Category Archives: New Music

I Love Kaiser Chiefs’ Parachute!

Yesterday I heard (in full, for the first time) the Kaiser Chiefs’ new single, Parachute from their long awaited sixth album, Stay Together which is due out in October.  I’d seen YouTube clips of Parachute over the weekend so I had an idea of what the song would sound like but I was blown away by the dance style sound of the single.  Blown away as in not expecting it but really loved it.  Judge for yourselves:

[August 2016] The second new song, Hole In My Soul, has just been released and I love this one too.  Fab video – apart from anything else, how cool is Whitey?

How often is it that you get a fab dance track that works just as well when played live by a guitar based indie band?  It’s genius – catchy, great lyrics, had me dancing about at first listen, what more could you want? And the answer to that last question, at least when scrolling through tweets on the subject, was that a number of fans just wanted a record that sounded the same as the previous five albums.  Actually, I don’t think that any of the previous albums are similar enough to warrant that statement (I have followed the band since their first album, didn’t listen for a while, around the times of the third and fourth albums, but came back to the music via front man Ricky Wilson’s stint on The Voice) so I suppose what disgruntled fans mean is that they want something that offers a recognisable Kaiser Chiefs indie band sound.

So, (Ricky once said on his Radio X show that you shouldn’t start a sentence with so but I do it quite a lot) I suppose the question is whether Kaiser Chiefs are trying to reach a new audience with this single or they’ve just written something that they wanted to?  Who knows – maybe I’ll get the chance to ask them one day – but I do know that it’s their choice.  Personally, I love it when a band goes in a new direction (and as I’ve not heard the rest of the album I don’t know if the rest of it is the same); life’s an adventure and just doing the same old thing dulls creativity or at least it does for me.

Having said all that, I think it’s not surprising that some fans are not all that enamoured of the sound.  Writing about Alfie Boe’s music for almost three years now has shown me that although a lot of fans say they would listen to anything and everything an artist puts out, that’s not actually true for a sizable percentage of the audience.  Alfie is renowned for endlessly changing the style of his music and not all his fans have stayed the course throughout his career (on a personal note, I could happily live without the musical theatre albums) despite originally and repeatedly saying that they would listen to him sing anything, “even the phone book”.  Balanced against those fans are the ones who have come to him following one of his many changes in direction proving only that there is never just one audience for an artist or their music.  Change is good – embrace it and you might find a whole new world out there but that’s another song entirely.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if your favourite band, and Kaiser Chiefs are my most listened to artist after Alfie, wants to try a new sound, go with it, you might find that like me, you love their new song.  On the basis of Parachute I can’t wait to hear the album.  Roll on October.

Stay Together is available for pre-order here:

kaiser chiefs

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Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey: Come So Far

If you’re an avid BBC Radio 2 listener you may well have heard the first single in 27 years from Thompson Twin’s Tom Bailey which has been on the playlist for the last couple of weeks.  Titled Come So Far, the single marks Bailey’s return to music, except of course that he never really went away, as he continued to write and play music after the break up of iconic 80’s band The Thompson Twins, albeit most of it not in the public eye.

tom bailey

Come So Far could be about many things, not least Bailey’s return to writing and playing pop music and his return a couple of years ago to performing the music of the Thompson Twins at festivals here and around the world but it’s actually about neither of these things.  It’s essentially Bailey’s response to the refugee crisis in Europe and he talked more about this when I met him a few weeks ago on a glorious May morning.

The single is being released to raise money for Medecins San Frontiere on a pay what you want download basis but this only came about after Bailey had written the song and played it for friends who immediately said that he must release it.  Having decided to release it as a single, the charitable aspect became very important for Bailey and the decision to invite people to pay what they want came about from the desire to as Bailey says “open doors instead of closing them. Others had done it and it seemed like a good idea”.

