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State of the Union – 13/05/2012

Reviewed by Dan Johnson (of Hang the DJ, Fridays at 7pm)

This is not a sentence I was expecting to write – a four-piece blues rock band from the Deep South of America have debuted at Number 3 in the UK this weekend, after topping the midweek charts. With the Top 10 dominated by pop and hip-hop, it seems absurd to think that Alabama Shakes could be contesting with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Adele and Labrinth for the top spot again on Sunday. One listen to their debut album Boys & Girls and suddenly it all makes sense.

This album doesn’t so much remind the music industry of its origins as it does pick it up by the throat and shake it until it damn well understands that this is what real music is supposed to be like. From the howling soul of opener Hold On to the chaotic rock closer Heavy Chevy, each track is packed with more raw emotion and feeling than the rest of the Top 40 combined. Each song would sound perfect in the background of some smoky dive bar in the Deep South, built on a lifetime of hardship and heartbreak. Lead singer Brittney Howard uses each song to tell a story to the listener; ranging from wondering if she’d make it to the age of 22 on Hold On, to lamenting the end of a platonic relationship on title trackBoys & Girls. That’s not to say this is a depressing album. Not in the slightest. This is good old fashioned, American, Jesus & Whisky blues.

Ms. Howard possesses one of the most unique and powerful voices to emerge in recent years, whether she’s spitting out the words with gravelly venom or hitting a gospel-soul falsetto, sometimes in the space of one line. It’s certainly not an X-Factor voice. It’s mumbled and rasped in places, but this just adds to the realness of the album.

Despite the strength of Howard’s voice, Boys & Girls does well to remind the listener that this isn’t a solo album. Howard’s description of Steve Johnson as a ‘punk-metal drummer’ is spot-on and evident throughout the album. Rather than clash, the barely-restrained frenzy of a punk drummer in a blues band further encapsulates the fury and heart of this record. Zac Cockrell’s bass lines do far more than just tie the songs together – they rumble along like a steam train, occasionally gleefully derailing and taking the song in directions you weren’t expecting. The guitars, provided by Howard and Heath Fogg seem teetering on the verge of explosion at all times, gently providing the tune until the moment the energy comes pouring out in a mash of string-bending solos and power chords.

The issue with this album comes with picking a highlight. Each and every song is brilliant in its own right, and if, as often happens, someone asks “just play me the best ones”; one would be stuck. Perhaps herein lies the problem. There is not a weak moment on this album; but to the uninitiated, there is a certain same-ness to some of the songs. The pace slows about halfway through the album, and was never that quick to begin with. The only time the band truly starts to rock-out is on final song Heavy Chevy, as if they’ve finally shaken off the shackles and are allowed to properly let loose. But it’s just slightly too late for the injection of pace needed. You feel that you’re not hearing the full breadth of what this band is capable of. It’s a great song, and perhaps it’s this that makes you wish The Shakes had shown you more of their faster-paced material earlier in the album. This glimmer of another dimension to their talents strangely adds a downer to the album, demonstrating that they had more to offer.

What this album certainly does though is remind you that there is real music out there. Sure, they may have been pipped at the post by Adele and Nicki Minaj; but in Boys & Girls Alabama Shakes have undoubtedly made one of the records of the year. Best listened to with eyes closed and headphones on, the record does far more than just sound good – it’s uplifting and powerful, and outrageously well-performed and produced. This is not a perfect album. But from a band who specialise in rough-and-ready, soul-over-style blues, you wouldn’t want it to be. Bring on the live tour. Which is, quite rightly, already sold out.

8/10

London based Bleech joined us for LUSH Radios fourth Square Session as part of their nationwide tour. Two parts girl, one part boy, the band played acoustic versions of their live set, including their latest single Mondays, which is due for release on the 16th April.

In between their set we caught up with the band to discuss their current tour, their teen-pop influences, and which member they’d abandon first on a desert island!

Interview: 

One of the most popular bands to perform for LUSH Radio, Bleech’s distinct raw edge, combined with their haunting vocals and harmonies ensure they are definitely one to watch in the future.

Here are two bonus tracks from the set:

Here I Am: 

Flowerhands: 

You can listen to and buy their debut EP on their Bandcamp page now, or you can catch them as they continue to tour around the UK and Europe across summer.

Special thanks to Phuc Te for the photos and video.

 
(Photo by Rachel Holland)

Andy Carthy really does know his music. Throughout the night he seamlessly ties together an unfathomable spread of music from what seems like every realm of sonic infinity. While danceability is always maintained, every song has a tinge of the impossible to pin down Scruff quirk that defines his image and reflects his tastefully wacky imagination. When the screens eventually switch on and his comical ‘potato style’ drawings come to life, the mixed and gradually growing crowd let out an excited cheer. To the enjoyment of my cheesy sense of humour, we are, from time to time warned of an ‘incoming bass alert!’ and encouraged to ‘get those knees up!’ as whoops and whistles echo around the crowd. This feels like a good-old-fashioned party and it’s certainly a refreshing break from the pretentiousness of a lot of the modern club scene.

The diversity of the crowd shows the accessibility of a Mr. Scruff night as well as his own music, and this is not a bad thing. With plenty of room to dance, people of Leicester from all walks of life grooved together to dub, jazz, hip-hop, soul and funk. While later in the night the music leaned more towards house and bassline, this veteran DJ would never take it off too far in any one direction, meaning unpredictability and continual entertainment.

He didn’t play many of his own tracks but the few he did had much of the crowd ecstatic. It was impossible not to screw up your face to the whomping beefcake bass-line of Pickled Spider and waiting for the beat of Get A Move On (part of his short but sweet encore) to drop was torturous, but when it came the tiring crowd was given one last boost. It all came to an end with a brass band version of Inner City’s club classic ‘Good Life’: a very original way to end a very original night.

A Mr Scruff night is good wholesome fun at its finest. He has somehow managed to achieve silly and clever all at the same time, but for all the eccentricities, he is clearly very passionate about music and does a very good job of sharing this passion. Stepping out into the cold with a cup of Mr Scruff’s own tea, I couldn’t help but think to myself ‘Mr. Scruff really is keeping it unreal.’

By Josh Tautz-Davis

Here is their track ‘The Dreamers’, taken from their exclusive performance in the Square:

Hailing from the Isle of Wight, Yours And Mine have their own unique brand of indie pop. Drawing on influences from artists as diverse as Roy Orbison and The Vaccines, the band combine the sound of the 60s with a more modern touch.

And here is their song ‘Crying’:

Their debut EP Yesterday’s Girl is available now from their website, along with more information and tracks from the band. Keep your eyes on the LUSH Radio Square Sessions Facebook page, as we’ll have more free live music coming your way soon!

This week on State Of The Union we ask questions of the second set of Sabbatical Officer candidates (Union Development and Welfare & International).

This week on State Of The Union we ask questions of the first set of Sabbatical Officers (Academic Affairs, Campaigns and Involvement and Activities) before the upcoming hustings, as well as discussing the future of The Scholar and Refugee Awareness Week.

This week on State Of The Union we announce the candidates for the University Of Leicester Student Elections 2012. Listen below: