Folk

Today’s Track: Willie J. Healey – “Fashun”

August 13, 2020 — Leave a comment

Let’s get to it, Strike a pose, there’s nothing to it – Vogue! It’s time for your new post…

  • Pictured: Willie J. Healey in a shot to promote the release of “Twin Heavy” (2020) (Photo Credit: Hollie Fernando)

Good Morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up your daily post on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to get typing up about a different piece of music every day! A singer-songwriter from Oxfordshire, Willie J. Healey has established a new-found freedom and imagination as the result of his departure with major label, Sony. He told Ali Shutler of NME: “When I was dropped I remember thinking, ‘You idiots – I’m the next Paul McCartney”, as he follows up his meandering debut album from 2017, “People and Their Dogs”, with his second album “Twin Heavy”, a record that he’s crafted in 1970’s psychedelia decadence, which he released last Friday, now as an independent artist. He’s been working on the 12-track follow-up LP with Loren Humphries, a producer who has previously worked with the likes of Florence & The Machine, Tame Impala and The Last Shadow Puppets. “Fashun” is the lead single of the new album, a track that has been getting very popular as it’s been making the rounds on BBC Radio 1’s Indie Show With Jack Saunders, X-Posure with John Kennedy on Radio X, and an A-list spot on the daytime playlist selection on BBC Radio 6Music, along with a memorable appearance on an Instagram live-stream where Healey visited Piccadilly Records in Manchester, the UK’s largest independent record store. Listen to “Fashun” below. Warning: Keep your Volume down at the start.

I hope your headphones were not on full blast – That’s all I can say, before a delicate acoustic guitar strum diffuses the tension. Willie J. Healey’s “Fashun” feels lustful and flamboyant, as he dials up the theatrical aesthetics of promised fame and overhyped superstardom with a mocking, knowing wink, as he recites: “You’re gonna be a big star, honey/A real household name” with a satirical, knowing wink at his former label, and the negative experiences that he lived during his time as a puppet for executive big-wigs at a media institution. He pulls on 1990’s Brit-Pop influences for the verses, which feel quieter than the chorus, with gentle guitar work and a catchy drum beat, as the tongue-in-cheek lyricism shines through: “How’s your father been? Is his heart still pumping” in a Soft-Pop croon which calls back to Elvis Costello and Lonnie Donnegan. The bridges harken back to 70’s Glam-Rock, as Willie sings: “Oh, it’s not your fault/That you’re wild, you know” above a sparking keyboard riff that leads to a neat, reflective guitar solo. He later introduces 60’s Doo-Wop female backing vocals to the mix, swooning us away with: “The cream rises to the top, they tell me/I’m going to be best friends, with fame” above an authentic 80’s guitar rock sound, and a dreamy backing guitar riff that makes it feel almost like a parody of The Beatles. Overall, I think it’s brilliant, and even the bantering track name of “Fashun” shines through on a track that displays very likeable, expressive lyrical prowess alongside the satire and evocative aesthetics of 70’s, 80’s and 90’s Pop, with a quirky songwriting style that feels reminiscent of Pulp, and “Pure-Pop” moments of sharp, luminescent melodicism that makes me think of Supergrass. It heavily reminds me of Prefab Sprout’s “The King Of Rock N’ Roll” in a neat way, since that’s one of my favourite 1980’s tracks. If he plays his cards right – this may just make him a household name…

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Twin Heavy” (Released on August 7th, 2020) (via Yala! Records) (via Bandcamp.com)

Thank you very much for reading my daily blog post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as per usual, as we switch gears with an in-depth look at a recent track from an American 3-piece Jazz group who also dabble in Soul and Classical, best known for playing an organic instrument that you would find in a church. Their debut album went straight to #1 of the US Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart in 2018. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Biffy Clyro – “Tiny Indoor Fireworks”

July 9, 2020 — Leave a comment

What do you call a guy with a seagull on his head? Cliffy Byro! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “A Celebration Of Endings” (Available to buy from August 14th, 2020) (via Warner Bros. Records)

Oh, Geez! A bit of a spoiler alert for you there, I guess. Good Morning to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up about your daily track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music each day! With crossover hits like: “Many Of Horror” (Famously covered as “When We Collide” by X-Factor’s Matt Cardle as the Christmas #1 UK Single back in 2010), “The Captain” and “Mountains”, along with dabbling in alternative styles in their early work on “Folding Stars” and “57”, Biffy Clyro have remained to be quietly one of Britain’s most well-known bands over the last two decades. The trio from East Ayrshire, Scotland have also been nominated for Best British Group at the BRIT’s in 2011 and 2017. The time has come for a new album release, and Biffy Clyro’s ninth studio album effort “A Celebration Of Endings” is due for release next month, on August 14th, bringing a little bit of star power to a month that seems to be a bit of a drought of high-profile releases, on paper. All tracks were written by the frontman, Simon Neil, in collaboration with producer Rich Costey (Muse, Sigur Rós, Frank Turner). Straight from the top of the BBC Radio 2 playlist, “Tiny Indoor Fireworks” is the new single. Let’s listen to it below.

