It’s been a long time coming, but the world has finally readied itself for Little May. Having toured the world, delivering spellbinding performances to audiences with their harmony-laden melodies and well-beyond-their-years songwriting, this week has finally seen the release of their debut album For The Company.
This is the kind of album you can listen to on a daily basis. Produced by The National‘s Aaron Brooking Dessner, it is a demanding, haunting and thoroughly beautiful 11-track offering (plus bonus track, Hide, from self-titled 2014 EP). It’s easy to see why they’ve been selected to support bands like Mumford & Sons, Alabama Shakes, and The Flaming Lips, and why they’ve been picked up by a growing number of overseas festivals. The songwriting on For The Company suggests the kind of talent and drive of a band well on their way through a sustained, successful career – perhaps an indication that Little May are here to stay.
The album kicks off with Cicadas, and from the opening guitars, delicately strum beneath string layers, we begin to get an idea of what’s unfolding ahead. The vocals have that immediate emotive quality that grabs hold of your heartstrings and tugs them around your chest with little remorse. The harmonies on this record are absolutely perfect, and with such talented singers it’s easy to see why the production puts them at the very front of the tracks.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDTFrNy1rFk]
The album was recorded in a converted church in upstate New York, and mixed in a Brooklyn garage. Of Dessner’s input, the band have said that “Aaron captured the heart of what we are about, and we couldn’t be more thankful.”
The vocals are absolutely sublime, and there’s just as much brilliance and carefully-crafted production in the instrumental and rhythmic layers, building unique, expansive atmospheres on a minute scale – each track is its own world, connected by recurring themes, like that brooding-but-building rhythm that we’re accustomed to seeing from The National. Second track Sold dances back and forth in the chorus, mixed vocals swirling in our ears, building to an upbeat clap-a-long bridge. There is a bittersweet element to all of Little May’s music, but Sold in particular tricks you into smiling when you’re supposed to be sad. The borderline staccato delivery of the line, “I’m a fool please put me back together on your own,” is a simple sentence – but with that emotional delivery, it’s incredibly powerful.
Lead single Home reminds us again of what a perfect pairing Dessner’s production and Little May is. The thudding snare drum, overridden by electric keys reminds us again that Little May’s influences are worn well and truly on their sleeves, but no one would accuse them of being derivative as they’re just so good at what they do. I spoke of maturity earlier in Little May’s songwriting, and Home exemplifies that perfectly. Some artists are inclined to jam pack their songs full of words, so much so that the intrinsic meaning and emotion can be lost, but Little May dance the fine line of knowing exactly how much to say, and saying it succinctly and definitively. Never afraid of repetition, they allow the song and the lyrics to breathe, displaying the confidence in their music. There is no insecurity in Little May’s music. Vulnerability yes, but they are always in control and show us exactly how much they want to.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCshZQnotb8]
On Seven Hours, Little May reminds us that they possess all of the good qualities of artists like First Aid Kit, Daughter and Sharon Van Etten. The controlled pitch of the vocals takes the listener on a journey of ups and downs, with fuzzed-out guitars perfectly accompanying the falsetto harmonies.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7DK1LBJYSc]
Remind Me shows us a rockier edge, with sudden guitars and heart-pumping drum beat. With such a variety of talent in one band, Little May are able to manipulate their sound to fit any style, any tempo.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdJ3Psq08Kw]
The inclusion of Hide, originally off their 2014 EP is a fitting way to measure the band’s progress. Their 2014 EP showed real promise, and For The Company delivers it. In a mature and thoughtful record, the band show us emotional honesty, thought-provoking lyricism, and masterful production.
For The Company is easily one of the best debut albums of the year. You can purchase the album on iTunes now.
Last week Howl and Echoes attended Red Deer Festival, and had the pleasure of sitting down with Sunshine Coast songstress Ayla.
Having enchanted crowds at the Triple J unearthed stage at Bigsound, Ayla took on Red Deer Festival in preparation for her upcoming headlining tour and the release of her debut Ayla EP. One of Australia’s finest young singers and drawing comparisons to artists like Daughter and Lana Del Ray. We sat down to talk to her about poetry, the Sunshine Coast, and following in the footsteps of Sarah Blasko.
