A lot has happened in the time since Pale Waves released their first album. Despite the various trials and tribulations, one of which including a tour bus crash, the Manchester indie-rockers have proven that nothing can get in the way of creating absolute magic. Consisting of 11 tracks, Who Am I? taps into the beloved, nostalgic sounds of the 2000s, and going through each song helped me feel more like the ideal, cool older sister trope commonly found in movies of that era (Kat Stratford, anybody?).
In comparison to 2018’s My Mind Makes Noises, their sophomore album presents a newfound edge that helps listeners unearth a more authentic version of Pale Waves. Now, don’t get me wrong; I absolutely adored their debut record, but it only scratched the surface of what they have to offer. That being said, it’s undeniable that they have begun to grow more into their own, unique sound, and my god, it is completely game-changing.
I honestly wasn’t expecting this sort of switch-up at all. From the moment they released “Change,” however, I knew we were about to witness a brand new, monumental chapter in their career unfold. With a catchy track and a visually stunning music video to match, it makes perfect sense why this is the way Pale Waves decided to kick off this new era.
Who Am I?’s dizzyingly romantic second single, “She’s My Religion,” brings forth some much-needed LGBTQ+ representation, and it sure as hell doesn’t stop there. “Tomorrow” beckons those who are struggling with their sexualities to take a deep breath and remember, as the lyrics emphasize, you cannot choose who you fall in love with. Not only that, but it also encourages fans who are grappling with their mental health to stick around and see that the world won’t always have you feeling trapped. It’s a truly gorgeous song that wields an impactful message we all need to be reminded of every once in a while.
Ben, I know that you love a boy
Sexuality isn’t a choice
Don’t let anyone say it’s wrong
Won’t you just keep hanging on?
And Kelsi, I know life drags you down
Growing up in a small town
Always the odd one in the crowd
You know I’ll never count you out
This sort of vulnerability seen throughout the record is perhaps one of its most striking features. There’s been a distinct progression in songwriting that opens up more personal discussions, ranging from the intimacy of sex and queer romance (“Wish U Were Here”) to the ever-looming uncertainty that comes with reaching a mental and emotional low (“Who Am I?”). Seeing this newfangled sense of self from lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie, as well as the unapologetic comfortability that has come along with it, is incredibly refreshing. It introduces something notably special into their music, and the novel openness and sincerity found throughout this record have put them on track towards becoming a force to be reckoned with.
In short, Who Am I? is a wildly impressive sophomore album. Honest and bold, this record uncovers a new side of Pale Waves that marks a significant turning point for the band. Every track offers a different story that listeners can relate to and appreciate, and they all form a wonderfully cohesive collection of songs without sounding same-y or repetitive. This could very well become a defining record for Pale Waves, and I’m eager to see how well it treats them.
OK Human, the brand new album by LA rockers Weezer, has shaken up everything the band has put out in the last half-decade alone. Jumping ship from genre to genre, Weezer are no strangers to releasing heaps of fresh music year after year, perhaps the sad reality of how hard it is to make a living being a musician, or perhaps because they’re just that inspired, which after being a band for almost 3 decades now (God really? Time flies huh) is pretty impressive, like all the material they’ve put out or not, it can’t be easy, but that being said must be very rewarding.
After the 2019 announcement of the album Van Weezer, inspired by the likes of hard and glam rock icons such as the late Eddie Van Halen, which was due out in 2020 and is now due to that thing that’s kinda buggered up the world, due out late spring this year, the band dropped a surprise album at the end of January that is the complete opposite of what Van Weezer is said to offer us. With a centre on less guitars and more orchestral sounds. So what can you expect from an album like this? Well that sharp modern pop production that was all over the likes of the black and white albums, but that baroque rock/orchestral pop centre creates something so naturalistic that I think we all kind of needed at a time like this.
Although the writing sessions for what became this album started as early as 2017, the themes of isolation are very apparent and it’s classical influences really enforce that. After the year of the pandemic, and to be quite frank everything kinda shitty the world has endured over the last few years, this drawn back approach is rather magnificent. I can only really compare the sounds of this album to vague Beatles-esk noise or something like Panic! At The Disco’s Pretty. Odd. But even that isn’t quite right. This definitely sounds like a Weezer album and after the cold water shock of hearing track one All My Favourite Songs, it all sounds perfectly natural for the band so it’s a strange sensation but does make sense.
The album has a really good sense of momentum, tracks flow and transition well into each other. The transition between Aloo Gobi into Grapes of Wrath is ridiculously sharp and tasty. I think after the somewhat rocky consistency of Weezer through the past few years, being a bit wild with sounds is just their thing now, and whilst I was really digging the vibe of singles teased from Van Weezer, OK Human’s big orchestral cavern is brilliant all the same. As a more casual fan of Weezer, I would easily say this is actually some of their best work, whether you’re a fan of the sounds of the Blue album, Pinkerton or even their more recent Black album, I think you’ll easily enjoy what this album has to offer. There really is something for everyone here, without pandering to different genres as it is all tied up very nicely within its theme.
There is certainly key themes of alienation and a highlight on the modernity of humanity, be it the obsession of staring at our Screens or digitalised statistics in Numbers, whilst it can be a tad on the nose, I think generally along with the musical concept of the album sounding like a Disney movie’s soundtrack, and especially during a time that is our very uncertain present, it works well for what it is, and might even be looked back on and praised for it’s early (if we can even call it early at this point) warning signs of the surge of technology and reliability upon it. I think having 2 albums within the span of a few months is one thing to keep your fans happy, but to have two completely contrasting sounding albums such as OK Human and Van Weezer in the pipeline is a bold move but somehow I think completely works and really there’s no better time for it. I just feel sorry for the poor blighter who has to figure out their next setlist…
Top tracks are; Grape Of Wrath, Numbers and Bird With A Broken Wing. But again I’d stress to hear the whole album all the way through to get the most visceral experience of OK Human.
If you haven’t already been introduced to the playful, 80s-inspired music of French duo VIDEOCLUB, let this be your guide. Adèle Castillon and Matthieu Reynaud are undeniably one of the coolest power couples out there, and after officially releasing music since 2018, their highly-anticipated debut album Euphories was gifted to the world on 29 January.
Featuring pre-released tracks from over the past few years along with plenty of brand new additions, Euphories serves as the perfect introduction to the young musicians. Throughout the album, you’ll discover wondrous, lively energy that invites you to set your responsibilities aside, just for a moment, and let yourself have some well-deserved fun.
There’s something incredibly enchanting about this record. I have been a fan of VIDEOCLUB for quite some time now, so hearing the singles I’ve been playing on repeat be finally compiled into a full-length album is something truly special. It was well worth the wait, too, because it’s undeniable that Adèle and Matthieu put their heart and soul into Euphories. Each song seamlessly leads into the next, creating an excitingly hypnotic record that once you start, you’ll want to stick around until the end.
The first song I had ever heard from VIDEOCLUB was “Amour Plastique,” which now has an impressive 58M views on YouTube. So, seeing that they kicked off their album with this track made me feel an immense amount of pride. It’s what thwarted them onto people’s radars, and because of everyone’s massive love and support for “Amour Plastique,” Adèle and Matthieu have been given a fantastic opportunity to continue sharing their talents with the world. They certainly have not dropped the ball as every release since then has been widely well-received. With these new songs hitting airwaves, I have no doubt in my mind that their fanbase will consistently grow more each and every day.
One of my absolute favourite new tracks is “Polaroïds.” I adore how they utilize the distinct sounds of a Polaroid camera within the beat; it adds a unique and clever touch that makes the song all the more charming. The lyrics, which reminisce on cherished memories, are really refreshing as well, and they can definitely be relatable in times like these. All of these elements combined create something that feels like pure bliss manifested within a single song (as well as a phenomenal addition to any sort of “Late Night Drives” playlist).
