Ben Howard review - End of the Affair

It's been a long time coming, but yesterday finally saw the radio and online debut of singer/songwriter Ben Howard's new track, End of the Affair. After the success of his first album Every Kingdom and of the Burgh Island EP, as well as new material being played at recent festival appearances, anticipation for new studio releases has been building.

First played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show last night (05/08/14), End of the Affair is a whopping 7 minutes 49 seconds long. Listen to it below:



With this song, Howard has moved on from the happy-skipping-through-fields melodies of Every Kingdom, to a much darker approach, which we first heard on the Burgh Island EP. The first 4 minutes 50 seconds are a slow build up with plenty of bass notes supporting the lighter plucks of his trademark acoustic guitar. There's a feel of stormy nights - perhaps a hint of pathetic fallacy - and he even mentions "the thunder's rumbled sound". Admittedly, it's easy to get a bit distracted during this first half of the song, but until you really pay attention you don't realise the true subtle beauty of it. As you get past the five minute mark, the pace picks up and drums are introduced, providing a strong backbone for Howard's ever dramatic vocals as they ask "What the hell?!" as though they're the last words he'll ever speak. I imagine this latter part of the track being ridiculously fun live; the atmosphere created through the instruments and echoes drags you into the depths of thought and emotion and whatever Howard was going through as he wrote it. Honestly, this song is beautiful. Listen to it, then listen to it again. Then tell a friend to do the same. Pass the genius of it onto as many people as you can.

Written by Molly McGrath

Bombay Bicycle Club - Carry Me

Bombay Bicycle Club - Carry Me

Unveiled last Monday 4th November as Zane Lowe’s ‘hottest record’, Bombay Bicycle Club’s new single ‘Carry Me’ is the first to emerge from the band’s fourth album - due out 3rd February 2014. 

The track displays how the band has evolved  from previous albums – there’s no hint of soft folk-like second album ‘Flaws’ nor the jangly basslines of 2011’s ‘A Different Kind Of Fix’ to be heard. Instead we’re presented with something with more of a dance-like tone; something less guitar-based. However, the band has still managed to evoke the dream-like quality that has been a recurring motif throughout their work through the repetitive and drifting vocals. Another familiar element to ‘Carry Me’ is the swirling backing vocals from Lucy Rose, a friend of the band who is set to feature on five tracks from the new album as she has done so before.

We must not forget the sound of ‘Carry Me’ is not entirely new – the more upbeat feel is reminiscent of single ‘Shuffle’, whilst the migration to a more electronically sounding track featuring synthesisers and samplers has already been displayed in some of frontman Jack Steadman’s solo work, such as track ‘Travelling Song’.  

In recent interviews the band has detailed Indian influences on the new record, hinting at paying homage to their name through samples of Bollywood music, inspired by a trip to India in 2012. If this news along with the infectious and exciting new single is anything to go by we are in for a treat – and perhaps something new to what we've previously heard from the London quartet. 

'Carry Me' is available to purchase now, or to watch interactively at carryme.tv

Written by Amelia Holloway
@ameliazsz

The Family Rain review - Feel Better (FRANK)

The Family Rain review - 'Feel Better (FRANK)'

The Walter brothers - L to R Tim, Will and Ollie

In the past few months twin brothers Will and Tim Walter and older brother Ollie, aka The Family Rain, have been slowly but surely making their way onto the new music radar. Whether you know of them yet or not, it is almost certain that you will in the near future. Their recent support slots with Jake Bugg and Miles Kane have inevitably been building their following and I'm sure many would agree that to see them live is a must. Their undeniable stage presence and energetic Kasabian/Black Keys-esque blues-rock make their way into your head and refuse to leave until you've given the band a thorough listening to. 

New song 'Feel Better (FRANK)' is no different; though more melodic than their previous releases, the crowd-rattling drums and endearing vocals still worm their way inside of you, where brother Ollie's guitar solo accompanied by almost choir-like backing vocals during the breakdown build them up until they burst free, leaving you feeling empowered. The basis of the song become quite clear once you look at the artwork, title ('FRANK' is a clue) and lyrics - lead vocalist Will sings "and it's supposed to make me feel better" - if, in the words of Richard Ashcroft "the drugs don't work", then listening to this band certainly will. Written by Molly McGrath

7/10

Listen to Feel Better (FRANK) here:  

Charlie Boyer and The Voyeurs - Evil Mothers

This week I have chosen to review Evil Mothers, the new single from Charlie Boyer and The Voyeurs, a London-based band who create music that sounds like it's born out of a mixture of the art rock scene of New York, the psychedelic late 60s scene of the UK with a touch of the 70s prog scene. The line up consists of lead singer and guitarist Charlie Boyer and his voyeurs - lead guitarist Sam Davies, bassist and backing vocalist Danny Stead, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ross Kristian and drummer Samir Eskanda.

CBATV have made a return with their new single Evil Mothers. The song boasts what the band are all about - loud music and psychdelic sounds. It opens with a slow organ riff, followed by Davies' skilled guitar playing and Charlie Boyer's distinct and unenthusiastic vocals (up until he sings "woo-hoo" where he sounds a little more monotonous). If you've followed them from early on in their career you can really hear how they've progressed as musicians in this song. As the track progresses the guitars get louder, and the backing vocals, sung by Danny and Ross, kick in, reminding me of their songs from album Clarietta.

Overall Evil Mothers is an evolution of the proto-punk that have made CBATV established in the business, showing a more psychedelic outlook.

Listen to Evil Mothers here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1r_uIxirtE