Category: Music

I’ve been a fan of Lorde and of Melodrama as an album since 2018, a year after the album’s initial release. I had just started going to house parties in May of that year and rinsed songs from the album for all that they were worth, ensuring they were played at least once on every one of these nights because back then, I saw Melodrama as nothing but a collection of (mostly) fun, pop adjacent songs to be played loud in rooms full of my friends whilst we drank underage and gossiped about who we all fancied (Just as Ella Yelich-O’Connor aka Lorde had intended, FYI, the album concept is built around an evening at a house party). 

It wasn’t until earlier this year that this album would become something more to me than one full of songs designed to soundtrack drunken antics in someone else’s garden. It became an extreme source of comfort in the aftermath of my first breakup, to hear someone of a similar age (at the time of the album release) singing about overcoming all these huge feelings a breakup brings with it during the period when I genuinely believed that relationship was the be-all and end-all of where I stood in life at that point in time, was (and still is), a constant reminder that relationships don’t define who you are or the experiences you will go on to have forever. They’re simply just connections you make that allow you to continue growing into the person you want to be. 

There are many tracks on the record that echo the events of my own life, the idea in ‘Green Light’ of being so wrapped up in the intensity of the breakup that you wait for signs from the world that it’s okay to move on is one. My own ‘green light’ moment came in the form of a 96-hour long trip to London to stay with my cousin two weeks after the breakup happened, I got on the train expecting those four days to be a temporary distraction from the way that I was feeling but instead, they changed my attitude towards the entire situation. We went out clubbing and I ended up kissing one of her friends, that kiss was the catalyst for the realisation that the end of that relationship wasn’t the end of me, and it certainly wasn’t the end of the world.  It was just an opportunity for me to figure out what I want from the world and the people I choose to surround myself with. ‘Writer in the Dark’ and ‘Hard Feelings/Loveless fuelled similar revelations, Ella’s echoes of “I ride the subway, read the signs / I let the seasons change my mind / I love it here since I’ve stopped needing you” in the former stuck out to me especially when I moved back to Manchester for the start of the new university term – I walked along each street with ease and said yes to nights out without hesitation, it became far easier to exist once I had fallen in love with this city and stopped associating it with bad arguments and the taste of my own tears. 

The easily accessible portrayal of adolescence across Melodrama means there’s something there for everyone to pick out and tune in with, whether that’s the idea that you feel too much for another person just as the singer does in ‘Liability’ or the love letter to having one of those all-consuming crushes in the form of ‘The Louvre’. It’s an album for anyone who’s ever shared a connection with another person and even after all this time out in the big, wide world, it still feels like the musical equivalent of a long, tight hug from an old friend. 

Last Friday, Ella Yelich-O’Connor (AKA Lorde) rounded off her three night residency at Camden Roundhouse and right down to the weather outside, the night was everything you could ever possibly hope a Lorde show would be. Fans lined the street outside and a palpable excitement filled the air long before they’d even caught sight of the inside of the venue.

Right from the offset, it was clear why the Kiwi star had opted for such an intimate venue to host her magnificent stage show, rather than somewhere much bigger – these evenings were about connection over anything else. Split into four ‘acts’ the 22 track long setlist combined old favourites with the bright melodies of 2021’s ‘Solar Power’ set to the backdrop of a rotating sun dial.

Introducing herself to the crowd after ‘Buzzcut Season’ from her debut album, Yelich-O’Connor joked that the venue had started to feel like her home and how the Friday night show felt like she had invited the crowd over for a party or dinner and the intimate setting truly did make it feel that way. At times, it was easy to forget that there was 3,000 other people in the room purely because of the amount of love so freely flowing between artist and audience.

Accompanied by a suit-clad band, Act II resulted in some serious emotional whiplash, jumping from witchier tracks like ‘The Path’ and ‘California’ to ‘Ribs’, a song she wrote at 15 and one that ignites a reaction from the crowd like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Nostalgia is a theme woven deep into the majority of Lorde’s music and for many fans, they have grown up alongside it, using songs like ‘Ribs’ to pinpoint those most important moments so the invitation to dance for our fifteen year old selves was very much welcomed.

