In case you don’t know who Imagine Dragons are, allow me to introduce you. They’re a 4-piece American
indie rock band who are making quite the splash in the music world.
In 2012, “It’s Time”
was nominated at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA’s) for ‘Best Rock Video’ and
it’s clear to see why! The video is incredible. I don’t often bother watching
music videos because I’d rather just listen to the song but this one’s
different, I like it!
(Front cover of their album)
“It’s Time” is taken from their album, “Night Visions”, which is such a great
album. It proves that there’s so much more to them than just being an ‘indie
rock’ band. The album is available from iTunes. There’s a deluxe version for £10.99 which features 21 tracks or a standard version for £7.99 which has 14 tracks on it.
Imagine Dragons
are releasing the “It’s Time” EP on
21st April for £1.99 which features the track and a couple of
remixes of it. I don’t tend to bother with remixes so I won’t be checking it
out but if you like them, it might be worth checking it out!
The band are currently at 32 in the UK Top 40 chart with “Radioactive” after having spent 18 weeks
in the chart so they’re clearly destined for great things. I have a lot of love
for “Radioactive” but I prefer “It’s Time” – I literally can’t listen to
it without singing along!
If you prefer acoustic versions, they have one on their VEVO
which I’ll link below. It’s a great video that showcases their talent as
musicians and singers. I can’t get enough of this single right now and I hope
you enjoy it too!
What do you think of
the track? Are you likely to check out the remixes?
For those who haven’t heard of Kodaline (don’t worry, I didn’t
until a few weeks ago either!), they are a four-piece alt-rock band from
Dublin, Ireland. As far as I’m aware,
they were previously known as 21 Demands. I’ll be honest, I think Kodaline is
far superior name!
Kodaline were nominated for MTV’s ‘Brand New for 2013’ award
as well as BBC’s ‘Sound of 2013’ award – which gives an indication of just how
successful everyone’s expecting them to be this year. (No pressure, guys!) They
released ‘The Kodaline’ EP in September 2012 and released ‘The High Hopes’ EP
this month – in fact, this track is taken from it. If the EP is anything to go
by, these guys are going to be huge.
‘High Hopes’ is the kind of song that makes you feel relaxed
and calm but very much alive at the same time. The lyrics are probably one of
the most important things for me when it comes to a good song and there’s no
denying the power of these lyrics. They help to create the ‘relaxed but alive’
feeling with ease. Songs tend to be fairly subjective; for me, this song
screams of being hurt by a relationship coming to an end and finding yourself
rediscovering a hope that you’d momentarily forgotten. For that reason, I think
it would be a great song to listen to after a break-up because, yes, you might
cry but you’d find yourself feeling empowered too. Well, I would!
The vocals (Stephen Garrigan) are great. He’s got a great
range and ultra-soothing tones to his voice. There’s also a hint of
vulnerability in his vocals on this track which help to give it that little
special something.
Let’s not forget the other three members (guitarist – Mark Prendergast,
drummer – Vinny May Jr, and bassist – Jason Boland). They all help to create a
sound that’s mildly haunting and yet, somehow, uplifting; a happy melancholy.
Lastly, I cannot review this song without briefly mentioning
the video. Steve Rusell did a superb job directing the video; it’s powerful, it’s
emotional, it’s haunting… Just like the song.
I predict that we’re definitely going to hear a LOT more
from these guys in 2013 so keep your ears peeled! Their upcoming album is
available for pre-order now on iTunes HERE for just £9.99 and will be released on 10th June 2013. If you want
to check out their previous EP’s, The High Hopes is available HERE for £1.99 and The Kodaline is available HERE for £1.99 as well.
What do you think of the song and video? Yay or Nay?
Back in 2009, I believe, I went
to see a band called Kid British (you can check them out here) play at
the iTunes festival. I’d only recently discovered the band but I fell in love
with them – particularly the vocals of one singer. Years down the line, one
vocalist leaves and the band eventually split in order to follow solo careers.
