BAMBI at Camden's Barfly

With the recent release of their debut single 'Reap From The Dying Love', BAMBI  hit the Camden scene  on Friday 13th. The night wasn't unlucky for anybody involved as they played one of my favourite intimate venues, Barfly.

The band have already been featured on NME's Radar,BBC Radio One's 'Introducing with Jen and Ally', BBC London and Hollyoaks alongside catching the attention of Tom Robinson, Absolute Radio and XFM. The BAMBI lads managed to deliver these promises without any pretensions. Placing their unrivaled, contagious energy into their stage presence and musical delivery, BAMBI created an electrical atmosphere in the room. My usual taste in music are songs that include just one aggressive guitar line, so when I saw that there were not one, not two, but three guitarists, not including the bassist, I was rather dubious. However the intricate layering worked wonders and created a vibe not dissimilar to The Foals whereas the echoing vocals brought to mind certain elements of Echo and the Bunnymen.

The set was a relatively short one with just six songs, but I found that this was still quite impressive given that they have only just released their debut single and the accompanying video for it. With their casual, down to earth personalities, the only place that BAMBI can go from here is up, up and away. Although I hope the bassist does recover from what I assume is stage fright, as he tucked himself away at the back the whole time.

'Lose All Memory'... Review and Interview with the Bauer Boys

Just under a year ago, I discovered Bauer and the joys of their album 'Sleeping Giant'. However despite having the album pumping into my eardrums on a daily basis, I was starting to suffer from Bauer-related withdrawal symptoms, especially as they were being near to silent in the Twitter world.  Thankfully, medicine arrived yesterday in the form of a new album  'Lose All Memory' released on iTunes.  'Lose All Memory' is a compilation of B sides, remixes and demos which didn't quite make it on to 'Sleeping Giant'.

Despite being intended as an almost 'throw the good stuff in the pot' album, I find it still has a running theme within it's core, that of heartbreak and romanticism. Greg Matthews' effortless vocals has a soft edge to it, which although harmonious, still captures a certain emotional rawness which is one of the many aspects that make Bauer a unique band, there's never any fake elements. The album contains many similarities to 'Sleeping Giant' (which it would!) but look out for 'Starting Again (dub mix)' which I expected to be out of my comfort zone with due to it being a dub mix, but I find it is balanced perfectly.

I also asked Bauer everything that had to be known about 'Lose All Memory''


You seemed to release the album with not much prior build up or promotion compared to 'Sleeping Giant', did you feel that not much promotion was needed this time round?

That's mainly because we sort of wanted to save that shot in the arm for the next proper album really. We want the expectation to be there for the new stuff that we're working on at the moment. This one is more of a bridging thing, but that's not to say the material isn't to a high standard - some of the tracks are possibly better than a certain amount of the 1st album stuff - it was just about how things flowed. With the next record there will be more plugging, a music video, a tour etc.

The album contains an acoustic track (The Lights Go Down) and a dub mix (Starting Again). What inspired you to go down two separate paths in one album? 

The tracks were both originally b sides...if you didn't already know this record is a mixture of songs that didn't feature on the 1st album (simply because they just didn't fit with the flow of things) and b sides, demos & remixes. We felt the songs were too strong to never release and it was a great opportunity for our fans the hear them whilst we work on the next album proper. It also wipes the slate clean for us and gives us the chance to go down new avenues with the next album *proper* which we're working hard on in the studio at the moment.

Lose All Memory' centers on love and heartbreak. Who is the lyricist in the group and what was the inspiration behind the theme?

Greg the vocalist writes all the lyrics. It's interesting in a way that you're saying this because a lot of these tracks come from different time periods but the way it's been sequenced you wouldn't really tell as a new listener. A lot of Smiths fans love "hatful of hollow" which is sort of a similar album to this one in that it's cobbled together, but you wouldn't really know. We worked on the sequencing for a while to make it flow like a standard studio album....so it's a real compliment that you feel that there seems to be a defined theme throughout!

It must be quite difficult putting pen to paper for new material, do any of you have any 'habits' that helps you get inspired?

Writing methods have changed and developed throughout the years. In the early days we'd slave away in the rehearsal studio for hours on end at songs....and that can sometimes get frustrating and labourous. Nowadays the writing process has changed in that a lot of the time we're coming up with fully structured songs away from rehearsals and taking them straight into record....which can be a risky way of doing things, but luckily the chemistry and level of musicianship is really strong so it's something we're comfortable in doing.

Where will you be stopping off on your 2014 tour?

I think the answer is we probably won't be doing until at least next summer. We're looking at a single in early summer, another single in perhaps october and then the album in November/ December. We're working on making the next album a real killer and thinking about getting it out for this time next year - so then we'd have put out 3 albums in 3 years. We were joking around recently saying that if we can do it so that it's 4 in 4 years we'll be in a position to release a best of album in year 5!

And finally, I think we should start a campaign to get the album a Christmas #1, how would you react if you knocked an X Factor (or whatever the kids are watching these days) album of the charts?

The charts are such a corporate bland joke that we didn't even submit the release for a possible chart placing - and i think that says a lot and reflects generally how many talented bands & musicians feel about the current situation in the music industry. It'd be pretty cool to sell a million copies and stick it up to the man though! Just to let them know we're too cool to bother with the fuckers and their major label chart con.

'Lose All Memory' is available to download from iTunes now. 

Sexism in Music Videos: It's Not Just Me!

In a world dominated by mainstream media, wherever you go these days there will be the harsh lights of a television screen, somewhere, blaring out the latest chart hits. This means that you could be sitting in a Takeaway waiting for your food to be cooked, having a few drinks with your friends in a bar or even just flicking through the channels in the comfort of your home. However wherever you are located there seems to be no escape from half-naked women writhing and dry humping the ego of a rapper (who isn't even that good looking, may I point out!) or even a baby faced young girl performing a sex act on a sledgehammer.

You can't tell me that music videos do not have an impact on the young, or even the argument of 'if you don't like it switch it off'. Music videos such as these deemed my early teenage years awkward and uncomfortable. I will never forget the teacher switching on MTV in the school gym and as the unrealistically toned, yet curvy in the right places, female backup dancers started gyrating, my peers turned on me.
'You're a skinny white girl, you could never dance like that.' (I didn't particularly want to anyway)
'Ha! You don't have any boobs like them Nicky' (I was 12 you idiots, what do you expect?)
And so the comments continued against me, given that I was the awkward, skinny white girl who you would least expect to see draped over a motorbike in a hip-hop video. Looking back on it, I am horrified that my peers, who were just children themselves, felt that they had to sexualise themselves in order to mimic what they were seeing on TV in order to gain respect. It was exactly like that scene from Mean Girls where Regina George's baby sister is copying the MTV babes.

I always felt as though I was alone in these thoughts, feeling disgusted and offended every time a fully clothed male had about 20 naked women dancing around him. However hope came to me in the form of http://www.rewindreframe.org/ an organisation and website set up to provide a platform for those who are victimized by the state of today's music industry. Rewind & Reframe encourages us to speak out about the rampant racism and sexism in the charts and provides us with a template to teach the younger generation about it.  Therefore I decided this week to carry out a poll to see how certain figures across society felt on such an issue and asked them to tell me which music video they felt was worst for sexism and why.

Here are the results:

Drew Athans - Author of 'Black Book: The Live History of Blur'  Father, Husband and Musician.
'Much as I love Blur, Country House video is lousy. In both those ways (sexist and seedy) too. 

Hannah Rose Thomson - LSE Graduate and Feminist.
'50 Cents 'Candy Shop' Women used as interchangeable, ego stroking accessories....bleurgh! I haven't watched that video in nearly seven years...that impression has stuck with me. In fact that video made me find Feminism.' 

Annie Heath - Feminist.
'Videophone' Gaga and Beyonce: cos my little boy said 'those ladies are just wearing pants and guns?' (who run the world?) 

Alice Shipton - Teenage Feminist
Eric Prydz 'Call on Me' - 'I don't know what to say about it, I just don't like it'

Becky Ferris - Modern History Graduate. Fashion PR and Blogger.
'I hate that one by Benni Benassi, it's called 'Satisfaction'. Not only is the song awful, it actually makes me feel sick. It's a bunch of greasy 'sexy' (not actually sexy) girls doing 'building' with tools but all they are doing is making out to be sex, that's all it is about is just sex, sex, sex. Which okay, sex isn't bad but the way the women are portrayed in the video is that we all look like that and the only thing we can do is sex and look 'sexy', etc. I use the sexy in inverted commas as those girls are the opposite, they are yucky.' 

Jonny Edwards, writer for PUNK GLOBE magazine and singer/guitarist for DIRTY PSYCHO also had this to say on the issue 'I don't think you need to show everything in a video, the music should be the focus. Sexism is a disease that needs to be stopped.'  

 As you can see, music videos are not just an issue which feminists can get on their high horse about. The reason why I compiled a few thoughts and examples on sexism in music videos is that is has to be stopped, not one day but as soon as possible. How can women ever be taken seriously in the real world when we are being plagued with these images of us as being nothing more than eye candy? Even women artists are portraying their own selves in such a way. (although I have always maintained that Rihanna has little choice but to appear semi-naked as she certainly can't sing- sorry, catty remark right there!) If David Cameron wants to protect children from pornographic images than he needs to turn his attention to one of the most influential industries and push through the censorship laws of music videos by giving movie style age ratings. If you feel as strongly as I do than I suggest you drop an email to your local MP or sign the petition set up by Rewind & Reframe.
Sign Here

BAMBI: 'Reap From The Dying Love' Review

With the name BAMBI, many would visualize a wide-eyed Disney character, frolicking with his woodland creature friends. This is not the BAMBI that has recently exploded onto the London scene. Having only formed as little as 7 months ago, their unique and original sound has caught the attention of Tom Odell, Professor Green and Mark Ronson, all of whom they have supported.

