ISSUE 7
February 2011
Radiohead James Blake Beady Eye The Go! Team
White Lies
Chapel Club
Exclusive Interview
to ickets Win 2 t ol @ Interp outh rnem O 2 Bou emy Acad
www.audio-addict.co.uk
NME Awards Tour - Festival Previews - Brit Awards - Smile Preview
2
Audio Addict
CONTENTS
Hello you lovely people! January has been and gone; here at Audio Addict we’re all feeling pretty happy it’s February and with this arrives a jam packed new issue!
Front Section
This edition boasts the best in new music with an exclusive interview from White Lies as well as features on Chapel Club and Beady Eye. We take a close look at this years SMILEfest, round up the Brit,s and review what was an unmissable Shockwaves NME Awards tour show. Everyone here at Audio Addict is very excited about a summer full of festivals, we’ve handpicked a select few to look at in more detail. Finally, for a chance to win tickets to see Interpol next month in Bournemouth, turn to page 39! Your editor, Rachael Anderson x
Front Section: Emma Farndell
Reviews: Zorba C’Emelonye
Features
10&11 12-15 16 17 18&19 20 22&23
Chapel Club White Lies Beady Eye Bluey Robinson The Common Black Veil Brides What’s In A Name?
Reviews Shockwaves NME Awards Tour The Go! Team Murderdolls Four Year Strong Radiohead Toro Y Moi/Bruno Mars
The Team:
Features: Rob Ferguson
Design: Rachel Pottle
4 5 6 7 8 9
The White Stripes The Joiners AA Chart/ What The Stars Are Listening To Coaster or Boaster/ TwitTwoo! Soton Unstaged/The Adverts SMILEfest 2011
Brit Awards New Album Releases Album News Competition Festival Previews
24&25 26 27 28 29 30 31
32&33 34 35 37 38&39
AUDIO ADDICTS
GUEST WRITERS
Liam Martin
Gary Byfield
Jessie Rose Side
Sam Webster
Elliot Muharrem
Craig Thomas
Sian Robertson Tom Quickfall Audio Addict
3
NEWS THE WHITE STRIPES SPLIT O
n 2nd February, The White Stripes shocked fans as front man Jack White posted on his Third Man Records website, stating the band is officially over. The statement read “The reason is not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue… It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way. “
4
The alternative rock duo who indulged the music industry with classic anthems including “Icky Thump,” “My Doorbell,” and “Seven Nation Army,” produced six studio albums during their thirteen years. White and his ex-wife Meg White rose to fame in 2002 during the garage rock
revival as part of Detroit’s independent underground music scene. They used the punk ‘do-it-yourself’ work ethic when it came to writing and recording songs, and were renowned for their simplistic design and fashion aesthetic of using red, black and white. The White Stripes were more famous for their minimalist compositions and arrangements, producing a raw sound that combined a mix of blues and punk influences. They last toured in 2007 promoting their newest album “Icky Thump,” however this was cut short due to allegations of Meg suffering from anxiety issues. Since then the group have kept a low profile, announcing Audio Addict
a hiatus in 2008. Though Jack White told Vanity Fair a few months ago they were hoping to go back into the studio to start work on new material. Meanwhile, Jack has kept himself busy over the past few years with other projects, which include his other bands,The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, along with producing Wanda Jackson’s new record. It finishes by stating “The White Stripes belong to you now and you can do with it whatever you want…Your involvement will never be lost on us and we are truly grateful.” Having contributed so much to the music industry and inspiring fans across the globe with their range of musical talent, their disappearance is sure to leave a huge hole in the musical world. Read the full statement here: www.thirdmanrecords.com Words: Rachel Pottle
NEWS LOCAL VENUE NEARLY BURNS DOWN
T
he legendary South coast venue, The Joiners hosts the brightest young artists and is the starting block for some of the biggest acts in the UK past and present. On 17th February was supposedly the first date of up and coming youngsters Yuck’s European tour, until it came under threat when the neighbouring noodle bar essentially burst into flames. Promotion manager Chris Stemp commented on the realisation; “Smoke came into The Joiners and we didn’t know where it was from. So we called the fire brigade and it turned out it was from
the Chinese next door.” It forced the fans onto the street and many more to file into the nearest pub, The Plume Of Feathers - a modest establishment that probably made more money in one night than it had in the rest of the year. There were constant rumours of relocation with the drummer and tour manager both adamant that the show would go on. When asked to comment drummer Jonny Rogoff cheerily retorted, “we hope so” but almost inevitably the night came to a premature end. The saving grace came in the Audio Addict
form of a shared experience, the general atmosphere was optimistic right up until the end, with everyone including the band unifying in a desperate attempt to ensure the gig would continue to go ahead. The sound engineer alone offered to transport as much of the equipment as possible in order to save the day, unfortunately the firemen at the scene forbid anyone from entering dashing all hope. Then again at least it’s safe to say they were carrying out their duties to a painstaking degree (despite being unable to locate the source for at least five hours). So far, all we have is the reassuring yet ambiguous statement form Chris Stemp: “We have no confirmed rescheduled date but it looks as though it will be after their tour of Europe but all ticket holders will be notified.” Words: Liam Martin Photo: Benjamin James Cowley
5
FRONT SECTION THE AA CHART 1.The Vaccines - Post Break
Up Sex
2. White Lies - Strangers
WHAT ARE THE STARS LISTENING TO? ELLIE GOULDING:
3. Nero - Me and You
- Joanna Newson
4. Yuck - Get Away
- Laura Marling
5. Adele - Someone Like You
- Delorean
6. The National - Lottery
- Yeasayer
7. Toro Y Moi - New Beat
- Friendly Fires
8. Everything Everything - MY
- The Middle East
KZ UR BF
- N-Trance
9. Ellie Goulding - Lights
- The Title Sequence
10. The White Stripes - Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground 11. Chase and Status - Blind
Faith
- Gala Photo: Chuff Media
- Cee-Lo Green
STEVE ROBERTS:
12. Noah and The Whale -
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
( ATHLETE)
13. Architects - Day In Day
Out
- James Blake
14. Lady GaGa - Born This
- Gold Panda
Way
- LCD Soundsytem
15. Crystal Castles - Not In
- Kanye West
Love (feat.Robert Smith) 16. The Go! Team - Apollo
Photo: Infected Records
Throwdown
ALICE GOLD:
17. Icicle ft SPMC -
- Autoluxe
Dreadnaught
- White Denim
18. Katy B - Lights On
- Warpaint
19.My Chemical Romance -
- Taynor & Parner
Sing
- Foals
20. Imelda May - Mayhem 6
- Early 90’s dance
Audio Addict
Photo: Chuff Media
FRONT SECTION Coaster or Boaster? BOASTER: “21 is so many things, it tells a story and you feel like you’re part of it. It’s 11 tracks of beautiful, emotional music” Rachael, 20, from Brighton
Twit Twoo! Our favourite musings in 140 characters or less from the past month! In reply to Mumford & Sons acoustic performance at the Brit Awards: “This lot need to put a donk on it”
BOASTER: This is War by 30 Seconds to Mars “Oh my days – best album I’ve ever bought!” Charlotte, 19 from Droitwich
@Popjustice Paw prints aren’t to be seen in a early Monday morning lecture:
BOASTER: :Funeral by Arcade Fire “It’s what I put on when I’m at home, and I love it.” David, 20 from Yeovil
“Why are the females in my lecture so… unattractive? I know it’s only uni but freakin heck make an effort to look less like an animal” @iamZORBS A quirky way of looking at it.. “Government tactic for reforming ASBO system? Essentially just change its name. Didn’t really work for Prince…” @tomquickfall
BOASTER: “I would definitely recommend it, but only to people who like the genre as the album won’t convert new fans to the genre.” Zorba, 20 from London
Who said romance was dead?
