P!nk has never been one to shy away from changing with the times. With her seventh studio album, the multi-platinum selling artist shows that she’s more than capable of keeping up with the times and with her fans. Beautiful Trauma is sure to be a hit with the whole of the LGBT community with enough attitude and timely angst to make any episode of Drag Race Untucked look more like Toddlers and Tiaras in comparison.
Of course, there are the beautiful and heartfelt songs, such as “Beautiful Trauma”, “But We Lost It”, and “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken” that prove P!nk still knows how to write a track that could – given the right/wrong day – bring you to tears. However, it’s the show-stopping anthems on this album that will really leave a mark for me. In such a delicate and politically fragile time worldwide having an artist like P!nk remind us all that we’re stronger together might be exactly what’s needed. The always empowering “What About Us”, which has already made its mark on the Billboard charts, will be sure to be a greatest hit of hers for years to come. The anthem train continues with tracks like “Where We Go” and “I Am Here”, both of which scream of a yearning to live life to the fullest – with catchy, toe-tapping, sing-along chorus’ that will undoubtedly remain in your head for days to boot.
Now, if you’re worried and wondering where the sassy breakup tunes don’t you fret. Eminem is back again, featuring on yet another track with P!nk, for the brilliant “Revenge”, a perfect diss track to take your mind off of any ungrateful ex you might be struggling to forget. “Whatever You Want” and “Secrets”could also fall under the breakup tune umbrella in a slightly more solemn tone that harkens back to The Truth About Love Era ever so slightly and in the best way possible.
Overall, Beautiful Trauma is a solid and fairly eclectic collection of 13 un-skippable tracks. Fans of the old school P!nk are sure to be just as happy as any new fans might be with this one. The one and only gripe from all of us – I’m sure – why isn’t it longer?
You need to learn patience with Kate Bush. Ever since I heard “Wuthering Heights” I became a big fan of Kate Bush. I was 4 at the time and l remember saying to myself that I will see her live in one of those concert things. 35 years later I finally got to see Kate live at the Apollo on the 24th September 2014. I was four rows from the front, could see not only the whites of her eyes but the bare soles of her feet. I remember crying many many times. It really was a dream come true.
Releases from Kate Bush have been quite fast coming. Not that you would think it. After a 12 year hiatus, she returned in 2005 with Aerial. Then in 2011 there were two releases and a year after that the Before the Dawn tour that people went crazy for.
We then had to endure a 26 month wait before she released the CD recording taking from various shows during her 22-night residency at the Hammersmith Apollo where she last performed in 1979. What hadn’t helped the wait was Paddy Bush telling Graham Norton on his BBC radio 2 show late last year that Kate was going to release something from the show. We all thought it would be the DVD.
To be fair I had pre-ordered my copy on the day of its mention and that has been an agonising wait. Finally, on Friday my copy was delivered. I had to contain myself. I wanted to immerse myself in the whole experience. Playing it on the computer at work while being interrupted by mechanics and the telephone would have ruined it. On social media, I told friends they could all **** off, I would be with Kate Bush. And only Kate Bush.
I got home, locked the door, vodka was poured, ran upstairs to the manlab and became one with Kate Bush. The cellophane was removed from the three CD set and I indulged myself in the little booklet that accompanies the set. It goes on about the show and Kate gives thanks to everyone involved. On the night she was so gracious to us the audience too and that hasn’t been edited out from the CD. Each CD is set as an act. Act 1, 2 and 3.
Act 1 CD is your typical concert made up of seven songs. It was nice to listen to Lily without the muffling that comes from crying. Never be mine wasn’t actually played at the live show though it does appear on the CD. A puzzling question as to why this appears on the CD. That said I am glad it does. It is one of my favourites. I’ve many favourites but this one just happened to help me during a strange period of finding out who I was and what my life might have been at the time. Joanni about Joan of Arc was brilliant live.
Kate Bush’s first and only tour set new standards in live shows. From what I have read she was sort of the first to come out with a handsfree mic headset so she could perform in the song with visuals and art. You would have been stupid if you didn’t expect her to move the goal post again. So enter act 2.
