music

Unexpected Arrivals: Are surprise albums the way forward?

/ James Fenney

beyonce album

It’s not often you can say that the music industry has drastically and irreversibly changed, especially in this day and age, but that’s exactly happened in 2013. With David Bowie’s The Next Day and Beyoncé’s eponymous album bookending the year a new trend appeared prompting many artists to follow in their footsteps and release new albums completely out of the blue. A few years later and it has suddenly become the norm for big name acts. It comes as a massive change to the industry’s long standing norms, but what does the future have in store? Continue reading →

Top Tracks: Radiohead – Burn The Witch

/ James Fenney

The most hotly anticipated album of the year is another step closer as Radiohead have released the first single off their as yet untitled ninth album. ‘Burn The Witch’ opts for a mesmerising yet sinister orchestral sound which is a marked departure from the electronica of their previous album The King of Limbs. The music video features a stop-motion retelling of The Wicker Man. Prior to it’s release the band teased fans with snippets of the video, leaflets in the post, and by deleting content from their social media. Only time will tell if the album lives up to expectations.

The Edge performs at The Sistine Chapel

/ James Fenney

the edge

U2 guitarist The Edge has made history by becoming the first contemporary musician to perform at the Vatican’s magnificent Sistine Chapel. He performed an acoustic set backed with an Irish choir as part of a conference on regenerative medicine and the fight against cancer. The setlist included ‘Walk On’, ‘Yahweh’ and ‘Ordinary Love’ as well as a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s ‘If It Be Your Will’.

Top Tracks: Mumford & Sons, Baaba Maal, The Very Best and Beatenberg – There Will Be Time

/ James Fenney

Having already broken away from their folk origins and ventured into indie rock for their latest album Wilder Mind, Mumford & Sons are continuing their search for new sounds. Conceived on their sell-out tour of South Africa the band have collaborated with Senegalese singer/songwriter Baaba Maal, London based DJ duo The Very Best and South African pop group Beatenberg. The coming together of artists from such different backgrounds to work together unreservedly is really heart warming. The different styles integrate perfectly and evoke an unbridled sense of energy, unity and joy in what they have created. The collaboration’s EP Johannesburg, which was recorded in just two days, is released 17th June.

Spotlight!: Meadowlark

/ James Fenney

meadowlark

Bristol based duo Kate McGill and Daniel Broadley are on to a winning formula. Having come together because they both longed a change of musical direction in their careers, they settled on a mix of folky guitar and piano interspersed with some lush ambient electronics. The subtle soundscape and McGill’s delicate vocals on tracks like ‘Fly’ and ‘Satellite’ result in a captivating and chilled-out mood. It’s like the musical equivalent of a deep and tranquil oasis glistening in the sun. It’s far too easy to get sucked into their simple and soothing songs and just escape the world for a short while. Having supported Amber Run and Rhodes, and having received plenty of well deserved support from the likes of BBC Introducing and Flying Vinyl, Meadowlark are certainly set to take off.

Fans of Oh Wonder, Gabrielle Aplin, Birdy and The Staves should check out their latest EP ‘Paraffin’.