"Take up my heartstrings, play me what love brings"

"WILD LOVE" - Gossling

Melbourne singer-songwriter Helen Croome is "Gossling", who hasn't really reached us here in the UK yet but is a increasingly successful back in Australia - her new album is released over there on the first of November, and single "Wild Love" was the eighteenth most played song on Triple J last year.

Croome's prim and very distinctive vocals are the most remarkable thing about her music; she sounds very similar to Julia Stone and maybe even Lauren Mayberry. Until the album's released, I guess it's hard to get a good idea of what Gossling's sound is really like, and it's definitely too early to make sweeping genre generalisations, but I'm really excited to watch her grow.

Recommendations: September 2013

Fortunately, September ended up being a month of way more gigs than I expected including the ever-improving Catfish and the Bottlemen at Manchester's Night/Day Cafe, vibrant, French singer-songwriter Melanie Pain at the Deaf Institute and a beautiful Laura Marling show at the Lowry - solo, and acoustic, she's different to how I've ever seen her before.



Nick Mulvey
There's so many folky singer-song writer types around nowadays, but Nick Mulvey, who supported Laura Marling on her UK tour last month, is truly something to do it. He's an exceptional guitarist, his lyrics are pure poetry and he puts on a great live show. "Cucurucu" my favourite of his, and he's definitely one to watch.

"Tiderays" - Volcano Choir
"Reprave", the second album from Justin Vernon's new project is completely beautiful, it's a lot more accessible and little less ambient and abstract than the first album (personally, I think this the new album is a lot more Bon Iver than the last). "Tiderays", the opening track, swells from the softest opening of dainty guitar riffs to a refrain bouncing with heart pounding percussion and piano. Utterly serene and perfect.

"The Artist Is Present"
A documentary about Marina Abramovic, one of the most famous performance artists in the world - I don't exactly know what I thought of this, and whether it inspired or upset me, but I know that it made me think a lot about human interaction and communication. "The Artist Is Present" is the name of one of Abramovic's most famous projects, during which she took a seat in the Museum of Modern Art in New York every day for several months, inviting visitors to sit across a table from her, for however long they wanted, and look into her eyes.

"Home Again" - Michael Kiwanuka
I finally picked up a physical copy of this 2012 album, and it's been one of my favourites for long train journeys recently, I think Michael Kiwanuka's one of the best R&B artists to emerge in a long time.

"Nothing Compares 2 U" (cover) - Capital Cities
I'm not even sure I really like this but it's a really interesting cover and definitely demands a listen, the use of horns is really interesting. Their track "Hair" is so much fun, as well.

Sinead O'Connor's Letter to Miley Cyrus

This is written very much in a rush and something I really value your opinions on - if you've been anywhere near Twitter today, you'll probably have read Sinead O'Connor's open letter to Miley Cyrus today - which you can see here. Read that first.

It was when she compared her to being "made into a prostitute", that got me.

And if you've been hiding in a box for weeks, the video in question:



"WRECKING BALL" - Miley Cyrus

I've been actively avoiding blogging about Miley Cyrus to be honest, for two basic reasons - the first, is that lots of other people are much better articulating all these important points about slut-shaming and women in the media but I'm pretty fucking sick of being quiet about it at this point.

A friend of mine wrote this piece about Cherie Bebe's Burlesque Revue in Manchester recently, which I saw, and it really got me thinking about burlesque, and displays of sexuality - the thing that the music industry sees as so cheap and desperate as, in fact, an art in itself.

My take on it is pretty much this:

When someone makes bad (normally pop) music, we'll be quick to call them out on it. Rebecca Black's "Friday" is a prime example of it: an international laughing stock. But the object of attack wasn't music, was it? We weren't demonising and criticising the act of making music, it was the fact that it was an awful song.

But with Miley Cyrus' displays of sexuality, it's how dare a woman display her sexuality, and how dare she take her clothes off. I don't know if this is to do with our association that a naked woman is shameful, or an object, and that that's wrong. Because sexuality can totally be art, that's something we can embrace and be okay with - what's problematic isn't the way Miley Cyrus uses it, but the oversimplification and objectification of women in "Blurred Lines". It's almost like "don't hate the sin, hate the sinner". Except... not. Don't hate displays of sexuality. Hate demoralising ones, hate ones that objectify. And try to understand them. And try to think about why they're wrong.

The only problem I really have with what Miley Cyrus is doing is that, I hope it isn't out of fear. Or an effort to be controversial. Or, as Sinead O'Connor very explicitly assumes in her letter that she is vulnerable or nervous about exposing her body. And as long as that isn't valid, and she's comfortable as an artist expressing herself in that way, the problem isn't Miley's but belongs to us - as the media, as an audience.

"Days Are Gone" - Haim

I first saw Este, Danielle and Alana perform at end of last year, opening for Florence and the Machine at Liverpool's O2 Arena - the three stylish, sassy and unconventionally beautiful sisters' set of drum circles and rock and roll had the audience right under their spell. I felt like they were an accidental discovery of mine until January, when they won the BBC's Sound of 2013 award, and it seems the whole world has fallen in love with their Fleetwood Mac-esque vibe, hilarious interviews and irreplicable style.



Haim, in the last couple of months, have become really special to me, because amongst other reasons the way they are personally remind me a lot of my relationship with my best friend and our sense of humour (we've also spent a lot of time dancing to "Forever" in my kitchen).

