This week's recently played songs (in no particular order)

This is a list of 10 songs that I have listened to this week. Some of them are old and some of them are new. But yeah, I hope you enjoy this list everyone!

1. Love Is To Die by Warpaint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnuFYYJHaY0
2. Hannah Hunt by Vampire Weekend http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJCIhDQkqTQ
3. Here Is No Why by The Smashing Pumpkins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXTfWV56YVc
4. Debaser by The Pixies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P3lhrwio-M
5. National Anthem by Lana Del Rey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7P7Ewl_Jx8
6. Break On Through (To The Other Side) by The Doors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJQwnAhXnBk
7. Doused by Diiv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJQwnAhXnBk
8. Safe European Home by The Clash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_6UTZb-_vI
9. Instant Crush by Daft Punk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9BK3xcRH1g
10. After Hours by We Are Scientists http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7c226qewCU

Reactions to this years Grammys

In the UK the Grammys aren't really a big deal if we're being honest. Sure it gets some decent media coverage here but I can imagine everyone going nuts for it across the pond in the USA. It really should be taken seriously in the UK though seeing as there are a whopping 82 categories. The Brit awards only has a measly 10 or so and Take That are usually nominated for at least half of them. There's no denying that the Grammys certainly have variety. Let's take a look at some of the winners plus other various highlights.

First off, I was rather pleased to see Vampire Weekend win best alternative album. You can tell that they really worked their socks off for their latest album "Modern Vampires Of The City", there's so much depth to that record. I gotta admit that at first I didn't particularly like it but then it really grew on me. Every time I listen to it now I discover a little riff hiding somewhere in the background. Keep up the original and innovative songwriting Ezra Koenig and company.

This years Grammys were also a good one for old rock artists too. Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, two thirds of Nirvana (plus backing guitarist Pat Smear) and Paul McCartney all picked up awards. However, how have Led Zeppelin never won a proper Grammy before!? They've won awards in the Grammy Hall of Fame before but that doesn't count as an official Grammy really. The bands influence has been massive and they should of got loads of Grammys back when they were at their peak. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr's live performance was also sensational too. The last two remaining Beatles members, what more could you ask for?

New York's finest indie rockers looking rather dapper.

Also, I personally thought that it was hilarious to see Daft Punk there in person. The mysterious French duo were all geared out in their stylish robot helmets but they looked so awkward. They just sort of stood there motionless whilst they let other people talk for them. Plus they stood behind the person talking so they just looked like little boys letting their mums do everything for them. Joking aside, it was nice to see them win record of the year and album of the year. "Get Lucky" helped expose a younger generation to that timeless disco sound and it's always cool to see people discovering things that they've never heard before. "Random Access Memories" was also a good record but I don't think it was their best. Although I did love "Instant Crush" featuring Julian Casablancas, it was interesting to hear his voice auto tuned and it actually sounded bloody brilliant. His voice powerful raspy voice suited the moody tone of the song and the chorus part was proper funky. A genius choice of collaboration there Daft Punk.

All I can say now is try and beat that Brit awards! I highly doubt we'll be able to do that unless something really entertaining and controversial happens like Adele flipping the bird or Blur performing live. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it can be better than the Grammys though.
   

Cavalier Youth by You Me At Six album review

Five young men in their twenties have managed to rise through the ranks to become a stadium filling pop punk band. This is quite remarkable seeing as only a handful of bands from this particular genre have managed to do this. These bands are usually veterans though such as Blink 182 and Green Day. So how did a band from Surrey manage to achieve this? Well pop punk used to be a genre that was dominated by American bands, so You Me At Six did something about this and managed to get UK pop punk on the map by constantly working hard. But of course, playing stadiums means making your music more accessible so that you can get as many people to your gigs as possible (those stadiums aren't gonna fill themselves!). This isn't a bad thing though, it's just hard to get that balance of pleasing your old fans as well as the new ones.

"Cavalier Youth" is the fourth offering from You Me At Six so they're certainly no beginners. You would expect some sort of progression in sound by now but it doesn't appear to be there most of the time. Sure, lead single "Lived a Lie" has a big vocal hook but it's really lacking in terms of instrumentation. For example, the guitars sound exactly the same as they did on the previous albums. "Win Some, Lose Some" is really uninspiring as it sounds just like the lead single. The same adjective applies to "Carpe Diem" and "Wild Ones" too. 

