The Chapman Family- ‘ADULT’ Music Video (21/01/2013 –End of the Trial Records)

     Described by NME magazine as “Angsty, cliché-free brilliance’, The Chapman Family have already experienced various line-up changes and industry-related restraints, but have ploughed on to return with a tour that begins a week today. A 5-piece family band formed in 2006, and  joined by their sheer passion for music, the band are currently focusing on developing their work to a more mature level.

    Opening with a strong Indie vibe, The Chapman Family’s official video for their new single ‘ADULT’ is almost eerie with thick, red smoke until vocalist Kingsley appears. Clearly the group know the market they’re targeting due their fearless, smart dress sense, mirroring bands like The Hives. However, Kingsley’s acting skills do leave a lot to be desired, but certainly do not take away from the strong musical abilities shown.

The soaring, yet subtle guitaring opens the way for The Cure style, semi-spoken vocals and primal drumming. In general, the vocal charm does exactly what it says on the tin and provides listeners with a track nothing short of angsty, broody and frustrated, particularly as it builds to a blinding climax. The Chapman Family appear proud of what they do, and do it well. Their music is slow-burning, sluggish but energetic. In the same way, the post-punk music video itself develops from a figure in front of a red backdrop to a creepy, early Panic At The Disco! Style use of make-up.

    Despite their mature flair, the lyrics of ADULT come across as adolescent in their generalisation of emotion, “You can use me anyway you want to, but I will make mistakes all the time. I want to be alone, I need to be alone.” However, they are relatable, and the instrumental aspects of the track are on par with some of the biggest bands in Indie and Alternative music. ‘ADULT’ can be downloaded for free right now!

3/5

 The Chapman Family’s Tour Dates:

07/02 THE HOP, WAKEFIELD

08/02 THE STUDIO, HARTLEPOOL

10/02 KRAAK GALLERY, MANCHESTER

11/02 FRUIT, HULL

12/02 HOUSE LIVERPOOL, LIVERPOOL

13/02 CLWB IFOR BACH, CARDIFF

15/02 ELLIOTS, ABERDARE

16/02 JOINERS, SOUTHAMPTON

17/02 THE WESTCOAST, MARGATE

18/02 GREEN DOOR STORE, BRIGHTON

19/02 ARTS CENTRE, COLCHESTER

20/02 SURYA, LONDON

22/02 THE RAINBOW, BIRMINGHAM

23/02 THE COCKPIT 3, LEEDS

24/02 THE CLUNY 2, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE

08/03 GEORGIAN THEATRE, STOCKTON

Watch the video for ‘ADULT’ here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLK5Eo_m0aI

Get a free download of the track: https://www.facebook.com/TheChapmanFamily/app_190322544333196

Purchase tour tickets: https://www.facebook.com/TheChapmanFamily/app_123966167614127

Melrose- ‘Let Me Remind You’ EP (13/11/2012 –Self-Released)

     Claiming to be the freshest and heaviest Pop Punk band to come from Kent, Melrose recorded ‘Let Me Remind You’; their debut EP at Emeline Studios with producer Ian Sadler in August last year. It has been available to download for free since the 13th of November and has already brought them local radio play.

     Melrose stick to what they know with opening track ‘Five-Sided Fistigon’ and show great production and some promising musical abilities from start to finish. The track hurtles into full throttle as soon as it begins, and the band show off their signature heavy riffs, gang-style vocals and A Day to Remember-esque breakdowns. Melrose also involve synths in their work but also recognise the current popularity of heavier Pop Punk and are fully embracing it.

     ‘F.Y.I. (It’s Do or Die)’ is lyrically-typical of Pop Punk music; ‘For you information, I’m a better man this time’, making use of general relationship woes that many listeners can relate to. It’s clear that Melrose want to hold onto their Pop Punk flair with both hands, but also refuse to restrict their audience by making their lyrics too personal at the early stage of their career in the industry. The blend of vocals and scream vocals that the band can create is something you cannot teach, and luckily something they do very well.

     The quartet’s can come as emotionally harsh because of its thrashing breakdowns and blaring vocal style, but the use of syth brings a light aspect into the mix, helping Melrose become more distinctive as a band. They have clearly opted to come across as unique without tarnishing their main genre too drastically. ‘Summer Weather’ and ‘Killing Me Won't Bring Back Ya' Goddamn Honey!’ both utilise heavy instrumentation and speedy synths; a combination that may seem odd at first glance, but only reflects the hard work the band have put into producing such a hard-hitting debut.

