Nick Mulvey - First Mind, album review (Folk/Alternative)

Nick Mulvey's richly textured, elegant voice has the capability to become one of your favourite artists of 2014. The former Portico Quartet member's debut solo album is an enticing and intricately detailed record that calls to mind the warmth of classics, such as Peter Broderick's 'Home' and Jose Gonsalez's 'Veneer'. 

This is just one strand of the 28-year old's impressive accolades and talents. Now based in East London, the multi-instrumentalist has supported Laura Marling and London Grammar on tour, been named as one of the BBC Radio 1's artists of the year, and played an impressive set at this year's historic Glastonbury Festival. If that wasn't impressive enough, he was also a starting member of the Mercury Prize nominated jazz band Portico Quartet. From playing in small churches to selling out shows on his own tour, the singer has come a long way over the past three years.

Mulvey states that the name, 'First Mind', explains how he writes his music; based on instinct, rather than thorough, pre-meditated thought. That said, the album's influences are hard to pin-point on the first listen. At heart, the record is classic Americana-folk, but defining this beautiful piece of work into one sentence would be a complete crime. Traditional and experimental acoustics are mixed with delicate mild-electronic touches which form little diamonds in the rough. Although the beautifully contemplative songs are shrouded in an air of Paul Simon, Nick Drake and Ben Howard, Mulvey's degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London has also unexpectedly been put to use here. Finger-plucking guitar rhythms happily coincide with the Afro and calypso rhythms; a combination that would usually be cynically judged, yet Mulvey makes it his own.
Across these soundscapes, Mulvey tentatively sings about a world of love-lost, complicated relationships, the judgemental society we live in and the struggle of fitting in. The sublime 'Meet Me There' finds a groove in his world-weary, gentle tongue-twister "after all the people picking people picking people apart". The soft lamenting of 'Nitrous' surprisingly, yet outstandingly, transforms into a 90's style upbeat laughing gas-seller, where he steals lines from Olive's dance hit 'You're Not Alone'. However, it's 'Cucurucu' and 'Fever To The Form' that steal the limelight on the record. The tracks deal with the honest sentiment of the 'yearning to belong' and the difficulty of wanting more out of a failing relationship; stunning and building, they both cause you to get caught up in the embellishment, which fizzes and soars but leaves you feeling strangely helpless.
A brilliant record. The ambience, grooves and melodies here will prove to be irresistible, and this record will soon become the soundtrack for you this summer.

Check out 'Fever To The Form' below.

Savages - Silence Yourself, album review (Indie/Alternative/Post-Punk, UK)

Savages perform like a band who have taken their lessons from Siouxsie Sioux, filtered them through The Pixies, stopped off to meet Bauhaus, and landed in the arms of Joy Division. That said, they aren’t mere revivalists that are recreating their parents’ favourite records, Savages offer too many of their own powerful perceptions concerning the bleak corners in their monochromic world to be considered unoriginal. The release of their sensational single ‘Husbands’ last year seized the attention of alternative-rock fans galore, but it was their confident, intense live performances that proved themselves worthy of being musicians. Our anticipation for their debut release was not met with disappointment, as our fears of their live performances over-shadowing their studio-recorded efforts were surprisingly proved wrong; the eleven track album, Silence Yourself, could be considered an immediate classic with Jehnny Beth’s vehement, uncompromising attitude stamped across forty minutes of limitless energy.

