Saturday, 21 July 2012

WHO'S TOURING? NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER

So I figured that it was about time for another edition of 'Who's Touring' as July is speeding ahead faster than ever towards the Autumn/Winter season of live musical goodness. As I said before in the last 'Who's Touring' post, I would love to make this a regular feature and as the last post proved to be far more popular than I expected it to be, you can now expect to see a 'Who's Touring' update every month. This way you will hopefully find an artist you want to see four to five months in advance, meaning you have a better chance of acquiring brilliant seats and that your days of jumping up and down in frustration, as you realise you have missed an opportunity to see your favourite artist, are no more.
So my fellow music lovin' people, feast your eyes on this pick and mix of musical goodness that I have concocted especially for you...

NOVEMBER 2012
DECEMBER 2012
I hope that this has once again proven useful to you and if any of the 'Who's Touring' posts have helped you secure tickets to see an artist live, I would love to know and if you want to say, just drop me a comment on this post. Ciao for now (uncool send off right there).

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Sunday, 15 July 2012

CHASE THE RUNAWAYS

I am thrilled to be here saying that The Killers are BACK. New single 'Runaways' has infiltrated into the first of a long line of radio shows and I cannot tell you how excited I am that they have finally given us a fantastic new offering. I am sure that this 80's-esque creation will be a definite musical companion this summer and having been denied a fix of The Killers for so long, many just won't be able to get enough of this new single, me included.

The single was given its first airing on the 10th of July, presumably on the Zane Lowe show as that's the place I first came across 'Runaways' earlier this week. It's a great piece of work that when listened to, makes me imagine soaring down the American outbacks in a ruby red Cadillac beneath endless turquoise skies and amongst deep golden sands, wind rushing through my hair.As you can see, I have a fairly active imagination that music seems to unleash to great extents. But yes, back to The Killers.

The last we heard of The Killers was the magnificent 2008 release, 'Day and Age', which has been a firm favourite in my record collection for the last three years ( I finally bought it in 2009). It's one of those records that never gets old. No matter how many years pass, or how many days since you last gave it a spin, you can just put this record on and it's like an everlasting fountain of youth. It doesn't matter that I've listened to 'Spaceman' at least a hundred times or more, as every time I listen to it, I fall in love with it all over again and this goes for the all other songs on the album too. 'Day and Age' was one of my first introductions to Indie and it gave me a musical direction in which to pursue, as I was falling out of love with McFly and all those NOW albums on my I-Pod.

Whenever I listen to a song by The Killers, I always think to myself 'now this is where I belong', their music almost feels like it was made for me, or I was made for their music. I think that it's important to have an artist with whom you can have this connection, as it's rare to find, and like when you buy a dog, or any other animal, you end of forging a lifelong dedication and companionship that never fades or dies. 'Day and Age' was easily one of the best albums of 2008, and that is why I am so excited about their new album, 'Battle Born', as if it can only match the brilliance of 'Day and Age', that would be enough. However with four years in the making, unlike the normal two, surely it is a definite that this album is going to be something of the amazing variety?

If 'Runaways' is any indication of what is to come, then I reckon that The Killers have plunged back into what they do best, but have really exuded in some elements for which they are known for, such as that 80's feel, and I really do think that 'Battle Born' will contain some of their best work yet. I don't know how I can wait till September, now I know that a new album is finally within touching distance, but if I have made it three years, two months should be nothing.

- New single 'Runaways'- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LOeImx0kW4&feature=related
-NEW ALBUM IS OUT SEPTEMBER 18TH 2012
-Website: http://www.thekillersmusic.com/


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Saturday, 14 July 2012

FLY TO OWL CITY

Since 2009, I have been a fan of Owl City, aka, the amazing Adam Young. I came across his melodically magical and electronic infused song 'Fireflies' back in 2009 through an American website on which I asked for tips on new music. Those Americans were ahead of the game, pointing me towards 'Fireflies' which was fast becoming a hit over the pond, and so I was given a head start in discovering the magic of Owl City way before both the band and song caused ripples over here.