Act 2
Act 2 was taken from the B side of Hounds of Love titled The Ninth Wave. I never really understood the whole ‘woman drifting out to sea from a shipwreck. The concert put a lot of visuals to it. It all made sense. On the CD you are allowed in but shut your eyes first and enjoy the story telling through some acting and music. The live version of Dream of Sheep is just amazing. I like the song on the normal album, however, live changes it. You can hear the desperation in the woman’s voice hoping that she is found. Little Light reduced me to tears.
The heartache of it all ends in an uptempo version of The Morning Fog. An Irish jig soothes you after the journey experienced through the last 9 songs. It’s needed. I’m crying again as I listen to it.
Act 3
This section was mind blowing. Audibly it still is. This time though you can open your eyes. Taken from the Aerial albums A Sky of Honey CD with three other songs added. Tawny Moon was sung by Kate’s son Albert McIntosh. Albert actually makes more of a presence through this section of the CD singing alongside his mother, his voice complimenting hers along the way. This time you are taken along 24 hours of changing sky in just 73 minutes.
From this act Sunset stands out on its own as it rises and rises like the song, rising to the top of the night. On the night Tawny Moon did seem to go on forever when it was only 7 minutes long.
I loved Aerial. On the album it’s pleasant. The live version was damn right frightening. It gets so loud and frenetic. It’s not the song you thought it was. Your pulse rate banging hard and fast to the song. When it does end there is a solo of Kate singing Among Angles. Again I cried.
She ends the set with Cloudbusting. Having calmed you down, for the final song you are up on your feet. For the entire three CDs, you have listened and absorbed. Now you are singing with her. Clapping and stamping your feet. It’s an ending of all endings and sadly it is the ending. Lights up, carry on.
I don’t have any bad words to say about this. The concert could have been watching Kate paint a wall white, I’d still have loved it and the CD could have been filled with silence except for some casual cough or other such noise. I’d still love it.
Let’s hope that in two years time we get the visual to go with it. That would be nice though I’d have to stock up on more tissues.
So Beyoncé has released her latest album Lemonade, along with the visual film of it. I must say I was slightly apprehensive about it at first because her last couple of albums I haven’t really enjoyed apart from maybe a handful of the tracks.
I decided to go with the full experience and watch the visual version of the album, and I must say I was actually fairly impressed. The film tells a story so it’s something you have to watch the whole of to understand.
Now obviously as a proper fan I can quite safely say that while I absolutely love Beyoncé, I can also call her out for releasing some crap in the past (not sure why she’s drinking watermelon, and what’s a surfbort?) and for the first 20 or so minutes of the visual album I was not feeling it, she was going along with the hard edged style that is obviously influenced a lot by her husband Jay-Z, but track 4 (Sorry) came on, and while there was still a hard edge style to it, it didn’t seem so aggressive so my ears perked up and I thought you know what I’ll give this album a chance, but my dreams were slightly dashed by Track 5 (6 Inch) that went straight back to the style I didn’t like. I started to zone out slightly but I was determined to stay the distance of the album.
Suddenly I found myself jigging along to the track Daddy Lessons, this was so different from what had already been heard, it was bouncy, and almost a country style, and I was actually smiling while listening, and my hopes were well and truly raised, and the subsequent tracks I actually really enjoyed, and they all seemed to have different styles, from ballads to heartfelt gospel tracks.
For the visual album, people might not really understand what Beyoncé is trying to say, and like the Formation video, it is unapologetically black and supportive of black women especially, but is also personal where she seems to be talking about the fact her husband allegedly cheated on her and her journey towards forgiveness.
All in all, while the album isn’t on the same level as I Am…Sasha Fierce, Dangerously in Love or B’day it was enjoyable enough and I actually quite liked around half of the tracks and a few of them you’ll end up humming to yourself.
