The First Days of Spring - A Film By Noah And The Whale from charlie fink on Vimeo.
Something it's important to know is that I will forever relate Noah and the Whale to F. Scott Fitzgerald. I was lucky enough to briefly meet them last year, and being an embarrassing fangirl I asked them to sign something for me, but the only thing I had with me that was in any way paper was my copy of "This Side of Paradise", which their lovely guitarist went on to exclaim he had a framed copy of in his living room. A lot of the time I go to read that book I open it and remember, and it's really funny to me because a folk pop band inside the pages of an American classic is like a metaphor for what their music has become.
There are some albums it's easy to write and talk about straight away, because you're so full of words and thoughts at first listen that you're bursting with the need to push them into the world. Some take longer, because they need exploring, and there's more to discover, and parts of it don't make sense yet. And then there's the third kind, where you tell yourself to hold back the waterfall of thoughts that surround it because this music will sound and feel different in a week, or a month, or a year.
"The First Days of Spring" was that to me, Noah and the Whale's second studio album, from 2009. It's been one of the most important albums in my life, I think, since buying it nearly two years ago, when I was discovering a side to Noah and the Whale that wasn't happy ukulele pop or American influenced songs about dreams. It's been with me throughout both a minor heartbreak, then, one summer, a huge instance of grief that is still present every day.
Noah and the Whale's second release is a record about losing someone. A classic break-up album, you might say, and some quick Googling can take you straight to what, or who, it is written about. The beautiful concept film they directed, which is above, leaves plenty of puzzle pieces - Charlie Fink unashamedly wears his heart on his sleeve, a process of cleansing through music. But to the listener, of course, it doesn't have to be about losing a lover: it is loss through death, loss of a friend, or anything about the process of grieving someone, or something. I am a firm believer that music doesn't have a strict, universal meaning, set by the person who wrote it: once it's released it has a life.
This album opens with title track, "The First Days of Spring", bittersweet and orchestral and so melancholy, celebrating new life with a restrained desperation and sorrow within it. There's a moment of soft plucking between two notes, tremouring strings until everything just bursts free, filling skies.
It contains some of the saddest, hardest songs to listen to I know. "I Have Nothing" and "My Broken Heart" are beautifully minimal, straight from the heart, it's almost uncomfortable how in touch and unashamed their writer is of being so profoundly sad.
I don't really like to make completely personal links when I'm writing about music, because it's so much bigger than what it just means to me. But "Our Window" was there with me the night I sat on my roof in a blanket, looking out at all of the stars. I couldn't be at the hospital to see him with the rest of my family. Someone had to stay behind. There wasn't room in the car.
But, as much of a heartbreak record that it is there are moments of pure joy - "Instrumental I" sounds so playful, the sounds of an orchestra warming up and coming together "Love of an Orchestra" twinkles up and down in scales, sounds like gleefully running through dreams and contains one of my favourite lyrics of all time: "I know I'll never be lonely: I've got songs in my blood".
Regretful "Stranger" and "Slow Glass", which is cooler, harder, angrier - both portray the later, more bitter and hardened and confused stages of being left alone.
"Blue Skies" is that constant that the whole record leads up to, a song that contains only four chords yet surrounds you like an ether, creates so much noise whilst being so quiet and restrained. It pads into place very gently; you don't realise it's creeping up on you. Earlier songs sample lines of its melody, sometimes in a minor key instead. Like so many of the songs on this record, guitar and strings cushion and dazzle around the edges, but the heart of this song is the percussion - this was recorded at a time when Charlie Fink's brother, Doug, was still the band's drummer.
"My Door Is Always Open", the last track is another stand-out, starting out with simply the soft flutters of a guitar and Fink's Lou Reed-esque voice, building up to a gorgeous harmonic round of:
"I'll love with my heart, and I'll hold with my hands,
but you know, my heart's not yours."
This album is so incredible because it is a human being raising their hands and dropping their pride and saying "I am full of sorrow." It doesn't hold any conclusion, any magic remedy, and it doesn't claim to. It's the loss of a person from someone's life and its effects, the feelings of having explored every contour and every edge of the hole that they left behind. And when the hole's been nestled through to the other side, as well as all the despair, what's present is, as Fitzgerald would say is, "An extraordinary gift for hope".
