Acrylic Afternoons

My little blog to hold my music related ramblings and opinions. Street Market Rep for the independent record label, XtraMile Recordings.

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

VOTE VOTE VOTE

Please vote! Polling stations open till 10pm. Make sure your voice is heard!!!!

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

TLC Comeback

Yesterday I worked with SeeSaw Productions on the Live Streaming and recording of TLC’s gig at KOKO.

After selling 65 million records worldwide, this show was a big one for the 90′s R&B singers Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. It was the first time they had ever played a UK show in their 25 year long career and this show was more than over-due after their 12 year hiatus. 

To thank fans for sticking by them, TLC performed, ‘Joy Ride’- a track off their new album which comes out 30th June this year. As well as the new tracks, there was major throwback with the classics, ‘No Scrubs’, ‘Creep’ and ‘Waterfall’. Tributes to the late Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes were paid with tribute video footage played back on the screens as well as fans who showed their respects by adopting the ‘Left Eye’ warpaint.

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Okay so recently in an interview for a music company I was asked to create a playlist. The instructions extended to no more than ‘create something we can listen to’, so thrown a bit off balance, I kind of just infused everything that I’m into at the moment with some absolute bangers from my childhood and songs I like to scream along to with my mates, thus creating the mother of all playlists (in my humble opinion).

The playlist kicks off with The Big Moon; I had made this just before they released ‘Love in the 4th Dimension’ otherwise ‘Bonfire’ would have probably made an appearance on it as well. Marika Hackman follows with the track ‘Boyfriend’. The Big Moon work with Marika and perform as her backing band when she plays live- which is pretty cool and very convenient for killing two birds with one stone.

I had to throw in ‘lippy kids’, ‘Pencil Full Of Lead’ and ‘True Colours’ as a nod to my childhood. A few of these tracks are purely for the nostalgia but I've tried (and probably failed) to arrange them in a way that makes at least a bit of sense to listen to. 

Arcade Fire’s ‘Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)’ is added as Funeral is my number one all time favourite album and I have no shame in revealing I cried my eyes out hearing it live at their headline set at last year’s Nos Alive Festival. The playlist then takes a more dance route with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Klaxons which blends pretty nicely into a couple Chemical Brother’s tracks. I tend not to listen to electronic music but I recently got into Sylvan Esso and their track ‘H.S.K.T’ makes me want to bop my head a lot, alas this is about as electronic/dance-y as I am comfortable with before I revert back to a lovely bit of Florence and The Machine.

Kind of ashamed to say that I only discovered Courtney Barnett in the past six months but in that time I can say I've listened to her pretty relentlessly. Her quick witted lyrics, coined with the heavy guitar riffs make for a sort of loud poetic verbal diarrhoea that is ‘Pedestrian at Best’. 

I think I've covered all grounds with this playlist, I've gone for every emotion under the sun and threw them all under one umbrella. I think it works, I listen to it on the regular, alas the company I interviewed for obviously had mixed opinions and gave the job to someone else... but no hard feelings... ha ha...

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Alt-J on NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Alt-J made a come back to NPR’s ‘Tiny Desk Concert’ a few days ago with a completely new arrangement as instructed by the co-ordinator, Bob Boilen. 

Joe Newman (guitar, vocals); Thom Green (drums); Gus Unger-Hamilton (keys, vocals) are seen in the video below. What’s so interesting to see is the difference between the two recordings, taken five years apart. The latest recording included guest American string musicians Carol Anne Bosco (cello); Kristin Bakkegard (violin); Paul Bagley (violin) who add a beautiful quality to the set list. Compare this to the 2012 recording, taken just after Alt-J released, ‘An Awesome Wave’ where Newman plays the electric guitar compared to the subtle acoustic in the 2017 video. 

I was initially hesitant when listening to 3WW when it was released but after the second listen I was in awe at how intricately delicate and clever it is. Unger-Hamilton’s vocals on the opening verse threw me at first but the arrangement totally works especially with the added vocals of ‘Wolf Alice’s’ Ellie Rowsell later on in the track. 

Thus I am now eager for the release of Relaxer on 2nd June and have mentally prepared myself for the direction I think this band are going in. 

You can pre-order Relaxer here.

Set List "3WW" "In Cold Blood" "Warm Foothills" "Taro"

Set List "Tessellate" "Something Good" "Matilda"

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Peace and Mud

Just over a month to go until Glastonbury 2017 and it cannot come soon enough. 

After ticking the mother of all music festivals off my bucket list last year, I’m ready to award myself the title of ‘Glastonbury Veteran’ this time around before the fateful fallow year of 2018.

We are still awaiting the completed line up for this year but I am over the moon with the acts that have already been announced, which include: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Father John Misty, Alt-J, Courteeners, The Cinematic Orchestra etc etc etc. It’s a big year this year and undoubtedly the Eavis’ will have something special up their sleeves to pull out a big stop(s), (Gorillaz secret set?!).