“SMS” is another song I am completely obsessed with. The beginning of the song sounds like an explosion of real, genuine happiness, and I can’t help but smile whenever it comes on. I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic, so when I read the translated lyrics (I’m still learning French, leave me be!), I was smiling like such an idiot. It represents love in a fun, wholesome light and emphasizes the excitement behind new love unfolding. Towards the end of the track, you can even hear the synth riffs from “En Nuit,” “Amour Plastique,” “Mai,” “Enfance 80,” “Roi,” and “What Are You So Afraid Of,” which wraps up their debut record flawlessly.
As a whole, I have fallen completely in love with Euphories. There’s a song that can match whatever mood you may be in—hear me out. In the mood to relax and shut out the world for a bit? “Trois Jours.” Need something to listen to while you’re out-and-about that’ll help you feel like the main character? “Suricate.” Don’t speak a word of French but you still want to sing along? Don’t worry, “What Are You So Afraid Of” and “Petit Monde” have got you covered with some English lyrics.
There’s truly something for everybody throughout this tracklist, and my joy goes far beyond anything words could express. Adèle and Matthieu have absolutely smashed it with Euphories, and I cannot wait to see what else they’ve got up their sleeves.
To keep up with VIDEOCLUB, follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
The long-awaited debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams by the indie icon Arlo Parks has finally arrived! And it’s definitely a contender for album of the year already. As a black bisexual woman in an already oversaturated music industry, it is so refreshing and rewarding to see the success that Arlo Parks has gained since her music debut in 2018, becoming a contemporary to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo, but a superstar in her own right.
The album kicks off with an arpeggiated acoustic guitar and lofi ambient sounds underneath a poem by Parks, setting up the journey that by track 3 has already taken you all around town. Hurt puts the car into first gear, a great opener demonstrating those sounds we’ve become familiar with from singles like Green Eyes and Eugene. The use of sampled and chopped drums gives the track this slightly agitated feeling that goes in hand with the themes of Parks’ lyrics. Track 3 Too Good shakes up the vibes so soon with Motown inspiration through jazz and funk-infused guitar, really encapsulating sounds of the ’60s but wrapping it in layers of modern production. Arlo Parks already has smashed her sound out the ballpark, completely developing her ability to write and perform since her EP Super Sad Generation.
Hope sidesteps more towards that Jazzier inspired sound, really making me nostalgic for the iconic instrumentation of Amy Winehouse. It keeps up the pace and I think it’s here where it’s safe to say that Arlo’s control and flow of melodies are absolutely breathtaking. Each line she sings is just monumental, no line feels lacking or overfilled with words and syllables, she’s a natural storyteller. And every chorus she sings is an instant hit, I mean just in Hope the way she carries the lines “You’re not alone like you think you are / We all have scars, I know it’s hard / You’re not alone” just really pulls at the heartstrings. She’s open and honest and it makes for the best of her music.
Caroline and BlackDog, two tracks released in the buildup to the album take up your ears next. Caroline being one of the songs that carry the general DNA of this album, the production it’s laced with is a reoccurring sound within such a musically diverse album. Written about witnessing events unfold without context which is something we see on a daily basis (well, we usually would) where it does become something we don’t give too much attention to.
Black Dog is a more stripped back stylised song, Parks addressed the song saying “it’s supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today’s world”. Especially after the toll that’s taken the people of the world over the last year alone, Black Dog becomes a statement about the obvious on how bitter the reality of depression is and how you can feel out of your depth whether you’re on the receiving end of the Black Dog or whether you’re observing someone who has that demon in their life.
“It’s so cruel what your mind can do for no reason / I take a jump off the fire escape to make the black dog go away At least I know that you are trying / But that’s what makes it terrifying“
Green Eyes is such a ridiculous song. It’s just perfect what can I say? (That’s rhetorical) Here Parks tells the story of a past relationship with a girl that ended too soon because of the stigma of same-sex relationships from their own parents. I think although there are specific topics all throughout this record, there are some messages within that are completely universal such as the chorus’ hook “Some of these folks wanna make you cry / But you gotta trust how you feel inside and shine” it’s painfully true and such an uplifting message to anybody who listens to this track.
Just Go is perhaps one of the more traditionally poppier songs here, bringing a bouncier bassline like something out of a Mark Ronson tune, but with classical production emitting sounds you’d find on an Adele song. Reflecting on the song Parks said, “I wanted a breakup song that said, simply, No grudges, but please leave my life”. The contradiction of the civil wording of a toxic ending to the upbeat song makes it the perfect tune to vibe to if you’re having a hard time letting go of something, even when it is the abundantly right thing to do.
For Violet, is one of the darker songs on this record, it’s gritty like a Radiohead song but tunefully soulful like the rest of Arlo’s work. Eugene and Bluish take the reigns next. Bluish is about a relationship that smothers you, talking about when needing space “I shouldn’t have to ask you twice” and “You held me so hard I went bluish“, really enforcing that claustrophobic feeling.
Eugene tells the story of falling in love with a straight girl in a relationship, and how that unconditional infatuation can burn you right to the core. Continuing a darker element that was so strong in For Violet but with a warmer tone exploring that vulnerability.
“Seein’ you with him burns, I feel it deep in my throat You put your hands in his shirt, you play him records I showed you Read him Sylvia Plath, I thought that that was our thing You know I like you like that / I hate that son of a bitch“
Porta 400 closes the album and brings more sampling back to the forefront, allowing the ending of this LP to be one that really does stick out but warmly wrap up the sound of Collapsed In Sunbeams. Porta 400 feels like after a series of unfortunate struggles, sitting on a hilltop watching the sun go down on an era of your life, breathing out and moving on. It’s the perfect credits to a film so somebody get onto making that. I think the chorus sums up the energy of the entire record; “Making rainbows out of something painful“, and in turn relieves whoever listens, helping them to find and make their own rainbows.
Collapsed In Sunbeams is a blissful journey that discusses life, the ups and downs, how you can be dealt a bad hand, but how your life is one of a kind. It opens it’s hand out to you with the simple message that is “you’re not alone“. At a time like 2021, there’s no better message to take on board.
Today marks the fifteenth anniversary of Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and the monumental bang it punches has certainly stood the test of time. It’s undeniable that this is one of their most defining records, and even the album art alone has become an icon in the UK music scene.
Being that I was just six years old when the album released (I know, I know….), I was a few years late to the party. I first found Arctic Monkeys when I was about eleven after randomly seeing their video for “Fluorescent Adolescent” pop up on YouTube. I was immediately hooked, and I absolutely needed to hear more; thus began my deep-dive into their discography of the time.
Now, don’t get me wrong—every record of theirs is nothing short of a masterpiece. There’s something special about WPSIATWIN, though, and I frequently find myself being pulled towards it the most and listening to it in full every time. With such a mint tracklist, how could you even think about pressing skip on any song?
The record opens up with fast-paced, intoxicating energy through “The View From The Afternoon.” It serves as an incredible introduction for the rest of the album and provides listeners with a good idea of what’s to come. It’s playful, it’s loud, and it’s boisterous, and that sort of vivacity definitely doesn’t end there as “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor” follows it up. To this day, it remains one of my favourite Arctic Monkeys songs of all time, and I know I’m not alone when I say that this is a legendary one. I mean, have you seen the way crowds react when they hear this song? There is no way in hell you could ever sit still while it plays, and if you somehow can, I don’t think I can trust you. End of.
