Swim Deep - Emerald Classics

Swim Deep are one of those delightful bands that are simply very enjoyable.
I like them. They have amazing summery and uplifting songs. I don't expect them to come with a record that will save my life or will save modern music, I expect them to come with good and simple tunes, that will feel good listen to when you are drinking a beer with friends or when driving to work.
So, with "Emerald Classics" I had this feeling.
It's an album that doesn't go inside your head easily. Actually, on the first listen I felt the album was poor, but then I listened to it again and changed my opinion.
Swim Deep, are now in a more "80's electronic" vibe, you can hear a lot of influences by Pet Shop Boys or Elton John on "Emerald Classics". Also, it's obvious that the band also got inspiration form their 90's heroes, like Oasis.
The best track on it is "Sail Awat, Say Goodbye". It's a fantastic pop song. Emotional, catchy, great lyrics. It's a classic, my favourite Swim Deep song ever. If the album was a commercial success (which unfortunately it's not) this song would be their flag, their hit.
"To Feel Good" was the first single, and it's almost a spoken word song, with a nice chorus and a sample from the 1991 disco classic "Everybody's Free". Although this strange mix of decisions for this song, it is a very beautiful and inspiring song. One of the best moments of the record.
"World I Share" really sounds like a Pet Shop Boys song and "Father I Pray" is like a ballad with a sing-along chorus and a computerised baby voice, just like the one's from Akon's Lonely (yes, really). "Drag Queens in Soho" is a inspirational song, again with a "baby voice" (this time a falsetto) and reminds me a bit the song of Patrick Wolf "The Magic Position".

Almost all of the lyrics are great, very open-minded, very hopeful, very peacefully. It's like Swim Deep got out of the closet, and it feels good. They are singing for everyone about everyone, specially about the ones that are marginalised because of their own orientations and thoughts. The world needs more messages like this.

Top Of The Pops is the most beautiful ballad in the record, again, simple but universal and young lyrics. They are singing about their and our European world.
Never Stop Pinching Myself it's their Oasis song, really reminds me of the Gallagher brothers.
The rest of the songs that I didn't mention before, flow in the same direction of the album, fresh, electronic, good.

As an overall, although I think that "Emerald Classics" it's not an album to change lives, it is a very decent and good record, with a brilliant, brilliant song (Sail Away).
It is a happy album, a celebration of life and love.
The band will probably continually be remembered by their debut album (which is, in my opinion better) but we have here a fresh and good piece of work.

Spirits In The Forest

Depeche Mode, one of my personal favourite bands, are going to release a new live concert documentary called "Spirits In The Forest"

The content of the film is still a bit unknown, but basically it seems to be a film about 6 different fans, from different parts of the world that go to see the band in Berlin, during their Global Spirit tour. The fans should explain the importance of the band in their lives, and how music gets these 6 different persons together. Between these moments, a lot of songs from the actual Berlin concert should appear.

The film is direct by long time genious collaborator Anton Corbijn and will be shown in a one-night event in more than 70 countries.

Although it wasn't announced yet, it is expected that "Spirits In The Forest" will also be release in DVD soon.

Supergrass Are Back!

Nostalgia is here to stay!
Supergrass, one of the coolest bands of the 90's, and a very influential band in modern indie rock music, have returned.
The band announced a couple of live shows for later this year and for the beginning of 2020.
Supergrass split up in 2010 and, during this time, the vocalist Gaz Coombes released 3 acclaimed solo albums.
However, the band have already said that, although they are playing together again, there is no plans to record any new music.
Well, let's wait and see!
Once they got tired of playing the same songs every night, hopefully they will join their creative sides again and write some amazing new music.

The Divine Comedy - Office Politics Review

The Divine Comedy are, today, the biggest example of "chamber pop". I could describe chamber pop as a kind of indie which uses a lot of horns, vocal harmonies and a balanced dose of comedy.

Their songs are usual funny, a bit silly in some kind of synth-indie-pop. 

