Bellman - Morphology (Album Review)

Norwegian electro dream-pop artist 'Bellman' is back with a new 8-track album and a tour! He currently has some dates in Norway coming up, and a small tour in Russia in May; as well as working on some Japan/Korea and China dates as well in the Autumn.  Bellman made his debut album in 2009, amongst the album were the songs "Spaceship, Move Slow" and "Celestine", the first of which, originally released in 2008, proved especially popular and reached Number 6 on the Norwegian albums chart the first week.

Curiosity comes into question as soon as you hear his opening track 'Coloured By You' - it is nothing like I have ever heard before, and it is rather indescribable. I feel like if a DJ remixed this song it would be a brilliant house tune, and would fit right in the clubs. The songs within the album are all very peculiar, although it is refreshing listening to something that isn't the mainstream. 'Bellman' or otherwise known as Arne-Johan Rauan has a very versatile vocal range within his dream-pop voice. Although, classified as 'pop' music I beg to differ as the album has a darker atmosphere and sound to it whilst simultaneously sounding uplifting... This is why the album is completely indescribable. You just have to listen to it.

The repetitive chorus' work well within the album as there is only 8-tracks so you learn to catch on to the lyrics very quickly, which I'm sure is great for fans! The title of  'Morphology' is a rather abstract name to call an album or song, as it means the study or the structure of something. The correlation between the actual album and the title is unclear; although perhaps the album title is self-explanatory, and it could just be to do with the structure of the album?

'We Are The Guns' particularly stood out for me, as did 'Golden Drain'. The intro to 'We Are Guns' captivates you the whole way through and Bellman also gets your attention with the opening verse and chorus combo of...

"She is burning in the way that we are, chasing pavements, hoping to get far. See the people trading dreamers for dreams, painting sidewalks, at least that's what it seems. We are the guns that's blowing holes in what you see. We are the drugs that somehow alters you and me, we are the ones that slowly fades into the other side, we are the guns..."

All in all, the album is very easy-listening, however simultaneously it is very peculiar. You wouldn't necessarily have to have an acquired music taste to listen to this album, but you would have to have an open-mind. This will be very different to most things that you have listened to before and if I have intrigued you enough with my review to listen to it, then do it; because I do not want to give too much away. The closest thing I can describe it to, is imagine The XX came about in the 80's.

You can listen to the album here:
Spotify: http://bit.do/spotify_morph
Tidal: http://bit.do/tidal_morph
iTunes: http://bit.do/itunes_morph
Google Play: http://bit.do/gp_morph
Amazon: http://bit.do/amazon_morph

2 Year Blog Anniversary!

So for my two year blog anniversary I have decided to pick 100 of my favourite songs from 100 different artists! Each song reminisces me back to a certain nostalgic time, whether it reminds me of a friend, a family member or even just a fucking good time. There is a reason as to why I have picked each, and every one of these songs. The songs are in no particular order, they are just all absolute bangers and if you think otherwise then in my opinion, you are wrong and deluded. Enjoy!

1. Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
2. Candi Staton - You Got The Love
3. Shirley Ellis - Soul Time
4. The Salvadors - Stick By Me Baby
5. The Marvelettes - Please Mr.Postman
6. Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
7. Adele - Hometown Glory
8. James Morrison - Slave To The Music
9. Oasis - Talk Tonight
10. The Stone Roses - One Love
11. Richard Ashcroft - Music Is Power
12. The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
13. Faithless - Insomnia
14. Shed Seven - Chasing Rainbows
15. Friend Within - The Renegade
16. Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
17. Leon Bridges - Smooth Sailin'
18.  James Blunt - 1973 (Acoustic)
19. Frankie Vali - Grease
20. Wham - Club Tropicana
21. The Who - Pinball Wizard
22. The Beatles - 8 Days A Week
23. Paul Weller - Broken Stones
24. Matisyahu - King Without A Crown
25. The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone
26. The Rolling Stones - I Can't Get No Satisfaction (Kinks Cover)
27. The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
28. Kula Shaker - Start All Over
29. Tiggs Da Author - Swear Down
30. Gloria Jones - Tainted Love
31. Anthony Hamilton - Soul On Fire
32. ACDC - Thunderstruck
33. Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child 'O' Mine
34. Bon Jovi - It's My Life
35. Happy Monday's - Hallelujah
36. The Smiths - Ask
37. The Cure - Close To Me
38. The Coral - Dreaming Of You
39. Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
40. Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own
41. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
42. The Clash - Rock The Casbah
43. New Order - Blue Monday
44. Kate Bush - This Woman's Work
45. Maverick Sabre - I Need
46. Childish Gambino - Redbone
47. Tupac - Ghetto Gospel
48. Notorious BIG - Juicy
49. Human League - Don't You Want Me
50. Arctic Monkeys - Black Treacle
51. Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
52. Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing
53. Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69
54. The Stranglers - Golden Brown
55. Kasabian - Treat
56. Stevie Nicks - Edge Of Seventeen
57. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
58. Elvis - Hound Dog
59. Catfish & The Bottlemen - Hourglass
60. Little Richard - Tutti Frutti
61. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
62. Don McLean - American Pie
63. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
64. Frank Sinatra - Mrs Robinson
65. Blur - Song 2
66. The La's - There She Goes
67. The Specials - Too Much, Too Young
68. Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman
69. Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion - The Prayer
70. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
71. The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
72. Pulp - Common People
73. Kings Of Leon - Supersoaker
74. Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer
75. Justin Bieber - Yellow Raincoat (Acoustic)
76. Sister Act - Oh Happy Days
77. Jamie T - Love Is Only A Heartbeat Away
78. Ne-Yo - So Sick
79. Rihanna - Unfaithful
80. Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
81. Taylor Swift - Back To December
82. UB40 - Red Red Wine
83. David Bowie - Heroes
84. Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl
85. Elton John - Tiny Dancer
86. Duffy - Syrup & Honey
87. Toploader - Dancing In The Moonlight
88. Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man
89. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
90. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
91. The Drifters - Kissin In The Back Row Of The Movies
92. Ray Charles - Hit The Road Jack
93. Stevie Wonder - Superstition
94. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge
95. Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made For Walking
96. Lady Gaga - Sexxx Dreams
97. Rusted Roots - Send Me On My Way
98. The Music - The People
99. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
100. Toto - Africa

So there it is ! You have just read an incredibly large insight to my life; the friends I have had and friends I have now, my family, my relationship and most of all you have learnt about me! Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, and thanks to you lot I am now living the dream studying Music Journalism at university! Without my blog I would not be where I am at now, I advise anyone to start a blog as it is a fantastic hobby and career starter. My music taste is ridiculously eclectic, so in all honesty you probably aren't going to agree with all one hundred of them; but if you do then that is fantastic! Thank you again, and I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post and you all get absolutely baggaged (drunk) tonight! It is a Saturday after all!

Jean Rouch - Racketeer (Single Review)

Formerly known as Toby Simcock, but otherwise known as Jean Rouch, caught my eye with a rather political animated music video that he released on his Facebook page last night. The music and the story has all been written by the solo artist himself.

The video opens up with slow and intricate repetitive guitar riff, shortly followed by a tiring hit on the symbol of his drums. The music is correlated to the video as the guitar riff is repetitive to show the working class doing the same thing day in, day out. The drums are showing that the hard-work is tiring and progressively, throughout the video you see how they can't get out of the working class poverty-stricken trap that they are in.

Visually you see a builder in his overalls and hard cap at the beginning, going home to his upset wife; clearly they don't spend enough time with each-other, as he is too busy at work. As the video progresses you see the income of one man amounts to the income of many men who only ever fall in his pocket. The builders never make it to the top to meet the man either.

The animation makes you think about the distinction between social class in society and the unequal distribution of income all across the UK, as Richard Ashcroft once said - "You're a slave to money then you die."

The instrumental really builds tension to the animation; and it allows you to intensively watch the animation whilst simultaneously hear the music in sync with the video, as you're eagerly sitting there awaiting to see what is going to happen next. This is a short, yet effective two minute instrumental animated video showing you the life of a working class person just trying to earn a living, and I am so pleased that this has been created by someone from Stoke-On-Trent.

Please watch it on the link below, many thanks and enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ievNrC7I5E