I Kinda Moved Blogs, Sorry About That Guys.

Hey guys, I've made a new blog using Wordpress that I will be updating instead of this one. I did it for numerous reasons, sorry about the confusion. On the new site you'll find all the old reviews + lots more new stuff, plus new features! I just find that Wordpress is a lot more intuitive than Blogger.  


Exciting times ahead and all that. I just find that I can organise everything better over there and the aesthetics are a lot nicer. Plus, in hindsight, naming this site after a not-so-well-known Johnny Foreigner song which was five words long wasn't the wisest decisions ever. Let me know what you think of the new site and follow it to gain regular updates directly! THANKS. Click below to visit the new site, which is http://callumbayliss.wordpress.com/

REVIEW: Bleeding Knees Club - Nothing To Do

Bleeding Knees Club are a rowdy teenage duo from Australia who've gained major hype overseas through a steady string of singles and EPs. With their debut LP, the band have created an album of quick-and-dirty two minute garage punk anthems that fly by as fast and intensely as machine-gun fire.

The inspirations are obvious but varied throughout the album, from the slacker attitude found in bands like Wavves, and the classic guitar work and tempo of 50's rock n' roll.  Things get slightly poignant on 'Beach Slut', with a slow-moving spoken word intro by vocalist/drummer Alex Wall, accompanied by a quiet synth in the background. That lasts all of... 36 seconds, before the band launch into their frenzied, hook-laden normal self again. Hooks are used constantly by the band to engrave each song into your memory, and they'll get stuck there for hours.  

The themes tackled on the record are by no means ground-breaking and the lyrics are devoid of any kind of depth, but there's an endearing teen spirit throughout which makes the whole thing a lot of fun to listen to. They're just straight forward tunes about angst, lust and boredom which anybody who's ever been a teenager can relate to.

Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion/Blood Orange fame helped master Nothing To Do, but there's not really any of his trademarks here. The album lacks the familiar bells and whistles of Hynes' work, instead taking advantage of lo-fi production and bare-bones musical dynamics. It has a raw quality that really lets BKC's attitude glimmer.

With Nothing To Do, Bleeding Knees Club did what everyone expected them to do, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a collection of breezy, addictive skater punk that, while lacking in any longevity, make up for it with a hell of a lot of passion.

7/10

REVIEW: School of Seven Bells - Ghostory

  

When bands lose members, it's inherently a bad thing, but School of Seven Bells (often stylised as SVIIB) have managed to stay on top despite the departure of keyboardist Claudia Deheza. Now onto their third full-length, Ghostory carries the band's familiar brand of ambient female-fronted dream-pop in full force, even without the third member's presence.

Ghostory is a concept album in the loosest of senses. It tells the tale of fictional character Lafaye, who is haunted by ghosts throughout her life, but it doesn't let itself get engulfed by the narrative. The album is built up around complex synth arrangements and dance beats, with vocalist Alejandra Deheza layering poignant, haunting vocals and abstract lyrics that are appropriate given the context of the album. Sure, there may be an abundance of albums like this recently, with efforts from Chairlift, Austra and Memoryhouse churning out similar sounds, but SVIIB just seem to have the edge.

At times up-beat, and at other times shrouded in brooding mystery, Ghostory is as enigmatic as it is enjoyable. It all flows like a ethereal river, with a retro 80's sheen glossing over the whole experience. When the album slows down, it's reminiscent of M83's 2011 LP, 'Hurry Up, We're Dreaming', with which the band share vast similarities with. Electronic drum samples punctuate the most effervescent tracks (such as lead-single 'Lafaye'), while the synths slow down for the drowsier moments of the album.

With Ghostory, SVIIB have managed to shine among a deep sea of 80's shoegaze revivalists. The tracks are more focused and ambitious than ever before, despite missing a key element. The record closes with eight-and-a-half minute epic 'When You Sing', which flies by, much like a dream. Before you know it, you'll be pressing the play button on the first track again.

