It is edging very close to the end of the year, so had to squeeze in my favourite tunes of 2011 before the year was out. Going to keep this part of it short and sweet and let the songs speak for themselves.
Down Down Down – Charlie Simpson
Everybody’s On The Run – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Standing On The Edge Of The Noise – Beady Eye
If I Had A Gun – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Finale – Funeral Party
A Stutter And A Start – Spring Offensive
Front Row Seats To The End Of The World – Funeral For A Friend
Animals – Kids In Glass Houses
I’ll Never Tell – The Glass Child
Renegade 86′ – Letlive
Whole Picture – Stylusboy
The Ballad Of Mona Lisa – Panic! At The Disco
Do You Ever? – The Birthday Suit
Traktor – Wretch32 feat. L
Inhaler – Miles Kane
Through The Clover – Stonefield
Broken Foundation – Funeral For A Friend
Blue Jeans – Lana Del Rey
St. Peter (Yardley Mix) – Gaolers Daughter
Headrush – Hannah Trigwell
Casino Columbus – Letlive
Burn – The Deadsets
Video Games – Lana Del Rey
Indie Electro Pop – Roxanne De Bastion
I Still Believe – Frank Turner
Otis – Jay-Z & Kanye West
Set Fire To The Rain – Adele
We Are Made Of Evil Things – The Microdance
Bite My Tongue – You Me At Six feat. Oli Sykes
The King And All Of His Men – Wolfgang
Young Hollywood – Sunny Estate
PACEMAKER – Breton
Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People
By Your Hand – Los Campesinos!
Thorns – Charlie Simpson
Limit To Your Love – James Blake
Going Through Hell – The Streets
What The Water Gave Me – Florence & The Machine
Movements – Sunny Estate
Someone Like You – Adele
Odd Socks Is The Secret Recipe – Danny Mahon
Kingcrawler – Miles Kane
Rhythm Review – The Computers
Unorthodox – Wretch32 feat. Example
Operation – Yuck
Higher and Higher – The Blackout
You Need Me, I Don’t Need You – Ed Sheeran feat. Wretch32 and Devlin
Hello Blue – Exile Parade
Switchblade Smiles – Kasabian
Get A Life – Limp Bizkit
Glory Hallelujah – Frank Turner
Cat’s Eyes – Cat’s Eyes
We The People – The Chakras
Four Walls – Danny Mahon
Shake It Out – Florence & The Machine
Gold Cobra – Limp Bizkit
Stepping Up – Nigel Thomas
Death of The Journalist – Scroobius Pip
Sophia – Laura Marling
Go Betweens – Mazes
sol. – Mausi
The Greeks – IS TROPICAL
Kittens Become Cats – RKC
Girl, I Love You – Mono Stereo
Cockiness (Love It) – Rihanna
Mathemagician – Rosa Valle
Lego House – Ed Sheeran
Pain Pain Never Again – Glasvegas
Domino – Jessie J
Initials MM – The Narrows
The Beagle – The Witch And The Robot
Beth/Rest – Bon Iver
Curtain Call – Exit Ten
Who You Are – Jessie J
Nothing To Lose – Mike Hough
Flying Overseas – Theophilus London
LOVE – Chapter 24
I’ll Take Care Of You – Gil Scott Heron & Jamie XX
Stilyagi – Puro Instinct feat. Ariel Pink
Codex – Radiohead
The Sad Thing – The Foxes
Still Life – The Horrors
Blood In My Head – The Lowriders
Everywhere Nowhere (Mr Kitty Remix) – Neon Asylum
Animal Style – Plastic Youth
We Found Love – Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris
Let Em’ Come – Scroobius Pip feat. Sage Francis & P.O.S.
Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair – Arctic Monkeys
Iron Wall – Blind Atlas
All The Way – Michaela Wright
Set Me Free – The Sand Band
Together We Are Explosions – The Witch And The Robot
My Pale Garden – Acid Glasses
Changed The Way You Kiss Me – Example
Don’t Spit At Her Face – Stricken City
New-Ish – Azekel
Think & Feel – Dananananakroyd
Velociraptor – Kasabian
Promises – Nero
Read All About It – Professor Green feat. Emeli Sande
Something interesting came my way not too long ago. It was the beginning of a journey, a quest if you like into something dark and delusive by a group of misfits that go by the name 0f, The Narrows. The work they have produced is called “The Dirty Pamphlet”
The Dirty Pamphlet
So as it begins I was first given this……
Naturally my intrigue got the better of me and I wanted to know more. So I was sent some of The Dirty Pamphlets and I was told I am now part of the hunt! My role will be to place the pamphlets in a unique location close to me, and to let people know where they will be. Once final details had been decided I was then shown this video.
