Weekend of Packing and Relaxing!

This is the last weekend we will spend in the old apartment. Therefore i decided to try and spend some time getting some things sorted to pack away for the dreaded move sometime in the week. Hopefully we will have the key by Wednesday and can begin moving things in from then onwards. After a late lunch at the little restaurant in the area (Jack's House) we headed home to pack. In the evening we headed to a little place on Keelung Road which did very expensive drinks, more than 400NT for a cocktail. We decided to stick to the cheap ones (just 200NT) and some pizza and nibbles. It was very tasty. We were met later by Jack and his Russian friend, Sam. We also got a shisha for around 500NT which was cherry flavored. It was actually quite nice. As we talked, ate and smoked the evening flew by. Sam went off to Luxy and the rest of us ended the night at Watersheds.

Next report should be from the new apartment, I can't wait!

Groove Armada: 'Black Light'

Groove Armada, a duo consisting of Andy Cato and Tom Findlay, were a firm fixture of all chill out compilations of the early 21st century. With their laid back hits such as ‘At The River’ their songs also proved a staple of numerous adverts and movies. They also offered the odd house / dance track to counterbalance, such as the fantastic ‘If Everybody Looked the Same’ and ‘I See You Baby’. They proved that they were not just about the after party comedown. They were also the main dance event as well.

All their previous albums offered something different. Their relaxed debut was followed by dance songs only to be followed with funk and rock inspired albums. They are certainly not a band that rest on their laurels. True to form, they have done exactly the same with their sixth and latest studio release ‘Black Light’. Following in the latest trend of 1980s retro acts, Groove Armada have offered an unapologetic electro-pop album full of synths, electro bass and big choruses. It’s quite a change for the duo but one that appears to have paid off handsomely. It has made them relevant in today’s music scene.

One criticism often directed at Groove Armada is that their releases have been so musically diverse there is nothing to connect the songs to a Groove Armada sound. Granted, that most of the best bands around do have a recognizable sound, whether that be the music or vocals. Groove Armada opts for neither of these two options. Instead of churning out variations of ‘At the River’ with an occasional intermittent delve into house music; they have continued to transform themselves each time. There strength lies with this constant evolution ensuring they have not faded into obscurity some time ago. Also, whereas before Groove Armada had always been about big singles rather than an album act, they have produced a consistently cohesive album and not just a couple of standout tracks.

‘Black Light’ is strongly influenced by the 1980s pop scene and reads like a list of who’s who of the time. There are certainly flourishes of Gary Newman, The Human League and New Order, and even Bryan Ferry sings guest vocals on one track, ‘Shameless’.

As the name suggests, ‘Black Light’ is supposed to represent the bands darker side and a shift away from the upbeat sounds of past releases. Whereas before they have found satisfaction by looping single-lined vocals over and over, they now attach serious messages and emotions to their lyrics rather than mere sound bites. Groove Armada have always boasted solid production and songwriting as well as wise selections when it comes to guest vocals. Vocal duties here are shared by (Empire of the Sun’s) Nick Littlemore, Saint Saviour and Jess Larrabee; and one track each for Bryan Ferry and Will Young.

Larrabee’s two offerings are strong and contribute fully to this album with the propulsive opener, of ‘Look Me In The Eye Sister’ and equally impressive, and Fleetwood Mac influenced, ‘Just for Tonight’. Saint Saviour also proves a good choice for this 1980s feel lending a softer edge to some of the coldness of synths and electro bass of ‘I Kneel Down’ and the catchy disco sing-a-long ‘Paper Romance’. Littlemore can come across as rather annoying and grating to listen to. He is tolerable on ‘Fall Silent’ but on ‘Not Forgotten’, ironically, he is better off forgotten. It’s truly awful. It is the two singers with just one a piece (Bryan Ferry and Will Young) where the true enjoyment lies. ‘Shameless’ is an instant classic from the French narrative at the start to the faded conclusion. The slow electro burn compliments Ferry’s vocals perfectly and proves to be one of the great singles of the year so far. On History, Will Young’s vocals have been transformed into a haunting affair, so much so that his voice is rendered unrecognizable to this simple yet stunning song.

Groove Armada’s constant evolution means that they have longevity into the second decade of the 21st century. They have finally produced a consistently good album which is sure to be one of the best electro-pop albums of the year. It is which much expectation we wait to see which direction Groove Armada will take next.

My 29th Birthday.

