Jessie’s Weekly Listen - 31/08/15

(I’ll try and come up with a better title next time, I promise)

Post-Reading and Leeds blues getting you down? Or still recovering from the notion of President Kanye? If, like me, you’ve been glued to the BBC Red Button coverage for the whole Bank Holiday weekend (or actually embraced the festival in all its muddy field glory), don’t fret! I’ve compiled the ten songs that I’ve been listening to recently and put them in a nifty Spotify playlist for your listening pleasure, in the hope that your ears may get a kick out of it - due to my terrifyingly eclectic music taste there should be something for everyone here! 

Neck Deep - Gold Steps

The inspirational lyrics in this song from the pop-punk quintet can really help you out when you feel caught between a rock and a hard place. With such anthemic gems as ‘Sometimes things will bend you, but trust me you’ll be fine, ‘cos I’ve been moving mountains that I once had to climb’, not to mention the vibrant, hooky chords, this single is a winner. Their second album, ‘Life’s Not Out To Get You’, is out now.

For fans of: State Champs, The Wonder Years

Bring Me The Horizon - Throne

I’ll be the first to admit that Oli Sykes’ screaming often put me off this metal band’s music. But with their change in musical direction for upcoming album ‘That’s The Spirit’ they’ve certainly saved many eardrums and gained a lot of new fans - I’ve given their older music another chance and its powerful effect has rubbed off on me too. ‘Throne’ is their latest official single, and it’s a whopping great hunk of incredibly catchy rock - I recommend giving the video a watch too!

For fans of: Asking Alexandria, A Day To Remember

Oli Sykes, lead singer of 'Bring Me The Horizon'

Photograph: Chloe DeLong via Wikimedia Commons

Halsey - New Americana

There are so many fabulous songs on pop sensation Halsey’s debut album, ‘BADLANDS’, but you just cannot beat this song. Halsey's  haunting vocals, reflecting on a generation 'raised on Biggie and Nirvana', burst with a candid restless passion that is reflected in the electro-pop chords. Oh, and her musical name is an anagram of Ashley, her first name, in case you were wondering.

For fans of: Hayley Kiyoko, Tegan and Sara

Pentatonix - Cheerleader

I’ve fallen under a bit of a Pentatonix spell since watching ‘Pitch Perfect 2’. A cappella is such a masterful art and they have got it down to a tee, often making everyone love the songs they cover much more than the originals themselves, and this song by OMI is no exception. Baritone Scott Hoying and mezzo-soprano Kirstie Maldonado's voices are breathtaking, whilst Mitch Grassi's opening is one of the best I've heard in a long time. And I'm super jealous of Kevin Olusola and Avi Kaplan's ability to make the most amazing vocal percussion and bass sounds with their mouths. Anyone willing to teach me beatboxing and scat singing?

For fans of: Glee, Tufts Beelzebubs

Mary Lambert - Secrets

The lyrics and the sharp, snappy beat behind this song have IT. Whatever ‘it’ is. One thing is for certain, you won’t be able to get this song out of your head. The album ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ includes a version of the song featuring B.o.B, but I prefer the raw, bare vocals of Lambert on the original, if you can get hold of it. Music is about telling your truth, and she tells her truth beautifully here. The song is upbeat and has a positive message, but it had me in tears when I first heard it.

For fans of: Echosmith, Esther Dean

Iwan Rheon - Tongue Tied

Yes, this is Ramsay Snow from Game of Thrones. He’s joined the ranks of numerous actors-come-singers to bless your ears with the most beautiful Welsh song. The folky melody merges wonderfully with his husky vocals. Check out his album ‘Dinard’ for more glorious tunes. 

For fans of: Ben Howard, Keaton Henson

Iwan Rheon

Photograph: Paul Bird via Wikimedia Commons

New Found Glory (ft. Hayley Williams) - Vicious Love

The Paramore songstress’ vocals give a fantastic boost to this song as she features alongside her guitarist fiancé Chad Gilbert. The powerful beat, Jordan Pundik and Hayley’s harmonies and the mesmerising instrumental breaks combine to form a great track. How about Paramore and New Found Glory following in McBusted's footsteps and forming a supergroup? New Found Paramore? Paramore Glory? Anyone? No? Alright then.

