Bowling For Soup with Patent Pending & Dollyrots - Birmingham o2 Academy - 24/10/12

A band can have the greatest songs ever written, the most talented musicians in the world and a venue to rival Wembley, but if they don’t really want to be there, then all of that is futile. If the band aren’t interested, the crowd aren’t either, but thankfully, that certainly wasn’t the case last night. Patent Pending couldn’t have provided a more enthusiastic start – their energy onstage was completely infectious, right from the word go. Banter (yes, i hate that word but it seems suitable) between songs was genuinely funny – comedy AND music - win win! There were understandably some people who knew Patent Pending songs, and some who didn’t – but the songs are so catchy, most were quickly won over. I was so excited to hear ‘Douchebag’, but was unfortunately next to some people who were not so familiar with the song - my enthusiastic dancing and beautiful (atrocious) singing earned a few strange looks!

A part of their set, which particularly stood out, was a speech leading up to their song ‘One Less Heart To Break’, regarding the passing of a friend. It aimed to give hope to those who needed it, and was such a refreshingly honest sentiment, I found myself tearing up slightly. Ordinarily, when it comes to onstage declarations and ‘motivational speeches’ I have the emotional range of Kristen Stewart, well, in any Twilight film*, but this got to me. I’ve seen countless bands live, but never once have I seen someone delve into the tricky world of the end of life, and come out having created such a positive message. I hope it reached whom it needed to reach. There’s enough misery in this world without adding to it on stage. Other bands should take note.

*Kristen Stewart has three emotions, miserable, miserable and miserable.

By the end of their set, the majority of the crowd were as excited about this new found band as they would be if Bowling For Soup themselves had just finished playing. It’s an impressive feat to stir up that much excitement in the space of a relatively short set.  

I have a confession to make about The Dollyrots set – I went for a much needed pint (or two) after so much Patent Pending dancing, that I didn’t actually SEE them – but I heard them, surely, that’s the most important thing? They have a very unusual sound. I mean this in a completely complimentary way, but there are few bands I can think of that are a fair comparison - the one that comes closest is probably Letters To Cleo. Quirky is the word that seems most suitable to describe them – especially the unexpected cover of The Wurzels. There’s something indescribably strange about them (The Dollyrots...but also The Wurzels) – but which makes them hugely likeable. 

Each time I see Bowling For Soup, there is an apprehension at the back of my mind – is this the tour that they’ve started taking themselves too seriously? It would almost be understandable, as it seems to be expected with a lot of artists that once they reach a certain level of success, they become, for lack of a more sophisticated phrase, completely up their own arses. Thankfully, this was not the year, that BFS decided to jump on the pretentious bandwagon! Would you ever see the mighty Bono waving to people? Would Muse stop mid-show to hoist a penguin? I think not.

Although it’s clearly a smart career move, you can’t help but be appreciate how down to earth they seem, and genuinely nice. Likeable songs and likeable people are such a welcome change to the seemingly god-like status that many bands award themselves. BFS shows are a breath of fresh air. I’ve said it before, but I’m always taken-aback by how genuinely friendly people are – even the maddest of dancing is conducted in a polite, very English way! The band seems to attract positive people, and it really shows. You can tell that most people there have so much time for them, and know the songs inside out – it makes for a great atmosphere. 

If you leave a gig feeling in some way better than you did before, then the band have done their job. For yesterday’s show, slightly better is an understatement - the somewhat crazed smiles on people’s faces as they left demonstrated that they did a very good job! 

As I’ve written this the next day, I can give a sort of review of the aftermath. I got out of bed this morning, still slightly reeling from getting to bed in the early hours, only for my legs to promptly give way, as I fall into the wardrobe. Well, you can’t say I wasn’t enthusiastic!

*Waves*

5 bands you should be listening to:

Some of these are obvious, if you haven’t heard of them I presume you’ve been living under a rock for the past 12 months, but some are older or less known, and (I personally think) are brilliant. So without further ado...

1. Hal

This delightfully laid-back band are from Dublin, and I have to admit until earlier this month I’d forgotten they even existed. Their first album called, well...Hal, is a work of pure musical genius. I defy you to listen to this song, and not feel a little bit happier and relaxed than you did before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kvA4X4vAZo

2. The Vandals

They’re certainly not new, and definitely not unheard of, but undeniably under-rated. Their pop-punk/punk-rock songs, (call them what you will), are just as good as bands like NOFX, but a lot less tiring for your mind to process. Although some songs have a genuine deeper meaning, it’s masked in silly lyrics and infectious riffs. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo8EuOu1ojk

3. Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls

Anyone that knows me may already know about my (slight!) fixation with these guys. But there’s a reason for my enthusiasm for all songs Frank Turner! If there’s a more relevant songwriter at the moment, I haven’t heard of them. He’s slowly taking over the world, one glorious song at a time!  I won’t waste your time explaining self-indulgent reasons why various songs are good. Just buy an album, and listen to it! (If you don’t like it you’re strange, though.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbwLNAyw2_g

4. Smoking Popes

The creators of one of the most beautiful songs ever made. They have other great ones, but this one is in an entirely different league.  I’m not even going to say any more - just listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peo9baUYVW0

5. Bayside

This is a tricky one, that I hate to love, because they are the writers of the most miserable lyrics ever written. Seriously, you could search through  the back-catalogue of every artist to have graced the world with music, and they’d still win the ‘depressing song award of all time’. But the music is brilliant. As long as you don’t listen to much, or take it too seriously, then you’ll be fine. Infact, I prescribe three Frank songs for every one Bayside. Sorted!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_HoxgJqmjg

 

Top 100 Songs...

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Aliceissocoollike/my_top_100_songs_ever/

It's a little self-indulgent, but I was too tired to write anything. (though it took a surprisingly long time!)
The title pretty much says it all...the top 100 songs I think everyone should hear.

Möngöl Hörde - Why The Angst Frank?

I am currently writing this review with a lovely visit from the hangover fairy, a sign that 1. Last night was fun, and 2. I was so impressed with the show that I could be virtually comatose, lost in the desert or in fact missing a head, and I'd still find a way to write this.

It was a slightly odd experience at first, to hear such angry, loud music, with the familiar element of Frank's voice. Even compared to Million Dead, it's in a completely different league of angst! It is such a stark contrast to the normal 'Frank style' - the songs far angrier, even threatening. They couldn't have expressed more different emotions and thoughts.

The small venue certainly added to the sense of threat and anguish. One of the main reasons that Frank's solo music is so appealing to so many different kinds of people, is the thought-provoking, relevant and at times, comforting lyrics. If you're looking for that kind of music, Möngöl Hörde is definitely not the way to go!

The harsh nature of the songs portray the band as some 'gentle folksters' who have lost it a bit! As if they need to express something other than the positive elements of life. They shouted, almost protested, and people listened. It's like we caught a glimpse of the bands 'dark side', something that everyone has, but few have the courage to express.

The complete lack of pretence, and no real visible divide between musicians and audience, is a novel change, and something that makes the band stand out. It was impressively slick for a first gig - clear evidence of the talent they possess.

To detour briefly from the music side for a moment, I was genuinely impressed by the friendly atmosphere, and the attitude of people there. My previous apprehension about going on my own was quickly dissolved, before I'd even set foot in the pub! It was a welcome change to the average people often found at 'heavier' shows.

The only criticism I can find to make, is the lyrics were mostly inaudible - though I suspect that's probably the point!

It was a hugely enjoyable, lively and engaging show, and not much can be found to class as negatives, but please Frank, don't give up your day job completely!

Music Piracy

The UK Top 40 is designed to be an accurate account of the most popular songs purchased each week. It is a tool that allows the general public to discover new music, and is a point of focus for many artists, from which to measure their success. It ensures that these artists, and inevitably their record labels, make a large amount of money. This therefore suggests the charts are run by major labels such as Sony and Universal, not necessarily the consumers themselves.

Since the development of illegal download technology, a large proportion of people choose to obtain their music from sources such as file sharing websites. This is a fairly recent development, but surely not a surprising one. It has hugely affected single sales, the younger generation generally being blamed for the atrocity of piracy, but were the technology available 20 or 30 years ago, would the same thing happen? Most likely, yes. It can't be ignored that music prices are at an all time high, both in record sales, and other factors such as tickets and merchandise. However, we know, the record labels know, and the artists themselves know, that free music is far more appealing for most people, than a £12 album. It can be argued that music piracy is plain theft, which theoretically it is, but the ability to listen to a variety of music, entirely legally, is a significantly large expense. An expense that a lot of people can't honestly afford. Shouldn't music be available to anyone who wants it, rather than those who are able to chuck pounds at it?

The accessibility of illegal downloads, does have consequences, other than legality issues. The first, is that the divide between those who pay for music, and those who don't, could easily be ruining the legitimacy of the Top 40 chart. Certain music, attracts certain people. Those who have a tendency to bend the rules slightly in life, may listen to music that reflects their personality. It's a likely possibility that they obtain this music illegally. Piracy downloads contribute to 0% of the charts. Purchased music is the only music being promoted as the most popular songs of each week. This means their are a vast amount of music people are listening to, that is completely unaccounted for. Isn't this seemingly prehistoric in comparison to current technology? Or is it simply that musicians, and their money-making labels have no interest in acknowledging, therefore partly accepting piracy?

