Showing posts with label Adele. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adele. Show all posts
Friday, 30 September 2011
Adele: Someone Like You.
If you've got a set of ears on you, you would have heard Adele relentlessly over the past year. If you've got eyes you would have seen her gracing chatshows galore and the front cover of Vogue. And finally if you have a heart, you would have felt an ache in it for the 23 year old's songs of heartbreak. I'm proud that Adele is British. She has sold gazillions of albums all over the world, and she has done so without the gimmicks and marketing of Bieber or Gaga, she has done it on raw talent and emotion. This girl deserves everything she gets, and if she carries on, she's getting a lot, of everything.
Amidst her world takeover this year, British singer-songwriter Adele visited Paris and shot a music video for her heartfelt ballad, “Someone Like You.” The black-and-white, vintage 8mm-styled clip shows the 23-year-old strolling along the Seine river in a somber state and eventually focuses in on a close-up of her looking in the mirror while her love heads in the other direction. Adele’s sophomore LP, 21, is out now. Hypebeast.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
City And Colour: Royal Albert Hall
Just over a year ago I journeyed to London town, Kentish Forum to be precise, and witnessed one of the best gigs I had ever been to in the form of City and Colour. I expected it to be good, I knew the man had talent and had seen him perform with Alexisonfire, but I did not expect the performance I got that night. The power and emotion in his voice surprised me and ran shivers through my spine. A year later, I traveled back to London, but this time to an even more illustrious venue, The Royal Albert Hall, to see the man Dallas Green again. And the night more than matched the night in Kentish Forum. I was expecting his incredible voice this time, and I expect more magic, and that is what I got.
It was slightly weird as the venue filled with tattoos, piercings, fringes and skinny jeans, a crowd very much juxtaposed to the venue. This is not a place for Alexisonfire and City And Colour fans. Just being sat down as opposed to being jostled around in a sweaty moshpit, in such a venue, seemed a little surreal and even uncomfortable for most. This is the job of support, to warm up the crowd and get them ready for the main act. That night the support was provided my a new favourite of mine, James Vincent McMorrow, much more suitable than Sharks who had supported the previous year, and he more than stepped upto the mark. It may have been daunting warming up a crowd of Dallas and Alexisonfire adorers especially when he's very much in the same singer-songwriter category, but it did not show. James' voice was just as powerful and emotional as the one that would follow, you could feel the songs and lyrics. Boy did good.
Then it was time for Dallas Green as City and Colour. As he walked onto the stage with his band, the noise level went up with cries of adoration and admiration from the crowd. It was soon clear that Dallas only gets better. I hate to repeat the words powerful and emotional, but those really are the words that can't be avoided when you hear Dallas live. The set followed a familiar format, with band, by himself and then rejoined by his band of hometown friends. It is when he holds the stage alone that you get sucked into the performance, it's memorizing and intense. His performance of Like Knives (video I filmed below) was one of the highlights for me, he told us that it was one of the first songs he wrote and played it to his mother for her approval.
Between songs Dallas spoke to the crowd with his usual shyness and humanity (saying "it's not me up here and you down there, we're all here together"), yet he proved he has wit and humor to match many. (As he asked for the house lights to be turned on to see the venue and crowd someone yelled "I've got an erection!", only for Dallas to reply "Well it's taken 9 songs to find the funny guy in the audience".) There was one stage, just before Body In A Box, where he asked the crowd to put away their phones and cameras, just for one song. Not because he had a problem with people filming or taking pictures, but because he felt that everyone tries so hard to make memories on an event, they forget to enjoy the event as it happens. Very true. He then apologised for sounding like a Dad. His setlist was a perfect mix of some of his earliest songs to tracks of his new album, out in June. Although one of the surprises of the night was his cover of Adele's Hometown Glory (below). Covers are often overused, and just seem like they are performed for the sake of it. However this cover seemed perfect, Dallas even said he wish he had written the song himself, not just in terms of a match of incredible voices but you could feel Dallas sing the lyrics, though it not his own song.