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Esmé Patterson

I have a list held in the sidebar of my laptop which consists of my favourite live recorded tracks from various artists. After much deliberation I think this one is my number one. 

The track is ‘What Do You Call a Woman?’ by Esmé Patterson and is off her concept album ‘Woman to Woman’ released back in 2014. 

The album is essentially a concept whereby she writes songs from the perspective of fictional women whom feature in pre-existing songs written by men. The idea is that she gives these women complex feelings and emotions; ‘What Do You Call a Woman?’ is in response to Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’-

“What do you call a woman when she’s lying in your bed, ain’t I your lover, ain’t I?”

I’ve listened to various live recorded versions of this song, as well as the album recording but they all lack the anger and grit that you can so distinctly hear on this AudioTree live recording. As a vocalist she has a unique style, one aspect of this being her high pitched squeak which comes out in this song as she infuses a controlled vocal with a gritty angry tone which you can hear on the line, “yeah call me what you want but let him call you, Father”. 

After having had the pleasure to meet and speak to Esmé in person I was struck by how genuinely humble she is. She’s an intelligent and softly spoken person but carries the ability to make you feel pure informed anger when listening to her music, and I think that’s the idea... and probably why she appeared on a Ted Talk with this specific album. 

You go Esmé!

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

NEW(ISH) BAND

In the midst of working and working, I failed to find the time to write about these guys. I saw Anteros at Heaven supporting Blaenavon at their album release show (’That’s Your Lot’ is ace btw, check it out) and after not having heard of them prior to the gig, I left wanting to absorb more and as soon as possible. 

The indie pop band consists of Laura Hayden (vocals), Joshua Rumble (bass), Charles Monneraud (guitar), Harry Balazs (drums). Their setlist featured songs full of catchy grippy tunes such as ‘Breakfast’, ‘Cherry Drop’ and ‘Drunk’. These songs record well but live they carry more grit and energy, with a sparkly silver-suited Laura Hayden flying and darting across the stage to meet the eyes of well... as many people as she can, as she asks the crowd to turn their phone flashlights on pointing at their own faces so she can get a better look at her audience. 

I might sound like I’m fangirling but this band just oozes cool. 

You can buy their Drunk EP which is out now here and you can check them out playing at Secret Garden Party on 20th July

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Lost Evenings

Looking forward to Frank’s ‘Lost Evenings’ at Roundhouse with Onefest which kicks off this coming Friday. In preparation I've been revisiting ‘Sleep Is For The Week’ ahead of Saturday’s show. It’s interesting to me how Turner’s sound has shifted through the years from his debut studio album to his latest PSNP. With a new album on the horizon, and it’s teased release for 2018, I can only wonder what the man has in store next. 

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Indie label Xtra Mile Recordings are home to acts including Frank Turner, Reuben, Against Me!, Beans On Toast, Chris T-T, and many more.

This is the pre-order link for Agents of Change, the album comes out this June (June 2nd to be exact)

Reserve your copy today

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

*PREMIERE* This Feeling Track of the Day : The RPM's 'Oh My God' - Gigslutz

This young Brighton band have laid down an early contender of feel good summer tune of the year with new catchy single ‘Oh My God’. Even better, it has a message. The words go…“kids all in the clubs still singing...

Check out the article and give this song a listen!!

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

NEW MUSIC

FJM, The Big Moon, Blaenavon... Happyness?!!! Happy release day wahooooolaaaaa

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Chris T-T - The English Earth (official lyric video)

The English Earth is taken from Chris T-T's 20 year celebration album 'Best Of' available from 19th May 2017 on Xtra Mile Recordings. Pre-order links: XMR - ...

On the subject of Chris T-T....

Check out this official lyric video for The English Earth

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

FUN ANNOUNCEMENT

To mark 20 years making music BEST OF CHRIS T-T double album is coming. It's out 19th May on 2 CDs and features 39 songs. You can PRE-ORDER TODAY via Xtra Mi...

Chris T-T announced a Best Of compilation out May 19th.

You can PRE-ORDER TODAY via Xtra Mile Recordings here

Or via iTunes here

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Happy Mother's Day!

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

Can’t wait for FJM’s new album to be released on 7th April 2017!

[blisteringbluebarnacles-blog1]

I recently watched the 2015 documentary ‘Amy’, directed by Asif Kapadia. 

I found a genuine new appreciation for what she did as an artist and what she battled to overcome as a person. 

She was a lady who loved Jazz music; her main ambition was to perform in Jazz clubs. 

The most poignant moment for me was the archive footage of her recording with Tony Bennett. She describes him as her idol and it’s humbling to see how happy and comfortable she looked whilst singing with him, at a time where she was at her most vulnerable. 

Bennett is quoted saying how he is haunted by his failure to help her before she died. Although he also raises a valid argument by stating, “Would it have made a difference if someone she considered an idol had said to her something like, ‘You’re my idol. You are a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Please don’t take that from the world’?”. 

[implantedvisions]