So you played at Bigsound – how was that?
Yeah it was awesome, we played last year, and we won the sunshine coast council showcase, but this year was our first official showcase. And it was really awesome. We loved seeing all of the other acts that were on that night as well.
How is the Sunshine Coast to live in, and to be a musician?
I really like it. There are more venues and everything in the bigger cities, and a lot of opportunities, but I just really like living on the coast.
I think the crowds though, they come out for people in the Sunshine Coast, people really support the local artists.
Yeah, when you’ve got a bunch of different artists playing different venues every night you can be spoilt for choice and you don’t go out as much.
So obviously with your lyrics there’s lots of poetry and you’ve said Wish I Was was originally a poem, is that something you tend to do regularly – write a poem and sometimes it makes its way into your music?
That was probably the most prominent time that’s happened, I’ve done it a couple of times before but mostly I just write a song, lyrics with melody, I’ve written a couple of poems, but they’re just poems.
We might see them make their way into your music at some point.
Yeah, you never know.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13sSK8mk-aU]
So the Ayla EP is out on November 6th, talk us through the process of writing it.
Well it’s going to have the three tracks I’ve released so far, so Wish I Was, the one I released last year, then two that I’ve released this year, then another two I’d already written. One of the ones going on that hasn’t come out yet – I wrote it this year, not too long ago actually. But I’m just always writing songs really, I didn’t write them for the purpose of the EP.
So it’s more than you select some of the songs you’ve written and go “these are the ones I’m going to release”, but you have other songs to write just because.
Yeah! And then hopefully release them later. I wrote Wish I Was when I was 15.
Really?
Yeah, so you can always take songs that are old and…
Find a new meaning for them and stuff like that…
Yeah!
I think you mentioned when you were doing Wish I Was, you worked with the A&R Department in sort of constructing your brand, and trying to emulate some aspects of Daughter in particular. Is that an artist that you look up to?
Yeah, I really like their music and for that track particularly it’s a good reference.
Definitely. The full sort of sound.
Yeah, I really like their stuff.
You have a powerful voice so it’s easy to make comparisons with artists like Florence and the Machine, and Lana Del Ray, but I hear little bits of Wilco in your music amongst other things. Is there any other influences that wouldn’t be immediately apparent?
I dunno, I listen to lots of different stuff so I think you take on a little bit of whatever you listen to sub consciously and take it all in and it comes all out in a jumble.
So you won the Billy Thorpe Scholarship at the Q music awards, how was that?
They said my name and I just sat there in the seat for a few seconds being like “Really?”
Then you used that money to record the EP?
Yeah, the rest of the tracks, and the film clip I just did for Waiting. And that’s been absolutely amazing.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXfjVIpKnAQ]
So you’re nineteen now, how does it feel being so young and already touring the country? One of the quotes I read before the interview was “Ayla makes everyone feel bad thinking about what they’d achieved at her age.”
It’s definitely not in my bio! I didn’t write that!
No no, it was written about you. You are an example of someone so young doing well, that a lot of people would look at you and say “oh my god! When I was nineteen I was just being ridiculous” so how does that feel for you being in that situation, only nineteen and touring and performing? Is it a bit surreal?
I don’t know, I’ve always sort of put a lot of pressure on myself I guess, I’ve always just wanted to achieve things and then they… I don’t know. (laughs)
Is music something you’ve done from a really young age?
I’ve played music professionally doing a couple of gigs a week kind of thing for about four years. And I still do some gigs around like that, but it’s been fantastic to get out of the state and do some interstate stuff. We’re playing in Melbourne in November, which is going to be our first Melbourne show; I’m really looking forward to it. And last year we did a bit of touring down to Byron and the Gold Coast.
So music has always been in your life?
I’ve always been writing songs. When I was 5 my parents bought me a tape recorder to record my first song. It’s always been something that I’ve done, I always thought that I’d have it as a hobby and do something else until I realised I didn’t want to do that, and I just wanted to do music.
You’re studying at the moment?
I’m studying a Bachelor of Music at QUT in Brisbane. I was living in Brisbane for a year but not anymore, now I’m driving down.
That’s a lot of work! You’re touring, and you’re studying as well!
I’m often considering dropping out of uni (laughs)
Where do you find the time?
I don’t go very much, when I go people say, “Oh I haven’t seen you for ages!”
So we talked about branding earlier… how conscious are you of that? Like the brand you’re “supposed” to build?
I think because it’s pretty new at the moment, I can create it still, and even after you create a brand you can evolve and change it. I guess branding as a whole includes the photos you release, your cover art and everything, but I pretty much just use what I like, and hope that other people like it too!
Is there a dream show or dream support slot you’d love to do?
It’d be pretty cool to support Sia or Sarah Blasko, something like that.
I think my campmates mentioned that Sarah Blasko played Red Deer festival a few years ago, so you’re kind of following in her footsteps.
Oh cool! And her album is being released the same day as my EP.
Really?
So I think that definitely means that I should support her on her tour!
Definitely! It’s perfect. Are there any plans for a full-length album after the EP?
I’ve been writing for ages so I’ve got a lot of songs, so yeah I’d love to record more of them, and I definitely will do that. I think we’ll start working on that possibly the end of this year maybe early next year and hopefully have one out next year.
You can catch Ayla in November at selected East Coast venues:
Last Saturday, the enchanting Mt Samsun held host to Red Deer Festival. The overnight camping festival featured an array of upcoming artists including Machine Age and Ayla, alongside a great selection of well-known acts like Frenzal Rhomb and Andy Bull. The boutique festival offered a picturesque campsite barely an hour from Brisbane, and has managed to cultivate a relaxed and fun-loving crowd that support the event – and why wouldn’t you? More backyard-party than music festival, punters are invited to bring their own booze and furniture, and join in the festivities. From the jungle jewellery stalls to the market cuisine, the festival is one of the most welcoming environments I have ever experienced.
The staff were always willing to help and look out for their guests: including finding my partner’s phone, car keys, and keycard which were all returned to her promptly in the morning. Where else would you find a staff member walking around a music festival shouting out the names of punters with lost property, making sure they were returned to their rightful owner? Seriously, thanks guys!
As for the music, the superb line-up delivered a diverse range of tunes to lull punters through the hot afternoon.
The highlights included a fantastic performance from Machine Age, who we had the pleasure of interviewing at the event. After opening with lead single Chivalry, Adrian Mauro and his one-man-band launched into a dizzying set filled with improvisational samples, sharp guitar parts, and a voice that hovers above all the music, holding the whole thing together. With so many different sounds and ideas permeating his music, it’s a marvel how Machine Age managers to masterfully control all of the elements into fascinating music. Washing over a still-sober-but-not-for-long crowd, Machine Age was the perfect entree for a night that was sure to get wild.
Sunshine Coast songstress Ayla played us into the early evening with her unique and powerful voice, giving us a taste of her Ayla EP, set for a November release. Wish I Was washed over the crowd as they welcomed the sunset, finally escaping from the sweltering sun. Her gentle sound was a welcome friend; a moments peace before the real partying began. The band were on point and really highlighted one of Australia’s emerging artists, as she entertained audiences with her whimsical songwriting. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Ayla, and what unfolded was a discussion with a thoughtful musician with a soul of gold and truly an artist to keep an eye out for in the future.
Like all festivals, a reasonable amount of time needs to be dedicated to palette cleansing back at the campsite and sinking a few beverages before re-launching the musical assault. Red Deer in particular is filled with music lovers all sharing the love, all having a great time. With table tennis and beer pong, as well as welcoming campers with shade and couches, Red Deer really manages to make everyone feel as if they are away on a trip with their buddies, rather than stumbling around with strangers.
