Turn of the decade 5

It’s been yet another month of Government failures, where pubs have reopened, in hope of pinning the blame on the public for the inevitable second wave as well as injecting money to their precious economy. Supermarkets (not all of them) have ditched their one-way systems as if this virus is a distant memory, NHS staff were handed a massive kick in the teeth when they found out they’d have to pay to park in the car parks a day after the country applauded them for being heroes, over 75’s were also handed a massive kick in the teeth when they learnt that they’d have to pay their license fee. So all in all, a pretty standard month in British current affairs.

But I’m not going into that because I’d end up completing a dissertation on it.

All this bad news calls for something positive, and the music industry is still providing the goods. I’ve got another 5 records that you need to hear and immerse yourself in because it’s all we’ve got to take out of 2020. There’s literally no other positives that I and many others will take out of this dreadful year, so at least we’ve got all this new music to distract us.

1. Arlo Parks - Black Dog

This is the most devastatingly honest track I’ve ever listened to, where, unlike a lot of songs, the lyrics are prominent. A single that, due to the current state of the world and the fact that we’re not able to see our loved ones, could serve as an instruction manual as well for those of us that are feeling low and struggling mentally.

Every line she quivers throughout the duration has some sort of strong meaning and makes you think that it’s been written from pure instinct, instead of any sort of extended planning gone into it.

I could deconstruct each and every lyric because they all each have their own meaning and the truth behind them is astonishing. The fact a 19-year-old poet and singer/songwriter can nail such a difficult subject with apparent ease is amazing and I’d recommend anyone, not just music lovers listened to this song. It and the rest of the album is unreal.

2. Jayda G - Both Of Us

Bit of a change from the Arlo Parks record but the meaning behind it could be quite similar as the song begins with Jayda stuck in a nagging loop of singing “I can, I can’t”, adding fragility to the upbeat rhythm and piano riffs.

Each time she sings, the song slows down dramatically suggesting that the music and the lyrics are contradicting each other. The repeated “I just want to be with you” is preceded by the optimistic beat and rhythm of the track.

Away from the meaning of it, the record is a perfect summer tune and is absolutely perfect for any venue you’ll ever go to. Highly recommend giving this one a spin.

3. Phoebe Bridgers - Kyoto

No messing about with this one, no build-up of instruments, it’s straight in from the first second with the fuzzy guitar riffs, kind melodies and soft yet powerful vocals. The blaring brass during the chorus fits perfectly into the buoyant feel of the record.

This one’s been out a while now and she’s since released an album which is a mixture of strong and powerful songs and soft, stripped-back ones. Another album that’s well worth a listen, but Kyoto is definitely the highlight of it, in my opinion.

4. IDLES - Mr Motivator

Can’t believe it’s taken me until now to add this to my blog. New IDLES music is exactly what we all need right now, to release energy and anger and to immerse ourselves in the anti-Government lyrics.

Joe Talbot, along with Marcus Rashford, is the current leader of the opposition to the Government. Sorry, Keir, but it’s not going very well if N*gel F*rage is agreeing with you.

This track is genuinely perfect. The roar passion, the revving electric guitar riffs and the thumping drum beats along with lyrics steeps in fury and mockery of the parasites that are around us today, making unforgivable and damning decisions for their own good and with no one’s wellbeing in mind.

Once you’ve waded through the ironic descriptions of celebrities, you’ll hear the line “Chase the pricks away” which is being aimed at the far-right, the corrupt, the billionaires, the totally oblivious and inept celebrities and the political parties. The whole song somehow manages to keep up with the same level of anger and I admire it and, having seen them at The Green Man in 2019, I can confidently confirm that this song is not just for brownie points to seem sound to the younger generation, they genuinely mean every lyric and every ounce of anger they emit. They’re a force in the music world and they need to be spoken about more, and, if you’ve never seen them, you need to.

They’ve just released another single called Grounds and it’s more of the same. Full of passion and more to the point, sense.

Like the Arlo Parks album, the vocals are at the forefront of IDLES, and the thundering guitar riffs and aggrieved vocals are added to create more passion.

Honestly, if you need to let it all out, get this on whilst you do it because it won’t let you down.

5. Sorry - Perfect

Fuzzy guitars and vocal hooks are heavily involved in this song with the male and the female taking it in turns to sing various lines. The song is a mixture of pop, electronic, and an indie grunge type sound, and the drum fills and bass lines make the song title become a pretty accurate summary of the record.

The album itself is an experimental one, with some songs sounding completely different from the next but that to me makes listening to an album more exciting, especially for the first time. You don’t know what you’re getting.

There’s your next 5 and hopefully, by now I’ll have mentioned a song that you’re obsessed with and if I haven’t then bare with me.

My next post will be on the best albums to have been released this year and a little review on them and why they need to be played to the extent of knowing which song’s coming on next.

For now, keep on discovering new music, because there’s so much more to Radio 1 and chart music. Keep on supporting bands wherever possible and keep safe.