The only way is Depeche Mode

Close your eyes, feel the sweet taste of need on the tips of your tongue, the sweat pulsating on your forehead like a helpless vessel, your body a slave to the melodic sounds of eloping echoes deep into your eardrums in the darkness of your room. You lose all touch of yourself in the sensual glow of your candles, just dancing, dancing like a snake hypnotized by the notes of the flute. The song finishes, and silence screams like the bite of coldness at your skin in a breaze alien in the warmth. You need to replay the song, you need to hear his voice again, that growl like mustard on your lips, the gentle stroke of the synths easing you in to your demonic state like an alcoholic and their vodka, those spine shivering piano keys throbbing in your ears. This is Depeche mode, and this is a drug.

Nothing can replace the teeth clenching feeling of musical pleasure once you have heard the baritone purrs of Dave Gahan, the musical notes lulling you in to a daydream is courtesy of the musical God that is Martin Gore, the brains behind many of Depeche Modes biggest hits, and, if you are as passionate about synths as I am, just one listen of this bands songs will leave you in want of filling every possible silence with the reassuring licks of 'Enjoy the silence' 'Never let me down' or 'Black celebration'. Take a swim into the dark world of Depeche Mode with songs such as 'Blasphemous Rumours' where the dose of synthesisers is almost too much to handle, and the beat of those drums punching your chest into involuntary fluxes. Gahan's mutterings adding to the gothic element of a beautifully evoking song. If you are as enthusiastic about Dave Gahan's unique dance moves as I am, you will also be left salivating at the video for this record (he also has leather pants on!).

In a society that owes many of its (barely pleasurable) covers, with over 100 million singles and albums sold worldwide, in my opinion Depeche Mode is still kept dusty on the shelf, forgotten and ignored in a world so fast and in haste that they have forgotten the honey like aftertaste of good music. With 'pop music' in this time and age consisting of the moans of hunky but barely talented Jason Derulo, and his latest heartbreak and the chauvinistic mutterings of a sleazy looking Pitbull leaving me ashamed and self hating after listening, similar to the rush of guilt in which the pubescent teenage boy feels after scouring the latest babe magazine with tissue in hand.

Formed in 1980, blessing us for thirty years and counting, Depeche Mode have had forty eight songs in the UK singles chart, and twelve top ten albums in the UK charts, two of which debuted at number one. Who would have thought that a handful of Essex lads would be so succesful? Ignore this mind numbing stereotype of the ideological Essex zombie, put on a pedestal by ITV, this just shows that Essex is not a one string instrument. Crowned by Q magazine as 'The most popular electronic band the world has ever known' and crowned in my own heart as one of the most emotionally engaging synth bands to have truly created every song to fit with my own mood, I have yet to find a negative aspect to any of Mode's songs, and I believe I never will.

Already weakened by the gentle brushes of synths, the strokes and scratches of the guitar riffs serenade me into a comatic state of euphoria, with the sumptuous voice of Gahan kissing my ears,Depeche Mode strips me of my stresses, and covers me with a warm blanket of that honey aftertaste I was telling you about. Good music.

So lets not forget a band that has influenced many big bands of today, for example; The Pet Shop Boys, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, The Bravery, and many more, touching on the lives of everyone who listens, with their captivating provocativeness and leaving your ears ringing in submissive addiction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSKrC7dGcY&ob=av2e

Get some new Earphones

Upon reading the current issue of NME, and listening to some of the new bands 2011 has to look forward to, I got far too excited, and decided to practice my dream job, and analyse some musical proteges that will be put into focus in the upcoming months.