As the night wore on, Andy Bull serenaded the small site with his magnificent voice. Dog and Everybody Wants to Rule the World had the crowd hyped, and got those willing to leave their comfortable couches to the front of the stage to share a boogie.
Headliners Frenzal Rhomb brought the festival to the penultimate moment. Haranguing audiences with their brash punk, it demanded the crowd’s most outrageous dance moves. Jumping around the stage with the same vigour they’ve had their entire career, the band is so comfortable with themselves now, it’s impossible to imagine them not having fun on stage. The fun was infectious, and the vibe carried on well into the late night DJ sets, courtesy of Rolls Bayce and Blake Thompson. Many punters retired after a long day of sun and brews, but for those looking to charge on the now trampled site became a sweaty dance floor filled with fun-loving patrons.
Red Deer is exactly what is right with music festivals. It’s about community, having a shared experience, and never feeling hassled or stressed. Oh, and the music was pretty good too! With many festivals now feeling like more of an ordeal than an enjoyable experience, with sloppy drunk fans and questionable duty-of-care procedures, Red Deer reminds us that it doesn’t have to be that way.
Is that a rap song I see before me? The words in shakespeare text? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee yes, but I want thee still. Thou art, a rap song of the mind?
Ok, I’ll admit that the people at Royal Frontier do a much better job than me at converting things into Shakespearian text. The site has recently undertaken a series of rap songs to convert into Iambic-pentameter. The selection includes “Jvicy“, a take on The Notorious B.I.G‘s Juicy, a version of Slick Rick‘s Children’s Story entitled “A Knave’s Tale”, and my personal favourite and pick of the bunch, “‘Twas a Good Day” modeled after Ice Cube‘s It Was a Good Day.
The tracks boast that 100% percent of the words used can be found in Shakespearian text, and they manage to find some pretty innovative ways to convert modern day hip hop lyrics into the bard’s style. ‘Twas a Good Day begins as such:
Awake, awake! I pray my thanks to God
For this strange day’s rare, wondrous fantasies.
Admittedly I was disappointed that Shakespeare never used language to represent messin’ around last week and gettin’ a triple double, but Royal Frontier does it’s best to accommodate even the sticklers like me.
I seek the friends playing at bowls for sport
For I kiss’d the jack, desired mistress,
And won a brave game when last we played.
The site also offers limited prints including pictures and quotes from the converted songs available with free shipping until October 11th. For those of us inclined to purchase dumb things on the internet, this is a most welcome announcement.
The internet is a wild and wondrous place, and while I never knew that I needed Shakespearian interpretations of hip hop even if 10 Things I Hate About You tried to ignite that fire.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUzslPhNP6M]
But now I know, this is exactly what my life has been missing. For an added bonus, check out ‘Twas a Good Day and try to rap along with the Shakespeare lyrics (may or may not be perfecting this as we speak).
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4UqMyldS7Q]
The 15 finalists for 2016’s Rock’n’Roll hall of fame class have been announced, with a stellar list of nominees including The Smiths, Nine Inch Nails, Janet Jackson, and hip hop pioneers N.W.A among others.
Having appeared on the ballot four times already, many people have wondered how the legendary group has yet to ascend to the ranks of those honoured by the rock hall. Last year saw a litany of praise for the group, as well as a growing movement to get them into the hall – not to mention retrospective disbelief at the subsequent failure of their nomination.
Alongside N.W.A, nominees The Smiths have also missed out on the hall despite previous nominations, sparking sharp debate about the influence of these two bands and what they have to do to be recognised by their peers and rock critics.
A decade ago, some may have argued that hip hop artists perhaps had no place in an institution dedicated to rock ‘n roll, but we of course know that’s not true in the least. With Beastie Boys, Grandmaster Flash, and Run DMC already representing our favourite genre, it has become increasingly noticeable that one of hip hop’s most important, influential groups are still getting the door slammed in their face.
Surely, the success and massive media spotlight placed on the group thanks to the massively successful biopic Straight Outta Compton, the international momentum will reinvigorate and encourage audiences and successfully placed N.W.A in the public consciousness, enough so, that surely they will finally be inducted into the hall of fame.
