my bloody valentine - "loveless" (1991)

Turns out finishing your degree takes a lot of your time, so it has been pretty quiet on here for a couple of months. But one of the records that has been on repeat while I have been working is this, my bloody valentine's loveless. Shoegaze as a genre has peaked my interest ever since I got into Wolf Alice as a teenager and really adored that aspect of their sound. I started with Slowdive's Souvlaki a few years ago, however never seeked out loveless, the apparent pinnacle of the genre, as mbv had removed their library from streaming. But now it has returned, and so of course I had to check out this record that I have heard so much about.

And damn I see why this record gets so much praise. If  I could describe it in one word, it would be 'visceral'. It simply blows you back with the shear volume of sound that every track here forces upon you, it feels like standing in front of a jet engine. But at the same time it never feels uncontrollably or unlistenably noisy. The sounds ebb, flow and spiral. Crashing, heavenly highs are followed by buzzing and lowkey comedowns. Loud-soft dynamics come into play both between tracks in the sequencing of the album, and within tracks themselves. The opener, only shallow, exemplifies this perfectly; smacking you right in the face with this screeching, distorted guitar line that sounds like a buzzsaw before giving way to the gentler verses where Bilinda Butcher's hazy, low in the mix vocals provide the simple lead melody that sticks in your head like some sort of lucid dream. The harsh guitars return throughout the track to snap you out of this haze.

Following only shallow are the three gentlest tracks on the record: loomer, touched and to here knows when. On loomer, there is so much distortion on all of the instruments and everything is mixed way down that only really the lead guitar and Butcher's vocals are clearly audible. The fuzz everywhere apart from the vocals makes it feel like Butcher is standing in the calm at the centre of a hailstorm. There is a weird, dark sense of serenity that the track captures. This dense, foggy atmosphere is carried through touched and to here knows when. However these tracks have a sense of beauty to them, as the addition of gliding synth lines compliment Butcher's voice making them more dreamy than dark.

These lead into the next high-energy track, and perhaps the albums highest high, when you sleep. This duet between frontman Kevin Sheilds and Bilinda is pure catchy indie power pop at its core, it is such as simple song with only really two melodic parts. But the fuzz and noise give it just so much cathartic energy. It is the kind of song you blast as loud as you can out of your cars stereo while breezing along roads in the summer. The following song, i only said, feels like very much a counterpart to when you sleep. It is still quite a high-energy song, but feels more drawn out; and with the juxtaposition of the soaring synth lines against the thicker, meatier bass and drum section feels like it's pulling back down to earth after the blast of euphoria that when you sleep provided.

This leads in quite well into come in alone, where the lower end of the mix is given much more prominence with it's chugging bass and whining guitar. The drums are pretty audible on this track which is pretty uncommon on the record. Sheilds' vocals also remind me a bit of Ian Brown of The Stone Roses, much lower in register than some of the hazy, dreamlike vocals earlier in the record. This is followed by another comedown, in the form of the beautiful ballad sometimes. Much like loomer, the most audible things on the song are Sheilds' hazy, melancholic vocals, the fuzzy bass and a hint of a strummed acoustic guitar; with some quiet synths popping up towards the end of the song. It's simple, but lets you get sucked into the quiet rumblings and is such a unique way to convey the emotional impact of a ballad.

The following couple of tracks are a little weaker than what has come before, mainly due to them not really providing much new that the album hasn't already covered. blown a wish is a droning, looping tune revolving around this simple synth line and Butcher's dreamy vocal melody. what you want follows in when you sleeps footsteps, being a raucous, energetic indie rock song that has been fuzzed out and warped. These songs are still really good on there own merits, but you can tell that at this point in the album, it has mostly shown everything it has up it's sleeve. The one thing it has left, is the alt dance meets shoegaze closer, soon. This 7 minute banger has this propulsive shuffling beat that just makes you want to move as the hazy guitars and Sheilds' woozy vocals wash over you and you settle into a kind of trance. It's a fantastic way to close the album off, dancing in a world of your own.

loveless is fantastic, and it's one of those records that you can hear its influence permeating through rock music up to this day. Aside from the shoegaze subgenre, I can hear it in the stadium-scale, maxed out mixes of the likes of Coldplay's Viva La Vida and much of Muse's catalogue; and the washed out dreaminess of a lot of 2000's and 2010's indie rock. While I don't think it is objectively perfect, it is just one of those records that you hear and trace so much back to it that it makes it a must listen in that regard.

