Coming up on Superunknown...

I just thought I'd leave a quick message about what's coming up soon on the blog, to keep you all updated on what's going to be posted and when...

• The next 'Alive in the Superunknown' entry will be posted in the next few days. This week I'm reviewing '45' by The Gaslight Anthem. I know, I know, it was supposed to have been posted days ago. My excuse? I've been here for the past few days...

The image is from Blackpool's official tourism site, www.visitblackpool.com/attractions/blackpool-beach-p275980. The copyright for this image is thus owned by visitblackpool.com, and not by me. If the copyright holder wishes me to remove their photograph from the blog I would be happy to do so, at their request.

• Also this week, I'll be posting an article I promised ages ago, on the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal: What it was, what effect it had on music and why it's still relevant today.
• Quite a while ago I said that I'd be posting a new album review on the blog. That review - on the 'Electronic Earth' album by Labrinth - will be posted at some point in the next few weeks.
• Next month (August) I'll also be writing another 'You Know You're Only In It 'Cause It's Hot Right Now' post, centred around the tracks that are 'Hot Right Now' in my world.

So, as you can see, I have a lot to keep me occupied over the summer, when I'm not chipping away at the mountain of reading and homework given to me by college!

Make sure that you stay tuned to the blog for all of the above content and more,

PsyD

Lower Than Atlantis + Mallory Knox - Thursday 19th July 2012 at The Underground, Stoke - Part 2

Here's Part 2 of the Lower Than Atlantis/Mallory Knox gig review! Part 1 is here, for anyone who hasn't read it yet. Part 2 was written by my friend and fellow music journalist Lauren Ashton. You can follow her on Twitter by clicking here.

PART 2



With their third album ‘Changing Tune’ about to land in stores in September, and with many appearances in music magazines such as Kerrang!, one of Britain’s most underrated yet outstanding rock bands Lower Than Atlantis graced Stoke-on-Trent with a one off gig well worth remembering.

For those of you out there reading this and wondering who Lower Than Atlantis are, well what music have you actually been listening to? But anyway, in a nutshell, Lower than Atlantis were formed in 2007 and have released 2 albums, Far Q and World Record. They are known for their raw punk rock sounds, taking influences from bands such as Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World which is ever apparent in their music. They have also realised 7 singles including Deadliest Catch and If The World Was To End, gaining valuable radio time and finally, they have also played many festivals including Download Festival, Slam Dunk Festival and also featuring on the bill of the infamous Reading/Leeds festival. So yes if you have never heard of LTA, where have you been for the past 5 years!?

Anyway, back to the gig; the support act Mallory Knox set the stage and atmosphere perfectly for Lower Than Atlantis, they got the crowd ready to scream, sing, dance and crowd surf.  As calmly as a band could, the headliners walked out to a packed house at The Underground and bounced straight into (Motor) Way Of Life which caused the crowd to go wild and to let themselves go for the hour they were on stage. Lower Than Atlantis didn’t let anything phase them, including the numerous crowd surfers and stage divers - nothing diverted Mike, Ben, Eddy and Dec’s attention from putting 110% into their performance from the participation between the crowd and the band. During Beech Like A Tree they did the whole ‘Sit down and jump as high as you can’ moment, and the amazingly touching sing-a-long during Another Sad Song encapsulated the fans love for the band as each song lyric was belted out in perfect harmony with Mike’s raw and powerful singing.  Also, the impromptu Foo Fighters Medley during Bug which went down a storm with the 350 fans in the venue!



The setlist, complete with an authentic gig footprint!



The 19^th July also saw the Stoke crowd hear Lower Than Atlantis’ new single Love Someone Else being played live for the second time (The first was at Download Festival which I can assure was an amazing moment!). A few members of the crowd, including myself, sung along to the new song only days after its first airplay on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show. It was an instant hit, proving that the Lower Than Atlantis boys are still creating and providing the rock music scene with music well worth listening too. And last but not least, they closed their set with a hit, an instant crowd pleaser and an epic sing and dance along song - Deadliest Catch – which concluded an hour of pure madness from the crowd and the band, which was apparent from the amount lead singer and guitarist Mike Duce was sweating (Yes it was a lot!). The energy was still at the same high level from the first drum beat to the last melodic chord. The Lower Than Atlantis boys made sure the 19^th of July was a night to remember for many fans, and provided the coincidental ear ringing afterwards which is always a sign of an amazing gig.

