This Friday, a new show started called Sounds Like Friday Night. Hosted by Greg James and Dotty, two hosts from Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra respectively, the idea was the show would be similar to Top of the Pops. For those not from the UK, Top of the Pops was THE show to watch on a Friday if you wanted to know who was number one that week, whether it be albums or singles. Bad News: It got cancelled in 2006. Good News: it is still shown over Christmas and New Year.
Anyway, back to Sounds Like Friday Night. It was...Ok. I liked the introduction of the celebrity co-host, which, for the first episode, was Jason Derulo, which I think is a nice touch. Furthermore, I thought the main hosts fitted right in. One thing I found was they didn't seem uncomfortable when interviewing the guests. Okay, they are DJs after all, so they do this for a living anyway but sometimes I find that even those in the music profession can look awkward as a music programme host. The other good thing about Greg James and Dotty is that they are current. People will know them (well, people who manly listen to Radio 1 and 1xtra) and they both know their stuff about all types of music: Rock, Grime, Pop, everything. Perfect!
The problem I had was it felt a bit rushed. If anything, I would have preferred an hour rather than half an hour, as I feel they would be able to put more in, such as music and interviews. It would also enable more music videos, singles and albums to be previewed, rather than one music video by a random guest, one song each from the musical guests and two songs from the guest presenter.
So...overall...what did I think of it? Well, for someone who used to watch Top of the Pops, it's a disappointment. However, I think we can all agree that we need a music show that the whole family can sit down and watch together and Sounds Like Friday Night fits the need almost perfectly. Yes, there are a few things that would make it better, but overall, it's good light hearted entertainment...Sounds Like Friday Night to me!
Em x
Sunday, 29 October 2017
Saturday, 21 October 2017
George Michael: Freedom- Review
Most documentaries tend to just be...well...documentaries. You Know, someone would probably spend hours researching the life of that particular celebrity, collect old footage clips together and then edit this into an hour long film, interspersed with clips of fellow celebrities talking about said celebrity.
Okay...the George Michael documentary was almost like that but there was one important difference. He directed it. He wrote it. It was his own story, in his own words.
It was a very poignant opening, with supermodel Kate Moss reminding us that George Michael passed away on Christmas Day 2016, aged 53. It became even more emotional, as the hauntingly beautiful cover of Fastlove that Adele performed at The 2017 Grammys became the soundtrack of the opening credits. In fact, the documentary was almost like a bookshelf; you had the first bookend, which was Adele's tribute, the documentary was the books, telling his story, and the final bookend was the equally beautiful tribute from Coldplay's Chris Martin, singing A Different Corner, featuring George Michael via a big screen.
But what about the documentary itself? Well, it was a perfect balance of the good and bad times in Michael's career and the fact that he was brave enough to reveal everything in the documentary was inspiring to me and no doubt, many other people who would have watched it. Issues within his career included his court battle with Sony regarding his recording contract and his substance abuse. However, the good times were, of course, his hits, both from Wham and his solo career; Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Last Christmas, Everything She Wants, Careless Whisper, Freedom, Outside...the list is endless!
It wasn't only George Michael's words though...it was words from contributors; people who knew him and fans of him. These included; Liam Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers and Ricky Gervais, as well as, mentioned earlier, Kate Moss. We also heard from people who worked with him, such as Mary J. Blige and Elton John, who both performed duets with Michael, As and Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me respectively, and James Corden, who some claimed his first Carpool Karaoke featured Michael, during 2011's Comic Relief UK telethon.
Overall, the documentary was stunning from start to finish. It allowed George to reveal exactly what was going on in his life and I feel that is important for everyone to do, as there is so much speculation about celebrities' personal lives that can be skewed by the press. It also allowed us to be reminded of how much of a creative genius that George Michael was. To be honest, I don't think anyone else would make another song like Careless Whisper, for example...
Em x
You can catch up on, or rewatch, the documentary on All 4.
Okay...the George Michael documentary was almost like that but there was one important difference. He directed it. He wrote it. It was his own story, in his own words.
It was a very poignant opening, with supermodel Kate Moss reminding us that George Michael passed away on Christmas Day 2016, aged 53. It became even more emotional, as the hauntingly beautiful cover of Fastlove that Adele performed at The 2017 Grammys became the soundtrack of the opening credits. In fact, the documentary was almost like a bookshelf; you had the first bookend, which was Adele's tribute, the documentary was the books, telling his story, and the final bookend was the equally beautiful tribute from Coldplay's Chris Martin, singing A Different Corner, featuring George Michael via a big screen.
But what about the documentary itself? Well, it was a perfect balance of the good and bad times in Michael's career and the fact that he was brave enough to reveal everything in the documentary was inspiring to me and no doubt, many other people who would have watched it. Issues within his career included his court battle with Sony regarding his recording contract and his substance abuse. However, the good times were, of course, his hits, both from Wham and his solo career; Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Last Christmas, Everything She Wants, Careless Whisper, Freedom, Outside...the list is endless!
