Alive In The Superunknown #2 - Please by Jakwob ft Kano

The cover of Jakwob's EP 'The Prize', © Boom Ting Recordings

A couple of weeks ago, I was facing the agonizing dilemma of picking a new song worthy of introducing to the readers of this blog. I wanted to find something new; something special that transcends genres and creates a completely original, unique mood and sound. I was listening to the radio one evening, and on came 'Please' by dubstep producer and DJ Jakwob, featuring hip hop artist Kano. Instantly, I knew I'd found the track that I'd been looking for.

If you were lost at the words 'dubstep' and 'hip hop', then hear me out! As I said, this track doesn't fit comfortably into either genre - it contains the ambient, smooth sounds of some electronic sub-genres (check out the producer Emancipator if you're a fan of the smooth, calm side of this track, as it's very similar to his style), soft vocals reminiscent of alternative artists like Radiohead and early Coldplay, and rap sections coupled with a strong pulse which echoes the key elements of hip hop. In fact, I persuaded one of the biggest rock fans and biggest haters of dubstep and hip hop at my college to listen to this song, and she admitted that "it's pretty cool". Jakwob has thus created a piece of music with 'Please' that contains features of genres like hip hop and electronic that will please (excuse the pun!) die-hard fans of those particular styles, but is also accessible to people who don't necessarily listen to the aforementioned genres.

So, to the song itself. 'Please' truly is a piece of art. My only criticism is that the clapped beats themselves are perhaps too loud, and although they are important to maintain the pulse of the music, they perhaps detract a little from the most original features of the music - the piano melodies and chords, soft vocal singing, unique rapping and ambient background noise. 

The piano introduction alone is a work of genius which wouldn't seem out of place alongside the works of modern classical greats such as Ludovico Einaudi. The piano remains throughout the track and is imperative in keeping a sense of consistency throughout the different sections of the song.

On top of this, Jakwob uses ambient, environmental sounds effectively to transport the listener into a whole new world with his music. Listen closely to the track in a quiet room and you'll notice all sorts of unusual, miscellaneous sounds such as what appears to be the beating of a bird's wings, breathing and quiet, syncopated beats almost too subtle to hear. You get the feeling that 'Please' is more than just a track - it's a mood, an atmosphere and an experience.

The vocals themselves create a perfect top line to accompany the creative backing music. Jakwob's soft, echoed singing puts the listener into a tranquil, calm state, and the deep, poetic lyrics - "Shadows glide in the moonlight/Stars are whispering down" - provide food for thought amongst what is in effect a great piece of contemplation music. Kano's rapping provides a contrast to this, adding a rawer, harsher edge to the minimalist, simple backing music and placid singing of the accompanying verses.  His rapping style is as versatile as Jakwob's production, with intensity and passion juxtaposed with subtlety, calmness and a laid-back feel. As much as that description appears to be a complete mess of contradicting terms, upon hearing the song I'm sure that you'll understand what I mean!

By the end of the track, it has gone full circle, and as the lone piano plays out once again, I for one only have one thought in my mind: Repeat. 'Please' is a track that, in my experience, just doesn't get old. With every listen a new sound is discovered, a new element to the track that adds to its underlying complexity without destroying the overall simplistic, minimalistic sound. As long as Jakwob keeps creating material as special and unique as this, the music industry will certainly be hearing a lot more from him in the future.

PsyD

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'Please' is available to download for free as part of Jakwob's EP 'The Prize', which is available from his website www.jakwob.com. I've had a brief listen to some of the other songs on the mixtape, and I can safely confirm that they are as unusual and fantastic as 'Please'! It's definitely worth downloading the EP and having a listen.

And now for blog news! Coming up next week I'll of course review an older track, to fit in with the pattern of the 'Alive in the Superunknown' feature of writing about new hits and classic jams alternately. Next week I'll be reviewing...

'If I Were In Your Shoes' by You Me At Six

So stay tuned to the blog for that! 

I may have to put some other projects (my promised article on the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and other articles on gigs/albums) on hold for a week or two now, as the deadline is fast approaching to get my college magazine edited and ready to print before the end of term! After that however, I hope to have a lot of time on my hands, and as a result be able to publish a lot more content on this site. Don't worry though - 'Alive in the Superunknown' is here to stay, and will be posted every week no matter what!

