Ones To Watch: Battles

Just before I go on a nice little holiday, I’m here to divulge about another ‘One To Watch’; Battles. This group, hailing from The Big Apple, are a neat little Experimental/Math-rock outfit who have just dropped their massive second album, ‘Gloss Drop’.

Apart from having an awesome, yet slightly weird album cover, Gloss Drop delivers on so many tiers due to its experimental nature which progresses smoothly throughout the 12-track record. Stand-out song, and first single off ‘Gloss Drop’, is a shining example of what this progressive three-piece have to offer. The tune ‘Ice Cream’ is a summery, escalating affair that seems to continuously build momentum from the combination of the thrusting guitars and keyboard. I would definitely prescribe this song to any fans of bands like Foals and Metronomy who also aren’t afraid to showcase their exploratory sounds.

What also makes Battles a memorable listen is the fact that so many of their songs don’t feature a vocalist. There are exceptions, of course, such as the previously mentioned ‘Ice Cream’ which features guest vocalist Matias Aguayo; a fairly successful DJ/producer from Chile. For the majority of the album, however, Battles seem to cope just fine despite the absence of a vocalist. This is probably down to how comfortable they are with their instruments; which they probably look to promote as the focus of their music. Battles also have a tidy sense of rhythm which they incorporate really well into their music and unlike other similar bands, the New York trio are producing some anthemic material which at times feels as though it is pushing firmly into the Dance bracket. The mind numbing ‘Wall Street’ is a pacey, toe-tapping and perfect amalgamation of everything that Battles bring to the table.

With every track off ‘Gloss Drop’ only seeming to tick more and more boxes whilst staking a case for the perfect summer soundtrack, Battles are truly heading in the right direction. Although taking approximately four years to follow up on their first album ‘Mirrored’, patience may be the key as ‘Gloss Drop’ receives critical acclaim from left, right and centre. Battles have produced a right gem of an album with ‘Gloss Drop’ but lets just hope the wait isn’t too long for their next outing.

Have a great summer.

Chilis Unveil New Album

What’s about to come is a MASSIVE slice of news that I’ve personally been waiting for (with my fingers crossed) for ages. Now that it’s finally been announced and given a title, I am pleased to say that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to release their new album on the 30th of August. The record, entitled ‘I’m With You’, will be the LA punk veterans’ 10th studio album. Shortyly after naming the album, the Chilis also unveiled its intriguing album artwork which has been designed by the iconic Damien Hirst. The abstract album cover, which can be seen below, has been described by lead singer Anthony Kiedis as just, ”an image. It’s art.” This however will, no doubt, still leave a number of fans racking their minds for the meaning behind it.

Moving aside from the “iconic” artwork; most of us want to know if the album is actually going to be any good. I myself am so excited by the prospect of ‘I’m With You’ because its a genuine chance for the group to prove themselves again after a four year break following the release of ‘Stadium Arcadium’, which I considered to be a slight let-down considering the world class stature of the band. I am also interested as to how newbie Josh Klinghoffer will fit into the band after the legendary John Frusciante’s departure from the group. This will, no doubt, be a giant step up for Klinghoffer who has yet to really prove his mettle although working with Warpaint, Beck and other big names as well as assisting the Chilis on their ‘Stadium Arcadium’ tour. Klinghoffer, however, has appeared in various official press shoots which have surfaced online via the official Red Hot Chili Peppers Facebook page. Adding a youthful touch to the images, which make you realise how long the Chilis have been around for, Klinghoffer is seen with companions Flea, Chad Smith and Anthony Kiedis in what looks to be a fairly lo-fi photoshoot. Keep an eye out for these photographs at the bottom of the page and note Kiedis’ questionable/epic choice of facial hair.

If this nugget of news has whetted your appetite and you fancy yourself a brand spanking new taste of Red Hot Chili, then tune in to Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show on July 18 at 7:30pm for an exclusive first play of the upcoming album’s maiden single, ‘The Adventures of Raindance Maggie’.

Pulp's Glastonbury Surprise

Worthy Farm’s annual mega music event has been and gone for another year, with some calling this year’s edition of Glastonbury one of the best yet. Unfortunately though, Glasto will be a no-show next year as the farm looks to take a fallow year, coinciding nicely with the London Olympics. The great Michael Eavis (founder of the festival in case you didn’t know) himself said that he wanted to make up for next year’s absence by bringing out all the stops with a stellar line up packed with variety. And undoubtedly, Mr Eavis did this by bringing out a multitude of stars and breaking new bands over dozens of stages. However, the star act of the weekend was nowhere to be seen on the line up. Billed as special guests on the Saturday, Pulp followed suit from Radiohead who surprised thousands of fans the day before on the Park Stage. When I say surprise, though, I mean it was one of the worst kept secrets of all time.

A record 30,000 attendees flocked to the Park Stage after it had been exposed by The Sun that 90′s Indie legends Pulp would return to Glastonbury as special guests after headlining the event in 1995 and 1998. Led by the dapper wordsmith Jarvis Cocker, the crammed crowd were left astonished by a career-spanning greatest hits set which featured anthems like ‘Disco 2000′ and ‘Do You Remember The First Time?’. Finishing on their biggest hit, ‘Common People’, the six-piece collective once again marked their stamp on the festival’s history whilst also providing the perfect soundtrack to this year’s Somerset gathering.