Anyone who has listened to an Owl City song cannot deny that listening to Adam's music is like being caught up in a dream, or emerged in a pool of imagination from which you feel no desire to escape. Adam concocts a magical and eclectic combination of trickling beats, electronic imprints, serene tones and softly sung lyrics that when combined seem to create a glistening potion that washes over you and enlightens you. The music of Owl City seems to pinpoint the segment of the brain in which our imagination is stored, and unleashes it, compliments it and encourages it to run wild. The music Adam produces makes you dream whilst wide awake and it is a very serene experience. Early mornings or late evenings are when Owl City is your perfect companion, and I reckon this is because Adam's music is reminiscent of dreams, and these two points of the day are when we are in our most dream like states.

I really think that it is impossible to listen to an Owl City song and not feel happy, blissful, peaceful and eclipsed in one of the most beautiful sensations I personally have ever felt. It is a sensation hard to describe, but listening to the music of Owl City will allow you to experience this indescribable sensation too. Adam is an insomniac, or at least he was, as well as an introvert with a shyness that means he is not like many of the artists on the music scene, past or present. All of these characteristics, when put together, seem to form the perfect key to unlocking the music for which Adam Young is known for. These characteristics, when viewed and used positively, can end up being valuable tools when it comes to producing something uniquely and magically special. If you were to take away even one, I don't think that beautiful music could be produced as each characteristic is crucial to the key.

Fast forward three years and Adam is on the verge of releasing his fourth studio album this August, The Midsummer Station, and I have a feeling that it will be one to have in your record collection. On his blog owlcityblog.com Adam talks about the time and effort that have gone into his new offering, saying of his record that "it may not change the world,  but it will touch it" and for an artist to be so confident about their work surely means that it must be something special? Owl City has gone off the radar the last couple of years as the magic of 'Fireflies' wore off the enchanted public, however if Adam's claims about his new record are proven correct, and I truly hope they are, he may just find that Owl City once again becomes a must see musical destination in the minds of people everywhere.

-To enter Adam Young's mind, visit: owlcityblog.com
-The Midsummer Station is released worldwide on the 21st August 2012
-World Tour Tickets are on sale NOW http://www.owlcitymusic.com/events
-Fireflies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psuRGfAaju4
-Vanilla Twilight:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIz2K3ArrWk

And in an ironic twist of fate, Owl City's newest collaboration with the infamous Carly Rae Jepson, Good Time, has just come on the radio, so here is the link NOW: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oBU7d5oenQ
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Thursday, 28 June 2012

THUNDER, LIGHTNING AND GOOD MUSIC

I have just made it through a thunderstorm whilst in the house alone. Phew. The lightning resembled fireworks, adding light to the dull grey skies; the rumbling wind transcended into majestic, booming thunder and sheets of rain cascaded from the sky. So how did I decided to spend my time I hear you say; well I hid in my room, half reading old ramblings in my notebooks and half staring dumbfounded out the window, trying to figure out how it was possible for the naff British weather to produce weather like that.

Whilst I did all these pointless things instead of changing out of my pyjamas, I thought about what music I should put on to accompany this brute of a storm, and my first thought was the new Kings of Leon album I bought the other day- okay so it came out in 2010, but still, it was a new purchase for me- 'Come Around Sundown'. I bought it during a moment of self pity in which I also bought four other CD's; I had missed my guitar exam after reading the time wrong and when I was lucky to be given another slot, I was certain I had messed the dreaded exam up anyway. So obviously I had to go and buy some CD's to make myself feel better, and the Kings Of Leon album in particular is one I've wanted to get for two years but never gotten round to actually purchasing.

As I was so desperate to listen to the tracks on the album and previously hadn't found the time to give it a spin, I decide today, in this thunderstorm, the likes of 'Radioactive', 'Back Down South' and 'Pyro' would sound pretty darn good against the backdrop of a powerful thunderstorm. Now I'm not normally one to blow my own trumpet, but I must admit that I was right, and I would urge you to get this album, if you haven't already got it, and play it during the next thunderstorm to come your way. I don't know if it's because of the storm itself, or if storms in general just have some sort of magical, beautiful power that makes good music sound even more incredible than it already is, but whatever the reason, I am now convinced that thunderstorms are the best time to listen to and appreciate a record.

