Back in 2010 a young MARINA DIAMANDIS jumped onto the scene with her debut “Family Jewels.”  It was here, with her first single “Hollywood”, we were acquainted to Marina’s distinctive, unpredictable vocals and her somewhat cartoon like lyrics.  Now fast track to 2012 and we see this Welsh singer/songwriter make a comeback with a new persona, a new ego, ELECTRA HEART, which so happened to be the same name she shared with her record.  Marina now found herself a new sense of direction with the hit “Primadonna”, and although a great album, it somewhat lacked Marina’s personality and talent but fueled more of the producers she had worked with.  

Following on from her 50’s/60’s American dream, Marina took on a new mission.  She soon ditched the big named producers that were anchoring her down and put all her heart and soul into a new album, a new concept, a new adventure.  By doing this Marina made what seems to be, hands down, her finest piece to date.  “Froot”.  

Marina has always been one for curve-ball lyrics and she certainly doesn't disappoint.  The opening track “Happy” is at first, an odd concept but upon listening to the rest of the album you can appreciate how fitting it really is.  We see a sense of aching, as if it were to be Marina’s last curtain call.  She becomes a character of a lost soul, sounding sad but singing of being happy, which is both resoundingly uplifting and bulging with despair, a fantastic contrast.  Each stroke of the piano keys gets more and more intoxicating as her vocals wrap around the notes, pure bliss.  Now the title track “Froot” explodes into the perfect juxtaposition to “Happy”.  Marina suddenly perks up and imagines life as that of a piece of fruit who longs to be plucked and saved from her on going loneliness.  Lyrically, she has written this song with an awful lot of metaphors which as the listener, is quite easy to get lost in, but if you have been a previous fan of her work, you will know this all too well, Marina has a way with words. The bass line, accompanied with the crisp beat and all the unique vocals you ever dreamed off, propels this song into a space disco belter. However, for me, the centerpiece of this album is “I’m A Ruin”.  It starts with a guitar reverb with very atmospheric vocals which soon sets off the pace.  This song seems to capture all the best bits of the album and blend them all into one song full of glamour, anguish and elegance, a real anthem.  The lyrics are very much so compelling and tells a tale of a love that has been lost yet there still seems to be a glimmer of hope between both parties.  This song certainly is a mixture of emotions that hits the listener from all angles but is suddenly softened by a dance vibe ripping throughout the chorus.  Again, another greatly captivating song and rightly so with it being the first single released from the album.  

The beauty of this record has to be its winning formula, its simplicity.  Having said that, there are points in the album in which you feel she has played it a little too safe in fear of the album sounding like previous records.  With songs like “Forget”, “Solitaire” and “Immortal”, it’s clear Marina has let past love hold an influence over her and her sound.  Not only is this be the first album she has both written and produced herself, but, undoubtedly this is MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS at their best.  If you’re stuck in a rut and need a good solid heartbreak album, this is for you. [7]

Words By Bethan Courtney-Jones

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“Making Loud Music Is A Must”…this is the ethos and primary aim for South Wales hard rockers PEACEMAKER DIE. Formerly known as BLACKBYRD, this super-group of sorts (consisting of former members of FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND and other localized bands), are looking to maintain the steady stream of quality alternative music emerging from the Welsh scene, and the 5-piece begin with their debut EP; “Chapter 1”…is this the beginning of a great novel, or merely a novelty idea? Let’s find out…

Starting off with “Time”, we’re immediately greeted with some meaty riff-work from guitarists Darran and Leigh; very traditional, old-school metal in sound and an assertive introduction to the band. Vocalist Phil Lye has a very unblemished delivery, resulting in a strong all-round performance and some superb hard-rock…

“Fake” cranks everything up a level from the word go, managing to retain all that’s good about the EP’s opener but upping the ante, it’s got more urgency to it and their sheer love for rock ‘n’ roll shines through clear as day; a definite highlight. “Walk Towards The Sun” takes a turn in the opposite direction with a slower and somewhat southern rock / bluesy inspired number, but loses no appeal whatsoever, and that solo into the key change towards the tracks climax is well executed. “Far Away From Here” keeps things ticking over nicely but is admittedly the weakest of the five tracks on offer, before we finish on “Last Man Standing”. Written out of Phil’s love of all things Western, it’s got some great layers of country inspired guitar underneath what is another solid outing, a good end to the EP.

