In a change of plans, the album I will be reviewing today is Wild Cub's 'Youth'. 'Youth' is the debut album from upcoming American alternative pop band Wild Cub.
The thing that really catches your ear on this album is the music. The combinations of tropical drums and synths on 'Thunder Clatter' for instance really grab your attention as a listener. Generally, the songs have a certain campfire feel to them, the kind of song that would be nice to sit around with all your friends and listen to. The music isn't perfect but it is a really good punt for a first album.
The thing that altogether lets the album down is the lead vocals. I hate to have to single a specific faction out like this, but having somebody that can sing well is very important. In Wild Cub's music, the vocals are drowned out by the music to the point where I can't remember any of the lyrics as I normally would with other bands. Presently, Wild Cub are in the process of making new material, I would suggest that they try to experiment with the vocals of the lead singer to try and see where it can go.
All in all, buy this album to listen to a wide range of stunning and exciting instrumental parts from many different instruments. This band is up and coming and will be a name to watch out for in albums to come.
This is the perfect opportunity for me to tell readers about the blog posts coming down the line from here until November. Hope it's looking like a tasty line up... (dates in brackets are UK album release dates)
'Love Never Fails' by Jahmene Douglas (22/7/13)
'All People' by Michael Franti (29/7/2013)
'The Civil Wars' by The Civil Wars (5/8/2013)
'Halcyon Days' by Ellie Goulding (26/8/2013)
'Hotel Cabana' by Naughty Boy (26/8/2013)
'Studio Zoo' by Newton Faulkner (26/8/2013)
'Roaring 20s' by Rizzle Kicks (2/9/2013)
'The Diving Board' by Elton John (16/9/2013)
'The Bones of What You Believe' by CHVRCHES (23/9/2013)
'The Fifth' by Dizzee Rascal (30/9/2013)
'The World from the Side of the Moon' by Phillip Phillips (7/10/2013)
'Growing Up in Public' by Professor Green (14/10/2013)
'ARTPOP' by Lady Gaga (11/11/2013)
It's looking good for the next few months, so buckle in and prepare for AWESOME!
'Settle' is the debut album from the up and comingEDM music duo Disclosure.
Throughout the album there is a tone, a style that defines Disclosure from other dance music acts. This tone is that of laid back, chill EDM music that is perfect for the beginning of a night of perhaps towards the end of a night. None of the tracks want to make you dance around and go crazy but there are still nice simple drum beats combined with relaxing synths like 'F For You' and 'When a Fire Starts To Burn' that will make you smile as you sit back into a couch.
Where this album also succeeds is Disclosure's ability to reign in voices such as Sam Smith and Eliza Doolittle who add an extra dimension to 'Settle'. Despite the fact that this is their first album, their collaboration list is still an impressive bunch of people who give soul and emotion to their tracks.
The lyrics are the only thing that let the album down slightly as they don't have much structure to them. Sure, they blend in well with the music and the individual songs, but next time Disclosure are making an album they need to focus more on lyrics. I would suggest that they bring in a lyricist who can write meaningful lyrics that will strengthen the albums mellow dance beat backbone.
In any case, I recommend this album to anybody looking for a chilled out dance album. Disclosure won't let you down on being able to provide an album that will be as relaxing as a trip to the beach while having the soulful, exciting voices to keep you from being bored.
'LondonWith the Light On' is the debut album from up and coming girl group Stooshe.
When I first bought this album it had been a year since Stooshe first hit the scene with 'Love Me'. There was a lot of excitement to see if these three London women could keep walking the vintage R&B-pop line over the course of an entire album. They passed this test with flying colors with all their quirky mid-song conversation querks and were able to throw in tracks with a different kind of sound as well ('My Man Music'). The sound of this album is very much the chill R&B sound of about 20 years ago but with a more fresh feeling to them. Stooshe succeed in that they can sing songs that sound like they are ages old and still make them relevant to today's pop audience, something that other girl groups (*cough* Little Mix) can learn from.
As for the lyrics, they feel like they're sang right from the hearts of these three songstresses. The most important thing is that they're sang with power and with feeling, something that you don't find a lot of in many singers today. They are showing not only girl groups but also boy bands everywhere how the game is played and they're doing an excellent job.
I would recommend this album to any music fans out there who like to listen to some older sounding music but with the freshness of these three insane but talented women whose voices and strange quirks make the album a pleasure to listen to.
'Heart of Nowhere' is the new album from West London alternative rock band Noah and the Whale.
I didn't initially buy this album when it came out on the grounds that the previews made the album sound dull. Flash forward a few weeks on a bored weekend day and when watching Glastonbury on the couch I heard the music of this band and it lifted my spirits. Upon a second look, I found that Noah and the Whale's new album is very much unlike their older music. This music has a certain atmosphere to it, a sense of adventure that makes me exciting about diving into [Noah and the Whale's new album] heart of nowhere.
