"Even an end has a start"

Xfm Winter Wonderland

O2 Academy, Brixton

17/12/2012

Indie radio station Xfm hosts this Christmas concert annually, along with its sister gig in Manchester, both boasting different line ups.  The London acts this time around were  a varied, but interesting group: Theme Park, Lucy Rose, Temper Trap, The Courteeners and Editors. 

We arrived in time for our favourite song by the first act, Theme Park’s  ‘Jamaica’.  It sounded good live, and their upbeat, summery sound made a change to the cold, rainy weather outside of the confines of the O2.  Their set was short but sweet, and the audience seemed to enjoy them, even if they were perhaps the least known of the five acts.

Theme Park

Solo artist Lucy Rose closely followed, a singer/songwriter who we were familiar with, but didn’t know much of her music.  However, she put on an impressive performance, with her guitar-led, indie folk songs being sweet but catchy.  Her band should also get a mention, for giving her acoustic guitar and vocals an effective backing.

Lucy Rose

Temper Trap were the only band in the line up who we had seen live before.  However, when we saw them last summer we were a little disappointed, not feeling that they performed to their full potential.  This time around they were very different, and it wasn't a case of everyone simply waiting to hear their famous ‘Sweet Disposition’, rather, every song was just as enjoyable and exciting. The band seemed to be feeling every note, and it definitely paid off in their set.

Temper Trap

The Courteeners were the penultimate act on the line-up, and the excited, mosh  pitted reaction from the audience was only slightly less enthusiastic than that for Editors.  Our favourite live song from the Indie guitar band was ‘Not Nineteen Forever’, due to its catchy, riff-infused essence.   ‘You Overdid It Doll’, and a selection of new songs were also very happily received by the crowd at the Brixton Academy.

The Courteeners

The headliners, Editors, led the night of impressive performances.  They began with their anthemic 2007 single ‘Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors’, with its opening drum solo getting the audience jumping straight away.  The 11 song set featured 3 new songs, and we both agreed that ‘Nothing’ stood out amongst them- lead singer Tom Smith took to the stage armed with a mandolin and impressed us with the song, even though it was our first time hearing it.  Partly what made the audience so immersed in the set was the energy and passion with which the band performed, which gave the already upbeat mix of synth and guitar even more appeal.

Editors

Overall, the combination of five Xfm-played acts worked effortlessly. Not only was it a fantastic gig for the music, but it also allowed the radio station to show the broad range of music that fits into the genre they mainly play- Indie.  Lucy Rose and Editors may both be part of this loose term, and yet they both have very different sounds; this diversity made the night.

Isabella and Felicity, OTJ x

Our Favourite Albums of 2012 - The Top 30

2012's been a fantastic year - both for us (starting up this very blog on 21st August) and for music - having been to 11 gigs this year, we've seen more live music than in any previous years! These have been some of the inspiration behind our Top 30 chart - here are the albums which have made 2012 a great year in the world of indie and alternative music.

Of course, there are several albums we would have liked to have added to the list, but we can't include everything! So if you think this chart commits a couple of music injustices, feel free to let us know what you'd change. Anyway, here's to 2012 - and let's hope that 2013 can match this year's abundance of amazing albums (though that shouldn't be difficult - with Foals, Darwin Deez, Biffy Clyro, Vampire Weekend and Everything Everything announcing comeback albums, and new talent from the likes of Splashh, Novella, Dan Croll, S O H N and Swim Deep to name a few, this is already looking promising!)

All the best for the new year,
Isabella and Felicity - On The Jukebox

Now on with the countdown...

