2014 ROUNDUP

2013 was a year of some pretty hard-to-top releases: Peace’s In Love; Splashh’s Comfort and of course there is no escaping AM. 2014 has had a lot to live up to, but I definitely think it’s caught up with the successes of its predecessor. And, with that, here is my recount of a couple of things music-related in 2014, as well as a bit of what I’m looking forward to for next year.

Gigs

I’m torn between two for my favourite gig of 2014 – it’s either Drenge at the 100 Club, or The Orwells at Electric Ballroom.

I should be somewhere underneath him
Photocredits - www.tumblr.com

Drenge’s self-titled album is easily one of the most-played in my music library, it would be hard not to compare them with Royal Blood (especially seeing as they’re both two-man’s), but I actually think they’re better. The brothers played a relatively small show in May, attracting a youthful crowd that did not pause throughout the whole set, after being vamped up by Sheffield support, Avida Dollars. I am now reminiscing the moment when Eoin kicked me in the head mid-crowdsurf as a wonderful way to end a great set.

American rock five-way, The Orwells, were equally insane in November. I way prefer Electric Ballroom to the 100 Club, but I don’t think they sold out the place. Even so, this was easily one of my favourite gigs; the crowd were so excitable and supportive and I can’t remember a moment where I wasn’t both sweaty and crushed, or knocked on the floor. Lead singer, Mario Cuomo, even set off a fire hydrant on stage. They’re back in the States now, but I would 100% see The Orwells again if I can.

Albums

The Balcony, Catfish and the Bottlemen 

For listeners of: Circa Waves, Peace, Tokyo Police Club

Meeting Vann McCann after the small show in September
Also appreciate my dungarees they only cost £1 

I always seem to hear mixed things about Catfish. For a while they were relatively underrated and not a lot was ever said about their single releases in early 2014, but all of a sudden (post release of The Balcony) they dominated attention and have been one of the most talked about new bands of 2014. That’s all good, but it’s got to be said that they’re at risk of being ruined by radio – that is, overplayed. But there’s reason behind the hype: the chaotic layers of drums and shouty vocals in some of their most popular releases (Kathleen and Cocoon spring to mind) create music that’s made to be played loud. The baselines can get a bit masked by all the noise, but I don’t think that really matters for a band where the lyrics prove that they are meant to be enjoyed, not connected with emotionally.

The Balcony is a great release; the best song on it has to be Homesick – it’s one of the tracks that proves Catfish have the potential to be big.

Plowing Into the Field of Love, Iceage

For listeners of: Metz, The Wytches, Gnarwolves (although they might be a bit heavy)

Danish punk band, Iceage, made a great release in October with Plowing Into the Field of Love. They’re pretty grungy but the album isn’t at all depressing; if you’re only going to listen to one song, make it The Lord’s Favourite.

Royal Blood, Royal Blood

For listeners of: Drenge, Arctic Monkeys’ old stuff (WPSIATWIN)

It’s not hard to guess they would have to feature somewhere in a 2014 roundup. Royal Blood’s much anticipated, self-titled album lead to them selling out Electric Ballroom in under a minute (I was one of the unlucky ones, refreshing unsuccessfully at 9am), and since that they’ve announced o2 Academy Brixton, and now Wembley. Ten Tonne Skeleton is my favourite on the album, but the whole track list is consistently well-written, it’s not hard to see why they are the biggest British rock band of the moment.

Other Stuff

MOST PLAYED TRACKS OF 2014:

·         Happy song – Cameron, JAWS

·         Dancey song – Benediction, Hot Natured

·         Old(ish) song – Muscle Museum, Muse

·         Old song – Lithium, Nirvana

·         Sad song – Summer Again, the Wytches

YOUNG BAND: Jungle Doctors

London-based band Jungle Doctors supported JAWS when I saw them for the first time at The Garage, Upstairs. I hadn’t heard of them before but I soon searched them up on Spotify, and they’re really impressive. Their EP, Open Up, is well worth a listen: honest acoustics and a memorable chorus have made Dry something I now know all the lyrics to. Their new single, Can You See It, is also available on their soundcloud and gives a different vibe from some of their older singles. I missed their show at Barfly recently but I’m definitely hoping to catch them live in the New Year.

Other bits I’m looking forward to in 2015…

MY RECORD PLAYER! I now have a decent record player, with speakers, however so far I’ve only got the random selection of 45’s and LP’s my Granddad managed to find in charity shops (that’s everything from Solstace of the Planets to Gabriel’s Message), and my first purchase… AM. So I'm looking forward to now listening to my music on vinyl when I can (and when I can afford it).

THE WOMBATS RETURN… After getting over the One Direction obsessive phase, a friend introduced my year-nine self to the Wombats, which now I can say was the point where things took a turn for the better in terms of the music in my life. They were the first good band I listened to; three years on and I am still as big a fan, I’m ecstatic to be seeing them at the o2 Brixton in April. Since the release of Your Body is a Weapon, my hopes are set high for their new album Glitterbug, which is no doubt likely to be one of my most-played albums of 2015.

Glitterbug album artwork (or what has been released so far...)
Photocredits - www.thewombats.co.uk

Also I think here is the moment where I can show off that I won the Christmas contest for free tickets to any gig of my choice at o2 Shepherd’s Bush next year! I have never won anything in my life so was pretty excited to find them DM’ing me on Twitter to say that I’d been picked as their winner, and now I can add Wolf Alice to my list of lined up gigs for next year (for free!)