Issuu

Beautifully Unconventional

The Spark The new album. Out now. On tour November 2017 w/ special guests

16 Liverpool. 17 Cardiff. 18 Nottingham. 19 Newcastle. 21 Manchester. 22 Brighton. 24 Birmingham. 25 London.

W W W .E N T E R S H I K A R I.C O M

THIS MONTH...

CONTENTS ‘N’ STUFF

EDITOR’S LETTER HIYA! “I GUESS I’M PRETTY GOOFY” P28 JULIEN BAKER

IS THIS THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR? P44 ST. VINCENT’S ‘MASSEDUCTION’, REVIEWED

“THEY’RE ALL FIRE, THESE TUNES” P28 WOLF ALICE

SO, WOLF ALICE THEN. Where do you start with Wolf Alice? If, when we started thinking up the magazine that would become Dork, there was one band poster we had stuck in pride of place on our metaphorical wall, it would have been this lot. See, Dear Reader, we reckon Wolf Alice are a bit special, and there’s good reason for that. Like their label mates The 1975, they represent something different to most of their peers. With a sort of untouchable magic, more than anyone else they feel to be leading the charge of brilliant, new (and newish) British bands. It doesn’t do any harm to point out their new album ‘Visions of a Life’ is nothing short of extraordinary, either. We’re absolutely delighted to give them their first Dork cover. You can bet it won’t be their last. At least, not if we have anything to do with it. STEPHEN ACKROYD Editor / @stephenackroyd

HE’S BECK FOR GOOD

P12 THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO... BECK

“I’M USUALLY IN A FANTASY WORLD” P22 SKOTT

“I WANTED IT TO BE A STEP UP” P42 BULLY

“I THOUGHT ‘HOPE’ WAS GOING TO END MY CAREER”

“I DON’T THINK I STOPPED SHAKING”

P40 SHAMIR

P24 BLOXX

CONTENTS

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO TALK” P4 NOTHING BUT THIEVES

“SO WHAT IF WE’RE A POP BAND?” P36 MUNA

P4 UPDATE P17 BANGERS P18 CALENDAR P19 NEWS FEED P20 CONNECTION P22 HYPE P44 REVIEWS P52 ACTIVITY CENTRE P54 ANY OTHER QUESTIONS

DORK

Editor Stephen Ackroyd Deputy Editor Victoria Sinden Associate Editor Ali Shutler Contributing Editors Jamie Muir, Martyn Young Events Liam James Ward Contributors Alex Thorp, Chris Taylor, Ciaran Steward, Dan Harrison, Daniel Jeakins, Erin Bashford, Liam Konemann, Jake Hawkes, Jake Richardson, Jenessa Williams, Jessica Goodman, Josh Williams, Lily Beckett, Rob Mair, Samantha Daly Photographers Alyssa Gafkjen, Chiara Ceccaioni, Corinne Cumming, Jason MacDonald, Nolan Knight, Phil Smithies, Poppy Marriott, Richard Johnson, Rob Loud, Roy Rossovich, Sarah Louise Bennett Illustrators Rhi Lee P U B L I S H E D F RO M

THE BUNKER

W E LCO M E TOT H E B U N K E R.CO M

P O B OX 390, H A S T I N G S, T N34 9J P

All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which The Bunker Publishing Ltd holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Dork or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally. DOWN WITH BORING

UPDATE IF IT’S NOT IN HERE, IT’S NOT HAPPENING. OR WE FORGOT ABOUT IT. ONE OR THE OTHER.

E L O H W M #IA BO U T O U T A LL A ES TO FI N D V IE TH T O TH IN G BU O LE . ES W IT H N T, # IA M W H TH E SC EN H PR O JE C LT EA H G O BE H IN D L TA H N EW M EN IO TT. W O RK W IT PP Y M A RR PH O TO S: PO R. O YL TA M W O RD S: SA

READDORK.COM

TH EI R

he NHS and youth charity YMCA have joined forces for a new mental health campaign. #IAmWhole was launched in 2016 by Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens as a direct response to the mental health difficulties being experienced by young people throughout the UK. The efforts will focus on the effects of harmful language and negative stereotypes on mental health - and this year Nothing But Thieves are joining Jordan to front the campaign, recording a special version of their single (and album title-track) ‘Broken Machine’. Hey Conor, first off - congrats on your new album doing so well in the charts. Were you expecting it to get such a high ranking? Cheers! Not at all. We were all chasing the third or fourth position in the charts. Really shocked to find out it came in at second place. Just weird to have a Number 2 album. What did you do to celebrate? We had a party at Dom’s house and also went out with the label. Just ruined ourselves in celebration goodness. Are you pleased with how the album’s going so far? It must be nice to finally have it out. Very pleased. I think it’s going down extremely well. Personally, I think it’s ten times better than the first; I’m confident with it. Feels great to have it out, we’ve been sitting on it for about eight months after recording, so it’s been so hard. Not very good at keeping secrets. So how did you get involved in World Mental Health Day? #IAmWhole contacted us out of the blue. I was taken aback by it and flattered to be a part of it. We just want to be able to help, if we can, in any way towards the campaign. Is it an issue close to you guys? Yeah, the last few years of touring and the lifestyle shift just flipped me over. I struggled with mental health issues, and it got to a terrible point where I nearly quit the band. We have friends and loved ones who struggle with it too. It’s a big part of our lives, and the album has a lot of songs written about it. How do you cope with the pressures of band life? Well, I didn’t at all very well the last couple of years. It’s weird;