The music is all around the shop, but in a good way. Violins make a starring role in songs such as 'Heart of Nowhere' and 'Lifetime' while electric guitars give other songs such as 'All Through the Night' and 'There Will Come a Time' give the album a rockier edge that reminds me of some of U2's early music. Safe to say you will not get bored of the music and Charlie Fink's vocals blend into the music like butter on a warm piece of toast to create a delightful combination.
As for the lyrics, there is an air of youth spirit. You can feel in all of the lyrics that the certain target audience of this album is people between 16 and 25. Normally, I would criticise the band for crafting their music in this way. However, the exciting music actually attracts in older people all looking for a return to the heyday of being young, even if that's just for the 35 minutes that this album goes for.
'Heart of Nowhere' is a total feel good, laid back album that despite its rocky edge, people will want to sit back relax and enjoy it's relaxed rock feel. It doesn't fall too far on either side of the spectrum and I recommend it to anybody who is looking for the chance to feel young again.
I've decided to take some time off reviewing to tell you about the song of the summer race. To fill everybody in, being the song of the summer is a title that you get from being the most successful song in the US during the summer. Because the US chart is so stagnant, anything that wants to be in contention has to already be in the top 10. I will be giving you the songs in terms of likelihood and I will give you my personal song of the summer.
5. Can't Hold Us (Macklemore and Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton)
The US number 1 at the beginning of the summer, 'Can't Hold Us' proved the world that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis weren't 'Thrift Shop' one trick ponies. A booming piano part and superb chorus vocals from Ray Dalton assist the already brilliant pairing of Macklemore's catchy rap phrases and Ryan Lewis's mind-blowing music production work in a song that will lift the roof off any party.
4. Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)
I cannot begin to understand how this song is still so popular. What's even most bizarre is that this song has been available to buy for almost a year, it hasn't hit number 1, but people are still buying it. In any case, people around the world seem to have been enjoying the unusual hard rock edge that Imagine Dragons give off in this track. Dan Reynolds's vocals absolutely do the track justice in what can only be described as an enjoyable apocalyptic rock piece. Perfect for releasing any anger you might have inside of you.
3. We Can't Stop (Miley Cyrus)
I suppose I am ashamed to say that this song is as high as number three on this list. The fact of the matter is that it's become very popular in the US for reasons I can't even begin to imagine. Hannah Montana grew up and finally figured out what sex was. The music video is full of naughty sexual innuendo and I am actually disgusted of the US public that this song is charting so high.
2. Get Lucky (Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams)
This song represents comeback. Comeback of Daft Punk after many years of hearing nothing from their helmeted heads. Comeback of Pharrell Williams, one of the most soulful voices in the music industry today who picked up where he left off. Most importantly, this song is the comeback of Nile Rodgers and the kind of music that he was making with Chic. 'Get Lucky' is a laidback, chill dance song that will be played in nightclubs across the world for young men and women hoping to get lucky.
1. Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell)
I don't know if it's the fact that it's Robin Thicke. I don't know if it's Pharrell smooth, soulful guest vocals that make the difference. I don't know if it's the simple yet incredibly catchy beat that won't quit. I don't know if it's the lyrics enticing good girls to turn to the dark side of the force. I don't know if it's the daring and controversy he drummed up when he released the music video with him and a collection of nude women walking around. Whatever it is this song is an international hit and the catchiest song I have heard this year, I'm very sure this will be the song of the summer.
My Song of the Summer: I Love It (Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX)
The Swedes have taken over the world of dance music. Swedish House Mafia, Avicii and Otto Knows must now make way for a fresh female DJ pair known as Icona Pop. This is the perfect summer song with dance hooks, catchy lyrics and booming baseline. I will listen to this song all summer because despite the fact that it's less than 3 minutes and has been around on the charts for almost a year (it only just came out in the UK) "I don't care, I love it!"
'Before I Sleep' is the debut album of 'The Voice UK' runner up, a songstress with a gorgeous voice, Bo Bruce.
The album gets off to a good start in 'Landslide', a song which begins to set the tone for the album. Her next two songs 'Save Me' and 'Alive', both singles are also fairly strong powerful songs which is impressive given the frailty of her voice. What happens next is something that tends to happen with a lot of albums that you might listen to with certain female vocalists with divine voices, you become lost into her voice. Except for two songs, I can't actually tell how the other songs went because I don't remember them. This isn't because they're bad songs, it's because as a listener I become entranced by the heavenly quality of Bo's unusual voice, much like when I listen to 'Ceremonials' by Florence and the Machine. There are people that will consequently find the album boring, it really is all about your taste in music.