There is a fan ballot component to this year’s hall, so let’s make sure we all do our part and express ourselves, and express our disbelief that these legendary artists have yet to be recognised by the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame as easily some of the most important musicians of all time.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u31FO_4d9TY]
The full list of nominees are:
The Cars
Chic
Chicago
Cheap Trick
Deep Purple
Janet Jackson
The J.B’a
Chaka Khan
Los Lobos
Steve Miller
Nine Inch Nails
N.W.A
The Smiths
The Spinners
Yes
NYC rap group Ratking have officially bid farewell to the warm summer, and are preparing for their winter hibernation with their latest video for the song Arnold Palmer. The song, off their latest jaunt 700 Fill released via Bitorrent, talks extensively about the summertime and bittersweetly reminisces on the days spent outside soaking up the sun.
The video depicts the Ratking crew outside mixing up lemonade in the warmer summer months. The group itself consists of MC’s Wiki and Hak, as well as producer Sporting Life. The group manages to capture that elusive punk/hip hop mix perfectly encapsulated by early OFWGKTA work, where the goofy elements blend perfectly with the DIY nature of their music. As they dance around, drinking Lipton’s ice tea with a bunch of their skater friends, the most important thing about the video seems to be that they are having fun.
The beat isn’t perfect, neither are the lyrics, or the production, but there are very few groups that are convincing in the fact that they are enjoying themselves, and when done right, it’s completely infectious.
The mish-mash collection of stoner/skater ideas from Wiki, with the clinical and analytical nature of the production from Sporting Life, as well as the pseudo-academic and philosophical maturity of Hak all blend together into one goddamn entertaining summer jam that represents everything right about DIY music. And while America transitions into winter, in Australia I look forward to alienating my non-hip-hop-loving friends by playing this song at an obnoxious volume while the sweltering sun burns us to a crisp.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhuTokeGWX0]
As part of Paper Magazine‘s “Nowstalgia” edition, the magazine has invited rap icons to talk about the impact of lost hip hop legends. With Eminem due to talk about Tupac later this week and Swizz Beatz talking all things Biggie, it was up to Kendrick Lamar to talk about his relationship with the music of iconic rapper Eazy-E. The former N.W.A member, tragically lost at age 31, has received a resurgence in popularity this year with the release of Straight Outta Compton, the biopic that has ignited both the music and film worlds with critical and commercial success.
Kendrick, of course being a Compton native, already impressed us by interviewing the four living members of N.W.A following the release of the film, and now he continues to share how much the collection of Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and Eazy-E have affected not only his music, but his life.
Kendrick went so far as to say that without Eazy-E “he wouldn’t be here”, and that growing up he “really couldn’t grasp the idea that the world knew about what we’re going through in my neighborhood”. It wasn’t long after, that he discovered N.W.A were talking about the realities of Compton in ways that hadn’t really been done before, and perhaps haven’t been done again until the emergence of Kendrick himself.
What made Eazy special was that he was telling a different type of truth, a truth that wasn’t heard in music yet. Before them, rap was fun — you had your battles and whatnot, but this time around, when it came to what Eazy wanted to do, being a visionary, he had the idea of speaking the honest truth, and I think it really resonated with a lot of people because it was the shock value of, “Okay, these guys are really standing out and focused on telling their reality, no matter how pissed off you get by it.”
It’s obvious that Kendrick tries to emulate the truthful nature of N.W.A with political and reality-laden tracks littered through good kid, m.A.A.d city as well as in tracks like Alright. I could think of no one better to pen a tribute to Eazy than Kendrick.
As a huge fan of Eazy myself, I’d be remiss now if I didn’t take Kendrick’s lead and pay respect to one of rap’s true legends and pioneers by sharing one of my favourite of his songs.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJM2aEggBA8]
The crafty and always fanatic Star Wars followers have managed to dig up information on a new character for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Apparently the character’s name is “Ello Asty”, which appears to be a thinly veiled reference to the Beastie Boys 1998 album Hello Nasty. In the picture above taken from here you might notice the helmet reads “Born to Ill”, another obvious reference to the Beastie Boys album Licensed to Ill.