Wednesday 29 May 2013
Monday 27 May 2013
Punk Rocky.
Just like I feel about Disney movies and Coco Pops and my family and oxygen, I don't really remember a time when The Rocky Horror Show wasn't in my life, even though it isn't really something conventional for a child to grow up with. I have memories of being about eight years old and my dad driving me to my swimming class with a CD of a full production of it in the car, literally every single weekend for about six months, then seeing the movie years later and it was only then that I understood all of the sex references for the first time.
Written by Richard O'Brien, the plot sounds just as ridiculous and fantastic in writing as it actually is - a newly engaged couple's car breaks down on a stormy night, they seek help from what turns out to be a castle full of beings from another planet - governed by the cross-dressing master, Frank-N-Furter, and begin a night they will never forget.
It's one of those odd things my dad and I have always bonded over - if someone says they're "lucky" at any kind of social event, one of us will be quick to darkly and gratuitously declare "I'm lucky! You're lucky! We're aaalllll lucky!", even to a tough crowd that don't catch the reference. We dug that CD out again recently on a drive to Wales, not only sang alone but spoke along with every word.
I love going to see the stage show; the glitz and the glamour, the dressed-up crowd, the drunks and those that call out and interrupt, provoking the narrator's hilarious quick-witted responses. Sure, the plot completely loses it 50% of the way through and the songs gradually decrease in quality after "Sweet Transvestite". It all adds to what isn't really the experience of going to a play, more just going to a massive party.
The cast in the 40th anniversary production of Rocky Horror I went to on Saturday night involved Dani Harmer (Tracy Beaker! My childhood!) as Janet which was the most bizarre thing to get my head around, and Philip Franks as the narrator. Every character in it is so iconic and full of life that to be honest I don't think they're roles that are so much given a completely new identity with every actor, but there's been a lot of new ideas and characteristics brought to each production I've seen for sure.
I think even with a lesser cast, it wouldn't really have mattered at all because the most important part of Rocky Horror is always, always the crowd. I just loved going with my friends (all of who were "virgins") and dressing up and forgetting everything in this simaultaneously bizarre and familiarly nostalgic world of the insanity that it is.
Because the point of it is seeing Columbias in sequinned gold hats and jackets sipping gin and tonic in bars the thirty minutes before the theatre opens, Rif-Rafs smoking cigarettes in the street, 40 year old Magentas dragging along their husbands who refused to dress up, and a brave Rocky in golden underwear shivering outside the doors.
I'm definitely not enough of a devoted/cult fan to regularly check fansites or anything but TimeWarp.Org certainly has some great information if you're looking to go for the first time!
Saturday 25 May 2013
"Your tears will speak of love and better times"
"FAMILY TREE" - Meadowlark
At the end of last year, musician Kate McGill, whose 150,000+ following largely came from the Youtube covers she posted when she was a teenager, announced that she wouldn't be making music as a solo act any longer. This March, however, she emerged with Meadowlark, her new band compromised of herself, Daniel Broadley and Carl Jones.
"Family Tree" first demo of theirs is gorgeously dark, nostalgic and so very minimal, nothing but the piano, sinking into minor chords in the verses, a gently plucked guitar and soft, swift percussion; it's a new and original take on folk-pop, yet miles away from the Ben Howards and the Mumfords. Kate McGill's voice is as sweet and youthful as it is filled with the angst and regret that these lyrics spark.
Meadowlark recently supposted Bastille at one of their London shows and are currently working on their first EP, more details can be found on their website.
"Family Tree" first demo of theirs is gorgeously dark, nostalgic and so very minimal, nothing but the piano, sinking into minor chords in the verses, a gently plucked guitar and soft, swift percussion; it's a new and original take on folk-pop, yet miles away from the Ben Howards and the Mumfords. Kate McGill's voice is as sweet and youthful as it is filled with the angst and regret that these lyrics spark.
Meadowlark recently supposted Bastille at one of their London shows and are currently working on their first EP, more details can be found on their website.
Wednesday 22 May 2013
"Before I Sleep" - Bo Bruce
Bo Bruce is someone I've written about here a lot; a wonderful singer-songwriter who was ready to give up on the career she'd worked for for years before finding fame through the unexpected route of BBC's The Voice this time last year. She's the best thing to come out of a TV talent show in well, ever, (including the dancing dog on Britain's Got Talent) and I was lucky enough to hear the album I'd so eagerly anticipated for the first time at a listening party in London at the end of last month.