BOASTER: Here & Now by Architects “It’s better than the last one and it presents Sam Carter’s voice in a much better light” Rachel, 19 from Essex
“On Valentines day girls like gifts like chocolates, unless it’s a Kit Kat with a message ‘You know what, I think we should take a break” @jackwhitehall Greg James takes lyrics a little too literally, but it’s comedy gold!
COASTER: Underneath the Pine Toro y Moi “Disappointing after the excellent debut. Too forgettable” Rob, 21 from Basingstoke
‘I’d hate to be in the situation where catching a grenade for someone would be an option” @Gregjames Audio Addict
7
FRONT SECTION
O
n 3rd of March, a never before seen live event project run by Solent Music Promotion students is taking place in Southampton. The event focuses on creating acoustic gigs in unusual venues and supporting local charities. Four course mates have bashed their brains together and made some exciting future plans that are set to give the Solent music scheme permanent goosebumps. The events are in conjunction with S.M.I.L.E, a week long festival consisting of guest
lecturers and gigs. The artists headlining each of these special shows shall be those signed to the Sotones record label. This is first ‘Unstaged’ event to hit Southampton, and everything shall be available to watch online via live streaming. This is a rare chance to hear some great music within the walls of some unusual venues, “Soton Unstaged is really unique, giving bands a different environment to play in,” explains one of the event organisers, Carly Rockett.
“Also the event is for a good cause, with donations for entry going to Oxfam and The Art House.” The events will take place at the following venues, The Art House (12-2PM), Oxfam music store (3-5PM),and the main event will take place at Quilters Vault (7-9PM). Plugging some great bands whilst saving the world. Is there anything music can’t do? Words: Jessie Rose Side
THE ADVERTS “We don’t like you – go away”; “Come back when you’ve learned to play,” were the lyrics to “One Chord Wonders,” a dig at the musicianship of punk rock musicians of the mid ‘70s. Not that this applied to the band who wrote that song
8
however, The Adverts, but play their devastating debut who would’ve thought 33 album Crossing the Red years after they disbanded, Sea with The Adverts in it’s they’d be coming back to entirety at The Joiners on play such tracks they’ve March 31st. They came, they left untouched for over 3 saw, they pogoed, relive it all decades? A real chance to again. see one of the finest bands Words: Elliot Muharrem of the punk rock era, they’ll
Audio Addict
SMILEfest 2011 creator of Greasy Lips records will be in Southampton to offer invaluable advice on bands performing that night.
B
ack for its third year, SMILE (Solent Music Industries Live Event) festival is bigger and better than ever! Happening across five days and organised by students from across the music scheme at Southampton Solent University features workshops, gigs, and guest speakers from industry experts across the week 28th February – 4TH March. One of the major things that SMILEfest prides itself on as an event is the variety of talents that the students focus their energy into all across of music such as journalism and promotion. By branching out in these different areas of the industry, it enables students to have a concise idea about how work within the music industry operates and subsequently raise profile
within wider context of the industries themselves. Guests already confirmed for the week are heavyweight names from all across the industry. Music and fashion Photographer Pat Pope and Glastonbury festival organiser Mark Cann are among guest speakers at the festival, giving students the opportunity to listen to how they got their career kickstarted and the chance to answer questions.
Executive producer of the event Martin James didn’t keep secret that it’s not hiding the efforts of elbow grease. “It’s hard work, but it should be great…a great array of guests and every year those guests end up coming along and being blown away by what our students do and as a result of that we’ve developed great contacts. Rob Da Bank is now a friend of the University, he’s in all the time and wants to get more and more involved.” Five days, seven venues, one city, one university. Get involved! Words: Emma Farndell Photo: Solent SMILE
“It’s hard work, but it should be great” The eleven gigs that are happening across the week, including Solent students themselves, all lead up to the gig taking place on the Friday night at the Soul Cellar, which is a showcase in presence of Alan McGee. McGee, the former Oasis manager and
Audio Addict
9
CHAPEL CLUB Chapel Club’s Lewis Bowman talks about how he’s dealing with the bands
T
new-found popularity...
he hooded-figure of Lewis Bowman steps on stage at the Talking Heads in Southampton. Looking at the floor as though the almighty pressure of performing in Chapel Club rests entirely on his shoulders, he looks up at the expectant crowd and begins to sing.
front man that isn’t trying to fit the Mick Jagger archetype, Bowman openly admits that it has been hard spearheading the Chapel Club press machine. “I get a bit inhibited, especially when these guys can all play, and I’m like, I’ve never even sung into a microphone before.”
Positively loaded with speculative musings; love, loss and such like, Chapel Club released their debut album, Palace, this January to an already eager host of indie music lovers. Single “Surfacing” reached Zane Lowe’s ears and was named ‘Hottest Record in the World’ before its official release. Having not even written a song before two years ago, the pressure couldn’t get much more intense for lead singer Lewis Bowman.
“Everyone wants to be so public... I get a bit scared by that”
With all the self-deprecation of Morrissey, plus an added splash of humility, Bowman is everything you might expect him to be after listening to his lyrics. “I’m quite selfconscious” he says, “I like meeting people but I find it almost impossible to be myself around anyone, unless I’ve known them for about a year.” Endearing though it is to find a 10
Working as a DJ for a spell, Bowman was heavily integrated into the music scene in London, but never felt the pull to pick up the microphone himself. It wasn’t until guitarist Michael Hibbert formed Chapel Club (then ‘Palace’) and offered him the chance to play the lead, that he ever considered himself up to the task. The sense of importance, that you’re about to take on a mammoth task, is something 27-year-old Bowman was very aware of when joining the band. “Once you’re there and they’ve said, ‘yeah we like what you’re doing’ then you’re trapped,” he says halfjokingly, half all too sincerely. “Now it’s much more rewarding because we’re actually going somewhere” Audio Addict
he adds. First single “Surfacing” was on the radio in no time, the band inundated with emails from all across the world Chapel Club were, and still are, in demand. “It was probably somewhat premature on the record label’s part for signing us so quickly,” he discloses, “but I think we’ve just about managed to keep our heads above water in the year that followed.” Chapel Club’s signing was rumoured to be an A&R scramble that resulted in vastly sized bags of cash. After just three gigs, the band were signed to Universal and perhaps all too quickly on their way to success. “We were lucky and unlucky... it’s good for things to happen” he says, “but it’s also pretty terrible for things to happen before you’re ready.” He twists his checked scarf in his hands, glancing at the floor. Said as though it’s something that has been playing on his mind he sighs, “we’re still kind of dealing with the problems caused by the fact that we weren’t really ready for it back then.” Debut Palace was received well by almost a full house of music publications, yet
Bowman feels the band can do better. “I am very proud” he says assuredly, “but I kinda wish we waited a little while before recording it.” With the intensity surrounding the band, Bowman explains that shellshock of their instant success may have restricted the band’s capability somewhat. “I hear that when I listen to the songs sometimes, I hear someone that sounds scared to sing.”
“I think we’ve just about managed to keep our heads above water” Frequently compared to past eerie rockers like Joy Division, The Smiths and more recently White Lies, it has been a task in itself for Bowman to formulate lyrics that befit Chapel Club’s grandiose sound. Religion is a theme that runs through the debut and has also exerted itself upon their chosen band name. “I like the sense of grandeur and weightiness you get with religion” he says.
first ever UK tour. Speaking of the tour and being a front man, Bowman says, “I’m physically always aware that I’m about to do something that ostensibly feels a little bit like jumping off a cliff and hoping to fly.” Although he hastens to add that this tour has been a good one, with minimal panic episodes.
