'Ultraviolence'- A review of Lana Del Rey's latest album

Evening, all. For various boring reasons I've not had a chance to post anything for a while. But anyway, what better way to get back into this than with a post about the lovely Lana Del Rey, specifically her latest album 'Ultraviolence'. 

That's right, it's finally here- Lana's latest project- ‘Ultraviolence’. We had already been teased as to what to expect with the release of the singles 'West Coast' and 'Brooklyn Baby', but as of the 16th of June we've been able to listen to the album in its entirety. Following the success of ' Born to Die', Lana certainly had big shoes to fill when it came to producing an album of equal success. However, I can honestly say that I think she has done just that (and filled rather classy shoes, nonetheless). 

Photo courtesy of  www.facebook.com/lanadelrey

So, here's a quick look at my favourite songs on the album, just to give you a cheeky flavour of what to expect when you give it a listen. 

Cruel World: So bam, straight away Lana hits us with this cute little number. Very different from any of her other work.  

Ultraviolence: The song sharing the album's name, we have ‘Ultraviolence’. I don't know why and maybe it's just me, but there's something very 'Bond song' about it. 

Shades of Cool: Ooh such an eerie start to this song.  Slow, calming, heart-felt and then suddenly bam hello guitar solo! Such a lovely little number from Lana. 

Brooklyn Baby: Okay, so this is definitely my favourite song off Ultraviolence, combining memorability with meaning. It bears resemblance to Lana's older ballad work such as 'Video Games', but is also completely different. It's impossible to describe, and you need to listen to this yourself to understand. 

West Coast: This was the first song that I heard off the album when it was released as a single and I still love it now as much as I did then. Ah, it's just the perfect mix of perky verses and a slow, catchy chorus. Lana's hit gold with this one. 

 Pretty When You Cry: Bit of a sad un' really, despite being beautiful simultaneously. This is definitely the dark horse of the album. 

Overall, 'Ultraviolence' is an album comprising of the singer’s usual heart-felt ballads, but Lana takes this expectation to a whole new level. Once again, the singer demonstrates that she deserves her recognition as so much more than another 'pop star'. Whether or not you've heard Lana's music before, rest assured that 'Ultraviolence' will not be a disappointment. 

'Glorious'- A review of Foxes' debut album

Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/iamfoxes

In 2012, Foxes (Louisa Rose Allen) broke into the fame industry when she featured in Zedd's hit 'Clarity'. Since then, the Southampton born singer has well and truly worked her through the British music scene to gain widespread recognition and popularity. After having great success with her single 'Youth', Foxes became signed by RCA and since then things have only gone uphill for the pop star who released her debut album 'Glorious' earlier this month.

'Glorious' is an interesting album, in that it is pretty much impossible to categorise. It can be said that there's an overriding 'poppy vibe', but there's something else about this album- something deeper. Excuse the ambiguity, but you really need to check it out for yourself and then you'll understand what I’m getting at. Anyway, to give you some kind of idea as to what to expect from this album, I'll attempt to give some insight into a few of my favourite songs. But like I said, this is purely based on opinion and there really are no words to fully describe and give the deserved credit to Foxes' music. 

Talking to Ghosts: This track kicks off the listening and immediately provides a sense of mystery as to what can be expected for the remainder of the album. There's something almost oriental sounding about the melody and that combined with a prominent tribal drum beat and the heavy use synthesis makes it truly unique song.

Youth: Arguably Foxes' most recognised track, and by all means worthy of that status. Youth combines the essence of a catchy pop tune and an indie vibe with the underlying message that we need to make the most of our youth before it fades away. 

White Coats: A really quirky inclusion to the album; Foxes makes a dark song describing an unstable lover into a catchy pop tune. 

Night Glo: Offering chilled relief, this song is a real contrast to the overall upbeat tone to the album. There's something about 'Night Glo', it's pretty beautiful to be honest. I'd say that this deeply emotional song best shows off Foxes' vocal skills. 

Night Owls Early Birds: A real dark horse, I predict that this song will soar in popularity. 

Beauty Queen: A catchy song, but undeniably deep; it condemns plastic surgery, the idolisation of celebrities and conforming to society in general. Personally, I think that this is Foxes’ best work. 

