Maximo Park - Brain Cells

I was driving in the car last night to listening to Zane Lowe and Greg James on BBC R1 and I was well happy when I heard Greg James announce about Maximo Park releasing a new album. 

The album will be called Too Much Information and it will be available on vinyl, CD and as a download.

The tracklisting is as follows:


1. Give, Get, Take

2. Brain Cells

3. Leave This Island

4. Lydia, The Ink Will Never Dry

5. My Bloody Mind

6. Is It True?

7. Drinking Martinis

8. I Recognise The Light

9. Midnight On The Hill

10. Her Name Was Audre

11. Where We're Going

You can watch their latest video for the release of Brain Cells below:

Building your Dreamboat

Building your Dreamboat.

Here's an abstract thought for you; Seems so obvious and something we all take for granted, but imagine being the first person who thought of building a vessel and sailing it down river. Or being Galileo, Darwin or Edison and coming back to Earth 300 years later, to discover that what you thought of as ground breaking, has now become so ordinary that no one really cares, and yet they couldn't do without it.

I wonder if they knew, when they invented their theories, how important a discovery they were? I wonder if Tim Berners Lee realises just what an impact he has had on the world with his invention of the World Wide Web, or if Stephen Hawking will be known in 300 years time for his monumental exploration into the anatomy of a black hole.

Have I gone mad? What has all this got to do with music?

Well, humour me for a second and imagine this... what if, just like the guy who first worked out you could sail down river on a boat, someone put all those scientific discoveries together and invented a way we, as human beings, made up mostly of electro charged hydrogen and oxygen in the shape of water, could transport ourselves down the Super Highway, using the Earth's own Magnetic Field.....
Mind boggling, isn't it?
Well, what if that then lead to super speed space travel using Black Hole suction technology? Ok Ok, now I know I've gone mad.

Ah, but, what if you used all the influences of all of the great songwriters of all time and created some amazing sounds and lyrics that completely blew peoples minds... Would you have a hit? Would you be appreciated? Would you have invented a new Genre? Maybe, but writing a hit isn't enough to make it a hit. Not in this day and age.

There are too many songs out there already, too much white noise for you to get noticed unless you cut your ear off and commit suicide by jumping off of the Empire State Building with a parachute made from copies of your latest CD.
Will people actually be playing CD's at all in 5 years time? Will they turn out to be one of those inventions that didn't last the test of time?
How do you know, when you invent something, that it will be important enough to last and become a part of our very fabric?
How do you know you're not just going mad and that the haters are the true winners?,
The only thing you can be sure of, is that the River is your journey, the far off bank is your dream destination and your song is your boat. It may crash on the rocks. It may sail on for a while before someone points out it has a hole in it. You might even build several hundred prototypes before you find your Dyson, and maybe even put all your life savings into creating your own Millennium wheel like husband and wife team Julia Barfield and David Marks. Either way, you'll only know when you start experimenting and exploring possibilities in your mind and in the outside world.

Graham Turner – Blogger

Whizba Music

Lily Allen's new single - Hard Out Here

Lily Allen's first UK release in three years.... Let us know what you think on our twitter page www.twitter.com/whizbamusic

Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions - Aberrant Jazz - Summertime

Here it is.... The third instalment of Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions with Aberrant Jazz covering George Gershwin's Summertime. Enjoy. 

Katy Perry - PRISM - Review by Charlie Holter

Katy Perry - PRISM 

4/10

Let’s face it, even a pop powerhouse of Katy Perry’s magnitude is going to have a hard time eclipsing the success of her 2010 output. The hit-laden mega record that was ‘Teenage Dream’, became only the second record in history to produce five number one singles. Serious business. 

Nevertheless, contractual obligations mean the wholesome princess of sickly sweet anthems has no choice but to attempt to replicate the success of ‘California Gurls’, ‘Firework’ and that other one about getting pissed and having a threesome.

The record plays it safe personnel wise, as Perry utilises the main core of writers and producers responsible for her first two albums (Dr. Luke, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco et al). This does not stop Perry from having a dabble in new musical territory, however, with a generous sprinkling of world music peppered throughout and a gentle nod to Americas newfound mainstream obsession, ‘EDM’. Both styles blend in seamlessly and sadly predictably with the sweeping synths and gridded electronic beats that are expected of a lollipop artist of Katy’s stature.

