For The Record 108

...Just for the record...

[fortherecord108]

Interview - The Garden @ Scala, London

The Garden is a duo band consisted of the  Fletcher Twins, Wyatt & Shears .Call it punk rock, or electric punk , call it whatever the fuck you want, it's Vada Vada !

Earlier in 2017 The Garden released their latest EP named "u want the scoop?" through Epitaph Records and following that release I had the chance to meet them for  RREVERB.com,   prior to their sold out show at Scala in London and talk their music, style and fun facts touring .

The twins were fun and interesting as characters. All the scenery was kind of awkward with them sitting on a couch right across me, with their press manager over our heads making it really hard to relax and have a proper chat rather than questions and answers. Although at some point I was really able to get a small chat going and make them confess some recent fun facts.

Here’s the interview recorded on video.

Since 2011 The Garden have debuted "The Life and Times of a Paperclip" through Burger Records on July 2013 and after having released numerous EP's and Singles through Burger records, they got signed by the legendary Epitaph records, through which they released their 2nd full lengthalbum "Haha" and “u want the scoop?”.

Their sound and style is unique and distinct with lots of energy and fast paced songs. Punk would not really be enough as a term to describe the energy and the intensity of their music or live performances, nor would be enough to include all the different elements they tend to combine both musically and aesthetically in their videos. They are unfolding another shade of punk rock, one from their own perspective, one that is hard to resist to.

[fortherecord108]

Live Review - Iceage @ London

“ I was left surrendered to their gloomy sensation, totally taken away to a whole new place where I could see no one, not the band not the people not my friends, just comfortless darkness that yet cold, it seemed familiar, it seemed so well and carefully constructed that there was no need to worry about. I embraced it”

I really don't know how many musical elements I could possibly name when listening to Iceage, nor I know how far they still have to go or how the fuck Elias Bender Rønnenfelt is so ridiculously attractive, one thing I know for sure though is that, seeing these guys perform live while laid on a nice leather couch with perfect view of the stage, made me at least that night, one of the luckiest guys!

Arriving at the venue full of excitement the scenery was classic with super-stylish fans hanging out of the venue ( like you are going to a fuckin' wedding but anyway who am I to judge) and the band's members having their last beers before the show wandering in and out of the venue. They are not really much of talkers, but hey, it's Iceage, what did you expect all laughs and jokes? can't blame them;

I was silently standing amongst people and after all the waiting and gossiping about Elias Rønnenfelt personality (number one topic on that night I must confess ) the show was about to start.

Myself, sat solo on a nice black leather couch, having a perfect view of the stage, while my beer is still full, desperately waiting for these four young men from Denmark to unleash their dark and soul-sucking set.

Starting their set, in the first couple of songs some disturbances on the sound were pretty obvious. Nonetheless nobody really seemed to care and the band kept on playing until the sound was totally perfect. I really couldn't believe how much passion and effort these guys were putting into it. You could see them performing totally gone, feeling it, being wasted and just don't giving a fuck. Elias was grunting with his characteristic style and voice, half able to stand, falling on the ground on times, while the rest of the band, they were accompanying this great man's voice completing the pitch black and depressing sense that Iceage have exceptionally created.

A very deep darkened sound-space filled with anger, desperation, and troubles, talent and charm, that no man can handle... Only option left, while watching this combination of feelings being expressed through Iceage's music, was to totally surrender to it. And so I did I was left surrendered to their gloomy sensation, totally taken away to a whole new place where I could see no one, not the band not the people not my friends, just comfortless darkness that yet cold, it seemed familiar, it seemed so well and carefully constructed that there was no need to worry about. I embraced it. It was made from Iceage, for us to enjoy, and to say it was just enjoyable would be at least unfair. I won't lie, I am a fan boy of this band and experiencing their show in the very way I had imagined it, was something totally else. Half-drunk and on the perfect spot without even having to be standing up for the whole time... Unreal.

Iceage are talented, talented and experienced so much that literally doesn't fit their age. They are way ahead of their times and they still have a long way to go. They have already crafted their own style in music, blending infinite elements of other genres, and it seems like they will keep on doing so with the consistency talent and success.

Here’s a video from their live show at that day...

Similar artists: Rendez Vous, Marching Church, Protomartyr

[fortherecord108]

Album Review-Foxygen “Hang”

I am too much of a loser to be an artist. Too wasted already to become a professional, but still young. Spending time far beyond sobriety, watching my idols  doing what I am obsessed with, always made me feel better. Fuck, I've done this a lot, I should stop! Ooor maybe wait a minute... After all music is to be enjoyed and I get to choose my own ways and hell it never felt that great before.  Others go to the cinema watching fucking 50 Shades of gray while devouring nachos drown in cheddar but hey, no thanks I am good! I'd rather have my beers and listen to Foxygen instead of watching a movie.