Alive In The Superunknown #1 - Prowler by Iron Maiden

This week sees the debut of a new feature on this blog, ‘Alive In The Superunknown’, in which I choose a track a week and write about its musical significance. There is without a doubt no better way to kickstart this exploration of musical milestones than with a song that was partially responsible for the explosion of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and almost fully responsible for the career of the UK’s biggest (and in my opinion best) ever metal band, Iron Maiden.

The Bandwagon's 'Heavy Metal Chart', with 'Prowler' at the top

Although 'Prowler' itself was never a single, it was the opening track on the band’s first self-titled album, and more importantly opened their first ever demo tape and EP. The band’s demo – which later became ‘The Soundhouse Tapes’ EP – was responsible for their shoot to success in the NWOBHM scene when it was handed to Neal Kay, the DJ at The Bandwagon Heavy Metal Soundhouse. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, The Soundhouse was the centre of the booming London metal scene. When Iron Maiden’s bassist Steve Harris offered Neal Kay his band’s demo, the DJ’s reaction was an incredulous “Yeah, you and half the world mate!”. On the official documentary 'The History of Iron Maiden: The Early Days' Kay admits that it wasn’t until he played the cassette for the first time that he thought “This is really happening! Who are these guys?”. Within a week 'Prowler' was Number 1 on The Bandwagon’s chart of most requested songs, above established and esteemed bands such as Black Sabbath, Rush and Judas Priest. The song was consistently received with a fantastic reception by regulars at the club.

“Me and Paul[Dianno, Iron Maiden’s vocalist at the time] actually went down there one night, and obviously no-one knew who we were, so we just went and stood and sort of, waited to see what happens when we came on, and when they played Prowler the place went berserk! There was people up like, throwing serious shapes, with all the air guitar and all this business. We were going ‘What the hell’s going on here? Is this real thing happening?’” – Steve Harris in 'The History of Iron Maiden: The Early Days'

After the success brought to the band by 'Prowler', they went on to play sold-out shows with storming success at venues like The Bandwagon, which led to them being spotted by EMI and becoming signed artists. The rest, as they say, is history!

Upon listening to ‘Prowler’, it becomes obvious why the song – and as a result the band – was so successful. The track blasts into the speakers with chunky, staccato power chords and a catchy riff layered with a thick wah effect. Paul Dianno’s vocals sound raw and punk-influenced, and coupled with Steve Harris’ signature, virtuosic bass playing style create a truly unique sound. The lyrics may not be especially poetic – centered around a prowling exhibitionist – but if anything their simplicity makes them all the more catchy! It’s practically guaranteed that after listening to 'Prowler', you’ll be singing “Got me talking but, feel like walking around!” all day long. Add to this mix an extremely technical, impressive guitar solo, a fast pace and strong pulse to rock out to, and the melodic guitar and bass flourishes that define the genre, and you’re left with a perfect example of what makes the NWOBHM so great.

By the time the drums roll and crash to the song's conclusion, Iron Maiden have made clear their position in the music scene, as well as establishing the signature sound that is still present in even their latest albums. The raw, untamed energy and musical talent of 'Prowler' is the very reason why Iron Maiden rose to the position that they are at, and why to this day, decades after the song’s release, they are still at the top of the heavy metal game.

...So, there's the first edition of 'Alive In The Superunknown'! What did you think? (Leave constructive feedback below, please!) I can now reveal that the song that I'll be writing about next week is...

'Please' by Jakwob ft. Kano

In case you've missed some of my earlier blog posts, the reason why I'm following such a classic metal track with a brand new, experimental jam is because each week I'll be alternating between older, milestone tracks and new, exciting hits. This means that by following the blog, you might discover a new favourite band from the realms of past or present music! 

Leave a comment if there are any new or classic songs that you'd like to see me write about - I take requests!