With the completion of their first album, Chapel Club have had to settle in to the touring lifestyle as quickly as they have had to make peace with their new found demands. The Talking Heads are graced with Chapel Club’s presence as the penultimate stop on their
Fame is not something that appears to be much of an aching desire for Lewis Bowman and indeed Chapel Club. Yet their submersion into the music press has come about regardless, and is possibly a tribute to their talent. “I’ve got quite a big Audio Addict
ego” he admits, “I want people to take note of what I say but it just seems everyone wants to be so public now, and I just get a bit scared by that.” Preferring to live the quiet life, and still having moments where he feels he’d prefer to live in isolation does not surprisingly dissuade the singer from being part of the band, “It’s tempting to say in the next five years we’ll just keep rising... but I don’t know.” Words: Sian Robertson Photo: Courtesy of nick@cooldelta.com
11
Strangers No More...
12
Audio Addict
London Trio White Lies say farewell to the fairground returning with a 10 track Ritual
I
t’s a sunny afternoon in the beautiful city of Brighton. Normally, when you’re sitting in a dressing room chatting with the Big Breakthrough act of 2011 (fingers crossed), you’re squashed into a dark, dingy corner where the paint’s coming off the walls. However White Lies’ dressing room boasts features that you’d expect from Beyonce or someone of that calibre. With light bulbs around the mirror, huge sofas and a posh coffee table, the radiant lounge-type room set the tone for what was expected to be a stellar interview. So are they really next big thing? Check the credentials. Fresh, quirky, innovative? Yes, White Lies do tick all the boxes and on only the third night of their UK tour will 2011 see them become the next Kings of Leon!?
“Their career path is perfect” The band have big ambitions and recently spoke about the American giants: “the NME misquoted us saying we’d like their career, implying we’d like to knock them off where they it’s not true, although there is some truth behind it. Their career path is perfect; they’ve been very lucky to have grown so naturally on each record and into the spaces and arenas they play now.”
OK, so let’s go right back to the start. White Lies are made up of a group of friends from Ealing, London; Harry McVeigh , Charles Cave and Jack Lawrence–Brown. Playing together as a band since their school days, originally under the name of ‘Fear of Flying’; when they became official is a bit vague but as Harry explains the whole process was more of a steady progression for them. “It was very slow and gradual, after a lot of hard work we got into a position where we could potentially earn money from doing it and that was a great moment.” As lovers of music – perhaps not the greatest shock with them being in a band and all - Harry and the rest of the band have always had aspirations to become successful musicians: “I’ve always wanted to play music, I think it’s the only thing I have any talent at and I’m in a band, which is probably the best job that you could have as a musician and a lover of music.” Harry in particular is influenced by music in general as well as a select few artists: “There has definitely been people and bands that have marked moments in my life where it’s made me want to pick up the guitar. One of them was definitely Jimi Hendrix who I listened to a lot when I was growing up, although he has no relevance Audio Addict
to our music now really” He continues on to say, “Queens of The Stone Age were a band I got into when I was 14/15, seeing them live and listening to their records made me really want to be part of a band.”
“We wanted to move on and start something new” October 2007 ‘ Fear of Flying’ become White Lies. The band realised they’d evolved from their earlier school days and wanted to make a career from the music they make; As Harry explains, “With anything you want to be good at, you need to put a few years practice in, you need to learn how to do something and I think it would have been a shame for us to be associated with the songs that we were testing our legs with. It marked the end of a learning process that I think we’d rather forget, we wanted to move on and start something new.” It may have been pretention or just nerves but the boys refused to play their debut gig as White Lies for five months, eventually feeling ready in February 2008. Following this monumental gig the band built much mediaattention leading them to sign to major label Fiction
13
Records after turning down many other offers. Taking their time writing and recording the album, White Lies chose not to release their first single ‘Death’ until October that year. Building up a great deal of hype for their debut; ‘To Lose My Life’ the trio released what was an outstanding record,a few months later in January 2009. Going straight in at No1, the album stayed in the chart for 28 weeks. An exciting time for White Lies had emerged, before releasing their debut they were announced as part of the NME Award’s tour playing alongside Florence & The
14
Machine and Friendly Fires; subsequently the entire tour sold out resulting in huge press attention, going on to receive second place in the BBC’s Sound Poll and third in the Brit’s Critics Choice Award.
“It was a really good feeling to be recognised in that way” Positive from their early album success they moved forward reaching the pinnacle of their career so far; playing sell out shows across Europe, America and Asia before a summer of festivals
Audio Addict
which included Glastonbury and Coachella to name a few. Two years have passed since their debut album and White Lies have returned with a very different yet almost perfected follow up. ‘Ritual’ sees the Ealing boys take their music to the next level, changing direction but not losing the originality of what they stand for. “I think it would have been pointless to go into making an album that was the same as the first. We wanted it to be a little more ambitious with it and that’s something I’m proud of with the record, I definitely feel it’s better than the first.” The music industry changes
every day, two years is a long time to be away from it and it’s easy to see that White Lies have evolved as a band throughout the time they’ve been away - there is a sense of maturity in this album that was missing in the first that could only have arrived with time. “I feel like we’ve made a more mature record and that just reflects where we are as people at the moment. We made the first record when we were 19 and now we’re 22; a lot happens between those ages and we’ve probably got a lot of growing up to do.” Playing an unforgettable gig at London’s York Hall back in November, White Lies gave the public and press a first look at ‘Ritual’; this gig was amongst one of Harry’s most memorable. “The York Hall show was a great introduction to the second record, although I have to say my favourite was when
we played two nights at the Brixton Academy at the end of 2009. “
“We will be playing a lot of festivals, a few big ones in the UK” “It was a venue that I always wanted to play in and was a really good end to touring the first album. It was great to be recognised in that way and get the opportunity to play in a venue that we’ve been to so many times before, seeing so many of our favourite gigs in.” This summer is set to be the most exciting yet for White Lies, with a huge European tour throughout March and April before returning to the UK at the ITunes festival in July. The band are predictably shy about what festivals they’ll be playing but we all
Audio Addict
know they’ll be on the bill for some of the UK’s biggest: “We’re just booking them now, you don’t want to annoy organisers by saying that your going to play before your actually confirmed for it. But we will be playing a lot, a few big ones in the UK and we’ll be returning to a few that we’re very excited about.” With a band like White Lies it’s hard to see why they haven’t made the ‘big time’ yet, with two top ten albums, sold out tours and countless festival appearances under their belts the London boys have the potential, enthusiasm and most importantly the music to carry them forward to become a stadium sensation. Words and Live Photo: Rachael Anderson Other Photos: Big Mouth Publicity
15
DIFFERENT GEAR, STILL SPEEDING N
ormally I’d hate to start an article with such a cliché and cheesy journalistic trait…but I’m going to anyway - an immediate date reference to set the scene. It’s Sunday 23rd January 2011, a normal Sunday that includes a browse of the paper, a morning cup of tea and a Sunday lunch of epic proportions. But today is slightly more significant in the world of popular music. It’s
the release of the first official single from the debut Beady Eye album, Different Gear, Still
Speeding.
