Album Review - Sour - Olivia Rodrigo

Over the past few years Olivia Rodrigo has taken pop culture by a storm, from ‘Drivers Licence’ to her appearance in Disney’s ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’, the 18-year-old actress/songwriters debut album combines elements of the pop punk era to Taylor Swift’s heartbreak anthems. 

Reflecting on the young singer’s debut album ‘Sour’, this is probably one of my most listened to albums in a single time period, so much so that my ‘2021 Spotify Rewind’ was entirely her songs in order!

We begin with arguably the album with the most angsty teen song she’s written - ‘brutal’. Throughout this song, and the album, she pays reference to early 2000’s pop idols such as Paramore’s Haley Williams and Avril Lavigne. Although my least favourite of the album, the catchy chorus does become an earworm.

Just before its release, many fans speculated, predominantly on TikTok, that each song on the album reflected each stage of a break-up. However, Rodrigo manages to not follow the same musical tone throughout the album, which was something she was keen to achieve by not having the entire album sound like ‘drivers license’, the first song of the album that was released as a single in January 2020. 

On the release of the album, there was much controversy with Rodrigo’s writing style and some audiences questioned her song writing ability. However, the young artist has truly taken the pop industry by a storm and lyrically takes influence from her personal idols such as Taylor Swift. Miss Swift even makes an appearance on the album itself by contributing to writing of ‘1 step forward, 3 steps back’. The song also includes the melody from one of Swift’s songs, ‘New Years Day’ (Mcneal, 2021).

Moving on to discuss arguably her most popular song of the album – ‘good 4 u’. The influences of the early 2000’s idols are even more evident in this single, which no doubt has added to its success. In comparison to songs such as ‘traitor’ and ‘happier’, ‘good 4 u’ is the hard-hitting rock anthem of break up songs for everyone to scream their lungs out to. Briefly, an honourable mention is one of my personal favourites of the album – ‘happier’. The entire song feels as if you’re on a carousel with a sweet, dream like melody. 

Overall, Rodrigo has created an album that is sure to both cure and bring back some of the most heart wrenching experiences young people go through. As a result, her album almost creates a therapeutic way of helping audiences understand and come to terms with their feelings. I wish I could go back and listen to this album for the first time again because the grip it had on me was insane. I look forward to what the future holds for Miss Rodrigo and how her talent is sure to grow!

Liam Gallagher - Cardiff Bay - 15/9/2022

Liam Gallagher preformed at Alexandra Head, Cardiff Bay on the 15th of September 2022. This was to perform songs from his 3rd studio album “C’MON YOU KNOW, which was released back in May. 

Fans of all ages flooded into the sold-out arena where 10,000 of us waited for his set to begin. But before he came on to sing his new bangers and some of his old ones from his time in Oasis, The Charlatans took to the stage as Liam’s support act. 

This is an English rock band with 3 remaining members Martin Blunt, Jon Brookes and Tim Burgess. They started of the concert with a bang, preforming for around 45 minutes and this set list included their most popular songs, “the only one I know” and “one to another”.

After this the stage crew got ready for Liam’s set, which started at 9. So, whilst waiting for his arrival the crowd roared chants of ‘Liam, Liam, Liam’ which were probably heard for miles. But then as ‘F*cking in the bushes’ blared out as his first song, the astonished and in awe audience began following his every lyric, and he had the whole crowd in the palm of his hand. 

Liam was great with the crowd with my favourite line of his being ‘you’re going to see 2 kings this week and I am one of them, c’mon Cardiff, you know!’ And you can probably guess which song he sang next… yes, it was ‘C’mon you know’. This was then followed by more tracks from his new album, ‘Better days’, ‘Diamond in the dark’, ‘Everything’s electric’ and my personal favourite, ‘More power’. But he didn’t forget his classics from the start of his solo career and his days from Oasis. 