Even though Lower Than Atlantis are a relatively established band with 2 albums out, many a festival slot and several headlining gigs performed, they are still heavily underrated in the music industry, and British rock bands need all the support they can get right? So if you do one thing today, listen to a bit of Lower Than Atlantis, maybe pre-order their new album or get yourself down a show because you will not be disappointed, and in turn you’ll be supporting the British rock music industry which is always a bonus!

Lower Than Atlantis’ 3^rd Album ‘Changing Tune’ Is released on 17^th September. You can catch the guys on tour from the 1^st October.

Check out the band online:

http://lowerthanatlantis.com/

http://lowerthanatlantis.tumblr.com/

http://www.facebook.com/lowerthanatlantis

http://www.myspace.com/lowerthanatlantis

Alive in the Superunknown #5 - Shiver by Coldplay

(Images: Coldplay's image and style then and now - A screenshot from Coldplay's 2005 'Shiver' music video, and a screenshot from the 2011 music video for 'Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall', also by Coldplay. © EMI Records Ltd.)

Coldplay is a band that's been around... well, it seems like forever! Like most long-established bands, Coldplay's whole sound has changed considerably throughout their career. Over the past 12 years, the band has attracted new fans and thrilled long-time fans with each single and album release, and in the midst of all of this great, successful music, it's easy to forget the album that started off their rollercoaster career: 'Parachutes'. That is why this week's 'Alive in the Superunknown' will be all about 'Shiver' - a song that never did particularly well in the charts, and is often forgotten today under hits like 'Yellow' and 'Fix You', yet is musically brilliant and deserving of a lot more recognition than it has always been credited with.

The song displays a musical crossover between folk and indie rock music, with the strong pulse and momentum of the former, but the heavy guitar and bass presence of the latter. In addition to this, it has a Radiohead-esque chilled out feel, which presides over a lot of Coldplay's early material. Over this hybrid soundtrack, Chris Martin's consistently high vocal standard is expressed to its full potential. He dips in and out of falsetto with ease, and his natural voice is full of the calming and soothing tones that help to characterise Coldplay's individual sound. In terms of the instruments used - a simple vocal, guitars, bass and drums format - and the relatively low level of technicality in each respective instrument's part, the track isn't particularly complex musically. However, this simplicity and minimalism is just what makes the single, and its parent album, so accessible and so interesting.

Also, just as The Police's 'Every Breath You Take' captured the imagination of a generation despite its rather sinister lyrics, 'Shiver' transcends the grey area between romantic love and obsession. The lyrics seem somewhat stalker-ish at the song's outset - "From the moment I wake, to the moment I sleep, I'll be there by your side, just you try and stop me". However, the soft melodies and chords, the use of counterpoint between the bass, guitars and vocals and contrasting dynamics all work together to lead the listener on a journey of understanding. By the end of the track, after Coldplay have worked their magic with their soulful and placid music, it's easy to sympathise with the song's poor protagonist, suffering from the effects of unrequited love.

So, to sum up, 'Shiver' isn't just a piece of music - it's a work of art. Lyrically, it is thought-provoking and interesting, and musically it's one of a kind. It's definitely a far cry from the material that Coldplay are producing at the moment, but that doesn't make it out-dated or unimportant. That just makes it classic.

And because the song's so awesome, here's the music video embedded, so that you don't have to go anywhere to have a listen! That means you have no excuse not to press play...

PsyD

Next week's 'Alive in the Superunknown' featured track will be...

'45' by The Gaslight Anthem

And remember to stay tuned for Part 2 of the Lower Than Atlantis/Mallory Knox gig review!

Lower Than Atlantis + Mallory Knox - Thursday 19th July 2012 at The Underground, Stoke - Part 1

This review will be posted in two parts. I’ll be introducing you to the promising, up-and-coming band that is Mallory Knox in this first part. Then, in Part 2, my friend and fellow music journalist Lauren Ashton will be reviewing the gig’s headline act, the legendary Lower Than Atlantis. 

PART 1

 Mallory Knox bringing their punk-metal vibes to a new audience!

