Month: July 2019

Review: MAUVE // Bouquet EP

/ sophie.walker / Leave a comment

MAUVE are a 3-piece Alt-Rock band who released their second EP Bouquet today. We were lucky enough to be given an early listen but this actually made it harder for me because all I wanted to do was add it to my Spotify playlist so that I could play it on repeat.

The EP kicks off with the already released Remember which has seen weekly plays on BBC Introducing. Although MAUVE don’t mention Twin Atlantic as one of their influences, the chorus to Remember could easily be one of their songs (or is that just because I’ve heard the Scottish accent and thought “oooh Scottish accent… must be either Twin Atlantic or Biffy Clyro” – let me know what you decide in the comments). Whichever it may be, the chorus is catchy as hell as well as being easy to learn on the first listen (never a bad thing) with the simple lyric “this will be a night to remember” repeated many a time throughout the 3:29 long song. Roughly one minute before the song ends, we’re treated to a couple of lines of the chorus being stripped of instruments, really enhancing the talent of Steve’s vocals before bringing you back to the main hook of the chorus and seeing the song out with the catchiest part, allowing the crowd to let loose one more time when being performed live. “I wonder if it’s too late” works amazingly as a fade out for this track however I can’t help but wonder what would have been created had it been added mid-song to act as a call and response when performed on stage. Ben also gets to show off his insane drum skills during a short instrumental section at 1:56, along with a nice use of a closed to open hi-hat at 2:23 which really gives this track that bit of ‘breathing space’ that it needs.

Remember music video – MAUVE

Shoreline is the next track on the EP and for this one think a Scottish version of Kids in Glass Houses (pat on the back if you remember that banger of a band). Now, I’m still fairly new to this and I’m also not completely clued up on all technical terms (sorry if that one shows) so if any of you can help me out with a proper way to say this please get in touch but here goes trying to describe this… You know when the rhythm of the music is building up to the crowd going full boogie but it’s also not quite there yet so one of your shoulders and your foot is moving in time to the beat getting yourself prepared? Yeah well anyway the opening to this track is perfect for that. The chorus for this track also comes in a lot quicker than the other two tracks but it’s such a good chorus that it should do. I approve. Shoreline has a massively high energy pop-punk vibe to it with the chorus being incredibly lively. Ieuan’s bass skills have such a nice driving role in this track which is complimented by Ben’s drum beat, combining to give the track it’s high energy sound. The other great thing about this chorus is that it’s very obvious where and when the crowd can get involved when listening. There’s no sudden “oh shit”, the obvious build ups are all there but again, I love this. Nothing worse than a heavier section creeping up on you and making you spill your drink… I paid good money for that, I’d like to drink it not wear it (haha I’m lying, I love me a heavy crowd and I definitely do not complain if I get a drink split on me. It’s a gig – lighten up). The brief pause before the chorus not only provides anticipation but could also be said to be a sign of professionalism – knowing when to take that break to let either the vocalist or an instrument shine through or even just knowing when to build up the excitement for the listener. It’s about knowing when something isn’t needed as opposed to trying to show everything at once and MAUVE have managed to execute this perfectly. Shoreline is another track to have a catchy hook within the chorus (“woah-oh, we’re shackled and we’re sinking fast”). Although the lyrics are slightly difficult to understand at first, this truly is a song in which once you hear what is being said you’re thinking to yourself “holy shit these lyrics are genius”. Having said this, it isn’t a song that requires being understood to be loved or to be catchy. A true banger to have a pint and a boogie to.

The EP ends (sad face) with Brittle which is their longest track at 5:12. This track is massively different stylistically and honestly, if it weren’t for Steve’s strong accent coming through it could be mistaken for a different band. At 45 seconds in, guitar harmonics are used which is rarely heard in songs these days but boy when it is, it sure stands out as something incredible. Brittle is 100% the ballad of the EP but the chorus to this, in my opinion, is “true pop punk” in that it is more of a mixture of shouting and singing – often associated with bands such as The Front Bottoms, Real Friends and Trash Boat. The chorus isn’t heard until 1:36 which is understandable due to the length of the track. The funny thing is that it isn’t until a couple of listens that you realise how long the wait for the chorus is because the build-up just works so well. There’s a hidden, underlying thickness to this track which is not instantly noticeable as it is masked by the ballad-esque vocals and the use of harmonies (“washes over me”) from Steve and Ieuan – however once it is noticed, it acts as a whole other layer to the track. The other mesmerising thing about Brittle is that the beginning of a verse (or perhaps ‘chunk’, depending on how MAUVE themselves see it) nearly always sees a new element being added e.g. verse 2 adding a palm-muted guitar into the track.