The music complements her voice but fails to be enough to produce a top 40 single. When Bo is making her next album, she should pay more attention towards making sure the music and the lyrics of her songs are catchy enough to make it in the mainstream world of music, a world that given she went onto a national singing show, she is eager to get into.
In conclusion, Bo's voice is something truly special and ethereal but her problem is similar to Jessie Ware's, she needs to become friends with an excellent producer who will really help to showcase her beautiful voice for the music buying public of today. In any case, this is a name that people should watch out for and this debut album is one of her truly exciting stepping stones.
'Tape Deck Heart' is the new album from folk punk man Frank Turner.
There is a fine line between Turner's last album, 'England Keep My Bones' and his new work. Largely this is because of the larger proportion of folk that he has injected into his music, and in every track we can hear and acoustic guitar much as if it were by Ed Sheeran or Gabrielle Aplin. We can still hear the punk aggression ('Plain Sailing Weather'), but it takes more of a backseat to the catchy guitar chords found in 'Recovery' and 'The Way I Tend to Be'.
The real thing that people first see in 'Tape Deck Heart' is the fact that is a break up album, with almost all of the songs related to coming back after a relationship. While you can tell that this man's heart was violently broken, he is still singing songs with largely upbeat music. This is impressive given how easy it is to make a heart wrenching, sad break up song (*cough* Adele, Taylor Swift).
In short, Turner walks a fine line between break up songs, upbeat guitar music, punk rock feel and spirit of youth. Something perfect for a boost of energy on a rainy day when you are feeling down and maybe but not necessarily going through a sad break up.
#willpower is the new studio album from the musical wizard with the midas touch, 'will.i.am'. This album will have people that love it and others that will hate it. However if like me, you are somebody that has been listening to music by the 'Black Eyed Peas' since the dawn of time, you will certainly love this album. The album has an electronic texture that flows heavily through it's veins in songs such as 'Let's Go' and 'Gettin' Dumb' but Will still manages to integrate synthetic and real string instruments into many of his songs such as hit single 'This is Love'. In 'Geekin' I think he even goes as far as to integrate synthetic bagpipes.
As for the lyrics, it is a typical combination from will.i.am of hardcore dance lyrics ("when me and you party together"), and will's amazing ability to sound like a preacher that we should be listening to ("everybody killing like it's 'Platoon'").
Should you be somebody that is interested in all of the music that I have described above, you will love will.i.am's latest effort. While I don't normally buy deluxe versions of albums, I did for this one because of my adoration for will.i.am's music and everything that it stands for.
People who love dance music: 10/10
Everyone else: 7/10
'Reincarnated' is the new album by Snoop Dogg's new reggae influenced personality 'Snoop Lion'. Snoop Lion was born after a spiritual journey to Jamaica where a priest supposedly rechristened Snoop Dogg as Snoop Lion.
Despite the strange thoughts that people might associate with a well known rapper such as Snoop Dogg having a complete change in career path at his age, the album works as a reggae-rap fusion. The move was actually quite smart as it's only so easy to be a 41 year old rapper especially in the modern world of hip-hop. The music itself succeeds in sounding like a laid back reggae album with the ability to keep Snoop Lion's ice cool phrasing "We all feel hurt, here's mine".
My dad is a big fan of reggae artists such as Aswad and UB40 and doesn't think that Major Lazer does a superb job at keeping the reggae vibe alive. Myself, I think it gives off the feel of a laid back trip to the beach. The lyrics are very much like those you could find in a reggae album with strong mentioning of smoking marijuna ('Here Comes the King', 'Smoke the Weed'). In addition, the album is backed up by an impressive list of guest appearances including Chris Brown, Akon, Drake, Rita Ora, Miley Cyrus and Busta Rhythms among many others.
In conclusion, the album represents the exploration of new ground on the rap front and is a pioneering effort by Snoop. While it may not totally tickle the fancies of reggae junkies out there, it still works perfectly as an album to put on at the end of a long day, and dream of travelling to the Caribbean for what is a very pleasurable hour.
9.5/10
Being in Edinburgh has been so hectic that I haven't gotten around to keeping my blog up. However, I have some spare time in Bali this summer and so I will try and catch up with all of the entries I need to make including:
'Reincarnated' by Snoop Lion
'#willpower' by will.i.am
'Tape Deck Heart' by Frank Turner
'Before I Sleep' by Bo Bruce
'Heart of Nowhere' by Noah and the Whale
'Great Gatsby Soundtrack'
'London with the Lights On' by Stooshe
'Settle' by Disclosure
In addition I will have a SUPER SONG OF THE SUMMER edition that I am a bit late to the party on, but nonetheless will be able to weigh up the options.