It's been the perfect soundtrack to these last few weeks, and I can just tell already that it's one of those records I'll keep with me for a long time.
"Landslide" is just the perfect opening track, sun-rising from a gentle hum to the bleeding magic of the chorus, a song about the frustration of waiting for the right time. It leads into "Save Me", the first single Bruce released from this album; a gorgeous infusion of the electronic and the organic. Its lyrics are both a cry for help, and accepting of the need for her own independence.
"Alive" was co-written with The Script's Danny O'Donoghue and produced by Henry Binns, an energetic ballad with the most beautiful strings. It's powerfully uplifting; it takes the imagery of a car crash and a storm to illustrate the urgency of love. With has a chorus that sounds in a lot of ways like a Script song, it incorporates the chilled electronia of Zero7 music, a combination that oddly enough sounds brilliant, and be sure to catch the incredibly moving video for this one which is out tomorrow.
"Speed The Fire" features Johnny McDaid's vocals and is another than excels in its use of vivid imagery; a burning house, burning memories and thoughts. Gita Langley's strings, again, add the heart to this song, its choruses rage from the full glow of a choir to more minimal ones, the haunting strength of Bruce's voice alone is a candle in the dark.
The record takes a darker turn as "Telescope" clicks in, very different to the others. It's slow and cool, yet deeply angry, Bo's voice in multiple layers whirring around the ears; a song about the contrast between loving someone and being unable to see the bad in them. It's followed by "Ghost Town", which is eerie and soft, whispers about until that moment when the drums kick in and everything explodes.
"On The Wire" is, I guess, the closest this album has to a big dance track, the significance of drums giving it a feel that's almost tribal, reminiscent of Kate Bush or more recently, Florence. "Holding The Light" draws a great contrast from this, minimal and stripped back to simply an acoustic guitar, the way it was written.
"Lightkeeper" is just a perfect demonstration of the greatest kind of pain turned into the greatest beauty, through it becoming art. It's a comfort song, a hymn. Lyrically it is so powerful - taking something ugly and casting a spell over it with the metaphor of "The heart of their machines", a strong chorus and ghostly faint backing vocals. It follows with "The Fall", where the dynamics of her gorgeous vocals just shine.
There's a bout of faith and positivity with "The Hands I Hold", a co-write with Sia, one of the most hopeful songs about love and friendship I've heard in a long time. "Echoes" was originally much more of a pop song, but its production was stripped back to leave the gorgeously melancholy track that it is. I think "Golden" may be the most perfectly produced track on the record, courtesy of James Flannigan (from The Stiff Dylans!), giving it the odd effect of being joyfully uplifting as much as it's a heartbreaker.
It closes with "How We're Made", the perfect illustration of that struggle to articulate a goodbye; facing loss and facing life. It is beautifully intense, Johnny McDaid's incredible production is reminiscent ticking clock and whirring, spinning instrumental that sounds like machines and magic spells. Of all the ways, the poetic and the lovely, that feeling of loss is depicted through on this record, the most touching and raw lyric of them all is simply
"I just miss you."
This album exceeded my expectations so much; it isn't just the quick-release that Bruce could easily have ejected to get in the charts straight after The Voice, or a vehicle for nothing but her vocals; it's beautifully produced, eloquently written - you can just tell from listening that this record was years in the making, not just the nine months that it took to produce.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
- Robert Frost
Buy Before I Sleep // See Bo on tour
It's been the perfect soundtrack to these last few weeks, and I can just tell already that it's one of those records I'll keep with me for a long time.
"Landslide" is just the perfect opening track, sun-rising from a gentle hum to the bleeding magic of the chorus, a song about the frustration of waiting for the right time. It leads into "Save Me", the first single Bruce released from this album; a gorgeous infusion of the electronic and the organic. Its lyrics are both a cry for help, and accepting of the need for her own independence.