Neil Hannon, the main force of this musical project sounds like a snob Irish Man. If someone asked me how I would describe him, I would say that he looks like a comic mix of Jarvis Cocker with Leonard Cohen.

First of all, Office Politics is a very well centered album.

These days, there a lot of albums with vague titles which contains songs about a big variety of subjects that really don't connect with each other. 

Here, the lyrics are about the normal working days, that we, the common people, have to suffer every day. Is not that normal for a rock star to sing about the monotony, the gossips or the Christmas dinner of a company, and that's actually refreshing. Also, the music is, sometimes a bit hard and industrial (although it never loses its funny satirical tone) which fits with the tittle.

"Queuejumper", "Office Politics" and "Infernal Machines" are, I would say, the key songs that represent most the subject of the album, both in lyrics as in melodies. 

"Absolutely Obsolete" and "The Life And Soul Of The Party" have a great disco rhythm, the kind of songs that you can really imagine dancing with your work colleges. 

Office Politics have also some sweet sad ballads with "Norman And Norma" and "A Feather in Your Cap" (this one really reminds Take My Breath Away by Berlin), and some others on the end of the album.

I'm sorry to say that some songs are a bit forgettable, specially "Psychological Evaluation", "The Synthesiser Service Centre Super Summer Sale" and "Phillip And Steve's Furniture Removal Company". Lyrically, they fit with the subject of the album, but musically, they don't add nothing, actually, they even make the album too long.

Best (and really good) moments on the album are, for me, "Dark Days Are Here Again", a sophisticated and elaborated charming song and, the best one "You'll Never Work In This Town Again". This song make you dance, makes you sing along, as the perfect dose of charm and suspense. A legendary track, that should be the main theme of a Sherlock Holmes' movie. Super song.

As an all, I enjoyed a lot the album. A charming, modern, focused and very well written and recorded album. Neil Hannon is one of the most charismatic singers of the UK and should have more credit for his work. The only "complain", if I may so, it's that I think that Office Politics is a bit too long, specially with the experimental tracks and I would cut off one of the ballads. It would make an easier to listen album.

7/10

Radiohead And How To Brilliantly React To A Robbery

An internet hacker stole 18 hours of unreleased music from the personal archive of Thom Yorke from Radiohead's Ok Computer era. Between those 18 hours, you could find a lot of demos, unreleased songs, studio outtakes, live recordings, acoustic versions, etc.

Ok Computer is one of the most important albums of the 90's and, probably, the best by Radiohead, which includes classics like Paranoid Android, No Surprises or Lucky.

After the robbery, the hacker tried to sell the entire pack for 132.000€ but, surprisingly, the band reacted in the best way possible.

Instead of trying to win a lost fight (what goes to the internet, stays in the internet), the band officially released the entire pack for just 20€. The profits will be given to Extinction Rebellion (a party that fights for the recognition of the climate change).

In the end of the day, Radiohead might not be happy to, forcibly, release material that was never meant to be released but they will feel good for helping a natural and important cause. The fans will be happy because they will get a treasure for an affordable price. And the hacker will not get a cent for his crime.   

North Music Festival - Franz Ferdinand

This weekend, my city, the beautiful Porto, hosted again the North Music Festival.
The festival is located in the customs of Porto, on the riverside. The view is amazing and the line-up is usually very good. It's a band-oriented weekend festival and, we really need that. Today, most of the big stars of the festival are DJ's or solo artists that most of the music is previously recorded.
Anyway, the big name this year were Bush, Emir Kusturica, Bastille and Franz Ferdinand.

Kusturica was great, a big, funny and very enjoyable gypsy party and Bush were good also.

But the best show was, undoubtedly, Franz Ferdinand.
The Scottish band are, in my opinion, one of the best bands around since their very first album.
Their songs are amazing, full of energy, full of rock and, through the years they evolved, and got a bit more keyboard oriented (although they are a guitar-band). Actually, the fact that know they have more keyboards only works even better. The new songs are more complex, more deep, more electronic, with more sound and less empty spaces.

This was their first concert of the year and the second in Portugal with the new two members.
Well, what to say about the show? It was perfect, probably the best concert I saw since last time I saw Suede.
They played a career spanning setlist (with 7 songs from their debut album!). The hits were all there and sounding as fresh as ever. Take Me Out is always the high point of course. Jacqueline is a total banger. This Fire was the perfect ending of the show, with a lot of interaction between the band and the crowd. As Alex asked, we were Feeling The Love Go, as he asked us to, on the song with the same name.
Then the set is always full of classics. Do You Want To and Ulysses are always super powerful.
The only thing I really didn't like was the end they shorted up the song Always Ascending. It's one of my favourites from the new album and it's a shame they didn't do a longer instrumental outro part. The same for Lucid Dreams, they performed a version of the song with a little different melody and cut off the electronic end.
Lazy Boy was, and is, an instant classic.
They even played Right Action for the first time in years and, played Black Tuesday, a totally new song, it was its live debut. Special.

From the performance, you could feel that the band feels good in Portugal. They are very welcome here, and, a lot of their songs play every night on the alternative pubs.

Franz are one of the best bands in world.In studio they continually record 5 stars albums and they are true monster on the stage.

And a quick note:
If you kinda like bands like FF, but you don't want to waste money on concerts that you think you won't know every song, just grab your money, and go! Concerts are almost always fun, and it's much better than to be sitting at home! GO TO GIGS!
 

Spotify Playlists

Hello to you all!

The playlists are renewed!

This week we have on Strange Sound:
01. Desperate Journalist - Satellite
02. U.S. Girls - Pearly Gates
03. Morrissey - It's Over
04. She Drew The Gun - Something For The Pain
05. The Prodify - Omen
06. Andrew Bird - Sisyphus
07. Inspiral Carpets - This Is How It Feels
08. The Leisure Society - God Has Taken a Vacation
09. Cigarettes After Sex - Apocalypse
10. Andrea Laszlo De Simone - Sogno L'amore


And don't forget to check the playlist that is a compilation of all of the Strange Sound playlists: Indie Pendence with currently 170 song.

Mat Osman From Suede Is Writing a Book

The unexpected new from 2019.
Mat Osman, the bassist, and one of the founders of Suede, is writing a novel called "The Ruins".
The book already has a publisher and will be released in 2020.
Mat Osman already wrote (the instrumental) of several Suede songs, including the fan favourite Europe Is Our Playground and, according to Brett Anderson in some book (can't remember if it was in Love & Poison or in his Autobiograhy), on the beginnings of Suede, he wrote the lyrics of one of the very earliest songs that never reached even a live performance.
Mat was also connected to writing as, during the long Suede split, he was the editor of the online magazine Le Cool.
Let's wait to read it, and we're wishing Mat the best luck for his new project.

Keith Flint Passed Away

Keith Flint, the charismatic singer, performance and dancer of The Prodigy died yesterday.

According to his band mates, Flint took his own life.

It is know that the artist had struggled a battle against depression.

He is being remembered by several artista as one of the nicest guys in the music industry. An animal o stage, however, when he was not performing he as a calm, relaxed and very pleasant man.  

The Prodigy opened the rave/rock music to millions, their, and specially, Flint's legacy is unparalleled. 

Thank you.

 

Deerhunter - Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared? - Review

2019 is bringing a lot of great albums for Indie fans.
Sharon Van Etten already released a fantastic album, Desperate Journalist just released their new LP and Deerhunter wrote also a great track.

Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared? is the name of the album.
As a general review, it s an experimental indie pop record. With some enjoyable tunes and some others that are a bit (sometimes too much) ambiguous. It's not the new "best thing ever" but it shows why Deerhunter are, today, one of the best names in independent american music. It is a must listen record, even if it's not great for me, it has some songs that are career favourites. 

