Sunshine Pop

Today’s Track: Peaness – ‘How I’m Feeling’

February 21, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Cover Art for ‘World Full Of Worry’ (LP) (Available from May 6th, 2022) (via Totally Snick Records)

Good Afternoon to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke – and it’s time for me to return to my laptop after a storm-related power issue prevented me from using any devices this morning 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! Peaness (No, it’s not what any dirty-minded individual would call it) are an indie pop trio who met at The University Of Chester, Cheshire during 2013 and initially named their witty band after a joke between themselves – and yet it stuck. They decided to form Peaness formally the year after in 2014 – with Balla (Guitar/Co-Vocals), Jess (Bass/Co-Vocals) and Rach (Drums/Percussion) making up their 3-piece line-up. They have earned praise from publications like Bearded, Gigwise and Louder Than War, and singles like ‘What’s The Use?’ and ‘Kaizen’ have gained airplay from the daytime playlist of BBC Radio 6 Music, with Marc Riley as a huge fan of their work so far. A range of singles and EP’s have been released on labels like Kingfisher Bluez, Odd Box Records and Alcopop Records since 2015, and the three young ladies are soon going to be finally releasing their debut full-length album – ‘A World Full Of Worry’ – on May 6th via their self-release label Totally Snick Records. Peaness are also one of the few bands that I’ve actually spoken to in-person, as I had a brief chat with them at the merchandise stand while they were supporting The Orielles at The Sugar Mill, Stoke-On-Trent in February 2020 when we had a lovely little chat about all things music, which my close friend from university bought me along with him to. Let’s check in to see ‘How I’m Feeling’ below.

Recently announced for an extensive run of live headline shows and music festival appearances through the summer in the UK, Peaness are gearing up to bring their expansive itinerary of summer-driven guitar hooks and retro-style harmonies to a wider audience when ‘A World Full Of Worry’ launches in May, with the band saying, “In an unfulfilling job? Need a shake up with something in your life or you’ll go mad? Well, that’s ‘How I’m Feeling’ and it can’t be ignored anymore! Amongst self-loathing and melancholy there are sparks of determination and a belief that you deserve more. I hope it works out”, in their press release about the punchy punk-oriented tune. Determined lyrics like “This isn’t what I wanted/I break my back for you” and “This sinking ship has sailed/Threw myself over board” shine through from the off-set, where Jangle-Pop guitar melodies and scratchy, perky bass riffs power the verse. The chorus makes me think of the often underrated ‘Pretty Odd’ days of Panic! At The Disco’s earlier line-up, with a vibrant mix of 00’s Pop-Punk and late-60’s Psychedelia giving the track a quirky flavour and a nostalgic warmth in the mood, which are paired enthusiastically to lyrics like “I’ve got the guts to take a leap/You’ve gotta trust that I can” that talk about out fantasies of leaving the daily grind for something that you are more driven towards. I like how the percussion comes in towards the end, and the track has a cheerful set of sounds that are relatable, leading to a catchy chorus that should appeal to a diverse crowd of listeners because the songwriting feels accessible and there’s a retro do-it-yourself punk feel to the production, where the chanting vocals are never sullied by any auto-tune or overly polished effects. An engaging track by a very playful and dynamic three talents, ‘How I’m Feeling’ is pure summertime driving with the roof down cheer and timeless harmony-filled, slightly Lo-Fi, yet charming Pop-influenced punk music which Peaness has done with finesse!

Pictured: Balla (Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals), Jess (Bass Guitar/Lead Vocals) & Rach (Drums) (2022) (Photo via PR)

That’s all that I have lined up for you today and I have other matters to attend to now, but I thank you ever so much for checking out the blog today because your support is always highly appreciated! I’ll be back tomorrow with a taste of Jamaica as we review the latest single from a Massachusetts-based, St. Elizabeth-born Reggae-Rock artist who is the younger brother of Andrew Holness – the current Jamaican prime minister.

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Today’s Track: Iraina Mancini – ‘Do It (You Stole The Rhythm)’

February 1, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Do It (U Stole The Rhythm)’ (Single) (Released on September 24, 2021) (via Self-Released)

Good Morning to you! It’s the first of the month, meaning that I have completed my challenge of the month to get through the month, and it’s time to get the next month off to a joyous start 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! Taking her inspiration from many sources as varied as French cinema and 60’s Psychedelia, the London-born singer, songwriter, DJ, actress, model and radio presenter Iraina Mancini has only released a handful of solo singles so far, but she has still been doing the rounds of the industry for an impressive number of years. Born into a musical family, her father was Warren Peace, a childhood friend of David Bowie, who provided backing vocals and songwriting assistance while touring with Bowie from 1973’s ‘Aladdin Sane’ through to 1976’s ‘Station To Station’. Iraina began modelling and writing music herself at the age of 15, with her first band being Mancini, an Electronic Pop outfit who appeared on Channel 4’s ‘Mobile Act Unsigned’. Since then, Mancini has been acting in films directed by the likes of Richard Jobson and Duncan Ward, and she went on to become a DJ who has played all over London and some cultural festivals like Glastonbury and The Toronto Film Festival. Mancini presents her own show on Soho Radio and she has also run a monthly event – ‘Soul Box’ – in East London with fashion photographer Dean Chalkley and Acid Jazz Records founder Eddie Piller. Therefore, she has really been busy through a relatively short span of time, and if a new album should be arriving in 2022, then I could definitely see the likes of BBC Radio 1 picking up on her career. Today, we are catching up with her single ‘Do It (You Stole The Rhythm)’ that she released last September. It was co-produced by Jagz Kooner, who has become a top name on the UK’s mash-up scene, where he has produced critically acclaimed music by Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream, Reverend And The Makers, Kasabian, Garbage and others. Let’s give it a spin.

