#Drawing my favourite fictional guitarist as one of my favourite guitarists

[arthur-lesters-spinal-cord]

Charlie Dowd from @teafromthemicrowave’s The Boykissers au as Billy Duffy from the Cult.

I think he would be a massive Cult fan, they're the perfect mix of goth and metal head for him

[newmusickarl]

Welcome back!

A new year is upon us and 2022 has wasted absolutely no time at all in delivering the goods when it comes to great new music. January is already looking stacked for some exciting new releases going forward, but for now here are all the amazing treats the first week of 2022 has served up:

Album & EP Recommendations

Now or Whenever by Spector

In the seven years since London-based indie rockers Spector released their glorious sophomore album Moth Boys (the record I named as my Album of the Year back in 2015, the review for which you can read here) it’s safe to say they have been on a bit of a rollercoaster. Not only did they depart ways with their long-time record label Fiction, but bassist Tom Shickle and drummer Yoann Intonti also left the band to each tackle new ventures. Not to be deterred by this though, the remaining band members continued to self-release music through a series of excellent EPs, culminating in last year’s brilliant compilation record, Non-Fiction (see what they did there?).

That compilation hinted that Spector were hitting yet another creative peak, with frontman Fred Macpherson’s signature brand of irreverent humour and razor-sharp lyricism out in full force on standout tracks like Untitled In D, Fine Not Fine, Half Life and When Did We Get So Normal, to name just a few. Now once again steered by Macpherson’s wildly unique, astute lyricism and Jed Cullen’s masterful guitar work, Spector have delivered another soaring collection of poetic, wonderfully crafted indie anthems on their brilliant new album, Now or Whenever.

When Saturday Comes opens proceedings on some shimmering hazy synths, an instrumental that seems to pick up from Lately It’s You’s outro to Moth Boys, representing the time passing between the two albums whilst also drawing a connection between the two records as well. Before you know it, the wonderfully buzzy guitars and earworm chorus of lead single Catch You On The Way Back In races to the fore, to help kick the record firmly into gear. On this track Fred also delivers his first lyrical zinger with the brilliant line “Everyone’s a loser when there’s nothing left to win.” If anything, it is a track that resonates even more now than when it first dropped, as the band yearn for live music communion and some pre-COVID normality.

This is then followed by two-minute ode to road tripping on Do You Wanna Drive, where Fred vividly describes “A sublet in the suburbs” and a “Midlands Summer Night’s Dream” over Jed Cullen’s soaring guitar riffs. Soon the glorious spiralling synths of Norwegian Air chime in to mark the first of two wonderful collaborations with Jack Kaye of the Magic Gang. The second of these soon follows in the form of Funny Way of Showing It, another solid single with a laidback melody and whirring organ-like synths that has helped it to remain one of my favourite tracks of the whole record.

No One Knows Better is then easily the strongest lyrically on the album, with some incredible lines from Macpherson such as “Didn’t pay attention at Jim Morrison’s grave, wondering the last time my reflection shaved” and “stare into the distance like you’re in a trance, sadomasochistic but you love your plants” – witty thoughts and lunacy musings only a songwriter like him could deliver! 

I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying then relaxes the record down into a bluesy sway for one of the more subdued moments, a single that was originally released alongside the hilarious Muppets-esque video that you can watch above. Bad Summer is then the final of the pre-release singles to feature, with Fred Macpherson detailing a past-relationship on a track that the band themselves have described as “for when every night feels like a honeymoon and every morning feels like a funeral.” Oddly the perfect description!

Spector then leave arguably their three best moments for last, with D-Roy predominantly written by guitarist Jed Cullen about a long-distance friendship, making it one of the more melancholic tracks on the album. Although it is a personal track, lines like “Existing is exhausting, everybody says we should be talking” give it a strong emotional resonance to anyone whose felt a similar strain during the course of the pandemic.

This Time Next Year is then undoubtedly one of Spector’s finest tracks thus far in their career - a stripped-back acoustic number that stands out sonically compared to every other song here. Recorded live with just Fred singing a folky melody, Jed on the acoustic guitar and producer Rich Turvey on the flute, it’s ultra-raw, mightily poignant, and just completely stunning. It also contrasts quite nicely to the maximalist, epic six-minute closer An American Warehouse In London, that marks the band’s most ambitious and accomplished song to date. 

Bringing together a lot of the record’s themes into a triumphant synth-soaked finale, Fred stated in a recent album commentary that “It’s about time - not just looking back at the passage of it, but the tragedy of the present always slipping through our fingers.” A wonderful track and the perfect end to a near-perfect album.

Due to the gap between their last two records and the narrative of the band changes, many publications have described Now or Whenever as a “rebirth” for Spector, but for me this album isn’t that at all. This is simply one of the best indie bands of the last decade creating the great songs they always have done, the difference this time around though is that the music world has woken up and is finally paying attention again - which is just fantastic to see.

For me, this is the first great record of 2022 and I hope it once again brings Spector the interest and acclaim they so richly deserve.

Listen here

Dawn FM by The Weeknd

From the first great record of 2022 then to the second, as global superstar Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, has once again delivered another visionary and cinematic pop record like only he can.

Back in March 2020 at the height of global lockdown, Abel gifted us his fourth studio album After Hours, a record of heartbreak and hedonism that brought a much-needed escape from the reality of what was happening in the world at that time. It went on to become by far my most played Album of 2020, helping me and I’m sure many others to get through the toughest of years. That album and the success of singles like Blinding Lights and Save Your Tears also helped catapult Abel to another level of superstardom, even leading him to headline the SuperBowl Halftime show in 2021.

Fast forward almost a year on from that star-making performance, and Abel is back with his latest opus, Dawn FM. Much like After Hours, Abel has seemingly delivered the perfect vision for this exact moment in time. Whilst the world is once again stuck in between a return to some sort of normalcy on one hand, but also some returning COVID restrictions on another, Abel has delivered an album about people stuck in limbo. Speaking on the concept for the record which sees none other than actor Jim Carrey take on the role of a paranormal disc jockey, Abel has explained:

“Picture the album being like the listener is dead. And they're stuck in this purgatory state, which I always imagined would be like being stuck in traffic waiting to reach the light at the end of the tunnel. And while you're stuck in traffic, they got a radio station playing in the car, with a radio host guiding you to the light and helping you transition to the other side. So it could feel celebratory, could feel bleak, however, you want to make it feel, but that's what 'The Dawn' is for me.”

It's a grand vision but one Abel controls masterfully alongside his collaborators, with Max Martin, Oneohtrix Point Never, Swedish House Mafia and Calvin Harris just some of the production credits listed here. Alongside the aforementioned Jim Carrey, artists such as Quincy Jones, Tyler The Creator and Lil Wayne also crop up to lend their inimitable voices to proceedings as well. However, despite these helpers, the imagination on display remains uniquely Abel’s, with his own vision and voice keeping things anchored. The most impressive element of the whole record though is how it’s so cohesively woven together, with each track seamlessly segueing into the next, as if you were indeed sat in the car just casually jamming along to the radio.

The album begins with the epic, synth-driven title track, that starts with some birds whistling before Abel anxiously sings “Make me believe in make-beliefs, 'Cause after the light, is it dark? Is it dark all alone?” Soon Jim Carrey arrives to welcome the listener properly to “103.5 Dawn FM” which then leads seamlessly into one of the record’s most interesting tracks in Gasoline, where Abel’s distorted vocal bounces off an intoxicating whirlpool of 80s synths. 

How Do I Make You Love Me follows which will surely be a future smash hit, with its infectious synth-pop groove and instantly catchy chorus. Before you’ve had time to catch your breath, Abel takes it away with the aptly-titled lead single Take My Breath. Arriving to take things up yet another notch, I’m thankful Abel chose to include the longer and superior version of the track with the extended instrumental intro passage. Sacrifice then completes this incredible opening five track run, with a super funky lead guitar line and a good dose of disco flair.