The vocalist that left was James
Mayer and he has, from the very first time I heard a Kid British song, had the
ability to captivate me entirely and give me goosebumps – as a direct result of
his vocals. There’s something about it; a certain depth and roughness that
helps him portray emotion with ease.
Performing under the name Mayer,
James has released two videos on his YouTube channel and both of them are
incredible. '10 More Minutes' is my personal favourite but, in all honesty, I
love them both a tremendous amount.
The lyrics and general sound of
the tracks are amazing but, for me, it’s the vocals that outshine everything
else. His voice is incredibly unique and easy to listen to it. I can’t rave
about him enough.
Mayer has been working hard on
his upcoming EP which will be available soon and I, for one, cannot
wait to hear it. I’ll definitely be reviewing it as soon as it’s available! He’s
also filming a video soon for his first single. Exciting! I just couldn't wait to share his talent with you!
What do you think…
Are you looking forward to hearing Mayer’s EP?
I'll start by saying that most of what you're about to read is going to be biased because I know one of the two involved in this video. Whatever. Regardless of that, I want to share it with you and everything you're about to read has truth to it... I might just end up exaggerating it...
Videos like this make my insides happy in a way that only music videos can. It's all well and good me listening to a song and attempting, and usually failing, to pick out all the instruments that might have been used etc. but it's a whole 'nother thing when I get to see a song broken down before my very eyes, yet so carefully constructed at the same time.
It kind of reminds me of Brett Domino but less... What's the word..? Wooden? Tacky? Weird? I think that's the one I wanted... Weird. It's fun and funny. It's all the good things in life. It's exactly what music should be. Complex and simple all wrapped up in a 2 minute video.
Ahh, maybe you're wondering what about this video I find so funny... Keep your eyes peeled at about 0.42. You're in for a treat. (Sorry, Ben!). There's other little bits that make me chuckle too. Watch out for them!
I'm yet to show this to somebody and have them dislike it, that's all I'm gonna say.
What musical gems like this have you found recently on YouTube?
I’m going to start
this by saying I have become completely obsessed with this song recently, hence
why I’ve chosen to write about it, but there’s just one thing about the song
that niggles away at me so let’s start with the one negative about this song
before we go into the many positives, shall we..?
I cannot for the life
of me work out why when Rochelle starts the song singing in an accent that she
clearly doesn’t possess when she talks. You know the bit I’m on about, right?
The slight Jamaican accent she chooses to sing in for that part only. I don’t
get it. Leave the accent stuff to Sean Paul.
Right, with that over
with…
Rochelle’s vocals are
absolutely incredible on this track. With a voice as strong and consistent as
hers, it’s brilliant to see her taking the lead vocals on a track that’s going
to be as popular as this. There’s a depth to Rochelle’s voice that works
perfectly for this song. Add that depth to her range and you’ve got yourself a
job well done.
In fact, all the
vocals are brilliant. It’s nice to be able to differentiate between each
individual member’s vocals. It makes it a lot easier to see how much both
Frankie and Mollie’s vocals have improved since they first started. There’s no
denying they’re not the strongest singers in the band but they both bring
something that helps to make The Saturdays special – not just pretty faces,
after all. It also makes it easier to see what each member brings to the band
vocally – strong vocals, great harmonies, sultry voices, etc.
The Saturdays pairing
up with Sean Paul isn’t exactly a collaboration I ever expected but it does
make sense. They both make music that makes you want to dance until your feet
hurt (with the exception of The Sat’s slower songs) and they both tend to bring
a bit of summer into the winter months. If you don’t like Sean Paul or you
think the track would be better without him in it (crazy!), then you’re in luck
because that’s available too.
This is undoubtedly
one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in recent times, especially with the “na,
na, na’s” in the chorus. I can imagine it’s going to do super well in the
States as well as in the UK. It seems like now is the time for British bands to
crack America, just look at The Wanted, One Direction, and now The Saturdays.
It’s also a great song to listen to on a miserable day because it’s inevitably
going to get you extremely excited for summer and dreaming of a road trip to
the beach or something. We might be
listening to The Sat’s first number one here… How exciting!
