Beyond the crazy hair styles and black kohl there is a genuine passion and real core to The Horrors.
Wilco- The Whole Love
The best album since their 2001 release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Containing freak guitars, playful pop, emotional lyrics and ragged riffs, oh and the bleeping synth. A lot of elements on paper but a tonne of beautiful songs on an album. The tracks range from radio friendly indie to wonderful experimentations. An American Radiohead- maybe but I think they these guys have a name of their own, and thats Wilco.
Sleeping With Sirens
SHARKS
Palisades - I'm not dying today
Birdy - Birdy Review | Musicrooms.net
Birdy - Birdy Review | Musicrooms.net
Birdy - Birdy Review
By Hannah-Jane Roue on 24/11/2011 Studio album by Jasmine Van Den Bogaerde
Jasmine Van Den Bogaerde e.g Birdy, recently emerged out of The New Forest with her soggy album of indie covers produced by James Ford, Rich Costey and Jim Abbiss, who have previously worked with Adele, Arctic Monkeys and the almighty Muse. Unfortunately the Album lacks any original credibility. Don’t get me wrong, Birdy has a sweet voice, but it has no distinction to other 15 year olds on YouTube.
Modestep review/live
Korn - The Path Of Totality | Musicrooms.net
Korn - The Path Of Totality | Musicrooms.net
Korn - The Path Of Totality
By Hannah-Jane Roue on 15/10/2011Korn
Recently, a group of mad scientists stepped into their laboratory of a studio to produce and batter a whole new genre of music.
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies | Musicrooms.net
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies | Musicrooms.net
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies
By Hannah-Jane Roue on 06/10/2011.I.P Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc. has died at the age of 56. He is famous for his elegant creations and the innovative functionality of his products, and his constant blue jeans/black shirt outfit and fuzzy stubble.
Jobs is listed as primary inventor and co-inventor in 338 applications related to technologies. Computers, portable devices, user interfaces, speakers, keyboards, staircases (?!) and many other products.
Not only has Steve Jobs contributed to our daily lives and businesses, he has also paved a new direction for the music industry, for instance the release of the iPod and iTunes has given us all easy availability to new music and publicised the glamour of having your favourite tune booming through one headphone 24/7, a trend all the kids are still following.
The iPad has opened new opportunities and practicalities never achieved before in terms of music especially. Guitar and voice effects processors, sound samplers, sampled loops, synthesizers, drum machines, touch responsive instruments and so much more.
The band Gorillaz actually managed to record an entire album on an iPad using over 15 applications. Made as a diary of their North American tour 2010 the album became an ambient introspective whirlwind of electronics and a pioneering new way for musical recordings.
Rest in peace Steve Jobs. The new release of iHeaven will be reaching skies near you shortly.
You Me At Six - Sinners Never Sleep | Musicrooms.net
You Me At Six - Sinners Never Sleep | Musicrooms.net
You Me At Six - Sinners Never Sleep
By Hannah-Jane Roue on 04/10/2011
Back at school we all learnt to be sceptical about rumours but when they fly around about a new album release it takes a great pessimist to retain all excitement.
The Drums
Grouplove
Sylosis
Limp Bizkit- Gold Cobra
Watch the Throne - Jay Z & Kanye West
A couple of hip hop royal family members have recorded an album. Power, persona and punching beats. The emperor that goes by the name Jay Z and fellow mogul, Kanye West have compiled a new record full of stadium blast offs, club anthems and dirty rhythms.
Florence & The Machine
Girl Power
Lucy Rose
With a pretty name like that you can imagine her success as a singer. Listen to her 'watchlistentell' vid featuring her song Nightbus. Let her serenade you with her blonde bangs and acoustic guitar. Her butter melting vocals are adorable.
Charlotte Qvale
Charlotte Qvale
This chick has heightened my excitement for 2012, considering the worlds going to end and all, it wasn't looking so glam. This sugar coated Icelandic babe/crystalline soprano gives pop a little make over. She’s cute and tacky, like fake diamonds and pearls which makes it all a satisfying illusion. Get out Sixpence None the Richer and take your kisses elsewhere. Former actress, performance artist and film composer, she’s now taking over the music scene. So jel.
