Fat White Family Announce Tour.

Brixton six-piece Fat White Family have announced plans to hit the road in early 2016 with their new album.

The band are currently in the midst of a UK/European tour, which ends in December. Today the band shared tour dates for February and March next year including shows at Nottingham's Rescue Rooms and London's Coronet Theatre. Tickets for the tour will go on sale this Friday (4th December).

The band's second album "Songs For Our Mothers" is due to be released on January 22nd next year. Their lead single "Whitest Boy On The Beach" is available to stream here and the tracklisting for the album is as follows:

1. Whitest Boy On The Beach

2. Satisfied

3. Love Is The Crack

4. Duce

5. Lebensraum

6. Hits Hits Hits

7. Tinfoil Deathstar

8. When Shipman Decides

9. We Must Learn To Rise

10. Goodbye Goebbels

Words: Liam Navey.

Why The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds Is Important.

The Beach Boys are often dismissed harmless as surf pop, typical bubblegum music but anybody who has listened to their 11th studio album will surely disagree with that opinion.

Whenever a critic decides that some work of art is worthy of recognition there are always doubters, and in the case of  Brian Wilson’s masterpiece Pet Sounds, it was the rest of his band that couldn't figure out what the big deal was. They were all happy to sing their parts on the record but didn't really comprehend the difference between this masterful album and the rest of The Beach Boys albums about picking up girls and surfing.

Despite the doubt he was facing, Brian pushed forward with the album and came out of the other side with a finished product that would continue to amaze people to this day. Everybody has heard the song "God Only Knows" but if you really listen to it, like really listen to it, you will realise it is one of the most beautiful songs ever to grace the airwaves. The vocals put down by Brian's brother Carl Wilson and the harmonies from the rest of the band are completely enthralling. The album is full of faultless tracks in terms of vocal performance, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Sloop John B" to name but a few and the music on the album was like nothing ever played in the mainstream.

Despite some resistance from the rest of the band and the majority of the American public being somewhat confused by what the record contained, it took off in the UK no problem at all. With the ever changing sound of The Beatles, young British teens were more open than ever to new and different music. The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band" famously stole aspects of the album and after it took off Brian was left feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated. But the point stands, without Pet Sounds, one of the most famous and influential psychedelic albums of all time would never have been made. And if it is any consolation to Brian, the album has aged beautifully and probably sounds even better today than it did in 1966.

Despite this it is widely regarded as perhaps the greatest pop album ever made. Everyone needs to listen to the album at least once, even if only to understand the huge cultural impact. And still, somewhere on Earth, someone is experiencing the sheer joy these tracks provide upon first listen and to that lucky individual, I say welcome to a new and much more pleasant world.

Words: Liam Navey.

Why Boogie Nights Has One Of The Best Soundtracks Of All Time (Spoilers).

Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 cult classic "Boogie Nights" soundtrack perfectly captures the culture he presents in the film along with the roller-coaster of emotions felt by the characters.

The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore and follows the story of a well endowed innocent young man looking to make his fortune in the vibrant '70s porn industry. The soundtrack follows the journey undertaken by the characters perfectly, though sometimes with contrast. Throughout the whole film, Anderson uses pop music of the era as a counterpart to what is taking place on screen, filling the film to the brim with many classic songs. The soundtrack starts will feel good songs such as The Emotions' "Best Of My Love" and tends to continue this feel good vibe throughout the film despite what is happening on screen. 

               

The first half of the film focuses on innocence, happiness and youth. The song "Mama Told Me Not To Come" by Three Dog Night is used alongside a scene in which Mark Wahlberg and John C. Reilly's characters first meet and begin to bond. During one of the film's most famous sequences characters are seen shopping and disco dancing in traditional '70s style. While this is taking place, KC And The Sunshine Band's "Boogie Shoes" is playing in the background, a perfect accompaniment to what is happening on screen and the general feel of the film up until this point.

Anyone who has seen the film will know of the dark turn the film takes as it enters the '80s at around the half way point. Despite this drastic and violent change of pace and feel the soundtrack continues to be mostly feel good, making some of the more shocking sequences hit even harder. 

In one of the hardest hitting scenes William H. Macy's character finds his wife in bed with another man and then goes on to murder her and commit suicide in front of his friends and work colleagues. This is a very graphic scene which some people find difficult to watch. However, it is accompanied by the song "Do Your Thing" by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd street rhythm band. The song itself is quite upbeat and has a positive vibe but when coupled with the on screen events it gives the scene another, much darker dimension.  Another scene stars Julianne Moore and Heather Graham, in the scene the soundtrack compliments the acting, lighting and cinematography perfectly. It captures the serious breaking down, self-destruction and mental falling apart of the two characters and is a huge contrast from the beginning of the film, when everybody is happy. Despite the dark nature of this scene the song featured is Roberta Flack's "Compared To What", a slow, feel good and relaxed soul song.

The film's final sequence reverts back to the long forgot positiveness of the start of the film, supported by The Beach Boys' classic "God Only Knows" it ends the film on a surprisingly positive note.

Words: Liam Navey.

Top Five Albums Of The Decade So Far.

Most bloggers/reviewers publish a list along these lines at some point so I may as well get it out of the way.

5. Sleaford Mods "Key Markets" 2015

Sleaford Mods are two middle aged men from Nottingham with eight albums and a lifetime of anger under their belts. The latest album by the duo came into the UK album chart at number 10, much to everyone's surprise (and my delight), front-man Jason Williamson also recently featured on a Prodigy track titled "Ibiza". The lyrics are by far the most striking feature on this album, a personal favourite of mine has to be "Boris on a bike?/Quick, knock the cunt over". This is but one gem in an album full to the brim with gems. Williamson spits pure anger and hatred, cloaked in incredible satire, towards every last bit of the establishment and society on the whole. There aren't many (if any) acts in music today that are willing to make their opinion so public in such a brutal fashion, the delivery of every point Williamson makes is shrouded in colloquialisms and profanity. And it is glorious. Every single track on the album is marked "EXPLICIT". The music that backs these lyrics is dirty and grimy, loud thundering bass lines supported by clanging drum machine beats and the occasional synthesiser. Not only is this album funny and entertaining to listen to but as it goes on you find yourself agreeing with the lyrics, by the end you find yourself sitting in your room absolutely infuriated at every single piece of your day to day life.

4. Arcade Fire "The Suburbs" 2010

This is the third album by Canadian indie/rock band Arcade Fire, they immediately made a name for themselves with their 2007 debut "Funeral". However, it was this L.P. that launched them into the spotlight. It provided them with a chance to headline Reading and Leeds festival 2010 and scored them Album of year at the 2011 Grammy Awards as well as a BRIT award for best international album. The album is 16 tracks long, which may seem a little daunting but it flows incredibly well, songs blend into each other before changing direction drastically. Musically it has everything we've come to expect from an Arcade Fire album, a fairly typical indie sound backed by orchestral scores and the poetic lyrics and voice of Win Butler. But it is the overall message of fleeting youth and how people look back on it that is a thing of beauty. A particularly good example of this is the 13th track "We Used To Wait" in which Butler sings "Now our lives are changing fast/hope that something good can last", this pretty much sums up the album and the reasons why I love it.

3. Kanye West "Yeezus" 2013

I think it's fair to say that almost everybody who has been living on planet earth for the last ten years or so knows who Kanye West is. Very few artists have completely reshaped their particular genre in the way that this man has, every album he has released has had a huge impact on the way rap music is performed and produced worldwide. However, in my opinion this is by far his greatest work. "Black Skinhead" is probably the most commercially successful track from the album, peaking at number six in the UK R&B chart but it is far from the best on the album. "New Slaves" and "Blood On The Leaves" steal the show for me. Kanye uses "New Slaves" to vent his frustrations concerning racism in America and the paparazzi he is constantly contending with amongst other things. "Blood On The Leaves" is probably the most controversial track on the album as it samples Nina Simone's rendition of "Strange Fruit", originally a poem written by Abel Meeropol in 1937 to protest racism in America. The reason this caused controversy is because it is sampled behind lyrics describing relationship problems. This is hardly a fair comparison but that is why I find it so intriguing, it works very well alongside the auto-tune feature which Kanye uses almost like an instrument throughout the track. The music on the album is very industrial and electronic, which, coupled with the lyrics cements the L.P. at the number three spot on this list.

2. Tame Impala "Innerspeaker" 2010

Australian psych outfit Tame Impala are one of the biggest names in alternative music right now, topping the first ever prog-rock chart earlier this year with their latest and third full length album "Currents". However, this album stands out to me as their best for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that front-man Kevin Parker writes, records and produces the music completely alone, spending many months putting together the complex layers of sound that can be heard on the album. The album uses classic psychedelic instruments and patterns but somehow makes itself sound new and fresh, something which is rarely seen, notably the bands use of guitar pedals and synthesisers which come together in such a harmony that I am yet to hear work on this level. The song "Solitude Is Bliss" is a personal highlight of mine, providing the listener with a shameless "Lucy In The Sky.." style reference about drug use: "There's a party in my head/and no one is invited" followed by the chorus in which Parker sings the phrase "You will never come close to how I feel". 

1. Sun Kil Moon "Benji" 2014

For those of you who don't know, Sun Kil Moon are an American indie/folk act fronted by original Red House Painter's member Mark Kozelek. Benji is the sixth studio album by the group and is regarded by many as the best album of 2014. It was the group's big break and received rave reviews across the board, pulling in a 9.2 rating from Pitchfork. The sheer brutal honesty on the album is what makes it for me, the lyrics cut deep. The usual rhyming patterns go out of the window and I'm not even sure most of the audio is what you'd call singing, it has more in common with cinema or literature. However, it tells some of the most true to life and harrowing accounts of personal experience I've ever heard. The song "I Can't Live Without My Mothers Love" simply describing the emptiness and sadness Mark will feel when his mother dies (sounds a little morbid I know but it's crafted beautifully). The song "Jim Wise" describes the story of one of Mark's father's friends being stuck on house arrest for killing his terminally ill wife. It's not all doom and gloom though, songs such as "I Love My Dad" and closer "Ben's My Friend" take some of the overall heaviness of the album away. Musically the album has some of the best acoustic guitar pieces I have ever heard, backed by soft drum beats and the occasionally saxophone the music suits the tone of the album perfectly.

Words: Liam Navey.

The Wytches At The Garage London: Live Review.

The Wytches play London's Garage as part of Heavenly Recording's 25th birthday celebrations .

The Wytches have made a name for themselves over the past two years as one of the best psych/grunge acts in the UK. The band's 2014 debut "Annabel Dream Reader" was met with critical acclaim, acquiring an 8/10 review from NME. Since then the band have played UK and European festival circuits, several lengthy tours of their own and have supported bands such as Yuck and The Cribs. Earlier this year the band released their latest effort, an E.P. titled "Thunder Lizard's Reprieve" and have a second full length album on the way. You can listen to their latest E.P. here. 

The band came on stage with a new addition, a keyboard/organ player. Up until very recently they were a three piece outfit. However, the fourth member certainly provided the show with extra intensity, putting down a heavy and threatening layer of sound behind the band's usual brilliant clamour.

The band started the set with a song simply titled "Intro", a slow but menacing song which gave a flavour of the dark and brutal show that was to come. The set was a little over an hour long, with three previously unreleased numbers and a couple of B-sides thrown in for good measure.

 A personal highlight of mine came six songs into the set when front-man Kristian Bell launched into "Wastybois", one of the outfit's heaviest songs, the strain was visible on his face as he screamed the punishing lyrics into the microphone. One of the slower tracks from their debut album "Summer Again" received a rare outing and provided the crowd with a much needed chance to catch their breath.

The Wytches went on to close the set with an as of yet unreleased song and from the sound of this and some of the other unrealised tracks, which we can assume will be on the second album, the future is certainly looking bright for the four-piece. 

Words: Liam Navey.

Fat White Family Update.

John Doran, close friend of Fat Whites and editor of The Quietus revealed earlier today that band relations were back on track.

In a meeting with Doran earlier today he revealed that he had received inside information from the band, information which claimed the ex front-man of The Metros, Saul Adamczewski, would join Fat White Family once again.

In the few turbulent years since their formation, Fat White Family have undergone many changes regarding their on-stage line-up. The band have worked their way through three drummers and original bassist Joe Pancucci has been replaced twice since 2011. However, being one of the four remaining original members of the band and having two spin-off groups with current and previous members, the gap Saul left was too big to fill and he will be continuing the rest of their current UK/European tour. Tickets for their upcoming shows can be found on most major ticket websites.

The band's second studio album "Songs For Our Mothers" is out in January next year on the band's own label "Without Consent". And with it being described as "an invitation, sent by misery, to dance to the beat of human hatred" I can only imagine what gems it will hold.

Words: Liam Navey

Are The Fat White Family Falling Apart?

According to social media, lead guitarist and founding member Saul Adamczewski has been dropped from the band's line-up.

The guitarist made his feelings about the issue quite clear on Facebook, sending an open apology to front-man and long time friend Lias Kaci Saoudi. He claims that the pair "will always be comrades" and asked to be allowed back into the band. However after receiving no reply he seemingly gave up and went on to post that he is "looking for brass players for new band...". 

This leaves a lot of uncertainty for fans as the pair are involved in a side project band named "The Moonlandingz" (who have a debut featuring the voice of Yoko Ono on the way) and Fat White Family's eagerly anticipated second album "Songs For Our Mothers" has just been announced for release in January. The band are also currently in the midst of a European tour. Their latest single "Whitest Boy On The Beach" has received largely positive reviews and you can listen to the track here. 

Only time will reveal the fate of the band although many fans, including myself, are hoping to see Saul back in the line-up sooner rather than later.

Words: Liam Navey.

The Vaccines at Brixton Academy. 23/11/15: Live Review.

The Vaccines show Brixton Academy they've still got it with a very sweaty and loud 21 song set.

The band made a name for themselves in 2011 when they released their debut album "What Did You Expect From The Vaccines". Their second album "Come Of Age" was released in 2012 during a two year period of relentless touring. They then disappeared from the scene in 2013 and came back with their third studio album "English Graffiti" earlier this year.

The band opened the set with their first single from the third album, "Handsome" received a very warm welcome from the crowd and immediately gave a taste of what was to come. The standard pints of beer were tossed across the crowd as the strobe lights flickered and the sound of Justin Young's voice rattled through the legendary venue. The audience reacted to their most notable tracks "If You Wanna" and "Post Break Up Sex" in a way that has come to be expected (an extremely loud sing along).

It was the band's debut that received the most attention on the night, seemingly to the delight of the majority of the crowd, seven of the 21 songs on the set came from it. The gig went off without a hitch and bassist Árni Árnason was given the microphone to perform "Blow Your Mind", a B-side from 2012 just before the set was brought to a close with crowd favourite "Norgaad".

Words: Liam Navey.

FIDLAR At Kentish Town Forum. 11/11/15: Live Review.

FIDLAR stormed the stage of London's Kentish Town Forum and put on a show that was the perfect blend of comedy, chaos and fun.

The band are famous for their rowdy and hectic live performances and they certainly didn't fail to live up this reputation, opening with fan favourite "Stoked and Broke", mosh pits and crowd surfers almost immediately dominated the sold out standing area. The audience had to wait for almost a quarter of the set to pass to hear a number from their second and most recent album "Too". However, "Drone" received the same reaction as the previous 5 tried and tested tracks from their 2012 debut. 

Fans old and new were in for a real treat as the band powered through a career spanning set, even playing 2013 single "Awkward" which was released as a bonus live track to their debut several months after its release. The difference was barely noticeable though as the band's confidence throughout the whole set is a prominent and well deserved feature. They keep crowd interaction at a maximum, even encouraging those in the standing area to sit down before the drop of the closing number "Cocaine".

Words: Liam Navey.