Album Review ~ Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band ~ Goin' Home

Hello, 

Welcome to this weeks main post, I'm going to be reviewing blues band Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band and their latest album "Goin' Home" that came out this April. This album delves deep into Kenny's inspirations as he re-creates some of his favourite songs by his heroes. The album features original songs from the likes of BB King, Bo Diddley, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Lee Dorsey. 

The album starts off with a track called "Palace Of The King". An upbeat Freddie King number to get the record off to a positive and exciting start. Keeping in the style of Freddie King the guitar tones are noticeably similar in this record to how Freddie played. The horns are a great edition to the track and this whole recording sounds very full.

After that is a classic sounding Walter Jacobs (Little Walter) track that goes by the name of "Everything's Gonna Be Alright". Its got that real blues drive and shuffle that the genre is so famous for, it never gets old. This is the first track we really get a flavour for Kenny's guitar solo's and its certainly one to really get your ears listening. His tone makes it sound like a vintage guitar, but is recorded with the clear quality we have today. Kenny's voice suits this song perfectly. 

Moving onto a Willie Dixon number called "I Love The Life I Live", again that real nice blues shuffle, but with a real blast from the harmonica. The tone from that harmonica has a real delta blues background to it, it sounds like its a recording from the 40's. I personally love a harmonica that sounds as bluesy as this, its one of my favourite instruments when played in this way. Though I found it a shame the harmonica wasn't used in the previous song being a Little Walter number. Though I can't complain too much with some classic blues shuffle done very well. 

The track "The House Is Rockin'" is a fast-paced Stevie Ray Vaughan song with a lot going on in the complexity of the blues straight groove. A neat little number that is certain to get anyone up and dancing to at a live show with a nice little ending too. "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" demonstrates more of the groovy side to the Shepherd band and really getting the chance to hear the power Kenny puts into his voice. At times it overwhelmed me with the raw power he puts in, likewise with how Albert King does the same with his songs, a great cover. 

To me, when "You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now" starts, you just know its a BB King track. It has that essence about it, that feel and the guitar solo at the start that Kenny nails. This is one of the stand out tracks on the album, the guitar licks are done to perfection and has one of the best piano solo's I've heard for a very long time. Throughout the first few verses you can hear the piano in the background with a few licks that are noticeable, but that solo...damn. As well as Kenny's impressive solo, this is the perfect homage one of the great blues legends. 

"You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover" goes into more of the country/blues scene with a great Willie Dixon cover that again will certainly get your head boppin' and your feet tapping. I've found that each song on this album doesn't sound the same as the last song. This album proves that blues can be a very creative genre, a lot of people speculate blues to be just a 1,4,5 chordal system with a shuffle. Each song has been different in its own right which is great to hear and keeps the listener entertained with Kenny's impressive blues band. 

Photo Credit: Mark Seliger (All Photos)

"Looking Back" is as cool as you can get with a cover. A really nice simple blues structured song with a lot going on in the song, but with a great guitar solo's. Kenny's tone for his guitar solo's make them sound authentic, nobody else can get the sound he is getting from those guitars. His solo's are note for note perfect with each note clean as a whistle for the listener to hear. 

"Born Under a Bad Sign" was another personal favourite because its one I play in my own blues/cover band 'The Delta Sons'. Singing away and I was really trying to see what Kenny had done with the song that was different from the original. The one thing I noticed is Kenny's laid back approach on how to sing the lyrics. He presents the lyrics how someone like BB King would, coming into the lyrics at any point, but still finishing off at the same point. Singing some words longer than others and really belting some notes out. 

Kenny's reason for creating this album was to pay homage to some of the artists he grew up with and whom inspired him to start playing guitar. He and his band have done this and more. They have recorded some excellent covers, some of which really show off what those legends were about. Taking their presence in songs and re-creating them in the song, but in Kenny's own way. Some with grunge, shuffled blues or a simple 4/4 groove, each song has its own identity and can give a listener a real understanding of how diverse blues actually is. 

"Goin' Home" by Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band is out now and I advise you all to have a listen if you want to get into blues. These are all classic tracks from legendary blues artists and its a great album to really understand what blues is all about. 

If you enjoy Kenny's album then he has just announced a April 215 tour too. These are the dates:

Salisbury City Hall                                             Friday April 10^th  

Holmfirth Picturedrome                                Saturday April 11^th

Glasgow O2 ABC                                               Sunday April 12^th  

Aberdeen Lemon Tree                                  Monday April 13^th

London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire        Wednesday April 15^th

Thank you very much for reading and until next time. 