'Reap From The Dying Love', their debut single which will be released on the 17th November, grabbed my attention and held me captive. The melancholic, intricate intro combined with James' haunting vocals crafts a gothic feeling, not dissimilar to the sounds of Echo and The Bunnymen. This couples well with the Victorian romanticism in the imagery of the lyrics (She's the Jekyll to my Hyde) which creates overall an ethereal atmosphere with the harmonizing vocals, but the track is still deemed danceable by Jordan's work on the drums.

Give it a listen here https://soundcloud.com/bambihq/reap-from-the-dying-love

If you like what you here you can pre-order the single here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/reap-from-dying-love-single/id725207921

Still can't get enough? Than make sure that you catch BAMBI at Camden's Barfly on the 13th December.

Pledge Music: A New Path For Musicians?

The concept of Pledge Music  was born in 2009 and in recent years has proved to be an efficient and popular way for musicians to put out an album that is entirely reliant on their fanbase. Pledge Music changes the rules of the game as instead of going down the traditional route of having record companies or the bands themselves place an investment into the production of albums, fans are invited to donate towards the cost and then get sent the album upon completion. 

Pledge Music is an often successful way of artists showing faith in their fanbase and vice versa as they are equally reliant upon one another. I decided that the best band to grill on the subject would be Turrentine Jones not only because their debut album 'Our Days' is being put together via Pledge Music, but 5% of the end result reached will be donated to Mustard Tree, a worthwhile charity that helps to rebuild the lives of the homeless in Manchester. 

1] What made you decide to go down the route of pledge music?

We’ve been building towards something like this for a while but never felt confident we have the fan base to do it. We thought it was a good time now after coming off a successful UK tour this year and playing for BBC at Glastonbury. We also thought it was a good way to connect with our fans.

2] Is it harder work than going down the conventional route of making an album?

I don’t think it’s any different - You still have to work your arse off! The benefit is that you don’t have to produce the ££ upfront which takes off a little of the financial pressure. The process is just the same though – e.g. Bringing in the right people to record it, mix it, master it. You need a team of people to be there from start to end to produce a great album which is what we’re definitely aiming for

3] How would this project benefit your fanbase?

We did it to connect with our fans by offering some pretty great exclusive items like signed vinyl, shirts, drum sticks, even their name in the liner notes of the CD etc. Things fans wouldn’t necessarily get their hands on. And on top of all of that they can say they’ve been a part of the whole project.


4] Would you recommend this route for bands who are starting out?

Hmmmm. It depends what your ultimate goal/target is and how much you’re asking for. You do rely on your fans, I mean, unless you have a large and generous family that can Pledge for you, eventually you rely on your fans to top it off. But it’s one of the best ways to connect with your fans. No label. No politics. No bullshit . It’s you and your fans working towards a common goal. That’s it

5] What can fans expect from 'Our Days' ?

Sex, coffee and rock n roll. Julian’s black book of sultry tales. That’s the feel, that’s the sound. Something you’ll want to play on repeat until you fall asleep. We’ve come a long way and gone through a lot as a band in such short time but we’ve always stuck to our roots. We always will. We like blues, rock n roll and that’s what we’re going to put down. We can’t wait until the album drops!

If you like the sound of 'Our Days' you can make your contribution here and grab yourself some goodies!

Mutineers: A Live Review

As I walked towards the Islington last Friday night I was shaking despite the unseasonably warm weather. This was the first time I had been placed on a guestlist so I could review and than interview the headline act. I don't belong to any publication and I am fairly new to all of this. I was stupid to be so nervous though as everyone I met was the polar opposite of the indie hipster stereotype that I was so scared I would have to deal with.