DISCLAIMER: WARNING THIS VIDEO MAY DISTURB YOU
As the 25th June gets ever so close, I am now able to list the places where The Dirty Pamphlets can be picked up from at around 10am onwards:
Manchester – Piccadilly Records 53 Oldham St Manchester, Lancashire M1 1JR
London – Harrods (Yes, THAT Harrods), HMV Department, 87-135 Brompton Road Knightsbridge London, SW1X 7X (My Location)
So there you have it, this 4 page pamphlet that will unleash the sinister and mysterious world of The Narrows to you, will be available at the above place from 10am on Saturday 25th June. Upon receipt, take it in and call the number on the back, that’s when the hunt will officially be on.
For up to date info on this fascinating voyage follow @thenarrowsband on Twitter
Also for London Pamphlet updates, follow me on @sourmashmusic - I will be expecting you.
Have you ever wondered what classic Rock ‘n’ Roll would sound like performed by four young sisters from Australia? Just me then! Well Stonefield are exactly that and a powerhouse of a band they are too. This is their debut EP entitled ‘Through The Clover’ and it has to be one of the more fascinating releases I have encountered this year.
Stonefield
Stonefield are Amy Findlay (Lead Vocals and Drums), Hannah Findlay (Guitar), Sarah Findlay (Keys) and Holly Findlay (Bass).
In 2010 they won triple j’s Unearthed High competition, which led to two songs ‘Through The Clover’ and ‘Foreign Lover’ being played on high rotation on the J’s. An invitation to play at One Movement in Perth saw the band play in front of thousands of industry folk and fans and has led to a spot on the 2011 Glastonbury and The Great Escape line ups. For the last year they have gained critical acclaim in their native Oz, but are making their way around the globe one small step at time.
So what of their debut release, well ‘Through The Clover’, their title track, was the first thing I heard and a big part of why I am writing about them today. Considering their age they seem to encapsulate that true 70s Soulful Rock n Roll spirit to a staggering degree, its mind-blowing! ‘Through The Clover’ is a colossal homage to the old school greats. Powerful shredding guitar solo’s, simple but engulfing beats and mesmerising sultry vocals from the eldest Findlay sister, Amy. Put it this way, I could listen to it non-stop, for days on end, it’s that damn good. It leads on to the smooth sounds of ‘Foreign Lover’, which is what I imagine a magic carpet ride would sound like. Wrapped up in these wonderful ‘Doors’ inspired organ sections and scaling captivating vocals, that weave in and out through a sublime wall of sound.
‘Drowning’ with its cowbell and refrains of “Help me help me I’m drowning” does come in slowly and quite un impressively. But with a huge POW, youngest Holly screams her little lungs out and the guitars come crashing down with a real tour de force. ‘Chase The Sun’ is a real treat full of paramount riffs and packed full of grooves and monumental bass lines. Brimming with genuine emotion and what becomes for me, one of the other highlights on this release. They finish on ‘Walk My Way’, a Hammond led mature, vibe-laden song. It’s precise and to the point, it winds up magically what is ultimately an enthralling collection of compositions.
What strikes me with Stonefield is how much experience their sound has at such tender ages. It’s almost like they are possessed by some of the greats of the ‘Golden Age’ and with such an engrossing talent, they leave you spellbound in the process. A triumphant debut and one that will certainly have the attention of even some of the toughest critics. Glorious and simply divine in all the right places, it’s “one for the soul man”, so just let Stonefield take you for a ride.
Here is what grabbed my attention, the video for ‘Through The Clover’….
Now this band did the rounds when it came to ‘Ones To Watch in 2011′ lists. With three singles under the belts already and a few madcap filled videos, IS TROPICAL are finally here with their debut album ‘Native To’.
IS TROPICAL
Instantly the album hits you with a banging big synth sound covered in dreamy pop gooeyness. ‘South Pacific’ comes swooping through on a magnificent bed of mesmerising noise, then fills your head with joy and wonderment. I’m coining the phrase ‘Tribal Electro’ by the way, if the band haven’t yet, because that’s what this album is and ‘Land Of The Nod’ is no exception. Playful in epic proportions, it’s what Toy Story would be like if it was remixed by 2ManyDJs.
My first proper introduction to the band was their single, ‘South Pacific’, but it’s new single ‘The Greeks’ that made my hairs stand on end and themselves do little jiggles of excitement. A massive indie dance banger with infectious hooks and frivolous drum rolls. It will have you pulling shapes till your arms fall off, I can guarantee that. ‘Clouds’ is in the woozy dub realm and slipping in and out of consciousness may occur. But hold onto your hats because ‘Take My Chances’ comes along like a loved up mixtape, the background music to a Skins kissing sesh perhaps.