30 - The Temper Trap
The Temper Trap

29 - Battle Born
The Killers

28 - My Head Is An Animal
Of Monsters And Men

27 - The Only Place
Best Coast

26 - America Give Up
Howler

25 - All Our Favourite Stories
Dog Is Dead

24 - In Our Heads
Hot Chip

23 - Observator
The Raveonettes

22 - 2:54
2:54

21 - Into The Diamond Sun
Stealing Sheep

20 - Port Of Morrow
The Shins

19 - Babel
Mumford & Sons

18 - Coexist
The xx

17 - Gossamer
Passion Pit

16 - Manifest!
Friends

15 - To The Treetops!
Team Me

14 - Shields
Grizzly Bear

13 - Family
The Cast Of Cheers

12 - Four
Bloc Party

11 - Come Of Age
The Vaccines

10 - Walk The Moon
Walk The Moon

9 - Endless Flowers
Crocodiles

8 - Django Django
Django Django

7 - Enjoy It While It Lasts
Spector

6 - Lonerism
Tame Impala

 5 - Life Is Elsewhere
Little Comets
Newcastle's Little Comets returned to the indie scene in October 2012 with Life Is Elsewhere. Having released an album the year before, many worried they hadn't spent long enough writing. But Life Is Elsewhere proved to be some of their best work yet!

4 - Beacon
Two Door Cinema Club
The NI-based trio returned this year with their gem of a sophomore album, Beacon. Packed with catchy choruses and energetic guitar riffs, this didn't deviate too far from the band's debut, Tourist History, but nonetheless displayed a more mature sound than in the previous album.

 3 - Oshin
Diiv
An obscure debut album from Zachary Cole Smith's (of Beach Fossils fame) new band, having received little publicity - but good ratings from music critics. Oshin celebrates guitars (which are a more prominent feature than vocals), bringing back The Cure-esque post-punk; a much needed revival.

 2 - Given To The Wild
The Maccabees

The Maccabees released their third studio album in early 2012, leaving a lasting impression on existing fans and new fans alike. A more powerful sound overall, the band have expanded on their previously more 'Indie' albums, and created 13 tracks of brilliance.  

 1 - An Awesome Wave
Alt-J (∆)
This debut album has deservedly made it to first place: it is refreshingly different to most current alternative acts. Each song tells a different story; from Breezeblocks, which depicts an obsessive relationship, to Taro, the story of a real-life photographer. This is, in our opinion, the number 1 album of 2012.

Isabella and Felicity, OTJ x

Top Songs of Autumn 2012

Days are shorter, nights are colder, scarves are warmer, songs are better. This post is a shortlist of what's been playing through our headphones throughout the autumn.

1) Best Of Friends - PALMA VIOLETS

Hailed as the new future of British rock, here's the fresh, experimental sound of Palma Violets. The critics seem to be loving these guys, as do we. They've already nabbed themselves a front cover of NME, and after a summer of festivals (Reading, Leeds, Psych Fest, Eden Sessions - that's right, you heard it here first), they're ready to take the alternative music scene by storm. Brace yourselves, readers.

2) Something Good - ALT-J (∆)

If you're after a brief summary of this track, the clue's kind of in the name. The latest release from (Mercury Prize winners) Alt-J's recent debut 'An Awesome Wave' combines afrobeats with oh-so-pretty-sounding piano-led instrumentals, which together with Joe Newman's smooth vocals create the perfect track to listen to when you're in a melancholy mood. Their upcoming UK tour sold out like hot cakes, and if you've heard their music before, it's easy to see why.

3) Friday Night, Don't Ever Let It End - SPECTOR

Bored of listening to the same songs about Fridays (believe us, there are many)? Here's something new to add to that particular collection - it's Spector, and it's excellent. Featuring the synthy-guitarry riffs hooks that Spector do best and an anthemic chorus that was made for crowds to sing along to, who's complaining? No need to even mention Rebecca Black.

4) Cough Cough - EVERYTHING EVERYTHING

Well hello stranger! It's been too long since we've heard something new from the Manchester-based quartet, but GOOD NEWS - they're back! 'Cough Cough' is the first single from Arc, the follow-up to the band's 2010 album 'Man Alive', and promises more of Everything Everything's enthusiastic indie randomness. Glad to have you back, boys!

5) Tightrope - WALK THE MOON

After that impressive performance at the iTunes Festival in September, it's hardly surprising that we're mentioning Walk The Moon (yet again!) Their latest electric-guitar-loaded release is quirky and fun; this is a song that's guaranteed to brighten up any bad day and bulldoze through those November blues. As seen in the above video, dancing like nobody's watching is highly recommended.