Lewis

Live Review ~ Joanne Shaw Taylor ~ Shepherds Bush Empire 19/11/2014

The evening started out in anticipation from Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marnsden. He graced his presence on stage and was performing acoustically to start the evening off. He was welcomed by the crowd with a huge round of applause. Has a great stage presence that had the whole venue intently listening. 

Halfway through his set Bernie brings out a lovely looking velvet red double necked guitar. He said 'I've owned this for 40 years' and the tone that came from that guitar couldn't be re-created, it was a mesmerising sound. One stand-out song for me was his rendition of 'Dragonfly' by Fleetwood Mac. A beautiful rendition of which was one of Bernie's favourites to play. 

In-between songs he was cracking jokes and telling stories from his adventures on the road. He dedicated a few songs to certain people like Bobby Bland and Gary Moore. Before the song 'Dragonfly' he amused us with his attempt to bring Peter Green into the studio to record this song with Bernie for his latest album. As he played his final note of the set, the audience erupted in applause and before he left the stage he said "thanks for listening". 

Photo by MHP Studios

After a short interval, Joanne Shaw Taylor came onto the stage with her band and blasted into 'Mud Honey', the latest single off her new album 'The Dirty Truth'. The three opening songs were fast-paced and packed full of solo's from Taylor. Though at times were hard to pick out every note, you could see from her expressions she meant each one. 

The song "Jealousy" brought the high energy down to a slow number. This was the song that everyone could really start to hear the emotion Taylor puts into each song as the band were playing at the very minimum and let Taylor sing out the lyrics. In the solo she managed to muster up the highest notes on her guitar possible which was very impressive and a show in itself. 

With the gig in full swing, Taylor is bringing out top level blues for each song. At one point she introduces one of her band members on keys and the lighting focuses on him. Preparing myself for an epic keys solo it was cut short to carry on the song which was a slight oversight for the evening. She even added some comedy about her song "Wrecking Ball" and a comparison to Miley Cyrus that had the hall erupt with laughter. 

Coming into the latter end of the gig, Bernie Marnsden was re-introduced back onto the stage that was accompanied by another huge round of applause from the audience. They played two songs together that were "Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues" and "Let It Burn". In the second song Taylor and Marnsden battled it out with a call and response both constantly smiling as they pick out their best work to demonstrate to each other. It was great to see both having such a good time. 

The whole performance seemed to have notched up a gear after Bernie left the stage once again. The whole band seemed to be pumped with energy and really getting into each song. Strong and grungy guitar melodies were the essence of the final few numbers from Taylor's set. 

Photo by John Bull

Joanne's solo in "Going Home" was the best of the evening. Each note engraved into her fingers to be blasted out to the audience. It was a real spectacle of true emotion played into just one solo. Out of all the solo's she performed on the night, this was one the stand-out even if the others were just as spectacular.

After her final song she left the stage and was asked back for more by the audience with continuous clapping and foot stomping. She came back to end the show with "The Dirty Truth". After she finished her encore everyone was applauding her as the house lights came on to end the show. The gig was a success for all and the audience left with smiles on their faces. 

In conclusion, Joanne Shaw Taylor put on a show and pulled out all the stops in her performance. Each song had its own identity and was executed with style, grace and power. I would recommend going to her live to anyone who enjoys seeing some impressive guitar solo's and hard-hitting blues. After the show Joanne seemed happy with herself and said how much she enjoyed this evenings event. I'm sure I will be back to see one of her gigs next year.

*BONUS* Single Review ~ RJ Marks ~ Calling Out

Hello, 

Welcome to blog post 33! Today I have a wicked band from Nottingham called RJ Marks who is an indie/pop four piece that is certainly writing a lot of music that is turning heads. 

RJ Marks is made up of Richard Howell (vocals, guitar), Jake Buckley (lead guitar), Dicky Fountain (bass) and John Schofield (drums).

The band have a few names they are already associated with such as Jake Bugg with the singer Richard Howell playing for him. Both supporting each other at various venues too and with Jake Buckley (guitar) a virtuoso and naturally talented musician, this band are a force to be reckoned with. 

The single called "Calling Out" raises high hopes in the future for the band with obvious signs of great song writing from each of the band members. Adding elements in the song throughout the song keeps the train rolling and the listener staying to hear what they are offering. 

