With the last post in mind there are 4 BIG songs/artists i think are worth a listen and are exactly what i mean when i say, The future of new music. They range in genre and style, look and attitude however, all as equally important as the next... Listen to them, google them, go see them live and then pass your review on.
First up! Chiddy bang are a US duo, only 17 but make a meeeean cover of MGMT's Kids
Chiddy Bang - The Opposite Of Adults
Next up, Ellie Goulding...
Won the 2010 critics choice award at the brits and voted BBC sound of 2010... Looks to have a great year ahead.
Marina and the Diamonds is going to be massive, watch this space.
Marina & The Diamonds - Hollywood
and lastly a bit of a wild card, i dont know much about this band, all i know
is from what ive heard, ive loved it can't wait to get a LP by this band.
Around this time of year, every year... just as summer is approaching and winter is thankfully gone for another 10 months, we start to see record companies invest alot more time into their new acts... promoting them at every opportunity and trying to broaden the prospects of a tidy number 1 album and loyal fan base. For this reason new music becomes ripe and we start to see the rubbish currently in the top 40 fade out and indie/electro take over as supreme once again... This goes without saying for 2 main reasons and a few tiny... The first notable reason is...
1. The Brits
and this year we cant escape them, what with peter kay hosting and the usual, unusual blend of odd ball singers and music industry excs all crammed into one building for a, never quite long enough show that in the past has featured some iconic moments and helped in shaping not just british music culture, but also in USA and australia native indie groups fame thereselves on behaving 'like the british' and due to this not only can the brit awards be essential for the success of any new act in the UK but also globally like Britney, Scissor Sisters, Eminem all put there label through there paces to make sure they got a space to preform, but also go all the way to ensure their performance is the most memorable of the evening... But the genuis of it is... YOU DONT EVEN NEED TO PREFORM case in point: Michael Jackson being mooned by jarvis cocker or The KLF weirdness on that crazy 92 show or The Halliwell union jack dress which was voted the most iconic moment in not just the brits history, but pop history.. and brought all of these acts priceless publicity, which, without the Brits... wouldn't actually have been possible, The Brits remains the only british show that reaches more people and carries more influence than the Xfactor.
2. Festivals
Leading up to summer we also get the chance to speculate on who will be appearing at each of the festivals. Festival business boomed at the beginning of the 90's and in its path, created some new festivals and a new type of summer holiday experience which invites anyone, of any age and of any background to camp in a field with thousands of other strangers, shit and wash in dirty horrible, probable STD filled area, be bitten by flying insects, the like of which are only known in the Balado area of earth and definitely get mud in your nose, arse, hair, nails, shoes and beer... All in the name of music...This was and continues to be the most successful form of introduction to any music lover and new bands, sure you have your NME magazine where you cant actually hear the printed words about how good the music is on their end or radio stations which even although play alot of new music which is cool and likely exciting for any new artist... they also turn down thousands and thousands of new bands to be heard on there station, either for being 'not in keeping with the stations genre' or 'not popular enough' stations take the easy option and wait until the artist is minorly successful before furthering their career. There is nothing quite like walking around a field with a warm beer in your hand and passing a tent where a band is playing to a crowd of around 12... or 13... where the energy and power of the lyrics may just be enough to make them your new favorite artist.
These 2 giant music promotions make all the shitty urban/RnB bearable, to know that is a few months time we will probably be listening and raving on about a new artist that we had no idea existed before the above...
There are a few some reasons as fore mentioned, which might just be theories at this stage but still every part as important
The Gallaghers
I am not afraid at all of admitting how much i hate them, however... As the last band around after the 90's Britpop era, They have my respect for lasting so long and i am also a tiny bit sad and let down that in actual fact Britpop is now DEAD. (even although it died 10 years ago, i find it difficult to admit) apart of me always wishes that blur and plup and others would reform for musics sake.... However, i do know that if they did, and Oasis are now included - It still wouldn't be the same. With the brothers now possibly split forever (or at least until the big bucked reform tour deals start coming in) they have the dilemma of who will carry on as Oasis and who, out of the brothers is left to seek new band mates and name... In actual fact these questions may have already been answered in the press, however until i see the changes and the way it sounds for myself i refuse to believe it...
