Bring Me The Horizon + The Fever 333, Yonaka. Live at Arena Birmingham Review (23/11/2018)

I was excited to see Yonaka supporting Bring me The Horizon because despite not being familiar with their music, I knew that they're one of 2018's breakout rock bands and I was interested to see what all the hype is about. Yonaka are basically everything I've come to expect from a young arena ready rock band. Big chunky riffs, the occasional keyboard flourish and big choruses. Their singer Theresa Jarvis made a big impression sporting a bright red pimp coat and gold lame trousers. The problem is that while songs such as 'Creature' and 'Own Worst Enemy' are decent rock songs, they're not particularly memorable. Yonaka have a cool stage presence and sound but are generally lacking in anything else to make them stand out. (7.6/10)
The Fever 333 made quite an impression from the moment they hit the stage. The former singer of letlive. Jason Aalon Butler, stood on stage with his head in a bag and arms behind his back, surrounded by dry ice, while a montage of news clips served as an introduction to everything him and his band are against. The next 40 minutes were one of the most engaging and mind blowing live shows I've seen all year. So much happened in such a small space of time that it's hard to recount it all here. Jason climbed up the bleachers to preach righteous bars from the seating section. Theresa from Yonaka joined them on stage as Jason gave a speech preaching solidarity with female musicians and the importance of supporting independent culture. There was even time for a quick drum solo and a few back-flips. Despite obvious similarities The Fever 333 are not Rage Against The Machines' Greta Van Fleet. Their updated take on rap metal is so righteous that it's hard not to see them inspiring their own nu-metal revolution. Much like RATM they are proudly political and their sound is so heavy and layered that it's hard to believe that there is only three people on stage. I have no doubt that they will continue to grow and spread their message from here. (9.2)
I do not envy Bring Me The Horizon for having to follow The Fever 333. Yet it says a lot about them that despite having not released an album for 3 years and only putting out two singles this year they can still fill arenas. By this point they have mastered the arena rock show. This is partly down to some ingenuously simple set design. Two rectangular lighting rigs were on extend-able wires meaning they could be moved around throughout. The new single 'Mantra' kicked things off as confetti cannons blasted the arena. The Mantra in question is that 'Before the truth will set you free it will piss you off'. Following this was a batch of well drilled anthems from the past two albums. The other new song aired tonight was 'Wonderful Life'. A fantastically heavy tune with a huge groove. Yet It seemed that tonight BMTH were more focussed on their past than their future. They played a brief medley of older 'deep cuts' starting with 2008's 'The Comedown'. This was clearly a lot of fun for the band and their longtime fans. After all this time Oli Sykes is still the northern oik screaming his head off, inciting mosh-pits at will. For about 10 minutes BMTH were their old metalcore selves. At least until Oli dryly said 'right, back to the shit songs'. Of course 'Can you feel my heart' and the (more relevant than ever) 'Antivist' are far from shit. It does make me wonder who BMTH are at this point. Are they metalcore oiks, metal legends or radio rockers? An acoustic version of 'Drown' didn't make things any clearer. The inevitable encore brought 'Doomed' and 'Throne' and yet another shitload of confetti. Before he left Oli said that the new album 'Ammo' is out next year. Apparently it will blow our minds and that they will be touring again to support it. I'm looking forward to hearing it. I was hoping to hear some more new songs, but I guess for now, the old stuff will do. (8.4)

 

The Best Albums of 2018

1. Kali Uchis - Isolation
In troubled times such as this it's difficult to know what to expect from pop music. Do we want a nostalgic escape from reality? or do we want to tackle the issues of the outside world head on? With her début album Kali Uchis manages to do both. 'Isolation' is a lush pop album that mixes soul and funk influences with a modern take on the classic girl group sound. Kali also puts her own tasteful spin on the Latin pop trend. Kali achieved this by bringing together an impressive roster of guest musicians, from Tyler, the creator to Bootsy Collins, Damon Albarn to Thundercat, yet Kali is never out-shined. In a year marked by increasingly depressing immigration policies Kali makes moving countries sound not only enjoyable but sexy as hell on songs such as 'Flight 22' and 'Miami'. In fact the whole album oozes sex appeal, 'Just a stranger' and 'Your teeth in my neck' are irresistibly funky jams, yet even a woman with as much sex appeal has to confront unrealistic body expectations as she says 'I'm too skinny I'm too fat' on 'Coming Home'. 'Tyrant' finds Kali wondering whether her lover is susceptible to be corrupted by power, and 'After the Storm' confronts depression. Mix all this together and you have the perfect pop record for 2018. Socially conscious, yet gorgeous enough to work as a brief escape from reality. 
Check out - Just a Stranger