if I didn’t have an awful time, I wouldn’t have learnt the skills I needed to get through it. So in a way, I’m glad - it taught me a lot. For me personally, I try to normalise tour life. I try and take the way I live life off the road and apply it on the road. Simple things like some exercise, read a lot, good meals at similar times a day. A little goes a long way for me. Quite a few of your songs are about life’s difficulties, do you get fans opening up to you about their troubles as a result? Absolutely. I think that’s the main thing people should do, talk about it and be open. We definitely encourage it. What are you all doing for your part of the campaign? We’re taking part in a music video for #IAmWhole. We’re shooting our song ‘Broken Machine’ with a string section, and it sounds so so good. They smash it. I’ve been talking to #IAmWhole about my story too, what I went through and trying to get the message across about how important it is to talk.

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO TALK” CONOR MASON

How did you go about putting together the new version of ‘Broken Machine’? We knew we really wanted to play one of our songs for the campaign with an orchestra/string section. ‘Broken Machine’ just seemed to fit for an odd orchestral section. Dom and I did string arrangement in A-level Music so he quickly pieced together an idea of what we wanted which sounded great and sent it to this incredible arranger Chris Elliot who just turned it into this beautiful beast, sounds like a bond theme now. And what’s the best thing about taking part in #IAmWhole? Being a part of encouraging people to talk about their mental health issues. Spreading the message that it is real and very serious and shunning the negative comments towards it. P Find out more about #IAmWhole at ymca.org.uk.

DOWN WITH BORING

U P D AT E

BECK A TH E B EG I N N E R’S G U I D E TO. . .

TH E PO P P OLY M ATH I S BAC K WITH A BRAND NEW, BANG E R PAC KE D A L BU M. IT’S TI ME TO D O YOUR HOMEWORK.

WO RDS: JA M I E M U I R.

masterful genius. A shape-shifting chameleon of music. An enigma. Nobody has come close to him, and it’s likely we’ll never see anyone even try. As he once again returns with a shimmering new album, join us in a quick-fire guide to the force of nature they call Beck. There are certain people who just stand out. It’s not just because they want to be something different in life, but it’s the way they think about it. A hunger to splatter the world in whatever glorious vision that comes flying into their brains, and having the power to follow that intuition no matter what. If there’s anyone who plays the rules by their game and their game only, it’s Beck. For nearly 25 years, he’s pulled and ripped apart the very idea of what an artist is, throwing himself down more lanes than a bowling ball. Whether it’s eye-popping rainbows of pop, gritty indie licks, sensual R&B, beat-bashing hip-hop, delicate heartbreaking acoustics or big band bonanzas - Beck has done it. What makes him an undeniable kingpin is that no matter what it may be, it keeps that feverish feeling flowing - making each turn his own and baying you in closer to savour it. In the process, he’s influenced generations of bands, even if they don’t know it. If you’re The 1975, Kanye West, Haim, St Vincent the result is the same - Beck has lead the way in a world of his own, unafraid of reinvention and the next shimmering chapter. A jukebox of bangers at his disposable,

THE ALBUMS ODELAY

Iconic. One of the true landmark alternative albums of the 90s, ‘Odelay’ dares to go where nobody would even contemplate - full of big-time radio hits that didn’t fit into any mould, but forced everyone to readjust their own understanding of what music could be. Hip-hop, bluegrass, fuzz and pop? Now that’s a mix. 12

READDORK.COM

SEA CHANGE

After the pogoing fireworks, Beck’s first album of the 21st century was his most personal - a raw and devastatingly beautiful album of heartache and loss that pushed his delicate and beautiful songwriting to the core. Still one of the best break-up albums of all time, we’re going to go grab a hankie for this one.

GUERO

Almost a decade on from his breakthrough, ‘Guero’ was the reaffirming statement of intent of a man set and ready to embrace the next chapter. Once again morphing genres and shapes into his own image, cuts like ‘E-Pro’, ‘Girl’ and ‘Black Tambourine’ helped Beck shine a light on everything missing in a new century - and welcome it all with bang.

MORNING PHASE

There was a time where many thought Beck was done. Rumours of ill health and retirement, ‘Morning Phase’ was a lush platter to put everything to bed. Aesthetically warm and marking a throwback to the raw tones of ‘Sea Change’. It won him a bunch of Grammys and heralded the return of an icon.

U P D AT E

Beck represents everything we think is exciting about music. It’s bold, it’s fresh, and it’s never the same - the idea of boring for Beck is probably what keeps him up at night tinkering away at his next big era. As his latest barn-stormer ‘Colors’ gears up to make its way into the world (which you can check our thoughts on further down the line in this ‘ol mag), here’s a good place to start on Planet Beck.

