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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Santa’s Scuzz Sundays: Relient K – “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”

December 5, 2021 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Art for “Let It Snow Baby… Let It Reindeer” (Released in 2007) (via Gotee Records)

Happy Holidays to you and a Ho-Ho-Hello – this is Santa Claus, the big white-bearded red coat-wearing man who you once met at a place like Huntingdon Garden & Leisure Centre, and I’m taking over Jacob’s ‘Scuzz Sundays’ feature on One Track At A Time, who I am not connected to in any way at all whatsoever, because he deserves a little break from writing up about a different piece of music every day! Believe me, I would know as somebody who makes toys in the workshop with a team of bumbling elves in the Arctic all year round. However, while I’m performing my small chores like writing Christmas cards on my typewriter in the office or checking to see who has been naughty or nice – I love to get down to some Pop-Punk from the late-90’s and mid-00’s. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine, but the trashier – the better. One of my modern favourites is the fast, frenetic soft metal cover version of the ancient carol ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman’ by the Christian Contemporary punk band Relient K, who you may know from winning two Dove Awards and releasing two gold-certified albums in their careers. Jacob also tells me that Matt Thiessen, the lead vocalist, has also produced material for Owl City and Switchfoot. ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ is taken from the band’s second christmas album, the pun-tastic ‘Let It Snow Baby… Let It Reindeer’ that includes a mix of cover versions and original tracks. It has been hailed by Jesus Freak Hideout as “one of the better modern christmas projects you can find today”, and it earned good reviews from IGN and Pop Sugar. Let’s rock out to Relient K below.

Released in 2007, ‘Let It Snow Baby… Let It Reindeer’ sold over 4,500 copies in its first week of release, and although most of the band’s licensed cover versions of numbers like ‘Silver Bells’, ‘Sleigh Ride’ and ‘O Holy Night’ were eventually pulled from iTunes, they have later appeared on Gotee’s Christmas compilation album CD ‘Tis The Season To Be Goatee’ that has been available in shops since 2010. Short and sweet as a Christmas cookie at just about two minutes long in duration, Relient K’s version of ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ approaches Christmas from just about every angle of Christmas as a proof of a well-rounded concept, with familiar lyrics that touch upon the birth of Christ and the capturing the spirit of the season as Thiessen promises us with “O tidings of comfort and joy” and “To free all those who trust in him/From Satan’s power and might” over the top of some lightly distorted guitar riffs that keeps the tempo of the tune rolling at a quick pace. It feels surprisingly heavier than you may expect from Relient K, in terms of the tone and the textures, and it contains some unique guitar melodies that give the track an excitable feel as the beats shift back and forth between the speakers of my grotto at certain times. My little helpers also love this one because they say it manages to be a fun and diverse festive venture. Overall, I think there’s a lot to like here, and this is a fresh and original spin on the classic carol.

Pictured: Matt Thiessen (Vocals/Piano) & Matt Hoopes (Lead Guitar/Percussion) (2016) (via Chorus.fm)

That brings us to the last paragraph of the post! Jacob will be back tomorrow, and thank you for checking out his blog every day. I would, if I had more time to. Alas, I have got presents to pack for the children of Alaska. He’ll be here tomorrow to share some music with you from a New-York based soulful rock trio who share the sane name as a Mexico-set animation film that Disney Pixar released in 2017 featuring members of Dirty Projectors, Pavo Pavo, Chimney and Dustrider amongst their lineup.

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Scuzz Sundays: Three Days Grace – “Riot”

May 23, 2021 — Leave a comment

You may want to read this before Neil Sanderson gets violent again. It’s Scuzz Sunday!

Pictured: Adam Gontier (Lead Vocals), Barry Stock (Lead Guitar/Rhythm Guitar), Brad Walst (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Neil Sanderson (Drums/Keyboards) (2013) (Photo by Michael Muller)

Happy Scuzz Sunday to you! It’s Jacob Braybrooke here, and, as always, it’s time for me to deliver your weekly Scuzz Sundays throwback, where we revisit the Pop-Punk and the Mascara-coloured Rock ‘N’ Roll of the late 90’s-mid-00’s, to see if they hold up to quality today. I now realise that I probably should have planned something to do with Eurovision for yesterday’s post. However, since I’m writing from the UK, perhaps nobody would have read it. WAYYYYY! I mean, James Newman. Poor bloke. I feel very sorry for him today. ‘Embers’ probably wasn’t the best song, but it certainly was not that bad either. Newman seemed to be having a whale of a time, bless him, and, on TV, it didn’t look like it negatively affected him too much. That was very unkind for him, and so I have a lot of respect for him in dealing with the situation in the chilled way he did. For me, I liked the Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian and Icelandic entries the most. I enjoyed Belgium’s entry too because it reminded me of Hole and Garbage.

