Merrym'n - Black Over Bills Mothers (Album Review)

Local singer/songwriter from Stoke-On-Trent - Bob Mosten created this album alongside with some friends and it is something a bit different from the local indie-rock music scene. Bob Mosten's 10-track album is a modern version of folk music and it actually works surprisingly well.

Mostens first track is an odd 17-second spooky instrumental, which sounds like the introduction to a horror film and it is called 'Roy's Theme'. Moving forward, his next track 'Cow Tipping' has a lot more of an upbeat vibe about it. The introduction has a very catchy car riff and the first line is;

"There's a toy collectors fair at Fenton community college, but he won't be there - his Astra's packed in last year."

I like this line because it's close to home, and the song reflects that Mosten hasn't got a very big ego and is a very humble person, who is proud of where he is from. GWARN STOKE!! His third song is called 'Satellite Manager' and this is less indie rock, however it does sound similar to some of the work off Jamie T's most recent album 'Carry On The Grudge.' The fourth track is called 'Fat Knacker' and I can see a pattern of odd song titles... Nevertheless Mosten's odd song titles do not influence the actual songs. The track that I was most interested in listening to was the mid-track which is called 'I Was Born In Stoke-On-Trent'. 

"I don't know much that's for sure, but I know what's knocking on my front door."

Considering this song is about Stoke-On-Trent I am just going to presume that you're implying that this line is about the police knocking on your front door, as you know.. It is about Stoke-On-Trent after all!

The sixth song is called 'The Inflatable Man' and it sounds very melancholic at the beginning and continues throughout, right to the end. I think that the contrast between this song and the previous track works well considering 'I Was Born In Stoke-On-Trent' was very upbeat and catchy and this song is very slow and gloomy. 'Ten-A-Penny' is the next track on the album and an accordion opens up the song alongside the guitar, which is something a bit different. 

"I'm no coffee man, take me down to the burger van. Where you can live and breathe with more kids than teeth, tragically ever after. Welcome to the theatre of the absurd."

Sounds like an episode of Jeremy Kyle! However I can see the humour within this song, and I think that it was very cleverly used. The eighth track on the album is called 'Blue Rinse Brigade' another catchy folk song with repetitive guitar riffs.

"Pays with the exact change not matter what the price, carries enough coins to park in Hanley overnight."

This song reminds me of myself, however I would love to know what the Blue Rinse Brigade is, so could somebody please be as generous to write to me in the comments explaining what it is! The second to last song on the album is called 'Stanley'. Continuing the upbeat folk theme is 'Stanley', this is definitely the most catchy song due to the high level of repetitiveness within this track. 

"Stanley, oh Stanley. The mysterious disappearance of Stanley. Stanley, oh Stanley - everybody looks the other way."

Finally, the last song on the album is called 'Make Believin' and it is actually the longest track within the album.

"I've been dreaming of the summer; when I can take my bicycle across the top of Biddulph Moore without freezing, make believin' that anything is possible."

Bob Mosten is reminiscing a very nostalgic memory of his youth where he was in love;

"You can sit across my handlebars, and point out all of your favourite stars."

Yet again, another one of Mosten's catchy songs.

In Conclusion for an unsigned singer/songwriter this album has been very cleverly written and it is very well developed. The only thing that I would change about it would be the first song, but that's just down to personal preference, as I think that songs that are just an instrumental are merely just album fillers. On a brighter note, all of the other songs are exceptional to be honest. Even though some of the song titles are quite odd, nowadays who's song titles aren't odd?! I would definitely recommend that you give this album a listen, if you haven't already - it is on Spotify and iTunes. Here is the link to his iTunes :

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/black-over-bills-mothers/id1035093504

The Kavaliers - First Sign (Single Review)

The Kavaliers are a new and upcoming British indie rock band from Doncaster. The five-piece consists of; Tom Statham on lead vocals, both Matthew Brewin & Sam Kennedy on guitar, Robbie Thompson on the bass, and Jordan Booth on the drums. The Kavaliers have already got an expanding fan base with over 1000 likes already on their facebook page. They released their first single - 'First Sign' in May 2014 ; in which I am going to review.

The intro grabs my attention immediately as Booth on the drums creates a very Stone Roses inspired rhythm; sounding a lot like 'She Bangs The Drums', the guitars shortly follow with an indie riff creating a strong base for the vocals to enter. The introduction allows you to focus on all of the musicians individually as it is very gradual, then the song begins to kick in. Lead vocalist - Tom Statham has a similar voice to Alex Turner out of the Arctic Monkeys due to his strong and distinctive vocals. The Kavaliers remind me of a local band from Stoke-On-Trent called the Blue Collars due to the creation of the fast upbeat pace, and strong outgoing atmosphere that they have developed. Their lyrics are very poetic which results in the song being stuck in your head.

"And I know this much is true; that I'd do anything for you, would you do the same for me?"

The repetitiveness of the lyrics also gives it that contagious edge;

"You just give me something, yeah you just give me something. You just give me something, but it all turned to nothing."

However the main line that obviously stuck out to me within this track is undoubtedly;

"Because she's too into The Stones, and I'm way too into The Roses."

I also thought that the choice to use this line in order to close off this track was a fantastic idea, because it is one of the main lines that the listeners will remember; especially if they are particularly fond of The Stone Roses - like myself.

In conclusion, I immediately became fond of this track due to the Stone Roses inspired opening. The Kavaliers have mastered this song to perfection due to their poetic lyrics and fantastically structured instrumental. If they manage to show this amount of hard work and keep the solid structure within their new and upcoming tracks; to be released in the next few months, I will be incredibly impressed. The Kavaliers are guaranteed inevitable success, keep up the good work lads and I look forward to hearing your new tracks! Incredibly impressed. The link to their track 'First Sign' is posted below. -

http://www.soundcloud.com/thekavaliersuk

The Neighbourhood - Wiped Out! (Album Review)

The Neighbourhood are an American 5-piece alternative rock band from California, and they formed back in 2011. The five-piece consists of; Jesse Rutherford on the lead vocals, both Zach Abels & Jeremy Freedman on guitar, Mikey Morgott on bass and Brandon Fried on the drums. I became fond of The Neighbourhood back in 2012 when their hit single 'Sweater Weather' had been released. However; I had also listened to a later single that was released in 2013, called 'Afraid' and their cover of 'Say My Name/Cry Me A River', on the other hand I haven't listened to any more of their work recently. This resulted in me jumping at the opportunity to review their new album 'Wiped Out!' - once somebody had recommended that I review it. 'Wiped Out' was released on the 30th of October 2015.

Their first so-called track is 'A Moment Of Silence' which as a first listener, I don't understand why they thought this 'track' would be a good idea. 'A Moment Of Silence' is exactly what it says on the tin, nothing more than just an album filler. However their second track is a lot more interesting...'Prey' has a very eery and mysterious introduction, which soon gets accompanied by an indie/groove overlay.

"If you don't ask, I won't tell."

This line in the first verse gives me the impression that Rutherford is perhaps hiding something from a specific person in particular? 

"So, so, I'll probably take you aside and tell you what's on my mind. But you, you'll just keep it inside, probably tell me that you're alright."

My first impression has soon changed. Perhaps the reason he doesn't tell her the things on his mind is because if she 'asks' him what is on his mind, it shows that she cares about him. Whereas she will just bottle up all of her issues and keep them to herself, so he doesn't want to tell her about his issues as that will be putting a heavier weight on her shoulders and he wouldn't want that because he cares about her.

Their third track 'Cry Baby' had me wondering as to why they are categorised as alternative/indie rock band, however they sound a lot more hip-hop/RnB - especially within this track.

"Please don't say that you know, when you know. I can't take it. I'm impatient, tell me baby."

He wants to know if her love is true, because he doesn't want to develop feelings. However he knows that if she does truly love him, then he would not be able to resist the urge of loving her back.

"I know I'll fall in love with you baby and that's not what I wanna do."

Their fourth song is the the title track - 'Wiped Out'. This song has a funky kind of rhythm, with a smooth and slick hip-hop feel throughout. On the other hand, I am not a big fan of this track in particular as it has a rather confusing & indescribable send out...

Their fifth track is one of my more favourable tracks on the album, and it is called 'The Beach'. This reminded me of their old track - 'Sweater Weather' which I am very fond of and it has a very relaxed RnB vibe to it. The sixth track is called 'Daddy Issues' and I am not sure whether it is a sexualised song or whether it is about family issues. Mixed messages throughout the whole song, wasn't very well structured.

"Take you like a drug, taste you on my tongue."

However later on it goes on to say;

"But now that you're dead it hurts. This time I gotta know, where did my daddy go?"

The following track to this song is called 'Baby Came Home 2/Valentines'. This track is very controversial, as it is about heartbreak from a long-term on/off relationship which cleverly links back into their previous songs as he doesn't ever want to get feelings until he knows that theirs are true;

"She was five foot four, getting money on tour - but her socks were at the end of my bed."

It goes from a bit of messing around into him wanting to get matching tattoos so that sense of ownership is there as she took his virginity. However he soon turns sour once she cheats on him.

"Who's the one you're sleeping with? Don't you sit in front of me,and wait for me to talk."

The eighth track is called 'Greetings From California' and it's sort of a mess. He starts off by saying once you come to California you won't want to look back, then goes on to talk about how he despises the people running his country and then goes on about his personal issues - the song as a whole doesn't make sense. Following that odd track, is a short 3 minutes long song called 'Ferrari'. Yet again this song exploits his insecurities of somebody leaving him or turning out to be the opposite of the person they once seemed;

"I met her at church, but she could be Satan."