As I write this I am downloading the stripped back, toned down, intelligently arranged single, “The Roller.” An immediate hit with Oasis fans past and present. Also due to airplay from Zane Lowe and being play-listed on XFM, a hit with
music fans in general. The song itself is a surprise package. Along with the free download, “Bring The Light,” the song isn’t what we expected by any means. “Bring The Light” was a talking point amongst everyone for many reasons, some good and some not so good. The piano led, Jerry-LeeLewis inspired track went some way to explain what Gallagher was trying to do, and that was to make a statement. For those that were lucky enough to purchase the special edition 7” vinyl would have been treated to a cover of “Sons of the Stage.” (Originally done by 80s rock band, World of Twist). For many including myself, this was the highlight of this first installment and many were bitterly disappointed when it was pointed out to them that it was in fact a cover and not a song penned by Beady Eye themselves. As with “Bring The Light” the influences on Beady Eye and, more significantly, Gallagher himself are immediately apparent in “The Roller.” This oozes Lennon from the very beginning, and with a small pit stop to YouTube to check out “Instant Karma” by the Beatles god, it is confirmed. This is no surprise though. Liam is a selfconfessed Lennon fanatic and
16
Audio Addict
has taken inspiration from him, which is reminiscent in Liam’s music and attitude. He was even interviewed on television recently to mark the anniversary of Lennon’s premature death. Despite all of this the tune is brilliant and a stroke of genius in the eyes of the Oasis fanatic writing this article. I say a stroke of genius because most people were expecting Beady Eye to come out roaring with a fierce and ferocious, all guns blazing, Oasis-esque, “Cigarettes and Alcohol” sounding statement. But instead they chose to release something a little more intelligent and
understated. For this reason the hype has never been so strong around a band who managed to sell out a small UK tour in 30 minutes, without even releasing a single, let alone an album. A YouTube teaser of “Four Letter Word” is slightly more aggressive and thus whets the appetite of those wanting the band to carry on where Oasis left off. By all accounts the album is something to get excited about and Beady Eye can proudly wear the NME seal of approval. This will win over new fans, namely the skinny jean sporting indie kids of
today who may not have been old enough to appreciate the hype that surrounded Oasis back in the day. Either way Liam Gallagher is back and he’s calling the shots. Free from the shackles he said had been implemented by Noel and free to create something that he can call his own. All new bands on the block beware and be prepared to take some stick. He’s mad for it! Words: Gary Byfield Photo: Steve Gullick
INTRODUCING... BLUEY ROBINSON
T
here has always been a small buzz around singer/songwriter Bluey
Robinson since launching his YouTube channel, displaying to his viewers videos of him singing in areas which wouldn’t be deemed as socially acceptable. For example the New York subway or London’s Harrods. Since signing to Sony/RCA Label Group, the London born 22-year-old has been on a number of exciting journeys such as opening the O2 Wireless Festival in 2010, and supporting Tinie Tempah on the first part of his Disc-
Audio Addict
Overy tour. Caught between soul, rhythm and blues, and occasionally soft rock, Bluey takes an interesting direction on his songs because of his distinctive vocals, effortless dance moves and simply quite lovely lyrics. Viewing just one of his many videos, behind all the creativity, laughter and sometimes embarrassment you will discover that in fact, he is incredibly talented and caters for a huge market. This is the reason as to why the handsome artist is the one to watch this year. Words: Zorba Emelonye Photo: Bluey Robinson
17
THE COMMON:
“I want to be famous”
S
auntering on to the stage to the A-Team theme tune, local band The Common greet their audience at The Joiners through a cloud of stage smoke. Applause, wolf-whistles and ‘whooping’ ring around the venue, to reaffirm that this is in fact who the crowd have been waiting for all night. Donning baseball caps and baggy jeans, the hordes of hip-hop followers and the band themselves look strangely out of place in the rustic Joiners. A clash of old meets the new; they bring a welcome change to the typical Joiners line-up. Juxtaposed against the plastered walls of rock band stickers, beer-coated flooring and weathered bar stools, the band appear even fresher - the latest bit of talent to walk through its legendary doors. 18
Besides Jesus, the band is at a loss as to what they can be likened to. Their strange blend of musical styles has left them tittering on the brink of hip-hop, only to fall back into the cradle of rock with a strum of the bassist’s guitar strings. Believing that they’ve harvested a brand new subgenre, namely ‘geek-hop,’ the band offer a sound that is “somewhere between Rage Against The Machine and Goldie Lookin’ Chain,” says bassist Neil Downton, in an upstairs hideaway of the Joiners.
“It’s not aggressive or bragging hip-hop.” Doggedly pushing the ‘geek-hop’ brand, front man Mike Brown says, “I couldn’t really write the typical hip-hop lyrics about having money, cars, things like Audio Addict
that, because I haven’t really got it. So I just wrote about things that I know about... which is geeky stuff. It’s not aggressive or bragging hip-hop.” A self-assured voice coupled with a T-shirt that reads ‘Surname: Ever, First Name: Greatest, ’ you could be forgiven for mistaking Brown’s confidence for arrogance. He carries with him all the hip-hop ideals; assertiveness, bravado and swagger, yet when asked of his life outside the band he replies sheepishly, “I work two night shifts at Tesco’s and run an open mic night.” Formed in 2009, it’s an awkward balance between the opposites that provides much intrigue into The Common. “Quite a lot of people after gigs have come up to one of us to say, ‘I didn’t really know that existed,’ which when you’re trying to find a niche
LOCAL ONES TO WATCH is the best thing you can do” says guitarist Jon Clifford-Cox. Not satisfied to play upon the ‘too cool for school’ act, The Common openly admit to their earnest lifestyles and flesh out their lyrics with a comical play upon it, not far from The Streets. “It’s honest music, I say stupid punch lines and metaphors which are obviously embellished for the sake of creativity, but the sentiment and the bravado that’s there... that’s just me,” says Brown assuredly. Rifling through songs later that night, the band hit upon the surely ready-made single, ‘Famous.’ In an instant, the crowd go from courteous toe-tappers to full on head-bangers. The Common’s Battle of the Bands victory show is in full swing. A born front man by anyone’s standards, Brown plays the crowd well. His rapping hits the delicate guitar melody where it hurts, transforming it into a steady beat that supports his rhymes. Clearly not satisfied with just being a local band, The Common are headed for bigger things. Brown’s onstage thrashing and intense movements speak only of his desire for fame, echoed by the lyric, ‘I think I want to be famous.’ It rings around the cosy venue like a war cry.
Words: Sian Robertson Photos: Benji Walker
BAND PROFILE Members:
What you should know:
Mike Brown - Vocals
• They’ve supported the likes of Tinie Tempah and Iglu and Hartly
Richard Berner - Guitar Jon Clifford-Cox - Guitar Neil Downton - Bass Scott Walker - Drums Genre: ‘Geek - Hop’ Signed To: Flatpack Records (DIY Label) Upcoming Gigs: 7th March, Orange Rooms, Southampton Audio Addict
• Mike and Richard run the Orange Rooms Open Mic Night • The band range in age from 21 to 31 • Scott is deemed ‘most sensible’ in the band, whilst Neil is deemed as ‘most dandy’ • Neil is the manager of UNIT
Downloads: “Famous” is available for free download at: www.musicglue.com/thecommon
19
BLACK VEIL BRIDES Audio Addict discovers what’s hiding behind the hairstyles and makeup
F
ive years ago a fifteen-yearold boy had a vision of creating a band that could capture the souls of the people listening with one single chord, which would stay in their minds forever. Now at the age of nineteen, front man Andy Six has made this vision become reality. Hugely influenced by heavy metal and glam rock bands, Black Veil Brides are like the KISS of today’s generation. Fusing a theatrical image with a gothic, post hardcore and metal sound, the band intend on performing show stopping spectacles to provide inspiration across the globe.
“There’s no bands around like us anymore. So we’ve created the band we’ve always wanted to see and hear live.” Backstage at the Portsmouth Pyramids, it’s Black Veil Brides’ 20
first time out of America, supporting gothic punks Murderdolls. Bassist Ashley Purdy sits in full character, covered in black makeup and war paint. In response to the importance behind their visual appearance, he states how “we all have a uniformed look overall but we all have our own individuality with it.” The band, completed with guitarists Jake Pitts and Jinx along with drummer Christian Coma, released their debut album, We Stitch These Wounds last July. The album was recorded incredibly quickly as interest from record labels arose and touring schedules beckoned, forcing the band to get a catalogue of songs finished as soon as they could. “It was very rushed. We’re proud of it but we just didn’t have a lot of time.” Even so, their debut album was extremely successful as they sold eleven thousand units within the first week of its release, and their single “Perfect Weapon” Audio Addict
charted at number one in America and Australia. Since touring across America the band have become more skilful musicians, and their next record will be solid proof of this as the bassist excitedly reveals how everything has amplified hugely. They can’t wait to share their new sound with fans across the world: “The next record is more fuel to the fire. The song writing and structure is a lot better, it’s just a more focused record than the first one.” With a potential release date for June, fans can expect a lot more “guitar shredding, heavy drumming, pounding bass, screaming vocals and bigger choruses.” So with new music on the horizon, and plans to tour across Japan, America and mainland Europe along with several festival appearances, it’s safe to say they won’t be hanging up their veils anytime soon. Words: Rachel Pottle Photo: Chad Michael Ward
Audio Addict
21
WHAT’S IN A NAME? Newly-coined genre names have long been the subject of heated debate and disparagement amongst musicians and fans alike, and the arrival of James Blake’s hard-to-place debut has opened the floor once again. But can we get by without them...?
