The exquisite and complex darkness of CHVRCHES

CHVRCHES is a Scottish three-piece, electropop outfit who are making great leaps on both sides of the Atlantic at the moment. The band is made up of Lauren Mayberry (main vocals, synthesizers), Iain Cook (synthesizers, vocals) and Martin Doherty (synthesizers, vocals). After just two short years together, the trio were nominated and came fifth in the BBC Sound of 2013 poll.

CHVRCHES remind me of another of my favourite electro bands; School of Seven Bells, and Mayberry’s vocals and persona on stage are strikingly similar to Alejandra Deheza (Bells’ lead singer). As the tracks below (‘The Mother We Share’ and ‘Lies’) indicate, the two bands share an exquisite and complex darkness, their melodies are cloaked in mystery and this puts me in mind of my favourite Sex and the City quote. The quote appears in Season 2 episode, ‘La Douleur Exquise’, when Carrie calls time on her latest dalliance with Mr Big. Carrie closes the scene and the relationship, with the line:

Some part of me was holding me back, knowing I had gone too far. Reached my limit.
And just like that, I had untied myself from Mr. Big.
I was free. But there was nothing exquisite about it.

Music and emotions cannot be untied, certainly not for me and my favourite bands and artists are those that evoke a feeling or memory in me; CHVRCHES are one of those bands. I like to listen to a track and imagine that it’s playing in the background as I deliver my own effortlessly wise and quick-witted final line. Of course, things never happen quite like that in real life!

 

 

The band has announced that their debut album will be released in September, 2013. If you are in the region and fancy catching them live, CHVRCHES will play Sound Control, Manchester on May 1st, 2013. Tickets are available from March 1st, 2013.

CHVRCHES will release the RECOVER EP via Goodbye Records / Virgin Records as a digital download on March 25th, 2013 in the UK (via Glassnote in the US on 26 March 26th, 2013). The EP will also be available in the UK as a limited edition 12-inch vinyl on April 20th, 2013 for Record Store Day.

www.twitter.com/CHVRCHES / http://chvrches.tumblr.com/

shelleyhanveywriter 🙂

My new music picks of the week: Josephine, Amy MacDonald, The Temper Trap and School of Seven Bells

Josephine is a Manchester-based singer-songwriter, with a strong regional and celebrity following; Guy Garvey (Elbow) has named her as one of his top tips for future success. Josephine’s sound has been described as soulful and eclectic, with her single ‘A Freak A’ being a perfect representation of the genre. Speaking about the addictive track, she has said that:

(‘A Freak A’) is a celebration really, of understanding what you are and holding on to it…‘A Freak A’ is a way of saying we are all capable and allowed to be more than one thing.

Josephine is performing at Manchester’s first Lady Rock Festival on Saturday 26th May 2012 at the Rugby Club in Cheadle. The festival aims to ‘bring a bit of girl power back to the 21st century’ and will feature music, comedy and performance/participatory art across the site’s numerous, themed areas. Each and every one of the acts will be female (or female fronted). For more information and to buy tickets to the festival, please visit www.ladyrockfestival.com.

 

Amy MacDonald has announced details of her third album via her official website this week. The album, ‘Life In A Beautiful Light’ will be released on June 11th, 2012 and the first single will be ‘Slow it Down.’ MacDonald’s second, million-selling album, ‘A Curious Thing’ (2010) spawned five hit singles including ‘This Pretty Face’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me That It’s Over.’ MacDonald has been busy writing material for her third album over the past two years and if this new track is any indication, Amy fans are in for a real treat come summer.

 

The Temper Trap will release their second, self-titled album on May 21st, 2012 (UK), with the first single to be released being announced as ‘Need Your Love.’ The album will be released on May 18th, 2012 in Australia/NZ/Germany and June 5th, 2012 in the US/Canada. After enjoying an Easter weekend of Noriyuki “Pat” Morita’s finest work, I am simply delighted that the band has decided to take inspiration from The Karate Kid films for their latest music video. The premise of the video being; what would have happened had Johnny been taken under Mr Miyagi’s wing. “Sacrilege!”, I hear you yell; I concur, yet I greatly enjoyed the musical morbid curiosity.