The album does have it's interesting moments though where things are shaken up a bit. Some of these moments are frustrating and some are refreshing. "Room To Breathe" sounds massive but you won't have any room to breathe because it sounds so massive. "Be Who You Are" is a charming little acoustic interlude but it's far too short (it doesn't even last two minutes). 

Half of the tracks on this album though are pretty decent though and they stop it from becoming a bit of train wreck. "Fresh Start Fever" is snarly sounding with it's grizzly vocals and Bond-esque guitar parts, it makes for a great listen. The power chord in the chorus ruin it slightly though. "Forgive and Forget" is fantastic regret fuelled anthem and "Cold Night" is a sweet heart felt pop punk serenade. "Hope For The Best" sounds like an old school American pop punk song that could've been written by Jimmy Eat World. It's basic but it does the trick by being really simple: It's fast, catchy and fun. That's it.

Overall "Cavalier Youth" is a wasted opportunity. It probably would've been a lot better if the band had spent an extra six months in the studio, so they could try out different guitar and drum sounds rather than the same old raw ones. Maybe the band were trying to appeal the their old fans? However you can't really do that if you wanna sell out stadiums. The hooks are there but the inspiration isn't. If You Me At Six tried again then they'd probably get it right. After all, they're still in their twenties and they've got plenty of time to perfect a stadium sound. 

OVERALL: 5/10

BEST SONGS: FORGIVE AND FORGET, COLD NIGHT, HOPE FOR THE BEST.
WORST SONGS: WIN SOME LOSE SOME, CARPE DIEM, WILDS ONES.          

5 films with great music

It's January: it's cold, it's bleak and it's pretty miserable. What does this mean then? Well this is the time of year that I like to call "Oscar season", everyone is going out to the cinemas to see the latest films that critics have been raving about. Some of this years examples include: The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years A Slave and American Hustle. All of this meant that I decided to make a list of some of my favourite music from films that I've seen (some old films and some new ones too). These films aren't necessarily my favourite ones but I definitely enjoyed all of them and I still enjoy them, even to this day.

5. All Star by Smash Mouth in Shrek- You know, the one with the opening scene where Shrek does various things in his swamp including farting in a mud bath, AHAHAHA SO FUNNY (well it was funny back when I was 7 years old). Anyway this song was used in pretty much every film from the late nineties/early noughties. Culprits who played this song included: Rat Race, Inspector Gadget and wait for this one (because it's hilarious)... Digimon: The Movie. Wow, Now Digimon: The Movie is funny because it was the most blatant rip off of Pokemon back in the day. I'm losing track again, where was I? Oh yeah, the use of All Star was the most memorable in Shrek though because the film was one of the most successful animated films ever. It earned millions at the box office and spawned a few sequels too, some good and some bad. Furthermore, ask anyone who was born from 1990-1996 to sing you this song and they'll probably be able to sing every lyric to you. That's how memorable the song was.

4. The whole soundtrack from Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist- This cutesy rom com follows two young people as they travel through New York to find a secret venue where their favourite band are playing. The band, entitled "Where's Fluffy?", are fictional though and they only exist in the film and not in real life. Through out the film, Nick and Norah have to overcome several awkward encounters in order to realise their feelings for each other Whilst all of this going on, we have this fantastic soundtrack that is full of romanticism and hope (and indie bands). Also, most of the film is shot at night too. Therefore, this nice touch adds more of a dreamy feel to the cool indie pop music.  Not only that but pretty much all of the artists from the soundtrack are actually from New York. This means that the soundtrack goes hand in hand (sorry for the pun) with the film brilliantly. A perfect match if you ask me (oh god, so sorry once again everyone!).

3. The whole soundtrack from 500 Days of Summer- Another rom com for you folks! Yes, this non linear rom com tells us the key events from Tom and Summer's odd dysfunctional relationship. He likes her, she doesn't want a relationship and it all gets rather complicated. All the while we have a range of artists from different eras having their songs played in the background. Some of the songs are used for comic effect whilst others are used for more emotional moments. One paticular highlight involves Tom dancing to Hall & Oates "You Make My Dreams" after he sleeps with Summer for the first time. The scene mentioned pretty much goes from very standard to crazily eccentric in side splitting way. More recent artists such as Regina Spektor, Wolfmother and The Temper Trap were also used for the film's soundtrack. All in all, this is soundtrack that has a lot of variety and this is what makes it so great to listen to.

