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Contributors: Amie Kingswell, Ben Jolley, Danny Randon, Heather McDaid, Jamie Muir, Jasleen Dhindsa, Jessica Goodman, Josh Williams, Kathryn Black, Martyn Young, Rob Mesure, Ryan Johnston, Sam Taylor, Sammy Maine, Sarah Louise Bennett, Steven Loftin 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. P U B L I S H E D F RO M
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THIS MONTH... U P D AT E 0 4 . R AT B O Y 06. BA N KS 0 7. T H E W Y T C H E S 08. AGA I N ST M E ! 10. H OW TO D RESS W E L L 12. BANG ERS 13. CITY GUIDES... TWIN AT L A N T I C 14. P U B L I C AC C ESS T V 1 5 . A D AY I N T H E L I F E O F. . . S H U R A 1 6 . D E AT H S P E L L S 1 7. B E A C H B A B Y 18. THE GUIDE HYPE 20. 22. 23. 23.
THE LEMON TWIGS WILL JOSEPH COOK HANA DAG N Y
24. BA BY ST R A N G E 2 5 . S T E V I E PA R K E R 25. LEWIS DEL MAR F E AT U R E S 28. 34. 36. 38. 40.
THE BIG MOON D E A P VA L LY WA R P A I N T MERCHANDISE A LU N AG EO RG E
REVI E WS 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 4 7.
FRANK OCEAN BASTILLE S L AV E S DOE THE CRIBS B E AC H S L A N G
20 QUESTIONS WITH... 5 0 . D I L LY D A L LY
THIS MONTH, WE’VE BEEN M O S T LY LISTENING TO... The Big Moon Beautiful Stranger Our cover stars’ original stuff is brilliant, but their cover of the Madonna classic is next level awesome.
KLOE - Liability Pretty sure our KLOE can’t do anything less than brilliant.
The Magic Gang All The Way Yet more magic from Brighton’s musical wizards in residence.
UPDATE e “I lov t.” ar g n i mak
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“I’M N OT A R AT , I’M A BLOO DY G ERBI L M8.”
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ou’d think Rat Boy would be pretty happy after bursting onto the scene with his blend of rabble rousing indie punk and garnering a rabid fan base of loyal devotees in just a couple of years, selling out venues across the UK that some bands might take years to fill. Jordan Cardy isn’t happy just doing that though: he wants to spread his wings and grow the Rat Boy empire. “I create my own art and videos,” he begins. “We just do what we want. We make our own music and we don’t want to be put in a box.” The early Rat Boy songs that first got attention have been superseded by a newly confident and creative multi-genre artist. “We don’t care about genres,” agrees Jordan. “We want to make what we want at the time. It’s about experimenting, having fun and getting our message across.” Rat Boy’s message is very simple: the ethos is all about expressionism and individualism. Perhaps the excitement buzzing around Rat Boy can be put down to how relatable he is. In short, everyone knows a Rat Boy. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” admits Jordan, referencing his band. “We’re just normal people, so maybe we’re just like everybody else. We don’t want to be stereotypical rock stars. We’re just normal people having fun.” Despite the whirlwind he finds himself in, Jordan remains grounded about how important his loyal fans are. “I really appreciate people being interested in what we want to do,” he says. “I don’t want to take that for granted.” Things are progressing creatively at a fast pace; Jordan talks enthusiastically about a number of projects and ideas he has on the go. “All the time I’m
being inspired by new things,” he says. With the music embracing a more experimental and creative sound, as heard on this summer’s ‘Get Over It’ single, influences like the Beastie Boys and Beck are coming to the fore. When the debut Rat Boy album arrives next year it’ll be hard to predict just what it will sound like. “There’ll be a few indie guitar tracks on the record but the production behind them will be more inspired by big beat and will be heavier like Rage Against The Machine. Our influences are all over the place so it’s difficult to say what we want to do,” Jordan admits. “I’ll probably change my mind in a week’s time,” he laughs. What is certain though is that it’s not just about the music for Rat Boy. He wants to become a cultural phenomenon. “The album has got concepts to it that I’ve been working on with characters based on the last music video,” he says. “That was introducing and referencing loads of different things. It’s going to be twentysomething tracks.” At the heart of what Rat Boy does is a restless creative spirit. “We just want to make sure that we put as much effort into everything as we do with music,” says Jordan. “It’s just as much about the visuals as it is about the music for me. I love making art.” The art he’s making now involves stage props, video storyboards, clothes and all sorts of different concepts. The autumn tour promises to be a landmark moment in the rise of Rat Boy. “I’m designing the visuals of the set at the moment that will reference the music video for where we’re going in the future,” he says. He does concede though that the chaotic nature of Rat Boy’s gigs might lead to a hefty prop replacement bill. “It’s going to be mad,” he laughs. “I think all our stuff is going to get destroyed pretty quickly.” The onstage experience is where Rat Boy really comes alive. “It’s a wicked feeling,” says Jordan excitedly. “We’re all
y : Ra t B o u s o ff it
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making a moment. It feels really special. I never thought I’d be on the other side playing to people instead of being in the crowd.” Ray Boy has already achieved a lot in a short period, but as he approaches his biggest tour yet and prepares to embark on new creative challenges, he’s ready to lift off. “We’re trying to do something that not a lot of bands do. We’re trying to make a world.” P Rat Boy’s headline tour will kick off on 16th September in Sheffield. See you think musicians are All About The Music, and many of them are; but not Rat Boy - he does all sorts: writes the theme tune, sings the theme tune… and designs the hats too. He’s made a ‘zine for his ‘Get Over It’ EP, featuring a handdrawn storyboard for the accompanying video which also introduces two characters of his own creation: Neptune and Scum. That same video saw him take on directing duties, editing duties, production duties, and even prop design for the car, cereal boxes, books, food and clothing. And he has two clothing lines too: SCUM and Skating Kills. More than merely merch, he has fans queuing in their droves to get their hands on limited edition designs. Phew.
LCD Soundsystem pull shows to record album LCD Soundsystem are reported to have cancelled their 2016 Australian and Asian tour before it was even announced; Hong Kong festival Clockenflap claims they backed out due to “studio scheduling conflicts related to their new album.”
Blossoms add even more shows Blossoms are doing alright at the moment, aren’t they? A Number 1 album, a legion of adoring fans, and a sold out headline tour. There’s more joy to come, too – with more dates to round off the year in style. Find the full list on readdork.com.
Taming Gaga It’s been revealed that Lady Gaga’s new song has been produced by none other than Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker. The psychedelic groover has had a hand in ‘Perfect Illusion’, the lead single from Gaga’s new record.
Be a Jarman Ever wanted to be a Jarman? Well, now you can, and without having to move to Wakefield and change your name. The Cribs have their own range of signature guitars. The limited edition Fender Squires are available now from “all good music stores”.
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Lower Than Atlantis are putting the work in Lower Than Atlantis have dropped a brand new track, ‘Work For It’. The first taster of a new album set to follow in 2017, the band are apparently working to a “write three, record three” rule. Like when we eat three biscuits, then eat another three, we guess.
