The Mysterious Case of 'The Reflektor'

The talented bunch of Canadians that are Arcade Fire had already succeeded in tantalizing my ear drums with the sorrowful album 'The Suburbs'.'The Reflektor' had already been 'leaked' (that word again!) online
but on Monday when rumours filtered through to me that Banquet Records, my local record store, were reopening their store at 9pm to release 'The Reflektor' I headed straight over. Half hour later I had my hands on hell of a gem of a 12"!

As in true Arcade Fire style, 'The Reflektor' can only be described as a shiny disco apocalypse'with a light sprinkling of the French language.  Regine Chassagne has long been a favourite vocalist of mine and here she provides the single with a light edge by effortlessly singing high notes that contrasts beautifully with the darkness of the song.  Although at 7 minutes 42 seconds long this song is not for the impatient.

Oh and did I mention that David Bowie lends his voice and stars in the video?

Very much looking forward to what Arcade Fire has to offer in the future!

When Covers Are Better Than The Original

I'm not always one that 'approves' as such of those who rip off other artists' materials and there is nothing more infuriating than when it does happen, but at the risk of upsetting many dedicated music fans, there are quite a few covers of classic song that (dare I say it) are better than the original. Maybe this is because sometimes it is easier to identify ways in which to improve a song from an outside perspective, or it's just been adapted to suit the tastes of a certain genre, deeming it more likeable to an individual's ears.

Below I have picked out a few of my favourite examples of where an artist has covered a classic, and in my opinion, have done a much better job of it.


Oasis: I am The Walrus by The Beatles

It is no secret that the Gallagher brothers admired The Beatles far more than they admire one another and this cover of the drug-fuelled 'I am The Walrus' is a fitting tribute to the four mopheads. Oasis released their live version of 'I am The Walrus' as a B side to their better known single 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' in 1994. Although I have always loved the original, there have been times when the imagery of 'yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye' combined with the monotony of Lennon's voice has made me feel as though the Liverpudlian lads were pumping funky-brownies through my speakers. For me it is the slow, steady guitar rhythm that makes me feel uncomfortably freaked.
 However, Oasis did a fantastic job of adapting the track for us less hippy inclined rock 'n' rollers by including guitar solos alongside a heavier drum rhythm. This combined with Gallagher's vocals makes it ideal for those who would choose moshing over chasing dragons.

Nirvana: The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie

Another iconic cover that was released in 1994 is courtesy of Nirvana covering Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold The World' which featured on their MTV Unplugged in New York album.  The melancholic riffs and reflective, sombre lyrics is everything that Kurt Cobain was. Watching the performance we can almost believe that Cobain was The Man Who Sold the World'.  Was Bowie bitter the cover was so successful that many thought that it was a Nirvana track? Not at all! 'It was a good straightforward rendition and sounded somehow very honest' he mused (although he did reportedly get a little peeved when fans told him that they liked that he had performed a Nirvana cover).

Echo and the Bunnymen: People Are Strange by The Doors

The Doors originally released the lonely ballad of 'People Are Strange' in 1967 which managed to reach the top ten charts. Although the jaunty chord progression deems it worthy of being a blues anthem for all the lone wolves out there, it doesn't half tug on the heart strings. There is very little that differs in the cover by Echo and the Bunnymen, which was released as the soundtrack for the 1987 cult classic film 'Lostboys', except for a bigger emphasis on the guitar riffs which strips away the 'wild west' imagery which the Doors created in the original.

Exclusive Interview with Doncaster's hottest band, The Kavaliers

Rawness, originality and a whole lot of kicking attitude are the three things that determines what gets played on my iPod these days. Therefore when I came across The Kavaliers I was instantly taken with the energy which blasted through my speakers. It was the guitar solo by Matthew Brewin in the intro to 'Clouds' which made me sit up and pay attention to this band from Doncaster and as soon as the Richard Ashcroft-esque vocals (courtesy of Tom Statham)  kicked in, I was an instant fan. 

The lovely lads from Doncaster (Tom Statham, Jordan Booth, Liam Ambrose and Matthew Brewin) were even kind enough to grant me an interview so I could find out what they're all about. 

First things first, how long have The Kavaliers been on the Doncaster music circuit? 