 The caliber of musicians involved in PMD automatically discard any notion that this is going to be a poor outing, and with the five tracks presented here you get all the proof you need that “Chapter 1” is no one-off. Great debut; rock ‘n’ roll on Chapter two! [7]




You generally aren't given prestigious titles for nothing; for example, ELVIS was the King Of Rock ‘N’ Roll, MICHAEL JACKSON by contrast then being the undisputed King Of Pop, but they’d earned those titles, so, who would be queen? Well that position is currently filled by MADONNA, who at the age of 56 is still as relevant today as she was starting out her controversy laden career. Ever adapting to the industry around her, 2015 sees her release the brand new album; “Rebel Heart”. A fitting title if ever there was one…let’s see what her Madge-esty has been up to.

We start off with “Living For Love” which is the typically dance-inspired electro-pop track that Madonna does with such relative ease, it’s got a simple beat, subtle RnB influences are layered throughout and it’s a decent intro. “Devil Pray” on the other hand is a predominantly stripped back acoustic driven piece of music, with a touch of dub here and there. It actually works really well, and combined with the ever so slightly dark lyrical tone results in an early album highlight, a great track.

“Ghosttown” is another slower number but has a really strong emotive chorus that lifts the song, which can also be said for tracks such as the blissfully laid back “Joan Of Arc” and “HeartBreakCity”. There are the more up-tempo tracks too, naturally, such as “Bitch I’m Madonna” featuring NICKI MINAJ, and while we’re on the subject of guest vocalists, there’s the interesting inclusion of MIKE TYSON on “Iconic”…yes…THE Mike Tyson, the boxer…lends his voice to the track…as far as collaborations go, this has to be up there with the most random, but the track itself is a decent one, before we eventually end up on “Wash All Over Me”, a brooding, slightly dramatic sounding track to some extent.

Madonna may be getting on a bit now, from a pop-music perspective at least, but she’s still as motivated as ever, holding her own in a much more competitive market, especially with younger artists such as LADY GAGA and KATY PERRY all waiting in line to claim her throne. This new album may not contain any huge floor-fillers or instant hits like past releases, but it does hold a lot of solid songs that have been written well. Rebel Heart proves she’s still got a lot to offer, and the youngsters still have a lot to learn. [7]

http://www.madonna.com



You may remember a while back I reviewed a band called HYBRID 6.0…a Southampton based electro/industrial outfit who have slowly been branching out into the UK’s underground club scene, well, their guitarist, Jude 1:8, has branched out himself as it happens  and started up a side project of his own; ZEN JUDDHISM. The term project couldn’t be more appropriate, as his debut self-titled album sees him collaborate with a number of various vocalists resulting in a diverse offering of musical styles…artistic vision or lack of real direction? Let’s find out…

We kick things off with “Chocolate Cake” which seems a good a place to start as any, until you hear the vocals of Marlene Rodriguez that is…at the very best they sound no more than live demo quality and really rather off…which is a shame because the track is backed by some incredibly slick guitar work, it’s got a very classic-rock inspired sound and musically at least, is good. “Want To Be Free” sees Naomi Terry take over on vocal duties which makes for a pleasant adjustment, her voice is cleaner, far clearer and far more polished, however…the track sadly suffers from being really quite bland. “Concrete Beat” is a welcome highlight, with Marlene returning but sounding more in her comfort zone, the rhythm of the song and its general tone suiting her vocal style more so and it benefits the track greatly. A nice solo too...

“Heart Removal” takes things up a notch with a notably heavier performance by male vocalist Andy Thomas, but chorus aside, it’s almost as if he’s over doing it…it all sounds excessive. The track itself isn't that heavy, so really he’s just shouting a lot of the time and again, it’s a bit off, before Lord Lav takes the mic for “Clash From Oblivion”. More early 90’s hip-hop in style, it’s an interesting inclusion and at least shows the willingness to experiment different genres, eventually ending up on “Temporary”, a slow, slightly grunge rock number performed by Opkar Hans. Ultimately, this type of record is hard to put a finger on…Jude has shown here his passion for creating music knows no boundaries, as he’s prepared to dabble in a multitude of styles, which can only be applauded, but, and this is the project's downfall…he really should have chosen some better vocalists to work with. Musically, his guitar work that drives the album is fine, it’s those he’s collaborated with that have let him down here, and it’s a shame as he plays and writes well. [4] 


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ZenJuddhism

TV talent shows, you know the type…always drawing millions of viewers yet create uproar in the music industry; a controversial subject among opposing sets of fans and critics alike. Yes, on one hand it’s a brilliant opportunity to get exposure and have that chance of a record label contract, perform some covers on live television every weekend… it’s the easy way in, earn a fast buck, 15 minutes of fame then on to the next series and repeat, it’s a conveyor belt process. On the other hand, it’s easy to see why people are so sick of it…it’s creating disposable artists who haven’t really earned the spotlight, they haven’t put the hours in, they haven’t played the tiny clubs to next to no one for next to nothing, struggling to make a living. These are the real artists, yet, the war goes on. However, every so often, someone emerges from one of these talent shows who actually show’s genuine promise, and one of those people, is RAGSY. The lad from Aberdare, South Wales, appeared on THE VOICE, Season 2, and despite being knocked out in the elimination rounds, had a certain legitimacy to him, which is why today we find him still releasing his debut album; “Ouch!!!”…it can’t hurt to listen can it?