Lemonade is out now, available on Tidal, iTunes and with the potential of Spotify in the near future
After embarking on an incredibly ambitious venture of releasing an EP of tracks every month for all of 2014, Nerina Pallot is back with her new album ‘The Sound And The Fury’ that includes some tracks from last year’s offerings with some eclectic, emotionally charged and compelling new songs. ★★★★
The album opens with a rough guitar riff weaving into a drum-led anthem that pulsates and emulates our life blood, our world, our religion, our spirituality and suggests karmic retribution on those that deviate. This sets the tone for the record and its thought-provoking arcs on diverse issues in our modern world. If I Had A Girl is the seditious, bluesy and more honest sister to Beyoncé’s If I Were A Boy where Pallot comes up with some inspired lyrics highlighting the contemptible sexism still raging in our world:
“You gotta be bolder, better, harder faster, don’t take no shit off no lord or master, don’t listen when they say how far you’ve come”
The Road and its rough and edgy, R&B sound wants us to rely on our own perception of right and wrong and reject the noise of the media and other agendas. This could not have been highlighted better or indeed been more topical with the video for this song being filmed in Calais in the migrant camps.
Boy On The Bus is a heartbreaking ballad about wanting to leave the city in despair of distressing events and the aching ‘Handle’ has us struggling to deal with our nefarious world and yearning for a reprieve. One such moment of comfort is the gorgeous Blessed which starts of delightfully like a classic Suzanne Vega cut but then weaves into a beautiful mid-tempo ballad with some magnificent harmonies.
The album closes with the sonic dreamscape and lyrically bittersweet Longest Memory which deals with life, solitude and death and their inextricable links.
Susan Sontag wrote in the 1960s that “we live under continual threat of two equally fearful, but seemingly opposed, destinies: unremitting banality and inconceivable terror. It is fantasy, served out in large rations by the popular arts, which allows most people to cope with these twin specters”. To me this is certainly still very true today and epitomises this glorious, dark, political and resonant album from Nerina Pallot in the sense that her striking collection of songs guides and assists us through some of the atrocities and various –isms endemic in our society. Brilliant.
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Like life, all good things come to an end, and for Norwegian electronica superstars that time is now, but fear not they are leaving with us with one last incredible album and a little hint that it’s not quite the last of them.
Album opener “Skulls” is a futuristic slab of electro-pop, addicting, pulsing and voiced by an ethereal sounding pop robot that Daft Punk would be jealous of and it certainly sets the tone for the rest of album, ie euphoric cry-on-the-dancefloor anthems.
Next up is a massively reworked version of the Robyn featuring “Monument” gone is the laid back chilled vibe of the original and in comes chunky synth riffs & throbbing beats, it sounds bigger and somehow more epic. “Sordid Affair” is next and it’s a polished little soft-dance number about heartbreak, following track “You Know I Have To Go” follows the same path but takes the tempo down a good few notches for a other worldly 3am walking back from the club on your own thinking about stuff experience.
“Save Me” up next and takes that tempo back up a few and grows nicely into a rather sprawling melancholic love song, the tempo goes sky high next for album highlight “I Had This Thing” the very definition of a euphoric-cry-on-the-dancefloor anthem. Robyn makes her 2nd and final appearance on the short but not sweet violin enhanced bleepy swirls and swear word laden “Rong”
The tempo remains firmly down for “Here She Comes Again” and “Running To The Sea” the latter is another superb piece of throbbing cry-on-the-dancefloor slice of melancholy euphoria, “Compulsion” is up next and it’s a big piece of dark undulating electronica, “Coup de Grace” is a sweeping electronic instrumental (the only one on the album) and it serves as a bit of an epic emotional build up to the last ever album track “Thank You” which is a touching pop robot voiced piano led little number, thanking us forever. *weep*
Whatever the future holds for Röyksopp this last ever album is a fantastic way to say farewell and thank you for the music
The Inevitable End is released Nov 10 2014 – Pre Order the album with the button below.
This woman is amazing! You’ve been warned! Part Adele, part K T Tunstall – soulful voice, thoughtful lyrics = one musician you really need to watch out for.