8/10

REVIEW: Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror

When Sleigh Bells emerged in 2010 with their debut Treats, they were a breakaway success - securing a wide-spread appeal, while making very loud and very unique guitar-pop. The term noise-pop is used quiet flippantly these days, but Sleigh Bells are probably the band that exemplifies the genre truly. Musical duo Alexis Krauss and Derek E Miller couldn't be from more different musical directions. Miller was formerly the guitarist of post-hardcore band Poison the Well, while Krauss was in an all-girl pop group as a teenager. Together, they combined their experience to do something a little... different.   

Taking full advantage of the odd dynamic they have, Sleigh Bells create music that really is like nothing else coming out at the moment. It's filled with riffs that would be well suited in a metal album and blends them effortlessly with pop sensibilities, forming bizarre, noise-filled mayhem. In anyone else's hands it may well have sounded horrendous, but Sleigh Bells manage to take this bizarre concept and make it interesting and addictive.

Originally planned to release on Valentine's Day, Reign of Terror is a surprisingly high-spirited album, given the title. The track titles follow example, with names like 'Road to Hell', 'Demons' and 'Never Say Die'.  It may sound a bit morbid, but they take to it with the attitude of, say, a grindhouse horror movie. It's filled with dark imagery but it's executed with just the right amount of self-awareness needed to not drag it down. The lyrics cover themes of winning, losing, and death in a more personal way than Treats, but they never delve too deeply. With a band like Sleigh Bells, lyrics aren't really a core component to the listening experience but they do the job fine.

The record takes many cues from contemporary pop and R&B while layering them over AC/DC influenced guitar slabs. Miller creates some of the biggest-sounding riffs in alternative music currently. 'Demons' highlights the sheer power of his guitar work, with a riff that would feel at home on a Black Sabbath album, while Krauss shouts "DEMONS, COME ON" excitedly. It shouldn't work, but it does. The tracks come quick and heavy, with Krauss's vocals as fierce as the music itself, at times.

The album opens with the sound of crowds cheering, and a Queen-esque guitar line, before launching into the familiar sound of Sleigh Bells. 'End of the Line' provides a nice contrast to the rest of the album. It's a relatively quieter affair, with Krauss whispering "I wish it didn't have to be this way / but it's the end of the line / so goodbye" in a confessional manner. The change of pace is welcomed, but the next track, 'Leader of the Pack' begins with a gunshot, signifying brilliantly that things are coming back into full-force.

For all the steps forward it takes, I can't help but feel like they haven't done enough to differentiate the album from the debut. It lacks the immediacy and novelty of Treats, and that leads to it having a slightly tired feel to it. It's certainly an interesting album, but it treads territory too similar to the debut.  

It was hard for Sleigh Bells to follow-up their debut in a way that didn't come off as cheap, but they've managed to get past that hurdle in most senses. With Reign of Terror, they've developed their sound and it definitely feels better off for it, but they haven't managed to escape the trappings of their debut entirely. Reign of Terror is an apt title for the album, with it feeling like a constant onslaught on the senses. If this is a pop record, it's one of the heaviest pop records I've ever heard. Turn it up. Loud.

7/10

REVIEW: Tennis - Young and Old

For me, summer is the best time of year; filled with sunny days at the beach, hanging out with close friends. So for a band to be able to evoke the feelings associated with said season even at the coldest times of year is, obviously, a good thing. Husband-and-wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley formed Tennis after spending a good 8-months sailing around the world. Naturally, they felt the need to express the experience through song, which eventually comprised last year's debut album Cape Dory; a modern day fairy tale in the alt-music world.

Tennis are back with a decidedly less nautical-themed sophomore release, Young and Old. For the follow-up, the production was handled by The Black Keys' Patrick Carney. Much like the recent new Perfume Genius album, they took the opportunity to expand on their sound. As part of the recent 'beach-pop' craze started by acts such as Best Coast and Beach House, Tennis create breezy, up-beat and altogether jolly tunes that will uplift even the most morose of people. The sugar-coated aesthetics drip with charm, but does the album do enough to establish itself among the greats?