6) Madness - MUSE

A rather sharp contrast to previous hit and official Olympic anthem 'Survival', Muse's controversial dubstep influences manifest themselves here - but fear not, bloggers, it's all good. Riffs, reverbs and hidden relationship advice (see online interviews) transform this into a track which could make a MUSEr out of anyone. You converted yet?

7) How Do You Do? - HOT CHIP

If, like us, you've been long awaiting the return of indie-electronic powerhouse Hot Chip, you'll love this second single from album #5, 'In Our Heads'. '80s-style synths are juxtaposed alongside lyrics which look on the bright side of life ("A heart is not for breaking\ It's for beating out all the life that is to begin"). 'How Do You Do' will remind anyone will remind anyone who was ever a fan, of the reasons why they first fell in love with this sound.

8) Ayla - THE MACCABEES

It's plain to see that pianos are back in the world of alternative music, with the likes of Alt-J (∆), King Charles, and now The Maccabees bucking this trend. 'Ayla' is quite simply a dazzling display of melodic excellence, which for us secures a place for The Maccabees' LP 'Given To The Wild' in our Favourite Albums Of The Year (a very prestigious title indeed). Both heartwarming and atmospheric, you couldn't want more from a ballad like this.

9) Worry - LITTLE COMETS

Another brilliant sophomore album? There are way too many of these at the moment; all this good music is eating up all of our time! Most well-known for their songs 'Joanna' and 'Dancing Song', Newcastle's Little Comets show that the UK music scene is far from running dry - their unique take on "kitchen-sink indie" makes for very good listening. Note their use of pots, pans and percussion (hanging conveniently on a rope suspended from the ceiling) during their live tours - one of which I (Felicity) was fortunate enough to see! :)

10) I'm His Girl - FRIENDS

Who says feminism is a thing of the past? Friends smash that thesis with a metaphorical sledgehammer, with their feisty new song 'I'm His Girl'. Far from your typical generic love song, this track certainly packs a punch as it addresses the issues of equality and possessive relationships, with a degree of sassiness that even Destiny's Child would be proud of. What a song.

11) Life's A Beach - DJANGO DJANGO

After groundbreaking performances at Reading and Leeds, we were very excited to see what this brilliant band would do next. The answer? Chilled-out, desert-esque 'Life's A Beach', which you'll probably want to sing/hum/whistle* constantly after a couple of listens, annoying nearby friends/family/flatmates* in the process. They'll never understand.

* Delete as appropriate.

12) Endless Flowers - CROCODILES

To cut a long story short, Crocodiles is the sort of band which makes you question why on earth you haven't discovered them before. The San Diego noise pop outfit (who recently played at Rough Trade East, London) have a similar vibe to The Drums and The Raveonettes, and this track from the band's third album (of the same name as the song) isn't one you'll forget in a hurry.

Isabella and Felicity, OTJ x

"We rattle this town, we rattle this scene" (Anna Sun)

Walk The Moon at iTunes Festival, Roundhouse, London

It was our first visit to both the iTunes festival and London’s Roundhouse. As avid music fans (who would guess?!), we had both entered the competition to win tickets to many of the days of the month-long festival which takes place every September, and when we won a pair, we were surprised and very excited. 

Walk The Moon are a band from the USA, who are still relatively unknown, in the UK at least.  However, we discovered them a few months ago and were both immediately hooked on their music, especially our favourites ‘Anna Sun’ and ‘Next In Line’. 

Walk The Moon at iTunes Festival 2012

They were the support act of the night (although, in our opinion, capable of a headline slot), and had a reasonable 45 minute set.  It began with the song ‘The Liftaway’, which has a guitar riff which reminds me of Elbow’s ‘One Day Like This’.  Not that Walk The Moon are particularly similar to them- they have a much more ‘indie sound’, with their super fast electric guitars and upbeat, uplifting tunes, they are more reminiscent of Two Door Cinema Club.

We were the only people we could see in the crowd who knew the band, but we still sang and clapped along as Walk The Moon performed song after song with an excited enthusiasm. The key moment was undoubtedly their performance of single ‘Anna Sun’, which sounded just as good live as recorded, but with an added energy that only comes with live music.

After seeing them live, we would definitely recommend Walk The Moon, and hope to see them becoming very successful in the UK and beyond.   