Game on Grimes is among three artists announced as curators for the new NBA 2K17 game. “Stoked to be involved w curating playlist for #NBA2K17,” she said on Twitter. “Got some v good and incessantly listenable stuff on here.” It’s good to aim for listenable, Claire. Good move.
The Shins’ new album due in 2017
Telly s t c i Add
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ohn Eatherly is a man born and raised in late-night jams, a revolving door of projects and ideas, and above all else, a pure love for the classic rock’n’roll sounds that filled his youth. Moving to New York on a whim and longing for the fantasy lifestyle of living in shit and getting by on cheap food all to play raucous late-night shows - he has become a true indie veteran already, jumping between bands including The Virgins, Turbo Fruits and those latenaughties favourites Be Your Own PET.
But in Public Access TV, he’s now taken the reigns and is putting across his very own manifesto for guitar music. “The initial idea of starting the band was being antsy to play my own songs,” he explains, back in New York after a year that has seen Public Access TV play
ccess b li c A u P , n t ow set ou urnt d f la t b : t h ey it k r f o o Y t ew bes t h e ir N e the Aft e r o mak t y a w ro ad . und a on the TV fo Wor d s: J a m ie M u ir.
manic sold out shows and release track after track of buzzed indie goodness. “It was cool to play in those bands, but I really wanted to do my own thing.” Alongside childhood friend Max Peebles, guitarist Xan Aird and drummer Pete Star (no relation to Ringo…), Public Access TV have managed to capture the sort of youthful longing and New York style that blends The Strokes with the US new wave hooks of Tom Petty, The Cars and on a more British front, The Clash. “We’re all on the same page,” says John. “Everyone’s down to do whatever it takes for the band, nobody wants to go and work in a coffee shop or anything.” So Costa’s loss is definitely our gain. With early shows stocked full of A-listers and industry insiders, the band appeared set to solidify their status as the next great US indie gang. Then on 27th March 2015, the band
They’ve been dropping hints, for a while, but The Shins’ James Mercer has revealed their new album will come early next year. “I think my songwriting is stronger than it ever was,” he claims.
awoke to missed calls, worried texts and the news that their apartment in Brooklyn was in flames. They watched that apartment block crumble down live in front of them just moments later. It forced John and his bandmates to make a drastic decision to keep out on the road. Looking back, John sees it as a dark time, but one that brought the band closer together. “We just thought, well if we’re heading out on some dates already, then let’s just get away and take advantage of that. We didn’t have our shit together as to how we were going to live in New York so it was everyone fucked together. “It was scattered and insane. We just had to make use of being somewhere else. Being fucked.” With the road as their only home and a long stint in London where they set up shop and offered themselves out to play any and every show possible, Public Access TV’s experiences come together to form their debut full-length, ‘Never Enough’; a thrilling and punchy collection of 70s inspired grooves that finds John fully flexing the songwriting muscles he’s been teasing for years. Now back in New York, it seems the momentous events of that evening over a year and a half ago has laid the groundwork for the band they are today. A tighter bond than ever, who’ve been fucked and got back up again, and are now writing their very own chapter in New York music folklore - with a distinctly British flavour.
Bon Iver can’t count, but has a new album out Bon Iver is set to release a new album ‘22, A Million’ on 30th September. “‘22, A Million’ is part love letter, part final resting place of two decades of searching for selfunderstanding like a religion.” a press release says. Ok mate. If you say so.
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d to a h t s “We ju being f o e s u make else. e r e h somew ed.” k c u f Being
As John Eatherly looks out on a latesummer morning in the city where it all began, he can’t help but realise the role New York has played in shaping Public Access TV, the band he’s been waiting to for his entire life. “We still have that same idea - of living in a shitty apartment, being there and doing it, and regardless of how we want to be perceived, this is the city where it all started and it seeps into you no matter what. “It does something to you, living here.” P Public Access TV’s debut album ‘Never Enough’ is out 30th September.
s d r a c Post From The
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bands . T h ey t o u r, t g o o ff h ey n e on ve r r in g . We wo r r ie ’r e d abo ut the put ou m . To r m in d s a t re in s is t s t , we’r e in g t h ey c h e c ke e p u k in a nd s upda te d f r ro ad . o m the T h is m onth: Fe a r o f Men .
A Day In he Life T Of
Shura
Spoiler: it’s mostly hanging out with kittens. 9A M ( SO M ET I M ES AS L AT E AS 1 1 A M - W H O O PS ) If the kittens haven’t woken me up at 6am trying to get me to feed them with Antonio Banderas in the style of Puss in Boots in Shrek eyes then I will mainly wake up around 9. The first thing I do before anything is OBVIOUSLY pee and brush my teeth - anyone who doesn’t do this as soon as they wake up isn’t doing it right. A lot of the time I’ve come back super late from a gig the night before so I will try and stretch that out as far as is humanly possible. When I was writing for my first album it was a little different because I would normally start writing at 11, but touring is a very different lifestyle. 10A M I actually can’t have breakfast immediately BUT I can have several cups of tea. When I used to smoke I used to have a cigarette and a coffee (x2) which is basically the worst way to start the day ever. Now I like to alternate between Earl Grey and Yorkshire just to keep things fresh. Once I’ve down a few of those I normally try to include avocado somehow into my breakfast. This is mainly by smashing it with lime and chilli and having it on toast which is basically the best freakin’ breakfast in the world. 11AM I normally like to start jamming around this time. It means it’s not long till lunch so if you’re stuck on something
you can have some time away from the laptop to have a think about different ways of approaching something. That’s especially true if I’m remixing. If I’m writing songs I tend not to get too worried about getting stuck and just move onto the next idea. I guess I just have faith that if an idea is good that the solution to the problem will come... it just might not be immediate. 2PM Because I get up a bit later than I used to when I had a normal job I tend to do everything a bit later - including eating! Lunch is sometimes at 2 but can be as late as 4 and sometimes I even forget to have it which is obviously LAME but I have this weird thing where I don’t really get hungry and I don’t really get full. It’s a blessing and a curse. I’ve recently tried to incorporate a vegetarian/vegan diet as much as possible so now I’m really into stir frying vegetables for lunch or going for pho. I live in Shepherd’s Bush so there’s literally 5 million options near me for places to eat. 5PM This is the part in the day I start to go a bit crazy and I either decide to pull a late one or cut the day short there. Sometimes it’s really obvious whether or not you can still get anything productive done. If it looks like I can’t I usually make a decision to finish around there and try to switch my brain onto
something else. Sometimes it’ll be making a nice dinner and settling down to a TV series with my twin. Or playing with the cats or video games. 7PM This is the hour of food... Sometimes I end up eating later but basically this is the time I ideally want to stuff my face as it gives me time to have digest, have a bath and listen to a Generation Why? podcast.
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8PM - MIDNIGHT From here on in it’s basically me watching TV series or true crime or documentaries. I like to have baths so if I can combine the two this is ideal. I try not to go to bed too late but sometimes Twitter gets in the way. I basically like to curl up in bed (I live with my twin and we don’t have a living room) with Stitch and listen to whale song when it’s time to sleep. ALL OF THE ABOVE IS CLEARLY THE LIFE OF A HERMIT. I do occasionally leave - maybe to buy a coffee someone else has made rather than make one myself. I also sometimes play board games with friends. If I’m feeling really rowdy I may even go for a drink or two... But I basically live a pretty chill life with music and my twin and my kittens in Shepherd’s Bush being a bit of a nerd. P Shura’s album ‘Nothing’s Real’ is out now.
Green Day plan a revolution Green Day are to release their next album in October. Titled ‘Revolution Radio’, the fulllength is led by a new single ‘Bang Bang’, which definitely isn’t a Jessie J cover. “It’s about the culture of mass shootings that happen in America, mixed with narcissistic social media,” Billie Joe told Rolling Stone. “There’s this rage happening, but it’s also now being filmed, and we all have ourselves under surveillance. To me, that’s so twisted.”
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HYPE ESSENTIAL NEW BANDS
“A N D K YL IE Y D ID N ’T G EN U IN EL G BO RR O W IN M IN D YO U TH EM ?”
“I LIKE THINGS T H AT B L U R LINES.” 20
THE LEMON TWIGS I S T H I S T H E BU Z Z I EST BA N D I N T H E WO RL D RI G H T N OW ? ( Y ES - E D)
H AVI N G J UST TORN UP THE CAPITAL WITH THEI R FIRST EVE R U K SH OWS, AN D WITH A DE BUT A L BUM ON THE WAY, THERE’S NO STOPPIN G TH E LE MON TWIGS.
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urrently creating an inordinate amount of buzz, Long Islanders The Lemon Twigs are the newest hype train about town. Brothers Michael and Brian D’Addario take elements of what made 60s pop memorable and 70s fashion unforgettable, mixing baroque with glam and everything in between. “What you really want to do is something new, something different. The best way to do that is, you have to listen to the stuff that started it all,” Brian, the older half of the duo - still at just 19, compared to Michael’s 17 - enthuses.
music; each of the brothers brings something slightly different to the creative table, a point he’s keen to note. “Nobody’s going to be like, ‘Michael does like this, but Brian doesn’t like that’,” he continues. “They’re going to be like, ‘The Lemon Twigs are going to be influenced by that’.”
When it comes to the inevitable frenzy that surrounds such promise, the brothers are finding it can be a full on task - but it’s one they’re ready for. “If you’re not used to doing it,” Brian muses, “and not used to articulating, and not used to consciously thinking about what you’ve been unconsciously doing for a long time, that puts you in a different space. If you then went to record a record and you’re only now consciously thinking about it, that’s fucked - you’re not going to be able to do it. I guess it can be a little intimidating; I can see where it could be.”
Known for their raucous stage antics, the pair have just played their first UK gigs with a couple of nights in London - where their bass player got notably pissed off when Michael was kicking a bit too close to her face. “I kicked right next to her face and then she got angry,” he says apologetically. “I kicked quite close to her and she got angrier, so I kicked right here… but I would never hit a girl!”
Brian is the more reserved of the two, with Michael carrying what he describes as “responsibility” for the duo’s look and general aesthetic. That’s not to say they don’t have equal share within the band, he explains: “If you listen to the record [upcoming debut album, ‘Do Hollywood’], it’s half my songs, half Brian’s songs. It’s like the split with the music is 50/50, while I do the visual thing, and he does the all of the knowing what’s going on.” Touching on their influences, Michael teases Brian for being “pretentious”, owing to his fondness for classical
Name-dropping everyone from Ariel Pink and MGMT, to The Beatles, The Beach Boys and even Big Star, the brothers are a hive of culture that goes far deeper than you may at first think. “It’s not like we’re dressing in suits like The Beatles, or striped shirts like The Beach Boys,” says Brian. “We’re dressing a little out of the time of what we’re most influenced by. I like things that blur the lines a bit.”
It’s their shows where they like to make sure you experience the best of both their worlds: “My half of the show is a little more controlled,” says Brian, unsurprisingly. “It starts off more how you would expect it to be, there’s like a little bit more power to when we’re playing it live, a little more energy to the recordings. But Michael’s show lets loose a lot.”
in their early days, because although they didn’t have as much stuff going on, what they were doing was very tight. Their harmonies were very good, so even though it was very bare bones, they were performing well. We try to take that in to account because there’s so much stuff on our record that we can’t really replicate live, so we try to just perform our parts as tightly as we can.” The Lemon Twigs may just be two brothers from Long Island who have only been writing music for two years but you’ll be seeing a lot more of them, that’s for sure. P The Lemon Twigs’ debut album ‘Do Hollywood’ is out 14th October.
ON THE G R A P EV I N E D UA L I PA’S A L BU M I S O U T I N F E B RUA RY Aside from taking over the charts, storming headline sets and popping up on US TV, Dua Lipa is well on course for global superstardom – especially now her debut album has been announced. We still don’t have a name for it, but it’s set to drop in February 2017. K LO E ’S A ‘ L I A B I L I T Y ’ W I T H H E R L AT EST BA N G E R Scottish superstar-in-waiting KLOE isn’t scared of a banger. Her ‘Teenage Craze’ EP proved that, with debut single ‘UDSM’ sealing the deal. Now she’s dropped her next cut, ‘Liability’, and it’s just as brilliant. Listen on… well, you know by now.
PETITE ME LLE R’S NE W V I D EO I S BO N K E RS If you’ve seen much of Petite Meller, you’ll know she’s… y’know… individual. Unsurprisingly, the new video for ‘The Flute’ is no different, with her dressed up like some kind of wizard in a field full of reindeer. Watch on readdork. com.
CATH OLIC ACTION’S N E W TR ACK ‘RITA OR A’ DO ES N OT FE AT. RITA OR A Rita Ora, right. It’s not that we specifically have a problem with Rita Ora, but when she showed up on Charli XCX’s ‘Doing It’ last year it made a solid gold banger at least 33% less banger-y than the US solo version. Sorry, Rita. Those things matter. Still, maybe redemption is afoot
thanks to our faves Glasgow four piece Catholic Action, who are back with a new single. One half of the double a-side is ‘Breakfast’, the other goes by the name of… yeah, you got it, ‘Rita Ora’. Set for release on 23rd September, you can check it out on readdork.com now.
