album reviews
D for depressing Low Sea
D for depressing Harry George Johns
Remote Viewing
Post-Breakdown Blues
Two years ago Harry George Johns was, it seems, in a pretty desperate state. He had no home, no job, and relied on his friend for a place to sleep. His new album ‘PostBreakdown Blues’ a collection of just six acoustic tracks, recorded last summer, is perhaps his way of coming to terms with how he dealt with his breakdown. It is by no means, as the title suggests, a cheerful, optimistic album, in fact it’s pretty damn depressing in parts. Even by the end of the first song, ‘Drink Myself to Sleep’, you begin to hear that there’s nothing here that either stands out or hasn’t already been done before. John’s vocals are however really quite good, which is a start I suppose. The ensuing songs are, admittedly, not as depressing as I made them out to be before but even so, they’re still dreary and leave you with a deflating, almost nauseating, feeling after listening to them. Although, Johns isn’t completely useless, in fact, quite the opposite. As I mentioned before his vocals are a pleasing to listen to and he does process clear musical talent, he simply fails to apply it and fails to veer away from the safety net of dull unoriginal lyrics. One song that does stand out, however, is track five: ‘Morning Song’ starts off promisingly but Johns just ends up leading into ridiculous, ill-advised and clichéd metaphorical comparisons of himself to storm clouds: lyrical Armageddon basically. In parts Johns is just trying too hard to fit lyrics around the music and it simply doesn’t work. It’s neither clever nor inspiring. In a genre where there are already so many talented, young, fresh singer-songwriters anyone who wants (and you do really have to want it) to succeed needs to excel in just one, seemingly obvious, area of musical capability which invariably splits the men from the boys: the ability to write astonishing lyrics. What I find so frustrating about this album is that it has the potential to be genuinely good, yet from the outset Johns’ lyrics just seem superficial and hollow, which is a disappointment because throughout the album he does everything else so well; the album has been well produced, Johns’ vocals are brilliant, and the guitar melodies are spot on. It’s a shame then that the album is let down by the one thing it needs to do really well. I fear that with so many talented and deservedly successful young singer-songwriters there really is no room for Harry George Johns. By Robert Jones
5
Top Tune: Drink Myself To Sleep
Think of a tamed Alice Glass with hints of Genesis mixed with Purity Ring and you can find yourself looking online at a new band named 'Low Sea'. Now based in Ireland, the duo Bosnian-born Billie and Bobby D from Liverpool - first met while living in the United States. Billie had spent her early years in Bosnia until the war broke out, during which she fled to live in San Francisco. The album title track is the lead single for this LP release which ultimately gives off the overall vibe for this duo. Focusing on an atmospheric, alternative style 'Remote Viewing' tells a story of discontent and confusion. But it's the type of confusion we like to accept because it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense, we just embrace it. Much of Low Sea’s LP was recorded in their current residence, a cottage, overlooking the lighthouse and harbour in an isolated fishing village on the Irish coast. With this in mind, Low Sea found themselves shocked when Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys, New Order) agreed to mix some tracks on the album. The album’s centerpiece has to be the track 'Acid Ocean' which reflects the intensity of this album all together. And the final track 'Artificial Light' perfectly describes these 4am cigarette songs. Low Sea have proven their placement in the music scene and the only way for this duo is up. By Rhys Harding
6
Top Tune: Acid Ocean
The Microdance We Are Made of Evil Things If you've ever wanted to combine the raw, crunchy metallic riffs of the Jarman brothers, the melodic indie techno of Brummy boys Swim Deep and mix it with the dark vocals of the Horrors, this anthem from The Microdance 'We Are Made Of Evil Things' is about as close as you'll get. From the moment the heavy drum beat kicks in, it becomes clear that The Microdance are having a crack at making a lasting impression, however as the song gets past the first chorus the lyrics become somewhat tedious. This song is no game changer, and comparison to The Cribs and The Horrors was maybe a bit ambitious for this brand of alt rock. When it comes to this track, it's that there's a 90% chance that you'll be hearing this song on FIFA next year. By Tom Blackmore