THE BANGERS SEXX LAWS

Like a peacock sashaying its way into frame, Sexx Laws is a punchy blend of big horns, bigger hooks and the sound of a party erupting in under four minutes. If there’s a crime to go down for, blaring this banger out for the neighbours to hear is probably top of the pile.

E-PRO

Oozing with fuzz and a chorus born to be belted out, this is the sound of Beck proving he can kick out a riff like nobody’s business. Coming slap-bang in the middle of the 00’s, it put Beck squarely on a platform of his own in the midst of guitar-laden wonderlands. Get lairy and take on the world, ‘E-Pro’ has your back.

DEVIL’S HAIRCUT

With a brain going the speed Beck’s must be, ‘Devil’s Haircut’ is the ultimate snapshot of the off-kilter screens he projects on. With lines that seem to jump like a frog in a sock, and a shuffling backbone, it’s an anthem that likes to open itself up and see where it goes.

LOSER

If there’s one banger you’d of heard of, it’s this. Yeah yeah, everyone thinks they know the chorus and ya mate has tried to rap-along at 1am in the morning at you (just us?), but this was the moment where Beck invaded the mainstream. It’s not been the same since.

WHERE IT’S AT

Sounding like a message from outer space, the chiming organ blues and boom-bap breakdowns was a gamechanger in the mid-90s. Sounding like he was speaking from the heart of a desert, it’s a lightning bolt of a master at work.

COLORS

Beck’s latest album is a jolt in the arm to a world all over the shop. One big pop party plastered across the walls for all to see, it takes Beach Boys melodies, Beatles swoons and modern pop glides to form a cake of moreish delight. An invitation to throw away fear and embrace joy.

“WE HAVE ANOTHER ALBUM’S WORTH OF SONGS!” WEAVES H AVE JUST DROPPE D TH E IR SECON D ALBU M, ON LY A YE AR AFTE R THEI R POLARIS-N OMIN ATE D FIRST; AN D TH AT’S N OT ALL - TH EY’VE A LSO RE LE ASE D A LIPSTICK...

Hi Jasmyn. What’s all this about releasing a lipstick? Lipstick! Yes, I’m so excited to have a Weaves lipstick. It’s called Wide Open, and the two colours are named after songs on the album. Blue is called La La, and the orange coloured one is called Scream. Who’s idea was it? I guess I’ve always loved make-up and I’m always trying different colours for stage so when I came up with the idea and our team said it was a possibility I was super stoked. How do you even go about getting your own lipstick? I will say that this was a dream. Made with the help of Good Digital Culture and our label in Canada, Buzz Records. Essentially I got to pick out two colours I love and help create a design. It was all very exciting. My sister’s handwriting is also the font on the actual lipstick. Do you wear it? Ya, I love it. I wanted to pick two colours that kind of suited our music and also would look good on many skin tones. I wanted a matte orange because that colour works well with many skin colours and it’s also called Scream! So apply it and then apply that mandate to your life (do your thing). And the blue (La La) is kind of like living in the clouds and being a dreamer. It’s pretty bright, but I feel like when you put it on you’re kind of like a superhero. What are you going to do next, blue eye-shadow? Well if people like the lipsticks I would love to start my own line. I

have always been passionate about make-up and skin care, so that’s a dream. I also feel like when I enter a make-up store, I don’t feel like there’s a brand that represents the weirdos in the market. It’s either like rock n’ roll glam or demure. But I think I’m somewhere in between like many people that listen to our music. Like umm, where are the unibrows, mullets and normal body sized humans in the ads? The accompanying album, ‘Wide Open’ - it’s come awfully quickly after your debut, hasn’t it. Did you take any time off in between? We took a bit of time off, but I guess not really, ha. We came back from tour and just started writing, but it was also nice to have this year off as far as being back home and just doing normal things again. But yeah we pretty much got home in November and were recording the album by April, for it to come out next month. What are the advantages of barrelling straight into another album? I mean it worked for us, but I guess

it depends on your personality. Morgan and I are always working, and I think we kind of like it that way. It must be weird to be still talking about your debut, what with it being up for the Polaris (congrats, btw), and ‘Wide Open’ at the same time how do you juggle the two different headspaces? I wouldn’t say they are two different headspaces in that I can relate to the sentiment on both albums. I guess as you build a body of work over the years, you just relate to songs in different ways and maybe learn something new about them as time goes by; so I never feel that disconnected to songs on the old album versus the new. It’s like when you read an old diary and kind of chuckle but recognise that it’s still a part of you. Do you have a favourite track on ‘Wide Open’? I’d say ‘Scream’ with Tanya Tagaq, and the song ‘Wide Open’. Those felt like the most real and honest songs I’ve ever made. What’s next for you guys, are you straight into album number three? Who knows! We have another album’s worth of songs that didn’t make the album that we’d maybe like to release. But I’m not sure. I’m always writing when I’m home as it is still a great form of release, so I’m not sure what will happen in the future. But there will definitely be more music. P Weaves’ album ‘Wide Open’ is out now. DOWN WITH BORING

HYPE ESSENTIAL NEW BANDS

t’s barely been eighteen months since Skott released her triumphant first single ‘Porcelain’, but now several faultless tracks down the line, it looks as though a debut album is in the works.

