Hypewatch – Lykke Li
You may think Noah and the Whale are the hottest indie property right now, but the difference between them and greatness was demonstrated this weekend in an effortless and startling burst of rap by a petite swedish blonde with a cutesy voice.
It’s rare to walk away from a festival set and think you’ve just seen something quite special. But in the midst of an indie-pop performance laced with attitude and fun were moments of genius. It takes some audacity to attempt a cover of a song that has only just found its way into the hearts of the indie masses, but her take on Vampire Weekend’s Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa was enchanting, all the more so as she delivered with nonchalance.
It was only when I heard Little Bit did I realise that she’s already had her own hype over here, so you should have heard her before:
It was her encore, however, that set her a class apart. Remember a Tribe Called Quest?
She turned their hip hop anthem into something unique, delivering a word-perfect brash rap, wrestling with the lyrics and overpowering the beats to create a soothing come-down.
When I see Noah and his crew deconstruct, say, Daft Punk, live, and with humour, then I’ll believe the hype.
Recommended for:
Tommy G – there are traces of Far Eastern influences
Andy B – Go catch her live if you can
Steer clear – Bev – Wouldn’t make for a happy birthday!
James Blunt
James, what can I say? You’ve sold millions of albums, quite a feat as all my friends who own your music are ashamed to admit it…
Singer songwriters, you have to feel for them – they start from a position of weakness. You know its going to be another tortured soul desparate for you to understand their pain/passion/failure/heartbreak…
Male singer songwriters especially…a Dawson’s Creek image is no good, so they have to up the stakes. Jack ’surfer’ Johnson is a prime example (http://www.myspace.com/jackjohnsonmusic). He’s so laid back and, well, a surfer dude, how can you not like him? I once dated a girl who, after the deal-breaking first date music conversation, said “you’ll love Jack Johnson”. It didn’t last.
And guess which macho pursuit our James partook in (the army you say? gosh, sensitive and tough, oh James!) http://www.myspace.com/jamesblunt
And can you really take him seriously when he warbles?
Daniel Powter (http://www.myspace.com/danielpowter) had to shave his head to appear respectable. Had a bad day? To f****** right after hearing your s**** on every ad break (I’m not buying Sure/Right Guard deodorant (whichever it is) from now on and to hell with the odour-related consequences).
But this isn’t just a rant. There is a genuine music issue at stake, and for those of you who dig a little deeper into the lyrics, it’s even more fundamental. These guys peddle the predictable, the cliche’d, the lines that when you actually reflect, you can’t but go, eh?! Take our pal James here:
“Simone, I wish I’d known that what seems so strong has been and gone; I’d call you up on a Sunday night and we’d both stay up until morning light” (warble)
Simone, you and I know where he was on Saturday…
Now, i can’t leave you with this bunch. There are those who are less shallow, but not so melancholy that they can’t crack a smile…
I was given a present a year or so ago by Andy and Carolyn. An album by a chap called Tom Baxter. I have to admit publicly that I unusually didn’t pay as much attention at the time as I should have, but in anticipation of his appearance at Leicester Summer Sundae, I’ve dusted down the album, and I have to say that if you have an ounce of romance in you then devour this album. It’s not one to shout out on a first date, but certainly one to play when things start getting serious (although i’ve been playing it for days now and Rosie is still not putty in my hands, tough cookie!!!).
All the ingredients are there, notably the soaring strings, the story, the sheer audacity to sing songs of the heart. But he’s subtle enough musically and lyrically to not feel ashamed to play the songs over and over.
I’ve not put a link on as you need to download his album Feather and Stone before trying his new stuff. Itunes. Now. If you download just one song, go for either Almost There (“I’m not the man of your dreams but i took you almost there” - in print looks pathetic, but add the strings and you’ll be eating your words) or My Declaration, unless Andy or Caz say otherwise.
I’ll keep this going, and put more singer songwriter types up soon but for now, it’s all about Tom (naturally)
Recommended for:
Bev – if you won’t listen to female singer song writers…
Andy T – A romantic at heart
Mash secret romantic – take the hint!
Paula – Time to ditch James Blunt once and for all
Beth and Beccy S - Yes, you guessed it, you’ll be marched to see him at LSS in a couple of weeks!
Caught out there – The Darkness
First in a new series…bands that I liked at the time but looking back, what the hell was i thinking. And I know I’m not alone…
Yes, the Darkness, faux shag rockers from East Anglia. Rockers don’t come from East Anglia. Cambridge hosts the most world’s most famous folk festival, please leave us and our webbed feet alone thank you.
But, as if caught up in some guilt-led excitement, i was the music equivalent of a girl just out of convent school, breaking all the catholic rules…i confess, i spent a whole day at the Darkness video shoot.
It’s easy to look back and sneer, but their gig at The Garage was genuinely exciting, Justin led around the crowd on the shoulders of his Roadie, proper power chords and harmonies on the lead guitar. Wonderful…see there I go again!!
Ok, lets be honest, it was fun while it lasted. But lets not play them in public again. Except at Christmas, because in one song, they found their purpose. Don’t let the Bells End just yet.
Guilt-trippers
Andy Brown and Carolyn – it’s all your fault
Kris – Blame your dad and his stadium rock heritage
James R and Bev – I’m sure you were on the ride with me
Matt Christie – I bet you were in a tribute band
Claire - Anything this cheesy has your prints all over
Innocent guv
Russ S – Wouldn’t even bat an eyelid
Paul – Nothing better than the real thing, so doubt you went near them
Mash secret rocker – Please say you didn’t!
Hypewatch – MGMT
MGMT
“For all its musical philandering, unbridled excess and shrouds of irony, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a record with more musical depth and warmth all year than this one.” NME 8/10
Irony in music and ridiculous clothes are not going to get my music juices flowing. In fact, these types need a proper clean up and perhaps a word from whathisname, Gok? (see pic at http://www.nme.com/reviews/mgmt/9519)
A snippet of Electric Feel and I’m whisked off to one of those hideous clubs, y’know, in places like Birmingham where you step in at the tender age of 29 to hear 70’s funk and you realise you’re still the kid on the dancefloor about to be chatted up by a 45 year old with a blonde wig. This is one the wedding DJ’s will be playing in 10 years…
But halt! ‘Time to Pretend’, now that’s a proper, prick up your ears tune that will be bounding round your head for a while.
And there’s enough buried deep within songs like Weekend Wars and The Youth to forget for a moment that they have oversized sunglasses and silly high voices. Hmmm, i think i agree with NME. Oh dear.
Verdict – Go on then, if you must.
Recommended for
Claire – you too like big sunglasses
Vicki W – It’ll bridge the gap between your indie cool and James’ cheese!
Si – Somehow, i think they’d be worth seeing live
Steer clear
Kris – It’s just too wierd
Andy Brown – or possibly not, i just can’t tell with you. You might like their alleged ironic side
