Live Review: Jagwar Ma @ Rescue Rooms [20/10/13]

Noel Gallagher, revered by hordes almost as a Godlike figure, recently described Jagwar Ma as the ‘future’. No pressure, chaps. Playing on Sunday night to a sold out Rescue Rooms, the Australian band had a heap of expectation to live up to. 

The trio – touring their debut album Howlin – open with the reverb-drenched, What Love. Frontman Gabriel Winterfield coos hypnotically throughout the repetitive, yet insanely catchy, track.

Come Save Me tells the familiar tale of an unrequited love, carried perfectly by a 60s pop backing track. Here, the multi-instrumentalist trio have a Beach Boys guise on – delivering sweet, sun-tinged harmonies.

Although attracting an eclectic audience with their genre-encompassing style, a baggy, Madchester vibe is prominent in most of the group’s work. The psychedelic The Throw could easily have featured on Screamadelica and latest single Man I Need transforms the venue into a scene from the legendary Haçienda– complete with its share of suspect haircuts.

Rarely interacting with the bustling audience, there is a nonchalant air about the band. This can be a peril, especially when prolonged jams at the tail end of certain tracks come across as distant and self-indulgent. However, when songs like Four hit their peak, the room explodes in a frenzy of fidgety synth. Punchy set-closer, That Loneliness, also typifies this – gloriously bursting into life at its climax and pushing the sound system’s bass remit to the limit.

Jagwar Ma certainly need a good polish at the edges, but Noel may just be onto something.


http://www.nottinghampost.com/Review-Jagwar-Ma-Rescue-Rooms/story-19965524-detail/story.html

Live Review: Miles Kane @ Rock City [03/10/13]

“Every time I come here you blow my mind,” declares a riled up Miles Kane moments before delivering a triumphant encore. In the filled-to-capacity Rock City, the feeling is most definitely returned.

Following welcoming chants of “MILES, MILES,” the dapper rocker opens his set with a no-nonsense approach, matching the raucous crowd’s energy blow for blow. Avoiding any small talk, Kane offers a blend of tracks both old and new. The delightful Rearrange, from his debut album, is a pop gem with a swirling sixties vibe.

It’s clear to see from where the Liverpudlian draws his influences from, channelling a young Paul Weller both in style and sound. This rings true particularly with Better Than That – a buoyant feel-good song that nods at a bygone era. The track also best employs his band, with backing vocals adding to the nostalgic effect.

The show’s frantic pace is only halted a few times – allowing Kane to showcase a mellower, more thoughtful side to his artistry. Love songs like Take the Night from Me and My Fantasy are introduced as though he were a proud father.

The night’s highlight comes in the form of Give Up, which brilliantly features an excerpt of Sympathy for the Devil. The venue’s hazy atmosphere fittingly accompanies the legendary track’s burning crescendo. Many would consider a Stones cover a ballsy move, but Kane takes it in his stride, perfectly melding it into his setlist.

Possibly the most impressive part of Kane’s performance is his guitar playing. The sharply dressed 27-year-old swaggers across the stage caressing the instrument as though it was an attachment of his body. Hits at the tail end of the gig, Don’t Forget Who You Are, and electric set-closer, Come Closer, exemplify this talent.

A busy touring schedule and a devoted fan base means Miles Kane is fast cementing his status as an indie icon. And with a performance as tailored as one of his designer shirts, Kane can only be making more of a case for himself.

Live Review: Mac Miller @ Rock City [29/09/13]

At only 21, rapper Mac Miller has had a meteoric rise to success from unsigned freestyler to international superstar, and on Sunday night he brought his unmistakable hip-hop stylings to Rock City.

The bashful Pittsburgh lyricist, promoting his sophomore studio album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, opens the show with a newly acquired intense, aggressive sound.

                                                                                                                                 

Mac constantly gees the predominantly teenage crowd during tracks like latest single, Goosebumpz, which showcases both his trademark flow and progression as an artist.

However, it’s not until around the halfway point when the fun really starts as the rapper treats the adoring audience to a flurry of early fan-favourites. Accompanied by his DJ, Mac Miller has the crowd under his charming, juvenile spell with triumphant renditions of frat party anthem Knock Knock and infectious smash hit, Donald Trump.

There are inevitable lulls when some weaker cuts see light of day, but Mac ensures the track-heavy set ends on a high by inciting a mass a capella sing-a-long of Objects in the Mirror.

Amongst an ocean of young talent, Mac Miller has defied odds and proven himself as one of rap’s hottest properties. Judging by this, he shows no signs of stopping. 

