SamShawMusic

The state of the modern music press is embarrassing and even more so if you compare it to the proud institution it was in the 1970s. It’s almost like they can’t be bother anymore. I have flicked through Kerrang on more than one occasion to find that they have failed to provide the bare minimum expected from a music publication; a review section.

As far as the NME is concerned, the sole thing published in the New ‘Indie-Landfill’ Express worth reading this year was a feature on Nick Kent; that’s right; the only way the NME produces good material is by reminiscing about their heyday…pretty depressing really.

Oliver Primus, Editor of The 405, an online music magazine agrees that the music press is in turmoil. ‘It’s pretty bleak to be honest. Some of my favourite magazines have come and go. I think there’s an older generation that buys magazines like Q or Uncut who will always buy those magazines, but the younger crowd will stop.’

So where did it all go wrong? What exactly were the factors that resulted in this once strong sector being in such a mess?

It was in the ‘80s when the cracks started to appear. Publications such as i-D and The Face began to cover up and coming genres of music such as hip-hp as well as bringing in other aspects associated with the music such as fashion. NME and Sounds simply couldn’t compete in terms of these areas and suffered as a result.

Then came the rise of the niche publication; Kerrang covered Heavy Metal and Smash Hits focused on pop music. These niche magazines diverted audiences interested in these genres away from the established publications.

Music coverage slowly became something which was not just exclusive to the music press, but covered by many divisions of the media. The tabloids recognised the advantages of reporting pop gossip and this found its way through various channels such as TV, Magazines such as Heat and finally the internet.

One by one, pillars of the music press began to fall, the Record Mirror closed in the early 90s, followed by Sounds and then Melody Maker in 1999.

Many aspects of the music press have been compromised, but none more than the quality of the writing. Where are the modern Nick Kents or Ian Mcdonalds? NME, Mojo etc all have their fair share of talented writers don’t get me wrong, but there are no contemporary music journos on anywhere near the same level as NME’s class of ’72.

Ben Markham, the Music Editor of the online music and fashion magazine ‘Esper’, thinks that the fall of the music press isn’t down quality. ‘It’s connected with the monopolization of advertising, it’s not necessarily that the writing is worse.’

Oliver agrees that the decline is more industry related as opposed to an issue with quality. ‘I don’t think they’ve changed. I just think the world they’re in has changed. If anything the quality has probably raised just to keep up. You could argue that it’s a financial thing, I’m sure people would rather read (online) for free than pay for the NME, especially in this economy.’

And this is exactly where the printed magazine falls short, in competition with its superior online contemporaries.

The online magazine is the modern day equivalent of the 1970s inkie. Journalists are plucked from the underground and the content and writing is a breath of fresh air; the internet is full of magazines which are essentially online versions of Oz in its prime.

These magazines deliver information to audiences almost on a daily basis; by the time the NME publishes the material, its old news. ‘You can access information quicker and “print” them quicker, get information to your readers earlier than you could if you had to print then distribute’,

Ben also agrees that the rise of the online magazine is only a matter of time. ‘Printed media is on a massive downturn; sooner or later a lot of the major magazines will fold and become completely online.

Oliver sums up the situation perfectly, ‘I think the days of the NME and the like ruling the roost and setting the trends are pretty much over. Or at least diminished.’

I am of course referring to the NME of ’72-’75. Not this thinning, Indie-agenda driven rag we see discarded on trains and in student unions around the country.

It frustrates me that it still dares to bear the same, once prestigious name.

The opinion that the NME is currently in an abysmal state is most likely a view shared by many people universally; but don’t worry fellow music lovers, a change is due.

This burst of optimism boils down to the fact that 2010 isn’t the only time when the NME has been a disappointment and essentially just glossy toilet paper plagued with images of Oasis and (insert Indie band of the month we will never near of again here). In 1970-71 it wasn’t going anywhere either, the NME was a poorly written and constructed magazine which was regarded as a joke by its rivals.

Sales had dropped significantly and new Editor Alan Smith was given just three months to save it. This pressure however proved to be the catalyst for spawning NMEs golden age.

Integral to this success was Smiths decision to pluck a selection of new and talented writers from the underground press to work for the new revamped NME. Nick Logan, Charles Shaar Murray, Nick Kent and Ian MacDonald were all hired and became legends in the process. It wasn’t just the roster of writers which was replaced with young blood; Smith also selected photographers such as Joe Stevens and Pennie Smith from the underground as part of this ‘new breed’.