For fans of: Paramore (duh), The Starting Line

Alexander - Four AM

I’ve been waiting for fresh tunes from the Durham four-piece for FOREVER, and this offering to follow their debut 'Say Hello' isn’t a disappointment. Lead singer Anth’s vocals break cleanly over the tuneful instrumentals to form a simple, youthful-sounding track. This band's energy and vibrancy definitely makes them one to watch. Check them out on their October tour!

For fans of: The 1975, Sons and Lovers

Don Broco - Superlove

It feels like an age since I first heard Don Broco, in a dingy concert hall where they were supporting the now-disbanded Futures, buying their pre-debut CD ‘Big Fat Smile’ from the appropriately ever-cheery Rob Damiani. It must feel like a different era to the Bedford four-piece now, having propelled further than they could ever have hoped to go. The pop-rock optimism evident in this song is a distijnct move away from the harsher sound of 2012’s album ‘Priorities’ - and I love it. The catchy chorus and upbeat tempo makes for a cracking opener on their latest album, 'Automatic'.

For fans of: Lower Than Atlantis, Twin Atlantic

PVRIS - Fire

I may or may not have a rather large celeb crush on Lynn Gunn, the lead singer of this band, but that doesn’t stop me from unbiasedly appreciating the beauty of her voice on this track. It is so refreshing to hear a female lead in a rising rock band. This song is addictive, and their excellent session drummer Christopher Kamrada really adds to its edgy quality. The Boston-based trio are soon to support the aforementioned Bring Me The Horizon, along with fellow support Neck Deep, on their November tour - can you tell which tickets are on my wish list right now?

For fans of: Tonight Alive, We Are The In Crowd

PVRIS

Photograph: Sam San Roman via Wikimedia Commons

Interview with Anth Snowdon from Alexander

Following the release of Alexander’s debut LP ‘Say Hello’, the alt-pop band who have been together for just over a year have received impressive critical acclaim, selling out venues all over the UK in 2013, including during their September headline tour. It is clear that the band have had a successful breakthrough year - but 2014 looks set to be even better for the Durham-based four piece.

Recently I was fortunate enough to talk to Anth Snowdon, the lead singer of the band. Listing their influences as musicians as diverse as Jamiroqui, Death Cab for Cutie and Fleetwood Mac - whose song, ‘Dreams’, he later mentions as being the one song he would have with him if stranded on a desert island - the fact that they rely on each other as close friends to introduce new artists to listen to speaks volumes of the solidarity and companionship within their band. This solidarity is even evident in the band’s name. “We didn’t really want to have a band name that sounded cool, we wanted something that represented the music. We all write the music together [so we thought] why don’t we call the band a name, as if we were one person?”

The other members of the band include Jamie Clark, the guitarist, who is the messiest member according to Anth: ‘he’s lovely and sweet, but he’s always leaving stuff around”. The title of best dresser begrudgingly goes to James Simpson, the bass player - “I’ll give him that one!” Drew, their drummer, on the other hand, is the best dancer, “known for his sensational dancing in gay bars”. It’s reassuring to find a band with such talent that has formed organically, through a group of good friends, rather than being crafted and manufactured by management or labels.

They are clearly a fun-loving, young band, and that definitely comes across positively in their music and their attitudes to performing. However, in one amusing anecdote he shared, he admitted that at one gig when the crowd got quite excitable it took a turn for the worse. “Someone fell into a microphone stand and then the microphone hit me in the face - I was checking for my teeth!”