About 5 years* but the current line up is relatively fresh with the new bass player present for 18 months and the new guitar player for about 7 months. 

How influential has your hometown been on the music you've produced?

Quite, one of our songs 'Shotgun Town' is about Doncaster. One of the only good things about the town is you can get a couple of tunes out about it. 

You have listed Oasis and The Stone Roses as your main influences. These two bands put Manchester on the map in regards to music and did much to challenge the London Music Scene. As you guys are based in Doncaster, do you reckon there's still a north/south divide in today's music? 

No, not really. The people we've met appreciate good music regardless of north/south divide

You've played The Polish Festival Doncaster, how important are festivals to the British music scene? 

Very, they give the bands the opportunity to reach a wider audience and network with similar artists in places they're not necessarily from. 

You've shared a stage with Pete Doherty, is he a fan of The Kavaliers?

I don't think he'll remember much of that night haha! 

Will you ever take a jaunt down to London to play a live set for your Southern based fans? 

Absolutely, if a gig offer comes in we'll be straight down! 

Finally, are there any plans for a future album release? 

We plan to record an ep of material in the coming months but if you can't wait pop down to a show. 

If you would you like to know more about The Kavaliers, head over to their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter

*ooops, I'm a bit late to this party

People Power: The 1p Album Club

The beauty of music is that it is a phenomenon which is accessible to all, to rich or poor, Scottish or Chinese, human or goldfish. This is due to the fact that the idea of music is on such a wide scale as it can be found from the Wembley Arena to homemade didgeridoos in the Australian Outbreak. This is why I was so interested when I found out about the 1p Album Club as it gives ordinary, everyday music fans a voice. In fact the 1p Album Club has even gained support from the likes of Bernard Butler.

The 1p Album Club's origins is a group of friends who realized that music is currently being undersold. By downloading an album for 1p from Amazon and reviewing it, readers are able to see the true value of music across the board. Although many may argue that they are practically stealing albums by purchasing them for 1p, I disagree. The reviews are aimed at not just music fans, but those who care about music. Therefore by giving the albums publicity and an honest opinion, people are more likely to purchase the album at an honest price. The 1p Album Club is open to all, and as they claim on their website, there's no clubhouse, membership fees, handshakes or uniquely striped tie. 

If you are interested in the 1p Album Club or would like to get involved then click here for info or even follow them on Twitter

Exclusive Interview with Sean McGhee: Inspirations, Doctor Who and Same-Sex Marriage

Summer 2012 saw the emergence of an exciting music collaboration between Suede guitarist Richard Oakes and renowned music producer, songwriter and composer Sean McGhee. The duo took the form of Artmagic, creating songs which inspire and uplift the spirit. I had the pleasure of seeing Artmagic perform a discreet instore gig at Banquet Records last July with the simple set up of Oakes on his acoustic guitar and McGhee armed with nothing but his own vocal chords. Performing songs from their album 'Become The One You Love' was a perfect backdrop to the hazy, summer evening in Kingston Upon Thames. 

During the time between that summer's evening and the present day, Sean McGhee and I have exchanged a few jokes and opinions via twitter, so therefore a few days ago I plucked up the courage to ask him for a short interview, which he so kindly agreed to.
If you like what you've heard about Artmagic, then be sure to head over to their page now Click here

What was the first album which you owned?

I'm the youngest of a reasonably big family so even before I had any music of my own there were always albums and singles around the house. The two that I remember making the biggest impression were "Carrie" by Cliff Richard (which is still a tune-and-three-quarters) and "Games Without Frontiers" by Peter Gabriel, which casts such a long shadow over my musical development that it's hard to imagine my sonic landscape without it.

I can't remember specifically the first album I owned but it would have either been one of Abba's albums or "Speak And Spell by Depeche Mode. I asked for, and received, Abba's "Super Trouper" album for my fifth birthday but on cassette, not the vinyl I had hoped for. This happened again with Howard Jones's "Humans Lib" on my seventh birthday. You think I'd have let this go by now, wouldn't you? (I have them both on vinyl now. It was cheaper than therapy.)

Did this album leave a lasting impact on you?