Next up is “Fake Tales Of San Francisco,” which happens to be one that gets stuck in my head quite easily, but I’m definitely not complaining. The catchy guitar riffs, the comedic lyrics, the explosion that erupts from the band after the lyric “So all that’s left / Is the proof that love’s not only blind but deaf…”
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
The next three songs that follow are perfectly placed, in my opinion. You’ve got “Dancing Shoes,” which practically begs you to get up, stop paying any mind to what others may think or say, and just have fun. “You Probably Couldn’t See For The Lights But You Were Staring Straight At Me” is another personal favourite of mine (criminally underrated, might I add), and it’s such an addictive track. It does a fantastic job at keeping the energy high, which then leads into the snarky, boyish track “Still Take You Home” flawlessly.
Oh, “Riot Van,” how I love you so. It’s an absolute dream of a song; I love the story that is told within the lyrics, and the overall feel of the track is drastically more chilled out than the rest of the album. “Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured” snaps listeners out of that trance, though, and my god, does it do an amazing job at getting people back up on their feet. Just below, you will find my favourite verse in that song; the delivery will never fail to give me chills.
Well calm down, temper, temper
You shouldn’t get so annoyed
Well, you’re acting like a silly little boy
And they wanted to be men
And do some fighting in the street
They said, “No surrender
No chance of retreat”
It goes without saying that “Mardy Bum” is a staple in Arctic Monkeys’ discography. Despite the lyrics describing a rather rocky relationship, it has such a youthful charm that can make anybody’s eyes light up just by hearing the first few chords. It’s the essence of perfection summed up in under three minutes. Need I say more?
Alright, my favourite, favourite song off of the record is up next. “Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But…” is an absolute mind-blower. I’ve loyally stood by this one as my personal top pick for ages now, and I definitely don’t see it changing anytime soon. I’m just genuinely in love with every single aspect of this song; I love the dirty tone of the guitars, the aggression within the lyrics, and the killer jam session that fills up the remainder of the track. Plus, who doesn’t love hearing Alex Turner shout, “All you people are vampires!” towards the end?
Like “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor” and “Mardy Bum,” “When The Sun Goes Down” is another quintessential Arctic Monkeys song. I still haven’t been able to catch an Arctic Monkeys show, but whenever I do, I would be willing to make a deal with the devil to guarantee that this would be on the setlist. It is both a desperate want and need to hear this live, and in case you need any further evidence as to why that is, look no further.
Now we’re down to the final two tracks: “From The Ritz To The Rubble” and “A Certain Romance.” What a way to draw the record to a close, huh? Both songs are exhilarating and successfully encapsulate the general feel of the entire album, and before you know it, you’re back to “The View From The Afternoon” to give it another well-deserved listen.
Can you tell I absolutely adore this record? Since I found it at such a young age, it’s safe to say that it played a massive role in shaping my taste in music. I hold it near and dear to my heart, and I’m confident that this will be an album people still talk about in decades to come. Happy 15th, you powerhouse, you.
Fall Out Boy’s seventh studio album MANIA dropped 3 years ago today! That’s crazy how the last few years have completely flown past. So as an album I really loved but was somewhat polarising to an already divided fanbase, I thought on its birthday it’d be a good idea to look back on the 2018 effort from the Chicago heartthrobs.
One of the leading names in the pop-punk scene of the early 2000s, Fall Out Boy have been through numerous sounds and sonic shake-ups. After their four year hiatus, their comeback album Save Rock and Roll was received tremendously well, and fans wouldn’t have to wait long for a follow up in the form of American Beauty / American Psycho. But something was missing, both great albums but stylistically very connected. AB/AP sounding like a more polished off version of Save Rock and Roll, just perhaps more anthemic. So after the non-stop tour cycle of the last two albums, work began on the next. Initially scheduled for September 2017, the album was pushed back by the band to January 2018, upon which the beast was finally laid out to the world.
I actually think the album starts off on a really high note, Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea is a brilliant fast-paced in your face track that just fills you with adrenaline. Combining this heavy rock riff with electronica in something that sounds not terribly out of place amongst the likes of T2: Trainspotting the soundtrack. Leading straight into The Last Of The Real Ones, another fasted paced but piano-driven rock anthem. After the general new sound of the singles we were treated to in the first half of 2017, The Last Of The Real Ones showed fans that Fall Out Boy were still capable of that modern pop-punk style, but still showing off some of that new sound this album had to offer. An almost off-kilter psychedelic soundscape is present right the way through this album which for Fall Out Boy, is actually something the band hasn’t really explored before, and for me was a very welcome change, people laugh at me for saying this but it was almost like a sonic maturity bled through this record and I really dig it.
HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON’T fuses funk like ska influences to the typical pop-punk prowess but works really well. I think it’s this track that the main issue I hear people bring up about this album starts to show, which is the over-production. Now it’s all a stylistic thing, but in some tracks my god it really works to benefit them. Like I said StayFrosty is a blood-pumping powerhouse and I think the production really compliments the performance on that track really well. But with HOLD ME TIGHT, I think some of the guitars and even the bass get left behind especially in that first verse. But all of those problems are fixed in live performances, the bass is cranked up and the clean guitar parts are much more present. Which is the same to be said for Wilson (Expensive Mistakes). Interpolating Straight To Hell by The Clash, this was a song that was first heard live, but because of this, I think I got too attached to that rendition. The album version is great too, but I think this track in particular benefits with the rawer sound of the guitars, the bass and the drums. The pre-chorus especially just sounds absolutely majestic live but in the studio sounds like somethings holding the overall sound back which is a shame because it’s a really well-written song. A band like Fall Out Boy never really loses it’s ’emo’ identity of the era they thrived in and the line “I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker colour” just screams out to the inner alternative you.
Church is just a really cool track, the bassline is absolutely monstrous, in fact, this album really allows the bass to shine a lot more than the last 2 albums which adds a new dimension to the tracks which I absolutely adore. And I mean who the hell gave Patrick Stump and crew a choir? And it works? Insane. And the breakdown makes you want to stop the world. It’s beefy and begs for your attention, and Stump’s vocals on this track are great, really showing off that soul voice of his.
Starting the second half of the album is Heaven’sGate, a pretty ballad with a kick. I think it’s probably one that gets some of the least attention given to, but really I think that’s generally how the second half of MANIA as a whole is lit. For one of the slower tracks on the record, it has some of the cooler drum fills drummer Andy Hurley has to offer, perhaps the softened tone of the verse allows for intricate drum parts to pop out more than they would in the mix of a more energy driven song like Stay Frosty. Champion swiftly comes in next and to be honest, I really like this album all the way through so I can really appreciate what the boys were going for, especially here with Champion but I also get why people weren’t so keen. It’s very clearly the Centuries of this LP, very radio-friendly. Although don’t shoot me but I think I prefer this over Centuries… I mean yes the lyrical content (choruses aside) isn’t as diverse as Centuries, but on a performance and songwriting side, I think it just pops out here better, and the vocals Stump lays down especially on that outro is just killer.
Up next is Sunshine Riptide which I think is a really interesting track musically. Combining psychedelic sounds with those of reggae and hip-hop especially in the way of the flow of Stump’s vocal performance accompanied by featuring artist Burna Boy, who’s verse really grooves with the tracks vibe so well, with the bassline in this track being especially delicious. But I think because it is so new to the scope of Fall Out Boy’s sound, it leaves it in the firing range of “this isn’t pop-punk, boo”. Which is perfectly valid, but I think for a band that’s been around for nearly 20 years, to still be able to experiment with sounds and explore other genres after being shoehorned into such a specific scene, is a testament to the guys. However speaking of experimentation next is Young and Menace, the lead or ‘first song we had finished so we put this one out’ single (which doesn’t have as good a ring to it).