“It’s definitely more of a feeling,” he says of their live heroes. “The Who, The Beach Boys - they put on great shows even
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BA N DS OV E R HUNDREDS OF E N A M U LT I T U D T H R E E D AY S O E S TA G E S . A S T H OF DIFFERENT T S TO FA L L O N C U R TA I N S TA R L O N 2016, W E’L F E S T I VA L S E A S T OUGH THE BES TA K E Y O U T H R N G 2016. BITS OF READI
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t’s been a long time coming for Foals. No flash in the pan wonder, shoved blinking into the Main Stage lights as they’re catapulted up the bill, they’ve worked for this. The beauty of the Oxford five piece’s coronation is there’s absolutely zero doubt they’ve got what it takes to pull it off. Still, that doesn’t mean they’re taking their step up lightly. Foals have brought the fire, quite literally. Flames hit the sky from huge on-stage pyros as the bangers roll out. And what bangers they are. ‘My Number’, ‘What Went Down’ and ‘Inhaler’ – the track which first suggested Foals weren’t just a smart sounding math rock band – all land perfectly. “We grew up down the road,” Yannis muses before ‘Spanish Sahara’. “This was the first festival to give
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us a chance. We played in 2007, I think, on the Carling stage. It’s pretty overwhelming to see all of you out there. Let’s make it magic.” Magic they make it, too. ‘Cassius’ is a track that belongs on the highest plinths of the Foals trophy cabinet, and yet live it rarely if ever gets a look in anymore. The last time was, literally, years ago. Tonight it refuses to sit it out. Deployed with a frenzy, it’s the echo back that proves this was always on the cards for Foals – the most likely from their mid 00s yearbook proved champions after all. As ‘Two Steps Twice’ rings out – Disclosure’s Guy Lawrence joining Jack Bevan on drums and confetti littering the air – the transformation is complete. Foals play exclusively in the big leagues now.
DY CL IMB FO R IT’ S BE EN A ST EA ’RE FIN AL LY FO AL S, BU T TH EY ER S. RE AD ING HE AD LIN
F ICKLE FRIE N DS ARE ALL KIN DS OF D RE AMY Getting things off to a spirited start, Fickle Friends arrive in a flurry of unabashed excitement. Bounding about the stage to their bubbling pop riffs, their charm is effortless. Diving straight into the breezy melodies of ‘Say No More’, the band relish in the moment they’re in.
here’s no such thing as the perfect band, apparently. 10/10 is folly, full marks a sham. get to be flawless, that ’t don You . silly be ld wou ES. And then there’s CHVRCH in, and Two (and a bit) albums of hot they’re running the kind ire a streak that should insp lyric, Zlatan-esque ego. Every ly, both every beat placed perfect ir morals live and on record. The r. And pure, their intentions clea tion ges sug no re’s the , still yet eve their the Glaswegian trio beli almost an own hype. Perfection is ll. underse There’s no doubt, while sit Disclosure and Foals may e and above them, give it tim CHVRCHES will be topping eat’ bills like this. ‘Empty Thr vital is anything but, ‘Gun’ a The gauntlet dropped. ‘Under e, a pac of nge cha a is e’ Tid something dropped shoulder into gun terscat a It’ y ‘Bur deeper, this of sheer joy. Bands like ding shouldn’t work on the Rea own it Main Stage. CHVRCHES t. completely. Follow tha
And it’s an exciting moment to be in: with a debut album in the works, the group are powering forwards to pastures new, a taste of which they offer here. “We’ve never played this before,” Natti Shiner introduces of a new track. “Let’s try and enjoy it without freaking out.” Apologising to the broadcasters for the profanity it contains (“We’re bad asses, right?”) Fickle Friends demonstrate just how much they’re capable of. Inciting just as much energy as with favoured numbers like ‘Cry Baby’, the path they’re on seems only set to skyrocket. But all that could be a million miles away, for the only thing that matters is what’s
happening right now. “Who just finished their GCSEs?” Natti questions the crowd. “This is the weekend away from the parents, this is the dream.” Escaping into a sunlight field, real life is almost on hold – and there’s nowhere else anyone would rather be. FR AN K CARTE R’S WORST IDE A G IVES RE ADIN G 2016 ITS FIRST G RE AT MOME NT By his own admission, Frank Carter had a while to wait to make his Main Stage debut. “It’s fucking Friday,” he spits, as the crowd hold him up to demand a “historical” pit. “You’ve not done any work yet.” After seventeen years and three bands, it’s no wonder Carter wants to make an impact. He’s definitely going for it. As
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pening with ‘White Noise’ the split second AlunaGeorge finish performing it on the BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage, Disclosure bring the festival experience full circle. “This is the first festival me and Howard ever went to,” Guy Lawrence declares. “That’s why I think this crowd is going to be the best crowd we ever play ed to, am I right?” Getting their audience involved is something Disclosure excel at. Transitioning effortlessly from one son g to the next, the duo take the Main Stage for their very own.
much master of proceedings as performer, by a few songs in he’s already deep in the crowd showing them how it’s done. Running round the back of the sound desk with hundreds chasing behind, he wasn’t joking about the historic bit. Not that off stage antics are what makes Frank Carter great. Smirking as he returns to where we belongs, decrying the “worst idea he’s ever had”, he’s straight back at it. Intense, in your face and brilliant – there may be names on Reading’s big stage who have been afforded more experience, but none will grasp it quite as hard. MU R A M ASA G ETS PEO PLE M OVI N G Beginning a song with a crowdsurf, Mura Masa’s performance is purpose built to get people moving. Alex Crossan takes to the stage, arsenal of hits in tow, destined to impress the crowd already clamouring for more. Together with guest vocalist Bonzai, the pair kick-start a smooth groove led dance riot with an irresistible pull – evident quite literally in the seemingly endless streams of people barraging their way closer to the front. Armed with a laptop, keys, and drums, the electronic pop
They might be champions of the moment, but the y maintain their victory with no shortage of humility . “What a pleasure it is to share the stage with one of our favourite bands in the UK: Foals!” The duo ’s electric energy ignites the darkening field with a natural ease. It seems like this moment was always meant to be. Fro m the darkened refrains of ‘Driving On’, through the soulful introductio n of Brendan Reilly for ‘Moving Mountains’, to the elated rendition of ‘Lat ch’, Disclosure usher in the night with an unparallele d excitement – and the weekend is only just beginning.
