Gotye - Easy Way Out

I like trying new things. For example, I always try and have a different curry dish every time I go to an Indian restaurant. On the way back from university sometimes, I may also change my route home just so I don't get bored of always going the same way. Unusual? Perhaps.

This thirst for "different" also translates to music. I estimate that I spend 15-30 minutes everyday trying to discover a new favourite band. Therefore, it's always a pleasure to review a band I've never heard of before. Especially when they're as good as Gotye.

Now on his 3rd studio album, he releases his brand new single "Easy Way Out". The track itself is a mish-mash of different styles - Muse-like basslines clash with indie-style riffwork as Gotye's melancholic voice glides over the top. It's an impressive track to listen to although it does take a few repeats to truly appreciate.

The fact it barely reaches 120 seconds is also a massive plus. It's direct, incisive and to the point. Sometimes it's good to go back to basics.

At the end of the day, this won't be to everyone's taste. But it is to mine and I'd recommend you to give it a listen. After all, how do you know you don't like something if you've never tried it?


SMc

Ben Howard - The Fear

Island Records has had a history of having great folk singers on their roster. Just Nick Drake and John Martyn on their own could justify this statement but there are many more too. With Ben Howard signing last year and his debut album released already, they could have the next big thing on their hands in the world of folk.

"The Fear" is the fourth track released from his debut album, "Every Kingdom". In it, you can hear many influences including the likes of Mumford & Sons, The Gaslight Anthem and to an extent, a similar vocal style to Ed Sheeran.

Overall, it's a good song. It starts off with a nice, little folky riff before kicking into life with dramatic percussion and Ben's tender vocals. It's quite clear that Ben is a very talented songwriter as he croons his way through some of the better lyrics I've heard in a song this year. The song comes to an end with a refrain that builds up to a crescendo as Ben sings "I'll become what I deserve" over and over, capping what is, arguably, the highlight of the song.

Unfortunately though, we've all heard this before. As I listened to it, I couldn't help thinking how similar it is to Mumford & Sons. I have no doubt that this song will do very well, both in critical terms as well as chart success but it offers nothing new in an industry where fans & critics demand originality.


SMc

The King Blues - The Future's Not What It Used To Be

"The future's not what it used to be/ So will the last one out please turn off the lights".

It's this kind of lyrical wordplay and social awareness that has made The King Blues so popular among the punk-lovers and the underground. This reference of The Sun's famous headline is just one of many highlights in, what has to be said, is some of The King Blues best work to date.

 The famous headline

(photo from businessinsider)

The track is actually quite a departure from their last album ("Save The World, Get The Girl"). It's a lot slower, more toned down and generally less aggressive than previous tracks. In fact, it kind of resembles "Ghost Town" towards the beginning. However, the lyrics are sure to keep their fanbase happy and a nice little bit of variety keeps the song fresh. A dubstep-influenced section near the end was quite a surprise upon first listen but grew on me after repeated listens. After all, change is good.

"The Future's Not What It Used To Be" is the 4th single from 2011 album "Punk & Poetry". If I were to recommend one album mentioned in this entire blog, it would be this one. The King Blues have outdone themselves on creating an album that is catchy yet carries an important message in each song. It also must be said that frontman Itch is one of the best songwriters of this generation. Do yourselves a favour and give it a listen.


SMc

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Monarchy of Roses

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are, without a doubt, one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. Everyone will know at least one of their classic songs, whether it be "Can't Stop", "By The Way", "Under The Bridge", "Californication", etc. The list goes on and on.

"Monarchy Of Roses" is their second single off their latest album "I'm With You". The August 2011 release was met widely with general praise although a lot of reviews mentioned the fact that the album suffered due to the leaving of guitarist John Frusciante.

And they're right. "Monarchy Of Roses", whilst it is a good song, doesn't have the same feel as older RHCP material. As one reviewer accurately said, "one can definitely hear a John-Frusciante shaped hole in the proceedings". The bass, as always, is outstanding. The vocals are eccentric and powerful. The drums are complex and keep the beat well. The only thing missing is the distinctive guitar riffs that the Chilis are known for. Instead, we are fed a riff of distortion that is sub-standard at best.

 John Frusciante
(photo from bestguitarsolos)

As I said earlier, "Monarchy Of Roses" is a good song but it nowhere near matches the heights set by some of their previous singles. Coincidentally, it would be a perfectly good lead single for nearly every other band but for the Chilis, it's simply not good enough.


As always, if you want to share your opinion, feel free to leave a comment!

SMc

Death Cab for Cutie - Stay Young, Go Dancing

Alternative rock band Death Cab For Cutie are the epitome of a cult band. They're popular and fairly well known but you will never, ever see them in the Top 40 despite their songs being very pleasant on the ears. This is especially the case with their latest single, "Stay Young, Go Dancing".

Ever since their first release, "Something About Airplanes", they have continued to expand and experiment with every subsequent album, adding in extra instruments and genres. This continued with their 2011 album, Codes & Keys, the album being a lot less guitar-centric than previous work. "Stay Young, Go Dancing" feels like the finished article, like the experimentation has all been leading to this one song.

The song has a very folky feel but is so polished and well-performed, it seems that Death Cab have been doing it for years. It actually has a Mumford & Sons-esque drum pattern and guitar riff but don't expect this song to see the same kind of exposure the likes of "Little Lion Man" had.