The show also happened to be the 9 year anniversary of her song ‘Royals’, the one that started it all off. Expressing her gratitude for her fans and the fact that it was a pop song that changed her life, she launched the idea that a banger isn’t a banger until the audience participates before playing a stunning stripped back version of Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Run Away with Me’.

Throughout the set, there were cathartic moments a plenty, including ‘Hard Feelings’ and ‘Writer in the Dark’ both of which hit especially hard for me personally having experienced my first break up late last year. It’s incredibly hard to properly articulate what it feels like to hear the songs that got you through such a dark period live in the flesh but I will say this: it was a reminder that I’m still here, still breathing and even when it feels like your entire world is collapsing inward, there’s so much joy left to be felt.

Cue an on stage outfit change (artfully done behind a screen) and a subtle change in lighting to what can only be described as ‘sunset hues’ during the closing monologue of ‘Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen it All)’. Act III saw a huge rise in the already bursting energy that existed in the room as she stormed through several of her greatest hits including ‘Supercut’, ‘Sober’ and ‘Perfect Places’, during which it was almost difficult to hear Ella over the screams of the lyric ‘I’m 19 and I’m on fire’.

Then it was time for the big ones, ‘Solar Power’ and ‘Green Light’, the lead singles from her last two albums. The former of which she wrote after a long day in the sunshine and the track in which during the last chorus a huge cannon of yellow disc confetti consisting of messages like ‘Save the bees’, ‘Wear sunscreen’ and ‘Breathe out and tune in’ was let off, releasing with it a totally brand new sense of euphoria.

Finally, the big finish rolled around, the band did the classic ‘walk off, walk back on’ before the encore which included deluxe edition Solar Power track, Helen of Troy which is HUGELY under-appreciated as well as the classic rendition of ‘Royals’ because, after all this is the song that started everything and lastly ‘A World Alone’ live for the first time in 5 years, played especially because it was the final night in Camden.

These shows at Roundhouse were indeed a celebration of connection in its purest form and it was magical to be surrounded by so many people who have all been walked through the complicated mess that is adolescence by Lorde’s music with the knowledge that at one point or another, everybody in that room had experienced the same feelings of first love, heartbreak and joy so strong you don’t know what to do with it.

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A little over two weeks ago, Wolf Alice closed their tour of some of the UK’s smaller venues (in support of Music Venue Trust’s ‘Revive Live Campaign’) with a duo of performances at Pryzm, Kingston – hosted by Banquet Records. 

After 18 months away from moshpits and sweaty crowds, the under 18’s alcohol free show set the bar high for any future gigs one may be in attendance of. The setlist was an absolute dream with older fan favourites like ‘Giant Peach’ and ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’ sandwiched between newer material from the quartet’s most recent and probably their greatest release yet ‘Blue Weekend’. The result was an utterly spellbinding performance that I know I’ll certainly never forget. 

The band leapt straight into the gig with the fast paced ‘Smile’ before leading into much loved favourite ‘Bros’ which made for an emotional few minutes for a majority of the crowd.

‘Delicious Things’, a highlight of both the album and the gig itself, was just magical and had an almost cinematic quality to it as sparkly guitar notes circulated round the room. 

One of the band’s best qualities throughout their musical career has been the ability during every set they do, to shapeshift from outbursts of anger (‘Formidable Cool’) into emotionally sensitive ballads of a sort (‘`Safe from heartbreak (if you never fall in love’) that get the whole crowd swaying and ultimately made for another completely mesmerising break in the set as almost everybody in the crowd had put their phones away and were just listening to Ellie and Joel belt their hearts out. 

As the set entered its final half, bassist Theo Ellis and guitarist Joff Odie were high on the buzz of the crowd as they took it in turn to hype the packed room up for the thudding punkiness of ‘Play the Greatest Hits’ and of course, what followed was a chaotic mess of limbs as the crowd erupted into an albeit glorious, (not quite yet) post pandemic mosh pit). 

