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

Here’s my second entry into the unnecessarily long-named ‘You Know You’re Only in It Cause It’s Hot Right Now’ feature, where I pick out the songs that are ‘Hot Right Now’ in my world.



George Gershwin, photographed by Carl Van Vechten

1) George Gershwin – Prelude 2

To kick off the post, here’s something a bit different – a classical piano piece. I know a lot of people probably just switched off at the word ‘classical’, but just hear me out for a second! I too used to be completely averse to this kind of music, but recently it’s seriously grown on me. This piece is one of my favourite classical pieces, and I think it’s a fantastic introduction to classical music if you’ve only heard the typical Mozart and Beethoven material before, because it proves just how versatile and varied the genre is.

I first heard this piece on the radio the other day – I was just about to turn the radio off, this song came on, and I just stopped dead in my tracks and had to listen.

Gershwin’s ‘Prelude 2’ sounds mysterious and suave; it brings to mind a crossover of the atmosphere of blockbuster silent-movie 'The Artist', crossed with the intellectual, confident personality of literary character of Sherlock Holmes - but in music form. It also seems to have a sort of American Western feel to it, creating images of saloon bars and shoot-outs with each unusual harmony and chord. On top of all that, the chord progression reminds me of Radiohead’s ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ for some reason, and I’m a huge fan of that track!

...Whatever it is about this song that captures my imagination and attention every time I hear it, it’s totally addictive - I’ve been listening to it on loop for about a week now, and I'm still not tired of it!

Gershwin’s ‘Prelude 2’ is available to download online (legally, of course!), and available to buy in your friendly neighbourhood music shop as part of one of the many, many George Gershwin albums and compilations.

2) Devlin – Watchtower ft. Ed Sheeran

On a completely different side of the coin, here’s a rock-hip-hop-indie fusion track from Devlin and Ed Sheeran, based on ‘All Along the Watchtower’ written by the legendary Bob Dylan and famously covered by Jimi Hendrix. Just as with any adaptation of a classic track, Devlin’s effort has been controversial (especially with fans of the original!) but personally I really love it! I think that Devlin and Ed Sheeran have done a fantastic job in a) fusing the new sounds of contemporary hip-hop and mainstream music with the classic, guitar-based music of the 60s hippie movement, and b) hopefully bringing the music of Dylan's era to a whole new generation and a whole new audience.

Devlin’s lyrics are deep and contemplative, Ed Sheeran’s vocals are pitch perfect and, as usual, contain his trademark laid-back, tranquil tone, and of course the original track's instantly recognisable guitar lines are prominent throughout. In my opinion at least, this song isn’t just a cover of an old hit – it’s an obvious tribute from two great, exciting artists, to artists that have evidently inspired them (and inspired countless other people) very much.

Devlin’s ‘Watchtower’ (Featuring Ed Sheeran, of course!) was released as a single on 19^th August. You can watch the official music video right here…

3) We Like Humans - Homebound

I first heard about this band a few weeks ago, by stumbling across them on YouTube. They’ve literally been around for a matter of months, but already they have a professionally-produced EP for sale featuring their own, original material, they have their own website (none of this Facebook/Myspace business!) and they’re already developing their signature sound with leaps and bounds. We Like Humans are evidently a band with a clear focus in mind, and the determination to get there. They also have the musical potential for success, with obvious influences in their sound from huge acts like Foo Fighters, Twin Atlantic and even Rage Against The Machine! Their music has a sort of raw honesty about it, but it’s also accessible for a more mainstream audience, sounding like it’d be very at home on the likes of Kerrang! Radio and the Radio 1 Rock show. Keep your eyes and ears out for We Like Humans, because I’m super-confident that we’ll be hearing a lot more from them in the future!

We Like Humans’ debut EP can be bought via their website, www.welikehumans.co.uk. You can listen to a selection of tracks from the EP, including ‘Homebound’, on the website and on their official YouTube channel.

4) Twin Atlantic – Free (Ballad Version)

Regular followers of this blog will probably know by now that I love a mash-up. One of my favourite things about music is the way that certain musical concepts and ideas can transcend genres, and I like to consider myself open minded in terms of musical styles and artists. This remix of ‘Free’ by Twin Atlantic is no exception. ByronJWu has somehow turned what is quite an aggressive, bold song into a calm, chilled-out ballad, which sounds as good as – if not better than, dare I say – the original! Die-hard fans of Twin Atlantic might have to give the remix a few listens to get used to it, but it’s definitely a grower, and a song that I’m completely addicted to at the moment! Who knew that classical strings and pianos would go so well with the emotionally charged vocals of Sam McTrusty? It’s a combo that works together unpredictably well; a really pleasant surprise!