Two tracks that could do with a specific mention of their (lack of) musical merits are ‘Birthday’, with its homage of Daft Punk’s recent homage of ‘70s disco, and ‘Walking On Air’ - which is a pitiful tip of the hat to ‘90s dance music.

The rest of Prism has decidedly more modern influences and uses them to heavily comatose the listener throughout the record.

Nobody would expect terms like ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘forward-thinking’ to be banded around when discussing Prism. But you would think that after four albums (three albums in if you discount 2001 Christian rock record under her real name, Katy Hudson), Perry might have broadened her horizons a little more.

What turns this record into a real laborious experience is the lyrical content and subject matter. Where ‘Teenage Dream’ will be known for most number ones, Prism could well end up holding the record for most clichés used in an album. Ever. Lead single ‘Roar’ uses up its quota in about two minutes.

‘This Is How We Do’ is a stab at recreating the summertime haze of the likes of her past successes, and is a perfect example of the below par lyrical display (despite par not being that high to begin with). One particular lowlight comes in the form of: “Day drinking at the wild cat/sucking real bad at Mariah Kar-rey-oke.” Trying to illustrate the spacing of that last line in written words is impossible. It has to be heard to be believed.

The subject matter for the most of Prism mainly revolves around the concept of Perry describing herself as a Phoenix which has risen from the ashes which happened to be clutched in the cold, controlling hands of evil ex-husband Russell Brand. Then she flies off, forms into the rare, empowering and mythical bird she knows she is and into the skilled yet boring arms of new love object John Mayer.

The lack of hits in Prism is probably just a bump in the road for Perry. And on the plus side, she has assumed the role of motivational speaker to teen girls suffering with boy issues. Who knows – her banal lyrics could offer some empowerment to these young women. Gulp.

In Perry’s defence, she didn’t create the cash cow of candy-pop stardom; she’s just playing the role of the farmer - milking the teats until they run dry. 

Gaga: I was a drug addict.

Lady Gaga says she's been addicted to "various substances".

The Applause hitmaker has been candid about "numbing" her pain with marijuana in the past but in an interview to be aired on America's Z100 radio show Monday morning, the star admits she's abused numerous drugs.

"I've been addicted to various things since I was young. I Lilly pad from substance to substance. I can't get further with one so I go to another," she said, according to the New York Post. "I smoked 15 to 20 marijuana cigarettes a day. I would get high all day and perform on stage at night. I would never go onstage high." The 27-year-old singer cancelled her Born This Way tour earlier this year to undergo hip surgery after suffering a severe injury.  Now recovered from the accident, the eccentric star said it's a stark reminder of how human she is. "[T]here is an assumption that I. am unstoppable but the truth is I can break and I did," she said.

Gaga previously confessed she turned to marijuana to ease her discomfort during recovery. The singer said the pain was so bad at one point it was the only way she could cope.

"I was just numbing, numbing, numbing myself then sleeping it off, then getting on stage, killing it in pain, then getting off and smoking, smoking, smoking, not knowing what the pain was," she told British newspaper The Sun. "F**k if I know what hurts the most, you know? I would break the habit and it would sneak back in and I would break it and sneak back in. "Gaga has credited performance artist Marina Abramovic with helping her to get sober.

(Credit; Music-News)

Aberrant Jazz

November the 8th will always be a day I remember. 

I tell you why...

Because at 5pm I shall be filming this amazing little jazz group from Hastings called Aberrant Jazz. 

So the group consists of two members, Lewis Todd and Poppy Prescott who are both only 16 years old. 

If you listen to the cover of Summertime below you'll be saying 16???? Are you for real????

Well yes it's true, so please keep a very close eye out for the next Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions video in the series with Aberrant Jazz.

These are a duo who are not to be missed.

They are playing at The Brass Monkey on November 21st for Beaujolais day 2013 make sure you check them out.

Beve Finch.

Editor of Music

Whizba

Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions - Sam Calver - Chase & Status - Lost & Not Found

Thursday last week I was on top of the West Hill in on a beautiful sunny day in Hastings. It really did look stunning as I was looking down on the rooftops of George Street and peering over to Rock a Nore.

I love this town so much, it's so full of character and soul.

So I took out the camera and done some test shots and checked the sound to see if the wind was going to be noticeable on the footage.