I’m not sure about
the video, it doesn’t really match the song or bring anything to it but it’s
still pleasant to watch. The clips of the girls dancing is enough to make me
want to learn the moves and join in. The track itself makes me want to go running
or work out in some manner. Sadly, I’m too lazy to do either.
The single is
available for pre-order on iTunes right now for £1.99 (click here to do so)
and is set to be released on March 17th.
What do you think of ‘What
About Us’? Who shines through for you on this track?
Unless you’ve never had a relationship (which might not be a
bad thing) or you’re one of the lucky few who end up spending the rest of their
lives with their first girlfriend/boyfriend, chances are you have, at some stage,
been dumped. You’ll know, then, that when you’ve been dumped (and sometimes even
when you’re the dumpee) that music suddenly affects your mood a LOT more than
before.
I’ve recently been dumped so I figured, rather than dwelling
on everything, I’d take the time to list my top ten break-up songs. I’ve taken
into account that, although all you might want to do is cry, sometimes at such
a situation it’s important to listen to uplifting songs. Of course, you might
be less affected by the whole thing in which case here’s a list of ten great
songs to enjoy!
With that in mind here are my top ten break-up songs: five
are happy and five might tug on your heartstrings.
One thing I’ve always loved about Kid British is that they manage to write songs that people can relate to time and time again. They had ‘Part Time Job/Shirt and
Tie’ which, let’s face it, we can all relate to. Let’s not forget ‘Lost in
London’ – a song that’s all about, well, getting lost in London. I live in
London and I still find myself getting lost from time to time. I could go on
but I’d rather you all just checked out their music and found elements to their
songs that you can relate to.
This track is definitely something most people will be able
to say they understand. We all have those moments when we feel like the world
is against us and there’s nobody to help us fight back against it. It’s us
against the world. This song takes that feeling and somehow makes it seem far
more beautiful than it is. It takes that dreadful feeling and turns it into
something inspiring. Clever lads!
Every song I’ve heard by Kid British, and I’ve heard a lot,
is the kind of song you put on when you’re having an awful day. Y’know, the
kind where you just want to get back into bed, crawl into a ball, and wait for
tomorrow in the hope that it’ll, somehow, be better? All of their songs have
the ability to make even the worst day seem somewhat more hopeful. That’s testament
to just how talented the members (past and present) are.
The lyrics are, for me at least, part of what makes this
song so uplifting. Okay, sure, it’s about a negative thing but Kid British
have, like they always do, made it something that can help you. I’ll be honest,
I was a bit sceptical about Dom singing – he’d always been the guitarist for
me. Not just that, I was a bit nervous about how the band would sound after
James went on to do his solo stuff. This track proves to me that any doubt I
had was unjustified.
The vocals are incredible and Dom’s voice brings something
to the track that I don’t think anybody else could have done. Adio’s part of the
song is pretty immense. Great lyrics + his vocals = recipe for success. There’s
something about his voice that gives off the feeling of vulnerability but also
strength. It’s great.
The video also has the same kind of vibe as the song which
is pretty rare these days. It seems like so many videos are about huge budgets
and fancy sets but they never relate to the song in any way. I’m glad to say
this one does.
So now comes the sad news… Whilst I’ve just raved about how
much I love this song (and believe me, I really do), Kid British have just
announced that they’re going to part and go on to other things.
I remember when I first saw Kid British. It was at the
iTunes festival in 2009. I was stood right at the front and had goosebumps the
whole time they were on stage. Their vocals were brilliant on the night but so
was their stage presence. Kid British don’t just go on stage, sing, and leave.
They party on stage just as hard as everyone in the crowd is and I, personally,
think that’s part of what makes a great band.
They were supporting Mr Hudson when I saw them but I decided
to leave as soon as their set had finished. Partly because I thought I was going
to pass out but partly because I really had only gone to see them. I wasn’t
interested in Mr Hudson – I wanted to go and see the band whose music always
made me want to dance and put a smile on my face.
When I left, I was lucky enough to meet the bassist at the
time, as well as the drummer. I also managed to get everyone's autographs which
I’ve kept all this time. I figured when they hit the big time, I’d sell them,
ha. I’m kidding. I kept them because even though a lot of people didn’t know
about Kid British, they were one of my favourite bands, and still are.