producer brings his vision to astounding glory. Barely a word is spoken between songs. Instead, the only conversation is Bonzai’s rallying cries of “Reading, are you with me?” The answer is there before the question’s even asked, in the deafening claps, arms flailing, and hips shaking along to the beat. Mura Masa are here to live life to its largest, and there’s not better way to do it. C REEPER MAKE A PLAY FOR VI CTORY There’s devotion, and then there are Creeper’s fans. Anyone turning up to The Pit on a Friday afternoon without prior warning is likely to be left both baffled and awe inspired, such is the magnitude of the six piece’s thrall over their gathered masses. No band third on a smaller stage should be able to pull the Freddy Mercury “hold the mic out” trick, but for Will Gould it’s a miracle if he can get through even a verse without the crowd doing the job for him. It’s easy to see why, too. While many may
try and tag through ‘Prague’ and ‘I Will Lethal Bizzle stepping into the Creeper with Be The World’, the trio almost fray for a riotous rendition of other bands, lull you at times, and once ‘Pow’, and the resulting energy none of those they’ve got you a little bit verges on an explosion. comparisons too comfortable, they throw “BOY BETTER KNOW cut it. They everything in the tank at you, FOREVER!” the collective stand alone, a wall of noise and Ben’s declare as they leave the prime movers powerhouse voice filling the stage, and indeed, this is a in a cache tent. They flit between the two memory that will stay with of British sides so effortlessly it’s kind those present for a long time underground of surprising there isn’t more to come. P rock bands all pushing for a better way. They’ve got the songs. ‘Black Mass’ especially is the kind of cut you’d fully expect to find echoing back from CA R T E R higher reaches of bigger FRANK stages in years to come, but G TO UP GOIN it’s not all about a catchy W E R G “I chorus or fancy solo. It’s deeper than that. Look into T I VA L .” am wasted,” says Frank their eyes and you’ll see it; HIS FES T Carter, not long off his Creeper are special. first set on the Main Stage. He’s suited and people being drawn in by HIN DS R AMSH ACKLE booted in monochrome the racket as they walk by. floral, more than dressed They say they’re three boys B RILLIAN CE WIN S for the occasion. “I think with a story to tell; well, it’s I’ve got sunstroke and I’m OVE R RE ADIN G a story that you quite simply wasted. I’m having the want to listen to. It’s loud and The beauty of Hinds comes in perfect Reading!” interesting and, frankly, feels what other bands would see as Snagging a Main Stage bigger than the stage they imperfections. While their peers spot has been a long time were playing. So how did their may consider months on the coming. From Gallows set fare through the lens of road to be an excuse to become through Pure Love, Frank that dodgy tent measurement tighter, more regimented and has become a stalwart analogy? We’ll let you guess. slick, this lot know better. of the festival circuit, What’s magical about Hinds frequently throwing the is the fact that they genuinely BOY BETTE R KN OW rules out of the tent – like are having the most fun. Each having pits so big they go element, lyric, hook or guitar FOREVE R outside of his venues. But part is flung into the mix like With clear blues skies Main Stage is a Moment teaching a group of hyperactive and scorching sunlight, with a capital M, and he children to bake. It’s roughly anyone would think the knows it. “I have no idea in the right direction, sort of day couldn’t get any hotter, how it went,” he admits. in the right way, but with such right? Ricocheting up the “It was massive and force and sheer joy that it’s temperature, Boy Better overwhelming, it was a absolutely, 100% better that Know prove all of that wrong, really special moment. way. That ramshackle brilliance bringing the fire to Reading This year is my ninth time gives their live show an – quite literally. With flames playing this festival, so to energy that no stage managed shooting up in front of the get on the Main Stage… performance could ever match. stage, and coloured smoke “I grew up going to this Just try not to have fun, we grenades flying over the festival. In the year 2000 dare you. audience, the performance is a I was watching Slipknot, venture into lawlessness. Rage Against the Machine, It’s the kind of pandemonium Deftones all play this stage. B LAE N AVON H AVE that almost can’t be believed So for me, it feels like, SOMETH IN G TO SAY unless you witness it – from not that I’m on the same ridiculous fancy dress costumes level as them – fuck, I’m Just like glasses, tents can be losing their minds to the beats not – but it just feels like a either half full or half empty, or the guy elevated by his momentous occasion.” depending on your view. friends who drops his pants Though he’s spent years Though Blaenavon’s audience before jumping face forwards hoping to play the stage, it seem to perfectly tread the line into the crowd, absolutely didn’t take him long to hop of tent measurement, it’s the anything goes. straight off and stand atop band who take it in their hands The sentiment is echoed the crowd in the scorching to decide the fate of their set. through everything BBK do. sun, never relinquishing From oldie ‘Into the Night’ Declarations of “this his grasp on the show is your time” emanate mentality he’s always held. from the stage front “I’m not a big fan of the as ‘Man (Gang)’ rallies stage-crowd divide,” he the crowd. From says. “I like to go down and start to finish the set be among the people that is nothing short of are there sweating. I want dynamite. ‘Shutdown’ to be with them. For me, delights in the energy that’s always important but it creates, while ‘Feed I also like witnessing from ‘Em To The Lions’ the stage because that’s cements itself as a the best fucking view in the bonafide anthem. Add house.”
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Ho ld yo ur co ns pi ra cy th eo rie s. W it h Th e Bi g M oo n in th e st ud io at wor k on th ei r de bu t al bu m , th is is on e la nd in g th at no bo dy ca n do ub t. Wo r d s : A li S h u t le r P h o to . s: Sar ah Lo u is e B ennet t
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he Big Moon don’t do sad songs. Which is just as well ‘cause since the release of ‘Eureka Moment’ in early 2015, every point of contact with the band has been a moment of sheer joy.
“Does anyone want a piggy back?” asks vocalist/guitarist Juliette Jackson from out of the blue. Within seconds bassist Celia Archer is on her back with guitarist Soph Nathan repeating the same move with drummer Fern Ford. “I feel so safe up here,” laughs Celia. Despite a friendship as old as the band itself (which isn’t very long at all, FYI) they’ve quickly become an inseparable unit. They’re the sort of gang who would not only let you sit with them, they’d bunch up so there was room at their table. One of them, probably Soph, would then explain the inside jokes that were rattling about, not only to make you feel involved but because they’re
“IT’S STA RT I N G TO FEEL
great stories. If being in most bands looks like a laugh, The Big Moon is hysterical.
is a light, and it’s never going out.
The four-piece finish each others sentences, listen to what each other are saying and are quick to remind one another of stories they feel need to be told. “Didn’t that ruin your bucket list, Soph?” asks Fern with a knowing grin. “If you’re lucky you might meet Robbie Williams,” teases Celia. “If you’re really lucky you’ll see Jules meet Robbie Williams.” But more on those later. See, The Big Moon aren’t just good for a laugh. Their music, sharp, bubbly and perfectly capturing those fast paced exchanges, is very much about having a good time. Finding that excitement was the spark that started The Big Moon and has been a constant ever since. There
Jules was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, harbouring dreams of starting a band. She wasn’t going to wait for a human league to pick her out, shake her up and turn her around though. She was going to go out and do it herself. “I won’t tell you the name of it but it
LIKE
A
THING.” was really fancy, gourmet cocktails that were made out of soil and my job was filling up the glasses of water on people’s tables. I didn’t even get to make the cocktails. I think I made one Martini the entire time I was there.” After looking, and failing, to find a band to join, she sent out feelers to start her own. “I was really impatient. I tried playing with a couple of friends but I’ve deleted that from my mind,” starts Jules. “We’ve pushed
“C RI T I CS CA N BRING OUT THE WORST IN PEOPLE” O N E O F B L U E S R O C K ’ S M O S T F O R M I D A B L E D U O S , D E A P VA L LY A R E B A C K - A N D T H E Y B R I N G W I T H T H E M A S EC O N D A L BU M C O - P RO D U C E D BY A N I N D I E- P U N K H E RO : Y E A H Y E A H Y E A H S ’ NICK ZINNER.