Live Review: Public Enemy @ Rock City [23/04/13]

Public Enemy were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their revolutionary brand of politically charged hip-hop. Days after this landmark, the group bring the noise to Nottingham’s Rock City – but can they live up to their former glories?

The clique, comprising of figureheads Chuck D and Flavor Flav, certainly get off to a good start. They briefly set ground rules, stating “this is a real hip-hop show”, much to the delight of the surprisingly middle-aged audience. They then tear straight into the classics. Backed by a seriously impressive live band and DJ, songs like Bring the Noise and Rebel Without a Pause are twisted with heavier, rock elements. These opening tunes are rapped alone by Chuck D, but when cult legend Flavor Flav joins the fun, the crowd is cranked into a frenzy. The hype man’s infectious energy proves that Public Enemy still enjoy what they do.

The group’s extensive back catalogue is combined with entertaining showmanship throughout the set. Flav, now 54-years-old, provides both bass and drum solos before a mesmerising showcase in scratching from DJ Lord. From this, it's apparent these rap veterans have spent years honing their skills.

There is also a focus on crowd interaction, with the group often urging fans to raise their fists and “fight the power.” Members of the crowd are even summoned onto the stage to help with vocals on Don’t Believe the Hype and Fight the Power.

Public Enemy conclude their set with a triumphant performance of Harder Than You Think. The track, probably their most commercially successful due to the 2012 Paralympics, has brought the group a deserved second wave of popularity. Chuck D and Flav are last to leave the stage, giving a heartfelt message of thanks to the Nottingham crowd.

They now may not be as intense, or even as important, compared to their legendary Rock City appearance in 1987, but Public Enemy are still the real deal.

8/10

Live Review: Foals (+ The Invisible) @ Rock City [12/03/13]

The Invisible

Appearance-wise, The Invisible are a very unorthodox band. As the London three-piece waltz on to the stage to an already rammed Rock City, you wouldn’t be surprised if they were just doing the sound-check.

Lead singer Dave Okumu promises the crowd a special night. He was right, but unfortunately for The Invisible, that’s all down to Foals.

The band’s synth-heavy sound, sprinkled with catchy melodies, takes clear influence from the likes of Radiohead and tour-pals, Foals. However, as the set drags into one long, mesmerising song, the pumped crowd begin to grow tired.

No denying they’re talented; as an impromptu jam session proves. But ultimately it’s too self-absorbed for a crowd of this magnitude to indulge. A few more crowd-pleasing hooks and this band are on to something.

Foals

A mounting tension fills Rock City as Foals grace the stage one by one. By the time frontman Yannis Phillippakis enters the fray, set opener Prelude is in full swing. The pulsating instrumental track is a fitting calm before the storm.

Although tonight is all about latest album Holy Fire, the Oxford band up the ante with fans favourite Olympic Airways – sparking a mass sing-a-long. The band don’t interact with the frenzied crowd much; opting instead to tear through their setlist in electrifying fashion. However, before boosting the venue’s bass levels with Miami, Yannis holds his guitar up to the heavens in an almost sacrificial nature.

Following the release of their third album, it’s evident that Foals are in their prime – channelling raw energy into new songs like My Number and Milk & Black Spiders. The former track is received with pure delight as the Nottingham crowd shifts from a moshpit to a rave. Another cut from Holy Fire, Bad Habit, gets its second ever live play. Having admitted to it going horribly wrong the first time, the band hit all the right notes with the anthemic track. These new songs sit comfortably alongside Foals’ older material – with fans singing along as if they’d known them for years.

The soulful crescendo of current single Late Night is only trumped by the perfect Spanish Sahara. Played live with crystal-clear quality, the track has a transcendent feel to it.

Before taking a brief rest, Yannis joins the crowd during Electric Bloom. While fans fans swarm the enigmatic frontman, drummer Jack Bevan is left to his own devices – delivering a scintillating drum solo.

“You ready? You ready?” Returning with an encore, this is Yannis’ cry to the crowd before the band’s curtain call. And as Inhaler’s electric riff rings around the venue, it’s pretty obvious the crowd are up to the challenge. Judging by the number of circle pits formed during the song, this is Foals’ most popular track to date. The track’s shrieking chorus also provides the loudest moment of the night.

As Foals close their set with the breath-taking Two Steps Twice, Rock City may have just seen its most spectacular performance yet.

10/10

What A Load Of Brit

Well the Brits were rubbish, weren’t they?

If it wasn’t the lame Mumford & Sons (who Jake Bugg aptly labelled “farmers with banjos”) playing their annoyingly pretentious folk-rock, it was the ever-present Emeli Sande equipped with her arsenal of monotonous songs.