Many surprises await you, in the basement, people, in the basement

Wristbands and coffee :)

 The day began early – we woke up when it was barely light outside, in order to be in Oxford Street, London by 9am to get our hands on the entry wristbands (of which there were only 400!). We arrived with plenty of time, and excitedly put them on, whilst drinking a much needed coffee after our early start!

The actual acoustic gig didn’t start until 6pm, but we arrived at the queue outside HMV’s flagship store just after 5 o’clock, and already a big line of excited Two Door fans (unofficially known as ‘Basement People’) had formed, all armed with copies of the new album ‘Beacon’, ready to be signed by Alex, Sam and Kevin themselves. We were allowed into the shop about half an hour before it all started, and found that an area of the building had been sectioned off especially for the event, with a small stage set up against the wall. As always, the wait for a gig wasn’t particularly enjoyable, but we were waiting amongst the shelves of CDs, so at least we had some time to check out what was in stock!


Armed with merchandise!



While we were waiting, with arms full of TDCC merchandise (two CDs – ‘Beacon’ and also their debut ‘Tourist History’, a DIY T-shirt emblazoned with the band’s logo and a rather battered copy of NME magazine), we were approached by a woman who had spotted the magazine we were holding. She explained to us that she was a reporter for the NME, and began to query us about what we like about Two Door Cinema Club. When she asked who the biggest fan of the band was, Isabella instantly pointed towards me (Felicity – I’m a big Two Door fan!). In response to the journalist’s questions, I described what I felt when I first listened to Tourist History (something along the lines of “it was like my ears were exploding – but in the best possible way”... hardly eloquent, but expressing what you think about your favourite band is a lot more difficult than it sounds!)

Before long, the audience started clapping and cheering as Alex, Sam and Kevin appeared from a stage door and took to the ‘stage’ – a small area at the back of HMV which had been cordoned off. They began their acoustic set with ‘Sleep Alone’, their most recent single to date, and the first single release from ‘Beacon’, which provided the audience with the perfect beat to clap along to (see our “Top Songs of Summer 2012” post for more reference to this!) Although it seemed that many of the audience didn’t know many of the words to Sleep Alone, they soon had the chance to sing along when the band broke out into a slower, folksy version of ‘Undercover Martyn’, which was followed by ‘Do You Want It All’, two songs from Two Door’s debut album which proved very popular.

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB!

These were followed by the catchy and optimistic “Something Good Can Work”, which left a permanent smile on our faces for the rest of the evening, and guitar-based new album track “Next Year”, which may have been unknown to many of the audience, but was still enjoyed by everyone there. When lead singer Alex Trimble (who you may have seen singing at the Olympics Opening Ceremony in London this year) announced that they were to play one last song, everyone anticipated what would come next. Upon recognising the opening guitar chords of “What You Know”, the crowd descended into cheering, jumping and even screaming; this song provided the perfect end to the set.



Photo © Indscene

After Two Door had put down their guitars and stood for a few press photos, they sat down and prepared to sign albums for the ‘swarming hordes’ of fans that awaited them (anyone who owns a copy of Tourist History should get that reference ;] ). When it was our turn, we gave the band, who seemed to us like such genuinely nice people, our merchandise to sign (TDCC proving that signing a T-shirt is a lot more difficult than it looks); thanking them a little too excessively and telling them what a great gig it was. It didn’t seem real that one of our favourite bands, whose music we often play on loop, were sitting right in front of us, signing the CD that we’ve listened to many a time, casually speaking to us and complaining to each other about a broken permanent marker. I guess “surreal” would be the closest word to describe that moment.

Sam, Kevin and Alex signing our copy of Beacon!

Felicity getting a T-shirt signed by Kevin!

Isabella speaking to Alex and getting a copy of Tourist History signed!

Still in slight awe of what had just happened, we were walking out of the emptying shock, when we spotted Pete Robertson, the drummer from The Vaccines, buying 4 copies of The Vaccines’ “Come Of Age”, also released on the same day. A brief chat about the new album led to a great photo opportunity – and we soon realised that this was the second member of The Vaccines that we’ve met (the first being Arni the bassist at the Eden Sessions concert in Cornwall). We’ll never forget our trip to Oxford Street on Monday, 3^rd September 2012, that’s for sure.

A picture with Pete!

Our Favourite Albums: The Drums- 'The Drums' (2010)

We're hoping to do a regular post on our favourite albums, reviewing each of them track-by-track, and The Drums' debut album, 'The Drums' (2010) is the first we're featuring.

After listening to the same old much-loved summery albums on a continual loop (Friendly Fires, Vampire Weekend, etc.), we were glad to add this to our collection of Songs To Listen To When The Weather’s Hot. Here’s our take on this refreshing mix of indie, alternative and post-punk, courtesy of NY-based band The Drums.

1.  Best Friend

The Drums waste no time with introductions – kicking off their eponymous debut  with their hit ‘Best Friend’; one of their best-known songs which depicts a hypothetical situation in which Jacob (The Drums’ guitarist) dies and his best friend Jonny (lead singer of The Drums) misses him, but eventually feels he has to move on. Confused? We are too. Nonetheless, it’s a good song combining an upbeat melody with deeper, darker lyrics; something which The Drums seem to do very well (this becomes clear as the album progresses).

2.  Me And The Moon

This is a great example of one of the Drums’ intriguing song titles- the track describes a cold, failing relationship as ‘is it me and you or is it me and the moon?’  The song strangely contains a section extremely similar to that of the single ‘Forever and Ever, Amen’ (track 6), but apart from that, it is a catchy tune in its own right, with the synthy instrumental section sounding very post-punk.

3.  Let’s Go Surfing

This was the song which first introduced me (Felicity) to The Drums way back in 2010. Two years and several hundred plays later, I still love the song as much as the first time I heard it. Its feelgood chorus and distinctive whistle hook, alongside carelessly optimistic lyrics (“he’s going to make it all better”, “I wanna go surfing\ I don’t care about nothing”) and harmonised bridge, set this tune aside as a timeless summer anthem which will remain on our playlist for many summers to come.

4. Book Of Stories

This song is definitely more of a grower rather than one which is immediately a favourite. It isn’t one of our top tracks on this album, but fits in well with the overall sound of ‘The Drums’.  The lyrics are very typical of the band, with the somewhat depressing chorus ‘I thought my life would get easier, instead it’s getting harder’, contrasting with the upbeat, catchy instrumental.

5.  Skippin’ Town

Singer Jonny Pierce makes the most of his vocal range on this track, jumping from high to low and back again when singing the introductory “ooh ee oo ee oo-ooh”s which are recycled at various other intervals in the song. This is a track which definitely relies more on technicalities, such as vocals and instrumentals, than on lyrics – meaning that it is likely to stick in your mind very quickly.

6. Forever And Ever Amen

This is one of our favourite songs on the album- it’s just so happy and really stays in your head after you’ve listened to it. The positively sentimental lyrics ‘It’s forever, baby it’s forever’ make a change from the sadder, more downbeat lyrics of most of the album and the song just wants to cheer you up from beginning to end. If you’re only going to listen to one of the songs on this album, I (Isabella) would choose this one!

7.  Down By The Water

It may be one of the more melancholy songs on the album, but Down By The Water is by no means a disappointment. The beat is a lot more apparent on this track, providing a slow, steady, defined rhythm to accompany the tuba sound and Jonny Pierce’s vocals. The result is a hauntingly romantic ballad which blurs the line between lullaby and love song (the Cure reference there wasn’t intentional, despite obvious similarities between the two bands which become clear on track 12 – The Future). This is a song which could make you smile, or send shivers up your spine, or possibly both.

8. It Will All End In Tears

Don’t be put off by the supposedly bleak title of this song- in true The Drums fashion, the track is not all you expect it to be at first glance.  It is hard to call a ballad, as, despite it being about a dysfunctional relationship, the upbeat guitars and enthusiastic backing vocals make this track yet another of the band which easily gets stuck in your head.

9.  We Tried

Another more sombre, heartfelt track from The Drums, showcasing once again that sad songs don’t have to be downbeat; We Tried continues to keep up the tempo, regardless of the fact that this is a break-up song. Here, Pierce describes his feelings of loneliness after the breakdown of a relationship – which he attempted to rekindle (“We tried\and we died”).