Ahead of her gig at The Pickle Factory in London, the Swedish singer reflects on how the past three years living in Stockholm, combined with her upbringing within a rural forest community, has impacted her music and outlook. “I love Stockholm,” she explains, “I have a hard time seeing myself move anywhere else to do music because it’s such a tight community. It’s a quite small city, but it’s so songwriter-producer oriented, the industry’s very big there. “I think [the city] has prepared me a little bit more for the lifestyle I’ve been living since I released ‘Porcelain’. It’s a lot more high-tempo. I came from a very calm, peaceful place, and I feel like when I was younger, I liked working slow. Moving to the bigger city at least might have prepared me a little bit more for the crazy world of pop music.” Although Stockholm’s music industry has provided Skott with the opportunity to make a name for herself, she has discovered that producing music for commercial distribution can sometimes run the risk of stifling the creative process.

SKOTT SIN G ER-SON GW RITE R SKOTT HAS MOVED F ROM RURAL SW E D E N TO THE C R A ZY WORLD OF P OP.

WO RDS: L I LY B EC KET T PHOTO: ROY ROSSOVI C H.

READDORK.COM

“All of a sudden it’s your job, and there’s an element that comes in that’s not about passion - but it starts with passion. I mean, the writing, the music and everything is just a passion I have, then politics comes in and all of a sudden it’s like, I’m a company basically. “I think that’s - for many artists - the biggest challenge, to find a balance, and not to let it take over or take away too much. Because you do have to spend time on that side of it too.” The mystical artwork adorning Skott’s single covers and merchandise draws heavily on tales from folklore and nature, influences from her upbringing. Natural phenomena and the spiritual world are entities which she feels are very closely aligned with music. “To me, music has always been something which I feel is a little bit divine. It feels like it’s some kind of clue, or some kind of proof, that there must be, you know, something more. Something like a soul. Like, why do we feed on

ESSENTIAL NEW BANDS

“I’M USUALLY IN A FANTASY WORLD”

music? It’s almost… over-natural?” Supernatural? “Yeah! Supernatural, in a way. I guess that affects my ‘respect’ for music, and I feel like the songs and melodies and messages are already there, in the universe, and you just have to find them. It’s not me creating them, it’s me on a… treasure hunt, for these pieces that can actually touch people.” She laughs, “That sounded really pretentious.”

SKOTT

Success has come swiftly to Skott: on Spotify, her ‘monthly listeners’ have now shot past the one-million mark. The singer contemplates how her music has changed since her first release: “I’m a little bit more open maybe. In a way, I’ve always been curious to not be too set with one genre. I wanted to be a little bit unexpected.

the cheesy side, because I like that too! And then I might go back to the darker stuff; it’s just like the mood of a person.” The singer will be exploring uncharted territory in her debut album, which she hopes will be released by March 2018.

“Like any person with a personality, there are so many sides. Often I have these darker, heavier messages, but sometimes I just want to feel good and dance. You’ll see probably, this Autumn I have a little bit more happy songs coming, even towards

A MI D L A N DS F I VEPI ECE W HO M A KE DA M N IN F ECTIOUS B RITP OPIN F LU E NC E D F U Z Z-P OP.

E HE TH O NT ON E NE VIIN EV PE AP G RA GR

“I’m usually in a fantasy world, the spiritual world, the forest or something, but I’m gonna take my new songs more to the modern life, into the living room or dancefloor. But that doesn’t mean that I will

abandon my ‘bubble’ of fairytales, that’ll always be something to go back to.” As her parting gift, Skott recommends a Swedish pop duo she’d love more people to listen to. “I Am Karate are really cool. They do everything themselves, so like loop pedals, computers, playing and singing - it’s two girls. And then they produce a lot all by themselves, make the videos and edit them all by themselves. They’re very cool.” P Skott’s single ‘Remain’ is out now.

VIOLET

A BAT TO I R B LU ES H I T T H E ROA D T H I S D EC E M B E R

Abattoir Blues have a new UK tour planned for the end of the year. The run will kick off in Bristol on December 5th, before calling off in London, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham. Writing on Facebook, the band say they’ll be hand picking support for the dates, promise new music, and suggest we’ll be getting “other exciting stuff” before the tour. S E A G I RLS A RE P L AY I N G LO N D O N

Sea Girls will play a London headline show early next year. The band will play the Omeara on 1st February, following recent sets for Live At Leeds, Neighbourhood Festival and their upcoming set at SWN Festival (21st October). C H LO E H OW L RET U RN S TO T H E STAG E

Chlöe Howl has announced a oneoff London show. The singer - who returned earlier this year with new single ‘Magnetic’ - will play the Waiting Room on 6th November. Tickets are on sale now.

because he owns a film camera and has eight rolls of undeveloped film.