After a nine year hiatus it seems like we need Pulp more then ever to offer us a nostalgic revisit back to Jarvis’ quirky lyrics and the catchy tunes that helped to define the Britpop era as well as cementing Pulp’s place as one of Britain’s greatest Alternative acts. The evening can be summed up very aptly with Cocker’s greeting to the gargantuan crowd: “Well, you didn’t think we’d let you down, did you?”

Pulp played:

‘Do You Remember The First Time?’
‘Joyriders’
‘Razzmatazz’
‘Acrylic Afternoons’
‘Something Changed’
‘Disco 2000′
‘Sorted For E’s & Wizz’
‘Like A Friend’
‘Babies’
‘Mis-Shapes’
‘Live Bed Show’
‘This Is Hardcore’
‘Sunrise’
‘Common People’

Ones To Watch: Foster The People

Hey guys, I’ve decided to add a new weekly(ish) feature to my music posts. I’ll be focussing on the ones to watch in the music industry so I’ve cleverly decided to name the feature ‘Ones To Watch’ (cue round of applause). Anyway, enough of the intro, lets get things under way.

So, right now you may be thinking “who will be the prestigious first ever Ones To Watch?!?!”. Now this was a hard choice until I realised that their new single was the first song on my Spotify to have surpassed the dreaded 5 plays limit. The single, named ‘Houdini’, belongs to Indie Pop band Foster The People. This group from LA have a TON of hype surrounding them right now after a bunch of incredibly well received gigs at this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin. And just after checking out their first single ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ on YouTube, which has surpassed 2 million hits, this band couldn’t be any hotter.

Agreeing to the opinion of many a critic, I would liken Foster The People to a slightly more radio friendly MGMT/Empire Of The Sun. If you’re finding yourselves liking the sound of that, then I seriously recommend checking out their mellowed out first single below – which is a dead cert for one of the hits of the summer:



However, what really caught my attention regarding FTP was their shiny new single ‘Houdini’. This track has been rightfully dubbed the stand-out song off FTP’s summery debut album ‘Torches’ (released June 27) due to its upbeat, synth driven feel which perfectly accompanies Mark Foster’s smooth vocals. So what are you waiting for. Get up off that seat, give ‘Torches’ a listen on full blast and join the crowds at this year’s biggest UK festivals to get a nice live slice of Foster The People.



Foster The People are set to appear at: Reading & Leeds, Lovebox, Latitude and this weekend’s mighty Glastonbury festival!

Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for future editions of 'Ones To Watch' for your latest, up to date fix of the freshest music.

Bombay Bicycle Club announce new album

This week, Bombay Bicycle Club announced the details surrounding the release of their third EP, a follow up to 2010′s Ivor Novello nominated acoustic album Flaws. The band, who are a quartet from London, revealed that the eagerly anticipated record will be released on August 29. This is to be preceded by the single Shuffle which will get its world exclusive airing on Zane Lowe’s Radio One show on June 22. The album which is titled ‘A Different Kind Of Fix’ was recorded in Atlanta, London and Germany, with work on the album beginning late 2010.

It is also revealed that the band have looked to venture down an intriguing new route, with the group going back to their electric roots as well as the introduction of synths and layered vocals. Frontman Jack Steadman has previously hinted to this when stating, “The first time I played it to any of my friends was at a house party and none of them believed it was Bombay Bicycle Club.” Bombay’s forthcoming album has been produced by both Animal Collective producer Ben Allen and Jack Steadman. This news defines an extraordinary journey for Bombay Bicycle Club who first came into the fray after winning Channel 4′s Road To V competition in 2006 which saw them bagging the opening slot at the 2006 V Festival on the Channel 4 Stage.

The tracklisting for ‘A Different Kind Of Fix’:

‘How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep’
‘Bad Timing’
‘Your Eyes’
‘Lights Out, Words Gone’
‘Take The Right One’
‘Shuffle’
‘Beggars’
‘Leave It’
‘Fracture’
‘What You Want’
‘Favourite Day’
‘Still’

And if you literally cannot wait for the August release, then check out a taster by watching a live performance of ‘Beggars’ below.

Angles

Album artwork by Guy Pouppez

Although the fourth studio album by The Strokes has been written off by some who claim that the LP fails to live up to what we have come to expect from the New York based quintet (with releases like Is This It and Room On Fire), in my opinion it is one the best albums of 2011 so far. This is because what Angles requires is patience and a lot of re-plays. Whereas songs like Under Cover Of Darkness and Gratisfaction will hook the audience on their first listen, other intricate tracks like Games and Machu Picchu will need to be played various times for the listener to come to terms with the transition that The Strokes have made from the raw and uncompromising Last Nite to where they are musically now. Even if after hearing the 10 track album album a few times you are still disappointed, there is a silver lining. Angles shows some clear signs of promise for the future of The Strokes. 


Reading articles like Tim Jonze's on The Guardian's website (read here) which explain the tension between the band during the recording process of Angles seems to clash with the smooth and flowing integration from the band which emanates from highlight tracks such as Taken For A Fool (released on May 24, 2011). Furthermore, recent live appearances from Later with Jools Holland show a band who work exceedingly well as a unit and most importantly, are making great sounding music. After bagging summer headline spots at top festivals like Reading & Leeds, Coachella and Benicassim, the long term future looks bright for the Strokes who are currently back in the studio looking at new ideas for the follow-up to Angles. And for fans who are still feeling a sense of worry regarding one of their favourite bands, lead guitarist Nick Valensi states: "I feel like we have a better album in us, and it's going to come out soon."