Top Tracks: only shallow, loomer, touched, to here knows when, when you sleep, i only said, come in alone, sometimes, what you want, soon

9/10

Talking Heads - "Talking Heads: 77" (1977)

2021 has been the year I've really got into Talking Heads. I've known some of their biggest singles since childhood, and I've absolutely adored their magnum opus 1980's Remain In Light for a few years now; but this year has been the first time I've properly given the time to listen to their other records. Furthermore, I was gifted a record player for my birthday this year alongside this record so I feel like I should talk about it on the blog.

Talking Heads: 77 is the band's first record and is very much a skeletal blueprint of genre-melting fusion of post-punk, new wave, funk and dance music that the group would go onto produce on their later records. It's very simple and straight to the point, the tracks presented in this very raw, direct and intentional way. It's an album not bothered by pretence or concept, and I feel it makes it an incredibly replayable record because of it. It's 11 short, punchy, well written and interesting songs. Some might view the simplicity of this album as it being short on ideas, but it's got oodles of creativity and individuality, just presented in this really no-nonsense way.

The core of these songs is front man David Byrne's enigmatic and charismatic performance and his interplay with the simple and funky musical backing provided by the rest of the band. Byrne sings in this awkward, nasal and rhythmic way, shifting his tone and emphasis with each syllable of each word. At points it sounds like he's using his voice as an additional percussive instrument rather than singing in a traditional smooth, soulful way. Not that it isn't an emotional performance, as Byrne sounds really passionate, just not in a traditional way. This is matched by equally awkward and detached lyrics, where Byrne discusses a very literal interpretation of the world around him. He is baffled by how other people approach the problems in his life and they're emotional engagement in things beyond there control. One of the best tracks on the record, No Compassion, features the particular lyric "Talk to your analysist, isn't that what they're payed for" in reference to his complete disinterest in other people's benign struggles. He even presents love in this straightforward, matter of fact way; stripping it of all its mystic and glamour.

The tracks are also musically full of ideas, and are really dynamic and kinetic. Each song is built from a simple drum beat and a funky, dancy bass riff with whatever guitar lick, vocal inflection Byrne feels like doing, and additional instrumentation on top. The opener, Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town is one of the simplest tunes on the record, being this kind of stripped back disco meets post-punk song, but the simplicity makes room for one of the more exuberant Byrne performances on the record. Who Is It? is the shortest and one of the most whacky cuts with chunky, funky guitars and Byrne chanting "Who is it?" over and over. No Compassion builds and grows more aggressive as Byrne becomes more and more frustrated with other peoples problems. The now iconic single, Psycho Killer, features really tense post-punk instrumentation and harsh staccato vocals from Byrne. First Week / Last Week... Carefree has these calypso-style sax breaks and Tentative Decisions has this dance breakdown in it which sounds like something you'd find in an alt dance or Italo-house song from the early 90s. The closer Pulled Up is particularly memorable with the chorus constantly ascending the scales and this vibrant and dramatic way.

TH:77 is a great record, but for me somewhat will always stand in the shadow of the phenomenal music the would make further into their career. However, these are still really well written post-punk and new wave tunes that are effortlessly replayable. For some people, this record might be easier to get into than some of their later releases due to it's simplicity and catchiness.

Top Tracks: Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town, Tentative Decisions, Who Is It?, No Compassion, First Week / Last Week.. Carefree, Psycho Killer, Pulled Up

8/10

David Bowie - "Diamond Dogs" (1974)

 

So next up in the David Bowie discography is Diamond Dogs, where Bowie eschews from the Ziggy Stardust / Aladdin Sane character concept for an entirely new character, world and concept. The record was originally conceived as a musical adaptation of George Orwell's 1984, although his estate denied Bowie the rights to the novel. The idea was then reworked into Diamond Dogs, a post-apocalyptic concept album featuring the character Halloween Jack, a roller-skating, rogue, anti-hero who roams the rooftops of devastated Manhattan with his gang called the 'Diamond Dogs'. Musically, the record is somewhat transitional for Bowie; being still firmly rooted in glam rock territory, but with hints of the funk and soul music which would become centre stage of Bowie's next releases.

