Today’s Track: Future Islands – “For Sure”

August 25, 2020 — Leave a comment

Future Islands are back with a ‘Season’ of new music? ‘Surely’ not! It’s new post time!

Pictured: Samuel T. Herring (Lead Vocals/Writer/Producer), Gerrit Welmers (Keyboard/Synths), William Cashion (Bass Guitar/Rhythm Guitar) and Michael Lowry (Drums/Backing Vocals) (in 2020) (Photo Credit: Justin Flythe)

Good Morning! I am Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, as per usual, because it is my day-to-day pleasure to review a different piece of music every day! Samuel T. Herring is known for his deep, operatic croon as the frontman of Future Islands, a native band of Baltimore, Maryland, who have specialized in Prog-Synthpop for the adults for the best part of a decade. The band went viral with their performance of “Seasons (Waitin’ On You)” on an episode of US talk show The Late Show With David Letterman in 2014, and they’ve remained to have a strong and loyal fanbase since. Similarly to Sigur Rós, this is a crossover band who are popular, but not. “As Long As You Are” is their sixth album, set for its release on October 4th, and is their first to feature drummer Michael Lowry as a fourth member of the band’s official lineup. The band will also be playing a ticketed live-stream gig from Baltimore on the night of its release. The 4-piece have also taken a production credit for the first time in their 14-year career, collaborating with Steve Wright as an engineer in his Wrightway Studios in Balitmore. Let’s take a listen to “For Sure” below.

The music video for “For Sure” was directed by Sam Mason, and it finds a Knight Rider-style car drive through an idyllic sequence of post-apocalyptic landscapes, paired to the beat of rhythmic synth riffs and propulsive drum basslines, as T. Herring’s signature vocal delivery allows for raw emotions to create a feeling that tip-toes on the line between reminiscence and regret. He croons: “Perish the pain/I was impoverished/Those ties that wind”, as a retro, nostalgic 80’s keyboard aesthetic interlocks with an ascending backing vocal from Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner. T. Herring croons away, at his retrospective pace, remembering: “Hot as the day/When we sat on stones”, and “Dove from the rocks/Scraping my knees and toes”, layered over a thick guitar groove and reverb-drenched Synth lines. The chorus is very melodic, as T. Herring declares: “I will never keep you from an open door, I know” and “That’s how much I feel in everything you are” after a post-bridge that grinds the pace to a slower fluidity, before the instrumentation leans into a more Psych-oriented visual, as the repeating Synth grooves mesh with the clashing drum pattern to create a cinematic, theatrical quality, as T. Herring signals the end with a gut punch, exclaiming: “I will never keep you from just who you are” as the Synths gradually fade out. It’s certainly a track that does what Future Islands have done solidly well for the best part of over a decade now. It’s true to say that it doesn’t sound much different to their last material, since they just continue to meddle around with the same formula and nurture their unique qualities, and it is a formula which seems to work, so it doesn’t make me feel particularly shortchanged as a result, although I’d like to see them experiment with some new ideas in the near-future. That said, it is the lead single, so it’s designed to be accessible to a wide audience, who are perhaps a little bit more casual. Overall, I really dig this. It sees the band continue to carve out a niche for themselves, with an enjoyable sound that encapsulates the fairly rare direction of Synthpop for the adults.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “As Long As You Are” (Available to buy or stream from October 4th, 2020) (via 4AD)

Thank you very much for reading my daily blog post! Just like always, I will be back tomorrow for an in-depth review for another brand new single, this time coming from an English electronic duo who are currently signed up to Warp Records, who have steadily nurtured a unique style drawing from UK Grime, Dubstep, Electro-Rock and Ambient. One of their tracks was ranked on Pitchfork’s list of “Top 100 Tracks Of 2009” and it was used in a television advertising campaign for Colette, a fashion accessory retailer. 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: Tame Impala – “Is It True?”

August 24, 2020 — Leave a comment

Can’t you see my eyes are open wide? Would I lie to you, baby? – It’s new post time…

Pictured: Tame Impala performing a live set on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival 2019 (Photo via BBC Music)