"Hang" feels like flowers blooming and dying in a split of a second. The orchestration and synthesis are really complex and "theatrical". It's almost as I have been blind for all my life till the point I heard "Hang" and this whole musical story unfolded in front of me in very complex and colorful ways. This record feels as a sonic vision which slowly came to realization - of course with brave doses of freedom and stranding somewhere between himself and his idols - and Mick Jagger  would either be proud or jealous listening to Hang. But, I mean nobody sits there in the studio has a few doobies and then jams shit like that, no!

The confidence on the voice is magical taking over of the feeling and shaping the dynamics in a very precise yet spontaneous  way. I know it sounds shit in live performances most of the times, but the reason this is happening is because the orchestra is still missing when they perform Hang live meaning there is less room for Sam to expose his voice as he did in the album. Or maybe he is not as much as a good singer as I'd like to believe, but I do so fuck it.

The lyrics on the album are all direct and relatable.  "On Lankershim"  and "America" are the lyrical gems on "Hang" demonstrating Foxygen's drive and inspiration on composing and performing even being, if you like. But wait a minute I just said they were relatable too. Fuck they are! there you go...

" Well, we all spent time trying to make it But you spent your money getting high Well I know can make it back 'cause I'm only 25 And my friend, she's only 20 And she's an actress so far She said, you know, she said she can get me parts"

Relatable to an any 25 year old male music lover that would suck his own dick on stage to be Sam, or Nielsen but no I am not just related... They either described my habitual life on a ridiculous extent, or shaped it in a glimpse of an eye, but either way whatever happened made me obsessively loving them. Yet there is more, as Sam sings these lyrics in a very depressing and painful way like he knows it not happening.  like it's tragic to believe and sing about it, and there so much juxtaposition on what he describes and the way he does it, that it gets poetic and magical, it gets at least theatrical.

Enough said now go listen. I could brag about their production too, or how well the instrumentation was done on "Hang" but let me tell you this. If ever wanted to feel young again I'd listen to "Hang" so maybe this is why I keep on listening to it almost in a daily basis for not to grow any older.

Cheers.

Reminds me of: Rolling Stones

Rating Suns: 4.5/5

[fortherecord108]

Opinion Piece - Chosing music consciously.

Music today is shit. There is so much of it and it is easier even for the lamest noob to write some tunes or remix them or dj than ever before, that really makes music hard to be enjoyed on places like the internet. But I like music. Not all of it though, only the best music and by that I mean the music I listen to. Yes you heared me, the music I listen to is my music and it is actually the best music in the world because I chose it for myself, or maybe not?

Commercialization of art is not a new concept, no not at all. On the contrary is a very common concept nowadays that is taking over not only art, but everything that finds lots of followers. Popular things tend to become commercialized because they are popular, and industrialized to keep on covering the popular demand linearly for the sake of profit. And music is one of the victims of commercialization and industrialization today. We can see that everywhere from the local pubs hosting open mic nights taking advantage of the need for exposure of small musicians, to the popular and major acts producing albums precisely recorded to the very bit of their last detail to meet the market's needs and outplay competitors. On top of that not everybody questions why they listen or they like the music they listen to, so immediately the future of music is left to be controlled by the rules of the market and offer and demand.

But this can change with mediation of the music, and awakening of the people that actually listen to music. It can change if we first start to question, why we like music and what music is to us. If we start consuming music consciously.

I find myself being attracted on specific phases that the bands seem to be going through while in the process of making music. And that phase is when the bands or the artists, - yes i know it sounds cliché - are making music from the heart rather than the head,  or to put it different, when they are "making" music rather than when they are "doing" music.When bands start making music the process is "amateur". The musicians themselves might not be amateurs at all, the process of creation though - in the beginning is - in a way. And the more it lasts the better to me. Because the individuals involved are taken over by the excitement of actually experiencing the music they are making. Feeling it. At this stage, there are no other reasons for making the music rather than exploring your creativity's potential and liking the result the very moment of the making. And this usually leads to the expression of the emotions because no other thought filters are being processed leading thus the making of the music to be very raw, direct and obviously emotional. The individuals play what they feel and they feel what they're listening back!  It is a weird cycle! But this is what I mostly like to new tunes I discover, this is how I chose whether I like or not really something. It's one of my filters that help me mediate the music coming my way.

Mediation of music is left to the ones in power over it, however anybody can filter what comes towards them by consciously choosing it. Understanding why one likes a tune, is the first step to counter commercialization and industrialization of music. The rest will follow.

Now here’s the first step to get closer to the gooood music. Embrace the new wave French scene with Rendez Vous debut