"Alive" was co-written with The Script's Danny O'Donoghue and produced by Henry Binns, an energetic ballad with the most beautiful strings. It's powerfully uplifting; it takes the imagery of a car crash and a storm to illustrate the urgency of love. With has a chorus that sounds in a lot of ways like a Script song, it incorporates the chilled electronia of Zero7 music, a combination that oddly enough sounds brilliant, and be sure to catch the incredibly moving video for this one which is out tomorrow.
"Speed The Fire" features Johnny McDaid's vocals and is another than excels in its use of vivid imagery; a burning house, burning memories and thoughts. Gita Langley's strings, again, add the heart to this song, its choruses rage from the full glow of a choir to more minimal ones, the haunting strength of Bruce's voice alone is a candle in the dark.
The record takes a darker turn as "Telescope" clicks in, very different to the others. It's slow and cool, yet deeply angry, Bo's voice in multiple layers whirring around the ears; a song about the contrast between loving someone and being unable to see the bad in them. It's followed by "Ghost Town", which is eerie and soft, whispers about until that moment when the drums kick in and everything explodes.
"On The Wire" is, I guess, the closest this album has to a big dance track, the significance of drums giving it a feel that's almost tribal, reminiscent of Kate Bush or more recently, Florence. "Holding The Light" draws a great contrast from this, minimal and stripped back to simply an acoustic guitar, the way it was written.
"Lightkeeper" is just a perfect demonstration of the greatest kind of pain turned into the greatest beauty, through it becoming art. It's a comfort song, a hymn. Lyrically it is so powerful - taking something ugly and casting a spell over it with the metaphor of "The heart of their machines", a strong chorus and ghostly faint backing vocals. It follows with "The Fall", where the dynamics of her gorgeous vocals just shine.
There's a bout of faith and positivity with "The Hands I Hold", a co-write with Sia, one of the most hopeful songs about love and friendship I've heard in a long time. "Echoes" was originally much more of a pop song, but its production was stripped back to leave the gorgeously melancholy track that it is. I think "Golden" may be the most perfectly produced track on the record, courtesy of James Flannigan (from The Stiff Dylans!), giving it the odd effect of being joyfully uplifting as much as it's a heartbreaker.
It closes with "How We're Made", the perfect illustration of that struggle to articulate a goodbye; facing loss and facing life. It is beautifully intense, Johnny McDaid's incredible production is reminiscent ticking clock and whirring, spinning instrumental that sounds like machines and magic spells. Of all the ways, the poetic and the lovely, that feeling of loss is depicted through on this record, the most touching and raw lyric of them all is simply
"I just miss you."
This album exceeded my expectations so much; it isn't just the quick-release that Bruce could easily have ejected to get in the charts straight after The Voice, or a vehicle for nothing but her vocals; it's beautifully produced, eloquently written - you can just tell from listening that this record was years in the making, not just the nine months that it took to produce.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
- Robert Frost
Buy Before I Sleep // See Bo on tour
Saturday 18 May 2013
Eurovision 2013
Seeing as my attempt to liveblog the BRITs went so "well", I will be spending my very worthwhile Saturday night talking here about the Eurovision song contest in fifteen minutes! You can follow along right here for sarcastic comments that won't quite compete with Graham Norton's, to support Bonnie and indulge in kitsch pop music as if we haven't all been listening to Daft Punk for the past month.
20:03 The first injection of ridiculousness of the evening as a caterpillar becomes the "Eurovision butterfly", making its flight to Malmo. This is Benny and Bjorn's new Eurovision anthem, "We Write the Story", and the theme of this year's contest (something I wasn't aware existed?) is "We Are One". I don't know if any of you just caught Dave Grohl and Taylor Swift parading along the walkway.
20:07 BONNIE.
20:08 This reminds me slightly of Les Mis. Upset already.
20:09 Unsure whether the presenter's dress is bright enough. It makes me incredibly sad that Sweden's "top comedian" is a patronising air hostess.
20:13 She said "MAY THE BEST SONG WIN" and all it made me think of was "MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR."
20:17 FRANCE - Amandine Bourgeois performs "L'Enfer et Moi". This girl is the winner of a Pop Idol format show, and whilst she's certainly got a great voice and there's something courageous about entering with a rock song this just isn't ridiculous enough to still be memorable to voters in three hours time.
20:19 LITHUANIA - I really like "Something", by Andrius Pojavis, partly because it reminds me of Duran Duran a lot, definitely high hopes for this one.