The track starts with some really eerie verses, low register vocals, clean chorus drenched guitars heralding this nightmarish psychedelic vibe that perked my interest very quickly, building to an EDM chorus. Which yeah not the obvious musical transition, and was extremely polarising at the time. It grew on me between its release and the rest of the album following the year after, but I completely get why fans didn’t respond well to it. You take a formula of a sound and out of the blue do something so different that it is almost unrecognisable as the band who released Sugar, We’re Goin Down. The vocal chopped and pitched vocals in the chorus being very out of the ordinary for a band like Fall Out Boy, at least to this scale, but the band said they needed a palate cleanser, the emphasis on the colour purple and the entire shift in sound, it walked so the rest of MANIA could run. The left turn of a track like Young and Menace after the double success of their last two albums just solidified the presence that Fall Out Boy are able to do anything, and whilst not everyone’s cup of tea, it definitely solidified the start of a new era for the band.
The albums closer Bishop’s Knife Trick is genuinely one of my favourite tracks the band have ever put out. This really is taking the emotions of classic Fall Out Boy and transforming it into the modern world. Led by a piano and a jangly guitar swirling that psychedelic sound around your head before exploding into a hunk of a chorus, blowing you out into space. The darker tone of the lyrics really bringing out this darker and more mature sound this record tries to rub off on you within its half-hour playtime, it’s just fantastic. The chorus is just addictive and makes you long for the days of concerts where you could scream at the top of your lungs to the songs that got you through your teens. It’s music video being a direct parody of their decade-old song Thnks Fr Th Mmrs‘ video, which I sort of feel is a bit of a detribute to the song because of the abrupt tone of its interruptions, but maybe otherwise it would have come across ‘too deep’ or something who knows.
And that’s it, that’s the album, it’s not particularly long, but it does stick itself out as a solid staple in the band’s discography. Looking back on MANIA I still really like it, if anything over the years I’ve grown fonder of it. There’s a saying people come up with for things like this which is being “ahead of its time” which I’m not quite sure of my position on that, but I do think that MANIA was overshadowed by the high train of radio success Fall Out Boy had in their early days and in the first few years of their comeback. But the band said this was never meant to be a radio album, and how can you stay inspired by churning out the same stuff. People did treat Folie A Deux harshly at the time, but now a decade later it’s considered by many some of their best work. Hell MANIA was nominated for a Grammy, not that Grammy’s really mean anything nowadays, but I think MANIA deserved a better reception than the one it got.
I hope you enjoyed this look back regardless of your stand on the album, and with a lot of albums big birthdays happening this year (from Arctic Monkeys, Blur, The 1975 and many more), do expect more of these to come and let us know of any albums you think we should cover.
Well somehow we’re at the end of 2020 (yeah happy new year by the way) and what a rollercoaster it has been. Nobody’s year went to plan, and we’ve all been desperate for a better 2021. But looking back on the year, we were treated to a lot of pretty awesome music. So to recap on our favourites, the TWM team have come together to give you our collective record collection, of our favourite albums that 2020 had to offer us.
SONGS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY THE LEMON TWIGS
Kylie: Let’s dive into my favourite record of the year, shall we? Prior to the album’s release in August, I simply considered myself a casual fan of The Lemon Twigs. As I type this, however, there is a poster hung up high on my wall along with some merch tucked away in my closet. With that in mind, it’s safe to say I completely fell in love after listening to Songs For The General Public (because, well, it’s the truth!). I grew up being surrounded by the roars of the 1970s, so naturally, I have always held a slight preference for that decade of songwriting and musical craftsmanship as a whole. The Lemon Twigs flawlessly introduce that particular flare into the modern age, and they do so in a way that isn’t a copycat, cut-and-paste sound. It’s very distinctly them, and although their influences may shine through every now and then, it’s still The Lemon Twigs. Songs For The General Public is nothing short of brilliance; each and every track is a work of art. I still have trouble deciding my favourite song off of this record, but because I want every single person reading this to give it a full listen, here are three recommendations: Nobody Holds You (Closer Than The One You Haven’t Met), Fight, and Moon. Thank me later.
Liam: Somehow managing to channel Bowie’s ghost, Declan McKenna managed to drop one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long time, definitely my favourite record of the year. An album with no filler and some killer songwriting. If you thought What Do You Think About The Car? was good, your mind will be blown upon hearing track one of Zeros. Upon its release I could not stop listening to it, other albums popped up here and there but this album for me was an instant hit, Declan felt unstoppable. Pure indie pop production that made the hits POP out. Declan’s voice solidly grown since the last record, the voice cracks replaced with raspy belts and shouts that somehow envoke more anger and frustration from the social commentary of the last album somehow. Hit by a plague of a year, this album shone a light through the darkness for all to see.
K: And well if I were to sum up this record in just a few words, I’d probably say something along the lines of thrilling, electrifying, and powerful. Zeros is an absolute explosion of an album. As you make your way through the tracklist, you are thwarted deeper and deeper into the alternate universe Declan has created, though, you may eventually find that it isn’t too far off from our own. Using his music to cast a spotlight on important world issues, Declan isn’t a stranger to political music. His debut album, What Do You Think About The Car?, led to many labelling Declan as a political musician due to the album’s strong messages and ideas. Although he doesn’t want to trap himself in one box when it comes to songwriting, Zeros emphasizes the importance of a variety of issues in a more intricate, storytelling fashion. Focusing on environmental issues, abuse of power, and the ever-looming fear of the unknown, Declan McKenna’s sophomore album is certainly one to remember.
L: The Archer was a phenomenal album from Portland singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior. Completely rounding her sound previously crafted from her first LP Belladonna Of Sadness, but this time completely on her own without the help of Alex Turner. With the pressure of losing her record deal, manager and writing the entire album on her own, this almost gateway of freedom allowed Savior to explore her sound and the ways she could fine-tune it to become The Archer. Being finished all the way back in 2018, after the label struggles, her prowess was seen by 30th Century Records, and in January she dropped her most ambitious work to date. The Archer makes you feel as if your life is a movie, and God herself has decided to write the soundtrack. Alexandra Savior’s latest effort is the effect of slowing down time during an adrenaline rush, a complete pipe dream that blends to your skin.
Aimee: The moment I first listened to Belladonna Of Sadness I knew that Alexandra Savior was something special. She delivered such a well-executed record with real conviction, but as mentioned by Liam, her 2020 release The Archer truly hits the target. This time lighter and cloaked with a haze of mist, her second record is enough of a departure to keep things fresh but still contains that cinematic wonder we already loved her for. She really hones that trade-mark sound whilst using it to show a different side; where a greater sense of vulnerability is present (but still backed by that strong attitude and spirit rooted within). The Archer effortlessly sweeps you away on a journey as personal as creating it was to Savior. A perfect experience for entering a new year; the LP gives you what feels like endless time and space to reminisce and reflect on feelings that have washed over or hit hard and even dream about what is to come.
A:Ultra Mono was the first album that I wrote about for TWM and what an album it is; loud, gutsy and in your face (exactly what a record from Idles should be). It kicked off my journey here with a bang, their transitional tracks and brash beating sound a sure-fire way of supplying a bolt of energy to any listener. Sticking true to their guns, there’s no shying away from divisive topics with bold declarations; delivered via lyrics that paint a picture with each line. The Bristol band have proven their strength from the start but have definitely evolved record to record with this third being their most diverse yet. The LP is not only charged and weighty but also flexes their abilities to produce a softer sound at times (see: ‘A Hymn’), as well as having some fun with cheeky digs and quick-witted lines (‘Grounds’). Ultra Mono couldn’t have come at a better time; never shying away from harsh truths and providing a great dose of motivation, it was one hell of a record to help us through one of the strangest years imaginable. I’m sure it will see us through whatever is heading our way next too.
