Hello and welcome to the Rebooted, Rejuvenated, Resculptured music blog site: Out with George Judges Sound, and in with a New Name, New Logo, New Site, New Official Twitter and so much more (That's New, you understand). Its time to be Way Too Vocalabout Music!
So Thank you firstly for visiting, this is Way Too Vocal. And today marks a very special day for this blog. The old site,George Judges Sound is gone, dead and buried, left only to be found on cached obscure Google searches. And in its place? A new, more immersive music blog, Way Too Vocal; featuring all the latest music reviews and news. Yes, the reviews have been a bit slow as of late, with general life and the such-like getting in the way. So I promise more will be coming shortly, along with the hopeful arrival of a sister-blog, aiming to provide interviews from the latest up-and-coming musicians (Fingers crossed, will keep you posted).
But if you prefer your news and reviews more instant and regular, FOLLOW Way Too Vocalon Twitter, @WayTooVocalwww.Twitter.com/WayTooVocal. And if you find Following a bit too "stalker-ish", you can LIKE WTV too, at https://www.facebook.com/WayTooVocalMusic. Feel free to comment, submit and enjoy all the latest and greatest bits of music muso/tuneful ramblings. Plus, if you wish to get involved, please just drop in a tweet or message, any and all contributions are welcome!
So Thankyou again for stopping by, and please "Pop Back/Rock On Up" (Musical Reference, eh?!) again for more full length reviews from Way Too Vocal. And glue yourself metaphorically to Twitter and Facebook for regular updates from the world of music. But most of all express your views, be heard and be Way Too Vocal!
Jessie J is back, but to be honest it’s hard to think of a
time when she ever went away. After releasing her debut album “Who You Are” back in 2011, Jessie stormed
the charts worldwide and hit the top spot in 19 countries. She then released a
slew of hits, performed at the London Olympics and become a judge/coach/mentor
on BBC’s The Voice. Oh and she shaved
her head (for charity that is). She hasn’t stopped! Yet some critics still can’t
believe how quickly this London girl has shot to stardom, but then neither can
Jessie apparently.
“I just can’t believe
that this is my life” she proclaims during the chorus of Wild; her return to the music scene and
the first tease of her upcoming album. From
the opening bars you can sense that this track is a little different, blending
the typical Jessie J pop with sparse hip hop beats and a firece R&B attitude.
It’s more Do It Like A Dude than Domino for example. A further twist in
the track comes with rappers Dizzee Rascal and Big Sean who bring their urban
stylings to the table. They both use this song to brag about their own accomplishments,
with Dizzee saying modestly “I'm at the
peak and I can't be topped”. Yet Jessie is still the main star of this song
and the chorus is the major pull. It’s catchy and powerful, with lyrics
brimming with swag and fire. Jessie’s vocals soar over minimalist guitar
chords, before sliding up and down the scales in a style that she has become
famous more. The fact that it may be one of the best hooks this year also means
that you’ll be singing it long after it’s finished.
But ultimately more Jessie and less Dizzee might have made
this track better.In fact having
two rappers on one track is a little bit g-g-greedy of J-J-Jessie J, and
perhaps the track would flow better without the somewhat pointless
interruptions (especially Big Sean’s “Fish
Dinner” monologue). But it’s a bold move to do so, as is the progression
away from her previous releases.Plus with
such a killer chorus it’s hard not to love this single. Wild is a definite contender for the track of the summer, or even pop anthem of 2013.
I should apologise for
the lack of reviews lately; work and “life-related” things have cropped up, forcing
me to take a hiatus. It’s therefore suitable that the first review back from
this break is David Bowie’s The Next Day.
Like me, he too has taken time out from the music scene (a bit more than me;
say 20 years) and has now returned in a blaze of glory and publicity. We are, therefore
quite similar…Except I didn’t move to New York and develop a fear of flying
(Yet).
Title track The Next
Day kicks this album off in full force. Guitars, drums and all manner of
rock n’ roll build till Bowie himself bursts into a crescendo of a chorus;
reassuringly stating that “Here I Am/Not
quite dying/My body left to rot in a hollow tree”. Bowie’s vocals sound as
good as ever, with a certain snarl heard during “And the next day, and the next and another day!” being accompanied
by a thumping drumbeat. Dirty Boys follows,
and is the first of many moody tracks on this album. Bowie’s voice is deeper
and darker, accompanied by sleek and simple guitar riffs that intersperse
themselves between Bowie.