The breaks were slammed on hard with a beautiful rendition of the already extravagant piano ballad that is ‘The Last Man on Earth’, with keys provided by none other than Ryan Malcolm, a former member of the two piece ‘Superfood’. The set was drawn to a sad close with arguably one of the greatest love songs in history, ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ and what a magnificent ending it was – it would’ve only been better had the set been a lot longer! 

Having been hinted since July 30, Cherry Glazerr have returned with their sparkling new synth pop track ‘Rabbit Hole’. With this being the band’s first release since 2019’s Call Me (featuring Portugal, The Man), listeners are finally getting a glimpse into what the band’s fourth album will sound like.

Bursting with synth, ‘Rabbit Hole’ opens with a sample of The Moderations’ 2011 track ‘All Because of You’ and was inspired by the likes of electronic artists DJ Koze, Caribou, Yaeji, and Kaytranada all of which Creevy listened to when in the writing process.

Although unexpected, having a brand new single from Cherry Glazerr feels refreshing – it marks the beginning of a new era for the band and is a step into a future filled with genre-bending success.

You can stream ‘Rabbit Hole’ here

Despite the year not panning out to be how many of us expected, there’s no denying that 2020 has been an absolutely spectacular year for music releases. From the likes of Rina Sawayama to Phoebe Bridgers, I wrote about my top 14 of the year.

14. Hayley Williams – Petals For Armour

Williams’ debut as a solo artist can only be described as an empowering ode to women across the globe. Petals for Armor sees the Paramore lead singer at her most vulnerable as she celebrates our relationships with those around us whilst also acknowledging the downfalls of others in a way that can be considered more mature than some of her previous work. It’s an energetic promotion of self love and realising your own value.

13. Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

After her rise to stardom following her eponymous debut in 2017, Dua Lipa returned with new album Future Nostalgia in March and unsurprisingly it’s one of the biggest releases this year. Filled with 80’s synth pop and futuristic sounding pop bangers, Lipa creates some much needed escapism to a far away galaxy – ironically, Future Nostalgia couldn’t have been released at a better time.

12. The Big Moon – Walking Like We Do

Released in January, Walking Like We Do is the second album from London based quartet The Big Moon. It is on this record, that the band embrace their evolution from tracks based solely on roaring guitar to those filled with keys and synthesisers (‘Don’t Think’) along with the occasional feature of flute and brass (‘Barcelona’). WLWD is proof to all who listen that producing a more fully fledged album without losing any of your original magic is possible.

11. Soccer Mommy – Colour Theory

Split into three, with each section of the album a different colour, yellow for illness, blue for sadness and grey for loss, Sophie Allison’s second album deals with some of life’s more challenging experiences. Despite the heavy content of her lyrics, Colour Theory sees Allison explore her new platform and embrace the opportunity of having a studio recorded album.

10. Porridge Radio – Every Bad

Porridge Radio’s second full length project ‘Every Bad’ deals with the confusion that follows conflicting emotions. Musically, it is not disimilar to that of their debut ‘Rice, Pasta and Other Fillers’ and follows the stereotypical conventions of indie rock but the band appear stronger than before and rightfully so too, considering their nomination for this year’s Mercury Prize.

9. Fenne Lily – Breach

‘Breach’ is a very personal collection of songs about growing older and the change that comes along with that growth. Reflecting on a number of subjects from self medicating with weed to the uneasiness of getting older within the age of social media, Lily perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being in your late teens and early 20’s figuring out just what you want to do with your life.

8. Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Her first release in eight years, ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’ sees Fiona Apple break free from all traditional genre conventions and become more experimental whilst simultaneously bursting with the same originality that runs through her first four albums.

7. Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter

Song For Our Daughter is Laura Marling’s 7th studio album and perhaps her most distinctive yet. Based entirely around a fictional daughter, she recounts stories of what it is like to be a woman in society in a sensitive way that intertwines the trauma of womanhood with some ever important life lessons.