Diamond Dogs is unfortunately the first Bowie record that I've talked about here that hasn't really connected for me, due to a couple of reasons. Most prominently, the premise and concept feels clunky and underdeveloped. Some of the songs refer directly to 1984 as Bowie had already written some tracks before asking for the rights, and they feel awkwardly smooshed together with the Halloween Jack / Diamond Dogs ideas. This means neither element is really explored in great detail. The 1984 stuff feels like just a scant retelling of the book, and the album doesn't really explore who Halloween Jack is or what the world he lives in is like. The way the album is presented doesn't help these issues. The opening track is a dramatic spoken word intro, multiple tracks run into each other, and the whole album feels so grandiose that it makes it seem like it's about something. But the lyrical content doesn't really back this up and makes the whole record seem pretty pretentious.

The second issue for me is that the songs just aren't very memorable. The only truly vital Bowie track on the record is Rebel Rebel, which is one of his finest, catchiest and coolest songs ever. The chugging riff and Bowies charismatic swagger combine to make such an effortlessly cool tune. The other tracks are just unremarkably okay. The other more traditional glam rock songs feel very generic and by the numbers, and the other songs don't really work outside of the record due to generally being quite short and heavily involved with the albums story. And considering that the story and themes of the record don't really land, its ultimately detrimental to the tracks which are composed well with interesting elements to them. I'd say aside from Rebel Rebel, the run from Sweet Thing to Candidate to Sweet Thing (Reprise) is the most compelling part of the album. The three tracks have seamless transitions and taken as a complete whole they do build a compelling song that transitions between different sections that feels satisfying. However, as individual tracks they aren't memorable enough on their own; they only really work as the three track run.

Diamond Dogs isn't a bad album, but is held up by it's half-formed concept and the over-the-top theatrics which worm their way into almost every song here. This leaves the songs feeling uninspired and unimpactful at a micro level, and the whole album lacking any draw at the macro. The glam rock tropes feel tired and played out, and the elements of soul and funk feel more like window dressing than a full exploration of those sounds. For someone listening through Bowie's discography, I would recommend purely as a reference point for Bowie's musical shift and personal life at the time (his cocaine addiction was really ramping up at this point, probably explaining the lack of focus on the record); but it's not an album I'll come back to again and again like Ziggy and Aladdin Sane. Everything this album attempts, Bowie has done better both before and after.

Top Tracks: Sweet Thing, Candidate, Sweet Thing (Reprise), Rebel Rebel

5/10

Foo Fighters - "Medicine At Midnight" (2021)

Foo Fighters are one of those bands for me that deserve their legendary status based primarily on their singles and live show, not really their albums. Not that any of them are really all that bad, but the band has very much stayed in the same lane for the past 25 years, making basically the same record of feel-good, anthemic hard rock and post-grunge tunes with each go around. The singles are usually brilliant, but the lack of variety in the deep cuts means that even the band's most fan favourite albums have never really gripped me the whole way through.

This time around, though, things were different. Unfortunately, not in a good way. None of the singles really grabbed me, and were generally a bit meh. Which was worrying, as the singles are always the best tracks on a Foos record. Luckily this drop in quality hasn't transferred to the album tracks as well; they're just as fine-to-decent as Foos deep cuts. But without a couple of really great tentpole tracks, Medicine At Midnight really has no draw.

On the whole the band has mellowed out on this record compared to some of the others. The distortion is turned down, the rhythm section is tighter and slightly groovier, and none of the tracks descend into Dave Grohl's ferocious scream like you'd here on All My Life, White Limo and Run. Many of the tracks are laced with strings and other cinematic elements. It makes the album feel very polished and combined with the softer approach makes it feel more like a product than something with a lot of depth and heart. Which is weird, because Grohl clearly wears his heart on his sleeve in interviews about authenticity in music. It's not overbearing, but it just sounds a bit too clean considering Foo Fighter's ethos and aesthetic. 