The Stars (Are Out
Tonight), released as the second single from the album, is rocky, powerful
and upbeat. There’s great power in Bowie’s vocals, playfully painting a frank,
illuminating, and somewhat bleak view on modern day celebrity-culture. A
cracking video accompanied the release; with David and on-screen wife Tilda Swinton
coming face to face with a younger (and intriguingly female) version of himself
and the evil ‘stars of today’. Equally quirky and artistic, it makes for
reassuring viewing for those who feared that David may have become a “fragile
old man” (The Where Are We Know? video
probably didn’t help).
The long strained notes of a pipe organ create a dark,
almost horror feel to Love Is Lost,
while the beautiful single Where Are We
Know?(Reviewed here) and features a
calmer, more reflective Bowie. The softer backing tracks swells to create a
masterful song that feels both dated and timeless. It is a fitting comeback
single for this living legend. Valentine’s
Day has a certain Starman feel
about it, beautifully crafted with absorbing melodies and intriguing choruses.
Bowie is famous for his cut-and-paste style of writing, taking lyrics of a
song, cutting them up before rearranging. Lyrically, Bowie can sometimes be
hard to decipher then, but this poetic style adds to his mystery and intrigue.
It’s hard not to discuss David’s comeback without mentioning
his retrospective exhibit at London’s V&A Museum. TitledDavid Bowie Is. it reveals that he’s a
bit of a hoarder (Don’t tell Channel 4) with over 300 different items from his
personal collection on display, ranging from costumes to handwritten lyrics and
much, much more. The open ended
statement, David Bowie Is. is an
interesting concept, questioning who he is, but also whether he can be defined
by pop-culture constraints. This album is similar, with many different Davids
being housed in this jukebox style record.
If You Can See Me
is a chaotic number which sees David’s lyrics being sandwiched between smashing
bells and tumbling guitars. His vocals are lined up with a robotic version of
himself, resulting in a strange mix of Ziggy
Stardust and The Laughing Gnome. The
clanging force of this track is truly breath-taking, and the last 30 seconds of
disappearing sounds and encroaching silence are needed to recover. I’d Rather Be High on the other hand has
a psychedelic tone about it, and makes for an awesome listen. Effortlessly
cool, this track oozes 60s swing turning the tale of a WW2 soldier into a calm
affair.
A haunting saxophone features on Boss Of Me, where Bowie wonders how a “Small town girl like you/Would be the boss of me”. Bowie spans even
more genres as the album progresses; from the groovy dance track Dancing Out Of Space to the jagged How Does The Grass Grow. But ultimately,
The Next Day is a rock album at
heart, and (You Will) Set The World On
Fire showcases this perfectly. From the opening guitar riff through to the
thumping drum beats witnessed during the explosive chorus. You Feel
So Lonely You Could Die winds down the album, before Heat finishes this living legend’s comeback. Once again, this is a
different David; moody, dark and has a certain Les Miserable feel about it. It's retrospective and introspective,
with lyrics such as “And I tell myself, I
don’t know who I am.” leading to more intrigue, and questions. It’s almost
a little open-ended, if albums had cliff-hangers.
A bonus version of The
Next Day is available, containing three more brilliant songs including the
instrumental I’ll Take You There
(From the Stars Are Outvideo) So She and Plan; a fun and fast track that feels like the proper way to wrap
up this album like this. To be honest, if any real fan has waited this long for
a new release from the Bowie camp then shelling out a few extra pounds for more
Bowie is no question.
So is this an amazing comeback heralding a new Bowie and a
welcome return to the living legend? Yes, would be the short answer. This album
features Bowie at his best; with different sounds, personas and ultimately
different Bowies. It’s a welcome return to the man from Mars, and a defiant
fist-in-the-air for those who thought he was long gone.
It’s
fair to say some artists work harder than others. While some singers take years
off (still waiting for La Roux's Second album) others produce a constant stream
of tracks, tunes and media attention. And arguably one of the busiest artists
is Rihanna, who recently released her latest album Unapologetic, her 7th in as many years.
Phresh Off The Runway doesn’t exactly open the album,
but more explodes into the listeners face. It’s loud and offensive, with its
electric backing hook and the tracks title repeated relentlessly over and over
again. Yet ultimately, it is Unapologetic,
and if you stick with it, you’re rewarded with Diamonds, the first single to be released from this record. It’s a gleaming
new side of Rihanna not seen before, and is a bold move. As is Numb, which contains the first of
several album collaborations, this one being the once retired rapper Eminem. He’s
not to everyone's taste and whether you like this song depends on whether you
enjoy Eminen rapping phrases such as: "I'm the bum police and I’m looking
at your rear rear rear". Other questionable lyrics occur in the minimalist
RnB track, Pour it up, a song
dedicated to strippers and Rihanna’s love of money. This offensive aggression
is lost however in Loveeeeeee Song
(Yes Rreeeeeally), with the Love/Lust lyrics featuring the smooth tones of Future.
However,
by now the album needs a shot of adrenaline, which is handily brought on by Jump and RightNow. These dubstep
infused tracks mark a turning point for the album. Very few records have a
better second half compared to their opening tracks, yet this album certainly
does.
What Now is a powerful melodramatic ballad
that bursts with energy as Rihanna intertwines stabbing bass and piano chords
to create a strange marriage of the two. The piano theme continues into Stay featuring Mikky Ekko. Strip away
all that snarling anger from before and you are left with the sad, desperate
lyrics in this emotional ballad. You can’t help but have concern for Rihanna
and this softer, subtler side of her. However, that concern elevates to its toe-curling
levels during Nobody’s Business, a
track featuring a collaboration that is the definition of awkward. Featuring
the Chris Brown is hard to read and comprehend, as the once time women beater
sings about how his and Rihanna's relationship is Nobody’s Business. It’s awkward to listen to, with each lyric more
painfully cringeworthy then the next. If you can get passed this, and the fact
Rihanna struggles to say “Business” ("Busnesth")
then the song itself is quite enjoyable. The Michael Jackson inspired outbursts
are fun and overall the track has a merry bouncy feel about it. But, there's
always that nigglying feeling that something’s not quite right, the deep
undertones seen in the awkwardness, and openness, of this collaboration.
Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary is a 7 minute long ballad that is
full of powerful and meaningful lyrics creating a very deep and personal track.
It is surprisingly enjoyable and refreshing, as is the following track Get It Over With. One last electronic
thumping track is needed to close the album, with Lost In Paradise crossing dropping beats with ballad style vocals.
As the
album comes to a close, it’s clear to see that Rihanna has offered up a mixed
bag with Unapologetic. Wade through
the first half of murky collaborations and shouty-swag, and you’ll discover a
much better (both lyrically and musically) second segment. And, if you listen
to some tracks a few more times, the album does kind of come together. Take it
or leave it, this is Rihanna, and she won’t say sorry to no-one.
The papers stopped, the news were
sent into a frenzy and Twitter was ablaze with one phrase: Bowie's Back! After
suffering a heart attack in 2004, turning down singing at the Olympics in 2012,
and no new releases for 10 years, it was presumed the David Bowie had slipped
silently into retirement to become a reclusive living legend.
But, to the
surprise of everyone (literally everyone) Bowie released new single Where Are We Now? on his 66th birthday.
No fanfares, no countdowns and no gimmicks. Just silently released onto his
website and dropped onto iTunes. But then there didn't need to be any modern
pop gimmicks. Every radio station, rolling news network and social media site
were alight with excitement. Followed by the news that David will release a new
album too, The Next Day, (due March)
the rumour mill started up and fired off what Bowie’s next move would be: Would
he tour again? Would he headline Glastonbury? Would Ziggy Stardust make a
spectacular return? But one thing was overlooked, would he be any good?
And that's where Where Are We Now? comes in. The lyrics tell a tale of the time from
David’s “Berlin era” of 1976-79, where he lived and breathed the German music, arts
and cultural scene, whilst writing some of his best-known hits including Sound and Vision and Heroes. However, Where Are We Now? features a different side to Bowie than on these
tracks. He sounds older, more restrained, but ultimately more human. His vocals
are beautifully subdued, haunting almost, and suit this melancholic ballad
perfectly as he intertwines himself with simple piano chords and 80s synths. The
repetition of “Where Are We Now?” questions both Bowie’s life and career but
also the listener’s. The track builds into a brilliant crescendo of high
pitched soaring guitars and simplistic drumbeats with Bowie’s poignant last
words being “as long as there’s me, as long as there’s you”.
To all of my readers, or anyone who has stumbled across this blog:
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and All The Best for 2013!
Sadly, I have not been able to write many reviews or posts lately due to other commitments, but come the new year there will be new posts! Thankyou to anyone and everyone who has ever read anything on this site, it means the world to me.