Young and Old is definitely a step-up from the debut, with Moore handling vocal responsibilities with a more defined, self-confident tone. Her airy vocals have a very classic style to them, and they suit the music well. The retro style of the album gives it a nostalgic feel that is exactly what you'd expect from a couple such as Tennis. The entire premise of the album is grounded very much in the 60's; it's what the album title 'Young and Old' alludes to.

Lyrically, Moore sings dreamy and whimsical words that predictably deal with themes of love and romance primarily. This time they lack a core concept to focus on (like the seafaring nature of Cape Dory), so the album feels a lot more abstract. This lack of focus makes it all seem a lot less affecting - instead it relies on the charming melodies that pervade every surface of the album to keep your attention.

Tennis have ventured outside of the set-up they had on Cape Dory, implementing percussion on the tracks with more effectiveness than the debut. This isn't to say that they've strayed too far from the foundations they set out in the first place; it still has the fuzzy production values found previously, but they have been fine tuned somewhat to give the record an all-round more pleasing aesthetic. Piano keys are also more widely featured on Young and Old, diversifying the tracks further than the original and giving it a poppier feel.

As indicated by the kind of adjectives used thus far, you can assume that the album is a very happy one; maybe even overly happy. Every track has the same atmosphere to them, it's like the band are incapable of creating anything except sweet, loved-up songs. It's understandable, really, with Tennis being a couple who are so comfortable with one another to create music together. It would just be nice to see the music take a different tone on the album.

Much like a hazy, care-free summer's afternoon, Young and Old is a fleeting and enjoyable affair, but it struggles to truly define itself against all the other records that are in a similar vein to it. And like even the best of summer days, you eventually grow tired of them and long for the winter again. Still, you can always look back on it with fond memories. 

7/10

REVIEW: Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It

Second albums are usually anticipated with slight scepticism of whether the artist can truly live up to the expectations put forward by the first record. In the case of Perfume Genius, this has never been more true. 2010's debut, Learning, was a collection of ten highly personal songs which covered very delicate subject matter in a heartbreakingly sincere manner. Perfume Genius, AKA Matt Hadreas, really held nothing back in recording it.

Around two years later, he's ready to give it another go with the second offering, Put Your Back N 2 It. While Learning took advantage of a very minimalist set up, comprised primarily of just a piano and his falsetto voice, accompanied by the occasional synth, the second album treads similar concepts, but expands on them significantly. Like most good follow-ups, this record displays a much wider scope than the debut; everything feels on a grander scale, while retaining the haunting warmth of Learning.

Put Your Back N 2 It sees Hadreas tackling similar themes as the debut, he does so in a different way to Learning. He seems a lot more self-confident on this album, with 'Take Me Home' sounding especially triumphant; it's like he's transitioned into a much more extroverted person, both vocally and lyrically. On 'Hood', he questions how much we truly know about one another, highlighted using the line 'You would never call me baby if you knew me truly' to evoke self-doubt. Hadreas has a quality similar to early Sufjan Stevens in his ability to write songs about such topics so proficiently.

Musically, the album implements a wider range of instruments, be it the low humming guitar that percolates through album opener 'AWOL Marine', the upbeat drumming on 'Hood' or the subtle synths on 'Dirge'. There are a lot of little details on the album that really help flesh out the music and give it an intimate atmosphere. He uses simple piano melodies to illustrate his song-writing prowess, with them permeating every song on the album.

The real feat of Put Your Back N 2 It is the expansive range of emotions that are conflicted on the listener in such small bursts. The majority of songs from the album are miniscule in length compared to other contemporaries, but that's all is needed for the message to get through. Take, for example, lead single 'Hood'. At a mere 1:58 in length, the song leaves the listener craving more long after the song has finished. I guess it's both a blessing and a curse, if the song was longer then it would give the listener what they wanted but the very fact that it was able to have such an effect on the listener in just under two minutes is a testament to Perfume Genius's urm, genius.