A by-product of recruiting journalists from the underground was that they had no time for selling out or corporate shadiness. They basically represented a big ‘fuck you’ to bribes. This slammed the door shut for the undeserving artists attempting to receive coverage which would inevitably result in poor subject matter and content.

After Alan Smith’s departure in ’73, the editorial team of Nick Logan and Ian MacDonald continued to perfect the NME. Smith can be credited with being the person who saved then NME but it was Logan and MacDonald who are regarded as being the ones who honed and tweaked it until it was perfect. Their partnership was a well balanced one of almost fate-like proportions.

Many factors in making the NME as good as it was in this period seemed to be associated with ‘fate’.

Just as Logan assumed the role of Editor, the printers went on a nine week strike against their management. This strangely proved to be very beneficial; the team now had nine weeks to assemble this ‘new editor’ issue. They also built up a stock pile of useable articles and grew closer both as friends and as a creative team.

When the issue finally hit the shelves it embodied the new energy of its staff.

The NME can attribute its success to a series of historical accidents dating as far back as World War 2. The conception of both the ‘teenager’ in the wake of WW2 as well as the economic boom in the west resulted in kids with money and specific tastes. People were compelled to sell things to this newly established demographic, one of them being ‘rock and roll’; enter NME.

By ’74 the NME was a witty and intelligent publication nailing the zeitgeist on a regular basis. It also boasted a crisp format full of speech bubbles and unconventional ideas courtesy of Ian MacDonald.

At this time it was regarded as the best music paper in Britain, both by the public and its peers; and I say peers rather than rivals because at this point the NME was such a force that it didn’t really have any rivals.

In addition to the likes of Nick Kent, a second wave of talented and iconic journalists started writing for the NME. Again, products of the underground press, writers such as Julie Burchill and Mick Farren became regular contributers. Farren was a music journalist who was so on the ball that he practically predicted the punk movement with his feature, ‘The Titanic Sails at Dawn’. This is an example of music journalism

at its peak, journalism so good that it has been used as a model in which to base this assignment on.

With its current circulation of approximately 40, 000, an ex-readership, including myself, who have simply just given up and the remaining audience being chipped away at by decisions such as featuring Jedward, NME needs a revolution!

Even if this means IPC media giving the current editor Krissi Murision twelve weeks to breathe life into this bland publication and bring talented journalists something worthwhile to say out of the woodwork; NME’s end is in sight unless some form of action is taken…

My devotion and love for the metal genre began right here with Metallica’s fourth and greatest release ‘And Justice for all…’.

 At the time of its release I was more concerned with consuming milk, Cow and Gate baby food and how comfortable my cot was. When I did discover it however, it embodied the musical perfection I had been searching for.

It was the beginning of Secondary School and a metal head donning an atrocious ‘my mum cut my hair’ fringe, gave everyone in the year a copy in an attempt to make friends. All I can say it thank you , without this strange attempt to attain popularity I wouldn’t have become the passionate music lover I am today. Instead, I would have probably succumbed to what the majority of my peers did; attempt to become a professional footballer but realistically only achieve the status of being ‘shit’ or mediocre at best.

The album itself still sounds as precise and devastatingly brutal as it did when it first perforated my pre-teen eardrums all the way back in 2003. With the production duties in the hands of front man James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, this was always going to be one heavy, drum and guitar orientated affair, even by Metallica’s ridiculous standards.

Excluding the fact that this album is partly responsible for creating the person I am today, this guitar dominated sound is the primary reason behind why I love it so much. ‘And Justice for all…’ is essentially a collection of some of the greatest guitar work conceived, in one neat, ear-splitting package. From the twin-guitar introduction of ‘Blackened’ to the chugging, Hetfield trademark riff of ‘Eye of the Beholder’.

‘And Justice for all…’ is juxtaposed within two salient moments in Metallica’s chequered history; the death of their charismatic bassist Cliff Burton in ’86, and the worldwide attention/debatable ‘selling-out’ associated with ‘91’s ‘The Black Album’. This is an album filled with emotion, intelligent and complex song arrangements which is regarded by many as being Metallica’s last truly great and authentic release.

Everyone has that one album that they stick on to relax to and send them off into a soothing sleep and this is mine.

I was never really into the funky side of the Chilli Peppers, albums such as ‘Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic’ never really did it for me. ‘Give it away, give it away now’, erm no Anthony, Give it a rest and stop walking around with a sock on your penis.

However, this melancholy side of the RHCP, which rears its beautiful head on ‘By the Way’ as well as ‘Californication’ is outstanding.

