12 Days of Christmas: Day Twelve - The Kooks Live Review

They were one of the bands that properly got me into music as a confused 13 year old and anthems like Naive and She Moves In Her Own Way played a huge part in the soundtrack for my early teenage years.

Over 10 years since the release of their debut album 'Inside In/Inside Out', they're still going strong with the recent release of a remix album and the release of their fourth studio album 'Listen' last year. As the indie rockers graced the stage at The Forum, Kentish Town, everyone was on their feet ready to celebrate all their hits. The atmosphere through out the set was euphoric, with everyone singing every single word from the top of their lungs and the connection between us and the band made it feel like one big party with over 2,000 people at their happiest.

It was clear that they were grateful for everyone's support all these years later as frontman Luke Kook grooved his way around the stage and was overwhelmed by applause after every song. It also became clear to me how under credited they are as a band, admittedly I felt like I took them for granted prior to the gig as at the time of their peak other indie bands like the Kaiser Chiefs and The Killers were also appearing on the scene, but in my eyes they're up there with the best.

The Kooks went beyond my expectations of their live performance and being amongst the crowd in an intimate venue as they played songs like 'Shine On' and 'Naive' was a special moment I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

12 Days of Christmas: Day Eleven - Driving Home For Christmas? My Non-Festive Driving Playlist

After doing a longer drive to the coast recently, it made me realise how important it is to have that perfect driving playlist. This is inspired me to curate one to maybe help those who have a long way to go to get home for Christmas. 

     

Whether it be head banging your way along the motorway to Nirvana or cruising at night to The War On Drugs, hopefully this playlist should make the journey a little easier and decrease those road rage levels.

                                                                                                                                                                                             

12 Days of Christmas: Day Ten - My Ultimate Christmas Party Playlist

It's the party season, so I thought what would be better than accumulating a playlist of my favourite tracks from 2015, with a few classics thrown in too.

12 Days of Christmas: Day Nine - Coldplay 'A Head Full Of Dreams' Album Review

A lot of anticipation has been leading up to the release of Coldplay's seventh studio album 'A Head Full Of Dreams'. Teaser posters were seen around London underground stations, with the Flower of Life at the centre and the date '4.12.2015' at the bottom. Fans managed to work out that the rumours were true as the same symbol was seen on Chris Martin's top at the Global Citizen Festival that they performed at earlier in September. 

As a Coldplay fan, I was unsure as what to expect following their mellow and quieter 2014 album 'Ghost Stories', but also looking forward to hearing how their sound would be developed. After listening to 'Adventure of A Lifetime', a fun disco fuelled track that was the first single to be released, I knew that this album was going to be louder, more vibrant and well, more Coldplay. Although I did like 'Ghost Stories', there wasn't a belter of a ballad in sight which was slightly disconcerting for a Coldplay album.

With appearances from superstars across all genres such as Beyonce, who mainly features in a duet with Martin on "Hymn For The Weekend", this album definitely has some varied styles and new sounds. If you can't tell from the artwork, you can certainly hear the concrete themes of hope, happiness and colour through the album with the six minute closing track "Up&Up", which ends with a positive message of never giving up.

I have a feeling that a lot of old school fans will take longer to adapt to the new sound they have, but there are still elements included which make it recognisably Coldplay. For example, melodies that you can already imagine massive crowds singing along to at their 2016 tour and heartfelt lyrics that fans all know and love the band for. My favourite tracks are 'Army of One' and 'Amazing Day' for those exact reasons.

Overall, I don't think this album was falsely hyped but it is clearly a new venture for Coldplay and they've reached a place where they can incorporate all kinds of influences in their music without it sounding pastiche. As usual, a lot of people will do all they can to criticise them but at the end of the day, they can out sell Adele in the album charts nearly 20 years later as a band, which is certainly an achievement. 

12 Days of Christmas: Day Seven - Recommended Music Feature Films to Watch This Christmas

Christmas is the perfect time to catch up on all the films you missed out on through out the year. 2015 has been a great year for film, and hopefully this list will help you pick out a few DVDs for your Christmas viewing. 

Amy (directed by Asif Kapadia) 
There was a lot of talk surrounding the release of 'Amy', a film following the career of soul and RnB singer/songwriter, Amy Winehouse. I made sure to pen this in my diary and wasn't disappointed when I saw the bio-pic. It makes an enlightening insight into the influences and thought processes behind her music. Not only does it document the development of Winehouse's career as an artist, but also the hard-hitting reality of her fragile emotional state with problems involving drugs and alcohol, which eventually lead to her tragic death in 2011.