I
t’s somewhat of an understatement to say that genre definitions can be misleading, but there is no denying they are often also useful. Essential, in fact. They help us discover new artists based on current favourites. They categorise award ceremonies. They distinguish our musical royalty (The Godfather of Soul, The King of Pop). They used to point us in the right direction in record shops back when they still existed. True, some are cringe-inducing, almost nonsensical (chamber pop? No wave? Ritual ambient?), but others helpfully describe musicological features (thrash metal, glitch, doo
22
wop), or have geographical or subcultural connotations (madchester, Merseybeat, surf rock, skater punk). Steve Lamacq may have had his tongue planted firmly in his cheek during his NME days when plucking ‘scenes’ such as Fraggle and Camden Lurch out of the air; sitting back chuckling to himself as the wider music media reported on their activities, but he was demonstrating the power of the rock critic at a time when grunge was restructuring music’s mainstream; much the same way as its crossover antecedents such as punk had before. Into the ‘00s, and British
Audio Addict
electronica splinters into countless sub-genres like a single-cell amoeba - the spread of the internet speeding up mitosis significantly – until, just into the next decade, we find ourselves confronted with an organism such as the self-titled debut from James Blake. The forwardthinking Londoner has not only impressed the critics, but is unique enough in style to have had them frantically trying to label his sound. The popular starting point appears to be dubstep. Well, reports are that Blake’s bass tones have been causing structural damage
to venues up and down the country, and it is true that his productions do contain the airy spook of Croydon’s finest – especially the EPs CMYK and Klavierwerke. But the stylistic gap between first single “Limit to Your Love” and a classic of the genre such as Digital Mystikz’ “Haunted” - a track Blake cites as definitive in his love affair with the sound - is too wide to pair the two together under the dubstep banner. Some early alternatives have included dubpop (too misguided), soulstep (too Jamie Woon), and minimal pop (too modern kitchen layout). One thing that music journalists are reluctant to do is backtrack, which is a shame as perhaps trip-hop might be a better reference marker. Blake is – in the literal sense – a singer-songwriter, but this vague descriptor has been claimed by introspective guitar-strumming guys and girls with a thing or two to say about love, heartbreak, and the various bland shades in between. In his BBC Sound of 2011 biography, Blake is described as “postdubstep,” which is as useful as any suggestion so far, but the whole thing is in danger of descending into farce; a situation summed up perfectly in grime artist Wiley’s 2004 hit “Wot do U call it?” in which the rapper bemoans the ambiguity
JAMES BLAKE PROFILE Genre:
Single Releases:
Electronic singersongwriter/post-dubstep
CMYK (2009), Limit to your Love (2010), The Willhelm Scream (2011)
Label: R&S Records Based: London Years Active: 2009 to present Album Discography: Air and Lack Thereof EP (2009), The Bells Sketch EP (2009), CMYK EP (2010), Klavierwerke EP (2010), James Blake (2011) bestowed upon the various underground club sounds of the time. The former Roll Deep man wasn’t the first to feel restricted within a genre pigeonhole. Boundarydefying collective Funkadelic’s 1978 hit “Who Says A Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!” tackles the issue head-on, the selfexplanatory question of the title backed up with snarling guitars over syncopated funk rhythms. Genre tags do have their upsides. Some recent categories have inspired
Audio Addict
Upcoming Shows: Thekla, Bristol (23/02/11), St Pancras Old Church, London (24/02/11), Band on the Wall, Manchester (26/0211), Nice n Sleazy, Glasgow (27/02/11), St Pancras Old Church, London (10/03/11), Academy @ Live at Leeds, Leeds (30/04/11)
new music instead of merely labelling it. Chillwave, the genre du jour of the last couple of years, has such a strong emotive tie to its sound (sun-bleached guitar lines, washes of lazy reverb, a Californian sensibility) that its name alone has been the basis for many a new artist’s sound. Settling on James Blake’s place in the wider musical cannon may have caused a few headaches amongst the critics, but his music certainly hasn’t. Words: Tom Quickfall Photo: Toast Press 23
SHOCKWAVES NME AWARDS TOUR
02 BOURNEMOUTH ACADEMY 16/2/2011
Crystal Castles, Magnetic Man, Everything Everything & The Vaccines Hailing from London and already being noted as one of the bands to look out for this year as 2010’s door was firmly closed, it was no surprise that there was a certain amount of hype around the crossover genre band opening the NME Awards tour this evening – The Vaccines. More confidence built as each song was executed perfectly with a punk guitar edge that Sid Vicious would be proud of, it was time to play there most well known hit (with a lot of help by Radio 1) ‘Post Break Up Sex’, it was easy to see that if they keep going the way they were tonight, they’d
24
easily move up the bill a space or two within the next year. Soon after The Vaccines hastily departed the stage, the crowd seemed to build up a bit in anticipation for BBC’s Sound of 2010 poll nominees Everything Everything. The most striking thing about the group was lead singer Jonathan Higgs’ intriguing vocals; much like the rest of the band they were unconventional in style. With the crowd initially hesitant to take to the band, eventually the atmosphere got the better of them and people were moving to the beats of songs such as ‘QWERTY Finger’ and ‘Photoshop Handsome’. The biggest cheers of the set though were left for breakthrough tune ‘Suffragette Suffragette’ and the incredible hit single, Audio Addict
‘MY KZ, UR BF’. The pace will soon be upped by the next act, electronic project Magnetic Man consisting of DJ’s Benga, Skream and Artwork. The Trio, who in early 2010 joined Columbia records and less than 10 months later had released their debut album simply titled after the project themselves proving there was no time to waste before wanting the public to hear, much like tonight. As soon as they erupted on stage, they raised the heat with a Ms Dynamite track called ‘Fire’; with the crowd as putty in their hands it was a steady flow through the album with notable highlights from singles ‘I Need Air’ and ‘Perfect Stranger’ (featuring Katy B).