Anth is very complimentary of the support in the North East, claiming that they are lucky to have such a great fan base here - they sold out the O2 Academy 2 in Newcastle and feel privileged hat they can still have a reception like that locally even whilst they are trying to expand their musical terrain into the rest of the UK. “Even though we can still play shows in other cities, we’ve always had the most reception here”. He also indicates that the band finds recording in Durham very beneficial for the music process. “The thing about Durham is that it’s one of those places that not everyone in the country has - you’ve got the cathedral and the countryside. We feel more creative in open spaces… for me writer’s block is caused by being in confined spaces”; in Durham the band feels mentally refreshed. He also seems to share many a Durham student’s thought - “I’m so proud to have Hogwarts right next to me!” 

But what’s his opinion on the North East music scene?

There’s a lot of talented musicians and bands up here”, he says proudly, but he’s keen to point out that the bands are required to have such drive simply because they don’t reside in London - in order to become a more ‘national’ band, as Alexander undoubtedly have, they have to work even harder. “It’s a shame it’s not like London up here, because in London everyone gets a shot, whereas here we’re a bit more pushed to the side.” I suggest that it’s even more of an achievement and a reward when you manage to make it when you’re not in somewhere like London? “Yeah, I guess so… if you want to be famed nationally then you’ve got to try, you’ve got to give it a go”.

Whilst one of Anth’s favourite North East music venues to perform at and watch gigs in is the more obvious choice of the Academy, his true loyalties lie elsewhere. “I prefer Tyne Theatre… I love the vibe of it. I went to see a band called Daughter there” - this was the point where I got overexcited at the coincidence that I too had been at that very same gig - “That was a sick show, the sound was incredible, I was really blown away by it”.

One defining moment of 2013 for the band was the teen soap Hollyoaks featuring their song ‘Say Hello’ in an episode. “That was mental, I didn’t even know that was happening. I was actually having a bad day, and my manager texted saying ‘Apparently you’re on Hollyoaks tonight’. We didn’t expect to be on national television after just a year so it’s quite good to achieve something like that”.

Of this song which was their breakthrough hit, Anth is nothing but proud. “‘Say Hello’ means a lot to me. It’s kind of being selfish and being honest at the same time. People will write a song saying they’re the victim of heartbreak, whereas with me, in the song ‘Say Hello’ I was being honest, trying to get away from a certain kind of relationship. Although there’s a few new tracks which we haven’t recorded yet which are fresher to emotions now”. His love for this track is demonstrated by ‘Say hello to a week of feeling better’, a line from the song, being his lyric-of-choice if he had to have one tattooed on his body. The positivity and optimism in this is imbued in the fact that the band also cares a lot about the fans and taking advantage of the benefits of publicity by giving something back. They worked with charity Beat Bullying last year to donate proceeds from their single ‘Find My Way Out’ to the organisation. When asked about the motivation for this, he said: “A lot of people have come forward to talk about abuse, self-harm, bullying at school - so we all sat down together and said we wanted to give something back, because people are obviously finding something that relates in the music.”

Despite what they have achieved in such a short space of time, they remain grounded, and are well aware that they still have a lot to learn about the music industry, as revealed when I asked whether he had any advice for bands just starting out. “I don’t think that we’re in any position to give any advice… we’ve still got a lot of learning to do.” He was however keen to impart the wisdom that you should “always make sure you’re writing about something that’s meaningful”.

The band’s plans for the rest of 2014 involve rediscovering themselves again with some new material. “We don’t even know what kind of record it’s going to be, this year we really don’t want to push anything too hard, because we’ve had such a great year, we’re doing so well now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves… we’re still young. The aim of the new stuff is hopefully to have a lot more emotional depth to it, but still feel-good stuff”. That’s not to say that the band are going to take a true break anytime soon; whilst Anth aims to finish university this year, they’re certainly not one for slacking musically, with their February tour kicking off in Glasgow on 15th. With regards to other places they’d like to tour next: “we talked about Europe… I’d love to go to Austria”. But for now they’ve got their sights firmly set on UK domination. The band is playing at Newcastle University on 16th February and I urge you to go and see them whilst they’re still on this steady rise to fame.