Issue 10 www.audio-addict.co.uk
Bombay Bicycle Club
Audio Addict’s Top 25 Albums of 2011! Das RacistRihannaEnterShikariKornLos Campesinos Amy WinehouseKate BushAsap RockyGaryNuman
NEWS
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Alice Avenue
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Underworld- Olympic Ravers.
CONTENTS
Smile
Alice Avenue- As Reliable as Ever. Lana Del Rey and Nicki Minaj release new singles.
FEATURES
FEATURES 9 Bombay Bicycle Club
11 13
Top 25 Albums of 2011 Q + A With Trivium
REVIEWS 25 Rhianna- Talk That Talk Review 26 Korn and Gallows Album Reviews 27 Kate Bush- 50 Words for Snow Review Winehous and Los Campesinos 28 Amy Album Reviews 29 The Black Keys- El Camino Review 30 Rise Against- Live Review 31 Das Racist- Live Review 32 Defenders of the Faith- Live Review 33 Gary Numan- Live Review 2
Audio Addict is produced by students of the BA(Hons) Popular Music Journalism course. Disclaimer: all the views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily representative of the university. Southampton Solent University cannot be held responsible for the individual views in this magazine.
Meet The
Hello and welcome to issue 10 of Audio Addict! Bombay Bicycle Club have had a great year. Even whilst they had no album to promote, their popularity was at an all time high, with them becoming arguably the most popular indie band in the UK today. Upon the release of their new album, ‘A Different Kind Of Fix’, Bombay pandemonium stepped up a notch once again, and Audio Addict’s Rachael Anderson managed to catch up with them backstage at their sold out show for a chat. We count down the top 25 albums of 2011, as most magazines do, but believe me, there are some controversial and diverse choices in there. Have a look and see if you agree In this issue, we have a wide variety of things to tickle your fancy, from news of Lana Del Rey’s new single, to reviews of Gallows and Korn, and Live reviews of Delilah and Das Racist (plus many more!) Have a look inside, and don’t be afraid to tell us what you think on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ Audio-Addict
Team Editor- Mitch Stevens
With Contributions From Eloise Woodward Luke McFarlane
News & Features Editor- Matt Cook
Matt Cook Mikaela Osborne Mitch Stevens Naina Sethi Nick Pollard
Reviews EditorNaina Sethi
Rachael Anderson Raven Lyness Richard Cook Sam Willis
Enjoy!
Sarah Eustace
Mitch Stevens (Editor) Design EditorSam Willis
Tom Hutchin 3
HOT WHAT’S NOT WHAT’S
Blur will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the 2012 Brits.
well done guys! example
Jay-Z hints that second album ‘Watch the Throne’ with Kanye West will be released in 2012.
I used to be an atheist until I discovered Chilli Heatwave Doritos
RizzleKicks
It is quite fun supporting @professorgreen on tour, but seeing him talking to girls is one of the most awkward things you’ll ever see
Karen O has announced Yeah Yeah Yeah’s are making new music
Kinky Rihanna spends £1000 in Paris sex shop- oh Rihanna…
Skrillex
Third death rumor about me this year...wtf? Beyonce’s weird pregnancy cravings include bananas covered in tomato ketchup and bounty ice creams with hot chilli sauce- what?!
N-Dubz’ Dappy is getting an Amy Winehouse tattoo in honor of her memory. No, just no. 4 Audio Addict
ladysov
Awkward moment when predictive text writes “gimme one sex” instead of “gimme one sec” .
three other tracks were
A Good Reason to be Single produced, ‘In The Mourning’,
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op punk monsters Paramore have released three new tracks as part of their Singles Club. Avid fans of the band will know that after recording their hit single ‘Monster’
‘Hello Cold World’ and ‘Renegage’. All three tracks are now available to download exclusively through Singles Club found on Paramore.net, with the final song ‘In The Mourning’ giving members the complete package.
The band will also be sending Singles Club members a Limited Edition 7’’ Box set including 7’’ record for all songs incuding ‘Monster’ as well as links to new merchandise. The band are set to be working on a new abum release early 2012. To download all the tracks and become a Singles Club member visit Paramore.net for details. By Mikaela Osborne
The Audio Addict Ipod Here at Audio Addict we are all avid music fans. Here is what the editorial team has been listening to over the last few days The King is Dead... On Screen Mitch Stevens- A$ap Rocky Live Love A$ap Naina Sethi- James Blake Enough Thunder Ep Matt Cook- Kevin Rudolf To the Sky Sam Willis- Cage the Elephant Thank You, Happy Birthday
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ndie Punk newbies Max Raptor have released a new video for their hit ‘The King Is Dead’, the video features lead singer Will Ray in a few eyebrow raising situations. The new single comes from the bands well received mini album ‘Portraits’ released April 11th last year on Naim Edge Records.
Find The band’s video for ‘The King Is Dead’ at Youtube.com and check out the band’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/ maxraptor. By Mikaela Osborne
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Alice Avenue- Reliable as ever
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olent University band Alice Avenue have just released their debut album ‘Unreliable’ through iTunes, Amazon and as hard copies through their website. The bluesy trio, who have been likened to Jimi Hendrix, Paulo
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he dates for the fourth ‘Smile’ music festival have finally been announced. This year, between the fifth and the eleventh of March, it will be the turn of Southampton Solent students to show us what they are made of and exhibit the vast pool of talent within, not only, the university, but the whole city. The ‘Solent Music Industries Live Event’, or Smile, is a completely student run, week long music festival that includes live gigs in venues all over the
Nutini and John Mayer, were one of the standout bands on last year’s SMILEfest 2011 Collection compilation album. Alice Avenue have also been making a huge name for themselves on the gig circuits of London and the South Coast with Renegades Music Magazine
claiming “these young men are definitely going to be hot.” Watch this space for forthcoming gigs and in the meantime buy the album for some of the finest funk-fried blues you’re likely to hear. Taken From
city, as well as conferences that feature internationally renowned music industry professionals. In previous years guests have included Rob da Bank, Gallows, Foreign Beggars, Nick Halkes, the man responsible for signing electronic music giants The Prodigy, Mark Cann, a key personality behind the scenes at Glastonbury and John Mclure, singer/ songwriter with Reverand and the Makers. Smile founder, Dr Martin James told Audio Addict that, “This event has grown from a Audio Addict
one day conference to the urban festival it is now thanks to the positive energy and sheer professionalism of our students. We are proud to say our students are at the epicentre of this energy and are making things happen.” Smile 2012 is sure to be another huge success and with the talent showcased in previous years you don’t want to miss out! For more information go to www. smilefest.co.uk By Sam Willis
Underworld- Olympic Ravers
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If this isn’t enough Underssex-based techno world activity Karl Hyde and legends Underworld Rick Smith have also trawled have been confirmed as musical directors for through their Underworld the opening ceremony of the vaults to create two new compilations 1992-2012 and A London Olympics. Working alongside the event’s Collection. Both albums are available as creative director, film maker downloads now from underDanny Boyle, Underworld’s Karl Hyde and Rick Smith are worldlive.com and on physical promising to create a musical CD version from early next experience that is every bit as year. memorable as the visual one. Karl Hyde said “It’s a great honour to be asked to do this and one we’re taking very seri- Taken from www.Audio-Addict.co.uk ously - it’s certainly not something we’ll get the chance to do again.”
