1. DARK NECESSITIES – Red Hot Chili Peppers (5th wk #1)
2. BORED TO DEATH – Blink-182 (2)
3. WAY DOWN WE GO – Kaleo (4)
4. ONE DANCE – Drake, Wiz Kid, Kyla (3)
5. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (6)
6. TROUBLE – Cage the Elephant (7)
7. FIRE – Barns Courtney (9)
8. OFF THE GROUND – The Record Company (5)
9. KISS THIS – The Struts (8)
10. AIN’T NO MAN – The Avett Brothers (12)
11. JUST LIKE FIRE – P!nk (13)
12. SOUNDCHECK – Catfish and the Bottlemen (14)
13. SEND MY LOVE (TO YOUR NEW LOVER) – Adele (16)
14. BURN THE WITCH – Radiohead (17)
15. RIDE – twenty øne piløts (10)
16. TAKE IT FROM ME – KONGOS (11)
17. CLOSE – Nick Jonas, Tove Lo (20)
18. CAN’T STOP THE FEELING! – Justin Timberlake (N)
19. ALL WE EVER KNEW – The Head and the Heart (N)
20. GOOD GRIEF – Bastille (N)
Well, here I am, once again reviewing another band from Europe, a wellspring of so much great music. The latest is Sherpa, a unique indie hip-hop/rock band from Bergen, Norway. As with many international bands, Sherpa’s sound is a fusion of music influences from multiple cultures and genres: hip hop, indie rock, 70’s Persian, funk and jazz. As the band states, their infectious, high-energy music style is “a conglomeration of music from the seven mountains, hovering in a place between Gorillaz and The Roots.”
I spoke by e-mail with band frontman Babak Ziai, who was born in Tehran, Iran after the 1979 revolution. He stated that his parents were very liberal and didn’t want to live under the theocratic government, so they emigrated to Norway. Being an aspiring musician and lover of hip hop, he joined forces with Norwegian guitarist Johannes Vaage to form Sherpa in 2012. They subsequently added two musicians from the Bergen indie rock and jazz music scene – bassist Nils Henrik Sagvåg and drummer Tore Ljøkelsøy – to complete the band lineup.
Ziai explained that they wanted to create music that wasn’t bound by one specific genre, but rather fusing different genres to create an original eclectic sound that is raw and beautiful, using live musical instruments, and anchored in hip hop, indie and jazz. When I asked Ziai how they chose the name “Sherpa” he explained that “Bergen is surrounded by seven mountains [it’s known as the city of seven mountains] and sherpas go places where the average man does not go. Sherpa literally means ‘man from the East’ and has a mystical esoteric aspect to it.”
Though Sherpa has released only a handful of songs, they’re all awesome. One of their first hits was “Rabbit,” an incredibly catchy tune with funky bass and jazzy hip hop beats, plus a bit of reggae vibe thrown in. Would not have expected such a funky song to come from a Norwegian/Persian band but I love it! Wishing it was longer, I kept hitting replay. It’s the kind of song they could jam with for 15 minutes at a concert.
Their new single “The Mind,” released in May 2016, is a hyperkinetic gem of danceable hip hop that examines the chaos of the mind. “It’s an interaction, a fracture in alignment between cultures like the Pharoahs and the Mayans. A place in our thoughts like Zion. Pure like the crystals in your tears when your cryin’. Gravity is holding you down, but you’re flyin’ and definin’. Chains will bring you back like a lion. Time is changing like the state of your mind.”
The song opens with a brief funky bass guitar riff, then explodes into crushing hip hop beats, heavy bass and jazzy brass. Ziai raps at a rapid-fire pace and, halfway through, Persian music influences are introduced, creating a rich, complex sound that is quite exhilarating. The video, filmed in London’s busy Camden Market, has Ziai singing the song while walking through the crowded market, further emphasizing the song’s frenetic intensity.
Another fine new track “Mantra” features exuberant synth-pop interspersed with segments of rapid-fire rapping in the style of the virtual band Gorillaz.
