Molchat Doma’s Monument: A gothic snyth-pop dance party

Benjamin Forrest on 19 November 2020

Belarus trio Molchat Doma’s 2018 album ‘Этажи’ was deeply ahead of its time, signified by the fact that it has only recent started gaining traction in the UK (yes thanks, in part, to Tik Tok – but let’s not go there). Nevertheless, the album solidified the band as one of the greatest current post-punk outfits on the planet and, as I see it, ‘Monument’ only goes to further that claim. 

Whilst I adore the band’s previous work, I would have liked to see more evolution in sound between their last album and ‘Monument’, it follows very similar themes and sounds – which is positive given how great their signagture sound is, however I feel as though, if they continue down this path for multiple future albums, the sound is in danger of becoming somewhat stale. For now, though, Molchat Doma still sound incredible, and refreshingly different in comparison to the vast majority of other popular ‘post-punk’ acts at the moment (a lot of whom are beginning to sound identical to each other, leading me to worry that post-punk will become the next ‘indie rock’, but that is a story for another day). 

The album kicks off with Cold War style nightclub banger ‘Utonut’ and doesn’t really lift off after that point, continuing the 80’s style synth, reminiscent of New Order, early Depeche Mode, or Telex, on tracks such as ‘Discoteque’ and ‘Ne Smeshno’. The standout track, for me, would have to be ‘Otveta Net’. The dark, booming voice of vocalist Egor Shkutko compliments the retro drum beat and Roman Komogortsev’s whining guitar tones beautifully to create what, I think, will come to be one of Molchat Doma’s defining tracks when all is said and done. 

Written entirely in quarantine, Monument embraces the darkness and despair, but doesn’t wallow in the sadness like so many others. Instead, the album is a kind of gothic snyth-pop dance party, which fits the mood of lockdown pretty well honestly. It is perhaps one of the few albums that would work equally well at a house party, or a 2:00am bout of deep melancholy. As Shukuto claims in the lyrics to ‘Discoteque’: “I will continue to dance”, that lyric, in my eyes, is a fitting signifier for the entire album: continuing to dance through the darkness and misery of life in 2020. Truthfully, this album could not have come out at a better time, deep into the second period of lockdown everybody is feeling helpless and tired, we all need the moody tones of three Belarusian men to help us forget about our troubles and cry-dance alone in our bedrooms to industrial, cold wave, post-punk synths.

Neil Young Revives a Forgotten Era with New Live Album ‘Return to Greendale’

Roxanna Zoughi on 16 November 2020

Neil Young’s tour with Crazy Horse has been released as a two-cd, twoLP vinyl set and live recording, documenting his 2003 performance of his 25th album ‘Greendale’. The album, which was released in 2002, was a collaborative piece with rock band Crazy Horse, and its subsequent tour was a theatrical performance of the various individual stories and experiences of the inhabitants of a fictional Californian town called Greendale.

The tour shows the ten songs performed by a cast who lip-synch the words sung by Young. The animation of the character’s experiences through theatre form enhances the storytelling aspect of Young’s music which is especially integral to the original 2002 album. Young’s signature tenor vocals are typified by a naïve suggestion that is both juxtaposed to and enhanced by his punchy musical arrangements on electric and acoustic guitar, harmonized with the help of Crazy Horse.

But what about the words? Young emphasises various socio-political issues in his lyric, including ecological concerns raised in ‘Be the Rain’ which urge mankind to “save the Earth for another day”, whilst ‘Sun Green’ touches on the fear and lack of truth in the media which is only further perpetuated by the State; issues that are all the more relevant 17 years later. The release of Return to Greendale, especially with its accompanying concert film, revives what was a previously forgotten album amongst Young’s other works, and ultimately reasserts the pertinence of its socio-political direction to the 21st century.

Photo: Fraser Harrison/Getty images

Bad Brains: When Punk Met Reggae (Again)

Roxanna Zoughi on 17 October 2020

Roxanna Zoughi celebrates the legacy of Bad Brains, a hardcore punk band formed in 1977, whose incorporation of reggae and funk distinguished them from other performances of punk.

While acid rock bands like Led Zeppelin dominated the mainstream in the early 70s, there was a different kind of sub-culture growing within Washington D.C.’s underground, characterized by a fast-paced, unrelenting sound that would soon be identified as hardcore. This new sound was beginning to emerge in the late 1970s but had not yet solidified an identity, so when Bad Brains came onto the scene with an experimental fusion of funk and punk, this was a cornerstone in the development of the genre.