The bluesy, fender Stratocaster guitar tone, meticulously executed vocal harmonies and sheer passion inherent on ‘By the Way’ make this something special.

Although these are all elements attempted by bands all the time, the Chillies pull them off if a way in which I deem perfect; the way I would do them myself if I had the talent and mindset.

Metallica fans have craved a release that matches the perfection of the bands early albums such as ‘Kill ‘em All’, ‘Ride the Lightening’ and the classic ‘Master of Puppets’ for years now. Sadly the 90s has arguably been an overall disappointment for fans due to the bands change in musical direction and style. ‘St Anger’ the album that precedes this latest offering was panned by critics for its poor drum sound, lack of solos and bland song writing. Death Magnetic could be viewed as an apology for this mistake due to the fact that all these flaws have been corrected and the band appear to have returned to their thrash metal roots. With tracks clocking in between the 5 and 10-minute mark all the generic elements an average metal fan looks for can be found, from guitar solos and time changes to duel lead guitar breaks and memorable vocal hooks. The excellent  ‘The day that never comes’ with is eerie clean guitar and hard hitting chorus easily lives up to any other ballad Metallica have ever released. Other stand out tracks include ‘ The Unforgiven 3’ a piano and orchestra infused lyrical gem and ‘Broken, Beat and Scared’ which is a riff frenzy with fitting tempo changes. ‘Death Magnetic’ has already broken records as it is Metallica’s fifth album to debut at number one, a feat not even achieved by The Beatles. A fair criticism of the album however is its loud and distorted production, this is a view shared by many critics and fans. The album sold  490,000 copies in its first three days of release, which shows that although most of the band are in there mid 40s they are still major players in the universal music scene.

The term “heavy” doesn’t even begin to describe this latest offering from the French metal giants. This is the bands fourth studio album and it feels like the natural progression from their previous release ‘From Mars to Sirus’.

 They have taken the template they set on this album and made it even more technical, progressive, heavy but and at the same time, melodic. Like ‘From Mars to Sirus’ this album is again all about strong heavy riffs, harsh vocals and driving rhythms. What really stands out is the brilliance of virtuoso drummer Mario Duplantier who provides the complex rhythms and time changes which the band builds upon. This is most noticeable on the track ‘The Art of Dying’ which opens with a tribal style rhythm which the band build around and is full of Duplantier’s inventive drum fills.

The album provides metal fans with a treat as Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blithe does guest vocals on the track ‘Adoration for none’. This dynamic works really well as Randy’s vocal style is similar to Gojira vocalist Joe Duplantiers.

Gojira fans won’t be disappointed with this release as the band haven’t changed their style or sound, but instead perfected it. Stand out tracks include ‘Vacuity’, ‘The Art of Dying’ and ‘Orborus’. I would consider this, along with Metallica’s ‘Death Magnetic’ to be one of the essential metal purchases of the year.

A phrase that is used time and time again by music journalists is ‘difficult third album’, this can almost certainly be applied to ‘Day and Age’, the latest offering from the Las Vegas quartet The Killers.

  The album begins with promise, particularly when track two ‘Human’ kicks in. Both the stand out track from the album as well as being the initial single, we are treated to a catchy, ambient tune married with 80s style syths and a catchy vocal hook. ‘Spaceman’, the track which follows is equally as good and maintains this slow 80s tranquil feel. This intensely mellow vibe continues throughout the album but gradually becomes less and less exciting and by about track five ‘A Dustland Fairyland’ ends up running out of steam. The first half of the album is ideal the put on your stereo and drift off into a nice deep sleep, the other half however sounds like is designed to make you fall asleep with sheer bordom.

   It’s not that there is anything exactly wrong with ‘Day and Age’, but this is precisely where the problem lies. I feel that The Killers have attempted to play it safe on what was always going to be a notoriously difficult third album. They have merely given the fans only just what they expected without offering anything special, any added value so to speak.

    All the elements we would usually expect from the band are on display here, from catchy choruses, a trademark strong syth presence, a marriage of 80s new wave/rock along with a soft vocal approach. This worked on both of their previous offerings, Hot Fuss and Sam’s Town but with the exception of tracks like ‘Human’ and ‘Spaceman’ it is all beginning to sound a little bit samey. Judging from this release The Killers could be in danger of being remembered as just ‘the band who sang Mr Brightside’.