I would be a huge hypocrite were I to now lecture about the moral implications of music piracy. As someone who listens to music frequently (understatement), and as a student, the cost of buying all the music I listen to, is vast and simply not realistic. However, I buy as much as I am able to, especially lesser known artists. The second implication of music piracy, is the effect it has on the artists. Why should they struggle, because of the ignorant attitude of others? There is a benefit for the consumer too. Live music is a great part of the music industry, but not possible without a sufficient fund. You could even think of legal music purchases as investing in your favourite artists. You fund their tours, which you later benefit from. You make sure they're able to continue to create music. Piracy may make music accessible in the short term, but is it slowly destroying the music industry? If this continues, will it be detrimental in the long term?

Cover of a Frank Turner cover of Linoleum by NOFX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs757S5FA38&feature=plcp

Oh Love by Green Day - Single Review

Saying that Green Day have changed quite a bit over the years, is like saying that McDonalds are 'quite a big corporation', or The Beatles 'did quite well'. They have changed frequently, and dramatically. Virtually unrecognisable from the early days of 1,039/Smooth out slappy hours and Kerplunk, their lives have taken them from teenage angst punk, complete with manic hair and matching personalities, to the more grown up, less raw albums such as Warning, gaining eager fans and huge exposure with Dookie, until eventually reaching phenominal success with the creation of the political, screaming album that was American Idiot. This was a monumental moment in music, and potentially an incredibly influential record. They included some of that new found power in the generally well acclaimed 21st Century Breakdown. The question is, where can they go now?

In a recent interview, shortly after announcing the triple album triology ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, ¡Tre!, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said that the new records would 'be a departure from their recent work'.
However, he claimed the new sound will not return to the style of Dookie or Insomniac, but instead would be 'punchier, more power-pop. Something between AC/DC and the early Beatles'.

The idea of an album triology may be a brave choice - it seems as though there could be two outcomes. They either produce 3 brilliant, unique albums, or the standard of songs simply suffer due to the sheer volume of music they have created. I sincerely hope the latter is just a possibility, rather than a reality, for their sakes, as well as their fans. I can't comment on that yet (sadly, time travel is a little out of my reach), but I can say something about their 1st single, 'Oh Love', released on July 16th.

The hype created by the band, meant I was expecting a huge deal from this single. The wonderful older songs I know and love, such as Redundant, Good Riddance, Basket Case and Macy's Day Parade (I could carry that list on for another paragraph!), as well as the power of American Idiot, and subsequently 21st Century Breakdown, (even the occasional quirky/mental contribution from Tre - listen to D.U.I. or Dominated Love Slave...), show they're incredibly capable of producing amazing records, and are insanely talented. It would be a huge shame were they not to put these talents to full use. After listening to Oh Love, virtually all day, I'm sad to say I'm somewhat disappointed. It sounds like something Billie Joe has written in 5 minutes. I don't hate it, not even close, but then again I'm not overly compelled to put it on repeat. Every band has a less that brilliant song, but Green Day have set the standard so high for themselves, BY themselves, that they have a great deal to live up to. I understand that they are aiming to create a simpler sound, but there are ways of doing this without boring the listener to death. The song is incredibly repetitive after while - perhaps the 5 minute length is just too much?

Even as I write exactly what I think, I almost feel a sense of guilt. Green Day are my favourite musicians, who have created what I believe to be some of the greatest records ever made, that I feel disloyal by writing negative comments. They're astounding back-catalogue is why I am so surprised by this song. Where's the legendary Tre Cool drumming, and the heaving hitting Mike Dirnt bassline? Billie Joe's beautiful voice is still well and truly there, but they're considered to be in amongst the greatest musicians of the 21st century - their talent is not 100% evident in this song. Imagine this was the first single of a new band. How well do you honestly think they'd do? Would they get the worldwide fanbase of Green Day, from that song alone?

The chorus is powerful, and pleasant enough, but in its entirety, the song seems to lack in excitement, power or drive. The basics are there, but something vital is definitely missing.  It's as though they've forgotten to include the element that maintains the listeners attention.

My loyalty to Green Day hasn't worn off, I admit to welling up every time I watch the Bullet In A Bible DVD, just because of the sheer amazing memory of that day. I'm not writing them off yet. A live version of a new song called Stray Hearts can be found on YouTube, and it's really, really good. This is why I haven't lost enthusiasm about the new albums. It just seem like strange choice for a debut single. I hope there's more, I really do. Only time will tell. (25th of September, to be precise. See, I'm still excited!)