James: I think it’s very much true that punk is BACK IN and my god how good it feels to see a record like Ultra Mono become so adored by music lovers. As my dad asked me yesterday with a tear in his eye ‘your generation are listening to punk again?’ Yes, dad, Ultra Mono is certainly paving the way for a generation of new bands and a bit of kick-ass music is exactly what last year needed to see us through to the end. It’s the album which first brought IDLES to my attention and something tells me I’ll be buying their records for a long time to come now.
K: I can vividly remember what I was doing and where I was at when Kevin Parker announced last year that a new album was on the horizon. I swore that this was a sign that 2020 was about to be incredible; I mean, a new Tame album after five years? Pinch me.
Yikes.
Even though we are all well aware of the fact that the year turned out to be a giant catastrophe, The Slow Rush gave us one last treat before the world flipped upside down. I can confidently say that it was well worth the wait, and although I’m still mourning the fact that I was meant to catch a show this year, I’m even more confident that the live shows will be just as worth it. With tracks like “Lost in Yesterday,” “Instant Destiny,” and “Breathe Deeper,” it’d be criminal to not include this record on any “Best of 2020” list. Everything Tame Impala puts out is the musical manifestation of magic, and The Slow Rush is certainly no exception.
L: Exactly, five years after the release of Currents and Kevin Parker drops The Slow Rush? Damn. A record like Currents is hard to top, but Parker definitely gave us his all. This album for me was probably the most prevalent LP throughout the year. With some albums, you get lost in the hype and after 3 months of non-stop exposure to it, you suddenly find yourself distant from it, having moved onto the next big release. But The Slow Rush was different. Different tracks growing on me and becoming my next favourite off the album, right from it’s release in February, to only a couple weeks ago upon me grabbing a vinyl copy and hearing it again in a whole new light. 5 years worth of inspiration, experience and production has given us some of the most solid producing Parker has given us yet. The Slow Rush was a good summary for this year, and for me, really helped me get through this challenge. Hearing track 1, One More Year hits differently now, and I think this entire album will now for the rest of my life.
L: Donald Glover’s fourth studio album 3.15.20 came out of nowhere, but then seemed to slip under the radar a smidge too. Being released just days before the first national lockdown here in the UK, perhaps people’s minds were far too spaced out to fully notice and appreciate it. Which is a massive shame because it’s actually a really good record. If you’re expecting Because The Internet 2.0 or Awaken My Love the sequel then you’ll be disappointed, but if you’ve been liking the latest ventures from Childish Gambino like This Is America and Feels Like Summer you’ll be in for a treat, especially with Feels Like Summer making the cut onto the record. With features from Ariana Grande to 21 Savage and more, the album flows completely seamlessly, with each track transitioning into the next. Each track apart from 2 exceptions are unnamed, each entitled with the timestamp that each respective track starts during the LP. What this does though, is in a modern world where the consumption of singles has almost completely thrashed the album playthrough out of the park, it makes you listen to this whole album through and through, and appreciate all 57 minutes of it from start to finish. And with it being a bit of a hidden gem at the minute, you can bet you’ll find some tracks you wish you’d have known sooner.
K: Bliss. Pure, bona fide bliss. Katy J Pearson is an absolute gift of a musician, and her debut album as a solo artist, Return, marks the beginning of a luminescent new chapter for the young singer. This record is a peaceful spring afternoon, swinging in a hammock, book in hand…
Alright, alright I’m back; I got a bit lost in my own metaphor. Words cannot accurately express my love for this record enough. I am completely infatuated with every single aspect of it, and as soon as I heard it for the first time, I texted just about everyone I know about this beautiful songstress. I even wrote a piece on her, which you can check out here (wink, wink). This record quickly became a top pick for me before I even finished it in its entirety, and I genuinely cannot wait to see what else is in store. Do yourselves a favour, stop what you’re doing, and give Katy J Pearson a listen—you will not regret it.
L: Thundercat’s fourth studio album It Is What It Is was a smash in the ballpark for the Californian singer and bassist. Smooth soul-infused funk to serenade you through whatever your day may bring you. There’s no denying the talent within this man, the things he plays and sings over at the same time were always complex and beautiful, but his 2020 effort surpassed expectations. Featuring artists such as Steve Lacy, Childish Gambino, Louis Cole and Steve Arrington, the album certainly knows how to catch your ears and dig in deep to your soul. This record goes through a lot of emotions but in typical Thundercat fashion, it’s humorous, and that little element of realism helps ground this artistically wonderful collection of music, to the real world. It’s heaven don’t get me wrong, but it’s heaven with a sign with your name on it.
J: Just when you thought Fontaines D.C. couldn’t top their debut album Dogrel (2019), in 2020, they came through with perhaps the most anticipated and most incredible follow-up album since Joy Division’s Closer. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Fontaines D.C. will likely be remembered as one of the best underground post-punk bands of their generation. They may not have been able to tour the album extensively this year, however, but it’s by no means hindered the response from fans. We can’t wait to see them put on a show with the songs from their second LP once venues reopen. Instead of touring, the band have been hard at work on the excellent live sessions which premiered on their YouTube channel. The sessions are truly the closest I’ve felt to the excitement and atmosphere of a live gig all year.
L: Yeah I mean I’ll be honest when this album dropped I didn’t really think it had much of a lasting impression on me. But over the weeks I noticed myself coming back to it, over and over. Tracks such as I Don’t Belong and the title track A Hero’s Death completely dominating my months’ playlists at times. After thoroughly enjoying Dogrel, it was 2020s A Hero’s Death that solidified me as a fan of Fontaines D.C.
L: The wild ride of The 1975s fourth album was not an easy one, for fans or the band. After having to delay the album multiple times, and then a global pandemic cancelling the entire tour beyond rescheduling. Notes On A Condition Form was a long, coherently messy (if that’s a term we can all get behind) album, and that’s not to knock it, I love how diverse the album is. I know I said this about The Slow Rush but I think within the context of 2020 and isolation, this album really did feel connected to my soul when it was released. Somehow encapsulating almost every anxiety and pleasure that you could go through during this heartache of a year. Lyrically perhaps some of Matty’s most personal delves into his mind, but so intrusively relevant into mine as well. It’s one of those records that listening back to, you’ll never really separate it’s universe to the year it happened to collide with, but in the years to come, perhaps that’s something good. A retrospective of the worst, and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, we can pull through anything.
K: Alright, I may be a bit biased here considering The 1975 is my favourite modern band, but this is without a doubt one of my top records of the year. NOACF is new territory for the band, experimenting with different sounds, styles, and genres, and the end result is otherworldly. I listened to the entire album as soon as it dropped at midnight, and I was on the phone with my friend since we couldn’t be together to hear it. It was truly such a magical, unforgettable experience; it was a few months into the madness of the pandemic, and although we were separated, this album helped us feel connected again. Without trying to get too sappy here, this album has undeniably been a rock for me throughout the year. I absolutely adore every single song on NOACF, and I have my fingers crossed that I’ll be able to hear them live sooner than expected.
L: Nothing But Thieves latest outing certainly packs a punch. The typical RnB inspired rockers have gone at it again, this time with an emphasis on electronic music that really nails a new sound for the band, whilst staying true to their roots. It’s this kind of innovation that’s saving rock and roll. Moral Panic is an album written before Covid times but somehow completely gets the struggles and issues we’ve faced this year. I don’t know if that’s supposed to be comforting or not as a social commentary. But whatever the case, it makes for an integral listen for those who’ve simply had enough of the nightmare that has been 2020. Moral Panic is setting in, and Nothing But Thieves are not gonna let that slide. This is a rock record where the guitars are amped up to groove with you. If rock decided to start up a disco, this is what they’d play first. Another album that rounds up those 2020 vibes but in a way that you can dance your cares away in your living room.
J: In a year which felt like the world was falling apart and had everyone shaking their head at the thought of four more years of Trump, Run The Jewels sucker-punched the world with their highly anticipated fourth album. Like each of their albums before this, the record is a frustration driven rave in your pocket from beginning to end. The angst of a generation poured into one great record. In response to some of the year’s events which woke up the world; the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests which followed, RTJ4 makes good on the promise of keeping that flame alive with an important collaboration of phenomenal hip-hop artists. Along with Pharrell Williams, DJ Premier, desert rock legend Josh Homme and many more, RTJ4 is a library of fight songs to take the momentum built this year into the next.
L: Speaking of Mr Homme as a big fan of his work, upon hearing he co-produced the album I just had to listen to it, and I was pleasantly surprised that the album sounded nothing like any of his typical work. I wouldn’t have known he had anything to do with the album had it not been for the beauty of Wikipedia and word of mouth. But Homme aside, all that meant was I discovered RTJ4 and really dug the grooves this record had on offer. With pulling the pin being my personal highlight, the entire album was just such a wonderful avert of my expectations going into it completely blind, which was such a blissful feeling because nowadays it’s damn near impossible to do that. But the payoff was well worth it and discovering Run The Jewels was something brilliant.
L: Mura Masa’s second album was a change of tone from their first musical venture. R.Y.C becomes this millennial outcry. Being young in the 21st century is no easy feat, but R.Y.C is an album that encapsulates all the rage of being a young adult in 2020. Being this more guitar-driven, sugar-coated, slacker, indie/folk/pop combine harvest, there’s little here to not relate to. Alexander Crossan’s vocals really hit home here, completely humanizing the angst and fear of modernity. But he’s got help all over the album, with features from Clairo, Slowthai, Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice, Georgia and many more. All within that young adult bracket, so the roots of this record dig really deep into every performance. Going from the blissful calmic a meeting at an oak tree Featuring Ned Green to the angry demoralisation of Deal Wiv It Featuring Slowthai, possibly the highlight of the whole album, talking about the harsh reality of gentrification and the changes of the modern world that sticks out like an upright nail in a game of heads down thumbs up. A shout for attention that’s completely and utterly deserved. This entire album goes through the ropes as the soundtrack of a coming of age film for the modern sadboi, but trust me, it’s completely worth the experience of listening all the way through.
And so here we are at the end of our collection. Out of all the albums we loved throughout the year, there was just one that we all loved and felt like it deserved the spotlight.
Before we get onto why we love this album so much, all of us at TWM would like to thank you for your support over our magazine. We absolutely love sharing new music with you, and we’ve got a lot more in store for this new year.
So if you only take just one record from this list, we can all safely say this is a safe bet to go with.
WORKING MEN’S CLUB BY WORKING MEN’S CLUB
K: Stumbling upon this group felt like unearthing pure gold. Working Men’s Club is absolutely hypnotic, and at times, it’s hard to believe this record isn’t a hidden gem from the 80s or 90s. As we all know, 2020 was the year of distance and isolation, but this record massively helps with making you feel like you’re on a night out despite staying at home in your pyjamas while desperately trying to figure out what day of the week it is. Aside from the mesmerizing, addictive beats, the songwriting is just as brilliant (“Cook a Coffee,” anyone?). There is an abundance of genius within this album, and considering the fact that this is just their debut, Working Men’s Club are well on their way to becoming something incredibly special.
L: I remember when Aimee’s article on them went live and just being in awe and genuine hype upon hearing Valleys. All that craving for 80s New Wave, Dance and Electronica soundscape that I genuinely don’t think I’ve heard since the likes of New Order. I love it when bands today hark back to the days of the Hacienda, but no band I think has ever managed to dissect the core of that music, translate it into the modern-day so perfectly but still remaining so presently 80s. It’s nostalgic and futuristic at the same time. For a bands debut album, you really can’t get much better than this.
A: Nothing’s ever held me in more of a trance than when I first experienced Working Men’s Club’s eponymous debut record. Growing up in Manchester, grey, drizzly days spent wandering around the city would heavily feature daydreams of imagining what it was like back in the 80s and 90s. This album is as if somebody read my mind and wrote a soundtrack to accompany them. I was so excited to find something individual and new that simultaneously felt familiar in the best of ways; it felt like the record I could only ever wish for. Ever since that came true, I’ve spent a lot of time with it on repeat and my love hasn’t once wavered. Whether I talk to someone who was also lucky enough to stumble upon the LP like myself or insisted that family and friends listen, everyone who hears is in undeniable agreement on just how good it is. You can’t help but feel psyched up and ready to rave which is exactly what we needed to get through 2020 and will surely help us kick start the new year and look forward to a future with more music from Working Men’s Club.
J: Too right about being transported back to 80s Manchester, you don’t need to have grown up in the golden era to crave dancing in a sweaty nightclub while listening to any of their brilliant songs. Watching this music video makes me miss those late nights with friends, in music terms, it’s about as close to an antidote for the boredom 2020 brought as we could get. These are songs not just for the younger generation, but something about the Working Men’s Club sound seems to entice almost anyone who listens. If you played this at Christmas I guarantee your nan would be up on her feet too. For Working Men’s Club, this is only just the beginning… 2021 awaits. If there’s anything you take away from this list, get yourself a copy of this album.
Slacker rock superstar Oscar Lang is back with a brand new track that really nails in the new psychedelic gritty rock combo we were gifted with in Hand Over You Head in September. The cosmic hobo soundscape here completely lifts you out of your shoes, a wall of noise to rock your body till the cows come home. Lang announcing a brand new EP (with ‘Antidote..’ being the title track), was exactly what I needed to hear amongst the misery of the UK’s second lockdown.
The track definitely lives up to its name, after listening to it, I was the complete opposite of bored. Whatever Lang does to mix his music is always astounding and the new track is no exception. Something in the way his voice becomes buried within the instrumentation just blows your mind. ‘Antidote’ has a heavier and more brooding vibe, expelling so much nostalgia for mid-90s rock with such a filthy sound.
Lang said in a recent interview about the upcoming EP “I wanted to get a little darker with this EP but continue with the sound of the previous one. I feel like with the last one I really found a style of music that I love and am just excited to play. So this EP was all about developing that sound further.” And thus the stadium rocker Antidote to Being Bored was born and the EP to follow on December 4th. I think we’re all praying this will be the soundtrack of a post lockdown life, a glimmer of hope to look forward to.
There’s not much I can say aside from the fact it’s an absolute banger, the guy knows how to write a mega tune. I’ve had this song on repeat for about an hour now and my sandwich has gotten cold as I’ve been so immersed in the rapid ecstasy of ‘Antidote’. Just listen to the song, it’s a beautiful thick mess of noise. If you could fuse the sounds of Oasis’ ‘Morning Glory’ with Interpol’s ‘Marauder’ and put them in the Oscar Lang blender, you’d have this masterpiece.
So start adding to your playlists, and check out your local record shop to see where you can pre-order your copy because it’s going to be a stomper you’ll have to own.
‘Antidote to Being Bored’ Tracklist: 1. Antidote to Being Bored 2. That Wasn’t What I Said 3. Pretty Princess 4. Red Cherry Chapstick 5. Something Has Changed
If there was ever a perfect time for a virtual band to drop an album, of course it’d be in 2020. Thankfully despite the hard times thousands of musicians have had to face this year, we’ve had plenty of new music to consume and I’m sure we’ll have much more to come thanks to the isolation and ‘free’ time this year has given us.