It starts with one of the strongest songs, Death In Midsummer, is not a typical song, it doesn't have a chorus and it goes around a beautiful keyboard riff. Strong,loud, great opening.  No One's Sleeping is also one of the best tunes, with a fantastic instrumental part, which in some parts sound almost like a party festival hymn. It must sound great live.
There are two songs that could have been written by Bowie and Brian Eno during the Low period. Greenpoint Gothic and Tarnung are really inspired by that classic album (maybe a little too much). Détournement is a (poor) experimental song, doesn't adds nothing to the album. 
My favourite moment for now is What Happens To People. A perfect example of a great, radio-friendly, a bit melancholic but at the same time catchy (great combination) song.
The rest of the songs are fine new indie summery songs, with great and danceable riffs, like Futurism.
The last song, Nocturne is another experimental song. It's not great but it is evasive, with a spacey vibe, which fits for the closing track.

Ennio Morricone's Final Show In Portugal

Ennio Morricone is a living legend.
He is, probably the most famous (and best) movie soundtrack's composer of all time and his legacy goes from the mid 60's until nowadays.
My favourite, and his most famous work is undoubtedly his contribution to the Spaghetti Western Sergio Leone's trilogy, who featured Clint Eastwood as the gunslinger "Man With No Name". Absolute classic that defined an era of cinema.

Morricone is 90th years old and he is going to conduct his last ever concerts.
On the 6th of May he will play at the Altice Arena in Lisbon. It will be his farewell. Tickets available from 16th of February.
Don't miss it, a last chance to see a living legend.

February Tunes

A new playlist is on the way:



01. Legião Urbana - Tempo Perdido - Recently just saw a Brazilian movie, which main track was this classic from one of the best ever bands from South America.
02. Molly Burch - First Flower - As I did a review earlier this month about this album, here is one of the tracks from First Flower
03. Deerhunter - What Happens To People? - Check this amazing song from Deerhunter's fresh new album. A Review is coming soon.
04. Suede - Don't Be Afraid If Nobody Loves You - My all-time favourite band are coming back to Portugal this summer to play in Paredes de Coura festival!
05. Yo La Tengo - You Can Have It All - The North-American band gave a brilliant concert earlier this week at Hard Club in Porto, which I was lucky enough to be part of the audience.
06. Ecos Da Cave - Desejo - A lost forgotten it from an old Portuguese band that recently got back together to celebrate 30 years since their debut.
07. Blankenberge - Right Now - A new brilliant post-rock song from a Russian "bandcamp" band. Give it a listen.
08. Beirut - Gallipoli - New single from the always enjoyable Beirut.
09. Curtis Harding - Where We Are - A great blues with some disco vibes modern track .
10. Doctor Rockit - Café de Flore - I am really dreaming about summer and caipirinhas these last days. Even if the sun is not out here, it is inside my mind, specially when I listen to songs like this. A great track to enjoy a drink in the sun. If you are not in the mood now, save it for the summer.

And The Greatest New Of The Year Is...

Molly Burch - First Flower

Molly Burch is one of the most beautiful voices today. And also, one of the best composers too. She's fantastic. I heard her on the radio, with fool, and she kept my attention. Recently I'm listening her new album on repeat mode. First Flower was released on October from last year and it is super amazing. Wonderful really.

Molly has a very distinctive voice and way of singing. Her style could be a mix of blues, pop, indie, comedy and drama.
She can sing beautiful love songs without being melancholic, actually, First Flower is really uplifting and funny!
Once you start listening to the record you will notice the way she says the word "Baby" on the first two songs. That way of saying "Baby" is sensual, funny, attractive.

Candy is a anti-love song with a fresh melody. Again, the way Burch spells the words is artistic, is strong. It shows personality, a strong feminine personality.
Wild it reminds me something taken from a modern Kate Bush. The guitar is mesmerising,without being repetitive.
First Flower is the first romantic (a bit melancholic, always in a good way) song. The lyrics are great "Just like the first flower that blooms in spring To me you are, you are my everything". It is the song that today, I wish that my girlfriend would play loud when she sees me. A beautiful declaration of love from a woman to a man. I would fall in love instantly if someone had shown me this song. Too bad I discovered by myself.
One of the most beautiful songs is Good Behavior. This one yes, it is the melancholic wonderful song on the album. Molly's voice is superb. She goes from an almost falsetto to whiskey tenor almost in the same line. The outro is angelical. The poetry in it, the everyday lesson is also simple and amazing with words lie "I think I want to be better,  Better than you and all the rest, don't think that's quite possible, oh Let's all just try and be our best". One of the high points.
The rest of the album is in the same style. Very well written, very well performed and, mainly, very well sung.
Actually, there is a line in To The Boys that kinda resumes what I think about this album "I don't need to yell to know that I'm the boss, That is my choice,And this is my voice"
The finishing song is, as it has to be, the sentimental orchestral piece.

First Flower is, undoubtedly, one of the best album that I have listened for a long time and a true charming record that, I must admit, I am completely in love. And, I also must admit that Molly is also an incredible beautiful person.

Just go and buy the album!
 

Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow Review

This year I'm trying hard to listen to new music and to focus on new album releases.
Earlier this month, Sharon Van Etten released a new album called Remind Me Tomorrow. The new single is featured on this week's Strange Sound Spotify Playlist.

The album is excelent. I was not very familiar with Etten's back catalogue, only the most streamed songs, but this album looks like an improvement. A more mature album and a step forward.

The album has a big variety of sounds, form melancholic ballads to electronic pop songs until indie rock hits.

Remind Me Tomorrow starts with a sad and slow ballad that serves as an introduction. Then, two kind of dark introspective songs, with "Memorial Day" sounding like a long moan with the words "YouWill Run" winding through the instrumental.

Then, you go directly to the 3 singles chosen by Sharon to present the album. "Comeback Kid" is a fast, a bit catchy and a hard song. "Jupiter 4" is a spacey, electronic and emotional trip.

"Seventeen" is one of those song that you love it or you hate it. I love it. It's the most happy song on the album, an obvious single and hit. Very catchy, very radio-friendly, kinda sound like a hymn, a perfect song to celebrate love and the process of ageing happily. It's a lesson about how to make a good modern indie pop song. Perfect.

After the 3 single we enter again a darker territory. "Malibu" is a beautiful ballad, reminding something like Beach House with a fantastic dramatic synthesizer solo. "You Shadow" is OK, doesn't really stand out from the other songs. "Hands" is a very obscure song, one of those songs to leave to the end of the album, it marks, even if the production here is a bit distorted during the chorus, that doesn't really helps.
The last song "Stay" comes like a fresh air (specially after Hands) and it is a very chilling moment.

As a overall, the album is great. I could define it as a very good current indie record, sang by a beautiful voice. It shows that actually, today Women are really on the vanguard of indie music.
In 10 songs, it has everything: hits, melancholic ballads, chill tunes, electronic sounds, hard dark melodies. As I said on the beginning, inside one gender of music, it is a very diversified album.

It's the best album I heard this year. Sorry James Blake and Deerhunter, but Sharon wins.

Some News In A Playlist

I usually try to make playlist with some sense. Music news, new releases, something that happened in my life, etc. And it is a great way to listen to new and old music, with a meaning and with variety.
So here's the new playlist with the reasons why I picked the songs.

01. Sharon Van Etten - Seventeen - The artist just released her new album and it is great. Review coming soon.
02. Mac DeMarco - Chamber Of Reflection - The Canadian artist is releasing a new this year.
03. Geneva - Tranquillizer - The Scottish 90's band, who toured with Suede, are reforming this year for some shows and maybe will write new music together again.
04. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon - Everyone was excited about the red moon earlier this week. so this song kind fits for it.
05. DeVotchKa - Second Chance - Just randomly listened to this week this week and I think it is amazing.
06. Interpol - The Scale - The North - Amercian band is coming to this year Primavera Sound, both in Porto and Barcelona
07. James Blake - Are You In Love? - The producer / musician / composer release is critically acclaimed new album "Assume Form".
08. Ornatos Violeta - Coisas - The Legendary Portuguese band recently confirmed that they are getting together for the first time since 2012 for 3 festival dates. I already have the tickets!
09. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody - First time in years that I went to the cinema to see the biopic about Freddie Mercury. It is a great movie and a great performance.
10. Jack Johnson - Sunsets For Somebody Else - The weather is improving and expect some sunny days.

Porto Primavera Sound 2019

Primavera Sound is the festival which I most look up to.

First, it is (or was) my style of music. It is a modern city festival (without camping). The vibe is beautiful, people are beautiful, there is a sense of freedom and peace in the air. Wonderful. And it is in my beloved city, Porto.

During the last years, we had great great performances. Last year although, I was a bit disappointed. Nick Cave and The War On Drugs were great, the rest was OK. The lineup was poor.

Last week, the artists were revealed and disappointment again.

There aren't any big big number besides Interpol. Most of them are unknown to me and they even have some kind of reaggaeton day. What the fuck! Seriously...

The festival got so big that the promoters don't really care about the music. It will sold out anyway, their pockets will be full. 

This year we will be able to see not only Interpol but also Courtney Barnett, Jarvis Cocker and James Blake. The rest is bad or unknown. So many great indie bands around that could be hired and this is all we get...

The Barcelona festival, not only has all of the good names that are coming to Porto but also they got Suede, Mac DeMarco, Primal Scream, Kurt Ville and Christine & The Queens.

So, basically, this year, Porto is a cheap version of the Barcelona festival.

I know Portugal is a small country, and Porto is a small city but, c'mon, there was something special about Primavera here. Now, people will attend to the festival because Porto is a nice place, with a nice beach and with a better prize. They will come here because of the location and not because of the music itself. It's a pity. 

I didn't buy my ticket yet, and not sure if I will.        

James Blake - Assume Form Review

James Blake not only release his new album this week but also confirmed his presence in the 2019 Porto Primavera Sound festival. So, probably I will see him live next summer.

I'm not very familiar with Blake's past work. So, this is going to be a very frontal review, without looking back to his back catalogue.

First, Blake is, definitely not my type of indie music.
He is somewhere in the middle of indie, r n' b, chill, pop, a mix of all of it.

The album starts with the title track, Assume Form, and it is like a sweet dream pop song. Nice way to begin the album.
Then, on the next song, which is the main single, "Mile High" Blake, with the help of Travis Scott goes a deeper too much to the world of hip-hop and r n' b. Basic song, with some nice background sound but, honestly, nothing special, a bit lame actually. Don't forget please that I'm a man who doesn't appreciate too much rap music. The next song, "Tell Them" flows in the same line as the previous one, but in a more aggressive and complex way. Should be the single, in my opinion.
Into The Red,shows Blake in a more introspective way, and his one of the best songs on the album.
Barefoot In The Park features Rosalía, who will also perform at Primavera Sounds, and it's a more exotic ambient song, it's beautiful, Rosalía gives a fresh feeling to the song and to the album.
Can't Believe The Way We Flow and Are You In Love? are my favourites so far. CBTWWF is very summerish and AYIL is a sad and beautiful love confession.
"Where's The Catch?" has some strange jazz "contratempo" beats, but is too much r n´b for me, "I'll Come Too" is a sweet love song. "Power On" and "Don't Miss It" don't bring nothing particularly new to the album. The last song "Lullaby For My Insomniac" is a ambient chill calm song, good to end the album.

As an overall, the album is good. I don't think it is a masterpiece as it is being credited by most of the reviewers but it's a great album. Good music to put on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Again, I'm not a big big fan of this kind of music, specially the more "urban" songs but, if I liked it, someone who connects with this type of music most love it, so, maybe all the good fuzz around the album is true and, an album that for me it's only OK is a great piece of art to million of people out there.

Red Rum Club - Matador Review

One of the last playlists I did featured a new song called "Honey" by the band Red Rum Club.

I enjoyed the track, it had a rock / party feeling, something like Cat Empire. They are a new band from Liverpool, United Kingdom. 

I was quite curious about their debut album, Honey is really a great track.

I heard it last night and I was very disappointed. It's funny to write this now, following my last post where I said that I almost never write negative reviews. Well, here's one.

The album is poor. The songs are similar, and they don't follow the energy of Honey. It looks like they have a permanent trumpet player so, they have in every song the trumpets riff. Which is a shame, is something unnecessary, they should really cut off most of those riffs.

They are a British band trying to sound American Western, but, in most of the songs they end up as a mix of Ricky Martin with some bad american "pop/rock" band like Nickelback or Hoobastank. 

Also weird, the singers voice is a little bit similar to James Dean Bradfield from the Manics, so try to imagine Bradfield singing "sugar rock latino" songs.

Angeline, the album first song is pretty cool, in the same line as Honey.

Then things get worse. "Would You Rather Be Lonely" makes me remember the hit "Hey Baby (If You'll Be My Girl". "Hung Up" sounds like a floppy "trying to be" western song and "TV Said So" sounds like a floppy "trying to be" Hawaiian song.
When it reaches song number 3, you start really to think why there is always a trumpet doing the singers or guitars melody. You get that feeling, something like "oh no, not again..."

Honey is great, happy, energetic, wish there were more songs like that.
The rest is a mix of romantic latino songs. Calexico, Casanova and Remedy are, again, something Ricky Martin could have sang. The album ends with a graceless ballad. 

So, I'm sorry, but Red Rum Club is something that I will let pass.

The Terrible 1975

I know I'm not the most impartial reviewer. Most of the music that I buy or review, I, usually write very good things about it. That's one of the reasons why I don't give a punctuation to them, it would have too many 10/10 or 5/5.

So, to prove that I don't like everything today, I'm writing about a band that I can't stand. The 1975.

I never listened much to the 1975. I thought it was something that I had to do. It was appearing in many of my "recommended to you" Spotify playlists and I saw that the band won a lot of awards and nominations for alternative, pop / rock and indie music. 

Then, lately, I gave it a try and I was surprise how terrible the band actually are. Well, they were always on the front page of NME, they won the Brit Awards in 2017, they won best album for Q a couple of years ago.

How? How did they win that, and how is the press so surrendered to them?

Their music is awful, it's like pop music for kids, stuff like Justin Bieber or One Direction. 

More surprisingly, how can good press place them somewhere in Indie British music? There are so good artists lately, why are the focus all over them? How can they performed in Glastonbury more than one time?

 

Well, I know everyone has their own taste and everyone is free to like (or dislike) music but, in my opinion, The 1975 are just a successful band made by producers, managers and influences. They should never be tagged as indie or pop rock act. 

2019 Is Here And We're Back!

2019 is here, what a time to be alive, that a time to listen to good music!
Strange Sound, the blog and the playlist are back again. The blog is turning 13 years now, time flies!
Well, nothing better than to start the new year and the resurrection with a brand new playlist with songs that marked my 2018 mixed with some other that are super fresh in my ears-.
So have a listen to the next 10 songs that feature Ennio Morricone, Lea Porcelain, Girl in Red, Suede, Whitey, David Holmes, Molly Burch, Supergrass, Franz Ferdinand and Frank Sinatra!
More posts coming soon!
Don't forget to check also the Indie Pendence playlist (it gets together all of the songs that passed by Strange Sound playlist over the years) here: https://open.spotify.com/user/miguelmatosmonteiro/playlist/1Yx830GzBcfMCVDa60HNx4?si=YpFjUSE5S_69NYsc-rtl4w