movement of sound

This is the first post I’ve done on an artist I don’t usually listen to, but it was at the request of a dear friend, and who am I to say no to that. However, as a result the format of this post has had to be adapted, but hey sometimes change is a good thing.

I can’t open this post with my favourite Cigarettes after Sex song or lyric, mainly because I don’t have one of either. I did just try to find a cool quote from someone about how not all music is for everyone but unfortunately I return empty handed. Also slight tangent here but I always find it slightly strange when websites give lists of quotes from famous people without any references, how do I know for sure that Confucius said ‘ “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without” hmm? 

Now, with that out of the way, I’m going to start off the rest of this post by outwardly stating that I don’t love Cigarettes After Sex. I find most of the releases to be repetitive and at times, boring, however that is not to say I think they are bad. Each member of the band is clearly talented, though instrumentation within their songs sounds somewhat simplistic and repetitive their music is carefully layered to create a deliberate overall effect. There’s a lazy, kind of languid feel to the songs, both in Gonzalez’s voice and the repetitive note sequences; the music seems to embody the idea of cigarettes after sex, the relaxed aftermath of something strenuous. 

Cigarettes after Sex, for me, served more as background noise than being a form of music that I had, or indeed wanted, to actively listen to. There is something to be said for this kind of music, music that you can put on as background noise, which lacks the intrusive quality that requires intense listening or focus. There is a complete lack of any suffocating elements to the sound of the music alone, which at times can be just as nice as more immersive listening. I guess the categorisation of the band as being ‘ambient pop’ is particularly fitting, the overall sound of Cigarettes after Sex is more atmospheric, fitting into their somewhat shoegaze-y, dreamy, style and Gonzalez’ vocals clearly highlight this, and are clearly the focus point of each track. 

This isn’t something I tend to overly focus on when it comes to music, but due to the instrumental aspects of this artist’s releases I feel focus on the lyrics is necessary. When talking to my friend about it they specified it was the ‘raw emotion’ of the songs, evident in the lyrics, that they particularly connected to. From my understanding Cigarettes after Sex largely deal with the topic of love, and relationships, which is most noticeable in their lyrics, and this appeals to some people. 

Favourite Song:  25, Alive

Be Kind To Me.

Personal Background: 

I initially found out about Oh, Rose from something the Future Islands twitter account retweeted, they had just released the their single ‘25, Alive’ and oh boy. This is a song that was heavily influenced by the passing away of lead singer Olivia Rose’ mother and speaks of grief and how powerful, negative emotions often culminate in anger. My own mum was pretty sick a few years ago now, and I guess part of me can identify with the powerlessness you experience when faced with something you cannot change. Between numerous trips to the hospital and having to go a pretty long period of time with none of doctors being able to say exactly what was wrong, powerlessness and anger are pretty dominant emotions in your life. I think this might be the first time I’ve cried writing one of these blog posts and sometimes I wonder if I get too personal when I write them, but I think personal experiences shape our experience of and interaction with music. I believe it wouldn’t be fair for me to write about music that I feel strongly about when my own personal circumstances are what gave the music meaning to me, if that makes any sense. But anyway, back to the band. Needless to say, after I heard ‘25, Alive’ I absolutely had to hear more from this band. There was also a really stunning interview between Olivia Rose and John Richards on KEXP radio a little while back now in which they spoke about ‘death and music’ (once again I was reminded that so many brilliant artists are so humble and pure and so, so kind) and the strong connection that exists between our experiences of death and music. I think it has a lot to do with the memories we form around music and I think something about this sentiment explains why people are so obsessed with the music they want played at their funeral, because music can describe you as a person and express things you no longer can. My aunt has been dead around ten years now, but without doubt if I hear the song ‘Holding Back the Years’ by Simply Red I will think of her, because that was her song, and that was one of the songs played at her funeral.

