Florence and the Machine

A truly amazing performer. I've liked Florence for quite a while now and her unique blend of folksy guitar and gut-wrenching powerful lungs combine to make an artist NME have even allowed set foot on tour with them.

Whether this is testimony to her or not the fact remains that a lot will be heard from Flo and her Machine next year. If Laura Marling got saucy or MIA simmered down a bit there would be a touch of Florence in that, I bet!There is a rawness which hopefully won't get lost in production and the glam-folk which is evoked in songs such as "Kiss With a Fist" and "Girl With 1 Eye" is like Bowie crossed with Kid Harpoon.

Seeing her live is a revelation as a whirlwind of energy and excitement exudes from every pore of her set- jumping, shouting, singing, running from one side of the stage to the other in 2 seconds flat. It all adds up to a something fun to watch. But then I'm A Celebrity.. Get Me Out of Here is fun to watch, it's throwing into that mix her impressive vocal range and knack for perfect melodies that makes it superb.

Having worked with Lightspeed Champion extensively in 2008 it could have been plausible for her to jump on that bandwagon and keep the profile higher- as it turns there is an element of going it alone now and it's gone from covering Green Day to writing her own sterling material.

A charismatic character which surely will be getting due attention soon. It's music to punch the air too, to swirl around the room too, to belt out the lyrics too and all in a non-cheesy, football hooligan sense.

"Kiss With A Fist" remains a fresh, lively song even after being rinsed by TV ads and DJ sets alike and it's heart swelling soul for the foreseeable future. It's anticipation which builds as her debut album can't come soon enough.

Jade XX

Kiss With A Fist- Florence and the Machine

Going Down (6 Music Session)- Florence and Kid Harpoon

Officer Owl

Perfect cure for a moody disposition. Calm beats float around a lull of guitar and harmonious vocals. Officer Owl have a tinge of acoustic genius about them but more than that there is a simplicity which is instantly appealing. Not relying on the raucous effects of feedback or unruly synth which some bands tend to rely on here the softer nuances overtake and carry all the songs on a soft cloud of melody.
There is a tinge of melancholy about "Untitled Number Two" which takes the refrain of "Never going to leave you alone" and carries it with the duel vocals blending together effortlessly.
Effortless music is always the best. As the various notes hit the air with a confidence unhampered by arrogance or distortion. "Untitled Number Seven" allows the guitar to take on a harder(ish) lead and vocals which sound a little bit like Ian Brown if he sang sweetly and didn't have a penchant for knocking people out. Lyrics like "Someone said the witch was dead but she's floating on the water" instantly stand out with the simple brilliance of imagery as the repetition of the verse becomes like a softly hummed chant, never lifting into an angry anthem but meandering in and out of the music with a persistence.
Unfortunately the extent of what I've heard from Officer Owl stems from Myspace which in turn only offers two songs. But beautiful songs they are with a sound which bodes well for future songs.

Jade X

Untitled Number Two- Officer Owl

The Virgins

There is something about the sultry guitar and the laconic vocals which makes you think perhaps The Virgins don't live up to their name. If James Brown had a penchant for guitar based indie instead of being a Sex Machine extraordinaire he would sound like these. I bet.

'Rich Girls' is like a sexy Razorlight strutting about as New York cool exudes from the very notes played. Apparently they are supporting the Pigeon Detectives which probably doesn't do justice to their tour de force. Gathering the listener up in a dizzy swirl of laid-back music it demands to be played in the hottest clubs as the best dressed people nod along with a cigarette in one hand and a bored expression on their faces. Pop-noir-c'est-cool.
'One Week of Danger' takes a Strokes influence with the Five O'clock Heroes bringing up the rear and a dash of brit-pop for good measure. It would, however, be quite easy for a band like this to slip into obscurity- quietly fading away as the newest fad takes their place. If their next handfulof songs can polish the edges with some added substance (and no, not cocaine) then they'll be okay if not then just enjoy their sultry guitar pop for what it is- achingly cool and probably not out of place on the Gossip Girl soundtrack.

Jade XX

Rich Girls- The Virgins

One Week of Danger- The Virgins

Fan Death

These sultry 80s beats (which wouldn't feel out of place in a Flashdance-esque escapade) will surely have hearts melting and eyebrows flickering upwards everywhere. Not since MGMT burst in and psych'd up summer will a band get so much hype in 2009...

It is blissed out pop which reeks of cool. "Veronica's Veil" grasps the 80s infused sound to it's fullest extent whereas "The Constellations" sounds more like a subtle Kate Bush if she had it off with Little Boots (ooh er).

Fan Death are everything you need in a band, nothing too serious yet nothing to flippant with a head for merging good beats with non substantial lyrics. "The Best Night" would make you silly not to dance where "The Son Will Rise" somehow reminds me of Rocky (in only a good way- a song you could power walk too, no doubt). Rather than the noir Gothic pop that is stemming from London 'Fan Death' have a multi-coloured glow beneath the torrid exterior as eerie noises emit from synth and voice.

Or if you are Wikipedia:

"Fan death is a South Korean urban legend which states that an electric fan, if left running overnight in a closed room, can cause the death (by suffocation, poisoning, or hypothermia) of those inside. Fans manufactured and sold in Korea are equipped with a timer switch that turns them off after a set number of minutes, which users are frequently urged to set when going to sleep with a fan on.[1]"

Jade XX
The Constellations- Fan Death

Veronica's Veil- Fan Death

Pavement

The genius that is.

This is simply because I've reacquainted myself with their lofi blend of musical greatness.

Words can't even describe so:

Shady Lane- Pavement

Shoot the Singer- Pavement
Kennal District- Pavement

Jade XX

Old School / New School

Three bands which have blossomed over the years rather than withered by the wayside have new material out! Yes, Franz Ferdinand, Kings of Leon and Bloc Party are all marching down the road with a fistful of new stuff.