2. IDLES - Joy as an act of resistance
It was only last year that Idles burst onto to scene with 'Brutalism'. An album that was easily the best post punk album since Eagulls début a few years before it. Less than a year later Idles have followed up one of the best punk albums of the decade with one that's even better. On 'Joy' Idles haven't captured the Zeitgeist so much as bludgeoned it with a hammer. 'Joy' is a furious beast of an album yet uplifting at the same time. It helps that singer Joe Talbot not only has the roar of a animal but the prose of a bard. Every lyric on this album would look good on a protest sign. Whether attacking Tories, ("a heathen from Eaton on a bag of Micheal Keaton"), depression ("if someone talked to you the way you talk to you, I'd put their teeth through, love yourself") or toxic masculinity ("I kissed a boy and I liked it!"). Joe is frequently hilarious, yet it's his chilling ode to his unborn child on 'June' that proves that sometimes it's the simplest lyrics that cut the deepest.
Check out - Danny Nedelko

3. Brockhampton - Iridescence 
'Iridescence' is Brockhampton's 5th album in two years and supposedly the 1st part of yet another trilogy. The fact that the two albums 'Puppy' and 'Team Effort' may still hold a load of unreleased material as well as the fact that three singles didn't make this album, only goes to highlight the groups prodigious work-rate. Iridescence was mostly recorded during a short period in London and it carries the gritty urban feel of the city. The quirky hip-hop sound of the 'Saturation' trilogy has been expanded on with elements of drum n' bass and garage, along with orchestral accompaniments and even a choir. The downbeat mood of the album can mostly be attributed to the sacking of founder member Ameer Van.
The album benefits from every member of the group being on top form, most surprisingly Bearface, whose performances dominate much of the album, despite being absent from much of the Saturation Trilogy. Iridescence is chock full of bangers yet it's the emotional highs and lows of deep cuts such as Tonya and San Marcos which make the album stand out. Brockhampton have proved themselves to be one of the most important hip-hop groups/boybands of the decade with an album that can make you mosh and cry in equal measure.
Check out - Tonya

4. Pusha T - DAYTONA
It says a lot about Kanye West that in a career marked by asshole behaviour it took until 2018 for him to finally outdo himself. This makes it difficult to admit that his projects this year have mostly been brilliant. One of the highlights being this fantastically gritty gangster rap album from Pusha T. Thankfully Kanye mostly takes a backseat on this one creating a backdrop that mixes grimy electronica with classic soul. The perfect backdrop for Pusha's ice cold retelling of a life lived on the streets. Pusha T brings fantastic lyricism to match his sharp flow, and endless quotable one liners. Despite being over shadowed by the beef that Pusha started with Drake on the track 'Infrafred', and Kanye trying to make America great again, it's worth looking back on DAYTONA, as despite the controversies it spawned, the music is what really matters.
Check out - Come Back Baby

5. David Byrne - American Utopia
American Utopia bears many of the hallmarks that made David Byrne's previous band Talking Heads the iconic act that many music nerds know them as now. The eclectic nature of many of Talking Heads classic songs is reflected throughout here. David Byrne continues to mix indie rock with elements of afrobeat, funk and electronica. The main difference is that his paranoid yelp is now a cry for hope and positivity. American Utopia is deliberately cheery, and upbeat as a riposte to the darkness of the year it was released. Lyrically David pens some of his most surreal tales. On 'Dog's Tale' he wonders whether the problems of humans are really all that relevant to the lives of others. On 'Everyday is a Miracle' he reminds the listener to 'live for each other, love one another'. A corny statement, perhaps, but a necessary one 
Check out - Everyday is a Miracle