Hey guys, what’re you up to? Hey, we’re all here in our cosy little lock-up in Lichfield, where we’re rehearsing and chilling out between shows. How’re you feeling now that your debut single’s out, has it been a long time in the works? ‘Feel’ was one of our first tracks that we wrote last year and we’ve been sitting on it for a little while; it “feels” good to finally have a song out there for everyone to listen to. What inspired you to write ‘Feel’? It came about before Luke [Brickett, guitar/vocals] got a flight and was worried he wouldn’t make it home, so he recorded some demos in an existential daze. Thankfully our Luke made it home and showed it

to Patch [Murphy, drums] and then subsequently to the rest of us, making it into what it is now.

or Smashing Pumpkins, but we all started making music together around this time last year.

How do you guys go about writing your tracks, and do you have many in your arsenal? Someone usually creates an initial idea and will show everyone, then each of us adds a lil bit of ourselves until we like where it’s at. We’ve been accumulating songs for the past year, recording the ones we’re happy with, but we have quite a few to our name now some of which we’re hoping the world will get to hear soon…

What was the music scene like in the area where you grew up? When we all started properly going out to gigs, ‘B-Town’ was the big thing in Birmingham at the time with bands like Peace and Swim Deep dominating the scene, so it was quite an inspiring time for us all. Unfortunately, now there isn’t a scene like there was before.

When did you first realise you wanted to make music? We’ve all been surrounded and influenced by music since we were wee bois, whether it be S Club 7

Are you creative in non-musical ways too? Luke and Patch do some graphic design stuff on their Instagrams under pseudonyms (it’s very good to be fair). Ted [Spivey, synth/percussion/ guitar] thinks he’s a photographer

What’s your favourite thing about being a musician? The satisfaction you get when writing something that you all love. When it’s reciprocated it’s a lovely “feeling”. What’ve you got planned for the rest of the year? We’re on tour at the moment, and we have a couple more gigs towards the end of the year. We’ll be writing some new songs, we’ll record said new songs, we’ll celebrate Christmas, and we’ll wait for this all to blow over. Anything else we should know? Have you ever thought about what you were gonna think about next, but as you think about what you were gonna think about next - you’re already thinking about what you are thinking about thinking next? P Violet’s debut single ‘Feel’ is out now.

DOWN WITH BORING

Visio n s of a Life

READDORK.COM

WIT H F I RS T H E I R T AL THE Y K BU M , ICK AR S E WO VO LU T TA RT E D LF A ION . NO WIT LICE W H A N D TH E F A RE B AC K OLL T H EY ’ R CHA OW U OV E N G E T H E A BO U P, RA E T G GAI A M E TO WO R N. ALL P H O DS : A L I SH TOS U : SA RA

TLE H LO R . UIS

E BE NN

ET T

WOLF ALICE

hrough the evergrowing excitement of debut album ‘My Love is Cool’, Wolf Alice got bigger and more potent. There were nominations, awards and loads of big numbers as the belief that they are A Very Important Band shifted from buzzy optimism to undeniable truth. Expectations surpassed in every direction, new album ‘Visions of a Life’ takes all that magic and pushes it widescreen. Songs of friendship, fear, fantasy, fallout and love drip in an earthly reality, making sense of things that shouldn’t but never getting lost in the search for something pure or wasting time looking at their own relevance. See, Wolf Alice make the sort of music that galvanises relationships, soundtracking nights that’ll last forever and offering a comforting escape when things you thought would, don’t. They’re very much in love with music and two albums in, they’ve become a band we can, and do, rely on. Like Este, Danielle and Alana or Noel, Liam and, erm, those other guys - they’re the sort of band who you know on a first name basis. A group of friends done good, they still wrestle, will put their hands in pockets for money towards a bottle of milk and find the humour in any situation. But the world has shifted around them. A lot has changed since the release of that debut. After the wide-eyed search of ‘My Love is Cool’, ‘Visions of a Life’ sees the band taking control, saying no and making a stand. It’s mature without being boring (Wolf Alice don’t do dull), and is serious but never self-important. A lot of what makes this band connect comes easy - effortless companionship and a giddy, grinning excitement about everything they do - but this new album sees them dig down into difficult. Every decision takes what you think you know about their music, and warps it. “We’re trying really hard,” starts Ellie Rowsell. “It’s not just mates making music. We are ambitious and hard working. We’re not just like, this is a laugh. There are a lot of sacrifices you have to make doing what we’re doing so if we’re making those sacrifices, we want to see something. I want to work hard, it’s fun that way. You don’t want it to flatline, and it’s not just jokes.”