As you’re quite rightly thinking, that’s not what we’re here for. We’re here to take a look back at ‘Riot’, the fourth single taken from ‘One-X’, the second studio album from the Neil Sanderson-led Canadian Hard Rock band Three Days Grace. I have probably heard this one (Well, the clean edited version) about a hundred times now because it was heavily featured on the ‘WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007’ video game that I spent the large part of a year of my childhood with. Three Days Grace survived the guitar band explosion of the 00’s and their most recent release was 2018’s ‘Outsider’. When ‘Riot’ was released, the vocalist of the band was Adam Gontier, who helped to sell the band’s way to fifteen #1 songs on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the US. ‘One-X’ was a huge success for them, being certified Platinum three times in both the US and in Canada. It’s time for a blast from the past. Let’s start a ‘Riot’ below.

‘Riot’ was actually one of the few singles that Three Days Grace have ever released to contain profanities, and I can still remember how the F-bombs had been noticeably cut out of the version that played in the menu screens of my old, long lost wrestling video game for the Xbox 360 – two console generations ago. It was still a financial and critical success, however, and it landed a place at #21 on the Modern Rock charts, as a single, in the US. Beginning with it’s very familiar chugging bass guitar riff, Gontier sings: “If you feel so empty/So used up/So let down” and “If you feel so angry, So ripped off, so stepped on” as he seems to directly address the listener, as if he’s conducting a million-person marching protest on a terrorized street. The lyrics on ‘Riot’, as well as ‘One-X’ on the whole, were written about Adam Gontier’s frustrating experiences and his initial anger when he was taken to rehabiliation for an addiction to OxyContin, and so the vocals of ‘Riot’ feel similarly angry and tired, with lyrics that feel bitter and unpleasant overall. For the track’s chorus, Gontier lets loose on all the negative little things in life as he belts out his rage to a chant along-suited chorus of “Let’s start a Riot” after he comforts us a little with the refrain of “You’re not the only one, refusing to back down” as the guitar work gets a little more melodic, as our composure begins to shake, ready for the release of tension for the hooks in the chorus… and that’s basically it. The lyrics aren’t complicated at all, and the sum of it’s parts feel very easy and simple to understand. There’s nothing hugely creative about the concept, it’s just a fun bit of Rock ‘N’ Roll for your enjoyment when you feel in the right mood for it. You may fault the track’s lyrics as encouraging physical violence a little bit, but the mood of the instrumentation and the sharp delivery of the vocals cut the mustard of it. It thrives on simple teenage angst a little over-reliably, but it’s certainly one of the heaviest tracks that I can remember hearing from Three Days Grace, and I think the tone fits the subject matter like a glove. There’s a bit of a nice twist on the ‘feeling good’ and self-care of rehab-related song tropes in here, and the melodies have some well-paced energy to them overall, despite never getting overly aggressive to the point of Death Metal, which works for the better in this case, I think. Such a vivid foray into a hyper-heavy style wouldn’t make much sense. Overall, I think this mid-00’s tune holds up nicely. It’s not a masterpiece, admittedly, but I certainly enjoyed hearing it again. There’s something catchy to it, and I feel that it’s a lot of fun.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “One-X” (Album/LP) (Released on June 13, 2006) (via Jive Records)

That’s it for today! Thank you so much for the support. What were your favourite entries in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, or, how did the GM Mode go for you back then on ‘WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007’? Simply let me know in the comments section below. Tomorrow, we are going to be watching the new music video for a recent-ish single from a California-born Soul singer-songwriter who has been A-listed before on BBC Radio 6 Music. One of nine children in a big musical family – She cites herself as a student of Nina Simone, Mary J. Blige, Anita Baker, Dionna Warwick and more. 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: Disturbed – “Land Of Confusion”

May 16, 2021 — Leave a comment

Can you feel that? Get ready. Say it with me now. OHWAHAHAHOH! It’s Scuzz Sunday!