1) Four undeniably stunning, and sexy band members, VIVA BROTHER may purr like a cat upon sight, but when handed a few guitars, a drum kit, and a microphone, this band roars like the loudest lion that has been food depraved for as long as he can remember. Possibly 2011's latest addition to 'the kings of the jungle', you can almost taste the steel of the stadiums, lager, and the denim in the air when you listen to VIVA BROTHER play one of their songs, reminiscient of an early Blur, their debut single 'Darling Buds of may' showcases the rough and ready sound that elequantly rolls of lead singer Lee Newell tongue like he was licking an ice cream cornetto on a hot summers day. Fierce he may be, bluntly he may talk, he has the rock star swagger, the rebbelious 'i dont give a fuck attitude', but something tells me this guy lives and breathes his music, a passion that both inspires him, but also affects his no bullshit judgement to many of todays big names. According to Newell, Florence of Florence and the Machine is 'boring old warbling bollocks. She looks like a bloke in a wig.' A roughness that can only add to the sexy allure of that hard attitude of which the husky, growling guitar riff hums throughout their songs, including 'time machine' which evidently shows the effect Oasis had on these four brains of seductive tostestarone. This band, can only be big, they know it, I know it, NME knows it, its time he people heard something that defines an era in music of which as of late is lacking, forget all this fancy prancy pop nonsense, this band has balls, and thesefour men are going to rub these balls in the faces of everyone, thats how big they are going to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGk0byL8P-0&feature=related

2)I know i have just forementioned this theme of this emotionally flaky pop malarchy, but as the title suggests, get some new earphones, because you are not going to believe your ears. As Justin Young, lead singer of The Vaccines slurs 'we are a pop band and we want to be a pop band' however, there are no repeats of the bands names, or talks of how she loved him and he mysteriously and surprisingly broke her heart, it is just gritty, straight to the point lyrics carefully placed with a soft surf tune, and a minutely heavy bass guitar that sometimes bubbles to the surface and melts the blood in your veins. In their one of The Vaccines single's, Young asks 'what did you expect from post break up sex?' a question that makes the average young woman feel ridiculously female for sitting crying over how her boyfriend left her for someone else, and subsequently wipes her tears away with the sleave of a new woman, a woman who has finally found solace in pop, rather than be made to feel even more suicidal by the pathetic screams of a man's needy and squeesky voice recalling his own heartbreak. Get over the old pop, and make way for the new, no more pussys, this ones for the almost indies, this ones for the surfers, this ones for the folk, and most importantly, this ones for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGk0byL8P-0&feature=related

3) Love the Foals? Spend you mornings shaving your impeccable mustache to Vampire weekend? or how about brushing your teeth to Yeasayer? Well get some more love in your heart, there is a brother band for maths music fans everywhere, just waiting to jump into your heads and cause many new sensations, you never even dreamt of before. This milkshake of fast guitar whips, soft drum kicks, spine tinglingly spikey voice ranges fulfills the hunger for an energetic start to anything. Theres something about WU LYF that mystifies the mind, one minute you feel like you could completely stay in your bed all day and just listen to this band, not even wanting to wash, or eat, just feeding off the energy and optimism these songs provide you, and other times, you want to throw some tye died playsuit on and gayly skip to your nearest tree and make love to it. The whispers of the tunes this band bless us with, completely reflect every mood that could possibly enter your head. The mystery behind this band is also a very seductive element, they hold you back from reality, and therefore entice you into their dreamy world, you want to feel like you are flying? Sit back, close your eyes, and flick 'Lucifer Calling' on, it is a dream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGk0byL8P-0&feature=related

4) Born from the same womb of such children as Nick Cave and the Bad seeds, and The Raconteurs, Anna Calvi could inspire the weakest of Roman to his battle ground, with the fleurescent voice of velvet, and drum kicks that would entice the bravery out of a rock, theres something about Calvi, that is almost ghostly, the kicks of 'Moulinette' punches your chest harder than Mohammed Ali could ever. Anna Calvi may look like one of Robert Palmers ladies parading around in 'Addicted to Love', but she can sure as hell beat their asses whipping that guitar into shape she holds so close to her, listening to her guitar in I'll Be Your Man, makes you want to eat your earphones it is that delicious. Watch this space, theres a new female artist in town, and she is taking no prisoners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVZ4sdoqF6s&feature=related