Safe to say, the whole ceremony was a boring, predictable affair. This is most upsetting when you consider this year’s potential.

For the first time in ages, proper music had been rewarded with nominations, with bands like The Black Keys, Alt-J and The Vaccines finally getting the mainstream recognition they deserve.

Proper bands, with proper instruments and proper songs (and a few dodgy haircuts) – I was getting excited.

But nothing says anti-climax like the chino-donning One Direction successfully murdering two classics while half the nation’s teenage girls confess their eternal love for Harry Styles.

Admittedly there were a couple of cool moments, including Muse’s theatrical opening performance and The Black Keys winning the gong for Best International Group, but the ceremony seemingly epitomised the death of British rock ‘n’ roll.

Gone are the days when bands like Oasis and Blur would dominate the awards, and scandalous acts from cult icons like Jarvis Cocker would make the event go down in history.

Don’t get me wrong – British rock music still thrives, but its no longer adored like it used to be.

This time next year there might be a saviour of guitar music to save the Brits, or Mumford & Sons might man up and play some real music. Who knows?

Frank Ocean's Channel Orange

Frank Ocean is an artist that could define a generation.

Surprising fans, Ocean brought forward the release date of his second album (and debut studio album) by a week, meaning it available to purchase now. As a testament to his meteoric rise in popularity due to his alliance with OFWGKTA and appearances on Watch The Throne, Channel Orange currently sits happily at the top of the iTunes chart. This is a deserved feat for the New Orleans singer, and sometimes, rapper.

Frank Ocean doesn’t just break boundaries on a sonic level, with his recognisable brand of smooth, thoughtful and mature R&B, but also as a character. Being a member of red-hot rap clique, Odd Future, he is bound to have an enigma, and preconceptions, attached to him. However, Ocean could be described as the countertype of the average R&B star. He speaks in wise, eloquent fashion and carries himself very well during interviews, often giving meaningful insight into his artistic output.

But, the most ground-breaking side to Ocean was only revealed a few days ago. Via a message on his blog (read here), the singer came out as gay, making him the first current black R&B star to do so. This letter, written with impeccable prose, took a great deal of courage, which Ocean should be commended for. But from what has been outlined before, it is clear that Frank Ocean does not adhere to norms. Originally intended for the album notes of Channel Orange, the singer’s message may be a catalyst to a change in the R&B industry as we know it.

This moves us on to the focus of this post: Channel Orange. Aside from the artist’s personal life, the album gives Ocean a chance to really prove himself on a musical platform.  As the album boasts a whopping 17 tracks, I will pick out and dissect only a few highlights to whet your appetite. The first song to catch my attention, Sweet Life, was released shortly before the album. Although the backing music is minimal, its jazzy, soulful groove combines sweetly with Ocean’s smooth vocals whilst also allowing them to take centre stage. It’s also here where I began to note the upgrade in production from the singer/songwriter’s first mixtape, Nostalgia Ultra. This was particularly notable after realising it had been co-produced by Pharrell Williams.

The next highlight may be far more recognisable for you readers, as it surfaced online a while back. Thinkin Bout You is a hypnotic lullaby that climaxes perfectly with Ocean’s falsetto at the chorus. Throughout the album, it is undeniable that Frank Ocean possesses a strong talent. He often exhibits his neat vocal range with an array of riffs and pitch changes. Thinkin Bout You exemplifies this.

The next two tracks both include guest features; a rare occurrence for the album. The first to collaborate with Frank is rapper Earl Sweatshirt on Super Rich Kids. Earl, the youngest (and most promising) member of Odd Future, drops a tight verse which follows the song’s theme of wealth and society. My favourite thing about the song, though, is its thumping, uplifting beat which contradicts the predominantly negative lyrics.

Finally, we have Pink Matter, featuring the eternally cool Andre 3000. It is a sensual love song which Ocean delivers like a natural. However, with this track, it is safe to say that “Dre” steals the spotlight. Following his sublime appearance on The Real Her from Drake’s Take Care, 3000 once again contributes expertly with his unique. And, once again, I long for the next Outkast album. If Andre 3000’s verse was to be removed, I’m not sure if the song would be as powerful, but nevertheless, Ocean’s vocals are flawless.

I’ve only picked a few highlights out because I think it’s best for you to listen to the album yourself and draw your own conclusions. I strongly recommend you give Channel Orange a go, even if you think it won’t be your cup of tea. You may be surprised. Frank Ocean is an entity. He is one of those artists you can still envisage going strong for years to come. Both with and without music, I believe Frank Ocean will inspire many future artists. Indeed, Frank Ocean is an artist that could define a generation.