Thursday 30 January 2014

Park Bench Society- Forest Gate EP

Hi,

Sorry I haven't posted for a while but I've been so tied down with homework recently that I have just not had the time! Anyway, today's post will be about "Park Bench Society"'s EP Forest Gate. You can buy or listen HERE

Background Info:

Park Bench Society are an acoustic, indie, alternative and Ska band from Loughborough. They say they are influenced by The Rivers, Jamie T, Arctic Monkeys, Tom Waits, John Mayer, Bon Iver, The Kooks, Steve Hewitt and Vampire Weekend.



They have a gorgeous acoustic indie sound. The track "Down by he bus shelter" is an amazing, catchy song showing off the vocal and song writing ability of the guys. This track is similar to Passenger but still has it's own unique style. The song "Room 66" starts off with the twangy guitar sounds and the slapping guitar drum , it sounds Spanish and is fast and upbeat. I love their accent which is really prominent in this song. The trumpets are a great addition. "Go home" is an angry and sassy song that is confident and clever. "Girl from the city" is another upbeat track that is unbelievably catchy and probably my favourite. These guys really think about their lyrics and backing which is obvious in their music. It is carefully sculpted, unlike early EPs in a lot of band's careers. This EP is full of upbeat acoustic indie tracks that get you dancing and thinking so I love these guys. I really hope they get big and your £3.16 would help a lot! .......

Thursday 23 January 2014

The Tuts

Hi,

Just a short post today about "The tuts"! You can listen to them HERE!! More music HERE!

Background Info:
The Tuts are a 3-piece punk, ska and indie band from Hayes, London. They have a song featured on Kate Nash's Christmas EP. 



These girls have a rock sound as well as a slightly poppy. They are extremely talented and unique, although have a similar sound to Kate Nash. Their electric, bass heavy beats are fab and added with the gentle, soothing voices of the girls makes a great and whole band! I'm surprised they're not bigger than they are!!



Tuesday 21 January 2014

iTunes Single of the week #9

Hi,

So this week's free single of the week was "Dripping Down" by East India Youth.

East India Youth has one album: "Total strife forever" and one EP: "Hostel". He is William Doyle, a 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist from Bournemouth.

 Review:
This track is an indie-grunge with electronic tones. I really like the vocalist, he has a deep but soft and gentle voice. Although he can get a bit monotonous at times, we hear his talent when he moves pitches. About three quarters of the way through we think the song has finished but it carries on with the backing removed but we hear gorgeous harmonies, these are haunting and so well written with beautiful changes in chords and dynamics. I could listen to those as a whole song! The song starts off with the vocals sung relatively high, but these are soon brought down again to the nasal slightly samey tones of the rest of the track. I love the harmonies behind the main vocalist. The backing is electric and with Caribbean drum beats, I like this but only with the more indie-grunge vocals.

Overall I would give this song 7/10, for the beautiful ending.


Saturday 18 January 2014

Top 3 Songs of the week #9

Hi,

This week I've been loving....
Bird song by Florence + the machine
My Song 5 by HAIM
Angry Hill by George Ezra

Bird Song is a gorgeous alternative song. Florence's voice is so beautiful in this song that I don't know how to cope! The intro is slow and flowing and sung without backing. Then acoustic guitar is added, but it sounds so much like a harp, electric guitar is added after and it gets faster but still only very simple backing. The harp-like guitar is added again with Florence singing two parts to this song recorded over each other. When it goes back into flowing gorgeous circles she sings the same line again and again. But we hear her mood change with the music and our perception of the line changes with her's. We feel her change as a person which makes this such a simple but incredible song! She is a truly talented songstress!

My Song 5 is an electric, bass heavy track. It has a strong sound and strong lyrics. The lyrics are sung quite low down which adds to the strength of the song. I love the electric guitar rock sound after the chorus, it makes you want to do air guitar! I love the beats that sound like a funeral march at the start of the song, these add to the anger and emotion of the song. The lyrics are great, they swear but use the word for drama and purpose rather then just throwing it in there like a lot of artists do. I love the deep brass sound that is played in sync with the vocals which sounds great. I love the sound of it at the end. It's a great electric rock song!

Angry Hill is by George Ezra who's EP I reveiwed HERE. This track starts with gentle guitar chords and a gorgeous but menacing and threatening backing drone. When he starts singing we hear his deep, mature tone with distressed and crackly throaty sounds. It sounds amazing and gorgeous, it's so emotional it makes me want to cry! This song is varied and interesting with Ezra's vocals changing and adapting throughout the music. It starts and finishes with noises that sound almost like screams, it adds mystery and menace. This song is so beautiful and needs to be listened to!




Thursday 16 January 2014

iTunes Single of the week #8

Hi,

The single this week was "British Weather" by Decade.

Decade are a 5 piece indie-rock, alternative grunge band from Bath. They have one self titled EP and one full album called "Good luck" out.


(I usually put a picture of the single cover but I can't find a reasonable quality one anywhere on the internet!! Sorry!)