With this in itself brings a massive change to the music scene and alot of bands will try now to step up there game to try and claim the gapping hole Oasis have left.
Glee
Lastly and ill leave it for you to decide how important this one is, Glee, which you really cant avoid right now...his does for music something genius and very clever. Britannia High was a UK show, very similar, but a complete failure. It doesnt take long to see the differences between them and the reason its US competition marvels in places BH failed. firstly, the songs on glee are covers where the songs on BH were originals, BH had too many serious story lines whereas glee focuses on humouring it audience and importantly the characters on glee can act. Glee is filming for season 2 right now in the US and no doubt will also re-appear back over here too. With album, Glee soundtrack: Part 1 on the way (feb 15th) we will be sure to see alot more top 10 hits by the cast and with that as above comes a new wave of fans or gleeks as their known, taking to the mic and releasing there efforts inspired by the show.
All in all this could be a very very exciting year for music, what with all the silly Reformations done and over with and away from our charts we can get back to what we do best, New Music...
Heres a Cool song for you to enjoy on another hungover and pointless sunday...
Its my new favourite rapper, Wale this time tackling the Ting Tings smaaaash and also a Little W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E actioooon...
i love wale...
if you do to check out his other stuff online below...
Still hanging on to one of my favourite albums from last year, Jamie T's kings and queens... The album has out lived some of the big hitters from the end of 09/10...
Florence and the Machine
Friendly Fires
Them Crooked Vultures
Maccabees
Temper Trap
Muse
To name but a few of albums whom have lasted a mear few days on my iTunes playlist - and then been removed for being slightly annoying and having gave all they had to offer and delight for the first few days of their release, only now to be be demoted quietly waiting for a chance to jump at me, abit all over excited when I accidently press 'all songs shuffle'.Kings and Queens however avoids this madness and yet, somehow... A good 4months after it's release, remains still a vital part of my Playlists... It's never off!
It's so good, so fun... And yet even although I've heard it now about 78X (according to iTunes sometimes grey stats - it once said I had played cher 92X, it's all lies) i'm still hearing variation in songs and falling in love again with it...It's no masterpeice though, but yet strangly compelling: like stumbling across a Di Vinci only half finished... Never the less - I highly recommend a listen.
Outcome- 7/10
Here it is, The long time coming return show of DarrenX goodness...
***Quick update**** Over the last 24hours of the new podcast going live we have had the most streams ever of any DarrenX show... You are amazing... Thanks!
ANYWAAAAAAY
The new podcast featured below has songs from Timbaland, Gorillaz, Sugababes and more...Plus i rant about how crappy the music is in the charts at the moment and earbash that replay twat and also go abit mad while listening to my new favorite song...Annnnnnd of course... all your usual Hottest Record and Crowd rocker goodness... Today with a HRitWT from Marina and the Diamonds and a BIIIIG crowd rocker for our return...
You can either stream the whole show from the new streaming bar on the left bar... It looks like the one below... Only it actually works when you click the buttons...
OR you can download it (98mb) direct - Yeah, ill just Download it... thaaaaaaaanks
Its all part of making you want to come here and hang about more often (wink) cos i think if you you we can become good mates... ANYWAY, enough talking of the shit..
I've added 3 NEW things of importance and once i have told you about them AND you promise not to break anything then we can carry on doing our thing..
1. is the awesome new iTunes links as pictured belooooow
It will be changed every month with the music i recommend you should give a listen to or purchase, you will hear them/see them featured in the monthly podcast and blog posts too...
2. The Boring disclaimer information at the bottom, i was advised to add it due to the podcast stream on my site... who knows why... anyway its there incase i ever steal any of your work... yeah right... asssssssssssssss ifffffffffffff.