“It’s the political and the personal, because it’s all one these days” is a quote that Simon Neil told NME, in representation of the sound being explored on their new album, and Biffy Clyro aim to get the marketing machine going off with a bang on “Tiny Indoor Fireworks”, sadly, I’d argue that the results are more like a long whimper than a loud bang. Starting off with the track, Neil belts: “Never contemplated a sad life/Since I found the medicine jar”, after a sequence of backing chants, concluding: “Now I can ignore all my troubles/I don’t think I have the heart” over a line of snappy drum beats and speedily played guitar riffs. The tempo lowers slightly for the bridge: “This weight is crippling me/It’s the same old story”, as a subtle keyboard riff joins the ongoing instrumentation, before the chorus goes for a loud and anthemic feel, as Neil shouts: “I fire it up, then blow it out/I build it up, then I tear down/Summit the ocean, scale the lake/And I’ll pray for the better days” as a powerful line of bass guitar riffs and heavy acoustic guitar lines prompt the motivational lyrical hooks to drive the chorus forward, over the top of the clashing drum notes. You get the drill for the rest of the track: It’s anthemic, power-pop stuff. Unfortunately, for me, it’s less of “A Celebration Of Endings” and more of an “I’m celebrating because the song has just ended”. I could ask: What the hell were they thinking?, but this is clearly a hugely corporate, label-driven product if I’ve ever seen one. This clearly isn’t the right style for the band, and that much is clear from the dreadful video – it’s laughable, and the band just look like a parody of themselves. I feel the songwriting is shockingly poor. I don’t think you could ever write a more generic chorus if you tried. Come on, you need to do a lot better than screaming “Hey, Hey, Hey” and “Woah, Woah, Woah” approximately 3,568,962 times over and over again, just to fill a gap. It’s lazy. The instrumentation is ruined by completely generic riffs and overproduced chords throughout the entirety of the track, and the overall power-pop punk melodicism feels horrendously dated – it sounds like one of my Scuzz Sunday tracks from 2004. One positive is that it may be more tolerable seeing it live, since the “Hey’s” and “Woah’s” seem geared towards the reaction of a live crowd. Sadly, I tire of it very quickly. Okay, I’ve had my good moan about it now. Still, it’s better than Sam Smith…

  • Pictured: Simon Neil (Lead Vocals/Lead Guitar/Piano/Keyboard/Co-Writer), James Johnston (Bass Guitar/Synths/Occasional Backing Vocals) and Ben Johnston (Drums/Backing Vocals/Percussion) (in 2020) (via PR)

Thank you very much for reading this post! Tomorrow’s will be a lot more positive, I promise you! We’ll be listening to a new track together from an emerging Asian rapper, DJ and producer from Seoul of just 26 years of age who has gained a wonderful reputation for her majestic, dream-like style of ambient minimalist dance music, and is one of the newest kids on the block for the well-regarded Ninja Tune label. You’re not going to want to miss out! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Arlo Parks – “Black Dog”

July 3, 2020 — Leave a comment

Labrador or Dalmation, this young Dog is coming back to bite! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Arlo Parks in a photoshoot to promote the release of the “Sophie” EP (2019) (Photo by Patrick Gunning)

Good Morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m here to write about your daily track on the blog because, as always, it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Back in February, I was blown away by “Eugene”, a wonderful LGBT-friendly track, produced by South London singer-poet Arlo Parks, about seeing a romantic interest, who just so happens to be your best friend, start dating a twit. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from her since, but she released a new single, “Black Dog”, in May and it’s sadly only recently been brought up to my attention. Parks is best known for her EP “Sophie”, released in 2019, and her breakout ballad “Cola”, released in 2018. She worked with Loyle & Ryan Coyle-Larner on the video for “Eugene”, and she has been predicted to be a breakthrough artist this year courtesy of her spot on the BBC’s Sound Of 2020 and on the BRIT’s Critics Choice award polls. Parks is signed to Transgressive Awards and she is openly bisexual. On “Black Dog”, she composes an emotionally touching tale of helping her best friend handle depression and mental health issues. Let’s have a listen to “Black Dog” below.