I’ve always been a passive fan of Gorillaz, and a deep admirer of Damon Albarn. I grew up in a very Oasis household with much of Blur’s deeper cuts never getting a mention in my childhood apart from the main big singles. But when my brother got a copy of Demon Days on his portable CD player back in 2006, hearing Feel Good Inc. for the first time, I was enchanted by the talent Albarn had, making me seek out in my late teens so much more of his work. Gorillaz last 2 albums Humanz and The Now Now, I really admired the work that had gone into them, and really dug a good few tracks from both, but I didn’t catch myself sinking into the sofa the way I did with Demon Days almost 15 years ago, which is a shame but perhaps I just wasn’t mentally mature enough to appreciate it properly. But with all this in mind, not even really paying much attention to the buildup to the release of this new record from Gorillaz, the drop of it made me really take a moment to genuinely take in all of what Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett had to offer this time round.
Gorillaz this time around have set out to change the meaning of the classic album. All throughout the promotion for this LP has been the labelling of each track being an “Episode”, and the album being called “Season One”. People consume music differently now to 2010, or even 1990. Genres and styles being more like parks you can stroll into whenever you please as opposed to strict labelled and rulebooked formats, and Song Machine: Strange Timez pushes that idea forward more than ever before. The last effort from Gorillaz strayed further away from artist features, whereas Strange Timez is a collaborative powerhouse. Damon really solidified himself as a producer similar to the work of Calvin Harris, Mark Ronson or Josh Homme’s Desert Sessions. Not that there was ever any doubt of Albarn’s producing work, but this record really puts that motion forward in a more prevalent way due to the nature of the featured artists throughout the album. Speaking of featured artists, Damon really pulled out all the stops for this, with features from Robert Smith, Elton John, Skepta, Tony Allen, Slowthai, Slaves, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Georgia, Peter Hook, Beck and St Vincent – and that’s not even everyone! So the talent flowing through Song Machine’s veins is completely clear.
What brilliantly works is the soundscape of the entire project. When incorporating so many different artists it can often come together quite patchy as different artists have different inspiration, but here Damon works with his fellow contemporaries to ensure each one isn’t out of their comfort zones performing in a way that isn’t natural to them, but all the same wrapping each track in the smooth chilled out production that makes this album so Gorillaz. It all blends together in such a brilliant way, nothing and nobody is shoehorned in, every line and feature has a reason to be there and it makes out for such a cool listening experience, with Damon’s voice as the final ribbon tying each track together splendidly.
Title track Strange Timez featuring Robert Smith is a fantastic start, firstly it’s Robert Smith, hearing his voice on anything new these days is already a recipe for success, but the vocal wails and almost demonic sounding harmonies combined with the plonky piano keys and thin synth bass create this heightened feeling of uncertainty to match the idea of stranger times. The chorus on this also is just brilliant to dance to, and with Damon Albarn’s classic megaphone/radio filtered vocals just completely smashing it. The Valley Of The Pagans featuring Beck is a shiny modern disco bonanza. With Yamaha synths that sound as if they come straight out of a Sega Mega Drive game, collided with Beck’s vocals that sound almost like his earlier work from the 90s but definitely moulded to a more modern made performance. The Lost Chord with guest artist Leee John is a nice less hectic more tranquil track that makes you want to go for a drive at 2am on the empty motorways, absolute bliss and Leee John’s vocals are just luscious to listen to.
Pac-Man featuring ScHoolboy Q kicks off with a Bruce almighty sounding “alrighty” as the funky fat synth line lifts this track into an alternate reality Snoop Dogg instrumental, with ScHoolboy’s verse flowing so well with the lucid production that this whole album is jam-packed with. Chalk Tablet Towers with St. Vincent shows off some nice modern pop techniques, the synth and vocal effects emote a Drake style performance which works quite nicely. St. Vincent’s vocals backing up Damon’s mix delightfully well giving this larger choir effect even though it’s just the two of them singing together. The Pink Phantom is an interesting track, guest starring Elton John and 6LACK, the chill hop production matches the expected style of Damon and 6LACK’s verses, but when Elton John starts singing, it takes you back for a moment, something so odd that goes against expectations, yet sounding quite smooth regardless, as if Elton’s singing from an empty kitchen, which again adds to the laid back production of the album.
Aries featuring BRIT School alumni Georgia and Peter Hook from Joy Division and New Order, is a really nice slightly out of place slice of cake in the hipster coffee shop that is Song Machine. Sounding essentially like what a modern New Order song should sound like, the iconic high up the neck chorus infected bass performance from Hooky is delicious, evoking such nostalgia for New Order’s Power, Corruptions and Lies, and Georgia’s drumming motifs compliment Hook’s bass performance almost annoyingly well, it’s a power duo that makes you think, why haven’t we done that before? But it all gets interwoven within the consciousness of Song Machine so well, it’s a sound that fits the album really well, but being such a specific sound it demands to be noticed, and really for damn good reason. Friday 13th with French-British rapper Octavian is a song that takes you to cloud 9, with ska-ish guitar and reggae trumpets that really add a flair of summery vibes, and also bringing some more Peter Hook influenced bass playing in the background of the mix that helps ground this album to connection and a consistent progression of sound that as someone who’s ecstatic when an album feels like an album where things were planned and imagined in mind in context with the tracks it shares a small universe with, really released the serotonin in my head when listening to the album for the first time.
The final three tracks on the standard edition (yes there is an extended deluxe edition just in case the 11 tracks don’t fill your cup) of this album or season as Gorillaz are branding Song Machine: Strange Timez, nicely tie everything together. Dead Butterflies has a wonderful piano sound, hearing Damon say in the studio at the start “can we just loop that last piano part, little bit”. Featuring vocals from Roxani Arias and Kano, encapsulating this trio of perspectives from different backgrounds and cultures that clash and combine like a dance between man and fire, a trait that’s to be said for all 3 of these last tracks. Désolé is a wonderfully evocative track with some of my favourite production and songwriting on the entire project, the bass groove, soft funkish guitar, the silky jazz inspired piano that carries throughout the song, the breakdown that brings strings into the mix flipping the genre’s embedded within the song already on its head, all combined with the beautiful African percussion instrumentation, all set in place for the astonishing vocal performance from Fatoumata Diawara. Désolé is one of those rare pieces of art that makes you put everything aside to just take in just what it has to offer.
The closing track was the first single we were treated to at the start of this year, Momentary Bliss with Slaves and slowthai. Ending the album on a high with a bang. The slap of punk, punk-rap and the Song Machine sound continue to be a thrash of sounds that all come together in a harmonious way, evoking classic Gorillaz vibes, tarnished by the modern sound of Song Machine in such a beefy and delightful way.
There’s definitely a sonic contradiction all throughout this album. Firstly with the original intention of it not being an album, just a bunch of released songs, which swifty changed over time, the fact that songs later in production had to be recorded with social distancing and other covid precautions, to the fact that this album has quite a heavy emphasis on the chill lo-fi sound design whilst also having giant household names feature all over the album, and having so many different levels of inspiration and genre, it gives it this strange contained perception, it definitely feels like a lockdown album and definitely benefits from that. Song Machine: Season One, Strange Timez is the perfect analogy of what a modern record should be, and it wasn’t even trying to be that in the slightest. It demonstrates the focused ability and talent of Damon Albarn and company, and shows just what people can do during periods of quarantine, uncertainty and the lack of constant information and inspiration. It shows the power of what happens when people work together and manages to convey an escape from the strange times we’re all going through right now.