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ess than 24 hours ago, Deap Vally played their first ever festival headline slot at Y Not in Derbyshire. “It was great,” vocalist and guitarist Lindsey Troy muses. “It felt like a classic UK festival, people were super rowdy and having a great time. The crowd was packed in there, it was pretty chilly but as soon as you start playing you don’t notice that.” The Los Angeles duo have a lot of love for the UK, and in their years since forming in 2011, they’ve done a lot to keep themselves busy over here - from live sets at Maida Vale, to playing Glastonbury. They even bagged a slot at Reading & Leeds just a year after they started the band. “It wasn’t even a conscious thing,” she says. “We just have a really great fanbase over here, and we’re super fortunate to have that, so it’s fun for us to come over.” It’s apt then that Lindsey and her bandmate, drummer Julie Edwards, have decided to coincide the release of their new record ‘Femejism’ - the follow up to 2013 debut ‘Sistrionix’ - with a UK tour. “‘Sistrionix’ is blues rock throughout, but with ‘Femejism’, we still have guitar, drums and vocals, so it’s true to what we are but I think we’re a bit more experimental now,” she says of the record. “We didn’t feel like we had to adhere as much to one genre, I guess because with ‘Sistrionix’, it was our first record and we really wanted to define our sound as band. But with ‘Femejism’, we really wanted to play around with different sounds and experiment and have fun. “There’s a lot of different flavours on there, some of it’s a little bit surfy,
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psych, blues rock, and with some of it there’s a world vibe too. There was some influence from Kurt Vile, Father John Misty, Beach House, Tinariwen, Savages, a lot of LA bands. There’s maybe a bit more of an LA aesthetic to it in a sense that we were surrounded by a lot of friends doing psych rock or surf rock, so I think that they had a little bit of influence on the record: local bands and LA bands that we toured with like The Mystic Braves.” “It was amazing,” Lindsey’s voice brightens as she recalls the recording process. “We actually recorded at loads of places. We started at Sonic Ranch, and that place is so magical. It’s on the largest pecan orchard in North America, and it’s a mile from Juarez in Mexico which is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. It’s just super, super vibey and secluded, and you sleep there and work there, and you just get totally emerged in the process, without any distractions. “The first few songs that we did on the record, and that we did with Nick [Zinner, of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and their producer], were a really intense and magical experience, it was very emotionally charged. It was really inspiring working with Nick. I’ve been a Yeah Yeah Yeahs fan for years, and they’re one of my favourite bands. It was really cool for me to get to work with him, it was a dream come true. He also just gets us, ‘cause he’s in a band that’s along the same lines as what we do; they were a three-piece when they started, a guitar, drums and vocals band.” “The record was a long process,” she continues, “because it was made over the course of two years, and we [went back and forth between] going on tour and then being back at the studio. We were also between labels which was really cool, because we didn’t have anyone giving us opinions on anything or anyone breathing down our necks, we had all this amazing freedom to
explore and do whatever we wanted and just there was no pressure. “We don’t need to be on a label to write singles, ‘cause I feel like we have a tendency to write catchy stuff anyways, so I don’t feel like we need that at all. It was a really good process. We did a handful of the songs on our own, cause Nick was away - he was back and forth bicoastal - so there were times were we got to produce tracks by ourselves, and that was really cool and empowering.” In contrast to how optimistic the recording process felt, the basis of the lyrical matter of some of ‘Femejism’’s tracks differ. Lindsey sings about some of life’s negatives on ‘Critic’: “It was my frustration with the music business, and just being in the public eye, and all the politics within that. I was just having a moment of bitterness that I really had to get out of myself. “I feel like sometimes critics can just bring out the worst in people, and that’s not just music critics, it’s everyone in the age of the internet. The record is a rainbow and the songs are each a colour within it. But ‘Critic’ is a really special song to me, it’s a departure. It’s very stripped back, very raw and that makes us vulnerable or something. That song’s super dear to me.” The second single released from ‘Femejism’ is the irresistibly bluesy and also lyrically punchy and cathartic ‘Smile More’, that retains a real Courtney Barnett / Sheryl Crow vibe with spoken style vocals. On the track’s influence, Lindsey says: “There was someone at a bar, you know [it was a] classic thing, and also there was someone in my personal life I was frustrated with as well, I was kind of venting about it. “There’s a handful of songs where I sing more relaxed, and part of that is because when we were touring so
much. I was at times struggling with losing my voice, so I wanted to have some songs on the new record where I could chill out and rest my voice a little, and it was fun to explore that.” Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson is one of many to have praised ‘Smile More’, saying that she wished she had written it herself. It’s clear to see why, as self-aware and blithe lyrics are second nature to the 90s gods. “I was definitely inspired by loads of rad ladies,” Lindsey states. “The majority of stuff I was inspired by were badass chicks like Hole, I love Hole, and when I was a youngster, when ‘Jagged Little Pill’ came out, I was super stoked on that. I thought it was so cool. Also Karen O, Garbage… I was super into No Doubt during the ’Tragic Kingdom’ era, it’s a great record. So loads of stuff like that, those role models mean everything to me - it’s very important.” “I come from a pretty musical family who really value it.” she continues. “My dad was at Woodstock, and he wrote some books about The Grateful Dead. My siblings write music, my brother and sister are both in bands. My brother’s in a band called Safety Orange in San Diego, and my sister’s a solo artist called Anna Troy. We all grew up playing the same piano, which was this really beautiful upright piano from the 1880s or 1890s, and then we picked up random instruments later. “I was basically, simply put, in a family band growing up, so that was something that there was a lot of pressure on us to do as adolescents. I’ve been doing [music] from a young age; I had a lot of awkward moments of playing to many empty rooms as a young person, so it’s really empowering to be in Deap Vally. I finally feel like I’m doing the type of music I always wanted to do; coming into my musical self.” P Deap Vally’s album ‘Femejism’ is out 16th September.
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t’s interesting,” ponders Aluna Francis. “You come to the music industry and think of it as an entity in itself and that it has a very fixed end point. The story goes that you go in it and this is going to happen and success means X, Y and Z. But you start to realise that any point where you can exercise influence - this music industry will respond.”
a friend doesn’t eventually come to me with a very personal or very complicated issue that they think that I would understand, and I thought, ‘Well, I can get perspective on stories that may not even necessarily be my own’.
Influence and control are certainly the main ingredients for chapter two of the AlunaGeorge story, one that sees their nuanced electro-beats and potent pop harmonies morph into a denser and more immediate record, drawing in the underground vibes of late-night city life. It’s a record that’s true origins can be traced back to 2013, and the hypnotic opening foray of their debut ‘Body Music’.
That time since ‘Body Music’ has clearly been momentous, not only allowing Aluna to delve deeper within herself but also to expand the duo’s horizons when it comes to collaborations - a move that can be traced again right back to that era, and the chartsmashing partnership involved in Disclosure’s ‘White Noise’. Since then, there’s been hit after hit with the likes of Kaytranada, Baauer and Jack U, as dance music royalty have tipped their hats to the soothing vocals and dark beats that the duo have called their own. Everything that these entailed helped to feed into that ‘I Remember’ process, showing Aluna a different approach to sounds and songwriting that previously she thought twice about.