LIVE REVIEWS Though they haven’t been playing together long, the DJ trio bring an irresistible sense of euphoria to a venue wherever they play. One of the must see bands of this year, without question in not just the dance and dubstep genre but also largely appreciated in a wider music context as tonight proved. Without further ado a tour manger emerges on stage and updates the crowd on the state of the upcoming band’s lead singer’s foot condition (if anyone was unaware) that she broke it in Tokyo prior to this tour and going against doctor’s orders she was carrying on. ‘Here are Crystal Castles’ was enough to send the crowd into a frenzy let alone before they played any
music. Opening with ‘Fainting Spells’ and closely followed by debut album classics such as ‘Crimewave’ and ‘Alice Practice’. The set list itself was a mixture of certified classics and new favourites amongst the audience such as ‘Baptism’, ‘Doe Deer’ and ‘Celestica’ keep the crowd buzzing right up until the last number. The tempo goes from slow and melodic to fast and chaotic within seconds and it’s this energy that wraps you up when you listen to it and makes you want to move. It’s this unpredictability that fixates every pair of eyes in the room on Ethan and Alice
Audio Addict
on stage; it’s easy to forget that there are only two of them on stage at times as the sound is just so incredible. Chimes of ‘Not in Love’ are heard and there could not have been a more appropriate song to finish on, especially as Valentine’s day was two days ago as every one in the audience shouted the lyrics back at Glass who the second she finished, the request for an encore was inevitable. Excuse the pun, but Crystal Castles (especially Alice Glass) could not have put a foot wrong tonight, she really is in another league when it comes to frontwomen. Words: Emma Farndell and Rob Ferguson Photos: Charlie Raven
25
LIVE REVIEWS
The Go! Team
The Old Firestation BOURNEMOUTH 14/02/11 Words: Rob Ferguson Photo: Pomona UK
Blackouts, but also their two
I
t’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air, and nowhere more so than a sweaty, smoky, darkly lit room in the middle of Bournemouth. Genrebending Brighton sextet The Go! Team are in town , and have done their best to celebrate the occasion bouquets of flowers decorate the multiple microphones across the stage in an attempt to give the place feel even a little more feeling. Frontwoman Ninja appears ecstatic to see so many people in attendance, and remarkably so many couples who have chosen to spend the evening watching one of the most exciting cult British bands in years instead of pouring a glass of red and
26
critically acclaimed previous efforts. After some lessintense tracks in the middle of the set, the band pump up the adrenaline again with old favourite ‘Bottle Rocket’, before they inevitably left the stage, teasing the baying crowd and leaving them yelling for more. having a romantic evening in. It is evident from the start that Ninja’s freestyle vocals flow as well live as on the group’s studio albums, and fan-favourite ‘Grip Like A Vice’ only showcases this in what was probably the most impressive performance of the night. With so many instruments and different layers to the song, you couldn’t be blamed for anticipating nothing more than simply a messy noise, but the sound was incredibly tight and the crowd sounded their appreciation as the group leaped and bounded across the stage. The band continue to play a great mix songs of songs, not just from latest release Rolling Audio Addict
After returning to the stage minutes later to play an encore, they pick up right where they left off again afterwards, launching into new song ‘Apollo Throwdown’, a track with anthemic vocals backed by multiple instruments. The band left the stage to huge applause, with one happy gig-goer quite appropriately wolf whistling at the bubbly Ninja as she leaves the stage. She gives one final wave before disappearing out of side at the side of the stage, leaving the crowd to reflect on what, for many of them, may well be the most raucous Valentine’s Day they’ll ever experience.
LIVE REVIEWS
Murderdolls I
n the dark depths of the Portsmouth Pyramids, see those who live their lives on the dark side experience the show of their lives.
After eight years of being buried deep underground, Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison joined forces last summer to bring their gothic punk band Murderolls back to life. With the release of their latest album Women And Children Last, the two rockers finally venture across our shores to satisfy fans with their sleaze-driven rock anthems. They’ve reinvented themselves with less camp conventions but their tongue-in-cheek lyrics about everything black, blood and death are still there for fans to scream along to. One by one the band march onto the stage in their dark makeup to the introduction of
PORTSMOUTH PYRAMIDS
the first track from the new album ‘The World According to Revenge’. The first few notes are enough to send a shiver down your spine. As Wednesday 13 swaggers his way forward, instantly the band came alive with so much energy, they head-bang and move uncontrollably across the stage as the song kicks in. The audience spans across all ages from teenagers being welcomed into the Murderdolls family via the new album, right up to the parents who saw them when they first emerged onto the scene back in 2002. It imprinted quite an image as you watch 40-yearold dads jump around with as much energy and passion in the mosh pit as the younger fans. The famous Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison simply steals the show with his talents. Despite being at the back, he captures your attention within minutes, leaving you to watch in awe as he hits the snare drums and tom toms with so much Audio Addict
2/2/11 Words: Rachel Pottle Photo: Roadrunner Records velocity, creating a musical spectacle. Popular hits included “My Dark Place Alone,” “Nowhere” and ‘Summertime Suicide” as the crowd jumps in unison singing every word. Wednesday 13 speaks a little too much in between songs, but the fans don’t let this faze them as they indulge on every word and command that comes from his lips. From throwing their fists and middle fingers in the air to chanting “Hell Yeah!” He creates his own introductions to the songs, including “Don’t take this personally but I want bad things to happen to you,” before launching into the rock anthem “Bad Things.” It was possibly one of the longest waits anyone has ever had to endure for an encore, but when the band finally did re-appear the crowd wasn’t left disappointed. For many people in the audience, they would have waited years for this show, and the two rockers ensured they performed a lively and memorable show, leaving smiling faces and sweaty bodies departing the venue on a high. 27
LIVE REVIEWS
Four Year Strong T
aking a break from the Relentless Energy Drink Sponsored Kerrang! Tour that they’re currently a part of, pop punk stalwarts Four Year Strong didn’t just play the infamous Wedgewood Rooms tonight but they tore it apart song by song.
Bursting onto the stage with last year’s album Enemy Of The World, favourites ‘On A Saturday’ and ‘What The Hell Is A Gigawatt?’ go down a treat on opening. One of the striking things about this band is just how well they gel with the audience in front of
28
them, who within minutes of them being on stage would do anything they tell them to as they dance, jump and sing every lyric back to front men Dan O’Connor and Alan Day as they play one killer song after another. Later on in the set hits from 2007’s debut album Rise or Die Trying such as ‘Abandon Ship Or Abandon All Hope’ and ‘Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die’ simply certify that in 2011, where most people would consider pop punk as a genre to be dead is only a myth.
Audio Addict
Wedgewood Rooms PORTSMOUTH 09/02/11 Words: Emma Farndell Photo: La Digit
The undoubted runaway song of the night was the encore track ‘Wasting time (Eternal Summer)’, a brilliant anthemic number that leaves the band and fans in raw ecstasy. They said it was one of the best crowds they’ve ever had the pleasure of playing to, as it was equally pleasurable to be in the audience. Fellow pop punk bands, sit up and take note because Four Year Strong are here to stay.
ALBUM REVIEWS
RAdiohead R
adiohead’s eighth studio album, The King of Limbs, arrived silently on the morning of February 18th with only a few days warning and absolutely no orthodox promotion. A stylish video of Yorke juddering around to album track “Lotus Flower” in full hipster regalia was spread across the social networks a day prior to the album but little in the way of previews materialised. (In line with rapid Internet parody timeframes, a version of the clip dubbed with the Benny Hill theme was up and circulating within 24 hours). It’s a move typical of the Oxford band’s style; an art over industry approach balanced by the guarantee that a 45-minute loop of Thom Yorke sneezing into a bagel would have sold with a comparable campaign.
The King of Limbs itself,
however, merely requires the
THE KING OF LIMBS Self-released Words: Tom Quickfall
aural attention that 2007’s In Rainbows necessitated before its true strengths are revealed. Icebreaker “Bloom” noodles around with an attractive piano figure and stuttering beats before Colin Greenwood’s bass ties the whole thing down and Yorke enters with his opening gambit of “open your mouth wide/a universal sigh.” Sigh indeed – whether with relief, satisfaction, or eye-rolling indifference - Radiohead have returned. “Morning Mr Magpie,” believed to have originally appeared in an earlier incarnation back in 2004, is found here in the fastpaced, muted guitar mould of modern-day Radiohead; frantic yet refined. “Little by Little” is an early highlight: an almost ‘Unfinished Sympathy’- like percussive rhythm underpinning subtly modal guitar work, before the frantic “Feral” does its level best to return proceedings to obscurity. The more distinctive “Lotus Flower” opens the second half with a neo-Radiohead track pitched somewhere between the compositional styles of Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows, just failing to reach the Audio Addict
heights of either. “Codex” is an attractive piece centred on a sparse production of piano and ambient noise. It has neither the grandeur of its natural ancestor “Pyramid Song,” nor the aching sway of “Nude,” yet is all the more poignant for its stripped down arrangement. “Give up the Ghost” is all acoustic guitar, heavily reverbed vocals musing on finality, while “Separator” is a natural conclusion, a looped break-beat playing under another thin arrangement; Greenwood’s bass again proving its worth. Yorke intones at his most indecipherable as highregister guitar melodies swim around him: definitely one of the album’s growers.