‘Berlin’ is a sublime 80′s influenced blip revival. Capturing that sparse, but grandeur sound which has layers upon layers of nothing but electric dreams. We are then mixed gently into closer ‘Think We’re Alone’ and what a delicious little ending it is too. Intricate guitar doodlings and intangible melodies, bring this interesting piece of work to an end.
‘Native To’ is inventive and packed full of interesting ideas. Taking influence from various genres and creating a dance/indie crossover record that will wow even the toughest of critics. It’s sublime, alluring and above all imaginative, certainly one for the ‘Albums of 2011′ lists!
When the opportunity came up to interview Wycombe based Hard Rock/Alternative outfit, Young Guns, it really did not take me long to go, why not! Winner of the coveted No.1 spot in the Best Albums of 2010 List, this was certainly an opportunity I could not afford to miss. I find out what the band are up to at present and which rappers they would like to work with! Gus Wood answers my questions, along with a few questions asked by you, their adoring fans.
Young Guns
Sourmash: Firstly, thanks for doing this interview for me. For people who might not know much about Young Guns, could you guys tell us a bit about the band and how you got started? What you guys up to at the moment?
Young Guns: My pleasure, thanks for asking. Everyone except me grew up in the same area playing in bands in the local scene. Through doing that for most of their teenage years they all inevitably ended up playing music together. Through a mutual friend I met John and ended up playing bass for a band he was in at the time for a laugh. As the years progressed members came and went and that band eventually morphed into the line up we have today. We’ve been playing music for about 7 years now in one way or another but this line up only locked into place in 2008 when Simon joined the band (for the second time).
Right now we’re holed up in our little studio that we (badly) built ourselves writing and demoing up new material for our second record. 2010 was an amazing but heavy year so we’re trying to detox (ha!) and stay focussed and healthy. I give it two more weeks!
SM: So with 2010 seeing the release of your debut album, ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’, what’s next for the band as we enter a new year?
YG: We’re headed back out on the road supporting All Time Low in February through march for their UK/European run of dates, before some more writing time, and then we’re off to Japan and China for some shows, before doing a few festivals over the summer. We’ll record the new album in July, and then hopefully it all begins again. Primarily, this year is about trying to write and record the best album we can, hopefully if we manage that everything else will fall into place. It’s an exciting but daunting prospect for sure, we had a really great year but nothings ever a given in this industry it would seem, time moves fast and people’s tastes change even faster so we’ll see. I’m confident that we can come out with something pretty special though.
SM: Was is it always important to you guys to release the album on your own label, Live Forever?
YG: Well, we were open to options but in the end we went with our gut and kept things close. We’ve always operated in that way and it just felt right. At the end of the day we know what we want, we’re working to a specific plan that we’ve had since day 1 and it’s worked for us so far. We just didn’t feel the need to enter into a terribly constricting contract – this way we have more creative control than we would otherwise have. At the moment there seems to be a real signing fever going on with the majors, and that’s great but I think we’re all a little distrustful of such things, some of the boys have been in major label bands before, and fundamentally that means fuck all. We’re happy with where we are, how things are moving, and feel like we made the right choice. I don’t know what the future holds, but we’ve always had a DIY mentality and it hasn’t hurt us so far! Obviously there’s always a risk when you’re putting your career in the hands of 5 idiots but luckily we have a great distribution deal with PIAS and great management/press/booking etc and they keep us on track. We’re very fortunate to have the people we have around us.
SM: Would you have any advice for bands that want to self-release their own music?
YG: I’d say don’t be afraid of it. If others won’t release your music, then screw it, release it yourself. Often people can’t see what you can, and that’s not necessarily because it isn’t there. If other people DO want to release it, still consider it and just weigh up your options. It’s more work, that’s for sure, but the rewards can be greater and it definitely adds to the feeling of accomplishment if and when things progress. Last year we played the O2 arena with Bon Jovi, we played the main stage at Reading and Leeds, headlined the biggest shows we’ve ever played and released an album that went on to do great things for us. If you set your mind to it, you can make things happen. I really believe that. It’s different strokes for different folks at the end of the day though.
SM: What influenced you most in the making of ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’?
YG: We wrote the album in 5 weeks so it’s definitely a snapshot of that point in time. As for me personally, It was definitely a reflective time and a time of real change in my life. My direction and momentum had completely taken a u-turn so the album’s lyrics are mostly about my opinions and feelings about where I was in life and the events that had brought me there. Sonically, we really wanted to create something that sounded ambitious and grand and not necessarily like a band starting out, releasing their first album proper. It was an exciting but really trying time, we wrote and recorded it in such a short space of time there were a lot of late nights, a lot of stress and not a lot of time to dwell on what we were doing.