6. Father John Misty - God's Favourite Customer
The artist formerly known as J Tillman is one of the most divisive artists of the decade either a irreverent genius or pretentious twat depending on who you ask. I'd go with the former yet even I'd have to admit that last years magnum opus 'Pure Comedy' was hard going. Sure it was brilliant, and his wry sense of humour helped, but ultimately it was too long and too overblown an album to truly love. With God's Favourite Customer, 'Mr Tillman' takes a good hard look at himself and doesn't like what he sees. Examining his flaws in both first and third person. A running theme of the album is his failed attempts to reconcile his relationships. He does this over some of the most beautiful ballads of his career. In typically self deprecating fashion, Tillman sings that 'Disappointing Diamonds are the Rarest of Them All', questions the ethics of taking song-writing inspiration from his relationships, on 'The Songwriter'. Unfortunately Tillman doesn't have all the answers as he simply concludes that 'We're only people (and there's not much anyone can do about that)' 
Check out - God's Favourite Customer   
 
7. LUMP - s/t
Lump is a product by Mike Lindsay Laura Marling. The former being the singer of the long running folk act Tuung and the latter being one of the most revered singer - songwriters of the past decade. Together on this unexpected collaboration they create an intoxicating style of Folk-tronica. Laura Marling's lyrics focus on odd subjects, such as flying, and the life cycle of a crab, while Mike Lindsay creates dreamy, lush backdrops for her ethereal voice to soar across. Of all the albums I've listened to this year 'Lump' is the one I've probably gone back to the most. It seems to get better with each listen. 
Check out - Curse of the Contemporary 

8. KIDS SEE GHOSTS - s/t
If you've ever wondered what a Kanye West produced psychedelic rock album would sound like look no further. Kids See Ghosts is Kanye West and long time collaborator Kid Cudi pushing each pother to produce the strangest and best music they can. In just over 20 minutes the two fit in a huge amount of ideas and creativity from the genius (that organ backing track on 'Reborn') to the downright insane (Kanye's Big Shaq impression on 'Feel The Love'). The two mix rapping with guitars and sampling with Kanye's trademark big beat sounds to make one of the most diverse and intriguing projects of the year.
Check out - Reborn

9. Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy
The original Twin Fantasy is to bedroom recorded Bandcamp albums what 'The Wall' is to 70's Progressive rock albums. A short sharp blast of scuzzy indie rock songsunited by a grand concept, unfortunately ruined by horribly cheap production. Yet this still couldn't hide how great those songs were. Despite Will Toledo having made several fantastic records since Twin Fantasy. The orginal retains it's cult status. Rather than simply recording the songs in a professional studio, Will has expanded the songs to epic proportion.The song's have been stretched out, and experimented with. Yet the emotional core and rough aesthetic of the original still remains. As far as indie rock goes in 2018, this is as life affirming, odd, and downright brilliant as it gets. 
Check out - Nervous Young Inhumans

10. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
After many years Parquet Courts have delivered what may be their definitive album. 'Wide Awake' is the NYC punks at their smartest, catchiest and most diverse. The dry humoured punk rock that made their earlier records so much fun is still present on tracks such as 'Freebird 2' and 'Mardi Gras Beads'. Yet much of the album shows off how their experimental records have paid off. There's a psychedelic streak that runs throughout 'Wide awake!'. Especially on the spaced out 'Back to Earth'. The title track is the funkiest song they've ever written. The jaunty 'Tenderness' is probably the most memorable song of the bunch, kicking off with a piano lead that wouldn't sound out of place in a cowboy saloon. on an album that's rife with social observation, it's apt that by the end, they would be longing 'for a little tenderness'.
Check out - Tenderness