Pictured: CD/Vinyl Bundle set for “The Sickness” (2X LP) (2000) (Photo by MetalKingdom.Net(

Good Afternoon to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for the return of our weekly throwback to the Pop-Punk of yore, that being from the late-90’s to the mid-00’s, to see what quality or value has been left behind, as we pop out of a brief hiatus. What better way to pick up where we left off than with a little Disturbed? Since getting ‘Down With The Sickness’ from 1994, the Chicago Heavy Metal veterans have released two live albums and sold their way to over 17 million copies of their albums worldwide, comfortably placing them among Slipknot or Metallica in Metal crossover success stories. In the UK, Disturbed are perhaps best known for conceiving their own unlikely Top 20 hit in the form of a 2015 cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘The Sound Of Silence’ that was originally written between 1963 and 1964. Another notable cover from Disturbed was their 2006 rendition of ‘Land Of Confusion’, which was originally performed by Genesis for their album, ‘Invisible Touch’, in 1986. Disturbed’s version was a single taken from their 2005 album, ‘Ten Thousand Fists’, which became their second #1 debut atop the Billboard 200 in the US. Let’s revisit the music video below.

‘Ten Thousand Fists’ marked a catalyst for change on Disturbed’s part. It was their first album not to feature the former bassist, John Moyer, who was replaced by Steve Kmak, among their lineup. It was also their first album to feature their ‘The Guy’ mascot on it’s cover artwork, who popped up appearances in their music videos and accompanying art work in the years since, and, along with that, it was their first album release not to include a ‘Parental Advisory’ sticker on the front sleeve. Remember those? A metal cover of Genesis’s famous 80’s Rock tune that saw them parody Spitting Image in the music video, Disturbed’s version of ‘Land Of Confusion’ trades in the electronic enhancements for the loud Punk direction. The echo of Peter Gabriel’s vocals can still be somewhat heard, however, in the upbeat mood that Disturbed vocalist David Draiman uses. It’s not inherently too different to the Genesis version, but it just uses heavier chords and a more angry emotional tone. Draiman puts the memorable original’s hooks of “This is the world we live in/And these are the hands we’re given” and “Oh, Superman, where are you now?/When everything’s gone wrong somehow” into a more ferocious pitch. It wouldn’t be a Disturbed anthem without the croaking vocal delivery of choking sounds during the post-bridge section, and the guitar work feels more visceral than Genesis’s version. The chord progression feels less telegraphed, with sudden changes in tempo and Draiman sounds like a sort-of comic book Super-Villian instructing us all to make the world a better place as he matches the upbeat Drum beats. The guitar solo in the middle has a nice Classical Rock feel to it, reminding me of short-lived acts of the era like Angel Witch in the process. Although this one is a bit on the ‘corny’ side overall, it still feels much like the tune we all originally know that was composed by Genesis back in their heyday. Disturbed do a solid job of remaining faithful to the original version, and it makes for a fun time overall because the melodic remnants of the original version remain intact. A fun take that does it’s job and its short & sweet enough to not overstay it’s welcome.

Pictured: Cover Art for “Immortalized” (LP) (Released on August 21st, 2015) (via Warner Bros. Records)

That’s all I have time to offer you today – but I’ve still got plenty of new music to get chatting about this week. It all starts off as we enter a new week tomorrow, as we follow-up on our recent Charlotte Adigery post with another one of the exclusive tracks to the DEEWEE label’s new ‘Foundations’ compilation album release. It comes from an equally gifted English singer-songwriter who was once the Keyboardist of the mid-00’s wonders Klaxons, and is married to, of all people, Keira Knightley! 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: Deap Vally (feat. Peaches & KT Tunstall) – “High Horse”

March 20, 2021 — Leave a comment

You might want to hold your horses for a second whilst you read this. New post time!

Pictured: Cover Art for “Digital Dream” (EP) (Released on Feb 26th, 2021) (via Cooking Vinyl Records)

Good Morning to you – I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to get typing up for your 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! Your weekend post sees the mainstream-friendly names of KT Tunstall and Peaches linking up with the Los Angeles-based alt-rock duo of Deap Vally for ‘High Horse’, a new single taken from the ‘Digital Dream’ EP which was released last month – on Feb 26th – to be exact. You know, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard any new music from KT Tunstall, and she makes up for some of the talented cast of extra collaborators on the four-track collection, which has gained positive – if not overwhelmingly strong – reviews from critics. You’ll also find tracks with The Kils’ Jamie Hince and Warpaint’s Jennylee on the record, which comes courtesy of the Cooking Vinyl label, for some rhythmic Rock ‘N’ Roll action. The pair have noted: “The Digital Dream EP was an amazing opportunity for us to remove all the style barriers from our music and collaborate with some of our favorite people and artists. The songs on this EP were composed in a purely democratic way, allowing all artists in the room to contribute, shape, and participate in their creation”, as per a press note for this EP. Let’s sample ‘High Horse’, with KT Tunstall and Peaches, below.

