The Overtones "Higher" - Album Review

Back in 2002, Busted made the assumption that in the Year 3000 they would see “boy bands, and another one, and another one, and another one”. From the days of Take That in the early 90s to today’s churning out of bands like One Direction and The Wanted, it’s pretty clear to see how they made that visualisation as boybands do seem to always be a big part of British music culture. When picking up five piece band The Overtones new album “Higher”, I was expecting standard boy band tracks which tend to alternate between tacky upbeat pop songs and drippy ballads. To my surprise, it was actually very pleasant to hear a group that seem to have broken down these conventions.

The band were formed in 2010 and all members share an interest in the doo-wop genre of the 1950s along with modern pop and “Higher” really does show off this creative hybrid that the Overtones have adopted and it does seem to separate them from the standardised boy band sound. Despite a couple of slightly cheesy tracks such as the cover of Fairground Attraction’s “Perfect” and the slow ballad “You’ve Got That Loving Feeling”, “Higher” presents an array of colourful styles and even these tracks are much more layered and complex than you’d typically hear from a boy band.

The doo-wop inspiration is something that really shines through on the album and the boys prove it’s an exciting genre that’s sadly been left in the past. “Runaround Sue” and “Reet Petite” are two absolute gems that both expose the raspy vocals of Lachie Chapman in contrast to the more common Bublé inspired voice of Timmy Matley. Along with the input of scat singing and Big Band style instrumentation they create a very tight sound and it’s clear they’re beginning to master a style that they will hopefully continue to develop through their time as a group.

There are a fair few songs to get your fingers clicking on “Higher”, but the soulful five successfully go down the route of laid back blues ballads with songs such as “Unfortgettable” which would certainly have Sinatra smiling from ear to ear and “The Glory of Love” is yet another enjoyable track which really explores how the voice in itself is an instrument.

All things considered, “Higher” is a really pleasant surprise from a bunch of guys who look like Ken dolls in the albums artwork. Don’t judge a book by its cover, it’s much more than it seems.

 http://scan.lusu.co.uk/carolynne/culture/2012/11/16/album-review-the-overtones-higher/

Jack White at the Empress Ballroom, Blackpool

Blackpool; the home of ballroom dancing, bright lights and the wildest hen nights around. It’s a place that never seems to lose its energy and individuality, just like the eccentric music of Mr Jack White, who was warmly welcomed back to the Empress Ballroom stage to put more than just a bounce in the floor.

The Empress Ballroom is an extremely special venue for Jack and The White Stripes after being chosen as the perfect place to film their DVD “Under Blackpool Lights” back in 2004, so it’s safe to say there would be lots of nostalgia and fond memories in many fans hearts. This time round though, Jack was stepping onto the stage as a solo artist, with a helping hand from six ghostly looking girls lined up behind, expanding on the familiar sound of the Meg White’s icky thumps. It was definitely going to be interesting to see if he lived up to previous performances after a long wait for new material.

Jack’s explosive new album “Blunderbuss”, focusing on heartbreak and collapsing relationships after his recent divorce, has received phenomenal reviews from all angles of music critique and there was a part of you that knew that even before that first note was played, the performance was going to be electrifying. The clock struck 9 and the light of the elegant chandeliers dimmed and it wasn’t long before the springs in the floor were shaking as the crowd went mental for all the delicious flavours of Jack’s music. From classic White Stripes numbers such as “Hotel Yorba” and “The Same Boy You’ve Always Known” to the gems of his solo album and some creative covers, Jack really proved his ability to work with pretty much any genre and at the same time make it his own. What was particularly surprising about the set was that the majority of songs were actually White Stripes numbers, with solo hits such as “Missing Pieces” and “Love Interruption” slipped in between, which meant that this carefully constructed set list was able to please everyone, no matter whether they’d been a lifelong fan or had recently discovered White’s talents.
As well as a colourful set list though, the intensity and emotion of Jack’s performance meant that fans were constantly on edge as the insecure and experimental sound of his turbulent love life was mixed with an alternative 60s sound and classic White Stripes garage rock in a performance that left us gobsmacked and only wanting more.