Out of the 9 tracks here, Cloudspotter and No Son Of Mine are probably some of the better ones. Cloudspotter has this groovy garage rock vibe, and is one of the more rag-tag and unpolished sounding tracks here. No Son Of Mine feels like an homage to thrash metal. Its nowhere as heavy as true thrash, but the guitars chug, the drums thunder and Grohl puts in one of the more aggressive performances on the album. It's actually pretty catchy as well, which is more than most the songs here. The closer, Love Dies Young is also the only track that resembles some of the sing-a-long feel good anthems that are the band's most popular. It's an injection of energy that's welcome after how restrained and by the numbers the album has been leading up to it. These tracks do pale in comparison to the band's finest, but they're definitely more entertaining than the rest of the record.

Medicine At Midnight is a fine Foo Fighters record, but probably the group's least significant. The only other record on a similar level is Sonic Highways, but at least that album has the whole '8 songs recorded at 8 historical studios' thing going for it to make it somewhat notable. If you're a superfan of the band, there's plenty of stuff here that you'll enjoy; but as a casual fan it is going to always near the bottom of the list in the rare occasion that I want to listen to a Foos record in full.

Top Tracks: Cloudspotter, No Son Of Mine, Love Dies Young

5/10

Hayley Williams - "FLOWERS for VASES / descansos" (2021)

Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams struck it out solo last year with Petals For Armor, a mixed bag of a record which flitted between a bunch of styles, from art rock to new wave. This follow up, recorded entirely by Williams herself in lockdown, forgoes much of what that album did for a more stripped back, acoustic pop and indie folk style. What results is certainly a more cohesive and coherent album, if a more undercooked and forgettable one.

The record is framed as sort of a prequel to Petals For Armor, lyrically focusing once again on Hayley's divorce, and her relationship with herself and the outside world; but from a more desolate and devastated angle without the themes of self improvement and self worth that brought PFA out of its depressive slump. The combination of this tonal shift and the low-key, gentle instrumentation makes the record very sombre and isolating, like staring out of your window at dusk, watching the light slowly drain from the sky.

The record certainly has plenty of interesting ideas and moments, but they feel very stark and threadbare. There are textures and motifs which draw me into any given track, but they're not fleshed out enough or remixed to remain interesting for a songs runtime. Lyrically, a lot of the tracks feel underwritten as well. Many of the hooks get repetitive quickly, being simple words or phrases sung over and over with unremarkable melodies.

Some tracks do stick out as stronger than most on the album. Over Those Hills has a stronger sense of groove with more prominent bass and drums, and Hayley's vocals sound less fragile against them than they do on most of the songs. Similarly, the closing track, Just A Lover, is the closest thing to a rock tune on here, and it has some weight and purpose to it that a lot of the tracks lack. The gentle bass and uplifting piano chords gives the song an early Coldplay vibe, before the drums and noisy guitar come in on the back half. It has the same cool, calm swagger as some of Wolf Alice's slower tracks. I just wish it lasted longer, as it's one of the few tracks that could hold itself for more time. HYD opens with a plane flying over, interrupting Hayley, which adds to the atmosphere of the gentle finger plucked ballad about distance and disconnection. It's one of the most structurally simple tracks here, but also one of the tightest. It slowly opens up throughout, with the introduction of piano and spacey, atmospheric backing synths.

FFV is a very tasteful and listenable record, but I feel like it works best when you just stick it on while doing something else without really thinking about it. It hits a vibe, but doesn't really hold up on closer inspection. There's not enough variety between tracks, and they're mostly underdeveloped and unmemorable. They wash over you, and wash out almost instantly once they're done. It has its moments, but not big enough ones or enough of them.