Despite the emotionally heavy subject matter of the songs, Hadreas has a knack of giving each track an oddly warm and inviting feeling, whether it be through his enchanting vocals, the looping piano melodies or the triumphant finales found on some songs.  For example, while 'All Waters' is carried along by a brooding, melancholic tone, Hadreas uses his vocals to evoke tenderness which would otherwise not be found.

With Put Your Back N 2 It, Hadreas displays an innate gift for song-writing; he's created a legitimately brilliant follow-up to the original. It's bigger and bolder, but still pertains that same soul that made Learning so memorable - the poignant lyrics and melodies will stay with you long after the album closes.  

9/10

REVIEW: Brand New @ Southampton Guildhall - 10/2/12

It's been a fair while since Brand New last graced our shores, with their last show being a one-off performance at Wembley Arena in 2010. Now back on an eight-date UK tour, the band don't have a new album to support; they're just here for the fans. The Guildhall seemed like the perfect venue for Brand New, it was large enough so that enough fans could enjoy the sold-out show without it feeling overbearing.

The band played a career-spanning set list that took songs from every corner of their discography. Brand New have always enjoyed having an avid fan-base in the UK and it's obvious that tonight that they're totally humbled by that. "You always make us feel so at home over here, England." Frontman Jesse Lacey said to the admiring crowd, "It's quite strange and wonderful". Brand New were in high spirits, and their performance tonight showed it marvellously.

The band didn't play any new material at all, but that didn't matter - everyone knew why they were here tonight and the atmosphere was electric. They played through a robust set, spanning eighteen songs in the ninety minutes they were on stage. The set moved from album to album, playing chunks of each album at a time. Starting with The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, they moved onto Daisy, Déjà Entendu and Your Favourite Weapon respectively, before coming full circle with more tracks from The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me.  

Brand New arrived stealthily on stage and were greeted with rapturous applause. Without saying a word they proceeded with the instrumental 'Welcome To Bangkok'. It set the atmosphere perfectly, with the track building up slowly towards the explosive climax, with a post-rock feel to it. It transitioned swiftly into 'The Archers Bows have Broken', with the upbeat rhythms getting the crowd into a frenzy.

Lacey's voice has an imperfect and raw nature to it, similar to Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum - a hero of his. It really shows the passion being put across by the guy. He also shows a diverse range of vocal styles throughout, from the screeching vocals found in 'Vices', to the softer tones of 'Jesus Christ'. He makes alterations to the flow and melody of some songs, and it makes them feel more personalised to the specific show. It feels like he's so emotionally attached to the songs, few can replicate his intensity on stage.

When they were at their heaviest, you could feel the whole venue shake with ecstatic furore. Two drummers were employed during these moments, and it really emphasised how loud this band could actually be when they wanted to. Brand New are a band that enjoy taking advantage of making songs that can at one moment be quiet and serene, and the next, explode into a torrent of impassioned roaring from Lacey. The best example from the night was on 'You Won't Know'. The build up to the first instance of this happening was incredible - the crowd knew what was going to follow, and the build up was awe-inspiring.

'Soco Amaretto Lime' was the definitive apex of the gig. With Lacey alone on stage donning just an acoustic guitar, it felt very intimate despite the room being filled with just shy of 2,000 fans. Lacey had complete control of the room. He was like a hypnotist, keeping the crowd under his possession at all times. Every word  he sang was echoed in unison by the whole room. By the end the volume of people singing 'You're just jealous 'cause we're young and in love' was quite overwhelming. Jesse ended the song by changing the lyrics to "I'm just jealous 'cause you're young and in love". The sincerity in his voice was touching.

The last three songs in particular were a highlight for me, they were the perfect trio to send off the evening. It mixed in everything that made Brand New great - the tranquillity of 'Jesus Christ', the wholesome ferocity of 'Degausser' and the haunting intensity of 'You Won't Know'. Where 'You Won't Know' usually ends on record with Lacey repeating "You won't know", the crowd refused to stop echoing those three words until the band had disappeared from the stage, as if clinging onto their performance, not wanting it to end.

Whether or not Brand New will ever record a new album remains to be seen, but if they just kept doing what they did tonight from now until forever, I couldn't be any happier. They really do have no equal.