There are a handful of things we have grown to expect from any Killswitch release; big memorable choruses, precise duel guitar work courtesy of Adam D and Joel as well as slick production and a sound, which is a perfect balance between both dissonance and melody . Killswitch’s latest self-titled offering doesn’t stray too far from the conventions Killswitch fans have always loved.

In a time where the future of metalcore looks quite bleak this album is evidence that Killswitch Engage, arguably holders of the metalcore torch are still keeping it alive. That said however, this album does tend to move more towards simply ‘Metal’ as apposed to ‘Metalcore’, but no matter what anyone says Killswitch will always be considered a metalcore band by fans and the metal community alike.

Standout track ‘A Light in a Darkened World’ is the Killswitch ethos compact into one song. The entire band is on top of their game, in terms of both song writing and musicianship resulting in a well-crafted melodic metal track.

Although this release is just as good if not better then their previous offering ‘As Daylight Dies’ (2006), the Massachusetts five piece will inevitably struggle to ever  match the brilliance displayed on their album ‘The End of Heartache’(2002) which spawned the popular track of the same name.

Marsden, a Yorkshire village so idyllic that it has been used as the location for many TV series over the years, most notably ‘The Last of the Summer Wine’ and ‘The League of Gentlemen’. Interestingly the audience who descended on Marsden to experience the 18^th annual Jazz Festival this weekend are a hybrid of these shows; both old and slightly strange.

If you happen to be a resident of Marsden and god forbid aren’t an avid Jazz fan then simply…unlucky as it dominates the entire place; from pubs to clubs, bridges, street corners and even the railway station.

The set performed by the Lee Jones Trio at the Riverhead Brewery Tap just after midday was a staggering display of virtuosity. The jazzy aroma of cigar smoke drifts in from outside and is fused with the scent of ale and testosterone which lingers inside. As I look around it is pretty clear that the rock guitarist has attracted a primarily male audience, there are literally more dogs in the venue today than there are women. The environment is best summed up by an image of three bar staff furiously pulling pint after pint of the same popular ale to quench the thirst of the male dominated audience who are lost in the cacophony of dexterity, slap bass and extended solos.

Jones proves that he is a deserving winner of the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ award he received from Jazz Fm earlier this year although he is matched by both the bassist and particularly the drummer who ends the set by effortlessly performing a solo full of tempo changes and technical fills.

Meanwhile outside, The Dewsbury Centre Swing Band play a marquee which is positioned on the bridge. The day is at its peak and stereotypically tranquil images of ducks floating on the river, and kids enjoying ice cream can be all be seen. It seems as though no other genre besides swing jazz that could accompany this carefree and optimistic afternoon. The bands mixture of both originals and covers goes down amazingly, especially the crowd winning ‘Hey Jude’ which inevitably influences some the already half-cut crowd to yell the outro.

This year’s winners of the Sunderland music festival ‘Huddersfield Young Singers’ perform a diverse mix of music at the United church. The combination of the venue being a church and the fact that these were primary school children made me think that I’d just stumbled into a school nativity. That said, these children are obviously talented and well rehearsed probably due to the sheer enthusiasm  of the manic and energetic conductor.

Next up, synth-laden festival favourites ‘Rob Mason’s Elements’ who appear to have attracted the biggest crowd of the day. The Marsden social club is so packed  that I am confined to a small room behind the stage, due to this predicament my viewing experience was of the audience not the band. Unfortunately I didn’t share their enthusiasm as they bobbed their heads to yet another twenty minute synth solo.

As Marsden Jazz Festival approaches almost two decades of music, I can’t help thinking that like jazz itself it has, and always will have, a strong and dedicated fan base. Marsden will probably  see a repetition of these bands, scenes, and jazz clichés for years to come.

The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is the UK’s largest experimental music festival and it is also regarded as being one of the world’s finest.

As the festival approaches almost 30 years of showcasing innovative and cutting edge material this statement proves to be as true as ever. This year, the festival featured over 90 UK and international premiers and offered a diverse line-up including everything from ‘The Music of Electricity’ to Portugal’s greatest living composer ‘Emmanuel Nunes’.

Young virtuoso pianist Richard Uttley showcased his unique talent in his rendition of three recent British works based on the theme of ‘Ecstasy’. In his first performance this manifestation of ecstasy is very evident; the music builds up but never reaches a crescendo leaving the audience on the brink of expecting a climax. Uttley takes a modest, but well deserved bow after his first piece and then continues to reveal his flawless ability. He effortlessly slides from one scale to another juxtaposing dissonant sounds with melancholy ones.