‘High Horse’ marks the soft spot for a track where, as a press release says of the team-up, “Deap Vally met KT Tunstall when they both performed on Later… with Jools Holland in 2013. They’d stayed in touch via social media over the years and KT was jazzed when they asked her to get in the studio together.”, before the collaborative chops with Peaches were created when “The only thing missing was a rap by Peaches. Lindsey’s friendship with Peaches began as a mutual fan-encounter at a restaurant in Silverlake: Lindsey approached Peaches to profess her admiration and it turned out Peaches was a Deap Vally fan, too. Deap Vally went on to open for Peaches in 2015.” in the last few years. Those backstories have all led to this moment, where ‘High Horse’ finds Peaches take the mix over a hip-hop strut, and Tunstall translating some of her commercial Folk roots to a darker, more abrasive format. It becomes a link up where the classic Rhythm & Blues inspirations are clear. Lyrics like “Cause I’m high on my horse, and I’m not coming down soon” and “All the claws and the heat of a cat, I choose to use it and abuse it” are dripping in a fiery temper, with a wealth of F-bombs and additional swears adding to the attitude. The chorus is aggressive and visceral, with Peaches chanting “I’m never gonna give, no I’m never ever gonna give it up” above the harsh guitar patterns and the unapologetically bouncy drum beats, which gives the track a rough, but mildly catchy, edge. It probably reminds me most of The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, because it feels very raw and punchy. There’s a slight dance-ability to the sultry vocals of Tunstall however, and the verses almost evoke a light hip-hop delivery in it’s melodic uplift, and it’s ingrained melodicism. The only drawback is the Spoken Word section towards the end, where a few questionable rhymes like “Make it Kava, Devil wears Prada/Boys on Truvada, you step on my Cauda” which feel a little silly, derailing the momentum a little bit in the process. However, I quite enjoy the smartly unpolished feel of the track as a package, and it’s a collaboration which plays well to the strengths of the performers involved. A blip in an otherwise strong system.

Pictured: Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards at Amoeba in Hollywood (2014) (Photo via WikiCommons)

Well, that is all I’ve got time for today – and so I’ll hand the mantle over to a new entry in our long-running Scuzz Sundays feature tomorrow, which is the time of the week where we revisit a classic from the Emo era of the late 90’s, up to the mid-00’s, to see how the oldies hold up. To coincide with the announcement of a new album from The Offspring – their first in nearly a decade – we’ll be taking a look back at their 2000 hit, ‘Want You Bad’. 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: The Pretty Reckless (feat. Tom Morello) – “And So It Went”

March 6, 2021 — Leave a comment

…But we should never forget that God gave Rock and Roll to you! It’s new post time!

Pictured: Cover Art for “Death By Rock and Roll” (Released on Feb 12th, 2021) (via Fearless Records)

Good Morning to you, my name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s finally time yet again for me to spruce up your mid-weekend with a new daily blog post, since it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! It makes me feel quite old to think that Taylor Momsen’s Pop-Punk outfit, The Pretty Reckless, has been going for the better part of just over an entire decade now. Since the masses nodded their head to the tune of “Make Me Wanna Die” from the popular 2010 comic book action-comedy film, “Kick-Ass”, which had starred the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnston, Chloe Grace Moretz, Nicolas Cage and Christopher Mintz-Plasse – among a few other famous faces – Momsen’s band have managed to achieve streaming figures of over 10 millon now, and so naturally, I’d expect their latest material to head in a more commercial direction. “Death By Rock and Roll” is the title of their fourth studio album and this is also their first LP to be released through their new label, Fearless Records, when it saw the light of day last month. The new album features guest appearances from Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron, as well as the very prolific Violinist Lindsey Stirling, but I’d argue the most notable of which comes from the mega-famous Rage Against The Machine guitarist, Tom Morello, who delivers a charging guitar solo on the last single, “And So It Went”. Let’s check it out right below.

Centred around the key themes of political protests and censorship rights, Momsen describes the songwriting process and the backing band-oriented production of the latest record as a new body of work designed “To celebrate the power of speaking out in order to promote a more just world” in her press notes for this release, and more guests, such as Within Temptation’s Sharon Den Adel, have jumped on-board to establish more of a collaborative enterprise for the track listing to pull from, in order to convey this sense of making difference through togetherness, and challenging social norms with a combined display of unity. Of course, “And So It Went” is a melodically driven Pop-Rock track at most, with Momsen delivering lines like “And so it went, the children lost their minds” and “Begging for forgiveness was such a waste of time” above the typically rousing and quickly building pace of the guitar-oriented instrumentation that builds from the back of an atmospheric, dark synth riff in the opening. The bridge is sharp and sounds bitter, with Momsen crooning: “They said the world does not belong to you, You are not the king, I am not the fool” as the bass guitars chug along and the lyrics build to a stadium sing-along anthem with heavy chords and loud vocals. The track reaches a slow breakdown towards the end of the track, with lines like “With all these eyes upon us, but no one seems to see/That you and me are just the same as God meant it to be” permeating over a lighter keyboard melody. It’s just a temporary interlude, however, as we reach the ever-impressive guitar solo from Tom Morello, before Momsen brings things to a close with the chant-led chorus. It’s a track that goes for a very anthemic feel, and for the most part, I feel that it succeeds. There are enough callbacks to their sound in the past to show a progression of their artistry, and I think both the vocals and the instrumentals work quite well to suit their purpose of giving the track it’s urgency. I have a few nitpicks with it, such as the structure feeling very conventional towards the modern Pop song format and the track remains in the safe establishment of the Pop-Punk wheelhouse for the most part, but there is a nice message behind the track and it gives the fans what they probably came for, if not much else. It does sound rather commercial, but it is still decently inspired. It’s nothing that special, but overall, I think it’s perfectly fine.

Pictured: Taylor Momsen (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Ben Phillips (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals), Mark Damon (Bass Guitar) and Jamie Perkins (Drums/Percussion) (2016) (Photo by Andrew Lipovsky)

Well, that one was a bit of a “Scuzz Sundays” tune – wasn’t it? Of course, you can join me for the real thing tomorrow, as we take a stroll down the memory lane of Emo-Rock and Pop-Punk releases from the late-90’s to the mid-00’s. Our next entry in the series is a track that peaked at #25 on the Alternative Airplay chart and #15 on the Mainstream Rock Charts in the US – coming from a Memphis-based Grunge band whose debut album was released on the Rockingchair Records label, which was newly set up at the time by Mark Yoshida and Ruth Thompson-Bernabe. 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/

New Year’s Eve Special: The Ramones – “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)”

December 31, 2020 — Leave a comment

Medicine to get us all through the end of this dumpster fire of a year. New post time!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Brain Drain” (LP) (Released on March 23rd, 1989) (via Sire Records)

Top ‘O’ The Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to get writing up about today’s track of the day on the blog, since it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to spotlight a different piece of music every day! As we wave goodbye to 2020, and we look to the future that 2021 holds, we’re going to take a listen back to 1989 for our latest festive track on the blog. Legendary rockers The Ramones are the band in question for today, a group who have been credited for being the first, if not one of the first, true Punk music bands. An amusing story about The Ramones is how they were inspired to record music by their love of The Beatles, and they used to check into hotels under the name of “Paul Ramon” – as a tie-in reference to Sir Paul McCartney. A seasonal offering that was included as a Bonus Track for their eleventh studio album, “Brain Drain”, released in 1989, “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight)” was later used on the soundtrack of “Christmas With The Kranks” in 2004. “Brain Drain” was a tough album for every member of the band to partake in, with financial issues and personal issues a-plenty. However, it still contained some of their trademark material, like the huge radio hit “Pet Sematary”, which was used in the film adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same title. It was also their first album to feature the return of Marky Ramone, their last one to feature Dee Dee Ramone as the bassist and their last to be distributed through Sire Records. Sadly, “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” failed to chart in the UK. Let’s take a listen to it below.