Explaining the meaning behind “Black Dog” in a press statement, Parks says: “It’s supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today’s world.”, and this sense of honesty and vulnerability is what shines through between the simple lyricism of the track. Opening with an acoustic guitar strum that feels gentle and soothing, Parks recites: “I’d lick the grief right off your lips/You do your eyes like Robert Smith” over the top of a lo-fi electronic beat that washes away the bleak tone of the minimalist guitar riff patterns. She later continues “Let’s go to the corner store and buy some fruit/I would do anything to get you out of your room”, displaying a painful and stripped-back delivery over the relaxing guitar melodies. The chorus is very simplistic, as she croons: “It’s so cruel, what your mind can do for no reason” to add a radiant harmony to the basic, ongoing acoustic melody. It references suicidal thoughts: “I’d take a jump off the fire escape/To make the Black Dog go away” and Parks addresses her friend directly: “At least I know that you are trying/But that’s what makes it terrifying” to convey the deeper meanings of an otherwise bare-bones, but raw, concept. The pacing plays off the simplicity of telling a story that feels clear-cut and universally empathetic, but it also feels brutally truthful and naturally sensitive. I don’t think I’d say that this is easy listening due to it’s tackling of heartbreaking themes like depression and mental health, and it’s precisely harsh depiction of how we handle these internal problems, but it’s very mellow and gentle, with a downbeat feeling that directs your attention on the words and less so on the instrumentation. It’s quite similar to “Eugene” musically, but it feels decidedly more raw, but hopeful, in it’s tone. Once again, I find myself very impressed by Parks. This story is full of heart and I really hope “Black Dog” gives her some decent radio airplay.

  • Pictured: Arlo Parks in a photoshoot for an interview with diymag.com (December 2019) (Photo Credit: Jenn Five)

As I mentioned during today’s post beforehand, I have previously covered Arlo Parks’ “Eugene” on the blog. You can rediscover this wonderful little track below: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/02/24/todays-track-arlo-parks-eugene/

  • Pictured: Official tour date poster for Arlo Parks’ “Super Sad Generation” European Tour (2020) (via Twitter)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. As per usual, I’ll be back tomorrow in the build-up for Scuzz Sunday with an in-depth look at the new track by an iconic American indie rock band who recorded several landmark albums for the indie label Restless throughout the 1980’s and the 1990’s. The band made Q Magazine’s list of the “50 Bands To See Before You Die” poll in 2002. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Kirsty MacColl – “There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis”

June 12, 2020 — Leave a comment

Did you know that Elvis is not dead? I heard him on the radio! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Kirsty MacColl in a photoshoot to promote “Desperate Character” (1981) (Photo Credit: Smooth Radio/Getty)

That guy better get spiking his hair and get a-rocking-and-a-rolling then! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day, even on my Dad’s birthday! You would probably know Kirsty MacColl best from her collaboration with The Pogues on the 1987 Christmas hit “Fairytale Of New York”, but she also struck out on her own as a successful solo artist. MacColl was born on October 10th, 1959 and she grew up with her mother and brother Hamish in Croydon. Unfortunately, her life was cut short by a tragic accident while on holiday in 2000, where she was deep sea diving with her sons in the Chankanaab reef and a powerboat was speeding towards them. MacColl saw it coming, but the boat ran over her after she moved her 15-year-old son out of its way. MacColl was originally signed by Stiff Records, and she had a few hits in the 1980’s and 1990’s. This includes “They Don’t Know”, which was famously covered by Tracy Chapman in 1983. “There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis” was released back in 1981. It was one of her highest-charting singles, and it reached #14 in the UK Singles Chart, where it stayed for nine weeks. It reached #9 in the Irish Singles Charts. An interesting fact about the track is that, in the promotional version for the US, the very British “Chip Shop” line is replaced by “Truck Stop”, but this was only handed out to the Radio DJ’s version and it wasn’t given a full CD release. Take a listen back to the track with a title far too long to write again below.