 

On the strength of hearing the sublime synth sounds of ‘Lafaye’, I recently purchased School of Seven Bells’ latest album, ‘Ghostory‘. I can’t recommend the record enough. Every track is worthy of a single release and their sound is quite unlike anything that’s been doing the rounds over the past few years. Their sound thrills and throws you in equal measure; very much an assault on the senses and an adventure ride of an album. I have a couple of favourite tracks, one of those being, ‘Scavenger’. The band has announced a couple of UK dates over the summer and I am keeping my fingers crossed for one in the North West region. I include this track here as my personal recommendation for a potential hit single on these shores.

 

www.myspace.com/thisisjosephine / www.amymacdonald.co.uk / www.sviib.com / www.thetempertrap.com

shelleyhanveywriter 🙂

Allow your mind to wander to fantastical and futuristic vistas, with Laura Veirs, Sharon Van Etten and Mikky Ekko

As I sit enjoying the otherworldly, blissful electronic beats of School Of Seven Bells latest album, ‘Ghostory‘, I’m reminded of the many great tracks featured in Sarah Michelle Gellar’s hit U.S tv series , Ringer. The high-gloss, high-drama thriller introduced me to the wonder that is ‘Lafaye’ and the rest of the nine-track record is just as impressive. I don’t think that I’ll be taking this out of my car for quite some time. I wholeheartedly recommend this album for lazy days in the sunshine, on the beach, at the office…anywhere that allows your mind to wander to fantastical and futuristic vistas.

 

Laura Veirs is a folk singer-songwriter from Colorado, who has released eight studio albums during her career to date. ‘Little Deschutes’ appears on her seventh album, entitled ‘July Flame’ (January 12th, 2010). Widely considered by critics to be her finest work, the record is filled with tracks which evoke images of rose-tinted, dreamy landscapes; little wonder that the track was chosen to provide the backdrop to the inner turmoil that Bridget (Gellar) was suffering, wishing she could be elsewhere, anywhere but her present, impossible situation. This track is featured in Season 1, Episode 2, “She’s Ruining Everything.”

 

Mikky Ekko is something of a musical and creative jack-of-all-trades. Hailing from Nashville, Ekko is known for his captivating stage presence and lyrical intensity and has been compared to such artists as Freddie Mercury and Jim Morrison. Ekko has released two EPs to date, ‘Strange Fruit’ and ‘REDS’ and is currently working on his third.  ‘Who Are You, Really?’ was also featured in Season 1, Episode 2 of Ringer.

 

Sharon Van Etten is a folk/indie-rock singer-songwriter from New Jersey.  ‘Serpents’ is a track which is featured on her third studio album, ‘Tramp’ which was released in February, 2012. This track features in the closing credits of Season 1, Episode 16, “You’re Way Too Pretty to Go to Jail.” Van Etten’s work has been described as highly personal and introspective; laying her thoughts and fears on the table without being overtly candid or confident. I think this track was the perfect choice to accompany the closing scenes of Episode 16, with Bridget’s confusion and fear after observing Tyler’s fate being explicity clear to viewers, yet still remaining calm and collected to her apparent nearest and dearest.

I look forward to more of the same great artists and tracks…should the series be renewed!

www.lauraveirs.com / www.mikkyekko.com / www.sharonvanetten.com

shelleyhanveywriter 🙂

School of Seven Bells @sviib, making SMG’s mean NYC Ringer streets leap out from the screen

School of Seven Bells (SVIIB) is an electronic/dream-pop band from New York, consisting of Benjamin Curtis (formerly of Secret Machines) and Alejandra Deheza (formerly of On!Air!Library!). Deheza’s identical twin Claudia left the band in late 2010. After releasing two successful albums in the US (‘Alpinisms‘ (2008) and ‘Disconnect from Desire‘ (2010) ) and touring with Bat for Lashes and Interpol, the band has released their third album, ‘Ghostory‘ (February 28th, 2012) to critical acclaim.

I first heard of the band through one of my new favourite TV programmes,  Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Ringer. Their edgy, ethereal electro sound fits the show perfectly and makes the high-gloss tension of the Martin’s mean NYC streets leap out from the screen. Three of my particular favourite tracks from the record are included below: ‘Lafaye‘, ‘Love Play‘ and ‘The Night.’ ‘Lafaye‘ has an Eyes Wide Shut-feel to it, and is significantly better than the film I might add.

 

 

 

 

The band are currently touring the US, but I’d love to see some UK festival dates throughout the summer. I predict big things for this dreamy twosome.

www.sviib.com / www.myspace.com/schoolofsevenbells

shelleyhanveywriter 🙂