#but Bando is an album that's like 2 weeks old

[hoofusdoofus]

Was thinkin about music so I tried to make a little list of some of my favorite albums! Not in any particular order nor exhaustive, I realize it's a bit of an eclectic mix! But its music that resonates with me, for one reason or another!

[hulejczuk-blog]

Why do we like music?

What makes a good song?

For as long as I can remember, the way I’ve listened to music is by choosing an album, picking out my favourite tracks and then playing those songs until anyone around me never wants to hear them again. When I was younger and we listened to music in the car, this would mean jumping between (for example) tracks one, three, and five. These days it means taking my favourite tracks from two or three albums and making a playlist (see here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/playlist//idpl.u-qxyl0bJu02Y525).

And so as a songwriter, hopeful to one day write songs which people will enjoy in the same way I do as a listener, I frequently find myself wondering ‘what makes these songs so special? How can I listen so many times and still enjoy them? And what makes them strike something inside me that the rest of the tracks on the album doesn’t?’

Whilst I’m well aware that there’s no single right answer to a question like this, I want to explore some of the possibilities. So let’s take some tracks that are resonating with me particularly strongly and figure out the how and why of it all.

Please note that all opinions expressed in the writings below are my own and that you are free to take them or leave them as you see fit.

Can’t Do - Everything Everything

Can’t Do is the first single from hotshot indie outfit Everything Everything’s new album ‘A Fever Dream’. Listen below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myQVHve73vk

The thing that stuck out to me from my very first listen to this track was the way the song swells to a beautiful climax at the Chorus. It’s like there’s this great build up which gives way to an awesome payoff, and I think a lot of the work is led by the vocal.

The verse on its own is nothing particularly special (imo), but it sets the way for a bridge where the song starts to lift. And so it builds and builds until you get to this amazing soaring chorus. It’s sort of like climbing a mountain and then getting to the top and seeing the view. When discussing the track with my El Bando co-conspirator Yan, he asked me ‘how do they write something which is so haunting yet so uplifting?’

I have here an actual transcript from my conversation with another dear friend, the inexcusable Nick Kelly, from when we first heard the song. I had to do some proper scrolling to get a hold of this, so I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Angels / Your Love

This next track is an interesting one. From the new soul record ‘God First’ by Mr Jukes (Bombay Bicycle Club’s Jack Steadman), Angels / Your Love has one particular section which might go down as one of my favourite musical moments of all time. See if you can guess what it is as you listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVfsbrtD4Fo

The particular part I’m talking about is, of course, the breakdown at 1:55 where we get a steaming mouthful of bari sax. That god damn sax riff has made me near enough fall over every time I’ve heard it in the last couple of weeks. When I first listened to it, I was not ready. Sat on a train waiting to leave Brighton, I was quite simply not prepared for the groovilogical (Idgaf I’m coining it) goldmine that was about to hit me (like a train, ironically). And when it hit, my head started bopping, the groove face went on, and anyone within a meter of me felt concern for their own safety.

I remember the phrasing of the riff being something which stood out to me as brilliant at the time, there’s great feel for the part that’s being playing, and I’m also of the opinion that there’s some really good subtle work on the use and placement of pushes/pulls, staccato/tenuto, etc.

Upon talking to ANOTHER friend, the unobtainable Ben White, I found more merits to the song. Ben theorised that what made the breakdown so great, was its place in the song. It’s preceded by a messy time signature change which breaks away from the normal groove, the breakdown itself crescendos, and the section which follows jams it’s way out to the end of the song. Ben believes that the riff itself isn’t the best part of the song, he believes its placement in the grander scheme of the song is what makes it so brilliant.

Hey Jude

This might seem like an obvious choice and even a bit of an odd one for this kind of discussion but bear with me. Listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_MjCqQoLLA

What’s good about Hey Jude? Anyone? I reckon it’s this: https://youtu.be/PgJQ6LQ8x1E?t=3m3s

This too: https://soundcloud.com/charlie-hulejczuk/hey-jude-the-beatles#t=2:48

And maybe a bit of this: https://www.facebook.com/tom.bindon.95/posts/487605261442345:0

Hey Jude, just like so many good songs, is so brilliant because it’s so simple. This melody is one that anyone can pick up and sing easily as anything, to this day both young and old are known sing it out together. It unites people, it is what music is about.

The rest of the song is not to be disregarded. The verses especially hold great merit, but let’s be honest I don’t need to explain why this tune’s a good one. As soon as those first words ‘Hey Jude’ are out of McCartney’s mouth everyone is there singing along. This song is actually a fine example as to why I think Paul was the best Beatle, but that’s another conversation for another day…

What I’m Listening To:

HONNE - Warm On a Cold Night

I was introduced to this album through track thirteen, ‘Baby You’re Bad’, which by some sort of miracle isn’t even a single. HONNE are doing this sort of cool electronic/alternative thing which the kids these days seem to like, and I don’t have any problems with that at all. There’s a lot of strong songs on this record, and all of the arrangements are really smooth. One of my personal favourites is ‘Someone That Loves You’, written with Izzy Bizu - a sweet balance of laid back and uplifting, the lyrics are charming and well delivered, and the feeling between the two vocalists seems like it could be real…(👀).

Listen to Warm On a Cold Night:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0aWcnOSntyOxzNCxBksLW6

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/warm-on-a-cold-night-deluxe/id1107603110

As I stated at the beginning these thoughts are my own, feel free to disagree with them as you like but talking about good songs in detail is something I knew I wanted to do with this blog and something I’m sure I’ll do again. If you have a strong opinion then get in touch, it would be interesting to hear what you think.

Hold tight until next time, be good to people <3 

[stacksmag]

Rapper 2 Chainz hosted a packed out listening party this week for his album, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. The album will be released on Friday (6/16). The Southside Atlanta rapper welcomed guests inside of his pink trap house. Guests got a glimpse of 2 Chainz’s sense of artistry with various paintings throughout the bando (aka house) and an old school whip in the front yard that was also spray painted all pink. -- (link in bio) #2chainz #prettygirlsliketrapmusic #defjam #hiphop #music #stacksmag #stacksmagazine