The gig could have gone on and no one would have minded apart from the Albert Hall staff, though there are worse ways to be earn a living than watch Dallas, but it had to end at some point. Even in the encore Dallas surprised the crowd with his song choices. He turned the end of Comin' Home into James Blake's Wilhelm Scream, a nice touch. And he then sat down at a piano for the first time that evening and performed a "sort of cover", Happiness By The Kilowatt, by his other band Alexisonfire (below). It was a special moment to see him draw on a song he helped write so many years ago, for a band so different to his solo performance, to end a special night. It's hard not to love Dallas Green, he's talented, emotional, funny, shy and humble and puts on a wonderful night on a consistent basis it would seem. I simple can't wait for him to come back this autumn.
It was slightly weird as the venue filled with tattoos, piercings, fringes and skinny jeans, a crowd very much juxtaposed to the venue. This is not a place for Alexisonfire and City And Colour fans. Just being sat down as opposed to being jostled around in a sweaty moshpit, in such a venue, seemed a little surreal and even uncomfortable for most. This is the job of support, to warm up the crowd and get them ready for the main act. That night the support was provided my a new favourite of mine, James Vincent McMorrow, much more suitable than Sharks who had supported the previous year, and he more than stepped upto the mark. It may have been daunting warming up a crowd of Dallas and Alexisonfire adorers especially when he's very much in the same singer-songwriter category, but it did not show. James' voice was just as powerful and emotional as the one that would follow, you could feel the songs and lyrics. Boy did good.
Then it was time for Dallas Green as City and Colour. As he walked onto the stage with his band, the noise level went up with cries of adoration and admiration from the crowd. It was soon clear that Dallas only gets better. I hate to repeat the words powerful and emotional, but those really are the words that can't be avoided when you hear Dallas live. The set followed a familiar format, with band, by himself and then rejoined by his band of hometown friends. It is when he holds the stage alone that you get sucked into the performance, it's memorizing and intense. His performance of Like Knives (video I filmed below) was one of the highlights for me, he told us that it was one of the first songs he wrote and played it to his mother for her approval.
Between songs Dallas spoke to the crowd with his usual shyness and humanity (saying "it's not me up here and you down there, we're all here together"), yet he proved he has wit and humor to match many. (As he asked for the house lights to be turned on to see the venue and crowd someone yelled "I've got an erection!", only for Dallas to reply "Well it's taken 9 songs to find the funny guy in the audience".) There was one stage, just before Body In A Box, where he asked the crowd to put away their phones and cameras, just for one song. Not because he had a problem with people filming or taking pictures, but because he felt that everyone tries so hard to make memories on an event, they forget to enjoy the event as it happens. Very true. He then apologised for sounding like a Dad. His setlist was a perfect mix of some of his earliest songs to tracks of his new album, out in June. Although one of the surprises of the night was his cover of Adele's Hometown Glory (below). Covers are often overused, and just seem like they are performed for the sake of it. However this cover seemed perfect, Dallas even said he wish he had written the song himself, not just in terms of a match of incredible voices but you could feel Dallas sing the lyrics, though it not his own song.
The gig could have gone on and no one would have minded apart from the Albert Hall staff, though there are worse ways to be earn a living than watch Dallas, but it had to end at some point. Even in the encore Dallas surprised the crowd with his song choices. He turned the end of Comin' Home into James Blake's Wilhelm Scream, a nice touch. And he then sat down at a piano for the first time that evening and performed a "sort of cover", Happiness By The Kilowatt, by his other band Alexisonfire (below). It was a special moment to see him draw on a song he helped write so many years ago, for a band so different to his solo performance, to end a special night. It's hard not to love Dallas Green, he's talented, emotional, funny, shy and humble and puts on a wonderful night on a consistent basis it would seem. I simple can't wait for him to come back this autumn.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Adele.