Top Tracks: Over Those Hills, HYD, Just A Lover

5/10

Slowthai - "TYRON" (2021)

 

Slowthai burst onto the scene a couple of years ago with his manic, DIY and punk style of grime and hip hop. He leaned into his background, growing up on the council estates of Northampton, to create this persona of a wild, unpredictable, standoffish kid of the streets; but paired it up with incredibly poignant and powerful socially and politically conscious lyrics. This made his debut record really stand out against the usual grime bluster and posturing. Fast forward two years, where Slowthai got 'cancelled' for being drunk, inappropriate towards the host Katherine Ryan, and starting fights at an awards ceremony; immediately before a global pandemic locked him inside, forcing him to reflect on himself, his persona, and his actions. What results is TYRON, a 35 minute record where Slowthai separates his manic and aggressive, and thoughtful and emotional sides onto two distinct halves.

While I understand the artistic motivations behind this, it does mean the record runs more like two very separate EPs rather than one cohesive listen. The tracks are also short, some so short that they feel like vignettes or motifs rather than a complete song. This mainly affects the first, more aggressive half, which could've done with a bit more depth as the disassociation of Slowthai's emotions leaves this half feeling a bit lightweight, despite how hard hitting and in-your-face it sounds to the ear. This side feels very much like Slowthai playing into his leery-lad character, acting like he owns the place and doesn't care about people's opinions and criticisms. You can tell it's supposed to be a bit tongue in cheek, but there isn't much beyond that for the entire half. CANCELLED is literally about being 'too big to be cancelled'. Both that track and MAZZA have really kinetic and propulsive beats, and Slowthai's performance on both is inflected and charismatic. Skepta's feature on CANCELLED is fairly run of the mill but the beat and Slowthai carry the song. The side as a whole has a punky, trap flair which makes it very listenable despite not every track standing out.

The second half is where the record really shines. Slowthai shows much more of his emotions and vulnerability, against some really lush and detailed instrumentation. i tried opens up this half with a jazzy and low-key beat, which Tyron raps detailed and heavy lyrics dealing with his torn identity adn imposter syndrome, feeling that he's only famous for his manic antics rather than the quality of his work. The intro of the track literally states that 'I tried to die', like he feels that much of an imposter that he's contemplating suicide. Following this is focus, which focuses on the themes of mindfulness and self-improvement. This is backed by a stripped back trap beat and a simple bass riff, giving it a really relaxed vibe.

The record ends on its best run, nhs into feel away, then adhd. nhs is such a bittersweet tune, as Slowthai lists off good and bad opposites in life; reminding us and himself that bad things happen in life, and you've got to acknowledge that or you'll never enjoy the good parts. The track is built on this pitched up vocal loop which also acts as the hook and combined with the lush piano notes makes it sound very sweet and refreshed. feel away is the most overtly soulful song on the record, thanks to James Blake's smooth croon on the hook. The track is revolves around a crumbled relationship, but references to pregnancy and car accidents make it feel far more traumatic and catastrophic. The chopped up, reverb-y piano sample adds to the haunting nature of the song. adhd has a more prominent drum beat, and Slowthai's rapping is much less enigmatic and more monotone, sounding almost defeated. The track is about him growing up with adhd and how people didn't really understand how it affected him or understood him. It's a very downer note for the record to end on, but fits with the record's themes as whole, that Tyron is still working out who he is and how he feels.

Some of TYRON is fantastic, introspective and engaging hip hop; but it still doesn't feel like Slowthai has reached is full potential yet. The distillation and segmentation of his different moods leaves the record feeling a bit choppy; and out of the heavier, more manic tracks, nothing bangs as hard as Doorman or gets as lyrically heavy as Northampton's Child from the first record. I am really looking forward to what he does next, because an entire record similar to the second half of TYRON could be really up my street.

Top Tracks: CANCELLED, MAZZA, i tried, focus, nhs, feel away, adhd

7/10

Phoebe Bridgers - "Punisher" (2020)

I know next to nothing about the indie folk scene, with my only experience with the genre being listening to Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane over the Sea once several years ago and not really getting it. However, Punisher kept cropping up high on loads of publications year end lists, and combined with the gorgeous cover art and seeing a friend listening to it on Spotify, I was intrigued enough to pop it on over Christmas. It's such a deep yet gentle record that it has been in my heavy rotation ever since, and I'm slowly sinking into its atmosphere and themes with every additional listen.

