The Car: Album Review

It’s been a big fall for new album releases and a comeback of sorts for several artists, including the Arctic Monkeys, who released their seventh studio album, The Car on October 21st. The last Monkeys release came in 2018 with Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. Throughout the last 9 years, since the release of their most successful album to date, AM, their sound faded from alternative/indie rock to lounge music.

Alex Turner’s voice has always been that of a crooner, but earlier Arctic Monkeys music feels like a full band experience from Turner’s vocals to Matt Helders’ drum beats to Nick O’Malley’s bass lines and especially to the unique and edgy riffs from Jamie Cook and Turner, himself. The Arctic Monkeys had such an established alternative/indie rock sound that has depleted over the last several years. According to Turner, it isn’t changing either. That being said for someone like me who found a great enjoyment in the Arctic Monkeys’ earlier records, this album is tough to get into.

I think you have to be in a certain type of chill space to take in so many of these lounge pop tracks that sound straight out of a 1960’s speakeasy. The music has such a dark, dreamy, and nostalgic feel, which isn’t something that hits for me. If there was any stand out song on this record I really like, it’s “Body Paint,” from the lyrical references of deception to the faint remnants of old Arctic Monkeys songs.

The Arctic Monkeys are currently playing some international fall dates and festivals in support of The Car with worldwide dates planned for 2023. Thankfully with seven studio albums, their set lists span across the last 20 years of their existence so we’ll likely be hearing all the hits, both new and old. And yes I do plan on seeing them play a full set this time around, compared to my brief Arctic Monkeys experience while working their show at Forest Hills in 2018. As for this new record, unfortunately, this is an album you might want to skip unless you’re a big Monkeys fan or prefer the style of music they’ve grown into.

Dance Fever: Album Review

I’m coming at you quick with an album review for another album that dropped 2 months ago. I was in DC at the time seeing HAIM and on the brink of an EDC Las Vegas departure when it was released. I will say I was about to order the album at one point when I realized after receiving a copy in the mail, I must have pre-ordered it earlier in the year. I honestly forgot amidst all the things I had going on and patted myself on the back for that one. I have yet to sit down and really listen to the album in full though. It’s mostly because I’ve been distracted by the band Wallows, who I got into after seeing at Coachella. I’ve been in a huge Wallows phase since Coachella Weekend 1 and it’s still yet to let up. In fact I’ll be seeing them for the 5th time in 4 months next week! Let’s get back to Florence though.

Dance Fever is Florence + the Machine’s fifth studio album. Their last studio album was released in 2018. I have to say I was excited for new music for one of my favorite groups, headed by female indie pop vocalist Florence Welch. I expected an album with a title like Dance Fever to be full energy upbeat tracks all the time, but it really isn’t. There’s a few bops like “Free”, “My Love,” and “Choreomania”, but many slower, chill, entrancing melodies like “The Bomb”, “Good Morning Elvis”, and “Girls Against God.”

Dance Fever is a solid indie pop/rock album from a group that has been putting out similar albums since 2009. Florence’s vocals drive this album, especially on the interludes and the other slower tracks. I’m not shocked though as her vocals really drive all their music.

I don’t think this is one of Florence + the Machine’s best albums though. Their earlier albums are a force to be reckoned with. Dance Fever is promising though with several great songs that deserve plenty of praise and hype. “King” is one of those from the album. I plan on spending more time listening to the album, but I’m sure a Wallows song will pop in to my head and I’ll revert back to listening to them again. That seems to be a theme lately. Florence + the Machine are embarking on a fall tour in support of the album starting in September. I’m disappointed to say I won’t be able to make a show this time around due to work obligations. If you get the chance though, I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see Florence and her machine. I also don’t think you should pass up the chance to listen to their latest record, despite it not being one of their best in my opinion. I’m sure you’ll find something you love and can dance to on it. It’s Dance Fever after all.