20:22 MOLDOVA's entry is "O Mie" by Aliona Moon, who came eleventh last year as a backing musician. A song that's, honestly, just very forgettable but the wearing the whole of space and time on her dress is certainly going to help Moon along.
20:26 FINLAND are hotly tipped to win this year with "Marry Me" by Krista Sigefrids, which is just a really well constructed, gloriously catchy bubble pop song. Watch out for controversial lesbian kiss towards the end, supposedly a protest against Finnish governments views on same-sex marriage (and just incredibly badass)
20:30 SPAIN's entry is "Contigo Hasta El Final" by ESDM, and this is sounding very un-Spanish, sad to hear someone's voice crackling and breaking with nerves but the staging/parade/lanterns are distracting enough.
20:34 Roberto Bellarosa won BELGIUM's version of The Voice, this is "Love Kills" and its writer has worked with One Direction and Little Mix. His facial expressions and the choreography are adequately tacky and it's just a very catchy pop song, I won't be surprised if this is a winner.
20:38 ESTONIA, with "Et Uus Saaks Alguse" by Hannah, who is another reality TV winner from their show Estonian Idol. I like seeing so many acts singing in their own language and not English, and this is a nice song but just not the amount of dancing or glitter that I expect from the Eurovision.
20:41 Alyona Lanskaya's entry for BELARUS with "Solayah", I am loving this already. They changed this from the original song to more of a "dance track", which may or may not have been a bad decision. I love the giant disco ball in the middle of the stage because it's so unnecessary, and this dance routine reminds me of the Inter-House Dance Contests from my high school, megalolz.
20:46 MALTA with Gianluca (a doctor, so at least he has a plan B!) with "Tomorrow". This is a sweet song and very reminiscent of Jason Mraz. May just be a winner, though I'm glad he isn't my doctor with that creepy grin.
20:50 RUSSIA's entry is "What If" by Dina Garipova, who won The Voice over there last year (there's definitely an overriding theme!) and this big ballad is tipped to win, although I don't think you can really beat their last year's entry of old ladies baking cookies on stage. You just don't know. You just don't.
20:52 DRAMATIC KEY CHANGE
20:54 GERMANY have pulled Cascada out of the dungeon, whose entry has been accused of ripping off last year's winner - this is "Glorious" and I agree it's basically last year's winning song, except with more glitter and there's big steps so they're bound to win. Such an energetic performance though.
20:58 ARMENIA have never won but the fact that Gor Sujyan and Dorians' entry "Lonely Planet" was co-written by Tony Ionni of recently reformed Black Sabbath should definitely contribute towards their votes. However if you don't know better, it's really just another man with a beard in jeans looking like he doesn't care whether he wins or not. I'd comment on how it's stupid that the drummer's wearing sunglasses indoors but it looks pretty fucking bright in there
21:03 Swedish comedy is about as funny as being shot in the foot.
21:05 Anouk singing "Birds", she's singing for THE NETHERLANDS and a huge star over there and in other countries. I totally understand all of the Lana Del Rey comparisons. This actually might do really well, I can't tell at all.
21:10 ROMANIA - ALL best Eurovision performances start with a strobe effects warning and "It's My Life" by Cezar is looking to be a typically excellently kitsch performances. This guy is decidedly Count Dracula and Freddie Mercury's lovechild. A woman dancing and spreading gold. I love this. This is the best one. The BEST ONE.
21:14 UNITED KINGDOM, Bonnie Tyler sings "Believe In Me". I sang her song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in school aged 10 because I was a massive loser, so Bonnie is totally my homegirl. First time I've heard this song and it's actually not bad, her voice is fabulously gravelly and she's just really charismatic on the stage. C'mon guuurrrl.
21:18 This is Robin Sternberg singing "You" for SWEDEN. He's a good singer, very Gary Barlow/boyband-ish, and this guy was actually a runner up by a narrow margin on Swedish Idol.
21:23 ANOTHER "Idk beard" man from HUNGARY, this is "Kedvasem" by ByeAlex. This is nicely unpretentious and not sung in English, which is always a brave move.
21:26 One of the bookie's favourites, this is DENMARK's entry "Only Teardrops" by Emmelie De Forest, this is already in the charts and I actually really like this. Her voice is unusual and she reminds me of Diana Vickers from The X Factor a few years ago with "the claw" dance move, it definitely has the "Eurocamp dance club" feel.