The Mutineers were originally scheduled to play at the London Rattlesnake but due to complications, they had to be shifted to the The Islington. This than meant that the support acts also underwent a shift and artists that were not scheduled for the event warmed up the crowd. I entered the tiny side room where a handful of people lined the walls watching the first act. Unfortunately I was too late to catch her name but the crowd had fallen into a hushed trance with the beauty of this Cornish songstress' voice. Sat behind a keyboard was a petite blonde solo artist singing soft, melancholic ballads in minor key. As talented as she was however, I couldn't help but think that she had an air of snobbery about her due to the song she closed on. 'America' was a tale of how she wanted to leave her small Cornish town for the open spaces of the United States. Fair enough. However the lyrics suggested that she felt she was too good for the people of her hometown, with a lot of emphasis on teenage pregnancies and at one stage even suggested that the working class were happy with their lot, with her being the only one who wanted more. I don't deny how effortlessly she hit her notes and how beautifully she played the keyboard, but that final song did irk me! The next artist was extremely successful in entertaining the crowd. Nothing gets everyone singing and dancing more than a man with a ginger beard doing folk songs about whiskey (think Johnny Cash becoming a member of The Dubliners). Moment of mass confusion soon arose however when he dropped his guitar pick, let go off his guitar and the music continued! Wasn't this meant to be live music? Although I will give him the benefit of the doubt given that he was given his slot last minute.

The intimate venue was soon buzzing with a friendly, vibrant atmosphere which was a perfect fitting for when the Mutineers arrived on stage. Charles on bass, looked sharp as ever in a turtleneck jumper and jacket combo with Mallins looking effortless in a casual black shirt. Although each track on their debut album 'Friends, Lovers, Rivals' contains hooking riffs and catchy lyrics which means you're still singing along hours later, hearing it all in an energetic live performance deemed it even more infectious which I didn't think could be possible. What makes the Mutineers unique as a band is that although their songs are moody, the bass lines are always funky and the beat always danceable. Each member was in their own element within their respective talents, Mickey engrossed on his guitar riffs gave a kick of rock n roll attitude to each song whereas Mallins', so pure within his vocals, effortlessly conveyed the emotion. If I had to name one element of the performance which did much to impress me was the subtle vocal harmonizing as it demonstrated to me that this band were perfectionists in everything they do.

What makes the Mutineers special as a band is that they contain all the melodic moodiness which is typical of Manc bands but each member is so particular in their given roles that their talents combined results in songs that showcase the fact you don't need record companies to be a success.

After the show, I sat down with the lads for a quick Q&A. Unfortunately technology and me never seem to get along and as result my camcorder refused to work. I'm still working out how to upload the footage onto here but as soon as I can I will do so.

My Music Week in Pictures

The past week has been an accumulation of many music based discoveries that combined have resulted in  angering, educating and even sitting in a chair for an hour and a half staring at an Edgar Allan Poe doll.*


Monday 

For my 21st, a close friend got me 'Punk Rock: An Oral History' by John Robb and this week I haven't put it down. This is a brilliant resource for any cultural historian as it includes quotes and interview snippets from the greatest punk rockers in history. The likes of Mick Jones, Siouxsie Sioux, Glen Matlock plus many more lend their anecdotes and opinions to help us gain a deeper understanding of the rise and fall of punk.









Thursday 

 As much as I love the music that I already have on my iPod, at times it can get a little stale. Therefore I strolled into my local record store (Banquet Records) and asked them to recommend me an album that was full of punk energy. This is what was offered (you won't get that sort of service in HMV!). Although this was the first time I had heard anything by The Wonder Years, it was love at first listen. My favourite track on this album was 'The Devil in My Bloodstream' featuring Laura Stevenson. The song starts off as a beautiful, woeful tale of the ugliness of the industrialization of America which wiped away nature. This is accompanied by a mellow piano line and a harmonizing duet with Stevenson which places the listener at ease. However the song lulls the listener into a false sense of security as without warning, the melody is stripped away as the guitar riffs take over and the vocals become aggressive. What's not to love about a song that takes you by surprise?

Saturday 

For those who know me, they will understand that I was born a feminist and will die a feminist. Therefore when I came across this rather feminine, pastel-coloured album entitled 'Cooking Songs' ("for £15? Fuck that" exclaimed my cousin) in HMV my heart sank. Many may argue that it is aimed at all genders who like cooking, but with songs such as Rihanna's 'Only Girl In The World' Abba's 'Dancing Queen' with the clincher being 'It's Raining Men' I honestly beg to differ. I am currently debating whether to write a letter of complaint to the record company.

The highlight of my week was getting my 3rd tattoo. There is a rather long winded inspiration behind it, which you can read for yourself in my previous post. The design was an alteration of a still taken from Pink Floyd's 'The Trial'. In the original the wall was angled away from the camera with Pink slumped in the distance so to adapt it for my own body, I adjusted the angle of the wall and brought Pink forward to sit next to the graffiti. it looks red, dark and swollen at the moment but once it heals the lining of the wall will be faint, making the graffiti and Pink the dominant aspect of the tattoo. Thank you to the lovely Elisha Collins at Wicked Ink in Sutton for her great work!







*The Edgar Allan Poe doll was property of Elisha as part of her Living Dead Dolls collection. He was stood in his coffin with his wife, I want one!