The second time I saw them was eventful to say the least.
Pretty sure I remember the police being called. It’s all one big massive party
when you see Kid British and what good’s a party if the police aren’t called at
least once, eh? I spoke to the lads that night and I remember going home
thinking that they were probably one of the most down-to-earth bands I’d ever
known of. They were just a bunch of people making music they loved for the fans
they loved. Simple as that.
I don’t know exactly why they’ve chosen to go their separate
ways. Their website says it’s because they “have seen some changes in the band
and also a wider media/industry perception of what Kid British is which have
led us to much debate”. All I can say is I look forward to hearing what each of
them get up to.
Here’s to the great things to come for all of them!
Before I start talking about the song itself, let’s talk
about the video. It starts with Taylor wearing some of the coolest pyjama’s
I’ve ever seen. If anybody knows where they’re from or where I can get similar
ones, please let me know. She then fights with her ‘boyfriend’ and tells him to
leave the flat that looks like she’s rented it from someone with retro taste or
an elderly person. The interior design is definitely not to my taste, that’s
for sure!
Next comes something I can’t understand… She starts dancing
around with people playing instruments whilst dressed as animals. Why? Okay, so
the outfits are pretty cool but that’s not the point – I don’t understand their
relevance at all. Anybody care to enlighten me?
When she’s stopped dancing, she finds herself sitting at a
table in a café, sarcastically telling her ex about how much she’s going to
miss him picking fights. You go, Taylor! Then she goes to the payphone and is
suddenly talking to her ex who, on the split screen, is at a club. Boy, he
truly does get around, doesn’t he?
Anyway, more video goes on. Taylor remains looking
absolutely beautiful throughout. Whilst this video may not be flawless, she
certainly is! What I like most is when she’s in the cardboard car like some
kind of recyclable Flintstones-esque contraption.
Right, onto the song…
I was put off listening to it for a while because everybody
had said it was really catchy and the last thing I wanted was for a song to be
stuck in my head for days on end. Eventually, though, I found myself caving
into temptation and YouTubing it. (Obviously I only did this for research
purposes.) It turns out everybody was right – the song is catchy. The
never-ending title might not be but the song is. Admittedly, I don’t know much
of Taylors’ back catalogue but it’s clear, even to me, that her sound has
changed somewhat over time. Personally, I preferred when she had a bit of a
country twang to her music because it gave her something that nobody else really
had.
The story behind the song is pretty relatable, I guess.
We’ve all had at least one ex who we wanted to make sure knew we weren’t ever
going to be together again. Here’s the issue I have though: the fact that she
says it so much in the song makes me think it can go two ways. 1) She’s trying
to convince herself, her ex, and everyone else around her that she doesn’t want
them to be together again – classic symptoms of denial. Or 2) she dates silly
people who really can’t take the hint so she has to repeat it to them about a
billion times.
The vocals of the song are really good but then I’m yet to
listen to a track by Miss Swift whereby the vocals sounded anything but good. I
don’t exactly understand why she felt the need to put the bit in the song where
she’s pretending she’s on the phone into the single because it just disturbs
the flow, if you ask me. That being said, she’s clearly doing well so who am I
tell her what to do? The lyrics aren’t exactly ground-breaking and she’s
definitely had better but most catchy songs have pretty basic lyrics. I guess
that’s part of what helps to make the songs catchy in the first place.
So, in conclusion, this is one of those songs that I don’t
want to like because they’re quite lame but then I end up finding myself
listening to it a lot because it’s really fun to sing along to, plus it’s
upbeat so I can dance around my bedroom to it. It might not be the best thing
she’s ever released but it’s obviously going to do superbly well.
Those Welsh rockers have finally done it again. When I first heard of them, back in '08, their single 'Give Me What I Want' managed to get stuck in my head for weeks, possibly even months. Although I've heard songs of theirs since then, nothing ever managed to repeat itself in my head like that song. Until now.