Every track that dispersed through the CD player to meet my anticipating ears sounded so incredible, well crafted and magical against the backdrop of the thunder. I was nodding my head and tapping my fingers to the beat, thinking records like this do not come around very often and also trying to recall the last time a record had made me feel this way. I'm putting it down to a combination of the thunder and brilliance of the record itself; it's fantastically brilliant and that's no exaggeration. When the record has finished, much to my disappointment, I decided to see if the magic of the storm would work on another record, so I fished out another CD which was bought in self pity, MGMT's 'Oracular Spectacular', a title which always makes me smile.

I can confirm that the magic did indeed work for this record and its eclectic mix of intriguing and beautiful sounds all came together brilliantly to make a fantastic piece of work that made me want to swirl UV paint on my face and either go out to a festival or dance in those sheets of rain and hopefully not get hit by lightning. MGMT's 2007 release is another key record you should probably add to your  collection as it is one of those records that seems to have been produced with summer, friendship, parties and festival season in mind. So like 'Come Around Sundown', I found this record to be magical and well made too; both will definitely become regulars on my I-pod and I hope that when you listen to either record, you feel that same magic too and understand where I am coming from. Obviously listening whilst in a thunderstorm is more preferable, but I'm pretty sure that a gloriously sunny day or a typical overcast sky would still produce the same effect, at least I hope it does.

However if you don't want to listen to these records next time there's a thunderstorm, I urge you to grab whatever CD is lying next to you and whack it in you CD player and I promise you, that special thunderstorm magic will be there, and if you don't believe me, try it.







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Wednesday, 27 June 2012

WHO'S TOURING? SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER

If you're anything like me, you have a regularly updated list in the forefront of your mind full of artists you need  to see live in the flesh, performing a collection of their songs right in front of your very eyes, as soon as is physically possible. And if you're also like me, you tend to be oblivious to the fact that your much revered artists are actually touring and have released all so precious dates on which you, yes you, can actually witness them in all their glory. Therefore, as  a way of avoiding such problems in the future, I have concocted a list of various artists that are touring in September and October 2012. I figured that a list for Summer 2012 was a little overdue, although tickets to most festivals in July and August are still available if you are a little like me, living life on the edge by booking tickets to such events a month or so before hand.

I have created two lists for each month, with a list of artists and links to the dates of their shows which are displayed on their websites. Many artists have a wide collection of tour dates that would take far to long to note down, therefore providing a link means you can find a date and location to suit you. As you will know, there are many artists out there so to include them all would take far too long; therefore this is a list full of the main artists who are touring in that particular month. Some artists are also touring in both months so I will make a note next to such artists on the list. I hope to make this a regular feature and will update the 'WHO'S TOURING?' list every few months as new tours are announced.

SEPTEMBER 2012

OCTOBER 2012
I hope this helps you out and that you find the artist you are looking for!
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Tuesday, 26 June 2012

LOST IN THE TECHNO LABRINTH



It's about time a post was dedicated to one of the most recognized leaders of new music today, Timothy McKenzie, also known as the mighty Labrinth. It seems that fate agrees with me as Labrinth's newest offering 'Express Yourself' has just exploded on the radio to brighten this gloomy afternoon... spooky. So yes, the man who goes by the name of Labrinth certainly has a wide spectrum of talents that keep revealing themselves as his career progresses onwards and upwards into the heavens of stardom.

There has never been any doubt that this man has that raw talent which only few a lucky to bestow. His dabblings in electro, techno, dubstep, R&B and of course drum and bass, have left imprints on the music industry that many have been quick to notice and follow in his wake. Labrinth is leading us to a mystical, electro world full of unusual yet hypnotizing sounds which all merge together cleverly to create songs of great substance and magnitude.

I believe that the reason for his success and rightly deserved recognition is partly down to how Labrinth made his entrance on the music scene. It was subtle, almost like he snuck in through a back door that someone had deliberately left open, and since then he has been creating 'Earthquake's ( couldn't resist the pun!) that shook the land of music before people even had a chance to prepare themselves for what was coming. Labrinth began producing and recording with the likes of long time friend Tinie Tempah and rappers Devlin and Professor Green before he ventured into releasing his own material, which meant that his name was already talk of the town before he finally did his own thing. He wasn't in your face, or an annoying mite that you couldn't flick or shake off; he waited for attention to come his way instead of desperately trying to attract it and hold on to it like some artists are encouraged to do these days.