It makes us wonder about what the characters role will be? Did the Beastie Boys have any influence over the creation of the character? Is it a space alien just fighting for his right to party? Or maybe he’s looking to sabotage the Jedi’s? Maybe all he really wants is girls? I like to imagine though, that Ello Asty is just a prophetic alien from a long time ago and a galaxy far far away that is just declaring his love for the Beastie Boys really early. The ultimate hipster-alien. He wasn’t just into the Beastie Boys before they were cool, he was into them before they existed.
Also, this opens up a whole new world in creating names for Star Wars characters, and yes, that is now an activity that will dominate the rest of my day.
Let’s hope Ello Asty is as cool as the last time the Beastie Boys went intergalactic.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qORYO0atB6g]
It’s a tried and true tradition for older participants of any industry to deride the younger generation who follow in their footsteps. The back-in-my-day rhetoric is always great fodder for entertainment, and when musicians do it, it’s the best.
Sometimes they are taking the piss, talking down modern music stars with their tongue firmly in their cheek like Keith Richards telling Rolling Stone that he hates rap. Sometimes it’s a little harsh, but you can see the point, like Kim Gordon on Lana Del Ray. Sometimes it’s just plain right like Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford apologising for the existence of Limp Bizkit. But by far, the best of the lot is when an old curmudgeon gets mad at a young artist for kind of paying respect to him.
Don Henley falls into the latter. In a recent interview with The Guardian the former Eagles singer/drummer is still harping on about the fact that Frank Ocean sampled Hotel California for his song American Wedding on Nostalgia:Ultra. He went on to say that he didn’t think Ocean was “cool” and that “I thought he was a talentless little prick. And I still do.”
Really Don? How could you be mad at this guy:
Even better, when asked if he would mind if Kanye West sampled his track, he responded with “I don’t like him either.” Which is just the ultimate grumpy grandpa thing to say. I want to just go through lists upon lists of hip hop artists with Don and hear his opinion on them.
Eminem? hate him.
Jay-Z? Couldn’t write a song to save his life.
Drake? No talent.
I would honestly watch this for hours. The best part of all this however, is the fact that he called Frank Ocean talentless. I mean, even if you don’t like Ocean you have to admit he is talented. The same way I’ll admit Don Henley is talented, even if I truly believe that his music is fucking terrible and the best thing to come from the Eagles was Jeff Bridges saying he hates the fucking Eagles.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JlmvtAHhnc]
But obviously the man has some talent. Even if it’s just being an old irrelevant musician taking potshots at a young artist who was probably a fan of that one Eagle’s song and mayyybe Boys of Summer. Either way, add Don Henley to the get-off-my-lawn all-stars for this one.
Yesterday, Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA was honoured by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA, at a gala celebrating the organisation’s 35th year. The multi-talented producer, rapper and film director joined a celebrity filled event to celebrate the continuing work of PETA to protect animal rights and raise awareness of animal cruelty. Hosted by Pamela Anderson and Angelica Huston the gala featured performances by Sir Paul Mcartney and Beck.
The rapper joined a slew of other honourees including Alicia Silverstone, Bill Maher, Jason Biggs, Fred Willard, Tommy Lee and more. Only a worthy cause could unite such a strange collection of celebrities, and seeing Alicia Silverstone and Jason Biggs on the same list ignites a passion for 90’s teen movies in my heart that I previously did not know existed. And I’m resisting the urge to make a People for the Ethical Treatment of Pie’s joke that surely would have been next-level terrible.
But for those that didn’t know, RZA is a vegan and has campaigned for PETA before, stating that “I don’t need a dead animal or a dead piece of flesh to go into my body.” The rapper also appeared in a video campaign for PETA in 2014:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41GnporY7gE]
While it’s easy to be cynical about celebrities campaigning for charities, it’s always nice to see the passionate human side of artists standing up for something they believe in.