Unlike many current indie bands that find their influence, concerning sound and melody alone, from post-punk bands, it is post-punk’s controversial views towards society and moral expectations, anxiety towards the modern world, and chilling themes that the Savages find solace with - while still sounding current. Opener ‘Shut Up’ commences with a foreboding excerpt from John Cassavetes' film ‘Opening Night’ which could be seen as a slight prelude of the deep, warped atmosphere that continuously develops and flows across the record. The lyrics are stark, harsh and memorable with poignant bass-lines that take centre stage when Jehnny isn’t wailing in a Siouxsie fashion. Stripped-back, tenacious elements from the punk genre meet Joy Division’s dehumanised ennui in ‘I Am Here’; cymbals crash and cascade relentlessly towards the end of the three minute paranoia-inducing track. Jehnny’s vocals remain raw throughout, and honestly, it is refreshing to hear such talent as she screeches “I am here! I am here! I am here!”
It would be naïve to say that Savages lack in musical skill; Gemma Thompson, Ayse Hassan and Fay Milton all contribute something to create songs that smoulder, ignite and intensify. Gut-wrenching guitar distortions and bass riffs are most noteworthy and impressive during ‘City’s Full’ and ‘Strife’; drumbeats either pound explosively or provide a soothing, timely rhythm in slower areas of the latter track.  ‘Hit Me’ and ‘She Will’ are compositions taking a more punk approach to their music with tremendous, shuddering drum-beats, piercing guitar distortions and vocals that will creep up on our senses and suddenly suffocate them with screams - not a bad thing, I might add.
One of the concepts that the Savages try and push across in their record is to challenge and question everyday routines, ideas and labels that people perceive as ‘normal’. This is present in the track ‘Husbands’ where the word ‘husbands’ is repeated countless times, becoming more manic, eccentric and high-pitched each time that it is uttered, rendering it completely alien to its meaning. Partnered with the lyrics “I woke up and saw the face of a guy, I don’t know who he is”, off-putting guitar riffs and cymbal clashes, it creates a disorientating, jumbled sound - one of the more stunning tracks on the album.
‘Waiting For A Sign’ and ‘Marshal Dear’ are mouth-watering glimpses into what else Savages can offer as a band. More slower in pace, they create a mature atmosphere with overarching distortions, fragile whispers; a piano and jazz-brass solo are delicate touches in ‘Marshal Dear'.

Silence Yourself is one of the most artistic endeavours that post-punk has offered in a long time, combining visceral, brutal elements of punk with bleak, softer influences, resulting in songs that are fairly similar to Siouxsie & the Banshees earlier material. Riffs and hooks aplenty, with postured vocals thrown in for good measure, Savages are artists that have created one of the more notable debuts released in 2013.

Check out the video for 'Shut Up' below

The National - Trouble Will Find Me, album review (Indie, USA)

Brooklyn-based quintet, The National, have become one of the more intriguing bands on the indie-rock scene ever since their 2001 debut; fronted by the disenchanted, yet humble, Matt Berninger, a baritone, the band has begged for comparisons with the shadowy, melancholic sound of Joy Division. Their sixth studio-produced LP, Trouble Will Find Me, is built on foundations of dying love, a tormenting past, self-disgust and an apathetic attitude towards modern and urban lifestyles, upon which handsomely-constructed, celestial melodies are built. Trouble May Find Me may not top critically acclaimed previous releases, (for example, Boxer and High Violet), but individual songs such as ‘This Is The Last Time’, ‘Demons’ and ‘Sea Of Love’ could just be their best pieces of work to date.

Opener ‘I Should Live In Salt’ is reminiscent of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – hopeless-sounding vocals, lightly-played chord arrangements and a pleasant drum backbeat that builds to something more compelling as Berninger heartbreakingly yelps “I should live in salt for leaving you behind.” Elsewhere, quietly purposeful and reflective tracks ‘Don’t Swallow The Cap’, ‘Demons’ and ‘Pink Rabbits’ revisit a more meandering, drunk-under-the-table-at-2am ambience, signalling a move towards their finest material. Moody and world-weary, ‘Demons’ is the first standout track on the album with lyrics unsubtly conveying Matt’s disappointment at feeling hopelessly stuck in a cycle of depression and missing people he has left behind. ‘This Is The Last Time’ uses a simple bass riff and a delicate drum beat alongside outstanding vocals, making an excellent mid-album peak; this track envisions strong and frightening emotions felt at the end of a relationship, and the desperate struggle of fighting for something that has already been lost-absolutely superb.
‘I Need My Girl’ is not dissimilar from Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes with soft folk chords being played unforgettably in a rhythm that is impossible to shake, and a persuasive chorus that is difficult to resist singing along to.  ‘Heavenfaced’ wouldn’t sound too out of place on Foals’s latest album, Holy Fire, while bittersweet, easy-listening songs like ‘Slipped’ and ‘Humiliation’ are a magnificent way to bring the album to a close.

The National’s latest venture at creating emotionally provocative contemplations deserves more than just the once over; amongst the overly-produced music that is ever present in the indie genre, this album is a diamond among the rough, which deserves to shine with its fresh batch of endearing and mesmeric songs.

Check out The National's video for 'Sea Of Love' below