Today’s Track: Lip Filler – ‘Followup’

July 5, 2024 — Leave a comment

You may be hooked as quickly as you can say “Dermatologic Surgery”. New post time!

Pictured: George Tucker (Co-Lead Vocals, Keyboard), Verity Hughes (Guitar, Backing Vocals), Jude Scholefield (Guitar, Percussion), Theodore Pasmore (Bass Guitar) and Nate Wicks (Drums) (2023) (Photo taken by PR)

The summer days are upon us! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and it was previously my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day before adulthood got in my way, so now I post more sporadically about special sounds. Lip Filler are an exciting, emerging indie rock band from London who weave elements of Electronic music and Post-Punk together like a Bunsen burner and a cylindrical tub of Helium in your school’s chemistry class. The West London-based 5-piece started their project with humble beginnings, having resided in a flat above a chicken shop in Shepherds Bush where their synergy and influences began to boil as hard as an egg in a saucepan. This has led to the evolving reputation of the band as a caustic capital force in London’s live scene to be created and, most importantly, they have now been able to buy a pet tortoise for their flat because why wouldn’t you? They have received some airplay from BBC Radio 6 Music since, along with just finishing up their first UK headline tour run. Having already supported the likes of Pit Pony, Gene Pool, XVOTO, Alfie Templeman and Picture Parlour and worked with producer St Francis Hotel (Little Simz, Michael Kiwanuka, Greentea Peng) on their debut single, Lip Filler are focusing their attention on tapping into a vast pool of creative collaborators and tidily transitioning to studio production practices to maintain their arresting momentum. ‘Witchescrew’ is their second EP – out now via Chess Club Records – and ‘Followup’ is the remarkable lead single, despite what its title may imply. Let’s give it a spin below!

Diving deep into their psyche, Lip Filler says, “Time is a precious thing; when we are told to wait for something sometimes we feel as though we’re not making any progress. We push ourselves to ensure we’re occupying our time efficently”, as they expose their emotional vulnerabilities in a press release regarding ‘Followup’, adding, “Taking this to the extreme would mean avoiding sleep altogether, or sleepwalking. I think that’s how this song began to adopt more paranormal themes”, says vocalist George Tucker. Absolute sense is made by Tucker’s comments on time management and relative frustrations because patience shines strongly as a key theme of their shape-shifting song. We start with a glossy yet melodic lead guitar riff that sounds akin to a shiny 90’s Alternative Rock crossover hit by a band like Placebo or The Smashing Pumpkins, as the blatant lyric of “I’m so sad” begins to reverberate throughout the disillusioned tone of the track. At this point, you may expect an Emo track to unfold alike the ‘Scuzz Sundays’ feature that we used to own in this blog’s heyday, but a change of direction takes course and the angularity grow sharper. Lyrics like “Motion sickness in your sleep/I’ve been underneath the tyres” are given a rhythmic scheme akin to a Rap-Metal track, while the guitars grow more bitter in substance and the Grunge mentality runs thicker. “You turned oh shit/I get my creature on”, delivered with a static effect, proves to be an imaginative detour that suggests a larger mental health issue at play due to its contorted nature. The band continue to dynamically cut together their influences of Pop-Punk, Nu-Metal and Shoegaze with a cut-and-paste collage effect as stop-start electronic instrumentals with a distorted tone and up-tempo vocal loops continue to add a psychedelic haze to the mix. Overall, while the volume on ‘Followup’ can be high at times, the technical musicianship finds its place to shine as the band continue to subvert expectations throughout the explorational track and stitch together a vibrant library of late 90’s and early 00’s rock sounds at a towering level of creativity. Less so of “I’m so sad” and more like “I’m so excited” about the future in store for this daring, experimental crew.

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘witchescrew’ (EP) (Released on May 24th, 2024) (via Chess Club Records)

That’s all for now! Thank you for joining me for a few minutes on One Track At A Time today and if you’re always on the look-out for more new music suggestions beyond the mainstream, please follow me on my other channels that you can seek out below.

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Today’s Track: SPRINTS – ‘Up and Comer’

January 9, 2024 — Leave a comment

Jacob to Planet Earth. Surprisingly, this is not a false drill. I respond with a new post!

It gives me – Jacob Braybrooke – great pleasure to wish you a very happy new year as I have finally returned to address you as the writer of One Track At A Time, a website that was previously a diary of discovery when it came to finding new music and exposing the dynamic duo (known as your eyes and ears) to a range of unique bands that I would never wish to fly under your radar otherwise. If you are following the blog and, of course, reading this – I want to say a huge thank you. The main reason why I’ve been on hiatus for so long is the ‘D’ word – and I’m not talking about ‘Drums’ or ‘Drill & Bass’, or whatever basic innuendo that your mind conjures up, but the ‘D’ that worms into your brain and lies to you. Telling you about your inadequacy and lack of worth. Conveniently timed at a period where I was leaving the ‘Cocoon’ known as university life. I began working a stop-gap job in retail and I’m accepting that I’m becoming older and that, to be honest, I absolutely hate said stop-gap job. Therefore, I’ve decided to pick myself up off the canvas and search for career opportunities in the music industry. Although, however armed with excitement and nostalgia that I am to be writing about a fantastic new band once again that I am, I have to face the facts that my writing is very rusty now. Therefore, I’ve decided to start posting again. Not everyday – maintaining my own radio show, job applications, stop-gap job and writing every single day, like I used to back in the peak day, is going to be a little overwhelming. As a result of this, I will simply post a few times over the upcoming weeks, maybe not even publicise it so much, treat you like the old friend that you are and sharpen my skills for the mountain of impending cover letters and personal statements that are inevitably on my way while creating a platform for emerging artists to thrive because my mission, as an individual, is to combat the generic that you hear everywhere from the mainstream media trying to mass market. It’s been about that all along not just holding the fort for a company solely interested in profit.