11. The 1975 - A brief enquiry into online relationships
12. Shame - Songs of Praise
13. Mac Miller - Swimming
14.Twenty One Pilots - Trench
15. Slaves - Acts of Fear and Love
16. Ross From Friends - Family Portrait
17. Everything is Recorded - Everything is Recorded by Richard Russell
18. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino
19. Peace - Kindness is the new Rock n' Roll
20. Dream Wife - s/t
21. SOPHIE - Oil of every pearls Un-insides
22. Boy Azooga - 1,2 Kung fu!
23. Daughters - You won't get what you want
24. Nervus - Everything Dies
25. Insecure Men - s/t
26. Daniel Avery - Song for Alpha
27. JPEGMAFIA - Veteran
28. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs
29. Superorganism - s/t
30. Robyn - Honey
31. Sons of Kemet - Your queen is a reptile
32. George Clanton - Slide
33. Joji - Ballads 1
34. Gorillaz - The Now Now
32. Jack White - Boarding House Reach 
36. A.A.L (Against All Logic) - 2012 -2017
37. Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer
38. The Fever 333 - Made An America
39. Tiny Moving Parts - Swell
40. Kanye West - ye
41. J.Cole - KOD
42. Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar
43. Pale Waves - My mind makes noises
44. Post Malone - Beerbongs & Bentleys
45. Suede - The Blue Hour
46. Khurangbin - Con Todo El Mundo 
47. Zeal and Ardor - Stranger Fruit
48. The Internet - Hive Mind 
49. Anderson. Paak - Oxnard 
50. J.I.D - Decaprio 2

Milk Teeth Live at Muthers Studio review (16/11/18)

Before the show I was one of the lucky few who took part in one of  Milk Teeth's 'self care sessions'. This was a nice way to get to know the band in a personal yet informal way. Milk Teeth's singer Becky helped out with making bracelets, drummer Oli picked the tunes, and guitarist Em was happy to talk and help out with arts and crafts. This was a chance for the band to not just get to know their fans but for the fans to meet up and make friends as well. I tried and quickly gave up on making wristbands so instead tried out facemasks with someone I'd just met and drew a poster for the show. Afterwards we took a bunch of selfies which are now on the band's Instagram The self care session was to raise funds for BEAT, an eating disorder charity that has helped Becky many times and is close to her heart. After a blissful hour the opening act Polthergeist (7.6/10) kicked off with a chaotic set. Their singer was frequently placing his mic stand right into the audience, or writhing on the floor while screaming. Polthergeist are clearly an impressive hardcore band, but I had a sense of deja-vu as I've seen many other hardcore bands put on the same show.
Fresh (7.6) were chosen perfectly as a support act for Milk Teeth the London punks who are 'Sometimes sad, sometimes happy, always hungry, played a set that was fun, energetic, and felt, well... fresh.
Milk Teeth MK3 are healing the wounds left by a punishing tour schedule and losing two band members, one amiably, the other in mysterious acrimonious circumstances. It hasn't taken long for the band to regroup and playing shows again.
It's obvious that Em is a perfect fit as the new guitarist for Milk Teeth, she's a close friend of both Becky and Oli. What better way to show off the new look Milk Teeth than with a small show in Birmingham playing the 'Be Nice' and 'Go away' EP's in full? Em might not be able to play quite every note that the two guitarists used to but she comes close, as a result Milk Teeth are now sounding tighter and better than ever. The two EP's contain much of Milk Teeth's best songs and heaviest material, and it was heartening seeing the socially awkward teens that attended the self care session, letting loose, moshing and crowd surfing to punk tunes such as 'owning my okayness', 'Fight skirt' and the vicious 'I stabbed you first'. Which Becky admits was written about an old boss. A lucky treat was an airing of two brand new songs, one of which is about 'eating pussy'. Both the new songs fit the grungey pop-punk-ish mould of their better known material. It seems like things are back to business as usual.

http://www.milkteethpunx.com/
https://www.facebook.com/freshpunks/
https://www.facebook.com/polthergeist2014/

Lil Pump. Live at the Birmingham academy review (15/11/2018)