Emmy The Great
No, she’s not amazing, just great. Former lightspeed champion vocalist, she is even rumoured to be a music journalist in another life. She’s got a way with words obviously. Calming and poetic she is perhaps a more feminine choice but her ethereal approach pokes a twinkle into your eye.
My Little Pony
Hello, again
So finally I am curled up in my pyjamas on my new sofa, in my new flat, with new internet, tucking into new music.
Even if it is 4am.
I've racked up a lot to say, alright.
p.s
I am loving the new
Bon Iver
6 am. I am sat on my loo top in the bathroom, letting the boyfriend get some sleep without the interruptions of my sniffling, mad typing and Bon Ivers new album on repeat.
Foo Fighters -Wasting Light
Sum 41 - Screaming Bloody Murder
Sum 41 are creeping back into the scene with a new brand of dense rock. Heavy, dark and angry. The Canadian quartet still have dexterity, relative lyrics and attractive melodies. Matured since the days of Fat Lip, but in a progressive dynamic manner (y'know its never cool when you see a mother wear her teenage daughters clothes) The album contains a generous amount of thrashing hyper speed strumming and witty riffs.
MiMi Soya
Another load of tracks for the wannabes to wail along to with their hair brushes, another babe for all the skinny jeaned to cream over. Huzzah.
Jamie xx
Whilst the other two members of the xx were photoshoot-ing and ceremony-ing their hearts out, Jamie Smith has been doing DJ gigs. So far his remixes include Florence’s you’ve got the love (tune- check it out) Adele, Jack Penate, Eliza Doolittle etc. His latest project was risky business, but of course a success. Jamie managed to tackle Gil Scott Heron’s wounded emotions (whom some may argue, shouldn’t be interfered with) We’re New Here is a reworking of Herons 2010 album. It’s wow, its impressive, it’s almost orgasmic. Made up of Herons vocal samples, sporadic beats and a narrator, the sounds are haunting and fizzle together with progression. Trippy? Or a momentous wall of sound? As if the pieces weren’t jewels originally, everything Jamie touches turns to gold.
The Joy Formidable
Listening to my IPod, walking along an empty pavement at awkward o’clock. As you do. The Joy Formidable bounce out of my earphones. The electric guitar and melody seep into my veins, making me impulsively want to dance whilst Ritzy’s delicately dulcet vocals are busy comforting a swelling heart, like chicken soup on a rainy day. The Welsh trio are a turbulent dream of gutsy pop rock and have miraculously landed with stadium ready sounds. They reek of a true ethos and honourable intentions though. Their debut album “The Big Roar” has an immense impact and a snag on the emotions.
Patrick Stump
Patrick Stump, former lead singer of Fall Out Boy, has gone solo. The critics are all saying one word, “NO” and, I am too. Just, no. The downfall of his album, Soul- Punk, doesn't mean he hasn’t got potential though and sure as hell did him a favour for establishing himself independently - whether that new reputation is honourable, or not. No longer the tubby front man with a hat and glasses, instead he’s clean shaven, svelte and cut skinny. After forging this new power-pop noise, thankfully his good vocal range still exists but of course his talent is spoilt by tacky lyrics. Made up of unconventional structure and clashing drum beats, his need to express himself clearly got to a desperate level. Made up of cheesy melodies and bombastic guitar, it’s a big fat cliché. Meh, as long as he’s getting paid right?
Rye Rye
For a cheeky pint of swagger, I’ve introduced myself to one of the latest electro-pop-rap starlets. Rye Rye (An M.I.A protégé.) Beat tasty dance music with neon firecracker vocals and hyper saturated electric colours. Booooom.
Morning Teleportation
Something to listen to at the bbq equipped with tequila, denim shorts and spliff. Produced by Modest Mouse leader Isaac Brock, long haired and poncho’d, Morning Teleportation is a futuristic 70’s wallpaper, condensed into sound. Their new elastic and complex album is a jumble sale of energy and rock. It obviously incorporates every members every idea they have ever had. Consisting of spacey grooves, classics rock riffs, mob chanting eys and ohs, synths and trusty handclaps.