As well as raising money for Medecins San Frontiere, Come So Far also refocuses the light on a human story that has dropped out of the day to day headlines but hasn’t gone away: the huge amounts of displaced persons / refugees / migrants arriving in Europe over the last months and years.  Bailey said that like many of us, he just “saw the headlines and didn’t really hear any individual stories”.  That changed when he heard the story of an Afghan teenager who had been sent to London by his mother to avoid being killed or recruited into something dangerous.  It took him three years and it was only when he arrived that he had time to look back at where he’d come from.  To Bailey, that narrative was “so powerful and poetic that I had to write the song.  At the time, it was just one song out of many that I was writing, I had no plans at all to release it”.

As the interview went on, it was clear that Bailey is well informed about the issues at hand having spent a short time visiting the refugee camps at Calais and was quick to point out that none of this is simple or clear cut; there are many facets to the story and not all of them lend themselves to helping charitable causes.  This, together with what can be described as a weariness on the part of consumers for yet more charity singles, meant that Bailey initially hesitated about releasing the single.  Indeed, Bailey has sympathy for the view that this is not what pop music is for, saying that “pop culture is about escapism, it’s not for reminding people that there’s a world of grim reality out there”.  Having said that, Bailey’s pop music hey day comes from a time when Live Aid really did change the way we viewed things and he’s a canny enough musician to write a catchy song that tells a story, well.

He’s also canny enough to know that as the first single from Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey in a long time, the single has rarity value, something he acknowledged when talking about his return to his 80’s music.  Having consistently refused to play that music for over twenty years, the time was right when he was approached by fellow 80’s music icon, Howard Jones to take part in an 80’s tour of the USA (Thompson Twins had huge hits on both sides of the Atlantic).  Having said yes, Bailey went about rediscovering his own music, re-recording and redesigning along the way, having as he wryly said “earned the right to do that the first time around”. Fans have been wholly receptive to this return and one of the delights for Bailey at the live shows is seeing fans who came to gigs in the 80’s – like Bailey himself, they have obviously worn very well.

Come So Far is released on Cooking Vinyl Records on 17 June.

Thompson Twin’s Tom Bailey is appearing at festivals across the UK this summer.

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Ciaran Lavery’s Let Bad In

Let Bad In is the second album from Northern Irish singer songwriter Ciaran Lavery.  I first heard his voice a year ago and described it then as “beguiling, giving an emotional honesty to his music”.   That was in reaction to just one song and having now listened to an entire ten track album, I still stand by that initial assessment.  Let Bad In showcases a seriously good songwriter.

I recently spoke to Lavery about this new album, released on 27 May and one thing came across clearly: his passion for songwriting, especially lyrics.  Lavery says that as a listener, lyrics are the things that he really listens out for and I think that this shows in his song writing.  A lot of the songs relate to days gone by and the past which helps the album flow effortlessly from beginning to end, a balanced listen which is a deliberate approach; Lavery preferring albums that hang together well with a general theme rather than just a collection of songs that bear no relation to each other.

I asked Lavery how he approached song writing and interestingly, he says that he’s recently changed from sitting down to write a song to starting off “with a feeling, an inspiration” and now can write without having an instrument to hand.  He goes on to say that “it feels as if there aren’t as many rules of writing…it’s a nice way to write, I can bank songs for a later date when they’ll fit in with the current theme”.  Previously, any songs that didn’t fit with everything else being written were thrown away although Lavery was quick to laugh and dismiss out of hand my assertion that he could have thrown away any number of masterpieces.