The downside of such a strong opening however is that Abel does struggle somewhat to maintain the momentum throughout, with the five tracks following the Quincy Jones interlude causing a bit of a mid-album lull for me. Luckily though, Abel manages to pull it back towards the end, thanks to the neon-soaked beams of Every Angel Is Terrifying, the wonderful 80s groove of Don’t Break My Heart and the brilliantly anthemic synth-banger Less Than Zero. 

The album then closes quite beautifully with a spoken word piece written by Jim Carrey entitled Phantom Regret, which he ends by saying “God knows life is chaos, but He made one thing true - you gotta unwind your mind, train your soul to align, and dance 'til you find that divine boogaloo.” Poignant and poetic, it makes for a simply sublime ending.

All in all, this is a deep, pensive record that carries plenty of emotional weight, but will also have you dancing and singing away with a big smile on your face. Only time will tell whether I ultimately end up enjoying and returning to this album as much as After Hours. For now, this is still a hugely impressive concept record and an utterly engaging listen from one of the most fascinating and visionary popstars on the planet.

Listen here

Antidawn by Burial

And finally this week, electronic music pioneer Burial has also returned this week with his fantastic new project Antidawn. Although five tracks in length and billed as an EP, this is actually Burial’s longest release for a decade, clocking in at a full LP length of 43 minutes. Across that time, you can enjoy the trippy, meandering electronica of Strange Neighbourhood and Shadow Paradise, the glitchy and ominous title track, as well as the ambient, stirring sounds of New Love and Upstairs Flat.

Already so enchanting, I can’t help but feel this is a project I’ll only gain more fondness of the more I come back and unpack it. If you want something chill to just lose yourself in, this one is definitely worth your time.

Listen here

Tracks of the Week

Happy New Year by Let’s Eat Grandma

Experimental synth-pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma kicked off 2022 in fine fashion with their aptly titled and euphoric new single Happy New Year dropping on New Year’s Day. Although new album Two Ribbons isn’t out till April, it is quickly shaping up to be one of my most anticipated projects of the year and tracks like this, Hall of Mirrors and the title track are the reason why. Bring it on!

Listen here

Jackie Down The Line by Fontaines D.C.

Irish post-punk outfit Fontaines D.C. are already two for two in their career thus far and despite only breaking onto the scene three years ago, they have already announced the release of a third album due out in April. If this lead single is anything to go by, it could be shaping up to be their best work to date. With a jangly guitar melody and Grian Chatten’s signature drawl delivering the infectious refrain of “I will wear you down in time, I will hurt you, I’ll desert you, I am Jackie down the line”, after just a few listens I think this track is already one of my favourites within their catalogue.

Listen here

You Will Never Work In Television Again by The Smile

Having unveiled themselves at the Glastonbury livestream last year, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s Radiohead side project with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner finally released their long-awaited debut single this week. With a punky guitar riff and the return of Yorke’s shout-sing vocals, it manages to be a refreshing change of sound for the Radiohead duo, but also at the same time a neat throwback to their early 90s sound. I already can’t wait to hear more!

Listen here

Funny Girl by Father John Misty

Josh Tillman aka Father John Misty also announced he too is returning with a new album due in April, with Funny Girl the first taste of the interestingly titled Chloë and the Next 20th Century. A massively cinematic string-drenched piano ballad, it has a distinctly 1920s Golden Age feel to it and a waltzing melody that will leave you mesmerised.

Listen here

Try Better Next Time by Placebo

Rock legends Placebo continued the run up to their eighth studio album and their first in nine years this week with Try Better Next Time. Although it is probably my least favourite of the singles they have released thus far, for fans of that classic Placebo sound, this song ticks all the boxes several times over.