Overall, 'Glorious' is an extremely diverse album, well reflecting Foxes' varied style. This is a singer who does well to avoid being categorised into one particular genre, and I think this makes this singer truly special. Despite the mixed opinion circulated about 'Glorious', I'm impressed and would definitely recommend that you check it out for yourself. 

Frank Turner: 'The Amy Trilogy'

Photo courtesy of Ben Morse Photography (Facebook)

Being a fan, I've been keen to write something 'Frank Turner' related for a while now. The problem I've faced is where on earth to start. As possible as it is, I can't talk about all of his songs but then I can't bring myself to pick just one.  So I've come to a happy middle-ground. Across 3 songs, Franks makes reference to a girl called 'Amy'. Thus giving name to 'The Amy Trilogy'. What needs to be said though is that Amy isn't a 'real person' as such. According to Frank, she is instead a combination of past lovers/situations. In response to a question about Amy he wrote, 'I certainly have my reasons for using the same name each time, it has a continuity to it, and there are one or two people who directly understand why'. The three songs I'm gonna talk about are 'Reasons Not To Be An Idiot', 'I Am Disappeared' and 'Tell Tale Signs'. Obviously everything I write is just an interpretation; it's not the hard truth or anything, just something to think about when listening to Frank's songs. Here goes...

Reasons Not To Be An Idiot: This song is basically about how we all have our insecurities, whether they be about social awkwardness, appearance or whatever. However it argues that at the end of the day everyone has their own problems so in that respect we're all the same, really. Therefore, what's the point in worrying? You just need to surround yourself with people and make the most of life, otherwise you'll never overcome your insecurities. It's in this song that Frank firsts introduces us to Amy. He sings, 'Amy thinks that her life is lacking in drama/ So she fell for horoscopes, faith healing, and karma'. We meet a character who appears to rely on superstition in order to fuel her meaning in life. Frank continues to sing, 'She's so wrapped up in her invisible armour/ She'll never probe into herself'. This is kind of ambiguous, but I interpret these lyrics as Amy herself feeling that she's protecting herself, but in reality she's just as exposed to the harshness of reality as everyone else is. Here Frank is being pretty critical of people who lead their lives in this way, but at the same time he recognises that Amy is probably just worried that when she dies she'll be forgotten. 'I can still see through her airs and graces. I guess she's scared that life won't leave any traces'. Let's be honest, Amy's not really alone in this fear is she? In the song, the character is used to get across the message that anxiety affects us all, so it'd be so much easier if we just stood up to it and make the most of life. 

I Am Disappeared: This song features on the album 'England Keep My Bones' and is definitely more down-beat in tone in comparison. I guess the theme that runs through it is dreams and their frightening realistic nature. Frank sings, 'I keep having dreams... Of being trapped in a lift plunging straight to the bottom'. We've all had nightmares like that, haven't we? I'd be surprised if you told me that you've never woken up in a nervous sweat, gasping with relief that it was 'just a dream'. In the second verse we're once again introduced to our friend Amy, 'Amy worked in a bar in Exeter'. We learn how on one occasion Frank spent the night with the female character and 'She woke up screaming in the middle of the night/ Terrified of her own insides'. Ah, this is sad. I interpret her 'insides' as meaning her mind. This is because Frank continues to sing 'Dreams of pirate ships and Patty Hearst/ Breaking through a life over-rehearsed'. So you might be wondering who on earth Patty Hearst is/was? I'll admit, I only know this because I'm a fan of the song 'Stockholm Syndrome' by Muse (bear with me, it'll make sense in a minute). So basically Patty Hearst was the daughter of a millionaire, kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army (they wanted her family to pay to feed Californians living in poverty). However, Patty actually became close to her kidnappers and so started to help them- this is known as 'Stockholm Syndrome'. Anyway, this seems a strange thing for Amy to be worried about, but maybe it's just that she has doubts over her morality. In the chorus, Frank sings how Amy keeps her boots and keys in easy access so that she could get away from everything with haste, ‘She could get up, shower and in half an hour she'll be gone'. Amy finds this a comfort, but is that really that strange? The rest of the song focuses on Frank and a surreal dream (a road trip with Bob Dylan, yep) of his, and I'm blabbing on now so I'll stop. Ah there's just so much that can be said about this song, that's why I love it. 