10. I Need Fun In My Life

The song certainly wins the award for best song title. It begins with lead vocalist Jonny Pierce singing ‘oh oh, oh oh’, along to the opening guitar instrumental- something he does in a lot of songs, but always seems to work.  The playful, nonsensical lyrics ‘I need life in my fun fun fun’ are very easy to find yourself singing along with, and even if you’re not quite sure what they mean, they go well with this upbeat and toe-tapping album track.

11.  I’ll Never Drop My Sword

Upon reading this song’s name, you might not know what to expect. Although this track certainly suits the style of the album and band, the lyrics are difficult to interpret and a lot of repetition is used – this isn’t particularly a stand-out track. The lyric “do you think that Jesus loves me?” is the band’s first reference to the theme of religion, which is a lot more prominent in The Drums’ sophomore album, Portamento.

12. The Future

I (Isabella) often think The Drums sound like The Cure, and this track is the one which I would say reminds me most of the gothic post-punk band.  This is not a bad comparison at all- we both love The Cure, and it’s great to hear a band which has this sound to their music, as it is often hard to find at the moment.  This track smoothly finishes off one of our favourite debut albums, and it is clear, from The Drums even better second album, Portamento (released in 2011) that they definitely do have a future.

#TwitterBands

Some of you may know that we also have a twitter account @OnTheJukebox for this blog.  We have a number of bands which follow us, and here is a pick of some of our favourites.

1. LITTLE NIGHT TERRORS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LILNIGHTTERRORS

These rising stars from Leicester, who recently played the UK festival Summer Sundae, have a fresh, alternative sound which is hard to put in a box (in a good way!). With their single ‘Pocket Rocket (Where The Light Is)’ proving very popular on iTunes, and a sold out gig at the O2 Academy Leicester to their name, we definitely think they are ones to watch. Check out their latest single ‘Young Lion’.

Listen to them if you like The View, General Fiasco and Various Cruelties.

2. THE CORNERSTONES

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheCornerstones

 

The band, from West London, are more alternative than indie, citing on their Myspace page influences ranging from Elbow and Kasabian, to The Beatles and Bob Dylan.  Their album, ‘Begin To End, Vol.1’ consists of mainly guitar-based soft-rock songs, which personally remind us of Oasis, especially the track, ‘Why Did She Leave Me?’

Listen to them if you like 90s-style alternative and Britpop bands, such as Blur, Pulp and The Levellers.

3. YOUNG ELECTRICS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Young_Electrics

Facebook: http://facebook.com/youngelectrics

The first band we thought of when we heard Brighton-based band Young Electrics, were The Kooks.  They play good old indie music, with our much-loved guitar riffs, catchy drum beats and wide-ranging vocals.  If we were to recommend just one of their songs, we would choose ‘Caught In The Rain’, which would fit right in live at any indie music festival.

 

Listen to them if you like indie and Britpop, such as The Wombats, The Kooks and Arctic Monkeys.

4. THE HUMMINGBIRDS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHummingbirds

One of the most cheerful bands we’ve heard in a while. The sunny Scouser skiffle band released their first EP ‘Talking Of Tomorrow’ in 2011, and are now releasing their third, entitled, ‘Break Your Heart’. Over the past year, the band have gained success with gigs all over the country, especially in their home city of Liverpool. We recommend listening to ‘Back In Liverpool’. Look out for their debut album, which they are planning on launching next year.

Listen to them if you like indie-folk and country-inspired bands, such as Mumford and Sons or Noah and the Whale.

5. THE SILENT SIGNALS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesilentsignal

The Silent Signals are a band from Philadelphia, USA, who have an alternative/ grunge sound whilst also drawing inspiration from more electronic music genres. However, guitars remain a central part of their music, including a wide use of bass guitar.  Their album, ‘An Emotion Picture’ consists mostly of ballads, but the type of ballad which builds up into a crescendo of different instruments, making a bigger impact.  

Listen to them if you like bands which combine, to quote The Silent Signals themselves, ‘Music + Alternative + Electronic’