These are bands that made me love music and, unlike the Rakes who's second album didn't really hit the spot, they have continued to progress and get better with every album and new single they get out there (minus, maybe Bloc Party's "Flux" which was mediocre compared to their earlier stuff).

Kings of Leon's "Crawl" is a dysfunctional slam of fuzzy guitars, Calebs trademark wail and perhaps a glance back to earlier stuff which was laden with sexual references (eg; Molly's Chamber). With a simple guitar refrain echoing through the driving force of the drums sets the song rolling forth as the vocals settle on top like an old glove. "Sex on Fire" is even more blatant with its innuendo but a step forward, if it is believable the band could get any better, with whirling guitar and gritty vocals.

Franz Ferdinand's "Lucid Dreams" is undeniably them; Kaprano's vocals drip over the lyrics with ease as a feeling of noir and romanticism rolls over the music. Building up as the song nears towards the end the crescendo is a powerful impact. Lyrically as ever Franz Ferdinand have shown craftsmanship but its the stomping drums which keep the track together as guitar riffs slide across. Although unfortunately their album has been put back to 2009 hopefully the process isn't too fraught with problems as they sound better than ever.

Bloc Party's "Mercury" is perhaps the only song of the three bands which takes a departure from what they used to know. Strong synth and brass laden moments mean than there is hardly any comfortable ground here- no hint of Helicopter or Hunting for Witches. Only Kele's vocals remain similar ground as trumpets and thumping drums jump in and out of skittering and shrieks and beeps. This is exciting music, it has all the elements of not only a dance floor classic but a genuine classic song. Its discordant beats drip over a copy and paste chorus as Kele's vocals rip down the middle of the organised mess.

This band have a bundle of talent underneath their skinny frames. The stuttering beginning might throw you for a moment but give it time as the rest of the band launch a full assault on your eardrums. It's darker, more serious and grittier than previous endeavours- even more doom-laden than Hunting for Witches. This might be a song which upsets "true" Bloc Party fans- yet their admirable attempts to move forward is something to applauded rather than vilified. They have created a densely musical song which retains their ethos without compromise- as strangely addictive as The Prayer with all of the craftsmanship expected from the band.
Crawl- Kings of Leon
Lucid Dreams- Franz Ferdidnand
Mercury- Bloc Party

Oh...
In Other News?
New issue of XOX is out here: XOX ISSUE THREE with interviews with the Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle Club, Pop Levi as well as reviews, Festival fashion and competitions!
Jade XX

Pengillys

1stly ; Thank you Drunken Werewolf for getting me into the loop via Pengillys. His music is heart-achingly good.
Have you ever sat by a lake, chewing a piece of grass a la Clint Eastwood whilst perusing the Collected Works of Shakespeare? No? Me either but that’s what Pengillys music makes me want to do. His music is epic, nostalgic, beautiful and raw. “Mr Punch and Thomas Moore” takes the simple strum of a ukulele and soaring vocals which turns into the chorus skilfully refraining “I will never grow old” as a menagerie of instruments take over including an accordion and violin. “Films” rattles along very nicely. A track to play when on a long train-ride where your imagination can be cast back to black and white movies and take the line “They play noble parts / Like two English hearts” and run with it.
Whereas “To London” almost feels like a battle cry with an evocative take on a march as trumpets toot and rolling piano carry the listener the more subtle “The Wind Blew Her In” whispers its message over soaring violin. “Lavenders Blue” reinvents the lullaby with sweeping noises and sweet vocals whilst wrapping it all up with a carnivalesque and triumphant musical interlude. It’s ragamuffin, Dickensian music for the here and now. “Escapades” sounds like early Patrick Wolf as ominous sounds twist and turn into a more up-tempo call to arms. Its music for the backlash to the flaccid fashionista favourites and Top Shop play-list; rolling and raucous to soft and reflective it binds itself up in triumph and tradition. It’s more than “alt-folk” it’s what’s needed in music today-whimsical nuances, thundering ideals, brilliant lyrics and talent. Basically he is wicked !

Jade XX

Films - Pengillys
Mr Punch and Thomas Moore- Pengillys
To London- Pengillys

The Faint

The wildly addictive trash-punk-electro-dance band have been on my radar for quite a while and I've been hearing they are back! Thank the Lord. Their macabre and dense dance music is irresistible and makes you need to dance. Not even dance. To jerk bits of your body about in obscene ways and as arms and legs flail they drive the beat home and you look a tit as 'dancing' occurs. Its all a bit wrong.
And any thought that the band might mellow over the years is proven wrong as "The Geeks Were Right" unleashes trademark electrified vocals and frazzled synth alongside dirty drums and guitar; phew. Sounding not unlike "Agenda Suicide" it is less aggressive than "Dropkick the Punks" or "Worked Up So Sexual". If the Rapture copulated with ADULT whilst !!! watched on I wouldn't be surprised if the slightly sordid Faint wasn't the result.
However the one Faint song I can't stop listening to right now is "Glass Danse" which grabs synth laden verses and tangles them in with the dips and dives of guitar; taking a lesson from Year 8 music I know that they use tempo and dynamics to the best of their ability. It's the type of song which makes you think it's over but it continues in a stream of beat and bass. Addictive.

Their new endeavours show a maturity in lyrical content and a refinement of music but the basics are the same; dirty punk-dance music for your head, heart and soul.

Jade xx

The Geeks were Right- The Faint

Agenda Suicide- The Faint

Glass Danse- The Faint

Lovesick

Haha, this is actually amazing. Friendly Fires couldn't get any better- 80s beatz meets synth laden goodness! Basically I can't stop listening to this/// Jade xx

Lovesick - Friendly Fires