SM: I see you have already had some high-profile support slots, what’s the experience like going on tour with other bands?
YG: It’s great. We’ve played with some bands that inspired us to play music in the first place which is a great feeling. Seeing how things operate on a level (or more) above is fascinating as well. Obviously, as a first on act there’s a degree of compromise involved, you often don’t have time to sound check, you don’t get much space or much in the way of stage show but it’s always a good thing to do. It gets you out to new crowds, you make new friends in bands and generally just get to be a part of a really special way of existing. It’s great, and it keeps you aware that no matter who you are, you can always be a supporting act to somebody else.
SM: Are there any bands out there at the moment that you guys have been buzzing off recently?
YG: We’re all in love with the new White Lies album at the moment. I’m listening to that constantly. There’s also a norwegian punk-rock-n-roll-cum-black-metal band with three guitars called Kvelertak. Their album is wicked. As for up and coming UK bands, The new Lower Than Atlantis stuff sounds great, and our friends (amongst them our producer Dan Weller) are in a band called Minutes that are about to blow up. Really digging Jessie J too. It’s a good time for music.
Gus also took the time to answer some questions from you guys, all sent in via Twitter!
@DaniMehtax asks… What has been their best achievement yet? Oh and tell them i love them thankyou!
YG: Hey Dani, thanks! I’d say selling out the Electric Ballroom in london on our last headline tour. We’ve played to bigger crowds and stuff, but this was OUR crowd in the first venue I ever went to see a band in when I was 13, so yeah definitely that. Felt like a dream end to a dream year.
@leannesturrock asks… I’ve noticed Gustav is quite the writer, both lyrically and in his blogs! What inspires/influences him?
YG: Hey Leanne. Thanks. I’ve always said this and it still feels true so I’ll say it again; my lyrics are a stab in the dark at best and I’m never confident about them. I enjoy the process but I also find it frustrating ‘cos it’s almost like no matter how good I think they are, I never think they’re good enough. I always try to make my lyrics feel a little more classical and literary I suppose, and try to write about things I feel are a little more elemental, for want of a better word, than being dumped and all that kind of crap. Not that there isn’t a place for that of course. I read a lot and always find that the things I fall in love with the most are about the greater themes in life when it comes to books or films or whatever so my lyrics my shitty attempts to wrestle with those things… So far they’ve mostly been pretty personal, I want to try to expand a little more on the next album.
@SynysterZebraYG asks… If they had to listen to one song for the rest of their life, what would it be? Mine is Elements by them x
YG: One of our own songs? I think that would be torture in many different ways. Firstly, I tend to hear the things I’m not happy with rather than the things I am, and secondly I hear them enough as it is! At a push I guess I’d have to say Stitches as I’m proudest of it, but it would probably change all the time, as does which song is my favourite.
@PostivelyLost asks… You have a very real connection with your fans. Do you think that it’s helped shape/influence you?
YG: Well… it’s definitely been a key part of having had things gone so well, and we’re proud of the relationship we have with our fans, and we love them all dearly. In terms of shaping or influencing our music, I wouldn’t say it has – we try to write what we think sounds good and then worry about what other people think later! It is a thin line to walk though, I want us to be approachable and friendly, but also grew up loving bands that had that air of mystique about them and I definitely think that it is possible or bands to be TOO available. Fundamentally though, our connection with our audience is a huge blessing and we’re humbled by it every time we play a show or meet people who like our band.
@LorellaSix asks…What inspired you to write/create Winter Kiss? It’s by far your best song & You guys are amazing <3 -Lorella
YG: Thanks Lorella! Nice name. After the EP we wanted to write a song with a bit of drama and, I guess, a bit of darkness and theatricality to it so we wrote a song around quite an unusual chord progression and played with strings and piano. I love it.
@zanelowe asks… if you could collaborate with one rapper, who would it be?
YG: Tupac! Just kidding. Tough one. Example would be cool.. If we were to do it I’d like it to perhaps have a dance-y tinge to it. We’d love to though, it’d be great to go outside of our comfort zone that much. Or Snoop, I bought Doggystyle from Our Price when I was like 10 and I loved it. He’s wicked. Or Busta Rhymes maybe.
@Kelsface asks… Can you ask them which is their favourite song to perform and why and tell them I love them
YG: Love you too! It changes all the time… Some days it’ll be something like Weight of The World of Crystal Clear just because of how the audience responds, or some days it’ll be Stitches or At The Gates or something slower because you can create a different kind of vibe.
Well that’s your lot, thanks to Gus for taking time to answer questions on behalf of the band, and for you guys here is their video for their latest single, ‘Weight Of The World’…
thankyou!
x