It wasn't only George Michael's words though...it was words from contributors; people who knew him and fans of him. These included; Liam Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers and Ricky Gervais, as well as, mentioned earlier, Kate Moss. We also heard from people who worked with him, such as Mary J. Blige and Elton John, who both performed duets with Michael, As and Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me respectively, and James Corden, who some claimed his first Carpool Karaoke featured Michael, during 2011's Comic Relief UK telethon.
Overall, the documentary was stunning from start to finish. It allowed George to reveal exactly what was going on in his life and I feel that is important for everyone to do, as there is so much speculation about celebrities' personal lives that can be skewed by the press. It also allowed us to be reminded of how much of a creative genius that George Michael was. To be honest, I don't think anyone else would make another song like Careless Whisper, for example...
Em x
You can catch up on, or rewatch, the documentary on All 4.
Sunday, 15 October 2017
Can People be Too Much of a Fan of Musicians?
Hi Guys!
Today, I'm discussing something that I have been asking myself recently...can people be too much of a fan of musicians? I mean, there are casual fans, who buy the albums, go to live concerts and follow their favourite musicians on social media. Then there are the uber-obsessive fans who not only follow the band members but also probably their families on social media, go to not one, but maybe every single tour date of a tour and buy the single, despite it being on an upcoming album.
I have to admit, when I was younger, I was a massive fan of Steps. I went to their tours, I got t-shirts from the tour that were usually a size too big, I had a lot of other merchandise, including magazines, a teddy bear, a game etc. However, I only went to one date of their tour. I had videos of their concerts that I would watch all the time but I still did my homework and I made sure that I accepted people's views about them. Yes, they were vey popular anyway but I wouldn't be offended if someone didn't like them. We didn't have social media at the time when I liked Steps but I would still only follow the band and the members.
I not going to lie, I do wonder why fans get so involved with the activities of their favourite bands and musicians. Is it necessary? (Apologies if this sounded like a documentary; I did Psychology as a University degree!) As a fan, I do get disappointed when one of my favourite musicians doesn't get nominated or win an award and share my disappointment on social media but I wouldn't harass the awards ceremony. An example is when The BRITs awarded The 1975 Best British Group that Little Mix were also nominated for. Little Mix fans went nuts on Twitter about this, despite them winning Best British Single for Shout Out to my Ex. Why couldn't they be happy that Little Mix won that award? Also, why do they still send tweets saying give Little Mix a nomination?
The other thing is I have heard that some fans insult musicians' girlfriends purely because either they don't like the girlfriend or because the fans believe members are together. I am talking mainly about fans of a certain boyband. Also, sometimes fans can't get over the fact that celeb couples have split. For example, I follow an ex-girlfriend of a member of one of my favourite bands on social media. She posted a photo on Instagram where a picture his band used as their album cover was in the background. All the comments were focused on this, rather than her. Why I wonder? Whether a celebrity couple has split up or not doesn't really concern me. Yes I my be sad for a few seconds and read celeb gossip articles but I wouldn't cry about it and bombard each person within that relationship with comments if they alluded to each other on social media.
What I'm trying to say is when being a fan of musicians, it is always best to be a casual fan than an uber-obsessive fan. Yes there's disappointment if they don't get awarded or don't win an award but think of all the awards they have won already and/or awards might win in the future. As for insulting their girlfriends, friends and families? This might cause you to be blocked from viewing their social media pages, which is something you definitely won't want to happen!
Em x
Today, I'm discussing something that I have been asking myself recently...can people be too much of a fan of musicians? I mean, there are casual fans, who buy the albums, go to live concerts and follow their favourite musicians on social media. Then there are the uber-obsessive fans who not only follow the band members but also probably their families on social media, go to not one, but maybe every single tour date of a tour and buy the single, despite it being on an upcoming album.
I have to admit, when I was younger, I was a massive fan of Steps. I went to their tours, I got t-shirts from the tour that were usually a size too big, I had a lot of other merchandise, including magazines, a teddy bear, a game etc. However, I only went to one date of their tour. I had videos of their concerts that I would watch all the time but I still did my homework and I made sure that I accepted people's views about them. Yes, they were vey popular anyway but I wouldn't be offended if someone didn't like them. We didn't have social media at the time when I liked Steps but I would still only follow the band and the members.
I not going to lie, I do wonder why fans get so involved with the activities of their favourite bands and musicians. Is it necessary? (Apologies if this sounded like a documentary; I did Psychology as a University degree!) As a fan, I do get disappointed when one of my favourite musicians doesn't get nominated or win an award and share my disappointment on social media but I wouldn't harass the awards ceremony. An example is when The BRITs awarded The 1975 Best British Group that Little Mix were also nominated for. Little Mix fans went nuts on Twitter about this, despite them winning Best British Single for Shout Out to my Ex. Why couldn't they be happy that Little Mix won that award? Also, why do they still send tweets saying give Little Mix a nomination?