Despite having relatively limited commercial success at times – The Ramones still remain to be one of the most influential groups in music of all-time, and they are still well-known in the public eye. Their achievements get merited as such by countless journalists and publications, including being named the second-greatest band of all-time by Spin in 2013, along with being awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, and getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame back in 2002. The festive track was originally released as the B-side to “I Wanna Live” in 1987, and a bunch of slightly different versions have been recorded ever since. A slow intro is quickly proceeded by a sharp-edged lead guitar riff, and Joey chants: “Merry Christmas, I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight with you” in a primitive and yearning tone. This cues for the sleigh bells to get jingling, and Joey laments lines like: “Where is Santa and his sleigh? Tell me why, is it always this way?” and “I love you and you love me, And that’s the way it’s got to be” over the top of delayed pedal effects and suspended chords. An electric Drum melody is briefly noticeable, while the chorus feels more ballard-driven and hook-led, with Joey singing: “Merry Christmas, I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight with you” while the bass guitar lines continue to amble in and out of the seasonal sounds. The lyrics are written with a witty middle-aged marriage theme, and lines like “All the children are tucked in their beds/Sugarplum fairies dancing in their heads” emphasize these reflections on youth, and the vocals remain Christmassy enough to qualify as an Alternative Christmas single. In fact, it even sounds like an ode to the Phil Spector-produced Christmas tracks for the most part, but with an off-kilter hard rock/soft metal style that includes guitars being played a small fraction out of tune, giving off a Post-Punk facelift to proceedings. The moment may have passed a little, but it is still a robust and solid effort from one of the classics.

Pictured; Joey Ramone (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Johnny Ramone (Lead Guitar/Percussion), Dee Dee Ramone (Bass Guitar) & Tommy Ramone (Drums) (1976) (Photo by Roberta Bayley/NYTimes.com)

Thank you for spending some of your New Years Eve right here! Why not ring in the New Year with me again tomorrow? – Where we are going to be taking an in-depth look at a slight hidden gem of a festive track which promises some crowd-pleasing results. It comes from an American Soul singer and businessman who has won five Grammy Awards, and he was once a half of the Southwestern Alternative Hip-Hop duo Gnarls Barkley. It also features a cameo appearance from an ensemble cast of Muppets – the most famous Jim Hension creation of all-time. 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: Transplants – “Diamonds and Guns”

September 13, 2020 — Leave a comment

Diamonds Are Forever, or will they disappear with this 2002 tune? It’s Scuzz Sunday…

Pictured: Cover Art for “Transplants” (Self-Titled) (Released on October 21st, 2002) (via Hellcat Records)

Good Morning! My name is Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, as per usual, because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! We’ve reached yet another installment of Scuzz Sundays on the blog, which means that it’s time for our weekly look back at an Emo-Rock or Pop-Punk relic released between the late-1990’s and mid-2000’s, named as a way of tribute to the now-defunct rock music video TV channel Scuzz, to see if the classics haven’t lost their quality. “Diamonds and Guns” reached #27 on the UK Singles Chart in 2002, and it was performed by the US Pop-Punk/Rap-Metal 3-piece collective, Transplants. This was mainly a side project of Rancid’s Tim Armstrong and Death March’s Rob Aston (also known as ‘Skinhead Rob’), who later recruited Blink-182’s Travis Barker as their drummer, and they officially formed the trio and started the new project. This came with a self-titled LP that was released in the same year, via Hellcat Records. Since then, it hasn’t seen a great deal of longevity as Transplants have been on-and-off hiatus, once in 2003 and then again in 2010, but they’ve had three album releases under their wing in the time since. Most recently, the group released “In A Warzone”, in 2013. Their self-titled LP, however, reads like a who’s-who of the commercial pop-punk scene of their time, in terms of the guest list. It included contribution’s from AFI’s Davey Havok, The Distillers’ Brody Dalle, The Nerve Agents’ Eric Ozenne and several more, even including Armstrong’s Rancid bandmates Matt Freeman and Lars Fredricskon. Their biggest commercial hit, “Diamonds and Guns” features Funkdoobiest’s Son Doobie, and all four of these guys star in the official music video, which Epitath Records have thankfully preserved for your enjoyment below. Let’s have a listen back to “Diamonds and Guns”, down below.