5) James Blake. Even his name, sends slow, tingling shudders crawling down your spine. You know, you just know you are hearing something when you listen to this guy. He leaves you wanting more, hungry, and hell does he fead you. His soulful voice echoes from the back of your retina right down to the metatarsals in your toes. His songs just completely breathe in all the emotions you are feeling when you listen, and absorb them, its almost like a musical embrace, if there ever was one. Blake completely embezzled all lifes most powerful feelings into his album of the same name as his own, these feelings shoot back into his bloodstream when he listens to them, as he says how 'I have this intense gush of emotion', sealing the approval of all ladies out there that will no doubt be repeating the incident of a fan crying at how beautiful his songs were at a recent gig. Seriously. Intensly mysterious and emotional this guy may be, but hell, theres a lot of emotion to share. Its hard to believe that Blake created this album on his own, in a dark isolated room, just highlighting how connected he is to his own feelings, and entrancing the listener with his melodies, this one will be on the walls of many tean girls, pining after something to connect with, in the midst of their sexual awakening, where sex, drugs, and rock and roll is but a mere lifestyle, and this guy is watching over it all. James Blake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOT2-OTebx0

6) Mellow melodies, and soothing whispers, loud guitars, and cute little indie soundtracks to the summer. YUCK are a sweet little band from a sweet little place called Muswell Hill. Their album, out February 21st promises tracks such as 'rubber' with Max Bloom's guitar constantly growling at the listener while Daniel Blumberg whispers solemly into your ears, certainly something to wash away those January blues, and inhale the new air of 2011. A modern day The Cure but in their own right, 'The Base of a dream is empty' promises that this album will be constantly played in stores such as Urban Outfitters, and Topshop, who truly acknowledge that optimistic indie whisk that encourages the customers that because this song is cool, they are cool, and therefore should buy some of this stores cool stuff. However, this album is a jewel, and everyone should have a copy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpyWQqz7TJk&NR=1

7) You are in your early teens, boys still make you nervous, you cringe as the boy whos sitting next to you grips your hand with his sweaty fingers, he licks his lips, you take a deep breath, you know its coming, you look into his eyes, and you grin, because youve pictured this a million times in your head, you close your eyes as he brings his pubescent face towards yours, you pannic because youre lips have just gone dry, but in that moment, this intense feeling of elation magically reaches from inside, and you are having your first kiss. And whats playing when you do so? Chapel club somehow take you back to when you first tried everything, like when Archie slaps his victims in RocknRolla, these little beauties take you back to childhood, like a warbling baby, tears filling your eyes, your lips fluttering, and you realise just how old you are. The gin and Tonic of today, 'All The Eastern Girls' Lewis Bowman's London accent skates over the brilliant relationship of instruments that stregnthen the romantic musk that hovers around any Chapel Club song. Want a bit of romantic nostalgia? Get to the nearest music store and buy this hot album, it will amaze you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7NjFG_LBUs

8) One of the main reasons why Mark Ronsons made it back in the charts, is his new 'band' The Business INTL, one part of this is the woman jointly behind MDNR, her high pitched milkyvoice, teamed with her and bandmate Peter Wade's love of synths ensures that their songs are upbeat and finger licking good. This is one album to encourage, pop this on in the gym and youll be at your ideal weight in no time, the catchy tunes in 'C.L.U.B' will keep you on the rowing machine right up until the gym closes. Stick 'I Go Away' on in your classroom, and your balding midlife-crisis-doomed teacher will be bopping his wrinkly head to Wade's synth-etic dream, get it? Either way, get this album, and i bet you cant get it out of your head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89VHhFyHBPk

9) Spanning from Baltimore, Maryland, and currently based in New York City, Animal Collective is one band I just HAD to fit on this list, out of my own reference. Dream-like songs that tame your bad moods and send them to sleep somewhere, this band is on the midway period between Friendly Fires, and Guillemots. If this band was a complete person, it would probably have attention dephicit disorder it is that energetic, and yet mellowing. 'Bluish' sends you climbing to the highest mountain, and looking down at all those beautiful lights spreading out across the landscape, 'The Softest Voice' is the rush of cold air that kisses your face as you hit the horizon, changing your outlook on life forever. The forming of the band is as beautiful as the music they make, created from childhood friendships, it cements the total precision the bandmates have with one another, completely comfortable, enough to change the formation of the band depending on the song, they are free with each other as the music is free to the listener. The hippy-like aura this band posesses reflects from their love of LSD in their early teens, and from there, as they realised how much it positively affected their sound. Take this album with caution, because it could blow the socks off of a person who is not fully prepared for what they are handling, so buckle up, take a gulp, maybe a cheeky shot of vodka, turn some pretty lights on, shut yourself away from the world, and et voila, you are a 21st century hippy thanks to Animal Collective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zol2MJf6XNE

Greetings

I was sat in my room in my Uni halls, the end of my first year looming, and I realised, for the first time in a long time, that I actually had nothing to do. I was even sick of Facebook. So I decided to make a Blog, just to pass some time, and see how it goes.