MacColl deserves a few bonus points, just for that title. “There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis” sees her gallop confidently through Western, Country and Blues sensibilities, but it largely comes across as just a Novelty effort and not a lot more. MacColl croons about resisting flirty talk from a guy, who, as you’d guess, works down the chip shop and swears he’s Elvis, adding: “Just like you swore to me that you’d be true” and “But he’s a liar, and I’m not sure about you” to add a poetic effect to the chorus’ refrain. She also shows a pessimism and sarcastic tone in the guy’s teases, singing in the second verse: “News is you changed your pickup for a Seville” and “Cos’ you’re out there on the phone to some star in New York” before showing her attitude: “I can hear you laughing now/And I can’t help feeling that somehow/You don’t mean anything you say at all” before a guitar solo and a longer version of the chorus ends it. The acoustic instrumentation is simple throughout, with a three-note guitar groove in the verses, and an added line of piano notes in the chorus, with an upbeat lead guitar solo near the end. It sounds energetic enough to get a crowd jiggling around for a bit, but it rolls along for three minutes without doing anything very interesting, and it doesn’t innovate or experiment in any real ways. The novelty factor would provide a small burst of fun and the title is a great one for a Zoom quiz, but the music itself leaves room to be desired, and it seems forgettable overall. But, just who is the guy who works down the chip shop, if he’s not really Elvis?

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Desperate Character” (Original Album Release in July 1981) (via Polydor Records)

Thank you for reading this post! As a reminder, at One Track At A Time, we endorse the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a recent single from a female solo artist, who is the lead vocalist of the popular French-English indie punk band Savages, to mark the release of her new album! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Michelle Lally – “Rascal You”

June 10, 2020 — Leave a comment

Her ex-lover is such a Rascal, but she’s not a Dizzee Rascal! It’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Michelle Lally performing in Salt Restaurant and Bar, Salthill (in 2017) (via artist’s Facebook page)

Good Morning! I am Jacob Braybrooke and, as like always, I’m here to write about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! A reader has got in touch, David Lyons, with a request for me to have a look at Michelle Lally, who is a Jazz singer born in Limerick, Ireland. Don’t forget that all reader requests are very welcome, just read the details at the bottom of the post to find out how you can get in touch! Back on-topic, there is a lot of information about Michelle Lally on the internet and she is quite an interesting lady. She was a member of Irish Folk band De Dannon, as well as working with big names of Irish Jazz and Folk like Jimmy MacCarthy and John Spillane on “If This Be Love”, her debut solo record, which was released in 2008. On top of this, she has performed at The White House in Washington, D.C. on two separate occasions for George Bush and Barack Obama, respectively. Her latest record is “A Moment In Time”, which she self-released in April 2019. I have also been informed by Lyons that six of the tracks from “A Moment In Time” have been play-listed for RTE Radio 1 by RTE, which is Ireland’s lead national broadcaster. Have a listen to “Rascal You” below.

Gosh, that sounds very upper-class, right? “Rascal You” definitely has a very old-school and brass-based sound which can quite easily transport you right back to a 1960’s Las Vegas setting. Michelle Lally hints at a lost eroticism and a sad end to a long romance on the opening verse: “You filled my head with dreams and now my eyes are weeping/You left me behind, with just a broken heart to cling to”, before a bridge towards the chorus takes a more direct address viewpoint as she questions the faithfulness of the ex-lover: “Don’t it make you wonder? What kisses in the moonlight can do?”, before a chorus refrain: “You should have let me be/You Rascal, you”, paves the way for subtle Brass melodies, before Lally begins to ponder the possibilities of what could have been: “You took my hand and said/I’d be yours forever/and nothing in this world can ever change a thing between us two”, before the next section becomes, lyrically, a little bit more pessimistic: “Too late for the notice/You took my love to run it right through/You never wanted me, you Rascal, you” before a swing-laden conclusion built up of a gentle Saxophone solo, with well-spaced horn melodies between, and a daydream atmosphere created by the slow-paced, but satisfyingly sweet and soothed, structure. I would usually prefer Jazz of a more contemporary and youthful sound, as a massive fan of The Comet Is Coming and Kate Tempest, but I’ve enjoyed the relaxing sound and cinematic narrative on “Rascal You” as you’d be forgiven for thinking she’s a Hollywood hotel singer straight from a 1950’s gangster flick instead of a contemporary Irish artist. The instrumentation is subtle, but it feels bright, with a light mid-tempo drum melody that sounds like a Cuica running throughout the track, pulling a soft influence from the Tropicalia genre. It’s a sublime slice of calming old-school Jazz, with a good cinematic sense of songwriting which feels light and reflective, but there is a memorable sense of sad contemplation.

  • Pictured: Concert poster for “A Moment In Time” Dublin launch (Hampton Hotel in Donnybrook) (June 8, 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! As a reminder, at One Track At A Time, we endorse the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at another Jazz track, this time created by a trio based in Manchester, who are named after a well-known arctic bird animal, who blend influences of Techno, Trip Hop and Ambient Synth-Wave with their traditional Jazz String instrumentation to compose a modern sound that has declared them to be “The Radiohead of British Jazz”, according to their own biography on Spotify. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Hazel English – “Five and Dime”

June 4, 2020 — Leave a comment

Looks like a secret spy, but of no relation to Johnny English – It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Hazel English in a photoshoot to promote the release of “Shaking” (2019) (Photo Credit: Son Of Marketing)

Good Afternoon! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and – You Guessed It! – I’m writing up your daily track on the blog because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Another emerging artist who I want to spotlight on the blog this week is Hazel English, an Australian Indie Dream-Pop singer-songwriter who is based in Oakland, California. She really caught my eye on KEXP’s Song Of The Day podcast feed with her 60’s-esque, colourful aesthetics – with the artwork looking like a modern Spy caper set in a period-era setting like the Marvel’s Agent Carter TV series. Hazel English has just released her debut full-length album, “Wake UP!”, on Polyvinyl Records in the US and by Marathon Artists in the UK. After a string of successful EP releases and support slots for Lord Huron and Death Cab For Cutie tours in 2017, English enlisted the help of producers Justin Raisen (Charli XCX, Angel Olsen) and Ben H. Allen (MIA, Deerhunter) to fulfill her vision for her album to “make people more aware and mindful” in their lives. Have a listen to “Five And Dime” down below!

An old slang term for the area code of 510 which covers the East Bay of Berkley in the US, English uses the term of “Five and Dime” as an analogy of finding desire for a relationship in a world where we’re constantly looking for entertainment as an escapist distraction. English sings, over a folk-led guitar riff and a finger click, “Oh you bring me down/Caught my stride but you follow me around/Almost figured it out, but you cut me off” as she builds her mid-tempo Synthpop melodies over a woozy, hazy soundscape of melodic, neo-psychedelic 60’s-inspired pop. The chorus is gradual, but it’s smoothly paced and melodic. English croons: “Gotta get away/Cause’ your taking up all of my time/You know I need my space so I’m heading to the Five and Dime”, a hook that has a slick rhyme to it. The textures are varied, with a slight feeling of Jazz being created by the finger clicks and bubbling bass guitar chord in the bridge. The lightly guitar-driven verses, along with the lyrical themes of travel, also harken back to a nostalgic Country sound. It feels ostensibly American, with an old-fashioned aesthetic that makes me feel soothed and relieved. I like how it’s Pop – but the instrumentation feels varied enough to add something more to it, instead of it just feeling like she is just trying to have a big commercial hit. Overall, it’s a track that sounds fashionable and refreshing. I’d like to give it some more time to grow on me. That shall be my own undercover spy mission – and it’s one I should choose to accept.

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Wake UP!” (Released on April 24th, 2020) (via Polyvinyl Records/Marathon Artists)

Thank you for reading this post! At this difficult time, I ask you to please stay safe at home, don’t do anything silly and please keep on washing your hands! I will be back tomorrow, as per usual, with a digital single released by Sub-Pop Records earlier this year, from a male solo artist who is a pioneer of the Chillwave genre and he released the video for the track using footage sent in from fans, as he had originally planned an expensive music video shoot for the track with an international team of filmmakers beforehand! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Scuzz Sundays: Panic! At The Disco – “That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)”

May 31, 2020 — Leave a comment

Was it really as bad as some of the fans reactions made it out? It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Vinyl Copy of Pretty Odd” (2008) (via Fueled By Ramen) (Photo Credit: The Underworld Mansfield)

Good morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and it’s time for your weekly edition of Scuzz Sundays, the weekly feature on the blog where we take a leisurely stroll down the memory lane of late 90s-mid 00’s emo/punk records to pick one and see if it holds up today, the likes of which would have been played on the now-defunct Scuzz TV freeview rock music video channel. Panic! At The Disco were one of my first little musical favourites when I was a child. In fact, I think their 2007 debut “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out Of” was the first album that I ever bought with my own pocket money, unless I’ve been mistaken. The band continues as effectively a solo act of frontman Brendan Urie and this has led to total mainstream success for Urie, even covering songs that I absolutely hate from Frozen and The Greatest Showman. I’m of the unpopular opinion that I loved Panic! At The Disco when they were that – a band. Urie has impressive vocal range, but it just feels too much like The Brendan Urie Show rather than Panic! At The Disco, for me, these days. Their second album, released in 2008, was a very interesting and divisive one. It’s effectively been removed from the canon of Panic! At The Disco’s library and Urie never performs any of the tracks from the album in any of his live sets now. That’s down to the polarized response of “Pretty Odd” because, unpredictably, this upstart baroque-punk band decided to instead go in the direction of… The Beatles! The record echoed shades of The Beatles’ 1967 classic “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in numerous elements of the record’s sound, artwork, costumes and promotional material. A few of the singles made the Top 40 charts, but slipped out quickly. The bassist left the band, and was replaced, during it’s production. Co-founder Ross left the band shortly after it’s release. However, it wasn’t a flop at all, because some fans loved it. It has a very dedicated cult following, the album earned very positive reviews and, in 2019, it actually went Platinum, despite slow sales in it’s initial release (although their prior debut went double-platinum, so it still wasn’t quite as successful). That’s enough of the trivia. For me, it simply remains to be one of the most fascinating albums from the career of a (technically) band who are so popular and beloved in the mainstream. So – we are going to revisit it today! Take a listen to “That Green Gentleman” with its video below.

It’s fair to us to agree that “Things Have Changed” for me! I remember when I saw the video for “Northern Downpour”, another single from the album, at 6am-ish as a 10-year-old and thinking along the lines of “What have they done?”, but as I grew up listening to the album in bus rides from college at the age of 14, I really liked it. At 21, I’m getting it even more. The group had really matured their sound, and it’s fascinating to see a mainstream band try to do something so different to their established sound. However, I also feel the album has an adolescence to it, and a youthful texture, that makes it feel like it does have a bit of old Panic! buried deep beneath it. “That Green Gentleman” starts off: “Things are shaping up to be Pretty Odd”, with Urie nodding to the album’s title as an acoustic guitar strums along to a spacious bass guitar line. The lyrics continue to narrate the end of a schlocked-up geeky teen romance drama over the top of bittersweet, chanting backing vocals and a melodically sussed, cutesy pop sound. It never feels derivative, though. Urie chants: “Everybody gets there and everybody gets their way/I never said I missed her when everybody kissed her/Now I’m the only one to blame” and “I never said I’d leave the city/I never said I’d leave this town/A falling out we won’t tiptoe about”, over a very jolly, child-like and nostalgically guitar-driven sound. I’m interested in truly knowing if the new direction was imagined by the band or the label, because it feels like pop that is hook-driven and emotionally upbeat enough to be a big hit, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t. There seems to be a level of intellect which the pop-punk hungry teens may not have been getting at the time of it’s release. Overall, it’s a track that was sure to divide opinions of the band’s fanbase. I can still see why. However, for me personally in 2020 – although I may not have seen it in it’s heyday – I think it’s smart, I feel the band managed to get most of their blueprints in there with great subtlety, and the sound was an old-school breath of fresh air in a market burdened by overly auto-tuned monstrosities. Let me know how you feel in the comments section below!

  • Pictured: Brendan Urie (Lead Vocals/Writer/Multi-Instrumentalist), Ryan Ross (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals), Jon Walker (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Spencer Smith (Drums) (2008) (Photo taken from Pinterest.com)

Thank you for reading this post! Given our unfortunate circumstances, I ask that you please stay safe inside, don’t do anything silly and keep washing your hands! I wish good health amongst you! I’ll be kicking off the new week tomorrow with an in-depth review of the brand new single from a beloved Las Vegas rock band who were one of the headliners of last year’s Glastonbury Music Festival, with their showcase performance taking place on the Saturday evening slot of The Main Stage! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Laura Marling – “Held Down”

May 6, 2020 — Leave a comment

I honestly can’t think of any jokes for this one, so there’s that! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Song For Our Daughter” (Released on April 10th, 2020) (via Chrysalis/Partisan)

Good morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, as always, because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! “Song For Our Daughter” is a figurative title, since the album has been written about a fictional daughter, by Laura Marling. Marling is a British folk singer-songwriter from Berkshire who has received a lot of critical acclaim over the years. Her sixth album, “Semper Femina”, was nominated for “Best Folk Album” at the Grammy Awards in 2018. In addition to this, Marling has been nominated for Best British Female Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards four times. Therefore, I’ve heard her name swirling around indie circuits and in my head before, but I’ve yet to properly listen to one of her albums. “Song For Our Daughter” was going to be released in August, but she brought the release date forward in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Could this be the album that hooks me on to her? Let’s start with “Held Down” below.

While many artists have been delaying their albums and postponing their tours due to the pandemic, Marling bucked this trend, saying: “I saw no reason to hold back on something that, at the very least, might entertain and, at its best, provide some sense of union”. It’s a solace and an intimacy displayed throughout the lavish acoustic guitar melodies on “Held Down”, an open and honest letter to an ex-lover about moving on from their break-up. Marling sings: “I woke up, it was four in the morning/Clear as hell that you’d already gone” and “And I just meant to tell you, that I don’t want to get you wrong” over an ascending acoustic guitar riff and a rich backing vocal that echoes through the light harmonies of Marling. Marling evokes a light Gospel element through the interweaving of it’s vocal layers, before she cuts to the core with a more ethereal, rougher guitar rhytmn: “It’s a cruel kind of twist that you’d leave me like this/Just drop my wrist and say, that’s us done”, before she hypnotically repeats the opening verse and calls out with an emotional line: “Cause we all want to be here now/And we all want to be held down”. Marling leaves the track on a peaceful note that feels right for the world that we’re living in now. It’s a track that, upon initially hearing on the radio, I didn’t find very appealing to my personal tastes because it has a Country sensibility, which I found to be cheesy and a bit pretentious. After a few listens though, it started to really grow on me. The sound is very warm and calming, with reflective lyricism that feels personal and easy to connect with. Her voice is soft and gentle, but it’s powerful because she has a direct sense of writing that makes her feel original and more artistic than the range of acoustic-driven artists out there who just want to sound like Ed Sheeran, even though he just makes generic and overproduced pop these days. She reminds me of Sara Groves and Christina Wells in her expressive and folk-ridden, although ultimately pop-leaning, sound. It’s a solid track, by all accounts, that will appeal. I’ll have to give the new album a fair shot.

  • Pictured: Laura Marling in a photoshoot to promote the release of “Super Femina” (2017) (Photo Credit: Sonic PR)

Thank you for reading this post! I hope that you enjoyed it! Stay safe, wash your hands and a massive thank you to our key workers! It’s not just Death Cab For Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard writing songs about the situation, as I’ll be looking at a track tomorrow from a Danish Punk Rock band who have also been doing their bit for charity by self-releasing a new single inspired by their thoughts on the effects of the lockdown. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Benjamin Gibbard – “Life In Quarantine”

April 25, 2020 — Leave a comment

Given this topic, it’s fair to say we all know how he feels! It’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Benjamin Gibbard recording “Life In Quarantine” in his home studio (2020) (Photo Credit: KEXP.org)

It’s completely normal to be dealing with those Lockdown blues – as proven by Death Cab For Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard! Good morning to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing my daily post on the blog as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write to you about a different piece of music every day! “Life In Quarantine” is a very topically relevant track composed entirely at home by Benjamin Gibbard, who is the frontman of the very well-known Alternative Rock band, Death Cab For Cutie. It’s been very intriguing and heartwarming to see all of the acoustic work being put out by musicians and songwriters who would normally be touring at this time, and “Life In Quarantine” is no exception. Gibbard has been streaming live acoustic sets from his home on Thursday evenings, although he initially performed every single day, giving my work on this blog a run for it’s money! Barsuk Records have partnered with Gibbard to release “Life In Quarantine” as a charity single with all the proceeds going to the Auroa Commons charity in Washington to help those most vulnerable amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Buy it, give it a listen and come back to read my thoughts below!

The tone is somber, as expected and, you could argue, honestly required, on “Life In Quarantine”, an acoustic folk ballad that is bursting with originality and very organic, natural production. Gibbard focuses on the surroundings, or the lack thereof, around him: “The traffic lights are changing/They have nothing better to do” and “The sidewalks are empty/Bars and Cafe’s too”, as he lightly strums his acoustic guitar to the mood of his isolated and self-contained emotions. Gibbard sings about how the spread of the virus has negatively impacted his mental health: “I like walking beside you/Through these days of no guarantees” and he paints a picture of the travel services outside of his home: “The Airports and Train Stations are full of desperate people, but no-one is going anywhere soon”, as a clear Springsteen, alt-folk influence creeps in. Although the song isn’t particularly hopeful, he ends on a peaceful note and encourages his local residents to look after one another. It’s also good to indulge in the sadness with bleak music, at times. Honestly, I feel it makes a nice change to hear a charity song with some artistic merit for once, as opposed to it having a “Novelty” quality to entice people to buy it. It’s been hugely fascinating to see what creatively-minded musicians are making out of all of this and It’s been cleverly produced for what he has achieved. Please show some support and give it 99p today!

  • Pictured: Benjamin Gibbard performing a live acoustic solo set (2018) (Photo Credit: Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images)

Thank you for reading this post! I hope that you found this track as moving and as powerful as I did! Make sure that you come back to the blog tomorrow, where we’ll be having some fun by revisiting a cheesy emo-punk throwback from the late 90’s or early 00’s with your weekly edition of Scuzz Sundays! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Cartalk – “Wrestling”

April 6, 2020 — Leave a comment

Writing about music – Then, Now and Forever! Let’s kick off the week with a new post!

  • Pictured: Cartalk (Chuck Moore) in a photoshoot for Voyage LA Magazine (2019) (Photo Credit: Tess O’ Connor)

Good afternoon to you, I’m a well-rested Jacob Braybrooke (Seriously, I slept until 10:30am today), and I’m writing to you about today’s track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to introduce you to a different song each day! I’ve just finished the three-day WrestleMania 36 Weekend Special on the blog and Cartalk’s “Wrestling” didn’t quite fit the theme as the track’s only about Wrestling in name and not by nature of the actual sport. “Wrestling” is instead about struggle of emotional conflict, rather than men in stretchy tights grappling with each other. This comes courtesy of Los Angeles-based producer Chuck Moore, who’s been releasing music under her own alias of “Cartalk” since she first picked up a guitar at the age of 11, a revelation that she told Voyage LA Magazine in an interview conducted in November of last year. Noore says that “songwriting helps me pull back and see things from a different perspective”, a self-reflection of the introspective style of lyricism that she uses for her latest single, “Wrestling”, which she released on her own Bandcamp page last October. “Wrestling” was produced by Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties and recounts a night where Noore refused an invitation to a party to work on her own music and take some time to “look inward” instead. Let’s have a listen to the single down below!

“Wrestling” sees Cartalk struggling to cope with the envious qualities of her friends or co-workers around her as she reflects on their personalities. She wishes that her words were more expressive: “But, she gets her point across so well” and that she could support her own emotional well-being more effectively: “Wake myself up in this mirror for the sake to simply relax/Pull back at the festering thoughts we have when it’s still intact”. In addition to this, Moore looks at the people around her for inspiration, noticing of their maturity in the coming-of-age style bridge: “Can we be like them?/When we were nothing but friends and I felt fine with you?” and Moore promises to approach her future circumstances with more poise in the opening: “Take a minute to figure out, what you want to say to me/Feel your words run in your mouth” as it becomes clear that she’s coaching herself: “I can see you trying to wrestle it out, there’s no heel turn happening”, so, there’s at least one lyrical nod to the “fake” sports spectacle. The vocals are recited under a twangy acoustic guitar riff, with a free-form structure that creates a sweet, sumptuous melody, with a light tone being juxtaposed by a brisk drum beat and a guitar-driven chorus that’s been produced very naturally. Although it doesn’t quite showcase her personality to it’s full potential as it sounds very radio friendly, I don’t find it to be lacking in energy, with a crisp guitar style which evokes Country and Folk-Rock textures. It’s well-written with a clear theme and the ideas of self-reflection are original, but I don’t feel they’re quite as nourished as they could be as I find the tone to be a little too light and it would be nice to see a darker contrast to this. However, it’s good to hear a piece of artistic expression that self-contemplates on a nice in-depth level. Overall, I like it, although I don’t love it. There’s great artistry to be harnessed but it’s not quite there, for me, yet!

Don’t forget to catch up with my WWE WrestleMania 36 Weekend Special if you missed out – Friday’s post, “El Santo: The Silver Masked Avenger” by The Nick Atoms, is here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/03/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-the-nick-atoms-el-santo-the-silver-masked-avenger/. Saturday’s post on Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler”, is here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/04/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-bruce-springsteen-the-wrestler/. The weekend’s final post on “The Legend Of Chavo Guerrero” by The Mountain Goats can be perused here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/05/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-the-mountain-goats-the-legend-of-chavo-guerrero/!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Wrestling” by Cartalk (Released on 10th October, 2019) (Available via Bandcamp.com)

Thank you for reading this post! Stay safe and I hope you enjoyed it! I’ll be back tomorrow, as always, with an in-depth look at a bright sunshine track from a Norwich-based R&B and Soul musician who has produced with the likes of Kate Tempest and Iggy Pop and used to be the guitarist for British Afrobeat collective KOKOROKO! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/