Remembered My Password!

Wow. It has been such a long time since I posted on this and so much has changed since then. I really used to enjoy writing it but it seems 'adulting' quickly got in the way... But here goes nothing.

SUMMER SONGS FOR A HAPPY 2017. 

1) SOOM T - BOOM SHIVA

If I were to be a musical artist I'd be Soom T. She mixes Asian influences from classical folk to bhangra with reggae and hip hop. She can rap with the best of them and the cherry on the top? She has an awesome Scottish accent. I've not seen her perform live except for an appearance on the odd YouTube video but I have asked her to perform in Manchester at some point in the future and she said she would! The album 'Ode to a Carrot' is a must for the summer months and you can find the whole thing online.

2) DARK DARK DARK - IN YOUR DREAMS 

I heard this song for the first time and was instantly hooked. It was literally on repeat for days and it's the kind of song that can change with your mood from making you dance like a crazy person to a contemplative journey on a train. Dark Dark Dark are an American folk band - using all of my favourite instruments including the accordion! I'll be honest I'd never heard of them until I started to watch the BBC drama 'Thirteen' about a girl that was kidnapped as a teenager and her escape from her captor. If you haven't seen the series you really should give it a watch. It's very good but I can say the ending was fairly disappointing.

3) VALERIE JUNE - PUSHING AGAINST A STONE

What a gorgeous voice Valerie has. It's a cross between country and soul. This album is one of my current favourites. I don't think I've ever heard an American artist with such a distinctive voice for a very long time. The whole album is worth a listen and if this title track doesn't inspire you to do that you and I can no longer be friends...

4) SHOCKING BLUE - LOVE BUZZ

If you are feeling in a bit of a slinky mood the original version of Love Buzz is the song you must listen to. Obviously the cover by Nirvana is amazing and it was only on a trip down grungy memory lane that I came across the original. It is so of it's time... basically a mad 60's trip. It's been sampled by so many people including The Prodigy that you feel like you know it anyway.

 

5) TANYA STEVENS - IT'S A PITY

I heard this on one of the Pirate Reggae Radio Stations I sometimes tune into. You honestly find some amazing stuff on the wireless if you ride the dial for a bit. I know people don't really do it these days with so much music on your laptops and phones but there are some gems that you will only find if you are introduced to them by DJ's who really love what they do. This song is great to dance around to but it also makes me laugh lyrically.



So obviously this is the female artist summer edition! I promise it was not intentional! But I hope you enjoy this long overdue post! xx

Connan Mockasin - the new Bjork?

It is officially home time but as I wait for my final story of the day to be subbed I come across a very strange man... the kind of man you do not expect to come across whilst sitting at your desk at quarter to 6 in the evening.

It started with his name Connan Mockasin and step by step he intrigued me...his name, his face, his appearance and finally my search ended when I found this video.

It stopped because I knew I had to share it with you.

What starts as a simple scene of a painting ends up becoming a distorted post-modern juxtaposition/interpretation of culture, identity and love.

At first the variety of colours in the scene mesh together, creating an eerie portrait of blurred figures that appear sinisterly clown-like, yet animalistic. However, their movements are very soft which makes them even more creepy!

This opening scene slowly comes to life and then suddenly merges with the modern day, showing one man’s quest to find his love.

I love that he first sees his dolphin lover woman outside Liverpool Street Station.

Right, to the music…I was unsure about it to begin with. It sounded similar to The Dresden Dolls at first with a toy like piano/synth but it just kept changing it never stayed the same for more that a minute. This is one of the few music videos that uses lyrics and instrumentals to purely enhance visuals.

Anyway, I shall stop harping on and let you watch/listen for yourself! Enjoy! 

Jamie Woon's Lady Luck

It is not very often that I let a video speak for itself but in this case I made an exception. 

When I heard this song about a month or so ago I was blown away by its simplicity. Today my appreciation for this video grew when I saw the studio produced version on TV which left me quite disappointed.

The natural noise and backdrop sets this raw footage apart from most other acapella versions of songs you find on YouTube.

The raw voice and beautiful setting is what made this song stand out for me. 

Birmingham's Finest is Tipped for the Top

CLARE MAGUIRE

Clare is from Solihull in Birmingham and has been struggling since 2005 to be recognised in the music industry but now is finally the time for her to take center stage. After many years trying to realise her dream Clare is predicted to be the 'next big thing' for 2011! and I certainly hope that is what she will become. 

The first time I noticed Clare was when I heard her do a cover of Anthony and the Johnson's. Her voice was amazing and not many a woman could sing in such a low octave and still sound like a woman, Maguire being an exception. 

Although her first single entitled 'The Last Dance' is not one of her best tracks... I can see the Great British public latching on to it. Its catchy and uplifting - I guess you could say Clare is a happier version of Adele. All the talent minus every track being overtly depressing - be it with the aid of great lyrics or just the rhythm of her music. 'The Last Dance' has a slight 70's vibe to it with the repetitive synth and drum combination. The vocals as per usual are amazing and the rhythm of the song is nice and catchy. It's the kind of song that could quite easily get stuck in your head. 

My personal favourite off Clare's newest album would have to be 'Ain't Nobody' it has hints of a folk influence as well as an heir of Madonna from her spirtual 'Frozen' days - maybe its just the video that gives that impression though! Simple and Strong. 

Clare has a very distinctive strong voice and despite likening her to others in the same age range and in the standard female singer-songwriter category she has been placed in, she stands out. Her voice is rich and smooth- she never battles with her notes and sings them with a grace and elegance. She is what we need this year - six years of hard graft and she has finally done it! Her debut album will be released on the 28th February 2011!  p.s: check out the Chase and Status Remix of 'The Last Dance' - so nice! and Danny Byrd's remix is pretty nice too!

New Artist - Dorian Oddwood

My dear friend J sent me a link to this song because apparently it reminds him of me. Below are the probable reasons:

1) I suffer from insomnia so I sometimes don't sleep.
2) Peeps refer to me as B or Bee.
3) Dorian has a beefro, as do I.
4) They eat French macaron biscuits in the video and boy do I love those chewy biscuits of greatness!
5) They have a tea party and I certainly enjoy a good cup of tea.

The song is catchy, it doesn't really float my boat but I can see it doing well in the charts and because Dorian is a new artist it might be worth our while tracking his progress in the coming months! So check out his newest video entitled "Bees Don't Sleep" the video is simply delicious... enjoy!

New Psychedelic Artist: MALACHAI

Malachai is from good ol' Bristol and despite being around for about a year or so... he hasn't really made it to the big time and to be honest I could kind of understand after hearing 'Snowflake' a while ago. I really didn't like it at all, I found the video pretentious and the music annoying but I gave Malachai another go and my views have changed! Mostly because of this amazing song called Rainbows featuring Katy Wainwright. The video is pretty cool if you give it a while but I love the song and the harmonies are oh so pretty! When 'Rainbows'  begins to play it feels as though you could be listening to Portishead and I don't know about you, but I LOVE Portishead so that was an immediately good sign and to be honest the song didn't really disappoint me. So enjoy!

Album Review

DWELE

It’s that old cliche that almost always gets used to describe talented Soul/R’n’B singers but there is no other way to describe Dwele’s voice other than saying it is as smooth as butter. The words just slide out of his mouth with no strain, just pure passion. His new album combines the contemporary with elements of classic soul which is shown by the way he sings in and around the beat rather than adhering to the conventions  R’n’B dictates.

Dwele’s approach to both songwriting, production and delivery have an authenticity that many mainstream artists can’t seem to match. His new album ‘W.ants, W.orld, W.omen’ contains no hegemony or egocentricsm, instead, it is rich with beautiful lyrics that reflect Dwele’s personal experiences and desires in life. Although some are more confusing to understand than others such as ‘I wanna’ but that might just be me?

Despite the overall sound of the album being easy to listen to there is an off putting undercurrent namely the explicit promotion of a particular denim brand that is dotted throughout the album. It seems silly to ruin what at first appears to be a genuine singer/songwriter’s album but I guess promoting this brand will line Dwele’s pockets just in case the album doesn’t. Despite not being admirable, its understandable. Dwele has been the victim of never making it to the mainstream, he has always been on the outskirts looking in but with this album he might just make it.