Kings of Leon – WALLS
Indie Rock
39%
music
Top Tracks: Albert af Ekenstam – Made of Gold
There is a bitter chill in the air, fallen leaves litter the ground and winter is well and truly on it’s way. In many ways that often pass by unnoticed we as people change with the seasons, and for many of us the bleak autumn and winter months prompt the need for an introspective and melancholy soundtrack. Swedish singer/songwriter Albert af Ekenstam is the perfect solution, with his Bon Iver inspired arrangements brimming with powerful, emotive storytelling. With hints of The National and Kaleo his new single, the piano driven ballad ‘Made of Gold’, has a grand cinematic feel, yet at the same time carries a bittersweet and understated elegance. His deep brooding vocals cut through the delicate atmosphere to really capture your attention. What begins as a solemn funeral march concludes with a sense of new life blooming from the ashes of loss. Albert’s fittingly titled debut album Ashes is out now.
Spotlight!: Mariam
Judged solely on her gorgeous, silky smooth vocals Mariam is a phenomenally talented artist and certainly one to watch. However look beyond her fantastic voice and you’ll find that this South London based singer/songwriter has a lot more to offer. Songs such as her debut single ‘Be There For Me’ has all the hooks you could want for a big hit alongside meaningful lyricism and heartfelt storytelling. On tracks like the folk inspired ‘Running’ it becomes apparent that she has a way with weaving her innermost thoughts and emotions into a rich musical tapestry, creating a profoundly passionate yet accessible work of art. Musically a diverse and expansive backdrop takes the songs to new heights with all the hints of pop, folk and soul building up to create an inviting and addictive atmosphere. Here we find an artist that can create something truly beautiful that speaks to some deep down part within all of us. I doubt it will be long until Mariam is selling out venues across the country and has Jools Holland rushing to call.
Fans of Belwood favourites Samm Henshaw, Eryn Allen Kane and Rationale should check out Mariam’s debut EP Heart to Heart, which is out 4th November.
Top Tracks: Hieroglyph – Starlight (The High Priestess)
If you had to assign the term “awe-inspiring” to a certain genre it would fit very well with the world of progressive metal. With a plethora of virtuoso musicians and grand ideas it operates on a level few other bands can match. This six piece are a welcome addition to the family, and with their upcoming debut being a concept album they are not a band to hold back. Ouroboros, released on the 18th November, follows the theme of the first 11 Major Arcana Tarot cards, charting a journey from The Fool to The Magician. The band’s first single from the album ‘Starlight (The High Priestess)’ features high-octane guitar work, a frantic driving beat and the great two pronged attack of the melodic tones of Valentina Reptile and the harsh vocals of Mark Howes. There’s no doubting they have the necessary talent and ambition to produce a stellar debut. You don’t need Tarot cards to see the bright future this band has in store.
Bob Dylan wins Nobel prize
Legendary songwriter Bob Dylan has been announced as the surprise recipient of the 2016 Nobel prize in literature. The longstanding Swedish institution awarded the folk icon with the prestigious prize “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. Widely considered the greatest living songwriter, his selection has been met with divided opinion with some praising the choice and others questioning the bold move to award the prize to a songwriter for the first time in the institution’s history. Regardless of what it means for the Nobel prize there is no doubting Bob Dylan’s incredible impact to the world of music and there can surely be no other songsmith more worthy of such praise.
Top Tracks: Pale Honey – Real Thing
After their critically acclaimed debut album, Swedish garage rockers Pale Honey are back with an electrifying new single. The Gothenburg girls have a sound far more expansive and diverse than you’d expect from a rock duo and this slick snaking single is a real testament to their talents. Kicking off with a fierce, no-nonsense riff the various layers soon build up an exhilarating tension, a barely restrained chaos ready to erupt. It’s subtle labyrinthine twists and turns wouldn’t sound amiss coming from St Vincent and it is simply brimming with attitude and Baltic badassery. The band deftly maintain the balance between experimenting with new sounds and the age old garage rock ideal of keeping things simple and to the point. With a new album on the way in the spring it seems their star is set to rise.
Album Review: Seasick Steve – Keepin’ The Horse Between Me And The Ground
Seasick Steve – Keepin’ The Horse Between Me And The Ground
Blues | Americana | Country
62%
Top Tracks: City Of Ashes – Sometimes
As part of world mental health day, Brighton based alternative rock outfit City Of Ashes have put together something special. With sponsorship and support from The National Lottery, Barclays, The London Eye and The Samaritans the band have put together this moving video (premiered via Louder Than War) to raise awareness and honour those suffering with depression. It comes as part of ‘The Sometimes Project’ which the band set up a few months ago to create a safe place online for people to talk about their struggles. The band have also set up ‘Stand As One’; a simultaneous benefit gig in different cities all across the UK on the 19th November in which the artists will also share their own experiences. ‘Sometimes’ is from the band’s upcoming album Rise.
Top Tracks: Celeb Car Crash – Let Me In
With their latest album People Are The Best Show due for release in the UK on the 25th November, these Italian alternative rockers have pulled out all the stops with this new single. With some top notch riffs, a truly menacing bass line and with an anthemic feel worthy of Alter Bridge or Coheed and Cambria, it’s a track that’s hard not to love. Perfectly paired with the dark and sinister music video featuring a mad scientist and his unwilling test subject it produces a thrilling combination that really gets the adrenaline pumping. The Italian rock scene is certainly thriving and if their forthcoming album lives up to the standard of this single then Celeb Car Crash are one of the bands leading the charge.
Spotlight!: Banana High
One of the best ways to become a truly influential and captivating band is to master a wide range of styles and genres and flick between them with the greatest of ease. As you can imagine that is a lot easier said than done, but Banana High are certainly on the right track. Their music is the curious lovechild of ska and post-hardcore, combining two very different genres to create something truly unique. The reggae infused tracks like ‘Little Time Away’ and ‘People Make Money (Make The World Go Round)’ have an irresistibly danceable groove and the band’s aesthetic is full of carefree fun. Songs like ‘Still In Disguise’ with it’s gritty yet slick harmonies and ‘All That We Are’ with it’s complex rhythms showcase the band’s darker side. On paper this combination shouldn’t work but yet here we are! It certainly helps matters that the band show a very high standard of musicianship, particularly the virtuoso guitar work that in places has subtle hints of flamenco. With a second EP on the way later this year we can all look forward to more of Banana High’s fascinating musical fusion.
Fans of The Specials, Lonely The Brave, Madness and Mallory Knox should check out their debut EP Join The Evolution.