Tell Tale Signs: Okay so again we're introduced to the character immediately, 'God damn it, Amy'. Frank discusses how this relationship is pretty casual in nature. Amy has a habit of 'waltzing out of my [Frank's] life/ Leaving clothes on my bedroom floor'. On the other hand, she is simply 'heartbreak and a short skirt' to Frank. Both are guilty of not making this relationship work out. The tone changes in the chorus as Frank discusses a sensitive matter; self-harm. ‘You kind of remind me of scars on my arms/ That I made, when I was a kid'. Let's be honest, this is a horrible issue to have to talk about, yet Frank is completely open. He graphically describes his actions which makes it a difficult song to listen to, but also makes it one of the most genuine, touching pieces that he has written. In the second verse Frank tells Amy how he's a changed man- he's 'grown-up'. She on the other hand hasn't experienced any change at all, 'you're still trying to live like a kid/ Like you could always have it all'. This is a major flaw to Amy's character, and probably a key reason why their relationship was unable to function. In the second chorus Frank relates how he has tried to cover up his scars with tattoos but this hasn't been entirely successful, ' in the right kind of light/ They still bleed through/ Showing that there are something’s that I just cannot change'. Like he is unable to reverse the harm he inflicted in his youth, Frank can't change Amy's immature character. These scars are the 'tell-tale signs' that loving this woman has harmed him both physically and emotionally. I find the song's bridge really interesting; Amy is symbolised as a tattoo, 'Burned with a branding iron' onto Frank's body and soul. Like a tattoo, Amy will permanently be a part of him. He doesn't love her anymore, but like his scars Frank will find Amy crossing his mind every so often. The song concludes with Frank accepting that Amy 'will always be a part/ Of my patched up, patchwork, taped up tape deck heart'. 

Wow, I can't believe I've actually written so much. I guess these are just songs that I love because they actually mean something. It's not often an artist makes reference to the same character in multiple songs, so I personally find this really interesting. And that's the thing with Frank Turner; his songs all tell an individual story. So, I'll no doubt end up writing about this musician again in the future, but I think I'll leave it at this for now. But if you're not familiar with Frank Turner's music, be sure to check him out- I can guarantee it'll be worth it.

https://www.facebook.com/frankturnermusic?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/frankturner

Elements: 'Deceptions', an EP review

Elements; a 'tight-knit' band

Sometimes you get that gut instinct of what a band will sound like from their name alone. With Elements this is arguable. The band's name could imply that its musical style will be chilled and dare I say 'easy-listening'. But once you've listened to 'Deceptions', you'll know that this isn't the case at all. However, one thing I will say is that the music on this EP is pretty varied and in this sense it definitely reflects the band's name. So the question is are you a fan of Deaf Havana, A Day To Remember and/or You Me At Six? If so then I can pretty much guarantee that you'll love Elements' debut EP 'Deceptions'. The four piece are from North Wales and despite forming a mere year ago have already gained immense popularity.

Allow me to introduce you to Scott Heaven (vocals/guitar), Sam Jones (lead guitar), Zachariah Law (drums/backing vocals) and Sam Price (bass): the elements of Elements (sorry, I really couldn't help that one). The band's members all bring something unique to the music and that's really evident in this EP. 

At a refreshingly diverse 5 tracks, 'Deceptions' is an EP of some truly great songs which you really need to check out for yourself. But here's just a brief overview to give you a taste of what to expect.

A Long Way Home: This is a really tricky song to pin-point in terms of musical style, but it bears resemblance to Deaf Havana's album 'Meet Me Halfway, At Least'. Almost immediately you are hit with a pounding bass line and bursts of strafing guitar riffs. 

3 Words: This song is incredibly catchy. It's almost as if A Day To Remember met All Time Low. There's a 'poppy' tone, but there's an underlying heaviness which makes this song awesome. 

The Joker: A heavier tune, bursting with resentful attitude. 

The Colours Of Your Mind: If you like You Me At Six, this track will be to your liking. I'd say it's pretty evident that the album 'Take Off Your Colours' has been an influence here. 

Deceptions: A beautiful conclusion to a fantastic EP. There's something really powerful about this one and it's very 'Young Guns' making it particularly appealing, in my opinion. 

Overall, 'Deceptions' is an EP which I really recommend checking out, so be sure to do so!

