Monday 24 July 2017

'Let Down' EP by Dresses



Whilst this blog normally features new music, we are also here to promote music discovery. When researching last week's Youth Club post, I stumbled across an indie pop male/female duo named Dresses' EP 'Let Down'. Having listened to a couple of songs on the EP, I thought it'd be good to share with you all (even if it was released in 2015). It appears as though the US duo haven't been active on social media for a while but I hope you enjoy this little slice of summer pop.

Beginning with whistle-like synth tones, an intricate clicking rhythm, plucked strings and upbeat vocals, 'Catch' introduces the feel good EP. This song throws a veil of cheerful claps, bright guitars and optimism over the deeper, more personal, emotive core of the story of how important communication is within a relationship. This becomes particularly prominent in the beautifully metaphoric chorus:

 'Don't wanna be another one that you throw back
 This is a two way street not a culdesac,
And if I threw my heart and made a pass
Would your hands reach out when I said Catch.'

The two way street emphasises how both people in a relationship need to talk and try to understand eachother - it's not one way communication. However, it is the final line of the chorus that is very bold and resonates emotion implying the question; will you be there for me when I need you?

Following on from 'Catch' is the equally as catchy and bright track 'Drift Away'.

In contrast from 'Catch', 'Drift Away' begins with a solo guitar that builds up from a simple strum to more intricate patterns. The cheerful claps are replaced temporarily with slightly stronger drum beats but the duo's signature harmonies remain. 

'No matter what we are
We're gonna give it up
My mind, your heart have had enough
No matter what you do
I'm still in love with you 
But my heart, your mind
Are out of touch.' 

As the title would suggest, my interpretation of 'Drift Away' is that it is about two people separating from each other due to a lack of understanding of the others' feelings. 

Suddenly the EP takes a darker toned turn with 'I Don't Believe Them'. Drum beats become more intense and purposeful, almost like a march, while the synths and guitars that are often used as a bright pick up have become more mysterious in tone. 

'They say I have come so far but I don't believe them, I don't believe them.'

Skipping over the anomaly that is 'I Don't Believe Them', the brighter tone returns in title track 'Let Down'. With similar instrumentation and ''sway your arms'' vibe to the first two tracks on the EP, 'Let Down' tells the tale of perseverance, trying to make a relationship work - ultimately failing but happy in the knowledge the narrator tried. 

'I'm sorry if I let you down, but I didn't let me down.'

Next up is 'Frozen' (not featuring any mention of building any snowmen). 

This track has a slightly different feel to the rest of the EP as more of a ballad than pop song. Featuring layered vocals as well as the return of purposeful drum beats and the odd cymbal crash promotes a powerful sound throughout. 

Finally we have 'Fools'. 

Starting with quick guitar licks and the return of whistles, 'Fools' is the ultimate summer song with a bright, upbeat tone and xylophone inserts. Unexpectedly, the chorus of 'Fools' is perhaps more mellow than the tracks that precede it - perfect for driving along to in the summer sun. 

After listening to the 'Let Down' EP it is clear that Dresses are incredibly talented as they manage to make you smile and tap your feet along to heartbreak. Combining cheerful hooks and bright tones with personal, thought provoking lyrics has allowed Dresses to create a fun, summer sounding EP that we thoroughly enjoyed listening to.


Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic


LISTEN to the 'Let Down' EP on Spotify here.



Monday 17 July 2017

Introducing Youth Club

Picture Source: @weareyouthclub on Twitter


We are late to the party.

After attending Village Green Festival last weekend and not being able to fit into the tent this Southend four piece were playing, we knew they were something special.

Youth Club are an indie pop band from Essex that combine catchy hooks with upbeat guitars, creating infectious songs that leave you no choice but to dance along. This week we'll be looking at a few of Youth Club's singles, beginning with their most recent release 'Are You Wanting It All'.

Starting off with a laid back vibe created by clicks and a funky bass line, the rhythmic groove present in many Youth Club songs is given a slightly mysterious sounding twist. Typical to Youth Club, this song has a quite mellow dance groove in the verses with more uplifting phrases in the chorus aided by repeating brighter guitar patterns. Another interesting element to this track is its video which features silhouettes of the band throughout - something different.

Next, we're going a bit further back into Youth Club history with 'Pressure'.

The start of this track is rather unique, with drips and synthy beats punctuated by guitar strums introducing the song. This drip-feed of synths, drums and guitars flows into the musical accompaniment for the chorus and rest of the song representing, in my opinion, the confused/pressured situation. 'Pressure' has an arguably darker tone than most other Youth Club songs and a slightly more chaotic feel.

'We're wasting our time, never live up to the pressure.'

Half way through the pressure breaks.

'I know I know.'

This is a sort of calm oasis in the song. Overall, 'Pressure' has a good groove and reminiscent carnival vibes created by the mix of instruments and beats.

The final track we're going to talk about is 'DTLA' (short for Downtown LA).

With a defined beat and bass line from the start, DTLA definitely packs a punch. This upbeat track mixes guitar licks with a more R'n'B orientated vocal to once again create a catchy blend of indie pop. In particular, towards the end the guitar copies the vocal pattern in a solo type affair which was a nice addition to an already fantastic track.

If you're looking for more Youth Club tunes to jump around, sway your arms and move your feet to check out their 2014 EP 'Brothers'.


Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic



Find out more about Youth Club here.  



Monday 10 July 2017

IN PICTURES: VILLAGE GREEN 2017

It's that time of year again - festival season. Saturday 8th July saw the return of Village Green Festival in Essex, a fantastic grassroots festival for the whole family.

With a combination of undiscovered/unsigned bands and a few familiar names, it is easy to see why this festival draws crowds of all ages from across the region.

Some of our highlights included:

- Airways joking about how relevant their song 'Mate' is to Essex.
- Janet Street Porter masks the audience received from BAIT.
- The brilliant pop/rock energy brought by special guests Youth Club.
- This quote from intense rockers Suspects:

'This one's for all of us because going to work sucks - this is War Horse'.

Overall, Village Green is a great family day out that brings local talent and the community together - bring on next year!

Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic

Village Green In Pictures

AIRWAYS



NOTHING BUT THIEVES






YOUTH CLUB (so good we couldn't fit in!)



HOLLOWAY ROAD




SUSPECTS



LONGY & THE GOSPEL TRASH 



BAIT







All photos taken using an iPhone 6s.





Monday 3 July 2017

The Hummingbirds - 'Moving On' EP

Picture Source: PledgeMusic



Hailing from Liverpool, The Hummingbirds are a five piece Nashville inspired alt. rock band. Set for release on 28th July, their new EP 'Moving On' follows the success of their debut album released in 2016.

The four track EP begins with title track 'Moving On'.

Having never heard The Hummingbirds before, one of the first things I noticed was how their sound echoes other bands such as The Eagles and Oasis but with a Nashville-esque flavour, resulting in a truly unique sound. 'Moving On' is the track where these influences are most prominent in my opinion.

The EP links songs through the common narrative of love.