There are so many things I love about them - their honesty, their sass, the vibrancy of their live set and the fact that they dance so liberally and have so much fun without it being sexualised, maybe a first for a female pop act. I almost want to go as far as saying they're maybe the first successful girl band, in the sense that they don't appear to have been forced to do dance routines or lose weight or lose themselves. My expectations for their album, with the promise from four proceeding singles, were really high.

It opens with the ethereal, ambient,"Falling" followed by joyful, impossible-not-to-dance-to "Forever"."The Wire" is punchy, Haim's most recent hit single, which is just as witty and wise as the video to go with it - "Always keep your heart locked tight, don't let your mind retire".



"If I Could Change Your Mind" has an incredibly cool 90s vibe that reminds me slightly - dare I say it - of some of the more obscure S Club 7 album tracks (I was about six then, and a massive fan).

It's followed by "Don't Save Me"... . Title track "Days Are Gone" isn't restrained by its heavy production, and ventures into a gorgeous R&B style, followed by deeply grungy "My Song 5" - bass-heavy, dirty and loose and evoking layers and layers of texture, moans of "Honey, I'm not your honey-pie", and "Go Slow" showcases Danielle's powerful, airy vocals beautifully.

"Let Me Go", to me, is maybe the best track on the album - their resonant cries of "Let me go, you know I'm not one for leaving" make a catchy live favourite, recognisable to anyone who's seen them play at most of the UK festivals this summer, drum heavy, explosive and dark, with moody guitar solos. It captivates your attention so much that you're hanging on to the vividly visual lyrics of heart-breaker "Running If You Call My Name", which sound more than anything like it could have come right off a Stevie Nicks record.

But I feel obligated not to make too many comparisons. With a great burden of expectancies on their shoulders, Haim's debut could have easily been a disappointment, but I really believe it exceeds the ever-dangerous hype. It carries over everything that is special about them into a 45 minute record as best as it can - that unique sound of sisters singing in harmony, their love of dance and the raw energy of their on-stage performance. "Days Are Gone" is a perfect blend of singles you love already, some tracks that are a continuation of that style, and some complete melodic surprises. I'm definitely blown away by these ladies' highly anticipated debut release, and can't wait to catch them on tour.

Amber

Indie folk-rock quintet Amber met at the University of Nottingham, released their debut EP "Noah" in July this year, and have already been compared to the likes of The National and To Kill A King.



"NOAH" - Amber

"Noah" is their first single and the title track of the EP. For me, it brings in a lot of my favourite things about all of the best folk music to emerge in the last six years (of the dreaded "nu-folk" title). It has the religious references and organic roots of "Peaceful..." era Noah and the Whale, and the rousing choruses and long, joyous "haar's" of a good Mumford footstomper - at the same time, it's a little more heavily produced and there's even moments that remind me of Coldplay.

Looking a little further to find more of their stuff, I came across a cover of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" on their Tumblr, which is one of my favourite songs in the world, and they certainly did it justice, showcasing Joshua Keogh's beautifully melancholic vocals, the addition of drums giving it a chunk of texture. The layered harmonies in the infamous "Whatcha say" bridge, however, don't differ hugely from Heap's original arrangement, and they echo around the earphones gorgeously.

Amber are currently unsigned, but there's undeniably going to be opportunities ahead which I hope they make the right decisions about, and, despite having made the fatal decision of choosing a band name that isn't Google-able, I definitely think there's exciting things ahead for these guys.

More of them here.

Bear's Den announce new EP "Without/Within"

Today Bear's Den, who are vastly becoming one of my favourite bands to emerge in 2013, announced the release of their third EP via a website statement- "Without/Within" is due for release via Communion Records on October 27th this year. They also unveiled a preview of its opening track, "Sahara".



"SAHARA" - Bear's Den

Those that have been to one of their gigs, or seen them play at numerous festivals over the summer will maybe recognise in the tracklisting "The Writing On The Wall" from their live set, and "Don't Let The Sun Steal You Away" was previously released with lead singer Andrew Davie's 2009 project Cherbourg.

"Sahara" I find much more powerful and raw than anything else they've ever released before. With a gorgeously minimal opening sliding down from the simplest of runs on keys, it swells into the most immense floods of instrumental break, with drums that go though you like heartbeats, soft and strong thumps of bass and lyrics that go between articulate and the simple yet brilliant "You said I could never be happy with anyone, but I found love".

If it's anything to go by, following the triumph of "Agape" this is more promising than anything they've done so far, and I'm definitely excited to see their incredible progress continue.

"We packed up all our troubles, in our beloved bubble"

"A STRANGE KIND OF MYSTERY IN THE AIR" - Pete Roe

In March last year, I ended up going to three Laura Marling shows within something stupid like five days, and her opener for that tour was Pete Roe, who you might remember also plays in her band. I remember how the first night I was happily surprised by a support act that I enjoyed and just politely nod along to with an air of impatience. The second night I found myself singing along, and by the third, I was a fully converted fan, knew each song and had bought some of the music.

The way that Pete Roe plays guitar, effortlessly plucks and slaps the strings to create so much dynamic, reminds me at times of Marling too, of Ben Howard and even Leonard Cohen. It's clear from watching him on stage that he's a comfortable showman and has a lot of charisma, he's an exceptional guitarist and his studio recordings incorporate strings gorgeously.

"A Strange Kind of Mystery in the Air" is the first single from Roe's newly released album, "Our Beloved Bubble", and is written about the various occurrences in a Bristol pub that he used to live above.

"Our Beloved Bubble", recorded in Nashville is 2012, is out now, and you can check out some of his upcoming tour dates here.