It’s going to sound cheesy but it’s honestly true that when I first got sent Remember as a single to review, I didn’t think any of MAUVE’s other songs would be able to top it however I think Brittle may have just pipped it to the post. My favourite thing about Bouquet as a whole is how the Scottish accent can consistently be heard. I love it when a natural accent can be heard as opposed to all the manufactured accents that sound identical. I do understand that with some artists, such as Adele, that is just the way they sing however I have to admit that when it’s a learnt habit (as it can so often be in the genres that I tend to listen to), it can sometimes put me off an artist. There is nothing more frustrating for me than someone singing with an American twang when you just know how English their speaking voice is. ANYWAY, back to the actual matter in hand, MAUVE you killed it. You can see me at your next London show front row singing along because this EP is not coming off repeat any time soon.

Listen to the new EP via Spotify here

Check MAUVE out on Facebook

Review: Apathy Avenue // One More Day EP

/ sophie.walker / Leave a comment

In case you missed it, Apathy Avenue – a 5-piece Alt-Rock band from South Wales – released their EP One More Day on 28th June. They’ve treated us to 5 tracks and boy, is it a wild ride. It opens with the title track One More Day, featuring Dom Haven and Joe Lovett (A Night Like This) and Steve Goode (Foxbite). The song starts with a slight country twang on the vocals which reminded me of Bon Jovi (check out my review of them live at Wembley Stadium). It then leads more into Linkin Park vibes once the rapping starts, along with the numerous voices singing the chorus – you could also think We Are The Ocean if they had had a rapper. The opening of the song is completely different to the last two minutes – so much so that I thought it was two songs when I first listened – yet somehow it works as one incredible 5:16 long track and wow. What a way to open the EP.

One More Day EP Release Show – photography by Liam Dorey Photo

Apocalypse is the second track and features both heavy guitars and drums. This track is clearly more on their Alt-Rock side than their Hip-Hop side. The vocals in this song start straight away but when they’re this good, why wait? It also features a really great instrumental section where everyone gets to show off their incredible skills. The ending on the song could also easily be moshed to when performed live. My Ending then gives us the chilled pop-punk acoustic sound that an EP needs whilst simultaneously giving us “all the feels” as, well, all of us would have said back in the day… and guys, THE TRACK. HAS. STRINGS. In case you didn’t know, give me a song with a string section and I will fall in love instantly. I don’t know what it is about them but they have the ability to add a whole other dimension to a song, particularly a song of this genre. Next up we have Carbon Copies and if this doesn’t become the theme tune to the next James Bond movie, I’ll eat my own hat. Okay, I won’t but I will be very disappointed. From the get go, I knew that that’s what this track was destined to be. And not only that but it also has audience involvement included. You just know that those backing vocals playing call and response to the vocalist on the chorus were made for this song to be performed live. This one is definitely a crowd pleaser and I already love it. The EP then ends with Sociopath which has an incredibly slow and chilled-out start until bam! 2 minutes in and they’re hitting you with their heavy instruments. What an incredible way to end it.

Photography by Liam Dorey Photo

Now, I won’t lie, I definitely favoured the singing to the rapping on some tracks (Sociopath in particular) however having said this, I cannot wait to see this EP performed live. Boys, please make your way to London soon.

Review: Bon Jovi at Wembley Stadium – 21st June 2019

/ sophie.walker

Hey guys, sorry for the silence. I was off in New York learning to be in a new place by myself whilst also celebrating the fact I’ve finished university (and freaking out that I don’t know where the heck I’m going from here).