Twin Atlantic’s Free (Ballad Version) is available on YouTube, on ByronJWu’s channel. The original track can be bought as part of Twin Atlantic’s album ‘Free’, and also as a single.

5) Alex Day – She Walks Right Through Me

Generally, I tend to be the sort of music fan that puts music first. Music videos, merchandise, branding etc. come second in my opinion, to the main priority - the sound of the music itself. Usually. But here’s an exception. I don’t particularly hate this track, but its cheesy-Europop vibe doesn’t really appeal to me, and with lyrics like “When she takes off her clothes and I know that it’s only me that knows”, it hardly matches the lyrical genius of bands and artists that I usually listen to. However, here’s the catch – I’m just obsessed with this song’s music video. Namely, the dancing in this music video. I don’t really have any words to describe it – you’d have to watch the video yourself (see below) – but it just makes me laugh so much that since I first saw it a few days ago, I can’t stop watching it! Oh, and the video also features a Karen Gillan look-alike, whose resemblance is so strong to the actress, I’m not entirely sure that it’s not actually her. Any fans of 80s pop, cheese, questionable dancing, Doctor Who, or just general randomness really need to see this video.

‘She Walks Right Through Me’ is available to download (LEGALLY. Don’t you be trying any of this illegal downloading funny business! *patronisingly wags finger*), and you can watch the music video right here…

So, that was ‘You Know You’re Only In It Cause It’s Hot Right Now’ #2! Stay tuned to Superunknown, because next week I’ll be posting the next article in the ‘Alive In The Superunknown’ series (a review of ‘Godless’ by Blue Origin), and the week after I’ll (finally) be posting a review of Labrinth’s ‘Electronic Earth’!

PsyD



Alive in the Superunknown #7 - Map of the Problematique by Muse

The single artwork for 'Map of the Problematique', © Warner Bros. Records

After cracking the ‘250 word limit’ challenge (twice!), this week I’m going to attempt yet another daringly dramatic feat: to review this week’s ‘Alive in the Superunknown’ track in the style of a liveblog – that means I’ll review the song riff-by-riff, chorus-by-chorus, in brief, chronological snippets. Here goes...

The London 2012 Olympic Games seem have an ‘official’ everything – official water, official tracksuits, official face wipes, official pyjamas... the list goes on! You’d be forgiven for thinking that Muse have been picked as the official band of the games – after all, the stadium rock megastars have released the official Olympic single, provided the soundtrack to the Opening Ceremony’s countdown and their music has been featured in endless sports montages as the games have gone on. Why? Because Muse are a band with a powerful, inspirational and truly unique sound that showcases the best in British rock music.

The song that demonstrates the band’s unique, signature sound best in my opinion isn’t their latest sport-centric effort Survival, but is in fact a song from an album made all the way back in 2006. Today I’ll be reviewing that song – ‘Map of the Problematique’, from the album ‘Black Holes and Revelations’.

So, in true Olympic style, let the liveblog begin... NOW!

0:00 (That means 0 minutes and 0 seconds into the song)

One of the most epic riffs ever created begins. It’s a riff that just oozes with tension and atmosphere – a riff just made to rock stadiums all over the world. As the drums, synths and layers upon layers of guitars kick in, the dramatic and powerful feel of the track increases and increases until...

0:53

The first line of the song perfectly describes the feel of the song so far: “Fear and panic in the air”. The operatic vocals soar above the distorted, grungy guitar and bass parts and compliment them perfectly. Too often in the rock genre, drums become outshined and pushed into the background by the vocal, guitar and bass parts, but here the drums refuse to be overshadowed and continue beating loudly and deeply, fulfilling their essential part in keeping up the frantic atmosphere of the track.

1:24

Here ensues one of many lines in this track that prove Muse’s lyric-writing proficiency. The simplicity of it is striking – “I can’t get it right, get it right, since I met you” – but it strikes a chord with the audience because it’s something that everybody can relate to: Trying your utmost best for somebody, but getting ‘it’ wrong.