This is my last year as a twenty-something-year-old. This year I decided to celebrate my birthday in the Red Theatre area of Ximen. However, due to adverse weather, ie constant downpours, I relocated to Watersheds. Jack got there early to save a table and we were joined by Noah, Eddie, Richard, Erin, Steve, Matt, Adam, and Maria. As usual Watershed provided its usual great yet deadly drinks. After a few hours and few drinks later we all headed to Luxy. Fortunately we didn't have to pay due to some maria contacts of Maria. The rest of the night was spent dancing away to the early hours of the morning. (Pictures to be found on Facebook) Next year is the big 30!!

On Monday, George's mum came to Taipei and we went out for Japanese food with Angelina (which cost a fortune) and then off to Riverside to catch some live bands.

Marina and the Diamonds: 'The Family Jewels'

“I know exactly who I want and who I want to be” shrieks Marina Lambrini Diamandis on ‘Oh No!’, a song from her highly anticipated debut ‘The Family Jewels’. Her intention though appears to be the antithesis of what this part-Welsh-part-Greek newcomer has produced. Marina has certainly come along at the right time given last year’s surge of quasi-synth female singer-songwriters who made an impact in 2009; such as Little Boots, La Roux, and fellow newcomer Ellie Goulding. However, it is Florence and the Machine to whom most comparisons should be firmly drawn.

As with Florence Welch, Marina shares a unique name, adopted a band which doesn’t formally exist, is hotly tipped in their respective year of release and possess a fondness for eclecticism in their music. Yet where Florence generally succeeded, Marina fails to pull of the same impressive feat.

Marina has been compared to a whole array of artists both past and present including; Pink, Gwen Stefani, Regina Spektor, Tori Amos, Kate Nash, Sparks, and Siouxsie Soux to name just a few. The reason for such comparisons is that ‘The Family Jewels’ reads like am all-encompassing roller-coaster ride. There are flourishes of Ska, piano ballads, electro-pop, and power disco all set to a predominately upbeat feel. Yet the result is that it’s so in-your-face that is becomes exhausting just listening to this album. It should come with a health warning attached cautioning mandatory breaks in-between songs for fear of serious detrimental effects to one’s health.

Many of these tracks, ‘Shampain’, ‘Hollywood’, and ‘Are you satisfied?’ for example, prove that Marina can write a fairly decent pop song but they are produced to within an inch of their lives that it becomes overbearing. She just tries too hard and there are far too many ideas going on. The electro hooks and choruses literally bombard you. She doesn’t so much just throw everything including the kitchen sink at you; she includes next doors conservatory and loft conversion for good measure!

All this before we even turn to the vocals. Another comparison Marina has been associated with is Kate Bush for her eccentric vocal play. The reality is that Marina is not even close to the living genius Bush is. Marina employs a whole range of vocal styles (and I use that term loosely) such as vibrato, animal noises, shrieks, mimicking robots, and, worst of all, terrible overkill of enunciating every other syllable that she sings. Oh, I nearly forgot the screaming profanities as well. The whole affair is just simply annoying for the most part.

It’s also frustrating. The over production and inane vocal gymnastics mask some genuinely good songs. When the pace is slowed down and it’s just Marina and the piano her real talent shines through, such as ‘Obsessions’ and ‘I’m not a Robot’. Additionally she certainly has the charisma to become successful although constant references to her future success in her debut release certainly scream a large ego.

There is certainly potential here, a diamond in the rough at the moment if you will. The whole album is far too ambitious and lacks coherence. Her next release should be toned down and more focused. The biggest irony of all is that in her attempt to be different from anyone else she has made a massively commercial pop album.

Peter Gabriel: 'Scratch My Back'

With some noticeable exceptions aside (such as the late Johnny Cash’s American series and Nouvelle Vague) cover albums are rarely anything to get excited about. Either we are dealing with the latest X Factor / American idol contestant; or it is a sign that the artist in question has finally reached the end of their creative peak.

However, the artist in question, Peter Gabriel, is no ordinary artist. He has always been one for embracing experimentation and new ideas musically; whether that be
pioneering digital distribution methods, setting up World Music concerts, or flamboyantly fronting a prog-rock group. Whatever he does it is certainly not done by halves.