Audio Addict
Nicki Minaj is Back! always used alter egos to express her music, so we’re excited for her second album, which is set for release on Valentines Day next year (14th February 2012).
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omans Back Bitch!” says Nicki in her new teaser single ‘Roman in Moscow’. I think it’s safe to say after Pink Friday we cannot wait to see what Nicki’s got to offer with her second album. ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’. Nicki Minaj has
By Naina Sethi
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Melodic, indie rock with occasional acoustic guitars and sometimes phat beats is how Bombay Bicycle Club’s Jamie and Ed describe their three very different albums. Audio Addict’s Rachael Anderson sits down with them to find out more…
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s I walk into the dreary and somewhat dated surroundings of Southampton’s Guildhall the Sunday afternoon Sunshine sneaks onto the stage in the form of tonight’s support, Lucy Rose sound checking. I spot Bombay Bicycle Club’s Ed Nash watching and am led through to their busy and buzzing dressing room – something that can be a rarity these days. The interview takes place next door, in a room that doesn’t seem to be used very often. There are mirrors stuck to a sickly blue coloured wall, and an iron sat on a table covered in crumbs – who ever said the music industry wasn’t glamorous? After a summer full of Festivals, the band is back touring and tonight is their 13th of a 16-date
UK tour. The last time they played in Southampton was Autumn 2007, to a cosy crowd of 150 at The Joiners; add a zero and that’s closer to the Guildhall’s capacity. The tour finishes with a huge homecoming show at London’s Brixton Academy, a venue very close to their hearts: “It’s a venue we all went to as kids and to get to finally headline there is such a big thing. We’ve always wanted to play our own show there.”
“all our songs have always sort of centred around girls and relationships” The 4-piece have been together since school with Jamie, Jack and Suran forming the band with Ed Audio Addict
joining about a year later. They toured a lot throughout their college years, going on to win the ‘Road to V’ before releasing their debut EP The Boy I Used To Be on their own independent label ‘Mmm… Records’. The Crouch End boys went on to sign with Island Records in late 2008 but Jamie explains that it was a slow process: “We entered and won ‘Road to V’ and it’s just been a steady build from there. Never any huge hype or drastic moment when it was like oh we’re really big now, it’s just been a natural climb.” The band’s third studio album A Different Kind of Fix was released in September, going straight in at number six, their most successful chart appearance so far, and the band’s favourite: “It’s my favourite record that we’ve done by a long way and the funnest one to make as well.
I don’t think it has a theme as all our songs have always sort of centered around girls and relationships and I don’t think that’s changed very much. We haven’t made a concept album or anything.” I do find myself asking the question - do the charts really matter anymore? In terms of Bombay Bicycle Club’s career so far, probably not so much. They have received much critical acclaim from the music press, beating The xx and Mumford and Sons to win NME’S Best New Band of 2010 and
are ArtRockers ‘Band of the Year’. They have a hugely loyal fan base and their current UK tour was a sell out apart from one show. Jamie recognises that the mainstream is forever changing, “It’s obviously not a great time to be in an Indie/Rock band, it’s not dominating the mainstream; well not in the way it was five years ago, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because I think that most indie 5 years ago was pretty shit. I think that the mainstream pop that followed was a lot more interesting and experimental.
It has however started to stagnate a bit. There was a time where it felt quite fresh but now it all kind of sounds the same; which is obviously always going to happen when something or a particular sound becomes popular. There are a lot of good bands around but they’re not necessarily selling records or reaching the audience that they should reach.” Bombay Bicycle Club have played a number of festivals over the years from Benicassim to Boardmasters but they much prefer touring – who wouldn’t
prefer playing to a room filled of full time fans rather than what can sometimes be a halfhearted festival crowd? “I much prefer touring, I mean festivals are always fun when you play to a big crowd but it’s not your own fans. A really good festival set probably beats anything else but they are more inconsistent.” However one of their most memorable gigs, and for reverse reasons, was back at the beginning: “We did a tour after we finished our A Levels. We played in a place called Shrewsbury and there were as many people in the audience as there were on stage, including the promoter. Basically
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Lana Del Rey. Everyone knows she’s very much the Marmite of the music industry at the moment and even the band feel this is true as they are only fans of that one particular song. They love it that much that they decided to cover it, just a day after my interview with them, for a special Radio One Live Lounge recorded at Maida Vale. It’s a popular song to cover at the minute with Kasabian, amongst other artists giving it a go; nonetheless it’s safe to say that with the added vocals of Lucy Rose, Bombay’s is by far the best and the most beautiful. Bet-
the venue was 400/500 capacity and there were 4/5 people there. It backed onto a prison so every time you walked out the back they shouted at you. Oh and Jamie threw up on stage.”
“The venue was 400/500 capacity and there were 4/5 people there” The Bombay boys like to dabble in a spot of Djing now and again, usually at one of their gig after parties, but the good thing about
ter than the original? Well you’ll have to make that judgement for yourself. I hear you asking what’s next for Bombay Bicycle Club and it’s a very good question, one with an open-ended answer. When asking them what the next 10 weeks, months and years have in store, the band were quite uncertain. They have however just been confirmed to play as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmany celebrations on NYE, quite a spectacular way to end their year I’m sure you’ll agree. In 10 months they’d like to be “playing to 100,000 people at a Audio Addict
it is that they don’t take themselves too seriously, “We get a fun evening, I don’t know if people enjoy our sets but hopefully they enjoy coming up and saying Hi, we’re always there. We like to play anything from Hip Hop to R’n’B, Electro, and Indie - all the genres!” What the band play when they DJ reflects their taste in music; they are currently listening to Indie 5 - piece and fellow tour support Dog Is Dead. As well as electro, sexpop Reptar who they discovered via producer Ben Allen and a house party in Atlanta. There is however one song in particular the band loves right now and that’s Video Games by
Festival somewhere” and 10 years time? Well “we may well be walking down the street talking about how we used to be in a band or working in McDonalds” The one thing that is certain about their future is that the lights won’t be out and the words won’t be gone on the North Londoners careers anytime soon. By Racheal Anderson
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A Word With Metal Titans
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veryone has heard sinister tales of heavy metal musicians: a punch-up here, an arrest there, with an overdose thrown in for good measure. Therefore, when meeting a metal band face-to-face, with such rumours lurking, should I cower as I am led to their dressing room? Perhaps not. Corey Beaulieu is lead guitarist of Florida metal foursome Trivium, who are headlining Metal Hammer’s Defenders of the Faith III tour, which kicked off at the Southampton Guildhall. I caught the man himself backstage before the show began. Corey explains the whole procedure that the band goes through when an album is released, as they go through the laborious and tiresome stage of promoting their new material. More precisely the interviewers who he has to face, which admittedly gets me a little worried. “We get a lot of the same questions. The most annoying is when you
get a lot of young kids that have their own dinky webzine or something that I’ve never heard of. They get the press to get a free ticket to the show. He puts on a heliumtainted voice to quote his interviewers, though I can’t for the life of me figure exactly what accent he is trying to reenact.
“The next one will have twists and turns that no one’es hear us do yet” Luckily I’m pretty sure it’s not mine. “They’re like “how long has your band been going” or “what does your name mean” or just “can you tell us about your band”. Lots of stuff that you can go on our website and find on our bio. You can go there and get all this information without
wasting my time.” Beneath them on the bill tonight are Swedish metal veterans In Flames, leaving Trivium in a dream position – above one of their biggest influences. Corey says that their first tour with them is the best European tour that we’ve ever done, with lead vocalist Matt Heafy going as far as to claim that with In Flames, Trivium wouldn’t exist. Corey claims “Before Matt got into In Flames, we were an old school Metallica-style thrash metal band. There were no guitar harmonies or anything like that that we do now. But after he got into them, we wanted to do things like dual guitars and it got him into the whole screaming thing.” Corey makes a point of just how devoted and passionate they are towards their art, as they taking a liking to performing live. Despite their shows forever growing, as they break their record for their biggest UK shows on this tour, the band have no intention 13
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of abandoning tiny shows. “We played Birmingham Asylum and it was limited to like 300 people and everyone was right on the stage. Everyone at the end of the show got on the stage.” The suggestion that each show could be ‘just another show’ as they perform so many (they will have performed 75 shows this year by the end of the tour) couldn’t be more wrong. Not even close, as Corey makes a point of how they have no disregard for their art, and how a metal band’s work is never finished. It has been just four months since the release of their latest album, yet the band has their sights set way, way into the future. While it’s blindingly obvious as we’re both flopped on a sofa, he clarifies that he is relaxed as the per-
formance approaches. “We’ve never gotten nervous or anything before shows. Whether it’s a couple of hundred or sixtythousand, we kind of approach it in the same way. We just go up and do our thing.” “We’re scheduling almost a year in advance. We’ve already been talking about doing our next album. We always write on tour so we’ve already got a bunch of stuff that we’re writing. We always kind of prepare because when we get off tour we don’t wanna have to start writing because that will just add more time, and we won’t be out there in the scene.” Their last two albums differ in that 2008’s Shogun was made of tracks of epic proportions, with the title track clocking in at a truly ridicu-
lous twelve minutes, whereas this year’s effort In Waves is far more concise. While it might be a long way off, Corey and co. seem to know exactly where the process is headed, and what they want of the new album. Corey spills the beans on what they have in mind for their next record. “The next record will have more variation. People do love Shogun for its seven-string stuff… it made everything a bit darker. We didn’t use any on the last record. I think it’ll be a mixture of both worlds, to bridge the gap. The next one will have new twists and turns that no one’s heard us do yet” Excited yet? You had better get comfortable as this could take a while. By Nick Pollard
252011
‘S
Top
Albums of
2011 has been a great year for music, and as this is the December issue here at Audio Addict we’ve come together to decide on what we think the top 25 albums of the year have been. It was difficult as we’re all so opinionated, with very different music tastes, but we finally got there! It’s a good mixture of genres and we think it’s not too bad! So tell us what you think.