Sherpa is working on new music and plans to release their debut studio album in Spring 2017, and I can’t wait! Support these guys by following on Facebook and Twitter, and listening to their music on Soundcloud.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are #1 for the 4th week, Blink-182 climb to #2, and twenty one pilots’ “Heathens” leaps 13 spots to #6.
1. DARK NECESSITIES – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1)
2. BORED TO DEATH – Blink-182 (4)
3. ONE DANCE – Drake, Wiz Kid, Kyla (3)
4. WAY DOWN WE GO – Kaleo (5)
5. OFF THE GROUND – The Record Company (2)
6. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (19)
7. TROUBLE – Cage The Elephant (10)
8. KISS THIS – The Struts (9)
9. FIRE – Barns Courtney (13)
10. RIDE – twenty øne piløts (6)
11. TAKE IT FROM ME – KONGOS (12)
12. AIN’T NO MAN – The Avett Brothers (14)
13. JUST LIKE FIRE – P!nk (15)
14. SOUNDCHECK – Catfish and the Bottlemen (16)
15. DESTRUCTION – Joywave (11)
16. SEND MY LOVE (TO YOUR NEW LOVER) – Adele (18)
17. BURN THE WITCH – Radiohead (20)
18. HAPPY SONG – Bring Me The Horizon (7)
19. OPHELIA – The Lumineers (8)
20. CLOSE – Nick Jonas & Tove Lo (N)
I seem to be writing about a lot of international music artists recently, and Australian rock band New Nobility is the latest. Formed in 2005 by Sead Trnka (who plays bass guitar), the three-member band is originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, but relocated to Sydney in 2008. The other two members are Josh Maekowsky (vocals and guitar) and Zoran Krga (keyboard). Their sound is rather eclectic, ranging from metal rock to catchy dance-pop to sweeping ballads with a message of hope and peace. Whatever type of music they’re playing, one thing’s for certain: it’s always exhilarating, with shredded guitars, strong percussion and dynamic, soaring vocals.
One of the band’s earliest hit songs is the high-energy metal-rock anthem “Galactic Love.” The song’s video begins with the lighting of a match, perfect imagery to convey the way the song ignites into an inferno of thunderous scratchy guitars and pulse-pounding drums. Maekowsky’s assertive vocals on this and their other hard rock songs remind me a bit of Rise Against lead singer Tim McIlrath. All in all, a thoroughly satisfying track.
The band’s lighter side shows up in the infectious dance-pop tune “Paradise.” The song opens with plucky guitar and a catchy hook that quickly grab hold and take you on a fun ride. Maekowsky’s vocals alternately smolder and soar to falsetto heights as he sings with abandon, making for a really exciting number that will have you dancing around the room.
A recent track, the lovely anthemic ballad “Fly Over (United We Are),” is an emotional plea for peace, love and world harmony. The piano takes the starring role here, accompanied by some fine guitar and Maekowsky’s impassioned vocals. At nearly seven minutes, the song is a long one, gradually building to a climax, with Maekowsky singing in his native language.
I love Radiohead’s new single “Burn the Witch” from their latest album A Moon Shaped Pool, released in May 2016. The song’s dark lyrics, hauntingly sung by Thom Yorke’s beautiful falsetto, sharply contrast with the gorgeous arrangement by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and lush strings performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra.
So too with the clever, cartoonish video, as Radiohead wanted it to contast with the song’s darker meaning. Directed by Chris Hopewell, the video uses stop-motion animation in the style of the 1960s English children’s television Trumpton Trilogy programs. It pays homage to the 1973 horror film The Wicker Man. (Wikipedia) An inspector is greeted by a town official and invited to see a series of unsettling sights, culminating in the unveiling of a huge wicker man. The official urges the inspector to climb into the wicker man, whereupon he is locked inside and the wicker man is set on fire. As the flames build, the townspeople turn their backs to the burning wicker man. After the song ends, the inspector appears to have escaped, with birds chirping happily among the trees.
Pitchfork writer Marc Hogan suggested that the use of the Trumpton Trilogy style, which portrays an idyllic, crime-free rural Britain, is intended to satirize the rhetoric of family values used by right-wing politicians such as Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, and members of the UK Independence Party.