DOWN WITH BORING

REVIEWS ST. VINCENT MASSEDUCTION

eeeee techno beats, half theatrical banger. At one point, it sounds like the Ghostbusters theme coming out of a dying child’s toy. ‘Pills’ matches it every step of the way, ringing out like a twisted playground rhyme before swinging a full 180 and floating out of the same door it entered through. Where ‘St. Vincent’ may have been whip-smart in its pacing, ‘MASSEDUCTION’ has no time for anything but full-throttle. While personal preference may sway one way and the next, there’s no doubt that such directness works. Even the record’s slowest moment - lead track ‘New York’ - wins earworm status.

here aren’t many artists like St. Vincent. Heck, it’s quite possible she’s one of a kind, but then all the best have that strand of individuality that marks them out from the field. It’s a trait which finally started to gain the mainstream recognition it deserves on her previous, self-titled album. An

In the lead-up to the record, Clark has claimed this is the record to listen to if you want to really know what her life is like - but while it may well be her most first person full-length to date, no space is left to morbidly pick over lyrical content. Instead, it drips with confidence - be it natural or deliberately presented. From the reminiscence of ‘Young Lover’ to the virtual perfection of ‘Los Ageless’, every moment is gilded with gold. explosion of oddball, unique pop, it became the big breakthrough record that pulls the threads together, adding swagger to every move. From first listen, it was obviously something special. Now its effects have fully taken hold, it’s given birth to something on an altogether different scale. ‘MASSEDUCTION’ isn’t just the next

record off the conveyor belt. In some ways, its day-glo highlights might be the logical next move for Annie Clark, but while others would take the attention and cash out, she’s done anything but. Instead, she’s created a full-length that takes every brilliant, twisted idea and supersized it. ‘Sugarboy’ is a hundred foot high monster - half

As wider horizons open, Clark has grasped her opportunity with both hands. There’s no sign of hanging on for dear life, either. She’s in complete control at all times. On the biggest stage of all, St. Vincent does more than just succeed, she belongs. When, in years to come, they mark out the greats of this era, you can bet she’ll have her say. By then, she’ll be operating in a completely different universe. Stephen Ackroyd

HEAR THE HOTTEST NEW RELEASES AS THEY DROP, 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

L I S T E N N O W AT R E A D D O R K . C O M O R V I A T U N E I N O N I O S A N D A N D R O I D .

READDORK.COM

REV I E WS

HUSKY LOOPS

EP2 Fighting Ourselves

eeee From Bologna, Italy to London, England via a name that’s been compared to “an off-brand bodybuilding cereal”, it’s no wonder Husky Loops are a little bit different from the norm. Their first EP was an exercise in boundary-pushing, jagged edges melting away into smooth melodies, claustrophobic songs suddenly expanding as fast as you can blink. Their second EP, ‘EP 2’ (well done on the name, lads) picks up the ball and runs with it, building on what made their first effort so original and pushing even further. They’re impossible to pin down and never predictable, but you always get the sense that they hit the exact spot they intend to. Jake Hawkes

TUSKS

DISSOLVE One Little Indian

eeee The cinematic luxuries affected by Hastings-born musical mastermind Tusks, better known to family and friends as Emily Underhill, sees her debut album ‘Dissolve’ become a brooding selection of delicious alt-pop sounds that seek to expand your mind as they swirl intoxicatingly inside your head. Throughout the release, the warm textures surround you with ‘Last’ and the title track both proving powerful as they grasp you by the lapels to pull you in close and tell you the most personal of stories. ‘Dissolve’ - also the lead-in single to the album - is a highlight. There’s never a sense that the pop sensibilities inside are going to overpower the throbbing desire to spill out every last feeling, and at no point does anything you’ll hear become even slightly inaccessible. At the heart of it all, this is an album made for the big screen; destined to flow out of story-high speakers to hordes of fans just waiting to give it a much deserved standing ovation. Ciaran Steward

DESTROYER

KEN Merge Records

eee Dan Bejar can always be relied on to provide a certain degree of quality and distinction on every album he releases and ‘Ken’ his twelfth Destroyer album has all the grace and beauty you’ve come to expect. The enigmatic title isn’t a Coronation Street homage; instead, it’s a reference to the original working title of Suede’s romantic ballad ‘The Wild Ones’. While not sounding like the Suede album, it’s imbued with the same sort of evocative spirit of escape and mystery. ‘Ken’ is an album filled with joy and sadness in equal measure. Martyn Young

BECK

COLORS

eeee

ometimes the best things come to people who wait. It’s felt like an age since news of Beck’s new album first broke and things in the meantime have gone a bit skew-iff in the world. Thankfully, what hasn’t changed is the promise of Beck going pop, a teasing line that has had us banging on his front door for a while now, and a direction that only Beck could pull off after the lush crafting of previous album ‘Morning Phase’. Striding in on the back of a steed, with his paintbrush firmly in a bucket of technicolour vision - the result is ‘Colors’, a palette of shimmering pop that pulls from a variety of eras for one hell of a good time. Whether its swinging with Beatles-esque joy on ‘Dear Life’, chucking the term pop against the wall and playing with its splatter on ‘Wow’

or putting his foot down in a manner that hasn’t been heard since ‘E-Pro’ scorched its way into disco playlists with ‘I’m So Free’ - ‘Colors’ is a record that thrives on open and carefree moments that only Beck could produce. It’s the sound of pressing play on a glorious summer day, with Beck sounding as vital and important as he’s ever done. Turning his bow back to the immediate pop licks that burst from the title track itself, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Seventh Heaven’, Beck proves that he’s the master of whatever style he likes - and doesn’t let up the grinning hooks throughout (only taking a step back on closer ‘Fix Me’). For a record packed with heady highs, immediate glory and an effortless charm - ‘Colors’ is pretty much unrivalled. This is the moment Beck proves he’s the leader of the party, with an album that could turn any mood into a celebration of life. Jamie Muir