Their second to last song on the album is called 'Single' and this is about not wanting to be single and to be able to be with his soulmate, no matter what boundaries he may have to break.

"I'm sorry Dave, I never meant to hurt your baby girl. She's your little baby, she's my soulmate. I don't want you to worry, she'll be so safe right here."

Then throughout the song it repeatedly echo's;

"Can you let your baby be my girl"

Which is where Rutherford is constantly trying to get her dad to forgive him and let him have her back again and he is trying to regain his trust with her father. Finally, the last track to close off the album is called 'R.I.P 2 My Youth' I thought that it might be called that as he has grown out of his young adult and heartbroken stage and has finally become an adult. However his dad has been mentioned again, and Rutherford gives off the impression that he wants to die young.

"I'm in paradise with Dad, close my eyes and then cross my arms. Put me in the dirt, let me dream with the stars. Throw me in a box with the oxygen off."

In conclusion, the album as a whole was a bit of a mess. I think that they are all super talented musicians, but they need to stick to one story line within their songs as it just gets the listeners confused when listening to their lyrics. However the one thing that I do like about The Neighbourhood is their distinctive sound, they have created their own music genre; combining pop, funk, RnB and alternative rock all together. The main songs that positively stood out to me were; 'Prey', 'The Beach', 'Cry Baby', 'Ferrari', 'Single' and 'R.I.P 2 My Youth'. I rate the band, but unfortunately not this album. Rutherford just vocalises his traumatic loss with the death of his father and his tragic past relationships and he basically just dawns on them two themes throughout every single track, with the odd mixed message in it.

6/10 

Sia - Alive (Single Review)

Sia Furler is an eccentric pop singer-songwriter from Australia. Furler released a new single called 'Alive' for her new and upcoming album 'This Is Acting'. The new track was co-written with Adele and Tobias Jesso Jr. Curlers 2014 album '1000 Forms Of Fear' indefinitely gave her the most publicity within her career. '1000 Forms Of Fear' consists of popular songs; 'Chandelier', 'Big Girls Cry' and 'Elastic Heart'. However, back in 2011 Furler did a very well-recognised collaboration with French DJ; David Guetta, which I would say significantly kicked started her singing career before her 2014 album was released.

The introduction is a slow rhythm on the piano which soon drops once Sia begins to sing with her renowned powerful vocals and distinctive voice. At 1:07 the chorus begins to kick in;

"I'm still breathing, I'm still breathing; I'm alive, I'm alive."

Oddly, the deep beat and slow flowing lyrics result in giving the track a sort of reggae twang. Sia is an ever so intriguing artist, and her meaningful lyrics never seem to amaze me;

"I had a one-way ticket to a place where all the demons go. Where the wind don't change and nothing in the ground can ever grow. No hope; just lies, and you're taught to cry in your pillow - but I survived."

Furler is explaining to the listeners about her successful recovery from drugs and alcohol abuse, within a song. She is also telling the listeners about how she battled those mental, and physical demons that she faced on a day to day basis.

Even though this song was originally written with and for Adele; for Adele's new album about her overcoming heartbreak, moving on and having a child on the scene - this song suited Sia's past and future a lot more. Therefore you can hear the passion soaring in Sia's voice as you carefully listen to the way that she sings the lyrics, as this song obviously means and incredible amount to her; overcoming the demons that she once faced.

10/10

Adele - Hello (Single Review)

Adele Adkins is a very successful singer-songwriter from Tottenham, London. The soul singer has a net worth of over £50,000,000, and has been performing for almost a decade. Even though Adele had based her most renowned album '21' on heartbreak from a previous break-up. Surprisingly it became a humungous success; honouring her with many rewards and heart-warming feedback from other well-known artists,  due to her relatable lyrics. '21' is also the fourth best-selling album of all time in the UK. The single which I am going to review is a teaser from her new album '25' and it is called 'Hello', this track was recently released on the 23rd of October, 2015.

'Hello' welcomes her return to music after 3 years; since her 2012 hit - 'Skyfall'. The lyrics are accompanied by a slow piano and the first verse proposes a sense of extreme nostalgia.

"Hello, it's me. I've been wondering if after all these years, you'd like to meet? To go over everything."

On the other hand, this song does not just portray a sense of nostalgia. This track is also solidly based on regret.

"Hello from the other side, I must've called a thousand times. To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done."

Unlike her previous work, Adele appears to be singing from the males prospective this time. This song is showing how she has built up the strength to finally get over him and accept the break-up and the male has realised that.

"Hello from the outside, at least I can say that I've tried to tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart. But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart...anymore."

I am glad that Adkins has surpassed and accepted the break-up stage; resulting in her overcoming her stage of remorse and heartbreak. She is also bringing her new work into a more positive light; still deep and soulful lyrics, however it is no longer about remorse on her behalf. This track was absolutely flawless.

10/10