As a footnote, according to an article in The Guardian, the son-in-law of Trumpton creator Gordon Murray stated that the family had not been asked permission to use the style for the video, and saw it as a “tarnishing of the brand.” He added that they would not have allowed its use, considered it a breach of copyright, and were “deciding what to do next.”
I love alternative rock music and am always pleased to discover new artists who play it, especially when their music is really good. Such is the feeling I experienced when I stumbled across the Irish band Fiction Peaks. They play melodic alt-rock/pop that runs the gamut from high-energy to achingly beautiful. Their music has a rich, lush sound achieved through the use of synthesizers and multiple instruments, including horns and strings. The five band members include Joey Doyle (lead vocals, guitar and sampler), Cillian Kenny (bass guitar & trumpet), Barry Lyons (backing vocals, synth), Joáo Francisco (drums) and Brian Giles (guitar).
Formed in 2013, Fiction Peaks got their start playing shows around their hometown of Dublin, gradually sharpening their sound and building a fan base. They released their self-titled debut EP Fiction Peaks in January 2015, featuring four stellar tracks. I’d like to include them all for this review, but have chosen two that showcase the band’s diverse sound. The first, “Dye Is Cast,” is a catchy, upbeat tune that charges out of the gate with shredded guitars and a driving beat. To my ears, the song has an Oasis vibe, and Doyle’s vocals even sound a bit like Liam Gallagher. Take a listen:
“Document Dissent” is beguiling, with gentle guitar and percussion, and poignant lyrics beautifully sung by Doyle. “Tonight all fears are on the outside looking in. The scrambled litany, a purchased forgery. You document dissent with all your hours spent. A tale of disbelief, was reaching from beneath.” The song builds to a emotionally-charged crescendo that raises goosebumps. I love this gorgeous song!
They followed up with a “double A-side” single Spring’s In Bloom/All I Got in February 2016. “All I Got” is another joyously upbeat song featuring great hooks and some pretty awesome guitar riffs, set to a pulse-pounding beat.
Their latest single “In For A Penny” dropped in May of 2016, providing further evidence of this band’s incredible talent. The beautiful opening guitar riffs, Doyle’s heartfelt vocals, and soaring orchestration at the end make this an exceptional song.
Show Fiction Peaks some love by following them on Facebook and Twitter, subscribing to their YouTube channel, and listening to more of their music on Soundcloud.
1. DARK NECESSITIES – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1)
2. OFF THE GROUND – The Record Company (3)
3. ONE DANCE – Drake, Wiz Kid, Kyla (2)
4. BORED TO DEATH – Blink-182 (5)
5. WAY DOWN WE GO – Kaleo (8)
6. RIDE – twenty øne piløts (4)
7. HAPPY SONG – Bring Me The Horizon (6)
8. OPHELIA – The Lumineers (7)
9. KISS THIS – The Struts (10)
10. TROUBLE – Cage the Elephant (12)
11. DESTRUCTION – Joywave (9)
12. TAKE IT FROM ME – KONGOS (14)
13. FIRE – Barns Courtney (16)
14. AIN’T NO MAN – The Avett Brothers (19)
15. JUST LIKE FIRE – P!nk (N)
16. SOUNDCHECK – Catfish and the Bottlemen (20)
17. BRAZIL – Declan McKenna (N)
18. SEND MY LOVE (TO YOUR NEW LOVER) – Adele (N)
19. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (N)
20. BURN THE WITCH – Radiohead (N)
There have been 24 films about the dashing British secret service agent James Bond, beginning with Dr. No in 1962, up to the most recent film Spectre, released in 2015. It has been a long-established tradition for each film to have a theme song. Over those 53 years, some are impressive tracks that have stood the test of time, while others were quickly forgotten. Here are my picks for the ten best Bond theme songs:
10. LICENSE TO KILL – Gladys Knight (License to Kill – 1989)
Initially, Eric Clapton and Vic Flick (who played the guitar riff in the original “James Bond Theme”) were asked to write and perform the theme song for License To Kill. It was to be an updated version of the original theme, but that project fell apart, and this song, performed by Gladys Knight, was chosen instead. It was composed by Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen and Walter Afanasieff, and based on the “horn line” from Goldfinger, which required royalty payments to the original writers. I love Gladys Knight’s voice, and think it’s a pretty good song that well complements the film.