Considering his cartoonish persona, part of the fun of going to a Lil Pump gig is the thrill of actually being in a room with this living meme of a person. Before this was an underwhelming set from support acts Splurge X Huncho, a duo who barely fill the low standards set by other soundcloud rappers. A long gap between this and Lil Pump's hypeman coming on stage made for a bit of a lull in the night but it was worth the wait once Lil Pump hit the stage. Running on stage at exactly 10pm to his Carnage produced banger 'I Shyne' and delivering a solid 45 minute set. Unlike the fake deep posturing of many of his contemporaries Lil Pump knows exactly what he's about and how to put on a show. What he lacks in lyrical depth he makes up for with attitude and an ability to command a crowd of sweaty teenagers, enticing mosh-pits and crowd surges at will. LP said he rated the energy in the room a 7 but wanted to push things up to a 10* which the Birmingham crowd did. As you might expect from someone who recently launched a weed balloon into space so 'God can get high' the show wasn't without it's WTF moments. The most jawdropping of all was his sideman encouraging a crowd of impressionable teens to chant 'free Cosby'. Which goes to show that you can make people shout anything as long as you're on a stage and have a decent enough beat behind you. Also strange was the crowd counting down from 20 as he did a 'push up challenge'. Less surprising was a tribute to the late XXXTENTACION with an 'RIP' backdrop and airing of their posthumous collaboration 'Arms Around You'. Yet there was little time for silence or reflection when there was bangers such as 'Gucci Gang', D Rose, Boss and 'I love it' to bounce around too. When he'd finished inciting chaos Lil Pump claimed that he loved us all and would hang around to sign merch. Lil Pump might just be the luckiest kid in the world but at least his desire to entertain and connect with his fans is admirable. After blasting 'Boss' for the 2nd time Pump left the stage and his sideman announced that there would be an after-party for 18+ year old girls only. On this evidence Soundcloud Rap might just be the new Rock N' Roll. 

6.8/10

*a dig at Anthony Fantano?

The best albums of October 2018

Joji - Ballads 1 - It's hard to think of an artist who defines the internet age more than Joji. From gaining internet fame via his infamous internet alter-egos 'Filty Frank' and 'Pink Guy' Joji has made the transition from internet clown to RNB sadboy. Aligning himself with the 88 Rising label seems to have given him more confidence to branch out on his own as a serious artist. At first 'Ballads' seems like a curiously amateurish listen. Joji seems to take inspiration from the piano-led electronica of James Blake  or the downbeat pop-rap of Post Malone. However Joji's vocals are hushed and hidden amongst his instrumental backdrops. Yet this is a part of what makes 'Ballads' so intoxicating. Overall the album has a dark aesthetic that makes me feel as if I've dived into a dark part of his brain. Ballads may lack the professionalism of his peers but the albums imperfections are what makes it so alluring.
Check out - Yeah Right 

Robyn- Honey- It's strange to think that after dominating the start of the decade with her 'Body talk' projects that Robyn has gone a full 8 years without releasing an official album. It speaks volumes about Robyn's credibility as an artist that 'Honey' picks up where 'Body Talk' left off 8 years ago without sounding even a tad dated.  Robyn's mix of house and pop still sounds as fresh as ever. 'Honey' goes to show that no-one can mix euphoria and melancholy like Robyn.
Check out - Ever again

Twenty One Pilots - Trench - I never expected to be as impressed by this album as I was but from the Royal Blood sized bass riff and sirens that kick off the albums opener 'Jumpsuit' I was hooked. From here the album morphs and shifts into a variety of different styles, from pop to rap, electronica to dub. Trench is so varied that it's hard to get bored of. While older fans can possibly appreciate the storytelling and concept that ruins through this record newer fans can still appreciate Tyler Joseph's lyrical wit, and the poignant 'Neon Gravestones' where he rejects the idea of dying young being romanticised and confronts his own mental health issues head-on 
Check out - Clorine

I've also enjoyed...
Daughters - You won't get what you want 
Kurt Vile - Bottle it in
Matt Berry - Television Themes 

FRIGS, Mutes, Odmansbox. Live at the Hare and Hounds review (7/11/18)