The Film Playlist: Bohemian Rhapsody

Obviously a film title that is also a song title would have no trouble making The Film Playlist. In fact, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to write about a film for the playlist. The latest Freddie Mercury biopic released on November 2nd in the U.S.  happens to be too good not to include.

The film stars Rami Malek as the late great Freddie Mercury, frontman for the legendary British rock and roll band Queen. Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen from their founding until their performance at Live Aid in 1985. It also stars Gwilym Lee as Brian May, Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, Joe Mazzello as John Deacon and Lucy Boynton as Mary Austin. The screenplay was written by Anthony McCarten and was directed by Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher (Singer was fired half-way through production and was replaced by Fletcher, though Singer received full directing credit based on DGA guidelines. Fletcher is listed as an executive producer.)

The film begins with showing the formation of Queen and Freddie’s transformation into the group’s lead singer. It shows how much Freddie loved and was inspired by Mary Austin. It also shows how the band landed a record deal with EMI Records and makes reference to the many hit songs Queen is still famous for today. The film also touches on Freddie Mercury’s struggle with his family, his sexuality, and his battle with AIDS, the disease that ultimately lead to his death in 1991.

After researching the film, I learned that there were many historical inaccuracies depicted in the movie. I would start listing them, but there are more than enough that I would recommend reading this article after seeing the film. I’ve also heard about a few more beyond that article as well.

Regardless of the historical inaccuracy of the Bohemian Rhapsody, I thought it put Queen’s music first, which is what I loved about it. Any time a scene regarding Freddie’s life happened, it seemed like the next scene would circle back to music. There were scenes showing the band creating songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, “Love of My Life”, and many others. There were also scenes showing the band playing many of their songs live including the final scenes of the film at their Live Aid performance, which had me singing along to “We Are the Champions”.

The funny thing about Bohemian Rhapsody is that I never planned on seeing the film. I didn’t even realize it was actually a movie until it was already in theaters. In the first few weeks after its release though I heard a lot about it from many people. I decided I should see it after spending the Thanksgiving holiday with my little cousin building Spotify playlists that had tons of Queen songs on them. I’m glad I did because the film was incredible. Malek kills it as Freddie Mercury and it made me appreciate how many Queen songs I knew and how many of their songs are still hits today.

I knew after I saw Bohemian Rhapsody that I needed to write about it and promptly add it to The Film Playlist. It’s focus on music is special and makes the audience appreciate just how legendary Queen and Freddie Mercury are to rock and roll history.

Glass Animals

Now that all of my highly anticipated albums have been released, it’s time to get back into the boring posts about sports, music and entertainment…kidding! Of course my first regular post in a while is about music though. Over the summer I’ve discovered a few new musical interests from friends and from working festivals so I wanted to let you know what I’ve been listening to besides all the new albums.

The first is a band I’ve known about for a year or two but never listened to that much. I saw and heard them perform at the Panorama Music Festival in NYC over the summer and several of my friends were into them. I decided I needed to give them a chance.

Oxford (UK) indie rock band Glass Animals formed in 2010 while members Dave Bayley (lead vocals, guitar) , Drew Macfarlane (guitar), Edmund Irwin-Singer (bass), and Joe Seaward (drums) were in university. The group were friends since they were 13 but had not played music together until the time that Bayley approached the group with a few demos and they decided to form the band.

They initially thought forming a band would be just for fun, but it became serious really fast. They played their first show in April 2010 and released their first EP Leaflings in May of 2012. After catching the ear of Adele’s producer, Paul Epworth, Glass Animals were signed to his label. The band released their second EP which was self-titled in November of 2013 and followed up by releasing three more singles. Those singles, “Pools”, “Gooey”, and “Hazey”, along with the singles “Black Mambo” and “Cocoa Hooves” were all featured on their debut album Zaba, which was released in June 2014. The album gave the band success, which increased their Spotify listener totals, allowed them to tour worldwide with plenty sold out shows through 2015, and earned them spots performing on late night television in America. Glass Animals’ second album How to Be a Human Being was released a little over a year ago in August 2016 with the singles “Life Itself” and “Youth” being released in the lead up. Their sophomore album was met with mix reviews, but the band has been touring in promotion of it ever since its release.

