Have you ever watched any behind the scenes studio footage which shows a songwriter at work piecing a new track together? It’s interesting getting to hear each individual instrument being recorded one by one. Each one a separate piece of a wider puzzle, and the true artistic vision doesn’t reveal itself until all the pieces are assembled and suddenly a song just springs into existence. Except, listening to ‘I Believe in Love (and it’s very hard)’, I don’t get that same impression of jigsaw pieces forming a picture. Hearing this new single from Canadian singer/songwriter Rose Cousins, I keep breaking it down into its constituent elements in my mind, and each piece feels like a work of art in its own right. The intricate expressive nuances of the drum work, the deep rumbling bass tone that you can feel in your gut, the bright and elegant piano playing lending so much presence and refinement, Rose’s heartfelt vocals channelling the golden age of singer/songwriters. Each component tells a beautiful story in of itself. ‘I Believe in Love’ is no jigsaw, it’s a collage taking existing works of art and using them to create a bigger picture.
Author: James Fenney
Top Tracks: Hannah Grace – The Moon
Much of what I have to say about a piece of music depends on when it finds me. A sun-kissed Americana anthem may not feel as potent in the dead of winter, while a break-up ballad may resonate deeper in the wake of heartache. You need the right frame of mind, the right angle of approach, to experience a song at its best. Occasionally however you find songs like ‘The Moon’ which can be approached from a different perspective and suddenly take on a whole new meaning. This latest single from Belwood favourite Hannah Grace is a reassuring love letter to a friend in need; a reminder that you’re there to lean on even when it feels like life is spinning out of control. While it naturally connects with anyone seeking to comfort someone in need, it touches a very different part of your heart when you’re the one that’s struggling. When that anxious voice in the back of your mind insists that your loved ones aren’t as invested in you as you are in them, ‘The Moon’ becomes a soothing balm to quell the self doubt. With Hannah’s most tender and effortless vocals to date, ‘The Moon’ is equally moving whether its words are ones you long to share, or the ones you desperately needed to hear.
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Top Tracks: Luvcat – He’s My Man
I adore a good murder ballad. The sinister storytelling, carving out a clear identity for some villainous character, a wicked darkness that feeds the part of your brain that delights in morbid curiosity. It’s a time honoured tradition which nonetheless manages to feel underexplored; all the more reason to champion one of the rare shining examples when it strolls so magnetically into the spotlight. Having already begun to curate a seductively gothic sound with the sublime debut single ‘Matador’, Luvcat play to their strengths beautifully by weaving that same darkness into a bewitching murder ballad. With a soft western twang as rich and heady as a fine red wine backing up Sophie Morgan’s velveteen vocals, ‘He’s My Man’ tells the tale of of an obsessive housewife slowly poisoning her husband to ensure that he stays by her side forever. Whatever captivating concoction Luvcat have poured into this track has left me unable to leave its side also. Combining the fervent fanaticism of Annie Wilkes from Misery, with a beguiling air of twisted romanticism, ‘He’s My Man’ is a sterling sophomore outing for this entrancing ensemble.
Top Tracks: Fiona-Lee – Nothing Compares To Nineteen
It’s said that everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about – and all too often, it remains unknown. We struggle to find the words to describe what we’re feeling, are afraid to risk letting our defences down in the hope of finding a sympathetic ear, and wonder if anyone will truly understand the pain we’re feeling. Drawing a line between a conversation with her father about how “boys didn’t talk about feelings“, and the loss of a dear friend who took his own life, Fiona-Lee resolves to be open with her own struggles with anxiety and depression on her new single ‘Nothing Compares To Nineteen’. The track feels like a much needed and welcome push towards asking for help when you need it, rather than suffering in silence. Fiona’s frank and insightful lyricism manages to walk the line between being as intimate and confessional as a diary entry, while at the same time as real and down-to-earth as a conversation with a friend. All that is paired with emphatic drums and light breezy guitar work that spirals ever faster, ensuring her battles ring out loud and clear, and building more of that anthemic Sam Fender-esque sound that we’ve come to know and love.
Album Review: The Howl & The Hum – Same Mistake Twice
Half The World Awaits: Why the way we buy tickets need to change
I write this as I finally admit defeat, having spent – I’ve lost count of how many hours – trying to secure tickets for the big Oasis reunion tour. Half a day was spent queueing up for the opportunity to join the actual queue, and any progress made once reaching the front of it was frustratingly fleeting. It’s been a whistle-stop tour of Ticketmaster’s various error screens, from being suspended as a bot and having the whole site crash under the weight of overwhelming demand, to having to queue up all over again only to find prices had doubled for the few remaining tickets. At least something happened on Ticketmaster I suppose; that’s more than can be said for See Tickets and Gigs And Tours, whose sites didn’t even attempt to sell any actual tickets. I’m far from the only one left empty handed. It seems like half the country spent their day chasing tickets which proved to be rare as hen’s teeth. Yet at this moment the disappointment of missing out feels dwarfed by my frustration at the appalling rigmarole of Ticketmaster’s shambolic sale. Continue reading
Top Tracks: Sixten – Atlantic
The heart wants what it wants, and sometimes our efforts to quash our feelings only ends up fanning the flames even further. We think that cutting someone out of our lives is a sure way to move on, but sometimes absence merely makes the heart grow fonder. With their new single ‘Atlantic’, Swedish sibling duo Sixten explore how long distances can often serve to amplify the longing of unrequited love. Taken from their sophomore EP Misemotional, the track’s nostalgic swells threaten to sweep you away, much the same way as when your thoughts turn to someone you thought you were finally over (“You’d think I learn my lesson, It’s been a year or two, But all of my obsessions, They’re pointing straight at you“). Throwing distance into the mix before resolving your feeling for someone just adds a world of new questions into the ether. Beyond all the same ‘what-ifs’ you keep replaying, imagining a scenario where it all worked out, you now also have to contend with the dizzying notion of the life they’re building without you in it. ‘Atlantic’ feels like a longing for closure that keeps slipping further away; how much harder it is to tie up loose ends when they stretch across oceans.
Top Tracks: Deliriously Serious – Time
While great music can come from anywhere, certain styles seem to attract specific kinds of greatness. The best drummers play jazz, the best bassists play funk, that kind of thing. If it’s great vocals you’re looking for however, my money is on soul. Sure, there’ll be plenty better singers out there on a technical level in other fields. Belting out higher notes, hitting wider ranges with more consistency and clarity. But music, like all art forms, ultimately comes down to expression. A great soul performance just channels a raging river of feeling into every note. Joy burns like a fever, sorrow cuts like a knife. It’s not about perfection, it’s about pouring every fibre of your being into each word as though you’re pleading for salvation at the pearly gates. I can’t quite recall the last time a vocal performance grabbed me the way ‘Time’ does. Christopher Escarega here captures the helplessness of feeling the years rushing by you as you fight against the current with fervent intensity. What’s more – great guitarists play the blues – and just as that stunning voice has drawn you in, a bewitching bluesy solo flares into life, burning with every bit as much passion and feeling. No matter how quickly time feels as though it’s slipping through your fingers, I promise this song is worth a moment of yours.