“I wrote this about that feeling of pure joy when you are surrounded by people you care about and there is music, sunshine, laughter and great energy.”, the former United Agents talent agency member Iraina Mancini has spoken about her BBC Radio 6 Music playlisted track, adding, “There is almost a magic in the air when all those things are combined, an electricity that makes you feel truly alive. I tried to capture that in this song as I thought now more than ever we are craving togetherness and joy”, to her straightforward press release. Drawing from the era where late great DJ Andrew Weatherhall was always at his knob-twiddling best for his legendary records such as 1991’s ‘Screamadelica’ as she mixes classic Soul influences with ruminating Gospel sounds and vintage Psychedelia callbacks. The opening is palpable and light-hearted, as the twinkling waves of eminent Synths and an inviting beat of layered percussion create an enchanting backdrop for Iraina’s iridescently performed vocals to plunge us neatly into her sun-soaked setting of euphoria. The vocals feel a little reminiscent of tracks like George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ and The Avalanches ‘The Divine Chord’ as nostalgic elements of Post-Disco take a controlling hold on the rhythm. The lyrics contribute to the hazy and joyously Psychedelic Pop vibe of the recording by accelerating the happy tone of the instrumentation and creating some false rhyming schemes that give her beats a punchy knack for melody. It also feels a little cinematic, and I truly could envision the track being licensed to get played during a flashback sequence of a care-free romantic comedy movie where the two lead characters are partaking in a fun travelling montage, yet the souffle-light chorus and the late 60’s psychedelia-influenced melodies fill up the background of the setting very nicely. There’s nothing about the lyrics that feel truly memorable, but they still contribute to the overall scene well because they simply fulfill the track’s feelings of untroubled contentment by echoing us back to a more simpler time alongside the funk-laden Gospel influence of the glistening synths and the ruminating keys in the fray. A solid, naturally progressive follow-up to her two previous singles, ‘Deep End’ and ‘Shotgun’.

Pictured: Iraina Mancini in an official promotional photoshoot for ‘Deep End’ (2021) (Photo via Clashmusic.com)

That brings us to the bottom of the page for another day! Thank you for checking out my latest post, and I will be back tomorrow to start up the engine for my throwback time machine as we go ‘Way Back’ for Wednesday once again. On the radar this time is a Scottish 80’s Synth-Pop singer often credited simply as ‘Natasha’ whose popular single of ‘Iko Iko’ experienced a resurgence in popularity when it was notably used during the soundtrack of the highest-grossing Italian film of 2014, ‘Un Boss In Salotto’.

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Today’s Track: Confidence Man – ‘Holiday’

November 18, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Janet Planet, Sugar Bones, Reggie Goodchild and Clarence McGuffie (2019) (Photo via PR)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to ensure that yet another daily track on the blog bursts your eardrums in spirit, because it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A quirky Alternative Dance group, led by the wacky characters of Sugar Bones and Janet Planet, the Brisbane native indie pop band Confidence Man have continued to find success throughout their musical journey since their debut album, ‘Confident Music For Confident People’ brought their dorky concoction of costumed rhythms and lightly acidic beats to the international club circuit in 2018. The band have found themselves performing at many festivals like Splendour In The Grass Festival and Falls Festival, while also remixing the likes of DMA’s, Working Men’s Club and Erasure over the years. They have also received wins and nominations at the AIR Awards, J Awards, National Live Music Awards and Queensland Music Awards over the years since they became active in 2016. Although singles like ‘Does It Make You Feel Good?’ and ‘First Class B**ch’ have filled the gap a little, Confidence Man have just announced their first album in four years. Their second studio album, ‘Tilt’, will be released on April 1st, 2022 via the I OH YOU label. According to a press release, the new album is “fierce, flirty and full of anthems” and listeners “might need to sit down before you hit play”. Back in September, Confidence Man also unveiled an extensive run of rescheduled and new tour dates across the UK and Ireland that will hopefully start in May of next year. The list includes dates in Brighton, Cambridge, Norwich, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Sheffield and more. Before then, let’s book a ‘Holiday’ below.

Talking about the inspiration behind ‘Holiday’ – the Aussie dance outfit’s latest euphoric anthem – Janet Planet stated, “No one tells Confidence Man what to do. Who said a holiday can’t last forever?”, explaining, “Spend big and live free, that’s our motto. And it can be yours too. A vacation is just sunburn at premium prices but a holiday is a state of mind”, in her joint press notes with Sugar Bones. Elaborating on the ideas of holiday and relaxation as a mindset instead of a physical destination, Planet and Bones join their fellow bandmates in conjuring slightly acidic Synth beats and some high tempo Drum rhythms to the tune of lyrics like “Best weed back on the block, I’ll take it” and “When I was a child, I was so naked” that creates the distinctly nerdy and comedic attitude that Confidence Man are known for evoking. The instrumentation continues to add some variety to the proceedings, with a lengthy sequence of backing harmonies in the opening sequence and some 80’s film soundtrack-esque Synth stabs to create silky ambient washings in the closing sequence, continuing to give off a light-hearted and care-free Summer formula. The vocal hooks are super sized, with the likes of “I live it up on the go/I’m getting high, I’m never low” and “Kicking off and I lose control/I’m born to fly/I want it all” being recited quickly, as to match the frivolous energy of the Acid Disco rhythms and neatly aligned basslines. While there’s no subtlety to the vocals, the brief String sections and the stinging Synth stabs are complemented by the floor-filling feel of the sound. A decent reminder that Confidence Man are all about having fun, ‘Holiday’ is a familiar summer anthem to see their own country of Australia throughout the summer months. Due to this ‘summer release’ feel, however, it feels a little odd when you are listening from the rest of the world as the rain gets frequent and the bitterness of the cold keeps sharpening. This also feels a bit more straight-faced than usual from the group than usual, although they’re still donning some Synths that wouldn’t sound out of place on the ‘Top Gun’ soundtrack. Despite not being in season for me, this is still a solid return from Confidence Man. Camp, unique and irreverant, ‘Holiday’ is everything you might want (and expect) from the forward-thinking Australian project.

  • Pictured: Janet Planet and Sugar Bones in a promotional photoshoot (in 2019) (Photo Credit: Zac Bayly)

If you liked the sound of ‘Holiday’, you may like the various other tracks by Confidence Man that have appeared on the blog over the years at various points. If you want something still recent, you can check out my review of ‘First Class B**ch’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/10/20/todays-track-confidence-man-first-class-bh/. If that doesn’t mate you feel right, you can see if this ‘Does It Make You Feel Good’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/02/26/todays-track-confidence-man-does-it-make-you-feel-good/. Or, for something more in tune with the festive season, you can view their seasonal single ‘Santa’s Comin’ Down The Chimney’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/12/04/todays-track-confidence-man-santas-comin-down-the-chimney/

  • Pictured: Confidence Man performing at ‘The Great Escape’ (2017) (Photo via Brighton & Hove News)

That’s all for now! I hope that you enjoyed the trip, and thank you for continuing to support my content like this. I’ll be back tomorrow for ‘New Album Release Fridays’, as we divert our attention to an indie rock band from Croydon in South London who have been signed to the Boston-based label Counter Intuitive Records. They have toured in the UK with NOAHFINNCE and they went on a debut headline tour this year.

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Way Back Wednesdays: Jimmy Cliff – ‘The Harder They Come’

November 3, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Jimmy Cliff in a PR shoot for a Rolling Stone interview feature (2021) (Photo via Vision Addict)

Good Afternoon to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and you’ve come to the right place for a seminal selection of my weekly ‘Way Back Wednesday’ series of classic appraisals, because it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Even the most casual audiences of music would have heard some material from Jamaican Ska and Rocksteady multi-instrumentalist, producer, actor and composer Jimmy Cliff before, since he composed iconic tracks like ‘Hakuna Matata’ and ‘Reggae Night’ that have been etched deeply into popular culture. Also known for hits like ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’ and his cover version of Johnny Nash’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ that was used in Disney’s classic ‘Cool Runnings’ film about the first ever Bobsleigh team from Jamaica to enter the Olympic games, Cliff is a crucial component in popularizing genres such as Reggae and Alternative Soul across the world. One of five performers inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame’ in 2010, the St. James-born vocalist is the only living reggae musician to hold the Jamaican government’s Order Of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted for his services to performing arts and sciences. ‘The Harder They Come’, the soundtrack album and its titular lead single from the Perry Henzel-directed motion picture of the same name released in 1972, is widely considered to be one of Cliff’s greatest releases. The record peaked at #140 on the US Billboard 200, and, in 2021, the album was deemed to be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by the Library Of Congress and so it has been selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry. Let’s remind ourselves of the iconic title track below.

Voted as the 73rd greatest album of all time by Entertainment Weekly’s editors in July 2013, the soundtrack was a true celebration of Reggae globalization with prominent guest spots from 60’s Jamaican Rocksteady icons like Desmond Dekker, The Maytals and The Melodians. Speaking of the hit title track, Jimmy Cliff recalled in an interview conducted for the Wall Street Journal in 2013, saying, “The lyrics came from my past. I grew up in the church and had always questioned what they were telling me. Like the promise of a Pie in the sky when you die”, elaborating, “I wanted the song to have a church feel and to reflect the environment I grew up in – the underdog fighting all kinds of trickery”, in the text. Like some other songs on the album, ‘The Harder They Come’ appears twice, paralleling both the movie’s core themes and the autobiographical essence of Cliff’s career. It’s placement during the middle of the album gives it an entirely different feel than when it appears as the uplifting, positive closer, and this works well as it is sandwiched between the nostalgic sweetness of The Maytals’ guest track and just prior to the more alarmed warnings of ‘Johnny Too Bad’ shortly afterwards. Following a simple story of a character who is proving his naysayers wrong and overcoming the odds stacked against him, Cliff recites motivational lyrics like “As sure as the sun will shine/I’m gonna get my sure now, what’s mine” and “Between the day you’re born and when you die/They never seem to hear your cry” and acknowledges realistic expectations in sequences like “I keep on fighting for the things I want/Though I know that when you’re dead you can’t” that bring his ambitions to earth at brief intervals. The second verse is a standout, and the vocals emphasize the power of religion and ignoring bad influence upon your personality from the people who doubt your potential. The track still manages to stand out nicely in this modern time by feeling relatively grounded yet still upbeat and cheerful, boasting some optimistic lyrics that don’t shy away from recognizing fault in setting unrealistic targets for yourself. There are a few shades of Calypso, Tropicalia and Belefonte in the Gospel-leaning sounds of the recording, where a collective sequence of backing vocals from a choir lends some assistance to the cinematic atmosphere of the single’s filmic roots. The percussion has some smooth, breezily flowing instrumentation and the inherent excitement of the key Soulful harmonies gets a positive message across. In conclusion, ‘The Harder They Come’ is a down-to-earth, but nonetheless still interesting, Reggae classic that still works well in the present day. The odd Organ chords and the gently quickening Reggae beats are great at supporting Cliff’s optimistic lyrics about his life, but the bleaker moments never feel glossed or sugar-coated over too much. A solid, universal Ska crossover hit.