All entries written by: Naina Sethi, Matt Cook, Mitchell Stevens and Sam Willis
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Bad Meets Evil Hell: The Sequel The stunning poetry that is Eminem’s lyrics meets the sick rapping styles that is Royce Da 5’ 9” and the duo become Bad Meets Evil. The duo’s collaboration allows Eminem to express his darker side and not have to worry about radio play, he can just spit over a collection of hot, murky beats. Words: M.C
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Gang Colours In Your Gut Like a Knife
Its new, its fresh and its Local! Southamptons very own Gang Colours’ Ep “In your Gut Like a Knife’ makes it into our Top 25 albums of 2011 because it is simply magical. The sparse drum patterns, ambient melodies and haunting vocal samples all come together to create an Ep that cannot fail to impress. If you like ambient chillwave then Will Ozanne’s Gang Colours is a must buy for this year. Words: S.W
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Africa HiTech 93 Million Miles
Africa Hitech is the collaborative project of Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek. Their album, ‘93 Million Miles’ transcended genre boundaries whilst flourishing in elements of Grime, Techno, Garage and more. The juke musings of lead single ‘Out In The Streets’ provided the soundtrack to many a clubber’s weekends this year. Words: M.S
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Yuck Yuck
As debut albums go Yuck’s self titled album is about as good as they get. The ‘noise rock’ sound made famous by indie legends Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth has been brought back with a vengeance. Insanely distorted guitars, moody lyrics and even moodier vocals make this debut a must buy for anyone who has ever listened to post punk and enjoyed it as much as they should have. Words: S.W
21
Gil Scott Heron & Jamie XX We’re New Here
We all know Jamie xx has a way with mixing tracks, but this album really shows off his talent. Gill Scott Heron’s vocals are outstanding and this album has made it into the top 25 of 2011 because it’s completely remastered the original with a whole new take on this sound. Words: N.S 16
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Death Grips Exmilitary
Imagine the noisiest parts of noise rock having a knife fight with the most raucous parts of hip hop and you’re only half way to imagining how much of a balls to the wall wake up call this album is. One of the most original and daring albums released this year. Words: M.S
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Katy B On a Mission
Katy B impressed everyone with her single ‘Katy On A Mission’, which hit the number 1 spot on the UK indie chart. However, we think that this whole album has been impressive and deserves recognition after Katy’s determination and hard work. Well done girl! Words: N.S
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Disclosure Ep
Only an EP, but brilliant all the same. South London brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence gave away a collection of smooth future garage/2 step for free earlier this year. Features the Annie Mac supported ‘Blue You’ and the sublime ‘I Love...That You Know’. Download it now from their facebook page. Words: M.S
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Jay Z & Kanye West Watch The Throne
What do you get when you put two of the most influential artists in Hip Hop together? An album on epic proportions sampling Flux Pavilion and Cassius. Add a cheeky bit of Beyonce, La Roux, Frank Ocean and Otis Redding, this album was another level, even though a controversial pick as hip hoppers weren’t too impressed, but we love it! Words: N.S
16
Bjork Biophilia
After much hype, Bjork released her ‘Biophilia’ album to much critical acclaim. This is less an album and more of an experiment, with Bjork claiming that a large percentage of the album was written on an iPad. This claim was reinforced when she performed such tracks as ‘Moon’ and ‘Mutual Core’ using nothing but the iPad and her own voice at Bestival this year. Words: M.S Audio Addict
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Professor Green At Your Inconven-
14 The Vaccines What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? The Vaccines have created quite a stir in the music industry during the short time they have been in the lime light and rightfully so. “What Did You Expect from the Vaccines?” is another very impressive debut that has made it into our ‘Best of 2011’. Britain’s great guitar band is back and they are called The Vaccines. Words: S.W
Englands answer to Eminem comes back with At Your Inconvenience, a rap album all about hating fame, inside angst and all the other standard attributes that rap albums need to be great. This album includes guest features from the likes of, Luciana, Emeli Sande and Ruth Anne. The album also includes a stunning cover of Pixies’ ‘Where is my mind’. Pro Green proves he’s not just a one trick pony with ‘Alive till I’m Dead’ his second album peaked the UK charts at an impressive number 3. The album has had clear influences from dubstep, jungle and drum and bass. At Your Inconvenience shows less selfdeprecating humour then Green’s debut album and explores more emotional topics but with a mix of precociousness and great tunes Pro Green creates a superb album. Words: M.C 18
13 Chase and Status No More Idols Chase and Status’ No More Idols comes in at 13 due to its mesmerising tunes, they are enough to make the most passive of us get pumped up and bust a move. With a host of features including Dizzee Rascal, White Lies and Sub Focus this album has dance music down to the T. Words: M.C
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White Lies Ritual
White Lies returned with their second studio album to much critical debate. One thing is for sure though, its an album that the listener can dance and connect to, even if you have to inebriated at the time. It is exciting and edgy, and I’m sure that if the band had kept their stella relationship with NME the album would have Audio Addict
been more appreciated critically and higher on other album lists. Words: M.C
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Beyonce 4
BECAUSE SHES AMAZING Album after album, Beyonce always delivers. After her mindblowing show at Glastonbury, she brought us ‘4’. Absolutely flawless as usual, Beyonce definitely deserves a spot on this list. We just can’t say no to that woman! Words: N.S
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A$ap Rocky Live Love A$ap
Blog darling A$AP Rocky, released his much talked about debut mixtape ‘LiveLoveA$AP’ for free online. Featuring the majority of his ‘A$AP’ crew and production by Clam’s Casino, one of the most prolific and exceptional new producers in the game, the mixtape was a massive success. Looks like the self styled ‘Pretty Motherf**ker’ is here to stay... Words: M.S
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Bon Iver Bon Iver
Since his debut album, “For Emma, Forever Ago”, Bon Iver has gained a huge amount of attention from the world of music which has only increased since the release of his self titled second album. This beautiful folk album bleeds passion and Vernon’s voice is as angelic as ever, making it a must for our top ten. Words: S.W
8
Cage The Elephant Thank you, Happy Birthday
The second studio album, “Thank You, Happy Birthday”, from manic bible belt five piece Cage The Elephant is a collection of guitar-led rock classics that are almost as contagious as the band themselves. Matt Shultz’ band of Kentucky vagabonds have once again produced a brilliant album which is without doubt worthy of a place in our top ten. Words: S.W 19
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Tropics Parodia Flare
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SBTRKT SBTRKT
SBTRKT has to be one of the most groundbreaking acts of 2011. Track by track, this album is faultless. ‘Wildfire’ has to be one of the catchiest chorus’ of 2011, but he’s not just a one hit wonder, the entire album is full off a mixture of psychedelic sounds that cross Words: N.S musical boundaries and that exactly why he’s got a spot on this list, even if he doesn’t want to show us his face!