The single starts off with a quiet guitar riff and starts to pick up with some pretty piano lines and powerful guitar chords struck for the verses. The verses are a great time to really focus on Richards vocals which suit the band really well for the style they are playing.

I look forward to hearing what else they can deliver with Richards heart-felt vocals and impressive song writing for such a young band. With a feature on the 'BBC Introducing' show in Nottingham earlier this year as well, I feel like this is the beginning for this band.

The single 'Calling Out' by RJ Marks will be released on the 27th October so make a note in your diaries!

Thank you very much for reading and until next time

Lewis



Website: www.rjmarksmusic.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rjmarksmusic

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rjmarksmusic

Album Review ~ The Cornerstones, 'Stand In Line'

Hello! 

Welcome to blog post 27! Today I have a good ol' four piece British band from Uxbridge called The Cornerstones. 

The Cornerstones is made up of Richard Ruth - Vocals / Acoustic, Dan Bennion - Lead Guitar / Backing Vocals, Kyle Radbone - Bass and Carl Sampson - Drums. This alternative band certainly know how to get those feet tapping with the 2nd album from the band. Their debut Album 'Begin To End' and single 'Smack Me In Face' were released under Redemption records and resulted in tours and support slots with Shed - 7, Oasis, Proud Mary, Finlay Quaye and also national airplay.

So now you have a bit of background on the boys, let's see what the album has to offer!

The album starts off nice and strong with the song 'Drag Me Down' to then move onto 'My Mind' which both have a similar drive to it. You get a good feel for the kind of vibe you're getting from the album. Its now just a case of seeing where the band go from the third song to the last to keep the audience fixated until the dying seconds. 

They keep this album going in emphatic fashion with one of the better songs from the album personally called 'Stand In Line'. Its got more grit and power in the chorus' which give the band a reason to play with dynamics and adds a whole new feel. 

The vocals from Ruth are really shone through in the song 'Ground', his naturally soft tone makes you feel at ease. It doesn't take too much to love his voice, the higher notes are reached with ease and has one of those distinctive voices. The album starts to gain in volume and power at this point which is nice to hear and gives it some great energy!

The start of 'Erased' has one of those beginnings that you know its going to be a good song. Any song that starts with harmonica is a good song and adds a new element to this brilliant track. A sort of more happy-go-lucky tune, but works really well with the harmonica. 

So as we get into the latter stages of the album 

The album has nice little gems if you listen carefully to most of the songs. Its either little guitar licks hidden in the shadows of the tracks, subtle backing vocals or acoustic guitar playing the chords. I like albums that don't show everything to you, it leaves nothing to discover. Its like an island with all its treasure chests uncovered and dug up for you. 

One of the more popular of the slower songs 'Try To Hide' has some harmonica playing that is to die for. Its very mesmerising and can put your mind at ease to listen to for those brief few minutes which is a great feeling. 'Try To Hide' keeps things very simple throughout with the usual line-up, but subtly brings in the electric guitar for the chorus and leaves the acoustics and harmonica to its devices, beautiful. 

The single 'Smack Me In The Face' is a song that you can really immerse into quite easily with some cool guitar licks and vocals. Its different to the other tracks on the album in a good way. Coming to the final few tracks its like a plane landing, you know when you're coming to the end of your journey, but the captains make sure you land safely. The last 3 tracks are simple a great way to bring the album to an end. 

In conclusion, the album has quite a few strengths to it. Nice licks and ideas streaming through the album. Beautiful harmonica playing. A lot of promise for album three and the music is open to a wide audience which is a very strong position to be in!

Go check this album out and support this UK band!

Lewis


Website: http://www.thecornerstones.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thecornerstonesuk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/thecornerstones

Single Review - The Courtesans, 'Genius'

Hello!

Welcome to blog post 24! Today I am letting you all know about a female indie/alternative four piece band that are hitting the music business hard and not being portrayed as you're typical girl band. These girls are throwing the book out of the window on 'how to be the perfect girl band' by twisting and bending it in such a spectacular fashion that its caught the attention of many people. 

The Courtesans are Sinead Le Bella (vocals), Saffire Sanchez (guitar), Agnes D. Jones (bass) and Victoria Brown (drums). The single is the first song off their new album that will be released on 8th September called '1917'. Until then, the latest single 'Genius' is looking at the portrayal of the 'perfect girl' and that never ending search for her. Thus seeing young teens falling for the cheap lipstick, botoxing, slimming pill versions rather than one of those less genuine natural girls that get hidden in the darkness. 

From the first couple of lines in this song, you can tell this isn't your average girl band song. 

"Holding a gun to his head, she says

Do you love me? 

Do you love me?

Counting down the bullets she says

One for you, One for me

One for you, One for me"

Now, does that sound like something that Little Mix or The Saturdays will sing!? I love this dark side to the such loved cliché for a band. These girls have a fantastic image too that'll have you looking twice...once in shock and two in awe of their adventurousness. Their hair style is brilliant for the band image. Thick, long hair that has colours of red, bright blue, blonde and black, the perfect mix!

The start of the song, sounds like something from any ordinary song and then the struck of a chord on a guitar changes the mood completely. I do like the fact that all the girls in the band play a different instrument and don't all just sing otherwise that wouldn't make this band so unique. I do think that in recent years, girl bands are making a comeback for the greater good and The Courtesans are setting a great example to bring back the image in style!

Don't just take my word for this band, here are some other people's thoughts too:

"...dripping with a melodrama, intellect and wispy mystery not heard around these parts since early Garbage and Shakespeare's Sister" God Is In The TV Zine
"they're tight, they're funky and they’re absolutely terrifying" Never Enough Notes
"a sensual 4 piece audio and visual experience", Hellhound Music
"..saw The Courtesans live and still have not recovered" The Von Pip Musical Express

 Looks like that's all I've got time for today! Do go check the band out and watch the video down below. Another quick thank you to everyone who has been viewing my blog and got it over the 2000 milestone! Amazing, I cannot thank you enough! 

If any artist/managers want to contact me for reviews, then my email is in the 'contact me' section up the top of the page, these guys came to me with open arms and of course I agreed! Yours could be next too!?

Until next time!

Lewis

Wesbite: http://www.thecourtesans.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecourtesans

Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_courtesans

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CatrionaVillenhardt/videos

My Favourite Artists - Beth Hart

Hello!

Apologies for being away for so long, my music uni has bombarded me with too many assignments! Although now they're all done, I can finally focus on this blog, which is a great thought so watch out for some more posts being uploaded!

Onto chapter 2 of the 'My Favourite Artists' series:

Today I'm going to be talking about a woman called Beth Hart, a blues/soul singer from Los  Angeles California. This girl knows how to belt a note out, but with such style and grace, its beautiful to watch. I have been lucky enough to see her twice live, once at The Roundhouse in Camden. This was definitely one of my favourite gigs to look back on and there are reasons which I will get to later on so stick around!

Firstly, I'd like to tell you a little bit about her back story as it is definitely one hell of a rollercoaster. Beth Hart had a promising career ahead of her in 1999 with a major label signing, a number 1 hit in New Zealand and a new album out called 'Screamin' For My Supper'. Thing were really looking up for her career, fame and fortune were only a hairs-breath away. 

Unfortunately, this ever increasing fame got to her mind and she started to turn heavily to drink and drugs. These habits were getting worse by the day due to the amount of stress she was put under by her label and the demand from her. In the end Atlanta kicked her off the label and she was barely left with anything to her name. Her tour manager Scott Guetzkow took her to five hospitals (not including rehabs) to try get her back into a fit state. 


When Beth finally came around and saw what she had lost, she was ready for redemption and fight back for her love of music. She started this off with marrying Scott in Vegas and she went on to release a new album in 2003. Her reputation in the business has sky rocketed since her rehabilitation and because she got into the situation of being at the very rock bottom. She never wants to go back there, so she always put 110% into every gig she does and she is ever so thankful for everyone giving her a second chance. 

Her voice is a very beautiful blend of a calm peaceful tone, to the very scratchy and bellowing highs which make her voice very...very unique. In her voice you can hear and tell there is heartbreak, torture and sorrow, but she uses this to her advantage to come out with one of the best voices I know today. Along with her incredibly talented band, this makes up one of the best shows around. 

She has collaborated with a lot of musicians from Joe Bonamassa  to Jeff Buckley and Buddy Guy. Her career has seen her become more popular than ever before with the blues scene creeping its way back into the more popular side of the business. I believe if it wasn't for Joe Bonamassa making an album with her, she wouldn't be where she is today. 

The album 'Don't Explain' is the perfect selection of songs to really understand the connection that both Hart and Bonamassa have. This album really looks at the limits that Hart can take her voice to. Sometimes its indescribable how she even manages to create the notes she does.The songs on this album that really shine for Hart are 'I'd Rather Go Blind', 'For My Friend", "I'll Take Care You Of You" and "Your Heart Is as Black as Night".

Another album they released recently was called "Seesaw". Another fantastic soul album by the two of them that has become an instant classic. With the likes of "Miss Lady", "Them There Eyes" and "Strange Fruit". 

Beth live is a very captivating and intense musician. She will let you know what she is feeling before a song, tell you a story, let you all into a secret about her life. She is very open about her feelings towards a song, she wants everyone to know why she wrote the song so you can understand her feelings. Her piano talent is outstanding, I never knew until I saw her at The Roundhouse how good she was on keys. She managed to play us a solo piece by herself with her singing a song about her sister. A lot of her songs are very moving, very personal that everyone in the room connects to.

The other musicians that are currently on tour with her are:

Jon Nichols - Guitar
PJ Barth - Guitar
Bob Marinelli - Bass
Bill Ransom - Drums

The drummer had been changed from the first time I saw Beth live in 2012 in London. Bill Ransom is a very different drummer to the last one I saw. He has a very powerful hand to himself, but is one hell of an entertainer. I really love watching drummers that have a lot to give and show it off. He even did a trick where he stopped the music halfway through, bounced his stick from his snare up high into the air and caught it to restart the music. That, was one of the coolest things ive seen live done by a drummer.

Her live shows are definitely one to see, energetic, entertaining and you always go away with a smile! I would urge all of you to at least check out her latest album 'Bang Bang Boom Boom'. I believe Beth Hart should be further in her career than where she is, but she is currently having the time of her life with all the touring she is doing. As well as Scott always being there for her for each and every gig because he's the tour manager still.

I hope this has shed some light on what you can expect from this beautifully brilliant blues/soul singer. She is one to watch for the future even at her young age of 42, she is still out there fighting for a place up with the big time. She always will be fighting to repay what she had failed to do in her earlier career.

Thanks for reading and until next time

Lewis :)

Website: http://bethhart.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialbethhart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethHart

Coldplay - Ghost Stories

Hello!

A quick message before I begin just to say I have snazzy new follow and share buttons for all you lovely people! The top right are my accounts to follow me on and the ones on the left are to share with Facebook, Twitter and email if you loved a post that much!

So, as the title says, yes I will be reviewing the new album by Coldplay that came out today. I understand that some of you are not fans of Coldplay and that's fine. I'm not expecting everyone to like them, but this is my blog and I review bands I enjoying listening to. You never know, this review may help you change your mind! Enjoy!

Now the first thing that strikes out to me when I've heard maybe 3 or 4 songs into the record is the fact that, once again, this is very different from the last album. This is one of the reasons why I like Coldplay is because they have changed their style on each album lately. 

For example: 

Viva La Vida - renaissance time period

Myolo Xyloto - colourful and fun

Ghost Stories - chilled and mature

Most bands I have come across seem to have the same vibe throughout their albums, but I find that Coldplay do change it up. Though they do keep their same set up and sound, there is always a different element. This album has a haunting and mystical sound to it that is a nice change from their older work, relaxing to listen to and a chance to really hear what is going on in their musical productions. One major element that is missing from this album that was on previous is Will Champion (drummer) not smashing the living daylights out of a drum kit, which is a nice change for this record.

This album takes the sound from 'Myolo Xyloto', puts it to bed and sings it a lullaby. The elements are there for a great album, sounds fantastic, some nice tones and you know you're getting a decent album with Coldplay. Though for me I do get a little hypocritical when the drummer isn't playing a proper drum kit, but that's probably me being old fashioned.

The songs that stand out for me are of course the singles which are "Magic", "Midnight" and "A Sky Full Of Stars". These three are the strongest songs, with "A Sky Full Of Stars" really standing out from the crowd, but this is the only up-beat song which is heading back to their old album. The others that I have really enjoyed listening to are "Ink" and "Always In My Head".

The last song which is strangely called "O" starts off beautifully. I love Chris' piano skills, very gentle on the keys and it was adding some nice elements like the bass at one point. Its a fantastic way to finish off a great album, taking it down, letting know the listener that the album is coming to an end. 

I think to some, this album is very different to their last and this probably won't be everyone's cup of tea. Me personally, I really like the album, a very well produced and clever album that I could happily sit at night and relax to. The news from when I type this is that this album is already #1 in 72 different countries which is astonishing! It can be difficult trying to make an album for everyone to enjoy, but its their music and they decided to make it how it is.

Whilst I've been listening to this album (as I do when I write my blogs about the artist) I was thinking how would all this be portrayed live in front of 60,000 people. The last album was perfect for stadiums across the world, thousands jumping around and having a fantastic time. Unless they take away some of the low key songs they already have in their set, this could be a problem. 

This mellow, low key album I feel isn't one of their greatest albums, but has promise and still brings forward the character and grace that Coldplay pursue. The more I listen to this record, the more treasures I start to find and really enjoy about each song on this album. Ghost Stories is available from today (19th May 2014) and available pretty much everywhere!

Thanks for reading and until next time. 

Lewis :)

Website - http://www.coldplay.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/coldplay/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coldplay

Z-Star 16 Tons EP + Live Review

Hello!

Today I will be talking about a fantastic band I discovered at the Brighton Fringe festival on Saturday. The name, Z-Star, the game, to create some powerful blues/rock music.

Before I get into the review I'd like to say that female blues singers are really shining through at the moment. I have discovered more female singers that have really impressed me than male of late. The people I'm talking about are Beth Hart (she'll be coming to this blog soon), Colleen Rennison (from the band No Sinner, check out the review) and then we have Zee Gachette, the singer for Z-Star for whom is one to watch out for!

On with the review!

EP Review:

So, Z-Star are definitely a band that are making music that sounds very exciting. Zee's singing is incredible in these songs, its nice to hear a singer really push their voices to the limit. On the record it sounds like she is performing in the EP instead of just singing for the record, so confident and always pushing the boundaries. 


The song '16 Tons of Love' is definitely the strongest song on the album, driving bass and drums accompanied by the guitar for the riff.  The structure to the song keeps you motivated till the end. The drums do a great job of splitting the verses and chorus' apart with the use of toms for the verse. It also accompanies the low bass line to make the verse a very solid introduction to the song and throughout. 

'The Good Woman' tones it down from the hard driving lines in 16 Tons, but has very clever sections to this song. From the word go it sounds like a very heavy song, but tones down to a funk/blues song with Zee's vocals really shining through on this song. Even with a section that is completely different to the song can assure you that this band mean business! 

All of the structures in the songs are really well laid out and studied to keep the listener entertained throughout. Although from time to time I come across a new band and their songs have hope, but its very 'samey'. This band are different which is half the reason why I am making this blog. 
Now let me move onto their live performance where I saw the band for the first time. 


Live Review:

I was volunteering for The Great Escape festival and I was given a few hours just to have a look around at some of the acts and as I was walking along New Road in Brighton, I could hear someone cranking a guitar up and it sounded exciting so I couldn't resist. I was given a flyer and one review said "one blues/rock band to watch out for", being a blues lover anyway, I was pretty sold to watching these guys. 

From the first 2 songs, I knew this band were fantastic. So much energy to provide and give to the audience. Zee's performance skills are through the roof, she was a born entertainer. The confidence that comes from everyone in that band makes them hard to not look away from. Everyone is moving about, communicating, interacting with the audience and just having a damn good time which is what everyone wants to see. 

If you think Zee's singing only sounds good on the record, you are wrong. If anything it sounds better live, pushing more limits and boundaries and setting the bar for this band very high. 

I'm not sure if the guitarist is different from the EP to the performance because he seemed to be a lot more confident live with his solo's. In some ways he was giving it more than 100% on the performance because I noticed after the first song his whole palm of his hand was bleeding!? Rock and roll man! 

Z-Star at The Brighton Fringe

If you ever get the chance to see this band live, then go check them out as this is definitely a band I would love to see again. They were only on for 45 minutes, but their performance has still stuck with me. 

Thank you for taking your time once again to read my blogs, it is always greatly appreciated.

Until next time!

Lewis :)

Website: http://www.zstarmusic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zstarmusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZSTARMUSIC

Youngblood Brass Band - Ain't Nobody

Hello!

Today I will be telling you all about a fantastic group called 'Youngblood Brass Band'. This little quote from their website sums up their music in such a great way, its better than how I could describe them!

"Youngblood Brass band, taking the form of a New Orleans brass band and morphing it into a punked-out hip-hop behemoth of groove and purpose". 

Yeah...that's about right! These guys have brought brass bands into the 21st Century with some outstanding work from their EP 'Ain't Nobody'. The album 'Pax Volumi' is available now, but I wanted to focus on the EP as the songs they have taken from the album are the three best songs to sum this band up.

So, what does the band consist of?

Well, its 2 trombonists, 2 trumpeters, 2 saxophonists, 3 drummers, 1 vocalist and 1 sousaphone player! Sounds tasty!

Starting out in high school in 1995, the band was formed making their first album in the same year. Though the Youngblood name wasn't founded until 1998, these guys are a force to be reckoned with! They mean serious business and have been accoladed for their work over the past 15 years, but are now taking things to the next level with their latest album. 

Signing to Tru-Thoughts for the first album in 5 years, in 2013 they released 'Pax Volumi' which certainly packs a punch. I found out about this band through my internship at Tru-Thoughts and was blown away by the standard these guys are at. This is half the reason I am doing this blog is because they deserve so much credit for the sound they're producing!

From the EP, the track "The Plank Will Nod, And You Will Go" is my personal favourite. There are so many different genre's going on in it and definitely blows you away with the sheer noise that they produce at the beginning. There is a rapping section and with the type of drum beat its being turned into an R&B song, but in the background you can hear the brass section reminding the audience this is still all about the brass! High tempo, high energy. Pure joy to listen to and making me want to hit that damn replay button!

Its fantastic for a band to blend these types of genres together, it works so well! The drumming is ridiculous and such a pleasure to listen to. The 3 drummers work together in unison in such an indescribable way. They break apart a kit, there is at least one guy playing the bass drum patterns, one snare and hit-hat, the other the same but with the cymbals. Incredible. 

The other tracks on this EP are called "Ain't Nobody", which a clever cover of the Chaka Khan song to give it that boppy edge. The other songs are "E La E" and an instrumental version of "The Plank Will Nod, And You Will Go". The instrumental is recommended with headphones to really listen to each part of the brass section. A very clever set up and structure for each instrument and this was definitely a brilliant move by them. 

Listening to this high octane energy is giving me massive cravings to see what they are like live as I'd imagine it is certainly a spectacle! Go have a listen to their work to understand where I am coming from! I don't think I have been more excited to see a brass band in my life! 

So go check this brilliant brass band to have your socks knocked off! 

Thank you very much for reading.

Lewis :)

Website: http://youngbloodbrassband.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youngbloodbrassband

Twitter: https://twitter.com/youngbloodbrass


Shout-out to everyone at Tru-Thoughts as well! :)

Rock Candy Funk Party - We Want Grooove

Hello!

Just a quick message to say thank you for the recent support for the blog! Its been great to see so many people reading and the fact its nearing 400 views is awesome! So thank you and continue to support this blog! :)

Onwards! (On a side note, have spelt the album title right has 3 O's in it for some reason?)

Let me start off with the fact this whole album is completely instrumental and features some of my favourite musicians on it, including my drumming inspiration Tal Bergman. The other musicians included in this are Joe Bonamassa (who Tal plays drums for), Ron DeJesus, Mike Merritt and Renato Nato. These 5 men are out to rekindle peoples love for 70's/80's funk and its fair of me to say they did a splendid job. 

With Tal the front man of this band and the producer, he had the pleasure of choosing these world renown players to join forces and create this album purely for the fun and love of making music. Each bringing their own stylistic blends of genre's together to create a tribute to old school funk. 

The initial reaction from critics and fans alike was "with it being all instrumental, would it be entertaining enough?" This was something I certainly thought about, but all was put to shame when the album was released. There is not a single second on this album that can lead you to boredom. The structure of these songs has been so well thought out that as soon as you have got to grips with one part of the song, they have already moved on to the next section. 

Although there is some repetitiveness in the songs, there is always a flare of musicianship that gives the song an extra spice to keep you entertained. Or a good guitar solo.

Each song on this album features some crazy drumming from Tal. Its all about his feel, timing and stupidly tight fills within the songs that just make it that more enjoyable for me to listen to! I'll leave you some videos at the end of Rock Candy Funk Party's work and another example of Tal's incredible drumming when gigging with Joe Bonamassa. 

With this in mind there are a few songs on the record that everyone should have a listen to. If you fancy up-tempo funk then "Spaztastic" is for you. If you want some funk to just sit and listen to "Ode to Gee", "Root Down" and "Dope On a Rope" are great tracks for you. Drummers...well there's no song better than "Animal/Work" for Tal to really shine on. I've had this album since it came out in January 2013 and I still find his drumming mind blowing. Last but not least for my recommended tracks to you. If you want something to chill out to or you've had a stressful day, then "The Best Ten Minutes of Your Life" will sort that problem out in...well... 10 minutes! 

I hope you all enjoyed this blog, this is a bit different to some of the other blogs, but I hope you'll all go and listen to some great funk! 

Until next time!

Lewis :)

"Spaztastic"

"Young Man Blues" - Joe Bonamassa (Example of Tal's drumming)

Website: http://rockcandyfunkparty.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockcandyfunk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rockcandyfunk

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RockCandyFunkParty
 

Paolo Nutini "Caustic Love"

Hello!

So...this absolute gem of an album came out of no-where for me. I never was a massive follower of Paolo Nutini's work apart from the popular songs. Could this record be a contender for the best album of 2014!?

I knew Paolo was a singer/songwriter and I did enjoy his older work such as 'Pencil Full of Lead', but since he had a five and a half year gap between albums I didn't know he was coming back and I was pleasantly surprised. I cannot stop playing this album, it has everything in it to be one of the great albums that I'll be listening to in many years to come. I bought this album on Itunes as it was the #1 in the album charts and I'm now tempted to buy it on vinyl too!

The songs that are on this album have such a diverse range of genre's from funk to soul to R&B to alternative and I love this. There is nothing for Paolo to say that he did this for popularity, there is not one song on this album he purposefully made to be top of the charts like some artists these days. Each one has been crafted into something that all musicians should look up to. He's created some outstanding pieces of music including "Iron Sky". Wow... what a powerful song that is!

Fantastic Artwork

Not only are the structure and grace of the songs well produced, its the musicians he has hired for this job that impressed me. Where he found these musicians is beyond me, they must be some of the best session musicians I've heard in a long time. It's as if they have practised these songs for years it sounds that good. Nothing seems too unbalanced or over-played, everything seems just perfectly balanced for each track. I give those musicians massive credit for making this album. If they weren't apart of it, I don't think I would be rating this album so highly.

My band mate Dan said that he had gone off Paolo Nutini after his last album because his lyrics and overall vibe of the album were too 'childish'. I listened back to his old album and I understood where he was coming from completely, but I guess everybody knew him after that album. The lyrics and overall sound on this record though are a lot more mature. Obviously having five years off does you wonders. One sentence that stands out to me in the album is from 'Iron Sky' and he says "Mass confusion, spoon-fed to the blind". I still do not understand why that sentence stands out to me, but I think its genius. 

The sections that I wasn't too keen on were the interludes between songs, but once you have heard them a few times they really grow on you. Personally 'Superfly' is a great interlude just because of the movie line at the beginning talking about boys playing in the streets, but not making them very popular. A crazy bold move by Paolo! 

One thing that stands out to me the most about this album from anything else is the amount of energy Paolo puts into the songs. You can hear in single one of them that he has poured his heart and soul into every song. Each song he has spent countless hours creating and producing and now they're ready to go onto a record he wants to put every ounce of himself into each one and its fantastic to hear. 

The top songs I would recommend on this album are "Iron Sky", "Scream (Funk My Life Up)", "Let Me Down Easy" and "One Day". The song "Better Man" is one of the songs that shouts out to me a song for a partner because they lyrics are so true from a guys point of view to a girl in a sweet way. Although don't get me wrong the other songs are fantastic, but if you don't have a lot of time these are the ones to check out!

I would seriously recommend anyone who is looking for new material to give this a good few listens and enjoy each song. This may not be everybody's cup of tea, but it shouldn't of been my sort of music, but each one grew on me and its definitely going to be a tough contender for best album of 2014 for myself and maybe in the industry!?

Thanks for reading and enjoy the music!

Lewis :) 

Website: http://www.paolonutini.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaoloNutini

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaoloNutini

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/paolonutini

P.S As a quick pointer, I was so engaged on writing this I wrote it in 20 minutes!? Though this was just the text, without putting links or photos in. Listening to the album whilst writing I guess helps, but this was one blog I've just poured out onto.