Listen here

Murder Me by Blood Red Shoes

The final taste of their new album Ghosts On Tape that drops tomorrow, it is another banger from the Brighton duo, propelled by a stinging guitar riff, a thunderous drum beat and a touch of omnious organ. These recent singles have been some of their best work, so I can’t wait to give you the low down on the full album next week.

Listen here

How We Drift / Only Time Can Break Your Heart by Nile Marr

If you’ve never heard the music of Nile Marr, son of guitar legend Johnny Marr no less, then you have been missing out. This week saw him drop his first new music since 2020’s Are You Happy Now in the form of two new tracks - the jittering riff and full throttle energy of How We Drift, as well as the sunshine melody and singalong chorus of Only Time Can Break Your Heart. Both are well worth your time and here’s hoping a new album is also on the way!

Listen here

Am I Really Going To Die by White Lies

Continuing the build to the release of their sixth album next month, new wave outfit White Lies have this week released the brilliant opening track for the record as their latest single. With typically shimmering synths, a bouncy piano melody and a catchy chorus, it’s another gem from the London-based trio.

Listen here

Won’t Stand Down by Muse

Having been a huge fan of them in my teenage years, it’s been a long while since I last enjoyed Muse’s output. That changed this week though with their latest single Won’t Stand Down, powered by some seismic, meaty riffs and even some distorted scream vocals towards the back end. A very welcome throwback to their edgier early sound, this one is great fun!

Listen here

Nightmare (Reprise) by Halsey

And finally this week, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power by Halsey finished in my Top 10 Albums of the Year for 2021 and I can’t recommend enough checking both the album and accompanying film out if you haven’t done so already. If you do indeed spin the album this week, you will also be treated to a couple of bonus tracks that have just been added, my favourite of which is the reprise version of Nightmare. This is essentially the pulpy, electro-rock cut of her latest single, produced by Nine Inch Nails alumni Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross. As expected, it’s excellent!

Listen here

[nevaeh-naeva]

Tagged by @cpt-trips  I got a day off and was finding something to concentrate on so TY for the tag!

Nicknames: Everyone call me Nei or Neva or Nev 

Gender/pronouns: F, she/her. 

Star sign: SCORPIO

Height: 5’5″

Time: you meant the time i was born, it was around 2pm but don’t remember the exact time

Birthday: 24 OCT [can we not talk about my age here? I’m in late 20′s]

Favorite bands: ADTR/MCR/BMTH/TSSF/LA dispute/Chiodos/THE Used/Brand new/Sum 41/Neck deep/PTV/ISSUES/SWS. Now guess my age I was a teenager while Emo’s a thing. 

Favorite solo artist: Halsey, Blackbear, JB (don’t judge me he’s a good singer), Lana and actually I like Mel too(Idk about the drama but I like her music)

Song stuck in your head: Neck Deep - In bloom

Last movie you watched?: Star Wars

Favourite movie genres: I don’t watch movie but if I have to choose I’d choose Sci-fi/Crime investigation/Serial Killer/Paranormal stuff. [I watch crime series a lot I wanted to be a forensic scientist when I was young and I’m interested in killers’ mind so yea]

Why did you create your blog?: I wanted to try to talk with other people, concentrate on something I like. I just want a place where I can be myself and I want this blog to be lively. 

What do you post?: Most are my art, vent texts and music, reblog other’s art, anime, otome and funny stuff. Art is life man I can’t live without it. 

Last thing you googled?: How to stay calm and stop walking around the room

Other blogs: You mean mine? HERE [where i usually reblog stuff I feel relatable but it could trigger some people and this one HERE is horror/witchy, occult stuff

AO3: Nope.

Hobbies: Drawing, Plants, Witchcraft, Pagan, Languages, Manga, Gaming

Do you get asks?: I usually don’t get many but I’m up for any asks/insults or a rant or random stuff you know. Even though I have mental illnesses but I usually wanna help other people and I don’t really care what people think about me much. 