That brings us to the end of yet another daily post on the blog! Thank you for your support, and I’ll be back tomorrow to review a relaxing, new and entirely Ambient Electronica project from an English-born experimental electronic music producer who has contributed to albums for Brian Eno and Coldplay in his career so far, and he has appeared twice on the blog in different capacities before. His new album, ‘Music For Psychedelic Therapy’, shall finally be releasing on Domino Records next weekend.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘The Harder They Come’ (OST) (Released on July 7th, 1972) (via Island Records)

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Today’s Track: Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “That Life”

October 23, 2021 — Leave a comment

  • Pictured: Ruban Nielson (Lead Vocals/Lead Guitar/Piano/Keyboard), Jacob Portrait (Vocals/Bass Guitar/Synths) and Kody Nielson (Drums) in a photoshoot for NPR’s ‘World Cafe’ series (2014) (via PR)

Good Morning to you! You’re tuned into One Track At A Time and this is the point where I – Jacob Braybrooke – get typing up for yet another daily track on the blog, since it has always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! ‘That Life’ comes to you from the fairly well-established Prog-Rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra, who have been a hit with Psych Rock music fans throughout the 2010’s, originally gaining traction from Pitchfork critics for their uncredited debut single in 2010, before they took home the Taite Music Prize in 2012 for their self-titled debut LP that they released a year prior. The trio, who used to be a quintet, are from New Zealand and were formed in Auckland, and are currently based in Portland, Oregon where they continue to craft idiosyncratic rock music. The group have spent their time between the Fat Possum Records and Jagjaguwar labels, and they have embarked on mostly sold out tours across North America, Europe, The UK, Australia and New Zealand across their time. ‘That Life’ captured my attention due to the amusing music video – despite my relative unfamiliarity with the back catalog of the band – which features a very likeable dancing blue puppet that was created by puppeteer and fabricator Laura Manns, who is the creator of the puppets seen on ‘The Muppets’ and ‘Sesame Street’. Directed by Lydia Fine and Tony Blahd, their recent single follows the release of another single, ‘Weekend Run’, that was doing the rounds of the indie radio circuit across the summer. Ruban Nielson’s gang of non-conformists haven’t announced a follow-up album to 2018’s ‘IC-01 Hanoi’ – which received good reviews – just yet, however, logical time gaps and the steady release of some singles dictates that a new album is coming out. Put your feet up and enjoy ‘That Life’ below.

“I saw this painting by Hieronymus Bosch called The Garden Of Earthly Delights and in the painting there was a mixture of crazy stuff going on, representing heaven, earth and hell”, frontman Ruban Nielson explained in a press statement, adding, “When I was writing this song, That Life, I was imaging the same kind of ‘Where’s Waldo’ {Known as Where’s Wally? in most other countries} of contrasting scenes and multiple characters all engaged in that same perverse mixture of luxury, reverie, damnation, in the landscape of America. Somewhere on holiday under a vengeful sun”, and thus Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s latest official music video for ‘That Life’ was born. The sound itself isn’t too heavy or raw, and it feels quite warm and breezy instead, replicating more of a beach theme than a chaotic one. Key refrains like “All day swimming, Under the Palm trees, look how they gracefully sway” and “Some kinda gin drink/Some kinda jewelry/Some kind of fancy machine” are lyrics that muse over the small pleasures of life, the treats that people strive to achieve because they are perceived as wealthy and glamorous, and how expensive items represent grandeur that can be sometimes taken for granted by the upper class of society. The lovable, if greedy, puppet in the video proclaims that he’s always going to be about “That life” to a tuneful and radio-friendly chorus that feels cheerful and accessible. The fancy costumes also include multiple nods to outfits the band have worn on stage during certain points in their career too, and so there’s a decent amount of fan service hidden in the music video as well. The instrumentation goes for a pretty sentimental mix of 70’s Rock ‘N’ Roll that nods to bands like The Who gently, and some more contemporary Soul molded together by soulful hooks and funky guitar licks. Nielson’s vocals are also given some light distortion effects to evoke the classic rock vibe and make proceedings feel a tad psychedelic in tone too. There’s also a subtle nod to traditional Disco music in the steady groove too. Overall, I thought this was good. Probably not great, since I found the chords to sound a little dull and the lyrics rather predictable, but I like the idiosyncratic bridge and the visual inspirations behind the tune, so a lot of work clearly went into the graphical side of things. This is also one of the most memorable music videos that I have seen in quite some time too because it fits the overall vibe of the track very nicely while feeling a little nostalgic and quirky in mood. This is the type of music that I feel the likes of BBC Radio 2 should be playing regularly because it is quite universal to a wide audience without playing things too safely, but it’s easy to listen to. A decent commentary on life and perception of luxury.