Judgement:

I can’t think of just one genre I can use to define the music Oh, Rose makes, its so diverse without deviating too far from their main components. The instrumentation remains largely the same for their later releases, with Olivia Rose as the lead vocalist and guitarist, Sarah Redden on synth, Kevin Christopher on bass, and Liam Hindahl on drums; all of whom are incredibly talented. I guess a large part of any change in Oh, Rose’s sound from their first release ‘A Date at The Guest House’ - which was recorded in one take over one night - to their most recent album ‘While My Father Sleeps', would be growth. Growth, development and a kind of analysis of reality seems to be a common theme in Oh, Rose’s music, their songs ‘Baby’, 'Luke Rose’ and ‘Prom’ seem to focus on the idea of generational relationships between family members, as well as personal growth and the understanding of the individual. Whereas tracks such as ‘Harrypotterjuana’ and ‘Politics’ seem to look at the individual and their interaction with the world around them, whether it be through the need to escape throughout life, from books to recreational drug usage, or the idea that growing up leaves you exposed to the harsh realities of life and the feeling of wanting to stay young to avoid that. Needless to say, an essential part of Oh, Rose’s unique sound is due to the vocals, there is an haunting element to the way Olivia Rose sings and her vocal range is phenomenal, and yet despite this the instrumentation remains clearly audible, layered, and progresses throughout most of their songs, rather than remaining static or repetitive. This also makes it more noticeable when the instruments slow down or stop altogether in order to bring attention solely to the vocals. For example, around a minute into their song ‘Seven’ all instrumentation pauses whilst Olivia Rose’s voice builds up, finally resuming as she reaches the highest note of that line. Speaking of which, Olivia Rose is so, so talented, her vocals occasionally border on spoken word for some of their songs, like ‘Politics’, or mimic a child-like baby voice that almost sounds like whining in the song ‘Baby’. Whereas at other times her voice is shrill and almost screaming, much like the cathartic outburst of anger we all experience sometimes, like the screaming on the beach idea in Daughter’s music video for ‘How’. The way sound expresses emotion is made extremely clear through this band’s releases.

Bonus Point:

I feel that Olivia Rose is vulnerable in a way that is both beautiful and tragic without being sad, and I’m grateful she managed to find people she can identify with and that help her use music as a safe, creative outlet for her emotional experiences.

P.P.S

Favourite Song: Hard Times

They’re in the business of misery.

Personal Background:

I did not properly listen to Paramore until probably sometime around the beginning of 2019 and oh boy was that a mistake. I was massively into “emo music” when I was a bit younger, probably around thirteen / fourteen, and though I had bands like My Chemical Romance, Panic! and Fall Out Boy on repeat the only Paramore songs I really knew were ‘Ignorance’ and ‘Misery Business’, and even then that was just through passing. I remember many of my friends had a weird dismissive attitude when it came to Paramore, and I guess that largely discouraged me from checking them out which is a shame. I also remember I didn’t lose this kind of mindset for a long time, I read a pretty dismissive article about ‘Ain’t it Fun’ maybe a year after its release which had some pretty horrible things to say about the lyrics and Hayley Williams’ age and though I didn’t think much of it at the time, now I’m older and I’ve really listened to what the band’s vocalist has to say all I can really say is that was such utter rubbish. It’s unfair that an influential platform was being used to dismiss such great music. I’ve been able to relate to a lot of Paramore’s music and god if there’s one thing I could say to Hayley Williams it would probably be bless you for not letting these weird, negative reviews put you off making music. Its almost enough to put me off music journalists entirely (minus this one possible future music journalist guy I know who’s real cool). Picking a favourite song was incredibly hard, and I tend to not like highlighting favourites when it comes to music, however ‘Hard Times’ is just the perfect mix of acknowledging that situations won’t always be good, but also that you manage to get through them, as impossible it may seem at the time.

Judgement:

Paramore’s music has changed since their beginnings, from emo punk on their album ‘Riot!’ to a kind of electronic pop, almost new wave sound on ‘After Laughter’ and yet something about the band hasn’t changed at all. Paramore as a band has this quality where you can play any one of their songs and know it’s them just from the sound alone, this might have something to do with Hayley Williams’ vocals which are nothing less than phenomenal, oh boy the power she has over her voice is just incredible. The band also hit the sweet spot when it comes to making music with meaning that also sounds good, especially, I think, on ‘After Laughter’. Speaking of which, the increased focus on electronic elements within their music, like the synth, which to me is especially noticeable in the interaction between the bass and synth in ‘Fake Happy’, is possibly one of the best things the band could have decided to do. 