Review:
This band are not really original or unique but they do have talent, it's a bit dull and samey. They sound so much like fall out boy that they aren't really defined as a band. It is just your average indie rock song, nothing very different or special! I think the band do have some merit as they are talented, but it's been done before boys! The song passes the time and it is not so bad you can't listen to it, it's just boring and fades into the background. The vocalist has tones of American grunge pop which makes it sound a bit too pretentious for my tastes.

Overall this song is good but dull and average. I will give it 4/10!


Wednesday 15 January 2014

George Ezra

Hi,

Today's post will be about an amazing guy who's getting big in the music circles and I think you should know about! You can listen HERE! Click HERE to get a FREE download of a couple of songs!

Background Info:
George Ezra is a 20 year old singer/songwriter from Bristol. He has one EP out called "Did you hear the rain?"



George Ezra's voice has a deep and mature tone that is really sexy, but as demonstrated in Did you hear the rain he can reach the high with confidence and beauty. Did you hear the rain sounds like it's from a western movie with it's desert like guitar chords. I love the end when he sings a wonderfuly gorgeous cadence ending after the backing does. Benjamin Twine is an upbeat bluesy song that lifts your spirits. The lyrics are great to this, they literally tell a story which hasn't properly been done since the 40s so good on him! Angry Hill is a more gentle and soft tune that makes you feel so calm and stress free, it's a great song to fall asleep to. I love the threatening chords and I think that this track really shows off his vocal talent. This one is my favourite! Budapest is his most famous, it's another blues track which is a great way to start the album. I think that you get the full Ezra song writing talent in this track, it's all so great! I love this guy and I hope you do too!


Monday 13 January 2014

Eliza and the Bear

Hi,

Today's post will be about "Eliza and the bear". You can listen to them HERE

Background Info:
Eliza and the bear is a 5 piece indie band from South London. They are influenced by: Bombay Bicycle Club, Head & The Heart, We are Augustines and Arcade Fire. They have a few singles out on iTunes.



Eliza and the bear have a gorgeous indie and indie-rock sound. They have gorgeous harmonies and I love their accent when they sing. "It gets cold" is an upbeat indie-rock song similar to some of "Of monsters and men". I love the way they sing with emotion, their harmonies are fully formed and they seem already to be a ready made band with full and whole music that cheers you right up! "Friends" is more of a summery indie-pop song. I love the way that the band sing their music altogether all the way through. These guys are all really talented and deserve a listen!



Saturday 11 January 2014

Top 3 Songs of the week #8

Hi,

Click on the song title to have a listen!

This week I've been loving.....
Milk and Black Spiders by Foals
One Day by Kodaline
Riptide by Vance Joy

Milk and Black Spiders starts with open and echoing beats and then twinkly, tapping, acoustic beats that sound like spider's feet are added. I absolutely love this addition! When the vocalist starts singing it sounds electronic and a bit techno but still unmistakeably indie. I love that the spider footsteps are kept throughout it adds real depth. When they get to first chorus then it all gets heavier and less steppy, more long drawn out notes instead of fast moving ones. Then it moves back for the next verse. I really like this! At the end it starts to sound almost Turkish which is great. I love the way it builds before the last more indie-electro-pop end bit. I love the lyrics that "Foals" use in all their songs.

One Day is an unbelievably gorgeous song by Kodaline. It starts with just an acoustic guitar, small tapping beats and the singer which has a great effect. Piano is then added which brings more melody to the song, then drums are added which makes it feel fuller and more whole. Bass guitar is added which makes the track a whole and all come together. I love the message of the song, the lyrics are so good and just makes you want to sing along! When the electric guitar has some, rock-esque backing it adds a lot to the piece and now it sounds so more emotional and the whole thing builds for the last part. It ends with the chorus sung with only the acoustic guitar which leaves you feeling emotional and full. Just beautiful!

Riptide is an upbeat beachy sounding track. The first chords sound like you're sitting in a beach shack (in a good way). But his crackly, closed jaw, sometimes breathy vocals sound gorgeous and unexpected against everything else. I love that everything stops for a beat before the chorus. At the end the music stops and he is one beat behind singing "wrong", this is a gorgeous effect that makes you think. I love the chorus with only guitar chords and the tambourine, this whole track is so catchy and makes you tap your head and feet! I love the penultimate chorus where everything suddenly goes quiet and is thin texture again. It all suddenly gets loud again which I love! This song is exiting and gorgeous and needs a listen!


Thursday 9 January 2014

ACADEMIC_

Hi,

So today's post will be about an artist called "Academic". I'll be telling you about my favourite two songs of his: Bye Bye- HERE and Prelude to a dream- HERE

Background info:
His name is Tyler Matthews and he is a 28 year old electronic artist from Columbia, SC: home of Hootie and the Blowfish, Toro y Moi, & Washed Out. He left the finance world to focus on his music. He makes music for tv & movie soundtracks as well as commercials. He's planning to begin a regional tour in the Spring of 2014.


Review:
Bye Bye has nice strong intro beats, it's clean and sharp which is nice to hear. This is electronic, but not too poppy and in that respect  breath of fresh air. There are some really interesting changes throughout this track which give your ears something to hold onto. Some nice beats and added electro "twinkles" are a nice touch. Personally,  find this 4 minute track a bit boring for the whole thing, but that is my techno-resenting opinion. It is worth a listen.