Having spent nearly 3 months as the warm-up act for Coldplay
on their recent Mylo Xyloto tour, it was
about time Marina And The Diamonds got a tour of her own. With two albums under
her belt and a collection of top ten singles, Marina has more than enough
material to fill a stage. Titled the Lonely
Hearts Club Tour, Marina has been slowly making her way around the UK since
September, to her only London date at the HMV Forum in Kentish Town on 11th
October.
But before making her grand entrance, Marina called upon Foxes to warm up the crowd as her supporting
act. The solo singer, with her youthful and grand voice, was a good sign of
things to come, both for their upcoming album as well as for the calibre of
vocals this evening. But, as good as Foxes
were, the audience were there for one female voice in particular as they
stared up to the empty stage.
The blackened stage then lit up in a pink neon soaked haze, as
Electra Heart, the title to Marina’s
second album inscribed in neon lights, flickered into life. “Every boyfriend is the one, until otherwise
proven” Marina told the crowd, as she gracefully walked on from the side of
the stage to the opening lines of Heartbreaker.
Wearing a white wedding veil and carrying a bouquet of flowers, Marina’s
alter ego, Electra Heart had fully
arrived. As the chorus beat dropped, the stage lighting exploded into an array
of colours and Marina/Electra tossed the bouquet into the excitable crowd below
her. The Petshop Boys style track was a great way to start the gig, instantly
whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Quickly losing the veil, and with it Electra, Marina went straight into Oh No! a fun and flippant track from her
first album The Family Jewels. The
onstage band, consisting of a drummer, two keyboard/synth players and two
guitarists, were clearly enjoying the gig already, playing with such gusto they
nearly drowned out Marina’s vocals. But there was never really a chance of this
happening, as Marina’s voice effortlessly filled The Forum. After getting the
audience to “Cuckoo” with her during Mowgli’s
Road, the pace was then slowed down for emotional love-loss ballad Lies. Its powerful lyrics struck a chord
with the crowd, and this swapping from upbeat pop to soulful ballad was
something Marina did several times during the night. Most notably was when she
ushered away her keyboardist, taking the seat herself to play a beautiful
striped down version of Obsessions. After
the first costume change of the night, Marina brought out her fierce side with
the biting Power & Control and Bubblegum Bitch, which she described as
her personal favourite of the night.
The centre of the stage was
dominated by a mini set piece inspired by 50’s Hollywood, with a red chez
longue garnished with a white fluffy heart pillow, besides an elegant clothes
stand and an antique black and white TV. Below all of this was Marina’s “Prop
Cupboard”, which she used with delight. But things took a turn for the surreal
when Marina introduced another prop, this time a walking yapping wind-up dog. She
then proceeded to explain to the bemused crowd how she had rescued the dog from
a life in the gutters, giving it a job in her music video for Primadonna. Being one of Marina’s
biggest hits from Electra Heart, Primadonna gained one of the loudest
sing-a-longs of the night, with the crowd screaming every line of the chorus. Hollywood, Marina’s first single,
produced similar scenes, as the crowd jumped and cheered while Marina whipped a
Pom-Pom round her head. The euro-pop style of Radioactive was the biggest dance hit of the night, a stark
contrast to following track Fear and
Loathing. This epic ballad brought a hush throughout The Forum and an end
to the night, with Marina leaving the stage, followed by her band, much to the
sadness of the crowd. “Marina! Marina!” the Diamonds (Marina’s name for her
fans) chanted, louder and louder each time. On she returned, and with her
another costume change. But before playing any more hits, Marina first said how
special it was to be back in London and to have her dad in the stands. She then
surprised him (And the crowd) by revealing it was his birthday, before singing
Happy Birthday to him, along with the 2,000 or so audience members. It won’t be
on any other set list for her tour, and made the gig extra special.Marina then finished the night with her
latest single How To Be A Heartbreaker. Its
plucking guitars chords and electronic bass line erupts during the chorus, with
bold primary coloured lights flying around Marina’s stage. It was a great way
to end the night, with the Marina jumping around on stage as much as her
Diamonds.
There were a few tracks missing
from the set list: Living Dead; Hermit
The Frog and most notably Lonely Hearts
Club, which the tour was named after. But the songs chosen were still
Marina’s strongest, showcasing every side of her vocals. In fact she so
effortlessly filled the stage with her voice and personality that it didn’t
matter which songs she chose from her back catalog. Marina ended the night by thanking everyone
for making it her best gig yet, a view which was surely shared with the every
Diamond in the crowd.