BULLY

LOSING

eeee

osing’’s opening track ‘Feels The Same’ almost acts as a direct bridge to debut album ‘Feels Like’. Alicia Bognnano is almost trapped in an endless cycle (“Cut my hair / I feel the same / Masturbate / I feel the same”). Life becomes rote, but instead of aimlessly throwing around emotions as we all tended to do when we were younger, this older and wiser Bognnano starts to tackle things head-on. Whether it’s relationships, sexism or general malaise, Bully are now fully prepared to fight their way through it all. All the confused anger has already been expelled and now, even though it’s difficult to see what path they need to take, it’s clear they just need to focus that fire to eliminate the

obstacles. At times, it can feel like Bully have trimmed their claws a little bit. Bognnano’s signature scream, in particular, takes much more of a backseat here. But perhaps this is part of their growing up. It’s a much more reflective album, harking back to incidents with bad weed (‘Focused’) and agonising over consequences rather than just raging ahead like a furious fireball (‘You Could Be Wrong’). It is easy to miss the bite and verve of the old Bully, but Bognnano is still as open and raw as ever. There’s nothing nearly as impactful here as on ‘Feels Like’, but ‘Losing’ feels like a natural progression of Bully’s story. From intern, to forming a band, to exorcising demons, and now to understanding the self, this is still Bully, just older and wiser. Chris Taylor DOWN WITH BORING

S R E L L I K E H T

N AT O I S A C C O EMY SEIZE THE D A C A N O B RI XT 2 O S ’ N O LO N D LO U D. O TO : RO B IE M U IR . PH M JA S: RD WO

ho disputes The Man? Powerful, dominant and all-encompassing – it’s a road that The Killers have rightfully claimed as their own over the past twelve years, marking themselves as one of a handful of bands who not only jump to mind but define a generation. While sometimes they may just embrace the role, lately things have taken a real grab ‘em by the throat mentality, like the time a band realises that they need to truly kick the competition to the curb. 2017 is laid out for The Killers to own, a statement of where the stadium-conquerors now find themselves in a world that seems to change on a dime every couple of months. Longing for the Las Vegas natives to seize the occasion and more, rolling into Brixton Academy is a prime affair – one that shines a light far brighter than any stadium show or festival headlining set on where The Killers sit in the world at this very moment. They’re a band of immeasurable importance and one seething with a hunger that’s sure to ignite a new era in a heartbeat. It’s that exact message that bursts into Brixton with the arrival of ‘The Man’, lighting the fuse on a set that sizzles with urgency. The swagger-filled opener should be plastered across every flag and sign that comes from the stage Brandon Flowers & Co find themselves and sets the tone for a set that never feels tired or repetitive, but instead feels like a culmination of everything they’ve been working on till this point. Re-energised and soaring, the opening one-two that comes with ‘Run For Cover’ gazes directly at the future – unravelling a greatest hits assortment that has Brandon drowned out from the very first kicks of ‘Spaceman’, ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ and ‘Somebody Told Me’. ‘Read My Mind’ is spiritual, ‘Mr Brightside’ sets light to sheer chaos,

READDORK.COM

‘Human’ demands to be screamed along to amidst pogoing crowds and ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’ stands as an anthem that transcends any sort of ‘hit’ or memory but continues to create its own orbit around them. More than anything, Brixton tonight is the sound of a band searing with power, discovering and showing that hunger and passion for more – simply settling is a ridiculous notion when screened across the panoramic dreams displayed in Brixton tonight. If anyone can ever chuck criticism at The Killers, it’s born out of that fear that they may slip into averageness. We don’t want them to go down the line of U2, spawning out an album every few years to kickstart a tour, but instead leading that charge for the next sound and vision – frothing at the mouth with a hunger that can never be satisfied. Tonight at Brixton, The Killers became that band again. The one that isn’t satisfied with the normal, but wants more. When Brandon Flowers leans out to hear from the vast crowds, he wants to hear the screams and pulsations of an audience gazing into the future, not one locked in the past. With new album ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ incoming, Brixton tonight feels more like a line in the sand. There truly is nobody quite like The Killers. That is a statement that rings long out of Brixton tonight – grabbing the world by the throat and no longer settling for an average reaction. Aiming to be the best and not being afraid to own it, that sounds like The Man to us. It’s pretty amazing how one track can open things up, and sometimes we need one night in South London to remind us all of that. The 21st century belongs to The Killers. By bringing things back, they’ve proven their importance on a level that simply can’t be quantified in physical numbers on a spreadsheet. Now that’s a ‘Wonderful, Wonderful’ future, just ask The Man. P