Good Morning! I am Jacob Braybrooke and I’m typing up about your daily track on the blog, because it is still always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Even if you’re just a casual listener of music, I’m sure that you’re probably at least familiar with the name of Tame Impala by this point – an Australian Psychedelic Rock outfit predominantly steered by Kevin Parker as a solo producer, with touring band members to fill out the band’s line-up. He’s been making huge waves with 2012’s “Lonerism” and 2015’s “Currents”, and he’s been gaining mainstream attention with his latest release, “The Slow Rush”, which was released back in February, by Fiction Records in the UK, and other labels internationally. A new single, “Is It True?”, was released from the new album two weeks ago, alongside a technicolor-inflicted new music video which engulfs Parker in a retro visual format of a Synesthesia-like aesthetic, as he grooves to the track around tripped colour art, created to look like it was made from clippings of VHS Recordings and Amiga 2000 graphic engines. Parker has also kept busy during the self-quarantine period with a remixed version of the new album, “The Slow Rush In An Imaginary Place”. On his latest album release, Parker wanted to craft a variety of Pop soundscapes, and Parker opted to write and record the album himself in his studios in Melbourne and Los Angeles. Also exploring wide themes of growing maturity and coming-of-age, he told the media: “A “lot of the songs carry this idea of time passing, of seeing your life flash before your eyes, being able to see clearly your life from this point onwards.” “I’m being swept by this notion of time passing.”, later adding, “There’s something really intoxicating about it.” Let’s have a listen to the brand new single – “Is It True” – below.

“Is It True?” likely marks the final nail in the coffin as to how far the project of Tame Impala goes as a guitar-based psychedelia rock outfit, embracing a vivid Synthpop flair of production and unabashedly catchy, rhythmic hooks, but it never feels derivative or tired as far as a modern Prog-Pop record can go, as the synth compositions instead feel rich and thoughtful, as “Is It True” marks one of the strongest highlights of his latest album’s material. Parker contemplates taking a promising relationship further, reciting: “We started talkin’ bout devotion/The kind that goes on eternally/And I tell her I’m in love with her/But, how can I know that I’ll always be” in the opening verse, layering his vocals over a smooth instrumental of shimmering West African drum samples and lines of drifting keyboard riffs that flutter across the cut, with an easygoing strip of Horn sections to keep the groove rolling. During the bridge, Parker asks: “That’s a promise I can’t make and I won’t validate, Was I being immature, I don’t know, I don’t care” to an upbeat rhyme over a wistful, bubbling Synth bed instrumental. That’s before the heavy electronic snares hit you hard, and the track sounds very polished in glittering Disco rock. The same kind of Psych-Pop, with a slight R&B infliction, vibe carries on, until a major key change marks the beginning of a mellow and delicate little interlude. The Vegas-inspired bassline is still faintly audible, with the same Strobing effects, which feel gradually slower and more contemplative. Parker sidetracks with: “In my head, I said, we’ll see how it goes, until we know, what the future holds” as the high production values increasingly get detailed with a laidback Conga drum groove and a slow-paced, fizzing bed of Keyboard instrumentals and gentle Synth work. It could disappoint fans fond of Parker’s more guitar-driven material, but I think that it works as a great pop track, sounding danceable and dancefloor-friendly, while using a reflective style of lyricism that complements the awkward narrative. Exciting and sonically stimulating.

Pictured: Tame Impala (Kevin Parker) in the video for “Call My Phone Thinking I’m Doing Nothing Better” (2020)

As previously mentioned, Parker always finds ways to keep himself busy, so he has been collaborating with The Streets on “Call My Phone Thinking I’m Doing Nothing Better”, of which you can read my review of the track here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/05/08/todays-track-the-streets-feat-tame-impala-call-my-phone-thinking-im-doing-nothing-better/, and if you can’t get enough of the sounds and themes that Parker explores on The Slow Rush, you can check out my thoughts on “It Might Be Time” here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/11/16/todays-track-tame-impala-it-might-be-time/ and “Lost In Yesterday” here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/02/14/todays-track-tame-impala-lost-in-yesterday/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “The Slow Rush” (Released on February 14th, 2020) (via Fiction Records in the UK)

Thank you very much for reading my daily blog post! As always promised, I will be back tomorrow for an in-depth look at a recent single, and a new LP announcement, from a popular Alternative Synthpop band from Baltimore, Maryland who went viral with a live performance of their 2014 crossover hit “Seasons (Waitin’ On You)” on the US talk show, The Late Show with David Letterman. 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 1st Anniversary Special: The Bloodhound Gang – “The Bad Touch”

August 23, 2020 — Leave a comment

Honestly, I can’t actually believe that I’m doing this, but it’s a special Scuzz Sunday…

Pictured: Jimmy Pop (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Jared Hasslehoff (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals), DJ Q-Ball (Keyboards/Synths/Turntables/Producer), Daniel P. Carter (Lead Guitar) and The Yin (Drums (2015) (via WeGow.com)

Oh, boy! Good Morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and we’ve reached the time of the week where we have a look back at an Emo-Rock or a Pop-Punk relic, one that would have been played on the defunct Scuzz TV channel, from the late 1990’s to the mid-2000’s, to see if it can live up to it’s stature! We’ve actually reached the point of an entire year since I began running the feature on the blog, so, therefore, to mark the milestone, we’re actually going there, with… THAT track. Of course, I’m talking about The Bloodhoung Gang’s “The Bad Touch”, a track that was on a VERY significantly heavy rotation on Scuzz TV, for all of the wrong reasons… I feel. It’s known for it’s very silly, memorable music video that made the track become a sizable hit commercially, peaking at #4 in the UK Singles Chart and #52 on the US Billboard Hot 100, alongside a #1 chart position in European countries including Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, and a few others. This track came from the group’s third studio album, “Hooray For Boobies”… Yep, which was also released in October 1999 in the UK and the rest of Europe, with a US release early in the year thereafter. In case you were wondering, The Bloodhound Gang were a band who have done quite well for themselves, as they have sold more than 6 million copies of their albums worldwide. I guess, after “The Bad Touch”, they at least had a core fanbase to follow them. The 5-piece went on a hiatus in 2015. Let’s get this over with… with “The Bad Touch” below.