Every record he releases has been received successfully and each is so infectious that every time he produces a new offering, no one can seem to get enough of it and his records are always must haves on radio play lists, music channels and mp3 players. It's like Labrinth gives us glimpses and snatches of this mind blowing, undiscovered, futuristic world full of an amazing collaboration of sounds and noises that seem so unusual and uniquely captivating that everyone seems to gravitate towards this new sound like bees to a honeypot.

Labrinth's previous records such as 'Let The Sun Shine', 'Earthquake', 'Last Time' and the newest release 'Express Yourself' all capture the unique magic that Labrinth produces and have each been hugely successful in their own right, as well as other records he has featured on, such as Tinie Tempah's 'Frisky' and 'Pass Out'. Labrinth is tantalizingly close to the top of the current music scene after a long climb up in which he has made valuable connections and developed his brilliant talent further. Within the next year, I predict that Labrinth will match the success of Tinie, Pro Green, Wretch and other counterparts and will step out of the shadows into the glistening lights of stardom and super stardom, both of which he rightly deserves.

Artists like Labrinth are a rarity. He has his own labrinth (another pun, I know) of talents that seem to have been invested in him for a reason; Timothy McKenzie was meant to be Labrinth, he was meant to be in the music industry and I truly hope that his success and talent continues to grow and develop into the same leagues that his counterparts have reached. Labrinth is special and once you have entered the eclectic maze of his sounds, there isn't much hope of you finding the desire to leave it.

The album Electronic Earth is out now.
TOUR TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR OCTOBER 2012

Official Website: http://www.labrinthofficial.com/gb/home
Express Yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=III3G1egUcU
Earthquake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0fk6syQ7iY
Let The Sun Shine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfi5w4EFqhs




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Sunday, 10 June 2012

Nina Nesbitt makes The A Team

A few months back I heard a song called 'The Apple Tree' on Radio One. It was very beautifully written and sung; gentle yet with a subtle back beat providing the pulse to the song. I stopped what I was doing to listen but later forgot about my encounter with the song; however as fate would have it, I came across the song again and decided to look into it on You Tube...

What I found was a collection of songs also sung so beautifully and I was reminded of someone whenever I listened but I couldn't think who. Then I saw a comment hailing this singer, the wonderful Nina Nesbitt, as the female Ed Sheeran and it all made sense. Like Ed she has a soft, subtely powerful and beautiful voice as well as credible and unique songwriting abilities that separate her from many female singers currently in the music business. I can't think of a single female artist to compare her to- Nina is unique and that's what I think will set her in good stand in months to come; her time is coming soon.

Co-incidentally, Nina has been touring with Ed the past few months and a duet is something
I would love to hear; voices like theirs are made to be intertwined together in perfect harmony.
Previously a model, Nina decided to put a hold on her blossoming model career and instead focus
on her music, a decision that I am certain will pay off in the next few years. Her debut EP 'Live Take'
is out now if you want to hear her captivating voice for yourself, or if you prefer to listen before you
buy, check out songs such as 'Glue' and 'Noserings and Shoestrings', or her cover of 'Babylon by
David Gray which is so hauntingly perfect that you feel like you a listening to an angel of sorts.

Nina is set for big things and I truly hope she makes it as the current music industry is lacking a
female musician like her; people of all ages need to be exposed to her voice and her lyrics if only
so that they can witness the beauty and realism of both. Nina Nesbitt is on par with Ed Sheeran
most definitely, and just maybe she'll experience that same juggernaut to success as the fantastic
Ed has. Look out for her name in the future; it's a name you'll want to remember.

Homepage: http://www.ninanesbittmusic.com/
The Apple Tree: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZH-wSddNmg
Noserings and Shoestrings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3PT4T6bQHc&feature=relmfu
Glue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S_93CJwPGo&feature=plcp
Babylon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOVKPI7nS0g&feature=related
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