In my first comeback post of 2024 – although ‘Love Myself’ by Hailee Steinfeld or ‘Fight Song’ by Rachel Platten’ may be a little more fitting of my current mindset – I present to you the Dublin-based indie punk-rock band who are called SPRINTS. It’s always difficult to find new music in the dustbin grounds of January, but these Clash-supported rockers are taking the alternative rock scene in the UK by storm all of a sudden. They were formed in 2019 when they went to see Savages and they were inspired by how deaf the gig was slowly making them. This past weekend, the 4-piece released their debut studio album ‘Letter To Self’ to positive reviews by The Guardian, DIY, Dork and Loud & Quiet. Bolstered by powerfully intimate tracks which explore the self-image of frontwoman Karla Chubb as an independent Punk pioneer of the new wave of futuristic Post-Punk acts in the UK, it’s definitely one that appeals to fans of Paramore and Catatonia. Check out the single that says it all, ‘Up and Comer’, below.

“I understand that women should have access to abortion, and I understand that mental health services are not adequate to stop people from committing suicide, so yeah, I don’t know exactly how much money is being spent on it but I don’t need to in order to tell you that it’s not enough“, Karla passionately writes in the band’s bio on the City Slang Records website, adding, “It’s just a class barrier to make people feel like, if they’re not educated enough, then they can’t be involved in the conversation. But you don’t have to be Usain Bolt to run a race, and you don’t have to understand the theory of everything to understand that, morally, someone’s an asshole.” to her speech on what inspires the political aspects of her band’s songwriting on their label’s page.

These themes of how mental health affects feminimity are abundantly clear on ‘Up and Comer’ – today’s track – which begins with a barrelling power-pop guitar riff that steadily builds to create a crescendo of anger when the bass and drums kick in. “I swim the seas between paranoia and disbelief/I reach the surface but the air is hard to breathe” and “Wear a smile like it’s a runner/Your despise like a badge of honour”. she croons, as the swelling guitar chords and the upbeat yet controlled drum beats push and pull the rhythm. There’s a seething quality to the mood of the track, where the rage boils like a kettle as the chorus kicks in and gently retreats as the verses appear. The pace is smooth and clear, however, with the rhythm retreating at a more subtle rate than you may expect. It keeps the fiesty emotion of the track in relevance but it allows the chorus to stand out by increasing the intensity that is maintained to a lesser degree of abrasion. I love the lyrics of the chorus too, where Karla croons, “They say she’s good for an up and comer”, in response to how she feels patronised by those who are commenting on her level of prominence as an emerging artist despite feeling that she’s as experienced as those other artists who have already made an impact. Overall, ‘Up and Comer’ is an effective Punk tune that sounds accessible and catchy, but they personally establishe a truthful quality that leans into the aggressive edge of the quartet’s sound. In this case of finding success on the long and winding road of sustaining yourself as an indie musician, it’s easy to see why the press have quickly encouraged a SPRINT and not a marathon for this promising band.

That’s all for now! I hugely appreciate your time and attention that you have given the post that you have just read. The next one won’t take 10 months to complete – you’ll be pleased to know. I currently run a weekly podcast titled Eclectic & Electric that fulfills a similar purpose of challenging the “generic” that the powers be love so deeply which you can find here: https://www.mixcloud.com/jacob-braybrooke/eclectic-electric-first-show-of-2024-january-8th-2024-spotted-in-ely-radio/. You can also find me on the social media accounts below to stay in touch and discover new music.

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Today’s Track: Ciel – ‘Fine Everything’

May 3, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Michelle Hindriks (Lead Vocals/Bass Guitar), Jorge Bella Jimenez (Lead Guitar/Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Tim Spencer (Drums/Percussion/Occasional Backing Vocals) (2022) (Photo Credit: ReadDork.com/PR)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has come for you to perk up your ears in preparation for yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! If I told you on the radio that I was going to play you a new track by an artist with a name (Ciel – Pronounced: Ceal) just like that, you’d be forgiven for expecting to hear some kind of 00’s-leaning Pop, R&B and Soul record. However, you’d be confusing them for Seal. On the other hand, Ciel are an emerging indie rock trio led by vocalist-guitarist Michelle Hindriks drawing from diverse influences such as Sheogaze, Dream-Pop, Prog-Rock, 90’s Grunge, Symphonic Rock and Psychedelic Rock. With members hailing from The Netherlands and Spain in addition to the UK, Ciel have recently captured my imagination when ‘Fine Everything’ gained positive reviews from the panel on last week’s episode of Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable on BBC Radio 6 Music. Ciel have also been praised by sites like KEXP, WFW, BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio, Clash Magazine, Earmilk and Under The Radar too. In recent times, Ciel have been preparing for their upcoming EP by working with Steven Ansell (of Blood Red Shoes fame) as their producer and mixer. The trio have also been supporting She Drew The Gun, Sasami and Penelope Isles across sold out live shows in London and Brighton (Where they are currently based) too. I also read that Ciel have been long-listed for this year’s Emerging Talent Competition at Glastonbury Festival as well, which should continue to shine a spotlight on the band as a valuable commodity within the music industry. On that note, let’s check out their fresh new single, ‘Fine Everything’, below.