Anyway, enough of the life crisis for now… Back in November last year, I was talking to my dad about how Bon Jovi were playing in Barcelona this August and how we could probably get cheap flights and accommodation… what I didn’t realise until this conversation was that they were actually doing a cruise around the Med and it was £3-4k per person. Let me tell you, that put an end to the conversation quicker than a moth is drawn to a flame. A couple of weeks passed and suddenly Bon Jovi announced they would be returning to Wembley Stadium, 19 years after being the last and to headline the old Wembley. Easy, that was Dad’s birthday present sorted and one band ticked off my bucket list. Now being the funny gal that I am, I told him by putting this meme on his birthday card and writing “guess who we’ll be seeing on 21st June” inside. Did he get it? Did he fuck. That’s the last time I make a funny around him…

The funny my dad didn’t understand

Okay let me actually start talking about what you want to hear about… A little confession to start with, this was my first ever stadium concert… The first thing that really struck me was how the standing area wasn’t full. I don’t know whether this was intentional or whether I’m just used to smaller venues with everyone packed in. Either way, it was nice to have room to chill. This concert was a bit of a strange one. They started at 8pm and did a 2.5 hour set which was fine y’know they’re a big band. But talking to the others, we all felt that it took about an hour for both the band and the crowd to get into it… They opened with the title track of their tour, This House Is Not For Sale, but it didn’t feel like they truly opened until their second song, Raise Your Hands. This was the one that got the crowd involved and was the song to say “hello yes we are here”. For the first seven or eight songs, so many people would be leaving to go to the loo or the bar. After three songs, I honestly thought something had happened in the middle of the crowd because that many people were leaving. They also had a habit of dragging out the end of each song and I don’t mean like “oooh crowd give me another chorus of It’s My Life”, I mean every. song. The crowd would cheer and clap and then bam 3 minutes later, you realise they’re still playing the same song.

After the serious warming up though, everyone was loving it. Perhaps this was because this was when they started to play their more famous songs such as Have a Nice Day, Bed of Roses and It’s My Life. Jon Bon Jovi had every woman in the audience feeling slightly jealous when he singled out once concert-goer to slow dance with him on stage while he sang Bed of Roses to her. The audience inclusion really showed during Amen, Bed of Roses and Always through the use of lighters and phone torches and through the clapping and singing of Lay Yours Hands on Me in which the crowd were actually the ones to start the song. The encore only consisted of two songs ­– Always and Livin’ on a Prayer. I think it’s safe to say that Always was my favourite song of the night and this was partially due to the fact that I didn’t expect them to perform it during the encore so I gave up hope of hearing it. It’s unusual for a band to perform a slow song as the penultimate song but my god did it work in this case. EVERY. ONE. was involved. It’s safe to say at least 95% of people had a lighter or phone torch and that it completely lit up the stadium. It also got to the stage where the crowd drowned out Jon Bon Jovi which caused my favourite thing at a concert to happen – he just stopped singing and listened to the crowd with the biggest smile on his face.

Throughout the concert, each song had a specific backdrop and they were all cool as shit and clearly thought out no matter how simple. For example, during Wanted Dead or Alive, the backdrop was the sun in a desert that rose at the start and set at the end of the song. Have a Nice Day had smiley faces whilst Lay Your Hands On Me focused on stained glass windows. My favourite was probably We Don’t Run (which I had never actually heard before) which had the lyrics popping up but in the form of protest signs. So like I said, sometimes simple but always clever. It was clear that backdrops were their thing as the lighting was very basic but perhaps both together would have been too much.

As I was leaving, I heard someone say it was the best atmosphere they had seen at a Bon Jovi concert which was slightly concerning for me as I really hadn’t thought the crowd was all that involved for about 50% of the show. Having said this, Josefine made a valid point which is that it must be difficult for the band because all they want to do is continue to make new music and yet all the crowd wants to hear are their classics. So all in all, I did have an amazing time and I’m so happy that I got to see them live as I really didn’t think I was ever going to be able to but I do also feel that now I’ve seen them, I’ve seen them y’know? I don’t know whether my expectations were too high but I think for a little while, I’ll stick to smaller bands in smaller venues and bigger bands at festivals…