Bonus Point:

Favourite Song: Bad Friend

Bad Friend, But Still I Love You.

Personal Background:

Well, its essay time at uni which means I have missed a significant number of weekly updates. Its funny that I write this even though as far as I know tumblr posts aren’t timestamped so there is no way for anyone to see that I haven’t been sticking to my schedule. Anyway, onto Bear Hands! I have only heard one Bear Hands album in its entirety, ‘Distractions’, but I absolutely love it. I first found them a few years ago, after the creator of one of the webcomics I really liked labelled ‘Giants’ as being the song which best fit the comic. My favourite songs from that album would probably be ‘Bad Friend’, but also ‘Sleeping on the Floor’ and ‘Giants’ are extremely good songs. As for their other music, ‘Boss’ is a great song, and so is ‘Reptilians’, and though they have an overall sound that is different from the tracks presented on ‘Distractions’ some similar elements are clearly present which creates an overlap between their new and old music which kind of neatly ties the band up.

Judgement:

Bear Hands is overwhelmingly American in sound, I honestly have no idea if that makes sense but that’s the word that comes to my head when thinking about how to describe them. Maybe its got something to do with the intonations of Rau’s vocals, especially in their performance of ‘Agora’ on Conan. The band uses unsual topic choices for the lyricism in a lot of their songs, from the edgy love story presented in ‘Giants’ to the song written from the perspective of someone with agoraphobia in their song ‘Agora’. However, any heavy tones are often disjointed with the upbeat and somewhat simple instrumentation present in a lot of their songs. Bear Hands manages to create alternative / indie rock that I wouldn’t say is particularly revolutionary within that genre yet still offer something that feels new and enjoyable to listen to.

Bonus Point:

Favourite Song: The Fountain

Baltimore seems to be the place for a lot of good music.

Personal Background:

I really, really like Future Islands. Synth-pop is a genre I enjoy anyway but there’s something about the overall sound of the band that really appeals to me. A lot of their songs, too, revolve around subject matter that I like, such as the sea or other bodies of water, or the topic of relationships. To me it sounds like in a lot of their songs Herring is singing towards one specific person. It’s interesting how we can take music written for a specific reason, or maybe no reason at all, and re-purpose it to apply to our own situations, and the fact that the music Future Islands produces, specifically the song ‘Time On Her Side’, clearly resonated with a friend of mine just reinforces the fact that music goes beyond just being pretty sounds. Bands like this are so, so important.

Judgement:

The overall sound of Future Islands, with their prominent bass lines, clear synth sounds and Herring’s unique vocals, is very attractive. The videos of their live performances that I’ve seen have been really dynamic and the way Herring sings is so passionate and so full of energy and emotion, it’s so cool. The band members themselves seem really cool and just all-round really nice. (They were also the band that introduced me to ‘Oh, Rose’ which I will be forever grateful for - but more on that later)

Bonus Point:

CD POST

RECORD POST

Favourite Song: Used To Be (2008 version)

Victoria Leg.

Personal Background:

Beach House was my first introduction to dream pop, I came across them earlier this year and though at first I didn’t fully ‘get’ it I definitely did after a few listens and a shuffle session in my bed in the middle of the night. As I listened I came across the 2008 single version of ‘Used to Be’ with the faded greenish swimming pool cover and as I listened to it I don’t know how to describe what it did to me other than saying that I felt it. This might have been one of the first times a song managed to make me cry for reasons I don’t know how to explain. I then went on to slowly work my way through the rest of their releases and I don’t think I’ve come across any song I can say I didn’t like, though some are more memorable than others and I have my own favourites, there’s something about the music this band produces that is just too good. I remember Victoria Legrand once said something in an interview that really resonated with me, she said something along the lines of that she wouldn’t consider herself to be a master at playing instruments or anything like that, and that she doesn’t consider herself an expert, but rather she’ll sit down and play around with the instruments until she hears something she likes the sound of. That’s what music is all about really, at it’s most basic level, its not about showing off, or focusing on only intensely difficult techniques, its about finding something that sounds or feels good to you, and creating something that you’re proud of.