Talking passionately about the melodic new offering of Shoegaze-inflicted Indie Rock, frontwoman Michelle Hindriks notes, “It’s about coming of age, and not really knowing how to navigate life. The doubts and difficulties that involve life-changing decisions, yet maybe not being ready growing up, when all your friends are. I was thinking of how so many people lost touch with their inner gut feeling and instincts, and how all the possibilities in life can feel so overwhelming sometimes. It’s almost kind of easier to stay oblivious to it instead of digging deep into your mind“, in her own words. The single oozes charisma with an insistent groove created by the fuzzy walls of anthemic guitar sound and driving drums from the get-go, while lyrics like “Ignorant to the shame, It evoked/Threatened by the drought, caught up in doubt” and “Don’t you know, I am longing for/To be told how to live my life” break down the decision making processes that we all face, punctuated by the Shoegaze guitars and the angsty, classic Punk attitude that gives the tempo a more brooding personality. They unleash a fun and chaotic guitar solo towards the end, while the chorus introduces a more accessible Pop sensibility into the mix due to its rhythmic pulse, while the verses feel more gritty and determined in texture. There’s some hook-filled melodies in here, but it retains a sharp Post-Punk feel overall because the Brighton-based band aren’t afraid to hit you with a distorted wall of sound, but they tie it in with a melodic style and some familiar Pop-driven songwriting. It doesn’t feel shrouded in borderline territory between Dream-Pop and Post-Rock, but it instead feels like it has a more direct punch to its sound that makes it feel memorable when it digs into your brain. It works nicely as a companion for the lyrics, which are all about tacking the uncertainty of thoughts that linger in your brain about your future as a young adult and how these unsettling noises in our minds invade our lifestyle, backed by an edgy Garage feel that resonates with the modern indie production clearly. While it is nothing too innovative and I’ve probably heard most of their ideas before, it is still a solid track that is very catchy and noisy, in the best way possible, that still leaves me thirsting for more content from Ciel soon. It is not re-inventing the wheel, but the wheel keeps spinning without fault.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Fine Everything’ (Single) (Released on March 24th, 2022) (via Self-Released)

That’s all for me today, but I hope that your day turns out to go just fine. I’ll be back for a new edition of ‘Way Back Wednesdays’ tomorrow where will be remembering the work of a Lancashire-born R&B and Pop singer who was a member of groups like Shotgun Express, The She Trinity, Sinbad and Gambler in the 1970’s, and she has been described as “undeservedly neglected” by Bruce Eder, a respected writer for AllMusic.

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New Album Release Fridays: Bloc Party – ‘If We Get Caught’

April 29, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Alpha Games’ (LP) (Available from April 29th, 2022) (via BMG/Infectious Records)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and its time for me to get writing up for yet another daily track on the blog, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! With new albums by Royksopp, Toro Y Moi, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Kelly Lee Owens, Honeyglaze, Dana Gavanski and more all arriving today, you really can take your pick for ‘Album Of The Week’ because there seems to be something for everybody among the release slate today. I have been coloured intrigued by Bloc Party, therefore, as the established PLUG Award-winning and 30 million album-selling London rock band are entering a crucial new chapter of their careers with ‘Alpha Games’ – their sixth studio album – which is out now, as of today, via BMG/Infectious Records. The main draw for the record is how it is their first to feature their new line-up, as Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong have been replaced by Louise Bartle and Justin Harris. The urban rock band have been actively promoting the record as a twist on the band’s old dynamic, giving the sense they are steering away from their tried-and-tested formula in favour of something new, as Kele Okereke said “We’re not the same band now. The chemistry is different” and “We have a history and a legacy, but I’m more excited about the energy we have right now“, in a recent interview with NME’s Mark Beaumont. It also brings producers like Dan Carey, of Speedy Wunderground fame, on board as well. It has been backed by interesting singles like ‘Traps’ and ‘The Girls Are Fighting’, which have sounded edgy in new ways despite feeling like Bloc Party. Check out the latest single – ‘If We Get Caught’ – below.

“There are only two songs that I feel like have any tenderness on the record, and ‘If We Get Caught’ is one of them“, Kele Okereke says about the LP’s penultimate track in a press release, adding, “It’s really about recognizing that the game is coming to an end and about trying to steal a moment of tenderness with your partner before the curtain comes crashing down. I think it’s about trying to find moments where you can really connect with someone amid all of the chaos that’s going on in the world“, in his evaluation. While the other singles have boasted a sharper set of fangs, being defined by their sleazy punk theatrics and their intense guitar riffs, ‘If We Get Caught’ feels more like an indie anthem by-the-numbers with a decidedly more downbeat, yet still melodic, pace. A subtle, vintage Art-Rock touch and the staccato vocals of the chorus, where the acidic and playful vibes of singles like ‘Traps’ and ‘Sex Magic’ are replaced by a sound that seems more emotionally driven. Okereke chimes in with lyrics like “Where you go/I will go” and “Stick to the story, better with an alibi/Create diversion, take control with sleight of hand” that, while retaining a relatively straightforward Dance-Rock feel, are supported neatly by a slight rap delivery that Okereke uses in the verses, before he is supported by some cooing backing vocals by Bartle and airy bass guitar riffs in the chorus. Lyrics like “If we get caught/I want you to know/I will always, ride for you” capture the quality of trying to eek out a final moment of intimacy before an inevitable final goodbye, wringing out the joy of a doomed relationship, nicely in the chorus. A light channeling of the indie rock ghosts of the 80’s and 90’s mostly characterizes the visuals and emotions here, with Okereke and the rest of the band creating a sense of unity and strength by giving the impression that there is little sense of anger whatsoever. I feel that Okereke has created a fresh outlet for himself in his solo material, with side project releases like ‘2042’ feeling more fascinating and inspired than some of his main Bloc Party music in some cases, and I can see some of that influence spreading out into new avenues here. While ultimately not quite as interesting or experimental, it feels different to the music that I’ve heard by Bloc Party or may expect to hear from them because it feels more intimate, and so I feel like the goal of mixing up their recycled tropes has been achieved here, even if the sound is a little more generic in some ways. An enjoyable single that would sound great on the UK’s mainstream radio, ‘If We Get Caught’ makes it clear that Bloc Party are not attempting to emulate their past efforts too slavishly, as this one strikes a more full-tilted and introspective chord with me – and this is an effective way to play the game.