Lykke Li
Always dressed in black, Swedish singer songwriter Lykke Li is a tropical depression. Wounded rhymes made up of a psychedelic tribal vibe with delicate vocals. Her music is an expression of that survival from the loss of your infatuation, you know, that meditation that possess you (Lying around, crying with cigarettes, a stiff drink and old memorabilia) It’s the “pain of loss and power of self preservation” with a cherry on top
Alexander Ebert
He writes, arranges and plays all the instruments, taking ‘solo’ to its extreme, Alexander Ebert from the bands Ima Robot and Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros. Breathing, bells, clicking tongues and vintage vocals add to the hotchpotch of percussion used to produce this gentle acid- folk. It’s timeless and familiar, like the old pub back at home. “Would you call the earth an asshole for turning round and round? You know it never, ever stays in just one place”
Dam Mantle
I’ve taken interest in Dam Mantle’s new kaleidoscopic mash up of theatrical experimentation. Careless about the dance floor, it’s an exploration of his equipment. The songs change, even halfway through, making a meandering collage, interrupted and horrified. A scrapheap of differential speeds, 8-bit electro, errant ticks and flurrying synths haunted with echo. It’s cluttered, expansive, disorientating and somewhat overwhelming but argh! It’s interesting and vibrant. Basically: Robotic Disney scores on shrooms.
Those Dancing Days
I've introduced myself to the mod female 60’s affair, Those Dancing Days, a Swedish-sherbet-pop quintet. Alike watching dotted clouds in the sky, the smooth spontaneity shuffles together flawlessly. The vocals are a size 6 version of Gwen Stefani and Pink. The Abba-esque feel is modernised with synthetics, organ, a jangly guitar and handclaps buuuut despite lacking in tempo their tracks always feel spanking new, fresh out the laundry.
Adele
"So what do you think?"
"I already knew this song!"
"Alright..."
"I mean, who doesn't?"
and my boyfriend is completely right. All the radios are broadcasting it, your ex has it on repeat & Dr's are probably prescribing it to the broken hearted. Sung by Adele Atkins with her compelling velvet voice, the medicinal lyrics portray just enough happiness and remorse to remove any twisting knives in your chest.
Her album 21 is hooting 'nd hollering its way to the top of every ones favourites. The classic piano ballads lend you a slice of peace and understanding and Adele's deep oily vocals have a subtle southern hint that impressively comfort you without rinsing you clean of your wits, and don't leave you in need of a hearing aid.
I'm glad this mare stepped out the shadow of Amy Winehouses beehive and found her own spotlight. This soul stomper is leaving us all for dust.
Chikita Violenta review
The Mexican quartet, Chikita Violenta, recently released their third album TRE3S. I just discovered them. A new unique ambience to smile about.They have the initial allurement that Broken Social Scenebehold, perhaps as a consequence to their matching producer, Dave Newfield. However Chikita Violenta never fall for production values and remain genuine with their new album still tasting pure, panoramic and psychedelic with stunning interplay. The collaborated segments of the music are hand woven patches of curdled riffs, gentle acoustics and delicate vocals, knitted comfortably together into a dreamy collage of texture. Despite the dynamics the band remain down to earth and personal. These sonic chaps will tumble you around a washing machine of psych pop and lo-fi rock, soapy and topsy-turvy.
Bedlam live
I managed to make it to Bedlam. I had spent the day puking my guts up but I knew I had to soldier on. Therefore this had to be the first d’n’b/grime/dub gig I have been to absolutely sober. In the loos there were boys being knocked out and girls getting their bitch on whilst the cubicles whispered the sounds of sniffs and whiffs. In the main room, there was a breeding throng of wide eyed ravers. Next to me, a girl had her friend pinned against the front railings. It would've added to the steamy atmosphere if she didn’t bear a resemblance to a hippo.