Judgement:

I think every Beach House song is good, and I think the albums are very carefully crafted to hold an overall sound within each song that pieces the album together really well. The synth sounds throughout their songs are amazing and definitely an inspiration to me, and Legrand’s vocals are, of course, phenomenal. Alex Scally’s guitar playing frames a lot of their songs really well, and in the occasions where he sings alongside Legrand his vocals bring something different but necessary to the tracks. Honestly when I listen to Beach House the thing I focus more on is the way I feel, so when it comes to the bit of my post where I try to write about the more technical stuff words are failing me a bit. I think I’d quite like to see them live some day.

Bonus Point:

Favourite Song: The Spirit of Radio

Geddy Lee baby!

Personal Background:

Rush, Rush, Rush, Rush, Rush. God, where do I even begin? I love this band, in a period of my life where boredom and apathy were pretty prominent emotions this band managed to make me feel genuinely excited in a way I haven’t for a while. ‘The Spirit of Radio’ is the first song by Rush I ever heard and is definitely one that has a special place in my heart, but I am forever glad I was able to experience more of their music, thanks to a little help from a friend. This band is so so cool, their focus on educating themselves about all sorts of things and their dedication to their respective instruments is truly lovely. I was recently informed that after some of their performances, rather than hanging round to chill and party the members of Rush were more likely to be found reading together. (It feels both wrong and so sad to have to refer to them in the past tense now)

Judgement:

I have listened to quite a few Rush albums in their entirety now - ‘Moving Pictures’, ‘Permanent Waves’, ‘Fly by Night’, ‘2112′, and, well I think you get the gist and each one has managed to completely amaze me. The fact that a band can be so consistently good over a span of around forty years is really something else, whether its a song about being in the public eye or a playful tune complete with a rapping FBI agent skeleton in the background this band smashes it. There’s something about listening to Rush which just completely captivates me, Geddy Lee’s voice is full of excitement and all three of the members just fit together so well to produce music that’s full of life and rich in meaning. 

Bonus Point:

Favourite Song: Moaning Lisa Smile

London roots.

Personal Background:

I am struggling greatly to write this today but I made a promise to myself that I would commit to doing one post per week, so here I am, trying my best. I’m also now realising that the subtitles I chose for the different sections of my posts are really not accurate at all, I don’t think, so maybe I’ll change them sometime soon, or you know, maybe I won’t, who knows honestly. But anyway, yes, Wolf Alice, I first heard of them around five years ago now, when I was in year ten and holy shit what! That was five years ago, bloody hell. Anyway, my English teacher at the time had said she liked them when we asked what kind of music she listened to so I decided to check them out and they were pretty decent I thought, I was in my angsty American punk phase at the time so I didn’t especially like anything other than Sum 41, Blink 182, Good Charlotte, and the like. However, I picked them up again as I was entering into my weird indie/alternative phase and damn. Wolf Alice is amazing, every song is so, so good and Ellie Rowsell is so, so talented, it was really hard to pick a favourite song since all their songs are so unique but ‘Moaning Lisa Smile’ is probably the one that I identify with the most, plus it has a great music video so what else do you need really.

Judgement:

Wolf Alice’s sound is one I find to be truly unique, I don’t think I’ve heard another band that's quite the same, Ellie Rowsell’s vocals and guitar skills are top notch, and the use of synth in their tracks (like ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’, or ‘Sky Musings’) is really clever and not overpowering but rather contributing to the overall sound. The rest of the band are clearly very talented too, and the way Joel’s vocals are something I’m glad the band decided to explore through ‘Swallowtail’. Despite the pretty conventional use of instruments the fact that Wolf Alice can produce such complex music that translates really well into their live performances is truly extraordinary.

Bonus Point:

Favourite Song: Smother

Oh, Elena Tonra.

Personal Background:

The first time I was introduced to Daughter it was through the song ‘Youth’ and I hated it, rather than it being an issue I had with the song it was more of an issue with the person who led to my knowing about the song. It’s funny the impact that other people can have. Rediscovering Daughter earlier this year, I think I can confidently say, was one of the best things that could’ve happened to me. My favourite song is ‘Smother’, which is probably based on lyricism and the meaning the lyrics have for me rather than anything extremely noticeable about the vocals or instrumentation though those are obviously pretty great all the same. 