  • Pictured: Unknown Mortal Orchestra in promotional art for ‘Multi-Love’ (2015) (Photo via DIYMag.com)

That’s it for today! Thank you a lot for your time, and I’ll be back tomorrow for ‘Scuzz Sundays’ with a post dedicated to one of the, very sadly, few female icons of the male-dominated 00’s Pop-Punk music scene that Scuzz TV, and Kerrang would have supported. The track comes from a cult favourite Gothic rock duo from Austin, Texas whose memorable frontwoman was featured in Guitar Player Magazine’s Top 20 Most Extraordinary Guitarists list – and whose music was used in MTV’s ‘Road Rules’ series.

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Today’s Track: The Lathums – “I’ll Get By”

September 9, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Alex Moore (Lead Vocals/Songwriter), Scott Concepcion (Multi-Instrumentalist), Johnny Cunliffe (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Ryan Durrans (Drums) (2021) (Photo Credit: XSNoise.com)

Good Morning to you! You are reading the typeface of Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has finally come for me to get typing up for today’s 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! Led by multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Alex Moore, The Lathums are a 4-piece indie Pop/Rock band from Wigan who have supported Blossoms on tour in Europe, and they have been gaining a hefty share of steam in recent years of their very own, crowding out Wigan’s local market with their fans at a weekend signing. This band seem to be true local celebrities of their area because they helped to save Wigan’s football club by giving their fans a chance to win a one-off ‘Holy Grail’ vinyl with a competition that raised £4,000 for their home’s team. Gearing up to release their debut studio album, ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’, on September 24th through the Universal-owned Island Records label, The Lathums have been gaining national radio airplay from Radio X, with the title track from the album being a former ‘Record Of The Week’ on the commercial station, and The Lathums have appeared on The Chris Moyles Breakfast Show for a performance and interview. They have also landed a C-list spot on BBC Radio 6 Music’s daytime playlist with ‘I’ll Get By’. Give it a spin below.

The Lathums enlisted the help of Baby Queen and Inhaler collaborator James Slater to direct the video for ‘I’ll Get By’, who explained in a press statement: “I wanted the video to be a celebration of the different passions and personalities in the area where the band are from. A journey through a magical North”, as he comments on the colorful cast of characters that appear in the video, which includes some Alpacas, a vaudeville wrestler and an Elvis impersonator, among others in the celebratory video for embracing cultural diversity. The smile-wide optimism of the visuals feel like a neat combination when paired to the joyful lyrics and earnest vocals from Moore, who happily croons cheerful lyrics like “The road is long, But I’ve got you and you’ve got me/We belong anywhere we roam” and “You are the one thing I believe/That will save me from the pain” to the sound of a chugging rhythm section that introduces some warm Desert Rock-esque guitar riffs and some Folk-oriented Drums to the mix as we harken back to the Jangle-Pop of the mid-60’s. It feels fit for a summery outdoors music festival, with a rhythmic refrain of “Maybe you’re the sculpture or you’re the statue / maybe you’re a king or maybe you’re my queen or maybe you are something in between” rounding us off with a clean, acoustic finale. The meaning of ‘Indie’ feels far from undisputed and well-defined in the modern day and age, as I’ve complained about on the blog in the past, and so, since The Lathums are signed to a major label, I personally would not consider them to truly be an Indie band. I can still see the label angling for a chart hit here, which doesn’t quite sit that well with me, due to the pop-influenced style and the high level of accessibility, however, I did still find this mix of soothing Magic Numbers-esque Sunshine Pop revival and 90’s Brit-Pop archetypes to make for a pleasant listen overall. There’s nothing that feels particularly memorable nor terrible here, but it’s a nicely crafted tune where the band don’t use any auto-tuning effects and simply rely on their natural likability and their clear influences to maintain your interest, and that part of the equation pays off well. The calm melodies and the sweet instrumentation says nothing of the unrest that clouds many young adult artists’ music, and makes for a refreshing change because it talks about finding peace through safety and conciliation instead, and that felt like a breath of fresh air. On the whole, this was a nice little Pop jangler that rolled along at an engaging speed and it did something different to some of their contemporary peers. A nice reminder to be kind to yourself made from the use of the band’s fairly mature musical direction.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’ (Available from Sept. 24th, 2021) (via Island Records)

That brings us to the end of the page for another day, and thank you, as always, for reaching the bottom of the post with me. It’s ‘New Album Release Fridays’ tomorrow, and we’ll be catching up with a fairly familiar face from the blog as they launch their debut full-length album on Ninja Tune. She is a South Korea-born and Melbourne-based DJ whose EP, ‘How Can I?’, appeared on my year-end best Albums list from 2020. The new record features guest spots from Take A Daytrip, Clams Casino and Nosaj Thing, and she’s gained further support from stations like SiriusXMU and KCRW.