Referenced by Eminem in his hit – “The Real Slim Shady”, The Bloodhound Gang’s “The Bad Touch” is the exemplary track that bought Rap-Rock to the masses in a way that, for at least some merit, is still remembered to this day. The lyrics are sexual and vulgar, as Jimmy Pop (yeah, an apt name, for sure) recites: “Sweat baby, Sweat baby, Sex is a Texas drought” and “So, put your hands down my pants and I’ll be you’ll feel nuts” after a synth-led intro that introduces retro 80’s synth beats and a noticeable element of Space-Pop into the mix. The chorus trades nothing for no subtlety, as Pop unforgettably raps: “You and me/Baby me, Nothing but mammals/So, let’s do it like they do on the Discovery channel”, as he pairs up a very basic rhyme with a melodic Synth instrumental, with very little guitar-based instrumentation to be seen or heard. The rest of the track plods along with it’s established style, as Pop matches simplistic Hop-based hooks with repeating Synth instrumentals, with the odd “Gettin’ horny now” to remind us of the intentionally crass and deliberately oversexualised lyricism, with sexual references with every single turn, and a calming Synth bed undertone to complement the Innuendo-heavy vocals. To be fair, the music video is still rather funny and it elicits a decent chuckle out of me, and the refrains are slightly catchy, so I’m not going to take a No.2 all over this. The trouble is, however, you may notice how the sound never really progresses in any major ways. It never really gets to a point where it gets outright explicit, and, melodically, it’s just the same couple of hooks getting repeated over strikingly familiar Synth instrumental sections and the same old rap chorus. It gets tedious for the wrong reasons, and it simply just doesn’t quite go anywhere. But, where would we all be without this? Blissfully unaware… Perhaps?

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Hooray For Boobies” (Album) (Released on October 4th, 1999) (via Geffen Records)

Thank you very much for reading this post! Scuzz Sundays will return for the foreseeable future, and although I’ve just about covered all of the main tracks taken from the era, I’ve still got plenty of sources to gather memories from and some lesser-known tracks that could have something interesting to them. I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at the new single from an established Australian Psychedelic Rock act who recently collaborated with Mike Skinner on his latest mixtape as The Streets. He also won the “Best Song Of The Year 2016” trophy at the APRA Awards in 2016. 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: Jónsi – “Swill”

August 15, 2020 — Leave a comment

If you’re a Sigur Ros fan, you’ll be happier than a Hoppipolla with this. New post time!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Shiver” (Available to buy from 2nd October, 2020) (via Krunk Records)

Good Morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up your daily post on the blog, since it is always my routinely day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! “Swill” marks an exciting announcement of a new project from Jónsi Birgisson, who is the frontman of Icelandic post-rock alternative crossover stars, Sigur Rós. The band are currently on hiatus as several members of the band are busy looking after their recent children. However, Jónsi is pushing forward with the release of “Shiver”, which marks his first solo album release in a full decade, since 2010’s “Go”, via the Krunk Records indie label. The new solo record will be exploring an ethereal, Synth-driven sound, using Jónsi’s signature use of the cello and the Falsetto vocal delivery to create Dark-Pop textures, balanced with the use of the Bowed guitar to form a lighter contrast and incorporating the Classical and Minimal production efforts which Sigur Rós have become known for. If your a huge fan of Sigur Rós, “Swill” will probably leave you feeling right at home. In the press release, Jónsi explained: “It’s basically about when you get too drunk and do something stupid,” he laughs, “And you make a fool of yourself.” to Rolling Stone in an interview. “Shiver” releases on October 2nd, and it features work with Robyn, Liz Fraser (of The Cocteau Twins) and A.G. Cook. “Swill” is accompanied by an unearthly animated music video directed by Barnaby Roper & Pandagunda. Let’s have a listen to the new single below!