PsyD

Nameless + Last Man Standing + Hex – Saturday 16th June 2012, Stoke Sugarmill

Usually, The Sugarmill in Stoke is full of life on a Saturday night, with music fans flocking to see local bands doing what they do best to celebrate the weekend. However, due to a combination of the gig’s clash with Stoke 2012 Live, which saw a host of chart-topping megastars perform live in the city, and the failure of some of the Sugarmill concert’s performers in captivating the crowd, the gig was sadly disappointing overall.

To begin, Sugarmill first-timers Hex provided a fantastic start to the show, and the evening looked optimistic despite a sparse audience. Their note-perfect covers of well-known hits like Jet’s ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ and Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’ went down a storm, and the enthusiastic audience gradually increased in number and in energy throughout their set. The band had a strong stage presence, casually interacting with the crowd throughout, and their confidence and energy shone through. Their ‘70s/’80s metal-inspired sound and sense of fun meant that the audience clapped and sang along with gusto and Hex left the stage to rapturous applause.

 However, the show went downhill from here, sadly, with Last Man Standing (see left). Musically, they couldn’t be faulted, with soaring vocals, extremely technical guitar work and a classic NWOBHM*-esque sound. The issue came with their stage presence. Where Hex appeared to be having a whale of a time onstage, Last Man Standing looked lethargic and shy throughout, as if playing in a room on their own. Indeed, they nearly ended up achieving this result – as their set went on, the crowd dispersed more and more. The band only seemed to truly let go and become comfortable onstage with the last song of their set, where we finally saw movement and enjoyment on the faces of the 5-piece, but it was too little too late – by that point, they’d already lost most of the audience drawn by Hex, and failed to warm the crowd up for Nameless.

On the other hand, Nameless (see right) performed a great set, both musically and regarding crowd interaction. However, because of the destruction of momentum caused by Last Man Standing, they played to around 40 people in a venue with a capacity of 400, and these few people most definitely weren’t ready to rock. In terms of music, the band displayed Metallica-style vocals, and more NWOBHM and Thrash Metal influenced distorted guitars, basslines and drum beats. The hyper-active frontman seemed the embodiment of the ‘rock n’ roll attitude’ that Hex utilised and that Last Man Standing failed to express, with one-liners like “We’re Nameless and we’ve already broke the mic. Let’s see you clapping, you’ve all got hands!” entertaining the audience throughout. The lead guitarist even ran into the audience and performed a solo with his guitar around someone’s neck, in an attempt to turn the show around and win back the crowd! If I were to review Nameless’ set in terms of their performance only therefore, and filtered out the lack of atmosphere brought about by the lack of an enthusiastic audience, it’d be safe to say that Nameless gave it their all, and on any other night the gig would’ve been an immense success.

Overall, Hex and Nameless performed outstanding sets, marred only by the lack of audience and apathetic atmosphere in the venue on that particular night. I definitely recommend seeing the two acts live again, as they deserved a much better reception than they were given at this gig. Last Man Standing had a lot of room for improvement in terms of the entertainment quality of their live concerts, but if it’s just good, honest rock music that you’re looking for, then they might be worth a watch too.

PsyD

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Check out Nameless at:

http://www.myspace.com/namelessrox

Hex at:

http://www.reverbnation.com/hexmusic

And I couldn’t find a website for Last Man Standing (leave a comment if you know the address of their official website and I’ll happily add it to here), but check them out anyway if you see them around in any of your local music venues!

Coming up on Superunknown:

•  This weekend I’ll post the first entry in a new feature ‘Alive in the Superunknown’ where I review a new jam or classic hit weekly. This week: Prowler by Iron Maiden
•  After writing the below footnote, I’ve also decided to produce a blog post on the NWOBHM* movement (as a lifelong Iron Maiden fan, it’s something which has always interested me), so you can expect that sometime in June or early July!

*NWOBHM stands for New Wave of British Heavy Metal – a rock music sensation in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, before the advent of glam rock and nu-metal.

A quick update...

As you've probably gathered already from my previous blog posts, I like to keep people updated with what's coming up on Superunknown. Here's another one of those updates...

• At some point in the next few days I'll be posting my review of last night's gig at The Sugarmill in Stoke-on-Trent, which saw local and unsigned metal artists Nameless, Last Man Standing and Hex take to the stage.
• Next weekend I'll be uploading my review of Prowler by heavy metal titans Iron Maiden - the first of a new track-of-the-week feature called 'Alive in the Superunknown'*
• The weekend after, I'll review a brand new track for 'Alive in the Superunknown', the title of which will be revealed next week.