‘Let Me Remind You’ is definitely a positive start and proves that there’s no harm in knowing who you are as a band or artist even at the beginning of your career, if what you compose is well liked that is! Melrose, right up until ‘No Thanks Man, I'm High On Life!’ show their passion for what they do with wonderfully blended, harmonic vocals thrown into the mix with coarse, scream leading vocals.

3/5

The Vindickers- ‘Before The Fall’ (02/11/2012 –Self-Released)

    Originally formed in 2008, The Vindickers reformed last year to release their debut full-length album ‘Before the Fall.’ They played at various festivals throughout the summer and having been working on new material for their follow-up record ‘Imba’, which is due for release later this year. From Hastings, The Vindickers gain their inspiration from the likes of Green Day, Foo Fighters and New Found Glory.

    The quartet also reflect strong Indie influences in ‘These Love Songs Don’t Make Sense’, which comes across as typically Pop Punk with a mature streak in terms of the infectious melody. The bass and drums are punchy and the guitaring is as rapid as it is in a Green Day track. The band seems very tight as a collective, particularly with regards to harmonising vocals and melodic changes in the track. The Vindicker’s production is also refreshingly interesting, with a tannoy-style opening to ‘Office Goss’, which is an unusual combination of Reggae-influenced sections that form one of the chirpiest Pop Punk songs you will ever hear.

    Clearly passionate about what they do, the band’s sound breaks free from the restrictions of Pop Punk and have made sure each track on this ridiculously long, 14-track album is varied. ‘Surrogate’ is heavier, grittier and angrier than other tracks of ‘Before the Fall’ and illustrated a Rise Against style bass led-melody and varied vocals to show off a rapid, furious composition. ‘The Ones That Get Away’ is quite weak vocally speaking, but the musical variety really saves it, showing just how shocking it is that The Vindickers were unsigned until March last year with Time Line Music. For a debut album, ‘Before the Fall’ depicts a bright future for a band who are very sure of who they want to be musically.

    Opening with a string section, that quickly morphs into the noteable sounds of a battle scene with the clashing of swords, ‘I Wanna Be a Geek’ is basically a piss-take of people who play role-play games, but recognises the fun of it. The song is brilliantly distinctive and shows how well the album flows through the mixture of sounds and styles. ‘A Mind Made Up’ boasts screamed backing vocals, harsh sounds and a swift yet emotional flair.  Considering the length of ‘Before the Fall’ it’s astounding that there doesn’t seem to be filler songs on the record; each track stands alone as polished and nurtured.

     ‘Bye Bye Mama’ is quirky with its use of sound effects of horses as it commences, showing the band’s charm and want to break the mould. Its Country and Western style and vocal editing is obviously unusual from a Pop Punk band, but with noteable lyrics like ‘So I hit her with a shovel…’, it’s light, well thought-out and considerate to the genre it makes use of. It also proves just how versatile The Vindickers are and portrays the sense of fun running through the album.

    With important issues such as drug addiction, which is tackled in ‘Old Friend’ and financial difficulty brought to light in ‘Home’, it’s clear the band put their heart into what they do. As ‘Before the Fall’ comes to a close, the title track makes use of emotions, stringed instruments and musical variety. It proves that the band is more than capable of creating beautiful musical with simply just vocals and a guitar, but also know how to bring about a build-up in a song.

    At 10 minutes and 38 seconds in length, ‘The Gen, Of Ease’ is full of breakdowns, great musical skill and a tenacious backbone, proving that The Vindickers know who they are and are well and truly running with it. With a Green Day-esque hidden track, the band keep their listeners engaged from start to finish. Made up of, spoken parts, mobile phones ringing, an impressive guitar solo, the track shows all the possibilities the band have to offer, even evolving into a Dance-inspired piece with synthesised vocals.

    The Vindickers may label themselves as a Pop Punk band with various influences, but they’re so much more than that. They’ve really pushed themselves to make their debut record as impressive, diverse and unique as possible and are meant for success.