REV I E WS

GET INUIT

THE LEXINGTON, LONDON It takes guts to pause in the middle of one of your most popular songs to plug the merch table, but Jamie Glass’s cheeky charm means there’s not a face in sight which doesn’t meet and match his beaming grin. Get Inuit roll out their greatest hits so far - plus a couple of cracking newbies they’re overly apologetic for - with all the energy of Skittles-fuelled toddlers. Confidence abound, they rock out to a room packed with crowd-surfers and Jamie Glass lookalikes, barely taking a breath. Support from the smooth and dreamy Stereo Honey plus the delightfully riotous Gaffa Tape Sandy is strong, but beauts like ‘Pro Procrastinator’ and ‘Teriyaki’ show the headliners’ pedigree and ensure unending adoration from their ever-increasing fanbase. Complete with an energy often reserved for practising in front of the bedroom mirror, Get Inuit make for a genuinely mind-blowing live experience well worth seeing. Ciaran Steward

INTERPOL

ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER There’s something fitting about the streets of Manchester being rainsoaked while Interpol are in town to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of ‘Turn On The Bright Lights’. Running through their seminal debut with near perfection - including the bonus track ‘Specialist’ - it’s a celebratory evening that somehow garners, even more, magic with the encore. Fan favourites such as ‘Slow Hands’ and ‘Heinrich Maneuver’ get an airing, while we’re even treated to a brand new track called ‘Real Life’. A perfect evening that held as much energy as when Interpol first suavely crept into our lives, they sound as dark as ever - here’s to the next fifteen years. Steven Loftin

YO NAKA A RE SO M ETH I N G SPECIA L AT TH E BORD E RL I N E WORDS: ALI SHUTLER. PHOTO: CORIN N E CU MMIN G.

onaka have had a busy summer. The band who took to The Great Escape, full of blurred lines, jagged edges and a hurried want for the party to start on their own terms were not the same beast by the time Reading & Leeds rolled around. That need to get things moving was still ever present, but carried by a confidence in the build and the thrill of the chase, they were bigger, better and more potent. With a handful of anthems-in-waiting at their disposal and the buzz of the new,

Tonight as the headline London’s The Borderline, things change once more. Starting the excitement from scratch, the gang colour the night in their own terms. From the word go, they toy with light and shade, fury and frenzy. There’s a space to play so of course Yonaka use it. Four songs in and ‘Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya’ hits. Instantly the excitement finds a new level to bounce from and carnage reigns. The whirling chaos carries on through ‘Drongo’ as Yonaka

push for more. Constantly driving things forward and pushing at the walls, theirs is an undeniable energy that lights up the room. Normally the slow burn of ‘All In My Head’ is used as a pause for breath but tonight, there’s simply no stopping them. ‘Ignorance’ and ‘Bubblegum’ lift things even further, a flurry of electric shapes, realised potential and swaggering wonder. There’s always been something special to Yonaka, an attitude and a need for space, and tonight sees them taking control in glorious high-definition. P

C HA RLY B L ISS A RE G RE AT AT

RYAN ADAMS

CORN EXCHANGE, CAMBRIDGE Ryan Adams has been having a bit of a rough time recently. Tweeting like it’s going out of fashion, he’s made some questionable choices, but tonight, having finally returned to Cambridge after nearly a decade, he lays them all to rest with a performance that comes straight from his earnest heart. Taking to the stage in a plume of smoke, Ryan and band are tight from the get-go. Clocking in at just over two hours, it’s a marathon of jams that challenge every emotional aspect you can think of. Cuts from across his mammoth back catalogue sit better than the newer from recent album ‘Prisoner’, though they’re still warmly received. All in all, it’s everything you could want from a Ryan Adams set. Steven Loftin

Yonaka bloomed.

TH E O B L WORDS: ALI SH UTLE R. PH OTO: CORIN N E CU MMIN G.

harly Bliss have spent the days, weeks and months since they released ‘Guppy’ crashing head-first into peoples lives, stealing hearts and occupying minds with an unrelenting ease. They’re the sort of band who have a song celebrating their therapist, who roll their eyes and poke fun while telling stories of broken hearts and who know the meaning of joy. It’s all done with

an unflinching purity and an infectious excitement. From the screaming pour of ‘Percolator’, tonight’s show takes their “I think it’s cool I’m in touch with my feelings,” and passes it around. ‘Westermarck’ struggles to let go, ‘Scare U’ is “about how much I suck and am incapable of casual relationships”, while ‘Glitter’, all pointed barbs and sunshine escape, picks through the debris of a relationship. Throughout the jealousy,

the confusion and the fear, the band are self-deprecating but find the strength in their flaws. Giddy with companionship, they rage, giggle and yell. There’s colour in the grunge, glitter in the dark. Tonight might be their first time in London but by the time the onesong encore cover of Len’s ‘Steal My Sunshine’ rings out, Charly Bliss feel like old friends. Secrets are shared, crisis’s are averted and there’s a spirited togetherness in knowing that you’re not the only one with these feelings. P DOWN WITH BORING