So stay tuned for all of that and more!
PsyD 

*I know, I said that it would be uploaded this week, but I've been really busy! It'll be posted at some point next weekend, I promise!

Tenacious D: Rize Of The Fenix

After my review of Twin Atlantic's debut album 'Free' turned out more like a lengthy novel than a short, to-the-point blog post, I've decided to set myself a challenge: To review Tenacious D's latest single 'Rize Of The Fenix' in under 250 words. Here goes...

If it was possible to put Iron Maiden’s ‘Flight of Icarus’, Samson’s ‘Hard Times’, AC/DC’s ‘Shoot to Thrill’ and Tenacious D’s very own ‘Tribute’ into a huge, heavy metal blender, the result would be this monster of a track! ‘Rize Of The Fenix’ is, as the title suggests, Tenacious D’s attempt at revitalising their music career after the box office flop their movie ‘The Pick Of Destiny’. It’s been an entire six years since fans of the D have seen any new releases from the comedy rock duo, and the band’s latest single certainly lives up to the years of expectations! Filled with Kyle Gass’ signature guitar-work and Jack Black’s powerful wails, upon listening to ‘Rize Of The Fenix’ it seems like Tenacious D never went away. The accompanying music video (see above) is also without a doubt the funniest thing I’ve seen all year! Although the track, which failed to chart, didn’t enjoy the mainstream success that the band wished for – “One hit, Yeah we're hoping this is it… Top 10 hit, Top 40 hit... Aw, we don't care, as long as we get there” – with a 99.2% rating of 'likes' on YouTube* it’s evident that fans are more than happy with the song. In my opinion, ‘Rize Of The Fenix’ is a fantastic effort by the D, summing up the fusion of comedy and rock n’ roll which makes up the band’s signature sound, and it is certain that “the D [will] rise again, Just like the phoenix”.

…Okay, now I’m off to get my Tenacious D tattoo reapplied (listen to the song if you don’t get it)!

So, in exactly 250 words (if you don’t count the previous sentence) there’s my review of the track ‘Rize Of The Fenix’. The single is available to buy now, as is the album of the same name, from all the usual music retailers.


Stay tuned to Superunknown as there's a lot more musical awesomeness to come very shortly!
PsyD

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And now for the announcement that I promised in my last blog post! Starting from next week, I'll be posting a track review weekly as part of a new feature entitled 'Alive in the Superunknown'. Each week I'll alternate between reviewing new hits and forgotten classics, starting with Iron Maiden's breakthrough track 'Prowler'. I'll also continue to try to do album reviews and interviews as much as possible, although this does depend on my college workload over the next couple of months.

*Correct at the time of writing

Twin Atlantic: Free

The album cover of ‘Free’ by Twin Atlantic, © Red Bull Records Inc.

Twin Atlantic have shot to success recently, going from a little-known alternative rock quintet to Scottish superstars with sell-out shows, all in a matter of a few months! However, upon listening to the band’s debut album ‘Free’, such immense popularity is unsurprising. Twin Atlantic are a band with a lot to say, and their youthful energy and passion for music shines through in an album which, in my opinion, will have a significant impact on the rock scene.

So, without further ado, here’s my track-by-track comprehensive review of the fantastic ‘Free'...

Edit Me – The album begins with the squeals and whirs of guitar feedback, before an explosion of distorted, grungy guitars and bass kick off ‘Edit Me’ with a bang! The track is firmly rooted in the straightforward spirit of rock and roll, with its unwavering intense emotions and strong message. As Sam McTrusty shouts “They say it comes with age, we can prove them wrong... you can’t edit me” Twin Atlantic make clear their vision and their place in music. They’re young, they’re fresh, they’re different and they’re out to do things their way.