The importance of support acts at gigs is often understated. In fact, their performance can make or break the whole night. A bad support act can spoil the mood at a venue, putting the main act at a huge disadvantage when it comes to pleasing the crowd. A good support act, on the other hand, is one that draws a crowd, cultivates their excitement and leaves them pumped for the headliners! Mallory Knox provided a perfect example of supporting bands at their best, when they set the stage for Lower Than Atlantis at The Underground in Stoke.

The band were full of energy, confidence and enthusiasm throughout, and with the gig being only a day after the band had their song ‘Death Rattle’ played on BBC Radio 1 for the first time, it seemed that Mallory Knox were celebrating in a big way, with a big performance. 

Very few bands put 100% effort into their gigs, but Mallory Knox proved to be an exception to this rule. Their intense energy wasn’t lost on the crowd either, attracting crowd surfers and getting the audience to bounce and sing along as if they were the headliners. By the end of their set, the band seemed immensely surprised and humbled by the unprecedented response of the Thursday-night crowd, and The Underground’s punters were filled with adrenaline and buzzing with anticipation for Lower Than Atlantis.

The band's bassist Sam Douglas, complete with arty motion blur!

So, I’ve hopefully established by now that Mallory Knox is an amazing live band, but I’m yet to describe their sound and what makes them such a great band musically, as well as on the live stage. After all, some bands excel at live performances but falter when it comes to their individual sound (or lack of it, in some cases!), and a band’s sound and identity is what really matters when it comes to earning a long term career. Luckily, Mallory Knox have the substance as well as the style. I’d describe them as a high-energy, young, fresh, rock band; a cross between punk heroes Billy Talent and metal megastars Avenged Sevenfold. They have the harmonies, screaming vocals and the heavy, distorted guitaring of heavier rock subgenres, but aren’t afraid to incorporate quieter and calmer sections into their music, adding variety and interest to their sound. Also, as Thursday night’s audience discovered at the gig, their music’s all at the perfect tempo to jump and headbang along to, making it ideal live material!

To sum up, Mallory Knox is a fantastic new band, both onstage – as proven by their top performance supporting Lower Than Atlantis - and in the studio. I often say on this blog that bands and artists are destined to go far if they continue to give it their all, and never has this been more true than in the case of this band. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, because you’re going to be hearing a lot of Mallory Knox in the future!

You can (and should!) check out the band on their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/malloryknoxuk, and on their official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/MalloryKnoxOfficial1. 

Stay tuned to Superunknown for Part 2, where Lower Than Atlantis’ set will be reviewed, and for the next ‘Alive In The Superunknown’ entry, where I’ll review ‘Shiver’ by Coldplay. Both are coming very soon, so keep checking the site for updates!

PsyD                                                                                                      

You Know You're Only In It 'Cause It's Hot Right Now: July 2012

Here's a new semi-regular feature that I'll be posting on the blog every month or so. The title is taken from the DJ Fresh ft. Rita Ora song 'Hot Right Now'. This is because like most people, I get obsessed with a handful of songs every few weeks, and listen to them excessively until I find new songs to rave about! As a result, I've decided to take advantage of that tendency by writing blog posts centered on my current top 5 favourite jams - the tracks that I think are 'Hot Right Now'...

1) 'All The Young Dudes' by Bruce Dickinson

I discovered a new record store in my town today, and as a huge fan of all things music and all things retro, I couldn't resist having a peek! I came across this single - a song that I used to be mad about, but haven't heard in years - and it reminded me of just how awesome this track is! Despite being released in the 1990s, Bruce Dickinson and his accompanying band manage to maintain the '70s feel of the original track (it's a cover of a Mott The Hoople song from 1972). Listening to it almost feels like being sent back in time to an era where T Rex and David Bowie were megastars, The Sweeney was still on TV and corduroy trousers were in fashion!

'All The Young Dudes' is available both as a single, and as part of Bruce Dickinson's album ' Tattooed Millionaire'

The album cover of 'Californication', © Warner Bros.

2) 'Californication' by Red Hot Chili Peppers

This song feels like it's been around forever, yet every time I listen to it, it still sounds fresh and exciting. It showcases the Chilis' signature sound perfectly, with a groovy drumbeat, a mixture of rapping and singing and fantastic bass and guitar tones. Almost every chord is complex and meticulously thought out, and the song as a whole flows perfectly. The chorus is anthemic and one that would be great to sing along to live - "Dream of Californicatioooon!". Also, the lyrics of this song are deep and interesting, providing food for thought for the listener, for example "Destruction leads to a very rough road/But it also breeds creation".