Gabriel’s latest release ‘Scratch My Back’, incidentally his first in seven years, is a “swap shop of songs”. He has taken twelve songs from artists which are either; friends, admirers or personal favorites of his own, stripped them bare, and reinterpreted them into orchestrated arrangements with the sole emphasis placed upon vocals. In return, the artists Gabriel covered will return the favour by covering a track of his on a later album this year aptly titled ‘I’ll Scratch Yours’. In addition each single (containing both tracks) will be released on each full moon. If all else fail, Peter Gabriel now has the distinct pleasure of having his own songs interpreted by the likes of David Bowie, Talking Heads, Radiohead, and Lou Reed to name a few.

One listen to Gabriel’s recent cover of Vampire Weekends ‘’ along with Hot Chip demonstrate how carefully he chooses his music. The album splits between old artists such as Paul Simon, David Bowie and Lou Reed; to the more contemporary; Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, and Elbow. To cover such artists alone is a brave move. To focus solely upon vocals seems almost madness

In all honesty, it is probably best to spend a few days before listening to this release to fully re-visit (or visit for the first time in some cases) the original songs before fully immersing oneself into this album and even then it is not going to be an easy listen.

As mentioned the vocals are at the forefront accompanied by an orchestra predominately focusing upon strings and piano. The hope was to focus on emotions and reveal the lyrical content of the songs and to force creativity under such restrictions. Therefore much of whether one likes this album will rest upon whether you like Gabriel’s voice or not. There is no doubt he has the voice to carry off such an album on this somber and sorrowful album. The vocals range from fragile to powerful and the arrangements almost give the impression these songs are scored for a movie.

The best word to describe this album is interesting. It could be great background music yet it demands attention to be fully appreciated. The trouble is, it’s rather demanding to get through this album in one sitting. Probably the best song on here is the cover of Paul Simon’s ‘Boy in the Bubble’ which takes the African inspired pop song and reveals the emotion contained within not conveyed by Simon himself. Covers such as Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and Radiohead’s ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’ are certainly intriguing but add nothing new to the originals. As a broad generalisation, Gabriel fairs better with the new material than the old.

Gabriel has certainly released something to invest time listening to, yet it will probably receive polarizing opinions. As a music fan to hear a great artist cover other great artists is always a pleasure to here. I just wonder how well the public will respond to such an offering.

Hot Chip: 'One Life Stand'

In regards to their latest release, Alexis Taylor stated that their intent was to create a “more mid-tempo and disco influenced” album than their previous offerings. The product appears to only half realised. Disco, it most certainly is, but mid-tempo it surely isn’t. What Hot Chip have created here is not only a set of classic upbeat dance-floor albums, but also their best album to date. In short this album is pure electronic pop perfection.

Since this London quintet formed in 2000, Hot Chip gained a reputation for witty lyrics and experimentation. Although this produced flashes of genius, they were always trying to do too much and resulted in fragmented albums. With their fourth release ‘One Life Stand’ they have concentrated upon polishing their sound and committed to creating straightforward (house induced) love songs. It’s ‘back to basics’.

It’s hard not to like this album as it contains everything required to make good electro-pop music; from fantastic melodies and smart arrangements, to memorable hooks and intelligent lyrics, all merged to create an infectious sound. It has an overall feel quite similar to that of Daft Punk’s classic album ‘Discovery’ in the sense that it produces amazingly catchy classic dance songs.

Underpinning these great songs is a shift in the lyrical content. By disregarding their witty lyrics and embracing a broader emotional range they have created classic dance love songs. They are far more open now in talking about love and relationships and do so without ever sounding sentimental. Add to that the amazing vocals of Taylor and the sublime harmonies contributed by Goddard and the result is one of heavenly bliss.

‘One Life Stand’ starts off upbeat in both mood and tempo and remains that way virtually all the way to the end. The opening three tracks; ‘Thieves in the Night’, ‘Hand me Down My Love’, and ‘I Feel Better’ are instant classics. The latter of which was apparently inspired by watching Susan Boyle sing! (Inspiration truly can come from the strangest of places). The majority of the songs start off relatively sparse but gradually build into catchy and euphoric choruses. There are some slower numbers here such as the brilliant ‘Brothers’, the bizarre ‘Slush’ (demonstrating they haven’t totally ditched their experimental edge) and ‘Keep Quiet’. However, it is the fast beat sounds, in particular the title track ‘One Life Stand’ and ‘Alley Cats’ which stand out and show the pure genius of this band.

Hot Chip have created an amazing album, and certainly the first great album of 2010 that I have heard so far. By focusing on what they do best, pure electro-pop and by not being afraid to tackle the theme of love they have hit jackpot.