Other than Return to Form, above, one of my favourite tracks on Let Bad In is Wilder which turns out to be Lavery’s favourite too, if only because he “enjoys the musicians that play on it”!  Wilder showcases some great lyrics which isn’t surprising as Lavery is a self confessed “lyric freak, it’s the first thing to catch my ear as a listener”.  The line that caught my ear is:

remembering days when I was young enough to fail without them sticking in my throat

And another line that really spoke to me is from Tell Them All:

live a life where you can live it / give a hand where you can give it / never raise your glass to someone’s sorrow

Talking to Lavery, it became clear that he suffers from an almost crippling level of self doubt about his music.  He rarely listens to his own music, other than during the editing and production process and finds it difficult to accept praise (a family trait, he says).  He needn’t worry,  his song writing really captures an emotional response in the listener which is complemented by his voice; soft when needed, raw when the song asks for it (this is is especially true of the title track, Let Bad In, where Lavery’s almost raw vocals act as a faultless companion for the lyrics

I’m learning each and every day not to let bad in

There is nothing bad about this album; on the contrary, it’s full of great songs that show off the very talented Ciaran Lavery.

Let Bad In is released on 27 May on Believe Recordings and is available here:

ciaran lavery

 

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It’s All Inside Mi’das’ Head

Soulful, contemporary pop with a folky edge and a bit of piano led gospel thrown in for good measure perfectly describes some great new music I heard recently.  This eclectic mix of sounds comes from the first full length album from Brighton based singer songwriter, Mi’das aka Mike Davies.  I say first full length album as over the last few years, Mi’das has recorded enough EP’s and singles for two or three albums but All Inside Your Head is his first proper album release.

Davies has a voice full of soul that easily adapts to folk, gospel and full on pop and All Inside Your Head has the songs to match that versatility of voice and this is probably explained by the fact that some of these songs have been with him for years, just waiting for the right recording vehicle to come along.  I interviewed Davies while he was preparing for a short headline tour next month and asked him what the album title means (it’s not the title of a track on the album).  He quickly explained that it was originally a track on the album but although the song didn’t fit, he still wanted to use the title for the album as whole as “it’s about a way of looking at the world, sometimes things feel bad but sometimes it’s all just inside your head”.  This approach to naming an album led me to ask why Mi’das and not Mike Davies and it turns out that he “just wanted a stage name, some artists I like had similar names”.  Writing this now I’m struck why I didn’t ask if any of those artists were Wakey Wakey or Oktoba, both of whom have featured here.

All the songs on All Inside Your Head were written in full or part by Davies and I’m always curious about other creative processes (fascinating!).  Some of the songs had been with him “for years” and others came more recently but they were all started with an instrument and the melody – the lyrics came later.  The album is full of different sounds from gospel to folk to soul and anyone listening won’t be surprised to hear that amongst his influences, Davies lists Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles.  In particular, Grace, Get On Up, If I Were You and Twilight are the ‘big songs’ and the ones where the influences work best.  That being said, my favourite track is Justice, which opens the album.  It’s a big ballsy song and makes a powerful anthem against injustice in all forms.  Maybe the fact that I’m writing this and listening to the song the day after the Hillsborough inquest means that I’m thinking more deeply about the meaning of justice but either way, it’s a great song. The album ends with an eleventh track, a live recording of Everybody’s Changing:

All Inside Your Head is an album full of soulful music which you feel has been lovingly crafted over a long period and it turns out that music that has been created with care and artistry is just the kind of music that Davies cites as good music.  I asked what he would class as bad music as let’s face it, everyone’s idea of bad music is different.  Ever asked someone what music they don’t like and they name your favourite? Awkward!  Davies said in response that for him, bad music is “music made with no thought or artistry in it; music whose sole purpose is to be sold as a product”.

Creating music with no care or artistry is unlikely to be levelled at musicians on independent labels and sure enough, Mi’das has his own label.  Not that he would ever be averse to singing a major record deal, he just wants to “get there by doing it myself and I haven’t arrived at my destination yet”.  Being a musician for a long time means that Davies is aware of the flip side of signing to a major label, having seen others land seemingly great deals and then get dropped when targets aren’t met.  Having your own label is a sure fire way of avoiding that.

All Inside Your Head is available now:

midas

His headline tour starts on 9 May.