'Californication' is available both as a single, and as part of the album of the same name.

3) 'Remember The Stronger' by DJ Phairose

I stumbled across this song by accident on YouTube, and I've been addicted to it for the past week. DJ Phairose has successfully taken two amazing songs - Kanye West/Daft Punk's 'Stronger' and Fort Minor/Styles of Beyond's 'Remember The Name' - and blended them to create something even more awesome. This song's a great one for when you need a bit of motivating - whether it be at the gym, at college or at work - because it makes the listener feel like an invincible gangsta superhero... Or is that just me?

You can check out DJ Phairose's mashup by searching for 'Remember The Stronger' on YouTube, and the sampled tracks are available to purchase at all good music outlets

4) 'Give It A Go' by The Carpet Lions

These guys played the Stoke Sugarmill tonight (Saturday 14th July), and although the crowd seemed a little sceptical at first, they were soon won over by the band's blend of cheeky humour and funky melodic tunes. This song has to be my favourite out of their set, with side-splitting lyrics like "I've only got a tenner, and you're not even a ten... errr!" accompanied by a great guitar and piano backing. Just as with many of the trio's other songs, this track tells a story, and the music changes in tone as the tale progresses. The track's video is as hilarious as the lyrics (in the nicest possible way!) and deserves to go viral, so check it out and support this awesome unsigned band!

You can listen to The Carpet Lions (and watch their epic music videos) on their official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/CarpetLions

The single artwork for 'Shiver', © Parlophone

5) 'Shiver' by Coldplay

Stay tuned to the blog for a full review of this song on next week's 'Alive In The Superunknown'! (Yes, I'm shamelessly plugging my own blog... on my own blog)

Feel free to leave a comment with the songs that are 'Hot Right Now' in your world, and remember to keep an eye on Superunknown for more reviews and write-ups on the latest and greatest music!

PsyD

Alive in the Superunknown #4 - Inspector Norse by Todd Terje

Here's a short review of 'Inspector Norse' by Todd Terje (pronounced like Todd Stair-Yay... with a silent 'S'). You can have a listen to the track and the rest of Terje's EP - 'It's the Arps' - below... 

TODD TERJE - It's The Arps EP by toddterje

Todd Terje's 'Inspector Norse', from his new EP 'It's The Arps', has been getting a lot of airplay recently on BBC Radio 1, and has mustered up a lot of excitement on social networking sites like YouTube and SoundCloud. Why? Because with this track, Terje has successfully blended genres, created whole new sounds and produced a piece of music that's both energetic and placid simultaneously! On the other hand though, Terje is yet to enjoy success on a mass, chart-storming mainstream way, and this may be due to his use of musical repetition, which sometimes verges on excessive.

The song is hard to fit into a particular genre, because it doesn't conform to stereotypes. It's obviously electronic, but without the heavily synthesised David Guetta-esque elements common to electronic music. It's funky, but without the springing basslines and sliding chords of the funk genre. It's as if Terje has taken the beats of hip hop, the repetition of house music and the energy of pop, added a few spacey computer-generated sounds to the mix and created something completely new.

However, the only thing that perhaps hampers the impact of such an inherently great song is its length - the track is over 6 minutes long - as well as the lack of change in mood and speed, and the fact that after the first minute or so, no new musical ideas or melodies are introduced. The bassline loops throughout, as do the drums, and although the main melodic theme is catchy (Dum duh-dum duuuuur, dum duh-dum duuuuur!), it starts to seem a little overused towards the end of the track, which lessens its initial freshness and energy.

So, to sum up, 'Inspector Norse' is, in itself, a great song. Its overall sound is new, exciting and different, and it sits in its own niche genre. However, it is definitely one for fans of house and electronic, who generally don't mind repetition and will be able to enjoy the track fully, time and time again. Todd Terje is already a great artist, but he has it in him to be an amazing one. I'm sure that as he releases more and more music and continues to experiment with genres and sounds, and keeps generating excitement in the internet world and on the radio, he will find success on a massive scale.

PsyD

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Coming up next week on 'Alive in the Superunknown'...

'Shiver' by Coldplay

...because Coldplay are just awesome, and their early material gets nowhere near enough credit!