Her current EP combines 3 tracks that showcase her talents – and these are multitudinous! Always wanted to use that word in a review! And it ain’t hyperbole – she’s one to watch.
Her current offering of “Who’s Lovin’ Me Now” has 3 delicious tracks on it:
Who’s Lovin’ Me Now?
Pirate Man
So Crazy
Let’s start with Who’s Lovin’ Me Now? Starts slow and low and builds terrifically, capturing you as it rolls – love it, the lyrics are perfect and her voice soars – the beat drags you along and you can’t help tapping your foot to this one! Listen to those lyrics – they tug your heart strings but sing to everyone of us who’ve loved and lost.
Pirate Man changes tempo and showcases the lyrics and her voice to perfection. This is a soulful number, with lyrics that paint wonderful pictures in your head – this is a taste of the blues, great guitar riffs and a voice that cuts through to your heart!
The final track on this EP is So Crazy and the one that most reminds me of Adele and her style. This song belies her tender years – the sign of a great talent!
She cites her influences as Sheryl Crow and Katy Perry, and Freddie Mercury to the Stone – and after hearing this EP, I see what she means! There’s pop, there’s anthems, there’s soul searching lyrics and soaring themes!
Kerri is truly one to watch, please, if you can, download and listen – she’s so worth it! Can’t wait to see what she’s like live! Keep an eye out for live dates!
As a child of the ’80’s, I love synth pop, its mother’s milk to me. Give me some retro synth and I’m in heaven, sprinkle some John Foxx-esque lyrics and I’ll love you long time!
Batsch does both – I’d marry them tomorrow if I could! This Midlands based quartet are channelling Talking Heads in their lyrical twists, their playful mix of synth, guitar and decent bass line.
They follow up their 2013 EP “Tiles” with this lovely offering, “Collar”
Celine is a playful tune that is very reminiscent of the early ’80’s – reminds me so much of the stuff Blitz kids listened to, early Ultravox, very early Spandau… not taking itself too seriously, but seriously enough.
22 sounds like a good Howard Jones track with a spoonful of Aztec Camera or Lloyd Cole – the music is sparse, so you contrite on the lyrics and Batsch do a very good lyric!
Did You Hear About Argine is a slower track, with some spoken word, nice mix of styles and a change of tempo.
Mirrorball channels so much Lloyd Cole it’s untrue – whether it’s intentional or not. The lyrics again make this song so strong, the music, as with so much ’80’s stuff, is almost secondary.
Can’t Tell is a change again in that it moves things up a gear and changes the tempo – showing their influences of Talking Heads and Chic!
The band describe their sound as gutter glamour, and I’d have to agree – if you’re a pure ’80’s groupie like me, and love the sounds of La Roux, etc in terms of current acts, then give this band a go. I love hearing new music, it’s the John Peel in me… and this group don’t disappoint at all. One to follow!
Their sounds are available from Amazon and iTunes
I love them so much, I’d give them 5 starts for this current EP
O-Town’s decade out of the pop limelight is a long time. In fact, some might say it’s a lifetime. Countless wannabes have flounced in and out of the charts, Mega stars have been created and wasted, sales have plummeted, and everything is starting to sound like everything else. The music industry is nothing like it was back in 2003. It was before the iPhone and iPod. People still bought CDs, and a band, arguably the last ‘out of the box’ boy-bands, O-Town went their separate ways, breaking the hearts of girls and gays worldwide.
Well, boys and girls, they are back, with their best, most honest and commercially viable album for a world that is unrecognisable since their last output.
What you’ll notice is that Lines and Circles is a straight-up pop record, crafted with strong melodies and a grownup sensibility in its production. No tricks needed. These guys have spent the last 10 years honing their craft and each of these tracks is a gem and deserves radio play in its own right. Their voices, with ten years of living, have become soulful, chilled; yet still retain a power and sexiness that made the lads successful in their formative years. They are back and this time it’s on their own terms.