Tropics dreamlike debut album ‘Parodia Flare’ is a mind-blowing collection of beautifully written atmospheric songs, fitting perfectly to the name ‘Tropics’. Growing up in the quiet suburbs just outside Southampton lead to Tropics mellow sound, “it’s easy to get lost in making music round here with no distractions”. After releasing two EP’s ‘Mouves’ and ‘Soft Vision’ Tropics brings us ‘Parodia Flare’. What is different about this new album in comparison to the previous EP’s is the use of Chris’ stunning vocals, being the first record to actually use Chris’ talent. The album is just proof of Tropics endless possibilities and the positive ambiguity the ghostly vocals create. “The most important part of production was probably the vocals. It’s my first record using my own voice which I’m very new to, so there was weeks if not months of trial and error there.” Words: N.S 20
5 Metronomy The English Riviera
Metronomy ooze cool.They seamlessly mix indie rock with an electric edge to create this perfect indie rock album. With this exciting album they are fast on their way to cementing their name in musics greats. A deserved top 5 with tunes including The Bay and Everything Goes My Way. Words: M.C
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James Blake Enough Thunder E.P
After the massive success of his album, James Blake released an EP of mainly piano based songs, ‘Enough Thunder’. Including an obscure but near perfect collaboration with Bon Iver, ‘Fall Creek Boys Choir’, and an exceptional cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘A Case of You’, Blake showed he’s way more than a one trick pony. He then followed this reAudio Addict
lease with an EP of electronic music, ‘Love What Happened Here’. It’s just as brilliant as everything he’s ever released. Jesus Words: M.S
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Bombay Bicycle Club A Different Kind of Fix
Bombay Bicycle Club, close contenders but just falling short by no fault of their own just the quality of 1st and 2nd. In recent times they are one of the most influential artists in their genre and have released another cracker in the form of A Different Kind Of Fix. These young lads assert themselves perfectly and the maturity they show in creating such a record shows how long and illustrious their career is going to be. Words: M.C
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Tyler the Creator Goblin
From deep within L.A’s most notorious district, Compton, appeared Odd Future. A hip-hop collective that, in the last year, have created more hype, gained more fans and caused more controversy than anyone else, with Tyler the Creator at the forefront, being primary song writer. Goblin is his second solo album and needless to say it has gained huge critical acclaim, exposure and in our opinion is the second best album to grace our ears all year. Words: S.W
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Drake Take Care
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fter the huge successes of mix tapes ‘So Far Gone’ and ‘Come Back Season’, Aubrey Graham, otherwise known as Drake, released his debut album, ‘Thank Me Later’ on June 15th 2010 to widespread critical acclaim. The album went gold in the UK, as well as platinum in both America and Canada and spawned a number of hit singles including ‘Over’ and ‘Find Your Love’. Drake now comes back with his sopho- more album, ‘Take Care’, over a year after his first release. With guest spots from the likes of Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Stevie Wonder and Andre 3000, Drake has crafted an album that not only stands out amongst the other great albums of the year, it sets a mould for hip hop al- bums for years to come.
The themes of the album are hardly new ground for a hip hop act, with money, sex, girls and drinking all prominent within the lyrics, however, thisis not what sets the album apart from all others this year. Drake has chosen beats for the album perfectly, with in-house producer Noah ‘40’ Shebib tak- ing a strong hold of the album’s production credits. There are also huge turns from Jamie xx on ‘Take Care’ (featuring Rihanna) and Just Blaze on ‘Lord Knows’ that features the aforementioned Rick Ross. ‘Take Care’ has a very rare quality for a hip hop album in that it seems every track could have massive chart success, with ‘Headlines’ faring well and the album’s title track looking like it will follow suit. From the delivery of his lines, to the spot on
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production work, every- thing about this album oozes effortless class. It doesn’t seem like Drake took his time in creating songs of this calibre, which leaves the listener curi- ous as to what this man could come up with had he given a longer space between albums to create something. All hy- pothesising aside, this album is something special. It’s a 17 track declaration of supremacy from Drake, who in creating this album, has given a master class in how to craft a commer- cially successful hip hop album without losing any credibility or quality. We love Drake here at Audio Addict and so by cre- ating this superb album Drizzy has given us ample reason to place ‘Take Care’ as our num- ber one album of 2011. Words: M.S
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A Flash Flood of Colour
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rogression is something that Enter Shikari do not shy away from and the latest instalment of the Shikari saga is packed full of an array of sounds stretching from the deepest darkest dubstep, to a full blown massacare of rip roaring drum and bass. This mixed with Shikari’s intense metalcore offers both fans and newcomers an enlightening listening experience. With the majority A Flash Flood of Colour being recorded in the far east of Thailand it seems the country has many an influence into the record, with songs such as ‘System’ and ‘Search Party’ exuding a mass of ambient experiences. However A Flash Flood of Colour in its entirety gives a nod to the infamous nightlife, as the record is packed full of more surprises than that of a Taiwanese shemale. Shikari are not only just the essence of party, as with Skinner of The Streets using common grounds to offer a commentary into the world around us, Rou Reynolds offers an insight into the problems of environmental damage and the corrupt politics that surround the world. ‘Ghandi Mate, Ghandi’
is a strong highlight to these damaging effects ‘the entirety of the human race is just blindly consumed to support a failing economy and a faulty system, forever and ever until we run out of every resource and resort on blowing each other up to ensure our own survival’. The frightfully truthful themes of A Flash Flood of Colour boast a clear cut anger that matches the monster collective of sounds of the record. Fans can only appreciate the honesty of Shikari in both the musical steps forward and the meaning conveyed.