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New Album Release Fridays: Jade Bird – “Now Is The Time”

August 13, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Different Kinds Of Light’ (Released on August 13th, 2021) (via Glassnote Records)

Good Morning to you! It’s Jacob Braybrooke here, and it’s time for me to get typing up on the site 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! I’m fairly confident that there is something for everybody hitting record shop shelves today. There’s The Killers ambitious new concept album, the well-reviewed new album from Jungle, the new release from the rapidly prolific US bedroom pop singer-songwriter Still Woozy, quirky Dub vibes from Pachyman (Refer back to Tuesday’s post for more on that), and new EP’s from A Certain Ratio and Bloxx to add to your streaming library or physical collection. However, I’m excited to find out how the Hexham-born indie folk singer-songwriter Jade Bird has grown since her self-titled debut LP release from two years ago. Bird has been given two or three go-around’s on the blog over the years, but that’s because I find her work to be interesting, and she’s the type of artist that I enjoy supporting. She attended the BRIT’s school in Croydon, where she earned a record deal at the age of 16. Since then, she has won ‘Best International Artist’ at the AIM Independent Music Awards in 2019, she has performed ‘Headstart’ on ‘The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon’ in the US, and she was the first artist to join Microsoft’s ‘RE: Surface’ series of virtual live-streamed gigs, and she has also been very supportive for black, LGBT and female artists in the industry. Her second album, ‘Different Kinds Of Light’, arrives today on Glassnote Records, which once again sees Jade Bird spanning Americana, Country-Rock and Southern Blues influences with her unique voice. The record has a 71/100 score on aggregate site Metacritic, which indicates that critics’ reviews are trending pretty positive, although it seems to be ever so slightly more of a mixed bag this time around. ‘Now Is The Time’ to give the sampler track a spin below.

“Now Is The Time is the only song to have me smiling and laughing listening to it back at RCA. We had the Bee-Gee’s in mind and soul, triple tracking the vocals and putting a load of chorus on the guitar”, Bird enthusiastically tells us via her press release, explaining, “It’s a big motivational anthem for someone I want to put my arms around or lift them in the darkest time. Given that I wrote it mid-pandemic, the sentiment to getting to the back-end of this hell is heavily felt now”, in her notes about how the track was influenced and developed. While the title track and lead single from the LP saw Bird gently control the mood of change with a low-lit voice, ‘Now Is The Time’ feels much like her older work in the more pop-oriented and uplifting tone. Although she’s singing to a lover that seems to be a bit down on their luck, the lyrics feel rather generalized, and so they can apply to an eclectic range of people’s circumstances. Lyrics like “If I had a penny for all your potential/I’d be left drowning in my mouthful of metal” add her trademark Sass to the vocal equation, while a more Coach-like message shines through the Sunshine Pop melodies and the Jangle Pop sounds, with lyrics like “Never have I seen a better day to get up/Doesn’t matter about the weather” that inspire the listener to face their demons. The production feels polished, yet unsullied by any electronic artifice, and that’s another really good thing. I feel the addition of an auto-tune effect would really distance me away from the vibrant personality that she shows already. I hate to say that I didn’t really hear the Bee-Gees influence coming through very strongly at all. However, as usual with Bird, the simple element of her voice really makes up for any generic faults in the songwriting. I really do love hearing her voice since, as I’ve noted several times on the blog, it makes her come across as distinctive in comparison to other modern pop and rock artists. Bird’s voice is very powerful, especially for someone with her young age, and it enhances her snappy lyrics very nicely, but she’s certainly accessible enough to attract more casual, mainstream ears to her albums because her acoustic instrumentation is very melodic, and her general themes are pretty basic, but still fairly relevant. To sum it up, it’s a lovely summer tune that has something to say to everybody. Truth be told, I felt it was a little formulaic, so I’m not sure if I would like it as much if Bird wasn’t the one singing it. However, that’s also a complement to the way that she infuses her music with an effective “no nonsense” vibe. In the same sense, if Confidence Man originally wrote one of Bjork’s tracks – it wouldn’t make sense. The direction naturally feels more mature than her first album, and she even looks older and more wise in the video, so it’s a delight to see that evolution taking place. Something for the weekend.

  • Pictured: Jade Bird in a self-titled album era cover shoot (in 2018) (Photo Credit: PR/Alice Burnfield)

If you want to keep up with some of Bird’s earlier releases, you can get a ‘Headstart’ on the blog here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/11/28/todays-track-jade-bird-headstart/. Or, if you need another reason to check out the new album from Bird over the weekend, get another taste with my review for the title track here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2021/06/05/todays-track-jade-bird-different-kinds-of-light/

  • Pictured: Jade Bird in a “Get To Know…” Interview Feature (in 2018) (Photo Credit: PR/DIYMag.com)

That’s all for now! Thank you for your continued support for the blog, and for reaching the end of the page! I’ll be back tomorrow for more where that came from. This time, we’ll be heading over to Sydney for the debut appearance on the blog from a 5-piece Alternative Rock group who seem to be quickly on the rise, who surprisingly released their latest EP – ‘Total Serene’ – with no prior announcement in July. The group’s first album reached #5 on the ARIA Album Charts in 2015, and the band’s second album was nominated for a large number of eight ARIA Music Awards, in 2017.