'Diamond Days' is one of the best songs I've heard from Kids In Glass Houses, ever. In fact, right now, it's one of my favourite songs from the past few years. There's just something about it that makes me want to dance - possibly the fact it reminds me of this song. I could be wrong. Or maybe it's the fact that the lead female in the video (none other than Georgia Horsley; model and girlfriend of 1/4 of McFly) dances at the beginning. I'm easily influenced when it comes to dancing to good songs.
Usually, when I listen to songs, I can't help but listen to the bass guitar. That's not the case with this song. I hear amazing vocals and drumming, when I close my eyes, makes me wish I was in the crowd at a KIGH gig. If anybody could make that happen, I'd love you. Forever. Or at least until the gig was over.
When I like a song, I can list a thousand (slight dramatisation) of reasons as to why. Other than the fact this song makes me want to dance and is catchy as anything, I can't. I think that's part of the reason why I like it so much though. I want to keep listening to it so that I can work out just what it is about it that makes me tick. If anyone has any suggestions, hit me up! All I know is that whenever I open my iTunes, this is the first song I play. If I open YouTube, this is one of the first videos I search for. It's been stuck in my head for weeks now. It's unhealthy and I love every second of it.
Here's hoping the next release from Kids In Glass Houses will be this amazing.
I'm not sure what I prefer more - the song or the video. There's been an influx of official lyrics videos from artists recently but this has to be the most creative of them all. Usually it's just the lyrics flying about on the screen - like a funky karaoke. This one, however, breaks that trend. It tells a story that relates to the song and, in some ways, is better than the official video (which can be viewed here).
As the name of the song suggests, the single is all about not giving up - about doing what you can for that special person, helping them however you can. It's about fighting for what you want and not just giving up at the first hurdle. The melody does this song such incredible justice; it tells the story perfectly. It starts off slow, describing how the other person makes them feel and what they like about them. The melody then gradually builds and becomes more intense, just like the relationship that's being sung about. By the end, the melody is fast-paced as Mraz describes how the relationship might not have worked the way they wanted, but that he's still there for them. It's really quite beautiful.
Mraz's vocals on this track are flawless too. The emotion in his voice is evident for anyone to hear but not so over-whelming that the listener starts to feel as though it's all false. Something else that makes this track so beautiful is the fact it's not overloaded with instruments. For the most part, it is just him and a guitar, telling a story we can all relate to.
We've all fought hard for something that might not have worked out in the end, but it was worth it in one way or another - that's another thing that makes the track so listenable - we've all been there at some point in our lives, whether it's a relationship or a friendship and it's helped shape who we are today.
Prior to this single, I'd only heard one other song from Mraz - 'I'm Yours' - and I played the song so much I got bored of it. I've had 'I Won't Give Up' on repeat for days now and it still has the ability to reduce me to tears. This song deserves to become a big hit!
A while back, I wrote to an online music site (Stereoboard.com) regarding writing for them. I've wanted to work in the music industry for so long, but I'm the most unmusical person you're ever likely to meet, so writing about music is the next best thing. They replied asking to see a piece of my work, so I sent them a review I wrote about Professor Green's single 'Never Be a Right Time'. I'd written it for university, and whilst it could probably be better, I was proud of it.
After a while of not hearing back from the site, I assumed that I'd been unsuccessful and they weren't interested and was, kind of, okay with that. Then, out of the blue, I got an email from them, saying they want me to write for them and asking me to confirm details, etc. I literally cannot put into words how excited I am about this whole prospect.
I'll be able to review singles/albums/ep's, gigs, interview artists and write features. It's literally my dream job! I think that, providing you have enough passion for a job, money is irrelevant; which is why I don't care that I won't get paid, unless the budget allows. I'm just happy that somebody's given me a chance to do what I love - write about music.
I'm pretty nervous, in case what I produce isn't up to their standard, but I'm hopeful that it will be. I always put my everything into what I write and I hope that, particularly with music related things, it shows.
Looks like this year's going to be a good one after all. We're only in January and I already have a job/chance to do my dream job and I've bagged myself a lovely man who treats me like a princess!