6. Rina Sawayama – SAWAYAMA

Sawayama is a perfect example of how genre bending albums should be, combining pop with influences from nu metal and rock Rina Sawayama takes listeners on a personal journey through the exploration of aspects of her life that shaped her into the person she is today. These of course include her Japanese/British identity and her queer identity amongst others. Sawayama is certainly one of the most outstanding albums on this list and that doesn’t come as a surprise.

5. Georgia – Seeking Thrills

There is no better way to describe Georgia’s ‘Seeking Thrills’ other than as a teaser of all the things we have missed out on this year. Packed with dazzling electro pop and turbo dance hits (‘Started Out’), it’s easy to overlook the gloomy undertones of Georgia’s lyrics which show that heartbreak is never too distant, even on the dance floor. Seeking Thrills emphasises the importance of friendship and coming together to enjoy life whilst providing hope that these experiences will be back before we know it.

4. HAIM – Women in Music Pt.III

To me, this is the album that best encapsulates what HAIM are about. Women in Music Pt.III is bold and a step out of the trio’s comfort zone into a world of 90’s inspired R&B and bleak electronica that accompanies lyrics which address misogyny and life changing events experienced by the sisters (‘Hallelujah’). WIMPIII i undoubtedly HAIM’s best release yet.

3. Charli XCX – how i’m feeling now

Created in 5 weeks at the start of lockdown, ‘how i’m feeling now is perhaps one of Charli XCX’s most emotional, personal and experimental pieces of work to date. It sees her go unfiltered, exploring her more intimate side providing a closer look at her past relationships and a look into her battle with mental health issues whilst also still providing a dose of classic Charli on tracks like ‘anthems’ and ‘c2.0’ in which she longs for nights with her friends on the dancefloor.

2. Sorry – 925

925 is the debut from London based rockers Sorry and it combines infectious guitar pieces with catchy choruses to create a unique collection of songs that just so happens to be one of the best releases this year. Sorry do not shy away from adding their own personal touch to the tropes of every day pop rock music with the honesty of each track shining through via lead singer Asha’s calm but cool vocals. After such a release, there is no doubt in my mind that Sorry will go far and wide in whatever they do next.

1. Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher

It’s not often that sophomore albums live up to the same hype that an artist’s debut does but with Phoebe Bridger’s ‘Punisher’ the story is different entirely. A powerful album that encapsulates similar feelings to that of 2017’s ‘Stranger in the Alps’ with an added vulnerability, Bridgers isn’t afraid to combine nostalgia with fresh new feelings that reflect that of the year we’ve just had. Punisher is the perfect album for summarising the highs and lows of the year that was 2020.

Last Friday (Nov 13th) Marika Hackman released her album full of covers featuring songs from artists like Radiohead and Grimes, tackling each one in a way that adds another layer to the artist original. Her take on Radiohead’s 1994 song ‘You Never Wash Up After Yourself’, swaps guitar for piano and features the unnerving noise of insects buzzing. Between the Bars sees her add something more to the melancholy cult musician Elliott Smith’s classic tune. Amongst classic stripped back versions, Hackman squeezes in those she has completely reinvented like Grimes’ Realiti. The song is almost completely unrecognisable with strings and harp taking over. ‘Pink Light’ is a cover of American pop trio MUNA’s soft but powerful hit except she has added a coldness to it which makes it entirely her own.

She also strips back Beyonce’s ‘All Night’ to its bony frame leaving nothing but simplistic layers of vocals. Put together whilst in lockdown at her parents’ earlier this year, Covers allowed Marika to have an outlet in a time where original ideas were limited. It also creates a nice middle ground between 2019’s ‘Any Human Friend’ and any future works whilst providing familiarity in a time of uncertainty.

You can stream Covers here

Despite being released in October of last year, I recently discovered the wonderful Liz Lawrence and her second full length album Pity Party.