Unfortunately it was, just as I was checking the sound the boys turned up for the shoot.

Sam Calver and a mutual friend of ours Scotty Watson from Ricky & The Hats.

I told them that we were unable to do the shoot on the the West Hill which we were all gutted about but we had pre-arranged a shoot in the new banging nightclub West Exit in the town centre.

So we packed up the gear and made our way down to the centre.

West Exit is literally the sickest club in the South East of England to date.

The lighting, the alcoves, the absolutely beast of a sound system they've had installed. They really have done a fantastic job bringing a 21st Century club to this historic town.

I reccomend anyone to go check it out if they haven't done already. They have an awesome lineup of DJ's and great events on every month.

The drink prices are pretty good too.

So for the second video in the series we filmed Sam doing a cover of Chase & Status - Lost & Not Found for Whizba Music.

Sam recently had a summer worldwide hit with DJ Paul Rudd - Wake The World Tonight which has given him a platform for bigger and better things in the future.

Keep an eye on this one fo sure ;)

Album Review - Sir Paul McCartney - NEW - Siggy Baylis - Whizba Music

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY

'NEW' 2013 ALBUM

Paul McCartney has spent a total 98 weeks at number one in his career. His current album called 'New' is his 16th solo album, which is out to purchase now. This is his first album of brand ‘New’ solo material in six years and it includes 12 new songs which he worked on with new collaborators, his single 'New' song is produced by Mark Ronson.

Having had lots of positive feedback while working on it, his main motivation for this album was his wife Nancy, whom he used to call up in the morning from home in the UK and play her his songs that he had composed while she was five hours behind in New York City.

His album is full of typical McCartney catchy lyrics and rhythms. I can't stop listening to it! The songs could easily be on Sgt. Peppers’, I wouldn’t notice even though it's made more than 40 years after the most famous Beatles’ album of all time, Paul McCartney does what he does best, he makes unforgettable bouncy tunes.

His music video for Queenie Eye shows that he has made friends and influenced a lot of people over his music career. The video includes famous celebrities including Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, Jude Law and Meryl Streep; yes, all filmed and edited with the celebrities in the same room at Abbey Road studios.

Paul sings the lines "I was nervous/But I did it/And came back for more" from the song 'Queenie Eye' on the 'New' album referring to the recording of Love Me Do, the Beatles first recorded single. In the original arrangement, John Lennon was supposed to sing lead. But George Martin wanted John to play harmonica and rhythm guitar, and in those days there was no overdubbing so Martin reassigned the lead vocals to Paul. Paul said he was "scared out of his wits". From listening and reading the lyrics, I think that Paul is commenting on life, itself. Life's a game. "Queenie Eye" was a children's street game in Liverpool when Paul was growing up.

Promoting his recent album, Paul McCartney has made guest appearances on television. These shows include The Graham Norton Show and Later with Jools Holland. After Paul McCartney performed his song ‘New’, Graham Norton said that his song was like a "wall of sound.....Brilliant!". He also performed The Beatles classic ‘Get Back’ accompanied by Jools Holland on piano on BBC Two's Later with Jools Holland, 22nd October.

Having seen Sir Paul McCartney play with ‘The Boss’, aka Bruce Springsteen last year in London’s Hyde Park…I can vouch for the fact that he is a living legend, even at the age of 71. He jammed with ‘The Boss’ like a 17 year old in the Cavern Club to pop rock Beatles classics, such as ‘Twist and Shout’.  Fireworks, cameras and screams. They twisted and shouted so much that the Knightsbridge neighbours complained and the police pulled the PA system.

Speaking about the ‘New’ track, Paul said: "We can do what we want, we can live as we choose." His album 'New' has been described as simply amazing by fellow fans that have been listening to the full album on YouTube. Sir Paul McCartney’s album reached over 100,000 views since being posted up just in a week as a Deluxe Edition on YouTube.

Paul can structure and produce songs with polishing ability with seventy years of musical taste and experience combined with the modern sounds of the 21st century. The songs include instrumental bridges and breaks leading to incredible and memorable vocal choruses and verses, which means that the album has enough classical roots. The ‘New’ song could almost be a Beatles Masterpiece, which will leave fans wanting more. 

By Siggy Baylis

Whizba Music