Give these tracks a listen, 'like' Elements' Facebook page and follow them on Twitter for all the latest news.

http://ukelements.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/UKElements

https://twitter.com/ElementsBandUK

Perfect Crimes: 'Skeleton Key', an EP review

I'll be honest (though it'll quickly become obvious), I haven't really attempted to write this kind of post before, but I couldn't be happier that Perfect Crimes' EP 'Skeleton Key' will be my first! So, who are Perfect Crimes? The four piece, who formed in 2011, are from Sheffield, England. And its members you ask? Kriss Woodcook is the band's vocalist, Chris Lord plays drums, Danny Evers plays Bass and Joe Hearnshaw plays Guitar. 

In terms of well-known musical 'sound-alikes', the band's EP could be pretty closely compared to the works of Alter Bridge and Foo Fighters- it's clear that these renowned artists are Perfect Crimes' inspirations. Personally, I like to categorise the group as a proper 'rock band'. The musical style incorporates memorable riffs and strong choruses which listeners can belt along to, making 'Skeleton Key' a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Obviously you need to check these songs out for yourself, but here's a few brief individual descriptions.

Come around: The song opens with a heavy, angry bass line and bursts with resentful attitude. It gives off a kind of 'karma will get you' sense. Complete with edgy guitar riffs, 'Come around' is most definitely a proper 'rock tune'. If you're a fan of Alter Bridge, then you'll love this song. 

Scapegoat: This is probably my favourite song of the EP and it sets the standard high. Its style is fairly familiar, it kind of reminds me of Metallica; the chorus is catchy, and each instrumental component is strong- the song gives a genuine thrill to the ear. 

Mercy: I can't quite decide why, but there's something really 'Bullet for my Valentine' about this song. If you like the album 'Fever', you'll love this track. 

Lenore: This song is based upon Poe's poem 'The Raven'; in this poem, the character 'Lenore' is the deceased lover of a young man. Her death causes him to slowly descend into madness, and this situation is well highlighted in Perfect Crimes' song. Lenore is the 'traditional ballad' of the EP. There's something really Foo Fighters about it; perhaps you're familiar with 'The best of you'? I'd say the two songs are fairly similar in style and context. Lenore seems to describe unrequited, unmutual love. 'I'm doing the best I can but it's all in vain'. There's just something about this song, it's beautiful and bursting with potential. Oh and trust me, once you've listened to it a couple of times it'll be on repeat, for a pretty long time. 

LXXIII: The title for this song translates to the number 73, it was written by the producer as a bit of fun during the recording process and the quirky title just stuck. The eerie opening quickly transforms into fierce tune with strong resemblance to those on the album 'Blackbird'. 

Overall, Perfect Crimes have clearly put a lot of work into creating an outstanding debut EP, and that effort has most definitely paid off. I honestly can't recommend giving 'Skeleton Key' a listen highly enough. 

Check out these tracks on the band's Reverb Nation page, and be sure to like Perfect Crimes' page on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for the latest news on gigs and other details. 

http://www.reverbnation.com/perfectcrimesuk

https://www.facebook.com/perfectcrimesuk?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/PerfectCrimesUK

Overjoyed

You know when people post song lyrics on Facebook/Twitter or whatever accompanied with something along the lines of 'this song just sums up my life story'? You know how that can be really annoying at times? Well I'm not gonna go as far as to say this song does that, but it's most certainly pretty relatable, to be honest. The song I have in mind is 'Overjoyed' by Bastille. So I guess the best way to approach this is to kind of discuss how I interpret the song (it may be completely wrong, but hey ho). 

So in simple terms, ‘Overjoyed’ describes the joy brought to the narrator when the individual (addressed in the song) actually listens to what they have to say, 'Oh I feel overjoyed, when you listen to my words'. The individual is struggling to cope with the cards that they've been dealt with in life. They obviously respect the narrator enough to listen to what they have to say; 'I see them sinking in, oh I see them crawling underneath your skin.' I just think that there's something so powerful about this image; the narrator can visually understand that their words aren't just blowing over the head of this person that they care about, but instead are being truly valued. And it's the talking that's so important. The narrator feels powerless to their friend's depression; talking to them is the only way that they can help them battle against it. Sometimes talking is the best way to help someone, and this is a clear case of that. 

