Tobias Pugh Music Blog

Portfolio of reviews, press releases, PR work, podcasts, essays, university work, playlists and more. All content written by me. You can contact me at [email protected]

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Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

I wrote about Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino for Born Music’s 2018 list:

Though it probably would have been without the bizarre information surrounding it, the announcement of Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino made it the most talked about album of the year before it even came out. Titles like ‘The World’s First Ever Monster Truck Front Flip’, lyrics about wanting to “be one of The Strokes” and the fact that Alex Turner wrote the album alone, locked in a room building a model of a lunar hotel from cardboard and crafting songs to soundtrack its lounge and wider political context.

The lyrics, the delivery, the ideas behind it are all very Alex Turner, obscuring hidden meanings in flowery, strange phrases; its fun, clever, romantic, but with a huge sense of humour about the whole concept. Turner’s unique mind and the absurdity of modern life cross over at just the right point to craft songs like ‘She Looks Like Fun’, possibly the most scathing critique of social media with yelps of “cheeeeeeessseebburrgers” and “Snoooowboooarrddiing” you’ll ever hear.

For all its obscurity, Turner lays out his intent for the album in plainly in ‘Science Fiction’ with “I want to make a simple point about peace and love, but in a sexy way where it’s not obvious, highlight dangers and send out hidden messages the way some science fiction does”. Like sci-fi, it’s densely political, satirising our dystopian present in jazz-like stream of consciousness outbursts about Theresa May’s ‘Magic Money Tree’ or the oxymoronic “leader of the free world” and a wealth of bizarre and brilliant one liners to dig deep into or just maniacally laugh/sing along to. Truly, the only form of political commentary from a rich person you should ever listen to is Alex Turner crooning about facetiming god, dancing in his underpants and VR fights in parliament.

Since their debut – the biggest selling in British music history – Arctic Monkeys have rebelled against their own identity constantly, reinventing their entire sound and look almost yearly, succeeding with whatever they try. After a five year break, the UK’s biggest band returned with the only thing that makes sense; a concept album about a hotel on the moon. And it works.

You can check out this and other reviews here http://www.bornmusiconline.com/the-20-best-albums-eps-of-2018/

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Grouper - Grid of Points

I wrote about Grouper’s Grid of Points for Born Music’s best of 2018 list:

Sorry Kanye, you had a good few attempts, but the best seven track album recorded in Wyoming this year is Grouper’s. Grid of Points is more of an experience than an album. It’s spacious, immersive and organic. It’s 21 minutes, but it feels like the purest serenity and emotion time can buy.

Song-wise, it’s one of her strongest records to date, unnaturally good even. When she whispers “I am magic” at the start of ‘Driving’, you believe it. But Grouper has never been just about song-writing, the Liz Harris’ project is all about the atmosphere; the gaps, the silences, the pauses, the missing pieces. It’s not the note, but the emphasis of its decay.

Before it became a cliché, use of the phrase “hauntingly beautiful” was reserved for Liz Harris alone. ‘Birthday Song’ sounds exactly how you’d imagine a gaggle of ghosts singing together at a haunted house party, dancing with notes overlapping, elongated breathy and beautiful vocals and fading piano; their decay and survival as echoes and vibrations long after. Creating feelings from its own negative space, Grid of Points is that haunting throughout.

You can check out this and other reviews here http://www.bornmusiconline.com/the-20-best-albums-eps-of-2018/

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Sløtface - Try Not To Freak Out Review

Norwegian indie pop quartet Sløtface, FKA and still pronounced as Slutface, are about to release their eagerly awaited debut album Try Not To Freak Out. Spoiler alert: It’s brilliant.

Keep reading here.

My other articles for Born Music can be found here.

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Green Man 2017 Festival Review

As a rule, any music festival opened by a druid has got to be a good one. On its 15th year, Green Man was no exception.

Here is my review and an accompanying playlist.

My other articles for Born Music can be found here.

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Recent articles

Here is a list of articles I’ve written for Born Music recently that I haven’t had time to post. We’re putting our first gig on in London this Saturday (18th Feb) at The Finsbury Pub and it’s free!

BBC Sound of 2017 picks

Best political tracks 2016

Brits Critics choice picks

Introducing Izzy Bizu

Introducing RAY BLK

X-Posure festival preview

Spotlight: The Sky Blues

Japandroids - Near to the wild heart of life review

Rock Werchter preview

Spotlight: Mizz June

Surfer Blood - Snowdonia review

Introducing Hajk

Spotlight: The Undercover Dream Lovers

Rag’N’Bone Man - Human review

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Aquilo Interview

Aquilo, the British duo behind the best heartbreaking, melancholy electronic pop you ever did hear, have recently released their stunning debut album. We spoke to them about videos, collaborations, their rockier past and the future. Read it here on Born Music

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PREVIEW: GREEN MAN 2017

Green Man is one of those festivals that delivers a great line-up every single year, and of course, 2017 is no different. Read our five recommendations here on Born Music.

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What do the Brits mean in 2017?

The Brits are nearly here! And you want to know if they’re worth watching. Well, while hardly mind-blowing acts like Ed Sheeran and The 1975 are performing, nominees like Anohni, Little Mix, Rag’N’Bone Man, Kano, Blossoms are (in comparison with 2016s bland fest) actually pretty great. But do the awards mean anything in 2017? Have they finally fixed the diversity problem? And are they torn too much between the past and the future? Read more online here at Born Music

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Why We Love... Danny Brown

I wrote about my favourite artist and album from 2016 for Audio Addict #25. Follow the link here to read online (page 26) along with other great content or click 'Keep reading’ to read it below.

Some things are just meant to be. Despite taking nine years in underground obscurity before hitting the mainstream with XXX, Danny Brown was born to rap; “When I was a baby, my mama always used to take me with her to the laundromat. She would take mad Dr. Seuss books and she would just read them to me over and over again - So when I first started talking, I talked in rhymes.”

As what MTV called “one of rap's most unique figures”, the squawky voiced Detroit rapper boasts an oversized imagination, an encyclopaedic knowledge of Ghettotech samples, and a love for the insane. That trademark squawk of a voice has seen him rap with the likes of Eminem, Black Hippy and MF Doom, while his beats incorporate Ray Charles samples in shallow bangers like ‘Smokin and Drinkin’.

Although he gained notoriety perfecting the ridiculous, with stupidly lewd punchlines like “sent your bitch a dick pic and now she need glasses”, he’s also mastered the powerful and poignant. On ‘Guitar Solo’ he swaps his hyena-esque delivery (which is btw, an emotive technique developed from “being around crackheads”) for a grizzly spat depiction of a world of tragedy, broken homes and just the loneliness that surrounds the young and hopeless for company. It’s this versatility that earnt him the nickname ‘The Hybrid’; a name extending through to his cartoonish existence as a Dr. Seuss inspired ex-drug dealer who loves molly, hates cereal and spends $3,500 on a cat to protect him from mice.

While Brown has always flirted with the unconventional, no-one could have predicted this year’s Atrocity Exhibition. It’s as off the wall as anything he’s done before yet as dark as the Joy Division song which it lifts its name. While running themes of mental illness, poverty and addiction aren’t new in hip-hop, they’ve never been expressed like this before. From the swirling post-punky intro of ‘Downward Spiral’, through syncopated rhythms, bizarre samples and unhinged rapping, it constantly feels like he’s on the run from his comfort zone.

For the sinister ‘Really Doe’, Brown picked the only three rappers he felt could compete with him, and Kendrick, Earl and Ab-Soul more than deliver, its possibly the best possé cut since A Tribe Called Quest and Leaders Of the New School teamed up for ‘Scenario’ in 1991. Tracks like the near-beatless ‘When It Rain’ or the frantic ‘Aint It Funny’ are a testament to his incredible delivery, because no-one else could begin to rap over any of the awkward, almost avant-garde beats. Where Old was a timeline of hip hop instrumentals, Atrocity is like the sort of album which the old experimental Jazz artists he name-drops would make if they were around today.