Using Avant-Garde experimentation, Jónsi crafts one of his most accessible – although that’s not necessary to say mainstream or commercial – sounds on “Swill”, a track which blends the organic with the synthesized in ways that remind me of Björk’s “Homogenic” from 1997 and Arca’s “Kick i”, released earlier in the year. Using his signature Falsetto vocals of the Sigur Rós style, crooning: “You say, I did something wrong yesterday/You’re right, I’m making a fool of myself in every way” in the post-bridge refrain over a light bed of flickering Cello effects and a gentle, soothing Violin line, before the peace is interrupted by a clashing, electronic Drum beat that explodes as we build to the chorus. They retain a dream-like quality as CGI bodies warp and twist Jónsi’s face in the video, but the mood replaces a warmth with an abrasive, often mythic, sequence of punchy Synth drums. Throughout, these electronic elements flutter between moods, dynamically changing between an unpleasant note of chaos and a calmer effect of respite, which alter based on Jónsi’s vocals, while a vibe that sits between Post-Industrial Pop and Art-Folk is created by the glitchy Synth instrumentals. Overall, I’m quite excited to see in which direction Jónsi takes the Avant-Pop direction as the new album takes shape, and finally launches in October. I feel that the auto-tune effects are used a touch bit excessively in the later sections of the track, but the instrumentation seems fresh and diversified, while in-keeping with a Contemporary Pop structure. It pays off well. Colour me intrigued about the new LP.

Pictured: Jónsi (frontman of Sigur Ros) performing at an undisclosed live concert (2020) (Photo Credit: Phillip Cosores)

Thank you very much for reading this post! Tomorrow is, of course, Scuzz Sundays, the time of the week where we take a leisurely stroll down memory lane and we dig out either a Pop-Punk or Emo-Rock classic from between the late-1990’s to the mid-2000’s to see if it can hold a candle to the modern quality standards! 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: Nicolas Michaux – “Parrot”

August 11, 2020 — Leave a comment

You’ve got to listen to what the Parrot says – and try to repeat! It’s time for a new post!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Amour Colère” (Available from September 25th, 2020) (via Capitane Records)

Good Morning! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up your daily post on the blog, as like always, because it is my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! “Parrot” is a hidden gem of a new track which I heard during John Ravenscroft’s edition of 6Music Recommends last week, and I’ve sadly never heard of Nicolas Michaux before. Michaux is an emerging singer-songwriter who was born and raised in Belgium, but, according to the info on his Bandcamp page, he now divides his time between his home-turf’s capital city of Brussels and the Danish Islands of Samsø, where his family lives. This is where he writes, records and produces his own music, alongside a bit of time growing vegetables with his family. He self-released his debut album, “à la vie, à la mort”, in 2016, and he performs his music in both English and French. “Parrot” marks the signal that his sophomore LP effort, “Amour Colère” is due for it’s release on September 25th, and he’s signed up to Capitane Records for his next creative endeavor. Let’s take a listen to “Parrot” – with it’s Visualizer video below!

Michaux writes that “It’s one of the oldest songs on the record, but the one I recorded last” and “It’s a slightly obscure and ambiguous song, but by its themes and images I have the impression that it speaks of our time.”, upon explaining the themes and writing of the new track. The hard work paid off, because this is an excellent jangly Tropicalia-Pop cut that hints towards 90’s Brit-Pop and 00’s Synth-Funk, with vocals that evoke Thom Yorke and synth melodies which remind me of LCD Soundsystem. Michaux opens with: “Your frustration has a face, but the guard said no picture” in a low-tone delivery, as a hint of Nu-Disco flavor bursts through the Indie Rock frame, with a dry Snake Drum bassline, and a stripped-back rhythm guitar instrumental. He introduces a radiant backing vocal in after the first chorus, as the Kick Drum groove carries on going within the background of a smoky, baritone Punk direction. The lyrics are ambiguous and undefined, although a soft Political message about using vice presidents as Puppets screams out to me, with the main hook of “Listen to the words that the Parrot says, and try to repeat”. It surprisingly builds to an eminently danceable, globally-influenced outro. It retains the core guitar-and-drum groove, but an acidly jittering bass guitar line gets woven into the mix, along with a repeatedly shimmering guitar backing and a soft, Summery electronic synth riff that makes you feel the need to get up and move. The outro is lively and exciting, evoking qualities of Tropicalia and World-Rock with a slightly Vintage sound with solid ease. Overall, I think it’s brilliant because the production behind the track sounds gloriously eclectic and fresh, with cool guitar lines and a melodic drum groove that burns slowly to the tropical finish. We should be supporting artists like Nicolas Michaux on daytime radio.

Pictured: Nicolas Michaux in a publicity shot to promote the release of “Parrot” (Single) (2020) (Photo via PR)

Thank you very much for reading my new post! I will be back tomorrow for an in-depth look at another emerging musical artist, but this time, it’s going to be on more homely ground, with an LGBT Dance artist currently residing in Bristol. The artist performs under an alias which is named after a popular brand of Deodorant that all British guys typically get for Christmas. 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

One Track At A Time

Synth-Rock