21:30 ICELAND: This is Eythor Ingi with "Eg A Lif": this guy's played Rif-Raf in The Rocky Horror Show before which I can totally picture, Graham Norton said that Icelandic is not a language of love but LISTEN TO SIGUR ROS. You can tell this guy's a musical theatre star in his diction, but this song lacked the rousing chorus it needed.
21:35 Farid Mammadov with "Hold Me" for AZKERBAJAN, who hosted last year. The composer has written songs that have won before, and the dancer in the box is obvs symbolising his tortured inner self which is fab. Also the woman in the red dress is totally significant. Ok the box is full of lottery tickets.
21:38 GREECE's song is called "Alcohol Is Free" which makes me laugh no end, this is Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis. I love this already, they're like Greek folk rock which makes them pretty much Mumford and Sons, surely yes? They may actually win, having a genuinely great and really happy track, as well as with the benefit of the sympathy cote.
21:42 UKRAINE, in which Zlanta Ognevich is CARRIED ONTO THE STAGE BY A SEVEN FOOT MAN before singing "Gravity" which is a really rousing disco track reminding me in ways of Shakira. Ukraine are typical tack-fest Eurovision entry every year (and kind of a winner in my eyes).
21:46 Margo Mengoni is singing "L'Essenziale" for ITALY, and he won The X Factor over there. This song has spent 8 weeks at #1 and very realityTVwinner-esque with a faux rock backing and string arrangement he clearly didn't write. Loving the skipping though, the following he has already might just save the day.
21:51 This is NORWAY's entry, "I Feed You Love" by Margaret Berger, a bad electro dance track that just seems really forgettable, though it's actually favourite to win. She is kind of like Daeneyres though.
21:54 GEORGIA's entry, "Waterfall" is performed by Nodin Taschivili and Sophie Gelovani, and composed by one of the writers of last year's winner "Euphoria". Just a very nice duet, but lacks, again, that catchy chorus and touch of crazy that the Eurovision demands.
21:18 The final entry is IRELAND; tonight Ryan Dolan is singing "Only Love Survives". The double leather is terrible, the fact this song's already charted in Sweden will help the votes and this is the kind of giant dance number we normally expect from Ukraine etc. Odds of it winning aren't high, but I wouldn't be surprised.
22:05 Going to get more wine instead of sticking around for the voting, but I predict Norway or Finland to win I guess? Though would love Malta because I am a sucker for cutesy ukelele songs, and I secretly loved Bonnie negl.
Goodnight internet xxx
20:03 The first injection of ridiculousness of the evening as a caterpillar becomes the "Eurovision butterfly", making its flight to Malmo. This is Benny and Bjorn's new Eurovision anthem, "We Write the Story", and the theme of this year's contest (something I wasn't aware existed?) is "We Are One". I don't know if any of you just caught Dave Grohl and Taylor Swift parading along the walkway.
20:07 BONNIE.
20:08 This reminds me slightly of Les Mis. Upset already.
20:09 Unsure whether the presenter's dress is bright enough. It makes me incredibly sad that Sweden's "top comedian" is a patronising air hostess.
20:13 She said "MAY THE BEST SONG WIN" and all it made me think of was "MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR."
20:17 FRANCE - Amandine Bourgeois performs "L'Enfer et Moi". This girl is the winner of a Pop Idol format show, and whilst she's certainly got a great voice and there's something courageous about entering with a rock song this just isn't ridiculous enough to still be memorable to voters in three hours time.
20:19 LITHUANIA - I really like "Something", by Andrius Pojavis, partly because it reminds me of Duran Duran a lot, definitely high hopes for this one.
20:22 MOLDOVA's entry is "O Mie" by Aliona Moon, who came eleventh last year as a backing musician. A song that's, honestly, just very forgettable but the wearing the whole of space and time on her dress is certainly going to help Moon along.
20:26 FINLAND are hotly tipped to win this year with "Marry Me" by Krista Sigefrids, which is just a really well constructed, gloriously catchy bubble pop song. Watch out for controversial lesbian kiss towards the end, supposedly a protest against Finnish governments views on same-sex marriage (and just incredibly badass)
20:30 SPAIN's entry is "Contigo Hasta El Final" by ESDM, and this is sounding very un-Spanish, sad to hear someone's voice crackling and breaking with nerves but the staging/parade/lanterns are distracting enough.
20:34 Roberto Bellarosa won BELGIUM's version of The Voice, this is "Love Kills" and its writer has worked with One Direction and Little Mix. His facial expressions and the choreography are adequately tacky and it's just a very catchy pop song, I won't be surprised if this is a winner.
20:38 ESTONIA, with "Et Uus Saaks Alguse" by Hannah, who is another reality TV winner from their show Estonian Idol. I like seeing so many acts singing in their own language and not English, and this is a nice song but just not the amount of dancing or glitter that I expect from the Eurovision.
20:41 Alyona Lanskaya's entry for BELARUS with "Solayah", I am loving this already. They changed this from the original song to more of a "dance track", which may or may not have been a bad decision. I love the giant disco ball in the middle of the stage because it's so unnecessary, and this dance routine reminds me of the Inter-House Dance Contests from my high school, megalolz.
20:46 MALTA with Gianluca (a doctor, so at least he has a plan B!) with "Tomorrow". This is a sweet song and very reminiscent of Jason Mraz. May just be a winner, though I'm glad he isn't my doctor with that creepy grin.
20:50 RUSSIA's entry is "What If" by Dina Garipova, who won The Voice over there last year (there's definitely an overriding theme!) and this big ballad is tipped to win, although I don't think you can really beat their last year's entry of old ladies baking cookies on stage. You just don't know. You just don't.
20:52 DRAMATIC KEY CHANGE
20:54 GERMANY have pulled Cascada out of the dungeon, whose entry has been accused of ripping off last year's winner - this is "Glorious" and I agree it's basically last year's winning song, except with more glitter and there's big steps so they're bound to win. Such an energetic performance though.
20:58 ARMENIA have never won but the fact that Gor Sujyan and Dorians' entry "Lonely Planet" was co-written by Tony Ionni of recently reformed Black Sabbath should definitely contribute towards their votes. However if you don't know better, it's really just another man with a beard in jeans looking like he doesn't care whether he wins or not. I'd comment on how it's stupid that the drummer's wearing sunglasses indoors but it looks pretty fucking bright in there
21:03 Swedish comedy is about as funny as being shot in the foot.
21:05 Anouk singing "Birds", she's singing for THE NETHERLANDS and a huge star over there and in other countries. I totally understand all of the Lana Del Rey comparisons. This actually might do really well, I can't tell at all.
21:10 ROMANIA - ALL best Eurovision performances start with a strobe effects warning and "It's My Life" by Cezar is looking to be a typically excellently kitsch performances. This guy is decidedly Count Dracula and Freddie Mercury's lovechild. A woman dancing and spreading gold. I love this. This is the best one. The BEST ONE.
21:14 UNITED KINGDOM, Bonnie Tyler sings "Believe In Me". I sang her song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in school aged 10 because I was a massive loser, so Bonnie is totally my homegirl. First time I've heard this song and it's actually not bad, her voice is fabulously gravelly and she's just really charismatic on the stage. C'mon guuurrrl.
21:18 This is Robin Sternberg singing "You" for SWEDEN. He's a good singer, very Gary Barlow/boyband-ish, and this guy was actually a runner up by a narrow margin on Swedish Idol.
21:23 ANOTHER "Idk beard" man from HUNGARY, this is "Kedvasem" by ByeAlex. This is nicely unpretentious and not sung in English, which is always a brave move.
21:26 One of the bookie's favourites, this is DENMARK's entry "Only Teardrops" by Emmelie De Forest, this is already in the charts and I actually really like this. Her voice is unusual and she reminds me of Diana Vickers from The X Factor a few years ago with "the claw" dance move, it definitely has the "Eurocamp dance club" feel.
21:30 ICELAND: This is Eythor Ingi with "Eg A Lif": this guy's played Rif-Raf in The Rocky Horror Show before which I can totally picture, Graham Norton said that Icelandic is not a language of love but LISTEN TO SIGUR ROS. You can tell this guy's a musical theatre star in his diction, but this song lacked the rousing chorus it needed.
21:35 Farid Mammadov with "Hold Me" for AZKERBAJAN, who hosted last year. The composer has written songs that have won before, and the dancer in the box is obvs symbolising his tortured inner self which is fab. Also the woman in the red dress is totally significant. Ok the box is full of lottery tickets.
21:38 GREECE's song is called "Alcohol Is Free" which makes me laugh no end, this is Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis. I love this already, they're like Greek folk rock which makes them pretty much Mumford and Sons, surely yes? They may actually win, having a genuinely great and really happy track, as well as with the benefit of the sympathy cote.
21:42 UKRAINE, in which Zlanta Ognevich is CARRIED ONTO THE STAGE BY A SEVEN FOOT MAN before singing "Gravity" which is a really rousing disco track reminding me in ways of Shakira. Ukraine are typical tack-fest Eurovision entry every year (and kind of a winner in my eyes).
21:46 Margo Mengoni is singing "L'Essenziale" for ITALY, and he won The X Factor over there. This song has spent 8 weeks at #1 and very realityTVwinner-esque with a faux rock backing and string arrangement he clearly didn't write. Loving the skipping though, the following he has already might just save the day.
21:51 This is NORWAY's entry, "I Feed You Love" by Margaret Berger, a bad electro dance track that just seems really forgettable, though it's actually favourite to win. She is kind of like Daeneyres though.
21:54 GEORGIA's entry, "Waterfall" is performed by Nodin Taschivili and Sophie Gelovani, and composed by one of the writers of last year's winner "Euphoria". Just a very nice duet, but lacks, again, that catchy chorus and touch of crazy that the Eurovision demands.
21:18 The final entry is IRELAND; tonight Ryan Dolan is singing "Only Love Survives". The double leather is terrible, the fact this song's already charted in Sweden will help the votes and this is the kind of giant dance number we normally expect from Ukraine etc. Odds of it winning aren't high, but I wouldn't be surprised.
22:05 Going to get more wine instead of sticking around for the voting, but I predict Norway or Finland to win I guess? Though would love Malta because I am a sucker for cutesy ukelele songs, and I secretly loved Bonnie negl.
Goodnight internet xxx
Saturday 11 May 2013
"Fight For Your Right"
"(YOU GOTTA FIGHT) FOR YOUR RIGHT (TO PARTY)" - The Beastie Boys
Have had this in my head all weekend, which is hilarious considering that it consists of babysitting, working, getting ready for exams and drinking cheap wine by myself. Not very badassgangstathug at all.
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Recommendations: April 2013
"Fools" - Lauren Acquillina
"Those hardest to love need it most." - a pop song that's beautiful, clean and refreshing, seventeen year old Lauren found fame through the BBC Introducing programme, was recently playlisted by Greg James and though she's being constantly compared to other female singer-songwriters, her sound is so special. Check out her EP, also titled "Fools".
"April" - Imaginary Friend
Imaginary Friend has been releasing tracks every Tuesday from his upcoming album "Fire Escape", due for release on the 14th of May. "April" continues that base of Jesse Epstein's blanket-soft voice, and minimal, acoustic instrumentals that we hear through his debut release "The Imaginary EP". It is lyrically that you can feel how he's matured.
"Riceboy Sleeps" - Jonsi and Alex
A truly unique sound, lyricless, emotional and ambient, this album swirls and dives about the head. Music to read, to walk, or to just close your eyes and breathe to.
"The Expats" - Chris Pavone
A novel in which an ex-CIA officer retires to Luxembourg with her husband, but is unable to commence a quiet life. If I'm honest, I thought there was a lot wrong with this book, only beginning with Americans who act like "Europe" is one country. But it's full of twists and turns, sometimes which you'll predict from the start and groan at and others you just don't see coming
"The Wasp Factory" - Ian Banks
Ian Banks sadly passed away recently, and "The Wasp Factory" has always been one of my favourites - the story of Frank, a lonely and violent teenager. It's just bizarre, revolting, dramatic, and with an extraordinarily unpredictable ending.
Camden Lock Market
Nothing revolutionary at all but I'd never been before a trip to London this month, and spent the most perfect Sunday morning there by myself. An Aladdin's cave of gorgeous vintage clothes, mismatched jewellery, old records, falafels and all that you can imagine.
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