakups with the soft and calming personality of the song.

Harrowing and dark themes aside, the whole thing feels like it takes place in a blissful underwater cavern, far away from the problems of the outside world, where for three minutes and fifty-three seconds, you can just forget. And that’s something everyone needs once in a while.

‘Ask Me Now’ is available on Wes Allen’s debut EP, ‘Funny Thing’.

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Tuesday 7 August 2018

Track Review: Johnny Payne - 'Lazy Love'

Vancouver-based singer/songwriter Johnny Payne has shared his first solo effort 'Lazy Love'. Recorded in Denver with Pat Riley and Alaina Moore of Tennis and James Barone of Beach House, 'Lazy Love' is the first track to be released off his upcoming debut EP 'Johnny'.

A piano led ballad, 'Lazy Love' has all the throwback tropes harking back to John Lennon and the schmaltzy production of current Father John Misty hits. Opening with simple piano chords, Payne's vocal takes centre-stage throughout the initial sparsity of the instrumentation. It's here where Payne sounds at his most vulnerable and endearing.

Johnny says, "There is nothing wrong with being lazy. Especially in love it is a virtue." The song echo's this sentiment with lazily played beats and a sometimes simple vocal melody. The tune is a slow builder, but when it finally kicks off it really slaps. The production here is fantastic. The dreamy string sections, rhythmic acoustic guitars and sparse drum beats build throughout to a wonderful climax with an infectious guitar solo and beautiful female led backing vocals.

On 'Lazy Love' Johnny Payne has released a song jam-packed with beautiful moments. The overall sound of the piece is breathtaking and with the new EP slated for release on September the 28th, we're already incredibly excited to hear more.

'Lazy Love' is out now on all good streaming sites, or you can listen below.

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Monday 6 August 2018

Track Review: Ed The Dog - 'Shame'

Former Fish Tank front man Ed Wetenhall has reinvented himself as Ed The Dog, having spent a considerable period of time in his High Wycombe attic writing music with whatever instruments he could get his hands on. 'Shame' is the third single from his debut album of the same name, released at the end of July, and it has all the characteristics of a classic indie hit.

Straight away you are hit by the anarchic production and metronomic percussion. The introductory guitar riff is simple, lo-fi rock but it's effective at building up to Ed's opening line, "I've never felt more ashamed of myself than right now", which sets the tone of the track somewhere in between humiliation, frustration and exhaustion. As the song progresses, the guitar manages to channel both an alt-rock grit and a quirky jangle pop timbre which ensures its distinctive sound.

Drawing on a session with a psychotherapist, Ed examines the overwhelming complexities of being a human being in the twenty-first century and a desire for the lucidity brought by childhood innocence. Far from downbeat, he is able to transform his experiences into a concentrated chaos - laden with memorable hooks and clever lyricism - contorting his voice in the process.

In just under four minutes, Ed The Dog has crafted a tune that is familiar in style but fresh in its witty reflections on the world. Given the tumultuous modern society we live in, the necessity of music that encourages us to reflect on ourselves and our experiences is clear. With 'Shame', Ed has done so in a charming and lively way.

Listen to 'Shame' below.

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Wednesday 1 August 2018

Track Review: LANNDS - 'you + drugs'

LANNDS is the Memphis-born artist Rania Woodward and producer/songwriter Brian Squillace. Now based in Jacksonville, the duo have racked up over two-million streams to date on the strength of their coming of age anthems. 'you + drugs' is the final single to be released off their eagerly awaited second EP 'Legends'.

Drawing from Woodward's soulful blues background and Squillace's electro-pop musing, the track opens with a pulsing sample before Woodward's beautiful vocal is introduced. The production of 'you + drugs' is initially elegantly simplistic and the way the way the song builds over the first minute is fantastic.

LANNDS certainly know how to work with dynamics. The duo introduce all sorts of textures and musical elements to ensure the track never gets dull. The introduction of the electric guitar after the first chorus is a touch of class. The tone, melody and overall sound of this section is fantastic. It's at this moment where you can really hear the duo's influences. Drawing from Daughter, The Japanese House and Lapsley, the atmospheric instrumentation coupled with Woodward's distant, layered vocals takes this tune to another dimension.

Thematically, 'you + drugs' is about addictive relationships where thoughts and relationships spiral out of control. These themes are incredibly relatable for a lot of people and they run deep throughout LANNDS' dense and highly emotive songwriting.

On 'you + drugs', LANNDS have created a piece of music that transcends many types of emotion. The dark themes, atmospheric instrumental and well-oiled performances make this slice of dream-pop one to remember.

Listen to LANNDS below.

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