I'm not sure why, but a strong proportion of tonight's crowd aren't dancing their faces off. M83 have just finished We Own the Sky and broken straight into Steve McQueen and still half of those in tonight's standing area gaze on in near stationary positions. It's not awe stricken paralysis, Gonzales and co aren't completely smashing it yet, but they're still being true to their records.
Tonight then brings M83’s European lap of glory to London. As fast as the city took in the likes of Midnight City, a few months down the line and it seems to have been all but forgotten. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming may have been one of the best records of 2011, but it’s 2012 now and there’s new contenders to their crown. Shepherds Bush is tonight full to the brim with revellers but there’s only handfuls of people who look like they’re genuinely excited to be there.
There's moments of genuine relaxation in which you could be in a James Blake or SBTRKT show, but the rest is pure dream-pop with a stunning dance floor outlook. It’s not all computers though. In a musical environment in which live music actually being played live is so important, they're a tight unit and as time progresses, those present start to realise that. There’s nods to their past as even their self titled album’s Sitting gets a play whilst Saturdays=Youth and Before the Dawn… tracks also feature. Perhaps the most interesting choices come at the end of the set. Midnight City, the track that everyone’s been waiting for erupts and even some people on the second tier of balconies can be seen dancing. This is followed by the distinctly post-rock A Guitar And A Heart as the band leave the stage for the accepted encore.
Returning to the stage with the atmospheric and newly freshened Skin of the Night you can tell why the band decide to play live. Vocalist and musician Morgan Kibby adds a huge amount of talent, depth and even glamour to Gonzales’ live show and in tracks such as Intro (vocals on record are Zola Jesus, but who needs her when you have Kibby) and Skin of the Night, she comes into her own and belts out a stunning vocal line. Closing the night with Couleurs, it’s not quite the dance party they might have hoped for, but for many, it’s perfection. Time and time again M83 pull it out of the bag and if you add a bit more alcohol and sunshine to the mix at the summer’s festivals, they could do it all over again.
Hooray! The brothers Jarman have made their triumphant return to reclaim the indie punk crown after a drab 2011 without them.
With Johnny Marr leaving the band to pursue solo material, ‘Chi-town’ sees The Cribs going back to their roots with a piercing guitar riff locked in over a powerful bassline, giving that trademark gritty punk sound of The Cribs that we have all come to know and love. Chicago, start thanking the Jarmans, you officially have your new anthem.
The Cribs’ 5th studio album ‘In the Belly of the Brazen Bull’ is scheduled for release on 7th May, and judging by this banger 2012 is already looking a far more interesting year.
After watching the BAFTAs, it’s clear that patterns emerge in cinema. This year could be labeled the year of revival. Whilst Drive brought film noir back to life, The Artist stripped back all dialogue to transport us back to a time without sound or colour. Although we can have all we want now with films, 3D, HD, IMAX and all the latest technology in cinema, it seems that we’ve grown weary of these gimmicks after having 3D so eagerly thrust in our face as the future of cinema. However, last year, pixar movie Mars Needs Moms was a $175 million flop, giving those in the industry the harsh reality that 3D was no longer the easy way to selling tickets.
Furthermore, the obvious blockbusters have not done as well this year as the aforementioned The Artist cleaned up at the BAFTAs (winning 7 awards in total). Recently in Liverpool, filmgoers received refunds after complaining that The Artist was a silent film and in black and white. Many found this ridiculous and this shows in the success of the film, the BAFTA awards immortalizing it as the revival of old fashioned Hollywood. However, it’s unclear as to whether this will be an anomaly or others will want to follow in the footsteps of Michel Hazanavicius’ winning formula.
2011 also saw the line between actor and director blur more than ever which was clear in the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer award. As one of my favourite films in 2011, I was happy to see Richard Ayoade (previously renowned for his role of Moss in The It Crowd) receive recognition for his directorial debut with Submarine. Other notable nominees were the wonderful Joe Cornish and Paddy Considine. Paddy Considine in particular as he was also involved in Submarine, making his winning of the award for Tyrannosaur completely deserved.
Although, what delighted me less was the amount of cinema I had missed this year. Having only ventured to the cinema for Submarine and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I found myself recognizing a lot of films but hadn’t seen any of them. As I got through watching the BAFTAs, I wrote down all of the films that I hadn’t watched that were featured and it came to the long list below:
So from watching the BAFTAs, I’ve learnt that I need to watch more films, silence is golden and more importantly, Brad Pitt severely needs a haircut.
One of Britain’s quickest growing festivals, the Parklife Weekender based in Plat Fields Manchester, has announced its return with yet another bunch of eclectic artists from the dance world. With confirmed acts ranging from likes of The Flaming Lips to Kelis and Buraka Som Sistema to Tempa T, 2012 proves that this year will be the festival's most diverse range of acts. Other acts also confirmed to be playing this year are fellow headliner Dizzee Rascal, Justice, Nero and rising hype star Azealia Banks, Parklife is guaranteed to suit everyone’s needs when it comes to the electronic side of the music world. Whilst these big names dazzle the passing customer, it’s the smaller acts billed on the festival which makes the festival so special. Sets from Joy Orbison, the Field, Fred V & Graffix will be sure to entertain everyone from minimalists to drum’n’bass heads back to the dubsteppers. For a price of £64.50 for the weekend (day tickets are available for both the 9th and the 10th), this Manchester based festival is the steal of the summer.
It’s that time again. Time to listen to Justin Vernon’s voice and cry. Yeah, BON IVER TIME. Never do I feel such a conflict of emotion.
Bon Iver have released ‘Towers’, the latest single from sophomore self-titled album, which also sees the appearance of acclaimed pedal steel guitar player Greg Leisz. Not quite as heart-wrenching as previous releases (you know which song I’m hinting at), Towers is admittedly much more upbeat and ‘energetic’ (we’re talking about Bon Iver here) but the vocals of Vernon are still just as intimate and delicate and compliment the string section superbly. Interestingly, percussion is absent from the track until about two minutes in, and even then they’re only present for about thirty seconds before fading off into the distance, letting the focus return to those vocals.
It can be annoying sometimes, when a band has a truly awful name to muster up enough willpower to actually warrant them a listen. Having a stupid band name often puts extra pressure on a band as you already have a preconceived notion that they will suck, and most of the time they do suck (French Horn Rebellion, Beady Eye & Razorlight to name a few)
Fortunately We Have Band conquered their name in style with their 2009 debut WHB, a diverse record with sparkling electro-pop mixed with many an indie dancefloor favourite. 'Visionary' then is the first track to be released from their 2012 bound difficult second album. The song is a slight departure from the WHB of 2 years past, but shows signs of maturity and flourishing into a more progressed band. It doesn't quite hold the same fun factor as signature hit 'Divisive' but instead goes down a more grandiose route, with big synths and a pulsing Joy Division bassline.
It's a more polished effort and the siren style synths keep the listener's attention throughout. The only thing the track really lacks is a great big stomping chorus, but it's certainly enough to leave fans wanting more from this under-rated yet very promising band.
