Postcards - The Good Soldier

The first thing to say, and the most important is that music really is universal, specially today.
Postcards are a Lebanese band, from their capital, Beirut. A couple of weeks ago I was listening to Portuguese radio and they passed their song "Lights Out". I enjoyed it, used Shazam to know more about them and soon I discovered that, in this edge of Europe, in a small country, a radio was playing music from Lebanon. Isn't it wonderful? Doesn't it open a lot of possibilities and a lot of fantastic cultural exchange? I think it is beautiful.

Anyway, I went home and noticed that Postcards had just released their second album, "The Good Soldier". I discovered also that they had been touring with the band Beirut, among other things.
They had released their debut album 2 years ago, which I listened to it after the new one.

Postcards are described as a indie/rock, dream/pop band. In my opinion, it's true, but they are definitely a typical dream/pop band. If we had to label their music, specially their second album, I would say it lays somewhere in a dark/dream/post/indie. For example, imagine more complex, darker and lyrical version of Beach House.
It's funny. Most of the songs really have their dark and depressing tone like "Dead End", "Lights Out" or the title track "The Good Soldier" but, in the same album you can listen to another ones that really have a joyful and lightning sound like "Fossilized" or "Spiderwebs". Actually, when I first listened to "Fossilized" I though it was super great, the best track on the album, beautiful and it should be the single (and later i discovered that it is).
Julia Sabra sings in a lyrical way, specially in the ballads, that favours to get the nostalgic feelings.
Also, there's 2 instrumental pieces, some speed up songs like "Hunting Season", some typical modern pop/rock songs like "Freediving" and a lot of introspective moments.

In a resume, although we are still in January, I think that "Fossilized" will be one of my top song of this year and "The Good Soldier" is an excellent album by an exotic and fantastic band. Their interior sound makes you feel part of them, makes you wonder about life, about the beautiful things.
That's way I always preferred the dramatic and darker music moments on the albums, they connect some much more with you, in a special way.
Hoping to see them soon in Portugal. Primavera Sound in Porto would fit them as a glove.

Afternoons With The Blinds Drawn - Review

Brett Anderson's released his volume II of his autobiography later last year.

The book is a treasure for every Suede fan, and, I guess, a very interesting reading for anyone that fancies the inner world of 90's indie music.

Like Coal Black Mornings, this is not a book about "coke and gold discs". Brett, apologies on the beginning of the book, saying that this is the work that he said that he would never write. I disagree, Brett said that he would never write a book about his success and failures, in a kind of lists of chart performances and ugly gossip about people and experiences. AWTBD is a biography of Brett's and Suede's life during their first run, during their golden and darker years, but the writer doesn't really gives a chronological story of his life. He writes a sensitive prose, that most part of his focus are the inspirations that led him write this or that song. It's an introspective biographical romance of his life at that time, that describes what he was thinking, and how did he deal with various situations.

I guess that, the big difference about a biography and an autobiography is really seen here. A biography tends to focus on the facts, numbers, success, gossips, interviews, etc. An autobiography writes a personal vision of life, a romantic and flowery explanation, always with a internal weighting. Why did I do that and how did that situation influenced my life and my writing. 

Comparing to CBM, for not English native speakers, AWTBD is more complex, more difficult to read. Most of its chapters has an introduction, that mirrors Brett's songwriting, a beautiful and detailed description of something. 

I enjoyed reading the part in which Bernard Butler leaves the band. You can almost feel Brett's pain in writing that part, always very delicate in order not to be misunderstood or to be over-judging in Butler's reaction.

Also, the part when both Ricardo and Neil join Suede is a great one. Brett explains in detail the strengths and creativity of his partners, and I'm happy to say that he didn't leave compliments to say, he treated both of them with beautiful words. 

I think it's also important that the writer didn't over-explored his extincted addiction problem. He talks openly about it, but he is direct and cold. We don't need to make a fantasist tale about taking drugs, and how we should avoid them. That happened, I reacted this way, it scared me, it has reflections on those songs and on those moments of my life, I regret them, end of story. As, not only a Suede fan, but also as music and poetry lover, I'm much more interested in knowing the true meanings and inspirations behind the songs, instead of a tale of struggling dependency. And that's what AWTBD is about.   

The rest of the book, it's like a very long Suede song. You read typical Brett's expressions that can be heard both on his songs as well in his book, using very smart metaphors.  

I doubt that there will be, soon, an autobiography part III that would cover his solo years and The Tears era. I'm not sure it it would be such a good book and it's 2 previous volumes. Maybe yes, it would be interesting to read about his feeling on reuniting with Bernard and how did his romantic life settled and how did he became a family man, while is solo career was drifting apart a little bit.

Let's wait and see! 

Morrissey - New Single Review

As I said in the beginning on this year, Morrissey is set to release a new album with 11 new original songs. The album will be called "I Am Not A Dog On A Chain".

The first single is "Bobby, Don't You Think They Know?"

Morrissey is a legendary artist. Yes, with a lot of political (terrible) opinions but I'm not here for that. I'm here to talk about music, and that's what we should talk right now.

Morrissey has stabilised his own style, I don't believe he will, ever gain, write a turning point album. He is what he is, and his music sounds like that. Exactly the same way some legendary artists like Paul McCartney, Depeche Mode, Rolling Stones, U2, etc. They will continue to write marvellous songs but will never re-invent themselves again, and that's fine and good!

So, this songs has of course a lot of typical Moz here, the lyrics are, most of it very abstracts and non-sense at first reading (like most of the poetry) but actually, I have the feeling that he might be talking about himself. He is like describing someone that, in the eyes of others did a bad thing but "ah the pleasure you bring for us, ah whenever you sing for us". Morrissey is very criticised in press, so he could be Bobby, the man who did the horrendous thing, but, whenever he sings, his forever full audience will come and enjoy the concerts. Of course I may be completely wrong. The sing could not be actually sing, could be a charm for being forgiven. But I think I did had a point.

Melodically, dispute what I said in the beginning of this article, he does gives a step forward, in a not so comfortable jazz trait. He has the help of the amazing Thelma Houston who gives a really big flow and chill to the song, but also the instrumental is amazing. The hard saxophones in the background and the twisted piano riffs give a really big soul to the song. Makes the difference. And the length of the song (almost 6 minutes) gives space and time for everyone have their moment and for the listener to internalize with the music.

In the middle of all of this jazzy world, then comes up that typical and characteristic voice, that pushes you away from the little bit 60's jazz groove, which makes it a pop and commercial song.  

It's a great song, I'm looking forward the album.

I know most people don't like Morrissey, me, also don't agree with his political views and I found terrible and wrong his comments, but I also think that he is a depressing difficult person, that can't handle life very well. And the music press seems to focus only on that.

The NME wrote a terrible non-sense review of this song. It's bad that they can be impartial and talk about the music, and only the music itself. I don't agree with that and I honestly think it is bad journalism. 

People that don't agree with Morrissey political views, be superior, be diplomatic, and don't be the person that you are trying to fight, be better, and give people a chance to release their work and for it to be appreciated it, musically is good. Fight with peace.

Here's Moz's new single:

First Playlist Of The Year

The process of revitalising the blog, consists a lot in listening and writing about new music.
For that, my dear Spotify playlist called Strange Sound, where I add the 10 (almost) new songs that I listened on the last days, is essential.
If I have a playlist, I memorise the singers, the songs, and can always come back to them later.
So, here's the new playlist, the first of this decade!


And don't forget to also see the other playlist, Indie Pendence, where I collect all songs that passed through Strange Sound.


Cheers!

New Music For 2020

We are turning the decade. And, once again, for the million time, the blog is back.
2020 is here, which means that new music is arriving.
So, what can I expect, personally from this year? My wishlist would be very long and, boringly, it would also be very predictable. In Portugal, every year, when you celebrate the new year at midnight, you eat raisins and secretly, make 3 wishes. It my wishes would be about new releases I would then say, a new album by Suede, a new album by Supergrass and a very strong Primavera Festival in Porto (unlike the 2019 edition).

Let's then focus on the new music for 2020 that is already confirmed and official. What caught my eye? We'll have new albums by Pet Shop Boys, La Roux, Morrissey, Weezer and The Strokes.
So, I would say that, for now, these artists are the ones that call my attention.
Some of them already have their singles out there.
Keep an eye on the Strange Sound Spotify Playlist to listen to some of these tunes.
I'll be posting some reviews, hopefully, more often than ever around here!

Happy New Year!