The other thing is I have heard that some fans insult musicians' girlfriends purely because either they don't like the girlfriend or because the fans believe members are together. I am talking mainly about fans of a certain boyband. Also, sometimes fans can't get over the fact that celeb couples have split. For example, I follow an ex-girlfriend of a member of one of my favourite bands on social media. She posted a photo on Instagram where a picture his band used as their album cover was in the background. All the comments were focused on this, rather than her. Why I wonder? Whether a celebrity couple has split up or not doesn't really concern me. Yes I my be sad for a few seconds and read celeb gossip articles but I wouldn't cry about it and bombard each person within that relationship with comments if they alluded to each other on social media.
What I'm trying to say is when being a fan of musicians, it is always best to be a casual fan than an uber-obsessive fan. Yes there's disappointment if they don't get awarded or don't win an award but think of all the awards they have won already and/or awards might win in the future. As for insulting their girlfriends, friends and families? This might cause you to be blocked from viewing their social media pages, which is something you definitely won't want to happen!
Em x
Wednesday, 4 October 2017
Live Lounge Month 2017 is Finished...Who was the Best?
So...another year of Live Lounge Month is over. For those of you not from the UK, Radio 1 host a month of Live Lounge specials every day in September, where each artist does about two songs from their most recent album and then a cover, usually a relatively recent song. This year was a special live lounge month though as it also coincided with the 50th celebrations of Radio 1. Therefore, the covers were classic songs from the last 50 years of Radio 1. These songs would have most likely had their first plays on Radio 1 before any other station.
But...Who did the best Live Lounge during Live Lounge month 2017? Without further ado, here are the results! (please note, these are just 10 of my favourites, they are in no particular order.)
10. Lorde
I have to admit, back in 2013, I wasn't a massive fan of Lorde, in particular her song, Royals, with the main reason being that it was just heard too often. However, I appreciate her more. During her Live Lounge, she performed her latest hit, Green Light, taken from her latest album Melodrama, and she covered In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins: a song that suited her voice to a tee.
9. London Grammar
Okay...So I am a bit biased as London Grammar went to the same University as me. In fact, it is only this year that I have heard a lot of London Grammar and I have been impressed! In the Live Lounge, they performed their newest song, Non Believer, and classic, Hey Now. In terms of their cover, they performed classic: Purple Rain by Prince. The song was perfect for Hannah's voice, creating a very relaxing and peaceful version of the original.
8. Pink
Yep...She's Back! Pink made a much welcomed return to the Live Lounge, with the last time being in 2012, five years (!) ago. She opened up about what life was like being a busy, world famous popstar with two young children, and performed her latest single What About Us. Her cover surprised me as it was quite a recent song, Sam Smith's Stay With Me, but hey, it doesn't matter. what matters is that it was great and was it? It was Pink singing so of course it was good.
7. The Killers
Another music artist that has had quite the comeback is The Killers. In what is their first Live Lounge (apart from Radio 1 presents The Killers at the Royal Albert Hall), they performed their latest song, The Man, from their recent UK number one album, Wonderful Wonderful, as well as their timeless classic, Mr Brightside (let's face it, not many people can hold themselves back from singing this at the top of their voices). "What was their cover?" I hear you ask. Well, you may have noticed that parts of The Man sounds very much like a certain Mr David Bowie's Fame. so you can probably guess which song they decided to cover!
6. Wolf Alice
I wasn't a particular fan of Wolf Alice's debut stuff, as I am not a massive fan of heavy rock records. However, their recent stuff is not too bad, as it is less heavy. Their recent song, Beautifully Unconventional, taken from their latest album, Visions of a Life, sounded great in the Live Lounge and so did their cover, the beautifully melancholic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day.
5. Jay Z
Okay...honestly, I did not expect this but yes, Jay Z came to do a Live Lounge, 8 years after his debut Live Lounge in 2009. Now, he did do a song of his latest album, 44:44, called Family Feud but I think we can all agree that the track he did that got everyone talking was his cover (or classic track, depending on how you see it) of his and Linkin Park's track Numb/Encore, in tribute to lead singer, Chester Bennington. Jay Z also used the Live Lounge as a way to raise awareness of mental health, which you can watch here.
4. Rag 'n' Bone Man
Rag 'n' Bone Man has had a great career so far, earning two Brit Awards, a UK number one album and earning slots at various festivals but then he gets a coveted Live Lounge Month slot. Live Lounge gives an artist a real chance to show off their vocals and wow...Rag 'n' Bone Man was definitely no exception! He performed his latest single, As You Are, as well as a beautiful version of Skin. His cover? Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones, which sounded fantastic.