1:40

Too often songs are created that seem to waste time, or ‘fill time’, in order to reach the desired 3-minutes-or-more by repeating sections already used, or using weak ‘filler riffs’. Muse are a band that waste no time in their music – even this short bridge section between the chorus and next verse utilises otherworldly synths, some heavily layered vocals and perfectly matched guitar, bass and drum-work to continue the fist-pumping momentum of the track.

2:48

At this point is, in all honesty and sincerity, my favourite lyric of all-time. “No one thinks they are to blame. Why can’t we see that when we bleed, we bleed the same?” – Never has so much meaning and significance been packed into so few words. Muse’s lyrics are consistently perfectly crafted and thought-provoking, completely complimenting the momentous instrumental music.

3:20

And now, it’s the beginning of the end for this amazing piece of music. Even this late on in the track, there’s still the introduction of brand new sounds to accompany the repeated riffs and beats commonplace throughout the previous minutes of the song. The band succeed in keeping listener’s interest active from the first note of the song to the last.

4:06

Muse go out with a bang, as the track finishes just as it started. The crunchy, distorted guitar’s enviable tone rings out the final few notes of the epic riff that’s been present throughout the entire song - but still doesn’t sound old, repetitive or tired. The listener is left stunned; a Muse fan for life.

And that was my review of ‘Map of the Problematique’ by Muse! As always, I completely recommend that you listen to this track, either by purchasing the track itself, which was released as a single back in 2007, or by buying the ‘Black Holes and Revelations’ album.

Anyway, I’d better go, the Olympic Closing Ceremony starts in 15 minutes*, and guess who’s performing? Muse! Stay tuned to the blog for much more reviews and write-ups on the world of music, and thanks for reading!

PsyD

*Correct at the time of writing. Obviously.

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

'Godless' by Blue Origin

The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal

The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, or the NWOBHM as it's commonly known, was (and still is) one of the most influential movements in music history. It happened in the early 1980s, and saw hard rock music return to a widespread popularity after the punk explosion forced it temporarily underground. A whole generation of Brits inspired by hard rock heroes such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Judas Priest picked up instruments and changed rock history, and that is why this week I'm writing a feature on the NWOBHM: How It Happened, What It Sounded Like and Its Legacy.

How It Happened

The NWOBHM, as with any music movement, relied on three key groups of people to push it up from the underground and onto a world class stage.

A sold-out metal gig at The Marquee Club (see footnote*)

The Bands: NWOBHM bands had a common ideology - they wanted to blend the high-energy approach and rebellious values of punk bands with the musical technicality and meticulous efforts of their classic rock heroes. This approach really came across in their music, which contained the strong, fast rhythms needed to get whole clubs dancing and rocking out, but with the talent to produce complex solos and make use of uncommon time signatures, giving their music an unusual feel which set it apart from other genres and movements.

The Media: For any movement to be successful on a mainstream level, it needs the support of the media. The NWOBHM started out as an entirely grassroots, word-of-mouth affair, publicised by DJs like Neal Kay in heavy metal discos, clubs and pubs. Before long, the growing movement picked up the attention of the national media. Magazines like 'Sounds' wrote features on the band, and music journalist Geoff Barton (the founder of 'Kerrang!' magazine) coined the term 'NWOBHM'. DJs like BBC Radio 1's Tommy Vance gave NWOBHM bands valuable airtime, and the movement found itself the subject of TV documentaries like Granada TV's '20th Century Box'. Even Top Of The Pops took notice, and started to occasionally feature heavy metal bands!

The Fans: Neal Kay's hallowed Heavy Metal Soundhouse attracted over a thousand fans a week, and the metal movement as a whole relied on its wholeheartedly dedicated fanbase. NWOBHM pioneers came from all walks of life, but they had one thing in common: They loved to go to gigs, and go absolutely mental! Huge crowds of leather-clad, studded, long-haired metallers regularly queued for hours to pack out venues like The Marquee, The Ruskin Arms and The Bandwagon, and revel in the intense atmosphere. Some fans went even further than the usual headbanging and air-guitaring at metal shows, creating their own cardboard or plywood mock-up guitars and competing in competitions to see who was the 'best headbanger'!

What It Sounds Like

Here are three top tracks that, in my opinion, truly define the movement...