Bad Brains formed in 1977 and soon earned a reputation for their explosive live shows, eventually prompting their ban from many venues across the state capital, after which the band fled to New York to freely resume their project. Performances would transition seamlessly from fast-paced punk to slower, bass-heavy reggae lead by H.R.’s versatile vocals, typified by a quick-fire delivery of verse and ranging from guttural tremolos to falsetto shrieks – they could do it all. But Bad Brains weren’t the first instance of a punk and reggae unification. Visually and artistically, both sub-cultures were mutual outcasts whose paths were bound to cross, and soon enough bands like Steel Pulse performed at Rock Against Racism shows alongside Generation X in 1976. But this was more of a side-by-side co-existence of punk and reggae rather than a true fusion of the latter and the newly emerging hardcore sound which had not yet been fully realised – until Bad Brains.

Although the band was influenced by anti-establishment groups like Sex Pistols, they did not seek to emulate the same nihilistic tone in their music which had previously defined the punk sound of the early 70s. In other words, they weren’t simply another punk band intent on protesting their frustrations with the system or helicopter parenting. Instead, Bad Brains promoted the power of PMA (positive mental attitude), a term borrowed from self-improvement book ‘Think and Grow Rich’. “We started kicking PMA in our music, and the message was different than the regular punk rock. You know, a punk rocker can write a song about hate─I hate my mom or some shit, you know? We wasn’t on no shit like that.” tells bassist, Daryl Jenifer, to Jon Kirby in Wax Poetics 2008. The group rejected the pessimistic worldview many punk bands had, and instead embraced a traditional, yet progressive approach to their music and the kind of message they wanted to promote to their listeners, embodied by Positive Mental Attitude.

“We had to come up with an angle […] that would be very radical and creative but then at the same time, traditional. And something that people would be able to relate to.”, recalls vocalist H.R. in 2006 documentary ‘American Hardcore’. The group certainly demonstrated their creative grit in their acclaimed first album ‘Banned in D.C.’ in 1982, which achieved a kind of unsynchronized harmony in the placement of reggae in-between hardcore tracks, taking affect as the calm before (and after) the storm. Punk bands had previously sought to deliver only the storm as they protested their contempt and distrust of authority. But Bad Brains offered a different angle, a new meaning for punk other than the frustrated nihilism of bands before them, whilst at the same time maintaining the musical essentials of the genre. Bad Brains reminded people that punk didn’t have to have a single identity; punk didn’t have to mean sticking it to the man or playing strictly fast tempo heavy music, because it didn’t have to conform to one meaning at all.   

Punk is Black!

Benjamin Forrest on 16 October 2020

Punk music, as a genre, has a long and illustrious history, and most music historians list the first ‘punk’ records as The Stooges’ 1969 album, or the MC5’s ‘Kick Out the Jams’ (also released in 1969) – some go further back to the US garage scene of the mid-1960’s, either way, the frequently told history of punk music is seemingly dominated by white artists, particularly white males. A section of that history which is often ignored, forgotten or even omitted is the vital contributions of some incredible black artists. 

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, for instance, released the single ‘I Put A Spell On You’ all the way back in 1956 (a full 11 years before the Stooges even formed) and whilst the song itself isn’t outright punk music in terms of lyrical content, it incorporates many of the devices later characterised as ‘punk’, such as Hawkins strained, desperate shouting vocals and outlandish, shocking live performances. 

A Detroit three-piece called Death recorded what is, in my eyes, one of the definitive punk anthems ‘Politicians In My Eyes’ in 1975 thus pre-dating the Ramones’ first album (widely regarded as the first out-and-out punk record). The single only sold 500 copies at the time and the band was largely ignored until 2009 when Drag City Records released the demos Death had recorded back in 1975 to critical acclaim. A detail that is often not recognised in the story of Death is that ‘Politicians In My Eyes’ was self-released on their own record label, thereby making Death one of the first independent bands to exist, years before Buzzcocks self-released their EP ‘Spiral Scratch’, credited with starting independent or ‘indie’ music.

The UK punk scene, the start of which is signified by the release of ‘New Rose’ by the Damned in October 1976, was seemingly dominated by three white male bands: Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Damned. I would argue, however, that some of the greatest records of that era were created by X-Ray Spex, led by Marianne Joan Elliot-Said (better known as Poly Styrene) whose overt feminism and politically charged anthems marked her out from the more mainstream punk artists of the time as being someone with something significant to say, as opposed to The Damned whose lyrical content was often closer to love than rebellion, or the Sex Pistols who were simply manufactured by Malcolm McLaren to cause outrage and profit. 