The chorus consists of the repeated phrase 'I hear you calling in the dead of night'. I guess this opinion could vary, but I interpret this as the narrator constantly having the individual on their mind/ being worried about them 24/7. They care about them to the extent that even during the late hours of the night/early hours of the morning, they lie in bed, thinking that they can hear their friend calling out for help. I find it pretty sad that they feel this level of anxiety, but it also highlights a deep level of affection. The fact that the phrase is repeated just emphasises how the individual is constantly running around the narrator's mind, maybe even in their dreams. You could see this as sweet, a sign of 'true love'. But I also find it quite sad, because no matter how hard they may try they can't stop caring; all they can do is offer some comforting words. 

I suppose that the individual's depression is best highlighted in the second verse, 'you lean towards despair, any given opportunity you're there'. So this is pretty tragic stuff; it's basically explaining that the individual is constantly in an unhappy state of mind. 'But what is there to say, when you're always falling off the fence that way?' It's this following bit that really gets to me. The narrator is literally lost for words. This person is always feeling the same way, and there are only so many words of reassurance that can be offered. I think we’ve all be in a similar situation with someone, haven’t we?

So to conclude this; as sad as it is, I think that this song is beautiful. And I guess that's just because it's so real. It actually means something, it's not just a piece of 'music' with a few irrelevant lyrics thrown in. There's the fact it’s so relatable as well; I'm sure lots of us have been in a similar situation with a person we hold dear to us. We love someone, but other than giving them a few kind words we can feel utterly powerless at times. I think 'Overjoyed' captures that feeling really well, and that's why it is one of my favourite songs of Bastille’s. 

Be sure to watch the video for 'Overjoyed' on YouTube and follow @BASTILLEdan on Twitter. 

Summertime Sadness

So I actually quite enjoyed writing that last post so I'm gonna give it another go. :')       

The chances are that more of you will know this song as it was only released a couple of years ago and has most definitely been widely promoted. Regardless of this I still think it's a beautiful song, so I'm gonna discuss it a little.

Anyway, the song is 'Summertime Sadness' by Lana Del Rey. 

This is pretty obvious (if you know it), but it is in fact quite a sad song (I suppose the title ever so slightly gives that away). Lana/the song's narrator, sings about a past lover who brought great happiness to her life. Basically, I view the song as a trip down memory lane; the narrator is reliving treasured memories that she had with the individual she was once involved with, but ultimately this can only bring her sadness. 

In the verses of the song these memories are described in the present tense, 'I got my red dress on tonight', 'I'm feeling alive', 'Nothing scares me anymore.' As listeners, we know that the narrator is actually picturing these memories in her head, and we can hear through her tone how happy they make her feel. It's obvious that this individual brought her incredible happiness; they made her feel alive and utterly fearless. It would seem that this person was the 'perfect partner'. The trouble is that it is this perfection that is making it so hard for the narrator to move on and be happy again. She has come to be completely dependent on the individual as a source for happiness. The love she felt for them is well highlighted through the phrase, 'I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight.' The narrator truly feels that even if her life were to end she wouldn't mind, as she'd die happy because of how in love she is. 

The saddest part of the song is its bridge, where the narrator's realisation is revealed; 'Think I'll miss you forever, like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky.' After reliving some happy times, she comes to realise just how much she'll miss having this person in her life and how difficult it'll be to forget them. The next bit is a little more complex to interpret, 'Later's better than never/Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive'. However in my view, what the narrator is saying is that she is willing to wait for the individual to love her again, and even if that never happens her love for them will still continue to exist. It's at this point that the whole song starts to make sense to me. It's title features the word 'summertime'. The summer has connotations of being a positive, uplifting period of time, however temporary in nature. It would appear that this was a summertime romance, and therefore was perhaps destined to be short lived. We've all been in that position though haven't we (or can at least can sympathise with it)? You're deeply in love with someone and maybe deep down you know that it's not going to last forever, yet you're so blissfully happy that you kid yourself into believing otherwise. Maybe that's why it hurts so much. The fact that out of nowhere you're hit with an unexpected blow that completely knocks you down. You go through that phase where it feels like you'll never stop missing that person and that's just so apparent in Lana's song. Ah this is a little depressing but some relationships are just like that, and then others are really, really great. So, how to conclude this? 'Summertime Sadness' depicts a situation which its listeners can relate to and are therefore compelled to sympathise with the narrator. Being with a person you love is incredible at the time, but it's the memories that you'll treasure forever.

Watch the video for 'Summertime Sadness' on YouTube.