‘The entirety of the human race is just blindly consumed to support a failing economy and a faulty system’ As A Flash Flood of Colour is on way to reaching number 1 in the album charts it seems that people do. However the record is far from Gaga or Rihanna as ‘Hello Tyrannosaurus, Meet Tyrannicide’ offering extreme hardcore and haunt-
ing electronica to make every politician quiver in fear. A Flash Flood of Colour does not just provide a constant attack of violence but listeners are can be wooed by ‘Stalemate’, ‘Pack Of Thieves’ and ‘Constellations’; Shikari’s take on a calm. Full of ambiance Enter Shikari has created a safe collective that deliver messages of intense meaning and work to completely divulge the calm before the storm. The latest creation from Enter Shikari works as an immense evolution on the sound that they are recognised for. Shikari have done this in a way that is both exciting yet has kept the same essence of the original sound that allowed them to be the first unsigned band to sell out the Astoria. Shikari are using their success to both preach an important message yet stay close to the common ground that keeps Shikari and fans a powerful assembly. A Flash Flood of Colour encapsulates everything that is Enter Shikari and is a powerful weapon in their arsenal that fans will be keen to draw upon. By David Sullivan
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Korn - The Path of Totality Roadrunner Records
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he Path of Totality’ is the tenth studio album from NuMetal pioneers Korn, who have always brought out classic, groundbreaking albums like ‘Follow the Leader’ and ‘Issues’. This time, however, it could be the start of their downfall. ‘The Path of Totality’ is, no doubt, their most controversial album to date because it sees them head down electric avenue, to a place we have all learnt to either love or hate... Dubstep. Korn’s frontman, Jonathan Davis, seems to be under the delusion, when he spoke to NME earlier in the year, that Korn, “have always been Dubstep, before Dubstep ever happened.” He seems to think, like so
Gallows Death is Birth Ep Thirtydaysofnight
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allows – Death Is Birth Digital EP – Thirty Days of Night Records New sound, new singer, new material. Gallows are back, blasting our ears with less than 8 minutes of raucous material. These are the first recorded tracks since the abrupt departure of Frank Carter. His
many other Americans, that Dubstep is purely the fastest, most bass infused piece of noise you can make. When in reality, as any self respecting South Londoner would know, it is a fusion of Dub and 2step. This great combination is so horrifyingly different to the ‘Dubstep’ we hear screeching out of our radios today it is hard to imagine how people like Skrillex, who unsurprisingly has produced a large chunk of the album, came to even exist. I normally applaud musicians for stepping out of their comfort zone and creating a completely different album, and if Korn had brought out a Jazz/Country/Hip Hop album I may have been more intrigued. But
replacement, Wade MacNeil (Alexisonfire), fills his shoes well; with a loud, gruff voice it is an interesting sound for the band. Introductory track ‘Mondo Chaos’ really shows off what this line-up is capable of - as some fans are still mourning the loss of Frank. There are great guitar and drum rhythms and Wade tells it like it is -”say f*** the world...I say it’s already f***ed”. The shortest track ‘True Colours’ is only 37 seconds, yet it is a fist of anger that packs a powerful punch. It is as if the band has a lot to express, but don’t know how to do it. The track has some relation to America, mentioning 4th July repeatedly at the end; this is a step away from Gallows usual British theme – ie Grey Britain. Audio Addict
unfortunately ‘The Path of Totality’ has not surprised me and has fallen way under par for the quality that we all know Korn can produce. I’m sure many American Brosteppers will be ecstatic about the release of this album, but as for us music fans it is a sad day. A once great Nu-metal titan has fallen at the knees of Dubstep. By Sam Willis
‘Hate! Hate! Hate!’ is musically similar to classic Gallows and has anthem-like chanting of “revenge”. The sharp guitar riff and the fast tempo of the drums keep the track moving and Wade is once again yelling at the world to “run for your f***ing life”. The title track ‘Death is Birth’ could be a finger up to those Frank-obsessed fans, saying they should “let go”. This is a strong song for the band as they are revolting against the opinion of fans and critics who say Gallows are dead. This EP is the rebirth of Gallows. Be prepared, they have the opportunity to be better than ever before. By Eloise Woodward
Rihanna Talk That Talk Def Jam Records
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alk that Talk’ is Rihanna’s sixth studio album on Def Jam Records. We’ve always known Rihanna’s had a cheeky side since she released ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ four years ago. Since that release, 23 year old Rihanna has carried on pushing boundaries with her Rated R lyrics “come here rude boy, boy can you get it up?” and “sticks and stones may break my bones but chains and whips excite me” from the album ‘Loud’. Back then we’d think ‘oh Rihanna you saucy minx!’ We loved the fact she mixed it up a bit, and the darker tone of Rated R was a refreshing change to her previous albums. However, with this album ‘Talk that Talk’ I think it’s fair to say Rihanna has lost her touch. Her new album carries on with the mischievous lyrical
context, but rather than being praised for her outgoingness it comes across like she’s trying far too hard to create an image of something she’s frankly just not. Singing lyrics like “suck my cockiness, lick my persuasion” and “I love it when you eat it” has got not only me outraged, but many parents of Rihanna’s younger fans. What are you trying to prove here Rihanna? Have you completely lost it? It seems it’s not about the actual music anymore with Rihanna, but about some sort of façade she’s trying to create. With this album though, it’s not just the lyrics that let it down, the vocals are incredibly weak, the album all in all seems insanely rushed and slightly lazy on Rihanna’s part as she samples one of my all-time favourite artists ‘The xx’.
Not only does she steal (woops, I mean sample) ‘Intro’ by The xx on ‘Drunk on Love’, she also samples Chase & Status’ ‘Saxon’ on ‘Red Lipstick’. Come on Rihanna! We loved you for creating your own catchy rhythms, not singing over others. I have to give the girl some credit though; the leading single ‘We Found Love’ featuring Calvin Harris is insanely catchy, although she repeats the lyrics ‘We Found Love’ over 15 times- we get it! It’s essentially the best song on the album, and lets face it, that’s probably down to Calvin Harris. It’ll be interesting to see what Rihanna comes up with next, personally I think she should go back to her ‘SOS’ phase, and maybe listen a little bit closer to what she’s singing. By Naina Sethi
Amy Winehouse Lioness: Hidden Treasures
Island
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ioness: Hidden Treasures is the posthumous album from controversial, yet incredibly talented Amy Winehouse produced by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. The album kicks off with a reggae tinged inspired track with a smokey melody, entitled ‘Our Day Will Come’. When listening to the track you can’t help but think maybe Winehouse was listening to a lot of Bob Marley at the time she recorded the track. No drug reference pun intended. But that certainly doesn’t set some form of theme throughout the album as it pretty much is a mishap of rerecorded tracks from here previous albums (Valerie and Tears Dry on Their Own) along with unreleased tracks and
cover versions of others. ‘Tears Dry on Their Own,’ which is titled the original version, has a completely different arrangement, with a harmonic orchestra instead of a jazz band in the background. A certain eyebrow lifter was the collaboration with Hip-hop superstar Nas, entitled ‘Like Smoke.’ Winehouse tries to revisit her urban past on this track, which is certainly a step out of her usual sound, yet is a definate
stand out track on this release. However, on tracks like “The Girl From Ipanema” or first single and Tony Bennett duet “Body and Soul”, she sounds like a lounge singer. The album certainly reflects the singer’s troubled and chaotic final years of her life. Proceeds from the album will raise money for charity with £1 from each sale going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
Los Campesinos!- Hello Sadness Wichita Records
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os Campesinos! have brought out their third full length album (not including their extended EP ‘We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed’) and it does not fail to impress.