With this album being her first full length release since 2011, it is so obvious to listeners that Lawrence has made this album on her own terms – she has done it for herself rather than anybody else this time around. Sticking to her native lo-fi folk roots with hints of pop, she explores what life is like as you draw closer to your mid twenties.

‘None of my friends’ is a track that really details the chaos of life in your mid twenties, it’s a song that encompasses the overall mood of this record. Describing what inspired the song to Rhys Buchanan (NME Magazine) she spoke of a day in which she had 5 phone calls with friends about various different dramas that were occurring in their lives and how this realisation of change had really become a pivotal moment in life for her – it’s something a lot of people, particularly of this age group will be able to relate to.

USP is one of my favourite songs on this record, describes Liz’s experience as a young person in the industry after leaving record labels for various reasons, it’s a song about reclaiming your image and building up the confidence to be who you want to be without restrictions.

Navigator is a vibrant pop rock anthem that exposes the truths about finding security in the people that we love.

Nostalgia permeates each track and the care that Liz has taken with her lyrics and the layering of sweet guitar melodies over beats from a synth machine really proves to her audience that she is a person that knows exactly what she wants from her music. Pity party is an album that just works, the sentiment is clear regardless of the order one chooses to play it in.

My personal favourites are USP, Want, But Love & 10 Breaths. Its an album I think everybody needs to hear, especially at the moment. Liz is one to watch, an exceptional talent with the ability to captivate & connect her audience.

You can purchase physical copies of Pity Party here

Stream it here

Bea Kristi (better known under moniker beabadoobee) has released her 90’s rock influenced debut album Fake it Flowers, having only practically just started to explore the rock genre on tracks such as ‘I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus’ which hails from late 2019’s Space Cadet EP. This new direction sees her straying further and further away from her bedroom pop roots (2018’s Patched Up and Love Worm EP’s) but her songwriting style remains the same, each track like a diary entry, different from the last. Over 12 tracks, so many different themes are explored: on ‘Dye It Red’ she dips into hair dye as a form of empowerment, ‘Charlie Brown’ despite the sweet nature of the title is a song about self harm and ‘Horen Sarrison’ is a not-so indirect reference to her boyfriend. Before its release, Bea had described this album as having an ‘End of 90’s movies vibe’ as well as saying it reminds her of an early 2000’s chick flick (think Clueless or Legally Blonde). The album opens with uplifting rock song ‘Care’ and Bea’s ability to create a perfect dynamic between loud and quiet becomes apparent with songs like ‘Sorry’ or suitably named ‘Emo Song’ acting as the perfect pressure relief.

You can purchase tickets to her UK tour, set to take place in Sept/Oct 2021 here

Purchase Fake it Flowers here

This week saw the return of live music in an all new format – socially distanced & seated.

First to kick off was The Orielles on Sunday at Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds followed by a performance at Jazz Café in London on Tuesday. Despite these shows being different to what audiences would usually be used to, spirits were not dampened.

The crowd was lively as the band opened with track Come Down on Jupiter, hailing from their latest album Disco Volador. With the band playing two shows, guitarist Henry didn’t let the band’s gratitude toward being able to play live go unnoticed either.

The band’s chemistry seemed to be flowing abundantly, suggesting that lockdown has done incredible things in terms of allowing the band to smooth out their live act. Bobbi’s Second World, the band’s biggest hit was an arguable highlight as it got the audience moving despite being restricted to seats. Closing track was Sunflower Seeds from 2018’s Silver Dollar Moment and it was a perfect way to end the night before the impending 10pm curfew.

You can purchase The Orielles album Disco Volador here: https://theorielles.bandcamp.com/album/disco-volador

North London based Sorry also played a socially distanced gig this week, this time at The Windmill in Brixton. Having not played a live, in person show since their US debut at New York’s Union Pool venue in March, the group certainly haven’t lost their swagger. Opening with Right Round The Clock, a track off their debut album 925; the audience was lively right up until the band finished with their song lies. It was amazing to see the band back together on stage once again.

You can purchase Sorry’s album 925 here: https://www.dominomusic.com/releases/sorry/925/lp