Pictured: Kele Okereke (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar/Electric Piano/Samples/Synths), Russell Lisack (Lead Guitar/Samples/Programming), Gordon Moakes (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals/Keyboard/Synths/Glockenspiel) and Matt Tong (Drums/Percussion/Occasional Backing Vocals) (2014) (Image via whenthegramarphonerings.com)

If you’re already a fan of this NME Album Of The Year-winning band, the party doesn’t need to end here as you can check out each of my other Bloc Party-related posts here:

‘Traps’ (2022) – https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2022/01/08/todays-track-bloc-party-traps/

‘Helicopter’ (2021) – https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2021/11/07/scuzz-sundays-bloc-party-helicopter/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Silent Alarm’ (LP/Album) (Released on February 2, 2005) (via Wichita Recordings)

That’s all for now! Thank you for checking out my latest post on the blog, and we will be looking ahead to the new month tomorrow with my review for a recent single by an established Australian indie rock band who will be releasing a new album within May. Formed in Melbourne in 2013 by three vocalists-guitarists, they have gained attention by the AIR Awards, Australian Music Prize, Music Victoria Awards and others.

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Today’s Track: Automatic – ‘New Beginning’

April 28, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Izzy Glaudini (Vocals/Synths), Lola Dompé (Drums) and Halle Saxon (Bass Guitar) (2019) (Photo via PR)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time is now to fill up your electric car as we take a trip of futuristic Motorik proportions to outer space as we get invested in yet another daily track on the blog, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! I don’t think that a fortnight ever goes by where we don’t cover an artist signed by Stones Throw Records – known for artists like MNDSGN, Maylee Todd, Kiefer, Sudan Archives and John Carroll Kirby – but the truth is that the California-based soul specialist label has been churning out loads of great material lately, and I am about to add Automatic to the aforementioned list of their all-star acts. A Synth-Punk trio comprised of Izzy Glaudini (Vocals/Synths), Halle Saxon (Bass/Vocals) & Lola Dompe (Drums/Vocals), Automatic became a mainstay on the L.A. dance club circuit after forming in 2017. Their biggest influence is The Go-Go’s – an 80’s New Wave band who are the only all-female band to have written and played every instrument on a #1 album in the US as of 2017 – who have also provided the three-piece’s namesake. Glaudini and Saxon have played in other Los Angeles-based bands like Mega Bog and The Black Windmill, while Dompe is the daughter of Bauhaus’ Kevin Haskins who – as a teenager – played in Blackblack alongside her sister, Diva Dompe. Automatic will be releasing their second studio album ‘Excess’ on June 24th and they will be touring alongside Tame Impala, Parquet Courts and Osees throughout 2022. Check out the lead single ‘New Beginning’ below.

The music video for ‘New Beginning’ was pitched by director Ambar Navarro as an homage to the Swedish sci-f film ‘Aniara’ – and the band have continued to tease the album’s explorations of the edge of the 70’s club underground and the industrial side of the 80’s by writing that it aims to capture “That fleeting moment when what was once cool quickly turned and became mainstream, all for the sake of consumerism“, adding, “The record is about what happens to our psyches when we’re conditioned to certain values, the consequences of those values and a desire to resist them“, in a press statement. Starting off with more of a Dream Pop-like sound set to the tune of fairly deadpan vocals that recalls many retro female vocal groups like The Ronettes, as Glaudini contemplates the idea of leaving behind a dilapidated Earth in solace of false hope created by the ultra-wealthy who are eyeing manned space travel with piercing lyrics like “In the service of desire/We will travel far away” and “Heard the final echo/It’s almost time to go” as the beats behind her gain traction with a stomping bassline and thudding drums. Once these melodies up the ante a little bit, later lyrics like “Falling through the distance/The stars will light the way” and “Endless service of desire/Every night and every day” are recited more energetically, as Glaudini weighs up some pro’s and con’s of attempting to escape the planet when it gets scorched – with a fair quality of inevitability in her rather unphased voice – as unchecked consumerism continues to reach its logical outcome. While a bit bleak, the lyrics are given more flair by the instrumentation which is undoubtedly more optimistic and colourful. The early insistent Bass groove and her intentionally ‘flat’ vocals slowly morph into heavy Synth stabs and lockstep Motorik drums that give ‘New Beginning’ its distinctly Industrial character, topped off by handclaps in tandem with the percussive combo of an atmospheric Keyboard section and fuzzed-out Snare effects. ‘New Beginning’ ultimately adds a splash of colour and imagination to an otherwise bleak topic, plus it replicates the Disco vibe and the 80’s influences with a modern twist due to the more current social commentary of their lyricism. Overall, this is another eclectic, exciting song being supported by a label who are killing it right now.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Excess’ (LP/Album) (Available from June 24th, 2022) (via Stones Throw Records)

That’s all for now! Thank you for checking out my latest post on the blog, and I will be back tomorrow for ‘New Album Release Fridays’ as we preview the new album by an established urban Indie Rock band from London who were formed through an NME advert in the early 00’s. They won NME’s Album Of The Year award in 2007 for ‘Silent Alarm’ and, in addition, they have roughly sold over three million records worldwide.

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Scuzz Sundays: Alice In Chains – ‘Them Bones’

April 10, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Alice In Chains’ Layne Stayley before his passing (2002) (Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has arrived for me to pay a visit to one of the ghosts of Pop-Punk’s past for another weekly entry of ‘Scuzz Sundays’ on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Having sold over 30 million records worldwide, scored 18 top 10 entries on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the US and named as the 15th greatest live band by Hit Parader in their time, Alice In Chains were a visceral part of the 1990’s Grunge movement who have released six studio albums together between 1990 and 2018. An aura of sadness exists within the band, however, as original lead vocalist Layne Staley passed away in 2002 due to ongoing issues with substance abuse, with co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist William DuVall stepping up to fill the role later. ‘Them Bones’ was a fan favourite single that reached #30 on the Alternative Airplay chart in the US. It was taken as a single from 1992’s ‘Dirt’ – the band’s second studio album – which was featured on the soundtrack of Cameron Crowe’s 1992 film ‘Singles’ and, commercially, the record has been certified four-times Platinum by the RIAA and sold over five million units. The band also released their fourth studio album – ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ on the 17th anniversary of ‘Dirt’ on September 29, 2009 – which is a great little tribute. Check out ‘Them Bones’ below.

Sharpening it’s blade for tackling emotionally charged themes like depression, anti-social behavior, relationships, drug addiction, anger and conflict throughout it’s near-hour run time, 1992’s ‘Dirt’ has aged rather well and it has been included in the 2005 version of the ‘1001 Albums You Need To Hear Before You Die’ book. Upon release, it was nominated for the Grammy Award for ‘Best Hard Rock Performance’ and, in retrospect, Loudwire has named it as one of the best Metal albums of the 90’s. ‘Them Bones’ was classic Alice In Chains, starting off with some portentous guitar riffs and jaunty sing-a-long vocal hooks before breaking into a chorus which feels like a lighter relief to the distorted chords of the verses. ‘Them Bones’ was built on a central guitar riff that was written in 7/8, and a friction remains between the very grounded lyricism and the chromatic riffing against the sustained long notes, with the open fourth vocal harmonies being a staple of Staley’s vocal work throughout his time and influence in the band. Lyrics like “I believe them bones are me/Some say we’re born into the grave” have a sense of prescience and bleak tragedy to them, while later lyrics like “Dust rise right on over my time/Empty fossil of the new scene” are given a lightly uplifting sense of black humor, where the absurdity of realizing that you’re going to die one day, no matter what, rings true. Staley commands his presence on the track with a nasal tone which seems to shift tones as he keeps holding the voice for longer and longer, but ruminating on your death is never truly considered to feel like an outlandish prediction due to the gritty textures of the guitars. It is mostly about our morality as human beings and how the thought that your knowledge or experiences can simply end when you’re gone for good is important, as opposed to lingering solely on how we’re all going to pass away eventually. It may not be everybody’s cup of tea due to it’s bleak theme, although it is not necessarily executed as such by Staley and the band, and the track ends just a little too abruptly for my personal liking. However, it seems like it has aged pretty well because the lyrics still have a relevance and the Glam Metal influences still seem relatively fresh. Rest in peace – Layne Staley.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Dirt’ (LP/Album) (Released on September 29th, 1992) (via Columbia Records)

Thank you for checking out my latest post on the blog, as your support always means so much. I will be back tomorrow to review the latest single by a Statford-born singer-songwriter who used to be the keyboardist of Mercury Prize-winning New Rave band Klaxons and he is married to the actress Keira Knightley, of all people. He previously fronted Shock Machine and his new Soulwax-produced album will be released in July.

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New Album Release Fridays: Kae Tempest (feat. Kevin Abstract) – ‘More Pressure’

April 8, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘The Line Is A Curve’ (LP) (Available from April 8th, 2022) (via Fiction Records)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time to tune our ears to the more club-oriented gears of one of the modern day’s most progressive poets for ‘New Album Release Fridays’ with yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! An album about letting go and falling instead of anxiety into surrender, ‘The Line Is A Curve’ has been shaping up to be absolutely ace. This is the newest album from Kae Tempest, a poet from Westminster who has become a prominent name on BBC Radio 6 Music’s playlist throughout the 2010’s. Tempest came out as non-binary in 2020, shedding their former name of “Kate Tempest” and embracing the pronouns of they/them. Since becoming active in 2012, Tempest has been nominated for the Mercury Prize twice and they were nominated for ‘Best Female Solo Artist’ at the BRIT Awards in 2018. Outside of their music, Tempest is also a Sunday Times best-selling author and they won the ‘Breakthrough Author’ award at the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards in 2017. ‘The Line Is A Curve’ looks to repeat the success of these projects, and the BRIT School alumni mastered the record at Abbey Road Studios. It was produced by Dan Carey, which will become fairly obvious to you in a moment, executive produced by Rick Rubin and mixed by Christian Wright. The LP features guest contributions from artists like Lianne La Havas, Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten, Confucius MC and more. The cover photograph was shot by Wolfgang Tillmans, who worked on Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’. Speaking about the collaborative process of the album in an interview for NME, Tempest says, “For me, this album is about increasing resilience and raising your threshold for tolerance and acceptance and it’s a very beautiful album, because so many people involved in making it are people that I’ve known and loved for a very long time”, and it is out today via Fiction Records. ‘More Pressure’ isn’t the latest pre-release single from the new record, but I chose to write about it because I feel it is a track that really showcases how Tempest can stretch that voice beyond traditional Spoken Word genre boundaries. It features a verse by Kevin Abstract – who you might also know from their music in Brockhampton. Give it a spin.

“Throughout the duration of my creative life, I have been hungry for the spotlight and desperately uncomfortable in it. For the last couple of records, I wanted to disappear completely from the album covers, the videos, the front-facing aspects of this industry”, Tempest tells Brooklyn Vegan, later elaborating, “But this time around, I understand it differently. I want people to feel welcomed into this record, by me, the person who made it, and I have to let go of some of my airier concerns. I feel more grounded in what I’m trying to do, who I am as an artist and as a person and what I have to offer”, about their decision to include an image of themselves on the LP’s cover artwork for the first time. This sense of progression and comfort is replicated by ‘More Pressure’, which is anchored by abstract lyrics like “More pressure, more release, your eyes, your cheeks, your features crease” that communicate ideas of taking the weight of the world away from your shoulders and believing in your own body for reassurance. Lyrics like “One step forwards, two steps backwards/One soul’s epiphany, another soul’s madness” hits you with a more virtuosic nature, as Tempest talks about reach and distance through reflection, resulting in a sense of unsullied intimacy that is delivered in Tempest’s emotive space between music and speech. Abstract, as the featured credit, adds more intimacy to the final verse and trends towards a Hip-Hop direction, as the Synth beats become more liberating behind here. Speaking of the instrumentation, it feels interesting in not being a far cry from Sinead O’Brien’s ‘Kid Stuff’, a cracking tune by the Irish Post-Punk poet, in the similar sense of how the Dance-Rock influences come together through the insulating Synth rhythms. Instead of reaching out as most club-driven music does, however, Tempest looks inward to gain cues for the lyrics and reflect on the weight and stress in a relatively personal way. It certainly feels like some of Kae’s most accessible work, but the almost Disco-tempo melodies and the spacious bass lines still make their vocals stand out amongst the typically mainstream variety of modern music. Ultimately, ‘More Pressure’ is a strong showing that pin-points how Tempest can stretch their voice in fascinating ways to meet their own needs with the more rhythmic structure of the track and the idiosyncratic Dance influences that are still of Tempest’s heavy and reflective mood in prior releases, but the flow is simply much groovier and so it really stands out whenever you hear it on the radio. It is a really euphoric release of tension.

Pictured: Kae Tempest performing ‘People’s Faces’ at Paste Studios, New York (2019) (Photo via Paste Magazine)

That brings us to the end of another daily post! Thank you for giving a moment out of your day to support the blog, and I will be back tomorrow to review some more new music from a recent favourite on the site. This Brighton-formed indie rock band were listed among the Top 40 New Artists of 2018 by The Guardian and their previous studio album – ‘Every Bad’ – was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2020. It also appeared on year-end best lists by Under The Radar, Stereogum, Paste and Pitchfork.

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Today’s Track: Fontaines DC – ‘Jackie Down The Line’

April 2, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Grian Chatten (Lead Vocals/Tambourine), Carlos O’Connell (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals), Conor Curley (Rhythm Guitar/Piano/Backing Vocals), Conor Deegan (Bass Guitar/Acoustic Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Tom Coll (Drums/Percussion/Occasional Guitar/Occasional Backing Vocals) (2019) (Photo Credit: TheIndependent.co.uk)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has come for us to sit comfortably and find our reading glasses as we prepare to get invested in yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Since bonding over their shared passions for literature and poetry while attending college together at BIMM in The Liberties, Dublin – Fontaines D.C. have become renowned for their extensive live touring and the consistently upwards trajectory of their career, as their critical acclaim and public popularity veer closer towards the mainstream consciousness with every successful album release. They signed up to Partisan Records in 2019, before their debut album – ‘Dogrel’ – was released in 2019 to widespread acclaim since it was voted ‘Album Of The Year’ by BBC Radio 6 Music, as well as listed as ‘Album Of The Year’ on Rough Trade’s website. It was also nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Choice Music Prize. They quickly followed up these credits – to similar results – with 2021’s ‘A Hero’s Death’, a bleak but therapeutic record that was nominated for ‘Best Rock Album’ at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Known for writing and recording material in the midst of their touring duties, as well as their frequent collaborations with high in demand producer Dan Carey, they are set to release yet another album – ‘Skinty Fia’ – on April 22nd. The band have promised for their new LP to feel “much more expansive and cinematic” than the previous two aforementioned efforts in their press materials, and the group recently performed the lead single ‘Jackie Down The Line’ on ‘The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon’, bringing their confessional brand of taut Post-Punk and self-loathing spoken word lyricism to the US. The track’s title derives from ‘Jackeen’, a derogatory term used against the folk of their hometown of Dublin although they are currently based in London. Check out the Hugh Mulhern-directed music video below.

‘Skinty Fia’ is an Irish phrase that roughly translates to “The damnation of the deer” in English, and it is used to express annoyance or disappointment, and it resonates with vocalist Grian Chatten as a response to the “mutation” of Irish culture abroad. Speaking about the highly-anticipated new album and it’s main themes, Chatten has stated, “A large part of what Skinty Fia is about is the way Irishness becomes exaggerated and embellished when we’re abroad and how whether it’s parts in London, Boston or Vancouver, we still cling together for various reasons including the discomfort of being ‘othered’, which I’ve been feeling. It’s fertile soil for creativity”, in an interview with Hot Press. ‘Jackie Down The Line’ is an exploration of these ideas, with Chatten casually reciting lyrics like “My friend Sally says she knows ya, Got a funny point of view, Says you got away with murder, Maybe one time, maybe one time” that talk about cheating in a relationship, and the later refrain of “What good is happiness to me?, If I’ve to wield it carefully/For care I’ll always come up short, It’s only right” makes it more evidently clear that qualities of paranoia, alcohol abuse and drug abuse have led to the demise of the relationship. His vocals feel dark and brooding, but there’s an 80’s softness to the guitar rhythms that gives it a mature and very accessible approach, and the sing-along hook of “I don’t think we’d rhyme, I will wear you down in time, I will hurt you, I will desert you/I am Jackie down the line” addresses how his Irish culture just doesn’t gel with the former partner while the rhythmic structure creates something deceptively melodic about the otherwise dark, edgy Post-Punk anthem. The songwriting feels rather clever in this sense, yet the instrumentation feels quite simple. The chorus has a spoken-sung pace that glides across the subtle Grunge influence of the bassline, while the lead guitar and the drums add sparse, but gloomy, ripples of textures that add further intensity and drama to the proceedings. There’s nothing massively complicated about this, but it feels on-brand for the band and it sharpens the edge of the knife lyrically, so to speak. If you have ever heard anything from Fontaines DC before, even casually, I think ‘Jackie Down The Line’ will feel familiar because it feels like a continuation of their journey thus far rather than a re-invention of the wheel, and it offers the same unapologetic and thought-provoking fare that previous records have earned their strong reviews for, and I feel that ‘Jackie Down The Line’ has managed to catch my attention because it feels more exciting for them because it sounds more catchy while retaining the harsher, dissonant elements of their pre-existing sound in the process, although I’ve never been a huge fan of this style before. Jackie has her authority here.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Skinty Fia’ (LP/Album) (Available from April 22nd, 2022) (via Partisan Records)

That brings us to the very end of yet another daily track post on the blog. I hope that you enjoyed reading it, and I will be back tomorrow for another weekly iteration of ‘Scuzz Sundays’ that is delivered on a somber and reflective note, as we take the chance to pay tribute to the recently deceased Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

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New Album Release Fridays: Warmduscher – ‘Twitchin’ In The Kitchen’

April 1, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘At The Hotspot’ (Digital LP) (Released on April 1st, 2022) (via Bella Union Records)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and you are tuned into a fairly off-kilter edition of ‘New Album Release Fridays’ as we prepare for yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of new music every day! Although you may mistake them for a quirky German pop band at first glance, Warmduscher are actually a London-based Post-Punk band currently signed to Bella Union who are famed for their inside jokes and eccentric live performances, and they have been supported by BBC Radio 6 Music very regularly over the years since their formation in 2014. Warmduscher have collaborated with the likes of Iggy Pop and Kool Keith, and their previous studio album – 2019’s ‘Tainted Lunch’ – received a stunning 9/10 score from The Line Of Best Fit’s review as well as a place on BBC Radio 6 Music’s Albums Of The Year list at #6 in 2019. They have also released a remix EP – 2020’s ‘European Cowboy’ – to coincide with Record Store Day in 2020 featuring contributions from Soulwax, Savage Gary and Decius, and it was strictly limited to just 1000 vinyl copies. Thankfully, their new album is more widely available and it takes the form of their fourth full-length LP, ‘At The Hotspot’, which arrives digitally today before being released on Vinyl on July 1st. Warmduscher have gained so much praise for their originality and humor that they were previously given a shout-out on the blog when I wrote about ‘Disco Peanuts’ in late 2019. The new LP incorporates more influences of Funk and Disco than before, and it was originally going to be produced by Speedy Wunderground’s Dan Carey, who has also produced countless records for artists like La Roux, Sinead O’Brien, Squid and Black Country, New Road in recent years. However, he fell ill with Covid-19 and the Clash-praised group turned to Hot Chip’s Alex Doyle and Joe Goddard instead. It includes the new single ‘Twitchin’ In The Kitchen’ that comes accompanied by a Brixton-shot and Niall Trask-directed music video, whose previous credits include well-received videos for Fat White Family and Working Men’s Club. Let’s give this pre-release cut a spin below.

Warmduscher played a gig at Cambridge’s The Junction venue on March 26th, which was moved to a larger room due to high demand. They will also be hitting the road for dates in Brighton, Bristol, London, Manchester and Sheffield later in the year, some of which have been sold out already, and a few later dates in European locations like Amsterdam are coming up shortly too. Their frontman, known as Clams Jr, notes, “We’re just really psyched to play this whole thing live now, and it’s a whole revamp – new label, new producers, new logo – new everything”, rather matter-of-factly, in Bella Union’s press release about their new record. ‘Twitchin In The Kitchen’ gives you a good idea of what to expect, establishing a raucous mixture of aggressive Funk and harsh, dissonant Synth melodies that builds up to a screamer of a chorus. The instrumentation sounds unapologetically Post-Punk, while the lyrics complement the spacey, disco vibe of the verses because they sound pretty daft and they find the band putting on a show with their wit and sense of distinctively quirky character, as Clams recites lines like “I can’t take it, here I’m sweating/I’m clucking like a chicken” and “Grab a bowl, scrape it clean/Two-four out the door, sniff it off the kitchen floor” that are pretty silly, but they are sung with a low-pitched croon typical of Clams’ cowboy character. The vocals feel energized and heightened for certain, while the looping arrangement feels industrial and psychedelic through it’s combination of Post-Punk and Progressive Funk beats, before building to a child-like sing-along that makes the final refrains sound like a schoolyard chant-a-long of the chorus. A perfect pick-me-up for kitchen disco lovers all around the UK, Warmduscher have created an infectious Alternative Funk anthem for those who love to do a bit of ‘Twitching In The Kitchen’ with no apologies given in their typical quirky fashion. It may drive you Disco Peanuts.

Pictured: Clams Baker Jr, Jack Everett, Quicksand, Mr. Salt Fingers Lovecraft and Little Whiskers (2019) (via PR)

If you’d like to hear more of what’s in store, you can also check out my previous Warmduscher post that was published in the build-up to ‘Tainted Lunch’ back in 2019.

‘Disco Peanuts’ (2019) – https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/11/30/todays-track-warmduscher-disco-peanuts/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Tainted Lunch’ (LP) (Released on November 1st, 2019) (via The Leaf Label)

That’s all for now! Thank you for ‘Twitching In The Kitchen’ to this tune with me today, and I’ll be back to guide you through another track on the blog tomorrow, where we’ve got new music coming from an Irish Post-Punk band who, although being mentioned a few times due to their frequent collaborations with Dan Carey as their producer, haven’t been covered for a fully-fledged article on the blog until now. Their second album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards, and their debut LP, ‘Dogrel’, was named the ‘Album Of The Year’ by BBC Radio 6 Music.

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Today’s Track: DEHD – ‘Bad Love’

March 29, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Blue Skies’ (LP) (Available from May 27th, 2022) (via Fat Possum Records)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has come for us to invest in another daily track of the blog as we want to experience as many of those as we can before we drop DEHD, and it’s my duty given how it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! DEHD are a Garage Rock trio comprised of vocalist/bassist Emily Kempf, guitarist/vocalist Jason Balla and drummer Eric McGrady who have taken their sound to labels like Maximum Pelt, Infinity Cat Recordings and Fire Talk Records. They have toured across the UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany in support of Twin Peaks, and their latest album was even granted the ‘Best New Music’ designation by Pitchfork. Citing the likes of Broadcast, Roy Orbinson and James Brown as some of their biggest influences, DEHD will be going on a North American Tour throughout the Spring that will find them stopping off at locations such as Boston, Denver, Austin, Toronto and more – with a concluding set at Governors Ball in New York in June. The follow-up LP to their critically acclaimed sophomore album – 2020’s ‘Flower Of Devotion’ – will also hit store shelves in the form of ‘Blue Skies’ on May 27th via Fat Possum Records. The group’s new album was recorded in the same studio as their last long-player effort, and the 13-track project allowed them to work with mastering engineer Heba Kadry and mixing engineer Craig Silvey for the first time. The lead single is ‘Bad Love’, which has been growing on me with recent airplay from BBC Radio 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq and KEXP’s Song Of The Day podcast as it recalls the Riot Grrrl movement with Mad Max visuals. The video was directed by Kevin Veleska and you can check it out below.

“Bad Love is about recovering from love addiction and making a decision to stop choosing and aligning with people who aren’t your energetic match”, Emily Kempf says about The Jesus & Mary Chain-inspired new single, adding, “I wrote it for myself and for everyone who needed to hear a song about choosing new forms of love. It’s about chasing a relationship with one-self rather than an unhealthy one, one that just doesn’t quite fit, or a co-dependent one”, in a press release. Starting off with a steady drum beat and a twangy lead guitar hook that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Blues or Alternative Folk record, Kempf revs up gradually to more violent pacing with “I was a bad love/Now I can get some/I got a heart full of redemption” before the more propulsive guitar riffs and the faster Drum beats take centre stage of the 00’s blog-rock aesthetic. The twangy energy remains, but lyrics like “Run baby run/Run from the bad love/New love baby, come on honey, give me some” and “Forgive me/Give it to me/Tell me what to do, tell me what to do to keep it” are given a more low-pitched howling that feels more nostalgic of its’ key influences and a propulsive setting, with a voice that howls and wails to the mid-tempo Post-Punk guitar instrumentation. The track gets more catchy and more punchy with subsequent listens, as the simplicity is also the beauty on this one. The track mainly recalls the punk-and-politics chops of the Riot grrrl times of the 90’s, while elements of Industrial music and Baroque Punk are also noticeable due to the variety of metallic, riotous and psychedelic textures throughout. Additional comparisons can also be made to Surf-Rock – as it takes a page out of The Beach Boys’ playbook in it’s mid-tempo pacing – as well as Blues, Desert Rock and Pop-Punk too. Ultimately, ‘Bad Love’ is a moving and effective new single that feels both nostalgic and diverse and it shows that DEHD are a charming trio who have legs, and their sound feels defined. There is no toxicity in this romance.

Pictured: Emily Kempf (Vocals), Jason Balla (Lead Guitar) & Eric McGrady (Drums) (2020) (Photo by Alexa Viscuis)

That brings me to the end of another refreshing post on the blog, and thank you very much for continuing to support the site each day. We’re coming up to ‘Way Back Wednesdays’ tomorrow, and we’ll be looking at an IDM record from the mid-90’s that, I feel, gets rather underrated. It comes from the British electronic music duo of Garry Cobain and Brian Douglas who have explored genres like Trip Hop, Psychedelia, Dub, Acid Techno, Dark Ambient, Industrial and House music. They are known for records like 1994’s ‘Lifeforms’ that have reached the UK Top 10 Albums Chart. They have also released music under aliases such as Polemical, Aircut and Amorphous Androgynous.

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