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Today’s Track: Pachyman – “Destroy The Empire”

August 10, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘The Return Of…’ (LP) (Available from August 16th, 2021) (via ATO Records)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has come for me to upload yet another daily post about a track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A university-trained Reggae musician, LA’s Pachy Garcia is perhaps best known as the drummer and vocalist of the LA-based Prog-Punk band Prettiest Eyes, although he was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. During his upbringing, Garcia was obsessed with vintage instrumental Dub recordings from his greatest influencers, Scientist and King Tubby, and he now aims to recreate their vibes with his own unique take on the genre. His latest album, ‘The Return Of…’ is set for release on Friday, August 13th, through ATO Records – the same label where you would also find the likes of Nilüfer Yanya, Allen Stone and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. He’s been gaining traction lately, with airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music and KCRW, and he won the ‘2021 Discovery Award’ at this year’s Latin Alternative Music Conference. Check out ‘Destroy The Empire’ below.

With ‘The Return Of..’, Pachy Garcia wants to show how the ‘Caribbean flow’ of his heroes can be transnational, and he tells the press, “With this project, I was looking to make positive music and radiate good energy; something to kinda disconnect from the negative things that were happening at the moment”, Garcia – aka Pachyman – explains. He adds, “I am trying to make this product a service for humanity in the sense that I just wanted to shine a positive light” to his notes, and his sound is built from a rich tradition of musical forms that resounds from Jamaica and San Juan, to Mexico and Southern California. With a simple, reverberated shout of “Destroy The Empire”, we’re immediately off to the races with the beginning of his latest single. Garcia radiates some good energy with the opening drum riffs that begin to just effortlessly scatter themselves around some more traditional Dub instrumentation, creating an initial soundscape that subtly develops throughout the rest of the track’s duration. Garcia delicately introduces Twangy rhythm guitar riffs and sultry Drum beats to the mixture that add a soulful, honeyed skew to the bright, summertime sound. Another highlight is the wobbly Cuíca melody, which gives proceedings a more quirky and, perhaps, falsely exotic lift. There’s also some gently rattling Maraca melodies to add some more spacious percussion to the laidback mood of the sound, and more shimmering sounds that seem to be coming from the Guiro, although I’m not entirely sure whether this is the correct instrument he uses or not. Either way, when thrown together, these sounds create a globally influenced atmosphere that feels bright and inviting, but Garcia pays homage to these Dub and Latin American sounds of old with his tongue in his cheek a bit, although he is absolutely believing in the music that he is making. He just manages to provide a light-hearted take on these heroes of his, and so his hazy and breezy melodies radiate with a quirky personality throughout. It probably falls under a niche overall, but I find that approach rather charming and likeable, and it’s clear that he’s done his research to pull it off. It’s not entirely clear who the ‘Empire’ is, and my gut tells me that it’s a nod towards Brazil’s Tropicalia movement, but I certainly am quite excited to destroy it with him on Friday.

  • Pictured: Pachy Garcia (Pachyman) in a ‘At 333 House’ PR shoot (2021) (Photo by Total Control/AUS)

That brings us to the end of the page for another day, and thank you very much, as always, for reaching this point. I’ll be back tomorrow for ‘Way Back Wednesdays’, as we take an in-depth visit back to one of the sounds of the past that have been influential for the present! My next pick comes from a Jamaican vocalist, producer and songwriter who was known as ‘The Queen Of Dancehall’, and she was the first female DJ to become a Grammy-winning and Platinum-selling artist during her peak.

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Today’s Track: Pip Blom – “Keep It Together”

August 7, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Pip Blom (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar/Percussion), Tender Blom (Lead Guitar/Synths), Gini Cameron (Bass Guitar/Keyboard) and Gini Cameron (Drummer/Backing Vocals) (2021) (via PR)

Good Morning to you! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and now is the time for me to deliver 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! I’ve got new music coming your way from Pip Blom, a 4-piece Indie Pop-Punk band from Amsterdam, The Netherlands – who were named after their frontwoman. Pip Blom seem to be incredibly popular, and over the last four years or so, have been making huge waves on the UK’s festival circuit, including three performances at Glastonbury Festival in 2019. They have been getting support across the board from radio stations like BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6Music, and music publications like Rolling Stone, NPR, Double J and Brooklyn Vegan. They will also be performing in some locations, like The Portland Arms in Cambridge, later in the year for the government’s ‘Revive Live’ scheme. Their debut album, ‘Boat’, reached the top spot of the Independent Album Breakers chart in 2019, and now, the follow-up, ‘Welcome Break’, is set to arrive shortly, on October 8th via Heavenly Recordings – the same UK indie giant which is also home to the likes of Baxter Dury, Raf Rundell and The Orielles. ‘Keep It Together’ whilst you spin the lead single below.