Did it ever. Listening to Depeche Mode  was like being flung into a brash new technological world, as far removed from the granite houses and rainy farmland of  my childhood surroundings as you could get. And the same with Abba. If Mode promised a future of new sounds and electronic otherness, Abba offered a kind of child-friendly emotional complexity couched in perfect yet somehow exotic pop songwriting. I used to gaze at the credits on Abba albums and wonder, what's an engineer, what's a producer? Something in me needed to know, even then. And so, here I am.

With the closing of HMV, how do you feel the future looks for Record stores?

Well, HMV isn't gone yet, but let's face it, their panic-stricken attempts to work out what they should be doing as retailers over the last few years give some clues to why they've ended up like this. Are they a music shop, a DVD outlet, videogame retailer, secondhand merchant, hi-fi store...?  Nevertheless, they're the last bastion of music retail on the high street, so even if it's in a limited capacity, I genuinely hope they survive. When the Artmagic album came out, it was a source of great pride to us that HMV carried it, because with independent record shops also dwindling in number, where else is left for impulse purchases?

Having said that, Artmagic  did numerous instore performances last year at a host of excellent independent shops, and I made a point of saying at the end of each one, "buy our album please, but even if you don't, please don't leave without buying something, because stores like this are essential and you'll lose it if you don't use it." I genuinely love record shops, and hate to imagine a future without them. 

Summing up the future of music distribution is tough, though. Streaming is going to be a big part of it but a great record shop offers a kind of curatorship between the staff and the customers, making recommendations and bringing previously unheard music to the fore. I hope that kind of space will always exist, and I think the internet can't compete on that level. But they will only survive if we support them. And that means making an effort that may be beyond a lot of people who are used to the convenience of online shopping.


You work with a wide range of artists across different music genres, where do you find the inspiration to keep your work ‘fresh’? 

I listen to tons of music in tons of genres, especially ones I don't usually work in. And I try to leave room for improvisation when I work, and not get bogged down in theoretical questions. There's a thrill to diving into the unknown.  Also, a constant process of analysis and a hope to keep making better music.

Which artists/bands have caught your eye (ears) at the moment?

The new John Grant record, "Pale Green Ghosts", is a triumph - great to hear him taking a stylistic left turn but still retaining the love of melody and coruscating gallows humour that marked his previous work.

"Broadside" by Bellowhead, "Standing At The Sky's Edge" by Richard Hawley, "Ashore" by June Tabor, "Channel Orange" by Frank Ocean, "Awayland" by Villagers", "Mummer" by XTC and Now 83 have all been on heavy rotation of late. 
And one must not underestimate the power of Britney ("Scream And Shout"), Disclosure ("Latch", "White Noise") and Little Mix ("DNA").  

Not Jake Bugg, though. One Direction FTW.

What inspired you to embark upon the Artmagic project with Richard Oakes?

A desire to carve out a space to call my own, and to work with the most-underrated writer and guitarist of his generation.  He writes the most gorgeous chord changes; a troubled panorama of light and shade.  I can't help but respond to what he does. If Richard's music were a film, it would be "Magnolia". He's so good. It makes me chuckle to think that his 90s contemporaries ever thought they were in with a chance, really.  Not to mention the current generation of retromaniacal "indie". How I hate that word. It used to mean "independent" but nowadays it's too often a byword for relentlessly uninspiring British music in endless shades of brown.  This is why I'm so pleased that we have Everything Everything, Wild Beasts and Field Music carrying the torch for interesting guitar-based pop.

‘The Gift of Flight’ from your album ‘Become the One You Love’ was inspired by equal marriage. Do you think with the success so far of the equal marriage vote that there is new hope for the younger generation struggling to come to terms with their sexuality?

I hope so. I endured that particular struggle before civil partnerships, an equal age of consent or any sign of real equality, so it's hard for me to imagine how it would be to come out now. It seems like it might be easier but the world is still highly heteronormative. But at least now our equality is mostly enshrined in law. There's still a way to go, though. I look forward to the day when sexuality is no longer any kind of news - that's why the equal marriage vote means so much: separate but equal is no equality at all in the long run. 

Is there a second album from Artmagic on the cards?    

Most definitely, yes.

Lastly, as a Doctor Who fan, who is your favourite Doctor and why? 

Sylvester McCoy, I think. I love all of the Doctors but something about Sylvester's performance gives me a huge amount of pleasure.  The good Doctor comes up a lot so I worry that it seems like I watch little else, but there's plenty of other TV I love; Breaking Bad, Nurse Jackie, A Bit Of A Do, A Very Peculiar Practice, The West Wing and Friday Night Dinner have all been big hits round my way recently.  Mind you, I have to say that Doctor Who at its worst is usually more entertaining than most TV at its best.

Meeting Artmagic at Banquet Records. Sean McGhee second from left.

***

Day of the Demos

This time of year, all music fans seem to be sitting on the edge of their seats eagerly awaiting album releases from their favourite music artists and oh, do we like being teased with juicy snippets of news! Today I have come across two new demos from none other then Carl Barat and Noel Gallagher.

For those of you who are not a 'fan' of Carl Barat on Facebook then you may not have come across his teasing demo of 'War of the Roses' which would feature on his album in autumn. When I first  came across the song and saw the title, my expectation was that it would be reminiscent of the slow, romantic tracks on his previous album such as 'Shadows fall' or 'So Long My Lover' however I was pleasantly surprised with the direction that Barat has taken his new material. War of The Roses punches the speakers with a kick-ass attitude in the bass line which he complements within his lyrics where he seems to have more confidence in singing then his previous solo work. The song takes us to his urban north London roots with its blare-out vocals towards the end and the catchy rhythm. All in all, although War of The Roses is much more daring then his previous solo songs, it will not disappoint Barat's fans as it has many of his characteristics with a healthy dosage of elements from The Libertines. However as I mentioned before, this demo is just meant to be a teaser and a bedroom recording which Barat 'let slip'.

If you are curious, then head over to Carl Barat's Facebook page; click here for a cheeky listen

Ok, so I may have grabbed your attention with the news of Noel Gallagher's demo of 'She Must Be One Of Us' but it seems I may have been a little too slow in checking out the video as I was met with a rather defiant declaration of 'This video contains content from EMI who has blocked it on copyright grounds'. At least we have a title and a very strong suggestion that there may be an album release in 2013 from the eldest Gallagher.

A New Age for Music

In light of the announcement of high street giants 'HMV' going into administration I was wondering where I heard a warning of this before. The answer was in MC Lars' 'Download this Song'. MC Lars' image is the adorable nerd rapper with his songs always focusing on intelligent subjects such as literature, poetry and even space travel. However, 'Download this Song' has been on repeat on my iPod due to the serious message it carries. Although the song was released in 2006, it has never been more relevant then today as Lars explains to big record companies that the music industry will fall apart if they fail to recognize that we are now in the digital age and if they want to keep up with technology then they need to embrace it; otherwise they are doomed to failure. If free digital songs are available to consumers then of course consumers will grab it with both hands, everybody loves something for free but is up to record companies and distributors to adapt to this. This may have been the very reason why HMV sank like the Titanic, and while my sympathies are with those who now need to find new jobs, it is good news for indie record stores. I have always loved indie stores due to the fact that the staff are passionate about what they do and most importantly, they stress the importance of physical copies. There is nothing like the buzz that you feel when you walk out of a shop, anxious to get home so you can discover something new. You will not find this buzz sitting on your computer. In fact with many vinyls, EPs and LPs that I have purchased, there has been a code on the inside so the consumer can have a physical copy and still enjoy the song on their iPods.

Next time you feel the urge to buy a new single or album, seek out your local record store and more then likely the staff will get to know you, and in time, start recommending new releases that you may like. This is a huge contrast to the service that HMV offered, a faceless corporate organization that I always felt lost in. (one member of staff even admitted to my boyfriend that he didn't even LIKE music). Remember that the fate of music is in the hands of the consumer.


It's 2006, the consumer's still pissed , won't take it anymore so I'm writing a list, Don't try to resist this paradigm shift, The music revolution cannot be dismissed $18.98 Iggy Pop CD? What if I can get it from my sister for free?  It's all about marketing Clive Davis, see? If fans buy the shirt then they get the mp3  Music was a product now it is a service  Major record labels why are you trying to hurt us?  Epic's up in my face like, "Don't steal our songs Lars," While Sony sells the burners that are burning CD-R's. So Warner, EMI, hear me clearly, Universal Music, update your circuitry. 
                                                                                                                                  MC Lars