Prelude to a dream has an interesting start. The short tapping beats are a nice addition and the far out noises are lovely. The added moving pitches give a nice effect, overall I like this one better.

So I hope you can all find time in your busy schedules to listen to "Academic Beats", it's worth it! HERE is his sound-cloud link so you can listen to more. There are a couple of free downloads on there if you want! Follow him on twitter @academicbeats. Thanks for reading!

Wednesday 8 January 2014

iTunes Single of the week review #7

Hi,

So this week's single was "This haze" by Patterns.

Patterns are a 4 piece indie-drone pop band. They have 2 albums out: Dangerous intentions and Walking Lines. I would recommend them if you like "Of monsters and men" or "Kodaline". 


Review:
Patterns have a high pitched singer which I admit is an acquired taste, but can be so gorgeous! I love the intro with the mysterious guitar drone and "wobbly" notes sung! They have a sophisticated electronic sound but definitely indie with elements of pop. The guitar twangs are just so lovely and there is a gorgeous backing keyboard drone. The crashing drums add extra texture that gives depth and makes the song feel fuller and more like a whole piece of music. My only complaint would be that its a bit samey and can get boring listening to it.

Overall I really like this, it has some great depth to it, but its very slightly samey and boring. I would give it 8/10!





Monday 6 January 2014

No fxd Abode's Pledge Project

Hi,

So just a short post for you today! This is about the brilliant band "No fxd Abode"!  They have an LP which isn't out yet but you can pledge for it on pledge music HERE. I'm sure they would really appreciate your support! I have used the Pledge Music site before and trust it completely.

Background info:
No fxd abode are a 4 piece rock, britpop and indie-rock band from Scotland. They have 2 singles on iTunes: Nostalgia (which was one of top 3 songs of the week on Saturdy HERE) and Start again . Try these guys if you like "mystery jets", "peace" or "palma violets".


I hope you can pledge, the download is just £5 and it would mean a lot to them!! Thanks for reading!


Saturday 4 January 2014

Top 3 Songs of the week #7

Hi,

Click on the song title to have a listen!

This week I've been loving:
Nostalgia by No fxd Abode
Can't pretend by Tom O'Dell
Unbelievers by Vampire Weekend

Nostalgia is by "no fxd abode" who are really great, if you want to listen to more they have other song on iTunes called Start Again which is also great! The first thing you notice is the talent of the singer, then the Scottish accent. I'm glad they haven't tried to hide the accent, I don't the music would be the same without it! The singer is so talented, the higher parts are gorgeously done and add to the music instead of trying to show off like some vocalists do. The intro is gently moving acoustic guitar chords  which sets the scene well. Then when they get into and it becomes more indie-rock drums are added which sounds amazing. I love the lyrics and the message of the song. These guys are great and I'm really surprised that they're not that popular! So let's try to get them noticed guys!!

Can't pretend is probably a song you've heard before, being Tom O'dell. But I like so many others have been seduced by the gorgeous, sexy, dulcet tones of this wonderful man. I just love his nasal, distressed, emotional voice. He is one the most emotional singers I have listened to, it is a joy to hear him sing. I love this track as the whole thing changes from verse to verse, you can tell that it's the same song but it changes with the addition and subtraction of instruments and the mood of his voice. This guy if amazing!

Unbelievers is a more upbeat song. It's so catchy and makes you want to get up an dance (which I did... in the middle of a shopping centre). I love the minimal melody in the track, it sounds full even when there isn't much backing. A lovely instrumental is added in between a verse and chorus which is a great addition. At first it sounds a bit like a "duran duran" song which is great. This is great song to come home to, it cheered me right up and I hope it does the same for you!

Thursday 2 January 2014

Lux Lisbon- Get Some Scars

Hi,

First off I am so sorry I haven't posted for ages. I've been unbelievably busy over the Christmas period. I had some great Christmas music posts lined up as well which I'm gutted about! Is it too late? If you would like to see them anyway then let me know in the comments! Anyway, apology over on with the post.

So today I'm going to be reviewing the Lux Lisbon's free download: "get some scars". To get the free download click HERE .



Background info:
Lux Lisbon are a 5 piece indie-rock band from Nottingham University. They have one EP out "Get some scars" (which is worth a listen!). You can buy their EP for £4 or more HERE .


Review:
"Get some scars" is a catchy song with a great meaning. The video is great as well if you want to watch. I love the lyric "oh while we're young yeah, let's go out and get some scars. 'Cos when we're older we'll wear them to tell us apart". The song starts with one singer for a bar then a harmony sung by the band with only sparse guitar chords which works really well. They have boy/girl harmonies which sound great and we are hearing more of recently but still not enough in my opinion. We have too many one gender bands! Sorry, rant over! When they get into it they start to sound a bit like a barber shop choir, which isn't necessarily a bad thing just a bit weird at times. I recommend these guys if you like Dog is Dead or Fleetwood Mac. So, their track is definitely worth a download! Follow them on twitter @luxlisbonmusic!!