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The Cardiff based seven piece Indie poppers have managed to create a combination of moody lyrics and upbeat calypso pop guitar riffs to a tee, which is manifested most noticably in
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opener ‘By Your Hand’. This is a must buy for fans of Los Campesinos and anyone who wants to listen to a flawless Indie Album. By Sam Willis
Kate Bush 50 Words for Snow
The Black Keys El Camino
Fish People
Nonesuch
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was born in a cloud, now I am falling” sings Kate Bush. For ten minutes, she spends the opening track taking on the role of snowflake as it falls. That is as normal as this album gets. The title track is true to its name, featuring treasured eccentric Stephen Fry listing fifty words for the titular white stuff, so bizarre that they even sound out of place coming from his mouth. It’s a safe bet that the weather forecast won’t be warning the nation about Zhivagodamarbletash drifts, leaving neighbourhoods shimmerglisstened-in behind walls of phlegm de neige. Having spent an entire track on her 2005 album Aerial reciting 116 digits of π, Kate returns to her fixation with numbers and hassles him by counting the words with him. “Come on Joe, there’s just 32 more to go.” Despite the grandiose lengths of the tracks, from seven to thirteen minutes, the scale of the sound itself doesn’t follow - there are no buildups to spectacular orchestral finales, and for that reason, it is perfect. She portrays brilliantly the monochrome of endless forests of snow with a sparse sound, yet with countless different sounds coming from all directions, like a blizzard. A couple of percussive clicks here, a pulse of strings there, and a few exhalations as if Kate is trying to see her breath in the cold can be heard, but after just a few seconds, they never return. She hasn’t lost any of her weird, and definitely not her wonderful. By Nick Pollard
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t’s Raw, old school Garage Blues with a slick finish. ‘El Camino’ is the seventh studio album by Blues rock duo The Black Keys and it’s certainly a doozy. Strangely, the first thing i noticed about this album was the not the enticing blues riffs; nor was it Dan Aerbach’s vocals which cut through the heavy sound to the please the ear. It was the production work, it is fantastic. Drummer/ Producer Patrick Carney has crafted the perfect blend of clean pounding drums, the distant and slightly distorted vocals and the dirty garage style guitars. While it may not be as “Bare bones” as the production of “The White Stripes”, it is still garage rock but made with care and detail. Some of these tunes will be on your mind for days, “Lonely boy” for example is a hell a start to the album, the opening riff really sets the tone and the rolling drums make this a perfect driving song (I can’t drive so i’m just assuming here). My personal favorite is the fourth track “Little Black Submarines”. The country style plucking of the acoustic guitar, the slow pace and the chords of an organ make you think that they’ve gone all ‘Johnny Cash’. That is until the two minute mark when the guitar distorts, the heavy rock rhythm of the drums slam and the ending guitar solo melts your face. Some tracks are better than others but every one is definitely worth repeated listening. This Album is a great effort, the high end production improves on the brilliant yet raw blues sound. I give it a well deserved 8/10. By Tom Hutchin
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t’s not every gig you go to that the merch stand is over taken by charities and causes. They’re not just bypassed on the way to the bar either; many fans stop and talk at length about the issues featured in the leaflets they are being handed. Of course this is Rise Against and Rage Against the Machine guitarist’s, Tom Morello’s side project, The Nightwatchman, so you would expect nothing less. While The Nightwatchman lacks the killer punch of Morello’s former band, he still stands out on his own as a great frontman. The songs might not be all that well known to the majority of the crowd but there are enough sing along choruses to grab the attention of, what Morello describes as, ’13 year olds with hair that flops like that.’ This what made The Nightwatchmen’s set shine; Morello’s laid back banter in between songs coupled effortlessly with his strong world views so while you hear the message loud and clear you aren’t having it screamed in your face. Obviously being able to play a mind-blowing guitar solo with his teeth and casually mention a certain Christmas number one, followed by a blast of Sleep Now in the Fire doesn’t hurt either. The highlight of his set however was when he was joined on stage by Rise Against for the closing
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number, World Wide Rebel Song, which Morello claimed to have written a few days previously. Despite the political message the moment doesn’t feel preachy, more like a celebration of the fact that people are still making music that matters. When the headliners take to the stage all memories of ‘90s altrock legends are forgotten as the current leaders in politically
agendas down the throats of their fans. Instead they simply played the songs with passion and let them do the talking. They have the same enthusiasm reflected back at them from the crowd that only amplifies it. You see, Rise Against are one of those bands you have either have never heard of, are completely indifferent to or you worship the ground they walk on. The level of devotion is particularly visible during the acoustic section where Swing Life Away is accompanied by hundreds of hoarse voices and lighters (actual lighters, not phone screens) in
Photography By Benji Walker
charged punk are more than on form tonight. Always an impressive sight live, Rise Against power through an impressive set list, composed mainly from ‘Siren Song…’ and ‘The Sufferer and the Witness’ while also throwing in a couple of older tracks such as The Dirt Whispered. Surprisingly only the singles from the latest released are showcased. Like the band before them, Rise Against had the danger of turning the gig into a pep rally but avoided the pit fall by not shoving any Audio Addict
the air. Even Hero of War, a song guaranteed to polarise and kill an atmosphere, somehow manages to sound simultaneously stripped back and huge. When the final chords of radiofavourite Savior finally ring out, you can’t help but wonder how long it will be before hero-worshippers start to far out-weigh those that remain ignorant. By Sarah Eustace
Das Racist – Joiners, Southampton 02/12/11
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uring the sounds of Cholombian’s hip hop infused DJ set, a solid crowd begins to form inside Southampton’s Joiners venue. They are all here to see the art project-cum-stoner rap– cum-blog darlings Das Racist. After a questionable and opinion dividing performance on Conan O’Brien a week before, anticipation is rife. As they take to a stage that’s laden with projected images from ‘The Mask’ and Beyonce Knowles among others, Das Racist swagger about to the sounds of sirens, presumably a parody of other hip hop acts around, once the group
start to perform however, it’s obvious the are not like any other hip hop act around. Das Racist smash through a high energy set, including hits ‘Who’s That? Brooown’, ‘Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell’, ‘Rainbow in the Dark’, and their new single ‘Michael Jackson’. The group perform the songs not only proficiently but with an element of fun that is hard to find in a modern hip hop act. They stop in between, and sometimes halfway through songs to engage in conversation with eachother and the crowd, which would in most cases be off putting, but
when a group are as hilarious as Das Racist, it’s a pleasure to share in jokes and spontaneous anecdotes with the masses. For anyone in attendance tonight who weren’t aware of Das Racist, or even of the technical skill that they genuinely possess, tonight has been an education. Das Racist have shown tonight how they are more than just hip hop jokesmiths. They are a massive step in the right direction for hip hop as a whole, and an act that are worth keeping an eye on for the future. By Mitch Stevens
Defenders of the Faith III
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efenders of the Faith III were back to hammer yet more metal into our heads, courtesy of Metal Hammer magazine. Norway based Insense kicked off the show with a stimulating start - at least for the band that is. Sounding like a twisted combination of grunge and hardcore punkish screamo, the songs were much like energy drink shot – a quick high for 2 minutes then shortly cut dead. Not one for the melodic ear perhaps, with shouting and screaming accompanied by distortioned guitars, nonetheless it was enough to get people excited for Rise to Remain. Created by one of the gods of metal, it seems Austin Dickenson has been taking some lessons from his father on how to get a crowd involved in a show. The lessons have been learnt well. With the entirety of the Guildhall safely in the palm of their hand and with the energy of a kangaroo on speed, Rise to Remain have taken their status and show to a new planet entirely over the last year. Rising to the occasion they have remarkably improved by leaps and bounds and weren’t taking any prisoners. Paving the way to success,
they are soon to be one of the biggest new and upcoming rock acts from the UK – definitely one to look out for. Walking out, dressed as the minister of sinister with his fellow monk brothers in arms, Ghost certainly made a chilling entrance. It would have been perfect, if Rise to Remain had not slaughtered all of the audience’s energy beforehand. Haunting chants echo around the venue creating the electrifying atmosphere of a satanic church. Dramatic music erupted like a battle between Dimmu Borgir and Alice Cooper to get the blood pumping. Living up to the name and dressed in a way to spook even the grim reaper, the show is something to see, but more as villains in a theatre rather than a metal tour it seems. Now, if anyone knows how to put on a show, it’s In Flames. Hailing from Gothenburg in Sweden they have a reputation that they have upheld and lived up to for the last 20 odd years. Anders Fridén, the lead vocalist, was not in the best of moods, but he powers on through the show as expected. The band was on top form, there’s no doubt about it; these guys
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can virtually do no wrong. Melodic as ever with an incredible sound, the atmosphere is simply unprecedented. It was almost hypnotic to watch how much influence this band possesses; like they were the puppet masters with the audience on the end of their guitar strings. Finally headliners Trivium burst out on the stage with the best old school set they’ve had in years. Playing what was most of Ascendancy plus some new songs from In Waves, as well as including tracks from Shogun, The Crusade and some material from Ember to Inferno. Impressive was an understatement and proved why Trivium deserved the headline slot for the biggest UK metal tour of the year. The set was something of a dream, a once in a lifetime opportunity that was not to be missed. Metal Hammer have once again raised the bar for a metal show only to top it again perhaps next year. By Raven Lyness
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Gary Numan Southampton Guildhall
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979 saw Gary Numan have two number-one singles, but since then he has trickled down the charts. Still, he can still pack an impressive crowd. Quite a few members of the audience are clad in leather jackets featuring several irrelevant, purposeless buckles. There is also enough eyeliner plastered on their faces of the crowd that it resembles half of the world population of pandas. Enough bottles must have been put to use during this tour that at least one cosmetics company is safe during the recession. There are screens on each side of the stage which pulse in sync with the music, with strobe lights attached. The bass thumps so hard and so persistently into the audiences’ chests that it seems that the band is hell-bent on physically splitting everybody in two, Indeed, we have only got as far as the support act. Supporting soloist Jayce Lewis spurts ‘welcome to the Dead Son Rising tour, with Gary. Fucking. Numan.’ to much applause. Twenty-minutes later, everybody realizes that the set isn’t just a welcome or a warm-up, but a warning. This is going to
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be loud. Gary takes to the stage after a minute or so of a deep drone and hiss, against a backdrop of static on a huge screen before launch into early classic Down In The Park. The visuals alone speak many words, showing plainly just how drastically his style has changed.
Photography By Ed Fielding
Throughout the night, the show is set against almost demonic images and footage of terrorism and flaming crucified women. Charming… The spectacular light show continues, insisting on blinding everybody. The performance itself is very difficult to flaw. The majority of his set is plucked from his latest albums, and that’s not to say that it isn’t brilliant, but there is still a degree of awkwardness. Had he been a man forever devoted to
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his current genre, his set would have been close to perfection, but those who had come for his ye olde hits remained unsure. On more than one occasion, songs get an awkward applause before the end of the song, as quite a few spectators are unsure of whether the song is over. The only notable gripe that the man himself can be faulted for isn’t even his music, his rare interaction with everybody, limited to the odd ‘thank you’ every few songs. Still, Gary is impressively animated without making a fool of himself (a rarity for a 53-year-old man) running across the stage, punching the air and writhing, as he is absorbed in his music. It takes until the encore for his biggest hits, Cars and Are ‘Friends’ Electric to surface. These closing tracks were particularly explosive, having been given a darker twist in recent years, and they sound better than ever. He soaks in the audience’s screaming he is more enthusiastic still than he has been all night. It’s been 32 years since his career took off, but his charm has refused to leave By Nick Pollard
Live and Loud Photography Benji Walker