Odmansbox (7.6/10) were an odd addition to the bill supporting FRIGS but no less enjoyable. A three piece prog-pop group that fit in somewhere between Mat Berry's Prog rock revivalism and Jermaine Clement's various Bowie pastiches. Odmansbox have a dry sense of humour that shines through in their songs and stage presence, from their tributes/laments of hippie culture and the Sparks-ish 'Who the fuck are you', Odmansbox manage to write music that is both very clever and very catchy. Mutes (7.6) have changed a lot since their inception as a bedroom post-rock project. Their singer James has brought some of the charged rock n' roll sound of his other band God Damn and has turned Mutes into his own rock trio. Mutes are now much more Cribs than Mogwai yet the shoegazy sound of their earlier releases still occasionally pops through into their live performances. Best of all was the krautrock style closer for their set that seemed to last forever, mixing motorik drums with a mess of distorted guitar noise made for a thrilling end to their set.
FRIGS (8) have been compared to legends such as Sonic Youth and PJ Harvey, yet while well intentioned these comparisons seem rather lazy. The band that FRIGS most closely resemble is their fellow Canadians and friends Preoccupations. I feel that they also should draw comparison to other post-punk revivalists such as Protomartyr or Savages. Whatever the case FRIGS make the kind of dark, claustrophobic post-punk that I'm a sucker for. Any mix of growled vocals, propulsive drums, rumbling bass and wiry guitar leads is likely to win me over and FRIGS are one of the best bands I've come across who are likely doing this. A big part of what makes their live shows so thrilling is their singer Bria. Bria is a confrontational singer, who was eager to get right into peoples faces. Here raspy vocals were distorted past being understandable, which only added to the sinister edge of the music. She did little to engage the audience despite the occasional shout of 'Birmingham!' but the slight detachment between crowd and band worked to their favour. Overall this was a pretty fantastic show from a band who deserve to stand out amongst their peers.

IDLES, live at the Birmingham Institute review (26/10/2018)

You don't need to see IDLES live to realise that they're one of if not the most important bands of the decade. Everything that makes them special is already on display on their two albums so far. Everything about Idles just seems to epitomise the mood and feel of the troubled times were living in. From the smart, funny and endlessly quotable lyrics of front-man Joe Talbot and the empowered post-punk noise that the rest of the band give him to shout it over, it's obvious that Idles haven't just captured the Zeitgeist so much as they have wrestled it to the ground.
Idles already have the perfect support act with them on this tour. Heavy Lungs (7.2) are a similarly gritty band in the post punk vein. Notable for having Joe Talbot's 'blood brother' Danny Nedelko as their singer. However the Latvian born Danny is more than just a catchy song. From the moment he gets on stage it's impossible to take your eyes off him. Heavy lungs may lack the instant catchiness of Idles' songs but they have a gloomy aesthetic of their own, which makes them an intriguing and beguiling new band to watch out for. (7.2/10)

When IDLES hit the stage they were silhouettes shrouded in dry ice and flashing white lights. This made for a menacing backdrop for the opener 'Colossus'. For all his focus on positivity Joe Talbot is still a formidable presence on stage, leering at the crowd and delivering the lyrics on his typical dry tone. For most bands a slow burner such as Colossus would be an odd way to start the show yet IDLES had the audience in the palm of their hands from the moment they walked on stage. Following the song's incendiary finish and launching right into the brilliant 'Never fight a man with a perm' had the crowd in a frenzy. The crowd instinctively knowing every word to this darkly funny take of losing a fight to 'A heathen from Eaton, on a bag of Micheal Keaton'. 'Mother' and 'I'm scum' also made for great examples of what makes IDLES special but it was 'Danny Nedelko' that really shows what the band are all about. An embrace of unity and immigration as Joe embraced his 'blood brother' Danny on stage. Joe Talbot is as quotable between songs as he is during them, giving shout-outs to the AF gang, local heroes UB40 and Table Scraps, before declaring that 'our country is run by psychopaths'. He may be preaching to the choir but it's still a sermon worth hearing. It was around this point that things started to get a little bit out of hand, with both IDLES guitarists deciding to have a go at crowd surfing. This prompted a plucky fan to try and get on the stage. Joe growled at the security to let him on stage. The fan ran over to help out bashing drums and next thing the stage was swarmed with lucky fans playing IDLES instruments and generally making as much noise as possible. It's this close relationship with their fans that has allowed IDLES to make their massive dent in the UK scene. Joe was quick to clear out the suddenly rather empty stage for their cover of 'cry to me'. IDLES don't do encores because they think it's weird, but after delivering more anthems with 'Well done' and Rottweiler, they'd delivered more than enough. The last 10 minutes of the show was a cacophony of guitar feedback and flashing lights, leaving The Institute with a show it would never forget.

9.2 

(love IDLES as much as I do? join the AF Gang! https://www.facebook.com/groups/231316577380254/)