With audio production of the self-titled LP being handled by Tim Armstrong and Dave Carlock in Armstrong’s basement, this came across slightly more as an independently written “passion project”, as opposed to a label-driven and manufactured release that some of Transplant’s members native bands were likely subject to. Surprisingly, the single opens with an insistent Piano melody that basically glides along the top of a rolling, cascading guitar loop, above a woozy, neo-psychedelic backing vocal. The lead vocals feel mellow at first, with Armstrong reciting: “Bombs going off in Sierra Leone/Taken more shots than Karl Malone” over the top of zany bass guitar hooks. As we get to the chorus, it begins to sound more tense and rickety. The band chant: “It’s a wicked world that we live in/It’s cruel and unforgiving” under a slick reverb effect, before pulsating lines of drum synths introduce a more sonic direction to the palette. Alas, it never goes full-throttle drum and bass, since we settle into the fluttering piano hook and the bitter guitar patterns again. The lyrics are hard-hitting and of a darkly political subject matter, with the lines: “From those who bust shots to those who stuff cops, To those who serve rocks on all the hard blocks” sticking out among the rest in particular. Overall, it feels like more a fusion of psychedelic rock and rap-rock than pop-punk and rap-metal, and I think it works pretty strongly, unexpectedly so. It sounds fairly experimental for the three guys involved, and I imagine the creative freedom that comes off, essentially, a side-project like this, does them a few favours for this. The rap interlude reminds me of Gorillaz’ “Clint Eastwood” (Which came out a year prior) with Doobie’s blunted delivery and stifling lyricism, with pleasantly dark classic rock sensibilities that evoke The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy For The Devil” to me. These results feel quite inspired, and these characteristics give it it’s unique edge.

Pictured: Tim Armstrong (Lead Vocals/Lead Guitar), Robert Aston (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Travis Barker (Drums/Percussion/Sampling/Loops) (in 2013) (Photo Credit: Jason Tate/Chorus.fm)

Thank you for reading this post! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow to kick off another seven days worth of daily musings. We will be starting off the week with an in-depth look at a recent single from a Malian 4-piece rock group who have made the track their first to ever be sung entirely in English. This band were formed in Bamako after they were forced to leave their homes in response to the Malian Civil War in 2012 and the resulting imposition of Sharia law. 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: Dream Wife – “So When You Gonna?…”

July 7, 2020 — Leave a comment

I don’t think they’re quite the celebrity girls of your dreams… It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Rakel Mjöll (Lead Vocals), Alice Go (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Bella Poppadec (Drums) (2020) (via PR)

So when you gonna give me a Like, Share or a Follow? Good Morning to you, 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! This weekend saw a low-key album release in the form of “So When You Gonna?…”, the second studio album by London-based Indie Punk 3-piece Dream Wife, who were formed in Brighton in 2016. As with AK/DK’s “Shared Particles” yesterday, I first caught wind of the trio through listening to John Kenndy’s X-Posure weekend evening show on Radio X over the last few weeks. Dream Wife are comprised of lead vocalist Rakel Mjöll, lead guitarist Alice Go, along with bassist/backing vocalist Bella Podpadec, and they performed a live set at the world-famous Lollapalooza Festival in 2018. They’re a hit with the critics, with Kev Geoghegan and Paul Glynn, of BBC Music, calling them: “a jaw-droping live act and one of the most talked-about new bands of 2018” and Joe Lynch of Billboard stating that: “Dream Wife are inarguably one of the most exhilerating live rock bands to emerge within the last few years”. They don’t take themselves very seriously at all, and they’re ditching their neon-lit, 1980’s-coloured direction of 2018’s self-titled debut LP, in favour of a more parodical classic 1970’s-like teen Punk approach for their latest work. Let’s have a listen to the titular track below!

An almost entirely guitar-driven track that only briefly sees the trio dabble their toes into electronic synth-based production work, Dream Wife harken back to the feminine angst of Joan Jett & The Runaways, whilst also taking unapologetic cues from Patti Smith and Chrissie Hynde, on “So When You Gonna Kiss Me?…”, the title track from their new, sophomore LP outing. The presence of Mjöll on lead vocals is very commanding, as she belts out witty one-liners: “Words begin to fall out of your mouth, What a lovely mouth” above a schreeching leading guitar riff in the verses, while she takes proceedings to a more sexualised level in the recurring bridge: “When you gonna take that hand off my leg/and move it higher up?”, and “Pull me up closer/I guess it’s all going to waste”, before an amusing refrain towards the end where Mjöll directly addresses her partner with a fiesty spirit: “Alright, I guess I’m gonna have to spell it out for you, then”, before she screams out the titular hook again, before a final repeat of the chorus. Speaking of the chorus, it’s great fun. The instrumentation is very punchy and loud, with a head-nodding bass guitar riff, speedily tearing away to the tune of frenzied drumming notes and the lead guitar taking centre stage once again. “There’s no talking” leads another entertaining post-bridge, which adds heft to the climatic punchline of: “Too bad they were a bad kisser”. In a way that’s not too dissimilar to London-based Indie Pop band Girl Ray’s approach on their second album, “Girl”, Dream Wife are a new age punk band who are also harkening back to a very old-fashioned sound and they’re updating it with slightly more modernized attributes, and a self-aware sense of laughter. In the case of Dream Wife, it feels like a love letter to the female-fronted Punk of the 1970’s, whilst also lampooning and satirizing the stylistic conventions to a certain extent. The result is a track that’s a massive amount of heartfelt, good-natured and smartly written fun. The vocal delivery is heightened and amusingly screechy, while the electric guitar-focused backing feels punchy and dares the gig-goers to take the next step with the chorus’ refrain of “So When You Gonna Kiss Me? as the drums roar along at a breakneck pace. It invokes the style of feminime bar gossip and typically masculine sports talk, creating an unashamed borrowing of classic Punk sounds to draw a mosh pit out of a live crowd. Overall, it’s excellent and it deserves more attention than it will probably get. The joke doesn’t fall flat, and the guitar work and vocals feel delightfully screamy.