Feeling slightly faint and dodgy again, I sat down at the edge of the second room to give Trolley Snatcha a listen. Having the vaguest idea of his tracks but the highest recommendations from friends, he successfully whipped me back into a better state with his entertaining mixes and bass drops. I turned to my boyfriend, announced that I approved and awarded him with a kiss.
After that, we moved to the main room and watched “ms dynami-tee-hee” who I saw at Spectrum earlier on this year. She definitely played a better engaging set this time round, including her vintage mainstream hit- Dy-na-mi-tee and my favourite, Wile Out. Despite being repetitive and dragged out, Lady Dynamite heated up the crowd and had them jumping around like popcorn.
Up next was Nero. The level of professionalism, talent and experience suddenly bounced up the scale with aptitude superiority. The DJ skills and clean cut breakbeats were sheer quality. Whenever my stomach and eyes started spinning, the plummet booming bass drops would resuscitate me back to awareness.
After a cigarette and sit down outside, Tempa T skittered on stage, “TEEEMPZZ” the crowd go wild. He spits his bars like a motorbike running on speed and he moves like a hyper active robot. This urban grime scene isn’t everyone’s ‘thang’ but the atmosphere tensed and wheezed under the pressure as the crowd rapped every word to Next Hype. For once I was glad to be extremely sober so I could witness his set to the full.
I staggered around during some of Chase & Status. A decent set with first-rate music but the slight glitch with these guys is that they are overheard, overplayed and somewhat pop with their culture. The mainstream weight makes them relatively dull, never a buzz kill, but never a hit-the-roof-stimulation. Suffering with another wave of nausea, I decided to go home with my boyfriend.
Young the Giant review
Today I needed a break from heavy riffs, yelping and electronics so I flicked through my latest Nylon magazine to see who they had featured this month. Young the Giant from Newport Beach, California. Don’t judge them on location. Made up of Persian, Indian, British and French Canadian origins, these boys are miles away from the orange stained air heads you’ve probably seen from this area on our TVs. Instead they are refreshingly down to earth, honest and raw. They do behold one major element of California with them. They resemble a sunset on a beach, the ocean, the sun, the colours, the magic and the peace.
They started out with the band name, The Jakes and supported Kings of Leon after winning a competition in 2009. They played festivals, various airplays and after signing to Roadrunner Records, they toured for the most of 2010 with Minus the Bear and Steel Train. Since then they have played with Marina and the Diamonds, The Futureheads and The neon Trees. Their first album was physically released earlier this year.
Their ambient music has astounding harmonies and an authentic indie vibe that most of your common alternative fourth-tier bands from 2004 didn’t quite capture. Honest and sober, the bands strong unity provides evidence against any corporate influences that usually devoid personality. Also unlike most ambient-indie-surf-rock bands, Young the Giant are alike fire, they have lasting power with creativity and flair, strength and sparkles. Oh and most of all, talent.
Sameer Gadhia (lead vocals) has an experimentally sandy, golden voice that ranges from smooth falsetto singing to aggressive infectious rasps that then dives right down to the low and seductive. It pairs well with the tender backing vocals, guitars and gentle drums that occasionally spray into your ears like a sea breeze.
Young the Giant are a bite into summer with beaches, cold beer and love, with confidence and a catch on your IPod.
Francesqa live
Sunday night. Catching up with my best friend, as we clutch a can of fosters and a boyfriend each, we walk downtown to Clwb Ifor Bach to see Francesqa. An ex acoustic band with bundles of potential, I am excited to finally experience them live. Tom Delonge picked them to play on Slam Dunks introducing stage earlier last year. So these guys aren’t just rising stars, their shooting through the skies of the industry.
Radiohead review
They are an important band of our time. Their eighth album, The King of Limbs has been making everyone’s patience itch recently, anxious with expectations for the unexpected. Radiohead have prevailed most ordeals, from big company campaigns to twitter torment. Wise about the consumers of their music, the band carry an admired status and reputation. They are in control of their destiny, with no commercial pressure, holding the hands of a dedicated fanbase. The wait is over and the verdicts are getting scribbled, typed and published.
Radioheads raw talent still exists and their creativity flows, producing experimentation that cleverly whispers a garden variety of their initial sound. Between each track there is contrast, mood change and individual groove, with a combo of bells, drumming, guitars, trumpets, falsetto vocals and lots of echo. "Little by Little" featuring hypnotics and psychedelics, "Codex" a spacey piano/violin/cello ballad with romantic deep throated echoes then there’s "Give up the Ghost" a natural, acoustic with an essence of folk simplicity. The album may be a disorientating production for some listeners, but really it’s just the bands sugar-coated middle finger rejecting typical album grammar. A fusion of what Radiohead’s discography stands for, humanly mechanic with pearls of soul.
Bastille track
I found this video through a facebook link and copious youtube suggestion tabs.
Its a hidden gem.
Indie and uplifting. I have been playing it on repeat today.
James Blake review
The music has a particular speed and shape consisting of fizzing, soul-tingly sounds and dubstep templates. An effect that leaves you in front of a bonfire on a freezing November evening, a shallow glow of warmth which gives you goose-bumps and shivers. Nothing alike the dubstep wobble brothers, Caspa and Rusko, (and that’s a warning, in strict comparison this would be an anaemic record of dance music for queer fairies) Blakes songs are bent and melted by technology with a different consequence. Rather than singer-songwriter simplicity, Blake has manufactured forms of Blues, Folk and gospel through a modern conveyor belt of synths, sequencers, vocoders and drum machines. The final products are stripped and isolated sounds of frigidity consisting of single bass thumps, echoing pings and single distorted synth. His Bon Iver-esque singing often conveys an emotional turmoil, a mesmerizing, rhythmic heartbreak that builds out of stark simplicity in a discordant crescendo of skittering basslines and reverberating synthetics. The occasional distorted vocals blend beyond intelligible to become part of the instrumentation.
This could all be perceived as gimmick production but his bare scrubby lyrics join perfectly with his production. James Blake’s album is one to engulf in, in a sea of cotton and smoke. In other words, to appreciate his music, it’s best to envelope yourself with comfort, imaginings and a pair of fantastic speakers.
Blake doesn’t necessarily paint a picture with his music, he holds up a shattered broken mirror for the listener to look into
Bright Eyes news
Yesterday on Conor Oberst’s birthday, The Nebraskan lo-fi band Bright Eyes, released The People’s Key. A gradual serene introduction to spring, this album covers rich and reminiscent imagery and sonic venture, a synthetic perfection perhaps. An empty sky/I fill it up with everything that’s missing from my life. In the June 2009 issue of Rolling Stone,Oberst announced that he intended to retire theBright Eyes signature "It does feel like it needs to stop at some point. I'd like to clean it up, lock the door, say goodbye”
We Are The Ocean review
--> Since overplaying (and still enjoying) their first studio album ‘Cutting Our Teeth’ I have been anticipating for new material from these lads. This week, We Are The Ocean released a new video for ‘What it Feels Like’ taken from the second forthcoming album ‘Go Now and Live’. They will be embarking on a headline tour in April after its release. The single track was made available to download from their website in January. Oh and they haven’t let me down in the slightest and to say I’m creaming for their gig would be an underestimation. Still an undercurrent post-hardcore band, the 5 piece from Essex swoon their fan base once again. Mixing a hardcore verse with a melodic chorus has been done before, right? But these chaps have a slight enchantment and style of delivery that packs a punch into your trunk. The bands climax comes down to the recipe of rhythm, Liam Crombys oily thick vocals and Dan Browns rasping screams, which I can imagine is a particular taste that does not necessarily suit all. Having said that, when they released their debut EP ‘we are the ocean’ in 2008, all 1000 copies sold in one day. We Are The Ocean auto-tune the introduction of ‘What it Feels Like’. The lyrics are coincidentally appropriate for the single pringles on Valentines Day tomorrow. In true fashion, they blast a coherent roaring verse then subsequently strip back to stunning vocals, a simple drum beat and rhythmic guitar. Like me, the fans are biting at the video like mosquitoes, blood thirsty for the melody again and again.
Modestep review/live
Kerrang! Relentless Tour live
The most favourable band of the night is Four Year Strong. Each armed with mic and instrument, the five men belt out a satisfyingly gritty gig. In this setting, with young GC fans, disco lights and serious lack of alcohol consumption, the band somewhat resemble your older brother and his senior friends, trying out a live gig in the school gymnasium (a fucking dazzling live gig at that) Penchant for their hooligan-chanting lyrics which crack with power and grip, they churn up the crowd into various mosh pits and hand-clapping mobs. Their albums are driven by double bass drums and the screaming guitars add the extra emphasis. Our chests definitely felt the impressive thudding beats, but sadly, the accent riffs were hard to perceive, perhaps due to the confined venue. Even so, whether recorded or right in front of your eyes, they successfully manage to blend pop punk with happy hardcore into some sort of metallic rainbow.
Cuddled up to my boyfriend at the back of the venue as aha! Keep your hands off my girl, Good Charlotte parade the stage. I feel nostalgic; I’m reminded of high school days with old friends who I’m currently missing a lot. We were noticeably veterans to this teen-pop-punk scene as we dodged gangs of inconsiderate jumping kids, the ones who feel a bit too emotionally involved and the little bastards who insist on flailing their sweaty limbs in every direction. Oh well, one would be a hypocritical fool to deny ever experiencing a fair wad of teenage angst. So enough babble about the crèche/crowd, the band onstage started 15 years ago, if anyone has old hand authority, its these boys. Not many 90’s award winning pop rockers can still entertain on mass, let alone maintain a first-rate set list which bubbles with radio hits and newly released tracks. I can congratulate and applaud Good Charlotte for that credit. They play some good routines, including one of my fav’s, ‘The River’. I haven’t got much to say about their music or vocals as such, its experienced, over played and laminated with rehearsal. You can hear it on your IPod. Whether that is a positive remark or not, that opinion swings. You’re so predictable I knew something would go wrong. So as for their performance, the Madden brothers make my face crease, no unfortunately not with joy, with cringe-worthy traded banter. The embarrassing sketches would introduce the following song, [insert chitchat about how cool Cardiff is] “you know what you guys look like, sex on the radio”... just guess what song they played after that gag. Very American (no offence) It was a plastic cliché overall.
PTV, Bayside & ADTR live
Spectrum live
"where am I dropping ya' giwls?"
"that carpark..."
"bloody hell where you going?!"
"SPECTRUM mate"
White Lies review
candy vocals
There is no explanation as to why I favour the sound of skinny jean boys singing in a high pitch at the moment. its'all rather metrosexual. A couple of bands have taken my fancy though, which of course i must blab about. Artist Vs. Poet are a spritz of nostalgic glitter and synthetic sounds, scratched over catchy guitar riffs and drum beats, textbook post-easy-mod-electro-pop-punk-core (yawn..) Not just kind to your ears but your eyes too, these boys will hook the ladies, they're gorgeous. As for their music, its just as enslaving, you will be subconsciously singing along to Runaway when the next chorus kicks in, with your head flopping side to side like a kid on a sugar rush. Guilty? the pleasure is all mine. The singer in Before Their Eyes will lick your ears with the satisfaction ice cream entices you with, icey and smooth. A touch of frost on your playlist. Personel favourite- sing to me. It takes you to that very moment you catch the eyes of your lover, desperation and seduction. Rick Vs Nick has a bit of a controversial feel to it in comparison. The screaming could be scrapped or incorporated better maybe, otherwise it's like a collaboration of Godzilla and Polly Pocket. The most overplayed, and somewhat best credited, is Pierce The Veil, recognisable for the sky high level of Vic Feuntes' nasal tonality. This is pop-core at its best, ranging from hardcore dance to acoustic ballads. Musically, they perform well with shiny harmonies and acrobatic vocals. Coheed meets The Used. Caraphernelia featuring The most tender and indulgent screams, roared by the legend himself, A Day to Remember's frontman Jeremy. It takes the biscuit, in fact it takes the whole fucking cookie jar.
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