3. Is this badboy it links new links page for all my little spaces online... i love to get to know anyone who listens to my podcasts and reads my blog... so get in touch on the above...
The best cartoon band that's invented by damon albarn, period!
I love the gorillaz and I am so glad they are back for their 3rd and rumoured last album, although you can take that with a pinch of salt as Albarn used this trick last time round too... The album isn't a Demon Days part 2 though, it's richer, more creative and meanly addictive. Listening to the dirty synth and humming vocals makes you regret spending £12 on that lady gaga CD (and then £15 on the re-issue) as this is proper pop the way the ancestors of music ment for it to sound!
Lead single 'Stylo' is a taster of the dark disco your ears will experience as you trip round the gorillaz plastic beach. In parts I gasped at how clever and sophisticated the melodies sounded, then in others laughed and tingled with excitement and awe.
Why can't all music be like this?
It's true, they are back... And WHO THE FUCK ARE BLUR?
I am more excited than Heather mills in a shoe shop listening to the new scientists stuff...
Sounds more commercially appealling and annoyingly poppy and catchy - all the same, very good quality and undeniably chart worthy...
After trying the world of TV and comedy the boys return to the music that made them their first celebrity bucks. The first song is rumoured to be called 're-rewrite' which should be on the air around summer with the album to follow in autum...
The band are featured in this month's (Feb) Q magazine and also our very own DarrenX show podcast... Coming to your ears late Feb
Maccabees are back, it seems like a game right now for British artists to make a great debut album then follow it up with the screaming love child of everything you love about music as a second album.. Jack Penate, Calvin Harris, JamieT to name a few..
The Maccabees don't disappoint unless your looking for the cute poppy love songs they created on there first album, instead they sound more relaxed and mature in both the song writing and also in the sound, sounding like a band that have been around for years and completly comfortable... As if just doing it for fun...
The album has enough bridges to make an acrophobe pee him self... And the build ups are phenominally good that you'll probably forget to breath... The sound of the record as a whole from the outside sounds like an early Smiths and depeche mode peice, but as you listen to it and hear the effort made its sound changes into a more deep velvet or dare I say Dylan masterpeice..
Will it becomes classic? Will the band make a future off this record? I don't know, all I know is this is probably the best record I've heard this year and that's a pretty big statment to make considering the new U2 and Killers albums
What Rox: Kiss and Resolve
What Sux: The albums too short
Outcome: 8/10
***UPDATE***
This album was released at the beginning of this week, and even although i remember how great a record it is and how much i loved listening too it... until a point where it reached 300 plays on my iPhone and i had to un-sync it because i got to stage where i was re-citing the album i my sleep...
No disrespect to the album however, its very cleverly written...
I have a problem though and its not directly linked with the band i feel the decision to to re-release the album came from a record Exec looking for a little January bonus.. and what?
for 4 poor songs...
And a re-review
Outcome: 5/10
Wow! This guys gon be big...
Frankmusik came rather unexpectedly into my life, sitting in a pub in Glasgow... Suddenly I heard the Golden Brown version on "when you're around" after that, I was frankies for the taking...
The sound is a Synthbased-Fun-Modern-Disco-Pop-Feast... It sounds fantastic in the way that hearing an amazing 80's song does, the album has incredible upbeat songs and huge chorus', frankmusik experiments with different styles and in some ways I think that makes this album and also lets it down abit too...
The fact is; Frankmusik is going to be massive in a few Years but listening to this album I dont think he's found his comfort style yet, it sounds like this incredibly talented singer/songwriter is still exploring pop/dance sounds and what music influences he wants to come through in his music, there are a few very strong sounds various artists use the first half of the album which are quite distinct but all completely different... There is nothing wrong with this, it just make the album feel more cheeky and thats alright for me at the moment...
There isn't any reason not to DL this album, it's epic and some songs are pure refreshment, and make me excited about the future of new music.
Wat Rox: when you're around & complete me
Wat Sux: the big balladyer ones aren't my cuppa, but there certainly not rubbish
Outcome: 5/10
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