On the first few listens I was instantly gravitated to Bridgers' personal and introspective lyrics, that are jammed packed with evocative imagery mixing the mundane everyday with elements of morbidity, the supernatural, sci-fi and spirituality. This imagery is supported by really gentle but intricate folk instrumentation that's been produced in a washed out, ephemeral way that makes the record sound like a lucid summer daydream where time feels warped and reality feels blurred and smudgy (much like 2020 as a year). I wasn't as initially hot on the production of the record as I listened at home on my laptop speaker, as I thought it made the songs lose some of their individuality that was provided by the songwriting; but as I came back to uni and listened through a better speaker I realised that it sounds beautiful and actually a crucial element to the emotional intensity of these songs. It makes the slightest increase of clarity and intensity in the instrumentals feel so much more overwhelming. A great example of this is Halloween, a really haunting ballad where low rumbling drums pop in about half way through and just add so much tension to the track despite them being actually very gentle and restrained.

A few of the tracks include elements of chamber folk and chamber pop, making them easily the most uplifting and uptempo of the tracklist. The single Kyoto is this really cute indie rock tune where Phoebe opens singing about her day off from touring in the city, where she uses the idea of payphones being outdated to launch the track into her tumultuous relationship with her father. The track so effectively conveys the complexity of their relationship, flitting between emotions and scenarios. On the chorus she sings "I'm gonna kill you, if you don't beat me to it" backed by triumphant and grandiose horns, which provides a real emotional dissonance but also a sense of bitter-sweetness and joy and makes it effortlessly replay-able and enjoyable. ICU is similarly emotionally dissonant with an upbeat, uptempo swell to it, and on first listen it sounds like a cute love song about an imperfect messy relationship, yet the song is actually about a break-up where Phoebe continued to see this person all the time afterwards, with the title being a play on 'I See You' and intensive care units (ICUs).

The only other overtly loud and dramatic track is the closer I Know The End. The track is in essentially two parts, the first being one of the most soothing and gentle moments of the record. The tones are warm and Phoebe's vocals feel very tired and sleepy, and alongside the dislocated lyrics reflecting the mental confusion of global touring, it sounds like the record is winding down. However, towards the end of this section you can feel the intensity growing, before the track switches - Phoebe wakes up, blaring triumphant horns crash in and the lyrics become more anthemic as backing vocals come in. The track then starts to descend into madness as the horns become more and more dissonant and Bridger starts to wail and scream. It's such a contrast to the rest of the record and leaves a lasting impression that makes you just want to put it straight back on.

The rest of the record is comprised of very gentle, cerebral tracks which feel like they're slowly seeping into my bones. The record opens with the sinister and atmospheric DVD Menu which leads into the first proper track, Garden Song. The instrumental on the song is so watery and murky, with the only clear elements being Bridger's vocals and the plucked lead guitar. The track describes this garden that Bridger's explores as she introspects about herself and others. Halloween is one of my very favourites on the album, as Phoebe begins the song discussing how she hated living by a hospital with some really morbid imagery delivered in a semi-creepy deadpan way. The track then moves on to the idea of Halloween and costumes as something that she can hide behind like she feels the need to in her relationships. The instrumentation of the track is linear, starting with just an eerie plucked guitar before gradually building to its subtle crescendo. Chinese Satellite similarly has an entire verse dedicated to how Phoebe would go to the extremes of joining an evangelical church and picketing in the streets just to see this person, who has passed away, again. Savior Complex takes a more sarcastic approach to the themes of failing relationships. "I'm too tired, to have a pissing contest" she sings in the chorus. The sweet acoustic instrumentation and Phoebe's sincere vocals really compliment some of the more aggressive lines in this track.

Punisher is such a quality album with so much depth and subtlety to both the instrumentals and the lyrics and themes. It continues to grow on me with every listen, and feels so cathartic to listen all the way through. 

Top Tracks: DVD Menu, Garden Song, Kyoto, Halloween, Chinese Satellite, Savior Complex, ICU, I Know The End

9/10