Despite all the dancers, fireworks, explosions and lights that accompanied the likes of Rihanna and Take That at last night's Brit Awards, it was the simplest performance that stood head and shoulders above the rest. Adele. I will try not to over-exaggerate, but her performance was incredible. It felt like the country stood still and she powered her way through Someone Like You. It was heart-felt, passionate and spine-tingling. See for yourself.
Monday, 17 January 2011
Music Monday 35.
Heeeeeerrrrrrrreeeeee iiiiiiiiittttt gggggoooooooeeeeeeeessssssss!!
Kanye West & Jay-Z - H.A.M
Two of the biggest hip hop artists in the world combining to create an album called Watch The Throne was always going to be highly anticipated. The expectations are high, super high. Although they are entirely justified after Kanye's incredible 2010 with his G.O.O.D Fridays and MBDTF and Jay Z just being just about as big as any artist ever and still at the top of his game. Then last week, a track was leaked/released, the internet went wild, everyone listened, and then everyone went..."oh, is that it?". This track is trying too hard all the way through, it wants to be dark and epic, but it just isnt't, it's desperate. Jay Z's performance is probably the only saving grace in it, we expected more Yezzy and Hov. Try again please.
Lil Wayne - 6 Foot 7 Foot
I've got to admit, I've never given Lil Wayne a big listen, his voice tends to grate on me somewhat. However his first track since his incarceration has caught my attention. It's aggressive and in your face, it's got a solid rhythm and beats but most importantly it's got Lil Wayne's lyrics in full flow. It's ridiculous. Listen to him spit his way through this track and simply appreciate.
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
A change of direction here somewhat, but in an equally good one. The much anticipated album from Lykke Li is soon to upon us and this is the second single. This girls sticks to what she knows best, a great voice, a poppy and catchy tune over some indie beats. A solid combination.
Adele - Rolling In The Deep (Jamie xx Remix)
Wow, this is pretty cool. Jamie XX from, err, The XX has recently turned his tricks to remixing and producing songs, and this songs proves it was a very well thought move. It looks like there's some exciting stuff to come from this man, namely a team up with Drake, also check out his work with the legendary Gil Scott Heron. But this remix of Adele will more than do for now. It's great to see two of Britain's top musical talents combining.
Kanye West & Jay-Z - H.A.M
Two of the biggest hip hop artists in the world combining to create an album called Watch The Throne was always going to be highly anticipated. The expectations are high, super high. Although they are entirely justified after Kanye's incredible 2010 with his G.O.O.D Fridays and MBDTF and Jay Z just being just about as big as any artist ever and still at the top of his game. Then last week, a track was leaked/released, the internet went wild, everyone listened, and then everyone went..."oh, is that it?". This track is trying too hard all the way through, it wants to be dark and epic, but it just isnt't, it's desperate. Jay Z's performance is probably the only saving grace in it, we expected more Yezzy and Hov. Try again please.
Lil Wayne - 6 Foot 7 Foot
I've got to admit, I've never given Lil Wayne a big listen, his voice tends to grate on me somewhat. However his first track since his incarceration has caught my attention. It's aggressive and in your face, it's got a solid rhythm and beats but most importantly it's got Lil Wayne's lyrics in full flow. It's ridiculous. Listen to him spit his way through this track and simply appreciate.
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
A change of direction here somewhat, but in an equally good one. The much anticipated album from Lykke Li is soon to upon us and this is the second single. This girls sticks to what she knows best, a great voice, a poppy and catchy tune over some indie beats. A solid combination.
Adele - Rolling In The Deep (Jamie xx Remix)
Wow, this is pretty cool. Jamie XX from, err, The XX has recently turned his tricks to remixing and producing songs, and this songs proves it was a very well thought move. It looks like there's some exciting stuff to come from this man, namely a team up with Drake, also check out his work with the legendary Gil Scott Heron. But this remix of Adele will more than do for now. It's great to see two of Britain's top musical talents combining.
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