Bad Weather EP

Already famous for their energetic live performances, (which needless to say challenge even the most rigid of people), thriving three-piece Youth Man have single-handedly encapsulated everything Birmingham music has been applauded for. Now, with brand new EP recorded and produced in just a week, Bad Weather is fortunately, just as fun and explosive as the band's previous work...only of course, better.

Opening track Heavy Rain evokes notions of uneasiness. Teases of stirring, rousing guitar riffs are accumulated before listeners are throttled unremorsefully into rasping, head-banging heaven.  Adam’s thick layers of bass guitar and Kaila’s visceral vocal attack combine spectacularly, all meanwhile Marcus’ heavy drums cut and punch through the air, showcasing the threesomes indisputable musical talent.

Insipid is short and experimental- clocking in at just under a minute and a half cleverly exaggerates the tracks powerful energy. Third track Salt is dark and lingering, as front woman Kaila menacingly utters slow, sinister lyrics sandwiched between outbreaks of high tempo-ed, noise rock. Finally, the record is bought to an end by Wide Awake. A lengthy, slow-burner, completely spellbinding and gripping down to the very last cord, asserting itself as the most impressive track on the album and proving that Youth Man and their music, are nothing short of brilliant.

Download Bad Weather Here: https://youthman.bandcamp.com/album/bad-weather-ep

See them live at their album launch party: The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham  (Saturday 23^{rd November)}

The 1975 Live Review

Since 2012’s Facedown EP, alternative rock band, The 1975 have gatecrashed ‘Ones To Watch’ lists everywhere. Influenced by a range of musicians as well as admirers of hip-hop princess Iggy Azalea, it’s no surprise their music broods from crisp 80s pop, slick R‘n’B and lingering punk, assembling the newbies as centrepieces of modern music today.

Four EPs later, the Manchester quartet have became Radio 1’s current sweethearts and are now continuously facing sell-out-crowds, one of them including Birmingham’s Institute tonight. A brave move is made as the set is filled with unknown songs from their upcoming debut album. The crowd remain quiet and appreciative till livening up to recognisable favourites.

'Robbers' is a lush love song full of looping guitar riffs and heart-wrenching ballads, while 'Settle Down' is a perfect summer soundtrack full of bouncy electrics, just right for the festival season. The smart decision of saving the best ’til last pays off, as the set is an unrelenting success, ending on a high as 'Chocolate' and 'Sex' burst into life, injecting the crowd with the energy for dancing. 'You' is a performed with raw passion, leaving the audience clinging onto every lyric and pause, amplifying it as the most precious and emotional moment of the set so far.

Frontman Matty Healy is humbled and charmingly snaps a picture of his posing bunch before departing the stage. Dismissing the disappointing half-hour-late appearance which resulted in some fans leaving early to catch their trains home, tonight showcases a small but special gig very few were lucky enough to experience before undoubtedly seeing a band like this progress onto bigger and better things.

Machineries of Joy

Whether it’s their bizarre, dis-ordinary lyricism, signature stage antics or experimentally unique sound, Indie troubadours British Sea Power have always had something profoundly special about them. Five sturdy albums later, the Brighton-based six pack whisk up yet another likeable success with colourful and thrilling show-piece Machineries of Joy.

“We’d like to think the album is warm and restorative,” says singer Yan. “Various things are touched on in the words –. The world often seems a mad, hysterical place at the moment. You can’t really be oblivious to that, but we’d like the record to be an antidote – a nice game of cards in pleasant company.” Considering the dense, dreamy rhythms of ‘Hail Holy Mary’, ghostly, stirring vocals in ‘A Light above Descending’ and sweeping, guitar-pop synths unravelled in ‘Spring Has Sprung’; front man Yan hits the nail on the head, sinking the band into persistent unruffled progress.

Six-minute-long title track opens the album perfectly before shifting effortlessly into feel-good-fun, rock anthem ‘K Hole’. Tracks such as ‘Loving Animals ’and ‘Monsters of Sunderland’ encompass the band’s previous visceral and obscure style whilst ending song, ‘When a Warm Wind Blows Through the Glass’ gives an eerie, lingering close to the album, placing it distinctively out of line with current Rock and Indie sounds of modern day music and arguably making Machineries of Joy BSP’S most favourable piece of work yet.

Jake Bugg Live Review

Whipping up a number one debut album, nominated for British Breakthrough Act of 2013 and having already toured with some of music’s biggest talents 18-year-olds could only ever dream of, Nottingham lad Jake Bugg has become the infectious newcomer at the buzz of everyone’s lips and after tonight’s enthralling performance, it isn’t hard to see why.

Swaggering on stage to Robert Johnsons’ Cross Road Blues hints himself a position in the folk-blues family, besides a certainly impressive musical knowledge. The sold-out crowd consisting of excited teenage girls as well as middle-aged, Paul Weller lookalikes, validates Bugg’s revamped, sixties rock appeal…a cross between Bob Dylan and Alex Turner, an old soul in an extremely young body with an undeniably special gift.

Kentucky and Trouble Town begin the persistently brilliant night combined of acoustic numbers and chart topping singles. Older tracks, 'Someone Told Me', 'Country Song' and 'Some Place' showcase his unique, gritty vocals that channel goose bumps throughout the entire venue.