After approximately 20 seconds of nothing, the album gets underway with “Control”, which sets the general tone of the album from the word go, however delayed. It’s a soft, acoustic indie ballad with a light sprinkling of piano and some soothing string sections, all sounding very nice, but it’s Ragsy’s voice that sounds a little forced in places, could ideally do with taking it down a notch to suit the music itself. "Roll Me Out Like A Stone” for example, gets the sound just right, and in places has hints of STEREOPHONICS at its core; an early highlight.

“Give In (Desire)” and other tracks such as “Morning Sun” and “Turn A Light On” all carry with them the pleasant melodies that keep the album ticking along, especially the latter, again, utilizing a subtle Stereophonics influence, more so with the ever so slightly husky notes of Ragsy’s vocals, before we eventually finish up on “Feels Like Home”, which just like the opening track, takes forever to get going, which is quite frankly just a waste of time, considering there’s little that stands out. To call Ragsy a talent show reject would be harsh, so ignoring the fact he ever appeared on one, we’ll take this at face value, and really there’s little going for it either way. Sure it’s got pleasant moments, and he at least has the capability of writing his own material (he does show potential here) but sadly, feels like no more than background music for a coffee shop, for example. [5]


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ragsy

After already causing a stir with a selection of well-received singles, Manchester’s LEOPARDS aren't looking to be just another female-fronted pop-rock group…yes, of course you can make the common comparisons to the likes of PARAMORE and such; a hugely popular band and highly influential for female vocalists, so it’s impossible to escape being pigeonholed at times, but let’s brush that aside for now and check out their newest EP; “Future || Fate || Forever”…do the 5-piece have that sort of staying power?

The EP starts off with “Save Yourself”; you’re typically catchy, easy on the ears sort of affair that you've come to expect of such a set-up, simple melodies with the emphasis mainly on Jenna Clare’s vocals, and credit to the lady she can hold a note or two. “Promise Me” should appeal to fans of their Scottish counterparts ALTERED SKY, while “Take Control” and “Broken Family” maintain the somewhat by-numbers approach to the style of play, before we finish up on “April”. The longest track on the EP, slightly more stripped back to some extent, sorrowful but no less enjoyable.

Leopards are one of many new up-and-coming bands utilizing female vocals, and it’s great to see more ladies taking to the mic in such a male dominated world of alternative music, but whereas MARMOZETS for example pushed themselves that bit harder with their feisty, angst-ridden debut album, Leopards can’t help but sound run of the mill. There’s nothing wrong with what they’re doing, some lovely tracks here, but that’s as far as it goes. Still…it’s worth a listen. [6]

Web: http://www.weareleopards.co.uk/

Las Vegas; home of classy hotels, big money casinos and…dragons! Imagine that! Yes the Nevada based tourist hot-spot is home to IMAGINE DRAGONS, who in 2012 burst onto the scene with their now multi-platinum debut album “Night Visions”. Huge singles like “Radioactive” helped catapult the 4-piece into the mainstream spotlight just like their fellow towns-folk THE KILLERS, and it looked like easy money for them to be the next big band. 2015 sees them release that forever difficult follow-up album; “Smoke + Mirrors”…is it all just that?

We start up with “Shots” which is a relatively up-beat, soft indie number. It’s straightforward enough, with its delicate vocals and gentle melody; it’s a decent song but not one that’s going to excite as an album opener and really a slightly wasted opportunity. The title track is a mellower affair altogether; it’s a slow burner of a song, subtle hints of COLDPLAY littered throughout the track in regards to its core sound but generally rather ambient, whereas “I’m So Sorry” steps up with a more guitar driven delivery, sounding far edgier, an album highlight.

Elsewhere tracks such as “I Bet My Life”, “Gold” and “Trouble” all keep things within a jovial tone of sorts, while “It Comes Back To You” and “Hopeless Opus” ensure the album is predominantly relaxed, with the album as a whole being really rather on the easy-going side. Imagine Dragons may not be as ballsy as other indie bands; few signs of any rock ‘n’ roll aspiration here, but it doesn't stop them releasing big tunes. That being said, there’s little sign of any real progression here and ultimately you could say it’s a bit safe. If they weren't a big name already, this is an album that could find itself being forgotten about. [6]


Website: http://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com