The King of Limbs has none of the sonic consistency of In Rainbows, nor the fluid inter-album dialogue of Kid A and Amnesiac. Nevertheless, if Radiohead weren’t the victims of their own incredibly high standards, this would be a set towards the top of every top 10 list by the end of the year.
29
Toro y moi Causers of This, Toro y Moi’s
first record, was an extremely pleasant surprise. It proved to be one of the albums of the year, brimming with unafraid ambition, stellar production skills, and a wide variety of genres & influences present throughout. Unsurprising then, that his follow up has been widely anticipated.
That follow up is Underneath the Pine, which unfortunately can only be described as disappointing in context with its superb predecessor. Maybe that’s a bit cruel. As a standalone record it fares quite well, but relative to Causers of This,
UNDERNEATH THE PINE CARPARK RECORDS Words: Rob Ferguson
it becomes evident that much of the magic has disappeared. Underneath the Pine still draws from different genres but it lacks the ghostly and atmospheric noises that were the essence of the LP, and it sorely misses the ‘wow-factor’ tracks. That said, it does have its moments. First single ‘Still Sound’ is a fusion of dance and funk that won’t fail to get the feet at least tapping along, and is probably the closest thing to any song present on the debut record. Closing track ‘Elise’ is a gorgeous fusion full of feeling and emotion, with urgent
Bruno Mars Bruno Mars first emerged on our screens when he collaborated with Travie McCoy on the catchy hit Billionaire, but since its release Mars has successfully created a name of his own by releasing 2010’s favourite love song and the Grammy winning ‘Just The Way You Are’ which hit the number one spot across the globe. This song was followed by yet another hit in the form of ‘Grenade’. Because of this there was no surprise to why the singer/songwriter was nominated for the International
30
ELEKTRA RECORDS
Words: Zorba Emelonye
This debut album flaunts off what the Hawaiian is fantastic at- producing catchy melodies, combined with intelligent lyrics and smooth, yet powerful vocals. Within the album, you can hear who his main influences are as he juggles around genres incorporating them into his work, however because of the versatility of his voice it’s as if he’s creating a new genre. his
It is quite an impressive record from a production point of view, but it’s hardly an ingenious piece of work in context to Bundick’s other contemporaries, and unfortunately becomes almost mediocre in comparison to its quite brilliant predecessor.
DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS
Breakthrough Act at this year’s BRIT Awards.
With
vocals and a beautiful piano section to boot – arguably Toro y Moi’s most complex track to date.
first
Audio Addict
world
tour
approaching, Bruno Mars continues to go from strength to strength not only with his own work, but the material he writes for others which has included South Africa’s World Cup anthem, ‘Wavin’ Flag’ by K’naan.
ALBUM REVIEWS
James BLake
A
huge sense of expectation preceded the release of young producer/vocalist James Blake’s self-titled debut, one felt along the length and breadth of the independentto-mainstream spectrum. The BBC named him runnerup in their Sound of 2011 list; everyone from Radio 1 to the indie scene radar Pitchfork have been falling over themselves to heap praise on the Londoner’s minimal take on vocalized dubstep; where recent shows have sold out early. Even after putting the hype to one side, it is hard not to be impressed with Blake’s first
full-length effort. His building blocks are effective in their simplicity: crisp kicks and snares underpinning layered keys or piano, all coated in multi-tracked, mostly autotuned vocal lines. Occasionally ground-shaking bass lines also rumble into view, such as on first single “Limit to Your Love.” Sometimes the minimalism can be disorientating, like being lost somewhere with such interesting surroundings you don’t really mind; Blake stepping easily through the XX-shaped hole left in the conscience of the mainstream music press. “I Never Learnt to Share” finds Blake repeating a single line of regret, harmonizing with himself as he admonishes previous actions towards his brother and sister (he is an only child). The acapella parable of “Lindisfarne I” invokes King Crimson’s “She Shudders,” an earlier and
Audio Addict
JAMES BLAKE Atlas/A&M Words: Tom Quickfall more overblown attempt at auto-tune song-writing, while masterful “The Wilhelm Scream,” with its yearning melody and intense build to a rapturous finale, is a clear standout. The album’s failings are still notable for accentuating its otherwise inventive and imaginative nature. The piano-balladry of “Give me my Month,” for example, is pleasant verging on tedious, and by “I Mind” the affected vocal-heavy productions begin to grate slightly - it is perhaps to Blake’s credit that he curtails the album shortly after. A bonus track, “Tep and the Logic,” sounds like a remnant from previous EP Klavierwerke; a chance for Blake to show his production skills without disrupting the album’s flow. The less-is-more concept here is clear and well executed, resulting in a carefully sequenced, successfully realized first attempt. It will be interesting to see where Blake goes from here.
31
Zorba Emelonye gives us
a run down on one of the biggest nights in the
British music industry
calender, her thoughts
and lists all the nominees and winners .
James Corden hosted the ceremony
Beauties Rihanna and Cheryl added a touch of glamour to the event.
32
Every year, months upon months of planning followed by weeks upon weeks of rehearsals all build and lead up to Britain’s biggest music ceremonial show, the BRIT Awards (with MasterCard) which frankly does what its named after- awarding Brits with recognition of their successful work throughout the year, and additionally awarding those over the pond with gongs that we Brits have deemed them worthy of. This year, the exciting, vibrant show aired on the 15th February 2011 and was hosted by funnyman James Cordon, who didn’t fail to deliver what Brits love
him for. The ceremony was held in the O2 Arena in North Greenwich, the heart of South East London, a venue that holds a crowd of up to 20,000. The night saw spectacular performances from Rihanna, Tinie Tempah, Take That, Cee-Lo Green & Paloma Faith, Plan B, Mumford and Sons, Arcade Fire and Adele, who stole the show with ‘Somebody Like You’, a beautiful song with only a piano to accompany her to pin-drop silence. With an exclusive bespoke statue designed by Vivienne Westwood, the artists battled it for the following awards:
Photo credits:
Brit Awards Logo -
Plan B - www.londoniscool.com
www.choice-uk.com
Laura Marling - www.zimbio.com
James Corden - www.tvpixie.com
Tinie Tempah -
Rihanna and Cheryl Cole -
www.capitalfm.com
www.handbag.com
BRITISH GROUP
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
BRITISH PRODUCER
Winner: Take That
Winner: Arcade Fire
Winner: Markus Dravs
The XX
The Script
Stuart Price
Mumford and Sons
Vampire Weekend
Ethan Johns
Gorillaz
Black Eyed Peas
Mike Pela
Biffy Clyro
Kings of Leon
John Leckie
Audio Addict
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Winner: Plan B
Winner: Laura Marling
Mark Ronson
Ellie Goulding
Paul Weller
Cheryl Cole
Tinie Tempah
Paloma Faith
Robert Plant
Rumer MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More Take That - Progress The XX - XX Tinie Tempah - Disc-Overy Plan B - The Defamation of Strickland Banks
BRITISH SINGLE Winner: Tinie Tempah - Pass Out Alexandra Burke - All Night Long Florence + The Machine - You’ve Got The Love Plan B - She Said Olly Murs - Please Don’t Let Me Go
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Scouting For Girls - This Ain’t A Love Song Taio Cruz - Dynamite Cheryl Cole - Parachute The Wanted - All Time Low Matt Cardle - When We Collide
Winner: Tinie Tempah Mumford and Sons Rumer Ellie Goulding The XX
Tinie was the winner of nominations, being up for four awards! Photos: (Left and Right) Chuff media INTERNATIONAL ALBUM: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
INTERNTIONAL MALE: Cee-Lo Green
INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH: Justin Bieber
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE: Rihanna
Audio Addict
33
NEW ALBUM RELEASES B
THIS MONTH 28th February Jessie J – Who You Are Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding Clare Maguire – Light After Dark Mirrors – Lights and Offerings
7th March Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys!
Noah and The Whale – Last Night On Earth Eminem – It Ain’t Over
W
Avril Lavigne – Goodbye Lullaby
14th March The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The
Armageddon
The Naked and Famous – Passive Me
Aggressive
Does It Offend You Yeah – Don’t Say We
Didn’t Warn You
Travis Barker - Give The Drummer Some
Produced by Elbow’s Craig Potter The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
Kanye West – Good Friday
Funeral For A Friend – Welcome Home
ritish alternative rock band Elbow make their comeback next month with their fifth studio album Build A Rocket Boys! It’s been three years since we heard from these Manchester boys who back in 2008 reached their most successful chart position with The Seldom Seen Kid. However 2011 is set to be a big year for the fivepiece as they return in March with an 11-track concept album described as “deeply personal yet comfortingly universal.” The band will set off on a nationwide arena tour in the summer following their album release and are hotly tipped to play this year’s infamous Glastonbury Festival. Build A Rocket Boys! is said to take you on a journey, whether you’re an Elbow fan or not this could be one of the albums of 2011. Released 7th March on Fiction Records
Ocean Colour Scene – Moseley Shoals
Vaccines?
Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys!
inning third place in the BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll was the perfect start to the year for the The Vaccines. The four London boys are one of the hottest tipped bands of the year, catching Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe’s attention with their demo of upcoming single “If You Wanna” back in August, naming it ‘Hottest record in the world.’ With an autumn tour in 2010 the band drew much attention to themselves, being compared to the likes of The Strokes and The Arctic Monkeys.
The Vaccines have had such an exciting few months that the release of their debut album What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? has been brought forward a week. Having not even been together a year, the band have just finished the NME tour with Crystal Castles and it’s safe to say their debut is among the most highly anticipated of the year. Released 14th March on Columbia Records Produced by Dan Grech
Words: Rachael Anderson
34
Audio Addict
ALBUM NEWS TRAVIS BARKER ANNOUNCES SOLO ALBUM
T
he Blink 182 drummer and hip-hop producer Travis Barker confirms his solo debut album, Give The Drummer Some, to be ready for release on March 14th via Interscope Records. It will consist of 12 tracks, though a 16-track deluxe edition will also be available. Corey Taylor, Tom Morello,
POLAR KID
I
f you have ever wondered what a trip to the Arctic Circle would sound like, prepare to be enlightened. Polar Kid took the sights and experiences he encountered while undergoing such a trip, filtered them through his creative process and produced this truly breathtaking debut, Norsk E.P. A blend of glitch, down tempo and jazzy/hip hop beats; it thoughtfully fluctuates
The Clipse and Ludacris are just a few examples of the many musicians Barker has collaborated with to produce this record. His first single alone (“Can A Drummer Get Some”) features the likes of The Game, Swizz Beats, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. However, it’s not just musicians that Barker’s managed to get involved. He’s also recruited an array of his favourite artists, who collectively are involved in everything from tattoos and graffiti to fashion and music, to produce a visual representation of each track
on the album. Each song’s accompanying art will be available in the next few weeks on his website. Along with the new album, Barker is still heavily involved with a number of projects including his clothing line Famous Stars and Straps, his record label LaSalle Records and his band The Transplants, as well as working in the studio alongside Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge to produce Blink 182’s new album. Words: Rachel Pottle Photo: XXL Recordings
through a blend of refreshingly chilled digital and organic sounds. “Dag Intro,” pristinely gentle, eases into “Takks,” a mellow, guitar-guided track with echoing glitches and a subtle but full bass.
Norsk is an experimental,
glitch driven demonstration of how Polar Kid, in his own words, “likes to mess with sound.” “Minus 34” provides a meditative end to the E.P with its soft tones and glitch infused drumbeat.
Audio Addict
The E.P is available at a price you decide from www. polarkid.bandcamp.com Words: Sam Webster Photo: Luke Miles
35
New York Indie Rock band Interpol are back this year kicking off with a short UK tour. Having had 4 studio albums, 2 of them reaching the US top 10, the band released their self-titled forth album at the end of last year. Next month sees the 3-piece play just 5 dates around the UK. We’ve got 2 tickets to give away for their show at the O2 Bournemouth Academy on March 18th. For a chance to win these tickets simply answer the following question:
What was the name of Interpol’s first ever single? Email your answer to: audioaddictmag@gmail.com
Closing date is Friday 11th March Tickets are valid for the show on 18.03.11 and are non-transferable or refundable. Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
FESTIVALS FIRST TIME AT GLASTONBURY?
S
o you’ve seen all the headliners for Glastonbury… If it’s your first time you might start to worry about that £200 ticket you are purchasing. My advice is, not to worry; you will get more than your monies worth. Granted for some Glastonbury is all about the headliners - U2, Coldplay and Beyoncé would be fantastic for many people. These artists just go to show the strength of the festival and how it appeals to everyone including families; Beyoncé of course being a household name. One of the things that strikes me most about Glastonbury is the friendly vibe of everyone there, even
38
when walking through the dance village with the heavy bass lines surrounding you. The simple fact is that Glastonbury boasts over 40 stages with a huge variety. Even if music isn’t your thing the array of art and fashion events that take place will entertain you. However, I must warn you that you should be prepared to walk and walk lots! With the considerable diversity of music as well as arts that take place you will find yourself wanting to be in more than one place at a time. This need not be a worry to you if you are adventurous at night. Glastonbury holds several secret performances in the late night areas such Audio Addict
as “Shangra La,” keeping the mind busy, especially when trying to track some of the performances down. My best advice, if you don’t want to miss the secret sets, keep your ears close to the ground to stay up to date with any whispers. So whether you are looking to see every band you can and walk mile after mile to get to the performance or just looking to chill out on the grass sipping cider, Glastonbury has something for everyone. Words: Craig Thomas Photo: Rachael Anderson
FESTIVALS arts and entertainment, curator Rob Da Bank is clearly already excited; “This year’s Camp Bestival is going to be the best ever – we’ve geared up Lulworth Castle to be a total festi-holiday experience, bringing back the spirit of the Great British Camping holiday with bells on.”
T
his week saw the multi award-winning Camp Bestival make its first announcement for their four day ‘festi-holiday.’ Taking place in the beautiful surroundings of Lulworth Castle on the last weekend of July, this year’s theme is quite aptly medieval.
2011 sees the festival take to a whole new level, massively family orientated Camp Bestival still appeals to the masses with artists such as Blondie, Mark Ronson and Katy B all playing this year. This summer the festival opens its gates on Thursday giving the enthusiasts that extra day of all things musical,
FESTIVAL GUIDE Download:
10th – 12th June. Confirmed acts include System Of A Down, Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Alice Cooper, Pendulum & more. Isle Of Wight: 10th – 12th June. Confirmed acts include Foo Fighters, Kings Of Leon, Kasabian, Plan B, Pulp & more.
Blissfields:
30th June – 3rd July.
Confirmed acts include Frank Turner, Dub Pistols, Man Like Me, Gold Panda, I Dream In Colour & more. Wireless:
1st – 3rd July. Confirmed
acts include Black Eyed Peas, Tinie Tempah, Pulp, Chase & Status, The Chemical Brothers & more. Audio Addict
The festival this year is host to it’s usual variety of musicians, dancers and drama but the line-up for the main stages is by far the best yet with everyone from ABC and Ms Dynamite to Fenech Soler and Solent’s very own The Widowmaker. Student weekend tickets are priced at £160 so dust off your medieval gear and get down to Dorset this July! Words: Rachael Anderson Photo: Get Involved Ltd
Sonisphere:
8th – 10th July. Confirmed
acts include Slipknot, Metallica, Slayer, Biffy Clyro, Architects & more. T In The Park:
8th – 10th July. Confirmed acts include Blink-182, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance & more.
39