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Kelly Oliver’s Bedlam

I recently heard some great new music from Angry Baby and I wanted to share it with you – thanks Flo!

Being a fearless storyteller is a great starting point for any contemporary folk singer. Add to that the creativity to build stand-out instrumentation topped by a voice that is uniquely sweet and complex and you have all the ingredients you need for a breakthrough folk album.

That’s what I found in Kelly Oliver’s Bedlam, released on boutique indie label Folkstock Records on 6 March 2016. It’s no surprise that she is already a favourite with the UK’s Folk Radio station and legendary music presenter Whispering Bob Harris.

Before you read on, Kelly Oliver is giving a FREE download of her song Lay Our Heavy Heads from Bedlam to Angry Baby readers – just click here to hop over to Angry Baby and get your free track.

Raised in Hertfordshire, Kelly Oliver’s Celtic heritage shines through. Lay our Heavy Heads is a timeless love story that gives the album a flavour of ‘Once the Musical’ – appealing to anyone’s inner musical theatre geek, especially mine!

I guess that Kelly comes from a tradition of strong women. Miles To Tralee, which Kelly wrote for her grandmother, tells a first generation immigrant story of struggle, against a backdrop of love and tragedy, and it’s clear that the young woman who is the subject of the story is a force to be reckoned with. Go Granny!

Kelly’s own life story proves that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Proud of her working class roots, though clearly not constrained by them, Kelly was travelling the world when, one day in Rio, she resolved to make her living from her music. It’s a gutsy decision, especially for someone who pours herself into her lyrics and doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. But with courage in her genes, we shouldn’t expect Kelly Oliver to do any less than challenge us with her stories, while giving us music that entertains and enchants.

The title track Bedlam doesn’t pull any punches. Just to prove that folk music is built on the tough stuff of human existence, Kelly Oliver brings us the hellish scenes of Victorian mental asylums and the cruelty meted out to women suffering from post-natal depression. Cheery it ain’t, but social justice isn’t won with pretty poems.

Bedlam delivers contrast too. Within the Celtic vibe and theme of feisty women, Jericho could (in my head anyway) have been written for a Disney princess – specifically Merida, from Brave, all grown up and ready to claim her man. ‘I’ll fight off any girl in town, for him I’ll break the walls of Jericho down‘.

In the City tells a contemporary story of urban love and violence through mediaeval imagery of hunting and dancing, while The Other Woman explores a love triangle, proving that some themes are timeless.

Die this Way, brings us full circle to themes of social justice through a migrant’s eyes ‘Daddy, I don’t wanna stay here… why is there screaming and shouting and shooting…lets move away…they won’t let us in, why would they keep us out here …like a dog in the rain?‘. The final song Rio ends the album on a high note, something a little more cheerful, upbeat and optimistic to finish on,which you can expect to hear many more times as we near the start of the 2016 Olympics.

With such a creative, inspiring and thought-provoking selection of songs, Bedlam is definitely an album that no self-respecting music collection should be without. I have a feeling Granny is proud.

I asked Kelly what advice she would give to someone just starting out with their music. As you might expect, her advice reveals the steel in her spine:

‘Hopefully anyone starting out in music is passionate about the music they create and perform, which is the best place to start!

An important lesson I’ve learned is to make the most of your social media – engage with and respond to your fans and get your music online so that it can be listened to and shared. Invest in good promo photos and album cover photos – these get shared more widely than you might initially think!

I’d say try not to compare yourself too much to other musicians on the scene. Every musician is following their own personal path, and it’s more productive to focus on your own musical journey and concentrate on what you personally want to achieve as a musician.

Expect rejection and learn to brush it off instantly – it’s what I’ve done from the very beginning and it’s been the most valuable piece of advice that I’ve ever received. Saying that, it’s also important to keep an eye out for opportunities and take them wherever you can. I personally celebrate every small victory and, for me, that makes every day of being a musician fulfilling.’

This first appeared on www.angrybaby.co.uk.

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