Imaginably, through lack of experience or intimidation, Bugg barely moves or speaks to his audience; unfortunately indicating a lack of enthusiasm- yet, judging the crowd’s passionate applauds and wholehearted chants, the stripped down performance focusing entirely on talent proves to be more than enough. Bugg is at the beginning of his career and with upward progression- tonight is merely a hint of what he is truly capable of, making the unassuming teen the most exhilarating affair for music so far.

Swim Deep Live Review

Tonight Birmingham’s young and eccentric crowd gather at The Institute to welcome back hometown heartthrobs Swim Deep to their biggest headlining Birmingham show yet. With a highly anticipated album set to release in May and hot new single The Sea under their belt, the sold out show tonight screams potential as the essence of success seems more possible than ever before.

The cheerful and carefree quartet take the stage- Austin appears with a bouquet of flowers that he throws to his beloved B-town bunch. The blend of hazy 90s-pop begins and drowns the venue in a watery sonic, transporting the whole room to that hot California beach they are so particularly fond of, making it truly difficult to believe that the bummed-out seaside lovers are from the cold and damp suburbs of Birmingham.

The combination of shaggy, dreamy vocals mixed with lazy, grunge guitar loops set the gig in a consistently impressive motion as the four friends please their fans with feel-good favourites Honey, Beach Justice and Orange County. A shirtless Zachary treats the audience further with a striking drum solo before an out-of-breath Austin adoringly exclaims: “You mean a lot to me. You mean a lot to us guys.” The night ends with breakthrough track King City, grinning fans and a glistening sense of excitement lingering in the air, intended for the blossoming year this band have ahead of them.

http://www.brumnotes.com/review-swim-deep-the-institute-birmingham-150213/

Crystal Castles Live Review

Crystal Castles at the HMV Institute, Birmingham

Group vocals, souring choruses and head banging guitar solos can all be expected from talented London trio Luls. Favorable singles ‘Young’ and ‘Swing Low’ prove to be hits amongst the approving crowd at the HMV tonight, showing off the bands potential and already existing success.

The audience tonight displays an overwhelming (and slightly manic) excitement towards the Toronto twosome on tour with new album (|||). Demonstrating their admiration with restless chants and giant grins; by the end of the night, it isn’t hard to see why.

Setlist opener ‘Plague’ spells the room with a demonic air as the menacing thumps and shrieking- high vocals cut through the venue by lively front woman Alice Glass. Crawling on all fours cloaked in black, Glass resembles that of an exorcist- yet fans approvingly pump their fists, fixating their glance onto the petite silhouette camouflaged by smoky red flashlights. The effect is utterly thrilling.

The energy remains perfectly unrigged throughout the performance and radiated with higher intensity by band partner Ethan Kath; who coolly plays his keyboard, barely lifting his head to acknowledge the chaotic surrounding. Glass endlessly dives into a sea of arms, drinks and smokes freely onstage clearly stating she enjoys doing exactly as she pleases.

Crystal Castles eminent mixture of goth-dance and spacey electric, lo-fi triggers emotional boundaries that dance music has failed to accomplish in the past. Although the live shows aren’t for everyone, they are undoubtedly hard to forget.

Good Kid Mad City

Pocketing numerous Mixtapes, successful EPs, a staggering number of hits and collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, Kendrick Lamar has now stunned the hip-hop scene further with one of the finest albums of the year. Compton bred rapper carves out a breakaway style of his own with Good Kid M.A.A.D City; making the lingering wait for the debut album unquestionably worthwhile.

Subtitled as ‘A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar’, listeners are taken on a journey through the city that raised him. Layered with storytelling lyrics and nourished thickly with bedroom kickback beats, the talented rapper fails in hesitating or shying away from any personal experiences, throttling fans head first into his history with the tellingly, unfolding series of his formative years.

The adequate 15 track album begins with somewhat haunting ‘Sherane A.K.A Master Splinter’s Daughter’ that opens with a recited prayer by Lamar’s friends, before Lamar himself tells of a love story with Compton sweetheart Sherane. ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe’ embraces his development and changing mind, backed again with mellow, electric guitar riffs complimenting his swift and slick wordplay and revealing his impeccable, deeply thought-out lyrical strength.

‘Backseat Freestyle’ produced by Hit boy is one of the more upbeat tracks of the album, offering a more aggressive and party- dynamic ambience constructed with fun, bold spits fans will enjoy on a night out- whilst ‘The Art of Peer Pressure’ invites us into his gang activity, as he luckily escapes a police chase with friends. ‘Poetic Justice’ is composed around Janet Jackson’s classic hit ‘Anytime Anyplace’ with input from fellow elite lyricist, Drake. A smooth and sultrily sexy vibe is fashioned, highlighting it as an album favourite before it ends with a confrontational gang argument first heard in opening track, outside Sherane’s home.

The last quarter of the album introduces supplementary likely favourites with ‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’, ‘Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst’ and ‘Real’ that finishes with a voicemail from his parents who define the meaning of realness, before accepting the advice and teaming up with Dr. Dre to proudly sing about his city ‘Compton’ self pro-claiming; ‘aint no city quite like mine’.

Although the album is assembled in an un-chronological order and the communication between his family and friends is sometimes indistinct, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City provides a clean and apparent account of who Kendrick Lamar is and how his hometown has shaped him- making it a cinematic success and more importantly- a refreshing breakthrough in hip-hop, adding classic depth back into the substance and hailing it undoubtedly worthy of its critical attention, ability and success.