2. The whole soundtrack from Drive- This dark art house film is about a man who is a stunt driver by day and a get away driver by night. He then meets a women who's husband is involved with troublesome gangs so he decides to protect her (as you do!). The film is quite violent at times and it also has an eerie night time feel where the only lights are those tacky looking neon coloured ones, a la Las Vegas. What better to soundtrack this then than with synth driven songs that drip style from every pore. Check out "A Real Hero (feat Electric Youth)" by college and all will become clear. The film just oozes style in terms of everything really: the setting, the acting, the directing and most importantly, the music. Without the music the film just wouldn't work. It's a vital ingredient in the equation of the film and it deserves so much credit. That's why I've put it at number 2 in my top 5 list.

1. The whole soundtrack from Pulp Fiction-

Everyone all over the world, from America to Australia has seen this beloved crime thriller classic. It was Quentin Tarantino's big time hit that launched him into the realms of directing superstardom. Not only that, but his controversial yet distinctive directing style became so well known in popular culture that people started to call them "Tarantinoisms". So what helped this nineties classic to become so successful? Why an awesome soundtrack of course. The film is set in the seventies so therefore most of the music is from this era (except for the odd exception). Throw this in with some sharp tongued dialogue and you've got yourself a real winner. How can anyone forget that classic scene where Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega do some cheesy dancing to Chuck Berry's "You Can Never Tell". Truly one of the best soundtracks of all time in my opinion and I'm sure many others would agree. Now if you'll if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch more films now. Bye!  

   

Reactions to the NME Awards Tour 2014

Firstly, I want to start out by saying that this isn't a rant at the NME. However, I am hugely disappointed at the fact that the tour isn't stopping off at my home town, Bournemouth. The tour has been coming to the seaside town for the past few years and I don't see why it can't come again? Maybe the venue is to blame for not contacting the NME and booking the tour? The Bournemouth 02 academy is a great little venue and it would be fantastic to see some interesting acts playing there.

In terms of the line up though, its looking pretty solid. Headliners Interpol have played at many major festivals including Reading and Leeds so they'll be able to handle anything that gets in their way. Temples are actually already playing in Bournemouth in March (at the old fire station) so maybe that's why the NME awards tour isn't at the 02 academy. Well whatever the reason, Temples are still a great band, especially if you like stuff like The Smiths, Oasis etc. Royal Blood are pretty up and coming. They have recently managed to bag a support slot for Arctic Monkeys at the HUGE Finsbury Park. This tour will be a perfect warm up for that big gig then. Circa Waves are another top act that will appeal to people who like acts such as The Vaccines.

The line up is good overall but hopefully there will be an even better one next year and it'll come to Bournemouth. After all, the town does have one of the best beaches in the world according to some poll that someone wrote. So yeah in a nutshell: Bournemouth rules!!!

Warpaint by Warpaint album review

All girl band Warpaint certainly impressed with their debut album (The Fool) back in 2010. Critics loved it and the band managed to become fairly well known amongst keen music listeners. This latest self titled offering from the band features many songs that are constantly moulding, transforming and evolving into something new through out. Structurally, each song will change 3 or 4 times and there isn't a distinct verse/chorus structure that you would find in most mainstream pop songs. Mix this in with a melancholic indie sound and you've got a pretty experimental album on your hands here. Also, the record features songs that a lot more synth driven compared to "The Fool".

The album starts off with a brief intro before going into "Keep It Healthy". This song isn't like a lot of songs on the album as it's far more upbeat and guitar driven. It's almost as if the band are saying "if you want a cheery album then have this one track and then get out of here". We then get "Love Is to die" which alters drastically between melodies that vary from unsettling to happy. This is especially clear in the main hook of the song, where lead singer Emily Kokal sings "love is to die, love is to not die" (the unsettling part) and "love is to dance, love is to dance" (the happy part). In fact it's quite genius how the lyrics match the tone of the vocal melody, you don't see a lot of bands doing that. "Hi" features a stand out bass line with drums that go from synthesized to acoustic, and then back to synthesized again. All the while we have gloomy vocals that really help the song to give it it's tone. Not only that, but we also have some cool lurking synths towards the end of the track. "Biggy" goes from a single lucid synth riff to many gorgeous reverb guitars, before going back to the synth riff again. Here in these first five tracks, there is a consistent feel of the songs constantly changing. None of them stand still for too long and this makes for really interesting listening.

On the half way point of the album, "Teese" we have more of a traditional Warpaint song in terms of instruments. The song starts out with acoustic guitars but then develops into a tune that has rising vocal melodies and underlying synths. Other highlights on the album include: "Disco/very", "Feeling Alright" and "Drive". The first of the three, "Disco/Very" has quite an unusual tone on it compared to the rest of it's counterparts. There is a driving four to the floor drum beat with lots of high hats, which gives the song a strange dance-y feel. "Feeling Alright" is surprisingly happy (especially for Warpaint!), the bass line is bouncy and the song is generally quite optimistic sounding. "Drive" has bleeping synths that transform to high pitched vocals. It's more of a return to some of the earlier songs on the album. "Son" is also a good outro with it's sad piano driven riffs, wobbly synths and plucky guitar parts.

However, the self titled album has it's moments where it sounds a bit messy because it's trying to be different and change too much through out a song. "CC" blends dischords with fuzz, which doesn't sound particularly great on paper (or in your ears either). Brief but clear interludes save this song from being a bit of a train wreck. "Go in" starts off with barely any instruments but then it builds up and includes, delay effects and rewinding guitars. This is what makes it kind of confusing though, the song isn't really sure if it wants go with atmospheric delay or trippy rewinding guitars. These are very picky faults though and they don't really detract the album from being a brilliant one.

This album may have taken four years to make, but my gosh it was worth it. The album has a clear feel in that the songs evolve interestingly whilst having the sad Warpaint sound. However, it also pops up occasionally with something a bit different which stops the record from becoming too repetitive. Hopefully this album will challenge artists to come up with something just as good for 2014.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10

BEST TRACKS: LOVE IS TO DIE, TEESE, FEELING ALRIGHT.
WORST TRACK: CC
     

       

My top 5 Oasis songs

So, Oasis recently had their back catalogue released onto streaming services such as Spotify etc. This meant that I thought that it would be an appropriate time to countdown some of my favourite Oasis tracks from their 15 year (plus more) career. They are the kings of britpop after all (don't tell Blur that I said that).

5. She Is Love- Firstly, I LOVE the vocal harmonies in this song, they are just exquisite. Not only that but you've got to love the clear early Beatles influences seeping through from every pore. As we know Oasis were heavily influenced by The Beatles and this song has a cool skiffle type groove to it. Seeing as we're on the subject of The Beatles, have you ever heard that joke about Oasis being a Beatles tribute act? It's hilarious. Anyway, this happy lovey dovey song is as joyous as a newly wedded couple. It's got cheery acoustic guitars, blissful keyboards and Noel Gallagher singing with passion. And those vocal harmonies need another special mention as well I think. What more could you want?

4. Don't Look Back In Anger- A lot of people would probably put this tune at number one, but not me. Personally I think it's a bit overplayed yet that doesn't stop it from being a fantastic piece of music. Put this on in any bar/party and everyone will be singing a long, and if you're not then you'll look lame because the song is incredibly anthemic. Seriously, that pre chorus is huge and then the main chorus just makes you wanna sing until your vocal chords erupt and explode. In fact, I don't think I'd mind if that happened because at least the last song I sung was a bloody good one. Overall, a classic britpop anthem that every generation should listen to.

3. Some Might Say- I might be a bit bias on this one because I've performed this song on electric guitar at gigs. However, I just love everything about this song. The verses sort of plod along and then suddenly you've got Liam Gallagher's vocals telling you it'll be a brighter day in an epic chorus. This contrast is what makes the song so brilliant. Not only that, but you've also got some of Noel Gallagher's finest guitar work in between the sublime vocals. The intro guitar solo has some great string bends and such, but the second guitar solo totally betters it in every single way. It starts out with a psychedelic Beatle-esque Revolver type part before going into this slide-y distorted overload. Then after that you've got Liam's vocals combining with Noel's licks to create this fantastic call and response jam. The ending guitar riff isn't too bad either. Definitely one of Oasis finest songs in terms of showing off their musical prowess.

2. Slide Away- One of Oasis early songs from their debut album "Definitely Maybe". For me, this is one of Oasis defining songs and it really sums up the band for me. It's got that "we can take on the world" attitude and it isn't afraid to show it at all. The song is loud through out and it won't stop for anything or anyone. It's a complete britpop bulldozer and it wants to compete with the greatest in British rock music. The chord progressions sound incredible, Liam Gallagher is really going for it on vocals and the production sounds very raw yet still brilliant. This song really woke the world up and made them pay a lot of attention to Oasis. Sure, the band had the likes of "Live Forever" and "Supersonic", but try and imagine Oasis without "Slide Away". It's pretty difficult isn't it?