9. GOLDENEYE – Tina Turner (GoldenEye – 1995)
“GoldenEye” was written specifically for Tina Turner by Bono and the Edge of U2 after they learned that she had been invited to sing the theme to the Bond film of the same name. Like many of the other women who sang Bond themes, Turner’s strong, sensuous vocals were perfectly suited for the genre.
8. NOBODY DOES IT BETTER – Carly Simon (The Spy Who Loved Me – 1977)
I really love this song, which is why I’ve ranked it higher than it probably should be. It’s a great song, but it just doesn’t evoke the sense of mystery and danger we expect from Bond movie themes, and is better suited for a romantic comedy. Written by Marvin Hamlisch, with lyrics by Carol Bayer Sager, the song is one of the more pop-oriented, radio friendly Bond themes, and it was a huge hit for Carly Simon.
7. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH – Garbage (The World Is Not Enough – 1999)
Written by composer David Arnold and lyricist Don Black, “The World Is Not Enough” was performed by the alternative rock group Garbage, with sensuous sweeping vocals by lead singer Shirley Manson. Regarding the choice of Garbage to record the song, Arnold stated “Part of the reason I thought Garbage would be such a good idea is that I think Shirley Manson is someone who could easily inhabit Bond’s world.” (Wikipedia)
6. SKYFALL – Adele (Skyfall – 2012)
After the massive success of “Rolling in the Deep” in 2011, Adele seemed the perfect choice by Sony Pictures President of Music Lia Vollack to record the theme for Skyfall. She thought Adele’s voice had a “soulful, haunting, evocative quality” that would bring back the “classic Shirley Bassey feel” of several earlier Bond themes, so she suggested to the film’s producers that Adele be asked to write and record the theme song. After reading and falling in love with the script for Skyfall, Adele agreed to write a song, with assistance from Paul Epworth, her producer and co-writer for her smash album 21. The result was a tremendously powerful track that captured the Bond vibe that Vollack had envisioned, even incorporating the 007 theme. It was awarded the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2013.
5. LIVE AND LET DIE – Paul McCartney & Wings (Live and Let Die – 1973)
Film producers Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli invited Paul McCartney to write the title theme for Live and Let Die, but wanted it to be sung by Shirley Bassey or Thelma Houston. McCartney told them he would only allow it to be used in the film if performed by his band Wings. “Live and Let Die” captures the menacing danger of the film, and was the first Bond theme to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
4. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE – Nancy Sinatra (You Only Live Twice – 1967)
One of the most gorgeous Bond themes, “You Only Live Twice” was composed by John Barry, with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. The song features lush, soaring orchestration and lovely vocals by Nancy Sinatra. Barry initially wanted the song to be performed by Aretha Franklin, while Cubby Broccoli wanted Frank Sinatra to sing it. Frank recommended his daughter Nancy instead, and the rest is history.
3. A VIEW TO A KILL – Duran Duran (A View to a Kill – 1985)
John Barry teamed up with Duran Duran in the writing of the excellent “A View to a Kill.” Another dramatic song, it perfectly complements the perilous espionage-filled world of James Bond. Duran Duran were chosen to do the song after bassist John Taylor, a lifelong Bond fan, approached producer Cubby Broccoli at a party and rather pointedly asked “When are you going to get someone decent to do one of your theme songs?” (By the mid-80’s, Bond themes had become pretty stale and boring.) Obviously a good sport, Mr. Broccoli subsequently introduced the band to John Barry, resulting in this awesome collaboration. A huge hit, it’s the only Bond theme to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
2. JAMES BOND 007 THEME – John Barry & Orchestra (Dr. No – 1962)
The original – and classic – Bond theme, and the basis for many subsequent Bond themes, has been the subject of much squabbling over songwriting credit. Monty Norman has been credited with writing it, and received hundred of thousands of dollars in royalties, despite the fact that for Dr. No, the tune was arranged by John Barry, who claims he actually wrote it. (Barry would go on to compose the scores of another 10 Bond films.) Courts have ruled twice that the theme was written by Monty Norman.