As he impressed the crowd with ‘Roll it over’, ‘Once’, ‘Cigarettes and alcohol’ and ‘Wonderwall’. (I would pay the full price of the ticket just to see that song live again… it was amazing!) And then just when we thought it was all over, Liam came out for an encore singing classics such as, ‘Live forever’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’.

So, overall, this was a great concert with a good mix of his new and old songs, the crowd were well involved, and the fact the concert was outside made it 10x better. So, I would defiantly see Liam again, even though the ticket was quite pricey at 75 pound, I think it was worth every penny.

Joe Jackson “Sing, You Sinners Tour,” St David's Hall, Cardiff 02/08/2022

Two years can be an eternity when the anticipation is so great waiting for the incredibly talented Joe Jackson and band to make a rare Cardiff appearance and It certainly proved well worth the frustrating wait.
Quite simply it was a jaw-dropping performance by The Man, who mesmerised a good sized crowd with songs both old and new in a quite stunning set, played at the highest level. accompanied by his talented band of musicians, one of whom, bassist Graham Maby, has been a stalwart alongside Jackson for most of his considerable career.

It was a rather Beatlesque intro reminiscent to the opening of Sgt Pepper's with a tune-up/tuneless opening breaking swiftly into 'One More Time' from Jackson's 1979 debut album Look Sharp, followed by the excellent 'Big Black Cloud' from his last recording Fool, a lost gem of an album.
New-ish songs like 'Fabulously Absolute' and 'Dave' slotted in effortlessly amongst the big Jackson hits with a deliciously acapella version of 'Is She Going Out With Him' (with just the bass for accompaniment) and 'Different For Girls'.

There was a break mid-set with Jackson alone at the keyboard. Jackson said that he gets to play one cover song from a band or artist that influenced him during a set and this time it was Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi', played in the style of a New Orleans pianist much like his hero's Dr John and Professor Longhair.

It was becoming a superlative evening with driving high-tempo versions of 'Sunday Papers', 'I'm The Man' and a curiously stylish 'Steppin Out' and frantic 'Fool'

Whilst there was no doubting who the boss was, there's no denying that the powerful and incredibly talented band that is Ted Kumpel, guitar, Doug Yowell, drums, and the aforementioned Graham Maby, bass, certainly played their part in an evening to remember for a long while...until the next time'

SETLIST

One More Time

Big Black Cloud

Sunday Papers

Dave

Look Sharp!

Fabulously Absolute

Solo (So Low)

Real Men

Big Yellow Taxi

(Joni Mitchell cover)

Kings of the City

Blaze of Glory

Fool

Sing You Sinners

(Tony Bennett cover)

Is She Really Going Out With Him?

It's Different for Girls

I'm the Man

Encore:

You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)

Steppin' Out

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Review Anonymous Iconoclasts live at Rhostio Friday 3rd June 2022

Image Martin Ashford Copyright

This was an interesting gig scenario. A personal invitation from Steve Johnson to watch a band he founded – The Anonymous Iconoclasts  - play their first gig for over two years at a completely unknown (to me) Cardiff venue – Rhostio in Crwys Road.

I was completely unfamiliar with Steve's band though I have seen him perform numerous times at an Open Mic Night in the Pipeworks, Pontyclun. I was aware of the name but not the music or the band members. My guess was that it would be worth checking the band out, as Steve is clearly a passionate musician. I was not surprised to see a group of mature musicians quietly setting up their gear in the fairly spacious environment of Rhostio.

The building itself was familiar to me. Once the home of Peter Noble's Instruments ( I had bought my first Marshall amp there in the 80's) it is now a cool coffee bar with an amazing roof terrace.  The audience was small but the vibe was relaxed. What would this band be like? A soundcheck of two songs confirmed that this band are serious professionals. The sound was crisp, not too loud and very, very tight. The Anons sounded completely together, fully rehearsed. Intriguing!

The gig started proper under very weak stage lighting (my only real complaint) as darkness fell outside. How could they see their instruments? I noticed that the lead guitar player Keyo was improvising really well on most of the songs – something I always enjoy and appreciate being a guitarist. The bass player Mic seemed to be playing quite simple parts but he also seemed to grow in confidence. Sean the drummer was very precise indeed and Steve began throwing himself around right from the start- a consummate frontman – something that I hadn't really noticed before.

I had no clues to what the songs were about but they were all melodic, occasionally searing and never boring. After a break, the second set contained even more jamming and the bass had been turned up a notch as I had recommended to Steve. Now the band were cooking and rocking out . An excellent cover of Psycho Killer led into one of Keyo's numbers with a long jammed out ending. I was rivetted.

The final number was written during the Lockdown and had very thoughtful lyrics  - this one was just Steve and Mic. Perhaps it was just too new for the others to get their heads around.

Overall I really enjoyed the gig and I loved the venue. More people need to be aware of The Anonymous Iconoclasts, a fine Cardiff outfit with great material on offer.

Martin Ashford 6th June 2022

The Four Owls 21/4/22 Clwb Ifor

Being such a big fan of Hip Hop, I am genuinely gutted I haven’t seen this band sooner. With DJ Jazz T coming to stage first to open the gig, showing off his impeccable DJ skills to a pumped crowd who immediately surged to the front of the stage as soon as the music started. Soon after he was joined by the masked men to open, and the fun began at Clwb Ifor Bach.

Starting off the gig with their iconic owl masks on, made it difficult at first to see who they were but one voice sounded so familiar to me but couldn’t for the life of me think where from. For the first couple of tracks while the masks were on, I made it a game to try and think of who it could be like a solo version of the Masked Singer. It must have been my confused look on my face which my friend picked up and shouted, “You know that’s Verb T right?”.

It was not just Verb T that I was impressed by though, but with the talented MC Leaf Dog, FlipTrix and BVA, they demonstrated how important it is to know not only their own lyrics but their fellow MC’s too because their timing was impeccable, and they didn’t miss a beat all night.

Wetting the whistle with a swig of beer between verses the group pushed it and got better and better as the night went on, so good in fact that about halfway through they had some of the crowd up on stage to enjoy it on a completely new level.

As the night drew on, the classics started to come but not before a brilliant scratching interlude reminding everyone how talented Jazz T is. It was now time for the last two tracks of the night, and they saved the best for last ending with Assassination which made the crowd ignite followed by my favourite track of the night Think Twice.

After the gig and as we took a quick browse at the merch on the way out, as is tradition, the Owls were quick to swoop in signing vinyls and t-shirts. A very nice touch after a very impressive performance. 

Jonathan Woolway

Alabama 3 - The Tramshed 14/4/2022

It was Alabama 3’s turn last night to fill The Tramshed full of funk and bass and they didn’t disappoint. Getting straight into it with Tranquilize Yourself Britannia, the harmonica build up from the talented Nick Reynolds was captivating and caught everyone’s attention in a packed-out venue.

And then it was time for the frontman himself to take the stage. Dressed in his traditional cowboy hat and jet-black glasses combo Larry Love made his entrance and the crowd went wild. A quick hello, swig of his can and he got straight on with it.

Performing a lot of their music from their latest album Step 13, with an altered addition of Whacked while naming South Wales place names in the build-up, I must admit I was quite impressed not only with his diverse vocals but that he had done his homework on where he was performing. (It wasn’t until after the gig that I realised that he was a Caerphilly boy all along!)

Being a huge fan of the hit series Soprano’s, I was very eager to hear Woke Up live but was caught off guard with it being played so early in the set that I was intrigued to know what’s coming after that, and boy did they deliver with my favourite song of the evening Have You Seen Bruce Richard Reynolds, a song that Larry gave way to Nick to perform which is all about the 1963 Great Railway Robbery where over £2 million was taken. A great combination of storytelling lyrics with a sensational harmonica chorus.

I was just about ready to throw the coat on and rush to the nearest kebab house when they left the stage, but my gut told me they were not done yet and to no surprise, they came back to the stage to perform Too Sick to Pay and Road Goes On to a very satisfied crowd.

Jonathan Woolway

Live Review - Bleak Soul - 17/3/22 - The Moon Club

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Bleak Soul is the project of multi instrumentalist and ex guitarist of As It Is, Ben Langford-Biss. After departing from the band in 2019, he announced that he would be performing under the alias ‘Bleak Soul’ and releasing single ‘Why Am I Here?’ demonstrating what was to be expected from future releases.

His debut album ‘Existential Meditation’ was released in May 2020 and included tracks ‘Death of A Stranger’ and ‘Exist’, following on from this his second album ‘Shouting With Nothing To Say’ was released in March of 2022.

The ‘Shouting With Nothing To Day’ tour is spread over six UK dates including Cardiff, London and Brighton with support from The Nightmares and Autumnboy.

Kicking off the night was emo rapper Autumnboy who currently has two EPS titled ‘Ghosts of a Broken Record’ and ‘Dead Flowers on The Windowsill’ and creating heart filled tracks such as ‘Nevertheless, I Persist’ and ‘Brighter’. There was clearly a lot of effort put into his performance and I will definitely be catching Autumnboy next time they perform in Cardiff.

Newport based goth rock band The Nightmares took to the stage next to perform a moody and atmospheric set. Referred to by Kerrang! As ‘coffin loads of promise’ the band has previously toured with Salem and James and The Cold Gun. Even with only singles out the band has paved a way for a successful future in the South Wales music scene, the song that stuck out to me was 2019 single ‘Dorothy’.

Then it was time for a stunning performance from Bleak Soul, supporting the release of his new album ( the show was performed with a full band). The stand out track for me was 2021 single ‘Learning to Cope With Living’, I have no doubt that Bleak Soul will be performing at large venues in the future with the potential that his live shows entail.

Bethan Stewart

Live Review - Paradise Now - Fuel Rock Club 10/3/22

Paradise now is a newly formed Pop-Rock band that emerged out of Bridgend in South Wales and is comprised of two brothers Sam Taylor, Ben Taylor and their long-time friend Nathan Beaton. With their shared adoration for hybrid music, they themselves began disseminating music that combined usually perceived contrasting genres which haven’t been intertwined before, creating their own unique and versatile space within the industry.

The members of the band belong to the Christian faith and have implemented a blend of worship and rock into their music which has shattered boundaries. Their distinct sound has gained them an admirable fanbase over a noticeably short period of time and their packed show at the Fuel Rock Club in Cardiff where they performed to a home crowd definitely showcased that.

They have recently returned from their first UK headline tour off the back of their 2021 album release “We Never Die” which was a complete success with every venue packed out with fans. 

Their performance at Fuel Rock Club did not disappoint where fans were totally abuzz eagerly awaiting the band to take the stage. The crowd roared as they initiated their performance with “Supernatural” their 2019 hit single that truly set the precedent for the rest of the set and completely exhibited their talents.

The gothic ambience of the club totally complimented the band’s vibe with the passion and energy from the boys not wavering once throughout the entirety of their performance. Their frontman and lead vocalist Sam Taylor hyped the crowd and was very interactive creating a sense of unique togetherness that only a concert can achieve.

Friends and family of the band could be seen looking on proudly in complete adoration which added to the already great atmosphere.  As they topped off their superb set with their most popular hit and fan favourite “We Never Die” the crowd erupted with cheering and praise before inevitably shouting for an encore as the band began to leave the stage. The band caved and sang “Young Guns” which was received a good response from the audience. 

It was a privilege to be in the crowd that night experiencing some of the utmost talents that the Cardiff live music scene has seen, and I am fervently awaiting new music from them in the near future, I hope.  

Leah Morgan