Glass Animals style of music is indie rock mixed with psychedelic pop, art pop, and trip hop. Their sound almost reminds me of alt-J mixed with Tame Impala. They can sound kind of trippy at times so it’s much different than your standard indie rock band.

I feel like I may have listened to Glass Animals before this summer, but at the time I wasn’t feeling what I heard. I think it was the suggestions and peer pressure from my friends this summer that really got me to give them another chance. For me, they’re kind of an acquired taste, but now I really like them. Surprisingly, I prefer the singles off their second album even though they earned their fans mostly from their first album. How to Be a Human Being has a greater rock feel than Zaba, which I think eased me into their sound. Now I can’t stop listening to them.

If you haven’t heard of these guys yet or have been reluctant to listen to them, give them a chance. You might just find a new band you like. I can attest to it. I think I’d even love another chance to see Glass Animals perform again. They put on a great show from what I did see and their music is filled with pretty sweet peanut butter vibes.

There’s This Tune I Found That Makes Me Think of You Somehow When I Play It on Repeat

I wanted to wait until this band released a new album before I blogged about them, but I changed my mind. I’ve been missing them recently. I’ve also been listening to their music, although only their most recent stuff. To me, this is a signal that I shouldn’t wait. So here’s what I can tell you about Arctic Monkeys and what their future holds.

Formed in 2002, English rock band Arctic Monkeys consists of members Alex Turner (lead vocals, guitar), Matt Helders (drums, vocals), Jamie Cook (guitar), and Nick O’Malley (bass, backing vocals). O’Malley replaced Andy Nicholson shortly after the group’s debut album was released. They were named by Cook who always wanted to be in a band called Arctic Monkeys. The band got their start by playing shows in their hometown of Sheffield and distributed their music for free. Hype by word of mouth generated for the band because of this. They drew a larger than normal crowd for a band playing the Carling Stage at the Reading and Leeds Festival in 2005. The Carling Stage which is now called the Festival Republic Stage is normally reserved for lesser known bands or breakthrough acts.

They were signed by Domino records the same year.They released their first singles, “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” and “When the Sun Goes Down”, under Domino in 2005 and their first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, in January 2006. Their debut became the fastest selling debut album in UK Chart history. It sold 363,735 copies in the first week. The album eventually went on to win a Mercury Prize, awarded to the Best Album from the UK and Ireland. The band released the EP Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? a few months later in April, but the explicit language on the record resulted in less airplay.

Arctic Monkeys released their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare in April 2007. Like their debut, their sophomore album peaked at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. It won them Best British Band and Best British Album at the 2008 Brit Awards. They spent the year extensively touring, including a stop to headline Glastonbury Festival.

The band took a short break in 2008. Lead singer, Alex Turner focused on his side project The Last Shadow Puppets. It wasn’t until 2009 that the band followed up their first two successful albums with Humbug, released in August 2009. Like the first two, Humbug also peaked at the No. 1 position on the UK Albums Chart. Prior to the third album’s release, Arctic Monkeys embarked on a world tour that included a headlining date at Reading and Leeds Festival and finished in April 2010.

The following four years brought more success to Arctic Monkeys with 2 more albums, Suck It and See and AM, both, like their predecessors, debuting at No. 1. Touring, festival appearances, and even a performance at the Opening Ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympic Games came in the wake of their fourth and fifth albums. Their fifth album debuting at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart put their name in the history books as the first indie band in the UK to hit No. 1 with their first 5 albums during the first week of release. AM even earned them a third Mercury Award nomination (Favourite Worst Nightmare was the second), a BRIT Award for Best British Album, and a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance for their single “Do I Wanna Know?”.