4/5

SONIC NIGHTS - ‘Mirrors’ (Remastered) EP (18/12/2012) – Self- Released)

    SONIC NIGHTS is made up of brothers Tom and Arthur Lohrmann and blends Pop, Dance, 1970’s Pop and Alternative elements. Produced by Sean Small, who has previously worked with the Friday Night Boys, ‘Mirrors’ has been remastered for official release and is now available on the duo’s website for just $5 (just over £3). The band’s music style is inspired by the likes of Jimmy Eat World and The Starting Line and Fountains of Wayne.

   Blasting typical Pop Punk that would be perfectly at home on a Fountains of Wayne album, it almost comes across that SONIC NIGHTS have taken their influences to heart than they come across very clearly in their music. The rhythmic guitar and simplistic drumming (as well as signature exaggerated American accent), ‘The Girl Next Door’ is made up of everything on the checklist for a Pop Punk track. Despite this, the duo have said that it was one of the most difficult songs for them to write, which is hard to believe given the straightforward structure of it. Right down to the instrumental breakdown towards the end of the track and the general relationship-overview lyrics, ‘It feels good, but it’s not right’, the All-American Rejects inspiration is difficult not to spot.

    ‘Back in My Head’ reflects a well-engineered band in the sense that they know who they are as artists, but fail to bring anything ground-breaking to the table. Their work is harmless but comes across as uninteresting because of almost unenthusiastic harmonies and a dull melody throughout the song.

    Keeping with the trend of typical Pop Punk, ‘Friday Night’ tells the story of a summer romance and questions how the relationship might either develop or end when the summer season is over. SONIC NIGHTS have basically done what Blink-182 did in their earlier days, but this time round, it’s all been done before and is frankly a snoozefest when it’s nowhere near as good. The most captivating part of the track is the feeble attempt at different vocals during the final breakdown, which is a stereotypical tool used in music formed to play live to get the crowd going.

    However, ‘Lead You On’ does show some musical maturity and variety with heavier guitaring and less Pop-style vocals, with SONIC NIGHTS claiming that their main inspiration for the track is Rage Against the Machine. Its overall production is more unusual and the stop-start, rapid motion of the melody draws the listener in. But the vocals become tedious due to the severe lack of vocal range illustrated.  

    ‘All These Monsters’ also brings some heavier components into play and tells the tale of forming habits in your life and idolising others, reflecting the idea that addiction is a form of monster that is difficult to dispose of. Musically, it is impressive that these tracks are composed by just two people rather than being created by an entire band. Despite the Metal vibes, SONIC NIGHTS seem to aim to make music as musically-arrogant but interesting as Muse, but simply lack the unique qualities.

    The duo make use of many a catchy hook and riff but fail to reflect unusual elements through most of the EP. SONIC NIGHTS have created somewhat dynamic music, but there’s just no spark brought about by something distinctive.

2/5

You can buy SONIC NIGHT’S ‘Mirrors’ (Remastered) EP directly from their website right now: http://tomlohrmann.bandcamp.com/album/mirrors-remastered

Les Misérables (12A)- Universal Studios (11/01/2013)

     For a musical that has been running in London since 1985, was based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel and is nothing short of a global phenomenon, it’s shocking how long it’s taken for a film to be made. Despite the stereotype that musicals tend to be melodramatic, cheesy and overly optimistic forms of entertainment, ‘Les Misérables’ is quite the opposite, as its title suggests. It is nothing if not an emotional rollercoaster set in early 19^th-century France among the backdrop of various points within the French Revolution.

     The story follows excessively strong prisoner Jean Valjean on his quest to be a better man. After breaking his parole, he becomes a wealthy factory owner and the mayor of the local town, and when one of his factory owners Fantine is sacked and forced to become a prostitute to take care of her daughter, Valjean redeems himself through taking her under his wing. After her death, he does the same for her daughter and before long, the revolution is in full swing. Although the plot does exactly what it says on the tin and may come across as plain miserable, it is heart-breaking, full of hope and an outstanding piece of cinema.

    ‘Les Misérables’ was released in the UK on the 11^th of January this year, after it was moved twice so as not to conflict with the release of ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ (2012) and was directed by Tom Hooper, who also directed the immensely successful ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010). The cast is made up of an abundance of Hollywood famous faces, such as Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway as Fatine, Amanda Seyfriend, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha-Baron-Cohen. Regardless of the large dosage of tinsel towners, what really reflects a grasp of the form that made it famous, musical theatre, is the fact that the film is produced by theatre heavyweight Cameron Macintosh, who has produced shows us such ‘Oliver!, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and of course ‘Les Misérables’.