The most iconic Bond theme, “Goldfinger” is the gold-standard of them all (no pun intended). This masterpiece was composed by John Barry, with lyrics written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. The song opens with piercing horns, followed by Shirley Bassey’s powerful, dramatic vocals that propel “Goldfinger” into the sonic stratosphere, guaranteed to raise goosebumps every time. Unbelievably, the song was almost taken out of the film because producer Harry Saltzman hated it, saying, “That’s the worst fucking song I’ve ever heard in my life”. (Wikipedia) Thankfully, he reconsidered.
A final note about Bond themes. The alternative rock band Radiohead were asked to write a song for the film Spectre, but it was rejected by the film’s producers in favor of the song “Writing’s On the Wall” by Sam Smith. They considered “Spectre” too “dark.” The band was rather stoic about it, and decided to release the song themselves (it appears on their phenomenal latest album A Moon Shaped Pool). Many critics and fans agree that “Spectre” is superior to Sam Smith’s song, despite the fact “Writing’s On the Wall” went on to win the Oscar for Best Original Song. I think it’s gorgeous and a perfect Bond theme that would have placed in my top 10.
I love Twitter, if for no other reason than the fact I’ve had the pleasure of discovering so many talented independent singer/songwriters and bands who are making some really good, unique music. One such artist is Romeo Crow, a Renaissance man who hails from London. He not only writes and sings songs, plays some pretty awesome guitar, writes both fiction and a blog and makes films, he’s also an entrepreneur/teacher working to help other musicians. And if all that weren’t enough, he’s an amazing photographer too!
With his striking looks, ready smile and warm, generous personality, Romeo has a growing legion of devoted fans. His music style is pretty eclectic, melding rock, pop, blues and funk into an enjoyable stew of sounds. He writes all his own music and lyrics and performs, mixes and produces the music in his home studio.
One of my favorites of his songs is “Living Like You Do,” from the EP Sketches Vol. 1. The scratchy guitar riff gives the track a bit of an old-school rock vibe. On his website, Romeo explains the meaning of the song’s lyrics: “It is about someone with an addiction problem not facing up to their situation, not yet making the changes they need to make until they eventually realize that they MUST make changes…because their life is now, literally, at stake.”
Another favorite is the playful “Hots For You.” Romeo’s vocals are accompanied only by guitar, yet musically, the track seems fuller, and the video’s a pure delight to watch. If you’re not smitten by his self-deprecating charm and humor, then I don’t know what. Take a look:
A more recent track “Shoes” has funky guitar riffs and more drum than many of his older songs, and will appear on his upcoming EP Grip the Sky. The fast-paced video for the song is a film montage of Romeo traveling from his home in London to Ischia in Italy.
On a lark, Romeo wrote the song “Around the Bend” as a fantasy soundtrack for the trailer of the film Desperado, starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. It works pretty well, I think.
To learn more about Romeo, check out his Website, where you can follow his blog and download his music, some of it for free. Also, watch his videos and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
1. DARK NECESSITIES – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1)
2. ONE DANCE – Drake, Wiz Kid, Kyla (2)
3. OFF THE GROUND – The Record Company (4)
4. RIDE – twenty øne piløts (3)
5. BORED TO DEATH – Blink-182 (9)
6. HAPPY SONG – Bring Me The Horizon (7)
7. OPHELIA – The Lumineers (6)
8. WAY DOWN WE GO – Kaleo (12)
9. DESTRUCTION – Joywave (10)
10. KISS THIS – The Struts (11)
11. THE SOUND OF SILENCE (5)
12. TROUBLE – Cage the Elephant (15)
13. I TOOK A PILL IN IBIZA – Mike Posner (8)
14. TAKE IT FROM ME – KONGOS (18)
15. HAND CLAP – Fitz & the Tantrums (14)
16. FIRE – Barns Courtney (N)
17. PRAYERS/TRIANGLES – Deftones (13)
18. ALONE – Sun Arcana (16)
19. AIN’T NO MAN – The Avett Brothers (N)
20. SOUNDCHECK – Catfish and the Bottlemen (N)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 