Listen to Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez on Spotify now.
If there were ever such a thing as a mic drop in the form of a musical expression, Nothing But Thieves’ third studio album Moral Panic would be it. Completely outdoing themselves, the band’s modern social commentary manages to absolutely blow your socks off, make you question the morality and purpose of the socks you had, and think about how to go about choosing socks for the future. Confused? You should be, this album has so much going on so bare with me whilst I attempt to process and take in all it has to offer because man does this record go *clap* off *clap*.
The production is immaculate, somehow fusing rock, house and disco music together in a way where each element feels like it’s in a constant battle with each other, yet manages to work coherently in a whirlpool of exposure. Now Nothing But Thieves have never been a band to shy away from electronic and RnB influences within their music, ever since their debut we heard thumpers like Hostage or the title track from the band’s sophomore LP Broken Machine, which definitely have energetic electronic inspiration, but Moral Panic takes it to another level. Imagine the amount of Chemical X put into the creation of the Powerpuff Girls but on steroids, that’s this album’s DNA.
Kicking off the album we have Unperson which is a beast of a banger, the clash of robotic monotone vocals thrashed against the screams of anguish all from Conor Mason, giving this dystopian feel of dread that fits in with the world we live in or at least the very direction we’re heading in the current climate. As I said in the review for this track back in September, it wouldn’t feel out of place in a Hacienda type venue and the more you listen the more it begs to be played in a club like venue through massive speakers to absolutely destroy you. This whole album is the perfect soundtrack to the end of the world. Swiftly keeping up the pace the album spits Is Everybody Going Crazy? At you, a corker we’ve had the pleasure of hearing since March that resonated with us all then, and absolutely still does now. From the menacing riffs and guitar work that cuts straight into your soul, to the melodic and rhythmic vocals that get stuck in your head, this track just heavily demands you to pay attention, gripping you closer to the edge of your seat before the chorus takes it four to the floor and gets you up to dance as the world starts to fall apart around you.
The title track Moral Panic starts off with a sudden change of tone, making you listen to this new perspective, much more a’la Graveyard Whistling, but after the first chorus when the bass kicks in, and drums pick up the tempo, UK garage-like piano lifts the song into a new ballpark that grooves with you with the haunting lines of “This is the last day of my life, yours too / Haven’t you ever seen the ocean look so blue? And if we’re running out of time, she said all of the children are so anxious they’re on edge / Yeah, it’s tense, so tense” with the choruses “Moral panic is setting in / Terror fever, it’s too late to begin”. The song almost feels as if it’s going through an identity crisis, but through that it matches the tone of the track and makes it all the more manic and exciting to hear. Real Love Song follows it and continues this changed tone but sticks with it’s set dynamic. A blissful ballad with some killer riffs that melt you down, it’s that defining song that all the indie kids will cover all year round but to it’s credit, it’s brilliantly deserved.
Next up Phobia takes control and immediately at the start gives off a Billie Eilish vibe, from the 808ish kick drum loop to the quiet whispery vocals, there’s most definitely some inspiration from the gen Z giant, but 1 minute 40 seconds in the song gives us this meaty guitar part that begins to transform the song from Eilish enlightener to regal rocking anthem, which changes tempo later on transforming the vibe of the song almost conveying the feelings of mass panic so job well done lads. This Feels Like the End takes the uptempo afterburn and sticks it on a treadmill. The electronic drums are a great addition to the tonality of this track, and make the chorus pop out so perfectly, the 00s pop-rock guitar chords and acoustic drum kit leading the way for this almost nostalgic sound to match the idea of your life flashing before your eyes before your final moments. Whether intentional or not, the sound design for this album is ridiculous and contains so much reference and meaning you can’t help but listen in awe of the work gone into making it.
We then get to experience a trio of tracks back to back with a much more calmer atmosphere. Free If We Want It is a much more chilled out dynamic, but yet again still showing some influence from the music of the 00s, perhaps subtle Kings Of Leon/Kaiser Chiefs inspiration with the chorus guitar hooks, but unmistakably Nothing But Thieves all the same. Impossible is the flipside to the coin that is Real Love Song, perhaps rivalling it’s online viral cover potential. Impossible is a sweet love song albeit with some twisted lyrics sure, but it conveys the message of how love is this heavy stigma of perfection that doesn’t seem real at first, with the quintessential emotions being flooded by lust “I could drown myself in someone like you / I could dive so deep I never come out /I thought it was impossible, but you make it possible”
There Was Sun continues the vibe but expands it, there’s more volume here, there’s more grit and it helps to convey this beautiful song. Funky melodies sung along to phased glittery guitar which almost signals the synesthesia of sunbeams into your head. This track delves into the realm of psychedelics, the ambience really forcing the space age noise out, and it’s a sound that Nothing But Thieves pulls off really well. The outro also smoothly transitions into the next track which dials the guitars up again ready for a Nothing But Thieves anthem.
Can You Afford To Be An Individual? Happens to be my absolute highlight of this album, from the dirty riff to the perfectly timed melodies, emoting more like rap verses at times, to the actual content of the lyrics being sung. And my god the absolute anger and passion Conor has when he sings is just breathtaking. The pre-chorus breakdown with vocal chopping/sampling, ambient noises and euphoric build up just really nails that Moral Panic idea through sounds before climaxing to a dirty and beefy guitar riff that sends shivers to your bones. Talking of the lyrics, in an interview the band discussed and said “It’s completely pessimistic and lunatic, the lyrics are fantastic and Joe absolutely smashed it. It’s not even saying, ‘here are the answers’, it’s just holding up a mirror like, ‘this is you. Deal with it’. It’s disgusting and ugly”. I can’t really do it justice but I mean just listen to the song and hear for yourself. “So, how’s it bеing a prisoner of your own illusion? Upon a pedestal, revelling in your own confusion / I see you hide behind your altar or your constitution, but you can’t live forever in your own echo chamber” This song isn’t about subtlety, being so politically charged specifically at the state of America currently, but because of that it doesn’t need to be. The point is subtle political songs about what’s wrong with the world and its inhabitants have been done, and not enough has changed, we need more We Didn’t Start The Fire’s and Love It If We Made It’s because the message isn’t clear and it’s not sinking in.
Before We Drift Away closes the album and starts off with definitive Radiohead vibes that is a complete breakaway from the chaos that just ensued with Can You Afford To Be An Individual, like the comedown from a high. The twinkly guitars juxtaposing the staccato violins almost exist as an example on how two completely different and intense emotions and attitudes are pinned against each other all throughout Moral Panic, finally come together in a opposing ended dance, tied together by the final choruses of overdriven electric guitar, dropped off ambiguously to the jangly guitars from the beginning and Conor’s vocals singing “I don’t wanna grow old” ending the album on a note for retrospective.
I think in years to come people will look back on this album in two ways. One being its very of its time, the systematic themes it discusses and the messages it gets into your head, but also see it as an album ahead of its time. I guess it’s up to us as a species what we do from now for the future, whether it’s the division between classes, climate change or a global pandemic. To go forward with hope and ambition for a better tomorrow, in amongst the Moral Panic we are living in now, there will always be hope for those who seek it. But to finish off I mean what more can I say? Nothing But Thieves have made a fantastic album here, from the new sounds delved into, the smooth as hell production, the stench of the present day topics it digs into to just the absolute quality of songwriting that Conor Mason, Joe Langridge-Brown, Dominic Craik, Philip Blake and James Price have completely nailed down to a ‘T’. Only time will tell, but I think this may already be one of the greatest albums this decade has to offer. It’s young, prevalent, dirty, ambitious rock that’s sure to brighten up your day, no matter how dark times may be.
