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.
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
You know when you have a favourite artist, someone with a specific, unique sound, a person whose albums you buy, time and again because you love that sound? That pop/dance fusion that has you nodding your head as you listen on your way to work?
Yeah, that! And then, they go and find a new sound, change things around, shift your expectations slightly left of field…
That’s the latest self-funded offering from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Wanderlust. It has a folky appeal, an approach that isn’t formulaic, little in the way of dance tracks… and is proving hugely popular with her existing fans, and the legion of fans she won on her recent stint on Strictly Come Dancing.
She’s credited her trips to the former eastern bloc as her influence on this album, along with working with Ed Harcourt on writing and producing this album – all equates to a lovely shake up. This lady’s not one to rest on her laurels, with a couple of rug rats under her belt (not literally) and an active social media presence, she’s willing to open up and dismiss that long held aloof image.
Her distinctive voice is here – one of the few english singers who sing with a tangible english ac-cent, rather than the adopted US slant we know and love.
Track Listing:
Birth of an empire – towering and epic, its one to tingle your toes!
Until the stars collide – beautiful instruments and her lilting voice all mixed in harmony
Runaway Daydreamer – stripped back to basics and sheer perfection
The Deer & The wolf – toe tapping without being cliched
Young Blood – slow and sleek, her voice at its best
Interlude – a showcase for her vocals in a new style
13 Little Dolls – made me dance round the living room
Wrong Side of the sun – a clean sound, great lyrics and a wonderful vocal
Love is a camera – soaring instruments, almost cinematic
Cry to the beat of the band – that hypnotic beat and the choir, amazing
When the storm has blown over – again, no gimmicks, no remix, just her amazing voice on show
All in all, this is a showcase for how her voice has grown over her career, and also a brave choice of work to put out there. Some may say its a vanity project, self-financed because it isn’t immedi-ately commercial, but its seems to be working. Sales have been good, and to be honest, its grown on me – wasn’t too sure on the first listen. This is one of the reasons for the delay in writing this, rather than immediately after the albums release – it is a grower. If I’d written this after one hear-ing, my rating and review would be very different.
And thats a good thing – sometimes, being too hasty is a bad thing…