Judgement:

Everything about the band’s releases is perfect, Elena Tonra’s voice alone is phenomenal but the instrumentation is so powerful too. I was recently granted the chance to listen to an instrumental version of ‘How’ and the fact that the song has the same depth and power without vocals as with them blows my mind, it’s beyond comprehension. The composition of all their music is so intricate and deliberate and everything so carefully contributes to the overall sound of the song, the difference between ‘If You Leave’ and ‘Not To Disappear’ in terms of overall album feel is completely noticeable and each song fits perfectly with the others in that album. I must say that I regard ‘Music from Before the Storm’ as being quite different from their other releases and though still an enjoyable listen it doesn’t convey quite the same depth, probably because that wasn’t its purpose. There’s something so intimate about the way Tonra sings, the way that her lyrics expose so much but are still so subtle, they’re so heart-wrenching I don’t fully know how to word it. Good news at least is that according to the band’s recent instagram usage there’s new music in the works!

Bonus Point:

Favourite Song: Too Late, Colin

Some sweet Atlanta pool rock for the next post.

Personal Background:

Lunar Vacation was a lucky chance find on my Spotify discover weekly, ‘Swimming’ was the first song I heard and I absolutely had to check out the rest of their music, and eventually the band itself. They’re pretty similar in age to me, and that people so young can be so talented is equally parts inspiring and humbling (maybe one day I’ll be able to play something of the same quality), and the fact that they’re really just out there, having fun and travelling together doing live shows all over the place is really just the cutest thing. ‘Too Late, Colin’ is my favourite song - there’s just something about the concept, and maybe there’s an aspect of personal connection with the speaker within the song, but the overall sound and the focus on synth makes it such a great listening experience for me personally.

Judgement:

In every aspect: lyricism, instrumentation, vocals (and anything else that makes up a song) this band pretty much excels. The synth (because of course that’s what I’m focused on) in all their songs is just so so good, Matteo will never not amaze me, hell all of the members are just amazing and god Grace’s voice, oh boy! I think it’s safe to say they have a flawless discography, I absolutely can’t wait for their future releases, especially now that John Michael Young has left to pursue his own solo projects, I wonder if that will affect their sound at all? Guess we’ll have to just wait and see.

Bonus Point:

Favourite Song: Wish You Were Here

What better band to start off with than the one which indirectly started it all?

Personal Background:

Somewhere within my childhood experiences of listening to music loved by my parents I came across Pink Floyd, a pretty classic band choice for most middle aged men, like my dad, I think. Clearly the big ones (The Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall) were the albums most often listened in my house, but a chance listen to Wish You Were Here in the backseat of my parents car whilst driving through a forest was like an awakening for me. The way that song made me feel - sort of nostalgic for past events I hadn’t even experienced - was overwhelming and I instantly loved the song. This happened on the 17th of February, I can say this with confidence because I tweeted about it due to the need to expel these emotions to someone else and I, for some reason, felt like this wasn’t something I could tell to my friends - for being such a public platform twitter sure has a weird sense of privacy to it. It was probably this tweet that started my near obsession with the app I still have to this day, and also the tweet that led to the beginning of my interaction with someone I will probably never forget.

Judgement:

I haven’t listened to every Pink Floyd release yet, I still have a few albums to get through - Meddle and Animals come to mind, so maybe I’ll revisit this topic in the future, or maybe I won’t, it’s up to me really. But anyway, of the albums I have heard, favourites that come to mind include A Momentary Lapse of Reason - completely flawless in my opinion, from the disastrous process of taking the photo for the cover art to the fully immersive listening experience, and probably my favourite Pink Floyd album. The other albums are pretty solid too, The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall are classics for a reason and others, like The Division Bell, really deserve more recognition. The political tones underpinning many of their tracks as well as the subtle references to themes throughout their music, and the experimental style of their music despite the pretty conventional instrumentation always makes for a thrilling time.

Bonus Point: