Manuel Fúria - Os Perdedores

Manuel Fúria é um artista, curiosamente, quase um conterrâneo meu, o que me faz, sem dúvida ouvir as músicas de outra forma, à procura de referências a Santo Tirso ou ao rio Vizela.

Depois de alguns albums muito bons, lança-se agora, a solo num registo diferente dos anteriores.

O mais recente LP, "Os Perdedores", tem uma sonoridade muito mais dançável, electrónica e, em muitos momentos, mais alegre e feliz.

A música, na sua generalidade é menos orientada por guitarras e faz lembrar uma espécie de 80's modernos, não de uma forma nostálgica, mas mais de uma forma atualizada.

As letras são bastante pessoais (a música normalmente sai melhor quando se escreve com significado) e diria que tem como grande base dois assuntos: a memória/recordação e a religião, neste caso, católica. É um tema, talvez pouco usual na música pop/rock, no entanto válido e muito interessante. Acredito que, numa era em que o catolicismo esteja debaixo de fogo acho que seja importante ver a essência do significado de religião, uma introspeção e uma fé muito pessoal e própria e isto dito por mim, um ateu. 

O single de apresentação, tema "Os Perdedores" apresenta-se como uma das melhoras músicas do álbum. Extremamente dançável, num registo melancólico, com um super refrão cativante, e malhas muito poderosas. E como tal, mistura muito bem os dois temas centrais que apontei em cima.

"Bicicletas de Montanha", "Nem Fome, Nem Mundo" e "Malta Que Se Foi", Fúria recorda eventos, locais e pessoas do seu passado. "Malta Que Se Foi" não entrou à primeira no meu ouvido, achei-a demasiado alegre, quase juvenil, mas agora é dos momentos que mais gosto, a energia está lá, a letra é fantástica, daquelas músicas que um português ouve e tem sempre um sorriso na cara. Os amigos de Fúria devem sentir-se muito honrados por estares presentes na música, mesmo os que já se foram. 

"Blandina de Lyon", é um momento muito forte, e sombrio, relatando algumas dificuldades (ou catástrofes) sofridas por elementos da religião cristã. "Novo Normal" eu diria que é um certo relato das alterações climáticas, pelo menos foi isso que pensei ao ouvir a poesia. 

Diria que "Católico Menino Manco" seja um momento autobiográfico. Manuel Fúria pinta muito bem as suas recordações. É muito fácil virem paisagens à cabeça enquanto se ouve as suas músicas.

Todas as música fluem de uma forma muito natural, é muito agradável de ouvir "Os Perdedores" do início ao fim, quase que como um livro. As músicas têm todas um equilíbrio muito ponderado entre a complexidade (eletrónica) e a simplicidade do que é uma música na sua base. Fúria canta de uma forma sonhadora, com uma voz que transpira tanto saudade e melancolia do seu passado como alegria por ter vivido esses momentos.  

O album está excelente. Tendo por base uma ou outra entrevista que li, penso que este álbum seja um testamento muito pessoal e biográfico que Manuel Fúria tinha vontade de deixar e exatamente desta forma, falando de si mesmo, das suas cidades, dos seus amigos, da sua religião. 

Mais aqui:

https://manuelfuria.bandcamp.com/album/os-perdedores

Depeche Mode - Ghosts Again Review

 Depeche Mode just launched their comeback single.

The song is called "Ghosts Again" and is the presentation single ffor their next album, Memento Mori.

It is the first piece of music release by the band after the death of their founding member Andrew Fletcher. 

Although the song could be seen as a memorial to their former friend, all the album was written before Fletcher's death. Death, pain and suffering are really common themes on the band's back catalogue, so I would say it is a bit normal that their new single is about it. However, as Martin Gore said, the passing of Andy really gave an extra meaning to all of their new material.

Fletcher was a vital member on the band, not in a musically way, but, much more in a spiritual and balanced way. 

The song is OK but, in my opinion, nothing really great.  They have much better songs on the past, and, for example, "Where's The Revolution?" (the 1st single from the previous album) was a much more powerful song.

Dave Gahan said  that "Ghosts Again" is the perfect balance between joy and melancholy. He has a point of course, the song is too joyful for Depeche Mode. The keyboard lines, the piano, the melodies are too pop, their dark side is really missing here. the guitar intro is really simple, without a powerful distortion. The verse melody is also too simple, it's a bit basic on the flow of the instrumental. The chorus is more OK, Gore's voice gives it a deeper feeling. But I do have the feeling that this song really went on a extreme softer version of the band.

The percussion is also too artificial. I do miss their rockier times from the 90's, which seemed to be back on their last 2 albums. 

The lyrics are OK, although the verses are, again too simple, too short, the chorus is good, something like a prayer about the eternity on the after-life.

The video is also nothing special, a lot of meaningless shots of a skull walking stick, Gahan crawling on a cemetery like he as lost something on the ground and a never ending chess game deosn't really help. Although the fact that it is is black and white was a good move.

Depeche Mode are, and forever will be, one of my favourite bands from all time, but, I really hope that the rest of the album brings better songs.

New Placebo Music - Review

Placebo have release 3 new songs, that are a introduction for the new album "Never Let Me Go" due to release on 25 March.

It's kinda hard to now if "new songs" are singles, like they used to be back in day.

It's their first new songs since the 2013 album "Loud Like Love", an album that was a bit of a low point on the band's career.

However, the band seem to have found their space again. "Beautiful James" is a big anthem, with energetic keyboard riffs and a very very catchy chorus. It is one of those very simple (two chords) but very nice and direct songs. It's beautiful, catchy, emotional. A perfect comeback single and lyrically it is brilliant too. That romantic and dramatic lyrics "Take me by the hand, as we cross through battlefields" or "The silence in your hard eyes, is far too rare to give away" are pure poetry, the kind of lyrics that were being written back in the late 90's.

"Surround By Spies" is a hard and very dark song. It has some "English Summer Rain" vibes on it. The robotic and repetitive lyrics give the song that feeling like thy are documenting something very tragic and dangerous like a dictatorship or something that wants us to break free. Lyrics like "Dead fly on the national anthem" gives us even more that feeling, but again, all of the words of the lyrics fit the melody perfectly and, the song ends with a breathtaking crescendum, like a climax. A powerful song.

Their last single "Try Better Next Time", it's my least favourite song from the 3, but it is also, a good song. More commercial and a lot lighter than the previous two songs. The lyrics are about the horrible process of eating meat, a flag that Brian Molko proudly hoists. 

These 3 songs are promising, Placebo seem to be back to their old drama, to their old and own sound.
Let's wait for "Never Let Me Go" but these are good times for the fans of the band! 

Travis "10 Songs" - Review

 

I'm a big fan os Travis. I've been following them, album by album and I really like the band. One of those bands that never disappoint you, and keep their soul and spirit intact. Also, they are, already an aged band, stabilised, with this, just like hundreds of other artists, you don't expect that they release something really new, something really different and original.

First, the album title is boring. "10 songs" for an album with 10 song is just too much lazy. The band already done this in the past, with "12 memories", which was a much better way to give the name to an album with 12 songs. I can't create sympathy with an album title like that."Untitled" would sound better.

The songs on the album lack a bit of energy. Too many acoustic guitars and strings. The first too songs are a bit slow, guided by piano riffs. Particularly, the "la-la-la" on "The Only Thing" are really annoying. The lyrics are simple, but the music sounds a bit like a pop songs from Coldplay. They lack sound and speed. A bit forgettable compared with Travis back catalogue. 

But, those 2 songs, comes the best song on the album, "Valentine" has everything that the previous two don't have. Dramatic lyrics, electric riffs, hard bass. It's a great moment of music, I wish the album would sound more like this. Then, the next 2 songs, sound again like the first two, slow, and a bit boring. "A Ghost" is, again a good moment, a danceable one. Actually, this song is a good example how the band did a great song, acoustically guided by a piano riff. It looks like a story-telling song, with e a bit a Western feeling. Wonderful. "All Fall Down" and "Kissing In The Wind" are, again, slow, but this time more emotional, better ones. Although they don't compare with Travis classic ballad songs (like Luv or Some Sad Song) they are OK. 

"Nina's Song" is my second favourite song. Although its"sugary" and Christmas sound, is a gerat one. The chorus are beautiful with all the backing vocals. Again, this kind of ballads are funny and beautiful and don't make Travis look like a pop piano sensation.

The last song is a piano ballad. Ok but a bit irrelevant.

I love the band, that's why I'm being a bit harsh on this review. The album is OK but it's not the band on their best shape. Their previous works were far better and if I saw them live soon, aside from 3 songs, I wouldn't like them to play too much from this album. 

6/10 

Bicep "Isles" - Review

 

Bicep, the Northern Irish electronic duo, came to me when I saw them at Primavera Sounds festival in Porto some years ago. Typically, they aren't my style of music, although I've been listening to more and more electronic instrumental music. 

I would say that Bicep are very different from the typical "raves music" or the acid techno. Their sound is very very clean, you can listen to every different timbre, they don't overlap each other (like some of their contemporaries sometimes do).The riffs are mysterious, with a lot of keyboard work and a lot of songwriting, lots of melodies. Again, however there are really a lot of different sounds at the same time, they don't mash in a bad way, they mix in a very good way. You can hear every melody, you don't just hear noise. And, their trademark, and probably my favourite thing about their music, they have really strong background bass (check their most famous song, "Just"). Some of their songs evolve around the hard bass, and although they have high riffs, it's the bass that you search for. 

They just released their second album "Isles", it reached #2 on the UK charts (which is an extraordinary result for this kind of music) and it is facing very positive critical acclaim. 

The album is very direct in their style. Everything that I wrote above, sums on the album. Beautiful keyboards, a lot of melodies, very clean, all sounds very separate from each other.

The best track is "X". I choose it because of the bass. They are amazing, very very aggressive and strong. It's the perfect background for its industrial riffs. The singer gives a soft feel to it, but, again, the bass does everything, gives soul and personality to the song. It's the perfect example way I like the duo.

Then, you have very chill ambient moments, like "Sundial" or "Lido" which are perfect for a gin tonic near the sea. Simples and spacious. "Rever" and "Fir" are for some harder long nights. "Saku" is a bit more poppy, but it is also one of the best moments of the album. Funny, I said that Rever and Fir are for long nights, "Saku" is for a long long afternoon on the beach. The first 3 songs of the album are also not so aggressive, a bit commercial too. Songs that make Bicep opened to a wider audience, and thank God for that. 

As an overall, this album is perfect to be played almost in any time of the day. It give you energy in the morning, it relax you in the afternoon, making it the perfect company for a drink and makes you dance at night.  Bicep are probably the most interesting and innovating scene on electronic music these days.

7/10

Jonathan Bree - After The Curtains Close - Review

I didn't know Jonathan Bree before. I have heard about The Brunettes (but can't remember any tune from them) but Bree appeared on a (once again) perfect tip from Spotify.

His music is very charming, very mature. It matches perfectly with his deep voice. You can see instantly that Jonathan is not a kid, is a grown up musician, an aged musician, who keeps better with the passing of the years. A bit like Lou Reed or Johnny Cash. 

Also, his image is wonderful. Always using spandex masks, keeps a very mysterious feeling to his persona and to his music. 

But let's talk about the important thing, the album, After The Curtains Close.

This album is a great, typical, indie album, by a stabilised artist but, with two super important additions. Surround almost all songs and moments of the album, there is an orchestral, classical feeling that gives an uncanny and special sound. Bree mixed all of his attributes in a perfect way. Imagine this: a singer with a charming and deep voice, accompanied by a lot of string instrumental (violins, cellos, harps), wearing masks that cover all of his expressions, playing in a misty and cloudy night in the middle of a forest. That's what this album sounds. And it takes you to a place like that.

There is a song that is a total masterpiece: In The Sunshine. It's the most beautiful track on the album and one of the best things I heard in a while. Soft, danceable, romantic, mysterious. So beautiful. The lyrics are simple and direct. Like a love poem. Actually, the melody speaks so much for iself that it is better to keep the lyrics simple. The "La's" are amazing, gives you a dedep feeling of hope and peace.

Waiting Of The Moment was wisely selected for the first single, as it is the most catchy song on the album.The strings, the overlaid voices, the high bass, a great great song. As it should be, the closing and album-title track After The Curtain Close is another great song, my third favourite for now.

Then, you have a nice collabration with Princess Chelsea and Britta Philips (Kiss My Lips and Meadows in Bloom), although these songs sound like the most different tracks of all, almost maladjusted from the rest of the album. 

Then, you a have a lot of good tracks on it, some things in a "noir" and industrial feeling like "Children", "Until We're Done" or other more pop and conventional like "Cover Your Eyes" or "Happy Daze".

It was a great surprise to discover so late Jonathan Bree. He looks like a modern Scott Walker or Richard Hawley. A great album to hear. And, In the Sunshine, must fo directly to yor playlist.

8/10