3. Craig David
Along with The Killers and Pink, Craig David has had an amazing comeback and it seems to be going strength to strength, as he has just announced a new album, The Time is Now, the follow up to Following My Intuition. During the Live Lounge, he performed his new song, Heartline and the ultimate classic, aside from Fill Me In, 7 days. At first, I was slightly disappointed with his cover when he said it was Wild Thoughts. Mainly because I had heard the song too many times. However, he then said that he would mash it up with Music Sounds Better With You. His R 'n' B sound would have sounded great for Wild Thoughts but it was even better for Music Sounds Better With You. And the two songs together? Amazing!
2. George Ezra
It seems the Live Lounge was full of music artists making a comeback, which included George Ezra. Ezra had last released a single in 2015, releasing the relaxing and peaceful Barcelona. Now he is back, with the cheerful Don't Matter Now. He performed this track, along with the song that I actually guessed he would cover, purely because of how well it would suit his voice: Don't Worry (Be Happy). As for a new album, the follow up to the smash hit, Wanted on Voyage? No word yet but I would definitely keep your eyes and ears out for news of it.
1. Sam Smith
Probably one of the biggest acts in the world, Sam Smith is back to see whether he can continue his success of winning award after award, gaining UK number ones in the single charts and, in terms of the purpose of this blog post, performing in the Live Lounge. We last saw Sam in the Live Lounge in 2016, so it was a welcome return. In fact, he got a whole Live Lounge special. During his special, he performed his UK number one single, Too Good at Goodbyes as well as classic songs, such as Lay Me Down, Like I Can and Stay With Me. He also performed a cover of Alicia Keys' Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart and, poignantly, Father Figure, by the late George Michael.
You can read more of what I thought of Sam's comeback here.
Here's to next year's Live Lounge Month!
Em x
But...Who did the best Live Lounge during Live Lounge month 2017? Without further ado, here are the results! (please note, these are just 10 of my favourites, they are in no particular order.)
10. Lorde
I have to admit, back in 2013, I wasn't a massive fan of Lorde, in particular her song, Royals, with the main reason being that it was just heard too often. However, I appreciate her more. During her Live Lounge, she performed her latest hit, Green Light, taken from her latest album Melodrama, and she covered In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins: a song that suited her voice to a tee.
9. London Grammar
Okay...So I am a bit biased as London Grammar went to the same University as me. In fact, it is only this year that I have heard a lot of London Grammar and I have been impressed! In the Live Lounge, they performed their newest song, Non Believer, and classic, Hey Now. In terms of their cover, they performed classic: Purple Rain by Prince. The song was perfect for Hannah's voice, creating a very relaxing and peaceful version of the original.
8. Pink
Yep...She's Back! Pink made a much welcomed return to the Live Lounge, with the last time being in 2012, five years (!) ago. She opened up about what life was like being a busy, world famous popstar with two young children, and performed her latest single What About Us. Her cover surprised me as it was quite a recent song, Sam Smith's Stay With Me, but hey, it doesn't matter. what matters is that it was great and was it? It was Pink singing so of course it was good.
7. The Killers
Another music artist that has had quite the comeback is The Killers. In what is their first Live Lounge (apart from Radio 1 presents The Killers at the Royal Albert Hall), they performed their latest song, The Man, from their recent UK number one album, Wonderful Wonderful, as well as their timeless classic, Mr Brightside (let's face it, not many people can hold themselves back from singing this at the top of their voices). "What was their cover?" I hear you ask. Well, you may have noticed that parts of The Man sounds very much like a certain Mr David Bowie's Fame. so you can probably guess which song they decided to cover!
6. Wolf Alice
I wasn't a particular fan of Wolf Alice's debut stuff, as I am not a massive fan of heavy rock records. However, their recent stuff is not too bad, as it is less heavy. Their recent song, Beautifully Unconventional, taken from their latest album, Visions of a Life, sounded great in the Live Lounge and so did their cover, the beautifully melancholic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day.
5. Jay Z
Okay...honestly, I did not expect this but yes, Jay Z came to do a Live Lounge, 8 years after his debut Live Lounge in 2009. Now, he did do a song of his latest album, 44:44, called Family Feud but I think we can all agree that the track he did that got everyone talking was his cover (or classic track, depending on how you see it) of his and Linkin Park's track Numb/Encore, in tribute to lead singer, Chester Bennington. Jay Z also used the Live Lounge as a way to raise awareness of mental health, which you can watch here.
4. Rag 'n' Bone Man
Rag 'n' Bone Man has had a great career so far, earning two Brit Awards, a UK number one album and earning slots at various festivals but then he gets a coveted Live Lounge Month slot. Live Lounge gives an artist a real chance to show off their vocals and wow...Rag 'n' Bone Man was definitely no exception! He performed his latest single, As You Are, as well as a beautiful version of Skin. His cover? Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones, which sounded fantastic.
3. Craig David
Along with The Killers and Pink, Craig David has had an amazing comeback and it seems to be going strength to strength, as he has just announced a new album, The Time is Now, the follow up to Following My Intuition. During the Live Lounge, he performed his new song, Heartline and the ultimate classic, aside from Fill Me In, 7 days. At first, I was slightly disappointed with his cover when he said it was Wild Thoughts. Mainly because I had heard the song too many times. However, he then said that he would mash it up with Music Sounds Better With You. His R 'n' B sound would have sounded great for Wild Thoughts but it was even better for Music Sounds Better With You. And the two songs together? Amazing!
2. George Ezra
It seems the Live Lounge was full of music artists making a comeback, which included George Ezra. Ezra had last released a single in 2015, releasing the relaxing and peaceful Barcelona. Now he is back, with the cheerful Don't Matter Now. He performed this track, along with the song that I actually guessed he would cover, purely because of how well it would suit his voice: Don't Worry (Be Happy). As for a new album, the follow up to the smash hit, Wanted on Voyage? No word yet but I would definitely keep your eyes and ears out for news of it.
1. Sam Smith
Probably one of the biggest acts in the world, Sam Smith is back to see whether he can continue his success of winning award after award, gaining UK number ones in the single charts and, in terms of the purpose of this blog post, performing in the Live Lounge. We last saw Sam in the Live Lounge in 2016, so it was a welcome return. In fact, he got a whole Live Lounge special. During his special, he performed his UK number one single, Too Good at Goodbyes as well as classic songs, such as Lay Me Down, Like I Can and Stay With Me. He also performed a cover of Alicia Keys' Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart and, poignantly, Father Figure, by the late George Michael.
You can read more of what I thought of Sam's comeback here.
Here's to next year's Live Lounge Month!
Em x
Friday, 15 September 2017
Mercury Music Prize- and the Winner is...
It's that time of year again...the winner of the Mercury Music Prize was announced on Thursday (14th September) and I was so excited! Each year, a judging panel selects 12 critically acclaimed albums to be nominated, with the winner receiving a winner's trophy and £20,000. The nominees also each win their own nomination trophy.Often it is a mixture of new and current artists and every year, there is stiff competition. But...who won?
First of all, let's check out the competition...
Alt-J - Relaxer
Alt J have previously won the award in 2012, with An Awesome Wave. Question is can they do it again? The only musician to achieve this is PJ Harvey. They have had three years away from the limelight, with their last release being This is All Yours. In terms of where it ended up on the UK album charts, Relaxer entered the top 10 at number 6. Can Alt J continue the success of their comeback by winning the Mercury Music Prize again?
Dinosaur -Together, as One
Dinosaur are quite a niche band, because they are a jazz band, something that, in my opinion, I would not have expected to be on the Mercury Music Prize nomination list. However, why shouldn't the genre of jazz be featured? For those of you who listen to BBC Radio 3, you may have heard of them, as they have featured on the Radio 3 Jazz Show. They were also nominated for the UK Jazz Artist of the Year 2017 by Jazz FM. Now, their debut album, Together, as One, has managed a Mercury Music Prize nomination. Will they win and bring jazz back into the mainstream?
Blossoms- Blossoms
For me, Blossoms have been a breath of fresh air for the indie music market. Okay, we have had new indie bands emerge, such as Bastille, Royal Blood and Wolf Alice but Blossoms, in my opinion, are different. I feel that everyone can like them. It seemed everyone did like them when their album, Blossoms, was released in August 2016, as it went straight to the Number one spot in the UK album chart. Will this album continue with its success by winning the Mercury Prize?
Glass Animals - How to be a Human Being
So...the reaction to Glass Animals has been mixed this past year. Among the fans, everything has been great. Glass Animals have gained big crowds at festivals, their second album, How to be a Human Being, became their first top 30 album, entering at number 23 on the UK album chart, and, thanks to their habit of incorporating pineapples into their stage sets when performing, an interesting tradition has developed for their fans: they have started bringing pineapples to their shows. However, this lead to pineapples being banned at festivals, such as Reading and Leeds! (Yep...really...I'm not making this up.) Do you think they will win the Mercury Music Prize?
J Hus- Common Sense
J Hus, it seems, has emerged out of no where and listening to Radio 1, I have got to know about his song, Spirit, and it is beautiful. Often, people complain about a relatively unknown artist getting the Mercury Music Prize. I mean, look at 2013, when James Blake won. However, despite this, I believe that it is a good thing. In fact, it is mainly the unknown artist that wins. Will J Hus win the Mercury Music Prize? We'll see.
Kate Tempest - Let Them Eat Chaos
Kate Tempest had previously been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2014, with Everybody Down. However, she was pipped to the post by Young Fathers' Dead. Let Them Eat Chaos was released two years after Everybody Down, and it did great in the UK album charts, entering at number 28, becoming Tempest's first top 40 album. Now, the question is, will she also do better with this album at the Mercury Music Prize and win?
Ed Sheeran- Divide
To be honest, this list could not miss out Ed Sheeran, considering the huge success he has had with this album, and his comeback in general. Ed's Divide album notched up a total of 17 weeks at Number 1 on the official UK album charts. Furthermore, every song ended up in the top 20 of the UK singles chart, a first for a musician. His arena and forthcoming stadium tours have both been sell-outs and he had the honour of performing at the 2017 BRIT awards, featuring a collaboration with fellow Mercury Music Prize nominee, Stormzy. Surprisingly, Ed has previously never been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Will his success with this album continue with a win?
Loyle Carner - Yesterday's Gone
Loyle Carner started to emerge into the music scene way back in 2014, when he released his first bit of music, in the form of an EP, A Little Late. Since then, he has played at Glastonbury and on Huw Stephens' Radio 1 show, Piano Sessions in 2015, supported Nas on tour and collaborated with fellow nominee Kate Tempest. In January 2017, he released Yesterday's Gone. Carner himself has received positive reviews, such as those from the NME, who said he was "sensitive and eloquent" Will these positive reviews help him win the Mercury Music Prize?
Sampha - Process
For those who may have watched the Glastonbury coverage on television, you may have caught Sampha doing an acoustic set. For fans of Jessie Ware, he collaborated on two songs of hers, Valentine and What you won't do for love. He has also collaborated with Drake. However, now he has branched out on his own and released (No-one knows me) like the Piano, which has gained popularity thanks to being played on Radio 1. Process itself has gained positive reviews, with the NME calling it "finely crafted," and Entertainment Weekly noted that it helped Sampha to "build on his enormous potential." Will the judges take note and award him the prize?
Stormzy- Gang Signs and Prayer
Stormzy has had a great year, whether it be getting the chance to perform at Glastonbury or collaborating with Ed Sheeran on a new remix on Shape of You. He has since gained numerous fans, notably Jeremy Corbyn, when Stormzy used his platform to encourage people to vote, and even got his single, Too Big for Your Boots, quoted in Eastenders (Yes...really). His debut album Gang Signs and Prayer entered the UK album charts at Number One. In fact, last year's winner was also a Grime artist, in the form of Skepta. Will the popularity of Grime continue to dominate the Mercury Music Prize? Only time will tell.
The Big Moon - Love in the 4tth Dimension
The Big Moon are a new band, from London. Fans of bands such as The Maccabees and The Vaccines will have heard of them, as they have supported these bands on their tours. They have already released an EP, The Road, with Love in the 4th Dimension being their debut album. Although the debut did get a disappointing chart position, it still managed to get to number 66 and for an unknown band, this is pretty good. Will they manage to beat popular artists, Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, etc to win the Mercury Music Prize?
The XX- I See You
Like Alt-J, The XX have previously won, with their album, XX, in 2010. Also, like Alt-J, they have had a long hiatus, with their last album, Co-exist, being released in 2012. They have since returned with comeback single, On Hold, played numerous festivals, and earned a number one on the UK album chart, for I See You. Will they continue their successful comeback with a Mercury Music Prize?
So...the winner is...Sampha!
Yep, Sampha managed to defeat a strong competition (I mean, the list had Ed Sheeran...). what I like about the Mercury Music Prize is that they don't pick an obvious winner and I think this is good. It also puts musicians into the spotlight that might not have been noticed, had they not been nominated. Anyway, congratulations Sampha. His performance of (No-one Knows me) like the Piano was beautiful and he deserved to win based on that, let alone the whole album.
Here's to next year's Mercury Music Prize. I wonder who will be nominated?
Em x
Friday, 8 September 2017
Sam Smith is Back!
So, this weekend, we see the long awaited return of Sam Smith. Apart from the soundtrack to the James Bond film Spectre, Writing on the Wall, we haven't really heard from Sam since he did the 2015 Comic Relief single, Lay Me Down. Well...guess what? He's back with a brand new single, which is called Too Good at Goodbyes.
The good news is, if you like Sam Smith's original sound, then this song is perfect. It is another beautiful ballad, telling the story of a protagonist who is in love with someone, who keeps letting the protagonist down, with lyrics, such as "I'm never gonna let you close to me/Even though you mean the most to me/'Cause every time I open up, it hurts." However, it soon becomes clear in the song that the more times the protagonist is let down, the less they have feelings for their loved one. In fact I'm sure many people have been through that situation before, right?
In my opinion, I feel that this new song is a slight let down. Ok, I admit that I liked Sam Smith's songs before his break from music but I had hoped he may have changed his style of music. However, despite this view, maintaining the same musical style works for Sam, as soft, gentle ballads suit his voice. Can you imagine if he had decided to release some upbeat songs? As much as it would make it more interesting, it just wouldn't seem right would it?
So, what's next for Sam Smith? Well, Radio 1 have announced that he will be doing a Live Lounge special, as part of Live Lounge month, on Friday 29th September so if you're in the UK and you are a Sam Smith fan, I would listen out for this. Also, he has teased details of his new album, revealing to Zane Low it will be released "just before Christmas." Also, I would not be surprised if he makes a few festival appearances next year.
Welcome Back Sam Smith!
Em x
The good news is, if you like Sam Smith's original sound, then this song is perfect. It is another beautiful ballad, telling the story of a protagonist who is in love with someone, who keeps letting the protagonist down, with lyrics, such as "I'm never gonna let you close to me/Even though you mean the most to me/'Cause every time I open up, it hurts." However, it soon becomes clear in the song that the more times the protagonist is let down, the less they have feelings for their loved one. In fact I'm sure many people have been through that situation before, right?
In my opinion, I feel that this new song is a slight let down. Ok, I admit that I liked Sam Smith's songs before his break from music but I had hoped he may have changed his style of music. However, despite this view, maintaining the same musical style works for Sam, as soft, gentle ballads suit his voice. Can you imagine if he had decided to release some upbeat songs? As much as it would make it more interesting, it just wouldn't seem right would it?
So, what's next for Sam Smith? Well, Radio 1 have announced that he will be doing a Live Lounge special, as part of Live Lounge month, on Friday 29th September so if you're in the UK and you are a Sam Smith fan, I would listen out for this. Also, he has teased details of his new album, revealing to Zane Low it will be released "just before Christmas." Also, I would not be surprised if he makes a few festival appearances next year.
Welcome Back Sam Smith!
Em x
Thursday, 7 September 2017
Reading and Leeds 2017 Rocked!
On the bank holiday weekend (25th-27th August) music fans came in their thousands to watch the world's best rock acts. Ok, there are some pop and grime acts but Reading and Leeds is first and foremost a rock festival.
Of course, like the other festivals, all eyes were on the headliners. This year, there were festival favourites, Kasabian and Muse, and...erm...Eminem, who had previously headlined four years ago, in 2013. So, what did I think of them? and what about the other acts? Well...here we go.
Kasabian
Kasabian are known for being a great live band, and a festival favourite. Therefore, they were not going to disappoint. I have to admit, I am not a massive fan of Kasabian, yet you cannot deny that they put proper energy into their shows, which is what makes them a fan favourite at festivals.
A couple of months ago, Kasabian released their sixth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, so have they run out of steam? Have the fans got tired of them? Erm...it is quite the opposite. They delivered a great set from start to finish, from bringing out classics, such as Empire and Underdog, to performing newer tracks, including Bless This Acid House and You're in Love With A Psycho. Furthermore, as some extra special surprises, they did covers of Daft Punk's Around the World and Nirvana's All Apologies. In addition, they invited Noel Fielding onto the stage during Vlad the Impaler, dressed as...erm...Vlad the Impaler. In fact, it is Serge we have to thank for Noel hosting The Great British Bake Off (apparently).
Of course, no Kasabian set would be complete without their best selling single, Fire and this was their final song during their encore. With all these hits, special surprises and special guests, it is clear to see why Kasabian always have the audience at the palm of their hands during their shows.
Eminem
Unfortunately, Eminem did not allow his set to be filmed for the BBC. However, I still saw some clips of his set thanks to social media (Seriously, how did we ever cope without it?).
From the looks of it, he did his classic hits, including Without Me, Lose Yourself and of course, The Slim Shady. It seemed like he was well received and missed by fans. Apparently, he is going to release his album pretty soon so if you're an Eminem fan, I recommend you keep an eye out for that.
Muse
Whenever you hear the words Muse and festival together, we know already that the festival is going to be hugely popular. As always, they did not disappoint. Matt Bellamy was his usual eccentric self, wearing glasses that flashed the lyrics to Madness across the lenses and carrying a light up electric guitar. However, this set was extra special. Along with the usual culprits turning up on the set list, such as Hysteria, Uprising and Starlight, as well as newer song, Dig Down, they also had a special guest in the form of AC/DC's Brian Johnson, to perform Back in Black.
They finished their set with the ultimate Muse festival anthem, Knights of Cydonia, complete with elements of Once Upon A Time in the West's Man With a Harmonica. This song, along with the special guest and other classics meant that Muse were met with a positive reaction from fans and helped to prove why Muse are considered one of the best rock bands around.
Other highlights
So...apart from the headliners, what were the other highlights? Well...firstly, there was the special guest, Drake, who turned up to collaborate with Giggs on Giggs' song KMT. Also, someone actually managed to predict this on Twitter. Amazing!
Another highlight among festival crowd was the return of Liam Gallagher. Leading up to the release of his new album, the former Oasis frontman has been doing the festival rounds, previewing some new material, such as Wall of Glass and singing some Oasis classics, like Slide Away, Morning Glory and Wonderwall.
One highlight that I can never leave out is Blossoms. "But you always mention them!" I hear you yell but they are a good band. However, you have got a point. I do like them but their sets seem to always have the same songs on. This includes Honey Sweet, Getaway and songs that have quickly become classics, At Most a Kiss and Charlemagne. However, I'm still so pleased with how far they have come and I definitely see them headlining in the future.
As well as Blossoms, I can't forget about Bastille. However, again, I take issue with this. As much as I love Bastille, they seem to be always on a festival line up with the same setlist. Despite this, I still enjoyed watching them. Here's hoping they headline in a couple of years.
Of course, no festival would be complete without some secret sets and this year's Reading and Leeds secret sets came in the form of Wolf Alice and Queens of the Stone Age, with the latter last appearing as a headliner in 2014. Queens of the Stone Age have already released their new album, Villains, and Wolf Alice are due to follow their debut, My Love is cool, with their next album, Visions of a Life. Both bands were met with a huge response to their returns. Could they both return to the festival to headline in the future?
So...Reading and Leeds is now over for another year. Here's to next year's festival!
Em x
Of course, like the other festivals, all eyes were on the headliners. This year, there were festival favourites, Kasabian and Muse, and...erm...Eminem, who had previously headlined four years ago, in 2013. So, what did I think of them? and what about the other acts? Well...here we go.
Kasabian
Kasabian are known for being a great live band, and a festival favourite. Therefore, they were not going to disappoint. I have to admit, I am not a massive fan of Kasabian, yet you cannot deny that they put proper energy into their shows, which is what makes them a fan favourite at festivals.
A couple of months ago, Kasabian released their sixth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, so have they run out of steam? Have the fans got tired of them? Erm...it is quite the opposite. They delivered a great set from start to finish, from bringing out classics, such as Empire and Underdog, to performing newer tracks, including Bless This Acid House and You're in Love With A Psycho. Furthermore, as some extra special surprises, they did covers of Daft Punk's Around the World and Nirvana's All Apologies. In addition, they invited Noel Fielding onto the stage during Vlad the Impaler, dressed as...erm...Vlad the Impaler. In fact, it is Serge we have to thank for Noel hosting The Great British Bake Off (apparently).
Of course, no Kasabian set would be complete without their best selling single, Fire and this was their final song during their encore. With all these hits, special surprises and special guests, it is clear to see why Kasabian always have the audience at the palm of their hands during their shows.
Eminem
Unfortunately, Eminem did not allow his set to be filmed for the BBC. However, I still saw some clips of his set thanks to social media (Seriously, how did we ever cope without it?).
From the looks of it, he did his classic hits, including Without Me, Lose Yourself and of course, The Slim Shady. It seemed like he was well received and missed by fans. Apparently, he is going to release his album pretty soon so if you're an Eminem fan, I recommend you keep an eye out for that.
Muse
Whenever you hear the words Muse and festival together, we know already that the festival is going to be hugely popular. As always, they did not disappoint. Matt Bellamy was his usual eccentric self, wearing glasses that flashed the lyrics to Madness across the lenses and carrying a light up electric guitar. However, this set was extra special. Along with the usual culprits turning up on the set list, such as Hysteria, Uprising and Starlight, as well as newer song, Dig Down, they also had a special guest in the form of AC/DC's Brian Johnson, to perform Back in Black.
They finished their set with the ultimate Muse festival anthem, Knights of Cydonia, complete with elements of Once Upon A Time in the West's Man With a Harmonica. This song, along with the special guest and other classics meant that Muse were met with a positive reaction from fans and helped to prove why Muse are considered one of the best rock bands around.
Other highlights
So...apart from the headliners, what were the other highlights? Well...firstly, there was the special guest, Drake, who turned up to collaborate with Giggs on Giggs' song KMT. Also, someone actually managed to predict this on Twitter. Amazing!
Another highlight among festival crowd was the return of Liam Gallagher. Leading up to the release of his new album, the former Oasis frontman has been doing the festival rounds, previewing some new material, such as Wall of Glass and singing some Oasis classics, like Slide Away, Morning Glory and Wonderwall.
One highlight that I can never leave out is Blossoms. "But you always mention them!" I hear you yell but they are a good band. However, you have got a point. I do like them but their sets seem to always have the same songs on. This includes Honey Sweet, Getaway and songs that have quickly become classics, At Most a Kiss and Charlemagne. However, I'm still so pleased with how far they have come and I definitely see them headlining in the future.
As well as Blossoms, I can't forget about Bastille. However, again, I take issue with this. As much as I love Bastille, they seem to be always on a festival line up with the same setlist. Despite this, I still enjoyed watching them. Here's hoping they headline in a couple of years.
Of course, no festival would be complete without some secret sets and this year's Reading and Leeds secret sets came in the form of Wolf Alice and Queens of the Stone Age, with the latter last appearing as a headliner in 2014. Queens of the Stone Age have already released their new album, Villains, and Wolf Alice are due to follow their debut, My Love is cool, with their next album, Visions of a Life. Both bands were met with a huge response to their returns. Could they both return to the festival to headline in the future?
So...Reading and Leeds is now over for another year. Here's to next year's festival!
Em x
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