Tuesday 29 March 2011

Publicity Stunt

It's been a while since my last photo post, mostly because I haven't uploaded anything to Flickr for some time. So here, have a massive update!

Some friends of mine are in a ska band, Publicity Stunt. They played their first couple of shows at The Hill recently and I was there taking photos.













I took more on both nights. Publicity Stunt will be playing more gigs in the near future, so I'll keep you updated on that.

Coming up in the next week or so, photos from Ragfest!

Monday 7 March 2011

Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You

The second album from electronic quintet Does It Offend You, Yeah? is a bizarre experimental affair that doesn’t quite hit the mark. Lead single ‘We are the Dead’ is promising, yet the abstract tribal vocals don’t add anything to the pulsing synth melody. The acoustic intro feels forced, completely at odds to the rest of the song. The chaotic ‘John Hurt’ includes an entirely out of place sample, which is a real shame as the song is otherwise one of the best tracks on the album.

It becomes increasingly clear throughout the record that DIOYY have simply tried to do too much; instead of subtly pushing boundaries, the band have run riot and caused a fair amount of musical destruction. ‘Yeah!’ is an incredibly out-of-tune sounding Pendulum-esque mess. There are a couple of more alt-rock tracks, ‘Pull Out My Insides’ and ‘Wrong Time Wrong Planet’ which aren’t bad at all, but just fail to fit in with the rest of the album. ‘Wrestler’ is a slap in the face vocally and would have worked much better as an instrumental track.

A guest appearance from Trip on ‘Wondering’ is very different to what one would expect from DIOYY but works well with the blistering electronic bass. The chorus is a bit of a let-down due to the cutesy vocals though. The album closes with ‘Broken Arms’, a curious melange of acoustic and electronic that doesn’t meld well, leaving the listener with a distinctly unsettled impression. ‘Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You’ is a mash-up of too many genres; the variety is simply strained rather than welcoming. This is just too weird to get into even after multiple listens, but it has some interesting moments.

Lady Gaga, Everything Everything, Panic! at the Disco singles

A few single reviews for you this week...

Lady Gaga – Born This Way
Lady Gaga is back with a classic pop track that is a more generic outing, lacking the quirky shimmer of previous singles. However, ‘Born This Way’ is sure to be a massive hit and an instant floor-filler, deservedly so.

Everything Everything – Final Form
This low key single is well-composed, with delicate layers of vocals and subtle electronic melody. ‘Final Form’ isn’t the most accessible of songs, yet it shows off Everything Everything at their best.

Panic! At The Disco – The Ballad of Mona Lisa
Following the departure of half the band members, Panic! At The Disco have finally regrouped and return with an excellent new track. The folky Beatles sound of previous album ‘Pretty. Odd.’ has fortunately vanished and the loss of primary lyricist Ryan Ross hasn’t impacted the band’s ability to come up with original, memorable music at all. ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ matches the creepy cabaret atmosphere of first album ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’ with Fall Out Boy style pop rock to make a track that has definitely been worth the wait.

Friday 4 March 2011

Dinosaur Pile-Up – My Rock ‘n’ Roll

Dinosaur Pile-Up – My Rock ‘n’ Roll

This grunge-tinged track is a winner, matching a chaotic breakdown with fun vocal harmonies. This has all the ingredients to do well in the mainstream, yet is still undeniably rock music.

I interviewed the band ahead of their show at Bristol O2 Academy last week and I will be playing the interview on my radio show on Monday at 3pm, so make sure you listen online!

Twin Atlantic – Edit Me

Twin Atlantic – Edit Me

The storming new single from Scottish rockers Twin Atlantic is a high-powered affair, more hard-hitting than their previous singles. Definitely a sign that the new album is likely to be just as good.

Call the Doctor – Take It Out

Call the Doctor – Take It Out

Featuring understated sultry vocals, this post-punk single could do with a bit more vitality to give it that extra kick. The instrumental parts are more infused with energy, which doesn’t match up with the vocals. Worth listening to, but definitely leaves you wanting a bit more. B-side ‘Gregory, You’re a Star’ has the punk edge that ‘Take It Out’ lacks, and would work well in a live setting.