Since 2014, Arctic Monkeys have been on hiatus. Again Alex Turner shifted his focus to The Last Shadow Puppets and releasing their second album. Matt Helders joined in on Iggy Pop’s recent album, Post Pop Depression, and has been touring with the legendary rocker since. The question going forward for me and all the other Arctic Monkeys fans is: When will they release their sixth album?

According to an article published in July on NME.com which tried to predict the release of the sixth album as well as the future album’s sound, the world might be blessed with a new record by mid to late 2017 as long as the band gets in the studio by late 2016-early 2017. For now, it seems like we’ll be waiting at least another year or maybe longer. Glad I decided to blog about them now. I’m not sure I would have lasted that long.

Throughout the years, Arctic Monkeys sound has changed and matured. The change of their sound almost reminds me of the change in my music interests throughout the same time period from 2006 to 2013. The songs on their first two albums are faster and edgy almost in a punk rock sense (totally my scene and a high school junior and senior). The first album especially blends indie music and punk rock well. Then in certain songs (like “505”) on the second album and more so on the third album their sound transitions to something smoother. Turner doesn’t spit out the song lyrics as quickly. Their third album also has this unique eerie and mysterious sound. To me it’s the perfect album to listen to during the Halloween season. Finally, the last two albums are much smoother and reflect the indie rock scene of the last 5 years (again very similar to my music tastes in the last 5 years).

The first song I heard by Arctic Monkeys was “Fluorescent Adolescent” in 2011. According to my record of when I added songs to my iTunes account, I downloaded the song right between the point where I added Foster the People’s Torches and Adele’s 21 (a good moment in time for sure). I don’t remember if anyone recommended the song or if I found it on my own, but nonetheless, it was the first. Then came “Do I Wanna Know?” two years later. I listened to the band more after AM. That record spurred my interest in Arctic Monkeys. I received the album on vinyl for Christmas in 2014, so I basically started being interested in them at the point they decided to take a break. Then recently I’ve been listening to them all over again. It makes me miss them. It also makes me want new Arctic Monkeys music. So I guess, like the more dedicated Arctic Monkeys fans who have followed them since their inception, I’ll have to wait. In the meantime, I’m going to listen to their old stuff I missed because my music interests were elsewhere. Here’s some of my favorite Arctic Monkeys songs though, in case you’ve overlooked them altogether:

1. Snap Out of It
2. Do I Wanna Know?
3. 505
4. Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?
5. R U Mine?
6. Arabella
7. I Wanna Be Yours

 

The 1975

It’s astounding how many great bands/singers/music artists are from the UK. It often seems like most of the bands I blog about are from there. Even many legendary groups throughout history, like The Beatles, The Who, Queen, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin, are British. So therefore, it wouldn’t surprise you that the band I’m writing about this week also hails from the UK.

The 1975 formed in Manchester, England in 2002 when members Matt Healy, Ross MacDonald, Adam Hann, and George Daniel started playing cover shows together in local clubs as teenagers. It wasn’t until August 2012 when the group released their first EP, Facedown. The band got national radio attention with their single “The City” from the EP as well as with the song “Sex” which came from their second EP of the same title (Sex) a few months later (November 2012). In March 2013, the band released their third EP, Music for Cars. “Chocolate”, a single off the EP, reached the 19th spot on the UK singles chart. The same year the band began touring to build hype for their debut album. They joined The Neighbourhood on their 2013 U.S. tour, opened for Muse and The Rolling Stones, and played at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.

Their debut self-titled album came out on September 2, 2013. The 1975 spent the rest of 2013 and 2014 touring to promote the album and selling out many shows throughout Europe, North America, New Zealand, and Australia. The band plans to release their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, in February 2016. Today, they announced a North American Tour in support of the new album from April to May 2016 in select cities across the United States and Canada. Their first single off the album, “Love Me”, was released in October.

The band’s music fits into the alternative/indie pop/rock genre. At times I even feel like their sound has some 80’s pop/rock style influence, especially when I heard “Love Me” for the first time. Then there’s other times where I get this R&B feel from their music. Honestly, they no doubt fit right in with The Neighbourhood on tour in 2013. It was baby-making music for the ages. Overall though, the band has their own unique indie pop/rock sound.

I was slightly late to the party when I discovered The 1975 in April 2014. I’m not even sure how I first heard of them, but I know I listened to them for a few months before I realized their song “Chocolate” had airplay on the local alternative radio station. In a much cooler world, where I would be able to attend any live music events that I want, regardless of price, location, availability, etc., I would be attending their show either in New York City tomorrow or in Philadelphia on Saturday. I probably would have already seen them live too, if I didn’t already have plans when they played at a nearby venue at this time last year. Although I potentially would have seen them live this weekend if either show wasn’t already sold out (or if I didn’t have to pay over $100 for tickets that were originally $40), I figured why not write about this band anyway. The 1975’s success over the last few years has only escalated and it continues to grow as well.  They’re bound to enter British music history like so many before them. If you’ve never heard of these guys, you may want to check out these song recommendations or if you’re headed to an upcoming show, unlike me, you may want to re-listen to some of these song recommendations to hype you up (or if you just want some hype for the new album):

1. Sex
2. Chocolate
3. Love Me
4. The City
5. Girls
6. Robbers
7. Heart Out
8. Settle Down

The New British Invasion

In the 60’s there was a pretty big deal band that came out of England, but in the 00’s there was another one. Maybe not as big as the first, but they still matter to me. This blog post is about them, not The Beatles.

I first found out about The Kooks in  early summer 2011 when my friend Caylee told me to listen to their song “Naive”. I loved it. It was so catchy. That same year in September they released their album Junk of the Heart. I bought it shortly after the release. I also ended up getting their first album Inside In/Inside Out which was released in 2006 a few months later.

The band is made up of members, Luke Pritchard, Hugh Harris, Alexis Nunez, and Peter Denton, although Nunez and Denton were not part of the original lineup. Paul Garred and Max Rafferty were with the band from their early days until 2012 and 2008, respectively. The Kooks are a British rock band whose sound almost reminds me of something you’d hear out of a 1960’s British Invasion band. At the same time, they fit into that modern indie sound that’s comparable to The Arctic Monkeys.

I haven’t heard much about them since then. No tours. No new albums. Maybe there was something and I just wasn’t paying attention, but about 2 months ago I heard a brand new single called “Down”. I didn’t fall in love immediately, but it was a song that I found good enough to download. Then, about a week and a half ago I was looking at iTunes for some new music (first time I ever did that I may add) in their recent alternative popular download search list type thing (I don’t know how to describe it). To be honest I’m not sure what I did to get where I did to find the new music, and I don’t feel like looking up the exact steps in the iTunes store. Anyway, I found a recent Kooks song called “Bad Habit”. It was super catchy. I downloaded it and after finally getting it on to my iPod yesterday, I can’t stop listening to it. It’s on repeat. As I just found out the song is on their new album Listen which was released in September (where have I been?!) along with the song “Down”. I’m currently hooked on it. I plan on getting this new album sometime in the near future as well. If that song is any indication of what the album is like then I’m sure it’s a worthy buy. Of course I could be wrong. There have been albums that weren’t that good aside from one or two songs. If I know the Kooks though, I’m sure they put together a quality record.

So if you’re sitting there reading this, take the time to listen to “Bad Habit”. I put the Youtube video below for your convenience (you’re welcome!) and then check out some other stuff by The Kooks. If you need some help, as always, the song list:

1. “Naive”

2. “Junk of the Heart (Happy)”

3. “Seaside”

4. “She Moves in Her Own Way”

5. “One Last Time”