“I think I look back in a way that anyone does who has a fabric of their history and their journey. You can see where you’ve retained something that is true to what you want to do, and other areas that have developed,” explains Aluna. Sitting in a top floor apartment in Shoreditch after a globetrotting run around the US and Europe, there’s a palpable sense of excitement that the duo - Aluna alongside producer George Reid - are on the brink of global recognition. ‘I Remember’ is a full-throttle collection of undeniable dance floor bangers, charting the darkest recesses of 2am memories and late night wanders through smudged neon streets. Unlike ‘Body Music’, it’s a daring glimpse into the personal world of Aluna Francis, made up of intimate experiences and turning points that make this record a much beefier and bolder animal. Learning how to write and turn those tales into invigorating sounds in her music was at the forefront of Aluna’s mind, and one that pressed heavy. “If I didn’t know how to do it, I didn’t really attempt it so there aren’t a scattering of failed attempts at being personal on that first record. There was really only one track on ‘Body Music’ that was from my perspective,” she explains. That struggle and expansion in songwriting ability found Aluna exploring her own role within society, within the lives of those around her and what sort of responsibilities those friends and family place within her. Often seen as a welcoming ear, it’s those tales which helped to open up and dismiss the nerves and feelings of self-doubt that previously held her back from writing - resulting in a record that lives and breathes in the intimate moments of the human world. “I thought about what I’m good at, and that’s definitely listening,” Aluna expands. “There’s rarely a time when
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“It’s been nice to see or take the opportunity to use the studio as a real cathartic space for myself. There are songs on the record that if I hadn’t of written them, I would never have dealt with the issues that they talk about. They would of been situations and emotions that I would never of got over and would of just swept under the carpet.”
“Ahead of working with [Disclosure], I was moaning to George about doing it - I didn’t know the guys and was worried about not producing or delivering anything good, and it was George who really encouraged me to go for it,” remembers Aluna. “It’s a very different attitude you have between a collaboration when working on someone else’s track and your own - it’s completely different, even with ‘White Noise’. As it wasn’t on the record it doesn’t feel like our song - but it was from my own experiences. “If I’m going to do a feature for somebody, I see myself as an instrument in some sense, but if it’s for my own songs then you have the final say on everything. Most of the time people try not to get involved so much when we’re working, as they see that me and George bring so much to the table already. We didn’t realise that we had got to that level, which was really great fun because we didn’t need to worry about other people’s input affecting how we sounded.” With the likes of Flume and ZHU contributing on production, and a range of guest appearances from US underground MCs such as Pell, Dreezy and Leikeli47 alongside the iconic Jamaican superstar Popcaan, ‘I Remember’ may find AlunaGeorge collaborating more than ever, but ultimately it all comes back to Aluna and George, bouncing ideas off of each other. And despite George’s decision to move slowly into the background when it comes to the live shows, it’s a bond that means no matter who gets involved on a track, the signature AlunaGeorge sound remains.
“I thought I’d wake up one day
addicted
to prescription pills and not knowing who I was.” “We have such a working relationship and as a singer that’s very comforting, because solo artists can definitely be affected by the whims of every producer they work with and you end up with all this completely different music which is really hard to follow. I don’t think we suffer from that, or fall into that category - everything we do has our stamp on it.” That spirit of individuality is an underrated characteristic of AlunaGeorge, truly stepping out into a realm of their own, and with that comes an added sense of confidence. Throughout ‘I Remember’, this new found level of songwriting, while highlighting the deeply felt personal situations that run through all of us, continues to touch on the idea of empowerment, urging listeners to take control, stand apart from the crowd and take a sense of power onto yourself. For Aluna, this again was a simple mirror of the sort of emotions and discussions she’s been having for a while now. “I think as a musician, I found it difficult to reconcile the idea of having something very strongly to say that can get involved in political debate with the role of the entertainer, so in the end it just has to come from a genuine place. It just so happens that, in my own time, I talk about social issues and have opinions and amongst my nearest and dearest I’m very strongly opinionated and discuss and think about things very deeply. Once I’d created that space within the writing process to get nearer to myself, then those things automatically came out.” Giving some form of resolution is vital for Aluna, the idea of putting out a track that seems ambiguous or empty would be a waste of time in her eyes, and the desire to see a journey right through to the end is a key reason why ‘I Remember’ is such a vital release. “I talk about problems that I have, but I know that other people have the same problems,” notes Aluna. “There ’s a motivation there that if I do share my honest experiences with a certain situation and how I feel after getting through it, that it could really do some good! “If someone comes to me with a problem, I’m never going to leave that
person with no solution - it’s just an instinctive need to help somebody and so the same thing comes out in my lyrics.” For Aluna Francis, ‘I Remember’ is much more than a second album. It’s the moment where she takes a step onto the global stage, the moment where AlunaGeorge becomes a player at the top end of festival bills and in the beating hearts of thousands. Above it all, it’s come from discovering and talking about the concerns, fears and beliefs that live within her - and forming it around a delectable cocktail of some of the most infectious and throbbing dance sounds of the year. It’s a defiant two fingers to a commercialised pop world longing for beige personalities and easy fix choruses, where “pop stars” feel that they need to erase parts of their history and culture. For Aluna, she’s aimed squarely at doing the opposite. “I wanted to embrace my culture more as a black female in the music industry just at the point where normally you’d find that people go the other way,” explains Aluna. “The more pop and the more commercial and successful people get, I’ve seen that if they’re from an ethnic background, they start to erase the visual elements of that and I thought, ‘Well, I’m already appropriated from my teenage years - so I’ll do the complete opposite and see what happens’. “I’m not trying to be better than anyone else don’t get me wrong, but I’ve seen that it’s not completely benefited me. Yes I’ve slipped through the gaps and boundaries that may have held me back but I still need to be myself. So I’m doing it in the reverse way if you will, becoming more me and people aren’t kicking me out of the industry, and people are interested in it and they like it so I think that’s surprising for me. “I thought I’d wake up one day, addicted to prescription pills and not knowing who I was - but I’m becoming more myself as I go forward, which I didn’t expect to happen.” Aluna Francis is well and truly in control, and it’s all on her terms. P AlunaGeorge’s album ‘I Remember’ is out 16th September.
l o r t n o C In
ALUN
A FR ANC N OT IS IS TO G DETE ET E POP RMI AT E N M AC ALUN HINE BY T N E D : ON AG EO HE TH RGE MOR ALBU E NEW E HE RSEL M, SH F BEFO THAN EV E’S ER R E . WOR DS: J AMIE MUIR .
REVIEWS
Frank Ocean Blonde eeeee
londe’ is the centrepiece of Frank Ocean’s multi-media high concept album release spanning 3 years of speculation and anticipation. As a main event though it’s understated and intimate. Less of a triumphant grand statement it’s more of an intimate portrait of Frank Ocean the artist and Frank Ocean the man himself.
been carefully chosen and beautifully worded. The confessional nature of the words and the melodies suits the sparseness and dreaminess of the music. Many of the songs here are draped in a hazy, gauzy splendour. There are no beats, little rhythms and a complete absence of posturing or aggression. It’s a soft and tender whisper rather than a celebratory roar. The tone is set on ‘Ivy’. Here, Frank’s voice is pure and unadorned set against a lone phased electric guitar. It’s hugely simple and wonderfully effective. “I thought that I was dreaming when you said you loved me,” sings Frank and that sort of heartfelt exploration of relationships and desires is key to ‘Blonde’s themes.