1. Whatever- A somewhat unusual spot for my number one, but I just absolutely love, adore and cherish this song. Firstly I'd like to start off by giving an honourable mention to the string section through out this song. It's simply out of this world, that's how good it is. Forget any classical piece with strings, "Whatever" is what you want to listen to for amazing string parts. Seriously, they just breeze along with ballsy swagger and they really reflect what Oasis were all about: taking on the world and being the best whilst not giving a crap about what anyone else thought. The instrumental part half way through the song is also something special too. Noel Gallagher's soaring electric guitar riffs combine beautifully the strings. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the strings get higher in pitch and it just blows your mind. Then we get a nice gentle outro so that we can reflect on the brilliantness that we've just heard. Clocking in at a long six and a half minutes, this is truly Oasis masterpiece.

              

5 awesome songs from old video games

1. Paula's Theme from EarthBound- If you have ever played EarthbBound then I officially love you! Yes, this cult classic hasn't been played by many seeing as it was only released in Japan and America when it first came out in the mid nineties. However, the quirky RPG game has recently been released as a download for the Wii U in Europe, so therefore there's no excuse not to play it. Anyway, this delightful ditty is first played in the game when you are introduced to the game's main heroine Paula. The song is simple yet it isn't an earworm that you'd wanna mess with. Try and fight off the two main melodies, I dare you! Melody one is an eerie UFO/Sci Fi type tune that fills you with unease. Melody two is far more heroic and upbeat. Just listen to those trumpet type sounds whilst you slowly rise up and puff your chest out like the god that you are.  

2. City Escape Theme from Sonic Adventure 2 Battle- Oh my golly gosh god, what an absolute tune! Anyone who has ever played the opening level from Sonic Adventure 2 Battle will know all the words to this song. How can you forget those first lines "Rolling around at the speed of sound." Classic. Furthermore the fast Pop Punk type sound really matches the intensity of trying to complete the level as quickly as you can. I honestly couldn't think of a better song to soundtrack snowboarding on a concrete road.

3. Overworld Theme Music from Super Mario World- Pretty much everyone recognises this melody whether they've actually played the game or not. It's absolutely iconic and it surely deserves to go down as one of the finest musical pieces in video gaming history. Also you've gotta love the subtle changes that are added in occasionally. For example when you open a Yoshi egg, the song has a funky bongo track added in to it. Oh yeah and you can't deny that it's ridiculously happy too. Play this on a bad day and you'll definitely feel a lot better.

4. Astral Observatory Theme from Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask- Majora's Mask is without a doubt the creepiest addition in the Legend of Zelda franchise. It deals with themes such as death and your main objective is to try and stop the moon from plummeting in to the earth. When you enter the Astral Observtory for the first time after getting the code from Bomber kids, you are are greeted with this magical song. It twinkles so stylishly and those chord stabs from the piano just make you swoon like a girl who's just seen Ryan Gosling. Best. Observatory. Theme. Ever. 

5. Cycling Theme from Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow- So you've just managed to move that fatass Snorlax from blocking you path. Congratulations, here's your reward and oh boy, this reward is certainly worth the reward. Whip out your bike and you'll hear this awesome tune as you whizz down Cycling Road. Beware though, because you'll probably have to face a bunch of stupid bikers with stupid Koffings. However this tune is still amazing as its so care free and jolly. Plus, it pretty much matches up with cycling perfectly. 

      

Happy New Years!

Happy New Years everyone! Hope you all had a fantastic 2013 and I hope that 2014 is even better. Personally I thought that 2013 was an interesting year, it wasn't the best year but there were definitely ups and downs. I definitely think that 2014 will be a very good year, I have no idea why but I've just got a feeling.

When a New Year comes around many people make resolutions and I'm no exception. Hernon's Harmonies shall be updated a lot more frequently this year. I am aiming for around 5 or 6 posts a week and some of these shall be new ideas that I've never tried before. Hopefully I can get 1K followers by the time it reaches the half way point in the year.

But yeah, Happy New Years to you all and may this year be the best year ever for you all! Cheers, Joel Hernon.