Pictured: Cover Art for “So When You Gonna?…” (Album) (Released on July 3rd, 2020) (via Lucky Number Music)

Thanks for reading this post! As promised, I’ll be back tomorrow with a nice break away from the fresh new album releases, for an in-depth listen back to a track from a German-Romanian ambient music composer who had one of, if not, the most, unusual tracks to somehow reach #1 in the UK Singles Chart, and he did so in 1990 with this intriguing gem! 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: Phoebe Bridgers – “I See You”

June 23, 2020 — Leave a comment

I spy with my little eye, something beginning with New Music! It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Phoebe Bridgers in a promotional artwork photoshoot for “Punisher” (in 2020 (via PR/Dead Oceans)

Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening – My name is Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about 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! One of the most highly-anticipated album releases in recent weeks has been “Punisher”, the new album from visionary emo-folk independent rock singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. Based in Los Angeles, California – but born and raised in Ukiah, California – Bridgers made a name for herself as a part of two groups: Boygenuis and Better Oblivion Community Center. She has built up a promising solo career and a loyal fan following with the help of her universally acclaimed debut solo LP, “Stranger In The Alps”, released in 2017. Her music has been described as “exquisitely raw and revealing” by Sam Sodomsky, the staff writer of Pitchfork, and as “wise beyond her years” by Josh Modell of The AV Club. “Punisher”, her second solo LP, was released on June 18th by Dead Oceans – brought a day forward from the original date of release to encourage donations for racial injustice in response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement. “I See You”, stylized by Bridgers as “ICU” on the album, is her most recent single. Let’s have a listen below.

Based on her breakup with ex-boyfriend/drummer Michael Vore, who co-wrote the track and plays the drum parts on it, Phoebe Bridgers’ “I See You” feels more radio-ready than some of her darker tracks from her new album, but it’s still by no means a compromise of decent quality in favor of commercial viability. “I See You” begins with a backdrop of throbbing drum patterns, before Bridgers’ vocals eerily creep in: “I’ve been playing dead my whole life/and I get this feeling whenever I feel good, it will be the last time” are recited over the top of minimalist guitar riffs and skittering synth beats, but a fiery sense of aggression keeps bubbling underneath the pop-friendly instrumentals. A percussive break leads into a later verse, where Bridgers wails, over a Mellotron beat,:”I used to light you up/Now, I can’t even get you to play the drums/Cause’ I don’t know what you want/Until I f**k it up” above a steady stream of idiosyncratic lyrics and tired guitar riffs mixed in with peppered synthesizer washes. As she documents the exhaustion of leaving her anger behind, she also busts out funny lines about hating her ex’s mother, sections which contrast the punk-fueled rage with sad moments of self-reflection. The vocal delivery reminds me of the bleak low-tempo of The National, but her reliance on using synth-led refrains make her feel original. To conclude, it all comes together to form an infectiously solid folk-ballad that takes cues from Blues and Dream-Pop to illustrate her strength and vulnerability. This is a well-structured, mature showing from one of the tip-top popular new talents.

Pictured: Vinyl Copy of “Punisher” (Released on June 18th, 2020) (via Dead Oceans) (Photo via Eel Pie Records)

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. Don’t forget to join me tomorrow, where we’ll be marking the release of Khruangbin’s highly-anticipated new album “Mortdechai” with an in-depth listen to “Pelota”, the latest single to be released from their new, third LP record. 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