So why were these artists so largely ignored during their time? Why are they not widely credited for the invaluable impact they had upon the genre? Is it simply due to their race? In short, yes. The music industry, and particularly white musicians have always, for want of a better phrase, ripped off a plethora of black artists for personal gain. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and a countless array of other early rock and roll musicians highjacked songs penned by black blues/soul musicians in order to further their own success, often not giving these artists credit of royalties. So, following the same logic, it makes sense that the artists included in this article were ignored in favour of their white counterparts. The facts remain, however, that without Jay Hawkins there would be no Iggy Pop, without Death there would be no Dead Kennedys, and without Poly Styrene there would be no Riot Grrl. Every great musical movement was pioneered by black artists: from jazz in the 1920’s, to rock ‘n’ roll in the 50’s, ska and reggae in the 60’s – up to the Acid House dance music of the late 80’s and 90’s. Punk music is no exception this rule, and it goes without saying that these artists deserve much more support and recognition than they currently hold. I only spoke about three main artists in this article, but there are countless other amazing black/black-fronted punk bands you should check out: Bad Brains, Negro Terror, Bob Vylan, Big Joanie, Crystal Axis and The OBGMS to name just a few. Stop the whitewashing of music. Support black artists.

Remembering Eddie Van Halen: Legacy of the Guitar Virtuoso

Roxanna Zoughi on 7 October 2020

Roxanna Zoughi pays tribute to Eddie Van Halen, legendary guitarist of pioneering hard rock band Van Halen, who has died of cancer aged 65.  

Eddie Van Halen is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most innovative musicians of all time, and perhaps the greatest guitarist of his generation, who pioneered the technical advancement of his craft and played by no rulebook in doing so. He has been a huge influence on great modern players who came after him, many of whom paid their respects on social media following the death of their fellow musician and friend, including Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page who posted to Instagram: “He was the real deal: he pioneered a dazzling technique on guitar with taste and panache that I felt always placed him above his imitators.”  

The hard rock sound was first sparked in the mid-60s and bands like The Who had carried its flame well into the mid-70s, until newly emerging acts like Van Halen had begun experimenting with the genre; moving away from the psychedelic and bluesy arrangements some hard rock groups had typically stuck to and instead transformed the sound with an incorporation of pop. And with that, like Hendrix had before him, Eddie made people fall in love with the guitar again.

Eddie had originally considered naming his band after the 7th track of Black Sabbath’s debut album, ‘Rat Salad’ before deciding on his own family name, which unbeknownst to him at the time, would become a household name in rock n’ roll history. Despite being influenced by the Birmingham-born metal band, Van Halen shifted away from Iommi’s moody gothic riffs and went on to produce a vivacious hard rock and pop fusion, reflective of the vibrant southern Californian environment from which it was born. With the release of their self-titled debut album in 1978, the band enjoyed massive success as they sold more than 10 million copies and knocked disco out of its chart top spot. Eddie had proved his musical creativity in melodious opening riffs followed by surprisingly short and straight to the point solos, which despite their briskness, did not in any way belie the self-taught guitarist’s evident talent.

Renowned for their explosive live shows, amplified by David Lee Roth’s vocals and enhanced by Eddie’s athletic and dazzling solos, the group earned a reputation as one of the greatest live performances of rock, and would eventually become one of the top 20 bestselling artists of all time. But Van Halen were not just a band just for rock listeners; Eddie knew how to write great pop songs too. Their ‘1984’ album included some of their biggest hits, namely ‘Jump’, most memorable for its vibrant synth opening perfectly enhanced by Eddie’s shimmering solos.

He can also be credited as the creator of one of the most easily recognizable guitars in rock history, which he dubbed the ‘Frankenstrat’. The instrument sports intersecting black and white lines which cut across a fire red surface, complete with flashing truck reflectors on the back. The freakish creation perfectly mirrored its creator’s equally innovative and experimental musical formulations – an instrument fit for its player no doubt. But Eddie (along with his brother Alex, drummer of Van Halen) was originally classically trained on piano as a young child, which afforded him a wide range of musical skill that allowed him to revolutionize the technical advancement of guitar playing. Eddie’s most notable innovation was perhaps his use of a finger-tapping technique which involved using both hands on the neck of the guitar to produce sound, not so dissimilar to how one would play a piano.

Eddie Van Halen told Guitar World in 1981: “If you’re a musician, you just play until you die. It’s not an ordinary job.”

Photo: Paul Natkin/Getty

Miss Americana: Taylor Swift’s Political and Musical Journey

Anushka Searle on 21 February 2020

This eye-opening film begins with Taylor Swift looking through her old diaries and songwriting books, immediately declaring to the audience that this film will expose Swift’s secrets, both personal and musical. Swift reminisces over the quill pens she use to write with and shows her nerdy side with excitement over her “glass quill with an inkjet”. Through all the controversy that we’ve seen Swift go through, the world began to ignore her talent. However, this film begins by bringing us back to Swift’s humble beginnings, of writing songs when she was just 13, a girl with stars in her eyes. The film engages you with home videos from Taylor Swift receiving her first guitar on Christmas morning, to Tim McGraw hitting number 60 on the Billboard charts. 

Credit: Netflix

This biographical documentary depicts Swift’s musical journey from country star to pop icon, while also showing the creation of her new mature masterpiece, Lover. What stood out for me specifically was the clear artistry behind Swift and Joel Little’s song producing process. The film not only showed how Lover was created as an apologia for Swift’s lack of political activism but significantly exposed her talent for songwriting and for making hit-worthy music. Swift is not seen writing in a flashy music studio with a big production company. Lover is instead created with just Joel Little beside her, with Taylor Swift wearing joggers and a baggy t-shirt. Indeed, the studios Swift and Little write in (Electric Lady Studios) were designed to be relaxing to encourage artists’ creativity, and most famously that of Jimmy Hendrix. Swift, unlike many big artists, isn’t hiding behind a glass screen singing into giant microphones and letting big producers do the work for her, she is part of the entire creative process. We even get to see how Swift comes up with the music video for ‘Me!’, which won three awards for Best Video (MTV Europe Music Awards), Best Visual Effects (MTV Video Music Awards), and Best Female International Artist Video (MTV Video Music Awards). 

Credit: The New York Times

Additionally, the release of this film was coupled with the release of Taylor Swift’s single ‘Only The Young’, and much like the film, it expresses Swift’s opinion on the current political climate and her place in it. We see in the film how it was Swift’s court case against David Mueller that produced this fire in her to speak up, not only for herself but also politically. However, it is Taylor Swift’s disappointment over the result of the Tennessee midterm elections, and her want to no longer be silenced by men in her life, that fortified the power song ‘Only The Young’. This song powerfully declares that Swift and any other young individual should never let their voice be silenced, because it is the young that are most affected by this political climate, and therefore only the young can understand the struggle and must be the ones to continue to advocate change. Though the young may have been “outnumbered, this time”, and may be disheartened by a bad election result, or problematic legislation, Swift tells us that this song is “basically saying resist”. Telling us to keep resisting, because social movements are gradual, and change will only come about if the young persist in making their voices heard.

No matter your opinion on Swift this is an astonishing film, that explores how female celebrities are controlled and silenced. It truly shows how passionate Swift is about human rights, and her impassioned need to use her influential voice for social and political reform. Therefore, this film will undoubtedly give anyone newfound respect for Taylor Swift, not only for her artistry but for how unfairly she has been treated over the years. 

Header Image Credit: Pitchfork

Band of Skulls @ The Brudenell Social Club 27/11/19

Toni Stephenson on 1 December 2019

This year marked indie rock group Band of Skulls reaching their 15th year and tonight at the Brudenell they celebrate the tenth anniversary since the release of their debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey. Featuring some of their most iconic songs including ‘I know what I am’ and ‘Cold Fame’, the album’s success saw tracks selected to feature in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and the soundtracks of Friday Night Lights and the Twilight Saga (unashamedly the latter is how I discovered them).

Supporting them throughout the anniversary tour are Higher Peaks, a band who just last week released their song ‘Sick’n’Tired’ featuring Band of Skulls. Though the differing styles of each song make their genre difficult to pin point, the atmosphere created through their use of synthesised piano organs and harmonising vocals mixed with their occasional heavy riffs feels new and fresh.https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-luMmez2UI?feature=oembed

As the room fills up for the sold out night, the lights dim. Shirley Bassey’s ‘Diamonds are Forever’ exudes and the room begins to sparkle as light refracts from the disco ball above the stage. Russell Marsden (vocals and guitar), Emma Richardson (bass and guitar) and Julian Dorio (drums) enter the stage as crowd anticipation peaks. The band open with the heavy riffs of ‘Love is all you Love’, the titular track from their latest album released earlier this year and after two songs Marsden declares, “Happy birthday!” to Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, kick starting the anniversary celebrations before playing the album start to finish.

Hyde Park’s gem, the Brudenell, has been home to some of Leeds’ most iconic gigs. It’s the ideal venue for both immensity and intimacy and nowhere does this show more than when Marsden and Richardson ditch their electrics for acoustics and share a microphone. The crowd, full of fans, simmers down from their excitable sing-along state to listen to the delicate melodies and harmonies of ‘Hometowns’ and ‘Honest’ before the room roars back into movement.https://www.youtube.com/embed/5te1t-3DiVI?feature=oembed

This tour is homage to the fans, a thank you for supporting them over the last decade and the crowd certainly revel in it; as do the band. The night ends with an encore that sees Marsden and Richardson engulfed into a circle of jumping fans, all singing into the microphones; band and fans as one.

Music as an Act of Resistance

Toni Stephenson on 19 October 2019

With the shortlist for this year’s Mercury Music Prize being more politicised than ever, Toni Stephenson takes a look at how politics and music have become increasingly intertwined over recent years.

Since the shortlisted twelve albums for this year’s Mercury Music Prize were announced in the summer, critics and commentators alike have been hailing the 2019 finalists as the most political in the prestigious award’s 27 year history. Previous recipients of the award for best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act have been rather apolitical; artists often opted for themes of love, religion and emotion to inspire their song writing. https://www.youtube.com/embed/V1e0ZG0zRCo?feature=oembed

This year, however, the themes in each album are much more explicit and relevant to current affairs. The awards evening saw rapper Dave take home the prize for his album Psychodrama which explores the tough socio-political conditions faced by today’s British black communities. Other nominations included Anna Calvi’s Hunter which explores gender roles, Foals’ Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost which tackles the climate crisis and mental health and Little Simz’s Grey Area which touches on attitudes to female success. So is it true that popular music has become more politicised over the last few years? 

There is no doubt that political frustration is at an all-time high for many of our lifetimes. We appear to be living in a period of Brexit purgatory and increasing populism. Political discourse seems increasingly divisive and whether musicians and artists are using their music to tackle this head on or to satirically vent their frustrations, the politics of race, class, identity and climate have definitely infiltrated their way into this year’s top albums. Whilst last year’s winners, Wolf Alice, were recognised for their soft indie melodies and mix of angelic and heavy vocals, this year’s entire shortlist appears to make a statement of protest.

Of course, music has always had a close relationship with politics. Entire genres such as hip-hop, jazz and blues have developed from repressive socio-economic and political situations. The punk movement was born in the 1970s out of anti-authoritarianism and full rejection of conservative values. Blues developed as a movement in the US as a result of the harsh oppression and segregation imposed upon African-American communities. So there is most certainly a correlation between turbulent, repressive political atmospheres and the creation of protest music.

The last few years has overseen a huge shift in the discourse of politics from the usual trials and tribulations of democracy to what seems like a complete overhaul of everything we’re familiar with and absolutely no signs of consensus anytime soon. Some music commentators have claimed this has created a resigned attitude of pessimism decline in protest songs but the Mercury Prize shortlist shows us quite the opposite. There is no resignation in people, young and old, taking to the streets to protest the state visit of a misogynist ‘leader of the free world’ and the inaction of governments and corporations to protect the earth’s fragile ecosystems. Today’s protest culture is one that is spreading and consequently appreciates and recognises the artists who are using their platforms to help out.

IDLES’ punk-inspired album Joy as an Act of Resistance takes on attitudes towards toxic masculinity, societal pressures and immigration. Their song Danny Nedelko seeks to explain and challenge these, “Fear leads to panic, panic leads to pain, pain leads to anger, anger leads to hate.” Whilst sections of Slowthai’s album Nothing Great about Britain is reminiscent of the anti-establishmentarianism of the 1970s as he ends the titular song with the words “I will treat you with the utmost respect only if you respect me a little bit Elizabeth,” before cursing the Queen.

The severity of current political issues is creating a new wave of music as an act of resistance and the only explanation of their recent success is that they contain messages that a growing number of people relate to. Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Climate strikes, for example, have gained a huge following so it is not surprising that pop artists such as The 1975 and Billie Eilish are referencing the climate crisis and threat of environmental degradation. Music comes from passion, whether this be a positive or negative take, and the fact that artists are being credited for their politicised statements through their music surely means these issues are more serious now than we have seen in the last few decades.

Header Image by Pooneh Ghana