“A very important thing of all the tracks is the dynamic between Tender’s and my vocals”, Pip Blom described in a press statement, referring to her own brother and the band’s lead guitarist Tender Blom, adding, “In the chorus of ‘Keep It Together’ we sing two completely different bits, but it works really well. Tender did a lot of singing for this record, mainly for the choruses and bridges. I really like how, with this bridge, you’ve got this whole choir of the two of us singing in different keys. It gives it a very dreamy vibe that is nice after the powerful chorus” to her notes. The sibling dynamic and the familial synergy are enough to give the melodic hooks a boost on the track, which finds Pip singing about exhaustion, and trying to get an uplift of energy from some source, a relatable theme for us all. Lyrics like “Can’t beat these feelings and change it to being new/Do you feel it, don’t believe the hype” stand out from the pack in the verses, while the chorus is filled with more positive cues like “I don’t have to win everytime”, while the instrumentation pulls from Brit-Pop influences with the Baggy ‘Madchester’ sounds with the subtlety of the raw vocals and the fuzzy, lightly distorted guitar hooks. Although the vocal delivery carries some fatigue and draining, the Jangle-Pop hooks are light and breezy, giving the melodies a summer time feel that carries the momentum of the Power-Pop chorus along at a maintained flow. There’s a touch of Hop Along or Lisa Prank to the more Grunge-inspired chorus where the DIY Punk production leaves it’s mark, and the overall 80’s vibes fits the themes of the music video perfectly. These 80’s sounds made me think of The Sugarcubes and Supergrass, where the tightly crafted guitar hooks embrace Brit-Pop and Dance music to a noticeable level. Overall, I felt this was an enjoyably breezy slice of Indie Punk mixed with an accessible Pop touch. There’s nothing here that suggests anything that entirely re-invents the wheel for me, since I felt the vocals and guitar mix was a little generic, but I certainly felt a good chemistry between each of the band members and there’s an engaging variety of influences that they add to the cauldron in here. It feels great for the typically bizzare mid-August weather, here in the UK, where there’s a radiant warmth, but also a little rain, which keeps us all indoors. Crowd-pleasing Pop.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Welcome Break’ (LP) (Available from October 8, 2021) (via Heavenly Recordings)

That’s all for now – and thank you very much for the support, as always. ‘Scuzz Sundays’ is the plan for tomorrow, as per usual, with a new entry to the library that marks the debut appearance on the blog for one of the few Pop-Punk bands of the era that haven’t been remembered for the feature yet. The band were from Los Gatos, California, they have released eight studio albums to date, remain active in the present day, and the Nu-Metal band seem to have gone through many line-up tweaks.

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Way Back Wednesdays: Phyllis Dillon – “Don’t Stay Away”

August 4, 2021 — Leave a comment

Prepare for the warmer summer heat with a sweet soul from Jamaica. New post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘One Life To Live’ (LP) (Released in 1972) (Reissued by Cherry Red Records)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and, as we do every week, it’s time to go ‘Way Back’ to the sounds of the past which have been influential to those of the present, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music each day! An OD in Jamaica, Phyllis Dillon was one of the very few vocalists of the late-1960’s Jamaican Rocksteady scene to be female in an otherwise highly male-dominated genre. She recorded a very large number of singles for Duke Reid’s lucrative label, Treasure Isle, during the late-60’s to the mid-1970’s. At the time, the Jamaican music market was nearly entirely driven by recording tracks as standalone singles, and Dillon, like most others, was another vocalist who went for years before joining the album racks in the country. Although she only made a little impact outside of her home market, Dillon was well remembered for recording vintage tunes like 1966’s ‘Don’t Stay Away’, her lucrative first release, which was heralded by Jamaica Gleaner as “perhaps the finest female performance in Jamaican music” in 2014. The self-penned song featured Tommy Cook & The Supersonics as her backing band, and, in 2012, it was sampled by Kes for ‘Tuesday On The Rocks’. After moving to the US and living a double life, Dillon initially quit her recording career in 1978, but she would return to touring and recording in the 1990’s in territories like the UK and Germany, inspired by a rekindled interest in American Ska. ‘Don’t Stay Away’ from Dillon below.

Although she had returned to the recording studio with Lynn Tatt in 1998, she only remained active in creating new projects until an illness eventually took hold of her wellbeing, and, in 2004, she tragically passed away in New York due to her battles with cancer, but she was later awarded the ‘Order Of Distinction’ by the Jamaican government in 2009. Although you probably know exactly what we’re getting here from my descriptions alone, and you would be correct, this track was a pivotal moment in black female music for her domestic market because it was a huge hit in the country. It’s not tricky to see why, as it mostly conformed to the tropes of the Dub scene at the time, but her voice certainly gave her the skill to stand out from the pack, at the same time. The lyrics are a direct and object lesson in telling her lover that he would not keep his distance if he knew how much she loved him. It doesn’t feel as sentimental as most of the similar Reggae cuts of the time, but her upbeat delivery has a great sense of honesty, rather than jealousy or scorn. Her vocals are very clear and need no distortion trickery whatsoever to get the crystal clear sincerity and the general lyrical themes of the single along to the more casual types of listeners nicely enough. The instrumentation is varied enough to prickle your ears up and take good notice too, and I especially like the smoky solo that sounds like a Harmonica towards the home stretch because it feels on-point and distinctive for the time, marking one memorable moment for the otherwise Soul-oriented melodies. The backing band pull in a deceptively simple performance that complements her tone with good cohesion, and the embellishments of Brass and Strings throughout the track give the rhythms a detailed and concise soundscape for Dillon’s pure vocals to work with effectively. On the whole, there are no surprises here, but there doesn’t need to be. A simple master-class in writing and performing easy, steady Reggae music that appeals to everybody.

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘This Is Trojan: Rocksteady’ (Compilation LP) (Released in April 2018)

Many thanks to you for not staying away from the blog today, and please feel free to join me again tomorrow as we shift our attention to the potentially seminal sounds of the present! This choice in question marks, surprisingly, the first appearance on the blog from a South Korean DJ who I am a little fond of already. Now based in Berlin, she has started up her own label, Gudu Records, in 2019, and she has toured across the planet, including a time where she had studied at the London College Of Fashion.

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