Posthumous Albums: Music from the Great Beyond

February 2, 2016 / James Fenney

kurt cobain

Following the recent death of David Bowie his music dominated the charts and Blackstar became his first ever number one album in the US. As bleak as the mourning period may be, death can be rather profitable. Michael Jackson for instance was in debt before his death, and a few months afterwards his estate had made millions. Record labels often use this fervour to produce albums long after an artist has passed away. The question is whether they should, or whether they should just let people rest in peace? Continue reading →

No More Heroes?

January 19, 2016January 19, 2016 / James Fenney

hendrix_-sets-the-guitar-on-fire-monterey-pop-festivaljpg

I’m sure we’ll all agree that 2016 hasn’t got off to a good start. In the space of a few weeks we’ve already lost Lemmy, David Bowie, and now Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey. As the world of music is in mourning a hard truth suddenly becomes apparent: How long do our other musical icons have left. It’s not a nice thought but many of the greatest artists and musical pioneers are getting on a bit. One day we will enter a world without Bob Dylan, without Elton John, without Aretha Franklin, without Bruce Springsteen, without Paul McCartney, without Stevie Wonder. Who will carry the torch once the greats are gone? Continue reading →

Indie-ana Jones and the Curse of the Second Album

January 2, 2016 / James Fenney

second coming

Let’s make one thing clear before we move on, that awful pun was absolutely necessary! Okay, now we’ve cleared that up it’s time to move on to a serious musical issue. It’s a well documented fact that the majority of second albums don’t live up to the band or artist’s debut. In some cases the second albums are that bad that it spells the end of an otherwise promising musical career. What causes this worrying trend and how can you avoid the pitfalls? Continue reading →

Live and kicking?: The decline of live albums

December 17, 2015December 17, 2015 / James Fenney

live albums

There was a time when live albums were thought of in the same regard as studio albums. A time when every home in America had a copy of Frampton Comes Alive and every self respecting band needed at least one live album. Those days are behind us though as live albums are ever decreasing in popularity. What has sparked this change and will they ever make a comeback? Continue reading →

Concert survival and etiquette guide

October 11, 2015January 29, 2026 / James Fenney

I’ve been to enough live music in my time to know my way around. Concerts can be just as stressful as they are enjoyable, especially for the inexperienced. The planning, the crowds and the logistics can all get under your skin and sometimes damper the thrill of seeing your musical heroes in the flesh. Thankfully with a few tips you can keep a cool head and ensure a truly incredible and stress-free concert for you and everyone around you. Continue reading →

Song. Bond Song.

October 3, 2015October 3, 2015 / James Fenney

Despite it’s mixed reception, Sam Smith’s ‘Writing’s on the Wall’, the theme for the latest James Bond Film Spectre, has made history by becoming the first Bond theme to reach number 1 in the charts. The prestigious honour of performing a track for a Bond film isn’t given to just anyone, but the end results have always been a bit hit-and-miss even with the big name stars. So who would be best suited then to perform the song for the next instalment? Who can match Smith’s chart success and yet find the universal acclaim that ‘Writing’s on the Wall’ has been missing? Continue reading →

EP vs LP: The format of choice?

August 18, 2015 / James Fenney

Mainstream media love telling us that albums are dead. They say that LPs are a thing of the past and that singles rule the world. But since the advent of the digital age, a new contender has arisen. EPs are becoming an increasingly popular music format, especially amongst up-and-coming artists. Where has this change come from and which format is best. Continue reading →

Double Trouble: A Record Rant

July 23, 2015July 25, 2015 / James Fenney

These days I buy most of my music on vinyl when I can. With the recent resurgence, vinyl manufacturers have upped their game so that the records are sturdier and download codes often come as a standard. However sometimes I am a little put off by some poor production decisions. The issue is with modern albums which weren’t recorded with vinyl in mind as the preferred format. It’s in trying to convert these recent releases into a different format that causes the trouble. Many albums get made into double albums when they shouldn’t be. Continue reading →

Is old music better?

June 21, 2015May 22, 2018 / James Fenney

“Modern music is rubbish!” It’s a phrase that we see often, in some shape or form. But is old music really better? Has there been a decline in music quality over the years or is it all just psychological? As is usually the case with these sorts of questions there is no simple answer. Before anyone starts throwing stones at any top 40 artists lets all take a moment to think about the big picture. Continue reading →

Producer (feat. Wasted Talent)

May 24, 2015May 24, 2015 / James Fenney

Depending on what radio station you tune into, you will probably be bombarded throughout the day by a multitude of monotonous dance tracks with an equally repetitive and uninspired chorus. I haven’t named any songs in particular but just from that simple description I’m sure there are plenty that spring to mind. If I had a penny for every time I heard a song like that I could afford to stock up on compilation CDs of them and put them in the microwave one by one. Sadly it seems to form a large proportion of modern chart hits, and whilst it has launched the careers of some respectable singers, for the most part it raises a number of issues. Continue reading →