In 2016, there just isn’t a rapper as interesting as Danny Brown. As one of the great modern creatives, he’s barely comparable to anybody. His charisma recalls a young and excitable Busta Rhymes, but on a much larger scale. He doesn’t care about his lack of front teeth, or complain about haters or find stupid reasons for feuds, he’s just too busy living his dreams.

Musically, his next step could take him any direction he wants. His unpredictable and brilliant resumé will soon even boast a children’s book, inspired by his daughter, aiming to boost self-esteem in young black girls. Of all his talents, ideas and eccentricities, the best thing about him is that whether it’s a feature or a full project, he’s always at the top of his game, and the only appealing thing for him to do at that height, is to take a leap into the unknown.

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Intoducing... Salio

As part of a collaborative project between Born Music and Reverbnation, I have been in charge of listening to submissions for weekly unsigned and undsicovered artist introducing pieces. First up is Salio...

“Hailing from The Republic of Georgia, Salio grew up in poverty, with restricted access to food, electricity and water. She began writing songs before she was ten years old, studying classical music and finding inspiration in artists like Janis Joplin, Etta James and Massive Attack.” 

“Her music contains powerful messages and stories desperate to be heard, all the while retaining the elements of a great song. Its infectious pop music with an agenda.“ 

Read the full piece here on Born Music.

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Flaming Lips - Oczy Mlody Review

“It’s a bold statement to make, but The Flaming Lips’ 14th studio album may be one of their maddest concepts yet. Based in a world where sleeping cures everything from drug addiction to obesity, the drug Oczy Mlody is the party drug of choice, utilising your subconscious to take you to “your perfect childhood happy mind”. Oh… and it’s set in a gated complex disguised as a fairy tale city where they’re always high and partying (thank/blame Miley Cyrus’ influence).”

Read the full review here at Born Music

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I created an Indie New Years Eve playlst for Born Music Online featuring some of the best new music this year, some Indie classics and some old favourites.

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Song of the Year: DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels - Nobody Speak

You’ve got to love a song that kicks off brazenly with “picture this; I’m a bag of dicks”, before a slew of ridiculous lyrics threatening to “punch a baby bear in his shit”, “kick a lion in his crack”, “kick your dog”, and then finally “fuck your bitch”. This, from the rap duo that’s released some of our era’s most hard-hitting political commentary, is the anti-serious antidote to a year that will be fondly remembered as the worst on record. Add in a ridiculously catchy chorus and a guitar riff that sounds like it’s come straight outta Django Unchained and you’ve got three musical legends doing what they do best.

You can read what other songs the writers at Audio Addict thought were the songs of the year here.

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Cabbage - Terrorist Synthesizer EP review

With songs literally called things like ‘Uber Capitalist Death Trade’ and lyrics calling for the death of Donald Trump, Cabbage are not shy about sharing their ideologies. With wild solos and wilder screams, their scruffy Fat White Family-esque style is a vital and necessary injection of hilarious, surreal and brilliant punk. Read the full review here. 

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Sløtface - Empire Records EP review

After changing their name drastically from the provocative Slutface, Norwegian feminist rockers Sløtface (pronounced Slutface) have released their new EP Empire Records. Read my review here at Born Music

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The progression of A Tribe Called Quest

18 years after their last album, A Tribe Called Quest are back. To celebrate, take a look at a song from each of their albums and track the progression of one of the most legendary groups in music here on Born Music

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Kevin Abstract - American Boyfriend album review

In an interview earlier this year, Brockhampton’s Kevin Abstract prophesised that “the biggest pop star in the world should be a creative black kid from Texas that doesn’t know how to come out to his family”. Nine months later, has this come true? Find out here at Born Music Online