Time For You To Stand Up – Emerging from the squealing feedback that concludes ‘Edit Me’ comes the welcome sound of yet more genius guitar work. The weaving melody lines and Rise to Remain-esque chordal variations work alongside the relentless, powerful drumbeat to drive the track onwards and upwards towards its loud, aggressive conclusion. And each and every word is just made to sing along to – I challenge anyone to listen to this track without shouting “I don’t think I was talking to you” along with the bridge, because I haven’t managed that one yet!

Apocalyptic Renegade – As with many tracks on ‘Free’, ‘Apocalyptic Renegade’ begins with a placid introduction before giving way to those loud, powerful, driving drums and crunchy, distorted guitars. Each verse builds in power, passion and aggression, and McTrusty again shouts each chorus like there’s no tomorrow! The track lyrically continues the running theme of the album, with statements like “I want it all” and “I can’t get enough” expressing a ‘carpé diem’ attitude easily understood and empathised with by the band’s predominantly young fanbase. Also, the song provides a key example of the expert control over dynamics and moods held by the band, with changes in light and shade emphasising the overall power and passion of the track.

Yes, I Was Drunk - This song shares some notable similarities with ‘Apocalyptic Renegade’. It too starts out slow and calm, and builds up in noise and power throughout. The lyrics – which again are irresistible to sing along to – share the youthful, carefree attitude of the album’s previous songs: “I think I just needed a rush, needed a rush”. However, where ‘Apocalyptic Renegade’ is a straightforward, rock and roll affair, Twin Atlantic seem very experimental on ‘Yes, I Was Drunk’. There are instrumental breaks aplenty, hints of keyboards or synthesizers throughout, and the song ends on some very interesting, haunting guitar sounds. All of these devices display clearly the band’s technical skill and create a captivating piece of music!

Dreamember – A quick warning about this song: the introduction is a nightmare for anyone with headphones! The tranquil guitar melodies quietly pull the listener into the slow, calm dream state that is the very subject of the song, before the drums, bass and vocals explode into the picture with full force! As with ‘Yes, I Was Drunk’, ‘Dreamember’ again shows off the technical ability of the band, with panned guitar lines, reverb and the mysterious mutterings of voices in the background (“Grayscale me, grayscale me, grayscale me...”) creating an intentionally confused, dazed, dream-like atmosphere. The lyrics throughout this song are especially poetic and thought-provoking, evoking the unorthodox philosophies of such media as The Matrix and Inception: “I’ve been dreaming for days, lost in time and sleep as we start to embrace”. It is, in my opinion, the best song on the album lyrically, and musically one of the most interesting and adventurous.

Free – And now for the title track (and one of my personal favourites!) of the album. The piano introduction builds in musical interest and quickens in tempo before being accompanied by soft vocals and guitars. Then, the pre-chorus and chorus again show the band at their best and loudest, with crashing cymbals, screamed lyrics and layer upon layer of guitars and bass which bombard the listener with an intensely fantastic wall of sound. ‘Free’ is another track that is just made for gigs – upon hearing the chorus it’s hard not to imagine a huge, euphoric crowd screaming along to the repeated shouts of “Woah, oh... so I could be free”!

Crash Land – If there's a song that provides a complete contrast to 'Free' on this album, it's ‘Crash Land’! The use of acoustic guitars, orchestral string instruments and soft, subtly emotional vocals show a completely different side to Twin Atlantic, whilst still displaying the musical experimentation explored on tracks like ‘Yes, I Was Drunk’. Of course, the band evidently couldn’t resist some aggression, and towards the end of the song there is a hint of those driving, powerful bass beats, passionate vocals and fast-paced guitar and bass rhythms. The track goes full-circle however, and ends as calm and quiet as it started. Overall, it’s a great song to listen to when you’re in a chilled-out mood and provides a refreshing contrast to the loud, relentless zeal of the previous tracks.

Make A Beast Of Myself – Twin Atlantic do appear to have a fixation with contrasts on this album. As the calming tones of ‘Crash Land’ die away, the fantastic buzz of layers of distorted electric guitars kick off ‘Make A Beast Of Myself’! Yet, even in this relatively bold and noisy track there is a distinct dynamic difference between each verse and chorus. The melodic guitar work, soft drumbeats and funk-filled basslines of the verses, and the choruses full of that anger and passion so common throughout the album, create a track of interesting and varied moods. In fact, the entire album can perhaps be summed up in the final minute of this song: The bridge and final chorus present the band’s signature raw, distorted sound, but sandwiched between the two is a quieter passage which displays the other side of the band’s musical coin and is indicative of the overall changeable feel of the album.

The Ghost of Eddie – And yet again, as the raw feedback of ‘Make A Beast Of Myself’ dies out, Twin Atlantic deliver another dynamic explosion and with it another side to their sound. The atonal chord patterns of 'The Ghost of Eddie', with their simple but emotionally charged rhythms, and the vocals full of a primal, pure rage hark back to the sounds of the early punk explosion of the 1980s. Then, as the song progresses, a Rage Against The Machine influence can be heard, especially in the guitar lines. This very experimental, daring track does present a fusion of genres, but unfortunately the verses, choruses and instrumental breaks seem slightly disjointed and out of place beside each other. In my opinion, therefore, this is perhaps the weakest track of the album, but is nonetheless not without its strengths.

Serious Underground Dance Vibes - This track is very interesting – the instrumental seems to come out of nowhere, and gives the listener another refreshing break after the demanding, emotionally-charged songs preceding it. Twin Atlantic’s indie influence comes through in the clean, delayed guitar lines that introduce the track. These relaxed tones give way to more loud, fast-paced distortion, before returning at the conclusion of the song. The listener is left chilled out and in eager anticipation of the rest of ‘Free’! Overall, ‘Serious Underground Dance Vibes’ is very modern, arty and experimental, and throughout there is an overriding feeling present of a band really having fun with their music – their excitement and passion really shines through.

Eight Days – The excitement and experimental feel of tracks like ‘Serious Underground Dance Vibes’ is continued in ‘Eight Days’. The band makes excellent use of time changes, harmonics, panned guitars and what is perhaps one of the best bass tones ever created. Yet again, such devices really put across an air of dedication and enthusiasm with regards to music. The lyrics – “I want to leave, I want to leave, I want to leave” for example - are not so positive, however! ‘Eight Days’ is probably the epitome of break-up songs, and easy for anyone to relate to who has experiences a failed relationship, which is... well, pretty much everyone.

Wonder Sleeps Here – As the title suggests, ‘Wonder Sleeps Here’ is a track which evokes a sense of wonder throughout. It is a beautiful piece of music, in which all elements of the ensemble work together perfectly. The poetic lyrics themselves are sung with the deep, emotional tenderness that they deserve – “The sun will catch our hope... I start to choke on words that I pre-wrote”. The guitars (which display a clear U2 influence in this track) and placid basslines dance and weave around each other almost hypnotically over the pulsing drums, and the listener is truly taken on a musical journey.

We Want Better, Man – ‘Free’ goes out with a bang with its final track! The guitars, drums, bass and vocals burst in at full power, creating four minutes of pure raw, untamed energy! Just as the first track ‘Edit Me’ emphasises the strength and ambition of Twin Atlantic, ‘We Want Better, Man’ also looks to the future with of course its energy, and inspirational lyrics like “We must all make the stand cos we want better man”. As always, the song does contain some quieter and calmer passages. These work to accentuate the surrounding passion and musical energy of the track as a whole, as well as emphasising the gradual build up to the climatic ending song, and with it the album itself. ‘Free’ ends as it started, with the buzzing and droning of electrical feedback, and despite containing thirteen fantastic tracks it leaves the listener wanting more!

Overall, ‘Free’ is an energetic, fresh and exciting album. It presents Twin Atlantic’s refreshing, experimental attitude to music, is lyrically extremely interesting and inspiring, and displays a masterful control of light, shade and mood. If Twin Atlantic are starting as they mean to go on with this unique, singular debut album, then it is fair to say that they have a long, successful career ahead of them!

...And that concludes my mammoth review of ‘Free’ by Twin Atlantic. This has without a doubt been the longest piece of journalism that I’ve ever written. It’s been a great learning experience for me and I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I had fun writing it!

PsyD

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Coming up next on Superunknown:

• A review of Tenacious D’s new single ‘Rize Of The Fenix’
• A new ‘Track of the Week’ type feature - More details will be revealed soon!