How did you get the idea for your URL?: I was gonna use nevaeh but it’s taken. My name is Neva and I just put EH because it could read as ‘Heaven’ if you reverse it. Naeva is just another way to spell my name lol LAME

I follow: 319 <- [Cpt-trips] Woah! I followed 318. Gonna follow more tho if I find some blogs I’m interested in, my dash is dead af.</p>

Followers: 279 (I don’t even know why you guys still following me lol)

Average hours of sleep:3-5

Lucky number: none

Instruments: A guitar -> I learned classical guitar when I was young so I can play some easy classical music and my dad plays a guitar, was a guitarist and he taught me. I had relationships with guitarists so I can play some drop D/C/B songs

What are you wearing?: sleepwear, it’s a day off i usually wear this when i’m at home it’s comfortable

Dream job: I wanted to be a concept artist for an RPG games but I have no skill in that lol [I work as a motion graphic designer and it’s pretty fun. I love working so I can be busy all the time]

Dream trip: I’ve been to EU/US/JP but also wanna go to those places again. I like nature trip tho not city I don’t do shopping.

Favorite food: Noodles, Pasta, Ramen, SPICY dishes,Enchiladas [I’m fat and I dc], 

Favourite condiment: Ofc it’s Thai condiments which usually contain chilli powders and spicy/salty stuff. Even tho I’m mixed blood but I was born and raise in Bangkok so I fucking love spicy foods.

Significant other?: I’ve been in many of abusive relationships, you name it. I’ve been through both physically/mentally abusive so I’m not sure if I could love someone rn and it’s the reason I hear voices/developed some fetish/kink. But the past is the past tho I accepted it so I’m ok now. And because of my mental illnesses I’ve been in for as long as I remember, so every relationship I have is always complicated, and yes my current relationship’s also really complicated. My most important persons are my parents, my sis and my cat. Now you understand why I'm so into 2d boys right? Because they can't hurt me

Last book I read: Does Manga counts?

Favourite Authors: I don’t really have a fav. But I like crime/investigation novel.

Top 3 fictional universes: Tyria [GW2] 

Tagging: Anyone who wants to do this and I just gonna tag ppl who tagged me before which are @littleladysuzanne @missconnita @infernal-iris @mtkthedreamer @0takudl

[blogofthunder-blog]

Food glorious Food

Dinner parties are fun, but no matter how much you enjoy the company of your nearest and dearest, sometimes you can’t help but wonder how much more interesting the evening could be if you had alternative company? The following comes from what was once a conversation with a perfect stranger in the beer garden of a Birmingham pub on a summer evening, whilst sharing a mutual love of beer and cigarettes. Those were the days…