If you’re looking for teeny boppery hyped up crap, this album isn’t for you. If you’re looking for boy-band or rather man-band 2.0, then O-Town have excelled in bringing this to you in the shape of Lines And Circles.
Highlights: The epic Skydive, the stripped back and unexpected Buried Alive and the anthemic Lines And Circles.
★★★★ | Do It Again – mini album collaboration by Röyksopp and Robyn
Do It Again is a superb mix of tracks from the brilliant Norwegian group Röyksopp and the chanteuse from Sweden, Robyn.
Put the two together and you get a soaring synth soundtrack, interspersed with Robyn’s unique vocals. Röyksopp’s electronic background instantly takes you back to the 80’s, using beats reminiscent of New Order to create tracks that then marry with Robyn’s Metropolis style of vocal to create what feels like a unique experience.
Monument is nearly 10 minutes long, and uses repetition to great effect, repeating vocals again and again while subtly changing the background beat and chords. Sayit does something similar, melding techno voices with Robyn’s to great effect.
Do It Again sounds very like old school Robyn – pared back chords, simple but very effective – and her soaring vocals, emphasising lyrics, and making you tap the odd toe along the way. 5 minutes of pure club joy.
Every Little Thing slows things down, but from the first chord, you know this is pure joy. Robyn’s voice used to great effect, moody and very New Romantic in sound – or maybe thats just me?
The final track on this mini album is Inside The Idle Hour Club, and again, we return to the nearly 10 minute track, slow to start, mixing sounds as it builds, it is almost orchestral, so many different sounds but with a distinct lack of Robyn’s signature vocals here – she doesn’t dominate, this is a showcase of the music and Robyn takes a back seat.
Taken as a whole, its a little prog rock at times, a little too earnest maybe as a project – but for all that, it is one pretty brilliant collaboration.
What could make it better? Why a tour of course – keep your eyes peeled for a joint tour shortly, part Robyn showcase, part Röyksopp showcase, part joint venture.
As for the album – treat yourslef, and make this part of your collection. I give it 4 stars!
Call me biased, but I love Australian music. Especially indie records like Australian band Rüfüs’ debut album Atlas, which hit stores this week across the UK, after debuting at #1 in Australia last August.
This Indie dance trio of Jon George, Tyrone Lindqvist and James Hunt from Byron Bay in New South Wales formed in 2010 and now offer a downbeat ambient dance album featuring mellow tones and especially catchy hooks.
From the moment the opening track Sundream kicked off, I was instantly attracted to the laid-back sound mixed with the high falsetto-vocals. The album works its way through to some dancier tracks, like Take Me and Tonight before going into full chill-out mode with Rendezvous. This is an album I could imagine being played at one of those funky-grungy warehouse dance parties in Berlin.
This is an album that is right at home whether you’re listening to it as background music while you work, getting ready for a night out on the town, or chilling out on a Sunday afternoon after a big night out. If you’re like me, you’ll quickly find yourself humming and singing along with thetracks on this album.
For those of you who love the live vibe, Rüfüs will be touring the UK in September, dates and tickets available here: www.rufussounds.com/tagged/Tour
Original Drag Superstar RuPaul releases her strongest body of work so far.
Hot on the heels of another RuPaul’s Drag Race juggernaut, the multi-talented Drag Queen releases ‘Born Naked’, a fresh, modern and young sounding 6th studio album.
Ten tracks of perfectly crafted pop songs, filled to the rafters of positive messages and a light smattering of RuPaul’s very own catch phrases, with a heady mix of star guests including: Martha Wash (Original Weathergirl), Frankmusik and Michelle Visage.
Although mostly upbeat pop songs, Can I Get An Amen, with Martha Wash, provides an astonishing intimate moment with the larger than life Drag superstar and the powerhouse vocals of the It’s Raining Men singer.
So far, this is RuPaul’s most commercially successful album and it deserves to be. Gone are the mostly campy irreverent tunes (we loved those too), only to replaced with a thoughtful mix of songs and bang-up-to-date production, each standing strongly on their own merits.