White’s encore included the long awaited “Blunderbuss” favourite “Freedom at 21”, which along with “Hypocritical Kiss” spread around that thrilling bitterness that was the real spark behind his new work. A surprise Hank Williams cover again kept everyone on their toes before finishing with the unforgettable sound of “Seven Nation Army” which despite the switching off of the promenade illuminations, undoubtedly re lit the town. With a lack of audience participation aside, this was a brilliant performance from start to finish and with such an intense presence like Jack’s, words are perhaps really not needed; he injects a fever that is truly indescribable.

 http://scan.lusu.co.uk/carolynne/culture/2012/12/05/jack-white-at-the-empress-ballroom-blackpool-6th-november-2012/

Green Day "Dos!" - Album Review

Releasing a trilogy of albums across a tight six month period is always going to be ambitious for any band, but based on how Green Day managed to courageously change their musical direction completely back in 2004 and effortlessly pull off 9 minute tracks, there was a lot of faith in what the band were going to produce when Uno! hit the shelves. The first album evoked a desire to relive the thrill of their youthful days and bring back that edgy garage band sound we all loved back in the 90s. Unfortunately, Uno! fell short of expectations and a lot of the tracks seemed quite forced and churned out with no real passion behind it; fans simply had to wish that Dos! would tighten up the screws and make some much needed amendments. Disappointingly, the second album of the trilogy seems to have fallen even deeper into a pit of embarrassment. 

Reminiscent of how 21^st Century Breakdown starts, “See You Tonight” is a soft and simplistic start to Dos!, getting our hopes up that this journey will be as gripping as their 2009 album. “Fuck Time” follows the short and sweet beginning and all hope of the album being more engaging than Uno! is completely destroyed with this very awkward number about aggressive sex. Billie Joe, Mike and Tre might be nostalgic and missing their younger and more adventurous selves, but it’s pretty uncomfortable listening to men over 40 sing about sex in the manner that a 17 year-old would having just discovered the act. The song falls into the trap of a group trying far too hard to bring back an attitude they buried a long time ago, as do songs like “Wild One” and “Makeout Party”, both of which are less than wild tunes with uninspiring lyrics and chord patterns we’ve heard so many times before. It can be said that the rebellious three would gain much more from changing their outlook again as they have done so successfully in the past, but when they try to do so with songs like “Nightlife” it’s clear that a new direction may need some more thought, as this RnB and rock hybrid is extremely cringey and really doesn’t suit them. The input of the awkwardly seductive female vocals of “Lady Cobra” might be in keeping with the pop culture of today, but the fans will be hanging their heads in despair when they hear this one.  The songs that come closest to regaining that electrifying edge Green Day once had are numbers like “Ashley” and “Baby Eyes” which both capture the wrath and ferocity we love to hear coming from the band so often. However, an album cannot survive on the reputation of just two acceptable songs. Dos! suggests that Green Day had best conjure up something masterful on Tre!, before we start pointing and laughing.

Commendations

The aforementioned “Ashley” and “Baby Eyes” are an enjoyable and nostalgic pair of tracks, and some other songs on Dos! are not unpleasant to listen to, despite a general inability to really engage with listeners on an emotional level. Once again as always, the album is masterfully produced with immaculate sound quality and the psychedelic artwork is very appealing and eye-catching. It’s just a real shame that the CD behind the cover doesn’t reflect that promised excitement.

Next Steps

It seems that Dos! and its predecessor Uno! have both fallen into the same trap, Dos! perhaps falling a little deeper. They have both expressed that Green Day are strongly missing their youth and that exhilarating thrash they used to have about their sound. While we can appreciate their efforts to dig up the past and rework it, perhaps it’s time to accept that it’s long gone and there’s no point in poking around to see if it might come back to life all of a sudden.
The trio would really benefit from working on some material that relates to the frustrations they’re experiencing now, which we’ve discovered very little about apart from perhaps Billie Joe’s current addiction troubles evoked through the song “Amy,” dedicated to Amy Winehouse. Based on the average turn out of the first two albums of the trilogy, there isn’t much hope for the content of Tre! but let’s keep our fingers crossed that Green Day pull off another brave U-turn and bring their charisma back to life.

First published by : www.puluche.com