Hairy McBrown:  Dinner party, 5 guests. Dead, Alive and Fictional with some manner of reasoning. Go! Hairless McPale: Dead: Elvis – He’d have so many stories to tell and he had such presence about him it’d be amazing to just sit with him. John Lennon – To find out what really happened with him and McCartney and he’d be a party machine. John Bonham – The ultimate party machine. David Bowie – Not a day passes when I don’t feel sad about his death. Anton Yelchin (Mr Chekov in Trek reboots) – His death was awful and he was too young. I wanna tell him he’s not forgotten and Mr Chekov won’t be recast in his memory. Alive: Kid Rock – He’s invited so long as politics aren’t discussed. He’d be cool to have a beer with and to freestyle rock out with. Robert Downey Jr – I wanna hear his stories from his youth, and he might offer me a role in an Avengers/Iron Man movie? David Attenborough – To narrate what’s going on! James Earl Jones – I reckon he likes a drink! The Great One – Isn’t it obvious?! Fictional: Jay (from “And Silent Bob”) – The party machine. Spock – If we could get him a bit merry he’d be ace. Sherlock (Benedict version)  – Trouble seems to follow him, it’d be fun. Gandalf – The finest weed  in the South Farthing. The Doctor (10th) – So we could elope. Hairy McBrown: Great choices!!! Some of them (as you will see) I’ve picked too. Dead: Kurt Cobain – I’d want to tap into his musical influences, draw some inspiration from him. Robin Williams – He would be such a joy I imagine. Fidel Castro – I think he would be fascinating to talk to. Probably a bit of an ass, but fascinating nonetheless. Christopher Lee – Not only was he an iconic actor, he was also a heavy metal guitarist and he served in the SAS during WW2. What a guy! Nelson Mandela – I reckon he was actually a bit of a geezer. Alive: David Attenborough – I would just want to sit and listen to him talk about absolutely any animal on the planet, or to narrate the dinner. Stone Cold – When Attenborough talks about an animal, I’d want to know if he’d hunted it or not. Donald Trump – Comedy value if nothing else. Kelly Jones – He’s my hero. RDJ – Same as you; I want to hear his stories and possibly ask him to cast me in an Avenger or Iron Man movie. Fictional: Hagrid – Come on, who wouldn’t want Hagrid as a dinner guest? Jesus – This one might be a bit controversial. Batman – I’d want to know who his favourite Batman actor would or has been. Gimli – I’d like to see how he does in a drinking contest with Hagrid. Yoda – He could train me to become a Jedi. Hairless McPale: Not bad. I think Baby Jesus is a bit controversial. I like some of your choices, but for different reasons. I couldn’t give a shit about Cobain’s influences. I wanna know why he shot himself in the face. What happened with Courtney Love?! Robin Williams suffered from some serious mental health problems. If you caught him on a bad day he could really bum you out! Trump is too far for me. Kid Rock is a hick, but at least you could rock out and talk wrastlin’! Kelly Jones does my suede. I’d rather see Legolas vs Thor in a drinking contest! Hairy McBrown: Is it the insinuation that Jesus is fictional that is controversial? True, it would be interesting to hear why Kurt killed himself and why he killed himself in that way, and what Courtney’s involvement was!? Good point about Robin Williams, but even so I think he would be interesting to talk to. Trump cannot be real, he just seems far too much like a character to be a real person. I think he’s a robot controlled by the Fox network. Kid Rock would be cool though, I imagine he’s got some stories and would be cool to hang out with as long as you don’t let him get on a political soapbox. A bit like you and I come to think of it. Legolas vs Thor would only end badly for Legolas. Hairless McPale: I’m gonna skip over a lot of what you’ve said and get straight to the main bit. You think Thor would easily beat Legolas in a drinking contest?? Let’s King of the Ring this. Gimli vs Thor Hagrid vs Legolas I think Thor and Legolas progress to the final, Gimli takes 3rd place play off. Hairy McBrown:  This could lead to a more interesting spin on this though. Traditional five a side teams, across LOTR, Marvel and Harry, who’s on who’s team? Thor is definitely beating Gimli but I am not convinced that Legolas is beating either Hagrid or Thor. The magic of the Elves not withstanding, what about the sheer size of Hagrid given that he has giant’s blood and Thor is Asgardian, when he’s not battling frost giants he’s banqueting. Legolas is a badass but when he’s not battling he’s probably knitting. Hairless McPale: OK separate point: 5 on 5 elimination. All universes. Pick your 5 to go against mine. No….. We see Legolas dominate Gimli in a mead drinking contest in Hobbit! Legolas is immortal. Also Hagrid gets smashed with Slughorn… A mere mortal. Hairy McBrown: My 5… Superman, Hulk, Dumbledore, Legolas, John Cena. We see Legolas dominate Gimli in Return of the King, during a celebratory feast in the Great Hall at Edoras following their victory at Helms Deep and after giving the Ents control of Isengard. But yes I might actually have to concede to you on this one. Hairless McPale: My 5… Thanos, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Thor, Jesse Custer. Sorry, I meant Return of the King. I reckon Legolas could knock them back!