Blog news: My college breaks up for summer next week, and the latest college magazine is finally complete and in for printing! That means I'll have a lot more time over the next couple of months to post reviews and articles on the exciting, ever-changing world of music. Already in my to-do list is...

• An article on the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal: What happened, and what impact it has had on the music megastars of today
• A review of Labrinth's top-selling album 'Electronic Earth'
• Loads more 'Alive in the Superunknown' track reviews

So keep an eye on the blog for all of that and more!

Alive in the Superunknown #3 - If I Were In Your Shoes by You Me At Six

Compared to the last 'classic' song I wrote about in 'Alive in the Superunknown' - 'Prowler', by Iron Maiden - 'If I Were In Your Shoes' seems way too new, current and mainstream to have such a title affixed to it. However, despite the track being only four years old, You Me At Six have come a long way since its release, going from an unknown, underground pop-rock group to top festival and arena artists. This extreme popular success, in my opinion, was heavily influenced by the single 'If I Were In Your Shoes', from the band's debut album ' Take Off Your Colours', and that's why I've chosen the track as a classic song to review as part of the old-new-alternating feature that is 'Alive in the Superunknown'.

The track itself is quite different to the material released more recently by the band (The album 'Sinners Never Sleep' and their epic rollercoaster anthem 'The Swarm') on the surface, sounding rougher, more upbeat and more melodic. On the other hand, it is also an embodiment of the classic, trademark sound that fans of the band know and love; a sound that, despite superficial and gradual changes over the years, still remains largely intact to this day.

In reviewing the song, I'm going to attempt to remember how I felt when I first heard it, at around 12 or 13 years old. To this day I can still fondly and vividly recollect the video's debut on Kerrang! TV. For three minutes I was glued to the screen, and fascinated with the unique, energetic, fresh sound of the band. After it'd finished, I remember confidently declaring to friends and family that I had discovered one of the best bands in the world and that they all needed to hear the awesomeness that is You Me At Six. Here's why I think the track was (and still is) so awesome...

•  The guitaring. Is amazing. You can really hear Max Helyer's Iron Maiden influence (he often states in interviews that the metal titans have heavily inspired his guitaring and composition styles), with melodic lines, harmonies and solid rhythmic power chords. The band's two guitarists - Max Helyer and Chris Miller - lock in perfectly and really complement each other's styles and sounds throughout this track.
• The bass. Bassists are never given enough credit, and without Matt Barnes' steady basslines, the track just wouldn't have the heavy, powerful impact that it has. Barnes perfectly complements the guitar melodies and rhythms with an unobtrusive but extremely important bass presence throughout.
• The drums. Dan Flint never misses a beat, and proves that you don't need a million different cymbals and fancy drums to create an impressive, interesting backing to a track (mentioning no names, *cough* Iron Maiden's Nicko McBrain and Slipknot's Joey Jordison *cough*). The drumming on 'If I Were In Your Shoes' gives the song a fast and exciting pace, and holds together the track throughout the many varying verses, choruses and bridges.
• The singing. Some singers have the looks. Others have the voice. Josh Franceschi has the two combined. He has a fantastic, unique voice, with a signature sound. He's like Chad Kroeger crossed with Tyson Ritter... but British. Franceschi's accent also adds interest to his vocal lines, setting the band apart from the typical American-accented pop punk acts that saturate the genre.

'If I Were In Your Shoes' is a fantastic effort by You Me At Six, and as a result, it's unsurprising that the band shot to major success not long after its release. For fans of 'Sinners Never Sleep' and singles like 'The Swarm', it's definitely worth listening to the 'Take Off Your Colours' album as it shows a different, but equally awesome, side to the band. Likewise, any music fans who haven't heard You Me At Six's music (...Where have you been for the past 8 years?) need to have a listen to 'If I Were In Your Shoes' - and the rest of their back catalogue, for that matter!

My only criticism of 'If I Were In Your Shoes' is that it's way too short. If anyone makes an extended remix of this track, I will personally buy them an ice cream.*

PsyD

*No ice creams are available.

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Coming up next week on 'Alive in the Superunknown'...

'Inspector Norse' by Todd Terje

So stay tuned to Superunknown for that and, in a couple of weeks when college is over, a lot more reviews and write-ups on the exciting, ever-changing world of music!