Northern Soul (directed by Elaine Constantine)
Although released in late 2014, I don't feel that this film was given enough time on the big screens. As you can probably tell by the name, its set in Northern England during the 1970s underground Northern Soul movement. It follows the friendship of Matt and John as they discover American soul music and dream of becoming the best DJs on the scene. It opened up my eyes to incredible Northern soul music and the unique dance moves, which I definitely want to be able to do one day...

Cobain: Montage of Heck (directed by Brett Morgen)
Morgen uses unseen material from personal archives to create this rock documentary on Nirvana's frontman, giving a detailed insight into the life of the most iconic Grunge artist. It shows how the people and places had such a huge impact on the music Cobain wrote and I found it gave me a greater understanding of his songwriting. This is a must-see for any Nirvana fan and also for people generally intrigued by the thinking behind the man and the music. 


20 Feet to Stardom (directed by Morgan Neville)
This documentary follows the careers of longtime backing singers such as Merry Clayton and Darlene Love, who sung behind the spotlight for the most famous artists and musicians of the time. It made me aware of great talent that I hadn't paid much attention to before and first hand interviews with the singers telling their stories in such an honest and real way made it a very inspiring film for me. I can recommend it for everyone as I think the anecdotes are entertaining for anybody and it ends on a very uplifting and positive note.

Jimi: All is By My Side (directed by John Ridly)
This bio-pic tells the story of the revolutionary guitarist Jimi Hendrix and his rise to fame. It is shot in a very aesthetically pleasing way with a lot of work clearly being put into the cinematography. Although I found this film quite slow and it took me a while to grasp, I would still recommend giving it a watch as Outkast member Andre Benjamin does a good job of adopting Hendrix's characteristics and charm.

12 Days of Christmas: Day Five - Overplayed Pop Anthems Of 2015

2015 has been another year for those pop hits that everyone loves to hate and that you can't escape hearing, whether it be on the radio, in a club or on the Pop Party #1000 advert.



1. Cheerleader - OMI (Felix Jaehn Remix)

I think this track is the most overplayed of them all, the one hit wonder by Jamaican singer OMI reached number one in 20 countries and spent countless hours stuck in people's brains, driving them to bash their heads against a wall. We can all thank 21 year old German producer Felix Jaehn for creating the remix and adding awful digital trumpet instrumentation. 




2. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
You can't deny that when this first hit the charts, it's success was well deserved. It received 118,000 sales in it's first week of being released and was at number one for seven non-consecutive weeks in the UK charts. Being 1 of 9 videos on YouTube with over one billion views, it's obvious that it's undeniably a brilliant funk fuelled dance track. However, I still can't help but sigh when I hear it now, it's not that I don't still enjoy the funky beats and catchy melodies, but they are starting to lose their value because of how overplayed it is. Radio stations need to learn that there can be too much of a good thing...



3. King - Years and Years
Another track which when first released in February 2015, I actually thought "how refreshing, a dance song that I like" (I even did a full review of it here). Along came Kiss FM and when at work, I heard this song at least three times a day and it got to the point where I was subconsciously singing along. That was my cut off point, it's definitely been over played this year but has earned it's place of being in the Top Ten charts of over ten countries and being at number one here in the UK.






4. FourFiveSeconds - Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney
Like many others, when I saw Paul McCartney's name next to Rihanna and Kanye - I really thought there had been a bad typo. It still doesn't sit well with me that he's one of the most iconic British musicians and was a part of composing such an awful song. I didn't warm to it even before it began to be ridiculously overplayed, simply because of the overuse of auto tune and my lack of ability to even hear how Paul McCartney features in it. I also find I start cringing at the awkwardness of the artwork if I look at it for too long. Despite all of this, it still got the number one spot in six countries and was in the UK's Top Ten.






5. Taylor Swift - Bad Blood ft. Kendrick Lamar
This track from Swift's hit album 1989 was re-released in May this year featuring American hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar. The remix topped the Billboard chart and became the fourth number one single from the album, selling 350,000 copies. Like many of these tracks, I'm going to sound like a broken record by saying this is another perfectly good pop song of 2015 that got ruined by radio for me. Although I'm fed up of hearing the song, I still like the dark artwork and elaborate music video where Tay Tay is looking pretty badass.









6. Ellie Golding - Love Me Like You Do
Mostly known for being the theme song for 50 Shades Of Grey, this 'romantic ballad' from singer/songwriter Ellie Golding spent four weeks at number one on the UK singles chart and was played like a broken record across all radio stations, including Kiss FM, a radio station I had to endure at one of my jobs... Before I felt that it was overplayed I didn't like the song mainly because of it's boring lyrics and melodies so having to hear it on the daily certainly didn't change my opinion.






7. Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
If I had a pound for every time this was played on Magic FM on a Sunday afternoon - I wouldn't be bothering to do a degree that's for sure. Unfortunately, that was the radio station of choice at my old Sunday job. Despite the fact that I think Ed Sheeran is a talented musician, there's no way of me condoning the fact that I know all the lyrics because of the amount of times I had to hear it in one six hour shift. In June this year, it became the first single to spend a full year in the UK top 40.




8. The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face
I have no idea why he left the 'e' out of weekend but admittedly, I do have to give him credit for this song. I wouldn't go as far as some critics have, comparing it to Michael Jackson, but it does have elements of disco and funk which definitely bodes well at a party. The track was a Top Ten hit in four countries and number one in four other countries such as New Zealand and Denmark. Billboard also named it as one of the "Best Songs of 2015".









9. Carly Rae Jepson - I Really Like You
The dance pop single released by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepson peaked within the top ten charts in eight countries and remained at the number three spot in the UK for two onsecutive weeks. I quite liked her previous single 'Call Me Maybe' but this really didn't make a good follow up, the only way it can become bearable is if you take a shot every time she says 'really'.

10. Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass

It all started off as an innocent body positive message and a song that parents didn't mind their kids singing along to. Becoming the tenth most viewed video on YouTube with over one billion views, it was certainly on the playlist of any kids party. But after a while, the charm of it soon wore off for me and it became another song that radio stations didn't know when to stop playing. The doo-wop inspired pop track sold 11 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best selling singles of all time.

12 Days of Christmas: Day Four - 2015 Album Artwork Favourites



1. Coldplay - A Head Full Of Dreams
Despite the accusations of Coldplay stealing Bring Me The Horizon's artwork for their album 'Sempiternal', the cover for Coldplay's new release 'A Head Full Of Dreams' is definitely one of my favourites. The symbol that the album revolves around is the 'Flower of Life', a geometric pattern representing spiritual enlightenment. Inspired by the Turkish Poem "The Guest House", Chris Martin explained that "it really changed my life and way of looking at the world, so we put it [the flower of life] in the middle of the album as at sort of thank you to that poem." 

The colourfulness and inclusion of childhood photos of the band reflects the personal aspect of the album and what guitarist Jonny Buckland explained as being the transition from "night to the day." With all the colours, layers and shapes spread across the cover it reminds me of an explosive scrapbook, and I love it. 



2. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear 


Former Fleet Foxes member Josh Tillman released his second album 'I Love You, Honeybear' in February this year. Illustrator and Photographer Alia Penner, who has also worked on albums for Lana Del Ray creates a vibrant and untraditional nativity scene for the artwork, having also illustrated the backdrop for Tillman's set at Coachella in 2013.

The image of Madonna holding the baby Jesus, which has been made to look like Tillman, gives insight into his wicked sense of humour and personality. He explains the thought process of the image: "I'm turning this woman into a sacred object and a deity. This is what love and intimacy are manifesting as in my life!" I like how it displays his interpretation of love and marriage in an honest and emotive way, with contrasting images of religious figures and vicious creatures.

Tame Impala - Currents
Australian psychedelic rock band Tame Impala released their studio album in July this year. It received critical acclaim and gained five awards, one being album of the year, at the ARIA awards. The artwork was created by artist and musician Robert Beatty from Kentucky. Frontman Kevin Parker said the design's inspiration came from when he was visualising the themes for the album. The diagram of a vortex shedding was based around Parker\s ideas of "turbulent flow, the way liquid or air flows around objects and the trail of twisted and disrupted fluid that it leaves."

Although I probably wouldn't have read into it in that much depth initially, it does make sense when you look closely. The creativity and intellection behind the the artwork reflects the LP's imaginative sound.

12 Days of Christmas: Day Three - 3 Great Gigs of 2015

1. McBusted at the O2 (April)
Now I know what you're all thinking, "they're cheesy/lame/too old to be doing the whole Busted thing now" but this gig was honestly really special. The fact that it was at the height of their reunion, you could feel how buzzing and happy they all were to be playing such a huge venue with a massive sea of fans showing their support and energy over 10 years since they formed. They went all out to make it a visually appealing show with animated videos, pyros and very questionable stage props like the inflatable boobs suspended from the ceiling. Seeing them join forces made the dreams of my 9 year old self come true and we also feature on their tour DVD breaking down a lil bit which will be pretty funny to look back on.

2. Tame Impala at End of The Road Festival (September)
This was the first time I had seen Tame Impala live and it made it's way up there with my most memorable gigs. As I explain in more detail in my End of The Road review, the whole show they put on was magnificent and the added atmosphere of being amongst a huge of crowd of people equally as immersed in the music made it so magical. A band that I would definitely recommend to see live, whether you're familiar with their music or not. They're touring again in the UK early next year and I'm happy to say I've got a ticket for their London show.

3. The Who at Hyde Park (June)
This was a gig that really got me excited as it's a band from an era I really love and they certainly didn't disappoint. Despite it obviously not being the original line up, just being able to witness Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry's chemistry in front of such an adoring crowd was something else. I left feeling inspired and in awe of a band that have been going for 50 years and still have the talent to put on a show in the way they did. The second gig I'd been to at Hyde Park in 2015, but I feel that the venue definitely has a huge role in making live music there so great. 

12 Days of Christmas: Day Two - Albums You Should Be Wishing To Find In Your Santa Sack

   


1. This Is The Kit - Bashed Out

The band from Winchester, Bristol with front woman Kate Stables released their third studio album, 'Bashed Out' in April this year. After seeing them live at End of The Road Festival, their discography has made it's way into my regular listening. What draws me to this album in particular is the intricate melodies and use of instrumentation, Stables' vocals alongside the banjo riffs make 'Bashed Out' a great gift. My personal favourites are 'Nits' and 'Spores All Settling'.


2. Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise 

Although this album was released in 2005, I've recently had it on repeat and am appreciating what a beautiful piece of music it is. The American indie-folk singer/songwriter hits all the emotions in this record and it would definitely make the perfect soundtrack for a long soak in the bath on a cold Christmassy evening. My favourite tracks are 'Casimir Pulaski Day' and 'Concerning the UFO sighting near Highland, Illinois'.

3. All We Are - All We Are
The trio that formed at Liverpool university released their debut alternative pop album in February this year. With their love of hip-hop and classic soul music, this album brings both the vibes of a 70s disco and a dreamy hypnotic bubble. It makes good listening when you want to zone out for a bit and will ease the stress of any chaos in the kitchen on Christmas day. My favourite tracks are 'Go' and 'Honey' and you can read my full review here.


4. Django Django - Born Under Saturn
The second studio album by the British art rock band was released in May this year and reached number 15 on the UK Album charts in May. The opening track 'Giant' gives you an appropriate introduction to the band's melodic harmonies and infectious energy. The inclusion of psychedelic sounds and brass gives an extra layer to the interesting instrumentation and makes this an all round fun LP. My favourite tracks are 'Shake and Tremble' and 'Reflections'.

5. Doug Hream Blunt - My Name Is Doug Hream Blunt
The 60 year old funkateer who paved his way into the business back in the 80s, released this album in October and opened my eyes to the magic of experimental funk. Admittedly, I have to be in the right mood to listen to this but the flute solos and guitar hooks are undeniably good. Once you get into this record, it's easy to become engrossed and before you know it, you've listened to it the whole way through. My favourite tracks are 'Gentle Persuasion' and 'Trek'.

12 Days of Christmas: Day One - My Top 5 Underplayed Christmas Songs

It's that time of year again, everyone's rushing around the shops like headless chickens to find unnecessary presents for people they don't really know or like. And on this pleasant experience, the same old predictable Christmas playlist is on repeat in every single shop. Now as much as I love the festivities, one thing I can't do is listen to awful Christmas number ones on repeat. Somehow they've been excused for their poor quality simply on the basis that they mention Santa and mince pies, or in Mariah Carey's case, wearing a 'sexy' Santa outfit.

Here are my top 5 Christmas songs (in no particular order) that actually make me look forward to the 25th of December:

1. Otis Redding - White Christmas
One of my favourite Christmas songs sung by the Soul smoothy himself. Wouldn't mind this being serenaded to me on Christmas morning, I'm still waiting to experience a white Christmas but realising that London is probably the wrong place to wait for it...


2. Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song
The warmth of his voice sums up Christmas for me and somehow makes me feel nostalgic of the Crooner decade, despite not being born when this was released. 


3. The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York
Okay, so I'm technically cheating with this one because it's not underplayed by any means. But admit it, you've got to love the fact that another year has gone by with no one understanding what he's singing.


4. Sufjan Stevens - The Little Drummer Boy    
The softness of his voice says that I should be getting cosy on the sofa with the fire going, a glass of Baileys in hand and watching some rubbish Christmas TV specials.


5. Coldplay - Christmas Lights 
I mean I'm going to be honest, I listen to this whatever season it is... Trying not to sound cliché but it makes me feel happy and fuzzy inside, exactly what you want at Christmas. 


Hope these have spread the festive feeling... and given you a good reason to avoid Christmas shopping for as long as possible.