'Losing My Grip' by Samson: At the height of their popularity, Samson was one of the biggest bands in the NWOBHM movement. This track demonstrates exactly why. With killer guitar riffs, bluesy, growled vocals, a powerful, fast-paced rhythm section and an epic, effect-heavy solo, this track is a perfect example of the way that metal bands combined the energy of punk with the technicality and feel of classic rock. 

The promotional video for this song is available to watch on the official YouTube channel for the Paul Samson Archive, but embedding has been disabled so I can't embed the video here. Here is a link to the video on the PaulSamsonArchive YouTube channel.

'Iron Maiden' by Iron Maiden: Don't worry, that wasn't a typo - The track 'Iron Maiden' was a song created by the band Iron Maiden, for their debut album called 'Iron Maiden' (I know, it's confusing!). The track went down a storm in early NWOBHM pubs and clubs, and is still a staple part of their set to this day. It showcases the heavy crowd participation element of the movement, with metal bands encouraging their audiences to clap and sing along to create an intense, interactive atmosphere. Also, just like Samson's 'Losing My Grip', it makes use of a great, fast pulse, rough vocals and those face-melting guitar lines!

'Captured City' by Praying Mantis: If there was ever one track that completely summed up the NWOBHM, it was this one. Praying Mantis combine time changes, twin guitar harmonies, a strong beat throughout (to headbang to, of course), complex drumming, guitaring and basslines, a typical kick-ass solo, and one of the world's catchiest riffs, to make an awesome pool of good, honest heavy metal.

Sadly I can't find an official source to embed the track on the blog (I only embed tracks from official YouTube channels, SoundCloud sites etc., and not from unofficial sources, to respect the wishes of the copyright holder) but the track is available to download legally online, on sites like Amazon and on iTunes, and I thoroughly recommend that you give it a listen!

Its Legacy

It may seem hard to believe, but the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal is probably just as relevant today as it was in the early 1980s. Why? Well... 

• A lot of top NWOBHM bands are still going today, and receiving success all over the world. Saxon and Iron Maiden are two of the most prominent bands to come out of the NWOBHM movement, and both are still making music, going on tours and keeping metal fans headbanging all over the globe!
• Pretty much all of today's metal bands are influenced by the NWOBHM in some way. Ever heard of Metallica? Or Trivium? Or Bullet For My Valentine? All of those bands, and many more, have cited the NWOBHM as one of their biggest musical influences, and the genre's influence is clearly evident in their music. In fact, many people claim that the whole thrash metal subgenre owes its existence to the NWOBHM!
• The NWOBHM hasn't just influenced metal bands - less obvious acts that claim to take inspiration from the genre include pop-rockers You Me At Six, comedy rock duo Tenacious D and even pop megastar Lady Gaga!

So next time people say that the 80s only produced cheesy electro-pop and spandex-clad glam rockers, correct them by telling them that in fact, that key decade spawned one of rock's biggest and most influential movements; a movement that still lives on today.

...And that was the long-awaited blog post on the history and influence of heavy metal! If you enjoyed it and want to know more about the genre, here are some handy sources that I used to research and compile the article...

The album cover of 'Metal for Muthas', © Sanctuary Records

Listen to: The 'Metal For Muthas' Compilations - two compilation volumes of pure NWOBHM, showcasing bands like Praying Mantis, Iron Maiden, Samson and more. A must-have for any metal fan.

Watch: Iron Maiden's DVD 'The Early Days' - a mini box set containing a documentary about Iron Maiden's formation and early years, information about the wider NWOBHM scene and a documentary from the 1980s called '20th Century Box', which talks about the pubs, clubs and fans of the movement.

Read: 'The Night The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal Was Born' - an article by Classic Rock Magazine, which can be found here.

'Bruce Dickinson: Flashing Metal With Maiden And Flying Solo' - a book that talks a lot about the vocalist's experiences in the NWOBHM bands Samson and Iron Maiden. On a side note, don't be put off by the bad Amazon reviews - I've read it and it's actually a really good book!

Wow, that was a very long blog post. I hope it was as fun for you to read as it was for me to write! Remember to stay tuned to the blog for more reviews and write-ups of the latest and greatest in music. Rock on!

PsyD

*Image of Iron Maiden performing a gig at The Marquee Club is a screenshot from the documentary '20th Century Box', © Granada Media