Cults Cults Cults

Cults Cults Cults: Dynamic Duo


When an artist or band grabs you with their sound or hook or whatever within 30 secs, you know you've found something special and actually, worth spending money on.


Sublime comes to mind. I love bands that sound unique and untrendy, or should I say not slaves to the pop trends that soil our radiowaves every so often.


Cults Cults Cults... a wonderful refreshing sound. A but like drinking fresh spring water after a hot long day.


I want more.


Playing live at XOYO in London on November 12th 2011

http://cultscultscults.com

 

Veronica Falls

Veronica Falls get the Max thumbs up.


I must admit...I don't really want to use the word retro to describe the sound of this band. However, it does hark back to the early 80s. I cannot help thinking there's a strong vintage Blondie influence there.


On the 1st listen you are left curious as to where to pigeon hole this band....yes, artists and musicians hate being pigeon-holed - and what for, anyway? But the human brain does try to categorise. In this case, one's brain is searching for something to familiarise itself with.It's a difficult task and that's why this band is so good...they sound unique, actually.


The infectious "Found Love In A Graveyard" quite frankly sounds like something you'd play on your ipod while frivolously strolling through a graveyard. As we so often do.


I would highly recommend this band if you're a fan of The Strokes, Ramones, Flaming Lips, Blondie, The Vines, Mazzy Star..you get where I'm going with this?


The jangly guitars and eery vocals set back in the mix give Veronica Falls a charming English lo-fi sound...at the end of  "Found Love In A Graveyard" I could hear the faint buzz of the electric guitar's pickups through the amp. It's real. And that's what I like about them.


Check em out

Bob Marley

Bob Marley


I've just been floored by my newly purchased Bob Marley 'Legend' cd. I waited about a week before I listened to it and my road trip to Brighton seemed like an excellent opportunity.


I was amazed by the artistry, the production the performances - everything about Bob Marley's music is simply stunning. It's as if I've never properly heard his music before. And to be fair, the last Bob Marley music I owned was all on vinyl back in the olden days.


Consider me re-aquainted. Enlightened, actually.


His music is a paradoxical mix of sweetness, anger, hope and unattached bliss. All delivered with the eloquence and skill of a musical master. A genius. Bob Marley was that special.


I mean, who cannot hum a Bob Marley song off the top of their head? His music is probably more instantly recognisable than the Beatles.


The man instinctively understood melody and lyrics brilliantly and weaved them into the most happy and poignant music in recorded history.


When it came to vocal performances and nuances Bob Marley was an alchemist....instinctively manipulating and melding 'energy' to effortlessly carry the listener through his tunes.


If you don't know what I mean, here's an example.... in the song " Satisfy My Soul" in the 2nd part of the song he unexpectedly calms the feel down alot, almost whispering the words like he's praying "when we bend a new corner, i feel like a sweepstake winner..." Most artists would belt that line at that point in that song. Not Bob, though. The Alchemist is fully confident in his art that he lets the emotion dictate the pace...not his intellect. That's the trait of a master, in my opinion.


Lyrically, Bob's message was simple: take it easy, love your neighbour, don't give up on social justice, and that we all need "something" (redemption songs) to get us through the human experience.


Bob Marley is more than just an artist on a roster. He was a blessing to us all.

Ed Sheeran - You Need Me, I Don't Need You (True Tiger Remix ft. Dot Rotten & Scrufizer)

Ed Sheeran - You Need Me, I Don't Need You (True Tiger Remix ft. Dot Rotten & Scrufizer)

One of the best remixes out there!!!! I'm not usually a hip hop man but this has got to be some of the best UK hip hop I've ever heard.

I won't even try comment on how good them lyricz are...cos I don't have a clue about rhymes and rapping -but this track hits me on an emotional level; which is what I think great music should do.

It's mixed to perfection...full of sonic highs and lows, drama and solid groove.

Absolutley floored by this record. Yes, I said record, because that's the word music execs use to describe a work of musical art.

Cady Groves - my latest pop fix

Yes!!! My next shot of pop energy has been wheeled in. Thank you, nurse.

A twitter search of Max Martin about 18 months ago revealed a tweet from Cady, from Oklahoma USA, saying that she had just met up with the producer legend for lunch.

I'm a huge fan of Max Martin and now that Cady Groves' music is starting to filter out of her camp I realise that waiting for it for so long was well worth it.

The first track from major label RCA was released as a free download called 'We're The Shit'.

'This Little Girl' has now been released (check cadygroves.com) and it's an absolute stonker of a tune. I love it.….I'm not sure if Max Martin actually produced any of these 2 songs but the word on the street (internetz) is that Kristian Lundin produces "This Little Girl" one of the founding fathers of Max Martin's previous stable called Cheiron Studios....

Unfortunatley, cos we're Brits we cannot buy it on iTunes. US only. I was ACCESS DENIED my full dose of the Cady drug because of some territorial music industry bollocks.

However, I'm happy to wait as the Cady Groves avalanche gathers size and momentum,  and will eventually drench the UK in candy- flavoured slush. But let me add this: Cady Groves is no flash in the pan and she's a credible artist in her own right.

Follow Cady on @cadygroves

iTunes link is here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/this-little-girl-single/id459140451?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Sept 26th Newsflash! The video for "This Little Girl" is here!!! 




 http://vimeo.com/29487321

Marvin Gaye: 40th Anniversary Year

Marvin Gaye

On May 17th Motown released a 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of Marvin Gaye's iconic album "What's Going On".

Originally released in May 1971, the album became an instant classic, as well as one of the most influential records of all time.

I discovered Marvin Gaye when I worked in a Denmark Street music store a few years back. A turning point in my musical journey!

From the website: "What's Going On" addressed the toll of the Vietnam War as well as urban decay, drug abuse, civil unrest and injustice. It changed the face of popular music. Forty years on, What's Going On remains a topical recording."

The set includes never before released tracks & features 2 CDs, 1 vinyl LP plus rare photos. Yes, you read right...

If you're not familiar with Marvin, I strongly recommend this album as well as "Let's Get It On".

Also for Motown fans, a DVD called "Motown Gold from the Ed Sullivan Show" will be released on September 13th 2011. Digitally restored footage on DVD for the fisrt time, including a classic performance by Marvin Gaye of "Take This Heart of Mine", as well as The Temptations and The Supremes.

Marvin Gaye: Whats Going On: 40th Anniversary Edition on Amazon UK
 

'Like' Marvin Gaye "What's Going On 40th Anniversary" on Facebook.

Lanterns On The Lake

Lanterns On The Lake

Fanciful, dreamy, melodic, and quite simply, aural respite from the rat race…

I proudly introduce to you Lanterns On The Lake, hailing from Newcastle, England.

Very few acts manage to embody beauty and simplicity without trying to please record companies/radio stations etc

Their first single is called "Keep On Trying" with amazing visuals and camera-work and, as described by their label Bella Union "…stunning visuals, which explore all aspects of life on the Geordie Shore…"

Lanterns On The Lake, I take my hat off to you.

Their dubut album will be released on 19th September 2011 entitled ‘Gracious Tide, Take Me Home’.