The illustration the musical's poster is based on

    The play itself has been translated into 21 languages and the film has already won 3 Golden Globes and is nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including best actor for Hugh Jackman, along with many others. The stage-to-screen jump is always a tricky one, but no other musical has ever been better translated, with the actors even singing live on set to bring a sense of theatre to the movie. Hooper also wanted his actors to look as realistic as possible, even requesting Jackman to not eat or drink anything for 36 hours and Hathaway to lose 25 pounds.

    The attention to detail is also depicted through the impeccable costumes and make-up, as well as acting and vocal performances. Beautiful vocals were recorded with a 70-piece orchestra and with risk after risk thrown into the production, ‘Les Misérables’ was all dependant on the risks pulling through, which they well and truly did. The film will bring the timeless story to yet another generation and Hooper was clearly aware of the pressure for the film to be a success, so refrained from varying the plot. As long as the movie is, it almost sweeps past the secondary storylines, and focuses on the cinema-perfect barricade scene and even cuts when the stage musical’s interval would normally occur.

     Fundamentally, the film is a stage production, but with multi-million dollar budget, it is unlike any other musical that’s been forced into filmic form. It also feels intimate and personal, possibly due to the live vocal performances and honest acting performances. For instance, Jackman illustrates an utterly broken man, a rich man redeeming himself and man dying in the midst of a revolution, and does all with flawless emotion, talent and strength. Anne Hathaway also depicts stand-out acting abilities, proving just how far she’s come since ‘The Princess Diaries’ (2001); she is nothing short of heart-rending when losing her job, dignity and eventually her life. Putting Russell Crowe’s passable vocals aside, ‘Les Misérables’ is authentic in its representation of the squalor and pain of the uprising in Paris, and is sure to have the audience singing the soundtrack under their breath for days after!

   The lavish set production, by Eve Stewart is more than deserving of its Oscar nomination; the gorgeous visuals are truly a feast for the eyes. These sets are shot beautifully with a variety of camera work, from steadicam to enhance sentiment, many establishing shots and views of how hard-hitting human emotion can really be. And with impeccable casting, ‘Les Misérables’ is a flawless as a film can be, and Tom Hooper has clearly employed all the right people to collaborate with. However Anne Hathaway’s performance of ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ is stand-out even within such an enchanting film. It is hysterical, courageous and perfectly blends the utterly broken character with stunning vocals.

    A story about unrequited love, broken dreams and redemption, ‘Les Misérables’ is utterly compelling and whether you are a fan of musicals or not, it cannot be missed. The musical and acting performances hold the film together and do exactly what they should; transport the audience into the story through evoking gritty emotion.

5/5

Sophia Delilia- ‘What Did I Do’ (03/10/2012 –Freak N See Records)

     Parisian Sophia Delila’s latest single, ‘What Did I Do’ showcases the songwriting talent of an artist who has already duetted with Plan B on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge, written for the likes of Duffy and has recently toured with Mika. The songwriter has lived in Boston and since moving to South East London, has become well-established in the area. She has various musical inspirations that make her work hard to pin-down, but very unique, such as Dance Floor influences and Pop components.

    Her studio near Putney Bridge has been the birthplace of her music most recently, which has captured the hearts and minds of the Press, with the Independent calling Delila ‘A superb artist. ‘What Did I Do’ illustrates the singer/songwriter’s ability to compose a bittersweet, yet uplifting tale of the hardships of love. The production of the track is impeccable from start to finish, reflecting the precision that Sophia wants her work to show. As the track continues, her selection of influences comes into play, forming an emotion-fuelled ballad with just enough driving background-beat to give it an edge.

    Fans can expect Sophia Delila’s album ‘My Life Could Use a Remix’ next year; a title that perfectly depicts the definition of her music. ‘What Did I Do’ has everything you’d expect from a heart-breaking ballad; wonderfully striking vocals with an impeccable range right up until the closing note, a melodramatic string section and plenty of raw emotion and lyrical honesty about the difficulties and confusion of relationships. It also brings a memorable hook into play without becoming straight-up throw away Pop.

    Sophia Delila headlined the Wilmington Arms in London on the 6^th of December, with support from Jack Savoretti, which gave her a chance to showcase all the trinkets of ‘What Did I Do’ and the rest of her work. With her Jazz, Blues, Dance and Pop influences, she is a real artist in an industry of computer-formatted noise.

4/5