I thought I'd start by explaining my love for music. Fresh, rogue-esque music. In particular, new young bands, you know, those ones that you don't have to fight to get to the front of the crowd to see them, and then after they have played their set they actually mingle with the crowd and you can chat with them. Theres something really magic about that, I mean, most of the bands you meet, you know they are going to be the next generation of epic bands, that will most likely be headlining within the next few years at some festival in the middle of Scotland. The energy from these gigs are spectacular, you can actually sit down with your friends when these bands are constantly in the news, and say, I had a conversation with them about how horrible Mayonnaise is. Its beyond bizzare. Ever since I was little I wanted to be a rockstar, and, even though I may have an Ok voice, my lack of enthusiasm about laying my synthesiser in which I begged my parents to buy me one christmas does not seem to be doing me any favours. Therefore these bands, they give me hope, and they give me that energy to believe that I can make it. However, for now I've got all these wonderful bands to see!

I thought I'd share with you some important moments in my life that have really been magic. I went to see my first gig in Blackpool. On the way to a family holiday my Aunt once offered to take me to my first gig, which she had perceived as some lame band that provided the world with nothing but cheese that would make ears bleed, but I wont name names. In my disgust at the offer, I told her I would never let her take me to a gig, unless it was The Killers, my favourite band at the time, however she was astonished..

This Aunt proceeded to buy me tickets to a One off Radio 1 gig by Zane Lowe, with The Killers, and I have never been more grateful. Stood there outside the Empress Ballroom excitedly looking into the building hoping to catch a glimpse of the band, I knew this was something I was made for. I was always passionate about music, and that buzz I felt waiting in the freezing cold for at least an hour, on the pier of Blackpool, I decided My future career would involve gigs. Whilst waiting to be let in this building, I got talking to a woman who had seen The Killers 8 times already, and she had been PAID to see them, and write about them for a music column. It felt like fate. This was what I wanted to do, if my silly dreams of being a Rockstar fell through.

A few years later, I was at a Foals gig, it was amazing, I'd never seen such amazing energy on the stage, and Yannis Philipakkis blew me away, I couldnt stop staring at him, he was just so electric onstage! The thing that annoys me with bands is that when they get to a certain popularity, they become commercialised, they have to write songs that fill arena's full of fans, provide showstopping stunts, and make sure everyone goes away happy. But I believe this just ruins the whole effect of music, and live bands, its not about the stage shows, the dancing, and the lighting. Everybody has paid good money, to see this band sing their songs, the songs that they have spent months slaving over, and basically putting blood, sweat, tears and probably a whole lot of alcohol, if not drugs in. Heck, we are only human. As I stood there hypnotised by Yannis, I realised that there are bands out there that refuse to be commercialised, that are rebels to the people in the music business that crack the wip on these musical genuises, and ruin the music for everyone. This is something I thought The Killers would never do, and then Sam's Town arrived, and furthemore Day and Age, and it broke my heart to lose interest in them, as I'd been their fan from the start.

Recently a friend and I received free tickets to see Sketches, Lone Wolfe, and Everything Everything at a Topman CTRL gig at a local social club. From the moment I walked in the place the atmosphere fulfilled the energy that I love so much, the relaxed, "I play music for fun, not money" atmosphere, and I loved it. It made me realise that there are companies out there that feel the same as I do, that they believe the fans should be allowed to speak to the bands they love so much, and spend money consuming the cd's they make, and the artwork they produce, that makes these bands so popular. I think its time people started spreading a wider word, that bands should ALWAYS make more time for their fans, unless they want to risk losing them. I am writing this from experience, as five years ago, I was a full on Killers fan, you name it, you bet I had it, I even had a magazine cover that had Brandon Flowers on it in the corner, that had to be shipped over from New York, Five years on, I switch the radio station at even a mention of them. Lets not have this happen to other bands and fans out there!! Lets stregnthen this bond between fans and bands!! I bet we would encourage a hell of a lot more new artists to come out of the woodwork.