Overall, I'm impressed. Having only listened to their material when Codes & Keys came out, their variety and ability to veer between genres is not only incredible to listen to, it is also very admirable. Nowadays, it's very common for an artist to actually lose fans if they change, yet Death Cab have maintained their cult status throughout their 13 year career.

SMc

Ed Sheeran - Lego House

After the massive success of “The A-Team”, Ed Sheeran probably knew that a), every forthcoming single had to be just as good (if not better) and b), his album had to live up to the standards he set when he released the aforementioned lead single. After all, no-one wants to be a one-hit wonder… I’m looking at you Right Said Fred.

What the...?: Right Said Fred
(photo from watchdogpcmffl)

Luckily for our fiery-haired songwriter, he hasn’t failed to live up to the expectations. His third single “Lego House” is to be released this week and if Youtube views are anything to go on (it’s racked up over 6.5 million so far), it’s going to match, if not top, the success he had with “The A -Team”, which peaked at no.3 in the UK Singles Chart. A starring role from Ron Weas…I mean, Rupert Grint, in the video probably helped too.

As for the track, Ed Sheeran continues to impress me. "Lego House" has a similarly sombre tone to his breakthrough single but the music is slightly more upbeat, probably due to the introduction of percussion forming the backbone of the song. His vocals, it must be said, aren’t perfect, but it doesn’t matter - it adds to the charm Ed clearly thrives off. As for the lyrics, they are clever, refreshing and actually have meaning, something that is becoming less and less common in the music industry.

Disagree or just want to share your thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment!

SMc

Tinchy Stryder - Off The Record (feat. Calvin Harris & BURNS)

It's weird to think that Tinchy Stryder was once associated with grime and underground legends Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. Nowadays, the pint-sized rapper is anything but underground. After the massive success of "Number 1 (featuring N-Dubz)", he's continued to move deeper and deeper into the mainstream with every release.

"Off The Record" sees Tinchy team up this time with DJ superstar Calvin Harris. Before you even listen to the song, you can vaguely imagine what it will sound like. A throbbing bassline worthy of any club dancefloor? Check. Tinchy "rapping" (if you can call it that - the lyrics are soulless and mundane)? Present. A catchy by-the-numbers chorus? You betcha.

This may sound silly but songs don't necessarily need substance. Yes, it would be nice to analyse the lyrics for deeper meaning and hear a truly original guitar/keyboard riff but this song doesn't need it. It sets out to be a club song, a song that you would put on the TV whilst pre-drinking or something to get you in the mood for a party. And it certainly achieves that.

I'm not going to turn around now and say I'm Tinchy Stryder's biggest fan because I'm not. But if this came on in a club, I sure as hell wouldn't be standing still.

SMc

Cage The Elephant - Aberdeen

To say I dislike Cage The Elephant is an understatement. Ever since their hit singles "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked" and "In One Ear", I've held a personal grudge against them. One that has never died down or will ever disappear.

Why? Because the singer can't sing. No matter how good the rest of the band is, the vocals are always at the forefront. This guy warbles his way through incoherent, unlistenable lyrics whilst dragging the rest of his bandmates down with him. "Aberdeen" is no different. The guitar work is actually pretty impressive, as is the bass. No surprise though that I had to listen to it 3 times before picking them up. His voice is that annoying.

I will give CTE some credit though. The video's pretty cool.

SMc

Toploader - She Said

Next song up for review is the new one from Toploader. Yep. That band that did 'Dancing In The Moonlight'.

First impressions of the song are good. Lively piano chords intertwine well with Manic Street Preachers-esque guitar to create a song that is actually really well-crafted. In fact, the whole song has a very Manics feel to it, but in a good way of course. Frontman Joe Washbourn's vocals are what really makes this song stand out though, his voice effortlessly changing from crooning to falsetto like the flick of a switch.

Frontman Joe Washbourn makes this song
(photo from Classic FM)

Overall, I'm impressed. For hours after the first listen, I found myself singing the chorus to myself again and again. Hell, I even have intentions to download it (as in pay - shock horror!). If this single is anything to go by, the album should be a cracker. While I wait for said album to drop though, I'll have this on replay and I suggest you do the same too.



Oh, I should point out here too that if you disagree with my review or just want to share your thoughts, feel free to leave a comment. I would much appreciate it!

SMc

Doctor P - Neon

Ok, ok, ok. So I said the first song would be up yesterday (Monday). What I forgot to mention was that I was going out that night. So here I am making the first real post a day late. Sorry about that. Anyway, today I'm reviewing Doctor P's new tune Neon.

The song starts off with a fairly catchy synth lead. This synth soon evolves into a crescendo before spiralling down into the overly familiar wob-wob-wob of unoriginal dubstep. Whilst it does do this very well, there's nothing new about it. No interesting little twist or turn. To put it into perspective, I've heard this exact same beat in every other dubstep song ever (perhaps a slight exaggeration there).

To be honest, this is a review of dubstep in general and not just this song by Doctor P, who, it must be said, is one of the genre's finest artists. What this genre needs is an act that comes along with something so different yet so familiar that it revitalises the whole of this dull and drab scene.

Unfortunately, Doctor P, and more specifically, this song, is not that.

SMc