It’s clear that Frank has poured his heart and his soul into the album. Every lyric, sample and sound bite has
While the words are important there’s much to savour in the low-key yet bewitching music. A song like ‘Pink
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White’s’ jazzy, summer breeze lilt gains something with each listen. It takes a supreme talent to make a little go a long way. There’s nothing overtly hit focused or radio friendly here. What you have instead is immaculate song writing and some deeply exquisite slow jams that are hugely affecting. It’s an album that invites you to immerse yourself in it. Highlights like the organ backed, gospel tinged lament ‘Solo’ or the guitar led ‘Self Control’ are quietly stunning pieces of music. Much is made of the collaborators who feature on the album but in truth, they are merely there as subtle adornments to Frank’s creative vision. Perhaps it’s more of the spirit of Beyonce and Kendrick and Bowie and Kanye and the artistry that they
possess which Frank is taking to another level with his own classily simple yet unique approach. Yes, the album is self-indulgent but it has to be that way. Artists like Frank Ocean only succeed when they are allowed to indulge all their passions and impulses. On ’Blonde’ Frank is taking those passions to a darker, more personal place. In turn, it reveals more about the man than we have ever known. ‘Blonde’ is a brave record. Not in the sense that it’s drastically inventive or dazzlingly revelatory. More in the sense that it’s one of the most acclaimed musicians on the planet laying himself and his artistic process bare. No gimmicks, no massive production. Just beautiful songs with depth, feeling and passion. Martyn Young
I
t wouldn’t be fair to call Bastille’s debut album rise completely unexpected anyone who had seen the increasingly rabid reactions to their live shows in the run up saw something was afoot - but the scale was something else. Now genuine worldwide names, they’ve got previously absent expectation to deal with. ‘Wild World’ has something riding on it. “I’ve heard lots of bands talking about making their ‘difficult’ second album,” Dan Smith explained in a pre-album video voiceover. “This new album has been written and recorded on tour buses, in backstage rooms and hotels all over the place. The process of writing and making the songs hasn’t changed much, it’s just that this time around, we’re doing way less of it in my bedroom.” If the gestation period was different, much of the end product has remained the same. Much was made of the lack of guitars on ‘Bad Blood’, and more has been said about their introduction here, but in truth the change isn’t radical. The occasional film dialogue still litter the record, nicely epic remains the order of the day. There’s no denying Smith’s talent -
Bastille Wild World eeeee
both as a songwriter and pop magpie. His note perfect vocal still adds a respectable sheen to songs that perhaps prevents some from sounding as inventive as they otherwise would - the bassy drops and stabs of ‘The Currents’ clashing with its own rising,
Against Me!
not to say it’s a difficult album - far from it - it’s simply drawing from a deeper well of influences with greater maturity. As stand-out ‘Fake It’ proves, Bastille are a band who can deliver any line in their own unique voice. Stephen Ackroyd
Public Access TV Phantogram Never Enough
Three
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“They say the kids don’t like rock’n’roll anymore,” soothes Public Access TV frontman John Eatherly, but that’s certainly not holding these New Yorkers back. Surrounded by legends such as The Strokes, Interpol and Yeah Yeah Yeahs - there’s a lot for them to live up to. Across ‘Never Enough’, they more than deliver - capturing the essence of youthful abandon, taking the best parts of the great rock’n’roll songbook and adapting it into an urgent record for 2016. Jamie Muir
Phantogram appear to be on the up and up with their third album… well, ‘Three’. Except they’re not. Opening track ‘Funeral Pyre’ takes itself a bit too seriously with Sarah Barthel’s vocals drifting across a mismatch of sounds that don’t gel well together. Indeed, this continues throughout with ‘Same Old Blues’ and ‘You Don’t Get Me High Anymore’ leaving a distinct taste of too many cooks. Perhaps stripping back the influences and coming up with a coherent sound might have helped. Josh Williams
Every Time I Die
LVL UP
Grouplove
Epitaph
Sub Pop
Shape Shift With Me eeee
A
gainst Me! are a very important band. It’s not simply Laura Jane Grace’s status as a legitimate icon, but what they have to say. With ‘Shape Shift With Me’, they’ve delivered an album that is every inch as vital as it is great. Opening with a blast at invasive airport security scanners, ‘Provision L-3’, it’s an album that sounds both vine fresh and timeless. Even when hints of other peers appear, they become part of Against Me!’s identity, as stand out ‘Boyfriends’’ assimilation of Weezer’s perfect guitar pop proves. For all the attention Grace rightfully receives, Against Me! are far from a one woman band. Guitarist James Bowman shows his chops brilliantly on ‘12:03’ while bassist Inge Johannson and drummer Atom Willard take it to the disco on the brilliant ‘Delicate, Petite & Other Things I’ll Never Be’. Still, it would be folly to suggest that LJG’s lyrical barbs aren’t the steel holding ‘Shape Shift With Me’ tall. In a world of all you can eat, track by track, easily disposable sound-bites, Against Me! aren’t simply another good band with another good album, they’re the voice we need. Stephen Ackroyd
more standard, slightly ill fitting chorus. Opener and lead single ‘Good Grief’ is a mightily effective first play, but nothing on ‘Wild World’ has the near football-chant effectiveness of breakout hit ‘Pompeii’. Instead, there’s a greater variation of texture. That’s
Low Teens
Cinematic
Return To Love
Fiction
Big Mess
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Canvasback Music / Atlantic Records
Albums can often be launched into the world with hyperbole. But in the case of Every Time I Die, there doesn’t seem to be such a thing any more. So few bands reach eight albums, and even fewer reach the landmark with such a choke-hold on quality. Charged by some truly personal matters after Keith Buckley’s wife was taken to hospital with life threatening pregnancy complications, ‘Low Teens’ is impassioned, aggressive, and what you’d hope for from an ETID album down to the last drop. Heather McDaid
New Yorkers LVL UP live up to their name on third album ‘Return To Love’. Their boldest and most definitive statement yet, the band’s traditional indie rock is rooted in jagged melodies and ragged, crunching guitars. Opener ‘Hidden Driver’ is yearning and fevered, while ‘Blur’s’ heady rush is aptly titled as it sounds like it could come from the Britpop icons’ debut album ‘Leisure’. Melodies slowly reveal themselves and the album offers up something different with each listen; it’s a step up managed with ease. Martyn Young
Grouplove’s anthemready Californian sound catapulted them onto soundtracks, adverts and everything in-between, with debut ‘Never Trust A Happy Song’ and follow-up ‘Spreading Rumours’ offering up daring excursions into hip-hop, grunge and electronic pop with mixed success. For their third album, they opt for a more straight-forward approach, going after universal anthems with a rough and ready edge that makes ‘Big Mess’ another enjoyable detour in alternative pop glory. Jamie Muir
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