 In Ignocio Agrimbau’s ‘Anatomy of the self’ three musicians combine improvisation, electronic music and unusual instruments to create an atmospheric wall of sound. The improvisation element and lack of structure make the piece unpredictable and dynamic which captivates the audience. The sounds which resonate around the Phipps Hall venue are an eclectic marriage of electronic music and a wind instrument solo married with  sound effects such as gun shots, zips and thunder.

New York composer Micheal Pisaro has had his pieces performed at festivals all over the world, from Chicago to Copenhagen and this year it’s Huddersfield’s turn. Pisaro’s calibre of composition was recognised in 2006 when he received the ‘The Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grant to Artists Award’. His famous piece ‘Pi’ was performed at HCMF this year by pianist Philip Thomas.

 ‘Pi’ is a complex piece to explain, but the idea is actually quite simple. Firstly before the piece is performed a decimal place of pi is chosen, when this has been determined the piece is played in relation to this outcome. With careful precision and concentration Thomas pushes down a single note in sequences to mimic the decimal places of pi, creating a focused and serious atmosphere. A good comparison would be the seemingly random nature and sound of Morse code.

The highly anticipated performance of ‘Shifting Currents’ featuring table top guitarist Keith Rowe, Bill Thompson and Rick Reed brought Monday  to a close. Situated in Bates Mill, a huge warehouse just outside the town centre , ‘Shifting Currents’ takes the concept of place as a starting point for making music. Bill Thomas took sound recordings from Bates Mill itself as well as locations in Aberdeen as a basis for the performance. These sounds which include a plane , TV dialogue and a motorbike engine combined with amplified radio frequencies create a bombardment of noise and a surreal feeling of escapism.

The delicate ending to the performance was a fitting finale to the day. Each musician turned off their individual light which had been used to illuminate their equipment throughout the performance. This left Bates Mill in total darkness and almost total silence, all that could be heard was the subtle hum of a slowly diminishing radio frequency, and then as the main lights came on, applause. At this point it feels like Huddersfield is the epicentre of cutting edge music.

Lyrics serve exactly the same function in a song as the instruments do; they merely provide me with the melodies and rhythms like a guitar or piano would. The words, narrative and themes inherent in the lyrics aren’t what is important , I am too preoccupied with the music itself.

I frequently find it difficult to distinguish what is actually being sung in songs and fall into Peter Kay’s category of  people who completely  mishear lyrics and sing them incorrectly .While the majority of people at a gig are screaming along to an anthem detailing the front man’s emotional heartbreak, I’m the one who blatantly doesn’t know the lyrics, clumsily spitting out nonsense in a desperate attempt to appear as much of a fan as anyone else.

 The thing is, I’m just as much of a fan if not a little more obsessive about the music than the next guy. What I’m really concerned about is how interesting that drum fill was, or how perfect that guitar harmony sounded.

 It isn’t until lyrics are presented to me as a stand alone literary piece abstract from being in a musical context, when I really begin to appreciate them.

 This is usually apparent when I am flicking through CD booklets or on lyric websites. Here is a selection of what I consider to constitute either a good or interesting lyric and why.

 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds-Loverman
And he’s bucking and braying and pawing at the floor
And he’s howling with pain, crawling up the walls

 After citing many ‘Greatest Lyricists of all time’ Nick Cave ranks up there with the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon as one of the best. I think that rhythm is an integral aspect of a good lyric and the line highlighted is a perfect example of a beautifully phrased and metered line. Even when presented on the page as opposed to being sang, you can hear the flow of rhythm when you read it. I think the combination of alliteration, rhyme and the fact that ‘and’ joins each word creates this precise rhythm.

 Narrative is another key aspect of what constitutes a good lyric, it’s effective when a story unfolds throughout the course of a song. Here are two examples of where a good narrative is established.

 Thin Lizzy Emerald

Down from the glen came the marching men
With their shields and their swords
To fight the fight they believed to be right
Overthrow the overlords

Phil Lynott is my favourite lyricist, he balances story telling with poetic devices without either suffering. I despise songs which are dictated by rhyming couplets and usually end up making no sense or sounding ridiculous.

 Metallica- Unforgiven 3

How could he know this new dawn’s light
Would change his life forever?
Set sail to sea but pulled off course
By the light of golden treasure

This is again included for its narrative merit but what I also find interesting about it is the use of the third person. This takes the vocalist completely out of the picture and personal, self absorbed  themes usually surrounding lyrics are absent. This results in a story which is pure escapism; something I don’t have to relate to or emphasise with.